#i figure if the abrahamic one were going to intervene he would have by now

[waffle-sorter]

Well, that's less than ideal. Let's see... Horus, are you available?

[heavenlymorals]

Biblical References in Both RDR games.

I love biblical references so much. When it comes to literature, it's probably my favorite type of symbolism. Like I genuinely get so happy when I connect things to the Bible which is what I'm going to do right now 😊😊 I also like the way that religion is incorporated into RDR as a whole, including the main characters' reaction to it.

So yup, here are just a few references or connections that I was able to make in no particular order.

Also, some of these are complete reaches and I'm aware of that, but fuck it, it's my blog and I do what I want 💪🏼

- The character and tragedy of Issac. In the Bible, Issac is the child of Abraham who is asked to be sacrificed by God by his father as a test of faith. God eventually intervenes to save Issac because he only wanted to test Abraham's faith. Dutch is shown as a God-like figure to the gang, as their devotion is to him. Arthur, indirectly, sacrifices Issac by not being there and by following what Dutch wanted. Arthur, Issac, and Dutch are parallels to Abraham, Issac, and God.

- Leviticus is the book that comes after the book of Exodus. After the gang's escape or exodus from Blackwater after the Blackwater massacre, they are met by Leviticus Cornwall, who becomes the next obstacle for the gang. After the gang's exodus, they get in trouble with Leviticus.

- The image of the deer and a mountain. Psalm 18:32-34 in the Bible says, "It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way blameless? He makes my feet like deers' feet, and sets me upon my high places." In Arthur's condemnation of Dutch, Micah, and their evil, he becomes steady in his identity and beliefs, like a deer's feet on a mountain, which is where he dies in the end. W symbolism.

- The mission "Sodom? Back to Gomorrah." In the Bible, Sodom and Gomorrah were two cities that were so morally depraved and evil that God decided to destroy the both of them, saying that if there was even one good person in those cities, he'd spare them, but there weren't. In those missions, you also do two evil acts, going from one and then BACK to the other. You rob the bank and then go BACK to collect the debt from Edith Downes. So you finish one evil deed and to straight to the next. This can also show how morally bankrupt Arthur's apathy made him at this point in the game.

- Micah's guns say "Vengeance is hereby mine." This could be a reference to Roman's 12:19 "vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord." Micah's violent nature makes him take his anger out on the world.

- "Your father is seduced by him with the forked tongue. It's no use hoping." The blind prophet to Arthur. Pretty straight forward symbolism, it's a nod to the snake that seduced Eve, just like how Micah manipulates Dutch.

- Dutch walking away from Arthur when he dies and though he realizes his wrong doing and feels shame, his pride forbids him from apologizing or saying he was wrong. This can be a parallel to how Adam and Eve run away from God when they feel shame over believing in the snake, but their pride won't allow them to apologize to God, hence damning them like how Micah damned Dutch.

- There were twelve ACTIVE gang members before the Blackwater massacre. When I mean active, I mean gang members who are canonically consistent (so not uncle, Swanson, Strauss, or the girls) on going on jobs for the gang. Micah, Bill, Javier, John, Hosea, Arthur, Charles, Sean, Lenny, Josiah, Mac and Davey Callender. Christ had 12 disciples and Dutch is portrayed as a savior to the gang, or a Christ like figure. And would you look at that, there is a traitor in both groups of twelve (Micah and Judas).

- Both John and Arthur's graves have scripture from Jesus's sermon on the mountain (Matthew 5:1-12). John's is blessed are the peacemakers and Arthur's is blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.

- The go back for the money ending. If you go back for the money and have low honor, you'll see that the camp is engulfed in flames as you try to get the money. The fight with Micah is brutal and you die faced down in the dark. This death is an allegory for going to either hell and purgatory as you choose a final evil act of leaving your brother to possibly die just so you can get money as an act of revenge. If you have high honor, you are still surrounded by flames, but you still have a chance at heaven given that you die facing up seeing the light one final time.

- The help John ending has similar connotations. If you have low honor, you die by gunshot and are shrouded in darkness, which can symbolize the absence of God's light and how Arthur's final act couldn't absolve the lack of guilt he feels for the rest of the actions that he KNOWS are evil (click here for a my interpretation of Arthur's morality). In high honor, though, you get to crawl to the mountain side and see the rising sun, symbolizing heaven, warmth, and a new purity.

- In low honor, the coyote goes down to a dark cave, representing damnation and the rejection of holy light. In high honor, the deer steps into a heavenly field of light. Love that so much to be honest.

- Just the very Catholic vibe of Arthur's redemption. Doing good deeds, feeling guilt, all that.

- John's new life is basically this: "Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need." -Ephesians 4:28. John gives up his old life to be an honest laborer, a rancher, and a proper man.

- The Strange Man in RDR rides on a donkey, which is pretty interesting because Jesus Christ also made his grand entry on a donkey.

- Just the Strange Man in general to be honest. Some say he's God, others say he's the Devil, and others say he's Cain from the Bible, which is my personal favorite theory but whatever.

- Dutch's horse could be a reference to Revelations 6:8- "And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him." Dutch's rash actions caused the death of the gang and RDR's incarnate of Hades or Hell was Micah, following him. Dutch is the only one, canonically, to have a pale horse.

- "Am I prepared for eternal damnation? Am I passed any kind of saving? Or is that just fairy tales?" Arthur in his journal. I love this line so much because of its very agnostic nature whilst still showing the Christian mindset of 1899 America. This line also shows that Arthur is canonically agnostic which is a yippee from me because it's like the only thing me and this man have in common lmao 😭

- "Bad news awaits you, sir. Sadly, sooner than you think. But beyond the news, paradise awaits. Paradise.." Blind Man Cassidy to Arthur. Sorry but I just love that. High honor Arthur lived such an awful life but he still has a chance at paradise and heaven? Love that so much.

- God (pun intended), I love biblical symbolism. Couldn't you tell?

[aion-rsa]

Marvel’s What If…? Episode 1 Review: Peggy Carter Changes MCU History

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This review contains spoilers for What If…? episode 1.

What If…? is the latest Marvel Studios small screen project to arrive on Disney+ after much fanfare. The animated anthology show, created by Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia writer A.C. Bradley and Marvel storyboard vet Bryan Andrews, aims to explore alternate timelines in the MCU multiverse. In order to fully grasp the basic premise of What If…? as a whole it helps to have watched Marvel’s Loki, which recently introduced the multiverse to the MCU.

What If…? episode 1, “What If… Captain Carter Were The First Avenger?,” focuses on a (mainly) WWII-era version of Peggy Carter who made a key alternate choice that affected the creation of Captain America in a major way.

It’s a fun episode! Your mileage may vary depending on how much you love Peggy Carter, but since I love her a whole lot I had a good time watching this. The main downside, I suspect, to any of these installments, is that they’re inherently redundant. As far as we know, none of the fantastical concepts here will bleed into the live-action MCU. But if you’re here for a good time and not a long time, What If…? should make for a neat weekly diversion.

Our What If…? reviews are going to adopt a different format. More of a “breakdown” that we hope will still satisfy regular readers but also help younger viewers and those less familiar with the MCU keep up.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at “What If… Captain Carter Were The First Avenger?”

Required viewing

In terms of understanding the central characters and how things changed inside the branch timeline featured in this first episode, we would recommend revisiting Captain America: The First Avenger, Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter, and the opening act of The Avengers. If you’re on a full Peggy Carter binge, why not add both seasons of ABC’s live-action Agent Carter series to your watchlist, too?

What’s different?

This episode explored what would have happened if Steve Rogers was unable to take the super soldier serum during World War II and Peggy Carter volunteered to become Dr. Abraham Erskine’s lab rat instead.

Peggy’s “what if…?” was deciding to stand her ground and stay in the room while the serum was administered during the iconic transformation sequence featured in Captain America: The First Avenger. She then had a chance to intervene in the Hydra bombing, but Steve got caught up in the action and was subsequently shot.

With time running out to perform the super soldier process, Peggy jumped into the machine and went on to become Captain Carter, having all the physical powers of Captain America along with a different costume and an altered shield with a Union Jack at its center.

Steve was badly injured and had to undergo intense physiotherapy while Peggy trained to be the best she could be. Their relationship blossomed and, thanks to Howard Stark, Steve took on the role of her sidekick in a Tesseract-powered Hydra Stomper – basically an early version of the Iron Man suit. Meanwhile, Peggy faced interference from Colonel John Flynn, who was regularly on hand to pour out a stream of misogyny regarding her place in the fight.

In a familiar First Avenger train sequence, Peggy went on an altered mission with Steve, Bucky Barnes and the Howling Commandos to take out the Red Skull, however it was Steve who ended up falling from the train in this timeline and not Bucky, so it stands to reason that Bucky wouldn’t then go on to become the Winter Soldier.

Other more minor changes include Peggy probably not making out with her own niece during any Civil War shenanigans in the future – and please do not direct me to any fan art depicting that scenario in the comments, I beg you.

In the end, the Red Skull used the Tesseract to summon a tentacled “champion of Hydra” and Peggy had to sacrifice herself to push it back back into the space portal from whence it came. She emerged from the portal pre-The Avengers’ Battle of New York.

Who are the voices?

Jeffrey Wright plays the show’s narrator, Uatu The Watcher, and he’ll be here for every episode.

Returning to voice their characters from Captain America: The First Avenger were Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark, Neal McDonough as Dum Dum Dugan, Toby Jones as Arnim Zola, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, and Stanley Tucci as Dr. Abraham Erskine. Other MCU actors joining in were Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye and Ross Marquand as the Red Skull, reprising his role from Avengers: Infinity War/Endgame.

Bradley Whitford may seem like a new addition as the arrogant Colonel John Flynn, but he previously portrayed the character in the live-action Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter released back in 2013, so even in the Sacred Timeline Flynn continued to be a thorn in Peggy’s side for quite a while.

The elephant in the room here is Steve Rogers. Chris Evans did not add his voice to the What If…? mix, so it was up to Marvel animation alum Josh Keaton to stand in for Evans, and he honestly did a really good job of it all things considered.

Standout moments

I gotta say it was truly wild for me to witness Captain Carter have adventures onscreen at all! It was obviously great to see Peggy kicking ass with her enhanced strength – the serum only beefed up her already brave and competent nature – but this version of the character has something of a unique origin, having been concocted as a kind of throwaway addition to the match-3 game Marvel Puzzle Quest in 2016. A couple of years later, Saladin Ahmed added her to the pages of Marvel Comics in Exiles #3, and it clearly didn’t take Marvel Studios long to figure out how to apply the enthusiastic Captain Carter fan response to an MCU project.

Peggy riding Steve’s Iron Man-esque Hydra Stomper into a dogfight during the WWII montage sequence was a delight, frankly. The animation in most of the fighting sequences was terrific and really took golden opportunities to reach for the kind of punching, kicking, shield-throwing ballet that the live-action format could never quite achieve with its restrictions of reality.

I found myself slowly warming to What If…?’s animation style, which I probably still wouldn’t describe as my favorite if I’m honest. I love the What If? comics, and this series felt like an opportunity to really push the weirdness envelope a little more. You only have to look at what Netflix accomplished with its anthology series Love, Death & Robots to see how differently a What If? series that embraced other styles and voices could have gone, but I grew up on Saturday morning cartoons, stop motion, Fantastic Planet, and Heavy Metal, so forgive me for briefly imagining the possibilities of this project in a wilder sense.

One of the oddest standout moments for me was when the episode subverted my expectations somewhat. After Steve was seemingly killed during the train heist, I thought the creators of the show were all set to explore him becoming the Winter Soldier, and I have to admit the idea intrigued me a little! However, it didn’t go down like that, and I was left to mentally wander down a different “what if…?” rabbit hole alone.

How does it work out?

In the future, Nick Fury used the Tesseract to transport Peggy back from wherever she ended up after she entered the portal, and it looks like she joined the Infinity Saga-era Avengers Initiative in Steve’s place. Whether it all worked out well for this episode’s specific MCU timeline remains to be seen, but it would be really fun to see if Agent Coulson had a pack of Captain Carter trading cards!

More to come

Episode 1 played like a pilot for an ongoing Captain Carter series for good reason: What If…? has been confirmed to include at least one Peggy Carter installment in every season going forwards.

“A lot of the season one episodes are riffing off certain points in the cinematic universe and maybe even delving in a certain phase, but we need to expand and explore more things, so we had to come up with other ideas that were a little further down the timeline,” director Bryan Andrews told us, later adding “Peggy Carter is pretty awesome; Captain Carter is pretty awesome, we’d love to see more of her.”

Marvel’s What If…? is now streaming weekly on Disney+ every Wednesday.

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The post Marvel’s What If…? Episode 1 Review: Peggy Carter Changes MCU History appeared first on Den of Geek.

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

[ejzah]

A/N: Based of a post were I suggested that the team competes in various events during the downtime created by the lockdown. A full story was requested by someone. If you would like to claim it, let me know in the comments.

As you might expect, this is filled with ridiculousness.

***

“That’s it, you’re disqualified, G!” Sam declared as he yanked a throwing knife out of the wall, the handle still shaking from being recently hurled.

“Why am I disqualified?”

“You almost hit me in the head!”

“Well, maybe you shouldn’t have been standing so close to the target.” As they continued to bicker, Eric, Nell, Kensi, and Deeks sat down on the bleachers set up in the gym.

“I wonder how long this argument is going to take.” Nell said, sounding mildly disinterested. Over the course of the day, they had competed against each other in various events, including completing a hundred pushups, a 100 meter sprint, non-dominant hand shooting, and miniature basketball.

The day long competition was the result of them all having far too much idle time while most of the state was in some form of lockdown.

Sam, Kensi and Deeks had been neck and neck for the pushups. Nell had given up after 10 in favor of watching Deeks and Sam finish. In the end, Sam had beat Kensi by three. Kensi and Deeks had tied in the sprint, which had resulted in a mini argument over whether or not they could have two winners and Sam had easily won in the shooting event. Callen had won the mini-basketball round.

“Well, I’d say it depends on how quickly Sam figures out that Callen is messing with him,” Deeks said, settling in for a good half hour of debate.

“How do you guys wear this stuff all the time?” Eric asked, doing a weird half lunge thing as he frowned down at his under armor shorts. “I always feel like it’s squeezing me to death.”

“Well, it does have its perks,” Deeks commented, wiggling his eyebrows at Kensi as he glanced pointedly at her strappy black sports bra.

“Mm, yes it does,” Nell agreed, eyeing his chest appreciatively. Deeks looked down at his skin tight tank top and shrugged.

��Anyway,” Kensi said, rolling her eyes. “We should probably intervene or we’ll never get to the next event.”

“You just want to get your trophy,” Deeks teased her.

“Hey I won the knife throwing competition fair and square. No one else even came close.”

***

“C’mon Deeks!” Kensi shouted, clapping her hands as Deeks and Callen went up against each other on the climbing walls. “You can do this! Climb faster!” She’d already lost against Callen earlier and had taken sides. Nell had also joined Deeks’ side, but Eric seemed torn.

