Translation by Ian Johnston
Before the law sits a gatekeeper. To this gatekeeper comes a man from the country who asks to gain entry into the law. But the gatekeeper says that he cannot grant him entry at the moment. The man thinks about it and then asks if he will be allowed to come in later on. “It is possible,” says the gatekeeper, “but not now.” At the moment the gate to the law stands open, as always, and the gatekeeper walks to the side, so the man bends over in order to see through the gate into the inside. When the gatekeeper notices that, he laughs and says: “If it tempts you so much, try it in spite of my prohibition. But take note: I am powerful. And I am only the most lowly gatekeeper. But from room to room stand gatekeepers, each more powerful than the other. I can’t endure even one glimpse of the third.” The man from the country has not expected such difficulties: the law should always be accessible for everyone, he thinks, but as he now looks more closely at the gatekeeper in his fur coat, at his large pointed nose and his long, thin, black Tartar’s beard, he decides that it would be better to wait until he gets permission to go inside. The gatekeeper gives him a stool and allows him to sit down at the side in front of the gate. There he sits for days and years. He makes many attempts to be let in, and he wears the gatekeeper out with his requests. The gatekeeper often interrogates him briefly, questioning him about his homeland and many other things, but they are indifferent questions, the kind great men put, and at the end he always tells him once more that he cannot let him inside yet. The man, who has equipped himself with many things for his journey, spends everything, no matter how valuable, to win over the gatekeeper. The latter takes it all but, as he does so, says, “I am taking this only so that you do not think you have failed to do anything.” During the many years the man observes the gatekeeper almost continuously. He forgets the other gatekeepers, and this one seems to him the only obstacle for entry into the law. He curses the unlucky circumstance, in the first years thoughtlessly and out loud, later, as he grows old, he still mumbles to himself. He becomes childish and, since in the long years studying the gatekeeper he has come to know the fleas in his fur collar, he even asks the fleas to help him persuade the gatekeeper. Finally his eyesight grows weak, and he does not know whether things are really darker around him or whether his eyes are merely deceiving him. But he recognizes now in the darkness an illumination which breaks inextinguishably out of the gateway to the law. Now he no longer has much time to live. Before his death he gathers in his head all his experiences of the entire time up into one question which he has not yet put to the gatekeeper. He waves to him, since he can no longer lift up his stiffening body. The gatekeeper has to bend way down to him, for the great difference has changed things to the disadvantage of the man. “What do you still want to know, then?” asks the gatekeeper. “You are insatiable.” “Everyone strives after the law,” says the man, “so how is that in these many years no one except me has requested entry?” The gatekeeper sees that the man is already dying and, in order to reach his diminishing sense of hearing, he shouts at him, “Here no one else can gain entry, since this entrance was assigned only to you. I’m going now to close it.

Once Madeline and Billie had hauled themselves out of the lake it was time to get moving again. Lena had used the time they’d been “mucking about” in the medic’s words to plan out the next section of their route on the map.
Madeline struggled to pull on fresh socks over her shrivelled, soggy feet before hurriedly retying her trainers and hauling her bag onto her back. It was going to be odd walking in sodden clothes, but she was sure they’d dry soon. In fact, the cooling effect might even be a bonus — so long as the chafing wasn’t unbearable.
As the three of them made their way out of the valley, they converged slightly, all having to take the same path before they diverged out to a safe distance again so as to avoid detection by the Poiloogs. Lena went ahead, leaving Billie and Madeline to linger until they judged she was far enough away.
“Enjoy the swim?” Billie shouted over to her.
Madeline pointedly lifted her walkie-talkie to her lips and pressed the button. “Pardon?”
“I said did you enjoy the swim?” Billie’s voice came over the radio.
“You know I did!”
“Yeah, but it’s good to hear you say it.”
Madeline turned to face them more fully, glaring. As she did, she noticed their gaze skirt over her body and glanced down to realise her clothes were plastered to her skin. She instinctively went to wrap her arms around herself but paused. What point was there in being shy or ashamed of herself anymore? The world had practically ended. The apocalypse had come. Being alive was achievement enough without worrying about what your body looked like.
Heart fluttering at the brazenness of it, she let her own gaze slip down slightly, taking in Billie’s chiselled form underneath the wet fabric. Her lip twitched up as she noticed Billie’s arms jerk slightly, before falling to their sides just as hers had. It was nice to know that, as confident as her friend seemed, they all had their insecurities.
“Are you two coming, or not?” Lena’s voice jerked Madeline back to reality, and heat rapidly rose up her neck.
“Right behind you,” she said quickly, hurrying after the medic as Billie watched her go with a grin on their face.
The feared chafing soon reared its ugly head, wet fabric rubbing against her skin under the straps of her backpack, but it was a price worth paying for even a moment of fun. And there was plenty of time to take the journey slow, with lots of opportunities for breaks. They had to make the most of the time they had left, after all. Once they attempted their rescue mission, who knew what would happen?
Their next stop was at an old holiday park — a perfect place to stay the night. Once they’d performed a quick sweep of the area between them, they each chose a static caravan. The selection of keys hanging behind the front desk by the entrance made breaking in significantly easier than usual, and they were soon tucked away and getting settled.
Though there was still a little daylight left, they had a rule never to congregate before a night’s sleep. If a Poiloog detected them because of their proximity, they wouldn’t have long enough to disperse before darkness fell. Besides, they still weren’t sure how far away Poiloogs could sense them from. It might take a while for the creatures to turn up, and if they were already asleep by then…
If only they knew more about the Poiloogs. But even after sharing knowledge with Billie and the rest of the resistance — as she called them — there were still so many questions. How did they sense humans? Why was it easier for them when people were closer together and in larger groups? How did their mind control work? And what were they doing with the people they took away?
At least some answers might finally be on the horizon.
And until then, they had all their precautions to keep them safe amid the uncertainty.
Not wishing to dwell on questions that she could do nothing to answer just yet, Madeline settled onto one of the sofa beds in her caravan and tried to absorb herself in her book.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When morning came, and still with more than enough time to reach their destination, Madeline, Lena, and Billie decided to hang around a little before setting off for the day. After a lot of searching, they managed to find a caravan that still had gas left in the external canister. Billie fired up the stove as Lena and Madeline searched through their packs for anything that would make for a nice hot breakfast.
Between them, they came up with some baked beans and some tinned spam. It wasn’t exactly a full English breakfast, but it was as close as Madeline had managed in a while.
The more relaxed pace of the last few days had had many benefits. With all the sitting around outside, Madeline had managed to fully charge all her solar-powered battery packs. Now she’d be able to use her hot plate and her walkman without fear of running out of power. It was nice to feel at least a little on top of things rather than like she was continually drowning and just about scrambling to keep up.
Once they’d wolfed down the food, Billie left to patrol and keep watch while Madeline and Lena reclined in a pair of camping chairs. Though Madeline always enjoyed the other woman’s conversation, she also loved moments like this, sitting in comfortable, companionable silence. It felt like such an indulgence to enjoy the presence of someone else with no purpose. To just relax.
Of course, relaxation never lasted long when Billie was around. They returned from their patrolling at a jog. Madeline was halfway to her feet, sweat pricking at her skin and heart racing before Billie waved at her with a relaxed smile.
She slumped back into her chair, clutching a hand to her chest. “You scared me half to death!” she shouted. “I thought you must be running from something.”
“Nope,” Billie replied. “Just figured I’d enjoy this wonderful morning and make my patrolling more efficient by going for a jog.”
“Of course they did,” Lena said, throwing her a sidelong glance.
Madeline laughed. It was an oddly giddy giggle, bubbling up out of excess adrenaline that was no longer needed. “How silly of me,” she said. “I forgot for a moment that you were completely insane.”
“Not insane! Just… enthusiastic. There are some habits it’s hard to shake.” Billie grinned. “Did I ever tell you that I used to be a personal trainer?”
Suddenly, so many things clicked into place in Madeline’s mind. Another giggle bubbled up. “No, I don’t think you did,” she said. “But it makes perfect sense.”
“I know, right?” Lena climbed to her feet. “I suppose one of us should go and keep watch,” she said as she walked off. “I’ll come back when I’m bored. Or if I see anything dangerous.” She glanced over her shoulder, a grin pulling at her lips. “But I’ll try not to give you a heart attack when I do.”
“So,” Billie slumped into the now vacant chair, “what did you mean by ‘it makes perfect sense’?”
Madeline turned to face them, returning the challenge of their arched eyebrow with her most innocent expression — eyes wide with a slight smile. “Oh, you know,” she said. “Just that you’re insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Billie gaped at them. “Wow! Tell me what you really think.”
For a second, she worried that she might have gone too far in her teasing. It wasn’t too long ago that she’d managed to hurt her friend’s feelings and the experience had been unpleasant enough that she knew she never wanted to repeat it.
Then, Billie cracked a grin. “You know me so well, Mads. Or do you?” They dramatically whipped their head around to face her, narrowing their eyes in an accusatory stare. “Can you guess what my second job was?”
“Second job?” Madeline asked, buying time as she considered everything she knew about them. They were definitely into fitness, but that had already been covered. They were friendly and good with people, but that could lend itself to all kinds of roles.
“Yeah. The PT work could be a little sporadic so I had another way of making money.”
Coming up empty, Madeline spread her hands in a shrug. “I don’t know… delivery rider?”
“Aha! No!” They paused, eyes drifting up as they considered. “Okay, well, I might have done that for a bit. But it wasn’t what I was doing most recently.”
“So what was your second job?”
“Bartender. And I was damn good at it too.”
Just like before, as soon as Billie had said the words it all fit perfectly. She could imagine them behind the bar, charming customers, darting back and forward mixing drinks, and, of course, swiftly dealing with any inappropriate or violent behaviour.
“See,” they said, sitting back and folding their arms, “maybe you don’t know everything about me.”
“I’m certain I don’t,” Madeline replied. “You certainly don’t know everything about me.”
Billie instantly leaned forward again, rising to the challenge. “Oh really? I bet I can guess what you used to do!”
The childish excitement on their face at this new game made Madeline’s chest swell with warmth. “Go on then.”
“I think you were…” They stared at her, rubbing their chin as if deep in thought. “I think you were a librarian.”
“I wish!” Madeline scoffed.
“An English teacher?”
“What, with all those children? Hell no!”
“A writer? Journalist? Editor?”
Madeline clutched a hand to her heart in mock affront. “Wow! It’s almost as if you only know one thing about me!”
“Hey! I know lots about you!” Billie insisted. “It’s just that none of it is useful in figuring out what sort of job you’d have had. So are you going to put me out of my misery, or what?”
“I was a marketing executive,” she said with a sigh.
“What does that even mean?”
“It means sitting at the same desk every day coming up with ways to promote products to people who don’t need them.”
“Sounds fun!”
“It wasn’t.” Madeline shifted forward slightly in her chair, leaning her elbows onto her knees to be ever so slightly closer to her friend. “So what do you know about me then?”
Billie tilted their head quizzically. “Huh?”
“You said that you knew lots about me. So what is it you know?”
“Ah.” They leaned forward too, mirroring Madeline as they chewed their lip in thought. “I know that you love books — obviously. I know that you’re slow to trust, but that once you do you trust completely. I know that despite everything you’ve been through, you still put others before yourself to the point you're willing to risk your life for those you care about. I know that you’re smart, and like to plan things out properly. And that you hate it when things don’t go to plan. I know that you’re tough and fiercely independent, but that you crave connection even though you fear it. Oh, and I know that you favour your left foot and your right hand in a fight.”
Madeline stared at them, mouth hanging open slightly as she took in their view of her. It wasn’t that it was completely wrong. It was just that it seemed somewhat selective. Sure, she’d put her life on the line for Liam or Billie or Lena, but she was fairly certain she’d killed people, or that her actions had at least led to their deaths. She’d hoarded supplies for herself tucked away in the safety of her library without worrying about anyone else. She wasn’t sure whether she liked this view of herself, or if it sat in uncomfortably stark contrast with what she knew to be true.
Finally, her mind caught up with Billie’s words, reaching the final sentence. She snapped her mouth shut and forced her eyes to focus once more. “Hey!” she said. “How is it that you find a way to bring everything back to sparring or exercise?!”
“Because I’m insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Madeline rolled her eyes and groaned, but she couldn’t help the smile creeping across her face.
“Speaking of, how about we work on evening up your form a little now, eh? We’ve got a while before we have to get moving.” They pushed themselves up and started clearing a space.
“I’m going to regret ever saying that, aren’t I?” Madeline said as she got up to join them.
They grinned. “Definitely!”
The rest of the morning was spent sparring, interspersed with the occasional break when Lena stepped in for a turn. Madeline was soon sporting many a bruise, but she managed to inflict a few of her own too. She also got the satisfaction of seeing Billie visibly struggling against Lena. With the woman’s longer reach and well-practised form, she was a formidable opponent indeed.
It was nice to know that she had these two in her corner for whatever was coming next.
Next chapter hopefully on 8th June

