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yet-another-saberface · 5 years ago

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Interim Headcanons: Fuyuki -> Orleans

This is the first in what’ll be a series of story posts that are ‘Interims,’ or what takes place in between singularities! (Other than the eventual events.) They have less heavy story content but are still necessary because they do contain character stuff.

This one has a fic section roughly in the middle of the post! It’s around 1500 words & in the first person POV, which is actually what I’m most experienced with writing, so I hope everyone can enjoy that! There should be another short fic post coming out before I start on Orleans that’s less story and more slice of life stuff, but I’m still figuring out what exactly I want to do with that and had everything else done, so I decided to post it now!

We’re summoning some people, so get ready!

Between Fuyuki and the first real singularity, Eva practically refuses to have any downtime. She’s told that she should take it easy, let her leg heal, and wait for them to pinpoint the appropriate rayshift point. At some point they’ll help her set up the summoning circle for backup, but until then, she doesn’t need to be doing anything.

Instead of following those orders, Eva essentially ends up doing the work of multiple people herself. She hangs around the command room, usually standing the entire time, and will rush over to help anyone that seems to be having any difficulties. One of your numbers seems off? She’ll double-check it for you and if it’s correct she can explain exactly why. Tech isn’t working? Not her area of expertise but she’ll troubleshoot it until she can’t anymore, at which point she runs off to find Da Vinci. Something weird happening magically? You better bet she’s all over it and probably pushing you out of your workstation to handle it herself.

After a day or two, Roman notices what’s going on and takes her aside. She’s promptly banned from the command room unless someone asks for her to be there.

She tries to hide her disappointment… Which is surprisingly easy when the only emotion you can really convey at the moment is ‘tired?’ She heads back to her room, takes her boot off, and collapses onto her bed trying to figure out what else she should do, falling asleep in the process.

She wakes up around a full day later with a brilliant idea.

She’s gonna set up the summoning circle and perform the ritual herself. She forgets about the boot and immediately rushes off the Chaldea’s library with the intent of double-checking her memory.

She actually ends up spending a lot more time in the library than she intended when she finds out just how expansive it is. There’s all the books on magic she’s read before, along with literally everything else she could ever hope to find. This is how she finds herself filling a crate with somewhere upwards of 15 books and dragging it back to her room after leaving a note so people know who took them.

Mash catches her as she’s heading back with the books, glad to see that she seems less tired. When Mash offers to help with the books, Eva tries to say no, until Mash notices that she isn’t wearing her boot anymore.

“Senpai, did Doctor Roman say your ankle is okay now?” “Uh… Wait. Right. My ankle is injured. Still. Crap.”

It’s only then that she starts to notice how the pain is coming back from all the unsupported weight she’s been putting on the injury, and finally accepts Mash’s offer to help with the books. When they finally get them back to Eva’s room, Mash makes sure that Eva actually puts on the boot this time. Afterwards, Eva is posed with a question she’s not sure if she should answer.

“What are you planning on doing with all of these books?” A pause. “I was just going to refresh my memory! I’ve done a lot of research into servants and stuff in the past, but I’m not sure how much of it I actually remember…” “That’s a wonderful idea, Senpai! Do you mind if I borrow some of these?” “Oh… No, go ahead! Just uh… Not this one, I was gonna start here!” She conspicuously grabs the book on rituals.

She spends the rest of the day reading up on how summoning rituals work, and later that night, when the fewest people possible are awake, she sneaks off to the summoning room that was pointed out to her earlier…

I open the door to the summoning room to find darkness. It’s unexpected, unsettling. Darkness is not something easily found in Chaldea, where everything is lit up with screens and fluorescent lights. It’s fitting, I guess, that humanity’s last hope should be constantly illuminated. But if that’s the case… Then why is it here, of all places, that I find darkness? Doubt creeps into my mind, as it always does. Millions of questions spring from that first one, slowly weighing me down, and looming over me like a shadow. Is this really a good idea? Maybe there’s a reason they said I should wait for their help setting this- No. I can’t just not do it. I need to prove it. That I’m capable of being the Master that saves humanity. And this is the first step. The light from the hallway illuminates just a bit of the room, but it’s enough that I can see that a circle has indeed already been drawn on the floor. Good. Now I just need to take care of… Everything else. I feel around on the walls by the door for a light panel until I finally knock my hand against it. The room lights up in blues and whites, unlike anything else in the facility, leaving me in awe. This is definitely the place to be doing magecraft. Glancing around a bit more, the room appears to be empty… With one exception. Tucked into the back right hand corner, there’s a small stack of white crates. Okay, then. Let’s start there. I make my way around the edge of the circle that takes up most of the room, ducking my head a few times as I try not to disturb any of the floating bands of light throughout the room. I don’t know exactly what they are, but I can’t afford to take any risks. When I reach the boxes, and carefully remove the lid of the top one to find it full of prism-like stones, each one containing every possible color. They’re big enough that I can only fit one in the palm of each hand, and are lighter than I expect. I set the one I’d been holding back down in the box, rummaging for the book I’d stuffed into my pocket before coming over here. I skim through the pages for just a second before landing on the one I’d marked earlier. Stones, stones… Gems, maybe? Why are these here? I’m halfway down the page when it hits me. They’re probably catalysts. I have no idea if they’re meant to summon anyone in particular, but there’s little chance they’re anything else. Summoning’s supposed to be easier with a catalyst, right? There’s several boxes of these… Surely using a few wouldn’t be noticed. And besides, most catalysts stick around even once the summoning is complete. Most of them. Hopefully that’s how these work. Given that I’m unsure what exactly they are, I grab 3 just to be safe after setting my book down on the floor. With one in each hand and a third tucked against my chest by my upper arm, I carefully inch a toe into the summoning circle. Nothing happens. …Okay then. It’s probably not activated yet. That’s good. I set the stones down in the very center, one at a time, so that they’re arranged in a triangle formation, before walking out of the circle as quick as I can. Still, nothing happens. Good. No surprises. I put the lid back on the box, grab the book, and then walk back around to close the door for good measure. Something tells me I don’t want anyone walking in on this. Circle, catalyst, mage… There’s no way this is as easy as it seems, is there? There’s gotta be a catch to it. But… If there is one, it’s definitely not mentioned at all. So all I can do is hope that what works in theory works in reality, like always. So I set my book down and stand my ground in front of the door, facing the circle. Don’t screw up the incantation. Remember how you changed it. Remember your theory. This is all gonna work out just how it’s supposed to. I take a deep breath. I blink. And before I speak, I picture it in my head. A drop of ink hitting paper, spreading a deep blue color across the white page. With that, I can feel the familiar hum and warmth of magic circuits spread through my body, giving me focus. I can do this.

“Let silver and steel be the essence. Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation. Let my own hope and faith in humanity be what allows it. Let a wall rise against the wind that shall fall. Let the four cardinal gates close. Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the kingdom rotate. Know this; I am all the good remaining in the world. I stand against all the evil threatening our world. And it is I that shall come to have dominion over that evil. Heroic Spirit, attended to by the three great words of power, Come forth from the right of restraint, keeper of the balance!”

As I progress through the lines of the chant, I can feel more and more magical energy building up in my body, desperately trying to be released. But that heat, that feeling of everything building up, cannot compare to what happens as I end the spell. All of the energy is pulled from my body at once. I can feel each and every individual nerve fighting against it, to no avail. It’s like my heart has stopped beating, yet is also beating too fast. I’m hit with a sudden migraine, yet the next second, it seems like it was never there in the first place. And all the while, I’m forced to close my eyes because the room, once dimly lit, is now full of a blinding white. And while they’re closed, images flash through my mind. Fire. Death. A silhouette, unidentifiable. And finally the back of a boy, my age, in a Chaldea uniform, standing at the ready. I hear something incredibly loud, some sort of boom, though maybe that’s not the best way to describe it, followed by a much quieter cracking noise, as the light behind my eyelids fades away. My hearing starts to recover, but I’m scared to open my eyes. I have no idea what just happened. Did it work? Was all of that meant to happen? The book hadn’t mentioned any of that. So I stand there, listening and breathing. Hoping against hope that everything is okay. Until I hear someone speak. “I ask of you, are you my Master?”

As I finally open my eyes, another girl stands before me in the center of the circle. The stones are gone. (Dammit.) As she looks at me expectantly, her green eyes seem to see right through me. I can’t tell if I’m being judged or not. But as I take in the rest of her, I do my best to offer a response, however quietly. “Yeah. I… I’m your Master.” It’s barely more than a whisper, riding along a shaky breath. So much for seeming confident. We stand in silence for a few more seconds as I catch my breath. It worked. It really worked. That’s a Servant. Right there. In front of me. That I summoned. This time when I look at her, I begin to notice things without trying beyond her physical appearance. For starters, she’s a Saber. Wait a- That’s not any Saber. That’s. “You’re King Arthur.” “That… Is correct, Master,” she replies, showing slight confusion. “Holy… Okay. Um.” As I’m pausing to take a breath, the door behind me slams open. I jump a bit, and when I land, pain shoots through my leg. My boot broke during the ritual. I glance behind me to find Mash, Roman, Da Vinci, and a few other staff members staring. “Senpai, what did you-” “IsummonedaServant,” I blurt out, trying to shift as much weight off my right foot as possible. When everyone keeps staring, I add on a halfhearted “...Sorry?” There’s a collective sigh from the group, none of whom really seem to know what to do. “You do realize we told you to wait, right?” Roman asks. “Yes, but I thought I could handle it, because I’ve studied this a lot, and clearly I can handle it, because it worked, so-” “Chaldea actually has an alternate summoning system-” Da Vinci starts, but I cut her off. “...Oh. Of course! That… Makes a lot of sense now.” I find myself looking towards the ground. “Why’d I go and do this?” I add at the last second, quieter than the rest. “Don’t worry, this is nothing I can’t handle!” Da Vinci responds. “Just make sure to let us know before you summon anyone again, okay?” “Okay,” I respond, still quiet. When no one else says anything, Roman speaks up again. “All right then, everyone else should get back to what they were doing.” He glances at the leg the boot had broke off of, even more worried than before. “Mash and…” “Saber,” the other Servant answers. “Right. Mash, Saber, can you help Eva to the infirmary for now?” The two of them nod before stepping over to me and adjusting so that each of my arms is over one of their shoulders. I cringe a bit when I have to adjust my right leg, and soreness is slowly starting to spread through the rest of my body. This idea is continually turning out to have been way worse than I thought it would be.

