#i know i know sutton charge your phone

[suttttton]

I got back to my apartment today and I already miss my boy </3

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

By Elie Mystal

“Civil asset forfeiture” is the legal euphemism for when the cops steal your stuff. In this country, if you are stopped or arrested, the police can take all the personal property you have on you and call it “incident to the arrest.” That property can include your phone or your legally purchased guns, and it almost always includes your car.

When cops decide to help themselves to your property, they can do it without a warrant, without securing a conviction, without even charging you with a crime. Once they’ve taken it, the cops then force people to engage in a long legal fight to get their stuff back. Often, the value of the property stolen by the government is less than the cost of lawyers needed to fight the government. There’s no right to public counsel when the cops steal from you, so most people can’t afford to fight them, never get their stuff back, and the cops end up selling it for profit.

Civil forfeiture is a booming business and has become a key source of income for some cities and entire states. According to “Policing for Profit,” a report from the Institute for Justice, federal, state, and local governments made $68.8 billion from civil forfeiture between 2000 and 2019.

Most people I know think that civil forfeiture should be unconstitutional as a point-and-click violation of the Due Process clause. The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments both say that we should not be “deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law.” Civil forfeiture is literally depriving people of their property with no process at all.

Unfortunately, most people I know are not on the Supreme Court. On Thursday, the six unelected Republicans who rule this country said that civil forfeiture can continue to happen so long as the government eventually provides a hearing, even if the hearing takes place long after the theft and most people can’t afford to appeal.

The case is called Culley v. Marshall and deals with two straightforward civil forfeiture examples from Alabama. Halima Culley loaned her car to her son, who was stopped and arrested while driving with marijuana. Lena Sutton loaned her car to a friend who was subsequently busted while driving with methamphetamines. Alabama cops seized both vehicles, even though they didn’t belong to the person driving them, and didn’t return them to their real owners even after they learned of their mistake. Instead, the cops made a civil forfeiture claim and attempted to keep Culley’s and Sutton’s cars.

A report from the Southern Poverty Law Center found that Alabama made $2.2 million in 2015 from stealing property through civil forfeiture, so the cops are fairly heavily incentivized to take property even when the owners are not guilty of anything. But according to alleged attempted rapist Brett Kavanaugh, Alabama’s grand theft auto operation is just fine.

Writing for a 6-3 majority (it was the usual split: all Republican justices in the majority, all Democratic justices in dissent), Kavanaugh reduced the issue to one of timing. The plaintiffs Culley and Sutton wanted the state to provide a “preliminary” hearing and force the police to justify stealing their cars. Kavanaugh said that the state already provides a “timely” hearing and said that all the plaintiffs wanted was to get their stuff back more quickly. He argued that the plaintiffs’ arguments were just “a backdoor argument for a more timely forfeiture hearing to allow a property owner with a good defense to recover her property quickly.”

As he does so often, Kavanaugh willfully missed the point. The plaintiffs want to stop the government from taking their property, not argue after the fact that the government should give it back. Remember, we’re talking about cars here. If the cops arrest somebody and take their car, then find out later that the car does not belong to the person they arrested, the normal (and constitutional, and basically decent) thing to do is return the car to its rightful owner. But instead of returning the cars to the people who own them, the police in these cases wanted to not only keep the cars but then force the owners to enter into litigation against the police to get the cars back. That’s not a timing issue: That’s a mugging issue.

Think about it this way: If the cops arrest somebody and throw them in jail, the accused is entitled to a preliminary hearing where the government has to explain to a court why that person should be kept in jail and denied bail. That hearing is different from the trial to convict and sentence the person. As a threshold issue, cops have to explain why they locked somebody up. The same constitutional rule should apply to a person’s property. If the police jack a car, they should be forced to explain to a court why they’re keeping the car instead of releasing the car on its own recognizance (just pretend that the car is Lightning McQueen).

In dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor (joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson) made a critical distinction between criminal forfeiture and civil forfeiture. It’s one thing if the property involved is the subject of crime. If the car itself is stolen, or if the car is a getaway vehicle that may contain blood or other evidence of criminal activity, one can understand why the cops might need to keep it. Criminal asset forfeiture can also be a form of punishment—for instance, in the unlikely event that a Wall Street type is ever forced to disgorge illegal or fraudulently obtained profits.

Civil forfeiture, however, requires no crime. Sotomayor notes that 80% of civil forfeiture cases “are not accompanied by any ultimate criminal conviction.” She further argues that unchecked civil forfeiture can also lead to false pleas and settlements from property owners desperate to just get their stuff back. She writes:

“Loss of a car not only 'takes away one’s ability to commute' but also imposes a barrier to 'buy[ing] necessities, access[ing] healthcare, and visit[ing] family members, pharmacies, grocery stores, hospitals, and other essential services.' … Given these burdens, low-income communities are also the most vulnerable to pressure from unchecked prosecutors, who can use coercive civil forfeiture processes to extract settlement money from innocent owners desperate to get their property back.”

Kavanaugh was unmoved by these arguments, noting only that states are free to rein in civil forfeiture abuses through legislation but the Constitution does not require them too. It’s worth noticing that the Republicans who claim to care so much about private property and protecting citizens from government “theft” when it comes to environmental regulations or tax laws have no problem allowing states to steal cars from innocent citizens who aren’t even charged with crimes.

For what it’s worth, while Kavanaugh is probably off at a Buffalo Wild Wings somewhere wondering if Alabama can use its forfeiture funds to hire better offensive coordinators for their football programs, Justice Neil Gorsuch seemed at least to struggle with his intellectual hypocrisy. Gorsuch wrote a concurring opinion (joined by Justice Clarence Thomas) where he declared both the majority and the dissent to be right.

Oh, he came down on the side of the Republican majority of course, because even if both sides are right, Gorsuch usually thinks the Republican position is more right. And, because this is Gorsuch we’re talking about, he treated us in his opinion to an archaic, intellectually masturbatory discussion of the law of “deodand”—which (I’ve now been forced to learn) was the 11th-century English equivalent to civil forfeiture: Property that caused someone’s death was forfeited “to God” or “the Crown,” but usually the local lord who needed some cash.

Luckily, Gorsuch didn’t seem fond of this particular 11th-century law (probably because he couldn’t figure out how to use it to hurt women or Black people), so the legal upshot of Gorsuch’s concurrence was this musing:

“Why does a Nation so jealous of its liberties tolerate expansive new civil forfeiture practices that have 'led to egregious and well-chronicled abuses'?… In this Nation, the right to a jury trial before the government may take life, liberty, or property has always been the rule. Yes, some exceptions exist. But perhaps it is past time for this Court to examine more fully whether and to what degree contemporary civil forfeiture practices align with that rule and those exceptions.”

What I think Gorsuch is saying is that if some kind of carefully crafted lawsuit came before the court, Gorsuch (and Thomas) would declare at least some aspects of civil forfeiture unconstitutional. I don’t know what that lawsuit would look like. In this case, Culley and Sutton were asking the court to impose a process, that of a “preliminary” hearing, on the states, but we already know that justices like Gorsuch and Thomas don’t like for the courts to do anything to proactively stop the states from violating the Constitution or civil rights (unless the states are trying to keep guns out of the hands of mass shooters—then they think the Constitution gets violently angry). They were never going to go for this one, theft of private property be damned.

But perhaps a lawsuit challenging the asset seizure itself instead of the timeliness of the hearing would tickle Gorsuch’s fancy. I’m sure he could find something from Beowulf about the proper procedure for stealing a golden cup.

In the meantime, the cops will continue to rake in billions of dollars from taking people’s stuff. As usual, Republicans have rendered the Constitution impotent in the face of any two-bit criminal who happens to wear a badge instead of a ski mask.

[wallmouse]

Guildies: Chapter One - Rough Draft #1

Whirring.

Whirring.

Whirring.

Simon stared at the leftover chicken tenders he got from the fridge of the Limbo House, the House of Doors, the House with layers and layers of paintings serving as the wallpaper. And the fridge. And all the kitchen cabinets in the second-floor kitchen Simon currently stood in. He marveled at the bright sunflowers painted around the microwave as if its electromagnetic waves were from the sun itself.

Ding!

Simon extracted the plate from the microwave and squeezed some ketchup near the chickens. The breaded bits were a bit soggy, but he could make do; Simon had been eating nothing but takeout and leftovers since his arrival in Sutton, Michigan. He stared at a wood decoration painted to match what he assumed was a night sky in the Upper Peninsula, with the addition of northern lights and the trees that surrounded the town. He checked his phone; It was 3:43 in the afternoon, 13 minutes after when Ioanna “Io” Gamal, the manager of the house usually came in to check on the workers. 

Shrugging, Simon carried his plate to the couch next to the kitchen. He admired the view from the nearby window, the woods and flat land a contrast to the skyscrapers and cities he was used to and sat down next to all the bound and gagged employees. He adjusted his sword on the table to make room for the plate. He dipped a tender in ketchup and chewed. He turned towards one of the employees he had tied up, “Y’know, if you get out of this alive, you should invest in some barbeque sauce, as well as updating this place’s outdated security system. This place’s collection of condiments is atrocious.” The employee, being gagged, did not respond. Simon believed the employee’s name was Winter, and he had captured him in the house’s connected greenhouse. “Anyway, do you guys know where your boss is? Because I’ve been watching you guys for a week or so and she usually comes in around now.”

Once again, no one responded because they were all gagged. Technically, two out of the five of them were unconscious. Cyrene the Witch was ambushed when she had entered the house, her moving tattoos now motionless. Alex the Spiderling, who was the maintenance man and knew all the house’s dangerous secrets, almost looked like he was sleeping. They were too dangerous to be left conscious. Winter, Taya, who Simon had captured in the library, and Nagosta, who Simon physically pulled out from the vents, as far as he could tell, were nonmagical. And so, they were the awake ones, all arranged like they and Simon were friends on the couch, opposed to the rest who were slumped in the corner, eyes closed. 

“Don’t look at me like that, I didn’t follow you guys home or anything. That would be extra work, and no offense, but you guys seem very boring.” At least, that was what Simon thought from his glimpses into the Limbo House whenever he wasn’t busy listening to his playlist over and over. He leaned back and looked at the clock. It was still ticking, and Io was still not showing. He looked back at his unwilling companions. Taya had a red rash spreading across her face like a forest fire. Dear gods he hoped it wasn’t contagious.

“Plus, that would be such a violation of privacy. And I’m not a stalker or anything, I’m just doing a job assigned to me with some creativity. Although a friend of mine back in college had a stalker and oh boy, his demeanor really changed after that. Whenever we went to a restaurant, he always had to sit facing the doors. Eventually, I took care of that stalker. And by ‘took care of’, I mean killed. On my free time too! No charge whatsoever! If my family found out they’d be pissed!” Simon tugged the fur collar of his Mercenary Guild uniform, all black and tailored. Wearing it was hot in the Michigan summer, but Simon liked the way it made him look intimidating. With his natural face on, he was told he looked like a ‘goofish fop’, whatever that meant. His androgynous appearance and long, wavy hair was great at making him look eye-catching, but not scary. “I sometimes wonder what would have happened if my family did find out. I mean, maybe they did, I left them a long time ago and never came—”

The door leading to the hallway swung open and Io walked in. Her red coat swooshed around her ankles and her scales glinted gold in the sunlight, against her dark skin. She carried a coffee cup, which she then dropped at the sight of the rest of her employees.

Simon leapt into action. In a single movement he had dropped his chicken tender, grabbed the closer Taya, stood up, and held his sword against her throat, facing Io. He didn’t press hard enough to draw blood, but close. Taya’s rash bloomed even harder on her skin. Simon could feel her skin’s texture change even through his gloves. He gripped Taya and held her out to Io, daring the scaly manager to respond.

He looked at Io’s eyes, wide with panic. Her eyes landed on Simon’s uniform, and she spoke in near-perfect Runic. “The Limbo House humbly welcomes emissaries from the Mercenary Guild, who must have come a long way from Karnsa—”

“Drop the formalities. And the language, I’m from San Francisco.” Simon cut in, in English. Io’s Runic was far more fluent and natural than Simon’s, even though he was the one who lived in Karnsa for some years. “I’m here to negotiate.”

Simon focused his attention on Io and spotted her black bookbag. As far as he knew, Io wasn’t a Witch, but she did spend time deciphering an ancient language in a thick book, a language which granted great power. He kept watch for any instance of Io’s hands twitching for the bag. But all Io did was say, “go ahead,” and make some desperate eyes at the people bound and gagged.

“Yes, I am from the Guild. I was sent here to watch over your house and report on all its cool stuff, weird stuff, fun stuff, stuff people can’t know from hacking into your computer systems, stuff like that. My time reporting on you guys is meant to last a month, but you are going to help me make it last a year.”

“My terms are this: You share your house’s secrets with me. I write my report in a way that makes it clear I’m discovering a lot, but there’s lots of other stuff to be discovered too. And then he people I report to will extend my time here. Like,” he gestured at Nagosta, “she—”

“They.” Io spoke and looked surprised at herself.

“Oh,” Simon looked at Nagosta, who had been looking irate since the whole incident began. “Sorry, they can give me like, the locations of a secret door inside an air vent or something, and how it’s useful in a military sense, stuff like that.”

Simon raised his arm and leaned back to gesture at the window, keeping a tight press on Taya with the other one. “That way, I can get an extended vacation here. Where there’s nothing but trees and a declining population and weird bugs that seem to be watching you all the time—"

A dart of shining black shot toward Simon from somewhere out of his point of view. He ducked and tilted his sword to deflect it. In between the shifting of his arms, Taya wriggled out of his grid. She shoved her shoulder into him and made him stumble. Simon regained his footing and was about to lung at Taya when he heard Io’s voice.

“BIND.”

Simon’s body went ramrod stiff. He was thrown back into a wall. He could wriggle but couldn’t move. Black ropes had appeared from nowhere and dug into his body and gagged him. From his position on the floor, he saw the black dart melt into ink, which retreated and was reabsorbed back into Cyrene’s tattoos. A very awake Cyrene’s tattoos. Despite also being tied up, she glared at Simon with extreme malice, as if he had killed her coworkers instead of incapacitated them.

Simon cursed at himself for being sloppy with the knockouts. This incident really showed how his skills had decayed since his last job. He thought he had applied the right amount of pressure to keep Cyrene down for at least half a day or so. With no permanent damage, of course. Permanent damage could mess up the negotiations he had hoped to have. Simon watched Io, blood spilling out of her mouth, undo everyone else’s bindings. She kept a slit eye out on him. Not that he could do anything, these bindings were tight. He looked around. Io’s bookbag was open, and there was the edge of a book inside. She must have put is back in after she used it. Simon stretched to look at it more.

His stretching was interrupted by Cyrene’s voice. “Let’s kill him. Or ransom him to the Guild. He can’t do what he did without any consequences.” Simon looked back at her and saw Cyrene and Io in a heated conversation. 

“And risk the Guild targeting us? Look at him, the Guild has sent him to Earth. Earth! This is clearly a high priority mission for them, and this man a high priority player.”

Upon hearing that, Simon suppressed a snort. He wished he was as important as that.  Given what he had done for the Guild regarding his former friends, he really should be. He had proven himself a total Guild ass-kisser, yet, he was still an assassin grunt, just with some extra shiny medals to his name, and a wreckage of his social circle and relationship with his bosses and their bosses. So, Simon had found it a wise choice to disappear from Karnsa radar until the many people who wanted to kill or make a plaything of him lost all memory of him. A wise choice that hinged on Cyrene and Io’s conversation. 

            “And besides, even if he weren’t important, he’s willing to negotiate. What if we get rid of him, and his replacement’s even worse?” Io argued with Cyrene.

            “Can we at least extort money from him? He’s a fucking Guildy, his weekly salary could pay our monthly utilities. Just look at his uniform!” Cyrene shot back.

            “How about we talk more where he can’t hear us?” Taya said. She had gotten up and was staring at the inflamed skin on her wrists with great concern. 

            “You’re right, everyone, meet up in my office. We’ll discuss this and decide soon.” Io gestured at Alex, who had woken up, and Simon. 

            Alex walked up to Simon. “It’s nothing personal man,” he said. Simon stared in annoyance at Alex’s eyes, which looked like eight black tapioca pearls shoved into two eye sockets, each moving independently of each other.  Alex proceeded to lift him up and walked over to yet another painted wall. He pressed Simon to it, and Simon felt the odd sensation of parts of his body turning into paint and fusing with the wall. It felt oddly goopy. Alex kept pressing until only Simon’s head, hands, which were spread far apart, and a bit of a knee stuck out of the wall. The process was painless, but Simon was trapped. 

            Well okay, he had no idea this house could do something like this. Although some members did travel suspiciously fast in his observations. He had searched them for magic items when he tied everyone up, but only found some gimmicky pens. Turns out this house was the magic item all along. And he thought the paintings were just for show. Dang, he really was rusty.

Feelings of failure and a mild panic that he’ll be stuck as an art installation forever bubbled up in Simon, but he swallowed them down. He shot a mildly inconvenienced look first at Alex, and then to Io. None seemed to have noticed. Alex nodded at Io, “okay, he’s good and stuck now.”

Io nodded back and smiled. What was left of the black bindings on Simon vanished. Io visibly relaxed, as if a great tension had been released from her. “Now, does anyone care about what decision we’ll make about this man?’

“People call me Simon.”

“About Simon?” Io repeated. “Because we need someone to watch over him.”

A hand shot up. It was Nagosta’s. “Yeah, I can do it. I don’t really care about what happens to him.”

“Alright,” Io said, “thank you.” Io gathered the rest of the workers, and they all headed to her office. Winter closed the door behind them. Nagosta planted herself on a couch next to Simon and got out their phone. From Simon’s vantage point, it looked like they were playing games on it. 

They even helped themselves to Simon’s chicken tenders. 

What followed was one of the most boring spans of time in Simon’s life. Feel anxious about getting sent back to the frying pan that was Karnsa. Watch the walls. Watch Nagosta stare at him for a bit, and then go back to their phone game. Watch the walls. Want to scratch his nose but can’t because his arms are paint. Watch the walls and wonder if there really were that many hidden eyes in the paintings, or if his brain was playing tricks on him from watching the walls so much.       

After an amount of time that required Nagosta to plug in their phone to a charger and then unplug it a while later, the group came back. Simon peered up at them, “you guys should really invest in a wall clock, time kinda melted for me back here.”

“We were going to; we just keep putting it off.” Nagosta shot back, eyes still on their phone.

“Tentatively, we accept your offer with some caveats.” Io said, face smoothed from her previous fear and worry. “We’ll share some of the Limbo House’s blueprints and secrets, but not all of them. The House is also used by many clients, and we will keep their and their things’s confidentiality as well. You will only be able to use the public spaces in your reports.” 

