#whatever is going on with the miller and his pig needs to be studied

[romanticisation]

I'm this 👌 close to writing Tom und das Erdbeermarmeladebrot mit Honig fanfiction

[blackacre13]

Young Danny and Rusty making fun of Deb for having a bunch of hickeys and then they realize who they’re from👀

“Hey, Debs, if you’re headed into the kitchen can you—“

“Excuse me?” Debbie snapped, glaring at the two boys as she whipped around, her long ponytail swinging with her. “Just because you boss your little team around like that, doesn’t mean you can use me. Get your own drinks or whatever.”

“Jesus, Debbie,” Rusty grumbled under his breath as the brunette shot him a dark look.

“You don’t even live here, you pig,” the brunette smirked. “Go make Danny fetch you sandwiches.”

“Hey, Sister Dearest,” Danny suddenly grinned. “What the hell is on your neck? Get stuck to the vacuum or something?”

“Shut up,” Debbie hissed, her cheeks blushing red, her face burning as her fingers brushed along her neck over the dark bruises before she tried to innocently shake out her hair over her shoulders.

“Well, don’t bother covering it now,” Danny sang, practically gloating. “You were pretty much showing it off with your hair like that. You must have a death wish, Deb. You want dad to kill you?”

“Who’s the guy?” Rusty added, now somehow chomping down on a bag of chips by the handful that had seemingly appeared from nowhere.

“It’s none of your business,” Debbie sighed, trying to continue on her path out of the living room. “Either of you. I just came down here to get some water anyway, alright. I have to get back to studying.”

“You don’t study,” Danny pointed out.

“She could study,” Rusty shrugged in a piss poor attempt to help Debbie out.

“She could,” Danny agreed with a laugh. “But she doesn’t. Photographic memory, that one.”

“No shit?” Rusty grinned. “Debs, that’s badass.”

“Can it,” Debbie mumbled, trying to walk towards the kitchen again as Danny stopped her, catching her wrist.

“Look, Debs,” Danny sighed. “I know it’s not my place, alright? But as your big brother, you know I have to look out for you. Just tell me who the guy is. I won’t do anything, I swear. But just let me keep some tabs on him. You know, just in case.”

“Can’t I just date whoever I want without you butting in?” Debbie rolled her eyes. “I’m eighteen. And I’ll be out of this god forsaken house in three months.”

“And then you can let whoever the hell you want suck your neck,” Danny shot back. “But maybe keep it on the downlow for Thanksgiving shit and stuff. Think of this as practice.”

“Bite me,” Debbie hissed, smacking the back of his head as she twisted her wrist out from his grip.

“I think someone already—“ Rusty started as the two Oceans turned to him with comebacks at the ready until he held his hands up in defeat with a whispered “mercy”.

“How did you even do it?” Danny asked suddenly. “You didn’t go out last night. I saw you at dinner. Are you sneaking out now? That’s a little freshman year for you, Deb.”

“I didn’t leave the house, Danny boy. Don’t get your panties in a twist.”

“Dad would never let a guy in your room,” Danny interjected, tugging Debbie back by her shirt as she took a deep breath, waiting for the inevitable truth to snap together.

“Who said it was a guy?” Debbie finally spoke, cringing as she closed her eyes, unsure what Danny’s response would be.

“Of course it’s a—“ Danny stopped mid-way, his eyes locking with Debbie’s as her own finally opened again, silently pleading him to understand.

“I mean Lou was here for dinner last night,” Rusty spoke over a mouthful of chips, Debbie and Danny’s eyes still locked on each other, Debbie now unsure whether she wanted to murder or thank Rusty for the interruption.

“Bingo,” Debbie whispered, looking down at the floor, too afraid to even offer an explanation or excuse or anything, desperately needing Danny to answer before she fainted.

“Miller did that to your neck?” Danny finally boomed, Debbie’s eyes pinching shut as she gritted her teeth. “You know, everyone’s always boasting about how chivalrous she is with the ladies and yet—“

“Oh, she’s plenty chivalrous,” Debbie smirked, her confidence rippling through her bloodstream again. She had plenty of examples in her head, but she didn’t want Danny to vomit. Or maybe she did. At least it would be a conversation stopper.

“Let’s go,” Danny snapped, standing up from the couch as he motioned to Rusty.

“Where the hell are you going?” Debbie protested, trying to block him as he stood.

“To kill Lou for doing that.”

“Maybe I like it,” Debbie smiled, not even embarrassed to be twisting the knife in further. Lou was absolutely going to love this when she told her.

“Who cares?” Rusty shrugged. “Lou’s one of the guys. She’s hot. She’s got a cool ride. It’s a sweet deal.”

“She’s hot?” Debbie asked, arching an eyebrow.

“I’m not gonna steal your girlfriend, Debbie. Pipe down,” Rusty sighed.

“You pipe down.”

“Both of you, shut up,” Danny sighed, rubbing his forehead as he sat back down. “Debbie. Get Lou over here now. I don’t care if you’re dating women. I’m just trying to protect your ass until you graduate. Let me give her the talk.”

“Let’s not and say we did,” Debbie suggested instead, trying to bolt once more.

“Debbie,” Danny warned. “Tell Miller to get her skinny ass over here. She can’t just kiss mom’s ass and eat her chicken and then go upstairs and suck your neck.”

“Understood,” Debbie nodded. “Valid. Very good point, Danny. So smart. Have I told you lately how smart you are? It really should be said more often. I mean—“

“Debbie,” Danny hissed.

“You know what? You were right the first time,” Debbie nodded. “It was the vacuum. No, maybe my hair straightener? Actually—“

“Bet you want to get us those drinks now, don’t you?” Rusty smirked.

[thereluctantinquisitor]

pssst i saw you reblog some witcher stuff and i was wondering - DA Witcher AU??? (maybe with Varlen as a witcher, because white hair and all, but up to you!)

So I made Hanin the bard. I don’t know why. Let’s do this. (3320 words)

[PART 2]

When Varlen shoved open the tavern door, he had expected the usual warm welcome of conversations warbling to a halt and a dozen sets of eyes silently rolling in their sockets to face him. He could judge any place by that single, simple act. Some people were very good at pretending not to watch every step he took with the wary apprehension of peasants who were raised on stories of monsters and beasts. Others, less so.

The presence of a Witcher was proof, after all. Proof that it was all true.

Well, some of it, at least.

But this tavern was different. The atmosphere inside was already tense, and for once it wasn’t his fault. Stepping through the threshold, shrugging off his damp cloak, Varlen looked for the eyes but found them all elsewhere, lingering in mugs or on the feeble flames of the hearth. There was music, faint and slow - almost reluctant, as though each note was an uncomfortable interruption of a much larger, heavier silence. If Varlen didn’t know any better, he’d guess someone had died.

But he did know better, and there was no need for guessing.

Not entirely sure what to do when he wasn’t immediately confronted by hostile villagers, Varlen made his way to the bar, hoping the old trick of asking the tavern owner for news would work its usual magic. He settled on one of the tall stools, shifting slightly, the blades hanging from each hip bumping awkwardly against the outside of his thighs as he adjusted. 

Steel for humans. Silver for monsters.

“Gold for the Witcher?”

Varlen started, surprised to see what he assumed was the owner of the tavern standing before him. He must have come in from the kitchen. “I… What?”

The stocky man cocked one of his bushy grey brows, then nodded to one of the casks behind him. “Honey brew. Local specialty.” He shrugged. “Folks just call it ‘gold’ around here. You want that or something else?”

So, he was actually being offered a drink first. Things must be worse than rumour suggested. “That’ll be fine,” he said after a moment, meeting the older man’s gaze. “Thank you.”

