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sector38 · 7 months ago

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From Sector: 38

Entry: II

After my last "encounter," my mind was made – I couldn't just sit at the edge of the sector staring out at the abyss – a hunger had made itself a home inside of me, nested under my bosom and in between my ribcage. For what it was worth, I could now say I was the proud owner of a brand new sector pass (actually in date this time), meaning I could also now apply for a real job. Before, it felt like I was wading through murky waters devoid of a lighthouse: without any sense of direction or purpose, but now I knew where I was going, who I was to be, and what I was to become – a xenologist.

It wasn't the easiest job. When I told my friends, they outright laughed. Sure, the world wasn't what it used to be – fancy bits of laminated paper were all lost to the flood – but that didn't mean that anyone could just walk in with zero qualifications, no questions asked. This was especially so for jobs that didn't exist pre-flood (including but not limited to, you guessed it, xenology). Before, if the job existed, maybe I would have gone to some elite university and collected my certificate that, for some reason, was meant to equate four years of my life, with a smile – now, we had the circuits.

On the bright side, it was a shorter process, 6-12 months if you survived that long and shorter if you didn't. I didn't know the process that well (sue me), but I knew that I would be starting at the outer tier, maintenance (glorified clean-up crew) and working my way in, each stage more deadly than the last until finally I reached the core, or as its more commonly known, "The Arena." I could never just choose the easy path.

I knew I should have been nervous, but... I just wasn't. I guess after the encounter, it was hard to feel like I hadn't been given some top-secret information that put me ahead. I hadn't really had the time to think about it, or I did, but there wasn't really much to say or do. It wasn't like I could tell anyone – I don't know what would have been worse: them not believing me or their faces of disgust.

When all countries were dissolved, you'd have liked to think everyone would lose their patriotism (you know, considering there were no more countries to worthlessly devote themselves to) – wrong. The world became one big country, one metaphorical empire ruled by the human race. This meant anyone or anything not of the human race or not subservient to the human race (like my neighbour, Julie's pet squid) was technically considered an enemy of the state.

Wait, did I fuck a public enemy?

First-day jitters were nothing in comparison to whatever I was feeling, especially considering this wasn't even my first day more like a very short tester solo shift - in all my time on sector 38 I'd never felt seasick (probably because the plates don't move) and yet here I was suddenly greatly empathetic towards the poor souls who found themselves violently ill holidaying in pacific waters. I could barely walk straight, my legs felt like jelly, and my stomach was so heavy I genuinely wondered if I'd swallowed an anchor between breakfast and lunch.

Even now, i still don't understand why i was alone during my tester shift? I get that it was just three tasks, but typically, unless you're a high-level, you're not to be left alone - always followed by a superior. Still, as i said, it wasn't even like I was going to be doing much, according to the alerts who sent me my assignments the night before my shift

. Stack the crates

. File away medical instruments

. Clean the pods on deck Xv_2

Pretty standard stuff, to be honest. If i cared half as much as i should, I'd be outraged that they gave me such menial work - but i didn't, so i wasn't. All i cared about was getting to see more of them, speak to them, and understand them, and the only way to do that was to become a xenologist.

At that point, I couldn't care less about hierarchy and ranks - i didn't understand the tangled web of beurocracy or how clearing badges worked, well not until I'd spent less than five seconds on the deck and i was promtly told

"Attention!"

The wooden crate I'd be carrying dropped to the ground with a hollow thud, the solid wood colliding with the metal flooring, making an awful cacophony. I looked up at the figure and saw a man dressed in a black suit with a white under shirt and black tie, on his black hair sat snug a white naval cap and across his chest a number of metal pins. He looked at me expectantly, i hadn't been told anyone else would be on shift as far as I knew I was supposed to meet my peers next week.

While trying to carefully stack the box in the appropriate space, I gave an awkward smile

"Hi"

Somehow, in a moment, his face grew colder, from freezing to a subzero tundra in an instant - I could tell he wanted to say more, to reprimand me, put me in place - but promtly his alarm sounded on his right wrist.

He left without a word, his face coloured with urgency.

To say I was confused would be an understatement. In the new world, the navy took on a more active role with the marines following suit to a lesser degree and the army taking the least precedence out of the three - so seeing a navy officer wasn't unheard of or even uncommon, but a lieutenant?

It just didn't make any sense, especially considering my work for today was entirely made up of menial tasks - and the look on his face as he left or even before that when I greeted him? I'm not in the navy, clearly so why what was he expecting me to do? Salute? Bowe? Kiss the ground beneath his feet?

It didn't matter, I told myself, i quite literally had one job: keep my head down and become a certified xenologist...well, aside from cleaning the pods on deck.

After stacking the last of the crates and refusing to give into my temptation of opening them, I set about trying to look for the ever elusive deck Xv_2

I mean, would it have KILLED them to give me a map or something? All the corridors looked the same - eggshell cream walls with blue strip lights - every turn, every left, every right didn't feel like it was getting me any closer, to be honest, I wasn't sure if this was some sort of time warp zone, an after effect of some eldritch creature washed up during the flood.

Wandering through the halls, I passed numerous rooms with bolted doors and bright yellow signs with bold black writing, as if they were so afraid that someone might accidentally open the securely locked doors - aside from doors armed to the teeth I passed a myriad of people, i can't really use one word to describe them:

From white coats with slicked-back hair, needle-straight posture to black suits, black ties, white collars, and broze pins to white hazmat suits and black boots.

Like some sort of machine, my brain was fixed on identifying and categorising my colleagues (colleagues). Well, that was until I heard it, tapping against the walls

It was faint at first, easily missable, but then the sounds grew louder, the rapid patter of the metal walls surrounding me like rain against the window - except there was nothing to see, no visible trace of the source of the sound just the noise, just the polyphonic array.

If this was a film, the corridors would be dimly lit with no signs of life but my own heartbeat and panting breath ringing in my ears, but this is the real world, if anything the bright neon lights and the industrious workers who I chanced upon only led to an increase in my anixety - it was as though i was going insane, as though i was being followed

"Could no one else hear that?"

The noise was atonal and offbeat - seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once, bouncing off the walls like an echo. My eyes darted around the corners of the walls as I discreetly tried to turn my head to locate the source of the sound only to be met with nothing. Whatever it was, it was quick. It was just too quick, the persistent creature darting always just out of sight.

Finally, after what felt like a literal millennia, I ran into a steal door labelled

Xv_2

I pushed both the persistent scurrying aside and the absurdly weighted door - inside a dimly lit room with large cylinders attached to the centre wall. To call it a deck seemed overly gracious, with the sizing being more akin to an office space or a large storeage room.

As i walked closer towards the cylinders, I understood why they needed to be cleaned - they were filthy, dust coating them in an opaque sheild blocking any possible view of whatever was sealed within them.

I grabbed the tissue pack I'd hastily shoved in my bra before leaving the house and stared at the cylinders - there was NO way they'd be enough. A part of me seriously thought about using my top, but the thought quickly vanished when i remembered I did actually have to leave the facility without being arrested for public indecency.

And that's when i felt it, a brush of cold air against my neck, raising my hair and sending a shiver down my spin. Instantly, I dropped my tissue pack on the small table and turned around but only to be met by nothing, empty space. I stared out at the room for a moment as though someone or something would magically appear it would probably still have only been the second strangest thing to happen to me as of last.After sufficiently staring out into an empty room I turned back around...

The tissues were gone.