Simon nodded to show he was listening. He wanted more things to be available, but he supposed he could simply embellish the spaces he got some more. All it was going to take was some work. Disgusting.  

“And we’ll get to read your reports and alter or omit details on appropriate ways. We’ll control what gets given to the Guild, not you. Is that fair so far?” Io continued.

Simon nodded. The wall pressed against his neck. For that concession, all he had to do was hope he didn’t get fact checked by the Guild. And find someone to scapegoat when they question him.

“Good. That was what we’ll do for you. Here, is what you’ll do for us.”

Oh boy, Simon thought, this is where he’d have to start selling organs.

“You may think this town of Sutton is a prime vacation spot, but it’s not. Like all small towns, we have ghosts, curses, and urban legends. And some of them are dangerous. As you can see,” Io gestured to the sparse workforce around them, “we’re a bit understaffed now. Thanks to your previous show of force, we think you’ll be good help to us whenever we need your combat prowess.”

“Combat prowess, he took us all by surprise!” Cyrene butted in, ink swirling on her arms. All Simon could do was roll his eyes. Technically, she took him by surprise too.

“And, since I bet your precious Guild is interested in this house being intact, whenever we need repairs, you’ll chip in an amount proportional to what everyone else pays. Also, you may not harm any of us, the people of Sutton included, during your stay here. We can discuss the details later, but these are our basic demands. Do we have a deal?”

Being part of the wall was getting uncomfortable, so Simon said, “sure.” He waved his hand in a manner he hoped indicated he wanted Io to shake it. Would they be writing and signing a contract together later?

“Good. Because you’re part of the Guild, let’s consider this agreement a Varar. I, Ioanna Gamal, swear it.” The moment Io said those words with her perfect pronunciation, Simon felt a string of power between his hand, and hers. A Varar was a sacred deal commonly used among the scions of Yggdrasil, home of Karnsa and by extension, the Mercenary Guild. Both parties must agree and if one broke it, bad fortune will befall upon them. It’s not something to be sworn lightly. Simon stared into Io’s solemn face. She wasn’t being foolish about this; Simon guessed her motivations as wanting immediate protection for the house and townspeople; Io did not act rashly based on what he knew about her. 

Io outstretched her hand toward Simon’s and stopped before she could brush her fingertips. They could not shake hands unless Simon also swore the Varar, a verbal signature on a metaphorical contract. He had agreed to the terms fine, but for the monotony of getting stuck in a painting, he wanted to stretch out the tension for everyone else. 

Simon stared at Io. Io stared back. Io’s hand was close enough that he could grasp it. Simon saw tiny droplets of sweat begin to bead down Io’s forehead. How does that work, with all the scaled sections on her skin? He didn’t bother hiding to Io that his eyes were on the sweat on her face instead of his eyes or hands. 

His eyes fell on the other workers. Some looked nervous. Nagosta was still on her phone. Cyrene looked like she wanted to rip his head off. Taya was eyeing his sword, which was taken away from him and set on the table. Alright, Simon figured he waited long enough. He looked into Io’s eyes and opened his mouth, “I, Simon Kuai, swear this Varar.”

He shook Io’s hand. With a stretching smile, he said, “you got yourself a deal.”

[philadelphiaepoxyflooringpa]

Secret Places in Philadelphia

Philadelphia is a city that boasts a rich history and beautiful architecture. But did you know it also has some secret places that are only known to locals? I had the pleasure of visiting Philadelphia last year and discovered some amazing hidden gems while exploring this historic city. Here are my top 5 hidden places in Philadelphia:

Edgar Allan Poe's Grave

Edgar Allan Poe's grave is located in the Westminster Burying Ground in Philadelphia. It's a beautiful cemetery with many famous people buried there, such as John Barrymore and Joseph Bonaparte (Napoleon's brother).

It is best to visit Edgar Allan Poe's grave during the day so you can see it clearly. If you want to take pictures there, bring your phone charger because it will take a lot of pictures!

You should also bring some flowers for Edgar Allan Poe. He would love flowers on his birthday because he wrote poems about them before he died at 41 years old from a rabies infection that spread through his brain after getting bitten by a dog while traveling through Baltimore in October 1849.

The Magic Gardens

The Magic Gardens is an art installation by Isaiah Zagar in South Philadelphia. Zagar has been creating the Magic Gardens since the 1970s and it's a labyrinth of mosaics and murals that are constantly growing.

You can walk through it, sit down and have a picnic, or just take photos to share on Instagram—the choice is yours!

Eastern State Penitentiary

Eastern State Penitentiary is one of the most famous and well-known prisons in U.S. history, having been built in 1829 and closed in 1971. The prison was used to house some of America's most notorious criminals at the time, like Al Capone and "Slick" Willie Sutton. Today, it is a museum where visitors can take tours through the prison's dark hallways and see what life was like for prisoners there; however, Eastern State has also become known as one of Philadelphia's most haunted locations due to its eerie history and ghostly inhabitants.

If you're looking for a place to get away from it all but still be close enough to home base (Philadelphia), then you should consider visiting Eastern State Penitentiary when next visiting our city!

Franklin Square

Franklin Square is a park in Center City Philadelphia, named after Benjamin Franklin. It was designed by William Penn, who also designed the city of Philadelphia itself. The square originally contained a potter's field (where bodies were buried under the ground), but it was turned into a park in 1820 and then redesigned by Frederick Law Olmsted in 1865. Today, you can find many statues of famous Philadelphians throughout Franklin Square—including one of Ben Franklin himself!

The Waterworks

Located in Fairmount Park, this landmark is an ideal place to get away from the hustle of city life. The Waterworks was built in 1812 and since then has been used as a water treatment plant, restaurant, greenhouse, and museum. While you're there, make sure to check out the beautiful landscaping or have a picnic on one of their many outdoor tables. You could also take a stroll along Kelly Drive which is just across the road from The Waterworks.

Getting There: From downtown, Philadelphia takes I-76 east towards Valley Forge (I-76 becomes Route 30). Exit at Sedgley Road & turn right onto Sedgley Road for about 4 miles until you see signs for Fairmount Park on your left.

What To Do: Take advantage of all that Fairmount Park has to offer! You can rent bikes or kayaks at Boathouse Row or visit any number of museums.<!--

Magic Garden

The Magic Garden is a sculpture garden located in Fairmount Park. This unique attraction is open to the public, free of charge, and open year-round. The museum has been recognized by National Geographic as one of the most beautiful gardens in the world!

There are many different types of art throughout this garden including concrete animals, sculptures from recycled materials, and other interesting pieces such as an upside-down house made from discarded timbers from old buildings that were torn down in Philadelphia. You can check out their website for more information on visiting or donating!

Philadelphia has a lot more to offer than the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.

There are tons of hidden gems in the city that you can visit.

Topiary - a park with topiary sculptures, located near 30th Street Station

Lemon Hill Mansion - a historic house built in 1799 on the highest point in Fairmount Park

Rodin Museum - all of Auguste Rodin's sculptures from his personal collection

Philadelphia Art Museum - which houses world-renowned paintings by Monet, Rembrandt, and Van Gogh

Reading Terminal Market - one of the largest markets in America with over 200 shops

There are many other businesses in the Philadelphia area.

Residential epoxy flooring in Philadelphia is quickly becoming a popular option for interior floors, providing a durable and beautiful finish that can withstand high-traffic areas. For example, the epoxy flooring company Philadelphia Epoxy Flooring specializes in this type of flooring and has been in business since 1986. They are pros when it comes to commercial and residential projects big or small.

Philadelphia Epoxy Flooring

1625 W Oregon Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19145

(215) 500-2612

[youvebeenlivingfictional]

The Ordeal

Pairing: Benny ‘Borracho’ Magalon x Reader Rating: Explicit - 18+ Only Warnings: Cursing; canon-typical violence; sexual content (non-explicit) Notes: Not beta-read. I was gonna make this a short chapter and then I didn’t! Whoops!

Brought about by @monicabennerman-blog asking how Techie got grazed by a bullet during The Worry chapter of The Pool

Summary: You’re not in the field often - you haven’t been in a position to do anything in-person since the Sutton case.

Eight charges of interstate transportation of stolen property, nine charges of theft from an interstate shipment, fifteen charges of theft of a major artwork. You stare down at Max Auerswald’s file in shock and shake your head. “How the fuck is this guy not in jail?” You ask. Z whistles to catch your attention, waves his hand in a cutting motion across his neck to signal you not to ask that again. You open your mouth to ask why, but Nick is storming into the room, face set and stony, and you shut right up and lean back in your seat and give Z a small nod of thanks. He gives you an answering nod and a thumbs up.

You turn your attention to the board as Nick sets it up. The last time the team nailed Auerswald was five years ago. The bust had accounted for the nine charges of theft from an interstate shipment and twelve of the fifteen charges of theft of a major art work. “He hit up The Getty and the Kohn with a crew of four, incapacitated the guards, knocked out the security system,” Nick tells you as the group gathers their notes. “Inside job?” “Good girl,” Nick confirms it with that, and you see Borracho bristle. You shoot him a look before turning back to where Nick is still pinning up pictures. The pictures of the crew that worked the job are all up, along with pictures of the artwork that the guys managed to recover. But there are only eleven pictures there. “The only piece we weren’t able to recover was Van Gogh’s Irises,” Nick’s arms are folded across his chest now, and he’s staring Auerswald’s picture down.

“It’s valued at $54 million,” Henderson tells you, “He swore up and down he didn’t have it, didn’t know where it was, but we got a tip from the FBI that it’s resurfaced. We worked the case last time, so it got kicked to us.” “Resurfaced where?” You ask. “Santa Ana,” Connors tells you, and you cringe, unable to help it. That’s outside of your jurisdiction. “Plan?” --

Borracho’s hated this from the beginning, you know that. You’ve been able to see it in the way he’s hovered around your desk when you’re listening to wire taps, when you’re pulling up rap sheets for the guys on the fly and cross-referencing known associates when someone asks. You’re not in the field often - you haven’t been in a position to do anything in-person since the Sutton case. But this Auerswald seems to be Nick’s White Whale. So when you’re working late one night and Nick manages to get the guy on the phone over VOIP, and you take the call because the guy’ll recognize Nick’s voice, Borracho’s not happy about it. When you help Nick set a rendezvous with Auerswald at a small gallery in the LA area, Borracho’s even less happy about it. The night before it’s set to go down, you lay in bed beside him. You don’t push him to talk, you just trace your finger over his chest in aimless patterns. And then something occurs to you and you ask, “Would you be this worried if this was going down my first year with the team?” “Yes.” His answer is flat and fast, and you push yourself up to peer down at him in the dark, trying to get a better read on what you’re sure are his frustrated features. You don’t want to turn the lamp on - it’s late, the two of you do need your sleep, but-- but, well, now your mind is going about four places at once. “Really?” Borracho sighs, his hand skating up your back, gentle and unhurried. “I didn’t even like bringing you with me to plant the bugs at Sutton’s.” You frown-- hell, you pout. “You told me I did a good job,” You argue, and you can’t help the petulance it leaves you with. “Sweetness,” Borracho sighs again, sounding very, very tired all of the sudden, “It’s not that I don’t think you’re capable, just… I know you’re safe when you’re in the office. There are too many variables when we’re out there, you know?” You do know. You worry about Borracho every day - you’ll never forget the day he was shot, or how it tore you up after. You don’t wish that on anyone, especially not on him. You’re certain he's still frowning; his hand is warm and rough on your back, and you can feel the smoothness of his wedding ring against your skin. Rather than tell him that things are going to be fine or that he has nothing to worry about, you push yourself up a bit more, straddling his hips. His hands fall to your thighs, yours, to his chest. You hear his huffed little laugh, and you grin. Got him. “You know what tomorrow is?” He asks. You do know, but you decide to play dumb for a moment, and hum thoughtfully before answering, “Sunday?” He laughs louder this time. “Smartass,” He mumbles. “Mm, but I got a cute ass, remember?” You tease, wiggling it against him before you lean down and kiss him. It’s dark, so you miss his lips a little at first, landing just to the left. But then he turns his head, and his hand curls around the back of your neck and corrects the angle, and you sigh, settling against his chest. The two of you should go to sleep, you really should, but you both need this. After you’ve tired one another out, after Borracho’s cleaned the two of you up, he pulls you into his side and nuzzles into your hair, mumbles, “Maybe we made a little Magalon.” And that hasn’t been on your mind in a while, but now it’s drifting out of where it’s made a home in the back of your mind. You feel your hand curl in on itself, pangs of anxiety coursing through you. You hum in answer and turn your head, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. “That’d be a hell of an anniversary gift, huh,” You tease instead. 

You can be worried about that later. -- Borracho’s got to go in before you have, but instead of your customary ‘good morning’ post-it, you’re kissed awake. You come up from sleep slowly, drawn out by the feeling of his lips drifting over your neck, his facial hair tenderly passing over the same areas - not enough to mark, but enough to wake you. You let out a sleepy little grumble, and Borracho lifts his head. He nudges his nose against yours before he pecks your lips gently. You push the covers aside, ignoring the cool of the room in favor of the heat of his body, and loop your arms around his shoulders to dry and draw him back down with you. “Mm-- Sweetness,” There’s a teasing and a warning to his tone. You heed neither of them as you try to slip a hand under his shirt. He laughs, drawing away, leaving you blinking sleepily up at him. “Didn’t want to go in before…” He trails off, uncertain, but you know what he meant: before he said goodbye - but the two of you don’t like that word. You’ll see him at the office before the rendezvous with Auerswald, but you’ll be with the guys. This is the last moment of real quiet the two of you will have for a long time. You reach out, taking hold of his hand and giving it a soft squeeze. “I love you, Benny,” You murmur sleepily. He smiles and ducks his head down, kissing you again. “Love you, too, Mrs. Magalon,” He murmurs, and you grin, “Happy anniversary.” 

-- You drive to the rendezvous point alone. Borracho and Connors are in a car parked down the block; Nick, Z, and Henderson are in a surveillance van parked behind the small gallery that you’re meeting Auerswald in. 

The man is perfectly cordial. His face has been burned into your mind for the past few weeks: a stout gentleman, a round face - beedy, dark eyes and a snub nose. He’s slow as he takes you through the gallery; you can hear Nick getting impatient in your earpiece, and it’s hard not to get anxious yourself when you know your boss is ready to pop. But then you’re led into a small back room. There are no windows - only one door in or out. You look around, feeling claustrophobic for the first time in your life. “Awfully cramped conditions,” You comment as Auerswald flicks a light on. “You must understand,” he tells you, “That these matters are best dealt with in close quarters...Intimate settings…” And you’ve been trying to ignore the way that the man has been leering at you, but he’s been making it difficult. Instead, you focus on the painting. “It’s quite beautiful…” You say, “If it’s real.” He reels away from you, a hand coming up to his chest in shock. “Real?” He repeats. You give him a wary look. “Mr. Auerswald, forgive me, but this piece, while exquisite, may very well be an exceptional fake. How can I be certain? You are asking quite a bit of money and I’d rather not shell out for what will turn out to be an excellent forgery.” “Ma’am, I can assure you that this is an authentic piece,” Auerswald swears. You keep the wary look on your face as you look over the painting. “But--” “No buts. If you’ve simply come to stare--” “If I wanted to simply stare, I’d have gone to a museum.” “As if you could still find this Van Gogh in a museum,” Auerswald begins to laugh, as do you, for appearances -- but in your ear, you can hear the van door being thrown open. It’s only a matter of moments before you hear the door of the shop being thrown open, the woman at the front scream, the sound of Nick’s voice and the thundering of the team’s footsteps. You didn’t have a gun - you weren’t allowed (you’d asked). So you have no way of holding Auerswald beyond the physical when the man began to make for the door, trying to close it. You reach out, catching hold of his jacket and yanking back. “What are you--” He begins to ask before his expression turns cold. You weren’t allowed to have a gun. No one asks criminals if they’re allowed. Auerswald’s is out of his jacket and points at you in seconds. You let go, taking a few steps back and raising your hands, watching him closely. “Auerswald!” Connors yells to draw his attention, but Auerswald doesn’t turn to look at him, or the rest of the team. You don’t look at the team, either - you’re too scared to look anywhere but at the man pointing a gun at you. “Drop it, you’re not making it outta here clean,” You hear Zapata warn. “You wanna add a murder charge to your rap sheet, be my guest,” Nick egged him on, “But you heard him, you’re not making it out of here without cuffs on.” You aren’t sure who fired first - you’d never know, really. It might’ve been Henderson, it might’ve been Auerswald. Either way, you hit the floor. Henderson fires at the guy’s foot, nails him, and he goes down; Auerswald fires, but misses you for the most part - a combination of your ducking out of the way and his flailing from being shot. Borracho is over you in seconds, murmuring that he has you, that you’re safe. “‘M fine,” You swear, your voice shaking a little as you reassure him, “I was just-- I mean, in case--” “Sweetness,” His voice is tight; he’s got one arm under you to help you sit up, the other is resting on your right forearm. You vaguely register the sound of Z calling in medical for two people, and then you feel the seering pain in your right bicep. You glance down, see the blood seeping through your suit jacket sleeve. “...Is that all?” You try to tease, but Borracho wasn’t looking at you anymore. He was staring daggers at Nick’s retreating back. -- “Stitches can come out in about ten days,” The EMT tells you, and thank her before you stand up. You’re a little shaky - from the adrenaline dropping away, or from your feet falling asleep in your stupid heels. Either way, Borracho’s hands are there to steady you. You lean against him, sliding your left arm around his waist. “Home?” You ask. He nods, eyes set ahead, and you know you won’t get anything out of him until you two are somewhere safe and quiet. You just brace yourself for the silent car ride and try to ignore the throbbing in your arm.

[tomorrowimjustdirt]

Forty miles from her home in South Los Angeles Mitrice Richardson sat in a Lost Hills Sherriff's Department located in Calabasas, California.

Mitrice was an intelligent, goal orientated, care free, 24 year old, college graduate with a bachelor of arts in psychology. In 2009 she was working towards a masters degree. To support herself she worked at ex-girlfriend Tessa Moon's family business and part time as a go go dancer at a popular lesbian night club.

For the past several months leading up to the event which took place, Richardson had been increasingly acting in ways those close to her deemed "strange" and "odd". Most notably her mother Latice Sutton had began receieving text messages from Mitrice, one reading, "Im writing a book (my journals) because u told me I can be anything I wanted…u told me I was Miss America, u told me I was Americas Next Top Model…now do u know what I want to be when I grow up? Miss Mother Nature…cuz Miss America is a fake ass joke along with everything else we 'see' so I'm trying to find my way to Michelle Obama to see if she will talk to Mr. Obama about creating my position within the White House."

