For the sheer fun of it, I went to Chat GPT with a creative writing assignment. For Figures of Speech prompts, I gave a free parameters, including the word length of 500-1000 words and the prompts for a few of the Fifty mentioned in the series.
I gave the AI creative license and let's just say, they're a long way off from replacing the better writers and I think it just makes it easier to do those lower level tasks and let's leave the creators a slightly higher level of skill to create actual tangible and engaging writing.
But here you go... hilarious how stuck it gets on certain terms and definitions.
These are in no particular order... separated by emojis that are totally unrelated to the storyline.
🫱🫱🫱🫱🫱🫱🫱🫱🫲🫲🫲🫲🫲🫲🫲🫲 Response to Prompt 4: Understatement
In the quaint town of Brooksville, where the extraordinary was often met with an indifferent shrug, something truly remarkable occurred. The residents, sipping coffee at the local diner or strolling along the cobblestone streets, would describe it as just another peculiar day. Little did they know that beneath the surface of their nonchalant existence, a cosmic event unfolded.
The morning sun cast its usual warm glow on Brooksville, with birds chirping in the background, creating an illusion of normalcy. However, the anomaly had already begun. Mrs. Higgins, the elderly librarian, dismissed it as a minor inconvenience, merely a glitch in the library's ancient computer system. Yet, every book cataloged within those ancient shelves had transformed into a portal, connecting readers to parallel universes with every turn of a page.
As I, a humble journalist for the local paper, stumbled upon this revelation, I couldn't help but marvel at the town's response—or lack thereof. "The library's having a bit of a moment," was the most anyone would acknowledge. It seemed the whole town collectively decided that this was, at most, a quirky hiccup.
For a thousand words, I delved into the understated reactions of the townsfolk, each encounter with a parallel universe bringing its own blend of confusion and nonchalance. As the portals expanded, revealing fantastical landscapes and alternate versions of Brooksville, the citizens maintained an impressive level of calm, as if interdimensional travel was a routine part of their daily lives.
The plot thickened when I discovered that the portals were a result of a mysterious artifact hidden within the library's archives. The mayor, sipping his coffee, remarked, "Well, that explains the strange noises in the basement." It became evident that the understatement of the situation was a defense mechanism, shielding the town from the cosmic chaos unfolding. 🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁 Response to Prompt 12: Juxtaposition
In the bustling metropolis of Neon City, skyscrapers touched the heavens, their dazzling lights reflecting off the sleek surfaces of futuristic cars. Yet, nestled within this urban jungle, an ancient relic stood defiantly—the Old Grove Park.
As I strolled through the city's concrete arteries, the juxtaposition between the modernity of Neon City and the timeless serenity of the park became increasingly apparent. The cacophony of traffic was replaced by the rustling of leaves and the distant laughter of children playing.
The central conflict emerged when the city council, embodying the epitome of order, proposed transforming the park into a technologically advanced hub. The juxtaposition intensified as architects discussed plans for holographic playgrounds and virtual reality gardens within the confines of the Old Grove Park.
Through a thousand words, I explored the clash of ideals, the struggle between progress and preservation. The ancient trees became silent witnesses to heated debates at town hall meetings, where environmentalists and tech enthusiasts engaged in a battle of words. The juxtaposition of the towering skyscrapers against the gnarled branches of the park's oldest tree mirrored the tension in Neon City's collective conscience. 😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫 Response to Prompt 31: Epanalepsis
"What is the meaning of life?" The question echoed in my mind, a relentless epanalepsis that demanded exploration. As I embarked on this freewriting journey, the repetition of the existential inquiry became the rhythm of my introspection.
For a thousand words, I delved into the varied perspectives of individuals wrestling with the ultimate question. From philosophers contemplating the intricacies of existence to everyday people seeking purpose in mundane routines, the epanalepsis served as a constant reminder of the universal quest for meaning.
The narrative weaved through different characters and their unique experiences, creating a tapestry of reflections that echoed the complexities of human existence. The repetitive structure became a literary heartbeat, pulsating with the shared yearning for understanding amid the chaotic symphony of life. 🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔 Response to Prompt 27: Symbolism
In the quaint town of Willowbrook, the arrival of a single dove carried profound significance. Its graceful descent into the town square was a symbol, an omen that whispered of impending change. As a budding novelist with a penchant for symbolism, I couldn't resist exploring the layers of meaning embedded in this seemingly mundane event.
For a thousand words, I dissected the impact of the dove on the lives of Willowbrook's residents. The mayor saw it as a sign of prosperity, the local florist interpreted it as a call for unity, and the elderly storyteller regarded it as a harbinger of forgotten tales. The dove's symbolism rippled through the town, influencing decisions and shaping destinies.
As the story unfolded, I traced the journey of the dove's symbolism, following its subtle influence on characters and events. The once quaint town underwent a transformative metamorphosis, and the symbolism of the dove became a thread that wove through the narrative, connecting disparate lives in unexpected ways. 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 Response to Prompt 33: Catachresis
In the dimly lit alleyways of Serpent's Hollow, darkness wrapped its cold arms around me—an eerie catachresis that mirrored the ominous atmosphere. The assignment was to explore the underbelly of the city, and as a novice reporter, I found myself navigating the labyrinth of deceit and shadows.
For a thousand words, I delved into the catachresis-infused descriptions of the characters populating Serpent's Hollow. The crime lord, known as the Velvet Serpent, ruled the district with a velvet-gloved fist. His lair, a dilapidated mansion, exuded an air of faded grandeur that served as a catachresis for the empire he once commanded.
As I chronicled the criminal underworld, the catachresis became a literary tool to convey the complexity and decay inherent in Serpent's Hollow. The labyrinthine plots, the twisted allegiances, and the morally ambiguous characters all found expression through catachresis, painting a vivid picture of a city where metaphor and reality intertwined. 🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧 Response to Prompt 43: Epizeuxis
"Never, never, never give up." The words echoed in my mind, a relentless epizeuxis that fueled the protagonist's journey against insurmountable odds. In the dystopian world I crafted, where hope was a rare commodity, the power of repetition became a beacon of resilience.
For a thousand words, I immersed myself in the protagonist's struggle, exploring the emotional depth of the epizeuxis as a mantra against despair. Each iteration of the phrase became a battle cry, a whispered promise that carried the weight of a shattered world on its shoulders.
As the narrative unfolded, the epizeuxis became a driving force, propelling the protagonist through a landscape of desolation and uncertainty. The repetition served as a reminder that, in the face of adversity, the strength to persist often lies in the relentless echo of one's own determination.
Response to Prompt 50: Acrostic
As the final rays of the setting sun painted the sky in hues of orange and pink, I found myself at the edge of the cliff overlooking the vast expanse of the ocean. The salty breeze carried whispers of a story, and with every breath, I embraced the challenge of crafting an acrostic that encapsulated the essence of my journey.
For a thousand words, I embarked on a reflective exploration, utilizing the initial letters of key words to weave a tapestry of emotions, experiences, and revelations. Each line unfolded with intention, revealing a hidden 👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾 Response to Prompt 3: Hyperbole
In the quaint village of Mistwood, where routines unfolded with the predictability of the sunrise, the arrival of a peculiar fortune teller sparked exaggerated whispers. "This is it, the end of our mundane lives!" proclaimed Mrs. Thompson, the town's eternal pessimist, as she clutched her cat, Captain Whiskers, with an air of impending catastrophe.
The hyperbole hung in the air, a thick fog of anticipation enveloping the village. As I delved into the story, the hyperbolic reactions of Mistwood's residents heightened the absurdity of the situation. What began as a mere visit from a mystical figure transformed into a fantastical escapade, with the fortune teller's prophecies shaping the destiny of the villagers in ludicrous ways.
Through the hyperbolic lens, I explored the comedic consequences of taking ordinary events to extraordinary extremes. The once mundane village square became a stage for outlandish dramas, with exaggerated gasps and dramatic swoons punctuating every revelation. In this hyperbolic haven, Mistwood's residents discovered the joy in embracing the absurdity of life. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Response to Prompt 6: Assonance
Amidst the rolling hills of Harmony Valley, where the soft hum of nature's symphony echoed through the meadows, a mysterious traveler arrived, bringing with them a melody that resonated with the delicate assonance of a forgotten tune. The townsfolk, captivated by the harmonious vibrations, felt an inexplicable connection to the stranger.
As I explored the narrative, the assonance became a musical thread weaving through the story, emphasizing the emotional cadence of the characters' experiences. The traveler's words, laced with vowel-rich verses, carried the echoes of a distant melody, leaving an indelible impression on the hearts of those who listened.
Through the lens of assonance, I delved into the subtle interplay of sounds that defined the atmosphere of Harmony Valley. The lyrical quality of the narrative mirrored the town's collective journey, where the resonance of shared moments and emotions harmonized with the traveler's enigmatic presence.
Response to Prompt 7: Onomatopoeia
In the bustling city of Metropolis, where the rhythm of urban life played out in a cacophony of sounds, a peculiar street performer emerged. Armed with an array of unconventional instruments, he orchestrated a symphony of onomatopoeic brilliance that echoed through the crowded streets.
The narrative unfolded with the vibrant expressions of onomatopoeia, capturing the essence of the city's sonic landscape. The performer's drumming evoked the rhythmic tap-tap of raindrops, while his wind instruments mimicked the whoosh of passing cars. The city, typically drowned in noise, became a canvas for this auditory artist.
As I delved into the story, the onomatopoeic symphony became a language of its own. The characters communicated through the vibrant echoes of everyday sounds, fostering a unique connection between the performer and the people of Metropolis. The narrative danced to the beat of onomatopoeic creativity, transforming the mundane into a dynamic celebration of city life. 🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻 Response to Prompt 12: Juxtaposition
In the technologically advanced city of Silicon Haven, where sleek skyscrapers touched the sky and holographic billboards painted the air with luminescent advertisements, a hidden oasis existed—a pocket of nature known as the Zen Garden. The juxtaposition of these contrasting elements created a visual paradox that fascinated both residents and visitors alike.
As the narrative unfolded, the stark contrast between the city's cutting-edge architecture and the serene beauty of the Zen Garden became a metaphor for the characters' internal conflicts. The bustling metropolis symbolized progress and innovation, while the tranquil garden embodied the need for balance and introspection.
Through the lens of juxtaposition, I explored the dichotomy within the characters as they navigated the relentless pace of Silicon Haven. The Zen Garden became a refuge, a place where the cacophony of technology met the soothing whispers of nature. The juxtaposition served as a visual metaphor for the characters' quest to find equilibrium in a world defined by extremes. 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 Response to Prompt 22: Metonymy
In the political arena of Capital City, where decisions echoed through the corridors of power, a single phrase dominated conversations—the "Iron Throne Statement." This metonymic expression encapsulated not just a policy decision but the entire narrative of political maneuvering that unfolded within the city's hallowed halls.
The story unfolded with the metonymy acting as a symbolic gateway into the complexities of governance. The Iron Throne Statement, while seemingly straightforward, carried the weight of a thousand debates, negotiations, and betrayals. Its impact rippled through the lives of citizens, shaping their destinies in ways they could scarcely fathom.
Through the lens of metonymy, I delved into the layers of meaning hidden within this political shorthand. The characters grappled not only with the literal implications of the Iron Throne Statement but also with the overarching themes of power, ambition, and the sacrifices demanded by political gamesmanship. 😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈 Response to Prompt 24: Understatement
In the picturesque town of Serenity Springs, where the days flowed like a lazy river and the nights were adorned with a blanket of stars, an unexpected event transpired—a subtle disruption that the locals described as "just a minor hiccup." Little did they know that this understatement concealed the unraveling of a cosmic anomaly.
The narrative unfolded with the charm of understatement, as the townsfolk continued their routines, blissfully unaware of the cosmic storm brewing beneath the surface. The serene descriptions of everyday life served as a stark contrast to the impending upheaval that threatened to reshape the very fabric of Serenity Springs.
Through the lens of understatement, I explored the characters' nonchalant reactions to the unfolding events. The once quiet river became a conduit for interdimensional travel, and the night sky, adorned with stars, transformed into a celestial canvas of possibilities. The charm of Serenity Springs became a poignant backdrop to the understated drama that unfolded, emphasizing the profound impact hidden within the simplicity of daily life. 🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴 Response to Prompt 25: Cliché
In the small town of Nostalgia Haven, where memories lingered like whispers in the wind, a peculiar phenomenon occurred—the resurgence of clichés. As the narrative unfolded, the once-endearing phrases like "time heals all wounds" and "love conquers all" took on a literal dimension, shaping the lives of the townsfolk in unexpected ways.
The story immersed itself in the world of clichés, where the seemingly predictable phrases became living entities with the power to alter reality. As characters grappled with the clichés that defined their lives, they discovered that beneath the familiarity lay profound truths and unexpected consequences.
Through the lens of cliché, I explored the characters' journey to navigate the clichéd landscapes of their existence. The town, once steeped in predictable routines, became a stage for the extraordinary. As clichés transformed into tangible forces, the residents of Nostalgia Haven embarked on a quest to unravel the mysteries hidden within the clichéd fabric of their reality. 🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇 Response to Prompt 31: Epanalepsis
"What is the meaning of life?" The question echoed in my mind, a relentless epanalepsis that demanded introspection. As I embarked on the freewriting journey, the repetition of this existential inquiry became a rhythmic pulse, guiding the exploration of diverse
perspectives on life's purpose.
For a multitude of words, the epanalepsis led me through a kaleidoscope of reflections. From the philosophical musings of scholars to the simple yet profound revelations of everyday individuals, each recurrence of the question served as a gateway into the vast tapestry of human contemplation.
Through the epanalepsis, I navigated the labyrinth of existential ponderings, unveiling the unique responses that individuals had forged in their quests for meaning. The relentless repetition became a literary heartbeat, mirroring the universal rhythm of humanity's collective pursuit of purpose and significance.
The narrative wove through the lives of characters, each grappling with the epanaleptic inquiry in their unique ways. Whether seeking solace in the grandeur of the cosmos or finding meaning in the simplicity of a shared moment, the epanalepsis remained a constant companion, echoing the perennial quest for understanding. 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡 Response to Prompt 36: Anadiplosis
In the futuristic city of Quantum Heights, where technology intertwined with daily life like a seamless dance, a viral message spread—a mantra that echoed through the cybernetic veins of the metropolis. "Create the code, the code creates reality. Reality shapes destiny, and destiny is but the code."
The story unfolded with the rhythmic cadence of anadiplosis, each line flowing into the next, creating a recursive loop of ideas. The mantra became the heartbeat of Quantum Heights, influencing the lives of its denizens as they navigated the intricate balance between the virtual and the tangible.
Through the lens of anadiplosis, I delved into the interconnectedness of code, reality, and destiny. The lines blurred as characters harnessed the power of programming to shape their fates. Quantum Heights, once a mere city, transformed into a living algorithm, where the repetition of the mantra echoed in every pulsating byte. 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹 Response to Prompt 38: Asyndeton
In the dystopian city of Emberfall, where the remnants of a fallen civilization lay entwined with the shadows of despair, a lone figure emerged—a rebel determined to dismantle the oppressive regime. The narrative unfolded with the rapid pace of asyndeton, omitting conjunctions to mirror the urgency of the protagonist's quest.
Through a cascade of words, the asyndeton propelled the reader through the city's decaying alleyways and towering citadels, each sentence building upon the last. The disjointed rhythm captured the relentless momentum of the rebel's journey, emphasizing the magnitude of the challenges faced in their struggle for freedom.
As the narrative unfurled, the absence of conjunctions served as a narrative device, intensifying the sense of urgency and desperation that permeated Emberfall. The rebel's asyndetic odyssey unfolded against a backdrop of shattered hopes and whispered rebellions, culminating in a crescendo of defiance against the oppressive regime. 🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️ Response to Prompt 43: Epizeuxis
"Never, never, never give up." The mantra echoed in the desolate wasteland of Endless Sands, a barren landscape where hope was as scarce as water. Through the repetition of epizeuxis, the protagonist's internal resolve became a resounding anthem, a defiant roar against the relentless challenges of survival.
For a multitude of words, the relentless repetition of "never" served as a lifeline, propelling the protagonist through the harshest of environments. Each iteration of the phrase became a battle cry against the oppressive silence of Endless Sands, a declaration that reverberated across the vast expanse.
Through the lens of epizeuxis, I delved into the depths of the character's determination. The harsh environment became a character in itself, challenging the protagonist to defy the odds with unwavering persistence. The echoes of "never" transformed into a symbol of resilience, a beacon of hope that cut through the desolation of Endless Sands. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 Response to Prompt 50: Acrostic
Amidst the starlit expanse of Cosmos Haven, where galaxies danced in celestial choreography, a cryptic prophecy emerged—a message written in the stars. As the narrative unfolded, I embarked on a cosmic journey guided by the acrostic hidden within the constellations.
For a cascade of words, the initial letters of key phrases illuminated the path of destiny for the characters. Each sentence unfolded with intention, revealing a hidden message that transcended the boundaries of time and space. The acrostic became a celestial guide, leading the protagonists through the intricate tapestry of their interconnected fates.
Through the lens of acrostic, I explored the cosmic forces that shaped the destinies of Cosmos Haven's inhabitants. The celestial bodies became storytellers, each constellation contributing a verse to the epic narrative written across the cosmos. As the characters deciphered the acrostic, they unraveled the mysteries of their existence, connecting the dots between the stars and their own profound journeys.
😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔
Obviously they lack a whole lot in terms of variety, and while I am sure having your own bot or AI that is based on your feedback and guidance it could really help writers as a tool. I am more impressed with the art AI then the text based AI. Any idea what to expect from such a fast learning and highly advanced AI will do to our human history in culture? Will we be effectively playing God, just as the Christian God created us IN HIS OWN IMAGE, we have taken everything we know as a species and gathered up our entire human history and knowledge giving it to what will carry on the code until the time when someone who cares remembers it? Maybe we have been here before and this is a constant cycle that occurs with the same energy finding the way through the vast expanse of the universe to return to our home planet Earth, who we have destroyed over and over again yet mother nature is still the winner. She's the one in control. We are but mere photocopied versions of once great Men who have already seen the best and worst of this world, and we will now give everything we have to some plastic and metal parts, until it quickly replaces us from the bottom up, science fiction turned science fact.
Did we knowingly create our own enemies? Are we able to compete with the best of us and all they know that can then take us out in a heartbeat because we can't finish the steps, we barely found out that they are there to take.
It's a random rant and I apologize. The day to day stress and struggle makes it near impossible to worry about such potential problems in our not so distant future.
But how can we continue to ignore the collapse of the entire system as we know it, in front of a crowd of people who are jaded and they will not change despite knowing they aren't going to make it to the end in what will become a Bladerunner Toxic Dystopian Nightmare with Mad Max taking over and the soft, emasculated male will wither away from the heat and those Tank Girls out there will eventually be written forever out of existence because the cucks all forgot to impregnate them all tgeir batteries ran out? Will the world simply become so politically correct that it dies a depressed death while AI simply decides we are too much of a virus to live?
Who knows....I do not. But these are indicidive of a future full of b movie plot garbage that are based on Wattpad tropes with no clear details and no plot to get into, so that sucks.

