Helvark the Zartani aimed the colt M40 carbine across the flower filled valleys beyond the city. Following Bobby and Brianna's advice, he slowly let out the breath in his lungs as he lined the primitive iron sights up.
Then he squeezed the trigger.
The rifle recoiled gently into Helvark's shoulder as the .25 caliber HEP projectile clanged off the titanium torso silhouette a hundred meters away. Dead on, center mass, the alloy the projectile has been made of was splattered across it's surface.
The taller than average Brianna whooped and slapped Helvark's shoulder in congratulations.
"You're getting the hang of this new guy. You handle the old Morty pretty damn well for a lizard!"
Helvark smiled as he squeezed off a few more shots. the new, custom fit active hearing protection he'd been given muffled the rifle's sharp report as the titanium plate shook from another half dozen impacts. Helvark smiled, the sharp tang of spent high explosives like an addictive drug as took a deep breath from the rifles locked open bolt.
The two humans exchanged a look of pride as the newcomer calmly inserted another thirty round magazine and went to town on the plate.
"I think Helvark's gonna fit right in here. I'm glad you introduced him to the local traditions."
Brianna chuckled as she nudged Bobby in the ribs, she may have been five foot ten but she looked like a child next to her lover.
The giant laughed softly in agreeance, watching his little protegé huff the fumes from the burnt high explosives again. Before setting the rifle down on the cargo bed of Bobby's All terrain vehicle.
"Mr lizard is our people, even if he has scales."
Brianna chuckled at her giant boyfriend's nickname for the Zartani.
The two continued to watch as Helvark drew the Block 9mm he'd originally wanted to buy. Snapping a few quick shots to bust some orange ceramic discs placed intermittently around the field. Roughly every other disk shattered as Helvark improved his aim. When the small pistol's slide locked back, Bobby stepped up to the firing line. C150 broom handle held steadily in one hand.
Helvark flinched in awe as the monstrously sized pistol spit fire and ejected a .50 BMG casing high into the air. The titanium plate downrange sung as the tungsten penetrator ripped straight through it like a knife through milk.
In anyone else's hands, that pistol would be a small artillery piece. In Bobby's hand? It looked like a slightly larger than average pistol. He'd let helvark fire it once from the hip that morning.
That was when Helvark learned he could fly short distances with recoil.
Bobby shot Helvark a grin as he holstered the small cannon on his hip. Helvark smiled back, the human still scared him slightly, but he felt it was wise to fear someone who could throw you like a petulant pebble.
"So, you said something about the 'lidoffad Caber toss festival'? Is it possible for us to go? I.. I was a chemist back home."
Helvark asked the two humans, excitement visible on his scaled face. A challenge burned in his eyes.
Bobby just nodded.
"The grounds are a few hours away, we should get going. Festival starts at sundown."
...
As the sun fell on Lidoffad, the festival grounds lit up with massive floodlights. Dozens up dozens of species intermingled, many that were missing fingers and limbs sported armored prosthetics. Aliens rubbed shoulders with their human comrades as they manufactured the explosives for their metal Cabers.
One group was a single, lone Zartani, madly grinning as the waxy liquid fuel dripped from the condenser tube. With the fuel collecting in a round bottom flask with a hotplate set to low, Helvark mixed red iron oxide with a locally sourced nitrate powder. Stirring the two oxidizers together so they were homogeneous, Helvark picked up the round bottom flask. The liquid fuel inside now a milky white color while also being thin and oily. He slowly poured the liquid fuel into the oxidizers, mixing carefully until he had a firm, grey ball of putty the size of a basketball. Picking up the bowl, the Zartani hummed as he took it over to the charge pack for his Caber.
With smooth, gentle motions, Helvark added the last few kilograms of explosives and called over the loaders. His eyes falling onto the tapered metal poles magnetically suspended above their launch chutes a few hundred yards away. Massive, shielded floodlights illuminating their gleaming surfaces. Surprisingly, helvark was the first done and thus, first up for launch.
He smiled and watched as the several hundred kilogram charge was loaded onto a trawler and hauled off to the Cabers. He watched giddily as the small silhouettes of the humans loaded his charge into a Caber and lowered it into the chute. The two humans then quickly retreated to an underground bunker a hundred yards from the launch site.
A siren sounded and both chemists and spectators looked up as the host of the event, a Mousian named Frank, handed Helvark the detonator.
Smiling and bowing to the small crowd of spectators, Helvark clicked the detonator. The earth rumbled slightly as the tube flashed, a streak of silver visible only for a split second before it disappeared above the clouds.
...
Commander Sharva of the infantile New Geknosian government dropped out of warp above the flower covered planet, ready to rain hellfire on the human stronghold. Commander Sharva stood in front of the viewing port, readying his speech as his comms officer hacked into their communications network.
Just as he was about to start speaking, his sensor technician yelped.
"Sir there's an object-"
Helvark's Caber pierced through the observation glass, the commander, the armored bridge door and sailed down the central hallway into the ship's open reactor room door.
...
The Caber festival audience oohed and aahed as a new sun backlit the clouds for a few seconds before fading away.
Helvark just looked upwards incredulously before an audience member began cackling loudly before projecting a holographic screen for everyone to see. It showed a Geknosian commander from the back, posturing for a speech when he suddenly looked very concerned. Not long after, a twenty foot long metal pole ripped through the ship. Dr. Frank N Stein slapped Helvark's back before raising the microphone to his mouth.
"You know the rules, and so do I! Taking out a hostile ship is an automatic victory. This month's champion. HELVARK THE FOREIGNER!"
Helvark was not prepared for the crowd and fellow competitors to suddenly rush him. Fearing the worst, he closed his eyes and and covered his face.
He was not ready to be lifted onto the shoulders of about a hundred locals. He bewilderdly opened his eyes and looked around, finally catching the words the were cheering.
"INVADER!"
"SLAYER"
Helvark blushed, Heart pounding with excitement as he joined in on the chant to raucous cheers. However he had a feeling the strong scent of alcohol on the crowd had something to do with the over the top celebration. Eventually he was sat down on a massive metal throne on the roof of an all terrain vehicle and handed a metal mug of frothy beer.
He was about to refuse the drink as it was illegal to drink alcohol on his planet. Then a thought struck him.
I'm on Fucking Lidoffad not Zartania!
The Zartani raised the mug to his lips and drained the strong, bittersweet beer with a grin.

Airtimes EST
THU JUN 01
(1:30AM) The Girl Who Had Everything (1953/1h 9m/Drama/Richard Thorpe)
(2:45AM) It's a Big Country: An American Anthology (1952/1h 29m/Drama/Clarence Brown)
(4:30AM) Alias a Gentleman (1948/1h 16m/Comedy/Harry Beaumont)
(6:00AM) Showgirl in Hollywood (1930/1h 20m/Musical/Mervyn Le Roy)
(7:30AM) Bright Lights (1931/1h 9m/Musical/Michael Curtiz)
(8:45AM) Cain and Mabel (1936/1h 30m/Romance/Lloyd Bacon)
(10:30AM) Marked Woman (1937/1h 36m/Drama/Lloyd Bacon)
(12:15PM) Ziegfeld Girl (1941/2h 11m/Musical/Robert Z. Leonard)
(2:45PM) The Prince and the Showgirl (1957/1h 57m/Comedy/Laurence Olivier)
(4:45PM) Party Girl (1958/1h 39m/Crime/Nicholas Ray)
(6:30PM) Viva Las Vegas (1964/1h 26m/Musical/George Sidney)
(8:00PM) Bringing Up Baby (1938/1h 42m/Comedy/Howard Hawk)
(10:00PM) Break of Hearts (1935/1h 20m/Romance/Philip Moeller)
(11:30PM) Sylvia Scarlett (1935/1h 37m/Romance/George Cukor)
FRI JUN 02
(1:15AM) Mary of Scotland (1936/2h 3m/Romance/John Ford)
(3:30AM) Quality Street (1937/1h 24m/Comedy/George Stevens)
(5:00AM) Christopher Strong (1933/1h 17m/Romance/Dorothy Arzner)
(6:30AM) The Little Minister (1934/1h 50m/Romance/Richard Wallace)
(8:30AM) Spitfire (1934/1h 28m/Drama/John Cromwell)
(10:00AM) Blood on the Moon (1948/1h 28m/Western/Robert Wise)
(11:30AM) The Good Guys and the Bad Guys (1969/1h 31m/Comedy/Burt Kennedy)
(1:15PM) Desire Me (1947/1h 31m/Romance/George Cukor)
(3:00PM) Holiday Affair (1949/1h 27m/Romance/Don Hartman)
(4:30PM) Angel Face (1953/1h 31m/Crime/Otto Preminger)
(6:15PM) Out of the Past (1947/1h 37m/Film-NoiJacques Tourneur)
(8:00PM) She Done Him Wrong (1933/1h 6m/Comedy/Lowell Sherman)
(9:30PM) The Gang's All Here (1943/1h 43m/Musical/Busby Berkeley)
(11:30PM) The Importance Of Being Earnest (1952/1h 35m/Comedy/Anthony Asquith)
SAT JUN 03
(1:15AM) Pillow Talk (1959/1h 45m/Comedy/Michael Gordon)
(3:15AM) Auntie Mame (1958/2h 23m/Comedy//Morton DaCosta)
(5:45AM) The Women (1939/2h 12m/Comedy/George Cukor)
(8:00AM) MGM CARTOONS: The Homeless Flea (1940/0h 7m/Animation/Rudolf Ising)
(8:09AM) One Against the World (1939/0h 10m/Short/Fred Zinnemann)
(8:21AM) Zeeland "The Hidden Paradise" (1935/0h 6m/Short/Ruth Fitzpatrick)
(8:29AM) The Big Noise (1936/57m/Drama/Frank Mcdonald)
(9:30AM) The BATMAN: The Executioner Strikes (1943/0h 15m/Serial/Lambert Hillyer)
(10:00AM) POPEYE: Hill-Billing and Cooing (1956/0h 6m/Animation/Seymour Kneitel)
(10:08AM) Calling Philo Vance (1939/1h 2m/Suspense/William Clemens)
(11:30AM) Main Street Today (1944/0h 19m/Short/Edward L. Cahn)
(12:00PM) ABBA: The Movie (1977/1h 34m/Documentary/?)
(1:45PM) Hoosiers (1986/1h 55m/Drama/David Anspaugh)
(4:00PM) Angels in the Outfield (1951/1h 42m/Drama/Clarence Brown)
(6:00PM) Strangers on a Train (1951/1h 36m/Suspense/Alfred Hitchcock)
(8:00PM) The Black Shield of Falworth (1954/1h 39m/Adventure/)
(10:00PM) The Great Impostor (1960/1h 52m/Adaptation/Robert Mulligan)
SUN JUN 04
(12:00AM) Between Midnight and Dawn (1950/1h 29m/Film-NoiGordon Douglas)
(2:00AM) Swing Shift (1984/1h 40m/Romance/Jonathan Demme)
(4:00AM) Protocol (1984/1h 36m/Comedy/Herbert Ross)
(6:00AM) Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960/1h 30m/Drama/Karel Reisz)
(7:45AM) The Loved One (1965/1h 56m/Comedy/Tony Richardson)
(10:00AM) Between Midnight and Dawn (1950/1h 29m/Film-NoiGordon Douglas)
(12:00PM) Born Yesterday (1950/1h 43m/Comedy/George Cukor)
(2:00PM) The Mating Game (1959/1h 37m/Comedy/George Marshall)
(3:45PM) Sex and the Single Girl (1964/1h 54m/Comedy/Richard Quine)
(5:45PM) A Chorus Line (1985/1h 53m/Musical/Richard Attenborough)
(8:00PM) Blazing Saddles (1974/1h 33m/Western/Mel Brooks)
(10:00PM) Along Came Jones (1945/1h 30m/Western/Stuart Heisler)
MON JUN 05
(12:00AM) The Blackbird (1926/1h 26m/Tod Browning)
(2:00AM) Before the Rain (1994/1h 55m/WaMilcho Manchevski)
(4:00AM) Three Colors: White (1994/1h 30m/Drama/Krzysztof Kieslowski)
(6:00AM) June Bride (1948/1h 37m/Romance/Bretaigne Windust)
(8:00AM) Royal Wedding (1951/1h 33m/Musical/Stanley Donen)
(10:00AM) Father of the Bride (1950/1h 33m/Comedy/Vincente Minnelli)
(12:00PM) Double Wedding (1937/1h 27m/Comedy/Richard Thorpe)
(2:00PM) The Bride Came C.O.D. (1941/1h 32m/Comedy/William Keighley)
(4:00PM) Father of the Bride (1991/1h 45m/Comedy/Charles Shyer)
(6:00PM) High Society (1956/1h 47m/Musical/Charles Walters)
(8:00PM) High Sierra (1941/1h 40m/Crime/Raoul Walsh)
(10:00PM) Colorado Territory (1949/1h 34m/Western/Raoul Walsh)
TUE JUN 06
(12:00AM) The Women (1939/2h 12m/Comedy/George Cukor)
(2:15AM) The Opposite Sex (1956/1h 57m/Musical/David Miller)
(4:15AM) The Bride Goes Wild (1948/1h 38m/Comedy/Norman Taurog)
(6:00AM) The Private Life of Don Juan (1934/1h 26m/Alexander Korda)
(7:30AM) The Life Of Jimmy Dolan (1933/1h 10m/Archie Mayo)
(9:00AM) The Mad Miss Manton (1938)1h 5m/Mystery/Leigh Jason)
(10:30AM) In the Cool of the Day (1963/1h 29m/Robert Stevens)
(12:00PM) The Bad and the Beautiful (1952/1h 58m/Drama/Vincente Minnelli)
(2:00PM) Coma (1978/1h 53m/HorroMichael Crichton)
(4:00PM) The Clock (1945/1h 30m/Romance/Vincente Minnelli)
(5:45PM) Cabaret (1972/2h 4m/Musical/Bob Fosse)
(8:00PM) Singin' in the Rain (1952/1h 43m/Musical/Gene Kelly)
(10:00PM) A Star Is Born (1954/2h 56m/Musical/George Cukor)
WED JUN 07
(1:15AM) A Star Is Born (1937/1h 51m/Romance/William A. Wellman)
(3:15AM) What Price Hollywood? (1932/1h 28m/Drama/George Cukor)
(5:00AM) Show People (1928/1h 23m/Silent/King Vidor)
(6:30AM) Souls for Sale (1923/1h 30m/Rupert Hughes)
(8:15AM) Hell Below (1933/1h 45m/WaJack Conway)
(10:00AM) The Navy Comes Through (1942/1h 22m/WaA. Edward Sutherland)
(11:30AM) Sealed Cargo (1951/1h 29m/Adventure/Alfred Werker)
(1:00PM) Torpedo Run (1958/1h 38m/Joseph Pevney)
(2:45PM) Submarine D-1 (1937/1h 40m/Drama/Lloyd Bacon)
(4:30PM) Battle of the Coral Sea (1959/1h 20m/WaPaul Wendkos)
(6:00PM) Around the World Under the Sea (1965/1h 57m/HorroAndrew Marton)
(8:00PM) Film: The Living Record of Our Memory (2021/2h 0m/Documentary/Inés Toharia Terán)
(10:15PM) The Invention of Cinema: The First Colors of… (2022/Documentary)
(11:30PM) The Invention of Cinema: Cinema Finds its Voice (2022/Documentary)
THU JUN 08
(12:45AM) Going Attractions: The Definitive Story of the Movie Palace (2019/1h 24m/Documentary/April Wright)
(2:30AM) Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema (Episode 01) (2019/Documentary/Mark Cousins)
(3:45AM) Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema (Episode 02) (2019/Documentary/Mark Cousins)
(5:00AM) Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema (Episode 03) (2019/Documentary/Mark Cousins)
(6:15AM) Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema (Episode 04) (2019/Documentary/Mark Cousins)
(7:30AM) Image Makers: The Adventures of America's Pioneer Cinematographers (2019/1h 31m/Documentary/Daniel Raim)
(9:30AM) This is Francis X. Bushman (2021/1h 0m/Documentary/Lon Davis)
(10:45AM) The Doughgirls (1944/1h 42m/Comedy/James V. Kern)
(12:30PM) Split Second (1953/1h 25m/Suspense/Dick Powell)
(2:00PM) The Young Philadelphians (1959/2h 16m/Drama/Vincent Sherman)
(4:30PM) The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945/1h 20m/Comedy/Raoul Walsh)
(6:00PM) The Constant Nymph (1943/1h 52m/Romance/Edmund Goulding)
(10:30PM) Suddenly, Last Summer (1960/1h 54m/Drama/Joseph L. Mankiewicz)
FRI JUN 09
(12:45AM) The Philadelphia Story (1940/1h 51m/Comedy/George Cukor)
(3:00AM) Woman of the Year (1942/1h 52m/Comedy//George Stevens)
(5:00AM) Alice Adams (1935/1h 40m/Comedy/George Stevens)
(7:00AM) Enchanted Island (1958/1h 33m/Drama/Allan Dwan)
(8:45AM) The Great Heart (1938/0h 10m/Short/David Miller)
(9:00AM) Palm Springs Weekend (1963/1h 40m/Comedy/Norman Taurog)
(10:45AM) Having a Wild Weekend (1965/1h 31m/Musical/John Boorman)
(12:30PM) Don't Make Waves (1967/1h 37m/Comedy/Alexander Mackendrick)
(2:15PM) Lord of the Flies (1963/1h 30m/Drama/Peter Brook)
(4:00PM) Kona Coast (1968/1h 32m/Suspense/Lamont Johnson)
(5:45PM) The Last Of Sheila (1973/2h 0h/Suspense/Herbert Ross)
(8:00PM) Written on the Wind (1957/1h 32m/Drama/Douglas Sirk)
(9:45PM) Valley of the Dolls (1967/2h 2m/Drama/Mark Robson)
SAT JUN 10
(12:00AM) Love Has Many Faces (1965/1h 45m/Romance/Alexander Singer)
(2:00AM) Queen Bee (1955/1h 35m/Drama/Ranald Macdougall)
(3:45AM) The Bad Seed (1956/2h 9m/Suspense/Mervyn Leroy)
(6:00AM) Two Weeks in Another Town (1962/1h 47m/Drama/Vincente Minnelli)
(8:00AM) MGM CARTOONS: Innertube Antics (1944/0h 7m/Animation/George Gordon)
(8:09AM) New Roadways (1939/0h 9m/Short/Basil Wrangell)
(8:20AM) St. Helena and its "Man of Destiny" (1936/0h 7m/Short/?)
(8:29AM) The Adventures of Jane Arden (1939/0h 58m/Crime/Terry Morse)
(9:30AM) THE BATMAN: The Doom of the Rising Sun) 1943/0h 20m/Serial/Lambert Hillyer)
(10:00AM) POPEYE: Popeye for President (1956/0h 6m/Animation/Seymour Kneitel)
(10:08AM) The Dragon Murder Case (1934/1h 8m/Mystery/H. Bruce Humberstone)
(11:30AM) Know Your Money (1940/0h 21m/Short/Joe Newman)
(12:00PM) The Merry Widow (1934/1h 39m/Musical/Ernst Lubitsch)
(1:45PM) Adam's Rib (1949/1h 41m/Comedy/George Cukor)
(3:45PM) Kings Row (1942/2h 7m/Drama/Sam Wood)
(6:00PM) The Cincinnati Kid (1965/1h 53m/Drama/Norman Jewison)
(8:00PM) Gilda Live (1980/1h 30m/Comedy/Mike Nichols)
(9:45PM) Valerie (2019/0h 36m/Documentary/Stacey Souther)
(10:30PM) Lenny (1974/1h 51m/Adaptation/Bob Fosse)
SUN JUN 11
(12:30AM) The Verdict (1946/1h 26m/Film-NoiDon Siegel)
(2:30AM) A Hard Day's Night (1964/1h 32m/Musical//Richard Lester)
(4:15AM) Viva Las Vegas (1964/1h 26m/Musical/George Sidney)
(6:00AM) The Cool Ones (1967/1h 38m/Musical/Gene Nelson)
(8:00AM) I Love You, Alice B. Toklas! (1968/1h 34m/Comedy/Hy Averback)
(10:00AM) The Verdict (1946/1h 26m/Film-NoiDon Siegel)
(11:45AM) Wait Until Dark (1967/1h 48m/Suspense/Terence Young)
(1:45PM) The Catered Affair (1956/1h 33m/Drama/Richard Brooks)
(3:30PM) The Damned Don't Cry (1950/1h 43m/Crime/Vincent Sherman)
(5:30PM) Flower Drum Song (1961/2h 13m/Musical/Henry Koster)
(8:00PM) The Three Musketeers (1973/1h 45m/Adventure/Richard Lester)
(10:00PM) One Million Years B. C. (1966/1h 31m/Fantasy/Don Chaffey)
MON JUN 12
(12:15AM) The Cameraman (1928/1h 18m/Silent/Edward Sedgwick)
(12:15AM The Navigator (1924/1h 20m/Silent/Donald Crisp)
(2:45AM) The Bad Sleep Well (1960/2h 15m/Suspense/Akira Kurosawa)
(5:15AM) Ikiru (1952/2h 23m/Drama/Akira Kurosawa)
(7:45AM) The Marshal of Mesa City (1939/1h 2m/Western/David Howard)
(9:00AM) Party Girl (1958/1h 39m/Crime/Nicholas Ray)
(10:45AM) The Big Shot (1942/1h 22m/Crime/Lewis Seiler)
(12:15PM) The Racket (1951/1h 28m/Crime/John Cromwell
(1:45PM) Jack Pot (1940/0h 19m/Short/Roy Rowland)
(2:15PM) Wichita (1955/1h 21m/Western/Jacques Tourneur)
(3:45PM) Buyer Beware (1940/0h 21m/Crime/Joseph Newman)
(4:15PM) A Lion Is in the Streets (1953/1h 28m/Drama/Raoul Walsh)
(6:00PM) McQ (1974/1h 56m/Crime/John Sturges)
(8:00PM) Born Yesterday (1950/1h 43m/Comedy/George Cukor)
(10:00PM) The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956/1h 39m/Comedy/Richard Quine)
TUE JUN 13
(12:00AM) Phffft (1954/1h 31m/Comedy/Mark Robson)
(1:45AM) Full of Life (1957/1h 31m/Comedy/Richard Quine)
(3:30AM) Bells Are Ringing (1960/2h 7m/Musical/Vincente Minnelli)
(6:00AM) The Bishop Murder Case (1930/1h 28m/Mystery/David Burton)
(7:30AM) The Lady of Scandal (1930/1h 16m/Romance/Sidney Franklin)
(9:00AM) Sin Takes a Holiday (1930/1h 21m/Comedy/Paul Stein)
(10:30AM) The Last Days of Pompeii (1935/1h 36m/Drama/Ernest B. Schoedsack)
(12:15PM) A Tale of Two Cities (1935/2h 0h/Drama/Jack Conway)
(2:30PM) Romeo and Juliet (1937/2h 7m/Romance/George Cukor)
(4:45PM) The Dawn Patrol (1938/1h 43m/WaEdmund Goulding)
(6:45PM) The Woman in Green (1945/1h 8m/Mystery/Roy William Neill)
(8:00PM) Sunset Blvd. (1950/1h 51m/Drama/Billy Wilder)
10:00PM) In a Lonely Place (1950/1h 31m/Drama/Nicholas Ray)
WED JUN 14
(12:00AM) The Player (1992/2h 3m/Comedy/Robert Altman)
(2:15AM) Crashing Hollywood (1938/1h 1m/Comedy/Lew Landers)
(3:30AM) Boy Meets Girl (1938/1h 20m/Comedy/Lloyd Bacon)
(5:15AM) Best Friends (1982/1h 56m/Comedy/Norman Jewison)
(7:15AM) Pat and Mike (1952/1h 35m/Comedy/George Cukor)
(9:00AM) How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 8: 'The Brassie' (1931/0h 10m/Short/George Marshall)
(9:15AM) The Great American Pastime (1956/1h 29m/Comedy/Herman Hoffman)
(11:00AM) Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956/1h 53m/Drama/Robert Wise)
(1:00PM) The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh (1979/1h 44m/Comedy/Gilbert Moses)
(3:00PM) Greased Lightning (1977/1h 36m/Biography/Michael Schultz)
(4:45PM) Grand Prix (1966/2h 59m/Adventure/John Frankenheimer)
(8:00PM) Carl Laemmle (2019/1h 31m/Documentary/James L. Freedman)
(9:45PM) Oscar Micheaux: The Superhero of Black Filmmaking (2021/h 20m/Documentary/Francesco Zippel)
(11:15PM) Burden of Dreams (1982/1h 34m/Documentary/Les Blank)
THU JUN 15
(1:00AM) A Fuller Life (2013/1h 20m/Documentary/Samantha Fuller)
(2:30AM) Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema (Episode 05) (2019/Documentary/Mark Cousins)
(3:45AM) Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema (Episode 06) (2019/Documentary/Mark Cousins)
(5:00AM) Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema (Episode 07) (2019/Documentary/Mark Cousins)
(6:15AM) Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema (Episode 08) (2019/Documentary/Mark Cousins)
(7:30AM) The True Adventures of Raoul Walsh (2014/1h 35m/Documentary/Marilyn Ann Moss)
(9:15AM) Escape From East Berlin (1962/1h 34m/Drama/Robert Siodmak)
(11:00AM) The League of Gentlemen (1960/1h 56m/Crime/Basil Dearden)
(1:00PM) Double Trouble (1967/1h 30m/Musical/Norman Taurog)
(2:45PM) Light in the Piazza (1962/1h 41m/Romance/Guy Green)
(4:30PM) Murder She Said (1961/1h 26m/Mystery/George Pollock)
(6:00PM) Made in Paris (1966/1h 43m/Comedy/Boris Sagal)
(8:00PM) Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967/1h 48m/Comedy/Stanley Kramer)
(10:00PM) The Lion in Winter (1968/2h 14m/Drama/Anthony Harvey)
FRI JUN 16
(12:30AM) On Golden Pond (1981/1h 49m/Drama/Mark Rydell)
(2:30AM) Morning Glory (1933/1h 14m/Drama/Lowell Sherman)
(4:00AM) Lovely To Look At (1952/1h 45m/Musical/Mervyn Le Roy)
(6:00AM) Possessed (1931/1h 12m/Romance//Clarence Brown)
(7:30AM) Anna Karenina (1935/1h 35m/Romance/Clarence Brown)
(9:30AM) Wife Vs. Secretary (1936/1h 28m/Romance/Clarence Brown)
(11:0AM) Of Human Hearts (1938/1h 40m/Drama/Clarence Brown)
(1:00PM) Song of Love (1947/1h 59m/Western/Clarence Brown)
(3:15PM) Intruder in the Dust (1949/1h 29m/Drama/Clarence Brown)
(4:45PM) To Please a Lady (1950/1h 31m/Romance/Clarence Brown)
(6:30PM) When in Rome (1952/1h 18m/Drama/DirectoClarence Brown)
(8:00PM) Beach Blanket Bingo (1965/1h 38m/Musical/William Asher)
(9:45PM) Barbarella (1968/1h 38m/Sci-Fi/Roger Vadim)
(11:30PM) Earth Girls Are Easy (1988/1h 40m/Comedy/Julien Temple)
SAT JUN 17
(1:15AM) The Apple (1980/1h 32m/Musical/Menahem Golan)
(2:45AM) Queen of Outer Space (1958/1h 20m/Sci-Fi/Edward Bernds)
(4:15AM) Hercules, Samson & Ulysses (1963/1h 25m/Adventure/Pietro Francisci)
(5:45AM) Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959/1h 19m/HorroEdward D. Wood, Jr.)
(7:15AM) MGM Parade Show #5 (1955/0h 25m/Documentary/?)
(8:00AM) MGM CARTOONS: Early Bird and the Worm (1936/0h 9m/Short/Rudolf Ising)
(8:11AM) Microscopic Mysteries (1932/0h 9m/Documentary/Hugo Lund)
(8:21AM) Zion Canyon of Colour (1934/0h 7m/Short/?)
(8:30AM) Central Park (1932/0h 58m/Comedy/John G. Adolfi)
(9:30AM) BATMAN AND ROBIN: Batman Takes Over (1949/0h 27m/Serial/Spencer Gordon Bennet)
(10:00AM) POPEYE: Out to Punch (1956/0h 6m/Animation/?)
(10:08AM) The Garden Murder Case (1936/1h 2m/Mystery/Edwin L. Marin)
(11:30AM) Trial by Trigger (1944/0h 21m/Short/William McGann)
(12:00PM) Reveille with Beverly (1943/1h 18m/Musical/Charles Barton)
(1:30PM) How the West Was Won (1962/2h 35m/Western/John Ford)
(4:30PM) Kansas City Confidential (1952/1h 38m/Crime/Phil Karlson)
(6:15PM) Badlands (1973/1h 35m/Crime/Terrence Malick)
(8:00PM) Time After Time (1979/1h 52m/HorroNicholas Meyer)
(10:00PM) Repeat Performance (1947/1h 33m/Drama/Alfred Werker)
SUN JUN 18
(12:00AM) Flaxy Martin (1949/1h 26m/Film-NoiRichard Bare)
(2:00AM) The Great Santini (1979/1h 55m/Drama/Lewis John Carlino)
(4:00AM) I Never Sang for My Father (1970/1h 30m/Drama/Gilbert Cates)
(6:00AM) The Impossible Years (1968/1h 38m/Comedy/Michael Gordon)
(8:00AM) Our Vines Have Tender Grapes (1945/1h 45m/Drama/Roy Rowland)
(10:00AM) Flaxy Martin (1949/1h 26m/Film-NoiRichard Bare)
(11:45AM) Fiddler on the Roof (1971/3h 0m/Musical/Norman Jewison)
(3:00PM) To Kill a Mockingbird (1962/2h 11m/Drama/Robert Mulligan)
(5:30PM) The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963/1h 57m/Comedy/Vincente Minnelli)
(7:45PM) So You're Going to Be a Father (1947/0h 10m/Short/Richard Bare)
(8:00PM) Life with Father (1947/1h 58m/Comedy/Michael Curtiz)
(10:15PM) Father of the Bride (1950/1h 33m/Comedy/Vincente Minnelli)
MON JUN 19
(12:00AM) The Divine Lady (1929/1h 50m/Romance/Frank Lloyd)
(2:00AM) Bay of the Angels (1964/1h 25m/Drama/Jacques Demy)
(3:45AM) Donkey Skin (1970/1h 30m/Drama/Jacques Demy)
(5:30AM) MGM Parade Show #5 (1955/25m/Documentary/?)
(6:00AM) Man Wanted (1932/William Dieterle)
(7:15AM) Millie (1931/1h 25m/Drama/John Francis Dillon)
(8:45AM) The Big Hangover (1950/1h 22m/Comedy/Norman Krasna)
(10:15AM) The Angel Wore Red (1960/1h 39m/Romance/Nunnally Johnson)
(12:00PM) Rancho Notorious (1952/1h 29m/Western/Fritz Lang)
(1:45PM) They Live by Night (1948/1h 35m/Crime/Nicholas Ray)
(3:30PM) Pitfall (1948/1h 24m/Film-NoiAndre De Toth)
(5:00PM) Indiscretion of an American Wife (1954/1h 3m/Romance/Vittorio De Sica)
(6:15PM) Tab Hunter Confidential (2015/1h 30m/Biography/Jeffrey Schwarz)
(8:00PM) Do the Right Thing (1989/2h 0m/Drama/Spike Lee)
(10:15PM) Alma's Rainbow (1994/1h 25m/Drama /Ayoka Chenzira)
TUE JUN 20
(12:00AM) Just Another Girl On The I.R.T. (1993/1h 36m/Drama/Leslie Harris)
(2:00AM) Blackboard Jungle (1955/1h 41m/Drama/Richard Brooks)
(4:00AM) Edge of the City (1957/1h 25m/Drama/Martin Ritt)
(6:00AM) The Lady Refuses (1931/1h 12m/Drama/George Archainbaud)
(7:15AM) A Notorious Affair (1930/1h 9m/Drama/Lloyd Bacon)
(8:30AM) Bullets for O'Hara (1941/0h 50m/Crime/William K. Howard)
(9:30AM) No Marriage Ties (1933/1h 5m/Drama/J. Walter Ruben)
(10:45AM) Play Girl (1932/1h 0m/Romance/Ray Enright)
(12:00PM) War Nurse (1930/1h 20m/WaEdgar Selwyn)
(1:30PM) Wings for the Eagle (1942/1h 23m/WaLloyd Bacon)
(3:00PM) The White Sister (1933/1h 41m/Drama/Victor Fleming)
(5:00PM) Their Own Desire (1929/1h 5m/Drama/E. Mason Hopper)
(6:15PM) Smilin' Through (1932/1h 37m/Romance/Sidney Franklin)
(8:00PM) Sullivan's Travels (1942/1h 31m/Comedy/Preston Sturges)
(9:45PM) Bombshell (1933/1h 31m/Comedy/Victor Fleming)
(11:30PM) Hearts of the West (1975/1h 43m/Western/Howard Zieff)
WED JUN 21
(1:30AM) Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941/1h 11m/Comedy/Edward Cline)
(3:00AM) It's a Great Feeling (1949/1h 25m/Comedy/David Butler)
(4:30AM) Hollywood Party (1934/1h 3m/Musical/Allan Dwan)
(6:00AM) The Runaway Bus (1954/1h 18m/Comedy/Val Guest)
(7:15AM) Journey for Margaret (1942/1h 21m/Drama/Major W. S. Van Dyke II)
(8:45AM) The Time Machine (1960/1h 43m/Sci-Fi/George Pal)
(10:30AM) Looking at London (1946/0h 10m/Short/?)
(10:45AM) Berkeley Square (1933/1h 24m/Romance/Frank Lloyd)
(12:15PM) High Hopes (1988/1h 52m/Comedy/Mike Leigh)
(2:15PM) A Hard Day's Night (1964/1h 32m/Musical/Richard Lester)
(4:00PM) Royal Wedding (1951/1h 33m/Musical/Stanley Donen)
(5:45PM) The V.I.P.s (1963/1h 59m/Drama/Anthony Asquith)
(8:00PM) Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004/2h 2m/Documentary/Xan Cassavetes)
(10:15PM) What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael (2018/Documentary/Rob Garver)
THU JUN 22
(12:00AM) The Celluloid Closet (1995/1h 42m/Documentary/Robert Epstein)
(2:00AM) Paul Robeson: Tribute to an Artist (1979/Biography/Documentary/Saul J. Turell)
(2:30AM) Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema (Episode 09) (2019/Documentary/Mark Cousins)
(3:45AM) Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema (Episode 10) (2019/Documentary/Mark Cousins)
(5:00AM) Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema (Episode 11) (2019/Documentary/Mark Cousins)
(6:15AM) Yellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood (2019/Documentary/Clara Kuperberg and Julia Kuperberg)
(7:15AM) Soundies: A Musical History (2007/1h 16m/Documentary/0h 54m/Chris Lamson)
(8:45AM) Soldiers Three (1951/1h 27m/Adventure/Tay Garnett)
(10:30AM) The Wild North (1952/1h 37m/Western/Andrew Marton)
(12:15PM) Bhowani Junction (1956/1h 50m/Drama/George Cukor)
(2:15PM) Green Fire (1955/1h 40m/Adventure/Andrew Marton)
(4:00PM) The Prisoner of Zenda (1952/1h 41m/Adventure/Richard Thorpe)
(6:00PM) King Solomon's Mines (1950/1h 42m/Adventure/Compton Bennett)
(8:00PM) Holiday (1938/1h 33m/Comedy/George Cukor)
(10:00PM) Little Women (1933/1h 55m/Drama/George Cukor)
FRI JUN 23
(12:15AM) A Woman Rebels (1936/1h 28m/Drama/Mark Sandrich)
(2:00AM) Undercurrent (1946/1h 56m/Suspense/Vincente Minnelli)
(4:15AM) Stage Door (1937/1h 23m/Drama/Gregory LaCava)
(6:00AM) A King in New York (1957/1h 45m/Comedy/Charles Chaplin)
(8:00AM) Girlfriends (1978/1h 26m/Comedy/Claudia Weill)
(9:30AM) The Naked City (1948/1h 36m/Crime/Jules Dassin)
(11:15AM) Up the Sandbox (1972/1h 37/Drama/Irvin Kershner)
(1:00PM) The House on 56th Street (1933/1h 8m/Drama/Robert Florey)
(2:15PM) This Is the Bowery (1941/0h 10m/Short/Gunther Von Fritsch)
(2:3PM) The Prisoner Of Second Avenue (1974/1h 45m/Comedy/Melvin Frank)
(4:15PM) Soylent Green (1973/1h 27m/Sci-Fi/Richard O. Fleischer)
(6:00PM) Daybreak Express (1953/0h 5m/Short/D.A. Pennebaker)
(6:15PM) Crossing Delancey (1988/1h 37m/Romance/Joan Micklin Silver)
(8:00PM) Grey Gardens (1976/1h 34m/Documentary/Ellen Hovde)
(9:45PM) What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962/2h 12m/HorroRobert Aldrich)
SAT JUN 24
12:15AM) X Y & Zee (1972/1h 50m/Drama/Brian G. Hutton)
(2:15AM) The Big Cube (1969/1h 38m/Drama/Tito Davison)
(4:00AM) The Legend of Lylah Clare (1968/2h 10m/Drama/Robert Aldrich)
(6:15AM) Vacation from Marriage (1945/1h 32m/Drama/Alexander Korda)
(8:00AM) MGM CARTOONS: Dumb-Hounded (1943/0h 8m/Animation/Fred “Tex” Avery)
(8:10AM) Pacific Paradise (1937/0h 10m/Short/George Sidney)
(8:21AM) Calling on Colombia (1940/0h 8m/Documentary/James A. Fitzpatrick)
(8:30AM) Once a Doctor (1937/0h 57m/Drama/William Clemens)
(9:30AM) BATMAN AND ROBIN: Tunnel of Terror (1949/0h 17m/Serial/Spencer Bennett)
(10:00AM) POPEYE: Insect to Injury (1956/0h 6m/Animation/Dave Tendlar)
(10:08AM) Murder in the Private Car (1934/1h 3m/Mystery/Harry Beaumont)
(11:30AM) The Flame Song (1934/0h 21m/Short/Joseph Henabery)
(12:00PM) A Star Is Born (1954/2h 56m/Musical/George Cukor)
(3:15PM) East of Eden (1955/1h 55m/Drama/Elia Kazan)
(5:30PM) Mister Roberts (1955/2h 3m/Comedy/John Ford)
(8:00PM) On the Waterfront (1954/1h 48m/Drama/Elia Kazan)
(10:00PM) Vertigo (1958/2h 8m/Suspense/Alfred Hitchcock)
SUN JUN 25
(12:15AM) Storm Warning (1951/1h 33m/Film-NoiStuart Heisler)
(2:15AM) A Cry in the Dark (1988/2h 1m/Drama/Fred Schepisi)
(4:30AM) My Brilliant Career (1979/1h 38m/Drama/Gillian Armstrong)
(6:15AM) Athena (1954/1h 36m/Musical/Richard Thorpe)
(8:00AM) Calamity Jane (1953/1h 41m/Musical/David Butler)
(10:00AM) Storm Warning (1951/1h 33m/Film-NoiStuart Heisler)
(12:00PM) Imitation of Life (1959/2h 5m/Romance/Douglas Sirk)
(2:15PM) Pride and Prejudice (1940/1h 57m/Romance/Robert Z. Leonard)
(4:30PM) The Reluctant Debutante (1958/1h 36m/Musical/Vincente Minnelli)
(6:15PM) The Palm Beach Story (1942/1h 30m/Comedy/Preston Sturges)
TBD
MON JUN 26
(12:00AM) Don Juan (1926/1h 51m/Silent/Alan Crosland)
(2:00AM) Un Partie de Campagne (1936/0h 45m/Drama/Jean Renoir)
(3:00AM) Il bidone (1955/1h 32m/Comedy/Federico Fellini)
(5:00AM) Report from the Aleutians (1943/0h 45m/Documentary/Capt. John Huston)
(6:00AM) Many Rivers to Cross (1955/1h 32m/Western/Roy Rowland)
(7:45AM) Escape from Fort Bravo (1953/1h 38m/Western/John Sturges)
(9:30AM) The Very Thought of You (1944/1h 39m/Romance/Delmer Daves)
(11:15AM) One for the Book (1948/1h 43m/Comedy/Irving Rapper)
(1:00PM) Of Human Bondage (1946/1h 45m/Drama/Edmund Goulding)
(3:00PM) Lizzie (1957/1h 21m/Drama/Hugo Haas)
(4:30PM) Valley of the Kings (1954/1h 26m/Adventure/Robert Pirosh)
(6:00PM) Scaramouche (1952/1h 55m/Adventure/George Sidney)
(8:00PM) The Celluloid Closet (1995/1h 42m/DocumentaryRobert Epstein)
(10:00PM) Rope (1948/1h 20m/Suspense/Alfred Hitchcock)
(11:30PM) The Children's Hour (1961/1h 47m/Drama/William Wyler)
TUE JUN 27
(1:30AM) Queen Christina (1933/1h 37m/Romance/Rouben Mamoulian)
(3:30AM) Victim (1961/1h 40m/Drama/Basil Dearden)
(5:30AM) Tea and Sympathy (1956/2h 2m/Drama/Vincente Minnelli)
(7:45AM) The Case of the Howling Dog (1934/1h 14m/Suspense/Mystery/Alan Crosland)
(9:15AM) Murder on a Bridle Path (1936/1h 6m/Mystery/Edward Killy)
(10:30AM) The Saint Meets the Tiger (1943/1h 10m/Suspense/Paul Stein)
(12:00PM) The Kennel Murder Case (1933/1h 13m/Mystery/Michael Curtiz)
(1:30PM) Haunted Honeymoon (1940/1h 23m/Comedy/Arthur B. Woods)
(3:00PM) Eyes in the Night (1942/1h 20m/Mystery/Fred Zinnemann)
(4:30PM) Murder at the Gallop (1963/1h 21m/Mystery/George Pollock)
(6:00PM) Shadow of the Thin Man (1941/1h 37m/Mystery/Major W. S. Van Dyke II)
(8:00PM) The Bad and the Beautiful (1952/1h 58m/Drama/Vincente Minnelli)
(10:15PM) Two Weeks in Another Town (1962/1h 47m/Drama/Vincente Minnelli)
WED JUN 28j
(12:15AM) The Barefoot Contessa (1954/2h 8m/Drama/Joseph L. Mankiewicz)
(2:45AM) Inside Daisy Clover (1965/2h 8m/Drama/Robert Mulligan)
(5:00AM) The Oscar (1966/1h 59m/Drama/Russell Rouse)
(7:15AM) Mandalay (1934/1h 5m/Suspense/Michael Curtiz)
(8:30AM) The Unsuspected (1947/1h 43m/Suspense/Michael Curtiz)
(10:15AM) The Unholy Wife (1957/1h 34m/Crime/John Farrow)
(12:00PM) Back in Circulation (1937/1h 22m/Drama/Ray Enright)
(1:30PM) The Man with a Cloak (1951/1h 21m/Suspense/Fletcher Markle)
(3:00PM) D.O.A. (1950/1h 23m/Film-NoiRudolph Maté)
(4:30PM) Shadow on the Wall (1950/1h 24m/Suspense/Patrick Jackson)
(6:15PM) The Nanny (1965/1h 33m/HorroSeth Holt)
(8:00PM) Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story (2015/1h 34m/Documentary/Daniel Raim)
(9:45PM) By Design: The Joe Caroff Story (2022/0h 52m/Documentary/Mark Cerulli)
(10:45PM) Floyd Norman: An Animated Life (2016/1h 34m/Documentary/Michael Fiore)
TBD
THU JUNE 29
(2:00AM) High Noon on the Waterfront (2022/0h 14m/Documentary/David Roberts)
(2:30AM) Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema (Ep. 12) (2019/Documentary/Mark Cousins)
(3:45AM) Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema (Ep.13) (2019/Documentary/Mark Cousins)
(5:00AM) Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema (Ep. 14) (2019/Documentary/Mark Cousins
(6:15AM) Max Steiner: Maestro of Movie Music (2021/2h 0m/Documentary/Diana Friedberg)
(8:30AM) Dean Martin: King of Cool (2020/1h 47m/Documentary/Tom Donahue)
(10:30AM) Tarzan, the Ape Man (1932/1h 39m/Adventure/W. S. Van Dyke)
(12:15PM) Tarzan the Fearless (1933/1h 25m/Adventure/Robert F. Hill)
(1:45PM) The Valley of Decision (1945/1h 51m/Romance/Tay Garnett)
(3:45PM) Mrs. Parkington (1944/2h 4m/Romance/Tay Garnett)
(6:00PM) The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946/1h 51m/Crime/Tay Garnett)
(8:00PM) Desk Set (1957/1h 43m/Comedy/Walter Lang)
(10:00PM) Without Love (1945/1h 51m/Comedy/Harold S. Bucquet)
FRI JUN 30
(12:00AM) Pat and Mike (1952/1h 35m/Comedy/George Cukor)
(1:45AM) Adam's Rib (1949/1h 41m/Comedy/George Cukor)
(3:45AM) Keeper of the Flame (1943/1h 40m/Drama/George Cukor)
(5:30AM) Week-End for Three (1941/1h 5m/Comedy/Irving Reis)
(6:45AM) MGM Parade Show #5 (1955/0h 25m/Documentary/?)
(7:30AM) Pagan Love Song (1950/1h 16m/Musical/Robert Alton)
(9:00AM) On an Island with You (1948/1h 47m/Musical/Richard Thorpe)
(11:00AM) Girl Happy (1965/1h 36m/Musical/Boris Sagal)
(12:45PM) You're Only Young Once (1938/1h 18m/Comedy/George B. Seitz)
(2:15PM) Catalina Caper (1967/1h 7m/Comedy/Lee Sholem)
(3:30PM) Where the Boys Are (1960/1h 39m/Comedy/Henry Levin)
(5:30PM) Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs (1936/0h 19m/Short/Roy Rowland)
(6:00PM) Palm Springs Weekend (1963/1h 40m/Comedy/Norman Taurog)
(8:00PM) VictoVictoria (1982/2h 14m/Musical/Blake Edwards)
(10:30PM) La Cage Aux Folles (1979/1h 37m/Comedy//Edouard Molinaro)

