#once rewrite erik sees an organ that's it!

[britishchick09]

rewrite eristine at organ stop pizza! :D

christine: "okay erik, what toppings do you want besides cheese and pepperoni? i was thinking of mushrooms, but-"

erik: "oh wow it's a wurlitzer! 😍"

c: "do you want mushrooms on our pizza?"

e: "wait does it have four consoles??? 😍😍😍😍"

c: "erik, i asked- WAIT, STOP TRYING TO CLIMB UP THERE-"

@half-as-big-as-life

[hellomorganus]

Helen Draiz

I do not own The Phantom of the Opera. The book/musical/movies belong to their rightful owners. I only own my characters.

CHAPTER 6

Nadir led Helen down the dark and dingy halls in between the walls, his hand tightly holding onto her own so they wouldn’t get separated. He looked over his shoulder at the young girl and smiled knowingly with a twinkle in his eye. Erik had made a new friend whether he realized it or not. 

They soon could hear water the further they traveled downwards. Nadir led her to the shore, across from the entrance to Erik’s home. He smiled lightly, cupping his hand around his mouth as he called out to his friend. 

The man in question stood from his organ and walked towards a space where he could see who was calling out to him. Helen saw him visibly stiffen as he saw them, probably wondering who she was. 

“It’s Nadir and Helen, Monsieur!” she called to him, hoping he would relax. 

The masked man stepped into a boat and began leading it towards their spot on the shore, lifting the gate up. He stopped the boat in front of the shore, holding out his hand for Helen to take as she stepped into it. 

She gratefully did and cautiously sat down, Nadir following suit. She looked down at the lake beneath the boat and grinned, gently running her fingertips along the surface. 

Her eyes widened and she ripped her hand out of the water at the sight of something swimming in it. “What the hell is that?” she cried, cradling her hand to her chest as she stared at the thing. 

“Catfish,” both Nadir and Erik replied nonchalantly before Erik rowed them back to his home, closing the gate on the way back in. 

Helen looked at the two of them as if they were insane but forced herself to shrug it off. She held onto the sides of the boat as both of the men got out, Nadir offering her a hand to get out. She smiled and accepted his hand, stepping out onto the shore, thanking him. 

She walked around Erik’s home, gnawing at her lip. There was more sheet music flung around. It wasn’t messy per say, but her maid instincts were kicking in. She hesitantly picked up a few from the ground that were crumpled up into balls. She sighed as she unraveled it and smoothed out the paper. “Been hard at work I see, Monsieur Erik.” she said, giving him a side glance as she read over the music, humming silently to herself. 

“Yes,” he replied, snatching the music from her hand and crumpling it up again. “I’m very busy.”

Nadir cleared his throat. “Then I will make this quick my friend,” he said, stepping closer to Erik. He lowered his voice so Helen couldn’t hear, whispering hastily into his ear. 

Helen narrowed her eyes at the two men before picking up another sheet music, her eyes soaking up every note and line. She smiled as she began humming the song quietly, taking a seat in the loveseat from the night before. 

Erik scoffed, shaking his head at Nadir. “Absolutely not.” he replied, turning back to his music. 

“Erik. Of all the time we’ve known each other, not once have I ever asked a favour from you. This is the one time.” Nadir pushed, taking the sheet music in his friend’s hands. “Please.”

Erik glared at his friend, taking his music back. “You know how I feel about that topic Daroga. My final answer is no.”

The Persian glared at Erik before his gaze fell to Helen. “Miss Helen,” he began, walking towards her. “Would you say I’m being unreasonable to want my dear friend here to visit the hospital with me?”

Helen furrowed her eyebrows, tilting her head. “Hospital..? For what?”

Nadir smiled sadly. “My son Mademoiselle Helen. He and Erik were very close when he was younger, but I’m afraid he’s grown ill the last few years. He is close to his death bed. All he wants is for Erik to visit him one last time. Is that too much to ask for?”

Helen sat up straighter. “I did not know you had a son,” she said, placing the music on the table before standing up. “I don’t think it’s...unreasonable. But I could understand why Monsieur Erik is hesitant.”

Erik turned to look at her in surprise. “You do?” he asked.

Helen nodded, standing between them so she could watch the two of them. “I am assuming you don’t want anyone to know of your identity as The Opera Ghost. Or want people to question why you wear a mask. So I can understand your perspective.” She then turned to Nadir. “But I can also understand yours. Your son is dying and only wishes to see his childhood friend again. Is it possible to compromise? Can he leave the hospital?”

Nadir slowly shook his head. “They believe it is not wise of him to leave. He is under strict bedrest.” 

Helen hummed in thought as she looked between the two. “What if...you didn’t go alone?” she asked Erik. 

The male shook his head. “No. Tell him I hope he can forgive me Nadir, for I will not be going.”

Nadir sank his shoulders, sighing to himself. “Fine then. I will let him know,” he mumbled before walking off to another secret passage. 

Helen stood awkwardly in the room as Erik played the song before crossing out and rewriting a few things on the paper. She bit her lip as she collected the music sheet from earlier, bringing it over to him. “Monsieur Erik. I believe this can still be a beautiful piece. I just feel like this phrase is off.”

The Phantom gazed at the paper, his head shaking slightly, smirk on his lips. “Pray tell what you believe it should be then.”

Helen thought silently for a minute before yanking his fountain pen from his hand and scratching out the phrase. She wrote in the phrase she believed fit in well with it. “How about this?”

Erik took the pen and paper from her grasp, reading the phrase aloud. “Past the point of no return?” he repeated. 

Helen nodded. “Oui (Yes), they are both fighting their instincts in this song, are they not? And then around this measure is when they finally cave into their feelings for one another.” she pointed out. She smiled, looking at him for input. “I feel like that phrase shows just how much emotion is in their words. What do you think?”

Erik sat there silently as he took in what the girl had said. He slowly nodded, turning his head to look at her. “Do you sing Mademoiselle?”

                                                 ~-~-~

Helen hummed to herself as she sewed on a few finishing touches for Christine’s costume. Her humming soon became quiet singing as her fingers trailed along the seams as she sewed them shut. 

When she was finished with Christine’s she turned to grab Carlotta’s off the rack, jumping when she saw a figure in the doorway watching her. 

She let out a small shriek, placing a hand over her chest as the intruder laughed lightly. “Are you alright? Did I scare you that badly?” asked the blonde intruder. 

Helen looked up at Christine, trying to catch her breath as the girl stepped into the small sewing room. “Yes!” she exclaimed, falling back in her chair as she too began laughing. “What can I help you with Christine?”

The blonde girl shrugged lightly, examining her costume. “Where did you learn to sing like that?” she asked.

Helen blushed, grabbing Carlotta’s dress to add a few more pearls and gems to the bodice. “My mother,” she lied, threading the jewels on her needle. 

Christine grinned nodding. “She taught you well. And that song you were singing was beautiful.”

“Thank you,” she whispered, looking up at the girl. “Did you want to try on your costume while you’re here?”

Christine nodded, taking the costume before slipping behind a changing screen and trying it on. “I came here to ask a question,” she admitted. 

Helen nodded, holding the needle between her teeth as she fixed the position of a pearl. “Ask away,” she replied between the needle. 

Christine stepped out from behind the screen, patting down the costume. “There has been talk...about you with the stagehands. They’ve been saying...you have been…”she trailed off. 

“Sleeping around?” finished the brunette, looking up at her with a small frown. “They’re not true.”

“I know that,” Christine replied, playing with her fingernails. “Where...have you been sneaking out to, though?” she asked, looking up at her from her fingernails. 

Helen gulped, tying off the jewel as she thought over her answer. She couldn’t tell Christine she had been sneaking off the visit The Phantom every night. “The roof,” she replied slowly.

The blonde turned to look at her after examining herself in the mirror. “Really?” she asked, patting down the vest of the costume.

Helen nodded, avoiding her eyes as she threaded another pearl to the bodice. “Yes, really.” she replied, glancing up at the thin girl. “Does it fit alright?”

Christine nodded, looking back in the mirror. “It’s perfect Helen.” she replied, pulling her blonde locks into a ponytail like she would during the production. “Thank you.”

Helen nodded, finishing up Carlotta’s bodice. “You’re welcome.”

Christine bit her lip as she turned to look at her, releasing her hair. “I thought you were a maid here?”

Helen shrugged. “I am. But sometimes the seamstresses need help. So I volunteer.”

Christine nodded, looking at the pink bodice of Carlotta’s dress. “It’s beautiful.”

Helen grinned, standing up and draping the dress on a mannequin. “It is but it’s almost too pink.”

Christine laughed quietly, nodding in agreement. “Our prima donna loves a bright pink, I much prefer a softer color of pink.” she admitted, her fingers grazing over the lace on the sleeves of the dress.

Helen smiled, nodding. “Pink seems like your color Christine.” she told her as she began packing up the needles and thread. 

“I wish I could pull off darker colors like you. Blue, purple, black...they just don’t go with my skintone.”