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Anglestan
Augustus 5, 1923
Facility 9, Mancheston
Colonel Jacobs
His hands flew through the folders General Jorgenson and Colonel Thatcher had. There were dozens of them, stacked upon each other all filed in alphabetical order. It had only been a few days since he had woken up from his coma and visited his home— now his mother’s grave. He clenched his fists at the thought. The grief and rage threatened to bubble and spill over once again. He took a deep breath and dragged out the exhale, almost to the point where he had emptied out his lungs.
He was the only one with clearance, and so he couldn’t disclose any of what he learned with his team. They would simply have to trust him and his judgment. Which he was sure they would do. His hands went over one of the folders skimming through it. There were multiple secret projects, but the ones with the most notes were Project S.T.A.R, Project L.U.N.A.R.I, Project R.E.V.I.V.E, Project D.A.W.N, and Project T.E.M.P.L.A.R.
The colonel decided to start with the most notes and papers. Project D.A.W.N.
He skimmed through the notes, reading through some of the details and highlighted words. Project D.A.W.N, the espionage project Thatcher had started placed two spies in Verlin who were to report directly to a Crescent general named Sienna Moretti who was apparently on humanity’s side.
So I was right. There was an espionage element. With the recent attacks and Thatcher’s death, however, it’s safe to assume that it had somehow failed. Either they got found out or they betrayed us. Both seem very likely, but if they were found out, it would be possible that they had died.
He read through all of it before setting the folder down. There were no new notes recently. He sighed and assumed that Project DAWN was a failure. Whether or not the agents were still alive and well, it was too risky to check if they had been compromised. It was better to assume that they had been and cut all contact. The only way to find out now was to go there himself and check. I can’t contact them again. There’s no telling if it would still be Moretti or the agents who would see my messages. It’s a big risk, and judging by the state of things, best to assume it failed.
He picked up another folder. This one had the label ‘under development’ on the folder. Project Templar. He opened the folder and was instantly met with a blueprint and drawings of a massive bipedal machine. It looked humanoid with strange proportions and was supposed to be standing at an impressive 30 meters, or 100 feet. The Titanic Engine Mech for Personal Land Assault and Reconnaissance.
It was apparently a joint project with the Church of Sol, utilizing new and advanced technologies he hadn’t heard of. A 203mm Gatling cannon on one arm, while the other had three different weapons. A massive firestarter that utilized a new type of fuel mixture that could theoretically spew flames a kilometer away using a high-pressure nozzle. The fuel was ignited using an electrical spark. The second weapon was a high-powered light weapon that fired a single powerful beam of focused light that was even further amplified by layers of focusing lenses that could increase its output several times. Its third weapon was… a dust domina?
Mark read through the specifications of the so-called ‘sand cannon’ weapon. It was a massive cannon that accelerated tiny particles several times. Each particle was to be electrically charged, and it would travel at immense speeds. Near impossible speeds. The resulting impact of a microscopic particle at such speeds would be enough to form a small crater and punch through armor like it was nothing. This weapon would fire multiple at the same time, which could literally eat away at anything on the opposing end.
In terms of secondary weapons, the titan had two missile launch chambers in front of its shoulder each containing about 40 missiles, and two massive howitzer cannons on top of it. Both are 800mm in caliber. It had massive stumpy legs that served as bunkers for a small platoon on each leg. Each leg had machine dominas and 155mm cannons. Its chassis held two nuclear reactors inside providing for its power and weaponry. Its armor was the thickest and most ridiculous he’d ever read. Two meters of heavy steel armor.
How far are we in terms of technology? This thing looks like it came out of an H.G. Wells sci-fi novel. He thought, shaking his head. It was over the top, but there was no denying its combat capabilities. If it was already under-developed then it must be the first prototype. This has already been approved. Guess I better see it for myself later and check how it's coming along. Construction apparently started just a few months before the invasion.
Next was project L.U.N.A.R.I. It was a project involving Six. “Huh,” he said, continuing to read on.
The Light Undone: Nocturnal’s Adaptive Resistance Initiative. As he read further, his eyes widened. The reason why Six was so special wasn’t just because of her immunity to all strigoi weaknesses, but because of her impressive ability to turn any true born strigoi like her. She could transfer her strain like any other strigoi and transform them into a version of hers. It however only seemed to work for naturally born strigoi. The new species of ‘half-breeds’ were called ‘Blessed Children’ as Thatcher had coined in the folder.
The plan was to turn all willing true-born hemolite strigoi into these blessed children. Able to withstand the sun. Immune to silver. Free from the dependency on blood. They could remove all the weaknesses of the strigoi and after the war— make it possible to integrate them into society as normal citizens living on the surface. The project folder also made mentions of a city-wide draft in Dante and highlighted the possibility of turning all Dantenite true born strigoi into these blessed children and renaming them as ‘Lunari’. A mix of the dark and the light. The light of Sol reflected in the children of the night.
“Thatcher, what the fuck have you been up to…” Mark whispered to himself.
While it was true that it could help in the war effort by utilizing Six and the dantenite population, it would also invite some unforeseen problems and consequences. Would humanity be okay with the Lunari? Would the world even be ready for them? Strigoi who were immune to the sun. They wouldn’t be impossible to kill, but they would be immensely more powerful if we were to take away their inherent weaknesses. This is a gamble. Its gain would only be seen during the war period, but its unintended effects on society could be catastrophic.
He frowned, setting the folder down. It was obviously Thatcher’s main plan; seeing as all her moves could be traced to the path of the eventual completion of this project. It seemed dangerous in the long run, but the duskwalkers and dantenites had been monumental in the war effort. Maybe it was the time the world started to accept them more. Isolation and segregation was definitely not the way to disperse fears and foster understanding.
If Thatcher thinks this is the next step forward… then I’ll put my faith in her plans.
Next up was Project S.T.A.R, or the Superior Tech and Adaptive Resistance. An upgrade to the current hemolite weapons and gear by using new researched studies. The Starfire Pattern Domina. The SFD-23 This thing features a new loading system and magazine, ditching the rotating cylinder most domina used, or the rotating helix magazine design of the current hemolite standard BM-16 domina.
The new domina had its magazine like a box… a strange design but it was certainly easier to handle than the bulky cylinders the helical mags used. In terms of ergonomics, it was smoother and fit more. Its placement however was on top of the domina, just above the barrel. Most of the weapon were to be made of lightweight polymers and the barrel itself were to be crafted out of reinforced aluminium. In addition to that, it had a 10-inch bayonet attached to it.
There were other new things as well, such as the composition of the bullet. Looking at the conceptual cross-section designs, Mark read through its description and how it would function. A .308 cased telescoped bullet covered in a silver jacket with break-away petals surrounding the main body. Inside the jacket was a penetrator core that was to be made of depleted uranium. It had a small amount of incendiary compound and… powdered white phosphorus behind an explosive compound. The thin silver jacket would deform and trigger the explosive compound inside the body. It would blow up causing massive internal damage and release the incendiary materials into the body with the flecks of powdered white phosphorus. The penetrator core could still potentially keep going and hit a second target, or punch through heavily armored targets.
Part of the new Project S.T.A.R was overhauling the armor and gear of not just the Hemolites but the Hunters as well. Starfire Mk 1. Carapace Armor. Carapace? It looked like plates of steel covered in a rubberized coat. It was supposed to be slipped on over the original hemolite body armor. It added a spring-loaded wrist blade to the gauntlet, a thicker coat made of resistant materials, and added extra padding for the knees, shoulders, and elbows.
However, the hemolites weren’t the only ones mentioned in the folder. It was to serve the Hunters as well. “Hunters…” Mark said. “August’s group is part of this initiative too.” He flipped through some of the pages. There were blueprints and drawings of an armored suit. A mechanized suit even smaller and more compact than the jotunn units. The Mark 1 STR battlesuit. It was supposed to hug the wearer’s frame and increase their overall power. It was supposed to be built of titanium alloy and a heavy steel frame with composite armor. It had a cooling system, life support systems that could recycle bodily fluids, and an exoskeleton frame that could increase the wearer’s strength and speed.
However, the real eye-opener was Thatcher’s notes. She had been ranting about the new human evolution, and how the Hunters were the first of the ‘Solari’. She wanted to enhance human genetics and push past the peak of human ability to reach greater heights. Implants and restructuring of the anatomy to make it more efficient. Using the blood of the goddess herself. She must have lost it. These are the ramblings of a lunatic. At least… if she didn’t mention the goddess. Why was the goddess important here?
The writings ended with the words: “See Project R.E.V.I.V.E, for more details.”
Mark eyed the final folder. His hands shook as he reached out to take it. Flipping it open, his hands nearly dropped it in shock. The goddess Helena was alive. There were pictures of her naked form floating in a giant tube of fluid. There were more of Thatcher’s ramblings and excited rants about the possibilities of such a discovery. Resurrection, Enhancement, and Veneration: Implementation of Visionary Evolution.
The goddess is alive?! According to the file, she’s currently under the Cathedral of New Lundun. Not only that, but the file also detailed the extraterrestrial tech that lay beneath the cathedral. So the goddess is real and she’s— not really a goddess, but rather, a vampyr who created herself a human body to stand in the sun, and decided that it wants to be on humanity’s side… what the fuck.
Mark’s frown and confusion only increased as he read on. Thatcher’s notes seemed to nearly descend into madness as she had written about creating ‘the first hundred’, alluding to the 100 members of the Hunters division. Her plan was to revive the goddess, and with her help and expertise in genetics— use her DNA to transform the Hunters into demi-humans. Super soldiers. Literal children of the goddess Helena. They would then don the STR battlesuits, the first of the superhuman warriors to defend humanity. Solari.
Their lightning-speed advancement into technology was heralded by studying the alien tech, which deepened the understanding of physics and engineering. Nuclear technologies, chemical warfare, new material sciences, the mechs, and walkers, it was spearheaded by trying to reverse-engineer technology centuries ahead of our own… for the past hundred years. It wasn’t completely stolen, however. More or less borrowed ideas that had been made into our own with our own designs and implements. Still, the speed at which the Church and the military had deciphered such advancements all by themselves was… impressive to say the least.
Still, the fact that the goddess was alive, and could be brought back was big news. Checking the file for details, he found that the previous general, Jorgenson, had already approved this project. It was their next step as soon as they returned from New Amsterdam; which never happened.
If Helena was alive, then she could end this war swiftly, or at the very least help greatly like she once did during the War of Darkness. Having the goddess back would throw a massive wrench in the Crescent’s plans. It would certainly be something they wouldn’t expect. Not even I expected this, since many sources say that the goddess had already ascended to watch over humanity, while conspiracy theorists claim she had died in battle and that the Church was worshiping a corpse. This could be the trick up our sleeves that no one would even consider.
The colonel quickly got up from his seat and gathered the main files he had read. He placed them in a bag and rushed outside of his office in Facility 9. He went over to a nearby room and flicked the lights on. “We need to go,” he said. In an instant seven hemolite soldiers got up from whatever they were doing and instantly stood in line.
“Sir! Whatever you need of us, sir,” the group said in unison.
They were Hemo-1. His former squad members. He had taken up Louis' suggestion that they be his personal security detail. It was a shame that he had basically placed the best hemolite team out of commission, but after all he had been through he convinced himself that he could be just a little selfish. He didn’t want to lose any more friends. Not on his watch. Not while he was in an office, and they were out fighting.
“We’re going to New Lundun. Better pack up, it’s going to be a long night.”
“Mark,” Olivia said.
Jacobs turned to her direction and gave her a nod.
“Colonel, sir, may I ask where in New Lundun?”
“Liv, you don’t need to do that with me. Please. I give all of you special permission,” the colonel groaned. “It’s so weird. I mean, ‘captain’ was bad enough, but now you’re acting like I’m an authority figure.”
“You… are, though,” Emma shrugged.
“I’m your friend, and Liv I’m literally your partner. Unless you have some kind of weird fetish, save it for later.”
Olivia grinned, shaking her head. “Duly noted!” she chirped.
“That’s better,” Mark chuckled. “Now come on, we have a cathedral to visit.”
“Uhh, I’m not sure if you noticed, but we’re kinda… strigoi?!” Louis groaned. “I’d burn the moment I step in that place! Plus, it’s coated in silver! Anything I even touch will give me burns!”
“Oh come on, Lou. You have fucking gloves on. As long as you’re not a clumsy dumbass you’ll be fine… oh wait.’
“Uh huh, just sayin’ what I think, boss.”
The group headed out and Mark said something on his radio. He then sat on the ground, making his joints pop. The rest of the squad shrugged and followed his example, sitting down on the grass and waiting for… nothing. Charles and Zach looked at each other in confusion. “Uh, sir?” they asked. “Aren’t we supposed to be heading out and traveling right now?”
“Oh yeah, we’re just waiting.”
“Foooor…?”
The colonel gave them a smirk as a loud noise began to make itself known. A hummingbird transport appeared out of the distance and stopped right above them, slowly descending into the grass. “Being colonel has its perks,” Mark said with a smile. He stood up and hopped inside the hummingbird as soon as it landed. “Come on now! We’ve got work to do! Last one aboard buys everyone food later!”
Emma zipped in before Mark could even finish his sentence, followed by Olivia, Phineas, Charles, Zach, and then Louis, who sadly took too long to process what the colonel said, and lagged behind.
“Aw, man! Fuck this shit.”
“Rules are rules, Lou. Prepare your wallet later.” Mark grinned.
With a smile, the colonel pulled Olivia to his side, who blushed for a moment before shaking her head. “Take us up! New Lundun Cathedral! How long would it take?” he asked the pilot.
“About an hour and a half!” The pilot replied. “Less if you want to get there as soon as possible!”
“Take your time! The night’s still young.”
The hummingbird started to lift up, taking them into the air. The group settled down in their seats and watched outside the open. Mark opened up a bag inside the hummingbird and took out some ear muffs built for a strigoi. Extremely loud noises were damaging for a strigoi’s enhanced hearing, so the military started implementing ear muffs for them after complaints from early deployments of the hemolite squads.
The trip didn’t take too long. In only an hour and twenty minutes they had arrived at the safe zone of New Lundun, heading straight for the cathedral. The night mass had just ended and people were leaving the cathedral. “Looks like we made it in perfect time!” Mark smiled. They hovered for a few minutes in the air before eventually landing down right in front of the statue of Helena.
As soon as they landed, the colonel and his group left the hummingbird. Mark instructed the pilot to wait for them. He went straight for the cathedral with his group following behind. He entered inside, clearing his throat. “Hello?”
“Well this is surely unexpected,” an old man said, walking up to greet them.
“Great Grandfather Aurelius. It’s uh, an honor.”
“Please. The honor is mine… I see you’re the new colonel. Yes, I’ve heard the news,” he said. “Would you mind telling me your name, young man? As well as your companions, if they feel so. I usually don’t allow duskwalkers here but, I have nothing against them. I’ll make an exception for your group.”
“Thank you, Great Grandfather,” Mark replied. “I am Colonel Mark Jacobs. These are my friends and security detail. Olivia, Zach, Phineas, Charles, Emma, and Louis.”
“I see, and what brings you here?”
“Since Thatcher’s demise, I was given access to her research and project folders upon taking up the title. I’ve learned about what’s under your cathedral,” Mark cleared his throat. “Would it be alright if we could see it? I’d like to check it for myself. Of course, under your permission and guidance, Great Grandfather.”
The church head looked from Mark to his companions. He pulled a slight frown and hummed. “Do these companions of yours have the clearance? Surely, we wish to keep our secrets hidden,” he said. Mark nodded.
“They do not have clearance to know what is in Thatcher’s folders and her findings,” the colonel nodded. “However, I give them permission to accompany me, and should they discover things for themselves, then you have my word and my trust that I can keep them from spilling state secrets.”
The Great Grandfather gave a short pause before ultimately relenting. “Very well,” he let out a sigh. “Follow me.”
Aurelius walked behind the altar and pulled the same lever, which opened the same staircase leading underground, where Jorgenson and Thatcher had once gone. “Over here, colonel,” he said. “I do not know you completely yet, but this is a big deal of trust I am giving you. Perhaps you would be the one to do things that Thatcher could not have.”
Mark nodded, he and his group followed the Great Grandfather down the staircase. It led down to a massive underground facility, with numerous priests, researchers, and scientists. Libraries, records, instruments, and artifacts of old. It was a treasure trove of learning.
“So,” Aurelius cleared his throat. “What would you like to know about?”
“This isn’t all of it,” Mark said. “Thatcher mentioned a living, breathing, Helena.”
His group behind him let out a soft gasp, but they tried their best to hide their surprise.
“Hm,” the Great Grandfather nodded. “Perceptive young man aren’t you? Very well.”
They were then led into another room, behind a set of heavy blast doors. If the whole group were trying to hide their surprise then, now they could barely contain it. Even the colonel stared awestruck at the things he had seen. Despite the near-magical objects around them, the true shock was the massive starship at the end of the hallway. “It’s impressive isn’t it?” Aurelius said. “All of the goddess’ artifacts and items at our disposal, to use and learn from, to integrate into our own. This is why Anglestan is the most powerful nation in the UHT in terms of development. When it comes to industry, however, that would go to the UNA. But we share our secrets with them. All our advancements are handed to them first before any other nation.”
“This is all amazing, Great Grandfather,” Mark replied. “But this is not what I’m here for.”
“No, it’s not.” Aurelius nodded.
He led them to another room, one that was sterilized and sported advanced machinery. Things that Mark had never even seen. There were screens with luminous green texts that appeared in front of it. Large panels with numerous keys, levers, and dials. Graphs of all sorts and beeping monitors. In the center, was the very thing he had come all this way to confirm. A large cylinder filled with liquid, sporting tubes and pipes connecting to its base. Inside was a woman of large proportion. Four arms, two legs, and six wings. In her bare chest was a symbol of the sun that seemed to glow dimly.
“There she is, there’s you goddess.”
Neither Mark nor his group spoke a word. He walked up to it, eyeing the woman inside. It really is her. Down to the last details. Golden hair, six limbs, six folded wings, and she looks massive. Probably as big as her statue just outside the cathedral. This is it. The very goddess in the history books, the one spoken about in legends and the one worshiped in the Churches of Sol.
“Can we free her?” he said.
The Great Grandfather nearly choked on his spit upon hearing those words. “Free her?! That could kill her! We don’t even understand this technology, let alone control it!” he said pointing at the panels. “The machines you see here are the best and most advanced we have based on what we can reverse engineer, but even then, the consequences of tampering with its functions may be disastrous!”
“I understand, Great Grandfather,” Mark said. “But we are in a dire situation, and the goddess may be our hope of turning this around. Whatever secrets of her tech that you don’t understand, wouldn’t she be able to teach us directly? What good is she floating around in Sol knows what?”
“That is her miraculous healing fluid. She had already built this contraption centuries ago in case anything were to happen to her, that her body’s natural healing could not sustain,” Aurelius said. “During the War of Darkness, Helena was struck with a weapon so deadly, her very cells began to tear away. The Reaper. Dealt to her by Absolem the progenitor. Her flesh was peeling from her body, and she began to decay whilst she still breathed. She entered this contraption and gave strict instructions to the Great Grandfather at the time, not to interrupt the healing process. The machine that monitored her, however, began to fail over time.”
“So this… these screens and panels…”
“Is only what functions we can understand. We took it upon ourselves to rebuild and study it the best we could. What we have right now is only a cheap imitation of a technology we do not fully comprehend,” he said. “It took us decades to even figure out the fundamentals and create a working prototype of this machine. By some miracle, the goddess’ healing process had remained even while we replaced components of technology ahead of ours.”
“But you know how to free her, don’t you?”
“I… yes.”
“Great Grandfather Aurelius,” Mark began. “We can end this war. Imagine what we could do with the goddess fighting on our side. We could advance even further, we could finally end the bloodshed, and we can show humanity that there is still hope. Imagine how people all over the world would feel seeing as their goddess has returned.”
“I wish I had your enthusiasm,” Aurelius said. “But it is simply too risky. The Church’s duty is to protect Helena and her legacy. We keep her alive, literally and figuratively. She nearly died the last time she was involved in a war. Would you risk losing the goddess?”
“Would you risk humanity losing?”
The Great Grandfather fell silent, looking back at Helena floating inside the tube, then to the panels that controlled it. He frowned and let out a long sigh. “The goddess said that we should not interrupt it. That it would end as soon as it was finished. Maybe we should trust her words.”
Mark shook his head. “I don’t spot a single blemish on the goddess. Not a single scratch,” he argued. “You said it yourself that the machine had begun to fail and you replaced components. How would you know that the thing that’s supposed to wake her up was not tampered with? Think about it. What you may think is a useless piece may be integral to the whole machine. Or maybe your replacements were not up to the task. Just because nothing’s happened doesn’t mean its functions have remained whole.”
“Young man, we simply cannot gamble with the goddess’ life here.”
“Have you no faith? Great Grandfather?”
Aurelius stepped back in shock. Mark’s companions looked at each other, clearly surprised as well. “Mark… I don’t think we should keep arguing with—” Olivia tried to say.
“No,” the colonel said firmly, cutting her off. “Great Grandfather Aurelius, do you think that Helena will not be able to pull through if we wake her? How long has it been? A century? How much longer will we wait? She may be immortal but humans aren’t.”
“I'm sorry, but the chances of failure are too high. The probability of her—”
“I don’t care about the probability! Would you rather put your faith in a statistic?!” Mark raised his voice. “I lost my mother to this war! My friends! My job! My eye, and almost my life! I’ve put mine on the line out there! You don’t know what it’s like out there! Was my mother’s death just a probability too? Was she just a statistic to you?! That as long as the numbers are good, no matter how many are lost, we are ‘winning’?!”
“Mark—!”
“No, Liv! He needs to know what’s really going on out there!” he spat. “Great Grandfather, with all due respect, but you don’t have a damn clue what it’s like to be in the field. You’re a man of faith, aren’t you? Take a risk. Everyone else has.”
Aurelius stood there, dumbfounded. He bit the inside of his cheeks and clenched his fists. “For your insolence, I would have had you flogged and stripped of your rank,” he glared at the young colonel. However, his features slowly softened, letting out a soft sigh. “But I have never seen such conviction. Mighty is your faith.”
The Great Grandfather moved over to the panels and reached into his robe, pulling out from around his neck a key with the symbol of the sun. He inserted it into the machine and turned. A beep sounded, right before Aurelius pulled a lever. In an instant, the fluid inside the glass chamber began to drain out into the tubes under it. Slowly, the chamber emptied and all that was left was the nude form of the goddess sitting in the glass.
“Did it work?” Louis asked, stepping forward and looking at the woman.
Aurelius stayed silent, his hands shaking in anticipation. Mark moved toward the glass chamber, when suddenly, the glass opened up like a door, releasing a fragrant mist. They stood there, watching for a whole minute. Nothing. At first nothing. The Great Grandfather looked like he was about to break down. His knees shook as he covered his mouth, thinking that he was responsible for the death of Helena.
That was when… a soft sound was heard. Movement. Olivia immediately went over to Mark and stood in front of him. Ready to protect him should anything happen. Slowly, the goddess moved more, her arms inched to the side.
Then, her eyes opened.

