#praying for people involved in all of these atrocities

[diaday333]

Hymns/prayers for the Dead

I’ve never really considered reading/ writing hymns for the dead because I guess I never “needed” them, but with the tragic events going on the world right now, multiple gen-c-des and atrocities, I’ve felt moved to write these. Like I said in my last prayer post, keep speaking up, b0yc0tting, and keep praying! You can technically apply these prayers with any dead, but I had the m@rtyrs of Su-dan, Con- go, Ethiopia, and Pale - stine (breaking them up on purpose) in mind, as well as anyone else who have lost their lives due to the terrible events going on in this world and from their oppression. Also, sorry for any spelling or grammar errors.

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We call to Hermes Kαταιβάτης (he who leads souls down to the underworld), guider of souls. Immortal guide, lover of humankind, you take special care of us when we leave this earth, and your involvement shows the Gods’ love of humankind, as there is a God with us every step of the way, even after our deaths. Gracious God, during these times we ask for your grace, and for you to take extra care of the souls that find their way past the river Styx. Everyday now, thousands of people die from acts of cruelty from oppressors emboldened by hubris. We ask you to treat these souls with added care, especially those of children, taken from life too early, while you escort them to the dread queen's home or wherever their final resting place may lie. Charm them with your wand and bless their heavy eyelids, bringing them a peaceful end for their final rest. Oh Lord, guider of mortals, grant a sacred end to those who lived the best they could.

(Greek pronunciation: Kah-teh-vah-tiis(ees))

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To the Savior of the dead and the noble queen herself, we call to you! Dread Persephone and shadowy Hades, though you may not take every soul into your wide walls, you watch over the dead nonetheless, those who wander your fields of flowers. We thank you for your mercy towards our souls, notably of the most restless ones. We ask that they can find joy in the afterlife, especially those who were robbed of it. Not only do you take in these souls, Lovely Persephone, you exact justice on their behalf, with your kindly attendants, or daughters in some ways, the Erinyes, especially during these harrowing times. All we ask is for justice and a peaceful afterlife for the many martyred people of all the atrocities going on. We thank you, Hades and fair-tressed Persephone!

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“Fear the prayers of the oppressed.” I heard that today and I thought it fit. The Gods are with us and the oppressed during these times 🤲 They hear every prayer and they are outraged as we are. Keep up every action and don’t forget about our fellow humans suffering and don’t stop fighting!! No act of oppression goes past them and they hear everything. It’s been almost a year for Su-Dan, almost 6 months, 160+ days for Pale - stine, and years for Con-go. The Gods count each day and count each person who say and do nothing. I just want add some of my favorite excerpts that get me through these hard times and reminds me that the Gods care (which we already knew, but yknow).

“The gods are not blind to men with blood upon their hands. In the end the black (kelainai) Erinyes bring to obscurity that one who has prospered in unrighteousness and wear down his fortunes by reverse.” - Aeschylus, “Agamemnon”

“Hear, Tisiphone, Allekte, noble Megaira, revered goddesses whose Bacchic cries resound. Nocturnal and clandestine, you live deep down in the dank cave by the sacred water of the Styx. Men's unholy designs do incur your anger; rabid and arrogant, you howl over Necessity's dictates, clothed in animal skins, you cause the deep pains of retribution.” - (First part of) Orphic hymn 69

“Hear me and be gracious, 0 renowned Eumenides, O pure daughters of the great Chthonic Zeus and of lovely Persephone, fair-tressed maiden. Over the lives of impious mortals you keep a careful eye, in charge of Necessity, you punish the unjust.”

(First part of) Orphic hymn 70

“For whoever knows the right and is ready to speak it, far-seeing Zeus gives him prosperity…” - Hesiod “Work and days”

“You princes, mark well this punishment you also; for the deathless gods are near among men and mark all those who oppress their fellows with crooked judgements, and reck not the anger of the gods. For upon the bounteous earth Zeus has thrice ten thousand spirits, watchers of mortal men, and these keep watch on judgements and deeds of wrong as they roam, clothed in mist, all over the earth. And there is virgin Justice, the daughter of Zeus, who is honoured and reverenced among the gods who dwell on Olympus, and whenever anyone hurts her with lying slander, she sits beside her father, Zeus the son of Cronos, and tells him of men's wicked heart, until the people pay for the mad folly of their princes who, evilly minded, pervert judgement and give sentence crookedly.” - Hesiod “Works and Days”

[shadowweaver06]

If you observe, I hope that you all had a lovely Rosh Hashanah. Mine was busy, to say the least. And the entirety of the chag was overshadowed by Oct 7th, which, while expected, did add a tint of melancholy to the holiday. I will admit, the level of the holiday being overshadowed by Oct 7th happenings by my shul was a bit offputting, to say the least, and I found myself feeling wrong-footed. Our rabbi talked about it both on Erev RH and during morning services on Thursday - and if I had been smart, I'd have heeded his disclaimer about the topical discussion of his sermon on Thursday morning before opting to sit through it. Instead, I did sit through his entire speech, and it left me feeling uncomfortable. Now - I've gotten pretty used to the array of feelings around what is happening with Israel and Gaza and whatnot. As much of a peacenik as I am, I still find myself vacillating between anger, grief, frustration, and rage, both about what happened on Oct 7th and what is still happening both to Israeli citizens and to other non-combatants unlucky enough to get caught in the way, and even more so now with Lebanon and Iran getting themselves involved in the fray.