Helen snorted lightly. “I don’t think those are my colors. I adore the colors red and yellow.” she replied, putting the thread back where they belonged. “Those colors go well with my hair.” 

Christine nodded as she watched the girl before deciding to change back into her clothes. She changed back into her evening dress, folding up the costume in her arms as she emerged from behind the screen. “Do you not own the colors? I’ve never seen you wear them.”

Helen shook her head, taking the costume from Christine’s hands. “No, they’re too expensive here. I have plenty of dresses in those colors back at my home in America. That’s how I know,” she replied, tucking Christine’s costume into a safe place until the show.

Christine grinned, taking her hand once the costume was put away. “We should go shopping then! I know a few stores that sell those colors for cheap prices,” she smirked, giving her a little wink. “When are you free next?”

Helen chuckled, thinking over her schedule. “I believe I am free this Thursday,” she replied, looking at the girl. “You, unfortunately, have rehearsal.”

Christine smiled lightly, nodding. “I do, but perhaps afterwards we can go out?”

The brunette nodded, a grin on her face. “That sounds lovely. I can’t wait.”

Christine clapped her hands excitedly as she bid her goodnight. She waved to her as she slipped out of the room. Helen made sure everything was where it belonged before calling it a night. She sighed, undoing her hair, running her fingers through her waves. “I know you are their Monsieur Erik,” she called into the empty room. “You can come out.”

The Phantom took hesitant steps out of the shadows, closing the door as quickly and silently as possible. He looked up at the brunette, frowning. “How did you know?”

Helen shrugged, smirking. “I just felt your eyes on me.” she replied, untangling a few knots. “What do I owe this pleasure for?”

Erik sighed, glancing at the door. “I need you to find something out for me.” he mumbled. 

The girl tilted her head at the request. “What would I be finding out for you Monsieur?”

The masked man in turn gulped as he walked to Carlotta’s dress, examining the embellishments. “It’s about Christine and the Vicomte.” he said slowly, running his gloved fingers over the lace. “Find out what their relationship is.”

“I already know that,” she replied, watching him carefully. “The Vicomte and Christine have been courting for a few months now. How did you not know?”

His shoulders tightened as he stood straighter. He took his hands away from the dress, his hands clenched into fists by his side. He brushed off her question, turning to look at her. “A few months you say?”

Helen nodded, throwing her hair into a side ponytail. “Oui (Yes),” she replied, narrowing her eyes at him. “Why did you want to know?”

“You shouldn’t concern yourself with that Mademoiselle.” he snapped, glaring at her. “Find out all you can on Thursday. I will meet you in box five that night. Understood?”

Helen jumped back at his snapping, slowly nodding. “Yes Monsieur,” she replied, watching him nod and return back to the shadows where he came from.

[thesokoviaimagines]

Can I please have a POTO request where the reader is a chorus girl and Carlotta upsets her by insulting her and Erik comforts her??? Thanks for reading this💜💜 I love your blog by the way💜💜💜💜

Ahh, thanks so much!!!  I’m glad you’re enjoying it

Fandom: POTO

Ship: Erik x Reader

Word Count: 1104

Warnings: None!

Your day had not gone as well as you had hoped.  Opening night was just a few days away, andeveryone at the Opera Populaire was rushing to get everything completed intime.  You and the other chorus girlsspent time locked up in a practice room with Madame Giry, secretly sulking thatyou had to practice in such cramped quarters when La Carlotta could have easilytaken a practice room herself.  But thatwasn’t how she operated.

And so, finally, you and the other chorus girls hadgotten a chance to practice on stage, to see how everything came together.  Madame Giry had corrected you all umpteentimes, forcing you to rework your footing, occasionally throwing in new marksto make everything fit better when the time of the performance came—something thathad particularly annoyed you all.  Addinga few new measures of work sounded like an easy feat, when in reality themuscle memory of working on the choreography was difficult to rewrite thatquickly and so soon before the performance.

That’s where everything went wrong.  You turned when you should have done tendu,completely misaligning yourself with the rest of the girls.  Luckily—if you could even say that—some othershad done the same thing, which had made you feel better until you were singledout to be Carlotta’s scapegoat.  

The turn mishap had the misfortune to take place in themiddle of one of her arias, and instead of ignoring the problem and continuingher part, she stopped and stared at you right in the eye.  She took a purposeful pause and cleared herthroat.  “Per’aps you’d be better off asa clown than a chorus girl.  Your feetare still growing, yes?”  She glanceddown at your feet and grimaced before turning back to Monsieur Reyer, wholooked to Madame Giry.

Madame Giry simply slammed her walking cane on theground and said, “From the top!  And don’tforget about that extra measure of tendus, girls.  This time, you must remember.”

Well, how could you forget now?  For the rest of the practice, you forced downyour tears, trying to ignore the hurt that welled up in your sternum,attempting to focus on the pain in your calves instead.  Ever since you’d gotten accepted as a memberof the ballet corps, you’d been self-conscious and nervous about each and everyperformance.  It seemed as though themore you progressed, the more you were singled out by other members of thecast.  And by other members, you meant LaCarlotta.  

You didn’t know why she had gotten so mean towards youall of a sudden.  You stayed out of herway, except for when it was time for a performance or a rehearsal, and it wasn’tlike you were competing for the prima donna spot.  Briefly, you wondered if she knew about yoursecret, and this was her way of getting back at you, but you’d been so carefulto not let others know that you doubted that she of all people knew.

And that’s where you were headed right now, in themiddle of the night.  To your littlesecret.  It had been going on for months,you sneaking through the unknown passageways of the opera house in order to getto that little house by the lake.  He waswaiting for you, as he always did, standing in that gondola of his.  You kissed him as you met him, taking alittle longer than usual to pull away, and he rowed you silently over the lake,noting your visible distress.  

When you got out, you sat down on the stairway that ledup to his house, feeling almost too drained from the day to do anything else.  You placed your head in your hands, notwanting to look at Erik, your secret. Surely he had seen what had happened earlier, what with all that time hespent stalking about the hidden corridors of the opera house.  You allowed a few hot tears to roll down yourface, knowing that you were in better company with Erik than with twenty otherchorus girls in a dormitory.

He knelt down and took your hands away from your face,holding them in his own.  “I saw whathappened today.”

A groan escaped your lips.  “Could we just ignore it, please?”

“You’re crying,” he bluntly stated.  “How could I ignore that?”  In one swift motion, he took off one of hisgloves and wiped a tear away with his thumb that had been calloused by so muchtime spent on the organ.  

You burst into more tears, finally allowing what hadbuilt up all day to eradicate itself from your body.  “It was just so mean!”  You protested, taking comfort as Erik wrappedhis arms around you.  “I already knew Imessed up, but she didn’t need to add insult to injury, you know?”

He helped you stand up and walked you to his bed,handing you a cup of peppermint tea he had brewed just before you arrived.  You took a few sips from it as a way ofsaying thanks.  “She didn’t need to, you’reright.  But that’s how Carlottaworks.  If you wanted, I could let abackdrop fall on her.  It wouldn’t harmher too much, I imagine.”

A small laugh escaped your lips.  “No, that would be too much.  But thank you for suggesting it.”  You took a sip of your tea, set it down, thenrubbed your eyes, realizing just how tired you were after that quick eruptionof tears.

“You’re far too kind. What would you have me do, then? I’m at your disposal, y/n.”

You smiled, grateful to have him by your side.  “Maybe we could just cuddle and go tosleep?  Continue ignoring it?”

He stood up and kissed your forehead.  “I will not ignore it, but yes.  It’s been a long day and some sleep will dous both some good.  Tomorrow we candiscuss what we can do about Carlotta.”

In a matter of minutes, your clothes had been tradedfor pajamas, and you were resting upon his chest, warm under the covers.  He looked down at you and smiled, enjoyingthat you enjoyed being in his arms.  Theymade you feel safe, as though nothing bad could happen to you.  Though you felt relaxed, you still felt alittle bad on nights like these, the ones when you slept over and he was unableto take off his mask while he slept.  Andyet, he held you close and never complained. He never complained about you. Not once.  

[erikredwood-21]

Chapter 6: It has to lead somewhere… right? Part 1

Erik walked out the Biology building looking at the small piece of paper. He knew where the fountain was but, why there?

The wind was blowing and the temperature was at about 5-7°Celcius, Erik kept walking until he could see the food court, he thought on calling Helena but he waited until reaching Professor Jeniffer. Some people were still shopping or hanging out, so the place was a little bit crowded, but Erik was able to spot Professor Jeniffer near the fountain.

‘Professor, you wanted to see me?’ asked Erik as soon as he was close enough.

‘Yes, wow, you are really good deciphering codes. Anyway, I got some information for you, shall we?’

Erik and the professor walked a little bit around the court, the students were enjoying their night, completely unaware of what was around them.

‘You know, I got interested in that Security Clearance you asked about a month ago’ said the professor in her always calm voice.

