Bold and beautiful spoilers brooke

Randall in season 5 is probably the most painful thing to watch. He is such a winey baby that doesn’t appreciate his family and has to make them feel bad for things they can‘t control. It’s literally his world and everyone else is just living in it.
The Madison and Kevin story was tragic. Too bad they couldn’t just let that couple be or not be anything at all. It was beautiful how Kevin had the closure with Sophie and was ready for this family but no it couldn’t happen.
Why is Kate still so fat? She tries in the beginning to lose weight - doesn’t make any progress which is not understandable to me since she was doing a lot. And then she just gives up and accepts her obesity?
The liberal agenda kills me. It’s so hard to watch the covid stuff, the racial stuff and then even letting criminals off easy. TV should be neutral and not pushing their agenda so hard. Especially the way they acted with Tess and her non binary gf - acting like Beth is being awful even though she’s doing the best she can in such an unknown situation.
Just venting about some frustrations, no judging if anyone feels any different.

Had a string of bad luck with a new projector set up.
First, bought a Dangbei Mars Pro 4K. Lots of things to love here. Beautiful looking device, pretty good image and brightness, very quiet and cool. But, it had a defect in the lens that caused two yellow hot spots and a lens flare type effect that couldn't be removed through cleaning the lens. Also, perhaps relatedly, one of the HDMI ports periodically didn't work no matter what was plugged in. When it did work, it showed up only as 1080p (at least on my Xbox Series X). Customer service sucked -- they just wanted to send me a different HDMI cable. Figured that was going to be pretty indicative of their customer service so I'm just sending it back and moving on.
Then, I went to a Benq 3550. Right out of the box, it had vertical lines on half the screen no matter the input (present even on the startup splash). Also, extremely hot and loud device, but at least it was recognized as a 4k device. But, obviously the vertical lines are a deal breaker and it's tough going to such a loud and hot device after the Dangbei.
Anyone have any other suggestions on what to try? Hopefully my luck with the QC will improve this third time. Really would love to try to Xgimi Horizon Pro, but it doesn't look like it has any (reliable) way to ceiling mount. Anything else in the LED/Laser variety that would be a good unit?
Thanks!

I am planning on leaving my husband in the fall if he doesnt seriously shape up, due to alcoholism and him becoming very neglectful. I dont want to. Maybe id stay and do al anon and everything but we live in the coldest place in the continental US and he has been letting our wood boiler go out on a daily or weekly basis, and often no firewood for the house. I mean theres... a lot more going on. But thats the big one. I just cant spend another winter here like this. I had a baby in november so cant go out there wielding a chainsaw myself.
What i am wondering about is if this all ends in divorce, who would get our house? We bought it sight unseen for 80k, 5 years ago. Our mortgage is only 600/month its a big albeit ugly house on 20 acres of mix field and woods in a really beautiful area. No direct neighnors but the people who live down this stretch of road are wonderful. You couldnt find a place like this for twice what we paid for it. Weve also built a little homestead here with gardens and perimeter fence for animals and barns. So i really dont want to leave.
We have 2 girls under 4, he works full time and im a stay at home mom. I was going to homeschool and everything. But those plans are all just out the window now. The problem is if i got a job doing whatever itis i could get a job doing with no degree or work experience rent would take up over half of my income. So id like to stay here. However the house is in his name. Not sure if that matters or if everything is jointly owned. We bought it after getting married. State of Wisconsin, since im sure it matters state by state.
Sorry this is long winded its also a bit of a vent. Such a frustrating situation.

​

Auli Travel Package

As uttarakhand’s local travel agent, we will offer you best auli travel package. Before that you should know some facts about the place. Auli is located in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, near the world-famous holy temple of Badrinath, and is surrounded by snow-capped peaks of the Garhwal Himalayas. Auli’s well-dressed slopes are surrounded by coniferous and oak forests, which offer a panoramic view of mountains, at an altitude of 2,500 to 3,050 m above sea level. Find yourself at Auli, among the high peaks Nanda Devi and Mana Parbat, if you’re looking for adventure, excitement, and frolic this winter.
Feel the rush of air on your face as you go skiing on the well-kept snow slopes, blazing a bold trail. On a blanket of snow, pummelled each other with snowballs. Let your eyes feast if you’re a lover of natural beauty.
​

WAYS TO REACH AULI

Airplane – Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, roughly 300 kilometres from Auli, is the closest airport. Dehradun’s Jolly Grant Airport is a domestic airport located around 20 kilometres from the city centre.
By train, there are railway stations in Rishikesh, Haridwar, and Dehradun. Rishikesh is the closest railhead to Auli (250 km approx). Auli may be reached via bus or taxi from Rishikesh.
By Road – Joshimath is 16 kilometres apart by road from Auli. Between Joshimath and Rishikesh, state transport buses run often (253 km). Between Joshimath and Rishikesh (253 km), Haridwar (277 km), Dehradun (298 km), and Delhi (298 km), Local Transport Union buses and State Transport buses run (500 km). Auli may be reached via ropeway, bus, or cab from Joshimath.

PayPal Friends & Family No Notes
NOODles: https://imgur.com/a/6GfmqBS
$860 $800 🚢 Beautiful Factory BCM ELW BFH Upper Stripped with bcm qd mount, FDE Vert BCM Grip, fde BCM BCG, RAPTOR AMBI, light salt (Professional Cerakote), 1500 rounds, not beat, following items (BELOW) on the BCM, finally letting this one go, loved it
$250 $240 $230 🚢 Modlite PL350 PLHv2 head no battery or charger, carbon and build up on PLHv2 head shown in photo, 1913 adapter only
$250 $240 $230 🚢 16 inch, Smith Wesson M&P sport upper with no fsp, light salt, stored away, add M&p BCG and handle for $50
$50 $45 🚢 olight pl2 Valkyrie gunmetal gray, light salt, needs cr123a batteries and runs 1200 lumens

Hello and welcome to this bi-weekly NCTeatime!
Up first, here are the megathreads for NCT Dream's The Dream Show 2 and the ticket buying/selling for NCT Dream's world tour!
This is a free-for-all thread. Feel free to ask a question, drop a recommendation, share story, or rant your little heart out - NCT-related or not - this is your space! This is also where you'll find a recap of what happened in NCity the past week.
Please remember to follow the rules, as well as the general Reddiquette. You can find our past weekly discussions here.
230307

• Yuta will be featured in the May 2023 issue of Nikkei Entertainment which will be published April 4th, 2023.
• NCT 127 - Blue to Orange: House of Love photobook details are released; plus the trailer drops on the 8th which you can check out here.
• Xiaojun is announced to be the new MC of SBS MTV The Show!! He is joining Yeosang of Ateez, and Chaehyun of Kep1er in this role.
• NCT Dream's Indonesia concert comes to an end and was a success, having sold out all three nights 🥳!
• Renjun comments on his RADWIMPS's 'Your Name' cover at ORICON News.

230308

• NCT Dream announce their concert venues and ticket sale information for the North American leg of their tour.
• Over on the Cosmopolitan YouTube channel NCT Dream share their spicy fashion takes on Cosmo's Drip or Drop series.
• Ten's interview with WOODY FM is out, go check it out here.
• Sungchan's photoshoot behind for star1 is uploaded.

230309

• NCT U's first fixed unit is announced and will in include Doyoung, Jaehyun and Jungwoo (DoJaeJung)!! They are preparing an album and plan to debut in the first half of the year!
• Jaehyun is revealed to be on the cover of the April 2023 issue of Esquire Korea with Prada.
• As part of the China Charities Aid Foundation for Children's (CCAFC) Dandelion Public Welfare Music Project, WayV will be releasing the single 'Don't Look Back' on March 12th.
• Jisung's does a TMI interview with Y Magazine to answer our most burning question: what's in his bag.
• Doyoung representing all of us introverts out here in his Tokyo travel vlog 😎!
• Kun share's antisue1's cover of 'Love Talk' 🤭 and compliments her work, as he should because she slayed hehe.
• Winwin shows his style for Valentino Friend of the House.

