#mayhem is doing the crosswords

[aversiteespabilas]

Gossip buddies!

My commissions are always open if you'd like me to draw your characters!

[theyhavetakenovermylife]

Can you please make one of Muntant mayhem x reader? I bet you will do a awesome job on it! By the way love your content! <3

Beauty in the Bodega: part 1 (Fluff)

MM!Leonardo x reader

Part 2

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A/N: Thank you so much!😊💕💕 I’ve actually been wanting to write for Mutant Mayhem for some time now, but I just haven’t had any ideas until now💚 Inspired by when Mikey comments on Leo’s crush on April with: “Here he goes again”, and Donnie’s: “Every girl, man”, implying that MM Leo has had quite a few crushes in the past💙😏

Hope you enjoy!💚🐢

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During a grocery run to the nearest bodega, Leonardo sees a girl that makes his heart skip and his insides feel warm.

Warnings: Spelling and Mutant Mayhem cuteness💙

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The sewers beneath New York City were a chaotic blend of echoes as the four brothers moved stealthily through the shadows. With a memorized grocery list in hand, they moved silently and stealthily, just like their father had taught them to, each of them knowing exactly what to get.

Leonardo led the way, his keen eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of trouble. His younger brothers, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael, followed closely behind, their ninja senses sharp as they navigated the labyrinthine tunnels, until they made it to the familiar ladder that led them to the world of the humans.

As they reached the surface, the brothers climbed the nearby fire escape before sprinting across the roof, until they found themselves on top of the building that housed the small bodega. Leo surveyed the area, ensuring it was safe, before nodding to his brothers. With practiced ease, they slipped in through the ventilation system.

In the vent just above the store, the four turtles found themselves staring down at the mostly empty store. The only human being, the ever absent minded cashier at the cash register, who was busy with a very infuriating crossword, mumbling about a word that was causing them a lot of problems.

With a quick nod from Leonardo, the brothers crawled out of the vent and split up to cover more ground. Donnie took care of the toiletries, while lip syncing to the music playing in the bodega. Raph was busy finding kitchen and cleaning supplies, while Mikey was digging his way through the best junk food. Leo found himself in the snacks aisle, contemplating the various options. He remembered what his father had told him before they went out. Make sure the Doritos were party sized. Party sized Doritos. Remember that Leonardo.

The bell above the entrance to the bodega rang, altering the cashier and the brothers to a new presence in the small store. All four of them knew what that meant - hide. With lightning fast speed Donnie disappeared up into the vent, Raph found a spot among the cleaning supplies, and Mikey hid up above on top of the long lamps. Leo stayed on the ground, hiding behind the shelves, relieved when he realized that the cashier still hadn't noticed them.

Through the shelves, he caught a glimpse of the person who had just entered the bodega, and his heart almost stopped at the sight, making him drop the Doritos bag. Of course he had expected a human, but he had not expected one looking like you did. Your presence, seemingly ordinary yet captivating, drew Leo's gaze. He couldn't help but watch as you moved through the bodega, selecting items with an easy grace.

You came into the store, humming to the music that was playing in your headphones, totally oblivious to the eyes of Leonardo that were watching your every move.

Leo’s brothers, scattered throughout the store, noticed his distraction and exchanged knowing glances. Raphael, spotting Leo's fixation, smirked and made eye contact with Donatello, who joined in the silent communication with a playful grin.

Leo tried to regain his composure, tearing his eyes away from you for a split second, as he moved to a different shelf, before you managed to see him. His heart was beating, not just from the fear of getting caught by a human, but the thought of how close you were to him. But as you moved away to a shelf further away, Leo couldn’t help but follow along, making sure that he was staying hidden.

Leo watched as you gathered your things before walking up to the cash register. You placed your stuff in front of the cashier, waiting as they groggily started scanning your items. Leo and his brothers used this as an opportunity to get the last they needed, before hurrying back into the vent, all while the cashier was focused on your items.

With all of their groceries in bags, they hurried through the vent and up onto the roof, just in time to see you leave out the front door of the bodega with your newly bought groceries, once again humming to the music in your headphones.

“It feels like / Skuba duba dabda dididaj / Skuba duba dabda dididaj / I love you / Another cliche baby”, you sang along, doing a little dance as you walked.

Leo watched you with a smile, his heart skipping a beat at the sight. There was just something about humans, especially the ones like you, that just warmed his heart. Carefree, dancing and singing down the street, without having to worry about who was watching. How he wished he could do something like that, with someone just like you.

Raphael couldn't resist a teasing comment, hitting Leo’s arm when he saw him staring after you. "Well, well, look who's got heart in his eyes again. Leo, you've got a thing for grocery shopping now?"

Donatello joined in, smirking. "I think I saw a spark between Leo and that cereal box".

Michelangelo laughed. "Maybe it's love at first sight. Or should I say, love at first snack?", he said and pulled out a pack of oreos from his bag, causing both Donnie and Raph to hold their stomach in laughter.

Leo tried to brush off their comments, a faint blush visible under his mask. "It's nothing. Let's just go home".

“Booooooring”, Donnie groaned out loud, as he followed Leonardo’s lead back to the sewers. But his brothers weren't about to let him off the hook that easily.

As they made their way back home through the sewers, Leo’s brothers continued to tease him, comparing you to all the other girls that have caught his attention over the yes. Was it really so bad that he dreamed of getting a girlfriend one day? All human teenagers his age did the same, so was it wrong of him just because he was a turtle.

As they were about to round the corner before the entrance to their home, Leo stopped in realization. He had forgotten the Doritos.

“Oh shit”, he mumbled, before giving his bags to his brothers.

“Yo, what’s happening, man?”, Raph asked in confusion.

“I forgot the Doritos”, Leo said in a hurry. “Tell dad I’ll be back in a minute! I’ll hurry!” And with those words Leo was down the sewer before any of his brothers could protest.

Leo made it to the ladder and pushed the sewer cover off, only to stop dead in his tracks. Right in front of him on the alley floor was a perfect party sized Doritos bag, with a note taped to it.

Leo’s first thought was that he should run. The fear that a human had caught him burning in his throat. But he didn’t run. Instead he looked around to make sure he was alone, before he reached out and grabbed the bag, bringing it down to the sewer. Once at the foot of the ladder, Leo took a look at the note taped to the bag. It was hard to read with his shaking hands, but he managed.

“Hey stranger! I think you dropped this at the bodega, so I thought I would bring it to you. (Y/N) <3. P.S. You and your friends are quite noisy once you get up on the roof;)”.

Leo felt like fainting. A human had brought him the Doritos that his dad had asked him for. Not just any human, but you. The pretty human from the bodega.

Heat creepy up his cheeks, as he took the note and hid it in a pocket on his belt. Thinking back on Raph’s comment, Leo couldn’t help but giggle a little. He might have a thing for grocery shopping now.

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A/N: MM Leonardo with his crushes gives me “Cliche Love Song” by Basim vibes. Also the song used💕

[drwilder]

Stewart the Tuxedo Cat

Today was like any other for Stewart. He was curled into a ball on his luxurious and soft cat bed, which had been large enough to fit a Labrador. He did not have to worry, as there was no competition for him. His owner, Margo Ruman, a sweet old 79-year-old grandma, always spoiled him rotten. Stewart was no ordinary cat, as he had intelligence onpar with humans.

Since it was around noon, he decided it was time for mayhem, which might or might not cause collateral damage.

Stretching his front and hind legs, he stood up, giving his fur a few licks with his sandpaper tongue to ensure he was presentable before trotting out of the living room and into the kitchen, starting with small damage first.

Hopping onto the granite counter, he strutted along like a model on a runaway, swatting at each kitchen utensil, which all met their demise by clattering or shattering on the tile floor. From the salt shaker to the napkin holder, nothing was safe from Stewart and his need for mayhem.

The open bag of flour was another perfect target, pawing at it and causing a dust cloud to fill the air, Stewart repeatedly sneezing for a few seconds before knocking the large four pound bag over. Curious about the soft texture, Stewart rolled around in it like a pig to mud, coating his black and white fur in white clumps of flour, his vibrant green eyes piercing through the white cloud. Shaking off what flour he could, he sneezed a few more times before exiting the kitchen, leaping onto the windowsill and using his paw to unlock the latch, opening the window and allowing him access to the outside world.

Margo was still busy with her daily crossword puzzles, so this was the optimal time for some fun.

Once Stewart was outside, he trotted along the slanted roof, scooping a few leaves out of the gutter to reach his prized possession, the holy grail—Mr. Squeakers. The sneaky cat had hidden a vibrant rubber ducky inside the gutter, where it would be stuck and hidden from the leaves, muck, and other residue that it collected. It was his good luck charm ever since he was a little kitten, and he wasn't about to stop using it now, even if it was for utter chaos.

