#if you haven’t heard modern native music you are Missing Out

[cipher-the-sidhe]

I want to draw the Glamrocks and the DCA as PowWow dancers so bad but that would be just… so much detail. So mmmm it’ll have to wait.

But hear me out!

Sun and Moon: hoop dancers (Ojibwe/Anishinaabe)

Roxy: fancy shawl (Lummi)

Chica: Jingle dress (Lakota Sioux)

Monty: men’s fancy (Seminole)

Freddy: lead drummer/singer (Eastern Tsalagi/ Cherokee)

DJMM: Master of Ceremonies (Navajo/Diné)

And their regalia is just in their usual colors.

[kmalexander]

The 2020 Cosmic Horror Holiday Gift Guide

The phrase “Black Friday” has a more menacing tone in 2020—especially here in the United States. Hopefully, you’re following the advice of the experts, staying home, laying low, wearing masks, and washing your hands. But a pandemic shouldn’t stop gift giving! So, once again, I took some time and assembled my List of Lists for 2020. In it, you’ll find a plethora of paraphernalia for the weird-fiction fanatic, cosmic-horror connoisseur, or mythos maniac in your life. As with previous years, I’ve worked to assemble a list of exceptional items for all ages and budgets.

There’s a few changes this year. First, I’m now linking to IndieBound for all books. Please do what you can to support your local bookshops and small businesses. Odds are they can get you anything Amazon can, and it’ll help out your community. Secondly, where possible, I’m also linking to the author’s personal webpages. Check them out. Follow them. It’s a nice way to stay current with what’s happening in the world of weird fiction. Please remember, while I’ve ordered these by price, the prices and availability are subject to change. I don’t have any control over that. Happy shopping!

 QUICK LINKS 

• Books • Music • Apparel • Games • • Housewares • Miskatonic •

Books

Mother Hydra’s Mythos Rhymes by Jarred W. Wallace $9.95 + Shipping (Paperback)

This mock children’s book features twenty-one sinister nursery rhymes twisted with a Cthulhu Mythos bent and illustrated by the incredible Heather Hudson. Also included is a complete Edward Gorey-style alphabet. Every budding cultist should learn their ABCs after all.

The Worm And His Kings by Hailey Piper $13.00 + Shipping (Paperback) $6.99 (eBook)

This arrived only a few weeks ago, and I can’t wait to dive in. Set in New York City in 1990, the story follows Monique as she hunts for her missing girlfriend. But the trail goes much deeper than she realizes, sending Monique into a subterranean world of enigmatic cultists and shadowy creatures.

The Stars Were Right by K. M. Alexander $14.00 + Shipping (Paperback) $2.99 (eBook)

I’m nearly finished with Book Four’s edits. So, if you haven’t, now is the perfect time to start reading my Bell Forging Cycle. Follow Waldo Bell as he is sent careening through the multi-level megalopolis of Lovat, fighting to clear his name as a bloodthirsty killer stalks him. It’s mystery and monsters, chases and cults, and an ancient evil in a world that is similar but not quite like our own.

RADIO by J. Rushing $15.99 + Shipping (Paperback) $3.99 (eBook)

A jazz-infused, opium-soaked, historical fantasy with a transgressive edge that explodes from the opening chapter and never relents until its final pages—a welcome addition to modern fantasy literature and weird enough that it earned a place on this list.

Murder Ballads And Other Horrific Tales by John Hornor Jacobs $16.95 + Shipping (Paperback) $7.95 (eBook)

Seems like it’s becoming a tradition to see a new book from John Hornor Jacobs on this list every year, and it’s no surprise. He’s arguably one of the best mythos writers working today. This collection of recent horror and crime short stories takes you through tales involving old gods to malevolent artificial intelligences, plus it includes the sequel to his 2011 novel, Southern Gods.

The Cipher by Kathe Koja $17.95 + Shipping (Paperback) $3.99 (eBook)

Part haunted house story, part body horror, part descent-into-madness tale all told in the style of Transgressive Literature. The Cipher is one of those stories I was shocked I hadn’t read until this year. Koja writes stunningly physical characters and knotted complex relationships that feel eerily familiar to anyone who’s spent time in artist circles. Enjoy the Fun Hole. (One of my 2020 Three Great Horror Reads for Halloween.)

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones $26.99 + Shipping (Hardcover) $9.99 (eBook)

At its heart, this is a horror novel about growing up poor and native in western Montana. But The Only Good Indians also a novel about revenge, mistakes, and their extended consequences. I blew through it. I grew up not too far from where this novel is set, and I have yet to find a recent author that captures the behavior and actions of the people in that area quite as well as Jones. You’ll never look at elk the same way again. (One of my 2020 Three Great Horror Reads for Halloween.)

The City We Became by N. K. Jemisin $28.00 + Shipping (Hardcover) $14.99 (eBook)

The first of the Great Cities series focuses on a roiling, ancient evil that stirs beneath the streets of New York City and threatens to destroy the city. New York must go on, and it will take five protectors scattered across the boroughs coming together to stop it. An allegorical response to Lovecraft’s work and a love letter to the city.

The Dark Brotherhood and Other Pieces by H.P. Lovecraft $650.00 + Shipping (One Copy Available—Sold via AbeBooks)

This rare late-60s first edition copy from Arkham House is in fine condition with a fine dustwrapper. It also comes with an inscription by the publisher and editor of this work: “for Herb Arnold from the compiler – August Derleth.” An extremely unique find and a unique piece of weird fiction history.

No book catches your interest? Check out the books featured in one of the previous guides. • 2014 Books • 2015 Books • 2016 Books • 2017 Books • 2018 Books • 2019 Books •

Music & Audio

Tribute To H.P. Lovecraft by Epsilon Eridani Free (Digital Download)

This atmospheric and somber dark ambient album is the third project from Mexican electronic artist Juan Pablo Valle. Blending instrumental tracks, spoken words performances, and recitations of parts of Lovecraft’s stories, this tribute serves as an excellent horror soundtrack.

The Yellow Sign $6.99 (Digital Download)

While Lovecraftian music often skews towards dark ambient or metal performances, The Yellow Sign goes takes a more orchestral approach. Composer Graham Plowman has created a fantastic classical soundtrack putting this album on par with any feature film—brooding, menacing, and wonderfully enjoyable.

Beyond Madness by Aklo $9.00 (Digital Download)

Erich Zann would be jealous. Aklo, like its madness-inducing namesake, is hard to pin down. But this album captures “the beyond” in ways not often heard in modern music. Part noise, part experimental, Beyond Madness is an excellent addition to any Lovecraft fan’s collection.

Live from Stockholm by Ogham Waite $12.00 (Digital Download)

Ogham Waite, one of Innsmouth’s Deep One inhabitants, and the Amphibian Jazz Band are the mythos’ answer to the lounge stylings of early Tom Waits. Bluesy and moody, this seductively smokey album drips with saltwater. Waite’s performance and delivery are melodious as they are melodic, a great addition to mythos music.

Ambrose Bierce’s The Boarded Window $20.00 + Shipping (Vinyl)

This limited vinyl pressing of Bierce’s unsettling perspective-shifting tale is read by Anthony D. P. Mann and scored by Chris Bozzone. Cadabra Records always goes the extra mile with their products, and it’s clear from the hand-poured red and white splattered vinyl to the incredible art by Jeremy Hush.

Deities by Tortuga €22.50 ($26.68) + Shipping (Vinyl) €5.00 ($5.93) (Digital Download)

This one showed up randomly on a playlist, and I found myself intrigued. Once I listened to it, I became a fan. Tortuga is a Polish doom metal band whose work is loaded down with intricate and heavy driving riffs inspired by Lovecraft’s writings. It’s good stuff.

Not finding any music or audio that interests you? Check out one of the previous guides. • 2014 Music • 2015 Music • 2016 Music • 2017 Music • 2018 Music • 2019 Music •

Apparel

Tiki Cthulhu Embroidered Patch $9.00 + Shipping

I see many patches as I search for new cosmic horror gear throughout the year, and occasionally I find one that rises to the top. This sew-on tiki-styled Ctuhulu is 3″ x 2.5″ and was created for the 2018 H. P. Lovecraft Film Festival. If you want a mythos inspired adornment for your bag or jacket that’s a bit outside the norm, look no further.

Cthulhu Socks $18.00 + Shipping

It’s winter in the northern hemisphere, that means you need to keep your appendages warm. Also, socks-for-Christmas is a right of passage. Why not consider getting these Cthulhu Socks from PutYourSocksOn featuring tentacles up the side and an illustration of the dead and dreaming Cthulhu on the ankle.

Sourpuss Tropicthulhu Rosie Dress $29.00 + Shipping

When you are associated with the ocean, you generally get associated with the tropics regardless of where your sunken city dwells. This 40’s style Rosie Dress allows you to show your appreciation of R’lyeh’s favorite son in a subtle but delightful manner.

Amulet of Azathoth £23.95 ($34.42) + Shipping

It’s the grandpappy of the mythos deities in amulet form! Well, kinda. A representation of the nuclear chaos beyond angled space himself. This antique amulet is a little over an inch and a half long and is cold cast in a mixture of resin and brass—a stunning little pendant.

Mother & Father Statuary Set $85.00 + Free Shipping

These handmade and hand-painted resin figures of Dagon and Hydra would work perfectly as bookends or garden statues. Aged in a way to evoke feelings of lost treasure salvaged from the seafloor or perhaps a dank and forgotten chamber somewhere beneath Innsmouth. Kinda cute to boot.

Cara Mater Silvae Shub-Niggurath Woodcut Print $187.50 + Free Shipping (Limited Edition)

Liv Rainey-Smith’s fantastic woodcut work has long been a fixture in the weird lit community. This limited-edition print is done in the style of a sacred icon and features a great rendition of Shub-Niggurath, The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young, or as my readers will know her, “Cybill.”

Keeper of the Nightmare Mask $331.53 + Free Shipping (Made to Order)

Plague doctors always cut a fearsome figure in humanity’s historical memory, but what lies beneath that leather mask and shielded eyes? This custom made-to-order mask twists tentacles to form that familiar (and terrifying) plague-doctor shape adding an extra level of menace to an already menacing form.

Not finding apparel you like? Check out the apparel on one of the previous guides. • 2014 Apparel • 2015 Apparel • 2016 Apparel • 2017 Apparel • 2018 Apparel • 2019 Apparel •

Games

No Players Online Name Your Own Price (Windows/Linux)

What starts as a simple old demo of a capture-the-flag 3D shooter found on a discarded tape eventually twists and turns becoming something else entirely. I’m a sucker for the 80s glitch aesthetic, and it’s used here in masterfully unsettling ways—multiple endings, interesting game world, very much worth your time.

Kadath $5.99 (Digital Download, Early Access)

This first chapter of a first-person cosmic-horror adventure has you following the case of a World War II Nazi train that vanished only to reappear in a cave in the Himalayas 75 years later. Dripping with atmosphere and filled with brilliant puzzles, this first chapter left me excited for Kadath and wanting more.

Fate of Cthulhu $20.00 (Downloadable PDF) $35.00 + Shipping (Book + PDF)

In this tabletop roleplaying game from Fred Hicks and Evil Hat Productions, you and your friends will find yourself sent into the past on a mission to prevent the future. It’s a race against time as you try to stop the stars from being right and prevent Cthulhu’s foretold return, all before you and yours are transformed into something monstrous.

Elder Sign Dice – Blue Aether $24.99 + Shipping

Infinite Black has been making some wonderful cosmic-horror-themed gaming products for a few years. They’ve finally gotten easy enough to nab for holiday gifts. These Blue Aether Elder Sign Dice stood out to me, but they have a robust catalog making it easy to find the right gift for the dicing Lovecraft fan in your life. (Or yourself.)

Fate of the Elder Gods $63.99 + Shipping

Cults battle cults in this race to summon your ancient order’s elder god of choice! But it’s not just the other conniving worshippers and cult leaders you need to worry about, crafty investigators are on the prowl, and they’re working to subvert everyone’s goals as well. Hasten the earth’s doom in this competitive area-control game for two to four players.

Hastur $274.99 + Shipping (Two Shipments)

I’m a big fan of the Mysterious Package Company, the quality of their products always impresses. This latest journey into the realm of Hastur is no exception. Taking place over several mailings, Hastur invites the recipient into the world of the King in Yellow, the play with the same name, and the utter madness that dwells within those words.

Not finding a game you’d enjoy? Check out the games on one of the previous guides. • 2014 Games • 2015 Games • 2016 Games • 2017 Games • 2018 Games • 2019 Games •

Housewares & Collectables

Cedric’s Eatery 11oz. Mug $16.00 + Shipping

It’s cold out, and you need a new mug. Why not pick one up from Lovat’s own Cedric’s Eatery located in the entresol between Levels Three and Four. An in-between place for in-between folks. Waldo Bell’s latest hangout. Fill your mug with 11 oz. of bad coffee, your favorite tea, or something stronger. [From the pages of the Bell Forging Cycle.]

Cthulhu Clay Idol & Letter $29.80 + Free Shipping

Alternative takes on the Cthulhu idol are rare. More often than not, we see the same shape repeated over and over. Because of that, this rawer, more original piece stood out to me. It feels more realistic in many ways, reminding me of the sort of thing one would find on an archeological dig. Plus, with the attached letter, you get a little mini-experience here.

Sea Monster Shower Curtain $32.00 + Shipping

There be dragons. And there. And there. And… well, all over the place! If you love weird old sea monsters and old maps, then this curtain will be perfect for you. Decorate your shower with this fantastic curtain featuring beasts that look lifted from early Renaissance maps. 70″ x 72″. Liner recommended.

Cthulhu Lovecraft Blanket $59.99 + Shipping

As cooler air moves into the northern hemisphere, we can all celebrate the arrival of the cozy season. To stay warm, why not cuddle up beneath this cotton and acrylic Jacquard Knit blanket featuring the squatting visage of The Great Dreamer himself? He might be cold but you don’t have to be.

Anxious Blob Original Sculpture $325.00 + Shipping (Supplies are limited.)

This weird little one-off sculpture of a nervous little entity is made with polymer clay and hand-painted. The eye sits beneath a glass dome giving this piece a unique character. Who among us hasn’t wanted an anxious blob with hundreds of teeth and a single staring eye decorating our walls?

Not finding a houseware item you like? Check out the housewares from one of the previous guides. • 2016 Housewares • 2017 Housewares • 2018 Housewares • 2019 Housewares •

Miskatonic University

Miskatonic University Pennant $15.99 + Shipping

I love seeing all the different takes for Miskatonic University collegiate gear. Here you can show your support for “Ole Misk” with a felt pennant from H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society and cheer on the “mighty Miskatonic Myrmidons” to another victory. Wave that banner proudly!

Miskatonic University Real Leather Notebook $41.40 + Shipping

Journaler? Artist? Writer? Mathematician? Norwegian sea captain? Random idea generator? If you’re one of these, odds are you need a notebook. This 8″x6″ Miskatonic-themed journal features 100 sheets of thick handmade Khadda paper and is durable enough for the dig site while still being elegant enough for the classroom.

Miskatonic University Wax Seal $48.07 + Shipping

Secure your correspondence with old friends from bygones eras who seek answers using this classic and exquisite seal. It might not stop prying eyes, but at least your old colleagues will know if someone’s been tampering with their mail. (Wax sold separately.)

Miskatonic University Hockey Sweater $109.00 + Shipping (Supplies are limited.)

Every sports fan needs a jersey. Miskatonic students are no different. It’s why when I came across this Hockey Sweater from Geeky Jerseys I knew it’d be perfect for the cosmic horror student in your life. (While this one is great, I’m hoping the superior Miskatonic 2.0 sweater becomes available once again.)

Not finding any Miskatonic University gear you like? Check out the Miskatonic University items from one of the previous guides. • 2014 Miskatonic • 2015 Miskatonic • 2016 Miskatonic • 2017 Miskatonic • • 2018 Miskatonic • 2019 Miskatonic •

  Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

So that wraps up the seventh annual List of Lists. Let’s all keep wearing our masks, socially distancing, and washing our hands so we can all do this again next year. Big thank you to everyone who has suggested items in the past to help me pad out this list. Y’all rule. If I didn’t get to your submission, fret not. There are many more holidays ahead. I appreciate the help.