Erik felt a small knot in his stomach, he thought the professor was going to scold him again.

‘But I figured… why can’t we, the professors, have access to those works, so I went to the S.E.A.L.P. offices and I found something really interesting.’

The S.E.A.L.P. offices? Erik had heard about them, but he wasn’t sure about what they did over there. Was his brother working in there?

‘We can have access to those files by a written permit from the Principal or the Council, but since I was already there I did a quick research, I wasn’t sure about what you were looking for but from the way you asked me that day, it was something having to do with you. I searched for your name but nothing but a single file came out by the name of “Alexander Redwood”, I assume he was your brother since you are the only two Redwoods I know.’ said professor Jeniffer, she kept walking out the food court and since Erik was following her he tagged along.

‘Yes professor, he’s my brother, he was in the Academy three years ago… the thing is, he graduated, you knew him?’ asked Erik trying to not sound too desperate.

‘No, I was in the S.E.A.L.P.’s teaching program at the time, but I heard his name before, Dr. Martin mentioned him quite a lot.’ said professor Jeniffer while she sat down near the fountain in front of the Biology wing.

‘He knew my brother?’

‘Yes, I remember his name, Dr. Martin was a Neuroscientist, one of the best actually, and he always talked about Alexander, he thought of him as his own “legacy”.’

‘So he was my brother’s mentor?’ asked Erik troubled.

‘You could say he was, yeah. Although he was always in his research, something about rewriting DNA codes like if they were computer programs, but well, everyone believed such thing was impossible.’

‘Was? So you mean that now we can rewrite DNA strands?’ asked Erik, somehow troubled.

‘No, of course not, we can create our own DNA strands but all of those experiments and tests were banned by the S.E.A.L.P., Dr. Martin’s work was merely theoretical.’ said the professor while arranging her scarf.

‘But, if he was a neuroscientist, why would he work on DNA, I mean, that is a work for a Geneticist’

‘Yes, you are right, but he was looking at it from another angle. He believed that with the right cells, the brain with its own biological functions, could make the body slowly rearrange its cells with the rewritten DNA, since our cells constantly regenerate, eventually the body would be made entirely of those new DNA cells.’ explained the professor.

‘I had no idea you could do that, on a living thing. I read once that some scientist rearrange the DNA strands of a bird and made it grow teeth and a tail, but they were embryos, not actual living birds’ Erik was astonished, that kind of work would’ve been an amazing advance in both, the Genetics and the Neuroscience field.

‘Well, Erik, that’s everything I can tell you today.’ claimed the professor.

‘Thank you professor, that’s actually really helpful, I would like to know more about my brother.’ said Erik. The professor stood up and took out her cellphone.

‘I’ll let you know if something comes up, you should read some of Dr. Martin’s work, that may give you a better idea about what he was working with your brother.’ the professor sent Erik her profile information and walked past Erik.

‘Stay safe, and keep everyone you care close’ said the professor before walking back into the food court.

Erik walked back to Helena’s room, the temperature dropped drastically, it was around 1°C or 0°C. He entered the room and talked with Christopher, Helena and Caitlyn about everything the professor said to him. Everyone was thinking about where would Alexander be, as well as why the Academy itself hide his info.

‘Ok, so basically your brother worked with Dr. Martin while he was here, and Dr. Martin had this crazy idea of rebuilding a human’s cells like a computer program, right?’ asked Christopher while writing down some notes.

‘Yeah, he believed that if a mutated cell entered the body, the brain could duplicate it and eventually the entire body would have that mutated cell.’ Erik, was making his cellphone spin in the table. He was still arranging all the information he heard.

‘Well, we know that the S.E.A.L.P. might give us permission to research if we send a written request, but I am pretty sure they will say no.’  said Christopher.

‘Have you read anything from Dr. Martin’s book Erik?’ asked Caitlyn, she was at Christopher’s side.

‘I read it, there’s nothing mentioned about the cells, it talks about the different aspects and processes that the brain can use to repair itself if needed, but nothing beyond that.’ said Erik before standing up and walking towards the window.

‘Look guys, things are pretty confusing right now. Let’s not tire ourselves right now with this.’ suggested Helena, she knew that both Caitlyn and Erik weren’t going to let this go until they understand it, so the best option was to meditate about it, think it through, something Christopher was good at, he believed patience was key.

‘Maybe it’s for the best, we can’t make a wrong move and let the S.E.A.L.P. spot us doing something we shouldn’t.’ said Christopher while he put his things in his bag. ‘We need to think this through, carefully.’

Caitlyn stood up and walked towards Erik, he was still looking outside the window.

‘Erik… I know things are confusing right now, but I want you to know that… we are here for you, Christopher and I’ Caitlyn said that rather sad, almost as if she knew how it felt to lose someone. Christopher got near Caitlyn and took her hand. ‘That’s right bro, we’re here for whatever you need, just say the word.’

Erik turned around and heard both of his friends, huh… a funny word isn’t it? Friends, he had friends, he had Helena, who he loved as a sister, and he didn’t figured it out until that moment, but he had two other friends, a girl with the most shiny golden eyes, Caitlyn and a very reliable, resourceful and keen boy, Christopher. He cared about them… a lot.

‘Thanks guys… really…’ said Erik, but before he could finish Caitlyn pounced to give him a tight hug. She was warm and soft, Erik hugged her back. ‘...I am here for you guys too.’ he said.

Christopher and Caitlyn left Helena’s room, It was running late and the next day was a school day, Friday, but a school day. Helena closed the door and stretched, she was tired.

‘I am exhausted, I am going to sleep now.’ said Helena before yawning a bit.

‘Yeah, me too. I’ll see you tomorrow Shine, good night’ said Erik while getting his things.

Helena gave him a tender kiss in the cheek before saying ‘Goodnight to you too’ and walking to her bedroom. Erik closed Helena’s door and looked at the hallway… clean and silent as always.

=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=°=

4am Friday

Dormitory section C, Female Wing

Caitlyn was in a deep sleep in her bed, even though her room was smaller than Erik and Helena’s, she enjoyed it, it was like a small flat. Most things were organized, and it had a comfortable bed, but what she loved about her room was that she had a window, not all the girls had one. It was near her bed, she like hearing the outside numbly before sleeping and how the sun would shine through in the mornings.

The thing was that this morning, was going to be different.

‘...look it’s the fastest way…’

‘Shh, they’ll hear you…’

Caitlyn woke up due to the voices, they were coming from the other room.

‘...we just need to be fast, the system resets at 5am…’

‘It’s too risky…’

It sounded like a girl and boy were having a conversation. Caitlyn got curious, so she carefully got out of bed and sticked her ear close to the wall to be able to hear better.

‘Ok, if you won’t go with me, I’ll do it by myself.’ the boy said.

‘No, please, don’t do this, it’s impossible, no one has gone over 21.’ the girl replied, she sounded scared.

‘If I don’t do this, I’ll never get out, I am sorry’ said the boy before the sound of a door closing startled Caitlyn.

«He’ll never get out? What does he mean?» thought to herself Caitlyn, she was going to call Christopher, but it was way too early, so she decided to do this on her own.

It was quite chilly, so she grabbed a sweater and put on small boots. She opened her room door and saw how a guy was walking down the stairs, rather suspiciously. If there was something Erik taught her, besides extremely long chemical compounds names, was that if someone looked suspicious or out of place, it looked that way because it was. She closed her door and followed the guy out the building. It was still dark, only the environmental light from the building and pathways allowed vision, she stayed behind the guy, keeping her distance and very aware of her surroundings. The guy walked all the way to the food court, past the Clinic and the Presentation Halls. Caitlyn was wondering where he was going, or most importantly what was going to reset at 5? The guy took a turn towards the forest part of the academy before entering the Food Court amd walked straight ahead. Caitlyn tailed him, using the woods to her advantage, evading being spotted. They walked for a long time, the foliage started to get denser and the sky was starting to get slightly blue. The guy stopped when he reached a wall, he started to frantically look for something on its surface, almost desperately. But he couldn’t find anything, Caitlyn stayed behind a bunch of bushes trying to identify what the guys was looking for but something distracted her, it was the guys watch, it had an alarm. The sound alerted Caitlyn and made her fall off to the ground, trying to not be spotted Caitlyn remained in the floor, she was behind a large log, it was hollow and cracked, she had a clear view of the guy.

‘No, no, no. It has reseted, why it did not open?!’ the guy shouted. He kneeled before the wall for a few seconds and then a sound took his attention.

Caitlyn heard how something hovered at her left side towards the guy, it was some kind of drone, it’s metal was black and it had a very bright light in the center with four other smaller drones around it, hovering along with it.

The guy looked terrified, he froze entirely. The drone with the light stayed in place facing the guy, while the smaller drones scanned the guy with a very thin and shiny blue wave. When the scan was finished, the smaller drones created a rectangle which they filled in with the same blue wave.