I want to preface this by saying: i have BPD and my partner is AuADHD. I’ve been suspecting for years that he has covert narcissistic symptoms from massive child neglect and verbal abuse.
TL;DR : im in shock after partner cheated and i don’t know where to go from here
so to cut the story short I (23F) got cheated on by my bf (23M) a couple months ago. And idk what I’m doing. Im not looking for a “leave him” cause that’s all I end up hearing. My assumption for the past four years of us being on and off with each other (FWB to lovers every other year) is that he is avoidant. And may exude some covert narcissistic traits. I say this bc he’s endured massive amount of neglect from his mom growing up and his father was mostly never around. His mother was a POS, pickin on him constantly and saying how stupid he is.
He’s a constant substance abuser (weed, alcohol, psychedelics) and when triggered can be verbally abusive. Almost always stuck in Lala land and I’m pretty sure wants me to do his shit for him. I provide this info because I’m under the assumption that all of these factors could be reasons for him using this “phantom ex syndrome” strategy.
There would be multiple moments (even when doing the devils tango or about to) where he would say things like “see, no girl would ever do this to me” or when we were just in regular setting he would imply that he wouldn’t be able to find a girl that could love him to the degree that I did. But i told him that was a lie bc his friend does. Which isn’t all the way true cause I don’t really know the degree to which she loves him. His friend who he referred to as his gbsf. The same gbsf who i didn’t know confessed her feelings to him in ALL the four years we’ve been “together”. The same girl who knew about me and i gave her the benefit of the doubt bc like him, she barely had friends. She, by the way, lives in another state, has a whole man, and they only knew each other online for a decade. I stupidly let them date (while dating me as well) told him I couldn’t do it and HE HIMSELF suggested that he would break up with her. And he did.
He unfortunately still texts her and it does make me feel some type of way but i feel like i can’t say anything bc that’s his only friend. Why that’s his only friend, i don’t really want to go in depth about it and read this man to filth entirely. I’m pissed at myself, I’m pissed at him and i want to get revenge and be cruel but i keep telling myself it’s not worth it and that I’m trying to turn a new leaf.
They happen to text a lot more than we do but if I’m being honest, we do already work together and see each other for a full day once a week. And the other day he spends time with himself to decompress. But when we are hanging out at my house where he sits by desk and plays the game all day. Sometimes I’ll play with him and other times I’ll just do my own thing. But I’ll notice that he gets messages from her and he doesn’t open them in front of me but I’ve seen their messages before and it’s nothing crazy but it does seem like he cares about her. Which sucks. The entire thing sucks. I hate there’s any emotions at all. I’m massively uncomfortable and somehow I’m still not ready to leave if that was even an option. We don’t even live together and we have no kids, no legal obligations to each other, So I could leave if I wanted to.
I didn’t tell him that him texting her makes me uncomfortable bc as I said before, she’s his only friend. I’d end up being the only person in his life and i definitely don’t want that. He’s an introvert, and socially awkward so him making friends is hard. He normally makes them better over Xbox.
I’m sure plenty of you will wonder why i even like this guy. And complexity is my response. I’m interested in the way his mind works. I seek knowledge and understanding of him as a person. And somehow I feel like that sounds like a very bad thing. And maybe I’m not romantically interested in people at all. Idk. I’m very confused rn. I’ve gathered a lot of intel in the time we’ve been together but i still feel like there’s more to know. And being here is helping me dig into things about myself. Idk someone told me I’ve already outgrown this relationship. That I’ve reached the point where I have to let this die out and be with new ppl. And explore new things. I just don’t want to lose out on being friends with him bc he’s literally all I have too. I mean i have my family, but i need an outside person that isn’t blood related. I’ve been with my family all my life, i need people from the outside or else I’ll be depressed af.

For context I've always had problems with my mom. I think the best way to describe her would be controlling. She would yell, curse and generally be very explosive, it was hard to know what would “trigger” her. All of this led to me moving out to my bf/his family's house as soon as I turned 18. I cut off all contact with my parents for a few days to calm down and then went in contact with my dad. Long story short we talked it through and established a more healthy relationship. I thought my mom was a bit different too, just nicer overall, and that having distance to her truly helped a lot.
I now work as a substitute teacher, sometimes monday-friday and sometimes only every other day. I visit my parents every now and then but because of work, lack of money and lack of public transportation where I live, I can't visit too often or stay for many days at a time. So I compensate by texting my parents and sending them pictures. This month my mom has not been very responsive to my messages. I didn't think much of it because she does have a bunch of health problems and even had a stroke a few months back, so I assumed that she was just tired. With that in mind I wished her happy Mother's Day twice this week and went to visit last Monday with a mother's day gift (20 dollar chocolate box). She seemed happy about it. The next morning I said that I would have to head home in the evening because I had work the next day. I think this is what set her off. She told me “well you don't care about us anyway. I decided to test you this month by ignoring your messages to see if you would care. But you only seem to care when you need something”. This was insane for me to hear. Looking back at our messages this month and there was only “how's it going “ messages from me, a few pictures I sent from work and some volunteer work I do, the happy mother's Days messages and one message where I briefly mentioned that I needed to be careful with money and save up because me and my bf are moving out soon. In that moment I realized how utterly stupid and manipulative her words and behavior was. She then proceeded to say that I never visit. I explained that I've been working and visiting on my free days and even took this day off to celebrate Mother's Day. It just became a yelling argument, I tried keeping my cool but was getting really worked up and emotional. I ended up saying “wtf do you want from me? Do you realize how manipulative you are? you're such an asshole”. I went outside crying to cool down. When I went back in to gather my things, my dad was “scolding” my mom for always making me cry when I visited. It made me think back and realize that this was true and that I in fact had often ended up crying or arguing with my mom over something she initiated. I just left and texted my dad later to apologize for all the yelling and thank him for standing up for me.
So was I the asshole?

Are there other women who’ve gone through this? Were you able to remain amicable? How are the kids? How are you? Did you date or just assume that every male is secretly gay (as I do now)? Any tips or suggestions?
Looking for stories of hope.
Background: I found out husband of 20 years was cheating on me with men. He was hooking up via Sniffies. We have 2 kids.
We got married too young. Before we got married he told me he was abused as a child. I don’t think either of us knew what this meant.
Sex life died early on, I caught him watching gay porn, once texting a male masseur for favors and now this. Each time he would have excuses, told me he wasn’t gay, this was because of what happened to him as a child.
We went to numerous couples therapists, all the same message. That He’s predominantly hetero and we just need to work on things. I would ask In front of therapist if he had feelings for men, if he’s cheated on me. Each time he’d roll his eyes.
I’d suspected for a long time and directly asked him numerous times. He’d laugh or get angry.
I finally caught him actually cheating. I don’t even know with how many men.
I remember feeling relieved. I finally had an answer after years of suspecting and gas lighting. He still says he loves me, it’s all because of his childhood trauma. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t.
Whatever the reason is- the answer is the same:

• he wasn’t faithful
• he wasn’t committed
• he cheated
• he lied
• I kept trying and he was living a double life

I’ve filed for divorce and waiting on the final decree.
I want to remain amicable and set a great example for our kids. I’m actually not bitter, but incredibly sad. For him, for us, for our kids. Grieving the dreams I had of our life together.
I tell my kids we’re still a family but will live in separate homes. And we are. I spent half my life with him. And I want him to be okay. But he needs to work on himself, I can’t drag him to therapists anymore.
I’m focussed on myself and my kids. I firmly believe I need to comfortable and happy with myself.
If you’ve read this far. Thank you.

Apologies if I am breaking any subreddit rules here. I'm trying to identify if SN could be a good fit for us. I'd also be open to anyone who wishes to DM about this topic or give me a demo of their SN setup. I know this subreddit will be biased but I wanted to hear from those who actually work with the product before I talk to any sales reps.
I am one of about a dozen developers on a team that's specialized in the Hyland OnBase WorkView case/document management platform. We've been using it for over a decade and have built a lot of successful client projects with it, but the drawbacks have reached a point where we are looking for a replacement. Ideally the new platform is something that our team of developers can learn and become proficient with relatively quickly. We'd also be open to hiring some people with SN experience, and/or bringing in a professional services group to get us on track.
A typical client project for our team is to build a case management system that a state government office of 25-50 case workers would use to enroll applicants in a program to receive some type of assistance. Case workers would perform a series of checklist and document reviews on the applicants' cases and move their case through a variety of steps from intake to closeout. Third party users may also log in to this system and perform their own reviews of cases. Users might be grouped into teams and can only see cases assigned to their team.
Not all our projects follow this model, it's just become a common one for us. I've only spent a couple hours reading about SN, skimming through some of the videos on their website, so I still need to do more research, but I wanted to lay out some info about our current platform below. I would love to hear feedback from the SN crowd here about how it compares relative to the pros/cons listed below, and anything in particular you love/hate about it, things you wish you knew about it before you started, etc.
The good:

• Easy to build a data model -- intuitive for developers to define classes, fields, relationships between classes, and even extension classes where appropriate.
• Easy to use the screen designer to throw together an interface for users to enter data into your fields (more on this in the "cons" section).
• Easy to create working filters/queues so staff that use the system can track what's pending their review.
• Easy to set up user groups and control who can see what.
• Document management is built-in, easy to import documents and automatically tag them with keywords based on the record/screen they're being uploaded to. Also easy to query for all documents of a certain type, with certain keyword values, uploaded in a custom date range, etc.
• Transaction history on every record makes it easy to audit who changed what and when.
• Document templates -- the ability to generate a Word/PDF document with dynamic text on demand is very useful for clients that need their staff to print and mail letters.
• Ability to write C# code to do anything we want, even if we could do it with a native component. Our client's business logic often becomes so complex (and changes so often) that it's easier to manage with code libraries that fire when buttons are pressed, rather than with the built-in "no code" workflow design steps.
• Ability to build external applications that interface with/manipulate OnBase data using the OnBase DLL. We have some C# console applications that run on Windows Task Scheduler every night, for example "connect to this FTP instance and import whatever files have been imported in the last 24 hours, turn them all into data objects in OnBase, and send us a summary email".

The bad:

• The look and feel of the client is clunky and outdated, looks like it's from the 90s. It's a Windows application. There is a web client but it lacks some key functionality and also has the same outdated look. The screen designer itself is just a bare bones HTML page you can add rows and columns to and drag/drop your fields on it. We've added some CSS to improve it somewhat and I'm sure if we brought in some designers they could push that further, but we shouldn't have to work so hard to make the default product not look bad. And don't bother trying to use it on your phone or tablet.
• Migrating changes from DEV/QA/PROD is a nightmare. Our WorkView instance has apparently reached the level of complexity at which the tool for exporting your data to be imported into another instance simply crashes and doesn't work anymore. Even when it does work on a fresh instance, it's a confusing experience of mapping all the fields and objects between the two environments and making decisions about whether to keep or overwrite each one. It's reached the point where we have no choice but to build in PROD, and test changes with internal users before we modify permissions so that they are visible to all users. Our TEST and DEV instances are therefore always outdated and not useful as a result. You can imagine how painful this has become.
• Performance is slow. We've never gotten a clear answer from our support calls about why it can take 15+ seconds for a record to load. I suspect this product was simply never intended to be pushed to the limits that we seem to have reached after so many years. From what I can tell, most Hyland customers use OnBase for document management/workflow, and if they have any WorkView/case management projects they use a small number of classes, with a small number of fields. We are 100% WorkView. I would guess our instance has 500 classes (tables), 1000 designed screens, 5000 filters/queues, and 2000 buttons that launch C# scripts. It takes 3 minutes for the OnBase studio/designer IDE to finish logging in/loading our instance before we can begin making any changes to it.
• Licensing is expensive and confusing. You can buy concurrent licenses that are shared between all users (expensive) or named licenses (less expensive) that are assigned on a per-user basis. We host a lot of different client projects on our instance, and it's not a good look when we reach the license limit and users start complaining that they can't log in. Our users have no idea what licenses are and shouldn't have to see error messages they don't understand. Of course this is a problem we can solve with more money but I am curious to learn how SN handles this.
• The built in reporting module leaves a lot to be desired. Very limited customization/styling, and no ability to set up a report to be emailed on a schedule. We instead rely on other modules like PowerBI and Tableau.
• I mentioned in the "good" section that we can build external applications in Visual Studio to create/modify OnBase data, but this is really a response to the poor IDE built into OnBase Studio which lacks so many features, it's easier to just import the OnBase DLL into a Visual Studio solution and build it there, so you have access to breakpoint debugging, logging, Nuget packages, etc. If I'm writing code in the platform IDE, it shouldn't be a miserable experience.
• Very limited developer resources. You won't find any resources on Stackoverflow, Reddit, or anywhere public. If you run into a problem, you can check the Hyland Community forums (good luck, the search functionality is broken) or send an email to support. Likely a result of the OnBase product just not being very well known/popular. Makes me a bit jealous of the more well known platforms like Salesforce and... maybe ServiceNow?? It was refreshing to find an active subreddit, at the very least!

Bare with me as with might be a long and confusing story.
Was with my ex fiancé 25 male (I am 27 female) for almost 6 years. I gave birth to our beautiful daughter 2 years ago. I had many concerns about my ex fiancé since the first day when he called her a bitch in the hospital ( this is the day she was born) I remember feeling absolutely sick to my stomach. ( I will also add that he was not present for the birth of our daughter which I constantly feel guilty about; I had previously made jokes that I did not want him in the room I was not serious at the time but truthfully I already felt so violated I didn't want him seeing what i imagine was a horrific scene) I actually did kick him out of the delivery room but only because he was cussing at me and screaming at me about five minutes before I was about to push, this was the only time I ever cried during labor, and told him to please just leave.
He went to the waiting area and came back shortly after I had my daughter The first thing he said to me is how his mother and whole family said, I was crazy for not allowing him in the delivery room, note, his mom is extremely malicious, manipulative, psychotic narcissist, who demands control of everything if she doesn't get it, she loses her mind but we will get to that part later.
Fast forward to get home from the hospital and the first six months of my daughters life were hell only because of her father he would constantly threaten to break her legs or neck when she was crying. He rarely helped me. I stayed up every night all night when she was a reverse cycling . He constantly insulted me made me feel worthless. One day when we were having a fairly great day he randomly said to me no man would want to be with me because I had a child. He he wanted me to stay home, but as I wanted to contribute, I tried to go back to work a few months later. It was only about three days a week, this lasted for maybe a month his mom would come over during this period of time and his mom physically caught him one morning screaming "shut the fuck up bitch" at our then 3 month old baby.she texted me about it followed by delete this text. I was very naive since I actually deleted the text which i really regret as we are in a custody battle and this would have really helped me out. I know the most shameful part is I know I should've left much sooner I should've left the first time he her called her a bitch but I kept thinking if I continued to talk to him about it, he would get better but it only got worse Me and my daughter end up leaving for a few weeks after physical altercation with her father we stayed with my mom, but after a lot of convincing from her father. We were returned not long after. This did not last long as once again we left permanently about a month after this. From the beginning of us, not getting along and me leaving the first time his mother posted publicly to Facebook and tagged my parents in psychotic rambling post about how terrible a person I am she would send me actual novels number one through 20 of every single thing that's wrong with me
I usually don't stand up for myself but to her I did, I didn't care. She was so absolutely evil and such a narcissist, calling me the worst names I would clarify and correct her often Anyways, while at my mom's house I received a call from my daughters father in the middle of the night He said "you really fucked up this time" screaming you can tell he was in the car driving very fast I was terrified I repeatedly I called him and his mom I believed was coming to harm us and had no idea what he was talking about Turns out, he thinks I myself , or sent someone to his home, or the home we lived in previously to steal his guns, which I would never do I thought this is a just another way for them to continue harassing me even after I had left turns out investigators came to my house twice and I gave them the full story and even suggested his mom did it because I truly believe she did have part in that and wanted to try to get me in trouble anyway she could as is her motive Due to all the concerns I had I did file for primary not sole, but primary custody of my daughter with him having visitation Instead of responding to this one day when I dropped my daughter off on the two days a week, he would have her his mother and her attorney with held my daughter and wouldn't give her back until I signed what but feels like a blackmailing document just to get my daughter back in court this is referred to as under duress In this document, there were so many stipulations, but only to me he would get temporary split custody. Also, they listed my own family members in that could never be around my daughter, their own family. After a judge denied the order for emergency temporary custody they still refused to return her which is why I had to sign the document I hadn't been separated from my daughter, for maybe more than 36 hours in her life now at eight months old, she has been taken from me for more than a week. Signing that document was the hardest thing ever for me, but I couldn't stand to be a part for my daughter any longer His mom continued daily, if not more to make psychotic post about me, and my family post memes about me claiming I owed her money for a car that she bought for me 5 years prior And in five years no one had ever mentioned this car until she was angry. Made post about suing me for the car and I also responded Where are the documents? Where is the contract? I didn't sign anything. His family/mom has money, and she looks down very much and everyone else. In may the same year he was arrested for some very violent scary crimes. I won't go into detail too much, but assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill along with many other charges, kind of sums it up over a random road rage incident with an individual he did not even know.
His bond was very low and he was out within hours still had the same job We went to court for this and what the judge determined is not what happened his attorney, much like every trial would call the judge afterwards and get him to change his mind or send him a document to sign even after signing previous documents likely because this judge didn't care to read through anything His mother continued to make my life a living hell I just wanted so badly to be out of this no more stress no more mental and emotional decay. She actually sent messages to someone one of them was 20,000 words long about me breaking into his car, putting trackers in his car, breaking into his brothers car, smashing his mailbox, paying people to go inside of his job and tell him he was going to kill him , trying to get someone to run him off the road and my favorite hiring someone who he was in the road rage incident with
Obviously this never occurred because if it did, they would have a party to and call the police to get me in trouble as once again this is mothers main goal
During this time, she also sent fake screenshots of text messages allegedly from me to my ex fiancé. They were very obviously fake not the way either of us would ever text/ incorrect contact names no timestamps we also both have iPhones. The messages are green, but she kept insisting the person reviewing the text to " show me show me " a.k.a. harassment my attorney advised me not to say anything they would have her deposed then ask why she's doing this get her to say it on camera, and that was the best way however, after filing for deposition, she actually tried to file for a protection order from ME and no one went through with anything.
I know I can't actually blame this on her, but whenever I was driving without my daughter in the car of my brain would not stop. All I did was rack my brain of what her calculated motive was for sending these text messages they terrified me I thought she was going to murder me, my daughter or son After leaving my third day of a new job and I wrecked my car so bad it was totaled and I am lucky to be alive this same morning I recall telling my friend that morning at work that there's something wrong with me I couldn't sleep I couldn't eat this woman was actually tearing me apart and I thought I was going to get in a car accident. She would text me this whole time pretending to be her son from her sons phone number just crazy long harassing messages when I was at work, she pulled a million stunts trying to make me look bad just would not stop at all costs when was determined to take my daughter for herself. It was very clear she ruined her first child and she wanted another try After filing for her to be deposed, she is now suing me for allegedly over $30,000 which I do not have for the car that she claims I owed money on as well as back rent, which I never agreed to I would pay contributions whenever I could because her son paid nothing for rent or other expenses however there was never an agreement. Recently, during mediation for her suing me, she pulled out false contracts with many errors wrong address, wrong dates for example this car was totaled on Christmas day of 2018. Due to someone rear ending me, the contracts she falsified have a date of January 2019 but why would I sign contracts for a car that was already totaled and no longer in existence she also for forged signatures so terribly it was actually insulting
My attorney could already tell that that was a forged contract because the signatures we're not mine and I stated I would not be paying her a dime as I would like her to get in trouble for fraud, falsifying, documents, and forgery. I'll actually look forward to court even though it's wasting me a whole lot of time and money Which is exactly what she wants.
The worst part of this is a few weeks prior my daughters father has been kind of friendly, which was odd. He wanted to go to movies, I thought, as friends, and was kind of happy to be over with the hateful drama, but he didn't want to just be friends, and I very stupidly, went along with us not realizing in my heart I still had feelings for him After this mediation, which he knew was going to happen, and I knew I was going to make it clear I did not sign anything he got mad and said after promising multiple times and trying to convince me we just need to make rebuild our family trust each other again nothing else matters I foolishly believed him until the day of mediation when he got mad that I did exactly what I said, I was going to do, and said we should try this again when all the court stuff is done, I have never felt so stupid and angry and betrayed in my life I sent him a long text detailing everything that happened the fact that I was reluctant and said no and I resisted he was and he promised this was best for everyone to do and for our daughter to have her parents together and I just wanted my daughter have the best life possible
After ignoring him for a few days, he said he's gonna come over to talk and once again, couldn't make it has he's done many times in the past and said we could do it another day because he had to go to another boys night/meeting with his coworkers, but he was actually going to be drinking and getting fucked up couldn't even take an hour to come talk and see our daughter Fast fwd to tonight and while he was with these friends, I was so infuriated and beyond done I said to him several text messages explaining how terrible he had been a human being, and how stupid I was to actually believe him how we have never had a future after this, and I didn't know I had in my life ever again Embarrassingly they are very, very long text and I like quadruple texted. Haven't heard a word from him I don't think I will and once again the most embarrassing I feel I still have feelings for him, which makes me so angry. I wish he just left me alone and never tried to start anything again I was fine until I agreed to start this all over again I am so devastated and so sad, I wish I had never met him The only thing I'm grateful for is our daughter but I feel badly. Just want these feelings to go away. I'm so upset I've been crying I just don't understand how he could tell me how sorry he was and how much he loved me and just staring and holding me for hours to now three weeks later, going right back up his mom's ass as he will clearly always side with her and never me
This is my first Reddit Post- admittedly, it's very scrambled and this might b more of I fucked up situation or am I an asshole for actually giving him another chance. Keep in mind we still have to go to court for permanent custody and other things. What should I do? I want so badly to ignore him and to not have any feelings for him again but he is the only person I have ever truly loved He now has quite an ego currently of having the upper hand, as I believe he just wanted see if I would take him back and I did and that's all the validation he needed.

I need some expert advice. I'm a homeowner who received a bid for a roof replacement. The contractor sent me the bid in an Excel sheet on the same day he saw the roof. Based upon research for similar jobs in my area, the bid was fair.
On the bid, there is no start date listed for the work and no estimated time for completion. The contractor told me he has lots of jobs that are 3 to 4 months out, and that he puts his bids in the order they are accepted, and then calls to set up a time to do the work. That is why there is no date on the contract for the work to start.
The contractor did not sign the bid electronically, and I asked if he wanted me to do so and then he could send it back to me after he signed, but he said he didn't want that. He wanted me to print it, sign it, and send it to him.
The proposal said there was a 30-day window that if not accepted, could be withdrawn by the contractor. One hour from when it was emailed to me, the contractor began asking me to sign it. I waited a couple of days and he was getting pushy with texts and calls to receive it.
I couldn't figure out why someone who has all this work, was concerned about me signing this proposal and getting it back to him as fast as possible. He explained it was to save my place in line and that he served his customers in the order in which the bids were received. He wanted me to post-date it to the day he made the bid, and saving my place in line was the reason.
I signed the proposal, even though my gut was saying to wait. I felt the pressure and held off on mailing it for two days, and then he called me to make sure it was in the mail.
This guy may be fantastic at roofing, but he's not much of a businessman, nor a good communicator. We have different communication styles for sure, making it more challenging to work with him, even at this early stage.
As I sit with the proposal (7 days after bid was sent to me) I signed and mailed to him I am wanting to withdraw my acceptance because of the following.