Shaking more flour off his fur, Stewart hops down from the roof to the roof of the car before landing on the pavement of the driveway. It was sunny out, the sun beating down and quickly warming up his body. Thankfully, he had a short coat, so he didn't sweat all that much, continuing his journey down the driveway and into the neighborhood.

It was mostly quiet, with a few neighbors up and about. Some were at work, while others at home or doing other human activities. Stewart never understood why humans went so far to treat cats like him as their own child, but he also never questioned it much, as being pampered 24/7 wasn't something he was going to complain about. He knew that his brethren weren't as lucky as he was, but one day, he'd rule the world and declare humans treat felines as royalty. That's for another day, however.

Once Stewart reached the main road, cars zoomed by, stirring up the leaves and other debris humans often left behind, mainly plastic cups or emplty aluminum soda cans. Ditches were filled with muddy water, palmetto bugs floating around, some clinging onto leaves like a lifeboat. He avoided the puddles, trotting along the dry and smooth sidewalk, as the last thing he needed was to get dirty.

Stewart hated cockaroachs, wishing they had died out with the dinosaurs. He read that in a book at a library once that birds are dinosaurs. If he ever invents a time machine, he would like to prove the human scientists wrong, and then he'd be awarded hundreds of rubber duckies. It sounded a bit farfetched, but Stewart was not one to deny a challenge or give up easily, for the tuxedo cat would find a way to achieve his goals.

Upon making an unwanted detour due to the humans causing another traffic accident, Stewart has found himself deep within the depths of uncharted territory. Gigantic oak trees, brush, and other small critters inhabitated this forest. The housecat didn't know what it was, but a strange hum filled the air, a small and subtle vibration that made his ears flick in response. He swatted at the random knats and other pests that flew nearby, taking a chomp out of them and slowly reducing their numbers faster than pest control, surprisingly enough.

It began to rain, which was a good thing, as Stewart loved the rain.

The soft grass was now damp, the light drizzle overhead not being a deterent for Stewart, for he saw a clearing up ahead. A ginormous steel gray building sat in the open field, with large barbed wire fences and unmarked vehicles coming in and out through the electronically controlled front gate. It was unlike anything the tuxedo cat had seen before, and he couldn't help but wonder what was inside. His mind ran through the countless possibilities, each one better than the last.

He'd be really lucky if he found a rubber ducky.

Sprinting over, he stopped near the side gate on the east side, gnawing at the metal chain links and managing to tear through them, creating a small opening that he squeezed through. It was a tight fit, as some of the sharp ends of the link scraped against his fur, but the wounds ultimately were only superficial.

Stewart was a very sneaky cat, slinking around in the shadows and avoiding what appeared to be security guards doing their daily patrol. It would be fun to mess with them, but Stewart is a cat on a mission, and his search for the ultimate treasures overrides his wants to stir up chaos outside. The guards probably were dumb, considering they weren't paying attention to him grabbing the keycard from one of the guards pocket.

Once secured, he used it to get inside, crawling through the vent, which was a bit stuffy and cramped. It wasn't the worst condition Stewart had to suffer, but it certainly was uncomfortable, as he was a bit on the chunky side. Margo had gotten scolded from the vet before for overfeeding me with treats and food, but the old lady brushed it off since he managed to regain a healthy weight before the next visit.

Stopping at an intersection, he chose to go left since right is wrong and left is obviously always right. Stewart quickly found himself at a dead-end, with nothing but a sealed grate, which he used his heavy weight and force to break, plummeting to the ground and landing on something solid and warm.

"Ow! What the—" A short-haired blonde man squeaked, his blazing blue eyes piercing through his black round shaped glasses, gazing down at Stewart with confusion and a hint of anxiety. This was awkward and definitely not a part of the mischievous cat's plan.

After moments of silence, the man cautiously reached forward as if to pet Stewart, and the cat was not one to deny pets.

Once the man scooped him up, he cradled Stewart like a baby, much like his owner, Margo did, giving him chin scratches and stroking his soft furred head. "Hey there, little guy." The man spoke gently, smiling softly at him.

Stewart meowed loudly in response, reading the man's keycard, which read 'Dr. Simon Glass', and some other unimportant information beside the tan man being a psychologist.

'This is a trap', Stewart thought, narrowing his eyes at Dr. Glass suspiciously, which surprised the psychologist, who probably hadn't expected to be so greatly judged by a cat today. Without wasting another second, Stewart made his grand escape by pawing at Glass's face, knocking his glasses off before wiggling like a worm, weaseling out and dashing away faster than a cheetah.

He was too agile for the doctor, sprinting down the hallway at lightening speed and making a sharp right into a seemingly empty office.

Oh, how wrong he was.

There sat a short and pudgy tan man at the desk, his messy uncut blonde hair covered by a dark brown wide brimmed hat as he lazily strummed a ukulele. The small room smelled of expired maple syrup and gunpowder, causing Stewart to sneeze once before the man had swiftly grabbed him.

Despite his squirming and hissing, this man was undetered, plopping Stewart in his lap before beginning to stroke the cat's back.

"Damn, you're chunky." He grunts, a grin creeping up onto his lips as the tuxedo cat began to quietly purr, rumbling like a car engine. "That's okay, join the crowd, fella." The man's sharp teeth came into view, though it didn't scare Stewart, for he sensed this man loved chaos just as much as he did.

Maybe this place wasn't so bad after all.

After ten more minutes of attention, Stewart decided it was time to leave again, though this time it didn't require as much effort, as the chubby man gently set him down without complaint, letting the chunky cat trot happily out of his office with his tail held high.

Luckily enough, Stewart hadn't run into any other humans. They carried all sorts of nasty germs, and he already had enough from being a housecat. You could say he was a germaphobe, which would be partially accurate, as on his own accord, he'd roll around in mud or flour. He was messier than a toddler at times, and while Margo was always annoyed by it, Mia never seemed to mind.

Mia was Margo's granddaughter. She was a janitor currently employed at an elementary school and made a fairly decent pay for her occupation. Whenever Margo had a dialysis for her type two diabetes, Mia watched over Stewart over at her apartment.

It wasn't until he came across an older man, his fair skin contrasting his deeply sunken black eyes. Stewart let out a loud meow to catch his attention, but the man simply walked by without so much as casting him a glance.

Stewart would not stand for this blatant disrespect.

And so, he had the bright idea to hook his claws on the man's pant leg, being dragged along like a corpse for a few minutes before the older man had picked up Stewart by the scruff, examining him with a blank expression.

"Very fluffy." He says monotonously before setting Stewart down and walking away without another word.

Stewart decided it was time to head home, swiftly exiting the facility and taking the same route back to Margo's house, managing to make it through the window right before six o'clock.

It had been an eventual day for the housecat, meeting all sorts of people and discovering a secret facility. Margo was currently in the kitchen making fresh penne rigatoni, the aroma of freshly baked bread and tomato sauce filling the air, creating a homey feel.

"Ah, Stewart! There you are!" Margo chuckles softly, gently patting the cats head. "I thought my granddaughter took ya. The Wilder name certainly fits you, rascal." She coos affectionately before going back into the kitchen, humming Italian tunes to herself.

Curling up onto his luxurious cat bed, he couldn't help but wonder what else resided in that facility. He'd save that for another day, of course.

Closing his eyes, he mewed softly, dreaming of chaos, which he'd do all again starting tomorrow morning.

Photo reference for Stewart:

[fleurcareil]

Alberta Rockies (1): Canmore and Banff

After saying goodbye to Deborah, I drove out west and soon started to see the first mountains!! 🤩 I read somewhere that out of all landscapes, people are most impressed by mountains and I cannot agree more.. not necessarily for me to live in but certainly to visit!

I had been recommended to do the hike to the Grassi lakes in Canmore as a good intro to the mountains, so up I went together with a few other hundred persons 😜... this was the first time in over the two months I'm on the road that I experienced real busyness, so I was a bit annoyed at first but hey I was there too so couldn't really blame others wanting to do the same 😅.

First view was from a man-made hydro reservoir and there was also a waterfall, but then the two star Grassi lakes showed themselves.. . I must say that initially I was a bit disappointed, is this it? as they're tiny & seemed unassuming at first, but then went I waited until the sun came out I could see those beautiful green colours & agreed that they're stunning. I probably sat on a rock for about an hour waiting until the sun came through, observing the other tourists, rock climbers and even a girl in a fancy dress having a photo shoot 😀. I'm never bored when doing nothing!

As this was a Saturday evening in August in the Rockies 🙃, it was no surprise that I had had trouble finding a place to stay, so I backtracked a bit into the valley to a campground which turned out to be on a First Nations reserve. The evening prior, I had been asked whether I had ever stayed on a reserve so now I could say yes!