So, as it turns out, Eva continually doing things that put strain on her injury has set back the healing process, and even when it does heal, it’s likely still going to be weaker than it was. She won't need a cane or anything, but she should still be wary of it and avoid relying on her right leg too heavily from now on. Running and other simple physical activity is fine, but should she need to say, kick something, she should absolutely favor her left leg unless she’s made the necessary precautions and given her right ankle the support it needs to prevent more injuries.

They get her a new boot and she’s essentially grounded for 2 days, not allowed to leave her room. They also start cutting the lights in her room on a schedule for as long as she’s grounded so that she’s forced to sleep.

She emerges, somehow, both less tired and more grumpy. Everyone catches on pretty quickly that she’s getting antsy because she’s not allowed to do anything, so they decide to set up the summoning system and let her try out a summoning that won’t make her injuries worse.

She’s initially hesitant to try any summonings with the more tech-heavy system, but she eventually agrees to go ahead with it after Da Vinci spends over an hour explaining every intricacy of how it works and how it differs from normal summoning. It’ll work, according to magical theory, so she doesn’t have anything to lose by trying it out.

This time, instead of just a single servant, she actually manages to summon several, those being Medusa, Caster Cú, Archer Emiya, and Saber Alter.

The tension between the 2 Sabers is pretty obvious, so Eva does her best to make sure that they aren’t forced to interact much while still spending time with and attempting to understand each of them. Since they’re both pretty reserved, it’s a slow process, but at least she figures out pretty quickly that they both really love food.

Cú is still salty that he’s not a Lancer, but is still glad to have at least been summoned again. He’s actually rather surprised by just how much Eva immediately puts value in him. She starts carrying a notebook around with her, and will write in it whenever she notices something new about Runes she didn’t know before. He actually tries to help her use Runes at one point, but it ends up blowing up in both their faces because Eva was focusing more on her anxiety than on the effect she wanted to achieve.

Eva knew literally nothing about Emiya, so more than pretty much every other Servant that’s around, she tries to seem professional around him. That completely collapses when he catches her in the kitchen at 3 in the morning halfheartedly making grilled cheese. From then on she’s a lot more casual and every once in a while she pesters him incessantly about Reality Marbles. She’ll probably eventually figure out that he knows more about the Sabers than he lets on.

Medusa actually surprised Eva a bit. While Eva knows a lot about her from mythology, it took awhile for her to figure out anything about her as a Servant, other than what she could discern from practice battles. The first real bit of progress she makes is when she finds Medusa reading in the library. Now they just kinda have one of those “sit and read in silence together” type friendships.

Eva isn’t exactly all hyped up for whenever the next singularity is identified, but she promises herself that she won’t be scared to go and do whatever’s needed in order to correct it. After all, she has more allies this time, and it seems like her magecraft is getting better by the day. Now all that’s left is to save humanity.

New Servant Log:

Artoria Pendragon (Saber)

Artoria Pendragon (Alter)

Cú Chulainn (Caster)

Emiya (Archer)

Medusa (Rider)

I actually have an excuse to tag people and that makes me happy

@contractgreen @panyum @withanina @campanulabell @delfinaschiffer @princessaslan @armageddon25 @patproductions @xviicprc

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whispersafterdusk · 5 years ago

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Lost in Time - ch 11

With Stewart's list of names and locations they were able to carefully separate out who they could confidently identify and those thirteen persons were given a plot in Portia's graveyard separate from the mass grave that was being dug outside of the city gates.

Sophie had loaned them a wagon and McDonald loaned a large draft horse Eli had nicknamed Bruiser; when the big grave was dug and the headstone had been carved and placed (a joint effort between Gust, Selene, and Higgins) it then took eight trips to get all the skeletal remains out of the facility and into the ground.

Giving a eulogy wasn't something Eli had ever seen herself doing...honestly (and she had even discussed this exact topic with Darren) she'd assumed that the rest of her family would outlive her. Being a ranger carried a lot of risk and that risk had only grown as things had started breaking down across the nations. There were a lot of things she'd mentally filed in the "probably going to kill me" category and because of that she'd tried to approach everything with the same level of caution; it was a thought she carried with her everywhere - that her family and friends may eventually be planning her funeral, no matter how careful she was. And now, three hundred years in the future...here she was, planning THEIRS. ((Continued below cut)))

When it came to death, sudden or otherwise, the Three decreed that the deceased's story be shared where possible; funerals were long affairs with dozens of family members and friends chosen to speak on the dead's behalf. All of existence would remember that person whether there were people gathered to remember or not but it was a comforting measure to have everyone together "sharing the pages," as it was called: sharing their memories of that person's life story. She could do that for Darren, and for her squad mates...but everyone else were all people she didn't know, and she was the only one left alive who could speak for them. And even if she'd known each and every one of them it would take her months to do their stories justice.

There was also the (depressing) fact that it hadn't just been those in the facility that had died here.

There was no way to tell how many had perished in the orbital attacks, and Portia was built upon the ruins of Dubei in general. If she was going to properly put the dead to rest she should speak not only of Darren and her squad and those in the facility but of all of Dubei's residents who had died too. And what of all the people outside of Dubei?

It was one thing to write about and remember someone you'd known and loved dearly but how could you remember a city and everyone in it? How did you properly eulogize an entire world? What details should be included to give even a glimpse of all those lives that had existed and now lay buried somewhere beneath their feet? Wasn't she sort of doing that already just by answering random questions? Every answer was a part of a story of the past even if she was just giving a quick response to something as simple as a question about breakfast foods. With everything gone wouldn't even the smallest detail be important to the whole picture?

It was confusing and painful and tiring. And she only had two days to figure it out and get it written.

One small silver lining at the moment was Stewart had taken over answering most of the scholars's questions; with power restored his central intercom system was back online and, so long as the audio equipment (usually in the ceilings of every room) was still functional, he was able to listen in and attend to them without needing to physically be in the room. That meant Eli, Selene, Merlin, and Petra were free to roam about and do minor repairs as well as hunt down the closets and rooms that Stewart's logs showed should still have things in it. Depending on what they found Eli was determined to try and cobble together a couple of things (even a self-contained Hi-Def would be welcome) but also they needed to know what they had to work with if they were going to have any chance of moving Stewart out of here. If she could find a multi-screen, or even a teleportation module, and a couple of solar detectors and a battery mount...

It was a lot easier to get distracted by what she could potentially do compared to what she needed to do.

Whatever. She needed a break.

She had a little notebook (a gift from Selene) that she'd been carrying around for most of the day; her hope had been inspiration of some sort would strike and she'd know exactly which words to use and what order everything should go in...so far though there'd been nothing, and the notebook was still in the breast pocket of her jacket when she walked into the Round Table.

"Evening there, Eli." Django was at the front counter stacking up some dirty plates - whoever had eaten there was already gone, and the restaurant was mosty empty as well.

"Evening. Without meaning to sound weird, what do you have for alcohol these days?"

The man chuckled and moved the plates into a small bin that he then sat behind the counter. "Been that kind of day, huh?"

Eli nodded and settled on one of the bar stools. "Been that kind of...however long I've been awake, if I'm being honest."

"I don't think anyone will blame you for that. Let's see... We have some Duvos Winter Punch. It's fairly weak in both alcohol and taste - I'm not the biggest fan of it but there's a fair few here in town that love it. I've got some plain vodka I can add to some juice or the bitter melon mix, and a couple bottles left of the Barnarock Black beer - stuff's so thick you could chew it. Doesn't help you now but come spring I'll make a couple batches of snakeberry wine if you wanted me to save you a bottle. Portia's folks don't really drink much so it's not something I keep on hand in large quantities...usually goes bad before the entire bottle or jug gets finished."

Eli nodded - technically she wasn't much of a drinker either so she could understand the sentiment. "Fair enough. I'll give the Barnarock stuff a try. What kind of meaty dish would you suggest I get with it?"

Django rubbed his chin and didn't immediately answer. "...specifically meaty? I'd go with my braised meat bowl - all the flavors should pair up nicely, haha."

She smiled at that. "I shall trust the master. -- oh, and could I also get the bamboo and egg thing too? I think that's becoming a favorite."

"Can do," was his reply. He took the bin of dishes and disappeared into the back of the restaurant.

She watched him go; he'd mentioned before that there was a game room in the back, and she assumed behind that was the kitchen area. Maybe a couple games of...whatever was there, would help lift her mood. Or provide another distraction, or maybe it'd be mindless enough she could play while also thinking on the other things - any of those options seemed acceptable.

She couldn't see Sonia anywhere but the pink-haired young man she usually saw her talking to was here; he was sitting with Albert and a bespectacled man she recognized from the Commerce Guild but hadn't actually met yet so she wasn't certain on his name. As she turned back around to the counter the doors opened and Arlo and Asher came in; both of them had spent the day down in the facility helping Merlin and Petra carry around tools as well as carrying out the rest of the medical texts and manuals while Eli had been helping Selene replace a faulty speaker.

There was a clear questioning look on Asher's face and in response she jerked her head toward the stools to her right; the man immediately accepted the invitation and sat down, and after a moment to consider Arlo followed suit but sat on the stool to her left, sandwiching her between them.

"Evening, you two." Django had returned already and sat an amber-colored single serve bottle on the counter in front of her. "Your order'll be up in a few moments. What are you two having?"

"My usual," came Arlo's reply.

"No idea yet," was Asher's. The stool creaked under him as he reached to tug a battered menu toward himself.

Eli gingerly grabbed the bottle and looked it over; it was chill to the touch and already forming condensation, and the cap was thankfully a screw-top. It didn't take much to twist it open and she idly shuffled the bottle cap around between the fingers of her free hand as she took her first sip; it was a smooth taste - chocolatey, along with a faint nutty undertone. Beer wasn't her usual go-to alcoholic drink but this one wasn't all that bad.

Django waited until she'd swallowed. "So I hear you've made a deal with Martha and Toby."

She sat the bottle back on the counter, chuckling a bit. "Yeah, you could say that. The plan is to dissuade him from the adventuring life."

"I don't think that's the result you're going to get," Django laughed. "I'm told all he's done these last few days is talk about it."