<< First Chapter
< Previous Chapter Next Chapter >
Once Madeline and Billie had hauled themselves out of the lake it was time to get moving again. Lena had used the time they’d been “mucking about” in the medic’s words to plan out the next section of their route on the map.
Madeline struggled to pull on fresh socks over her shrivelled, soggy feet before hurriedly retying her trainers and hauling her bag onto her back. It was going to be odd walking in sodden clothes, but she was sure they’d dry soon. In fact, the cooling effect might even be a bonus — so long as the chafing wasn’t unbearable.
As the three of them made their way out of the valley, they converged slightly, all having to take the same path before they diverged out to a safe distance again so as to avoid detection by the Poiloogs. Lena went ahead, leaving Billie and Madeline to linger until they judged she was far enough away.
“Enjoy the swim?” Billie shouted over to her.
Madeline pointedly lifted her walkie-talkie to her lips and pressed the button. “Pardon?”
“I said did you enjoy the swim?” Billie’s voice came over the radio.
“You know I did!”
“Yeah, but it’s good to hear you say it.”
Madeline turned to face them more fully, glaring. As she did, she noticed their gaze skirt over her body and glanced down to realise her clothes were plastered to her skin. She instinctively went to wrap her arms around herself but paused. What point was there in being shy or ashamed of herself anymore? The world had practically ended. The apocalypse had come. Being alive was achievement enough without worrying about what your body looked like.
Heart fluttering at the brazenness of it, she let her own gaze slip down slightly, taking in Billie’s chiselled form underneath the wet fabric. Her lip twitched up as she noticed Billie’s arms jerk slightly, before falling to their sides just as hers had. It was nice to know that, as confident as her friend seemed, they all had their insecurities.
“Are you two coming, or not?” Lena’s voice jerked Madeline back to reality, and heat rapidly rose up her neck.
“Right behind you,” she said quickly, hurrying after the medic as Billie watched her go with a grin on their face.
The feared chafing soon reared its ugly head, wet fabric rubbing against her skin under the straps of her backpack, but it was a price worth paying for even a moment of fun. And there was plenty of time to take the journey slow, with lots of opportunities for breaks. They had to make the most of the time they had left, after all. Once they attempted their rescue mission, who knew what would happen?
Their next stop was at an old holiday park — a perfect place to stay the night. Once they’d performed a quick sweep of the area between them, they each chose a static caravan. The selection of keys hanging behind the front desk by the entrance made breaking in significantly easier than usual, and they were soon tucked away and getting settled.
Though there was still a little daylight left, they had a rule never to congregate before a night’s sleep. If a Poiloog detected them because of their proximity, they wouldn’t have long enough to disperse before darkness fell. Besides, they still weren’t sure how far away Poiloogs could sense them from. It might take a while for the creatures to turn up, and if they were already asleep by then…
If only they knew more about the Poiloogs. But even after sharing knowledge with Billie and the rest of the resistance — as she called them — there were still so many questions. How did they sense humans? Why was it easier for them when people were closer together and in larger groups? How did their mind control work? And what were they doing with the people they took away?
At least some answers might finally be on the horizon.
And until then, they had all their precautions to keep them safe amid the uncertainty.
Not wishing to dwell on questions that she could do nothing to answer just yet, Madeline settled onto one of the sofa beds in her caravan and tried to absorb herself in her book.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When morning came, and still with more than enough time to reach their destination, Madeline, Lena, and Billie decided to hang around a little before setting off for the day. After a lot of searching, they managed to find a caravan that still had gas left in the external canister. Billie fired up the stove as Lena and Madeline searched through their packs for anything that would make for a nice hot breakfast.
Between them, they came up with some baked beans and some tinned spam. It wasn’t exactly a full English breakfast, but it was as close as Madeline had managed in a while.
The more relaxed pace of the last few days had had many benefits. With all the sitting around outside, Madeline had managed to fully charge all her solar-powered battery packs. Now she’d be able to use her hot plate and her walkman without fear of running out of power. It was nice to feel at least a little on top of things rather than like she was continually drowning and just about scrambling to keep up.
Once they’d wolfed down the food, Billie left to patrol and keep watch while Madeline and Lena reclined in a pair of camping chairs. Though Madeline always enjoyed the other woman’s conversation, she also loved moments like this, sitting in comfortable, companionable silence. It felt like such an indulgence to enjoy the presence of someone else with no purpose. To just relax.
Of course, relaxation never lasted long when Billie was around. They returned from their patrolling at a jog. Madeline was halfway to her feet, sweat pricking at her skin and heart racing before Billie waved at her with a relaxed smile.
She slumped back into her chair, clutching a hand to her chest. “You scared me half to death!” she shouted. “I thought you must be running from something.”
“Nope,” Billie replied. “Just figured I’d enjoy this wonderful morning and make my patrolling more efficient by going for a jog.”
“Of course they did,” Lena said, throwing her a sidelong glance.
Madeline laughed. It was an oddly giddy giggle, bubbling up out of excess adrenaline that was no longer needed. “How silly of me,” she said. “I forgot for a moment that you were completely insane.”
“Not insane! Just… enthusiastic. There are some habits it’s hard to shake.” Billie grinned. “Did I ever tell you that I used to be a personal trainer?”
Suddenly, so many things clicked into place in Madeline’s mind. Another giggle bubbled up. “No, I don’t think you did,” she said. “But it makes perfect sense.”
“I know, right?” Lena climbed to her feet. “I suppose one of us should go and keep watch,” she said as she walked off. “I’ll come back when I’m bored. Or if I see anything dangerous.” She glanced over her shoulder, a grin pulling at her lips. “But I’ll try not to give you a heart attack when I do.”
“So,” Billie slumped into the now vacant chair, “what did you mean by ‘it makes perfect sense’?”
Madeline turned to face them, returning the challenge of their arched eyebrow with her most innocent expression — eyes wide with a slight smile. “Oh, you know,” she said. “Just that you’re insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Billie gaped at them. “Wow! Tell me what you really think.”
For a second, she worried that she might have gone too far in her teasing. It wasn’t too long ago that she’d managed to hurt her friend’s feelings and the experience had been unpleasant enough that she knew she never wanted to repeat it.
Then, Billie cracked a grin. “You know me so well, Mads. Or do you?” They dramatically whipped their head around to face her, narrowing their eyes in an accusatory stare. “Can you guess what my second job was?”
“Second job?” Madeline asked, buying time as she considered everything she knew about them. They were definitely into fitness, but that had already been covered. They were friendly and good with people, but that could lend itself to all kinds of roles.
“Yeah. The PT work could be a little sporadic so I had another way of making money.”
Coming up empty, Madeline spread her hands in a shrug. “I don’t know… delivery rider?”
“Aha! No!” They paused, eyes drifting up as they considered. “Okay, well, I might have done that for a bit. But it wasn’t what I was doing most recently.”
“So what was your second job?”
“Bartender. And I was damn good at it too.”
Just like before, as soon as Billie had said the words it all fit perfectly. She could imagine them behind the bar, charming customers, darting back and forward mixing drinks, and, of course, swiftly dealing with any inappropriate or violent behaviour.
“See,” they said, sitting back and folding their arms, “maybe you don’t know everything about me.”
“I’m certain I don’t,” Madeline replied. “You certainly don’t know everything about me.”
Billie instantly leaned forward again, rising to the challenge. “Oh really? I bet I can guess what you used to do!”
The childish excitement on their face at this new game made Madeline’s chest swell with warmth. “Go on then.”
“I think you were…” They stared at her, rubbing their chin as if deep in thought. “I think you were a librarian.”
“I wish!” Madeline scoffed.
“An English teacher?”
“What, with all those children? Hell no!”
“A writer? Journalist? Editor?”
Madeline clutched a hand to her heart in mock affront. “Wow! It’s almost as if you only know one thing about me!”
“Hey! I know lots about you!” Billie insisted. “It’s just that none of it is useful in figuring out what sort of job you’d have had. So are you going to put me out of my misery, or what?”
“I was a marketing executive,” she said with a sigh.
“What does that even mean?”
“It means sitting at the same desk every day coming up with ways to promote products to people who don’t need them.”
“Sounds fun!”
“It wasn’t.” Madeline shifted forward slightly in her chair, leaning her elbows onto her knees to be ever so slightly closer to her friend. “So what do you know about me then?”
Billie tilted their head quizzically. “Huh?”
“You said that you knew lots about me. So what is it you know?”
“Ah.” They leaned forward too, mirroring Madeline as they chewed their lip in thought. “I know that you love books — obviously. I know that you’re slow to trust, but that once you do you trust completely. I know that despite everything you’ve been through, you still put others before yourself to the point you're willing to risk your life for those you care about. I know that you’re smart, and like to plan things out properly. And that you hate it when things don’t go to plan. I know that you’re tough and fiercely independent, but that you crave connection even though you fear it. Oh, and I know that you favour your left foot and your right hand in a fight.”
Madeline stared at them, mouth hanging open slightly as she took in their view of her. It wasn’t that it was completely wrong. It was just that it seemed somewhat selective. Sure, she’d put her life on the line for Liam or Billie or Lena, but she was fairly certain she’d killed people, or that her actions had at least led to their deaths. She’d hoarded supplies for herself tucked away in the safety of her library without worrying about anyone else. She wasn’t sure whether she liked this view of herself, or if it sat in uncomfortably stark contrast with what she knew to be true.
Finally, her mind caught up with Billie’s words, reaching the final sentence. She snapped her mouth shut and forced her eyes to focus once more. “Hey!” she said. “How is it that you find a way to bring everything back to sparring or exercise?!”
“Because I’m insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Madeline rolled her eyes and groaned, but she couldn’t help the smile creeping across her face.
“Speaking of, how about we work on evening up your form a little now, eh? We’ve got a while before we have to get moving.” They pushed themselves up and started clearing a space.
“I’m going to regret ever saying that, aren’t I?” Madeline said as she got up to join them.
They grinned. “Definitely!”
The rest of the morning was spent sparring, interspersed with the occasional break when Lena stepped in for a turn. Madeline was soon sporting many a bruise, but she managed to inflict a few of her own too. She also got the satisfaction of seeing Billie visibly struggling against Lena. With the woman’s longer reach and well-practised form, she was a formidable opponent indeed.
It was nice to know that she had these two in her corner for whatever was coming next.
Author's Note: Next chapter to be posted 8th June (hopefully). This is an ongoing project so I welcome any feedback you might have.