Basically being a big grassfield with a porta-potty it was really not much but it had an amazing view and as the reserve is its own nation, I was allowed to have a campfire whereas the rest of the province had a fire ban, bizarre! I would not have done a fire but that night was the height of the Perseides meteor shower, so I gladly enjoyed the warmth while looking for shooting stars... I saw 13 in total! 🤩

Next morning, I headed to the visitor centre in downtown Banff to get ideas on what I could do, and although the village looked pretty I was glad to leave for lake Minnewanka for one of the most glorious paddles I've done to date... blue sky, mountains, crystal clear water & no wind... SUP paradise! 😍❤ I had optimistically put on my bikini but this being my first glacial lake I had not fully understood how absolutely freezing the water is, so that swim didn't happen! 😅

In the afternoon, I drove along the pretty Bow Valley Parkway to set up camp at the Johnston Canyon, whose parking lot was overflowing & mayhem with people, but luckily the campsites were large and quiet.

When I had first been to Banff in 2010, the smoke of fires near Kamloops (speaking of history repeating itself, see my recent update on BC fires) created zero visibility so we fied Banff within a day, not having seen any of the landscape so I was very happy to experience it now with such perfect weather! 😍 Top of my list was taking the Banff Gondola which is apparently the single largest attraction, so I guess I was lucky to get any ticket at all, even at 5:30pm.... once more TONS of people but I didn't let me distract from the marvelous views. I sat again for an hour or so on a bench, watching the world go by while sipping a beer and taking in the scenery 🤗 PS I know everyone loves their children but OMG what a patience parents must have nowadays!?! 😵

After all this beauty, I was completely content to have a simple salad (and the last delicious samosa from Calgary's farmers market), make a crossword & dive into bed early.

Wildlife: NO grizzly bears, black bears, mountain goats or bighorn sheep 🤨 I did see 1 elk & 4 deer

SUPs: one at Banff

Hikes: one at Canmore

[taylortruther]

hi rae - feeling very disrupted and anxious with the world events that have happened and some more personal stuff like work - do you have any calming things you like do when things like this come up? i know i need to get offline which i am planning on doing but i always like to hear what other people like to do too

i do some breathing exercises, which help me calm down in the moment.

i like make jigsaw puzzles! i get ones like these - mayhem in the library, mystic maze - that have cute little pictures and fun things to look for in the puzzle itself. it makes it more interesting to look for pieces. but i can do a puzzle for hours at a time, and i put my phone somewhere far away so i am immersed. it's just a really good way to stay off screens.

i also love to read (i've read 3 books in the last week), and play video games (low-stakes stuff like mario on my switch.)

and i bought a crossword and word search book recently. they're easy, so it's not really challenging, but it's just something to occupy my mind when i'm anxious.

hope this helps and hope you are okay bestie

[jwirecs]

Recommended BTS Social Media Au’s of June 2021📱

Just a small (maybe not so small) compilations of some of my favorite SMAU’s that I have read so far and would absolutely love to recommend to others!

** anything in parentheses and bolded are my thoughts that can be disregarded if needed **

🔞smut || 💔angst || 💕fluff || ✅ completed || 🔄ongoing || 💯favorite

Privacy || @burningupp💕✅💯

↳ the members of bts have created private twitter accounts to try to vent their feelings in a new way. namjoon interacts with you when you need help with a crossword, and suddenly, the two of you are friends.(honestly this is so cute, like lowkey want that to happen to me cause like i need friends..but at the same time, stranger danger. but thats okay.)

Spilled Milk || @adorajoon💕✅💯💯

↳ an au in which you join an app that assigns you to groupchats randomly (the amount of crackhead energy that this au has is amazing. i honestly loved that energy.)

Star Crossed || @gukooky💕💔✅

↳ you’re an actress on the rise and for more recognition, your manager suggests getting into a Hollywood relationship. Driven by your work hard persona and strong desire for a break out, you agree. What your manager failed to tell you was who you were going to date: Hollywood’s favorite playboy, Kim Taehyung, most notably known as V.

Organic || @ppersonna 🔞💕💔✅

↳ You agree to do your childhood best friend, Namjoon, a favor by working as his boss’s gardener.  However, Namjoon fails to tell you just how much of a rich ass Kim Seokjin really is. You hate him, and he hates you, so why does it bother you when his ex makes her way back into his life?

The Sea Without You || @sopebubbles🔞💕💔✅

↳ When rapper Agust D mysteriously disappears, he leaves behind his rap group, his fiancé and his unborn child. Even if they get him back, will it ever be the same? Can they make it right?

Always || @yonkimint💕💔✅💯

↳ Five years after Kim Taehyung broke her heart and left her for her ex best friend, Park Jimin, y/n gets roped back into their messy lives when they ask her to be in the wedding. The temptation to sabotage the impending nuptials and win Tae back is too hard to resist. Will the others go along with these shenanigans? Will y/n hurt herself all over again? And what if Hobi has a confession to make that might just change everything?

Loser Baby || @dejayoonw🔞💕💔✅

↳ Schola Veneficas, a college for witches where everyone seems to know who you are which is weird considering you don’t really know much about your family history. When the cute fifth year takes pity on you it makes the unexpected hostility a little more bareable, at least for a little while.

3005 [An Atlas Heart Remix] || @hxseok-honee🔞💕💔✅💯

↳ they’re already together. she’s in love with someone else. in a whirlwind of circumstances predetermined by the war they never asked for, 8 friends manage to keep their innocence and cause chaos along the way ((with the help of 4 very familiar troublemakers)). but if it’s not hard to fathom werewolves, illegal animagi, and absolute mayhem, why is it so hard for her to accept that love doesn’t play by the rules? (a lil ol spin off to Atlas Heart. love it)

Neighborhood || @selfcontrol-idkher🔞💕💔✅

↳ Having a neighbor who has a stamina of a rabbit is horrible, especially when the walls are paper thin. But you know what’s worse? Catching feelings for the said neighbor.

Live & Love || @lysjeon💕💔✅💯💯

↳ namjoon always liked you but for some reason he never thought you would be interested in him. and you are too scared to tell him you like him too. (this is so cute stop.)

R U Still There? || @seokstrivia💕💔✅

↳ All he wanted to do was live his life to the fullest (its a short one but its a good one. for real.)

Do check out all of the other BTS SMAU’s that I have reblogged on my blog as well!!!

** if there’s any fic that you guys could recommend me to read, i would love to get some recommendations! im slowly running out of smau’s to read. **

[lihikainanea]

something is just so precious about gustaf and tiger just sitting back and watching the boys go at it. like gustaf joking gets involved in wrestling sometimes but he is peaceful. so the two of them start hanging out together, doing paint by numbers while talking about different music and albums. bills too busy fighting with his brothers to notice, but then he NOTICES. and the reasonable side of him loves that they get along so well but when he’s grumpy and testosterone filled? he wishes the walls were sound proof in this house cause she’d be over his knee for hours.

I love this very much.

So, brothers am I right?

I just get these images of tiger and Gustaf practicing their daily yoga in the living room, all zen and lost in the movements, while complete mayhem takes place around them. Bill has Valter in a headlock. Alex has one of Bill's legs, trying to pull him off Valter. Someone brought an alpaca into the house--just fucking mayhem.

But like, truth be told, tiger has never really been surrounded by this much testosterone before and it's just..it's a lot. Violence erupts spontaneously and sometimes she is caught in the crossfires. Gustaf, she noticed, is always kind of off doing his own thing--drawing in his sketchbook in his own room, doing a crossword puzzle at the kitchen table, doing an actual puzzle out on the back deck, meditating on the dock. The more these spontaneous but visceral displays of masculinity take place, the more tiger kind of retreats immediately just out of sheer fear of catching a flying elbow or a gangly leg or something. And maybe without her even realizing, she always just kind of searches until she finds Gustaf--and he's always waiting with an easy smile, an extra seat.

And like, tiger doesn't notice she's doing it. But you know who notices? You know who notices real good?

Bill.

And like, of all the brothers--he's glad it's Gustaf. He knows firsthand Gustaf's kind, gentle nature and he doesn't at all fault tiger for seeking it out--but it doesn't mean he's also not a little irrationally jealous, because it's always Gustaf.

Gustaf for his part is also the only one who knows about tiger and Bill, and he's not stupid--he sees that twitch in little bro's eyes, that uneasiness, that little flair of jealousy. but Gustaf means no harm, ever.

So maybe the next time the brothers are getting a bit rowdy and tiger quietly retreats, she finds Gustaf in the kitchen with some tea, working on a puzzle. And Gustaf still greets her warmly, pulls out a chair, but then he tells her to hang on a beat--and he rises, leaving the room.

