#(int: joseph.)

[sunnypogue]

“NO fifty six ted!”

such a brat lmao

[ghxstchronicals]

Joseph and Archie

[soulsuckrrs]

Boris was the last person to speak of perfection. Though it was an ever present pressure that he could never quite shake. That pressure manifested in a variety of manners between the Markov brothers but Boris liked to lie to himself, believing he wasn't as affected by the daunting need to be perfect. But he certainly wasn't here to cast judgement for any blemish in Joey's reputation or record of flawlessly executed missions. No, Boris' reasons were a bit more selfish than that.

"Please, I'm insulted you think a locked door would stop me," Boris almost scoffed, not truly taking insult but making a face as if he were. He shifted on his feet, casting another glance around to take in more details of the place, orderly and neat, something Boris certainly could appreciate. "Aww, I do enjoy seeing your pretty face." He said, lips spreading over his teeth as he flashed a playful smile, his blue eyes landing on Joseph again. "But no, I'm not here for just that--"

Because, of course, the last thing Joseph's wounded ego needed was to have a witness. No doubt Boris had already heard of the last 'errand' he was supposed to run and how it had gone to hell. Sure, Joey's target was dead, but all the shenanigans in between had made for quite a comical story.

"Nope. I don't wanna hear it. How'd you even get in? I'm pretty sure I locked the door earlier," he groaned, lifting his hands in a clear sign of surrender. Although no amount of deflecting would heal his wounded pride.

As messy as he looked, though, Joey's apartment remained ordered and spotless. Russian discipline and his time as Spetsnaz had forged him into an organized man. The only items that were misplaced were the bloodied clothes he had come home into the night before.

"What did you want again?" he asked, taking the water bottle and treating himself to a big gulp. "I'm sure you didn't come just because you missed my face, Boris."

[sgiandubh]

(Perhaps) the right end of the stick?

Just before the sordid show of which I have been the unwilling subject, I have promised you my take on this whole Mexican charade and I intend to settle this once and for all.

In the meanwhile, I have been watching with a jubilatory smirk, from the side wings of the fandom, how the dots have been, as always, connected in the most mendacious possible way. And how rivers of pixels have ran amok with the utmost minutiae regarding that distillery trip to San Sebastián del Oeste.

For what is worth, everyone kept an eye exclusively on the Czech young woman, simply because that was the narrative to be sold to S's fandom. And what I believe is the wrong end of the stick, waterfall sound tidbit on top. But we know that, at least ever since that (in)famous 'Go, Sarah', right?

Despite my hinting in comments, almost nobody asked themselves anything of substance about The Fan, whose first selfie with S gave away the getaway (see what I just did here?).

This lady, to be more precise - forgive me, but I think you might not remember her, right?

Or should I rather say Dr. Sarah and Mrs Solange Neustadter, judging by her dual, and even manifold, online persona?

First, there was Dr. Sarah Neustadter, PhD, specialized in clinical and transpersonal psychology and author of Love You Like the Sky, a rather well received book on grief management and coping mechanisms, after someone's suicide:

[Source: https://sarahneustadter.com/about/]

Up until now, there is strictly nothing to write home about. Enter Mrs. Solange Neustadter, who is really Dr. Neustadter's version 2.0. With a slightly different profile, personal brand and short-term projects:

[Source: https://www.instagram.com/solange_neue/]

She is supposedly an OL/S fan, but how come there is zero OL-related content on her Instagram page? Not the slightest shred of an allusion, while we do have many references to travel (with Mexico a firm favorite), Anthony Bourdain, comparative mythology authors like Joseph Campbell and his Hero with a Thousand Faces (a great read I highly recommend, by the way), etc. And even her former boyfriend, that she unfortunately lost to suicide - hence the book, which I believe is a very good one.

Things become perhaps more interesting once we move to X, which proves that at some point, The Fan felt the need of a change in her own life:

[Source: https://x.com/SolangeNeue]

For some reason, I found this short comment tidbit quite interesting, especially considering her new, very recent Captain Solange personal brand:

But also a slowly emerging interest for Hollywood and its Tinseltown industry:

A screenwriter, absolutely. With a strong interest in learning how to become a professional and a romantic drama feature screenwriting project. As such, she took part to the Stowe Story Labs' Fifth Annual Sidewalk Narrative Lab, a workshop and networking-oriented side event of the Sidewalk Film Festival (Birmingham, Alabama), an indie oriented event which managed to attract Time Magazine's attention:

[Source: https://stowestorylabs.org/news/stowe-story-labs-announces-roster-for-fifth-annual-sidewalk-narrative-lab]

And now for her newest incarnation, Captain Solange, The (surprised?) Influencer. Not really successful, if compared with her ambitions, but hey, a girl can dream:

[Source: https://www.thehandbook.com/influencer/solange-neustadter/ - last updated on July 14th, 2023]

It is, of course, just a coincidence, that her new website has just been released after her Mexican trip:

[Source: https://www.solangeneue.com/]

Basically, yet another women-oriented empowerment and dating/ life coach service, with rather hefty price tags to boot:

Her six-weeks programme based in LAX promises her clients 'life changing tools', in order to 'make [them] feel outrageous and connected'. Also, this - for some reason, this caught my eye:

'Hot tips on where to meet great Angelenos' - here is where a bell does ring, indeed. I can't help but wonder if this very interesting person is on Raya, hmmm.

To cut the story short, I am honestly asking myself a couple of very simple questions:

What are the odds (and by this, I mean the organic odds) that a screenwriter-cum-influencer wannabe, who is in dire need of networking and/or some extra social media exposure, would spontaneously meet S in Nayarit, Jalisco, Mexico?

And what are the odds the above screenwriter-cum-influencer would post the selfie that relaunched some wild innuendo, in a very much overdriven fringe of a C-lister's fandom?

Come to think of it, this is a really, really small favor to ask of a friendly, but definitely transactional 'stranger'. And mutually beneficial, to say the least. Note she immediately knew what to do: after luring the iPhone Alarm Tumblr Brigade, she quickly deleted the tag on her post, along with all the nosy fan questions. Go figure, huh?

The rest of the story really did write itself. This is nothing we have not already seen. I could take bets, already, perhaps including what next week will bring us. Heh.

I am going to let you draw your own conclusions. I could be tragically wrong, in which case I am ready to acknowledge and recalibrate, as always. But let's also remember this simple cycle/pattern:

Instagram follow (mutual or not, it does not matter, at this point in time) -> Fan pic (usually a latergram) -> Instagram Story (now, with voices 🙄) -> Mutual/Collateral Instagram follow(s) -> even more innuendo -> if it does stick: double down, no matter how outrageously/if it does not stick, abort operation and leave in drawer, ready for future reactivation.

It never fails.

Aye, caramba! Exactly.

[asamis-jodhpurs]

Party Crashers Character Profile: Dewdrop "Dewd" Whitewood

Okay I'm doing it! I'm writing about the characters from the Out of the Abyss DnD campaign I'm running. In terms of format, I'll put basic info above the cut and rambling below it.

Dewd is @demynom's character, and all the art in this post is hers!

Age: 20 Race: Centaur Background: Outlander Class: Druid, Circle of the Shepherd Most Favored Wild Shapes: Lizard, so that dem has many excuses to draw a cute lil lizard guy and also for purposes of stealth. Voice: Dem's very best Enthused Summer Camp Counselor impression Basic Premise: Guy nothing bad has ever happened to Finds Out with a vengeance.