Latice replied "Call me!" to which Mitrice responded "I feel joy mommie…not everyone has to die to live. I heard in the Bible Jesus dies so we can live forever… now I have to prove the 'unlogic'

On the afternoon of September 16, 2009 Mitrice stated that while at work she had been watching a soap opera and that Jesus spoke to her telling her to take the rest of the afternoon off, which she did.

She ended up at Geofferys, an upscale restaurant located in Malibu. Once there she used the valet service. Before going in to the restaurant she went and sat in the valet staffers own car. He had asked why she was there, "its subliminal" is all Mitrice answered.

Inside the restaurant Richardson ordered a cocktail and steak. She spoke of avenging Michael Jacksons death and joined a large group of guests she did not know. She spoke to them about astrological signs and an upcoming trip to Hawaii, she promised she'd call them once she got there. Staffers checked on the group and while this was all strange, the group assured them that everything was fine.

Mitrice eventually returned to her own table and once finished with her meal proceeded to leave without paying. She was stopped and asked to pay. She wouldn't be able to she said, unless she could offer sex as payment, or maybe call her great grandmother. The manager allowed her to call Mildred, her 90 year old great grandmother whom she was currently living with. Mildred was offering to pay the $89 bill through credit card over the phone. However, they would need a signature which would require Mildred to be there in person, something she wasn't able to do.

During the conversation Mitrice seemed unfazed by what was going on and continued to make odd remarks. With staffers growing more concerned for her well being, the police were called.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department arrived and talked to staffers and Mildred regarding Mitrice. A field sobreity test was conducted on Richardson, she was sober. They could see Mitrice was acting a bit strange, but overall thought she was fine. They were not going to arrest her until the manager decided to press charges for her not paying the meal ticket in hopes that she would be taken to the sheriff department or hospital for a mental wellness check.

With Mildred still on the phone she commented to Mitrice, "they're gettin' ready to take your black ass to jail." to which no response came from Richardson.

Richardson's car with her purse and phone inside was searched and taken to a nearby impound lot.

Mildred notified Richardsons mother Latice letting her know the situation that had unfolded.

Latice called the L.A. Sheriffs Department around 9:30pm asking when her daughter would be released. They assured her they wouldn't relase her until the next morning. Latice had her 10 year old daughter asleep at home with her and didn't want to drag her 40 miles away in the middle of the night, so she stated to a deputy, "I think the only way I will come out there tonight is if you guys are going to release her... she's not from that area and I

I would hate to wake up to a morning report of 'Girl Lost Somewhere with Her Head Chopped Off' "

Upon their loose assement of Mitrice's mental state, they found her to be well enough to be released at 12:28am, even though several statements have deputies claiming they believed Mitrice to be suffering a bipolar episode.

At 5:35am Latice called the department and became enraged and extremely concerned to learn Mitrice had been released to wander off alone.

Little is known about what happened after Mitrice Richardson left the Sherrifs Department, other than she set off down the desolate road on foot.

Latice was advised by Deputy Kenneth Bomgardner to wait at least 24 hours to report Mitrice missing, which she did.

Over the next 11 months several searches of the surrounding area were conducted as well as the reviewing of the security footage collected from the sheriff department. Unfortunately any signs of Mitrice never came to light from the ground searches, but a possible lead came from that night she was released. Edited footage shows Mitrice leaving the sheriffs department followed out the door by a deputy. After being questioned on numerous occasions by journalists the unnamed deputy commented, “The night this nonsense happened, I was one of the guys that kept away from this, minding my own business.”

On August 11, 2010 the mummified body of Mitrice Richardson was found in a creek bed.

Her remains were poorly collected by police without supervison of the lead coroner, and the surrounding area was not secured for investigation. The usual procedure of collecting soil samples and taking photos fell to the wayside. The lack of regard for proper collection made it very difficult for any sort of evidence to be collected and lead to the coroner not being able to conclude a manner of death, just saying there didn't seem to be any foul play.

Lt. Michael Rosson, who supervised the LASD in the removal of Richardson, stated that he believes: animals removed Mitrice's clothing, she may have been bitten by a rattlesnake, or that she may have went into anaphylactic shock after being in contact with poison oak.

Rosson along with other LASD spokesmen state that in no way was this a homicide and that the LASD is in no way responsible for Mitrice Richardson's death.

The retrieval of Mitrice Richardson was so sloppy and unethical that it drew concerned interest from Clea Koff, a former FBI United Nations forensic anthropologist. Koff now runs the Missing Person's Identification Resource Center. Koff stated her disgust for the lack of evidence and disputed the theories given by Rosson.

A few months after Mitrice's body was found, Latice, a family friend, and Clea Koff went to the creek bed and found a finger bone belonging to Mitrice.

In July 2011, Latice Sutton had Richardson's body exhumed for further investigation. Koff hoped the FBI would conduct the autopsy, unfortunately they declined. LASD's crime lab conducted the autopsy with no new findings.

Latice Sutton and Michael Richardson each filed lawsuits against the LASD for their negligence in Mitrice's case. They were each awarded $450,000.

They also asked for the California attorney general Kamala Harris to review the LASD's reports regarding Mitrice. In 2005, after the 500 page report was reviewed Harris announced "there was insufficient evidence to support criminal prosecution of anyone involved in the handling of the case."

Sadly as of 2020, Mitrice Richardsons case remains cold.

[fic-al]

Oops hadn’t realized I didn’t post the final chapter on here previously.

Easter Bernie: Easter Sunday.

Here's someone who really loves you. Don't ever go away.That's what these walls would say. (If These Old Walls Could Speak, Jimmy Webb)

“Right over left, round and then through,” Fred repeated again, as he secured Reggie’s tie. “You will get the hang of it, son, easy when you knows how.”

“Thanks Uncle Fred,” Reggie was determined, he would master the tricky accessory by the end of the day. It couldn’t be more of a skill then changing a beer barrel, and he could do that.

“Oh, look at you two, all suited and booted, don’t you look smart,” Violet emerged from the Crown kitchen, wearing the dress and coat she had worn for Chummy’s wedding.

“You don’t look so bad yourself, Violet,” beamed a perfectly groomed Val in a coral trouser suit and cream silken vest top.

“Who has one of those phone things, that takes a picture?” Evie asked, smoothing down a new floral dress she had treated herself to.

“Everyone Evie,” Val laughed, “Except you and Paddy.”

“Must be a pub thing,” added Jack, coming through the door, to cries of dismay.

“Jack, you are in jeans,” cried Vi.

“Talk about letting the side down,” remarked Fred.

Jack looked abashed, but added, “Thought I would stay behind, make sure no-one breaks in and steals all the eggs.”

“Jack, you know Paddy want’s us all to attend Easter Service this morning. If we are having a joint Easter Festival this year, it starts at ten o’clock at St. Preservus,” admonished Vi.

Jack looked at his trainers. That were at least clean.

“Let’s say no more about it, you will have to do,” Evie concluded.

The last member of the party had arrived through the door marked Private, that led to the living quarters of the Crown. Paddy gave a harsh look at Jack, but said nothing.

“You always scrub up well Mr T, you should wear suits more often,” blushed Vi followed by Paddy.

Val brought him back down to earth, “Would you like me to do your hair?”

Paddy gave Val the look reserved just for her and her cheek, the one that kept her quiet for about five seconds.

“Right then, is everybody ready?” another glance at a fidgety Jack, Paddy continued, “Bernie and Tim are meeting us there.”

xxxx

The Crown seven shuffled into the pew at the back of Saint Preservus, led in by Vi and ushered in by Paddy bringing up the rear.

“Hello, I see the naughty pew has been taken this morning,” beamed Peter Noakes, “that is usually reserved for the Noakes family.”

“Have we stolen your seat?” laughed Paddy.

“Don’t worry, this isn’t the Crown, there won’t be a fight,” joked Peter as he and Camilla sat in front with Phyllis accompanying Lady Keville and aromatherapist Jane Sutton. “Looks like that’s the Crown pew this morning,” Phyllis winked at Paddy.

“Shove up!” the southern accent demanded, faintly attempting the local dialect.

“Trixie, that’s the pub pew this morning, come and join us,” Chummy suggested.

Paddy had already shifted for Trixie to sit down,

“I am representing Bernie,” Trixie grinned.

“Trixie is Team Crown,” Val added on the other side of Paddy.

“You ready for today, Trixie?” Paddy asked.

“I think so, I have some understanding of an egg hunt and even the hill rolling, but jarping remains a mystery to me,” Trixie informed him in all seriousness.

Paddy leaned in and kept his voice low, aware of his surroundings.

“Right then, the Crown and Church Easter Jarping Tournament, or as it was formerly known, the Crown Inn Easter Jarping Tournament. It's very easy to understand the rules.”

“I believe you,” Trixie smiled, but did not laugh.

Paddy leant forward in an attempt to not be overheard and Trixie followed him, “It is played in a knock-out format, like the FA Cup.” Trixie nodded she understood, Paddy continued his voice below his usual range. “Each contestant selects a hard boiled egg prepared by a neutral source.” Trixie nodded she was following. “Competitors divide into pairs. One is the holder or Jarpee and the other is the thruster or Jarper. You following Trix?”

“I think so?” she whispered back, her cheeks slightly flushed. Paddy swallowed and continued at the lower vibration.

“The holder grasps their egg with their dominant hand revealing just the tip. The Jarper holds their egg also in their dominant hand. The Jarper needs to know they can make a firm contact with the other egg, so gently rubs the end of their tool against the opponents to ensure the certainty of contact. So the Jarper has one attempt to make a clean strike. You following?” Paddy paused.

“Yes,” Trixie assured in a rather higher pitch than she intended, “It’s very warm in here, or is it just me?” she added removing her scarf. Paddy nodded still sat forwards whispering into Trixie’s ear.

“The pair then swap places and repeat this series of events. Everyone has a turn with everyone else. Once both tips of your egg are cracked, you are eliminated. The winner is the final competitor to have at least one end intact.”

The congregation hushed as Tom Hereward arrived in the pulpit, to start the service, just as Chummy who was sat directly in front of Paddy and Trixie exclaimed a little too loudly, “I’ve never been more aroused.”

Timothy Turner sitting at the organ, couldn’t help turn toward the back of the church to see where all the sniggering was coming from. To be honest, he knew exactly where the laughter was coming from, but he had to look. Lucille, in front of her choir, exchanged glances with him and they shrugged their shoulders. He looked at Bernie, who was shaking her head and glaring at the back of the church. Tom Hereward was looking a little flushed and said, “Shall we begin.”

xxxx

Back at the Crown it was all stations go. Violet gave a wicker basket to Fred.

“These are the onion peel dyed eggs, for egg rolling down Crown Bank. Take them to the back of the pub and remember it is one egg per child.”

“I wondered where that pong of onions was coming from. They do look pretty though, but don’t half pen and ink,” the brewer preferred a more hoppy odour.

“Jack, you take these plain eggs to the beer garden. There is a table set up with colouring pens and markers for the more artistic types. Remember one egg per child,” Jack nodded at Violet to reassure her he had got it.

“That leaves the jarpers for later. The Church are in charge of the Easter Egg Hunt around the village. I just hope they haven’t made it too difficult for the little ones,” Violet took a breath.

“I think it was Tim and Lucille who hid them, so should be all right Vi,” Val reassured with a wink.

xxxx

“So I just drop my egg down the bank?”

“Trixie, you must have rolled an Easter Egg before?” Bernie thought her friend was deliberately being dense.

“You mean one smelling of onions, can’t say I have,” Poplar's latest resident snapped back.

“No wonder we want to shot them away down the hill,” laughed Fred.

“What is the point?” Trixie wasn’t satisfied.

“It’s just a laugh, you race your pals and see how many times you can roll it, before it cracks,” Bernie was losing patience.

“Represents the stone rolling away from the tomb,” Paddy interjected, Bernie made a shocked face and Paddy grabbed her by the waist and said, “What? I am not a complete heathen,” threatening to roll her down the hill.

“So once I have rolled this, I have to go down the hill, retrieve it and if it hasn’t cracked, do it again, until it does?” Trixie said, keeping a wide berth from wrestling Paddy and Bernie, the latter now screaming.

Fred feeling a bit awkward himself with the tactileness of the moment, nodded at Trixie,

“Better get a move on love, don’t want to miss the start of the duck race.”

“Sorry?”

“The duck race down the Tweaven, first duck to Mount Busby wins.”

Paddy interrupted, suddenly letting go of Bernie, who actually did stagger a few feet down hill before achieving traction. “My favourite bit,” he grinned.

“You race real ducks, that is medieval,” protested Trixie.

“This from the Poplar sheep rustler,” corrected Paddy.

Bernie saved the situation and herself from joining the eggs at the bottom of the hill,

“They are not real ducks, Trixie, you know those ones you put in your bath, those rubber ones. You put your mark on one and the first one Reggie spots at the farm, wins.”

“Who has a bath these days? Haven't you all got showers yet?” Trixie was confused.

Paddy huffed. Bernie added, “You might be the one at the farm, waiting for a duck next year.”

“I don’t think that is in my job description,” Trixie added, but she didn’t look convinced.

Fred and Paddy were trying unsuccessfully to keep a straight face, “Fancy a pint, Fred?”

“Not arf, Doc,” he replied, already heading for the pub.

“You are all as cracked as these eggs,” Trixie said, delicately tossing her egg southwards.

xxxx

Trixie walked back to the front of the Crown and wondering if she was doing the right thing moving to potty Poplar. She made her way to the beer garden and was surprised to see her new employers surrounded by sticky fingers and loud chatter. Turner Prize nominee Patience Mount, was decorating eggs with the village children. She was helping a few of the Sunday School class with their fragile Easter bonnets, some of which looked more like caps or helmets.

Delia, never far away, stood guard over a cardboard box, where a couple of fluffy yellow chicks were being coo’d over. Phyllis was still accompanying Lady Keville, who had brought a large selection of knitted egg warmers in all the colours of the rainbow. They were showing a group of children how to make the pom-pom version of the tweety little critters in Delia’s box. Lucille had been delighted with these knitted extras, and had Tim yarn-bomb Poplar, distributing them around the village, as part of the Easter Egg Trail.

Trixie was feeling a little bit lost. Bernie had returned from the egg rolling in one piece and was now interrogating Paddy, “What were you all laughing at in church, tell me?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” he winked at Trixie.

Trixie grinned, “I feel like a vegan in the hen house. What can I do, to help at my first Poplar Easter Festival?”

“Well, you are good at sales, you can be in charge of the raffle,” Paddy said, as if he had given her the combination to his safe.

Val placed on the bar a huge cuddly grey and white rabbit, holding a large gold foil covered chocolate egg. Trixie forced a smile.

“There are a couple of envelopes there too; Second Prize is a Mount Busby Alpaca Day Out and third prize is a Meal for Two at the Crown.” Paddy announced proudly and Trixie suddenly connected with her new life.

Until Bernie spoilt it, “Fourth prize is an Alpaca Day Out and a meal at the Crown,” laughing hysterically at her own joke. While Trixie, Val and Paddy refused to. Even though Val’s lips were twitching.

Valerie passed Trixie a tupperware box full of coins “A float; to get you started, they always come with notes.” Trixie smiled a little bit.

xxxx

The sun was lowering behind the Cleveland Hills, cooling the Crown beer garden. The last of the tables had been cleared and the clutter added to the recycling bin. Val was taking orders for drinks. The children had all gone home. The Two Loves had taken Antonia back to Bagnall Hall. Trixie sat proudly admiring a brightly decorated toilet roll inner with a bright yellow toy chick with a wonky beak, stuck on the top with blu-tack.

“I can’t believe you won the Egg Jarping, Trixie,” Bernie shook her head.

“Beginner's luck,” shouted an envious Jack.

“Expert training,” suggested Paddy.

“What are you going to do with your trophy, Trixie?” laughed Val

“Put it on top of Bernie’s telly,” Trixie said emphatically.

“That monstrosity is not coming into my house,” Bernie cried in mock indignation.

“Oi, Tim made that,” Paddy yelled.

“About ten years ago, Dad!” Tim blushed in horror. Lucille and Jack’s laughter adding insult to injury.

Tom and Bobby and baby Hereward appeared. It was the first time they had been seen since church. They had been overseeing the egg hunt around the village and offering refreshments at the church, a role Bernie had envied.

“The church is locked up, and the village is litter free,” explained Bobby to Julia who was sipping on a Crabbies’ ginger beer, emphasis on the beer.

“Splendid, everyone has worked so hard today,” Julia commented. “That little one looks tired,” she added, observing a grouchy baby in Bobby’s arms.

“She actually needs changing,” Bobby explained.

Val, who was passing Evie a pint of Easter Egg Ale informed the young mother, “The toilets are just inside Mrs Hereward, the changing facilities are in there.”

“Oh thanks, Valerie,” said Bobby and moved toward the backdoor.

Tom held up a hand, “We should really be getting home, love.”

“Aren't you two stopping for a drink, we’ve all earned it,” asked Julia, taking another sip of her memory.

“No, we better get home and get this little madam seen to,” Tom laughed weakly.

“Be quicker, just to change her here if she's uncomfortable?” Phyllis, sipping on a double brandy, offered.

“I would rather we went home,” replied Tom curtly.

“The facilities here are excellent. I should know, I make sure they are spotless every morning,” Evie’s tone held authority.

“But it is 6pm,” Tom’s voice had a higher pitch now.

“Bernie or myself, check the loos every hour. If you look on the door, we have to sign to say everything is in order,” Val couldn’t keep quiet any longer.

“Look, you’re all very kind, but I don't want my daughter being changed in a pub toilet,” Tom’s voice was adamant.

Evie looked as if she was about to combust.

Julia intervened, “Tom, maybe you should get your family home, we have all had a long day.”

“And confusing. I am sorry, but I really haven’t seen the point of this. We welcomed everyone to church this morning, for the most important date in the Christian calendar, and then chased them all to the pub. Where is the message in that?”

The youth minister's words left the beer garden in a dense fog of discomfort. Julia looked lost for a moment. It was Phyllis who spoke up,

“Today was about community lad, bringing the village and the wider area together. These two buildings have been central to this village for over 300 years. It’s about time they came together.”

Phyllis had given Julia time to compose herself, “We will discuss the issues you have raised concerning a joint festival in a meeting tomorrow, Mr Hereward.”

Baby Hereward was becoming more grumpy, and Bobby was struggling to placate her. Paddy, who had been very quiet through this most recent exchange of views, offered quietly.

“Mrs Herward, your daughter seems very unhappy. Would you like to take her upstairs to the flat? Where you can have ample space and privacy.”

“Lets go Bobby, I will see you tomorrow, Reverend,” Tom nodded at Julia, Bobby didn’t have time to acknowledge Paddy’s offer, as she was pushed by her husband towards the door.