He comes back not 2 minutes later, literally dragging Bill by the ear. Bill is all flushed, his cheeks red, out of breath from the exertion of fighting off two brothers at once--and he's wincing and cussing in Swedish, all while his ear is firmly pinched between Gustaf's fingers. Gustaf just lets go, slaps him upside the head, shoves him into a chair beside tiger--and quietly leaves again.

[maxwell-grant]

The crossover fic + learning he's a favorite of yours has me curious: do you think it would be possible to tell a satisfactory Shadow vs. Mr. Mxyzptlk story? I think he'd fit surprisingly well in that milieu as a credible threat: he's something of an older, mistier, shadowy world, kin to fairies and elves and imps, pixies and sprites and genies, bound by old laws and dressed like a parody of 20s/30s class, beyond The Shadow's usual powers and yet...THAT. There a thematic in to this throwdown?

I had never actually thought of Mxy in that light, even though it's very much in line with what he is, because Mxy is one of those characters I don't tend to think about much. He's one of those ready-made perfect villains who pretty much guarantees a fun and creative time whenever he pops up uninvented. Like The Ventriloquist for Batman, he is so uniquely a product of how Superman works and what his stories allow for, that I can't say I ever thought of taking him for a spin outside of them. But there's definitely stuff to work with in putting him and The Shadow together.

Come to think of it, if there's a Superman villain I think Walter Gibson would have liked to play around with, it would be Mxyzptlk. Mxy stories are fundamentally about Superman being thrust into a position where his only way out is to solve puzzles and turn the tables using nothing but his wits, and Gibson spent the majority of his career before and after The Shadow as a writer of books on magic and puzzles, both of which show up a lot in The Shadow stories. You see it even in several covers which contained clues for the stories within.

To an extent, you could argue that The Shadow might figure out quicker a way to trick Mxy, because The Shadow's already has to utilize a constant amount of trickery and deceit and puzzle-solving in his daily adventures, it comprises almost the majority of what his stories are about under Gibson. The usual Mxyzptlk narrative is one that's well within The Shadow's domain.

But on the other hand, it's definitely some extremely unusual territory for The Shadow, villain-wise. A villain who eclipses his powers and scope to such an extent is completely unheard of. The one time I can think of where he fought a villain this weird and who he was completely powerless against was when he met Suven The Clown King of Venus (who's definitely a character that could show up in this meeting), and even then Suven was just a weird alien who looked gigantic next to the shrunken Shadow. Even on the few occasions where The Shadow encountered other aliens or eldritch monsters, he was able to find a way to stop the threat for the moment or even kill it, which is definitely not happening here, because Mxy is a whole other level.

Superman has the strength and endurance and superpowers to roll with whatever mayhem Mxy throws his way. If Mxy decides that The Shadow’s looking too pale so he's gonna give him a tan by throwing him in the sun, what the hell is he gonna do to stop him? I imagine that Mxy would likely take a different approach to messing with The Shadow, since he can't tank nukes like Supes and he's not really a good sport about the game. 

Fine, whatever, Mxy's a creative sort, he's got a couple of ideas for messing around with Mr Grim-n-Serious over there, show him what an Eldritch Monster looks like past the squid monsters and dragons he may have met.

The idea I'm getting here is, on one hand, Mxy attacking The Shadow with the usual goofiness he brings with him. And on the other, him realizing that messing with The Shadow's dignity isn't as fun as he thought he'd be, so he instead goes full SCP Foundation/Awful Hospital/Ice Cream Man on The Shadow until he's stopped, trapping him in amusing and horrifying eldritch nightmares and situations that he has absolutely no way to escape until he solves the puzzle. 

I mean, he's not fighting Superman here, he can kill this guy with a blink, even just stopping his heart with a thought. No fun in that. He's gotta beat the "Master of Darkness" at his own game. He's got a point to prove.

I imagine that much of the story would play out of The Shadow having to piece together what exactly has gone topsy-turvy in his reality, whether it's Commissioner Weston eating spiders for breakfest or the entirety of Manhattan sans him going blind and all lights going out across the country. And when Mxy comes out with that shrill SURPROISE!!!, assuming The Shadow already knows what he needs to do, then he falls for whatever gambit The Shadow's had to cook up to trick him. 

At the end, Mxy is an arrogant bully who lords power over those that can't fight back, and The Shadow's a master of beating those by turning their arrogance against them. It's Duck Amuck, except Bugs is a mind-breaking sadist and Daffy has to fight back.

I imagine something akin to a particularly funny scene from a story called Face of Doom, where a gangster traps The Shadow in a room surrounded by armed henchman so he can enlist him into taking down the city's leading criminal, The Face. The Shadow unmasks himself as Cranston to gain his trust, and the two proceed to talk plans. I'll post the sequence below

Calmly, The Shadow was removing his slouch hat. His arms spread, the black cloak began to drop from his shoulders. Clipper's nervousness changed to elation. If ever a criminal fooled himself, Clipper did so at that moment.

Though The Shadow voiced no agreement to Clipper's offer, the crook was confident that it was sealed. The Shadow was taking a step that no other criminal had ever witnessed.

When Clipper's squinty eyes saw the hawkish features of Lamont Cranston, the crook displayed another of his downward grins. There wasn't any question about the prisoner really being The Shadow.

"A ritzy mug, ain't you?" voiced Clipper. "Well, that makes you the real McCoy. One thing we'd all figured, Shadow — we guessed you was a high-hat guy.

"'You don't get out of here until The Face is croaked! Say, though — maybe one of your ritzy friends could put up a good front with The Face."

"There are others, who might serve. I have agents, you know."

A shrewd gleam brought new ugliness to Clipper's eyes. He had heard of The Shadow's agents. It would be smart stuff—using them to get The Face, then disposing of them afterward. Clipper couldn't hide the eagerness that betrayed his new scheme.

"Good stuff," agreed Clipper. "But how am I going to reach those guys and get them to work with me? They only take orders from you, don't they?"

In reply, Clipper saw Cranston pick up the black cloak and hat. He handed the garments to the crook. For the moment, Clipper was puzzled; then he saw Cranston's hand extend the discarded gloves.

"I get it," chuckled Clipper. "You want me to rig up like I was you. Then the guys that work for you will listen to me. How do you handle them—with some password?"

"Usually," replied The Shadow. "Try on the cloak and hat first, Clipper. I must study the appearance that you make."

It seemed like a give-away of The Shadow's game. Any one could stage this Shadow stuff. All he had to do was masquerade in black, spring a shivery laugh, and shoot quick with his guns. If Cranston could pull it, Clipper could.

The Shadow spends a couple of paragraphs calmly walking Clipper through the steps necessary to pull off a convincing Shadow performance, almost like he's directing him. And then this happens:

The back of Clipper's neck was exposed. Though The Shadow's voice was still the leisurely tone of Cranston, his left hand had lost its laziness. Behind Clipper's back, that fist whipped an automatic from a shoulder holster. Clipper didn't scent the move until the muzzle of the .45 iced his neck.

"It won't work, Shadow," rasped Clipper. "You know it as well as I do! One pop from that gat of yours, the mob will pile in and croak you! There's a wicket in that door; they'll use it!"

The Shadow had shifted low behind Clipper's back. The crook could no longer observe the reflection of Cranston's face. He could still feel the pressure of the gun muzzle on his flesh. "Climb off my neck, Shadow," warned Clipper. "It ain't getting you nowhere!"

It was getting The Shadow further than Clipper guessed. The gun muzzle was actually gone from Clipper's neck. His impression that it rested there was merely an after effect, from former pressure.

Crouched low, The Shadow had now reached the door. Before Clipper guessed what was up, The Shadow twisted the door knob. Wrenching the door inward, he pulled himself behind it.

At the same moment, The Shadow snapped a quick command, in a rasp that resembled Clipper's own harsh tone:

"The Shadow's yours, gang! Croak him!"

It ends for Clipper about as well as you'd expect.

One of the things I like most about Mxy is that you can't take shortcuts with him. It's not like how it is with Riddler stories, where you can half-ass the riddles because you know Batman's gonna win once he touches Riddler and the story's gonna end in a punch-up, Mxyzptlk is completely invincible unless you solve the puzzle he presents, and you'd think of course that, surely, he can't fall for it this time.

He's a wise guy, see, he's seen all of Superman's tricks by now, and what's that dumb old Shadow gonna do that he can't see a mile away? This is almost too easy.

It's so easy, in fact, that The Shadow even agrees, he's lost it completely, and the way he could possibly beat Mxyzptlk is by calling one of his agents to save him, and he's prepared a list of some of his smartest, cleverest agents for this moment. But, no, he wouldn't dare put them in such danger against this invincible, immortal genius, someone has to take this list from him and run, but ZOINKS, Mxy's taken the list. So he's gonna start seeing who is it that the Shadda thinks is smart enough to take him.

