#metal fences on Massachusetts

[newgenfencing]

New Generation Landscaping & Fence - High-Quality Metal Fences in Massachusetts

Discover durable and stylish metal fences on Massachusetts property. Explore our range of premium options for a secure and aesthetic fencing solution. Explore our range of options for enhanced security and aesthetics. Visit New Generation Landscaping & Fence for Premium Metal Fence Solutions. Serving Massachusetts with Excellence and Reliability. Check Now!

[darkspine10]

GF Fanfic - Witch Hunt

Witch Hunt (3542 words) by darkspine10

Chapters: 1/10 Fandom: Gravity Falls Rating: Teen and Up Additional Tags: Action/Adventure, Circus, Salem massachusetts, Witches, Cryptids, Cults, Family Bonding, Relationship Discussions, Alien Cultural Differences, Adopted Children, Magic-Users, Dipper goes by Mason at times, Soul-Searching, Militia, Teamwork, Freemasons, Magic Tricks, Performance Art, Bigotry & Prejudice, Activism, Hidden Depths

Summary: Called upon by Mabel, Dipper and Pacifica bring their family to visit Salem. Hidden secrets and old friends await them underneath the veneer of a travelling circus. Dark forces move in the town's underbelly. Seeking alien creatures, the Pines find themselves embroiled in a fight to defend their friends' very identities from a twisted faction. Juggling emotional upheavals and enigmatic enemies, they must discover the truth about themselves before it becomes too late.

Arriving in the early evening, the pink Mini drove along pleasant, tree-lined avenues. The houses and barns the car passed were invariably wooden, either surviving examples of the town’s earliest history or built in imitation of such.

Pumpkins carved with leering smiles lined the fences all along the roadside. Crossing a covered bridge, the car pulled to a stop in a parking lot on the edge of the forest. In the crystal clear sunset light, the leaves were a gorgeous swirl of orange. Set between the road and the woods was a collection of huge red tents, the tops swaying gently in the breeze.

Merrise Pines stepped out of the car and tightened her fur lumberjack hat and oversized jacket around herself, trying to stifle a shiver. “How do you two handle this? Seasons are such a scam.”

“I sympathise with you there, Sixer,” Dipper said, coming to join his daughter on the asphalt expanse. He was similarly wrapped up in several layers.

Turning off the engine, the last to emerge from the car was Pacifica, shaking her head at the pair of them. “You guys are such wimps. California, desert planets; neither of you know what a real Fall chill is like.”

“Looks like this place is all geared up for the season,” Dipper said, gesturing at the pumpkins. “Glad we made it a few days before the big tourist rush.” Even so, they’d been lucky to find a space in the crowded parking lot. Across the metal roofs of the cars a distant chattering wafted out from the central tent.

“So this is ‘New England’?” Merrise asked, looking quizzically at the forest. The trees were much smaller than the examples she was used to back home in Oregon, though they still formed an impenetrable wall of darkness, even to her wide eyes. “When was the old one destroyed?”

“Oh no, it’s still there,” Dipper stammered. “See, a lot of places in this part of America are named after ones in England. It’s across the ocean, you remember what those are?”

“Duh, of course I do,” Merrise sighed, as if the knowledge was plainly obvious. “It’s that giant lake thingy that covers most of the planet.”

“Good one, you catch on quick,” Dipper said, trying to reassure his daughter that he wasn’t criticising her. “The towns around here were settled by the English about 350 years ago.”

“The colonists clearly weren’t very imaginative folk,” Pacifica observed. “New York, New Hampshire, New Jersey. That’s Puritans for you.” Merrise cocked her head, seemingly completely lost due to her parent’s words. “Forget it Merrise, I doubt it’ll be important. We’re just here to meet-”

“Guys!” Across the parking lot, an arm appeared from behind the closest tent flap, waving at them non-stop. A second later, Mabel Pines burst out and came running to greet the family. Bear hugs ensued for her brother and sister-in-law, wrapping them in tight. “Welcome to Salem!”

The Pines family had received Mabel’s cryptic invitation a few days ago, requesting their presence in Massachusetts as soon as they could make the journey. Not doubting her intentions, Dipper and Pacifica had immediately agreed to the trip. Due to the brevity of her message, neither had any clue what to expect on arrival, only that if Mabel deemed it serious business then they needed to be here to see it through.

But whatever mission had brought them could wait for later. Right now they had an excited Mabel bouncing up and down and grinning madly at them. “I can’t believe you came all this way to see me. I need someone to pinch me, it’s still kinda surreal.”

“I’ll do it,” Pacifica said with a menacing smirk.

“Me too,” Merrise added, joining in with her mother’s little joke. When Mabel finally noticed the small girl she did a double-take and wiped her eyes.

“Woah, nearly didn’t recognise you there, kiddo. That perception filter must be working overtime.”

Reaching up to her neck, Merrise pulled the gold medallion over her neck, past a thick turtleneck. The sweater was itself a gift from Mabel to keep her from getting too cold on a planet that was a few degrees less comfortable than she was used to. With the filter removed, Merrise’s human disguise flickered away to reveal her true form.

When the device was active, Merrise appeared to be human, However, she didn’t closely match the appearances of her adopted parents. Somehow the psychic link retained the fact everyone who looked at her would be aware she was adopted. So Merrise’s gloriously pink alien skin textures had been translated into a much darker hue compared to Dipper and Pacifica. No-one was about to mistake her for their biological child anytime soon, but the filter at least made her seem like an average ten year-old, rather than an exotic creature born on another world.

To her parents’ eyes of course she appeared as she’d always done. Aware of the effect, they automatically saw past it to the real Merrise. Mabel had spent too much time away for that to be instantaneous, she had to really focus to push past the illusory disguise.

Merrise delighted at Mabel’s attempts to squint through the filter as she slipped the medallion back on. “I told the other girls at school that I’m originally from a place called On-tar-ee-oh.”

“Well whatever form you wear, you still look cute as a button.” Mabel booped her niece on the nose, eliciting a giggle.

“Thanks again for all the adoption papers,” Dipper said to his sister. “Even I couldn’t tell that the birth certificate was a complete forgery. Your arts and craft work continues to impress.”

“Pshaww, it was nothing bro. How about you though! Get a load of this.” She lightly bopped his loose and tangled hair. ”A ponytail, really?”

“I’ve been saying the same thing for months,” Pacifica whispered conspiratorially. “Whether it’s a beard or a ponytail, your brother is always too shaggy.”

“Yeah yeah,” Dipper said, not letting the girls get to him. “I’m embracing a little more chaos in my life, thank you. That and the fact I haven’t found the time to get a haircut in the last year. I’d like to see you try raising two girls, Mabel.”

The group shared a laugh, happy to be in each others’ presence again in a non-life-threatening situation. There’d been vanishingly few of these moments in the last couple of years. Merrise too was at ease in the group, re-learning what it was like to have a real family bond like the one the twins shared.

Although Mabel hadn’t said anything about it out loud, Dipper had noticed her choice of outfit. She wore a bright yellow ribbon in her hair, which at some point in the last few weeks she’d dyed pastel pink. Denim cut-offs and a red t-shirt with her classic rainbow star pattern splayed on the chest completed the look. It also showed off the tattoos she bore from her teenage dalliance with being a goth. In the last year or two Dipper had gotten used to his sister general favouring more practical outfits, fit for the kind of mischief and adventures she’d find herself falling into as a world-renowned political agitator. Her new attire was a small sign that perhaps she was loosening up.

“That reminds me, how is little Wendy Jr?” Mabel asked, bringing Dipper out of his overly analytical mode and reminding him of his baby daughter back home.

“Soos is looking after her,” Pacifica said, shrugging. “The guy’s got two kids already, I’m sure he can handle the terrifying chaotic hybrid of Northwest and Pines.”

“We sound like a law firm when you say it like that,” Dipper said, grimacing. “Our little lamb’ll be fine at home. Better there than on a potentially dangerous adventure.”

“This is way more fun though,” Merrise said, and Dipper couldn’t disagree.

“Man, I still can’t believe we’re all together in one place again!” Mabel was buzzing with energy, practically jumping up and down on the spot.

“Yeah, Dipper said, equally glad of the reunion.“Feels like years, with all that’s happened lately.” Even though brother and sister had met up together a few months prior, it had been even longer since the entire Mystery Trio had been united.

“It was when I gave birth to Wendy,” Pacifica stated matter-of-factly. “My body was going through hell, Mason here was totally useless, and you could hardly contain yourself.”

“That was just a flying visit,” Mabel said dismissively. “Before then, when did we last spend some quality time together as a family?”

The twins thought on the matter, before Pacifica again put them out of their misery. “That’d be a year then. It was last October, when you and Zera left Gravity Falls to go do whatever it is you normally do.”

“Wow, yeah!” Mabel said. “That means this is the first time we’re all back together since we got back from our crazy epic trip through the multiverse.”

Dipper nudged Mabel playfully with his elbow “Video calling on our birthday at the end of summer really doesn’t match up, does it? It’s kinda weird being back on the East Coast, we haven’t left home much since handling our move.”

“Is Zera here, by the way?” Pacifica asked. Mabel’s interstellar girlfriend was hardly easy to miss, especially since she sported fins and scaly skin.

“You’ll see,” Mabel said with an over-exaggerated wink.

“Well, much as I’d love to spend all evening out here reminiscing, do you have somewhere we can sit that’s out of the cold? I might be more resistant than these two,” Pacifica pointed to her family, and continued despite their protests, “but it really is getting cold. The sun’s almost set already.”

Mabel nodded at the tent. “Sure thing, I’ll show you inside. It won’t take long and everything’ll become clear.”

“You know, tents aren’t really known for their heat insulation capabilities,” Pacifica wryly noted as she followed Mabel’s lead.

Before they walked over with the others, Merrise tugged on Dipper’s jacket and he went back to the car. “Wait, hold on a sec. Need to get one more thing.”

Opening up the trunk, Dipper rummaged past the family’s clothes bags. He’d brought some basic mystery hunting equipment - his journal, of course, various energy detectors, ward runes, and Pacifica’s old axe and crossbow - but without more specific information from Mabel he hadn’t packed anything too outlandish. Apart from one item.

Reaching to the back, he retrieved a bone white cage containing a hunk of dark igneous rock. Setting it down on the asphalt, he unlatched it and took a quick step back. Mabel knelt down to look at the odd rock. Her eyes widened as cracks in the rock began emitting a red glow. The surface crackled and stretched, before a hawk-like beak appeared. Spreading its wings, the firebird flew out of the cage. Merrise gave a whistle and the creature landed on her outstretched arm.

“What the frickety frack is that?!” Mabel said, in awe of the creature.

“This is Dee,” Merrise explained while feeding a pebble to the bird. He took off again and landed on a patch of bare ground. The earth instantly caught aflame at the creature’s touch. “He likes to burn things.”

“Woah, not good!” Mabel ran over and damped down the fire, shooing Dee away until he landed again on Merrise. “Back up: You own a pet demon bird?”

“Alien probe bird, more like,” Merrise said, proudly smiling. Dee harmlessly nuzzled her cheek. “He’s from space.”

“Wanna explain?” Mabel addressed to Dipper.

“Maybe later. Paz is right, let’s get inside first. And Merrise, make sure Dee doesn’t torch anything he’s not supposed to. Tents tend to be flammable.”

Merrise saluted and headed after her mother. Dee flapped his wings and glided slightly behind. Mabel shook her head. “Wow, two kids, a pet. You’ve really been domesticated, Dip.”

“If you can call a flaming terror bird ‘domestic’, then sure.”

“Don’t worry, we won’t need that kind of firepower to keep us safe.” Mabel jumped into an action ready stance, before spinning around in the air. “Hee yah!” Her spin kick brought applause from Merrise, but Dipper shoved her towards the awaiting tent flap.

“Yeah yeah, you’re a badass protester and I’m a suburban dad. Enough pleasantries. You know I can’t stand a mystery, however small.” Dipper stared up the billowing tent. “Can’t wait to see what you’ve got in store for us in here.”

In a tight corridor a short way into the tent, Pacifica was holding up her necklace to show to the others. “May, care to explain why my enchanted, weirdness detecting pendant has been spinning like crazy ever since we entered this tent?”

Dipper cradled the Pine Tree shaped piece of jewellery and felt the magical tug on the silver. He’d enchanted it himself some 12 or so years prior, to alert Pacifica whenever paranormal effects were nearby. Merrise watched it with wide eyes, not yet accustomed to its self-propelled spinning.

Mabel, a cryptic smile on her lips, patted her old friend on the shoulder. “It’ll be super clear, any second now. You guys go on ahead, down this corridor and then find some seats. See you after the show.” With that, she sauntered off down a side passage, leaving the family to find their own way forward.

As they neared another tent flap, the din of murmured voices grew louder. Dipper and Pacifica already suspected what they were about to uncover, but Merrise, none the wiser, crept cautiously forwards. Poking her head through the flap she saw a vast arena of seats within the largest central area of the tent. There was an empty sawdust covered ring in the middle. Above them speakers piped in jaunty music, and the audience were happily chatting or munching on popcorn.