Someone with not the longest fuse in Poplar, had sweaty palms and a racing heart and a mouth she couldn’t keep shut.

“If yer have issues with the joint festival, then that is fine, Mr Hereward, as Reverend Lewis said that needs to be discussed between you tomorrow.” Everyone recognised the north of the border twang. That wasn’t done yet.

“But I have issue with your attitude right now concerning this house, it is so much more than an alehouse, it’s a place where people work, it is a home.” Tom stopped in his tracks, Bernie went on,

“Your place of work just happens to be the House of God. Now we were invited into that house this morning and everyone here, acted in a respectful manner.” Bernie took a breath. There was some awkward shuffling on the garden benches. She was on a roll though,

“You were invited into our home today and I feel you have not returned that respect. To say the Crown isn’t a fit place for a child, maybe you want to take a look at Timothy Turner, he was raised here. Would Mrs Turner have chosen this as a home, if she thought the Crown wasn't a fit place for a child? I think he has turned out pretty OK, don’t you?”

Tim wished at this point, that people would just remember who he was, and not feel the need to check by staring at him. Fortunately Bernie went on,

“Surely what matters is not whether it is a House of Prayer or a House of Refreshment, but a House of Love. And you can take my word for it, for what that may be worth. This house is just that. There is so much love in this house, I am only sorry yer canae feel it.”

Later Trixie said that she started the clapping, but everyone was sure it was Val, followed by Lucille. There was definitely a “Well said lass,” from Phyllis and somebody, maybe more than one, said her dad would be proud. Was there an Amen? The kids just said, “You don’t mess with our Bernie.” Did anyone notice Paddy said nothing, he just beamed with pride. If pride was a signal the Crown was 5G?

xxxxx

“I am barred from St Preservus.That’s the Mission I have offended and the church in one week,” Bernie complained.

There was only her and Paddy now. The sun had gone to its rest behind the hills. They sat on Frank and Peggy’s bench sharing a secret ciggie, Bernie perched on Paddy’s knee.

“Nonsense, Julia totally supported you. It’s Mr Hereward who should be worried and as for the Mission, does that really matter now, Bernie?”

“Mr Hereward is young and idealistic, everything is black and white to him, I used to know someone else like that,” she smiled stubbing out the butt of the fag, they hoped Tim would never know about.

“What happened to her?” Paddy said, turning her face gently towards his with both hands.

“She came home,” she smiled and kissed him tenderly, in a way that she was just beginning to understand.

“Bernie, you know this can be your home, whenever you want it to be, on whatever terms you want.” He looked at her intently. Bernie knew if she didn’t save herself, she would drown in those eyes.

“You know what I do want?” she kissed him on the forehead and pushed back his unruly hair. He just raised both eyebrows saying tell me?

“Are those pink wafers still behind the bar?”

“Go see,” he laughed, helping her off his knee.

Bernie almost ran to the bar. She found a package wrapped in gold foil with a red bow. She ripped open recklessly the carefully wrapped box. Only to find a large brightly coloured tin which read Huntley and Palmer Superior Biscuits. Bernie’s expression looked like it was Christmas, birthdays and Easter all at once.

“Paddy, I bloody love you.”

Paddy smiled, “Happy Easter, Bernie,”

[cashapphelpbook]

How to Check Cash App Card Balance on Desktop or Mobile - 3 Unique Ways

Looking for a way to check Cash App card balance? In this article, we will discuss 3 unique ways to do this.

Cash App currently has 30 million monthly active users, of which seven million are Cash Card owners. Cash App allows you to transfer or receive money from friends, family and vendors directly from your Cash App account.

Cash App introduced its own physical debit card for Cash App users. The Cash Card can be used at all eligible retailers, and can be withdrawn from ATMs across the United States.

So, if you are a frequent user of Cash App, you can order Cash Card and use Cash App card balance.

If you already have a card or have chosen to apply for it, chances are you would like to check the Cash App card balance from time to time.

What is Cash App Card?

Cash App Card is a debit card issued by Sutton Banks, designed primarily to be used with Cash App. Cash Card is designed to work like any other debit card stored in the Wallet app for use with Cash App. You can use it for in-store and online purchases.

It is linked directly to your account. Currently, it is only available in the United States.

Cash App Card is nothing more than an extension of the Cash App account itself and acts simply as a debit card to your account.

Like all debit cards, you only use the money or available funds in your Cash App account. There’s no credit allowed.

How to Check Cash App Card Balance?

How to check Cash App Card balance

Launch Cash App on your Phone

Sign in to your Cash App account.

·Click the $ sign on the right side displayed on opening the Cash App.

The Cash App balance will be displayed on the main page

Visit the dashboard of the app next to a United States Dollar ($) sign to view your Cash App card balance.

Balance can also be seen in the top center of the app’s screen.

Click to return to homepage after viewing your Cash App balance.

I’am sure you already know this that your Cash App card is connected to your Cash App Account and they both have the same balance. Your balance is also shown every time you try to send or add money using the Cash app.

So, knowing the balance of your Cash App account is the same as the account balance of your Cash App Card.

How to Check Cash App Card Balance through the Website?

For some reason if you don’t have the Cash App mobile application (which you can easily download from Google Play Store (Android) or App Store (iOS)) you can still check balance of Cash App card through Cash App official website.

Visit the Cash App official website and sign in using your login credentials

Your Account Balance will be displayed on the main page or dashboard of your Cash App account.

This way you can check the main balance of your Cash App Card without using your mobile phone Cash app application.

How to Check Balance on Cash App Card Using Cash App Customer Support?

I mean why bother this way when you can use the above simpler methods. But this method can be helpful if the above methods don’t work.

To speak to the Cash Team, you can request contact through the Cash App or cash.app/help.

Request contact through cash.app/help:

Login to your account

Scroll down the page and click on the Contact Support

Navigate to your issue

Click on Contact Support

Request contact through the Cash App:

 Launch the Cash App on your device

Tap on the profile icon from your Cash App home screen

Scroll down and click on Cash Support

Click on Something Else

Navigate to your issue

Tap on Contact Support

Either way you choose, once connected with the Customer Support Team, simply ask them that you want to know your Cash Card balance.

They will ask for some details about your account for verification and after verifying some information relevant to your Cash App account, they will give you your current Cash Card balance.

Apart from the balance, you can also request for 24 months transaction history of your Cash App account which you can also manually download the account statement from your cash app account.

How to Check my Cash App Balance by Phone?

Without logging into any account or accessing their website or app, you can know your balance by directly calling them.

Note: Beware that the representatives of Cash App will never ask for your sign-in code over the phone, on social media, or through any other medium. So keep out for that.

How to Order Cash App Card?

I’m guessing that if you are reading this article, you already have a Cash Card. But if you haven’t, you can order a new card for free of charge.

There are a few requirements to fulfill. User must be 18 or older to order a new Cash Card and it can take around 10 days to arrive at you.

If you have not applied, Here’s how to order a new Cash Card:

Step 1- Launch the Cash App and log in to your account.

Step 2- Click on the Card icon from the bottom of the home screen. Tap on the “Order” option.

Step 3- Choose your desired Cash Card color from the two options – black or white.

Step 4- Next, choose if you want your $cashtag printed on your card or not.

Step 5- Enter your address id where your Cash Card info to be delivered. So, make sure to provide a valid id.

Step 6- On the next page, fill up the required details such as your name, last four digits of your social security number, Date of Birth. etc.

Step 7- On the next page, click on “Continue” for the confirmation message.

Step 8- Once that is completed, you will be redirected to the “Add Funds” page to add money to your Cash App account.

Once your application is approved, it can take for around 10 days to reach your mail depending on your location. Once you hav receive the Cash card, you will need to activate it and assign a new PIN for the card, which you can change at any time.

After your card is activated, you will be able to add the card to your Google Pay or Apple Pay to conduct online transactions

Another important thing to note is that if you purchased something using your Cash Card and end up returning the item, refunds can actually take about 10 days to reflect back the balance on your account.

Conclusion:

As you can see, It is indeed very simple and easy to check your Cash App Card Balance. As mentioned before, the Cash App account balance is linked with your Cash App Card, so both their balance are the same.

[contactingcashapp]

How to Activate your new Cash Card - Cash App

Have you ever lined up to purchase something with your Cash App but then realized you ran out of battery or the network isn’t working? Not only is this embarrassing, but it’s also unnecessary when you could have had your activated Cash App Card to save the day.

In this guide, we will tell you everything you need to know about the Cash App Card and outline the steps necessary to get one for yourself. There are two ways to activate your Cash App Card: with your CVV number or QR code.

Step by Step: Activate Your Cash App Card

No matter what method you use, activating your Cash App Card takes less than a minute. However, both activation methods require that you have the physical Cash App Card on hand. Once you have that with you, you can proceed to choose what way is more convenient for you:

Method 1: Activate Your Cash App Card with your CVV number

This method of activating your Cash App Card requires manually copying the CVV number of your Cash App Card and typing it into your App.

·         Open Cash App

·         Select “Cash Card” or the rectangular icon on the lower-left part of the screen

·         Tap “Activate Cash Card”

·         Select “Missing QR code” and then select “Use CVV instead”

·         Enter your CVV code and card expiration date on your Cash App Card

·         Click “Confirm”

If you want a more fool-proof method that requires less effort, you may use the QR method below.

Method 2: Activate Your Cash App Card with QR Code

To activate your Cash App Card with a QR code, you may do so using your mobile phone or device camera.

·         Open Cash App

·         Select “Cash Card” or the rectangular icon on the lower-left part of the screen

·         Tap “Activate Cash Card”

·         Scan the QR code using your mobile phone or device camera

Keep Your Cash App Safe

With these two methods, you’re now able to access your Cash App balance using your Cash App Card with ATM networks and Visa Network merchants, even without your Cash App open.

Like any card, make sure to keep your Cash App Card details safe from malicious intent by never taking photos of your card and posting them online, and not sharing your debit card information with anyone.

How to Order Your Cash App Card

In just a few clicks, you can order your Cash App Card using the Cash App. To order your Cash App card, follow these steps:

·         Open Cash App

·         Select “Cash Card” or the rectangular icon on the lower-left part of the screen

·         Tap “Get Free Cash Card”

·         Choose your desired color (black or white)

·         Select “Tap To Customize”

·         Write or draw your signature and select “Done”

·         Enter your mailing address and tap “Next”

·         Confirm your first and last name and tap “Next”

·         Review the fees, terms, and conditions and tap “Continue”

After around ten days, your Cash App should arrive at your designated address.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cash App Safe?

Unless your log-in details are compromised, your money stored in your Cash App Balance is safe. However, Cash App is not FDIC-insured. If you accidentally send money to the wrong person or have had your account details compromised, there are no insurance claims.

Can I have a Cash App Card without a linked bank account?

No. All Cash App accounts require a linked bank account, so it is impossible to request a Cash App Card without one.

Does the Cash App Card have hidden fees?

The Cash App card by itself does not charge annual or minimum balance fees. However, loading your Cash App at Walmart will have a $3 fee, and withdrawing from ATMs will cost you $2.

Can I withdraw from an ATM for free using Cash App Card?

Yes, if you withdraw at least $300 direct-deposited paycheck every 30 days, ATM fees are reimbursed by Cash App. Cash App has ATM withdrawal limits at $310 per transaction, $1,000 every 24 hours, and $1,000 per week.

How long before balance changes reflect in Cash App after using Cash App Card?

When you use your Cash App Card at a Visa Network merchant or withdraw money at an ATM, it will reflect in your Cash App balance instantly.

How does Cash App Card get a bank account and routing numbers if it is not a bank?

Cash App has a partnership with Sutton Bank that enables them to generate these account details for their users when availing a Cash App Card.

How can I add money to my Cash App Card?

Adding money to your Cash App Card is the same as your Cash App. You may add funds to your Cash App balance through bank account transfer, debit/credit card, or loading at Walmart.

Who can have a Cash App Card?

Cash App users over the age of 18 with a validated account can request for a Cash App Card. To validate your account, key in your full name, date of both, the last four numbers of your SSN, and your mailing address.

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[weshallc]

Easter Bernie.

(call the Midwife AU/ Crown Jewels Easter Special/ also available on FF & A03)

HAPPY EASTER  EVERYONE 🐰🐥🐣🐤🦆🕊🦙😘🤗

CHAPTER FOUR: EASTER SUNDAY.

Here's someone who really loves you. Don't ever go away.That's what these walls would say. (If These Old Walls Could Speak, Jimmy Webb)

“Right over left, round and then through,” Fred repeated again, as he secured Reggie’s tie. “You will get the hang of it son, easy when you knows how.”

“Thanks Uncle Fred,” Reggie was determined, he would master the tricky accessory by the end of the day. It couldn’t be more of a skill then changing a beer barrel and he could do that.

“Oh, look at you two, all suited and booted, don’t you look smart,” Violet emerged from the Crown kitchen, wearing the dress and coat she had worn for Chummy’s wedding.

“You don’t look so bad yourself, Violet,” beamed a perfectly groomed Val in a coral trouser suit and cream silken vest top.

“Who has one of those phone things that takes a picture?” Evie asked, smoothing down a new floral dress she had treat herself to.

“Everyone Evie,” Val laughed, “Except you and Paddy.”

“Must be a pub thing,” added Jack, coming through the door, to cries of dismay.

“Jack, you are in jeans,” cried Vi.

“Talk about letting the side down,” remarked Fred.

Jack looked abashed, but added, “Thought I would stay behind, make sure no-one breaks in and steals all the eggs.”

“Jack, you know Paddy want’s us all to attend Easter Service this morning. If we are having a joint Easter Festival this year, it starts at ten o’clock at St. Preservus,” admonished Vi.

Jack looked at his trainers that were at least clean.

“Let’s say no more about it, you will have to do,” Evie concluded.

The last member of the party had arrived through the door marked Private, that led to the living quarters of the Crown. Paddy gave a harsh look at Jack, but said nothing.

“You always scrub up well Mr T, you should wear suits more often,” blushed Vi followed by Paddy.

Val brought him back down to earth, “Would you like me to do your hair?”

Paddy gave Val the look reserved just for her and her cheek, the one that kept her quiet for about five seconds.

“Right then, is everybody ready?” another glance at a fidgety Jack, Paddy continued, “Bernie and Tim are meeting us there.”

xxxx

The Crown seven shuffled into the the pew at the back of Saint Preservus, led in by Vi and ushered in by Paddy bringing up the rear.

“Hello, I see the naughty pew has been taken this morning,” beamed Peter Noakes, ”that is usually reserved for the Noakes family.”

“Have we stolen your seat?” laughed Paddy.

“Don’t worry, this isn’t the Crown, there won’t be a fight,” joked Peter as he and Camilla sat in front. Phyllis accompanying Lady Keville with aromatherapist Jane Sutton. “Looks like that’s the Crown pew this morning,” Phyllis winked at Paddy.

“Shove up!” the southern accent demanded, faintly attempting the local dialect.

“Trixie, that’s the pub pew this morning, come and join us,” Chummy suggested.

Paddy had already shifted for Trixie to sit down,

“I am representing Bernie,” Trixie grinned.

“Trixie is Team Crown,” Val added on the other side of Paddy.

“You ready for today, Trixie?” Paddy asked.

“I think so, I have some understanding of an egg hunt and even the hill rolling, but jarping remains a mystery to me,” Trixie informed him in all seriousness.

Paddy leaned in and kept his voice low, aware of his surroundings.

“Right then, the Crown and Church Easter Jarping Tournament, or as it was formerly known, the Crown Inn Easter Jarping Tournament, it's very easy to understand the rules.”

“I believe you,” Trixie smiled, but did not laugh.

Paddy leant forward in an attempt to not be overheard and Trixie followed him, “It is played in a knock-out format, like the FA Cup.” Trixie nodded she understood, Paddy continued his voice below his usual range. “Each contestant selects a hard boiled egg prepared by a neutral source.” Trixie nodded she was following. “Competitors divide into pairs. One is the holder or Jarpee and the other is the thruster or Jarper. You following Trix?”

“I think so?” she whispered back, her cheeks slightly flushed. Paddy swallowed and continued at the lower vibration.

“The holder grasps their egg with their dominant hand revealing just the tip. The Jarper holds their egg also in their dominant hand. The Jarper needs to know they can make a firm contact with the other egg, so gently rubs the end of their tool against the opponents to ensure the certainty of contact. So the Jarper has one attempt to make a clean strike. You following?” Paddy paused.

“Yes,” Trixie assured in a rather higher pitch than she intended, “It’s very warm in here, or is it just me?” she added removing her scarf. Paddy nodded still sat forwards whispering into Trixie’s ear.

“The pair then swap places and repeat this series of events. Everyone has a turn with everyone else. Once both tips of your egg are cracked you are eliminated. The winner is the final competitor to have at least one end in tact.”

The congregation hushed as Tom Hereward arrived in the pulpit, to start the service, just as Chummy who was sat directly in front of Paddy and Trixie exclaimed a little too loudly, “I’ve never been more aroused.”

Timothy Turner sat at the organ, couldn’t help turn toward the back of the church to see where all the sniggering was coming from. To be honest, he knew exactly where the laughter was coming from, but he had to look. Lucille, in front of her choir, exchanged glances with him and they shrugged their shoulders. He looked at Bernie who was shaking her head and glaring at the back of the church. Tom Hereward was looking a little flushed and said, “Shall we begin.”

xxxx

Back at the Crown it was all stations go. Violet gave a wicker basket to Fred.

“These are the onion peel dyed eggs, for egg rolling down Crown Bank. Take them to the back of the pub and remember it is one egg per child.”

“I wondered where that pong of onions was coming from, they do look pretty though, but don’t half pen and ink,” the brewer preferred a more hoppy odour.

“Jack, you take these plain eggs to the beer garden, there is a table set up with colouring pens and markers for the more artistic types. Remember one egg per child,” Jack nodded at Violet to reassure her he had got it.

“That leaves the jarpers for later. The Church are in charge of the Easter Egg Hunt around the village. I just hope they haven’t made it too difficult for the little ones,” Violet took a breath.

“I think it was Tim and Lucille who hid them, so should be all right Vi,” Val reassured with a wink.

xxxx

“So I just drop my egg down the bank?”

“Trixie, you must have rolled an Easter Egg before?” Bernie thought her friend was deliberately being dense.

“You mean one smelling of onions, can’t say I have,” Poplar's latest resident snapped back.

“No wonder we want to shot them away down the hill,” laughed Fred.

“What is the point?” Trixie wasn’t satisfied.

“It’s just a laugh, you race your pals and see how many times you can roll it, before it cracks,” Bernie was losing patience.