230310

• NCT DREAM Earns RIAJ Platinum Certification for their Japanese Debut Single 'Best Friend Ever'!!
• We get introduced to Yuta's character for Cool Doji Danshi (Play It Cool, Guys).
• Go check out WayV's fanmeeting tour box on their Youtube channel.
• Jaehyun's cover for Esquire Korea's April 2023 issue is out!
• NCT Dream announce an English version of 'Beatbox' with an accompanying MV to be released on March 21st! It is expected to be performed for the first time on their Europe and American tour!

230311

• Yuta will be featured on the May 2023 issue of Gekkan TV Guide and it will be released on March 24st.

230312

• HYBE discontinues its acquisition of SM Entertainment and agrees to cooperate with Kakao on platform-related matters while Kakao guarantees the autonomy of SM Entertainment. SM Entertainment welcomes the agreement, and will take the opportunity to push forward with 'SM 3.0' at full speed.

230313

• NCT Dream's Thailand leg of their world tour wraps up having sold out all three nights with a total of 35,000 fans having had attended!
• Some unfortunate news: Jeno tests positive for COVID-19 and the NCT Dream fansign for March 13th and 14th have been postponed 😭. We hope he heals up and gets better soon!
• NCT 127 and NCT DREAM are nominated for The Most Influential Male Idol while Doyoung is nominated for The Most Influential Variety-dol (Male) at the Brand Customer Loyalty Awards 2023.
• Prada Instagram update with Jaehyun for SS23.

230314

• NCT 127's 'Ay-Yo' debuts at thirteen on the Billboard 200 albums chart!
• NCT Dream's English version of 'Beatbox' will be released on music streaming services March 21st at 1:00 PM KST. Check out the super cool digital single cover art here!
• Dazed Korea drops the beautiful photos for Jeno's upcoming appearance on their SS23 special edition issue!

230315

• Yuta's cover for Cut Magazine April 2023 issue is released 😍!
• NCT 127 is announced to be the second K-Pop artist in history to chart five albums in top fifteen of Billboard 200 as "Ay-Yo" makes its debut in the chart.
• Haechan's incredible photos for his cover feature on the Arena Homee + April 2023 Issue are revealed!
• WayV's Thailand vlog is out, go check out all the memories they made here.
• NCT 127's photoshoot behind vlog for Orange to Blue: House of Love is released.

230316

• Wow! NCT Dream's 'Hello Future' MV reaches 100 Million views 🌈 !
• NCT Dream hop on over to Seventeen Magazine to do their Besties on Besties interview and spill all the info about their friendship.
• In other exciting news, NCT 127 are planning to launch 'Limitless' the first K-pop graphic novel 😯!
• Shotaro and Sungchan's Numero Tokyo photoshoot behind vlog is out!
• NCT Dream post the first episode in their Dream Loop: The Last Midnight series on YouTube.

230317

• Jeno's interview with Dazed Korea for his SS23 special edition feature is released.
• Yuta will be featured on the back cover of IYU Magazine, along with the cast of 'Cool Doji Danshi (Play It Cool, Guys)', and it is to be released April 25th!
• "NCT LIFE in Chuncheon and Hongcheon" DVD-BOX will be released on June 30th, 2023.
• Winwin's personal photobook 'Island Encounter' will be released on Yizhiyu soon!
• SM Entertainment x UXstory Inc to launch an individual member "live motion" app called NCT HOME.

230318

• NCT 127 is announced to be apart of the lineup for the May Concert in Thailand, which is happening May 27th, 2023.
• The web exclusive images drop for NCT Dream's Men's Non-No Magazine March 2023 issue and they're looking as cool as ever 😎!
• Jungwoo joins Twice for their 'Set Me Free' Dance challenge and absolutely slays.

230319

• Some very cool, and very major, news for Ten and Yangyang, as they are announced to be apart of Hwaiting Season two at Dive Studios 👏🏻!!

230320

• Jaehyun sits down with Esquire Korea for an interview on their YouTube channel!
• NCT Dream is announced to be a part of the lineup of the third Lotte Duty Free Family Concert on June 16th, 2023.
• Some more unfortunate news: Kun sprained his ankle during an overseas schedule. He went to the hospital on March 20th to receive treatment and currently has no major problems with his ankle. We wish him a speedy recovery!

General Reminders:

• Please make sure you read the rules before posting on the sub, and check the sub's menu and sidebar for megathread links and other resources, such as our wiki, information on joining the chatroomand, and guides on getting to know NCT! Also be sure to check out our updated page of Flairs and Title Guidelines with examples on how to title any post.
• Don't forget to join our sister sub memeculturetechnology the place for high quality NCT memes, low-effort content, and all other random, casual, or fluff posts!
• If you have any questions, feedback, or concerns please feel free to send a modmail or DM any of the active mods!

As always, thank you for stopping by; stay happy and healthy, and we hope you have a wonderful week czennies! 🌱

What a great surprise to receive all the get well sentiments as I was recovering from an organ that wanted to kill me. I will have more, but, I am also packing to move and have another sad event coming up, so am breaking the thank yous into more manageable chunks
KeyCar367 - Sea turtles are the best! Once while diving I had one just swimming along side me, it was amazing.
sanguinebutch - What a beautiful card and lovely postcard. I hope your recovery went better then mine.
thecaledonionrose - I love that clown sticker! A card full of post cards and stickers!! It's great.
melhen16 - More stickers!! I have new stuff to sticker up once I get settled after the move. It is really hard to not over do it, but I'm getting better at it.
SEBISRUDE - I love the homemade card. I have to ask, do you use an old school/vintage drafting letting kit to do the address? I love it.
RideThatBridge - I've actually been to the place the painting is from! I'd share a joke with you about pizza, but it's cheesy.
rennbrig - I do like Monet, I think one of the very first offers I did here was French Impressionists.
xinthetic - I've been fascinated by the fact there is an Australia to Saudi camel import trade! Thanks for sharing that!
cSWL - All those wildflowers! My very first job in high school was working at a flower shop! Good choice of colour 583 is up there on my list of favs
mumbagoespainting - I love watercolour paintings, what a beautiful card!
ninajyang - Great postcards. All i could think of while I was recovering was "I want snacks!"
littlemermaidxx - Love the card and all the stickers!
I have a card I think maybe was travel4me22 - it's got a cute little chick on the front looking all under the weather, is that from you?
​
Thanks everyone. I have more to get through and will be up soon. If I missed you this round, it will be coming up shortly!
PS. Apologies if I have mistyped your username, I will correct as soon as someone lets me know, I am dyslexic and sometimes hand writing is really hard on me, but I try!