Arlo glanced over to her curiously. "What deal?"

"I told him if he got top grades for two quarters - or however long half a school year is nowadays - that I'd teach him a few things. His mom is wanting to put an end to the adventuring fixation so I'll be making it as boring and difficult as possible."

Beside her Asher snorted; he didn't look up from the menu but was clearly listening in. "Think you could teach the rest of us a thing or two in the meantime?"

"...such as?"

Asher flipped the menu closed and put it back on the pile on the counter. "I'll have an order of the creamy noodles with bacon and a half order of the mapo tofu please." He then turned his attention to Eli. "Anything, really. I know I'm not the only one curious about what it was like back then, being a soldier."

"I think I'd be interested in that too," Arlo said into the pause that followed. "I'm always looking for better ways to train and become stronger."

Eli looked between the two of them; how was it going to look to Toby if she was teaching actual adventurers? Maybe she could shuffle his attention to the Civil Corps instead... "Uh. Well. Sure? I guess? Assuming you boys get top marks on your homework too."

She grinned at them, and all three men started laughing; after catching his breath Django then excused himself and headed off to take care of the orders. Eli took another sip of the beer before continuing. "-but in all seriousness, I can, yes. But you're not going to like it. I'm not sure I'm ready to torpedo any friendships yet."

"It can't be that bad, can it?" Asher asked.

"The basic training for rank and file wasn't too terrible. The training for a ranger though...that'll probably have you cursing my name up, down, and sideways."

"I'm willing to risk it," Arlo replied. "And I doubt there's anything you can make me do that would ruin a friendship."

"Uh huh," Asher said, chuckling faintly. "His pride can take a stomping unlike anything you've seen."

Arlo's face flushed bright red and he let out a small huff; it was clear Asher hadn't meant anything malicious by it but whatever history he was alluding to had definitely stung.

"Right, well," Eli hurried on, trying to dispel the sudden awkward silence. "Before I can train anyone else I need to get myself back to normal. I'm getting there but it'll probably be a few months yet before I'm satisfied." She glanced over to Asher again. "How long are you out here?"

"At least another two months. Mali was wanting to rotate us out when the scholars were ready to head back to Atara for a break -- it's looking like you won't need all five of us for too much longer anyway so I'm not sure what she might be planning now. I know if I tell her I want to stay for the long haul she won't mind though."

"Is Mali your leader, then?"

"Not officially but she's well known in the guild and has a knack for picking the right people for the right job. And usually she's the one who runs the yearly entrance exams for prospective members."

Asher ever-so-slightly leaned forward to glance toward Arlo and Eli now had an inkling as to what the 'history' was. "So what you're saying is she can't make you stay or go, more or less."

"Pretty much. I'll only be paid out to the estimated end of the contract I agreed to, which ends in two months, but I could easily stay out here another four months beyond that if I wanted before I'd need to go back home to stock back up on pocket money." He paused as Django came back with Eli's order, giving the food an appraising eye. "...I probably should've ordered that. Anyway - I do kind of like it out here. And it'd be well worth the stay if I get to learn something new."

"I guarantee I will run you off in a week," Eli said, laughing a bit as she picked up her fork. "You have no idea what you're asking for."

She picked at her food and only really tucked in once the other two had theirs brought over; for one brief moment she could imagine she was in the mess hall elbow to elbow with her squad. It was a bittersweet thought and reminded her of what she still had to write; suddenly the beer and the food didn't taste so great.

Before her mood dipped too far though the door opened again and Adam came in; he was a short, wiry man with bushy, bright red eyebrows and a shaved head. She could track his gaze as he scanned the room briefly before marching up to them at the counter. "Oi, Arlo - question. Do you Corps folks patrol at night?"

"Not always. Why?"

"A'right, lemme rephrase: did you have any patrols scheduled for tonight?"

"What's up?" Asher asked, pushing himself back from the counter.

"Greg's certain he saw someone at the far edge of the marsh looking 'is way. We need to know if it's one of your folks or not."

Arlo shook his head and then stood. "No, it's not one of ours. Where did he see this person?"

"Said out to the east. Cliffs."

Out to the east...from what she remembered of maps of the area there wasn't much out to the east and not really a way to get over to the far side of the lake unless you crossed the western bridge near the tree farm. "That's not a place someone could get to easily from this side. Has there been any sign of tracks passing through the sink hole area?"

Adam shook his head. "Neither hair nor hide. Only ones we've seen out there have come from us."

Arlo sighed, crossing his arms as his brow furrowed in thought. "If this person was seen on the cliffs they probably came from the north somewhere. Would explain why there's no new tracks."

"Whoever it was wasn't paying attention and got himself silhouetted against the moon. Greg wouldn't have spotted 'im otherwise."

Asher shoved a forkful of tofu into his mouth and then stood, digging for gols. "Hate to eat and run but this is something I ought to be helping with," he mumbled through the mouthful.

Django held up a hand. "No worries - I'll bag it up and have it waiting for you. Assuming you mean to come back."

"Yeah, that works," Asher replied. He strode toward the door and Adam spun to follow at his heels.

Arlo also dropped money on the counter. "Same for me - I'll be back soon."

Eli was already over halfway done with her food; the beer would go flat, but oh well. "I may as well head out with them. Tracking is one of my talents."

Django chuckled as she too paid and then headed out the door after the men; the moon wasn't completely full but it was bright enough in the cloudless sky that they didn't need any extra light to make it back to the sinkhole and camp. Greg was crouched near the edge of the tent, partially hidden in the shadows near one of its corner poles, and was looking out toward the east with a pair of binoculars.

"Seen 'em again?" Adam asked.

Greg lowered the binoculars but didn't turn toward them - from Eli's point of view he was hardly more than a puffy coat and fluffy woolen cap. "Not since I spotted them the first time. Whoever it was backed up and disappeared over the bluff's edge."

Asher looked around. "Where's Mali and Maddie?"

"Already headed out to have a look," was Greg's answer. He finally turned his face toward them; he had a big, brown, bushy beard that almost blended in with fur trimming around the collar of his jacket. "I've been keeping watch to make sure nothing jumps out at them."

With that he raised the binoculars again and trained them out toward the east. Eli paced away from the campfire to put it at her back, squinting out into the moonlit night; she could just barely make out moving figures ahead of her and assumed that had to be Mali and Maddie. Biting her lower lip she turned to the north to eye the cliffs; further east it became less rocky and more steep and sheer though the height of the bluffs remained about the same stretching from here to there.

"You guys got rope and pitons?" she asked, turning back around and shielding her eyes from the campfire's glow. "A couple of us can go up on this side and cross east on the top."

"We do, and even if we didn't Adam here is part squirrel," came Greg's response (though again he didn't turn to face them). "Second pair of eyes in the leather case in there - decide who's going up and leave one person here to keep look out for you."

"Arlo stays," Asher said immediately. "You were pretty good at spotting trouble coming, last I saw."

Arlo simply nodded - there wasn't an indication of embarrassment this time. "All right."

He followed Adam into the Pigs's tent; while Asher waited Eli started heading toward the cliffs. There were sheets of ice and icicles dotting overhangs and rock faces; it looked like melted run off from above had re-frozen when the sun had gone down. With the thaw-melt-refreeze cycle of winter she imagined there'd be some unstable spots on their climb up the cliff.

Adam came out of the tent a few minutes later with a bag that rattled. Out of that bag came a hammer and pitons followed by two coils of rope, one of which he handed to Eli when he caught up to her; the three of them headed for the cliffs and began a slow climb up with Adam insisting he should go up first. Asher was correct in that the man seemed to be half squirrel as he climbed quickly and with far more confidence (or recklessness) than Eli would have had for a climb in a new area and mostly in the dark.

"You guys smell that down there?"

Eli glanced above her at Adam's shout; he was almost three fourths of the way up the cliff, with Eli on the ropes behind him and Asher keeping the ropes pulled almost taut on the ground below them. "Smell what?"

"Smoke. And it ain't wood smoke."

Her hands were going numb but she managed to pick up the pace and get up the cliff moments after Adam had crested the top; they both drove in pitons to tie the rope off to, and then helped rapidly haul Asher up behind them before they set off together across the top of the bluffs. There wasn't much up here; this strip of land looked like a desert and a forest had mingled together but the trees were short with barrel-like thick trunks and spindly limbs, and frozen scrub grass crunched under their feet as they walked.

Now that they were up here they could all smell smoke on the wind; it had an acrid undertone to it -- Adam was right in that it wasn't wood smoke but what it could be none of them could guess at.

"Going to be impossible to sneak up on anyone like this, unless we want to move at a glacier's pace," Asher grumbled quietly. "And even then we're just as likely to be spotted because it's not pitch dark."

"Hush up, I hear something popping," Adam interrupted him.

They all stopped and strained their ears; Eli thought she too heard the sounds of a crackling fire but she couldn't see any firelight from where they stood. After several moments of listening Asher gestured for them to stay put and began to creep ahead; despite how carefully he tried putting his feet he couldn't move silently on the frozen grass and his footsteps drowned out the sound of distant pops.

Eli gave their surroundings a closer look; they were on top of the cliffs and there were rocky hills and the squat trees all around. She couldn't pinpoint the crackling noises except for knowing they were coming from ahead of them somewhere; she caught Adam's eye and pointed to herself, then jerked her head toward the north: she was going to move up and try to find a higher perch to see from. He nodded at her and crouched with his attention moving between Asher and her.

Very carefully she made her way to the north, cautiously moving around the trees and the biggest patches of scrub grass. Still she didn't see any sign of a fire but the sound was starting to clue her in a bit -- it was still to the northeast somewhere but it sounded like it was more north than east. She went up another small hill and around a tall rocky outcrop; Adam was out of sight now, as was Asher. The further north she went the more the land sloped upward and then, finally, she caught the barest flicker of orange against...something. Rock, or maybe an especially wide tree trunk. Whatever it was reflecting off of didn't matter too much -- all that mattered was there was a fire ahead, further up another steep hill. And where there was fire would probably be a person.

She backtracked enough to signal to Adam, as Asher was too far away and had his back to her; when the man had joined her she wordlessly put a finger in front of his nose and then slowly moved it to point his gaze directly at where the fire was. From here it was much, much less noticeable but after a moment he gave her a sharp nod and began to pick his way over toward it.