“Represents the stone rolling away from the tomb,” Paddy interjected, Bernie made a shocked face and Paddy grabbed her by the waist and said, “What? I am not a complete heathen,” threatening to roll her down the hill.

“So once I have rolled this, I have to go down the hill, retrieve it and if it hasn’t cracked, do it again, until it does?” Trixie said, keeping a wide berth from wrestling Paddy and Bernie, the latter now screaming.

Fred feeling a bit awkward himself with the tactileness of the moment, nodded at Trixie,

“Better get a move on love, don’t want to miss the start of the duck race.”

“Sorry?”

“The duck race down the Tweaven, first duck to Mount Busby wins.”

Paddy interrupted, suddenly letting go of Bernie, who actually did stagger a few feet down hill before achieving traction. “My favourite bit,” he grinned.

“You race real ducks, that is medieval,” protested Trixie.

“This from the Poplar sheep rustler,” corrected Paddy.

Bernie saved the situation and herself from joining the eggs at the bottom of the hill,

“They are not real ducks, Trixie, you know those ones you put in your bath, those rubber ones. You put your mark on one and the first one Reggie spots at the farm, wins.”

“Who has a bath these days? Haven't you all got showers yet?” Trixie was confused.

Paddy huffed. Bernie added, “You might be the one at the farm, waiting for a duck next year.”

“I don’t think that is in my job description,” Trixie added, but she didn’t look convinced.

Fred and Paddy were trying unsuccessfully to keep a straight face, “Fancy a pint, Fred?”

“Not arf, Doc,” he replied already heading for the pub.

“You are all as cracked as these eggs,” Trixie said delicately tossing her egg southwards.

xxxx

Trixie walked back to the front of the Crown and wondered if she was doing the right thing moving to potty Poplar. She made her way to the beer garden and was surprised to see her new employers surrounded by sticky fingers and loud chatter. Turner Prize nominee Patience Mount, was decorating eggs with the village children. She was helping a few of the Sunday School class with their fragile Easter bonnets, some of which looked more like caps or helmets.

Delia, never far away, stood guard over a cardboard box, where a couple of fluffy yellow chicks were being coo’d over. Phyllis was still accompanying Lady Keville, who had brought a large selection of knitted egg warmers in all the colours of the rainbow. They were showing a group of children how to make the pom-pom version of the tweety little critters in Delia’s box. Lucille had been delighted with these knitted extras, and had Tim yarn-bomb Poplar, distributing them around the village, as part of the Easter Egg Trail.

Trixie was feeling a little bit lost. Bernie had returned from the egg rolling in one piece and was now interrogating Paddy, “What were you all laughing at in church, tell me?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” he winked at Trixie.

Trixie grinned, “I feel like a vegan in the hen house. What can I do, to help at my first Poplar Easter Festival?”

“Well you are good at sales, you can be in charge of the raffle,” Paddy said as if he had given her the combination to his safe.

Val placed on the bar a huge cuddly grey and white rabbit, holding a large gold foil covered chocolate egg. Trixie forced a smile.

“There are a couple of envelopes there too; Second Prize is a Mount Busby Alpaca Day Out and third prize is a Meal for Two at the Crown.” Paddy announced proudly and Trixie suddenly connected with her new life.

Until Bernie spoilt it, “Fourth prize is an Alpaca Day Out and a meal at the Crown,” laughing hysterically at her own joke. While Trixie, Val and Paddy refused to. Even though Val’s lips were twitching.

Valerie passed Trixie a tupperware box full of coins “A float; to get you started, they always come with notes.” Trixie smiled a little bit.

xxxx

The sun was lowering behind the Cleveland Hills, cooling the Crown beer garden. The last of the tables had been cleared and the clutter added to the recycling bin. Val was taking orders for drinks, the children had all gone home. The Two Loves had taken Antonia back to Bagnall Hall. Trixie sat proudly admiring a brightly decorated toilet roll inner with a bright yellow toy chick with a wonky beak, stuck on the top with blu-tack.

“I can’t believe you won the Egg Jarping, Trixie,” Bernie shook her head.

“Beginners luck,” shouted an envious Jack.

“Expert training,” suggested Paddy.

“What are you going to do with your trophy, Trixie?” laughed Val

“Put it on top of Bernie’s telly,” Trixie said emphatically.

“That monstrosity is not coming into my house,” Bernie cried in mock indignation.

“Oi, Tim made that,” Paddy yelled.

“About ten years ago, Dad!” Tim blushed in horror. Lucille and Jack’s laughter adding insult to injury.

Tom and Bobby and baby Hereward appeared, it was the first time they had been seen since church. They had been overseeing the egg hunt around the village and offering refreshments at the church, a role Bernie had envied.

“The church is locked up and the village is litter free,” explained Bobby to Julia who was sipping on a Crabbies ginger beer, emphasis on the beer.

“Splendid, everyone has worked so hard today,” Julia commented. “That little one looks tired,” she added, observing a grouchy baby in Bobby’s arms.

“She actually needs changing,” Bobby explained.

Val who was passing Evie a pint of Easter Egg Ale informed the young mother, “The toilets are just inside Mrs Hereward, the changing facilities are in there.”

“Oh thanks,Valerie,” said Bobby and moved toward the backdoor.

Tom held up a hand, “We should really be getting home, love.”

“Aren't you two stopping for a drink, we’ve all earned it,” asked Julia taking another sip of her memory.

“No, we better get home and get this little madam seen to,” Tom laughed weakly.

“Be quicker, just to change her here if she's uncomfortable?” Phyllis sipping on a double brandy offered.

“I would rather we went home,” replied Tom curtly.

“The facilities here are excellent. I should know, I make sure they are spotless every morning,” Evie’s tone held authority.

“But it is 6pm,” Tom’s voice had a higher pitch now.

“Bernie or myself check the loos every hour, if you look on the door, we have to sign to say everything is in order,” Val couldn’t keep quite any longer.

“Look you’re all very kind, but I don't want my daughter being changed in a pub toilet,” Tom’s voice was adamant.

Evie looked as if she was about to combust.

Julia intervened, “Tom, maybe you should get your family home, we have all had a long day.”

“And confusing. I am sorry but I really haven’t seen the point of this. We welcomed everyone to church this morning, for the most important date in the Christian calendar, and then chased them all to the pub. Where is the message in that?”

The youth ministers words left the beer garden in a dense fog of discomfort. Julia looked lost for a moment, it was Phyllis who spoke up,

“Today was about community lad, bringing the village and the wider area together. These two buildings have been central to this village for over 300 years. It’s about time they came together.”

Phyllis had given Julia time to compose herself, “We will discuss the issues you have raised concerning a joint festival in a meeting tomorrow, Mr Hereward.”

Baby Hereward was becoming more grumpy and Bobby was struggling to placate her. Paddy who had been very quiet through this most recent exchange of views, offered quietly,

“Mrs Herward, your daughter seems very unhappy. Would you like to take her upstairs to the flat? Where you can have ample space and privacy.”

”Lets go Bobby, I will see you tomorrow, Reverend,” Tom nodded at Julia, Bobby didn’t have time to acknowledge Paddy’s offer, as she was pushed by her husband towards the door.

Someone with not the longest fuse in Poplar, had sweaty palms and a racing heart and a mouth she couldn’t keep shut,

“If yer have issues with the joint festival then that is fine Mr Hereward, as Reverend Lewis said that needs to be discussed between you tomorrow.” Everyone recognised the north of the border twang, that wasn’t done yet.

“But I have issue with your attitude right now concerning this house, it is so much more than an ale house, it’s a place where people work, it is a home.” Tom stopped in his tracks, Bernie went on,

“Your place of work just happens to be the House of God, now we were invited into that house this morning and everyone here, acted in a respectful manner.” Bernie took a breath, there was some awkward shuffling on the garden benches. She was on a roll though,

“You were invited into our home today and I feel you have not returned that respect. To say the Crown isn’t a fit place for a child, maybe you want to take a look at Timothy Turner, he was raised here. Would Mrs Turner have chosen this as a home, if she thought the Crown wasn't a fit place for a child? I think he has turned out pretty OK, don’t you?”

Tim wished at this point, that people would just remember who he was, and not feel the need to check by staring at him. Fortunately Bernie went on,

“Surely what matters is not whether it is a House of Prayer or a House of Refreshment, but a House of Love. And you can take my word for it, for what that may be worth, this house is just that. There is so much love in this house, I am only sorry yer canae feel it.”

Later Trixie said that she started the clapping, but everyone was sure it was Val, followed by Lucille. There was definitely a “Well said lass,” from Phyllis and somebody, maybe more than one, said her dad would be proud. Was there an Amen? The kids just said, “You don’t mess with our Bernie.” Did anyone notice Paddy said nothing, he just beamed with pride, if pride was a signal the Crown was 5G?

xxxxx

“I am barred from St Preservus.That’s the Mission I have offended and the church in one week,” Bernie complained.

There was only her and Paddy now. The sun had gone to its rest behind the hills. They sat on Frank and Peggy’s bench sharing a secret ciggie, Bernie perched on Paddy’s knee.

“Nonsense, Julia totally supported you. It’s Mr Hereward who should be worried and as for the Mission, does that really matter now, Bernie?”

“Mr. Hereward is young and idealistic, everything is black and white to him, I used to know someone else like that,” she smiled stubbing out the butt of the fag, they hoped Tim would never know about.

“What happened to her?” Paddy said turning her face gently towards his with both hands.

“She came home,” she smiled and kissed him tenderly, in a way that she was just beginning to understand.

“Bernie, you know this can be your home, whenever you want it to be, on whatever terms you want.” He looked at her intently. Bernie knew if she didn’t save herself, she would drown in those eyes.

“You know what I do want?” she kissed him on the forehead and pushed back his unruly hair. He just raised both eyebrows saying tell me?

“Are those pink wafers still behind the bar?”

“Go see,” he laughed, helping her off his knee.

Bernie almost ran to the bar, she found a package wrapped in gold foil with a red bow. She ripped open recklessly the carefully wrapped box. Only to find a large brightly coloured tin which read Huntley and Palmer Superior Biscuits. Bernie’s expression looked like it was Christmas, birthdays and Easter all at once.

“Paddy, I bloody love you.”

Paddy smiled, “Happy Easter, Bernie,”

[beatleszeppelin]

Airport- Hippo Campus

Chapter 2

Summary:  Hippo Campus, flying to London, if they can get on the plane. There’s old ladies, peeing, anxiety, milkshakes, and hand holding. So buckle up, we have lift off.

Warnings: Anxiety attack, crying, Planes, Gropy old ladies, Drinking, Boner Jokes, Non-Graphic M*sturbation

Word Count: 3.9k

“Zach, Zach wake up.” Jake was nudging him with his shoulder. They were still on the plane and people were clearing out. Zach squinted and furrowed his brow, lifting his head from Jake’s shoulder. 

“What? Wait are we still flying,” his eyes got real big, and he started looking around with tired eyes.

“No, we landed, I don’t know if you remember, but you woke up a couple times, but we kept you sedated.”

“So we’re here.”

“Yeah, and we gotta go before they pick us up for the return flight.” Whistler jokes.

They helped Zach up; he was still a little drowsy and a bit more happy than most people after a 12 hour flight, with minor turbulence. Walking into the airport was like walking into a different dimension. Everything looked similar to what they had left, but it was dark and in this dimension people drove on the other side of the road. The boys dragged their bodies to the conveyor belt where their luggage would come out eventually. Nathan’s bag came first, then Whistler. 

“Wait Zach, is that your backpack?”

“Oh shit!”

“Yeah it is,” he said, grabbing it, and immediately checking, taking inventory. “All there.” 

“So whoever took it must have been on our flight”

“Okay we can party, but if I go fifteen more minutes without food I might die.” Jake said with his eyes half open. “I had a drink on the plane, but I couldn’t eat ‘cause I had to hold a very large child’s head up on my shoulder.”

A quiet “sorry” was uttered.

They made their way over to the food court area, and got various items that they sold. Jake got some pancakes, Whistler and Zach got tacos, and Nathan a muffin and a black coffee so he would stay awake on the drive to the hotel.

“Zach, medicine.” Jake said nodding to the backpack.

Whistler unzipped the bag, and pulled out the little orange bottle, and slid it across the table. Zach grabbed it, without making eye contact. He opened it under the table, and threw it back into his bag before Whistler zipped it back up. He took the pill, hoping that it would try to alleviate the growing symptom of withdrawals. He felt delusional, like everything was a dream, and dizzy as all heck.

“Hey Zach, what’s this notebook,” Whistler asked, grabbing a little black, leather bound, notebook out of Zach’s bag.

“Put that back” Nathan said, reaching for it.

“Journal?” Jake asked.

“Diary” Whistler said, flipping through pages too fast to read it.

“Please put it back, please.”

“Wait, you have a diary?” Nathan said joining in on the bullying. “Let me see that” Nathan grabbed the book, opened it to a random page. “6:16 pm… I have indigestion. I ate 22 chicken wings at buffalo wild wings. I am writing this from the toilet, and my brother keeps knocking on the door asking what I’m doing. He takes forever in the bathroom too, I don’t know why he won’t just leave me alone right now. I wonder how many wings the record is? And where…”

Zach grabbed the notebook back from the others. He tucked it back in the bag, picked up his trash, threw it away, and left. He wasn’t smiling or laughing along with them when he left, and his nose and ears were a crimson color.

“Look at what you did Nathan.” Whistler said with fake disappointment.

“Wait I didn’t mean to be mean” 

“Whistler, you’re being an asshole” Jake kicked from under the table.

“Oh I’m not the one bullying the kid.”

“I really didn’t want to bully him”

“You didn’t. Whistler shut-the-fuck-up”

“Hey! I’m not the one who invaded Zach’s privacy.” Whistler mumbled with a smirk.

“I’m going to go find him, do you guys wanna meet at the rental car?” Jake asked, throwing his wrappers away, and running off in the direction that Zach left in .

“You don’t think he’s actually mad at me do you,” Nathan questioned. He looked like a child in this moment, not the only adult in the group, who has been taking them to where they needed to be this whole trip.

Jake saw where Zach was headed, even if he hadn’t Jake would know where to find him. A waiting area, with rows of chairs. Scattered throughout were people. There was a woman on the phone, tapping her foot. An elderly couple sat two seats down, the woman’s head was resting on the man's shoulder. In the corner of the giant room, right next to the floor to ceiling windows, was Zachary Sutton. He was sitting on the floor looking towards the night, out on the streets in a town near London. There are masses of buildings, gray and old. Orange-y street lamps illuminate the cobblestone paths that branch off from the roads. His face was lit up too, with that same glow. 

Jake sat down next to Zach; as they looked outside, neither of them talked for a little bit. Zach held his knees close to his chest, his chin resting on his knees. You could see the reflections of the passing cars in his glasses, and also the finger prints on the black frames.

“I think Nathan and Whistler must have the car by now, if you wanna go meet them.” 

“Yeah, I just wish we were at the hotel already. Just snap, bing bang boom- we’re there.”

Jake smiled at that; his big toothy grin, eyes closed and everything. He helped Zach up of the floor, as they meandered over to the parking lot outside.

They found Whistler and Nathan after a couple minutes of looking. The van they were renting was newer than the one they left at home. It was white, big, but not as bulky as theirs. The back doors were swung open, and Nathan was sitting on the edge; Whistler was sitting on the floor cross-legged. They were talking. 

“Hey, you found him.” Whistler exclaimed to the pair walking up to the van.

“Yup… and how was getting the van?”

“That guy was a fucking asshole, he called us stupid Americans. I accidentally asked how many miles away he thought the hotel was, and he laughed, because I said miles.” Nathan spat.

“Total butthole,” Whistler added.

“Are we ready to head out?”

“Yeah, we can dip if you’re ready.”

They closed the doors to the white van, and started driving out of this underground parking garage. The lines indicating which floor they were on and where to go were illuminated orange, and the inside of the van was dark. Nathan drove, and Jake was in the passenger's seat, in charge of the music and navigation. The other two lay in the back, Whistler’s head on the window looking up at the stars; Zach’s head was resting on Whistler’s lap, as he was fast asleep.

Jake had music on, quietly. He loves classic rock, so that’s what they listened to. Queen, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, and Def Leppard.

“You know, when I was a kid, I wasn’t allowed to listen to rock?” Nathan whispered to Jake.

“Really, why not?”

“My Dad’s a pastor, one day I called him to ask his opinions on some CDs, which was a mistake. After that he went through every song, and album I owned and we had to discuss what I was and was not allowed to listen to.”

“That sucks, dude. I can’t imagine what I would have done if my parents didn’t let me listen to classic rock. It’s what got me into music in the first place. Doing Guns N Roses covers for MN School of rock was how I met Zach in the first place, or actually his older brother, Alex. That dudes a fucking legend.” Jake had turned the music down so you could only pick out a few notes, their dull whispers were barely even heard. “What CDs?”

“What?”

“Which CDs did you want opinions on?” Jake asked.

“Oh, I just wanted to ask him which was better, Van Halen or Def Leppard,” Nathan laughed. “I still haven’t heard either of them.”

“... Van Halen is amazing if you like shredding, but I think you would like Def Leppard more. Phil Collen, and Steve Clark alternate lead, and vocals range from 80’s rock to ballads. Oh and the drummer, Rick Allen, lost an arm; so they rigged up all these pedals to different drums and now he plays with his feet.”

“I wish I had known you when I was 13, that would have made music stores a lot easier.”

“ Ha, thanks. I try.” Jake turned the radio up to a volume they could actually hear, and he put in Hysteria by Def Leppard.

They drove for a little over a half an hour, with Jake reading out occasional directions. A bumpy road had woken up the two in the backseat, just in time for them pulling into the parking lot of the hotel.

Standing three stories, at the corner of a street, was their hotel. Nathan pulled up to the front of the building, car still running, as Jake ran in to go get a room. 

A few minutes passed by, and a couple more after that, then Jake finally returned. 

“Yeah that didn’t take forever or anything” Zach said passive aggressively.

“Sorry, the guy at the front desk was… He was nice,” Jake said starting to walk around the back of the van to help get their bags out. “We started talking, then he invited me to a bar tomorrow, that's supposed to be good. He also said they don’t card.” Jake said directed towards Zach.

“Sounds cool” Nathan chimed in.

“Was this a ‘Hey come to this thing it will be fun’ or a ‘You should come with me to this thing, I’d love to see you there’?” Zach asked.

“What’s the difference?” Jake retorted.

“Eye fucking; eye fucking is the difference,” Whistler said.

“I mean he was kinda hot so…” Jake said.

“Can we just get to the room?” Nathan said dramatically, throwing his head back with exhaustion.

