Top dirtiest things to say over the phone
Apple iOS
2010.06.12 16:51 blogbod Apple iOS
iOS - Developed by Apple Inc.
2013.06.27 15:48 r/nonononoyes
A sub for things that seem to go so brilliantly wrong, but oh so right.
2010.10.19 03:43 Nope
Things that make you say "nope!"
2024.06.01 15:18 em3192 Finding the right match
I am over 30, wanting to find someone that match my energy and want also a serious relationship. I am looking for a partner that could be my husband one day. But I keep meeting guys that seems to be lost or suddenly have a revelation that they may not have "time" to invest in a relationship (yes I know most likely an excuse). And I have to be honest I am really tired and think that maybe relationship are not meant for me and I am destined to be alone. Especially when seeing some guys saying that women over 30 are "expired". But to be honest I am doing things to feel good with myself, I eat healthy, go to the gym, try to get where I want for myself and be happy by myself. I just wish one day I would be able to meet someone to share my life with and I don't know what to do to meet men that would align with me and my values. If anyone have any advice... please I would appreciate!
submitted by em3192 to dating_advice [link] [comments]
2024.06.01 15:17 Toxziq Need advice regarding appraisal clause from hail damage
I'm in over my head and need help. I can't tell what the right thing is to do in my situation and I'm overwhelmed. We have 3 issues, gutter damage, roof damage, and water damage from a hail storm in March 2024.
We have gutters in the front of the house that would drain into the ground, with pop ups dispersing the water away from the house. In the storm, one of those gutters was damaged, and redirected water into a front corner of our home. The rush of hail and rain flooded the area, which then seeped down, and in through some crack in the foundation and flooded our basement. We had about 1/8th to 1/4 inch of water in half of the basement.
After we cleaned up, we called our insurance company. The agent told us to call ServPro to manage clean up. ServPro came out and said they were there on the claim number and went to work. There was no discussion of charges, or potential charges. The only thing I was asked to sign was a form saying that when they left, the equipment they were leaving (fans and humidifiers) was in my possession and my responsibility.
The adjustor came a week later and after only looking at the drain and being at the house for under 3 minutes said, "You aren't going to like this, but this isn't covered." His argument is that it was ground water, regardless of if the storm damaged the gutter causing the water to pool up.
We also had the roof inspected for damage.
The final outcome was total damage to our house that was covered was $5200 and our deductible is $5400. That was very suspicious.
We asked for a reinspection. That took nearly a month and half to get scheduled. When the new adjuster came, we didn't find out until after the inspector was on the roof that it was the same inspector as the first inspection. I asked how that was legal or right, as he is not incentivized to say he was wrong, and actually he is incentivized to keep his original estimate.
We had a roofing contractor out, and both they and the inspector completely disagreed on the damage to the roof. The roofing company said there was between 3-8 hits per 10' square from the hail and the inspector said it was 3 maximum.
The adjustor left saying his estimate was $4600 in damages.
ServPro says we owe them $7000 for the clean up, as the insurance isn't covering the water damage.
We've been given a bid of $56K to repair our roof and a separate bid of $11,500 to fix the basement and gutters.
I should note that literally dozens of other homes in our neighborhood have had their roofs repaired or replaced in this 2 month period of fighting, and all 3 of our neighbors (both sides and behind us) have had theirs replaced fully. I have a hard time believing my house, which has no tree coverage over the roof, was unscathed and yet all my neighbors, some of whom have tree cover over their house, all had their roofs replaced.
The roofing company referred me to a local appraiser, who said I should invoke the appraisal clause. He said he would come to the house and look at the situation first before we hire him and proceed with that.
He says we should not hire an attorney until after the appraisal clause is invoked, as if we do, the attorney fees would be covered by the insurance company.
I've done some online research and it seems mixed regarding should a homeowner invoke the appraisal clause or not. It seems to be a high cost to us (This appraiser is $1500 plus $250 for every 10K over 50K we are awarded) and a high risk that our appraiser and the insurance company's appraiser won't agree, which I've read can be 6 to 12+ months to resolve.
The appraiser told me on the phone that our water damage should be covered as it is "consequential water" not "ground water". I can't find anything in our policy using "consequential water" but he said not to share that term with our insurance agent, or they'd know we are in the process of hiring an appraiser. I tried to search online for this, and can't find anything specific about "consequential water" being covered or even talked about, yet he was adamant it was normal and covered.
I feel very out of my element and potentially being taken for a ride by everyone I talk to. I've had my insurance company for 31 years (Farmers) and never had a claim, and I'm very frustrated with this entire experience. I travel a lot for my work too (3 times in the last 4 weeks alone) and it makes meeting people at my home difficult, lengthening everything.
I really need some advice and guidance.
submitted by Toxziq to Insurance [link] [comments]
We have gutters in the front of the house that would drain into the ground, with pop ups dispersing the water away from the house. In the storm, one of those gutters was damaged, and redirected water into a front corner of our home. The rush of hail and rain flooded the area, which then seeped down, and in through some crack in the foundation and flooded our basement. We had about 1/8th to 1/4 inch of water in half of the basement.
After we cleaned up, we called our insurance company. The agent told us to call ServPro to manage clean up. ServPro came out and said they were there on the claim number and went to work. There was no discussion of charges, or potential charges. The only thing I was asked to sign was a form saying that when they left, the equipment they were leaving (fans and humidifiers) was in my possession and my responsibility.
The adjustor came a week later and after only looking at the drain and being at the house for under 3 minutes said, "You aren't going to like this, but this isn't covered." His argument is that it was ground water, regardless of if the storm damaged the gutter causing the water to pool up.
We also had the roof inspected for damage.
The final outcome was total damage to our house that was covered was $5200 and our deductible is $5400. That was very suspicious.
We asked for a reinspection. That took nearly a month and half to get scheduled. When the new adjuster came, we didn't find out until after the inspector was on the roof that it was the same inspector as the first inspection. I asked how that was legal or right, as he is not incentivized to say he was wrong, and actually he is incentivized to keep his original estimate.
We had a roofing contractor out, and both they and the inspector completely disagreed on the damage to the roof. The roofing company said there was between 3-8 hits per 10' square from the hail and the inspector said it was 3 maximum.
The adjustor left saying his estimate was $4600 in damages.
ServPro says we owe them $7000 for the clean up, as the insurance isn't covering the water damage.
We've been given a bid of $56K to repair our roof and a separate bid of $11,500 to fix the basement and gutters.
I should note that literally dozens of other homes in our neighborhood have had their roofs repaired or replaced in this 2 month period of fighting, and all 3 of our neighbors (both sides and behind us) have had theirs replaced fully. I have a hard time believing my house, which has no tree coverage over the roof, was unscathed and yet all my neighbors, some of whom have tree cover over their house, all had their roofs replaced.
The roofing company referred me to a local appraiser, who said I should invoke the appraisal clause. He said he would come to the house and look at the situation first before we hire him and proceed with that.
He says we should not hire an attorney until after the appraisal clause is invoked, as if we do, the attorney fees would be covered by the insurance company.
I've done some online research and it seems mixed regarding should a homeowner invoke the appraisal clause or not. It seems to be a high cost to us (This appraiser is $1500 plus $250 for every 10K over 50K we are awarded) and a high risk that our appraiser and the insurance company's appraiser won't agree, which I've read can be 6 to 12+ months to resolve.
The appraiser told me on the phone that our water damage should be covered as it is "consequential water" not "ground water". I can't find anything in our policy using "consequential water" but he said not to share that term with our insurance agent, or they'd know we are in the process of hiring an appraiser. I tried to search online for this, and can't find anything specific about "consequential water" being covered or even talked about, yet he was adamant it was normal and covered.
I feel very out of my element and potentially being taken for a ride by everyone I talk to. I've had my insurance company for 31 years (Farmers) and never had a claim, and I'm very frustrated with this entire experience. I travel a lot for my work too (3 times in the last 4 weeks alone) and it makes meeting people at my home difficult, lengthening everything.
I really need some advice and guidance.
2024.06.01 15:17 Capital-Inside-8915 AITA for not wanting any contact with my cousins because of my dead uncle.
English is my 3rd language so sorry for mistakes in advance 😅 I don't even know where to start this story, but I will try to provide some backstory. If I were to tell the whole story, we would be here all day, so I'll give an overview. My uncle was a terrible man. He lied to my grandmother, beat her up on that point that she couldn’t walk week, scammed her, tried to kill my father, and stole a lot of money from the family. My grandmother and father gave him many chances, but the breaking point came when my grandmother developed Alzheimer's disease. She could no longer recognize anyone, and my dad and our family were the ones taking care of her. My dad used to visit his mother, knowing it might be the last week or month of her life, but my uncle didn't want to see her even at her death bed and funerals. All of this is just a drop in the ocean of what he did. Ten years ago, my father passed away unexpectedly from heart attack. We have not had no contact with my uncle's family since then. He had a wife, from whom he divorced, and children who don't want any contact with my grandmother or our family. They didn't even come to my father's or grandmother's funerals but demanded to be included in the inheritance. My grandmother made sure that only my sister and I would receive everything. She raised us from birth, thinking my father would never have children because he lost his right hand in a war when he was 18. Despite this, he taught himself to write with his left hand, got into university, earned two PhDs, and met my mother there. My mother, also a professor, and my father progressed in their careers while my grandmother took on the role of our nanny. I have never met my uncle in my adult life because my grandmother banned him from the family due to his toxicity. He even attempted to kill my dad when he refused to give him more money because, he lost job that my father found for him. After my father's death, my uncle passed away 5 years later. His family demanded that he be buried next to my grandmother, grandfather and my dad because they don’t wanted pay for graveyard place. but my sister and I were strongly against it. We agreed that the funeral service could be in his childhood home, our house and we will pay for separate space. I never met my cousins until my uncle's funeral. It was awkward, but my sister and I tried to make small talk with them, but they ignored us not even hi or anything… They were 18-19 at the time. After my father's death, everyone tried to take something from him—land, house, anything they could get their hands on. Naturally, my cousins tried as well. I don't want to associate with people who think they are entitled to something just because my father and grandmother are gone and believe we should "forget the past and move on.” And share what was left from there. A few days ago, I received a Facebook friend request and a message saying I needed to be polite and say hi sometimes. I was confused because I didn't recognize the last name. It turns out my cousins took their mother's last name, so I didn't know it was them. They had gotten our phone numbers and were calling and texting my sister and me. We weren't answering unknown numbers that just said, "hey." When I realized who it was, I asked why they were contacting us now when they didn't even say hi at the funeral. My cousin responded that we should forget the past and move on, but he also implied that it was our responsibility to contact them first. I was shocked and upset. Even at the funeral, I went out of my way to greed them, but they ignored us. They were adults and could make their own decisions, yet they chose to ignore and now blame us for being coldhearted and not forgetting the past. There is a question in me …. If they want to move on, why be so aggressive? I can't shake the feeling that they want to reconnect just to ask or demand something, as they did before. My sister and I are both future doctors. We've dedicated our lives to not disappointing our father and grandmother after their deaths and to achieving something. Now that we are making progress, everyone who forgot about us wants to get in touch to ask for something. Maybe I'm wrong, but I told my cousins in a text message that while I can't choose my relatives, I can choose whom to talk to and whom to let into my life. For 25 years, they didn't want to be in touch, but now they suddenly want a relationship. I told them I'd rather be ignored by them than feel betrayed again. When I discussed this with my other cousin, He said we should be more forgiving since they are still our cousins. But I don't know what to think. Yeah maybe their gold digger mother is poisoning their minds, or they don’t know the whole truth but idk even if it’s my place to tell them how much of awful things their father did. Am I wrong for not wanting anything to do with them? Or should I maintain some level of contact just because they are my cousins? Ofc there is more story to it but i tried to keep it short.
submitted by Capital-Inside-8915 to CharlotteDobreYouTube [link] [comments]
2024.06.01 15:17 NoFeature926 Folks who incessantly bitch about the admission process, what practical changes would you introduce?
Don't say things like reservtion or diversty points. Individual IIMs don't make the rules. Reservtion is constitutionally mandated and not having diversty would mean a nosedive in the rankings. You can't blame IIMs for wanting a better ranking because that is what attracts better students and recruiters. You can't blame IIMs for following the law either.
With that said, if you were the chairperson of admissions at a top IIM, what feasible changes would you introduce to the process? I'm referring to feasible changes only.
submitted by NoFeature926 to CATpreparation [link] [comments]
With that said, if you were the chairperson of admissions at a top IIM, what feasible changes would you introduce to the process? I'm referring to feasible changes only.
2024.06.01 15:17 mentallyexhausT3D 26f looking for advice... about and ex
I (26F) have been struggling lately with my emotions and overthinking, and I could really use some advice.
Here's some background: When I was in high school, I met a boy online who was just a couple of years older than me. We dated for a while, broke up, and then got back together after I helped him through a rough patch. I even moved to the state he went to school in to be with him. I was young and naive at 18, and he was 20. Not long after moving, I found out he was cheating on me. Despite this, I took him back because I believed in our relationship.
We dated for two years until he decided to study abroad. I wasn't comfortable with this, especially after the cheating incident, but I didn't want to hold him back. Unfortunately, I caught him lying again, which led to a big fight where I said some hurtful things. When he came back after the semester, we had an awkward 7-hour hangout, and that was the last time we were really in contact.
Less than a year later, he was dating someone new, and I focused on my healing. I moved back to home to deal with some serious health issues and other serious personal stuff. I hoped he would want to work things out, but I never heard from him.
Years passed, and I moved on, even dated someone else briefly. Then, out of the blue, I heard from an old friend that my ex had been asking about reaching out to her randomly. I confronted him, but nothing came of it.
To add on... 2 more years later ... our mutual friend told me she reached out to him to just say hello because she really did like him and was happy to be friends with him. they bonded well so i wasnt upset that she missed having convos with him.
her feedback.... he never mentioned that hes still with the same girl, that they moved across country together.... and have been dating for (should be 4 years at that point). and from what she told me , it was almost like he was curious about me and said something similar to "if the universie thinks its meant to be , maybe we can be kosher" and "i thought about reaching out to her if im ever in town"...... theres no way he'd just randomly be "in town".
Recently, I saw a photo of him proposing to her. While I'm happy for him, it hurts deeply because I always imagined we'd be endgame. Seeing him move on so quickly after me has left me feeling inadequate and anxious.
In a perfect world, that night he came to drop my shirt off, I would have told him, "I love you, I'm sorry, and can we start over?" But because he was so unpredictable, I didn't want to look foolish and give him the satisfaction of knowing he could keep hurting me and I'd still stay.
I've built a career, handled my medical issues, and gotten into my dream grad program after graduating w/ my undergrad. Yet, I can't shake this gut-wrenching feeling. Did I not mean as much to him? Why was I so easily replaced? Maybe I'm delusional, but I always thought we'd get married and grow old together. Perhaps he never really felt the same and just felt stuck with me.
No one prepares you for the pain of watching your first love build a life without you. How do I move forward from this and stop feeling like I wasn't enough? How can I manage my emotions and overthinking in a healthy way? If anyone has advice on how to handle these emotions and stop overthinking, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks for reading. This felt really good to write out and validate my own feelings...
TL;DR: Struggling with emotions and overthinking after my first love moved on and got engaged. Need advice on coping and moving forward
(ps: i saw someone post about their wife being in love with their ex..... disclaimer im not her lol and i am def not married😂😂)
submitted by mentallyexhausT3D to relationships [link] [comments]
Here's some background: When I was in high school, I met a boy online who was just a couple of years older than me. We dated for a while, broke up, and then got back together after I helped him through a rough patch. I even moved to the state he went to school in to be with him. I was young and naive at 18, and he was 20. Not long after moving, I found out he was cheating on me. Despite this, I took him back because I believed in our relationship.
We dated for two years until he decided to study abroad. I wasn't comfortable with this, especially after the cheating incident, but I didn't want to hold him back. Unfortunately, I caught him lying again, which led to a big fight where I said some hurtful things. When he came back after the semester, we had an awkward 7-hour hangout, and that was the last time we were really in contact.
Less than a year later, he was dating someone new, and I focused on my healing. I moved back to home to deal with some serious health issues and other serious personal stuff. I hoped he would want to work things out, but I never heard from him.
Years passed, and I moved on, even dated someone else briefly. Then, out of the blue, I heard from an old friend that my ex had been asking about reaching out to her randomly. I confronted him, but nothing came of it.
To add on... 2 more years later ... our mutual friend told me she reached out to him to just say hello because she really did like him and was happy to be friends with him. they bonded well so i wasnt upset that she missed having convos with him.
her feedback.... he never mentioned that hes still with the same girl, that they moved across country together.... and have been dating for (should be 4 years at that point). and from what she told me , it was almost like he was curious about me and said something similar to "if the universie thinks its meant to be , maybe we can be kosher" and "i thought about reaching out to her if im ever in town"...... theres no way he'd just randomly be "in town".
Recently, I saw a photo of him proposing to her. While I'm happy for him, it hurts deeply because I always imagined we'd be endgame. Seeing him move on so quickly after me has left me feeling inadequate and anxious.
In a perfect world, that night he came to drop my shirt off, I would have told him, "I love you, I'm sorry, and can we start over?" But because he was so unpredictable, I didn't want to look foolish and give him the satisfaction of knowing he could keep hurting me and I'd still stay.