With a brisk nod, the tavern owner bustled away, fetching a mug and heading for the cask. He turned back and introduced himself as Rolf in what felt like an afterthought as the sound of rushing liquid filled the room. Varlen didn’t bother watching what he poured or how he did it. Most folks knew better than to try to poison a Witcher now. After enough failed attempts, word gets around. 

“Took your time getting here.” The mug sloshed but didn’t spill as the man set it down in front of Varlen, the stiffness of the movement one of the only things betraying his true feelings about having a mutant at his bar. “Can’t say I’m glad to see you, but we lost another one last night, so…”

“Another one?” Varlen ignored the drink for a moment, giving the man his full attention. “How many is that now? Six?”

Rolf sighed and nodded, and something more defeated washed over him. His shoulders sagged slightly, and for a moment Varlen actually felt sorry for him. After all, the tavern was where people went to drown their sorrows. It would be difficult, being submerged in that kind of grief every day. Easy to drown in it. “No one has a clue what’s doing it,” Rolf continued with a sigh, “but whatever it is, it seems to like hunting at night.”

“Like a wolf,” Varlen muttered, picking up his mug and taking a deep gulp of ale. “Or a bear.”

“Could be.” Rolf seemed a lot more open to the idea than Varlen expected. “Sure hope we didn’t go pulling all our coin together to pay you to hunt an animal, though.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time.” Varlen shrugged and set the mug down with a low thud. “So you have six people, all dead in the dark. Huh.” He frowned thoughtfully, then glanced up. “Men and women?”

A nod. “Four men, one woman. The Miller boy was the last taken.”

Varlen knew better than to ask, but somehow, he always did. “How old?”

“The lad?” Rolf huffed, leaning his large forearms on the wooden counter. “Not much more than fifteen winters. Can’t say I know for sure. Sorry.”

All Varlen could do was shake his head and take another drink. The boy was dead. That was always how the story went when he was involved. He was so used to it now that he never hoped for survivors. Even a wolf wouldn’t turn down such an easy meal. “Who do I speak to about the contract? You?”

Surprisingly, Rolf shook his head, then nodded towards the back of the bar. “Tall bastard over there’s who you want. He’s the one who convinced us to empty our pockets for one of your lot.”

Shifting, Varlen followed Rolf’s gaze. When he met his target, he raised his brows in surprise. Sure enough, there was a tall man at the far side of the tavern. He was in a low-backed chair, seeming almost bored, lute resting against his broad chest. His fingers absently plucked out the slow, halting rhythm that defined the room. Everything about his demeanor suggested he was a man lost in deep, melancholy thought. 

Everything except his eyes, which were locked on Varlen and likely had been since the second he set foot in the place.

The music stopped as the man stood, carefully swinging his lute across his back with the usual bardic reverence. There were no complaints that the song was over. In fact, no one even looked up as the man abandoned his post and crossed the room. Even Rolf just shook his head and disappeared back into the kitchen, leaving Varlen very much alone as the bard approached. 

“Witcher.”

“Bard.” Varlen raised his mug half-heartedly. “I hear you’re the man to talk to about—”

The sound of something heavy thudding to the counter cut Varlen off mid-sentence. A brown pouch, sides bulging at odd angles, barely slid once it made contact, burdened by its own weight. Despite himself, Varlen gave a low whistle, surprised to see so much from a place that seemed to have so little. “That bad, huh?”

“Yes.” Dragging out a stool, the man sat, one foot resting against the metal bar between the stool’s legs. “If the people here had let go of their denial earlier, they wouldn’t be where they are now.” He nodded towards the room. Towards the hunched figures. The vacant eyes. The nursed ales, warming slowly to the temperature of the wavering hearth. “They’ve already paid a higher price than this.”

There was something about his words that piqued Varlen’s curiosity. “You make it sound like you’re not from here.”

“I’m not.” The man’s green eyes cut across to him. There was anger behind them, but Varlen got the distinct feeling it was not directed at anything in particular. It was just there. “I am a bard. I travel.”

Varlen hummed, lifting his mug, draining another two mouthfuls of the strangely sweet brew. “Well, you sure put in a lot of work for someone who doesn’t even live here. What’s your name?”

“Hanin.” It seemed he wasn’t going to take the bait Varlen had so casually dangled in front of him. A shame. “I take it you’re aware you aren’t dealing with an animal here.”

Sighing, Varlen nodded. “Yes. I know.” He’d felt it the closer he got to the village, like a pressure on the back of his neck. Fingers wrapping tighter and tighter. Whatever it was that lurked in the nearby forest, it was strong. It was hungry. “I don’t suppose you have any idea what it is?”

Typically, canvassing the locals was about as useful as interviewing a pig about the war with Nilfgaard. So, needless to say, Varlen nearly choked on his ale in shock when Hanin glanced around then leaned in close. When he was sure he had Varlen’s attention, he murmured a single, terrible word.

“Bruxa.”

Immediately, Varlen felt that same sensation - that same weight on the back of his neck, only this time the hairs on his arms stood as well. He didn’t need to study the man to know precisely two things. 

Firstly, that he was telling him what he really believed was the truth. 

Secondly, that he was right.

“… Shit.” Varlen groaned and ran a gloved hand down his face. What he’d give for a wolf. A pack of wolves. Shit, even something as unnatural as a pack of bears would still be preferable to a single Bruxa. “What the fuck is a Bruxa doing here?”

“Quiet.” Hanin glanced around again. His stern expression was definitely for Varlen this time. “The last thing we need is to cause a panic.”

“A little panicking wouldn’t kill them.”

“No, but fleeing their homes this close to sundown would.”

He had a point, as much as Varlen hated to admit it. In truth, if he had his way, he’d clear the whole town out, tell them to relocate, and call it a day. If they were smart, they’d go. But people were rarely smart. Not when land and legacy meant more to them than their lives. “A pissed off bruxa could wipe out this entire village in a single night,” he remarked, then glanced at the pouch of gold. “You’re going to need more than that.”

The bard’s disposition shifted again, and this time the anger behind those eyes was all Varlen’s. Lucky him. “This is everything they have to spare, Witcher.”

“Varlen.”

“I don’t care what your name is. The gold is here. Take it and do your job.”

“It’s not enough.”

“People are dying.”

“People die every day.” Varlen knew it was harsh, but reality often was. He couldn’t be blamed for that, even though he always was. “I’m not risking my life against a bruxa for pocket change.”

He could feel Hanin’s rage, now. It pulsed like a living thing, and he spat each word like a mouthful of blood. “Greedy bastard - it wasn’t ‘pocket change’ before.”

Varlen gave a bored shrug. “It wasn’t a bruxa before.” With that, he stood, the stool grating along the wooden floorboards. He checked his mug, drained the last few drops, then slid it towards the end of the bar with a small stack of dirty bowls and cups. “If I’m so greedy, find someone else to do it. Oh, and tell Rolf the brew was good. It’ll be a shame to lose it.”

Even leaving the tavern was uneventful. In a town being ravaged by a creature as deadly as a bruxa, Varlen expected something to happen. An angry blacksmith blocking his path. A weeping widow. Shit, even a pissed off widow would make more sense than the complete resignation that seemed to radiate from every person he passed on his way to the door. 

Stepping outside, Varlen paused by the town’s main road, closed his eyes, and tilted his head. The sounds of the world slowly rose to meet him, rushing forward at his insistence, surrounding him, drowning him in a steady roar. Leaves rustled high above him in the canopy and it was as though the sound was happening right against his ear. Somewhere down the road to his left, a squirrel scuttled out of a pile of drying firewood. It wasn’t what he wanted. He frowned, concentrating until he heard a sparrow sing out ahead of him, nestled somewhere well beyond the treeline.