Clyde BurKe? Like some dimestore journalist's gonna have a shot, just cause he solves crossword puzzles. Lamont Cranston, yeah, more like, LAMEONT CRANSTON. Harry VincenT, who, the dumb kid who tried jumping off a bridge once? Come on, you gotta give me a hand here, Shadda! Let's see, Pietro, what, some cook? Ya kidding? Moe ShrevnitZ...actually, Shrevy's allright, scratch that one. ShrevY, hey, come on, that's cheating, ya just put Shrevnitz's name again, ya dum-dum. Mr Xanadu, hmm, catchy name but probably not a real guy. And Margo Lane. Yeah, smart dame that one, she could probably figger something out. And ya keep writing everyone's name's weird - WAIT

I KNOW WHAT YER TRYING TO DO HERE.

I KNOW YOU GOT SOME CLEVER SCHEME HERE, I'D SEEN THIS BEFORE, IT'S AN OLD TRICK.

YOU EMPHASIZED THE LETTERS SO THE REAL SMARTEST GUY YOU KNOW WOULD BE HIDDEN WITHIN THEM, SO THAT SOMEONE ELSE COULD FIND HIM.

HAH, THAT'S RICH. THAT'S KID'S PLAY. WHAT, YOU THINK I CAN'T FIND THIS

KLTPZYXM

BY MYSELF?

.

.

.

aw crickets...

[bendywackyadventures]

BATIM SOL AU- In Charge

Linda was putting on her earrings, as she was getting ready for a party. One of their close friends, the Evan’s came into town and invited them to a get together. It’s been years since the Stein’s last saw them, and it was nice for them to come over.

Henry was putting on his tux as he saw the three new additions to his family. Allison, Tom and evil Alice who they named Malice. “Alright you three. Linda and I are going out for the night, so could you keep an eye on Bendy and the others for tonight?” He asked.

Tom and Malice looked up at Henry and back at each other. “You expect us to keep an eye on the ink demon and his friends?” Malice asked.

Henry nodded. “Yep. Linda and I are gone and someone needs to keep an eye on Bendy, Boris and Alice. What better then you three helping to take care of them.” He explained.

“No thank you Henry. I’ve been chased by the Ink Demon for so long, and even though he’s not scary he can still do some mischievous things.” Malice explained. She then had a thought of Bendy laughing menacingly ting her, Tom and Allison up to some fireworks.

Allison chuckled and rubbed Malice’s back. “Oh relax. Bendy would never do anything like that.” She replied giving comfort for the formerly evil Alice. She then glanced at Henry and whispered, “Would he?”

It was Henry’s turn to chuckle. “He wouldn’t. Because if he did, he would be grounded for a month with no pizza!” He yelled upstairs.

“Aww what!” Bendy yelled in the distance. Henry smiled catching Bendy in the act of his plan against his babysitters. Tom and Malice gave a glance knowing one of Bendy’s plans was foiled, but what else does this little devil darling had in store.

Tom shook his head. While he didn’t speak, Malice knew Tom didn’t trust the little devil one bit. Allison turned and held Tom’s mechanical hand. “I know you don’t trust him, but remember we have Alice and Boris to keep us on our feet.” Tom nodded; at least Boris and Alice are well mannered.

Linda was finally ready dressed up in her dark blue dress. “Ready to go Henry?” Linda asked.

Henry smiled looking how pretty his wife looked. Her hair tied into a bun, the dark blue dress looking pretty like the night sky, and her silver high-heeled shoes glistening like the stars. The man blushed seeing how beautiful his wife looked tonight.

Allison giggled seeing Henry gush over his wife.

“Henry? Henry?” Linda asked.

Henry snapped out of it and looked at his wife. “Y-Yes?” Henry then remembered what Linda asked him, “Oh yes! I am.” He looked at Allison. “Allison your in charge. Call me incase anything happens.” He said handing Allison a paper with some phone numbers.

Allison smiled; she could handle this I mean what could go wrong with taking care of three toons. Malice stared in shock at the other angel and Henry. “I’m like older then these two! How is she in charge?!”

“Because she’s responsible and would not turn Bendy, Boris and Alice into slaves.” Henry replied. Allison chuckled and Tom smiled knowing Malice got owned.

Linda grabbed Henry’s hand, “come on Mr. Stein we have a fun night with friends!” She grabbed Henry and pulled him outside to headed to the car and drove off for the night.

The trio looked out the window. Allison stood up and spoke up, “Alright! I’m in charge so first things first I’ll be checking up on the toons.” Allison walked upstairs to check up on the toons. Tom’s ears went down as he gave a growl feeling something is wrong.

Tom followed Allison leaving Malice alone on the couch. Once they we’re gone Malice changed the channel to a drama movie.

Allison opened the door, surprisingly the toons we’re just relaxing. Bendy was playing with a paddleball, Alice was reading a book with her pet kitten Sugar next to her, and Boris was playing a crossword puzzle.

Tom took a peek of the room as well, and felt suspicious that the toons we’re just acting normal then usual.

“See Tom, everything is fine.” Allison reassured. She closed the door and pulled Tom away headed back downstairs. Once they came down, Malice quickly changed the channel back and smiled at the two toons. They sat back down again and relaxed the rest of the night. “See it’s nice and easy.”

That’s what Allison thought. Once she left, Bendy went under his bed and took out his secret stash of cheese puffs gummy worms and orange soda. “Glad their gone.” He sighed in relief.

Alice looked up from her book as Bendy threw her a can of soda so she can have a sip. Carefully she opened it so none of the fizzy substance sprayed on her. “I can’t believe you we’re able to sneak all the snacks before mom and dad left.” Alice exclaimed.

Bendy chuckled, “well we’re toons, and I was able to do it this when Henry and Linda we’re getting ready. Plus Tom and the others are stuck watching TV.” He explained. The demon chugged on the soda before opening the bag of cheese puffs before eating one. “So they’ll be distracted on that till Henry and Linda comes home.”

Alice rolled her eyes. “If you say so.”

An hour has passed and this time Tom decided to check up on the toons it’s been quiet with no mayhem. The wolf growled sensing something is wrong and went up to check at what the toons we’re up too. Allison stopped him holding onto his paws.

“Tom, relax their fine.” Allison reassured. Tom removed Allison’s hand off his arm and started to march upstairs. “Tom.” Allison sighed.

Malice groaned rolling her eyes. “Would you like it if I checked up on them?” She asked.

Tom and Allison looked at each other. There was silence between the three till Allison snickered. Then her snickers turned to chuckles. Tom just growled at the evil angel. He knew this angel was nothing but trouble, and knew the toons would be in danger if she were lurking around their room.

Malice walked upstairs and found the toons room. She slowly opened the door and saw the toons relaxing eating food. She opened it slowly and walked in. Upon her entrance, Boris looked up from his crossword puzzle, his ears dropped down seeing the evil Alice.

Bendy and Alice looked at Boris then at each other. Boris whimpered looking up and pointing up. Alice and Bendy looked up to see Malice over them looking at them with a glare.

“Oh hi Malice!” Bendy nervously chuckled.

“Oh hello Bendy, what are you three doing tonight?” Malice asked.

“Just eating snacks, doing our own thing.” Bendy replied.

“That’s it?”

Bendy nodded. Malice shrugged, there was nothing to worry about. Heck nothing for Henry to get them in trouble. Malice was about to walk out of the room, but before she left she had her hand out asking for some snacks. Bendy and Alice handed Malice some gummy worms and cheese puffs before she left the room and back downstairs.

Allison and Tom turned and saw Malice coming downstairs eating the snacks Bendy and Alice gave her. Tom was confused seeing what Malice was eating.

“Where did you get that?” Allison asked.

Malice stopped chewing and looked at her hand seeing the gummy worms and a cheese puff still in her hand. “Oh. Bendy gave this to me. He has some secret stash of junk food.” She replied giving a laugh.

Allison and Tom looked at each other. Tom snapped his fingers using his metal hand knowing something was up.

At the party over at the Evan’s house Henry and Linda were having a wonderful conversation with their friends. They talked about their lives so far since the last time they met, which was too awkward for the Stein’s to explain. Because how to explain to party guest your adopted toons, an evil angel out of your old co-worker, and two other toons into your home.

They party was loud that no one heard the phone ring. The phone rang three times before it went to a dial tone. Allison sighed as she hanged up the phone.

“Any luck?” Malice asked. Allison shook her head. “Well that’s just great! Henry’s off having a good time when we’re having a crisis over what the toons are eating is safe?” She yelled.

Allison put her hands on Malice’s shoulder. “Now, now. Let’s calm down. Look their fine. Not making a mess of anything. Look let’s sit down watch TV and relax.” Allison explained hoping to address the situation calmly.

Malice took a deep breath, which turned to a disappointed sigh. That was something for Allison. “Good.” Allison sighed. Allison and Malice sat down on the couch and continued watching their show.