//S.G.S 3

Student #676

1/100.- Which element in the periodic table has the atomic number 53?

-Speak answer-//

The drone was displaying one of the impossible tests to the guy. Atomic number 53? Caitlyn couldn’t remember which one was that, probably Erik would know, even Helena.

‘I-I-Iodine?’ said the guy still terrified, he was sweating.

//S.G.S 3

Student #676

1/100 - Correct

2/100.- The increase in the rate of a chemical reaction by the active site of a protein is called?

-Speak answer-//

Apparently the guy was correct, the drone displayed another question, but he clearly had no clue. After a minute or so of the guy stuttering and thinking, a small countdown appeared, from 10. The guy got paranoid and before the countdown reached zero he tried to make a run from it. The drone shot him something and the guy fell to the ground, then the drone proceeded to pick the guys body and left towards the deeper woods, back to the Academy. Caitlyn was in a bit of a shock, she stayed in the floor for another while, the sun began to rise and she could notice how in the wall a straight horizontal line glowed and then stopped. She had to tell everyone what happened, tell them about the mysterious disappearance.

[tophatal]

The Old Man And The Sea

Of late, with all of the political in-fighting , backbiting and basic nonsense that seems to encapsulate the landscape of American politics on the domestic and international front . I’ve begun to take a look at some of the asinine things now out in print within the various news’ formats and social media platforms. The latest piece de resistance would appear to be the issue of what is meant to be ‘ White Privilege’ . From my own perspective I simply believe it to be the social basis, whereby Caucasians will continue to cling to power , be it politically, socially and economically. The fact that in large part, they feel it is being perpetuated by minorities when in fact, minorities have never been seen or be treated as their equal is somewhat perplexing, but here we are at a point in the nation’s history, where a President can simply be bold enough to insult a panacea of ethnic groups and it’s seen as his right as freedom of speech , while he also claims to be uniting the country as a whole.

Last I looked , President Donald Trump had little understanding of the rule of law let alone the Constitution. Be that as it may, nine months into his Presidential reign , his supporters remain staunch in their support while his detractors continue to look for ways to take him down.

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Away from the political landscape , the World Series is now in progress and the two best teams in baseball are now providing the fans with what should be an exciting series. I believe this series could and should go to a full seven games given the abilities of the two teams, the AL’s Houston Astros and the NL’s Los Angles Dodgers . The Dodgers have the highest payroll in the game as well as being among the best supported teams in baseball. Dave Roberts and his Houston counterpart, AJ Hinch could be up for managerial honors in 2017 , given their achievements this season. As for the teams themselves, after the first two games , they’re now square at one game apiece with game-three set to take place on Friday night at Minute Maid Field in Houston , Texas. The opposing pitchers will be Yu Darvish of the Los Angeles Dodgers against Lance McCullers Jr of the Houston Astros.

Not to take away from the spectacle of the World Series , but the other big story within the game has been the New York Yankees making the decision not to renew the contract of team manager Joe Girard . His four-year contract was due to expire and it was thought the front office might well be leaning towards a renewal . It wasn’t to be and after ten years in charge , Girardi is out the door and no chance his making another $16-$20 million over the next four years. Luckily enough with vacancies now in Washington with the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia with the Philadelphia Phillies, Girardi has his pick of two viable alternatives. Though I do expect there to be one or two more possible vacancies coming up within the next few weeks.

Joe Girardi was able to guide the New York Yankees to a World Series’ title in 2009 , but since then, their appearances in the postseason have often ended in failure before the Fall Classic itself. Brian Cashman general manager of the Yankees’ organization is also in the last season of his existing contract and the siblings controlling the ball-club, Hal Steinbrenner and Hank Steinbrenner have not expressed their sentiments in keeping Cashman in his current role. If changes are to be made concerning the roles of the manager and general manager then now would be the time to do it. Gary Denbo was allowed to leave the organization to join Derek Jeter within the front office of the Miami Marlins , where Jeter now serves in the role of Chief Executive Officer while Denbo serves in his capacity as Vice President, Player Development & Scouting .

In terms of a new manager, where the New York Yankees go from here is anyone’s guess , as they could promote from within to fill the vacancy left with the departure of Joe Girardi or they could go out and seek a more high-profiled name to succeed Girardi. One thing is certain , the core of this roster , where several of the younger players made their mark this season. It leaves this ball-club in a very healthy situation, though I do believe several of their highly overpaid veterans ought to be shown the door because of their lack of productivity. I don’t believe there can be any justification for the return of CC Sabathia , Matt Holliday , Jacoby Ellsbury , Michael Pineda and Aroldis Chapman . I know that the Yankees like to do things a certain way , but when you’re shelling out over $20 million a year and getting very little in return . Then , there comes a time when you have to rethink your strategy entirely.

Ideas above their station and the belief, they continue to remain relevant . It has been several years since the Florida Gators were striking fear into their opponents. This season , the only thing being struck are the players’ egos , as they realize they’re way in over their heads, while the coaching staff of Jim McElwain looks to take down not an opponent, but fans who have become sick and tired of the mediocrity shown by the team . After a recent game , McElwain could be seen berating a fan who called for the dismissal of the entire coaching staff. It’s funny , I was under the impression some college coaches were thick-skinned. Clearly, Jim McElwain’s skin is softer than a baby’s ass and is of a really delicate nature . The loss to Texas A&M brought about the capitulation of the Gators’ season and the end to their postseason hopes of a playoff berth. Up next for the Florida Gators will be a game against the number three-ranked Georgia (Bulldogs) to be played at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville , Florida on Saturday 28th October , 2017 .

Nick Saban will continue to rewrite the history books in terms of modern College Football . His legacy is there for all to bear witness to. With the number one ranked team in the nation , Saban has Alabama (8-0) firing on all cylinders as they look to have another unbeaten season. Their upset loss in the national title game to Clemson were what dreams are made off as Clemson in a game of cat-and-mouse , beat their more well-established opponent . The path to this season’s national title game will be a pleasant one for Alabama , as they have nothing else left to lose , other than their dignity. Dabo Sweeny and his fans knows that the program still has a great deal to live up to . In week nine Clemson will to face Georgia Tech . Alabama for its part will be looking to make it nine consecutive wins in a row when they take on LSU (Tigers) on the 4th November , 2017 .

The number of unbeaten teams in the NBA now stands at three , with the Los Angeles Clippers (3-0) , Portland Trailblazers (3-0) and the San Antonio Spurs (4-0) being the only franchises without a loss. Pretty much safe to say by the end of the season all of the teams will have suffered a defeat . On Thursday night there were five games taking place with the most interesting being the contest between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics . For the Bucks, Giannis Antetkounmpo has lived up to the expectations based on his performances of last season for the team . This season Antetkounmpou has proven to be equally effective alongside a considerably improved starting lineup. The next game for the Milwaukee Bucks will be a match-up against the Atlanta Hawks on the road at the Philips Arena in Atlanta , Georgia on October 29th .

At this moment in time I believe Giannis Antetkounmpo to be one of the top-ten centers in the league and among the best forwards now playing !

It will certainly be interesting to see what the Milwaukee Bucks are capable of achieving this season within their division as well as the league overall . I don’t see them a s fifty-win team, but they are certainly able to play themselves into contention, f we see the coaching acumen of Jason Kidd rise to the fore. He is by far in a way one of the most innovative coaches in the league today , though not yet on the plateau of Gregg Popovich , the five-time championship winning coach. Popovich has been able to coach All Stars , but he has also been able to groom and develop talent turning them into All Stars . Those claims cannot be made for the likes of Phil Jackson , Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra , because they were handed the keys to a Ferrari and then merely asked to take it for a spin before going on their respective journeys. Doubt my word , then simply look at the facts ?

Gregg Popovich continues to be a miracle worker and his record is remarkable. This season the San Antonio Spurs are without their best player , Kawhi Leonard , but somehow they remain in contention . Once Leonard is back in the starting lineup , then I expect to see this team really challenge the likes of the Golden State Warriors , Houston Rockets , Los Angeles Clippers and the Oklahoma City Thunder within the Western Conference . As contentious and competitive as that conference continues to be , by contrast the Eastern Conference will remain mediocre. Those who are on the know cannot deny that very fact. Popovich will lead the San Antonio Spurs out for their next game against the Orlando Magic , as he seeks to win the one thousand one hundred and fifty-fifth regular season of his professional coaching career.

Injuries we know tend to plague a season no matter what the professional sport and it is the case once again within the NBA. How the teams fare will be dependent upon what the coaches seek to do in rearranging their lineups from day to-day. Midway into month-three of the schedule , I believe the teams will have found their rhythm while playing some competitive basketball.