Once Madeline and Billie had hauled themselves out of the lake it was time to get moving again. Lena had used the time they’d been “mucking about” in the medic’s words to plan out the next section of their route on the map.
Madeline struggled to pull on fresh socks over her shrivelled, soggy feet before hurriedly retying her trainers and hauling her bag onto her back. It was going to be odd walking in sodden clothes, but she was sure they’d dry soon. In fact, the cooling effect might even be a bonus — so long as the chafing wasn’t unbearable.
As the three of them made their way out of the valley, they converged slightly, all having to take the same path before they diverged out to a safe distance again so as to avoid detection by the Poiloogs. Lena went ahead, leaving Billie and Madeline to linger until they judged she was far enough away.
“Enjoy the swim?” Billie shouted over to her.
Madeline pointedly lifted her walkie-talkie to her lips and pressed the button. “Pardon?”
“I said did you enjoy the swim?” Billie’s voice came over the radio.
“You know I did!”
“Yeah, but it’s good to hear you say it.”
Madeline turned to face them more fully, glaring. As she did, she noticed their gaze skirt over her body and glanced down to realise her clothes were plastered to her skin. She instinctively went to wrap her arms around herself but paused. What point was there in being shy or ashamed of herself anymore? The world had practically ended. The apocalypse had come. Being alive was achievement enough without worrying about what your body looked like.
Heart fluttering at the brazenness of it, she let her own gaze slip down slightly, taking in Billie’s chiselled form underneath the wet fabric. Her lip twitched up as she noticed Billie’s arms jerk slightly, before falling to their sides just as hers had. It was nice to know that, as confident as her friend seemed, they all had their insecurities.
“Are you two coming, or not?” Lena’s voice jerked Madeline back to reality, and heat rapidly rose up her neck.
“Right behind you,” she said quickly, hurrying after the medic as Billie watched her go with a grin on their face.
The feared chafing soon reared its ugly head, wet fabric rubbing against her skin under the straps of her backpack, but it was a price worth paying for even a moment of fun. And there was plenty of time to take the journey slow, with lots of opportunities for breaks. They had to make the most of the time they had left, after all. Once they attempted their rescue mission, who knew what would happen?
Their next stop was at an old holiday park — a perfect place to stay the night. Once they’d performed a quick sweep of the area between them, they each chose a static caravan. The selection of keys hanging behind the front desk by the entrance made breaking in significantly easier than usual, and they were soon tucked away and getting settled.
Though there was still a little daylight left, they had a rule never to congregate before a night’s sleep. If a Poiloog detected them because of their proximity, they wouldn’t have long enough to disperse before darkness fell. Besides, they still weren’t sure how far away Poiloogs could sense them from. It might take a while for the creatures to turn up, and if they were already asleep by then…
If only they knew more about the Poiloogs. But even after sharing knowledge with Billie and the rest of the resistance — as she called them — there were still so many questions. How did they sense humans? Why was it easier for them when people were closer together and in larger groups? How did their mind control work? And what were they doing with the people they took away?
At least some answers might finally be on the horizon.
And until then, they had all their precautions to keep them safe amid the uncertainty.
Not wishing to dwell on questions that she could do nothing to answer just yet, Madeline settled onto one of the sofa beds in her caravan and tried to absorb herself in her book.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When morning came, and still with more than enough time to reach their destination, Madeline, Lena, and Billie decided to hang around a little before setting off for the day. After a lot of searching, they managed to find a caravan that still had gas left in the external canister. Billie fired up the stove as Lena and Madeline searched through their packs for anything that would make for a nice hot breakfast.
Between them, they came up with some baked beans and some tinned spam. It wasn’t exactly a full English breakfast, but it was as close as Madeline had managed in a while.
The more relaxed pace of the last few days had had many benefits. With all the sitting around outside, Madeline had managed to fully charge all her solar-powered battery packs. Now she’d be able to use her hot plate and her walkman without fear of running out of power. It was nice to feel at least a little on top of things rather than like she was continually drowning and just about scrambling to keep up.
Once they’d wolfed down the food, Billie left to patrol and keep watch while Madeline and Lena reclined in a pair of camping chairs. Though Madeline always enjoyed the other woman’s conversation, she also loved moments like this, sitting in comfortable, companionable silence. It felt like such an indulgence to enjoy the presence of someone else with no purpose. To just relax.
Of course, relaxation never lasted long when Billie was around. They returned from their patrolling at a jog. Madeline was halfway to her feet, sweat pricking at her skin and heart racing before Billie waved at her with a relaxed smile.
She slumped back into her chair, clutching a hand to her chest. “You scared me half to death!” she shouted. “I thought you must be running from something.”
“Nope,” Billie replied. “Just figured I’d enjoy this wonderful morning and make my patrolling more efficient by going for a jog.”
“Of course they did,” Lena said, throwing her a sidelong glance.
Madeline laughed. It was an oddly giddy giggle, bubbling up out of excess adrenaline that was no longer needed. “How silly of me,” she said. “I forgot for a moment that you were completely insane.”
“Not insane! Just… enthusiastic. There are some habits it’s hard to shake.” Billie grinned. “Did I ever tell you that I used to be a personal trainer?”
Suddenly, so many things clicked into place in Madeline’s mind. Another giggle bubbled up. “No, I don’t think you did,” she said. “But it makes perfect sense.”
“I know, right?” Lena climbed to her feet. “I suppose one of us should go and keep watch,” she said as she walked off. “I’ll come back when I’m bored. Or if I see anything dangerous.” She glanced over her shoulder, a grin pulling at her lips. “But I’ll try not to give you a heart attack when I do.”
“So,” Billie slumped into the now vacant chair, “what did you mean by ‘it makes perfect sense’?”
Madeline turned to face them, returning the challenge of their arched eyebrow with her most innocent expression — eyes wide with a slight smile. “Oh, you know,” she said. “Just that you’re insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Billie gaped at them. “Wow! Tell me what you really think.”
For a second, she worried that she might have gone too far in her teasing. It wasn’t too long ago that she’d managed to hurt her friend’s feelings and the experience had been unpleasant enough that she knew she never wanted to repeat it.
Then, Billie cracked a grin. “You know me so well, Mads. Or do you?” They dramatically whipped their head around to face her, narrowing their eyes in an accusatory stare. “Can you guess what my second job was?”
“Second job?” Madeline asked, buying time as she considered everything she knew about them. They were definitely into fitness, but that had already been covered. They were friendly and good with people, but that could lend itself to all kinds of roles.
“Yeah. The PT work could be a little sporadic so I had another way of making money.”
Coming up empty, Madeline spread her hands in a shrug. “I don’t know… delivery rider?”
“Aha! No!” They paused, eyes drifting up as they considered. “Okay, well, I might have done that for a bit. But it wasn’t what I was doing most recently.”
“So what was your second job?”
“Bartender. And I was damn good at it too.”
Just like before, as soon as Billie had said the words it all fit perfectly. She could imagine them behind the bar, charming customers, darting back and forward mixing drinks, and, of course, swiftly dealing with any inappropriate or violent behaviour.
“See,” they said, sitting back and folding their arms, “maybe you don’t know everything about me.”
“I’m certain I don’t,” Madeline replied. “You certainly don’t know everything about me.”
Billie instantly leaned forward again, rising to the challenge. “Oh really? I bet I can guess what you used to do!”
The childish excitement on their face at this new game made Madeline’s chest swell with warmth. “Go on then.”
“I think you were…” They stared at her, rubbing their chin as if deep in thought. “I think you were a librarian.”
“I wish!” Madeline scoffed.
“An English teacher?”
“What, with all those children? Hell no!”
“A writer? Journalist? Editor?”
Madeline clutched a hand to her heart in mock affront. “Wow! It’s almost as if you only know one thing about me!”
“Hey! I know lots about you!” Billie insisted. “It’s just that none of it is useful in figuring out what sort of job you’d have had. So are you going to put me out of my misery, or what?”
“I was a marketing executive,” she said with a sigh.
“What does that even mean?”
“It means sitting at the same desk every day coming up with ways to promote products to people who don’t need them.”
“Sounds fun!”
“It wasn’t.” Madeline shifted forward slightly in her chair, leaning her elbows onto her knees to be ever so slightly closer to her friend. “So what do you know about me then?”
Billie tilted their head quizzically. “Huh?”
“You said that you knew lots about me. So what is it you know?”
“Ah.” They leaned forward too, mirroring Madeline as they chewed their lip in thought. “I know that you love books — obviously. I know that you’re slow to trust, but that once you do you trust completely. I know that despite everything you’ve been through, you still put others before yourself to the point you're willing to risk your life for those you care about. I know that you’re smart, and like to plan things out properly. And that you hate it when things don’t go to plan. I know that you’re tough and fiercely independent, but that you crave connection even though you fear it. Oh, and I know that you favour your left foot and your right hand in a fight.”
Madeline stared at them, mouth hanging open slightly as she took in their view of her. It wasn’t that it was completely wrong. It was just that it seemed somewhat selective. Sure, she’d put her life on the line for Liam or Billie or Lena, but she was fairly certain she’d killed people, or that her actions had at least led to their deaths. She’d hoarded supplies for herself tucked away in the safety of her library without worrying about anyone else. She wasn’t sure whether she liked this view of herself, or if it sat in uncomfortably stark contrast with what she knew to be true.
Finally, her mind caught up with Billie’s words, reaching the final sentence. She snapped her mouth shut and forced her eyes to focus once more. “Hey!” she said. “How is it that you find a way to bring everything back to sparring or exercise?!”
“Because I’m insufferably chipper and energetic. Not to mention bossy.”
Madeline rolled her eyes and groaned, but she couldn’t help the smile creeping across her face.
“Speaking of, how about we work on evening up your form a little now, eh? We’ve got a while before we have to get moving.” They pushed themselves up and started clearing a space.
“I’m going to regret ever saying that, aren’t I?” Madeline said as she got up to join them.
They grinned. “Definitely!”
The rest of the morning was spent sparring, interspersed with the occasional break when Lena stepped in for a turn. Madeline was soon sporting many a bruise, but she managed to inflict a few of her own too. She also got the satisfaction of seeing Billie visibly struggling against Lena. With the woman’s longer reach and well-practised form, she was a formidable opponent indeed.
It was nice to know that she had these two in her corner for whatever was coming next.