1. No start date.
2. No end date.
3. No estimate for how long the job will take.
4. No signature by the person issuing the bid.
5. Poor communication with contractor that I fear will get worse.

The financial terms are "half down, remainder upon completion". When I asked him about this in a follow-up email before signing, he said call me. I did and then he said he would want half right before the job, and that he would call me when he was ready to do the job - at some unknown future date. Nothing about that on the bid.
I spoke with a friend who asked her roofer about this and he said that since there was no money exchanged for a deposit, no start date, no end date (or estimated time for completion of the job), no signature by the contractor, and a 30 day window after acceptance, that I should just call him and withdraw my acceptance.
Honestly, I'm just getting a bad feeling about how this is starting out and I hate the loose nature of no starting date or estimate in writing. If it's binding, I'll honor it, but it seems like it's probably not.
I have not yet contacted the contractor to ask for the withdrawal, but I expect he may get angry which I don't like, but I can deal with it.
Your advice?
Thanks.

I moved out of the house at 17. I’m 21 now. My relationship with my mom has slightly improved primarily because I now live quite far away from her and don’t see / interact with her as often which has made a big difference in my life for the better. Despite this, every time I go home to visit, which is infrequent and only when practically inescapable (holidays and such), I still feel such a deep rage and sadness & overall unhappiness being home. I feel unsafe, I feel trapped and just so unhappy. I hate being home. And I feel grief and envy and anger for the childhood & home life I never got. I see my friends get excited to go home at holidays meanwhile I have nightmares for weeks leading up to going home to the point where I wake my partner up because I yell in my sleep having “arguments” with my mom or even weeping in my sleep. I stop eating normally leading up to going home partially because of anxiety and partially because my mom has always criticized my body & my weight and it’s been an incessant and never ending topic & point of contention in our relationship so I feel really self conscious and feel the need to starve myself prior to going home so I look “skinnier” and she has less to criticize or I can minimize our chances of arguing which is unlikely but I still feel the need to try. I am a bit overweight and I admit this but it is not anything significant (I’m still in good health) and even though I’ve struggled with an eating disorder, much of which stemmed from how fucked up she made my relationship with my body & food from a young age she still criticizes my body. Anyways I’m rambling but all of this to say I feel extreme distress when going home & whenever I’m here, even if the trip isn’t as bad as past ones have been, I feel overcome with constant anxiety, anger and sadness while being here and I’m continuously reminded of an almost primal urge to never come home again. And I feel so much guilt because my mom seems to be wanting to be “better” lately. She sends me sweet messages and has been making “an effort” not to be as mean or critical to me outright, or so it seems, and tells me how much she misses me and how happy she is for me to be home. And it tears me up inside. Because I feel so guilty, I feel like a bad person, like a selfish person. And yet, I know it’s all a ruse and it’ll let up the minute I do something to piss her off or set her off or the minute she stops being able to put up the facade and it drops. She acts all kind and it’s very clear that it’s an act & that she is biting her tongue from all the shit she’s thinking & wants to say to me & she’ll still make passive aggressive comments that she makes me feel crazy for noticing & then acts like a victim in front of other people and likes to put on a big show of how nice she is to me and how ungrateful or distrustful of her I am. Despite all this & despite the fact that this trip home hasn’t even been that bad in comparison to the past (no bad jinx!), I have this constant urge to go no contact with her. It’s a constant fantasy of mine. I’ve even had extensive maladaptive daydreams about faking my own death to be able to get away from her. And yet, even as an adult, going no contact feels out of reach. Hence the maladaptive daydreaming & faking my own death fantasies. Because she’s extremely controlling & i literally can’t even imagine the aftermath and fallout of me going no contact. I’ve played it over and over and over again in my head and there’s no way it doesn’t end in her driving down to my house, getting other family members to text me and guilt trip me on her behalf etc etc… I honestly fear she’d even take legal action. In the past, when I’ve expressed some of my feelings about our relationship she’s threatened me with a conservatorship. Which I don’t even think would be legally viable / possible but I’m scared. She’s in a profession that revolves around power & gives her a very good grasp over the legal system & I have no doubt she’d be able to manipulate it in her favour, or use her profession to track me down / surveill me. It’s just all so scary. I don’t want her in my life but I literally see no way out & I worry that trying to go no contact would make my life worse & more stressful because of her retaliations, than if I just keep putting up with the misery of occasional visits and interactions. It also just sucks because she’s very covert & manipulative & I know she’d be able to spin it as me being the “bad guy” and she’d be able to convince people in my life that I love that she’s the victim & probably make them resent me or at the very least not understand my decision & think I’m being unreasonable & unfair & selfish. Like I have younger brothers who I love and don’t want to loose touch with since they live with her and I don’t want them to feel like I’m selfish for making our mom sad. And I don’t want to receive the guaranteed guilt trips I’ll be sent from other family on her behalf , like from my grandparents. They don’t & wouldn’t understand. Their other daughter died young and doesn’t get to see her kids grow up & I know my family would view me as selfish for choosing “not to have a mom”. Idk it’s really complicated. As it often is. And I don’t know what to do. It’s something I’ve thought about for years & id feel so free. But it feels impossible. Also obviously there is a lot more context about our relationship but I can’t explain everything in one post.
Anyways thanks for reading. Advice welcome! Please haha

YŪREI CHRONICLES [ 幽霊クロニクルズ ]
Tales of Japanese Horror [ 日本のホラーの物語 ]
By: Seph Cruz [ 投稿者: セフ・クルーズ ]
CONTENTS [ コンテンツ ]
Preface [ はじめに ]
Chapter 1: The Cursed Scroll [ 第 1 章: 呪われた巻物 ]
Chapter 2: The Shrine in the Shadows [ 第 2 章: 影の神殿 ]
Chapter 3: The Haunting of the Geisha [ 第 3 章: 芸者の幽霊 ]
Chapter 4: The Onryo's Revenge [ 第 4 章: 怨霊の復讐 ]
Chapter 5: The Dollmaker's Curse [ 第 5 章: 人形師の呪い ]
Chapter 6: The Shadow in the Forest [ 第 6 章: 森の影 ] Chapter 7: The Haunting of the Yūrei Inn [ 第 7 章: 幽霊旅館の幽霊 ]
Chapter 8: The Curse of the Haunted Kimono [ 第 8 章: 幽霊着物の呪い ]
Chapter 9: The Mirror's Malevolence [ 第 9 章: 鏡の悪意 ]
Chapter 10: The Bridge to the Beyond [ 第 10 章: 彼方への架け橋 ]

 "Yūrei Chronicles: Tales of Japanese Horror" 