I looked down at the floor, nothing. Half baked thoughts swirled around my head as i looked around the room

"I could have sworn i- did i bring them? Yes. Maybe i dropped them on a crate? No, i had them when-"

Finally, i got on my knees searching underneath the desk in hopes that somehow they'd fallen and I'd kicked them under. It was so dark I should have brought my phone or a flashlight or something, as I lent further under the desk the space narrowed which, if i was paying attention i would have known.

But, alas, i wasn't - instead, my mind was still fixed on how i needed to be more prepared in the future and how i shouldn't have a phone if i wasn't going to use it because the last time I didn't bring my phone i got-

Cold.

Cold air against my bare thighs, that feeling again. Except this time the cold felt more real? The touch more weighted less like the air and more like a person?

I stilled against the feeling, with every passing second the pressure grew till i could shape the outline: a hand.

I tried to move backwards from under the desk but promptly the feeling of another hand splayed across my waist - halting any movement. The hand across my waist kept a firm solid grip, with the cold air seeping through my clothes and onto my skin as though I were naked whilst the other fingers which previously splayed across my thigh began to move, inching ever so slowly towards my upper thigh.

Maybe it was the confusion or remnants of my first (but technically not first) day jitters. Maybe it was a cocktail of both, but I found myself slightly pushing towards the unknown force. Whatever it was must have taken that as a sign because suddenly, the fingers brushed in between my inner thighs dangerously close to my knickers.

I didn't know who or what was behind me, no-one else was in the room bar me and with only one entrance and exist it would have be impossible for anyone to come in without my knowledge - especially considering how heavy the door was.

This couldn't be a who, I thought. It must have been a what.

The thought excited me, that familiar warmth spreading in my lower stomach now juxtaposing the icy touch of the creature - I couldn't help but let out a breathy whimper. The creature must have heard because, within an instant, its cold finger pressed against my clothed entrance. The pressure was barely there, barely feelable almost imperceptible but that's what made is to so maddening - what made me push back against it despite the very firm hand on my waist.

We continued our dance: me pushing backwards, aching and desperate for any sort of relief or solid touch, and its outright reluctance to give it to me aside from the arctic hold on my mid section I could feel myself growing wetter, throbbing in a hot aching want. If i was capable of shame at that point, I would have been berating myself for wearing white panties instead of a more concealing black.

The feel of the wet material sticking to me and the mystery surrounding the strange figure was getting to be too much, I'd tried to bite my glossed lips concealing more whimpers and moans but i couldn't hold back anymore. I began to rock back harder, sounds slipping from my mouth like condensation down glass till the monster showed me mercy.

A cool finger began to push into me through my now presumably clear underwear, the sensation of wet cotton and the icy appendage dipping into me making me moan all the more - but it wasn't enough. I began to beg, pleas falling from my mouth faster than my brain could protest.

Cold and wet dragged along my cunt so abruptly I hit my head against the desk but I was too aroused to care - slowly the figure dragged its icy dripping tongue against me, lapping up my desire through my panties and adding to the wet region.

The drag was devastatingly slow, and whilst the pressure was a reprieve from my previous torture, it was nowhere near enough, tears gathered in my eyes as I begged for more. Then, I felt the being give one final lick before spreading my thighs out further and removing its hand from my waist - I was untouched.

For a brief moment, i wondered if it had left me, alone and hungry, desperate for something more - thankfully, it didn't. Instead, I felt what seemed to be a light kiss to my upper thigh before my skirt was bunched up to above my ass. The suddenness of it all made my gasp like a scandalised southern bell -as though I wasn't begging to be fucked by a stranger (who most definitely wasn't human) under a desk at my first day at work- though rapidly my gasp morphed into a whine as I felt the monster slip underneath my shaking spread out thighs so that the back of its head might rest against the floor with now both hands grasping my waist and hips.

It began to lick into me (still over my underwear) with a passion that I've never known, the glacial touch contrasting the warm friction building. I began to rock and press down onto its tongue and in response it sucked and licked and fucked into me with its tongue.

I'd asked, begged for more and I'd gotten it but I've always been greedy, always been stupid and reckless and impulsive, always been bossy even when I'm on my knees and then was absolutely no different.

"Let me fuck your mouth"

Instantly as soon as the words left my mouth I felt it moan against me the sensation only making me want it more, carefully after giving a few more playful sucks it released me - somehow even with its cold presence when it left me, the room felt so much more glacial.

I slid out from under the desk my shaking legs doing very little to help me in this endeavour, but before i could turn around to face the entity hands covered my eyes, of course this did nothing in ways of stopping me from seeing but I understood the getsture and so I closed my eyes.

Once my eyes were closed, the figure rearranged our bodies like a jigsaw piece as though it and I were one cohesive being all while I was immersed in the faint scent of sea salt and rain-soaked earth emanating from the creature - the delicate nature of the smell, alien to the steady yet all-consuming auror of the beast - like the sky before a storm. Once again, it was pressed against the ground with the back of its head to the metal flooring, and I was on top of it, this time fully able to sit with a straight posture.

It slowly guided me with my eyes still closed to its mouth with my still clothed cunt at first gently resting against its lips not wanting to move before it was ready till I felt it place both its sturdy hands on my waist and force me to rock into its mouth slightly.

I began slow, moving backwards and forwards on its cold tongue, trying to find a starting rhythm before the heat that momentarily subsided rose in full formation. Its hands were everywhere on my waist, my hips, my tummy. Like it was pushing and pulling me down and up, away, and to. Then suddenly one of its strong arms was lifting me slightly off its mouth eliciting an unexpected whine from me whilst the other moved the lace fabric to the side before gently lowering me back onto its cold wet mouth.

The feeling was foreign, invasive, intrusive, like a virus spreading through my body overtaking each nerve and blood cell before leaving me powerless to resist or even the desire to. The cold spit-soaked tongue dragged perfectly against me like waves hitting against the rocks, never missing their mark. I began to ride into its mouth, eyes rolling to the back of my head as I felt a familiar pressure build within me. I was so close to the edge, to the beginning and end of bliss. I didn’t know what the creature was or if it was even capable of feeling pleasure in the same way I did, but the desperate movements of its cold hands, one gripping my waist and the other my boobs showed me I wasn't alone in my heightened arousal.

Pleas and cries spilt from my lips, each more nonsensical and crass than the last:

"Please, please, fuck I'll be so good, fuck, your mouth its so- so perfect, you're so good for me, fuck, just like that, right there-"

Till eventually like an electrical current, the feeling washed over me - like fuzzy static interferce my whole body sparked alite. Its cold hands pressed me down harder as my body spasmed, tears welled in my eyes as I tried to move away, the pleasure building to be all too much, the overstimulation becoming extreme - but its presence remained lapping up my cum from my wet, warm, throbbing cunt.

My legs felt like jelly as it finally allowed me to stand, my lack of balance definitely not helped by my inability to see.

"Can I open my eyes... Tap me twice for yes?"

I felt a press of cold lips against my neck and then temple, sending a shiver down my spine and a small smile on my face before opening my eyes and turning around to see

Nothing.

I looked around the room confusion growing clearer on my face - thoughts regarding whether I'd made the whole scenario up in my head beginning to take root - before I felt cold hands rest against my cheek holding my head tilted slightly upwards before I felt cold lips move again against mine. The kiss was dry, soft, and sweet, still smelling of sea salt and storms and in that moment my mind was still, at peace like a total oneness with the world, with the truth whatever that may be.