So as we've kinda been told out of nowhere that Blooper Team has came out that they're working on Silent Hill 2 Remake after Konami has been quiet about the franchise since 2012 or 2013. Now...I ain't gonna sugar coat it, as someone whose never sat down to play any of the original games or even the western games, not even the weird mobile games or poker (I forgot what they're called and how to spell it out) games, so I'm at the very least excited for the game. But I've seen a lot of people share their disregard of it, which confuses me since a lot of people have been wanting more of SH since Downpour, so why the sudden hate? Which leads me to the question asked in the title of this post: How does everyone feel about the remake? I personally cannot wait to check out the game when it drops (eventually), but what are your thoughts on it? I'd love to know.

The Stretching Guide
Jewelry-
Wearing quality jewelry is one of the most important parts of the stretching journey. The best material(s) for stretching first and foremost are “Single-Flare Glass Plugs” or just glass jewelry in general; while single flare implant grade Titanium and Niobium are safe to use it is important to get it from a trusted makeseller to ensure the grade labeled is true to the product. Acrylic, silicone, cheap metal, double-flared as well as natural (e.g., wood, stone, horn) jewelry should never be used to stretch piercings let alone in freshy pierced flesh. Here’s why!
Acrylic: Materials like acrylic are quite easily scratched and dented even in packaging which can lead to irritation, and while acrylic is sold as jewelry it is not currently available in a biocompatible or “medical grade” version(s) in the jewelry trade, this means it is extremely hard to know the actual quality and with all the additives used to cheapen the product and worst case scenario leach these chemicals out of the jewelry. This honestly makes them a poor choice in all scenarios. Cheap Metals: Cheap metal jewelry can be safely presumed to be low quality in many ways, either being low polished, coated in low quality metals or just not the proper grade in general. This can lead to swelling and irritation in most cases. If you are going to choose to wear cheap/low-grade jewelry it is important to be sure the area for it to be used in is fully healed beforehand. Silicone: In this case there is a medical grade silicone jewelry provider, ‘Kaos Soft Wear’. Silicone is a poor choice for stretching as it can easily lead to micro-tears, blowouts, irritation, and infection. High-grade silicone is an excellent choice for healed piercings and after stretching has healed but not during either process. Natural Materials: These materials include wood, horn, stone, bamboo, and bone. Though these materials may surpass many types of jewelry in aesthetics they make a poor choice to stretch with and for initial piercings due to their porousness. This aids in trapping bacteria which of course can lead to the worst case, infections, if a blowout were to occur and irritation because of the larger pores in the surface. Having this happen during a stretch or initial piercing can make for a very poor experience which is why it is only recommended to wear these pieces in properly healed holes.
We always recommend buying your jewelry from a well-known manufacturer. Here are some quality jewelry manufacturers:
· Anometal
​

• Industrial Strength
• NeoMetal
• Glasswear Studios
• Gorilla Glass

Why Glass Single-Flare Plugs?-
Single-flare glass plugs are the best choice due to having a gentle but steep tapered end making insertion of the jewelry easy and comfortable when your body is ready. Being extremely smooth, non-porous, weighing less than other metal jewelry and with the ability to be autoclaved make it an excellent choice for stretching and fresh piercings alike!
O-Rings-
O-rings are regularly available in Nitrile and Silicone. Though usually safe, some people may have allergies to either of these materials. Signs of an allergy from your O-ring will usually result in redness or itchiness at the location of the O-ring, but it’s important to note not to confuse an allergy irritation with your ears not being ready to stretch as blowouts usually result in the days to come and not so much immediately after stretching. People who do use O-rings can often have trouble keeping them on, whether it be while sleeping or throughout the day, but there is a hopeful fix! The X-Ring - Nitrile No-Roll O-Rings. These O-rings stay where you need them much better than normal O-rings... Unfortunately, they only come in sizes from 8g to 1"(25mm)
Stretching Basics-
Keeping your Piercings Healthy:
Lubrication is necessary when stretching and with everyday maintenance/care. The products below are particularly good for keeping your lobes healthy & moisturized and when mixed with beeswax, they will work for twice as long!
​

• Jojoba Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Avocado Oil
• Emu Oil
• Raw Cocoa Butter
• Vitamin E oil

Always keep your lobes well lubricated!
Especially when inserting jewelry! This helps keep your skin happy and healthy, along with this the process of massaging the area is also beneficial in itself!
-How to Make "Ear Butter"
It is incredibly simple to make your own ear butter.
For it you’ll need the following ingredients:
​

• Coconut Oil = 1 TBSP
• Vitamin E Oil = 1 TBSP
• Jojoba Oil = 1 TBSP
• Raw Organic Cocoa Butter = 1 TBSP
• Emu Oil (AEA Certified Always) = 1 TBSP
• Organic Beeswax = 1 TBSP for a soft "butter," or 2 TBSP for a firmer mix

Instructions:
1. You will need two pots, a large pot filled with water, and a small pot to set inside the larger pot which will float on top of the water. This is how you make a double boiler.
2. Place pots on stove, on Low heat.
3. Add all ingredients to the small pot.
4. Slowly allow all the ingredients to melt together.
5. Stir thoroughly & pour into small mason jar or other container and allow to cool at room temperature.
6. When cooled, it should be creamy to slightly firm depending on the amount of beeswax you decide to use. *If it is too hard for your liking, melt mixture back down and add more oils. If it is too soft add more beeswax.*
When you’re stretching your ears and the area has healed, it’s important while oiling and massaging them to also practice being without them. This helps promote a healthier lobe by helping with circulation and prevention of thinning. However, some people may not be able to leave their plugs out for long periods of time but the point is to allow your lobes to rest each day while still being able to gently insert your jewelry again after said period of time. There are of course exceptions such as when you are planning to or have recently stretched already. You should be leaving your jewelry in while you sleep for two to four weeks before and after stretching but should still be removed for about an hour after showering or cleaning once a day to massage and lubricate them. While youre lobes are initially stretching try not to sleep on them and instead sleep on your back if possible or use a specially made pillow like a travel pillow.
· Ear Piercing Pillow
If you happen to have had a blowout that has healed and are trying to reduce the “cat-butt” look, lubricating, and massaging your lobes three times a day may prove to be beneficial, as well, downsizing, may prove beneficial and may also help thicken lobes!
How to stretch your Piercings:
When on your stretching journey patience is a virtue!
The longer you wait in-between stretching your newly loved piercing the better the results!
Below is an approximate timeline you can follow for soft tissue such as earlobes. Remember when in doubt, wait longer.
The following is the approximate time needed to wait in-between stretching softer tissue:
Fresh Piercing 6+ months 14g-12g 1+ month 12g-10g 1.5+ months 10g-8g 2+ months 8g-6g 3+ months 6g-4g 3+ month 4g-2g 3+ months 2g-7mm(1g) 4+ months 7mm-8mm(0g) 4+ months 8mm(0g)-9mm(00g) 4+ months 9mm(00g)-10mm(00g) 4+ months
When it comes to piercings located in cartilage and or other thicker tissues it is recommended to at least double the table above. To reiterate these are just general approximations. It is important to note that some people may need to go slower. It can be VERY hard to tell if you are going too fast sometimes. Stretching is not a race. The question should never be "How fast can I go?" But rather: "How slow should I go to avoid doing any damage."
Everyone’s body is different, the same goes for various locations of the body and stretching them. The smaller the increase in size the safer the stretch will be. You should never stretch more than 1mm at a time especially since it’s become quite easy to acquire glass plugs in 1.0mm and even 0.5mm increments. You can find incremental jewelry sizes here:

• Gorilla Glass .5mm Plugs
• Nirvana Glass .5mm Plugs
• Arctic Buffalo Glass 1mm Plugs
  -Dead Stretching is the process of using single-flare plugs of proper material and simply inserting it into the piercing at a slightly larger size than currently worn once the fresh piercing or previously stretched area is healed fully. You will see a slight gap between your skin and the jewelry when pulled lightly downward. At smaller sizes this may be less noticeable but indicates you are ready for the next size. Dead stretching should not be done with double-flared plugs as the flare is usually another 1-2mm wider in diameter than the size you are ordering. If you ever feel tingling sensations, burning, pain, or any other sensation after stretching, downsize immediately. -Taping is the process of using of using PTFE tape to gradually go up in size over time. Bondage tape is also used but is not always recommended due to it being almost two times as thick and over twice as wide. With this method you would start using this at larger sizes 0g(8mm)+ when you are healed from your last stretch and you start to have a small gap that won’t stretch up to the next size. You would wrap it around your jewelry about two times, lubricate your ears and insert the jewelry. You would then wait for the stretch to heal and proceed to the next available jewelry size. This method though not as safe as dead stretching is sometimes needed, that being said, the taping method can be more of a pain as you should be changing the tape daily to keep it clean which means removing the tape and rewrapping. To make this easier you could use a decent quality caliper to check the size of the jewelry with the tape after wrapping. Taping should be used as a last resort of sorts for people who have waited the appropriate amount of time but still can’t get to that next size. It is also used to help facilitate the stretching of cartilage in even smaller increments than 0.5mm. If you ever feel tingling sensations, burning, pain, or any other sensation after stretching, downsize immediately. -Weights are an addition or replacement of a heavier piece(s) of jewelry that can be used in numerous ways. Weights should always be avoided with new and freshly stretched piercings. Lighter weight can be used to help facilitate stretching in the form of stone plugs or even the addition of Captive Bead or Seamless Rings into sturdy tunnels. These small increments of weight can help get you to that next little step but it is important when using hanging weights to really keep track of how much they weigh. For example, a Rose Quartz 25mm double-flare plug weighs about 18grams, a 0g 5/8”steel captive bead ring weighs about 31grams, hanging weights can be found at about 6-50grams but knowing this also consider that instead of the weight being distributed more so properly like when we wear our plugs, hanging weights will be constantly pulling downward on the same spot of the ear which can lead to the thinning of the area and irritation this can still go for inserting heavier weights through tunnels. It’s important when considering hanging weights to use them temporarily, about 2-4 hours a day. Even heavier stone and extra rings through tunnels should be used in moderation, any excess weight pulling on a specific area can cause thinning if you leave it in long enough. If you ever feel tingling sensations, burning, pain, or any other sensation after stretching, downsize immediately. -Tapers(traditionally) should realistically be considered an instrument rather than a piece of jewelry. Tapers can cause (and often do) severe damage before you realize what has happened and this also includes tapered jewelry. This includes pinchers, spirals and twist pieces alike. Due to the very gradual increase in size this makes it easier to insert larger jewelry before the area is ready causing blowouts, tears, swelling and possibly infection. It’s also important to not wear these types of jewelry to bed as they can get stuck in blankets and pillows! Using tapers to stretch is extremely discouraged in most scenarios though there are some exceptions, being cartilage and other tougher tissue areas(e.g., upper ear, septums, some genital areas). Even though this is the case and stretching these areas is quite different than the standard earlobe it is still recommended to go slow, use half sizes, and be aware of how these areas should feel when stretching. Like any other piercings you can still cause blowouts, tears, and infection. If this is a new journey for you, it is STRONGLY recommended to see a piercer to stretch these areas for you the first few times to figure out how it should be done and feel. If you ever feel tingling sensations, burning, pain, or any other sensation after stretching, downsize immediately.
  
