Hello, I’m new to the tattoo world and I’m looking to get a tattoo just some fine line cursive writing. I have a deeper brown complexion so I was wondering if there’s anyone in the Orlando Florida area that can tattoo on dark skin and do fine line work as well. I’m pretty open to anything. I just wanna smooth and easy tattoo experience. Also what are some red flags in tattoo shops? I want to go into an experience and not feel completely stupid for not knowing anything.

Anyone had a tattoo done by Joshua? He looks like he does neo traditional. He has a lot of flash posted but not a whole lot of actual tattoo work. Would love to support a fellow brother fire fighter.

I am looking for an artist to work with! (I looked for a hiring flair, but didn't see one - sorry.)
For the book, it's a YA fantasy involving magical creatures. There are also lots of geometrical marks (not really sure what to call them — think of tribal tattoos) on different groups of people that play a large role in the story that I think could be fun visually. This is less of a "Lord of the Rings" fantasy and more of a "His Dark Materials" fantasy. Just for general vibes. (If there's anywhere else I should be posting/looking please let me know!)
For the project, I'm prioritizing a book cover. Ideally though, I'd love to partner with someone who is open to doing something more collaborative. I'm thinking a book cover, but also special markings for chapters/change of perspectives, stickers, some card/print design. Ideally, ideally, there would even be some illustrations in some of the more pivotal scenes in the book. This is all dependent on pricing.
Looking for an artist has actually been the hardest part of self-publishing for me, so I admit, I'm a bit overwhelmed. So a book cover would be the minimum, but I'd really love to find someone who is open to more of a cohesive book/print experience. But I'll take what I can get!
A little about my approach so far. I've been told to use Canva or AI. That's just not the route I want to go. I really would love to get creative with someone. Full transparency so I'm not wasting anyone's time: budget is tight. So just know pricing is a big part of my decisioning as this will be my first book. Doing the best I can. Totally open to take someone with less experience that might be more affordable. But willing to talk through items and find a good spot where we're both stoked. For reference, I'm starting off with a budget for book cover alone from $500-$1k. And then other items mentioned above would be added on/discussed from there.
Things I like/Catch my eye:

1. I think 90% of the time showing human characters on a cover can look corny. 10% of the time, it can be amazing.
2. I don't love super busy covers.
3. Not a fan of super curly/cursive font.
4. I like artists with really distinct styles that stand out and will choose them over someone who can make what's popular now. (I'm considering A/B testing two covers - one more original and one that is more "on trend".
5. Love someone with opinions and preferences on how things should be done.
6. If an artist can do book design/layout too, that's a plus.

Please comment with information about yourself or let me know if you have any questions. I will look at every portfolio shared and reach out from there. Please do not send me DM's. I've found whenever Inquire for an artist, I get flooded with messages with lots of work that's awesome but not super specific to what I've described above. Right now I just need to see what your work looks like and if I like it, I'll let ya know!
Thank you! I've been lurking on this channel for a bit, and already have checked out some of your work and have ya'll in my notes. Would just love to see if the description above brings out any artists that connect with the post. Thanks!

Hey! GrimVxrgxl here!!! and amidst all the chaos in the world right now I thought why not get something a little positive out there. So I decided to create a list that has like a cute gimmick to it! Also thought others might put their stuff here so we can get ideas on what we would wanna do before turning 50. We're still young and we should be enjoying the little things we can get. So here's "50 Before 50" basically a bucket list of 50 things you want to do before turning 50!!! Might dedicate my entire reddit account to this and update whenever I complete these stuff and post them on my account ahaha!!!
It would be cool to leave comments to help me add things that would be cool for me to try and add on to the list or improve changes!!!
50 Before 50:

1. Grind up on a guy in the club.
2. Go to Coachella.
3. Releasing a Song.
4. Do a "I'm sorry" video.
5. Go to a LGBT+ Strip Club
6. Go to a Drag Show.
7. Join a Pride Parade.
8. Meet my friends in the US.
9. Karaoke in the car with friends.
10. Attend a Magic Mike Concert.
11. Go to Six Flags or a Amusement Park.
12. Watch the sunrise with friends.
13. Get a Lightsaber.
14. Get a tattoo.
15. Go to a Taco Bell.
16. Go to a Fortune Teller.
17. Meet some random dude named Jack and be Rose for a night to do Titanic.
18. Kiss someone at the top of a Ferris Wheel.
19. Go to The New York Public Library. (Banana Fish).
20. Experience Snow for the first time.
21. Meet a Cowboy and dance with him during a Rodeo.
22. Kiss someone in a field under the night sky.
23. Have a DIY prom night with my friends.
24. Get a Wedding Dress and pull a "Runaway Bride" in a public place.
25. Go to Joshua Tree and get high.
26. Make a secret friend-group handshake.
27. Get matching Bracelets.
28. Make out with a Hot Scary Clown at a Halloween Party.
29. Get a Story Published.
30. Making a VHS style vlog.
31. Start a tiny Business.
32. Do a catwalk with friends.
33. Dress up to go to IHOP.
34. Try different Fast Food Chains.
35. Give a Wheel of cheese to Chuck E.
36. Pretend to be a celebrity.
37. Take a pic with a capybara.
38. Take a pic with a celebrity.
39. Be a califare in a show.
40. Party out to Gimme!Gimme!Gimme!
41. Do a driving vlog with singing and a podcast with friends.
42. Visit the Conjuring House.
43. Bait a cop with a donut.
44. Go to a Diner all fancy to get milkshakes.
45. Get the Cheesiest Grilled Cheese.
46. Visit Walmart, Target, CostCo and BestBuy.
47. 7 minutes in Heaven with someone.
48. Make a secret language with friends.
49. Actually sit and play Dungeons and Dragons in the outfits.
50. Have a polaroid image of all 49 things.

So awhile ago I had posted on here that I wanted a paramore tattoo somewhere, I'm thinking I'm just going to get the BNE butterfly on my thigh, but I'm not sure, it's my favorite paramore album, but I'm also thinking of just getting "Careful" tattooed somewhere in cursive, what do you guys think? :)

Well I had always loved Charlotte's channel and never dreamed about posting here. But I (at the time 24 F) attended my Cousins wedding lets call her Danica. Danica is a few years older then me I'm not sure by how much and are directly related our mothers being sisters.
Here's some history/context before the drama. My dad was in the military and was deployed a lot throughout my childhood so I spent a lot of time at my grandparents house in the middle of the woods.
Danica seemed to be frustrated every time I was there. Whenever I was going something with grandma she'd ask to go ride horses (they had 4 horses at the time) Grandma said I could show a horse, meaning a horse competition. Then Danica asked to show it so I could no longer show the sand horse not sure why.
So with the horse's and middle of nowhere ranch feel she grew up in Danica ended up being a redneck wanna be. Dressing in plaf and cowboy boots going to amature car races where she later met her soon to be husband.
Let's call him Patrick. Patrick worked for Danica's father Uncle Bob #2 (Danica ans my mother have a brother named Bob)
So Danica brings her Dave Matthew's band look alike boyfriend to the holidays. Where hw, just like het father, proceds to go out of his way to not talk to me or be in the same room. To the point when Danica mocks my switch and games I was playing he remarked to her I must not have a lot of friends
Flash forward to 2021 So more content Danicas parents got married on September 10th and our shared grandparents got married on the 12th of September. So what did she choose? Well thr 8th makes since to the pattern right? Well Danica is a attention seeker. So she gets married on September 11th. Yes we are america so she knew full well what day that was and even more crazy wad it was the 20th anniversary of said event.
Guess who's family was affected by September 11th? Ours. Our grandmother's sister was a vet (like animals) and tended to the police dogs and other animals on ground zero. While my father was a military veteran. So he had to not attend certain engagements with his former comrads. My father's arm was twisted by my mother to attend saying it was the only wedding on her side of the family. And possibly the last family wedding we would attend.
My dad has a neice whos married ans has two young kids, and a nephew who's not married. As for me? I'm the oldist of three so she pretty much said she had no hope in her kids getting married.
So the wedding is a 3 day event us haveing to arrive the 10th her parents anniversary meaning they can't do anything since they had to do wedding things. Till the 12th our grandparents haveing to do the same.
The wedding is held at a Waterpark. Not one of the ones you'd think. It's a overnight resort with woods themeing in a city that's 2 hours away for most people. It's a rather popular tourist destination in our state so there was plenty of stuff to do around there but due to the events no one could really go out and explore.
I arrive at around 2 am since I worked the day of the 10th. I had worked at a diffrent Waterpark of the city at the time so it was only a hour drive for me. I get into my room and my dad is already stressed. He suffers from ptsd so he can't handle big things well.
Figuring out what's wrong, I learn my angel of a mother has taken a lot of duties away from her sister and started buying decorations and putting things up. My mother did photography in her youth and still does it as a hobby. (She has a bridzilla story from those days) so she was asked to take photos. This is also the time that I learn that my invite to the wedding was, a bribe. Our grandmother had threatened to cut the funding of the wedding by around 1,000 and my mom not shoot the wedding if I didn't make the cut to her rather large wedding.
Now day of the wedding arrives. My mom finds out Danica hired a photographer as our grandmother chimed in MORE money after I got a invite. (I had never gotten a offical invite either)
Danica and Patrick had a theme to there wedding as most. So the two colors where blaze orange, like hunting gear and traffic Cone orange. As it was Danicas favorite color and Jean blue, like pants as it was Patrick's favorite color.
The guests had a dress code. Cowboy boots blue jeans ans western style tops. Cowboy hats where encouraged.
Getting downstairs to the venue I find my Grandma complaining about Bob #1 not being at the wedding to his son Xander. Bob #1 never sees Xander as he lives with his mother on a diffrent coast of the country after his father was stripped of his rights after a DUI. Or at least I was told.
Turns out Bob #1 didn't come becuse of his wife Rose didn't let him. They offered to pay for him and his new young son Buckley to come. Bob #1 said if they wernt paying for Rose's and her mother's ticket he wasn't comming. So he didn't come.
Buckley was about 4 and that also was the amount of times my grandparents saw him. I had never met him and neither did 99% of the family ad Bob #1 doesn't like to visit. Even though he has 3 collage degrees his parents paid for.
The set pieces on the table where vases filled with orange clear and black orbiz. Obviously fake flowers sit in the vase. Theres blaze orange cups at each table with Patrick's race car number on it.
The best part wad the guest book. To the lift when you entered the hall was a table woth gifts for certain members of the family and all children of the family. The only child on our shared side of the family was Buckley who was not there.
The guest book itself? Well it's a car door. Not just any car door it's pulled from one of Patrick's wrecked race cars. It was cleaned and had no dents in if with a black sharpie to sign. However their was massive black letters and even bigger numbers on the door where the sharpie didn't show up. By the time I got to the guest book there was no room to sign.
Wedding comes and Patrick walks out in a cowboy hat, blue jeans, a stained white dress shirt and cowboy boots. His best men walk out wearing the same. The only difference was he had on a black vest.
Danica and the brides maids where late getting to the wedding. Why? We'll my friend it was becuse the horse Danica was ment to ride in on hated her and didn't want her on them. She swapped horses with a brides maid and off they go. They don't arrive on the horses and we could barely even see them arrive.
Now I use to listen to country music. So I know your Toby Keith (r.i.p) Brad Paisley, and Trace Adkins. So none of them where the country twang song that rung out while Danica walked down the Isle but it was a country song for sure.
She was dressed in a very pretty wedding dress with dome cool leave hair peices. So honestly I felt like I was looking at a beauty and the beast tattoo in real life. Beast in weird lettering and beauty in cursive.
Wedding mostly goes fine aside from our Grandfather who was officiating accidently calling Patrick dick.
We all get up and head into the venue to sit and wait for food and drinks.
A little more about the enigma in my family that is me. I'm autistic so like my father I don't like places like weddings. So I had a ear bud in playing vaporwave music and my sketch book. Drawing keeps me calm and not panic and freak out. So imagen the A24 horror I feel when a elderly family member try to RIP my sketchbook out of my hands.
I, a autistic, lesbian, who loves anime and horror draws some things that could kill a victoran child. So it could evaporate a elderly country type person for sure. I really didn't have anything like that in this sketch book. It was a new sketch book but I was practicing drawing kissing so I had a lot of dudes and chick's kissing on one page. So in a panic I tear it out and stash it in my bag. Earning a yelling lecture from my saint of a mother.
Food is served and guess what? I can't eat any of it. Me and my grandma can't have gluten. I can deal with it better then her. I don't eat beef or pork so the ribs are out of the question and the chicken is slathered in gravey. I have gravy and it has flower in it. So I take a plate full of peas and eat up. They didn't have a cake but a dessert table where I grabbed the dryist cookie in the world.
More time passes and well nothing else happens aside from Xander just hanging out with me and my siblings the rest of the week as he really has no connections to that side of the family and he and my brother are close in age. Danica being the oldist of the grandkids followed by me.
So wedding is over, I tell my friends of the mess of a wedding that was. Well in a discord call with my friends I Go to Danicas Facebook and show them pictures of the wedding.
Your classic, a monster truck jumping over them as they kiss. Danica riding a horse. Patrick dipping her as a monster truck drives past kicking up dirt. The classics.
Well as we laughed and looked I'm struck by a emotional monster truck. I see a family photo that was taken at that fateful September 11th. Me at the sorta middle of the photo there's me. Photo shopped to be fatter and my boobs smaller. Even my friends commented. It wasn't even a good photo shop warping the fence behind me.
Now this year Danica will celebrate her 3 year anniversary of that wedding. The only one I have ever gone to in my adult life. Her husband and father still have never spoken a word to me. And our grandparents replaced all photos of me and my siblings with photos of Danicas wedding.
Moral of the story? I am very thankful to my dad for not letting any of us end up like thar.