So all of the hoopla and hype cannot hide the fact of what we already know , the Miami Dolphins are not a very good team . Having lost Ryan Tannehill for the regular season , the front office saw fit to seek out the retired Jay Cutler , offer him a one-year $10 million deal . Adam Gase seemingly had no faith in Matt Moore who led the team to the postseason in 2016 , in one of the Dolphins’ most recent appearances. Cutler’s lack of consistency has derailed any hopes they may have had within the AFC East as well as obtaining a postseason berth within the AFC . The team’s defense cannot mask the fact they’re simply not that good to begin with. With Jay Cutler now suffering an injury , it would appear team owner Stephen Ross will continue to tow the league line by having nothing to do with Colin Kaepernick . This might well come from the fact in recent weeks under the advice of his legal counsel , Kaepernick has filed a grievance within the US Federal Courts with the charges of collusion by the NFL and team owners . There may well be grounds for the suit, but the preponderance of proof will be by that of the plaintiff and his being able to prove his case. However , what has been glaringly obvious team owners have paid this issue very little lip service , while NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell continues to hide behind a great deal of rhetoric while in the background. What also is astoundingly clear, the NFLPA leadership and their Executive Director DeMaurice Smith have shown very little support for Kaepernick.

The Baltimore Ravens played host to the Miami Dolphins in a Thursday night game played at London’s Wembley Stadium . This match-up proved to be eventful as Joe Flacco was lost the Ravens , even though they routed their opponents in a 40- 0 clubbing of Miami. Matt Moore’s performance itself was far from satisfactory and it should tell you something that prior to the start of the game , Miami had seen fit to sign David Fales to a contract. As I alluded to earlier , I do believe there are grounds for Colin Kaepernick to proceed with his suit against the NFL. Now his detractors are likely to suggest that Kaepernick is not that great a player if you base it on his play during 2016 , but I would suggest he is far from being the worst quarterback in the league last season and his statistics would be favorable over number of players in the league who have played two or more games in the league during this season . If we really want to make comparisons concerning the ability of Colin Kaepernick and how he measures up against Jay Cutler and Joe Flacco , perhaps we might take a look at their statistics .

As for understanding the reasons behind Colin Kaepernick’s stance , let’s just say when it comes to real activism by the NFL , it tends to favor their making money and placing what they believe to be a pristine image rather than actually taking a noticeable stance. As for the issue of privilege , be it Black or White , let’s just say that whole issue has never been addressed in the true sense of the word . Dallas Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones suggests that the players on the Cowboys’ roster are his property. Last I looked, in spite of their current mediocre record , the Cowboys wasn’t a plantation , but I am beginning to deduce Jones’ slave mentality approach is something that might be shared by several of his fellow owners .

Donald Trump’s idiotic rants calling for the NFL players to be fired from their teams for showing a lack of patriotism when the national anthem is played., indicates he has no concept as to the rule of law , let alone the issue of free speech ( freedom of expression) , yet he considers it appropriate to denigrate people of color and the families of fallen war veterans , using the language and tact you’d come to expect of a highly uneducated person. My bad , I forgot his education at Brown University and Wharton Business School actually allows him that privilege. Bigoted ‘white privilege ‘ run amok . Jerry Jones like Donald Trump , they don’t lack candor , but what they do lack, is respect for another person’s right to express themselves freely. What might be even more hypocritical about the owner , has been his willingness to support players on his team who’ve ran afoul of the law under suspicion for acts of battery , spousal abuse and even felonious assault. The reason behind his support , simply from the fact, it would lessen the chance of the Dallas Cowboys winning a game.

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Byron Scott, the now fired former coach of the Hornets. GM , Jeff Bower who has now assumeed the position of head coach on an interim basis. And assistant coach , Tim Floyd. It’s safe to assume that the reins may well be handed over to Floyd at some time in the future given the fact Bower has no experience as a coach of any kind with regard to the NBA . picture apears courtesy of nbae/ getty images / Richard Tyson …………..

Rays’ third baseman , Evan Longoria at the plate for team. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Vic Hallam

Carl Crawford’s three-run home run in the sixth inning highlighted Tampa Bay’s three-game sweep of the Angels. The Rays are five games over .500 for the first time in team history. photo appears courtesy of the Associated Press/ Mike Carlson ………….

Gatots’ player Tim Tebow (15) and his coach Urban Meyer discuss their options during a game. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Chris Dickson ……………….

Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig’s steroids proposal, made to the union last month, calls for a 50-game ban for first offenders, a 100-game penalty for second offenders and a lifetime ban for a third positive test. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press / Adam Roundtree …….

Carolina Panthers’ Julius Peppers saluting fans as he walks off the field after the Panthers’ 23-10 win over the New Orleans Saints in an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C. The Panthers have decided the price is too steep to keep their all-time sacks leader. It means five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers is about to become one of the top prizes in free agency. Agent Carl Carey says the Panthers have told him they won’t place the restrictive franchise tag on Peppers for a second consecutive year at a cost of more than $20 million. The move Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010, comes two days before the tag deadline. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ Rick Havner ……

Mike Dunleavy (#17) of the Indiana Pacers goes up for the lay up against Brendan Haywood (#33) of the Dallas Mavericks during a game at the American Airlines Center on February 22, 2010 in Dallas, Texas. photo appears courtesy of NBAE/ Getty Images/ Glenn James ……………….

University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman, left, and head football coach Rich Rodriguez, right, are shown at a news conference in Ann Arbor, Mich., Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010. The NCAA has found that Michigan’s storied football program was out of compliance with practice time rules under coach Rodriguez. Incoming athletic director David Brandon disclosed the finding Tuesday. He says there were no surprises in the NCAA findings. He also says Rodriguez remains the coach. Michigan has 90 days to respond and will appear at an NCAA hearing on infractions in August. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ Paul Sancya ……

Los Angeles -January 13th 2010. New head coach of the USC Trojans Lane Kiffin shakes a hand as he makes his way to his press conference at Heritage Hall in Los Angeles, California. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Harry How ……………..

Duke’s Jon Scheyer collides with Virginia Tech’s Malcolm Delaney, left, during the first half. Scheyer scored 25 points and collected 10 rebounds in the win. The Blue Devils defeated Virginia Tech (Hokies) 67-55 in the game . photo appears courtesy of Associated Press / Sara Davis ……………..

Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts speaks to the media Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010 at the Chicago Cubs spring training facility in Mesa, Ariz. photo appears Assoc. Press/ Matt York ….

Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella, right, along with coaches Matt Sinatro, middle, and Lester Strode watch pitchers warm up during spring training baseball camp practice Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010, in Mesa, Ariz. photo appears courtesy of Assoc. Press/ Ross D. Franklin ………..

Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Mauer swings in the batting cage at baseball spring training in Fort Myers, Fla., Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010. photo appears courtesy of Assoc Press/ Nati Harnik …….

Florida Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, left, watches batting practice with Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez during spring training baseball Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010, in Jupiter, Fla. With the smallest payroll in the majors last year, the Marlins won 87 games and finished six games behind eventual league champion Philadelphia in the NL East. Visiting spring training to watch the first full-squad workout, Loria said the 2009 Marlins underachieved. photo appears courtesy of Assoc Press/Jeff Roberson ……..

Israeli model Bar Refaeli seen here doing a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition phot-shoot.

Ray Allen (#20) of the Boston Celtics looks for a play against LeBron James (#23) of the Cleveland Cavaliers on February 25, 2010 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. photo appears courtesy of NBAE/ Getty Images/ Brian Babbineau …..

Floyd Mayweather, left, and current WBA welterweight super champion Shane Mosley exchange words during a news conference in New York, Tuesday, March 2, 2010. The press conference was to promote their May 1, 2010 fight in Las Vegas, Nevada. photo appears courtesy of Assoc Press/ Seth Wenig ……..

Floyd Mayweather, left, and current WBA welterweight world champion Shane Mosley pose for a picture during a news conference in New York, Tuesday, March 2, 2010. The news conference was to promote their May 1, 2010 fight in Las Vegas, Nevada. photo appears courtesy of Assoc Press /Seth Wenig

Scott Boras, chided for bonus demands for amateur clients, says the Major League Baseball draft needs restructuring. “In this system, everybody thinks this is about money. No, this is about saving money. It allows for less mistakes,” he says. photo appears courtesy of USA Today Jason M. Millstein ………………..

Commissioner of Major League Baseball Bud Selig and actress Sarah-Jessica Parker take part in an on field presentation during the 79th MLB All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium on July 15, 2008 in the Bronx borough of New York City. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images North America / Jim McIsaac ……………

Stacey Dash , actress , designer and entrepreneur .

Jennifer Aniston shows us that she’s more than willing to be your ‘friend’ ?

Model & Playboby playmate Naureen Zaim . Who wouldn’t mind teaching her a lesson or two on human anatomy ?

Cuban American actress & model Natalie Martinez

Martinez again looking good as only she possibly can !

Oh mon ami ! she possibly can ! Je t’aime !</strong

Who wouldn’t want to play with Natalie Martinez ?

Well hello there !

Model & actress Natalie Martinez ……….

Actress & model Natalie Martinez …….. Who wouldn’t want to get ahold of her rims ? I know I would !