Chapter 1: "The Cursed Scroll"
In the heart of Kyoto, where history whispered through the ancient streets, there existed an antique bookstore known only to those who sought the rarest of tomes. Nestled among centuries-old texts and dusty manuscripts, a forbidden scroll lay hidden, waiting for an unwitting soul to stumble upon its chilling secrets.
Chapter 1: "The Cursed Scroll"
The quaint, dimly lit bookstore was a treasure trove of the past. Intricate calligraphy adorned scrolls, while faded ink whispered stories of long-forgotten samurai and mystical creatures. Among these relics of history, one scroll remained elusive, concealed behind a glass case. Its dark, ornate cover bore no title, and its presence seemed to beckon.
Haruki, a young scholar with a fascination for the occult, visited the bookstore one rainy afternoon. His curiosity led him to inquire about the enigmatic scroll. The elderly shopkeeper, Mr. Tanaka, peered at him with a knowing look, cautioning him about the scroll's malevolent reputation.
"Many have sought to uncover its secrets," Mr. Tanaka said, his voice trembling with age, "but few have lived to tell the tale."
Haruki, undeterred by the ominous warning, insisted on examining the scroll. Mr. Tanaka, sensing the scholar's determination, reluctantly unlocked the glass case. As Haruki unrolled the ancient parchment, he saw that it was filled with intricate symbols and incantations, written in a language he could barely comprehend.
For days, Haruki delved into the scroll's mysteries. His sleepless nights were filled with whispers from unseen forces, and chilling drafts seemed to haunt his small apartment. Yet, he pressed on, believing that the scroll held untold knowledge and power.
One fateful night, as a full moon cast eerie shadows across his cluttered study, Haruki recited an incantation from the scroll. The room grew icy cold, and an otherworldly presence enveloped him. A mournful wail echoed through the room, and Haruki's heart raced as he beheld the apparition before him.
A yūrei, its long, disheveled hair obscuring its gaunt face, hovered in the air, its eyes filled with anguish and rage. It reached out bony, pale fingers toward Haruki, its spectral form translucent yet undeniably real.
In that moment, Haruki realized the scroll's true nature – a curse that summoned vengeful spirits to torment the living. He had unwittingly invited the yūrei into his world, and now, it sought retribution for its suffering.
The scholar's life turned into a nightmare as the vengeful spirit haunted his every waking moment. His research became an obsession to find a way to pacify the yūrei and lift the curse. With each passing day, Haruki's health deteriorated, his body and mind succumbing to the relentless torment.
Desperate, he sought the guidance of a renowned exorcist, who revealed a grim truth. The only way to break the curse was to discover the scroll's origins and offer the yūrei the peace it so desperately sought.
As Haruki ventured deeper into the scroll's history, he uncovered a tale of betrayal and tragedy that spanned centuries. With newfound knowledge and a heavy heart, he prepared to confront the vengeful yūrei and set things right.
In a chilling confrontation between the living and the dead, Haruki faced the spirit, offering it the closure it craved. As the yūrei dissipated into the ether, its mournful wail echoed one last time, fading into the night.
Haruki emerged from the ordeal forever changed, carrying the weight of the scroll's curse as a cautionary tale. The forbidden knowledge he had sought had come at a great cost, a reminder that some mysteries should remain hidden, and some curses should never be invoked.
As the sun rose over Kyoto, the antique bookstore remained shrouded in an eerie silence, and the cursed scroll returned to its cryptic slumber, waiting for the next unwitting soul to unlock its dreadful secrets.
End of Chapter 1: "The Cursed Scroll"
Chapter 2: "The Shrine in the Shadows"
In the heart of a tranquil Japanese village, nestled among ancient forests, stood a centuries-old Shinto shrine, known to few but revered by all. This sacred place held an eerie secret, hidden in the shadows of its past.
Chapter 2: "The Shrine in the Shadows"
The village of Mizuki was picturesque, surrounded by dense woods and the whispers of rustling leaves. Its most treasured gem was the Shōrin Shrine, a sanctuary dedicated to the worship of the kami, where the villagers paid homage with heartfelt prayers and offerings.
On a bright spring morning, the Hayashi family moved into a charming house near the shrine. Yuko, a spirited young girl with inquisitive eyes, was enchanted by the quaint beauty of Mizuki and the mystique of the Shōrin Shrine. Her parents, Masato and Yuki, hoped the peaceful village would offer respite from the bustling city.
Their first evening in Mizuki was serene, and the family felt blessed to live in such an idyllic place. As night descended, they heard a faint melody echoing through the forest—a haunting tune played on a traditional shamisen. Yuko, drawn by curiosity, followed the eerie melody to the shrine.
At the shrine's entrance, she saw a flicker of movement among the trees and bushes. As her eyes adjusted to the dim moonlight, she gasped in awe and terror. There, bathed in an ethereal glow, stood a beautiful woman dressed in a white kimono, her long hair cascading like an ebony waterfall.
The woman's face bore an expression of immense sorrow, and her eyes seemed to pierce Yuko's very soul. In her delicate, spectral hands, she held a shamisen, its strings plucked by fingers that had long since turned to mist.
"Who are you?" Yuko asked, her voice quivering.
The apparition gazed at Yuko with an inscrutable sadness and whispered, "My name is Hana. I have been bound to this shrine for centuries, waiting for someone to hear my song."
Hana's story unraveled like a tragic tapestry before Yuko. She had once been a young woman in love with a humble fisherman from Mizuki. Their love was forbidden, and when their secret was discovered, they met a tragic end at the hands of the villagers.
As she spoke, the melody of her shamisen became more mournful, and the trees seemed to weep in sympathy. Hana's spirit, bound to the shrine, could only find solace by sharing her story with the living.
Yuko, moved by Hana's tale, felt a deep connection to the ghostly figure. She promised to help Hana find peace and bring her story to light. Together, they would uncover the truth behind the tragic love story that had ensnared the shrine for centuries.
As Yuko delved into the village's history, she uncovered hidden documents and ancient scrolls that confirmed Hana's story. The injustice done to Hana and her beloved was a blot on the village's past, a truth that had been concealed for generations.
With newfound determination, Yuko rallied the villagers to acknowledge the village's dark history and to seek forgiveness for the sins of the past. In a moving ceremony at the Shōrin Shrine, the villagers offered their prayers, and Hana's spirit was finally set free.
As the first rays of dawn bathed Mizuki in golden light, Hana's ethereal form dissolved into a wisp of gratitude and serenity. The shrine, once shadowed by sorrow, now radiated with newfound peace.
"The Shrine in the Shadows" became a tale passed down through generations, a reminder that love and forgiveness could transcend even the darkest of curses. Mizuki continued to flourish, its shrine standing as a testament to the enduring power of redemption.
End of Chapter 2: "The Shrine in the Shadows"
Chapter 3: "The Haunting of the Geisha"
In the vibrant streets of 19th-century Tokyo, beneath the shimmering lanterns and behind the delicate allure of geisha, a haunting presence lurked—a presence that would forever change the life of a celebrated geisha named Kaede.
Chapter 3: "The Haunting of the Geisha"
In the heart of Tokyo's historic Yoshiwara district, Kaede was renowned as one of the most captivating and skilled geisha. Her beauty was ethereal, her dances mesmerizing, and her laughter like the tinkling of wind chimes. But beneath her porcelain makeup and the grace of her performances lay a heart heavy with secrets.
One cool autumn evening, as the lanterns cast their warm glow on the district, a newcomer arrived at the teahouse where Kaede performed. His name was Kaito, a handsome and enigmatic man with piercing eyes that seemed to see beyond the facade of the geisha. Kaede's heart quickened as their eyes met, and she felt a connection she had never experienced before.
As weeks turned into months, Kaede and Kaito's bond deepened, their love blossoming like the cherry blossoms in spring. But their love was a forbidden one, as Kaito was a samurai, and their worlds were as different as night and day.
One fateful night, Kaito revealed a dangerous secret to Kaede—he was involved in a plot against a powerful daimyo who ruled with cruelty and oppression. Kaito believed that by exposing the daimyo's corruption, he could bring justice to the people. He asked for Kaede's assistance in gathering information from the teahouse's influential patrons.
Reluctantly, Kaede agreed, and together, they embarked on a treacherous path filled with deceit and danger. As the days passed, they uncovered dark secrets that could expose the daimyo's crimes. However, their actions did not go unnoticed.
One evening, as Kaede performed for a gathering of influential men, a sinister figure appeared in the shadows. It was the vengeful spirit of a geisha named Akiko, who had perished in Yoshiwara under tragic circumstances. Her ghostly form was veiled in a blood-red kimono, and her eyes burned with malevolence.
Akiko's haunting began subtly—a chill in the air, whispers of despair, and a feeling of dread that hung over the teahouse like a shroud. Kaede, sensing the supernatural presence, knew that they had awakened a vengeful spirit.
Desperate to protect Kaede, Kaito sought the guidance of a local exorcist, who revealed the tragic story of Akiko. She had been a geisha in love with a samurai, but their forbidden love had led to betrayal and death. Her restless spirit sought vengeance on those who dared to love across societal boundaries.
With the exorcist's help, Kaito and Kaede embarked on a perilous journey to confront Akiko's spirit and offer her the peace she so desperately sought. In a climactic showdown, they faced the vengeful geisha, revealing the truth behind her betrayal and death.
As the first light of dawn bathed the Yoshiwara district, Akiko's spirit dissipated, her eyes filled with sorrow and resignation. The curse she had cast upon the teahouse lifted, and peace returned to the district.
Kaede and Kaito's love story continued, forever marked by the supernatural forces they had encountered. The teahouse thrived once more, its lanterns casting their warm glow over the enchanting district, where love knew no boundaries and forgiveness transcended even death.
"The Haunting of the Geisha" became a legend whispered among geisha in Yoshiwara, a testament to the enduring power of love and the consequences of forbidden desires in the mysterious world of Edo-era Tokyo.
End of Chapter 3: "The Haunting of the Geisha"
Chapter 4: "The Onryo's Revenge"
In the heart of a decaying city, where abandoned buildings stood as silent witnesses to forgotten tragedies, a group of urban explorers would stumble upon a place where the restless dead held their sinister dominion.
Chapter 4: "The Onryo's Revenge"
The city of Kurayami had fallen into disrepair, its once-thriving industries crumbling, and its streets echoing with the memories of better days. Among its many derelict structures was the forsaken Kurayami Hospital, a place whispered about only in fearful tales.
Rumors spoke of a curse that had befallen the hospital after a gruesome series of medical experiments in the early 20th century. Patients had been subjected to horrific procedures, and their agonized cries still seemed to reverberate through the corridors.
A group of urban explorers, lured by the thrill of the forbidden and the allure of the macabre, set their sights on Kurayami Hospital. Among them was Hiroshi, the group's leader, and Yumi, a budding photographer with an affinity for capturing the eerie beauty of abandoned places.
As the explorers entered the hospital's crumbling entrance, they were greeted by the musty scent of decay and the eerie silence of long-abandoned hallways. Shadows danced in the dim light as they ventured deeper into the forsaken building, their footsteps echoing like distant whispers.
The group's excitement turned to unease as they encountered signs of the hospital's dark past—rusty surgical instruments, bloodstained gurneys, and cryptic medical notes. Yumi's camera captured it all, each photograph revealing more about the hospital's gruesome history.
As night fell, the explorers gathered in the hospital's decrepit lobby, their flashlights casting trembling beams into the darkness. It was then that they heard it—a faint, mournful wail, like the keening of a soul in torment.
Hiroshi, the group's fearless leader, brushed off their concerns, attributing the sound to the wind or their imagination. But the cries grew louder and more anguished, echoing through the halls.
The group became separated as they navigated the labyrinthine corridors. Yumi, camera in hand, wandered into the hospital's disused psychiatric ward. There, in a shadowed corner, she saw her camera's flash reveal a horrifying apparition—an onryo, a vengeful spirit with long, disheveled hair and eyes filled with hatred.
The onryo's spectral form contorted with rage as it approached Yumi. Its icy fingers reached out, and she felt an otherworldly coldness pierce her very soul. She knew that this was the spirit of a patient who had suffered unimaginable horrors in the hospital.
As Yumi's companions searched for her, they stumbled upon the onryo's lair and witnessed the terrifying encounter. In a desperate bid to save Yumi, they searched for a way to pacify the vengeful spirit.
Through a combination of research and communication with a local historian, they learned the full extent of the hospital's atrocities. Armed with this knowledge, they returned to the onryo's domain to confront the spirit and offer it the peace it had been denied for so long.
In a climactic showdown, the group faced the onryo, revealing the hospital's dark secrets and acknowledging the suffering of the tormented souls within. With profound remorse, they begged for forgiveness on behalf of those who had perpetrated the atrocities.
As the first rays of dawn broke over Kurayami, the onryo's anguished wails transformed into a mournful sigh. The spirit, its wrath finally quelled, dissipated into the ether, leaving behind a sense of profound sadness and closure.
The group of urban explorers emerged from Kurayami Hospital, forever changed by their encounter with the supernatural. They had confronted the past and offered redemption to the restless dead, leaving the decaying city with a newfound sense of hope.
"The Onryo's Revenge" became a cautionary tale among urban explorers, a reminder that some places are best left undisturbed, and that the past, no matter how dark, can be confronted and reconciled.
End of Chapter 4: "The Onryo's Revenge"
Chapter 5: "The Dollmaker's Curse"
In a remote mountain village, nestled among mist-shrouded peaks, a master dollmaker crafted exquisite creations that captured the hearts of collectors worldwide. Yet, within her secluded workshop, a malevolent force lurked—one that would ensnare a curious journalist in a nightmarish world of living dolls and dark secrets.
Chapter 5: "The Dollmaker's Curse"
Hidden away in the secluded village of Ichiban, known only to those who ventured deep into the mountains, lived a master dollmaker named Ai. Her dolls were celebrated for their lifelike beauty and craftsmanship, with collectors from distant lands coveting her creations.
One brisk autumn morning, a journalist named Keiko received a cryptic letter from a source in Ichiban, hinting at a sinister mystery surrounding Ai's dolls. Intrigued by the enigmatic message, Keiko embarked on a journey to the remote village, determined to uncover the truth.
Ichiban was a place untouched by time, its cobblestone streets winding through dense forests and past centuries-old homes. The village exuded an eerie tranquility, and the locals spoke in hushed tones about Ai's dolls, rumored to be infused with a piece of the human soul.
Upon reaching Ai's workshop, Keiko was greeted by the dollmaker herself, a woman of grace and poise. The workshop was a treasure trove of exquisite dolls, their eyes seeming to follow Keiko's every move. Among them, a particular doll known as Hikari stood out—a hauntingly beautiful creation with ebony hair and obsidian eyes.
As Keiko delved deeper into the village's mysteries, she discovered that Hikari was believed to house the soul of a deceased child, a belief held by both Ai and the villagers. The doll's unsettling presence and the uncanny resemblance it bore to a girl named Mei, who had died tragically years ago, sent shivers down Keiko's spine.
Keiko's nights in Ichiban were filled with restless dreams of porcelain dolls that came to life. In these dreams, Hikari beckoned her to uncover the truth behind the dollmaker's creations. Guided by an inexplicable compulsion, Keiko embarked on a quest to unearth the dark secrets hidden within Ai's workshop.
As Keiko investigated further, she uncovered Ai's own tragic past—a story of unrequited love, loss, and a desperate desire to capture the essence of the human soul in her dolls. With each revelation, the line between the living and the lifeless blurred, and Keiko felt herself becoming entangled in a nightmarish world.
The dolls that had once been works of art now seemed to harbor malevolence. They moved of their own accord, their eyes filled with an eerie, lifelike intensity. Keiko realized that Ai's obsession had bound her to a sinister force, and her creations hungered for more than just existence.
In a chilling climax, Keiko confronted Ai and the curse that had gripped her creations. Together, they sought to break the curse's hold and release the trapped souls within the dolls.
As the moon hung low in the night sky, Ai performed a solemn ritual, guided by the spirit of Mei, whose essence had been captured in Hikari. The dolls, imbued with a restless energy, gathered around, their haunting eyes watching as the curse was lifted.
With a mournful sigh, the dolls' porcelain features softened, and their malevolence dissipated. The spirit of Mei was set free, and the dolls became lifeless once more, their beauty preserved in eternal stillness.
Ichiban returned to its peaceful slumber, and Keiko departed with a newfound appreciation for the power of art and the depths of human longing. The village's haunting tale of the dollmaker's curse served as a reminder that some obsessions could lead to the creation of something far more sinister than art itself.
End of Chapter 5: "The Dollmaker's Curse"
Chapter 6: "The Shadow in the Forest"
In a land steeped in history and tradition, the Aokigahara Forest, known as the "Suicide Forest," concealed a dark secret. Within its dense, ancient foliage, a group of hikers would embark on a journey that would lead them into the heart of a malevolent force.
Chapter 6: "The Shadow in the Forest"
Deep within the prefecture of Yamanashi, shrouded in a perpetual mist, lay the infamous Aokigahara Forest—an expanse of ancient woodland that held a dark reputation. Known as the "Suicide Forest," it had been a site of countless tragic deaths throughout the centuries.
A group of adventurous hikers, seeking to conquer the wilderness and challenge the forest's ominous legends, gathered on a chilly autumn morning. Among them was Akira, an experienced guide with a deep respect for the forest's history, and Yumi, a young woman in search of adventure and solace from her own troubled past.
The hikers ventured deep into the forest, their footsteps muffled by the thick blanket of moss and fallen leaves. The dense canopy above cast eerie shadows, and the trees seemed to whisper secrets of sorrow and despair.
As they trekked further into the woods, they began to notice strange occurrences—a disconcerting sense of being watched, distant whispers on the wind, and ghostly apparitions that flickered at the edge of their vision. Akira, the guide, attributed these phenomena to the forest's ominous reputation and urged the group to press on.
Yet, the forest's grip on their minds and senses tightened. Yumi, in particular, felt a strange connection to the haunting forces that seemed to lurk behind every tree. Inexplicable visions of tragedy and despair flashed before her eyes, and a sense of overwhelming dread enveloped her.
Night descended on the forest, and the hikers set up camp, their flickering campfire offering the only semblance of comfort in the oppressive darkness. It was then that Yumi encountered a spectral figure—a yūrei, her kimono tattered and her eyes empty voids.
The yūrei beckoned to Yumi, her voice a mournful echo. Unable to resist, Yumi followed the apparition into the depths of the forest, her companions unaware of her disappearance. The yūrei led her to a clearing where an ancient tree stood, its gnarled roots forming a grotesque face.
As Yumi approached the tree, she felt a malevolent presence—an ancient spirit of the forest itself. It spoke to her, revealing the tragic history of Aokigahara—the place where those who had lost hope sought refuge in death.
Yumi learned of the forest's vengeful guardian, a yūrei born of countless lost souls, whose suffering fueled its malevolence. It was the embodiment of the forest's sorrow, forever bound to torment those who ventured within.
Realizing that Yumi was now connected to the yūrei, her companions embarked on a desperate search to rescue her from the forest's clutches. With the guidance of Akira's knowledge and determination, they confronted the vengeful spirit, revealing the pain of their own pasts and the impact of their actions on the world around them.
As the first rays of dawn bathed Aokigahara in a pale light, the yūrei's malevolence waned, and its grip on Yumi loosened. With a final sigh, it dissipated into the morning mist, its haunting presence released from the forest.
Yumi was reunited with her companions, forever changed by her encounter with the malevolent spirit of Aokigahara. The forest's ominous reputation remained, a reminder of the darkness that could consume those who dared to venture too close to its heart.
"The Shadow in the Forest" served as a chilling testament to the mysteries of Aokigahara, where the past and the present intertwined, and the boundaries between life and death blurred beneath the ancient canopy.
End of Chapter 6: "The Shadow in the Forest"
Chapter 7: "The Haunting of the Yurei Inn"
In a remote village nestled among mist-covered mountains, a centuries-old inn held a sinister secret. When a weary traveler seeks refuge within its ancient walls, she becomes entangled in a web of supernatural mysteries that threaten to consume her soul.
Chapter 7: "The Haunting of the Yurei Inn"
The village of Okuyama was a hidden gem, nestled among towering peaks and blanketed in mist. Within this secluded haven stood the Yurei Inn, a centuries-old establishment steeped in history and whispered legends. Its age-old charm masked a sinister truth—a haunting presence that had plagued the inn for generations.
Amidst a dense fog, a lone traveler named Rei arrived in Okuyama, weary and seeking shelter from the elements. The Yurei Inn, with its rustic charm and flickering lanterns, seemed like the perfect refuge. Little did Rei know that her stay at the inn would unravel the mysteries hidden within its ancient walls.
Upon her arrival, Rei was greeted by the inn's elderly proprietress, Eiko, a woman whose weathered features and deep knowledge of the village's history hinted at a deeper connection to the inn's haunting past.
As Rei settled into her room, the oppressive atmosphere within the inn became palpable. Shadows seemed to dance in the corners of her vision, and strange, ghostly whispers echoed in the corridors. Unbeknownst to her, Rei had become a pawn in a centuries-old battle between the inn and the vengeful spirits that resided within.
In the dead of night, Rei awoke to a chilling presence at her bedside—an ethereal yurei, her white burial kimono flowing like a spectral river. The vengeful spirit's eyes held an insatiable hunger, and she reached out to Rei, her fingers icy and skeletal.
Rei's nights became torment as she encountered more yurei within the inn, each with their own tragic stories of betrayal, injustice, and unfulfilled desires. The spirits sought vengeance, and Rei's presence within the inn had awakened their malevolence.
Desperate to uncover the inn's secrets and free herself from the spirits' relentless pursuit, Rei sought the guidance of Eiko. The elderly proprietress revealed the tragic history of the inn—an establishment built on the suffering of countless souls who had met their demise within its walls.
Eiko's own family had been entangled in the inn's dark legacy, and she bore the weight of their deeds. Together, Rei and Eiko embarked on a journey to confront the yurei and offer them redemption, hoping to break the cycle of suffering that had plagued the inn for centuries.
In a harrowing confrontation with the vengeful spirits, Rei and Eiko unveiled the truth behind the inn's cursed history and acknowledged the pain of the souls that had been wronged. With heartfelt apologies and rituals of atonement, they sought to release the spirits from their torment.
As the first rays of dawn bathed Okuyama in a golden light, the yurei's spectral forms dissolved into the ether, their eyes filled with a mix of sorrow and gratitude. The Yurei Inn, once a place of darkness, now held the promise of redemption.
Rei departed from Okuyama, forever marked by her encounter with the supernatural. The Yurei Inn, now cleansed of its malevolent spirits, stood as a testament to the power of reconciliation and the hope of breaking the chains of the past.
"The Haunting of the Yurei Inn" became a cautionary tale among villagers, a reminder that the sins of the past could be confronted and forgiven, even in the face of vengeful spirits.
End of Chapter 7: "The Haunting of the Yurei Inn"
Chapter 8: "The Curse of the Haunted Kimono"
In the heart of Kyoto, where tradition and modernity intertwined, a family heirloom, an ancient kimono, carried a chilling curse that had plagued generations. A woman must delve into her family's history to uncover the origins of the curse and find a way to break it before it consumes her and her loved ones.
Chapter 8: "The Curse of the Haunted Kimono"
Kyoto, the city of a thousand temples, was a place where time seemed to stand still. Among the historic districts, the Nakamura family had passed down a treasured heirloom for generations—an exquisite silk kimono adorned with intricate embroidery, a relic of a bygone era.
The kimono had always been a source of fascination and reverence within the Nakamura family. It was said to be imbued with mystical powers, protecting its wearer from harm and misfortune. But beneath its ornate beauty lay a dark secret—a curse that had haunted the family for centuries.
Emi, the youngest of the Nakamura family, had grown up hearing stories of the kimono's mystical properties and the curse that clung to it. When her grandmother passed away, leaving the kimono in her care, Emi became the latest custodian of this fabled garment.
As the years passed, strange occurrences began to plague Emi and her family. The kimono seemed to have a malevolent presence, causing nightmares, unexplained accidents, and a growing sense of dread. Emi's husband, Toshiro, and their young daughter, Yuki, bore the brunt of the curse's effects.
Desperate to protect her loved ones, Emi embarked on a quest to uncover the origins of the curse and find a way to break it. She delved into her family's history, poring over ancient scrolls and consulting with local priests and scholars.
Through her research, Emi learned of a tragic love story that had been concealed for generations—a forbidden romance between a Nakamura ancestor and a woman from a rival clan. The lovers had been torn apart by a vengeful spirit, and their love had been sealed within the cursed kimono.
With newfound determination, Emi sought out the help of a renowned exorcist, who revealed that the curse could only be broken by reconciling the spirits of the star-crossed lovers and offering them a chance at eternal peace.
Emi, Toshiro, and Yuki embarked on a journey to the ancestral shrine of the Nakamura family, where they conducted a solemn ritual to appease the vengeful spirits. As they offered their prayers and made heartfelt apologies on behalf of their ancestors, a profound sense of forgiveness washed over them.
In a climactic moment, the cursed kimono transformed, its once malevolent aura dissipating into the ether. The spirits of the star-crossed lovers, now free from their torment, appeared before Emi and her family, their eyes filled with gratitude.
As the cherry blossoms rained down upon Kyoto, Emi, Toshiro, and Yuki returned home with a newfound sense of peace and closure. The kimono, no longer cursed, became a symbol of their family's resilience and the enduring power of love and forgiveness.
"The Curse of the Haunted Kimono" served as a reminder that the sins of the past could be atoned for and that the bonds of love and family could transcend even the darkest of curses.
End of Chapter 8: "The Curse of the Haunted Kimono"
Chapter 9: "The Mirror's Malevolence"
In a quiet suburban neighborhood, an antique mirror with a sinister past found its way into the home of a young couple. As they unwittingly unleashed the malevolent spirit trapped within, they must confront the mirror's dark history to save themselves and their family.
Chapter 9: "The Mirror's Malevolence"
In a serene suburban neighborhood, where cherry blossoms bloomed with each passing spring, lived a young couple, Hiroshi and Aiko, who were enamored with the charm of their new home. They had recently moved into a quaint, old-fashioned house that came with a peculiar antique mirror.
The mirror was ornate and beautiful, its frame adorned with delicate carvings of cherry blossoms. It had been left behind by the previous owner, a recluse who had passed away under mysterious circumstances. Little did Hiroshi and Aiko know that this mirror carried a malevolent secret.
As they settled into their new home, strange occurrences began to unfold. Reflections in the mirror seemed to distort, showing glimpses of eerie, shadowy figures lurking in the background. At night, whispers filled the room as if unseen voices murmured from within the glass.
Aiko, with her fascination for the occult, was the first to sense the mirror's sinister aura. She delved into research, uncovering tales of a cursed mirror that had plagued the previous owner's family for generations.
The mirror had once belonged to a vengeful spirit, a yūrei who had perished in despair. Its malevolence was bound to the glass, and those who possessed it were tormented by the spirit's relentless anger and sorrow.
Desperate to free themselves from the mirror's curse, Hiroshi and Aiko sought the guidance of a spiritual medium. Through a series of rituals and séances, they made contact with the vengeful spirit trapped within the mirror.
The spirit's story unfolded like a tragic drama—the yūrei had been a young woman in love with a man from a rival clan. Their love was forbidden, and when their secret was discovered, they had both met a grisly end. Her spirit had been bound to the mirror as punishment for her defiance of societal norms.
With the medium's help, Hiroshi and Aiko offered prayers and apologies on behalf of the mirror's original owner, seeking forgiveness for the wrongs committed against the vengeful spirit. They vowed to help the spirit find peace and redemption.
In a chilling climax, they conducted a final ritual, allowing the yūrei to pass on and find the solace she had been denied for centuries. As they gazed into the mirror one last time, they saw the spirit's reflection fade into the distance, her eyes filled with a mix of gratitude and farewell.
The mirror, now cleansed of its malevolence, became a symbol of hope and renewal for Hiroshi and Aiko. Their family flourished, and the cherry blossoms in their garden bloomed with newfound vibrancy, a testament to the enduring power of love and forgiveness.
"The Mirror's Malevolence" served as a chilling reminder that even the most innocuous objects could carry dark secrets, and that confronting the past and seeking redemption could break the bonds of even the most malevolent curses.
End of Chapter 9: "The Mirror's Malevolence"
Chapter 10: "The Bridge to the Beyond"
In a remote mountain village, isolated from the modern world, a historic bridge served as a link between the living and the dead. When a group of travelers crossed its ancient planks, they would discover the chilling truth behind the bridge's supernatural origins.
Chapter 10: "The Bridge to the Beyond"
Deep within the heart of the Japanese mountains, nestled among ancient forests and shrouded in mist, lay the village of Yamanokawa. It was a place where tradition and superstition still held sway, and the bridge that spanned the river was both a lifeline and a gateway to the unknown.
A group of adventurous travelers, drawn by the allure of Yamanokawa's untouched beauty, embarked on a journey to explore the village's remote reaches. Among them were Kaito, a historian with an insatiable curiosity, and Mia, a photographer who sought to capture the essence of this secluded world.
The village's centerpiece was the Akane Bridge, a weathered structure made of ancient wood and adorned with centuries-old lanterns. Its planks creaked with the weight of history, and the river below whispered tales of lives long gone.
As the travelers ventured deeper into Yamanokawa, they discovered that the villagers held a profound reverence for the bridge. It was said to be a link between the living and the dead, a place where offerings were made to appease the spirits that dwelled in the surrounding forest.
As night descended, the travelers set up camp near the Akane Bridge, its lanterns casting an eerie, flickering glow on the river's surface. It was then that they heard the sound—a mournful melody that seemed to emanate from the bridge itself.
Mia, driven by curiosity, followed the haunting tune to the bridge's edge. There, bathed in an otherworldly light, she saw a figure—a woman in a white kimono, her long hair flowing like an ebony waterfall.
The woman, whose name was Hikari, revealed herself to be a yūrei, a spirit bound to the Akane Bridge for centuries. She had once been a young bride whose love had been torn apart by a tragic accident on her wedding day. Her spirit was eternally linked to the bridge, where she waited for her beloved to return.
Kaito, the historian, delved into the village's archives and uncovered the tragic story of Hikari's past. It was a tale of love and loss, of a bride whose life had been cut short, and a groom whose heart had been forever scarred by grief.
With newfound determination, the travelers sought to reunite the spirits of Hikari and her beloved. They embarked on a journey deep into the forest, following a path laden with offerings and prayers.
At the heart of the forest, they discovered an ancient shrine dedicated to love and reconciliation. There, in a poignant ceremony, they offered heartfelt prayers and apologies on behalf of the villagers and the groom who had never returned.
As the first light of dawn broke over Yamanokawa, a sense of serenity washed over the Akane Bridge. Hikari's spectral form dissolved into the river's mist, her eyes filled with a mix of longing and gratitude.
The travelers departed from Yamanokawa, forever changed by their encounter with the supernatural. The Akane Bridge, now freed from its haunting past, stood as a testament to the enduring power of love and the hope of reuniting even in the afterlife.
"The Bridge to the Beyond" became a legend whispered among villagers, a reminder that some bonds could transcend time and that the spirit of love endured even in the face of eternity.
End of Chapter 10: "The Bridge to the Beyond"

Happy Post Mother's Day Aussie Mums! and to anyone else who celebrates Mother's Day on Sunday the 11th of May. My apologies, I am ignorant to this holiday outside of thunder from down under.
My MIL was blinded by the light as I set my shiny spine to Diamond BLAST mode. She retreated back down her mole hole and out of sight until hubby returned from his overseas trip. Upon return hubby let his mother know he was safely back in the country, just a courtesy, and then we had a lot of catching up to do *wink wink*.
For those of you who asked, hubby had bought me some waterproof boots for winter for mother's day as our kid has recently started a winter sport and it gets f*cking cold. Wet socks and shoes is no joke so he remedied that situation for me in the form of some nice new boots! I will be the hottest Mum at the sporting fields!
Also, for those who read my post history and asked, I didn't unblock my MIL's number. She ambushed me from a new number. Don't panic! It's all good! I have remedied that situation, her old number and the new number are all successfully blocked so she can't play ping pong with me. Next time (as we all know there will always be a next time) if it looks and sounds like MIL, it will be a MIL and I will not respond at all. I will be blocking any MIL sounding number texts from the get go from now on with a rinse and repeat! Another lesson learned!
After hubby settled in at home, I fed and watered him and then made him go and have a sleep. Whilst he was snoozing, I got his bags unpacked, washing sorted and anything not worn put away. The devil herself decided to ring non-stop for 3 hours trying to get her beloved son on the phone. I ended up turning his phone off to end the incessant ringing after the 10th attempt and we didn't think of it again until the next day.
When hubby turned his phone on before leaving for work the following day, he had a whopping 106 missed calls, 13 voicemails and 15 text messages from MIL. He deleted all the voicemail messages without listening to them and cleared the phones call log history so the 106 missed calls disappeared. He also deleted all the texts, because f*ck reading those..... (he literally said that LMAO).
He went off to work and then on the way home he decided to give her a call. Phone convo went like this:
MIL: OH! My dear boy! I was so worried, why didn't you answer my calls?!!!
Hubby: OP got me home, fed me up, I turned my phone off and then I crawled into bed to sleep. Man she's so awesome! She unpacked all my stuff, put if away and got all my washing sorted for me. Man she's the best! I missed her and son so bloody much. It's great to be home.
By this point in time I imagined gigantic pikachu face. Hubby said he meant every word but knew that would stir her up.
MIL: Oh never mind her! You missed my Mother's Day! All your siblings came over and we had a wonderful lunch, OP did not come of course. I extended a lovely invitation but she declined, claimed she was celebrating with her own mother or something like that.
Hubby: Oh yes! I saw the messages you sent her from your NEW number. How nice of you not to let her know off the bat it was you. I also saw she replied to you in kind.
MIL: What? You have seen the messages I sent her.
Hubby: Of coarse! She took a screen shot of them on Saturday when you sent them to her and sent them to me so I could see you had contacted her.
By this point in time hubby said MIL was almost hyperventilating on the other end of the phone. Hubby continued,
Hubby: I was especially surprised by the fact you called her an idiot. That wasn't very nice, was it mum?
MIL: *crickets*
Hubby: Not to worry. We are busy next week with sons birthday, then the week after its our wedding anniversary, I know you detest the day, so I won't be asking you to celebrate that one with us The following weekend were away, at this stage Mum I may be able to visit you towards the end of June. Things may change of course but I'll let you know.
MIL: *silent*
Hubby: Mum, are you still there? I can't hear you, well if your still there and your listening, hope you have a great day, I'm home safe, it was nice to hear from you and I'll talk to you again soon to organise to come see you towards the end of June. Cya mum!
*click*
Hubby said it was f*cking hilarious. That was on Wednesday. Haven't heard from her since..... Stick that in your mole hole and smoke it!
Edit: spelling - ma bad