I've built a career, handled my medical issues, and gotten into my dream grad program after graduating w/ my undergrad. Yet, I can't shake this gut-wrenching feeling. Did I not mean as much to him? Why was I so easily replaced? Maybe I'm delusional, but I always thought we'd get married and grow old together. Perhaps he never really felt the same and just felt stuck with me.
No one prepares you for the pain of watching your first love build a life without you. How do I move forward from this and stop feeling like I wasn't enough? How can I manage my emotions and overthinking in a healthy way? If anyone has advice on how to handle these emotions and stop overthinking, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks for reading. This felt really good to write out and validate my own feelings...
TL;DR: Struggling with emotions and overthinking after my first love moved on and got engaged. Need advice on coping and moving forward
(ps: i saw someone post about their wife being in love with their ex..... disclaimer im not her lol and i am def not married😂😂)
2024.06.01 15:16 siIverspawn The Aftermath of Safe Haven without Plot Armor
(2 weeks later)
Matt Horner: Sir, I'm sorry to say this we just received some really terrible news. It seems like Dr. Hanson was not able to find a cure for the zerg infestation after all.
Jim Raynor: Oh, no. Can we do anything to help?
Matt Horner: I'm afraid it's too late, sir. The infestation has spread all throughout the colony, and even those who haven't been infected themselves are beyond help. It's a blood bath.
(3 weeks later)
Donny Vermillion: And now, for some tragic and shocking news. Another colony of refugees has fallen to the Zerg. What is especially sad about this case is that help was available: a Protoss fleet was ready to eradicate the infestation, and although of course many lives would have been lost that way, too, at least half the colony would still be alive today. Reportedly, the terrorist and crimnal Jim Raynor chose to fight the fleet, destroying their capital ship and preventing their efforts of stopping the infestation. It's because of him that the entire colony is now dead, and we've already gotten reports that the infested have started attacking the remainder of the planet, threatening the lives of many more millions. Our own Kate Lockwell has the details.
Kate Lockwell: Yes Donny, for literally the first time ever that I'm talking live on this program, the facts don't seem to contradict your narrative. In fact, I have reports that the Protoss tried to negotiate with Raynor, but he refused, apparently because he thought some scientist could find a cure.
Donny Vermillion: Surely, Raynor could not have seriously believed that a single person could do what the entire confederacy has failed to achieve for over two decades. Besides, wasn't the infection already apparent at that point? Why else would the Protoss fleet have tried to intervene? Did he think that the scientist would find a cure in another few days?
Kate Lockwell: I know it sounds completely unbelievable, Donny, but that's what my sources are telling me. Perhaps you were right all along and Raynor is actually just a bloodthirsty terrorist, or at any rate, completely delusional.
(9 weeks later)
Jim Raynor: Matt, why do we see so many more infestations from all these small refugee planets? It wasn't this bad even after the Zerg appeared again.
Matt Horner: Uhh... well, sir, you did destroy one of the Protoss fleets devoted to eradicating the zerg infestation wherever they could. I think Selendis' fleet was the main factor keeping the infestations at bay.
Jim Raynor: ...
Matt Horner: She's still trying, sir, but it seems like the losses she's... um, suffered have slowed down her efforts considerably, sir.
(12 weeks later)
Donny Vermillion: ... but if there's one positive thing we can say from all this, it's that support for Raynor's Raiders among the population has dropped significantly since the disaster on Haven. It seems like people are finally seeing him for the psychopath he always was.
submitted by siIverspawn to starcraft2 [link] [comments]
Matt Horner: Sir, I'm sorry to say this we just received some really terrible news. It seems like Dr. Hanson was not able to find a cure for the zerg infestation after all.
Jim Raynor: Oh, no. Can we do anything to help?
Matt Horner: I'm afraid it's too late, sir. The infestation has spread all throughout the colony, and even those who haven't been infected themselves are beyond help. It's a blood bath.
Donny Vermillion: And now, for some tragic and shocking news. Another colony of refugees has fallen to the Zerg. What is especially sad about this case is that help was available: a Protoss fleet was ready to eradicate the infestation, and although of course many lives would have been lost that way, too, at least half the colony would still be alive today. Reportedly, the terrorist and crimnal Jim Raynor chose to fight the fleet, destroying their capital ship and preventing their efforts of stopping the infestation. It's because of him that the entire colony is now dead, and we've already gotten reports that the infested have started attacking the remainder of the planet, threatening the lives of many more millions. Our own Kate Lockwell has the details.
Kate Lockwell: Yes Donny, for literally the first time ever that I'm talking live on this program, the facts don't seem to contradict your narrative. In fact, I have reports that the Protoss tried to negotiate with Raynor, but he refused, apparently because he thought some scientist could find a cure.
Donny Vermillion: Surely, Raynor could not have seriously believed that a single person could do what the entire confederacy has failed to achieve for over two decades. Besides, wasn't the infection already apparent at that point? Why else would the Protoss fleet have tried to intervene? Did he think that the scientist would find a cure in another few days?
Kate Lockwell: I know it sounds completely unbelievable, Donny, but that's what my sources are telling me. Perhaps you were right all along and Raynor is actually just a bloodthirsty terrorist, or at any rate, completely delusional.
Jim Raynor: Matt, why do we see so many more infestations from all these small refugee planets? It wasn't this bad even after the Zerg appeared again.
Matt Horner: Uhh... well, sir, you did destroy one of the Protoss fleets devoted to eradicating the zerg infestation wherever they could. I think Selendis' fleet was the main factor keeping the infestations at bay.
Jim Raynor: ...
Matt Horner: She's still trying, sir, but it seems like the losses she's... um, suffered have slowed down her efforts considerably, sir.
Donny Vermillion: ... but if there's one positive thing we can say from all this, it's that support for Raynor's Raiders among the population has dropped significantly since the disaster on Haven. It seems like people are finally seeing him for the psychopath he always was.
2024.06.01 15:16 ErokTheUndying The Prisoner
Ann sat on the table next to the first aid kit. She looked confused and responded in a subdued voice, "...how exactly do you fall out of a car?" Weston grabbed the alcohol wipe before Ann could reach it. There were at least a dozen zeds stalking around outside. Maybe more. The two of them were mostly secure as long as they didn't make any loud noises.
"It was cramped and the key was, well, sorta... the hiking bag maybe got hooked... I don't know," Weston sounded annoyed. "I fell out."
Before the apocalypse, Ann's whole life had been planned out. She was going to do an internship this summer. She was starting her last year of high school next year. She was planning to attend Louisville State University. Well, was, but she didn't know what to do now. Weston peeled back the dirty bandage and started cleaning the wound himself.
While Weston tended his cut, Ann examined it. His sleeve had been ripped off. The scratch was not too deep, but his arm and shirt were covered in blood. Mostly other people's blood, she assumed, provided you could even call them "people" anymore. The open wound was more intense than any of the images in her book, First Aid Volume I. Ann wanted to help, but Weston preferred to be self-sufficient in these situations. She had learned that much in their short time together.
Now thinking about it, Ann realized this was the first time they've sat down together since he saved her life. It must have been a week or two ago at this point. Ann still couldn't quite remember what happened. The book described it a "traumatic" experience.
trau-mat-ic. Adjective. Emotionally disturbing or distressing.
Synonyms: upsetting, horrifying, terrifying
Ann scoffed to herself. Her entire existence had became a never-ending trauma. One moment she was pinned down by a zed. The next, a crowbar swung out of nowhere and caved it's head in. Then she woke up in this maintenance building. The room was spacious, but full of large crates and random junk, making it rather cramp. It had a couple of entrances, but was otherwise unremarkable. The only window had a sheet over it. Since the power had went out almost a month ago, the room was shrouded in darkness except for the dim light cast by an old lantern.
Ann hated everything about this place. The boredom of sitting inside all day was excruciating. She felt trapped.
She couldn't take it anymore.
"Am I a prisoner?" Ann asked bluntly.
"What?" Weston was bewildered. "Umm... no. No, of course not."
"Well, then can I come with you on your–"
Weston interrupted her, "Absolutely not. You wouldn't be safe out there."
"Am I even safe in here?"
"The world is no place for a kid right now," Weston lectured her, " and you're lucky to be alive as it is."
"No. Look at your arm. YOU'RE lucky to be alive," Ann retorted, starting to raise her voice, "and I'm NOT A KID!"
"SHHH," Weston snapped in a harsh tone, "The Answer Is No. Period."
"SO I AM A PRISONER!" Ann yelled back, her face red with anger.
Thump. Ann gasped and covered her mouth.
Thump. Thump. The main door shook against the dead weight slamming against it.
"God. Dammit." Weston cursed under his breadth, "Is This How You Want To Die?" He hastily wrapped a ripped sheet around his arm and grabbed his crowbar. He rushed toward the side entrance.
Thump-Thump. Thump-Thump. The beating increased in frequency as a second zed joined the first.
Weston swung the side door open, revealing a small exterior area enclosed by a high metal fence. Another zed, alerted by the sudden movement, smashed itself against the chain links. Weston vaulted over the fence and darted around a corner before it could react.
Thump-Thump-Thump. Thump-Thump-Thump. More zeds joined in to smash the side door.
Ann fell off the table and landed on the ground. There. I can hide under there. She tried to crawl toward a nearby bed, but she was frozen with terror. Come on. Move. MOVE. Please move.
Swing. Swing. Push. Swing. Smash.
Thump-Thump. Thump-Thump.
The main door swelled under the pounding pressure.
Swing. Thump-Thump. Swing. Smash. Thump. Thump. CRACK.
The door burst into pieces. Scuffled footsteps poured into the interior.
Ann could hear the zed's heavy breathing on the other side of the crates. She squeezed her eyes closed, petrified with fear. The zed stalked closer and closer. Her heart was pounding so hard she could hardly take a breadth.
Weston dashed in through the main entrance and yelled at the top of his lungs, "HEY!" Several zeds turned and shambled full speed in his direction.
Swing. Swing. Smash. Brains splattered across the room, drenching the nearby crates in a chunky, dark ooze.
Weston bolted back outside. Ann could hear Weston continuing to yell frantically.
"OVER HERE!"
"Hey"
"over here"
"..."
""
The chorus of undead snarls faded toward the sound of Weston's voice.
Then silence.
= = =
Ann sat alone under the table, still too afraid to cry. Weston usually said the same thing every time he left: stay right there, be quite, and I'll be back before sunset.
Night had fallen. Ann knew Weston wasn't coming back. A slight breeze echoed through the open doors. What have I done? She leaned her head on the crate next to her and a tear ran down her cheek. I'm so useless.
She was exhausted, and so tired. So desperately, inhumanly tired. She closed her eyes, not able to stay awake any longer. So what if this is how I die?
I deserve it.
= = =
Weston returned in the morning and found Ann hiding under the table. "How did you get under here?" he said gently while reaching down to pick her up.
"Fine," Weston said to himself, carefully placing the doll in his satchel.
submitted by ErokTheUndying to projectzomboid [link] [comments]
"It was cramped and the key was, well, sorta... the hiking bag maybe got hooked... I don't know," Weston sounded annoyed. "I fell out."
Before the apocalypse, Ann's whole life had been planned out. She was going to do an internship this summer. She was starting her last year of high school next year. She was planning to attend Louisville State University. Well, was, but she didn't know what to do now. Weston peeled back the dirty bandage and started cleaning the wound himself.
While Weston tended his cut, Ann examined it. His sleeve had been ripped off. The scratch was not too deep, but his arm and shirt were covered in blood. Mostly other people's blood, she assumed, provided you could even call them "people" anymore. The open wound was more intense than any of the images in her book, First Aid Volume I. Ann wanted to help, but Weston preferred to be self-sufficient in these situations. She had learned that much in their short time together.
Now thinking about it, Ann realized this was the first time they've sat down together since he saved her life. It must have been a week or two ago at this point. Ann still couldn't quite remember what happened. The book described it a "traumatic" experience.
trau-mat-ic. Adjective. Emotionally disturbing or distressing.
Synonyms: upsetting, horrifying, terrifying
Ann scoffed to herself. Her entire existence had became a never-ending trauma. One moment she was pinned down by a zed. The next, a crowbar swung out of nowhere and caved it's head in. Then she woke up in this maintenance building. The room was spacious, but full of large crates and random junk, making it rather cramp. It had a couple of entrances, but was otherwise unremarkable. The only window had a sheet over it. Since the power had went out almost a month ago, the room was shrouded in darkness except for the dim light cast by an old lantern.
Ann hated everything about this place. The boredom of sitting inside all day was excruciating. She felt trapped.
She couldn't take it anymore.
"Am I a prisoner?" Ann asked bluntly.
"What?" Weston was bewildered. "Umm... no. No, of course not."
"Well, then can I come with you on your–"
Weston interrupted her, "Absolutely not. You wouldn't be safe out there."
"Am I even safe in here?"
"The world is no place for a kid right now," Weston lectured her, " and you're lucky to be alive as it is."
"No. Look at your arm. YOU'RE lucky to be alive," Ann retorted, starting to raise her voice, "and I'm NOT A KID!"
"SHHH," Weston snapped in a harsh tone, "The Answer Is No. Period."
"SO I AM A PRISONER!" Ann yelled back, her face red with anger.
Thump. Ann gasped and covered her mouth.
Thump. Thump. The main door shook against the dead weight slamming against it.
"God. Dammit." Weston cursed under his breadth, "Is This How You Want To Die?" He hastily wrapped a ripped sheet around his arm and grabbed his crowbar. He rushed toward the side entrance.
Thump-Thump. Thump-Thump. The beating increased in frequency as a second zed joined the first.
Weston swung the side door open, revealing a small exterior area enclosed by a high metal fence. Another zed, alerted by the sudden movement, smashed itself against the chain links. Weston vaulted over the fence and darted around a corner before it could react.
Thump-Thump-Thump. Thump-Thump-Thump. More zeds joined in to smash the side door.
Ann fell off the table and landed on the ground. There. I can hide under there. She tried to crawl toward a nearby bed, but she was frozen with terror. Come on. Move. MOVE. Please move.
Swing. Swing. Push. Swing. Smash.
Thump-Thump. Thump-Thump.
The main door swelled under the pounding pressure.
Swing. Thump-Thump. Swing. Smash. Thump. Thump. CRACK.
The door burst into pieces. Scuffled footsteps poured into the interior.
Ann could hear the zed's heavy breathing on the other side of the crates. She squeezed her eyes closed, petrified with fear. The zed stalked closer and closer. Her heart was pounding so hard she could hardly take a breadth.
Weston dashed in through the main entrance and yelled at the top of his lungs, "HEY!" Several zeds turned and shambled full speed in his direction.
Swing. Swing. Smash. Brains splattered across the room, drenching the nearby crates in a chunky, dark ooze.
Weston bolted back outside. Ann could hear Weston continuing to yell frantically.
"OVER HERE!"
"Hey"
"over here"
"..."
""
The chorus of undead snarls faded toward the sound of Weston's voice.
Then silence.
= = =
Ann sat alone under the table, still too afraid to cry. Weston usually said the same thing every time he left: stay right there, be quite, and I'll be back before sunset.
Night had fallen. Ann knew Weston wasn't coming back. A slight breeze echoed through the open doors. What have I done? She leaned her head on the crate next to her and a tear ran down her cheek. I'm so useless.
She was exhausted, and so tired. So desperately, inhumanly tired. She closed her eyes, not able to stay awake any longer. So what if this is how I die?
I deserve it.
= = =
Weston returned in the morning and found Ann hiding under the table. "How did you get under here?" he said gently while reaching down to pick her up.
"Fine," Weston said to himself, carefully placing the doll in his satchel.
2024.06.01 15:15 pinkstarx My bf (27m) of 2 + years randomly told me (34f) that he wants me to lose weight. How should I go about this?
I have had body issues due to trauma my whole life. I had always thought I was fat but looking back I was always very slim. People always told me k was pretty and could be a model but I never saw that in myself. Growing up in an abusive family, I was put down a lot and had my insecurities used against me. This developed a lot of self esteem issues creating an unsure image of myself. Before dating my current boyfriend, I was with my ex of 13 years who was verbally and emotionally abusive as well. He would call me fat when I wasn’t and then anorexic when I had actually lost more weight being down to 103lbs in my mid twenties. In 2019 we had broken up and even though he was no good for me and I knew that, I had a very hard time with it. I also lost my dad a few months later which I think sealed the deal for what was to come. Covid rules went in to place around this time making it impossible to go get groceries yet Uber eats and things like that were still running to an extent. I lost myself and would order out a lot. I feel like I lost such a huge part of me that I no longer cared about myself and before knowing it I had gained lots of weight.
In 2021 I tried dating again and had no problem meeting new guys. I’m sure it was my personality that attracted them to me which was great and what I wanted however nothing worked out long term. I knew I wanted to lose weight but it was very hard for me and I didn’t even know where to start. I continued dating and said if I found someone who liked me for me now, then I’d know it’s real and would cherish me when I did lose weight. In 2022 I met a guy like no other. I almost swiped left but something drew me to him. He was awesome and so sweet. He was everything I ever wanted in a man and he seemed to like me for me, all of me. Through dating my self confidence came back, if anything it rose and I would actually feel hot and beautiful, something I never thought about myself before. He never put me down, told me my body was beautiful and made me feel amazing but in the back of my mind I still knew I wanted to lose weight. He supported me but told me I didn’t need to lose weight and that I was perfect the way I was. Throughout our whole relationship he would compliment me, making me feel on top of the world. Him liking me for me was a main thing that made me fall for him. I had never felt more comfortable and safe in my whole life.