They lugged their bags up to the room a few at a time, before the trunk was empty. In the room was a bathroom immediately to the left of the door. A T.V. sat across from the beds; two beds were leaned against the wall one was much smaller, and much less comfortable than the other. Floral wallpaper decorated the upper halves of the walls, and brown sheets were flung across the beds.

Jake set his bag on the bigger bed, the one closer to the door. “Zach and I can share this bed, you two can take the other.”

“No fucking way we’re sleeping on the smaller bed.” Nathan said.

“Yeah, you can feel the springs.” Whistler whined.

“ We can switch the beds every other night.” Jake shrugged. “I just thought that you two were smaller, so smaller bed.”

“I can’t wait to share that tiny bed with you, Jake.” Zach said clasping his hands together under his chin and blinking profusely. 

“And I you, Darling.”

Whistler took his shirt off and flopped into the bed that was directly under the window. The others took turns in the bathroom changing and brushing their teeth and stuff. Zach had a tee shirt and red, plaid pajama pants on. Jake only had on a tank top and boxer briefs on. Nathan walked out of the bathroom in a sweater that was two sizes too big, it was grey and the sleeves hung far off his hands, he had boxers on underneath that you could only see the edge of because of how long his sweater was. 

Nathan tucked himself under the blanket and had his back turned toward Whis. Whistler was starfishing atop the bed, with his arms tucked under the pillow. Their legs were overlapping and they definitely weren't going to get too cold in their sleep.

Zach and Jake were facing each other, but Zach had already fallen asleep. It was nearing 10, but he had opted for sleep trying to chase jet lag away. Jake got up trying not to disrupt the kid, whose hands were in between his knees and his face had a peaceful sleepy grin on it. He went over to his bag and picked out a stuffed rabbit. He took it back to bed, without noticing Nathan was still awake.

“Hey, what’s that?”

“Stuffed rabbit, I sleep with it when I am away from home. I have two rabbits back at home, names are Pepper and Roo.”

Nathan nodded, “Rabbits freak me out.” He smiled, then rolled over to the other side and  in a short time they had all fallen asleep.

Hours ticked by before the bright yellow light of the morning shone through the thin curtains that wavered in the A.C.

Whistler woke up earlier than any of the others. He always wakes up early, to go for a run, and be back in time to make breakfast, but this morning the jet lag was hitting hard. Way too hard for a run, so opting for a shower seemed like a suitable substitute. 

Getting out of bed quietly was difficult; he swung one leg over to the floor, and shimmied off the bed careful not to pull the covers off of the tiny bed Nathan was clung to. Whistler was still in the jeans he had worn yesterday, he only remembers laying down, and waking up this morning. The second his head hit the pillow he must have been out like a light. He hadn’t even remembered to charge his phone.

Now off the bed, he sleepily found his way over to the electrical socket. “Ah Dang!” he whisper shouted. The plug wasn’t the usual American, tiny face-lookin’, hole. He had forgotten to bring an adapter, rather he hadn’t even thought about the fact that he might need a different fucking type of plug to charge his phone.

His phone’s screen slightly cracked, and the battery life of 32, he threw it (gently) on to the bed where he had slept. 

He grabbed the toiletries bag that he had thankfully remembered. In the bathroom he set the bag on the counter. It was small and only held a few necessary items, like a toothbrush and deodorant. It had little watermelon slices decorating the outer fabric.

After the shower, he flushed the toilet, because it would no longer ruin the temperature of the water. He wrapped his towel around his waist, and quietly unlocked the door. 

“Morning” Nathan grumbled, rubbing his eye to clear the sleep-blurred vision.

“Shit, I’m sorry for waking you up.”

“Nah, it’s probably better for the jet lag that I wake up at a normal time.”

“That’s the same thing I thought,” Whistler tip toed over to their side of the room as to not need the full volume of their voices. 

Nathan leaned on his elbows to sit up a bit, “When did that happen?” he said, looking up and down Whistler’s naked boy flesh.

“When did what happen?”

“You’ve got a fucking six pack, dude.” He said with sarcastic disappointment.

“I don’t know, been running and stuff.” Whistler replied with a shrug. “Hey, you didn’t by any chance remember to bring an adapter for the wall plugs did you?”

“No, but now that you mention it I think I saw one in Zach’s bag, when we were going through it yesterday.” Nathan said plucking his phone off the nightstand that he and Jake were sharing. “Ugh” he groaned, realising that he too needed to charge.

“Am I allowed to get it?” Whistler asked, questioning how morally sound it would be to go through his bag again.

“Yeah, I mean we already know what’s in there.” He shrugged.

“He was so mad yesterday when we did it. I mean normally I would be fine with pissing him off, but this room is small, and we have to live in close quarters for a week. I can’t deal with his complaining for that long, I don’t think.” Whistler said sitting on the edge of the bed in defeat.

“I’ll grab it, then we won’t be fighting over who uses it first once everyone wakes up,” Nathan said as he tossed the sheets off his little body.

“Smart, that’s smart.”

Nathan padded over to the bag that was on the far side of the bed. He bent down, inches from Zach, who was soundly sleeping next to him. He slowly unzipped the bag, which prolonged the noise it was making, but doing it carefully seemed more respectful. The charger was laying on top “thank God”. 

“Get it?” Whistler whisper yelled across the room.

“Yeah,” The second Nathan tried to stand up, he lost his footing and kicked over the bag, with a thud. “Ow, FUCK!” he said in the loudest voice he could, while still considering it a whisper.

Jake rolled over, and flopped a lanky leg over Zach’s. Whistler tried to stifle laughs, to no avail. He bit his hand, which was shocking enough to get him to stop.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Jake’s pitching a tent, while cuddling Zach.”

“What,” he spat out the “t”.

“He’s fully erect, and Zach’s holding on to him.” Whistler could not have said more obviously.

“Why were you looking?”

“How could you not?”

Nathan looked over across the bed, and sure enough his eyes met… something. And Zach was clung to Jake’s arm, like a sloth to a tree branch. 

“Should we wake them up,” Nathan asked, while his eyes were still fixated on a genital… general area of the bed.

“Nah, we can get breakfast and leave these two alone, ya’ know to… bang things out.”

Nathan averted his balls, eye balls… he averted his eyes. Whistler plugged his phone in and they slipped out the door without waking the others. Nathan held on to the room key, and they walked down the hall that was too reminiscent of the one in the shining for Nathan. The elevator dinged and the doors crept open, the second they put their weight shifted into the room, it creaked, a long lingering sound. Nathan pushed the first floor button, and Whistler leaned against the back wall, gripping the perimeter rail tight. He sighed heavily as the elevator lowered, and the feeling that his stomach was dropping persisted. 

They hit the bottom floor, the elevator dinged, but the doors didn’t open. Another heavy sigh from Whistler, and followed by a sharp inhale this time. 

“What’s wrong with you?” Nathan scrunched his nose.

“Get the doors open please.” Whistler said breathing repeatedly in through his nose and out through his mouth. His hands waved, gesturing to open the doors.

Nathan pushed the “door open” button and they were on the correct floor. “Must be old,” Nathan shrugged. 

The end of the morning’s continental breakfast was less than desirable, but after traveling for the past 24 hours, it was nice to sit and eat. Whistler grabbed a donut, and a glass of chocolate milk. Nathan had some eggs, bacon, and a cup of coffee with copious amounts of sugar added. They sat at a table that showed a tv in the corner. Golf was on. An old man watched intently.  

“How’s your…” Whistler asked with a mouthful of his second donut.

Nathan exhaled through his nose as sort of a pseudo laugh. “It’s good, or as good as lukewarm coffee in a hotel at 9 am is.”

Now it was Whistler’s turn to laugh, not because it was funny, but just because.

“Hey… can I ask you something weird?” Nathan said, furrowing his brow, and looking at his hands; with which he was playing under the table. 

“I guess…” Whistler said leaning forward from his relaxed position.

“Is… Fuck I can’t say it. This is way to fucking weird.”

“Nah go ahead, won’t make fun, I swear.” He had put one hand over his heart, and the other was raised.

Nathan grabbed his hand, lowering it, and looked around, “You saw Jake’s…” He looked down to his own … to gesture, “it’s not like… average right?”

“Nah, I think average is something like five, six inches. Dude, you’re good” He said waving it off.

“Okay, yeah. Are you done? We should go take food back to the room.” Nathan rushed the sentence and tripped over a few words. His face was hot, and his stomach felt like it was burning from the inside out, but if he was red. Whistler didn’t mention it.

They grabbed a box of cereal, and a muffin that Zach and Jake could fight over later. The boys took the stairs back up to the room, and clicked the card in the door. The shower was running, and when they walked in they saw Zach spaced out, sitting on the bed.

“You good?” Whistler asked.

“Huh?” Zach said diverting his attention to the two that had just walked in.

“We stole your charger, or plug thing this morning. I hope that’s okay.” Nathan informed.

“Oh yeah, sure. What’s that? Did you bring us food?”

“Yeah, we have a stale muffin and dry cereal, take your pick.” Nathan said holding the two options out to him.

“What kind of muffin?’’

“Chocolate chip, or really old blueberry.”

“I’ll have the cereal, it also won’t give me indigestion before the show tonight” Zach grabbed for the tiny cereal box.

A moaning sound filled the room. “What the fuck, it’s 10 am. Why are the neighbors doing it now.”

The room fell silent for a couple moments, the three boys listening, waiting to hear another pleasure filled growl. And then it happened, a shout sung through the thin walls of the hotel. It was feminine, and beautiful, and instantly recognizable. 

“Is our lead singer, singing himself to completion?”

“Yup.”

“Turn the T.V. Turn the T.V. ON!”

“Ungh… fuck…” and the shower stopped.

“We were too late,” and the three erupted into fake sobs.

About a minute later Jake came out of the bathroom dressed in some jeans and an old man sweater, tucked in. He looked around, but no eye contact was received. “Are you guys okay?” He asked as he cocked his head.

“I don’t think I can ever be okay again,” Zach wailed, “first you… rubbed your... up against me, and now I just heard you… finish.”

Whistler snorted.

“We need to work on the sleeping arrangements, please.” Zach begged.

“Yeah, the tiny bed is like sleeping on the floor,” Whistler said.

“And for whoever ends up sleeping with Zach, he will cuddle you; It’s cute and all fun and dandy, but he is very warm. It’s like sleeping with a space heater,” Jake said, and looked over to Zach as sort of a sorry, but no eye contact was returned.

“Whistler just layed on top of the bed, so I stole all the blankets from him. It was freezing sleeping next to the window,” Nathan said.

“I guess it’s settled then.” Zach piped up.

“How did you come to a conclusion from that?” Jake asked.

“Well… Jake was really hot last night, and Nathan said it was cold next to the window, so Jake should sleep next to the window. I like to… be closer to people so I should get the big bed with Nathan because he was cold, and I could heat his little body up, that is if you don’t mind me… cuddling you?” Nathan shook his head.

“And where will I sleep, all cuddled up with boner boy?” Whistler chided.

“Not exactly, you did say that sleeping on the little bed was like sleeping on the floor, and you don’t need blankets anyway.”

“The floor?” Whistler asked.

“Yeah, only if that’s okay though.”

“Sure”

[19mrs-barnes17]

Plane Music

Summary: Its been years since first meeting the Winchesters, but something in Sioux Falls seems to draw them back to the small town.

Part: 2/?

Pairing: Dean Winchester x reader

Warnings: kinda dark, death, may be emotionally triggering

Word count: 2,932

A/N: Part two is finally here after a year! This one I got a little carried away with... lol. Anyway, enjoy!

~

Life after meeting the Winchesters, yes they make quite an impact, can only be described as fulfilling. Their sense of purpose and pride is absolutely infectious, so much so that Y/N found herself become bolder and more deadly. She had begun to wonder if the transaction had even truly occured when she got the first of many calls to come. 

Dean Winchester calling, her phone had said, and she nearly fell out her chair at the sudden sound. Calls came every now and then, she always accepted the invitation. Once the texts began, well, they never seemed to end. Her mornings began with a check of her texts and a smile upon her face when she saw the little number one on the message bubble. 

Years went by but nothing truly changed in their relationship, he was always traveling and she was almost always in her apartment. Y/N only left Sioux Falls for the occasional case, she had to keep up the appearance of a job to her mother. In reality, she paid her bills thanks to an agreement between her and Bobby Singer. He wasn’t the town drunk everyone cracked him up to be, and he had agreed to help her scam the money so it couldn’t be traced to her. She told her mother that Bobby had hired her to help him with cleaning his house and assist with car repairs. 

The ringing of her phone had Y/N shutting her book, a small smile slipping onto her face as she turned the device over in her hand. However, the caller ID threw her for a loop. Why was her mom calling? She was always working at this hour or doing rounds, Y/N’s heart dropped.

“Mom? What’s wrong?” Her mom’s voice so small on the other line spoke news that nearly ended with her phone on the floor. “That’s impossible, mom he died we went to his funeral pete’s sake. I stayed with you while they piled dirt on his coffin.” 

“Honey, I know. I know I sound crazy, but it's true! Here I’ll have him say something.” Y/N could hear her mother call for someone who she knew couldn’t be there, but when a little voice came over the line her world cracked and crumbled.

Her drive to her childhood home was erratic and warranted several tickets yet, there was no patrol car in sight. Y/N was too distraught to question such a thing, her mind was an absolute madhouse. Thoughts raced through as she began to question everything, a million inquiries and all she knew was that he was alive. 

The moment he raced into her arms everything slipped from her mind, she seemed to forget the questions that her hunter instincts were adamant on answering. All experience in questioning the supernatural completely clouded over by her baby brother’s reappearance.  He was alive! Alive and sitting on her lap as they watched cartoons, just like they used to. Somehow it felt as though she had been launched back in time, a time when life was easier. 

“Hey buddy.” She knocked softly on his door the next morning, a soft smile on her lips as she stared down at his slumbery form. “Mom’s at work, you want some donuts from the diner?”

“Secret donuts?” A nod from her had him smiling mischievously, a sight that had her heart feeling warm and full once more. It had been a long time since she had been this happy.

Sitting upon the stool, she beamed brightly and relayed her order to the server. He was quick to put in her order and she was soon exiting the diner with a bag in hand. However, the moment her eyes landed on him she froze in place and her smile faltered a little. 

“Y/N?” She made a speedy recovery, a cautious smile dancing onto her lips. She raised a brow at the Winchester brothers and placed a hand on her hip. Sam waves but continues muttering into his phone exasperatedly while Dean utters a hello.

“Don’t tell me this lil’ ol’ town has you boys interested. On a case are we?” Dean nods, a strange look in his eyes and a ghost of a smile on his lips. “What drew you in?”

“A Mr. Wells claims to have seen a dead man kill.” Sam answers as he ends his call, shrugging at the claim. 

“Digger? You here about his ravings on the Benny Sutton murder? Hate to say that may be a lost cause. Benny had a lot of enemies here.” She hated lying to them, but at least it was more of a white lie. Benny was widely hated but, between her brother coming back and Digger’s hollering about a dead man, she knew there was definitely a case here. 

“Really?” Y/N nodded and made an apologetic face, but the boys both had a look on their face like they weren’t quite buying it. 

“Afraid so. But he’s right inside if you want to ask him yourself, always good to check. Anyway, happy hunting. I’ll see you guys around.” She waved them goodbye and hopped in her car before they could question her further. 

Owen was jumping up and down by the time she got back, his eyes wide as he glanced down at the paper bag in his big sister’s hand. She had to hold it high before he yanked it from her grip, setting it on the counter. She chuckled at his excited face and placed a donut on a napkin before him. It wasn’t there for long.

“Woah buddy, you gotta slow down. Can’t inhale your food remember?” He smiles sheepishly as she takes a bite of her donut. “See. Nice and slow.”

“Can I have another?” He began begging insistently, something she had somehow missed him doing in their time apart. 

“You remember our rule bud?” 

“Three donuts, one for each and we split the last one.” She nodded, her hands already reaching into the bag and tearing the donut in half. “Left hand.”

Y/N handed her brother the piece and ate hers while tossing the bag in the trash, her phone ringing in the process. She motioned for Owen to answer it and cleaned up their places as he spoke to their mother.

“What’d she say big guy?” 

“She said I should eat an apple. I don’t want an apple.” Y/N chuckled before grabbing an apple from the basket and slicing it half.

It was late when her mother came home from work and she seemed exhausted. Y/N suggested take out and her mom couldn’t say no, far too tired to cook. They spent the evening watching movies and making up for lost time together. Her mother and her were cleaning dishes in the kitchen when Y/N heard Bobby’s name come up in her mother’s talk about her day.

“Singer?” Her mother nodded and went off about how he was helping two fake FBI agents parade around asking questions about the dead rising in Sioux Falls. Y/N’s heart dropped, Sam and Dean had been caught. “What happened with them?”

“Oh, I let em go. Gave them a stern warning” Nodding her head and dropping the subject, Y/N couldn’t help but feel relieved that her mother had turned her cheek. She was simply glad her mother didn’t bring up her disapproval of her daughter working for the Bobby, again.

Y/N went home to her apartment that night, promising her little brother she’d be back the next day to take him to a movie and out to lunch. When she returned, however, there was a certain tall hunter peering in the side window shaking his head. Shit. Sam turned and froze in place as she exited the car looking guilty as hell.

“I can explain.” He nodded, a disapproving gaze set on her as she spoke. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to be involved. When I saw you two here I was panicked, but I think in the back of my head I was relieved.”

“Because then it fell on us, and you wouldn’t have to deal with it. Your hands would be clean and you could go on living with him back.” She shook her head as tears threatened to spill over, Sam’s face softened a bit.

“No, I was relieved because it meant there was someone else to pull the trigger. Someone who could be stronger than me, who could get the job done.” A tear slid down her cheeks she cast her gaze to the side, breathing deeply to try and pull herself together. “I knew the job had to be done, but every time I look at his sweet little face… I wasn’t sure if I could do it. And I couldn’t take out the rest and leave him behind. It wouldn’t be fair.”

Sam pulled her into an embrace and she sobbed into his shoulder, because she knew that this meant her time with Owen was dwindling down to its last few hours. Her heart shattered at the thought of losing him again.

“I know, I couldn’t do it if it was Dean. So I get it. We’ll be back when he starts to turn, you shoot a text when it starts okay?” All she could do was nod as she tried to compose herself.

“You better get out of here before my mom sees you. She’ll go ballistic.” Sam chuckles at the image in his head before waving and heading to the car.

It was a perfect way to go out, smiles and laughter from the pair all day. Y/N had forgotten for a little while that this was not forever. Owen was beginning to feel unwell after running around the park and she was jolted back into reality, brow furrowed as she drove him back home. Lying that he was going to be okay broke her heart to pieces, she hated preaching false hope when she knew what was to come. She dropped him off and sent Sam the dreaded text, ‘His temperature is rising’.