New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez watches his fly-out in the first inning of a spring training baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Friday, March 26, 2010, in Tampa, Fla. photo appears courtesy of Assoc Press / Mike Carlson ….

Sarasoata , Fl ,. Infielder Adrian Beltre (29) of the Boston Red Sox throws over to first for an out against the Baltimore Orioles during a Grapefruit League Spring Training Game at Ed Smith Stadium on March 27, 2010 in Sarasota, Florida. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ J Meric ……….

St. Louis , Bobby Maze (3) of the Tennessee Volunteers looks to shoot the ball against Mike Kebler (20) and Draymond Green (23) both of the Michigan State Spartans during the midwest regional final of the 2010 NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the Edward Jones Dome on March 28, 2010 in St. Louis, Missouri. Michigan State beat Tennessee 70-69. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Dilip Vishwanat …

The Duke Blue Devils hold up the trophy after a 78-71 win over the Baylor Bears in the south regional final of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at Reliant Stadium in Houston on Sunday. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Ronald Martinez …

Butler’s Nick Rodgers hold up the West Regional trophy as the team returned home to Indianapolis amid a throng of fans after earning a spot in the Final Four with a victory over Kansas State Saturday. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ A J Mast ………..

West Virginia’s Da’Sean Butler and Joe Mazzulla hug after the game. Butler scored 18 points and Mazulla pitched in a career-high 17 to help West Virginia hold off the Wildcats. The Mountaineers would defeat the Kentucky Wildcats 73-66 to make their way the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Jim McIsaac ……….

Russian actress & model Anya Monzikova . Who wouldn’t want some of Monzikova alongside some fresh Beluga caviar ?

2008 Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford. The player is widely expected to be taken number one overall in the upcoming NFL Draft. The team with the first pick are the NFC’s St Louis Rams . photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ Chris Rogers ………..

Eagles’ quarterback Donovan McNabb. The player is said to want to remain with the Eagles but it’s becoming clear that he will be traded sooner rather than later. Eagles’ coach Andy Reid and team President Joe Banner are willing to listen to offers for the Pro Bowler. photo appears courtesy of US Presswire/ Jody Gomez ………….

Tebow (15) left is seen here alongside his former college coach Urban Meyer. The two proved to be very sucessfule as a team combining to win two national titles in four years. photo appears courtesy of boston.com/ articles …………

DeMaurice Smith Executive Director of the NFLPA. Smith who assumed the position after the death of his predecessor Gene Upshaw. He was elected to the position by the board members of the Players’ Association. Smith was a corporate litigation attorney for the DC law firm Patton Boggs. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ Phillip Mitchell

Carlos Boozer #5 of the Utah Jazz has his shot challenged by Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on April 2, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers would go on to defeat the Jazz 102-96 in the game . photo appears courtesy of NBAE/ Getty Images/ Andrew D Bernstein ………..

Donovan McNabb of the Philadelphia Eagles. The player was traded to the Washington Redskins a divisional rival in the NFC East. It adds to the flavor this upcoming season when the player meets his ‘former team’ . photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Hugh Malcolm ………………..

Baylor’s Brittney Griner and U Conn’s Maya Moore are seen here during the women’s Final Four game between the two teams. Geno Auriemma’s Huskies would go on to defeat the Baylor Lady Bears 70-50 in the game played at the Alamodome in San Antonio , Texas , Sunday April 4th 2010. photo appears courtesy of Getty Images/ Alicia Mack ………..

Cleveland Browns nose tackle Shaun Rogers and his lawyer Patrick D’Angelo, center, talk to reporters after leaving Cleveland Police Headquarters where Rogers was charged with one felony count of carrying a concealed weapon on Friday, April 2, 2010, in Cleveland, Ohio. Rogers was arrested at Cleveland Hopkins International airport on Thursday after he tried to take a loaded handgun through airport security. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ Jason Miller …..

Butler head coach Brad Stevens , left to right, Gordon Hayward and Ronald Nored smile during an interview session for the men’s NCAA Final Four college basketball championship Sunday, April 4, 2010, in Indianapolis. The Butler Bulldogs will face Mike Krzyzewski’s Duke Blue Devils in the championship game Monday night to be played at Lucas Oil Stadium , Indianapolis, Indiana. This in many ways will be very much a “home game” for the small and in-obtrusive college team from Indiana. The furor over over their improbable journey has resonated within the state and across the nation. photo appears courtesy of Associated Press/ Mark J Terrill ……………

Los Angeles, April 4th 2010. Manu Ginobil (20) of the San Antonio Spurs goes to the basket against Luke Walton (4) of the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on Sunday. The San Antonio Spurs would go on to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 100-81 in a game played at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. photo appears courtesy of NBAE/ Getty Images/ Noah Grahame …………….

Tiki Barber and his wife Gina Cha. Barber’s wife is six months pregnant with twins and is now in the midst of separating from the former NFL star. photo appears courtesy of Wire Image/ Duffie Marie Arnoult ………….

23 year old Traci Lynn Johnson an intern with NBC Universal and who works alongside Tiki Barber on the NBC morning show “The Today Show” . Barber and Johnson are romantically involved and the former NFL star has now separated from his wife of 11 years , Gina Cha. The couple have two children with twin now on the way in terms of Cha’s pregnancy. photo appears courtesy of Social Media SEO ……….

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2010/tracker#dt-tabs:dt-by-round/dt-by-round-input:1

Playboy Playmate Kayle Collins …………August 2008. Is there a need to proceed further concerning Kayle’s attributes ?

Jameer Nelson of the Orlando Magic goes for the layup in the Eastern Conference semi-final game played against the Atlanta Hawks. NBAE/ Getty Images/ Fernando Medina ………

Head Coach Jerry Sloan of the Utah Jazz fields questions from the media following his team’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Two of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center on May 4, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. NBAE Getty Images _ Andrew D Bernstein

Kobe Bryant (24) of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots against Deron Williams (8 )of the Utah Jazz in Game Two of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center on May 4, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. NBAE Getty Images/ Noah D Bernstein

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – JUNE 24: (L-R) Robert Vittek, Martin Skrtel and Radoslav Zabavnik of Slovakia celebrate victory after knocking Italy out of the competition during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group F match between Slovakia and Italy at Ellis Park Stadium on June 24, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images ……

Johannesburg , South Africa – June 24 th 2010. Kamil Kopunek of Slovakia celebrates scoring his team’s third goal during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group F match between Slovakia and Italy at Ellis Park Stadium on June 24, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images ……

Fabio Cannavaro, captain of Italy, leaves the field dejected after being knocked out of the competition by Slovakia during the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group F match between Slovakia and Italy at Ellis Park Stadium on June 24, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images ………

In this Sept. 18, 2010, photo, Florida Marlins’ Dan Uggla bats in a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Miami. Uggla has been traded from the Marlins to the Atlanta Braves for infielder Omar Infante and left-hander Mike Dunn. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)

This is a 2008 file photo of Dan Uggla of the Florida Marlins baseball team. Uggla and the Atlanta Braves have reached a preliminary agreement on a $62 million, five-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press Wednesday Jan. 5, 2011 on condition of anonymity because the agreement was not yet final. (AP Photo/Rob Carr, File)

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Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Wei-Yin Chen (16), of Taiwan, comes into the dugout following the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Saturday, Aug. 4, 2012, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)

ST. PETERSBURG – AUGUST 04: Designated hitter Jeff Keppinger #7 of the Tampa Bay Rays fouls off a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles during the game at Tropicana Field on August 4, 2012 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images)

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Picture gallery.

Simply chime in with a comment as you see fit with regard to the points raised within this a rticle.

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Tophatal …….. 10/26/2017

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  The Old Man And The Sea ……… The Old Man And The Sea Of late, with all of the political in-fighting , backbiting and basic nonsense that seems to encapsulate the landscape of American politics on the domestic and international front .

[britishchick09]

Where is rewrite?! I’m desperate for rewrite!!😊😊😊

i'm writing it! tomorrow i'll share some of the current chapter, but here's a little bonus for you ;)

 Christine yawned as she trudged down the steps to the water cellar. Why did Erik want me to get up at six in the morning? she wondered. I understand why we’d rise with the sun for lessons, but no one can hear us in the water cellar no matter what time it is.

Christine’s eyelids drooped with fatigue. The darkness made her want to fall asleep right them and there!

She suddenly gave a squeak as she slipped on the incline at the end of the passage. She leaned against the wall beside her, blinking and rubbing her eyes to get rid of the tiredness.

Falling in here would be horrible. I could trip over one of the cobblestones and twist my ankle, she thought. I’m too far away for Erik to hear any cries for help and Ayesha doesn’t wander around all the time, so she might not hear either. I’d be helpless! This place is eerie and beautiful… She shivered. And dangerous.

Christine stretched as she moved away from the wall. She made sure she was wide awake before continuing on.