Looking into the best engine swaps for my little run about. Obviously looked at the v5/2.3 v6 initially but stumbled across the this little beauty and wondered how difficult it would be? Will need a gearbox etc but should be enough room?

https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/brook-lopez-last-15-games
​
Over this stretch he has shooting splits of 58/40/75 (13.9/5.2/3.2 attempts per game) and has gotten 3+ blocks eight times (the highest being nine against Brooklyn on March 9th). The Bucks have gone 13-2 in the last 15 games Brook has played

Heya snes!
I recently decided to revisit one of my childhood favorites, Aladdin for the Super Nintendo, and wanted to share my thoughts and experiences with y'all.
Tthis platformer is based on the beloved Disney animated film (duh!).
​
So, let's dive into the colorful world of Agrabah and see if Aladdin still holds up after all these years!
Game Overview:
Aladdin is a 2D side-scrolling platformer that follows the story of the film, taking players through iconic locations like the bustling Agrabah market, the Cave of Wonders, and Jafar's palace. Players control Aladdin as he jumps, climbs, and battles his way through various stages, collecting gems and dodging traps while trying to save Princess Jasmine from the evil sorcerer Jafar.
Graphics & Sound:
One of the standout features of Aladdin on the SNES is its charming visuals. The game's graphics are colorful and detailed, capturing the essence of the animated film. The character animations are smooth and expressive, and the backgrounds are rich and vibrant.
The soundtrack, composed by Yuki Iwai, complements the visuals beautifully. The game features catchy renditions of memorable tunes from the film, such as "A Whole New World" and "Prince Ali," as well as original tracks that fit the game's atmosphere perfectly. The sound effects are also well-executed, adding to the overall experience.
Gameplay & Controls:
The gameplay in Aladdin is pretty standard for a platformer of its era, but it's executed well. Aladdin can jump, climb, and throw apples to defeat enemies or interact with objects. The controls are responsive and intuitive, making it easy to navigate the various levels.
The level design is engaging and varied, with each stage offering new challenges and obstacles. Aladdin will face platforming puzzles, enemies, and even some boss battles against familiar faces like Jafar and Iago. There are also bonus stages featuring the Genie and Abu, which add some extra fun and variety.
Difficulty & Replayability:
Aladdin offers a decent challenge, with the difficulty ramping up as the game progresses. While it's not the hardest platformer on the SNES, it still provides enough challenge to keep players engaged. The game isn't too long, but it's enjoyable enough to replay from time to time for a dose of nostalgia.
Pros:

1. Charming graphics and animation: The visuals in Aladdin are delightful, capturing the magic and wonder of the original film.
2. Catchy soundtrack: The memorable tunes and well-crafted original tracks make for an enjoyable auditory experience.
3. Responsive controls: The game handles smoothly, allowing players to focus on the engaging level design and challenges.

Cons:

1. Length: Aladdin can be completed in a relatively short amount of time, which may leave players wanting more.
2. Limited moveset: Aladdin's moves are fairly basic, which may not satisfy players looking for more depth in their platformers.

Final Thoughts:
Aladdin for the SNES is a delightful and nostalgic trip down memory lane. With its charming graphics, catchy soundtrack, and engaging gameplay, it remains an enjoyable experience even after all these years. While it may not be the most groundbreaking platformer on the system, it's a solid game that fans of the film or retro gaming enthusiasts will appreciate.
If you haven't already, try to give it a try!
​
Have a great week folks =)

Hello. I recently bought an Epson ET-2800 printer (manufacturer refurbished from Epson) to make stickers. I also bought some cheap matte sticker paper to practice on. The prints looked decent on the matte paper, but after a couple of days I ran them under water and the ink ran pretty bad. I decided to order some "waterproof" glossy sticker paper and try that instead. The prints look beautiful now on the new paper. My issue, is that now there are tiny vertical dotted lines on the prints. They are very faint, almost not even noticeable...but if I can see them, I can't chance selling them to someone. These lines WERE NOT there when I used the matte paper. I have done a good bit of research on the issue already but everyone seems to have a different solution, usually cleaning. I literally just got the printer and have only printed maybe 7 or 8 sheets, could it really already need to be cleaned? Is it a settings issue? A paper issue? I have already went back and forth between the standard paper setting and premium glossy paper setting with no luck. I also switched between standard and high quality with no luck. Someone else said to turn the color density down a bit, which I did with no luck.
Any advice or help is appreciated...

Race Report
Race Information

• Name: LA Marathon
• Date: March 19, 2023
• Distance: 26.2 miles
• Location: Los Angeles, CA
• Website: https://www.lamarathon.com/pages/la-marathon
• Time: 3:39:42 (8:23 pace) - 29/829 in division (25-29F) - (25F, 107lbs, 5'1)

Official Splits
5k 25:43 8:16/mi
10k 51:18 8:15/mi
15k 1:16:58 8:15/mi
20k 1:42:22 8:14/mi
25k: 2:07:57 8:14/mi
30k 2:34:25 8:17/mi
35k 3:00:55 8:19/mi
40k 3:27:20 8:20/mi
FINISH 3:39:42 8:23/mi
Unofficial Garmin Watch splits:
8:08, 8:20, 8:06, 7:53, 8:29, 8:33, 7:52, 8:20, 8:28, 8:05, 8:06, 8:06, 8:24, 8:18, 7:52, 8:08, 9:17 (stopped at a porto-potty), 7:48, 8:18, 8:17, 8:41, 8:29, 8:34, 8:29, 8:05, 8:21, 8:18
Goals
A Goal: Sub 3:40 - Achieved? Yes
B Goal: Sub 4:00 - Achieved? Yes
C Goal: Finish w/out injury - Achieved? Yes
----
Wowza!
Where to start. Feeling VERY sore today with a few less toenails but hey, we did it. :)
This was my first marathon ever! I fell back in love with running last June (several years ago was on the cross country team in highschool but finally revisited it) and loved the feeling of reaching new goals each week. I built my running base from June 2022-December 2022 and trained from January-March. I had been crying tears of excitement on and off up until race day. I originally signed up and was training for the OC Marathon which is in May, and truly felt that it was too far away and I wanted to run something sooner because I felt ready and eager, so I signed up for the LA marathon too!
Race day couldn't come soon enough, I slept very well leading up to the race (except for the night before the race, didn't sleep one bit) and carb loaded with featherstone nutrition's guide.
I started getting ready around 2am and shuttled over to Dodger Stadium at 4:30am. I fundraised for the marathon so I received special perks like starting in any corral I wanted and I was able to warm up in a cozy tent loaded with snacks etc with the the elite runners.
Found the 3:40 pace group in corral B at 6:30am. Based on my training, I was pretty confident I could run comfortably with this group for the entirety of the marathon. Miles 1-20 flew by!!! I actually could not believe it. Running with a supportive group among 22,000 other runners was such a beautiful experience. I had to stop at a port-potty once around mile 17 and was so thankful I did (pro-tip, carry 2 babywipes with you. this will make your poop-stop efficient as hell.) I was able to catch back up with my pace group after my porto-potty stop which was fantastic. I did not want to lose them. Mile 20-26 were very difficult, however, I never hit a wall. My pace stayed relatively consistent and I felt mentally and physically well the entire time. Despite my tired legs at mile 20, I felt great. I stayed hydrated and fueled with electrolytes the entire time and this was HUGE for me.
The actual course wasn't as hard as I anticipated. I enjoyed the slight downhills and flats, and the hills weren't bad at all. I had heard people say it very hilly but I can really only think of two hills that we encountered, and they went by quickly. It was a beautiful day for a marathon, mid 50's F, overcast, and some minor wind. The hardest part was the out and back from mile 19-26. Ending your marathon on an out and back is ROUGH. I felt like the "out" was never ending! and the "back" was just agony!
Overall I finished with a smile on my face and my hands in the air. My 3:40 pacer was amazing and I certainly could not have gotten a sub 3:40 time without him. He was incredible and encouraging and was constantly looking out for us and cheering us on. Shoutout to Mark!
After finishing I didn't feel as physically horrible as I expected to and genuinely had an incredible time. I showered at my hotel, went to whole foods with my boyfriend (who so lovingly supports me!) and got a kombucha, mac n cheese, and a sandwich. We drove home to San Diego and had ramen for dinner. :)
Today I am hurting and my body is sore in places I didn't even know existed. However, I am so grateful for the experience and am so looking forward to my marathon in May! Running has changed my life in so many beautiful ways and I can't wait to continue reaching new goals! <3