Our Rabbi's discussion rehashed all the atrocities of last year (which I could have done without the reminder of... like we've all borne witness to it, repeatedly), and then veered off into congratulating the congregation for their increased Zionism. Which I found... weird. Like, sure, congratulate us for being more observantly Jewish and involved in our community, and engaged in doing mitzvot, but congratulating us for an ideology just seems... I don't know, odd? I just found it troubling, and it was not the type of message I expect to hear during a holiday sermon I guess - I expected more of a hopeful, 'dawn of a new year' message. (I will admit, this is my first time spending HHD at a Conservative shul, so maybe this is the norm and I'm just not used to it, I don't know). It was also heavily flavored with some us-vs-them rhetoric, which I also did not care for. (Ultimately, though, I very much lack the generational trauma of my co-religionists (I was not raised as a Jew), so I expect that lack of trauma is strongly flavoring my view on things). I don't begrudge people for feeling the way they feel - it's certainly valid. I suppose this is a lot of what the congregation here wants to hear, which is why he wrote it, but... I don't know if it was what I needed to hear in that moment. Like I'd already been reflecting on the last year and what we've lost as a community as I was praying - and having that note layered on top of it made it feel even more bitter. 2nd day was better - but we joined our friends with their kids for the family service, which was shorter and more interactive (since we're the only other folks they know at this shul, they asked us to be with them so they didn't feel so abnormal, since they are new to this shul as well). We went to a RH party thrown by a friend on 2nd night - we catered the majority of the food (we smoked an enormous brisket, I made gluten free challah and regular challah with rasins, and apple honey cake, vegetarian matzah ball soup, and diri djon djon (it's our little taste of Haiti - and a staple of our shabbat table, which is usually a mix of Kosher-fied Haitian or lebanese/middle eastern dishes). On Friday evening I had company over for Shabbat - my friends (who aren't Jewish) came with their daughter and one of our other Jewish friends who needed a break from her kids came by, and I made an absolutely amazing pomegranate molasses roasted chicken recipe, ktiztzot with leeks and swiss chard, roasted squash and root vegetables, glazed carrots, a tossed salad, and a really tasty herb salad with apples and pomegranate seeds (which I am absolutely making again for Sukkot because it was amazing). Saturday night after Havdalah, we walked down the street and made an appearance at my best friend's birthday party, and I am 98% certain that I ate my body weight in tacos. Yesterday I woke up with a terrible cold. And now I'm sitting in bed typing this after waking up for the second time today after sleeping for 99% of yesterday, and a good chunk of the day today. So yeah. That's been the last week or so in a nutshell. Still feeling rather off-kilter given that it's the Oct 7th anniversary, and I sometimes feel like as a convert, my opinion doesn't really matter on these things - I don't have family ties to Israel, just religious/emotional/theoretical ties, so it's something I don't really feel like I sometimes have a right to have an opinion on, because so many other people do, and have lost someone either to the violence on the 7th, or to subsequent skirmishes. It's just a weird, somber, and reflective time, and I'm spending my day praying for an end to the cycle of violence, and for something approaching lasting peace for folks who live there. If nothing else, that is something I can do, and don't need to voice a personal opinion on.

(Forgive me my rambling - I'm all manner of doped up on cold medicine).

[xx-craftycreep-xx]

If you write for Liu Mason, would it be okay to request a short fic where reader comforts him after the incident with Jeff and the Rollins Gang? Boy needs a hug

I agree! Bro's such a cinnamon roll 😭❤️

Stay with me

Liu Mason x GN!reader

Summary: You comfort Liu after an awful nightmare.

Warnings: Mentions of nightmares,mentions of violence,mentions of burns,mentions of blood,mentions of burning.

You had always hated the Rollin's gang. They were constantly pestering people. However, due to their violent nature,you never got involved with them. You never understood how they got away with their crimes ALL the time! It was truly a mystery.But when you got a phone call from Mrs.Mason asking for your help with her eldest son's incident (which you later found out was him getting burned),you knew that the Rollin's took it way too far. Sadly,there was no evidence to prove that they were the reason Jeffery,your best friend's brother, was in the hospital,fighting for his life.

You knew Liu before they had moved here. Infact,you were one of the bonus points for them to move in Forest Lawn. You clicked instantly with the shy boy. Though,you never got a chance to get to know his elder brother more personally.He always was cold yet sarcastic and funny. But now you were just praying for him to recover.

Currently,you are in Liu's bed,waiting for him to come outside of the bathroom. You hated that closet at the end of the room,made shivers run down your spine. You waited and waited,but he didn't come out. You felt your eyelids getting heavy,your body getting heavy and your mind getting light. Moments later,all you could see was black.

You woke up,sleep still not wanting to break it's embrace. You looked around and saw Liu sleeping next to you,bags under his eyes. 'Probably from the nightmares.' You thought. He had been having some nightmares,sometimes they were not too bad,sometimes,they were intense and horrifying.And he was having one right now. He started trembling,as sweat started to cloud his forehead. You started shaking him,trying to wake him up. "Liu,Liu, wake up!" He eyes opened wide,panic and pain written all over his face. Liu's eyes shot to your own,as he sighed a breath if relief. "___,your here. " He got up,closing his eyes as he regained his composture.You started rubbing his back,attempting to calm him.

"I'm...I'm f-fine.." He assured with a shaky voice. But you knew more than that.He regained his composure and looked at you. Sensing your curiosity,he started. "I was randomly walking on the street...Minding my business...But then I heard some noise." He paused,taking a deep breath as you gently urged him to talk. "I looked behind...and I saw him..Jeff." He started tearing up,as you hugged him,his head resting on your chest.

Liu looked back and was shocked to see his brother...in such a manner. His clothes burnt and revealing some burnt,crimson-purple-charcoal skin as blood stained most of his face. His medium length,dyed black hair barely there on his head. There were few strands,some slightly black and some his original,platinum blonde coloured.He was hunched,smiling ear-to-ear as he walked closer. Liu took a step back. "Don't run away from me,Liu" Jeffrey's voice way deeper. "C'mere." He said,gesturing a hug as he stretched his arms out. Liu,albeit hesitantly,went closer.

He hugged his brother,the smell of burnt flesh invading his senses. He felt warm,yet extremely rough hands touch him, moving up and down his back in a soothing form.He remembered how him and Jeff had just started getting along..And then this atrocity took place. Feeling the heart break, tears welled in his eyes. He hugged his brother tighter. The hug got tighter from Jeff. Liu was happy as he felt his brother's embrace after so many years. Until,he felt a sharp pain in his back.

"ARGH!" He stepped back as he felt that part with his hand,betrayal and pain entering his mind as he realised he had been stabbed by Jeff. He looked straight,but didn't see him.

"You're a disgrace.". He heard a whisper. He looked back, seeing no one.The pain in his back turned into burning as he hit the ground. He could feel his senses leaving as he looked up,seeing his brother again,this time,with gasoline and match sticks in his hands. " Jeffrey....please...don't -"

He laughed menacingly, shaking his head. "Loser" he taunted,pouring gasoline over Liu and lighting the matchstick. "Please..." Liu pleaded,his vision blurring as he started getting weak. Jeffrey threw the match stick at his younger brother,as Liu screamed one last time,"NO!"

"He won't ever do that Liu....He won't. " you tried assuring. "I know,___.I know." His voice slightly muffled."Sleep,I'm here now." You slowly made him lay again. He nodded slightly, smiling tiredly as you wiped his tears. You slept beside him,giving him one reassuring look before he closed his eyes,you closing your own."Stay with me,___." He mumured.

These were his tough times,and you were going to help him through them. No matter what.

A/N: dividers by @cafekitsune

[thefairfolk]

No-one is tripping up over themselves idolising Iran. They still have the right to defend themselves against the brutal Israel attack. Even if they suck (not arguing with that) it's still a good thing that they defended themselves AND that they targeted political power and not civilians.

Hi, anon, thanks for this.

Let me explain why I disagree, bit by bit:

I have indeed seen people idolise Iran, going so far as to say that any country attacking Israel is 100% in the right at the moment. This is false, since to say such a thing would disregard the atrocities committed by the Islamic Republic against its people. (Note that I am doing my best to separate the IRI (Islamic Republic of Iran) with Iran. I don't believe in a political faction when my country is so fraught, but rather the people.)