Once Christine reached Erik's house, she knocked on the door. Erik often answered it after a few moments, but there was nothing. Not even a note from the piano could be heard past the door. Christine waited for a minute, becoming worried when the silence continued on.

Maybe he went to the music museum. Christine surmised before noticing that his boat was parked in front of the house.

"Erik?" she asked, giving the door another knock. "Are you in there?"

When he didn't answer, she finally gathered the courage to intrude. She opened the door, noticing that the bathroom door was open. She looked forward with a gasp. Her friend was lying on the floor! "Erik!" Christine exclaimed in alarm.

Erik rolled over to see Christine rushing towards him. He propped himself up on his elbow and nonchalantly said, "Hello."

Christine crouched beside him. "Are you okay?" "Yes, I'm fine." "Then why are you on the floor?"

A mew answered and Erik said, "I know! She's ruining our fun."

Christine leaned over, seeing Ayesha just past the wall.

"She likes having little moments like this," Erik explained. "I pet her, she’s as happy as could be, we have staring contests… and I lose within a second."

Ayesha meowed with a hint of pride and stretched out her paw.

"We'll go after the princess is done with me," Erik told Christine. "I may secretly rule the opera house, but she rules me. …And Nadir since he’s my guardian, but Ayesha’s so bossy about it,” He paused at Ayesha’s annoyed meow. “Yes, you are! Especially when you wake me up early in the morning to go out,” He looked at Christine with a playfully serious expression. “Our moments end under her command."

"I’m fine with waiting for a bit. Where are we going?" Christine asked.

Erik smiled, a twinkle in his eye. "You'll see."

Christine watched as Erik lay back down, giving Ayesha's paw a stroke. The little kitty purred while Erik petted her behind the ear.

"I finished the sampler last night. It's on the table," Erik told Christine as she stepped over his long legs. "My pesky name took me until one in the morning! So much pulling out thread and pricking my finger... I should probably invest in a thimble, but it would be loose around any of my fingers. They're so skeletally thin…” Erik sighed. “But it was fun to do. Well... mostly," He stopped at Ayesha's meow and told her, "Yes, you remember that, don't you? You had just settled down to sleep in my bed and I said that very naughty word and kicked you because of the needle. Don't ever say that word or I'll banish you to the Kingdom of Music. And- again- I’m very sorry for kicking you."

Christine giggled as she picked up the sampler. “Maybe she can go with us to make up for what you did.”

"No, she’d probably cause mischief like that one time..."

Christine picked up the sampler at the table. "What happened?"

"She jumped on the organ while I was composing. As I was trying to get her down, she batted at a piece of sheet music and tore it clean through! The music was easy to rewrite, but I forgot the rest of the melody in my head and it took ages to remember it again. She hasn’t been allowed in the Museum of Music since."

“Oh no!” Christine exclaimed through a chuckle. “I hope she didn’t do anything like that to your sewing.”

“Thankfully, that was all me.”

Christine looked down at the sampler. A wrapped chocolate and a book had been added alongside Erik and Christine’s names. Christine had stitched the three eights of the year and her name the day before, leaving Erik with his name and the year’s one.

“The one is perfect! Your name looks a bit lopsided, though.” Christine noted. “I'm not used to sewing words, especially cursive words,” Erik sighed. “I’m sorry if it ruins-”

“I think it looks perfect!”

Erik sat up in surprise, making Ayesha grumble. “Y- You really think so?” “Oui, I know so,” Christine agreed with a firm nod and a smile. “It’s crooked, but that adds a certain charm to it.”

Erik smiled as Christine showed him the sampler. “It does.”

Ayesha meowed in agreement and got up, hiding underneath the bed. “Thank you!” Erik told her as he rose from the floor. “Now we can go.”

Christine crouched down and smiled as she whispered, “See you soon, Princess Ayesha!”

The little kitty mewed from her hiding spot, making Christine chuckle. She stood up to see a caped Erik holding the door for her.

“Thank you.” Christine said, giving Erik a polite smile as she walked by him.

He smiled back. “You’re always welcome.”

A few minutes later, Erik was sitting in the boat with Christine. He gave the paddle a wide stroke, allowing them to glide along. Erik was silently counting the bricks on the wall and didn’t notice Christine smirking at him. She reached out and touched the end of Erik's paddle. She lowered her hand, causing the paddle to flip out of the water! Erik shut his eyes with a wince as droplets of water fell on his head. Christine giggled before noticing something odd.

His eyelids look gray! Maybe it's just the dim lighting down here, Christine surmised. It makes me wonder what else is underneath that mask.

Erik wiped the water droplets from his hair and chuckled as he exclaimed, "Hey! What was that for?"

"For not telling me where we're going." Christine said.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” Erik rowed out of a corridor. “Very soon, in fact.”

Christine looked to her right, seeing the ladder come into view. “We’re not going to the music museum?” “No, we’re going to my vacation spot.” Erik responded with a smile.

Once they were out of the short hallway, he parked the boat against the ladder and set the paddle down before slowly standing up with Christine. They went up the wooden ladder, went down the little steps and entered the fifth cellar.

“I figured you might be tired of the same old water cellar shenanigans,” Erik said. “The cellars are new territory. …And the auditorium stage. I- I mean, if you want to go there. I know it’s a lot of walking-”

“I’d like that!” Christine replied before covering her mouth to yawn. “I wish we weren’t exploring so early, though!”

“The workers start repairing the chandelier at about seven-thirty, so we need plenty of time to see the sights.”

“Can’t you make them come later as The Opera Ghost?”

“And delay the masquerade? Of course not!” Erik said before walking on wooden planks with coral-colored pipes on the sides. “I know you’re tired, but try not to trip or lean against anything. We have to be very careful around here.”

Christine preferred to walk around the planks. She followed Erik through a hallway and they came across the world of gears and poles.

“Nadir told me these move the sets.” Christine said as she leaned against a pole.

“Indeed they do! They’re called capstans,” Erik replied, lightly touching one of the wooden gears. “The first stagehands employed at the opera house were former sailors since these resemble capstans used on ships. I sure wish I had the agility to maneuver these things! I can barely lift a petite person like you. But…” He pointed to something against the wall. “Those steel counterweights help ease the heavy burden.”

It’s no wonder Buquet was fearful all the time, Christine thought as she looked at the counterweights and the rest of the cellar. Danger was all around him! Not to mention The Opera Ghost constantly haunted him.

“As the sailors often said at sea, ‘onward ho’!” Erik declared, striding over to the concrete staircase. Christine giggled and followed Erik up the stairs. She could easily imagine Raoul calling that out on his navy ship.

The fourth cellar contained multiple heating furnaces while its hallway had an empty crate.

“I must admit, these other cellars aren’t much to look at,” Erik said as he and Christine went up the stairs. “A crate here, a furnace there… Truly, the only interesting parts below the stage are the fifth cellar and- of course- the water cellar,” Erik reached the top of the stairs. “Well… and this.”

He looked at a towering painting leaning against the left wall of the third cellar. Part of a temple was shown amongst a garden and colorful buildings.

“What is it?” Christine asked.

“A scene from Le Roi de Lahore. It’s an opera about a priestess who falls in love with a mysterious voice who speaks to her at night. She’s abducted by the story’s villain and he forces her to marry him.”

“Hmm…” Christine stroked her chin and gave Erik a knowing look. “Sounds familiar.”

Erik looked over at Christine, his face turning pink once he made the connection. “Wha- Oh, but you’re not a priestess and I’m not a king and I’d never kidnap you and force you to marry me. And we’re not in love.”

Christine shrugged as she said, “Well, it’s mostly familiar, then. You can’t deny the mysterious voice.”

Erik sighed. “You sure can’t,” he agreed, striding away from the scene. “Especially if it belongs to a ghost.”

He led Christine through the second cellar, which had a few crates and carts scattered around. Christine began to hum a little song as they walked before softly singing the words.

Hier matin je m’y levai

Laissez-moi planter le mai

Vers le bois je m’en allay

En riant tout en riant

Laissez-moi planter le mai

Moi qui suis gentil gallant!

“Brava!” Erik exclaimed with applause. “Wasn’t that the song you sang at the bistro?”

“Yes, it’s Laissez-Moi Planter Le Mai. It’s a song I used to sing with Papa.” Christine responded shyly as they walked up yet another staircase. “It’s very nice. I could see you singing it in the countryside with him. He’d be playing his violin, I’m sure.”

Christine nodded, her heart aching slightly as she recalled her father playing the song. “Someone played it on the piano at the bistro. You could play it, too!” Erik chuckled. “Indeed I could! You need to find the sheet music for it. I’m always looking for new tunes to master.”

They soon reached the top of the staircase. Just like most of the previous cellars, the first one didn’t have much.

“I didn’t think these cellars would be so empty!” Christine remarked.

Erik chuckled with a little scoff. “Good thing the horses weren’t around to hear that.”

Christine blinked in surprise. “Horses?”