Backstory: Dem came up with a cute fun horse guy and knew she needed to get him to the Underdark. To try and get a feel for his vibe, she listened to a bunch of showtunes, including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which led to Dewd's character premise: Dewd grew up on a sickeningly idyllic mountain as the eldest of eight siblings and his parents' and youngest siblings' favorite, largely sheltered because he's just such a cute fun little guy, with most emotional burdens being pawned off on his sister Willow. So, after an exhausting road trip to try to get medicine for their youngest brother, Willow sold Dewd to some Zhentarim in a tavern without his knowledge, and he was clocked in the head and woke up enslaved in an Underdark outpost, deeply unprepared for the horrors awaiting him.

Party Niche (Mechanical): Despite his -1 INT stat, under dem's control, Dewd is a HAUNTINGLY adept support caster. Every time I think I have the party in a corner or a beloved npc fully doomed by the narrative, there that dumb fucking horse is with a well-placed Daylight or Sleet Storm or Hold Person or a god damned Fog Cloud that lets the party stage a full prison escape unaided and a session early forcing me to throw all my notes out the window (deeply affectionate). He also has the highest Strength and Charisma of the party, which is frankly terrible news for the party.

Party Niche (Narrative): Dewd is the party's collective comic relief and sunshine, a role he Sure Isn't Chafing Under at All After a Year. As he's suffered trauma after trauma and hard truth after hard truth, he's grown increasingly wary and jaded. However, the rest of the group uses his kindness and innocence as a barometer for their ability to do the right thing, and it's slowly creeping into him believing he can't do anything wrong. He's gone from a guy horrified by the mere concept of violence to a guy who, when startled, will cast Blight and ask questions later--a guy who, rather than waiting for the Zhentarim agents they're dealing with to double-cross the party, will poison them with spores to get the information he wants first.

Act Two Goal: Dewd has the most personal/least world-focused motivation for this second half of the campaign. His extremely trauma-bonded boyfriend, Sarith (pictured above on Dewd's back, will be getting his own post), is infected/possessed by the spores of Zuggt'moy, the Demon Queen of Fungi, leaving him only occasionally lucid, rarely verbal, and slowly drifting towards death. Dewd, feeling displaced and not himself even after having fought his way safely home to his family with Sarith, is venturing back into the Underdark in hopes of finding a cure for Sarith at any cost and maybe finding some part of the peace that was stolen from him when his sister sold him away.

And now, most importantly. Photodump of beautiful art of him dem has made arranged chronologically to sum up the arc thus far:

So yeah I love this guy desperately. Can't wait to watch his morals degrade further as he claws to return to an innocence that can never be regained 🤩

[w1ldthoughts]

AJ’s Analysis: Week 1 Postview⚡️

Raiders at Chargers: Los Angeles wins 22-10

Disclaimer: I am a Chargers fan so this will obviously be biased BUT I have been a football fan for the last 12 years and absolutely love dissecting the game and making comments so I figured I would give this a try! Please feel free to make comments and let me know your thoughts in my inbox!

How did my players to watch do?

Los Angeles

Justin Herbert QB- Oregon- Year 5🩵

Threw for 144 yards 17/26, 1 TD no picks. Solid game, nothing flashy nothing crazy. Honestly he could’ve played better but he hasn’t played real football in 9 months. For once he didn’t have to break his spine in half and still lose. He was carried for once I love this!!

*Do need him to play better and this offense to start clicking a little better this week though…

Cameron Dicker Kicker- Texas- Year 3

3/3. He was perfect. No notes.

JK Dobbins RB- Ohio State- Year 5

10 carries, 135 yards, 1 TD. Great debut by that little sweetie. I’m a fan.

Joe Alt RT- Notre Dame- Year 1

I mean…

First game as a RT and he respectfully ate and put shut down a first team all pro when it was time. Crosby was wreaking havoc otherwise. Extremely bright future for Joe!!!

Khalil Mack EDGE/LB- Buffalo- Year 11

3 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1 pass deflection and 2 qb hits. Solid start for him and the entire defense.

Joey Bosa DE/EDGE - Ohio State- Year 9

Joseph. Anthony.

Best defensive player on the entire field yesterday. 7 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 2 qb hits. Incredible all the way around and I’m so excited for him to get back to his game wrecking ways in his prime at Ohio state.

*fun fact he’s honestly one of the reasons I started watching the Chargers in the first place his rookie year but they sucked real bad so I couldn’t commit fully but here we are, full circle.

WR Room

They did their best. Ladd is great, had a TD making two or three people shake themselves out of their cleats. QJ honestly did his thing, hope this year is more successful. Josh Palmer I hope gets some opportunities to show what he’s capable of. Overall the offense wasn’t incredible so I’m expecting this group to make some adjustments this week.

Las Vegas

Gardner Minshew QB- Washington State- Year 6

Thew for 257 yards 25/33, 1 TD, 1 INT. Looked solid coming out but was quickly stifled by the offense and struggled immensely.

Davante Adams WR- Fresno State- Year 11

5 catches 57 yards. Virtually invisible. Shouldn’t have been so worried about the Chargers social media team.

Brock Bowers TE- Georgia- Year 1

6 catches 68 yards. Honestly forgot he was on the field, sorry.

Maxx Crosby DE- Eastern Michigan- Year 6

5 sacks, 1 sack, 1 TFL and 3 qb hits. Messy but wreaked havoc. Terrible man though.

Christian Wilkins DT- Clemson- Year 6

4 tackles, no sacks, no QB hits. Also forgot he was on the field for bit. Joe Alt the 21 year old rookie had him and Maxx in hell.

Other notes

- Defense got stops when it mattered

- Offense looked lost at first but started to look competent towards the end

- Establishing a solid run game is important to open up the field for Justin to air it out and make some big plays BUT they do not need him to take over to win games which is very important

- Vibes were IMMACULATE pregame, during the game and postgame I loved every second!!

1-0 onto week 2!!

[twistedthings]

Dru stood still, even held her breath as she tried to listen over the regular noise of the haunted house. She had heard the scream and something about it had unsettled her but Joseph had picked up on it much quicker than she. At least, he had registered that it was a danger outside of the attraction of being frightened. Her heart threatened to thump up into her throat and choke her, making her immobile and unable to think but she didn't let it. Long gone were the days where she sat in silence and petrified fear while someone or something plotted to end her life. Dru swallowed and let her fingers brush against Joseph's wrist, not really taking hold of him but reminding herself and him that she was there.

Her head nodded and although she could barely see and knew he likely didn't have much better in the sight area Drusilla glanced behind them and then at the nearest wall to where they stood. "We should leave then," she said in a hushed tone, closer to a whisper than her voice had been seconds prior, her eyes tried to find a bright exit sign above them or at a distance but she couldn't spot the familiar red light past the strobe lights and darkness. "-- I can call for help once we're outside, I don't think I have reception here." And she sure as hell wasn't going to pull out her phone to check it, giving their full position away but she did paw at her back pocket on her jeans to make sure the device was still there. It was.

He would feel far more secure if he had his sidearm, service rifle, hell, even his field knife. As it is, he feels awfully naked at the moment. He whispers, "No, not a prank." "I have heard the sounds people make when they die,...a lot, that was not fake." Craning his head this way and that, he says, "I could not get a direction on it, so, no idea what direction to go to move away,...we could blunder right into whoever caused that,....scream, to happen." Right now, he wished there was a power failure, all the strobe lights, and sound effects, just make it impossible to try and figure out where danger might come from.