Tom wasn’t sure and kept looking up the stairs. With a sigh he sat down next to Alison and snuggled up to her. The good angel smiled and hugged the wolf back.

By 10:30 PM Henry and Linda we’re finally home having a fun time over at the Evan’s house. The couple smiled see the three getting along and sleeping on the couch. Henry rubbed Tom’s shoulder waking the wolf up. “Hey guys.”

Allison and Malice stirred in their sleep, slowly waking up from their sleep.

“How was taking care of the toons?” Linda asked.

Allison smiled with a nod, “they we’re well. Just ate snacks all the time.” She explained.

Henry and Linda’s eyes widen. They we’re frozen looking at one another. “What kind of food we’re they eating?”

Malice shrugged, “gummy candies and a cheese chips.” She answered. “Why?”

Henry groaned. “Because toons aren’t supposed to eat junk food!” Henry yelled.

“Wait what does happen when they consume junk food?” Allison asked.

CRASH

BANG

CAT SCRECH

The five members heard those loud noises coming from the toons room. Quickly they ran up to see the toons jumping up and down their beds, making a mess of everything. Poor little Sugar ran out of the room and ran into Henry’s arms.

Henry and Linda narrowed their eyes to the two angels and wolf. Allison and Malice nervously chuckled as Tom shook his head knowing this was going to happen.

[anwarholcomb-blog]

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[malka-lisitsa]

“I’m gonna murder Santa Claus, you in?” [Kol]

"Y- "

She cant even speak her whole question, she's so confused. Caught off guard. Of all the things to randomly hear while doing a crossword puzzle.

"I mean..."

How Ironic 'a six letter word for a criminal fatality` It would seem as though the gods were in favour of the mayhem.

"Who's dressed as Santa?"

"you know what? Fuck it I'm in."

[thefaeriereview]

Title: Eye of the Beholder

Author: Thomas Grant Bruso

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: November 16, 2020

Heat Level: 2 - Fade to Black Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 41900

Genre: Paranormal, LGBTQIA+, established couple, evil spirits, businessman, law enforcement, mental illness, horror

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis

In the middle of a psychic session with Madame Petri, David hears a ghostly voice calling his name. But he is not sure if it’s the elderly fortuneteller exaggerating the reading or bizarre grumblings coming from a mysterious old man in a painting hanging in the psychic’s foyer.

When Madame Petri disappears in a ball of flames, David rushes home, terrified. From that moment on, David and his policeman boyfriend, Zane, find themselves trying to solve the series of murders and mayhem that begin to haunt David.

 Rating & Review

5 out of 5

Eye of the Beholder is chilling. Wow what an opening! My heart was racing, and I was on the edge of my seat right from the start. David and Zane are just perfect together, even if the circumstances they find themselves thrust into are less so. I positively had chills reading this, and if you're looking for a good thrill, read this on a dark, stormy night.

Excerpt

Eye of the Beholder Thomas Grant Bruso © 2020 All Rights Reserved

Chapter One “What do you see?” I asked.

I was sitting across from Madame Petri at the oval-shaped table in the dimly lit backroom of her business, Spiritual Crossings.

The devil-white glow in the medium’s iron-gray eyes pierced through me. “A dead body,” she said. Her bloodred nails were sharp and pointy like talons and wrapped around the cloudy white edges of the crystal ball.

I bit back the sour taste of Cote Rotie from an art exhibit event I had hosted earlier in the evening. All I wanted was a reading of my future, I had told myself after closing the gallery and walking three blocks to Madame Petri’s Spiritual Crossings. Now, I turned to the neighborhood medium and shuddered, my gut clutching.

Some of my art friends had recommended her to me.

“You’ll like her,” one of them had said. “She’s colorful and full of spirit.”

“Go in with an open mind,” somebody else had told me.

Maybe I need new friends.

Clenching the border of the velvet-soft tablecloth, I leaned forward to see if I could glimpse what she had seen in her crystal ball.

There was a bright light in her gaze when she noticed me rising off my seat a few inches to get a better look at the dead body in the cloudy glass ball. But I was drawn back to my chair with a hand clutching my shoulder from behind and pushing me back into my seat.

Blackness swallowed the light in her eyes as if a switch had been turned off inside her, and her gaze fell back to the crystal ball, which was dimming like the low lights in the room.

A steely silence engulfed us.

Balls of sleet smacked against the front glass window in the outer foyer, and the soft sound of thunder rumbled around us. Lights flickered overhead, and a cold draft snuffed out some of the burning incense candles in the dark alcove behind me. A murmur of fear climbed the back of my throat, and I let out a mousy squeal.

When I looked up at Madame Petri’s waxy face, her expression froze.

I clenched my teeth, biting down hard on the cloying taste of cigarettes in my mouth.

Over Madame Petri’s shoulders, I noticed shadowy movements in the other room, and beyond the half-open velvet curtains, the drifting clouds of smoky incense danced like ghosts in the pallid light.

A pale, narrow face stared back at me from the inky blackness: decrepit, deathly white.

I shouted and rose from my chair, breaking the medium’s stern concentration.

Madame Petri stared up at me, her firm grip on the white glass ball unmoving. Her eyes were wide and frightened.

I sucked in short, tight breaths, glancing behind Madame Petri to the outer room, to the far wall where an abstract painting of a haunted face of an old man glared back at me.

David.

I heard my name and froze. Looked around. Let out a deep, shaky breath.

Nothing there.

A trick of the light, that’s all it was, I thought. I adjusted my eyes to the dense grayness and took my seat across from Madame Petri.

“I’m sorry,” I said, wiping my clammy palms on my jeans. “I thought I saw something.”

“You saw it too,” Madame Petri said. The lights in the room dimmed and died and came back.

My mouth was cotton dry, and I shook my head, staring into the still deadness of the medium’s eighty-year-old eyes, thick and hazy with cataracts.

“Saw what?” I stared over her shoulder again at the dark slashes of color in the evocative painting hanging askew in the foyer. It looked like one of the paintings hanging on the walls of my art gallery.

“Death,” Madame Petri said, a crackle in her voice. She raised a jewel-encrusted finger and pointed at me. “Somebody is going to die.”

I rubbed my arms to ward off a chill and heard the harsh warnings of my partner in the corridors of my mind, ridiculing me for shelling out a day’s worth of work to talk to a psychic. How much did it cost you this time to have your future predicted by that phony would-be clairvoyant?

Then the sound of somebody whispering evoked a troubling memory of dead voices. Their small screams floated in the dark like distressed spirits.

“What was that?” I asked, clenching the arm of the chair.

Madame Petri looked around the room and then over at me, a web of wrinkles bracketing the edge of her small mouth. Her tangerine-orange lips stretched into a wide, clownish smile. “The spirits, dear. They’re coming.”

I rose to leave. As I pulled out two twenties from my wallet, Madame Petri reached across the table for my hand. Her fingers were dead cold, and I felt a tremor of electricity when she touched me. “Be careful,” she said, flipping over the Death card from the pile of her tarot cards and tapping it with a black, pointy fingernail. “He who opens the gate must shut it.”

I jerked my hand away and tucked my wallet back into my pants pocket.

The lights flickered again and went out.

Panicking, I stayed still in the dark, calling out for Madame Petri, and hearing movement ten feet from where I stood behind my chair.

“Madame Petri,” I said. “Are you there?”

The heightened smell of decay and burnt flesh and cigarettes aggravated my senses, and a spark of strong pain ignited in the back of my mind.

David.

I heard movement at the other end of the room, somebody bumping into something, and a vase falling and crashing to the floor. Glass shattered.

When I called out Madame Petri’s name again, there was no answer.

I navigated in the dark to the foyer, staying close to the edge of the room and reaching out for the wall to help guide me to the front door.

At the opening to the velvet curtains, lights flashed and turned on in the adjoining rooms. My heart was pounding, my breath short and raspy.

I went to the rain-smattered front door and pushed it open, turning around once at the sound of a door creaking open behind me down the hall, its hinges squawking in protest. I called out Madame Petri’s name, but there was no response. I couldn’t see her anywhere in the semidark hallway through the hazy tendrils of smoke from the blown-out incense candles, but my gaze drifted to the far wall where the painting of the decrepit face of an old man was mounted.

“Madame Petri,” I called out. I reached into my back pocket for my half-smoked pack of Salem’s and my Bic lighter. Flicked it a few times, my hand shaking hard, my heart pounding.

Nothing.

A cold, wet rain blasted me on the back of the neck, and I shivered from the early evening chill.

I lit the end of my cigarette, barely managing to work the lighter, and inhaled a lungful of smoke before shoving the pack of smokes and the cigarette lighter back in my pants pocket.