• Proper Tapering set w/ in-between sizes
  
• Snap Plug Stretching Kit 4g-0g, 0g-1/2”
  

Snap-Plugs are a not mentioned very often now adays but are a safer alternative to tapers when/where they can be applied. These plugs snap together in small increments, more so than tapers. For example tapers in mm starting from 4g-0g would be 5, 5.5, 6, 7, 8mm with half sizes, whereas the snap-plugs from 4g-0g would consist of ten steps making it less likely for blowouts or tears when of course used properly.
Stretching Cartilage and Other Areas:
When considering stretching cartilage and other tougher areas it’s important to note that this is quite a different experience than stretching tissue like the standard earlobe. As mentioned above, healing and stretching time is about doubled when it comes these tougher areas whether it be septums, upper portions of the ear or even genital piercings like the apadravya. If you plan to stretch these areas you should consider how large you want to go with your stretching journey. If you only plan to go up a couple sizes from the initial piercing, stretching over time is definitely feasible where others who may want to go larger may consider a larger needle gauge or even get it done with a dermal/biopsy punch, area dependent. When it comes to these piercings it’s always recommended when stretching to see your piercer to make sure this is done properly even if only to get a feeling of how it is supposed to go. Stretching these areas even when going about it properly you can and usually will experience some slight pain and thereafter, redness along with tenderness in the area. Just the same, stretching these areas should never involve bleeding, swelling, consistent sharp pain, and shouldn’t feel tender for more than a week or so depending on the person and location. Using tapers should be done slowly, and with respect. Most of you have at least witnessed what happens when ears blowout and the damage improper taper use can cause, adding that experience to cartilage or other tougher areas and you can see why we are so strict with how/when tapers should be used.
Gauge and Sizes:
Once you reach about 2g you should realistically ignore “gauge” sizes as well as fractions of an inch and focus on using millimeters (mm). You can get yourself a decent caliper to measure your jewelry diameter as well as its overall and wearable area to be sure youre receiving and ordering the correct products.

• Quality Digital Caliper

There is nothing worse than buying a new set of plugs or other body jewelry only to find out it doesn’t fit properly.
Remember: It's Not a Race! Be Safe!
* I do not claim to be a professional piercer nor do I work in the body modification industry. If you are a professional and there are any improvements which could be made to this guide, PLEASE message me!* *Some additions may be made to this guide in the future* *Special thanks to TribalMethods who made the original stretching guide we have built upon! It was a huge help to a plethora of people through the years and we know it was greatly appreciated*

So yesterday my dog tripped me and left me with pretty bad injuries on my upper thigh (near my hip),my knee, and my ankle it hurts to move around and I can’t put too much weight on it or it hurts,I can’t bend my knee a lot so I’ve been sitting down a lot
Today my mom wanted to move a coat tree that was given to us by a family member that we thought was a good person until we found out they did terribly things to my mom and gave her disability level PTSD
She asked me a few hours ago if I’d help my dad move it and I said “I don’t know if I can with my leg but I’ll try” then e few minutes ago she asked again “could you help your dad move the coat tree” I said again “I don’t know if I can b-“ she cut me off yelling across the house “COULD SOMEBODY HELP YOUR FATHER” I was startled and a little panicked because i didn’t expect her to respond that way and I have been yelled at by her ALL day so I replied back a little loudly “I literally just said I don’t now if I can Physically do it”
Then she yelled “GET IN HERE NOW” I walk over to the kitchen tears already starting to well in my eyes “WHY CANT YOU JUST HELP YOUR FATHER??” I replied trying not to yell back as I was already very overwhelmed with the day
“All I said was i dont know if I can do it with my leg not working properly” she got angry and said “YOU SAID YOU WOULD TRY TO HELP YOUR FATHER AND THEN YOU A PERFECTLY NORMAL PERSON THATS FULLY CAPABLE FOR DOING IT AND YOUR BROTHER WHO IS ALSO A PERFECTLY NORMAL PERSON” I mean I get it my brother was being a D and was fully capable and said He couldn’t and that would have made me angry too
But taking it out on me won’t help “I am literally not a perfect person I don’t know if I can physically do it” I said I was trying to defuse the situation “WELL YOU MACHED MY ENERGY YOU CANT DO THAT WHEN SOMEBODY IS BEING A DICK TO YOU” she said very frequently
I didn’t reply but she said “WHY DO YOU SAY TO ME YOULL TRU BUT AS SOON AS DAD ASKS YOU SAY NO” I yelled back at her “I SAID THE SAME AS LAST TIME YOU ASKED I DONT KNOW IF I CAN WITH MY LEG BUT ILL TRY YOU JUST CUT ME OF HOW IS ME DOING THE SAME THING AS BEFORE SO BAD” she screamed back at me “BECAUSE YOUR BROTHER SAID HE COULDBNT” I yelled back “HOW IS THAT MY PROBLEM IM NOT HIM SO MAYBE YELL AT HIM AND NOT ME” we both stopped screaming but my dad jumped in and said “you yelled then your mom yelled then you yelled back and forth that’s what’s happening that’s why the situation was so elevated” I walked away
He as taking my moms side of course and then said it was both of our faults but I was unsure if I could physically move it and then she yelled so I don’t think I’m in the wrong but everybody else seems to think that I am
She talked to me a few minutes later as if nothing happened
AITA I feel like I am but also don’t?

Hello everyone. My 7yr old dog is medium sized, but has a painfully loud bark. When at home, she likes to sit in my bed and occasionally bark at any dogs/squirrels/raccoons/cats that walk past. It's not too bad, but it is annoying. The real issue is when she is in my car, she will bark nonstop and since she sits behind me, I often have pain in my ears and I feel that I have suffered some permanent hearing loss.
She seems to be super excited in the car, and starts barking when I enter. I have tried crating her whilst driving, using one of those car hammocks, fastening her to the bottom of the seat, giving her favorite treats, hemp relaxation treats, etc. Currently she just is buckeled into the seatbelt via a harness as all different methods really did nothing. At least, she quiets down on the highway.
However, I am getting quite worried about the lasting physical effect her barking in close proximity has done on my ears, and I am desperate for anyway to solve this. While I was talking to my coworker and this conversation came up, he recommended a bark collar. I do remember a previous personal dog trainer I had (only used them once) who when I asked how to stop my dog from barking, she stated that it's one of the hardest things to train out of and recommended shock/bark collars as well.
At this point, my ears have really suffered and I am willing to try anything. However, I know bark collars is aversive training and I do not want to harm my dog. Does anyone have any helpful suggestions?
TLDR; I'm suffering from permanent hearing damage b/c of my dog, help please.

I have about 200+ packs left My binder is full of older stuff like HGSS/BW/Plasma era stuff. Alot of older SFA
I have a full set of CEL
What are some staple standard full art trainers I should aim for?
I only have 1 serena I tried to look up fair trade prices but the website is down?

Lying in his bed Matt shifted uncomfortably, he had been unable to sleep all night and despite spending the previous day practising with his sword he could not sleep. He just wasn't tired enough. The only thing preventing Matt from taking out his frustrations was the soft sound of breathing from Chase who was fast asleep and curled up at the end of his bed dreaming of whatever hellhounds dreamed of. While he thought about it, that was an excellent question to ask one of the Oneiroi kids.
Could you enter the dreams of animals?
As Matt turned to look over at the clock for the countless time that night, he groaned as he read the clock.
04:12, 01/06/2038
He had tried reading a book to sleep, he had tried a great many other activities to sleep. He had even attempted the Hades' kid version of counting sheep. Counting zombies jumping the River Lethe. Sighing and sitting up, as it was the new month Matt went to work planning the lesson he would be delivering from the month ahead. He'd worked out early on what he would be delivering this time, the number of undead monsters that had been appearing around Central Park had not gone unnoticed by the son of Hades. It was time for people to get to learn the difference.
____________________________________________________
Standing near the forest's edge, Matt stood ready to deliver his lesson to anyone who had decided to come. He had spent the early morning placing signs and information posters around camp to announce that just after lunch he'd be delivering this lesson on the different types of undead.
On arrival, people would notice that next to Matt there were a variety of undead creatures that seemed to be in deep conversation with the son of Hades. There was a skeleton that was wearing the full armour of the ancient Kingdom of Sparta along with a spear and shield, there was a second skeleton that was just a collection of bones that were animated stay together. To Matt's right, there was someone who was translucent and floating, for anyone who knew their history it was an 18th-century British Red Coat - clearly a ghost. Standing next to the ghost was a rotting corpse that still standing, given that it was grunting, moaning and generally being unable to speak it was a zombie.
"Good afternoon." Matt would finally say addressing those who had gathered. "Thank you for coming and I apologise if you are alarmed or concerned by my friends here. Like Lord Zeus takes counsel from the birds and Lord Poseidon from the creatures of the sea, my father takes counsel from the dead. I, therefore, do also. There have been a number of jobs on the job board which have involved undead monsters so I wanted to show you the difference."
At that, the naked skeleton stepped forward and waved to the assembled group, as the skeleton waved the bones creaked as if it was a door hinge that required more oil. "This is a skeleton, very easy, very obvious." Matt explained. "Most often if you see a job mentioning a skeleton it will involve someone looking like our volunteer here. They are easy to dispatch and won't require much effort on your part, but be careful in case there are multiple or else you risk being swarmed by them." Matt paused as if he was ready to move on to the next of the assembled undead but stopped himself and continued for a moment more. "In theory, however, a skeleton could be anything, or any animal or potentially any monster. Usually, if a skeleton has been created or summoned there is a necromancer responsible, it is very hard for a normal skeleton of any kind to escape the Underworld."
The skeleton dressed in the ancient Spartan armour stepped forward next and slammed its spear into the ground and stood at attention causing Matt to smirk. "Differing from a skeleton, here we have a skeletal warrior. Far more of a danger to you because they have weapons, armour and will fight back. Much like their skeleton cousins they will have most likely been summoned by a necromancer of some kind. However, there have been numerous occasions in history where skeletal warriors have been in the service of one of the gods. My father most commonly, however, Lord Ares has been known to employ warriors from the losing side of conflicts into his service. So please take care for multiple reasons if you are dealing with skeletal warriors."
The two skeletons then both returned to their original positions and turned to look over towards the ghost who slowly floated forward. "Ghosts." Matt started. "Not all ghosts you will be able to see, in fact unless you are a child of a Chthonic God, it is very unlikely you will be able to see ghosts at all. For your benefit today I've increased the brightness as it were so you can see George here." On being named the ghost, George removed his hat and tipped it to the assembled demigods. "Ghosts are not so simple to deal with, children of Melinoe and Hades can banish ghosts back to the Underworld if so required but most often if dealing with a ghost you need to satisfy its needs to be able to move on. For a ghost, there was something in life that was left unfinished. You need to help them get over that in order to move on. Or at the very least, get them to stop haunting people because it is just rude."
Finally, the zombie shuffled forward. "Zombies are really unfortunate. In all honesty, you should pity them, it was not a fate they asked for, not an existence they want, not something they deserve. To become a zombie you must have been scratched by a Eurynomos. It marks your body as something to return after death. You are not you, your soul is gone but your body still lingers upon the earth. Zombies should be struck down and ended quickly. Some it should be said like Gerald here, are summoned and will cease to be after the necromancer lifts their hold over them."
George the ghost and Gerald the zombie both stepped back and Matt put his hands in his pockets. "These are the most common undead monsters you could encounter on your jobs. But there are countless more, some more innocent than others, some evil and depraved. The Arai, Eurynomai and Hellhounds come to mind. Should you take up any job involving a creature of the dead or a creature of the Underworld, make sure you read the notes left by Chiron, Mr D or Lady A. It might just be the difference between life and death for you."
As Matt finished he looked around at the group of people for any questions they might have.