@twistedthings

[hotmalemugshots]

Derek Joseph Moe

Incarceration Date: 03/05/2025

Charges (2):

POSS W/INT TO PROMOTE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

POSS W/INT TO PROMOTE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

[mariacallous]

Would the European Union’s eastern front-line states fight back like Ukraine if Russia attacked them? Unfortunately, this is no longer a hypothetical scenario: Hardly a day goes by without a Russian government official or pundit threatening Poland, Finland, or the Baltic states with missile attacks, an invasion, or both. In word and deed, Russian President Vladimir Putin has made clear that he seeks to restore Moscow’s former European empire.

The answer is probably yes, because the countries that have lived under the Kremlin’s rule know from their own long histories what Russian occupation entails. Those memories have been refreshed by today’s carnage in Ukraine, where the massacres of civilians by Russian soldiers in Bucha and Irpin served as a reminder that a loss of territory to Russia is not just a tactical setback, but also a prelude to barbaric violence.

The post-Cold War pretense that Russia would behave in a fundamentally different, more civilized way from its past practice is gone, reviving memories of more distant tragedies. Citizens of the three Baltic states remember mass executions and deportations at the hands of the Soviets in the 1940s, including the nearly 100,000 people who were deported to Siberia in 1949. Poles cannot forget the execution of more than 20,000 military officers in the Katyn Forest by order of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.

The list of Moscow’s crimes against its neighbors is long—and that list shapes Central Europe’s strategic posture today. As Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski recently vowed, Poles would “eat grass rather than become a Russian colony again.”

Unsurprisingly, therefore, 80 percent of Finns surveyed in a 2022 poll said that they were prepared to defend their country. That same year, the Warsaw Enterprise Institute found that 66 percent of Poles were eager to come to their nation’s defense, and many are now volunteering for basic training. Residents of other nations from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea are expressing a similar determination to protect their lands and fellow citizens from a Russian assault.

The will is there, but is there a way? It remains uncertain whether there will be enough soldiers to fight Putin’s forces. Europe’s front-line countries may have a much greater recruitment problem than what Ukraine faces now—a problem that goes beyond these states’ already grim demographic trends, which have shrunk their populations by millions of people in recent decades.

What the Russian invasion of Ukraine has made clear is that technology cannot take the place of soldiers in a major land war. They are needed to crew tanks and trenches, move and service artillery, fly planes and drones, and occupy and keep territory. Ukraine, for instance, needs thousands of new soldiers each month to rotate forces, replace casualties, and prevent further Russian advances. Even more would likely be needed (along with regular allotments of Western-supplied ammunition) for Kyiv to go back on the offense and push Moscow’s forces out of the occupied parts of Ukraine. A country’s ability to generate a large and steady stream of infantry is thus essential to deter and, if necessary, defeat a potential invader.

But no matter what they tell pollsters, many citizens of Russia’s potential targets may choose to leave when the prospect of war becomes real. Their westward migration would be much easier than it might have been when these countries were not yet members of the European Union. In addition, there is a demand pull from Western Europe, which faces its own population shortages and need for labor. If these factors are not addressed, the likelihood of an exodus casts doubt over these countries’ capacity to guard Europe’s eastern frontier.

Central Europe is a beneficiary of one of the EU’s greatest successes: freedom of movement. The absence of internal borders between most EU member countries allows an easy flow of people and goods, ensuring the rights of nationals and legal residents to live and work in other EU countries. Short distances, cheap flights, educational opportunities, and cultural affinity have created unprecedented mobility of EU nationals. Equipped with language abilities and fungible skills, many young people from Warsaw, Tallinn, or Helsinki feel more at home in Berlin, Amsterdam, or Barcelona than in their own countries’ towns and villages.

In recent years, many Central Europeans have also acquired second residences abroad. Poles, for instance, have been buying real estate in Spain in record numbers. If their rising prosperity and desire to diversify their savings is one reason, then unease about the future since the return of Russian aggression is likely another. In Spain, after all, they would be safe from errant missiles and artillery duels.

The second reason why Europe’s front-line states may have a recruitment problem if Russia attacks is that much of Western Europe would be more than happy to accept large numbers of young people from their eastern neighbors, even if the migration was induced by war. Western Europe’s own labor shortages—and the prospect of large numbers of skilled young migrants who are considered easy to integrate—would be as much of a motivation for Western European generosity as solidarity with a country under attack, as suggested by the reaction to the influx from Ukraine in nations such as Germany.

Europe’s demographic trends are by now familiar: The continent’s working-age population has been shrinking for 13 years, now down by almost 10 million people—from a peak of 270 million in 2011 to roughly 260 million now. Today, the worker shortage is acute. Out of the 27 EU countries, 19 have shortages of bricklayers, truck drivers, nurses, and other skilled laborers. At the end of 2023, three-quarters of small- and medium-sized European businesses reported that they were failing to find needed labor. Germany alone is set to lose as much as 10 percent of its working-age population over the next decade. Europe is aging fast and losing tax-paying citizens—a threat that, to countries farther from Russia, feels as existential as the threat of war in the east.

It follows that many EU countries would be more than happy to absorb working-age people escaping front-line states under attack. Instead of being an economic burden, these war refugees would be a boon to Europe’s labor-deprived economies.

What’s more, many countries across the West face military recruitment problems. There is simply a shortage of people willing to serve and fight if needed. Poland now plans to train Ukrainian citizens of conscription age living on its territory for potential deployment in Ukraine. But this would also create a precedent for establishing a foreign fighting force on Polish territory, which other states could follow as a way to replenish their demographically shrunken forces. In the past, it has not been unusual for a country to have military brigades or even divisions composed of foreign citizens from war-torn nations.

From a political and societal perspective, it will also be easier for Germany, France, or Italy to take in European refugees who have connections across the continent, share a similar culture, and are generally eager to integrate. For European politicians, this could be a way to promote immigration without the political backlash that was visible in the recent EU parliamentary elections, where parties campaigning against the current trend of mass migration from Africa and the Middle East polled a record share of the vote.

The EU’s front-line states, if under attack, may therefore face a soldier shortage considerably more dire than the one facing Ukraine. It is hard to have a nation under arms if the bulk of the nation can easily leave. Of course, the affected countries could always institute border controls to keep recruits from fleeing, which even EU law allows. But unless there is a firm and detailed plan, these kinds of controls would take days, if not weeks, to put in place—and they would likely be met with an outcry in Brussels and Western European capitals, since they would contravene one of the EU’s proudest achievements. And by definition, any plan implemented only as a last resort following an attack would come too late to deter Moscow from attacking in the first place.

As war-waging Russia advances westward, European countries on the front line need to plan how to retain their own people. The ability of an EU member to fight will depend on the timely imposition of border controls, but even more on the patriotism of its people. Like the Ukrainians now, many front-line Europeans will fight for their nation—and for their nation’s place in a free Europe. But if their fondness for other parts of Europe trumps the sense of duty to their country, then they may choose to enjoy the benefits offered across the continent rather than face the Russian armies on their native lands.

One of the tasks for Europe’s front-line countries is, therefore, to sustain a vibrant patriotism. Only a deeply shared sense of nationhood can overcome the temptation of an easy and comfortable exit—and engender a willingness to sacrifice. Without cultivating this sense of patriotism and duty, Europe’s front-line states may face a soldier shortage that they haven’t bargained for.

