I'm currently using the face shop rice ceramide emulsion one. What do you guys think about dot and key one and I'm planning to buy the barrier plus but the quantity is really less as shifting to a new country. Please help me with it. Thank you in advance.

Thinking of going to TP Link for next change in my home.
I have a ER4 Unifi for my router and no point in pulling that as it is a Beast. I am looking at a Jetstream POE switch and am debating on how many APs I would require. Roughly 2200 sqft with 2200 sq ft basement below. Thinking 2 ceiling mounted on top floor LR and then on the peaks of my roof I can put 2 outside to cover my shop and barns.

1. Do I need 2 APs inside or will the one LR central cover my house? I was thinking 2 since I can always lower power and S-N would be higher.
2. Is the Omada controller better than a PI4 for a controller?
3. Is Wifi 6 really worth paying for right now? I only say this because it is relatively new and swapping out ceiling APs and outdoor mounted APs isn't that hard if the ethernet is there in 5 yrs or 7 yrs.
4. Any gotchas in setups that won't work due to wonky firmware or software?

My wedding is coming up in a few months, and I'm honestly dreading it. I'm especially nervous about the baarat and reception because I'm not a great dancer, and I always feel like I look like an idiot. I'm okay with the first dance because we'll get lessons for that, but other than that, I'm pretty much lost.
Whenever I've been to weddings in the past two years, I've purposely avoided dancing. I'll usually stand in the back of the baarat, and I even ditched my best friend's reception after dinner because I didn't want to dance. It just gives me so much anxiety, and I feel like it's equivalent to putting someone on stage and forcing them to do comedy or sing even though they don't have years and years of experience.
My fiancé loves to dance, and it upsets her that I won't even join her. She's worried about what people will think if they see us leaving the reception early. But honestly, I just can't stand the thought of being on the dance floor. I have a (self-diagnosed) condition called beat deafness, which means I have trouble with rhythm, and that makes me even more anxious.
I'm not looking forward to the fact that at our wedding, we'll be expected to dance for several hours. It's impossible to plan out all your dance moves because the songs always change up. I feel like if I'm not dancing, I'll be standing around looking awkward, but if I try to dance, I'll just embarrass myself.
I don't know what to do. I have to go to the weddings of two friends in the next couple of months (groomsman for one of them), and then it's my own wedding, where I'll be the center of attention at the baarat, the reception introduction, and the open dance floor after the reception.
I'm hoping for some advice on what to do.

As the title says I need advice on where how to go to buy a bike. I have not bought a new bike in decades and always rented one when I needed it.
I am a little overwhelmed with the sheer number of options available. I think I want a hybrid bike. It would not be used daily or for commutes but when I do use it I plan to go on long rides. I plan on keeping the bike for a long time. I am also tall (6’1).
What is a good price? What brands should I look for?
I have also basically given up on fb marketplace and kijiji. What bike shops would you recommend?
Note to mods: if this post violates rules than please delete.

CoverVol.1PreviousNextMapsWiki+DiscordRoyal RoadWebNovelTapasKo-FiFandom/wiki
Good morning everyone. Just a few quick things.
Sorry to those of you on Reddit. I messed up the tags for Part.3 of Chap.150 and it didn't send notifications out from the bots. I went ahead and reuploaded the chap so hopefully, you got it then.If not here and you missed it, here is part 3 of chapter 150.
One, thanks to all of you who have filled out the survey. And to those of you who haven't and still want to, make sure you do so because I will cut the survey off on the 19th.
Link=https://forms.gle/bpqSdg2aEHBGnLKY7
Two, as I mentioned at the end of the last chap, I am taking a small break to recoup and get everything fixed up for the recap of Vol.6. I shall see you again on Thursday the 23rd for the Side Stories and for the final week of double posting.
I think the Side Stories are pretty fun this time, as we get some action, adventure, and behind-the-scenes events. As well as checking in on some others :D
Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this epilogue as we are going to get some action with our old friends in Hades Squad.
---
Year 2517, floating somewhere in Federation deep space.
“Heimdall, I don’t mean to question orders, but is something like this actually possible?” Apollo asked as he settled into his harness.
“Yeah, they are keeping us in the dark about this new tech. I don’t really like that,” Hephaestus added.
“And it almost killed you! What the hell is that, huh? They just expect us to—”
“Relax, Artemis, everyone. It’s as they say. I had the same concerns, but Suárez cured all my worries. I saw it with my own eyes. And the tech is being kept on the down-low for reasons just like this. Besides, we might all be freedom fighters and allies in this war, but we are still just soldiers,” I told them, wagging a finger at them.
“So it’s possible to rip a ship out of warp?” Apollo asked, his blue eyes piercing into me.
I nudged Va'cot. “Well, you tell them, won’t you?”
Va'cot nodded slightly. “The Council was working on anti-warp technology for many years, but as far as I’m aware, it never left the initial stages. They lacked any reliable power source to affect ships,” she said in her usual toneless voice.
“But now things are different, huh?” Artemis mused.
She’s right. Things are different now, and we experienced that firsthand.
The anti-warp tech was the real deal, and it nearly took my life. We got our first taste of it on the raid on that space station. I got hit by multiple bullets, and they all left nasty wounds that took an extended amount of time to heal. It was like they left a lingering curse on me or something like that.
It turned out it had to do with these new crystals the Federation found, and we managed to capture one on that very station. That’s why they were so hellbent on blowing it to kingdom come. They resembled the crystals everyone used for warp travel, but these new crystals were… different.
The crystals used in warp drives came in a myriad of bright colors and sizes. Some were as large as a man, and others could even get as big as a bear. It just depended, and as far as we could tell, the color never mattered, and the size just indicated how big of a ship it could move. Those were the only fundamental differences.
But these new crystals were pitch black and smaller, no longer than a finger. But they exuded some kind of sickening aura. The second they busted it out of its containment, I wanted to vomit, which was a new experience for me. The thing felt perverse and wholly wrong, like an evil artifact of some type.
But I’ll be damned, evil, god-given, whatever its power was, the thing was powerful. Two finger-sized crystals were enough to rip a ship out of warp, something that I wasn’t able to believe ‘till I saw it with my own eyes.
When I sat on the bridge of the Stormpike and watched a frigate get pulled out from warp, suddenly, I felt as if I had witnessed a significant change in the way of the galaxy, and I was glad the Council never got their hands on the technology. While in the warp, it was thought that a ship was untouchable until it came out from its warp point.
And it’s not like warping around was omnipotent. It had its limits, and everything had a cost. But regardless…
It’s a shame we only have ten crystals in total. We have no idea where the Federation got them or how many they have in stock, but we think it’s only a few, and they don’t seem to know about pulling ships out of warp yet. And we are sadly already down six. And two of them are about to be used to pull this mission off.
“Whatever, it doesn’t matter if we know how it works,” Artemis said, shrugging her shoulders. “If it gets me face to face with that old hag so I can rip her arm off and beat her to death, then that’s all that matters.”
There was a moment when none of us said anything. Typically it would be best to…steer away from that kind of talk before a life-or-death capture mission, but I felt that everyone was of the same mind. I think, given a chance, everyone would do what Artemis was thinking.
Well, maybe not Va’cot. She’s a good girl when she isn’t trying to slice someone’s throat.
“Now, now. You know we can’t do that,” I chastised half-heartedly. “If you killed her then everything would be for naught, Artemis.”
Artemis clicked her tongue. “Fine, one swift kick to the ribs oughta do it. I promise I won’t break her in half.”
I just chucked wryly. “What you don’t know is that we already lost life to get this information. I’m sure that person is rolling in their grave right after hearing you.”
Artemis begrudgingly nodded in agreement. “But is all of this information accurate? It’s so little, and we were not able to confirm it. Right, Heimdall?” Apollo argued.
I sighed internally but also couldn’t help but remark on just how much everyone had changed. Once upon a time, it was unthinkable for any of these people to question the validity of a mission. Sure, some gripes or questions needed to be answered for clarity, but outright skepticism?
Twenty years ago, that was unthinkable. Guess it all changed because of him, huh?
“Our ever lovely Suárez personally guaranteed that the mole was a trustworthy source. It’s taken us all this time just to find a single trace of her after the war, so this is all we’ve got. It’s now or never,” I explained.
Everyone nodded to themselves and relaxed a bit. It’s not like it would have changed anything, whether the mole was suspicious or not. We’d been waiting for an opportunity like this for over a decade by that point.
”Besides, I’m running out of time,” I muttered quietly to myself as I closed my cybernetic hands.
I had lost the use of both my arms the previous year. Every part of my body ached, and getting up in the morning was becoming more of a challenge with every sleepless night I went through. That was another thing: sleep.
I didn’t have to sleep all that much compared to a normal Human. Back in the day, I could go weeks without even a wink of sleep and still be right in the ol’ mind. But as the sand of my youth trickled down the hourglass, I’d wanted to sleep more than ever.
Getting old sucks. Suárez told me that I only had a few more years, even if I stopped what I was doing and retired for good. Not that I have any plans of doing so. I’m in too deep to go back to AJS and plant flowers with the kids again…
Well, it is what it is—just another mission.
I stood up from my seat and looked out at the four people in my squad. “As all of you already know, this mission is both critical and dangerous. We have forty minutes to succeed, thirty minutes for the warp drive to warm up after taking the ship out, and ten to extract. That also includes the time it takes for their comms to come back on and send a signal.”
I rolled my shoulders and cracked my neck. “I don’t need to remind you that we are far from any kind of backup. If we miss that forty-minute deadline, the two cruisers are to leave without us, and we are to sabotage the enemy vessel and go down with it”
Everyone nodded a single time. “Our primary goal is to secure the doctor alive by any means necessary. If things turn for the worse, we are to eliminate her along with the ship. The mole couldn’t give us concrete details on her security, but it shouldn’t be a surprise. We are expecting at least two squads of Gen 3s on a frigate, along with marines. The old doctor moves fast and light these days, which is good for us.”
“This isn’t going to be a walk in the park. We may have the element of surprise, but that will only last so long. In order to save time, we are aiming for the center of the ship while another squad will hit the lower decks. We split up and cover as much ground as we can on the upper floors and take the escape pods so we can get scooped up by our friendlies…” I trailed off.
Everyone just watched me in silence, so I just sighed and sat down. “What’s the point? Everyone already knows what to do,” I groaned.
I felt Va’cot’s pink eyes staring at me, so I turned to look at her. She nodded quickly and gave me a thumbs-up. I chuckled to myself and gave her one back.
At least somebody appreciated my recap.
Just then, the hue of the hull changed into a soft yellow. That meant it was time to get ready. Like the well-oiled machines we all were, we donned our helmets, grabbed our weapons of choice, and locked ourselves into our harnesses. The time for conversation was over, and it was now time for action.
In just a scant five minutes, the area was bathed in an ominous red light. “Readings indicate an inbound warp jump. Warp point being formed,” the ships onboard AI mono voice echoed.
It could have been a minute or an eternity before the cold metallic voice rang out once more. “Target acquired. Launching in three…two…one.”
The engines roared to life as I was thrown into the back of my seat. Even with my harness, I shook like a madman as the ship rocketed off toward its target. It was always a weird thing, being in a metal coffin about to smack into another metal coffin in the middle of empty space.
The only bright side was that it took the enemy's ship a few moments to fire at us. Thankfully it was standard procedure to power down weapons in warp jump as there was no need to waste power, and it took some time for even small-caliber point-defense systems to come online. And all we needed was those few moments.
Boom.
Crash.
Everyone rocked in their seats as the Tiger rammed into the enemy ship and burrowed its way through the hull using its plasma shield as a ram. Eventually, everything stopped, and the harnesses were quickly released. We stacked up at the front, and the room was bathed in bright green light as the gangplank smashed down.
We were in a long hallway, and my eyes immediately locked on a figure. He had just missed being crushed by the gangplank and looked up at me with teary eyes. I never heard what he tried to say as I crushed his skull under my weight.
Bolter fire thundered off as we mowed down hordes of people frantically leaving their rooms. We had landed in a barracks, and nearly all the hostiles were unarmed besides a handful with pistols. I watched a round ricochet off Hephaestus’s helmet, only for him to turn slightly and reduce the offender’s head into a pink mist.
We made short work of anyone who was still left breathing, and our squad split. I took Va’cot and headed toward the bridge while the others moved on to the ship’s armory and ammo storage. There was no conversation between us, we knew what needed to be done, and we all went about our tasks diligently.
Va’cot and I cleared room after room, hoping to score a lucky break, but all we ended up finding were those attempting to arm themselves or those hiding in their bunks. We didn’t have time to execute every single sailor, but a quick shredder grenade into each room was enough to paint the walls red.
The sound of heavy boots on the floor echoed in the distance, and I gave Va’cot a signal to cloak herself and hide in the doorway. Two figures, both towering over six feet tall and clad in sleek black armor, raced down the hallway with bolters at the ready.
Unfortunately for one of them, they got too close to Va’cot, and she deftly swung her plasma sword. The air hissed with plasma fire, and she cleanly separated the Death Commando’s head from his shoulders. Unfortunately for us, the second wouldn’t be so easy.
I fired two rounds, hoping to hit center mass and a leg, but the commando was quick on the reaction. He threw his body into a doorway and returned fire. It was only thanks to our new Elunari-equipped plasma shields that those bolter rounds didn’t cave in my chest.
The rounds tried to force their way through the shield, only to detonate harmlessly on the outside. My shield hummed from the strain, and I went into the adjacent room. I flicked my visor’s heat sensor on, a new tool courtesy of the Coalition, and I tried to track the Death Commando, but no dice. His armor was far too well shielded thermally to be seen through a thick metal wall.
But his gun’s barrel wasn’t.
I took aim and shot through the wall, tracing the barely visible smear of red. My shots seemed to be missing until Va’cot tossed a plasma grenade into the door. I watched as the small ball of red fire grew in my vision into a miniature sun until it exploded.
The blast rocked the room and kicked up dust, and I wasted no time in reloading and sending more rounds at the target’s last known position. I ceased my fire, reloaded, and counted to ten, waiting for any heat signatures or noises, but nothing came.
We checked and cleared the room, both enemy combatants were dead, but there was no time for celebration. We immediately went back to our search, and when we stepped into the hallway, a hail storm of gunfire barraged us. Rounds clanked and bounced off our armor harmlessly and the two of us returned fire.
The squad of unfortunate souls was reduced to nothing but their legs as rounds burrowed into their chests and exploded. “Marines and Death Commandos engaged. Two combatants neutralized,” I radioed.
I checked the status of the rest of my squad, and they were all green, as was our friendly squad. There were quick flashes of acknowledgements, and Apollo’s voice filled one of my ears. “Marines have been engaged, no Death Commandos,” he said quickly.
Huh, does that mean she is on the bridge after all? It was considered to be less likely, considering she is a researcher. Well, let’s find out.
Va’cot and I wordlessly continued our slaughter, meeting only the bare resistance of marines and crew members. Eventually, power flicked out on the ship, and the bulkhead doors slammed closed. But we planned for that as well.
We had plenty of pre-made charges to blow all the way to the bridge if need be. I quickly placed the charge and—
Boom.
Huh?
I stared in surprise. The bulkhead door was dented inward, but it still remained standing. Considering that we had the schematics, we knew very well what was needed to blow through these doors. We even added a bit more just in case something like that occurred, but to think they reinforced them that much.
“This means we are in the right place,” Va’cot said through our system firmly as she sliced the near-broken door with her sword.
“That’s one way to look at it,” I responded.
It took a bit longer than we had planned, but we eventually arrived at the door to the bridge. The place was sealed shut, and I had to plant multiple explosives to even dent the thing. It was also a problem that we hadn’t run into anyone since the doors started dropping.
“They are either all in here, or we are going to get ambushed when we—”
My words were cut off as the door opened slightly, and a storm of bolter and rifle fire smashed into us. My shield whined and flickered from the intensity, and we were forced to find cover only for grenades to be tossed at us.
The fragmentation grenades exploded and peppered us with shrapnel but left us mostly unharmed. I ended up taking a piece to the fingers in between my armor plates, but nothing that I couldn’t handle. I looked over at Va’cot, and she had a nice long gash in her visor. One of the pieces must have slipped through her shield and cracked it.
“From the pattern of fire, there is one bolter deep, one on the right and one on the left,” I said.
Va’cot nodded her head. “I will eliminate the one on the right.”
“I’ll aim for the left, and we both get the center,” I said back to her.
Our conversation ended just like that, and I immediately set the charges off on the now-closed bridge door. A powerful shockwave rolled past us, and the lights flickered on and off, and the warship rocked from the force. Va’cot tossed plasma grenades, and I threw in shredder grenades before entering, making short work of the crew and marines.
The flurry of hell we sent in was our cover, and we relied on our shields for any blows. I trusted Va’cot fully, so I didn’t bother checking if she was going to be okay. I swept my side, and it was clear with the bodies of dozens of marines and crew members ripped to the shreds. I found a Death Commando still standing on the left, albeit seriously injured but alive and with a gun raised.
The third generation had the lowest tolerance to Ambrosia of all the generations, but regardless of tolerance, if enough of the stuff was pumped into their veins, they were still dangerous. Despite missing an arm, he wielded his bolter from the hip and fired at me.
The shots impacted my shield, and I sent immediate rounds back to him. And he didn’t have a shield. Most of my shots bounced off his armor or didn’t penetrate deep enough for an injury, but one of them hit him in the neck. He dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes as the round burrowed through him.
They just don’t make them like they used to. The Gen 3s are just so fragile compared to us. Too Human.
Va’cot was in a similar state as she had taken out her target, and a quick scan showed the middle Death Commando had perished before we entered. The room was now quiet, filled only with the groans of dying Humans. We moved quickly.
I turned heat vision on and confirmed five signatures hiding in the panic room. The door was locked up like a vault safe and was well hidden behind a panel. It was meant for situations like this, but it only worked if the boarders didn’t know of its existence.
“Cut it open. We can’t risk explosives now,” I ordered.
Va’cot set to work, and I finished off any survivors before standing guard for her. “Va’cot and I have secured the bridge. One Death Commando squad was eliminated. Doctor Octario has not been found, and we are breaching the panic room.”
“The lower floors are clear, no Death Commandos or targets. Planting charges on warp drive,” an AI voice said through comms.
It must be a species that doesn’t speak English leading the lower floor squad, interesting.
“We are under heavy fire. Resistance is concentrated at the armory. Requesting backup,” Apollo said calmly.
“We’ll be there in a moment,” I told him. “Va’cot, status?”
“Five Humans, three males, and two females. No elderly females in the safe room,” Va’cot radioed.
“Then let’s move to Apollo.”
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
We made sure to raise the bulkhead doors and destroy the systems as well as any communication units before racing through the halls back to our squad. Resistance was minimal, only stragglers who had managed to arm themselves from their deceased comrades. However, the sounds of heavy gunfire could be heard as we approached.
We made it to a hallway that was a literal blinding flash of light. Sadly, scanning for life forms wasn’t possible because of the metal used by the Federation. However, we could see the positions of our squad mates. They were pinned down in adjacent rooms by gunfire.
“They are stalling for time. We have ten minutes, Sir,” Va’cot stated.
Yeah, I know…damn. To think she would be toward the armory. How annoying.
“Squad two, can you place charges on the lower deck at the junction to the armory?” I asked.
“Affirmative. Two minutes for placement,” the synthetic voice said.
“You heard them, return fire and keep them busy,” I said into my helmet.
I received the affirmative, and we continued to trade fire. There was no way for us to press forward safely. Even if we maxed out plasma shields and used external shields, we would succumb to this kind of concentrated fire. They even had a heavy bolter in place, which would make quick work of us if we were to rush forward blindly.
“Hey! What if those explosions kill that hag or blow us the hell up?!” Artemis growled into her helmet as she blew the head off a marine that peaked in too far with her railgun.
“We can’t be passive because we are running out of time. If the explosions kill her and ignite the ammo, so be it. Remember why we are here,” I told her firmly.
Artemis said nothing for a moment before sending a few more shots. “Yeah, I know! I just want my chance!”
“Charges are placed,” the voice called out.
“Do it now.”
Boom.
A quick shock wave rolled past us and rocked the ship, only for a fire wave to snake down the hallway. The gunfire was momentarily halted, only to be replaced by the agonizing screams of dying Humans, which didn’t last long. Instead of waiting for the wave to fizzle out, we all pushed through it with Hephaestus at the front.
The walls were scorched black, and the entire floor had been blown inwards. There were no survivors. We had to skate by on the edges to avoid dropping to the lower floors, and we quickly pushed through the junction. There was only token resistance left until we reached a sturdy vault-like door made of black metal.
Hephaestus peeked through the thick glass and ducked down before a round echoed off the metal. “There are people in there, two Death Commandos and a handful of crew members. And so is she.”
“Target located. She is holed up in the armory,” I radioed in.
“Understood. Warp drive charges are set. We are prepping for extraction and shall take the furthest escape pods from you. There are less than ten minutes remaining, Commander,” the synthetic voice said.
Yeah, I know…damn this is gonna be a pain.
“Well, it looks like the ammo didn’t cook. Sucks for her,” Artemis spat.
“No explosives. We’ll kill her for sure. We have little time. Do we retreat?” I asked them.
Four heads turned to me, and they all looked at each other and then back at me. “I have no plans of going back now,” Apollo said firmly.
“Aye, aye, I’m with him,” Hephaestus agreed as he moved to cover us.
Artemis was already back to cutting a hole in the door. “You already know my answer. This is what I signed up for. Either I’m killing her, or she is coming with us, no in-between.”
I looked at Va’cot, but all I could see was the reflection in her blue visor. “I would like to help everyone,” she said with a nod.
“Well, then it’s settled, I guess. Let’s nab her,” I said with a chuckle and shrug.
“Don’t worry. These bastards are dead. I don’t need explosives to kill them,” Artemis stated with conviction.
“Then we will cover you,” I said as I nodded to Va’cot.
“Hey, big guy! I’m gonna need you to rip this door off in a minute. Can you do it!?” Artemis yelled, purposely letting her voice out through her helmet and into the room.
“Yeah, probably,” Heph said with a shrug.
Artemis never stopped working on the door as she clicked her tongue. “Probably?! What the hell are we feeding you for, huh?! You can’t be that big for nothing!”
We all fired down the hallway as a few stragglers attempted to ambush us. Artemis’s yells must have forced them out of hiding and given them some false hope. Nevertheless, we made short work of them.
“Now then…time to die,” Artemis mumbled to herself as she sat on her butt and forced her railgun into the hole.
Her weapon came to life and crackled with red lightning. The air around her whizzed with power as she fired off two thunderous shots in quick order and pulled the rifle out.
“Both the DCs are dead. Just the grunts left,” Artemis said as she made room for Hephaestus.
The giant of a man dug his hand into the door frame and began to yank. It was impressive, to say the least. Those doors were meant to stop the explosion of ammo being cooked off, yet he was ripping them off the hinges slowly but surely.
“There are five minutes remaining,” Va’cot stated in her toneless voice.
“You’re—not—helping! Va’cot!” Heph said through gritted teeth.
“If I were to stand there, I would only get in the way. You are too big,” she stated.
That was… rhetorical, well, whatever.
Rip.
Hephaestus’s muscles bulged, and the door started to pry open. Once he got enough of a purchase, he forced his entire hand into it and peeled the door back like a can of sardines and tore it straight off the hinges, tossing it down the hall with ease.
“Damn, that hurt,” Hephaestus grumbled as gunfire bounced off his armor.
A few quick shots and the rest of the combatants were eliminated. The only people left were the cowering crew in the corner and a lone elderly woman in a dirty blood-splattered lab coat standing tall before us.
She glared at us with eyes that said she was more annoyed than anything. It was almost like she was a mother that came home only to see something disappointing. It made me want to punch her in the throat.
The first to reach her was Artemis. Her leg moved so swiftly that I nearly missed it, and I didn’t even have a chance to stop her. Doctor Octario rocked to the side like a bow and was launched like an arrow into the wall and was promptly knocked unconscious.
“That was for the Commander,” Artemis said, her voice cold and devoid of even rage.
There is a big difference between thinking and doing things, Artemis! But I have no time to complain!
“Grab her, and let’s move. We are running out of time,” I ordered calmly.
Apollo instantly injected the doctor with a syringe and tossed her over his shoulder before I could even finish the sentence. Time was not on our side, and we ran as fast as our legs could take us to the nearest escape pods.
We ignored the marines attempting to block our way with bolter fire, and we piled into a pod that was not meant for this many people or even people of our sizes. Hephaestus was the last in and the poor guy barely fit, but the second he cleared the door, I smashed the button to launch us.
“Stern side! Launching now!” I barked into the radio.
Our bodies rocked violently as the pod jettisoned into the void of space. I peeked out the front glass and saw multiple warp points forming in the inky blackness. The distress signal was sent. And an entire fleet was descending on us. But a shadow quickly loomed over us, and we were jostled again, caught by our friendly ship.
“We are reeling you in, Hades Squad! Get ready for a warp jump the second you get inside!” the captain yelled at us.
“Wait! We are packed in here like sardines. We are screwed if you jump!” Artemis yelled back.
“Too bad! We are jumping, soldiers! You’ll live!” he yelled back.
Damn, this is not going to be fun. I’m going to need a new spine after this. Well, mission accomplished, I guess.
​