I ended up getting pregnant and since giving birth, I had lost all my pregnancy weight and I think even more weight on top of that. The other day I was looking at my id from 2021 compared to now and there was such a huge difference in my face size. As of now, I’m about 176lbs and 5”6 for context. For BMI I am 1 point in the overweight mark but I see that as just 1 point over average which I know I can easily get down to. We were having a discussion yesterday and I asked him a personal question about our future, he snapped on me but later told me he wants me to lose weight. This came as an absolute shock to me. Not because I know I need to and want to but that this was coming from the same guy who always praised my body and made me feel like I was beautiful no matter what. It crushed me hearing this though I know it was true. What really got me is he said something along the lines of throughout our relationship he would look at me and not like the way I looked but overlook it. That really hurt and made me feel like our whole relationship was a lie. If so, why did he always compliment my body? Why did he try to make me feel so good about myself? Just the night before I was in the bathtub bent over where my stomach probably looked gross and he randomly came in and whistled at me. When I brought this up to him, he said it was because he thought I looked good. Everything he told me just contradicted each other. He would say sometimes he found me attractive the way I was and sometimes he didn’t like it. I was like so what, do you just pick and choose? How am I supposed to know? He claimed he was just as confused. He also said a few other contradictory things about our relationship, complaining we don’t do anything (we have a small child and no one to babysit) and saying I’m boring however every event, trip, outing was sought out and planned by me alone. So again I was very confused. He was really mean about it all but continued to say he loves me, love our time together, never met anyone like me, sees a future with me. How am I supposed to take all that? I’m not at all making excuses for him but he has been very stressed lately in not finding a job and I can see it’s been getting to him the last few days so I’m not sure if this helped in causing him to lash out at me in any way.
With him saying he wants me to lose weight, it was also confusing to hear as I have spent the last year begging him to help me out in regards to our home life. I struggle mentally but still do everything cool, clean, take care of our baby (he does help out) but he leaves me with so much mental load that I have to think for him. He’s has a task list of things to do for the last two years that he still hasn’t done and I have to keep track of that for him as well as his appointments. Anyone who’s had a baby especially a single mother would know how hard it is to do it on your own, I feel like with him I have another child I have to take care of. The responsibilities in our life are definitely not equal. He gets up, makes himself a big breakfast, has the time to work out and do the things he likes but me, I do a full day of work and when our baby goes to sleep I am completely exhausted that I mostly crash out within an hour or 2. He leaves me no time for myself to work out even if I wanted to and along with the mental load I am just exhausted. I also want to add that I have been having some health issues since the new year and I actually made a few changes. I cold turkey stopped drinking soda and changed my eating habits. He said he was proud of me and how quickly I could do that to take care of myself. But now he’s acting like I’ve made no changes at all even though I have lost weight both since I’ve met him and since giving birth. Of course I want to lose weight but now it almost feels wrong to do so. I don’t want to do it just because he said he ants me to. I want to do it at my own pace in my own way because I want to. It’s always been a goal of mine. And now I feel if I do lose weight and he starts complimenting me, it’ll just be wrong because I will always remember that he never liked me for me. Also everything now feels like it was a lie so I don’t know how to move forward or if I even should.
I am really just so confused and don’t know where to go from here. Is this a reasonable request or should I move on? Opinions? Suggestions?
submitted by pinkstarx to relationship_advice [link] [comments]
In 2021 I tried dating again and had no problem meeting new guys. I’m sure it was my personality that attracted them to me which was great and what I wanted however nothing worked out long term. I knew I wanted to lose weight but it was very hard for me and I didn’t even know where to start. I continued dating and said if I found someone who liked me for me now, then I’d know it’s real and would cherish me when I did lose weight. In 2022 I met a guy like no other. I almost swiped left but something drew me to him. He was awesome and so sweet. He was everything I ever wanted in a man and he seemed to like me for me, all of me. Through dating my self confidence came back, if anything it rose and I would actually feel hot and beautiful, something I never thought about myself before. He never put me down, told me my body was beautiful and made me feel amazing but in the back of my mind I still knew I wanted to lose weight. He supported me but told me I didn’t need to lose weight and that I was perfect the way I was. Throughout our whole relationship he would compliment me, making me feel on top of the world. Him liking me for me was a main thing that made me fall for him. I had never felt more comfortable and safe in my whole life.
I ended up getting pregnant and since giving birth, I had lost all my pregnancy weight and I think even more weight on top of that. The other day I was looking at my id from 2021 compared to now and there was such a huge difference in my face size. As of now, I’m about 176lbs and 5”6 for context. For BMI I am 1 point in the overweight mark but I see that as just 1 point over average which I know I can easily get down to. We were having a discussion yesterday and I asked him a personal question about our future, he snapped on me but later told me he wants me to lose weight. This came as an absolute shock to me. Not because I know I need to and want to but that this was coming from the same guy who always praised my body and made me feel like I was beautiful no matter what. It crushed me hearing this though I know it was true. What really got me is he said something along the lines of throughout our relationship he would look at me and not like the way I looked but overlook it. That really hurt and made me feel like our whole relationship was a lie. If so, why did he always compliment my body? Why did he try to make me feel so good about myself? Just the night before I was in the bathtub bent over where my stomach probably looked gross and he randomly came in and whistled at me. When I brought this up to him, he said it was because he thought I looked good. Everything he told me just contradicted each other. He would say sometimes he found me attractive the way I was and sometimes he didn’t like it. I was like so what, do you just pick and choose? How am I supposed to know? He claimed he was just as confused. He also said a few other contradictory things about our relationship, complaining we don’t do anything (we have a small child and no one to babysit) and saying I’m boring however every event, trip, outing was sought out and planned by me alone. So again I was very confused. He was really mean about it all but continued to say he loves me, love our time together, never met anyone like me, sees a future with me. How am I supposed to take all that? I’m not at all making excuses for him but he has been very stressed lately in not finding a job and I can see it’s been getting to him the last few days so I’m not sure if this helped in causing him to lash out at me in any way.
With him saying he wants me to lose weight, it was also confusing to hear as I have spent the last year begging him to help me out in regards to our home life. I struggle mentally but still do everything cool, clean, take care of our baby (he does help out) but he leaves me with so much mental load that I have to think for him. He’s has a task list of things to do for the last two years that he still hasn’t done and I have to keep track of that for him as well as his appointments. Anyone who’s had a baby especially a single mother would know how hard it is to do it on your own, I feel like with him I have another child I have to take care of. The responsibilities in our life are definitely not equal. He gets up, makes himself a big breakfast, has the time to work out and do the things he likes but me, I do a full day of work and when our baby goes to sleep I am completely exhausted that I mostly crash out within an hour or 2. He leaves me no time for myself to work out even if I wanted to and along with the mental load I am just exhausted. I also want to add that I have been having some health issues since the new year and I actually made a few changes. I cold turkey stopped drinking soda and changed my eating habits. He said he was proud of me and how quickly I could do that to take care of myself. But now he’s acting like I’ve made no changes at all even though I have lost weight both since I’ve met him and since giving birth. Of course I want to lose weight but now it almost feels wrong to do so. I don’t want to do it just because he said he ants me to. I want to do it at my own pace in my own way because I want to. It’s always been a goal of mine. And now I feel if I do lose weight and he starts complimenting me, it’ll just be wrong because I will always remember that he never liked me for me. Also everything now feels like it was a lie so I don’t know how to move forward or if I even should.
I am really just so confused and don’t know where to go from here. Is this a reasonable request or should I move on? Opinions? Suggestions?
2024.06.01 15:15 Cobalt-BlazBlue A Lesson In Clarity
First time poster here, had an idea for a short excerpt with Kassandra Curze based on the audio drama, A Lesson in Darkness, after I finished listening to it. Hope its all y’allz liking~ ////////////
The world screamed beneath her feet. It screamed with the chorus of over nine million souls as butchery rained down upon their roofs. The slurry of dismembered, flayed, and eviscerated corpses sending a maddening cacophony of panic through each pair of eyes who dared to look up above with hope. The debris weren’t just pieces of meat after all, it was the result of their defiance. The very men, women, and warriors who flew into the stars to meet the armies of the Imperium with foolish ideals of resistance in their hearts- now they lay in pieces and are eagerly falling back home.
“Terror as a scalpel.” The Primarch uttered to her son. “Mankind is a vindictive, grudge-filled, and hate-fueled creature. While many shall judge us for our method of war, we shall wield the fear of our ways like a scalpel. It shall pluck at their very foundation as anarchic animals right at its root.”
The captain nods, his inky black eyes filled with awe at staring at his gene-matron. His twin hearts beating in cold joy at the brutal lecture- he sees the nobility and monstrosity simultaneously. Kassandra Curze was a blood-stained angel.
Yet his own awe-strained thoughts were rocked by a singular question.
“Then, my lady, why do you command us to keep that mortal remembrancer around? Surely his account of our battles shall serve to stifle the fear we so-tenderly stoke?”
The Primarch paused, she didn’t expect her son to ask such a thing. While usually quick to anger, today she was treated to a gift from Starlight. She dare not sour the moment of her victory as well.
“It is not for his propaganda papers. He wishes to see…all of it.”
“All of it?” The captain chided.
“Yes.” Kassandra removes her helmet, “Of all the souls that have ever met my gaze no mortal has ever wished to see anymore as soon as eyes level. They see a monster, and that is by design, they see the Night Haunter. But Starli- I mean, the remembrancer. He sees me, the legion, and the blood of a thousand flayed men and he still does not turn away. He sees…me.”
The captain had been a veteran at this point and he had heard his Primarch talk about all manner of topics. From the complexities of human psychology and the myriad ways of battle, but this conversation, those words, he had no idea what she was saying. What stayed with him though, was her expression: She flashed a smile that almost seemed…tender.
Kassandra picks up on her son’s confusion and just sighs before putting her helmet back on. “Needless to say this world has been rendered compliant and I shall deliver this victory to the remembrancer personally.”
submitted by Cobalt-BlazBlue to PrimarchGFs [link] [comments]
The world screamed beneath her feet. It screamed with the chorus of over nine million souls as butchery rained down upon their roofs. The slurry of dismembered, flayed, and eviscerated corpses sending a maddening cacophony of panic through each pair of eyes who dared to look up above with hope. The debris weren’t just pieces of meat after all, it was the result of their defiance. The very men, women, and warriors who flew into the stars to meet the armies of the Imperium with foolish ideals of resistance in their hearts- now they lay in pieces and are eagerly falling back home.
“Terror as a scalpel.” The Primarch uttered to her son. “Mankind is a vindictive, grudge-filled, and hate-fueled creature. While many shall judge us for our method of war, we shall wield the fear of our ways like a scalpel. It shall pluck at their very foundation as anarchic animals right at its root.”
The captain nods, his inky black eyes filled with awe at staring at his gene-matron. His twin hearts beating in cold joy at the brutal lecture- he sees the nobility and monstrosity simultaneously. Kassandra Curze was a blood-stained angel.
Yet his own awe-strained thoughts were rocked by a singular question.
“Then, my lady, why do you command us to keep that mortal remembrancer around? Surely his account of our battles shall serve to stifle the fear we so-tenderly stoke?”
The Primarch paused, she didn’t expect her son to ask such a thing. While usually quick to anger, today she was treated to a gift from Starlight. She dare not sour the moment of her victory as well.
“It is not for his propaganda papers. He wishes to see…all of it.”
“All of it?” The captain chided.
“Yes.” Kassandra removes her helmet, “Of all the souls that have ever met my gaze no mortal has ever wished to see anymore as soon as eyes level. They see a monster, and that is by design, they see the Night Haunter. But Starli- I mean, the remembrancer. He sees me, the legion, and the blood of a thousand flayed men and he still does not turn away. He sees…me.”
The captain had been a veteran at this point and he had heard his Primarch talk about all manner of topics. From the complexities of human psychology and the myriad ways of battle, but this conversation, those words, he had no idea what she was saying. What stayed with him though, was her expression: She flashed a smile that almost seemed…tender.
Kassandra picks up on her son’s confusion and just sighs before putting her helmet back on. “Needless to say this world has been rendered compliant and I shall deliver this victory to the remembrancer personally.”
2024.06.01 15:15 ilybnm Opened the door and I regret it
This might be a long one, I apologize for the length. Also on mobile, so formatting as well. TL;DR at the bottom
Backstory -
My biological father and I had never been close. I have grown up with 2 stories about my childhood- from my mother that he abandoned me and from him that she kept me away from him.
I’ve accepted the fact that I will never know the truth of the matter and that is okay, but at 18 I attempted to cultivate a relationship with him.
About 3 years later, at 22, I moved in with him (or rather, my great grandmother, he lived with and still lives with her) due to exiting an extremely abusive relationship.
One day, out of the blue he came into my room, yelling at me about how the day before I blew him off. I tried to explain to him that I had gone into work that day (a sales job) to try to close on some deals and he called me a liar, etc etc.
Additionally he made some comments regarding my last name.
I had been adopted by the man I call my dad, and took his last name, got married and divorced and took my maiden name back on - he seemed to be confused as to why I didn’t take back on HIS name.
Anyway, after going around and around in arguments that just didn’t make sense, I felt like I was in a loop; he slapped me, and (this was VERY WEIRD) stuck his fingers down my throat when I was yelling back at him. Eventually he kicked me out; he told me to never tell anybody he was my father.
So I left, changed my number and removed myself from social media - this was about 10 years ago and I went no contact.
During this time, I realized a huge abandonment wound was opened.
On my 30th birthday I sought help outside of traditional therapy and drank ayahuasca after seeing the change within my own mother when she drank it.
We have had multiple ceremonies together, all of which have helped me to diminish the hurt I had been carrying, but not the anger within me.
This month we had a mushroom ceremony together and this finally allowed me to release the anger I had still harbored.
Now:
About 4 days ago, my biological father’s mother found my phone number online from when I was a realtor. Having felt that I had let go of the trauma and pain of 10 years ago, I accepted the call, with a hope that he had done ANY self reflection and told her I would be willing to have a conversation with him.
Last night he called me. I had the phone on speaker with my partner nearby because I know bio dad’s tactics and I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t allowing my ego to flare up and get out of line to make the situation worse.
During the conversation I attempted to see the situation through his eyes and he AGAIN continued the loop of “your mother kept you from me” “you believe everything she says” “you should have picked up the phone, I tried to contact you” and told me that the things within the fight DIDNT happen. It was as if this 10 year old fight, one that I moved on from, happened THIS AFTERNOON for him.
Also during the conversation he mentioned to me that he tells my half brother that he believes me to be a survivor and he, my brother , to be weak, essentially. Why one would say that to their child I cannot comprehend.
After realizing he would never express sympathy or acknowledge any wrongdoing on his part, he asked is I was planning on having children - I am still unsure at this time, but if it happens it happens - and he asked me not to keep them from him. My hypothetical, future children. I told him I could not speak to an event that is not currently happening.
I should have never cracked the door open. I have a peaceful, wonderful, tranquil life and he thrives off of drama, hate and anger.
I am starting to feel anxious that he will expect a relationship between us.
I guess what I’m looking for is - how have others in my situation handled this?
TL;DR: 10 years no contact, father found my number - don’t want a relationship, how to handle?
submitted by ilybnm to raisedbynarcissists [link] [comments]
Backstory -
My biological father and I had never been close. I have grown up with 2 stories about my childhood- from my mother that he abandoned me and from him that she kept me away from him.
I’ve accepted the fact that I will never know the truth of the matter and that is okay, but at 18 I attempted to cultivate a relationship with him.
About 3 years later, at 22, I moved in with him (or rather, my great grandmother, he lived with and still lives with her) due to exiting an extremely abusive relationship.
One day, out of the blue he came into my room, yelling at me about how the day before I blew him off. I tried to explain to him that I had gone into work that day (a sales job) to try to close on some deals and he called me a liar, etc etc.
Additionally he made some comments regarding my last name.
I had been adopted by the man I call my dad, and took his last name, got married and divorced and took my maiden name back on - he seemed to be confused as to why I didn’t take back on HIS name.
Anyway, after going around and around in arguments that just didn’t make sense, I felt like I was in a loop; he slapped me, and (this was VERY WEIRD) stuck his fingers down my throat when I was yelling back at him. Eventually he kicked me out; he told me to never tell anybody he was my father.
So I left, changed my number and removed myself from social media - this was about 10 years ago and I went no contact.
During this time, I realized a huge abandonment wound was opened.
On my 30th birthday I sought help outside of traditional therapy and drank ayahuasca after seeing the change within my own mother when she drank it.
We have had multiple ceremonies together, all of which have helped me to diminish the hurt I had been carrying, but not the anger within me.
This month we had a mushroom ceremony together and this finally allowed me to release the anger I had still harbored.
Now:
About 4 days ago, my biological father’s mother found my phone number online from when I was a realtor. Having felt that I had let go of the trauma and pain of 10 years ago, I accepted the call, with a hope that he had done ANY self reflection and told her I would be willing to have a conversation with him.