********************************************************
18 Years Ago
********************************************************
“Joshua! It’s Time!” Emmy called from her sitting room at the Jade Temple.
Joshua Stormborn stopped in his tracks, hand held poised to deliver a strike against Shamriel in the practice yard. “My appologies, Ladies. Duty calls.” He said to Shamriel, Karhma, Verdanta, and Clover.
The Five of them immediately rushed off to Emmy’s side. The younger students were already preparing the room, and Emmy lay half reclined on a mass of cushions on the main mat, concentrating on her breathing. She was holding her VERY pregnant belly, and wincing in pain.
“Are you sure you wish to be present, Two Chains?” She asked her brother-in-law. “This will not be pretty.”
Joshua swallowed hard, and nodded. “I was strong enough to put her in that position, it’s the least I can do to be with her through it.” He said.
“Good boy.” Karhma said with a wink. “Maybe he wasn’t a mistake after all.” She said to Emmy with a grin.
“Not now, Karhma…” Emmy said between breaths. “He’s just fine the way he is.”
Verdanta covered her lap with a blanket, and helped remove her clothes. “It’s time to push.” She said when she was done. She drew her knife, and wrapped a leather strap around the blade, and placed it in Emmy’s mouth. “Bite down.”
***************************************************************
“Thank you Kompa, Seamus, Seph.. For coming.” Hibiki said, glancing back at the small building, a whisp of smoke rising from the small chimney. “She will start soon, and when she does, many things may seek to take advantage of the situation. I will need you to watch the area, and stop any who approach. With predjudice. They will be looking to kill, so don’t hesitate.”
Seamus smiled, “Don’t worry, We’ll handle it.” Seph nodded silently.
Kompa looked out over the fields with a look of excitement. “Today, we will test our strength.” he said with still boyish enthusiasm.
“Don’t get cocky.” Another voice said from the roof of the small shed. The hunter perched on top of the roof and looked out over the fields. “Pandora is not a place to expect victory. It’s a place to comtemplate survival.”
“You made it!” Hibiki said excitedly.
“Of course I made it.” Hunter said. “You think I would miss the birth of your first child?”
“Hibiki! It’s coming!” Lenore called from her mat in the small building.
“Watch over us, my friends.” Hibiki said with a smile, before dissapearing into the hut.
“I shall watch at the gate!” Kompa said, pausing a bit as he remembered to put on his mask.
“I will watch the rear.” Seph noted, and simply strode to the rear of the building.
Seamus looked up at the Hunter. “I assume you will act as overwatch?”
Hunter nodded. “You will guard the house. Do not allow any to slip past your watch.”
“Oh.. Don’t worry, it will be difficult for anyone to bypass my watchfulness.” Seamus said with a grin, as he took his true form. A second later, a massive dragon was curled completely around the small building.
The Hunter watched. “Perhaps when the Child is old enough to walk and hold a sword, you and I can discuss a contest?” He suggested to Seamus. “I have quite a bit of gold stashed away, that I may wager with you.”
“Interesting…” Seamus said, “I’ll think about it, we can discuss it more later.”
**************************************************************************
“Twins!” Joshua exclaimed as Verdanta carefully placed them into his arms. “I suppose I should have known, They do run in my family.” He said with a grin, giving a look to his twin sister Riverra who sat across the room.
“Very big twins.” Shamriel noted. “Aristi’s tend to be a bit on the smaller side. I’ve noticed the same trait in the Stormborns.”
“Usually, yes.” Riverra noted. “However, a few generations back, we did have some goliath blood in the family. It pops up from time to time.”
“I’m more interested in the fact that there is a Boy!” Clover said with some excitement. “One of each!” She squealed in delight.
“Is that strange?” Joshua asked with some confusion.
“A bit,” Verdanta noted. “The Aristi’s are usually women. Been that way for a long, long time. Not sure why, but Male Aristi’s are rather rare.. Only one or two in a generation.”
“Huh.. Never realized that.” Joshua said.
“Of course you didn’t.” Riverra sniped from the side of the room.
“What do you mean by that?” Joshua demanded, He attempted to stand while holding the two large babies, he nearly fell over before Shamriel and Karhma took the babies from him.
“Calm down you two. Now is not the time.” Shamriel scolded them.
“Sorry.” Riverra said with a small smile. “Old habits, you know? Any thought about names, Emmy?” Riverra asked Emmy, who was quietly recovering on the Mat.
“Of course.” She said, still catching her breath. “The boy is Chance.. and the Girl? Fortune.”
*********************************************************************************
“They are smaller than I expected.” Kompa remarked, eying the two children in Hibiki’s arms.
“Well, Hibiki is a bit small for a Pandoran.” The Hunter said. “Lenore is also very tiny.” he noted.
Seph looked from Kompa, to the Hunter, and back to the absolutly gigantic babies in Hibiki’s arms. It was obvious that they did not know anything about newborns.
“Has Lenore named them yet?” Hunter asked Hibiki.
Hibiki nodded. “Yes.. This is Echo, My son. And this is Irezumi, My daughter.” Hibiki said, showing the babies off. “Quick, Help me wash them with Salt and Sake.” Hibiki said, using his foot to push a small wash bucket across the ground.
“Give me a moment to clean it up some, Hibiki.” Kompa said.
*********************************************************************************
Five Years Later.
*********************************************************************************
“They are naturals.”Jade said. Sitting on the raised Dais of the Mat, overwatching the students train. “They have already far surpased everyone in their age group. They have even begun to challenge the older students. I’ve spoken of them to Father, he assures me that he is not meddling. He’s not so sure about uncle Karhma, however.”
“Should we be worried?” Joshua asked, with a concerned glance to Emmy.
“You want to worry about a pair of Aristi siblings that show talent for fighting?” Emmy asked her husband. “Might as well be worried about a Skyweaver that shows a Talent for Magic.” She said.
“Have you met Vessarian Skyweaver?” Joshua said with a shudder. “It’s almost creepy.”
*********************************************************************************
“Echo! Irezumi!” Hibiki called, and his two children appeared. “It’s nearly time. Hunter will handle guard duty. I need you two to watch your siblings. Stay with them in the room, don’t let anyone but me in or out. If it comes to it, fight with everything you have. Understood?”
“Yes father.” Irezumi said, drawing her sword. Echo followed her lead with a slight nod to his father as he drew his blade.
“Excellent.” Hibiki said. He gather the two in for a big hug. “Stay vigilant. You must help me protect the family.”
“We will, Father.” Echo said.
*********************************************************************************
Ten Years Later.
*********************************************************************************
“It’s.. It’s.. It’s just n-not faaaaiiiirrrrr!” Fortune wailed as she sat with her brother on a bench in the practice yard. She buried her face in his shoulder as she cried, wiping tears and snot on his practice uniform.
“I know.” He said, awkwardly patting her should. “It’s not fair at all.”
“What’s the problem?” Clover asked. She approached the pair, followed closely by Cupid.
“Boys are stupid, Aunt Clover.” Fortune said bitterly.
“Gee, Thanks.” Chance replied.
“Do I need to break a shin, or a collerbone?” Clover asked. “Did someone touch you? Who was it?!?” She drew her sword and turned around, eyeing every man in the dojo dangerously.
“No!” Fortune said. “Put your sword away, Aunt Clover. It’s just that.. The boys are always looking at the Arachnae girls, with their smooth dark skin and perfect white hair. Or, Lauriel Windsong, with her perfect voice.. and perfect b-.. er.. face. They don’t look at me that way. They are scared of me. They prefer to pine after literally anyone else. They even follow after that Colbert girl. The one that wears the red ribbons all the time. I mean, she only ever wears armor, and the boys are all like.. Uwu, I want to unbuckle her pauldron… Disgusting.” She began to wail again.
Clover looked around for Emmy.. She was glad that she never had to deal with this.
Cupid placed a hand on Clover’s shoulder. “I got this.” He said, and sat down on the other side of her.
“Don’t worry, Fortune.” He said. “You are correct. Boys are stupid.”
“Hey!” Chance said. “I’m sitting right here.”
“But, They do get smarter as they get older.” Cupid said. “It just takes a bit longer. This may be a bit hard to hear. But because of your size and strength, many of them look at you as a threat or rival, instead of a potential partner.”
“But I don’t want them to look at me that way.” Fortune said, still wailing into her brothers shoulder.
Cupid smiled. “I know, don’t worry though.. You’ll find someone that is worthy of you, just make sure you are the best ‘you’ that you can be. So you can be worthy of them.”
Fortune stopped crying and looked at Cupid with a confused face.. “What?”
“I mean, don’t pretend to be someone you are not.” Cupid said. “You want people to see YOU right? You want someone to love all of you. Not just the 6 feet of perfectly muscled meat that you and your brother are.. but also, the kind heart, and the vengful spirit… and the warrior that just crushed a marble column with her bare fist, because she was upset that a boy didn’t ask her to Bernard’s dance this weekend. I know you don’t want to.. but you just have to wait until the right person presents themselves.”
“But.. What if I miss them?” Fortune said. “What if I never know they like me?”
Cupid laughed.. “You’re an Aristi.. that sort of bad luck doesn’t happen to you.” he said. “besides, You’ll know when you meet them.”
“How?” Fortune demanded.
“When you see them.” Cupid said. “Your heart will sing. And when you hear the music, you’ll know that this person is your destiny.”
Fortune’s eyes narrowed. “That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” She said, and returned to wailing into her brother’s shoulder.
***********************************************************************************
“So, What happened to that boy the other day? When we were down at the market?” Echo asked his sister, as the two of them walked down the path to the Market field, a few miles from the farm. They both had humongous packs on, carrying all sorts of goods that they have for sale.
“The cute one that asked me to walk with him around the bazaar?” Irezumi asked.
“Yeah.. I saw you go off with him.. Just wondering how it went?” Echo said.
“Oh.. I stabbed him in the face.” Irezumi said with a shrug. “He wouldn’t shut up about how strong he was.”
Echo nodded. “Cool.. did you tell Father? I mean, just so we can be ready to defend against the parents.”
Irezumi gave him a confused look, then understood.. “No no.. I didn’t kill him. I mean, He IS cute. I just adjusted his attitude a bit.. And his vision.. He’ll be wearing an eyepatch from now on. At least, I hope he will.”
“You are such a flirt.” Echo said, dancing out of reach as his sister swiped at him with her knife.
“Have you talked to Father about your ‘Idea’.” Irezumi asked her brother.
“Not yet.” Echo said. “It’s not the right time yet. Kariudo and Kai may be mature enough to deal with things.. but Obake and Rei? I can’t leave our sisters to try and deal with those two hooligans without us. We’ll wait for a couple more years.”
“You sure you still want to do it?” Irezumi asked. “I mean, we may be good at selling at the market, but being a merchant? Are you sure we’re up to it?”
“Look.. Father always knew that he was a rice farmer.” Echo said. “I know, that I am a merchant. You are welcome to come with, but if you’re not a Merchant, you’re not going to be very happy.”
“I can work as a merchant, and merchant’s guard until I find what I really want to do with my life.” She said. “Besides.. I don’t know that I will like life without my brother. So, I’ll stick around with you for a while longer, until I’m ready to go my own way.”