Do you have a book, game, album, or other weird fiction-related items I should feature in 2021’s Cosmic Horror Holiday Gift Guide? Leave a comment below with links to your favorite goodies for others to see, or send me an email as a potential submission for next year!

Want to stay in touch with me? Sign up for Dead Drop, my rare and elusive newsletter. Subscribers get news, previews, and notices on my books before anyone else delivered directly to their inbox. I work hard to make sure it’s not spammy and full of interesting and relevant information. Sign Up Today→

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[bubbleteakoala]

Hey guys! Since we’re all at home, why not practice your target languages a bit? Here’s a list of movies, tv shows, as well as variety shows in Chinese! For those of you who don’t learn Chinese, this is also a great way to entertain yourselves while learning a bit more about the world and Chinese culture(s). I’m not sure where you can watch these cause that would depend on the country you are in and etc. Anyways, let’s go!

那些年

(10/10) Iconic. A true story too! From what I remember, it follows the love story of a guy who tries his best to get better grades in order to get the girl. Eventually they go to college and they split because of this stupid fight. It’s a great story revolving around the idea that when you love someone you just want them to be happy, even if it isn’t with you. There is a book for those of you who are interested, but from what I heard many details were left out of the movie.

我的少女时代

(7/10) Another iconic one, however I feel like it’s too similar to 那些年. It’s about a good girl that pairs up with this bad boy (cliche I know) just to split up their crushes who *seem* to be together. There’s also this whole backstory about how the bad boy and the girl’s crush were friends until an unfortunate event. Unlike 那些年 it has a happy ending! (But personally it was too idealistic)

快把我哥带走

(10/10) God I love this movie so much! I literally cried at the end! It’s a heartwarming movie about a girl who wishes that her older brother, who annoys her a lot, doesn’t exist. She wakes up after this and enters a world where her brother is now her best friend’s brother. By observing her brother and her best friend, she starts to miss having a brother. Eventually, she learns that everything her brother does was for a reason and tries to reverse her wish. (I really don’t want to spoil it please watch it it’s so good!!)

小小的愿望

(8.5/10) Mainly about friendship and a brotherly bond. Two best friends try to grant the last of the trio’s dying wish. Which proves to be quite hard hahaha... it’s quite comical but the ending is what really hits you. I cried in this one too... would definitely recommend to watch at least once! (Oh right, and one of the actors is the brother from 快把我哥带走 and another is the main guy from 我的少女时代)

少年的你

(8/10) Not really my type of movie, but it’s still pretty good. It talks about bullying, shows the repercussions of it, and mixes in the kind of romance you have in your youth. It was really popular when it came out here, so watching it may give you some convo topics with natives~

小欢喜

(11/10) I’m serious. This is one of the best shows I’ve seen. It focuses on three families and their children in their last year of High School. Each family has their own problems which they eventually overcome: separated parents, parents who were absent, pressure on grades and school, depression, etc. The children also mature and grow as the story progresses. It’s a pretty modern tv series, so it’s easy to follow. It shows modern culture pretty well, but keep in mind that it takes place in Beijing, so it’s gonna be different for other regions. It’s also loosely based on the series 小别离 that focuses on middle school instead of high school, so check that one out too!

亲爱的，热爱的

(7.5/10) Ok if you like those mushy, cringy, romance type of stories, this one’s for you. As long as you survive the first 2 or 4 (?) episodes, the story gets better. It’s a pretty interesting series that revolves around this competition called CTF (I really don’t remember what it’s called sorry!) that’s basically like defense and hacking. So Guy 1 was a famous player but is now the CEO of a company/agency for young boys who are in the competition now. Enter Girl 1, a college student (masters I think) that’s smart, pretty, kind, yep. All that. It’s a story about how their each other’s first love and how they both navigate their lives after that. Honestly, I watch it when I’m in the mood. It’s not that bad.

最好的我们

(7/10) Some of you may have watched the movie but my sister swears that this one is better. From what my mum says it’s based on a book too?? If you like school dramas, like 那些年, then you’re gonna like this one. Follows the characters through their 3 years of high school, and shows how they grow, mature, and figure out their lives. Some falls in love, some realizes that the ups deserve better. And then there’s our main couple...SLOW BURN. YES ITS SO SLOW. BUT ITS SO GOOD. So check this one out if you have the time

闪光小女

(8.5/10) I didn’t like this one at first, but it got better. It’s about a group of kids in a music school and how they want to perform on stage. They major in Chinese traditional instruments, but the school prefers those who major in western instruments so they don’t get any opportunities at all. Also, most people nowadays learn western instruments like the piano more, so less and less kids are learning traditional instruments. It’s a story about growing up, the pains of it, staying true to yourself, and also standing up for yourself. It may seem weird at first, but it has a lot of life lessons that you can take form it. There’s also a movie too, but trust me, this one is better.

向往的生活

(10/10) YASSS THIS ONE RIGHT HERE. Ok so I mainly only watched the 3 season since it has the actors for 快把我哥带走 in it (yes I like it that much). For the start of every episode, the 嘉宾 (the ones that are invited to film... what are they called....I can’t remember it in English..) of the previous episode leaves in the morning, then in the afternoon, new ones come!! It’s like farm life in China. The 嘉宾 tells the hosts what they want to eat, then once they come, they have to help the host prepare the dish by harvesting the food, catching the fishes, etc. It also has a lot of life lessons from it. So I recommend this to anyone who likes foods, culture, and wants to take a break from busy lives (... well I don’t know if that would have the same effect now since we’re all at home...)

中餐厅

(9/10) I also only watched the 3rd season for this one. So the third season is about a group of celebrities (and one chef) that travels to Italy, and starts a Chinese restaurant there. It shows them managing it, buying ingredients, cooking, designing a menu, and basically trying to survive. They have a quota that they have to reach by the end of the season. Oh and they also get wages, which is pretty cute since they use it for treats when they’re not working. Another one for the foodies!

密室大逃脱

(9/10) Oh yessss, ok so my mum, my sister, and my sister’s classmates are obsessed with this one. For those of you that don’t know, 密室s are like escape rooms, and it’s like a whole culture here. It’s what you would go play with friends, and each has a different theme and mystery that you have to solve to get out. It’s also pretty creepy cause of how real everything is. But anyways, there are two versions of this show: a pro version that shows how the pros solve it, and the celebrity version. Personally I haven’t seen the pro version, but my sister says that the celebrity version is funnier and more realistic cause most of the time they can’t figure it out and gets trapped in a room for hours (then one of the members starts to eat the props, those that are food btw, not like plastic). So this one is great for those who likes suspense and comedy mixed together.

Extra:

朋友请听好

(?/10) This one is pretty new. My mum has been watching this one lately and she says it’s great. It’s a show about a group of celebrities that starts their own radio show, I believe. From what my mum says it has a lot of life lessons in it. Check it out.

(This is my Week 4 post for the langblr activation challenge, you can find my other post here: Week 1, Week 2, Week 5)

[ourcollectivefantasy]

OC Profile

The Basics ––– –

Age: 480 (Human equiv. 48)

Birthday: October 18th. 

Star Sign: Scorpio.

Race: Sin’Dorei / Blood Elf

Gender: Cisgender Male

Face / Body Claim: Ewan McGregor

Marital Status: Married, but separated [for over 10 yrs]. No plans for divorce.

Relationship practice: Polyamory

Server: Wyrmrest Accord - Horde (Faction Neutral)

Physical Appearance ––– –

Wardrobe: 80s London Punk. Black on black, otherwise greyscale or muted, cool colours. Studded leather jackets, spiked combat boots, vintage punk rock band t-shirts. Prefers solids with classic lines. Almost all clothes are second hand from Charity Shops.

Hair: Bright ginger. Short faux-hawk style with long sideburns. In the Winter months, keeps a trim beard.

Eyes: Emerald green.

Height: 6′7″

Build: Swimmer/Jogger's athletic, slim build. Slightly under weight but muscled.

Common Accessories: Wears lots of rings of bone, metal, and stone on his fingers. A plethora of necklaces and bracelets on each wrist. Carries a Dwarven vintage carved silver cigarette case & matching lighter. Never without his comm and his motorcycle keys. Concealed throwing daggers in inside jacket pocket, as well as a coil of steel guitar strings, and full dagger in his boot, always. Wears a small silver hoop earring in right ear.

Distinguishing Marks: Sprayed with freckles all over his body and face. Missing both middle fingers. Thin white scar across his throat (affects his voice; graveled). Silver coin sized scars on fronts and backs of hands and feet. Banishment symbol burned into his chest. Small K scar over his heart; large K scar on right shoulder. 

Tattoos: Small sound wave behind left ear. Maiden’s Anguish at base of throat/along trapezius. Pirate ship (enchanted) on left bicep. Two birds holding banner that says ‘BAD SEED’ over a skull on right bicep. Troll-style boa constrictor wraps from right knee, up thigh, and across hip. Small gypsy clan symbol (skull ontop of a rose) on lower back.   

Personal ––– –

Profession: Founder and CEO of Blacksong Records.

Hobbies: Partying - frequent patron of Succulent Tart, Howling Owl, and Red Moon. Recreational drugs & drinking. All things music: goes to punk rock concerts, buys and trades vintage records, plays mech-guitar, repairs broken guitar pedals and amps. Riding and repairing motorcycles. Extreme sports, primarily stunt biking and surfing.  

Languages: Traveler (Native), King’s Common, Dwarven, Thalassian, Orcish Common, Sign Language.

Residence: Lordaeron Coast, and sometimes Silvermoon. 

Birthplace: Quel’Thalas

Religion: Mildly Old Ways/Traveler (Pagan).

Relationships ––– -

Spouse: Kharris Dawndancer-Blacksong

Dating: Aelberyn & Jericho Bloodsword (Primaries), Saeil Moonblade, Se’lysona Riverblade. 

Children: Aelenna Sinead “Sean” Bloodsword & Fib Bloodsword, both almost 5 yrs.

Parents: Maebh Blacksong & Daigh Blacksong (deceased).

Siblings: Younger brother, Kieran Blacksong.

Other Relatives: One female younger cousin, Fox. Status unknown.

Sex & Romance ––– –

Sexual Orientation: Pansexual

Preferred Role: Dominant | Submissive | Switch

Preferred Position: Bottom | Top | Vers

Libido: Extremely High

Turn ons: Power, confidence, high intelligence, witty sense of humor, empathy, submissiveness, great conversation, flirty.  

Turn offs: Trying-too-hard, mind games, wall flowers, air heads, big egos, pretty but no substance, bad conversationalists, people that only talk about themselves, drama queens, brats.

Love Language: Quality Time & Physical Touch

Kinks:  BDSM, WAM, leather & latex, sensory deprivation, mask play, blood play, knife play, age or pet play, dirty talk, phone sex & sexting, being watched/performing or watching, sharing/group sex, cuckolding, orgies, sex clubs, casual sex.

Relationship Tendencies: Prefers casual sex and FWB. Romance adverse, and very selective about who he gets into commitments with. Once committed, stays in relationships a very long time and plays the emotional role of Dominant, with a focus on care giving and very protective.

Traits ––– -

* Bold your character’s answer.

Extroverted / In Between / Introverted

Disorganized / In Between / Organized

Close Minded / In Between / Open-Minded

Calm / In Between / Anxious

Disagreeable / In Between / Agreeable

Cautious / In Between / Reckless

Patient / In Between / Impatient

Outspoken / In Between / Reserved

Leader / In Between / Follower

Empathetic / In Between / Apathetic

Optimistic / In Between / Pessimistic

Traditional / In Between / Modern

Hard-working / In Between / Lazy

Cultured / In Between / Uncultured

Loyal / In Between / Disloyal

Faithful / In Between / Unfaithful

Additional information ––– –

Smoking Habit: Often. Smokes mainly bloodthissle. Drugs: Often. Very into party drugs. Long history of struggle with heroin. Alcohol: Often. “Defaults” to functioning alcoholic, but can get crazy at parties.

RP Hooks ––– –

Music Fans - He runs a small but successful punk rock music label. If you’re into rock, punk, or even just a music fan, you’ve probably heard of Blacksong Records or even one of his bands. You may even know his face from music magazines; he’s often in the background at concerts or industry parties. Feel free to mention it!

Pirates & Sailors - He used to run a very successful and well known salvage company (Atlas Treasure Salvage, or ATS). They were well known in the Booty Bay, Bilgewater, and Orgrimmar ports. It’s possible you saw him around “in the old days”.

Drugs - He’s well connected among drug dealers as both a buyer and seller. Got a big party you want to sell to? He’s your in. Or maybe you’re looking for pure quality and tired of thugs selling you stems in the Drag? He’ll get you the good stuff if you’re willing to pay top coin.

Motorcycles - He’s a frequent shopper at gear head garages around Quel’Thalas. He also stops off at biker taverns for a pint on the way home from work. You may have seen him. Or maybe you just notice the brand of his jacket or boots are a familiar favourite amongst aficionados. 

Gossip Rags - Is your character SUPER into Silvermoon tabloids? Iloam is “reportedly” dating one of the hottest couples of the SMC Elite crowd, Baron & Baroness Aelberyn & Jericho Bloodsword. Paps frequently snap them slipping into vine covered cafes and exclusive night clubs. Your character may have a theory on the whole ‘are they or arent they’ debate that keeps socialites guessing on the trio’s relationships status.

OOC Info  ––– –

Mun is 21+ in age. Dark themes/ERP friendly.

I have been playing WoW since the beta for Vanilla and gone through many phases of enjoying PvE aspect (including a raiding guild), but at this point I only play for RP and have no interest in game play. I prefer Discord text RP for 1:1 or small group scenes. I generally only login to game for RP events or by request.

For text RP, I am very bad about forum style/casual post RP and will generally lose track of it quickly. I also try to stray from forum style post on Tumblr for the same reason. The best way to RP with me to set a date/time to both login to Discord or game and set aside several hours to write out a scene together.

I’m a very fast typer and tend to do multi-para for scene sets only, and then fall into a more natural rhythm as the scene plays out. I do not ask that partners match my post length.

Communication is very important to me. OOC discussion of dark themes or comfort level with ERP will be discussed first. I am happy to FTB or avoid topics that are triggering. I also ask that my partners always feel comfortable letting me know if for any reason big or small, they need to cancel a scene or are not feeling up to it. Real life will always come first.

Contact Information  ––– –

@ourcollectivefantasy​ is Iloam’s In-Character blog, shared with characters of Aelberyn and Jericho Bloodsword.

@blacksongrecords​ is Iloam’s record company blog. Look here for event announcements!

All follows from my OOC blog @desolatedangel. 

I am reachable in-game via mail on the name: Ilóam

Feel free to send me an ask or message for my Discord handle, but if we haven’t met before I prefer we mutually follow each other’s Tumblr and interact a little bit before giving that out.

[mxrcayong]

the avatar series: 01.16

masterlist.

previous | next 

chapter sixteen

It seemed as everyone was walking on broken glass today; creeping around as if the very words to even address the events of tonight were venomous. To replace the topic of great anticipation, discussions regarding the weather and newest music favorites echoed throughout the island.

The White Lotus Society hasn’t had to prepare for an event similar since even before Avatar Aang passed away. Consequently, even the most experienced society members are unsure how to help out Tari and her companions. Everyone, even Sukiara, has been walking around the island as if one wrong move – one misstep will cause the ocean to swallow Bak Mei whole.

The only society members who seemed to know what today needed were the chefs, as they produced what seemed to be an endless amount of food from all four of the nations in order to give everyone a little bit of home before the event of tonight.

Yuta was focused on the plate in front of him, his utensils digging deep into the series of dishes he chose from the buffet. “This reminds me so much of home.” He moaned, biting into the Komodo Chicken prepared for lunch.

“Okay but would you rather know every native language known to man or have all the knowledge, except languages, from Wan’s Library?” Sonan asked, ignoring Yuta’s praise, as she gulped down her Mango and Lychee tea.

“Wan’s Library, 1000%.” Doyoung insisted, furrowing his eyebrows and flinching his head back. The answer was obvious to him, he’d bet his extra bowl of tofu and mung bean curry.  

Yuta hummed, “I agree.”

“I’d say languages.” Jisung shrugged as he finished his side plate of octopus fritters. His answer made Yuta and Doyoung turn their heads harshly to face him in shock. “What! Native languages allows you to speak to everyone in this world, you can learn relevant knowledge from them!” His voice increased in pitch as he defended his opinion.