[brckensociety]

avery had no idea why she’d been taken, no clue that it wasn’t some intentional move made by the male in the driver's seat, although she had to note how he had seemed to go quiet, not sure if he was focused on making a getaway, planning what to do with her or just simply lost in thought. it seemed obvious from their previous talking that the outspoken male was surprised by his actions, so it couldn’t have been a part of the original plan, right? was it done on purpose or was she caught up in a stupid mistake… had he done this for the other male like they had suggested? god, she hoped not. she didn’t know why he did it, but she didn’t want to think about what was ahead of her now that she was seeing them up close, hearing ones name, finding identifiable features, they wouldn’t just let her go now, right? eyes locked on the driver for a split second as he looked back before her attention fell back on the one she was certain came up with the plan to rob the place to begin with, his energy was radiating chaos. despite knowing he was capable of murder she figured death might be better than having to deal with whatever his brain could come up with. “far from it,” avery replied, brows quirking as he climbed into the back but doing her best not to show any weakness or concern, something told her that kind of thing would only encourage him, at least make him think he could intimidate her. feeling her neck stiffen as he took hold she bared her teeth in annoyance, deciding not to struggle as he grabbed her wrist. eyes rolled as her hand pressed against his length, “smoother than ken.” the blonde replied with a straight face before her gaze shifted back to joe, “is that why you took me, joe? because your friend can’t get anyone without any junk?” @hurtrite

he'd been trying to move her out of the way. that was all. that was it. . . wasn't it? joseph wore a furious look, glaring out the windshield at the expanse of dark, empty highway that seemed to sprawl endlessly ahead of them, desperately thinking back in an attempt to relive the robbery. it'd transpired in a matter of minutes, but his mind stretched it into the length of hours, dissecting each singular action he'd taken. every choice unraveled into dozens of options, trying to justify why he inhaled at one second and shifted to the right in the next. he remembered grabbing the blonde's arm, remembered trying to pull her to the side, and then — caleb shot. he'd shot and they ran, no time to think, no time to let go. she was a living casualty of his own carelessness.

joseph cringed when he heard her speak, the anger to her tone making him glance back just the once. it was too late ; caleb was again jumping into action. "oh - " the older male exhaled, something sharp sparking in his eyes. "you hear that, joe? i think she's interested in checking out my equipment." shoulders hunching forward, caleb made quick work of climbing over the seats to join her in the back, gaze never straying from her hard glare. instantly, he was crowding in close, sliding along the seat to seal their bodies together from knee to hip. one hand clamped down on the back of the blonde's neck while the other grabbed her wrist, forcing her hand directly to his crotch. "that feel dickless to you, babe?"

[marysittingathisfeet]

Mary: Woman of Faith and Prophecy

"My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful     of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—     holy is his name." Luke 1 46-49

Many books, commentaries, and articles have been written about Mary, the mother of Jesus. I am not under any illusion that I can provide any new insights. But today when I was reading my morning verses, I was struck by the incredible faith that Mary possessed. This was probably why God chose her to be the vessel that carried His son.

She was a woman of faith. This was portrayed in two primary examples. The first was when she was told that she would bare a child. She accepted the news without question.

"I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” - Luke 1:38. Compare her response to Zechariah when he was told that his elderly wife Elizabeth would bare a child.

"Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” Luke 1:18 Some would point out that Mary did question -“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” Luke 1:34.

The circumstances were different. Wasn't there another elderly woman who conceived int he Bible? Sarah. Zechariah as a priest would have had to memorize scripture. God had demonstrated in the past that he was able to have a woman past menopause conceive and bare a child. Mary was and is the only virgin to ever conceive. It was natural for her to ask how. In addition Zechariah says How can I. His focus is on himself. Whereas Mary asks how will it be done.

Understand that Mary being pregnant out of wedlock was in serious trouble. If she wasn't stoned for adultery, then she would be ostracized and scorned by her family, neighbors, and friends. I am sure that Mary was well aware of this. She had to be concerned. Yet when she meets Elizabeth does she moan or cry about her predicament. Instead she declares that "the Mighty One has done great things for me."

So what great things was Mary talking about? It wasn't wealth. Mary remained poor her whole life. Mary acknowledges her humble state- "for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant." even after she was told that she would.

She was not given prestige and honor in her community. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him." Mark 6: 2,3

Here we see that Mary did not hold any special place of honor in her village. She and her children are listed as equals. The speaker does not say anything like, "Jesus he is the mighty Mary's son. Of course God is using him. Like son like mother."

The great thing that Mary was talking about was that she was chosen to bare and care for the Messiah. God's son. The old testament is filled with prophecies regarding Jesus. Mary would have known them and she believed.

Mary was also prophetic. She was correct when she declared, "From now on all generations will call me blessed." She is indeed honored around the world. Even Mohammed who had no respect for woman as evidenced by having said that woman should behave properly because he has seen Hell, and the majority of its dwellers were woman. Mary is mentioned by name (Maryam) about 70 times in the Quran, making her the only woman named in the Islamic scripture and the most exalted female figure in Islam.  However, I am certain she would have been appalled to know that there would be those who would worship her. Honor her yes. Worship her no.

Mary was also submissive to God. When Gabriel the angel tells her of Gods plan, Mary replies quickly and without hesitation; "“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Luke 1: 38

Mary was a disciple of Jesus. Yes he was her son by birth, but she submitted herself to him as God. When the disciples were told to wait in the upper room Mary was there with them.

The apostles had just watched Jesus return to heaven.

"Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. " Acts 1:12-14

So when the day of Pentecost came, we can assume that Mary was there. "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. " Acts 2: 1-4.

It says ALL of them were filled with the spirit. God showed no partiality that day. Woman and men were filled with the spirit. Jesus brothers and mother were filled as well as the other 100+ people who were in that room. We know that there was about 120 people waiting in the upper room.

"In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty).." Acts 1:15 

Mary was a remarkable woman who served God her entire life but she was not perfect. At one point she seemed to want to interfere with Jesus ministry. Jesus was being accused of being possessed. Mary, her sons and daughters arrive and ask for Jesus.

"Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”" Luke 3:31.

Why? We can only conjecture. Maybe she heard what was being said about her son and fearing for him was trying to get him to come home. The siblings were brought perhaps as part of a family intervention. After all even the disciples did not understand that Jesus would die for mankind. The disciples thought Jesus had come to establish an earthly kingdom where Jesus would rule like David. This is why James and John approached Jesus and said, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” Mark 10:35-45.

I am glad that Mary was not perfect. God can use us to fulfill His will despite our weaknesses. Like Mary we have to have faith, submit, and be grateful for all that God has done.

[prettymorgueboy]

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ A Day Of Leisure

『A moment of peace where two hunters bask in the others presence.』

♡

Pairing: Jackseph / Jackjos / ✂️📷

Warning(s): Slight nsfw (two adults being handsy), trans!joseph

Word count: 1196

[Will be cross posted to ao3]

The idea did not sound bad at the time, but at that time, he was half a bottle of wine in and distracted by the man's brown curls. Now, the idea had him standing anxiously in one of the empty manor rooms in nothing more than a robe and his blonde hair draped over his shoulders.