Remembering Mabel’s instruction, Merrise dutifully sat on the nearest wooden bench and waited for the promised event to start. Her parents came to sit on either side, already excitedly looking around the large space.

The lights dimmed, casting the whole tent into shadow. The chatter of voices diminished, and Merrise strained forwards to look at the stage. Even with her extra-sensitive Tengosan eyes she could barely make anything out.

A single spotlight shone down from above, highlighting a small besuited man standing in the ring. He wore an eyepatch and a maroon fez, which bore a golden sigil Merrise didn’t understand the significance of.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” The man’s voice rang out clearly through the whole space, but Merrise frowned. It sounded just like her father’s voice. She looked at Dipper, but he was focused on the stage.

The small man brandished a ball-topped cane and waved it around the arena. “Welcome to Mr Alcor’s Constellation of Amazements! I am your host, Mr Alcor himself!” He slammed the end of the cane on the sawdust, causing a burst of sparks that made the audience coo and sent out small ripples of applause. All that was needed to silence them was a raise of his hand, commanding all attention to remain on himself.

For Merrise, finally adjusting her eyes to the dimmer levels, everything had clicked. She panned from Dipper to the man on stage. No, not a man. A boy, shorter even than she was. Behind all the surface trappings of the suit and eyepatch, Merrise recognised his face as the same as Dipper’s, only much younger.

The person on stage speaking to the enraptured audience was named Quattro. Merrise had met him only briefly before, in a situation that nearly led to the destruction of reality. An exact replica of Dipper Pines, Quattro had been created over a decade and a half ago. Born from an overachieving copier machine that could duplicate people as easily as documents, he’d been crafted by Dipper among several others in a misguided attempt at courting his friend, Wendy Corduroy. Quattro had lived a nomadic life since that night. Merrise only knew this from being told a slim explanation by Dipper. In all the chaos of their previous meeting, she’d barely had time to get to know the long-lived paper clone in detail.

From his expression, easily confident now he had the audience’s full attention, it seemed he was having a whale of a time. “Tonight’s proceedings will be filled with wonder, daring, and mystery. And no end of frights.” He let out an energetic chuckle, then slammed his cane down again and vanished in an explosive flash.

In the centre of the stage, a bonfire began to glow with a flickering light. Dipper and Pacifica strained to see through the darkness, looking for whatever was coming next. Merrise saw it first and felt her blood run cold. Fading in above the sparkling embers, a bone white face materialised in the air. Several gasps came from the audience before the skull face disappeared as abruptly as it had arrived.

“Who dares indulge our show this fine night?” The voice reverberated, even clearer than Quattro’s assertive speech.

Unsure what in the world was going on, Merrise clutched one of her parent’s arms in the dark, Pacifica’s as it turned out. She felt a reciprocating hug from her mother, but it did little to shake her fear. None of the strange Earth creatures Dipper had shown her were anything as terrifying as this.

“Nothing is what it seems.” The suspended face of death reappeared in the shadows at the edge of the stage, near to the closest members of the public watching. It vanished again, leaving Merrise on edge as to where it might show up next. “Whatever might occur in a town of witches and injustice?”

A scream rang out. The skull was floating in the stands, delighting as it spooked a random woman. It kept fading and coalescing out of the darkness to strike fear into the hearts of the audience. Each time it moved, coming closer and closer to where the Pines were seated. The booming voice echoed around from unknown corners. “My hour is almost come, when I to sulphurous and tormenting flames must render up myself.”

Having nearly reached them, the skull vanished one last time. Merrise sat petrified in her mother’s grip, afraid to even breathe. The silent tension stretched and stretched. Merrise almost dared to think it was all over and she looked around to confirm her suspicions.

The skull face, hovering right behind her, flashed a devilish grin. “Something wicked this way comes.”

Merrise gave a high-pitched scream, which only grew in volume when the skull was enveloped in a whirlwind of fire. Consumed in the flames, the spectre reappeared in a matching column on stage, to rapturous applause.

Merrise tried to drown out the noise and the terrifying images, wrapping herself into a tight ball. Dipper and Pacifica quickly noticed her reaction and rushed to comfort her. Pacifica hugged her snugly and stroked her head. “Hey hey baby. This must be confusing.”

“It’s not really a ghost,” Dipper whispered, trying to calm her nerves with rationality. “This is all an illusion, a show. A fake.” Dee also fluttered down beside her, lightly singeing the wooden bench and offering his neck for her to scratch.

Peeking through her fingers, the tears of fright faded as Merrise set eyes on another familiar face. Now illuminated by the bonfire, both Quattro and the skull face were proudly bowing. Only, the skull was clearly attached to a man, who removed a dark cloak that hid elaborate flowing robes of white and purple. What had seemed like real bone was in fact facepaint, covering a face with pitch-black skin and a complex net of dreadlocks tied together in a loose ponytail.

Bokamoso was his name, though Merrise was even less acquainted with him than Quattro. He was a compatriot of sorts to her parents and Mabel, part of their union of travellers who had been exploring the multiverse during the same adventure that had brought them into her life. All she really knew about him was an aptitude for magic spells, something that made sense as an inherent asset in this kind of performance.

Now understanding that there was no real danger, Merrise straightened up. Nodding quietly to her parents, she started to watch the show, no longer scared. If it was nothing but an illusion, she could be brave enough to not hide away. Dipper and Pacifica relaxed too, glad she was getting into the spectacle of the thing.

“My illustrious co-host everybody!” Quattro said, pointing to Bokamoso with exaggerated flair as he took another bow.

“That was only the start of our offerings tonight,” Bo said, toothily grinning. He bulged his eyes out, then blinked them shut. When he reopened them, revealing an extra third eye on his forehead, the audience cheered in shock and delight. Merrise already had him sussed from the start though, and smugly crossed her arms. “Let the games begin, my friends!”

Bo’s eye drifted back to the Pines, and Merrise detected the slightest wink aimed in their direction. She smiled. Even if she’d been scared before, she knew these two performers. This was going to be fun.

“Believe me,” Quattro said, “you ‘aint seen nothing yet!”

[krcfencecompany]

Professional Fence Installation by KRC Fence Company Cape Cod

KRC Fence Company, a trusted name in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, has been providing high-quality fencing solutions for over a decade.

With a commitment to professionalism and expertise, KRC Fence Company specializes in installing a wide range of fences, including wood, vinyl, metal, chain link, and privacy fences, as well as walkway and driveway gates.

Whether you're looking to enhance your property's curb appeal, increase security, or create a more private outdoor space, KRC Fence Company has the skills and experience to bring your vision to life.

[rwimages]

Image of the day: PUBLIC GARDEN IRON FENCE BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS COLOR VERTICAL https://www.rwimages.com/-/galleries/massachusetts/boston-stock-photos-prints/-/medias/04249d44-ea9e-11e3-804d-329e81129ea7-public-garden-iron-fence-boston-massachusetts-color-vertica

[improvementjchome]

JC1 Home Improvement is your premier destination for top-quality fencing solutions in Rocky Hill and surrounding areas of Massachusetts. As a leading MA Fence Contractor Company in Rocky Hill, we pride ourselves on delivering reliable, durable, and aesthetically pleasing fencing options to meet your specific needs. Having worked in the field for many years, we have a solid reputation for quality and professionalism. Whether you're looking to enhance the security of your property, define boundaries, or simply add a touch of elegance to your outdoor space, we have the expertise and resources to bring your vision to life. At JC1 Home Improvement, we understand that every property is unique, and that's why we offer a wide range of fencing options to suit various styles and preferences. From classic wooden fences to modern vinyl and metal designs, we have something for everyone. Our team of skilled craftsmen works diligently to ensure that every fence is installed with precision and attention to detail, ensuring long-lasting performance and durability. In addition to installation, we also offer comprehensive repair and maintenance services to keep your fence looking and functioning its best for years to come. Whether it's repairing a damaged panel, replacing worn-out hardware, or performing routine inspections, you can count on us to keep your fence in top condition. What sets us apart from other MA Fence Contractor Companies is our commitment to customer satisfaction. We believe in providing personalized service and working closely with our clients to understand their needs and preferences. Every step of the way, from the first consultation to the last installation, we aim to go above and beyond your expectations. When you choose JC1 Home Improvement for your fencing needs, you can rest assured knowing that you're getting the highest quality products and craftsmanship at competitive prices. We believe in transparent pricing and honest communication, so you'll never have to worry about hidden fees or surprises. Thus, JC1 Home Improvement is the only company you need to look for if you're looking for a trustworthy Massachusetts fence contractor in Rocky Hill or the surrounding areas. With our expertise, dedication to quality, and commitment to customer satisfaction, we're confident that we can deliver the perfect fencing solution for your property. Visit our website or contact us today to learn more and schedule a consultation. Visit us: https://jc1homeimprovement.com/

[constructionaafence]

A&A Fence Construction: Your Trusted Choice for Fencing Solutions in Wakefield

In the quaint town of Wakefield, nestled in the heart of Massachusetts, residents understand the importance of privacy, security, and aesthetic appeal when it comes to their properties. Whether it’s defining boundaries, enhancing curb appeal, or safeguarding loved ones and possessions, a reliable fencing solution is essential. Enter A&A Fence Construction, the go-to Fence Company in Wakefield dedicated to providing top-notch fencing solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of each client.

With years of experience serving the Wakefield community, A&A Fence Construction has earned a reputation for excellence, reliability, and exceptional craftsmanship. Specializing in a wide range of fencing materials and styles, they offer versatility and customization options to suit any property type or preference.

One of the key aspects that set A&A Fence Construction apart is their commitment to quality. They source only the finest materials, ensuring durability and longevity for every project. Whether it’s sturdy wooden fences for a rustic charm, sleek vinyl fences for low maintenance, or ornamental metal fences for timeless elegance, they have the expertise to deliver outstanding results.

At A&A Fence Construction, customer satisfaction is paramount. From the initial consultation to the final installation, their team of skilled professionals works closely with clients to understand their vision, address concerns, and execute the project with precision and efficiency. Their attention to detail and dedication to exceeding expectations have earned them a loyal clientele base and numerous referrals throughout Wakefield and beyond.

In addition to their exemplary craftsmanship, A&A Fence Construction also prioritizes affordability without compromising quality. They understand that investing in a fence is a significant decision for homeowners, and strive to offer competitive pricing options to accommodate varying budgets. With transparent pricing and no hidden costs, clients can trust that they’re getting the best value for their money.

Moreover, A&A Fence Construction values integrity and honesty in all their dealings. They prioritize clear communication and transparency throughout the entire process, ensuring that clients are kept informed every step of the way. From providing accurate estimates to adhering to agreed-upon timelines, they prioritize professionalism and reliability to make the fencing experience seamless and stress-free for their clients.

Beyond their commitment to excellence in fencing solutions, A&A Fence Construction also prioritizes environmental sustainability. They are dedicated to minimizing their ecological footprint by implementing eco-friendly practices and utilizing sustainable materials whenever possible. By choosing A&A Fence Construction, clients can feel good about investing in a company that cares about both their needs and the planet.

In conclusion, when it comes to finding a reputable fence company in Wakefield, look no further than A&A Fence Construction. With their unwavering dedication to quality, customer satisfaction, affordability, integrity, and sustainability, they are the trusted choice for all fencing needs in the Wakefield area. Contact them today to transform your property with a custom fencing solution that reflects your style and enhances your lifestyle.

[speciesofleastconcern]

Research grade species #1240: Red-banded hairstreak

About 5 minutes after I gloomily proclaimed that future generations will know no butterflies but the ubiquitous and invasive cabbage white, I encountered this tiny beauty. I was letting my environmental pessimism bring down an otherwise upbeat pollinator survey. We had wandered through a few different habitats inside the bounds of the zoo fences, and were looking at the insects visiting the blooms in the Organic Garden section. It was a bit overgrown, owing to a year of pandemic-related neglect followed by a general shifting of priorities by the very busy Horticulture department. The hairstreaks are small quick butterflies with wingspans of 3 or 4 centimeters, shining metallic blue or bronze on the backs of the wings. Underneath, the wings are lines with delicate markings (hairstreaks) ending with "tails" which, often accompanied by eyespots, are actually false fronts. The tails confuse predators into attacking the wrong end of the insects, buying critical milliseconds to escape. This species, Calycopis cecrops, also has the nominative red bands across the bottom of all four wings, which might help draw attention to the eyespots and false antennae.  The larvae are slug caterpillars with a hunger for a variety of mostly subtropical plants, from mango to sumac. The eggs are laid on fallen leaves around the host plant--another species that benefits from leaves being left in place, not blown or raked into bags. Bugguide lists the limit of the Red-banded Hairstreak's northeastern range as Connecticut, iNaturalist users have pushed that up into Massachusetts. In fact, with the exception of observations on Plum Island and out on the Cape, Boston is the northeastern-most habitat of this creature. And not to dip back into eco-gloom, but that range is bound to expand with anthropogenic climate change.