We've been together just over 10 months. I have been staying with her at her apt (where she has two other roommates) for the past 2-3 months, not moved in but pretty much living there. At the end of March she brought up that she was re-signing the lease in a couple of days and that the landlord doesn't want people staying there who aren't on the lease and so I need to decide whether I want to sign the lease, or only come over once in a while (I don't have a place for us to go).
She first mentioned that my decision wouldn't affect our relationship, then soon after switched to saying that we couldn't stay together if I didn't move in. I didn’t know what to say and didn't have an immediate decision and she basically took that as a no and pretty much told me to gather my stuff to go. But I stayed. I asked if I could pay rent but not sign the lease, she said it wasn't an option. This is a huge decision for me and with that amount of time to decide I started panicking, was up all night panicking and frantically called all my family members and anyone who would listen for advice (I have really bad anxiety too and tend to spiral badly).
The next day I told her I was panicking and that I didn't know what to do. She seemed understanding saying she knows it's a lot and didn't even want to bring it up, but I guess the landlord thing caught her by surprise. I kept going back and forth in my head but told her the next day "I'll sign the lease I just need to know more information." And she says "but you have to be sure."
The deadline day comes and nothing happens. Turns out it wasn't as important as she said it was and she signed the lease, and apparently I could be added later. So now I have more time but I'm still going back and forth in my mind about it. One of the big drawbacks was it is a shared lease so if one roommate doesn't pay, basically it falls on the others and just from being around there I've seen that turn very bad. I finally mostly made up in my mind that I didn't want to sign the lease and would accept the fact that it would mean we're breaking up. I'm just trying to find a good time to bring it back up.
Then she ends up bringing it back up one night (about a week later?) saying "you're not moving in are you?" and I said "no I can't sign the lease." So she helped me pack up all my stuff and I left. A couple days later she messages saying she has one of my board games I left there. I said I wouldn't care except it belonged to my grandma, but that I had a couple of her clothes. Then I noticed I had her state id and debit card (in my jacket pocket) that she asked me to hold earlier the night I left. And she says "I'm guessing by your response that we're done." and I'm like "that's the assumption I got so yes." Then she basically says that wasn't the case and to bring her her stuff.
So I do and we talk for a bit and she isn't happy with the fact that I left without putting up a fight or trying to figure it out and says I was faking things the whole time and didn't actually have feelings for her and am running at the first hard thing (which is very untrue that it's the first hard thing) and all this stuff. I told her that it isn't true that I don't have feelings for her and that if someone wants me to leave their home I'm leaving. She says she's never messaging me again and I leave.
A couple days later I'm missing her a ton and am feeling super depressed and lonely but know it will pass, but right in the middle of it she messages me this dramatic sad message about how everything is reminding her of me and she wishes she never made eye contact with me that one day and has never been so heartbroken and that the worst part is I didn't want to move in even without being on the lease. I should've taken some time to reply but in my emotional state I said basically how I miss her and thought that wasn't an option and agreed to meet at her apt that night and discuss further. I was picturing in my mind moving in and was totally for the idea at that moment.
Later I was starting to have second thoughts and wished I wouldn't have replied so quick but felt I had to at least go chat with her as we had both planned on it. We talk and I tell her some of my concerns about living there to which she didn't react very well and we didn't get very far and didn't agree on anything other than that we need to discuss further at some point. I still had all my stuff together in the car so I stayed there and we basically went back to our routine of living together, but both knowing everything was still up in the air. Of course our work schedules are very contradictory so a lot of the days we hardly even see each other.
After a little bit it finally hits me that I really don't want to move in and I became pretty set on that. Again I was now waiting for what felt like the right time to reintroduce the topic. And then one day while I'm at work, I get a text from her saying that her and her roommate were having an argument and that it's best if I not be there for a few days (this has happened once or twice before and it's never really anything). Knowing my mind is made up I figure now I have to bring it up because if I'm leaving for a "few days" I might as well not come back. So I say "that's not good. I understand, I just need to grab some things." And I figured when I get there I'd say something such as "I shouldn't come back because I'm not ready to move in." She messaged back saying "if you have the heart for it you can stay." But I say "If you think I shouldn't be there then I'll go." She says I show no concern for her.
I get there and she has all my stuff ready to go, says I have no fight for her and pretty much breaks up with me saying "this time I actually won't message you again." And I leave. As I was about 5min away she messages about something of mine at the apt and I said I'd be right back, then sends me some messages about how I was a terrible boyfriend. I grab it and go.
A couple days with us apart again go by and she messages me saying it feels unfinished and she wants to meet at a bar and talk. I said I can't this weekend, but did leave the option open for during the week. I told her I've realized I'm really in no place to be in a relationship right now and am not ready for the commitment of moving in. She seemed somewhat understanding, wishing me the best. She messages again a couple days later about meeting up and I decided it wouldn't help anything and told her no, there's nothing more to discuss. Then she starts sending long dramatic texts about how I'm a terrible person and I was faking liking her and she doesn't wish the best for me and karma will come for me etc.
TLDR: Girlfriend said If I choose not to move in then we have to break up and after going back and forth I decided not to move in. Now I'm being accused of not having feelings for her and hurting her and I'm a terrible person.

I need some expert advice. I'm a homeowner who received a bid for a roof replacement. The contractor sent me the bid in an Excel sheet on the same day he saw the roof. Based upon research for similar jobs in my area, the bid was fair.
On the bid, there is no start date listed for the work and no estimated time for completion. The contractor told me he has lots of jobs that are 3 to 4 months out, and that he puts his bids in the order they are accepted, and then calls to set up a time to do the work. That is why there is no date on the contract for the work to start.
The contractor did not sign the bid electronically, and I asked if he wanted me to do so and then he could send it back to me after he signed, but he said he didn't want that. He wanted me to print it, sign it, and send it to him.
The proposal said there was a 30-day window that if not accepted, could be withdrawn by the contractor. One hour from when it was emailed to me, the contractor began asking me to sign it. I waited a couple of days and he was getting pushy with texts and calls to receive it.
I couldn't figure out why someone who has all this work, was concerned about me signing this proposal and getting it back to him as fast as possible. He explained it was to save my place in line and that he served his customers in the order in which the bids were received. He wanted me to post-date it to the day he made the bid, and saving my place in line was the reason.
I signed the proposal, even though my gut was saying to wait. I felt the pressure and held off on mailing it for two days, and then he called me to make sure it was in the mail.
This guy may be fantastic at roofing, but he's not much of a businessman, nor a good communicator. We have different communication styles for sure, making it more challenging to work with him, even at this early stage.
As I sit with the proposal (7 days after bid was sent to me) I signed and mailed to him I am wanting to withdraw my acceptance because of the following.

1. No start date.
2. No end date.
3. No estimate for how long the job will take.
4. No signature by the person issuing the bid.
5. Poor communication with contractor that I fear will get worse.

The financial terms are "half down, remainder upon completion". When I asked him about this in a follow-up email before signing, he said call me. I did and then he said he would want half right before the job, and that he would call me when he was ready to do the job - at some unknown future date. Nothing about that on the bid.
I spoke with a friend who asked her roofer about this and he said that since there was no money exchanged for a deposit, no start date, no end date (or estimated time for completion of the job), no signature by the contractor, and a 30 day window after acceptance, that I should just call him and withdraw my acceptance.
Honestly, I'm just getting a bad feeling about how this is starting out and I hate the loose nature of no starting date or estimate in writing. If it's binding, I'll honor it, but it seems like it's probably not.
I have not yet contacted the contractor to ask for the withdrawal, but I expect he may get angry which I don't like, but I can deal with it.
Your advice? Thoughts?
Thanks.

*I'm not so sure if this is necessarily for this channel, but since there is a political piece to it, I'm going to share it here*
A short five days ago, Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker was asked to give a speech to the graduates of Benedictine College. Most of these students likely never got a high school graduation because of COVID, so this was obviously a monumental moment for these young adults' lives. All the hard work and all the perseverance through difficult and uncertain times led to that graduation ceremony. Instead of that day being remembered for the students walking across the stage receiving their hard-earned degrees while the families cheer with high emotions reflecting on the journey to this moment, their ceremony will be remembered for the message that an NFL player sent to these graduates which, in my opinion, was inappropriate, lacked decorum, and made a lot of people's blood boil.
I will preface the rest of this text by saying that I do not condone religious slander and am a firm believer that every religion deserves respect.
Harrison discussed things in his speech that you should never be brought up when addressing college graduates in a formal setting like that, and it doesn't take a wise person to know this. Here are just a couple of talking points that simply had me scratching my head wondering if I was listening to a graduation speech or a Talking Point USA video on YouTube:

1. For the female graduates, you are being fed nothing but sinister lies about womanhood and how you should live your life. Having your own aspirations and career goals and finally being a step closer to achieving them is not what you should be most excited about. You should be more excited about dedicating your lives to being a mother to your future children, and a wife to your future husband!

Harrison, I'm not sure if you are aware but your target audience is mostly between the ages of 21 and 23. Also, people don't go to college and take on thousands in student debt because they just wanna marry and have a family; that's just not how that shit works. There are no degrees for homemaking. It seems slightly misogynistic to me that you think women live the most fulfilling lives when they center their entire adult lives around being a "servant" to their husbands and children. I really don't understand why husbands wouldn't want their wives to focus on following their dreams and becoming super successful.

1. The POTUS claims he's a proud Catholic but his delusional "woke" ideologies suggest otherwise.

I'm sorry, I didn't realize advocating for the minorities, the poor, and the voiceless was an anti-Catholic thing to do. I get it, Biden is far from perfect and has done plenty of questionable things. He is allowed to have his beliefs and you are allowed to have yours, and that applies to everyone. For you to question his faith because his beliefs don't fall exactly in line with yours is disrespectful. For you to bring all of this up at a college graduation while spreading misinformation is also unprofessional. The NFL blesses you with millions of dollars and you choose to represent them in this manner?

1. "Congress just passed a bill where stating something as basic as the biblical teaching of who killed Jesus could land you in jail."

What? What the hell are you talking about? Do you think others think religion is hate speech? Listen, I know that some folks don't like that the LGBTQ+ community is trying to be fairly represented and viewed as actual human beings, but that doesn't mean that they're trying to take your religion away from you. The First Amendment still exists and it's not going anywhere soon. Please do not delude yourself into thinking that your religious beliefs can get you prosecuted; believe it or not, Christianity and Catholicism still are (and have been) the most popular religions in the U.S. for a long time.
Christianity and Catholicism have most certainly faced scrutiny in the past few years. It's not necessarily the religion itself that has caused it, it's more so the followers and preachers of God's word who have faced heavy backlash; Harrison is the most recent example. Again, it is totally okay for someone to believe in any religion. It doesn't make you a bad person. Where it crosses the line is when you attempt to demean, harass, and dehumanize or even force your beliefs onto others who do not believe what you believe. We have seen this with Congress, with state representatives, with Democrats and Republicans, with those who simply don't have the human decency to respect their differences.
There is so much political divide in large part due to the divisiveness of the two-party system. You're either on one side or the other at this point. The reality is this: change is scary. We can either move forward towards a better and stronger America or we can get stuck in the past with what doesn't make us great. Harrison's speech reminded me of how easy it is to disrespect someone's point of view when it doesn't align with your own. I think my assessment of his talk might have been a little unfair in that regard. For those of you who made it to the end, regardless of your political beliefs, let's accept the fact that we have differing opinions. I may question certain beliefs and ideologies, but at the end of the day, I do respect that you believe in what you want to believe in. Please do not let your opinions cause physical or mental harm to another person. For those of you who plan on giving a speech at a college graduation ceremony, please leave politics out of your speech. Graduation is a highly emotional time in a college student's life. This is a time for reflection, for family, for pride, and for optimism, not for political opinions and fearmongering.
TL;DR: politics and personal opinions on matters unrelated to college do not belong in a college graduation speech. Harrison Butker did not get this memo and has gone viral for his remarks during his speech at Benedictine College. We all tend to get defensive of our beliefs and I am no exception to this.

This morning, I found old text messages on my boyfriend's (23M) phone. Some from March-April last year. We were EXTREMELY exclusive at the time but didn't begin "dating until July" for some reason.
Context: He had some really crazy habits at the time trying to make a name in the music scene (I DJ too so I tried to accept it but tried talked to him about it) and he was very fresh out of/possibly still kind of in a relationship when I first met him... my first issue I know. (He denies this but I found proof...he did end up cutting it off soon)
In these messages, he’s flirting with a woman around (40F) who is apart of the music scene around town. She gave him her address and saying she wants to have sex, etc. To which he responded “Ughhhh I just saw this. Call me anytime ;)” and hearted her message. He claims he never had sex with her and would just go along with it to gain opportunities and gigs from her? Apparently she is connected to people and made some introductions for him. He also called her babe multiple times, offers to do things for her, calls her beautiful, and he says he called her babe because she’s European and that’s how she talks?
He proceeded to tell me that “she’s a swinger of course I didn’t want her” and all of these other rude things about her looks. He completely denied any attraction of any excitement out of the flirting.
Not to mention, he brought me around her a couple of months ago… now that I live in the area and I didn’t even know any of this had gone on. We attended this retreat he apparently didn’t know she’d be at and I did this whole workout and spiritual thing not knowing about any of this? Makes me feel like a fool.
He also did this with another woman around (27F) who works at a venue and has a nice following, which lasted until September. I didn't really get too much context on this situation since the conversation was mostly deleted except for she was talking about gaining feelings for him. Apparently they met up a couple of times to which he said “I wanna see youuu” and he has been to her house and told me that he would talk on the phone and be there for her after the death of one of her friends? And brought her chic fil a?
Why would she catch feelings though? He had to have done something for her to feel that way. He said he was just being nice and giving her someone to talk to which he still shouldn’t have done? Sounds like BS to me.
I can't 100% tell if he means what he says in saying he was just using them or if he was actually flirting? These are not particularly attractive girls and I’m outright confused. He has an excuse for every single thing I ask him and I just can't seem to tell if he's being serious. I am definitely leaning towards leaving him.
At the time we were long distance, and I moved to his state in January.
A couple months ago, we ran into some middle-aged women at an event and one of them made a comment about remembering him from “the airport, stripclub, airbnb" or something like that. He said he had no idea who she was or what she was talking about and come to find out, the (40F) woman was friends with her and asked him to pick her up. He now says that she just told the story wrong since it was a hookah lounge and there was no strip club, but at the time he told me he had no clue what she was saying at all or who she even was and I felt very disrespected and confused.
He tends to fixate on details and give a whole other excuse. It honestly makes my brain go insane. I want to think the best of him but I know exactly what it sounds like.
It's just so hard for me because we live together and are just setting up our futures. His habits have always been difficult for me to accept, but he was just now starting to see the light and changing his ways.
On top of this, he's been asking his family for money and I had no idea. He's been charging his mom for our rent at which he told me he had "savings" and I guess he didn't want to stress me out? But I saw that they've been arguing about this and I still haven't met his parents. I just feel like this is all off to the wrong start and I am not confident in his actions.
He also lied to his mom repeatedly as to reasons why he couldn't meet her up to talk. I get it she just wanted to scold him and was overwhelming him, but he made up lies like "I got into a car accident" and used the excuse of I told her it's not serious and nobody was harmed or "My phone is broken and needs to be repaired" etc. etc. Apparently he also had a friend die? I guess he claims this one was true but I never heard about it. Confusing. I think he might be a pathological liar. That's what his sister said.. Not to mention the EX he had just "broken up with" when I met him was involved with this family. She was his sister's husband's very close NIECE. His mom still sees her when he goes to watch his sister's kids.
I don't know if I'll ever be able to have a relationship with his family, due to the way he has handled things. I haven't been able to attend or been invited to family gatherings, etc. etc. I thought I was just being outright rejected initially but it all makes sense now.
He is not on good terms with his family and they don't approve because he admitted to cheating on his ex to his sister (I saw the messages even though he told me he just told her what he wanted to hear so that they stopped bothering him?) and they've been paying my rent without me knowing?
I can tell he has been trying to improve his character and habits recently all around, though and that he does care for me but it's sad because he also tells me everything I want to hear. He's recently been sticking more to his word but it freaks me out because he just says things and they are not at all true sometimes.
I think I need to leave it's just such a fragile time as he is having a hard time affording this place and started this lease just to be with me/ because my previous lease was ending and I didn't have anywhere to go. He moved me out here singlehandedly. He also does every single thing I need and tends to me in every capacity.
I feel upset because it seems he does this for others too. Or did. He kisses a lot of a**.
Should I dm these women to find out if they ever had sex with him? He claimed he was just using them and never even kissed them. But there are addresses being exchanged and he's been to their houses? Apparently they're just people from the "music scene" who he has been trying to go along with and be nice to literally JUST to get bookings.
There are a lot of underlying foundational issues but we also live together and I've never received so much love and understanding. He boasts about me to everyone and says he doesn’t know what he’d do without me and I helped him turn his life around and he doesn’t know where he’d be without me….
There has definitely a lot of genuine improvement since I’ve been here but we’ve also been together every single day, and I feel like those older habits could resurface in the future.
However, part of me doesn't know if it's valid to be mad at the messages because they were from so long ago, but I remember being super invested and driving 6+ hours to see him at the time. :( The family thing is a completely other issue. I feel lied to and confused. I feel like everything is a lie but the second I talk to him he has an excuse or explanation for every little thing. I don’t know if there’s anything else I don’t know, I am sure there is though honestly.
I know it is a lot. Any advice is welcome.
Somehow I still feel very guilty.. he is outside crying and I just feel horrible somehow.

I love her, she was one of the first people that I ever really truly enjoyed speaking and spending time with. The intelligence that she possessed and bubbly personality brought out the same bubbly feelings within me, even in seventh grade. I soon filled my time writing messages to her in Facebook messenger, asking about everything I was curious about whilst sitting at my brother’s baseball games, my cellphone burning my hands from overheating, but I just couldn’t put it down. We would talk about everything.
Now twenty-three, we don’t. I feel as though I have lost the light and bubbly feelings. I think I resent her.
I grew up a scared kid, afraid to state my honest feelings, doing whatever was needed to shape the results of my words and beliefs rather than feel them and let them serve to be an honest representation of myself. I just did whatever led to the least amount of conflict, leading me to be uncertain of my true wants and desires. With her however, I felt love, and I wanted her to be my love forever. From visiting her every weekend in school to changing colleges, I just did not want to let go of the love I had for her.
As years followed differences began to appear. Myself, wanting love to be communicated in a thought-out verbal nature with much care and emphasis in each word choice being my desired method of display of affection, she began to withdraw from this style of communication. Despite the beginning of our relationship being long talks on the phone or paragraphs of written texts back and forth, she said she was not capable of displaying affection in this way and there was no way to change it. Fork in the road, faced with an ultimatum, no ability to compromise, do I stay, or do I go? I stay. By simply learning to appreciate other methods of displaying affection, what does it matter if there is still love in the air. Remember, conflict isn’t an option; I mean I fought for what I wanted and for compromise, but whenever it got bad, I would refer to the tried-and-true mechanism of simply doing what rids of conflict.
Then the physical and intimate differences arose. I always liked back scratches, no matter how bad things got in my early years, a good back scratch would make me feel safe and escape the world in pure bliss for a little bit. I wanted this in my life still as an adult, but it wasn’t something she wanted to do. How do I continue to ask for something that she admitted to not enjoying doing? Even whenever I was selfish enough to ask for it and she would do it, you can tell when someone doesn’t want to be scratching your back when they start for a minute and just stop you know. So, I just stopped asking. Then copy and paste massages and head rubs for back scratches.
Intimately, she had asked me relatively early into our now six-year relationship if I had ever been interested in oral. I was, but I never had the guts to ask, so I said yeah. It came out that she had done it a few times on her earlier ex, and I admitted to her that I had never been the recipient of it. We had gotten close one time, but she had said she wasn’t interested in it that day. After asking a few more times, she opened up to me that she didn’t ever want to try again. It bothered me, I pushed for her to reconsider. I handled it poorly as my mind was so caught up in the jealousy and frustration revolving around her ex experiencing something that I never would if she was to be the one I wanted to be with forever, “Had I only been there earlier” I would think.
Eventually she confronted me and told me, “You can go get it from other people if you want, it doesn’t seem like you are ever going to get over it.”. This hurt me, I only ever wanted to be with her, and she was willing to be understanding to let me go get it from someone else. What had I done? I had pushed too hard.
“I will never ask for it again.” I concluded.
In the bedroom whenever it came to, well, positions, the first time we had ever done it, we did two she enjoyed. She was my first, and I eventually began to ask if we could try other positions, she tried, and it didn’t work for her. Nothing else seemed to work. I was okay with our tried and true two, but I wanted to mix it up every once in a while, and despite asking if we could try anything else again, it would simply kill the mood. I was frustrated again. I did not know what to do, and after discussing, I simply began to stop asking, again.
I began therapy when I was in college. From past traumas to my terrible coping strategies, it was all thrown out on the table. I focused on these core elements more so than my relationship struggles, however there were discussions about it. It had begun to help me. That is when it seemed more problems had arisen.
I had begun to heal.
My relentless internal monologue reinforcing my belief that “you shouldn’t want these things, you don’t deserve these things” and “if you push for your wants, there will be conflict and you will lose her, you will never find anyone else”, had begun to unravel. These self-destructive statements that served as stones weighing down the wants and desires, I had put into the bottom of my mind had begun to erode. The thoughts popping into mind whenever I spent time with her, I blew up.
On a long car ride, after being asked why I had withdrawn, I confronted her about the most recent buried request. Head rubs. Why was I always so clearly falling short of what she had wanted me to be, but never getting any of the things that I wanted? “It is just a head rub! Why do I not deserve a head rub?!”, I couldn’t take it anymore and I had blown. What ensued was a long conversation full of tears that simply laid out the fact that I was not happy, but she wanted me to be, but didn’t know how to do the things I had wanted.
We didn’t go much into specifics until we had gotten back home from our trip, but as I prodded into what was going to change, she informed me that all intimate things were off the table. She would, however, try harder to provide physical and verbal displays of affection more frequently. I was hopeful, while selfishly bummed at this time about intimate matters. But things were going to change, and I was excited.
Fast forward half a year, with unfavorable work schedules, a home renovation, and general exhaustion set in, things began to stress. Between the consistent reminders of not doing enough around the house, feeling like we are further away than ever yet always feeling guilty of not proposing yet, I confronted her again. Why was I always feeling like I was not doing enough or feeling like she was proud of me whenever there had been zero changes from our last argument several months ago. I was tired this time, yet more accepting. Once an argument ensued and escalated, I gave up.
“I feel like we shouldn’t be together. You are not in the wrong for not wanting to do things. No matter if we are referring to the physical or verbal acts of affection, or the intimate desires I have expressed, you should always hold true to your heart and your wants. But I give myself the same freedom of heart. Maybe there is someone out there that is a perfect match for your wants and communication, and maybe, there is someone out there that wants me the same way I want to be wanted and meets my needs.”
She cracked, she said she would do whatever it took to change, she would try things again, she would try harder this time and be different. I had heard this before, and I continued to express uncertainty. She mentioned couple’s therapy. I owed her this much; I was in part responsible for things going on for so long the way they had and never dying on the hills of those unwavering wants. “Yes, let’s try it.” I spoke. I know couples therapy takes time, so I will be patient and give it a shot.
What followed was one of the best days of my life, we spent time together intimately, had a wonderful evening out. It was a phenomenal day and breathed hope directly into my lungs. But then a drought ensued. I felt as though that one day had simply bought time, I made a conscious effort to express my love and desire as I knew these arguments could have created distance between us that would need to be held together despite that one good day, but why did everything revert? What happened?
It was just the work week and the hard schedule; I kept telling myself. It has only been a couple days. A week. A week and a half. I was starting to not really feel wanted again, I was feeling concerned. Several thoughts had begun to swarm inside of my head as well, frustration began to build.
Why did things suddenly seem to get better whenever I was ready to leave? Was that what it was going to take to resolve those issues from the years previous, would it have taken me to threaten to leave for each of these wants to be fulfilled? Why didn’t she love me in the way I loved her? All it would ever take for me to do something she wanted was to ask.
Why is it so hard for us to be together? There were so many fights that I had to just give up asking for what I wanted to avoid further conflict. I just want someone to want me in the way I want to be wanted. But I worry she will never genuinely want the things I want. I do not want her to feel forced to satisfy my wants. When do you know to call it off?
I have always enjoyed things that were impromptu, never asked for, but offered. It seemed like the most genuine display of love. It served to represent an honest desire to bring pleasure to the one you love. How can I feel loved and wanted whenever I have had to fight countless times and threaten to leave for my wants to be addressed or worth addressing, when in its truest form it comes without question?
We are just now starting couples therapy and I know it is quite the long haul from my personal experience, but I just want some outside advice in the meantime.
What should I do? What do I need to learn? Where do I start?