One.

He honed in on the sound, searching for more. Seconds passed. Then a finch added its voice to the mix, its song delicate and thin. Two. The more he found, the easier it was to tune out the rest of the world’s noise. A partridge met his ears next, then a pigeon’s coo. With each new bird that joined, Varlen felt something hard sink to the bottom of his stomach. A shrike piped up. A jackdaw. A—

“Wait.”

The voice, even though it sounded distant and distorted like words spoken underwater, broke through Varlen’s focus, pulling him out of his search. Grunting, he blinked his way back to the roadside and turned to regard Hanin. The man was dressed very unassumingly for a bard, in a simple linen shirt and brown trousers. No wonder Varlen had missed him on the way in.

“I already told you, I’m not…” Varlen trailed off as the man, with no small amount of disdain, held out two bulging cloth pouches, one the same as before, the other slightly smaller. If Varlen had to guess, it was enough coin to buy him a new saddle and set of shoes for Arla, and with money left to spare. “Impressive,” he confessed, folding his arms and regarding the bard. “You must have more of a silver tongue than you let on, if you managed to get anything out of that room.”

“I don’t relish this, Witcher. Save your flattery.” With a sharp motion, he tossed the original pouch to Varlen, but kept the second firmly in hand. “That one now, this one when the job is done.”

His tone indicated that he expected an argument about that, but Varlen just hefted the pouch in his hand and shrugged. “Fine. But it better not go missing while I’m gone.”

“It won’t.” Hanin made a point of sliding the pouch into his satchel, fastening it shut with a metallic click. “Because I’m going with you.”

This time there was no helping it. Varlen stared at him blankly for a moment, then let out a bright, astonished laugh. “You’re not serious?”

Hanin did not seem to share his amusement. “I won’t risk you running off with these people’s money. I will have proof that this thing is killed.”

Again, it wasn’t the first time he’d been accused of something like that. “You have my word that I won’t run off into the night,” he said, and actually tried to sound as genuine as possible. “And I don’t give that lightly.”

“Your word means very little to me.” Moving a few steps closer, Hanin paused beside Varlen, his eyes trained on the treeline. “Listen. The birds.”

While that kind of sign was clear to Varlen, he had to admit, he was surprised to hear a bard comment on it. “Yes,” he ventured, following Hanin’s gaze. “I hear them.”

For a moment, they just stood together by the dirt road, silent, shoulders drawn tight by an unspoken tension. Then, softly, the bard began to murmur something to a tune that was barely there. 

“In the tall woods of Velen, where the oak meets the sky,

seven lost birds in the treetops did cry.

But at sundown the sound of her silent screams bled

into the dreams of the woodsman asleep in his bed…”

Quietly, Hanin trailed off, and while Varlen was certain there was more to the verse, he let the matter slide in favour of something more important. “Listen. Don’t come with me. Stay here. You will be safer.”

Again, Hanin shook his head. “I… can’t.”

“Why not?” The question seemed simple enough, but Hanin clenched his jaw tight, and something about the dread that seemed to radiate from him set the pieces in place for Varlen. “You’ve heard her, haven’t you?”

“Yes.” It seemed to take everything he had to say a single word, and for the first time Varlen noticed the dark circles beneath the bard’s eyes. “I’m not alone. Here, no one can sleep anymore.”

With a sigh, Varlen reached up and rubbed his forehead wearily. “Yes. Bruxae like to do that. The stronger ones, at least.”

“Why?”

“They’re clever. It’s dangerous for them to venture into populated places, especially if they’re alone. So they drive people half mad with nightmares. Keep them awake in the dark hours. Stop them thinking rationally.”

Hanin frowned. “The people she’s already taken all went out for a walk in the middle of the night.”

Breathing deep, Varlen nodded. “People tend to do that, after a nightmare. Something about clearing their heads.” He shrugged. “It’s probably not a bad idea. Most times.” He looked across at Hanin, the bard seeming a shade paler than usual, and tried one last time to talk some sense into the man. “The only thing more foolish would be venturing into the bruxa’s territory on purpose. You clearly know the warning sign. Don’t risk your life for this.”

The words jolted Hanin out of his reverie, but much to Varlen’s frustration, he just shook his head again. “No. I… I am going with you.” He turned slightly, glancing back at the tavern. “I’ve seen a lot of places end up like this. Watched things fall apart and towns collapse on themselves as their people are picked off one by one.”

In truth, Varlen wasn’t sure where Hanin was going with his story. But the reality was that the sun was setting and he had preparations to make. So, he started to walk down the dirt road, back towards where he left Arla tethered to a tree. “So… what makes this place any different?”

For a moment, Varlen thought Hanin had come to his senses and wasn’t going to follow. But then the sound of a second set of footsteps joined his own, Hanin’s longer legs making short work of the distance between them. “All of the other times, I convinced myself it wasn’t my problem, and I left.” He shook his head slightly, eyes trained forward, something fearful but determined in that green gaze. It would have been impressive, in any other context. “But I won’t. Not this time. I’m tired of monsters and beasts tearing people apart.”

In more ways than one, Varlen thought. In truth, he could almost understand the man’s drive. Don’t get him wrong - Hanin was clearly out of his mind, wanting to accompany him into a bruxa’s lair. But at the same time, Varlen could sympathise. He used to be like that, when he first left Kaer Morhen. He’d take any job for half the coin other Witchers asked, simply because he wanted to help. But the world had a way of beating that kind of generosity out of you. After enough shredded bodies, lifeless eyes, bloodless corpses and thankless scorn, you learn that compassion comes second to survival. It has to, or no one would be left to walk away.

“I won’t be able to protect you,” Varlen said after a moment, not bothering to sugarcoat the truth. “I’ll have a hard enough time keeping myself alive against a well-fed bruxa.”

Hanin nodded. “I don’t expect you to.”

“When we get out there, you do exactly as I say. Down to the letter.”

Another nod. 

Varlen didn’t buy it. “That means if I tell you to run, you run. No questions asked. You run all the way back here and lock yourself inside. Understood?”

“Understood.”

To Varlen’s surprise, there was something else in the man’s voice. Something almost… amused. He paused, turning to look up at Hanin skeptically. “What?”

Again, there it was. A faint quirk of the lips this time, like he was sharing a private joke with himself. “Hm? Nothing.”

Varlen narrowed his eyes at the bard, then shrugged, continuing down the road. He could see Arla now, her tail flicking back and forth as she spotted him in return. In his mind, he went through a checklist of what he needed. Moon dust bombs. A black blood potion. Vampire oil. Silver.

And beside him, Hanin walked a few feet away, a hand on his satchel, his gaze fixed on the trees. As the sun dipped low on the horizon, the shadows of the branches stretched like reaching fingers across the uneven road.

The birds had stopped singing.

[tvtheorist]

Episode 5: Midgard

Outside the tent in the medical area, FELICITY and OCTAVIA are looking at their medical supplies.

OCTAVIA: They really gave us literally a first aid kit you can buy from the dollar store? Like who is this supposed to help?

FELICITY: Well, let's look at our research of medicinal herbs.

OCTAVIA: Most of the medicinal herbs we researched in class aren't going to be found in a state park in the middle of upstate New York.

FELICITY: Very true. I wonder though if they hid things, in the forest, things we'd need, things we researched.

OCTAVIA: What like a scavenger hunt?

FELICITY raises her eyebrows.