Yes, Iran does have a right to defend itself. In the comments of another post, talking with another Iranian in Persian, I mentioned that there's nothing wrong with political revenge done right. This was not done right. If you consider the meagre amounts of weaponry and finances Iran has stockpiled (which has been at an all-time low since Ahmadinejad, which would take too long to explain here), then this "defence" was much too extreme. Why? Because, if Israel chooses to retaliate, and it very well might, Iran could be at a severe disadvantage, especially if the US even slightly gets involved. And I say if, because Biden will likely choose to stay out of it in order to not have a tumultuous time in the office. The best case scenario for a retaliation from Israel would be if they hit a few military bases, possibly in the far south where ships are stationed, but we cannot calculate those possibilities accurately considering the way Israel treats its enemies.

Iran did target areas of political or militaristic power, I never said it didn't or that that was the issue here. The large scale of attack/defence in and of itself could pose as a huge problem to Iranians far, far more than Israelis. Isn't that ironic and awful?

As for anyone, whether if it's anon or someone else, who still thinks this is okay for Iran to do, let me ask you this:

If Russia bombed Israel, would you forget the Ukrainians? Would you ignore that and heap praises on Russia for attacking a Zionist state in self-defence?

I do hope not. Because in such a simile, the IRI is Russia, and we (innocent people) are like Ukrainians.

I understand that seeing that someone has finally worked up the guts to land a solid hit on Israel must ignite both hope and satisfaction, but remember that this someone is a government we cannot trust, even if you ignore the atrocities against women (I will always pray for Mahsa, Nika, Sarina, and so much more), children (Kian and the Afghan boy without a wish, you are in my heart), men (the innocents sent to the gallows because they wanted a better life), and so, so many others. Even if you ignore all of them (and that's just those from last year!) there is so much other trouble like economy, natural disasters, and pollution in Iran. From every angle, this government is destroying its land and its people.

I know you, and likely many others, are quick to clarify, "I think it's good that Iran did this- I don't support the government though!"

I'm sorry, but it's not enough. It is not good that Iran did this. Whatever the damage to Israel, if (and I wish it's an "if") that country retaliates, Iran will suffer ten times the amount.

[samafricanreporter]

Pastor Alph Lukau called upon all Africans to unite, raise voices, and work towards healing the land and bringing an end to the Genocide in Congo. I appeal all governments and call upon all Africans to unite, raise voices, and work towards healing the land and bringing an end to the Genocide in Congo immediately.” — Pastor Alph Lukau JOHANESSBURG , KELVIN VIEW, SOUTH AFRICA, February 11, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been ravaged by a devastating genocide, resulting in the loss of an estimated 15 million lives. In the face of such immense tragedy, it is imperative that humanity does not remain insensitive to the suffering of the Congolese people. Pastor Alph Lukau has emerged as a beacon of hope, offering prayers for healing and actively working towards putting an end to the genocide. This stand taken by Pastor Alph Lukau delves into the urgent need to heal our land, stop the genocide, and appeals the Governments the importance of addressing this humanitarian crisis with compassion and action. The genocide in the DRC has displace the lives of more than 7 million people, leaving behind a trail of unimaginable suffering. It is our collective responsibility as human beings to respond with compassion and action. Alph Lukau's prayers for healing our land and stopping the genocide serve as a powerful reminder that humanity cannot be insensitive to the plight of others. In his Sunday services the general overseer of AMI , Pastor Alph Lukau called upon all Africans to unite, raise voices, and work towards healing the land and bringing an end to the genocide, ensuring that such atrocities are never repeated. Pastor Alph Lukau, renowned for his spiritual guidance and powerful prayers, has dedicated himself to praying for the healing of countries, especially Ukraine, India, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. His prayers extend beyond physical healing, encompassing emotional and spiritual restoration for the Congolese people. Lukau's prayers provide solace and hope to those affected by the genocide, reminding them that they are not alone in their struggle. Through his ministry, Lukau aims to uplift the spirits of the Congolese people, helping them find strength and resilience amidst the unimaginable pain they have endured. His prayers serve as a catalyst for healing, inspiring individuals and communities to come together and support one another during these trying times. """Heal our land"" is a plea that resonates deeply with the African people and the International community. It is a call for compassion and empathy towards the suffering endured by the millions affected by the genocide. Healing the land requires a collective effort, involving governments, organizations, and individuals worldwide." To heal the land, it is crucial to address the root causes of the conflict. The genocide in the DRC demands immediate action from the international community. The staggering death toll of 15 million lives lost cannot be ignored. Alph Lukau's prayers serve as a reminder that humanity cannot remain indifferent to the suffering of others.

[crazy-pages]

#i will hear no robespierre slander#this is not even getting into how he never held absolute power over revolutionary France

I mean I actually will slander him about the tens of thousands of civilians he is responsible for murdering in various horrifically inventive fashions. (People lined up and cannons shot down the lines, chained up on barges and drowned, it's a bad list.) He didn't need absolute power to have a leading role in that.

The Reign of Terror's violence in the Vendée region had fuck all to do with nobility or tyranny. The French Revolutionary government had started a war against basically every single neighbor it had and then some, to externalize internal complaints about how the (very wealthy, mostly bourgeoisie) people in the revolutionary government decided laissez-faire free market economics would fix the bread crisis in the cities. The very real bread crisis caused by environmental factors and (get this) exacerbated by the very laissez-faire bread policies they'd previously pushed the king to adopt. (Ain't letting the king off the hook, he fucked up, but let's be real clear that the new regime wasn't exactly uninvolved in the previous regime's messes.)

Of course more capitalism failed horribly (it's almost like the French Revolutionary government was actually just our current villains) and the government responded by declaring war on anyone and everyone in marching distance (and some beyond). Which of course just made everything worse, and also involved forced conscription and massive forced requisition from all parts of France (this, for those not familiar with the practice in history, involves a lot of punitive rape, torture, and general atrocity to deal with all the people who'd rather not flirt with starvation). The Vendée region objected to this, strenuously, and tried to revolt. You know, the exact kind of thing we'd cheer if they did it against a king.

Now, most people don't really get how starvation works among pre-industrial subsistence farmers, so let's go over it real quick. Just as you need to retain seed stock for planting, the family members who are in their prime need to be physically fit to do the extremely labor intensive manual farmwork. This means they need to eat their fill over the winter. No ifs ands or buts. So they eat full meals while their children don't, and their parents don't either.

Now this typically didn't kill people outright. What it did was weaken the immune system, increasing the odds of a fatal winter illness. So a bad harvest or a forced requisition meant working adults were forced to eat full meals while they watched their children sob hungrily and their parents nobly wither away, terrified the dice would land the wrong way and they'd die. And this is, in fact, how maybe as much as half of child mortality occurred, and many elderly deaths too. Just about every single goddamn peasant farmer had experienced their own fucking children die this way, and had seen parents or grandparents die the same way.