“No yeah, I agree with Jisung.” Kilari jumped up to defend him, despite her mouth still being full of smoked sea slug pieces. “I rather be able to talk to everyone living than know everything about the past.”

Yuta faked disgust, before turning to Johnny who was drinking his favorite cherry-berry smoothie. “You?”

“I would say languages so I can translate my articles and even reach out to larger audiences.” Johnny shrugged, “But, I would love the information on fighting techniques from the library.”

“You have to pick one!” Sonan challenged.

“You haven’t picked yourself!” Johnny teased, his head leaning in mockingly. Sonan remained tight-lipped as a result, playfully rolling her eyes as if she was annoyed.

Jisung furrowed his eyebrows, “Anyways, wasn’t Wan’s library a myth?”

To Tari’s surprise, it wasn’t only her who shook her head. Tari’s past life witnessed the sinking of Wan’s famous library, but she can’t be certain that he addressed it to the public. From Johnny, Doyoung, and Sonan nodding – she can tell that others have heard the tales. Sonan, however, might’ve been told the stories as a bedtime story as her father was actually there and one of the causes behind the sudden flooding of sand.

Tari smiled. Although the terrible events of tonight are ahead of them, they are able to relax for a while. Yes, through the last few days – they haven’t always been talking about the upcoming battle, but this is the first time Tari relished in this distraction. Despite her recent thinking she’d be better off alone, she can’t be happier with the people she was with now.

She felt overflowing with gratitude. Eventually, she dazed out of the conversation and observed the smiles on their faces – the laughter, the light-hearted conversation. For once, everything felt normal. Everything felt like it had been before the attacks. Tari ended up grinning at anything and everything. Right now, Tari can’t care less if her friendships with them doesn’t transcend lifetimes. What she cares about is that she’s with them now, and there’s no place she’d rather be.

“Tari?” Sonan waved her hand in front of Tari’s eyes, successfully breaking her out of her trance.

Tari’s eyes widened, her eyebrows lifting and humming as if to ask her to repeat what she said. She couldn’t say it with words – her mouth was full of five-flavor soup and she knew if she’d talk right now, it’d look disgusting.

“She said…” Yuta nudged Tari’s knee with his own, a small smirk playing on his lips. “…would you rather live in the Fire Lord’s old beach home or in a home Ba Sing Se?”

“Modern Ba Sing Se or past as in with the Dai Li?” Tari asked, knowing that’ll completely impact her answer. It’s all about being decisive, but like Aang said – the situation matters.

Climbing onto the bison felt like heaving a million rocks to the top of the mountain.

Maybe it’s the knowledge that there is a possibility they’ll die, or they’ll lose something about themselves, be it bending or a sense of carelessness about world events. Maybe it’s the knowledge that after tonight, the city will completely change.

The day full of distracted dialogue and varying conversations has long been forgotten with the sunset ahead of them. They have four hours until the bending event starts, which means around three hours to get there and get on the attendance sheet. It takes an hour and so to get there, but they need time to get out of their White Lotus robes, pajamas, and hand-me-down clothes.

Tari’s companions seem to have never flew a flying bison without the heaviness on their shoulders and the weights in their feet. From travelling there to travelling home, every moment on the bison was thick with tension. The Avatar only wishes that they could experience a ride free of worries. “Shall we sing a song?” Johnny joked, nudging Doyoung who took that as a sign to immediately start singing.

Tari looked at her friends’ faces - all smiling, singing and humming. Despite the anxiety coursing through her veins, she wished this moment never ends.

“I forgot how buff Johnny was.” Kilari gasped, spotting Johnny approach the meeting spot with his sleeveless V-neck black vest and tight black tactical pants Tari recognized from their adventures rock climbing.  His muscles were practically bulging, taking everyone’s - particularly Kilari’s - breath away. “Why doesn’t he show it off more often?” She whispered to Sonan and Tari, making the two roll their eyes – although they’re both truly impressed with his figure.

Sonan chuckled, “Don’t check out our friend, oh my gosh.” She rolled her eyes, “Plus, I thought you liked Yuta.” Kilari shrugged with a small smirk.

“Nothing wrong with checking out the views.” She commented off-handily before moving to look at Yuta, who like Johnny, was wearing a sleeveless shirt although more loose with the top buttons undone. “Yuta is definitely not as buff, but still, hot damn.”

Doyoung furrowed his eyebrows. “Why aren’t I getting any comments?” He playfully pouted. Tari immediately brightened up at that comment, chuckling, before going to lovingly hold his arm in a hug.

“We love you really.” Tari smiled up at him, resting her chin on his shoulder.

Sonan nudged Doyoung, “It’s just you came with us so we can’t comment discreetly about what you’re wearing.” Doyoung, unlike Johnny and Yuta who were flaunting their biceps, was wearing a windbreaker over his shirt.

“How we feeling?” Jisung asked through gritted teeth as everyone formed a circle, his anxieties and concern obvious to everyone. “I think we can do it.” Tari had a feeling he was saying that due to the Law of Attraction rather than his own belief.

Tari lifted her hand up and rested it on Jisung’s shoulder, “You can go home.” She smiled sadly, knowing what it’s like to be so young and forced into a dangerous situation. Her arm slithered around his shoulders and brought him to a tight hug, hoping to calm down his nerves. “You’re on the attendance sheet, but it won’t matter. After tonight, it’ll be over.”

And she means it. She’ll die before she lets anything happen to Jisung and her friends.

Jisung shook his head. “I can hold my own.” He insisted, his lips forming a small pout that Tari understands was supposed to be intimidating. Kilari, as a result, reached over and pinched his cheek and chuckled – making Jisung flustered.

“He’s the Mouse.” Yuta winked at Tari - an action Johnny didn’t miss. “Don’t underestimate him.”

Tari sighed. “I’m not,” she explained, “You guys can all go home. This is my fight.”

If Kilari wasn’t held back by Sonan, she would’ve slapped her. “This isn’t just your fight. We love and care about you.” Kilari basically barked, “You don’t have to be alone.”

But being alone is all I know, Tari wanted to respond. You guys deserve better, she wanted to let them know.

“Stop being stupid.” Johnny sighed, “You’d do the same for us.”

“And not just because you’re the Avatar.” Doyoung seemed to read her mind.

“I know I’ve been mad at you recently, but,” Kilari let out – obviously reluctantly. She always hated admitting her mistakes. “I love you more than you know, and I’ll do anything, anything, to protect you.”

Sonan let out a chuckle, “Sounding like a real Fire Sage there, Kilari.” She winked, before reaching out to the right and grabbing Kilari’s hand. Her left hand went to grab Jisung’s. “Tari, we’re in this together. You aren’t forcing us. We’re here because we love you…and because this affects us too.” She teased lovingly. Jisung and Kilari were quick to continue reaching to their sides, holding the hand of whoever is next to them.

Her heart felt elated as she noticed everyone nodding, and slowly start to hold hands. How am I so lucky? A smile graced her face before even realizing.

“Are we really doing this cliché?” Doyoung basically groaned, earning himself a punch from Johnny. “Fine.” Doyoung did the final connection – interlacing his fingers with Tari.

“I would say put our hands in the center and scream ‘Team Avatar’, but that’ll give away our position.” Johnny whispered loudly so that everyone could hear him, making everyone chuckle. Tari could always count on him for lightening the mood.

Sonan smiled at Tari, without Tari noticing. She smiled at how Tari finally looked comfortable in her own skin, how her smile didn’t seem forced. The oldest girl felt proud for how far Tari has gone over the last few days. Tari’s smile even was present when they let go of their hands and huddled closer together. But she had to get back on track. Sukiara wasn’t here and she was the one who knew the plan best. “Okay, Johnny and I will have to sneak in cause we aren’t benders.” She reminded, “so we need at least two of you guys to cause a bit of a scene – Kilari and Yuta, right?” The attendance was sorted out by gender, therefore Yuta would help Johnny sneak in while Kilari would help Sonan in. “But we need to spread out to cover more ground.”

Everyone nodded. “Everyone ready?” And the question was met with seven thumbs up.

Almost in an act of further disrespect, the government decided to hold the event at the NCT theater. The entrances were flooding with security, and Tari was so glad that The White Lotus society created pole weapons in the shape of pens.

The reason for pole weapons? Tari insisted on avoiding causalities. The supporters of the cause may be forced into it rather than wanting to do it.

Making her way through the crowd, her heart was racing miles per second. What if something goes wrong? She thought, What if I’m not a good enough bender?

But eventually, she got to the attendance paper. And Johnny was right. As soon as she said her name, the security told her to go to a ‘special’ area after giving her a stamp on her hand. As soon as she stepped foot inside, she noticed that the shrine for the bender killed in the attacks was ruined – the candles gone. His lights have been dimmed and Tari was infuriated. Her heart hurt for his family, for his children who may forget his legacy of fighting against wrong-doers.

I will die for this cause. She reminded herself. I cannot back out now. This is for the good of everyone. So, she started looking around and memorizing the stadium as organized by the government. She needed to have an upper hand, and that meant making sure they don’t have any upper hands they think they have.

The crowd felt like an overpacked can of tuna – everyone pressed against each other, unable to have their own personal space. They are cattle, stuffed together in one big cage to be slaughtered. But there was one easy way to make through the crowds – evident through the Equalist guards, who were wearing an all-black outfit with hoods and metal masks with green eyes. They looked like they’d be ready for anything, especially as they were armed.

Tari scanned each of the routes, trying to memorize their layout like the back of her hand. The stadium was divided into four parts – ordered like the Avatar Cycle. Water and earth on one side of the stadium, while fire and air on the other side. There were guards circling the stage where boxing would happen, and even more guards marching down and up the divisions. She, herself, was standing in the box where close friends or family would sit to watch the fighters.

She knew whoever was in charge must be in the underground room, where Yuta and Jisung explained most of the training and preparation happens before a fight. I need to find escape routes, she thought as she knew she needed to make sure her friends get out of the arena if needed once the fight starts.

Eventually, her inner voice hushed down as the entrance doors had shut after an hour of waiting. This is where it starts, she thought, no turning back. Tari focused on the sounds of the doors amongst the loud noises of the crowd talking to each other. No one seemed to notice the sound of harsh locks on the door.

She continuously searched the environment, her heart thumping viciously as if it’s trying to break out of her chest. In her smaller box, she recognized four other names from the list. Jaemin and Jeno weren’t there, although they were born the same year and from the North Water Tribe. Then again, they were cancelled out as they ‘showed no signs of being the Avatar’ when visiting Roddie’s house, according to the sheet.

And within minutes, the stage went dark.

“Good evening.” A haunting voice echoed off the floors, bouncing off each body. “I am the leader, Amon.” It sounded almost ghostly yet mechanical. “We are creating a society where no one will have to live in fear again.” From the voice, Tari could describe them as confident, regretless, and eerie.

Suddenly, the lights went back up. A man wearing a mask stood in the center, where the shrine was, with G-Dragon and the Big Bang Crew chained. At every side of the square box, there was a table with someone there. Hundreds and hundreds of metal bands rested there. But dead center - just right behind the man, was a large box that looked like a soundproof booth.  “We will be implementing measures to ensure your bending goes to check.” She heard groans from the audience, people trying to push through. “This is a mandatory change, and you will be arrested as soon as you leave the building.” The movement in the crowd stopped.

“Now,” Amon paused for dramatic effect, “are you ready to be equalized?”

She knows it has to be now, she knows this is it. But she wanted to make sure everyone is okay. She felt the breath leaving her chest when she realized she won’t be able to see Doyoung and Johnny – her usual peace of mind.

Tari looked across the crowd to look at the earth nation section. She saw Jisung and Sonan standing within a feet of each other, looking over to her.

You ready? She mouthed.

Jisung closed his eyes and nodded, she turned to Sonan who gave her a look that reminded Tari to do what she needs to do, to do whatever it takes.

And then with the click of the button, the stadium went dark and the only thing she could hear were thousands of screams.

request anything for future parts / penny for your thoughts here

[icosmohunters]

chapter ten : home

chapter ten of cosmo hunters!

word count : 7.5k words

synopsis : there’s no place like home. and after quinn’s injury, hope plans to return to earth for a visit just before easter. allowing the pirate’s to see her the happy aspects of her life, hope also allows them to see the part aspect that makes her . . . uneasy.

there are few sights in the universe that are capable of inciting tears from the eyes of this starstruck bounty hunter. the suffering of others often causes the windows to the soul to leak, a picture of her family, the view of a starlit sky. these things are able to make her tear up.

but nothing can be quite the same as seeing her planet in the distance, approaching it slowly to take in the size of this minute planet holding the smartest beings to ever exist. it was strange to think that people came from here and spread out, scattering their qualities into the galaxy like pollen. or as others might say a plague.

planet earth hadn’t changed. global temperatures had been restored, there were frequent threats of war but the improvement of the space colonization process was what brought a sense of unity between everyone. every nationality had managed to fly out into space, normal human beings of all backgrounds. voyage had accomplished on maintaining a sense of peace in the world.

so, threats of war was no longer a thing. poverty had very much vanished from many countries as machines took over and global wealth skyrocketed, economies booming with the manufacture and it seemed like almost every country in the world was rich. especially now with voyage bringing in new resources from planets far away, energy to sustain human life not only on their home planet but across the solar system.

it was a prosperous time of peace on earth. and it was a good time to fly back.

the nebula had begun to ascend into the earth’s atmosphere, hope slowed her down as to notice the pale blue sky that she soon found herself flying through. puffy, white clouds and a blue sky, oh she felt like she could cry.

“ hope, i’ve sensed a sudden increase in your blood pressure. ”

a.j had spoken and hope laughed, “ it’s the excitement, a.j! i haven’t been home in ages, and there’s nothing like being home. ”

now, instead of pausing at the closest airport, hope had to travel. she had come through the pacific and now she was flying over a dense, but pristine blue sea just below her, she held back a squeal of excitement and proceeded towards what could only be described as the home she regretted leaving.

coming through the west coast of the united states, the nebula flew faster than it’s ever flown before whilst entering an atmosphere. hope saw many ships but the majority were planes which she indicated to as to avoid any accidents. and the nebula flew all the way to the south of the country to where the music was loudest and the colors the brightest.

new orleans, louisiana.

you’d think it would change from how it used to be but it was untouched. the stacked buildings and bars and nightlife were as feverous and as vibrant as always, the fever for music still burning and the people still coming and going with tales of a beautiful city with a charming background in every sense.

the nearest parking space for ships was not too far away from the french quarter, which was where the house that hope had grown up was stationed. the field was wide and many ships had already landed, and thank goodness there was one space available for nebula to lay at rest for at least a couple of days.

as soon as nebula touched down, hope removed her seatbelts and excitedly went down the elevator. to be fair, it was hard going around the ship without having a slight skip in her step, especially with how eager she was.

“ you’re looking excited ”, enzo pointed out when hope entered the lounge. and that’s when the realization settled in. “ h-holy crap, we’re back home. ”

hope was bursting with energy, she inhaled deeply as to keep herself composed. “ we’re in new orleans, my hometown. i know you might not want to leave quinn alone but i have an idea ”, she inquired and then paused. “ i just have to go ahead first. ”

“ new orleans? ”, the captain gasped and threw his arms up high in the air. “ oh, i’m going to love easter for the first time. go on, but hurry up! i wanna go out and explore the city of jazz. ”

hope didn’t need to be told twice. before she could even think about leaving the nebula, however, she got changed into something more . . . homelike. it was odd putting clothes that weren’t going to serve in hunting a criminal down, or clothes that belonged to the company she informally worked for.

it was about time hope threw on some normal clothes, though. so she slipped on a pink shirt beneath some denim dungarees and some converse shoes, deciding to let her hair be. no luggage was required for her to bring back since her room remained untouched when she was gone, and her mother washed her clothes even though she never uses them.

now hope was rushing, out of her room and out of the nebula. touching down on the earthly ground for the first time in nearly a year.

even being able to breathe without a mask or a helmet was a relief. the sun was hot as ever, but she could withstand it. grinning to herself, she moved out of the spaceship parking spaces and after paying her parking fee, despite being a citizen, hope then carried onto the streets she missed to dearly.

even from far away, before stepping out into a clear opening, she could hear the melodious clarinets and the shrieking of trumpets and some flirtatious hums from saxophones and the tip-taps of the hit-hats on a drum set. the smell of gumbos being made and served, the tropical heat and the sight of palm trees, oh it felt wonderful to be home.

her senses were all alive, but her ears were particularly blessed with the music native to this wonderful town, this diverse and creative town. in the years that it has remained alive, it saw many periods of discrimination but it persevered, this town down the south of the u.s survived.

seeing all the people made a difference, though. hope saw the various bars that had remained open, families and friends spilling out into the streets for a quick meal down by the native restaurant to have their taste buds satisfied by african-american delicacies. sighing softly, hope could have stood there for a long time, watching them.

but she carried on moving towards bienvelle street, where she saw a potent creole townhouse painted in turquoise with white details on the balcony bars in front of the long windows. that was her home, the home she grew up in and was never unhappy with.