[moulinrouge78-blog]

Sex fantasies and other surprises - Part 1

Netflix made me do it. This is my first fanfiction contribution ever posted. It’s hot and erotic because I love and live for SMUT. Enjoy.....

They have been together for a year now and he couldn’t be happier. Their long distance relationship isn’t easy but works out pretty well and today wasn’t just the Friday she would come to Capeside to be with him for a long weekend but also their 1st anniversary of being Joey and Pacey the happy in love couple who make it work.

And he’s got a plan. ‚You are a lucky bastard‘ he smiled to himself standing in front of his bathroom mirror getting ready for his drive to Capeside train station where she would arrive in around an hour. The thought about his girl made him feel light headed and gave him electric shivers that went straight down his groin. He looked down and could see his dick standing In excitement. But there was no time for that, first stops where the florist by the harbour and Capeside‘s fine jewellers. One last look in the mirror to ensure he didn’t miss a smudge of shaving cream on his face and his hair sat in place before he turned around grabbing his keys and went out the door. It was barely 9am and the sun was already warm standing high in a cloudless blue sky. The air smelled of seaweed and sand coming from the dunes with the birds chirping in the trees. He went around to his Ford Explorer and looked at the beach, breathing in the fresh air.  Three years ago the Dudley‘s passed away and Pacey didn’t hesitate to buy their beach house. While the winters are long and cold just as they are around everywhere in Massachusetts he thought Capeside is the most beautiful place on earth in summer when the weather is like this. 

Pacey checked the weather forecast for weeks and this weekend was perfect. He couldn’t stop smiling all the way to the florist and greeted one of the delivery drivers once he parked his car and run over to help the man handling big buckets of Magnolia, Echinacea, Roses, Poppies, Water Lillies, Day Lillies and Pale Grass Pink Orchids. 

‚Hey Rob, let me give you a hand‚ he said taking two of the buckets from the struggling man’s arm, nodding at him. ‚Oh thank you Pacey, these flowers don’t look heavy but they certainly are and I am not getting younger‘ Rob said wiping off a thin layer of sweat he felt forming on his forehead. ‚Ah man, you are still as chirpy and not a day older than 45, are you not?‘ Pacey said with a wide grin. ‚Well add another decade to it and you are about right!‘ Rob chuckled returning a friendly smile. ‚Ohh before i forget. Your flowers are ready! Rob said. Ohh brilliant timing. That’s why I am here. Thank you! 

Ten minutes later, Pacey left the shop with his wildflower garland made of blue false indigo, bowmen‘s root and peach leaved bluebells. He asked for seasonal wild flowers and the arrangement couldn’t be prettier. 

The jewellers was just up the road, 2 traffic lights and 5 minutes away and he suddenly felt very nervous.  This was the tricky part he wanted to get right out of all things. He knew how he wanted to propose to the girl who stole his heart. It usually is Dawson’s expertise to do the fluff and romantic stuff, Pacey did lack in this department a little he thought so he took Jen with him a fortnight ago to show her the ring he selected for Joey. 

‚What do you think, Lindley?‘ he bit his lip, nervous as hell, hoping it wouldn’t be too bad. Jen stared at the open black velvet box with the tiny yellow pear shaped moissanite diamond in the platinum ring base he picked, bedded on a satin cushion. The ring wasn’t pretentious and simple despite the yellow colour of the stone. He knows Joey doesn’t like gaudy things, keeps it elegant and classy and he respected that, ok who is he kidding? he thought. Joe‘s disgust for trashy things and the want to be authentic and real was adorable and sexy as hell. A sigh escaped Jen’s mouth and than there was a long pause. ‚Uh oh, that bad, Lindley?‘ he asked suddenly his throat terribly dry, not sure if he wanted to get a response from his dear blonde friend next to him. Jen also liked being real and true at all times and usually he admired her for that but today he hopes she’s gentle on him. Jen looked at him and back down to the glass counter where Hilary the sales assistant placed the ring for them to view and her face was not showing any sort of emotion, she looked blank. ‚Listen...Jen...there is still time, I can return it and you...YOU are a women of many tastes, you can help me making the RIGHT decision!‘ He felt  frantic, his palms were sweating as he took he reaction as a sign, that this ring was a terrible pick. She finally looked up at him and her face lid up. ‚Oh my god...Pace....this is the most, beautiful ring I have ever seen. Joey truly is a lucky girl!‘ Her voice trembled a little as the emotion kicked in and she hugged him tightly ‚You did well, Witter! ‘ I wonder...‚ What’s that? He asked, breaking their embrace, looking at her happily but confused raising a brow. ‚Does this ring come in a set with earrings, if so I’ll take them!‘ Jen said with a giggle. Pacey laughed at that remark and lightly slapped her shoulder. Ouch, Witter!!! He kissed her head and logged his arm through hers leaving the shop after he paid his deposit. At the train station the clock just outside the station tower read 9:58am. Great 2 more minutes, I am not late. 

He quickly checked the arrival table on the monitor and was glad that the train was on time before he made his short way to the platform. With that he heard the chuffing sound of the fast train approaching the platform slowing down until it came to a noisy halt. Passenger‘s got off the train, restricting his view, so he tiptoed and bend his neck. It took him a few moments and he saw her. His heart pounded fast in his chest. It was only a few days ago that they been together but his body reacted like he hasn’t seen her for weeks, months or even years. She stepped off the train, holding onto a small beige hard shell travel trolley with her right hand. She wore a tie front puff sleeve midi dress in light blue with matching hairband holding her hair in a ponytail and white leather sandals with block heel. Each movement made the dress show off her long silky tanned legs. She still hasn’t spotted him, looking from left to right, a puzzled look on her face that made her mouth pout. 

Ohh those lips he thought. He could tell she didn’t bother with make up, only a little bit of mascara, a little rogue to make her cheeks glow peachy and a colourless chapstick is all she would use, she was the most beautiful girl he ever laid eyes on and he was glad she finally grown in confidence to see herself not just as a too tall woman with long limbs and feels comfortable in her skin. The tie front of her dress was open a little and he could faintly guess where her chest bone would turn into the bulge of her breasts.  His heart skipped a beat and he manoeuvred the best he could into her direction without being seen. She fumbled on the zipper of her trolley standing with her bare back to him. He reached for her waist while his other hand went to her neck placing little kisses onto the bare skin underneath her hairline.  ‘Hello gorgeous!’ ‘Mmmm’ was the only vocabulary escaping her lips. She leaned into him, eyes closed and smiling her big smile that drove him insane. 

He felt her ass rotating and grinding into his hard bulge ‘Ahhh, Pace happy to see me?’  and suddenly his khaki shorts felt way too tight. His hands holding onto her arms for stability he whispered into her ear, nibbling her lobe and finally resting his chin on her shoulder ‘Ohh Jo, you have no idea. I wouldn’t like anything more than to pull up that fabric of your dress and take you right here, right now giving by passengers a show of their life time.‘

With that he swirled her around and let her fall into his arms, looking deeply in her dark brown eyes. ‘God I missed you, Potter!’ ‘I missed you so much, my sweetheart!’ she whispered back. There it was. Just like that he was on fire. She licked her lips. Her way of saying that she is ready to be kissed. He didn’t need an Invitation to place his lips on hers. Their lips met and she opened just a little to let him in and he darted his tongue around her full mouth, stifling her moan by dancing with her tongue tip. She opened her mouth wider and he took all of her tongue, sucking on it, releasing her and sucking her tip once again, breaking free for air.

‘Let me take you home, before Doug gets send here for sexual assault in public!’ Um, yeah probably not a good idea to be stars of Capeside journal as ‘horny couple set off at train station!’ she said with an amused wink at him. They went for a quick early lunch at the ice house before heading arm in arm to the beach house. Oh my god, Pace you really went trough with it? She gestured at the outdoor shower in the garden as soon as they arrived. This is so cool. It’s not just cool but also practical in the summer after a long shift in the restaurant. Here let me show you. The shower was attached to white wooden panels with hanging baskets for toiletries, soaps, hair care, sponges and even a back rub. Two big yellow towels occupied two of the four metal hooks. The floor was made of deep blue and green mosaics and an anti slip finish. It had a long bench at the side with futon pillows where the water couldn’t reach. For privacy the shower area was secluded by it’s own 8 ft. garden fence made of thick hazel hurdle woven wattle with bushy leafy planters in front of it. The top was free but Joey noticed a handle at the side and a large panel above. ‘What’s that for?’ she wondered.

  Ohh this is for chillier evenings to keep the rain out. He turned the handle and a retractable yellow thick shade pulled out. This looks just like...

...the sail of True Love?  he finished her sentence, smiling at her. Yes, Joey it’s the same material I used for true love since it’s weather resistance and I like to feel being out of sea while having a shower outside. He smirked. I understand Pace, once a Captain always a Captain. She chuckled. I haven’t used it yet since it just got finished two days ago. But the water is on...here...step back, I’ll show you!   Joey stepped back and he turned the shower on.  Warm water splashed from the shower head. He was about to turn the shower off but Joey laid his hand on his. 

‘Leave it on Pace!’

She unfastened her sandals, slipped them off and untied her hairband. It took him a moment to register what she was doing. He closed the gate and she came towards him, started to unbutton his shirt looking him straight in his eyes. ‘I want to shower with you and feel you!’ He lost his voice and was only able to mumble ‘God Joey, this is one of my fantasies of us!’ ‘I know it’s mine, too’ she replied. She yanked his dark grey shirt off his shoulders and placed it on one of the free hooks. His chest hairs stood in anticipation as she began licking his right nipple over to his left, making them stand. His breathing was now fast and he desperately  needed her out of her dress. She suckled on his now hard nipples and he was able to free her arms from the dress, letting it slip to the floor. She stepped out off the dress and tossed it to the side, now opening the zipper of his khakis, pulling the waistband down together with his boxers. A quick ‚Ahhh‘ escaped him. He stood naked in front of her and she let out a high pitched sigh. He was so handsome, his broad shoulders and wide chest, defined long legs and his glory of dark pubic hair and big cock standing to his attention solid for her. Just looking at him sends shivers down her spine to her centre. His size used to concern her but now she just feels all tingly inside looking at him, knowing how good he feels and what electric shocks she experiences when his full length fills her. Pacey went out of his shorts, kicked off his flip flops and pulled her by the slim line of her thin thong pulling her closer with his hands freeing her from the last shed of material that was between them. She reached for his cock and held him tight, kissing his slightly open mouth. He returned the kiss, moaning in her mouth meeting her dancing tongue with his.  ‘Mmmm Joey...I love it when you are in this mood, mmm....ahhhh....don’t stop.‘ Pacey was now fully under the shower, her hands rubbing up and down his shaft, his balls hard and heavy. I need to taste you, Pace. ‚I won’t last, Jo‘

‚Than don’t, sweetheart!‘ with that she pulled his skin to expose his juicy cherry and slowly went down as much as her mouth could take, her tongue sucking on the throbbing top, licking up and down his vein, increasing the speed. Ahhh...Fuck...Jo!! His hands got lost in her now wet hair, watching her moving mouth on him. He needed to focus on something else to not burst right there and than. She felt him edging in her mouth, droplets of his salty pre-cum making her vagina quiver. Cupping his full sack, she released his length to take his hard marbles in, licking and sucking on the crinkly skin. ‘Jo, I am so close.’ This was the best foreplay. She was so wet and wanted him to shoot but couldn’t decide where she wanted it. She went fully in the warmth of the shower now. Sitting on the floor, opening her legs as wide as she could, pulling him down with her. Her vagina was on full display, her lips open to show her meaty flesh and her clit erect standing out like a flower bud. Her breath was pitchy, her eyes heavy with lust. She started moving her index and middle finger around her clit, masturbating with swift and fast movements. Jo, you are everybody’s wet dream. You are so gorgeous. He was wanking his cock hard, looking at her delicate flower, kissed her, watched her touching herself,  her nipples equally beautiful and erect. This view was all he needed and with a long ‘ahhh Jo, my sweet giiiiirllll, ahhhh...he finally exploded, his load hitting her hard on her open center. She used his juices to rub herself, hissing at the feeling that build in her. He could see her ecstasy, still panting he went down, his nose touching her soft folds so juicy and inviting like a piece of fruit. Her smell mixing with his juices, he inhaled and flickered his tongue out founding her hard clit, his fingers replacing hers, entering her slowly, not letting go off her clit to than lick up and down her slit. Ahhh, Pacey, Yes...there...yes...faster, fuck me harder.

God, what went into her? His cock hardening again, he moved her over to the soft padded bench for her to kneel on. With her ass in the air like that, her hard nipples on standing up and her breasts bouncing, he shoved his hot length in one fast thrust and she cried out ‘Yes, Pace, oh god yes, take me. Don’t hold back. I need it!’ He thrust in and out, hard and forceful, each stroke making her reach closer to the edge. Come for me baby, he said now holding onto her tits, pulling her nipples, thrusting harder like there was no tomorrow.

She was now shrieking  

Ahhh... Ohhh.... God.... yes.....yes.... Ahhhh...FUCK....I...Uhh...Ohhh...fuck....Pace....yes

He felt her walls tightening around him....she came like a tornado and with her last quiver, he pushed into her one last time, releasing his hot fluid, collapsing onto her back, trying to fetch his breath. 