A special thanks to u/SpacePaladin15 for the fantastical universe.
[First][Previous][Next]
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Memory transcription subject: Barlim, Gojid Refugee
Date [standardized human time]: October 11th, 2136
Arwen didn’t shout too much after I crested the hill, and based on the lack of paw falls behind me. I presumed that the non-sapient canine and my Gojid kin had not chased after me. It was safe to assume that the other three decided to help Arwen while she struggled underneath the black-colored venlil. Trivi was probably doing the same and the dog was probably too busy tasting Arwen’s face some more in what must’ve been a display of affection. A part of me hoped that Tack or Pragh had followed me so that I’d have someone familiar with me when I encountered Jaxton. Obviously not Telg though, not him! Though, one small part of me wished to keep this purely between Jaxton and I.
Also, I probably should have helped pry Tova from Arwen, but with four people crowding around the single human. I probably would have made it one big prickly mess.
One quick glance down at my quill-covered body hinted at that simple fact; chest, arms, and legs were covered in pointed spines! There were plenty of spots covering me where something could go wrong after one errant twitch. I’d rather not accidentally poke Arwen, Trivi, Tova, or the non-sapient predator with a single misstep, and I certainly didn’t trust the light blue hoodie to prevent my quills from poking through. I’ve pricked myself a few times before. It’s not fun!
I continued on my slow, lumbering run for a few minutes before I caught sight of the nearest house. A mile must’ve been shorter than I thought, maybe I was running faster than I thought, or maybe I was simply feeling the growing excitement of meeting Jaxton once again. I could feel my heart soaring, and not just from the adrenaline!
The human home was like some of the other homes I have seen in the United States; blocky, above ground, and with a slanted and shingle-covered roof. However, that’s where their similarities ended! The material it was made out of appeared to have been dug out from the ground itself: Cobblestone by the looks of it from afar, and piled up in a vertical line up two floors. It had some windows like other above-ground homes I have seen, as well as a door, obviously. The last two things were a necessity! Well, my old home didn’t have windows, considering it was completely underground, but it did have three doors!
Not much… farther!
My paws feel heavy after carrying me all the way to the front door. Despite the fact that my limbs feel an acidic burn, I reach up and rapt my paws against the white wooden door. After the quick knock, I take a step back and anxiously wait for someone. My heart quickly began to race as anxiety became the new emotion to force it into overdrive. I could feel it beating aggressively within my ribs, threatening to burst out as it pushed blue blood through my veins. My nerves heightened when I heard the footfalls of a human on the other side of the door.
“Hello?” A voice was clearly of the feminine human variety, so it was hard not to allow my ears and tail to droop with disappointment, but I was able to keep my mood chipper-looking while the door was pushed open, revealing a woman on the other side: A short, scrawny female human that was close to my height with pale skin, long and straight blonde hair, and icy blue eyes. Those blue eyes widening when they saw me!
She kind of reminds me of Jaxton!
“Hi,” I said with my most neutral, but friendly voice possible.
Her eyes widened even more at the sound of my voice and she leaped back from the door! “Jesus!” She shouts while stumbling backward. The woman’s feet don’t land on the ground properly, causing her to fall down onto her rear with a small yelp. “Jameson! Alien! We got one of those porcupine aliens!” The human gives one more kick along the ground to get some distance before scrunching up into a ball. Her arms and knees were lifted up high to protect her vulnerable head. A loud shriek came from the human!
I did everything I could from leaping back in my own startled fright. Only taking a single paw step back from the human’s explosive reaction.
I’m scaring… a human?
It was obvious that I was scaring the human the moment she curled up into a protective screaming ball. I raise my forepaws in a sign of non-aggression, holding my tongue and praying that the human’s fearful reaction doesn’t turn violent, or that someone assumes I tried to do something. Maybe I should have waited on the others.
All I knew was that I was nervous, and I probably gave the poor human a small scare. She probably wasn’t expecting to see an alien like me. She also probably had an opinion on my kind as Telg had described.
I really hoped she didn’t have such an opinion of me. She’s probably Jaxton’s mother, sister, aunt, or friend.
I am pulled from my thoughts by the sounds of thundering footsteps running downstairs. “Jesus! What is it, Morgan!?” The voice. The accent. It was familiar! My eyes quickly flick back down to the human laying on the ground. She looked up at me from between her partially parted arms, eyeing me with fear once her shouting had ceased. A fear that I can see rapidly vanishing as her arms part more, taking note of my unmoving stance.
Before I get the chance to speak, two male humans barge into view, stepping out from a hall not that far from the woman called Morgan. They’re very similar in appearance; very pale skin that is flushed pink from the sudden exertion of running down the stairs, two sets of cutting blue eyes that make me buckle on the spot, and blonde hair that covers the top of their head as well as go along their jaw lines. A little tuft of blonde hair goes over both of their top lips. I can tell who the younger one is by the skin being slightly smoother in appearance.
The older one is wearing a cast and quickly lowers himself down to Morgan, placing his good hand down on her shoulder. His eyes locking onto me with a look of confusion. The younger one stands just to the side of the older one, looking more astonished at the fact that I am here. We probably stand there for a few moments, exchanging awkward glances.
“Hi,” I repeat, but with a bit more joviality sneaking into my voice. My paws finally lowering down to my sides.
“Barlim?” The younger male finally voices out with his astonishment.
Yes! Yes! I recognize that voice! It’s him!
Between Jaxton and his father’s stare, while it does make me feel very nervous, doesn’t compare to the sensation I had been subjected to at the airport, but surprisingly still cuts rather deep. I resist the sudden urge to take one paw step back.
He wouldn’t harm me, right?
My gaze instantly snaps to his hand. The one that he had used to brush me all those days ago. It was tightly wrapped up with a white gauze bandage. A reminder of what he had put himself through for me. I instantly feel stupid for the recent thought. The mask must’ve helped me much more than I had realized. His eyes are very… deep.
Eventually, I gave a simple nod.
“What are- How- Why are you here?” The male thankfully seemed far more perplexed than angry at my sudden intrusion, having left the refugee camp without anyone knowing. I was surprised he wasn’t alerted considering he and his kin were pack pre-. I had to take a moment to pause, catching my thoughts. I remembered what Telg said about predators in the human context. They were still pack-orientated, and the reason why he wasn’t told was probably because he was off duty to take care of his father.
“You know who that is?” The older male, who I presumed to be Jaxton’s father, asked with a quizzical tone. A question that was swiftly answered with a curt nod and a soft “yes.” This seemed to have calmed his nervous mother down to the point that her hands, arms, and knees finally pulled away from her face. Her face was still a bit flustered.
His blue eyes turned over toward his father, flashing the man a smile. “Her name is Barlim. Uh, her quills gave me all the cuts along my hand. Forgot to tell you about her.” Jaxton let out a small laugh and rubbed the back of his head with the bandaged hand. “Well, I did tell you about her, partially. Just the part about hurting my hand on one of the aliens after calming her down.” His gaze then turned back to me. “I’m still curious as to why you're here. Shouldn’t you be at the refugee camp?”
I stood still, shocked and a little bit stunned by the question. The words I wanted to form got stuck within my throat, unable to force their way out through my lips.
Did Jaxton not remember what he told me that night?
I could feel a small pang tear itself through my chest as my memories swiftly drifted back up to the surface, reliving those nights I spent alone, hungry, scared, and desperate. Only to have this human come and pull me out of that painful void. The first feeling of worth I had felt in days, let alone the last couple of weeks when I was in the process of losing my friends, home, and family painfully one quill plucked at a time.
I had nothing now.
I sucked in a small sniffle through my nose, feeling my eyes begin to well up upon remembering what happened just a mere two days ago, remembering his soft, brushing hand, his sweet and tender words, and the beautiful blue rose bush…
“You don’t reem-member?” My voice hitched as I tried to speak, feeling a crumbling sense of strength that I have been holding onto quickly falling away. The hope to see Jaxton because he had given me that first spark to keep pushing. The spark, the hope to have something once again, and then finally to stand there at the finish line and remember all that I had done up until this point, wallowing away in that room with nothing to live for. What everything had led up to. Now all of a sudden I was tripping up over my own words because I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know how to articulate my messy mind into words.
Of course, my question felt silly, and self-centered at its core. Jaxton had a life outside of that camp. He had a family that he had to look after, and here I was like some selfish interloper just wanting to… just wanting to…
I wished I had asked this question myself so much sooner! Sprak! I don’t know what to feel! What to think! I was too caught up in the excitement that the adventure provided me with! The sense of adventure and adversity that Telg talked about with such enthusiasm! Now it was over, as short as it was, and left before me stood my finish line. I don’t know what to say. What good would some dumb Gojid be to him anyway!?
Jaxton doesn’t shake or nod his head for several seconds. His blue eyes dilated before he slowly looked at the ground. “Shit… I’m sorry.”
Unable to contain myself, my already weak knees buckle down to the floor, and my eyes begin their steady drizzle down the sides of my cheeks. “Y- You told me that you would… That you would see me at the cafeteria!” I take in a solid gasp of air, having expelled it all as my diaphragm gave a firm spasm, forcing the air out of my recently filled lungs. I don’t let the pain in my lungs stop me from trying to speak. “I looked! I waited! You weren’t there!”
I still felt alone.
“I- I searched and found no signs of you! I wanted… I wanted…” I had to stop speaking for a moment to catch my breath, having forced in and out several shivering lungs of air within a span of a few seconds. It didn’t really help as the rapid breathing made me feel light-headed, dizzy, and queasy. Every emotion suppressed threatening to resurface with each thought dragging me back to that warmly lit cell.
Finally, I wasn't able to contain myself any longer. Tears began pouring out down the sides of my cheeks, dripping onto the floor. My paws both reached up to try to cover my rainy eyes, trying to hide the now awkward shame that threw itself into my emotional turmoil. My muzzle parting to let out a horrible whine. “I was… so alone! I had nothing else-. I hated everything with… with a… with a burning passion! Then you decided to come- come along and make… make yourself known! You m-made me fe-el better! You di-dint dnkt- give up on me! I wanted YOU!”
Unable to keep speaking, pushing all that I could into it for those last few words, I return to my sobbing in front of the three humans. The three are probably sitting there, watching the pathetic prey creature unable to control her poor emotions.
This was such a mistake…
I wipe at my eyes and my nose, trying to rub away the running tears and mucus that drip from the respective orifices. A new sense of humiliation finds its way to tug at my already torn heart, adding to the whirlwind of emotions that have found themselves spinning inside of me.
Everything stops when I feel something brush down between my ears. It’s a single, firm press down between my ears, flattening down my quills. I gingerly pull my paws down and out of my eyes, blinking away tears until my vision clears away the wet blur. Jaxton stands before me, lips curled upright in an unfamiliar way that looks like a smile, but more awkward.
“Gah, I am really sorry, Barlim. That was horrible of me to do to you.” His hand comes down again after performing the pass, repeating the process by starting at the front end of my forehead, and then working its way across my scalp. This time, my quills had been somewhat brushed prior to coming here, so Jaxton’s able to work around all the pointed quills because they flow in one direction.
“I just… You- I” Jaxton silences me with a finger to my lips, using the uninjured limb to do it this time.
“This feels quite familiar, doesn’t it?” He laughs. Jaxton actually laughs, baring his sharp, front-white teeth down at me. I know the reaction is one of delight, but in my distraught haze, I quickly pull away, snagging his bandaged hand among my quills.
“Tsk…” He grunts with pain. Jaxton takes a small glance down at his palm, eyeing up two large quills that have managed to work their way into the bandaged hand. He plucks them free without complaint. “Wasn’t that deep,” he remarked, taking a glance down at the bloodied bandage. “Sorry, forgot the mask upstairs. I would have grabbed it if I had known it was you.”
I sit in an unpleasant silence brewed within my own making. ^{“Sorry…”} I respond meekly, looking down at my clawed paws. “Don’t be,” he says with a nonchalant wave, coming back closer to sit down next to me, placing himself on my left, facing toward his parents. “Mom, Dad, this is Barlim.” Jaxton gestures to me with his right thumb. “If it hasn’t been established, she’s the one I bloodied my hand over.” He then gestures for me to look at his parents. “And well, that’s my mom and dad, obviously.”
The older man that looks like Jaxton chuckles, and slowly stands back up. “The name’s Jameson, Jameson Wellington and this is my wife, Morgan Wellington.” The woman nods, her face completely red with embarrassment if I had to guess. She gets to her feet as well, assisted by Jameson.
“Sorry for the freakout. I was expecting a more violent reaction from you.”
From me? I couldn’t hurt anything!
“Love, you know she can’t be like those other aliens on the internet, right?” - “But-” - “Don’t but me, Morgan. I love you, but Barlim hasn’t done anything wrong, so she’s good, right?”
Jaxton's mother nods, looking a lot braver with her mate’s words behind her.
“Mom, Dad, you think you can give Barlim and I some time to chat for a bit? It should not be long.” Thankfully, Jameson and Morgan respect their son’s wishes.
They both nod and work their way deeper into the house. “Holler if you need anything. We trust you know what you are doing.”
“I am, Dad!”
I am once again pulled from my thoughts as Jaxton’s hand finds my head, stroking down over my quills, and even finding room to go down the length of my back, pausing every time he reaches a spot where a quill isn’t pointed in the right direction. “I’m going to need a brush for you. I can’t keep poking myself like this.”
^{“You seem…”} I pause for a moment to clear my throat. My breath still shaking. “You seem content to keep going. I did not even-” Jaxton swiftly cuts me off.
“You asked me to keep petting you when I was about to leave if I recall correctly.”
I feel my ears turn a few shades of blue. “Well, yeah, but I was unhappy.”
“Like you are now?~” He says with a giddily sweet tone.
Delicately, I lower my head down onto my knees, keeping my movements slow and predictable so that Jaxton doesn’t slice his hands upon my quills. ^“Yes…”
Jaxton thankfully decides not to respond to that, dragging his hand over my quills again and again, parting them within his fingers to rub at the burning flesh beneath them. It was a pleasant feeling that I didn’t want to end, and now that I think about it.
I’m glad I decided to run the last bit on my own.
Just to have this one moment alone.
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T~T

I’m terrible at maths so any help will be greatly appreciated.
The plan is a table that I can clip onto the roof via the foldable legs, which are where the the red “?” Are pointing to. I am trying to figure out the length I would need each of these legs to be.
I don’t want the table to be any lower than 40 cm from the van floor.