“ hope! ”, cried an elderly voice not too far ahead of her. it was hortense, her very kind next-door neighbor. she had remained stunning despite the age that was catching up to her, her melanin still rich and her dark eyes as docile as ever. she carried a heavy louisiana accent that always made hope smile when she heard it, and she smelt like cinnamon with a mixture of coconuts, a lovely and nostalgic combination. “ is that you, hun? ”.

the girl grinned from ear to ear and opened her arms wide to greet the woman, cooing softly whilst embracing her smaller body. “ i’m home now! ”, she announced happily and after letting the hug linger, she cupped the woman’s cheeks softly. “ looking stunning, as per usual. ”

“ oh i didn’t think you’d notice ”, the woman laughed, her chortle throaty and welcoming. “ i’ve just been exfoliating. ”

hope rose her eyebrows and couldn’t help but wiggle them, “ trying to impress the man at home, huh? ”. and then laughed at the small smack on the shoulder she received. “ how is he? is he better? still working? ”.

“ still working ”, hortense replied with a nod. “ although, he has been at home very often to spend time with me. i don’t know if i’ll ever get used to it properly. when you get married, you’ll know. ”

hope tilted her head and smiled adoringly at the lady, she has always spoken so well of her marriage of nearly fifty years with her husband. in this modern world, romance wasn’t exactly too popular. people had recognized love as a chemical reaction rather than a spiritual bond, and yet, older generations managed to remain romantic. it was hope’s who was a little cold to the topic.

but she never excused the idea of marriage. her parents married at a very young age and their relationship was intact, perhaps maybe more now than before. it would be nice to find someone but hope didn’t think it would be anytime soon, she was only twenty-two and she hadn’t explored all she wanted to see just yet.

“ i’m sure i will ”, hope said softly before looking back at her house. “ okay, i’m going to pop in very quickly to see the family. i’ll be back soon before tea, i promise! i bought some . . . colleagues over! ”.

hortense gasped, and then smirked with a laugh. “ my girl’s already growing up, since when are you the type to bring colleagues, huh? i mean it, you never bring friends over unless if you want them to impress your parents. there has to be a boy involved. ”

laughing, hope waved to the lady and watched her head back into her home, her door was open and she could hear some classic jazz playing through the sound of what sounded like the woman scolding her husband. chuckling, hope then went into her own house.

you’d think new orleans would be impacted by the technology but people only evolved their way of living if it was necessary. hope’s family had to because her father was a bit of a lunatic when it came to science, but it had remained relatively twenty-first century based, in that they hadn’t changed many things.

unlocking the front door, she heard music from inside almost immediately. it was most likely her mother, who was fond of nearly every genre of music around the world except for country, she couldn’t stand it. today, she had seemed to stick to some art farmer, a beloved trumpeter that even hope held dear to her heart.

the house was separated in two floors; the bottom floor being the garage, the first floor being the kitchen and living room and workspaces, and the top floor being the bedrooms and at the very top, hope’s father set up his astronomy roof, as he liked to call it.

going up the stairs to the first floor, the music grew louder and upon reaching the top, hope spotted some movement from the living room, and then the movement came into view, her darling mother dancing, swaying, whistling and humming. youthful and fun as always, stunning as if age did not impact her beauty at all.

she looked almost identical to her daughter except for the hair which she’d dyed into a reddish-brown of some sort. regardless, it suited her. out of all the people hope knew in the world, her mother was the definition of effervescent.

effervescent and at times aloof. the woman was enjoying her music so much that it took her a hot minute to notice her daughter all the way down the hall. the woman gasped and froze, her hands covering her open mouth and her eyes wide, even from here, hope could see them tear up.

“ hi, mom. ”

“ oh, hope, you’re home ”, she sighed and rushed to give the girl a hug, a tight one that nearly crushed hope and her innocent bones but the girl just grinned and tucked her chin on the woman’s shoulder, letting the hug linger. “ oh, goodness, you should have told me, i would have dressed up better or done something about my hair— ”.

hope laughed and tightened the hug, “ you look stunning, mom. you don’t have to dress up for me, i wanted to surprise you guys. ” the girl lifted her head slightly from her shoulder and smiled at her properly. “ oh, look at you. ”

her mother grinned and kissed her cheek tenderly, then taking a step back and holding her index finger to her lips. “ your brother’s in his room, i think he’ll be happy to see you ”, she informed the girl.

“ where’s dad? ”.

“ went shopping, now go! ”.

hope’s heart stammered in her chest with excitement. her baby brother was someone she was dying to see, perhaps the one she most wanted to see. taking the flight of stairs up to the bedrooms, she stepped onto the birch plank floors and tried not to make her steps echo even though her mother was playing music downstairs.

connor’s room was the door across from hers, so when he was a baby who managed to walk, he would often burst into her room in the morning to wake her up. after that, it was mostly her who woke him up. it was noon, though, so he couldn’t possibly be still in bed.

hearing music from within his own room, hope pressed her hand to the doorknob and turned it slowly, before peeking her head in. the place hadn’t changed a bit, his bedsheets were the same and his action figurines were still stacked up on his shelves, along with scientific books and comics.

her mother was like her in that he loved some scientific stuff. the first time introduced him to doctor who, he binged watched two seasons within the span of a couple of nights during his school holidays. and when he got into marvel, she couldn’t stop him from buying almost anything iron man related. the boy loved iron man.

the kid was sat at his desk, but there was no chair sight. hope frowned slightly but tried to smile all the same. his wheelchair had changed, perhaps they had gotten him a new model that made it faster and easier for a kid his age to move. either way, it saddened her.

not because of the wheelchair, but because he was on a wheelchair.

resting against his doorframe, hope watched her ten-year-old brother for a moment. he hadn’t changed at all, his hair remained dark and his shirts were always colorful, he mostly wore summer-clothes as to avoid getting too hot. he couldn’t really swim anymore, so clothes like these kept him cool.

they seemed to have gotten rid of his glasses, though, and that’s when she recalled the message her father had sent her that connor’s eye surgery had worked out and his vision was perfect.

he hadn’t seemed to have taken notice of her until he turned on his wheelchair with something in hand. a letter, an envelope. her eyes widened for a moment when she realized it was lilac. every time he used a lilac envelope, it was meant to be for her. whatever the message was, it was always meant for her.

connor’s eyes went from his desk and towards his sister who was at the door still, completely frozen still. hope saw his legs, saw that he was no longer paralyzed from the ankles down, but now it seemed to have affected just below his knees. and the tears soon rose to her eyes once again.

“ h-hope . . . ”.

“ h-hi, kid. ”

inhaling through the pain in her chest, she rushed over and picked him up, sweeping him off the wheelchair and holding him like he was still a baby. in her eyes, he hadn’t aged at all. he was ten years old and with an illness that could potentially kill him soon if no one did anything.

she felt those fragile arms around her neck and his tearful face against her neck which muffled the sound of his sobs. the last time she saw her brother crying was roughly five years ago, when he was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, which affected the course of his life, and it still does.

hope stood there, holding the crying boy in her arms and securing his legs around her waist. he wasn’t heavy at all, she could carry him around like this for hours. and she wanted to. to make up for the lack of presence she showed in his life, a life that was partially miserable. she saw him express his sadness to his mother one night, about being teased school, about being unable to be a normal boy.

sighing softly, she ran a hand through his jet black hair and kissed his cheek softly. “ hey, it’s okay, you don’t have to hide your face from me, kiddo ”, she told him, caressing his cheek gently to get a glance at his gentle features.

when he rose his head, hope smiled tenderly. his full cheeks seemed to have gone, and his eyes seemed sadder, there wasn’t that glitter of innocence in them anymore. his illness completely took that away from him. but she always believed that even when you’re sick, you deserve a normal life. but people around you are always going to make it difficult.

hope’s father became severely depressed after the news, it was only her and her mother who managed to fight through it and try to make connor’s life as normal as possible. he knew of his illness and she wondered what the pain was of having to go through a day knowing that this might kill you one day.

it was why hope had gone to join voyage. the pay was good, and her father also spoke well of it. so perhaps with enough funds, they could afford the surgery. now they didn’t have the funds to either cure the boy’s illness nor give her father an artificial arm.

but she fought through it, she wanted to heal them both.

“ how are you, hm? did you pick up piano like mom said you would? ”, she questioned. the jazz was pleasant, so she pretended to dance with him, only to invoke a little giggle that brought a wave of serotonin to hope’s mind. “ our very own chopin. ”

connor grinned, “ i started two months ago. i like it a lot. dad was going to teach me to play guitar but that was . . . before the accident. ” he appeared saddened for a moment until he pressed his cheek against his sister’s. “ but that’s okay! i prefer piano anyway. ”

“ piano’s classier, you’ll have fun learning it. you better invite me to your school concert, i’ll fight to be there ”, hope said and connor nodded eagerly. smiling softly, she heard the music on the boy’s speaker change. she recognized it to be some rolling stones. she gasped. “ you little sneak, you took the album from my room! ”.

“ i also took some plushies! ”.

“ hm, fair enough. ”

hope sighed softly and put the boy back down onto his wheelchair, making sure he was secured before smiling. “ right, well, uh what happened to the old wheelchair you had? did mom throw it away? ”, she asked.

connor shook his head, “ it’s in the garage, dad fixed it but we like this one. in case it breaks, though, we can always go back to the old one. ” hope nodded slowly and looked off into the distance. “ why? ”.

“ i’m gonna need it. ”

time skip  ﹏

“ oh, you’re back! ”.

indeed she was. she didn’t exactly ask permission from her parents, but she took the old wheelchair her brother used to the ship. there was a small control stick on the left armrest to make it easier for the patient to move. and the reason she’d bought it was because there was someone who needed it. quinn. and she didn’t want the kid tucked inside the ship for the two days they would be there.

she had brought the chair into the ship and had taken it into the bedroom, quinn seemed to have woken up and he looked much better than yesterday. what he needed was not to be tucked inside a bedroom when there was sunlight and food and people outside.

“ w-what’s that for? ”, the boy asked, visibly alarmed when the chair came into view. “ is that for me? ”.

hope managed a meek smile and brought the chair closer to him. “ you’re injured, still. but you can sit up, you can sit and eat and this chair is the best thing you’re going to get if you’re coming outside. it’s warm, and there’s food and music, you’re not staying cooped up here ”, she said and turned to vivienne. “ you can help him get into cooler clothes? ”.

vivienne smiled, “ of course! but uh, may i ask, how did you find it? ”.

hope paused and inhaled deeply. “ it’s my brother’s old chair ”, she said. after making a swift leave from the bedroom, she waited outside patiently for everything to be done and the doors slid open in around six or seven minutes, quinn had handled the controls of the wheelchair quite easily. hope chuckled as he moved himself out into the hall and gave a little spin in the chair. “ how does it feel? ”.

“ better than being in bed ”, he stated and then offered her a hint of a smile, she wondered just what it looked like in its full form. “ thank you for this, i’ll find a way to pay you back somehow. ”

hope shook her head, “ just enjoy yourself whilst you’re here. that’s all i ask from you. ”

it took some time but soon the pirates had gotten themselves dressed into some proper attire. hope had to lend dawn some hair clips from her closet as it would be a nice detail to the summer dress she had picked. not to mention the adorable flats on her feet. if she wore anything cuter, she would reduce her age to at least a teenager’s appearance.

the streets were more likely nearly the afternoon, most neighbors would be up and would bring meals to each other’s homes, having a lovely lunch together. the bars were all open, the children were spilling onto the streets with skipping ropes and footballs. you’d think that children’s upbringing would be different, but parents kept traditions alive so they could be young for a little longer.

“ so, this is where you grew up ”, enzo mumbled to her, he was walking alongside her, taking in the sights as if he was walking through a museum. “ it’s so colorful, and that music’s amazing! i wanna move here when i retire. ”

hope looked about for a little longer. the french quarter was a lovely place to live, and the food was better here than anywhere else in town. “ yeah, it’s a wonderful place. the best place for bringing up artistic people. my brother’s taste in music is already superior since he grew up here as opposed to a kid in california ”, the girl voiced with a small smirk.

enzo snorted, “ that’s something to be proud of. ”

needless to say, it was pleasant taking a walk around the french quarter. hope would have shown them more but lunchtime was coming around and she didn’t want them to be too hungry. so she stopped by her favorite restaurant, brennan’s. they served perhaps the best food in the entire city.

upon requesting a table, hope waited in line and took a quick look around. the walls were still painted green and the floor still checker-patterned. and the food smelled magnificent, as it always did.

they managed to get a big table by the window and hope helped quinn settle into a secure space before taking her seat in between vivienne and enzo, dominic and dawn sitting beside each other. hope’s never taken notice of it but they seemed to be close. even peeking at them at times, she sensed an amorous feeling from them, proximity. like her proximity to connor.

it was . . . cute.

when the time came to order, hope ordered a plate of gumbo with prawns and rice, and for the first time in a while, she settled with some water to drink on the side. whilst everyone else ordered and waited for the food, vivienne sprouted some conversation to fill the silence in.

“ so . . . you don’t have to answer this if you don’t want to ”, the girl began and hope turned her attention to her. “ you spoke of your brother yesterday, but not the fact that he . . . has a disability. ”

hope hummed and looked down, “ i don’t see why it’s relevant. my brother’s been sick with muscular dystrophy since he was four. first, it started with his feet and over time it rose up to his legs. it’s just below his knee now. it just means he can’t walk, hence why he’s in a wheelchair. hence why i was able to get that one for quinn until he gets better. ” she motioned to where quinn sat with a slight smile.

“ c-can he not get treatment? ”, dawn raised, appearing concerned when there really wasn’t any reason to be. connor had been sick for a while and the alarm that hope used to feel had been blocked from her senses, she can’t spend some years of her life just waiting for her brother to do. she prefers to do something about it first.

“ he’s been getting treatment. but ever since my dad’s accident, no one’s been working and there’s not enough to pay for it. it’s . . . kind of the reason why i joined voyage. to raise funds. i don’t want connor to go at such a young age, it’s best to treat it before the loss of muscle power reaches vital organs ”, she stated and shook her head. “ there’s nothing i wouldn’t for him. ”

enzo’s hand met the girl’s back, feeling a gently pat on it. “ that’s admirable, hope. really admirable. and i think that with your hard work, within given time, both your father and your brother will be healing ”, he said and hope returned the smile he offered, it was good to be encouraged at times.

because sometimes she felt like she was fighting this battle all alone and that people thought it was meaningless, that everyone had lost faith in her. but to be smiled at and encouraged really brought some warmth to her.

she appreciated it. wholeheartedly.

when the food came, it was compliments all around to the chef, and the bounty hunter couldn’t blame them. they appeared famished to an extent, but the quality of the food really made a difference. vivienne even offered to ask the chef for the recipe in case she wanted to serve this meal on the go.

the dish really brought that sense of nostalgia in a ripple effect, her senses tingling once more with the richness of the food that incited memories of her childhood; going out to the bayou for a boat ride, playing hopscotch in the veranda, riding her bike around the neighborhood. it almost drew tears to her eyes.

she noticed she had tuned out and tuned back in whilst the pirates were talking amongst themselves. hope has never really sat to watch and notice them individually, and the way they spoke to each other, conversations jumping and attention shifting and bursts of laughter and groans of dread at bad jokes, it was like sitting in a family dinner.

hope remained quiet as she didn’t want to disturb them, just because she was there didn’t mean that they couldn’t have their bonding moments. besides, when was the last time they got to be out in the open like this? she stood up, excusing herself to go pay for the meals.

it wasn’t expensive and the waitress gave her a discount as she’d known hope for years. it’s magical, being a frequent customer. as she was tapping her card on the reader, hope’s gaze wandered to the door when it opened, and her food, which had settled so well, began to brew into a cyclone of dread within her.

it was like the sweetness and saltiness had become pure sourness and the food was beginning to rise, the water she’d drank couldn’t calm down the raging way her blood was running. it was fear, it was dread, it was a cluster of emotions that left her speechless and immobile for a moment.

when those bleak, black eyes met hers, she really felt like she was going to faint and she would have turned away and walked back to the table but it was too late now, he’d seen her, and his eyes looked like they would pop from their sockets.