She was a hot mess...giggling...after 10 minutes or so...

Pace? Yes, Jo? ‘Let’s take a shower now.’ 

With that he pulled her up, squirting the almond and milk shower gel on the sponge, starting on soaping her arms and shoulders, with a smirk on his lips he said huskily.

‘Your wish is my command, my sweet sexy kitten!’ 

And just like that her nipples lifted up again. Her not breaking his gaze responded with a wide sheepish smile

‘Ohh boy!’ To Be Continued

[siribear]

with the paint job finished and dried, all that’s left is to prepare for the trip. the sun creeps overhead as minutemen continue to bustle about the castle. her people strap the minigun she took from the museum of freedom to the back of her new power armor; others load in enough ammo to take down another deathclaw. 

meanwhile, whisper and deacon sit underneath a canopy, double, triple checking their usual weapons of choice.

‘you’re sure this old thing will protect you out there?’ whisper rolls the fabric of the hazmat suit between her fingers. the material has thinned and worn over the past couple centuries, and even now her hands come away with dust.

‘no rips or tears,’ deacon says confidently. ‘des and carrington looked it over.’

this time, she switches to the helmet. the surface is scuffed and dirty, but intact. ‘the respirator? all the valves work? does it - ‘

‘yes.’ he sets aside his rifle and snatches the helmet from her hands. ‘it’s not as sturdy as your walking death machine over there, but it’ll do.’

whisper frowns. ‘i’m just trying to make sure you’ll be safe, deacon.’

‘then keep you and that minigun between me and any glowing sea creatures.’

another minuteman drops by with a bag of supplies: more stimpaks than she can count, a few bottles of rad-x, a handful of radaway. they’ve already packed away their rations and ammo. now they’re down to basic necessities and however many rolls of duct tape whisper can find. just in case.

the longer they sit, the more anxious she gets. every step brings her closer to shaun, but she has to take those steps. ‘i’m sure no one would notice if we just snuck out now.’

‘with the power armor?’

‘sure. i’ll distract them.’ he stands and points in a random direct. ‘everyone, look over there!’

they share a laugh when a few minutemen do stop and look, only to stare at them when nothing appears. though whisper has to wave them off in apology, she feels her nerves abate, if only a little.

-

an hour later, she’s back in her quarters, slipping into a spare suit of underarmor danse found for her. the muted black bodysuit offers little protection itself, but danse had said it would make walking around in the armor feel a little less awkward. pulling on the gloves, she finds they fit well enough just over her wedding ring. a break between the wrist guards and gloves gives her enough room to reattach her pipboy. the needle stings more than usual going under her skin, thanks to the mottled black and blue bruise around her wrist.

somewhere, back at home, is a picture of nate wearing a similar suit under a set of combat armor. 

all dressed, she returns to the courtyard. there stands deacon, just outside and away from the crowd, ready in his bulky hazmat suit. ‘well,’ he says when he sees her, ‘you look good.’

she adjusts her collar. ‘not as good as you, partner. are we ready?’

deacon nods his head toward the others, gathered around her new navy blue power armor. ‘they’re ready for you. careful you don’t get caught up in a parade.’

preston, sturges, ronnie shaw, and alan, who runs radio freedom, do look like they’re gathered with purpose. organized. preston better not have made this into an old minuteman ceremony she doesn’t know about. when she approaches, she asks preston the same question.

‘would have killed them to give ya a new suit of armor, huh?’ sturges puts a hand on the arm of the suit. ‘but she shouldn’t give you any trouble out there. she’s even an even better model than the one you picked up at the museum, and that survived a deathclaw, too.’

‘she gets the sturges seal of approval?’ she says with a hint of a grin. ‘maybe the brotherhood doesn’t hate me so much.’

‘but don’t take any unnecessary risks,’ preston argues.

‘can’t have the minutemen fall apart again so soon,’ ronnie chimes in. ‘not when you’re doing some actual good, here.’

whisper shakes her head. ‘if anything happens to me, preston becomes - ’

‘nothing’s going to happen,’ her second-in-command interrupts, shaken. ‘you,’ he says to deacon, approaching, ‘you’ll keep her safe.’ his tone brooks no argument.

‘of course,’ deacon replies easily, too easily, in preston’s opinion, because he frowns.

‘well then!’ sturges claps his hands. ‘let’s get you in this thing, boss.’

at the press of a switch, the back of the armor opens. arm and leg plates unfold, and she steps into it, fitting herself once more into the frame. the thin material does help, as danse noted, and the metal joints barely dig in with the protective padding the underarmor provides. sturges hands her the helmet and, because she has to try it once, she tosses it in the air and flips it like she’s seen danse do before. she catches it and clicks it into place, hiding the giddy grin she’s now sporting.

the heads up display boots up immediately, picking up information from her pipboy and feeding it into the edges of her vision momentarily. she checks the fuel levels, and it’s at - ‘uh, sturges? this is reading me at half fuel right now.’

‘ah, right. we took your old fusion core from the other set of armor. figured it’d give you a little more oomf to get you out there.’

‘everything else good in there, partner?’

‘one thing,’ she says, almost to herself. there was one modification she specifically asked sturges to handle, other than the new paint job. she flips on her headlamp and aims at the ground.

‘little early for the floodlights, isn’t it?’ deacon asks, looking at her. but when she directs him to look down, at the picture that will be lost when the light is cast into the distance, he smiles. in the center of the light, in a shadowed grey, is the silhouette of the railroad lantern. she turns off the headlamp, pleased.

‘everything looks good in here, then. time to head out.’

their escort takes them to the edge of the castle’s new neighborhood. minutemen fall in line behind preston and the others walking behind her and deacon. it is a parade, in its own right, but the entourage breaks off before travis can start a rumor about the minutemen marching through the commonwealth.

and then it’s just her, deacon, and the sound of metal footsteps on broken pavement.

-

whisper leads the way west across south boston, sticking to the flat roads. anything to conserve fuel. december hits the commonwealth differently than she’s used to. by her birthday she’d normally be bundled thicker clothes. long sleeves, jackets. but now that it’s passed, she’s content in the underarmor, and deacon hardly looks cold in his suit.

beside her, he stretches his hands upward. ‘you’re carrying me there if i get tired, right?’

she holds her arms out in front of her. ‘feel free to hop on whenever, as long as you return the favor.’

‘sure thing, partner. as long as i get to take that armor for a test drive.’

‘what? no. after all i went through for this, you’re carrying me and the armor.’

he takes a deep breath. ‘did i ever tell you about the time i carried a whole suit of power armor on my back?’

deacon proceeds to tell her a story of how he once saved a brotherhood soldier in the capital wasteland. ‘couldn’t get that hatch to open,’ he says, pointing toward the back of her armor. ‘so i had to carry him all the way back to the doctor in rivet city. mind you, that took hours.’

she doesn’t try to keep her indulgent hum even remotely convinced. he continues anyway.

‘dropped him off at the entrance to the city, where he finally woke up. didn’t know where he was, just remembered almost getting gunned down by super mutants. so, i told him that i,’ and he flexes, ‘brought him all the way to the city.’

‘let me guess, the city threw you a party for being a hero?’

he shrugs. ‘nah. he accused me of being a synth and held me at gunpoint until the guards stepped in.’

‘i see. there’s a lesson in there somewhere, isn’t there?’

his gaze catches somewhere to their left. the landscape is different. even from the road, she can see the metal fences and structures obviously erected long after the war. even the coast looks too close, with buildings half swallowed by the sea. massachusetts bay university. whisper remembers a few friends that went there. along with the poisoning incident that appeared in the news.

‘what’s over there?’ she asks when deacon steers them further away.

‘institute took over university point a few years ago,’ he says, gravely. ‘get too close, we might run into the stragglers.’

there’s something more to it, she figures. he’s too tense for fear. but she doesn’t fight him, instead finding a road outside jamaica plain to travel further west.

-

just outside milton general hospital, whisper picks up a faint distress signal. deacon stops his patrol of the area as she plays it through her speakers.

‘if anyone is out there, please... help.’ deacon sits next to her, face illuminated by her pipboy light. ‘what’s going on out there? i felt the ground shake, and nothing since. it’s been... four days, i think?’

‘this is... pre-war,’ she says. felt the ground shake. they’re still a few days away from the impact sight, but even from sanctuary hills, she remembers the sound of it. loud above even the grind of the elevator. a crack of thunder, then the shockwave coming over them like a wave only seconds later.

‘i’m so thirsty. please... somebody, hurry.’ the message ends with the woman crying, and the jarring monotone voice notifying them that the message will repeat. and it does. trapped in the jewelry safe - please help.

‘hey, shut it off.’ deacon reaches for the dial himself when she doesn’t move. ‘it’s been hundreds of years. you can’t do anything for her now.’

she snaps out of it. ‘i know. i know, but - ‘ four days. longer? no water, no one to save her. trapped in that small hole in the wall, like - like her neighbors in the vault. suffocating in their pods. and she just - slept. ‘i know.’ travis comes over the radio and flips to a new song. she lets it play through the night.

-

days later, they finally approach the edge of the glowing sea. blown apart trees and scattered car frames cover the area. the air grows thick with yellow-tinged fog. her geiger counter clicks slowly in her ears.

deacon snaps his helmet into place, the respirator hissing as it begins to recycle the irradiated air. ‘shit. never really thought i’d have to come out here.’

‘you can still turn back.’

he rolls his shoulders. ‘the walk back to hq would be boring without you. come on. sooner we get in, sooner we get out. maybe des will finally approve my vacation request after this one.’

stepping into the glowing sea is like diving head first underwater. whisper leads the way, branches crunching underfoot. with every step, the ground looks more cracked. ‘if not, you could always be a full-time minuteman.’ she pushes aside the shell of a car so they can pass. ‘i’ll approve your vacation myself.’

‘well, then.’ he gives her a salute. ‘yeehaw, sugar.’

through the fog, the entire landscape looks the same: stretches of fallen highway, buried underneath irradiated dirt; pools of orange water, feral ghouls wading through the sludge. one group notices them, and though whisper tears through them with the minigun, her geiger counter becomes a stream of noise instead of a steady click. deacon raises a hand in a thumbs up, unscathed.

they hardly speak, for fear of attracting unwanted attention. neither of them can tell what’s over the next hill, or the next. is that the sound of her steps or something else? did she breathe too loudly in her helmet? even though there’s nothing around them, whisper feels surrounded. even deacon is silent as he scouts ahead. quieter than her, he presses forward, keeping them away from roaming deathclaws.

though he can scout over hills, she has the advantage when the land becomes flat. a scanner built into her power armor picks out enemies in the distance, too far for him to see without a scope. when the yellow fog camouflages another pool of feral ghouls, she leads them out of the way.

as night descends upon the sea, it becomes almost untraversable. whisper keeps them at a slow pace with her night vision, but deacon is forced to stick close. a church steeple becomes her beacon in the night as she aims for a place for them to stay. though it’s half-buried, when she looks through the hole in the roof, she can see the sanctuary is still safe. mostly. she picks off the few feral ghouls she can see through the holes.

‘we can climb in through the steeple,’ she tells deacon, crouched at her hip. ‘clear out the last ghouls and we’ll be safe for the night.’

‘and how are you getting in there? you step out of that suit, you’ll die.’

he’s right. though the power armor has kept her safe from most of the radiation, her rads are still ticking upward every second. she won’t last an hour without it.

‘i jump through the roof, obviously.’ she turns on her headlamp, illuminating the broken roof for deacon to see. it’s definitely large enough for her to fit through, and with the armor she won’t even feel the impact. ‘the steeple is big enough for me to climb back out in the morning. it’ll be fine.’

they aren’t left with very many options. the area is dangerous enough during the day, but at night? and with deacon unable to see, they have to stay somewhere. there’s nowhere else nearby that she can see, either.

deacon laughs, shakily. ‘you first.’

-

they find a room underneath the stairs for shelter. a priest’s room, it looks like, with a now-broken desk and filing cabinets full of faded sheet music and sermons. a wooden cross still hangs stubbornly above the desk.

‘feel at home?’ whisper asks, taking up the space near the door. if anything gets curious about the gunshots, they’ll have to go through her solid power armor first.

‘ha-ha,’ he intones. ‘haven’t heard that one before. you’re as bad as glory.’

‘don’t compare me to her. you’ll hurt her feelings.’

deacon settles himself in a corner, helmet hitting the back wall with a dull thunk. whisper remains standing, fearing if she sits she’ll never get back up. ‘we’re in a church, sugar. i’m a deacon. anything you want to confess?’

‘bless me, father, for i have sinned,’ she begins, and deacon leans forward to listen. ‘i made fun of a brotherhood paladin, once, for sleeping in his power armor. and now i find myself in such a situation.’

‘i see.’ deacon sighs heavily, playing the part. ‘your penance will be to step in his shoes. rest in your armor for the night and pray we don’t have to do this again,’ he finishes, breaking character near the end. she laughs.