Warning. Warning. Emergency alert. Code Amber. Please isolate in groups immediately. This is not a drill. Repeat. Warning. Warning. Emergency alert. Code Amber. Please isolate in groups immediately. This is not a drill.Warning. Warning. Emergency alert. Code Amber. Please isolate in groups immediately. This is not a drill. Repeat. Warning. Warning. Emergency alert. Code Amber. Please isolate in groups immediately. This is not a drill.

#terato #monsterfucker #monster smut #monster fuqqer #spectrophilia #ghost fucker #teratophillia #monster fucker #tw monsterfucking #ghost kink #ghost boyfriend #ghost bf #monster boyfriend #monster bf #spectral #invisible kink #stranger sex #dacryphilia #crying kink

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persefolli · 2 years ago

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𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐉𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐱 𝐧𝐚'𝐯𝐢!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: 𝐉𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐭, 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭: @myheartfollower, @laylasbunbunny , @destinylb, @deadgirl02

𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

“Get here!” Jake yelled at Lo’ak. “I let the two geniuses fly a mission and you disobey direct orders?!”

You hopped off your ikran and walked over to the crowd of Sully’s that stood slumped at another one of Jake's outbursts.

“K-Kiri go help your grandmother with the wounded.”

“My brother is wounded.” She responded.

“Please-Tuk! Go with her. Go!” He continued yelling.

“Father- Sir,” Neteyam said groggily. “I take full responsibility-”

“That's right! Because you are the older brother, you need to act like it.”

“Jake!” You yelled with your eyebrow cocked. “Your son is bleeding!” You interrupted, hoping he would let the boys off just this once.

“Mama it's fine-”

“Gone get patched up.” Jake dismissed Neteyam.

You escorted your older son towards the medical pod, where you continued to overhear Jake yelling.

“Do you understand you almost got your brother killed.”

“Yes sir.”

“You're grounded. No flying for a month.”

This was a regular occurrence for the Sullys. Something would go wrong and Jake would go down the line, one by one, kid by kid, lecturing them. As their mother, you also had to put your foot down at times, but you weren’t as strict as Jake. You began to watch your children slowly fall into a state of depression. They became more tense when Jake entered the room, they were silent during dinners, they didn't even go explore the forest anymore. Even Tuk began hiding her toys, afraid Jake would punish her by taking them away.

Guilt followed you soon after. It was your job to be there for them, and you had managed to let their mental health decline under your watch. You did feel it was your fault, knowing that you sat back so many times and watched Jake snap at your kids.

But you had enough.

“Didn’t I tell you?! Didn't I warn you boy?!” Jake yelled at Lo’ak again. “OFF LIMITS THE SHACK WAS OFF LIMITS!” He stepped closer to the boy and yelled in his face. “You had Tuk! You tryna get your little sister killed?” Lo’ak averted his eyes to you but quickly looked back at his father when he noticed. “Look here boy!” He snapped again.

“Enough.” You walked over and slapped Jake on the shoulder. “Kids go play.” You shooed them out of the shared space.

“Are you serious Y/n?! He went too far this time! Nothing you can say will make this easier on him.” Jake sternly said. “You are his mother! If anything, you need to be watching out for them as much as I do.”

You stepped back, scoffing at your husband's jab. “You calling me a bad mother? Jake, I was fucking scared too! They are children, they will be curious, the world is theirs to explore!” You yelled back. “It’s not their fault our enemy from 14 years ago popped up again! You should be comforting them, not yelling in their faces!”

“They need structure! They don’t have that. None of them, especially Lo’ak, should be fucking up this often!”

“Structure?!” You placed your hands on your hips. “They're fucking scared of you Jake! They don't even call you dad anymore, you're sir! You have to dismiss them like their fucking soldiers! We're a family, not a squadron!” You hissed.

“I don't earn respect, I demand it, especially from my own family.”

“Oh? So I should start calling you Colonel Sully from now on?”

“You're doing too much-”

“No! I'm not-”

“You are! Any other time you sit back and let them do whatever they want. It's like I'm the only parent here! They respect me, can we say the same about you?” You smiled, tears welling in your eyes. Pregnant silence fell between you two, and the tension in the room grew heavy. “I can't do this. Can't do it.” You whispered. “Oh Eywa I didn't want it to ever come down to this.” A few tears slipped from your closed eyes.

“Now what do you suggest?” Jake said snarkily.

“We should split up.”

It felt as if the entire village went silent. Jake’s face, along with his stomach dropped. Panic began to wrap and enclose his throat in its grip. “I can't do this. We can't do this, our kids need a break dammit!” You shouted.

“Hey,” Jake began grabbing at you but you removed your arms each time he made contact. “Hey, Hey, Hey! Y/n baby look at me. Talk to me please.” He began getting desperate.

You looked at him with a deep frown, and tears running down your cheeks. “You don't listen! I have been telling you. I HAVE BEEN TELLING YOU.” You shouted at him.

Jake became more persistent, and now had you in a bear hug, rubbing your back and shushing you. His chest was tight, and he felt like sobbing. The thought of you leaving him? And to know it would be his fault. “I can't! I can't!” You pushed him away and stormed out the pod with tears in your eyes.

That same day, the kids and you came by, grabbing a few items from their rooms before leaving to stay with Mo’at. Jake cried his eyes out that night, having multiple panic attacks and sharp pains in his stomach. He knew he fucked up bad, and what was most disappointing was that it took you threatening to leave him for him to realize that.

Jake needed to look back, deeply reflect on everything you said. He thought back to his kids’s mannerisms, and how they used to act. Lo’ak was the carbon copy of himself, Kiri was down to Pandora, Tuk was an energy ball all around, and Neteyam was cool and collected. He did notice his kids' downturned ears, the silence that appeared when he came around, the fearful staring. It hit him how quiet Tuk had become, and he knew his little one was so hard to shake up.

Jake spent a few nights like this, cheating himself out of sleep and thinking back to all the details he missed.

After a week of moping and thinking, he finally sought you out right before another insurrection. You stood, picking out your arrows to put in the holster that was attached to the ikran. He noticed your fatigued state, how you didn't stand straight, and how it seemed a smile hadn’t appeared on your face since the argument.

“Y/n.” He announced himself. You looked up and sighed, turning to look away from him.

“Can we talk?” He walked closer.

“About what?!” You hissed.

“Everything.”

You huffed and set your bow aside. “Don't move until I get back.” You called out to your team. Jake led you to your once shared home, and turned to face you. You closed the entrance to give the two of you privacy. “I'm sorry.” Jake started. “I should've noticed the signs earlier. I should've communicated my fear of losing them instead of punishing them for my own fears.” You nodded, agreeing with him.

“I let my experiences with the Sky People trigger something in me, causing me to treat you and the kids like the squad I ran back on earth. But you guys aren't my squad, you're my family.” He approached you. “I love you Y/n. I love all of you so much. I will change, I promise I will. I hate that it took you leaving me to realize that.”

You wiped your leaking eyes, and leaned into your husband. A glimpse of the old Jake Sully. One thing you knew was that Jake made sure to keep his promises. Even after the destruction of the home tree he did everything he could to gain your trust again.

“Don't leave me.” He whispered. “Please don’t leave.”

You looked up at him, noses nearly touching each other. “I’m not going anywhere Jake…but you need to apologize to the kids too. Show them that you can act like a father, and treat them with care. Not their Colonel.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Jake placed a quick peck on your nose, before tilting his head and clasping his lips around yours.

---

The attack against the Sky People was successful. The clan was able to get more supplies and resources for the village. “Sully's fall in!” Jake called out as the lot of you landed back on the mountain. You watched your kids exchange looks, before following their father home.