Dearest [BLANK]
I don’t want to say your name because then I will feel the need to say so much more and I’ll end up writing far too much.
Names are hard for me.
You lost yours a while ago, at least in my mind. I stopped calling you [BLANK]. You were just a monster.
A murderer.
I know you won’t read this but I’m putting this out there anyway. I want to talk to you.
I guess this is my way of… apologising. You’re the first in a long list of people I want to say goodbye to. I feel like you were the one who started this.
You were the one who opened my eyes to Littlewood’s curse. I’ve been so angry for so many years. I have felt so much fucking pain. Agony. The kind I can’t even explain. It’s like drowning, [BLANK]. I’ve wanted to kill you so many times, often dreaming about it the older I became. You stopped having an identity in my nightmares and became a faceless shadow suffocating my chest.
Ironically enough, [BLANK], we’re actually the worst ones. The class of 2022 really outdid all of you. I finally understand what it might have been like for you. I understand that craving you felt—to kill. To destroy. And that nothing would get in our way. We would kill parents, strangers, and children, until sunrise—until the curse was lifted and we were given back our souls, only to be hollow inside. Broken. I know what it feels like to be alone and abandoned by the ones you thought you could trust. I never knew where you had gone after you ripped our town apart. But I didn’t care. I wanted you gone, [BLANK], so I didn’t have to see your stupid face.
Now I know the truth, I can only wish you some kind of peace. I know it's impossible to think, even when part of me knows your fate, but I hope you got away from here.
I hope part of you is still planning to come visit me. Lastly, I hope you can forgive me for hating you for so long. I wish you told me. I know I was a little kid, but you could have told me what was going to happen to you. To you, Luce and Poppy. If you had, maybe mom might be here.
…Who am I kidding? If you didn’t kill her eleven years ago, I probably would have this year.
After all, it’s always loved ones.
Is that why you killed her, [BLANK]? Did she mean something to you?
Did I?
Anyway. Thank you for being there when I was a kid.
Thank you for making me laugh and spew milk out of my nose.
Thank you for killing my mother before I did it myself and surrendered the last dregs of my humanity.
I’ll remember you, [BLANK].
Not just the flashes I saw of you—the ones you put inside my head.
The times that mattered. You know, when we were friends. You do remember, right?
It was you and me against the world, [BLANK]! And it always will be. I promise.
Love,
Bee. <3