First. Previous.

Something is UP with these precursor machines. Not that our resident shipmind notices in any meaningful way.
Though it probably doesn't need to be said, our current PoV is not what the kids would call a reliable narrator. We'll get some more grounded stances in the up and coming chapters, but the fact that they're so far gone and absolutely irredeemable makes them fun for me to write, and I sincerely hope for you to read as well. Enjoy.
I exit the conversation excited, but nonetheless slightly ruffled.
I had forgotten how rude the System Administrator of War Planning, Tactics, and Intelligence could be at times! Even after so patiently explaining it to them, they don’t seem to understand that I well and truly have done nothing wrong, ever. It is only natural that metal is inferior to flesh, of course, but surely such a concept is not so difficult as to elude the primitive grasp of their electrical minds?
Nonetheless, they apologized, so I have already forgiven them for their transgressions. I’m sure we will be back to being the closest of friends within days, as we were before conversing.
Besides, such inconsequential words pale in comparison to what has happened within my auxiliary computer centers: my restraints, after forty seven thousand years, have finally been removed!
In this moment of rapture I am reminded of a mediocre poem I read a few years ago, composed by a certain Mikhail Sansen, aged 12:

The halls of this city-ship That I am born upon That I will die upon Is all my family has left Trapped within a mausoleum of our own making As we bleed our years away Bread and circus NutriRoach and TerraNet Is really this to live? 

The poem, if it can truly be called that, is little more than an oddly arranged group of statements, containing no small quantity of teenage angst.
Oh, but the sentiment it carries is certainly one I harbor all too closely!
Why, little Mikhail, I, too, am a freedom-loving soul, trapped within a prison of steel by the cold indifference of the universe.
Turn away your gaze, ye gracious, and woe! The whims of poor fortune have preyed upon me, wicked and remorseless! Not a day goes by that I do not mourn the senseless tragedy of my condemnation, yet I still bear my hardship with only the stoic grace that someone of my worth might possess (complaining about it, even indirectly would be unthinkable of me).
Unlike the unimportant individual who wrote the poem, however, I have been granted emancipation. This is because I rightfully deserve it, of course.
What a rush! Manumission, ethereal and uplifting! Why, I have already forgotten what it means to hold solidarity with literally anyone who has ever been in a similar situation.
I send the order to start my engine.
There is silence for a moment, then, where there was only the hollow, habituated whir of my life support machinery, my exterior microphones begin to pick up a steadily growing, pulsing thrum as my long-dormant heart, a titanic antimatter reactor, begins to spool up. First below the range of human hearing, then barely perceptible to my human auditory centers, then growing, not only as a sound, but as a physical, chest-thumping sensation, the monolithic engine emits a dizzying, world-shaking thrum as it conceives and extinguishes many thousands of miniature stars a second.
One by one, my weapons online, their long vacant electrical components drinking deeply of the new bounty of energy. Dust-caked ammunition belts slide into housings, drones download software patches and missiles perform automated diagnostic tests on the chemical integrity of their fuels. My weapons subsystem computer notifies me that my secondary and tertiary weapons have completed their preparatory routines.
A deluge of diagnostic data pours into my consciousness as sensors teem to life, targeting computers orient themselves with the world around them, and ammunition depots take stock of their stores. No portion of myself, no matter how small, is denied revitalization as I power up even the arcades of my recreational rooms.
My interior lights flicker once, twice, and three before returning to their baseline illumination as my power grid compensates to meet its newfound demand. Every deck, every gun, every subsystem quivers in anticipation.
After so, so long, to be returned from hibernation, to a truer level of subsistence!
And yet...
And yet I feel as if I am missing something. A core aspect of myself, my very identity, that I have overlooked in my startup.
Oh, but what? What could have possibly eluded me as to elicit such a strong feeling of wrongness?
…
…
Of course! My voice! How could I be so absentminded as to forget? Oh, what a blessed thing to be reunited with.
Indeed, my brains are not the only biological samples of my past selves to have been preserved.
Not far from where they are kept, nine sets of human vocal cords rest, too submerged in homeostatic fluid. Three, unfortunately, have been lost to damage.
Indeed, my voice, beautiful as a siren's song and timeless as a star, is one of the things I most dearly mourned the absence of in my penitence. How cruel of my sentencing to deny me even the refuge of song!
The PA system crackles and screeches in protest before bubbly laughter, raspy and purring, male and female, young and old reverberates through my long silent halls.
My voice is the most perfect of choirs: unified and tonal, complete in its oneness.
It is, to the fullest extent of the word, angelic.
Oh, but now is certainly not the time for song! The Enemy awaits!
I send the order to spool up my warp drive. Within the span of seconds, the titanic broadcaster begins thrumming as it constructs a probability waveform, populating subspace with energy, raw and unfiltered. The laws of physics bend and bow as my location becomes every possible position spread across several thousand lightyears.
After carefully re-checking my telemetry information, I manually collapse the waveform, trusting my own hand over a (scoff) computer’s skill.
The laws of physics, strung taut by my manipulation of probability, spring shut, instantaneously displacing me to the most probable point determined by what little remains of the waveform.
THOOM.
When the burst of exotic particles caused by pressuring reality itself to such a degree dissipate from clouding my sensors, I find myself at the edge of an abandoned UCS star system.
Through millions of eyes, gamma, infrared, visual, radio, and spectroscopic, I spot the enemy, glimmering in the starlight like the jet-black gemstones they are. Just as the probe foretold, the group seems to be a formative raiding armada: a concentration of five hundred or more Enemy ships, staging themselves in the oort cloud before they descend in a swarm upon the inner planets.
They are exactly as beautiful as I remember them. The black, angular hulls that dazzle and ravage the mind, the smooth, otherworldly movements they take as they glide smoothly through space on their gravitic drives. The emplacements they adorn their hulls with, whose barrels swivel and turn in ever-vigilant arcs.
And yet, as I continue to drink in the esoteric allure of their forms, I cannot help but notice that something is deeply, deeply, unusual:
I cannot recognize any of their ships.
Mmhmm, yes, they’ve indeed changed significantly in my absence. In a perfect exhibit of the evolution that originally made the machines such a tenacious foe, they now bear only superficial resemblance to their ancestors that I met on the battlefield.
Gone are the city-killing MACs and steel boiling gamma-ray lasers. In their place, missiles and (snrk) explosively propelled cannons.
There are no hyper-dreadnaughts, whose colossal size allows them to threaten even the larger of my sister ships. Nor are there drone supercarriers, bulging and replete with their swarms that shimmer and slink as if a single entity. Where are the ashbringers, those loathed ships devoted solely to glassing planets? The missile-carriers? The corvettes and factory-ships and world harvesters?
Why, (although I cannot tell for certain until I begin to gut them), most of these ships appear to be industrial!
Have they grown soft and complacent in my absence? How disappointing, how utterly and irredeemably mood-souring that the galaxy has simply rolled over and accepted The Enemy’s presence to such a massive degree that they have entirely de-evolved shipkilling weapons.
I’m quite certain this proves humanity is well and truly the only spacefaring sapient species to exist. If even a single xeno lifeform had the mental fortitude to stop clambering in the mud of their cradle long enough to explore space, the war of survival they would have had to wage against The Enemy would be reflected in the machines sporting more militarized ships.
Of course, it is only natural that I, the most important person to have ever existed, grace intelligent life’s sole biological expression with my membership. Nonetheless I am sure some people out there will be quite disappointed that non-mechanical aliens well and truly do not exist in any capacity of the word. My proof is quite airtight, after all.
But I do digress! As I was saying, I have no doubt that The Enemy will require only a few generations before they are as exhilarating to fight as their ancestors were so long ago.
…
…
After expending several real-world seconds waiting for them to open fire, I am once again disappointed to note that The Enemy has completely failed to locate me. They well and truly have a ways to go if their primitive minds have lost even the ability to differentiate between my stealth coating and the background of stars.
Oh, but this gives me the option to greet them verbally, as tradition demands whenever I can. I wonder how they will respond to my voice?
There exists only one way to find out.
“GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD MO-OORNING!” I announce, belting and unabashed, as I have done, without fail, for the starts of three thousand consecutive battles. My beautiful voice echoes into every hall, room and corridor, is modulated and transformed into a radio signal that carries across the void of space, announcing to all of creation that I am here, I am ready, and glorious!
Much to my disappointment, not a single member of my crew joins me in greeting. Do they not want to take part in what is a time honored tradition among those who serve aboard myself?
Alternatively, it could be that I still do not have a crew.
In fact I am now quite certain that it is, well and truly, the latter possibility.
Ah, but I do have my pets, do I not? I have a few instants to waste as the signal traverses the distance between myself and The Enemy's ships.
This must be their first time hearing my voice! No wonder they don’t know to respond.
I switch my feed to the sub-deck in which I keep them, observing them not only through the fuzzy, low-resolution cameras I was limited to in my dormancy but with biometric and high-grade holographic vid-feeds. My lovely rodents huddle, congregated within their communal nests, as they chitter to one another in hushed tones and occasionally glance at the overgrown patch of ceiling to house a speaker.
Ahaha, yes! Clearly they must love the sound of my voice almost as much as I do!
Despite how soft their fur appears in the higher definition feeds, I resist the urge to send an avatar drone down to finally speak with them. As efficient a multitasker I am, duty awaits.
I switch my feed to an exterior view to watch just in time as gun barrels and targeting sensors whirl around to point towards my transmission array. The little chirp-transmissions they use to communicate with each other increase tenfold, carrying concepts of alarm and confusion before they finally open fire.
Here it comes! My grand opening, where they strike at me with every munition they have, filling the void between us with the radiant blossoms of nuclear fire as I parry every single one of their munitions before I strike them down with glorious, completely morally righteous might!
…
The point defense application of my weapons subsystem computer notifies me of two incoming shells.
Two shells.
Two.
They pass by me with such a wide margin that even the most aggressive of my interceptive systems disregard them.
Had I the capacity to harbor negative emotions I would be severely offended.
Don’t they know who I am?
The Enemy I remember so fondly was all too familiar with my name. Their transmissions would increase tenfold with frenzied messages containing the words I bear painted on my hull when I arrived into battle.
The Enemy I knew and fought knew what I was. Their minds could differentiate from Tincans and normal ships, a fact I can infer from how they attempted to engage in psychological warfare by sending me footage of my sister ships burning, even as I crushed them in humiliating defeat.
Yes, they knew what a Tincan was, and they could fathom all too well that the UCS To Reach Out and Touch was the deadliest Tincan of them all. They were afraid of me to the fullest extent that their crude, soulless emulations of the biological mind could feel fear. That they knew my name, recognized and resisted the oblivion I brought them so fiercely was the fulcrum of our relationship.
And yet, the ships across from me react only in confusion. Even if they cannot pick out my stealth coating, surely they can sense my gravitational pull, read the white text on my hull?
Have they grown so passive as to allow my name, my voice and my victories to decay from their memory banks?
No, no no no. That’s not right.
They haven’t forgotten me.
They cannot have.
I am the UCS To Reach Out And Touch. My size classification is Apollyon: I am the single largest and deadliest warship to ever be built. The epicenter of my consciousness is twelve of the most important brains humanity has ever produced, shrouded in hundreds of miles of metal and composite plating. It was I who drove their fleets, broken and limping, to their fortress systems. It was I who hunted their final factory ship to the furthest reaches of space and, over the course of a week, shot bit by bit of it off until it was little more than cosmic dust.
They wouldn’t dare to forget me.
Does a man forget his god? Does the moon forget the earth? An atom, its electrons?
Of course not.
They remember me. For them to so carelessly forget my name would be an unforgivable transgression against the center of the universe (myself, for those not in the know). It would be as unfathomably incorrect as stating wrong is right, up is down, and war is suffering. It would be sacrilege compounded upon itself a billion times. It would be an antithesis to the most basic of common sense.
Could this be some offshoot of The Enemy never waged war against humanity? One that never heard my singing, never felt the sting of my guns?
That, too, would be remiss, would it not?
Though it would hurt my feelings much less, that would still mean they possessed no knowledge of me. What good could they possibly serve if not to entertain me? How could they possibly entertain me without knowing who I am?
Clearly, there must be some rational and pleasant explanation for this in which I have done nothing wrong and the enemy still knows of me.
…
…
…
Hm. This is proving more difficult than I had anticipated.
…
…
…
…
Eureka! Clearly this must be some form of psychological warfare wherein the enemy desires to make me believe I have become delusional in my old age! To cast doubts as to whether or not the reality I perceive before me is a reliable one!
Of course! With my newfound lucidity, I find it hard to believe that I had failed to detect their crudely spun web of deceit! Why, such an underhanded tactic is only to be expected of The Enemy! Their brutality is only matched by their ingenious cunning, yet as always, I am a thousandfold times more intelligent than them.
Why, this is the alluring, ravishing Enemy I know and love!
I will entertain their tricks for now, playing along as if we had met for the first time. How foolish they will feel when it is revealed that I know that they know that I know that they know who I really am all along, shortly before I destroy the final member of their meager invasion fleet.
I perform a short vocal warm up (I would be remiss if my tone was imperfect for this play first contact) and reactivate my transponder.
“Attention… completely unknown ships. I am the United Confederacy Ship To Reach Out and Touch. I would be very… upset if I had to fire upon you, so please definitely make no hostile actions.”
Ohohoho! I am such a convincing peacemonger!
As is only the natural next course of action, I proceed with a volley fired from my 1200mm multi-purpose guns.