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The point of this post is to adress the numerous "souls vets" that pop up everywhere and wonder why they aren't succeeding with nioh.
Firstly:
being a souls veteran doesn't matter when it comes to nioh. Nioh is not souls. Nioh is nioh. If you come ro this series expecting dark souls, your gonna find yourself dying A LOT. Take all of your souls habits, stamp on them and bury them.
Now that is out of the way, some actual advice:
Ki pulsing is something you should learn to do ASAP. Ki is the very core of nioh's combat. If it runs out and you get hit, expect nothing but death unless you get lucky. By using the ki pulse, you can recover most of the ki spent on other actions allowing you to keep the aggression up. Do not worry however, enemys are just as susceptible to the downsides of ki as you are. Deplete theirs completely and you can grapple them for massive damage. You can also use this knowledge to stunlock yokai if you play perfectly.
Next is stances. At the beginning, I recommend experimenting with stances for your weapon and seeing what works best for you. As you progress further however, you are going to want to learn how to flux by ki pulsing on a stamce switch. Fluxing increases the ki recovered by a ki pulse amd combined with the ability to assign different skills to different stances can allow for incredibly versatile builds.
Which stances do what then?
Well high stance is slow but hard hitting, low stance is fast but deals less damage and mid stance is a balance between the two. Each stance also has skills that can only be used while in that respective stance that creates a unique playstyle for each. For example mid stance has plenty of abillitys centered around countering incoming attacks whereas high stance has many abillitys focused on big numbers. Low stance is where all the anime attacks are at. Fo your first ng cycle, you can get away with just using 1 stance but the higher you go, the more likely you will want to invest in some other stances. There is also the sheathed stance which has a select few skills designed around buffing or rapid and deadly attacks.
Guardian spirits: guardian spirits are incredibly important to nioh. They provide many passive bonuses(some completely unique) that prove useful as you progress. They also come with a unique ability to that spirit that can be used in living weapon/yokai shift or with a guardian talisman. A personal favourite of mine is blue dragon who can counter an attack and then dive bomb the enemy for massive dps burst.
Guardian spirits work differently in each game though. In nioh 1, you can use them to enter "living weapon" which adds a range extension and an elemental buff to your weapon. Your hp and ki is replaced with a guage that depletes when you perform actions or take damage. After its empty, living weapon is over. In this state, you become god. You take no damage, gain hyperarmour on everything, gain hyperspeed and your damage numbers go through the roof. One could attempt to make this seem balanced but it just isn't. Its incredibly broken and you should make use of it whenever you can. Absorbing amrita(souls) charges the spirits guage and when full, you can trigger living weapon.
In nioh 2, you get yokai shift. Instead of becoming god, you become a yokai. You have 3 states; feral, brute and phantom each with a different moveset. They each can equip soul cores obtained by defeating yokai and then use them as new abillitys by spending anima(the purple bar under your hp) that fills when you land hits on enemies or have a scampuss following you. Early recommendations include ippon datara and gozuki, they'll make the early game much more manageable. Each soul core also has a type to match the 3 yokai forms and perform better with spirits of that form. Uppon triggering yokai shift, you morph into your yokai state with a completely new moveset. Phantom focuses on long range attacks, feral focuses on rapid speed and meelee attacks whereas brute unleashes your inner bonk to bring the slam down on enemies.
Each yokai form also has a burst counter that can be used to counter attacks that glow red. Doing so stops the enemies entire combo and restores a hefty amount of anima alongside ither things. Note you need 1 anima to use a counter. You should learn to do this asap as well. Each state has a different type of counter though and not all counters work on every attack. Phantom has no windup(great for animation cancelling) and functions as a stationary block. It requires the most precise timing but functions as a complete block should you whiff the counter. Feral is a dodge that leaves behind an afterimage. If the enemy hits the afterimage, they are countered. If you miss the counter, it still functions as a dodge. The brute is the slowest of the 3 and swings a massive hammer to knock the opponent out of their attack. This is usefull as it can prevent the attack from going off before the tell is even finished unlike the other 2 and can counter bursts that don't initially start as an attack. The downside is that some bursts are just too fast for the brute. If you miss the counter, it transitions into an attack that bitch slaps the enemy.
Next, get into the habit of blocking. Unlike souls, nioh's primary defense option plays more like sekiro. Im not sure what William, wolfs and hide's swords are made out of but they can block damn near anything. You don't need to time a block perfectly(although some effects do reward it) and it will block any and all physical damage. Elemental damage is reduced to mere chip damage in most cases as well.
Why am i getting one shot?
This is a common occurrence in nioh. Get used to it. It happens a lot. Nioh rewards perfect and precise play and discourages carelessness. Observe your surroundings and play at your best. Nioh gives you the tools to completely destroy anything before it gets the chance to fight back. It also gives the enemies those same tools. Use every mechanic at your disposal. Block if you need downtime.
Onmyo and ninjutsu, the magic system of this game is split in two parts. You can unlock them through their respective skill trees. After that, ready them at a shrine and assign them to your quick slots. Do note the two clases play very different from eachother. Onmyo specialises in elemental attacks and passive buffs whereas ninjutsu prioritises cunning traps, mass debuffing and throwing a multitude of kunai/shuriken. These 2 will factor into your playstyle heavily eventually but are hard to get a grasp on at the beginning. Don't rush into them and take your time.
Loot system. This is not souls. You don't find the battered wings of a butterfly and a helmet the size of midir and decide that is how you will look the rest of the game. You dont stick with the same twig you've been swinging around either. This game has a diablo style loot system where you will be flooded with gear that have many effects you don't have a clue about. Thankfully, the game does have ingame menus to help you with this and they can prove useful. Keep swapping out your weapon for a better one. Temper your gear for the best effects to suit your needs. Ensure your gear levels aren't lagging behind. Taht is something you will have to get used to. That said, it also makes the build variety absurd in these games.
Weight. Do not go above 70%. 30 - 70% is fine. 29.9% or below is sanic mode. Keep in mind though that this will directly affect your defenses. The lighter gear you use, the less toughness you have and as such your defense are weaker. Your agility raises gowever and your evasive abillitys get faster. Go above 70% however and your ki recovery starts getting taxed. You don't want that.
Next is debuffs.
For a start, any elemental attack builds up its respective debuff, in addition, there are effects that can be applied to both yours and your enemies geamoveset to add further debuffs. Familiarise yourself with them. Believe me, when you know what half of these do, you will find yourself having certain attacks on the "avoid at all costs" list. The final boss from nioh 2's secobd dlc is an exampme of this. If you need to urgently adress a debuff, use a daion jin sake.
Wind inflicts blustered. This reduces your damage deatlt by 50%(i believe, not too sure on the exact figure)
Earth inflicts muddied. This doubles ki damage taken.
Lightning inflicts electrified. There is a talisman called sloth that is widely considered broken on earlier ng cycles as it slows the speed of anything hit to that of a sloth. Thats for all actions by the way, not just moving. Getting electrified is like getting hit with sloth. Also, it stacks with sloth.
Fire inflicts scorched. This is just a burn effect. You can dash frantically or douse yourself in water to dissipate tye fire.
Water inflicts saturated. This increase damage taken by 20%.
Confused. A very important debuff for any build aiming for high numbers. It is triggered when a target is inflicted with 2 debuffs simultaneously. Confused yokai stagger when you hit them without fail and humans lose most of their speed and ki recovery. All confused enemies take massively increased damage. Keep in mind you can also be confused so don't ever let that happen.
Poison poisons you. What else to say. Lasts longer and deals more damage than fire.
Stench. Consuming anything stuns the inflicted for 3 second. Healing effects are reduced. Can be washed away in water.
Paralysis stuns the target for a sizeable ammount of time. Hitting the target breaks paralysis. You can also grapple paralysed enemies.
Purified(nioh 2 only): can no longer apply buffs, take 50% more ki damage and lose corruption.
Corrupted(nioh 2 only): lose puritu. Take 35% increased ki damage. Yokia inflicted lose maximum ki. Attacker restores ki on hit.
Berserk: deal 50% more damage but doubles ki usage.
Blinded: all projectiles fo in random directions. Enemies blinded no longer track you.
Sloth: give up hope. Just accept your fate.
I hope you have decided what to avoid like the plague.
Next is yokai/dark realm.
Yokai occasionally emit puddles called the yokai realm. This dramatically slows your ki recovery inside. Performing a ki pulse will purify the realm destroying it in the process. A dark realm(nioh 2 only) is a massive yokai realm that can not be purified normally. Instead, you need to kill the yokai creating it to get rid of the realm for good. In bossfights, they frequently call in a dark realm which usually signifies a new phase. They'll exit this once you break their ki or just wait it out.
Anyway, that all i can think of off the top of my headm hope this helps and if you need any nore advice, please ask.

Kamen Rider is a tokusatsu television series created by Shotaro Ishinomori. The series follows the experiences of a shapeshifting creature known as a Kamen Rider as he fights various villains. The original Kamen Rider series aired from 1971 to 1973, and was hugely popular, spawning numerous sequels and spin-offs. The franchise is particularly well-known for its use of outrageous suits and gadgets, and its campy, over-the-top sensibility. Kamen Rider is one of the most iconic tokusatsu franchises, and its latest iteration, Shin Kamen Rider, is now available to stream online for free. The series is a modern update of the classic formula, with new Rider suits and villains. If you’re a fan of tokusatsu, or just looking for something different to watch, be sure to check out Shin Kamen Rider. You can stream it for free online, and you’ll be sure to have a good time.
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Shin Kamen Rider is a Japanese tokusatsu television series that aired from April 3, 1971 to February 10, 1973. It was the first installment in the Kamen Rider franchise, and was created by Shotaro Ishinomori. The series tells the story of Takeshi Hongo, an biochemical scientist who is transformed into a cyborg Kamen Rider to fight the evil organization Shocker. Shocker is a terrorist organization that aims to take over the world by creating an army of cyborgs and other mutants. They kidnap Takeshi Hongo and several other people, including his girlfriend, to use as test subjects for their experiments. Takeshi is transformed into Kamen Rider 1, and is able to escape Shocker’s clutches. He then dedicates his life to fighting Shocker and protecting the innocent. Throughout the series, Kamen Rider 1 faces off against a variety of Shocker’s mutants, as well as the organization’s top operatives, the Kendo brothers. He is also joined by Hayato Ichimonji, who becomes Kamen Rider 2. Together, they face the challenges posed by Shocker and work to stop the organization’s plans. The series was popular in Japan, and spawned a large franchise that includes multiple sequels and spin-offs. It remains one of the most iconic tokusatsu series, and is credited with helping to popularize the genre.

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More Details on Toei Company’ “Shin Kamen Rider”

Although “Shin Kamen Rider” aired over 40 years ago, Toei Company released it for free online streaming in 2015. The live action series was produced by Shotaro Ishinomori and starred Hiroshi Fujioka as the title character. The show was aimed at a younger audience and featured a high school student named Takeshi Hongo who transformed into Kamen Rider to fight the evil organization Shocker. The series was popular in Japan and spawned numerous sequels and spin-offs. Toei Company has been responsible for some of the most popular shows and movies in Japan, including “Dragon Ball”, “One Piece”, “Sailor Moon”, and “My Hero Academia”. The company was founded in 1951 and is headquartered in Tokyo.

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What are the connections to the bigger MCU in Shin Kamen Rider?

The Kamen Rider franchise is one of the most popular in all of Japan. It has been running for over 40 years, with the latest iteration, Shin Kamen Rider, currently airing. The franchise is about a motorcycle-riding masked superhero who fights evil. The connection to the bigger Marvel Cinematic Universe is interesting. In the MCU, the Kamen Rider would be akin to Spider-Man, in that they are both masked vigilantes who fight crime. However, the Kamen Rider has a number of unique abilities that set him apart. For instance, the Kamen Rider can transform into various forms, each with their own unique set of powers. The Kamen Rider also has access to a wide variety of high-tech gadgets and weaponry, which he uses to fight evil. This is similar to Iron Man, who is also a technologically-advanced superhero. Another connection to the MCU is the fact that the Kamen Rider’s costume is red and black, similar to the costume of Daredevil. So, while the Kamen Rider may not be as well-known in the West, there are certainly a number of connections to be made between this Japanese superhero and the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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Is Shin Kamen Rider the end of the line for the team?

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When it comes to tokusatsu, or live-action superhero shows, one of the most popular and well-known franchises is Kamen Rider. Starting in 1971, the show has seen numerous iterations and subsequences, with the most recent being Shin Kamen Rider. This version of the show was broadcasted online for free, something that was very unusual for the franchise. So, is this the end of the line for Kamen Rider? Probably not. While it is true that Shin Kamen Rider was something of a departure from the norm, it is also important to remember that the franchise has always been one of the most adaptable and resilient out there. After all, it has been going strong for almost 50 years now. There is no doubt that Shin Kamen Rider was a unique take on the franchise. It was darker and edgier, with a more adult-oriented story. However, it was also a commercial success, with many fans tuning in to watch it. This shows that there is still a large audience for Kamen Rider, even if it is not the same as it was in the past. Of course, it is possible that Shin Kamen Rider is the end of the line for the franchise. But, given its history, it is more likely that this is simply a new beginning. Who knows what the future holds for Kamen Rider? All we can do is wait and see.

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When is Shin Kamen Rider coming out?

Shin Kamen Rider is an upcoming tokusatsu drama that will air on TV Asahi in Japan. The show will be a reboot of the popular Kamen Rider franchise, and will star Shunya Shiraishi as the titular character. The original Kamen Rider series aired from 1971 to 1973, and followed the story of a motorcycle-riding hero who fought against the evil Shocker organization. The show was incredibly popular in Japan, and spawned numerous sequels and spin-offs over the years. The new series will be set in a modern day version of Japan, and will follow the story of a high school student named Takeru who transforms into Kamen Rider to fight the evil organization known as overwhelming evilness and darkness, or D.E.M. The show will air on Sundays at 9 PM, starting on October 6th, 2019. Are you excited for the return of Kamen Rider? Let us know in the comments below!

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Where to Watch Toei Company’ “Shin Kamen Rider” Online for FREE?

Toei Company’s “Shin Kamen Rider” is a tokusatsu series that was aired from April 5, 1971, to February 10, 1973, with a total of 98 episodes. The series was created by Shotaro Ishinomori, who also created the Kamen Rider franchise. The series follows the story of Takeshi Hongo, a man who was turned into a cyborg by the terrorist organization Shocker and becomes Kamen Rider to fight against them. The series was aired on TV Asahi in Japan, and it was also aired in other countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, South Korea, and Hong Kong. In recent years, the series has been available to watch online for free on a number of websites. Here are some of the best places to watch “Shin Kamen Rider” online: -Tubi TV has the entire series available to watch for free. You do not need to sign up for an account to watch, but you will need to create one to add shows to your “queue”. -The Internet Archive has a number of episodes of “Shin Kamen Rider” available to watch for free. The episodes are in Japanese with no subtitles, but they are still understandable if you know some basic Japanese. -The official Kamen Rider Youtube channel has a number of episodes of “Shin Kamen Rider” available to watch for free. The episodes are in Japanese with no subtitles, but they are still understandable if you know some basic Japanese. -Toei Company has a number of episodes of “Shin Kamen Rider” available to watch for free on their official website. The episodes are in Japanese with no subtitles, but they are still understandable if you know some basic Japanese. -Amazon Prime Video has a number of episodes of “Shin Kamen Rider” available to watch for free. You will need to create an account and sign up for a free trial to watch the episodes, but you can cancel your free trial at any time. -Crunchyroll also has a number of episodes of “Shin Kamen Rider” available to watch for free. You will need to create an account and sign up for a free trial to watch the episodes, but you can cancel your free trial at any time.
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Previous/
The wagons or tanks rolled through the gate in a caravan that was more akin to a carnival than a group of tradesmen; all the wizards with their pointed hats were shaped magnificently against the browns and grays, some wore white porcelain dramedy masks beneath headwear as dark as pipe resin, men and women and those between—as that was common from where they hailed. Their company was perhaps forty and their mules and mares were thirsty and were led to troughs to idle while the wizards removed goods from their wagons or tanks and although it was not a spectacle for them to arrive within Golgotha’s walls, it was something still and the citizens gathered to greet whatever wizards they might know but mostly perhaps to whisper rumors on them. The wizards seemed a taller folk, but that was because of the hats, and they seemed wider too, but that was for the robes they adorned with costume jewelry, trinkets, or fingernail-sized lanterns which contained magical properties hung off their clothes as ornaments (some metal and other crudely wooden). I never knew a people that could trek the wastes in that time as well as me till I knew them.
Boss Maron was there at the gates with his wall men, hollering—shouting really, “The Whores of Babylon have come again!” And the bells signaled from atop the highest tower over the hall of Bosses and I met the front square with a morning headache and a cigarette. The Boss sheriff was clothed, cowboy hat pulled tightly to his ears, and he waltzed through the square, inspecting the new arrivals with his crotch out in front of him as he moved in a swagger like a cup of shifted water. Morning sunlight crested the wall to reflect on the pistol in his holster as it did on the star pin of his hat.
Among them, there was only one wizard I cared to see. Their name was Suzanne.
The hanged bodies of the men remained on the wall, dead and stiff and shifting to the little wind there was.
The square had filled with carts (some drawn by animals and others pushed on oil), and even if it were not for the bells which signaled their arrival, I’d have surely known their presence for the clatter of their metal engines.
“Well goddamn!” said Maron while examining a wizard, “What’s that you’ve got on your legs?”
The wizard, a young woman in plain pants wore a set of leg braces and whenever she moved, she did so in shifting her hips around. “Braces,” she said.
“What’s it for? Or is it some of your all’s secret whodo?”
“I’ve got bad legs. The braces help.” She said plainly, attempting to angle herself straight like a stick against one of the traveling party’s wagons.
“Bad legs?” Boss Maron’s expression was incredulous. “Who has bad legs? What sort of nonsense is it? If a lady like you’s made it this far in life with bad legs, then someone’s done you a disservice.”
She looked on questioningly while the other wizards continued with their unpacking or their conversating—whether it be amongst themselves or with the freckle-spaced citizens in the square.
“How are you to outrun trouble when you’ve got them?” He nodded at the young woman’s legs.
“I don’t.” Her face was red either because of the sun or because of the scrutiny. “I’m just bow-legged.”
“Damn,” he shook his head, “Well how much you want for one of them?”
“One of my braces?”
“Yeah. All I want’s the one anyway.”
“I need both of them.”
“C’mon. You wouldn’t notice just one missing. I mean, you’ve got a spare right next to it.”
Upon noticing a robed figure I recognized by the animals at the troughs, I moved to them instead and let Maron’s conversation fall to the wayside. The chatter of the crowd was wild and startled words came as a wizard exposed their collection of tonics to passersby.
“Suzanne,” I said.
The figure turned to face me, moving their head to look away from a mare they’d been brushing to expose one of those white porcelain masks.
I knew it and could not contain a smile.
“Harlan?” asked the figure. The mask on its face was split in the middle with hinges on either side and they opened it to show their face; it was Suzanne. They’d grown some hair around their throat and wore lipstick on their lips and dyes on their eyes.
“It’s good to see you.” I pushed myself into a hug with them and I could smell the travel off them but didn’t care.
They shifted timidly before hugging me back and I pretended not to notice. Once we’d separated, I looked on Suzanne’s face again and they were looking on at the hanging men on the wall. “Again?” they asked.
I nodded and shot a look towards the Boss across the way.
“What justice?” they asked no one while shaking their head.
Trying an answer, I said, “Justice is something man made, I think. I’ll leave men to men and the rest to God.”
“God.” Suzanne nodded glumly then shook their head. “Which one?”
I laughed a good laugh that felt real but nervous too then kicked the ground and took the last drag off my cigarette before chucking it to the ground. “What’s brought you here?”
Suzanne answered plainly. “We took a long time east out near Pittsburgh.” Their eyes scanned the buildings further on from the square. “The people there are worse than here, it seems. At least you still have your walls.”
“Pittsburgh’s fallen?”
They frowned. “Not completely. They’ve mostly gone underground. A skitterbug infestation caused a plague directly before an attack of proportions I’ve yet seen.” Suzanne’s brow furrowed. “It was awful.” The words hung in the air for a moment. “But we’re here now and thought we’d stop for a rest and some guns and ammo before returning to Babylon. We’ve brought some medicines to trade.”
I learned from my friend that Pittsburgh’s infrastructure and fortifications were decimated in an attack the wizards only caught second-hand and the survivors—holed away in the tunnels beneath Pittsburgh—told of how the demons ran the walls once their reserves were low.
Then the wizards gathered there began unpacking books, some scrolls, and there were medicines too and some of the Bosses other than Maron (he pushed his harassment of the young wizard with leg braces) graced us there with their presence as they came on and began to pick across the goods, haggling prices. Boss Frank was there, and he stood before a wizard by a tank with a wooden table of jars—capped elixirs of varying colors—he grew increasingly frustrated with their selection and took on in his braggadocious way, speaking of numbers. A few of the idle wizards leaned against carts or even took across town and a small group of them had gathered for a quick show near the guard posts, playing instruments (strings over the vocals of “In My Life”) and there in the front of them was a young wizard man that had removed his hat to show how he played with fire flames off his hands—it was a sideshow play—and the citizens wore variations of bemusement or disgust. The children of Golgotha, all dirty faced with sprigs of hair jutting about from their morning’s waking, seemed totally bewildered in the joy of song and clapped their hands or shook their hips all with smiles.
I stuffed my hands in my jacket and prodded Suzanne, “What’s with the plague? I mean, was it contained? None of your lot got sick, did they?”
Suzanne scoffed, perhaps a little pridefully, “No. I wouldn’t worry about that.” They patted a nearby mule then withdrew a brush and moved it across its thin coat before looking over its hooves. “I’ve brought you some books I found out that way though. You still read?”
I nodded.
“Don’t expect any of that fiction. The only ones I’ve found recently are old pamphlets or medical texts.” Suzanne paused and smiled, returning the animal brush to their robes, “You haven’t happened upon anything that might interest me, have you?”
Their shown teeth were infectious. “Mayhap. I’d need you to come back to my place so I could give them to you.” An awkward pause followed and the roar of the still accumulating crowd overtook the space between us before I continued. “Mostly interesting containers and a few flecks of gold I took from some old computers—they’ve been waitin’ on you for weeks now. I got some parchment that might be of use to you too. You can take what you need as always.”
“How about we get some food? I’m famished. Riding through the night takes its toll.”
Me and Suzanne took from the square up a narrow route that led through residences where the lower levels had their curtains drawn and then we took stairs toward balconies and catwalks configured from reinforced metal; we spoke as we went and a few odd glances from passersby met the wizard as we did.
“The tide on the east is rising again,” said Suzanne.
“Worse than before?”
“Worse than before.”
“God, I don’t think I’ve seen the ocean for a decade or more.” I slid my hand along the railing once we came to what was essentially my front porch; it was a perch among the catwalks that cut against the domicile where I shared walls with others on three sides and we stopped there outside my door. “We saw a dragon only a few days ago.”
Suzanne’s interest seemed piqued. “A dragon? And what direction was it traveling?”
“Well,” I craned over the railing, looking down the narrow walkway that separated my building and the one across the way; I couldn’t see the front square from outside my home, but I could still just make out the music echoing from that direction, “Could’ve been north or west. I was preoccupied, but I wouldn’t worry much. The wall men gave it a pretty good thrashing before it took off.”
“Hmm.”
“So, the ocean? It’s rising, huh?”
They joined me there on railing, supporting themselves against their forearms. “It is. Faster than ever. Some bad magic’s taken the water. I imagine by the end of the year Pittsburgh will be under it. There’s something bad coming. You might call it intuition if you want, but I know it’s coming. Something bad. Revelations bad. There comes a time when even those of us forsaken are brought worse.”
“Bah!” I couldn’t help it, “John thought it was the end times while he wrote the damn thing. And what about all the other books? Hm?”
Suzanne put up their hands. “I didn’t mean it like that at all. You know I’m only the mildest scholar on the topic.”
“Anyway. You’d better not start having visions. Got enough to worry about as is.” I’d not realized my shoulders were tense until their hand touched me, and I flinched.
“You’ve a bruise around your neck. Care to elaborate there?”
I shook my head. “Got into a fight.”
Suzanne laughed, removed their pointed hat and playfully put it on my head. “C’mon. Cook me something. You might not know a thing about spices, but your cooking’s always tasted better.”
We took through my door to my small single room where simple amenities awaited and an ancient, decommissioned pump-shotgun hung on the wall over the bed. “That’s just ‘cause you ain’t the one laboring over it.”
Across a meal of potato cakes and toasted bread, we drank coffee until I broke into the liquor to spice my coffee and alleviate my hangover, and we shared the drink and Suzanne took to wash in the sink while I smoked outside on the overlook. Upon returning to the room, I saw them there with a wet rag stuffed beneath an armpit and they were beautiful caught without robes, frame cast in sunglow through the crack in my doorway. In a moment, our hands glided around one another in a scramble of arms at the middle point between us and we took to bed for a while.
Come midday, we remained there, staring at the ceiling, chests bare, and blanket strewn across our lower halves.
“You’re going gray,” said Suzanne.
“You’re getting old too, ya’know.”
“Yes.”
“How long did you say you’ll be staying?” I asked while trying to mask whatever excitement may be present.
“Few days. Once we’ve enough ammunition.” They traced their index finger along my ear lobe.
“Stay.” I offered.
They frowned. “Come.”
“I did already.”
They gave me a light shove and cut their eyes at me. Hazel. How good that color was. “Really. What keeps you here?”
“Things.” I pushed up in the bed to sit, finagling my underwear from the jeans on the floor.
“I wish you would.”
“I’m no wizard.”
“You don’t need to be.”
“Maybe there will come a time when I take you up on that offer. Who knows?” I slid into the drawers.
“Is it Maron?” they asked, “I don’t know your fascination with him. He’s the worst combination cruel and dumb I’ve seen.”
“Like an animal.” I nodded. “Like something real bad’s wrong with him. But no. He’s not my fascination.” Lying was always hard with them. “I worry about this place. I wouldn’t do the things I do if I didn’t. What if I were to leave it and then it turns out like Pittsburgh.”
“Oh, you’re an expert in plagues now?”
“No,” I scoffed, “I guess it’s just a place that weighs on my conscious.” I went to sit on the bed alongside them.
“You hate it here. I can see it more on your face every time we meet.”
“That I do. Call it an investment dilemma. I’ve put time in it, and I want it to be well.”
“That doesn’t sound like you.”
I caught Suzanne’s face there, staring up from the flat pillow, flustered. My reasoning was hard, but I continued, “There is one thing I should undo before I leave here. It’s a long time coming, and I don’t know if I can. But it’s important,” upon seeing their quizzical expression, I added, “And it is secret.”
“I wish you’d come with us. You’d be welcome.”
“I’ll visit Babylon sometime next month. I promise.”
“You shouldn’t call it that. I don’t like it when you call it that.” The wizards never called their home Babylon; that was a name conjured by the many religious fanatics that considered their magic evil (even if they did trade with the ‘heretics’ from time to time). The name they’d given their own city of medicine was Alexandria; it was fitting for I’d seen their expansive libraries and could become lost in them easily.
“Fine. I’ll be there.” I squeezed their hand in mine. “I’ll miss you once you’ve gone.”
“Don’t get sappy,” they said before planting a kiss on my forehead.
The day went and then the next and another and the wizards packed their belongings. No more music for Golgotha, only quiet agony. As Suzanne said, they’d left me a few books and I’d given away my parchment, jars, and gold. While they were in town, I even was able to snag a few more bottles of their famous wizard liquor along with a few vials of medicine—always good to have whenever I set foot beyond the walls or when someone within might need it.
There came a time finally—as every time it does—where I watched the caravan, with gray smoke clouds off the engines, take on north first where there was an opening wide enough in the ruins to accommodate vehicles, then it hooked around a wide bend that took them west then their black shapes against the red morning skyline disappeared like fading ink as their magic cloaked them entirely. I wished them well, but at the moment of dissipation, I felt an urge to leap from the top of the wall, charge across the field, scream that I was coming and scream it loud enough that I’d hurt myself. I think I just loved—though I never said it aloud and neither did they—and love is a bad thing more often than it is good, for the longing it leaves in its absence drives a person mad and I did not want to be mad; the feeling burst from me quietly there on the wall while I was flanked on either side by guards. I was sure all along the way they went that I could just make out Suzanne among them; that was probably a fault in my vision, but I imagined they were casting glances back, hoping to hold me as strongly as I wished to hold them. I went to the streets of Golgotha where the town quieted from the previous days’ engagements with the wizards.
Normal came and settled and then came chanting from Lady as she moved through sullen quiet streets. She was so far off that I was not sure it was her at all and then came the lines as she drew nearer by the hydroponics towers, and she shouted them vigorously and shook her fist above the air and held a staff with a swinging lantern of incense in her opposite hand, partly for ceremony and partly for support. The words came harshly, gravelly:
“They called to the mountains and to the rocks, fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”
“The lamb will be your shepherd. He will guide you. Hallelujah! He will lead you to the springs of living water and wipe away every tear!”
“Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand! Do not be tempted by the deviousness of the whorish Babylonians for all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”
A person, among the catwalks, shouted down at Lady, “Shut-the-fuck-up!”
I watched her come fully down the avenue as she dodged a thrown egg from somewhere unseen, then dashed away toward an offshoot alley to hide somewhere, incense lantern smoking, clanging against her back while she screeched off more scripture from memory. After she was long gone, I moved to the spot where the egg was, rubbed it into dirt with the sole of my boot and looked up through the spiderweb network of catwalks overhead; there was no one.
Without a thing keeping me, I took off the following day, and upon meeting the gates, Maron was there and I could see he was the proud owner of a used leg brace; he grinned upon seeing me, patting his mustache down with his forefinger and thumb.
“Whatcha’ think?” He motioned to his left leg. “It’s a bit of a conversation starter, ain’t it?”
“Get your boys to open the gate, I’m going out.”
He shook his head. “Won’t find anything out there. It’s all dirt and rubble, you know.”
“Just open it.”
“You know what?” He cut his eyes at me. “There’s gonna’ come a day when you won’t be so able bodied or maybe the Bosses won’t like you coming and going as you please.”
I inhaled heavily then let it go. “Now can’t we skip to the end where you acquiesce to my request?”
“Words words words you’ve got. You’ve got a lot of words. Acquiesce. Psshaw.” Boss Maron waved for the guards to open the gate and they did, and I stepped by him, and he spit somewhere behind me before I heard him hobble around with his single leg brace.
The path was clear and open on all sides and in no time, I’d taken across the field to the east and found myself on the edge of the ruins where things stank, and I was free from no other thought than to live. Creeping hot overcame me and brought my hair to my forehead and I holed off in a shadow to drank from my gourd before continuing. The sun was red in the sky in the places where I could see sky from around the black shadows of towering structures. I ducked beneath an old shop counter when I heard the skittering of fart heads and pulled a sleeve to kill the scent of their chlorine breath.
Once they’d gone, I pulled through the wreckage more and more till I came upon the markings for an old safehouse in the back office of a garage I’d not been to in a while. What were my intentions? Was I going to go all the way to the coast? Throw myself into those bad magic waters? There’s a thing they don’t teach you in religion. They prattle all day to do this or that and they say that Hell awaits sinners or Hades or maybe its in layers or circles or what have you. They’ll tell you about the places and they’ll say that if you take life into your own hands, you end in Hell, but what’s a person to do when those creeping intrusions come along—the ones that call to a person in the darkness, the ones where they tempt you to jump from a high place or there’s always a gun or a poison. Maybe a person could bribe another to do it for them. Where do they end up then? What are you supposed to do to stave off those thoughts? Should a person contend such melancholies with prayer? That did not seem helpful. What is the soulless to do without the promise of those pearly gates anyway?
Anyway, I took on past the safehouse and found a utility hall in the side of a tall industrial building just beyond a partially erect chain link fence. The wall was opened up like a cracked shell from years of standing alone, and after ducking through there, I found some old matches in a drawer, plastic gas cans whose contents had long since congealed within; I kicked them (not that I expected anything more). Moving further down the wide hallway, there were shelves of dusty tools, and I took some hammers and knives (cheapo stuff).
Further still down the hall, there was a staircase, and I took it quietly; the stone stairs made hardly a sound against the bottoms of my boots, and I took the stairs more quickly till I was out of breath and caught myself on a landing where I supped silent air before rushing further up the stairs. An old metallic cabinet or console—I couldn’t make it out—lay strewn across the steps to the second-highest floor and I climbed over it before coming to the building’s roof access. Upon coming to the door with a metal push bar across its middle, I gave it a shove and it did not budge but a minor clink and I took a moment to collect myself before rummaging through my gear.
Slung through a loop on the inside of my pack was a short prybar that was so worn around its tooth it was more rounded than an edge; I shimmied the piece of metal into the spot where the door latched into the way and began crimping the spot apart, trying all the while to maintain a relative quiet in the dead ruins. Once I’d bent away at the door for a few moments, I elevated my body weight at an awkward angle to pop the door free and it did so, half open, with a rusty screech that forced a long pause from me; I stood there by the newly opened doorway for a full minute, holding the prybar, holding my breath. Upon hearing nothing in response to the noise of the door, I slid the tool into my pack and slipped through the threshold.
The flat roof of the industrial building sloped to one corner—where the opening in the wall of the first floor was—and sitting there in the middle of an open platform was an old helicopter, blades half torn away or rusted off and the remaining slanted from the top of the old vehicle, touching the platform it sat upon. The roof access looked like a little square house atop the flat headed structure and around the side of the access, I found an old corpse (entirely bones) wrapped in black plastic-like armor, the white dry fingers laid across its lap, several digits gone and its hollow eye holes staring off into the sky with a permanent smile. I moved to the thing that hadn’t been human in a long time and prodded it; the skeleton slumped to the side and looked on the ground by its shoes. How long had it been staring at the sky and how long had it been waiting for me to come and change its dead visage?
I moved to the edge of the building, to the corner where the building sloped and looked off the edge to the ground below; all was quiet, and nothing moved save the shadows’ stalwart creep across the ground. Examining from above, I could see the opening I’d climbed through and beneath my shifting feet, I felt the ground give a little; timidly, I angled more forward and for a moment I thought I knew why I’d gone up there in the first place. Suddenly six-stories felt high. The urge to jump came. Perhaps on the way down, I’d have just a blink to convince myself I’d slipped.
“Hey!” A shout from somewhere down below came from the direction I’d come from. I shook my head as it felt as though it was a ghost echo, a noise that wasn’t. Then it came again, “Hey!”
I squinted my eyes and there in the crumbled road below, there was a human I didn’t initially recognize; it was only after the figure tumbled through the remains of the chain link fence that I recognized it as Dave. I blinked.
Out of breath, he angled over to the opening at the base of the structure and called up at me, “Hey! I see you up there!”
Whisper-yelling, I cupped my hands, “Shutup!”
I took back to the stairs, and he hollered after, “Where you going?”
With reckless abandon, I took the stairs many at a time, leapt the cabinet on the stairs, scrambling while also reaching for the prybar I’d put away. I held the cold metal in my hand and charged toward the industrial storage hallway where I could see him silhouetted in the frame of the crumbled opening.
His chest heaved and he wiped at his brow; slung across his shoulder was a small supply bag and worn like a necklace was a pair of binoculars. “God, you move fast. Like a fuckin’ cockroach in light.” His eyes shifted from my face to the prybar in my hand as I approached him.
Standing within the echoey hallway, I lifted the weapon and pointed it at him. “What’d you follow me for?”
“You wouldn’t use that on me.” He took his eyes from the prybar. “I don’t think you would anyway. You might be shady, Harlan, but I don’t take you as a stone-cold murderer.”
“You take me wrong,” I said.
“Maybe.” He seemed to think on it a moment. “You wouldn’t?”
“If you’ve given away my position to those things, I might.”
“Lots of bluster.” Dave offered an incredibly forced smile, and I could see just from the little shine of the sun in the opening that his eye had blacked but remained functional. “I been watching you.”
“Oh?”
He nodded. “I snuck out after you.”
“You ought to go back.”
“You ought to just listen. There ain’t a thing back there for me.”
“I don’t care.” The sharpness in my voice felt good. “I don’t need some sorry sack sneaking up on me when I’m mindin’ my own.”
A quiet laugh. “There’s nothing there for me. I been farming all my life and if I die,” he shrugged, “So be it.”
“Idiot. Fuckin’ idiot.”
“You manage out here! Wizards can too!”
“Wizards have magic.”
“You got some of that?”
I lowered the crowbar.
“We’ve got to stop starting our conversations with fights.” He paused and moved into the shadowy hallway of the building before perching in a half-sit half-lean against the wall near me. “I never was violent anyway, so if you want to hit me with that then do it.”
“Hmm.”
His shirt clung to him, sweat thick and dark on his chest and pits. “Goddamn you move fast.”
“You should wear a jacket or something. Long sleeves keep the sun off and a thicker material gives you a modicum of protection.” I took to squatting too, maintaining ample distance betwixt us. “A hat helps too, but I’m always losing hats.” I chewed on my tongue while mulling over whether I should leave him.
“Are you going to try and slink away while I’m not looking?”
I blinked. “No.”
“Liar.” He took a healthy gulp from his water gourd then wiped his mouth. “East is the ocean?”
I nodded.
“Is it far?”
I nodded. “For you.”
Dave sighed. “Thank you.”
“For?”
“Telling me.”
“Okay.”
“You ever have any kids?”
I shook my head.
“It’s somethin’. Henry had so much energy—especially when he was little—there was times I didn’t think he’d ever settle down.”
“What are you doing out here?” I asked.
“Helen told me she was the same way when she was his age. She had energy too. I feel so tired.”
“Dave. What the fuck are you doing out here? Why’d you follow me?”
He took one last swallow from his gourd before shoving it into his pack. “I wanted to talk to you about killin’ the Bosses.”
I laughed into my hand. “That’s—that’s a thought.”
“I mean it.” His stare was like pinpricks.
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This is not a comprehensive list, but it's as close as I could get to one from research and memory, and it includes quite a bit of Bay Area shenanigans. The Superdome appears fairly often as well:
1941 - The St. Louis Browns attempt to move to Los Angeles, but the winter meetings where the move's approval is set for a vote are scrapped by the attack on Pearl Harbor two days prior
1947 - NL President Ford Frick suggests to good friend and St. Louis Cardinals owner Sam Breadon that the team, currently renting Sportsmans Park from the Browns, should move to Chicago so it can finally have a successful NL franchise, but the White Sox and another area team stridently object so the team is instead sold to Fred Saigh
1953 - Facing federal tax evasion charges and bedeviled by Browns owner Bill Veeck loading the payroll with old Cardinals favorites and starting some wild promotions to shove his stadium's NL tenants out of town, Redbirds owner Fred Saigh nearly sells the team to a group in Houston before Gussie Busch floats in on a river of beer to save Stan Musial from a move to Texas
1953 - Saigh also nearly sold the Cardinals to a different beer baron - Fred Miller of Milwaukee - but as mentioned previously, the Budweiser guys saved the day instead
1953 - Unable to compete with the new Anheuser Busch money, the St. Louis Browns nearly move to Milwaukee instead, but Bill Veeck is blocked by the other owners. Milwaukee consoles itself by watching the ex-Boston Braves, who have just relocated there and will stay for a little over a decade. The Browns, who had started out as the original Milwaukee Brewers, move to Maryland and take on the Yankees franchise's original name as the Baltimore Orioles
1956 - The Washington Senators are courted by Los Angeles before the Brooklyn Dodgers enter the fray, then ultimately move to Minnesota five years later instead
1956 - New York Giants consider a move to Minneapolis before settling on San Francisco once the Brooklyn Dodgers' move west is solidified
1956 - The Kansas City Athletics owner, having just moved the team from Philadelphia, immediately regrets his decision and explores Los Angeles before being usurped by the Brooklyn Dodgers. He sells the team to Charles Finley a few years later
1958 - Incensed at having lost the Dodgers and Giants, New York mayor Robert Wagner enlists William Shea to try to poach the Phillies, Reds, or Dodgers, before switching tactics and instead attacking MLB's antitrust status until they agree to allow the Mets as an expansion franchise.
1962 - Charles Finley tries to move the Athletics to Dallas but gets blocked by other owners
1963 - Charles Finley tries to move the Athletics to Louisville but gets blocked by other owners
1964-1966 - Charles Finley tries unsuccessfully to move the Athletics to Atlanta
1964-1966 - Charles Finley tries unsuccessfully to move the Athletics to San Diego
1964-1966 - Charles Finley tries unsuccessfully to move the Athletics to Indianapolis
1964-1966 - Charles Finley tries unsuccessfully to move the Athletics to Seattle, before ultimately moving them to Oakland in 1968
1965 - The Cincinnati Reds are nearly sold to San Diego by Bill DeWitt (father of current Cardinals owner Bill DeWitt) before local investors step in
1966 - "Singing Cowboy" Gene Autrey tries to move the Los Angeles Angels, formerly of Wrigley Field and Dodger Stadium, to Long Beach, but when the city refuses to pay for a new stadium unless they are called the Long Beach Angels, he moves the team to Anaheim instead so he can use a name that will appeal to a larger southern California base. (Arte Moreno eventually makes a mockery of this entire naming debacle by restoring the Los Angeles name despite the team still being in Anaheim, which the city objects to, leading to the team briefly being called, at least in Spanish, Los Angeles de Los Angeles de Anaheim)
1968 - Bud Selig lures the White Sox to play some home games in Milwaukee and tries to buy the team and move it there, but the sale is blocked by other owners. Two years later he takes the Pilots from Seattle instead
1970s to 1990s - George Steinbrenner threatens to move the Yankees to New Jersey, also halfheartedly flirting with the New Orleans Superdome on a few brief occasions, particularly during a two-year stretch when the Yankees played at Shea Stadium (along with the Jets, Giants and Mets)
1973 - The Padres ink a deal to become the Washington (DC) Stars to replace the Texas Rangers version of the Senators, but after uniforms are designed and baseball cards printed, Ray Kroc of McDonalds fame steps in and keeps the team in San Diego
1975 - Charles Finley tries unsuccessfully to move the Athletics to Chicago's Comiskey Park...
1975 - ...because the White Sox' planned move to Seattle falls apart. Instead, baseball settled the debacle from the Pilots' quick exit via the Mariners expansion.
1976 - The San Francisco Giants try to leave Candestick Park for the warmer environs of Toronto, but a sale to the Labatts beer folks is blocked. Toronto gets the new Blue Jays franchise instead
1978 - Charles Finley tries unsuccessfully to move the Athletics to Denver
1979 - Charles Finley tries unsuccessfully to move the Athletics to New Orleans to play in the Superdome
1980s - Charles Finley tries unsuccessfully to sell the Athletics to Phoenix and/or to Denver again but is blocked by the city of Oakland after they lose the Raiders
1981 - The Pittsburgh Pirates entertain an offer to move to the Superdome in New Orleans, before the mayor threatens legal action
1981 - The Pirates entertain an offer from Tampa, which does not yet have a dome to offer and is ultimately rejected
1981-1985 - The Pittsburgh Pirates spend several years flirting with Denver, with talk dying down around the time of the (probably unrelated) MLB drug trial in the city, which implicates several players and the team's literally cocaine-addled parrot mascot
1985 - The Pittsburgh Pirates owner also flirts with a sale to Indianapolis, who has just stolen the Baltimore Colts from the NFL, but the mayor threatens to sue and scares both sides out of the deal
1987 - The Chicago White Sox flirt with the idea of moving to a new state-of-the-art dome being built in Tampa but ultimately settle for another Comiskey Park instead, thus narrowly helping the Windy City keep a professional baseball team
1990 - The San Francisco Giants atrempt to secure funding for a new stadium in Santa Clara but it is voted down
1992 - The San Francisco Giants attempt to build a stadium in San Jose but the proposal is voted down
1993 - The San Francisco Giants again try to escape the bay area entirely with a move to Tampa's still-vacant state-of-the-art dome, but the other owners block the deal. The dome is eventually occupied by the Ray's, who will eventually threaten to half-move to Montreal in part because they hate that dome
1995 - The Pittsburgh Pirates are nearly sold to a DC owner before being saved by Kevin McClatchey, who would eventually taint his legacy by making way for Bob Nutting to supplant him as owner in 2007
1997 - The Minnesota Twins try to move to Charlotte or Piedmont, but both this and Bud Selig's attempt to kill the team outright ultimately fail
2003 - With MLB taking ownership of the Montreal Expos the prior year, various moves are considered. The team plays some games in San Juan, Puerto Rico and kicks the tires on Portland OR, Monterrey Mexico, East Rutherford NJ, Norfolk VA, and Charlotte NC before finally convincing Orioles (neé St. Louis Browns, who started this whole list) owner Peter Angelos to give DC a third bite at the MLB apple.
Lately there has been talk of the Rays and A's moving, as well as Manfred threatening to kick the Brewers out of Milwaukee. It's fascinating to me how many of these prior relocations have involved Milwaukee, the A's, and Tampa... anyway feel free to call me an idiot for any of these you think may be incorrect or for any big ones I missed. Keep the faith, A's fans...