“Thank you.” Echo said. “Come on, lets speed up a bit. Get some excersize in, and then set up early. Maybe we can shop for a nice eyepatch for your boyfriend.” He laughed and began running.
**************************************************************************
Present Day
**************************************************************************
“Night guard? Seriously Mom?” Fortune complained to Emmy, as she flexed in the mirror, admiring the definition of her muscles.
“You are a member of the Jade Dragons.” Emmy said. “You have a duty to protect the Jade Quarter, as well as the city of Qadar. Like I said, your aunts noticed some rough and tumble type strangers entering the city today. Until we learn their business, you and your brother will watch that Torii gate entrance at the square. Make sure no one that is not a resident of the Jade Quarter enters until dawn.”
Fortune made a face at her mother in the mirror. “Who would be stupid enough to try to cause trouble here of all places?”
“Someone that isn’t from the headlands.” Emmy said. “Someone that isn’t aware that we have the means and ability to protect ourselves.. and don’t make faces at me when you think I’m not looking.”
“Sorry..” Fortune said half-heartedly. “So, what do we know about these ‘strangers’?”
“Verdanta and Jade counted 35-40 of them.” Emmy said. “Heavily armed with swords, clubs, etc. Lots of hide armor. Kinda get the feeling that they’re from the Hands, maybe somewhere in the Heartlands. But, they mentioned that they’re eyeing people out in the square, and watching the Vangaurd closely. Verdanta gets the feeling that they mean trouble, and I’ve learned to trust her feelings. Look, just be vigilant. Don’t spend all night with your head in the clouds.”
“Yes mother.” Fortune said.
“In this case.” Emmy reminded her. “It’s, ‘yes Master’.” she said archely.
“Yes, Master.” Fortune said. “May we be excused?”
“Yes. Be sure to rest, you have a long night tonight.” She said.
“We will, Master Mommy.” Chance said with a smile as he followed his sister from the room.
***************************************************************************
“Simply sign here, and here.” Vessarian said, pointing to lines on a sheet of paper in front of Echo. They sat at a large table, across from Lord Speaker Quorin Astarte, and Mother Tiressa Arachnae.
Echo picked up the quill and neatly scrawled his name on the paper.
“Excellent.” Tiressa said. “Now, for the keys?” She looked at Quorin.
Quorin began making guestures to Vessarian. Vess took a breath preparing to translate to the rest of the room.
“No need, Lady Vessarian. I can hear him.” Echo said. “Yes, Lord Quorin, I understand, I have no intention of making any sort of additions or changes to the building without notifying you personally. Lady Arachnae took us on a tour of the location already, and I find it acceptable as is. In fact, it’s far better than we were expecting.” He said, glancing at his sister by his side.
Quorin looked at him, and smiled slightly.
“Yes sir, My mother and father have given their blessing on this venture.” Echo said. “Assuming that it’s acceptable for us to gate link with them in Pandora, that is.”
Quorin’s eyes looked a bit wild.
“No no, sir. Only those things with permission from my Mother may pass through either side. You won’t have to worry about an invasion of Face eaters or Sabertooth Spiders. At least until Sakusei and Sugure come visit. And even then, They are well trained.” Echo assured the Speaker.
Quorin smiled and stood, he held a key out with one hand, and extended his hand to shake Echo’s.
“I look forward to it too.” Echo said, shaking his hand. “Will you all join me in a drink?” he asked, and began pouring cups of Sake, and passing them out to everyone in the room.
******************************************************************************
Echo placed his mask on his face, making sure the open mouth did not block his lips, as He and Irezumi walked out into the night air of Qadar.
“I make it a bit after Midnight.” Irezumi noted as she looked at the sky.
Echo nodded. “They mentioned that our supplies will be delivered to the shop tomorrow. I say, we head to this ‘The Inn’ they mentioned and see if we can get some food, before we turn in for the night.”
“Food would be good. I’m starving.” Irezumi said, adjusting her mask as well.
The Two began heading to the square.
“You know, you could have worn more clothes.” Echo said to his sister. She was wearing shorts, and a simple bikini top, under an open net shirt, leaving very little to the imagination. “I mean, aren’t you cold?”
“Asks the man that refuses to wear a shirt.” Irezumi said, noting the tattoos that she could see from where his cloak flowed open.
“I know,” Echo said. “It’s colder here than home. That’s why I mentioned. You’re wearing even less than me.”
“Comfort takes a back seat to movement.” Irezumi said. “Dad would be so made to hear you tell me how to dress.”
“Dad isn’t here.” Echo said, stopping cold, just as they entered the square. “But, I kinda wish he were.” He pointed to the center of the square.
A group of thirty or fourty men, heavily armed, and very rowdy looking milled about. They were talking with a pair of large, heavily muscled people at a green Torii gate.
“What is it?” Irezumi asked. “I can’t hear them.”
“You will soon.” Echo said. “They are demanding entrance into that gate, It is a place called the Jade Quarter. The two people in green silk seem to be guarding it. They’ve turned them away. The group isn’t taking that kindly. What do the spirits say?”
“This place is filled with Spirits, Mostly benign..” Irezumi said. “Though, they tell me that danger is present.”
Echo loosened his sword in it’s scabbard, he began stretching. “Well, looks like we have an opportunity to protect our new home.”
Irezumi smiled, and slipped into the shadows of a nearby building. “Death from above?”
Echo nodded, and poured a small puddle of Sake near where Irezumi was hiding. He then shrugged his cloak from his shoulders and began casually walking toward the group of people.
*********************************************************************
“I don’t think you understand, Missy.” The ‘leader’ of this group of rag tag bandits was saying to Fortune. “I’m not askin’. I’m telling.. Stand aside, and let us in, or things are going to get ugly.”
“Looks like they already are.” Fortune retorted. She and Chance subtly readied themselves for a fight.
“Hold up now!” came a voice from behind the group in a strange accent. Fortune and Chance looked over the group to see a man in a mask walking towards the group. He stopped about twenty feet away from them. “It’s a bit late for an argument, and far to late for a fight. What’s the problem here.”
“Don’t interfere.” Fortune said to the new comer. “Best to get inside, before it get’s dangerous.”
“That’s a good Idea, stranger.” The gruff voice of the leader of the bandits said. “First though, why don’t you give us your money, and whatever you got in that jug on your hip.”
“This?” Echo said, He untied the cord that held the large jug on his sash. “If your interested in a drink, I’m sure I can oblige.” He pulled off the lid and took a long drink.
“Just toss it here, outlander.” The leader said.
Echo nodded, and with a quick motion, threw the jug high into the air, over the heads of the group. As it reached the Apex of it’s flight, he quickly drew his pistol, and fired a single shot into the jug. It suddenly exploded, in a giant fireball. From the flaming droplets, Irezume suddenly apearred, and fell into the group, along with the hot, flaming sake. Echo drew his sword and charged into the fray.
Fortune and Chance were simply stunned as they watched the brutal fight. She watched the masked strangers simply overwhelm the bandits. The man seemed to be everywhere at once, and the woman was death incarnate. She felt her heart skip a beat when the man literally pulled one of the bandit’s arms from his body, and then jammed it’s hand in another bandit’s mouth, as the woman’s Kama removed the head. The man then turned to an attacker behind him, He half drew his sword, sparks flying from the blade igniting sake he had held in his mouth. He breathed fire on this man as if he were a dragon.
Fortune could hear a song as she watched the fight.
https://youtu.be/oBwtUigJcQQ
It didn’t last long. The two strangers systematically butchered the bandits in a few minutes, leaving only the leader, gravely wounded, kneeling in front of Fortune.
“Sorry for the disturbance.” The man said to her, with a bow. “We leave in peace.”
The woman stepped up to Chance, whose jaw hung open as he watched her. “You’ll catch flies like that.” She said, and closed his mouth with a finger, and she winked at him as the two simply vanished in the night.
**********************************************************************************
“FATHER!!!” Fortune yelled as soon as she entered the door when they were done with watch.
“We’re in the Dojo.” Joshua’s voice came from deeper in the house. The twins jogged to the Dojo, scrambling to remove their shoes as they entered.
“We want to get married!” Fortune said, Joshua, Emmy and her sisters stopped their practice and simply stared.
“What?” Emmy asked incredulously.
**********************************************************************************
Echo hung the sign out front. Nezumi Spirits: Supplies for your Magical Needs. He nodded, and walked back inside, as he and his sister continued unpacking their boxes.
“Inks behind the counter, with the gemstones. Herbs and incence in the bins in the main room.” Echo directed the few people that Tiressa had sent to help. “Irezumi, How goes the gate?”
“Umm, Not sure.” Irezumi said from the back room. “There’s a strange wall in here.”
“Ok.. I’ll come look.” Echo said, and entered the back room. Irezumi was looking at a strange wall, made of ancient red/gold bricks.
“Mother’s ink doesn’t seem to stick to it.” Irezumi said.
“Hmm..” Echo said, looking around. “Put it on that wall, it looks like plaster.” he pointed to a different wall.
She walked over with her brush and ink, and began to draw. “Much better, thank you.” she said.
“No worries.” He said, and leaned against the bricks. He felt a strange shifting as the brick he leaned against sunk into the wall. A loud mechanical “Click” issued from the wall, and a door sized hole suddenly swung open, showing a dark staircase leading down. “uh oh.”
“Uh oh?” Irezumi asked as she concentrated on her spell work.
“I think I just voided our lease.” Echo said, looking into the dark staircase.
“Geebus Echo.” Irezumi said. “We haven’t even been here a day. Maybe we should have sent Rei and Obeke here instead of you. It would have taken them longer to destroy our store.”
“What do you think is down there?” Echo asked.
“We can explore later.” Irezumi said. “We have to get this place set up first.”
**********************************************************************************
“He was amazing. He even breathed fire like a Dragon!” Fortune said for the 30th time. Emmy rolled her eyes.
She grabbed her father’s hand. “Please dad, You have to get us an introduction!”
Joshua winced as she squeesed his hand. “Fortune, I know you’re excited. But, I don’t even know where to start. I haven’t heard anything about this.”
Fortune’s eyes began to well up with tears.
“Save your tears, Fortune.” Emmy said, done with her daughter’s drama. She turned to the rest of the room, “Cupid, this is more your area of expertise. What should our young Aristi’s do?”
Cupid gave a smile. “Oh.. You guys should learn Magic.”
Both Fortune and Chance looked up at him. “What?” they asked in unison. “We’re Aristi’s. We don’t do magic.”
“You’re also Stormborn’s.” Cupid noted, “And Riverra is very very conversent with Magic. Also, incase you’ve forgotten family history.. Your Grandmother was a Skyweaver, and the Archmage of Qadar. Trust me, you’ve got the lineage for it. Maybe it’s time for you to flex your brain’s for a change, instead of just your arms.”
“And this will help us meet these strangers?” Fortune asked.
“I dunno.. Can’t hurt though.” Cupid said. He pulled out a small note pad, and scribbled something on it. “Here, I heard this place is good for picking up some magicy type stuff. Why don’t you think it over for a few days, and go there, buy some beginners stuff, and see where it takes you. I mean, at the very least, you could learn to cast ‘Locate Person’ to find this man you’re looking for.” He handed the scrap of paper to Fortune.
She snatched it from his hand and read it. “What’s a Nezumi?” She asked.