Next

I finished the beta with all 3 classes up to the story end boss, and those are my 2 cents.

• Sorceress: I spent most of the time with her as I had already planned for her to be my main in my first season, I reached to level 25 , maxed with all lengedaries, killed world boss and did most of the dungeons , what surprised me about the Sorceress, that I initially planned to be an Ice or Fire build and lighting was my least priority as most of the feedback that came from the alpha testers said that lighting is subpar compared to fire and ice , and I am so glad that I found out that they were so wrong. They either didn't know how to play lighting or they simply cared more about raw numbers on a single target, because of the beta I had the luxury to run the same dungeon multiple times each time using different builds and compare clearing time and boss killing time and with lighting Sorceress I was able to kill some dungeon bosses I struggled and died alot with fire and ice, like the spider dungeon boss ( forgot his name ) or like the stronghold boss Nostrava , lighting really works so fluid, and you feel as if you are flying over the battlefield
  
• Rogue : I was surprised at how good rogue really is to the point I think it will be my 2nd main , there are just too many skills that suit every situation, and I can already see this class will dominate the PVP area
  
• Barbarian: I am really not a mele player , and I struggled with barbarian alot even with the last story boss in Act 1 " Lilith lament " , and the fact that your basic and core abilities depend on the power of each weapon type separately was not appealing to me , however there was always this satisfying feeling of knocking down a huge giant to the floor and stomp on them , or kicking them to the wall
  

All in all the beta experience was so satisfying and I feel hooked already. Blizzard out did themselves with this game and I see alot of potential on the horizon, even the story is so compelling and engaging much more than D3 and even competing with D2 ( too early to tell though )
I just wish they add some quality of life things to the final release like

• add stash to each town , going back to main town is not fun
• I am happy they made gold relevant and important now in this game, I just wish they add more gold resources , as I feel now so tempted sometimes to sell items over salvaging them when I am short on gold
• They must change gems from taking inventory slots to be treated as herbs , every run my inventory is cluttered with gems and I need to go back to town to stash them
• The game involves so much walking around , I know mount will make it easier, but still I wish they add an option to either auto-run with a button , or auto-run to a destination you put on map
• They need to add a way to tell you which dungeon you already finished once , I know the green check mark appears when you finish it, but it only last during a play session and disappears once you log out of the game

What are your thoughts guys? Any of you the beta made them change the build they intended to play or even the class ?
Can't wait for the 2nd-week beta to also test the druid and necromancer

I decided that all of my sewing stuff has to fit in my sewing room and no more bins - every thing has to fit into drawers (Ladybug here). It's a tiny room with an awkward dormer ceiling but it needs to be functional so that means enough space to accommodate my cabineted sewing machine, ironing board, and a (gate-leg) work table.
Tools were easy, I went through everything and kept the one I liked the best - even if that meant getting rid of the cool old vintage one :( But life's too short to dig through a drawer of multiples trying the find the one I want. Ditto hand sewing needles - I've been using the same needles in the same needle case for decades - if I lose one, I find it because I don't want it tearing up my furniture, scratching the floor, or stepping on it. And so many packages of sewing pins - what am I keeping them for (besides the pretty glass heads)?
But I dreaded going through my fabric stash. I've curated it so many times over the years - down to the "really good stuff" - but I still had bins and bins and bins of fabric.
It's actually been less painful than I expected. Sort of like when I went through my clothes closet. Any young or "skanky" fabric, gone. Any muddy colors, gone. Any colors that don't look good on me, gone. If I can't fit it into a capsule wardrobe, gone. Past-life fabric (so much suiting fabric), gone. Ridiculous fantasy-life fabric (all that thai silk), gone.
Even if I had a closet-full of Law and Order ADA power suits, I would never wear them. And I'm not planning to drive 3-5 hours to go to the Opera. And I missed my chance for tea with the Queen. Where we live now, a clean shirt is pretty much dressing up - a knit dress is almost prom-worthy. At this point, I'm more Steve Jobs, less Diane Von Fusterberg. And most of my sewing is home dec anymore.
But the devastating thing, despite my best efforts - most of the gorgeous raw silk I lugged back from Vietnam in 1996 (I had to buy a second suitcase and pay an overweight fee!) - huge patches of sun fading! Some of it is salvageable, but what a waste! And I'm sure there will be others, once I open up the yardage to photograph.
I called my friend who makes beautiful couture clothing and we talked about fabric stashes. We both have fabric squirreled away that we've had for decades - some of it inherited from our mothers! And we've both worked around faded fold lines, more than once.
We decided that unless we have an actual project planned, we're letting it go. If we've got something we really like - let's figure out something to do with it now! Even if that's just a TV cover (here's looking at you adorable ramen-bowl cat fabric).
It's better to spend a bit more on something "fresh" than lose something to time, sun, damp, mice, moths, etc. You can make (and use) something now that may deteriorate in however many years, or you can hold onto materials that still deteriorate in however many years and have to throw them out, unused.
Besides, most of the fabric, I didn't even remember I had it! Would I buy it again? No.