With her car parked in the street, all she could do was wait and it was excruciatingly painful to do. She felt as though her chest were under a car being lowered to the ground, the pressure increasing the longer she sits there until eventually it becomes too much. She burst through the front door and found her mother standing in front of a blood trail. Rushing to her side, Y/N grabbed her mother’s shoulder and pulled her back. Her father’s lifeless body on the floor nearly froze her in place, but she pushed through the tears and horror. 

“Mom. We have to go! It’s not Owen anymore! Please, he’ll eat us too.” Tears were pouring down her cheeks as she did her best to pull her mother from the room. When Sam charged in she begged for his help in ushering her mom out the door, and as he began reasoning with her a dreaded thought entered Y/N’s head. It has to be me. 

While Sam was distracted talking to her mom, Y/N grabbed her pistol from the glove compartment and slowly made her way toward the door. Sam put a hand on her shoulder, concern evident in his eyes.

“You don’t have to do this Y/N. I told you I would do it for you, it’s okay. You don’t have to see it.” But Y/N shook her head, because she couldn’t bear to hear someone shoot her brother. She needed to do it, she needed to be with him in his last moments like she wished she was when he had died. She never got to hold his hand as he went, to say goodbye. It may not make sense to any other, but in her mind this was her chance to say it to him.This time she would have to burn his body, there would be no funeral and no other opportunity.

“I’ll make sure he doesn’t feel it mom. He’ll go quick and peaceful like he should have.” Her mom nodded through the tears, an understanding in her eyes. “You two make sure the town’s safe.” 

Her heart felt heavy as she entered her home for the last time, she would never be able to look at these walls the same. Owen cocked his head to the side as he looked at his sister with emptiness in his eyes.

“I love you so much Owen. Goodbye, little buddy.” Y/N aimed the pistol and with a shaky hand,  fired a single shot. Immediately after she dropped the weapon and ran to her brother’s side. She released everything, tears streaming down her face as she rocked back and forth with his lifeless body in her arms. Y/N cried out, her voice hoarse and pained as she held him close and grabbed her father’s hand. Her thoughts were filled with memories of the two of them dancing around the living room in their pjs and singing at the top of their lungs. When her father had surprised her with a car on her 17th birthday, because he was proud of the person she’d become and couldn’t wait to see what she would do. And of all the times the four had had together in this home.

Time passed slowly, she was unaware of how long it had been since she had last seen her mother or Sam. The only thing on her mind was the pain in her head and heart, the pain that would become a reminder and painful memory. Gradually she placed Owen back on the floor and used the couch to stand, her eyes scanning for the closet. Soon she had both her father and brother cover and then wrapped in multiple sheets, tying the ends with rope she found and cut in the garage. Both bodies lay away from the pools of blood, side by side, as she began to clean the floor. She couldn’t quite grasp why she was doing all this, but it kept her busy and gave her less time to think. Any minor distraction she welcomed.

She didn’t turn to face whoever opened the door, doing her best to ignore the creaking of the floorboards. Until suddenly, a hand grabs hold of the mop and an arm is wrapped around her protectively. Her eyes met Dean’s and, though she had thought all her tears had been cried, she once more fell apart in his arms. There was a comforting feeling enveloping her as he gently rubbed her back, saying no words because he knew that none would help. Y/N held onto him tightly, knowing he would be there to help take care of things. A friend, and someone to lean on.

Dean held onto her as they watched the pyre burn, her mother sent a look that had Dean recoiling his arm with an awkward chuckle. Y/N grabbed his hand instead, eyes remaining on the burning fire before her with a melancholy that she would never quite be free of. 

“Walk with me?” She spoke loud enough that only Dean could hear, eyes searching his for a sign. He glances over at her mother for a moment before nodding, following as she leads him through the gravestones. She’s silent for a while, and she can feel his eyes on her but that only makes it harder to speak.

“What's on your mind?” She chuckled at the broadness of the question, and he muttered a ‘you know what I mean’. But in truth, she wasn’t sure what exactly was the drive to be alone with him and away from her mother’s gaze.

“I know this timing is weird, but right now I could use some clarity.” He nodded for her to continue, and after a deep breath she collected her thoughts. This is a lot harder than the movies make it seem. “Listen, I’m just going straight to the point. What are we?”

She pauses and drops his hand when they’ve put a sufficient distance between them and the pyre that would haunt her memories. Refusing to move her gaze from his Y/N furrowed her brow and scoured his expression for some kind of sign. His eyes grew soft as they gazed in hers, his hand reached for hers and held it firmly. 

“Something, I hope.” She gazed at him quizzically, likely with the same question in her head that had bugged his for the past couple of years. “Something more than just a friendship. A shoulder to cry on, someone to help carry the load that is this life and to help forget its trauma for a little while.”

Dean held onto her hand as if letting go meant rejection, meant saying goodbye. There was a sorrow that hid within his eyes, one she would come to recognize in her own. Her hand moved to caress his cheek and he held it there against his skin, almost like he had been without a loving touch for too long. She wasn’t sure whether it was the way he held her or the look in his eyes, or even the long drawn out phone calls during her drives to join a case. Whatever it was, it made her bold. Not enough to go the mile, but enough to meet halfway. And it felt like she had found a new home in his touch and his embrace, but most importantly, in his heart.

~

Tag list: @qtmeryr @broken-hearted-barnes

Please send me an ask if you'd like to join any tag lists!

[hawkvalley]

Hawk Valley

Quick Review

The Broncos Beat the Chargers 23-20. Vic Fangio will finish the season 2-0 against an opponent from the division.

The Broncos outscored the Chargers 14-0 in the first quarter.

The Chargers outscored the Broncos 20-9 in quarters two through four.

The Game Stats

Denver

Time of Possession

27:51

Passing Attempts

28

Passing Yards

134

Rushes

25

Yards

84

Los Angeles

Time of Possession

32:09

Passing Attempts

29

Passing Yards

265

Rushes

29

Yards

115

The Running Game

*AYPC is average yards per carry

PlayerCarriesAYPCLongTD(s) Fumble(s) Lindsay1731500 Freeman52500 Lock35800

The Passing Attack

*he was targeted twice

PlayerReceptions%LongTD(s)Fumble(s) Freeman4100%600 Sutton480%3320 Heuerman360%700 Lindsay3100%900 Hamilton267%700 Beck1100%1100 Fant133%500 Patrick*00%000

The Quarterbacks

Lock

Passing

compypaTD(s)INT(s)LongRating 64%5213385

Rushing

AttYardsLongTD(s) 31580

Sacked

TimesYards LostFumble(s) 000

Rivers

Passing

compypaTD(s)INT(s)LongRating 69%92152106

Rushing

AttYardsLongTD(s) 0000

Sacked

Time(s)Yard(s) LostFumble(s) 3210

During the Week

After the game Sutton praised Lock for changing a play call from the sidelines that led to a Bronco touchdown. This is the kind of story I want to hear about the new quarterback. Joe Flacco was the first quarterback of the season and he just took his marching orders without question, until he was relieved of his duties. Perhaps Lock heard Flacco’s message about bad play calling costing the team victories and took a mental note. Brandon Allen was the next quarterback to play for the team and he was able to scramble. Hopefully Lock noticed Allen took fewer hits and opened up the offense by moving outside the pocket.

The problem though and this has happened in almost every Bronco game this season is the hard headed, defensive, controlling, conservative play calling coming from the sidelines. In the first quarter, Lock was making plays and the team looked great. In the second quarter, the staff started to exercise control and the play calling became extremely conservative and the Broncos play went downhill. This lasted till the end of the game.

Members of the media jumped all over the attendance numbers. There were 19,000 no shows. These are people that paid for their tickets but didn’t go to the game. It was noticeable on the TV. Personally, I don’t really enjoy going to the stadium. Everything you buy is a complete rip off. Security is annoying. The Broncos prefer you use e-tickets which means bringing a ‘smart’ phone to the game. I didn’t even bring up the fact that concession stands in the Denver area have terrible rankings, which I pointed out in one of my posts last season maybe. Basically health inspectors found rats in food storage areas. For those reasons and many more, football is best enjoyed at home on your couch.

Von Miller was back in the news. He didn’t play on Sunday and sports talk speculated on his value to the team. The point being made was that you can have a losing season with or without him. People were questioning the value of spending a lot of money on a pass rush when you haven’t even found your franchise quarterback. Von Miller’s mom even gave Elway flack about that during the Vance Joseph era. Von’s Halloween party of 2018 reentered the news because Von’s personal photographer has decided to sue x-Bronco quarterback Chad Kelly over injuries suffered during a fight at the party.

During the game, there was an ad by the Broncos showcasing the Broncos offensive line serving food to the homeless. A pretty standard pr move by the NFL during the holidays. I’m mentioning it because it was of the Broncos offensive line. Garret Bolles was not in the ad.

Last week I forgot to mention that the next generation of the Bowlen family, Britney, was given a new title/position with the Broncos. I didn’t mention it because the title sounded like corporate gamesmanship to me. The title was fancy, but to me, it sounded like she would be in charge of parking outside the stadium. I’m bringing this up because there was some talk about the contracts of Elway and Ellis coming up in two years and some think Brittany was put on the “fast track” to take over the team. The big assumption is that the contracts of Elway and Ellis will not be renewed. Who will replace them? Nobody knows.

Today’s teams ranked by stats

Broncos (4-8)

Points: 30th

Yards: 27th

Passing yards: 31th

Rushing yards: 16th

Passing TDs: 11

Rushing TDs: 8

Field Goals: 22

Interception return(s) for TD: 0

Safety(ties): 0

Punt Return(s) for TD(s): 0

Kickoff Return(s) for TD(s): 0

Fumble Return(s) for TD(s): 0

Net Turnovers: -1

Streak: Won 1

Texans (8-4)

Points: 10th

Yards: 9th

Passing Yards: 12th

Rushing Yards: 7th

Passing TDs: 24

Rushing TDs: 11

Field Goals: 15

Interception return(s) for TD: 1

Safety(ies): 0

Punt Returns for TD(s): 1

Kickoff Return(s) for TD(s): 0

Fumble Return(s) for TD(s): 0

Net Turnovers: +1

Streak: Won 2

Outlook

The Broncos are slowly making progress. If the offense could play the way they do in the first quarter for four quarters, they'd be a playoff team.

Quick Review of the qbs this season

The 2019 Bronco quarterbacks PlayerWinning %PPGPPA Flacco25%1619 Allen33%1722 Lock100%2320

The AFC West

*Oakland outranks Denver within the division, because they beat the Broncos in head to head play on the 9th of September (24-16). TeamWinning %Net Kansas City100%+80 Oakland*50%-39 Denver*50%-22 Los Angeles0%-19

Here's a look at the race for the top draft pick.

Sub par NFL teams

TeamWinning PercentageNet Dallas Cowboys50%+74 Chicago Bears50%+4 Indianapolis Colts50%+3 Oakland Raiders50%-87 Tampa Bay Buccaneers42%-6 Carolina Panthers42%-40 Los Angeles Chargers33%+3 Cleveland Browns33%-26 Denver Broncos33%-39 New York Jets33%-76 Atlanta Falcons25%-63 Jacksonville Jaguars25%-72 Washington Redskins25%-117 Miami Dolphins25%-177 Detroit Lions17%-35 Arizona Cardinals17%-96 New York Giants8%-109 Cincinnati Bengals8%-119

Game Time

11:00 AM MT

The Remaining Schedule DateTimeDayTeam December 811 am SundayHouston Texans December 1511 am SundayKansas City Chiefs December 222:05 pmSundayDetroit Lions December 292:25 pm SundayOakland Raiders

All times MT

Home=Orange

Away=Blue

[cashappcardhub]

Cash App Card – How to Order, Activate, Cancel, Add Money, Check Balance

Cash App has a unique feature that separates it from most online payment apps. Cash App offers a free Cash Card to its users using which you can pay online and in stores. Cash Card uses your Cash App balance to pay for goods and services. You can also use your bank account balance to replenish your Cash App balance. You can add your Cash Card to Apple pay and Google pay for online payments. To order a Cash Card, this is the process:

1. On your Cash App home screen, tap Cash Card.

2. Press “Get free Cash Card”.

3. Tap continue and pick a color.

4. Check your Cash Card details displayed on the screen.

5. Enter the address where you wish the card to be delivered.

You will get a virtual card number that you will be able to use for online payments immediately. But you cannot receive funds on this card number.

Your Cash Card will arrive within two weeks. Once you receive your card, you will need to activate it and you will be able to view your deposit information in your mobile app.

Redesigning your Cash Card

You can redesign your Cash Card by going to your Cash Card option in your mobile app and selecting to design a new card. It will take you $5 to change the color, signature, and even add emojis to your Cash Card.

How To Order A Cash App Card?

To order a cash app card, you need to go through the below-mentioned instructions:-

1. On your device, launch the Cash App by offering the required permission.

2. Scroll down and tap on the Cash Card icon. The Cash Card icon is found at the second mark on the lower-left corner of the phone panel.

3. Click on the “GET FREE CASH CARD” option.

4. Now, you need to select a color for your cash app card. Select the color and press the continue tab to proceed to the next step.

5. Now you land on the Customize page. Here, you need to choose the enable or disable option for showing your Cashtag. Choose an option and to input your unique signature click on the “Tap to customize” icon.

6. To input your signature, you can use two options:- Draw or Write. In the same section, you can easily add the stamps as per your preference. To input, the stamps, press the smiley face icon. The smile will appear under the signature section and when you successfully input them click on the Next tab.

7. Now you need to present a registered mailing address, review the email address, and click on the Next tab to proceed next step.

8. Before submitting the card request, review your input like- Check the full name of the user and confirm it. Review each input information and when you are confident with the input then click on the Continue or Next tab.

Can you Add Money on a Cash App Card?

Yes, you can add money and put physical cash to your cash app card. There are a few options to add money to your Cash card – Transfer money from a bank and debit card. Add funds at certain retail locations in Walmart and Target with ease of mind.

Cash App Cardis a customizable debit card linked to your Cash App balance. It can be used anywhere Visa is accepted, either both online and in stores, instead of deducting the money from the bank account.

Now you understand that your Cash Card balance is linked and directly affiliated with your Cash App Account. So, if you have funds on your account, your physical Cash App Card will also have access to that money.

For instance, if you have a Cash App card and really like to buy a bag, dress, etc. But, your Cash App Card balance is running low and in need of funding, you need to add cash to your card.

If you have no idea how to put money on your Cash Card, we are here to help you with it.

Where can I Load my Cash App Card?

Where can I load my Cash App Card? You can load your Cash App card at grocery stores, check cashers, and convenience stores. The Cash App can be loaded at Walmart, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, 7-Eleven and CVS. Go to the cash counter and ask to put money in your Card.

Fees may apply for adding the funds to your card. There is no fixed fees that works currently. More on that later.

Where can I Add money to my Cash App Card?

You can add money to your Cash App Card at retail locations like Walmart, Target, Walgreens, CVS, Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, Rite Aid, and 7-Eleven with cash deposit partners. You can then add money to your Cash Card balance in the app with your bank and card.

If your account is already linked to a Bank Account, you can add funds to your Cash Card with a few steps. All you need to do is go through a few menus and clicks to get yourself a loaded Cash app Card.

Keep track of transaction history

You can download your transaction history from https://cash.app. Simply click on Statements in the top right corner>Export CSV>Check downloads.

Account verification to receive a Cash Card

You will need to verify your Cash App account by your full name, Date of birth, mailing address, and the last four digits of your SSN. You must be 18 or older to apply for a Cash Card.

Add Cash Card to your Google Pay or Apple Pay

Tap Cash Card tab on home screen> Tap Cash Card icon> Add to Google Pay> Follow the displayed steps.

Similarly, just add to Apple Pay in the third step.

Also Read: - How to disable Cash App card

ATM withdrawal limit

You can withdraw up to $310per transaction from an ATM using your Cash Card. The 24-hour limit is $1000 and $1000 per 7 days.

You can Check Your Card Balance on the app, the facility to check it at an ATM is not available yet.

Activating Cash Card using QR code

Tap Cash Card tab on app home screen> Tap Cash Card image> Select activate Cash Card> Grant permission to use camera> Scan QR code to activate. To use CVV just select Use CVV in the fourth step instead to activate Cash Card by entering CVV.

Receiving Cash Back using your Cash Card

You can receive cashback while using your Cash Card as a debit card at stores that offer it. All you need to do is enter your Cash Card pin and choose the cashback amount.

ATM fees while using Cash Card

Cash Cards are functional at any ATM, with just a $2 fee charged by Cash App.

Unauthorized payment or Cash Card stolen

For unauthorized payment, contact the merchant immediately to request a refund on Cash App. The refund will be received within 10 days. If your card is stolen, report so on the app with this process. Tap Cash Card tab on home screen> tap Cash Card image> select problem with card> Report card stolen> enter PIN to confirm the action.

Checking the Balance on Your Cash App Card

As mentioned, if you know how to check the balance available in your Cash App account, the same is the Cash App Card Balance as well. The available balance on the Cash App is available on the dashboard. It is usually seen in the top center of the app’s screen as you open it on your mobile.

You can spend your balance by using your Cash App Card or sending a P2P payment, use it to buy Bitcoin, or transfer it to your bank account through standard or instant deposit.

If you are not sure whether a transaction you made had gone through or not, you can check your bank account to see if it is reflected there. There is always some gap when you use your CashAppCard, and it getting reflected in your bank. Wrong balances can appear due to an odd outage that happens with the system. With millions of transactions going through the app, it can have such issues.

If you have doubts about the balance being shown on the Cash App, you can cancel that particular payment. You have a 24-hour window within which you have to do this if you find that the person you sent the payment to has not accepted it for any reason.

To Dispute A Purchase

To dispute a recent purchase via Cash Card, wait till it is completed, and then contact the merchant. If that does not work, report a dispute with customer support.

Benefits of Cash App

There are no fees for basic functions like monthly fees, inactivity fees, or fees to send or receive money.

“Cash boost” helps you save money while performing a transaction with your debit card with specific vendors who provide offers. Only one boost is applicable at a time but you can swap boosts as often as you want.

An independent ‘Cash Card’ is issued by Sutton Bank to each user that helps you make transactions and withdraw cash. This card is not connected to your bank.

For every friend that joins the Cash App using your referral code, you get $5 and they get $10.

You can also invest in specific companies with any amount of money you want. You can buy stocks with your Cash App fund and if it is less, the remaining sum will be drawn from your linked bank account.

Cash App users can buy and sell bitcoin. This facility comes with service fees for every transaction, and additional fees depending on the U.S. exchanges price.