Last night he called me. I had the phone on speaker with my partner nearby because I know bio dad’s tactics and I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t allowing my ego to flare up and get out of line to make the situation worse.
During the conversation I attempted to see the situation through his eyes and he AGAIN continued the loop of “your mother kept you from me” “you believe everything she says” “you should have picked up the phone, I tried to contact you” and told me that the things within the fight DIDNT happen. It was as if this 10 year old fight, one that I moved on from, happened THIS AFTERNOON for him.
Also during the conversation he mentioned to me that he tells my half brother that he believes me to be a survivor and he, my brother , to be weak, essentially. Why one would say that to their child I cannot comprehend.
After realizing he would never express sympathy or acknowledge any wrongdoing on his part, he asked is I was planning on having children - I am still unsure at this time, but if it happens it happens - and he asked me not to keep them from him. My hypothetical, future children. I told him I could not speak to an event that is not currently happening.
I should have never cracked the door open. I have a peaceful, wonderful, tranquil life and he thrives off of drama, hate and anger.
I am starting to feel anxious that he will expect a relationship between us.
I guess what I’m looking for is - how have others in my situation handled this?
TL;DR: 10 years no contact, father found my number - don’t want a relationship, how to handle?
2024.06.01 15:15 Far_Standard_5991 How to deal with It ?
Hello can u tell/ advice what would done if u were in my situation since I don't have cool male friends who talk to girls and shy to ask people at physical intersection about. So lately there have a girl whose project I want trying to copy and create a similar cs class project and I have kind of wanted to talk about project but since I am shy to talk to girl I couldn't and has been making proxy for my project to reach her. And also she sits among the other two +8.5 cgpa hitter friends thats total three of topper sitting on a single bench but over period of time I have developed one bad habit of looking towards "that direction" for next work on same project to get que about her next moves more than often and I hate myself for it and not want to come of as creep. But lately I noticed that they where never near library for past 2 years (maybe are studying at home ) but they kind of started coming to lib more often since the starring thing started and I am usual library sitter (most of time +1 hour ) and , if not to make situation worse If I enter library and if they *( 2 OR MORE ) sit far ahead say likely two bench ahead and we face each other. What they would is they they would come and sit on table(not seat) next to me and face same direction I would like
Let says White me , and red them
And I have been lately thinking they have been lately reverse Starring me by pretending to talk each other and while doing is one is manicingly eyeing on me and they are definitely want to call me a creep or something which I 100% wanna avoid it . What to do not activate that "LOOK I AM INTEROVERT AND I WANT TO TALK " look ? What the solution before I get label as collage creeper. I am not even close to her lvl that makes me definitely look and a##hole I am assuming ?
submitted by Far_Standard_5991 to AskMen [link] [comments]
Let says White me , and red them
<=/\ ⚫️⚫️⚪️⚫️ /\⚫️🔴🔴⚫️
And I have been lately thinking they have been lately reverse Starring me by pretending to talk each other and while doing is one is manicingly eyeing on me and they are definitely want to call me a creep or something which I 100% wanna avoid it . What to do not activate that "LOOK I AM INTEROVERT AND I WANT TO TALK " look ? What the solution before I get label as collage creeper. I am not even close to her lvl that makes me definitely look and a##hole I am assuming ?
2024.06.01 15:15 Dizzy-Might-6110 What should I do?!
Sort of had a rupture with my therapist recently - I brought up my attachment to her, but felt like she minimised it. Then I emailed her to tell her about how I felt minimised but she did not reply which is fair. However, when I went for session, she didn’t say anything about the email and we just sat in silence for a good 10 mins before I asked if she read the email.
Then we addressed the email and she explained to me what she meant when I thought she minimised my attachment.
I feel like I don’t really know how to communicate this sense of attachment I feel towards her - it’s not romantic but maybe more of like… with an authority figure? Like wanting the attention and affirmation of someone, or longing for someone to care. But anyway, I left the session feeling super exhausted and it made me wonder what’s the point of going for therapy if it’s making me feel like shit all the time? My life actually seems better without. Then I sent her a message to ask if I could cancel the next session because I’m feeling exhausted. She did not reply.
Yesterday I felt like I was so done with therapy and this therapeutic relationship but today I felt kinda sad - I think I just felt really hurt by the fact that she wasn’t attuned to me the way I would have liked for her to. There’s a sense of longing for connection, but I just seem to end up pushing it away - maybe as a form of self preservation because she has failed me before and I wouldn’t want to risk getting hurt again. But am I repeating old patterns by running away every time I think someone has “failed” me? And by intentionally pushing people away.
I am unwilling to be the one that reaches out because I feel like I’m always the one trying and maybe I want to know I matter to her instead of having to be the one to bring things up :/
This is a super lengthy post and thank you if you read it. I just feel so stuck, need a rant and idk what to do - do I reach out or do I just ride it out and get over this therapeutic relationship and move on? Does anyone have any advice/ thoughts 😭
submitted by Dizzy-Might-6110 to TalkTherapy [link] [comments]
Then we addressed the email and she explained to me what she meant when I thought she minimised my attachment.
I feel like I don’t really know how to communicate this sense of attachment I feel towards her - it’s not romantic but maybe more of like… with an authority figure? Like wanting the attention and affirmation of someone, or longing for someone to care. But anyway, I left the session feeling super exhausted and it made me wonder what’s the point of going for therapy if it’s making me feel like shit all the time? My life actually seems better without. Then I sent her a message to ask if I could cancel the next session because I’m feeling exhausted. She did not reply.
Yesterday I felt like I was so done with therapy and this therapeutic relationship but today I felt kinda sad - I think I just felt really hurt by the fact that she wasn’t attuned to me the way I would have liked for her to. There’s a sense of longing for connection, but I just seem to end up pushing it away - maybe as a form of self preservation because she has failed me before and I wouldn’t want to risk getting hurt again. But am I repeating old patterns by running away every time I think someone has “failed” me? And by intentionally pushing people away.
I am unwilling to be the one that reaches out because I feel like I’m always the one trying and maybe I want to know I matter to her instead of having to be the one to bring things up :/
This is a super lengthy post and thank you if you read it. I just feel so stuck, need a rant and idk what to do - do I reach out or do I just ride it out and get over this therapeutic relationship and move on? Does anyone have any advice/ thoughts 😭
2024.06.01 15:14 RemarkableAnnual3336 I feel lost
I have been feeling myself further away from God even though I still read my bible and pray every night.
I can't really explain how I am feeling but ever since I started reading my Bible last month instead of feeling relief or joy it makes me feel distressed and disappointed. All my life I had this view of God as someone who completely understands your feelings and can make an exception for you based on your heart and always feels sorry for you ,but the more I read the bible and learn more about his word it makes me think the opposite. When I read the bible to me it's kinda of just in black and white about how your suppose to act and what your suppose to do no matter what your feel because your feelings dont matter at all. I always find myself thinking and wondering if God truly understands and cares about you because of this.
Idk why I think like this and it has been bothering me for months. When I look at other people that have started reading the bible the say that they feel peace whereas me on the other hand I get sad, disappointed and cry at night.
Last night I saw one of those tiktoks and it was a women with tears in her eyes saying "God is giving people one last chance to repent before he hands them over to their delusions" and that just really scared me and my heart felt heavy again. I feel guilty for not believing these people sometimes because it sometimes sounds like spiritual psychosis but what if they are speaking the truth.( whats your opinion if the people thag scream and cry while speaking about these type of things?)
When I try and learn about the word I start feeling my heart is heavy or I feel restrained scriptures like "pick up your cross and follow me" seem to leave me distress and feeling negative for some reason because it seems difficult aswell and how you have to be willing to abandon everything for God(like your parents or your wealth) even if your going to be sad about it. I know by abandoning those things, God has a greater gift for us when we die but at the same time it makes me think "then whats the point of living and forming relationships or achieving wealth?" I have so many questions for God that I wish he could answer me directly ,like on a dream
I don't know what to do because some people will say this and then another person will say that and it ends up not helping at all
(I hope you guys understand this, it took me a while to try and explain how i have been feeling)
submitted by RemarkableAnnual3336 to TrueChristian [link] [comments]
I can't really explain how I am feeling but ever since I started reading my Bible last month instead of feeling relief or joy it makes me feel distressed and disappointed. All my life I had this view of God as someone who completely understands your feelings and can make an exception for you based on your heart and always feels sorry for you ,but the more I read the bible and learn more about his word it makes me think the opposite. When I read the bible to me it's kinda of just in black and white about how your suppose to act and what your suppose to do no matter what your feel because your feelings dont matter at all. I always find myself thinking and wondering if God truly understands and cares about you because of this.
Idk why I think like this and it has been bothering me for months. When I look at other people that have started reading the bible the say that they feel peace whereas me on the other hand I get sad, disappointed and cry at night.
Last night I saw one of those tiktoks and it was a women with tears in her eyes saying "God is giving people one last chance to repent before he hands them over to their delusions" and that just really scared me and my heart felt heavy again. I feel guilty for not believing these people sometimes because it sometimes sounds like spiritual psychosis but what if they are speaking the truth.( whats your opinion if the people thag scream and cry while speaking about these type of things?)
When I try and learn about the word I start feeling my heart is heavy or I feel restrained scriptures like "pick up your cross and follow me" seem to leave me distress and feeling negative for some reason because it seems difficult aswell and how you have to be willing to abandon everything for God(like your parents or your wealth) even if your going to be sad about it. I know by abandoning those things, God has a greater gift for us when we die but at the same time it makes me think "then whats the point of living and forming relationships or achieving wealth?" I have so many questions for God that I wish he could answer me directly ,like on a dream
I don't know what to do because some people will say this and then another person will say that and it ends up not helping at all
(I hope you guys understand this, it took me a while to try and explain how i have been feeling)
2024.06.01 15:14 Axel_Aquarius I cut ties with my online best friend recently.
I (20M) recently cut ties with my online friend (29M) last Sunday or so. My reason being was because I couldn't tolerate his hurtful jokes anymore. The joke in question was him criticizing my playstyle in one of my favorite video games (context for the gamers in this subreddit, I was playing Monster Hunter: Rise and he could not stop slandering my playstyle of being a Longsword main). Mind y'all, I was just playing by myself in a Discord voice call and he wasn't even playing with me. He has been at it with the same insult over and over for the past month or so and I just got fed up.
Although I felt like I handled the situation poorly, because I started shouting at him, saying that I've had enough. He also had the audacity to blame me for "beginning the arguement". With so much emotions bottled up in my mind, I just left the voice call and stepped away from my computer for a few hours to calm down.
I talked to my mom about it and she adviced me to immediately cut ties with him, because she doesn't want me to be stuck in a situation like that ever again (this wasn't the first time I've had problems with online friends lol). So I did what she told me and I felt peace for a few days, but also felt like as if something was missing.
As of now, I'm still trying to process what I had to deal with, because I am so not used to blocking people out of my life without giving proper closure. It seemed somewhat wrong, but I definitely have no intentions of rekindling our friendship again.
The "friend" in question was never like this to me up until last April or so. I looked up to the dude like as if he was my big bro. It was as if he's not treating me as a friend anymore, wherein he doesn't sympathize nor show any kind of joy when we conversate. Basically, no fucks given at all.
What do y'all think? Did I do the right thing or not?
submitted by Axel_Aquarius to FriendshipAdvice [link] [comments]
Although I felt like I handled the situation poorly, because I started shouting at him, saying that I've had enough. He also had the audacity to blame me for "beginning the arguement". With so much emotions bottled up in my mind, I just left the voice call and stepped away from my computer for a few hours to calm down.
I talked to my mom about it and she adviced me to immediately cut ties with him, because she doesn't want me to be stuck in a situation like that ever again (this wasn't the first time I've had problems with online friends lol). So I did what she told me and I felt peace for a few days, but also felt like as if something was missing.
As of now, I'm still trying to process what I had to deal with, because I am so not used to blocking people out of my life without giving proper closure. It seemed somewhat wrong, but I definitely have no intentions of rekindling our friendship again.
The "friend" in question was never like this to me up until last April or so. I looked up to the dude like as if he was my big bro. It was as if he's not treating me as a friend anymore, wherein he doesn't sympathize nor show any kind of joy when we conversate. Basically, no fucks given at all.
What do y'all think? Did I do the right thing or not?
2024.06.01 15:14 RyanMorholt Forest Grove Settlers: First Day Fallout Fan Fiction - A Short Story
“I told you there would be nothing in that military check point,” Barrett said. He cleaned his hands from bloodbug residue. “Only abandoned cars and empty cigarette machines.”
“Okay, I was wrong!” Simon admitted. “Is it my fault that I have hope?”
“No one ever knows out here,” Kevin chimed in.
Simon affectionally grabbed his youngest brother by the shoulder.
“See, Barrett, this is what a supportive brother sounds like.”
Barrett grunted.
The three brothers continued to follow the broken asphalt road. In time, the sky above them disappeared behind the ruins of an interstate highway. Its massive concrete columns towered over the horizon. It had cast a long shadow over their route.
Kevin stopped his brothers.
“Is that an elevator?” He pointed to the yellow cable lift that ran up to the overpass.
“I’m not using that,” Barrett quickly responded. He touched his stomach unconsciously, cognizant of his size and weight.
“Yeah, that might be an adventure for another life time,” Simon said, noting the precariousness of the cables that rose up to the ruins of the highway overpass.
Kevin pursed his lips with a modicum of disappointment. As the youngest and smallest of the three, he possessed more daring than his brothers combined. Perhaps this difference was due to the inexperience of his age or the simple fact that Kevin had a different mother than Barrett and Simon. His courage may have been a genetic inheritance that the others lacked.
“House!” Simon spotted the wooden building before his brothers, who still focused on the elevator and the possibility of ascending it.
“Let me guess, there’s going to be treasure inside of it,” Barrett said sarcastically.
“There could be!” Simon replied.
As the young men approached the building, it became apparent it had been apart of a long abandoned settlement. From their higher-ground perspective, they could see the ruins of several buildings roll down the landscape and into the consuming waters of the Charles River. The houses closest to the river had flooded and slowly rotted in the river’s murky water.
“We got a lot of work to do,” Barrett said. His siblings could hear the smile in his words. They knew that there would be at least one piece of worthwhile loot among these buildings. Barrett, however, wanted more than the natural greed of survival. The big man itched for a real fight.
“Raiders, Ghouls, or Mirelurks,” Kevin asked.
“Five caps on raiders,” Barrett said. His hand dropped to the pipe pistol holstered to his thigh.
“Five for mirelurks,” Simon said.
“I guess, I take ghouls.”
The three men moved closer to the first building. The residence, once a beautiful suburban home, had decayed over the two hundred and twenty years since its owners died in the nuclear fallout. Yet, despite the age of home, its door seemed to have been freshly repaired.
Simon, as per usual, approached the entrance with military tact. Barrett positioned himself behind his older brother. He placed one hand on Simon’s shoulder and the other around his pipe pistol. Kevin checked their flank and readied his pipe rifle.
Simon lifted his hand. He counted silently with his fingers.
One. Two. Three.
He grabbed the door and yanked it open. Barrett entered the building, his pipe pistol scanning the interior of the house.
“Clear!”
Simon followed Barrett. Kevin slowly backed into the building. He closed the door behind him.
“Stairs,” Barrett said to his brothers.
Immediately, the big man took the lead, scanning the floor above him with his pistol at eye-level. Simon followed in the wake of his larger brother, keeping his eyes straight to the top of the landing. Kevin stayed on the first floor. He found a corner, pressed his back into it, and crouched. He kept his eye on the front door.
“Clear!” Barrett’s voice rang through the structure.
“Nothing for nobody,” Kevin said, standing from his position and letting his rifle hang limply in his hands. He thought at least one ghoul would be hiding in the house. Their fraternal bottlecap wager would have to wait another house.
“Cheer up! Better luck in the next building.” Simon said as he walked down the stairs. “Right now, we have some time to loot.”
The brothers began the careful examination of the residential building.
Despite two centuries of rain and snow the building seemed to be in good condition. Clearly, since the bombs fell, a series of squatters had made improvements and adjustments over the years. In fact, the house seemed almost luxurious compared to the standards of the Wasteland. The floors had been redone with new planks of wood. The walls had been scraped of their original wallpaper and painted a light seafoam green. Although the glass from the windows had been long destroyed, curtains hung over the wooden shutters that secured the windows from the exterior world.
“Ooo!” Barrett exclaimed upstairs.
“What’d you find?” Simon called out. He stood at the bottom of the staircase and waited for a sign.
“Caps stash!” Barrett appeared with a grey tin can. He shook it and a number of caps inside of it pleasantly jingled.
“And you thought there wouldn’t be any treasure?” Simon laughed to himself.
“And the fridge is full!” Kevin called.
Barrett rushed down the stairs and joined his brothers at the fridge. Together, they drank a bottle of mostly clean water, each taking sips and passing it to the others. Then, they finished a plate of crispy squirrel bits.
“Almost fresh,” Barrett said, shoving a large handful into his mouth.
Simon continued his perusal of the house as he chewed his last portion of squirrel meat. He went to the living room section of the main floor and rummaged through a chest of drawers.
“Women’s clothing?” He lifted a dress from the chest of drawers and showed his brothers. The light green dress seemed to be in relatively good condition. The clean herbaceous smell of carrot flowers wafted into his nose.