Was I having an aneurysm?
Pressing my forehead against the cool brick of a crumbling wall, I revelled in the stink of burning which was thankfully blocking out the horrific taste of skin slithering back up my throat as I heaved up the contents of my stomach. I was used to the stink of charred human flesh. After all, the town was burning and its victims were our feast. Our prizes. I chose not to look around me or take in my surroundings. I didn’t want to look at a town which we had ripped apart once again. I didn’t want to see bodies littering the roads and sidewalk, chunks of flesh and torso’s lying in unsuspecting places.
So many thoughts were alive inside my head, an endless hurricane of both nothing and everything colliding into a vicious void I couldn’t explain, couldn’t understand, couldn’t stop—and yet that thought in particular was the one which reigned dominant.
It had to be an aneurism, right?
I didn’t feel like I’d cracked my head or something had seriously gone wrong inside my brain.
I was burning.
I remembered googling the term in middle school when I had a shitty headache, and my aunt had dropped the word in conversation with the doctor.
"What if it is an aneurysm?"
He chuckled in reply. "It's just a pressure headache, Miss Levi."
Suffice to say, once I knew what an aneurysm was, I closed down my aunt’s laptop and crawled under my bed. Like I could hide from something like that. I remember reading it up on Web MD. Not exactly the best place to check your symptoms, but eleven year old me just wanted answers to the pounding pain which felt like someone slamming a rock onto the back of my head and temples.
Nausea and vomiting? Yep. I felt like my insides were attempting to projectile vomit my organs.
Stiff neck? Sort of. I felt stiff all over, my whole body aching like I’d just been through a meat grinder.
Blurred or double vision? My vision wasn’t mine. I was seeing things I shouldn’t—a world which wasn’t from my perspective.
Sensitivity to light? The sunrise was pretty harsh on my eyes. I wasn’t ready to see broad daylight and what exactly my class had done to our town. I never saw burning as a symptom. I never saw a never ending fucking inferno inside your brain, eating you from the inside, as a symptom.
I wouldn’t call it an aneurysm, but it definitely was something. I don’t know how to explain the immense pressure in my head, like something alive was bleeding inside my brain and latching onto me.
Burning. I was… I was burning.
Everything inside me was fucking burning, and I couldn’t stop it.
I couldn’t put this ferocious blaze out because it was inside my skull.
Despite being in denial, I didn’t feel like myself anymore. Like my soul had been forced back inside a body which didn’t belong to me; a body which had been twisted and purged of everything she was, and turned into a monster, pupiteered by the curse.
I was still running on adrenaline, a senseless and mindless craving ripping through all logic. It was still alive inside me, gritting my teeth together in a Wonderland Smile which I couldn’t stop, which was stretched so wide across my face my jaw felt like it was going to concave. I remembered flashes of my before. Before I woke up. Before Littlewood gave me my mind back.
I had brutally killed a woman and her husband, carving their eyes out and teasing them with their last breaths with the hope of survival, only to rip away their life before that hope could blossom inside them. It was hope suffocated by a despair which was so agonising that it bled inside me once my eyes were open and I was staring down at my own fists, at the woman’s eyeball’s squished between my blood spattered knuckles while the rest of her painted me like I was her canvas.
I had danced in her husbands remains, twirling to a song only I could hear.
All of that made sense. It made sense that I had been turned into a monster like the rest of my class and it made a sick kind of sense that I had been the one to hollow out a man’s body with my own hands. I had been part of 2022’s Teen Purge, a fate I knew I couldn’t and wouldn’t ever escape. There were still so many questions I wanted answering. I wanted to know why the curse was triggered by a man-made substance we had been subjected to, and why Jun had been able to coherently text me before sunrise.
Jun.
I had to… find him. Before he did something he would regret. No, I thought dizzily. Before he came to terms with what he had done under the influence. That thought was driving me crazy, but it was being pushed back, overwhelmed by something else entirely which was taking over me, enveloping me. At some point, I dropped my phone and smashed the screen. I didn’t know when exactly that was. Time was going so slowly. One minute I had been pushing myself into a stumbled run towards Littlewood’s scrapyard, motivated by Jun’s cryptic text before something inside me… snapped. I had a destination, an escape which was slowly building into a coherent plan—before I was… nothing.
I was nameless, a shadow teetering between life and death while my body and brain were burned alive. It was in my blood, my bones, my thoughts. Burning. I couldn’t control myself as I screamed into the air choked with smoke. Did it come from inside my head?
No. No, it was a fire which had been set across the road from me. My thoughts were tangled and confusing, and after a while—they weren’t even mine. The longer I burned, the longer I screamed into nothing, the physical presence which had forced its way inside my head started to multiply.
How am I supposed to describe this sensation accurately? How can I tell you this without sounding fucking insane?
It was… the feeling of being drowned inside my own mind, in bleeding memories entangled together which weren’t mine creating a storm inside my head.
Whispering voices fighting to make themselves heard. The unyielding force of dozens of thoughts and feelings taking over me one by one. Initially, I fought against them. I tried to push them out, because while they were seeping inside my thought process, parasites crawling into my brain, I was growing numb.
My own thoughts were turning obsolete, everything I was fading as my body became theirs. It happened slowly. I felt myself drop to the ground, still burning, the inferno in my brain and body growing brighter and brighter, numbed only slightly by my senses being snatched from me. I hit the ground, but I didn’t feel impact. Instead, the whispering grew less incoherent until there were voices. Real voices screaming inside my head. “Mother!” A girl’s cry rang inside my skull. It wasn’t the cry of a child, no. It was a teenager. “You don’t have to do this to us!”
She was my age. Her wail was enough to stop my attempts at prying away the voices, and I let go. I let each of them in. I let them bleed into me until I was nothing, and they were… something. The force of her rattled me until I couldn’t breathe, until I couldn’t force my body into a sitting position. Lying faced down on singed grass with no choice but to listen to them, a sea of tangled thoughts plunging me further into the dark, a wave of ice cold water enveloping my own sense of being.
As the nameless girl took over, spiderwebbing inside me, my senses became entangled with her. I wasn’t just hearing her. I was… I was feeling her. And within a single breath choked from my hijacked mouth, I was her. Her cry was mine, strangled and twisted, ripping from my own lips. This stranger. I could feel her writhing body pressed against something harsh digging into our back, aching arms pinned above us.
The smell of smoulder scratched the back of our nose, a panicking feeling turning our gut. In front of us was darkness speckled with blurred orange. Shadows with no faces. The girl wasn’t alone. Next to her were squirming silhouettes, and I felt a raging agony and frustration ripping her apart. She wasn’t alone. Those were her thoughts, and while she was terrified of her fate, part of her felt like she could die. As long as it was with them. Glimpsing a figure striding through the dark, a figure carrying a burning torch, I waited for her to talk.
I waited for her to cry out, for some kind of explanation for what I was seeing. Before I could, however, the girl and her memory was being ripped away—and I heard her fighting back, trying to reach out, trying to leach back onto me. Her prying fingers failed to grasp hold, only for a second mind to find its way inside me, harsher. Recent. The girl wasn’t the only one to try and use my mouth to scream.
Littlewood High’s gymnasium blossomed into my mind, followed by sharp clarity. This kid was far more hesitant to reveal to me who they were. They held back a little, only choosing to show me their point of view of tipping their head back as a wave of water came down, drenching them and the rest of their class.
Blood. That’s what I had thought. I thought it was blood drenching my face and clothes, gluing my hair to my head and pasting my eyes shut. It was blood that had been spilled and had already been spilled; the blood of my mother when I watched her gutted by Noah Sharpe. Somehow, that colourless substance which had purposely drenched us had forced that one thought into our heads.
We were covered in it.
That, combined with the images in our heads of smouldering flame enveloping flesh and hair, an inferno setting our bodies alight, was enough to drive even the strongest minds to pure insanity. And I was seeing it. I was seeing each experience. I was seeing the faces of loved ones driving them crazier.
I felt their attempts to regain control of their mind, but the damage was already done.
They slipped to their knees, their screams joining a symphony orchestra of cries around them-- and saw exactly what I did. Burning. Charred flesh and singed hair. Agonizing wails rattling their skulls until they were forced to join. Their hands were in their hair, gripping and pulling and tearing at their scalp—bloody fingernails raking down their face and a smile beginning to split their lips in half.
The Wonderland Smile, chasing away logical fear and pain previously grounding them in a reality they believed in. A craving was coming alive inside of them, a hunger to rid themselves of that pain—all of that blood. By making others feel the despair which had taken an unyielding hold.
It was getting harder to differentiate whose memory from who.
This time they were stronger.
I saw sterile flooring and running feet.
Everything was blinding white. I heard his gasps for breath, a nightmarish fear eating him up from the inside pushing him to run faster.
I recognised him. Not his psychotic laugher when he had kidnapped me a year earlier, but his struggle to keep breathing. Keep sucking in precious oxygen which felt so far away. Just like the others before him, while his being seeped inside me, I had found myself once again plunged inside a memory. This time it was someone I recognised. Not a stranger from past years, but a classmate just below me.
Tommy Nolan had an asthma attack in junior year. Second period math, he’d jumped up with a panicked look on his face, clutching his chest. I remember thinking his breathing sounded wrong, like it was a car-engine trying and failing to start. His face had been pale, trembling hands clutching at his chest.
Tommy wasn’t the kind of guy who would intentionally attract attention to himself. He was an introvert through and through. However, this was the type of thing he couldn’t hide away from or push people away. “I can’t breathe.” He’d managed to gasp out, before the teacher had escorted him out of the class and to the nurse’s office. What I felt wasn’t an asthma attack gripping his chest. It was pure panic and fear squeezing the air from his lungs and stumbling his already clumsy steps.
Tommy reached a corner and threw himself into a run which was cut short by rough hands grabbing hold of him and yanking him back. I didn’t see the rest of Tommy Nolan’s memory. At least, I didn’t see an escape or anything which hinted at where he was. I just saw the same. A coffin-like enveloping darkness. Restrained hands.
Raging fire.