Outside in the main area of the camp FREYA is addressing FINN, BELLAMY, ANYA, BECK and some other philosophes.

FREYA: So, what are we going to name our settlement.

BELLAMY is laying on the ground, he has a basketball in his hand he is tossing it in the air and catching it.

BELLAMY: Camp.

BECK: We have to take this seriously.

BELLAMY: No, we don't. This is ridiculous. We're literally being treated like lab rats.

ANYA: What did you think the practical was going to be like?

BELLAMY: I don't know but not this. Not us out here in the middle of nowhere without any warning or time to prepare with drones following our every move like this is a TV show or something

FINN: Bro, an apocalypse does strike out of nowhere. But I agree about the drones, I'm not a fan of them at all. It's a total invasion of privacy.

BECK: Yeah well without a radio we have no way to communicate with the faculty if we need to other than with the drones.

BELLAMY: Why would we need to communicate with them anyways.

ANYA: Oh I don't know, maybe in case someone gets sick or if someone gets seriously hurt. I mean we're out in the middle of no where. Literally.

FREYA: Can we just pick a name and get this over with please.

BELLAMY: Whatever you want princess.

FREYA rolls her eyes, she takes the ball from BELLAMY and sits on it causing him to sit up and look at her.

BELLAMY: Hey!

FREYA: Come up with a name and you can have it back.

He glares at her and she is glaring back. The others see the tension. BELLAMY sighs.

BELLAMY: How about Midgard?

FREYA gives him a curious look.

BELLAMY: You know from Norse mythology.

FREYA: I know Norse mythology. I minored in Viking studies. I like it.

ANYA: For us non-Vikings, why Midgard?

BELLAMY: In Norse mythology it was one of the nine worlds, it's the only one located in the visible world and it helped lead to the concept of the word civilization.

FREYA: Yeah, it also has a double meaning. The first meaning referring to civilization's position in the world. It's location in the middle of the wild world. Which if you look around-

She stops and looks to the woods all around them.

FREYA: The second meaning was that in Norse mythology Mid-Gard, referred to it's position below Asgard, which was the home of the Gods, and above the Underworld.

FINN: I like it. Midgard it is.

FINN leaves to go work on making a sign for the camp. BELLAMY looks to FREYA.

BELLAMY: Can I have my ball back now?

FREYA without looking at him stands, picks up the ball, and hands it back to him. She sees FELICITY and OCTAVIA gathering around the fire and they are beginning to call everyone over. FREYA and the others begin to go over to the fire to hear what they have to say

OCTAVIA: I wanted to check in with the various areas of study, have you guys noticed that some of the things you researched and said we're necessities, some of the things you were told would be here aren't here?

RAVEN: Yeah, supplies for a generator or things to make solar panels, water purifier.

MILLER: The right kind of seeds for the time of year. It's late fall and they gave us seeds for late spring.

BECK: Our law research, they didn't provide that to us, the basic laws every society should have, it isn't included.

BELLAMY: Laws, really? That's what you're worried about BECK. Come on, we can write laws all we want but let's be real, here, there are no laws. Here, we can do whatever the hell we want whenever the hell we want.

BECK: It doesn't work that way. We need rules, we need laws.

BELLAMY: We're all adults here, we aren't children, I know the faculty back at school seem to think differently but we aren't. So we're going to do, whatever the hell we want and if you don't have to like it BECK, you can try to stop it, change it, kill me, you know why? Whatever the hell we want.

Almost everyone starts chanting except for NYSSA, FREYA, FELICITY, MONTY, JASPER, RAVEN, FINN, and ANYA who gets really upset and cuts them all off, by whistling loudly and then talking loud.

ANYA: No. These are supplies that we need to survive! You really think if we just blow this whole thing off and pretend like this is some spring break reality TV show that their won't be some hell to pay when we get back? We all signed contracts to take this seriously. This research could do a lot of good, It could save humanity one day.

FELICITY: Plus, we think those supplies have been hidden somewhere in the forest here, somewhere in the five mile radius they allotted for this camp. We need to get those supplies. We think they have a radio hidden out there somewhere for us to communicate with them. What if something happens to someone and the drones don't see? It's not like there is a drone for every person here. We need that radio to communicate with them.

BELLAMY: You want those supplies so bad go get them yourself.

OCTAVIA: What is wrong with you BELLAMY? What has gotten into you?

BELLAMY: They brought us out here with nothing! While they get to spy on us with these drones! This isn't what we signed up for, we signed up for a research doctoral program, does any of this look like a doctoral program to you? We're guinea pigs, lab rats. Well I say, (he grabs the drone that's flying next to him and speaks into it) I'm doing Whatever the hell I want. (he then throws the drone to the ground and breaks it.)

The chanting ensues. ANYA and some others are looking at each other like what the hell.

We see ANYA, FREYA, EMMA, JASPER, MONTY, FINN, FELICITY, OCTAVIA, BECK, NYSSA, and RAVEN.

ANYA: Well. Looks like it's just us heading out to look for those supplies.

NYSSA: I think we should split into two groups. Head out in different directions, cover more ground.

ANYA: Good Idea. FREYA you got your bow so you head one group.

FREYA: What does having a bow have to do with it?

ANYA: In case you run into a mountain lion or a bear or something.

FREYA hadn't thought of that.

FREYA: Fine. OCTAVIA, NYSSA, MONTY, and JASPER come with me.

BECK: I'm going to stay here and organize the supplies. Now that we are making way with the structure we should organize them and keep them there so they stay dry. I'll collect some berries too.

ANYA: Good. You can also keep an eye on everything and make sure whatever the hell we want doesn't get out of hand. FINN, FELICITY, RAVEN, and EMMA. You're with me. Let's get moving.

Everyone breaks apart to get things done.

Flashback.

FREYA is with BEAUREGARD at a archery range, he is teaching her how to use her bow.

FREYA: I can't believe you used to hunt. I mean you're a vegan, you don't even wear leather.

BEAUREGARD: You can take the boy out of Louisiana but you can't take Louisiana outta the boy.

They both laugh and FREYA misses her target, BEAUREGARD shoots and hits his right on the target

BEAUREGARD: I haven't always been a vegan. When I was a kid growing up in Louisiana hunting was how we put food on the table. We didn't kill for sport. If you killed it, you skinned it, you cleaned it, you cooked it, and then you ate. (FREYA makes a face of disgust which makes him smirk) We also wore the furs in winter times. My mom would make us hats and coats out of them….Not all of us grew up in the big city of Los Angeles.

FREYA: Yeah well it was probably a lot easier for me to go vegan that it was for you.

BEAUREGARD: That I'm sure of.

FREYA shoots, BEAUREGARD helps her with her form and she shoots and hits the bullseyes, she turns to him and they are smiling at each other.

FREYA: Why do you still practice if you don't intend to hunt anymore?

He shoots again and hits the bullseye and then shrugs

BEAUREGARD: I don't know, I guess it keeps me connected to my family in a way. Plus you never know when the skill will come in handy. (she looks at him confused) Why did you let me get you that bow if you never intend to kill something with it?

FREYA: I don't know, to be close to you I guess?

She shoots and hits the target again, and he pulls her close and kisses her.

FREYA is leading the way with her group, which includes, OCTAVIA, MONTY, JASPER, and NYSSA. NYSSA and FREYA are walking a ways ahead.

NYSSA: I brought a map as well, that way we can plot out where we found the supplies, also if we spot anything like caves, berries, or fresh water. I know we're only here for thirty days but we'll be back later in the semester, we should keep a record of where we found things.

FREYA: That's really smart. I hadn't thought of that. Did you bring the map-

NYSSA: No, it was in the supplies they left us.