“Someone might still live here,” Barrett said, looking at a bouquet of fresh hubflowers on the table.
Kevin looked from one of the windows. “I think he’s just arrived.”
Before Simon and Kevin could arm themselves, the door opened. An old man entered with two buckets of water. At the very moment he saw these three men, he dropped the buckets on the floor and rushed out of the building. One of the buckets spilled its contents across the floor, slowly dribbling down the front steps. Meanwhile, the old man pressed his back against the exterior wall of the building.
“What are you doing in my house?”
“We didn’t know!” Simon shouted back. “We didn’t mean to trespass!”
“Well, you did. Now, what are you going to do? Kill an old man and take his home?”
“Not if you let us leave unharmed!”
“How do I know that you’re not raiders?”
“You can’t,” Simon shouted back. “You can only make a leap of faith.”
“And why would I that?”
“Well, for one thing, there are more of us than there are of you.”
“Send one man out.”
“No!” Simon responded. “How do I know you’re not just going to shoot him the moment he leaves the building?”
“You can’t,” the old man shouted back. “You can only make a leap of faith.”
Simon felt bested by the old man’s negotiating skills.
“I’ll go,” Kevin said to his brothers.
“No, I will.” Barrett put his hand on his younger brother. He would gladly die in his place.
“There’s less of me to hit,” Kevin bantered.
Barrett grunted, but he could not stop himself from smiling.
Simon thought about dissuading his brothers, telling them that no one was going to leave the house, but this show of trust needed to be made. If things went well, there could be a chance that the three of them could profit from this encounter. Perhaps, they could spend the night sleeping inside a warm house and finally be able to get a proper night’s rest.
“I’m coming out,” Kevin shouted to the old man.
“Unarmed. With your hands up! If I see so much as a big iron on your hip, the deal is off.”
Kevin placed his pipe rifle and his switchblade on top of the chest of drawers.
Simon stepped close to his brother and embraced him.
“If he harms you, I will make sure he suffers until his very last breath,” Simon whispered.
Kevin squeezed his brother tightly and went to the door.
“I am approaching the door now,” Kevin shouted. “My hands are up.”
Kevin stepped over the spilled water bucket and crossed the threshold of the house.
“Keeping going,” the old man commanded.
Once Kevin descended the front stairs and reached the hard ground, he felt the old man sweep behind him and check for weapons.
“Do we trust each other?” Kevin said, letting the old man pat down his sides. “I’m alive, so I know I can trust you, but there are still two men inside of the house.”
“Two, huh? I thought there’d be more of you.” The old man met Kevin gaze. His face was wrinkled, freckled, and scarred. His neck-length beard, once nearly black in colour, had become streaked with grey. His moustache faired slightly better, but it too had begun to pale in his old age. Overall, the old man seemed hardened by his experiences in the wasteland, but, despite this hardness, Kevin noticed a softness behind his eyes. They reflected no bitterness or resentment.
“Now what?” Simon called from inside of the house.
“I’m going to come inside with your friend as collateral.”
The old man drew his 10mm pistol and pressed into Kevin’s lower back. Kevin straightened his posture with a reflexive fear. He climbed up the stairs and back into the house, the pistol never losing contact with his spine.
“Welcome to my home, gentleman,” the old man said. “The name is Duncan. I hope you make yourselves comfortable, although, by the looks of yesterday’s dinner, it seems as though you already have.”
Barrett glanced back at the empty porcelain plate. He wiped his greasy hands on his pant legs.
“Watch it, big guy,” the old man said. “You don’t want to make too many sudden movements.”
Barrett looked into his brother’s face. Kevin seemed calm on the surface, but Barrett could see the fear beneath his composure.
“My name is Simon. This is Barrett, and the man you currently threatening is our brother Kevin.”
“Pleasure, gentlemen.”
“We’re travellers. We’ve no particular destination. We’re just trying to survive.”
“Yes, that always seems to be the story. Why aren’t you getting comfortable in Diamond City or Goodneighbor?”
“We’re new to the Commonwealth,” Simon replied.
“Just arrived,” Barrett added.
“Boys, I’m happy to be your first experience in these here parts, but you’re going to have to leave. I can’t risk any trouble.”
“We won’t be any trouble,” Kevin said, looking behind his shoulder.
“Truly, I would like to believe you boys, but you best be going.”
Duncan stepped aside and positioned himself to the side of the room. He tilted his head toward the door with a quick gesture, encouraging Simon and Barrett to leave.
“Now, please.”
“Can we at least get Kevin’s weapons over there?” Simon asked.
“I’ll toss them to you once you’re out of the door. Just go.”
Simon and Barrett complied. They walked out of the house and down the steps. Duncan led Kevin from his house, allowing the young man to move away from the pistol.
“Grandpapa!”
The men turned to see group of three women approaching the house. Two of them carried heavy bags of harvested food, while the third held a tactical submachine gun in her hands. The three of them kept staring at their grandfather, who kept his pistol held toward the brothers.
The woman with the submachine gun lifted the stock to her shoulder. She knew that with her large drum magazine, she could cut down these three intruders without the need to reload.
“We had a small misunderstanding, ladies,” Simon said with a winning smile. He looked at the woman with the submachine gun. Her short dark brown hair swooped over one of her eyes. She flipped her hair out of the way. “We’ll be on our way,” Simon continued, “once your grandfather hands us our weapons.”
“How about you head on out without them?” the woman with the gun said.
“That’s not fair,” Kevin said. He stepped forward as he said it, causing the woman to swivel her sights on him.
“On more step and you’ll have lost more than your weapons.”
“Woah, woah. Okay, message received,” Kevin said, putting his hands back into the air. “Let’s go, guys. It’s okay. We can find kinder hosts somewhere else.”
“Or, at least, a better fight,” Barrett said with a sniff of his nose. “An old man and three little girls hardly constitute a challenge.”
“I can wipe the floor with you, big boy,” said the woman with the machine gun.
“Audrey!” Duncan reprimanded.
“I’d like to see you try, girlie. Unarmed, one-on-one, you stand no chance,” Barrett said. As he spoke, he took a deep breath and inflated his already imposing figure. The muscles beneath his shirt could be seen flexing.
“Want to try me? Or are you scared of losing to a girl?” Audrey responded.
Barrett roared with laughter.
“Audrey, that’s enough!” the old man said. “Do not aggravate them. They’re on their way.”
“Wait!” the smallest of the three women called to her grandfather. “Can’t they stay? If they wanted to hurt us, they would’ve already.”
“It’d be too risky!” Duncan replied.
“But you’ve always said that people need to come together and rebuild this world,” she said.
Duncan flashed her a quick scolding look.
“Sylvie’s right,” the third woman added. “They can help us around the property.” Her eyes danced over Barrett’s large figure. While her middle sister seemed ready to harm him, she merely wanted to be held by him.
“Audrey, talk some sense into your sisters!” Duncan exclaimed. “You ladies know that we can’t invite people at random!”
“We’d be happy to help,” Simon interjected.
Kevin locked eyes with his young counterpart. Sylvie broke eye contact and looked at her feet.
“Yeah, we can help,” Kevin said a little absent-mindedly. He continued to admire the woman before his eyes.
“Wait a minute,” Barrett said, “This guy pulls a pistol on you and you want to help him? What are you going to do? Fetch him water?”
“We made him to spill it,” Kevin said with a shrug.
“Are you guys out of your mind? How can we trust them? What if the old man and these she-devils are planning to kill us in the middle of the night.”
“Oh, now you’re afraid of me!” Audrey teased, loosening her grip on the submachine gun.
“I ain’t afraid of anything,” Barrett snapped.
Simon bursted in laughter. “Buddy, you know you’re agreeing with the old man, right? He doesn’t want you around because he thinks your going to do to him what you think he’s doing to do to you.”
Barrett squinted his eyes, trying to parse the sentence.
“I don’t like it,” Barrett said.
“Neither do I,” Duncan agreed.
“Well, they’re not staying in the house,” Audrey said. She tilted her swooping hair out of her eyes again. “Give them the rotting house.”
Duncan stayed silent. Everyone looked at him as though it was his decision which made everything final.
“Fine, but I’m standing guard during the night. If one of these boys come creeping in the night, I’ll make sure our walls get a nice new shade of red.”
Barrett nodded his head in agreement. “And I’ll take first watch at our place.”
Audrey turned to her sisters. “Morgan, Sylvie, take the food inside. I’ll show these men their residence.” She adjusted the tactical submachine gun in her arms.
Her sisters did what they were told.
“Gentlemen,” Audrey said, leading the men down the slight hill, “Your new abode.” She kicked the front door, which broke free from its hinges. The wood from the door had rotted from the moisture in the air. Wet dust flew from the ground and an acrid smell spewed from the interior of the building.
“Enjoy.”
Audrey left the three brothers and returned to her home.
The three of the brothers exchanged uncomfortable glances and looked at the building. Kevin approached the doorway and peered into the darkness.
“Ghoul!” Kevin shouted.
His brothers ran into the building with their weapons drawn. Kevin threw his arms around his brothers as they looked at remains of a feral ghoul. It had died a long time ago.
“Pay up, boys!” he said with a smile. “Five caps each.”
submitted by RyanMorholt to RyanMorholt [link] [comments]
“Okay, I was wrong!” Simon admitted. “Is it my fault that I have hope?”
“No one ever knows out here,” Kevin chimed in.
Simon affectionally grabbed his youngest brother by the shoulder.
“See, Barrett, this is what a supportive brother sounds like.”
Barrett grunted.
The three brothers continued to follow the broken asphalt road. In time, the sky above them disappeared behind the ruins of an interstate highway. Its massive concrete columns towered over the horizon. It had cast a long shadow over their route.
Kevin stopped his brothers.
“Is that an elevator?” He pointed to the yellow cable lift that ran up to the overpass.
“I’m not using that,” Barrett quickly responded. He touched his stomach unconsciously, cognizant of his size and weight.
“Yeah, that might be an adventure for another life time,” Simon said, noting the precariousness of the cables that rose up to the ruins of the highway overpass.
Kevin pursed his lips with a modicum of disappointment. As the youngest and smallest of the three, he possessed more daring than his brothers combined. Perhaps this difference was due to the inexperience of his age or the simple fact that Kevin had a different mother than Barrett and Simon. His courage may have been a genetic inheritance that the others lacked.
“House!” Simon spotted the wooden building before his brothers, who still focused on the elevator and the possibility of ascending it.
“Let me guess, there’s going to be treasure inside of it,” Barrett said sarcastically.
“There could be!” Simon replied.
As the young men approached the building, it became apparent it had been apart of a long abandoned settlement. From their higher-ground perspective, they could see the ruins of several buildings roll down the landscape and into the consuming waters of the Charles River. The houses closest to the river had flooded and slowly rotted in the river’s murky water.
“We got a lot of work to do,” Barrett said. His siblings could hear the smile in his words. They knew that there would be at least one piece of worthwhile loot among these buildings. Barrett, however, wanted more than the natural greed of survival. The big man itched for a real fight.
“Raiders, Ghouls, or Mirelurks,” Kevin asked.
“Five caps on raiders,” Barrett said. His hand dropped to the pipe pistol holstered to his thigh.
“Five for mirelurks,” Simon said.
“I guess, I take ghouls.”
The three men moved closer to the first building. The residence, once a beautiful suburban home, had decayed over the two hundred and twenty years since its owners died in the nuclear fallout. Yet, despite the age of home, its door seemed to have been freshly repaired.
Simon, as per usual, approached the entrance with military tact. Barrett positioned himself behind his older brother. He placed one hand on Simon’s shoulder and the other around his pipe pistol. Kevin checked their flank and readied his pipe rifle.
Simon lifted his hand. He counted silently with his fingers.
One. Two. Three.
He grabbed the door and yanked it open. Barrett entered the building, his pipe pistol scanning the interior of the house.
“Clear!”
Simon followed Barrett. Kevin slowly backed into the building. He closed the door behind him.
“Stairs,” Barrett said to his brothers.
Immediately, the big man took the lead, scanning the floor above him with his pistol at eye-level. Simon followed in the wake of his larger brother, keeping his eyes straight to the top of the landing. Kevin stayed on the first floor. He found a corner, pressed his back into it, and crouched. He kept his eye on the front door.
“Clear!” Barrett’s voice rang through the structure.
“Nothing for nobody,” Kevin said, standing from his position and letting his rifle hang limply in his hands. He thought at least one ghoul would be hiding in the house. Their fraternal bottlecap wager would have to wait another house.
“Cheer up! Better luck in the next building.” Simon said as he walked down the stairs. “Right now, we have some time to loot.”
The brothers began the careful examination of the residential building.
Despite two centuries of rain and snow the building seemed to be in good condition. Clearly, since the bombs fell, a series of squatters had made improvements and adjustments over the years. In fact, the house seemed almost luxurious compared to the standards of the Wasteland. The floors had been redone with new planks of wood. The walls had been scraped of their original wallpaper and painted a light seafoam green. Although the glass from the windows had been long destroyed, curtains hung over the wooden shutters that secured the windows from the exterior world.
“Ooo!” Barrett exclaimed upstairs.
“What’d you find?” Simon called out. He stood at the bottom of the staircase and waited for a sign.
“Caps stash!” Barrett appeared with a grey tin can. He shook it and a number of caps inside of it pleasantly jingled.
“And you thought there wouldn’t be any treasure?” Simon laughed to himself.
“And the fridge is full!” Kevin called.
Barrett rushed down the stairs and joined his brothers at the fridge. Together, they drank a bottle of mostly clean water, each taking sips and passing it to the others. Then, they finished a plate of crispy squirrel bits.
“Almost fresh,” Barrett said, shoving a large handful into his mouth.
Simon continued his perusal of the house as he chewed his last portion of squirrel meat. He went to the living room section of the main floor and rummaged through a chest of drawers.
“Women’s clothing?” He lifted a dress from the chest of drawers and showed his brothers. The light green dress seemed to be in relatively good condition. The clean herbaceous smell of carrot flowers wafted into his nose.
“Someone might still live here,” Barrett said, looking at a bouquet of fresh hubflowers on the table.
Kevin looked from one of the windows. “I think he’s just arrived.”
Before Simon and Kevin could arm themselves, the door opened. An old man entered with two buckets of water. At the very moment he saw these three men, he dropped the buckets on the floor and rushed out of the building. One of the buckets spilled its contents across the floor, slowly dribbling down the front steps. Meanwhile, the old man pressed his back against the exterior wall of the building.
“What are you doing in my house?”
“We didn’t know!” Simon shouted back. “We didn’t mean to trespass!”
“Well, you did. Now, what are you going to do? Kill an old man and take his home?”
“Not if you let us leave unharmed!”
“How do I know that you’re not raiders?”
“You can’t,” Simon shouted back. “You can only make a leap of faith.”
“And why would I that?”
“Well, for one thing, there are more of us than there are of you.”
“Send one man out.”
“No!” Simon responded. “How do I know you’re not just going to shoot him the moment he leaves the building?”
“You can’t,” the old man shouted back. “You can only make a leap of faith.”
Simon felt bested by the old man’s negotiating skills.
“I’ll go,” Kevin said to his brothers.
“No, I will.” Barrett put his hand on his younger brother. He would gladly die in his place.
“There’s less of me to hit,” Kevin bantered.
Barrett grunted, but he could not stop himself from smiling.
Simon thought about dissuading his brothers, telling them that no one was going to leave the house, but this show of trust needed to be made. If things went well, there could be a chance that the three of them could profit from this encounter. Perhaps, they could spend the night sleeping inside a warm house and finally be able to get a proper night’s rest.
“I’m coming out,” Kevin shouted to the old man.
“Unarmed. With your hands up! If I see so much as a big iron on your hip, the deal is off.”
Kevin placed his pipe rifle and his switchblade on top of the chest of drawers.
Simon stepped close to his brother and embraced him.
“If he harms you, I will make sure he suffers until his very last breath,” Simon whispered.
Kevin squeezed his brother tightly and went to the door.
“I am approaching the door now,” Kevin shouted. “My hands are up.”
Kevin stepped over the spilled water bucket and crossed the threshold of the house.
“Keeping going,” the old man commanded.
Once Kevin descended the front stairs and reached the hard ground, he felt the old man sweep behind him and check for weapons.
“Do we trust each other?” Kevin said, letting the old man pat down his sides. “I’m alive, so I know I can trust you, but there are still two men inside of the house.”
“Two, huh? I thought there’d be more of you.” The old man met Kevin gaze. His face was wrinkled, freckled, and scarred. His neck-length beard, once nearly black in colour, had become streaked with grey. His moustache faired slightly better, but it too had begun to pale in his old age. Overall, the old man seemed hardened by his experiences in the wasteland, but, despite this hardness, Kevin noticed a softness behind his eyes. They reflected no bitterness or resentment.
“Now what?” Simon called from inside of the house.
“I’m going to come inside with your friend as collateral.”
The old man drew his 10mm pistol and pressed into Kevin’s lower back. Kevin straightened his posture with a reflexive fear. He climbed up the stairs and back into the house, the pistol never losing contact with his spine.
“Welcome to my home, gentleman,” the old man said. “The name is Duncan. I hope you make yourselves comfortable, although, by the looks of yesterday’s dinner, it seems as though you already have.”