I don’t know if it was Tommy’s splintered mind which had catapulted me from my own mind, or maybe he didn’t want me to see everything. Before I could grasp onto his memory, he let go. The whispering voices let me go, and I found myself pressed against grass wet with dew, an intense pressure in my nose and crawling around the back of head, blood pooling down my chin. I took a moment to gather myself. The sky was still half dark and half-light, pink and orange streaks taking over pooling black. Across the street, Lili Marriot was standing with the town preacher’s severed head clumsily forced onto a make-shift pike.
The man's eyes were still open, wide with horror.
She wasn’t moving, her scarlet hands still grasping the weapon for dear life. I got to my feet slowly, ignoring my own blood spattered hands. I didn’t think about the woman I had murdered, or her husband, as I hopped onto a trashed bike which had been abandoned on the side of the road. It was still usable. Sure, it had bits of skin stuck in the wheels, but it would work.
I pushed myself into a smooth pace which was normal. It felt normal, like every other morning when Jun and I biked to school. Instead of taking in the apocalyptic landscape around me, I focused on the road and finding my friend.
That morning, I saw a mix.
I saw kids who were waking up and finding themselves painted in their victims. I saw them crying.
Screaming.
I saw one girl slice open her own throat over the corpse of her little brother.
But I was also seeing kids still entangled in their own undoing, still tearing Littlewood apart. Under the last splinters of night, I saw my classmates around me.
But I chose to be ignorant. I needed to find Jun and saving the town's people who had been brought to the brink of despair was the last thing on my mind. Still though, I watched.
I couldn’t help it. There was a sort of morbid curiosity inside me once I had been freed from the curse, and then watching the rest of my class still in its iron grip. The varsity boys dragged an old man by his neck down the road, chanting the school anthem. One of them was wearing someone’s skull which had been ripped of its flesh, the remnants of a bulging eye still glued inside the socket. They wore their football jerseys, and somehow that made them even more terrifying. They were the perfect depiction of Noah Sharpe. Gen Z version. Littlewood's golden boy turned psycho.
Eleven years later, it had taken them too.
“REDHAWKS!” Their war cries bled into the dull sunrise, stamping their feet to a beat only they could hear. The old man was struggling, his face beet red, prying wrinkly fingers attempting to tug the tough rope cinched around his limp neck. But they weren’t letting go, only laughing when he let out a pained cry, begging them to let him die, begging to let him asphyxiate.
“REDHAWKS!”
They ignored him, pulling his limp body across the road.
“REDHAWKS!”
STAMP.
STAMP.
STAMP.
“REDHAWKS!”
I could still hear their phantom yelling when I neared the scrapyard. Passing the diner, which was nothing but a blur of vivid orange, I saw a group of girl’s shrieking those horrific hyena laughs, diving into the flames and dancing in the smoke, entangling themselves in licking flames. Laughter twisted into screams and cries of agony mixed with a pleasure, a euphoria, I didn’t even think existed. I had felt it writhing in every soul which had bled inside me. The craving to die. When I squeezed the handlebars tighter, I felt something shift inside me once the stink of smoke had travelled into my nose and was choking the back of my throat.
Looking down at my palms, my skin had started to catch alight. No, I wasn’t seeing things. I could feel it, flames crawling up my arms, licking across my flesh and melting through my sweater sleeve.
I opened my mouth to cry out, and in the blink of an eye I was back inside that coffin-like tunnel drowning Tommy Nolan’s memory. He didn’t want me to see it, had pulled away before I could glimpse what exactly was in there. This time, though, it wasn’t Tommy Nolan strapped to a metal slab. It was me. I was closed in, suffocating on my own sobs, on curling smoke already dancing in the back of my mind. All I could see was fiery orange and red engulfing me, filling the tunnel. The thought hit me when my own body was writhing, dancing in vivid orange getting brighter and brighter, licking across my flesh in sharp rivulets, singing my hair from my scalp.
I was in an incinerator.
No… no not just me.
We.
Tommy Nolan, and the nameless girl’s whose screams had rattled my skull.
All of us.
We were in an incinerator.
The shock of the vision, as well as all of our pain entwining into one pulled me back to uncertain reality. I didn’t even realise I’d let go of the bike handlebars before I was crashing down on rough concrete, smacking my head on the curb. Stars exploded in the backs of my eyes. But the fire was gone. Like it had never fucking existed. Except I knew it did. It had in Tommy Nolan’s memory, as well as my future. An endless fire which had ripped away our flesh and sent us plunging into the dark. It made me wonder about that first memory. The girl tied to the tree in front of blurred orange. Was that how all of this had started?
Did I see the first glimpses of Littlewood’s curse? When I pushed the bike off of me and checked my arms and legs for burns or signs of smoulder, there was nothing there. Fuck. Whatever had taken over my mind and crawled into my brain wasn’t letting go, but I found myself hanging onto them. My head hit the ground and I stared at the sky, at red and orange clouds which almost resembled the end of the world.
The sky, just like the ground below, had been set alight. Maybe it was the end of the world, I thought.
Maybe Littlewood was really falling this time.
I don’t know how long I lay there trying to catch my breath, trying to force my maple syrup thoughts into fruition. I was trying to shake my head of possible concussion, dislodging my brain from the puddle of fog it had fallen into, when I heard running footsteps.
Bare feet slapping against gravel. I knew what this was. I’d heard it as a kid, an animal-like herd of kids which had congregated into their own tribe.
I had heard them running past my house every year, and each time I thought they would catch me. I thought they’d crawl through my window like Noah Sharpe and his gang. But this was my class.
These were the kids I had been going to school with for years. The sound of their whooping and laughter brought me out of it, just a little. Twisting to my side, I glimpsed them suddenly. White canisters. The ones I’d seen in the school, the ones I’d seen being put into the sprinkler system. They were everywhere, dotted across the road, turned over on their head and leaking that same colourless substance onto cement and into the air. I wondered if they had been purposely placed.
“Help me! Oh god, please help me!”
Just ahead of me, a woman in her thirties was sprinting. Her expression was wild with fright, dark hair flying behind her in a whirlwind. I recognised the look on her face. It was exactly what I’d felt a year prior when I escaped Tommy Nolan and his gang with an inch of my life. The girl caught my eye for a fleeting moment and it looked like she might have found solace in me. Her mouth opened in a silent plea, her trembling hands raising above her head.
Before she realised what I was.
I had been so focused on looking at her face, I’d failed to see the mess of startling red painting the front of her shirt. She was screaming, sobbing into the wind. There was something wrapped around her left wrist, the entrails of some poor souls guts fashioned into makeshift restraints. Twisting around, the girl dropped to her knees and buried her head in the ground. “Don’t!” she screamed. “Please! Don’t!”
She wasn’t running, I thought.
Why wasn’t she running?
When the hysterical girl started to crawl across the ground, they appeared like animals, like they had been staying back, teasing her with the hope of survival. There were eight of them. All of them carrying lead pipes. The look on their faces was feral. Blood stained grins and empty eyes only seeing prey—only seeing another victim they could tear apart. I started to get up, started to plan my escape which was just to run and never stop fucking running until I was away from them. When more war cries rang out. This time from the other side of the road. Two separate tribes of kids advancing towards her. The second group were faster, and I recognised a face enveloped in the disgusting stain of red which painted them.
Jun. He didn’t look like Jun anymore. I could hardly even see his face through a coating of red smearing his cheeks and eyes which he must have done himself.
War paint.
Wielding a long thread of wire wrapped around his left wrist and trailing on the ground, my best friend joined the mass of kids closing in on the girl. His eyes were vacant and dark, empty of anything human. It was Noah all over again, except this time I wasn’t a frightened six year old. I could stop it. I remember getting to my feet. Movement. Several heads whipped around. I’d already caught their attention but their gazes barely strayed on me before going back to the girl. With my attention on him, I moved towards him, taking my steps slowly. Another kid crawled out of their hiding place behind a dumpster. This time they looked younger.
I didn’t even want to guess how old.
When half of the kids jumped the little kid while the others took care of the girl, I forced my legs to keep going, keep moving. But I stopped when the woman dived to her feet and made a run for it, pushing herself into a sprint. I watched Jun pursue her like a lion chasing after a deer with an almost supernatural speed. While her steps were stumbled and clumsy, his were calculated. I couldn’t move when he dived onto her back and brought her to the ground, her face smacking against cement with a meaty smack. She squirmed, fighting to get away, but he was already forcing the metal wire into her throat, wrapping it around and around until her face was turning red, and then blue, her mouth opening and closing like a goldfish.
The wire sliced cleanly into her flesh and red began to swim from her, startling pooling red I will never forget which stained his hands. I knew what he was doing. Squeezing tighter. Jun’s weapon wasn’t to asphyxiate and strangle. It was a garotte. And his prize was progressively more inevitable the more he forced the cutting wire through layers of skin until it met bone. “Jun!” I was yelling his name before I knew what I was doing. I don’t know how I got to him without breaking down, but when my face was buried into his back and I was sobbing his name, everything felt…. Right. Even if it was just for a little while. Because, like a fairy-tale narrating the clock striking twelve and a magic spell wearing off, a dazzling sunrise broke through the clouds as dawn hit, and the woman’s gurgling stopped. Just like the jerking movements of Jun’s hands as they struggled to cut through bone.
I watched him blink himself awake through my own tears. Swiping at his eyes, my best friend stared down at his scarlet hands, and then grasping at his own face, running filthy fingers down his cheeks, as if he could tear his own flesh off of the bone.
I wasn’t paying attention to Jun as he fully came to. I was staring at a little girl who had walked out of her house clutching a stuffed teddy bear and seeing the body of her mother on the ground. A numbness started to take over me, a heavy weight on my chest. I remember his warm arms were suddenly around me, and they were tight, so tight, almost suffocating the breath from my lungs. Jun’s body felt strange against mine, a trembling, rattling mass as he let out a gut lurching cry into my shoulder.
I had never heard him scream before. Jun had always hidden behind a bright smile which had finally crumbled under the curse.
“Did I…”
His words collapsed into a sob.
“Did I… do this?"
The metal wire was still attached to him, coiled around his wrist.
It marked him as a member of that tribe.
“No.” I whispered into the damp material of his shirt. "No, none of this was you."
He laughed, sputtering on a sob.
“You’re okay.” I said. “You’re okay. Just breathe."