“Everyone have a seat.” Jake ordered them. They sat quickly, and stiffly. Jake squatted, looked down and sighed heavily. “It has come to my attention that the lot of you are afraid of me.”

The kids looked at each other again.

“And I am so sorry I have pushed you to the point of feeling that way towards me.” He apologized. “I just get so-” He began choking up. “I get so scared…when you kids are in danger and out of my reach. I thought maybe putting some structure into you, it would make my job easier.”

“But somehow I managed to turn my entire family against me.” He paused and looked across their faces, before stopping at Lo’ak. “Come here boy.” He stood, and hesitantly walked over to his father, squatting down to reach his height.

“When I was human, I managed to paralyze myself from the waist down. Thinking nobody could tell me nothin cause I knew it all.” He began shaking his head. “I'm so hard on you because I see you doing the same things that led to me being immobile. I want you to become strong, and more responsible. But I love you son, and I never want you to question that.” Jake placed his hand on his younger son's head, embracing him in a fatherly manner.

“Neteyam,” He motioned for him to come next. “I shouldn't burden you. Especially as the oldest. Your siblings don't reflect you, so you no longer need to take responsibility for their mistakes. I do ask that you guide them the best you can. I see you, and I see who you will become.” Neteyam sniffled, folding his lips in to restrain himself from letting his tears slip.

“Kiri, Tuk.” He recruited the last two standing Sullys. They ran over to him and joined the group embrace. “You two are my very special girls. It may be harder letting the two of you go, but I want you to be as free as you want.” He wrapped his arms around all 4 of his children, holding the now crying Sully kids.

You stood, holding your elbows, letting tears slip on your own as the children accepted their father again. Jake opened his eyes, and looked at you. “My wife, my beautiful wife. C��mere.” You knelt down and crawled over to him, joining the family hug he’d initiated.

“I love you all so much.”

#jakesullyxreader #jake sully #jake sully angst #jake sully x reader #angst #avatar2 #avatar way of water #avatar the way of water #ATWOW #persefolli #persefolliwrites

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aelondrias · 2 months ago

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Without You - Casey Lee Edwards [with lyrics] from Sonic x Shadow Generations

Can you hear me?

Do you still hear my voice?

Echoes back at me, “Why did you make that choice?”

You surround me, and your memory is clouded by all things dark

I can’t feel you there

You’ll never leave me, I swear

It’s just a nightmare that won’t end

So I pretend

That I’ll see you again

And that I’ll save you from all the things I’ve failed to

Now I’m without you

I can’t forgive the wrongs I’ve done you

‘Cause now you’re gone forever

I remember

How bright you shined your own

Yet I remain alone.

I found this on youtube and figured I would share it here.

I believe that the lyrics are strongly from Shadow’s point of view. He’s calling out for her. Maria. Wondering why she would make that choice; from the time where Maria saved him from the GUNS as she activated the escape pod, sacrificing her life for his. I think that haunted Shadow vividly in his memories. That’s why the figment of her soul surrounds him like a looming cloud. Yet she shined through the darkness of her own.

It’s a never ending grief and guilt, torn between himself and her, a passing yet constant nightmare that haunts him to this day. None can compare, beyond irreparable. His life revolves around her, centered and stark.

I think there was one point where Shadow sometimes pretends or places himself in the delusional loophole of being reunited or seeing Maria again. How he can redeem himself and align the world around to save her from the things that he failed, as he believed it to be his purpose from the start and what all he ever wanted. He blames himself or sadly, loathes himself for it.

But all that laments, he thinks of her, her lively presence that shines so bright that it felt as though he’s been christened, cured by her light. But that feeling does not last and in the end, he is all left alone.

Hang on there is something in my eye. It’s probably just a dust. 🤣💀

#shadow the hedgehog #sonic x shadow generations #maria robotnik #dark beginnings #sega

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lanymme · 1 year ago

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Think about how Saria spent years in betrayal and anger, driven for justice, searching out all of Rhine Lab’s wrongdoings, developing her philosophy on what science is for, all to right the course of the thing she build together with Kristen, who she dedicated her life to.

Kristen, the child of her idols. Kristen, her first love. Kristen, who she promised to protect.

Kristen, who betrayed her.

Kristen, who took advantage of her devotion.

Kristen, who designed a weapon against her, against the formula they came up with together.

Kristen, who is harming the very people they set out together to serve.

Kristen, who she’ll judge and bring back to the right path.

Kristen, who she never fully understood.

Kristen, whose plans she needs to stop. Kristen, who might bring the whole world tumbling down as she achieves her dream.

Kristen, who she slowly realizes is going to die in pursuit of her dream, just like her parents.

She tanks an anti-tank weapon to the head. She fights against an ancient caster and warrior. She fights the very people she trained, the knights that protect and serve Kristen. She saves her kid, finally. She learns to rely on others, to communicate. She reconciles with her partner. She flies a plane up, up into the upper atmosphere (just like the Wrights), through a combat zone, and docks it on a moving station. She learns to let go of her careful control of her every move, to act spontaneously, decisively.

All this to reach Kristen. To stop her.

But when she finally meets her… That’s her childhood friend. Her first love.

She fights her, endures her power, one last time, taking step by painful step toward her. She tells her she’s wrong about science, shares the philosophy and perspective she’s built over the years to stop her from harming people, to fight the culture that birthed them.

But really, she’s trying to talk Kristen down. You were wrong to do this. Give it up. Your dream is beautiful. Come with me. You finally achieved your parents’ dream. We can still survive this. I don’t doubt that this will affect the entire world. Watch it with me. I can still save you. The escape pods are gone? I’ll calcify us together—use the arts we developed together—and we’ll fall together; maybe we’ll survive, maybe we won’t. I’ll do everything I can, even if it’s doomed. Let me save you. Please. Please let me protect you.

And Kristen, who never lost faith in her, who knew Saria would reach her, who always wanted to share the truth, her moment of triumph, the fate she had chosen for herself with the woman she loves, who knew Saria would never leave her by choice and installed a trapdoor in her dreamer’s space pod so that she could live on… presses the button.

And Saria, after her long, long climb, falls. The final stage of the rocket to Kristen’s dream, falling away.

What must it be like, as she fell, to realize she spent her whole life helping Kristen assemble her space program? That when Kristen used to look up at the stars, she was not just seeing the past, her parents’ deaths, the legacy she has to uphold; she was seeing this future she had always planned for herself. That this was always the wish that Saria devoted herself to protecting.

And she kept her promise.

#i’ve been crying for like 18 hours now #and I’m not sure what I’m more worried about.#the possibility that I won’t stop.#or the possibility that I will.#i don’t know what to do with these feelings.#arknights #lone trail #kristen wright #saria

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suiana · 1 year ago

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he was there, and then he wasn't (various yandere characters x gn reader) (angstober day 3)

he was there when you first met.

helping you up after someone bumped into you, you couldn't help but blush at the handsome male who helped you up to your feet. calling you adorable with that attractive voice of his... wait, did he just give you his number?! is he implying that he wants to see you again?!

he was there when you two went on your first date.

you had decided to meet that cute guy who helped you up a few days back. i mean, what could possibly go wrong? he looked nice enough, talked charmingly... you're sure it would be fine. and if it doesn't, you could just pretend to have never have met him and go on with your life! what's the worst that could happen?

he was there when you decided to confess to him.

okay, so that first date went better than expected and now you two were dating, fantastic. you two were like two peas in a pod, the perfect duo, soulmates even! geez, you wonder what your life would've been like if he hadn't been there. must've been really lonely since you now felt that your soul is complete.