Barrett glanced back at the empty porcelain plate. He wiped his greasy hands on his pant legs.
“Watch it, big guy,” the old man said. “You don’t want to make too many sudden movements.”
Barrett looked into his brother’s face. Kevin seemed calm on the surface, but Barrett could see the fear beneath his composure.
“My name is Simon. This is Barrett, and the man you currently threatening is our brother Kevin.”
“Pleasure, gentlemen.”
“We’re travellers. We’ve no particular destination. We’re just trying to survive.”
“Yes, that always seems to be the story. Why aren’t you getting comfortable in Diamond City or Goodneighbor?”
“We’re new to the Commonwealth,” Simon replied.
“Just arrived,” Barrett added.
“Boys, I’m happy to be your first experience in these here parts, but you’re going to have to leave. I can’t risk any trouble.”
“We won’t be any trouble,” Kevin said, looking behind his shoulder.
“Truly, I would like to believe you boys, but you best be going.”
Duncan stepped aside and positioned himself to the side of the room. He tilted his head toward the door with a quick gesture, encouraging Simon and Barrett to leave.
“Now, please.”
“Can we at least get Kevin’s weapons over there?” Simon asked.
“I’ll toss them to you once you’re out of the door. Just go.”
Simon and Barrett complied. They walked out of the house and down the steps. Duncan led Kevin from his house, allowing the young man to move away from the pistol.
“Grandpapa!”
The men turned to see group of three women approaching the house. Two of them carried heavy bags of harvested food, while the third held a tactical submachine gun in her hands. The three of them kept staring at their grandfather, who kept his pistol held toward the brothers.
The woman with the submachine gun lifted the stock to her shoulder. She knew that with her large drum magazine, she could cut down these three intruders without the need to reload.
“We had a small misunderstanding, ladies,” Simon said with a winning smile. He looked at the woman with the submachine gun. Her short dark brown hair swooped over one of her eyes. She flipped her hair out of the way. “We’ll be on our way,” Simon continued, “once your grandfather hands us our weapons.”
“How about you head on out without them?” the woman with the gun said.
“That’s not fair,” Kevin said. He stepped forward as he said it, causing the woman to swivel her sights on him.
“On more step and you’ll have lost more than your weapons.”
“Woah, woah. Okay, message received,” Kevin said, putting his hands back into the air. “Let’s go, guys. It’s okay. We can find kinder hosts somewhere else.”
“Or, at least, a better fight,” Barrett said with a sniff of his nose. “An old man and three little girls hardly constitute a challenge.”
“I can wipe the floor with you, big boy,” said the woman with the machine gun.
“Audrey!” Duncan reprimanded.
“I’d like to see you try, girlie. Unarmed, one-on-one, you stand no chance,” Barrett said. As he spoke, he took a deep breath and inflated his already imposing figure. The muscles beneath his shirt could be seen flexing.
“Want to try me? Or are you scared of losing to a girl?” Audrey responded.
Barrett roared with laughter.
“Audrey, that’s enough!” the old man said. “Do not aggravate them. They’re on their way.”
“Wait!” the smallest of the three women called to her grandfather. “Can’t they stay? If they wanted to hurt us, they would’ve already.”
“It’d be too risky!” Duncan replied.
“But you’ve always said that people need to come together and rebuild this world,” she said.
Duncan flashed her a quick scolding look.
“Sylvie’s right,” the third woman added. “They can help us around the property.” Her eyes danced over Barrett’s large figure. While her middle sister seemed ready to harm him, she merely wanted to be held by him.
“Audrey, talk some sense into your sisters!” Duncan exclaimed. “You ladies know that we can’t invite people at random!”
“We’d be happy to help,” Simon interjected.
Kevin locked eyes with his young counterpart. Sylvie broke eye contact and looked at her feet.
“Yeah, we can help,” Kevin said a little absent-mindedly. He continued to admire the woman before his eyes.
“Wait a minute,” Barrett said, “This guy pulls a pistol on you and you want to help him? What are you going to do? Fetch him water?”
“We made him to spill it,” Kevin said with a shrug.
“Are you guys out of your mind? How can we trust them? What if the old man and these she-devils are planning to kill us in the middle of the night.”
“Oh, now you’re afraid of me!” Audrey teased, loosening her grip on the submachine gun.
“I ain’t afraid of anything,” Barrett snapped.
Simon bursted in laughter. “Buddy, you know you’re agreeing with the old man, right? He doesn’t want you around because he thinks your going to do to him what you think he’s doing to do to you.”
Barrett squinted his eyes, trying to parse the sentence.
“I don’t like it,” Barrett said.
“Neither do I,” Duncan agreed.
“Well, they’re not staying in the house,” Audrey said. She tilted her swooping hair out of her eyes again. “Give them the rotting house.”
Duncan stayed silent. Everyone looked at him as though it was his decision which made everything final.
“Fine, but I’m standing guard during the night. If one of these boys come creeping in the night, I’ll make sure our walls get a nice new shade of red.”
Barrett nodded his head in agreement. “And I’ll take first watch at our place.”
Audrey turned to her sisters. “Morgan, Sylvie, take the food inside. I’ll show these men their residence.” She adjusted the tactical submachine gun in her arms.
Her sisters did what they were told.
“Gentlemen,” Audrey said, leading the men down the slight hill, “Your new abode.” She kicked the front door, which broke free from its hinges. The wood from the door had rotted from the moisture in the air. Wet dust flew from the ground and an acrid smell spewed from the interior of the building.
“Enjoy.”
Audrey left the three brothers and returned to her home.
The three of the brothers exchanged uncomfortable glances and looked at the building. Kevin approached the doorway and peered into the darkness.
“Ghoul!” Kevin shouted.
His brothers ran into the building with their weapons drawn. Kevin threw his arms around his brothers as they looked at remains of a feral ghoul. It had died a long time ago.
“Pay up, boys!” he said with a smile. “Five caps each.”
2024.06.01 15:14 Pitiful_Spend_7466 Moving
Moving in a few weeks from a one bedroom apartment in NY to a (smaller) one bedroom apartment in MA. Been reading through some other threads but wanted opinions on what’s best. I have a 3 year old rescue, I would say with moderate anxiety levels (hides when people come over, doesn’t like balloons etc). It takes a lot of coaxing to get him into his carrier but once he’s in he’s fine, he’s also calm and cooperative at the vet (but maybe he’s just frozen in fear? lol). He’s an indoor cat only and we also have a 3 year old dog.
I was planning to leave first thing in morning on the day of the move. Should hopefully be a smooth drive maybe 3-3.5 hours. I was planning on settling in with my cat in the empty apartment, bringing his litter box, blankets, toys and food so he can start getting acclimated to the space, then keeping him locked in the bathroom when the movers arrive.
Any advice? TYIA.
submitted by Pitiful_Spend_7466 to CatAdvice [link] [comments]
I was planning to leave first thing in morning on the day of the move. Should hopefully be a smooth drive maybe 3-3.5 hours. I was planning on settling in with my cat in the empty apartment, bringing his litter box, blankets, toys and food so he can start getting acclimated to the space, then keeping him locked in the bathroom when the movers arrive.
Any advice? TYIA.
2024.06.01 15:14 Minamizu Need help evaluating my situation between me (M18) and my crush (F19). Think I should set boundaries but not sure if I will do it correctly?
Hello everyone, I am a 18M turning 19 soon ( Going to University) and the person in question is already 19F ( Not going to Uni because of VISA problem). I have social communication disorder and I’m not particularly good at social dilemma. I have already done a lot of research on how to move forward but I figure I should also post on reddit as well to get some more tailor advice and input from strangers.
There is this particular girl I meet in high school at 8th grade that I really enjoyed talking to ever since I meet her. I really liked her, from our chemistry together to our similar immigrant backgrounds ( I am Chinese who is born in Vietnam, and she is Filipino. We both went to private school back in our country and in similar socioeconomic backgrounds.) to how she looks sort of like me ( Same eyes, same nose, and I also have some feminine facial features). She also are interested in similar subjects as I am, as we’re both into really into Jungian Psychology, and we’re into East Asian pop culture ( Although I am more interested in Anime while she is interested in K-pop). While there is some differences between us, for instance I am more self contained and analytical ( Very INTJ) she is less so and more carefree than I was. Perhaps because we’re very similar to each other but slightly different enough, our chemistry really work well with each other. For instance, I am usually more serious and blunt while she sort of ease the tension a little bit and make our conversation more fun and less serious. Like a comedic duo. I really like her, which is why I confessed to her in tenth grade. I am very cautious and I thought I had great but not certain chance of success, that being said I was aware of the possibility she would rather stay friends. I confessed, gave her the next day to think about it. In the morning, she hesitantly told me she would give me a chance and I was ecstatic. But by lunch time, she said she didn’t want to date me anymore and her reason was that she’s not ready and in the right place to be dating just yet. I was sad and confused as I’m not too well aware what she is referring about but she said no and I still wanted to be friends with her so I said that it’s okay and we can still be friends. For the next 6-8 month we remain friend till the end of 10th grade. She told me she going to a private school, and at that point I thought I understood why she changed her mind at dating. I wished her the best, and said she has my instagram and we could hang out if we’re free. We said goodbye and we never hangout after that.
For almost two year during our 11th grade till the end of 12th grade, I honestly just forgot about her. I was busy with school, made new friends, and don’t really used instagram much and just didn’t really have an interested in talking to her. Life just happens, and I’m not really the person who get attached or fixated on someone and I don’t think she was either. On the 2nd of May 2024 ( Almost a month ago), we just randomly meet each other on a bus. Just a crazy coincidence really, I mean I don’t use SM much and didn’t really tell anyone my schedule so no way she was stalking me. We got talking again and we still have the same chemistry between us, and of course more importantly, she is still very attractive. We’re on friendly term and so I asked her why did she reject me in 10th grade. She gave me the same answer, and I confessed that I felt guilty because I didn’t know she had to move school and it was probably for the best she said no. It wasn’t awkward at all, she smiles a little I think. We kept talking after that, I even got off the bus early to keep talking to her. Then she told me to hide because her mom is really strict about her being with a boy. I thought what?? It’s 2024 and she is 19, what is she on about. But I still complied and there was a rock we just sat on and just kept on talking for two hours until it was dark. I probably could still talk to her another hour or two but she said she had “curfew” and can’t be home to late which I thought was really weird and honestly I didn’t process when she said that so I just replied okay and nod and said I really like talking to her and want to keep talking. But no instagram, I wanted her phone number. She gave me her phone number and we just hugged and said our goodbyes.
We decided next Saturday to hangout, and Saturday came and she had to abruptly canceled it. I told her it’s fine and we can just reschedule it. She left me on read. For two day. I am diagnosed with SPCD ( one way to view it is I have autism but only the social deficit parts of ASD), and I really thought I fucked up. I really start having an existential crisis because in the past I assume people were having a good time when they didn’t. And in my head, I really thought I was experiencing a different realm of reality than her. I thought our entire relationship was a lies I made up and that I had forced her to hangout with me. After all we never hang out outside of high school, she said no to my confession, I followed her out of the bus but she didn’t want me to know where she lived, I was the one who said to hang out on Saturday but she canceled abruptly. I wrote a very long text basically apologising, and saying that it’s okay and I won’t forced her to hangouts. A day later she replied saying oh don’t overthink it, and that she will replied properly. Then a week go by, absolutely nothing. See, what I don’t understand is she doesn’t go to school, has only a part time job, how is she replying so late? Then on the 8th day she replied. She said she is very sorry and that it was unacceptable and gave me the reassurance that I didn’t fuck up. She said she still wanted to see me. We set up another time to meet, over three week since I last saw her. I saw her around 5 day ago, and I went in wanting to ask so many questions but when I saw her, my brain were so conditioned that we just talk like how we always talk to each other. But I did learn one big thing, her family are Protestant Christian. I made small talk about that but didn’t ask any personal question. Then after that we just went to her house, and we just kept yapping and yapping in the living room. We had so much fun, we almost forgot I had to leave soon cause her mom is coming home. But fuck, I was supposed to confront her but we just ended up having so much fun. Idk how to feel anymore, the more I learn about her the more I realised what a pain in the ass she is, and the more I realise maybe I shouldn’t pursue a romantic relationship. I still really like her though…
But I am thinking maybe we should just remain friends, she really is not in the right space to date right now. Beside, I really don’t think she saw me as someone to date, very sad whomp whomp. Thinking of next time I see her I’ll just actually confront and clarify and set boundary in our relationship. If she see me as a friend then I’m happy too, but my penis is not very happy. If she does like me and seek to pursue a romantic relationship then I probably have a lot of work to do.
I don’t know when we will see each other again, I saw her five days ago. After we last saw each other, she said she had a lot of fun :D so I texted that I wanted to see her again. She left me on read for the last 5 days now.
If you guys have any advice, input, comment then leave it down below.
submitted by Minamizu to relationship_advice [link] [comments]
There is this particular girl I meet in high school at 8th grade that I really enjoyed talking to ever since I meet her. I really liked her, from our chemistry together to our similar immigrant backgrounds ( I am Chinese who is born in Vietnam, and she is Filipino. We both went to private school back in our country and in similar socioeconomic backgrounds.) to how she looks sort of like me ( Same eyes, same nose, and I also have some feminine facial features). She also are interested in similar subjects as I am, as we’re both into really into Jungian Psychology, and we’re into East Asian pop culture ( Although I am more interested in Anime while she is interested in K-pop). While there is some differences between us, for instance I am more self contained and analytical ( Very INTJ) she is less so and more carefree than I was. Perhaps because we’re very similar to each other but slightly different enough, our chemistry really work well with each other. For instance, I am usually more serious and blunt while she sort of ease the tension a little bit and make our conversation more fun and less serious. Like a comedic duo. I really like her, which is why I confessed to her in tenth grade. I am very cautious and I thought I had great but not certain chance of success, that being said I was aware of the possibility she would rather stay friends. I confessed, gave her the next day to think about it. In the morning, she hesitantly told me she would give me a chance and I was ecstatic. But by lunch time, she said she didn’t want to date me anymore and her reason was that she’s not ready and in the right place to be dating just yet. I was sad and confused as I’m not too well aware what she is referring about but she said no and I still wanted to be friends with her so I said that it’s okay and we can still be friends. For the next 6-8 month we remain friend till the end of 10th grade. She told me she going to a private school, and at that point I thought I understood why she changed her mind at dating. I wished her the best, and said she has my instagram and we could hang out if we’re free. We said goodbye and we never hangout after that.
For almost two year during our 11th grade till the end of 12th grade, I honestly just forgot about her. I was busy with school, made new friends, and don’t really used instagram much and just didn’t really have an interested in talking to her. Life just happens, and I’m not really the person who get attached or fixated on someone and I don’t think she was either. On the 2nd of May 2024 ( Almost a month ago), we just randomly meet each other on a bus. Just a crazy coincidence really, I mean I don’t use SM much and didn’t really tell anyone my schedule so no way she was stalking me. We got talking again and we still have the same chemistry between us, and of course more importantly, she is still very attractive. We’re on friendly term and so I asked her why did she reject me in 10th grade. She gave me the same answer, and I confessed that I felt guilty because I didn’t know she had to move school and it was probably for the best she said no. It wasn’t awkward at all, she smiles a little I think. We kept talking after that, I even got off the bus early to keep talking to her. Then she told me to hide because her mom is really strict about her being with a boy. I thought what?? It’s 2024 and she is 19, what is she on about. But I still complied and there was a rock we just sat on and just kept on talking for two hours until it was dark. I probably could still talk to her another hour or two but she said she had “curfew” and can’t be home to late which I thought was really weird and honestly I didn’t process when she said that so I just replied okay and nod and said I really like talking to her and want to keep talking. But no instagram, I wanted her phone number. She gave me her phone number and we just hugged and said our goodbyes.
We decided next Saturday to hangout, and Saturday came and she had to abruptly canceled it. I told her it’s fine and we can just reschedule it. She left me on read. For two day. I am diagnosed with SPCD ( one way to view it is I have autism but only the social deficit parts of ASD), and I really thought I fucked up. I really start having an existential crisis because in the past I assume people were having a good time when they didn’t. And in my head, I really thought I was experiencing a different realm of reality than her. I thought our entire relationship was a lies I made up and that I had forced her to hangout with me. After all we never hang out outside of high school, she said no to my confession, I followed her out of the bus but she didn’t want me to know where she lived, I was the one who said to hang out on Saturday but she canceled abruptly. I wrote a very long text basically apologising, and saying that it’s okay and I won’t forced her to hangouts. A day later she replied saying oh don’t overthink it, and that she will replied properly. Then a week go by, absolutely nothing. See, what I don’t understand is she doesn’t go to school, has only a part time job, how is she replying so late? Then on the 8th day she replied. She said she is very sorry and that it was unacceptable and gave me the reassurance that I didn’t fuck up. She said she still wanted to see me. We set up another time to meet, over three week since I last saw her. I saw her around 5 day ago, and I went in wanting to ask so many questions but when I saw her, my brain were so conditioned that we just talk like how we always talk to each other. But I did learn one big thing, her family are Protestant Christian. I made small talk about that but didn’t ask any personal question. Then after that we just went to her house, and we just kept yapping and yapping in the living room. We had so much fun, we almost forgot I had to leave soon cause her mom is coming home. But fuck, I was supposed to confront her but we just ended up having so much fun. Idk how to feel anymore, the more I learn about her the more I realised what a pain in the ass she is, and the more I realise maybe I shouldn’t pursue a romantic relationship. I still really like her though…
But I am thinking maybe we should just remain friends, she really is not in the right space to date right now. Beside, I really don’t think she saw me as someone to date, very sad whomp whomp. Thinking of next time I see her I’ll just actually confront and clarify and set boundary in our relationship. If she see me as a friend then I’m happy too, but my penis is not very happy. If she does like me and seek to pursue a romantic relationship then I probably have a lot of work to do.