Then quickly, as if a bolt of lightning flashed through my jumbled thoughts and illuminated my worst nightmares, I glimpsed the haunted painting again to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. The man in the painting was gone, the canvas blank.

Animalistic, ghostly murmurings in throaty growls awakened down the hall.

I ran.

Purchase

NineStar Press | Books2Read Universal Link

Meet the Author

Thomas Grant Bruso knew at an early age he wanted to be a writer. He has been a voracious reader of genre fiction since he was a kid.

His literary inspirations are Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Ellen Hart, Jim Grimsley, Karin Fossum, Sam J. Miller, Joyce Carol Oates, and John Connolly.

Bruso loves animals, book-reading, writing fiction, prefers Sudoku to crossword puzzles.

In another life, he was a freelance writer and wrote for magazines and newspapers. In college, he was a winner for the Hermon H. Doh Sonnet Competition. Now, he writes book reviews for his hometown newspaper, The Press Republican.

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[izzymccoy]

Hello, Isabelle

[Warning: Long post! Scroll to the bottom for pictures.]

We’d been waiting on this day for months ... Our first Monday in the new house! Friday was our first night, and it was everything we hoped: the perfect house for our growing family. There were cardboard boxes everywhere and Elliot was making herself at home by creating the kinds of unholy messes that only a curious 2-year-old can produce, but Ensley wasn’t due until January. We had plenty of time to get settled before the new mayhem of Baby No. 2.

Yeah, no.

Ensley called me in the middle of the day from the waiting room of her OBGYN—We had a scare earlier in the pregnancy, but the doctors assured us everything was back on track. “It’s fine, babe,” she told me. “Just cramping a little. You know me, being overly cautious.”

Less than six hours later, I stood trembling among a crowd of 20 frenzied doctors and nurses. Ensley was in a separate operating room, with a different set of doctors putting her back together after an emergency C-section. So I met our daughter first: Isabelle McCoy Hill was born on September 16, 2019, after 23 weeks and 6 days in the womb. She weighed 1lb, 7oz.

“It’s very early,” the doctor told me in a steely, even tone that promised nothing. “But your little girl is a fighter. She has a chance.”

Izzy's First Month

The list of things we’re thankful for has grown exponentially since Sept. 16. Lot of weird stuff on there too, like well-paved roads. The next time you’re behind the wheel, in a rage, seeing red because crews are re-paving and you’re inching excruciatingly along in one lane, consider this: If Isabelle’s ambulance would have hit even a seemingly imperceptible pothole on her way to the NICU, it could have permanently damaged her brain or possibly even killed her. So take a deep breath, thank the folks pouring that scalding hot tar on behalf of our little one, and enjoy a few extra minutes of your weird true-crime pod.

Another thing we’re thankful for: The happy accident of location. We live 35 minutes from one of the best NICUs in the Southeast. We’ve met parents who drive more than two hours to see their babies. Set aside the emotional strain and think of the spectacular financial and logistical issues this creates. It makes your heart hurt for them, but it also gives you the will to overcome what’s in front of you, knowing they are somehow meeting that challenge.

Every day this month, one or both of us have been able to come sit by Isabelle’s side. She’s in her incubator (as the dramatic one in the family, I call it THE DOME), and it’s been a joy previously unknown to watch her grow. Our days are falling into a routine: We get Ellie settled in the morning, then come up to the NICU and spend as much of the day with Izzy as possible. We get to change her diapers and take her temperature every three hours, which is a highlight of our day. Ensley does crosswords with Izzy and tells her about what’s going on in the outside world. I try to shout through the Dome like an idiot and one time accidentally wiped Izzy’s poop all over myself and her. Then we come home in time to spend the evenings with Ellie. She doesn’t quite understand what’s happening, but she loves seeing pics and videos of her new sister.

Who, this week, hit two pounds. Two pounds!!!

On her way to this milestone, Izzy has been through an extraordinary amount of IVs, breathing tubes, various meds, blood transfusions, ventilators, and the tiniest—seriously: the teensiest, weensiest—diapers. One of the cardinal rules of the NICU: It’s a 24-hour roller coaster. The doctors and nurses stress this every day, because it’s true. Izzy is connected to several lines that monitor her vitals by the second. And when she decides she’s tired of breathing even for a few moments (because, again, she’s TWO POUNDS and that shit can be exhausting), red alarms go off. She’s usually fine—swings like this are common in micro-preemies. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy for mom and dad sitting there watching the machines blare RED while she’s helpless in her dome. So, even three hours of relative calm is a gift. The doctors say that the best way to get off this roller coaster is simply for her to grow. And today, after a month of tests, stress, meds, tears, hugs, and a new, ever-growing list of things we’re thankful for, Isabelle McCoy is two pounds.

Two!

What's Next

Isabelle has an infection in her lungs. It’s called Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) and it is common among babies of her size and age. In fact, all babies have this condition, but it naturally works itself out in the womb during full-term pregnancies. The doctors are happy with every other part of her development. She is growing on a good curve, her heart is strong, her skin looks good and, perhaps most important, her brain scans have all come back clear of any bleeds (thank you, paving people!). But we’re all worried about her lungs. It’s hard to watch her struggle sometimes as her vitals swing. We know she’s uncomfortable. But the doctor from that first night was correct: Izzy is a fighter.

If things go well, we could bring Izzy home in early January. But we’re focused on the short term, and the next few weeks are simple: Grow. I call the doctors here aggressively hands-off. They’re doing whatever they can to make sure Izzy gets big enough to off the vent as fast as she can. It’s incredible to watch.

For our part, we’ll continue to be there every day; Ensley will continue pumping and bringing Izzy her milk (which she receives through a feeding tube), and I will continue to caddie for everyone. We’ll take pics and videos for Ellie and we’ll post a bunch of them here.

One last thing that was on our thankful list before Sept. 16, but has certainly risen to the very top: The love of our family, friends and co-workers. The texts, the hugs, the jokes, and the food (so much food) have all been so greatly appreciated. Our offices have been more accommodating than we ever could have expected. Bibi, Pops and Grandma are just the best—it is impossible to overstate how much Ensley’s parents and my mom have done for us. Sometimes we feel guilty because we don’t know how to properly show our gratitude to everyone who has reached out. Please know we have deeply felt every effort.

That’s part of the reason this space now exists: It’s Izzy’s journey, but she’s only going to make it because of her entire community’s wonderful, inspiring love and support.

10/21

[swansandtheswimming]

See How Easily You Can Draw An Analogy Between Online TV And Video Games

The distinctive feature of this game as obvious from the name is competing in a straight line. Certain, it does not feature real world multimillion buck competing machines or exotic racing tracks. If that doesn't please your fancy you have 50 real world racing equipments at your disposal also. Are you looking for some fantastic open world titles that are slated to launch in 2019? The game is expected to be formally launched in June 2019. It is an item from the Photo Gamings and from the look of points, it may wind up taking over from the X-Com series. It's nearly 2019 so that means we have a whole new crop of video games to expect. There are a great deal of mini transactions built in the game to obtain the excellent material and also upgrades, however I believe general it goes over and the nudge to make in video game purchase does not mar the general experience. There are 10 chapters to open as well as play via, and also as the video game progresses even more, gamers will be able to unlock brand-new autos and also take part in different obstacles like wandering as well as drag events. There are four car classifications to pick from like monster trucks, off roaders, behemoths as well as enjoyable autos. Games Online Free Play There are no globally identified tracks to speed up with; just off roads as well as back roads. If the response is indeed, after that the most recent installation of Requirement for Speed titled Shift is absolutely something you 'd want. Think about playing bus racing or speed racing sporting activities. Playing this laser tag video game outside works extremely well. The GAPP quit processing new applications last March due to an administrative reorganization in addition to concerns over terrible web content, pc gaming addiction, and nearsightedness amongst young gamers. The atmospheres are thoroughly described and also respond well to the damage and the mayhem you would certainly ravage with your buggy. If you are tired with playing the routine average racing games after that this video game could be something you 'd actually like. If your solution is indeed, then this is just what the medical professional bought for you! If you believe you intend to be a top racer and also could refrain it in the real world then we have the best auto racing games for you. There more than 60 exceptionally rendered cars from top makers like Ferrari, DeLorean and also Aston Martin made in spectacular details. It might appear crappy when contrasted to other video games, which offer weaving tracks, however think me, it takes some practice to also finish in the leading 5 in the beginning. Flaming Rumbling 2 is an awesome follower to very first raging thunder video game and makes better all the aspects of the first game. The greatest elegance of the video game is that it does not have as well significant of a knowing curve, as with the assists it can be a great ready the newcomers as well as challenging ready the determined ones. If I have a pencil problem publication in my bag, I do not fret a lot when I need to wait a little bit for my dental consultation, auto solution or when my trip is delayed. You could xerox the major crossword problem as well as have a crossword family evening. Today we will experience 10 different console bundles that have actually dominated the sale graphes. Enjoy this extraordinary globe today with simply a click of the mouse. We remember Lucasarts today as the Celebrity Wars and also experience video game guys, yet there was a time they were likewise famous for a trilogy of exceptional WW2 flight sims. The best part is, unmatched 6 video game settings with 15 organizations as well as 150 various races. The best location to look for an online game shop is obviously the Net. These 2 games are largely targeted at younger women which isn't that typical in the computer game world. So you go to the last of the Best PS2 Gamings, and also I wish you have actually located some video games that you truly like. While I will not make believe to learn about the plot of the games, I will pretend to find out about the visuals. Graphics and also visuals are so sensible and crisp that you would certainly be forgiven for believing you are in fact being in the driving seat on your own. Both are recognized for wonderful simulation and amazing graphics. Did I discuss that it has cutting side and very realistic 3D graphics? Genuine Competing 3 contains original real world race course in numerous arrangements from racing areas worldwide. You would certainly be speeding down tracks on places like Hockenheimring and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca! Would you like to go toe to toe (OR wheel to wheel in this situation) via a splendid multiplayer mode with various other chauffeurs? Oh as well as bumping other motorists off the track is not punished rather it is urged!