Those popping noises they'd heard before were picking up in volume; as they crept closer Eli could make out a stone overhang, or maybe it was the entrance to a cave. Next to it was another rocky outcrop that had a sheen of ice over it (which was what she'd seen the orange flickers on - that ice was reflecting the fire's light) and scattered all around was shattered rock and disturbed (but frozen) dirt as though there'd been a recent landslide here. Adam gestured to indicate he was going to circle up to the right side - the side with the reflective ice - and pointed in a way she assumed meant he wanted her to go left.

There wasn't any reason to say no to the "plan" so she did; on the top left of the overhang was a crater made by a mostly uprooted tree whose crown was now partially buried in what definitely had to have been a landslide. The overhang itself was a wide stone slab that had broken off from somewhere further north and tumbled down to come to a rest against another stone and this tree, and had formed a sheltered pocket that was rock, dirt, and dead wood on three sides -- inside this cozy little spot was the fire and possibly its creator.

But, she could see that Adam had already poked his head into the claustrophobic opening of the little nook. Since he wasn't yelling in alarm she assumed no one was home, and came around to join him.

Inside the recently made "cavern" was the remains of a campsite, and all of it was ablaze; she could sort of make out a firepit in front of it all, with a narrow path that wound around the pit and led to the back of the hole where an A-frame tent was pegged to the ground and also to the tree -- it was engulfed in flames and the fire was starting to spread to the tree. At the firepit's edge she could see melting tin cans - both empty as well as several full ones - along with shiny spots that looked like melted plastic, and blowing up into the roof of the sheltered hole were flaky fragments that suggested there'd been paper tossed in here too.

There wasn't, thankfully, any sign of a person IN the fire.

Eli straightened and looked around their immediate area. The ground was too hard for there to be actual footprints but she could see a trail of scuff marks and trampled grass that led off into the night.

"Someone beat it out of here in a hurry," Adam grunted.

"Which means they, without doubt, weren't supposed to be here. Innocent people don't run - and they definitely don't run FROM people if they were looking for help for a sudden fire, but I doubt this was accidental," she said after a moment. "And since we didn't hear anyone running off from here they must have set the fire and run off while we were climbing the cliff."

"They're not going to get far in the cold."

Eli nodded and pointed to the trail of trampled grass. "No, they're not. And I bet we can catch up if we start moving now."

At that Adam looked a little unsure. "Well...yeah, true. But what about the others? Don't know how many were actually up here, right?"

"In a bolt hole this small it was either one person or they liked each other a lot," Eli answered. "You can go back for Asher but I'm going to follow this trail and see where it goes."

"All right, fine - we'll catch up quick. Be careful."

He disappeared back down the hill and Eli turned her attention to the trail on the ground. It went almost straight to the east; following it was fairly simple - enough so that she was able to jog along and only need to periodically glance down to make sure she was still on track. There wasn't any way to be stealthy so she was more focused on being highly aware of her surroundings and found herself looking at each rock, shrub, and tree with suspicion. So long as the trail kept winding among them and didn't...stop...

There. The trail went around a tree - specifically around to its far side, whereas the others had zigzagged only enough to get around them and hadn't hugged them so closely.

Eli slowed to a lumbering jog; whoever was up ahead likely knew they were being followed - she needed to decide what to do about that. Either this was an ambush waiting to happen or whoever this was had thought they'd gotten far enough away that hiding was an option.

She decided on a direct approach. "Come on out," she called ahead. "I know you're there and we both know you're not going to have an easy night out in the elements without shelter."

All she got was a resounding silence as an answer; she came to a stop about ten feet from the tree. From where she stood she could tell that the trail didn't continue beyond this point -- SOMEONE was on the other side. She wasn't overly worried about trying to apprehend one person on her own, especially since she knew exactly where this person was (and besides, Adam and Asher were coming to back her up).

"Come on. Let's not make this harder than it needs to be."

There was a shuffling noise and then a flash of movement as the man came around the tree; she caught the briefest glimpse of something glinting in the moonlight and instinct took over -- she was moving before she'd fully registered what was in the man's leading hand and as he fully stepped around the trunk she was dashing forward to slam the palm of her hand into his chin. Something flew out of his hand and skittered across the rocky ground; her initial blow hadn't stunned him much and Eli ducked under a clumsily swung fist that came a lot quicker than she'd anticipated. The next fist she caught and deflected with an open palm and used the momentum to pirouette and bring her left leg around in a roundhouse kick that the man tried to dodge by twisting aside but without enough backward movement so the toe of her boot caught him in the elbow and it was accompanied with a popping noise and a shout of pain.

As he staggered back and held his arm close to his chest she set her feet and dropped into a combat stance. "For what it's worth, I didn't mean to do that," she said.

Something whistled passed her and a split second later she saw a rock ricocheting off the man's collarbone and dropping to the earth; he stumbled backward and tripped over a tree root then fell to the ground on his back. From either side of her came Asher and Adam hurrying forward to fall on the man before he got a chance to get his feet back under him.

"For what it's worth, I DID" she heard Asher grunt as the three men wrestled on the ground.

With only one good arm it didn't take long the subdue the man, and Asher hauled him up to his feet without much resistance; Adam was already grabbing for his wrists to tie his hands behind his back.

Eli held up a hand. "Wait, hang on - don't do that."

"Huh? Why?"

"Because if his hands are behind him it's going to be a massive pain in the ass to get him down the cliff."

Both men paused a moment, then Asher nodded in agreement and shook the man roughly. "Hear that? Any trouble and down the cliff you go - we can get to the bottom gently or we can see how high you bounce."

Still the man didn't respond aside from a pained and annoyed noise.

It the moonlight he seemed to be a thin man with a leather cap on that hid his hair. He wore a dark leather jacket and cargo pants tucked into heavy boots, and when he locked gazes with Eli she could make out the line of a strong jaw and a few missing teeth when he actually hissed at her like an animal.

"Right. Let's get this jerk back to town - you've got a jail cell, right?"

"I...assume so?" Eli answered, looking to Asher. "I'd hope so. No idea where it is though. Should also let Dr. Xu know we've got an injury."

"Eh, let him stew with it," Adam growled. Since the injured arm was on his side he grabbed the man by the waistband instead and moved in unison with Asher as they began to roughly march the man back the way they'd come; he resisted for the first ten feet or so then gave up and walked with them, his head down.

Eli went to follow them and then remembered that there had been a weapon or something that she'd knocked out of the man's hands. It took several minutes to find as it had slid under a nearby bush but soon she was looking over a revolver.

It only had a three-shot barrel, the caliber wasn't all that big, and the barrel had a plug of sand and rock wedged in its end from the fall - it was ugly and fairly inefficient compared to what she was used to but assuming she could get that rock loose (and that it wasn't a cheap gun that'd explode after only a few shots) she could probably make personal use of it. Did Selene know what a reloading bench was? If this revolver existed (it wasn't a design she knew had come from her time period) clearly guns were still around in some form or fashion. Maybe she could engineer a rifle with Selene's help... She went to put it in her breast pocket and the muzzle of the gun scraped along the notebook's outer cover.

Oh, right -- she'd forgotten that was in there. Since both gun and notebook wouldn't fit together in the pocket and the other pockets of her jacket weren't deep enough to securely hold the gun Eli unloaded it and stuck it in her right pocket with the three bullets going in her left and hoped neither of them would fall out on the climb back down.

-------------------------------------------------------

The morning of the funerals came; it was bright and sunny but still bitterly cold. Arlo was more than ready for spring to come back but was thankful that the weather hadn't taken a nasty turn since today was pretty important.

Eli and Gale had worked out two ceremonies - one at the mass grave and one for the thirteen that had been buried in Portia's cemetery. He could only imagine how rough this day was going to be for Eli; Arlo had never had to bury anyone he personally knew -- both sets of grandparents had already passed on by the time he was born and both his parents were still alive but had relocated from Portia's countryside south to Tallsky for the milder weather. He didn't have a spouse to worry about either since he wasn't married -- he wasn't even sure what to call whatever it was he had with Nora. Were they dating? Were they still deciding that? He had a heart knot hidden in his room but hadn't felt especially driven to deliver it to her yet...he wasn't confident at all that she'd accept it.

Especially now, since the amount of time they'd been spending together had been decreasing since Eli had been found. At first it was out of necessity - he HAD to stand guard at the facility - but once Mali and the Pigs had arrived he hadn't needed to spend as much time out there like before, and had mostly moved back to his usual routine... Nora had been a bit unhappy at the disruption to his schedule in the beginning but even now with it back to normal she hadn't-

No. He didn't need to be worrying over this. Not today.

And besides, he'd be just as upset at Nora's funeral as he would at Sam's, or Remington's, or anyone else in Portia. He didn't need to be married or related to someone to mourn them.

He left his room and, since the cell was right there, checked on their prisoner; the man had still refused to speak beyond hissing and grunting at everyone but had accepted medical attention, food, and water. Currently the man was sitting on a stool facing the back corner of the holding cell and didn't react when Arlo asked how he was feeling today.

Mali had recognized him; he was a wanted criminal in Meidi -- for espionage and three murders. They all were pretty certain they knew who had hired and sent him out here but with his camp in ashes they couldn't pin down just how long he'd been camped out there, and he definitely wasn't offering any answers of his own and hadn't been carrying anything useful or especially incriminating on himself either. Gale had contacted Meidi's representatives in Atara and then had passed making transport arrangements on to Mali since she, Maddie, and Adam would be escorting the man back there to face punishment.

To all appearances it seemed Duvos was wasting no time in investigating the discovery of the facility.

Adam had volunteered to tend to their unexpected guest today so Arlo continued on and headed down to Portia's gates; benches, stools, and spare chairs had all been arranged on the road in a loose semi circle facing the large grave. Most of Portia's residents were already there but few were seated; they were standing in small clusters chatting away, and he didn't see Eli or Gale among them.

Selene and Paulie were standing at the edge of the crowd, both studying something in a notebook Selene held in hand; he walked up and nodded to Paulie who in return clapped a friendly hand to his shoulder but didn't speak as Selene seemed to be on a roll explaining whatever she had sketched out.

"-and after that all we'd need is you to move it all in. Easy enough, right?"

"What're you two planning now?" Arlo asked when Selene paused to take a breath.