“G, don’t do this to me again!” Sam shouted over Kensi’s encouragement. Deeks thought he heard Callen mutter something sarcastic about not being a show monkey.

Deeks was about 2/3 of the way up with Callen several feet under him. He grabbed the next two handholds, propelling himself another two feet. To the sound of Nell and Kensi’s combined shouts, he climbed the last few feet and touched the top.

“Yes baby!” Kensi cheered as he dropped onto the mat below. Callen let himself fall too and said,

“Well, thank god that’s over.”

“Unbelievable,” Sam said, sounding deeply disappointed. “How could you let him win again?” Callen stood up, breathing heavily with his hands on his hips.

“Once again, he’s got longer arms and have you seen his muscles these days? His arms are like freaking trees,” Callen pointed out. “Besides, I beat you.”

“I have more weight to lift.” Before Callen could respond to that, Nell cut in.

“I believe it’s time for the three-legged race.”

“Ooh, I won the three-legged race every year at my summer camp,” Eric said excitedly. He extended his arm to Nell. “Shall we, M’Lady?”

***

“How are you this uncoordinated?” Kensi shouted at Deeks as they tumbled to the ground for the third time in a minute. Sam and Callen were only doing marginally better; if he’d been less focused on not falling, Deeks would have found the sight of them fumbling around hilarious.

“I don’t know, maybe because one of my legs is tied to yours?” he suggested sarcastically, groaning as he Kensi tried to stand up and ended up yanking at his bound leg.

“As the only married couple, we should be better at this.” Kensi sounded ready to kill him and he tried to sync his movements with hers.

Ahead of them, Nell and Eric were somehow managing to move at an impressive speed despite their vastly different heights.

Kensi growled as they fell yet again.

“This is a cruel, cruel sport,” Deeks sighed. In the time it took them to get back up, Eric and Nell crossed the finish line and immediately hugged, jumping up and down in excitement.

Deeks released the Velcro brace wrapped around his left leg, rubbing at the sore spot the rough material had left as they slowly walked across the field.

“Congratulations,” Kensi told Eric and Nell, managing a smile despite her disappointment.

“Thanks, but it was all Eric,” Nell said, giving him a proud look. “He’s a great leader.”

“Oh, I’m only as good as my partner,” Eric insisted, one arm wrapped around her waist.

“You two are disgusting,” Sam commented, trying to brush grass stains off his clothes.

***

“Nell, how often do you play mini golf?” Callen asked, sounding suspicious as Nell tapped her bright blue golf ball through a windmill and straight into a hole marked with a white 16.

“I may or may not have lived near a course when I was a kid,” Nell answered with a grin. She sank another ball with a single tap. “We played every weekend for a couple summers.”

“I should’ve known when you insisted we include it in the competition,” Kensi commented. She was a few strokes behind Nell and one in front of Deeks.

“Hey, I play to my strengths.” Nell shrugged, not seeming in any hurry to get to the next hole.

“At least the rest of us are doing better than Eric and Sam,” Deeks said, nodding to where Sam and Callen were struggling to get past a river that kept swallowing the ball and spitting it back out on the other side.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Sam this angry,” Callen said, his voice filled with poorly concealed humor. As they watched, Sam shouted something and threw his club across the course where it landed in the middle of a small sandpit. “I better go calm him down before we get kicked out.”

“Maybe we should cancel this event. I mean, this is just supposed to be for fun,” Kensi said, watching Sam stalk away as Callen tried to talk to him. Eric was still futilely whacking at his ball.

“Not a chance,” Nell said fiercely, pausing to line her club up to the ball. She swung, the blue tennis skirt she’d chosen to wear swishing with her movement, and smiled in satisfaction as she got another hole in one. “I won this trophy and no one is taking it away from me.”

“Nothing like a game of mini golf to foster familial goodwill,” Deeks commented wryly.

***

Beep beep beep.

“Alright, pencils down,” Nell announced to the sound of frantic scratching. Deeks leaned back, having finished his 10th Scattegories list several seconds early.

Kensi swore under her breath and tossed her pencil down, glaring malevolently at him.

“Ok, starting with Eric, gifts/presents, terms of endearment, kinds of dances, things that are black, vehicles, tropical locations, college majors, dairy, products, things in a souvenir shop, and world records,” Nell said. “And they all must start with the letter L.”

By now her voice was hoarse and she sounded like a teacher who had spent all day corralling misbehaving students. It wasn’t far off.

“Alright, I have Lady Lark, locket, love, nothing, nothing, Land Rover, Latin, nothing, leg warmers, lip balm, and nothing,” Eric rattled off, looking a little stressed. He’d taken his jacket off half an hour ago, apparently overheated by the pressures of the game.

Nell sighed, crossing a couple things off her list.

“Ok, Callen?” He’d been toe to toe with Deeks for the last five rounds and seemed pretty confident. Clearing his throat dramatically, he started reading off his list.

“Lewis and Clark, lima beans, lima beans, lima beans-“

“Wait a second, you just said ‘lima beans’ three times in a row,” Sam interrupted.

“Lima beans would make a great present in my opinion,” Callen said, leaning back in his chair and twirling his pencil carelessly.

“Well, I don’t. Besides, you can’t use the same thing more than once.” Callen sighed and tossed his paper on the table.

“Then you’re probably not going to like the rest of this list.”

“You seriously wrote down lima beans 11 times?” Kensi asked and he shrugged again.

“At this point, I just want the game to be over,” he said, earning a disgusted sound from Sam.

Kensi, Nell, and Sam all read off their lists, scratching of a word here and there. Deeks had insisted that he go last for each round, to give them a better appreciation of his brilliance. No one had argued, but that might have been more for the sake of expediency than that they actually cared. When it was his turn, he noisily cleared his throat.

“Lincoln, as in Abraham, lingerie,” he paused to glance at Kensi who rolled her eyes. “Ladybird, lap dance, lemurs, Lamborghini, Laos, law, low fat yogurt, a license, and liquor,” Deeks said, dropping his board on the table with a smug expression. “Boom.”

“Damn,” Eric muttered. “Why didn’t I think of lap dancing?”

“Because you have an ounce of self-respect,” Kensi said a little meanly, which Deeks put down to her losing another round.

“Ok, so Deeks is officially the winner,” Nell announced, to no ones surprise.

He took a bow, dodging Kensi’s elbow.

***

“G, that’s not a word,” Sam sighed, gesturing for Callen to move the letter tiles he’d just laid down. The board was covered with a grid of words. Deeks had most recently added “erotic”, built off of Kensi’s “elbow”. Sam hadn’t liked Deeks’ word either, but didn’t have grounds to protest it.

“Yes, it is,” Callen insisted. “And now I’m out of tiles too and since that’s 7 with a triple word score, I win.”

“Um, I don’t think so,” Kensi argued, crossing her arms as she glared at him. She’d played extremely competitively, contesting almost as many words as Sam. “You used an already existing word, so you can’t use the ‘s’.”

“And it’s not a real word.”

“It’s in the Harry Potter books.” Callen lifted his hands like that was definite proof, leaning back with a grin. “So I’d say it’s a real word.”

“Actually “lumos” is adapted from the Latin word “lumen”, Deeks explained, “so it’s really a made up word and even if it wasn’t, foreign words aren’t allowed or I would have killed this game.”

“I’m not taking it off.”

“Let’s never do this again,” Nell said to Eric from where they were sitting off to the sides as Sam pulled out a giant dictionary.

“But we’re still getting trophies, right?” he asked worriedly. Nell snorted.

“Of course. I am the champion of mini golf after all.”

***

A/N: Just for fun little side note, I really dislike mini golf. One of the first times I played (I was a teenager), got so mad that I had a similar reaction to Sam’s. Ever since my family has been very cautious around me while playing the game.

And Callen with the lima beans is also based on a real-life anecdote.

[yellowdistress]

Could you do a story with teenage peter getting kidnapped again and his dad absolutely hugging him like if he let go he’d loose him after they find him))

Sure! But this won’t be considered canon ‘what we are’ verse, just cause I knew it’d be something that would have had to be brought up again at some point. So it’s still ‘what we are’, just not…canon? If that makes sense haha

I’ve always considered a plot like ‘Ransom’, you know that movie with Mel Gibson? This isn’t that, but it reminded me of that idea.

Peter was only thirteen, but he had just experienced the longest night of his life.

The threats on Peter’s life had been coming in since he could remember. Despite the fact that his father tried to hide most of them, Peter knew there were people out there who wanted to hurt him and his father. Whether it be for fame or money, or revenge, it didn’t matter. It was still smothering, gut wrenching and terrifying when it had happened. A split second decision that had led to a night of police chases and ultimately ended with their car crashing into a light pole.

Happy had gotten out of the car…After picking Peter up from Ned’s house. He was just going in the store for a minute to pre-pay their gas. Peter had sat alone in the car dozens of times, and he was mostly distracted by the homework he was trying to hurry up and finish before he got home, because it was meant to be done at Ned’s house and his dad would be mad if he got home and it wasn’t finished. Because then he would have to stay up late, and then he wouldn’t wanna get out of bed the next day. 

But then the man in the hoodie had jumped into the driver’s seat…Had been carrying a gun in his hand.

It hadn’t felt real at first, because he hadn’t spoken to Peter for several moments when he sped out of the parking lot of the gas station. Peter didn’t even have time to be terrified at that point, not until the guy had glanced back, had pointed the gun…His face unshaven and mouth frowning deeply.

“Stark’s kid right?” 

Peter had said nothing.

The gun made a sound, as he slid his thumb over the back, “Be good and you’ll go home soon. Hopefully ‘daddy’ is willing to pay to get you back. We’ll see if he likes you enough.”

And that was the beginning of their car ride. Peter didn’t know what the guy had been thinking, maybe the intention had been to take him out of the city. But all of his dad’s cars had trackers, and it didn’t take long for the police to start chasing them. For them to get run off the road. Peter thought of all those movies, where kids were kidnapped for ransom. Where the bad guys wanted money. Usually there was some sort of phone call, the gun was used, someone got hurt. But it didn’t happen that way. Peter escaped with a few bumps and bruises, after being thrown to the floorboard before the police swarmed the vehicle and he was pulled out so forcefully by a police officer that he almost had whiplash.

He had been practically thrown over the officer’s shoulder, carried away, the police lights flashing off his eyes as he watched the man with the gun, his face now bloodied from the air bag, being thrown on the ground and handcuffed. There were so many cops, more than Peter could remember ever seeing, maybe since New York. People had stopped on the street, there were men and women with cameras (Peter would find out later the police chase had been shown live and they had compared it to OJ Simpson’s…whoever that was.)

Then Peter was placed in the back of a police cruiser, a blanket wrapped tightly around him as he sat at the edge of the seat, the door open to the chaos but facing away from the cameras.

There he waited.

In retrospect, it seemed shorter than it was. The hours of sitting in the back seat, trying to be silent, not knowing what to say. Not asking questions, not crying, just knowing he was in a bad situation and his dad was going to kill that guy. He wondered where his father was, during all of that, if he had been told he wasn’t allowed to put on his suit and intervene. He could only imagine how angry he was, and Peter shivered at the thought where he sat, and his head hurt from the lights.

But then a car pulled up…and his father, Happy, and Pepper stepped out.

The cameras behind them started to flash even brighter as his father appeared, but he didn’t even seem concerned about the press as he immediately walked towards the cruiser. Peter stood, gripping the blanket tighter, and maybe if he was younger, not so self-conscious, he would have sprinted to his dad. But he felt…deeply shocked and worried and so Peter’s steps weren’t sprints, but they were wide strides towards his father.

The moment he was in arms reached, his dad wrapped him in a tight embrace.

His dad leaned down, almost like a tree, bending protectively over the small teen. His dad was in an expensive suit, maybe he had been at work when everything had happened, and Peter felt bad - even inconveniencing his father with his brief but big kidnapping…he felt bad.

There were so many voices, the clicking of cameras, but Peter’s father whispered in his ear, continuing to shield him, “Are you okay?”

The hug was so tight, his father’s voice was trembling. Peter bit down on his lip, the guilt rising as he replied, “Yeah…”

He paused, then.

“My homework is still in the car.”

There was a deep breath, “I don’t think you need that.”

When his father stood back to his full height, Peter was pulled close to his chest, having to peer up at the others with his neck turned at an odd angle. The hand continued to cup the back of his head, and Happy and Pepper were both standing in front of the line of press. Happy looked exhausted, and Peter tried to smile at him, but the adults were hardly looking at him…And he supposed it was because there were other pressing matters to deal with.

“Get us a different car, one the press isn’t going to trail all the way home,” His dad ordered sharply, “Tell the police if they want Peter’s statement they have to get it from our place, we’re not going to the police station tonight.”

Peter squirmed, but his father’s hold was firm. Fingers carded his scalp, but still no one was looking at him. Peter also noticed the way Happy nodded quickly and rushed away to do so, and Peter hoped his father hadn’t been mean to Happy about what happened at the gas station…It didn’t feel like it should have been his fault.

Pepper spoke to his father, “They’re going to need to know what happened, Tony.”

“Okay, well like I said, they can come to our place,” His dad repeated, sounding more frustrated, “Tonight has been the night from Hell, Pep. My kid just got snatched from a damned gas station. Give me that. I’m taking him home. At least until we make sure this was just one crazy.”

“Dad…” Peter breathed, trying to get his attention, but suddenly they were being waved away by Happy in the distance…Which meant he probably found a car. He was finally released from the embrace, and instead a hand wrapped around his own, pulling him away…

Peter didn’t get to finish before he was put in the back of an unfamiliar vehicle and brought home.

…

“Abraham Mennington. Thirty-two-years old, former charges for robbery and identity theft. Released last month on good behavior. Seems he has been watching you for a while, Mister Stark…”

Captain Stacy paused in his explanation and Peter wasn’t supposed to be listening, where he hovered in the mouth of the hallway, peering around the corner so that he could see the officers and Peter’s father and Pepper in the dark dining room, illuminated by the light above the table. Peter recognized Captain Stacy…he had met him at some of the city’s charity events that Peter had been brought to. 

He then continued, “He had Peter’s school schedule in his computer database, wrote down when your driver would usually stop to get gas. It seems he was very prepared for this evening…but didn’t take into account that your vehicle would be tracked. From what we could tell, he planned to bring your son upstate to his mother’s old cabin. Wanted to hide out there until he could get his ransom demand…”

A pause.

“He was planning on asking for almost seventeen million,” Captain Stacy finished.

He heard his father sigh, and he watched him pinch the bridge of his nose. His dad questioned, almost too quietly for Peter to hear, “And how do you figure we approach this?”

“My honest opinion?” Captain Stacy questioned, “Up your security. Get the boy more protection, other than a former boxer. You’re Iron Man and one of the richest men in the world. Your son needs safety.”