he was there when you moved in with him

your relationship had progressed really well and smoothly! apart from a few bumps here and there caused by his jealousy and possessiveness, everything else was great! he was an amazing boyfriend, loving and caring for your every need, and he was a great cook! what more could you ask for? plus that dick was 10/10.

so when he brought up taking the next step, of course you agreed! it's like being a married couple already hehe ♡

he was there when you two first fought.

okay so you two got into your first little argument... could you guess what it was for? that's right! he got jealous that you were spending more time with another man, aka your coworker!

it was horrible. i mean, isn't he being too possessive? sure, it may be endesring at first but after a while it gets too suffocating... maybe you should bre-

oh and he's already apologizing with flowers and tears in his eyes?! shit now you feel bad :( why would you even think of breaking up with your sweet boyfriend? he's just perfect for you! so what if he's possessive? you can overlook this tiny fact haha...

he was there when he proposed to you.

you couldn't believe it. is this... actually happening?! the love of your life proposed to you?! holy shit you can't control your feelings right now...

and so, you sobbed into your lover's chest, happily telling him you loved him as he chuckles, stroking your head in an attempt to comfort you. all while having natching rings on your fingers, promised to each other forever more.

and he was there when you realised that it was no more than a happy dream.

and it was the day of your wedding. the day you longed for, only for it to be ruined when you were informed that your lover had been caught in an accident, taking his life away.

sobbing your heart out, it felt like the world had come crashing down on you. you had promised your life with him and he just left so suddenly?!

maybe this was the way the heavenly beings above pulled a joke? causing you to meet your soulmate, making you two fall in love, and then taking him away from you at your happiest? whatever it is, you were now crushed, as though a part of you had been taken away.

seriously... if you knew this would've happened, you wouldn't have gone out on that god forsaken day. because while the times with him were the happiest, the times without him now would be ultimately depressing.

for he was your other half, the one who completes your soul. and when he left, he took half of your soul with him.

dazai osamu(?), gojo satoru, venti, childe, welt yang(?), jingyuan, aki hayakawa, your faves<3

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grifff17 · 28 days ago

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Audiodrama Sunday 11/24/24

Happy audiodrama Sunday! It's been ages since I've had a new show alert, I need to listen to more new shows.

NEW SHOW ALERT @project-daydream - This is a modern sci-fi show about agents in a secretive government agency dealing with weird supernatural phenomena. It has a lot of SCP and Control inspiration, which I love. The "Nazi brain-in-a-jar in a living psychic bomb" episode totally sold me on the show.

@innbetween - I started season 2, and it has a new cast! It was so much fun to see the cast of the previous season return as quest-givers. I can totally imagine the players sitting around the table and the DM bringing in 2 people from the last campaign to play the quest NPCs.

@lostterminalpod - This new set of AIs have internal conflict, interesting. Something about the idea that the only living memory of the old world is all the AIs they built is very cool to me. The old world is carried on in its creations.

Starwhal Odyssey - The little worldbuilding details are so good. The prawn that makes food out of humans, the magic mirrors, the beezie awards.

@worldgonewrongpod - Wow I didn’t pick up on what was going on at all until real Malik cut back in. I really keep missing the allusions/foreshadowing in this show. Still feel stupid about not getting Pizza Hut.

Rude Tales of Magic - Opening the episode with a dramatic reading of the 5e darkvision rules was so good, genuinely. It was funny on like 4 different levels, and also was a helpful reminder that the party is currently trying to distinguish colors without producing light, which darkvision does not let you do.

@midstpodcast - Now THIS is the sort of fucked-up mind-bending shit I expected from Third Person! This is definitely going to set the tone for the rest of the show going forwards. Also, the Granddaughter having a crush on Cleo is so cute.

@brimstonevalleymall - Nisrach is such an interesting character, he's great in this episode. My theory about the mall sinking is that it’s returning to hell because of all the demons in one place.

@kingmakerpod - I love the trope of a character solving their own kidnapping while the rest of the cast are trying to save them.

@secondfiddles - I see why Ren quit, Lucid Lucy is completely unbearable.

#audiodrama sunday #audiodrama #audio fiction #project daydream #inn between #lost terminal pod #starwhal odyssey #world gone wrong pod #rude tales of magic #midst podcast #brimstone valley mall #the kingmaker histories #second fiddles podcast

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worldgonewrongpod · 9 months ago

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Are you still a pod person if there's never a pod? New episode out today!

www.audaciousmachinecreative.com/world-gone-wrong, or find the show wherever you listen to podcasts.

If you're enjoying the show- please share this and tell your friends about it! Your word of mouth is SO crucial for helping make sure we can keep making independent art like this~

#world gone wrong #world gone wrong podcast #audio fiction #audio drama #unwell podcast #body snatchers #pod people #aliens

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radioisntdead · 7 months ago

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Partner in crime

Alastor x gn! reader

Warnings: OOC, death, inaccurate portrayal of getting shot

Song used

You and Alastor had known each other for years, you were close childhood friends at least you thought you were,

You remember your mothers calling the two of you a couple of peas in a pod, or partners in crime,

It was funny, who would've thought the two of you would actually become partners in crime.

Maybe if you didn't have an unhealthy codependency on Alastor you wouldn't had ended up like you did.

When you're gone I feel alone again

You scrubbed away at the floor, cleaning away any remnant of the blood that was spilled that evening, Alastor had gone to bury the remains of the poor man he had slaughtered.

The voices cannot hold my hand

You would lure them in, you were good at lulling others into a false sense of security,

They keep me company at very best

and he'd kill them when they least expected it, sometimes you felt guilty but Alastor would be quick to convince you that your guilt was unnecessary, that the people whose lives the two of you stole away deserved it.

Distract me from my loneliness

They did deserve it right?

Maybe I'm just an anomaly

You continued scrubbing the floor clean, but no matter how hard you scrubbed you could never wash away the fact that someone had died there

Even my demons have their families

You wondered how their families reacted to their loved ones death, were they mournful, were they joyful? Did they not care? Did they even notice?

Truly something must be wrong with me

Would anyone notice if you died? Besides Alastor you didn't have many friends, sure you were kinda friends with Mimzy but that was only because of Alastor, and your family, well, let's not talk about that.

You really didn't have anyone but Alastor, and you were alright with that, if you had Alastor the rest of the world could burn for all you cared.

To need you as much as I do

You heard the door open, you hurriedly dropped the towel into the bucket of now cold water, grabbing another rag you wiped away the remaining liquid.

I was never meant to win

You smiled up at Alastor from the ground.

I was never meant to win

"Welcome back Alastor!"

I was never meant to win

Codependency is truly more harmful then people give it credit for.

You'd sacrifice anything, anyone just to remain by Alastor's side, just to see him smile which he did often.

Here's the reigns

You had done this who knows how many times,

Take ahold of me

Lure them in, hand over to Alastor and then clean up the aftermath while he hid the corpse.

Please don't let me go

You didn't change the routine by much, there wasn't much of a mess this time so Alastor asked that you tag along with him this time.

You do the talking

You held the lantern lighting his area as he dug a deep grave, wouldn't want the body resurfacing anytime soon right?

Sew up my mouth if I can't keep it closed

You whispered something to him before he climbed out of the hallow grave getting ready to put the poor soul he had mercilessly killed in it.

There's a dog barking right around the block

He had just gotten done burying the corpse, you were sat comfortably on the ground with the lantern in your lap, he reached out his hand to help you up.

You both froze when you heard the unmistakeable sound of dogs barking.

And a big ol' whistle blow

Alastor looked at you and you looked back at him, you quickly took his hand to pull yourself up, lantern in your free hand.