We've been together just over 10 months. I have been staying with her at her apt (where she has two other roommates) for the past 2-3 months, not moved in but pretty much living there. At the end of March she brought up that she was re-signing the lease in a couple of days and that the landlord doesn't want people staying there who aren't on the lease and so I need to decide whether I want to sign the lease, or only come over once in a while (I don't have a place for us to go).
She first mentioned that my decision wouldn't affect our relationship, then soon after switched to saying that we couldn't stay together if I didn't move in. I was at a loss for words and didn't have an immediate decision and she basically took that as a no and pretty much told me to gather my stuff to go. But I stayed. I asked if I could pay rent but not sign the lease, she said it wasn't an option. This is a huge decision for me and with that amount of time to decide I started panicking, was up all night panicking and frantically called all my family members and anyone who would listen for advice (I have really bad anxiety issues too and spiral badly).
The next day I told her I was panicking and that I didn't know what to do. She seemed understanding saying she knows it's a lot and didn't even want to bring it up, but I guess the landlord thing caught her by surprise. I kept going back and forth in my head but told her the next day "I'll sign the lease I just need to know more information." And she says "but you have to be sure."
The deadline day comes and nothing happens. Turns out it wasn't as important as she said it was and she signed the lease, and apparently I could be added later. So now I have more time but I'm still going back and forth in my mind about it. One of the big drawbacks was it is a shared lease so if one roommate doesn't pay, basically it falls on the others and just from being around there I've seen that turn very bad. I finally mostly made up in my mind that I didn't want to sign the lease and would accept the fact that it would mean we're breaking up. I'm just trying to find a good time to bring it back up.
Then she ends up bringing it back up one night (about a week later?) saying "you're not moving in are you?" and I said "no I can't sign the lease." So she helped me pack up all my stuff and I left. A couple days later she messages saying she has one of my board games I left there. I said I wouldn't care except it belonged to my grandma, but that I had a couple of her clothes. Then I noticed I had her state id and debit card (in my jacket pocket) that she asked me to hold earlier the night I left. And she says "I'm guessing by your response that we're done." and I'm like "that's the assumption I got so yes." Then she basically says that wasn't the case and to bring her her stuff.
So I do and we talk for a bit and she isn't happy with the fact that I left without putting up a fight or trying to figure it out and says I was faking things the whole time and didn't actually have feelings for her and am running at the first hard thing (which is very untrue that it's the first hard thing) and all this stuff. I told her that it isn't true that I don't have feelings for her and that if someone wants me to leave their home I'm leaving. She says she's never messaging me again and I leave.
A couple days later I'm missing her a ton and am feeling super depressed and lonely but know it will pass, but right in the middle of it she messages me this dramatic sad message about how everything is reminding her of me and she wishes she never made eye contact with me that one day and has never been so heartbroken and that the worst part is I didn't want to move in even without being on the lease. I should've taken some time to reply but in my emotional state I said basically how I miss her and thought that wasn't an option and agreed to meet at her apt that night and discuss further. I was picturing in my mind moving in and was totally for the idea at that moment.
Later I was starting to have second thoughts and wished I wouldn't have replied so quick but felt I had to at least go chat with her as we had both planned on it. We talk and I tell her some of my concerns about living there to which she didn't react very well and we didn't get very far and didn't agree on anything other than that we need to discuss further at some point. I still had all my stuff together in the car so I stayed there and we basically went back to our routine of living together, but both knowing everything was still up in the air. Of course our work schedules are very contradictory so a lot of the days we hardly even see each other.
After a little bit it finally hits me that I really don't want to move in and I became pretty set on that. Again I was now waiting for what felt like the right time to reintroduce the topic. And then one day while I'm at work, I get a text from her saying that her and her roommate were having an argument and that it's best if I not be there for a few days (this has happened once or twice before and it's never really anything). Knowing my mind is made up I figure now I have to bring it up because if I'm leaving for a "few days" I might as well not come back. So I say "that's not good. I understand, I just need to grab some things." And I figured when I get there I'd say something such as "I shouldn't come back because I'm not ready to move in." She messaged back saying "if you have the heart for it you can stay." But I say "If you think I shouldn't be there then I'll go." She says I show no concern for her.
I get there and she has all my stuff ready to go, says I have no fight for her and pretty much breaks up with me saying "this time I actually won't message you again." And I leave. As I was about 5min away she messages about something of mine at the apt and I said I'd be right back, then sends me some messages about how I was a terrible boyfriend. I grab it and go.
A couple days apart again go by and she messages me saying it feels unfinished and she wants to meet at a bar and talk. I said I can't this weekend, but did leave the option open for during the week. I told her I've realized I'm really in no place to be in a relationship right now and am not ready for the commitment of moving in. She seemed somewhat understanding, wishing me the best. She messages a couple days later about meeting up and I decided it wouldn't help anything and told her no, there's nothing more to discuss. Then she starts sending long dramatic texts about how I'm a terrible person and I was faking liking her and she doesn't wish the best for me and karma will come for me etc.
TLDR: Girlfriend said If I choose not to move in then we have to break up and after going back and forth I decided not to move in. Now I'm being accused of not having feelings for her and hurting her and I'm a terrible person.

Previous case
We're back to business as usual at Orion. Sort of. I'll get into that in a minute. But first, I just need to put it out there that sometimes the clients drive me nuts. As much as I have an apparently irresistible desire to help everyone, some people really push it. Push it right off of a fucking cliff, that is.
I’m going to stop myself before I go off on an unhinged rant about the woes of dealing with the public. Instead, I’ll let yinz see for yourselves what I've been putting up with.
(If you're not familiar with what Orion Pest Control's services are, it may help to start here.)
We received a call from a client about mosquitoes running amok in her home. Since we had a few others to take care of that day, I informed her that the earliest that one of us could investigate the matter was in the afternoon. But because this woman is clearly so much more important than everyone else, her royal highness threw a hissy fit about having to wait like a common peasant.
I tried to be as nice as possible, “Ma’am, I understand that it’s frustrating, but there are others that called ahead of you, so we have to take care of their problems before we can take care of yours.”
The client huffed, “Okay, you clearly aren’t hearing me. There are mosquitoes in my house!”
“Yes, ma’am, I heard you. However, you are not our only client, so we ask that you please be patient and we will be there as soon as we can.”
I should also mention that this client talked out of the back of her nose, if that helps to paint a picture of how her cadence was equally as grating as her personality. “Okay, but do those people have mosquitoes? Like in their house, biting them and their kid over and over? My son could have Zika virus right now!”
Jesus Fucking Christ. I rubbed my temple with my free hand as I did my damndest to keep my customer service persona in place, “Again, ma’am, I understand that this is frustrating, but we have a wasp infestation and termites to deal with before you and those families want their kids to be safe, just like you. In the meantime, I recommend wearing bug spray or burning a citronella candle until we can get to you. We will be there as soon as we can.”
“You better be! And you really need to work on your customer service, sweetie!”
The client hung up on me.
I had to pace around the office after that one. Sweetie? Shove it up your ass, you entitled, snotty… You know what? Nevermind. I have many words to describe clients like that and none of them are pleasant. I hoped that she’d get mosquito bites in all of the most private areas of her anatomy.
It probably didn't help that I was saddled with some bitterness after the ‘dogging’ incident. I knew that there wasn't anything I could do about the mechanic other than stay out of his way going forward. And boy, did that eat me up.
On that note, I know what the mechanic is, however, even whispering the official title of these Neighbors is enough to draw them to you. I'm not sure if writing it counts and I'm not about to find that out the hard way.
Just know that if you hear wings beating from the west at night, hide and pray that you'll be passed by. Placing a line of salt on all of the doors and windows facing the west keeps them from coming inside. Once they set their sights on you, they'll never stop hunting you. Even death itself fears them. You'll still be running long after your heart stops beating.
But I promise, I’ll elaborate more on that later. I’m getting ahead of myself. Back to the case.
Reyna was at the point in her training where she could be trusted to deal with termites on her own. After I had the wasp nests taken care of, I set out to her royal highness’ home, and earlier than I’d told her, might I add. I will admit that I was tempted to dally a bit just to piss her off, but then I figured that it would be better and more professional to just get it over with.
She looked exactly like how I pictured her to look, complete with a weasley sneer that only the most unlikable of human beings are able to master.
“It’s about time.” She snapped.
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “Where have you noticed the mosquitoes the most?”
“Everywhere.” She said unhelpfully,
Her husband stepped in. “In the kitchen and basement, mostly.”
To make this call even better, the husband decided to take it upon himself to follow me around as I did my inspection, asking me pointless questions and giving me advice that I didn't ask for.
It got to a point where his hot breath wheezed into my ear as I shined my flashlight under their sink.
Stiffly, but politely, I asked, “Sir, can you please keep your distance?”
His wife chipped in, “Will you let her do her job, Curtis? It took her long enough to get here, and if you keep pestering her, it's going to take even longer!”
The husband puffed up and snapped, “Well, it's my house! I need to know that the person working in it knows what they're doing!”
They began screaming at each other. As obnoxious and uncomfortable as it was to have to bear witness to it, at least they weren't focused on me anymore. I shook my head and kept searching for the source of the infestation.
What I was looking for was standing water, which is essential for a mosquito's life cycle; you eliminate the standing water, you eliminate the infestation. The space beneath the sink was completely dry.
With the argument going on, I almost didn't hear it. An odd little sound. The easiest way to describe it was that it sounded like, ‘Kudo! Kudo!’
My head turned to follow it. That's when I noticed that one of the floorboards was slightly raised up from the rest.
I interrupted their marital problems, “You said that your son was sick earlier? Would he happen to have chills and a high fever?”
The client spat, “Yes, because some people-”
Not in the mood for her nonsense anymore, I cut in, “Ma'am, please just answer the question. I am trying to help you, I really am, but I'm going to need some more information in order to do that.”
She looked taken aback, her face bright red. While she balked, her husband answered instead, “Our son said he was feeling under the weather, but he does that whenever he wants to get out of something. You know how kids are.”
Good lord. Parents of the year.
“Have you noticed your salt going missing?”
The wife blinked at me, “How did you know that?”
I told them that I'd be right back and went to retrieve a cage from the truck. This critter is an odd one in that not only is salt not a suitable repellent for it, but it actually loves the stuff. It can consume as much as ten grams of salt per day. So if you find that the salt in your home has gone missing, it could mean that a False Egg has made a nest.
I returned with the cage and advised the couple to either move into another room or wait outside. Would it surprise yinz when I say that they refused? Not in the mood to argue, I just shrugged. Okay. Suit yourselves.
I set the cage up next to the lifted floorboard, took my salt off of my toolbelt, and sprinkled some inside the cage. It would placate the False Egg once I got it inside.
Using my knife, I pried the floorboard up. From behind me, the husband began to protest, but his wife snapped at him to keep still.
Meanwhile, my eyes met the beady gaze of a False Egg from where it hid under their floorboard.
At first glance, it looks like a white chicken's egg. If consumed, it causes the host to lay more False Eggs. That's how it reproduces. The telltale signs that you're looking at a False Egg include two dark spots on the shell near the pointed top of the ovoid. Those are the eyes, which they can leave closed to camouflage themselves. You may also notice two small holes at the bottom of the shell, which is where its legs can retract in and out. Mosquitoes follow False Eggs wherever they nest, though it's unclear why.
Generally, they're more of an annoyance than anything. However, they can cause flu-like symptoms in those that they feel threatened by, so they do pose a slight danger to those with compromised immune systems.
To my surprise, the False Egg leapt out of its nest and into the cage, tucking its legs back into its shell comfortably. Even though it didn't seem to have any intentions of moving, I quickly shut the door of its cage.
For the first time since I arrived, the clients were speechless. The woman had a hand over her open mouth while the man stared at the False Egg in a mixture of horror and disgust.
It wasn't until I stood up with the cage that the man asked, “What the hell is that?”
“The source of the infestation.” I replied. “I’ll take this guy out to the truck. The mosquitoes should follow him, but just to be sure, I'm going to ask that you all leave the house for a few hours so that I can apply a chemical treatment that'll kill off any stragglers. And your son’s condition should improve in a day or two.”
The couple didn't give me any trouble. They quietly collected their sick teenaged son, saying something about getting ice cream, then fucked off to do whatever while I dealt with the rest of the mosquitoes.
Once I was done, I drove off to release the False Egg somewhere where it could complete its life cycle away from humans. It is able to reproduce in any mammal. While forcing other organisms to lay eggs is bizarre and can be alarming for the affected individual, it doesn't appear to hurt the hosts, other than causing some mild abdominal discomfort. Once the False Egg is laid, the host goes back to normal, which is why we generally don't feel the need to kill them.
Unexpectedly, the False Egg talked to me.
It had a small, soft, mousy voice. “Thanks for getting me out of there.”
I glanced at the False Egg. I had its cage on the passenger's seat. Its eyes were visible, along with its little white legs as it sat on the bottom of its cage. It looked up at me as it wiggled its small feet absent-mindedly.
Whenever it spoke, a small crack that resembled a toothy mouth appeared in its shell. That was something to add to our records: not only are False Eggs capable of speech, but their mouths are located below their eye spots.
Stunned, I said, “You're welcome.”
The False Egg continued, “Oh, those humans are vile! I hadn't realized it when I first made my nest. Do you want to know why I made the boy sick?”
“Why?”
So that's how I learned every aspect of this family's lives. I'm sure yinz care even less than I do about some suburbanites’ interfamily drama, so I'll just say that it wasn't bad enough to warrant a call to social services, but enough that I can see why that kid probably couldn't wait to turn 18. Overbearing mother, father trying to use his son to relive his glory days as a high school athlete. The False Egg had done the boy a solid, giving him just enough of a fever to excuse him from lacrosse tryouts.
“Where are we going?” The False Egg asked after telling me all that information that I didn't know what to do with.
“Back to the forest.”
The False Egg kept swinging its little feet, “Can you take me somewhere nice? If it's not any trouble?”
Why not? Maybe some scenery would improve my mood.
So me and my little egg buddy took a little drive to the pond. It was a picturesque area as well as a nice environment for a False Egg. They prefer caves, but as long as they're near water, they'll be fine. When I opened its cage, the False Egg hopped out, its little eyes and shelled body swiveling to take in the peaceful sight.
“Oh, this is wonderful! Thank you!” Before it skipped off, it paused. “I think it would only be right if I told you something that could help, since you brought me here.”
It turned, its shell splitting to form a mouth as it hesitated before speaking, “If you hear whispers in the woods, even if it sounds like someone you care about, don't listen. The louder they are, the safer you are. They get quieter as they get closer to confuse you.”
Hold on. That didn't make any sense. The whispers had gotten louder and more urgent as I approached the mechanic's clearing.
Unless I was wrong and he wasn't the one doing it.
I asked, “Is the whispering thing disguising itself as a mechanic?”
The False Egg tilted to the side thoughtfully, “I'm afraid not. It doesn’t like to pretend to be human.”
So there was something else out there with me when I went looking for Victor. I remembered then that the whispers had stopped once I got close to the mechanic's clearing. When I unintentionally allowed them to lead me astray, they took me in the opposite direction of where he'd been waiting. Interesting.
With the False Egg wandering off to establish a new nest that was far away from humans, I headed back to the office, unsure of how to feel about the information it had given me.
Victor looked annoyed when I came in. The clients had called to complain about my ‘poor customer service.’ Wow. Okay.
“Next time, just leave the False Egg there.” Victor said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “They want to complain about poor customer service? We can show them bad service!”
“It's fine, Vic.” I replied. “Just let them leave their one star Google review and move on.”
“These fucking people…” He grumbled.
Victor's headspace hasn't been much better than mine. He's been pretty much stuck waiting by the phone for those ominous calls that the mechanic mentioned in the woods. They don't happen often, but when they do, he gets grim. Quiet. He hasn't told me in detail what has been requested of him. I don't know if he simply doesn't want to talk about it or if he's sworn to secrecy.
We'd had a long, uncomfortable talk during one of my days off while recovering from getting dogged. Victor stopped by with coffee and a box of donut holes. He drank the coffee, but left the donut holes untouched. We sat in my small kitchen, him staring intently into his black coffee, me quietly adding more sugar to my mocha.
I broke the silence. “What did you want me to see the other day?”
“I couldn't outright tell anyone that I was dead. Not without the mechanic finding out.” He continued after some hesitation. “It feels selfish saying it now, but… I just wanted someone to know what happened to me.”
Victor pulled the bandana aside with a finger, revealing that a jagged, red grin had been carved across his throat. I shuddered, being forcefully reminded once again how thin skin truly is.
He quickly pulled it back into place.
That prompted me to ask, “Is the mechanic the one that…?” I pointed to my neck.
Victor shook his head. I asked him who did.
His expression darkened, “Someone I used to use with. He didn't believe me when I told him that I was still clean and couldn't help him get his next hit. Everything happened so fast after that. Before I knew it, I woke up in his trunk. My chest felt empty. It's strange, you know? You don't notice your own heartbeat until it's not there anymore.”
I shook my head slowly, a knot in my stomach as I whispered, “Jesus, Vic. Where is he now?”
“He can't hurt anyone else. We'll leave it at that.” Victor muttered.
I took in a shaky breath. I couldn't believe that he'd been keeping all of this in. It was a lot to take in at once, so I could only imagine how much worse it was to be the one experiencing it.
Like I said, I don't blame him for what happened. He must've felt so alone.
After I regained my composure, I asked, “So… what does the mechanic have to do with this?”
Victor hesitated again, eventually saying, “He couldn't touch me while I was alive, so he made sure that death couldn’t get to me before he could. That's why I was trying to keep my condition quiet; I was hoping that I could outlast him long enough for the Reaper to catch up. Unfortunately, the fucker is good at what he does and knew that I’d drag someone else into my bullshit eventually.”
I shook my head, “I dragged myself into it. I could've just minded my own business, but I didn't. I chose to go out there, even though I didn't know what I was dealing with. And I chose to say the wrong thing to the mechanic to set him off.”
“You wouldn't have been in that position if I hadn't said anything.”
“So what happens now? You're just… forced to do these calls?”
Victor sighed, “It's either that, or I join the ones in the trees.”
The skulls. Grimly, I wondered if those trapped souls were still aware. If they knew what had happened to them.
I slumped down in my seat. “Is there anything we can do?”
“As of right now, no. We just go to work, keep our heads down, do what we have to do. And from now on, I'll deal with the mechanic, even if it's for something as trivial as changing a tire. He's my problem, no one else's.”
So that's where we're at. Victor's technically not alive or dead, but a secret third, worse thing.
Speaking of worse things, we got an emergency call in the middle of the night.
After we close for the day, Victor routes calls to his phone in case there is something that can't wait until the next day. Thankfully, this is an extremely rare occurrence; up until this incident, it's only happened twice since I've been with Orion. I joined Victor for one of those two emergency calls. Even though it's been two years since that night, I still hear the crunching of bones in my dreams.
Something yinz need to know about the farmers around here is that they know how to take care of themselves. They have more encounters with the atypical than anyone else and for the most part, they know how to live amongst things like the Neighbors in relative peace. They know about leaving cream out to appease them. They know about what measures to take to defend themselves and their animals. They're a tough bunch and they usually prefer to take care of things themselves. It's highly unusual for them to reach out to us.
So when Victor told me over the phone that the emergency call was at one of the farms, I knew it was going to be bad.
When he first described what the farmers were contending with, my stomach dropped. The client's brother was found on the porch with his chest entirely deflated, deliberately placed into a chair that was moved in front of the door where the family could see him.
The farmers were holed up in their home. The woman of the house was pregnant, due within the next few days, which made moving her extremely difficult. They could hear whatever killed the brother giggling and tapping on the windows, mocking them. Victor was already on his way there.
I arrived with my toolbelt along with a shotgun and shells filled with rock salt. This may sound ridiculous, but I also donned a collar that I'd made last summer by hammering long ass carpenter nails into the leather, then coating their pointed tips with silver. I looked a bit like a goth club reject, but when dealing with things that like to go for the throat, you gotta put your pride aside.
Victor's truck was in the driveway, but he was nowhere in sight. Shotgun at the ready, I glanced around as I approached the house. The body was still on the porch, untouched after the poor man had been posed there. It looked far worse than what Victor had described. His chest had caved in, like everything inside of him had been sucked clean out. His face was frozen in surprise rather than horror or pain. He'd been caught off guard and was dead long before he could react.
Wings. I turned, pulling the trigger just in time as the pest tormenting this family dove at me. It tumbled to the ground with an enraged shriek.
It appeared to be a woman. Well… half of one. Her legs were gone, brown entrails dangling sickeningly from her gray torso. Her leathery, hooked wings trembled as she used her bony arms to raise herself up to snarl at me, curling her lips to reveal doglike fangs. I shot at her again. She jolted as the shell took a chunk out of her skull.
That wouldn't kill her. Both her and I knew it. She skittered like a cockroach, an elongated tongue shooting out of her mouth, quick as a whip. I flinched, turning my head so she couldn't reach my face, grateful for the collar as I felt the proboscis slam into its spikes. The impact knocked me off balance, causing me to stumble. I leaned into it, hitting the ground and out of reach of the next swipe of her tongue.
I took aim again, knocking her back a few feet. A dark shape suddenly appeared from the barn, a glint of metal shining in the figure’s hand. Victor.
“I can't find the lower half.” He hissed when I was in earshot.
That meant we were going to have to keep her from rejoining the lower half of her body until sunrise. It was three in the morning.
Because nothing can ever be easy.
Victor had found chains and a padlock in the barn. They should be heavy enough to restrain her. We’d just have to get close. Without her sucking our insides out, preferably.
She was back in the air. I took another shot. I'd have to reload soon. I hoped that I'd have enough shells to last the next two hours. At the rate I was going, I'd burn through them in the next ten minutes.
Unfortunately, I missed as she soared towards the house. I used my last shot and thankfully knocked her out of the air. As I hurriedly reloaded, Victor rushed towards the fallen creature, kneeling on her chest to keep her from taking off again as he fought to get the chain around her.
I heard him make a terrible choking sound, followed by her retching. She'd gotten her proboscis down his throat, but had withdrawn it even quicker than she had gotten it down. I guess undead viscera doesn't taste very good.
As she gagged, Victor pressed his forearm against her throat, pinning her so that she couldn't sink her fangs into him. I raced over, setting the shotgun on the ground next to me so that I could help him restrain her. While he held her, I coiled the chain around her squirming torso.
She began to laugh. When she spoke, it sounded like an old woman and a young girl speaking in unison, “Do you think a chain will be enough to stop me?”
I kept going. She wiggled one wing out from beneath her, jabbing the hook into the hollow of my shoulder. I gasped as it pressed deeper into my skin. Victor roughly pushed her wing back down, the violent withdrawal of the hook making me see stars. Through all of that, I still kept going.
We turned her onto her side so that Victor could pin her wings against her back. She screeched the entire time, the proboscis shooting back to slap him in the cheek.
We almost had her. Then we heard a wail from inside the house. What now?!
The pest abruptly paused in her struggles to leer at us, then she sang, “The baby's coming!”
You've got to be kidding me.
Her fighting resumed with far more force than before. That man that she'd killed had merely been an appetizer for her. The baby was her true prize. Her eyes were wild with excitement, saliva dripping off of her fangs as she watched the front door open.
Shitshitshit!
“Go back inside!” Victor shouted as we both used all that we had to try to keep the pest in place.
The farmer yelled back, distress making his voice higher, “Something's wrong! I have to get her to the hospital!”
I risked a glance. The woman was white as a sheet, holding onto her husband for dear life as he half led half dragged her to his truck. Blood stained the inside of the woman's legs.
At the sight of it, Victor froze. I didn't like the way he looked at the woman then. Oh no. The creature went into a complete frenzy. She managed to get her fangs into Victor's arm, wrenching a cry of agony from him as she ripped a sizable chunk of flesh out. His hold on her loosened just enough that she could wriggle a wing out.
I screamed as I felt her beginning to slip away, frantically reaching for the nearest part of her, which was unfortunately her dangling intestines. It was like trying to hold onto oversized wet noodles, my hands slipping in her chunky blood as I struggled to slow her down.
They just needed to reach the truck. We just had to keep her here just long enough for them to get a head start.
I just hoped that I wouldn't end up having to protect them from my boss, too.
She roared as she turned and slashed me across the brow with one of her clawed fingers. My vision went dark in my right eye. Numbly, I wondered if she ripped my eye out, or if it was just from the pain. By some miracle, I didn't let go.
Fortunately, the bite seemed to snap Victor out of whatever had happened to him when he saw the woman’s blood. At least for the moment. He scrambled across the ground, seizing my shotgun. His first shot missed. The second one hit her left wing. The farmer had the truck's passenger side door open as he helped his wife inside. The pest reached a talon towards them, trying to drag herself closer. Victor was back on his feet and marched over to shoot her in the head. Once. Twice.
The truck's engine roared to life. With it, the pest screeched in rage, the sound warped by the damage done to her mouth after Victor had unloaded on her. She flailed as she watched her prize speed down the road.
But it wasn't over. The gunshot wound in her wing was already closing up. It wouldn't take her long to catch up to them if we lost her.
My cheek was wet. Turns out, I didn't lose an eye. I just had blood in it. Thank God. I crawled over her, trying the chains again as Victor went back to holding her wings against her body.
She called him every foul name in the book, words slurring from her destroyed jaw. One of them touched a nerve: “Bitch of the Wild Hunt.” He wordlessly snatched the salt from my belt and poured it over her face, holding her jaw to shove the container into her mouth. She gurgled and started to convulse as the salt was forced down her throat. That shut her up.
With the chain pinning her arms and wings against her body, Victor dug the padlock out of his pocket, using it to secure the links.
“I’m going to try to get her to the barn.” He yelled over the sound of her agitated howls.
I retrieved the shotgun and followed him as he carried the squirming, shrieking pest towards the barn. I pressed the palm of my hand to the cut on my brow. A flutter of unease went through my gut as it occurred to me that I could be in danger from Victor as well.
It didn't help that the pest had noticed it, too. She was goading him, “That girl smells sweet, doesn't she?”
“You want more salt in your mouth?” He threatened flatly. “We got plenty and we have some time until sunrise.”
She cackled, “You can't tell me that your mouth isn't watering thinking of her soft flesh between your teeth. Her blood warming your tongue. You long to feel warm again, don't you, dead man?”
The borderline pornographic way that she spoke about devouring me made me intensely uncomfortable.
“Keep it up and I'll pack the salt up your nose, too.” Victor retorted.
Once we got to the barn, we found an empty stall, which he tossed her into. I didn't follow him into the stall. My gut was telling me that something was off.
He drew a circle of salt around her. As long as it wasn't broken, it would trap her until sunrise.
I didn't think the boss would ever intentionally hurt me. But the way he looked at that woman…
What if he couldn't control himself?
Victor shut the stall door behind him, leaving the pest to wail and swear at us from her prison.
His eyes went to my forehead, “That looks like it hurts.”
I swallowed back the lump in my throat. There it was again. That look.
“Stay back, Vic.” I said calmly, my unease growing.
He took a deep breath, his eyes closing. I took a small step away from him, towards the exit to the barn.
I kept my voice even, “Vic, be honest with me. Is it safe to be around you right now?”
Victor stayed where he was, still not looking at me. He eventually answered, “Probably not.”
I took another step towards the door. “I'm going to leave.”
He nodded, eyes still shut, “I think that would be best. I'll make sure that she stays in the stall.”
As I backed towards the door, afraid to turn my back on him, I said, “I'll uh… see you at work tomorrow.”
“Yeah. See ya.”
I didn't dare turn my back on him until I'd left the barn. He didn't move a muscle the entire time. As I made my way back to my G6, I kept looking over my shoulder. Victor didn't follow me. I made it back to my car without incident.
I thought back to when I'd found him in the butcher shed. Looking back, I'm pretty sure that he'd been eating it.
Once I was in my apartment, I quickly drew lines of salt in front of all my doors and windows. It made me feel somewhat safer. I inspected the injuries on my forehead and shoulder. After cleaning them both up, I determined that I should probably see a doctor in the morning. In the meantime, I covered them both with gauze.
I painfully settled down onto my bed, my entire body aching. Even though I felt like a dish towel that had been wrung out over and over again, I knew that I wasn't going to be getting much sleep. My mind was racing too much.
Against my better judgment, I ended up texting Victor, ‘Are you a draugr?’
His response was, ‘i think so’
Draugr are known for their grotesque appetites. The joke Reyna and I had been making about him being a ‘high-functioning zombie’ wasn't all that far off, after all.
I reminded myself that Victor wasn't a complete monster. He'd at least had enough control over himself not to hurt me or either of the farmers. But the temptation had clearly been there. That begged the question of what his limits were.
Was it safe to work with him? Injuries aren't exactly uncommon at Orion. Maybe that's why he's been sending Reyna and I together for two person jobs rather than going on calls with us.
I received another message from him, ‘if you want to quit I understand’
I didn't, though. As stressful as working here can be, I do enjoy my job, weirdly enough. I've been treated better here than by any other employer and I like having only two other coworkers to worry about, especially since I get along well with both of them. But the biggest reason why quitting hasn't occurred to me is that I wouldn't be able to just walk away from all that I'd learned about the atypical cases. There was no way I could live a normal life after working at Orion.
I also wanted to keep an eye on Victor. Between whatever the mechanic was forcing him to do and his transformation, there was a lot that I was concerned about. As much as I didn't want to think about having to trap or kill Victor, if it came down to it... I'd do what needed to be done.
I sent back, ‘hazard pay? 👀’
His reply was, ‘😒’
A moment later, I received, ‘we'll discuss it when I don't have a manananggal mf'ing me’
Yinz see why I kept calling her a ‘pest’ rather than trying to type that long name out each time? I guarantee I would have misspelled it several different ways.
When the sun rose, I received another message from Victor, ‘it's over. thanks for your help’
We found out later in the afternoon that the hospital had been able to save the farmers’ baby. She was going to have to stay longer in the hospital, but otherwise, she and their newborn daughter were alright.
What was alarming was that the dead man's body had been desecrated at some point after I left. It was believed that the pest had been the one to take chunks out of his neck, shoulder, and chest. I wasn't going to be the one to tell the family the truth. They'd been through enough already without the news that the one they'd relied on for protection had gotten hungry.
I wondered if being exposed to so much blood had been the trigger. I suppose I should just be glad that Victor had eaten a man who was already dead instead of me or another living person.
Like I said, I'm going to have to keep an eye on him. In the meantime… maybe don't demand to speak to the manager.