“We’re attempting to give Peter a normal childhood,” This time Pepper spoke, “Surrounding him with bodyguards isn’t what we envisioned for him.”

Captain Stacy sighed, “With all due respect, it could be the only way of preventing something like this from happening again.”

Silence shriveled up, Peter felt shaky. Security meant smothering, and Peter already felt he was smothering sometimes. His hands trembled, and Peter was about to turn and go back to his room when Captain Stacy’s eyes left his father and Pepper’s faces, over their shoulders. They met Peter’s, and Peter felt heat rise in his face almost immediately when both Pepper and his dad turned as well. Peter gritted his teeth, made a small sound before he turned and rushed down the dark hallway, ducking into his bedroom and practically catapulting into bed.

It didn’t take long for his father to arrive.

“You know…” His dad hummed, leaning against the door frame as Peter peeked out from under the blankets, “I thought we talked about you eavesdropping.”

“We did…” Peter whispered.

“And?”

Peter pushed himself to a sitting position, poking out his lower lip petulantly. His father entered further, coming to sit on the edge of the bed and Peter scooted closer, pushing himself to his knees as to be the same height at the man. It made it easier to talk to him when he felt he was on the same level. His dad raised an eyebrow and Peter explained, “If you’re talking about me I should get to listen…You know…tonight it happened to me.”

His father stared a moment before he sighed, “Yes, but it’s our responsibility to make sure you’re safe. So we’re going to have conversations you don’t need to be there for.”

Peter crossed his arms over his chest, “Why, so you can decide if I have to be like those kids who never get to do anything fun cause they have twenty Happys chasing them around all the time?”

“Don’t,” His father’s voice was warning, “Okay? Don’t. You can’t begin to understand the gravity was what happened tonight. We caught this guy, but what would have happened if he had taken you further? Had gotten out of the city? Had been able to make that demand? I…I don’t even want to entertain that thought. So you’re…”

He trailed off, maybe thinking better but Peter wasn’t sure. Peter gulped thickly and asked, “What?”

“You’re too young to understand.”

Peter felt his stomach plummet. He felt nauseated with anger. Peter glared, he was always being treated so young…Like he was stupid or something. He resisted the urge to poke his father, to demand he listen to him and what he had to say. But then he couldn’t anymore, and he pressed his index finger into the man’s chest, voice wavering as he tried to sound adult, “No I’m not. You just - you never listen to me, and just cause some crazy guy grabbed me doesn’t mean anything, you can’t treat me like a little kid all the damn time - ”

“Hey,” His dad grabbed his wrist, stopping him from poking him, voice almost venomous as he held tightly, “One: don’t talk to me like that. Two: You are a kid. Whether or like it or not, there are things you don’t understand. You’re not indestructible and you’re my son, so I’m going to do what I have to do in order to protect you from crazy people like this guy.”

 Peter’s face fell. He stiffened his mouth, but his eyes dropped and the bravery went away. The hand continued to hold his wrist and he heard his father sigh, voice going soft as he explained further, “Peter…I love you. And this guy could have hurt you. It wasn’t a game - or a movie with a car chase, it was real.”

“I know that,” Peter’s voice cracked, “I - I know. I was scared.”

His father made a face…As if he was suddenly taking that fact into account. The man’s head nodded and he tugged on Peter’s wrist, pulling him to his chest in another embrace, tighter than the one earlier. His dad held on and on and on and Peter said nothing…Just listened as time silently ticked on.

His father reassured, “I might not have told you…but even adults get scared so…that’s not why you’re young. It’s okay to be afraid in a situation like that.”

His father knew him too well. Knew his habit to fight down anything that threatened the perception that Peter could be older than thirteen. 

[blouisparadise]

It’s been a while since our first A/B/O fic rec was created and because a ton of amazing A/B/O fics have come out since then, we decided to make a second part to this list. These are all alpha Harry/omega Louis fics (of course).

Happy reading!

Edit: We’ve added a third part to this rec list, which can be found here!

1) We’ll Stumble Through Heaven | Explicit | 6504 words

Louis likes to be a good boy for his alpha.

2) The Unsuccessful Promise | Teen & Up | 7152 words

At the end of the previous school year, Louis swore to everyone that he would return in the fall as an alpha. He made this promise especially to his arch-nemesis Harry Styles, who has already presented as an alpha himself.

Unfortunately over summer break, the worst thing possible happens: Louis presents as an omega. Now school is back in session and he has to return and face the consequences of pre-determining his status.

3) Something To Prove | Explicit 9425 words

Louis is the first and only omega to work at Red Valley Medical Center. Despite being more than qualified, he still faces prejudice for his career choice everyday. From patients refusing his treatment to condescending alpha doctors intervening with his work, practicing medicine in Boston is more challenging than Louis had ever thought it would be.

4) Night Out | Mature | 9741 words | Sequel

Symphony hall was the first place Louis had felt at home in this city, and he always had the box to himself. Until tonight.

5) Enjoy The Ride | Not Rated | 11103 words

The one where Louis, an omega more than tired of being treated as lesser than alphas, is forced on a road trip by his beta besties only to meet Harry who might just be the alpha he never knew he wanted.

6) Overwhelming | Explicit | 13261 words

Louis is an omega attending university to get his degree and most definitely not waste his time with unimportant things such as finding a mate. Harry is the alpha who manages to unwittingly mess up that plan.

7) No One Else Will Do | Mature | 13237 words

It takes Louis’ early heat for Harry and Louis to figure things out.

8) Anybody Have a Map? | Not Rated | 13873

The one where Louis met Harry in NYC where they bonded as fellow Brits in the large city. Years later, with Louis’ upcoming heat, maybe it’s time for their friendship to become something more.

9) If You Want More, Then Here I Am | Not Rated | 14558 words

The one where Harry and Louis are soulmates, but they can’t quite seem to get on the same page.

10) Just Let Me | Mature | 14714 words

The party was going well. So well, Niall had already sworn undying love to one multi-tiered chocolate cake, two friendly corgi-poodle mixes, Zayn’s hair, and the entire population of Los Angeles. So well, Zayn had only laughed and ruffled Niall’s hair and not even twitched towards a cigarette. So well, nearly everyone had spilled far past the boundaries of the night’s original plans, extracting bottles of vodka from the cabinets and losing a lot of clothes. Harry had proclaimed that he was finally going to throw a small and very grownup dinner party and of course here they were three hours later, fifty people half-naked in the pool. Soon to be full-naked, if Louis had to guess. Everybody in LA loved a heated pool. Everybody loved Harry.

11) Baby Honey | Explicit | 14744 words

When the next great war strikes, all alphas have to ship out. Alex leaves a little more behind than some of the others.

12) Never Understood What Love Was Really Like (But I Felt It For The First Time Looking In Your Eyes) | Not Rated | 18431 words

The one where Louis meets Harry at 14 and things don’t quite go as planned.

13) I Didn’t Fall For You (You Fucking Tripped Me) | Explicit | 20681 words

These days Louis tends to steer clear of dating alphas. He’s dated too many knotheads in his time, and he’s ready to just focus on school and his friends and his pet monitor lizard, of course.

Too bad the alpha next door won’t take a hint and stop using the worst pick up lines of all time on him. He’s really got to stop laughing with him–and talking to him and walking to class with him and letting him bring him coffee and tea and gifts for his lizard and watching Netflix together and…

14) Out Of The Wild | Explicit | 21502 words

Louis has spent most of his life as a wolf in the wild, Harry has spent most of his life as a human in the city. Their worlds collide during the audition process for the hottest new singing competition. What happens next should have expected.

15) Mark My Word (We Gon’ Be Alright) | Explicit | 35524 words

An A/B/O AU featuring an oblivious Harry as the pack leader, a pining Louis as his second-in-command, and an entourage of friends and family who are a little too good at keeping their mouths shut.

16) Worth Dying For | Explicit | 44906 words

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Louis says, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. In the center of the table, a set of three glossy photos stares up at him, mocking him.

“A security detail is non-negotiable, Louis, you know this,” his mum reminds him, tapping the middle photo with two fingers.

Louis doesn’t look back down at the pictures, gesturing towards them wildly, over-dramatically. “This is not a security detail!” he protests. “This is a lanky college student. In what world do you hire someone like this kid to protect me?”

17) I Found A Love For Me (Darling Just Dive Right In) | Explicit | 46652 words | Sequel

Louis, an omega with very little control. Harry, an alpha with a lot of emotion. Neither of them have any idea what do to with this little thing called love, but they’ll be damned if they don’t put up a good fight.

18) I Want You So Much (But I Hate Your Guts) | Mature | 83648 words

AU in which Louis gets accepted to play for the Manchester University Alpha-Beta Football Team. The only problem: Louis is actually an Omega. He is determined to make it big in the football world, though, and he can’t do that bound to an Omega team. With the help of a faked doctor’s certificate and some pretty strong suppressants he is ready to fight for his dream.

That Harry Styles (Alpha, second year and youngest football captain of the A-B team in ages) doesn’t seem to like him complicates matters, though.

19) Where You Lay | Explicit | 86035 words

Note: There’s a small implied BH mention.

When Louis's upcoming heat threatens his success at his new dream job, he asks the best (and only) person he can think of to help him through it: his best mates' best mate, Harry Styles.  Harry reluctantly accepts, and together the two navigate a strange friends with benefits relationship that quickly turns complicated.

20) A Taste Of Desire | Explicit | 104414 words

A Victorian ABO where Harry is the owner of the most successful cotton mill in Manchester, and Louis is an opinionated social activist about to disrupt Harry’s world.

21) Falling Into You | Mature | 143109 words

In the grand scheme of adolescence and boyhood, Harry was still working himself out, so far with little luck. But four things he could say for certain: 1) he’d been at the top of his class all through primary and secondary school, 2) he was the shittiest alpha to ever walk the earth, 3) Liam Payne never let him forget it, and 4) he’d been in love with this boy, Louis Tomlinson, ever since he was fifteen years old.

22) Cold Little Heart | Teen & Up | 194740 words

Louis is a soft omega with an abusive past and an alpha child. A few months after getting a divorce, Louis meets Harry, an ex-military alpha wolf that offers him something odd.

In exchange for teaching him how to cook, Harry will babysit his son, Abraham. Louis really could use the help.

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

[coreofyourspirit]

Tupac Shakur The Spirit

Legacy-Greatest of All Time/G.O.A.T., Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame, Educational Courses taught at Universities on his life and music, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee, Biographical Books & Movies, Hologram at Coachella, Tattoos with his image, Apparel with his image, Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts, 7-Foot Bronze Statue, Tupac themed Restaurant, Stories that he is hiding out in other countries, Ongoing questions about who assassinated him, etc.

Tupac Amaru Shakur commended by God in Heaven, to come into the world in 1971 to serve as a Prophet. Tupac was born Lesane Parish Crooks and was ready for his commission when he was renamed Tupac Amaru Shakur. As Jesus was born Immanuel, he was commissioned and was then called Jesus. Abram to Abraham had the same occurrence, all of these men left a legacy and established creation in the world for God. Tupac amazed the world with his talent and ambition. He left a prolific impression on those who have been graced by his artistry, wise words and witnessing his fearless way of speaking out about the injustice placed upon him and the injustice that he observed in the inner city. A black man that inspired other black men to feel comfortable wearing a bald head. Why is it far-fetched that he worked for God in Heaven, when we acknowledge his legacy?

Tupac Shakur was in the world as a 7th Level Elder, part of a group of Elders titled Hierarchy of Heaven. They are the oldest and most mature Spirits who are complete and balance. They come into the world and experience alongside everyone, they are unconventional, mature in their personality, use their soul as a guide and closely work with God in dealing with creation. They don’t remember their full eminence while living in the world and everyday people wouldn’t know or consider what rank these people have in Heaven. God allows them the same free will as everyone, because he wants to see how they behave while forgetting their rank of attainment in spirit. God doesn’t want them to appease him, he wants them to use their soul and fix problems, they have to be selfless without trying or pretending to be, these requirements ensure that they do not take advantage or misuse their spiritual rank. God wanted Tupac to have a massive platform, that could be used for national attention. Tupac was already a very creative Spirit, so he chose music and acting as a career. He started out early at 14 years old developing his creative side and future career. Everyone can look into Tupac’s eyes and see how genuine and introspective he was, how his conversation was well past that of his age, how everyone was and are drawn to him for their own personal reasons and how he would talk about God. We don’t know many who have left an enormous legacy and have accomplished so much, even if they had lived to be 75.

Tupac had a direct connection to God and as he openly let people know that he talked to God, he already was sent insight that he had adversaries in the world and that is why he made it known in some of his lyrics. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was also given insight and spoke about it; he knew he wouldn’t be present to see the end of the civil rights movement. In life,  when you observe and listen to the underlying message of what people say, you have tapped in to their innermost feelings, like when Tupac first piqued our interest in who Makaveli was.  When Tupac brought Makaveli into present day conversation, he was sharing what resonated in his soul. You can come back from death, because you don’t die, your spirit has returned to the world over and over. Makaveli faking his death could never happen, because you don’t die anyway, even if you get put on the cross, you don’t have a lifetime, you have an existence. Although, Tupac delivered the message in an unusual way, you have to dig deep in order to discern what he was saying about what Makaveli did and why he connected with the notion of not dying.

Tupac was sometimes looked at as a thug figure, gangster rapper, homeboy, cool and controversial, but as he left Heaven to begin his lifetime in 1971, God knew Tupac as Master Teacher, Prophet, Healer, Creative Artist, Activist, Mediator, Wise, Faultless, Mature, Intelligent, Gift Giver, Naturally Ambitious, Focused, Resilient, Trustworthy, Reliable, Philosophical, Responsible, Eyes that are good and bared the purity of his old soul, Elder. God’s colleagues the Elders, work with him in Heaven and are sometimes born into the world. Elder’s, establish creation and intervene in the leading problems in the world. When their lifetime is over, they bring back their experiences, as well as the evidence of, the methods & modalities of Spirits in the world. While in life Tupac blended in well with others and his first-hand experience gave him an insider’s view. He shared with God the pandemic of inner-city crime & poverty, murders & atrocities against each other, misdeeds of politicians, the entertainment industry, religious & personal greed, homelessness, police brutality, increased drug addiction, teenage pregnancy & prostitution, racism, children growing up in lack, decline of the family unit, criminal justice & legal system, people’s behavior hateful/lustful/jealous, the oppression of “Thug Life.” God cursed Tupac to see what life should be like. It was painful for him to witness the plight of others and that is why he was so outspoken and passionate, Tupac was doing “God’s work.”