"Our builder here is trying to plan out the carpentry and furniture needs for an expansion to the clinic," Paulie answered. "She'll be handling the metalwork, and I'll be handling any woodwork."

"So Xu decided to expand after all?"

Selene nodded as she shut the notebook and tucked it under an arm. "Just this morning. At first he was worried about cost but Gale said Atara had pledged some funds to assist and of course Portia has a general fund for new construction and also a repair budget that Gale can shift money from. Now that he knows it's not coming entirely out of his pocket he's jumping at the chance to work alongside an All Source."

"And what about security measures?" Arlo asked, raising an eyebrow. They'd been worried about that even before they'd found their little Duvos visitor on the cliffs...

The builder huffed at him. "You really think I'd draw up potential building plans and not think about protecting what was inside? I need to double check space requirements with Eli and Stewart before I finalize anything but I've got more than a few ideas on how to keep people out of that building if they're not supposed to be there."

Before he could respond movement drew his attention and he watched as Eli and Gale walked up from the gates and to the edge of the grave, in front of all the chairs and benches. The chatter died down quickly and people moved to find a seat, or else moved out of the way and to the edges of the crowd so they could see without obstructing anyone else's view. Arlo opted to remain standing himself, as did Paulie and Selene; Gale cleared his throat and scanned the crowd. Arlo looked over the group again as well, and it occurred to him that he didn't see Nora or Lee.

He frowned and double checked and yes, neither of them were here. Were they running late? He wanted to give them the benefit of doubt but knowing Lee... The man wasn't typically vindictive or disrespectful, and he hadn't gone out of his way to harass or badmouth Eli that Arlo had noticed (and if Lee had then Eli hadn't mentioned it), but to avoid a funeral felt cruel and spiteful.

With a long sigh Arlo shook his head and returned his attention to Gale.

----------------------------------------------------

Gale had offered a small explanation to the crowd - that she would be conducting the funeral according to her personal religious beliefs. That got her more than a couple curious looks and by the time Gale surrendered the metaphorical floor to her and seated himself with the others she finally settled on what to say here, and how to say it.

She took a deep breath and clasped her hands behind her back; it was old habit to stand at parade rest and it probably wasn't entirely appropriate for a funeral but it was comfortable and familiar and she needed that at the moment.

"Good morning, everyone," she began. "I know that, between my time period and this one, a lot of things were lost. People, history, technology...religion. My religion is called the Foundational Three - named such due to the three guiding forces of Fate, Balance, and Judgement. Fate ensures every person born has a story to tell and that when they pass the cosmos itself remembers them, Balance makes certain that that story isn't too simple or too difficult to bear, and Judgement renders assistance or punishment as needed because sometimes others decide to intervene in stories they haven't been invited to. I tell you this, before I say anything else, because I'd like you all to understand first why I choose to remember these people as I do, and also so there's no sadness when you contemplate lives lost, whether it's those that came before, those that you may have lost in recent memory, or those you know you'll lose naturally in the distant future."

She paused and glanced around to gauge the general feel of the crowd; everyone's attention was on her and she saw mostly intent faces and a few neutral ones that were hard to read.

"Portia, as you know, is built upon Dubei's ruins. And Dubei was my home. It was full of people - full of stories. Millions of them, in fact. I could try to tell those stories but I'd be talking until the heat death of the universe happened, but even then, that really wouldn't matter - it's not my voice that will persist to tell them. That's Fate's duty, and Fate carries out that duty by speaking through the simplest of things: a howling wind, a bubbling river, the rasp of grass fields in a breeze, the drip of water, a sudden spout of laughter, a few quiet tears, the pattern clouds trace across the sky, the endless march of the passing seasons, the light of the stars. In every aspect of existence there is a story and we hear it with conscious and unconscious ears. These stories are in the items left behind, the whispers of legend and folklore, the written word, the spoken traditions, the family gatherings, and of course...when your life is shared with another - your pages entwine with the story of someone else. There are countless ways Fate shares the lives of those before us with those that still remain, and in this way these people are never truly gone from us."

Again she paused, turning to regard the gigantic headstone. It was finely polished marble with a trapezoidal base that joined into a tear drop-esque shape on top. The names were evenly arranged in two columns that then became three that then ended in four, from top to bottom of the tear drop to the trapezoid, and had mirrored images of a flowering tree in bloom curving up either side; Gust had designed it and Eli appreciated its simple elegance.

"None of us knew these people," she went on. "I lived during the same time period and I never met any of them. But I know that, should I choose to listen to the world around me, I will hear their stories echoing. And not just theirs but those of the people that came before them, and then those people that came before that, and then those before that. Fate is the Great Curator, and none of our stories will be lost to time whether we gather to share them or not. Today, I lack the pages to share the specifics with you for these people...but, give it time, and Fate will take care of that for me. Ours are stories that go on forever even if the people can't."

With that she went silent and stood there for a moment; finally she dipped her head and walked away from the front of the crowd and once she'd reached the road those gathered there erupted into dozens of murmured conversations.

"This concludes this remembrance ceremony" she heard Gale announce behind her. "If you all would like to take a moment to warm up some there's coffee and hot chocolate available, for free, at the Round Table. The second ceremony will be in one hour's time in Portia's cemetery."

It took several minutes but at last the crowd began to disperse; Eli stayed where she was at the edge of the sitting area and was surprised when the group seemed to be...queuing up to talk to her. There were a lot of faces she knew, some she only knew by name but hadn't really talked to before today (and she also met the rest of the septuplets finally with them joking about how they'd purposely lined up from oldest to youngest for her convenience). There were also a lot of compliments on her speech and there was a young woman who introduced herself as Alice who was curious about the Three specifically.

And so concluded the easy part. The next one was going to be a lot harder.

Most of the townsfolk moved off to share their coffees and chocolates; Selene, Paulie, Arlo, Remington, and five of the Hulu brothers (the only one she was confident she had the right name for was Dawa, because he was taller than his brothers) stayed behind to cart the benches and chairs up to the graveyard and carefully arrange them around and near the thirteen fresh graves.

"We still have some time," Selene said once they'd gotten everything in place. "Do we want to head down to the Round Table and get a drink?"

"You guys go ahead. I think I'll stay here," Eli replied after a moment.

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

The builder woman didn't look convinced but headed off anyway; Paulie and Arlo followed along with her and shortly thereafter the Hulu brothers and Remington went together down the hill as well.

That left her alone with Darren, and her squad.

She edged around the chairs and benches and walked up to Darren's tombstone; Gust had designed all of these too and they all bore various designs of flowering trees, plants, and vines. She'd been shown the designs before the tombstones were made and he'd explained that, having heard that Dubei had had so much plantlife incorporated into its structures, he wanted to embrace that detail and combine it with sweeping shapes and gentle curves and create something memorable as well as beautiful. And looking over their shapes she could see a bit of Dubei in them - everything back then might have been sleek forms, polished metal, and shining glass but you couldn't go five feet without seeing an ornamental tree or flower bed or vines cascading down every building, and he'd perfectly captured that feeling of 'wild and free' combined with modern.

She trailed her fingers over the scalloped top of Darren's stone; it wasn't supposed to have been like this, and immediately following that thought came a pang of guilt -- how selfish of her, to be wishing the roles were reversed and that HE was the one dealing with the emotional turmoil while she rested peacefully under the soil.

That particular train of thought was disrupted by the sounds of footsteps coming up the hill behind her. As she turned her hand fell away from the tombstone and after a breath she stuck both hands into her pockets; Arlo, Selene, and Asher were walking up the hill with steaming mugs in hand, and she noted Arlo was carrying two of them.

As she was expecting that second mug was for her; from the smell it was a hot chocolate and there was a rapidly melting dollop of cream on top. "Thanks."

"Thought you could use it," was Arlo's reply. His mug looked untouched but he did take a sip after she'd accepted the other one from him. "We still have about a half hour."

Eli nodded and took a tentative sip of the hot chocolate; true to its name it was VERY hot but in that brief moment between her tongue registering flavor and then being torched by the scalding liquid it was a very rich taste and the cream was only semi-sweet - not like the stuff she was used to. She couldn't tell if it was Asher or Selene who had the coffee but it was very fragrant.

"Any confirmations from Mali yet?" Eli asked.

Asher shook his head. "Not yet. She's coordinating with Meidi still -- they've been having more, and worse, winter storms than usual lately and all the places she could land the plane are buried under almost a foot of ice and snow. When the word comes that they've cleared a spot for her to land she's going to have to drop everything and leave."

She took another careful sip from her mug (it didn't burn as badly this time but that also might be because the first one had killed all sensation in her tongue). Over their shoulders she could see a few people heading toward them; at their head and moving considerably faster than everyone else, was Toby.

Seeing the kid reminded her of the agreement she'd made, and then of Asher's request. Considering they'd caught one spy...

"Have you mentioned to anyone else yet that you want to learn some ranger techniques?" she asked, looking between Arlo and Asher.

"Not yet but I bet Sam and Remington would like to join in," Arlo answered.

"I did but the others aren't sure they could rearrange their schedules yet," Asher said. He gestured in the general direction of the Civil Corps building. "I know Adam mentioned he'd like to make it happen. Both Greg and Maddie are married with kids -- uh, not to each other, but still, they can't just drop everything and stay here longer than planned."

"Understood. The reason I ask is, with the discovery of our friend up on the bluffs, I don't think it'd be wise to wait a couple months until I'm in top shape."

Asher looked to her curiously. "So you want to start early?"

She nodded. "VERY early. I was thinking tomorrow morning -- I can get back in shape while also dragging the rest of you up to my level."

Asher's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. "Oh, uh. All right. Guess I should've opted for less sugar in this then..." He peered into his mug, nose wrinkling.

"Hi Eli!" came Toby's yell then; he rushed up beside them and bounced on the balls of his feet near her elbow.

"Hey kid. How'd the math test go?"

Toby scrunched up his face. "It - it was fine. I did ok. I don't like math."

"Not many do but it's pretty important to learn. Just do your best and ask for help where you need it. Nothing wrong with asking for help," Eli said, nodding down at him.

The scrunched up look relaxed into a happier one and Eli moved her mug to her opposite hand so the excitable boy wouldn't accidentally jostle it. Moving up the hill behind the kid was a larger group than Eli had initially thought - from where she stood her view was partially blocked - and she steeled herself for the next part. It would be a longer ceremony, and more difficult to get through.