When we talk about the people of the Vendée resisting forced conscription (which takes laborers away from the farm) and forced requisition (which is just straight theft of food and supplies) this is what they were resisting. The terrifying and traumatic experience of having to eat your fill while you pray with all your soul that your children and your parents don't die of lack of nutrition, something you are already intimately familiar with. That is what the French Revolutionary governments, and Robespierre very personally, wanted to needlessly inflict on them, so they could quell internal conflict with an external war.

Robespierre was personally involved in a lot of what went on there to punish them for their revolt, and it involved at least 10,000 summary executions in various horrible fashions. Probably a lot more. And even more unjust arrest, beatings, robbery, rape, torture, the list goes on. This was exactly the same type of violence which had been the status quo under the French monarchy, performed for exactly the same reason, over the fallout of literally the exact same policies and to suppress the same civil grievances, just worse and compressed into a shorter timeline because of the instability of revolution.

The reason I say this is because it's very important to remember: Revolutionary violence can be violence to destroy the system. But it can also just be the same old violence, stripped of norms, fueled by insecurity, and given more enemies to fight.

We should not ignore the violence required to maintain the status quo and we should not fear violent response to that violence as some ultimate evil. But we should in fact fear the fucking hell out of revolutionary violence. It's the only way to make sure it isn't just the same old same old, but worse.

people refuse to see the violence it takes to maintain the status quo as such and instead fear the hypothetical violence it will take to destroy it. they see the current order of things as a state of stasis and inaction, instead of as a violent order upheld by constant action, which can be undone by action

[poetrybydahabina]

Gun Violence

Bang bang! We glamorize those sounds in our favorite hip hop and rap songs. But what about when those gun shots kill that little innocent girl from the hood or your best friend's brother? We normalize these sounds that instill fear in the hearts and minds of our brothers and sisters in the west and the east. In the east our children are traumatized by bearded men with angry faces and machine guns. In the west it's mentally ill bald men who aren't ever labeled as terrorists because white privilege is on their side. The darker your complexion the more likely you are to be labeled a terrorist. The lighter your complexion the less likely you are to be labeled a terrorist. Since when does the meaning of a terrorist include a specific skin color? I'm sick to my stomach because every time it's a Muslim committing mass murders they're called a terrorist without any hesitation. But let a white man commit the same atrocities and he's free of the label. White privilege is their friend but it's my biggest enemy. White privilege is the reason I wake up angry because of all the corruption surrounding me. We say all lives matter but let's not forget all lives do not matter until black lives matter. We sweep black lives matter under the rug to try and say all lives matter but saying all lives matter doesn't erase the problem it only exacerbates it. I'm black, I'm Muslim, and I'm a woman. Do you know what that means? I basically got three strikes against me. Society wants me to be held back and pushed underneath these injustices but my will power is too strong for all that. They say it's not people killing people it's the guns killing people. But if we're allowing people to obtain and misuse these armed weapons how can we sit here and say we are not at fault? I'm not a mother but I'm an older cousin and I'm an aunt. When my baby cousins and nieces and nephews grow up my fear for their safety will rapidly increase. My nephews and baby boy cousins live in a society that aims to destroy their happiness and their sanity. Michelle Alexander mentioned the New Jim Crow which involves the mass incarceration of African Americans. See I have people thinking my babies are safe from this because they are not African Americans, because they are Eritrean Americans. In the eyes of the law being an East African or West African never spared these young men from mistreatment or discrimination. All they care about is whether or not you have melanin. The more melanin you have in your skin the more danger you're in. Day and night I pray for the future of my young men in my family. No matter how old they become I'll remember them as my

babies. The little ones I used to change, feed, and take naps with. As time continues to pass, they'll become men before my eyes. But my love for them will never be the same. Bang bang! It's a sound. I hope they never hear up close. The sound should be fiction for them and not fact. If this sound reaches their ears, my heart will shatter into a million pieces. My biggest nightmare is that horrible sounds will touch the innocent lives of my young boys. A nightmare that I pray never comes true. If these gunshots hit my kids, my rage will blind me, and I will act on my rage and lose my sanity. I pray things never reach that point, I pray for my young boys in my family and the young boys of everyone fearing the same thing I fear. Fear is a powerful emotion that has the power to cripple you and make you lose your mind. Fear, you must stay far from me, leave me be. I need my piece of mind as I drown out the possibility that my babies will be in danger as they grow into men. I dismiss my fears as I throw it out one hand into the trash and grab my courage in the other hand. Courage see me through and guide me to what it is I am meant to accomplish in this life of mine. I pray to be the conqueror of fear and the queen of courage.

[nth-times-the-charm]

It's not fair, if there's a god then the gnostics were right, this world was created by an evil demiurge, bent on causing use suffering, i can't put my feelings into words, nor properly at least, death is our common destination, but some arrivals are way too early, I'm having a hard time imagining a life without her, and i only saw her a few times a year, at most once a month, what breaks my hear is how her kids saw her almost daily, living across the ocean was no excuse, they'd always keep in contact, she was always around, always involved, making herself present despite the distance, i can't imagine how that void must hurt right now, truth be told I'm not sure they've begun to realize it, a heart just can't hold that much sadness and anger at once, feeling it all would tear anyone apart, only a heartless universe or a hateful god could have done something like this, i refuse to believe in a benevolent creator, i refuse to believe in an architect planning our lives according to some master plan, any deity involved in allowing this is rotten to the core, unfit to oversee creation, i prefer to believe this was all because of the nature of an uncaring universe, because If any god had a hand in this, if any creator took that decision, then they should be pulled from their golden thrones and made to pay for their wretched acts, i need to trust in the fact that there is no god, because if there's an afterlife and i get to meet him I'll make sure they go through whatever the opposite of apotheosis is, and if i end up in hell then I'll climb out from the pit and claw my way up to the silver city, to drag that bastard down into the frozen pit where they belong, there's no reason for what happened, there's no lesson worth the pain, lives were permanently cracked because of it, hundreds of people have to live with a sadness no one deserves, and that's just one person, just one of millions of senseless atrocities happening daily, i can't stand to hear my stupid family pray, i can't stand to hear anyone talking about her like she's in heaven, or looking after us from somewhere else, she's gone, she's gone and that's wrong, that's an awful thing that happened that no one can fix, and life keeps moving along, i can't believe i could only stop for a week, i can't keep up with life, not like this, not with all this anger and sadness, and if I don't do anything about them I'll carry them for the rest of my life, i hate religion, not only because it's been used to oppress and manipulate for millenia, but because I've lived through enough senseless pain to know that if there's a god the it isn't a loving father

[itsyourchoicedevotionals]

Get Involved

“When he reached his house, he picked up a knife, took hold of his concubine, cut her limb by limb into twelve pieces, and sent her throughout the territory of Israel. …Think it over, take counsel, and speak up!” Judges 19:29-30BSB

Gory and horrible describes the storyline of chapter 19. Israelites of the tribe of Benjamin raped the man’s wife to death. He sent her body parts to the different tribes of Israel asking for help to avenge her death. Sick? Right? Something had to awaken the other tribes of Israel to the uncontrolled lust of the Benjaminites and the need to punish their wanton ways. The Bible doesn’t cut out the bad and leave only the good stories. Rather, this precious book tells life like it is— full of sinners in the church.