Tupac shared his wisdom on Thug Life as anything in life, that robs you of experiencing life by oppressing you, someone else intentionally causing you hardship by exercising their personal power over you, to hold you back or keep you down. The expansiveness of your life is taken from you. Thug=Take. When you wear Thug Life on your body, you identify with being held down by circumstances, people, legal system, etc. Tupac knew the violence was attributed to a survival mentality, I’m going to take your life before you take mine. Henceforth, “Thug Life” was appropriate for the problem that existed and it was not just about Tupac intervening by coining the term and tattooing it on his body. It was about God having to deal with the massive number of Spirits that returned to Heaven murdered, taking life from each other. Tupac interceded as an Elder, with going into the trenches and sharing what it looks like, when someone wants to take from you. He did not promote gang banging and wanted them to stop taking from each other. He presented them with Thug Life and what it did to their community. Tupac wanted to bring peace to the ongoing feud between those who grew up in the inner-city just like him. He brought the idea of unity and what that would feel like. “Instead of self destructive, try self productive, all the mentality must stop, we have to find a way out. Organize, if we so strong as Hustlers, as G’s, as Thugs, then we shouldn’t have no rape, no violence and no gunshots in our community. We need to take care of our own.”  

Although in Tupac’s lifetime he was a black man, non-religious, didn’t hold to one particular ideology, he was God’s elect sent to advocate and change circumstances for the better, for a mass number of people. He innately knew that he was doing God’s work and found that, the images that reflected those doing God’s work was misleading. The characters who were supposed to be doing God’s work, got their money and went home to their luxurious accomodations after leaving their mega church and the people remained in lack and poverty. This is one of the reasons God was secure in his choice of Tupac, his reflective nature shed light on many critical matters, he did not pretend and he participated in many platforms that worked to heal the inner-city communities with underserved children. To God those children, would grow up and needed to be useful within creation, by bringing something original and beneficial to the world, that only their soul could create. God already knew that Tupac could be trusted to use his soul and that he would serve as prime example, of a person using their soul. Tupac was never distracted or slowed down by his mounting criminal allegations, he remained ambitious and focused. He was still working and wasn’t asking God to rescue him, Bloods vs. Crips Truce, East Coast/West Coast “their is no beef,” activism for political issues, activism for social issues, business, wisdom, music, movies, legal issues, etc.

Their is a spiritual explanation for every worldly occurrence and experience. Every person in the world is a Spirit who has a body and were born for a purpose. It’s everyone’s job to find their purpose and the meaning of it, that is why their will never be another Tupac Shakur. God only created one, there is no comparison to Tupac because no one has had the same experiences, that he has had within his existence and have not been commended to fulfill the specifics of his lifetime work. Tupac is a very accomplished Spirit and it took eons of time for him to develop into a Prophet and now a Lord. He earned his rise in rank and when Tupac was assassinated in 1996, he returned to Heaven and had ascended to Lord, due to him using his massive platform, reaching a wide range of people, in every age group, in every part of the world for the betterment of all. No one in the world really considered why Tupac was so great and why his legacy continues to grow? It is because he was here on business and he corrected some of the issues God was dealing with. God’s choice of his elect in the world, comes with them being tried and tested thoroughly on every level imaginable, so that they can assist in establishing creation and bringing resolve to the prevailing issue of the time. Like everyone else, Tupac is a Spirit from Heaven, who happens to be a decision maker because of his personal contribution throughout the existence of spirit. As a Lord, Tupac works in a council of Elders who create, mandate and impose ordinances/decrees that impact every individual spirit created. 

When Tupac lost his body due to the trauma it received after being shot multiple times, his spirit returned to Heaven, his work didn’t begin when he arrived on the scene as Prophet Tupac Amaru Shakur, it began when he was created.

[blficarchive]

✨ ABO Fic Rec ✨

Hi yall! This is my first fic rec post it’s a good way for me to keep all the fics I’ve read and liked together in an organized way! I’m actually really excited and I hope at least someone likes this because these are some of my favorites! If anyone has any recommendations or suggestions feel free to message me! :’)

~ Cold Little Heart by seducedbycurls

Summary:

Louis is a soft omega with an abusive past and an alpha child

A few months after getting a divorce, Louis meets Harry, an ex-military alpha wolf that offers him something -odd.

In exchange for teaching him how to cook, Harry will babysit his son, Abraham

Louis really could use the help.

~ Love is like this; not a heartbeat, but a moan by angelichl

Summary:

“He hates this, more than anything in the world he hates this. His title, his rank, his DNA. Unchangeable. Fated.

And then there’s Harry, born to be unobjectively superior to Louis and all other O’s. Unlike other A’s, Harry doesn’t wear his alpha-ness very well. He’s clumsy with it, like walking around in a pair of shoes a size too big. His life is defined by uncertainty and tentativeness, and those are definitely not qualities alphas should have.

Sometimes, when Louis ponders it for too long, he thinks that maybe Harry resents being an A just as much as Louis resents being an O.”

In which Harry loves Louis, but Louis has been cold to him ever since he presented as an omega at age fifteen.

Eight years later, Louis approaches Harry with a request, and who is Harry to deny him?

~ Just My Style by Anonymous

Sunmary:

Harry is sick, and the only thing that might help him is the pheromones from his mate–problem is, he hasn’t got a mate.

Louis’ just been disowned, and taking part in a medical study where he has to cuddle with some strange alpha seems to be his only option for earning a bit of cash.

The hippies and Omega Rights campaigners are busy changing the world–but all Harry wants is a chance to live.

~ Gentle Autumn Rain by alex4968

Summary:

Louis Tomlinson moved to London with a big heart and a big dream. Harry Styles moved to London, fresh out of the police academy, with the hopes of helping as many people as he could in his eyes. When a deranged alpha forces their paths to cross, their ideas of what is meant to be will never be the same.

~ Kiss me on the Mouth and Set me Free (but please don’t bite) by seducedbycurls

Summary:

Harry is the CEO of Flora Corp, Louis is his new secretary.

“…Louis wanted him so badly. Wanted Harry to pick him up, bite him, and break him. Make Louis his, make Louis cry, make Louis a beautiful, plump, pregnant omega…”

~ I’m On the Hunt Now (I’m After You) by AFangirlFantasy

Summary:

Omegas haven’t been able to shift into their wolves for two hundred years. That is, until Louis Tomlinson changes everything. 

Or…an AU where Alpha Harry and Omega Louis have a lot more than falling in love to deal with after The Mating Ceremony.

~ If I don’t have you (there’ll be nothing left) by SadaVeniren

Summary: 

“What is his problem?” Louis demanded as he stalked around Niall and Ed’s kitchen. They were gonna have a pow-wow and figure out what was going on with Harry.

“Maybe he can’t pop a knot?” Niall suggested.

“Ew,” Liam said.

“Doubtful,” Louis said. “He seemed perfectly fine up until his friend pulled him off of me. Also I may have called him a knothead earlier in the night and he didn’t make a single comment to me about it.”

AKA Louis thought after meeting Harry at a party everything would fall into place. If only life worked out that nicely.

~ Something to Prove by trysomecats

Summary: 

Louis is the first and only omega to work at Red Valley Medical Center. Despite being more than qualified, he still faces prejudice for his career choice everyday. From patients refusing his treatment to condescending alpha doctors intervening with his work, practicing medicine in Boston is more challenging than Louis had ever thought it would be.

~ where the lights are beautiful by twoshipsdrifting

Summary: 

Harry wasn’t wrong about that, not in a general sense. Lots of omegas did seek out rich alphas and betas, hoping or planning to go into heat at the right time. Plenty of omegas saw this as their duty, especially if their families weren’t well off. Worse, Louis couldn’t honestly say he’d never thought about it. If that had been his life, his goal, Louis would feel pretty good about himself now. As it is…Louis feels like shit.

.:. .:. .:.

Or the accidental bonding a/b/o fic.

~ Breathe For Me by trysomecats

Summary: 

“Harry Styles?” A voice called out, and Harry blinked in shock as he was assaulted by a sweet, luscious scent. There was an omega standing in the doorway, and his looks certainly matched his smell.

Or, Harry is an alpha with a severe phobia of needles, and Louis is the cute omega phlebotomist who needs to get a blood sample from him.

~ Do You Like My Sweater? by kiwikero 

Summary: 

“Look, for a Sadie Hawkins dance the omegas are supposed to invite the alphas instead of the other way around.”

Niall and Liam shared a look. “That… sounds like the sort of thing you would usually be all over, Lou,” Liam said, face pinched in confusion. Niall nodded his agreement.

“Yeah, if omegas were hosting it,” Louis replied sourly. “It’s one thing if we decide that we’re going to ask the alphas for a change. It’s insulting that they think we need their permission.”

When Harry’s alpha fraternity decides to host a Sadie Hawkins dance, outspoken omega Louis has a thing or two to say about it.

~ Mark my word (we gon’ be alright) by harioandlouigi

Summary: 

“He’s always known that there would come a time when Harry would bond with some beautiful, quiet omega, and they would have lots of curly-haired pups and live happily ever after.

Knowing it and living it are two very different things, though. Watching the object of your affection desperately search for a mate and completely disregard you as an option is all sorts of painful, but it is what it is, and Louis is just going to have to learn to live with that.”

Or, an A/B/O AU featuring an oblivious Harry as the pack leader, a pining Louis as his second-in-command, and an entourage of friends and family who are a little too good at keeping their mouths shut.

~ Like Candy In My Veins by littlelouishiccups

Summary: 

“Um…” Harry said slowly after a moment. “Okay. That’s… this is… Let me get this straight.” He lifted up a hand and swallowed. “You told your family that you have a boyfriend… and my name was the first one you thought of?”

“Harry Potter was on TV, alright? It wasn’t that much of a stretch.” Louis pinched the bridge of his nose. He couldn’t believe he was explaining himself to Harry fucking Styles. He couldn’t believe he was stooping this low. “Forget it. I’m sorry I even thought about bringing you into this.”

Harry snorted. “What? Did you want me to pretend to be your boyfriend or something?” (Basically the A/B/O, enemies to lovers, fake relationship, Christmas AU that nobody asked for.)

~ roll like thunder, burn like stars by hilourry

Summary:

In a world where the hierarchy of society is omegas and they get to pick their alphas. Omega Louis really wants Professor Harry Styles as his alpha.

~ You’ll Hear Me Calling for You by pinky_heaven19

Summary:

“I don’t know, I don’t know you,” Harry said with a shrug, knowing his replies were dumb but not able to think of anything better to say. “You don’t know me either, so I don’t know why you’re acting like this,” he said, slouching on his seat.

“Oh, but I do know you,” Louis replied, raising his eyebrows in a gesture of disdain.

His attitude made Harry stare at him in confusion. Had they met before and he didn’t remember? Was that why Louis was mad?

“You do?”

“I know the likes of you,” Louis said with a shrug of his shoulder.

“The likes of me? Excuse me?” Harry was offended and confused.

“Alpha males who enter cock first in any room and think people should bow to them or some shit like that,” Louis answered bitterly.

OR the one where Harry is an Alpha and Louis has a problem with it - until he doesn’t.

~ friends don’t kiss me like you do by larrysoulmates

Summary:

Omega Louis is a teacher at a primary school. He gets a student teacher, an alpha named Harry, to observe his class. Louis thinks they are just friends, but they are much more.

~ As deep as the sky by swallowsmateforlife

Summary:

A passed-out omega on the bathroom floor isn’t exactly what Harry had in mind when he thought about taking a cute boy home. The idea of leaving Louis there, vulnerable and unresponsive, weighs guiltily at Harry’s conscience. Turns out it’s the best decision he’ll ever make.

~ Swim In The Smoke by whoknows

Summary:

“What about this, Captain?” Liam asks, nudging the boy kneeling between their feet with the toe of his boot. The boy hisses and swipes at him, slurring out something unintelligible around the makeshift gag Niall had to stuff in his mouth. He misses by a mile and tries again, just as ineffectively.

Harry looks down at him, at the way the sun streams over his face and shoulders, at the way the gag stretches his mouth, lips pink and chapped. He’s lithe and pretty, smudged all over with dirt. They had found him tied up below deck, mostly unconscious, next to a barrel full of gold. He’s clearly a prisoner, but there’s something familiar about him, something that niggles at Harry’s brain. Something he can’t quite put his finger on.

“Put him in my cabin,” Harry decides, turning back to deal with the rest of the loot. The boys screams out jumbled curse words at Harry’s back, muffled by the gag, and Harry can’t understand any of it.

~ Going Nowhere Alone by SS98

Summary:

Nothing can save you from the night, and if it can then it was born there.

* * * * *

There’s Harry, Edward and Marcel. Harry serves as pack leader to the last remaining house of werewolves. Edward, his brother, finds joy in sex and banter with strangers. Marcel plays along for as long as he can before morals corrupt his act.

Louis romanticises life so it doesn’t seem as shallow to him. Being Omega isn’t a joyride but three Alphas are determined to change that.

[pastorralffriedrichs]

LET JESUS WILL LIFT YOU UP

Jesus wants to make us more and more like himself.

As Jesus neared the end of his public ministry, he made a prediction about his coming passion and death.

“When I am lifted up from the earth,” he said, “I will draw everyone to myself” (John 12:32). These words, which are so full of promise and hope, show us that Jesus didn’t come just to forgive our sins. He also came to bring us into a relationship with him. He came so that we could be “drawn” to him and “lifted up” with him to the presence of his heavenly Father.

This month, we want to take a look at what it means to be lifted up with Jesus. What happens when we are lifted up? What does it mean for us to lift up our own hearts to the Lord? As we examine these questions, we will discover that when God raises us up, he does so by giving us a taste of his own life and love.

We will also discover how these experiences can bring about real and lasting change in our lives.

The Promise of “Divinization.” The first question we need to ask is what are we being lifted up from, and where are we being lifted up to? The simple answer is that God lifts us from earth to heaven. But we have to be careful here. We are not implying that everything in this world is evil and that God wants to separate us from the world.

On the contrary, he lifts us up to heaven so that, filled with his grace, we can be a more effective force for good and holiness on the earth.

When we say that God lifts us up from the earth, we are really saying that he takes us out of the limited philosophies that are prevalent in the world. He lifts us out of our narrow self-focused concerns and gives us a sense of his grandeur, his power, and his love. He raises us above our limited expectations for our lives and shows us that we really can overcome sin and that we really can live holy, godly lives in this world.

Over time, as we experience God lifting us up more and more frequently, we find ourselves changing. We find the Holy Spirit making us more like Jesus.

We find him delivering us from old ways of sin and limited vision so that we can live in closer union with the Lord. Some of the saints have gone so far as to call this process of transformation “divinization,” where God forms us into his image and likeness so fully that we begin to think and act like Jesus.

This process begins at baptism, but it doesn’t happen automatically. We need to cooperate with the Spirit.

God wants us to yield to him and his ways, and for that we need the right disposition, one of dependence on God. What does this dependence look like? Well, children and babies are dependent on their parents and other caregivers—

but especially in the case of babies, they aren’t really aware of this, and so they don’t make any decisions to remain dependent.

On the other hand, adults know when they need the help of someone else. It may be in times of sickness or financial need. It may be as they age and become infirm. Or it may simply be the case of a man acknowledging that he needs the love of his wife because he does not want to be alone.