‘amen.’

-

her alarm wakes them just before dawn. deacon climbs the steeple first, stairs creaking beneath his feet. he calls to her when he’s outside, and then it’s her turn to mount the stairs. she climbs quickly, each one threatening to give with every step. but it’s only when she ducks under the steeple roof to jump to the ground that it gives. the tower leans, wood cracking beneath the power armor’s weight. she jumps, landing hard on her knees. the wood snaps, tower crashing to the ground.

‘uh,’ she says, getting to her feet. ‘that’s not blasphemous, is it?’

deacon raises a hand, makes the sign of the cross. ‘you’re forgiven. but let’s get out of here before something comes and smites us.’

they head west, toward a building barely visible on the satellite view of her pipboy. given that they have little information to go on, checking any potentially sealed building sounds like their best bet. there’s nowhere for him to survive anywhere else out here.

keeping up their previous strategy, they make quick work across the sea. any heavy footfalls that don’t belong to her drive them slightly off course but they continue to follow her map west. they’re almost upon it when deacon holds out his hand to stop her.

‘do you hear that?’

whisper holds her breath. her scanner doesn’t pick anything up on the horizon, but she does hear... something. a slight rumble, then - rain. light patters turns to a downpour in moments. she relaxes, thinking it’s just the storm, until something shifts in her peripheral. she only has time to turn before a giant creature bursts out of the ground.

she sidesteps an oversized stinger before drawing her minigun. the thing steps back, large, black claws held high and threatening. it looks like a scorpion, but its size easily dwarfs a car. its body is covered in a hard, black carapace, broken up only by its exposed joints, glowing a faint green. the thing screeches, high and piercing, and whisper brings the minigun to life, firing directly into its face. green blood splatters across the ground, but it doesn’t stop the thing from charging.

deacon fires, hitting the stinger hard enough to send it plunging into the ground instead of her face. whisper continues to spray into its head, bullets flying wildly. the scorpion squeals again, and a roar answers to her right.

a deathclaw stares the trio down with pale red eyes.

‘the building!’ deacon yells, and she spins without a second thought. stinger still stuck fast in the ground, the scorpion doesn’t follow immediately, but the thundering footsteps that follow tells her they aren’t the only ones running.

she looks behind her to see the deathclaw tear into the scorpion. its massive jaw closes around the tail, snapping it off with ease. though it tries to fight back, the damage it sustained from the minigun keeps it from lasting very long. another roar, victorious, the albino deathclaw turns its attention toward the fleeing humans.

deacon turns the corner on the building’s second floor, easily accessed from a nearby hill and a hole in the wall. she hears two gunshots before she’s upon him, two feral ghouls dead on the ground. the footsteps grow closer. he runs toward an elevator at the end of the hall, and she pries open the doors to - an empty shaft.

rifle held ready, he turns back toward the hall and the albino deathclaw, slowly turning the corner. no need to chase prey it knows is cornered, apparently. but whisper has other thoughts. she grabs deacon without warning, scooping him into her arms, and jumps. they land on top of the elevator cart, the crash echoing through the shaft. above them, the deathclaw roars, thundering down the hall. it tries to fit through the elevator door. head first, then shoulders, then -

‘down!’ deacon yells, lifting the elevator hatch at her feet. this time he jumps and she follows, down into the basement. the deathclaw roars long and low, but never follows.

-

they head deeper into the building’s basement, clearing any feral ghouls in their way. ground zero, she thinks with each one they kill. each feral wears the tatters of office suits and dresses, likely still working before the bombs fell. too late, before anyone saw it coming.

she doesn’t know when, but her geiger counter stops clicking at the constant presence of radiation. she double checks it, just to make sure it’s working, but her screen still shows her status. and if those numbers are correct, then likely she and deacon need to stop regardless - their rads are at the edge of ‘healthy’ levels.

stepping out of her power armor in a back room, she breathes a sigh of relief. she unzips the top of her underarmor and peels herself out of the sleeves. the cooler air of the basement chills the sweat on her skin. after a moment, she returns to the main room they’ve made their shelter with a bundle of food and radaway. deacon sits, legs outstretched, in front of a fire he’s built out of old papers. whisper rests her legs atop his as she prepares to hook up their bags of radaway.

deacon flinches when she pulls away from inserting his IV. ‘what happened to you, hero?’ he reaches out toward her neck, fingers brushing against her throat, down her arm, to her wrist. she follows the trail he leaves, and sees what he means. illuminated by the firelight, her bruises stand in stark contrast to the orange glow against her skin. ‘maybe i should have gone with you, if this is what going with the brotherhood gets you.’

‘danse stopped it from being worse,’ she says, leaning back to set up her own radaway.

‘is this the lead up to, you should have seen the other guy?’

her stomach churns from the radaway. ‘considering the supermutants are dead now?’

‘i should have gone with you. the brotherhood - ‘

‘i know! look, i don’t like the brotherhood either, but danse and his team - ‘ well, haylen, if anyone. ‘ - they’re not bad people. if i hadn’t found preston first, i could have been in the brotherhood.’

‘you wouldn’t have lasted.’

‘how do you know?’

when he shifts, his knees brush against hers. she refuses to move. ‘i know what kind of person it takes to be in the brotherhood,’ he says as she stares him down.

‘deacon - ‘

he sighs, and turns the basement of the abandoned offices into his confessional. ‘you’ve put up with enough of my bullshit. if there’s one person i should come clean to, it’s my friend, right?’

whisper swallows, throat as dry as her bag of radaway. she removes her needle as he does the same. ‘i’m a liar. everyone knows it. i don’t try to hide it, because the truth is: i’m a fraud. to my core.

‘when i was young,’ he tilts his head. his eyebrows rise just above his sunglasses. ‘a hell of a long time ago, i was... scum.’ his voice cracks on the word, voice rough. she wants to tell him to stop. it’s okay if she doesn’t know if it hurts him too much, but she finds that she can’t.

she wants to know.

‘i was a bigot, like the ones in the brotherhood.’ he tosses his empty bag into the darkness. ‘a very violent bigot.’

‘like the brotherhood?’

‘worse. i ran with a gang in university point.’ he pauses, lets the pieces fall into place. that’s why he was looking at the old university. running away from his past, not the synths. ‘we called ourselves the UP deathclaws. for kicks, we’d terrorize anyone that we thought was a synth.

‘we kept egging each other on. started with some property damage. broken windows, broken fences. graduated to some beat downs in back alleys. then, inevitably,’ he swallows, ‘a lynching. the claw’s leader was convinced we’d finally found and killed a synth. looking back, i’m not so sure.’

she blinks. doesn’t say a word. nods when he continues to stare. she isn’t running away, not from him.

he hangs his head and continues. ‘i broke all contact with my brothers, after that. time passed, i became a farmer, if you can believe that.’ he laughs, smiles, wistful. then, ‘one day, i found someone.’ he removes his sunglasses and looks to the dark ceiling, blue eyes bright. watery. ‘she saw something in me i didn’t know - didn’t think - was there.’

‘what was she like?’ she asks, curling her legs against her chest, resting her head on her knees.

‘barbara,’ he sighs her name, ‘she was... she just was.’ he looks to her. ‘when she smiled, it was like those old magazine covers. her eyes - ‘ with a hand on his face, palm pressed against the bridge of his nose, he laughs softly. ‘ - we were trying for kids.’

she sits up straight, at that. a family. he wanted -

‘then one day, it turns out, my barbara? she was a synth. she didn’t know that. i certainly didn’t. i don’t know how the deathclaws found out, but... there was blood.

‘they killed her,’ she says, knowing. blood - nate’s vault jumpsuit turning red with it.

when he croaks out a, ‘yes,’ she slides in next to him. barely touching. ‘i don’t remember much clearly after that. i know i killed most of the claws.’ he laughs again, this one broken. ‘i must have made a big impression because the railroad contacted me. figured i’d be sympathetic, seeing that i lost my wife. and, well, what i did afterwards.’

‘you know i know what that’s like.’

‘yeah. you against kellogg? that was - i should have said something sooner. i’m sorry. i don’t even know why i lie anymore, but i can’t tell the truth. everyone - tom, des, you, even carrington - they deserve to be in the railroad.

‘i don’t. i’m everything wrong with this whole fucking commonwealth. but you’re the only friend i got. i don’t deserve you being okay with this, and i’m not asking for forgiveness. i just... figured you should know who you’ve been traveling with.’

‘i know who i’ve been traveling with,’ she says quickly. takes her own sunglasses off, just to prove it. ‘you’re deacon. the one friend i’ve got in this place. all that you’re doing with the railroad, everything you’ve been helping me with - you’re trying to make up for your past. that’s admirable. i’m on your side, you know?’

deacon shifts back against the wall. ‘well, i’m not really the hugging type so. good talk, partner.’

and yet, he doesn’t move away when she shifts that extra inch closer to lean her head against his shoulder. nor does he move to put his sunglasses back on. instead, he rests his head against hers. ‘john,’ he mumbles, eventually. ‘my name’s john. feel free to forget that in the morning.’

together, they watch the fire burn down to embers before bedding down, back to back in the shadowed corner of the basement.

[newgenfencing]

Chain Link Fences: An Eco-Friendly Choice for Sustainable Landscaping

Discover the eco-friendly benefits of chain link fences from New Generation Landscaping & Fence. These fences boast recyclability, minimizing environmental impact, and promoting a circular economy. Integrated with automated gate installers, they offer efficient, energy-saving access solutions. Embracing sustainability, chain link fences contribute to eco-conscious landscaping by allowing natural light penetration and seamless integration into green spaces. Choose security with a commitment to environmental responsibility. For more information, read the blog: https://newgenerationlandscapingfence.notion.site/Chain-Link-Fences-An-Eco-Friendly-Choice-for-Sustainable-Landscaping-80d0d949ce5042ac8ebf67d5b227ab0c.

[sydnee-kom-spacekru]

Sneak Peak at "I Wanna Ruin Our Friendship"

I decided to be basic and go with the song lyrics as the title. This is Cassian (His real name is Colby Brock and I think pinterest is stalking me because right after I posted his description, a picture of him popped up. Exactly how I imagined him, not in the dream though.)

>>

You screamed your throat raw that night, and you'd been screaming every night since, but tonight you couldn't make a sound. This was the night you finally escaped.

Two years ago you were locked up in the psych ward, for being depressed with homicidal tendencies. Bullshit. You were fine, besides the occasional crippling anxiety, but you had no intention to ever accidentally murder someone.

You and your friend, Cassidy, decided to escape. Get on the good side of an ugly nurse named Noah, he flirted with everyone there and you just so happened to convince him that you loved him. It was rude, you know. You'd heard it a hundred times from Cas, but you were going to leave that nasty place.

He had "lost" his key card, that somehow found itself in your back pocket. He told you to meet him by the tree out back -an old, twisted Oak- but you and Cas you climbing the fence out front.

It was a risk, but Noah wouldn't take the chance of being fired for giving you the card. "Fuck." You heard Cas mutter, you assumed she had scraped her hand against the rust of the metal.

As soon as you swung your leg over the side of the fence, a light came on, shinging right in your face. "Come'n Cas! Hurry up!" You jumped down, twisting your ankle slightly. You heard someone yell over the microphone, but you couldn't tell what they said.

She was finally over the top, and she hopped down, stumbling as you both ran to the trees. The cold air burned your throat, but you had to keep going. You could hear Noah and the others not ten yards behind you. You heard a crash, and glanced to your left, your curvy friend still upright and beside you. So you took a sharp turn to the right, grabbing her hand and yanking.

You could feel a bit of blood trickling down your face, due to the thorns that decorated the tree branches. You didn't think that they were behind you anymore, so you took the chance to slow down, and take a breather. You hadn't thought to bring anything with you, so you were screwed until you found somewhere to stay. Hopefully soon, it was snow season. And in Massachusetts, that's bad.

>>

That's just a little of the first chapter. Lmk if you like it! I'll probably edit it when I actually do post the first chapter, like the friends name, definitely changing that, I want Y/n to call Cassian "Cas"

[catalinaroleplay]

Gender & Pronouns: Cis female, she/her

Date of Birth: July 10th, 1981 (38)

Place of Birth: Boston, Massachusetts 

Neighborhood: Avalon

Length of Residency: Since December 2019

Occupation: Paralegal

Face Claim: January Jones

BIOGRAPHY

TRIGGERS: Substance Abuse, Stillbirth.

Marion’s birth is a mistake she’ll spend her entire life trying to correct. Her prissy and pedantic parents have always imagined their family unit to be a set of three: a near-perfect portrait of nuclear, and in its backdrop, a big Boston brownstone, handed from generation to generation. These plans are disrupted when she’s brought into this world, a patch of blonde hair and impossibly blue eyes, and for this sin she’s relegated to the shadows, bright and beautiful but invisible.

They’re more prepared when her brother arrives, not three years later, reshuffling plans and life trajectories as if they were documents to be fixed up and arranged. But the damage had been done. She’d disrupted the fabric of her parents’ existence, failure written in bones before she could even take her first steps.