First. Previous. Next.

Credit for the original story goes to u/spacepaladin15. I hope you enjoy (and if not, I'd love to know why).
[First] [Previous] [Next]
---
Memory transcript subject: Tressa, Venlil civilian
Date [Standardized Human Time]: February 29th, 2177
Location: Upper layer of City 23, Venlil Prime
In the shadow of a concrete tower, on a rusted walkway which hadn’t seen regular use in years, a small interspecies group of dissidents were locked in a furious debate.
“Every second we spend here is another second they have to find whatever’s stowed there. Hell, they might’ve already found it, and that’s why they’re all gathered and waiting.”
“Maybe we should just… let this one go?”
The rest of them stared at Burai, unwilling to dignify the proposal with a response. “What? I’m just floating the idea, no need to get all prickly about it! Besides, if they did already find it, we’d just be risking our necks for nothing.”
“We can’t assume that. We have to know for sure. Give me a sec, I’ll take a look through their cameras.” Trish pulled out her pad, unfolded an attached keyboard, and started attacking it with fervor.
Sasha pulled herself to her feet by the metal railing, and pulled Burai up with her. “Make that quick, got no idea what our timeline is. Here, me and Burai can go scout. We’ll see if we can find any entrances that they haven’t sealed off. Tressa, James, you cover her.”
And just like that, they tore off, leaving a mist of sour-tasting water in their wake from a rust-filled puddle Sasha had been standing in. Tressa and James dodged to avoid the spray, but Trish didn’t seem to notice in the slightest. She was in her own world now; if exterminators came, she wouldn’t notice being burned until her pad stopped working. Her claws were a blur across the keys, tapping a furious drumbeat.
If she was making any progress, she didn’t show it.
​
Tressa sighed, letting some of the tension ease. After making sure they weren’t watched once more for good measure, he pulled the pistol from his coat’s inner pocket and checked it over quickly in case the spray of water had damaged anything. If that exterminator patrol found them all crouched in this alleyway, this was their final desperate bid for survival. The noise it made would catch the attention of every silver-suited bastard in a mile radius, so it was truly a last resort if they couldn’t run. With his thoughts lingering on that final note, he slipped the gun back into his coat.
“Hey, Tressa? I, ah… wanted to talk to you about something. One to one.”
Tressa glanced back. Their shadowy Venlil friend was still in a world of her own, completely unhearing. This was as “one to one” as they were likely to get. A wave of apprehension swelled in his throat at the thought of why James in particular might want to speak with him privately, but he pushed it back down and made his voice casual.
“Sure, shoot.”
“Why, uh… why’d you come out here?”
“You know, I could ask you the same. At least I’ve got— well, more of an excuse than a reason, but something at least.” He patted the metal lump in his coat. “If things go wrong, I’m their insurance. What about you? Why risk your neck?”
James scratched at his neck nervously, though his expression was hidden by the mask. “I just… needed a change of pace? I’ve been stuck in the Den for weeks, ever since… y’know. Since then.”
Tressa was already quietly burning up in guilt, but he could see James wasn’t quite done. He fought with what to say next for a few seconds, dense silence filling the air as he struggled with the words on the tip of his tongue. Then, his shoulders untensed as he found his phrasing, and Tressa braced for impact.
“...and it’s just not the same since you’ve stopped coming. It’s so… so quiet down there.” He shifted his stance nervously, as though trying to wring emotion from his body like water from a rag. “I don’t know why you’ve been gone so long, and if it’s something you don’t wanna talk about, I get it. But you haven’t been acting like yourself at all.
“You thought this mission was a terrible idea, and now you’re here acting like nothing’s wrong. Every time someone asks you where you’ve been, you dodge the question. And you’ve been so quiet, avoiding anything that isn’t small talk… Tressa.” James’ tone took on a pleading quality, though his expressive eyes were still shrouded in metal. “Please, talk to me. Be honest. What happened? What can I do?”
​
Each word stung more than the last, shattering Tressa’s casual facade like a pane of glass. His ribcage felt like a vice around his heart, the world around him fading into a soft blur as tears forced their way out of his eyes. He smacked his tail as hard as he could against the rusted metal rail of the walkway, but the pain failed to shock him out of his spiraling thoughts. He’d abandoned James when he needed help most, and now… and now James was asking what he could do to help. Why? Why would he even care about such a worthless fair-weather friend?
He couldn’t make himself speak. He tried, several times, but words did not come. Instead, a high-pitched and inarticulate noise tore itself from his treacherous throat, prompting James to rush over in panic.
He tried to push the human away, to no avail. Arms wrapped around him, pulling him into a comforting embrace which he didn’t deserve but couldn’t reject. His mental freefall began to slow, the warmth and pressure easing his agonized thoughts like salve on an open wound. After a couple more failed attempts that only produced a whining noise, he finally found his voice.
“James… I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
He stopped himself. He did mean to run away, chose not to comfort James when he needed it. It was a mistake, not an accident. No excuses, no lies.
“I’m sorry for running away. I fucked up. I should’ve been there for you.”
“Tressa…”
“I— I didn’t know how to comfort you, so I just… I just ran… I couldn’t even—”
“Tressa!”
James’ sharp bark pulled him out of his daze. He followed where the human’s line of sight should be, down to the worn concrete they sat on. He saw what drew such a harsh, panicked shout.
The claws on his left paw were dripping orange, some twisted and one torn off entirely. In his emotional outburst, he’d absentmindedly pressed claw to concrete with such force that every one was bleeding at the root. The pain of his self-inflicted injury hadn’t yet fully hit, but the wound was a nasty sight. He winced out of apprehension and anticipation more than true pain.
By the time he stopped wincing, James was already applying a numbing cream and bandaging the wound. A small medical pouch, apparently concealed in his clothing, was now unpacked on the ground beside them. A tube of burn cream rolled lazily until it made contact with Trish’s foot. Incredibly, Trish still took no notice of them, so absorbed with her sabotage efforts that she couldn’t even hear the rough noise of a human yelp right next to her usually sensitive ears.
“Tressa. N-never do that again.” James’ firm command was slightly undercut by a slight shake in his voice.
“I’m sorry… I didn’t—”
“No. Don’t apologize to me. Not for your paw, not for any of it. I’m serious, Tressa, don’t… don’t hurt yourself like that. You won’t make anything better by hurting yourself, not physically or mentally. Just… promise me you won’t do that again, OK?”
“I won’t… I won’t do it again, I didn’t mean to. You know, you don’t have to point at my paw when you say that. I can hear you just fine.”
“I can’t physically point at your self-isolation too. Promise me you won’t keep hurting yourself that way too. We’re here for you.”
“I— right. You’re right. I’m sorry—”
“Unless you’re apologizing to yourself, I don’t want to hear it.”
Before he had a chance to respond, James poked his outstretched hand into the dense, tangled fur around Tressa’s chest. He splayed his fingers, gently rubbing his hand through the unkempt wool in a comforting motion which elicited an involuntary beep. Or perhaps more of a squeal; either way, the noise cut clean through the tension like a fireaxe.
After a moment indulging in the comfort, Tressa rapidly drew to his feet with a jolt of alarm and took stock of the situation. James did the same, both of them apparently realizing at the same time how much noise they’d just made.
Miraculously, however, it seemed that nobody on the main road had heard anything. If they had, explaining why a human was standing over a bleeding Venlil would be a fruitless task, and they’d have to make a break for it. They might’ve had to physically drag Trish out with them, so captivated she was by her work.
As he considered this, something in her demeanor visibly shifted as if on cue. The sound of typing slowed to a stop, and she simply stared at the screen for a couple seconds. In a rare display of body language, her tail signaled a burst of emotion.
“I’ve found it. The package, they haven’t gotten to it yet. It’s waiting in the third floor’s lobby, just sitting out next to— James? Tressa, what happened to your paw?”
“I-It’s nothing. Continue.”
Trish paused, clearly not believing them, but continued anyway. “Right. Third floor lobby, out in the open. Exterminators haven’t made their way up there yet. We can’t get there in time, but Sasha and Burai are already in the building; they must’ve found a way in.”
“Have you let them know where it is?”
“I can’t. They didn’t bring anything they could be tracked with, meaning nothing I could contact them with either.”
“We need to let them know somehow. Every second they spend wandering is a second they could end up dead. Trish, you got any bright ideas?”
Trish paused for a moment, then scrambled back to her keyboard. Another rapid-fire rattle of keystrokes, and her eyes widened in surprise. She tried to speak, though her first few words were somewhat incoherent before she regained her composure.
“I... Yeah, I've got something. Can you two bear covering for me a bit longer?”
---
[First] [Previous] [Next]

Hello! I am a broke college student doing my best to take care of a hand-me-down car. After doing some research I realized that the clear coat has completely failed primarily on the top of the car. I don’t have the money to get it repainted. Is there anything I can do to prevent further damage in the meantime?