All of these examples give us an indication of the way God wants us to come to him. He wants us to know that we need his grace. He wants us to confess that we need to be lifted up so that we won’t get dragged down to a completely worldly way of living.

Abraham’s Path.

Let’s look at Abraham, one of the earliest figures in the Bible to have experienced God lifting him up and changing his life. When God first called him, Abraham was a wealthy but childless nomad living in Mesopotamia.

Abraham didn’t feel needy at all. He was simply doing what he thought he should do with his life. But that all changed when God revealed himself and said: “Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk. . . . I will make of you a great nation” (Genesis 12:1,2).

Whatever happened then between God and Abraham must have been significant. Abraham left and moved to Hebron. God was so pleased with this response that he made a promise to Abraham: “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so shall your descendants be” (Genesis 15:5).

Now, if Abraham did not respond to the original encounter, do you think he would have heard this promise? Probably not.

When God wanted to confirm his promises, he simply asked Abraham to keep his covenant by setting himself apart for God and staying faithful to him (Genesis 17:9-14). Still, Abraham found it hard to believe that God would give him and his wife, Sarah, a child. He even laughed at the thought (17:17). But something in this encounter with God moved Abraham, and he decided to follow the path God had laid out for him, even though human logic told him that it was impossible. Sarah was no different. She too laughed at the prospect of conceiving a child—and when called to account for it by the Lord, she even lied (18:12-15).

Years later, when God told Abraham about his plans to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham felt comfortable enough with God to try to prevent such a catastrophe. With humility and persistence, Abraham interceded to the Lord and somehow altered God’s plan. His nephew, Lot, was permitted to escape unharmed

(Genesis 18:17-–19:23).

Then came the time when God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. Abraham must have been puzzled, for God had told him that it was through Isaac that all of his promises would be fulfilled (Genesis 21:12). How could he kill this son—whom he loved deeply—and still see the future unfold as God had promised? Despite the confusion and the heartache, Abraham made ready to obey. Seeing how faithful and trusting Abraham was, God intervened at the last minute and promised him: “Because you acted as you did in not withholding from me your beloved son, I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies, and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing—all this because you obeyed my command” (22:16-18).

The Beginning of a Long Line. This is a remarkable story about a remarkable man who was led along a path of ever-increasing faith. Time after time, Abraham was lifted up and drawn closer to God. And each time, he grasped more clearly what God was doing—and that deepened his faith. Abraham’s entire life is an example to us of what happens when God works in a person’s heart—and when that person responds to God in faith, surrender, and trust.

We need to know that even when we question God as Abraham did, he still works with us. Even when we lie or commit some other sin, as Sarah did, he still reaches out to us. Even when we try to negotiate with God, as Abraham did for Lot, he hangs in there with us. Even when we laugh at God’s plans, he doesn’t abandon us. And when we finally entrust everything to God as Abraham did with Isaac, we find God faithful, and we find ourselves rewarded greatly.

Abraham stood at the beginning of a long line of patriarchs and matriarchs, prophets and prophetesses, kings and queens, as well as everyday people throughout the Hebrew Bible—heroes and heroines who were touched by God and lifted up to a new way of living. What’s more, with the coming of Christ and the gift of his Holy Spirit, this grace is no longer limited to just a chosen few. Countless saints of the church—both recognized and hidden—have been lifted up and transformed.

From age to age, millions of believers have experienced God’s grace!

Lift Up Your Heart! The story of Abraham and Isaac can help us understand just how much God wants to lift us up. More than two thousand years after God spared Abraham’s only son, Isaac, he chose not to spare his only Son, Jesus—even after Jesus prayed that “this cup” would pass him by (Matthew 26:39). Surely God loved his Son even more deeply than Abraham loved Isaac. But he loved us so much—and so did his Son—that he freely gave him up for us. God’s willingness to sacrifice his only Son for us demonstrates the lengths to which he will go to save us, to teach us, and to lift us up to his side.

At every Mass, we are invited: “Lift up your hearts,” and we respond by saying, “We lift them up to the Lord.” What do you think would happen if each of us used this moment to actually do just that? What would the church look like if we all set our position at every Eucharist, saying,

“Jesus, I want to be drawn closer to you. I don’t want anything to get in the way.

Come, Lord, and lift all of us up so that we can know you better and love you more.”

#takeyourlifebacktodayshow

#ralffriedrichs

#fall7timesgetup8times

#nevergiveup

[thechasefiles]

The Chase Files Daily Newscap 9/12/2019

Good Morning #realdreamchasers. Here is your daily news cap for Thursday, September 12th, 2019. There is a lot to read and digest so take your time. Remember you can read full articles via Barbados Today (BT), or by purchasing a Daily Nation Newspaper (DN).

INVALIDITY PAYOUTS ORDERED – Close to 200 retired civil servants who stopped receiving invalidity benefits, some dating back 15 months, are to start getting their cheques again from this month, ministers have ordered.Last Friday, the Director of Finance and Economic Affairs Ian Carrington in a letter to the Accountant General detailed the instructions of the Cabinet on the approach that should be taken on a matter that has generated considerable debate and criticism, particularly since June. A memo from the head of finance and planning to the Government’s paymaster said: “As you are aware, there have been numerous complaints over the past few months regarding the abatement of pensions of those officers who are medically boarded. “Following discussions with the Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investments, it was decided that as the Invalidity Pensions relate to a particularly vulnerable section of the population, it would be necessary to put a revised policy in place. “However, until that policy has been finalized, the Cabinet has agreed that those officers who are receiving Invalidity Pensions and whose pensions were abated by the Treasury should have their pensions reinstated with effect from September 2019. “This, therefore, serves to instruct you to reinstate the pensions to those persons receiving Invalidity Pension, whose pensions were abated between June 2018 and August 2019, with effect from the September 2019 pension day.” Carrington confirmed this afternoon that earlier today he made a follow-up check with the Accountant General and was assured that the process of reinstatement had started to have all 190 people who had been affected back on to the rolls in time for September’s pension payments. The decision is to cost the Treasury more than $177,000 per month. The overpayment anomaly that triggered the recent stop order cost a total of $13.8 million to taxpayers over the past ten years. In late July, Prime Minister Mottley intervened in the matter after considerable public criticism of how it had been handled, pointing out that while there may have been legal justification for the abatement, a solution had to be based more on humanitarian grounds than acting as bureaucratic slaves to the letter of the law. The Prime Minister’s Office is to continue to monitor the situation in the coming weeks to ensure a smooth reinstatement pending the publication of a new policy, Barbados TODAY was told.(BT)

CEO DEPARTS GAIA – The board of the Grantley Adams International Airport Inc has fired its Chief Executive Officer Neville Boxhill according to a statement from the state-owned enterprise this evening. GAIA Inc said, “it has terminated the services of the CEO Mr. Neville Boxill”. Boxill was appointed to the top post on April 1, 2018. The board said it appointed the current Deputy CEO Terry Layne to act as CEO with immediate effect, adding that the post of CEO will be advertised to find a successor. Boxill has served in a number of senior positions in the tourism industry, including aviation consultant to the now-defunct Barbados Tourism Authority, and was a former senior director of support services at the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (BTMI).  (BT)

CUTOMS FIX COMING –Those teething problems at the Customs and Excise Department should soon be a thing of the past. Customs brokers are being assured that provisions have been made to deal with issues with the recently implemented ASYCUDO World system, which led to numerous delays and no access to Government’s systems this week.The assurances came from new Comptroller of Customs Owen Holder who was speaking to THE NATION yesterday.“There is a project unit and there is a number where they can call into that unit. There is also an email where they can access the system and get directive from members of the project unit, as well as the consultant is there to assist wherever questions are asked,” he said. (DN)

CONCRETE SALES SLUMP BLAMED ON ECONOMY– A major concrete company is reporting a slump in sales as a result of the ongoing economic downturn. CEMIX is, however, pinning its hopes on new marketing strategies to boost its fortunes. General Manager of CEMIX Jason Edwards speaking to the media on the sidelines of the official launch of the CEMIX Green Hearts for Blue Ribbons campaign, said business has not been ideal in the past two years due to the economic environment. He told reporters: “It is not the greatest environment in the past two years or so. “We do believe that things will pick up for us within the next three months. If we compare this year to previous years it is a little slower in terms of the turnover and the number of projects that are on the way. “But we do believe in the coming months’ things will pick up towards the end of the year. “We hope by being a part of this campaign that we will be able to generate some more inquiries into the products we provide. (BT)

WATER PROMISE –Hold tight! Relief is on the way. This is the message Minister of Energy and Water Resources Wilfred Abrahams is sending to residents in the North constantly plagued with water outages and low pressure. During a press conference at his Country Road, St Michael offices yesterday, Abrahams said that after several weeks of intensive work, the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) had finally brought a system on stream to help facilitate water-starved residents in that part of the island. “Today [yesterday] the BWA is commissioning a new pumping station at Trents, St James,” he said. “This station will improve the volume of water flowing to the taps of residents along Highway 2A – in parishes like St Thomas, in areas like Kew Land, Redmans Village, Melrose and Welches. In St Andrew, areas such as White Hill, Mose Bottom, and in St Joseph, areas like Chimborazo, Lammings Housing Area, Braggs Hill, Sugar Hill and Spa Hill.” Abrahams explained that the pumping station was equipped with state-of-the-art technology and powerful pumps, which could put pressure on the old pipe mains. He asked the public to report any burst pipes and bear with the Authority until it figured out the correct balance ratio of pumping the water to householders.(DN)

DOC’S WARNING –The head of the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP) Dr. Abdon DaSilva has warned Government to be on the lookout for ‘cannabis edibles’ that could harm children once the distribution of medicinal cannabis kicks into gear. Dr. DaSilva said it was well documented that in some states in the US where medicinal cannabis was legal there had been a “tremendous increase” in emergency cases of children who had accidentally used marijuana. “As a word of caution to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, I think it should pay particular attention to the development of the industry where it relates to edibles,” the medical doctor told the Joint Select Committee on the Medicinal Cannabis Bill at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre. In a brief presentation to the hearing, Dr. DaSilva said: “The food scientists already are now working to provide things such that we can now go to the movies and get marijuana-based popcorn. “Canadians are now talking about marijuana-based beer and Coca Cola I think has jumped in on the industry. “We have marijuana-based gummy bears, we have marijuana-based ice cream which is called the Krondike bars, so marketing now has sleight of hand in the food industry and we have to be particularly concerned about that.” Dr DaSilva maintained that whether Barbadians were willing or not to embrace the medicinal cannabis industry “it was here to stay”. But he queried whether the industry was being managed by the Ministry of Agriculture rather than the Ministry of Health. He said: “In the Act, it speaks to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, and with all due respect, I’m wondering if it is to be assumed that the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security now has the responsibility. “Am I to interpret this as an attempt to divorce the profession from the Ministry of Health and marry it to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security?” Dr. DaSilva said while BAMP was aware of the various treaties, the doctors’ concern primarily surrounded the fact that a number of regulatory functions had to be put in place in terms of collecting data which then had to be passed on to the international organizations. He called for a “marriage” of the two ministries.(BT)

ABSENCE QUESTIONED –Defence attorney Andrew Pilgrim, QC, has taken issue with what he says are police officers remaining on active duty despite having criminal charges pending against them. He raised the concern, as one of three police officers was noticeably absent from the dock when a private prosecution case against them continued in the No. 2 District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court today. Police constables 1958 Bradley Cutting, 1890 Justin Phillips and 2099 Akeel Grant, have been accused of assault, occasioning actual bodily harm to Dario Rico Stanton of Hart’s Gap, Christ Church and Romario Mitchell Quintyne of 122 Cordia Drive, Warners Park, Christ Church. The offence is said to have occurred on June 18, 2017 during an event at Pirate’s Cove. Attorney-at-law Wendy Maraj, representing Grant who was not in the dock today, explained that it was her understanding that her client was absent because “he was in the field on duty this morning.” “I apologise for his absence, my hands are tied with respect to how much further information I do have. I do know that everything was on track for him to be here. . .  he is always here, this is the first time he has been absent,” Maraj explained. Pilgrim responded saying, “These are accused men, I don’t know if an accused man can come to the court and say or send someone to tell you they are in the field. “I don’t know what field, but they should not be even working in the Royal Barbados      Police force with criminal charges pending before them,” Pilgrim said adding, “Having said that, we are in a position where we promote people who are facing criminal charges before the court.” Without calling names the Queen’s Counsel claimed that there was an officer who had been “promoted twice” while under a charge of this nature. “Having said all of that his [Grant’s] obligation is to turn up like everybody else. I don’t want anything more special once he comes by the end of the day, I don’t have any problem but if he doesn’t, I am making an application for a warrant to be issued for his arrest because we can’t be seen to be treating people one way one day and a next way the other day,” Pilgrim argued. However, Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant said it was not her practice to issue a warrant of arrest for an accused on the first non-appearance. She explained that sometimes those persons come later in the day or sometimes send in a sick certificate. “So I try to give everybody a fair chance and opportunity,” the magistrate stated as she gave Grant until the end of the week to present himself to the court. Meanwhile, a separate case in which Stanton and Quintyne are charged with assaulting Phillips, occasioning him actual body harm, as well as obstructing that officer in the execution of his duties, and assaulting Grant with intent to prevent the officer from lawfully apprehending him was also called today. Quintyne is further alleged of failing to obey a lawful order to keep moving given by Cutting, resisting the officer in the execution of his duties and using abusive language. Those charges are said to have occurred on June 18. Magistrate Cuffy-Sargeant gave a final adjournment in the two-year-old case following an application by Pilgrim after the prosecutor stated that he was not in a position to serve disclosure at this time even though he had site of the file. The counter cases will continue on March 10, 2020.(BT)

HASTINGS POLICE STATION EVACUATED - Police personnel at Hastings Police Station have been evacuated to the nearby Brigade House after a package containing an unknown substance was brought to the station by a female who sought to report to the police that she had received a suspicious package. Police said the entire station was compromised as a result and all personnel was instructed to evacuate in keeping with protocol. Meanwhile, vehicular traffic travelling south along Hastings Road has been diverted at Garrison Road and those travelling towards Bridgetown are being diverted at Harts Gap.(BT)

HARD TIMES FORCED MAN TO GROW OWN WEED – Purchasing marijuana “all the time” became a costly habit for a 29-year-old man so he decided to grow his own. What Kemar Tito Haynes did not expect was for lawmen to execute a search warrant at his 1st Avenue Jackson, St Michael residence on September 9. A loose quantity of cannabis was found on a television stand in a bedroom, said police constable Victoria Taitt. She said that Haynes told lawmen when asked to account for the substance, “I now put that there to dry some more before I smoke”. Searches were conducted in other bedrooms where stalks and loose cannabis were discovered on the floor. Nineteen plants were found hanging in a closet while stalks were found in a chest of drawers. Three, four-foot plants under cultivation were also found outside in the enclosed yard. “Things hard, so instead of buying all the time I decided to plant a few in the yard. Everything in here is mine,” he told police at the time. Today in the No 2 District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court Haynes stuck to his story as he gave an explanation. “I was not cultivating it to sell but for a little smoke . . . things kind of hard and I did not have any money to buy so I asking for a chance,” Haynes stated. He was fined $1,500 which must be paid in two months if he wants to avoid six months in prison. Haynes must return to the court on November 11 to present his receipt.(BT)