It was easy to say there shouldn't be any sadness in remembering the lost. It was an entirely different thing to try and cling to.

#Lost in Time #lit #Lost in Time - ch 11 #Arlo #Builder #Flying Pigs #Toby #Paulie #Duvos #My Time at Portia

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architectnews · 5 years ago

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American Architecture Awards 2020 Winners

American Architecture Awards 2020 Results, Architects, Chicago Athenaeum News, US Buildings

American Architecture Awards 2020

Nov 7, 2020

2020 American Architecture Awards

American Architecture Awards 2019 News

Greek Architects Select Over 130 Designs For New Buildings And Urban Planning Projects In The United States And Abroad For The 2020 American Architecture Awards

The Nation’s Highest Public Award for New Architecture and Urban Planning by the Most Prominent Architecture Firms in the United States Are Honored by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies

November 1st 2020 – A new skyscraper and transportation center in San Francisco by Cesar Pelli; a stunning restoration of an historic Washington D.C. library by Norman Foster; a Cadillac Showroom in Shanghai by Gensler; a visionary ‘cloudscape’ San Francisco tower by orm4Architecture; the rehabilitation of an old Domino Sugar Refinery in Brooklyn by Practice for Architecture and Urbanism; a minimalist house in Connecticut by Roger Ferris + Partners; a sleek Conrad Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. by Herzog & de Meuron/ Rottet Studio; a new Chicago zoo building by Ross Barney Architects; two new vineyards in California and Umbria, Italy by Piechota Architecture and Hughes Umbanhowar Architects; new affordable housing in Los Angeles by Eric Owen Moss; and two New York skyscrapers by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates PC. head an impressive list of awarded buildings and urban planning projects in the United States and abroad for 2020.

Over 130 buildings and urban plans from a shortlist of over 400 projects have won the prestigious 2020 American Architecture Awards® for the best new architecture designed and constructed by American architects and by international architects with offices in the United States.

Now in its 26th year, The American Architecture Awards are organized by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies—jointly presenting this annual, prestigious program for Design Excellence and for the best and next contributions to innovative contemporary American architecture.

The American Architecture Awards are the nation’s highest public awards given by a non-commercial, non-trade affiliated, public arts, culture, and educational institution.

This year’s American Architecture Awards went to exceptional buildings designed for every stage of our lives: skyscrapers, corporate headquarters, governmental buildings, science and technology centers, transportation centers, airports, hotels, parks, pavilions, restorations and renovations, retail facilities, housing projects, private homes, schools, universities, art, cultural and health buildings, urban planning and landscape architecture, interiors, and other humanitarian and educational initiatives.

“For 26 years, The American Architecture Awards have recognized the best new American architecture by the nation’s leading architects for their approach, research, innovation, and vision by design practitioners, developers, and their clients,” states Christian Narkiewicz-Laine, Architecture Critic and Museum President, The Chicago Athenaeum.

“In a matter of 26 years, this program has become the single, most important recognition for Design Excellence in the United States, honoring known and celebrated firms, as well as young upstart offices for their smaller scaled, more challenging projects.”

“This year, the selected firms for these awards again celebrate the value of architecture to communities across the country and reaffirm American architects’ commitment to the highest standards of design.”

“Land developers, builders, architects, and engineers have dissected the most brilliant deliveries of single buildings and master planned communities, evaluating the challenges ahead and discussing solutions that will shape tomorrow’s communities well into the future,” continues Narkiewicz-Laine.

“For 2020, The American Architecture Awards recognize the visionary work of several hundred architecture offices, associate architects, landscape architects, and urban planners for projects in every region of the United States, as well as aboard in Italy, China, Lithuania, Switzerland, South Korea, Latvia, New Zealand, Uganda, Mexico, and Brazil.”

“Also, it is interesting to note that this year, there were a record number of awards given for restoration, renovation, and historic preservation of old buildings, thereby reaffirming the importance to conserve American history and heritage, a well as heralding the prominent conservation position that handsomely recycled buildings are the best sustainable Green examples of what can be made revitalized and renewed again for contemporary use.”

“The Chicago Athenaeum champions better buildings, communities, and the environment through which architecture can flourish. The Museum’s awards provide one of the most powerful ways of promoting architecture and the work of architects to the public. I am delighted with this year’s selection, which shows a great variety of imagination and ingenuity,” Narkiewicz-Laine concludes.

This year, the 400 shortlisted entries were selected by a smaller, restricted jury because of the Corona Virus Pandemic and composed of the following Thessaloniki-based Greek architects and educators:

• Eleanna Makridou, Architect, P. Makridis + Associates S.A.

• Ifigeneia Konstantinidou, Communications Expert, Responsive

• Maria Tsaftari, Architect, Urban Soul Project

• Simos Antoniadis, Architect, Urban Soul Project

“The over 130 Awarded American Architecture projects for 2020 are:

BRIDGES

inFORM studio + Buro Happold – Providence Pedestrian Bridge, Providence, Rhode Island

LMN Architects – University District Gateway Bridge, Spokane, Washington

Cordogan, Clark & Associates, Inc. – 41st Street Bridge, Chicago, Illinois

CIVIC AND COMMUNITY

Overland Partners – ChildSafe Harvey E. Najim Children and Family Center, San Antonio, Texas

COMMERCIAL

Belzberg Architects – Aurora, México City, México

Piechota Architecture – Silver Oak Winery, Healdsburg, California

Hughes Umbanhowar Architects – Tasting Room, Umbria, Italy

HOK – Consumers Credit Union Headquarters, Kalamazoo, Michigan

Adjaye Associates – The Webster, Los Angeles, California

Skylab – Sideyard, Portland, Oregon

CORPORATE

LEVER Architecture – Redfox Commons, Portland, Oregon

SmithGroup – Guangshun University Labs, Guiyang, China

CULTURE AND MUSEUMS

Johnsen Schmaling Architects – OS Gallery and Studio, Racine, Wisconsin

Belzberg Architects – USC Shoah Foundation-Institute for Visual History and Education, Los Angeles, California

HGA – Boise State University Center for the Visual Arts, Boise, Idaho

OSA Open Source Architecture – Tautos Namai, Lithuanian National Concert Hall, Vilnius, Lithuania

archimania – Ballet Memphis, Memphis, Tennesse

Michielli + Wyetzner Architects – The Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, Bronx, New York

Form4 Architecture – The Museum of No Spectators, Black Rock City, Nevada

Koning Eizenberg Architecture, Inc. – MuseumLab, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Architects LLP. – LMCC’s Arts Center at Governors Island, New York, New York

Deborah Berke Partners – 122 Community Arts Center, New York, New York

Adjaye Associates – Ruby City Contemporary Art Center, San Antonio, Texas

DISPLAY/INSTALLATIONS

Studio Joseph – New Glass Now, Corning, New York

ENTERTAINMENT

Marvel Architects – TheatreSquared, Fayetteville, Arkansas

Ross Barney Architects – Searle Visitor Center Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, Illinois

EXPOSITION

Lake|Flato Architects – Marine Education Center at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, Ocean Springs, Mississippi

HOK – Kentucky International Convention Center, Louisville, Kentucky

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill/ Mark Cavagnero Associates – Moscone Center Expansion and Improvement, San Francisco, California

GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS

Roth Sheppard Architects – Montezuma County Combined Courts

HEALTH CARE/HOSPITALS

Trahan Architects – The Ochsner Center for Innovation, New Orleans, Louisiana

ikon.5 architects – Health and Wellness Center, Suffolk County Community College, Riverhead, New York

Paul Lukez Architecture – Uganda Dental and Vision Clinic, Bwindi, Uganda

Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Architects LLP. – David H. Koch Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, New York

HIGH RISES/SKYSCRAPERS

Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates PC.– 55 Hudson Yards, New York, New York

Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates PC.– 390 Madison, New York, New York

Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects – Salesforce Tower, San Francisco, California

FitzGerald Associates Architects – 727 West Madison, Chicago, Illinois

Pei Cobb Freed & Partners Architects LLP. – One Dalton: Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences, Boston, Massachusetts

Solomon Cordwell Buenz – Park Tower at Transbay, San Francisco, California

Pininfarina – Yachthouse by Pininfarina, Balneário Camboriú, Brazil

HOTELS/HOSPITALITY

Kobi Karp Architecture and Interior Design – Kimpton Hotel Palomar South Beach, Miami, Florida

Montalba Architects, Inc. – Whitepod, Les Cerniers, Switzerland

UNITEDLAB Associates LLC. – Round Retreat, Kurzeme, Latvia

Herzog & de Meuron/ Rottet Studio – Conrad Washington, DC., Washington, D.C.

INDUSTRIAL

Arch11 – DynaEnergetics, Blum, Texas

Tryba Architects – The Glass Lab, Portland, Oregon

LIBRARIES

JRA Architects – Louisville Free Public Library Northeast Regional Branch, Louisville, Kentucky

MONUMENTS

Handel Architects – Emanuel Nine Memorial, Charleston, South Carolina

MIXED-USE

Jonathan Segal FAIA – The Continental, San Diego, California

Form4 Architecture – Cloudscape, San Francisco, California

Ennead Architects – Taopu HERO Innovation Hub, Shanghai, China

HOK – 4th and Harrison Mixed-use Development, San Francisco, California

Belzberg Architects – West Olympic Science Hub, Los Angeles, California

Eric Owen Moss Architects – Reese Davidson Community, Los Angeles, California

MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING

University of Arkansas Community Design Center – 7Hills Day Center Complex, Fayetteville, Arkansas

University of Arkansas Community Design Center – New Beginnings Homeless Transition Village Prototype, Fayetteville, Arkansas

SHoP Architects – PIER 4 Project, Boston, Massachusetts

DLR Group – The Triumph – Community-Based Short Term Family Housing, Washington, District of Columbia

PRIVATE HOUSES

Messana O’Rorke Architects – The Jewel Box, New York, New York

Engelking Architect – Wuehrer House, East Hampton, New York

Belzberg Architects – Camelback Residence, Paradise Valley, Arizona

CCY Architects – Meadow House, Aspen, Colorado

MINARC – Mildred Residence, Venice, California

Aidlin Darling Design – High Desert Retreat, Palm Desert, California

David Jameson Architect – Manifold House, Arlington, Virginia

Alterstudio – Highland Park Residence, Austin, Texas

ISA – Interface Studio Architects – XS House, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