Prices FIRM - CashApp/Venmo/PayPal Friends & Family
Disney/Marvel titles are split codes. Only redeem what you pay for. Thank you.
300 (2007) (MA/4K) $6.50
12 Monkeys (1995) (MA/4K) $3.50
12 Years a Slave (2013) (MA/HD) $3.50
2 Guns (2013) (MA/HD) $4.75 (iTunes/HD) $3.50
2012 (2009) (MA/4K) $6.50
22 Jump Street (2014) (MA/HD) $4.50
355, The (2022) (MA/HD) $5.75
47 Meters Down (2017) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $4.50
47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/4K) $4.75
80 for Brady (2023) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/4K) $6.50
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019) (MA/HD) $5.75
A Clockwork Orange (1972) (MA/4K) $6.50
A Dog's Purpose (2017) (MA/HD) $4 (iTunes/HD) $3
A Man Called Otto (2022) (MA/HD) $7.25
A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $4.25
A Monster Calls (2016) (MA/HD) (iTunes/HD) $3.75
A Quiet Place (2018) (Vudu/4K) $4.50 (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $1.50
A Quiet Place Part II (2020) (Vudu/4K) $6.50 (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $4.25
A Vigilante (2018) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $5.50
A Wrinkle in Time (2018) (MA/HD) $3
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012) (MA/HD) $4.25
Action Point (2018) (Vudu/HD) $2.25 (iTunes/4K) $1.50
Ad Astra (2019) (MA/HD) $4.75
Addams Family (1991) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $6.50
Adventures of Tintin (2011) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $4.50
After Earth (2013) (MA/HD) $2.50
Age of Adaline (2015) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $3.75
Aladdin (1992) (MA/4K) $6.75 (MA/HD) $3.25 (GP/HD) $2.25
Alice in Wonderland (1951) (GP/HD) $5.50
Alien (1979) (MA/4K) $7.25 (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $5
Alien 3 (1992) (MA/HD) $5.50
Alien Collection 1-6 (MA/HD) $19.50 1-4 (MA/SD) $9
Alien Resurrection (1997) (MA/HD) $5.50
Alien: Covenant (2017) (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $2.50
Aliens (1986) (MA/HD) $5.50
All Eyez on Me (2017) (Vudu/HD) $2.50 (iTunes/HD) $1.75
All The Money In The World (2017) (MA/HD) $4.25
All the Way (2016) (GP/HD) $3.50 No Port
Aloha (2015) (MA/HD) $2.50
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015) (MA/HD) (iTunes/HD) $2.75
Amazing Spider-Man (2012) (MA/4K) $6.50 (MA/HD) $4.50
Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) (MA/4K) $6.50 (MA/HD) $5.50
Ambulance (2022) (MA/4K) $6.75 (MA/HD) $4
American Beauty (1999) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $6
American Made (2017) (MA/4K) $7.25 (MA/HD) $4.25
American Sniper (2014) (MA/4K) $6.50
American Underdog (2021) (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $4.75
Amsterdam (2022) (MA/HD) $5 (GP/HD) $3.75
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013) (iTunes/HD) $2
Angels & Demons (2009) (MA/HD) $5.75
Angry Birds Movie (2016) (MA/HD) $3.75
Annie (2014) (MA/HD) $2.25
Antlers (2021) (GP/HD) $4
Ant-Man (2015) (MA/4K) $6.25 (iTunes/4K) $5 (MA/HD) $4.50 (GP/HD) $2.25
Apollo 11 (2019) (MA/HD) $6.25
Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm (2022) (MA/HD) $4.75
Army of Darkness (1992) (MA/HD) $4
Arrival (2016) (Vudu/4K) $6.75 (Vudu/HD) $2.25 (iTunes/4K) $4
Art of Self-Defense (2019) (MA/HD) $6
Artist, The (2011) (MA/HD) $6
Avengers (2012) (MA/4K) $7.75 (iTunes/4K) $6.75 (GP/HD) $3.75
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) (MA/4K) $7.75 (iTunes/4K) $6 (GP/HD) $1.75
Avengers: Endgame (2019) (MA/4K) $4.75 (iTunes/4K) $3.75 (GP/HD) $1
Avengers: Infinity War (2018) (MA/4K) $5.50 (iTunes/4K) $3.75 (GP/HD) $1
Babylon (2022) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/4K) $6.25
Back to the Future (1985) (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $4.25
Bad Boys for Life (2020) (MA/4K) $5.75 (MA/HD) $3.50
Bad Guys, The (2022) (MA/4K) $8 (MA/HD) $4.25
Bad Moms (2016) (MA/HD) $3.50 (iTunes/HD) $2.75
Bambi (1942) (MA/HD) $6.25 (GP/HD) $4.50
Bambi II (2006) (MA/HD) $6.25 (GP/HD) $4.50
Band of Brothers (2001) (GP/HD) $3.75 No Port
Bank Job, The (2008) (Vudu/HD) $3.25
Banshees of Inisherin (2022) (GP/HD) $4.50
Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons (2022) (MA/4K) $6 (MA/HD) $4.50
Batman Year One (2011) (MA/4K) $5
Batman, The (2022) (MA/4K) $5.25 (MA/HD) $3
Batman: The Long Halloween Deluxe Edition (2022) (MA/HD) $6
Battle: Los Angeles (2011) (MA/4K) $6.50
Battleship (2012) (MA/4K) $4.50 (MA/HD) $1.75 (iTunes/4K) $3
Beast (2022) (MA/HD) $5.75
Beauty and the Beast (1991) (MA/4K) $7 (MA/HD) $4.75 (GP/HD) $2
Beauty and the Beast (2017) (MA/4K) $7 (MA/HD) $3.25 (GP/HD) $2
Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) (MA/HD) $5 (GP/HD) $3.50
Beguiled, The (2017) (MA/HD) (iTunes/HD) $4
Being John Malkovich (1999) (MA/HD) $3.50
Beirut (2018) (MA/HD) $4.75
Belfast (2021) (MA/HD) $5.50
Belly (1998) (Vudu/4K) $4.75
Ben-Hur (2016) (Vudu/HD) $2.50
Better Off Dead (1985) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $6.50
Beverly Hills Cop (1984) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $4.50
BFG, The (2016) (MA/HD) $5.25 (GP/HD) $3.50
Big (1988) (MA/HD) $5.75
Big Lebowski (1998) (iTunes/4K) $6 (MA/HD) $5.75
Big Wedding (2013) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $3.75
Billy Elliot (2000) (MA/HD) (iTunes/HD) $4.25
Birth of A Nation (2016) (MA/HD) $4
Black Adam (2022) (MA/4K) $7 (MA/HD) $4.25
Black Christmas (2019) (MA/HD) $6
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) (MA/4K) $6.50 (MA/HD) $3.75 (GP/HD) $2.50
Black Phone, The (2021) (MA/HD) $5
Black Swan (2010) (MA/HD) $4.50
Black Widow (2021) (MA/4K) $6.50 (MA/HD) $4.75 (GP/HD) $3.25
Blacklight (2022) (MA/HD) $4.25
Blade Runner (Final Cut) (1982) (MA/4K) $6.50
Blade Runner 2049 (2017) (MA/4K) $6.50
Bleed for This (2016) (MA/HD) (iTunes/HD) $4
Blockers (2018) (MA/HD) $3
Blood Father (2016) (Vudu/HD) $4
Bloodshot (2020) (MA/HD) $4
Blues Brothers (1980) (iTunes/4K) Ports to MA $6
Blumhouse's Truth Or Dare (Unrated) (2018) (MA/HD) $4.75
Bob's Burgers Movie (2022) (MA/HD) $3.25 (GP/HD) $2.25
Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) (Vudu/4K) $6.75
Bodyguard, The (1992) (MA/HD) $5
Bolt (2008) (MA/HD) $8 (GP/HD) $5.50
Bond: Goldfinger (1964) (Vudu/HD) $7
Bond: Man with the Golden Gun (1974) (Vudu/HD) $6.25
Bond: Skyfall (2012) (Vudu/4K) $5.75 (Vudu/HD) $1
Bond: Spectre (2015) (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $5.50
Book of Henry (2017) (iTunes/HD) Ports $5
Book of Life (2014) (MA/HD) (iTunes/HD) $2.50
Booksmart (2019) (MA/HD) $5.25
Born a Champion (2021) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $5.50
Boss Baby: Family Business (2021) (MA/HD) $4.50
Boss, The (Unrated) (2016) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $2.75
Bourne Supremacy (2004) (MA/4K) $5.50 (iTunes/HD) $4.50 (MA/HD) $3
Bourne Ultimatum (2007) (MA/4K) $5.50 (iTunes/HD) $5.50 (MA/HD) $4
Boy Next Door, The (2015) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $5.25
Boy, The (2016) (MA/HD) (iTunes/HD) $3.75
Brahms: The Boy II (2020) (iTunes/4K) $2.75
Braven (2018) (Vudu/HD) $3.75
Breakdown (1997) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $5.75
Breakthrough (2019) (MA/4K) $6.50
Brian Banks (2019) (MA/HD) $4.25
Bridge of Spies (2015) (MA/HD) $5.25 (GP/HD) $3.75
Bridget Jones's Diary (2001) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $4.25
Bring It On: Worldwide #Cheersmack (2017) (MA/HD) $3.25 (iTunes/HD) $1.25
Broken City (2013) (MA/HD) $3.50 (iTunes/SD) $1.25
Broken Hearts Gallery (2020) (MA/HD) $3.75
Brothers (2009) (Vudu/HD) $5.50
Buffy, the Vampire Slayer (1992) (MA/HD) $5.75
Bullet Train (2022) (MA/4K) $5.75 (MA/HD) $4.25
Bye Bye Man (Unrated) (2017) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $2.50
Cake (2014) (MA/HD) $5.25
Call Me by Your Name (2017) (MA/HD) $5.75
Call, The (2013) (MA/HD) $4.50
Captain America: Civil War (2016) (MA/4K) $6 (iTunes/4K) $5 (GP/HD) $2.25
Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $7 (GP/HD) $5
Captain America: Winter Soldier (2014) (MA/4K) $7.50 (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $6 (GP/HD) $2.25
Captain Marvel (2019) (MA/4K) $5 (iTunes/4K) $4 (GP/HD) $1.75
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017) (MA/HD) $3.25
Carrie (2013) (Vudu/HD) $5.50
Cars 1-3 (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $15.50 (GP/HD) $9
Casper (1995) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $3.75
Catch Me If You Can (2002) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $6.50
Catch the Bullet (2021) (Vudu/HD) $4.75
Change-Up, The (2011) (Unrated) (2011) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $5.50
Chappie (2015) (MA/4K) $6.50 (MA/HD) $3.75
Charlie's Angels (2000) (MA/4K) $7.75
Chronicles of Riddick (Unrated Director's Cut) (2004) (MA/HD) (iTunes/HD) $5
Cinderella (1950) (MA/HD) $5.75 (GP/HD) $3.75
Cinderella (2015) (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $5.50 (GP/HD) $2.50
Cinderella 'Camila Cabello' (2021) (MA/HD) $4.50
Cinderella II: Dreams Come True (2002) (MA/HD) $6.50
Citizenfour (2014) (Vudu/HD) $5.50
City of Lies (2018) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $5.50
Clerks III (2022) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $5.50
Clifford the Big Red Dog (2021) (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $3.50
Clown (2014) (Vudu/HD) $6.25
Clueless (1995) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $4.25
Coal Miner's Daughter (1980) (MA/HD) $6.25
Cocaine Bear (2023) (MA/HD) $7.25
Colombiana (Unrated) (2011) (MA/HD) $4.25
Concussion (2015) (MA/HD) $3
Constantine: The House of Mystery (2022) (MA/HD) $3.50
Contraband (2012) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $2
Contractor (2022) (Vudu/4K) $7 (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $4.50
Counselor, The (2013) (MA/HD) $3
Cowboys and Aliens (2011) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $2.50
Croods (2013) (MA/HD) $3.50
Croods: A New Age (2020) (MA/HD) $5
Cruella (2021) (MA/4K) $5.75 (MA/HD) $3.50 (GP/HD) $2.50
Cult of Chucky (Unrated) (2017) (MA/HD) $3.75 (iTunes/HD) $2.50
Daddy's Home 2 (2017) (Vudu/4K) $4.50 (iTunes/4K) $2 (Vudu/HD) $2.25
Darkest Minds, The (2018) (MA/HD) $4.75
Day After Tomorrow (2004) $7
DC League of Super-Pets (2022) (MA/4K) $8 (MA/HD) $5
Dead Man Down (2013) (MA/HD) $4.75
Deadpool 2 (2018) (MA/4K) $6.25 (MA/HD) $3.25
Dear Evan Hansen (2021) (MA/HD) $4.25
Death on the Nile (2022) (MA/HD) $5 (GP/HD) $3.50
Death Wish (2018) (Vudu/HD) $2.25
Descent, The (2005) (Vudu/HD) $5.25
Detroit (2017) (iTunes/4K) Ports to MA $4.75
Devil Wears Prada (2006) (MA/HD) $5.75
Devil's Due (2014) (MA/HD) $2.75
Devotion (2022) (iTunes/4K) $6.50
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul (2017) (MA/HD) $2
Disaster Artist, The (2017) (Vudu/HD) $6.25
Disneynature Born in China (2017) (MA/HD) $5.25
DisneyNature: Bears (2014) (MA/HD) $5.50 (GP/HD) $3.50
DisneyNature: Monkey Kingdom (2015) (MA/HD) $5.50 (GP/HD) $3.50
District 9 (2009) (MA/4K) $6.50
Do the Right Thing (1989) (MA/4K) $6
Doctor Strange (2016) (MA/4K) $6.50 (iTunes/4K) $4 (MA/HD) $3.50 (GP/HD) $1.75
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) (MA/4K) $6 (MA/HD) $2.75 (GP/HD) $2
Dog (2022) (Vudu/HD) $3
Don't Breathe (2016) (MA/HD) $5.50
Don't Breathe 2 (2021) (MA/HD) $7.50
Don't Let Go (2019) (MA/HD) $4
Don't Worry Darling (2022) (MA/HD) $5.50
Doors (1991) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $4.50
Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022) (MA/HD) $3.75
Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who (2008) (MA/HD) $6.50
Dr. Seuss' The Lorax (2012) (MA/HD) $3.25 (iTunes/HD) $2.25
Dredd (2012) (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $3.50
Duff, The (2015) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $2.75
Dumbo (1941) (MA/HD) $7.50 (GP/HD) $6
Dumbo (2019) (MA/4K) $6 (iTunes/4K) $5.25 (GP/HD) $2.50
Dune (2021) (MA/4K) $5.75
Dunkirk (2017) (MA/4K) $6.50
Early Man (2018) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $5.25
Echo Boomers (2020) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $4
Eddie the Eagle (2016) (MA/HD) (iTunes/4K) $6
Edge of Seventeen (2016) (MA/HD) $3.50 (iTunes/HD) $2.25
Ella Enchanted (2004) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $6.50
Elvis (2022) (MA/4K) $6.75 (MA/HD) $4
Elysium (2013) (MA/4K) $6.50 (MA/HD) $3.25
Empire State (2013) (Vudu/HD) $4.75
Encanto (2021) (MA/4K) $6.50 (MA/HD) (GP/4K) $3.50
Ender's Game (2013) (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $3.25
English Patient (1996) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $4.75
Equalizer (2014) (MA/HD) $3.75
Equalizer 2 (2018) (MA/4K) $7.25 (MA/HD) $2.75
Escape from Planet Earth (2013) (Vudu/HD) $4.50
Escape Plan: The Extractors (2019) (Vudu/HD) $3.75
Everest (2015) (MA/4K) $6.50 (MA/HD) $3 (iTunes/4K) $4
Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) (Vudu/4K) $8
Expendables 1-3 (Vudu/HD) $4.50
Extreme Prejudice (1987) (Vudu/HD) $5.25
F9: The Fast Saga + Director's Cut (2021) (MA/4K) $5.25 (MA/HD) $3.25
Fabelmans (2022) (MA/HD) $6.50
Faculty, The (1998) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $6.50
Fantastic Beasts Collection 1-3 (MA/HD) $7.75
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022) (MA/4K) $5.25 (MA/HD) $3
Fast & Furious Collection 1-9 (MA/HD) $10
Fatale (2020) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $3.75
Father Stu (2022) (MA/HD) $5.50
Fatman (2020) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $5.25
Ferdinand (2017) (MA/HD) $3.50
Fifth Element (1997) (MA/4K) $6.50 (MA/HD) $6
Fifty Shades of Black (2016) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $3.50
Finding Nemo (2003) (MA/4K) $6.75 (iTunes/4K) $5.25 (GP/HD) $3
First Man (2018) (MA/4K) $6.75 (MA/HD) $4.25
First Purge (2018) (MA/HD) $4.50
Five Feet Apart (2019) (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $3
Flight (2012) (Vudu/HD) $3.75 (iTunes/HD) $3
Forbidden Kingdom (2008) (Vudu/HD) $5
Ford v Ferrari (2019) (MA/4K) $7.75 (MA/HD) $4.75
Forever Purge (2021) (MA/HD) $5.50
Founder, The (2017) (Vudu/HD) $5 (iTunes/HD) $5.50
Fox and the Hound 2, The (2006) (MA/HD) $4 (GP/HD) $3
Foxcatcher (2014) (MA/HD) $4.50
Frank & Lola (2016) (MA/HD) $4.75
Free Guy (2021) (MA/4K) $7.50 (MA/HD) $4.75 (GP/HD) $3.25
French Dispatch (2021) (MA/HD) $4.75 (GP/HD) $3.50
From Dusk till Dawn (1996) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $4.75
Frozen Sing-Along Edition (2014) (MA/HD) $3.75 (GP/HD) $1.75
Full Metal Jacket (1987) (MA/4K) $6.50
Future World (2018) (Vudu/HD) $4
Galaxy Quest (1999) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $6
Gambler (2014) (Vudu/HD) $3.50 (iTunes/HD) $2.75
Gangs of New York (2002) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $5.50
Gate, The (1987) (Vudu/SD) $4.25
Get on Up (2014) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $4.50
Get Out (2017) (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $3.75
Ghost In The Shell (2017) (Vudu/HD) $2.25 (iTunes/4K) $2.75
Ghostbusters (1984) (MA/HD) $3.50
Ghostbusters + Extended (2016) (MA/HD) $3
Ghostbusters II (1989) (MA/HD) $3.50
Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) (MA/4K) $7.50 (MA/HD) $3.50
Gifted (2017) (MA/HD) $5
Girl In The Spider's Web (2018) (MA/HD) $4.50
Girl with All the Gifts, The (2016) (Vudu/HD) $5
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) (MA/HD) $6
Girls Trip (2017) (MA/HD) $1.50 (iTunes/HD) $1
Glory (1989) (MA/4K) $7.75
Godfather (1972) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/4K) $4.75
Godzilla (1998) (MA/4K) $6.50
Gold (2016) (Vudu/HD) $1.75
Gone Baby Gone (2007) (Vudu/HD) $5.25
Gone Girl (2014) (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $5.75
Good Boys (2019) (MA/HD) $3.75
Good Dinosaur (2015) (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $5.50 (GP/HD) $3
Goodbye Christopher Robin (2017) (MA/HD) $6.50
Goosebumps (2015) (MA/HD) $5
Goosebumps 2 (2018) (MA/4K) $7.50 (MA/HD) $6.50
Great Wall (2016) (MA/HD) $2.50
Green Hornet (2011) (MA/HD) $6.50
Green Lantern: Beware My Power (2022) (MA/HD) $3
Green Mile, The (1999) (MA/4K) $6
Grudge, The (2020) (MA/HD) $6.50
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) (MA/4K) $7.25 (iTunes/4K) $4.75 (MA/HD) $4 (GP/HD) $1.75
Hail, Caesar! (2016) (MA/HD) $3.75 (iTunes/HD) $2.25
Half Brothers (2020) (MA/HD) $5.75
Halloween Ends (2022) (MA/4K) $6.25 (MA/HD) $4.50
Halloween Kills (2021) (MA/4K) $6 (MA/HD) $4.25
Hancock (2008) (MA/4K) $6.50
Happy Death Day (2017) (MA/HD) $6
Happy Death Day 2U (2019) (MA/HD) $6
Happytime Murders (2018) (iTunes/4K) $1.75
Hateful Eight (2015) (Vudu/HD) $2
Heat: Director's Definitive Edition (1995) (MA/4K) $6 (MA/HD) $5.25
Heavy Metal (1981) (MA/4K) $6.50
Hell Fest (2018) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $3.75
Hell or High Water (2016) (Vudu/4K) $5.25 (Vudu/HD) $2.25 (iTunes/4K) $3.75
Hellboy (Director's Cut) (2004) (MA/4K) $6.50
Hercules (1997) (MA/HD) $6.50 (GP/HD) $5.50
Hidden Figures (2016) (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $2
Highlander (1986) (Vudu/4K) $5
Hitman: Agent 47 (2015) (MA/HD) $4.50
Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard (2021) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $4.75
Hocus Pocus (1993) (MA/4K) $6.75 (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $4.75 (GP/HD) $2.25
Holiday Inn (1942) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $3
Home Alone (1990) (MA/HD) $4
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) (MA/HD) $3.50
Hostiles (2017) (Vudu/4K) $4.75 (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $3.25
Hot Fuzz (2007) (MA/HD) $3.50 (iTunes/4K) $4
Hotel Transylvania (2012) (MA/HD) $6
Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015) (MA/HD) $6.75
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018) (MA/4K) $6.75 (MA/HD) $4.50
House of Gucci (2021) (iTunes/4K) $5
House of the Dragon: Season 1 (2022) (Vudu/4K) $9 (Vudu/HD) $5.50
Hugo (2011) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $3.75
Hulk, The (2003) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $6.25
Hunt for Red October (1990) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $4.50
Hunt, The (2019) (MA/HD) $5.75
Huntsman: Winter's War - Extended Edition (2016) (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $3
Hurt Locker (2008) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $6.25
I Can Only Imagine (2018) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $2.75
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007) (MA/HD) $3.50
Ice Age: Collision Course (2016) (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $4.25
Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012) (MA/HD) $4.50
Identity Thief (2013) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $3.75
Ides of March (2011) (MA/HD) $5.25
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018) (MA/HD) $5.75
Impossible, The (2013) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $4.75
In the Heights (2021) (MA/4K) $5
Inception (2010) (MA/4K) $6.50
Incredible Hulk (2008) (MA/4K) $7 (MA/HD) $5.25
Incredibles (2004) (MA/4K) $7.75 (iTunes/4K) $6.25 (GP/HD) $4.75
Independence Day: Resurgence (2014) (iTunes/4K) $2 (MA/HD) $1.50
Indiana Jones 1-4 (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $20
Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete (2013) (Vudu/HD) $4.25
Inferno (2016) (MA/HD) $3.25
Infinite (2021) (Vudu/4K) $5.75 (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $5
Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) (MA/HD) $6
Inside Out (2015) (MA/4K) $5.75 (iTunes/4K) $4.25 (GP/HD) $1.50
Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) (MA/HD) $5.25
Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015) (MA/HD) $6.50
Instructions Not Included (2013) (Vudu/HD) $3.75
Internship (2013) (MA/HD) $3.25
Interview, The (2014) (MA/HD) $3.50
Into the Woods (2014) (MA/HD) $4 (GP/HD) $2.25
Iron Man (2008) (MA/4K) $7.25 (iTunes/4K) $7 (GP/HD) $3
Iron Man 2 (2010) (MA/4K) $7.25 (iTunes/4K) $6.50 (GP/HD) $3
Iron Man 3 (2013) (MA/4K) $7.25 (iTunes/4K) $3 (MA/HD) $2.25 (GP/HD) $1.50
Isle of Dogs (2018) (MA/HD) $4.75
It Comes at Night (2017) (Vudu/HD) $6.25
It Follows (2015) (Vudu/HD) $4.25
Jack and Jill (2011) (MA/HD) $4.50
Jackass Forever (2022) (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $4
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $3
Jackie (2016) (MA/HD) $4.25
Jacob's Ladder (1990) (Vudu/HD) $3.50
Jane Got a Gun (2016) (Vudu/HD) $5.75
Jason Bourne (2016) (MA/4K) $5.50 (iTunes/HD) $3.50 (MA/HD) $3
Jay & Silent Bob Reboot (2019) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $5.50
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $5.50
Jesus Music, The (2021) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $4.50
Jigsaw (2017) (Vudu/4K) $5 (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $2
Jingle All the Way (1996) (MA/HD) $5.25
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $4
Jojo Rabbit (2019) (MA/HD) $6.75
Joy (2015) (MA/HD) (iTunes/4K) $4
Judy (2019) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $3.75
Jumanji (1995) (MA/4K) $6.50 (MA/HD) $6
Jumanji: Next Level (2019) & Welcome to the Jungle (2017) (MA/HD) $7.50
Jurassic Park (1993) (MA/4K) $5.25 (iTunes/4K) $3.75 (MA/HD) $3
Jurassic Park III (2001) (MA/4K) $6.50 (iTunes/4K) $3.75 (MA/HD) $3.50
Jurassic World (2015) (MA/4K) $5.25 (iTunes/4K) $3.75 (MA/HD) $2.75
Jurassic World: Dominion + Extended Cut (2022) (MA/4K) $6.50 (MA/HD) $4.25
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) (MA/4K) $5.75 (MA/HD) $1.75
Justice League x RWBY Super Heroes and Huntsmen Part One (2023) (MA/HD) $4.25
Justice Society: World War II (2021) (MA/4K) $5.50
Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $3.75
Keeping Up with the Joneses (2016) (MA/HD) $4.25
Kick-Ass (2010) (Vudu/4K) $5.75 (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $4.50
Kick-Ass 2 (2013) (MA/HD) $5.25 (iTunes/HD) $5
Kicks (2016) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $5
Kid Who Would Be King (2019) (MA/4K) $5.75 (MA/HD) $4.75
Kidnap (2017) (MA/HD) (iTunes/HD) $3.25
Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) (Vudu/HD) $6
Kill the Messenger (2014) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $5
Killer Elite (2011) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $3.25
Killerman (2019) (Vudu/HD) $2.25 (iTunes/HD) $1.75
Killing Lincoln (2013) (MA/HD) $5.25
Killing Them Softly (2012) (Vudu/HD) $2.75
King of Staten Island (2020) (MA/HD) $4.75
King's Man (2021) (MA/HD) $4.50 (GP/HD) $3.50
Knock at the Cabin (2023) (MA/HD) $5.50
Kong: Skull Island (2017) (MA/4K) $6.50
Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016) (MA/HD) $2.50
Kung Fu Panda Collection 1-3 (MA/HD) $12.50
L.A. Confidential (1997) (MA/HD) $5.75
Last Christmas (2019) (MA/HD) $6.50
Last Full Measure (2020) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $5.50
Last Night in Soho (2021) (MA/4K) $7 (MA/HD) $5.75
Last Vegas (2013) (MA/HD) $3
Law Abiding Citizen (2009) (Vudu/4K) $7
Lawless (2012) (Vudu/HD) $3.75
Leap! (2017) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $3.25
Lee Daniels' The Butler (2013) (Vudu/HD) $2.25
Legend of Hercules (2014) (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $3.25
Legion of Super Heroes (2023) (MA/HD) $6
Les Miserables (2012) (MA/HD) (iTunes/HD) $2.75
Let Him Go (2020) (MA/HD) $3.75
Let's Be Cops (2014) (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $2.50
Life (2017) (MA/HD) $2.50
Light of My Life (2019) (Vudu/HD) $2.50 (iTunes/HD) $2
Lighthouse (2019) (Vudu/HD) $5.25
Lightyear (2022) (MA/4K) $5 (MA/HD) $2.75 (GP/HD) $2
Like a Boss (2020) (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $2.25
Lion (2016) (Vudu/HD) $4.50
Lion King 1 1/2 (2004) (MA/HD) $6.50
Lion King 2: Simba's Pride (1998) (MA/HD) $6.75 (GP/HD) $5.25
Little Fockers (2010) (MA/HD) $4
Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (2000) (MA/HD) $6.75
Little Mermaid III: Ariel’s Beginning (2008) (MA/HD) $6.75
Little Monsters (1989) (Vudu/HD) $5.50
Live Die Repeat: Edge of Tomorrow (2014) (MA/4K) $5
Live Die Repeat: Edge Of Tomorrow (2014) (MA/4K) $6.50
Lodge, The (2019) (MA/HD) $5.75
Logan Lucky (2017) (MA/HD) $1.50 (iTunes/4K) $2.25
London Has Fallen (2016) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $3.75
Long Shot (2019) (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $4
Longest Ride (2015) (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $1.50
Lord of War (2005) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $5.50
Lords of Salem, The (2012) (Vudu/HD) $4.75
Lost City, The (2022) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $6
Love Actually (2003) (MA/HD) $5.50
Love and Monsters (2020) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $7
Love, Simon (2018) (MA/HD) $3
Lovebirds (2020) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $5.50
Luca (2021) (MA/4K) $6.50 (MA/HD) $3.75 (GP/HD) $3.25
Lucy (2014) (MA/HD) $2
Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (2022) (MA/HD) $5.50
Ma (2019) (MA/HD) $5.25
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012) (MA/HD) (iTunes/HD) $2
Maleficent (2014) (MA/4K) $5.75 (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $3 (GP/HD) $1.25
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019) (MA/4K) $6 (iTunes/4K) $3.75 (GP/HD) $1.75
Mama (2013) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $3.50
Mamma Mia! The Movie (2008) & Here We Go Again (2018) (MA/HD) $6.50 $4.50 Each
Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977) (MA/HD) $6.25
Marksman, The (2021) (MA/HD) $5.50
Marlowe (2023) (MA/HD) $7.50
Marry Me (2022) (MA/HD) $6.50
Martian - Extended Cut (2015) (MA/4K) $7.75 (MA/HD) $5.25
Martian (Theatrical) (2015) (MA/4K) $7.25 (MA/HD) $3.25
Mary Poppins (1964) (MA/HD) $4.50 (GP/HD) $3
Mary Queen of Scots (2018) (MA/HD) $5.75
Matrix: Resurrections (2021) (MA/4K) $5
Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018) (MA/HD) $5.75
McFarland, USA (2015) (MA/HD) $6.25 (GP/HD) $4.50
Memory (2022) (MA/HD) $3.50
Men (2022) (Vudu/HD) $3.75
Menu (2022) (MA/HD) $5.50 (GP/HD) $4
Mickey & Minnie 10 Classic Shorts - Volume 1 (2023) (MA/HD) $5.75 (GP/HD) $4
Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers (2004) (MA/HD) $6.50
Midsommar (2019) (Vudu/HD) $5.75
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016) (MA/HD) (iTunes/4K) $4.50
Million Dollar Arm (2014) (MA/HD) $4
Minions (2015) (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $2.75
Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) & Minions (2015) (MA/HD) $8
Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022) (MA/4K) $6.75 (MA/HD) $5.25
Miracles From Heaven (2016) (MA/HD) $4.50
Missing Link (2019) (MA/HD) $4.25
Mission: Impossible Fallout (2018) (Vudu/4K) $2.75 (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $2.50
Mitchells Vs. The Machines (2021) (MA/HD) $4.50
Money Monster (2016) (MA/HD) $3.25
Monster Hunter (2020) (MA/4K) $6.75 (MA/HD) $4.25
Monster Trucks (2016) (Vudu/HD) $2.25
Monster's Ball (2001) (Vudu/HD) $6.25
Monuments Men (2014) (MA/HD) $2
Moonfall (2022) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $5
Morbius (2022) (MA/4K) $5.25 (MA/HD) $3.25 (MA/SD) $2.25
Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2014) (MA/HD) $3.50
Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind (2022) (MA/HD) $5.50
Mother! (2017) (Vudu/HD) $3.50
Mountain Between Us (2017) (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $1.50
Mr Popper's Penguins (2011) (MA/HD) $6
Mr. Holmes (2015) (Vudu/HD) $3.75
Much Ado About Nothing (2013) (Vudu/HD) $4.25
Muppet Movie (1979) (MA/HD) $7.50 (GP/HD) $6
My All American (2015) (MA/HD) (iTunes/HD) $4.25
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $4
My Dinner with Herve (2018) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $4.50 (GP/HD) $3
My Fair Lady (1964) (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $5.50
National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) (MA/4K) $6.25 (MA/HD) $5.25
Nebraska (2013) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $2.25
Neighbors (2014) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $2
Never Grow Old (2019) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $4.50
Night Before (2015) (MA/HD) $4.75
Night House, The (2021) (MA/HD) $5 (GP/HD) $3
Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) (GP/HD) Ports to MA $3
Ninth Gate, The (1999) (Vudu/HD) $4.50
No Country For Old Men (2007) (Vudu/HD) $5.50
No Time to Die (2021) (iTunes/4K) $3.50
Nobody (2021) (MA/HD) $5.25
Nocturnal Animals (2016) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $3.25
Non-Stop (2014) (MA/HD) (iTunes/HD) $2.75
Nope (2022) (MA/4K) $8 (MA/HD) $5.75
Nope (2022), Get Out (2017) & Us (2019) (MA/HD) $10
Norm of the North (2016) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $2.75
Northman (2022) (MA/4K) $7.25 (MA/HD) $4.50
Old (2021) (MA/HD) $4.50
Olympus Has Fallen (2013) (MA/HD) $5
On the Basis of Sex (2019) (MA/HD) $4.50
Onward (2020) (MA/4K) $5.50 (MA/HD) $4 (GP/HD) $2.25
Oranges, The (2011) (MA/HD) $4.50
Other Woman (2014) (MA/HD) $2.25
Ouija (2014) & Origin of Evil (2016) (MA/HD) (iTunes/HD) $9
Overboard (2016) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $5.75
Pacific Rim (2013) (MA/4K) $6.50
Pacific Rim Uprising (2018) (MA/4K) $7.75 (MA/HD) $4.50
Pain & Gain (2013) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $3.25
Paper Towns (2011) (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $4.50
ParaNorman (2012) (iTunes/HD) $5
Passengers (2016) (MA/4K) $6.50 (MA/HD) $2.75
Paul (2011) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $4.50
Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (2015) (MA/HD) $4.25
Paw Patrol: The Movie (2021) (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $5
Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (2022) (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $6
Pearl (2022) (Vudu/HD) $5.50
Peppermint (2018) (iTunes/HD) $1.75
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (2013) (MA/HD) $2.25
Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $1.75
Pet Sematary (2019) (Vudu/4K) $4.25 (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $2.50
Peter Rabbit (2018) (MA/4K) $5.75 (MA/HD) $4.75
Peter Rabbit 2 (2021) (MA/HD) $4
Phantom Thread (2017) (MA/HD) $3.75
Philomena (2013) (Vudu/HD) $2
Pineapple Express (Unrated Edition) (2008) (MA/HD) $6
Pinocchio (1940) (MA/HD) $5.50 (GP/HD) $3.75
Pirate Fairy (2014) (MA/HD) $3.25
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017) (MA/HD) $3.25 (GP/HD) $1.75
Pitch Perfect 2 (2015) (MA/HD) $2.75 (iTunes/4K) $3.75
Pixar Short Films Collection, Vol. 3 (2018) (MA/HD) $5.50 (GP/HD) $3.50
Pixels (2015) (MA/4K) $6.50 (MA/HD) $5.50
Plane (2023) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $8
Planes (2013) (MA/HD) $2.25 (GP/HD) $1.25
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) (iTunes/HD) $3.75
Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014) (MA/HD) $4 (GP/HD) $2
Playing with Fire (2019) (iTunes/4K) $1.50 (Vudu/HD) $2
Pocahontas (1995) (MA/HD) $6.50 (GP/HD) $5
Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World (1998) (MA/HD) $6 (GP/HD) $3.25
Pompeii (2014) (MA/HD) $3.50
Poms (2019) (iTunes/HD) $2.50
Post, The (2017) (MA/HD) $2.75
Predator (1987) (MA/HD) $3.50
Predator (2018) (MA/4K) $6.25 (MA/HD) $3.50
Premium Rush (2012) (MA/HD) $3.25
Prey for the Devil (2022) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $6
Princess and the Frog (2009) (iTunes/4K) $5.50 (GP/HD) $3.25
Prometheus (2012) (MA/HD) $1.75
Protege, The (2021) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $5.75
Psycho (1960) (MA/HD) (iTunes/4K) $5
Psycho (1960), Rear Window (1954), The Birds (1963), Vertigo (1958) (MA/4K) $17
Public Enemies (2009) (MA/HD) (iTunes/HD) $6.25
Punisher, The (2004) (Vudu/4K) $5.75 (Vudu/HD) $5.25
Purge, The (2013) (MA/4K) $6.50 (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $3
Purge: Election Year (2016) (MA/4K $5.50 (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $3
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) (MA/HD) $7.50
Queen & Slim (2019) (MA/HD) $4.50
R.I.P.D. (2013) (MA/HD) $3.25 (iTunes/HD) $3
Race (2016) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $2.75
Rambo Last Blood (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $2.75
Rambo: First Blood (1982) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $6
Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) (Vudu/4K) $6.75 (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $5.50
Rango (2011) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $6.50
Ratatouille (2007) (iTunes/4K) $8 (GP/HD) $5.50
Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) (MA/4K) $6.25 (MA/HD) $4.50 (GP/HD) $2.50
Red (2010) (Vudu/4K) $6.25
Requiem for a Dream - Director's Cut (2000) (Vudu/4K) (iTunes/4K) $6.25
Rescuers Down Under (1990) (MA/HD) $6.50 (GP/HD) $4
Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) (MA/HD) $2.25
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021) (MA/4K) $6.50 (MA/HD) $4.50
Respect (2021) (iTunes/4K) $4.75
Richard Jewell (2019) (MA/4K) $6.50
Ricki And The Flash (2015) (MA/HD) $4.50
Riddick - Unrated Director's Cut (2013) (MA/HD) (iTunes/HD) $4
Ride Along 1-2 (MA/HD) (iTunes/HD) $5 $2.75 Each
Rio 2 (2014) (MA/HD) $2.25
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2010) (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $5.75
Risen (2016) (MA/HD) $4.50
Road to El Dorado (2000) (MA/HD) $5.50
Robin Hood (2018) (Vudu/4K) $5 (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $3.25
Robin Hood (Animated) (1973) (MA/HD) $3.75 (GP/HD) $2.75
RoboCop (1987) (Vudu/HD) $7.25
Robots (2005) (MA/HD) $6.75
Rock Dog (2016) (Vudu/HD) $4.25
Rocketman (2019) (Vudu/4K) $4.75 (iTunes/4K) $2.50 (Vudu/HD) $2.25
Ron's Gone Wrong (2021) (MA/4K) $7 (MA/HD) $5.25 (GP/HD) $3.50
Rumble (2022) (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $5.75
Run Lola Run (1998) (MA/HD) $6.50
Runner Runner (2013) (MA/HD) $4
Rush (2013) (MA/HD) $2.75 (iTunes/HD) $3.25
Russell Madness (2015) (MA/HD) $4
Safe (2012) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $1.75
Safe House (2012) (MA/HD) $4 (iTunes/HD) $2.50
Saint Maud (2020) (Vudu/HD) $6
Santa Clause (1994), 2 (2002), 3 (2006) (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $10.50 (GP/HD) $6.50
Saving Mr. Banks (2013) (MA/HD) $4.75 (GP/HD) $2.75
Scream (1996) (Vudu/4K) $6 (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $3.75
Scream 5 (2022) (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $5.50
Scrooged (1988) (iTunes/HD) $4.75
Second Act (2018) (iTunes/HD) $1.50
Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015) (MA/HD) $4.50
Secret Garden, The (2020) (iTunes/4K) $4.25
Secret Headquarters (2022) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/4K) $6
Secret Life of Pets 1-2 (MA/HD) $7.50
Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019) (MA/4K) $6.25 (MA/HD) $5
Secret Life of Pets, The (2016) (iTunes/4K) $3.75 (MA/HD) $2.75
Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) (MA/HD) $2
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $4.50
Seriously Red (2022) (Vudu/HD) $6.75
Sessions, The (2012) (MA/HD) $4.50
Seventh Son (2015) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $1.50
Sex Tape (2014) (MA/HD) $3
Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), World's End (2013) (MA/HD) $10
Shaun the Sheep Movie (2015) (Vudu/HD) $4
Shawshank Redemption (1994) (MA/4K) $6
She's Having a Baby (1988) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $4.50
Shooter (2007) (Vudu/HD) $5.75
Sideways (2004) (MA/HD) $5.25
Silent Night, Deadly Night: 3-Film Collection (1989-1991) (Vudu/HD) $6
Silver Linings Playbook (2012) (Vudu/HD) $2
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014) (Vudu/HD) $6.25
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2007) (MA/HD) $6.50
Sing 2 (2021) (MA/4K) $6.50 (MA/HD) $3.50
Sing Collection 1-2 (MA/HD) $6
Singin' in the Rain (1952) (MA/4K) $6.50
Sinister (2012) (Vudu/HD) $3 (iTunes/HD) $2.75
Sisters (Unrated) (2015) (MA/HD) $4 (iTunes/HD) $3.25
Sixteen Candles (1984) (MA/HD) $5.25 (iTunes/HD) $4.25
Skeleton Twins (2014) (Vudu/HD) $4.50
Sleepless (2017) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $1
Smile (2022) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/4K) $6.75
Smurfs 2 (2013) (MA/HD) $3.25
Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017) (MA/HD) $3.25
Snake Eyes (2021) (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $4.25
Snatched (2017) (iTunes/4K) (MA/HD) $1
Snitch (2013) (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $1.75
Snow White and the Huntsman (Extended) (2012) (iTunes/4K) $3.50 (MA/HD) $2.50
Some Kind of Wonderful (1987) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $4.50
Son of God (2014) (MA/HD) $1.25
Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) (Vudu/4K) $6.25 (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $4.25
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022) (Vudu/4K) $6.50 (iTunes/4K) (Vudu/HD) $4.50
Sound of Music, The (1965) (MA/HD) $5.75
Southpaw (2015) (Vudu/HD) $4.50
Southside With You (2016) (Vudu/HD) $3.50
Space Between Us, The (2017) (iTunes/HD) Ports to MA $5
Space Jam (1996) (MA/4K) $5
Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021) (MA/4K) $5
Spider-Man (2002) (MA/4K) $6.50 (MA/HD) $5.50
Spider-Man 2 (2004) (MA/4K) $6.50 (MA/HD) $5.50
Spider-Man 3 (2007) (MA/4K) $6.50 (MA/HD) $5.50
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) (MA/4K) $8 (MA/HD) $4
Spies in Disguise (2019) (MA/HD) $3.50 (GP/HD) $2.50
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2003) (MA/HD) $5
Spontaneous (2020) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $5
Spy (Unrated) (2015) (MA/HD) $2
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Stronger (2017) (Vudu/HD) (iTunes/HD) $4.50
Stuber (2019) (MA/HD) $4.75
Studio 666 (2022) (MA/HD) $6.75
Suicide Squad, The (2021) (MA/4K) $5
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Tag (2018) (MA/4K) $6.50
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Ted (2012) (Unrated) (MA/HD) (iTunes/HD) $4
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Yesterday (2019) (MA/HD) $4.50
Zathura (2005) (MA/HD) $7
Zero Dark Thirty (2012) (MA/HD) $3