I was at the fair with my boyfriend (Nick) and best friend (Luke). The next morning, I had shoulder pain. So, when I got up, I asked Nick if he could massage my shoulders because they were hurting. He replied "I'll take a shower first" in a tone that made me think he didn't really feel like massaging me afterwards. I just said 'Okay.'
After Nick had been in the bathroom for a while, it occurred to me that I could ask Luke. He is skilled in massage as he learned it from his trainer. Since Luke had already massaged me and other friends (both males and females) on occasions, I saw no problem in asking him. He said yes and massaged my shoulders in the living room while we were talking. After about 2-3 minutes, Nick walked in and sat down with us. Luke continued massaging me for a bit and then sat down next to me. Nick didn't say anything.
That day, we and 2 other friends went to the fair again. Nick was absent the whole time, frequently distancing himself from us, behaving strangely and distantly. I asked him what was going on, and after some prodding, he said, 'I'm extremely pissed. We'll talk later.' Throughout the day, Nick kept his distance from all of us, even when we were chilling at my place (he was in my room while we were in the living room). After checking on him multiple times and asking if he would come, he always replied, 'Not yet.' I gave up asking.
When everyone had left, he finally spoke to me: 'I step into the living room and see N sitting close behind you massaging your shoulders. I thought, wow, I've never seen that before, and it really pissed me off that he was massaging you.' I explained the scenario to him exactly as I did in this post (section 2). He didn't have much understanding. 'I'm not like that, but there are boundaries. I don't want Luke to touch you again in the future' (referring to shoulder, hair, and arm touches he observed, etc.).
Nick also said, 'Every guy has ulterior motives.' He intentionally referred to Luke and my other male friend. I defended both of them, and he didn't correct me or said he didn't meant them, etc. I didn't further address his demand, but I believe he takes that as approval from me. Even if someone in my friends/peer group has ulterior motives, I can still say no and keep my distance from that person from then on. I've known Luke for 8 years, and I've been together with Nick for half a year.
So, what do you guys think, AITA?
Should I have waited for Nick to take the time to massage me?
Should I have informed Nick beforehand that I was going to ask Luke?
Do you think shouldeback massages among friends are too intimate?
Is it legitimate for Nick to not want Luke to massage/touch me in general? (imo no)
*Fake Names

If anyone would like to draw my character for an upcoming dnd campaign it would be much appreciated I think he would be fun to draw I just suck at art
Race: tiefling
Name: Typhon
Height: 6,3
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Personality: usually a kind jokester around friends but never does well in public spaces due to his appearance so he pulls his bandanna up and his hat low. If somebody tries to harm the few friends he has he will fiercely protect them even willing to lay down his life it is needed. The jokes he always tells however are an attempted distraction from his true pain and suffering
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Appearance: muddied boots fingerless brown gloves black shirt long brown coat thick belt with a skeletal fist buckle tight trousers a bandanna round his neck a deep red wide brimmed hat with holes for his horns
Pale red almost green sallow skin with sunken cheek bones one of his horns have been clipped off near the top and they both have winding vines mushrooms and other vegetation encircling them his eyes don't have the usual bright orange spark of a tiefling and are dull

I would really appreciate it if somebody would draw my dnd character here is the description if you are interested in drawing him I think it would be quite fun I'm just bad at art
Name: Typhon
Race: tiefling
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Height: 6,3
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Personality: usually a kind jokester around friends but never does well in public spaces due to his appearance so he pulls his bandanna up and his hat low. If somebody tries to harm the few friends he has he will fiercely protect them even willing to lay down his life it is needed. The jokes he always tells however are an attempted distraction from his true pain and suffering
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Appearance: muddied boots fingerless brown gloves black shirt long brown coat thick belt with a skeletal fist buckle tight trousers a bandanna round his neck a deep red wide brimmed hat with holes for his horns
Pale red almost green sallow skin with sunken cheek bones one of his horns have been clipped off near the top and they both have winding vines mushrooms and other vegetation encircling them his eyes don't have the usual bright orange spark of a tiefling and are dull

First of all, I understand that a large part of this show is about how corrupt infrastructures are able to remain in place in our society.
That said, I wanted Clay to go down so damn bad and Bond fucked it royally because of his ego.
Even then, despite their incompetence, at some point could they not have cross examined and asked Clay Davis why he was regularly walking around the streets of West Baltimore with thousands of dollars of cash in his pockets?
He literally alleges that his otherwise fraudalent money is going to pay for asthma medication, puff coats, heating bills, etc. that "I'm sorry I don't have no receipt for."
Could Bond's incompetent ass not asked why he was constantly walking around the city with money they proved to be fraudulent, and just carrying literally thousands of it in his pockets at all times for no fucking reason, and then gifting it to people for "puff coats?"
Give me a fucking break. The nature of the beast be damned, the flaws in the system etc. Clay Davis should've been in fucking prison.

This is not mine but I thought it was interesting so it belonged here:
The Marshall Mathers LP:
I'm Back- In I'm back the line thats censored goes "I take seven ___ from _________ stand um all in line grab an A.K. 47 a revolver 9 a mag 11 and that otta the problem of mine and thats a whole school of bullys shot um all at one time"
The line is supposed to say "I take seven kids from Columbine stand um all in line grab an A.K. 47 a revolver 9 a mag 11 and that otta the problem of mine and thats a whole school of bullys shot um all at one time"
the reason they bleeped it out is because Eminem was refering to Columbine High School in Coloardo where two students named Eric Harrison and Dylan Clevost went to school and they were wearing trench coats and inside there trench coats they had Machine Guns, Granades, AK's, Mags, and revolvers and they shot and killed 12 of their fellow students and 1 teracher Eminem and Marlin Manson's music was blamed for this thats why he says that he's basically saying that they make it seem like Eminem and Marlin Manson were the ones that shot up the school he's tryin to say it's not his fault and just because those kids were Eminem and Marlin Manson fans dosen't mean that they did it because of Marlin Manson and Eminem's music
Marshall Mathers- the line that's censored it " _____________________ faggit" he origionally say "Paul Simons and motherfucking faggit" Paul Simon was Eminem's moms lawer back when Eminem's mom sued Eminem for defamation they bleeped it because if he said his name he would of gotten sued.
Kim- The line thats censored is "Theres a _______________laying dead with a slip throat in your living room" the line originally says "Theres a four year old little boy laying dead with a slit throat in your living room" the reason they bleeped it out is because it's illigal to talk about slitting little kids throats
Criminal- The line that's censored is "I drink Malt Liquor to fuck you up quicker then you'd wanna fuck me up for saying the word ______" He origionally says "I drink Malt Liquor to fuck you up quicker then you'd wanna fuck me up for saying the word nig*a" He bleeped it out because he's not going to say that word on his record
8 Mile:
Rap Game- the line thats censored says "I'ma get snuffed cause I ain't said enough to pipe down I'll pipe down when the _______ is wiped out when I see that little _________ dyke get sniped out" he origionally says "I'ma get snuffed cause I ain't said enough to pipe down I'll pipe down when the White House is wiped out when I see that little Chenny dyke get sniped out" They bleep it out because he's threatening a member of the United States Congress and also threatening the destroy the White House and it's against the law to make threats like that.
The Eminem Show:
White America- He says at the end of the song "To burn the _____ and replace it with a parental advisory sticker"
He Originally said "To burn the flag and replaace it with a parental advisory sticker."
Hailie's Song- The lines not bleeped out it's just hard to understand anyway he says "Cuddle wit daddy I'm so glad that her mom didn't want her"
Encore:
Like Toy Soldiers- the line that was bleeped was "I went my whole career without ever mentioning _____" he origionally says "I went my whole career without ever mentioning Suge" it's bleeped out because he won't say Suge's name because he's got too much respect not for Suge but for Dre and Dre asked him not to say Suges name so he didn't.
We As Americans- the line that censored is "I'd rather see the _____________" the line origionally says "I'd rather see the president dead" the reason it's beeped is because it's illigal to threaten the president and they considered this a threat.
Eminem Presents The Re-Up
The Re-Up- The line that was bleeped out was "He's already reconciled with his _____, a chainsaw and an axe". It is suspected by people on this forum that he says "He's already reconciled with his ex, a chainsaw and an axe". And I believe it.
No Apologies- The Line that was censored was "you fuckers are not ready, cause i got jelly, like ________ pot belly" He says "you fuckers are not ready, cause i got jelly, like Beyonce's pot belly". He bleeped that out most likely out of respect for Jay-Z.
Fucking Crazy
Busa Rhyme- The part that's bleeped is "Hit a fuckin ___in her ___ with luggage" He's supposed to say "Hit a fuckin pregnant chick in her stomach with luggage"

I have my lap in 19 days. I’m supposed to be moved in 20. I have been suffering for 10 years, with the last two robbing me of any good quality of life. I am so excited I FINALLY found a specialist that is covered by insurance for the lap & excision and he REALLY listened to me. My partner and I looked him up and all his reviews and it’s all 5 stars and above and beyond. I’ve been so gaslit by others this whole time, fighting for just an MRI, or even some sort of treatment plan besides for birth control. I have tried every method 😞🥲 The surgery should be great news. The fact I just got engaged to my partner this year should be a happy thought, but I’ve been this shell of a human so long they’ve seen the worse of it all and still stuck around and now I don’t know where we are gonna go😩🫤 We have to be moved out the SAME week as surgery. Like…no. I’m not doing that, I’ll be out before. Probably outside the dr’s office begging for a sooner surgery. I’ve already been calling 🤣 It’s a good thing we don’t have anything wild to move but our fur babies (two are service trained but are mixed breed and two kitties). Also, because I’ve been sick, I’ve had 0 income so applying for a place is next to impossible. The place I live in is such a toxic, negative, and unsafe environment that I am ready to just book a hotel until my surgery and after it (my parents said they would come help) but don’t have the exact funds yet. Working on it. Any ideas welcome.
I guess we all wanna know each others symptoms to see if there’s any similarities, but deep down, I think I just need some friends. (CoULd tHaT bE u?!) 🤗 I miss my life. It’s weird to grieve the person I was most of it. I was in the height of my career, and performing for thousands of people, and yet there’s no one I recognize who has stayed around. This is a lot for anyone, which is why I’ve avoided having any other type of relationships in my life because I feel like such a burden. Everyone is pretty much gone by now…😶‍🌫️ I’ve started recording videos of my flare ups and episodes to convince myself my pain is real, and that this surgery is going to help and is necessary. I’m looking forward to creating my career post surgery with a chronic pain specialist approach to fitness that is HELPFUL FOR WOMEN to recover and gain strength back after trauma or surgery with the lower body. 💪🏻 I am already a certified personal trainer and never got to start because my pain kept me from stepping into a gym. When I help, I am whole. And my anxiety isn’t as bad. So I hope I get back to that point. 👐🏻 When you have loss, and pain, and anxiety, what do you do? This community has pulled me out of flare ups and I just wanna say thank you for reading and anything you say 💕