Run for it

The two of you ran, you could faintly hear the leaves crunching underneath your feet, the cold night wind stinging your face.

I'll keep em occupied for you

The barking got louder, and you tripped over a tree root, lantern falling onto the grass the candle inside falling just at the right angle to extinguish leaving you in the darkness, the only light coming from the moon and stars above.

Alastor kept running, did he know you fell? He wouldn't abandon you right?

Cause I love you, I love you so

You got up, not bothering to dust yourself off you continued running, you couldn't see Alastor.

Left me hangin at the station

You heard shouting.

Where was Alastor? Did he notice you were missing yet?

But you'll be back for me soon

You saw a glimpse of light.

I'm 'bout to die

You didn't even have time to make a noise as a gunshot was fired into your chest, you fell to the ground.

Where was Alastor? Did he get away? Or was he shot down like you were?

Yet the only thing I find i'm worried about is you

You shakily put a hand to the place where the bullet had just entered you, honestly it didn't hurt as much as you thought it would.

Something tells me you aren't coming

Your vision began to become blurry, was it the blood loss? You didn't think you'd die that quickly,

Would you get to see Alastor one last time?

Guess that I'm truly doomed

Alastor didn't notice you were gone did he? Or maybe he did? Did you really think a future cannibal, present serial killer like Alastor would come back for you? You were a liability.

I'm 'bout to die

It was funny, you knew what kind of person he was and you still held out hope that he wouldn't abandon you.

Yet the only thing I find I'm worried about is you

You still held out hope even as your blood covered the forest ground.

Tears swelled up in your eyes as you gazed up at the night sky,

You wondered if Alastor was looking up at the sky too, maybe he had gotten home already?

I'm 'bout to die

It was a good night to die, the last sight you'd see would be the star filled night sky.

Yet the thing on my mind seems to nearly be nothing but you

Alastor let out a string of French words as he turned around to go fetch you, hoping that you weren't too far behind.

I overhear your brain when it's close to mine

Branches and leaves crunched under his shoes as he sped through the woods.

Oh, I know that we're not the same

Your hope that he'd come back for you was slowly dwindling, the voices from before had disappeared, maybe they had fled, maybe they didn't know what they did, or maybe they just didn't care.

My heart's on the line

Alastor stopped by a tree for a moment to catch his breath, the only source of light was the moon and stars above.

I'm just a pawn in your game

To Alastor you were a expendable friend.

Not your partner in crime

In all reality though, To Alastor you were everything, he'd go through hell and back if you asked, he'd take down the most ruthless of people if it'd make you smile.

And you're slowly killing me

You felt tired, you wanted to close your eyes but you fought to keep them open.

You didn't want to die.

Taking your time

Alastor continued running, soon enough he stumbled upon you.

You're slowly killing me, taking your time

With red soaked clothing you laid limp on the ground.

You're slowly killing me

"[Name]? Mon étoile?"

Taking your- I was never meant to win

You smiled as you heard Alastor's voice.

You're slowly killing me

You didn't know if you were imagining it or if he really came back for you,

Maybe it was a last act of comfort given to you before you died.

Taking your- I was never meant to win

Alastor leaned down beside you, he gently put a hand on your cheek.

You're slowly killing me

You smiled at him, just barely being able to mutter an "Alastor."

And yet I don't mind You were never meant to win

You couldn't keep your eyes open anymore.

You're slowly killing me,

The last thing you saw was Alastor, and the last thing you heard was another gunshot.

But please take your time

At least the two of you would be reunited soon enough.

Good evening folks! Originally I was supposed to post the murder Valentino with JoJo Siwa playing in the background fic today but I hit a slump with the ending and plus I think may have eaten something unfortunate because I feel sick so uh, BACK TO BACK ANGST Y'ALL, ALASTOR TODAY, TV MAN TOMORROW!

#hazbin hotel x reader #hazbin hotel x you #alastor x reader #alastor x you

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raisedbyheathens · 7 months ago

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So I know in various places there has been discourse about Gordon Porlock not surviving the Hypersleep process. And the "he's a bag of quince jelly on ice" people are incredibly wrong and should feel bad.

Gordon not waking up is a narrative dead end. Gordon dies and then... what? Tell me. Other than the initial gut punch of losing an MC what purpose does it serve? Gordon is gone, and Warren most likely either shuts down entirely or runs. Where to? He knows nothing in this new world. Runs or lashes out and who's he going to lash out at? Aubrey? Clive? The system? How. Tell me how any of this works or is compelling.

Gordon survives and comes out of the pod having lost his memories of Warren. HERE'S a rich vein to tap. Especially if the pod leans into a romantic interpretation of Warren and Gordon's relationship. Does Warren tell Gordon everything that happened, does Warren tell Gordon about his crime? Does Warren push too hard to try and get his friend/beloved back? Then you end up with an Arthur/Yellow situation where that may simply drive Gordon away. It's a more interesting narrative seam, that opens possible plot lines about memory and the past and who we are and what we choose to carry with us and who we are if those things are removed. It asks the question of Warren and more broadly of us- if someone you loved had forgotten the worst thing about you, would you tell them about it? Would they ever really know you if you didn't? Does anyone ever really know anyone else. All of that is interesting to think about and would still be starkly lit by the unflinching spotlight on corporate greed and unfettered, immoral science

Gordon survives completely intact. Another interesting set of paths to explore Now you have narrative possibilities of Warren and Gordon trying to learn how to be human again together. In an whole new world, new context trying to heal but largely adrift in a future they cannot possibly understand. What do THEY do? Does Warren run, like he has always done? Does Gordon follow him? Just walk away together and go be friends or romantic or other and leave cryonics and the fighting behind? Is that a happy ending? Maybe? But it also asks whether we ever really escape our patterns. That even if we are cut off from the circumstances and world that has shaped us, once we are molded there is no hope for change or growth. Maybe they stay and fight, and is it fair to ask these two men who shouldered so much of the initial emotional and physical burden of creating cryotech to shoulder more pain to help fix mistakes they themselves were deeply injured by? It asks does fair matter?

Anyway, Gordon is definitely going to wake up and all the people on twitter gleefully hoping he's goo in a pod are mean spirited sure, but mostly just wrong

now what happens WHEN Gordon wakes up is mostly likely going to murder me, but he almost certainly will wake up

#red valley #warren godby #gordon porlock #wake him up #warren and gordon #red valley podcast

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ilguna · 1 year ago

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☼ grim (Finnick Odair) ☼

summary; you were going to wait to tell Finnick you're hurt, but you can't.

warnings; swearing, death, death mention, weapon usage, gore.

wc; 2.2k

–

The streets of the Capitol have never been so eerie before. They were designed to be brightly colored, even the sidewalks that line the asphalt are tiny mosaics. Each street is themed after a different fantasy, it’s like a rainbow threw up all of its colors, took a breath, and then continued.

A couple weeks ago, this neighborhood would’ve been filled with the people that live here. They woke up later in the day, worked for a few hours, went shopping and came home to a full fridge and not a single worry in the world. They were excited for the next Quarter Quell and the hell that would follow it.

And now they’ve deserted the place they call home.

It’s almost wrong, the way that the buildings have been destroyed. A number of pods have been set off prior to your squad’s arrival to ensure that you’ll travel safely to the mansion. Which means that the building’s paint has gone from brand new to smokey from the fires. There’s large chips on the exterior, ruining its pristine condition. And most, if not all, of the windows have been shattered onto the mosaics.