And so Marion takes valiant efforts to convince them otherwise. It works, for a time. At school, she’s a tour-de-force, with an intellectual sinew parallel to her father’s and mother’s. But they’re a brief turn in the spotlight, not when her brothers are trained to be faster and stronger in every sense of the word. No one expects the little Stewart to dominate, so she doesn’t. She plays up the good girl act, small and subservient, and her rage reduced to quiet simmers. But she can only hold a real smile for so long; after that, it’s just stretched-out muscles and teeth.

It’s Jack who first draws genuine smiles out of her, and she chases it. Chases it all the way to sunny California, worn-out instruments and a marriage certificate in tow, a promising law career hastily thrown in the layovers. They’re dubbed promising young artists, then up-and-comers, then the next best thing — until at their relatively young ages of twenty-four, they finally become just that. And she feels alive for the first time, even if she didn’t quite come alive for herself, just feeding on his own radiance.

But all your cells are replaced within eight years, after all, and by the tenth year, Marion finally feels that harrowing newness of delicate skin, nerves and synapses finally alerted of poison nursed by her bloodstream all this time. The dust settles, the gravity begins to weigh in, and suddenly her life feels like a shadow of a shadow of his own. The divorce is inevitable, but no less painful. She’d ridden with his high in more ways than one, and stepping out of that comfort felt far too terrifying.

Back to being invisible, Marion finds and drags the limits of her own brutality and shameless lying. It’s a peculiar kind of recklessness, born from internalized fear and insecurity, and ossified by the scars left by other people and herself. Her flightiness is seen as a unique charm as opposed to a character defect, and she’s consequently reduced to an object to play with — arm-in-arm with some man or woman, until she inadvertently grips far too tight, gentle touch becoming a chokehold.

It’s a cycle she’s bound to perpetuate: to be the wished-for hand, only to be wished away the instant she reveals herself to be a bruise of a thing, and who bruises others all the same.

It’s a rudderless voyage perhaps fated to last forever until he pulls her out of that raging sea. And there’s something decidedly pleasant in having someone stay, in having a world all to yourself, with time that felt neither stolen nor borrowed. And she doesn’t feel invisible, not anymore. Together they come alive, in that apartment with the rickety old floor; and at the corner, a cheap upright piano that’s rarely ever perfectly tuned, sunlight streaming against the keys. They coax out smiles from each other as if it were their last, and Marion doesn’t think their days are numbered, not at all, until she breaks the news of her pregnancy and that smile of his is a smile no longer.

It isn’t until he leaves that she pauses to consider she may have pulled him into the water herself and let him drown with her, too. That, perhaps, he’d saved himself when he walked out the door, leaving her and their unborn child in his wake.

Seven months later and she finds herself holding another vigil, unattended save for a kindly nurse who holds her hand. Her next of kin are on the other side of the continent, she hears the medical staff whisper, though they didn’t answer the call. Strangely enough, she doesn’t cry. There is no one to grieve for, after all, when she has no sense of who Lily Stewart was supposed to be, no happy memories to sustain her. When all is said and done, she’s ultimately just grasping at someone permanently out of reach, and what exists simply is the before and after.

So she doesn’t attempt to grieve. There is no sense in grieving when there is no one to remember.

At its crux, Marion supposes, she misses people more than she remembers them. So she goes back home and relishes in that bitter nostalgia. There’s a comfort to be found in that humdrum life, even if it has already been marred by her parents’ distrustful eyes and her siblings’ respective successes. There are attempts to get better, of course. Sitting on some floral couch on some dimly lit office. Monoblocs arranged into a circle with other parents, even though the word itself tastes awfully like rust and sharp metal. But honesty feels foreign against her tongue, and any attempts to draw it out of her are almost immediately shut down. She spends five years in Boston but her secrets are safely tucked away, all that horridness sealed save for a select few.

True to form, Marion runs away again to the City of Angels, where her younger brother has now settled. She lands a job as a paralegal — at last, reaping the benefits of good, old-fashioned nepotism — and finishes a certificate not long after in the efforts to appear legitimate. The pay is shitty and the work hours are long and winding, but it’s a job all the same, offering a vestige of stability that’s so evaded her all these years.

But loneliness could not help but send vicious reminders, sometimes: in the songs she’d written with her ex-husband, played repeatedly to this day; in her friends who’d moved away from LA off to some suburb with white picket fences, their ring fingers clad with golden bands; and in the toothy smiles of her brothers’ children, which she can no longer have. It crawls its way back to the surface despite all attempts and protests, and she almost admires it, that tenacity that could rival her own.

Her pain has been reduced to stories she carries around, and it’s telling that even in her stories she’s reduced to a supporting role, each and every time. Peace is elusive, she finds, in a city brimming with bittersweet memories. So she makes a crucial decision to move to the quieter Catalina Island, with everything new: a new job, a new house, a new goal. A new leaf. But being so close to the ocean, she’s eerily aware of her wounds, barely bandaged as it is, and she’s not quite sure she can survive even a single grain of salt rubbing against it.

But the universe has rarely been anything but cruel. She should’ve been paying attention — all of that pain was just practice.

PERSONALITY

Positive: Dynamic | Assertive | Flirtatious

Negative: Tactless | Self-Destructive | Reticent

Marion Stewart is portrayed by Laine.

[dorotheajanegilmore]

Closer to you - Chris Evans

CHAPTER ONE

Throwing my small brown faux leather bag over my shoulder, I raced down the cold metal staircase at the back of my apartment building. The elevator had broken down throwing a wrench into the works of my morning and now I was breaking a sweat to get myself back on track.

Finally the rusted blue door of an exit was in site. Just outside were the freezing cold streets of Manhattan.

My palms met the blue metal and my arms pushed until my elbows were flat. The door pushed through the snow leaving a semi-circle of wet pavement exposed beneath. 

I ran through the frosty street, passing a few strangers. As I came to the end of the street where the quiet road merged with the busy road, a familiar white Toyota came purring around the corner. 

My best friend Holly pulled up at the girl and she leaned across the pull the hand. "Quickly, get in!" She yelled as I hurried across the icy road.

I practically threw myself into the passenger seat and as soon as my door closed Holly sped off. "Let's go girls." 

I looked back at my friends in the back seat. "Morning."

Teegan gave a small wave and Chloe nodded, both of them struggling to keep their eyes open.

I let out a sigh as I took my phone out of my bag, knowing I would have a series of unanswered messages from my mother. "Listen to this." I started, glancing at my friends to get their attention. "Good morning sweetie, have you left yet? Lessi ? You awake? Darling? Have you left the city yet? Where are you? Do you want me to send dad to come and get you? Are you even awake? Oh child of mine do you see the morning light? Hurry up and get here before dinner gets cold. Granddads not getting any younger." My friends were sent into fits of laughter at my mother's lunacy.

“Your mother is the greatest." Teegan mumbled, nearly asleep.

"Agreed. Tracey's the queen of sarcasm." Holly added as she drove onto the highway.

We had a twenty minute bout of silence as we all broke free from the morning anger, apart from Holly who seemed to be too chill for someone with dangerous road rage.

We stopped at McDonald's for some breakfast before hitting the road again. About fifteen minutes into the resumes drive Holly glances at me. "So, does your Mom know about Simon?"

"Alvin And Theodore? Yeah she knows the chipmunks." I bite my lip and look out the window, trying to dodge the question and giving my answer.

Holly rolled her eyes, there was no way she was letting this go. She briefly lifted her hand from the gear stick to hit me on the knee. "Answer me."

"Yeah she knows." I mumbled quietly, just loud enough for my girls to hear. Even though we were secure in the four walls of Holly's car, I still felt like I should be secretive about the subject of Simon.

Simon Holdsworth was my boyfriend for four years before dumping me. Me! After I found him cheating on me in MY bed with some NYU art student who stole my jewellery and the batteries from my tv remote. Ok maybe she didn't take my batteries but I have no other explanation for that so she's getting the blame.

"His mother called my mom and yelled at her because I was a apparently a bitch to Simon. She said I didn't allow him creative freedom to express himself with other women." I rolled my eyes and cursed under my breath.

"Hippies." Chloe shook her head as she picked her nails, remembering when she first met Simon's mother. When Simon first moved in with me we had a house warming party on the roof of our apartment building. Simon's mother, Nora, brought two bags of weed and brownies and set up camp in my living room. Nora also brought various scarfs and blankets that she draped over my living. She also replaced the coasters that my mother bought me for ounces made from tree bark that had been carved into peace signs. Chloe threw them in her log burner as soon as Simon moved out.

"What did Tracey say?" Teegan asked. All of my friend were on first name basis with the fantastic woman that birthed me. Not only were we best friends, we were raised together. We were all born in the same hospital, in the same city. We were raised in the same town, same schools, same university. Plus Teegan is my second cousin so.

"She laughed, told her to piss off and put the phone down."

"Yes Tracey." They all cheered her on.

"It's a pity you can't do the same thing." Holly replied with a serious tone, raising a brow at me.

"Hey, you know I'm strong-willed when it comes to people screwing me over. I just like to argue with him, he tried to get to me. He purposely likes to call and harass to upset me, he wants me to break. He would love nothing more than to see me cry. But he won't win, he won't." I shook my head, feeling the anger curse through me again. "He thrives on hurting people. But he won't hurt me, I won't let him."

"Good on you." Chloe nodded, putting a supportive hand on my shoulder.

Holly nodded in approval. "That's our girl."

\|\|\|\|\

It took three hours and forty minutes to get form Manhattan to the little town of Fairfield, Massachusetts. Soon enough we were surrounded by familiar buildings that had now been covered in a blanket of snow and driving through streets we used to run drunkenly through as we disobeyed our parents (and the law.)

First Holly dropped Chloe to her folks house, then Teegan to hers and finally I was looking at my parents house. I looked back at Holly with a puppy dog look and asked "Can I come to your house for thanksgiving?"

"Of course you can." Holly out a sympathetic hand on my shoulder. "Next year." She then have me a playful shove and I opened the door.

"Thanks for the lift. See you later yeah?" I asked, knowing I'd be needing a drink after an hour with this crazy lot.

"Sure, I'll text you." She nodded.

I grabbed my suitcase from the trunk and headed to the pavement. I gave Holly a wave and she watched me walk up to the driveway. She waited until I knocked and somebody answered before she drove away, always one for safety.

My little brother Alex opened the door. "Shit, when did you get so tall?" I cursed looking up at the nineteen year old.

He chuckled deeply and stepped back for me to go in. "You mean since I saw you two years ago? Yes I've grown. When did you get so short?"

"It's all the coffee." I shrugged as I left my suitcase in the downstairs cupboard and headed into the living room, at least I thought it was the living room. It was in the same place and it was the same shape, however it was all so different.

The red poppy wallpaper above the grey stone fireplace had been taken down and replaced with a cream paper with turquoise flowers, it also had an overspray if light silver glitter that matched the silver chandelier and doorhandles. The normally dark doors had been replaced with white ones and the rest of the walls painted white as well. My sweet childhood cottage had been replaced with a modern townhouse.

The burgundy couches had been replaced with chocolate colours leather and my dad's favourite recliner was nowhere is sight.

Moving further throughout the house i couldn't see any of my relatives. I looked back at Alex and asked "So, where is everyone?"

"Dad's in the garage working on the car and Mom, Nana and Lucy are in the garden with Joe and Leo." I nodded and walked through the kitchen to get to the back door.

I stopped in my tracks when I saw that there was now an orangery that had been extended into the back of our house, I glanced back at Alex to see him shrug at me.

He stepped around me and walked through the orangery into the open backyard. I followed slowly, taking in the new changes. I quickly glanced back at the kitchen. Huh, no changes their. The grey slate and white marble must've been modern enough for Mom.

I stepped out into the yard to see my mother, sister and grandmother gathered at the fence talking to our neighbours. Joe and Leo were over at the trampoline, at least there was one piece of my childhood left.

Leo gave me a wave and I waved back, this must've caught my nephew's attention as he stopped jumping, letting gravity drop him on his ass so he could jump from the trampoline and sprint across the yard.

As he ran at me I saw him lift his arms and I knew exactly what he was gonna do. He jumped as high as he could, I reached forward and caught him at the torso and he wrapped his arms around my neck.

"Auntie Alessia!" He yelled as he hugged me tightly. His shouting caused my family to turn their attention to me. I hugged Joe back before setting him down on the soft grass and kneeling down to talk to him.

"Hi bud! How are you?" I asked as I held his hand.

He beamed brightly and showed me his teeth. One of his front teeth had fallen out. "Look, I'm a big boy now." He pointed excitedly at his mouth.

"Wow!"

"My mommy said that if I put my tooth under my pillow the tooth fairy will come and she will take it and leave me a dollar! A whole dollar!"

"Well let's not encourage selling our body parts. Here." I reached into my back pocket and took out my change from earlier. "Here's five bucks, give your tooth to your dad."

He nodded and looked at me like I was crazy. "Thank you auntie Lessia!" He hugged me again before running back to Leo and the trampoline.

I stood up and headed over to my mother. As I approached the fence I saw she was talking to a woman I had never seen before. Where's Cheryl? I wondered.