I have this cutting board with a name engraved in the bottom corner of it in fancy cursive. It also has a date right below it in a Calibri like print. I want to cover up the name and date some how. It's a really nice cutting board so I don't want to throw wood filler and paint on it. I'm considering expanding the engraving, sort of like a tattoo cover up. Any ideas?

The chariot flew down the hill, a wall of billowing flame and smoke rising thousands of feet into the air behind it, as if a hydrogen bomb had exploded and was expanding forward towards me at a slowed-down pace. On the chariot stood a demon ten feet tall, with blazing red skin, pure black eyes and horns poking out of the top of his head, looking curved and white just like those of a ram. Around him, smaller demons about as tall as a regular man jumped and screamed in exhilaration, grinning from ear to ear while they looked around with excitement, some of them speaking rapidly to each other in a deep, gurgling tongue I had never heard before.
The main demon bellowed, shaking the ground as he put his arms into the air, looking straight up into the sky and smiling. A circle of fire shot out from his chariot, expanding rapidly and burning up every building and shrub it touched in the abandoned desert town.
Looking behind me, I saw the deep indentation where a river had once run through the town, during wetter times before the never-ending drought affecting our Western area of the USA. Without thinking, I jumped in, shielding my head and ducking down. The wall of fire soared above me, burning my hair and the back of my shirt. I heard screaming nearby as men and women in white lab coats or black suits burned alive. I closed my eyes and tried to block it out.
While I lay on the ground, crouching into a ball and shutting my eyes tightly, I thought about how I had ended up in this situation, cursing my now dead girlfriend who convinced us to come out here on a sight-seeing trip.
***
“Markey,” Katherine said, smiling sweetly, “I am so excited to see that old ghost town on the edge of the desert- the one they used to call Saddle Ranch Springs.” I hated it when my girlfriend called me Markey instead of just Mark. “Will you be ready in twenty minutes?” I grunted in response.
“Is that a yes or a no?” she asked. Sighing, I turned to her and smiled slightly.
“OK, fine,” I said hesitantly. She sprung up, clapping in happiness and ran upstairs to get ready. As soon as she had asked about it, I knew I was going. I could never say no to Katherine. While she got dressed and put on make-up, I finished cooking breakfast and making coffee for both of us, wondering exactly what could be so exciting about seeing a ghost town that had been dead for over a hundred years.
“Katherine, are you almost ready to eat?” I yelled up the stairs. She mumbled something I could barely hear that sounded like a yes. As I waited for her, my phone rang. Looking down, I saw that the number was marked “Private”. I answered, putting it up to my ear.
“Hello?” I said. At first there was just a mechanical cacophony, like shrieking metal overlaying clicking and whirring noises, then someone started screaming in the background. It sounded like a woman being burned alive or tortured. A deep, gravelly voice began to speak.
“Do not go to the place where the Saddle Ranch massacre began,” it said. “It will end with death. But not for you, Mark. Some things are worse than death.” Then suddenly the line went dead. I looked down at the smartphone in my hand, confused, but I shrugged and put it away. I wondered if my friend Rooster was playing some kind of prank on me, as he knew we were all going to the abandoned town today.
After we were ready, Katherine and I left to go pick up Rooster. He loved urban exploration and knew every abandoned mental asylum, haunted house and ghost town in a five-hundred mile radius. But that wasn’t saying much, seeing as I lived in the middle of the desert out in the Western US. There were barely any towns nearby with more than five thousand people.
Rooster had eyes like a Siberian husky, a pale Russian complexion and far too many tattoos covering every exposed inch of his arms and legs. Many of them were mystical in nature, including paintings from Alex Grey, the OM symbol in a mandala pattern and a huge tattoo of a four-armed Shiva dancing the tandava on his right leg. I had known Rooster since I was a kid, when we went to the same school, and he was the one who had introduced me to psychedelic drugs, music festivals and eventually, my fiancee Katherine herself. I owed him a great deal.
As he got in the backseat behind Katherine on the passenger side, I looked back and saw a huge, shit-eating grin on his face, his pupils looking dilated, a thin sheen of sweat covering his face.
“Dude, are you fucking tripping right now?” I asked, slightly shocked. He nodded slowly.
“I just ate like three hits of really good Grateful Dead family blotter acid,” he said, laughing to himself. I shook my head and started the car back up, driving off down towards the highway and towards Saddle Ranch Springs.
“Now why would you eat acid when you knew we were going exploring in a ghost town?” I said, feeling peevish. Katherine looked over at me, smiling her slight Buddha smile. She had never even done psychedelics and refused to ever try them, but she always found Rooster hilarious when he had eaten mushrooms or acid. I was happy they got along quite well, because God forbid, if I had to choose between my lifelong best friend and the girl I loved, I’m not sure which I would have chosen.
“Because I want to see, man,” he said, laughing again. “Open up my third eye and all that, just like Bill Hicks said. ‘Today young men on acid realized we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively…’” He trailed off, rambling for a few more moments before going quiet.
“Huh, OK, makes sense,” I said quietly, feeling the absurd urge to start laughing too. Then I remembered the phone call. “Hey Rooster, did you prank call me this morning?” I looked into the rearview mirror, seeing his huge smile and sparkling eyes.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, man,” he said, his smile never faltering. I took that as a yes. In hindsight, I should have questioned him more. I should have realized he was just smiling because of the drugs, not because it had anything to do with my question. I should have done a lot of things differently, I guess. They might both still be alive if I had.
I turned up the radio and we didn’t talk the rest of the journey.
***
“Oh my God, look at how cool this is,” Katherine said, pointing to the abandoned saloon a few feet in front of us with its massive batwing doors. The entire downtown area of Saddle Ranch Springs looked like the set for some old Western movie. It had only one real street, with all of ten dilapidated buildings on it, including an ancient police station and jail, a town hall, the saloon and a few houses. We walked up and down, exploring. When we got to the jail, that was when things started to go wrong.
Rooster walked ahead of me, still smiling and laughing far too much for the circumstances. I could tell he was really tripping hard. He could barely follow the conversations Katherine and I had, and kept getting distracted by the smallest of things, such as a tiny snake that slithered across the dirt road. He chased it excitedly, looking like a little kid. The snake ended up being far faster and smarter than him, though, and the look of total childish disappointment on his face was so exaggerated that both Katherine and I started giggling in unison.
Katherine ended up being the first one into the old cell, the jail door standing wide open. Rust covered every square inch of the metal, and the jail smelled dusty and old, almost like the smell of an antique shop.
We looked at the metal bench where the prisoners used to sleep, and Rooster got down on his knees, peering underneath it.
“What are you doing, bro?” I asked, kneeling down to get a closer look. Rooster looked up at me suddenly, the smile gone from his face.
“There’s some random ass trap door down here hidden beneath the bench,” he said, pointing to the extremely faint outline of a square covered in dust. Using his hands, he wiped the sand and dust off of it. I would never have seen it on my own, it was so well-camouflaged. The only reason Rooster had been able to see it, I assumed, was that the LSD was giving his senses an extra kick that allowed him to pick up subtle, tiny cues that everyone else would instantly miss. Feeling around at the corners, Rooster began to pull with the tips of his fingers and eventually found a way to open it.
We heard screaming and shrieking as soon as we opened the hatchway, and then the desert outside started to explode with noise and movement. A much larger hidden square rose up out behind the jail, a metal door with sand glued to the top of it swinging open, and we saw men and women in lab coats begin to run out, scattering like cockroaches in every direction. In the hatchway beneath the bench in the jail, a woman frantically appeared, wearing a lab coat and an ID badge that read “Dr. Kay”. She climbed up a ladder from the dark shadows beneath, heaving herself out with mortal terror and panic evident on her face.
“They’re getting out!” she yelled at us, not even appearing to realize that we weren’t wearing lab coats, black suits or biohazard uniforms, unlike all the other people who were now spilling out of the much larger hatchway by the dozens. “Get the hell out of here!” Just then, a deafening alarm began to sound from underneath us.
“What in the hell is going on?” Rooster whispered to me. Katherine just stared around, her green eyes wide and shocked.
“Project Eldritch has had a containment breach,” an amplified, calm female voice said, sounding like it came from thousands of speakers beneath our feet. The worn planks of the abandoned building shook as it spoke, dust falling from the ceiling as spiders and insects in the corners of the room were knocked to the ground. “I repeat, Project Eldritch has had a containment breach. This is a level 5 breach. All personnel must evacuate the premises at once. I repeat, evacuate the premises at once. Do not return until authorized. Project Eldritch has had a containment breach…” The voice started to repeat itself, sounding the same warning over and over again as what sounded like a tornado siren blared from hidden speakers all over the ghost town.. I couldn’t tell whether it was a robot or a person speaking the warning into the PA system. The cadence and inflections were all totally flat and emotionless, almost sounding like a text-to-speech software app.
“Oh God, it’s too late!” the woman in front of us in the lab coat said, crying and putting her face into her hands.
“Ma’am,” I said, calmly walking up to her and putting a hand on her shoulder, “just what is going on? Where are all these people coming from? Is there some sort of secret laboratory underneath Saddle Ranch Springs or something?” Katherine was standing to my left now, taking my hand into hers. I felt her fingers trembling, her heart beating so fast I could feel the pulse through her skin.
“We need to get out of here!” she said. “Follow me, if you want to live. It’s your only chance. There’s a safe room not too far from here, a hidden hatchway door leading down in case of a containment breach. I’ll tell you everything there, if we live that long.”
We sprinted out of the jail, Dr. Kay leading the way. I heard engines revving as a few Hummers pulled up, and the doctors and scientists in the lead got in, being whisked away down the dirt road by their security details. The cars left a cloud of dust in their wake that blotted out the sky, covering the ghost town in a dim light. We ran past the jail, past the town hall and behind the saloon, where Dr. Kay got on her knees and began feeling around in the dirt. Within seconds, she had found a handle, pulling up a door so cleverly disguised that I would have never seen it in a million years if I had not been with her.
She jumped down, falling into the blackness. I peered down and saw her standing about five feet below us. Without being prompted, I jumped down, Katherine landing behind me a couple seconds later, then Rooster last of all. Red emergency lights flashed, the bulbs within the large round casings moving in slow, lazy circles. It gave a bloody glow to the entire tunnel.
We followed Dr. Kay ahead, where a massive steel door eight feet tall and five feet wide blocked out the entire tunnel. A black pad stood on the wall to its right. Dr. Kay put her eye up to it, as apparently it had a small camera with an optical scanner, and a buzzer went off in the hallway, sending the door flying open and making my ears ring from its sheer volume. The door dilated like a pupil, the metal expanding in a circle as it disappeared into the wall.
Behind it, a room lit by too many bright, fluorescent lights appeared. I instinctively put my hand in front of my eyes to shield them. On the edge of the room, I saw countless video monitors with live cameras covering every inch of the ghost town, as well as many shots of laboratories and scientific installations I had never seen before.
“What is this place?” Katherine asked behind me. Dr. Kay turned.
“Well, this is just a bunker, a safe room with back-up video feeds,” she said. “But if you mean the entire scientific complex itself, it’s where the US government does secret research into alternate dimensions, parallel worlds and doorways between different parts of the multiverse.” Her eyes flicked to the monitors, where people were still running and screaming, trying to escape from some unseen horror. “We’re funded by an agency unknown to the general public, the Department for Paranormal Research. Billions of dollars of black-ops taxpayer dollars are funneled through the CIA and military to the DPR, and some of it goes to experiments like ours here.”
“OK, so what kind of experiments are we talking about?” I asked, feeling unsure. My hairs stood on end, and the air had an electric feeling to it, as if something big was about to happen. I thought I knew what the Japanese citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki must have felt when they first felt the quaking of the ground and the flash of white light from the center of their cities.
“Here, we only do experiments trying to provide doorways to other worlds,” she said, pointing to her name badge. “I myself have a PhD in quantum physics, and we used all the knowledge gathered by physicists to open a quantum doorway earlier today. But something came through it just now, and it is creating havoc and death throughout the labs. I saw a few other scientists ripped apart by something that looked like demons straight from Hell. They stood about the height of a tall man, but their eyes were pure black and their skin bright red, their fingernails and toenails were just long black talons, and they spoke in some gurgling language I’ve never heard before. I don’t think anyone on this planet has seen them before, at least not in a very long time…” Her eyes became distant, as if she were deep in thought. And as she stopped talking, the earth began to shake violently.
It started as a small tremor, then rapidly built up into a high-intensity earthquake. Looking on the video feeds, I saw some of them cameras go black, but others outside in the abandoned town showed the ground begin to split open, flames and smoke shooting out as a massive demon rode out on a chariot, led by seven white horses. Looking closer, I realized the horses had exposed bone with pieces of rotting skin and fur still clinging to their corpses. Yet they ran at a furious pace, their tendons and muscles flexing under the high-quality resolution of the video feed. I saw the escaping Hummers filled with doctors and government agents in far-off shots of the video feed drive directly into a massive crack in the earth. No one came up from the smoking cracks that now appeared all around us.
Chairs in the room fell over and tables cracked and splintered as the earthquake’s tremors reached a crescendo, but they didn’t begin to recede. I saw Katherine, Rooster and Dr. Kay all holding onto whatever stable surface they could grab nearby. Katherine and Rooster were holding hands. My heart began to race in my chest, old suspicions rising to the surface as I forgot our mortal peril for a moment.
“They’re here,” Dr. Kay said, a look of total terror marring her tear-covered eyes. The floor of the room began to crack down the middle. “Get out of here!” she began to scream. None of us needed to be told twice. We ran through the still-open door and back into the world above.
As we came out into the blinding sunlight, I looked up at the small hill of the desert behind the town, and saw horrors from another world rushing towards us. The chariot flew down the hill, a wall of billowing flame and smoke rising thousands of feet into the air behind it…
***
As I came out from the dry riverbed I had taken refuge in, I realized no one was moving around me. I saw the burnt bodies of Katherine, Rooster and Dr. Kay, laying on the ground ten feet in front of me, blackened and still smoking, their melted clothes attached to their flesh now from the intense heat they had been exposed to. The demon in the chariot rushed towards me, the hooves of the seven horses creating a loud “clap-clap” noise as they drew closer, and I thought he would run me down. But with a cry, he stopped the horses only a few feet in front of me. The demons behind him regarded me with interest and suspicion. The huge one stepped down in front of me.
“Mark,” he said to me, smiling from ear to ear. Small billows of smoke escaped from his mouth as he spoke. “I am so happy to finally meet you. My name is Lucifer, or Satan, if you prefer. I have many other names, as I’m sure you know.” He laughed at this. My heart beat hard in my chest as I realized I was the only one I could see still left alive.
“What do you want with me?” I asked, trying not to make eye contact. “Please, I don’t want to die.”
“Oh, neither do I want you to die!” Satan said loudly. “If I wanted you dead, you would be dead already.” He leaned close to me, lowering his voice. “And by the way, you were right about Rooster and your girlfriend there. They were in love, cheating on you, betraying you every chance they got.
“Your suspicions have been correct for a long time,” Satan said, his face totally expressionless. “Your girlfriend has been having sex with your best friend nearly every day for the past year. When you were working to support her, she was betraying you over and over. They are traitors to you, totally unworthy of your attention. Ants in the afterbirth have more meaning than their lives did. And I did you a favor by killing them.
“They were worthless sheep, and the world is full of worthless sheep. They are more sheep for the Sheep God. But you, my friend, are different. Will you follow me?” I thought for only a moment and nodded. I had a feeling if I said no, I would die a horrible death on the spot.
“Every President and world leader in the past two centuries has given me his allegiance,” Satan said to me, showing me his perfectly white, sharpened teeth in a grisly smile. “Everyone with real power has pledged his soul to me, and in exchange, I gave them whatever they desired. And now I ask you, do you also wish for power, for money, followers, or anything else your heart desires?” I barely had to think about it.
“Of course I do,” I said quickly. With a puff of smoke, an old-looking, rolled-up parchment appeared in Satan’s left hand. He unrolled it, handing me an ancient quill pen and pointing to the bottom line. I didn’t even read the contract, nor could I if I wanted to. It was written in some language I had never seen before, almost reminding me of an ancient Tibetan script I had seen in history books.
“What is this?” I asked. He shrugged.
“It is just a contract between us, written in Enochian, the language of the angels,” he said simply, his black eyes shimmering with an inner light.
“Just sign here,” he said, pointing to a thick line on the bottom. I took the quill pen and began to move it towards the line, but he laughed.
“Not like that!” he said, motioning to a demon behind him, who came up to me and handed me a dagger. “Cut your hand and sign it in your blood.” I put the knife over my left palm, hesitating for a moment, before taking a deep breath and slashing it into the skin. A burning pain shot through my hand. I dipped the tip of the quill in the drops of blood pooling in my palm, signing my name in cursive on the parchment. When I had finished, the paper disappeared back into a puff of smoke. As soon as it did, my hand re-knitted itself, healing within seconds, and I began to feel a rush of euphoria and light enter my body.
It felt as if someone reached into my heart with invisible hands made of light and pulled out all the stress, all the anxieties and insecurities built up there. All my depression and sickness at finding out my girlfriend had been cheating on me with my best friend evaporated in an instant, and I felt pure bliss, thinking of their burnt bodies in the dirt of the destroyed ghost town.
My hearing suddenly became far more acute- I could literally hear mice and voles crawling in the dirt beneath the ground. I could hear people screaming in Hell and angels singing in Heaven. It was as if I had been given a small taste of omniscience, and I enjoyed every second of it.
“What’s… what’s happening to me?” I asked, feeling shocked.
“You are gaining the divine wisdom that I offer all my followers,” Satan said, smiling, showing his sharp, bleached-white teeth. “They don’t call me Lucifer for nothing. I bring light to those who wish it, and I bring wisdom and peace to those who are forgotten by God.
“Within twenty years, I will make you President of the United States, as long as you do as I wish. We can start your political career small, as a state representative perhaps, but it won’t last long. It never does.” Satan grinned at me, extending a huge red hand, and I shook it. A fiery heat emanated from within his smooth flesh.
“I can’t wait,” I said, excited about my future for the first time in years.

20th Century?