The sound of glass crunching beneath your black boots is the only noise that fills the air. Everyone has been lost in thought for the past hour, following Boggs through the streets, hoping that he’s leading you in the right direction. Supposedly, with the device he has, he’s able to locate every pod that you’re approaching, can tell what they contain, and he’ll steer you away if they’re too dangerous.

You’ve been on the tips of your toes, waiting for a mistake. It’s too quiet out here, it feels like there’s someone watching you around every corner. When you told Finnick about the creepy feeling, he did close to nothing to help ease the tension from your body. He told you there’s a good chance that you’re right.

He hasn’t been very comforting as of late.

As much as you’d like to be mad at him for it, you can’t really blame him. There’s been a tornado of shit that’s been going around you two since the Quell was announced in the winter. It’s a miracle that you’ve managed to stay together through it. After what happened in the arena, you thought for sure that was going to be the end of (Y/n) and Finnick.

Boggs suddenly stops at the opening of another block, a ring of apartment buildings with a nice courtyard right in the center. The group of you gather around as he pulls out the Holo so you can see a projection of the block and where the pods are inside. You cross your arms, listening to him explain how you’re going to do it.

There’s a gunfire pod positioned a third of the way down, above an apartment awning. He wants to trigger it with bullets, which means for a volunteer. As for a second pod, it’s at the far end, almost the next corner. That pod requires a body to set it off, needing another volunteer.

Several people raise their hands, not including you. Ever since you found out last week that you’re here for decoration, you’ve been doing the bare minimum. You’re not going to put yourself in unnecessary danger just so they can film you and manipulate the country into thinking you’re actually helping. Besides, no matter who raises their hands and their capabilities for the situation, Boggs tries hard not to call on any of the victors. Star Squad professionals, only.

Katniss gets sent to Messalla to get her makeup done for the filming. You follow Boggs’ directions to position yourself for when the pods get set off. It takes a couple minutes for the camera crew to get the angle they want. You watch as Messalla throws a few smoke charges to make an atmosphere for the video, and resist the urge to laugh. It’s comical.

On Katniss’ lead, you follow her through the smoke and down the path. Everyone has been asked to shoot a window, but when Finnick sees that you’re not participating, he does it for you. Gale’s the one that’s been selected to hit the pod, causing the rest of you to duck into doorways or flattening against the colorful stones in order to avoid being hit by the bullets.

When Boggs feels like it’s not going to react to any movement, he orders you forward, only for Cressida to stop everyone before they move and ruin her vision. She wants close-up shots of your reactions, falling to the ground, grimacing, diving into the doorways.

You opt not to participate, which it met with a stern look from Boggs. You two have had plenty of conversations these past couple of days about Coin’s wants and how you need to follow them. He stopped bringing it up after you kept repeatedly telling him that she is not in control over you, therefore he isn’t either. The one reason why you’re still part of the squad is for Finnick, no one else.

“Pull it together, Four-Five-One,” Boggs tells them firmly, they’ve been laughing at Messalla for trying to reenact how he felt. You look up from where you’re rolling a bullet back and forth on the mosaics. Boggs is backing away, Holo in his hand as he tries to see through the haze to find the next pod, his foot landing on one of the orange tiles.

You want the tile sink.

An ear-splitting explosion shakes the ground, as you take Finnick through the doorway with you. You hit the carpet, struggling to breathe through the toxic air. A second explosion goes off nearby, your ears begin to ring. You take in a breath, and you’re immediately met with a sharp stabbing pain.

You stop, turning away from Finnick as you try to see around your vest where the pain is coming from. Your face twists, fingers searching along your upper right side, around your ribs. You’re met with torn fabric, so you gently press into the exposed skin.

You let out a cry, gritting your teeth. You slam your head back against the carpet, eyes shut to prevent the dizziness that’s beginning to make the room spin. Your fingertips are met with a smooth object, and the moment you prod it, you almost black out.

“(Y/n)?” Finnick’s voice is loud, hands touching your face, “Are you okay?”

You let out a noise, wincing, “Yeah, I just lost my breath there for a second.” You extend your hand to block his view of where you’re touching. When you open your eyes, you can see that he’s searching your face. “I’m okay, go check on them.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes, go.” You hold your hand out, and he pulls you into a sitting position.

Finnick gets to his feet, and ducks out of the doorway and onto the street. You can hear screaming, panicked voices being traded back and forth. There’s a dark liquid traveling your way, resembling the consistency of blood.

You pull your hand away from your wound, and find your fingers are coated in red, too. There’s something lodged in your side, it’s causing you to bleed. If you don’t take it out, you risk the chance of more damage as you move. When you take it out, you’ll be opening the floodgates for blood. This is not a winning situation.

You slowly get to your feet, being sure not to jostle too hard. Instead of going out of the door, you travel further inside the green apartment, heading for the mirror that sits in the hallway. You have a sick feeling that you already know what’s inside of your body, and it’s confirmed when you lift your arm.

A shard of glass, large and sharp enough to pierce your skin. You grit your teeth, taking a few deep breaths, before you grip and yank. The lightheadedness is instant, you find yourself on your knees, slamming your fist into the carpet to combat the pain.

“(Y/n)?” Finnick’s voice is faraway, he must still be outside. “We need to get moving, now!”

“I’m coming!” You shout back, wrapping your left hand around your chest to press flat against the open wound. It’ll work for now, you’ll tell them as soon as you’re somewhere safe.

You slide up the wall, focusing on your breathing. When you step foot out onto the street, you’re met with murder. Boggs is laying on the street, both of his legs gone below his thighs. The blood on the sidewalk belongs to him, and it’s sprayed up the side of the building.

“Prepare to retreat!” Jackson shouts.

“We can’t!” Finnick shouts back, he’s got an unconscious Messalla in his arms, “Look!”

You turn to look where you’d just come in. A black, oily liquid geysers from the street, and high into the air, raining down between the buildings. It coats the side so thick that you can’t see the bright pink underneath.

Gale works together with Leeg to shoot a path to the other end of the block, anticipating other unmarked bombs. It’s right of them to do this, they set off another one about ten yards away.

You take off after them, ignoring the pain that surges through your body with every heavy step. You can feel the blood leaking between your fingers, making your skin slippery and hard to cover.

Homes and Katniss each grab one arm that belongs to Boggs and drag him down the street the best they can. Boggs is screaming, not bothering to try and stay quiet. You guess noise doesn’t matter, not with the bombs, the gunfire, and the giant wave of black oil rolling toward you.

They don’t make it far, there’s a shout, and the sound of someone hitting the stones. You turn to see Peeta over Katniss, the butt of his gun aimed over her head. Mitchell tackles Peeta, managing to pin him to the ground, but Peeta’s still got strength despite the torture he went through in the Capitol.

He gets his feet underneath Mitchell and launches him further downhill. A loud snap fills the air as he triggers a pod, four cables break through the stones, stringing Mitchell above the street. It’s mere seconds before he’s covered in blood, because of the barbs that line the wires.

You pause briefly, but then your feet start moving again when you’re choked by the smell of the oil. You follow after Gale and Leeg, who have managed to shoot the lock off a corner building, allowing you to get inside. You watch from the doorway as they aim at the wires that hold Mitchell’s net, hoping to get him down.

There’s several people on Peeta to restrain him. Katniss has gotten back to her feet, grabbing Boggs with Homes, they’re the next ones to make it into the apartment. Castor and Pollux drag in a screaming Peeta, Jackson handcuffs him, and they manage to get him into a closet without much effort.