I’m writing this in the present year, but this isn’t my time. I’m from a dark and terrible future, but I’ve been given the chance to write this warning to you. I’m hoping it will help you save survive what’s coming. First a little about me, I’m from the south born and raised. Due to some complicated family drama I ended up the twenty-four year old guardian of my younger sister Teri who was fourteen in 2033, right before…well I’ll get to that soon enough. But either way, the two of us lived in a small house on the outskirts of a tiny town off the beaten path. I worked hard back then to take care of my sister while she focused on her school. It was an OK life if rough at times. We couldn’t have known what was coming no one could. They were coming.
​
I know it sounds unbelievable, but it happened or will happen I should say. Aliens invaded every corner of the planet and world war three began overnight. Of course, it didn’t go well for us humans. In the space of about a month, the narrative of, “We’ll send these aliens back from where they came from,” collapsed and humanity ended up in a losing running battle as the aliens’ robot armies overran city after city, country after country. One morning, a couple of weeks into it my sister and I were eating at the kitchen table. The schools had been closed even though the battles were going down on the other side of the state. We both saw the news on our screens, but I tried telling my little sister everything was going to be OK, although even back then I didn’t believe it. The planet was divided into free land and occupied zones the latter run by the aliens. No one knew what went on in the zones since no reports or news got out of them, but even then I knew it couldn’t be anything good. I had no idea how right I was, but I would find out.
​
Our family homestead ended up behind enemy lines. I decided we’d hunker down and see how things went. I don’t know what I thought was going to happen no one was going to save us at least not yet. Unfortunately, as our supplies dwindled and the fighting got closer I told my sister we needed to make a run for it. We didn’t make it. After being captured by some drone scouts while trekking through the wilderness we ended up in an empty field outside of a burning city in a mob of thousands of people. The aliens divided us humans up into groups and then loaded those groups into trucks. A drone pulled my sister away from me. I started a scene to keep her with me, but all I had to show for it was a mark on my cheek.
​
Next I ended up in the back of a windowless truck. Light peeked in through the canvas at the back allowing us ragged prisoners to look at each other, but no one dared speak a word. The brakes squealed, some people fell out of their seats from the force. The tension in the back thickened until the gray canvas parted revealing the front of an elongated beige alien head its beady red eyes examining us. He swept aside the canvas cover and several drones were around him. The alien spoke in a series of harsh snarls and growls, which I later found out amounted to their language. The wild swings and gestures with his long skeletal arms gave us the message to get out as soon as possible. This alien was freakishly tall at least nine feet about average for their species. He had beige colored skin and a freakishly long head with sunken red eyes and big teeth jutting out of its mouth. I hopped out and joined the group forming in the grass on the side of the road. Another guy hesitated at the sight of the drop. The alien grabbed his arm and yanked him off. The man landed with a thud and then floundered in the dirt as the thing screeched at him. The drones hovered around my group. One of them said to us in a deep voice, “The meat will finish the journey on foot.”
​
The skies above were gray as we trudged towards our destination off in the distance. Chain link fences hanging on wooden poles surrounding drab metal buildings. This was one of dozens of the aliens’ camps spread across the planet. We passed another truck in front of the one we got here in. Smoke bellowed out from under the hood as robots climbed all over it. Closer to the gate some commotion erupted. One guy made a break for it. There was a huge field to the right and at the end of it a forest. There was no way he was going to make it on foot. “Halt meat! Halt!” a drone said holding up a metal hand. Our group waited to see if the man would get his freedom. One of the aliens screeched and stepped away from the caravan. The man raced across the wide field. The alien raised its weapon. One of his friends colored a pale shade of white got behind him and watched from over his shoulder. The runner closed in on the tree line. The gun fired. He dropped in the mud a few feet from his destination. The alien lifted its gun in triumph. His pale friend put a hand on his shoulder and opened his mouth into what I guess was a smile. We got moving again. I passed through the gates into the yard as eyes from the watch towers bore down on me and my fellow prisoners. There was no tour we went straight into the building in front of us. The smell hit me first, blood and other fluids hung in the air as a permanent musk that burned my nose and eyes. The screams of humans and the thumping of heavy machinery in the distant parts of the building mixed together and assaulted my ears. I didn’t see anything that day. The drones herded us into an enclosed area completely walled off and lit with the same low red lighting as the rest of the place. In the middle of room were pens made of sharp wire reaching up towards the ceiling. Ten or so of us squeezed into one pen and the doors closed behind us and were tied off with heavy chains. For weeks, although it felt like months (it was hard to keep track) most of my time was spent there. My days consisted of waking up surrounded by ten random people, being escorted through the maze of hallways to the feeding area, and ending up back where we started. Sometimes the same pen sometimes a different one and usually with a new group of faces. The aliens feed as blue slop, which tasted bad and I would later learn had a very undesirable ingredient.
​
For a month this was my life until the big night.
​
I sat on the cold floor with a sea of legs around me (it was my turn to sit) and then the heavy doors at the front of the room creaked slowly. The aliens didn’t bother us at night one of our few comforts so thoughts of fear and worry erupted in my mind. Clamoring traveled my way from the pens closer to the door. I pushed my way to the wires so I could face the hallway. Figures in the dark moved around the cages. A bearded man in fatigues holding a rifle approached, “Keep it down, we’re here to bust you out,” he said in a harsh whisper. Another man came over with huge bolt cutters. The chain clasped around the door fell with a metallic thud. I went with the flow as we all spilled out into the area around the cages. Our rescuers were part of a resistance group and one of them ordered us to stay put. No one argued. Some of the resistance members went to work on the other locks while others remained in the growing crowd of escapees. Among these armed saviors I spotted a familiar face one I never thought I’d see again. “Kyle!” I said wading through the crowd toward the tall muscular man armed to the teeth. He wore the same discount vigilante outfit like when I first met him the longest month before. I should have mentioned this earlier, but about a month before the aliens arrived, this guy Lew Kyle saved me and my sister from being mugged in a parking lot. He said he was an intergalactic vigilante or something. I thought he was crazy. Back then, I didn’t think aliens existed. Boy was I wrong. In my defense Kyle passed as human if an extremely athletic one. He glared at me with squinted eyes, but then they widened with recognition, “Oh hey dork, good to see you. I thought you’d be dead by now.” "Wait, why would I be dead?” I said. “Well you know, between the global war, Mad Max savages, and being put on the alien’s menu, it was a distinct possibility.”
​
“There are Mad Max savages?” “Not anymore,” he said tapping his massive gun. “I thought you said you were leaving the planet?” “I was until the aliens made getting off a bit of a mess so I fell in with these guys. They’re not the best soldiers, but don’t worry stick close to me and I’ll get you out alive.” He shoved me aside and fired into the rafters. Bullets clanged as they ricocheted off metal. A second later the limp mechanical body of a drone hung over the railing of a catwalk above us. Several of my fellow prisoners got off the ground removing their hands from their ears, while other remained crouched. A resistance member glared at the man holding the machine gun. “Think they heard that?” Kyle said. Alarms blared and the lights came on. “Well,” Kyle said while pulling something out of his vest, “Since our covers’ blown might us well do this.” “What’s that?” I asked. “You’ll see, but first let’s get out of here.”
​
The group of soldiers led us out of the holding room and into the hall. I stuck close to the mighty Kyle confident he’d keep his word. Halfway on our trip the walls shook as a huge explosion roared in the distance in the direction of the front gate. “What was that?” I said resuming my pace. Kyle smiled, “Nothing, I just rammed a truck loaded with explosives through the front door.” The group turned down a hall I hadn’t visited before. There were two doors at the end. “Get ready to run,” Kyle said. Resistance members shoved the gates open. Prisoners flowed out the narrow exit and then scattered. I was in the middle of the crowd, but even in the dim moonlight one quick glance let me know we had come out the side exit meaning the vast field the unfortunate runner tried to cross the day I arrived lay between all of us and the fence along the woods. A floodlight light pierced the darkness and lit up a gaggle of ragged people running across the field of dead grass. I traced the searching beam to one of the guard towers. More spotlights lit up the field coming from all sides of us. The dozen or more spotlights lit up the hundreds of human sweeping the field. Some guy tumbled beside me and I saw he had a weird dart sticking out of his back. He contorted on the ground as everyone ran around him. No one had time to help the wounded. My trigger happy friend halted and I followed his lead. He fired in the direction of a building to our left. Aliens, drones, and spotlights congregated on its roof. His gunfire added to the deafening chaos and more resistance fighters joined the chorus of gunfire. Bullets whizzed by, hundreds of voices screamed, alarms wailed, and electro darts flew through the night sky in blue streaks.
​
“Keep going! I’m right behind you!” He shouted at the top of his lungs his gun going off the whole time. I raced to catch up with the front of the group. I was still a good way from the fence by the woods, but I saw soldiers milled around a hole in the fence through which my fellow captives streamed through. They worked under a spotlight until it vanished probably hit by a bullet. Either way, I had gotten a quick glance of the way to freedom. Though, it wouldn’t be my way. Bullets ripped through the crowd of people to my right. Dirt kicked up, people dropped and either flailed on the ground screaming or else lay still. Resistance soldiers rushed past me. A few seconds later the gunfire intensified and then died. I spared a glanced in their direction. One of the roaming lights passed over a pile of mangled bodies. “Kyle! If we don’t take out that technical we’re blown!” A man said to the vigilante or at least that’s what he told me. I was going the opposite direction when Kyle got his mission. I didn’t get much further though. I felt a sharp pain in my back like someone stabbed me with a giant needle. I tumbled as electricity flowed through my entire body. My muscles wouldn’t obey me so I was left on the ground as legs stomped past me. I couldn’t see well from the angle I landed in, but I could hear just fine. “Hounds! The Hounds!” Someone shouted. I rolled over with a struggle and something drew my attention. I craned my neck and saw the huge figure of Kyle a short distance away. Two soldiers had their arms wrapped around him. They were practically pulling him off the battlefield. “I’ll come back for you! I promise!”
​
He left my limited field of vision and soon the steady stream of running legs dwindled and then ended. One of the hounds followed them with all eight of its legs thundering along the ground. Its body was coated in silver fur and it was the size of a small elephant. A wave of drones and aliens followed the beast. They surged across the field of trampled grass to continue the pursuit into the woods. I wouldn’t see it any of it; my part in the night’s events was over. Except for one last thing…
One of the aliens halted next to me. He towered over me more than usual and we shared glances. He carried a weird baton in one hand with blue sparks flying off it. The thing jabbed me in the stomach as I lay there helpless. I cried out, but he responded by driving the weapon deeper into my flesh. I stayed there on the ground starring at the grinning face of the alien lit up by the blue light of the prod.
​
This is getting long. I’ll continue in another post, but for now watch the skies.