Mankind hasn’t changed. I watched a video of a medical doctor down at our southern border trying to help people. Two families, the cartel killed the husbands for trying to return to Mexico. Then they raped the eight-year-old daughter leaving behind DNA from 67 men. She was in shock, totally unable to speak. And the church isn’t appalled, outraged, and shouting at government officials to close the border!

Is it because we’re that apathetic? Perverted with our own sexual atrocities? (Yes, the church is full of Benjaminite-like behavior.) Haven’t they read: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven… many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and cast out demons in Your name, and do many mighty works in Your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness.” Matthew 7:21-23ESV This is one of the scariest verses in my Bible.

We must “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil” Ephesians 5:15-16ESV. If the times were evil then, what are they now? The church has always had the heart of love for the hurting, and the lost.

Can we ‘redeem the time’ by working to better the world now? There are foreign missions fields in our nation each of us can serve in. I know a man in New York, who is fluent in Spanish. He’s set up a church within the illegal farm workers winning souls to the Lord. What a privilege I’ve had to witness God’s love, in action, for these people.

Another thing, I’ve witnessed, was women who’d been raped repeatedly as children, some by their fathers. Their minds and sexuality weren’t healthy in adulthood. Having experienced sexual abuse to a lesser degree, I’ve also struggled, all my life to be healthy mentally and sexually.

The video, I spoke of, has to be addressed by the church. Maybe we feel helpless. Yet God says: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you” Isaiah 60:1NIV. We’ve got to let the government know we’re alive and not going to lay down anymore.

There’s a group we ALL can get involved in, called “Flashpoint Army.” They've started up through the direction of Kenneth Copeland Ministries. Their meetings, the Patriot movement, and Turning Point USA members collaborate together. During their assemblies they teach strategies to combat evil. You can find them on youtube or Roku ‘Victory Channel’ on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 7 central time and 8 eastern. We’ve got to learn and then go do something. For sure we can’t cut bodies up and send them to the other churches. But we can arise and work. Get involved. It’s your choice. You choose.

LET’S PRAY: Father God inspire us to quit being apathetic sitters and become involved doers to protect the generations to come, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.

by Debbie Veilleux Copyright 2023 You have my permission to reblog this devotional for others. Please keep my name with this devotional, as author. Thank you.

[rye-space]

also. Big companies as it is, I hate supporting corporations bc I’m punk/fall under punk of some sort. I am not that well off and usually have to help my mom out when she is away for work. To ensure my siblings have a decent life and try to keep them in the dark (quite literally sometimes) about how not wealthy we are, we have to buy from disgusting corporations like Amazon and Walmart who built their bucks off of others backs and lives. I’ve completely boycotted most of these companies as is but here is a compiled list of Zionist corporations. https://bdsmovement.net/get-involved/what-to-boycott

Again you don’t have to totally not support these companies but buying Starbucks every morning isn’t a necessity. Go local. Look for Palestinian companies selling things. i am borderline communist. I am not wealthy. I had to cook for my siblings, do laundry, drive them to school, and tend to our entire house while working 40 hours. These companies do not care about your lives. They control you. They hoard money while all the atrocities of the world unfold. I will keep providing updated lists.

These companies do not fucking care for you I’m not even going to lie. I was neutral at first. I lack a lot of sympathy because of my autism. It’s hard to sympathize for people I’ve never met. I’ve never experienced this because I’m so fortunate. So fortunate to live in a country atop bloodshed and stolen land from my mother’s ancestor’s. But, the people of Palestine have homes like the people who tended to the land now called America. A lot of those staying silent addressed the colonist who wiped out my ma’s ancestors. I am Mexican, White, and come from a long line of the Blackfoot tribe:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Blackfoot-people

it disgusts me that people have been so blind to see how horrible the genocide of these people are. Just like the people native to America, the Palestinian people are being annihilated. Free Palestine. Pray to whatever deity you must.

And while I’m at it-

I hope you guys are paying attention to those who support the genocide of Palestine.

Especially the ones in Hollywood. I hope y’all stop supporting and worshipping these celebrities who have proven time and time again that they value money, profit and fame over human lives. I hope y’all looking at their lifestyles as attainable and start condemning them for the exploitation that led to them being where they are.

And in terms of businesses. Don’t ever buy from Starbucks, McDonalds or Disney (or any businesses they own) in general. All of these cooperations are expecting this to blow over. They’re expecting you to forget within a few weeks, but keep boycotting. Support your local businesses.

And lastly, keep Palestine, Sudan and Congo in mind. Spread word. Keep spreading word. Don’t stop mentioning it to people.

[aalt-ctrl-del]

for the record, we haven't seen much fence building in leu of mass shootings. Don't get me wrong, we have fences built in proportion to a crime area - hire capita of violence and gun ratio to proximity of the public school.

After those groceries stores got shot to death in texas and buffalo, we do have stores with police chillin outside 24/7. There's always a police cruiser and a big guy with a bullet proof vest at the doors, it's like we got the armored bouncer than the greeter inside the walmart - everythings nice and civil.

But we don't get giant fences built around schools - we do have cops at the high schools, because big kids and big fights. But the elementary schools in my area don't have reinforced fences - the only fence I've see was around this black only school (condemne) in deep south texas. It had a pokestop, and a fence to keep out homeless.

Otherwise, no amount is made on a national level to build a fortress around schools with little kids.

We like to talk and argue about the measures to take to protect children, because as I always say, this must happen again. We must have another shooting, we must have more dead children. If you say, "no, that should not happen." That's like praying to god for the winning lottery numbers - maybe it will work for someone, but not for everyone.

Another school has to be shot to pieces. We have to have more thoughts and prayers. We need more mourning, more sorrow, more arguments, more of all this fallout and vigils for children who didn't make it to summer break. We have to we have to we have to we have to

We have to regulate guns

We have to build fences

We have to provide better security

We have to get big men with guns patrolling schools full of children

We have to have another shooting

All of these things will happen again. They must happen again. And if you're one of those easily triggered by this and go, "That's disgusting." "How dare you" "Monster"

Your passion is commendable, but think about the mantra "It must happen again" Cause we have fully accepted that we cannot, and will not try to indulge in the idea to implement competent measures to protect these children. republicans hiked their shoulders up and went, "Well, we can't do anything abou-- GOOD LORD IS THAT A MAN IN A DRESS?!? OMG IF THE CHILDREN SEE THAT THEY'LL BE SCARRED FOR LIFE. BAN IT! CRIMINALIZE IT! ZERO TOLERANCE! MONSTEROUS!!"