• The Stupid Ages. (Alternate First)
• Fry's era is referred to as the Stupid Ages more than once in the series. No dates are given, but the 20th century seems stupid enough to me (Alternate First)

1988 AD

• Fry hides his lucky seven-leaf clover from his brother. (Possibly for Alternate First)
• Fry falls through the ice before ice fishing with his father and catches a cold. (Possibly for Alternate First)
• Barack Obama works as a pizza delivery boy for Mr. Panucci. (Possibly for Alternate First)
• Fry fails to win the Nerd Search '88 Science Competition, which is won by Josh Gedgie. (Possibly for Alternate First)
• Josh Gedgie's winning science experiment is launched into space. Years later, it will be dumped on Saturn's dump moon. (Possibly for Alternate First)
• February 13–28 – The 1988 Winter Olympics are held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada/What Hermes will later describe as a "legendary Jamaican bobsled team" first competes in the Winter Olympics. This is historical fact, which is not to be confused with the slightly fictionalised account given in the movie Cool Runnings.

1989 AD

• June 16 - The film Ghostbusters II is released, tarnishing the previously well-regarded Ghostbusters franchise. ("This number has been lame since 1989")
• December 17 - The Simpsons debuts on the Fox Network.

Between 1990 and 1996

• Applied Cryogenics experiences their penultimate power failure (Alternate First)

1991 AD

• The Internet commences robbing people of their privacy (6ACV03). This is actually the date Tim Berners-Lee announced the World Wide Web project and software on the alt.hypertext newsgroup.

1992 AD

• Date of manufacture of the green Latura in the Past-O-Rama exhibit. (Alternate First)

1993 AD

• Bill Clinton is inaugurated as the 42nd President of the United States.

1994 AD

• Fry fails to graduate from Coney Island Community College. (Possibly Alternate First)

1994 AD or 1995 AD

• Fry scrawls a picture of himself on a rocket (Possibly Alternate First)

1995 AD to 1998 AD

• Fry is unemployed. "I haven't had time off since I was twenty-one through twenty-four!" (Possibly Alternate First)

1997 AD

• Last known power failure at Applied Cryogenics/Applied Cryogenics: No power failures since 1997". Despite this failure and the previous one, Applied Cryogenics will actually maintain continuous power - or at least avoid critical outages - through war, barbarism and alien invasions for the next 1003 years. (Alternate First)
• HAL 9000, the subject of Calculon's one-man show HAL 9000, comes online in Urbana, Illinois. (Alternate First)
• Date on the last existing can of anchovies ("Angry Norwegian Anchovies" brand) in the year 3000. (Alternate Fisrt)
• August - Fry finds Seymour in a New York street after a pizza delivery to "Seymour Asses" which turned out to be a crank call. (Possibly Alternate First)

1998 AD

• July - Fry's dog Seymour Asses has become a beloved member of the Panucci's Pizza family (Possibly Alternate First)
• Unknown - The United States Air Force launches the top-secret satellite USAF Flying Destiny, and the Federal Communications Commission launches the equally top-secret FCC V-Chip. A short time later, both satellites collide to form the planet-censoring V-GINY (Possibly Alternate First)

1999 AD

• Nibbler is assigned as Supreme Fuzzler for a Nibblonian scientific outpost on the planet Vergon VI, where he will remain assigned for a further thousand years. Over the following centuries, Nibblonians consume many of the planet's animal inhabitants and gradually fill the planet's core with dark matter. (Alternate First)
• Fry spills beer on the control console at New York FOX) station WNYW, knocking Single Female Lawyer off the air. (Possibly Alternate First)
• Fry's bank account is left with a balance of 93 cents which, after one thousand years of gathering interest, becomes $4.3 billion. (Possibly Alternate First)
• Decemder 31 (Possibly Alternate First)
  • 9:00am - Fry wakes up
  • 10:00pm - After dinner, Fry leaves his family's house for work at Panucci's/Fry wasn't at his house after 10:00pm according to Farnsworth in this episode.
  • evening - Nibbler orders a pizza to be delivered to Applied Cryogenics, using the pseudonym I. C. Weiner.
  • 11:35pm - Fry leaves Panucci's to deliver Nibbler's pizza, leaving Seymour to wait for him outside. This scene occurs in more than one episode, but "Jurassic Bark" is the first time a clock is visible.
  • 11:??pm - Nibbler's chauffeur, Digby, lands them on the roof of Applied Cryogenics.
  • slightly before midnight - Nibbler hides underneath the desk that Fry will sit at as the new millennium rolls in, intending to deliberately make Fry fall in the cryogenics tube, so that in the future (specifically, the episode "The Why Of Fry") he can defeat the evil brains on behalf of all intelligent life. An alternate version of Fry arrives from an alternate future in which he failed to defeat the brains. He delivers to Nibbler the dire warning, "Scootie-Puff Junior sucks!" before disappearing. The alternate Fry's interference has no lasting effect on the timeline until the events of "The Why Of Fry" in 3002 or so.
  • 11:58pm - Two minutes to midnight, Fry boards the elevator to the Applied Cryogenics floor
  • Fry is sent on a fake pizza delivery to I. C. Wiener at Applied Cryogenics.
  • Fry is frozen at the stroke of midnight when pushed by Nibbler. He wakes up in the future.

2000s

• (presumably early) Baywatch: The Movie becomes the first movie shot entirely in slow-motion, and wins Pamela Anderson the Oscar. (Orginial Timeline or Alternate First)
• Atlanta moves offshore, but after over-developing, sinks to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean and is lost until the early 31st century (Alternate First)
• New Atlanta is the capital and most populous city) in the U.S. state of Georgia) (Alternate First)

2000 AD

• January 1 (Possibly Alternate First)
  • Nibbler's plan proceeds: Fry falls backwards into a cryogenic chamber. At that exact instant, Digby (who is also in the room) remembers that he left his spacecraft on the roof unlocked, and locks it remotely using his key fob. These four musical tones and the response from the ship are the last things Fry hears before being frozen.
  • Seconds into the new year, Philip J. Fry is cryogenically frozen due to the actions of Lord Nibbler/his future self.
  • Using a time code tattooed on his ass, Fry returns from the year 3007 back to New York and lives in the upstairs storage room of Panucci's Pizza. Bender also travels back in time to kill Fry but loses him.
  • A Bender from "way at the end" comes to put the code on Fry's ass in the first place.
  • Seymour sees Fry frozen in a cryogenics tube.
  • Fry's family calls off the search for their missing son.
  • Lord Nibbler's mother dies.
  • Digby and Nibbler, now drunk, lose their keys and are forced to take a taxi back to Vergon 6, leaving their spaceship parked on the Applied Cryogenics roof.
• 2 January -Seymour waits for Fry outside Panucci's Pizza.
• 8 November - Bender attempts to kill someone with the same name as Fry. All of Al Gore's votes are destroyed after Bender accidentally shoots them causing George W. Bush to win the election. (Both Bender´s Alternate First and George W Bush´s Orginial Timeline)
• The City of New York quietly dispatches its massive garbage supply out to sea. (Possibly Alternate First)
• Wisconsin wins the Rose Bowl, 17-9. This is Fry's mother's strongest memory of this day. (Possibly Alternate First)
• Past-O-Rama is "like stepping back into the year 2000!" (Alternate First)

2001 AD

• The movie Jury Duty) II: Trouble on the Hubble, starring Pauly Shore), is released. (Alternate First)
• Fry's ex-girlfriend Michelle leaves her husband and family behind and freezes herself for 265 years. (Alternate First)
• (later changed to 990 by Lars) unaware that Fry has also been frozen. (Alternate First)
• Brain spawn use the Infosphere to start a thousand-year quest to obtain all knowledge in the universe. (Alternate First)

2002 AD

• A barge filled with New York's garbage starts floating around the oceans of Earth for 50 years, as no country will take it, not even "that really filthy one" (Orginial Timeline or Alternate First)

2003 AD

• Lucy Liu is named People) magazine's "Sexiest Woman of the Year". (Alternate First)
• Fry gets a job at an aquarium working with a rare narwhal called Leelu. (Alternate First)

2005 AD

• October 20 - Yancy Fry Jr marries an unnamed woman (Possibly Alternate First)

Between ~2005 and 2007?

• Philip J. Fry's nephew, also named Philip Fry honour of his uncle, is born to Yancy Fry and his wife. (Philip Fry Jr appears to be roughly five to seven years old when Bender accosts him in 2012.) (Alternate First)
• In the original timeline, Philip Fry Jr is named because the original Philip Fry disappeared in 2000 and Yancy Fry misses him. In the current revision of the timeline, this is no longer true, but this paradox is seamlessly resolved by the Time Code. (Alternate First)

2006 AD

• Britney Spears becomes queen of something. (Possibly Alternate First)
• Wearing a sink plunger on his head as a horn, Fry-B duels with Leelu. (Alternate First)

2007 AD

• Charlie's Angels III: The Legend of Charlie's Gold is released in cinemas. (Alternate First)
• February 3 - Philip J. Fry II (Fry's nephew and simultaneously his great-grandson) is born. He is destined to be the 1st man on Mars and one of the 21st century's greatest celebrities. (Possibly Alternate First)

2008 AD

• January 15 - A Suicide Booth is built in New York (Alternate First)
• July 17 - The Svalvard Global Seed Vault starts preserving seeds of every known plant species.
• Fry-B plays with Leelu on a rubber raft in her tank, which she punctures (Alternate First)
• Creation of the "infinitely priceless thousand-year-old brandy", later involved in Bender's initiation ceremony into the League of Robots (Alternate First)

2010 AD

• July 31 - Leelu is released back into the sea. (Alternate First)
• August 4 - Depressed, Lars Fillmore hires Leroy's fishing boat to take him to the North Pole to find her. (Alternate First)
• The Loch Ness monster is revealed to be a log with a Halloween mask stapled to it. (Alternate First)
• Leelu is released into the wild and Fry searches for her with Mr. Panucci's cousin Leroy. (Alternate First)

2012 AD

• Michelle Jenkins freezes her body at Applied Cryogenics. (Alternate First)
• The War of 2012 occurs. Conan O'Brien claims to having lost his legs during the conflict.
• Al Gore) drives a hybrid taxi, or "hybraxi" for short. (Alternate First)
• Lars Fillmore hitches a ride with Michelle for 990 years. (Alternate First)
• Fry locates Leelu and nearly takes her home, but releases her after realizing she is with a male narwhal. (Alternate First)
• Bender visits the second Philip J. Fry and attempts to kill him. (Alternate First)
• Fry returns from his trans-Arctic voyage. (Alternate First)
• Bender blows up Panucci's Pizza, which causes Fry's time duplicate to become Lars Fillmore and ends up flash-fossilizing Seymour Asses. Bender hides under the future location of the Planet Express building for 1000 years. (Alternate First)
• Gas costs $100 a gallon. (Alternate First)
• Seymour Asses dies. (Alternate First)
• December 21 - Some people believed that the world would end (Orginial First Timeline)

2018 AD

• December 27 - Charles Constantine dies. (Alternate First)

2019 AD

• Project Satan is created. (Alternate First)
• May 7 - The most evil car is built using many evil mechanics such as Hitler's steering wheel. (Alternate First)
• June 20 - The Were-Car virus is first transmitted, with Calculon being its first victim (Alternate First)

I have sickle cell ss and I want to get a tattoo about it. Do y’all have any suggestions on what I could do. I was thinking warrior in cursive but I’m not sure… I prefer minimalistic small tattoos

I have been dabbling in calligraphy in Greek, has anyone read 'Learning to Write the Medieval Greek Minuscule Script: A step-by-step approach to reading and writing the Byzantine cursive hand by Joshua Rudder? I have seen some sentence long reviews here and there on amazon, but I wonder if anyone here has an opinion on it.

Has anyone read 'Learning to Write the Medieval Greek Minuscule Script: A step-by-step approach to reading and writing the Byzantine cursive hand by Joshua Rudder? I have seen some sentence long reviews here and there on amazon, but I wonder if anyone here has an opinion on it.

So I know some tattoos can have raised lines during the healing process but is there a way to keep the raised lines? Like many of my tattoos have had the line work be raised till it heals but I like the raised lines. I like running my fingers over the raised lines and tracing the outline of my tattoo. One of my tattoos has cursive writing that's still slightly raised in places years later (right by crease of elbow which could be why it's still slightly raised) but is there something that can be done to keep the lines raised as part of the design? Everything I see is how to get it to flatten or ink made to look 3D. I love my ink but I also love tracing the line work when it's new.