Truthfully there was no shame in a nude body, and it was not something that was hidden from his dearest lover. Though something about the easel that stood across the room had him flustered, staring at it; wishing it would explode if he glared hard enough. 

*

“Say Joseph, I've always wanted to paint you, in a way that captures you perfectly.” Jack stared at the man from across the fire, admiring how it danced across his face with light. Joseph glanced up at him and tilted his head, another sip from his glass as he laid his head in his hand, admiring the man's dusty brown locks.

“Mmnn..? A picture captures me just fine, must you paint me darling?” Jack let out a gentle scoff as he stared in a hint of annoyance, something Joseph picked up on quickly; quickly sitting up.

“Maybe I should request another then? Though I'm unsure of who else would lay nude for me.” Joseph’s eyes widened, the blue scleras kept a focused look on him. There was his weakness. 

Jealousy.

Joseph was refined, dignified, and above all a gentleman. Though his jealousy since he met Jack had no bounds, women and men alike were aware to stray from the ripper if his photographer was in earshot. That was something Jack knew, something he used against the French man, and before Joseph knew it he was seated next to him, agreeing and downing his glass of wine with a clawed hand laid against his hip.

*

The door opened with a gentle click of the lock, alerting Joseph that Jack had arrived with his paints and a small wooden box with his brushes. The silence lingerd as he locked the door, he turned to place down the brushes before promptly turning back to his lover, admiring the way the man looked up at him in a flustered state. Joseph's lips were pursed as he straightened his composure, hiding any shame or embarrassment he previously had.

“Staring already? Let me undress before you gawk you pervert.” Joseph folded his legs, brushing hair over his shoulder as he glanced up at Jack, with a cheeky smile and a flutter of his eyelashes the man had his face in his hands.

“You are horrid at hiding that flustered little face of yours my love, If need be I can help you become relaxed.” Joseph's facade melted like ice in a sauna the moment Jack's hands traced his face, the larger man's calloused hands felt cool against his flushed cheeks. Joseph only looked up at the man before shaking his head, his legs unfolded and dragged up Jack’s hip, the robe hiked up his thigh.

“Undress me? Leave those wandering touches for later, think of it as motivation to finish your painting.” Joseph knew of Jack's slump when it came to his works. Since he arrived at the oletus manor there were truly only half rushed slaps of paints across a white canvas before The Ripper was called for. 

The ribbon holding together the robe unfolded with ease, the soft blue fabric followed suit and revealed the man's chest and stomach, the rest hidden by the larger man's body. Those calloused hands met his hips once again, trailing slowly down to his thighs before chapped lips placed a soft yet firm kiss to his breast, the other to his neck.

“You will be well worth the wait, my darling.” Joseph's breath hitched as Jack pulled away, he let the man undress him, taking the silk robe over to his easel, placing it on the small stand. Showing it off as if it was a medal of sorts. Joseph's shy demeanor faltered as he laid comfortably against the soft chaise Lounge. The fabric was soft and well stuffed, he sunk into it perfectly and allowed his head to rest upon the tassel pillow, a blanket covered just below his rear. This allowed the curve of his frame and the slight hint of his breasts being on display to be the main star of the show, his blonde curls merely flowed freely.

“Is this alright? I'm not typically the subject when it comes to moments being captured.” Through all of the years of his time as a photographer he hasn't once been in a picture, always cherishing the moments but never once being cherished. Jack couldn't help but chuckle, he was far too mesmerized by the man's flustered face, his cheeks as flushed as they were after a bottle of bordeaux. 

“You look beautiful, don't fret so much, I've seen your nude figure in much more outlandish ways, no?” Jack smiled, the smile was a gentle one. His eyes held adoration, he looked at Joseph with every ounce of affections he could muster, Joseph found himself burying his face into the pillow. Jack didn’t mind, he knew all of his lovers' features.

They sat in silence, Joseph emerged from the pillow and Jack let a soft hum fill the quiet room. It went on like that for as long as it could, neither of them paid attention to the passing time. The shared company was enough to keep them content and at ease, that is until a gentle snore came from the man across the room, snuggled into the lounge. His arms left his hips and trailed beneath the pillow. Jack's gaze lingered as he placed down his brush, the base was done anyways; he'd finish it later he told himself.

“My my… spoiled rotten aren't you.” He let out a gentle chuckle before leaning down, bending at the knees to be at Joseph's level. The hand that typically was home to a large clawed amalgamation of metal was nothing more than rough skin that pushed the hair from the Frenchman's face.

Joseph did not wake, nor did he flinch. He fell asleep across from a man who would stain the streets red for him; he slept with ease and comfort. Jack's nose nuzzled against the man's cheek as he placed a loving kiss to Joseph’s parted lips. 

“Hmm” a gentle hum left one of them, neither would know if it was one harbored from content or somnolent. Though Jack did know one thing, and that was to slip off his boots and tailcoat, pick up the half asleep french man who had fluttered his eyes as he was lifted into a pair of arms before placed gently across a strong chest once again.

“Shh rest, you were the perfect study for the day.” He chuckled slowly, his calloused hands traced circles across Joseph's back, circling over vital organs before he heard gentle snores once again. He wasn’t sure how long he had stared at the ceiling, but he knew that with each rise and fall from Joseph's chest, he began to doze further. 

Perhaps this was the perfect reward after all.

[xirayn]

Stonathan Week Day 2: Roommates - Slightly inspired by the video of Charlie Heaton and Joseph Quinn at an Arctic Monkeys concert together.

Steve overhearing Jonathan mention a one-night stand while playing Animal Crossing with Argyle gets him to ask the big question on his mind.

Do I Wanna Know?

written by @xirayn and @aibhlynn

Trying something new by writing screenplays rather than short stories. Feedback on this format appreciated.

INT. APARTMENT – JONATHAN’S BEDROOM – EVENING

A bedroom with a mix of modern and retro decor. It is lived in, but not cluttered. There are posters for the Arctic Monkey’s ‘Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino’ and ‘The Cabin in the Woods’ on the wall. A record player is set on a cube shelf with a milk crate of vinyl records beside a desk with dual monitors. A Nintendo Switch is set up in front of the smaller monitor. JONATHAN is leaned back in a computer chair with a gaming headset on and a controller in his hand. ANIMAL CROSSING is on the screen with characters that are obviously JONATHAN and ARGYLE fishing. JONATHAN’s character pulls up a horse mackerel.

JONATHAN

Great, another horse mackerel. They're barely even worth selling.

ARGYLE

(Through the headset)

Dude, catching the fish is not the goal.

JONATHAN

Maybe for you. I need a surgeon fish for my museum.

ARGYLE

You should have asked me, brochacho. I have, like, five of them in storage.

JONATHAN

That feels like cheating.

ARGYLE

If you say so, my dude.

On the screen, ARGYLE pulls up a moray eel. 

ARGYLE

Score!

JONATHAN’s character gets another bite. It is an anchovy.

JONATHAN

Damn it.

KEVIN, an orange pig in a blue sailor suit complete with hat, comes on screen to seemingly watch them. ARGYLE laughs. JONATHAN glowers.

JONATHAN

Stop judging me, Kevin.

ARGYLE

Dude, are you still pining over Steve?

JONATHAN

I am not, nor was I ever, pining over Steve. I have Olivia around here somewhere for Nancy.

ARGYLE

If you say so, dude. Though, if you aren't looking to knock boots with that fine specimen of a man, I'll gladly take him off your hands.