The Dems have at the least provided a means to mitigate and reduce these risks - eradicate certain caliber of guns, moderate munitions sales, apply more astringent background checks. It of course won't eliminate the outlier of the variable, but it will be the effort and motion toward accountability. We have better quality control over gravel and foundation laying, than we do weapons designed to kill multiple threats in a small margin of time. Hell, lemme bring in abortion restrictions - which remains restricted to affecting the family involved - a woman is not gonna take her uterus and cull a classroom of kids, but republicans treat each miscarriage and each masturbation like Noah and his Ark got sunk by a rogue ice berg.

It's not the political measure of robbing people of fictitious RIGHTS, it is the effort and acknowledgment of DOING BETTER. Of saying "in wake of this atrocity, we didn't do enough. But we will do better, and we are trying. We will investigate not why the person did this, but HOW and WHO armed them. We will explore if the arms merchant fulfilled all criteria to warrant the legal sale, and whether they should maintain a license to continue their business."

Every school day parents and guardians let go of their kids, so they can attend classes that prepare them for community involvement and eventual placement within our society. They sure as fuck don't send them off to conduct military style drills like we live in some war torn world, but that is the world that republicans have built, because they clutch tighter to the AR than they do their own kids. Their gun probably gets more psychological enrichment that their own child. THE GUN IS BETTER SHELTERED THAN THE AR.

republicans are so infantile and insecure about losing a rifle tomorrow, they don't even acknowledge that it is more likely tomorrow someone is gonna say goodbye to their kid, and it'll be last time they ever see that child in one piece. In one piece.

If you take a gun apart, you can still put it back together good as new, maybe better than before. But you take a 9 year old apart bone-by muscle- by skin - no mortician and no amount of skill will ever restore that child. Don't doubt, both the gun and child can have a lot in common. They'll both be cold and stiff.

[eternallovers65]

The craziest thing is that we are in MAY, its not even the middle of the year but somehow America already had 250 mass shootings

***(may its not on the list because the month is not over, but so far 49 mass shootings happened)

[edenfenixblogs]

The current date is 1/27/2024

Experiment: I have started putting the hate I and other Jews receive into my queued posts. I do not seek it out. I only reblog or post what I just stumble upon. And I will see how long it takes for the queue to run out. I think my queue posts like twice a day. These things antisemites do and say live in our minds for a long time, often forever. Antisemites post a hateful thing to us and get a little rush of adrenaline before forgetting we exist and that they engaged in hatred. But to us, it’s an eternal reminder that we will never be safe. No matter how temporarily accepted we may be at a given time, we are always on the verge of mass calls for our death.

Note: It’s also wildly inappropriate to wish us a “happy” Holocaust Memorial Day at all in any context. This day is for us to mourn our pain. But, honestly, more importantly, it’s for YOU. It’s for you to reflect on the fact that you did this to us.

You did this. The people who did the Holocaust thought they were good people. They thought they were doing the right thing.

They woke up and spent the days at their jobs and with their families. They went to church and prayed to Jesus and hope to get into heaven and lived in fear of going to hell.

Just like you. Just like all of you who think you are good people by virtue of the fact that you do those things. But those are not the only things they did.

Then they did nothing to stop us from being removed from our homes. They shot us in the street and shoved us in ghettos and forced us into gas chambers and did experiments on us and used our skin for leather and our fat for soap and made us march naked through snow and shot us for trying to flee. They shaved our heads and starved us and tattooed us against our faith and and used babies as skeet targets and watched mothers smother their infants rather than watch them be shot or slowly starve because their bodies couldn’t produce milk. They told Jews they’d be transported to safety then put them on trains and filled them with toxic gas. They packed those trains so full of people that we know of at least one instance where a woman went into labor and died standing up because there was not enough room to lie down, even before the gas killed everyone else.

They buried us in mass graves or not at all. They burnt us alive. They took the gold and silver from our teeth and the rubber and leather from our shoes and the metal from our glasses and they used those to make weapons. They turned our unwilling bodies into the weapons they used to kill even more of us.

And you are not different from them. You are the same as them. You believe you would never do such things, but you would. Because no, not every single person killed Jews.

But every single person who went about their daily lives without taking on the risk of protecting endangered Jews allowed the others to do all those atrocities. Those who turned a blind eye and cooperated with Nazis out of fear. Those who may not have fought for Hitler personally but did vote for him and his government. Do you think Hitler could have ever gotten away with killing all those Jews if it wasn’t for people like you? People who refused to get involved? People who refused to condemn antisemitism at every opportunity? People who supported what he did even if they never said so aloud? You did this. Your grandparents did this. And even the ones who didn’t actively kill is passed on their mentality to you.

The mentality that Jews are disposable. That we are not worth standing up for. That we must have deserved it. That somehow tragedies that happen to us are less meaningful than tragedies that happen to anyone else.

Holocaust Remembrance Day is for you. Holocaust Remembrance Day is for you to think about what you can do to be different than YOUR ancestors who did this to us. Because yes. Unless you are Jewish or have a direct ancestor who actively sheltered or protected us or who actually fought a Nazi, it was your grandparents who did this.

Not just the ones in Germany. The ones in the US who turned away refugees. The ones who refused to send aid. The ones who didn’t protect the Jews in your own countries. Even the ones who fell to Hitler so quickly so they could protect the “real” citizens. You know. The ones who weren’t Jewish. Because that, too, actually happened. Even amidst nations that were conquered by German forces, there were those who complied rapidly in order to protect their people from violence. But that protection meant sacrificing Jewish lives. It meant jumping at the chance to sever ties with their Jewish population and not counting Jewish lives as part of their nations’ citizenship worth protecting.

Don’t wish me or any other Jew a “happy” Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Wish yourself an “undoing engrained antisemitism day.” That, or you can wish yourself an “I inherited antisemitism and refuse to do anything about it because I also don’t care about Jews” day.

Oh G-d “Happy [Jewish Holiday], here are the crimes of Israel.” Is going to become a genre of post now isn’t it?

[samafricanreporter]

Pastor Alph Lukau called upon all Africans to unite, raise voices, and work towards healing the land and bringing an end to the Genocide in Congo.

I appeal all governments and call upon all Africans to unite, raise voices, and work towards healing the land and bringing an end to the Genocide in Congo immediately.”

— Pastor Alph Lukau

JOHANESSBURG , KELVIN VIEW, SOUTH AFRICA, February 11, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been ravaged by a devastating genocide, resulting in the loss of an estimated 15 million lives. In the face of such immense tragedy, it is imperative that humanity does not remain insensitive to the suffering of the Congolese people. Pastor Alph Lukau has emerged as a beacon of hope, offering prayers for healing and actively working towards putting an end to the genocide. This stand taken by Pastor Alph Lukau delves into the urgent need to heal our land, stop the genocide, and appeals the Governments the importance of addressing this humanitarian crisis with compassion and action.