JASPER: So what do you think we should look out for?

MONTY: Well they'd probably cover it in some way with a tarp or something, maybe even bury it. It would be freshly dug soil if they did that.

OCTAVIA: Pretty much just look for anything that doesn't belong, got it. Hopefully we're right about this because if we aren't we're going to look pretty dumb when we come back with nothing.

JASPER chuckles. FREYA and NYSSA just continue to hike on.

The other group is still looking for supplies when they come across something, they come across a banged up shed.

ANYA: Look…do you think the supplies might be in here?

FELICITY: I don't know, it could be some homeless person's home.

While the others stop to think about whether they should go up to it or not RAVEN walks right up to it and opens the door. She is shocked but happy to see what's inside. She turns to the others.

RAVEN: It's the radio! Some Iodine pills, seed, more tools, some bows, arrows. Jackpot!

FELICITY: Medical supplies?

RAVEN glances in again and then turns back out and shakes her head. She starts to carry some of the supplies out. The others help.

ANYA: The other group will find them. This stuff will help though. These bows are going to be difficult to draw for some of the people back at camp but they'll have to due.

EMMA: Does anyone even know how to skin and cook animals?

She has a disgusted look on her face. RAVEN laughs.

RAVEN: I'm sure out of 92 of us, someone knows. Someone's gone hunting before I know it.

They are gathering the supplies in a way that makes it easy for them to carry back.

FINN: Wait…Should we keep some of it a secret? Maybe a bow, even the radio. I mean what if the others smash it, I mean they looked pretty anarchist back there.

They others look at each other certainly thinking about it.

RAVEN: No, because if they find out that we're keeping supplies a secret than we become the assholes. Plus, like FELICITY said, if someone gets hurt we need the radio at camp to contact the professors. We'll just have to keep an eye on the radio, make sure someone we trust always has an eye on it.

EMMA: Well you and MONTY are the best with that kind of stuff so it makes sense one of you should keep it. We'll just have to make the others see that.

ANYA: Agreed. Leave that part to me. BELLAMY doesn't scare me, I can take him.

She said that with a smirk. They finish gathering the supplies.

FELICITY: Alright, let's get this stuff back before it starts to get dark.

They head back towards camp.

Back at camp BECK is making a pile of berries, he is placing them in buckets. MILLER walks by and takes a handful to eat.

BECK: Hey, what are you doing? Those are to get stored in case we run out of food.

MILLER and BECK start to shove each other. BELLAMY is in his tent, he has a girl on each side of him, it's obvious he's naked, just finished having a threesome with them. He jumps up, putting pants on and comes outside and observes BECK and MILLER. As soon as he starts to speak They stop shoving each other and look to him.

BELLAMY: You still don't get it?

He grabs a handful of the berries and eats them too.

BELLAMY: Want them back, take it.

BECK kicks the berries over, a few people start scrambling to them.

BECK: Is this what you want? Chaos?

BELLAMY: What's wrong with a little chaos?

Suddenly there is a scream.

BELLAMY and BECK go to see what it is all about.

They walk to find MURPHY holding FREYA'S cat over the fire, BROOKE is telling him to stop. BELLAMY looks a little horrified.

MURPHY : BELLAMY, I think I found tonight's dinner.

BECK runs up and shoves him back from the fire and BROOKE takes the cat. BECK turns to BELLAMY.

BECK: You could stop this

BELLAMY: Stop this? I'm just getting started.

MURPHY runs over and punches BECK a fight ensues they are fighting bad, MURPHY'S winning at first but then BECK is, he gets up after almost knocking MURPHY out and

BECK: Don't you see you can't control this.

MURPHY gets up and pulls out a knife

MURPHY: You're dead.

BELLAMY: WAIT!

He gets in between them and tosses down a knife for BECK

BELLAMY: Fair fight.

BECK looks at it like really dude, but he picks it up and they begin fighting BECK gets the upper hand again and has the knife to his throat.

BECK: Drop your knife.

He does and BECK throws him to the ground. MURPHY tries to go back at it and BELLAMY stops him and grabs him

BELLAMY : Enough, MURPHY, stop.

Suddenly ANYA, RAVEN, FELICITY, and FINN show back up with the supplies they found.

ANYA: What the hell is going on?

BELLAMY: Just having a little guy fun.

ANYA: Sure. Whatever, well we found the supplies, radio, iodine for the water, bows, arrows, more tools, proper seeding. You're lucky we're nice and we're going to share.

FELICITY: Now that there are more bows you can stop telling FREYA to use hers to kill animals when you know she's a vegan.

BELLAMY: Yeah, well, her cat was almost dinner because she refuses to hunt for us. Now, we don't need her too.

FELICITY shares a weird look with ANYA on that note. BROOKE comes over with the cat to show them it is safe.

BELLAMY: Where's my sister?

RAVEN : With FREYA, JASPER, MONTY, and EMMA. They went in a different direction to find supplies, hopefully they find the medical supplies we're lacking.

FELICITY: I hope she finds a machete for his head.

BELLAMY: Cute. What's that?

He is looking at the radio RAVEN is holding.

RAVEN : A radio, to communicate with the professors.

ANYA : Yeah, and RAVEN and MONTY will the only ones allowed to touch it.

BELLAMY: Oh yeah, why's that?

RAVEN squares up to BELLAMY, she is inches from his face.

RAVEN : Because whatever the hell we want right? Well, this is whatever the hell I want.

She pushes BELLAMY back and she walks off along with some of the others.

ANYA goes into RAVEN'S tent where RAVEN is setting up the radio

ANYA: He's being extra douchey today.

RAVEN: I can't believe he's the same person who saved my life a week ago.

ANYA is confused by this.

ANYA: What do you mean?

RAVEN bites her lip. She is debating whether or not to tell ANYA the truth.

RAVEN : We went to HARPER'S to take her stuff to her that I still had. She got violent and well BELLAMY had to do it. He had to.

ANYA: Wait, are you telling me he hurt her?

RAVEN: You didn't see her ANYA. She was sick she just kept trying to bite me. She was strong too she wouldn't stop if he didn't kill her -

ANYA: Kill her? He killed her? Did you guys go to the police?

RAVEN: No! We didn't know what to do. Please ANYA you can't tell anyone what happened. Please.

ANYA is thinking about this for a long minute before silently agreeing to keep it quiet. She leaves the tent.

FREYA and the others are in the woods looking for the supplies they need when

JASPER: We've been looking for hours. I don't think there is anything out here.

OCTAVIA is ahead of them a little, she stops and she points.

OCTAVIA: Guys, I think I see something. Up here.

She starts to run up ahead. FREYA looks and she sees food wrappers on the ground, they appear to have been eaten and opened by an animal.

FREYA: Wait, OCTAVIA stop.

OCTAVIA stops and turns around, she is a few feet from the supplies. She is looking at them curiously. Suddenly a baby bear comes out and is really close to her. OCTAVIA turns and sees it. She smiles, but she turns, now seeing the mother bear out. She is way too close. The bear roars. They others looks scared. OCTAVIA freezes.

MONTY: Shit. What do we do.

JASPER: Their must be food in that container too, that's why it was so out in the open, they got into it.

NYSSA: It's going to charge her. Freya you have to shoot it.

FREYA: I-I can't. I can't do it.

OCTAVIA falls backwards, she is trying to stay as still as possible like they say to do when your approached by bear, the bear is angry you can tell

NYSSA: FREYA, you have to! It will kill her!