“Yes, little equines that whinny and eat hay and perform in operas. When horses are needed for shows like Aida or Profeta, they temporarily live in the stables over there,” Erik explained, pointing to a wall with bars on the top. “But they don’t take the stairs like we do. That would be rather impractical.”

Christine laughed as she imagined Caesar walking up the cellar staircases.

“Instead, they take the elevator.” “It would be so nice to take an elevator to your house instead of all those stairs.” Christine said with a sigh.

“Yes, I’m sure it would. But you’d lose all that precious exercise.”

“Is that why you chose to live down here?” Christine asked, following Erik down a corridor.

“I mostly did it so no one would find me, but the immense expedition was a bonus.”

He stopped in the middle of the passageway, much to Christine’s surprise. She was about to tell him to continue walking when he opened a gray door that nearly blended in with the wall.

“Let’s take a more… mysterious way.” Erik said with a wink.

Christine followed him into a brick hallway that reminded her of the water cellar. But while that was lit up by candles, near darkness surrounded them in the secret hallway. She hugged herself with a shiver.

Just then, Christine felt something silky on her shoulders. It was Erik’s cape.

“It’s alright,” Erik said softly. “You’re safe.” Although Christine was shrouded in shadows, she felt very safe indeed.

The walk through the corridor wasn’t very long. Christine felt the cape slip away and heard Erik say, “There’s a ladder right in front of you. I think we’ll both be able to get up there at the same time.”

Christine reached out, tensing up at Erik’s chilling touch.

“Now you know how I feel whenever anyone touches me.” he said, gently grabbing her arm to guide her to the ladder.

“Sorry,” Christine apologized as she felt one of the wooden rungs. “I wasn’t expecting it.”

“It’s alright. I tense up even when expecting it. But it’s not your fault! Just…” Erik sighed. “A bad habit.”

Even though she couldn’t see him, Christine looked at Erik with a frown.

I wish you could touch without fear, she thought. Maybe someday-

She cut her thought short at the sound of Erik going up the ladder and followed him. A beam of light shone above their heads a few moments later. She squinted at the brightness that quickly filled her vision and gasped. They were backstage…

And in the floor!

Christine continued going up the ladder and turned around once she was standing on the floor. Erik was holding onto a square that stood behind his head.

“It’s a trap door!” Christine realized.

“Did you really expect The Opera Ghost to use a regular door?” Erik asked as he climbed out of the hole in the floor. “There are plenty of trap doors around here, like in the managers’ office and the library. Some might say I’m a trap door lover!” he said with a laugh. “They’re such clever little things.”

“They sure are!” Christine agreed, noticing how well the door blended into the floor.

She and Erik went to the stage and stood beside each other. Their eyes were on the same thing- the fallen chandelier. It was extremely hard to miss the immense ceiling fixture, which still stood in the middle of the aisle. Seeing the chandelier made Christine feel a wave of dread that brought her back to that awful night, when everything had gone so terribly wrong.

And yet, as the lights had gone out, a bright spot emerged from-

“So lonely.” Erik muttered through a sigh.

Christine shook off the dreadful feeling as she looked up at her friend. “You are?”

“No. I- I mean, yes, but the painting is lonely,” Erik replied, raising his head to see the angelic painting on the ceiling. “Who knew a bright sky could look so dull?”

“It’ll shine alongside the chandelier again very soon.” Christine said with a smile.

Erik smiled back and they gazed at the vast expanse of red and gold in front of them.

“Isn’t it the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen?” Christine asked in a whisper.

Erik nodded. “It’s gorgeous. But I know something that’s prettier.”

For a split second, Christine thought he was talking about her! She noticed that he was going to the right side of the stage and followed him, glad he couldn’t see her light blush.

Erik gave box five a gentle touch. “I think I have the most beautiful box in the world,” he declared before taking his hand away to look around. “But then I see the other boxes and… well… it’s tough to say!” He smiled. “But I know mine is the finest. Much better than box six over there.”

Christine looked to the far left of the stage, seeing an identical box directly across from box five. Erik stepped aside so Christine could go up to the box. She hesitated for a few moments before touching a flower on the side of his box. The tip of her finger barely brushed against the bottom edge of the box when she stood on her tip-toes.

“It’s very nice,” Christine agreed. “I love the flowers.”

“Especially the one you’re touching. I believe it’s a lily.”

“They should’ve made it a rose instead!”

Erik laughed, making Christine’s heart warm. “Did you ever notice that the marble center looks like an upside down tear drop? It fits me very well. And did you know that red was chosen not just to compliment the golden boxes, but to bring out women’s complexions?” He looked at Christine, who smiled. “I- I, uh, I’m not saying that just to impress you, I- I’m serious! There’s an actual theory out there that, uh, that red is flattering to a women’s skin tone. Personally, I think blue is more flattering- not because of you, of course! No, no, not… um…” Erik’s eyes wandered around the auditorium. “Not because of your perfectly pale, uh… um-”

“I think it’s flattering on men’s complexions, too.” Christine said, giving Erik a nudge with her arm as she clasped her hands together.

Erik looked down at his bony hands. “My ashy skin is far from perfect.”

“It doesn’t look ashy at all. It’s a bit pink.” Christine said with a wink.

Erik looked at Christine in surprise, suddenly feeling the blush underneath his mask.

Christine giggled as he looked behind him. “It’s too late to hide it now!” She followed his gaze, seeing Foyer de la Danse in the distance. “Isn’t it funny how there’s such a stunning hallway past such a sea of dingy gray?” she asked once her giggles subsided. “It is,” Erik agreed with a smile. “I, uh, I want to show you something.”

Christine followed Erik through the vast backstage.

“Did you know there’s a pipe organ hiding in plain sight?” Erik asked Christine, to which she shook her head. “It’s not what I wanted to show you, but I might as well since we’re back here.”

He led her to the left side of the stage’s entranceway, pointing to a gated platform on the wall. Wood stood on the platform and a rectangle with metal bars was just above the lumber.

“That doesn’t look much like an organ,” Christine remarked. “It’s certainly not like yours!”

“Like I said, it’s hiding. But they don’t take it out into the light very often. Large temperature differences and dust from the stage settings have caused it to suffer,” Erik sighed. “Poor thing. Well, at least there’s one organ still working around here. Two, actually. But the other organ is the old gas lighting system.”

“And if one of them played loud enough, it can be heard on the stage.” Christine added with a wink.

Erik chuckled and led Christine to Foyer de la Danse. He glanced up at the portraits on the ceiling before spotting the little piano in the corner of the foyer. “This is what I wanted to show you.” Something tells me otherwise, Christine thought, going into the foyer with Erik and taking a look at the portraits. Perhaps he wanted to say something about these-

“I think you’ll enjoy this song I learned recently,” Erik said, snapping her back to the piano. “It’s called Rage Over a Lost Penny.” Christine giggled. “Is that really the name of the song?”

“Yes! I think I know what Beethoven was doing just before he wrote it. Although you’d never guess that from its formal name- Rondo alla ingharese quasi un capriccio,” Erik rolled his ‘r’s while saying the Italian title. “It means ‘Rondo in the Hungarian style, almost a caprice’. It was a favorite with audiences ninety years ago, and it’s certainly one of mine!”

Christine ducked underneath the barre, sitting on the pale sage green loveseat as Erik played the song. It was a lively tune with the quickest notes Christine had ever heard!

Erik finished the song a minute later, smiling as he asked, “Was that fast enough for you?”

“I never knew Beethoven could write something so fun!” Christine remarked. “He seemed so stoic.” “He definitely wasn’t the jolliest of composers. The song is meant to portray harmless frustration, but I’d say it sounds like someone running away from more important things.”

Christine noticed that Erik was giving her a look. “Are you talking about me?”

“Yes, I’m talking about you! The masquerade- you know, the event celebrating our fallen comrade over there- is in two weeks. You haven’t even thought about it. I greatly appreciate all the time we’ve spent together, but I know you’re using me to distract yourself from the party. I’m not just your Angel of Music… I’m your Angel of Diversion.”

“I-”

Erik’s look intensified.

Christine lowered her head with a heavy sigh. “You’re right, I haven’t thought about it as much as I should. I’m so overwhelmed! I don’t know what to wear and the thought of so many people being there makes me terribly anxious and they might want me to sing and what if something goes wrong like the chandelier-”

Erik slammed his hands on the keys. “Christine!” He let the echoed notes linger in the air for a few moments as Christine stared at him in surprise. “You’ll be fine. The only music at a masquerade is a little orchestra, no singing involved. Yes, there will be a lot of people and yes, it’s very horrible for introverts like us, but it’ll be a grand time for you! Everything will go alright. And besides, you have friends to help you with your costume,” He swiftly rose from the piano seat and strode up to Christine, putting his hands on his hips as he said in a playfully stern voice, “Now I want you to march out of this auditorium and work on that masquerade. Understand, little lady?”

Christine giggled as she put her hands on her hips. “Aye, aye, towering gentleman!” she said with a firm nod. “Let’s get this party started once and for all!”