Ethical Anarchy
Every 1 million years, we vote on whether or not to keep Ethical Anarchy as a system.
Ethical Anarchy is a system based on the individual adoption of law. The only ground political contracs are the no killing, destruction or attempted destruction contracts, nor claiming ownership of the property except Simeon. A final ground ethical contract states that penalties for all crimes may be taken in blindness, pain, time or money. Simeon is immune.
Before, countries operated based off violence and war. Now they use money, lotteries and anti money to get better results. People had no real influence over the state. Even in democracies, the wisdom of the crowd was lost to bad education.
Ethical Anarchy has rules that distinguish it from old governments.
Law is individually adopted and enforced nonviolently.
People individually adopt laws that only apply to acts done against their person or property.
The "government" only has the power to keep you off of public property, not kill you. It has jurisdiction over the environment and streets. Any law enforced with prison, fines or anything else must be approved by a majority of the public in a referendum via ethical contract. There is no death penalty for anything other than murder, and that is decided individually or locally per star system, where life in hell or death are options in the death penalty referenda.
There is a judicial anarchy and rules for trials and appeals. Anyone can serve as a justice elector, but only has as much judicial power to share as people who vote for them. It takes a minimum of four votes to become a judicial elector, however a new ethical contract may decide. To have a trial, determine the size of judicial pool and how many judges you want. Judges are randomly selected from the drawn jurisdiction pool. Both victim and defendant pick half the applicable districts and can strike one of the other’s. They must also select a common language for the trial, if not then the language spoken by the most people on that planet will be chosen automatically.
Judges are rated by both the public and official rating services, or collections of rating services elected by the public that have a higher vote rate. Victim and defendant both rate judges after the trial. Highest rating judges are automatically selected. Appeals require you to bring in more judges.
There shall be one judge seat per 10,000 people judges serve a 10 year term. Each judge elected during phase 1 gets 1000 judicial points per vote they receive and bids on available judicial seats. Alternately, they can vote directly for candidates to fill each seat and use approval voting.
Good vs. Evil is replaced with left vs right as a main dichotomy and driving force in society.
Law enforced via warrant contracts.
All have authority to act in situations that require someone to act when they can
Land points used as money.
No force, just subvention as a means to enforce laws.
No destruction or death for anything other than murder, trespassing, breaking of ethical contracts and violating the bill of rights. This list may not expand without the 7/8ths consent of congress and the public in a referendum.
​
Media and Education Funding would be done via congressional grant with the president possessing a line-item veto.
Economy, Land Ownership and Integration.
​
All must work or go to school. Distributaries fund schools and set standards for payment for taking different subjects or completing assignments. Individuals in space get paid to go to school, and must use this money to pay for entertainment , food and gaming access. The more and better assignments you do , harder classes you take or tutoring you complete, and better grades you get, the more money you earn.
Money must be used by all to pay land taxes, food taxes, and identity theft and reputation damages insurance among other things.
Licenses to sell food, access or traverse a bounded area, peak, trade, warp, park, live in a home, eat in space cost money, and must be paid each time a service is used. There shall be at least two licenses to sell food issued per star system, and all must be distributed via auction. The final number of food licenses must be determined by outlawry congress, and limited to no more than 90% of the population. Transferable eating licenses are to be sold by multiple providers in packs of 50, with each 50-pack being auctioned off.
Money may also be earned by interacting with the human economy: Creating, Buying and selling books, ideas, media, or online shopping, design, data entry, or any other digital or creative service. Drones may also be rented and space vacations sold. All earth money earned by working an ordinary job is matched at a rate set by the tax property assessor.
All entertainment must be paid for and original creators, be they people or being, be paid for rights to view, copy or share their work. Beings must purchase entertainment licenses from original creators by accosting movie studios or otherwise remunerate them. Copyrights in space last a minimum of 200 years, with the final amount being decided by ethical contract.
Money supply:
A UBI of $1000/month must be given to all individuals, and a circulating money supply of 4x extra must be distributed via work, grants, school and lotteries. The UBI must be funded through taxation of all income and is the only government expenditure besides game funding. Earth money is convertible into space money. On earth, space money can be used to pay for church expenditure, spirit cards and media.
In space, earth money can be used to pay for media and buy land for kingdoms.
Land Ownership
All land must be assessed a land tax by property assessors- general elected y the oubic using RRV, and each property asessor having the power to assess properties proportional to their vote share. Simeon and the body public at large, represented and effecting their will via congress, own the property.
Land value tax is not to be not less than 1% or land value per year, used to fund UBI.
All must send their taxes to a local galactic treasurer elected by all in a galaxy, who runs a census and distributes the money minus their salary equally to all. They must state their salary upfront before election and take no more than that amount from the tax haul to pay themselves. Nonpayers get their property claims ignored and their property sold at auction with the money going to everyone else.
Land must be leased for a time specified in a contract, during which the land rentnever goes up. Whoever offers the highest rent per month wins. Permanent land ownership is forbidden.
Any group of 10 or more contiguous landowners may agree to bound their neighborhood and charge tolls for access or traversal to nonresidents. All must pay except those egressing and giving notice. Rates shall be regulated by ethical contracts. Control zones one galaxy wide must be established.
Kingdoms
Gods must fund kingdoms with people money earned from followers, businesses and ventures on earth. No space-earned money can be used to build your kingdom other than what was earned via congress.
License to operate planet-based currency exchanges may be given out or auctioned, with the method to be determined by ethical contract.
Policing
Police forces must enforce centralized law that an absolute majority of the population selects. There would be a monopoly on police funding, but decentralized forces may be able to do police work. Police consumer cooperatives may be established to compete, selling no more than 20 percent of stock to non owners.
All police forces must be organized as consumer police cooperatives, with a minimum of fifty members. unless a majority of a star system's residents choose to allow private police. Everyone must join one, and police cooperatives may self-defend or contract with external agencies for defense, serving as buyer's coops. All members of police coops must vote on police chief leading the department and sign a thirty year security contract.
Cooperatives will compete to provide property insurance and security to members. Any group of fifty or more people can start a security force and be legal to buy weapons. All security cooperatives are funded by the people they serve and everyone must join one.
Anyone who is properly trained can do policework in ethical anarchy. Any person can make an arrest after attending free or paid police education. Police would be able to enforce orders of outlawry on the population. Only trained police officers could make arrests. Police forces would operate independently and be able to outlaw rogue agencies after a trial, where agencies representing a ¾ majority of the public could convict and shut down a police force.
Police services would partner to respond to calls and trade tokens. If police force a responded to a call from someone in police force b, then police force b would need to respond to one call from police force a in the future.
No cooperative may be created excluding customers from a segment of the population and compete to hire centrally trained and licensed police officers. No limit on police licenses given out may be issued.
Police Coordinator
Elected by the police chiefs of all forces one vote one police force, most votes wins. The police coordinator is elected by all cooperative leaders in a system, sector, galaxy and universally. Cooperatives decide who votes for them. Additional funding may be given to cooperatives based on membership.
Central Police Chief
Chosen by Jungle primary FPTP.
No special power to kill, just right to evict trespassers from public property and transfer to rison.
CPC appointed officers would accompany those seeking to arrest individuals for a bounty to make sure rogue agencies couldn't make false arrests. A court established by congress or ethical contract could outlaw an agency found to be in breach of local guidelines for operation, like extortion.
Funding
Services would be funded via warrant contract. Contributors to essential charities a majority of the public likes, like educational and health services would band together and refuse to buy, sell or admit people who traded with those who didn't contribute. Alternatively, they could simply charge them more. This works for the military too. For business owners, they would pay personal income taxes or their personal homes and property would not be protected and crimes against them would not be investigated.
Prison and Outlaws
All prisons could be run either privately or publicly by the highway police. All would be funded via warrant contract. Regulations for prisons and police would be created by congress.
Who may outlaw? Only a democratically elected judge or their delegates chosen by an absolute majority of people in any given area. This implies a two stage election w/runoff. FPTP with runoff if no candidate receives an absolute majority should be used.
Higher levels of government might offer veto and safe harbor to an outlawry notice.
Who can arrest?
Anyone if someone is a suspect. And there’s the issue.
​
President is elected every two weeks via approval voting and can serve up to ten years in a row before they must resign. The president must maintain a high approval rating and keep their coalition energized to stay in power. Politics would be fun. Debates would be held all over the place. Approval voting means you could vote for as many people as you wanted. The president would have the power to..
Appoint prosecutors, one fifth of judges to the supreme court and lower courts,
They may veto congress and the results of referendums, pardon criminals and commute sentences. They may also appoint the heads of agencies open during their term. Terms of heads of agencies are decided by congress.
President appoints theme leader, and may create as many positions as they need for their administration.
Kudzumi
​
Tax collection. Taxes, I'd they exist would be collected socially via warrant contracts. Nonpayers would be refused service at businesses or be charged higher prices because taxpayers would band together and refuse to patronize businesses that didn’t. It’s far more likely that nontaxpayers would pay extra.
Congress
Everyone has a right to create a party for congress and collect the votes of nonvoters, gathering petitions from those who want to give their votes to a party for a given length of time, say, 2 weeks to 5 years.
Congress would consist of a single unicameral legislature with 1 seat per 10000000 people. Parties would be elected. Uninterested voters may be able to give their votes to a party or congress as a whole as mentioned. Congress would establish agencies, tribunals and provide oversight. They could impeach and remove a president from power. They would also hold contests..
Congress could make rules enforceable by deprotection, outlawry or confinement to home or building with a simple majority. Congress could not force, but relies on society and local governments to implement its will. It could also withhold funding.
A good ethical anarchistic congress can..
Congresses have the ability
To fund, subsidy, To mint To tax gods and people.
To create universal educational and other requirements for bounty hunters and police.
To establish by law and have Thaos enforce a land, wealth, and income tax and any other tax they so desire. To grant To establish roads and prisons and other infrastructure To imprison with simple majority To kill with unanimous consent minus the person accused or their representative. The required majority may not be lowered. To regulate the use of force in society. To regulate the dichotomy To raise an army, navy and police forces to suppress insurrection and false claiming. To budget and law the economy and work trade, investment and businesses To create banks To license and control businesses To establish copyrights, trademarks and register or renumerate original ideas. To establish themes and technology taxes To fund games and prizes on game shows. To rate To establish mediations To regulate advertising and media. To spread the word and issue proclamations and directives to lower congress and attach democratically decided (by congress) stipulations.
To kill with the 99% approval of all members in each house of congress minus the representative(s) of the person effected and their locale or home district.
To outlaw and deprotect with a majority.
Congress may refuse to fund or give grants to businesses for any reason, including effusing to require a person to follow congressional law, which might be approved or rejected as a package.
To create all laws assistant and just to serve these ends.
Police and Security Districts
Are drawn by the president or people in referendum, and the map must be approved by congress. Everyone voting in one may select the police chief.
Collective Action
Collective action gets accomplished voluntarily through collective action contracts or labor lotteries where you get paid to sign and remain on-call.
Terror and Ethical Anarchy
Voluntary monitoring of Extremist views and voluntary censorship and reporting via individual anti-terror contract, no sig, no job, you are looked at suspiciously.. And do not serve.
War and Military
People who donated to the military and businesses woohol supported it would refuse to hire noncontributors. The goal is for everyone to support the military, so those who did not support it could not buy houses
Education funding
Would occur via warrant contract, lottery or Human Capital Contract or the nominal budget
Would be funded using all kinds of things, including Human Capital Contracts and Diverse Microinvestment
All constitutions must respect and not violate the full bill of rights in the original constitution listed here.
The constitution that gets the most Thaos verified signatures in two weeks in th is chosen for four hundred weeks. No person may stop signatures from being gathered.
Forms of government are chosen every hundred weeks.
Border Control
Access to zones in ethical anarchy would be established via a pay to enter system or free at the community's request.
Nominalism pays
Political problems come from guns your guns. How deserving are polticians to decide how they are used?
Discrimination. Discrimination is bad. How can an ethical anarchy handle discrimination when local majorities support it? Ethical anarchy can do just as well as a democracy does when businesses discriminate. All it takes are smart warrant contracts. Businesses need supplies from all over to function. Those who refuse to hire or serve an underpriveleged minority can lose when other businesses boycott their suppliers or charge them extra. This will force them to go out of business or stop discriminating. Customers who support discriminatory businesses can be charged extra when they shop elsewhere, as may workers or owners.
This makes gathering and arresting suspects easy even en masse as they do it themselves. People who refuse to turn themselves in for questioning are most likely guilty, so crime solved itself. The less crime, the more resources there are to solve the little crime that exists, making us better at it. Everyone could be investigated eventually, and road cameras or overhead blimps could surveil the territory.
Ethical Anarchy
Weapon, Tool stores and gun stores would be required to record all buyers.
Any underhanded purchases would be caught by a double sting system. Purchases without proper identification would result in shutdowns and sentences. Gun store owners would be rewarded for reporting people who attempted to buy guns without the proper identifying info. They would have their property seized, sold and go to jail.
As for gun store owners, they would have their businesses, personal property and possibly lives taken if an unauthorized buyer successfully bought a gun. They would go to jail for life at the very least.
To operate without violent mobs burning down the store, gun stores would work with local police and advertise the fact in the window. No person would try buying a gun without valid ID.
All transfers of guns and lost or stolen guns and other weapons must be reported. Or else you go to jail or pay. However, any time you have a gun to someone who used it in an aggressive shooting you would be fined.
Gun safes and checkups would be handled by the gun store so they didn't get taxed.
Deterring crimes. More stings may occur than crimes. The media may report this. And report on successful stings. This would replace most bad news. Anyone could participate in or start a sting operation.
Ask are you buying a gun for someone else? And do some stings. Asking to or offering to straw purchase would be crime.
Refusing to allow mediators in to your house to search or arrest would be seen as suspicious.
Voluntary Congress and Fun
Ethical Anarchy can be made far far better with a universal basic income and voluntary congress. Congress would pay you a stipend of four hundred dollars every month as long as you obeyed all laws it passed. There may be a requirement to obey several dozen laws or so on and stop receiving money if you refuse until you turn yourself in.
Another way to run it is t are incentivize people to sign ethical contracts individually from a central fund and use reciprocal democracy to fund laws. This just means politicians get paid based on how many votes they Recieve, giving them an incentive to vote well.
Contracts and Enforcement
All contracts notarized by a congressionally authorized individuaal could be considered valid In reality. And thus enforced.
Penalties for Murder
Economic imprisonment is the best way forward, rather than prison.
For murder, a person would be burned for three times as long as they and the victim had been alive in addition to modern slavery. They would be chained to a work facility, weighted and fed by their employer or get food subsidies for authorized food. They would have ninety percent of their wages or more taken and the rest used to buy time away from fire. While prison costs money and resources, and death takes them away, this creates them. When not at work or in the bathroom, the prisoner slave would be blindfolded.
They could also be burned.
Why ethical anarchy? A story.
Democracy is better than dictatorship, but it's still rule by the few chosen by the mostly uneducated. Democracy is bad on rights. If the government can kill you, it has too much power. Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to eat. Ethical Anarchy is excellent on rights because everyone only has power over their own property and bodies, not yours. Collective property like air, water and roads are managed publically through democracy and local congresses. Your stuff is managed by you.
Individual property is managed and well taken care of by people.
But at the same time, collective property accessible by those paying for it's upkeep will be managed by an elected manager.
Anyone who wants to access collective property may if they pay a fee. Only those who pay may enter or use it. Stewards are chosen by paying members or a central authority.
The author suggests that property upkeep be auctioned off to the lowest cost highest quality firm via contract.
Democracy works sometimes, but other times it doesn't. Imagine if we democratically decided what to eat for dinner instead of letting people make their own choices. In ethical anarchy, personal rights and freedom win every time because the system is built off of it. Ethical anarchy protects the smallest minority of all, the person.
Unified police training
Voluntary Congress and Fun
Ethical Anarchy can be made far far better with a universal basic income and voluntary congress. Congress would pay you a stipend of four hundred dollars every month as long as you obeyed all laws it passed. There may be a requirement to obey several dozen laws or so on and stop receiving money if you refuse until you turn yourself in.
Another way to run it is to incentivize people to sign ethical contracts individually from a central fund and use reciprocal democracy to fund laws. This just means politicians get paid based on how many votes they Recieve, giving them an incentive to vote well.
Contracts and Enforcement
All contracts notarized by a congressionally authorized individual could be considered valid in reality. And thus enforced. n issue may be having congress deenforce certain contracts with a 2/3 majority.
Lottery
Lotteries can be used to enforce law by providing inspiration to obey rather than force.
Captain of Police chosen by Daily approval voting.
Consumer Safety
And now, for the piece de la resistance, consumer safety. The chief of justice would run an agency tasked with listing all business service providers that were up to snuff. Nobody would shop at a business that didn't have the seal. Lying about approval would be grounds for a raid and closure of the business. All businesses would be required to have insurance to cover loss and damage before they opened up in a city. God may also regulate it. This would be regulated by deprotection. The list of ethical contracts you and your business have signed enabling the consumer safety authority to investigate you would be publically displayed.
To be approved, grocery stores would only carry merchandise from approved businesses. Any business not approved would be allowed to warn

Ethical Anarchy
Preamble
In times, we have sought to create the most free, most fair, most joyous and happy society. Praise be to God, our journey is complete. We have lived through and seen dictatorship, the weakness of democracy and ineffectiveness of anarchy. We resolve to choose none of the preceding and avoid repeating the errors of the past. We the people of Paelia, Karine, Nara, Rallfallamine, Pellend, Cassini, Section, Trace and Ledder along with surrounding states combine to form an Ethical Anarchy, and name our new country Ethica, in honor of said system as developed by our founder and freemaker Simeon Burks.
Remembering the many just who died to ensure our liberty and freedom during the transition and war for congress,
All honor and glory be to, amen.
We establish a new state based on Non destruction and
Legislature
The legislature for ethical anarchy shall consist of the people and a bicameral Congress for outlawries.
The people shall freely adopt ethical contracts as they wish, with a fifty one percent majority of the public being sufficient to send power to an ethical contract. Once powered, violators of an ethical contract may not access, traverse or use public property. They must also submit to tribunals and punishments described in the ethical contract although they may not have signed. Until powered, ethical contracts only bind people who sign them.
No person may be forced to sign an ethical contract, but individuals and groups may require the adoption of certain ethical contracts for entrance, or membership. Failure to ratify an ethicalrecal contract is valid cause for firing or dismissal from a group.
The legislature shall have the power to outlaw a person or create reasons for outlawry with a fifty one percent majority in addition to the public. Members of Parliament shall have the right to broadcast ethical contracts to all on a monthly ballot. The legislature controls ballot access. The legislature may make any law with any penalty except death with a fifty one percent majority. Acceptance of law is mandatory to travel on public property. Congress shall regulate police divergence, arrests and academies. Congress may regulate the economy and choose an economic system with a simple majority.
There shall be 454,000 seats distributed daily proportionally by party. The party getting the most votes selects the president.
The upper house (House of Gods) consists of 16,000 seats, and approves all judicial appointments, or regulations on god (not taxes) and standards for becoming one by a simple majority. Otherwise, legislstion needs only the first house. Thaos reserves a third of this house. It is elected by personal, national and local gods, each getting a vote number equal to the number of people supporting them, be they followers or voters. 40 year terms. The house of gods may block a lower house bill for up to 2 years or until the next election and regulate contests and coregulate space commerce. It, along with Chaos shall publish reports rating gods. It may rule on questions of the day and issue pronouncements via the figure.
The upper house shall select a yearly figure, chief distributary and person of the year. The same person may win up to two times in a row.
The vote gods possess in this house is cumulative. Gods choose a virtual district 1-sixteenthou and must stick with it for three elections.
Ethical contracts may only bind a person and their property, never third parties who did not sign unless the contract is mutual or about children, who may be considered collective property.
Ethical contracts must be voluntarily signed without coercion, although pressure and incentives can be used.
The legislature consists of a Congress for force that determines legitimate reasons for using force. No person has a unqualified legal right to use force, only valid and invalid reasons. Only a majority of people in both Congresses or the mediations it establishes may determine if a particular use of force is valid.
Ethical contracts are enforced using warrant contracts, blacklisting, boycott and exclusion from the use of public property if a contract is mutual. They may also specify other penalties.
When a person who has not signed an ethical contract acts against someone who has not signed it, the person not signing is indemnified unless the contract was powered with a majority vote, in which case the person breaking the contract is subject to legal action.
Ethical contracts cover acts done against signing people on public property, the private property of signers and the private property of nonsigners if signers are there, but not the private property of nonsigners if no signers are around.
Simeon has a prenalty of twenty million at 999 nonbinillion cubed providing immunity from all nonmurder crimes.
The territory allows no individual or group destruction or government issued a death penalty. If someone is outlawed nobody may protect them and they may be hurt or killed by any person.
Outlawry may only be used in cases of murder and for people failing to report to arrest, questioning, or prison.
Executive
The leader of the day selected by the largest party possesses the right to unilaterally appoint judges of the day and police chiefs. They may make any policy or appointment, subject only to veto by the guardian council and standing council. They may be impeached and removed by a 4/5 vote of either. Policies and appointments may last 1 day. The same person may be reelected 5,200 times in total, and for 1400 days in a row. Every two years we elect a special Leader of the day who serves a two year term. This person serves as a long term planner and appoints or oversees the election of visionaries at local discretion.
Guardian council is a 10,000 member council of randomly selected citizens who pick the highest numbers minus the top 4000. As selects. Standing council is all interested citizens who voluntarily join. They can block any action of the leader by majority vote as may congress.
The Congress may create congressional agencies and staff them at it's discretion.
A Standby Emergency Director shall be selected via mass petition. The person with the most votescollected in 4 days wins a three month term. Voters may vote for as many candidates as they want. The SED shall have the power to coordinate and lead emergency response if Congress declares a state of emergency for up to six months. The same person may win twelve times.
Law Enforcement
Every level of government is to elect a chief of police coordination and emergency response to oversee investigations and arrests and choose watchers.
If someone is listed as an outlaw by a congressionally established mediation or Congress itself, any person may make an arrest and Recieve a reward if the subject is captured alive. There will be a fine if the subject is killed during arrest unless watchers oversee the arrest and verify it was conducted lawfully in accordance with congressional rule
Prison
Prisons are public, private and mixed. They are to be regulated by law. Refusing to voluntarily go to jail to await a trial or sentencing is automatic outlawry.
Warrant Contracts
Warrant contracts, or pledges not to trade with people who trade with other people
Security
The people shall elect a monthly minister of security via petition. The person with the most signatures by the end of the month wins the position. The Minister of Security shall oversee regionwide defense and intelligence.
LSDD is Provisional Minister of Security until a new one is elected.
Security Districts to elect local police chiefs are drawn by the Minister of Security. Police chiefs elected every three months.
Naos is part of the security plan. XDD must be made programmed to resurrect chaos.
Judicial
Daily judges elected by leader of the day service all typical cases. Every second year, the second leader of the day appoints two year justices who serve as a court of appeals. Judges must be allowed to complete cases they start regardless of whoever appointed them's term being up.
Everyone is entitled to nine appeals before they go to Naos or a religious court.
The lower house of congress shall create an act organizing the supreme court (s) and visionaries. Congress shall create cours in addition to the 11 member Supreme Court. They shall approve or reject supreme court nominees by the Emergency Director.
For Ethical Anarchy Territory, As shall Staff the thirty five member supreme court.
The supreme court is the final arbiter of appeals for all cases on or in the territory.
There shall be sixteen districts throughout the land, each of equal population. District map drawn and approved by Chaos and Force Congress. God's compete over districts courts and the right to organize or sponsor police departments.
Property and Land
Chaos registers property. Simeon owns the land and caretakes it for Ethical Anarchy.
No person may be kept on a persons territory by force.
World and Environment
Simeon owns Naming rights. The environment the constitution may regulate is defined as any public or private property that flows into and intermixes with public property. (i.e, air and water) The public may regulate activity in and on such.
Ballots and Information
Individuals may create ballot listing services compiling a list of ethical contracts for readers to sign. The parliament regulates fraud and valid signature collection. It is not the government's responsibility to gather and list all Ethical contracts in one place.
The government may establish signing houses for people to sign notarized ethical contracts free of compulsion and mandate their use. Alternatively, they may send people who were listed as signing an ethical contract a notification.
Money and Minting
Simeon owns the minting and Economic system. Money must be used to pay taxes, buy a $10,000 weekly travel pass, land, play games and view media, but land and travel expenses. Simeon shares the mints with Congress. You earn money by attending school and going to parties or by playing sports. School attendance pays up to 15,000 weekly with good grades paying more.
Permanent Seats in Congress
Simeon Satan Narissa Shan Sitch Saddeus Entamion
Thaos reserves thirty percent of Seats in Congress
Chief Visionaries
Tiara and Vivian
Each selects 1/3 of Visionaries who serve at their leisure.
Visionaries serve a minimum of fifty years and promote and demote people in government positions and can recall elected and judges officials, comment on ballots, create themes
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Kingdom funding
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Proxies.
Police chief
oathkeepers, forgeries, lotteries figure of the day, rolling agenda. strategist,
Figures of the day, month and year elected every so often.
President elected every four months
distributaries and contests chief chosen by president.
Figure: 1/3 popular vote 1/3 congress 1/3 presidential college every 4540 years.
Media grants, advertising distribution, education regulations.