“ hope, is that you? ”.

“ h-hi, malakai. ”

the said male scoffed and approached and pulled her into a tight hug that she felt like she was going to burn from. it was like her heart was about to shoot out from her throat, she was so nervous. and not the good kind of nervous, the worst kind of nervous.

he pulled back quickly and took a good look at her. he way taller than her, it felt like she was being stared down at like some sort of animal, an ant, one that could easily be stepped on by the intimidated aura of this particular young man.

malakai worked for voyage. he had joined at the same time as hope and they trained in the same squad for a while until he got moved to communications where he worked as a messanger in between colonies, carrying important messages from leader to leader.

aside from being relatively smart, malakai also harnessed the looks that brought quite the attention. those luminous ebony eyes, the tanned skin and dark hair, the pretty nose and soft details, he was quite frankly the epitome of perfection in terms of visuals, he never failed to leave hope stunned at times but his beauty at times . . . startled her.

“ it’s been a long time, wow! ”, he commented. it has been a while, it’s nearly been four, going onto five years since she’s seen him. “ you’ve changed. still short, though. ”

hope laughed slightly, “ don’t get rude now. i didn’t think you’d come to celebrate easter, i thought perhaps you’d be with your folks in portugal. ”

malakai quickly shook his head, “ nah, portugal gets boring. lisbon never changes so sometimes i stay in new orleans for special events. besides, i have family friends here so i’m not exactly alone. ” hope nodded and looked down at her hands. “ are you here alone? ”.

quickly shaking her head, hope nodded towards the table in the corner. and for a second, she saw enzo rise up in his seat slightly. like he was observing, or perhaps about to smash someone’s face in, she couldn’t tell the difference. “ lunch with some . . . uh, friends. they’re staying with us for easter so you’ll meet them eventually ”, she uttered softly.

looking back at malakai, his gaze remained on the pirates and hope couldn’t describe at his expression was. because he had just been smiling and now it looked like . . . nothing. plain, a colorful canvas splashed with white, monotone and blank.

but then it changed into a soft gaze as he looked back at her, “ i hope so. ” rolling her eyes yet again, hope chose to keep her gaze on the ground. he suddenly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and then finally took a step back. “ anyways, i’m just here to pick up a delivery. i’ll see you around, then. ”

“ o-of course ”.

malakai nodded and upon collecting his food, blew the bounty hunter a kiss and then left. just like that. hope walked back slowly to the table, trying to recover from the revolting feeling she sensed when he had entered. it always happened, like a reflex action.

“ who was that? ”, quinn questioned. “ friend? ”.

“ boyfriend? ”, dom inquired. enzo’s eye seemed to twitch.

hope quickly shook her head, “ n-no, he’s a friend. we grew up not too far from each other, went to high-school together. he was my prom date but then we were always friends. he’s also in voyage. ”

vivienne’s eyes lit up, “ you looked close, he was standing quite close to you. look at you, you’re a bit red. ” eyes widening, hope covered her cheeks with her hands. “ i think he likes you. ”

hope smiles shyly and took her seat once again. the chatter sprung up again and she zoned out because she was startled after seeing malakai after so many years. he was always nice to her, especially back in high-school, and he was a rather lovely prom date considering no one else had asked her to go. vivienne wasn’t the first person who proposed the idea of him fancying her, she’s heard it before.

but she doesn’t really see it. he is just an amorous person by nature, affectionate, and fond of physical contact, nothing more. he’s never really made a move on her, never spoke about romance near her. so she believed it was the trick of the eye when others said he liked her. people simply taking his kindness as something else.

after the long meal, hope decided that the pirates could stay at her place. they could very much stay in the ship but that wasn’t exactly polite, especially since her mother was welcoming of people hope introduced. which was rare, hence why she persisted in letting them stay.

there was plenty of room around the house, mostly because there was a spare bedroom for guests. usually, hope’s grandmother would stay there, but the woman had formally moved to new york and she hasn’t visited in a while. there was a double bed for at least two or three people, some sleeping bags in the attic, and room on the couch. if connor wanted to sleep on hope’s bed, there would be space in his room as well.

it was an odd feeling, allowing people she previously had a distaste towards in her house. but it was better than letting them stay on the ship. for some reason, she wanted to show them what she was . . . actually like. they probably took her for an arrogant, cold and lonely girl. but she had a family, a family she loved very much and one that might be welcoming to them.

when hope introduced them, it was like connor bonded with them immediately. to her family, they were still voyage members. yet they seemed to have given up on the fake names. before they could, though, hope ran a search through many pirate databases on voyage in search of their names.

and there weren’t any names, nor many obvious pictures, only descriptions on their appearances. they still had bounties but it was unlikely her father was in the right frame of mind to be hunting or arresting anyone.

when they came in, she heard he was on the roof, getting ready for another night of star-gazing as he wanted to see some new constellations moving in. it was always his dream to adventure out of the solar system to somewhere new, he was an ambitious man.

hope walked onto the roof with her hands behind her back and saw her old man there already. he had a work station on the roof, a little seat for him to relax on and his equipment which was somewhat scattered around. usually, when it rained, he would pull up a field to shield it. he’d paid quite a lot for it.

it is a strange feeling, seeing your father who changed whilst you were away. his right arm was nearly completely gone, only some bits of his forearm remained which he seemingly hid behind a leather jacket. he remained handsome despite it all, he’d lost weight and he was growing a neat beard that suited him well. there wasn’t a single strand of white hair on his head, he always took care of his appearance.

but there was something on the man that puzzled the girl, and it was the lack of that party-animal personality he had. he should’ve been dancing around, playing music, singing whilst working, perhaps calling for his wife to come up to see something.

that was gone. he was silent as he adjusted his telescope. his most prized possession, his only look into the stars now that flying was out of bounds to him. the tears came flying to her eyes again, hope stared so helplessly at the man she admired so much and how he was coping. if he was coping at all.

he had his back to her, but he turned when laughter was heard from downstairs. and then his eyes settled on his daughter. similar to connor, he seemed to freeze and then begin to tear up, hope rushed to him before he could call her name.

and threw her arms around him tightly, securing them around his neck and hiding her face within the crook of his neck, feeling his only remaining arm wrap itself around her. he still wore the leather jacket her and connor got him for his birthday, he still wore the same perfume his mother gave him on their anniversary, he was still the same man in body but perhaps not the same in his mind.

not a single word was spoken for a good minute as she tightened the hug, letting her eyes close for a brief moment to appreciate the peace that being home brought her. it was a relief seeing her father well. she thought he would have changed completely, shut her out for having taken too long or refused her embrace. but he didn’t.

then, he spoke. “ i thought i wouldn’t be seeing you until connor’s birthday ”, he mumbled softly, his voice also hadn’t changed. at all. oh, god one cannot explain how happy that made her.

“ i wanted to be here sooner. i’m sorry i took too long ”, she uttered with a frown, not looking to pull away any time soon. “ i missed you, dad. ”

her father chuckled and then hummed. “ i missed you more, hope. i can’t even express how worried i was. about you and how you were handling yourself out there . . . ”, was what he continued with. “ but you’re brave, you always pull through in the end. and you always come home. ”

her eyes opened and her expression remained empty for a moment until one pristine tear fell from her eye and spilled down the bridge of her nose, running all the way down the tip before it fell onto the ground. a single tear. she’s never given herself the freedom to cry over anyone or anything, crying was always a waste of time and energy.

but this time, she couldn’t help it. this was her father. she knew many people out there didn’t have one as amazing as this one, or a father at all. she knew many didn’t have mothers, brothers. she knew she was incredibly fortunate to having something like a family to go back to when she had to retreat from the world.

she had a home. and she never took that for granted.

her father gave her another gentle squeeze before moving back slightly and taking a good look at her face, wiping the remaining tears away and patting her cheek softly. “ don’t cry because of me, hope. you don’t want me to tell you the magical tear story again, do you? ”, he laughed at the face she pulled and then let her sniffle and wipe her face. “ did you bring friends over? ”.

“ y-yeah ”, she breathed through her sniffle, and then settled with her hands in the pockets of her dungarees. “ comrades. workmates. they’re newbies so they don’t know much about what happens. they don’t have a place to stay for easter. ”

he smiled, “ that’s fine, we can open some space for them. and i wonder if they prefer hotdogs or hamburgers for the barbeque tomorrow . . . are any of them vegetarian? ”.

“ lucas everhart, you are truly a complex man ”, hope commented, seeing how his eyes softened with a sense of innocence. “ i’m glad you’re here, dad. ” he moved in and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead.

“ i am rather complex. now go, make your friends feel comfortable ”, he told her and ushered her away, she stood there for a moment, watching him go about his work. she wanted to speak more time with him, but she still had the whole of easter to enjoy his company.

heading down the stairs, she found connor in the living room with dawn and quinn, he seemed to be quizzing them about planets and whatnot and hope didn’t mind it so long as they avoided making it obvious that they weren’t a part of voyage.

in the kitchen, it seemed like vivienne and hope’s mother had started to get along. showing off recipes was always one of her mother’s favorite things to do, especially when feeding a large group of people.

she didn’t see enzo nor dom, however. she looked about but didn’t catch sight of them. “ they went out to the store, hope, they’ll be back soon ”, vivienne told her. the girl nodded and then went into the living room.

“ hey tyke, come here, give your sister some cuddles ”, hope said to the baby brother who immediately rose his arms to be picked up. when taking him into her arms, she was always gentle. looking at his face, they shared a sweet smile before she sat down on the couch, giving him space on her lap to relax. “ what are you guys talking about? ”.

dawn grinned, “ space-dust. he’s really smart, you know, he was telling me about the new goldilock planet they found in the milky way. ”

connor looked at hope and smiled eagerly. “ it’s really cool, but it’s too hard to explain it and i’m tired ”, he mumbled before resting his head against her chest. “ cuddles. ”

“ cuddles ”, hope repeated and looked down towards his small figure and the way his eyes closed, he did look rather tired and he smelt a bit like chlorine. “ did you go swimming? ”. connor hummed and nodded. “ see, i’m going to start crying if you keep things to yourself. tell me what you’re doing, connor, i wanna spend time with you. ”

he rose his head slightly and looked at her thought sleepy eyes, “ m’kay, i’m, uh . . . yawn, doing some swimming . . . a-and piano . . . an— ”.

“ okay, no, nevermind, shh, sleep ”, hope cut in and put his head back against her chest, smiling at the giggles that came from both him and dawn.

it was peaceful, the rest of the evening was composed primarily of introducing her family to the pirates. connor was fast asleep on her lap, worn out from the swimming and the excitement of today, he looked like he was going to burn with energy tomorrow so hope let him sleep.

her father wasn’t as curious about the pirates as she thought he’d be, and perhaps it may be because the topic of voyage may upset him. so they mostly talked about sports, music, art, things that anyone can join into. hope never stopped holding the sleeping connor in her arms, though, he looked too peaceful and too safe there.

the feeling of being home cannot be compared to anything else. being out in space is one thing but it’ll never replace the sensation of being in the walls you grew up in and being among the people you hold dearest to your heart. she made the most of it now, because things might change in a couple of years’ time.

in the midst of the silence, she rested her cheek gently against her brother’s head and closed her eyes. blocking out the sounds around her and only focusing on now, not tomorrow or the day after that, not yesterday or the week she had. now.

now, she was home. safe and sound.

[imaginesfordayss]

Worth It

Summary: You’re a rogue vampire passing through the Cullen territory, and you find yourself drawn to their curious way of life and a certain red haired vampire. 

Warnings: None

Word Count: 4.3k

Also on AO3

It had been a long time since you’d had to run from a group of vampires trying to kill you. Actually you were almost sure this was the first time, and you had to say you were doing pretty well, all things considered. Coven of vampires on one side, pack of wolves on the other side. You were still alive, so regardless of what happens you were counting it as a good day.  

Currently you were sprinting through the thick Washington brush, doing your best to evade the two species. They had been chasing you for a little over 4 minutes now which was like 3 days in your mind and despite you using their own protection treaty against them you were proud of your defensive tactics. You had been watching them long enough to know that there was this imaginary line that neither would cross, and that served you well as you ping ponged from one side to the other.

You were well into the forest, currently on the wolves’ side when one of them, a massive black one, slid in front of you. You faltered, scrambling backwards and dashing to make a break for it to the other side of the line. There was a stream in the middle and you hurled yourself over, only to be practically clothes lined by a blonde girl with a surprisingly nasty right hook.

You hit the ground hard, fracturing your right shoulder. You cursed and rolled over, scrambling to get up. The rest of the coven cornered you as you finally found your footing and you backed up against a old tree. You cursed again.

It was a tense for a moment, each of you holding your breath as they stared you down and you desperately looked for an escape. You could hear the wolves growling from the other side of the stream, and you took comfort knowing they wouldn’t cross over. If you had to pick which group to plead your life with, you’d rather it be the odd vegetarian vampires.

Finally the man you had guessed to be the leader spoke.

“These lands are protected under treaty,” The blond man growled, “You cannot hunt here.”

You knew that. You had been lurking in Forks for close to three months, but it’s not like you were going to be telling Blonde Dad™ that any time soon.

It was only supposed to be a brief trip. You had heard some rogues in Canada talking about a place in Washington where the sun didn’t shine as often, and how easy it would be to walk in the daytime. At that point you were getting tired of acting like a character from a cheap halloween movie, so you jumped at the chance and made the long run to Forks.

When you first got there you could immediately tell the town was already occupied by a coven, but you were shocked to find them a permanent fixture in the sleepy town. You lurked around for a few days observing them. From what you gathered, the blonde man acted as a doctor while the five younger looking ones attended high school. They baffled you, the Cullens. You assumed that maybe they were using the hospital and school as a hunting ground, but their eyes were a honey gold and you had yet to see them hunt within town. That was justification enough to stay and observe them.

One week turned to two and suddenly you had been there for a month, just watching the family and their daily lives. It was definitely stalker behavior but you tried not to think about it.

Your talent aided you greatly when it came to watching them. In your human life you excelled at sneaking around and remaining unseen when it suited you, and now in your immortal life you gained the ability to shield your scent. This let you get close to them, hovering just out of a sight so you could get to know them better. Especially the red head.

He was beautiful. Which wasn’t a shock considering what he was, but you could tell even in his human life he was turning heads wherever he went. He was the only one in his group that wasn’t paired up and you could tell this made him a bit lonely. He spent a lot of time in the woods surrounding the house, often times reading or listening to music, but you had caught him staring into space once or twice seemingly contemplating his long road of immortality and it took everything in you not to reveal yourself and offer company.

So you stayed longer and managed to go unseen for another month until you finally slipped up.

It was an accident really. You hadn’t fed in a few days, trying to keep your hunting ground well away from Forks as to not give away your presence. So you were already on edge when you stumbled upon the group of teenagers camping in the woods.

They were drunk and loud and one of them tripped in the middle of the night on his way to the bathroom, splitting open his forehead and you attacked without thinking. When morning came and the rest of the group found their friend missing it was all downhill from there. The Cullens weren’t stupid and figured out that there must be supernatural play when the victim was found to be drained of blood. Then the hunt began.

They were in the forest almost every day, looking for the murderer and it got increasingly hard to avoid them. Soon the native tribe from La Push got involved and you had your first experience with werewolves. Which was another thing that shouldn’t surprise you but for fucks sake, werewolves? Really? Jesus.

You only made it a few days before they found you, chasing you far into the woods before you managed to hide. In hindsight you should have just stayed away, but you hoped that after a few days they would let their guard down and you could go back to stalking in peace. This time however, you caught the attention of the wolf pack and barely escaped with your life. You waited another week before coming back this time and even managed to lurk around for a few days before both groups ambushed you and you realized you might be stupid for antagonizing them.

Now you were surrounded by six angry vampires and who knows how many wolves and scrambling to find a way out. The blonde was clearly waiting for a response from you and you wracked your mind for something that wouldn’t get you torn apart.