I don’t know when we will see each other again, I saw her five days ago. After we last saw each other, she said she had a lot of fun :D so I texted that I wanted to see her again. She left me on read for the last 5 days now.
If you guys have any advice, input, comment then leave it down below.
2024.06.01 15:14 Creative_Worth_3192 Battery drain
I'm really over it. I used to get through a whole day, with gaming and YouTube and other such things, and still have about 40% at the end of the day. But just now I saw my phone had reached 100% overnight, unplugged it, went to feed the cats, came back, and its gotten down to 96% in a matter of minutes with ZERO usage.
This is the 8 pro. Anyone else dealing with this and any advice? I've optimized my battery settings over and over and the only thing that seems to be left is turning off the phone and never touching it! So aggravating!
submitted by Creative_Worth_3192 to oneplus [link] [comments]
This is the 8 pro. Anyone else dealing with this and any advice? I've optimized my battery settings over and over and the only thing that seems to be left is turning off the phone and never touching it! So aggravating!
2024.06.01 15:14 RyanMorholt Forest Grove Settlers: First Day Fallout Fan Fiction - A Short Story
“I told you there would be nothing in that military check point,” Barrett said. He cleaned his hands from bloodbug residue. “Only abandoned cars and empty cigarette machines.”
“Okay, I was wrong!” Simon admitted. “Is it my fault that I have hope?”
“No one ever knows out here,” Kevin chimed in.
Simon affectionally grabbed his youngest brother by the shoulder.
“See, Barrett, this is what a supportive brother sounds like.”
Barrett grunted.
The three brothers continued to follow the broken asphalt road. In time, the sky above them disappeared behind the ruins of an interstate highway. Its massive concrete columns towered over the horizon. It had cast a long shadow over their route.
Kevin stopped his brothers.
“Is that an elevator?” He pointed to the yellow cable lift that ran up to the overpass.
“I’m not using that,” Barrett quickly responded. He touched his stomach unconsciously, cognizant of his size and weight.
“Yeah, that might be an adventure for another life time,” Simon said, noting the precariousness of the cables that rose up to the ruins of the highway overpass.
Kevin pursed his lips with a modicum of disappointment. As the youngest and smallest of the three, he possessed more daring than his brothers combined. Perhaps this difference was due to the inexperience of his age or the simple fact that Kevin had a different mother than Barrett and Simon. His courage may have been a genetic inheritance that the others lacked.
“House!” Simon spotted the wooden building before his brothers, who still focused on the elevator and the possibility of ascending it.
“Let me guess, there’s going to be treasure inside of it,” Barrett said sarcastically.
“There could be!” Simon replied.
As the young men approached the building, it became apparent it had been apart of a long abandoned settlement. From their higher-ground perspective, they could see the ruins of several buildings roll down the landscape and into the consuming waters of the Charles River. The houses closest to the river had flooded and slowly rotted in the river’s murky water.
“We got a lot of work to do,” Barrett said. His siblings could hear the smile in his words. They knew that there would be at least one piece of worthwhile loot among these buildings. Barrett, however, wanted more than the natural greed of survival. The big man itched for a real fight.
“Raiders, Ghouls, or Mirelurks,” Kevin asked.
“Five caps on raiders,” Barrett said. His hand dropped to the pipe pistol holstered to his thigh.
“Five for mirelurks,” Simon said.
“I guess, I take ghouls.”
The three men moved closer to the first building. The residence, once a beautiful suburban home, had decayed over the two hundred and twenty years since its owners died in the nuclear fallout. Yet, despite the age of home, its door seemed to have been freshly repaired.
Simon, as per usual, approached the entrance with military tact. Barrett positioned himself behind his older brother. He placed one hand on Simon’s shoulder and the other around his pipe pistol. Kevin checked their flank and readied his pipe rifle.
Simon lifted his hand. He counted silently with his fingers.
One. Two. Three.
He grabbed the door and yanked it open. Barrett entered the building, his pipe pistol scanning the interior of the house.
“Clear!”
Simon followed Barrett. Kevin slowly backed into the building. He closed the door behind him.
“Stairs,” Barrett said to his brothers.
Immediately, the big man took the lead, scanning the floor above him with his pistol at eye-level. Simon followed in the wake of his larger brother, keeping his eyes straight to the top of the landing. Kevin stayed on the first floor. He found a corner, pressed his back into it, and crouched. He kept his eye on the front door.
“Clear!” Barrett’s voice rang through the structure.
“Nothing for nobody,” Kevin said, standing from his position and letting his rifle hang limply in his hands. He thought at least one ghoul would be hiding in the house. Their fraternal bottlecap wager would have to wait another house.
“Cheer up! Better luck in the next building.” Simon said as he walked down the stairs. “Right now, we have some time to loot.”
The brothers began the careful examination of the residential building.
Despite two centuries of rain and snow the building seemed to be in good condition. Clearly, since the bombs fell, a series of squatters had made improvements and adjustments over the years. In fact, the house seemed almost luxurious compared to the standards of the Wasteland. The floors had been redone with new planks of wood. The walls had been scraped of their original wallpaper and painted a light seafoam green. Although the glass from the windows had been long destroyed, curtains hung over the wooden shutters that secured the windows from the exterior world.
“Ooo!” Barrett exclaimed upstairs.
“What’d you find?” Simon called out. He stood at the bottom of the staircase and waited for a sign.
“Caps stash!” Barrett appeared with a grey tin can. He shook it and a number of caps inside of it pleasantly jingled.
“And you thought there wouldn’t be any treasure?” Simon laughed to himself.
“And the fridge is full!” Kevin called.
Barrett rushed down the stairs and joined his brothers at the fridge. Together, they drank a bottle of mostly clean water, each taking sips and passing it to the others. Then, they finished a plate of crispy squirrel bits.
“Almost fresh,” Barrett said, shoving a large handful into his mouth.
Simon continued his perusal of the house as he chewed his last portion of squirrel meat. He went to the living room section of the main floor and rummaged through a chest of drawers.
“Women’s clothing?” He lifted a dress from the chest of drawers and showed his brothers. The light green dress seemed to be in relatively good condition. The clean herbaceous smell of carrot flowers wafted into his nose.
“Someone might still live here,” Barrett said, looking at a bouquet of fresh hubflowers on the table.
Kevin looked from one of the windows. “I think he’s just arrived.”
Before Simon and Kevin could arm themselves, the door opened. An old man entered with two buckets of water. At the very moment he saw these three men, he dropped the buckets on the floor and rushed out of the building. One of the buckets spilled its contents across the floor, slowly dribbling down the front steps. Meanwhile, the old man pressed his back against the exterior wall of the building.
“What are you doing in my house?”
“We didn’t know!” Simon shouted back. “We didn’t mean to trespass!”
“Well, you did. Now, what are you going to do? Kill an old man and take his home?”
“Not if you let us leave unharmed!”
“How do I know that you’re not raiders?”
“You can’t,” Simon shouted back. “You can only make a leap of faith.”
“And why would I that?”
“Well, for one thing, there are more of us than there are of you.”
“Send one man out.”
“No!” Simon responded. “How do I know you’re not just going to shoot him the moment he leaves the building?”
“You can’t,” the old man shouted back. “You can only make a leap of faith.”
Simon felt bested by the old man’s negotiating skills.
“I’ll go,” Kevin said to his brothers.
“No, I will.” Barrett put his hand on his younger brother. He would gladly die in his place.
“There’s less of me to hit,” Kevin bantered.
Barrett grunted, but he could not stop himself from smiling.
Simon thought about dissuading his brothers, telling them that no one was going to leave the house, but this show of trust needed to be made. If things went well, there could be a chance that the three of them could profit from this encounter. Perhaps, they could spend the night sleeping inside a warm house and finally be able to get a proper night’s rest.
“I’m coming out,” Kevin shouted to the old man.
“Unarmed. With your hands up! If I see so much as a big iron on your hip, the deal is off.”
Kevin placed his pipe rifle and his switchblade on top of the chest of drawers.
Simon stepped close to his brother and embraced him.
“If he harms you, I will make sure he suffers until his very last breath,” Simon whispered.
Kevin squeezed his brother tightly and went to the door.
“I am approaching the door now,” Kevin shouted. “My hands are up.”
Kevin stepped over the spilled water bucket and crossed the threshold of the house.
“Keeping going,” the old man commanded.
Once Kevin descended the front stairs and reached the hard ground, he felt the old man sweep behind him and check for weapons.
“Do we trust each other?” Kevin said, letting the old man pat down his sides. “I’m alive, so I know I can trust you, but there are still two men inside of the house.”
“Two, huh? I thought there’d be more of you.” The old man met Kevin gaze. His face was wrinkled, freckled, and scarred. His neck-length beard, once nearly black in colour, had become streaked with grey. His moustache faired slightly better, but it too had begun to pale in his old age. Overall, the old man seemed hardened by his experiences in the wasteland, but, despite this hardness, Kevin noticed a softness behind his eyes. They reflected no bitterness or resentment.
“Now what?” Simon called from inside of the house.
“I’m going to come inside with your friend as collateral.”
The old man drew his 10mm pistol and pressed into Kevin’s lower back. Kevin straightened his posture with a reflexive fear. He climbed up the stairs and back into the house, the pistol never losing contact with his spine.
“Welcome to my home, gentleman,” the old man said. “The name is Duncan. I hope you make yourselves comfortable, although, by the looks of yesterday’s dinner, it seems as though you already have.”
Barrett glanced back at the empty porcelain plate. He wiped his greasy hands on his pant legs.
“Watch it, big guy,” the old man said. “You don’t want to make too many sudden movements.”
Barrett looked into his brother’s face. Kevin seemed calm on the surface, but Barrett could see the fear beneath his composure.
“My name is Simon. This is Barrett, and the man you currently threatening is our brother Kevin.”
“Pleasure, gentlemen.”
“We’re travellers. We’ve no particular destination. We’re just trying to survive.”
“Yes, that always seems to be the story. Why aren’t you getting comfortable in Diamond City or Goodneighbor?”
“We’re new to the Commonwealth,” Simon replied.
“Just arrived,” Barrett added.
“Boys, I’m happy to be your first experience in these here parts, but you’re going to have to leave. I can’t risk any trouble.”
“We won’t be any trouble,” Kevin said, looking behind his shoulder.
“Truly, I would like to believe you boys, but you best be going.”
Duncan stepped aside and positioned himself to the side of the room. He tilted his head toward the door with a quick gesture, encouraging Simon and Barrett to leave.
“Now, please.”
“Can we at least get Kevin’s weapons over there?” Simon asked.
“I’ll toss them to you once you’re out of the door. Just go.”
Simon and Barrett complied. They walked out of the house and down the steps. Duncan led Kevin from his house, allowing the young man to move away from the pistol.
“Grandpapa!”
The men turned to see group of three women approaching the house. Two of them carried heavy bags of harvested food, while the third held a tactical submachine gun in her hands. The three of them kept staring at their grandfather, who kept his pistol held toward the brothers.
The woman with the submachine gun lifted the stock to her shoulder. She knew that with her large drum magazine, she could cut down these three intruders without the need to reload.
“We had a small misunderstanding, ladies,” Simon said with a winning smile. He looked at the woman with the submachine gun. Her short dark brown hair swooped over one of her eyes. She flipped her hair out of the way. “We’ll be on our way,” Simon continued, “once your grandfather hands us our weapons.”
“How about you head on out without them?” the woman with the gun said.
“That’s not fair,” Kevin said. He stepped forward as he said it, causing the woman to swivel her sights on him.
“On more step and you’ll have lost more than your weapons.”
“Woah, woah. Okay, message received,” Kevin said, putting his hands back into the air. “Let’s go, guys. It’s okay. We can find kinder hosts somewhere else.”
“Or, at least, a better fight,” Barrett said with a sniff of his nose. “An old man and three little girls hardly constitute a challenge.”
“I can wipe the floor with you, big boy,” said the woman with the machine gun.
“Audrey!” Duncan reprimanded.
“I’d like to see you try, girlie. Unarmed, one-on-one, you stand no chance,” Barrett said. As he spoke, he took a deep breath and inflated his already imposing figure. The muscles beneath his shirt could be seen flexing.
“Want to try me? Or are you scared of losing to a girl?” Audrey responded.
Barrett roared with laughter.
“Audrey, that’s enough!” the old man said. “Do not aggravate them. They’re on their way.”
“Wait!” the smallest of the three women called to her grandfather. “Can’t they stay? If they wanted to hurt us, they would’ve already.”
“It’d be too risky!” Duncan replied.
“But you’ve always said that people need to come together and rebuild this world,” she said.
Duncan flashed her a quick scolding look.
“Sylvie’s right,” the third woman added. “They can help us around the property.” Her eyes danced over Barrett’s large figure. While her middle sister seemed ready to harm him, she merely wanted to be held by him.
“Audrey, talk some sense into your sisters!” Duncan exclaimed. “You ladies know that we can’t invite people at random!”
“We’d be happy to help,” Simon interjected.
Kevin locked eyes with his young counterpart. Sylvie broke eye contact and looked at her feet.
“Yeah, we can help,” Kevin said a little absent-mindedly. He continued to admire the woman before his eyes.
“Wait a minute,” Barrett said, “This guy pulls a pistol on you and you want to help him? What are you going to do? Fetch him water?”
“We made him to spill it,” Kevin said with a shrug.
“Are you guys out of your mind? How can we trust them? What if the old man and these she-devils are planning to kill us in the middle of the night.”
“Oh, now you’re afraid of me!” Audrey teased, loosening her grip on the submachine gun.
“I ain’t afraid of anything,” Barrett snapped.
Simon bursted in laughter. “Buddy, you know you’re agreeing with the old man, right? He doesn’t want you around because he thinks your going to do to him what you think he’s doing to do to you.”
Barrett squinted his eyes, trying to parse the sentence.
“I don’t like it,” Barrett said.
“Neither do I,” Duncan agreed.
“Well, they’re not staying in the house,” Audrey said. She tilted her swooping hair out of her eyes again. “Give them the rotting house.”
Duncan stayed silent. Everyone looked at him as though it was his decision which made everything final.
“Fine, but I’m standing guard during the night. If one of these boys come creeping in the night, I’ll make sure our walls get a nice new shade of red.”
Barrett nodded his head in agreement. “And I’ll take first watch at our place.”
Audrey turned to her sisters. “Morgan, Sylvie, take the food inside. I’ll show these men their residence.” She adjusted the tactical submachine gun in her arms.
Her sisters did what they were told.
“Gentlemen,” Audrey said, leading the men down the slight hill, “Your new abode.” She kicked the front door, which broke free from its hinges. The wood from the door had rotted from the moisture in the air. Wet dust flew from the ground and an acrid smell spewed from the interior of the building.
“Enjoy.”
Audrey left the three brothers and returned to her home.
The three of the brothers exchanged uncomfortable glances and looked at the building. Kevin approached the doorway and peered into the darkness.
“Ghoul!” Kevin shouted.
His brothers ran into the building with their weapons drawn. Kevin threw his arms around his brothers as they looked at remains of a feral ghoul. It had died a long time ago.
“Pay up, boys!” he said with a smile. “Five caps each.”
submitted by RyanMorholt to FalloutFanFiction [link] [comments]
“Okay, I was wrong!” Simon admitted. “Is it my fault that I have hope?”
“No one ever knows out here,” Kevin chimed in.
Simon affectionally grabbed his youngest brother by the shoulder.
“See, Barrett, this is what a supportive brother sounds like.”
Barrett grunted.
The three brothers continued to follow the broken asphalt road. In time, the sky above them disappeared behind the ruins of an interstate highway. Its massive concrete columns towered over the horizon. It had cast a long shadow over their route.
Kevin stopped his brothers.
“Is that an elevator?” He pointed to the yellow cable lift that ran up to the overpass.
“I’m not using that,” Barrett quickly responded. He touched his stomach unconsciously, cognizant of his size and weight.
“Yeah, that might be an adventure for another life time,” Simon said, noting the precariousness of the cables that rose up to the ruins of the highway overpass.
Kevin pursed his lips with a modicum of disappointment. As the youngest and smallest of the three, he possessed more daring than his brothers combined. Perhaps this difference was due to the inexperience of his age or the simple fact that Kevin had a different mother than Barrett and Simon. His courage may have been a genetic inheritance that the others lacked.
“House!” Simon spotted the wooden building before his brothers, who still focused on the elevator and the possibility of ascending it.
“Let me guess, there’s going to be treasure inside of it,” Barrett said sarcastically.
“There could be!” Simon replied.