Law: Treaurer of ethical anarchy with power to distribute UBI and set sschool salaries elected by all via JUngle primary FPTP with runoff if someone fails to receive a majority.
Law: Interpreting Ethical Anarchy is the responsibility of Simeon, RHo and Sitch and fmy mother and father and Entenny. They may clarify and add addendums to law.
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RIder
Land Works like what? Asessor rrv
Maps and districting?
A territory may be split when..
Game based
Vote games for outlawry congress and elected congress. % of territory captured equals percent of senate seats you get. Outlawry senate.

The previous part of the chapter
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Grata Revenite

"AHHHHHHHHHHH. NOT THIS AGAIN!" You scream yourself awake.
Looking around, you scared everybody up in the teacher's office.
"What's wrong, Mr Nestor?" Someone asks you.
"A rough job being a new head teacher, huh?" They chuckle.
"Yeah. Hahaha- Huh?" You stare at them in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"After Mr Mortimer left, you got the position."
"Ohh yeah, I remember that. Silly me." You laugh.
Mr Mortimer left a long time ago to return to his wife. How can you forget that? Probably from a lot of work.
"Oh, It's time for Class 8E." You walk along that hallway thinking about life.
You still remember the first time you are here. You were a crumbling mess but now? You become a part of the academy, a part of the family.
"A part of our family." Quinn's voice blooms from behind.
"Good day Quinn."
"Yeah. Good day." You can see her smirking beneath the mask.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, It’s just surprising to see."
“See what? Don’t leave me hanging.” You chuckle.
“Why don’t we talk while walking to class?”
“Sure.”
You two walk along the hallway, echoing footsteps following from behind. Somehow you feel uneasy when being near her. Fear in your mind
“To see that mortal can just... forget something... What's your opinion, Aid? I mean Nestor.”
“Aids? You keep calling me by that old name.” You laugh.
“Yeah yeah.”
“Alright, we are here.” You walk up to the door and knock. “Pardon me. Hello class!”
Some students look at you surprised but most of them look normal.
"What's with the silence?" You chuckle while taking out the attendance list. "Alright! Miss Déchu?"
"Here."
"Mr Ermengild?"
"Here."
"Mr Oddmund-"
"IS THIS CLASS 8-" A student screamed while entering the classroom.
Slice!
The student's head slowly drops to the ground. Blood is gushing out like a poked water balloon. Isn't it a familiar sight to see?
"Oh, Hades! Not again." You put down the clipboard and stop the head that rolls toward you with your foot. "Quinn! Can you call the janitor? Please?"
“Sure.” Quinn got up and walked out of the classroom.
Some students scream in shock, others puke out the window and the remaining students turn pale.
"Come on kids. It's just a dead body. Don't puke out the window, we are on the first floor, not the ground floor." You sigh while returning to the whiteboard.
When you turn your back against the board, you are met with a strange stare from the students.
“What’s wrong?” You speak.
“Who are you?” Elio’s amber eyes filled with concern.
“I’m… your teacher?”
“No. No, you’re not. Aid won’t act like this.”
“I've always been like this.” You smile softly.
“Aid would scream.” Ubel shares her opinion.
“Well, it's been a long time. People change." You sense the feeling of uneasiness filling the room.
"It's- only been a week...since you been here and then you went missing for 2 days ." Cedric stands up and walks toward you. "Who are you?"
"What? You're kidding." You laugh awkwardly.
"I knew it." A cold voice breaks the silence, it's Quinn. "Well, today's classes are cancelled then."
No one dares to move a muscle as she stares into the class and everyone's souls. The sharp sound of her footsteps echoing make you flinch while the janitor mops up the floor and collects the body.
"I thought you done the job I gave you..." Quinn stares at Pattinson who has been quiet.
"I'll do it myself then." Quinn smiles and claps her hands. "Let's do it by numbers."
"Block the door." The room turns dim. Dark cloudy figures surround the room.
"What was that!" Elna's body trembles.
"A magic trick," Quinn replies sarcastically.
"Angelica! My sweet fallen angel. Let's get your memories fixed." She takes off her mask.
Angelica slowly gets up and walks toward Quinn, her eyes filling with fear.
"P...please don't hurt me." Tears roll down her face.
"Awww. Don't cry, sweetheart. You won't be like Marakira." Quinn strokes her cheek and whips her tears.
She kisses Angelica's forehead tenderly before giving Angelica the pill to swallow. She falls to the ground.
"Alright, Merkel!" She calls out.
“No!” He yells.
“Come here or the porcupine die.” Quinn said coldly.
Merkel runs toward her trying to bite off her hand with rage. Quinn smacks him, sending Merkel to the wall. Your student groans before Quinn shoves the pill down his throat.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Blerim screamed while trying to get up from his seat.
"Shut up." Quinn turns her head toward the remaining students.
Blerim's mouth was sealed shut, unable to speak.
One by one, your students walk up to eat the pills and they fall to the ground.
"Take them to their room."
The dark figures start lifting the students' bodies out of the classroom.
Only Pattinson, the Scholar students and you remain in the class.
“Quinn. What is all of this?” You break the silence.
“Nothing, Nestor. Everything is fine. Someone just doesn’t do their job.”
"Quinn, I'm sorry but I couldn't do it." Pattinson tries to speak.
"I know. I'll let this slide. Now, mortals. Eat it." Quinn throws the pills onto their tables.
"I can't force you to eat it." Quinn sits on one of the tables. "You will die in my hands."
"What is it?" Geun Hyun-Shik grabs the pill in front of him calmly.
"Well, thanks to my lovely 'aunt', Mnemosyne. I can fix all of your memories." Quinn chuckle.
"What will I forget!? What will it do to my head? " Geun In-Su shouted.
"Not forget, just bend the mind.” Quinn chuckle. “I suggest you take it. Better for you and better for me.”
“No.” Geun In-Su throws it away.
“Fine.” Quinn snaps her fingers.
“AHHHHHHHHHHH!” Geun Hyun-Shik fell out of his chair and scream on the ground.
“STOP IT!” Geun In-Su cry while leaping toward his brother.
“Well, would you eat the pill now?”
You stare at them dumbfounded, deep down something makes you fear her. Pattinson looks at the ground timidly.
“MAKE IT STOP! I’M SORRY! I’M SORRY! I’M SORRY! DAD! DON’T HIT ME” Geun Hyun-Shik continue to scream, pulling his hair, and scratching his arms.
“FINE!” Geun In-Su grabs the pill and makes his brother swallows it then does the same to himself.
“Good boy. Take them to their room. Now you.” Quinn point to Elna.
“S…sure.” She holds the pill with her trembling hand.
“Stop it!” Cedric pulls out his ring and turns it into a golden knuckle duster. “What are you?”
“A god.” She laughs. “Pin him down.”
The dark figures appear again. Now trying to pin Cedric down.
“Get away from me!” Cedric punches the figures.
“Eat it, Elna.” Quinn walks toward her.
“no.”
“What?”
“I said NO!” Elna whipped out her necklace changing it to a baton with a silver handle and try to hit Quinn with it.
“Oh. So you chose death? Interesting. How about some nightmares?” Again, she snaps her fingers and the two students scream in pain.
“How about now?”
“N…NO!” Cedric scream. “TELL ME. WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO OUR CLASS AND OUR TEACHER?” He points toward you.
“Maybe you shouldn’t do it.” Pattinson grabs Quinn’s shoulder.
“Get out.” Her void-like eyes filled with anger.
"Yes, Ma'am." Pattinson slowly walks toward the door and leaves the class. "I'm sorry."
“P..please help us.” Elna crawls toward your feet.
You don't understand what is going on. Looking at Elna, you take a step backwards.
"Maybe if you listen to her, you won't have to suffer." You can't believe what you just said.
"W...What?"
"Mortals can't win. We can just follow." You smile while picking up the pill and force Elna to eat it.
"It's for the greater good." Your broken smile makes her go quiet. "Come on. Don't be difficult."
"Please, Aid. H...help me." Tears roll down her cheeks.
"My name is Nestor."
"N..no. No. No. You let us call you Aid because you want to help us! You're not Nestor!"
Her scream wakes something in you. Does Mr Mortimer leave to go back to his wife? Have You been here for only a week? And is your name really Nestor?
"W..who am I?" The pill drop from your hand rolling away.
Elna tries to crawl her way toward the door.
"Don't you dare." You plug your dagger into her ankles out of instinct.
"AHHHHHHH." She let out an agonising cry.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ELNA?" Cedric whose been fighting the figures rushed toward Elna but got stopped by Quinn.
"Rule number 1. Don't turn away from the hunter." She snaps his legs.
"Now that you two are unable to fight. Stay!" Quinn turns her attention toward you again.
"No. No. No. I didn't mean to. I didn't" You balled up against the wall.
"Nestor? Are you alright? You did a great job." Quinn reaches her hand toward you.
"My name is Aid!" You shriek as the broken memories start to piece together.
"So, it came back." Quinn stares at your face so close that you can see the crop's skin on the left face fall off.
"What have you done to me?" Your senses start to come back. Seeing your students injured hurts you to your very core.
You hold your dagger tightly before stabbing it into Quinn's eyes.
"If you remember everything then you should know that you can't kill me." She pulls the dagger out of her eyes and breaks it in her hand again.
"You won't escape me. You can't." She grabs your face. "I won't let you go, my lovely nourishment. You're suffering and pain is the sweetest."
"h..help." You can see Elna bleeding out.
"Save them! Please! I beg you." You start to wail.
"That's so adorable. You're making me cry." Quinn whips blood off her cheek.
"Eat it." She grabs the pills that roll around when they were fighting and drop them in their grasp.
The two students grab them with the little power they have left before eating them.l
"Now it's just you and me." She grabs your face again.
"P..Please don't." You crawl away from her.
"I won't kill you. Just going to fix you again." She smirks while the room turns to pitch dark like the void.
"No. No. Not this again."
"Look into my eyes. Just a little fix and you will become a part of the family. Our family" Quinn's eyes begin to glow.
"A...a part of the family. Our family"
l
l
l
…Beep beep beep... The annoying sound of the alarm clock wakes you up as always, you have fallen asleep while planning your lessons and being the headteacher is not an easy role to fill. You stretch your back and start to get ready.
While you walk to class, you see many students running around, and some teachers grabbing coffee and talking.
"Pardon me." You knock 3 times and walk into the room. "Good morning Class 8E!"
"Good morning Mr Nestor!" The class replied.
Cedric and Elna beam with joy while you teach. You never feel this alive in a long time, you felt as if you are a part of this school.
After the bell rings dismiss the class. Quinn walks up to you and whispers.
"Grata Revenite, Nestor."
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
"Now. Are you interested in making deal with us?"
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Writer's note: This is the end of the Atrare Auroral Academia. Thank you so much for following this series and being patient. Again, thank you.
All of the Atrare Auroral Academia chapters' links