JONATHAN

You and everyone else. He's out on another date tonight. He even wore his ‘lucky jeans’ that show everything.

ARGYLE

Man, my dude, for someone who says they aren't jealous, you sure are crushing the vibe with your jealousy.

There is a pause filled by the sound of ARGYLE taking a drink. 

ARGYLE

Or is this about Eddie?

JONATHAN

What?

JONATHAN misses reeling in another fish.

JONATHAN

No. This isn't about Eddie. That was - It was just a hook-up after the concert last Saturday. And I'm not jealous or stuck on the fact I was supposed to go to that concert with Steve.

ARGYLE

My dude, your voice does not match your words. It's clear as day, you are hard for Harrington. Why did he miss the concert, anyway?

JONATHAN

A bachelorette party came into the bar when they were already slammed, so he offered to stay.

The fishing rod JONATHAN’s character is using breaks. JONATHAN puts his controller on the desk and scrubs his hand over his face.

JONATHAN

Fuck.

ARGYLE

Fuck because you banged Eddie and not Steve?

JONATHAN is quiet for a long moment, simply staring blankly at the screen. He finally heaves a sigh.

JONATHAN

(Quietly)

I don’t know. Maybe?

ARGYLE

If you could do it over again, would you pick Steve?

JONATHAN

If it wouldn’t mess up our friendship and my living situation or make my life extremely awkward?

JONATHAN hesitates before shaking his head and picking the controller back up.

JONATHAN

Yeah.

JONATHAN misses the sound of the door opening as STEVE comes home early. The LIVING SPACE of the open concept apartment is an eclectic mix that shows STEVE and JONATHAN have been sharing space for a few years. The large flat screen, a graduation gift from STEVE’s parents, is a prominent feature. There is also a record cabinet full of vinyls with a Fisher MC-4550 stereo and a bookcase with authors like Vonnegut and Gaiman. STEVE looks tired and irritated as he takes his shoes off to throw in the closet before heading to his room.

ARGYLE

You worry too much, my guy. Stop being indecisive or worrying he’ll be all weird about your fling with Eddie and get sloppy with your hot roomie.

JONATHAN

It was a drunk one-night stand, not a fling.

STEVE stops outside the partially open door, having heard JONATHAN say ‘drunk one-night stand’. He frowns, then looks guilty and decides to go get a drink from the kitchen where it will be harder to hear JONATHAN.

ARGYLE

One-night stand, fling, either way you boned the metalhead, man.

JONATHAN

I know that, flight just sounds like it was something more than sex.

ARGYLE

Fair

ARGYLE starts running his character in random patterns around JONATHAN’s character, who is doing idle animation as JONATHAN simply holds the controller.

ARGYLE

Was he at least good?

JONATHAN

He knew what he was doing.

ARGYLE

Come on, bro, give me the details of your sordid encounter with the guy across the hall. Eden will want a play by play and I have to please my goddess.

JONATHAN

My sex life is not your foreplay.

STEVE knocks over his cup when his attempt not to eavesdrop fails. Water spills over the tile as the cup clatters on the floor. The sound is loud enough that JONATHAN takes his headset off and turns his chair toward the door.

JONATHAN

Steve?

JONATHAN sets his headset on the desk and pokes his head out of his room. STEVE freezes as if he just got caught doing something wrong.

JONATHAN

How long have you been home?

STEVE

A few minutes.

STEVE grabs the cup and puts it in the sink before taking off his wet socks. He puts them on the floor after looking around to decide an acceptable spot and grabs a dish towel.

STEVE

She stood me up.

JONATHAN

That’s rough – Have you eaten yet?

STEVE

No. I came right home when I realized my date was a no show. Have you?

JONATHAN

No. I was going to warm up some leftover, but we can order a pizza. Let me just tell Argyle I’m done for the night, then I’ll clean that up while you put the order in.

STEVE

Okay. The usual from Enzo’s?

JONATHAN

Sure.

JONATHAN goes back into his room and puts the headset back on. He picks the controller up to log off.

JONATHAN

I’m done for the night. I’ll talk to you later, man.

ARGYLE

(In a teasing sing-song)

Have fun, dude.

JONATHAN goes to clean up the spill. STEVE is heading to his room in the background on the phone as he puts in his order. Once JONATHAN is done, he sits on the couch. STEVE emerges from his room shortly after in gym shorts and a tank top.

STEVE

So, did you have fun with your mystery guy?

JONATHAN

You mean the one-night stand I was talking to ARGYLE about?

STEVE

Yeah.

STEVE drops onto the couch and stares at the ceiling. JONATHAN looks at him thoughtfully

JONATHAN

I guess.

There is a long moment of silence. STEVE is obviously debating something while JONATHAN waits for his response. When STEVE finally speaks, he sounds small and keeps his eyes on the ceiling.

STEVE

Why him and not me?

This is very obviously not what JONATHAN was expecting for STEVE to say.

JONATHAN

What?

STEVE sits up enough to look at JONATHAN.

STEVE

Why him and not me? Fuck, dude, I've been trying to gauge your interest for months by wandering around shirtless in those side split shorts I wore to Pride last year.

JONATHAN

I thought that was because of the heat!

STEVE

At first, sure. Then I noticed you staring and thought maybe you were interested, so started doing it more, but you never said anything.

JONATHAN

Of course I didn't! We've been friends since high school. I'm not going to risk that for sex.

STEVE

(Quietly)

Not just sex.

JONATHAN

(Shocked)

What?

STEVE

It won't be just sex. At least, not for me.

JONATHAN

(Cautiously)

Me either.

STEVE laughs and shakes his head. JONATHAN joins him after a beat.

STEVE

Shit. We're both dumb.

JONATHAN

Yeah.

STEVE and JONATHAN look at each other with matching fond smiles. STEVE starts to move in, but JONATHAN’s smile falls and he shrinks back.

JONATHAN

It was Eddie.

STEVE stops. He doesn’t move back, though his smile is replaced by a look of confusion.

STEVE

Eddie across the hall?

JONATHAN nods.

STEVE

The same metalhead who drives you crazy by playing his music too loud?

JONATHAN

Yeah.

STEVE

When?

JONATHAN

After the concert last week. You couldn’t go, and I didn’t want to go alone, so I asked him.

STEVE sits back and rakes his fingers through his hair. He frowns.

STEVE

Yeah, okay. I can see why. Honestly, I’ve thought about it myself, I just – It kind of hurts that it wasn’t me. I’ve been pining after you for months now.

JONATHAN

It didn’t mean anything. We had a few drinks at the concert, then shared a joint after and – 

JONATHAN shrugs.

STEVE

You don’t have to explain anything. I still wish it had been me, though.

JONATHAN

Maybe next concert if you don’t cancel on me.

STEVE leans in again, his voice taking on a teasingly seductive tone as he gets as close as he can without actually invading JONATHAN’s space. Everything about his body language invites JONATHAN to close the distance between them. JONATHAN appears unfazed.

STEVE

Are you seriously going to make me wait?

JONATHAN

At least a first date.

STEVE laughs. His phone rings and he picks it up.

STEVE

Challenge accepted.

(Answers phone.)

Hello. Yep. I’ll be right down.

STEVE hangs up. He heads for the door, opening the closet and putting on some flip-flops. Before he leaves, he turns back to JONATHAN.

STEVE

How about right now? We can do dinner and a movie.

JONATHAN rolls his eyes with a fond smirk.