[←Chapter 48] [Cover Art] [My Links] [Index] [Discord] [Subreddit] [Chapter 50→]
As soon as he placed the tip of the blade against the stone, a crawling dread swept over. He held it there for a moment, trying to tabulate the functions of the tool, but nothing but raw guesswork remained to him. He heard the footsteps of the children and their minders vanishing up the stairs.
“You ready?” he asked Innie.
“No. But don't let that stop you,” she said, wide amber eyes fixed on the door.
There was nothing for it - Efrain steadied his hand and pressed the black blade into the stone. It was a relatively simple application of magic, almost instinctual, to activate the tool. He projected down into the chisel end, where stiff filaments would pierce the wall and sink deep within. This defeated the function of the chisel, but he already suspected that some of the features were more ornamental.
The next part was slightly more complicated, angling the blade up and down until he’d pressed the furled tips to the smooth surface. They sank in as well, leaving him holding the blade spine nearly parallel to the wall. Slowly, taking painstaking care not to twist the metal, he drew it down.
The stone split apart and drew back, guided through the furls and out, revealing a thin line in the stone. There was a silent thrill that fought against the dread as the hairline crack grew larger and larger. Finally, he reached the floor, and drew the knife out of the stone with minimal resistance.
With one last look at his partner, he placed both hands on the door and began to push.
There was a grinding squeal as the heavy stones slid open and out. Past, there was a thick darkness that blotted out most of the detail, even with the magelight active. Efrain took two steps and raised it high, its luminosity increasing as it rose. Even so, it flickered as the smothering cold poured out of the chamber, casting wavering shadows on the surrounding stone walls.
A moment of grim satisfaction availed him - he had surmised correctly about the room being some sort of important tomb. Large alcoves with carved-relief tombs marched off into the dark, twinned pillars marking each and every one. A vaulted ceiling spanned the passage, faded mosaics depicting unknown scenes of times past.
In fact, it would’ve been a place that Efrain could easily see himself working in. Painstakingly brushing off the faded paint and chipped stone, recreating the designs in book after book. Days and nights of note taking, trying to piece together the story of what this place was and why it was here. Unfortunately, the beauty of that vision was marred by the hostile darkness that wrapped around the vault.
He and Innie cautiously crept forward, the light above his head pushing back the heavy shadows. Her fur stood on end, amber eyes inspecting every little pittance, every corner past where something might hide. Efrain was much the same way, expecting something to detach itself from the stone and give chase.
Yet, there was nothing, no movement, no sudden gleam of hostile eyes. Just the stone, and the ever deepening cold.
Finally, they reached the depths of the tomb, a handful of steps that lead down into a wider room. In the muddy light he cast, he saw something large and round, sitting slumped over what looked to be an altar of some kind. There was no aggression that he could feel, no stirring of the thing in response to their presence, just the cold that poured off it.
As he entered through the arched steps, he realised that the thing was making sounds. A wet, gurgling noise, that was rather uncomfortably reminiscent of the creatures from the fog. The sound of a throat that had been crushed and twisted by the weight of its deformities. Still, it lacked the rage that came with the things that had crashed on the church roof or swarmed its outer wall.
Efrain took another few steps and stood before the round mass, slightly taller than he was, peering closely as its features came into relief. When he realised what it was, he felt a stomach that no longer existed turn over on itself. There were pale bumps and ridges where there might’ve been anatomical landmarks at one point. Various malformed limbs jutted out and merged back into the structure, some recognizable, some alien. The flesh shuddered and writhed as he neared it, groans and gurgles exiting various gashes and holes in its surface.
What was far, far worse, however, was what he discovered when he looked within.
Innie must’ve discovered it at the same time, issuing a violent wail of disgust and grief. Efrain staggered away, trying to steady himself on one of the pillars as his vision swam. The self-hatred, the sorrow, the unbelievable nauseating pain that issued from the thing was enough to make him wish he never came here. Its magic was even worse - an indescribable warped abomination that should’ve never been borne into existence.
It took a herculean effort to remain standing, fighting the physically impossible urge to sink to his knees and vomit. Innie was slamming herself into a pillar in a mad horror, and his gaze slid to the knife in his hand. The terrible revelation was like an explosion in his mind.
He could almost see the priest raising the knife, almost seeing the gears of thought turning in his head. If it could join and separate stone, what else could it pull asunder? A terrible demon, removed from a child, think of the praise, think of the tithes, think of the reaffirmation of the faith!
Innie lay on the ground, curled and shivering, her wails fallen into a grim silence, punctuated only by quiet sobs. Efrain stood there, feeling the knife slip to clatter on the ground. The thing twitched and issued another moan as it undulated from its base to top.
Somewhere in the corners of his mind he wondered if somewhere in the mass the priest was still alive. It would be a ghastly fate, and a deserved one, to be trapped in this fleshy prison. But what had happened to the wisp matriarch’s power? Why was there a ghost appearing to Aya and granting her access to the flames?
Shrinking back into himself, he huddled by the wall - more than anything, he wanted to be away from here. He wanted to be in his isolated little castle in a far-away mountain. He wanted a cup of tea, and a good book, and to forget such horrible things could exist in this world.
But alas, he was here, he had made the choice to come here, and it made the choice to open the door.
It’s not fair, he thought, numbly, why must it be me?
Innie had stopped sobbing, merely lying there in a terrible stillness. Not dead, nor was she injured beyond superficiality, rather trapped in the depths of paralytic grief. But it would soon fade, Efrain knew for it was happening to him. All that stupefaction, swept away by rage.
There were footsteps, far behind him, a set of them, hurrying down the tomb corridor. Distant faces, barely distinguishable from the darkness, emerged past the arches, still some distance away. Their eyes were straining, faces scrunched up as they tried to pierce the gloom, not yet realising the dire horror that awaited them.
Maybe it was in a spirit of mercy that Efrain rose, and turned toward the cat. More likely, it was the rage that was boiling just under the surface, only held by the thinnest membrane of numbness. The stones under Innie were beginning to be cast in a red light as her fur began to glow, despite the damping of her magic.
“What is that?” called one of the paladins from down the hall.
Efrain said nothing as he faced the horrible fusion of the priest and girl, twitching and moaning. He didn’t need to.
Flames rose into the air, exhaustion no longer a barrier as Innie rose to her height. The cat was melting, dribbling down on the floor as the true form of the wisp mother bled through in a pillar of yellow-red light. The temperature of the room shot up from icy to lukewarm in an instant as flames began to crawl across the stone and reached for the abomination.
The paladins had reached the threshold, thrusting their charges behind them as they gazed upon the scene. They were reaching for their swords, even as the flames grew in heat and intensity. The mass did not attempt to lash rather bellowed as the fire licked, shuddering so violently Efrain thought it might come apart. It coiled and twitched as the flames rose up its side, the smell of burning flesh filling the room.
Efrain didn’t even look at it, merely fixing his stare on the church insignia, emblazoned on the plate of the paladins. The screams rose to a fever pitch, met by a furious roaring and crackling of the ever-growing blaze. There was one last desperate burst of coldness that rolled over him, dimming the firelight for a moment, and turning the paladin’s pale.
Then, as if a floodgate was opened, his magic was no longer suppressed, and the fires roared to new heights. The thing had been submerged in a pillar of red and yellow flames, leaping up almost to the tall ceiling of the room. In the back of Efrain’s mind, he realised it wasn’t wise that the fire would eat the air up so deep in the earth. He did nothing.
He simply stood there, staring at the paladins without a word.
“Efrain,” croaked Innie.
He turned to see the charred remains slumping to the floor. In its centre, no longer bound, floated a thin ring of yellow blue flame. The fragment shed little bright rivulets like downy feathers, soft sparks fading into Innie’s blaze.
The rage drove Efrain forward, knowing what was about to happen and what he was about to do. No rational impulse was going to stop him now. Innie was in lockstep with him as he knelt down before the remains, the flames parting as he reached in. The paladins were screaming something as he closed his hand around the ring, and felt his world come to life.
The fire was no longer just fire, it was light itself, so blindingly bright and hot that stones around them began to glow. Efrain felt something immense move into him, a wall of molten power moving enough momentum to sweep him away. The traces of the wisp matriarch entered the man and the cat, and in that moment they were its avatar.
He rose, and the blue-yellow blaze rose with him, fanning over the whole room. At some point, the paladins had grabbed their charges and ran for dear life. Efrain was almost beyond thought as he began to make for the stairs. Every step was a burden, his body rattling uncontrollably with each footfall.
Step-by-step, the pair made their way through the corridor, leaving a sea of flame in their wake. The stone glowed with the rage of their passing, murals utterly destroyed, features beginning to run like wax on the carven reliefs. The only thing untouched by the flames was the black doors, a constant wall in the flames.
As he made his way into the crypts, leaving glass footprints in the sand, he became dimly aware that his robes were beginning to smoke. The magic coursing through him was not meant for him to wield - memory, knowledge, consciousness, all seemed to fall away at its burning touch.
He was being consumed, he and Innie both as they channelled the might of the matriarch, fraction as it was. The burst of magic on the roof was nothing compared to what they now held within themselves. This was a primal power, far grander than anything they’d seen in their long lives.
The passage was beginning to groan and warp, the stone beginning to run as he found his way to the spiral stair. Step-by-step, gripping the walls for purchase, he managed to drag himself up. Every rise was harder than the one that came before it, and soon he was climbing mountains with each step. The stones trembled at his touch, his hands leaving glowing impressions. Soon they too fell into the wall of conflagration that rose behind him.
Still, onward and upward he climbed, higher and higher, past the entrance to the church and to the roof. Night had finally fallen, the sounds of battle beginning as the monsters moved for the final assault. The posted guards screamed warnings of ‘fire!’ ‘fire!’ and shouted prayers as Efrain crawled his way onto the roof. They must’ve thought this some terrible new monster, something immune to their burning brands.
“Leave. Now,” Efrain said, the words slurring as he forced them into the air.
The men were quick to take his advice, but stopped at the tower stairs, staring in horror at the dripping stone. Some looked to the edge, preparing to leap to avoid the frame.
In the midst of the tumult, some bare fraction of Efrain remained to recognize the arbitrary cruelty of their position. He reached out, not to the men but beyond them, and plucked the heat from the stones. With a gust of warm air, they cooled rapidly from molten red to survivable grey. Somewhere, the scholar in Efrain screamed at the indignity of this impossible action.
But this was a magic of fundamentals. It did not stoop to petty things like ‘rules’.
The men, seeing their chance, hurled themselves down the stairs. With their absence, there was nothing left to restrain the power. The flames poured out like water, spilling over the walls of the church, roaring into the sky. Efrain didn’t think about the memory, intent, or emotion, nor any mechanical aspect of the magic - where he wanted, the world burned.
What little left of his mind felt memories of times and places foreign to him roar through his mind. The chaos of his mind lent him very little clarity, sights were smells, sounds were feelings, a cacophony of sensations raced through him faster and faster. In that blurring conundrum, he could see a single, core memory, one that drove all others.
A sunlit place, far away near a golden sea, a funeral, a birth, both at the same time, a tall figure, singing of purpose.
With a final effort, he called the magic to him, hoping to gain some vestige of control. The flames coiled and twisted and condensed, collapsing into an ever-tighter sphere as nature did its work. Heat itself lifted off the melting slates of the roof, absorbed into the mass at his fingertips, leaving a bright ball no bigger than his fist.
The world hung in that moment, the sounds of battle far away, screams of human and monster distant memories. In that moment of brief lucidity, Efrain held a star in his hand.
Then with a tremendous expansion of sound and rage and fire, a blast of hot wind ripped the fog away from the hill and scattered it across the highlands. Men and monsters were sent sprawling, the creatures flying on the icy mist spiralling and falling to earth.
Now the true force of the enemy was revealed - hundreds, perhaps as many as a thousand on the hill beyond. It was only a matter of time before they would rise over the wall, dismantle the barricades, and slaughter the defenders. Men, women, even children who’d worked so hard to defend their homes and lives. All rended to pieces because a little girl had gone for a little hike.
Chains were wrapping around Efrain, white hot and heavy, pulling him to the roof, disintegrating the spells that held him together. He was smoking in truth now and might catch flame at any moment. At his back, felt rather than seen, was an immense twisting whirlwind. It reached up and out into the night, its sudden light blotting out the stars. At its very centre, a consciousness took form within the power, something that wished for nothing more than to reduce all to ash. Efrain turned to the creatures that squirmed and charged below, heedless of the peril above.
He barely even perceived what happened next.
There was one final roar, louder and more violent than anything he’d ever heard of, conceived of, and would likely ever hear again. Branches extended down from the fire, great scouring fingers that swept across the earth, tearing down fruit trees, barely missing the barricades, and spilling down the hill.
The creatures came to meet it, not even turning aside as the heat and light submerged them. Perhaps they couldn’t even understand death anymore, so far gone was their nature. In a heartbeat, they faltered in the tide of flame, falling to the ground as they burned to ash. Dozens of them went in an instant as the power of Wisp Matriarch did its terrible work.
The fingers swept down past the outer wall, two tendrils splitting and crashing back together in a fountain of fire. The great bulk of the monsters were burnt into mere shadows on the cobbles. Efrain’s vision began to darken as his last vestiges of consciousness began to fail. He felt a draining sensation, the last of the magic of the matriarch flowing out into the night.
The heat that ate away at his very being was gone now, leaving behind a scorched emptiness. He fell to the ground, his limbs barely weak enough to prop himself up against the church roof. Innie, once more a cat, dragged herself over to him, curling on his lap as her eyes closed.
Too late, he remembered the curse upon the mask. That must’ve been the draining sensation, now that he’d let so much magic flow through it, it was sucking him dry. He tried vainly for some way to stem the flow, but he was so tired, so weak. Looking down, he noted that the church, although singed, was still more-or-less intact. There was a strange mix of regret and relief at the observation.
His voice, now a drab, thin thing, echoed out, remembering the conversation he’d had with Innie about her future plans of arson.
“Sorry, old friend,” he said, “I think I missed.”
Then Efrain Belacore, Baron of the Frozen Vale, and self-titled ‘Lord of Death’, was no more.
[←Chapter 48] [Cover Art] [My Links] [Index] [Discord] [Subreddit] [Chapter 50→]

Thanks u/TheWickedQueen_ for the commission!
This was a six dollar commission so once the commissioner gets a crack at the script it becomes public for anybody that wants it!
I've always kinda disliked the "sexy mafia dude/gal is all into you" cliche. I've always felt that criminals are either romanticized or demonized in fiction, like a slightly less creepy Madonna vs Whore complex. As somebody that grew up in an area with a lot of Ex-cons I wanted to make something more down to earth and explore what its like to be an ex-con a little bit ( I think I've just watched The Wire too much lol).
Also this city isn't based on any real place although I think its probably in the American rust belt somewhere. Its named after the city from Revolt of the Cockroach people
Archive: https://www.reddit.com/ASMRScriptHaven/comments/x9hb9v/script_archive/
If you like what I'm doing swing by my Ko-Fi! And DM me if you want a commission of your own! :https://ko-fi.com/timeraft
You've been coming to this seedy hole in the wall bar for a while, and it's not exactly for the food or the ambiance. No, it's because you've got a massive crush on the former-criminal-turned-bartender who runs the place. You know she doesn't see you that way, but for now, you're happy just to spend time with her and listen to her stories. But today, you'll realize just how badly she's misunderstood your intentions.
Dialogue
Context
SFX
Listener is a quiet shy type living in the inner city(probably early to late 20’s). Speaker is an ex mob boss turned bartender(Probably mid-30’s-early 40’s). They like spending time with the listener and telling stories, but they see a little more of themselves in the young person than they’d like.
And how's my favorite little regular customer on this hot summer night?
You feel that south wind blowing up Saginaw Highway? All hot and dry and smelling like the smog that usually stays way down in the valley? That means it's gonna be a scorcher. So make sure you stay hydrated tomorrow.
Rough day eh? I suppose I can relate. I admire you for sticking it out though, for what it's worth I never could myself. I never took to working, and I paid for it.
I’m surprised you don't have anywhere better to be. What I wouldn't give to be your age again, all alone just before sunset in the dog days of summer. You sure there's no pretty girl out there, just waiting on you to show up at her door and ask if she’s too busy for a little dancing?
No girl? Is there a boy?
Not that either eh? A good looking little thing like you with no place better to be than my little hole in the wall bar. Makes me wonder what you’re really after. I don't suppose you’re here for my pretty face either.
Sets glass on bar
Drink up kid, it's on the house. Finish it up and leave. Don't come round here no more.
Don't give me that look. It's not anything you did.
Listen, you're a good kid. You don't want to hear this, but you’re innocent. Pure as fresh fallen snow. I’d kill to get half of that innocence for myself.
I know you’ve figured out that my regulars are all criminals or ex-cons, they come in here to take a load off. Or sometimes talk shop. I don't care about them, they’re all too far gone for somebody like me to be able to pull them back, but I can stop you at least.
This isn't a place for somebody like you. So finish your drink. And leave.
You remind me of a younger me. The dissatisfied ambitious youngblood, who felt like they weren't going to get anywhere in life unless they were willing to take serious risks.
I spent a lot of time in a place just like this, trying to rub elbows with the people I looked up to.
I told you all the stories before, but what the hell, how about a refresher.
It took a while, but I got in and I was pretty good at it.
Real good.
There was a time not too long ago where I ran this whole neighborhood. Ran the numbers game for a while, that was safe but the returns weren’t the millions I dreamed of so I moved on to more dangerous stuff.
Turned out I was good at that too. Too good. People got hurt. I need you to understand that.
I hurt people. A lot of people. More than I ever got punished for.
And it got me what I wanted. Power. Money. Respect. Fear.
It couldn't last though. You can never be on top all the time.
The sheriffs and the staties couldn't touch me, but I got sloppy with my money and the revenuers locked me up. That's typically how it goes.
I spent ten years in Terre Haute, eight behind bars and two working at the baking powder factory. When I got back to Tooner Flats everything I built was gone, all I had left was this building. I’d never even been inside before. I just used it to launder money.
You ever spend any time in a prison? I know you’re aware it's not a fun time, but you know what really kills you? It's not the gangs or the guards. It's the boredom.
Time slips away from you, but also seems to pass so slow that it's like trying to carve your name in dry cement.
You try to keep your feet on the ground, but you can't all the time.
You get up in the morning at 6, get counted at six fifteen, eat your oatmeal at six thirty, grab a full eight assembling office furniture for the feds. Two hours of rec time, outside if you’re really well behaved. Eat dinner, green Jello on fridays, red Jello every other day. Bed inspection. Choose between the library or the movie. Go to your bunk, lights out.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
I went mad for most of year four, came back around to something close to sanity in year six. I never really fully recovered though. I cant really complain I suppose, I deserved to be in there. A lot of people have been in there a lot longer for a lot less.
Here, I want you to try something
Opens a bag of chips and pours them into a bowl
This is a brand of chips they had in the canteen out there in Indiana. You can't normally get this brand outside of prison. I picked up a few bags on ebay because every now and then I find myself craving it. They’re flavored with whatever flavor dust the day shift at the chip factory didn’t use up, so they’ve got a lot going on. Try a couple.
Crunch
Kinda gross right? Wayyyy too much flavor and it all clashes weird. It's like licking the floor at Dollar general.
But believe me. They hit differently when you’re wearing orange and black.
When everything feels and looks the same day and day out, you start craving sensation. Any sensation. This absolute overload of flavor felt like heaven. The closest I ever saw to a riot was the saturday they opened the canteen without a fresh stock of these.
You go a little crazy in there. Just looking for anything to silence that steady drumbeat of monotony. I got really into the twilight books when they were coming out. I know somebody that spent a long time in solitary who spent their time touching cold metal, waiting for it to get warm, letting go and touching it again when it got cold again. Anything to break up the void.
When I look back at those two years where I was on top of the world, they weren't worth it. They weren't worth my time in Indiana. I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did.
Downs a drink and slams down the glass
My dad won't even talk to me now.
He was a nurse, down at the VA clinic on Cleveland Boulevard. It’s closed now, I think they tore it down and built a Costco. Back when I was a kid it was still seen as emasculating for a man to take that job, but he was good at it and it paid enough for him to raise me on his own after mom died. I felt ashamed though.
He was a good honest man, and I spent my childhood ashamed of him. And then threw away everything he ever gave me to pursue life as a bigshot.
I tried to visit him the other day. He lives in a trailer park on the other side of old highway nine, way down in the valley now. I could see him in there, on his chair watching the hockey game.
He could see me. I knocked and we made eye contact, but he never stirred from his chair.
I suppose I’m dead to him,and I don't blame him. I just wish to god I wasn't.
So finish that drink and leave. If I see you around again I’ll break your arms.
Listener swears they don't come around because they want to be criminal
Oh no? You’re not in the market for a life of crime? Why do you come around then? Riddle me that. I know it's not for the drinks, I can't mix a cocktail to save my life, and I know it's not for the company. What are you an undercover cop or something?
My stories? You're pulling my leg! I’m just old and full of shit. Next thing you're gonna say you’ve got some sort of crush on me.
Listener does not deny it.
No
Nooooo
Oh god. You’re kidding.
Hysterical laughter
What in the name of Peter and Jane is wrong with you!?
Look at me. I’ve easily got ten years on you. I'm going grey and getting wrinkles.
I’ve got callouses from the prison shop and dark circles around my eyes that won't go away no matter how much I try to sleep. My hands are cold and my face is sad. Little kids cry when they see me at the grocery store.
You deserve some passionate young woman with stars in her eyes. Mine are just empty and tired. I don't have passion in me anymore.
Hell I don't even do anything anymore. All I want to do at the end of the day is make myself some oatmeal and watch the rerun channel. You can do better.
You can do a lot better.
I really can't talk you out of it?
Well who am I to deny you the right to make terrible choices? You can't say I didn't warn you about me. You damn fool.
I’ll tell you what. This place is dead tonight, what do you say we go dancing?
On one condition. You stop hanging around here. If this works it works and we’ll hang out someplace else. And if it doesnt I dont need you floating around like a sad little puppy.
Deal? Good
They kiss the listener on the cheek.
Go back home and clean up a bit, I’ll go upstairs and do the same. It’s ballroom night at the Falcons lodge. I haven't danced in ages and I want to see if I’ve still got it. We’ll see where that south wind takes us from there.
I’ll see you in an hour. On the dot. If you panic now and stand me up I might straight up break your legs.
God you’re an idiot
-30-