ST MICHAEL MAN FACING FIREARM AND OTHER CHARGES– Bar owner Raheim Colin Forde is on remand at Dodds on several charges. The 26-year-old, of 10th Avenue New Orleans, St Michael was sent to the St Philip institution when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Christopher Birch in the District ‘C’ Magistrates’ Court yesterday. However, he will go before Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant on September 12 as the charges are said to have occurred in the District ‘A’ jurisdiction. Forde is alleged to have caused serious bodily harm to Sheron Matthews on August 23 with intent to maim, disfigure or disable her. It is further alleged that on the same day he unlawfully and maliciously engaged in conduct that placed Jumaane Matthews-Ifill in danger of death or serious bodily harm. He is accused of using a firearm without a valid licence. He was not required to plead to any of the indictable charges nor to a charge that he dishonestly assisted in the retention, removal or disposal of a motorcar worth $28,000 belonging to Ross Clarke between December 5 and 12, 2018 knowing or believing it to be stolen.(BT)

VANDERPOOL’S SOS FOR SKILLED ‘BIG MEN’ – Senior national centre Charles Vanderpool says Barbados’ basketball is crying out for skilled ‘big men’ to play in the paint and is bemoaning the fact that the majority of existing six-footers want to be guards. Vanderpool’s comments came after he coached Future Pinelands Under-19 basketball team to a third consecutive title in the Barbados Amateur Basketball Association Summer Jam tournament this past Sunday night at Barbados Community College. According to Vanderpool, it was not just local basketball that was gravitating away from utilising big men on court, but also international teams were centering their focus around guards. “I think that the game of basketball itself has gravitated away from big men, but I believe that there will be a time that it will start to filter back to big men. I think it is like a cycle. Once upon a time it used to be for big men with the Shaquille O’Neals, the Olajuwons, the Abdul Jabbars. It used to be for big men, and then Jordan [Michael] came, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, LeBron James came, and it started to filter away to guards. So, eventually, teams are going to structure defensively to stop guards, and that will open the floor for the big men. “I think one of the problems in Barbados is we don’t have a lot of skilled big men and the majority of our big men want to be guards, and I don’t understand why. If I look at a national team and I see a spot for eight guards, and I look around and see three big men, I want to be the big man. But all our big men desire to be guards.” Even though it was a challenge for Barbados when the senior national men’s team travel to compete, Vanderpool said they tried to make the best of the situation. He explained that when the side travelled last year to compete at the Caribbean Basketball Championship in Suriname where they finished third overall, national power forward Akeem Marsh was this country’s most dominant player. “In terms of overseas, we play with what we have, if we have big we go towards the big, if we have guards we play with the guards. Last time we went away Marsh [Akeem] was our dominant player, and he was a big. We still played through Lockhart [Andre], but in terms of when we needed something at the basket we played through Marsh. So, there is still a room for bigs. “I went away on a scholarship as a big and I played division two [basketball] as a big. A lot of people said when you go overseas you are going to be a guard, but I played big. There are undersized bigs, Charles Barkley [NBA Hall-of-Famer] was a big, and he is about six-four, so big is not really about size. But people don’t see the glory. So as coaches we need to filter that back in, we need to show them a spin move is nice too, a little drop step to jump shot to dunk is nice too. So we as coaches around the entire island need to bring back glory to Bim,” he said. (BT)

CLOBBERED – Fast bowler Megan Schutt’s final-over hat-trick coupled with opener Alyssa Healy’s dashing half-century underlined another dominant Australia performance as West Indies Women slumped to an eight-wicket defeat and a 3-0 whitewash in their ICC Women’s Championship series in Antigua today. Entering the contest at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground with two previous heavy defeats, West Indies could do little to avoid a third straight loss, posting an inadequate 180 all out off exactly 50 overs and then watching as the Aussies romped home in the 32nd over. Healy extended her rich vein of form with an audacious 61 off 32 deliveries while captain Meg Lanning struck a mature, unbeaten 58 off 70 deliveries and all-rounder Ellyse Perry, 33 not out, to steer Australia over the line. For Australia, the victory was their 15th straight One-Day International win and fifth successive series without defeat, confirming their status at the top of the standings. (BT)

KING STADIUM REPAIRS STALLED – Complete renovation of the National Stadium is still some time away, says Minister of Sport John King. “The Stadium is, I would say, two more steps away from really getting started. It’s going to be done but there is a process. When I came in [to the ministry] I was told there was only one thing which had to be done and then it would get started but then we had to start the process all over again,” he told the media yesterday at the Radisson Aquatica, Aquatic Gap, St Michael. King said he would meet a Chinese delegation tomorrow regarding the work after which he would be in a better position to give any deadlines. He called for patience and reminded Barbadians there was not enough money to get everything which needed to get done completed in the time they would like. “The reality is the country is in a recession and there is no magic wand we can wave to get out of it, so we have to creep and once everyone understands this, we will get there with a lot less frustration,” he said. (DN)

111days left in the year Shalom!  Follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram for your daily news. #thechasefiles #dailynewscaps #bajannewscaps #newsinanutshell

[writeyouin]

Can you write one for Eugene from TWD? I don't think he gets enough love. Maybe the reader stands up for him when someone is giving him a hard time, and Eugene is surprised because no one really defends him.

Eugene Porter X Reader - Protector

A/N – Play the trumpets and breakout the wine, I have an apartment by the looks of things.

Warnings – None.

Rating – T

“-and that is why I conclude that entering that facility though the back door would result in a higher chance of survival as opposed to the front, vents, or assuming that you could get there, the roof which would presumably collapse under your combined weight of approximately-”

“MY GOD.” Nicholas shouted, interrupting Eugene’s summary of the pharmacy in front of you. “Do you ever shut up?”

Eugene flinched as Nicholas threw his arms up in frustration.

“Wait a minute, did you think-” Nicholas grinned maliciously, rounding on Eugene and getting uncomfortably close to him. “Did you think I was gonna hit you?”

“N-no.” Eugene stammered, taking a step back and stumbling over, onto the road.

You stepped between the pair, offering a supporting hand to help Eugene up. Nicholas grabbed your shoulder, pulling you back.

“He needs a lesson.” Nicholas insisted. “A lesson in trust.”

“No.” You growled. “If anything, you need a lesson in humility.”

You turned away from Nicholas again, offering your hand to Eugene once more. The second-time Nicholas placed his hand on your shoulder, you murmured a quiet threat. “If you don’t let go of me, it won’t be a walker bite you have to worry about.”

He recoiled, repulsed by your vehement attitude. “You’re an animal.”

“Takes one to know one, pig. Piss off and squeal back to mommy, I’ll have plenty to report to her when I get back.”

If looks could kill, the one Nicholas gave would have annihilated you; you kept your expression blank, hoping to intimidate him and leave him with something to think about. He turned on his heel, starting the long walk back to Alexandria where he would no-doubt play the role of helpless victim until you arrived. When you finally managed to turn your attention to Eugene, he’d already got back up and was staring at you with worried curiosity.

“Well,” You gazed despondently at the large pharmacy, “this was a waste. There’s not a snowballs chance in hell we can take this place alone. D’you suppose Daryl would-”

“Why did you intervene?” Eugene asked pointedly.

“I don’t like bullies.”

“Perhaps. However, seeing as you have never before found fault with or argued with Nicholas, it comes to my attention that you either want something, or, less likely, you believed there would have been some form of altercation, in which Nicholas would have assaulted me.”

You nodded slowly, pursing your lips. “Yep. You caught me. I do want something.”

Eugene became perplexed by the odd feeling in his gut which was somewhere between relief that he was correct and disappointment that you too, just wanted to use him for his intellect. “May I ask exactly what you require of my abilities?”

“Not your abilities. You.”

If Eugene was perplexed before, he was thoroughly bamboozled now. “I do not understand.”

“I want your friendship, not your abilities. It doesn’t matter to me what you can or can’t do; I enjoy having you around.”

Eugene didn’t reply, for once he didn’t know what to say; instead, he found himself attempting to figure you out, like the world’s most difficult puzzle. You waited momentarily for an answer before smiling, and starting the walk back to Alexandria; Eugene followed close behind, startling at the occasional snapped branch or bird call until the two of you got back.

It had been almost two weeks since the failed pharmacy run and despite his best efforts, Eugene still couldn’t understand you; to him, you were the proverbial mystery wrapped in an enigma. Discounting Abraham, nobody really talked to Eugene and even his friendship with Abraham has started off strained. The overwhelming desire to start off your possible friendship correctly, kept Eugene in his garage-workshop for days on end, first thinking, then drafting, and finally, building. On a late night, after hours of labour, Eugene gladly admired the fruits of his labour; the perfect gift.

Deciding not to put it off, he knocked on your door across the street, finding himself mildly surprised when you came out in a cooking apron, covered in oil stains, with a wrench sticking out of the pocket.

“Eugene.” You beamed, glad to see him after so long.

“(Y/N).” He greeted drolly. “I am now ready to accept your offer of friendship. Please accept this token of my affection.”

He pulled out a long silver chain while you watched in awe. “A pocket watch.” You stated in a dream-like tone.

“Yes. However, I would like to point out that I have modified it so the back is now a compass. If required, the chain also has the strength to asphyxiate an enemy, though I hope you never have to. All in all, I would say this is a very practical-”

You hugged him tightly, cutting him off. Eugene patted your back awkwardly, wondering if he was doing it right.

“I love it.” You gushed happily, pulling it over your neck.

Eugene nodded, elated. “That is a relief.”

He turned to leave but you stopped him, lightly holding his arm. “Hey, um, I was just fixing up a car in the garage, I don’t suppose I could convince a super-genius to be my partner and help me out.”

“In this scenario, could I be the Batman and you the Robin?”

You frowned. “I draw the line at Robin. You can be Batman but if anything, I’m gonna be like Alfred, Lucius Fox, or Catwoman. Take your pick.”

“I was always a fan of Alfred.”

“Great, then let’s go fix the Batmobile.”

[raisondetrc-blog]

Can I ask what you blog title represents?

Hoo boy, this blog isn’t even officially open yet, I honestly didn’t expect to be getting asks already, but you absolutely can!

It’s foremostly a reference to a Leonard Cohen song, which is actually on the blog’s autoplay, called You Want It Darker, but the song is itself a biblical reference, namely to the Binding of Isaac, the parable in which God instructs Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac as a show of loyalty. Abraham is willing to do so, and while an angel intervenes at the last moment to inform him that he has passed God’s test and has no need to actually slay Isaac, the rift between father and son that opens as a result is never closed. The really interesting part comes with the concept of Abraham’s Paradox, which as I’ve been led to understand it states that murder is a sin, but that God’s will must always be to the good - so if it was God’s will that Abraham sacrifice Isaac, would the act of filicide still have been a sin, and would Abraham have been subject to divine punishment for it? It gets deeper into questions of free will and the nature of sin, but I’d need to do deeper research to make a full post on the parallels, as I’m not a religious person myself and don’t have much preexisting knowledge of the idea.

The parallel here is obviously to the defining moment of Big Boss’ life, the slaying of The Boss, which was in a very literal sense commanded by his God - that is, the government of the United States, his country, which he served at that time with an almost religious fervor. Unlike Abraham, Big Boss was unable to believe that his act having been the will of a higher power absolved him of guilt, and furthermore was unable to come to peace with serving a higher force that would command such a thing to begin with, and this event precipitated a critical loss of faith, and began his descent toward becoming one of the ultimate antagonists of the franchise.

Now, I chose that blog title simply because it was both pleasant-looking and succinctly carries the idea it gets across, but if I were to choose a biblical parallel to represent Big Boss, the one I’d actually choose would be Judas Iscariot. I at least partially agree with the common interpretation of BB and The Boss’ relationship as being parental, but more than that, given the intensity of his obsession with her, I’d see it almost as the dynamic between a prophet and her apostle - if the US government is God in this scenario, then The Boss is a literal Jesus figure, sacrificed by her God to absolve the sins of that God’s people. 

And the person who brought that sacrifice about was the Judas archetype, in this case Big Boss - although for the purpose of this parallel I’d be inclined to go with the interpretation of the parable from the apocryphal Gospel of Judas, which states that Jesus knew Judas would betray him, and in fact told him to do so, that God’s will and the absolution of man’s sin could be brought about, but that despite this Judas was still unable to cope with his guilt at having brought about the death of his savior. The end result in this story is the same; unlike Judas, Big Boss is ultimately led by this trial to lose faith and become contemptuous of that which he once worshiped, and to cast it off as a result, even to craft himself into his own god. But I’ll go into BB’s later god complex another day, since I’ve already made an essay of this.

Also, credit due to Nova, who doesn’t have a blog running in the MG fandom yet but may soon, for talking over this with me and giving me insight on the topic that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.

[mypinkportfolio]

Tradução de Conto

Sliver Pete

(Carol Moore)

I've never told this story before, but just the same I'm telling you now.

I was a boy of 8 in 1885 and I lived in a small town out west with my baby sister and my folks who ran the local delivery stable. It might not have been such a bad place except for one man.

His name was Sliver Pete and we thought he was the meanest, ugliest, most cussed hombre that ever packed a gun and it was well known he carried a Colt 45. He didn't much like to work, was a cowpoke a few months out of the year and the rest of the time he played and cheated at cards and killed anybody who called him on it. Then for recreation or just pure spite he killed every sheriff that ever tried to arrest him. There wasn't a soul that didn't fear Sliver Pete, even my Father.

The townspeople ended up offering a reward of $20,000 to anyone who could either run Sliver Pete out of town or put him in his grave. Mind you, that was a fortune in those days but when Sliver Pete heard there was a price on his head he just laughed and shot up the saloon and then the bakery. He said he was worth much more money than that. And when stranger after stranger came to collect the reward they came to stay because Sliver Pete put them in the town cemetery.

One very windy day the stagecoach arrived in town with an unusual passenger. I was there to witness it because it was my duty to water the stagecoach horses. The stagecoach door swung open and a single man, tall and gaunt and dressed in a brown/black coat and hat, with a white collar, stepped out. I had seen pictures of Abraham Lincoln and that is who this man reminded me of, although I knew Abraham Lincoln would not have been wearing a preacher's clothes. He waved the coachman away as he reached for his own trunk off the roof of the coach. The trunk was wrapped in a blue cloth that flapped in the wind although partially tied with a rope. Just as he got it to

the ground a gust tore at the material and I clearly saw the writing on its side. He grabbed the cloth and stuffed it back into place, glancing straight at me. Then he smiled a slow smile, winked, and put his index finger to his mouth as if to say we shared a secret. That's the only incident I saw myself and all the rest I heard secondhand through either my folks or my friends.