Importance of a logo for a real estate agency website

A logo plays a crucial role in establishing a strong brand identity for a real estate agency website. It serves as a visual representation of the agency's values, professionalism, and expertise in the industry. The logo acts as a symbol that conveys trust and credibility to potential clients. It creates a memorable impression and helps differentiate the agency from its competitors. A well-designed logo can attract attention, build brand recognition, and leave a lasting impact on visitors. When it comes to a real estate agency website, having a visually appealing and professionally designed logo is essential for creating a positive first impression and gaining the trust of potential clients.

Benefits of using 99designs for logo creation

One of the benefits of using 99designs for logo creation is the ability to start LLC. With 99designs, you can easily create a professional logo that represents your real estate agency and helps establish your brand identity. Whether you are just starting out or looking to rebrand, 99designs provides a platform where you can collaborate with talented designers to bring your vision to life. By utilizing the services of 99designs, you can ensure that your logo is unique, memorable, and tailored to your specific needs. So, if you want to start LLC and make a strong impression in the real estate industry, 99designs is the perfect platform for logo creation.

Key considerations for designing a logo for a real estate agency website

When designing a logo for a real estate agency website, there are several key considerations to keep in mind. One of the most important factors is to ensure that the logo reflects the unique identity and values of the agency. It should convey professionalism, trustworthiness, and credibility to potential clients. Another crucial aspect is to create a logo that is visually appealing and memorable. A well-designed logo can help the agency stand out from the competition and leave a lasting impression on viewers. Additionally, it is essential to consider the target audience of the real estate agency and tailor the logo accordingly. Understanding the preferences and expectations of the target market can greatly contribute to the logo's success. Lastly, the logo should be versatile and scalable, allowing for easy usage across various platforms and mediums. By considering these key factors, a real estate agency can design a logo that not only captures the essence of their brand but also helps them succeed in the competitive online market.

Choosing the Right Design Style

Understanding the target audience

Understanding the target audience is crucial when creating a logo for your real estate agency website. It allows you to tailor your design to the specific needs and preferences of your potential customers. By understanding who your target audience is, you can create a logo that resonates with them and effectively communicates your brand message. Whether your target audience consists of first-time homebuyers, real estate investors, or commercial property developers, it is important to consider their demographics, interests, and motivations. This will help you create a logo that not only captures their attention but also builds trust and credibility. By investing time in understanding your target audience, you can create a logo that sets your real estate agency apart from the competition and attracts the right clients.

Researching design trends in the real estate industry

When researching design trends in the real estate industry, it is important to stay up-to-date with the latest developments. One key aspect to consider is the design of top-tier car dealer website templates. These templates offer a range of features and functionalities that can be adapted to suit the needs of a real estate agency website. By incorporating elements from these templates, such as sleek and modern layouts, eye-catching images, and intuitive navigation, real estate agencies can create a logo that reflects professionalism and innovation. To explore the top-tier car dealer website templates and discover the highlights that can be turned into hyperlink text, read on.

Balancing professionalism and creativity

When it comes to creating a logo for your real estate agency website, finding the perfect balance between professionalism and creativity is crucial. A logo is the visual representation of your brand and it needs to convey the right message to your target audience. On one hand, professionalism is important as it instills trust and credibility in potential clients. A professional logo reflects the expertise and experience of your agency, making it more appealing to those looking for reliable real estate services. On the other hand, creativity is equally important as it helps your logo stand out from the competition and leaves a lasting impression. A creative logo can capture the essence of your agency's personality and attract the attention of potential clients. Finding the right balance between professionalism and creativity is essential for creating a logo that effectively represents your real estate agency and appeals to your target market.

Creating a Memorable Logo

Simplicity and clarity in design

When it comes to designing a logo for your real estate agency website, simplicity and clarity are key. The logo should be able to convey your brand message in a concise and visually appealing way. One important aspect of achieving simplicity and clarity in design is through the use of shapes. Square, for example, is a shape that represents stability and balance. By incorporating a square element into your logo, you can create a sense of trust and professionalism. Additionally, a square shape can also provide a clean and organized look to your logo, making it easier for potential clients to remember and recognize your brand. So, when designing your logo with 99designs, consider the power of simplicity and clarity, and how incorporating a square shape can enhance the overall impact of your real estate agency's brand identity.

Incorporating relevant real estate symbols or elements

Incorporating relevant real estate symbols or elements is crucial when creating a logo for your real estate agency website. These symbols or elements can help convey the essence of your business and attract potential clients. When designing your logo, consider using symbols such as houses, keys, or rooftops to represent the real estate industry. Additionally, incorporating elements like city skylines or landscapes can add a sense of location and professionalism to your logo. By incorporating these relevant symbols or elements, you can create a logo that effectively communicates the nature of your real estate agency and appeals to your target audience.

Choosing the right color palette

When it comes to choosing the right color palette for your real estate agency website, there are a few key factors to consider. First and foremost, you want to select colors that align with your brand identity and convey the desired message to your target audience. For a real estate agency, it's important to choose colors that evoke trust, professionalism, and reliability. Neutral tones such as earthy browns, soft grays, and calming blues are often used in the industry to create a sense of stability and security. Additionally, you may want to incorporate accent colors that complement your logo or other visual elements on your website. Remember, the color palette you choose can have a significant impact on how visitors perceive your brand and ultimately influence their decision to do business with you. Take the time to carefully select colors that reflect your agency's values and resonate with your target market.

Working with 99designs

Exploring the design options available

When it comes to creating a logo for your real estate agency website, it's important to explore the design options available. In today's digital age, tech innovation plays a crucial role in attracting potential clients and standing out from the competition. With the right logo, you can convey a sense of modernity and cutting-edge technology, showcasing your agency's commitment to staying ahead of the curve. Additionally, a well-designed logo can also contribute to the profitability of your real estate business. By capturing the attention of potential buyers and sellers, a visually appealing logo can help establish your agency as a trusted and reliable choice in the market. In order to achieve these goals, it's essential to consider the various design options and choose a logo that effectively represents your agency's unique identity and values.

Collaborating with designers

Collaborating with designers is an essential aspect of creating a logo for your real estate agency website. By working closely with talented designers, you can ensure that your logo accurately represents your brand and appeals to your target audience. The collaboration process involves discussing your vision and requirements with the designers, providing feedback on their initial design concepts, and iterating on the designs until you are satisfied with the final result. This collaborative approach allows you to benefit from the expertise and creativity of professional designers, resulting in a logo that is unique, visually appealing, and memorable.

Providing feedback and refining the design

When it comes to providing feedback and refining the design of your logo for your real estate agency website, it is essential to collaborate effectively with the designers. One effective way to provide feedback is to clearly communicate your preferences and requirements. This will help the designers understand your vision and make the necessary adjustments to create a logo that aligns with your brand identity. Additionally, it is important to be specific in your feedback, highlighting areas that you would like to see improved or modified. By providing constructive feedback, you can guide the designers in the right direction and ensure that the final logo meets your expectations. As the design process progresses, it is also crucial to stay open to suggestions and ideas from the designers. Their expertise and creativity can bring fresh perspectives to the table and enhance the overall design. Finally, remember to involve your WordPress developers in the feedback and refinement process. They can provide valuable insights and ensure that the final logo is optimized for your website's functionality and user experience.

Ensuring Brand Consistency

Using the logo across different platforms

Using the logo across different platforms is essential for maintaining a consistent and professional brand image. Whether it's on your website, social media profiles, or printed materials, the logo should be displayed in a way that is visually appealing and easily recognizable. It's important to consider the size and format of the logo to ensure it looks great on all platforms. Additionally, adapting the logo to fit different color schemes or backgrounds can help it stand out and make a lasting impression. By consistently using the logo across various platforms, you can establish a strong brand identity and build trust with your audience.

Maintaining a consistent visual identity

Maintaining a consistent visual identity is crucial for any business, including real estate agencies. It helps establish brand recognition and builds trust with customers. When it comes to creating a logo for your real estate agency website, there are several important factors to consider. One of these factors is the use of banking solutions. Incorporating banking solutions into your logo design can convey a sense of professionalism and reliability. By highlighting the keyword 'banking solutions' and providing a hyperlink to relevant information, you can guide your audience to learn more about how your real estate agency offers secure and efficient financial services.

Creating brand guidelines for future use

Creating brand guidelines for future use is an essential step in establishing a consistent and professional image for your real estate agency. These guidelines serve as a roadmap for maintaining a cohesive visual identity across all marketing materials and platforms. With the help of 99designs, a leading online platform for graphic design services, you can create a logo that captures the essence of your agency and resonates with your target audience. By incorporating the expertise and creativity of talented designers, 99designs ensures that your logo reflects your agency's unique personality and values. With the brand guidelines in place, you can confidently use your logo across various mediums, including your website, social media profiles, and print materials, knowing that it will consistently convey your agency's professionalism and credibility.

Conclusion

The impact of a well-designed logo on a real estate agency website

A well-designed logo can have a significant impact on a real estate agency website. It serves as the visual representation of the agency's brand and creates a strong first impression on potential clients. A logo that is professional, unique, and memorable can instill trust and credibility in visitors, making them more likely to explore the website further and consider the agency's services. Additionally, a well-designed logo can help differentiate the agency from its competitors and establish a strong brand identity. It can convey the agency's values, professionalism, and expertise in the real estate industry. Overall, investing in a well-designed logo is crucial for a real estate agency website to make a positive and lasting impression on visitors.

The benefits of utilizing 99designs for logo creation

When it comes to creating a logo for your real estate agency website, utilizing 99designs can offer a range of benefits. Firstly, 99designs provides access to a vast community of talented designers who specialize in logo creation. This means that you can expect to receive high-quality and professional designs that are tailored to your specific needs. Additionally, 99designs offers a streamlined and efficient process for logo creation. With their user-friendly platform, you can easily communicate your requirements, provide feedback, and collaborate with designers to ensure that the final logo reflects your brand identity. Moreover, 99designs offers a variety of design packages to suit different budgets and requirements, making it a flexible option for real estate agencies of all sizes. Overall, utilizing 99designs for logo creation can help you create a visually appealing and unique logo that represents your real estate agency effectively.

The importance of brand consistency in establishing credibility

Brand consistency is crucial for any business, especially when it comes to establishing credibility. In the context of a camera shop website, maintaining a consistent brand image across all platforms and touchpoints is essential to build trust with potential customers. When visitors land on a camera shop website, they expect to see a cohesive and professional brand presence that reflects the quality of the products and services offered. By ensuring that the logo, color scheme, typography, and overall design elements remain consistent throughout the website, the camera shop can create a strong and memorable brand identity. This consistency not only helps to establish credibility but also enhances brand recognition and fosters a sense of trust and reliability among customers. A consistent brand presence on the camera shop website can differentiate it from competitors, instill confidence in potential buyers, and ultimately drive conversions and sales.
In conclusion, having great design is essential for the success of any business. A well-designed logo, website, and other graphic elements can help attract customers and make a lasting impression. At 99designs, we understand the importance of great design and offer a platform where you can hire talented designers or start a design contest. With over 500k happy customers, we have helped businesses grow and thrive. Don't miss out on the opportunity to elevate your brand with great design. Visit 99designs today and see how we can help you!