"Come inside, the kids are upstairs." Molly was in a rush, I knew this much from the phone call we had earlier. She had never used me before but heard about me through word of mouth. Which meant that my little side hustle was starting to gain traction.
I am a babysitter for a good neighborhood. There's cars parked outside, lawns are manicured, and the occasional termite company is out doing rounds. I don't know why but I always feel as if there's a termite guy nearby, it's a pretty decent area. Which is a far cry from where I live, on the other side of the tracks, literally. There are train tracks that run through our town and it acts as a divide. But they didn't need to know that. They only needed to see the straightened hair, well spoken, fake braces wearing girl in glasses sporting a skirt that wasn't too short where the neighbors would talk.
Usually I sat down with new clients, have them introduce me to their kids (trust me it helps) in order to make a clear cut line with them that I am in their parent's employ and I am not there to be their bestfriend and will definitely tell on them if they act up or break something. That's not to say I won't play silly games with them, feed them, laugh, tell bed time stories, and age appropriate jokes. But I am nobody's rug.
That's what I usually do, but there wasn't such luxury this time. Molly called me on the phone and she sounded desperate for me to come out. I had concert tickets and told her that they were non-refundable and she suggested that if I could make it in 30 minutes then she'd pay me twice the amount for the tickets and 1.5x my usual rate. I got there in 29 minutes. It would have been sooner but I needed to air myself out if you know what I mean.
Anyways, Molly barely had time to look at my face, let alone get any of my credentials as she was rushing out. Working mom it looked like. Business, by the looks of the pencil skirt and the bag that doubled as a folder. It always amazes me how much trust some people put in others to watch their kids. What if I was a serial killer? Or a deranged lunatic? What if I killed the babysitter on my way here and now I'm in a house, alone, with all her children.
I'm not. But I mean, what if, right?
She didn't seem to think about any of these things, leaving me to mumble goodbyes as she pulled out of the driveway, barely audible as the turbos wound up and she shouted something out the window to the likes of, "It's all on the iPad".
Yeah, no more yellow lined paper stuck with the realtor's magnet on the fridge anymore. It's all digital now.
I closed the door and figured that I better check up on the kids before I did a rundown. God this house was beautiful. I climbed the stairs two at a time and rounded the hall. To be fair, calling it a hall was so basic of me. It was more like a wing. West wing madam. The wing could have fit my living room. I click my heels when I heard a snort come from behind me. I came to face a shaggy dog that was well groomed. The collar was black with an underline of blue. Tiffany's undoubtedly. "Hey," I reached a hand and scratched the mop of top. "Let's go find the kids," I tell the dog as if it could understand me.
There were a series of rooms, most of them closed, but it didn't take me a second guess which one was occupied. The second door on the left, I could hear a kid shouting obscenities about someone being trash. I knocked on that door first.
"Come in," he shouted still loud but slightly less angry.
I opened the door and saw a stereotypical gamer's room. Posters, action figures, a rocking gaming chair on the floor in front of a huge flat screen, and a boy about 9 or 10. He had on his headphones and was sipping a Dr. Pepper.
"Don't they know trash day is on Thursdays?"
He cocked his head and laughed, "If you're looking for my mom I think she's downstairs."
"I'm actually looking for you." And let me tell you something. The audacity of this younger generation. The way he looked at me. Almost made me feel as bad as how I felt when he shrugged his shoulders after he had a good look. "Excuse me," I walk in front of him and blocked the screen. "I'm your new babysitter."
He shrugged. "Cool."
"What's your name?"
"You can read all about it somewhere else."
"What?"
"It's all on the iPad," he told me.
"What's your name," I repeated.
He rolls his eyes and looks at me as if I had asked him a stupid question, "Well I'm not Max."
I don't budge.
He whined, "Bobbie. Now come on, the next rounds about to start." he pulled his headphones over his ears. I grabbed the remote to get his attention. "What. Hey come on."
"It's nice to meet you Bobbie. Your mom's going to be away for a few hours and I'll be here until she gets back. Dinner is at 6:00 and I will make snacks at 4:30."
"No cap," he motioned at the tv, "Now can I get back to my game.
"Sure I tell him." Pocketing the remote.
"Hey!"
"Bye," I tell him as I close the door behind me.
So I'm back out in the hallway. And I open a few more doors. Some were locked. Before I get into one that's rather plain. There's a picture hanging up behind the bed, a tv, some lamps and shade. On the bed sits an identical, about 9 or 10, twins it seems. Probably why Bobbie was tired of being asked which one he was.
This one was staring at the blank screen. No video games. And quiet. Now I've babysat my share of kids before, and have seen all sorts. Quiet kids are my favorite. They don't mind board games, or listening. Most often times they only need to be left alone. I don't do too much talking in case they get tired of hearing my voice. And I give them a lot of space. "Hey, sorry about that. I didn't think anyone was in here."
He turned to me slowly, "Hi. Are you the new sitter?"
I nodded, "Yup. And I'm guessing that you're Max. I'll be watching you guys while your mom is away."
"She's probably going to work."
"Yeah, looked like it." I see the iPad in his hands. "Hey. I was looking for that."
"She's always at work." He hands it over. "It's dead. And mom took the charger."
I tried not to sigh. This was not how I wanted things to go. "Well, ok. If you need anything. Let me know. Or else I can come get you at 4:30 for snacks and dinner at 6."
He nodded, "Thanks," and goes back to staring at the screen.
I smile but he doesn't see, so I leave, closing the door softly behind me.
I make my way downstairs, wandering into the kitchen and start taking stock of what's there. Which was practically everything. This kitchen was so chic that I half expected Gordon Ramsay to pop out and tell me that the banana bread I made didn't have a clue if he staked the curved yellow fruit down the middle (it's a bad question mark joke. Listen. I never said I was funny).
Once I made sure that there was food, or ingredients to make food. There wasn't much else to do. The house was spotless. The kids were fine. And even the dog seemed well behaved. So I plopped on the couch, took out my fake braces, and watched tv until about 4:10 before I started slicing apples and celery to go with some peanut butter.
I fed the dog some peanut butter and licked my fingers (not with the hand I fed the dog with), before heading upstairs. Bobbie took the plate no problem but I couldn't find Max for the life of me. I wandered the rooms as the dog followed, still trying to lick my hand. "Max, I've got snacks." I knocked on what seemed like the umpteenth door before I get to a rather solid oak one that seemed custom.
Inside was the biggest home library I had ever seen. And I once dog sat for a pretentious professor from the college nearby. I mean, there was a portrait of said academic holding his dog in 18th century art style hanging over the mantle place of the deep wood cabinets filled with books. And yet this library made the other one look like a neighborhood book exchange birdbox.
"Holy..."
"Cow."
I whirled around to find Max standing in the doorway.
"You shouldn't wander into Father's study."
"I was just looking for you," holding up the plate. He made a face. "What? You don't like PB&C?" I took a stick and crunched on the celery.
"I'm not hungry."
I shrug. "Take it anyway. In case you get hungry."
He grabs the plate from me without much struggle so I decide to leave him be. I went back downstairs and crashed in front of the tv.
When I woke up. It was dark. My mouth was dry and all of the lights were off. The screen saver flashed the logo in blinks, lighting up the room only momentarily. For a second I forgot where I was and felt my heart thumping in my chest. My alarm didn't go off but I don't know why I woke up. Then I heard it again. The sound that must have jerked me awake. A crash. It came from upstairs. I grab my phone and glance down at the numbers. It was 8:10. I had slept through dinner. Shit. Shit. Shit. Here I was trying to make a good first impression and I missed out on dinner.
I wipe what drool was on my face and took to the stairs. Bobbie was probably so immersed in his game that he probably didn't even know he was hungry. Max on the other hand. "Max?" I call out down the hall. All of the doors are shut. I can hear something panting behind me. I turn to see the dog again. Its head is down and there's barely any light touching its face. "Hey come here," I called but it retreated in the opposite direction.
Then I shit me not. I heard a creaking come from behind me. It was the only noise in the house. I couldn't even hear Bobbie yelling in his room. I turn slowly and see one of the doors down the hall is now slightly ajar. It's dark in here. It was dark everywhere. I pressed my hands against the wall searching for a light switch. "Bobbie," I call out. There's no answer. "Hey, sorry about the delay in dinner. I'm going to get to it now."
Why was this place so big? And why could I see the door?
"Bobbie. Max?" I hear the dog tapping its paws behind me. Someone on the other side of the house by now. "Hey, where are you guys?" I peer at the single door that's open and realized why it was so prominent. The hall was dark, but what was inside was even darker. Instead of going toward it, I try the first knob my blind fingers came across. Process of elimination I told myself. It was locked. I tried the next one. Also locked. I finally get to Bobbie's door and I knock. "Bobbie." There's no answer. I press my head against the door and listen. But I don't hear a single sound.
"Where are all the light switches in this place!"
The door that was open before slightly opens again. Creaking, *tic tic tic tic*, with each ungreased turn of the hinge. "Shit. Hey, stop playing around."
There's laughing coming from behind me. It sounded like a little kids. Too young to be either of the boys. Followed by smaller footsteps. It sounded like they were barefoot. "Hey, this isn't funny. I'm going to tell your mother when she gets home." I take out my phone and turn on the flashlight. "When is she coming home?" It was almost 8:30, when I realized that we never set a time.
I hear footsteps again, they were odd. Almost like falling. Like a toddler learning how to run for the first time but the hollow ground sounded as if the person was much heavier. I shine my flashlight over the hall. "Shit." The dog was sitting on all fours in the corner. It was facing the wall. I couldn't even see his face. Every hair on its body completely still.
"Hey," I called out. "Come here." I clicked my tongue. "Come here." The dog didn't move. I couldn't even see it breathing.
Bang! It sounded like thunder behind me. As if someone dropped something on the floor. As if something fell off a shelf or was pushed. I jumped around and shone my light down the west wing. I didn't know if I should have been more or less afraid now that the door was closed. "Bobbie? Max?"
God. I did not want to try the door. And I stood there for a minute before realizing how stupid I must have looked. These were some rich kids playing a joke on you Camilia. I know it. The thought of their smug little faces made me stomp out of my frozen state. I took a couple of strides over and grabbed the handle.
"Fuck!" The thing was hot. "What the hell! You guys could have hurt me," I yelled. I banged on the door. "Open up. You two are in so much trouble." I banged on the door again. "Open the door. Right now!" I could hear something on the other side. It sounded like shuffling. Heavy furniture perhaps. "You guys better not be messing things up in there. I'm not going to clean it. I mean it."
I banged on the door. "I can hear you in there! Now come on!" I put my hands on my hips and tapped my foot. "I'm waiting. Your little jokes over now." I banged on the door again.
That's when the door knocked back.
It wouldn't have scared me. I don't think. Except for the fact that I was surprised. And alone in the hall. Without any of the lights on. In a strange house. And before I could say anything else. Another door behind me knocked from the inside. "Shit. Both of you are in on this?" I grabbed the handle to the other door. It was also locked. I banged on it. "Come out right now. Max?"
But then a third door started knocked from down the hall. I felt my throat clump as I tried to swallow. "You guys weren't supposed to have anyone over." The knocking didn't stop. It kept echoing down the hall. "I'm not getting paid for three kids you know?"
Tat-tat-tat-tat. Tat-tat-tat.
I took a single step. And then all of the doors in the hallway suddenly started banging.
I almost tripped as I ran toward the stairs. The doors were thundering on so hard I thought they would crack their hinges. I skipped the stairs, the sounds chasing me as I tried to not fall and break my neck. When I got to the front landing I hear someone say my name.
"Camilia. Are you okay?"
I'm trying not to choke on a lung here as I shot my eyes toward the kitchen. The kids are sitting on the barstools lining the counter. There are two plates in front of them. As if they didn't hear the drumline upstairs.
"Is it dinner time yet," one of them asks quietly.
"Max?"
He smiles.
"Kids. I think there's someone in the house." I rush over to grab each of their hands. Bobbie's wrists are limp but it was Max's hands that shocked me. They were ice cold. I tried to let go but my fingers wouldn't uncurl.
He turns my hand over and says, "There's no one else in this house except us. I promise."
"No," I wasn't about to listen to the kid even if it was his house. "Something is wrong. We have to go. Now." I pick up Bobbie and he doesn't seem to want to move. "Come on Bobbie. Let's go." He looks over at Max who shrugs and get out of his seat.
Bobbie follows as I drag them toward the front door.
"Camilia," Max says.
"What?" He looked scared. Which made me turn toward what he was staring out. At the front door was a tall figure. I couldn't see its face through the glass. It was a stark figure of a man.
"Do you think it's your dad?"
Max shakes his head. I feel him pulling against my arm.
I call out to the man, "Hey! Who is it?" The man doesn't budge. "I'm calling the police." I turn to Bobbie, "Get the phone." He doesn't move. "Hey!" I'm trying to sound as angry as possible. "Get the fuck out of here!" I grabbed a roll of painter's tape from the side table and hurl it across the hall, hitting the glass squarely in the face where the man's head stood blocking the exit. He doesn't even twitch as the glass shakes.
"Come on," I grab their hands and rush to the back. I don't get 10 steps before I feel a scream crawl up my throat making me cough. The man was standing at the sliding door. "Fuck!" I drag the two of them with me towards the kitchen. It's a big place so there had to be a way out to the garage. We push through one of the doors and end up in the laundry room. The next door gets us out into a 3 car garage. My hands find the glowing green opener against the wall and I hear the opener fold seamlessly towards the ceiling.
It started with his feet. Then his ankles. His shins. Then his legs. Light poured in behind him from the streetlamp. I watched as the door went to his waist before I hit the button for the garage to close, before rushing back inside. We make it into the kitchen to where I still see the tall man standing at the sliding door. A part of me wants to hide in the laundry room but I didn't want to be sandwiched in the middle of the house. So I pull the boys back up the stairs, back to where the doors banged themselves. Taking out my phone as we ascended, and called 911.
"This is the police operator speaking."
"HELLO", I hope they could hear me, "There are several men trying to get inside!"
"Men? Are you in any danger?"
"No! But they have us surrounded!"
"Why don't you go outside?"
My tongue suddenly felt numb in my mouth. Like I didn't know what to do with it. "W-what?"
"It's stranger in the house."
The line went dead as we hit the hallway.
I only took my eyes off of them for a second before Bobbie. Or Max. Runs down the hall. The one or the other already slipping through a door ahead. I look back down the stairs and see that the man is still standing in front of the doorway. I look back up and see the other boy also going through the same door. I take a single step and the doors start pounding on either side. I shut my eyes and turn around. Afraid to go. Almost deciding that these weren't my kids. That I should run away. I take a step backwards mouthing that I was sorry. But I was too scared to go! "Max! Bobbie!" My back foot sticks to the floor. I don't want to look down but the next step sticks too. I point my phone to the ground and see a trail of blood. And just behind me. It's the dog. Split right down the middle, its spine shiny and white, still facing the wall. I could see its organs still pulsing.
I couldn't go back downstairs. I couldn't go the other way. I couldn't leave them here. I couldn't be alone.
I ran after them. The thundering of the doors following me as frames fell to the floor. A vase rolled off a table in the hall. It came crashing at my feet. I run my shoulder through the door, except it wasn't locked. Which caused me to go crashing, sprawling to the floor. Running into the desk in the middle of the room.
The study.
Many of the books were off the shelves. The carpet was torn. There were curtains on fire. It was the first time a saw a window as they burned.
"Camilia!"
I hear one of their voices shouting at me.
"Camilia!" It came again. "Help!"
I get to my feet and start working my hands along the desk. I didn't have to search far. The bookcase directly behind the chair had been swung open. "Camilia!" I wipe the blood from my eyebrow where it had split and step into the tunnel behind the secret passage.
The tunnel started off tall and wide, but as I kept walking in. It got smaller and smaller. I started having to hunch. Several times I decided to turn back. But their voices would echo through, calling for me. Asking for help. "I'm coming!"
"I can't hold on! Camilia! Please!"
The twins cry for help bounced off the walls. I was finally on my hands and knees when I finally see two holes on either side. I'm afraid to look but then one of their voices came through clear as day. "Camilia." It was right in my ear now. I turned to see the boy naked and huddling, hugging his knees at the back of his hole.
"Camilia! Help! I don't want to play this game anymore!"
"Bobbie?"
"Help me!"
I look into the hole, the walls are pressing on my back and there's dust going into my lungs. I can barely turn my shoulder. "Crawl out!"
"I can't!"
"Crawl out! I'm right here." I take out my hand, "Come on!"
"Camilia!" Came a voice from the other side.
I turn my head and see Max in the other hole.
"No!" Bobbie shouts at me. "No!"
"Hold on," I tell him. "I'm going to get both of you out of here."
"No," Bobbie cries. "It's all his fault. He's the one that did it. He's the one that wants to get out!"
"Bobbie, what are you talking about."
"He's the one that put something in your drink so you'd fall asleep!"
"He's lying!" Max's voice rang through. "It's him! I saw him. Always in father's study! Reading those books! Trying out those things he reads. Those curses. Those spells. It's why the shadow men are after him! Camilia! You have to believe me."
I can hear Bobbie crying, "Why are you lying! I don't want to play anymore," he screeches. "I don't want to play!" He sobs. "You said you'd go away if I told you that I didn't want to play anymore."
I don't know what made me do it. It sure wasn't the nauseating squealing tantrum of the boy which made me reach for him first. Maybe it was because I wanted him to shut up. I don't know but I plunged my arm up to my shoulder in to grab Bobbie's collar.
Instantly I screamed and saw tiny spiders, short thin legs with round white backs crawl over my arms. I shook my arm in the hole, trying to smother them against the walls. That only caused these long brown flat slugs to fall. I saw one land on my hand. It had three distinct tendon-like lines running across its back and was about a half inch long. I pulled my arm out of the hole as I felt it pierce its flat head into the back of my thumb. I dropped my phone and heard it crack as the light splintered in the small, suffocating tunnel. But I didn't care as I looked at my hand and saw it burrowing its tiny spearhead below my skin. I grabbed at the wiggling tail still exposed and tried pulling it out.
It was like trying to pull our barbed wire. The spines on its body were facing me. So with each pull they dug deeper inside. I could see blood pooling under my skin, it was starting to turn purple as I tugged on its tail even harder. Until it gave. Popped right off and lay twitching in my hand. The head missing.
I couldn't take it anymore. Really. I had tried my best. I shake my head. "Bobbie. Bobbie. I'm sorry." But it didn't matter. When I looked over at Bobbie. He was covered in it. All of it. Even the spiders.
My jeans started shifting as I tried to wiggle myself out of there. But I hear Max's cry again. "Camilia! Please!"
"No," I whimpered. Shaking. I couldn't reach my hand in there again. But his voice was so scared. More scared than the pain I felt.
I shot my arm inside. Bracing. Waiting for the pain. But there was none. Instead my hands grasped around his collar and I felt his cold clammy skin, and yanked him from the hole. He came without much struggle. His face covered in the soot of it all. "Camilia," he cried. "You picked me. You did it."
I didn't have the heart to tell him that I almost didn't.
"Come on," I cried. "We. Have. To go."
The two of us wiggled our way out of there, crawling on our hands and knees, and running when we could. We finally make it back into the study. And the fire is roaring now. One of the books fall from the shelves and when it hit the fire I swear it started screaming. There was so much smoke that I couldn't see. And the door was covered by the flames.
I pointed to the window, the curtains on the floor in ashes. I kick the window. It didn't budge. I coughed. I kicked it again. The glass shook. I kicked it again and my foot went through. Pieces of the glass still hung in the frame, I use the tips of my fingers and pull them back. They fall to the floor cracking until there was a hole big enough for me to get through.
I plunge my head out and take my first breath of fresh air. The moon was full and the sky was clear. I could hear sirens coming off in the distance. When both of my feet were on the roof. I reach my hand back and grab Max from the burning house. Together we run across the clay tiles and climb down the arched tree. The red fire truck comes screeching to a stop as several firemen help us down.
One of them pushes a breathing mask on me, and wraps me up. The neighbors are outside, and the police arrive. I see a familiar car come roaring down the street, screaming to a halt as Molly runs out. Her face is flustered and she's shouting. Pushing through the cops until she reaches me next to the ambulance.
"What happened," she literally screamed at me.
"I'm so sorry," I tell her. "There were these men." I take another breath. "I couldn't do anything! B-but I saved Max! I saved him!"
She looked at the house. It was blazing now in the cool night. "Oh my god. Is Bobbie still in there?" Molly starts to cry. "My baby!"
"Max. But Max." I cough. "Max is okay!"
And she turns to me. I wasn't expecting her to be grateful. But there's anger on her face. "You didn't save my son. But you saved our dog?"
I shake my head. "No. Max. Your other son." I looked around but he was nowhere to be found.
s

"Come inside, the kids are upstairs." Molly was in a rush, I knew this much from the phone call we had earlier. She had never used me before but heard about me through word of mouth. Which meant that my little side hustle was starting to gain traction.
I am a babysitter for a good neighborhood. There's cars parked outside, lawns are manicured, and the occasional termite company is out doing rounds. I don't know why but I always feel as if there's a termite guy nearby, it's a pretty decent area. Which is a far cry from where I live, on the other side of the tracks, literally. There are train tracks that run through our town and it acts as a divide. But they didn't need to know that. They only needed to see the straightened hair, well spoken, fake braces wearing girl in glasses sporting a skirt that wasn't too short where the neighbors would talk.
Usually I sat down with new clients, have them introduce me to their kids (trust me it helps) in order to make a clear cut line with them that I am in their parent's employ and I am not there to be their bestfriend and will definitely tell on them if they act up or break something. That's not to say I won't play silly games with them, feed them, laugh, tell bed time stories, and age appropriate jokes. But I am nobody's rug.
That's what I usually do, but there wasn't such luxury this time. Molly called me on the phone and she sounded desperate for me to come out. I had concert tickets and told her that they were non-refundable and she suggested that if I could make it in 30 minutes then she'd pay me twice the amount for the tickets and 1.5x my usual rate. I got there in 29 minutes. It would have been sooner but I needed to air myself out if you know what I mean.
Anyways, Molly barely had time to look at my face, let alone get any of my credentials as she was rushing out. Working mom it looked like. Business, by the looks of the pencil skirt and the bag that doubled as a folder. It always amazes me how much trust some people put in others to watch their kids. What if I was a serial killer? Or a deranged lunatic? What if I killed the babysitter on my way here and now I'm in a house, alone, with all her children.
I'm not. But I mean, what if, right?
She didn't seem to think about any of these things, leaving me to mumble goodbyes as she pulled out of the driveway, barely audible as the turbos wound up and she shouted something out the window to the likes of, "It's all on the iPad".
Yeah, no more yellow lined paper stuck with the realtor's magnet on the fridge anymore. It's all digital now.
I closed the door and figured that I better check up on the kids before I did a rundown. God this house was beautiful. I climbed the stairs two at a time and rounded the hall. To be fair, calling it a hall was so basic of me. It was more like a wing. West wing madam. The wing could have fit my living room. I click my heels when I heard a snort come from behind me. I came to face a shaggy dog that was well groomed. The collar was black with an underline of blue. Tiffany's undoubtedly. "Hey," I reached a hand and scratched the mop of top. "Let's go find the kids," I tell the dog as if it could understand me.
There were a series of rooms, most of them closed, but it didn't take me a second guess which one was occupied. The second door on the left, I could hear a kid shouting obscenities about someone being trash. I knocked on that door first.
"Come in," he shouted still loud but slightly less angry.
I opened the door and saw a stereotypical gamer's room. Posters, action figures, a rocking gaming chair on the floor in front of a huge flat screen, and a boy about 9 or 10. He had on his headphones and was sipping a Dr. Pepper.
"Don't they know trash day is on Thursdays?"
He cocked his head and laughed, "If you're looking for my mom I think she's downstairs."
"I'm actually looking for you." And let me tell you something. The audacity of this younger generation. The way he looked at me. Almost made me feel as bad as how I felt when he shrugged his shoulders after he had a good look. "Excuse me," I walk in front of him and blocked the screen. "I'm your new babysitter."
He shrugged. "Cool."
"What's your name?"
"You can read all about it somewhere else."
"What?"
"It's all on the iPad," he told me.
"What's your name," I repeated.
He rolls his eyes and looks at me as if I had asked him a stupid question.
I don't budge.
He whined, "Bobbie. Now come on, the next rounds about to start." he pulled his headphones over his ears. I grabbed the remote to get his attention. "What. Hey come on."
"It's nice to meet you Bobbie. Your mom's going to be away for a few hours and I'll be here until she gets back. Dinner is at 6:00 and I will make snacks at 4:30."
"No cap," he motioned at the tv, "Now can I get back to my game.
"Sure I tell him." Pocketing the remote.
"Hey!"
"Bye," I tell him as I close the door behind me.
So I'm back out in the hallway. And I open a few more doors. Some were locked. Before I get into one that's rather plain. There's a picture hanging up behind the bed, a tv, some lamps and shade. On the bed sits an identical, about 9 or 10, twins it seems. Probably why Bobbie was tired of being asked which one he was.
This one was staring at the blank screen. No video games. And quiet. Now I've babysat my share of kids before, and have seen all sorts. Quiet kids are my favorite. They don't mind board games, or listening. Most often times they only need to be left alone. I don't do too much talking in case they get tired of hearing my voice. And I give them a lot of space. "Hey, sorry about that. I didn't think anyone was in here."
He turned to me slowly, "Hi. Are you the new sitter?"
I nodded, "Yup. And I'm guessing that you're Max. I'll be watching you guys while your mom is away."
"She's probably going to work."
"Yeah, looked like it." I see the iPad in his hands. "Hey. I was looking for that."
"She's always at work." He hands it over. "It's dead. And mom took the charger."
I tried not to sigh. This was not how I wanted things to go. "Well, ok. If you need anything. Let me know. Or else I can come get you at 4:30 for snacks and dinner at 6."
He nodded, "Thanks," and goes back to staring at the screen.
I smile but he doesn't see, so I leave, closing the door softly behind me.
I make my way downstairs, wandering into the kitchen and start taking stock of what's there. Which was practically everything. This kitchen was so chic that I half expected Gordon Ramsay to pop out and tell me that the banana bread I made didn't have a clue if he staked the curved yellow fruit down the middle (it's a bad question mark joke. Listen. I never said I was funny).
Once I made sure that there was food, or ingredients to make food. There wasn't much else to do. The house was spotless. The kids were fine. And even the dog seemed well behaved. So I plopped on the couch, took out my fake braces, and watched tv until about 4:10 before I started slicing apples and celery to go with some peanut butter.
I fed the dog some peanut butter and licked my fingers (not with the hand I fed the dog with), before heading upstairs. Bobbie took the plate no problem but I couldn't find Max for the life of me. I wandered the rooms as the dog followed, still trying to lick my hand. "Max, I've got snacks." I knocked on what seemed like the umpteenth door before I get to a rather solid oak one that seemed custom.
Inside was the biggest home library I had ever seen. And I once dog sat for a pretentious professor from the college nearby. I mean, there was a portrait of said academic holding his dog in 18th century art style hanging over the mantle place of the deep wood cabinets filled with books. And yet this library made the other one look like a neighborhood book exchange birdbox.
"Holy..."
"Cow."
I whirled around to find Max standing in the doorway.
"You shouldn't wander into Father's study."
"I was just looking for you," holding up the plate. He made a face. "What? You don't like PB&C?" I took a stick and crunched on the celery.
"I'm not hungry."
I shrug. "Take it anyway. In case you get hungry."
He grabs the plate from me without much struggle so I decide to leave him be. I went back downstairs and crashed in front of the tv.
When I woke up. It was dark. My mouth was dry and all of the lights were off. The screen saver flashed the logo in blinks, lighting up the room only momentarily. For a second I forgot where I was and felt my heart thumping in my chest. My alarm didn't go off but I don't know why I woke up. Then I heard it again. The sound that must have jerked me awake. A crash. It came from upstairs. I grab my phone and glance down at the numbers. It was 8:10. I had slept through dinner. Shit. Shit. Shit. Here I was trying to make a good first impression and I missed out on dinner.
I wipe what drool was on my face and took to the stairs. Bobbie was probably so immersed in his game that he probably didn't even know he was hungry. Max on the other hand. "Max?" I call out down the hall. All of the doors are shut. I can hear something panting behind me. I turn to see the dog again. Its head is down and there's barely any light touching its face. "Hey come here," I called but it retreated in the opposite direction.
Then I shit me not. I heard a creaking come from behind me. It was the only noise in the house. I couldn't even hear Bobbie yelling in his room. I turn slowly and see one of the doors down the hall is now slightly ajar. It's dark in here. It was dark everywhere. I pressed my hands against the wall searching for a light switch. "Bobbie," I call out. There's no answer. "Hey, sorry about the delay in dinner. I'm going to get to it now."
Why was this place so big? And why could I see the door?
"Bobbie. Max?" I hear the dog tapping its paws behind me. Someone on the other side of the house by now. "Hey, where are you guys?" I peer at the single door that's open and realized why it was so prominent. The hall was dark, but what was inside was even darker. Instead of going toward it, I try the first knob my blind fingers came across. Process of elimination I told myself. It was locked. I tried the next one. Also locked. I finally get to Bobbie's door and I knock. "Bobbie." There's no answer. I press my head against the door and listen. But I don't hear a single sound.
"Where are all the light switches in this place!"
The door that was open before slightly opens again. Creaking, *tic tic tic tic*, with each ungreased turn of the hinge. "Shit. Hey, stop playing around."
There's laughing coming from behind me. It sounded like a little kids. Too young to be either of the boys. Followed by smaller footsteps. It sounded like they were barefoot. "Hey, this isn't funny. I'm going to tell your mother when she gets home." I take out my phone and turn on the flashlight. "When is she coming home?" It was almost 8:30, when I realized that we never set a time.
I hear footsteps again, they were odd. Almost like falling. Like a toddler learning how to run for the first time but the hollow ground sounded as if the person was much heavier. I shine my flashlight over the hall. "Shit." The dog was sitting on all fours in the corner. It was facing the wall. I couldn't even see his face. Every hair on its body completely still.
"Hey," I called out. "Come here." I clicked my tongue. "Come here." The dog didn't move. I couldn't even see it breathing.
Bang! It sounded like thunder behind me. As if someone dropped something on the floor. As if something fell off a shelf or was pushed. I jumped around and shone my light down the west wing. I didn't know if I should have been more or less afraid now that the door was closed. "Bobbie? Max?"
God. I did not want to try the door. And I stood there for a minute before realizing how stupid I must have looked. These were some rich kids playing a joke on you Camilia. I know it. The thought of their smug little faces made me stomp out of my frozen state. I took a couple of strides over and grabbed the handle.
"Fuck!" The thing was hot. "What the hell! You guys could have hurt me," I yelled. I banged on the door. "Open up. You two are in so much trouble." I banged on the door again. "Open the door. Right now!" I could hear something on the other side. It sounded like shuffling. Heavy furniture perhaps. "You guys better not be messing things up in there. I'm not going to clean it. I mean it."
I banged on the door. "I can hear you in there! Now come on!" I put my hands on my hips and tapped my foot. "I'm waiting. Your little jokes over now." I banged on the door again.
That's when the door knocked back.
It wouldn't have scared me. I don't think. Except for the fact that I was surprised. And alone in the hall. Without any of the lights on. In a strange house. And before I could say anything else. Another door behind me knocked from the inside. "Shit. Both of you are in on this?" I grabbed the handle to the other door. It was also locked. I banged on it. "Come out right now. Max?"
But then a third door started knocked from down the hall. I felt my throat clump as I tried to swallow. "You guys weren't supposed to have anyone over." The knocking didn't stop. It kept echoing down the hall. "I'm not getting paid for three kids you know?"
Tat-tat-tat-tat. Tat-tat-tat.
I took a single step. And then all of the doors in the hallway suddenly started banging.
I almost tripped as I ran toward the stairs. The doors were thundering on so hard I thought they would crack their hinges. I skipped the stairs, the sounds chasing me as I tried to not fall and break my neck. When I got to the front landing I hear someone say my name.
"Camilia. Are you okay?"
I'm trying not to choke on a lung here as I shot my eyes toward the kitchen. The kids are sitting on the barstools lining the counter. There are two plates in front of them. As if they didn't hear the drumline upstairs.
"Is it dinner time yet," one of them asks quietly.
"Max?"
He smiles.
"Kids. I think there's someone in the house." I rush over to grab each of their hands. Bobbie's wrists are limp but it was Max's hands that shocked me. They were ice cold. I tried to let go but my fingers wouldn't uncurl.
He turns my hand over and says, "There's no one else in this house except us. I promise."
"No," I wasn't about to listen to the kid even if it was his house. "Something is wrong. We have to go. Now." I pick up Bobbie and he doesn't seem to want to move. "Come on Bobbie. Let's go." He looks over at Max who shrugs and get out of his seat.
Bobbie follows as I drag them toward the front door.
"Camilia," Max says.
"What?" He looked scared. Which made me turn toward what he was staring out. At the front door was a tall figure. I couldn't see its face through the glass. It was a stark figure of a man.
"Do you think it's your dad?"
Max shakes his head. I feel him pulling against my arm.
I call out to the man, "Hey! Who is it?" The man doesn't budge. "I'm calling the police." I turn to Bobbie, "Get the phone." He doesn't move. "Hey!" I'm trying to sound as angry as possible. "Get the fuck out of here!" I grabbed a roll of painter's tape from the side table and hurl it across the hall, hitting the glass squarely in the face where the man's head stood blocking the exit. He doesn't even twitch as the glass shakes.
"Come on," I grab their hands and rush to the back. I don't get 10 steps before I feel a scream crawl up my throat making me cough. The man was standing at the sliding door. "Fuck!" I drag the two of them with me towards the kitchen. It's a big place so there had to be a way out to the garage. We push through one of the doors and end up in the laundry room. The next door gets us out into a 3 car garage. My hands find the glowing green opener against the wall and I hear the opener fold seamlessly towards the ceiling.
It started with his feet. Then his ankles. His shins. Then his legs. Light poured in from behind him from the streetlamp. I watched as the door went to his waist before I hit the button for the garage to close, before rushing back inside. We make it into the kitchen to where I still see the tall man standing at the sliding door. A part of me wants to hide in the laundry room but I didn't want to be sandwiched in the middle of the house. So I pull the boys back up the stairs, back to where the doors banged themselves. Taking out my phone as we ascended, and called 911.
"This is the police operator speaking."
"HELLO", I hope they could hear me, "There are several men trying to get inside!"
"Men? Are you in any danger?"
"No! But they have us surrounded!"
"Why don't you go outside?"
My tongue suddenly felt numb in my mouth. Like I didn't know what to do with it. "W-what?"
"It's stranger in the house."
The line went dead as we hit the hallway.
I only took my eyes off of them for a second before Bobbie. Or Max. Runs down the hall. The one or the other already slipping through a door ahead. I look back down the stairs and see that the man is still standing in front of the doorway. I look back up and see the other boy also going through the same door. I take a single step and the doors start pounding on either side. I shut my eyes and turn around. Afraid to go. Almost deciding that these weren't my kids. That I should run away. I take a step backwards mouthing that I was sorry. But I was too scared to go! "Max! Bobbie!" My back foot sticks to the floor. I don't want to look down but the next step sticks too. I point my phone to the ground and see a trail of blood. And just behind me. It's the dog. Split right down the middle, its spine shiny and white, still facing the wall. I could see its organs still pulsing.
I couldn't go back downstairs. I couldn't go the other way. I couldn't leave them here. I couldn't be alone.
I ran after them. The thundering of the doors following me as frames fell to the floor. A vase rolled off a table in the hall. It came crashing at my feet. I run my shoulder through the door, except it wasn't locked. Which caused me to go crashing, sprawling to the floor. Running into the desk in the middle of the room.
The study.
Many of the books were off the shelves. The carpet was torn. There were curtains on fire. It was the first time a saw a window as they burned.
"Camilia!"
I hear one of their voices shouting at me.
"Camilia!" It came again. "Help!"
I get to my feet and start working my hands along the desk. I didn't have to search far. The bookcase directly behind the chair had been swung open. "Camilia!" I wipe the blood from my eyebrow where it had split and step into the tunnel behind the secret passage.
The tunnel started off tall and wide, but as I kept walking in. It got smaller and smaller. I started having to hunch. Several times I decided to turn back. But their voices would echo through, calling for me. Asking for help. "I'm coming!"
"I can't hold on! Camilia! Please!"
The twins cry for help bounced off the walls. I was finally on my hands and knees when I finally see two holes on either side. I'm afraid to look but then one of their voices came through clear as day. "Camilia." It was right in my ear now. I turned to see the boy naked and huddling, hugging his knees at the back of his hole.
"Camilia! Help! I don't want to play this game anymore!"
"Bobbie?"
"Help me!"
I look into the hole, the walls are pressing on my back and there's dust going into my lungs. I can barely turn my shoulder. "Crawl out!"
"I can't!"
"Crawl out! I'm right here." I take out my hand, "Come on!"
"Camilia!" Came a voice from the other side.
I turn my head and see Max in the other hole.
"No!" Bobbie shouts at me. "No!"
"Hold on," I tell him. "I'm going to get both of you out of here."
"No," Bobbie cries. "It's all his fault. He's the one that did it. He's the one that wants to get out!"
"Bobbie, what are you talking about."
"He's the one that put something in your drink so you'd fall asleep!"
"He's lying!" Max's voice rang through. "It's him! I saw him. Always in father's study! Reading those books! Trying out those things he reads. Those curses. Those spells. It's why the shadow men are after him! Camilia! You have to believe me."
I can hear Bobbie crying, "Why are you lying! I don't want to play anymore," he screeches. "I don't want to play!" He sobs. "You said you'd go away if I told you that I didn't want to play anymore."
I don't know what made me do it. It sure wasn't the nauseating squealing tantrum of the boy which made me reach for him first. Maybe it was because I wanted him to shut up. I don't know but I plunged my arm up to my shoulder in to grab his collar.
Instantly I screamed and saw tiny spiders, short thing legs with round white backs crawl over my arms. I shook my arm in the hole, trying to smother them against the walls. That only caused these long brown flat slugs to fall. I saw one land on my hand. It had three distinct tendon-like lines running across its back and was about a half inch long. I pulled my arm out of the hole as I felt it pierce its flat head into the back of my hand. I dropped my phone and heard it crack as the light splintered in the small, suffocating tunnel. But I didn't care as I looked at my hand and saw it burrowing its tiny spearhead below my skin. I grabbed at the wiggling tail still exposed and tried pulling it out.
It was like trying to pull our barbed wire. The spines on its body were facing me. So with each pull they dug deeper inside. I could see blood pooling under my skin, it was starting to turn purple as I tugged on its tail even harder. Until it gave. Popped right off and lay twitching in my hand. The head missing.
I couldn't take it anymore. Really. I had tried my best. I shake my head. "Bobbie. Bobbie. I'm sorry." But it didn't matter. When I looked over at Bobbie. He was covered in it. All of it. Even the spiders.
My jeans started shifting as I tried to wiggle myself out of there. But I hear Max's cry again. "Camilia! Please!"
"No," I whimpered. Shaking. I couldn't reach my hand in there again. But his voice was so scared. More scared than the pain I felt.
I shot my arm inside. Bracing. Waiting for the pain. But there was none. Instead my hands grasped around his collar and I felt his cold clammy skin, and yanked him from the hole. He came without much struggle. His face covered in the soot of it all. "Camilia," he cried. "You picked me. You did it."
I didn't have the heart to tell him that I almost didn't.
"Come on," I cried. "We. Have. To go."
The two of us wiggled our way out of there, crawling on our hands and knees, and running when we could. We finally make it back into the study. And the fire is roaring now. One of the books fall from the shelves and when it hit the fire I swear it started screaming. There was so much smoke that I couldn't see. And the door was covered by the flames.
I pointed to the window, the curtains on the floor in ashes. I kick the window. It didn't budge. I coughed. I kicked it again. The glass shook. I kicked it again and my foot went through. Pieces of the glass still hung in the frame, I use the tips of my fingers and pull them back. They fall to the floor cracking until there was a hole big enough for me to get through.
I plunge my head out and take my first breath of fresh air. The moon was full and the sky was clear. I could hear sirens coming off in the distance. When both of my feet were on the roof. I reach my hand back and grab Max from the burning house. Together we run across the clay tiles and climb down the arched tree. The red fire truck comes screeching to a stop as several firemen help us down.
One of them pushes a breathing mask on me, and wraps me up. The neighbors are outside, and the police arrive. I see a familiar car come roaring down the street, screaming to a halt as Molly runs out. Her face is flustered and she's shouting. Pushing through the cops until she reaches me next to the ambulance.
"What happened," she literally screamed at me.
"I'm so sorry," I tell her. "There were these men." I take another breath. "I couldn't do anything! B-but I saved Max! I saved him!"
She looked at the house. It was blazing now in the cool night. "Oh my god. Is Bobbie still in there?" Molly starts to cry. "My baby!"
"Max. But Max." I cough. "Max is okay!"
And she turns to me. I wasn't expecting her to be grateful. But there's anger on her face. "You didn't save my son. But you saved our dog?"
I shake my head. "No. Max. Your other son." I looked around but he was nowhere to be found.
​
s

I'm not going to use any random percentages, I'm just going to put it out as it was. I also am too lazy to put scans, so whatever, y'all should know what I'm talking about anyway.