Live Music

• Jerry Mincey and Tony Macalusco St. Johns County Fairgrounds 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Cindy Bear and Robert St. Johns County Fairgrounds 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Morrow Family Band St. Johns County Fairgrounds 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Manchild St. Johns County Fairgrounds 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
• Patchwork St. Johns County Fairgrounds 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
• John Winters Marina Munch 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Don Cooper St. Johns County Fairgrounds 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
• Yael Dray and ZaZa Flamenca Casa Maya 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
• Joe Downing Mill Top Tavern 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Kat Archer St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 1:30 pm
• Jim Carrick St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Charley Simmons St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Ron n Bari St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Lis & Lon Williamson St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Doug Spears St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Lauren Heintz St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm
• Rob Peck The Cellar Upstairs Wine Bar & Restaurant 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Joshua "Tennessee" Worthy Backyard Island Cafe at Meehan's 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Elizabeth Roth Tradewinds Lounge 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm
• Manchild St. Johns County Fairgrounds 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm
• Larry Mangum St. Johns County Fairgrounds 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
• Michael Jordan St. Johns County Fairgrounds 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
• Lonesome Bert's Thick and Thin String Band St. Johns County Fairgrounds 2:15 pm – 3:30 pm
• Davis Cook Casa de Vino 57 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm
• Aslyn Baringer McTaggert St. Johns County Fairgrounds 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Uncle Mosie St. Johns County Fairgrounds 3:30 pm – 4:45 pm
• Claire Vandiver Crabby's Beachside 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
• Red & Chris Henry & their All Star Band St. Johns County Fairgrounds 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
• Verlon Thompson St. Johns County Fairgrounds 4:45 pm – 6:00 pm
• Mark Hart Tradewinds Lounge 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• Dewey Via Backyard Island Cafe at Meehan's 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm
• Dunehoppers St. Johns County Fairgrounds 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
• Joshua "Tennessee" Worthy DJ's Clam Shack 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Morrow Family Band The Cellar Upstairs Wine Bar & Restaurant 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Wes Register Mellow Mushroom — St. Johns 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Deron Baker Mellow Mushroom — Murabella 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Denny Blue Guy Harvey Resort 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Fond Kiser Salt Life Food Shack 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Big Pineapple Kingfish Grill 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Brian Rowland Donovan's Irish Pub 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Cumberland Colonial Oak Music Park 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Bret Blackshear Crabby's Beachside 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Yael Dray and ZaZa Flamenca River & Fort 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• John Jorgenson Quintet St. Johns County Fairgrounds 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
• Heather Craig Meehan's Irish Pub & Seafood House 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
• Groove Pipe Band A1A Ale Works 8:00 pm – 12:00 am
• Smokin' Joe Schauer Ann O'Malley's Deli and Pub 8:00 pm – 11:55 pm
• AJ Lee & Blue Summit St. Johns County Fairgrounds 8:30 pm – 10:00 pm
• Live Stream Tradewinds Lounge 9:00 pm – 1:00 am
• Zalongo Sarbez! 9:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Honey Moonshine Mill Top Tavern 9:00 pm – 12:00 pm
• Trae Pierce and the T-Stones Prohibition Kitchen 10:00 pm – 1:00 am

2024 St. Augustine PoetFest

• For the third year in a row, Flagler College, Ancient City Poets, and the St. Johns Cultural Council present a three-day poetry festival to celebrate literary heritage and to connect the creative community.
• St. Augustine PoetFest 2024 takes place throughout the city at various cultural venues and includes events ranging from poetry readings to improv showcases.
• All Poetfest 2024 events are free and open to the public.

Day 3 — Saturday, April 13

Day three will see another day full of diverse and engaging sessions. Starting at 10:00 a.m. and concluding around 7:00 p.m., the final day of the festival will take place in various buildings on the Flagler College campus. The festival will conclude in the evening with an awards ceremony and reception.

Flagler College Campus —

Saturday, April 13 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
PoetFest Alive! Outside of Ringhaver Student CenterPoetFest brochures and schedules available. The St. Johns County Library system's Book Mobile will also be onsite.
Saturday, April 13 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Typewriter Poets and Indie Market Pop-Up Back Paver Patio of Ringhaver Student Center Located between Markland Place and the Ringhaver Student Center, this space will host a pop-up market space with local crafts and goods. Poets will also compose improvisational poems on their typewriters.

Ringhaver Student Center — 50 Sevilla Street

Jay's Place — 1st Floor

Saturday, April 13 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Registration, Book Bazaar, & Festival Contact Center Publications, author recordings, and local student literary magazines for sale.

Ringhaver Student Center — 50 Sevilla Street

Gamache-Kroger Theater — 1st Floor

Saturday, April 13 10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.
Student Showcase Presented by Flagler College English Department.
Saturday, April 13 11:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.
Faculty Showcase Presented by Flagler College English Department.
Saturday, April 13 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m.
Dramatic Play Reading - "The Poet's Masque" Presented by Amy Goldin and A Classic Theatre.
Saturday, April 13 1:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.
Storytelling Showcas ePresented by Margaret Kaler and the Tale Tellers of St. Augustine.

Ringhaver Student Center — 50 Sevilla Street

Virginia Room — 2nd Floor

Saturday, April 13 10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.
"Kerouac's Last Two Years - St. Petersburg, Florida" Larry Jaffe, Poet in Residence at the Jack Kerouac House, disusses and reads the works of the infamous writer, who lived with his wife and sister in St. Petersburg, Florida from 1967 until his death in 1969.
Saturday, April 13 11 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.
**"From Bookstaplers to Substack - Publishing 101"**Dustin Brookshire (Limp Wrist Magazine) and Johnny Masiulewicz (Happy Tapir Press) examine the process of self-publishing.
Saturday, April 13 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m.
**"Music and the Muse"**Featuring poet Claire Conroy (Maine) performing to improvisational music by singer songwriter Taylor Teachout followed by a Q&A discussion on how music can take your poetry to the next level.
Saturday, April 13 1:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.
**"Florida is Haunted: Poetic Ghosts in the Sunshine State"**Featuring Ma Bones, Nick Dunkenstein, Keri Foster, Damon Thomas, enjoy an hour of poetry inspired by hauntings and the haunted. As Jacques Derrida said — "It is the question of ghosts."
Saturday, April 13 2:00 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.
**"The Antinomian Outsider aspect of The Beat Generation"**Presented by Outlaw poet Ron Whitehead, who hails from Tennessee.
Saturday, April 13 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.Closing Event

• 3:00 pm Words from Festival Chair Chris Bodor
• 3:05 pm Welcoming Words from City of St. Augustine Vice Mayor Roxanne Horvath
• 3:15 pm to Presentation by City of St. Augustine Poet Laureate Norma Sherry
• 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm Presentation by St. Johns Cultural Council Executive Director, Christina Parrish Stone "Winners of 4th Annual St. Johns County Haiku Contest"

Saturday, April 13 5:00 p.m.
Celebratory ReceptionFinale celebration — poets and guests all invited!
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Amphitheatre Farmers Market

• The St. Augustine Amphitheatre Farmers Market offers visitors a variety of goods such as local fresh produce, handmade arts and crafts, baked goods, plants directly off the farm, freshly-caught seafood, cheeses, and more. The farmers market makes for a morning of family-friendly fun with live entertainment on select dates.
• In addition to the impressive variety of organic produce offered by local farmers, a number of local artists and craftspeople also display their wares at the market.
• Admission: FREE
• Where: St. Augustine Amphitheatre located at 1340 A1A South St. Augustine, FL 32080.
• When: Every Saturday morning from 8:30 am - 12:30 pm.

Arts & Crafts Festival at the Pier

• The annual Arts and Crafts Festival at the St. Johns County Pier is held on three weekends in the spring of 2024: Saturdays and Sundays, February 17 and 18, March 9 and 10, and April 13 and 14. The hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday.
• The event features handmade arts and crafts by local, regional, and national artists.
• The festival attracts artists and craftspeople from all over the country to showcase their work just steps from the beach. Festival-goers can enjoy browsing everything from handmade jewelry and ceramics to stained glass and fine artwork. The organizers participated in crafts and arts events for more than 20 years and strive to create an event that appeals to shoppers and art enthusiasts and be of value to the artists and craftspersons. Vendors are on site to sell natural plants, herbs, fruits, and veggies, prepared foods, and exhibit local products and services.
• Admission: FREE
• Where: The St. Johns County Pier is at St. Augustine Pier Park at 350 A1A Beach Blvd in St. Augustine Beach.
• When: Saturdays and Sundays, February 17 - 18, March 9 - 10, and April 13 - 14. Saturday hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sunday hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Earth Adventures at Trailmark

• Trailmark, at 805 Trailmark Drive in St. Augustine, hosts Earth Adventures on Saturday, April 13, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
• This free, family-friendly adventure includes guided nature hikes, the chance to drop a fishing line into the water, a petting zoo, and the opportunity to see marine animals, turtles, and birds of prey.
• Home gardeners can talk with a local composting farmer who is an expert in native landscaping. Naturalists and members of environmental organizations will provide information and answer questions about protecting our water, wildlife, and natural environment.
• Vendor booths will present homemade crafts, natural soaps, jams, produce, baked goods, and popcorn, and several food trucks will sell meals, snacks, and beverages.
• Admission: Free
• When: Saturday, April 13, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
• Where: 805 Trailmark Drive in St. Augustine. Past World Golf Village, off Pacetti Road.

Festival of Chariots 2024

• The Festival of Chariots, or Rathayatra, celebrates Indian and Hindu culture. The festival will be in St. Augustine on Saturday, April 13, 2024, from noon to 5:00 p.m., with colorful parades, live entertainment, vegetarian food, dancing, art vendors, and more.
• The Rathayatra festival originated in the ancient city of Jagannatha Puri in India to celebrate the Hindu Lord of the Universe.
• Visitors can view the vibrant Festival of Chariots parade in St. Augustine's downtown area along King Street, beginning and ending at the Plaza de la Constitución.
• In addition to the parades and other festivities, the festival features a vegetarian feast highlighting Indian cuisine, music, a dramatic presentation, art vendors, a magic show, face painting, henna tattoos, and much more.
• Visitors can attend this festival to celebrate the many dynamic threads that make up St. Augustine's local culture. This cultural event is fun for the whole family and it is FREE.
• Admission: Free.
• When: Saturday, April 13, 2024, from noon to 5:00 p.m.
• Where: The Festival of the Chariots is along King Street, and the Harinam Procession is on St. George Street. Other festival activities take place on the Plaza de la Constitucion. All is in the historic downtown area.

Historical Timeline Saunter

• The Historic Florida Militia presents a Timeline Saunter on one Saturday afternoon each month through September 2024. The saunters generally occur on the first or second Saturdays, see below for dates.
• During the saunter, those who are interested in history and how the European settlers and conquerors lived in St. Augustine, can watch this knowledgeable and appropriately garbed group as they walk through the historic downtown. The saunter begins at the city gates on St. George Street and runs to the Plaza de la Constitución before heading down Aviles Street, the oldest street in the continental U.S.
• The participants will pose for photos along their route and answer questions about life in 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries St. Augustine.
• The Historic Florida Militia is a 501(c)3 organization composed of the following historic reenactor groups: Men of Menéndez, representing the 16th century Spanish soldados and settlers; Drakes Men, representing the 16th century British privateers; Searle's Buccaneers, representing 17th century British privateers; and the St Augustine Garrison, representing 18th-century Spanish soldados, settlers, and government officials.
• Admission: Free
• When: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. for one day in most months. See the schedule below.
• Where: The saunter begins at the City Gate on St. George and Orange streets, and continues on St. George Street across the Plaza de la Constitución to Aviles Street.

Saint Augustine Sisterhood: Book Launch

• Celebrate Eleanor Tremayne's book launch of Saint Augustine Sisterhood, presented by SunKen Production LLC and Serendipity Bookstore, at the Waterworks on Saturday, April 13, 2024. This immersive event starts with the chance to meet the award-winning author from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. and live entertainment following after.
• The Gypsy Player Dancers will make an appearance, along with spoken word acts and live performances such as the upcoming musical, The Enchanted Grove.
• Tickets include a signed copy of the book, hors d'oeuvres, cake, a glass of wine, and complimentary bottled water. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the St. Johns Food Pantry.
• Note: Guests who dress like pirates or gypsies will get an extra drink ticket.
• Admission: Entry is $45.00.
• When: The author's meet and greet is from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, 2024. Entertainment will then follow until 9:00 p.m.
• Where: The St. Augustine Waterworks is at 184 San Marco Avenue in St. Augustine, Florida 32084.
• Getting There: While the address is 184 San Marco Avenue, the only driveway on San Marco is Exit Only, so it is not available to access the Waterworks. Access to the Waterworks is through the St. Augustine Main Library parking lot, on the opposite side of the complex. (Use 1960 North Ponce de Leon in your GPS.)