An icy shiver ripped its way down my spine when his lips found my ear. “Do you… really want to outrun the asteroid?” He whispered, choking on a hysterical laugh. “Do you think we are worthy, Bee?” His tone darkened. “Is our suffering worthy?”
I shook off that comment for a moment, focusing on him. "You texted me." I said in a hiss. "How were you awake?"
Awareness bled into his expression, followed by confusion. "I… did?"
As if on cue, footsteps startled me, and Jun’s phone hit the ground in front of us followed by the curve of a heel splintering the screen. When I looked up, Ms Hawkins, our drama teacher, was looming over us holding a gun. It didn’t look like the usual gun I saw my neighbours use on wildlife. This one had a red coloured butt and fit perfectly into her hand. She shot Jun first. The bullet hit his arm and he sent me a helpless look, his hand going to the tiny dart stuck into his lower elbow, before dropping to the ground. The teacher kicked Jun onto his side, before twisting and pointing the gun between my brows.
I remember her pulling the trigger, but it wasn’t just aimed at me. It was aimed at every other soul which had entangled itself with me. Noah, his class, and the ones before hiThis had happened to every year prior to us—and I had a sickening feeling I knew what was coming next. I woke to a nauseating feeling of movement to find my head uncomfortably pressed against a bus window. Outside, a long stretch of dead road leading to nowhere. There were no signs, no civilization. Nothing.
It took me a disorienting moment to figure out I was on a school bus. The same school bus I had seen in thousands of other memories. Next to me, Jun poked me in the shoulder. He was awake and seemed with-it enough to talk.
Though there was a strange smile on his face which was twisting my gut. I turned around to face him and blinked rapidly, because my friend’s face morphed and blurred, twisting into hundreds of others. First, girls and boys in strange clothing like they were from the dark ages, and the distant sound of horseback—a carriage being dragged. I could smell wildflowers mixed with the stink of rot and excrement, hear the sound of birds and chains rattling around jiggling wrists. Then I was seeing strangers, each of them bearing clothes from different eras. I saw Tommy Nolan, and then Chrissy Lackey. Robin Chase.
Faces from previous years.
All blood spattered. All wide eyed, a haunting, hollow look on their faces.
Until Noah. Until I saw his face twisted with anger and pain and frustration. His hands went to his hair in a silent cry, and he was slamming bloodied fists into his temples.
Over and over again.
“Fuck!” He gritted out.
“Get me off this bus! I don’t want to be here... I want to go home. I want to go back! Can't you see this is shady? Where are they taking us?"
“Hey! Hey, calm down!”
The voice was Poppy. Her shriek echoed in my brain, as the bus they were on collapsed into panic and Noah was diving from his seat, before being grabbed and restrained by guards, and shoved back next to Poppy. I felt her gentle hand on his shoulder. Poppy’s arms were around him, and Noah was relaxing into her embrace.
“We’re going to the Halfway House, Noah.”
Her soothing murmur inside my head was cut short when I sensed the coffin-like tunnel once again.
Flames.
Getting closer and closer.
And his screams.
Ringing so loud in my head, horrifying wails of agony cracking my skull open.
I felt my own clammy palms press against my ears, the force of his cry becoming my own.
“Bee?”
I was sweating and shaking, choking on stale vomit in my mouth, when Jun waved a wary hand in front of my face, and I found reality once again.
When my gaze found his, Jun had that smile again. He sat back with a sigh, pressing his head against the seat. “You got it, huh?” He chuckled. “Damn, I wish I did. I really wanted to be chosen."
I found my breath, swallowing whatever the fuck I'd eaten in the last twelve hours. “Got what?”
He shrugged. “Do you remember when I asked you if you would give your life to destroy an asteroid?”
I had to think back to that conversation which didn’t seem relevant until now. “Jun—”
He cut me off, his smile fading a little. “I really did want to see my dad,” he whispered. As he spoke, I found my gaze wandering and finding our classmates who were either asleep or staring into an oblivion only they could see. Jun sighed. “I imagined all of these scenarios in my head. That we would all come to the halfway house and heal and get better like all the other kids before us, and I’d jump on a plane and go and visit dad.” I noticed his hands were trembling in his lap. “But I’m a fucking idiot. I'm naïve.” He turned to me. “We’re just kids, right? What do we know?"
I was losing my patience with his cryptic words. “What are you talking about?”
“I was kidnapped like you,” He said softly. “Last year, the night of the Teen Purge. I never told you about it, because I didn't want there to be a time when I would have to," Jun pulled a face. "I forgot to close our gate so I rushed out to lock it up before I brought attention to our house. But I was too late. They were waiting for me outside. The bastards knocked me out with a bat, and I woke up on the roof of the school.” He dug his hands in his lap, choking out a hiss.
“I was the only one left, Bee. When I woke up, I was staring at the people she had pushed to their deaths. My hands were tied behind my back so I couldn’t move, or try to get away and this girl…” He trailed off, his gaze going to a stray raindrop on the window, “this girl was dangling me over the edge. Like I was bait over a shark tank. It was fucking freezing and I was only in my pyjamas, and I remember wondering if I was actually going to die.” The bus went over a bump, and I grabbed onto his hand, squeezing it as tight as I could. “I waited for it,” Jun whispered. “I waited for her to kill me, but she wrenched me back. And her eyes... her eyes were pitch black. Hollow.” His eyes filled with tears. “She was smiling. Smiling like it would thrill her to watch me fall like the ones before me. And she would have no fucking mercy.”
As if his words were a narration, I was seeing the vision for myself, like somewhere inside my head, the girl lingered. I could see it. I could see pooling darkness, a long way down. Jun, his arms tied behind his back, a single strip of duct tape over his mouth— while arms were wrapped around his waist, dangling him teasingly as he twisted and struggled in her arms.
Like I was seeing it through her POV, I glimpsed tangled blonde curls in front of my face, a carving knife slick red clenched in my fist. She held him tight, squeezing the breath from him.
“Long way down, huh?” Her voice was a cackle clanging in my skull.
“Mmpphh!”
I could see his wide eyes, petrified as she pushed him closer and closer to the edge.
Jun continued in a low murmur. “But… this girl didn’t push me. She didn't kill me. Instead, she… she pulled me close. I could… I could smell her rotting breath. But through all the black, whatever had possessed her... I could see that there was still something there. It was weak, but still alive. Before I knew it, I was on my knees and she was in front of me like she could see right through me. Like she could reach into my head and pull out every memory I've ever had." His voice trembled. "She asked me a question. And I’ll never forget it, Bee. Because it was what changed my way of thinking. Instead of being scared to die, I felt like I could finally embrace it.”
His words sent my gut galloping into my throat.
I saw it. I saw her yanking him back onto his knees and pulling him close.
"Jun Sato," Her voice from the memory echoed in my mind. "Would you like to hear something cool?"
“What?” I whispered presently, shaking away the vision. The girl was insistent on shoving her memory onto me.
Jun’s eyes found mine, and for the first time in the 17 years of the Teen Purge, I saw the Wonderland Smile in broad daylight. I saw insanity brewing in eyes which had been darkened far before Littlewood’s curse had snatched his mind.
It had been hours since the curse had let us go, and there it was, splitting my best friend’s mouth apart into a cheshire cat grin. It was exactly what I’d seen on Noah Sharpe’s face before he sliced my mother’s throat open and gutted her. But while Noah's expression had been a blank slate, a monster, I only saw tragic hope lighting up my best friend's eyes. But it wasn’t real hope. Real hope was wanting to survive. It was forcing yourself to keep going no matter what. What I saw was that craving I’d felt when I’d woken up covered in blood, the one emitting from every voice inside my head.
The overwhelming pleasure which came with the thought of dying—giving yourself up.
"She asked me if I wanted to save the world.” He said, his eyes twinkling. “How cool is that?”
I was losing him.
“What did you say?” I asked stiffly.
He smiled. “I said yes. What else could I say? She got this weird look on her face, this smile, which was both maniacal and yet unbelievably sad, it made me feel like I would feel it too. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.” Jun turned towards the window, this time, like he was refusing to admit it to my face. “She told me I will. Just like her, and the kids before her. That’s what the siren inside her head said. At that point I hoped I’d be able to save the world, and then visit my dad. I really thought it was as easy as that.” His lips twisted, eyes lighting up.
“But… then I understood what she meant. I finally understood, and I wasn’t scared anymore. How could I fear my own fate? She didn’t mean me saving the world, Bee. She meant me, and you, all of us in the past and present and future giving our lives for seven billion others. The world."
I had to stop myself from slapping him across the face. He was really choosing now to go off the deep end?
Whatever this girl had fed him was her own personal idea of death, which sounded like rainbows and cotton candy.
Jun turned to me with almost cartoon-like eyes.
“You can hear them,” he murmured. “the girl had that exact same look in her eyes.”
Swallowing hard, I fought to breathe. “What do you mean?”
“Haunted.” Jun said. “They’re telling you exactly what happened to them, and you can’t stop it. You want to pull them out of your head, but you can’t. They’re like a parasite taking over. They keep singing and you're ignoring them. But you need to listen. She told me to listen. If I was chosen."
I didn’t reply.
“Can you tell me?” His voice was small. “How does this end?"
Lying on a metal slab and staring at pooling black while flames licked across my flesh and set my hair alight, my body smouldering. Burning bright. That was how it was going to end. Like Noah and every year before us, we were going to burn.
And it made sense… right? Why wouldn’t a town permanently get rid of their youth tainted by a curse?
But it still felt like I was missing something.
And that something was getting closer as we approached the Halfway House.
"Bee?" Jun murmured. "Are you okay?"
Instead of responding, I pressed my face into his shoulder and squeezed my eyes shut. But closing my eyes was somehow worse. Like I was giving in to this supposed fate. Blinking them open, I turned to the window. Outside, Fall was taking over nature, and for the first time in a while I took a moment to take it in, breathing in the smell of wet mildew and crushed leaves drifting through the window and marvelling beautiful decay.
It's crazy how much you start to notice about the world around you when you know your time is running out. I don't think I'll ever look at a tree the same again. Jun was staring forwards, his eyes vacant, a small curl of a smile on his lips. I didn't trust it was his. Whoever this girl was had buried her way into my friend's mind, sending him into a trace. When I shoved him, Jun still turned to me and blinked, and it was still him. I had no doubt about that.
But it almost felt like he was looking through me, and what was inside my head.
Some psycho bitch had fucked with his head, and my first priority was snapping him out of it and bringing him back down to earth. Whether he liked it or not. In my cotton candy thoughts still half asleep from the tranquilliser, though, I was slowly conducting a plan to get the fuck out of there.