The man called himself Preacher Dan. He said he hadn't come to stay but he was in our town on the Lord's business to get money to build a church. He'd already acquired most of it, but people were surprised when he said he planned on making the remainder by playing cards and that God had told him he would win the rest that he needed in just one night. Although such behavior was improper for a preacher nobody questioned it. He had a quiet manner and quick smile and, anyway, strangers never stayed too long.

That afternoon the card game started early. Among the four players around the table was Sliver Pete. Sliver Pete was his mean self, slouched in his chair with a whisky at his elbow. I was told Preacher Dan didn't say a word the first hour although he smiled readily enough if anyone caught his eye.

The first two games were won by Mike McGrew and Tom Eider, town regulars. The purse was small. There was static in the air like just before an electric storm. The third game the purse grew bigger and Sliver Pete won this round. He smiled for the first time and Preacher Dan smiled back.

"Nice going." the Preacher said. "I see the Lord's in need of help tonight."

Sliver Pete smirked.

But Preacher Dan wasn't finished. "I been eyeing that gun of yours. May I see it?"

The room grew suddenly quiet as Sliver Pete's smile vanished as quick as a Bluetail fly beneath a horse's tail swat. "No man touches my gun but me."

"Oh. I didn't mean anything by it," the Preacher grinned. "You know I'm not a man. Just a messenger of God. Don't usually cotton to guns either, but I hear you're right handy with one and I sure wanted to see the smoker that's done the damage."

Perhaps it was the hint of admiration in his voice, or maybe God intervened to soften Sliver's mood, but to everyone's surprise, Sliver Pete unholstered his Colt 45 and put it on the table. His eyes glowered about the room as if daring anybody to disapprove.

Preacher Dan calmly retrieved the gun and examined it thoroughly, looking up the barrel and bouncing it gently in his hand to weigh it. Suddenly, unaccountably it slipped from his fingers onto the floor. Kerplunk.

Sliver Pete jumped to his feet, sliding his chair back with a squeal. But just as quick the Preacher leaned over and retrieved the gun, wiping it with his jacket hem and sleeve. "Sorry 'bout that," he said, handing it back.

"Better sorry than dead," growled Sliver Pete. But there was a noticeable sigh of relief from the room as he holstered the 45 and sat back down.

After that things seemed to pick up speed as the bets got bigger. Mike McGrew pushed away from the table. "Too rich for my blood," he said. Now there were three left at the table, including Sliver and the Preacher, and Sliver Pete was winning big time. He had a small mountain of bills and coins and, recklessly, was playing for bigger and bigger stakes.

If Preacher Dan felt pressure, he didn't show it although all his Church money was fast going to Sliver Pete. At last, just before dusk, the last call of cards came, and Sliver had won it all. He wrapped his burly arms about the pot and began drawing it to him.

"Just a moment." The voice was soft and deadly, and a startled Sliver didn't at first realize it came from the Preacher who added, "You been cheating all night and if you take that money now you can add thievery to the deed."

Sliver's hand went to his gun, but knowing the Preacher didn't carry a gun he held it there like a threat. "I don't cheat and I don't let no one call me one neither. Not even a preacher."

"Is that so? Let the Lord decide. That is, if you care to take your fight to the street where it's right and proper and you're not afraid to meet your maker," said the Preacher.

"Why, you don't even own a gun," sneered Sliver, "And you wouldn't know to shoot one anyhow." He literally spit out the words.

"I'm no match, which fact's assured. But God said I'd have that money tonight and you won't make him a liar." The Preacher's eyes narrowed with serious intent. "So long as someone here sees fit to loan me his gun, whomever remains standing will have spoken the truth."

Because Sliver Pete had never turned down a gunfight in his life and the Preacher was handed a gunbelt with two guns by the bartender, they ended up

outside at opposite ends of the street. A small crowd gathered, not so much to witness Sliver Pete kill another man, but in sympathetic support of a foolish preacher who was about to die for the sake of his church.

The two men stood there a seeming eternity, each with their gun hand poised and ready. Then gun fire rang out and the look and smell of gun smoke filled the air. Sliver Pete blew away the smoke at end of his gun barrel as he saw the tall figure of Preacher Dan hit the dirt. Cries of anguish came from womenfolk in the crowd.

But Sliver Pete was unconcerned and made it a point to look bored. He had holstered his gun and started his walk back to the saloon when he noticed the body of the Preacher begin to move. Now Sliver Pete had never failed to kill with his first shot and he watched, fascinated, as the Preacher stood up and again pointed his borrowed gun. So, Sliver Pete had to shoot him again, actually two shots just to be sure. The Preacher fell like a cut tree, straight down with his face in the dirt.

Sliver wiped his forehead with his gun hand still holding the gun and his eyes steady on the body of the Preacher. But what he hadn't expected to happen happened yet again. The crowd gasped as they saw the Preacher struggle once more to his feet.

This time Sliver Pete didn't even give the Preacher a chance to aim. For the first time in his life there was fear in his expression. Two gun shots rang out and the Preacher pitched over.

The crowd edged back from the street. There was something decidedly unnerving and otherworldly about this gunfight when a man wouldn't stay dead. It occurred to them maybe the Preacher had spoken the truth about his conversation with God. The same thing had occurred to Sliver Pete, because with a pale face he very slowly approached the body. He was 20 feet away when the Preacher again struggled to his knees and then his feet, this time holding out his hand palm up as if to say, "You owe me that money". The Preacher's black eyes bored into and through Sliver Pete and understandably Sliver responded with panic, this time aiming at the Preacher's head. It was his last bullet.

As the shot rang out Preacher Dan's hand slapped his forehead and his body swung a complete circle before falling face down into the dirt. Nobody and

nothing moved except a corner of the Preacher's black jacket caught by a gust of wind.

Sliver Pete was shaking so bad he simply couldn't tear his gaze off that body and the crowd looked from him to it and didn't know which was more incredible. They'd never seen Sliver Pete so afraid nor witnessed a dead man come back to life before.

Then there was a small movement just at the waist. A bird, a white dove, struggled free from beneath the body and with a gentle "coo, coo," flapped its wings and flew up into a cloudy sky and disappeared from sight.

Now I don't know what you would make of that, but the townsfolk and Sliver Pete both saw it as a sign from God. Truly this had been God's messenger and Sliver Pete had just killed the messenger. Unnerved he began backing away and had gotten 10 steps when the Preacher's body twitched and slowly pulled itself upwards to a standing position.

"Where are you going?" it boomed in a deep, sepulcher voice from the grave. "You owe me the Lord's money."

Sliver Pete simply fell apart. He gave a strangled squeak of terror, dropped his gun, whirled on his heels and ran up the street until he was out of sight. The stunned crowd watched him go before setting their fearful gaze back on the Preacher. Standing straight he flashed them a wide, friendly smile and suddenly didn't look so dead. True, there was blood on his forehead but with one sweep of his sleeve it mysteriously disappeared.

"That's one problem you won't see again," he said in a voice again friendly. "And don't worry yourselves 'bout me. Except, that is, unless you don't want to make good on your promise of a reward for getting rid of that snake Sliver Pete." He winked.

The townsfolk were happy to give Preacher Dan the reward. He didn't even collect all of it, only half, leaving the rest for the town church. Nobody ever heard from Sliver Pete again, although it was rumored he hadn't stopped running 'til he'd got to New Mexico, married and become a farmer, never to touch a gun again. People couldn't stop talking about how a man could be shot six times and rise up as if he hadn't been shot at all. But no one dared ask Preacher Dan to explain it and he left town, so it remained a mystery to everyone except me.

You see, I remembered the day I saw the writing on the side of his trunk revealed by a pesky wind. It had said, "Dan the Magnificent. Magician's Illusions Great and Small." So, Preacher Dan was not a preacher, but a gifted magician. I figure when he dropped Sliver Pete's gun at the card table he switched it for one with blanks. The white dove had just been for effect. Here was a man schooled in the ways of human nature and he had done us a great favor while being paid for his services. I thought at that time far be it for me to give away his secrets. Some say it wasn't a preacher or even a dead man that got up off that dusty road, but an angel of the Lord himself, and in a manner of speaking that might be so. But only God, Dan the Magnificent, and me -- and now you -- really knows the truth of what happened on that windy day in 1885

 Sliver Pete

(Carol Moore)

Eu nunca contei esta história antes, mas mesmo assim estou lhe contando agora.

Eu era um menino de oito anos em 1885 e morava em uma cidadezinha a oeste com minha irmã mais nova e meus pais, que administravam o estábulo local. Poderia não ter sido um lugar ruim, com exceção de um homem.

O nome dele era Sliver Pete e nós o achávamos o homem mais malvado, mais feio e mais amaldiçoado que carregava uma arma, e sabia-se que ele carregava uma Colt 45. Não gostava muito de trabalhar, era um cowboy preguiçoso durante alguns meses do ano e, no resto do tempo, jogava e trapaceava nos jogos de cartas, e matava qualquer um que o dedurasse. Então, por recreação ou apenas por puro ódio, matava cada xerife que tentava prendê-lo. Não havia uma única alma que não temesse Sliver Pete, até mesmo meu pai.

As pessoas da cidade acabaram oferecendo uma recompensa de 20 mil dólares a qualquer um que pudesse ou tirar Sliver Pete da cidade ou colocá-lo em seu túmulo. E, só para você saber, isso era uma fortuna naqueles dias, mas quando Sliver Pete soube que sua cabeça estava a prêmio, apenas riu e atirou para o alto no bar e depois na padaria. Disse que ele valia muito mais dinheiro do que aquilo. E, cada vez que pessoas mais estranhas chegavam para recolher a recompensa, vinham para ficar porque Sliver Pete as colocava no cemitério da cidade.

Em um dia de muita ventania, a carruagem chegou à cidade com um passageiro incomum. Eu estava lá para testemunhar porque era meu dever dar água aos cavalos. A porta da carruagem se abriu e um homem alto e magro, vestido com um casaco marrom/preto e chapéu saiu de lá. Eu já tinha visto fotos de Abraham Lincoln e era dele que esse homem me lembrava, embora soubesse que Abraham Lincoln não usaria roupas de pastor. Acenou para o cocheiro enquanto tirava sua mala da parte superior da carruagem. A mala estava embrulhada em um pano azul que flutuava ao vento, mesmo estando parcialmente amarrado com uma corda. Assim que a colocou no chão, uma rajada de vento rasgou o material e eu, claramente, vi a escrita em sua lateral. Ele pegou o pano e colocou de volta no lugar, olhando diretamente para mim. Então sorriu um sorriso lento, piscou e colocou seu dedo indicador na boca como quem dissesse que compartilhávamos um segredo. Esse foi o único incidente que vi, e todo o resto eu ouvi de segunda mão pelos meus pais ou amigos.

O homem se chamava Dan. Disse que não tinha vindo para ficar, mas que estava em nossa cidade a serviço de Deus para arrecadar dinheiro para construir uma igreja. Já tinha conseguido a maior parte, mas as pessoas ficaram surpresas quando disse que planejava conseguir o restante jogando cartas e que Deus lhe dissera que ganharia o resto que precisava em apenas uma noite. Embora tal comportamento fosse inadequado para um clérigo, ninguém questionava. Ele tinha um jeito quieto e sorriso rápido e, de qualquer forma, estranhos nunca ficavam por muito tempo.

Naquela tarde, o jogo de cartas começou cedo. Entre os quatro jogadores ao redor da mesa estava Sliver Pete. Sliver Pete estava com seu jeito maldoso, jogado na cadeira com um uísque ao seu lado. Disseram-me que o clérigo Dan não disse uma palavra na primeira hora, embora sorrisse prontamente se alguém chamasse sua atenção.

Os primeiros dois jogos foram ganhos por Mike McGrew e Tom Eider, frequentadores assíduos do local. A aposta era pequena. Não havia qualquer barulho no ar, exatamente como antes de uma tempestade elétrica. No terceiro jogo, a aposta cresceu e Sliver Pete ganhou esta rodada. Ele sorriu pela primeira vez e o clérigo Dan sorriu de volta.

- Indo bem. – disse o clérigo. – Vejo que Deus está precisando de ajuda essa noite.

Sliver Pete sorriu.

Mas o clérigo Dan não havia terminado.

- Estou de olho naquela sua arma. Posso dar uma olhada?

A sala repentinamente ficou em silêncio enquanto o sorriso de Sliver Pete desaparecia tão rápido quanto um pássaro após ser golpeado pela cauda de um cavalo.

- Nenhum homem toca na minha arma além de mim.

- Ah, eu não quis dizer isso. O clérigo sorriu. – Você sabe que não sou um homem comum. Apenas um mensageiro de Deus. Geralmente não ligo para armas também, mas eu ouvi que você é habilidoso com elas e certamente queria ver a arma que fez o estrago.

Talvez fosse o ar de admiração na voz dele, ou talvez Deus intervindo para suavizar o humor de Sliver, mas para a surpresa de todos, Sliver Pete tirou sua Colt 45 do coldre e colocou-a sobre a mesa. Seus olhos brilhavam ao redor da sala como se desafiassem alguém a desaprovar.

O clérigo Dan apanhou calmamente a arma e a examinou minuciosamente, olhando o cano e quicando suavemente em sua mão para pesar. De repente, inexplicavelmente, deslizou de seus dedos e foi para o chão. Plaft.

Sliver Pete pulou de seu assento, deslizando sua cadeira com um ruído. Mas na mesma velocidade, o clérigo se inclinou e pegou a arma, limpando-a com a manga da jaqueta.

- Desculpe-me por isso. Ele disse, devolvendo-a.

- Melhor arrependido do que morto. – rosnou Sliver Pete. Mas houve um notável suspiro de alívio da sala quando ele guardou a 45 e se sentou de volta.

Depois disso, as coisas pareciam ganhar velocidade, conforme as apostas aumentavam. Mike McGrew afastou-se da mesa.

- É demais para o meu bolso. – ele disse.

Agora restavam três na mesa, incluindo Sliver e o clérigo, e Sliver Pete estava ganhando de lavada. Ele tinha uma pequena montanha de cédulas e moedas e, inconsequentemente, jogava apostas cada vez maiores.

Se o clérigo Dan sentiu pressão, não demonstrou, embora todo o dinheiro para a igreja estivesse indo rapidamente para Sliver Pete. Por fim, logo antes de escurecer, chegou a última rodada e Sliver ganhou tudo. Ele envolveu seus braços fortes sobre o monte de dinheiro e começou a puxá-lo para sua direção.

- Só um momento.

A voz era macia e mortal e Sliver, assustado, não percebeu de imediato que vinha do clérigo, que acrescentou:

- Você trapaceou a noite toda e, se você pegar esse dinheiro agora, pode adicionar roubo aos seus feitos.