I'm not particularly a religious person. I never really connected with the idea of believing in a God or a Devil; something like religion never really resonated with me until the night a few of my friends and I explored the Lockwood house.
My mother gave me a laptop this morning; she thought that it might help me cope or whatever so here I am, typing what I remember. I haven't been able to sleep; there's a shadow that stands in the corner of my hospital room at night, and sometimes I hear voices inside my head telling me to do things, and I'm terrified.
No one believes me. They keep stating that my traumatizing experience must have triggered my anxiety. They called it a dissociation or detachment from reality, I think. Whatever. I know that what I saw in that house was real, and what had happened to my friends actually did happen. We just wanted an experience. We never really stopped to evaluate the risks that might come with it.
I guess I'll start from the beginning.
It was Friday morning, and I decided to kill some time in the library across from my high school. The greatest thing about being in a library was the calming atmosphere. I leaned forward on the worn sofa and rolled my eyes as I turned the page.
What? I scoffed. Why is this even a thing someone would think is even remotely attractive?
[ I am a lot to handle, but I can assure you that you'll have fun handling me, love ]
Seriously? I've met drunk perverts hanging outside of bars with better pick up lines than that I thought to myself. I didn't think it could get any cringier until I read the next line.
[ My heart did an unexpected flip, startled by his bizarrely attractive smile ]
I frowned inwardly. You know what you really need instead of a creepy-ass stalker boyfriend? A cardiology consult
"So annoying," I sighed. How is this tripe a best seller?
"What's annoying?"
"Oh, shit." I squeaked. I sat upright and turned around, instinctively about to clog the person when I realized who it was. Harlen leaned up against the wall with a tilted smirk on his face. He stood between me and the fluorescents.
Harlen was a fellow classmate and a friend of Mark's, who was an older guy Albie, and I guess Harlen hung out with. Harlen was a tall, attractive guy with an athletic build, short obsidian hair, and grey eyes. To quote the main character in the novel, Harlen was the kind of trouble smarter girls than I had fallen into with disastrous results and a few regrets.
My cheeks flushed and I closed the book as he cocked his head at me. "Did I seriously scare you?" He joked, but his smile faltered slightly as I glared up at him.
"Dude," I groaned. "Don't sneak up on me like that,"
"What? I didn't sneak," He crossed his arms over his chest in protest. "No sneaking was involved. I just walked over here. And to be fair, this is a library-silence is sacred in a library so technically we're supposed to sneak. We're also the only ones in here right now anyway, so who cares."
My eyes did a pointed sweep of the decidedly empty area before settling back on Harlen's with an unamused glower. "Yeah," I said. "I'm pretty sure the zero other people in here appreciate the deceptive aura of calm. What are you doing here?"
"Well, actually I was doing some research for a paper I'm writing for English." He tightened his grip on his bookbag. "I was told I'd find you here," He explained.
"Why?" I asked. "I didn't tell anyone that I was here."
"I've got my ways of tracking people down."
When he saw my expression, Harlen rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on Kaya. I'm just kidding! Is it really that weird that I happen to be in here the same time as you?"
"I guess not."
"I'll let you get back to reading, then. Oh," He started. "I almost forgot. Meet us down at the Love Triangle for lunch. I found a cool place for us to urbex."
My friends and I loved urban exploring. Most of the time it was exciting and exhilarating. Sometimes it was a challenge; some places were remote enough that you could simply walk in through the front door like a welcomed visitor. Other times we would be forced to climb up over fences or crawl through windows.
There was this one time we decided to check out a drainage tunnel because a few people have sworn they heard ominous laughter coming from it. Water seeped into our clothes and we shivered at the coldness. I remember that I cracked a joke about the movie "IT" when we suddenly heard a loud BOOM right next to our heads. I have no idea what caused the sound, but I doubt that it was anything paranormal.
I was in the middle of stabbing at a large crouton with my fork when Harlen, Albie, and Jessica took their seats at the table.
"Hey, Kaya," Albie said as he sat down beside me. Albie and I have been friends since we were little. He was a skinny black guy with a box fade haircut and light brown eyes. We were neither popular nor unpopular. We were what some people called, "drifters" and, according to Albie, those whose social standings meant that if he made random eye contact with someone in the halls he would probably get a nod back, and maybe even a quick "Hey" or "What's up" If you didn't know us personally you'd likely assume that we were siblings, especially with the way we acted around each other most of the time.
"What took you guys so long?" I asked, pointing my fork in his direction.
"It was my fault. I'm sorry." He grumbled, as he unzipped his lunch bag. "Mr. Wizzner chastised me for like, ten minutes."
"To be fair, You were looking at your phone in class." Jessica said. Jessica was Albie's girlfriend, a petite girl with long blond hair, and hazel eyes. "And that wasn't the only thing,"
Albie sighed. "You're not wrong, but he's kind of an asshat."
"You should use that filter once in a while," Jessica said.
"Oh baby, since when have you known me to have such a filter?"
"Oh please," I scoffed. "You just choose not to use it."
Albie gave me a frown and tossed a baby carrot my way, which I was able to dodge easily.
Harlen cleared his throat as he pulled out his phone. "So, shall we get to it, then?"
The Lockwood house had been abandoned for years now, but a few people who have walked the trail close to the place have claimed they could see the spirits of the family walking around inside, and others had even heard music coming from the house. When they went to investigate, there was no one inside.
In 2010 Ethan Lockwood brutally murdered his wife, Anna Lockwood, and her parents Steven and Isabelle Thompson in the middle of the night. Authorities found Anna's parents dead in their bedroom; both of their bodies were in pieces, and their daughter's body was found in the basement. Anna had multiple blunt force head injuries and what's worse, her eyes and tongue were missing. Ethan's body was found in the living room with a shotgun beside him, and a deep laceration on his neck. People have compared this to the Amityville horror - which was a huge reason we were doing this.
"Get this," Harlen said, as he scrolled down. "There was a survivor - a ten year old boy. He also had a twin brother, but he was never found."
Some have assumed the father killed him and buried his body somewhere on the property, and others have assumed the boy escaped and is probably alive under a new identity. I guess we'll never know.
"Holy crap. What happened to the boy who survived?" I asked.
"I don't know. I guess that part was kept confidential," Albie said. "For the boy's protection I guess."
"Poor baby," Jessica frowned.
"So," Harlen said. "Are you guys up for it?"
◇
We all crawled into Harlen's truck around 6pm and headed to the Lockwood house. Albie took his video recorder and held it in front of his face. "Hey, what's up guys, gals, and nonbinary folks!" Albie spoke with conviction as he stared wide-eyed in the video recorder. "We're going to prove that ghosts are real!"
I rolled down the window and glanced out at the scenery. I laughed to myself when we passed a large cornfield. "Guys, this seriously looks like we're going straight into a modern day horror film."
"It really does," Jessica agreed.
"I can already feel this place, I'm beginning to sweat all over." Albie exclaimed as he turned his camera to the window then back on himself.
"Like something about this place isn't right at all? That's pretty understandable, considering." Harlen said, turning down a gravel road.
"We're gonna recieve a ton of views for this!" Albie smiled. He turned the camera toward Harlen who waved back from the review mirror.
"Dude," Harlen chuckled. "I bet some of these viewers are going to think you're crazy because you're willing to allow something to throw you across the room and-possibly-murder you for content."
We pulled up to the gate in front of the two - story colonial home. There was already a green van parked outside the gate to the property. Mark greeted us at the gate with a colorful bottle of vodka. Mark was an average looking guy in his early 20s with shaggy brown hair and brown eyes. He raised the bottle in his right hand with shot glasses in the other.
"Hey, guys," Mark handed each of us a shot glass. "Did you get here alright?"
"Oh yeah. I've driven passed this place a couple of times, I didn't even need the GPS" Harlen said.
"This definitely screams illegal." I commented, pointedly toward the large house.
"Only if we get caught, but this place is abandoned so I doubt we'll get into any trouble with the law." Harlen said.
"I'm giving you alcohol, and you're more worried about "breaking and entering"? Mark laughed.
Albie took his shot of the Three Olives Loopy vodka and made a face. "This tastes like Tucan Sam fucked me."
"Ew," Jessica grimaced.
Harlen and I laughed. Mark only snorted.
After we each had several shots of vodka, we got ready. We each grabbed a headlight in order to keep our hands free, gloves, and disposable face masks and placed them into our backpacks, along with first aid (just in case). Mark had been urbexing for a while, and he was always prepared with supplies just in case anyone forgot to bring something.
"So, what happens if we're not alone in the house?" Jessica asked.
Even though urbex sites are technically "abandoned" that didn't mean you wouldn't run into other people inside like squatters or addicts, and they may not react well to seeing a stranger in their space.
"It's a good thing I brought this along," Mark said. He pushed his jacket aside and revealed a hand gun tucked inside its holster.
"Holy crap, man." Harlen said.
"I can't believe you brought a gun." Albie said.
Jessica and I were speechless. It's a good idea to bring some sort of self defense tool just in case your physical safety is threatened, but bringing something like a gun raises the risk of you accidentally injuring yourself.
"Of course I did. It's always good to carry protection." Mark explained.
A few minutes after, the five of us walked up to the large rusted gate. With a little bit of work, we each slipped through the bars and headed up to the house.
"You know those haunted attractions where people dress up in order to scare the shit out of you, except it's actual demons and they're going to steal your soul!" Jessica smiled beside Albie who threaded his fingers through hers. "It's actually kinda thrilling."
"Awesome," Harlen smirked. "I'm glad you sound so optimistic about it."
"I try to be!"
We stepped up onto the porch, which wrapped around the front of the house. The paint on the door was chipped with age in places. "Are you guys ready?" Harlen asked. "Once we enter this house, we will possibly become vulnerable to any demonic presence that might reside here."
I rolled my eyes. "If I'm in serious danger, I'm getting out. I'll throw myself out the window if I have to."
"I'm on Kaya's team," Jessica agreed. "Team rational."
"What, and risk getting a broken leg?" Albie asked.
"Better a broken leg than having your soul taken by some kind of entity." I replied.
"Alright, guys let's do this." Harlen said. He opened the door and the five of us headed inside.
The front door opened up into a foyer. Straight ahead of us was a staircase that led up to the second floor. There was a spacious living room to our right and a dining room to our left, and from there, an alcove enterance that led into the kitchen. I could tell that this place had been abandoned for years; there was cobwebs and peeled paint on the walls. There were remnants of furniture left ripped, dismantled, and stained which laid disorderly on the floor of the living room, reminding me of death.
This had once been the home of a happy upper-class family, full of life. Now it was replaced by ghosts of the past, vermin, spiders, dirt, and trash. The smell of rot and the taste of regurgitated food made me grimace in disgust.
"Why hasn't anyone fix this place up and put it back on the market?" Jessica asked.
"Who really knows," Albie replied.
"Hello!" Harlen announced as he twirled on his heels. "Are there any spirits here?" I glanced over at Harlen with a look and he shrugged.
"Is this what you guys imagined?" Mark queried.
"Sure, minus the dead bodies," I walked into the living room and spotted a mid century record player console propped up against the wall next to a grand piano. There was a record still on the turntable, "Tonight You Belong To Me" by "Patience and Prudence"
"Hey, come check this out." Out of curiosity I placed the stylus and tried turning it on, not really expecting anything to happen. I jerked my hand away when it began to play.
I quickly took the needle off, a little creeped out. "Holy crap, that scared me."
"That thing still works?" Albie asked, as he inspected the record player. "That song is kinda sweet,"
"No it isn't," Jessica frowned. "It's the kind of song you would hear while being tortured to death."
After we goofed around a little bit, we all decided to begin exploring around the house. Mark started up the stairs and asked if anyone would like to join him.
"I'll join you, man." Harlen said. He gave me a wink before heading towards the stairs with Mark, and I glanced over at Albie and Jessica as they disappeared down the hall.
I was alone.
I walked over to the piano, and carefully lifted the lid up and over to reveal its keys. My fingers traced the lines in between them and pushed down lightly on a few. The deep sounds reverberated around the room.
My eyes drifted up to the small picture frame sitting on top of the piano. I absent-mindedly bit my bottom lip and reached up to grab the frame. My fingers trailed across the picture, leaving an oily impression against the glass that held the picture in place. A family of four stared back at me and I realized that it was Ethan, Anna, and their twin boys. I was so focused on the twins that I almost didn't hear my phone alerting me that I had a new text message.
It was a text from Albie.
From "Albie" at 6:45pm: Meet us down in the basement. I want to show u something.
To "Albie" at 6:46pm: What is it?
From "Albie" at 6:46pm: There's some cool shit down here. Hurry up.
I rolled my eyes and placed my phone in my pocket as I made my way down the hall. I paused at the top of the basement stairs. I could hear Jessica and Albie, the beems from their headlights bouncing around.
"Albie?" I called out.
"Yeah, Kaya, we're down here." He replied. "Come on down. We have something to show you."
"Alright, I'm coming down hold on." I carefully descended the stairs and turned the corner. "So, what did you want to show me-"
My voice died in my throat. It was dark down here, and my friends were nowhere to be seen. I was gripped by a sudden sense of unnease. I stood near the stairs and turned on my headlamp. "Hello? Albie, this isn't funny, dude."
What answered me was silence. Absolute silence. I was alone, or I thought I was until my light fell onto something moving a few feet in front of me. It was an androgynous looking kid around my age with pale skin, shoulder-length black hair, and violet eyes. They wore a long sleeve gothic cloak poncho, over thin black leggings. Their lips pulled back into a malicious grin as they came closer to me. I watched in horror as their eyes rolled to the back of their head and their mouth split open wide, revealing sharp teeth.
They reached out for me and I screamed in terror, my instincs finally kicked in. I bolted up the steps, and stumbled into the hallway. I ran for the front door and tried to leave, but it wouldn't open. What the hell?! that made no damn sense! My heart sank into the pit of my stomach. Suddenly I felt something touch my shoulder. I screamed, ready to defend myself.
"Hey. Hey! Kaya, stop it's me, Albie."
I stopped struggling as my eyes refocused on the familiar faces in front of me. Albie, Jessica, and Harlen stared back at me with confused alarm.
"Are you alright?" Harlen asked. "What happened?"
I shook my head and quickly glanced behind them at the basement door, but there was nothing there. I know I hadn't imagined it! I turned my attention back to my friends. "I saw something down in the basement! I want to leave. Now."
"What are you talking about, Kaya? Hold up, did you see something down there? Holy shit. The ghosts didn't think one of us would see them, but we did. Can you-"
Before Albie can finish his sentence, I roughly pushed him away from me and turned back to the door. "Damnit, Albie! I don't want to be in this fucking house anymore! It won't open! Why won't it open!"
"Seriously, Kaya what the hell?" Albie asked, almost annoyed.
"Just relax, Kaya. Let me give it a try, alright?" Harlen offered, calmly. He grabbed the knob, but it stayed shut. "What the hell?"
"See? I told you it won't open!" I hissed.
"What do you mean, "it won't open" let me give it a try." Albie shoved his way passed us. He motioned for all of us to stand back and we watched as he tried to use his whole body against it.
"M-maybe the door's jammed." Jessica exclaimed. "Let's chill out. The front door isn't the only exit out of this place."
"Jessica's right. Let's try the door in the kitchen." Harlen said. We entered the kitchen and Harlen quickly made his way over to the screen door that faced the forest. He cursed under his breath. "Damnit. Nothing."
"Hold up, guys. Where's Mark?" Albie asked.
Harlen quickly pulled his phone out to call Mark when we all collectively got a text from him. Reminding us that we had set up a group chat for easy contact. Harlen glanced back at me with an odd expression I couldn't name. I opened my texts and a sharp stab of dread settled in my stomach.
From "Mark" at 7:05pm: I'm down in the basement, Harlen. Where r u?
From "Mark" at 7:06pm: Harlen is that u? It's not funny, man.
Harlen texted Mark that we were all in the kitchen. I watched as the three small dots in a text bubble pending before it disappeared and Harlen's cell phone rang. He answered and placed Mark on speaker phone.
"What the hell do you mean you're in the kitchen? I definitely heard your voice down here."
Harlen cursed, and told Mark to make his way to the kitchen. Harlen started toward the basement and we all followed right behind him. Before we could reach the stairs to the basement, however, the door swung shut, the force of it knocked us backwards. We heard Mark's gun go off several times followed by his peircing screams of terror before they were abruptly cut short. In our inebriated panic, I failed at the last second to realize we were all running in different directions.
I remember running up the stairs and locking the bathroom door behind me. My heart pounded painfully against my ribcage as I fumbled for my phone, thankful that it hadn't fallen out of my pocket. I willed myself to control my sobs and called 911, but for some reason my call wouldn't go through.