The genocide in the DRC has displace the lives of more than 7 million people, leaving behind a trail of unimaginable suffering. It is our collective responsibility as human beings to respond with compassion and action. Alph Lukau's prayers for healing our land and stopping the genocide serve as a powerful reminder that humanity cannot be insensitive to the plight of others. In his sunday services the general overseer of AMI , Pastor Alph Lukau called upon all Africans to unite, raise voices, and work towards healing the land and bringing an end to the genocide, ensuring that such atrocities are never repeated.

Pastor Alph Lukau, renowned for his spiritual guidance and powerful prayers, has dedicated himself to praying for the healing of countries, especially Ukraine, India, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. His prayers extend beyond physical healing, encompassing emotional and spiritual restoration for the Congolese people. Lukau's prayers provide solace and hope to those affected by the genocide, reminding them that they are not alone in their struggle.

Through his ministry, Lukau aims to uplift the spirits of the Congolese people, helping them find strength and resilience amidst the unimaginable pain they have endured. His prayers serve as a catalyst for healing, inspiring individuals and communities to come together and support one another during these trying times.

"Heal our land" is a plea that resonates deeply with the African people and the International community. It is a call for compassion and empathy towards the suffering endured by the millions affected by the genocide. Healing the land requires a collective effort, involving governments, organizations, and individuals worldwide.

To heal the land, it is crucial to address the root causes of the conflict. The genocide in the DRC demands immediate action from the international community. The staggering death toll of 15 million lives lost cannot be ignored. Alph Lukau's prayers serve as a reminder that humanity cannot remain indifferent to the suffering of others.

[packedwithpackards]

Theophilus D Packard: the anti-slavery crusader

Pamphlet for meeting opposing annexation of Texas in Boston.

Theophilus D Packard, as his Find A Grave entry notes (which I wrote), was born in Bridgewater, Massachusetts on March 4, 1769 to Abel Packard and Esther Porter, and had three siblings. By February 25, 1800 he would marry a woman named Mary Terrill in Abington, Massachusetts and they would have five children: Theophilus (1802), Isaac (b. 1804), Louisa (b. 1808), Laura (b. 1815), and Jane (b. 1817). He would live in Shelburne, Massachusetts until his death, serving as a Christian minister, going to Princeton, Amherst, was a member of the Franklin County Anti-Slavery Society (FCAS), formed on December 1836, and helped Mary Lyon establish the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary. Beyond that bio, and his death in September 1855 at age 86, he would be involved in four anti-slavery petitions to the US Congress.

Note: This was originally posted on Nov. 3, 2017 on the main Packed with Packards WordPress blog (it can also be found on the Wayback Machine here). My research is still ongoing, so some conclusions in this piece may change in the future.

As the nation continued to debate the topic of enslaved Blacks, Theophilus came out on the side of justice. On September 18, 1837, he joined "other congregational ministers of the Franklin Association" in Franklin County, Massachusetts, to protest against the "annexation of Texas to the Union of these States." Nine days later he (or perhaps his son of the same name who seemed to be against slavery as well) signed onto another petition. Again he petitioned on behalf of the Franklin Association of Ministers, supporting "the abolition of slavery, or of slavery and the slave trade, in the District of Columbia, or in the District of Columbia and the Territories of the United States."  Two days later, John Quincy Adams, then a representative of Massachusetts who strongly disapproved of "the expansion of slavery..[and] the annexation of Texas and the war with Mexico," specifically

presented sundry petitions and memorials of inhabitants of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, praying that the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 18th of January last, requiring all petitions, memorials, and papers, relating in any way to slavery, to be laid upon the table, may be rescinded

One of those petitions was from "...Theophilus Packard and 13 other citizens."

Theophilus wasn't done. With fifty other citizens of MA, on January 12, 1846, he petitioned "against the admission of Texas as a slave State into the Union."

In order to understand Theophilus's stand, lets give some historical background.

In 1836, Texas had declared independence from Mexico because they felt the Mexican government had "ceased to protect the lives, liberty and property of the people" of their region, cited "atrocities" by the Mexican state on those in the region including siding with indigenous peoples, declaring that "the necessity of self-preservation, therefore, now decrees our eternal political separation." But there was more than this.  When they talked about "property," they meant enslaved Blacks. Article 5 of the 1836 Treaty of Velasco between Mexico and Texas made this clear:

That all private property including cattle, horses, negro slaves or indentured persons of whatever denomination, that may have been captured by any portion of the mexican army or may have taken refuge in the said army since the commencement of the late invasion, shall be restored to the Commander of the Texian army, or to such other persons as may be appointed by the Government of Texas to receive them.

From 1836 until 1845, Texas continued as an independent slaveholding republic. By 1845, as the Texas State Library and Archives Commission argued, the joint resolution passed by Congress, "that admitted Texas to the Union provided that Texas could be divided into as many as five states." [1] James Polk, then the President, supported the measure, saying it was "the peaceful acquisition of a territory once her own." Furthermore, as the US State Department, all of all places, says in their write-up on the topic, there were economic motives at play:

...Texas was a producer of cotton. It was also dependent upon slave labor to produce its cotton. The question of whether or not the United States should annex Texas came at a time of increased tensions between the Northern and Southern states...over the legality and morality of slavery... there was another issue raised by the Texas-cotton nexus: that of the market for raw cotton. One of the largest export markets for North American raw cotton...was to Great Britain. As long as Texas remained an independent state, it could give Southern U.S. cotton plantation owners competition in terms of setting prices

The Texas government accepted the terms proposed by the US Congress, the latter which allowed Texas to be a "slave state," giving it two representatives in the US House of Representatives.  In later years, Southerners wanted to "exercise the provision to create another slave state from Texas to balance the admission of California as a free state" but this was rendered moot with the end of the Civil War. Beyond that, Texas would later be given $10 million to pay off its debt to Mexico, along with the passing of the Fugitive Slave Act, all as part of the Compromise of 1850. While the nation stayed united, it didn't stay that way for long, as the Civil War from 1861 to 1865 tore the nation apart, with over 600,000 people dying overall in one of the most bloody conflicts in US history. Texas, in its declaration of succession defended its slaveholding, declaring that abolitionism was one of the causes for joining the Confederacy, which fundamentally was (and should always be seen as) a pro-slavery racist force:

...the non-slave-holding States...demand the abolition of negro slavery throughout the confederacy, the recognition of political equality between the white and negro races...For years past this abolition organization has been actively sowing the seeds of discord through the Union, and has rendered the federal congress the arena for spreading firebrands and hatred between the slave-holding and non-slave-holding States...We hold as undeniable truths that the governments of the various States, and of the confederacy itself, were established exclusively by the white race, for themselves and their posterity; that the African race had no agency in their establishment; that they were rightfully held and regarded as an inferior...the servitude of the African race...is mutually beneficial to both bond and free.

Theophilus, although there is no record he went to the southern part of the US, was among the "firebrands" that Texas detested for reasons as mentioned above. For this, he should be celebrated by any rational individual. He was, by any definition, an anti-slavery crusader, a fighter for justice, to say the least. It is hard to say what political party he was sympathetic toward, but undoubtedly sided with those at the time who opposed slavery.