As the young men approached the building, it became apparent it had been apart of a long abandoned settlement. From their higher-ground perspective, they could see the ruins of several buildings roll down the landscape and into the consuming waters of the Charles River. The houses closest to the river had flooded and slowly rotted in the river’s murky water.
“We got a lot of work to do,” Barrett said. His siblings could hear the smile in his words. They knew that there would be at least one piece of worthwhile loot among these buildings. Barrett, however, wanted more than the natural greed of survival. The big man itched for a real fight.
“Raiders, Ghouls, or Mirelurks,” Kevin asked.
“Five caps on raiders,” Barrett said. His hand dropped to the pipe pistol holstered to his thigh.
“Five for mirelurks,” Simon said.
“I guess, I take ghouls.”
The three men moved closer to the first building. The residence, once a beautiful suburban home, had decayed over the two hundred and twenty years since its owners died in the nuclear fallout. Yet, despite the age of home, its door seemed to have been freshly repaired.
Simon, as per usual, approached the entrance with military tact. Barrett positioned himself behind his older brother. He placed one hand on Simon’s shoulder and the other around his pipe pistol. Kevin checked their flank and readied his pipe rifle.
Simon lifted his hand. He counted silently with his fingers.
One. Two. Three.
He grabbed the door and yanked it open. Barrett entered the building, his pipe pistol scanning the interior of the house.
“Clear!”
Simon followed Barrett. Kevin slowly backed into the building. He closed the door behind him.
“Stairs,” Barrett said to his brothers.
Immediately, the big man took the lead, scanning the floor above him with his pistol at eye-level. Simon followed in the wake of his larger brother, keeping his eyes straight to the top of the landing. Kevin stayed on the first floor. He found a corner, pressed his back into it, and crouched. He kept his eye on the front door.
“Clear!” Barrett’s voice rang through the structure.
“Nothing for nobody,” Kevin said, standing from his position and letting his rifle hang limply in his hands. He thought at least one ghoul would be hiding in the house. Their fraternal bottlecap wager would have to wait another house.
“Cheer up! Better luck in the next building.” Simon said as he walked down the stairs. “Right now, we have some time to loot.”
The brothers began the careful examination of the residential building.
Despite two centuries of rain and snow the building seemed to be in good condition. Clearly, since the bombs fell, a series of squatters had made improvements and adjustments over the years. In fact, the house seemed almost luxurious compared to the standards of the Wasteland. The floors had been redone with new planks of wood. The walls had been scraped of their original wallpaper and painted a light seafoam green. Although the glass from the windows had been long destroyed, curtains hung over the wooden shutters that secured the windows from the exterior world.
“Ooo!” Barrett exclaimed upstairs.
“What’d you find?” Simon called out. He stood at the bottom of the staircase and waited for a sign.
“Caps stash!” Barrett appeared with a grey tin can. He shook it and a number of caps inside of it pleasantly jingled.
“And you thought there wouldn’t be any treasure?” Simon laughed to himself.
“And the fridge is full!” Kevin called.
Barrett rushed down the stairs and joined his brothers at the fridge. Together, they drank a bottle of mostly clean water, each taking sips and passing it to the others. Then, they finished a plate of crispy squirrel bits.
“Almost fresh,” Barrett said, shoving a large handful into his mouth.
Simon continued his perusal of the house as he chewed his last portion of squirrel meat. He went to the living room section of the main floor and rummaged through a chest of drawers.
“Women’s clothing?” He lifted a dress from the chest of drawers and showed his brothers. The light green dress seemed to be in relatively good condition. The clean herbaceous smell of carrot flowers wafted into his nose.
“Someone might still live here,” Barrett said, looking at a bouquet of fresh hubflowers on the table.
Kevin looked from one of the windows. “I think he’s just arrived.”
Before Simon and Kevin could arm themselves, the door opened. An old man entered with two buckets of water. At the very moment he saw these three men, he dropped the buckets on the floor and rushed out of the building. One of the buckets spilled its contents across the floor, slowly dribbling down the front steps. Meanwhile, the old man pressed his back against the exterior wall of the building.
“What are you doing in my house?”
“We didn’t know!” Simon shouted back. “We didn’t mean to trespass!”
“Well, you did. Now, what are you going to do? Kill an old man and take his home?”
“Not if you let us leave unharmed!”
“How do I know that you’re not raiders?”
“You can’t,” Simon shouted back. “You can only make a leap of faith.”
“And why would I that?”
“Well, for one thing, there are more of us than there are of you.”
“Send one man out.”
“No!” Simon responded. “How do I know you’re not just going to shoot him the moment he leaves the building?”
“You can’t,” the old man shouted back. “You can only make a leap of faith.”
Simon felt bested by the old man’s negotiating skills.
“I’ll go,” Kevin said to his brothers.
“No, I will.” Barrett put his hand on his younger brother. He would gladly die in his place.
“There’s less of me to hit,” Kevin bantered.
Barrett grunted, but he could not stop himself from smiling.
Simon thought about dissuading his brothers, telling them that no one was going to leave the house, but this show of trust needed to be made. If things went well, there could be a chance that the three of them could profit from this encounter. Perhaps, they could spend the night sleeping inside a warm house and finally be able to get a proper night’s rest.
“I’m coming out,” Kevin shouted to the old man.
“Unarmed. With your hands up! If I see so much as a big iron on your hip, the deal is off.”
Kevin placed his pipe rifle and his switchblade on top of the chest of drawers.
Simon stepped close to his brother and embraced him.
“If he harms you, I will make sure he suffers until his very last breath,” Simon whispered.
Kevin squeezed his brother tightly and went to the door.
“I am approaching the door now,” Kevin shouted. “My hands are up.”
Kevin stepped over the spilled water bucket and crossed the threshold of the house.
“Keeping going,” the old man commanded.
Once Kevin descended the front stairs and reached the hard ground, he felt the old man sweep behind him and check for weapons.
“Do we trust each other?” Kevin said, letting the old man pat down his sides. “I’m alive, so I know I can trust you, but there are still two men inside of the house.”
“Two, huh? I thought there’d be more of you.” The old man met Kevin gaze. His face was wrinkled, freckled, and scarred. His neck-length beard, once nearly black in colour, had become streaked with grey. His moustache faired slightly better, but it too had begun to pale in his old age. Overall, the old man seemed hardened by his experiences in the wasteland, but, despite this hardness, Kevin noticed a softness behind his eyes. They reflected no bitterness or resentment.
“Now what?” Simon called from inside of the house.
“I’m going to come inside with your friend as collateral.”
The old man drew his 10mm pistol and pressed into Kevin’s lower back. Kevin straightened his posture with a reflexive fear. He climbed up the stairs and back into the house, the pistol never losing contact with his spine.
“Welcome to my home, gentleman,” the old man said. “The name is Duncan. I hope you make yourselves comfortable, although, by the looks of yesterday’s dinner, it seems as though you already have.”
Barrett glanced back at the empty porcelain plate. He wiped his greasy hands on his pant legs.
“Watch it, big guy,” the old man said. “You don’t want to make too many sudden movements.”
Barrett looked into his brother’s face. Kevin seemed calm on the surface, but Barrett could see the fear beneath his composure.
“My name is Simon. This is Barrett, and the man you currently threatening is our brother Kevin.”
“Pleasure, gentlemen.”
“We’re travellers. We’ve no particular destination. We’re just trying to survive.”
“Yes, that always seems to be the story. Why aren’t you getting comfortable in Diamond City or Goodneighbor?”
“We’re new to the Commonwealth,” Simon replied.
“Just arrived,” Barrett added.
“Boys, I’m happy to be your first experience in these here parts, but you’re going to have to leave. I can’t risk any trouble.”
“We won’t be any trouble,” Kevin said, looking behind his shoulder.
“Truly, I would like to believe you boys, but you best be going.”
Duncan stepped aside and positioned himself to the side of the room. He tilted his head toward the door with a quick gesture, encouraging Simon and Barrett to leave.
“Now, please.”
“Can we at least get Kevin’s weapons over there?” Simon asked.
“I’ll toss them to you once you’re out of the door. Just go.”
Simon and Barrett complied. They walked out of the house and down the steps. Duncan led Kevin from his house, allowing the young man to move away from the pistol.
“Grandpapa!”
The men turned to see group of three women approaching the house. Two of them carried heavy bags of harvested food, while the third held a tactical submachine gun in her hands. The three of them kept staring at their grandfather, who kept his pistol held toward the brothers.
The woman with the submachine gun lifted the stock to her shoulder. She knew that with her large drum magazine, she could cut down these three intruders without the need to reload.
“We had a small misunderstanding, ladies,” Simon said with a winning smile. He looked at the woman with the submachine gun. Her short dark brown hair swooped over one of her eyes. She flipped her hair out of the way. “We’ll be on our way,” Simon continued, “once your grandfather hands us our weapons.”
“How about you head on out without them?” the woman with the gun said.
“That’s not fair,” Kevin said. He stepped forward as he said it, causing the woman to swivel her sights on him.
“On more step and you’ll have lost more than your weapons.”
“Woah, woah. Okay, message received,” Kevin said, putting his hands back into the air. “Let’s go, guys. It’s okay. We can find kinder hosts somewhere else.”
“Or, at least, a better fight,” Barrett said with a sniff of his nose. “An old man and three little girls hardly constitute a challenge.”
“I can wipe the floor with you, big boy,” said the woman with the machine gun.
“Audrey!” Duncan reprimanded.
“I’d like to see you try, girlie. Unarmed, one-on-one, you stand no chance,” Barrett said. As he spoke, he took a deep breath and inflated his already imposing figure. The muscles beneath his shirt could be seen flexing.
“Want to try me? Or are you scared of losing to a girl?” Audrey responded.
Barrett roared with laughter.
“Audrey, that’s enough!” the old man said. “Do not aggravate them. They’re on their way.”
“Wait!” the smallest of the three women called to her grandfather. “Can’t they stay? If they wanted to hurt us, they would’ve already.”
“It’d be too risky!” Duncan replied.
“But you’ve always said that people need to come together and rebuild this world,” she said.
Duncan flashed her a quick scolding look.
“Sylvie’s right,” the third woman added. “They can help us around the property.” Her eyes danced over Barrett’s large figure. While her middle sister seemed ready to harm him, she merely wanted to be held by him.
“Audrey, talk some sense into your sisters!” Duncan exclaimed. “You ladies know that we can’t invite people at random!”
“We’d be happy to help,” Simon interjected.
Kevin locked eyes with his young counterpart. Sylvie broke eye contact and looked at her feet.
“Yeah, we can help,” Kevin said a little absent-mindedly. He continued to admire the woman before his eyes.
“Wait a minute,” Barrett said, “This guy pulls a pistol on you and you want to help him? What are you going to do? Fetch him water?”
“We made him to spill it,” Kevin said with a shrug.
“Are you guys out of your mind? How can we trust them? What if the old man and these she-devils are planning to kill us in the middle of the night.”
“Oh, now you’re afraid of me!” Audrey teased, loosening her grip on the submachine gun.
“I ain’t afraid of anything,” Barrett snapped.
Simon bursted in laughter. “Buddy, you know you’re agreeing with the old man, right? He doesn’t want you around because he thinks your going to do to him what you think he’s doing to do to you.”
Barrett squinted his eyes, trying to parse the sentence.
“I don’t like it,” Barrett said.
“Neither do I,” Duncan agreed.
“Well, they’re not staying in the house,” Audrey said. She tilted her swooping hair out of her eyes again. “Give them the rotting house.”
Duncan stayed silent. Everyone looked at him as though it was his decision which made everything final.
“Fine, but I’m standing guard during the night. If one of these boys come creeping in the night, I’ll make sure our walls get a nice new shade of red.”
Barrett nodded his head in agreement. “And I’ll take first watch at our place.”
Audrey turned to her sisters. “Morgan, Sylvie, take the food inside. I’ll show these men their residence.” She adjusted the tactical submachine gun in her arms.
Her sisters did what they were told.
“Gentlemen,” Audrey said, leading the men down the slight hill, “Your new abode.” She kicked the front door, which broke free from its hinges. The wood from the door had rotted from the moisture in the air. Wet dust flew from the ground and an acrid smell spewed from the interior of the building.
“Enjoy.”
Audrey left the three brothers and returned to her home.
The three of the brothers exchanged uncomfortable glances and looked at the building. Kevin approached the doorway and peered into the darkness.
“Ghoul!” Kevin shouted.
His brothers ran into the building with their weapons drawn. Kevin threw his arms around his brothers as they looked at remains of a feral ghoul. It had died a long time ago.
“Pay up, boys!” he said with a smile. “Five caps each.”
2024.06.01 15:14 forestdue are protectors really "protectors" if they hurt you in the end?
Okay I understand they help in some form or another but when they say "protectors" in reality the parts are protecting oneself from the emotional pain that comes from the exiles but the best way I can describe it is like a child that is standing in front of their mother to prevent their alcoholic abusive father that is about to brutually beat up his wife. The child is in the way and is trying their best to prevent their father from continually beating their mother but as we know the father can easily dominate and push his child out of the way so that he can continue beating his wife.
I see my protectors as a child that is protecting me from the pain. Standing in front of the pain to try and prevent the full capacity of pain can only do so much. A protector uses up: time, energy, resources, emotions, and so many other things.
While my parts protect me, I cannot see how it is full protection. Like as if though it were a shield but the shield were made of paper and not solid wood.
the protectors to me are self-destructive in a way. Some, not all. I feel more exile pain over the fact that self-awareness gets to me, feeling the shame and guilt afterwards that my protectors did such a shitty job protecting me but if I were to listen to the protectors perspective, they would be like: "I am doing the best fucking job ever! I am doing great!" but that response is coming from a 6 year old. I am not 6 years old.
That is why a protector is always painful in the end, is it not?
Because of this scenario I mentioned above, this feeds back into the shame and overall emotional pain, making the other parts more engrained in their parts. One parts pain feeds into the other parts pain causing a continuous cycle, while also dealing with polarization.
submitted by forestdue to InternalFamilySystems [link] [comments]
I see my protectors as a child that is protecting me from the pain. Standing in front of the pain to try and prevent the full capacity of pain can only do so much. A protector uses up: time, energy, resources, emotions, and so many other things.
While my parts protect me, I cannot see how it is full protection. Like as if though it were a shield but the shield were made of paper and not solid wood.
the protectors to me are self-destructive in a way. Some, not all. I feel more exile pain over the fact that self-awareness gets to me, feeling the shame and guilt afterwards that my protectors did such a shitty job protecting me but if I were to listen to the protectors perspective, they would be like: "I am doing the best fucking job ever! I am doing great!" but that response is coming from a 6 year old. I am not 6 years old.
That is why a protector is always painful in the end, is it not?
Because of this scenario I mentioned above, this feeds back into the shame and overall emotional pain, making the other parts more engrained in their parts. One parts pain feeds into the other parts pain causing a continuous cycle, while also dealing with polarization.
2024.06.01 15:14 LonelyGlader Should I switch providers?
Im 16 ftm and I’ve been with GenderGP for over a year now.
I didn’t have any issues getting testosterone prescriptions or my oestrogen blockers. My GP is doing shared care with them and it’s all been fine so far.
I’m currently on 2 pumps of gel a day and have been for AGES. I do my blood tests and send them in and request to up the dose but I get sent basically the same email all the time saying that my levels are fine.
I’ve heard a lot of bad things about GenderGP recently so I’m wondering if it’s worth switching to a different private company, and if so then who? At the moment I have my testosterone and blockers and I’m getting the prescriptions from my doctor so the new blockers ban shouldn’t affect me. I just don’t know what to do.
submitted by LonelyGlader to GenderGP [link] [comments]
I didn’t have any issues getting testosterone prescriptions or my oestrogen blockers. My GP is doing shared care with them and it’s all been fine so far.
I’m currently on 2 pumps of gel a day and have been for AGES. I do my blood tests and send them in and request to up the dose but I get sent basically the same email all the time saying that my levels are fine.
I’ve heard a lot of bad things about GenderGP recently so I’m wondering if it’s worth switching to a different private company, and if so then who? At the moment I have my testosterone and blockers and I’m getting the prescriptions from my doctor so the new blockers ban shouldn’t affect me. I just don’t know what to do.
2024.06.01 15:13 mai8u creepy men
hi i literally have nowhere else to turn because not only does our manager not do anything about this, but the district manager has fired someone over a “false” report in the past over similar experiences. i work in a cafe store so it’s a very home-like feeling with a lot of regulars who come in to say hi. unfortunately, a small handful of these regulars are extremely creepy and come in literally daily. there is one guy who comes in daily that has been temporarily banned by the ex-manager of the store and started coming back in when he realized she was gone; he has been doing this for a KNOWN 6+ years talking to only the younger girls. another guy comes in, also daily, asking to take one girl to dinner, asked to take another girl on a boat, and asked basically every woman that work’s phone numbers (one of those times in front of the store manager) and has followed me out of the store to my car to give me his number on his business card. every day it’s something new and they say sly comments so it’s not enough to really report it as “bad”. i love the job but i cannot stand men who think they can continue with the dan schneider act and get away with it. i’ve filed a report on one of them because he would stop in front of the store window in his running truck and watch us open; my store manager told him to stop doing it and he still will do a slow california roll by the window at 4am. do i call the person above my district manager? is there anything i really can do about it? i feel lost
submitted by mai8u to starbucks [link] [comments]