David Jameson Architect – Wildcat Mountain Residence, The Plains, Virginia

Snow Kreilich Architects – X House, Minneapolis Minnesota

XTEN Architecture – Skyhouse, Los Angeles, California

Abramson Architects – The Palisades House, Pacific Palisades, California

Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects – Ridge Mountain, Palm Springs, California

Roger Ferris + Partners – Pool House, Westport, Connecticut

Swatt | Miers Architects – Cheng-Brier House, Tiburon, California

Lake|Flato Architects – Aegean Pool House, Mineola, Texas

Lake|Flato Architects – Ishawooa Mesa Ranch, Cody, Wyoming

Charles Rose Architects – Bluff House, Croton-on-Hudson, New York, New York

SsD – Simgok Place, Seoul, South Korea

PUBLIC SPACE

designLAB architects – Worcester Blackstone Visitors Center, Worcester, Massachusetts

Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects – The Culver Steps, Culver City, California

Metcalfe Architecture & Design, LLC. – Whiting Forest of Dow Gardens, Midland, Michigan

Lake|Flato Architects + Matsys – Confluence Park. San Antonio, Texas

Stack + Co. – Warp House, Boston, Massachusetts

UNITEDLAB Associates – Cloud Forestsm Pavilion for Children’s Play, Hwaseong, South Korea

RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS

Archimania – Garden Chapel Pavilion, Memphis, Tennesse

Mark Cavagnero Associates – Saint Mary’s College High School Student Chapel, Albany, California

BNIM – Lutheran Church of Hope-Grimes, Grimes, Iowa

RETAIL/SHOWROOMS

Dake Wells Architecture – Sunshine and National Retail Center, Springfield, Missouri

David Jameson Architect – Sherber + Rad, Washington, DC

atelierRISTING llc. – Glass Cabin, Fairbank, Iowa

Gensler – Cadillac House in Shanghai, Shanghai, China

Montalba Architects, Inc. – BLDWN, Los Angeles, California

Desai Chia Architecture – AFNY Project 6 Showroom, New York, New York

RESTORATION/RENOVATION

Woofter Architecture – PSU Stott Center Renovation + Viking Pavilion, Portland, Oregon

Aidlin Darling Design – Terrace House, San Francisco, California

Spectorgroup/ Perkins Eastman Architects – Audible Innovation Cathedral, Newark, New Jersey

Foster + Partners – Apple Carnegie Library, Washington D.C.

Alexander Gorlin Architects – Bell Works, Holmdel, New Jersey

Hughes Umbanhowar – Mashta, Key Biscayne, Florida

Roth Sheppard Architects – Rabbit House, Denver, Colorado

Practice for Architecture and Urbanism – Domino Sugar Refinery, Brooklyn, New York

Bone / Levine Architects – Anthology Film Archives Completion Project, New York, New York

Touloukian Touloukian Inc. – Terminal B, Boston, Massachusetts

SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES

Centerbrook Architects and Planners – Karsh Alumni and Visitors Center, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina

Mitchell Giurgola – 370 Jay Street, New York University, Brooklyn, New York

Gensler – Columbia College Student Center, Chicago, Illinois

Payette – Amherst College New Science Center, Amherst, Massachusetts

KieranTimberland – Brown University, Engineering Research Center, Providence, Rhode Island\

Ennead Architects – Stanford University, Denning House, Stanford, California

William Rawn Associates, Architects, Inc. with Arrowstreet Architecture & Design – King Open Elementary / Cambridge Street Upper Schools and Community Complex, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Weiss/Manfredi Architects – Tsai Center for Innovative Thinking at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut

CO Architects – University of Arizona Health Sciences Innovation Building, Tucson, Arizona

BVH Architecture – Nebraska Center for Advanced Professional Studies, Fairfield, Nebraska

Montalba Architects, Inc. – Headspace SM Campus, Santa Monica, California

The Miller Hull Partnership, LLP. in collaboration with Lord Aeck Sargent, a Ketterra Company – Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design, Georgia Institute of Technology

SPORTS AND LEISURE

FGP Atelier/ Taller ADG – Centro Deportivo Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium, México City, México

Elkus Manfredi Architects – The Auerbach Center, Boston, Massachusetts

BVH Architecture – Niobrara River Valley Preserve Center, Johnstown, Nebraska

BLUR Workshop – Colorado Active Sports Entertainment Facility, Centennial, Colorado

TRANSPORTATION

Dake Wells Architecture – Springfield Underground Command Station, Springfield, Missouri

Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects – Salesforce Transit Center, San Francisco, California

URBAN PLANNING/LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates PC. – NYCHA Red Hook Houses Sandy Resiliency and Renewal Program, Brooklyn, New York

W Architecture and Landscape Architecture LLC. – The Edge Park, Brooklyn, New York

SurfaceDesign, Inc. – The Auckland International Airport Landscape, Auckland, New Zealand

PWP Landscape Architecture – Glenstone Museum, Potomac, Maryland

All Awarded buildings can be viewed at The Museum’s website in an on-line exhbition at chi-athenaeum.org.

The American Architecture Awards, founded 26 years ago, is a centerpiece of The Chicago Athenaeum and the European Centre’s efforts to identify and promote best practices in all types of architectural development and to bring a global focus to light of the best new designs from the United States. It is the only national and global program of its kind.

The 2020 Awards Presentation/Gala Dinner was to be held in Los Angeles, but has been postponed until next year due to the Corona Virus/COVID-19 Pandemic. A notice will be sent when the event is rescheduled.

All awarded buildings and urban planning projects are presented in (Global Design + Urbanism XX) New American Architecture 2020 published by Metropolitan Arts Press Ltd.

Books can be purchased by contacting The Chicago Athenaeum or on-line at metropolitanartspress.com.

The deadline for the 2021 American Architecture Awards is February 1, 2021.

Applications for 2021 are available on line at chi-athenaeum.org.

About The Chicago Athenaeum (www.chi-athenaeum.org) is a global nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide public education about the significance of architecture and design and how those disciplines can have a positive effect on the human environment.

About The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies (www.europeanarch.eu) is dedicated to public education concerning all aspects of the built environment – from entire cities to individual buildings – including the philosophical issues of arts and culture that ultimately give the final shape to design. A high emphasis exists on contemporary values and aesthetics, conservation and sustainability, and the theoretical exploration and advancement of art and design as the highest expression of culture and urbanism.

American Architecture Awards 2018 images / information from The Chicago Athenaeum, 071120

Previously on e-architect:

2018 American Architecture Awards

American Architecture Awards 2018

Apple Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois by Foster and Partners: photos courtesy of The Chicago Athenaeum

Shapeshifter Reno, Nevada by OPA:

Crest Apartments San Diego, California by Michael Maltzan Architecture:

The American Prize for Architecture 2018 Winners

The Chicago Athenaeum | 601 S Prospect St., Galena, IL 61036 USA Phone +1 815 777-4444 | [email protected] | www.chi-athenaeum.org

Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA

American Architecture Awards Winner in 2017 The American Prize for Architecture 2017 Winners

American Architecture Awards

American Architecture Awards Winners

AIA New York Design Awards

American Institute of Architects Gold Medal

American Architecture Awards 2008

WAF Awards

Stirling Prize

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reneeswing · 5 years ago

Text

Some of my thoughts on the coronavirus epidemic

Part 1: Going home

It was at the noon of Christmas day in 2019. When most western families reunited for the occasion, I sat in the sun-lit apartment in Amsterdam by myself, calling my family in Shanghai 7 hours ahead of Europe. The big family was gathering as a routine as well, althouth they were not celebrating anything particular. Feast on the table, glasses clinking, the simple happiness and warmth was transversed to me from thousands of miles away. Today in retrospect, I realize they were simply appreciating the essence in life: health, freedom and love.

During the phone call, I told them I was going to leave my current job. It was not an easy decision, just like most ones in everybody’s life. After a year long struggle of not getting a promising career prospect, which weighed heavily on my mental fitness, I’ve finally decided to take back control and move on. When my uncles learnt that I would have a two-week gap before my new job starts, they both suggested me return to spend the Spring Festival with the family in Shanghai. The truth is although I visited them almost every year, it has been 7 years since last time I was with them during the biggest festival season in China, and that particular last time was rather for my Granpa’s passing…

With almost no hesitation, I wrapped up all my work and hopped on the first flight to Shanghai in the mid January 2020. As of that particular moment, I was complete oblivious of the virus outbreak.

Winter in Shanghai could be cruel; the rain went on drizzling for days, one will quiver for the winter chill. Upon my arrival, mood at home was light. My uncle and cousin-in-law came to pick me up from the airport. All along the way, we were cracking jokes about Uncle C’s rookie driving skills, since he obtained his driver’s license only a month ago at the age of 60. Back at home, after examining my luggage with her “quasi-military precision", mother couldn’t stop nagging me of being underdressed for the weather. But for me, from the bottom of my heart, I felt completely care-free and warm, because I was home.

Part 2: the voluntary siege

Now less than one month later, we all know this festive mood didn’t last long. Merely three days after my arrival, the news of human cross-infection of the novel corona virus was confirmed by the Chinese Central Government. The epicenter was allegedly located in Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei Province with a population of more than 10 million. From then on, the episode began to unveil in an unimaginable speed...

January 23th, the rain kept on for a long while. It was one day before the New Year’s Eve, this was supposed to be the day when parents sweep-clean the entire house and grandma prepares for the family dinner with her secrete recipes. however, eventually it became the day when the city of Wuhan was locked down due to the severe outbreak of the novel coronavirus. 10 o’clock in the morning, all the transporation en-route to this mega-size city in the center of China was temporarily closed. As I learnt this news from the media, we have already be strongly urged, by both the central and local government, to always take protective hygienic measures, avoid populous areas and refrain ourselves from unnecessary gatherings. Official precaustions on domestic and international travels were issued and aired frequently to the general public in the meantime.

Overnight, face masks and household medical alcohol were nearly sold out in every corner of the city and online; people in the communities were deeply shrouded by the dire situation in Wuhan and Hubei Province. In my immediate circle, everyone felt for the fear that people were suffering from over there; we prayed for the sick, for the health and for everyone who was innocently stranded in this deadlock. We knew that we had to go through this together.