"Nononono! Fuck, please no." I collapsed against the bathtub and cried into my sleeves. Paranoia nearly consumed me once I thought of my friends and every horrible scenario when I received a text from Albie. I looked at it confused.
I wiped the snot from my face and quickly texted him back. How in the hell was I able to receive his texts when I couldn't get ahold of the cops?
From "Albie" at 7:20pm: Apparently we can contact each other in this house, but our phone's service seems to be cut off from the outside world. Where r u?
What the hell is going on in this place??
To "Albie" at 7:21pm: I'm in the upstairs bathroom. Do u know where Harlen and Jess are?
From "Albie" at 7:25pm: Jess is with me. I don't know where Harlen is.
My stomach dropped, but before I could reply Albie sent another text, and what I read made my blood run cold.
From "Albie" at 7:25pm: There is smthing moving in the hallway outside the room we r in. Stay quiet and keep ur phone on silent. If we need to contact each other use text.
It was around thirty minutes after when Albie replied with another text updating me with their situation. The thing stalking outside their room a while ago was gone now, and it hadn't come back.
From "Albie" at 8:00pm: We're going to make our way to you. Stay where u r
To "Albie" at 8:02pm: Ok. Be careful.
I slowly got to my feet and set my phone down beside the sink and took a deep breath to level my breathing. Suddenly, I heard something pound against the door. I screamed and stumbled backward. "Holy shit!"
"Kaya?" It was Harlen. "Kaya, is that you?"
"H-Harlen?" I collected myself and made my way over to the bathroom door. I walked into the hallway, relieved that I wasn't alone anymore. Harlen was safe, thank God. "Oh my god, Harlen I'm so glad you're-"
I gasped, and I stumbled forward as the door behind me slammed shut. I felt a sudden wave of dread wash over me as my eyes swept up and down the vacant hallway. Whatever was keeping us here tricked me. I quickly tried going back into the bathroom, but it wouldn't open, not only that but I left my phone by the sink. "No! Damnit!" I needed my phone, it was my only way to stay in contact with my friends, and how was Albie going to know where I was? I had two options, I could try and make my way to Albie or find another place to hide.
My heart thudded loudly in my ears as my headlamp bounced off the walls, chasing nothing more than shadows. I stuck close to the wall as I made my way down the hall. From somewhere down the hall, I heard a voice call out. It was Albie's voice telling me to come over to him. I hesitated for a moment. What if it was another trick? It definitely could be since whatever is toying with us was capable of mimicking voices. What if it really was Albie? Regardless, I had to go passed the room if I wanted to find Albie or another place to hide.
"Kaya, we're in here," Albie whispered to me as I got closer to one of the bedrooms. I hesitated before I stepped inside. The bedroom smelled awful, like rotten meat hung out in the sun for too long. My headlamp's light swept the room until it landed on a lone figure lying face-up on the bed.
"...Albie?" I whispered, tentatively. My voice sounded thin, like old paper. The figure on the bed didn't answer, but when I crept closer, I slipped on something wet. I glanced down at the floor. It was blood; a trail of blood led in from the doorway all the way to the bed. "Oh my god!" I screamed. My stomach rebelled and I heaved out my lunch until I couldn't expel anything else.
My throat burned as I wiped my mouth, and my chest hurt from sobbing out his name. Mark laid sprawled on the bed, his abdomen was ripped open and what remained of his entrails spilled over his body like a gory blanket. I stumbled backward, I fell against the door closing it shut. I was about to leave when I spotted the gun tucked under Mark's jacket.
Oh god, this was probably the worst decision ever and the likelihood that this was yet another trick was high, but I needed something to protect myself with. I've watched Mark use it before when we all went camping a year ago, so I kind of knew how to use it. I steeled myself and started toward the bed.
The closer I got the more I can see the damage done to his body; his abdomen and chest cavity were open and hollowed out. The skin looked like it was rolled back, torn and ragged. His sternum was completely gone, a few of his ribs were cracked so they protruded from either side of his body like fangs. Half of his bottom lip looked like it was chewed off and his left ear was missing. I shook my head and tentatively reached out for the gun. Just as I grabbed it, I felt something gooey covered on the grip of the gun.
I yelped and dropped it on the floor. I cursed and bent down to pick it up. Once I did I wiped the substance off with my sleeve with a grimace and made sure the safety was on. I was tucking it into my jacket pocket when something dripped onto my hand. I looked up and saw Mark or what used to be Mark looming over me from the ceiling like Spiderman. His eyes were oily black, his face twisted in an agonized and vengeful expression. Before I could move, he threw himself at me.
Somehow, I managed to dodge him and wrench the door open, hitting Mark as he lunged at me. The blow was hard enough that it sent Mark sprawling across the floor. I rushed out of the room and back into the empty hallway. I took a chance and looked back, but Mark wasn't there.
When I reached the end of the hallway, I felt hands grab me and pull me around the corner. I opened my mouth to scream, but a hand clamped over my mouth, silencing me. Panic cut through my body like a hot blade, and new found adrenaline flooded my system as I twisted and shoved at the person holding me immobile.
"Kaya, stop," Albie hissed. "It's me."
I turned around and my eyes widened with tears as Albie released his hand from my mouth, and Jessica pulled me into a hug as I told them what happened. Albie pointed towards the stairs and motioned for us to follow. Albie led us into the foyer. We heard movement in the basement so as quickly and quietly as we could, we crawled inside a closet across from the living room.
"What are we going to do?" Jessica asked. "We have no weapons!"
"I found this on Mark's body." I exclaimed as I showed them the hand gun.
Albie got to his feet. "ah, crap...I'm going to be right back. I left my camera in the kitchen."
"What? Hell no." I hissed. Splitting up is a terrible Idea! Risking his life for that damn camera? Was he an idiot?
"Just stay here, alright? Kaya, keep that gun out." He said, with no room for an argument. "Whatever this thing is, it can mimic our voices so we'll need a password to distinguish them from us." He took out his phone and typed Last Alliance
After he left, I crawled over to the door and locked it. I sat down next to Jessica who was sobbing. I turned to her and placed my palms to her tear stained face. "Hey, Jess. We'll make it out of here alright? I promise-"
Jessica shook her head and pushed my hands away from her face. "Don't say that shit to me. We're going to die here, Kaya!" She hissed. "Why is this happening? I wanna go home!"
I sat back against the wall and sighed.
Ten minutes later I heard movement coming from outside the room. I quickly got to my feet and placed my hands on the door.
"Last Alliance," Albie whispered, rather quickly. "Hurry up and let me in."
I hadn't even released the door knob when Albie pushed passed me and helped Jessica to her feet without much protest on her end. "Shit, it was him all along."
"What are you talking about?" I asked.
"I caught it on camera!" He whispered frantically. "The reason he brought us out here wasn't to-shit-" he was breathing hard. He moved toward me and shoved the camera in my direction. "Here, hold onto it for-" His sentence was cut off abruptly as the thing that used to be Mark drilled his fist into Albie's chest from behind. Albie's eyes widened as his mind had come to the realization at what happened.
Mark dropped Albie's body on the ground and his lips twisted into a manic grin as he examined his blood-covered arm. "He was spying on us," Mark said, but it didn't sound like Mark anymore. His voice sounded like several voices overlapping, fighting for center stage. "He didn't think that we would notice, but we did."
We screamed, and holding onto the camera with one hand I pulled her toward me with the other, quickly. We couldn't save him, and I knew that if we didn't move now we would end up just like him.
Jessica and I bolted down the hallway and back up the stairs. We found an empty room that must have been a personal office at one point, and barricaded ourselves inside. I cursed when I noticed the room we were in didn't have a window wide enough for us to escape through. I sat against the wall beside Jessica who sobbed into her sleeves.
I glanced down at the camcorder which felt heavy in my hand. What did Albie capture on camera that had him so upset? I turned it on and what I saw on the screen made my blood run cold. It was Harlen, the kid from the basement who stood beside Harlen, and the thing that used to be Mark; Harlen was speaking to him, but it was in a strange language that I couldn't understand. After he was finished, the thing that used to be Mark knelt down as if Harlen was some kind of royalty, and that was where the video stopped.
I heard that thing right outside the room we were in. He was telling us that no matter what we did, we were not leaving this place. A few seconds later, he broke through the door, pushing the desk and chairs out of the way with ease. With the force, one of the chairs knocked me to the floor.
He released a sick and twisted laughter, and stalked toward me, eyes filled with malice. Jessica grabbed something heavy from the floor and chucked it at Mark. Mark was startled for a second, and then slowly turned his attention to her. She yelped and frantically swept her eyes around the room for anything she could use as a weapon. He lunged for her and they collided to the floor.
I fumbled for my jacket's zipper for the gun, but I was too late. I watched in utter horror as he ripped into my friend; her screams of terror and agony will haunt my nightmares for the rest of my life. I pulled myself to my feet, my back bumped into something hard. A metal filing cabinet. Mark turned his attention back on me, but before he could reach me, he tripped over something and he fell to the floor. I shifted, and using my whole body weight, I managed to tip it over. It landed on top of Mark with a sickening crunch of bone and viscera.
I slowly made my way to Jessica's body and collapsed to my knees. I clutched at my own head and screamed until it hurt. At that moment, all I wanted to do was crumble in defeat. My voice had broken into heavy sobs so loud and ugly that I almost didn't hear Harlen's footsteps behind me.
"Kaya, is that you?" He called out to me, his voice full of worry. I was hardly listening to him. This was his fault! Rage spiked through me like a knife to my gut, it twisted and turned until I was all ground beef inside; I had the sudden urge to pull the gun from my jacket and-no, I had to calm down. Maybe if I feigned ignorance, I might still have a chance to escape, however slim that was. He bent down, and I let him pull me along with him without protest. With his eyes forward, I slowly put my hand on the gun.
We were almost to the kitchen when Harlen turned around, and leaned against the wall. "So, you know, don't you."
It wasn't a question. I slowly pulled out the gun, unlocked it, and trained it on him. He stared at me with an unsettling expression, and I could have sworn his eyes were black. I suddenly felt an intense pressure pour down on me. I could feel a miasma of something intense as his eyes bore into mine; my arms trembled with the effort of keeping them aloft. The gun clenched tightly in my hands like a life line. I couldn't faulter. I knew that if I did, even for an instant, Harlen would undoubtedly kill me.
"Oh, don't be like that, Kaya. You're not getting out of this house unless I say so, so let's just chat, hm?"
I shook my head and raised the gun to his chest, and for a brief moment I caught a glimpse of a surprised expression on his face when I pulled the trigger. The sound of the gunshot reverberated around me. I pulled the trigger again and again, but the gun was empty. I dropped it to the floor, my hands shaking. He glanced down at himself. "Huh. Well, would ya look at that, you managed to get me through the ribs, good job."
I was running before Harlen finished his sentence. However, he wasn't coming after me-at least not yet. Figures. I couldn't leave this place so he had no reason to put much effort into the chase. I stumbled through the house, catching myself on overturned furniture in order to keep my balance as I made my way towards the stairs.
I tripped over something and I caught myself against the wall across from the stairs. I paused for a moment to catch my breath. The house seemed to resonate with his manic laughter. I glanced behind me, and I felt a wave of cold dread as he sauntered toward me down the hall. Hands in his pockets, with an almost amused expression.
"Where do you think you're going, Kaya?" He asked. "Didn't I tell you before?"
The words, "There is no escape" suddenly appeared all over the walls in blood. I cursed, and pushed myself off the wall and bolted up the steps, down the hall, and into one of the bedrooms and quickly closed the door. I looked around at what was once a child's room. There was a twin sized bed in the center of the room, a nightstand across from the closet, and a bathroom.
I spotted a decent sized window and I ran over to it, but it wouldn't open and I cursed when there was nothing around me to break it with. Without any time to come up with a plan, I quickly slid underneath the bed and turned off my headlamp. I immediately cursed at myself again, of all the places to hide I chose the first place any one would look!
I contemplated whether or not to find another hiding place, but before I could move I heard him make his way down the hall singing that creepy ass song. "My honey I know with the dawn that you will be gone, but tonight you belong to me, just little 'ol me~"
The bedroom door opened. I covered my mouth and tried to silence my breathing, hoping to God that he wouldn't find me under the bed. I watched in fear as he closed the door behind him and made his way over to the bed. The bed dipped slightly as Harlen's weight sank onto it. He told me things I didn't want to hear and more. This monster-this demon-slithered into our lives just for all of this to happen.
My eyes widened and I tucked my arms to my sides, the wooden bed frame gave a protest above me as Harlen laid down on top of it. Then he sighed, almost forlorn. "This was my brother's room, you know. Coming back here brings back so many memories,"
Right after he said that I felt something prickle behind my eyelids. I shut my eyes tightly as gruesome scenes appeared inside my head. There was so much blood, and images shown of a young boy in pajamas stalking through the house with an ax in his hands picking off his family members one by one-doing things a normal child his size wouldn't be able to do, but Harlen was anything but normal. I felt bile rise in my throat but I managed to keep it down.
"The final stage of grief is acceptance, Kaya." He said. His cruel voice brought me back to the present. "You have a lot of spirit, I like that. I'm also in a good mood so I'll give you two options: you can either die here or you can come with me. You should be grateful that I'm even giving you an option. So, what's it going to be?"
I opened my mouth and closed it again; what was I supposed to say to something like that? What was going to happen to me if I said yes? If I said no...
A low growl -yes, a growl- rumbled above me and I felt something snag my ankle. I panicked, my fingers tore into the wooden floor as I was dragged out from underneath the bed. I was thrown across the room, pain shot up my back as something bit into my spine. Harlen straightened up and started toward me. I quickly averted my gaze, the panic swarmed all over me like a hive of angry bees.
"Wh-why are you d-doing this?" I asked, my breath hitched between sobs.
Harlen knelt down in front of me. "Hey...hey look at me, Kaya."
Absolute terror gripped me as he forced me to look at him. His features weren't human; the light of the moon highlighted the inhuman planes of his face. Black, spidery thread-like lines creeped around his forehead and right beneath his oily black eyes. His mouth had split open, wider than any human mouth was capable of.
His nails grew long and sharp against my chin. It was mesmerizing, fascinating almost, like watching a lion's face before it tears yours off. Suddenly, I couldn't breathe; my lungs felt swollen and inflamed, my hands came up to my throat as I coughed and wheezed. Was this an asthma attack? No, it was Harlen.
"When I ask you a question, do not answer it with another question do you understand?" He snarled. "You will understand why when you arrive. Now, will it be a yes or a no?"
His features calmed and he looked human again, and whatever power on me broke, it allowed me to inhale sharply. I gasped. I wanted to scream at him, I wanted to rage. Instead, I dropped my hands on my thighs. I wanted to live.
◇
"Kaya, honey" My mom said, as she came into my hospital room, "You've got someone to see you this morning! One of your friends from school, I think."
I placed my book down on the table beside me. She bent down and gave me a kiss on the forehead. "And he's very attractive," She whispered, "It's not every day a tall handsome boy comes to sit by your bedside."
I nodded and gave her a small smile as my chest filled with dread. The doctor informed my mom that I was found in the middle of the woods, unconcious by a young man. She had no idea what really happened to me or what happened to my friends'. Harlen told me that he had ways of covering his tracks so there was no use in telling anyone what really happened. It didn't matter if I did or not because no one would believe me anyway.
Harlen came around the corner with a bouquet of flowers. My mom smiled at him and walked toward the door, "I'll just leave you two alone. What did you say your name was again?"
"My name is Harlen," He said, as he stepped forward. "Harlen Lockwood."
"Nice to meet you, Harlen," She said, smiling back at him before exiting the room.
Harlen placed the flowers on the table and sat down next to the hospital bed, he placed a hand on my thigh. "I'm so glad you're feeling better, Kaya." He said. He gently pushed a loose strand of my hair out of my face and gently tucked it behind my ear. "Remember what we talked about. You will come to me after you are discharged from the hospital,"
I shivered at his touch, and out of curiosity I asked, "What happens if I don't?"
Harlen let loose a dark chuckle. His head dips until his lips skate by the curve of my ear. "Then I'll hunt you down." He whispered to me like it's obvious. "I'll kill you and everyone you care about. I'm capable of all sorts of horrors; things you can't even imagine." I watched as Harlen stood up from the seat.
"Now, I've got a few things to do before you arrive," Harlen said, smiling down at me. He paused by the room's door. "I'll see you soon."
His visit was a few days ago. I've made up my mind; all of those lives are dependent on me. Everything that happened that night was real. I know that most people won't believe me, but to be quite honest I don't care anymore.
[Update] I just got the news I'll be discharged tomorrow.