​

Bad Dog Mama Playing at Saint Augustine Race Week

8:00 pm - 10:00 pm @ Municipal Marina 111 Avenida Menendez Saint Augustine, FL 32084
​
For future events please visit the Discord.
https://discord.gg/KmuAxxrM
​

Live Music

• Jerry Mincey and Tony Macalusco St. Johns County Fairgrounds 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Cindy Bear and Robert St. Johns County Fairgrounds 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Morrow Family Band St. Johns County Fairgrounds 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
• Manchild St. Johns County Fairgrounds 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
• Patchwork St. Johns County Fairgrounds 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
• John Winters Marina Munch 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Don Cooper St. Johns County Fairgrounds 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
• Yael Dray and ZaZa Flamenca Casa Maya 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
• Joe Downing Mill Top Tavern 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Kat Archer St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 1:30 pm
• Jim Carrick St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Charley Simmons St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Ron n Bari St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Lis & Lon Williamson St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Doug Spears St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
• Lauren Heintz St. Johns County Fairgrounds 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm
• Rob Peck The Cellar Upstairs Wine Bar & Restaurant 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Joshua "Tennessee" Worthy Backyard Island Cafe at Meehan's 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Elizabeth Roth Tradewinds Lounge 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm
• Manchild St. Johns County Fairgrounds 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm
• Larry Mangum St. Johns County Fairgrounds 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
• Michael Jordan St. Johns County Fairgrounds 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
• Lonesome Bert's Thick and Thin String Band St. Johns County Fairgrounds 2:15 pm – 3:30 pm
• Davis Cook Casa de Vino 57 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm
• Aslyn Baringer McTaggert St. Johns County Fairgrounds 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Uncle Mosie St. Johns County Fairgrounds 3:30 pm – 4:45 pm
• Claire Vandiver Crabby's Beachside 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
• Red & Chris Henry & their All Star Band St. Johns County Fairgrounds 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
• Verlon Thompson St. Johns County Fairgrounds 4:45 pm – 6:00 pm
• Mark Hart Tradewinds Lounge 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• Dewey Via Backyard Island Cafe at Meehan's 5:30 pm – 9:30 pm
• Dunehoppers St. Johns County Fairgrounds 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
• Joshua "Tennessee" Worthy DJ's Clam Shack 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Morrow Family Band The Cellar Upstairs Wine Bar & Restaurant 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Wes Register Mellow Mushroom — St. Johns 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Deron Baker Mellow Mushroom — Murabella 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Denny Blue Guy Harvey Resort 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Fond Kiser Salt Life Food Shack 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Big Pineapple Kingfish Grill 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
• Brian Rowland Donovan's Irish Pub 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Cumberland Colonial Oak Music Park 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Bret Blackshear Crabby's Beachside 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Yael Dray and ZaZa Flamenca River & Fort 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• John Jorgenson Quintet St. Johns County Fairgrounds 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
• Heather Craig Meehan's Irish Pub & Seafood House 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm
• Groove Pipe Band A1A Ale Works 8:00 pm – 12:00 am
• Smokin' Joe Schauer Ann O'Malley's Deli and Pub 8:00 pm – 11:55 pm
• AJ Lee & Blue Summit St. Johns County Fairgrounds 8:30 pm – 10:00 pm
• Live Stream Tradewinds Lounge 9:00 pm – 1:00 am
• Zalongo Sarbez! 9:00 pm – 10:00 pm
• Honey Moonshine Mill Top Tavern 9:00 pm – 12:00 pm
• Trae Pierce and the T-Stones Prohibition Kitchen 10:00 pm – 1:00 am

2024 St. Augustine PoetFest

• For the third year in a row, Flagler College, Ancient City Poets, and the St. Johns Cultural Council present a three-day poetry festival to celebrate literary heritage and to connect the creative community.
• St. Augustine PoetFest 2024 takes place throughout the city at various cultural venues and includes events ranging from poetry readings to improv showcases.
• All Poetfest 2024 events are free and open to the public.

Day 3 — Saturday, April 13

Day three will see another day full of diverse and engaging sessions. Starting at 10:00 a.m. and concluding around 7:00 p.m., the final day of the festival will take place in various buildings on the Flagler College campus. The festival will conclude in the evening with an awards ceremony and reception.

Flagler College Campus —

Saturday, April 13 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.PoetFest Alive! Outside of Ringhaver Student CenterPoetFest brochures and schedules available. The St. Johns County Library system's Book Mobile will also be onsite.
Saturday, April 13 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.Typewriter Poets and Indie Market Pop-Up Back Paver Patio of Ringhaver Student Center Located between Markland Place and the Ringhaver Student Center, this space will host a pop-up market space with local crafts and goods. Poets will also compose improvisational poems on their typewriters.

Ringhaver Student Center — 50 Sevilla Street

Jay's Place — 1st Floor

Saturday, April 13 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.Registration, Book Bazaar, & Festival Contact Center Publications, author recordings, and local student literary magazines for sale.

Ringhaver Student Center — 50 Sevilla Street

Gamache-Kroger Theater — 1st Floor

Saturday, April 13 10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.Student Showcase Presented by Flagler College English Department.
Saturday, April 13 11:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.Faculty Showcase Presented by Flagler College English Department.
Saturday, April 13 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m.Dramatic Play Reading - "The Poet's Masque" Presented by Amy Goldin and A Classic Theatre.
Saturday, April 13 1:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.Storytelling Showcas ePresented by Margaret Kaler and the Tale Tellers of St. Augustine.

Ringhaver Student Center — 50 Sevilla Street

Virginia Room — 2nd Floor

Saturday, April 13 10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m."Kerouac's Last Two Years - St. Petersburg, Florida" Larry Jaffe, Poet in Residence at the Jack Kerouac House, disusses and reads the works of the infamous writer, who lived with his wife and sister in St. Petersburg, Florida from 1967 until his death in 1969.
Saturday, April 13 11 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.**"From Bookstaplers to Substack - Publishing 101"**Dustin Brookshire (Limp Wrist Magazine) and Johnny Masiulewicz (Happy Tapir Press) examine the process of self-publishing.
Saturday, April 13 12:00 p.m. - 12:50 p.m.**"Music and the Muse"**Featuring poet Claire Conroy (Maine) performing to improvisational music by singer songwriter Taylor Teachout followed by a Q&A discussion on how music can take your poetry to the next level.
Saturday, April 13 1:00 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.**"Florida is Haunted: Poetic Ghosts in the Sunshine State"**Featuring Ma Bones, Nick Dunkenstein, Keri Foster, Damon Thomas, enjoy an hour of poetry inspired by hauntings and the haunted. As Jacques Derrida said — "It is the question of ghosts."
Saturday, April 13 2:00 p.m. - 2:50 p.m.**"The Antinomian Outsider aspect of The Beat Generation"**Presented by Outlaw poet Ron Whitehead, who hails from Tennessee.
Saturday, April 13 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.Closing Event

• 3:00 pm Words from Festival Chair Chris Bodor
• 3:05 pm Welcoming Words from City of St. Augustine Vice Mayor Roxanne Horvath
• 3:15 pm to Presentation by City of St. Augustine Poet Laureate Norma Sherry
• 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm Presentation by St. Johns Cultural Council Executive Director, Christina Parrish Stone "Winners of 4th Annual St. Johns County Haiku Contest"

Saturday, April 13 5:00 p.m.Celebratory ReceptionFinale celebration — poets and guests all invited!

Amphitheatre Farmers Market

• The St. Augustine Amphitheatre Farmers Market offers visitors a variety of goods such as local fresh produce, handmade arts and crafts, baked goods, plants directly off the farm, freshly-caught seafood, cheeses, and more. The farmers market makes for a morning of family-friendly fun with live entertainment on select dates.
• In addition to the impressive variety of organic produce offered by local farmers, a number of local artists and craftspeople also display their wares at the market.
• Admission: FREE
• Where: St. Augustine Amphitheatre located at 1340 A1A South St. Augustine, FL 32080.
• When: Every Saturday morning from 8:30 am - 12:30 pm.

Arts & Crafts Festival at the Pier

• The annual Arts and Crafts Festival at the St. Johns County Pier is held on three weekends in the spring of 2024: Saturdays and Sundays, February 17 and 18, March 9 and 10, and April 13 and 14. The hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday and from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday.
• The event features handmade arts and crafts by local, regional, and national artists.
• The festival attracts artists and craftspeople from all over the country to showcase their work just steps from the beach. Festival-goers can enjoy browsing everything from handmade jewelry and ceramics to stained glass and fine artwork. The organizers participated in crafts and arts events for more than 20 years and strive to create an event that appeals to shoppers and art enthusiasts and be of value to the artists and craftspersons. Vendors are on site to sell natural plants, herbs, fruits, and veggies, prepared foods, and exhibit local products and services.
• Admission: FREE
• Where: The St. Johns County Pier is at St. Augustine Pier Park at 350 A1A Beach Blvd in St. Augustine Beach.
• When: Saturdays and Sundays, February 17 - 18, March 9 - 10, and April 13 - 14. Saturday hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Sunday hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Earth Adventures at Trailmark

• Trailmark, at 805 Trailmark Drive in St. Augustine, hosts Earth Adventures on Saturday, April 13, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
• This free, family-friendly adventure includes guided nature hikes, the chance to drop a fishing line into the water, a petting zoo, and the opportunity to see marine animals, turtles, and birds of prey.
• Home gardeners can talk with a local composting farmer who is an expert in native landscaping. Naturalists and members of environmental organizations will provide information and answer questions about protecting our water, wildlife, and natural environment.
• Vendor booths will present homemade crafts, natural soaps, jams, produce, baked goods, and popcorn, and several food trucks will sell meals, snacks, and beverages.
• Admission: Free
• When: Saturday, April 13, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
• Where: 805 Trailmark Drive in St. Augustine. Past World Golf Village, off Pacetti Road.

Festival of Chariots 2024

• The Festival of Chariots, or Rathayatra, celebrates Indian and Hindu culture. The festival will be in St. Augustine on Saturday, April 13, 2024, from noon to 5:00 p.m., with colorful parades, live entertainment, vegetarian food, dancing, art vendors, and more.
• The Rathayatra festival originated in the ancient city of Jagannatha Puri in India to celebrate the Hindu Lord of the Universe.
• Visitors can view the vibrant Festival of Chariots parade in St. Augustine's downtown area along King Street, beginning and ending at the Plaza de la Constitución.
• In addition to the parades and other festivities, the festival features a vegetarian feast highlighting Indian cuisine, music, a dramatic presentation, art vendors, a magic show, face painting, henna tattoos, and much more.
• Visitors can attend this festival to celebrate the many dynamic threads that make up St. Augustine's local culture. This cultural event is fun for the whole family and it is FREE.
• Admission: Free.
• When: Saturday, April 13, 2024, from noon to 5:00 p.m.
• Where: The Festival of the Chariots is along King Street, and the Harinam Procession is on St. George Street. Other festival activities take place on the Plaza de la Constitucion. All is in the historic downtown area.

Historical Timeline Saunter

• The Historic Florida Militia presents a Timeline Saunter on one Saturday afternoon each month through September 2024. The saunters generally occur on the first or second Saturdays, see below for dates.
• During the saunter, those who are interested in history and how the European settlers and conquerors lived in St. Augustine, can watch this knowledgeable and appropriately garbed group as they walk through the historic downtown. The saunter begins at the city gates on St. George Street and runs to the Plaza de la Constitución before heading down Aviles Street, the oldest street in the continental U.S.
• The participants will pose for photos along their route and answer questions about life in 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries St. Augustine.
• The Historic Florida Militia is a 501(c)3 organization composed of the following historic reenactor groups: Men of Menéndez, representing the 16th century Spanish soldados and settlers; Drakes Men, representing the 16th century British privateers; Searle's Buccaneers, representing 17th century British privateers; and the St Augustine Garrison, representing 18th-century Spanish soldados, settlers, and government officials.
• Admission: Free
• When: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. for one day in most months. See the schedule below.
• Where: The saunter begins at the City Gate on St. George and Orange streets, and continues on St. George Street across the Plaza de la Constitución to Aviles Street.

Saint Augustine Sisterhood: Book Launch

• Celebrate Eleanor Tremayne's book launch of Saint Augustine Sisterhood, presented by SunKen Production LLC and Serendipity Bookstore, at the Waterworks on Saturday, April 13, 2024. This immersive event starts with the chance to meet the award-winning author from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. and live entertainment following after.
• The Gypsy Player Dancers will make an appearance, along with spoken word acts and live performances such as the upcoming musical, The Enchanted Grove.
• Tickets include a signed copy of the book, hors d'oeuvres, cake, a glass of wine, and complimentary bottled water. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the St. Johns Food Pantry.
• Note: Guests who dress like pirates or gypsies will get an extra drink ticket.
• Admission: Entry is $45.00.
• When: The author's meet and greet is from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, 2024. Entertainment will then follow until 9:00 p.m.
• Where: The St. Augustine Waterworks is at 184 San Marco Avenue in St. Augustine, Florida 32084.
• Getting There: While the address is 184 San Marco Avenue, the only driveway on San Marco is Exit Only, so it is not available to access the Waterworks. Access to the Waterworks is through the St. Augustine Main Library parking lot, on the opposite side of the complex. (Use 1960 North Ponce de Leon in your GPS.)

Bad Dog Mama Playing at Saint Augustine Race Week

8:00 pm - 10:00 pm @ Municipal Marina 111 Avenida Menendez Saint Augustine, FL 32084
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For future events please visit the Discord.https://discord.gg/KmuAxxrM