It is about to attack her when it is hit right in the eye with an arrow. It goes down on top of OCTAVIA. FREYA looks horrified at what she just did. They all go running over. OCTAVIA is under the bear

OCTAVIA : I'm okay, It's just crushing me, that's all.

FREYA grabs the tarp that was covering the supply pack and spreads it out. The others are by the dead bear.

FREYA: Okay guys on the count of three we need to roll the bear off of her and onto the tarp, one, two, three.

They do it, not easily but they manage. FREYA looks at the dead bear and looks around for the cub but it is gone. JASPER is helping OCTAVIA up she has some blood on her shoulder from the bear but she is okay just limping. OCTAVIA limps over to FREYA

OCTAVIA: Nice shot. You saved my life.

FREYA gives her a half smile. They look at the supplies and see that there are medical supplies, food most of it eaten by the bears, matches, some plates and some radios

FREYA: Well at least we found the medical supplies, these radios don't look like they're for communicating with the professors,

MONTY: They're for communicating with each other.

FREYA: We keep these to ourselves then. Chaos squad didn't even want to look for them. That way we can communicate with each other when we go out hunting or looking for fresh water.

They all nod in agreement.

NYSSA: OCTAVIA, you sure you're okay to walk back to camp.

OCTAVIA: I think I twisted my ankle, but yeah, with your help I should be alright.

JASPER looks to the bear on the tarp.

JASPER: What do we do about the bear?

FREYA: We take it back to camp.

MONTY: Seriously?

FREYA: I killed it, we're eating it, it's going to serve a purpose… Let's go.

MONTY and JASPER share reserved looks but they both go and help FREYA and they start to drag the bear on the tarp. It's definitely a struggle.

They make it back to camp and BELLAMY immediately runs up to OCTAVIA who is the first to arrive being assisted by NYSSA. He runs up and picks her up and carries her to a spot to sit.

BELLAMY: Are you alright? What happened?

OCTAVIA: Yeah, I'm fine. A bear fell on me.

BELLAMY: A bear?!

He is freaked, he takes her from NYSSA and picks her up carrying her over to a log and he sits her down and looks at the blood on her.

OCTAVIA: I'm fine BELL. Yes a bear. FREYA killed it so it wouldn't attack me but it fell on me, she saved my life.

ANYA: Where are the others?

NYSSA: back that way a little ways, they told us to go ahead, um, they could probably use your help, the bear is kind of heavy.

BELLAMY and ANYA share looks a amazement. They run off to help with MURPHY and MILLER right behind them

In the woods they find them feebly trying to drag the bear, BELLAMY and ANYA come to help. BELLAMY is pulling next to FREYA.

BELLAMY: You shot this thing? One arrow, right in the eye? I'm impressed, I didn't think you had it in you.

FREYA: Yeah well I wasn't going to let it kill your sister. But I'm not skinning it okay, you do it, or make whoever else do it. We need to preserve some of this meat, smoke it. I mean it, none of this whatever the hell we want. I killed this bear I want it to serve a purpose, every last bit of it.

LAERTES: You got it, princess.

She gives him a look like I hate that name. He smirks, and they continue walking on with the bear.

RAVEN is in her tent working on the radio when MONTY comes in he shows her the other radios they found.

MONTY: We don't want the chaos squad out there knowing about these. These are just for us. Have you got that radio working?

RAVEN: No. Figures they would give us a broken one, one we'd have to fix in order to use. This is stupid.

MONTY frowns.

MONTY: Yeah, these radios are missing parts too.

RAVEN: Of course they are.

MONTY looks around, he sees the drone that BELLAMY broke earlier. He picks it up.

RAVEN: Yeah, I haven't got around to fixing that one yet.

MONTY: I had an idea. We didn't find any solar panels out there, we're going to need them if we want to make a makeshift hot water heater and to charge and power the radios once we fix them. Why don't we take apart the drones, use the solar panels on them, and repurpose the rest of parts in them.

RAVEN: You're a genius, MONTY! But wait…they can't watch us if we take them apart.

MONTY: Yeah but really, why do they need to if we have a radio to communicate with them. When we get back to campus we can fill them in, we're the ones researching, I thought? Why do they need to watch us like caged animals? We have perfectly good supplies in the drones at our disposal.

RAVEN: You make a solid argument. But I think we should at least leave two of them working at least until we can get the radio working.

MONTY nods and he sits down and begins to take apart the drone with RAVEN

FELICITY is wrapping up OCTAVIA'S ankle.

FELICITY: Why weren't you more careful.

OCTAVIA: I've never seen a bear before but trust me I'll definitely be on the lookout for one now, don't worry.

FELICITY: I'm surprised that FREYA killed it. She's a vegan and swore off killing anything with a heartbeat a long time ago.

OCTAVIA looks guilty at this confession. FELICITY sees that and smiles.

FELICITY: Don't feel guilty, she obviously saw that you were in danger and preferred to have you alive instead of the bear.

She finishes wrapping her ankle

FELICITY: (sarcastically) I guess she made the right choice.

OCTAVIA can't believe what she hearing and then she looks to FELICITY'S smirk and she gives her a playful push.

Everyone is eating the bear that has been cooked and brought back. FREYA is sitting alone eating berries. BELLAMY brings her a plate of the bear. It is night time. She looks at in disgust.

FREYA: No thanks.

BELLAMY: Come on, you said it yourself, the bear needs to serve a purpose, you can't survive out here on berries.

FREYA: I'm a vegan and I killed a bear. That's not okay.

BELLAMY: You saved my sister's life.

FREYA: I know, I don't regret that, I just wish I could've done that without killing the bear, that's all.

BELLAMY: Well you couldn't and now, the bear, it's here to feed you, the fur will become a blanket to keep you warm, and hell we might even have a use for the bones, I don't know what the engineers are thinking but I don't question it.

FREYA reluctantly takes the plate of bear and eats it with a grimace on her face which makes BELLAMY chuckle. They are silent for a few moments just looking outward.

FREYA: What happened with you and BROOKE?

BELLAMY: You noticed?

FREYA: Um yeah, your tent has been like a revolving door lately, I haven't seen you get this many girls since our junior year of undergrad when you decided muscles looked good on you.

She smirks at him and he smirks back, he goes back to looking outward.

BELLAMY: She wanted to be with STAVO. I don't want to force someone to be with me that doesn't want to be.

FREYA: She cheated huh? I mean that's what happened Junior year too, except it was you who cheated what was the poor girl's name who got her heart broken, Rebecca? You thought she was too wrapped up in her inventions, she didn't pay enough attention to you.

BELLAMY: It's not like that.

FREYA: It's what you do, you try to make your self feel better, feel more like man by getting with a ton of girls after a break up, why? You don't have to do that, no one thinks of you any less, you're still Mr. perfect BELLAMY BLAKE with your perfect freckles, your perfect messy hair, your perfect brown eyes, and your perfect abs.

BELLAMY: You think I have perfect abs?

He said that with a smirk and she just gives him a look and a smirk back.

BELLAMY: Better than shutting down like you do. After you and BECK broke up, you shut down, locked yourself away in your room. Now…you're all quiet, not making a peep, I made one hell of a speech today and you didn't even interrupt me once. I don't even think you rolled your eyes. At least I'm present.

FREYA: You're right.

BELLAMY: Did FREYA OLEANDER just agree with me? The world must be ending.

FREYA: Haven't you heard, that's why were here.

They share a smile and they go back to watching outward in silence and eating their bear.

Later we see BELLAMY in his tent with his gun in his hands just looking at it. He is looking at it intently when Someone is about to come in so he stows it away pretty quickly. It is ANYA. BELLAMY looks up at her annoyed,

BELLAMY: What do you want?