“I’m not hunting.” You said stupidly. They all sent you a dubious look.

“You killed a boy a few weeks back.” Blonde responded.

“Yeah,” you fumbled, “That was an accident.”

He scoffed and you shook your head, “No no really. I haven’t hunted here except for that one time. He caught me off guard.”

He studied you for a moment, “How often do you visit this area.”

You shrugged, “I’ve been here for a few months. I’m just,” You paused, looking for the word, “visiting?”

“A few months?” A boy that reminded you of a mack truck spoke up, “We would have noticed if you had been here a few months.”

You held back a smile, proud that they hadn’t realized your presence, “I’m really good at hiding.”

You finally looked to your red head then, noticing he was studying you intensely. If you could blush you would be under his stare. His eyes flicked to the other blonde boy and he subtly shook his head. You tensed, suddenly wondering if they didn’t believe you.  

“I’ve been watching you,” You blurted out, trying to make them believe you, “You don’t hunt the humans and you live with them and go to school and work in a hospital.” You paused, “I’ve never met anyone like you.”

The blonde leader studied you for a moment, trying to catch a lie, and suddenly relaxed his stance, giving you a slight smile. “Well, the polite thing to do would get to know us up close,” He stepped forward and held out his hand, “My name Carlisle.”  

Shocked you hesitated before shaking his hand, “(Y/n).”

“(Y/n),” He said, “We’d love to sate your curiosity if you’d like.”

“Carlisle,” The red head protested.

“It’s alright Edward. (S/He)’s just curious.” Carlisle said, waving him off, “(Y/n) if you’d like to follow us home we can speak in a more comfortable setting.”

You glanced at the rest of his family. Red head and both of the blondes were looking at you like they’d rather rip your head off and be done with it. The pro wrestler looking guy seemed apathetic, and the short girl with the pixie hair looked suspiciously excited. You figured they wouldn’t try and kill you with their dad calling the shots so you agreed.

The wolves followed you back until you veered from the line and ran to the Cullen house. Red head went over to the line once you got closer and apparently placated them cause you heard them trampling away a few minutes later.

You had never risked getting close to the house before, so as you slowed down to a walk on the edge of the clearing you realized just how massive it really was.

Windows made up a lot of the structure, and it looked both modern and old at the same time. Carlisle opened the door and motioned for you to follow him. You heard a few of his family splitting off behind you, probably going to eavesdrop on you from afar to make sure you didn’t try and kill their dad. Red head and the short girl followed you  as you entered the house.

As soon as you walked in you realized that one of their group was missing when they tracked you through the woods, and you suddenly came face to face with her. She walked from the back of the house and managed to not look surprised.

“You didn’t tell me we were having guests Carlisle.” She said kindly.

“This is (y/n),” He replied, “She’d like to know more about our way of life. (Y/n) this is my wife Esme.”

Esme stepped forward and shook your hand, “Lovely meeting you (Y/n), welcome to our home.”

“Thanks for having me,” You said softly, taking a look around the house.

“If you’ll join me in my office this way,” Carlisle said, breaking you out of your study and lead you upstairs.

His office was what you would expect from a doctor, filled floor to ceiling with books and awards and the like. It was painfully clean and you felt bad for ruining his carpet with your mud covered boots and dusty jacket.

“This is my son, Edward, and my daughter, Alice.” Carlisle said, sitting down and gesturing to the two teenagers looming behind you. You dumbly gave them a half wave before sitting down in the seat across from him.

“So,” Carlisle began, “What would you like to know?”

You faltered, searching for the right words, “How do you do it?” You asked finally.

“How do we resist?” He clarified. You nodded

“It’s not without effort,” he said, “and it’s taken a lot of time and practice.”

“How long have you been doing it?”

“Since the beginning.” He stated.

Your eyebrows climbed high, “You’ve never drank from a human?” You asked incredulous.

He nodded, smiling slightly at your surprise, and told you his story. Hunting vampires in 1600′s London, being changed in a raid, despising what he had become, learning he could feed off of animals and keep what little humanity he could, training his mind and body to resist the scent of human blood. You listened with rapt attention, hanging onto his every word. You had only been changed a decade or so ago, a college party gone horribly wrong, and you were fascinated by Carlisle’s centuries of life.

“Eventually I began to seek companionship. Not many vampires shared my views on preserving human life and this made finding one difficult. I realized that I would have to create another vampire if I were to find someone with my philosophy, but I was hesitant to force someone into this life. I was working in Chicago during the Influenza epidemic when I met Edward.”

Surprised you looked over to where Edward was leaning against the door. He regarded you curiously and you felt an unexpected rush of affection for the boy, “You created a son.”

Carlisle looked surprised at your word choice, but nodded, “Yes. Edward and his parents were in the hospital where I was working. His mother asked me to save him on her deathbed. So I did.”

“That’s sweet,” You said smiling, and relaxed a bit into the seat.

Suddenly Edward went rigid and turned his golden gaze on you. Shocked, you stared back. An awkward moment passed between the two of you before his eyebrows raised in shock.

“You’re a shield.” He said.

“A what?” You shot back, suddenly defensive.

His brow furrowed as he studied you like a science experiment, “How old are you?”

“I was changed at 19,” You said, “But I’m technically almost 30.”

“Who changed you?” Carlise asked.

You shrugged, “I didn’t know him. I barely remember what happened that night.” They waited for an explanation, “I was at a party, it was New Years and I was drunk. This guy was there and I remember talking to him and going out to his car. The next thing I remember was stumbling through the woods and an animal biting my leg. There was a lot of pain and someone was moving me and people were yelling. I woke up a few days later in a basement in some abandoned house, a vampire.”

“That’s awful,” Alice piped in, “What did you do?”

You fiddled with your jacket sleeves, “I was thirsty. The neighborhood was under reconstruction or something so it was mostly empty. I wandered around outside until I smelled a few construction workers a block away.” You paused, “I didn’t even know what I’d done until it was over.” You felt oddly inferior admitting you slaughtered a bunch of humans your first time while Carlisle was able to resist. You barely knew the guy, but it felt like you had disappointed him.

Alice approached you and rested her hand on your shoulder, squeezing lightly, “It wasn’t your fault.”

You smiled at her, “Thanks.” You continued, “Afterwards I holed up in one of the houses for a few days. I was terrified. I had no idea what I was or what was happening to me. I was convinced it was all a bad dream. The police showed up investigating the murders and I had no choice but to leave. Over the next few months I generally figured out how to live. I thought about going home, but I was scared I would hurt my little brother or my parents so I decided against it. I was in the North for a while, Canada mostly, and I met a few people like me. I traveled with them for a while and they helped me learn a lot about myself and how to use my abilities. They wanted to go South to look into the vampires armies down there, but I like the calm so we split a part. I was alone for a few years before I met a couple that told me about this place, Forks. They said the sun didn’t shine so often and I had started to hate only being outside at night, so I came here.

When I first saw you all I was going to leave, but I saw you in town and you never hunted the humans and you went to school and you have a life here. I’d never seen anything like it and you fascinated me. So I stayed.”

“We never even realized you were there.” Carlisle said not unkindly.

“I can hide my scent,” You explained, “Sometimes it happens involuntary like when I get nervous or scared, but I can control it too.”

“That’s why I can’t read your mind.” Edward said.

“You can read minds?” You asked, shocked, “Dude that’s so cool.”

Alice laughed, “Every vampire brings something of their human life into their immortal life. Edward can read minds, Jasper can manipulate emotions, Emmett is stronger than usual, I can see the future, and you brought your ability to hide.”

“What, you can see the future? That’s so cool!” You cut her off, “I’ve never met anyone else with talents like me.”

“Not all talents are as obvious as mind reading,” Carlisle explained, “You are able to repel other people's talents. Edward can’t read your mind and Jasper doesn’t seem to be able to feel your emotions either. It seems you repel other talents.”

“I didn’t know it went that deep.” You said. You looked over at Edward, “So you can’t read my mind at all?”

“For a moment, you let your shield down and I could hear you. It seems to be tied your emotions because the second you got nervous it went back up.”

You nodded, already knowing this, “It’s my way of protecting myself. If I’m in danger it hides my scent and I guess my thoughts so no one can find me.”

Edward looked impressed, “That must come in handy often.”

You preened under the compliment, “Yeah it’s gotten me out of a lot of tight spots.”

Alice shot you a knowing look and you quickly looked away, addressing Carlisle, “Thank you for welcoming me into your home. I’m sorry I’ve caused your family trouble, but I never meant to harm anyone here.”

Carlisle nodded, “I understand and you’re forgiven.”

You could feel your conversation coming to a close and you desperately didn’t want to leave. You wanted to know more about Carlisle’s life and all the things he’s seen. You wanted to learn about Edward and Alice’s talent. And above all else you didn’t want to be alone again. This was the first time you had actually spoken to someone in months.

“I want to learn.” You blurted, “I don’t like killing people. I don’t like not being in control of myself. I want to go outside and be around other living things without worrying that I’ll snap.” You paused, taking an unnecessary breath, “What you have here, the life you’ve built, is something I could only dream about. Please, you have to teach me.” You begged.

Carlisle startled at your emotional response, but didn’t outright deny you. He looked to Edward and they had a brief silent conversation. Edward’s eyes flicked to Alice for a moment and you realized the short haired girl looked to be barely holding in her excitement.

“It won’t be easy.” Carlisle finally said, “It takes a lot of patience and willpower, and you won’t notice improvement for a while.” You nodded eagerly, “There will be mistakes,” he continued, “And you have to let us help you if you slip up.”

“I can do it.” You said eagerly, “I want to be alive again, or at least as much as I can be alive now. Trust me Carlisle, I can do it.”

A smile played on his lips at your eagerness, and he nodded, “Okay.”

Alice squealed and threw her arms around you, “Welcome to the family, (y/n)!”

You laughed and patted her awkwardly on the back, “I wouldn’t go that far.”

She pulled back and glared playfully, “I can see the future you know. I wouldn’t bet against me.”

“I don’t know if that’s comforting or threatening.”

“Think of it as both.” Edward said.

Carlisle stood and you followed suit. “There’s a guest room downstairs that you can have for the time being.”

“Oh, I don’t need a room. Thank you though.”

“You’ll need a place to put your stuff.” Alice said, “And everyone needs a space to call their own.”

You smiled shyly, “I don’t have a lot of things. I stashed a backpack a few miles from here that has a few things from my human life and a change of clothes, but that’s it.”

“Well,” Alice said, “That’ll change soon. I can have one of the boys grab your backpack.”

You were going to protest, but Edward caught your eye and shook his head wryily. Apparently Alice was going to take some getting used to.

Later, Alice introduced you to the rest of the house’s occupants and sat with you as you settled your measly belongings into the house. It was the most socializing you had done in months and you felt a bit overwhelmed. The sun set and Jasper finally swooped in and stole Alice’s attention, giving you a reprieve from her chatter. You made your way outside and surveyed the grounds. The Cullen’s yard was massive and backed up to a natural stream that ran through the forest. You could hear the Cullen’s murmuring in the house and paired with the trickling of the stream you felt at peace. You jumped the stream easily and wandered into the surrounding brush.

About an hour passed before you felt eyes on you. You tensed and slid your shield up, scenting out to find where the presence was coming from.

“Edward?”

You turned to where you figured the boy was hiding, and sure enough Edward slid from between the trees. You quirked your eyebrow, “Were you spying on me?”

He glared, “I wasn’t spying. I was making sure you weren’t trying to run off.”

“Why would I run off?”

“You learned a lot about my family today. It wouldn’t do us any good if you ran off and told a bunch of people.”

You scoffed, “I only really know three people in this life, and two of them are in Louisiana doing god knows what with a bunch of Trump supporters. Trust me, I won’t be running off any time soon.”

Edward laughed before smothering his smile, “Still, just in case. We don’t really know you, even if Alice says convinced otherwise.”

“That’s fair. And turnabout is fairplay, I spent plenty of time watching you.” You said offhandedly.

“You watched me?” Edward asked.

“Uh no,” You said stuttering, “No I mean like when I watched your family and stuff.”

He regarded you suspiciously, “I don’t think so.” He was smiling slightly so you could tell he wasn’t really mad.

“It just,” You shrugged, “You seemed lonely, out here by yourself.”

“I’m not lonely,” Edward said, a bit too quick, “I have my family and I’m surrounded by humans almost every day. If anything, this is my time for peace and quiet.”

“But everyone has someone,” You protested, “And you don’t.”

He shifted, uncomfortable and you realized how rude you were being, “I’m sorry, that was rude.” You said.

“It’s alright,” He said, “You’re not the first person to worry about me.”

The way he said it made you think about Carlisle and the way he looked at him. He probably worried about his son and his happiness.

“Just not interested in companionship?” You asked, trying to keep the conversation light.

“Just haven’t found the right person.” He said.

“I guess that’s fair,” You said, “No use in settling with someone for eternity if they aren’t the one.”

Edward’s gaze softened, “Yes exactly.”

His eyes were making you feel all weird and not-blushy and you turned away, gazing out at the moonlit forest instead. There was no denying your attraction to the boy, but you tried your best to put it out of your mind. You made sure your shield was firmly in place lest he hear your not entirely innocent thoughts.

“What about you?” Edward asked, breaking the silence.

“What about me?”

“Being alone,” He said, “Why haven’t you joined a group or found a mate.”

You contemplated your answer before speaking, “I want to be normal again.”

He nodded, sort of getting what you said but you explained nonetheless, “Most vampires want to hunt and fight and do whatever for forever, but I just want to live again. I want to go back to college and meet someone who won’t deposit me in the middle of the woods to get murdered and get my degree and just be normal.”

A brief silence ensued and you wanted to take back your words for some reason when Edward’s soft reply came.

“Me too.”

Edward hit you again with that timeless gaze and you were caught in the gravity of his gold eyes. You could see the same loneliness that plagued you for months in his eyes. This time he looked away first, shifting slight .

The two of you sat in a sort of comfortable silence for a while. You wanted to hear him talk again, but couldn’t find the words.

“When was the last time you fed?” Edward asked, ending the quiet.

“Not for a few days now. Why?”

“I can take you hunting if you’d like. There’s a place a few miles from here that’s a great place to start.” He offered.

“Hunting animals,” You said skeptically, “I guess there’s no time like the present.” You turned to him and made a general gesture towards the forest, “Lead the way.”

Edward smirked, “Try and keep up.” And he took off.

You gasped at his playfulness and took off after him, both of you laughing.

The next few months were going to be hard and possibly awkward because that seemed to be your default state nowadays, but if it meant you got to run through the woods with a red haired boy and his too bright smile-- it just might be worth it.

[the-master-cylinder]

SUMMARY A nuclear war breaks out in 1986, expending the world’s entire nuclear arsenal, except for one missile. Two children, Philip Chandler (John Stockwell) and Marlowe Hammer (Michael Dudikoff), are abandoned by their fathers in a fallout shelter cut into the side of a wooded mountain. The pair grow up in the shelter, with 1950s detective fiction and swing music as the guiding force in their learning. Fifteen years later Marlowe succeeds in digging out the cave entrance. The pair give each other haircuts, dress in suits, and go to rejoin the world.

Philip narrates their adventure on their first day out:

My name’s Philip, and this is going to be a yarn about me and my pal, Marlowe. About the day we got out of this shelter and went off into the post-nuclear world. Now, as excited as we were about leaving the shelter, it was still a joint that held fond memories. I mean, it was the only world we’d ever known. Where I practiced my magic, Marlowe, his dancing; where we both dreamed of becoming private eyes, just like the ones we’d read about.

Marlowe hopes to find their fathers, but Philip is disgruntled that they never returned, and presumes that they are dead. The mountain is now devoid of trees. The first people they find are a trio of radiation burned “mutants” chasing a beautiful woman, Miles Archer (Lisa Blount). They rescue Miles, who kisses Marlowe as a distraction and steals his gun. This backfires, as she drops the activation keys to the last nuclear missile. Miles leaves, and the pair are immediately attacked by a biker gang of bald women in red wigs. Afterwards the boys discover the activation keys, which bears their fathers’ names. This excites Marlowe, but disturbs Philip.