Prelude

Before Kaido fought Luffy, Kaido had to fight the Scabbards. They ambushed him and got beat without inflicting much damage on him. This is when Kaido started to raise the island, which he continued to do until the end of the arc.

Fight 1: Yonko vs Supernova

The first fight between Kaido and Luffy went from Chapter 1000 until Chapter. You can split this fight into two halves: Part 1, where Kaido and Big Mom proved to be too much against Luffy, Law, Kidd, Zoro and Killer, and Part 2, where Kaido and Luffy held a 1v1 that was off-screened and which Kaido won decisively.
Part 1
In the first half of the fight, Roof Piece from 1000 to 1010, Kaido and Big Mom (Zeus instead of Hera, no Bigger Mom) teamed up as a duo with Kaido, whose battle had already begun before this, leveling up from base to Dragon to eventually his Hybrid form. The Supernova were

• Luffy (unawakened Fruit, advanced Observation and Armament)
• Law (didn't use Awakening)
• Kidd (didn't use Awakening)
• Zoro (hadn't understood his CoC yet)
• Killer

Besides arguably Killer, nobody was at their best in this fight.
To keep from going majorly in depth (here's Chapter 1000) the fight on screen consists of Luffy opening his part with Red Roc. From there, the brunt of the Supernova's offense went against Kaido, with only Zoro really having the ability to damage him; everyone else used anti-durability techniques like ACoA and sonics etc. against Kaido's Dragon form, with him taking a bit of a beating in Base form as well. Big Mom is mostly a support role here, keeping too much pressure off of Kaido and abusing easy openings. The climax of Luffy's part comes from beating Kaido into a very short stunned state with Kong Gatling before falling out of his Gear, where Luffy is useless for ten minutes after that. This all happens until 1003.
Then Kaido goes into Hybrid and it cuts off screen until we pop back in 1008, where the Supernova are still putting up as much resistance as they can against two Emperors, the fight having continued off screen. It ends with Big Mom being thrown off the Roof, Kidd and Killer chasing her, since they'd lose against the both of them together; Zoro's bones are broken from blocking their Sovereignty and he used the last of his power to scar Kaido, so Law takes him to Sanji; Luffy gets knocked out by Kaido's Ragnarok in a lower Gear and then wakes back up with ACoC. It becomes a 1v1 between Luffy and Kaido.
Part 2
This is mostly off screen but we do know that Kaido wins, knocking Luffy completely off of Onigashima unconscious. It's a decisive victory. We see Luffy land a few good blows on Kaido with ACoC in non-Gear 4 though, and the last thing we see is a brief clash between them that sends shockwaves over the island. The fight is over by 1013.
Summary so far: Kaido, after the Scabbards fight, has had to deal with attacks from 5 high-level opponents in Luffy (Gear 4 without ACoC and sub-Gear 4 with ACoC on screen with an unknown fight off screen, non-awakened Law and Kidd, mostly non-CoC Zoro, and Killer) with support from Big Mom in offense. This whole time he's been holding up and moving Onigashima. It ends with Zoro and Luffy both being out of the fight by the end of it, Luffy due to taking Kaido 1v1 and Zoro due to taking the Sovereignty attack.

Between Fights: Battle of Onis

Before Luffy gets back up and begins another fight with Kaido, Kaido has to be stalled by Yamato, who is explicitly incapable of defeating Kaido. Yamato begins the battle in 1016 and it lasts until 1025, with Yamato keeping Kaido's attention and landing some good hits but mostly being overpowered. Kaido is in Hybrid form apparently for the entirety of the fight. The fight ends with Luffy eventually coming back with Momo, landing a combo with Yamato in Gear 4, and before their fight really begins Momo even bites Kaido in his Dragon form. All in all, it seems this fight was about ten minutes long, if not longer; by 1022, there were 15 minutes until Onigashima reached the Captial, and by 1027, there were only 5.
Summary so far: Kaido, after the Scabbards fight, Supernova fight with Big Mom's help and his 1v1 with Luffy, fought Yamato and was held off until Luffy came back, taking hits from Snakeman Luffy, Momo and Yamato. This whole time he's been holding up and moving Onigashima. It ends with Yamato relatively fine and going on another mission right afterwards.

Fight 2: Monkey D. Luffy vs Kaido

This fight begins with a sky split between Base Luffy and Hybrid Kaido, the definitive Emperor greeting. It is a 1v1 through and through with Kaido switching between his Dragon and Hybrid forms and Luffy using all his Gears and Haki available. Kaido ends up acknowledging Luffy's strength due to this.
The beginning stages of the fight are mostly off screened, with the very start of it in view; by this point, Kaido's flame clouds are becoming unstable, so we know that Kaido was weakened when he started to fight Luffy, while Luffy was mostly rejuvenated due to the food he got. While we don't know what happened during the fight, we do know that everything from the beginning of the fight until Kaido's defeat happened within a 5 minute, or 300 second, time frame.
Before Gear 4, in 1037, we get to see a bit more of Luffy vs Kaido without Gear 4, where Kaido is getting drunk. By this point, Kaido is admitting that Luffy is giving him a serious fight, switching between forms, Luffy with Gears. They're both landing good hits and clashing equally, such as the Roc Gatling vs Meteor Shower barrages.
When we cut back to Luffy vs Kaido in 1041-1042, Luffy isn't in Gear 4 yet, but takes it up to fight against Kaido in his drunken state, in both Hybrid and Dragon forms, keeping up massive pressure with attacks like Hydra and Supreme Kong Gun because of the time limit. Eventually they come close to clashing but Joseph interferes, allowing Kaido to land a killshot.
Summary so far: Kaido, after the Scabbards fight, Supernova fight with Big Mom's help and his initial 1v1 with Luffy and his fight with Yamato with a slight bit of aid for her from Luffy and Momo, fought Luffy in a 1v1 that pushed Luffy to the absolute limit, and due to interference, Kaido ended up landing the killing blow. It was a pretty even fight all around, but Kaido was superior. Kaido was still carrying the island.

Fight 3: Joy Boy

This is when Luffy awakened the Nika Fruit and unlocked Gear 5, a power he hadn't had up until that point. Once this happened, the previously nearly-dead Luffy was essentially Toon Forcing Kaido, using him like a jump rope, rubberizing his body, recovering from his attacks like nothing. Kaido is able to do some damage with his Haki, but ultimately has to let go of Onigashima to clash with Bajrang Gun using his own Drum Dragon move, which gets overpowered and likely could have been overpowered earlier if not for the island still being in the way of Luffy. As soon as Kaido was punched into the lava below, Luffy fell out of Gear 5 and was unconscious. Given the sheer speed the fight was moving at, this was essentially like the fight ending as soon as Luffy unlocked Gear 5.

Full Summary

By the end of the Raid, Kaido had dealt with the Scabbards in a relatively easy fight, the weak Supernova in a team fight, beat Luffy in a 1v1, was held off by Yamato until he started struggling to carry the island, won another 1v1 against Luffy with a slight bit of help from interference, then ultimately lost to Joy Boy.
Now let's switch to Luffy's perspective. Luffy had to fight two Yonko with help from a bunch of weaker people until he got stronger, by which point he'd already been knocked out. He then 1v1ed Kaido, getting beaten unconscious for the second time in a fair 1v1. He recovered a lot from eating, then went full in on the injured Kaido with Gears 1-4 and all advanced Haki, but still lost, essentially dying. By that point, and only by that point, Luffy awakened his Fruit and became a god, ending the fight in Toon-ish fashion, punching Kaido to the earth before falling unconscious.

Conclusion

Based on my view, while Kaido had to deal with more, Luffy had to deal with worse. Luffy was constantly growing throughout the fight but still had to take on a threat greater than himself multiple times over, while Kaido had to deal with a lot of threats that were easily conquerable for him. Neither Luffy nor Kaido were anywhere near their best by the end of the Raid, but Kaido was still trucking, while Luffy was completely wrecked at multiple points before he got to Gear 5.
If we look at what we know about both combatants, it's clear that they have comparable Haki, with the difference lying in Kaido's major stat advantage against Luffy's obvious Devil Fruit and Battle IQ advantage. We don't know what Luffy's stamina is with Gear 5, but we do know that entire fights between these two can happen in minutes, and even when Luffy falls out of Gear 5 he can essentially just cheat it back up as he already did in his fight against Kaido. And we also know that, in their major ending clash, Luffy overpowered Kaido definitively.
I personally believe that Luffy would extreme diff Kaido if they were to have a completely fair fight, with all powers available from the beginning and no outside effort being exerted or fatigue being dealt with. The Devil Fruit advantage is what really seals the deal for me.
Thanks for reading!

Worst Case Scenario - Time to be a Hero - Volume 23
Thursday 14th June 2017
WARNING: THIS VOLUME CONTAINS VIOLENCE AND STRONG LANGUAGE!
I sigh as the gentle breeze graces my face, I've really got nothing to do right now. I'm just here looking over the town as I search for any suspicious activities going on, but alas nothing. It's been like this for some nights, were nothing happens and I felt like I just wasted my time. But I guess being here just in case is better then just racing out of my house at the last minute. But the down side of being out here is that I am more than bored. Also the rain doesn't really help things. I sit down and spawn an umbrella for shelter as I take my mask off and look at it. I wonder what the normal thug thinks when he sees this? Fear? Regret? Worry? I don't really know, I place the mask onto the ground as someone hovers above me? It can only be one person.
B: "Hey Moni~"
M: "Heya Bobo~" She sits beside me with two coffees? "Here!"
B: "Did you buy these?"
M: "I know you can make them out of thin air but I don't want to put my favourite coffee place out of business now!" I shake my head as I take the cup.
B: "But you are putting me on the side-lines!"
M: "I know it's a tough choice..." She leans against me as I put my arm around her.
B: "Did you see or hear anything?"
M: "No, not much of anything? It's been real quiet tonight."
B: "Ah well then..." We sit there in silence together, only taking the occasional drink as the rain pours down around us. It's not long before Monika looks at me.
M: "Do you want to head back to HQ? I think Sayori said she had something to show us tonight!"
B: "Really? She didn't say anything to me?"
M: "Oh it's top secret! A little surprise for everyone~" I nod as we stand up and finish off our drinks. "Come on then! Race you there!" She flies up as I put my mask back on.
B: "You're on!" I leap off the roof as she just flies off, this seems unfair and I did not think about this beforehand. But who cares? I'm just happy to be spending time with the person I love! I've been missing out on these feelings and the sense of comfort that comes from a person you love and trust so much. I've just...been rather lonely the past few years so just getting a new person there means the world to me you know? 'I know, I'm happy I can give you that comfort and love~' I know you do Monika, thank you. 'You're welcome, now hurry up slowpoke!' I chuckle as I land on the roof and run across it to see Monika hovering above the street?
M: "Come on Sparrow! You're far too slow tonight!"
B: "Just give me two seconds-" Before I can finish I see a hand in front of me as Alex grabs me?! "What?!" Not another surprise spar!
A: "Come with me now!" He sounds serious? We teleport to the HQ as he disappears again to only come back with Monika this time?
M: "What's wrong?" I look over to see a concerned looking Yuri and a rather distressed Sayori? "What's going on guys?" Monika steps up as her tone goes serious. I walk over to Alex.
B: "So, what's going on?" He looks at me and just shrugs?
A: "I don't know, Sayori just said you grab you guys immediately? She sounds really worried?" I nod as we both walk over to see Sayori working on the laptop?
M: "Sayori what's wrong?"
S: "...." Monika looks back at me as I shrug. What's gotten into Sayori?
Y: "uhmm, we have a big problem." Yuri turns around as she holds out a note? Monika takes the note as me and Alex hover her shoulder to read it? It's...a message?
'If you want to see her again, then come to the old churchyard'
The hell? Is this a letter about a hostage? Who took who anyway?
S: "They've got Nat." What!?
M: "Uh?! Who?!"
S: "I don't know, some guys in suits? They were like the men in black Monika! They just came out of nowhere and shot her with a taser! I barely escaped but they got her!" …
B: "...oh no..." Everyone looks at me as my hands shake.
M: "Botan what's wrong??" Monika comes up to me as I stare into her eyes. "Botan...?"
B: "They're here...." Both Monikas' and Sayoris' eyes go wide as they look at me.
S: "You don't mean it's...them?"
B: "It's Coomer. They're here."
A: "Coomer? Are you sure? This could just be some of the big mens' guys no?"
Y: "That's...the worst case scenario." Yuri pulls up a feed onto the wall as we all look at it. Seems like she did her homework. "I did a bit of digging for this day. Ever since you told me what these guys were about Botan." Me and Yuri share an uneasy glare as she takes a shaky breath before starting her presentation. "Coomer Industries, on the surface they are a pharmaceutical company."
A: "They make all kinds of drugs, even treatment for certain cancers! They're good people! Are you sure they're the same guys who took Nat?" I look at him as Monika quickly puts her hand on my shoulder.
M: "Alex...you know of Botan's past right?"
A: "Of course I do. I just think we got muddled up here, I mean these guys are good! Isn't there another Coomer or something??" I glare at him.
B: "They killed my family, experimented on me and hunted me for all my life! I know these people! They are the same fuckers who took my life away Alex!! Don't fucking ask me again if I'm sure about it!!" Silence as Alex blinks.
A: "Well...seems you're set about this then?"
M: "Don't be fucking smart Alex!" Monika snaps at him as she rubs my arm.
A: "Sorry..." Yuri clears her throat.
Y: "Yes, as I was saying that's only on the surface. Below that they are a biochemical and bioweapon manufacturer for the government and army." Yuri clicks a button as it shows multiple images of guns, vials, death squads and all kinds of things. I know them all too well...
M: "I'm here..." I know you are...
A: "woah..."
Y: "They're a superpower hiding in plain sight, and from what Botan has told me and what I could dig up on the dark web they are the real deal. They are serious. But I don't think it'll be right if I was the one talking about them..." Everyone looks at me as I feel myself shrink in place.
M: "You don't have to honey, Yuri can keep going!"
Y: "That I can, just give me the word Botan."
B: "I uh....maybe it'll help if I do?" Monika looks unsure but Sayori steps forward.
S: "Talking about past trauma does help, it helped me when I talked about Manato so we should at least let Botan talk about Coomer." Monika sighs and lets go of my hand.
B: "R-right..." I walk over to where Yuri was just standing and turn around to face the others. "Ummm, Coomer. Right, uh...yeah, so they're dangerous..." I've never felt this nervous before.
A: "Okay...?"
M: "Botan you don't need to do this-"
S: "Give him a chance." Monika stands back as I look at my hands.
B: "Umm...they have...all kinds of resources and weaponry, they uh...have access to a lot of manpower and...yeah...they're just...very dangerous..."
S: "Right uh, could you give us a little more than-"
M: "That's enough! Botan come on!" Monika calls me over like a dog as I stand there. "Come on..."
B: "Uh...listen if they took Nat and left us this note then they must know that I'm here, or they have some idea?" A lightbulb then goes off in my head! "...the duplicate!"
A: "Uh?"
B: "He said about the big man having some connection to someone outside! Maybe it's possible that he was talking about Coomer!"
M: "Are you sure?"
B: "The duplicate said it with his own mouth! I knew he wasn't bluffing!"
S: "Are they working together?"
B: "Highly likely, but if it's one thing Coomer won't stand for it's working openly with a criminal organisation. Sooner or later, they will put a knife in the big man's back."
A: "Yeah but how long until that?"
B: "Awhile, they just need to build up trust and that will be that."
M: "So what do we do?"
B: "Sayori?" Sayori looks at me. "When did Natsuki get taken?"
S: "Uh...an hour or so ago?"
B: "How many men did you see?"
S: "Uh....twenty? Maybe thirty? They just came of nowhere and hit us like a truck!"
B: "Okay we still have time! We need to grab Nat and move base!"
M: "Huh? Why?"
B: "They will question her, and they have their ways of making people talk!" Everyone looks at each other nervously.
S: "Nat wouldn't do that to us right? She would never tell some strangers who we are and where we live! Right?"
B: "Again, they have their ways."
A: "Jeez...well what now? We can't really just go in guns blazing, they'll just take us out too!"
B: "I have a plan." Everyone looks at me. "Monika? You're not going to like this but I'm going to surrender myself." Monika rips her mask off and throws it at the ground as everyone stares in shock at me.
M: "No! Don't even suggest that!!"
B: "They want me! They don't want anything to do with you, remember I'm the priority to these guys! When they have me in custody they don't need to be here, they'll slip away just as quietly as they arrived!"
M: "No, I'm not sacrificing you! Or anyone else!"
A: "Monika, listen. Maybe he's right-" Monika slaps Alex as hard as she can!
M: "Don't agree with him, do not even try to convince me to give up MY boyfriend to some fucking company!"
S: "Monika, I'm not going to convince you but...do you have a better idea?" Monika goes quiet.
M: "This....this is so unfair...." I hug her as she latches onto me. "This is unfair...."
B: "I know but...that's not the end of the plan." Everyone looks at me again. "I'm not really going to surrender myself after all this time, while someone takes me in for a swap the other three will stand by and get the jump on them! Now that I think about it, the best option for the handoff will be you Sayori." Sayori looks stunned.
S: "Me? Why me?!"
B: "We'll be in the thick of it, besides we'll be with Nat. She'll medical help so it's better that you can get to her right away as us four buy you time to escape!"
A: "That's a good idea! I could even teleport you guys out!"
B: "Even better! Somewhere quiet and discreet, don't come back to help us just focus your efforts on Natsuki alright?" Sayori sighs and nods.
S: "I'll do the best I can."
B: "As for us?" I look at Monika and Yuri. "We do everything we can to make sure Sayori and Natsuki get out of there alright. We can either stay and fight or run. When Alex comes back that's when we have to make a choice, while yes Coomer does have the upper hand it's our call. I'll just say now, they fight like animals. They will kill you if given the chance, they're not like the thugs out on the street. A mistake will be punished by death. Understand?"
Y: "Understood."
M: "....yeah."
A: "Okay. So...do we prepare?"
B: "I'd say we just go, I think we've wasted far too much time here anyway." Everyone starts to gear up as Monika walks up to me.
M: "I will protect you with everything I have."
B: "Monika if things go south and they take me... I want you to make sure they can't get me." She just shakes her head.
M: "Don't say that."
B: "If they take me I will go back to that hell, I'm asking you to make sure I will not be taken in alive."
M: "I can't....I won't...." She's crying as she holds my cheeks and stares into my eyes. "I will not do that to you Botan....I will not kill you..."
A: "I will." Alex steps forward?
M: "Don't you even fucking lay a hand on him!"
B: "Are you sure?"
A: "Yeah, I...if you don't want to go back I'll make sure you won't..."
M: "Alex I will fucking kill you if you even think-"
B: "Thank you." We shake hands as Monika looks on horrified.
M: "Botan!? No!"
B: "It's okay, that's only the worst case scenario... I don't want to go back Monika, you saw what I had to go through. I don't want to go back to that place." She just shakes her head.
M: "No....no....no...." She hits my chest softly as I sigh.
B: "It's okay..." I hug her as everyone appears to be ready.
S: "Right so...are you ready Botan?" I nod as I take my mask off and walk over to her. "Monika?"
M: "....."
B: "Hey?" She looks at me. "Fight hard Monika, I'll be counting on you." She blinks before putting her mask back on and walking over very determined.
M: "You are not getting the chance to kill him." She says to Alex before turning to me. "I will not let you be caught, if I let you down then...what's the point?"
B: "The point is I love you~" She smiles as we kiss briefly.
M: "Please come out okay..."
Y: "We will do our best Monika."
A: "Yeah, we'll fight hard!"
M: "Good...." Alex nods.
A: "Okay then, we ready?" Everyone nods. "Okay, here we go!" Alex first teleports me and Sayori just outside the church ground. "Good luck guys..."
B: "You too..."
S: "Stay safe Alex..." He then disappears as Sayori looks at me. "You know, you can abandon this plan and...we can come up with something else?"
B: "No this...this is the only way, Nat needs us now." She nods as she puts some cuffs on me.
S: "They're unlocked, you can just slip out of them okay?"
B: "Right..." She pushes the gate open, makes sure she's holding me tight and escorts me up the path. The moon shines down as it only shows the trees and the path ahead, apart from that we're surrounded by darkness. Not even the rain has stuck around for this moment. We walk in silence for a bit before I see a red laser being pointed at us. "see that?" I whisper at her.
S: "yeah I do...." She makes on a display that I'm struggling and I play along. "Come on you!"
B: "No don't please! I don't want to go back! Please let me go!!" Our struggle gets the attention of some other lasers as they too point at us. "Please! Just let me go!"
S: "I need my friend back, I'm sorry but this is the only way!"
B: "Oh god! You're going to kill me!!" I spawn in a knife as Sayori spots it and slaps it out of my hands! "No!"
S: "That won't work! Come on!" I can see Yuri, Alex and Monika hanging back in the brush, Monika looking very hurt at my performance right now. We arrive at the old church building as the red lasers focus on my chest. We stand there for awhile before Sayori clears her throat. "Hello?!"
...
"I've brought the person you want!" She holds me in place as I try to run. "You have my friend so let's make a trade! You get what you want, I get what I want. We all go home happy!" Still nothing. "Hello? Is anyone even there?" The door opens with a creak as one man in a suit steps out saying nothing. "Hello?"
?: "..."
S: "You heard my offer, now let me see my friend!" …something's wrong? 'What is it?!' I don't know, it's just...really quiet.
?: "Eyes on alpha target sir." The man speaks into his radio as there's some sort of message laid back to him in his earpiece. "Understood...bring her out!" Two more men appear holding a rather unwell looking Nat, she has no mask on and she looks terrible!
S: "Natsuki!"
N: "ugh....fucking animals..."
?: "As you said, a trade. We hand off your friend first then you hand off him to us."
B: "No!! No!!"
N: "nnngg...." One agent lets go as the other one approaches holding Nat. Sayori holds out her free arm as Nat just falls into it.
S: "I've got you, it's okay..."
N: "Sa....say..."
S: "Save your strength." The three agents then look at her expectantly. "Alright, my end of the deal." The lasers still shine on my chest as she pushes me forward. "Go on you!"
N: "wha....Bot....no...."
B: "Please don't!" One agent walks forward ready to grab me.
?: "A deal well done. Thank you for you cooperation." The lasers go out as I slip out of my cuffs and hold up a gun! "What?!"
B: "Boo~" I shoot him in the face with a blank as he goes tumbling down to the ground! The other agents pull out their guns but they get slashed in half as Alex runs out of the brush.
A: "Sayori come here!" Bullets start flying as Monika instantly puts a shield in front of me as she flies in. Alex slides over to Sayori and Nat, teleporting them out. Good they're safe.
B: "They're out of here! What's the call?!"
M: "We fight!"
Y: "Got it!" Yuri punches one agent to the floor as Monika makes the old church come down to the ground! A few agents rush out of the falling church as I knock them out with the help of Yuri. One agent rushes us with a knife but Monika kicks him down to the floor! Just like that it's over? "That all of them?"
M: "I think so?" Alex comes back with his blade drawn.
A: "Right let's-...do this?" We look around at all the fallen agents. "Is that it already?"
B: "No...there's more. There's always more." But...nothing?
A: "Ugh, maybe it was just that squad? I mean most of them were most certainly in the church so..."
M: "Thank god Botan, you're okay!" Monika rushes me as I scan the treeline, putting my hand out to her!
B: "No! Stay there!" Everyone looks at me as I hear something. "Do you guys hear that?"
A: "....what?"
Y: "...there's...a thumping?"
M: "...what is that?"
B: "I know what that is!" I turn to up to see a huge helicopter above as multiple men jump from it! "Take cover!"
M: "I've got this!" Monika makes a barrier just below the helicopter as multiple men just jump face first into it! Then multiple jeeps pull up as Monika finds herself exposed! "Oh man-"
A: "I got you!" Alex tackles her out of the way of bullets as her barrier disappears! The men in the air regroup and pull their parachutes and land! I find myself dodging and just jumping around trying to do something! Yuri seems to be struggling as I hop over and push her out of the way of a grenade! I throw multiple flashbangs to just give us time to breath but just as quick they're at us again!
Y: "There's too many!" Yuri shields herself behind a tree as I toss out some smoke!
A: "I suggest we turn tail!" That's the better choice, we're just holding on as is!
B: "Right let's get out of here!" I help Yuri over by providing cover fire as we a rush over to cover beside the fallen church. Monika uses her power to force everyone back as Alex grabs all of us!
A: "Where to?!"
B: "Anywhere but here!" He nods and we all leave. The gunfire stops as one agent walks over.
?: "They got away...."
We land on a roof as we all catch our breath!
B: "Fuck...I almost forgot what it was like to go up against them!"
M: "Where the hell did they all come from?!"
A: "It was like a infestation, they just kept coming!"
Y: "That was all too...that was far too close...thank you Botan." Yuri smiles at me.
M: "Yeah, thank you Alex."
B&A: "Don't mention it." We both stare at each other?
A: "That's weird."
B: "Where did you leave Sayori and Nat??"
A: "In an old factory not too far! They're safe!"
B: "Good, go get them." He nods and leaves as Monika walks over to me.
M: "Are you okay?"
B: "I'm fine, just a little out of breath...I've never made so many things in a panic like that before..." Monika puts her hand on my back as I steady my breathing.
M: "It's okay, you're alright....thank god you're alright..." She hugs me as Yuri walks over.
Y: "So that was Coomer huh? I feel like we got very lucky..."
B: "We were." Both girls look at me as I stand up straight. "That was just their scouting team, not their full force." Both Monika and Yuri look taken aback.
M: "Just...a scouting group?"
Y: "That many?! Just scouts?!"
B: "I'm afraid so..." We go quiet as Alex arrives with Sayori and Nat. We all turn our attention to the pink haired girl as she sits on the floor, clearly exhausted. "Nat?! You okay?"
S: "She's been...heavily drugged..."
B: "What did they use?"
S: "Some sort of shot, I don't know what it was...." I walk over to Nat as everyone else gathers around also. I kneel in front of her and take her hands in mine.
B: "Nat? Can you hear me?" She lifts her head a little?
N: "Botan...is that....you?" She looks at me, she's very weak.
B: "I'm here, can you see me?" She blinks...
N: "I can't see you?"
M: "She's blind?!"
S: "I don't think it's permanent, only a side effect!"
B: "I know what they used on her..." Everyone looks at me. "They gave her a dose of a powerful drug, they call it compound Q." Everyone looks at me, as I stare at Nat. "Natsuki, don't worry about not being able to see. You just need to rest and drink plenty of water to get your eye sight back."
N: "But how long..."
B: "A few days..."
S: "I'll come up with an excuse for your dad!"
N: "thanks...I'm sorry guys, I got jumped and-"
B: "Don't apologise Nat. I've been hit with Q for a few times, it sucks. It really makes you talk..." Everyone looks at Nat again.
M: "What did you say to them?"
N: "I...I gave..." Nat shakes as I rub her shoulder.
B: "It's okay, tell us~"
N: "A...names....and....base....that's it. I swear!"
B: "That's okay, don't blame yourself~" I hug her as she latches onto me, her small frame making me feel like I'm hugging a small child.
S: "So...Coomer knows us?"
M: "The big man probably knows us now." Everyone looks at each other.
A: "Well.....fuck."
Y: "What do we do now?"
B: "It's not guaranteed." I stand up. "Coomer has valuable information, which the big man wants. They won't just give that away without getting something of similar value in return. The only thing I can think of that'll might be worth the names of your biggest problem-"
M: "Is you?" I nod.
B: "They want me."
S: "Well....we're not going to surrender you!"
Y: "Never in a million years will I entertain that thought."
M: "I will stand by you Botan. To the very end."
A: "I don't know it's-" SMACK!
Y: "Alex just shut up for once." We look in shock at Yuri as she huffs. "Honestly, this is a serious moment right now! We don't need your shitty sense of humour!"
A: "...okay sorry." Alex looks hurt but I just sigh.
B: "Well...everything changes from this day on. I suggest we no longer patrol alone, at least go in pairs from now or more. Watch out for any suspicious looking vehicles, Coomer will want to stake us out for awhile before making their move. Do not take them on alone, otherwise..." I look down at Nat. "This will be you."
N: "I'm sorry-"
B: "Don't apologise Nat." I pat her shoulder. "Anyway, I doubt they would raid your homes but do keep an eye out for each other." I look at Monika. "I also suggest keeping a low profile at school, don't meet at the club everyday. They will put two and two together, giving them a perfect chance to attack."
M: "Heard. When school opens and if Coomer are still lurking about, no more club every day."
B: "Good. Anyway, I suggest we start planning to move base. We need something more...discreet."
A: "I know a place!" Alex steps forward? "There's this old summer camp place near the forest! Nobody goes out there now! It's real hidden and discreet! I doubt people even remember it exists!"
B: "That will do! I suggest you guys pack up from that old warehouse and start moving! Keep your heads down also." Everyone nods as Natsuki is helped up by Sayori. "Natsuki? Just rest for now, spend some days at home okay? One of us will keep an eye out for you in the meantime."
N: "Okay, sure....what you think is right Botan." I nod and smile at her.
B: "Yeah, just get some rest."
S: "I'll take of her guys, I suggest we all go our separate ways. They'll be looking for us right now."
B: "Yeah, let's head home and cut tonight off early." Everyone agrees and promptly leaves. Sayori helping Natsuki away using her rocket boots as Alex teleports away with Yuri. I'm left with Monika on the roof as we just look at each other.
M: "You know...you've really grown as a person. Taking charge like that, really made me happy."
B: "I know these guys and well...I just want everyone to be safe. I want you to be safe." I walk up to her and put my hand on her cheek.
M: "It's okay, I understand. Now let's go home before we get found out alright?" I nod as we leave the roof, Monika carrying me back home. We don't say anything as we just fly back to our apartment. I keep an eye out for any suspicious activity around us in the meantime, Coomer is here and they'll be looking for us. Then they will watch. Then they will plan. Finally, they will attack. "We'll be ready Botan, I promise."
B: "Yeah, I know we will." I smile at Monika as she smiles back. Doubt lurking in the back of my head as I look away from her. We arrive back to find the usual window open as Monika helps me into the apartment first. I get in low and look around for anything in the apartment, and everything looks normal. Monika follows me in and locks the window.
M: "Okay, let's just get changed and head to bed alright?" I nod as we head into the bedroom, being too tired and overworked I just take my mask off and fall onto the bed. Monika sadly smiles at me as she too only takes her mask off and crawls beside me. "It's okay...we'll be okay..."
B: "I know..." But in truth, I really don't know...

We're really going for the greens, and browns, and rust reds. But I'm open to whatever!
Anyway, a bit about me: I'm just managing a bar at night running a bar program for a family business and then helping out at another place part-time. I enjoyed the warmer days, long walks that will be hikes soon, dark chocolate, dramas that explore the grey area of morality, cooking soups, most cheeses, lake days, long nights on the couch, and pretty much any card game. I'm easy-going and I enjoy good conversation. Hint: skip the small talk about get to the good stuff. It's difficult to make me uncomfortable.
I'm looking for a long-term thing - ideally a relationship. Distance doesn't bother me, but it might be nice if you weren't much further than a couple hours drive. I do quite enjoy a nice weekend getaway.
So, ideally, if you can stand talking to someone from Louisville, Kentucky, and would like to get to know someone and see where things go, shoot me a message and let's chat!
Oh, also, I'm happy to send a pic if you'd like. Generally I feel like two people potentially dating over the internet should make sure there's attraction, right? I'm 6'2, average height, longish hair, short beard... I'll just send a pic.