You travel further into the apartment when Finnick gets inside with Messalla. You follow them through the living room, past the hallway and into the kitchen where everyone else has gathered. Leeg, Cressida and Gale are the last three to make it inside, slamming the kitchen door shut and stuffing towels beneath the opening to avoid the toxic fumes of the oil.

“Mitchell?” Homes asks, Leeg shakes her head.

You lean over the counter, wincing because the pain is getting worse. You stomp your foot, squeezing your eyes shut.

Peeta’s feet are slamming into the closet door, trying to break it down. You all quiet down to listen, you’re sure a few of them are bracing themselves for when he succeeds. With each quick, they grow quieter, weaker. And then he stops.

“He’s gone?” Finnick asks, you look up to see they’re talking about Boggs. “We need to get out of here. Now. We just set off a streetful of pods. You can bet they’ve got us on surveillance tapes.”

“Count on it.” Castor says. “All the streets are covered by surveillance cameras. I bet they set off the wave manually when they saw up taping the propo.”

“Our radio communicators went dead almost immediately. Probably an electromagnetic pulse device. But I’ll get us back to camo. Give me the Holo.” Jackson reaches for the device.

“Finnick.” You call, he looks up, face twisting.

“You’re pale.”

“I’m bleeding.” You turn your body to the side, lifting your hand for him to see.

“Holy shit.” He pushes through the kitchen to get where you’re standing in the corner, “Homes, will you—?”

“Yes.” He pops out the first aid kit, setting it on the counter.

“What happened?”

“It was a glass shard, I thought I’d be able to handle it for a little while, but I’m dizzy.” You tilt your head back.

“Okay, okay,” He rinses the wound, you let out a groan between your teeth. “It’s a good thing you didn’t wait, (Y/n).”

“Listen, both of us have gone through worse, I thought I’d be able to handle a little blood.”

“Except this isn’t little.” He presses a kiss to the corner of your mouth, “I’m going to cover it, but we have to stitch it as soon as we get the chance.”

You make a face, “Great.”

“It’s that or bleed to death.”

“I’m already halfway there.”

Finnick gives you a look, "I don't think that's funny right now."

You touch the side of his face, "I'll let you know if I bleed through or if I'm in any significant pain. I won't keep it to myself, babe. I promise."

"Good, because we're wasting time."

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sam-keeper · 2 months ago

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Halloween Film: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

I always loved the ending of the 1956 Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the classic sci fi film about replicant humans being grown from strange alien plant pods and taking over society. Well, I loved what was the ending, before the nervous studio tacked on a prologue and epilogue giving the film an optimistic (and contrived) conclusion. You know, where the main character runs out onto the road, desperately trying to halt oncoming traffic, to get anyone to listen as he cries, into the night, and finally directly into the camera at the audience, "They're here! You're next! YOU'RE NEXT!" For all the film's been interpreted as expressing red scare paranoia about communist infiltration (and even that's contested--others see it as a cry against McCarthyite witch hunts), the sheer manic shrieking energy of that finale lodged itself in my brain ever since I watched the film as a teenager. It was fearful, but it also was relatable, almost a kind of perverse power fantasy. Imagine, just imagine, screaming out from every theater screen and tv set: don't you see what's happening all around you? Look away from the screen if you like--they're already here!

The 1978 remake is actually a weird kind of precursor to our new phenomenon of the rebootquel: a short ways into the film, the main character of the original (literally--it's Kevin McCarthy, the original's star) slams into the car of our protagonists, ranting that blood curdling monologue. In this version, however, the pod people swiftly dispatch him off screen, and we get a creepy shot of a crowd of them standing silently, dispassionately, over his bloody broken body. That sums up the film's sense, contra the original, that it will already be too late by the time anyone notices anything wrong.

What a creepy film this is. It's astonishingly shot, full of striking images and brilliant camera work. Like, if you want reflections and shadows and distorted views of characters to feel fresh again, like they're more than hackneyed metaphor but really, viscerally unsettling, this is the film for you. There's a pervasive sense throughout that the worst has already happened, the world already gone strange when you turned your back. Instead of zombified mania and violence, there's a flatness to everything, a cool impassivity. The cast enhances this impassive flatness through contrast: it's a film full of brilliant weirdos as heroes. Scope Jeff Goldblum in this, for example, as a self absorbed neurotic owner of a mud bath house, and Veronica Cartwright as his Star Child wife. Even the relatively well adjusted main couple has their oddities: early in the film Brooke Adams as Elizabeth has a moment where she does this, fuckin, crazy thing with her eyes to make her friend Matthew laugh that's genuinely very funny and unsettling, and it immediately lends her character so much off beat humanity. These are people who have dedicated their lives to the department of health and they've got the zealotry that comes from being genuinely a bit of a weirdo for both bureaucracy and science. Indeed, Elizabeth's husband gets replaced early in the film by a pod she brings home to study out of pure curiosity about the world.

Elizabeth, soon after realizing there is something fundamentally wrong and alien about her husband, remarks to Michael that San Francisco feels suddenly strange to her, like an alien environment full of alien people. I feel this sometimes in Seattle. Oh, everywhere, but pronouncedly here, interacting with boomer or gen xer artists in my area who casually talk about the homeless like they're subhuman, with people on the street who will freely monologue about who we need to cleanse from the city, with our repulsive mayor and city council who verifiably think I and queers like me are disgusting. You get to thinking, or at least I do, that surely people don't have that much cruelty in their heart, and then you run up against the flat casual way a stranger will condemn a fellow human to oblivion, simply for the crime of being an unpleasant reminder of poverty. Every supposed red line gets crossed--local leaders pump money into already bloated police budgets, people shed their masks, politicians race to be the most xenophobic and border-paranoid, and the state department and media shovel dirt on the fire of each exploded Gazan hospital or butchered aid convoy. Am I supposed to feel secure in this tough new environment? All I hear is the panicked cry: YOU'RE IN DANGER! YOU'RE NEXT!

Donald Sutherland's character Matthew has a belief in institutions that's at once charming and completely exasperating. He's a health inspector who clearly cares deeply about doing his job and doing it well, and so is almost totally unequipped to respond when every social system transforms into a weapon to hunt and replace him. The number of times this man calls the police, often seemingly out of civic duty!! Meanwhile Leonard Nimoy plays a psychiatrist who manipulates and shepherds the cast. He's a pod person, of course, but it's totally unclear whether he was one the whole time or became one late in the film. The suggestion seems to be that it doesn't matter: his role as a professional is to smooth over social ruptures and keep the state of things running as stress free as possible, so he seamlessly adopts his role in the new dispassionate world order. I can't stop thinking, too, about a scene where Matthew and Elizabeth are caught out pretending to be pod people because they react with terrified revulsion to a homeless man who's accidentally been grotesquely fused with his pet dog. The pod people, of course, do not react to this sight, but go about their business. All that seems to have changed in pod person world is that the whole machinery of society carries on without emotion or meaning. The horror is that instead of ending, the world just keeps going.

Sarah and I discovered after watching that there's two other takes on The Body Snatchers, one in the 90s and one late in the Bush era 2000s. I guess that means we're about due for a new generational interpretation of the story. It's not quite like clockwork; maybe it's more like a seasonal bloom. Every 10-20 years, someone feels a compulsion to run to the cinemas and shout, to anyone who will listen, that they're already here, the pod people have already taken over while we were sleeping. And maybe they already have.

Check out more short reviews on my Patreon

#invasion of the body snatchers #horror #horror movies #horror review #movie review #halloween #spooky season #jeff goldblum #donald sutherland #brooke adams #veronica cartwright #leonard nimoy

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