I (33M) had a huge argument with my wife (31F) yesterday and I'm not sure if I was in the wrong. We were discussing something trivial, but somehow it turned into a full-blown fight.
It all started when we were discussing our plans for the weekend. I suggested that we go to the park and have a picnic. My wife, on the other hand, wanted to go to the mall and do some shopping. I wasn't too keen on the idea, but I didn't want to ruin her plans, so I said we could do both.
However, my wife got upset and accused me of not caring about her interests. She said that I always put my needs first and never consider what she wants. I tried to explain that I was just trying to compromise, but she wouldn't listen.
Things quickly escalated from there and we started yelling at each other. I accused her of being selfish and only thinking about herself, while she accused me of being controlling and never allowing her to have any say in our plans.
Eventually, we both stormed off to separate rooms and didn't speak for the rest of the night. I feel like I was trying to be accommodating, but my wife just wasn't willing to see my point of view.
So, am I the asshole for suggesting we do both activities and then getting into a huge argument with my wife over something so trivial? Or is my wife being unreasonable and not willing to compromise?

I've been married to my wife for 16 years and we've been together for 20 years. We're in our late 30's, early 40's. We have one kid who is fairly young and I'm continually bothered by the idea that my wife isn't really that good of a wife and she isn't a good team member.
I genuinely enjoy her personality and love her presence; it's weird but I only dwell on the bad stuff when she's not around and I'm pretty happy when she is around. Overall, I'm nagged by some generalities that I believe to be true. Of course, I'm focusing only on the negatives here, so it seems one-sided, but there's a lot of positives. In general, the negatives are:
She generally doesn't do anything to help me and rarely if ever does anything nice for me. We almost got a divorce at one point because I spent two weeks of my free time putting in a new floor (that she wanted) in some of our bedrooms and I was out of clean underwear in my drawers so I was having to come downstairs every morning to get the clean underwear (that I had washed). I asked her if she could put away my laundry so I didn't have to walk around our house naked every morning and she rudely said, "I'm not doing your laundry." Granted, she was pulling full time duty taking care of our toddler but my request wasn't exactly unreasonable. That wasn't the only reason, but more like the straw that broke the camel's back for me to bring up the idea of divorce to the point of filling out paperwork and discussing how we were going to split finances and custody. It was also shortly after the death of my only parent and she was very insensitive to my loss and after I flew home from the funeral she asked, "Did you even cry?" Sure, I don't show a lot of emotion as I'm fairly stoic, but I thought that was rude, insensitive, and totally uncalled for. Of course, we ended up not getting a divorce, mainly because every time I agreed on a number to pay her out, she would raise the amount again, partly due to the encouragement of her mother (I saw her texts). Her mom was buying her divorce books (that I found in the closet) and that lead to me hating her mom (on principle) and she hasn't been over to our house since then and I haven't seen her since then (about 4 years ago). And another big reason I didn't push for divorce is because our kid was under 5 and my attorney basically said I'd be lucky to get 25% custody, which I was not okay with.
I found out several years ago that she is kind of a compulsive liar and she was telling her mom a bunch of untrue things about me to presumably gain sympathy. Things such as, I never help out around the house or with our kid, I'm bipolar, that I'm going to therapy with a men's help group, and odd things like I bought Christmas cookie cutters and used them to make Christmas cookies with our kid. I also found out she lied about a big wreck on a highway and a parking lot confrontation. I found this all out because she had a dash cam with audio and I wanted to see this huge crash she witnessed so I pulled the SD card to look through the video and found out how much she lies while she talked on the phone while driving. I did confront her about all of this but she has an inability to admit to the fact that she lies, and of course she tore out her dash cam. Maybe she has since stopped lying, who knows. I suspect it sometimes but can't prove it. For example, she got sick with what seemed like food poisoning and I asked if she went out to lunch with her girlfriend (they spent the afternoon together driving around and shopping), she said no, and I asked what she ate for lunch, and she said, "Just whatever was around the house." That obviously seemed like a lie, especially considering I know from her dash cam videos that she likes to treat herself to double bacon cheeseburgers occasionally, but not something I'm going to stress about enough to call her out or play detective. In general, I don't think she lies to me often, but sometimes I wonder. I know it's damn near impossible for her to admit that she doesn't know something, like the definition of a word, so she will make something up and act like she was pretty close to right, and if not, she'll imply she knew there was another definition or useable context. It's just a part of her personality I've come to accept, and I assume it was something she learned in childhood from having mean scary-ass father and to avoid punishment, and her older sister is also known to be a compulsive liar to a much greater extent.
When it comes to housework and paying bills, I pay almost all the bills and do most of the housework. I realize people have a bias to believe they do more than other people, but I do the dishes damn near 100% of the time and, one time when I mentioned that in passing, she disagreed with me. I pressed her, because I was shocked she wouldn't agree, and she thought about it for a second and finally said, "The only reason you think you do more dishes than me is because you make more dishes than me." Mind blown. I feel like we're living in different realities. I think I also do most of the cleaning because I highly value cleanliness and her, not as much. I once stopped wiping kitchen counters to see how long it would take for her to clean them ... 2 weeks. Another example, my car is clean pretty much all the time; hers is a trash heap pretty much all the time.
When it comes to bills, I pay most of the bills except for our gym membership and phone bill. We make close to the same amount of money (she's a school teacher and we're not rich or well off), so I brought up the fact that I'm paying all the bills and she needs to contribute more. She honestly thought we split the bills fairly because she pays our phone bill, gym bill, and goes to Target once in a while to get stuff for the house and because she buys all the clothes for our kid. I do all the grocery shopping for our house and I buy almost everything we need for our home, so the Target thing is almost irrelevant, but that was her argument. I also do the grocery shopping because I'm into fitness and eating healthy, and when she does the grocery shopping she will go without a list and buy things we already have and come home with more junk food than I think is reasonable. Today, she offered to split the grocery list (we go to Costco and Fred Meyer) so she took the Fred Meyer list and said she would swing by after hanging out with her girlfriend; I thought that was nice, but she didn't end up going shopping, but still somehow managed to come home with a big bag of Doritos. She did start contributing more financially, recently, but again, I feel like we're living in different realities. I should mention, I've set up ALL of my bank accounts as joint accounts and she has all of her bank accounts as her own (I occasionally make her pull her credit report to look for fraud, so I know she's not running up debt or hiding something). She's generally pretty frugal, but hasn't saved up near as much as me for retirement, mainly because my employer has a good match, and she is saving with a public pension so I'm not even sure how that works. I just know that when we worked with a financial planner a few years ago she had about half as much saved as she thought she did, and only about a third of what would be considered on target, and I had to nag her for 2 years to open a Roth IRA.
I think she's kind of lazy, but that's not exactly correct. I've thought about it and realized it's more accurate to say she generally doesn't do anything proactively. Simple example being she won't fill up the dog water bowl (for her dog ... Yes, technically our dog, but she wanted it and I made it clear in the beginning that if push-comes-to-shove it was 100% her responsibility) unless she sees it's empty whereas I fill it up regularly because I realize the water gets gross, the bowl needs to be cleaned, and the dog doesn't like to drink the last inch or two of water. Making a to-do list is a practically a foreign concept to her but something I pretty much live by.
She had a dream one time that I died and I said, "That would suck for me!" She said, "You! What about us? You'd be dead. We're the ones that would have to live without you." That blew my mind, especially because I pay for some generous life insurance in case I die and she doesn't pay for any in case she dies.
I asked her if she wanted to buy grave sites (when her mother was going through the process of buying them) and she goes, "No, what if I hate you when I'm old and don't want to be buried next to you." Mind blown.
A lot of this stuff weighs on me and I've thought about getting a divorce every day for the last few years. I generally think I'm probably happier and better off with her than without her because I'm not extremely social and I'm somewhat pessimistic, so I doubt I'd be able to find a better woman. I also want to be part of my kids life, and I think a lot of that would be taken away from me if we got a divorce.
Our sex life is fine, not perfect by any means, but good enough; if anything, sex is the major reason we're still together. She is not really that into sex or motivated to have sex, so I really don't worry about her cheating. I'm not a fool, I'm not naive, and if I had any suspicion she was cheating, I would find out ... just want to stress that that's not an issue.
We never ever discuss our future. I think this is more of a quirk of her personality. She doesn't like to think about budgeting, or retirement, or to do lists or car maintenance. I've thought before that she's still kind of like a teenager with a job and car keys; she's not irresponsible, but I'd laugh (to myself) if anyone called her responsible.
We generally don't fight a lot or have a lot of arguments, but we did have one recently. I was trying to get her to help me make a meal plan (only for dinner) for the week so I could get the right groceries. She's generally a picky eater and and we've kind of come to the unofficial agreement that she cooks dinner and I cook breakfast and lunches. She doesn't do any dishes, doesn't do any grocery shopping, and generally doesn't do any cleaning in the kitchen so this is more than fair in my opinion. She takes our kid to after school activities so her amount of time varies each night, and sometimes she needs something quick. I will eat anything she cooks, I'm not picky. I just wanted her to pick what she was willing to eat and willing to cook, which we've done many many times in the past and have many prior examples of weekly meal plans. She kind of whined and says, "I don't know, what do you want," and I lost my cool, got super pissed off, yelled at her and called her a shitty wife before walking away and locking myself in my office because I was so angry. She unlocked my door with a screwdriver to let herself in and I pushed her out. She thought that was violent and she said I hurt her and she was calling the police, so I told her if she calls the police that, " ... we're done forever." Of course, keep in mind for perspective, I brought up all of our almost-divorce details in this short post that happened over the span of a 20 year relationship. Having a kid definitely put a strain on our relationship... absolutely great and wonderful kid, but we moved to a different state for jobs and therefore no family around to help us, no long term friends, and we're not religious enough to go to church (we tried a few times in the past, but always felt like they pushed tithes too hard), and we don't really go on dates anymore ... Back to the thing about me paying all the bills ... not much money leftover for fun stuff. We barely ever eat out, and occasionally go out to coffee and only get fast food if we need the convenience. I asked her a few days ago if she misses going out to bars and eating out a lot and she said something like, "No, I'd much rather go out to coffee or lunch with you and our little one," so as far as I know, she's happy with our lifestyle.
I realize it probably sounds a little bit like I'm the woman in the relationship and she's the man. The irony is not lost on me. When we hang out with other couples, I frequently hear comments to the effect of, "I wish my husband did that." It actually really bothers me because it highlights the fact that she doesn't do as much as other wives and it makes the other husbands uncomfortable and feel like they need to defend themselves.
And in case you're thinking she's a "Daddy's little girl" that got everything she wanted. That's not the case. Her parents divorced when she was about 5 and she almost never saw or talked with her father because he lived several states away. We were both raised by single mothers who never got child support for most of our lives, both had two other siblings, we were very poor (and sometimes argue about who was poorer), and we both got jobs at a young age and worked our way through college and paid for it ourselves. If anything, our similarities in upbringing is a big part of why we were good for each other.
What do you think? How can I change my mindset about my relationship? I'm having trouble looking forward to MY future.

This is part 2 of captured by a unhinged drider.
Usage: You may record, tweak and edit the script as you please including the name etc.
Monetisation: all forms of monetisation are ok. I would appreciate being able to listen to it if possible. Please credit me if you use this script for any project.
START
SFX: [Listener dangling in webs, Cave/Ruins atmosphere]
SFX: [Drider is holding the listener, snuggled into them asleep making noises and breathing for several moments]
(Yawn, then whispered) "Hmmm, morning pet.... Pet?.... Oh, they're still sleeping."
SFX: [Sound of drider carefully letting go / getting of off the listener]
(Whispered) "You really are a precious little fly aren't you pet. Hmm, So peaceful in your sleep, Are you dreaming about me, hmm?"
(Slight chuckle under breath) "Are they pleasant thoughts I wonder?"
SFX; [Caressing listeners cheek]
"Hmm. So warm and soft"
"You're mine"
SFX: [Listener awakes moving in web]
"Oh... I'm sorry pet, did I wake you?..."
"No, no. Shhhh. It's alright, I didn't mean to wake you."
"What? No. You don't need to worry pet, I'm not going to hurt you. You haven't done anything wrong... No no, shhhhh, shhhhh... That's it, that's it. You're ok."
"Shhh, there you go... There you go"
"I told you pet. I won't hurt you...Not anymore, Not if you behave"
(Whispers in ear) "Not now that you're mine"
"My precious little fly"
Short pause
"Oh, but pet, why do you still look so afraid of me... Have I done something wrong?"
Short pause
"Let you... No!"
"I'm not letting you go, you're mine. My pet."
"You belong to me now."
"Besides, is it really so bad here, with me? You're safe and protected. I'll feed you and keep you warm at night. You don't have to worry about the stress of your old life. A nice simple existence as my pet... All you have to do in return is keep me company."
Short pause
"Monster?... Oh I'm sure I seem that way to you pet... After all, our first interaction was, not a friendly one."
"But I assure you, life as my pet will be very different. You'll understand eventually, you'll learn to accept it and grow to love being here with me "
Short pause
"And if you're really good. Eventually, I'll even let you out of the web so you can exercise"
"But you have to earn that privilege little fly."
Short pause
"Why do you shy away from pet... I haven't done anything to threaten you, We even slept in eachothers embrace"
Short pause
"Well of course you didn't have a choice, because you're mine, you're my pet."
"But that's a good thing little fly, because I know what's best for you after all... I keep you safe."
Short pause
(Annoyed) "Stop asking me that"
(Frustrated) "We're not having this discussion again pet, you're mine. I'm not letting you go... I.... I can't."
"Why? You know why... If... if I let you go, you'll tell the nearest town or village, and then they'll come back and try to kill me"
"I know you're kind all to well, it's in your nature after all. Humans hunt and kill anything that they fear, anything that's different to them."
"Vile, hateful little creatures."
"Oh but not you pet... No, you're different. You're my previous little fly."
Short pause
(Laugh) "You're promises are empty pet... I can't trust you. I can't trust anyone"
Short pause
SFX: [Listener struggling]
(Warning) "Don't... Please Don't ruin this pet"
(Warning) "Stop shouting"
Short pause
"Why do you insist on infuriating me with these pathetic pleas pet..."
"I won't let you ruin this. Not again... I'm going to gag you"
SFX: [Drider putting silk / web over listeners mouth, listener struggling]
"Stop squirming human. You brought this onto yourself"
(Aggressive) "I said stop struggling!"
SFX: [Violent grabs listener]
(Mockingly and frustrated) "Aww, what's wrong pet? does it hurt?..."
(Playfully/sinister) "Careful now pet. Those muffled screams are dangerously exciting."
"You wouldn't want me to get the wrong idea now would you?... After all, if you act like prey, then... Well then I might not be able to control myself."
SFX: [Inhales listeners scent]
"And you smell so enticing"
"Or perhaps... Perhaps this is what you want hmm? Do you want me to hurt you..." (Whispered Sinisterly) "To devour you."
"No?... How Interesting"
"Because that's the way your story ends y'know, if you carry on down this path. If you keep resisting me like this"
"I don't want to hurt you little fly... I really don't"
(Aggressive) "But if you carry on squirming I'm going to rip you apart"
SFX; [listener stops]
SFX: [Drider breathing / Calming themselves]
(Softly) "Why do you make me like this hmm."
"why do you make me so angry"
"I really don't ask for much y'know."
"Perhaps you need a refresher hmm. Perhaps you need to be reminded of your purpose"
Short pause
"Do you remember how you got here pet? Do you remember our little agreement. It really wasn't that long ago."
"You entered my home, uninvited. You brought a sword into my nest. By all rights I should of strung you up and devoured you on the spot."
"And then what happened hmm.... You asked me, No. You begged me to spare you're life, and I did, I showed you mercy.... All I wanted in return is for you to be my pet..." (Slightly emotional) "To keep me company"
Short pause
"I kept to my end of the deal... I spared your life, I keep you safe, warm, fed and you still keep resisting me?..."
"Perhaps I should just devour you hmm... Why should I deny myself such a delicious meal, when all you do is fight me"
"Can't you see I'm trying pet."
Short pause
"Look at me little fly"
(Assertive) "I said look at me"
"It doesn't have to be like this you know."
"You're life could be bliss if you'd only listen to me. The sooner you accept your place as my pet the better."
"I don't want to have to be like this with you. But you make me, you leave me no choice."
Long pause
(Sigh) "I'm... I'm going to take the gag off again... Just... Just please behave, don't Struggle."
(To self, under breath) "I've had enough silence for one lifetime"
SFX; [Drider removing gag]
Long pause
"Look pet, I understand why your afraid of me... I do. You can't help it. You're little human brain acts on impulse. It's only natural for you to fear me."
"But I'm asking you. Please just give me a chance. That's all I'm asking from you. I... I've been alone for so long. All I want is for you to keep me company, to atleast talk to me. Please?"
Short pause
"Say, something pet. Anything."
Short pause
"You're only useful to me alive if you speak, pet. Silence just accelerates the feeding"
Short pause
(Suprised/relieved) "You... You want to ask me something.... Y-Yes of course pet. G-Go ahead."
Long pause
"Well because.... Because, I'm tired of it all."
"Do You have any idea what it's like. To be forced to live alone for so long. To be feared and hated by everything just on the very merit of your existence."
Short pause
"Yes, Driders are solitary creatures, that's correct. But I've lived in these ruins since I left the nest. Never, not even once. Have I seen or spoken to anyone, not humans, not the elves... Not even my own kin."
"It drives me insane"
Short pause
"Oh I've had plenty of your kind come here pet. But not one of them came here by accident, not with good intentions... They all came to kill me. To claim a reward as if they are some sort of bounty. Thinking themselves Brave hero's."
"But they all begged for their lives in the end. Each of those self proclaimed Heroes died a cowards death"
Short pause
"So why did I spare you?.... Now that's a very good question pet"
"You see, in all my years of life. I've had plenty of people threaten to slay me, to burn me. I've had plenty of people make demands of me or beg me to spare them.... But only once has anyone ever asked me about myself."
"You see little fly. You are the first and only one who has ever asked me a question. Who said anything to me other than simply threatening to slay me or begging me to spare you life... Although, there still was plenty of the latter."
"That's why I spared you pet... Because you reminded me of what it's like to have someone. To not be alone anymore."
"And that's why I can never let you leave, because I can't go back to being alone. No. If you ever try to leave me..."
(Sinister) "I'll devour every last drop of you, I'll keep you here with me, forever. You're mine. My pet, my little fly."
Short pause
"I want you to be happy pet. I want you to enjoy it here. With me."
"I don't want to be angry all the time... I just want to have someone to talk to... Is that really so much to ask for?"
"Can you please just try?"
Short pause
(Sigh) "It'll take time, but I'm patient... You'll accept me one day. You won't have any other choice."
"Now then.... As much as I've enjoyed our short conversation. I think that's Enough talk for now pet. It's late and I need to hunt... But Don't worry, I'll bring you back some food, I won't let you starve"
Short pause
"Don't go anywhere now pet... You know what will happen if you do"
SFX: [Drider scurrying away]
Time skip
SFX: [listener begins struggling in web for several moments, gradually getting more violent the longer it goes on]
SFX: [Web gradually tearing in places before eventually braking and listener dropping to floor]
SFX: [Listener begins running... They Get to stuck door and begin desperately trying to open it but with no success]
SFX: [Faint/distant sound of Drider scurrying back in the background]
(Quite/muffled & echoed) "Are you still awake pet..... Pet? PET!"
(Gut wrenching, echoing scream of rage after realising listener has escaped)
(Echoing) "No!.. No no no, where are they, they can't of, no. Not without....."
(Sniffing/inhaling listeners scent) (Sinister) "I'm coming for you pet, and when I find you.... Oh what I'll do to you when I find you"
SFX: [Listener desperately trying to open door as sound of Drider scurrying rapidly approaches]
(Eerily calm) "Found you pet"
"Oh what's wrong hmm, did your little escape not go to plan... Pity"
"I'll give you one chance and one chance only pet..."
"Come back with me willingly, and I promise I'll forget this ever happened. If not, then... Well, then... Well you'll just have to use your imagination won't you"
Short pause
"I don't understand pet? What have I done wrong hmm? I've given you so many chances. I've cared for you. Kept you safe and yet you still try to run from me?"
"But it's ok... It's not your fault little fly, your just a human. You act on impulse and emotion. If you come back now I'll Forgive you for trying to leave me..."
Short pause
(Laugh) "Oh. I see"
"I can see you looking at it y'know. Just out of reach. Your old sword, Those panicked thoughts darting through that tiny mind of yours."
"Hmm. Could you reach it in time I wonder. Y'know... I'm almost tempted to let you take it. If only to see the fear in your eyes when you realise how truly powerless you are against me."
"You're own thoughts betray you pet. Even now you're a slave to your emotions, frozen in fear."
SFX: [Drider slowly moving slightly closer]
"But it's ok... I know what's best for you"
"Now come here pet. I promise, I won't hurt you if you come willingly."
SFX: [Listener quickly moves and grabs sword, unsheathing it]
(Outraged) "YOU DARE! You dare draw that sword on me, after everything I've done for you."
"I spared your life, I kept you safe, I fed you and kept you warm. And this is how you repay me?"
"Humans, such impulsive little creatures, can't you see that this is where you belong? You're mine pet... You belong to me"
(Laughing) "Enlighten me pet. Even if you escape, Whats your plan hmm? To Run blindly through the forest in the middle of the night, find the nearest town or village and tell the soldiers about the big scary drider"
"If you even make it that far... Which I assure you... you won't."
Short pause
"We've been over this a thousand times human, you're mine... My pet, you're not going anywhere. You belong to me"
"So put the sword down, and come to me willingly. Or I promise you. You won't enjoy what comes next"
Long pause
(Calming) "Thats it pet, nice and slow. Just keep..." (interrupted)
SFX: [Listener pulls out a oil lantern]
(Scared/nervous) "Where... where did you get that... Put... Put it down pet. Now!"
"If you break that, you'll kill both of us"
"Pet?"
"Think very carefully about what you're doing pet"
Short pause
"NO!"
SFX: [Listener smashes oil lantern on ground between themselves and drider, ruins and webs going up in flames]
SFX: [Drider Screeching]
(Rage) "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?... I'll tear you to pieces for this"
"No... My home, my webs. What have you done... You're destroying everything"
SFX: [Listener begins trying to break door down]
(Emotional throughout)
"Pet, please... It's not to late, We can fix this.. I promise"
"Please little fly, just listen to me... We can fix this, please. Don't do this to me."
"My home, you. It's all I have left."
SFX: [Sounds of burnt wooden beams collapsing]
(Shouting) "Why are you doing this to me?"
(Angry) "I knew it. You humans are all the same, vile little creatures. You've taken everything from me"
"Pet please...(Gasp)
SFX: [Part of the ruins collapsing onto the drider]
SFX: [Drider Screeching]
"Help me pet... Please, I can't.. I can't move"
"Pet?"
SFX: [Listener breaks down the door. A rush of hot air sweeping over them]
"Pet, Don't leave me... Please.... I'm begging you"
"We can make this right pet... Just... just come back to me. Don't leave me. I can't be alone again... Please."
(Listener pauses for a moment, turning back Feeling pity on the Drider)
(Shouting) "No! Pet please... You can't"
"Please Don't leave me, we can, we can make this right... You're mine... I need you."
SFX: [ Listener Turns back to the door and begins running entering the forest, illuminated only by the fire coming from the ruins as the sound of the fire gradually dies down as they get further away]
(Screaming) "I'M GOING TO FIND YOU PET"
"YOU BELONG TO ME!
Fades out as listener runs
End