They rescue another young woman, Rusty Mars (Michele Little), from a group of armed children Philip nicknames “disco mutants”. She takes a liking to Philip, and leads the two of them to Edge City which is plagued by gang warfare. Rusty takes them to a dance club, where they are captured by cannibals. They want the nuclear keys, and to eat the young men, a rarity of uncontaminated meat. Although Rusty helps them escape and apologises, Philip doesn’t trust her. Just after they part ways the pair meets up with a friend of Miles’ who also wants the keys. After he is dispatched Miles shows up and takes them to her hideout. There she tells them about the purpose of the keys. Miles then threatens to kill them, but they escape.

Rusty has followed them to the hideout, but is attacked by the child gangsters. The pair chase them away, but Philip still doesn’t trust her. He wants to shoot her, but is out of bullets. After Rusty apologises again for lying to him and originally handing him over to the cannibals he says, “That was a million years ago, and I got a short memory. In fact, I don’t even remember who you are”.

The pair resolves to rid the city of the gangs and keep the keys. They go to an abandoned warehouse, using themselves as bait, in the hopes that the gangs will kill each other before killing them. For the most part, the plan works. However, the bosses of the child-gangsters are in fact Philip and Marlowe’s fathers. Before he dies, Philip’s father tells him that the past does not matter. In the end, the only gangster left standing is Miles, who has the keys. She shoots at them, and misses, but startles Marlowe into shooting and killing her.

The film ends with Philip letting go of the angst which he had nursed for 15 years. He adopts Marlowe’s “silver-lining look on life”. The two demonstrate Marlowe’s tap-inspired “post-nuke shuffle” to the crowds of the city. In the closing narration, Philip explains that they plan to set up shop as detectives, but that first he will find Rusty and see if he can repair his relationship with her. Of the keys, he says that he and Marlowe hid them in a secret location, because “you never know, in a tight jam a nuclear missile just might come in handy”.

PRODUCTION Albert Pyun’s first film, THE SWORD AND THE SORCERER, made box office waves and instantly established him as a hot property in Hollywood. If you haven’t heard much about the young director in the past two years, it’s because Pyun has been busy working on his next feature, a post-nuclear fantasy-adventure tale entitled RADIOACTIVE DREAMS. The film is scheduled for release later this year, though a distribution deal has not yet been finalized.

The long pre-production period was, in part, due to the challenge of acquiring financing (after THE SWORD AND THE SORCERER, Pyun had several offers, but wanted to work independently from the studio system and a six month talent search for the roles of Phillip and Marlowe. Pyun estimates that he saw over 600 young actors, striving to find two who weren’t too modern-looking, and could believably carry a 40’s attitude as part of their characters. During this time, Pyun and Karnowski wrote some 50 drafts of the script, began scouting locations, and dove head-long into the other crucial pre-production elements.

A visit to the production office at Laird International Studios reflects just how much work had already been done on the project which, in Pyun’s words, has a budget only “slightly larger than the $3.5 million spent to film THE SWORD AND THE SORCERER, the walls are covered with color storyboards by in-house illustrator Shawn Joyce (who will be preparing all the film’s matte paintings), character sketches, blueprints of sets, and even tabletop poster board miniatures of the hippie city square (modeled after San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district), and the bombshelter (which comes complete with a two-car garage). Mark Moses, a winner of several CLIO awards, serves as the film’s visual consultant, with Chester Kaczenski handling art direction.

Principal photography, by German cinematographer Thomas Mauck, who shot many of Werner Herzog’s films, began in March in Pyun’s native Hawaii, on the island of Hawaii. The remote locations-in the mountains and on the site of the Mauna Loa volcano, where an unexpected eruption occurred on the first day of shooting-generated some visually sensational dallies, according to publicist Scott Fields.

Interview with Albert Pyun

How did you come about writing Radioactive Dreams? Albert Pyun: I wanted to do something after “The Sword and the Sorcerer” that was distinctive and not like anything else. I think I felt that if I only got to make 2 movies in my life, the second had to be as imaginative as I could create. So that was the start of it and I had a lot of meetings with studios and what they liked about my first film was how it was imaginative, so I went that direction.

Did the 1980’s missile crisis have anything to do with what inspired you? Albert Pyun: Well, no, but growing up in the Col War years certainly did. I always was a fan  of Dr. Strangelove and i think that and “O Lucky Man” got me going on the idea of the last nuke left.

How long did it take for the guys to get the “Post Nuke Shuffle” down? Albert Pyun: Did they ever?? To be fair, we had to shoot it really fast as the sun was coming up and we were losing extras. So we had to shoot it fast and that was unfair to John and Michael because they did work hard on that dance. We shot most of the big music scenes and extras scenes in one night so that really made it a very rushed shoot night. I don’t know if John was as comfortable with the dance as Michael. I think it went against this sort of “cool” vibe John had. He was very dedicated to what we were doing but some of it i could tell unsettled him.

The dance looked pretty amazing. I’m surprised it isn’t a staple to dance to at weddings and birthdays. Any memories of when you filmed the big final scene? Albert Pyun: Just how fast we had to do it. I was disappointed we could do it with more takes and shots. It was pretty basic and FAST. And they had a costume change in the middle of it. I had actually shot several book end scenes which were set 40 years later and had a young mutant reporter interviewing Rusty about Philip and Marlowe. It talked about what eventually happened to them and how Marlowe was murdered by a gang trying to get the launch keys and how Phillip left rusty to destroy the keys once and for all but never returned. I think there was a small shot at the end showing Philip and Rusty’s son and a quick peek of Philip watching from afar to keep them safe.

The soundtrack to this film still remains very popular. Did you personalty pick any of the artist that made it into the movie? Albert Pyun: Yeah, I selected the songs used. My friend and co-producer John Stuckmeyer was into that LA music scene and got a lot of bands to submit cassette tapes of demos. He weeded out the most appropriate ones and he and I selected the final choices to be used. I think we had a couple written for the movie specifically when we couldn’t find exactly what we wanted.

How did you end up meeting John Stockwell and Michael Dudikoff? Albert Pyun: They came in  during the casting process. We saw a lot of great actors of that time, Judge Reinhold, Clancy Brown, Tim Van Patten, Harry Anderson, many really good actors. We even had a breakfast meeting with Tom Hanks, a tape submission from Ellen DeGeneres. All were young and at the start of their careers as was I.

As a special effects makeup artist, I found the mutants completely terrifying! Any memories of the makeup process on the actors? Albert Pyun: That was by Greg Cannom who would go on to win oscars for Dracula and more. He figured out the design and look. I was disappointed that I had to lose the surfing sequence in the film. We wanted to dye the ocean flourescent orange and have surfing mutants surf and rot I think but the Coastal Commission said no.

Do you think a film like that could be made today? Albert Pyun: No, Radioactive Dreams wouldn’t get made today. It’s way too eccentric and weird. Even in 1984 it was tough to get made. I raised the budget myself from a single investor. He was a real estate developer in San Bernadino California. I think he did it because he finally gave in to my dogged persistence for over a year. He said “no” many times, but I kept hearing “yes”. I’m an optimist I guess. I believed in the film and knew it would be a unique picture to follow up The Sword and the Sorcerer. Anyway halfway through production the funding disappeared.

A couple of Edge City’s best and brightest with costume designer Joseph Porro

SPECIAL EFFECTS Special prosthetic make-ups were created by Greg Cannom. His bizarre designs range from the mysterious repulse men to a wrinkled surf bunny (a girl whose excessive bathing in the post nuclear sun has given her the appearance of a 90 year-old woman) and his favorite, the mutant surfers: those who refused to give up their treasured pastime, even though the ocean has become radioactive.

The surfers’ skin, hanging loosely from their bones, is riddled with chemotherapy patches and permanently-affixed barnacles. their long. scorched, platinum blonde hair is missing entire sections. Josephine Turner, who did the intricate hair ventilating for THE HOWLING and THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING WOMAN, will create the wigs. Straight and extra make-ups will be provided by Ve Neil and Rick Schwartı.

Mutant Surfer

Special fire and mechanical effects will be handled by Joe Lombardi’s Special Effects Unlimited. The film’s extensive stunt work, under the direction of Alan Gibbs offers several cliff-hanging sequences: a chase on winding mountain roads involving female bikers, a high-speed helicopter pursuit, various gun battles and a warehouse explosion. Additionally, there will be a surfing sequence in a ‘radioactive’ ocean-a portion of the real ocean near the shoreline will be chemically dyed expressly for filming.

Cast and crew spent most of their final week of production in Los Angeles, working with a 14-foot high mechanical rat created by Charles and Steven Chiodo, with 22 separate functions and 12 operators-giving it head, arm, and body movement capabilities-said to be the most advanced pneumatically controlled robot ever constructed for a motion picture. Star Lisa Blount does a scene while standing in the rat’s mouth. Her stunt double Andre Gibbs, wife of the film’s stunt coordinator Alan Gibbs, takes over for Blount’s death scene in which she is eaten alive by the rat.

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Radioactive Dreams (1985) Soundtrack Most of the songs featured in the film are pop rock in the new wave vein. The exceptions are Zim Bim Zowie, a swing number, and also a tune in the American Songbook style, Daddy’s Gonna Boogie Tonight, played on a phonograph during the scene when Philip and Marlowe prepare to leave the fallout shelter. The latter and another track called All Talk were left out of the Australian and German soundtrack releases.[7]

Nightmare – Jill Jaxx – 5:10 Radioactive Dreams – Sue Saad – 5:18 She’ll Burn You – Maureen Steele �� 4:13 Young Thing – Cherri Delight – 4:09 Tickin’ Of The Clock – The Monte Carlos – 2:07 Psychedelic Man – Shari Saba – 2:41 Eat You Alive – Lisa Lee – 2:40 Guilty Pleasures – Sue Saad – 3:44 (Performed by Saad on-screen) Turn Away – Mary Ellen Quinn – 2:13 She’s A Fire – Sue Saad – 2:07 When Lightning Strikes – Sue Saad – 6:51 Zim Bim Zowie – Darryl Phinessee – 2:20 Daddy’s Gonna Boogie Tonight B.J. Ward All Talk Lynn Carey

CAST/CREW Directed Albert Pyun Produced Moctesuma Esparza Written Albert Pyun

John Stockwell – Phillip Chandler Michael Dudikoff – Marlowe Hammer Michele Little – Rusty Mars Lisa Blount – Miles Archer Don Murray – Dash Hammer George Kennedy – Spade Chandler Norbert Weisser – Sternwood Christian Andrews – Brick Bardo Paul Keller Galan – Chester (as P.K. Galán) Demian Slade – Harold Hilary Shepard – Biker Leader (as Hilary Shapiro) Sue Saad – Punk District Singer Kimberly McKillip – Sadie – Hippie Chick Gulcin Gilbert – Greaser Chick (as Gulshin Gilbert) Mark Brown – Greaser Russell Price – Greaser

Makeup Department Greg Cannom    …  special makeup Ve Neill  …  makeup designer Brian Wade     …  additional makeup effects designer / additional makeup effects supervisor / special makeup effects artist Kevin Yagher   …  prosthetic makeup assistant

CREDITS/REFERENCES/SOURCES/BIBLIOGRAPHY Cinefantastique v15n01 La Cosa Cine Fantastico Issue #113, July, 2005 staystillreviews

Radioactive Dreams (1985) Retrospective SUMMARY A nuclear war breaks out in 1986, expending the world's entire nuclear arsenal, except for one missile.

[katygoestoeurope]

Day 9---September 8 Woke up at 3:30 in the morning to what could only have been a group of drunk men singing in unison. Not sure where they were but it persisted long enough that I just had to laugh and try to fall back asleep. Then at 4:30 thunder and lighting woke me up. I tried to stay inside, the bed was so warm and I was so comfortable, but I just couldn't stand it. I felt like I was missing out so I grabbed a jacket and went outside. I stayed out as long as I could, until my feet were frozen, always wanting to see just one more. I came back inside and taylor, in her half asleep confusion, asked what I was doing and proceeded to inform me that it was the middle of the night before falling back into the pillow. I finally went to bed as the thunder subsided. Feeling like a kid exhausted after Christmas morning. We slept later because of our interrupted night and missed the bus we had planned to catch. When we finally lugged our 30lb suitcases the 0.7 miles to the bus stop we were informed that there was no more room on the next bus so we had to wait another half hour. We sat in the bus station and read them finally got on board. It ended up being so much more than just a bus ride from one place to another--it was a chance to tour the land that span the distance between the tourist destinations in this country. It started rocky and as the temperature dropped the trees began to cover the land, hills cropped up, and little towns were spotted between rolling green mountains. Each town seemed to have a central church, sheep roaming, brick buildings, and fireplaces burning. This is where the people live, this is home to Croates. Away from the hustle of the tourist ocean destinations there are dozens of these sleepy towns where the natives retreat. In many ways though it's not as different looking as one would expect. There are subtle differences, the vibrant colors of culture have been muted by globalization/industrialization and yet it's obvious we're not in the US. Though it's possible I haven't seen enough of the US to make that statement with confidence. And through the 4 hour ride taylor and I kept each other occupied. We jumped from serious to pensive to humorous with an ease unlike any I've experienced--an ease that's only increased over the last 5 years. And we made the best out of that ride. Laughing until I cried and holding hands. That's what our love does-- turns the mundane into the extraordinary. Oh and the bus stopped half way for a bathroom/liquor store break and we almost got left behind. Like the bus was pulling away and we had to run after it a little, waving our arms in desperation. That would have been a story to tell, but I'm glad I don't have to. We got to Zagreb at 4:30 and to the apartment around 5. It's way bigger than I thought and it's very nice. It's also a lot colder here and it's a welcome change. We quickly headed out to get some coffee and food. Not really sure where to go we came across a sign for McDonald and figured we could get a cheap coffee there. Little did we know that McDonalds is on an entirely different level here. The cafe area was equivalent to Starbucks( which makes sense because there are no Starbucks in Croatia). The coffee we got had latte art on it and came on a saucer with a mint on the side. The restaurant part was deep and narrow but had an entire upstairs that was packed with people and the ambiance was nice, not trashy the way they are in the US. Taylor and I were talking when all the sudden her face changed and she look distracted. A minute later she said that two women (our age) had seen us sharing a glance, like a simple squinty eye look, and scoured. One looked repulsed then turned and told the other who turned around and looked disapprovingly. She said she'd never felt discrimination and judgment like that before. I could see that it unraveled her a bit. It made us both thankful to live in a more progressive area. Such a simple thing, I don't even know goHaving that satisfied we went looking for food. We found they could have caught on to that. With our coffee need satisfied we found a place that seemed to be another fast food chain and had chicken sandwiches and onion rings (per Taylors birthday request). Again, this was not your typical Wendy's--this was high class fast food. Nice chairs, eloquent decorations, very clean, oh so chic. It was so trippy. With full bellies and caffeinated blood we felt able to participle in the world again. I'd read about the main square and I think that's where we were, but instead of a giant open space there was a festival going on "festival of sustainable living" which featured many food and education booths. We had a few free samples including epic humus, pumpkin seed cookies, and chocolate coconut milk. There was a main stage that had performers rotating and this one causal swing dancing group got up and we were all thoroughly entertained. It looked like so much fun and taylor confessed she's always wanted to learn, so have I, so learn we shall. There was something so wonderful about people gathering around music and the relaxed feel of the performance. Everyone was just having a good time and it was a low key vibe unlike anything in the states I've experienced. We pulled away from the festival and walked down a more remote alley, though it was still alive with music and bars. I decided I like this city a lot. It has a modern vibe while retaining its historically quaint charm. We found the museum of broken relationships and went inside. We had both heard about this place years ago and were so excited to finally witness the original exhibition that sparked world tours. We spent 2 hours inside and it did not disappoint. Each artifact had a story and there was something so powerful about reading words and being able to connect them to a tangible item. Some made me laugh, others brought tears to my eyes, and they all spoke to me in a different voice and had a unique energy. It was an experience I'd recommend to anyone and I applaud the creators for bringing to life a place for people to mourn the loss of relationships. Taylor and I left feeling many things, among which was a renewed appreciation for our love. One mile later and we were back at the apartment. Showering was interesting since there isn't a shower curtain. One might ask, "How do you keep water from going everywhere?". The answer is, you don't. And now, a comfy bed awaits.

[foundtheworl]

New Post has been published on Found The World

New Post has been published on https://foundtheworld.com/rarotonga/

Visit to Rarotonga Island, Tropical Place

Many travellers want to get away from a hectic urban life. A lush, tropical island may be on your bucket list, but it can be difficult thinking up a location that isn’t swarming with tourists, such as the Hawaiian islands, or the Caribbean Islands. If you’re ready to spend a few extra hours in the air, Rarotonga Island is the perfect tropical vacation destination for you.