ANYA: I know what you did to HARPER. But don't worry your secret is safe with me…for now.

BELLAMY: Yeah. Why do I feel like you want something in return for keeping quiet.

ANYA: Because I do. I want things to go smoothly here. You want to relax and take things easy fine but don't drag everyone else down with you.

BELLAMY: I can't help it if people follow me.

ANYA: I think unless you want OCTAVIA and everyone else to know you're a murderer you'll figure out a way to make yourself less of a leader.

She leaves the tent smirking and he is sitting there fuming.

FREYA is sitting by the fire with BECK. They are being quiet. He gets her, he doesn't push. FREYA looks over to him.

FREYA: I'm sorry.

BECK looks at her slightly confused.

FREYA: For cheating all those years ago. For ruining something that was so good over a moment of weakness.

After a moment BECK smiles

BECK: I forgave you years ago but by that time you were already with BEAUREGARD.

They hug. FREYA lets a few tears fall down

FREYA: I'm so sorry.

He just holds her and rubs her back.

BELLAMY see this as he leaves his tent. He goes and finds MURPHY sitting by a different fire. He was also watching the exchange.

MURPHY: She sure knows how to move on fast.

MURPHY turns to BELLAMY

MURPHY: is it considered moving on if it's with someone she's already been with?

BELLAMY has a serious face. He isn't there to talk about that.

BELLAMY : ANYA knows I killed HARPER.

MURPHY'S face gets more serious

MURPHY: What are you going to do about?

BELLAMY: I don't know.

MURPHY: Look, out here, she can't tell anyone. At least until they get the radio working. So I say let it play out for now.

BELLAMY nods.

MURPHY: They get that radio working though you might have to consider using that gun on her.

This makes BELLAMY looks a little uncomfortable.

[amazingreligion]

Human Evolution and Islam

N.B That’s not a new topics ! It’s a part of an archived thread originally posted on sunniforum. This is a thread for this topic and how Islamically we can explain it. It is only for Muslims whilst Muslim biologists are specially invited to participate. It is incumbent upon the Muslim biologists and those in the field to refute those who use biological ideas against Islam. Otherwise don't blame those Muslims who are not biologists yet who take on this task. Here's a start that i wrote elsewhere: Ok after having read a lot since that time, particularly from pro-evolutionists-i'm not convinced by human evolution whilst the topic of other species, it is highly probable that macro-evolution(in case some are wondering, actually some evolutionists accept the distinction) to some extent took place although current evolutionary theory is seriously deficient in its explanations and must be improved-, i've come up several observations: 1) Evolutionists at times have used outright deception to propagate their views(such as Haeckal's embryos) 2) Evolutionists have been very gullible at accepting "evidences" that have turned out to be wrong(the "Piltdown man,"  the "peppered moths", the Miller-Urey experiments etc) 3) Evolutionists have a lot of evangelicals(atheists and agnostics) who are trying to promote their views against theists and thus have no sense of accountability for what they say-provided their not shown to be wrong- and this has been shown by their blatant lies at times. 4) Christians opposing evolution have also used lies and shown ignorance of the topic 5) Thus neither sides have been trustworthy(especially the atheists) 6) Considering the methodology of Islam in accepting information,-more important in this case as the issue affects Islam- i propose that Muslim scientists don't accept information on the topic where the opinion is against Islam(especially when there's a strong bias by the kuffar) but should set stringent criteria for verifying the information and must verify it themselves. 7) The conclusion is that the information that the kuffar provide on the topic of evolution(where is contradicts Islam i.e. human evolution) is not accepted at the current moment until it is verified by trustworthy Muslim scientists. 8) Also Muslim scientists should aim to refute those kuffar who oppose Islamic beliefs through science. Harun Yahya(although not a scientist and i disagree with his works) however must be commended(contrary to the useless Muslim scientists who have done nothing but complain about him) as he has set the groundwork and now the real Muslim scientists should take over and modify and strengthen his arguments. Note that i've talked with a science teacher(who is a biologist and has a masters degree) and he basically said that there's a number of serious problems with the theory but its a developing theory so there's no guarantee on some of the things it says. And he rejected human evolution.