"Oh Alessia, darling. Come meet our new neighbours." My mother wrapped her hand around my arm and practically yanked me over to the fence.

"Hi." I waved politely to the kind woman staring back at me with a warm smile.

"Hello there, Alessia. My name's Lisa. You're mother ya spoken so highly of you, it's so nice to put a face to the name." She said sweetly.

"It's nice to meet you too. Are you new to the area?" I inquired, wondering where our old neighbours had got too.

"Oh gosh no. We moved a few blocks away as my mother passed recently and she left us the house."

"Cheryl? Oh god I'm so sorry. She was the nicest woman, salt of the earth. I'm sorry for your loss." I felt real sadness as I spoke, not believing that sweet old Cheryl had passed on.

"You knew my grandmother?" A deep male voice said from my left. I looked in the direction of the person speaking and nearly had to do a double take. Standing beside Lisa was a very handsome brunette man with striking blue eyes and full beard. He was about 6 foot tall, with muscles and wide shoulders. He was wearing a deep maroon tight long sleeve and navy patriots cap.

"Hi." I breathed out, staring at this specimen in disbelief. How can one person be so unbelievably attractive? "Yes I did. Uh, I grew up doing chores for her. I kept her company on Wednesday's when Arthur would be at darts. She taught me how to bake and knit." I giggled lightly at the memories.

The man gave me a soft smile while Lisa smiled at me. "I'm sure she loved every minute of your company." Lisa nodded at me. "She actually left me a box of things labelled with your name. I'll have to have Chris dig it out and bring it over to you sometime."

"That would be lovely, thank you." I smiled, wondering how I had missed so much.

I could feel her son's eyes on me as I stepped down from the gathering or grass to allow my mom to finish her conversation.

"Hey." My sister Lucy said as she wrapped her arms around me to give me a hug. "I've missed you sister sister."

"Missed you too." I mumbled into her shoulder as she crushed me. She pulled back and placed a hand on her stomach before putting her pinger finger to her lips.

"It's a secret." She whispered and I nodded with wide eyes. Shit. She's pregnant again.

"Congratulations!" I whisper yelled at her and she widened her eyes at me and looked back at my mom and grandmother to see if they noticed. They hadn't, they were busy gossiping with Lisa.

Chapter two

[blackuigryphonvr]

#PokemonGo #GoSnapshot #Sakura #cherryblossoms

#Azelf in front of the metal fence at the Antique #FoggOperaHouse in #ColumbianSquare across from the antique #FoggLibrary. #SouthWeymouth #Massachusetts

#May #Spring #NewEngland

[onthemazewall]

Spring

So, I’m ramping up to buy ducks next month. Originally we got them in Pembroke, MA for their tick eating properties, but I really miss the fresh eggs too. Here in Denmark, eating snails and the over abundance of lady bugs will be their primary job, but oh how I can’t wait to make duck egg yolk ice cream! In order to get ducks required a lot of work. First, I had to look up the municipal laws and make sure I was allowed. Since the neighbor has chickens, I was pretty sure I could, but I wanted to be truly sure. Unlike in Massachusetts, I don’t need to pay for my flock, or to the best of my understanding register them, but otherwise it’s pretty similar: make sure they have adequate housing, don’t bug the neighbors and the waste is disposed of properly. They also require that the manure is composted in a closed container and that the feed is also in a rat proof vessel. I can’t tell if Denmark has a serious rat problem or serious rat paranoia, but other way, they keep things super rat proof. Next I had to find an appropriate enclosure online, food and bedding. That wasn’t so bad once I figured out the correct vocabulary. The two biggest challenges were the actual ducks and fencing.

In the US I had Golden Layers 300. Technically I first had Call ducks, but they are one of the few types that can fly and less than a week after buying them off of Craig’s List, $40 of my investment had flown out of the yard leaving poor flightless Fox Food behind. So I went on Craig’s List again and got these giant tawny, egg laying machines. Here, the pickings aren’t so great on DBA, especially since I lack a car. I’ve always wanted Cayugas, which lay black eggs and Indian Runners. Happily the latter is readily available here. I’m on a waiting list for a lady in town hatching Runners and also in touch with a feed store that I can get to via the bus system. I’m hoping for month olds that don’t require an incubator and all that fuss. Also, month olds will be easier to sex from their voices. I’m hoping only for females.

Lastly, the fencing. For living near the center of a city of 40,000, we have a pretty good sized yard. Like almost all Danish yards, it is aggressively hedged, but there are a number of places a duck, dog or even small child could slip out, so I decided to get square plastic coated metal fencing and stakes. So far I’ve used 75 meters of fence and I have to go get one more roll, so like 300 feet of perimeter that needs fencing, it’d be more than 400 if I didn’t have places where the arborvitae is thick enough that I don’t have to worry about anything getting through. It’s been oddly soothing fencing in the yard. Yes, it’s an annoyance to the local cats and hedgehogs, though honestly if this means they poop in my flower beds and grass less often it’s a win for me, but being able to watch the neighbor’s dog without putting her on a leash is a real win, as well as not having to worry about my kids getting overly adventurous. It blends in nicely with the scenery, practically invisible unless you’re looking for it, and satisfies some base instinct to mark my territory.

[agent-nova]

Look for the Light (TLOU au)

Outbreak Day. September 26th, 2013. Boston.

        “Did they say where they were attacked?” Ellie looked up at the doctor who was clearly annoyed with her presence. She understood, but this was hugely important. She was sent here to uncover the origins of this new infection, and every case had to be documented. The mayhem around her illustrated the need for information.

        The doctor ignored her, drawing up a syringe with a resigned look on his face. “I didn’t sign up for this,” he muttered.

       “Where were they picked up from? Can you tell me that at least?” That’s a terrible idea, Ellie. Gonna go out there and get yourself killed?

        “I don’t have time for your questions. I’ve got more waiting—”

        “More?” It was spreading rapidly, a wave of violence not unnoticed by various government agencies, though it was difficult to get everyone coordinated. No one wanted to declare a state of emergency. No one wanted to do anything, really, so the CDC continued on, documenting every case, looking for an explanation, a reason for this. So far, nothing. But things were reaching a fever pitch, and she knew her bosses were leaning hard on the capitol to do something, send out some advisory or warning. They stayed idle. For now.

      Ellie looked around at the flurry of activity, noticing a lack of preservation of any sort of quarantine. If this were more easily passed along, the whole hospital should’ve been isolated. “You need to up your quarantine protocols, this is spreading far too quickly. If you don’t do something to contain this now, all those innocent people out there could be affected! Why are they in the waiting room, with everyone else?!”

      “I need you out of my ward. Now.” Knowing there was no way around it, Ellie turned to leave, ignoring the panicked refusal from the patient as the doctor passed into the quarantine room, forced to defy his oath for the sake of the many.

      Ellie stepped into the waiting room, noticing two teenagers seated near the doors. Their parents were talking quietly to each other at the reception desk. One of the teens had a long scratch across their forearm, while the other was clutching his shin, just below the knee, hand rust-colored with dried blood. They both looked terrified.

      She tucked her badge inside her shirt and pocketed her notepad before approaching quietly and kneeling in front of them. “Hello there,” she greeted cautiously. The teens looked down at her, confusion appearing briefly before being overshadowed with worry. “That’s a big cut there, what happened? Got caught on a fence? Fall off your skateboard?”

      “I-It was a—”

      “It was an animal,” the older of the two insisted, cutting off the one holding his shin. “Some type of animal,” he repeated.

      “No, I saw it way better than you, it was a person, a real person—”

      “Shut up, don’t you know what you sound like?”

      Ellie watched them argue quietly, the older of the two clearly trying to keep the situation under control. But this wouldn’t help them. There wasn’t anything that could help them now.

      “Where were you guys when you saw this animal?” Ellie asked, pulling out her phone.

      “A park,” the older one answered quickly.

      “Steven,” the younger one scolded.

      Steven let out a sigh. “We were exploring that old abandoned school, on the edge of town. No one’s supposed to go in there, but…” another deep breath. “We saw something. It was chasing after Derek,” he gestured to the boy sitting beside him. “It got his leg, knocked him down, and it got me as I was trying to pull him up. We ran as fast as we could out of there.”

      Ellie searched for the location, finding it quickly through a web search. “Dever State School?”

      “Lady, you can’t go out there, that thing, whatever it was, it’s probably still there—” The boy reached out for Ellie with his bloody hand and she did her best not to visibly recoil. She managed to avoid his touch. At this point the only confirmed transmission of the infection was through bodily fluids and open wounds. Ellie wasn’t taking any chances.

      “I won’t” she lied. “Thank you for the information.” Ellie stood and headed out of the hospital, ignoring the pit in her stomach as she left the two boys there, knowing what lay ahead for them. It was a frightening prospect.

      The sliding doors parted with a mechanical whirr. Ellie took in the fresh air, trying to forget the antiseptic rot of the hospital. She watched another ambulance head in and finally walked over to her car, a rental, courtesy of the CDC. She pulled the notebook out of her pocket and reviewed her notes on the most recent cases she encountered, adding a few more notes about the abandoned school the two boys spoke of and a note stating that the quarantine procedures here at Morton Hospital were woefully lax.

      She pulled out her laptop and began editing the document she’d been working on for the past few days, something to send back to her boss.

KNOWN METHODS OF CONTRACTION: CONTACT WITH BODILY FLUIDS OF A PERSON ALREADY INFECTED WITH xxx (USUALLY BY BEING BITTEN/SCRATCHED) ***STILL UNSURE OF CASE 043, NO SIGNS OF OPEN WOUNDS, YET STILL SHOWED SIMILAR RESULTS.***

INCUBATION: AFTER INITIAL INFECTION, THERE IS AN INCUBATORY PERIOD OF ONE TO TWO DAYS. INCUBATION CONCLUDES WHEN PATIENT SHOWS SIGNS OF INCOHERENT ANGER AND VIOLENT TENDENCIES.

SYMPTOMS: STAGE ONE PATIENTS SHOW SIGNS OF ERRATIC AND VIOLENT BEHAVIOR, LASHING OUT AT ANYONE AROUND THEM. NO SIGNS OF FURTHER STAGES IN FIELD AT THIS TIME.

TREATMENT: THERE IS NO KNOWN TREATMENT FOR xxx, NOR ANY KNOWN TREATMENT TO LENGTHEN THE INCUBATION PERIOD.

DIAGNOSIS: IN PROGRESS.

      Ellie closed her laptop and sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose to stave off the incoming migraine.  The sky was overcast, threatening rain. It seemed as perfect a time as any to try to take a nap after the many sleepless nights spent in and out of various emergency rooms in the state. This was just one snapshot of one area. This was happening everywhere.

      She knew many of her fellow CDC agents were dispatched elsewhere all over the country, some even heading overseas to track the infection’s progress. It’s still not known exactly where the infection originated. Everyone was on the hunt for the illusive Patient Zero, especially because at this time they would either be dead or in a blind rage, hopefully far away from any urban areas.

      Boston, Massachusetts and Austin, Texas had the highest rates of infection. There wasn’t a clear reason why, besides possibly being the origin. So here Ellie was, tracking the various ongoing cases as well as trying to get information on the early ones, before the CDC had started paying attention.

      Ellie started the car and began the drive to the abandoned building. Her nap would have to wait.

----------

       The wipers passed over the windshield as Ellie drove. The phone was resting in the seat beside her, speakerphone activated, as she kept her eyes forward. “They’ve got atrocious protocols, it’s a wonder they don’t have more cases there. And despite the population density in the city, there are fewer cases than in the more rural areas. There’s got to be something we’re missing. I’m going to see if there’s anything in this building that might help.”

      “Just be careful, alright?” The person on the other end of the line sighed. “We’ve got to deal with this, no one else will. Listen, distribute the pamphlets as is, we can issue updates later. The more people know, the less likely this will turn into more of a shitstorm than it already is.”

      “We don’t have a name, or a cause. Don’t you think this will just incite mass panic? It might throw off whatever pattern we’re trying to look at here,” Ellie argued. “Every cold becomes the next Ebola. Until we know what’s causing this, I don’t think we have the authority to act.”

      “Just do this, please? People have to know that something’s happening.” Ellie nodded to herself. “I’ll call in an order to a Kinko’s near you once we get the logos in there. Good work, Eleanor. Stay safe out there.” The call ended.

      Ellie saw the building in the dim light, a wide structure that seemed to contain nothing but darkness. The last bit of sunlight couldn’t reach it directly. Perhaps Ellie should’ve waited until tomorrow.

      No. This can’t wait. Suck it up.

      Ellie got as close as she could from the road and parked in front of the broken metal gate. Both sides were pushed open wide enough for a few people to slip through, but not her car. She’d have to walk the rest of the way.

      Great.

      She pulled on the hood of her jacket and got out of the car, tucking her phone into an inner pocket. She got a large flashlight and a small mobile kit out of the trunk. Leaving her car locked, she passed through the rusted metal and walked across the untended field to the closest structure. The rain coming down was freezing, and she’d be happy to be out of it.