Many people haven’t heard of Rarotonga Island, particularly if they’re from North America. It’s located in the central-southern portion of the Pacific Islands, among the Cook Islands. If you can imagine it in your head, it’s a small island between Australia and South America. It’s one of five of the major islands that make up the Cook Islands. There are also nine other smaller islands in this grouping.

  Rarotonga contains the largest population of these islands, with over 14,000 people. The land mass covers 67.39 km2  or 26.02 square miles. This island is in the same time zone that Hawaii is.

Even though this island is more commercialized than the other Cook Islands, it still retains much of its Polynesian charm. Here you’ll find the locals friendly and helpful. When you get off your plane, you’ll be welcomed with: “Kia orana,” which means, “May you live long.” You may even be greeted with a man playing banjo music, while you wait in the lineup to get your passport stamped.

There is much to interest the traveller on Rarotonga Island, whether you simply want to relax on a beach, or go out exploring. The island best suits single travellers, or couples wanting to have some couple time together.

Beautiful Geographical Island Features

The capital of the island is the town of Avarua, located on the northern coast. Rarotonga Island is roughly in the shape of an oval, surrounded by a narrow strip of sapphire-blue lagoon that extends to a flame-orange reef. Beyond the reef, it drops sharply into deep water. Due to the lagoon and reef much of the island isn’t suitable for swimming or water sports, but if you drive to Muri Beach, this portion has the widest and deepest part of the lagoon. Here you can enjoy swimming, boating, and snorkelling.

If you don’t mind not having the opportunity for water sports, sparkling white beaches surround most of the island, so you can have a rest anywhere.

  This is a volcanic island, and at the highest point, it stands at 4500 metres above sea level, or 14,750 feet. This region has agricultural terraces, with many flats and swamps around the central mountain region. The central portion of the island has volcanic peaks covered in dense vegetation.

The island is split up into three different tribes: Puaikura located in the west; Takitumu on the east and southern sides, and Te Au O Tonga in the north. The island has also been divided into five different districts.

Due to the structure of the island, there is no road that crosses the island, as they circle around the exterior instead, and are surrounded by many palm trees. To get around the island, you’ll take one of the many paved or unpaved roads. Most of the island’s modern infrastructure is around the exterior borders, as the terrain can be dense and different to traverse in the centre. The Ara Tapu is the main road that traces around the island. At certain points, you’ll be able to see vast portions of the Pacific Ocean, so you may wish to pull over, or pay attention to your driving.

History of the Island

The first European explorer to find Rarotonga Island was Captain John Dibbs, from the Endeavour ship, in 1823. People on the island are called Rarotongans, even if they come from one of the other islands in the group.

In 1965, five sounding rockets were launched from the island to study the solar eclipse of the time.

The old Ara Metua road was built in the 11th century, and made with large stone slabs. This ancient road circles about 3/4s of the newer roads on this island.

The Arai Te Tonga is one of the most sacred shrines on the island. There are many ancient monuments on the island that were popular meeting spots for the ancient tribes.

    Island Amenities

Rarotonga Island has an international airport, making it simple to reach your vacation destination. Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia operate many regular flights to the island. You can travel from USA, New Zealand, or Australia. It’s definitely worth adding Rarotonga Island to your trip if you are already visiting New Zealand or Australia. Besides the international flights coming in, you can also take a scenic flight to many of the major cities on the island.

There are many motels, hotels, boutique hotels, and resorts, for every travel budget level. There are plenty of restaurants to cover every taste and dietary restriction. There are also coffee shops where you can grab a quick drink on the go. But one thing you won’t find here are any fast food chain restaurants.

Besides renting a car or taking a cab, you can rent a bicycle or moped to get around, or take the bus. If you wish to rent a moped, you must obtain a Cook Islands drivers’ licence, however, it’s simple to get one. You simply take a short course, pay a fee and take the written theory and driving skills test. If your vacation is going to be longer than a month, it’s worth looking into.

The bus system is super easy to use. You either take it clockwise, or counterclockwise. Take note that if you ask the drivers, they will drop you off at any location or sight along the way, besides at the designated bus stops.

There is also the Rarotonga Steam Railway for railroad enthusiasts, with a working steam locomotive from Poland, dated 1951.

If your interest is shopping, there are many gift shops where you can purchase souvenirs, and convenience stores, if you forgot something from home. You won’t find any of your usual chain grocery stores here either.  Galleries offer an opportunity for you to purchase some local artisan arts and crafts, such as paintings, wood carvings, and handmade jewelry.

Sights and Attractions

Besides the white sandy beaches with palm trees, there is a lot to see and do here. Te Rua Manga is a notable needle-shaped rock that is viewable from the air.

The Takituma Conservation Area was set up to protect the native birds and plants of the region. One notable bird from this area is endangered, called the Rarotonga flycatcher.

If you wish to go on a stroll, a pathway crosses the island and connects Avatiu valley to the southern side of the island. You can also take a hike to the Raemaru, a flat-top type of mountain. Wigmore Falls, also known as Papua Falls, is a stop that you must see.

The Arai de Tonga is an ancient marae built of stone, and likely has religious significance.

Something unusual you may see in many people’s front gardens and estates are large marble gravestones. Islanders are often buried on family lands, even if it’s prominently in their front garden.

If you’re curious about the lush jungle on the centre of the island, but worried about getting lost, you can book a tour with Raro Safari Tours. This is a popular way to explore the island’s vivid and colourful rainforest.

During the months of June to August you can stand on the sea wall and watch the whales migrate to warmer waters.

Island Activities

For visitors who enjoy water sports, there are many choices here. You can choose to take a boat tour, or go directly into the water. There are three harbours here, located in Avatiu, Avarua, and Avana. Large cruise ships do come to the island, but must anchor far offshore, and transport passengers on boats.

There is deep-sea fishing, snorkelling, kite surfing, and scuba diving.

If you prefer land-based activities, there is bike riding and mopeds, traditional island shows, and sports, such as squash or tennis. You can even sleep on the beach.

You won’t miss your church services, as they’re open to visitors, and you’ll enjoy the singing here.

  Plan a Wedding

Not only can you plan your honeymoon on Rarotonga Island but you can also get married here too! Be sure to book in advance, and be aware of all the paperwork and licences you must get first.

You can have your wedding on one of the many beautiful beaches, or inside one of the many ballrooms at your favorite resort. Then when you’re married, you can relax at the spa or in your room.

  Plan Your Trip to Rarotonga Island Now!

Rarotonga Island has a lot to offer visitors who have a variety of interests. Simply stay at one of the many resorts and relax on the beach, or move around the island seeing all the attractions. Whatever you decide to do, your family and friends will be jealous that you had such a fabulous vacation!

[soundcheckentertainment]

In the weeks and days leading up to the first annual Country Wild Music Festival mother nature was threatening to deliver a cool wet Saturday for the event’s grand debut, at the very last minute she had a change of heart and delivered warm temperatures and plenty of sun, Cold Creek County and friends took care of the rest.

Brandon James

Brandon James – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

The first annual event kicked off with Whitby based singer songwriter Brandon James. I’ve always believed the two most difficult slots at any music festival are the first and the last. The first artist to take to the stage has to start the party, they need to grab the audience’s attention and start the energy building process. Brandon wasted no time doing just that. Watch for Brandon’s debut EP coming very soon and if you hear of his name on a festival or venue lineup near you this summer go and show your support. Check Brandon out online at www.brandonjamesofficial.com

Marc Ekins

Marc Ekins – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Following Brandon was Lindsay native Marc Ekins, Marc easily kept the party going with his Rock infused Country Music. Marc is no stranger to the stage he has opened for great Canadian artists such as Great Big Sea, The Road Hammers, Aaron Pritchett, Chris Cummings, Julian Austin, Amy Skye just to name a few. His high energy and eclectic mix of music, (rock, country, blues, folk, celtic and swing) makes for a show that covers a large demographic of music fans. He had no problems keeping the crowd dancing on Saturday in Cobourg. Check Marc out online https://www.facebook.com/Marc.Ekins.Fanpage/

The perfect weather was a blessing for many of these earlier artists, far too often people don’t come out to festivals for artists whose names they don’t recognize. But beautiful sunshine and 20 degree weather mixed with cold beer and great music many ventured down to Victoria Park early.

Sweetgrass Band

SweetGrass Band – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

The day rolled on with Alderville, Ontario’s Sweetgrass Band. What’s a country music festival without a more traditional country band? Sweetgrass Band easily delivered tradition but in a more modern way. They are definitely bluegrass but with a more modern twist that appeals to the younger generation of country fans that prefer the newer country sound. https://www.sweetgrasser.com/

Colin Amey

Colin Amey – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

The next artist to take to the stage probably has more experience as a recording artist than anyone on Saturday’s lineup. Having released his first single,  pop power ballad “Gonna Last Forever”,  in 1988 Colin Amey had been bitten by the musical bug. Two singles off of Colin’s second album, title track ‘What My Heart Don’t Know’ and ‘If I Didn’t Call It Love’, received enough radio recognition that it garnered two Canadian Country Music Association award nominations (Independent Male Artist and Rising Star).  It may have been Saturday in Cobourg but Colin took the crowd for a “Sunday Drive” that they won’t soon forget. Something tells me that we haven’t heard the last of Colin Amey. www.colinameymusic.com

Kansas Stone

Kansas Stone – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

The party was just getting started at Victoria Park in Cobourg but Brian Vain and Matt Davey, aka Kansas Stone, were set to turn the dial up a few notches when they took to the stage. Although I was familiar with Kansas Stone leading into this event through our past coverage of the duo it was my first time being able to catch them live. The first thing that struck me was their smooth harmonies, very reminiscent of another country group Florida Georgia Line but almost better. Kansas Stone draws their music from many different influences and I think that’s one of the unique things about this duo. Their music includes themes from rock, pop, blues as well as modern and classic country all fused into one sound. From drinking songs like “Whiskey and Wine” and “Drink On” to their tribute to the late great Randy Allman with an incredible rendition of “Soul Shine”. I can’t wait to catch Kansas Stone again, I’m hooked and you will be too! www.kansasstone.ca

Sacha

Sacha – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

There’s a lot of buzz surrounding the next artist that hit the stage, Sacha. There’s just something about this talented young artist that makes you stop and listen. She has an incredible amount of energy and explodes the minute she hits the stage. I don’t know if you can put her style of country into a category, or even if you should. Johnny Cash had a huge hit with his single “Folsom Prison Blues” and it’s a song that gets covered a lot by many different artists but when Sacha performed it the energy level peaked at a whole new level. You just couldn’t help but tap you feet. Her performance of Little Big Town’s “Happy People” can easily be used to sum her up as an artist…she’s happy. She clearly loves what she’s doing and loves engaging with her fans which was also clear when she did her meet and greet after her set. Without a doubt Sacha is another artist that I must see again!  www.iamsacha.com

Sawmill Road

Sawmill Road – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

I said at the beginning of this review that the two hardest slots are the first and last….in this one unique case I was wrong. The absolutely hardest slot to fill is the one after Sacha. It’s tough to follow an act with that much energy and vibe. Sawmill Road was the act that had to face that challenge.  Remember way back in 1995 John Michael Montgomery had a single called “Sold (Grundy County Auction)“? The song had a chorus that you pretty much had to sing like an auctioneer that would get you tongue tied so fast you’d miss an entire verse by the time you got you mouth to cooperate again and that’s only if you didn’t pass out from holding your breath for too long first. Well Sawmill Road not only attempted this song, they nailed this song. I have seen many attempts over the years and only a few times has I seen an attempt not end in disaster. This was one of them. These guys know how to bring the party and successfully managed to keep up the energy level that Sacha set before them. Like them on Facebook and if you’re invited to an event and they’re on the bill definitely go and check them out!

Runaway Angel

Runaway Angel – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Three of the most wonderful, humble and talented women I have ever had the pleasure of supporting over the last few years, Runaway Angel, took to the stage next. Cadence Grace, Ann Chaplin and Stacey Zegers have each had major successes in their own right as solo female artists, but never imagined that together their collective talents would catapult them to an entirely new level as Runaway Angel. These girls shine when they hit the stage and delivered songs that had the audience singing along all afternoon from their own single “My Someday” to Lauren Alaina’s hit “Road Less Travelled” leading up to a new single “Worst Song in the World” the worst part of the show was when it had to end, but then we got to go and visit with the trio for a few minutes which is never a bad thing. The trio are getting set to embark on their first ever, definitely not their last, European tour and we’re cooking up something special with them so be sure to stay tuned…and if you’re reading this from Europe definitely go and check them out!!! You won’t be sorry! For a full list of dates click here or visit them online and sign up for their mailing list at www.runawayangelmusic.com.

Gentleman Husbands

Gentlemen Husbands – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

As the sun set the lights came on and local boys Gentleman Husbands took to the stage. Although I had heard the name Gentleman Husbands in the past I have not had a chance to see them perform and honestly didn’t know much about their music. Signed to Universal Music in 2013 the group of friends from the Cobourg area crafted a sound and songs about life and love in small towns. The songs lend a strong sense of place and give a universal narrative that hits home, while both nodding at tradition and taking the listener to uncharted territory. The group brought a powerful sound to the stage that felt more suited to a rock show than a country show but in the end I like music festivals that keep the borders between genres on the softer side. No doubt the Gentleman Husbands have a strong local following because the crowd grew to it’s largest size as they were about to start their set. To find out more about the Gentleman Husbands visit  www.facebook.com/gentlemenhusbands

Cold Creek County

Jordan & Ches of Cold Creek County – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

The headliner of the night needs little introduction to our audience or the crowd, as they got their start in neighbouring Brighton, Ontario, although their new lead singer is still relatively unfamiliar. Hailing from just outside Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Ches Anthony has worked as a session musician, producer, songwriter and singer for the last number of years before joining Cold Creek County as their new front man this spring. I had the pleasure of meeting Ches in Ottawa during JUNO Week and chatted again with him on Saturday, he fits in perfectly with the rest of the guys of Cold Creek County and spent plenty of time out in the crowd getting to know his new fanbase.

Jordan & Justin of Cold Creek County – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Something tells me that with Ches Anthony on board Cold Creek County is going to continue building on their success from the last few years. Interestingly enough, aside from a short performance at last year’s CMAO Awards in Markham, Saturday was my first time seeing Cold Creek County live in concert.  The highlight of their performance, for me, was when they performed a cover of “Take it To The Limit” by the Eagles, it showed the group’s versatility and the crowd loved it! Cold Creek County has been nominated for a JUNO Award, won CMAO Group of The Year, Rising Star of the Year and Fans Choice Awards in 2016 and have 4 nominations for next weekend’s CMAO Awards in London. If you’ve never seen Cold Creek County live go and see them, you’ll have plenty of opportunities this summer so don’t miss out! For full tour dates visit  www.coldcreekcounty.com

That’s a wrap from Cobourg and the Country Wild Festival. Congrats to the organizers for a fantastic first event, we look forward to being part of the sophomore event in 2018. Make sure you bookmark www.countrywild.ca so you don’t miss out on any of the news, naturally we’ll have full coverage right here leading up to the event as well.

More photos

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Kansas Stone – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Jordan & Ches of Cold Creek County – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Sacha – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Runaway Angel – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Runaway Angel – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Colin Amey – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Kansas Stone – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Gentlemen Husbands – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Jordan of Cold Creek County – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Kansas Stone – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Jordan & Justin of Cold Creek County – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Sacha – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Brandon James – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Gentlemen Husbands – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Sacha – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Marc Ekins – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Brandon James – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Sawmill Road – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Sawmill Road – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Runaway Angel – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Ches Anthony of Cold Creek County – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Doug of Cold Creek County – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

SweetGrass Band – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Gentlemen Husbands – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Kansas Stone – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Marc Ekins – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

SweetGrass Band – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Gentlemen Husbands – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Colin Amey – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

Runaway Angel – Country Wild – Photo by: Kayla Winkworth

  Sun and Crowds descend on Cobourg for Country Wild Music Festival In the weeks and days leading up to the first annual Country Wild Music Festival mother nature was threatening to deliver a cool wet Saturday for the event's grand debut, at the very last minute she had a change of heart and delivered warm temperatures and plenty of sun, Cold Creek County and friends took care of the rest.