I read so many stories on this sub, and I'm so grateful to those who shared. With the anecdotes and advice, I was able to have a clear plan and set expectations as well as I could have hoped. As soon as I started spotting red instead of brown, I went to the store, got a bunch of pads, adult diapers (lifesaver at night), and a few pints of super indulgent ice cream, and prepared for the worst.
Here was my timeline (I feel awkward labelling it by pregnancy dating system but ya know):

• 5+6 ish: embryo(?) stopped developing (according to future testing/ultrasound)
  
• 6+4: very light brown bleeding starts. Talk to doctor. They ask me to come in for blood work
  
• 6+6: HCG of 1150, symptoms are milder, I'm no longer optimistic, doctor just thinks my dates are wrong (they're not)
  
• 7+2: HCG of 1250
  
• 7+3: US showing empty sac measuring ~5+6
  
• 7+4 (day 0 of bleeding): spotting had been light and brown all week, but this morning it's heavier spotting and red. I wear a pad and bleed enough to kind of fill it over the course of ~10 hours. In the evening, cramping noticably starts, so we leave a family thing early. As soon as I get home, I put on an adult diaper and my husband sets up shop with ice cream and a movie and painkillers. We watch a movie + a couple episodes of a show. Diaper isn't totally full, but there's a lot of blood from this ~4 hours. During the night, I have basically normal heavy period level amounts
  
• 7+5 (1 day after bleeding starts): Filling a pad every ~2-3 hours. Symptoms feel like a strong period. Cramping ramps back up a lot in the afternoon, and bleeding increases a bit. Thank Someone I don't have to worry about taking naproxen anymore. Heating pad is bae.
  
• 7+6 (2 days after bleeding starts): HCG of 100, medium flow, cramping gone, physically feel good but tired. Feel emotionally hit by a truck (feels like depression as a physical symptom, not just the actual sadness)
  
• 8+0 (3 days after bleeding starts): Medium flow, light cramping
  
• 8+1 (4 days after bleeding starts): spotting only
  
• 8+2 (5 days after bleeding starts): negative HPT
  
• 8+6 (9 days after bleeding starts): spotting stops
  

tl;dr: spotting for a week, passing tissue took ~24-36 hours, followed by lightish flow for a couple days, then spotting for a few days. Honestly it felt very much like a heavy period.

Harry Potter: The Boy Who Killed

It was a dark and stormy night at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A group of students had gathered in the Great Hall for a Halloween party, unaware that they were about to become the victims of a horrifying massacre.
As the students danced and laughed, Harry Potter lurked in the shadows, watching them with a cold and calculating gaze. No one suspected that the boy with the lightning scar on his forehead could be capable of such violence.
But Harry was no ordinary preadolescence. He had been raised in an abusive home and had grown up with a deep-seated rage that he had kept hidden for years. Now, he was ready to unleash his fury on the unsuspecting students of Hogwarts.
"Hey, Harry! Where are you going?" Ron Weasley's voice echoed through the hallway, jolting Harry out of his thoughts.
Harry turned to face Ron, his eyes cold and calculating. "Just taking a walk. I need some fresh air," he replied, trying to sound casual.
Ron raised an eyebrow. "You sure you're okay? You look a bit...off."
"I'm fine," Harry snapped, his anger flaring up. He didn't want anyone to suspect what he was planning.
One by one, the students began to disappear. Their bodies were found in the most gruesome and horrifying ways, their blood splattered across the walls and floors of the castle. But no one suspected Harry. He was too clever, too cunning, too good at hiding his true nature.
As the death toll continued to rise, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley began to suspect that something was amiss. They had always known that Harry was a bit of an outsider, but they never suspected that he could be capable of murder.
But when they stumbled upon Harry's secret lair, hidden deep in the bowels of Hogwarts, they knew that they had to act fast. Harry was planning something big, something that would make all of his previous murders look like child's play. "Oh my god," Hermione gasped, her eyes widening in horror. "Look at all of these weapons. He's been planning this for months." Ron's face paled as he surveyed the scene. "We have to tell someone. The authorities need to know about this."
Harry was getting careless. He had killed so many people that he had started to get sloppy. He left behind evidence, and he didn't cover his tracks as well as he used to.
That was how Hermione and Ron finally caught him. They had been tracking his movements, and they had found a clue that led them straight to his lair.
"Harry, we know what you've been doing," Hermione said, her voice shaking with anger and fear.
Harry whirled around, his wand at the ready. "What are you talking about?" he spat.
"We've seen the evidence," Ron said, his own wand drawn. "We know that you're behind all of the murders at Hogwarts." Harry laughed bitterly. "You think you can stop me? You're nothing but pathetic little children. You have no idea what I'm capable of."
Hermione and Ron tried to stop Harry, but he was too powerful. He attacked them with all of his might, determined to silence anyone who dared to get in his way.
But they also knew that they had to try. They lunged forward, their wands blazing with light.
The battle was fierce, and it seemed like Harry had the upper hand. But Hermione and Ron fought with all of their might, determined to stop Harry no matter what.
In the end, it was Hermione who landed the final blow. She sent a spell hurtling towards Harry, and it hit him square in the chest.
In the end, Harry's killing spree was brought to an end by the combined efforts of Hermione and Ron, who managed to overpower him and turn him over to the authorities. But the damage had already been done. Hogwarts would never be the same again, and the students who had survived would never forget the terror that they had experienced at the hands of one of their own.
As Harry was led away in chains, he looked back at Hogwarts with a dark and twisted smile on his face. He knew that he had left his mark on the wizarding world, and that his legacy would live on long after he was gone.

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I recently got accepted into my first juried art fair, and I'm trying to prepare. I was thinking that I would try to paint 25-40 og pieces in acrylic on canvas with sizes ranging from 6x6 to 16x20, and then one large 30x40 as an eye catching piece. I also plan to make 5-10 different prints in runs of 10-20 because they need to be signed and numbered.
My price points for paintings are between $100-$500 and for prints would be between $20-$40
How have you prepared for an art fair? What has been your experience selling at art fairs? On average how many paintings/prints do you sell?
For reference I plan on doing two fairs this summer, one has an attendance of 10k and the other 75k.
Thanks in advance for any wisdom you can give me!

1. Provide a personal touch in customer service
2. Interpret human emotions and tone of voice accurately
3. Read nonverbal cues and body language
4. Form personal connections and relationships with clients
5. Offer genuine empathy and compassion
6. Provide in-person consultations or meetings
7. Offer physical demonstrations or product samples
8. Shake hands and make eye contact
9. Attend events and network on behalf of a business
10. Provide live entertainment or performance
11. Create handcrafted products
12. Offer physical assistance or manual labor
13. Provide personal security or bodyguard services
14. Offer professional photography or videography services
15. Offer personalized shopping experiences
16. Offer personal styling and fashion advice
17. Provide personal training or coaching
18. Offer motivational speeches or keynote presentations
19. Provide physical therapy or massage services
20. Offer landscaping or gardening services
21. Offer home cleaning or organization services
22. Provide pet care services
23. Offer babysitting or childcare services
24. Provide tutoring or educational services
25. Offer art or music lessons
26. Offer cooking or catering services
27. Provide event planning or coordination services
28. Offer interior design or home renovation services
29. Provide legal or financial advice
30. Offer counseling or therapy services
31. Provide medical diagnosis or treatment
32. Offer spiritual guidance or pastoral care
33. Provide hair and beauty services
34. Offer driving or transportation services
35. Provide housekeeping or cleaning services for a business
36. Offer security guard or patrol services for a business
37. Provide on-site technical support or IT services
38. Offer delivery or courier services
39. Provide live translation or interpretation services
40. Offer courtroom representation or legal advocacy
41. Provide wildlife or nature tours
42. Offer travel planning or booking services
43. Provide tour guide services
44. Offer language lessons or translation services
45. Provide construction or renovation services
46. Offer home inspection or appraisal services
47. Provide automotive repair or maintenance services
48. Offer financial planning or investment services
49. Provide insurance or risk management services
50. Offer marketing or advertising services
51. Provide public relations or media relations services
52. Offer event marketing or promotion services
53. Provide graphic design or branding services
54. Offer web design or development services
55. Provide copywriting or content creation services
56. Offer social media management or advertising services
57. Provide SEO or SEM services
58. Offer pay-per-click advertising services
59. Provide email marketing or automation services
60. Offer video production or animation services
61. Provide podcast production or editing services
62. Offer music production or recording services
63. Provide sound design or audio editing services
64. Offer voiceover or narration services
65. Provide live sound engineering or mixing services
66. Offer DJ or music performance services
67. Provide event lighting or production services
68. Offer stage management or production services
69. Provide event ticketing or registration services
70. Offer event sponsorship or fundraising services
71. Provide catering or food and beverage services for an event
72. Offer event décor or rental services
73. Provide event security or crowd management services
74. Offer event transportation or parking services
75. Provide event photography or videography services
76. Offer event planning or coordination services for a nonprofit organization
77. Provide volunteer coordination or management services for a nonprofit organization
78. Offer grant writing or fundraising services for a nonprofit organization
79. Provide community outreach or engagement services for a business or nonprofit organization
80. Offer public speaking or presentation training services
81. Provide executive coaching or leadership development services
82. Offer team-building or corporate retreat planning services
83. Provide conflict resolution or mediation services
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90. Offer tax preparation or planning services
91. Provide business valuation or appraisal services
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93. Provide strategic planning or business consulting services
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96. Offer project management or implementation services
97. Provide quality control or assurance services
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Hi everyone,
I have a Samsung dishwasher that for some reason does not dissolve the detergent tabs that I insert into the detergent valve. To be honest, I am not sure if the tabs actually is falling out of the valve in the right time or if it randomly falls out when I open the dishwasher, so I am not sure if the problem is that the tabs does not fall out on time or if the water was not hot enough / reaching the tabs after it falls out of the valve. The machine is older than 5 years.
To be honest, I am not so handy when it comes to things like this, so I have tried to do some troubleshooting myself, but can't really seem to see what the issue is, so I am hoping maybe someone more experienced here will be able to help me. As I am a student, replacing a dishwasher is a huge expense I cannot afford at the moment.
Here is an illustration of how my dishwasher looks like (more or less very close to it). It has 3 spray arms as illustrated here: https://www.samsung.com/in/support/home-appliances/cleaning-spray-arms-of-samsung-dishwashe
I tried to do some troubleshooting and this is what I found:
I tried to take off all of the spray arms and put some soap in them and flushing it with very hot water. The water could look like it flow the water out of the hole okay. So I put it back. Does all 3 sprays arms has to spray and function in order for the soap tabs to fall out of the soap dispenser?
Then I tried to open the washing machine after 10-15 minutes of 150 minutes program. I could see water on the floor of the machine.
I tried to put a detergent soap / tabs / pods on the bottom of the machine, one in the cutlery basket and one in the soap dispenser (where I normally put). From what I could see, all of the soap dissolved except the one in the soap dispenser.
I tried to open the dishwasher door slowly while it still have like 27 of 150 minutes of the program left (I wash on auto 45-60 degrees). While I am opening the dishwasher door slowly, I hear the soap pod / tab fall out of the soap dispenser and down on the bottom of the machine.
What I can’t confirm is if the soap dispenser was open during the washing program or if it opened when I opened the dishwasher?
Could it be that it opened but the soap pod / tab did not fall down to the bottom of the machine? Is this something that often happens?
What is normally causing the soap tab / pod to fall out of the soap dispenser when its opened?
Here is also a picture of my dishwasher detergent container:
https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answeANS00066253/
My detergent tabs looks like this from Finnish:
https://shop.thecleanerstore.com/products/1-pack-of-dishwasher-tablet-5-tablets
Is there anything beside what's mentioned that I should check in order to figure out what the problem is and how I can fix it?

Hi everyone,
I have a Samsung dishwasher that for some reason does not dissolve the detergent tabs that I insert into the detergent valve. To be honest, I am not sure if the tabs actually is falling out of the valve in the right time or if it randomly falls out when I open the dishwasher, so I am not sure if the problem is that the tabs does not fall out on time or if the water was not hot enough / reaching the tabs after it falls out of the valve. The machine is older than 5 years.
To be honest, I am not so handy when it comes to things like this, so I have tried to do some troubleshooting myself, but can't really seem to see what the issue is, so I am hoping maybe someone more experienced here will be able to help me. As I am a student, replacing a dishwasher is a huge expense I cannot afford at the moment.
Here is an illustration of how my dishwasher looks like (more or less very close to it). It has 3 spray arms as illustrated here: https://www.samsung.com/in/support/home-appliances/cleaning-spray-arms-of-samsung-dishwashe
I tried to do some troubleshooting and this is what I found:
I tried to take off all of the spray arms and put some soap in them and flushing it with very hot water. The water could look like it flow the water out of the hole okay. So I put it back. Does all 3 sprays arms has to spray and function in order for the soap tabs to fall out of the soap dispenser?
Then I tried to open the washing machine after 10-15 minutes of 150 minutes program. I could see water on the floor of the machine.
I tried to put a detergent soap / tabs / pods on the bottom of the machine, one in the cutlery basket and one in the soap dispenser (where I normally put). From what I could see, all of the soap dissolved except the one in the soap dispenser.
I tried to open the dishwasher door slowly while it still have like 27 of 150 minutes of the program left (I wash on auto 45-60 degrees). While I am opening the dishwasher door slowly, I hear the soap pod / tab fall out of the soap dispenser and down on the bottom of the machine.
What I can’t confirm is if the soap dispenser was open during the washing program or if it opened when I opened the dishwasher?
Could it be that it opened but the soap pod / tab did not fall down to the bottom of the machine? Is this something that often happens?
What is normally causing the soap tab / pod to fall out of the soap dispenser when its opened?
Here is also a picture of my dishwasher detergent container:
https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answeANS00066253/
My detergent tabs looks like this from Finnish:
https://shop.thecleanerstore.com/products/1-pack-of-dishwasher-tablet-5-tablets
Is there anything beside what's mentioned that I should check in order to figure out what the problem is and how I can fix it?

Hey, just wanted to update everyone who was so supportive on my last post (see history for backstory). They didn't stay here, didn't get a hotel, and drove the distance in the morning and back in the evening. Nothing more has been said about it since the night she was pressuring my husband. I have no idea if this was only her idea or if others knew about it. I felt really guilt when I originally expressed to my husband that I wasn't comfortable with his parents, brother (31m), and sister (23f) staying the night in our little apartment. Mil's idea was that they would bring air mattresses for them to put in the living space (this would mean rearranging furniture, we're in a landlord furnished apartment with bulky pieces we did not choose).
I do appreciate that she meant to bring bedding herself. I also realize in the past when my husband was single, this was a normal thing for them. When he was a student living in a studio (!) apartment, mil and sil visited him and slept on the floor for a week. Something about me, I grew up in a big family, I actually shared a bedroom with 5 sisters until my early 20s. Having my own space for the first time when I finally moved out was the most amazing thing ever, I never wanted to go back, much as I love my sisters (don't worry, they're also dispersing/moving out). I value having my own space, and sometimes my current home with my husband even feels tight with just the two of us.
The thing is, mil has a history of micromanaging her kids lives and I want to nip that in the bud, especially before I have kids. Some things she's done in the past are choose where her adult kids live (she actually picked this apartment for my husband before he and I started dating, she picked where sil lives when sil moved out of state for work, and bought bil a house of her own choosing, which she decorates and maintains herself), give my husband a hard time about moving off the family phone plan when we got married and wanted to be on our own, told bil he couldn't buy a $25 pair of sunglasses because they were too expensive in her opinion, idk, so many other little things that seem insignificant, but really irk me. I realize she's not malicious really, but the fact that she will tell anyone what to do based on her own opinion really irritates me. I have parents who tried to control me as a young adult because they made me dependent on them, I'm not transferring that to anyone else, my independence is too precious to be a slave to someone's "generosity". My husband only slightly gets what I mean, he's a little slow in that area, but I think he'll see eventually. He realizes he's a terrible people pleaser and has a hard time saying no. I think we might see a counselor about this.
Anyway, thanks a million for the support!