Courtesy of Find A Grave. While something seems to make me think this is a new stone, the lichen on the stone makes me think it was actually created in 1855.

© 2017-2022 Burkely Hermann. All rights reserved.

[anthemxix]

whumpay day 11: "don't touch me!" / "don't leave me."

request from @wolfwarden: I’d be really interested to see day eleven with Warriors (and maybe Time/Mask involved?).

Sooo I've been working on a multi-chapter fic about Warriors and Mask/Time for a while now. This prompt fit with a scene I had in mind, so I took the opportunity to write it. I hope that's okay! Still works as a self-contained story, I think. :) Hope you all enjoy~

warning: aftermath of torture

The rusted lock and warped wooden door surrender to the Fierce Deity’s boot with no resistance, and he steps into the dark chamber, tracking bloody footprints across the stone floor. As his pitiless gaze lands on the figure against the back wall, he stiffly halts, deterred by an unfamiliar tugging on his consciousness.

The child is trying to regain control.

Fierce Deity blinks, maybe feeling something akin to surprise. The child needn’t struggle so ardently. With all proximal threats vanquished, the presence of a war god is no longer required.

As soon as the mask is removed, the child reappears in a swirling cloak of magic. Mask is instantly overwhelmed by the room’s rancidity, the stenches of blood, sweat, and grime mixing with mildew and rotting wood. The chamber is poorly-lit, half of its lanterns extinguished, and the remaining dim, flickering flames cast odd shadows across the ghastly sight before him.

With hands and ankles bound, the Captain is on his knees, limp and sagging in the metal collar that chains him to the wall. Sluggish rivulets of red wind down his neck and bare chest, and ribbons of blood and saliva dangle from his mouth. Mask edges closer, grimacing at the scabbed lacerations that crisscross the Captain’s back, at the exposed and irritated nailbeds on his fingers, at his bruised and swollen shoulders.

“Captain…?” Mask chokes out. “Captain? Are…are you awake?”

Tentatively, he reaches out to press his fingers to the Captain’s neck, searching for a pulse, but the Captain jerks away from his touch, grumbling something incoherent.

“Captain, it’s m-me. It’s Mask.”

He reaches out again, smudging the blood on the Captain’s neck as the older hero again flinches away.

“Don’t,” the Captain groans. He sounds agonized and exhausted, and it carves fissures into Mask’s heart.

“Okay,” he mutters to himself, swallowing as he glances around the room. “Keys. There’s gotta be keys for…”

The only furnishings in the room are a shoddy chair and table, both looking liable to splinter under pressure. Reticent, Mask moves toward the table and tries to ignore the stained implements haphazardly tossed there—dagger, pliers, skewers—as he hunts for keys to the shackles. The longer it takes, the more his concern burgeons, as he worries he will have to retrace the path Fierce Deity took. One of the captors might have the keys, and Mask isn’t keen on rooting through the pockets of dead people, especially ones that died by his own hand…

Then he spots the key ring, antique and shabby like everything else here, and a surge of excitement urges him forward—but he freezes, staring at the chipped bowl beside them.

It contains broken, bloody fragments of teeth.

Nausea sweeps over him. Mask swipes up the keys and bolts back to the Captain, his hands shaking as he tests each key in each lock and chucks aside both sets of manacles with a resounding clatter. The skin on the Captain’s wrists and ankles is chafed and blistered, glistening with pus, and Mask struggles to block out images of the atrocities the Captain must have endured over the past week.

Last to come unfastened is the collar, and Mask’s relief is overtaken by horror as he discovers the short spikes ringing the inside of it, leaving behind their bloody mirror image on the Captain’s neck, and he tries not to remember the generals and the queen wasting time on bullshit debates, all while the Captain was here praying for a rescue he would have assumed was imminent—

With no restraints to support him, the Captain collapses into Mask’s arms, grunting in pain, and Mask feels lost, feels severely underequipped to handle this situation in any sense.

Arms trembling, the Captain attempts to worm out of Mask’s hold, and the kid reacts swiftly, easing his friend up and into a sitting position, leaning his weight against the wall.

“Captain, it’s okay now,” Mask asserts, false confidence in his tone. “It’s me. Those people are— They’re not here anymore. You’re not gonna get hurt anymore.”

At last, the Captain cracks his eyes open, taking a moment to register the person crouched in front of him. Blood dribbles from his mouth when he mumbles gibberish.

“I-it’s okay. Don’t talk. I’m gonna help you, okay? And then we’re gonna get out of here.”

The Captain licks his chapped lips, reminding Mask to pull out his waterskin. He holds it up and helps the Captain drink, hoping he’s not ingesting too much blood, or any spare bits of teeth.

When he’s finished drinking, he draws in a deep breath, wincing, and rasps, “Real?”

“…Wh-what?”

It takes a moment, but he eventually croaks, “You. Real?”

Mask’s stomach lurches. “Am I…real?” The Captain watches him silently, motionlessly, without expression. “I— Yeah. Yeah, I’m real.”

This avowal earns only a languid blink.

Mask bites his lip. “Hey, y-your shoulders are, uh. Dislocated, I think. Can I check?”

Not expecting an answer, he cups his hands around one of the joints as gently as he can. The Captain twitches, makes an awful, pained whimper as Mask conducts a careful examination.

Given how swollen and tender the shoulder is, Mask hesitates to pop it back in place—but it will be two or more days before they can reach a field hospital. Leaving it untreated seems unwise.

“I’m going to try and fix your shoulder.”

He aligns the bones and successfully pushes the joint together; the Captain grunts, winces. Mask moves to his friend’s other side, but as he settles his hands on his shoulder, the Captain wheezes, “Hurts.”

“I know,” Mask whispers. “I’m sorry.” His mouth twists as he studies the fresh blood still leaking from the Captain’s mouth and some of the shallow punctures on his neck. “I’ll do the other shoulder later. Let me find something for your, um, other injuries, okay?”

Tottering to his feet, Mask frowns as he glances around the gloomy chamber, which clearly has a single purpose. He doubts he’ll find medical supplies in here. “Look, I’m prob’ly gonna have to go somewhere else for bandages and stuff, but I’ll be right back.”

The Captain mutters something muddled again, and Mask offers a small smile that he hopes is somehow reassuring. He’s halfway to the exit, smashed remnants of the door scattered nearby, when the Captain calls out, strained and broken, “Don’t leave me.”

It takes Mask a moment to compose himself before turning towards the older hero. He forces his voice to stay level. “I have to go find things to treat your injuries. But I’ll be back really soon, okay?”

There are others who would leave him, Mask thinks spitefully, which is why he’s here alone now, on a solo rescue mission. There are so many cowards who left the Captain, despite all the sacrifices he’s made for his people, to suffer and die.

Mask recements his resolve. He has to stay strong so he can bring his friend—his brother—safely home.

Without effort this time, his voice is steady and sure. “I’ll be back soon, Captain. I would never leave you.”