JONATHAN

Fine, but you have to actually pay attention to the movie, and I’m not answering any questions until after the credits.

STEVE

Deal.

There is a smutty continuation to this that I was not able to edit in time. The entire thing will be up on AO3 when I get to it.

[brckensocietyarch]

kayden adorned an oversize jersey, repping her favourite team with pride. even if they hadn't won she was still happy to support them. when the other spoke her brow quirked, turning in her seat to face him. she recognised him from the game she just watched, chuckling at the comment. "it's a great jersey. far better than your teams," the blonde spoke out as a smirk formed on her lips. "you boys got lucky, just means it'll be incredibly fun when they win next time."

"that's a nice jersey you got there." he slides up besides the other, wearing a smirk. "bit embarrassing to be wearing it now though, isn't it? considering my team just whooped their ass." // @brckensociety (based x) 1/2

[vadymxarsioxska]

Fu*k all, take a look at my favorite list and see if we have favorites in common!!

Int if u have some in common !!

(there is 72, and I may update it after,)

And remember I don't support any of those characters bad actions!!

Kins: ★

Comfort characters: ᰔ

╰──────────────╯

Luvs list;

1.Kira ;

2.Hazamada ; ★

3.hot pants ; ★

4.mista ;

5.terunosuke ;

6.mikitaka; ᰔ

7.secco ; ᰔ

8.sandman ;

9.keicho ; ᰔ

10.lisa lisa ;

11.ermes ;

12.toru ; ★

13.stray cat ;

14.kira 8 ;

15.aya ; ᰔ

16.bruno ; ᰔ

17.reimi ;

18.F.F ;

19.ceasar ;

20.lucy ; ᰔ

21.doppio ;

22.santana ;

23.polnareff; ★

24.risotto;

25.pucci ;

26.koichi ; ᰔ

27.kakyoin ;

28.toyohiro ;

29.rikiel ;

30.wheater ;

31.Yashuo; ᰔ

32.mariah ;

33.joseph ;

34.yukako ;

35.gwees ; ᰔ

36.jolyne ;

37.Gyro ;

38.josuke ;

39.diego ;

40.trish ; ᰔ

41.okuyasu ;

42.narancia ;

43.wamuu ;

44.will a. Zepelli ;

45.anasui ;

46.anne ;

47.tamami ;

48.pet shop ;

49.hayato ; ᰔ

50.ken ; ᰔ

51.melone ;

52.gelato ;

53.cioccolata ;

54.Tiziano ;

55.illuso ;

56.sorbet ;

57.steely dan ;

58.squalo ;

59.ungalo ;

60.perla ; ᰔ

61.erina ;

62.bruford ;

63.N'doul ;

64.Shinobu ; ᰔ

65.Esidisi ;

66.Straizo ;

67.Poco ;

68.Smokey ;

69.Kei ; ᰔ

70.Karera ; ᰔ

71.Ringo ;

72.Stroheim;

LMAO IM SORRY IS SO LONG!!

; @67andreaxoxo has almost half of those characters opposite in his favs lmao//

[tjreidwrites]

"Silent Keeper"

By: Taylor Joseph Reid

Scene 1: Routine

Opening shots: Close-ups of an alarm clock, a coffee mug, a man lacing his shoes. The man’s apartment is extremely tidy and he is performing these tasks in a meticulous way. Quiet, ambient music.

EXT. CITY STREET - MORNING

JOHN (early 30s, cleanly shaven, wearing a shirt and tie with a baseball hat, backpack, in shape build,) Leaves his apartment and walks down the same street he takes every day to the bus stop. That's how he gets to work. His routine is methodical and precise.

CUT TO:

A seemingly homeless WOMAN (older than John but unclear on how much older, disheveled but with kind eyes) sits on the corner of the street. She’s always there in the same spot, writing in an old tattered notebook with a fancy fountain pen.

JOHN’S POV:

John glances at the woman briefly, their eyes meet for a moment. They see each other every day in passing and are acquaintances. She gives a small, knowing smile. He smiles back but drops eye contact and looks to the ground as he does. John picks up his pace. He steps onto the bus, the doors close, and it drives away.

Scene 2: Disappearance

John’s alarm clock rings again, signifying the next day. John gets out of bed and glances at a picture of him and his dad on the wall embracing at a ball game. He smiles as he puts on his tie and walks out of his apartment.

EXT. CITY STREET - MORNING

John walks his usual route. He listens to music and smiles. He’s in a very good mood today, but he stops abruptly when the woman is not in her usual spot and hesitates. He takes the airpods/earbuds out of his ears and stuffs them into his pocket. There is a man standing across the street with a broom in his hands. John recognizes the man as a local barber. He’s a heavy set middle aged man who owns the barber shop right around the corner. John moves his mouth like he is about to call out to the man, but decides against it, letting his arms fall by his side. He looks at the empty space where the woman always sat, then gazes to the ground and continues onward until boarding the bus. The camera pans to the barber and he is watching John from a distance with a raised eyebrow.

Scene 3: Discovery

The next morning, John is ending a phone call with his dad. They are making dinner plans for the following Saturday. They both wish each other a good day. John sounds happy and hangs up the phone. He continues on his daily route and walks past the spot where the woman usually sits and writes, but the corner is empty like the day before. The woman is still absent from her usual spot, but something else catches his eye.

EXT. CITY STREET - MORNING

In the corner where the woman used to sit, partially hidden under some debris, is her old notebook that she always wrote in. John looks around to see if anyone is watching, no one is, so he picks it up. He mutters an inaudible slur under his breath and his eyes widen as he recognizes the book. He flips through the pages, seeing dates and entries up until the day the woman disappeared. His eyes focus on the words written in the last entry. John reads what it says and reacts by nearly dropping the book while trying to cover his mouth. He fumbles the book around but recovers it before it can drop. The shot is focused on his reaction and doesn’t show what the entry says.

JOHN: "What the…?"

John hears a door open from across the street. It's the barber shop owner that he almost called out to the day before. Without giving himself time to think any longer, John stuffs the notebook in his bag, puts his head down, and briskly walks to the bus stop.

Scene 4: Notebook Entries

John sits in his small apartment after work, the room dimly lit. He examines the notebook closely. The camera zooms in on the entry that previously was not shown. It simply says, “Is she dead but not gone yet? Did you kill her? ” It’s written in male handwriting. John thinks it looks like his handwriting.

INT. JOHN’S APARTMENT - NIGHT

John watches the impossible unfold as new entries appear in the notebook. They slowly show up in ink from thin air like an invisible presence is writing the words. He has a bewildered look on his face and begins to sweat. The handwriting isn’t the same from the previous entries. The new handwriting that's appearing from thin air is John’s handwriting. John holds up a letter he wrote in the past to a family member next to the appearing words in the journal. His eyes race back and forth between the two papers as he compares. He itches the top of his head in a weird frenzy. His face is distorted like tears could be on the horizon. He takes a deep breath. The words appear letter by letter at a snail's pace. He reads a little bit out loud. The words describe actions from John’s point of view, saying things like, “I think my boss wants to fire me. He doesn’t like me and I don’t know why. Doesn’t dad know I work in the morning, why would he call so early when he knows I’m getting ready? Did the barber shop owner see me take the notebook? Why would the woman leave her notebook behind? Where did she go? How dare she interrupt my routine? I wanted to ask her if she was okay. I only gave her money once, but she never really begged for it. I wanted to ask her what she was writing about, but I never even knew her name.” Everything is disjointed but it's all following John’s inner thoughts as if it was him writing a diary entry. All things that would be in there if it was his personal diary. More of his thoughts and feelings in real-time. John is both terrified and mesmerized. John sits back in his chair and slicks his sweaty hair back. The notebook continues to write in itself. John takes his phone out and goes to the camera to record what is happening. When he looks at his screen, the new writing only appears when the whole page is complete. The camera doesn’t pick up the real time writing. John is confused and defeated. The screen fades to black.