Also Read: - Why is my Cash App Card not working

Things to keep in mind while using Cash App

The maximum spending limit with your Cash Card is 1000$ per day and week. The maximum spending limit per month is 1250$.

The maximum amount that can be withdrawn from your Cash Card is 250$ per transaction and per day. Per week the transaction limit is 1000$ and per month the limit is 1250$.

Even though there are refund and chargeback policies the sum of money on your Cash App account is not insured by the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation). This is why it is important not to get reckless with the ease of usage of the app and make correct transactions. If money is sent to someone by mistake, there may be troubles and you might have to initiate a Chargeback.

Also Read: - How to use Cash App card at ATM

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[1sthireposts]

Generator Hire- The Best Temporary Power Solution for Your Business

The Uses of a Generator-

The generator is a great invention that creates electricity for various applications. It usually turns mechanical energy into electrical energy and provides electricity to households and work place when there is no mains connection. There are different benefits of a generator you can obtain. They can be involved in both commercial and home uses. 

Commercial applications for a generator-

When a generator is being used in an office, it ensures vital information won't be lost during a power cut. It reduces the chances of downtime as it is the main power source on a building site. They can be also used for data centers of companies and you can access the data always without any interruption. You can understand the severe consequences of losing information for the business. In that case, Generator Hire in Surrey can be a great help. 

Not only offices, but they can also be a great advantage when using in a hospital when a hospital's mains electricity supply is cut off owing to different reasons. It can help to restore the basic power in such situations. It gives them light and heat at a time when people need it most.

The generator uses at home-

In many cases, we see that unexpected events occasionally conspire to leave homes without power. As we know that both urban and most of the rural areas depend on a reliable mains power supply, it is imperative to engage a generator on hand for emergency power.Reasons can vary such as severe weather conditions, faulty infrastructure, or vandalism of power cables, but the solution is one i.e. Best Generator Hire Sutton. 

When it comes to types of generators, you can have several options as per your requirement. You can also choose a diesel generator which may be the safest and cheapest to run in the long-term. However, you need to keep it in a safe area. There are also different portable generators available that you can use regularly to power a caravan or campsite. 

Should I Buy or Hire a Generator?

As we mentioned above, generators are indispensable for a back-up electricity supply for your small business or home in an emergency. You might be thinking that you would buy a generator overnight to get rid of these situations. However, Generator Hire can be also a great choice that you can opt for. 

Let’s discuss from both points of view and benefits of hiring a generator over buying one. Let’s find out which is the best option for you. 

Buying a generator overnight-

Undoubtedly, buying a generator can be a great decision although it can be expensive. There are some places where power cuts happen frequently due to different reasons. In such cases, owning a generator can be a lifeline and you won’t need to worry about anything. It can help to power basic home appliances like lighting, heating, or air-conditioning in the absence of mains power. 

On the flip side, it can be used in the outdoors; especially you can easily organize outing plans. It ensures that you have a power source for a caravan or campsite whenever you need it. You won’t suffer through periods of downtime when your mains electricity supply fails you. According to this viewpoint, buying a generator can help you in many ways. 

Hiring a generator may suit you-

Even though buying a generator is a good choice, but at the same time, you are unlikely to need a generator for most of the year. In such cases, Generator Hire may be a more affordable and convenient option.You can get a generator on rent when you need it that can lead to saving your money. Most essentially, if you face any difficulties with it or find some technical issues, then you can immediately take the help of your rental company. 

Hiring a generator can give you greater flexibility over purchasing one outright. You can hire a generator of a capacity that exactly you need for your applications and your rental company will help you in finding the right one. Once you booked your rental generator, it will be directly shipped to your doorstep sans hassle. You won’t need to have the inconvenience of having to transport this.

How to Get the Best Temporary Power Solution for Your Business?

Whether is it planned maintenance, unforeseen outages, extra seasonal demand, construction sites, events, and standby power, the generator can meet your demands effectively. As we know that there are certain situations where you need temporary power.

Have you ever imagined the consequences of sudden power cuts in your business? It leads to production grinds to a stop, servers and networks go offline, perilous systems can be stuck and even telephones stop ringing. All these situations may cause different problems that you cannot afford all the time as time is the most important asset of any business. 

In a nutshell, it is imperative to choose your generator hire supplier with the utmost care.No matter what reasons, you need to hire temporary power, make sure your rental company is experienced, knowledgeable, and dependable. You can find many firms will claim to provide generators as part of their fleet of general hire equipment and it seems cheap. But, we recommend hiring a professional Generator Hire in Surrey can be the best option instead that ensure a great deal in a professional way. 

Top tips to hire a generator professionally for your business-

Firstly, you should make sure about your requirements. When you contact your rental company over the phone or online, try to use their experience and expertise to spec the correct solution. In these ways, you can get the right solution for your application’s needs. 

Secondly, when you are choosing a generator for your needs, you ought to inspect the equipment prior to delivery to your site. It ensures the equipment you are hiring is in good working condition you can immediately use it. 

Thirdly, make sure your rental company is responsible and reliable which ensures great customer satisfaction. In case, you are facing any problem installing this equipment properly at your site, you may ask your rental company to install and commission a temporary power supply. It ensures how your rental firm is accountable for their clients. 

Fourthly, make sure your rental company comprehends the nature of power applications and is dedicated to keeping your business running. Make sure they are available for you whenever you need their assistance. 

Fifthly, a professional and experienced generator hire business will also have solutions such as additional equipment and additional requirements. So, always hire a professional company for the best solutions that other local companies cannot provide. 

In a nutshell, finding the best generator hire specialist ensures a temporary power supply in a professional, lucrative, and hassle-free manner. 

Frequently asked questions while hiring a generator for your business-

Do I need to pay a deposit when I hire a generator?

Different companies have different provisions. Sometimes, you may be asked for anexact deposit sumon your generator hire and this will count as security. It is advisable to confirm it before hiring one. 

Will your rental company arrange the fuel to run the generator?

Companies who hire the generators have to arrange for the fuel required to run the generator. However, rental companies will arrange the fuel if it was mutually agreed at the time of signing the rental contract.

How do generators on hire deal with breakdown situation?

A professional rental firm will always be ready to assist you with every problem. Especially, in the breakdown situations, they will try to fix the issue as soon as possible. Sometimes, it takes time so they can arrange for a mobile generator till your generator is repaired or replace it completely. 

What are the generator rental charges?

It simply depends on the time duration. It will be either calculated on per day basis or a full amount if you are hiring a generator for a long time. It may also vary with different companies so you should thoroughly compare the pricing range of different firms and accordingly make a decision. 

Is the generator on hire ready to run when I get it?

Well, it is a basic question that you might be thinking about. Yes, the generator on hire is completely ready to run when you get it. Do not need to worry about anything. All you just need to choose the right one as per your needs. They usually come with a full tank of fuel.

The generators you will get are sound attenuated, fuel-efficient, self-contained, easily transportable, and cost-effective. Also, they are specially designed to deal with the needs of hire applications regardless of industry, situation, or location. You will never be without electric power.

Will a generator rental company offer emergency services?

A professional and reliable generator rental company offers round-the-clock service in case of emergency and always ready to take care of your all concerns. Make sure your hire firm is also providing it to you. 

What is the shortest period for which a generator can be hired?

You can hire a generator on a daily basis as per your need or take it for a long time. You can also consult with the customer service team of your generator rental company before hiring. They timely execute their rental service in houses, offices, industries, and factories as per the demands of the clients.

Should I hire alicensed rental company?

Yes, you should engage a professional generator hire firm to get the best deal. You may find different companies, but a professional company can meet your needs as they follow all the rules and regulations. A professional Generator Hire in Surrey provides speedy services to both emergency and planned projects. Even, they have a broad range of generator rental equipment providing flexibility. You will have peace of mind. They will take care of your safety as they adhere to safety standards. They even supply generator rental equipment that has design features to guarantee security in your chosen place. All these generators are fully maintained and tested. 

Is a rental generator company providing for events and or home uses?

Apart from businesses, you can also hire a generator for everyday life or special occasions.These generators can also work just as well in a domestic environment. They come in small packages. If you are planning for home renovation or building an extension onto your home, opting for generator hire can be a great solution as they can help you in running different types of machinery involved in this work. It can save you money and time. 

If you are making a plan for organizing any sort of event, it can get support from power generators since they might be too far from a static power source. All you just need to book the right generator that would meet your needs. 

In a nutshell, opting for generator hire is the best solution for you on different occasions. Looking for the best rental company for Generator Hire in Surrey or nearby areas? You can visit www.1sthire.com.

Resources- https://sthireposts.blogspot.com/2020/11/generator-hire-best-temporary-power.html

[shirtlesssammy]

Repo Man: 7x15 Recap

Oh wow, hello episode that Boris saw...once. For all its Ben Edlund glory, this episode never made it into the rewatch rotation for me. I don’t know why, other than I was impatient for Cas to reappear and didn’t want to pick apart the subtextual story it was telling (who am I kidding, I didn’t watch the show for the subtext the first time around and this was an episode during the Cas-less wasteland.)

Then:

Sam continues to rock the brooding attractiveness of being haunted by the devil.

Now:

Four Years Ago:

In Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Ms. Havelock approaches a remote cabin, where Sam reluctantly welcomes her inside. It seems the Brothers Winchester have caught themselves a demon. (If I do my math correctly, this is circa season 3? Prior to Dean going to hell? Augh, this hurts to watch knowing how much hell breaks Dean.) The demon and Ms. Havelock exchange pleasantries. Ms. Haverlock has her say and takes off. The boys are left to torture the demon out of any information he has on Lilith. The demon decides to let Jeffrey, the possessed man, make an appearance.

Jeffrey pleads with the brothers to stop the demon. Sam tells him that they will, but they need information first, which means possibly hurting Jeffrey. He agrees, remembering the awful things the demon made him do. The demon takes over, and Dean starts slicing. They get the info they need, and exorcise the demon.

The Impala makes a cameo in the flashback as Dean drives Jeffrey to the E.R. Without ceremony, and an order to not mention demons, Dean drops him off and leaves. Oh Jeffery.

Now:

Ah, season 7. Dean gets a call from Frank Devereaux and Sam gets a brain visit from Lucifer. Sam’s still able to use the hand wound trick to make Luci disappear, thankfully. He then lays out their case on the bed. Same as four years ago, and Dean wonders who let their demon out of the great underground. Well, time to reopen the case.

*Dean is asleep in pajamas in bed alert*

(Ok, it’s not really an alert, we just never see him actually sleep or get comfortable in bed, so this was nice.)

Anyway, the police radio lights up a crime. The Winchesters are on the case. Once on the scene, the detective they worked with in the past recognizes Agents Bonham and Watts. They need their memories jogged for Detective Sutton’s name. Anyway, Sam finds sulfur at the scene (duh).

Sam and Dean decide to check in on Ms. Havelock. She seems fine, just unable to walk through her newly painted demon trap. (I don’t know how this episode ends...she’s possessed, right?) (Natasha: I vaguely remembered this one but still thought...why didn’t you just make your trap a leeeetle bit bigger so it would actually block the whole doorway? Otherwise those demons are just gonna sidle past like you just did.) She says she’s doing what she can to protect herself. Sam wonders if she’s had any contact with the demon. She says no and tells them that she’s leaving town soon. She then asks about Jeffrey. Some demons can be sentimental. Time to find that poor bastard.

Jeffrey is at a half-way home, and he’s adopting a dog. OMG, Jeffrey, I’m sorry I only watched your episode once. Your story hurts me. When picking up his new buddy, he hears a noise from an alley and decides to investigate. No, Jeffrey! Well, it’s just Sam and Dean, so that’s something. But still, let this poor injured man enjoy his life with his new canine companion.

They all head back to Jeffrey’s home (Luci too!).

Dean “I’m homeless and carless and have NOTHING IN THIS WORLD” Winchester has the nerve to mock Jeffrey’s living quarters. Jeffrey wonders what they want with him, and Dean tells him that the demon that possessed him is back. This really upsets Jeffery. Jeffrey Bean! (Ack, doesn’t work as well when it doesn’t rhyme.) Jeffrey asks what the last victim’s name was, and then tells the brothers who the next one on the list is. It seems the demon has a kill list, and he repeated it enough for Jeffrey to remember.

Someone knocks on Jeffrey’s door, and he goes to answer it. It’s his group leader. Sam and Dean, meanwhile, agree they really messed up the poor guy (but they didn’t --the demon did. Gah, the weight of responsibility of both of them hurts me so much). Sam heads out to find the next woman on the demon’s list, while Dean stays behind to watch over Jeffrey.

*Library Alert*

Ngl, they knocked this set out of the park. The unnecessary signage alone! And Marjorie Willis? I mean, *I* don’t dress like that but MY GOD is that a perfect representation of ALL my colleagues (Natasha is also an exception.) They do have Marjorie shelving though and that is not something she would do. Yep, we’ve reached the unnecessary portion of the recap where Boris nitpicks representations of her profession.

Sam settles in to watch his charge, Lucifer along for the ride.

Back at Jeffrey’s, Jeffrey fills Dean in on his life since the demon possession. He had a hard time of it --especially when he started to talk about what happened. “Never tell. Never... never., “ Dean retroactively warns. He does compliment Jeffrey on pulling himself together, but the demon is back. Jeffrey recalls a place where the demon nested (anyone getting weird Eugene Tooms vibes with that?)

At the library, Lucifer decides to mess with Sam’s mind by having him imagine patrons bash their heads into their study tables. Graphic. I mean, there’s like fleshy brain/head bits. Neutralizing Lucifer with his hand trick, Sam notices a Bad Boy™ with a leather jacket in the library.

Dean and Jeffrey arrive at the demon’s nest, conveniently with no cell coverage.

Back at the library Sam stalks the leather-jacketed suspect to the back of the library where...he finds one Madame Librarian getting thoroughly snogged in the “discontinued periodicals.” Peeping Sam slinks away…

Meanwhile, Dean’s led to Jeffrey’s demon’s hideaway. Dean breaks inside and finds a young man tied to a chair, dirty and bloodied. Dean runs up and begins to work on his chains when the guy wakes up. He starts to shout through his duct-taped mouth, eyes wide, and then Jeffrey springs up behind Dean and injects him with something. It’s lights out for our Dean Bean.

Sam continues to valiantly ignore a SUPER annoying Hallucifer and the dimples of discontent make an appearance as he examines his phone. He can’t get in touch with Dean. Gee, I hope everything is alright! Sam examines the toxicology report. The victims were all heavily tranquilized...odd for a demon to have to trank it’s victims, right? While Sam mulls this over and tries to ignore Hallucifer’s sterling conclusions, I try to ignore the unprofessional librarian making out with her faux biker boyfriend at her public desk. Sam snaps at Hallucifer to “shut up” as they both reach conclusions about super creeper Jeffrey...and Hallucifer preens at the attention. Now they can have a real two way conversation. (Muahahaha)

Sam infiltrates Jeffrey’s apartment, tearing it apart while Hallucifer thrills over getting to play Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys with Sam. Sam finds drugs and a fake bottom drawer. The false bottom drawer has a latin incantation hidden inside of it. Sam puzzles over the incantation and Hallucifer patiently walks him through it. Sam’s never seen that type of demon summoning spell before, but he has seen that handwriting!

Sam breaks into Nora’s witchcraft business where she attacks him. Hallucifer tells Sam to get tough and he threatens her…which gets her to talk. (Oh, Sam.) She finally confesses that she wrote the summoning spell for Jeffrey because he kidnapped her son, mailed her his ear, and told her she had to help him or her son would die. Jeffrey’s trying to raise up the demon who first possessed him. (Boris interjects: MAN, I’m such a sucker. I had the whole Tooms vibe feeling but still believed Jeffrey. You’d think I could read this show better after all these years, but nope.)

Back at Jeffrey’s creepy warehouse, he confesses that he loved being possessed. He loved his demon very, very much. Dean’s all SON OF A BITCH and YOU’RE A SERIAL KILLER and ALAS THE TERRIBLE NATURE OF MANKIND.

Dean asks Jeffrey if the list of women the demon killed came from him. Jeffrey owns up to it, confessing that whenever he passed by a certain woman on his list a sound would come from their brains that only he could hear. He’d follow them home and...you know the rest. (So creepy.)

Jeffrey had no plans to ever do anything until his demon came along. Once he was possessed, they set to killing together. After the demon was exorcised, Jeffrey descended into a deep depression until he gained the resolve to get the demon back.

Back with Sam, he learns why Jeffrey has Dean. When the first ritual Nora gave him didn’t work, she found a summoning spell that would definitely work. It required the blood of the exorcist - Dean. Sam commands her to do a tracking spell. “You want the ear,” he demands, “or the kid?” A compelling argument. It gave Hallucifer chills - so Sam’s definitely doing just A+ fine.

Jeffrey does some side exploration of the nature of torture and how good the Winchesters can be given the amount they tortured Jeffrey while he was possessed. It’s a pretty fucking good point (though it doesn’t get much follow-through here). It’s just more fuel for the Dean Winchester self loathing train.

Jeffrey does the summoning spell and the demon busts loose, possessing Nora’s son instead. He busts out of his chains, grins smarmily at Dean, and then hug/dances Jeffrey around the room. Jeffrey invites him to possess him but the demon tells him that he’s a protege and he’s free to fly on his own now. When Jeffrey isn’t down with the solo plan, the demon smacks him down.

Jeffrey captured a Winchester. He’s ready for the big leagues now. “Keep sawing away at your ropes Penelope Pitstop,” the demon tells struggling Dean. Jeffrey’s ready to fly on his own so the demon’s gonna make other plans. And the demon’s gonna “burn the kid off” on his way to Vegas.

Suddenly Sam is there! He fights the demon and lures him into a devil’s trap that Sam and Nora painted on the ceiling. Dean, meanwhile, finally busts free and when Jeffrey tries to head into the fray Dean shoots him dead. The witch performs an exorcism and saves her son.

Dean and Sam head into their hotel room. Dean all but passes out on the bed while Sam sits around quietly talking through the case. Sam prepares to sleep as well but Hallucifer murmurs in his ear. Now that the case is solved it’s time for them to talk. Sam tries to massage his injured hand (and by “massage” I mean practically reinjure) but nothing works. Now that Sam talked to Hallucifer he let him in. Now he can’t get rid of him. As we leave Sam, Hallucifer’s making Sam’s bed burn around him.

“Goooood morning Vietnam,” Hallucifer shouts, delighted. His cackle fades into black...

I love you madly, madly Madame Quotarian:

You ain’t the first demon we tracked down on this safari.

Librarian, indoor gardening enthusiast, our demon's next organ donor.

Right here in my discontinued periodicals.

Name. Number. Nightmare. Go.

“Sorry. Just had to make sure.” “Make sure of what – that I peed my pants today?”

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