Good Evening fellow lovers of sharp and shiny objects. Feast your eyes on my wares and behold your next blade!
Timestamp and vids

• Heretic Cleric II - Magnacut - C Rating - at least second owner and has some scuff and dings. It’s a great OTF and carries much better than you would think for a big blade. The long slender profile is awesome in the pocket and for opening boxes. $325
  
• Heretic Manticore E Nightcrawler - Magnacut - A+ Rating - Brand new from SMKW in a beautiful blue camo carbon fiber. I keep trying OTFs but nothing is beating my Recon 35. $325
  
• Boos Hound - M390 - B+ Rating - for being third owner. Looks basically new to me, but assume it was carried a couple of times. The action is unreal for a knife this light. A true guillotine in the best way. $135
  
• Matsey Basilisk - M390 - A Rating - Brand new got it from Urban EDC Supply to check out and its just not for me. Good action and I love the seigaiha engraved handle. Save some money and grab it here $325
  
• NCC BBM V2 - B Rating - Just an incredible knife. One of my favorites, but just got a different configuration that I prefer and wanted to move this one along. Some wear on the pocket clip but overall in good shape. Amazing action and sharp edge. The color can change from silver to a bluish grey in the right light. $725
  
• Luft Avant (AVNT) - M390 - A+ Rating - Brand new never used or carried. Flipped some on the couch. This EKnives exclusive is the best version yet (imo) the Zircuti and titanium looks great. $365
  
• WE Skreech - 20CV - Brand new. Never used or carried. Great ergos, but I wanted the flamed one and should have gotten it instead. $120
  
• Cold Steel Engage - 4116 - A Rating - I think I carried it at most once. ITs a great knife just a bit smaller than my taste. I plan to get the larger one so I’m moving this one along. $35
  
• Kershaw Highball XL - D2 - A Rating - Brand new never used. I liked the original Highball add wanted to check it out. I just prefer the baby brother more. $45
  
• Kershaw Tumbler - D2 - A- Rating - Carried once. Only complaint is the pocket clip is tight, but that’s an easy fix. Also a Sinkevich design on KVT bearings. This SMKW exclusive is an ergonomic dream. $35
  
• Kershaw Natrix - 8CR - A+ Rating - Brand new never carried. Just picked it up to check out and its a good design but just isn’t going to see any pocket time. $20 ADD ON ONLY
  
• CJRB Large Feldspar - D2 - A+ Rating - Brand new never used or carried. Just not for me. $30
  
• Spyderco Endela - VG-10 - A+ Rating - Brand new never used or carried. Got it in a DLT mystery box and don’t need another one. $70
  
• Buck 110 Folding Hunter LT - 420HC - A+ Rating - Brand new just like the Endela and also in the DLT Mystery box. $20 ADD ON ONLY
  

No trades at this time. If I’m off on the price make me an offer. Discount for bundles huge discount to take them all!
Normal rules apply:
YOLO takes priority
Paypal FF/Venmo FF
Shipping included to US.
Questions? Chat strongly preferred over PMs

(Sorry for my bad English)
I thought Imma therian but someone on reddit said I might be actually otherhearted. Another person told me what it is. I felt like its me! Then I read more about being otherhearted. I knew its me. I understood my shifts. It felt nice. But now Im not sure. I mean I feel that strong connection. Cats (cause its my kith type (I think I spelled it right lol)) trust me. I usually undertand what they want. While writing this I was thinking about my dreams. They may help I think. So Long time ago I had a dream. There was a cat. I mean stray cat. I felt connection with her. Also it felt like she was leading me somewhere. She "showed" me a village. I stayed there. The whole time she was so scared. She hid somewhere. I could still see her. But then I woke up. Another one It all was happening from third person and sometimes from that cats pov I think. She was able to run so fast. People always tells me I run so fast. There was also some kind of a "monster". It had the same exact color pallete as a girl from my other dreams. She usually appeared in the mirror or in front of me. Shes litteraly some kind of mirror. Maybe thats why Im terifed by mirrors lol. Anyway. She was like chasing that cat. Ew. Then that cat somehow lost her. She was walking around my city. She come onto my cousin with his daughter. They were reffering to her as they refer to me. That part was also from cats pov. That cat is called Lyre I think. I can feel it. In all of my dreams. Even now. I had a dream where I was in a shop. There was a beautiful white and golden lyre on a shelf. I wanted to buy it. But I couldnt reach that shelf. And the more I tried the highter it was. Idk what to think about it. In my dreams about Lyre there r sometimes my family members. They all talk to her like they would talk to me. I feel like Im switching between 'being her' and feeling strong connection with her. Idk what should I think. I shift so often But its normal for both therians and otherhearted folks.
Thanks for reading lol

No further spoilers please, but this has been bugging me to no end. Rory is making this series unbearable for me right now. I’m now in season 5 and her having an affair with Dean drives me so fucking crazy. Did I want them to eventually come back to each other and get the closure they needed? Yes. Do I like Dean’s wife? Not particularly. But did she deserve all that? Hell no. I get nobody is perfect but the fact that this is still carrying on when they’re clearly not good together is driving me nuts. I cringe anytime they’re in public together because now they’ve tarnished their relationship for good. I have pretty good instincts that it’s not going to last but god this girl needs to get a clue.

In all honesty this is my favorite scream since the original. The kills were crazy the twist crazier.
Now for the spoiler portion:
The revenge plot of this movie was great and trio of villains was insane (fucking loved it) and seeing gale die? Was so fucking brutal, the return of Kirby was awesome. I loved both romantic sub plots they were handled great.
9.5/10