Scene 5: Eerie Event

Days pass. John now has a beard. His clothes are dirty. John becomes obsessed with the notebook, his normal routine disrupted. It is implied that it is getting serious when he gets a call from his boss, and he ditches his phone and lets it go to voicemail. Then another missed call from his dad. They miss their dinner plans. Another voicemail. The shot is focused on the phone screen as dad leaves a voicemail. John is immersed with the notebook and staring at it in the background of the shot.

JOHN’S FATHER (V.O.) “John, it's Dad, I’m just checking up. You weren’t at the restaurant when I got there. I waited for thirty minutes. That's okay, we all get busy, I get it. I just want to make sure you're okay, son. Anyway, give me a call back when you can, I got a couple slices of french silk in the fridge. You can pick them up whenever you get a minute. After work or something. Okay, love you bud.”

Fade to black.

INT. JOHN’S APARTMENT - NIGHT

John is staring at the notebook and a new entry appears.

NOTEBOOK: "Find her."

JOHN (V.O.): "But… where?"

Another entry appears before his eyes:

NOTEBOOK: "She’s closer than you think."

This is the first time the book has answered him like that. John is paranoid and scared. He jolts up from his seat and closes the blinds.

Scene 6: Searching

John, determined to understand, returns to the spot where the woman used to sit.

EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT

The street is eerily quiet. John looks around, the notebook clutched in his hand. A chill runs down his spine. Suddenly, he hears a whisper. It could be a woman’s voice but it is unclear.

WHISPER (V.O.): "John..."

John spins around, but no one is there. Silence and street lights. He starts to walk away when he hears the whisper again, abrupt and louder this time.

WHISPER (V.O.) : “This way John, this way.”

Scene 7: Ghost Confrontation

John, terrified but determined, follows the whispers to an old abandoned building nearby. He walks past the barber shop on the way.

INT. ABANDONED BUILDING - NIGHT

John steps inside, the whispers growing louder and more insistent. The building is dark, with only the faint light from his phone guiding the way. He steps on trash, then squirrels and rabbits run past. An owl howls. He sees a shadowy figure at the end of the hallway. He jumps a little but he calms down and takes a deep breath.

JOHN: "Who is it? Who’s there?"

The figure steps forward—it’s the woman, her eyes hollow and haunting. She points to the notebook in his hand.

WOMAN: "I knew you would find and I was hoping you would take."

JOHN: “This? Listen, Rachel, right?"

John rifles through the book only to end up on the first page. He points at the name in the front of the book. It says ‘Rachel’ and she smiles.

Scene 8: Revelation

The woman steps closer, her face gnarled in a ghostly grimace.

RACHEL: "The book is yours now and forever. Or… until it's time to pass it along."

John takes a moment, his awareness heightened.

JOHN: “Well, I’m passing it to you then, because I don’t want it. At all.”

John reaches to give the book back, but Rachel doesn’t accept it.

RACHEL: “You can’t give it to the previous keeper. When the time is right, you will know who to give it to.”

JOHN: “I don’t want your note–your diary.”

RACHEL: “It looks like your handwriting, Johny, I believe it's your diary, not mine. Are you sure you don’t want it? Is it because you are such a routine-based man, Johnny? Did I interrupt your routine?”

JOHN: “How do you…”

Rachel interrupts. She has more energy.

RACHEL: “And what a grand similarity we have! Because, I was a very routine-based young lady. I had such a comfy daily routine… just… like… you. A loner too. The notebook is great for introverts. Yes, far more upside for folks like us. But, if I…can…be…frank… with you for a moment. Call your father back, Johny, would you? Right away. He’s worried because you only ever wait no more than thirty minutes to call him back. Your father loves you and he is a very polite man as well.”

JOHN: “How do you know all of that? How do you know my dad?”

RACHEL: “Your father and I knew each other on a first name basis.”

Rachel stares deadpan. John shakes his head in confusion.

JOHN: “Whatever. When the book writes in itself, I hate it. It's like there's an imposter in my brain. Like I’m not alone in my own head. I hate it. I’ll just burn the goddamn book if you won’t take it. That's what I’ll do.”

RACHEL: “You…won’t…dare. That’s not how it works, Johnny. The book has a keeper, and the keeper is you.”

Rachel points a gnarled finger at John. John is scared like he’s truly noticing her appearance for the first time.

JOHN: “Are you dead?”

Rachel ignores the question.

RACHEL: “You’ll know when the next keeper comes along. IF… the next keeper comes along. As I knew with you. You walked by me every single day without so much as learning my name. But I knew what is rightfully yours all the same. Now, open the book again, Johny. Open it again and look inside.”

John opens the book to the front page again where it had just said Rachel’s name. Now it says “Johny”. Suddenly, the notebook begins to burn John's hands. He screams, trying to drop it, but it sticks to his skin. Rachel’s face distorts into a horrific smile as she fades away, leaving John alone and screaming.

CUT TO BLACK

Epilogue: A New Routine

The alarm clock rings again, signifying a new day.

INT. JOHN’S APARTMENT - MORNING John sits up in bed, his face pale and haunted. He seems alarmed for a moment as he looks at his hands, but then he relaxes. The notebook sits on his bedside table, pristine and untouched. He reaches for it, hands trembling. He puts it in his bag. John dresses in his usual work shirt and tie, puts his backpack on and laces his shoes like he a regular work day. Then John calls his dad. They are talking on the phone as he walks outside his apartment. He assures his dad that he is ok and that he’s had a rough week at work but that he’s going to be fine now.

JOHN: “Dad, I have a question. In the past, did you ever go out with a girl named Rachel? Or, is the name Rachel important to you?”

DAD: “I don’t believe so. Maybe a long time ago. Why?”

JOHN: “I’ll tell you at dinner tomorrow night. Think about it, okay?”

DAD: “Sounds great, son. I’ll see you tomorrow. Rachel… Rachel… you know what, now that I think about it–”

JOHN: “That’s okay, Dad. Think about it some more. We will talk tomorrow.”

He hangs up the phone mid stride. Instead of walking to the bus stop, he stops at Rachel’s old spot where he found the notebook. John sits in her spot and begins to write a new entry in the notebook with a fancy fountain pen.

JOHN (V.O.): He writes, "Every day, the same routine. But now, I know that must change."

The camera zooms in on John manically writing in the notebook, then fades out until we see the man across the street, the barber shop owner. He has a broom in his hands. He puts the broom against the wall and cups his hands like he is about to call out to John. Before he can, John looks up at him and they make eye contact. John has a small smile on his face, looks down again, and goes back to writing. The barber’s hands hover in the air, frozen. The man opens his mouth as if he's about to yell something at John, but decides against it. The barber drops his hands below his waist and walks back inside. The camera pans to the bus leaving without John. The sound is enhanced on the bus door closing and the engine rumbling.

The End.