Salem:
Standing in my homeland, my uncle was set to meet me to brush me up on my emotional control. Shuddering at the image of a bleeding Nyx with broken hands, the very image had me running back into the shadowy wasteland called Shadow Lane. Trees consisting of black smoke danced around me, a ring of light emphasized the shadow moon. A fine white mist danced across the gray sky, my worn jacket floating up as Uncle Tombstone made his appearance. Looking like an older version of me, his Gothic Victorian suit and thick ivory mustache was the only difference between us. Tracing his embroidered midnight black suit, his left hand lingered his fine ruby tie. Straightening it, his shaggy hair bounced with every throat clear.
“What did you do this time?” He huffed irritably, his brow cocking at my nervous laugh. “Who lost control of their dark side time? Must have been you. How bad did you hurt her this t-” Ombre smashed into me, her lean slender build holding more power than the last time we met. Clinging to my arm like a child, her ruby summer dress danced in the breeze. Bare feet caught my eyes, her childish refusal to wear shoes annoying me. An irritated snarl twitched on my lips, Tombstone’s expression softening. Her ivory ponytail swayed with every squeeze, her inky lips curling into a Cheshire Cat grin. Her ashy gray eyes met mine, taunts flowing from her tongue at record speeds. Someone was a bit playful, her giggle twinkling in the air at me peeling her off.
“I lost it after she disappeared for two weeks. I need a spell to bind my guardian to me.” I admonished begrudgingly, hating the words coming out of my mouth. “I hurt her horribly and that cannot happen again.” Both of them gasped in horror at my request, a strange quietness coming over the land.
“That could kill you.” Tombstone protested wildly, his head shaking. “Most people never survive and even if they did, they are never the same.” Flashing my palm, his fingers traced the infinity symbol. Summoning the door to the recollection chamber, he tossed me a single glossy apple. What was the point of the damn apple?
“I don't know whether to be impressed or stunned by your stupidity. Good luck.” He chastised me in a stern tone, my fingers rolling the apple. “Your biggest fear awaits you. Eat that if you get hungry.” Shoving me in, I stumbled into a frozen wasteland. Thick layers of ice coated the trees, inky spots stained the pure white snow, a ragged looking Nyx laid at the feet of my evil version of myself. Judging by his long hair and the bruises, our miscarriage had occurred and she had been missing for a while. Her blood coated his leather jacket, his cold eyes meeting mine. Cursing to myself, this had to be my lowest point. Neither of us handled the miscarriage well, that version of me being the result.
“Such a shame she can’t behave. The bloody miscarriage is all her fault.” He sneers cruelly in my direction, her fingers reaching for his ankle. “She should have stayed home like a good girl.” Stumbling back, every breath grew shorter. Clutching my chest, never had I ever believed what he was saying. Shaking my head, he raised his blade. A clammy sweat drenched my skin, the apple hitting the snow.
“I am your biggest fear and unless you prove your worth to me I will keep coming out at your emotional lows.” He threatened with a cocky grin, his haughty eyes glittering with malice. “Raise your weapon, boy. I said to raise your weapon!” Charging at me, my fingers curled around the hilt of my weapon. Ripping it from its case, sparks danced in the air with every violent clash. Skidding back, respect had to be earned by your guardian. Frustration brewed in his eyes, my words throwing him off a bit.
“I never believed that. You believed that. You were one that was pissed about the death of our first child!” I retorted with a bite, a wicked fit of laughter bursting from his lips. “Your desire to be the best probably took that as a loss and you never grieved it properly. That is your main issue!” Sprinting towards each other, we narrowly missed each other. Slipping on a patch of ice, my head smashed into a tree. Hitting it hard enough for my forehead to bleed, a steady stream of curse words flooded from my lips at him appearing over my head. Slamming his elbow into my chest, several ribs broke in response. A shard hit my left lung, breathing growing ever harder by the minute. Picking me up by my throat, he pinned me to the tree. Sliding my blade into my stomach with ease, the image of Nyx in my position flashed in my mind. Blood pooled in my mouth, a coughing fit painting his face. Guilt built up in me, desperation had me clawing at his blade. Was this what she had felt? Why did I get to this point?
“How does it feel?” He teased maniacally, twisting it in further. “I bet you want to die. Too bad you can’t. Come on! Rip it out like the big boy you are!” Each word got meaner and louder, a migraine throbbing to life. Kicking it in further, a tortured fuck exploded from my mouth. Tugging at it, no luck for the first twenty times. Seconds from giving up, the pain was becoming too much! Her natural smile flashed in my head, my kids’ laughter gave me the strength to defy his punishment. A cry had our head snapping towards the exit, Nyx’s pleas allowing me to rip out his blade. Hitting the snow, my muscles refused to move. Ditching me with his blade, he marched towards the exit with raw fury in his eyes.
“You can’t leave me, bitch!” He spat viciously, the snow crunching as I struggled to my feet. Picking up his blade, a battle cry burst from my lips. Crashing towards him clumsily, ice shattered as I pinned him to a tree with his own blade. Kicking the hilt until he had no chance of getting out of my trap, true fear showing in his eyes with every footfall towards him. Picking up his hands, it was his turn to feel some pain. Picking up his hands, a flick had his wrists shattering. Crying out in pain, I raised my fist into the air. Smashing it into his face until I couldn’t, inky blood cascaded onto my boots. Unsure of whose blood was whose, his head bobbed left and right.
“How does that feel! Don’t make me repeat myself!” I barked hotly, his glazed eyes not meeting mine. “I had to watch you hurt her and did nothing about it. If I didn’t need you, you would be dead! Fuck you!” Pacing back and forth clumsily, emotional strife mixed with the agony. Staring coldly into my eyes, he raised his arm up. Wheezing with a crooked grin, his eyes watched me feel around for my healing potions. Sinking to my knees, the vials blurred.
“The navy and the emerald should heal you.” He choked out, blood pouring from the corner of his lips. “How about we become one? I listen to you and give you my power without controlling you. You have my respect.” Was an ass kicking session all we needed? How annoying? Combining the navy and emerald potion together, the thick liquid coated my throat with every gulp. Laying on my back, his bones clicked back into place. Plucking his blade out like nothing happened, any proof of my attack on him had faded away. Groaning to myself, my guardian did happen to be the god of shadows himself. Sitting down next to me, his form didn’t change. Cutting his palm, his steady hand picked up mine. Cutting it with his blade, a wet clap echoing in my ear. Our hands were cupped together, his other hand cupping the blood soaked hands.
“I vow to become one with Salem. My powers are yours and the darkness will no longer swallow you whole.” He promised with my natural smile, my fraying nerves relaxing a bit. “No longer will I try to hurt his mate or anyone who he deems family. I bind myself with a leash to my master.” Bowing his head, his body flowed into my palm. Watching with wonder, an inky tattoo of a shadow appeared on my chest. Something was warm about his darkness, the exit door swinging open. Jumping to my feet as everything clicked back into place, my shaking fingers scooped up my blade. Stepping out the room was gone as if it never existed, something seeming off about Tombstone’s land. Nyx leaned against a tree, her real smile was tainted by a steady stream of tears. Holding her side, severe scratches had her ribs exposed. Coughing up blood, a shadow bat hovered behind her. Passing out from her wound, Ombre flitted from behind a tree. Her arms scooped her up, an apologetic smile meeting my dejected smile. Knocking echoed in my head, my own voice bouncing around my head in the worst way.
“Time to defend your wife and family. Prove your uncle wrong.” My dark side commanded boldly, my head nodding. “I didn’t become one with you for you to become a little bitch.” I guess the attitude didn’t go away, I mumbled under my breath. Another knock irritated my migraine, his powers combining with mine without hurting mine. Unfortunately, that was going to hit me later. Spinning my blade in my palms, an army of shadows stood ready to battle behind me. Thousands of shadow bats dotted the gray skies, my mind falling back on Nyx for a minute. Her voice calling out my name snapped me back to reality, Ombre using all of her strength to hold her back.
“My faith lies with you, Salem!” She shouted over the chaos, her real smile giving me courage to take down these bats. “You have this!” Blowing her a kiss, her palm caught it. Smiling softly to myself, shadowy energy built around the tip of my blade. Jamming it into the ground, the bats wouldn’t know what was about to hit them. Shadowy spikes rained down from the sky, each one lighting up the sky with thousands of explosions. Flaming blood and guts rained down around me, the mother bat coming over the hill. Calling back my army, a gust of wind had my leather jacket hitting my ankles. Charging at the giant jet black bat, my strategy taking a page out of Nyx’s book. Allowing my dark energy to build around my boot, one kick off the ground had me flipping me through the air. Freedom glittered in my eyes as milky eyes met mine. Landing behind her, swing after swing cut the ancient beast into chunks of meat. Any rage and anxiety left as I landed gracefully in the center of the storm, Nyx limping up to me. Ombre begged for her to slow down, her speed picking up. Leaping into my arms, her lips kissed mine feverishly. Sucking in my scent, her lips brushed against the nape of my neck. Her warm blood began to drip down my jacket, Ombre spinning around to go back home. Tombstone blocked her path, his hand spinning her around.
“You are going with them.” He uttered simply, dropping her worn boots into her palms. “You aren’t going to grow here. Get her to where she can be healed. I don’t have the right medicine.” Her lips parted in protest, her feet sliding into her Victorian style boots as his stern gaze shut her down. Flipping her palm over, both of them gasped as infinity marks appeared on their palms. Nyx spat out a glob of blood, her voice struggling to come out.
“I made you members of my team.” She wheezed between coughing fits, her bloody hand reaching for Ombre. “I don’t bite. Please join us.” Accepting her hand, an inky snowflake appeared on Ombre’s neck. A puddle of shadows bubbled underneath me, Tombstone sprinting up to me. Grabbing my free hand, a firm handshake had tears welling up in my eyes.
“Before you go, I have nothing but pride for you. Keep up the good work.” He commented stiffly, scarlet painting my cheeks. “Cut it out. I have always been proud of you. Bring the kiddos next time.” Sinking into my shadows, we appeared in her winter wonderland castle. Ives rushed up to me, his arms ripping her away from me. Drac rushed up to me, his head bowing with shame. Apologizing nonstop, my hand on his head slowed it to a shaky stop.
“Knowing Nyx, she escaped when you weren’t looking.” I assured him with my genuine smile, his head nodding wildly. “This is Ombre, my cousin. Do you mind making a pot of tea?” Scurrying off, his ivory blouse bounced with each step towards the kitchen. Turning towards Ombre, her hands began to shake. Sure, she was comfortable back home. Anxiety had her shivering next to me, the corner of her lip twitched nervously. Trusting that Nyx was being taken care of, I buried my cousin into a bear hug. Sobbing into my shoulder, betrayal tainted her aura.
“Did I fuck up?” She wept angrily, her fists pounding my back. Letting her punch her anger out, she pushed me off of her. “Why does he hate me?” Sinking to her knees, panicked cries came from the other room. Nyx leapt over the couch. An sage dress shirt covered what was going to be new scars, her body smashing into Ombre. Burying her face into her chest, Nyx took the hits. Gritting her teeth through it all, Nyx would be the one to understand her the most. Her golden heart was brighter than all of ours, the basis of it all stemming from her personal losses.
“I know it may seem that way but he means well.” She comforted her while tightening her grip on her. “He put you in my charge. I refuse to let any harm come to you.” Lowering her fists, surprise rounded my eyes at Ombre smiling sadly up at her. Mixed emotions flashed on her face, the wear of her tortured past showing on her face.
“My mother murdered my father and tried to kill me. My shadow killed her in seconds. I still remember the bl-” She stuttered with uncontrollable sobs, Nyx cupping her face giving her a momentary pause. “You are just like my father. Quick to help others and powerful beyond belief. Help me prove to my uncle that he can be proud of me.” Smiling softly to herself, my breath hitched at her natural beauty in the moment. People spoke of angels being draped in ivory and gold but Nyx was a true angel. Never before had Ombre been disarmed so fast, true bliss lightened her aura.
“Glad to be like him.” Nyx chirped cheerfully, her thumbs wiping away her tears. “Keep your chin up.” Swallowing the lump in her throat, a question rested on the tip of her tongue. Fabric ripped as she unfolded her wings. Ashy gray feathers drifted like snow, Ombre’s real smile shone bright. The left side of her lip was ever so slightly higher than the right, her butt hitting the floor. Catching a couple of feathers, Ombre couldn’t help but examine them with a childlike wonder.
“I always wanted to meet a fallen angel. People don’t get them but they fight on the front lines for us small guys.” She exclaimed excitedly, her palms pressing together. “My parents spoke of you. My old man bragged about how he met the angel of ice. My mother was carrying me in her womb and you stopped bandits from hurting her. Point is, I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you. No wonder my uncle trusted you with me.” Nyx’s eyebrow twitched with her nervous grin, the random mood change confusing her as much as it did me.
“I suppose I did.” She stammered in return, Ombre resting her hands on her knees. Spewing out the legends about Nyx, she smiled and nodded at the half-truths. Listening with a big smile, Nyx's deeds after my death began to impress me. Embarrassment burned her cheeks, Ombre showing no signs of slowing down. Happy to see her bubblier than I had ever seen, a shadow raven dropped a black envelope into my palm. Excusing myself to read it, it was from my uncle. Stepping outside of the castle, Powder flew over my head with Ombre hanging onto Nyx’s waist. Waving down at me, Nyx would be great for her in the long haul. Opening the envelope with a hearty chuckle, neat cursive met my eyes. A picture of Ombre's family dropped into my palm, her father grinning with pride at the cute baby Ombre. Nyx’s feathers caught my eyes, hope twinkling in their eyes. Baby Ombre with her fluffy hair had those feathers clutched tight in her adorable fingers. Shaking the envelope, something else was in there. Plucking out a few of Nyx’s feathers, the aging process led me to believe that they were the same one in the pictures. Tucking everything back into the envelope, Ombre would appreciate this gift. Powder came back around, Ombre standing on her feet. Howling freely into the sky, Nyx joined her. A flurry of snow hit my face upon their graceful landing, Nyx and Ombre flipping off at the same time. Nyx let herself in, her natural smile causing my heart to flutter wildly. Grabbing Ombre’s shoulder, a strained what left her face. The light drained from her face at the black envelope, her fingers ripping it from my hands. Seconds from tearing it to pieces, my hands pressed her palms together.
“I understand your anger but don’t rip that up. Open it when you are ready.” I pleaded with a concerned look, a snarl twitching on her lips. “He wants you to grow and you can't do that hiding in the shadows.” Ripping her hands away, a sigh of relief poured from our lips at her tucking the envelope into her boots.
“You don’t think I know that! Good legends about Nyx weren't all that was tossed around. The tales of how she killed her parents raced like wildfire. I hated hearing them, especially after my parents died.” She spat furiously, clenching her fists. “She is a gentle hero whose name was smeared! I didn’t always hide away but I tried to follow her. Every now and then, I would see her in action. In hindsight, I should have approached her but I couldn’t. My trauma held me back. I did collect these over the years.” Fishing around her dress pocket, hundreds of Nyx’s feathers glittered in her palms. The door opened, her shaking hand shoving them back into her pocket. Nyx poked her head out, her hand waving us in. Pressing her finger to her lips, her secret was as good as sealed. Bouncing in after her, Nyx didn’t seem to mind her hopping onto her back. Grinning back up at her, a knowing wink met my bewildered expression. Nyx knew about her shadow and chose to let her approach when she wanted. When did we become so blessed to have her as our leader?