      The bottom level was open, windows and doors long since broken off or removed completely. The rain pouring down outside created a loud echo in the room. She shook off what water she could, continuing to drip on the floor as she walked around. The floor was covered in old ceiling tiles and dry leaves. An upper balcony overlooked this large room on all sides, possibly an old mess hall or something. No signs of habitation. The second floor’s walls were covered in wood paneling, surprisingly intact given the exposure to the elements.

      The beam of Ellie’s flashlight illuminated large graffiti murals ahead, various words tagged all over the room. She continued further into the building, through open doorways.

      She noticed further ahead, down a long hallway, that there was a large room full of old equipment. There was more debris here than in the other room, glass and cement chunks scattered all over the floor, though the cream-colored subway tiles on the walls were almost pristine except for the dust on every surface. Next to some circuit boxes on the wall was “fucking run!” in black spray-paint beside a few open doorways that had no other windows or doors to let light in. Ellie felt a chill at the warning, even though she knew it was only put there to scare others.

      She turned to the left to head in the opposite direction and ended up kicking an overturned appliance. The sound of it scraping over the floor echoed in the large room. She froze, listening for any signs of movement. She let out a sigh of relief after a few seconds passed and there was nothing.

      Continuing forward, relying upon the flashlight now that the sun had set, Ellie looked for anything out of the ordinary.

      There has to be something here. Something attacked those kids. Or, someone.

      Ellie passed through into the next room, more closed off than the previous area. The darkness was suffocating, and she strained to see what was right in front of her. The flashlight gave her a view of an old office, perhaps, the administrative side of things. The desks were mostly bare, papers scattered all over the floor, various organizational tools tucked into nooks or along the walls.

       A click sounded from a few rooms away.

       It must be something settling in the old building.

       Another. Followed quickly by another, then a series of them, a squeal almost like metal on metal after that.

       Ellie broke out in a sweat. It was like nothing she’d ever heard before. She began imagining all sorts of things wandering around in the dark.

       What were these kids doing in here?

       Ellie reached a doorway and illuminated a long hallway. No sign of anyone there. The clicking resumed, though it was less frequent. She knew this wasn’t something she should be actively searching for, but she listened intently anyway, perpetuating the bad horror movie trope single-handedly. She too was screaming at herself to go the other way. But she had to. If the answer was here, she needed to see it.

       She noticed movement near the end of the hall and froze. The creature seemed to have odd, jerking movements. She covered the flashlight with her jacket and switched it off, darting into the nearest room and tucking herself under the desk. As she did, she hit her head on the edge, causing something to rattle. Her head ached and she reached up to rub at the point of contact, to ease the pain.

       The strange clicks resumed, followed by the disturbing squealing in short bursts. It got louder as the creature got closer. She could barely make out the shape of the creature passing through the doorway. Ellie jumped as the creature let out another series of clicks, now alarmingly close. She felt a chill pass down her spine. She had to know what she was dealing with, but she was terrified. Curiosity won out, however, and she turned the flashlight back on.

       Oh Ellie, you idiot.

       The creature got low at the sound of the flashlight, zeroing in on her location under the desk. She forced herself to stop breathing. Her body was pushing her to react, to scream, to run, but she did none of those things. She knew it could see her, but she hadn’t been torn to pieces yet. She slowly tilted the flashlight up until it shined on the creature’s face.

       Or what was left of it.

       Ellie realized with a shock that this creature couldn’t see her at all. From the bottom jaw down, the figure very much resembled a human, though with no concern or care for their condition. Up above, where their face would normally have been, however, were ridges of what seemed like a fungus, like a cluster of Bark Mushrooms rising from either side of their skull, coated in a soft, spongy layer. There couldn’t be anything left underneath them. This wasn’t a person anymore, the brain replaced with this connected system of fungi.

       That explained the clicking noises. Echolocation. It wasn’t looking for anyone, it was listening.

       I’ve seen something like this before…

       The infection was fungal. And it was deadly. If Ellie was right, this added a new dimension to how they would have to deal with this. Fungi meant spores, which meant airborne transmission, if you were near fruiting bodies of the fungus. And Ellie thought she knew exactly which type it was, though how it made the jump to Humans was still a mystery.

       Cordyceps. Attacks the brain. Normally only found in ants, it would control them and drive them to areas where the fungus could thrive, leaving the corpse there to spread spores. How did this happen?

       This is what attacked the kids. The spores would explain patient 043’s mysterious contraction of the infection. It all made sense.

       As the pieces tumbled together in Ellie’s mind, she felt as if she were going to pass out, lungs screaming at her to inhale. But with the creature so close, she’d be its next victim if she did anything at all. She’d backed herself into a corner.

       She angled the flashlight around her under the desk slowly, finally spotting a broken bottle near her. She slowly reached down for it and carefully drew back her arm, tossing it back into the hallway.

       A loud screech hurt her ears as the creature sought out the new sound. Ellie inhaled sharply and got to her feet, moving as swiftly as possible back the way she came, now highly aware of the sound of her footsteps, of her heart pounding in her ears, her every breath. It was a nightmare.

       The sound of insects greeted her and she collapsed onto the ground outside the building. She didn’t stay down for long, however. She pulled out her phone and called James back, running across the field back towards the gate.

       “Hello? Do you know what time it is? I’ve got to tuck my kids in, Ellie, can this wait?”

       “Ophiocordyceps Unilateralis!” Ellie yelled, sprinting, nearly halfway there.

       “What?”

       “Ophiocordyceps Unilateralis,” she repeated, sliding through the gate and pulling out her keys. She could practically hear the gears turning in his head.

       “That’s not possible.”

       “How soon can you fly up here?”

       “I’ll text you my arrival time.”

----------

       Ellie awoke to a loud banging on the door of her room. She got up, wondering if James had caught a flight without telling her. Or perhaps he forgot. She pulled on a thin robe and approached the door.

       She peeked out and frowned at the sight of two heavily armed men. They looked official, but Ellie worried about opening the door for them.

       “Is something wrong?” Ellie asked, speaking up so they could hear her through the door.

       “We’re evacuating the building, ma’am, we need you to come downstairs with us please.”

       “One moment, let me get dressed.” She didn’t wait for their permission.

       Ellie wondered if James was able to fly in at all, if what looked like a heavily militarized police force was going around and evacuating whole buildings. Ellie quickly got dressed, getting her gear together in her backpack and throwing it on, making sure she had her CDC badge in hand.

       She opened the door, showing her badge. “Does this have anything to do with the infection?”

----------

       “What is it?” The body bag was opened and Ellie recognized the creature from earlier. She adjusted her low-grade hazmat suit and watched the M.E. across from her as he inspected the structure and ridges in the facial region.

       “Cordyceps, possibly. I’ll want to test it to be sure. It was using echolocation, responding to sound. I’ve not seen anyone like this, so this could be what happens after prolonged infection. We haven’t had any study on lasting effects as those infected typically react so violently they’re…disposed of.”

       The M.E. looked up at her, a grave expression on his face. “I’ve got a few on ice, from early stages if you need.”

       Ellie nodded. “I’ve got my kit, I just need a desk. And I need to make a phone call.”

       “Of course.”

----------

       Five years later. FEDRA Quarantine Zone. Boston.

       “Get him in here, set him down!” Ellie reached for the navy uniform and ripped it open, the same M.E. on the other side, worn from the years of struggle, preparing implements. Ellie monitored the soldier’s vitals as the M.E. got to work on the soldier’s shoulder, where a large bullet wound was located.

       “Fuckin’ Fireflies, man, came outta nowhere,” the man grunted, eyes focused straight up at the top of the medical tent, putting on a brave face. “We’re gonna lose this zone,” he added, sounding very concerned.

       “No, we’re not. You’ll be fine, I promise,” Ellie soothed. His eyes flicked down towards her for a fraction of a second before he looked back up.

       “As you boys know, we used the last of our morphine ages ago, on account of you all becoming bullet magnets, so just try to stay still,” the M.E. sighed. Ellie felt the man’s grip on her arm as he reached out for something, keeping his shoulder as still as possible.

       “You’re doing great, okay? Just a little bit longer,” Ellie praised, watching the M.E.’s careful hands as he retrieved the bullet and dropped it onto the tray beside him.

       He inspected the bullet and looked up at Ellie with a satisfied smile. “Just stitches now, friend. Got the bullet out in one piece! You should consider yourself lucky,” the M.E. explained.

       The soldier on the table grunted and rolled his eyes. “Right,” he said sarcastically.

       “I’ve got this one, Ellie, why don’t you get some rest.” Ellie felt the soldier release her arm and she nodded, stepping back and heading for the sink by the door. What felt like layers of blood slowly came off as she scrubbed, continuing long after she was truly clean.

       “Goodnight,” Ellie called out before disappearing out of the tent.

----------

       Five years. Five years since she got stuck in the FEDRA quarantine zone. Despite the CDC still operating, she’d been cut off from all contact, the administrator at this particular zone finding her authority...frustrating. She was monitored and restricted, allowed to function as a medic, only. Her research was taken away, and she never did hear from Jason. She hoped he was alive.

       The Fireflies had risen up in response to the authoritarian control imposed by FEDRA, and were functioning both within and on the outside of the quarantine zone. Tensions were high, and the Fireflies were currently well-supplied and well-funded. You couldn’t go anywhere in the zone without encountering wanted posters with the enigmatic Marlene, leader of the Fireflies, front and center.

       Ellie appreciated their cause, but she was useless outside the wall. She’d be of no value to a militia group. She just had to keep her head down, endure the situation until it changed. That was inevitable. And with how the violence was ramping up around the zone, She felt it would be changing sooner rather than later.

       “Are you Eleanor Graves?”

       Ellie dropped the journal in her hands and nearly screamed. She recognized the intruder immediately. She was flanked by two men who had their hands on the holsters at their sides, though Ellie posed no threat. She locked eyes with one of the men, his piercing blue eyes bright and cautious.

       “Eleanor?” Marlene repeated. “It’s alright, relax, we’re not here to hurt you.”

       “W-why is the leader of the fireflies here, in the zone? How do you know who I am?” Ellie wished she didn’t appear so scared. How had she not heard them? And three of them?

       Marlene reached out and rested a hand on the shoulder of the man closest to her, the one with the blue eyes. “It’s alright,” she nodded. He stood up straight, relaxing a bit in his shoulders. His hands stayed loose at his sides, and she knew he’d still be able to beat her to any weapon. The way he was watching her kept her uneasy. The other man followed suit.

       “What do you want from me?” The last thing Ellie needed was to be found with Fireflies in her room. She’d hang.

       “We’ve been looking for you. A friend of yours thought you might be able to help,” Marlene explained.

       “Help with what? And what friend?” Ellie couldn’t have been more confused.

       “James, a, uh, colleague of yours, before all...this, said you might be able to offer a different perspective. We haven’t made much progress and we can take all the help we can get.”

       James. So he was alive, working with the Fireflies. It would explain why he never reached out. He wouldn’t have been able to.

       “A different perspective? I don’t understand.” Ellie watched Marlene. She was choosing her words carefully on purpose. If Jason was involved, it had to have something to do with a vaccine. So someone somewhere was still trying? Ellie felt hope for the first time in a long time. Years, maybe.

       The tall man stepped in, clearly concerned about the length of the conversation. “We’re taking you to our research facility.” Ellie didn’t care much for his tone.

       “You’re not taking me anywhere.” Ellie crossed her arms.

       “Charlie, please, let me talk to her,” Marlene urged. Charlie crossed his arms over his chest, mirroring Ellie, and took a step back.

       “Hurry up. We can’t get caught here.”

       Marlene stepped closer, pulling Ellie aside. “We need your help. I’m asking you to come with us. We’ve got a lab set up, we’re working on a cure. It’s in the early stages, but you could really help us. I wouldn’t have made this trip myself if I didn’t need you with us. I know they’ve cut you off, got you trapped here. I’m offering you an escape.”

       Ellie could see why Marlene was so revered by her group. She was a calming presence, and a powerful leader. She earned respect, and didn’t demand it. Ellie knew there wasn’t much of a choice here. She knew where she needed to be.

       “How do we get past the wall?”

       “Not we,” Marlene started.

       “We need to move. It’s not safe,” Charlie interrupted. Marlene looked at him, a flash of concern passing over her face.

       “Come with us, we’ve got somewhere safe nearby. We can prepare there.” Marlene handed Ellie her journal and offered a smile. “You’re safe with us.”

       Ellie took the journal and glanced around her home for the last five years. She only had a few possessions, not things she truly coveted. She didn’t think she would miss life in the quarantine zone. “I’ll get my things.”

       “Make it quick,” Charlie warned. Ellie tensed. She didn’t appreciate him ordering her around.

       “It’s okay, Ellie, get what you need,” Marlene mediated. She shot Charlie a look.

       Ellie got her backpack together and threw it over her shoulders. She met the trio in the center of the room. “Okay, where to?”

       “Follow me,” Charlie ordered. “And stay close,” he added, his tone almost annoyed. Still, she didn’t have a choice but to put up with him for now.

       “Okay.”