A mão de Sliver foi para a sua arma mas, sabendo que o clérigo não estava armado, segurava a sua como uma ameaça.

- Eu não trapaceio e não deixo ninguém me chamar assim. Nem mesmo um religioso.

- É mesmo? Deixe o Senhor decidir. Isso se você não se importar de levar sua luta para a rua onde é certo e apropriado e você não teme conhecer seu criador. – disse o clérigo.

- Por quê? Você nem sequer possui uma arma. – zombou Sliver. - E você não saberia de modo algum atirar. – falou com desdém.

- Eu não sou páreo, o que é fato é assegurado. Mas Deus disse que eu teria esse dinheiro esta noite e você não fará Dele um mentiroso.

Os olhos do clérigo se estreitaram com uma intenção séria.

- Se alguém aqui achar oportuno me emprestar sua arma, quem quer que permaneça de pé terá dito a verdade.

Porque Sliver Pete nunca havia recusado um tiroteio em sua vida, o barman entregou ao clérigo um cinturão com duas armas, e eles terminaram lá fora, em extremos opostos da rua. Uma pequena multidão se reuniu, não tanto para testemunhar Sliver Pete matar outro homem, mas sim em apoio a um religioso tolo que estava prestes a morrer por causa de sua igreja.

Os dois homens ficaram de pé por uma eternidade, cada qual com sua arma apontada e pronta. Então, o tiro da arma soou e a aparência e o cheiro de fumaça das armas encheram o ar. Sliver Pete soprou a fumaça da ponta do cano quando viu a figura alta do clérigo Dan cair ao chão. Gritos de angústia vieram de mulheres na multidão. Mas Sliver Pete não se preocupou e fez questão de parecer entediado. Pegou a arma e começou a caminhar de volta para o bar quando percebeu que o corpo do clérigo começar a se mover. Agora, Sliver Pete nunca falhou em matar no primeiro tiro e ele assistiu, fascinado, enquanto o religioso se levantava e novamente teve que disparar, na verdade dois tiros, apenas para ter certeza. O clérigo caiu como uma árvore cortada, com o rosto direto para o chão.

Sliver enxugou sua testa com a mão ainda segurando a arma e seus olhos miravam firmemente o corpo do religioso. Mas o que ele não esperava que acontecesse, aconteceu. A multidão ofegou ao ver o clérigo lutar para levantar mais uma vez.

Desta vez, Sliver Pete nem mesmo deu ao clérigo uma chance de apontar. Pela primeira vez em sua vida, havia medo em sua expressão. Dois tiros dispararam e o clérigo caiu.

A multidão se afastou da rua. Havia algo decididamente desconcertante e de outro mundo sobre esse tiroteio quando um homem não permanecia morto.

Ocorreu-lhes que talvez o clérigo tivesse falado a verdade sobre sua conversa com Deus. O mesmo pensou Sliver Pete, porque com um rosto pálido ele se aproximou muito lentamente do corpo. Estava a 20 metros de distância quando o religioso novamente lutou para se ajoelhar e depois ficar de pé; desta vez estendendo a palma da mão como se dissesse:

- Você me deve esse dinheiro.

Os olhos negros do clérigo fuzilavam Sliver Pete e, compreensivelmente, Sliver respondeu com pânico, desta vez mirando a cabeça do religioso. Foi sua última bala.

Quando o tiro disparou, a mão do clérigo Dan bateu na sua testa e seu corpo girou em um círculo completo antes de cair de cabeça no chão. Nada e ninguém se moviam, exceto um canto da jaqueta negra do clérigo, atingido por uma rajada de vento.

Sliver Pete estava tremendo muito que simplesmente não conseguia arrancar o olhar daquele corpo e a multidão olhava para ambos e não sabia o que era mais incrível. Eles nunca tinham visto Sliver Pete tão assustado, nem testemunhado um homem morto voltando a viver.

Depois, houve um pequeno movimento na cintura. Um pássaro – uma pomba branca – debaixo do corpo, lutava para se libertar e, com um suave "coo, coo", bateu as asas e voou para um céu nublado e desapareceu.

Agora, eu não sei o que você faria com isso, mas o povo da cidade e Sliver Pete viram como um sinal de Deus. Verdadeiramente, esse era o mensageiro de Deus e Sliver Pete acabara de matar o mensageiro. Desconcertado, começou a se afastar e, dado dez passos, o corpo do religioso se contraiu e lentamente se recompôs e ficou de pé.

- Aonde você vai?

Ele disparou em uma voz profunda e sepulcral.

- Você me deve o dinheiro do Senhor.

Sliver Pete simplesmente desmoronou. Deu um estranho rangido de terror, largou sua arma, girou sobre os calcanhares e subiu a rua até que ele estivesse fora da vista. A multidão atordoada o observava ir antes que voltasse a olhar receosamente para o clérigo. Em pé, ele abriu um sorriso largo e amigável e, de repente, não pareceu tão morto. É verdade que havia sangue em sua testa, mas secando-a com a manga, desapareceu misteriosamente.

- Esse é um problema que jamais verão novamente. – disse com uma voz novamente amigável. – E não se preocupem comigo. A não ser que vocês não queiram cumprir a promessa da recompensa por se livrarem daquela cobra Sliver Pete. – Ele piscou.

Os habitantes da cidade ficaram felizes dando a recompensa ao clérigo Dan. Ele nem sequer pegou tudo, apenas metade, deixando o resto para a igreja da cidade. Ninguém jamais ouviu falar de Sliver Pete novamente, embora tenham tido rumores de que ele não parou de correr até chegar ao Novo México, casou-se e se tornou fazendeiro, para nunca mais tocar uma arma. As pessoas não conseguiam parar de falar sobre como um homem poderia ser baleado seis vezes e se levantar como se não tivesse sido baleado de forma alguma. Mas ninguém ousou pedir ao clérigo Dan para explicar isso e ele deixou a cidade, para que permanecesse um mistério para todos, exceto para mim.

Você vê, lembrei-me do dia em que vi a escrita na lateral de sua mala revelada por um vento desagradável. Dizia: "Dan, o Magnífico. Mágicas Grandes e Pequenas". Então, o clérigo Dan não era um religioso, mas um mago talentoso. Percebi quando ele deixou cair a arma de Sliver Pete na mesa de cartas, ele trocou por uma sem balas. A pomba branca tinha sido apenas para efeito. Aqui estava um homem educado nos caminhos da natureza humana e ele nos fez um grande favor enquanto foi pago por seus serviços. Pensei naquele momento, longe de mim espalhar os seus segredos. Alguns dizem que não era clérigo nem mesmo um homem morto que se levantou daquela estrada empoeirada, mas um anjo do próprio Senhor e, de certa maneira, poderia ser assim. Mas só Deus, Dan o Magnífico, e eu – e agora você – sabemos realmente a verdade do que aconteceu naquele dia de ventania em 1885.

[firstumcschenectady]

“A (Very) Young Mother To Be” based on  Luke 1:26-45

The Christmas stories function as gospels in miniature: establishing themes, offering foreshadowing, and even telling parts of the story in smaller but parallel ways.1 One of the little connections I first noticed this year is that in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus travels several times between the seat of his ministry in Galilee and the seat of Jewish power in Judea. This text has his mother Mary traveling from Galilee, to Judea, back to Galilee, and then BACK to Judea all while pregnant!

Luke's themes – in both the Gospel as a whole and in the Christmas story - include a value of women, a focus on the marginalized, and attention to the Holy Spirit. Luke chapter 1 spends a lot of time on Zechariah, Elizabeth, and John the Baptist. Luke is the only gospel to claim that Elizabeth and Mary are kin, as well as the only one to focus on the experiences of Elizabeth and Mary. Scholars have pointed out that Luke is intentionality setting up a rather enormous proposition.

Namely, Elizabeth's pregnancy story sounds like a common Hebrew Bible story. According to Genesis none of the patriarchs and matriarchs were about to procreate without an exceptionally long wait and Divine intervention. Elizabeth and Zechariah are an older couple, without children, who have gone past childbearing age. Elizabeth and Zechariah's story sounds most like Abraham and Sarah's, although it also connotes the birth of Samuel. God intervenes, and the VERY unexpected happen, or at least it would be VERY unexpected if it weren't so common in the Bible.

Mary's pregnancy story, on the other hand, is novel in the Bible.  It hasn't been told before. The ancient Greeks and Romans may have hand virgin birth stories as commonly as we have superhero movies, but this wasn't part of the Jewish tradition.

Elizabeth is an old woman, thought to be barren, who has a child because of Divine intervention. Her story resounds with Hebrew Bible echoes. Mary is a young woman, thought to be pre-pubescent, who is ALSO said to have a child because of Divine intervention. Her story has an entirely new tune and tone.

Scholars think that Luke is intending for Elizabeth's son, John the Baptist, to represent the end of an age; while Mary's son, Jesus, represents the beginning of another age.2 In that case, having the two pregnant mothers residing in the same home in the Judean hills for three months, having Mary present for Elizabeth's birth, having Elizabeth's pregnancy function as proof for Mary's experience, and having the women related to each other and spending time sharing their experiences, is potent with meaning.

Now, it does turn out that the idea of one age ending and another beginning with the births (and deaths) of those men does have some truth to it. After all, a miscalculation of the date of the Birth of Christ was the original premise of our Western Calendar. Time has been calculated since that moment. And, since Luke was writing about 60 years after the death of Jesus3, but the time these stories were written down, the sense of an era ending another beginning was presumably felt deeply. Setting up these two main characters as the icons of change indicates how important the early Christian community thought their lives were.

Now, there is a reasonably high level of certainty that Jesus was a disciple of John the Baptist AND that there were people who had wondered if John the Baptist was the Messiah. This means that the followers of Jesus – both during his life and after his death – had to explain why they thought THEIR guy was THE guy, and the OTHER guy wasn't. I suspect some of the reason for the story we read today is to clarify that stance. It also serves acknowledge how closely tied their lives were and how closely tied their message were. Today, I think it functions well to remind us that the “end of an era” and the “beginning of an era” still operated in continuity – with a shared understanding of God and of God's vision for the world.

Luke 1 is a chapter of waiting. It runs for 80 verses, and yet it isn't until chapter 2 that Jesus arrives. Luke 1 is a little bit of Advent and of Christmas Eve – the waiting and the not-yet. Luke 1 gets us ready and hungry, and anticipating the arrival of the Christ-child. It makes us wait from the annunciation, through travels and songs of praise, through John the Baptist's birth and circumcision, through the faith struggles of his father, and even through the start of John the Baptist's ministry before the chapter ends and we get to turn to the birth of Jesus.

It feels a bit like we are waiting with Mary, aware of the changes that are about to happen, seeing the changes in her body, wondering about the impact (she's said to ponder a lot), but without yet holding the baby nor forming him in his faith. Luke sets up Mary to be the sort of woman you can believe could raise a son like Jesus. She is named for Miriam, a wise and faithful leader, the sister of Moses.

(Mary is the Greek-i-fied version of the Hebrew Miriam. It isn't clear to me if she would have been called Miriam, but it was written down in Greek as Mary or if the Greek influence was strong enough that she lived in that tension of being named for a Hebrew heroine, but with the itself Greek-i-fied. By the way, the word for that is “grecized” but I didn't think we all knew that. Or, rather, I didn't previously know that.)

Mary is also BRAVE and FIERCE. If you remember a later story of Jesus, the one with the woman who had been accused on adultery, the one they wanted to stone – because that was the prescribed punishment for such an act – then you may note why an engaged woman agreeing to a pregnancy from not-her-fiance was so brave!! An engaged woman was seen as fully the “property” of her husband, and adultery was defined as someone sleeping with someone else's property, and a pregnancy when the couple hadn't engaged in procreative activities would generally serve as good proof of adultery. Yet, in Luke, this isn't a problem!!! For Luke, Mary speaks and is believed, and there isn't any issue at all. I like Luke. He trusts women, and he gives them voice!

In many ways this presentation of Mary becoming pregnant by God reflects the Greek and Roman influence over that region as much as her name does. This was a fairly common story in Greek and Roman myths, although, I gotta give it to Luke, this is the only story in which the woman is asked for CONSENT before getting pregnant.

Mary DOES give consent. She knows what it could cost, but she is willing. As the story goes on, she sings God's praises for being willing to lift her up by giving her this task (#tomorrowsSermon)

Now, much later in the Gospel, Jesus will be put to death because of his faithfulness to God's message and the building of God's kindom. However, in this very early passage in Luke 1, we see that his mother was also willing to take those risks in order to serve God and build the kindom. She was likely very young (on the cusp of puberty), very poor, and rather profoundly disempowered, but she is given a choice about her life and she chooses to take a risk for God's sake.

Elizabeth is also named for a Hebrew heroine, Aaron's wife (Aaron was brother to Moses and Miriam), whose Hebrew name has been translated into Greek. I choose to interpret from this story that Elizabeth was a mentor figure to Mary, a safe place Mary could go and ponder. It has already been said in Luke 1 that John the Baptist was going to be gifted with the Holy Spirit, and in this scene it is clear that the gift is so strong as to move his mother too! Elizabeth is presented as speaking a truth that much of the world will never see, and it is presented as if God's own wisdom is able to move through her.

Elizabeth praises Mary BOTH for the wonder of having Jesus in her womb AND for faithfulness in believing God when she was told what would happen. I appreciate that this praise comes in two parts, too much of Christianity has only praised Mary for being the mother of Jesus, and missed that the story presents her as one of his teachers and mentors as well. Elizabeth expresses shock that she could receive the gift of a visit from such an important woman, and that the baby in her womb recognized the wonder of what was happening.

Luke 1 reminds us why the birth itself even matters! Luke 1 sets us up to notice that when God is up to something, God doesn't tend to pick the already powerful and noteworthy figures to do the work! Luke notes that God works with and through women, and the marginalized, through that unable to be controlled Holy Spirit. Luke sets us up to notice that something BIG is about to happen and it will change the world.

Which perhaps leaves us with a very important question: how has the birth of Christ changed the world FOR US, and how are our lives and actions different because of it? The era we live in has been formed by these stories, and they are ours to ponder. Are we ready, like Mary, to answer the call for radical change with “let it be with me according to your word.”? May we be. Amen

1John Dominic Crossan and Marcus Borg point this out in The First Christmas: What the Gospels Really Teach about Jesus' Birth (USA: HarperOne, 2007)

2Fred B. Craddock, Luke in the series Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1990) p. 29. This is one of several times this theory has been written, but he said it in a particularly accessible way.

3I'm taking this from the estimate that Luke was written in about 85 CE, while Jesus was born in about 5 BCE, and lived about 31 years. The “mid eighties” guess comes from R. Alan Culpepper, “Luke” in Leadner Keck, ed. , The New Interpreter's Bible (Nashville: Abingdon Press: 1995) p. 8.

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Rev. Sara E. Baron

First United Methodist Church of Schenectady

603 State St. Schenectady, NY 12305

Pronouns: she/her/hers

http://fumcschenectady.org/

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