Last edited by loveProphet; 25-06-2012 at 09:26 PM. A thought on human evolution, one thing that we expect if we're created differently to the rest of creation is that we should have unique things. Of course it is obvious in our intelligence(it is the highest) and other behavioural aspects but lets look at the physical aspects. Also why did humans supposedly ditch the trees and the tail? Before it was suggested that being bipedal involved less energy but now its shown to not be the case. Anyways some stuff i picked up from page 7 and onwards: http://www.arn.org/docs/luskin/cl_fa...gentdesign.pdf Sure i'm not fond of ID but they've got neat references that can be checked up. Another study wrote, “We, like many others, interpret the anatomical evidence to show that early H[omo] sapiens was significantly and dramatically different from earlier and penecontemporary australopithecines in virtually every element of its skeleton and every remnant of its behavior.” J. Hawks, K. Hunley, L. Sang-Hee, and M. Wolpoff, “Population Bottlenecks and Pleistocene Evolution,” Journal of Molecular Biology and Evolution, Vol. 17(1): 2-22 (2000). One commentator proposed this evidence implies a "big bang theory" of human evolution. New study suggests big bang theory of human evolution The famed late evolutionary paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould noted that "most hominid fossils, even though they serve as a basis for endless speculation and elaborate storytelling, are fragments of jaws and s****s of skull" A Harvard evolutionary paleoanthropologist recently stated in the New York Times that newly discovered hominid fossils "show 'just how interesting and complex the human genus was and how poorly we understand the transition from being something much more apelike to something more humanlike.'" Fossils in Kenya Challenge Linear Evolution [ "Other paleontologists and experts in human evolution said the discovery strongly suggested that the early transition from more apelike to more humanlike ancestors was still poorly understood. " And see: Fossil find pushes human-ape split back millions of years "we know nothing about how the human line actually emerged from apes.” Ok so i went through sciencedaily.com some time ago to see what features are unique to humans apart from the soul. I've found out about the brain and humans walking but now i saw this: What Is The Cognitive Rift Between Humans And Other Animals? No Easy Answers In Evolution Of Human Language Complexity Constrains Evolution Of Human Brain Genes Now fit this in with the Islamic idea of man being created differently. On the other hand more on the ERVs: Ancient Retroviruses Spurred Evolution Of Gene Regulatory Networks In Humans And Other Primates Using the tools of computational genomics, the UCSC team gathered compelling evidence that retroviruses helped out. It can be used as an argument that Allah put them there for our benefit. More like a common plan is why you see them at the same loci on the same chromosomes in the different species. Also see for HERVs: Retroviruses Shows That Human-Specific Variety Developed When Humans, Chimps Diverged More: Do orthologous gene phylogenies really support tree-thinking? Results Heat map analyses were used to investigate the congruence of orthologues in four datasets (archaeal, bacterial, eukaryotic and alpha-proteobacterial). We conclude that we simply cannot determine if a large portion of the genes have a common history. In addition, none of these datasets can be considered free of lateral gene transfer. Conclusion Our phylogenetic analyses do not support tree-thinking. These results have important conceptual and practical implications. We argue that representations other than a tree should be investigated in this case because a non-critical concatenation of markers could be highly misleading Originally Posted by ahsanirfan as salam `alaykum I shall respond, but not now. jazak Allahi khayrun for alerting me to it. Insha allah, keep adding whatever you know and I will be sure to read up on it. I took out three books today from the library: Behe, Michael - Darwin's Black Box - I've read this before, but I plan to read it again. Behe, Michael - The Edge of Evolution Gould, Stephen Jay - Punctuated Equilibrium - This is about how there are gaps in the fossil record Let me know if you have more resources that I can look up, insha Allah. I will Insha'Allah write up more when i have time. But Jay Gould's book is definitely great, he started the movement against gradualism(its weak in palaeontology) although he was an atheist. Jeffrey Schwartz has taken the lead, nevertheless they still believe in evolution(and i have no problem with it except with human evolution). As for Michael Behe and a lot of the IDists, they support human evolution so this stuff is of no use to us on this issue. So don't waste your time reading those two although i have the new book by him(got it today from the library called biochemical challenge). What we have to do is really create an Islamic perspective of this. For this the first thing we need is the different Islamic material(Qur'an, Hadith etc) on the creation of Adam(AS) and then we can make logical predictions from them so that we can atleast know what to look for. Though i might read this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Why-Fly-Hors...3647641&sr=8-1 Since however you're not going to be studying biology, you might also want to read this(its simple for laymen to understand): http://www.amazon.co.uk/Evolution-Du...3647683&sr=1-1 There is a discussion over punctuated equilibrium and gradualism in this peer-reviewed article: http://www.discovery.org/articleFiles/PDFs/Cambrian.pdf This is only because you mentioned Gould's book. I don't the evolution of non-humans to be a discussion here. Remember we're not after evolution of non-humans so don't get too distracted! Last edited by loveProphet; 16-06-2008 at 08:28 PM. Discussions with Christians and Debate Human evolution is not supported by the fossil evidence. Much of the alleged evidence that filled text books over the last 50 years has now been reclassified or rejected altogether. The missing links are still missing. Human Evolution: The Legacy of the Fossil Evidence Human evolution has many issues, including the realities of genetics, biochemistry, design theory, irreducible complexity, DNA structure, and information systems. However, the reality of the human fossil record alone is enough to reject the theory of human evolution all together. Here are just a few of the major problems with the alleged fossil record of the past century: Ramapithecus was widely recognized as a direct ancestor of humans. It is now established that he was merely an extinct type of orangutan. Piltdown man was hyped as the missing link in publications for over 40 years. He was a fraud based on a human skull cap and an orangutan's jaw. Nebraska man was a fraud based on a single tooth of a rare type of pig. Java man was based on sketchy evidence of a femur, skull cap and three teeth found within a wide area over a one year period. It turns out the bones were found in an area of human remains, and now the femur is considered human and the skull cap from a large ape. Neandertal man was traditionally depicted as a stooped ape-man. It is now accepted that the alleged posture was due to disease and that Neandertal is just a variation of the human kind. Human Evolution:  Human evolution has its currently fashionable specimens that lead from small ape-like creatures to Homo sapiens. These are examples of the most recent alleged links: Australopithecus afarensis, or "Lucy," has been considered a missing link for years. However, studies of the inner ear, skulls and bones have shown that she was merely a pygmy chimpanzee that walked a bit more upright than some other apes. She was not on her way to becoming human. Homo erectus has been found throughout the world. He is smaller than the average human of today, with a proportionately smaller head and brain cavity. However, the brain size is within the range of people today and studies of the middle ear have shown that he was just like current Homo sapiens. Remains are found throughout the world in the same proximity to remains of ordinary humans, suggesting coexistence. Australopithecus africanus and Peking man were presented as ape-men missing links for years, but are now both considered Homo erectus. Homo habilis is now generally considered to be comprised of pieces of various other types of creatures, such as Australopithecus and Homo erectus, and is not generally viewed as a valid classification. Human Evolution: The Most Recent Find In July 2002, anthropologists announced the discovery of a skull in Chad with "an unusual mixture of primitive and humanlike features." The find was dubbed "Toumai" (the name give to children in Chad born close to the dry season) and was immediately hailed as "the earliest member of the human family found so far." By October 2002, a number of scientists went on record to criticize the premature claim -- declaring that the discovery is merely the fossil of an ape. Human Evolution: The Theory Has No Support in the Fossil Record Human evolution is a theory in denial. With all of this fossil evidence (or lack thereof) it becomes increasingly clear to an earnest seeker that human evolution did not happen at all. • Lack of Transitional Fossils. Charles Darwin wrote, "Lastly, looking not to any one time, but to all time, if my theory be true, numberless intermediate varieties, linking closely together all the species of the same group, must assuredly have existed. But, as by this theory, innumerable transitional forms must have existed, why do we not find them embedded in countless numbers in the crust of the earth?" (Origin of Species, 1859). Since Darwin put forth his theory, scientists have sought fossil evidence indicating past organic transitions. Nearly 150 years later, there has been no evidence of transition found thus far in the fossil record. • Lack of a Natural Mechanism. Charles Darwin, in his Origin of Species, proposed Natural Selection to be the mechanism by which an original simple-celled organism could have evolved gradually into all species observed today, both plant and animal. Darwin defines evolution as "descent with modification." However, Natural Selection is known to be a conservative process, not a means of developing complexity from simplicity. Later, with our increased understanding of genetics, it was thought perhaps Natural Selection in conjunction with genetic mutation allowed for the development of all species from a common ancestor. However, this is theoretical and controversial, since "beneficial" mutations have yet to be observed. In fact, scientists have only observed harmful, "downward" mutations thus far. N. Heribert Nilsson, a famous botanist, evolutionist and professor at Lund University in Sweden, continues: My attempts to demonstrate evolution by an experiment carried on for more than 40 years have completely failed… The fossil material is now so complete that it has been possible to construct new classes, and the lack of transitional series cannot be explained as being due to scarcity of material. The deficiencies are real, they will never be filled. 4 Even the popular press is catching on. This is from an article in Newsweek magazine: The missing link between man and apes, whose absence has comforted religious fundamentalists since the days of Darwin, is merely the most glamorous of a whole hierarchy of phantom creatures … The more scientists have searched for the transitional forms that lie between species, the more they have been frustrated. Is it enough to prove that the human evolution is not possible? As I have already mentioned that in Quraan it is cleared stated that: All human are created from the single pair (ie. Adam and Hawwa) And still today the science is not advance to prove this.  So Quraan is superior to the science. Realistically, if Darwin's theory can't begin to explain the 'evolution' of a system as simple as a ten part mouse trap, what hope has it got in explaining the development of the complex biochemistry associated with a single cell organism, let alone higher life forms? The Test Commandment: Sabbath matter Now examine the account in Exodus 16:1-30. The people of Israel were "murmuring" against God because they wanted more food. So God said, "I will... TEST them, whether they will walk in My LAW or not" (v. 4) Remember that this was a TEST—to see whether they would follow God's law or not. So what did the people do?     As human beings so often do, they did NOT take God seriously! Some Israelites went out and tried to find manna even on the Sabbath. And the only link between the human and the monkey was explained in the Holy Quraan is: And indeed you knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath (i.e. Saturday). We said to them: "Be you monkeys, despised and rejected."___(Surah Al baqarah-Verse # 65) So When Allah rejected them and curse them to be monkeys, then is it not possible that those unbelievers turned into the monkeys or ape.  And even if in the future the missing link between the human and monkey is found, it has to be of one of the unbeliver. Ok i found another interesting quote: Considering the very close genetic relationship that has been established by comparison of biochemical properties of blood proteins, protein structure and DNA and immunological responses, the differences between a man and a chimpanzee are more astonishing than the resemblances... Something must have happened to the ancestors of Homo sapiens which did not happen to the ancestors of gorillas and chimpanzees Elain Morgan, The Aquatic Ape: A Theory of Human evolution