[borderlinesheep]

See How Easily You Can Draw An Analogy Between Online TV And Video Games

The distinguishing characteristic of this video game as obvious from the name is competing in a straight line. Certain, it does not include real world multimillion dollar racing machines or unique racing tracks. If that doesn't please your fancy you have 50 real life competing equipments available also. Are you looking for some excellent open world titles that are slated to release in 2019? The video game is expected to be formally released in June 2019. It is a product from the Snapshot Gamings and also from the look of things, it may wind up taking over from the X-Com series. It's almost 2019 to ensure that indicates we have an entire new plant of computer game to anticipate. There are a lot of mini purchases constructed in the game to get the great content and also upgrades, however I think general it's impressive and the nudge to make in video game acquisition does not mar the total experience. There are 10 chapters to open as well as play with, and as the video game advances better, gamers will certainly be able to open new cars and trucks and take part in various obstacles like drifting as well as drag events. There are four lorry groups to choose from like beast trucks, off roaders, behemoths as well as enjoyable cars and trucks. Games Online Free Play There are no globally recognized tracks to speed via; simply off roadways and also back roads. If the answer is indeed, after that the current installation of Requirement for Rate titled Change is certainly something you 'd want. Take into consideration playing bus racing or rate racing sporting activities. Playing this laser tag video game outside jobs extremely well. The GAPP stopped processing brand-new applications last March as a result of a management reconstruction along with concerns over fierce material, gaming addiction, and nearsightedness among young gamers. The environments are carefully outlined and react well to the damage and the mayhem you would certainly damage with your buggy. If you are tired with playing the regular average racing video games then this game may be something you 'd really such as. If your answer is indeed, then this is just what the medical professional ordered for you! If you think you wish to be a top racer as well as could refrain from doing it in the real life then we have the appropriate auto racing games for you. There more than 60 exquisitely provided vehicles from top suppliers like Ferrari, DeLorean and also Aston Martin provided in splendid information. It may seem crappy when contrasted to various other video games, which use weaving tracks, but think me, it takes some method to also finish in the top 5 at first. Raging Thunder 2 is an amazing successor to very first surging rumbling video game as well as makes far better all the components of the initial game. The greatest elegance of the video game is that it does not have also massive of an understanding contour, similar to the aids it can be a terrific game for the newcomers as well as difficult game for the determined ones. If I have a pencil puzzle publication in my bag, I do not worry so much when I have to wait a bit for my dental visit, vehicle solution or when my flight is delayed. You might photocopy the primary crossword problem as well as have a crossword family night. Today we will go through 10 various console packages that have actually controlled the sale charts. Appreciate this amazing globe today with simply a click of the mouse. We bear in mind Lucasarts today as the Star Wars and also adventure game men, however there was a time they were likewise well-known for a trilogy of outstanding WW2 flight sims. The best part is, extraordinary 6 game settings with 15 leagues and also 150 various races. The most effective area to search for an on the internet game shop is of course the Internet. These two games are primarily targeted at more youthful girls which isn't that usual in the video game world. So you are at the last of the very best PS2 Gamings, as well as I hope you have located some games that you really like. While I won't act to find out about the story of the video games, I will claim to find out about the visuals. Graphics as well as visuals are so reasonable and also crisp that you 'd be forgiven for assuming you are in fact sitting in the driving seat yourself. Both are recognized for fantastic simulation as well as outstanding graphics. Did I point out that it contains cutting side as well as really practical 3D graphics? Genuine Racing 3 consists of original real life race course in numerous setups from racing places around the globe. You 'd be speeding up down tracks on locations like Hockenheimring and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca! Would you such as to go toe to toe (OR wheel to wheel in this case) through a fantastic multiplayer setting with other chauffeurs? Oh and bumping various other drivers off the track is not punished rather it is encouraged!

[shekillsher]

See How Easily You Can Draw An Analogy Between Online TV And Video Games

The distinguishing characteristic of this game as obvious from the name is racing in a straight line. Sure, it does not include real world multimillion dollar racing devices or unique auto racing tracks. If that doesn't tickle your fancy you have 50 real life competing machines at hand also. Are you looking for some great open globe titles that are slated to introduce in 2019? The video game is anticipated to be formally released in June 2019. It is a product from the Snapshot Gamings and also from the appearance of things, it might end up replacing the X-Com collection. It's virtually 2019 so that indicates we have a whole brand-new plant of computer game to eagerly anticipate. There are a great deal of mini purchases constructed in the video game to get the excellent material and upgrades, however I think total it goes over and also the push to make in game purchase doesn't mar the overall experience. There are 10 chapters to unlock and also play through, and as the video game advances even more, gamers will be able to unlock new cars and trucks as well as take part in various challenges like wandering as well as drag occasions. There are four car classifications to choose from like monster trucks, off roaders, leviathans and also enjoyable automobiles. Games Online Free Play There are no globally acknowledged tracks to speed up through; simply off roads and also alleys. If the answer is indeed, then the most recent installment of Demand for Rate titled Shift is most definitely something you 'd want. Take into consideration playing bus racing or rate racing sporting activities. Playing this laser tag video game outside works quite possibly. The GAPP quit refining new applications last March as a result of an administrative reorganization as well as concerns over violent material, video gaming dependency, and myopia amongst young players. The atmospheres are diligently described as well as respond well to the destruction and also the mayhem you 'd ravage with your buggy. If you are bored with playing the normal average racing video games after that this video game could be something you 'd truly such as. If your answer is indeed, after that this is simply what the physician gotten for you! If you assume you intend to be a leading racer and also could refrain from doing it in the real life after that we have the best racing ready you. There more than 60 remarkably rendered cars and trucks from top suppliers like Ferrari, DeLorean as well as Aston Martin made in stunning information. It might sound crappy when compared to various other video games, which use twisting and turning tracks, but believe me, it takes some practice to even end up in the top 5 initially. Flaming Rumbling 2 is an amazing follower to first raging rumbling game and makes much better all the elements of the first video game. The largest appeal of the game is that it does not have too substantial of an understanding contour, similar to the assists it can be a fantastic game for the beginners as well as difficult ready the determined ones. If I have a pencil challenge magazine in my bag, I do not worry so much when I need to wait a little bit for my dental visit, automobile solution or when my trip is delayed. You might copy the primary crossword puzzle and have a crossword family members evening. Today we will certainly experience 10 various console bundles that have dominated the sale graphes. Appreciate this extraordinary world today with simply a click of the computer mouse. We bear in mind Lucasarts today as the Star Wars as well as journey game guys, but there was a time they were also famous for a trilogy of impressive WW2 trip sims. The best part is, unmatched 6 game modes with 15 organizations as well as 150 different races. The best area to search for an online video game shop is naturally the World Wide Web. These two games are mainly targeted at younger ladies which isn't that typical in the computer game world. So you are at the last of the most effective PS2 Gamings, as well as I wish you have actually found some video games that you really like. While I won't act to find out about the story of the video games, I will make believe to find out about the visuals. Graphics and visuals are so realistic and also crisp that you would certainly be forgiven for believing you are actually being in the motoring seat yourself. Both are recognized for excellent simulation as well as remarkable graphics. Did I point out that it has cutting edge as well as very practical 3D graphics? Actual Racing 3 consists of initial real world racing tracks in several configurations from competing areas around the world. You 'd be speeding down tracks on places like Hockenheimring and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca! Would certainly you such as to go toe to toe (OR wheel to wheel in this instance) with a fantastic multiplayer mode with various other motorists? Oh and bumping other motorists off the track is not penalized rather it is urged!