You may have heard from the media that people’s lives in the lockdown have all of a sudden taken on a feeling of imprisonment and boredom. What you may have not heard is what the rest of us in China were dealing with at the same time. In Shanghai, most families have acted on the advices of the epidemiologists to do voluntary quanrantine at home, sparing themselves from any unnecessary trips. The only people who were still busy on the road were the delivery crews, the civil servants and the staff of epidemic prevention. In Shanghai, China’s grand cosmopolis, I couldn’t recall when was the last time that its streets have been so vacated. As for my family, we canceled all our family dinners. Suddenly, I found myself confined to the 20m2 space in the house where I was born and grew up. The world has become two dimensional again, or even for many, life has hit its PAUSE button, we no longer had the next job or the next party to rush into; daily routine has become the binary interaction with our beloved parents, kids and pets.

Part 3: the silver lining

Did I feel confined? yes, to a great extent. This was one of those moments that every human being will realize how important our freedom is. Did I feel forced? No, I can speak for most of the people that I know of, we were not imprisoned, we did the quarantine voluntarily because we understood how critical it is for us to do so, in order to stop the bleeding, to not exert more burdens to the already sparse social resources. At this moment, the country, as well as her people have made a tough choice, just like most choices in life, inconvenient yet necessary.

Am I bored? Maybe for a short while. Soon after, I realize if this outbreak had any silver linings, it brought us closer to who we really are. When we no longer have a busy life to escape to, we got enough time to rest, to read a book, to contemplate for nothing; we had to be creative to pamper our elderlies and our kids, keeping them engaged all the time. In a way, these were truly luxurious moments for us to live for. For me, the only human contact that I was left with was my parents. I needed to learn to get along with them 24 hours non-stop again, a thing that I was estranged to do since I left home for college at the age of 18. Two days in the quarantine, after we exhausted all the topics that could cause squabbles between my mother and I, she took out a rusty chessboard. We used to play the chess often; and that was the sole entertainment we had before I got my first computer. After we ceased to play it for so many years, this artifact sent me down the memory lane. As we picked it up again, I didn’t play loose to let her win; the game got us laugh at each other and at the sheer contentment that was once much more easily earned.

Life has returned to its simple state that we could remember. In a good way, it turned to be a nostalgia for all of us.

Part 4: the solidarity

What you also may have not heard from the media is many people, despite being quarantined, were collectively searching for medical supplies all over the world via the internet. Different kinds of private partnerships and initiatives were formed in the virtual space. Chinese who live overseas as well as many foreign friends looked everywhere to contact local manufacturers for the supply of protecive apparels for medical use and tried their best to bring the shipments back home, given priority to the hospitals and medical facilities in Wuhan and Hubei. Hundreds of thousands of doctors and medicare stuff from all over the country dropped everthing in hand and responded to the call for medical aids to the city of Wuhan. At the New Year’s eve, a team of 100+ medical professionals boarded on the only flight from Shanghai to Wuhan without knowing their date of return. From the images in the news, I could no longer make out how the individuals look like, because all their bodies were covered by protective apparels. Only the voices of their vows kept resonating within us, as unforgettable as imprinted on our minds. We prayed for their safe return to their own families in the near future.

On New Year’s day, my family collectively decided that I should go back to Amsterdam ahead of schedule, as they were concerned that my reporting to the new job might be impacted if stayed any longer. Two days later, I was on the flight back to the Netherlands. I left with a very mixed feeling. Although it was unfortunate that my first new year visit after 7 years was partially frustrated by the epidemic outbreak, I still felt happy that I went through part of the difficult time with my next of kin. We’ve had some good laughter and quality time together. In Shanghai, things are still oragnized in order, my family is safe and has access to enough supplies. But as I boarded the airplane, my departure was attached to a subtle feeling of me running for life.

Part 5: the fear

As of today, it has been 14 days since my departure from Shanghai. It is the 14th day of my voluntary house quanrantine at home in Amsterdam. It was not until 2 days ago, I was able to sleep through the night without waking up and thinking about my people at home. It is probably the only time that I hope it was because of the age that fighting jetleg becomes more difficult.

Just like my friends who went through the same drill as I did, we lock up ourselves through the 14-day incubation period on our own will, because even with the slightest chance, we are trying to avoid becoming the menace to any society that we are part of.

In the solitude, It is easy for one to lose track on things. Tomorrow I will be breaking free to walk out and see the light shedding on my forehead again. At this very moment, I feel slightly like a hermit, who may need a mild warm up for a human interaction as the day starts the next morning. But my people, my family, they are still fighting with the epidemic, with the conceded sacrifice of their precious freedom. Compared to theirs, my ordeal is not even worth mentioning. That’s the fight they didn’t choose to pick, but were so determined to win; I figure this is no difference to everyone who has his /her own battlefield in this world.

In my quarantine, stories about random derogatory attitudes towards Chinese people in West flying around in social media. In New York subway, a Chinese girl was assaulted because she was wearing a face mask. Wallstreet Journal published an op-ed using the title “China is the Real Sick Man in Asia”. Tracing back one century ago, this was a humiliating term used by Western intruders when they colonized China. A few days ago, A Dutch VJ from national radio Channel 10 made up a limerick on the coronavirus crisis in the airtime, who uttered a strong discrimitary implication against Chinese people, asserting Chinese is more dangerous than the virus.

As good as my intent to respect the freedom of speech, I have zero toleration on discrimination. I couldn’t help but saying a few words about it. Let me start by telling you, despite my agony, I understand the fear that people have in the West.

I have just told you about how most people in China was making their best efforts to mentally and physcially support Wuhan. But of course, there were also negative vibes. When the lockdown of Wuhan was first announced, many people were scared at the sight of someone from Wuhan in their 10-meter radius, like birds startled by the twang of a bow-string. As I learnt that the girl in New York was assaulted and slamped as virus simply because of her race, I had an epiphany: this abyss that Chinese (or even Asian) is encountering in Western countries is identical to that of Wuhan people in the rest of China. Buddhism teaches us using empathy to think in other people’s shoes; but it is by far the hardest thing to practice on, isn’t it? Only as the roles are swapped, we come to fully comprehend what does it mean to people on the other side.

Nobody is made desensitized from the spreading of viruses. Infection across human at this shocking rate, athough non-unprecedented, is frightingly scary. What you and I are feeling is a primal instinct; it is biology that one couldn’t help. Even though most people is capable of rationalize the fact that Chinese people do not equal to coronavirus, the mere fact that the epidemic broke out in China comes attached to a strong connotation of horror.

Looking back, it took human society decades to reduce discrimination against AIDS patients and we are still not quite there yet. I guess most people remember the scenes from the movie Philadelphia. But fears does not stop virus from further spreading; science might have a chance. And fear comes from intransparency; only colllaboration could help to lessen it. What we ought to do is to equip ourselves as well as people around us with the knowledge about the virus, about how to prevent infection; or in an unfortunate event, how to get in-time treatment if someone was infected.

Part 6: the Asians with face mask

Do you know why most of us doing voluntary quarantine at home through the incubation period, although I was fairly sure that I was clear from the infection? Do you know why those people, Chinese or not, landed in the airport wearing face masks? Not because they are virus, but because as responsible as they are, they did not want to run the risk of possibly infecting any other people, whether the other people is Chinese or not.

In front of the coronavirus, there’s no difference in age, gender, and definitely not in race! Now, I am not going as far as saying whoever wearing masks are heroes; quite the opposite, they are simply doing a thing that everybody ought to do. Can you imagine what could happen when the righteousnessis is mutilted? What if those, who have been to the infectious area in the last 14 days, were too scare to wear face masks simply because of the fear for social discrimination? I could tell you nobody wins, except for the virus.

On a different note, I couldn’t stress more, most people who was drawn into this coronavirus episode, they are just John Doe’s in the world; some of them was only making a way home to meet families for their new year celebration, like what people do around Christmas in the West. Many travelers from Wuhan who left the city prior to the outbreak, are now stranded in other cities or even in a foreign country, without knowing how and when they could eventually get home. With the odds not on their side, they became innocent victims who appeared in one place at an inconvenient time. That reminds me of another movie, which also has Tom Hanks star in, “The Terminal”.

Part 7: the voice

At the moment the world has a mixed feeling about how Chinese government is handling the coronavirus crisis, especially after WHO announced its “PHEIC” status. We Chinese too. Most of us was mortified by the initial concealment of the outbreak, which possibly delayed the best moment of containing the epidemic. The entire Chinese social media was mourning for the passing of Doctor Li, who was one of the 8 whistleblowers exposing the situation in Wuhan in the first place. Like the rest of the world, the sporadical expansion of social media has dictated the information explosion in China; unfortunately it does not necessarily improve its environment of check and balance in the social justice. At the outset of the outbreak, the righteous voices were mutilated, whereas at the heat of fighting against the virus, scandals and rumors are flying around, which makes the cost for truth verification a high stake.

The seamless accessibility to information is a double-edge sword. It enables and enhances people’s freedom of speech. But when giving opinion becomes one “share click” away, people is more inclined to do it recklessly. Carl Jung once said: ”Thinking is difficult, that’s why most people judge”. Many of us still need to learn more freedom comes with more responsibilities. Instead of conveniently judging or forwarding the news that you hear, let me invite all of you to think first, If you find something, or anything that doesn’t quite add up, collect and verify the information with as much truth as possible, before you want to share it with a greater audience. I believe that the virus episode will eventually wrap up; it is only a matter of time. At the end of the battle, we could lose many things, but with everything that we could lose, trust and the faith in truth is among the hardest to be restored.

The world is an ever more tightly connected place. Any minor tremor caused by rain drops in one place on earth, may ripple off to create major impact on the othe end of the globe. This is the world that we are living in. When a virus epidemic breaks out in such a scale in one coutry, simply cutting economic ties would not remediate the pain entirely. In spite of my outrage on WSJ’s derogatory title, I still read through the article and tried to digest its opinion impartially. Other than the fact that this world-renowed newspaper ridicules itself by referring Beijing as “a mighty juggernaut”, I found it narrow-minded to see China in this coronavirus crisis as a separate instance. According to some recent forecasts announced by the major high-tech companies in the US, on the impact of the coronavirus crisis, both their existing productions and new product releases are expected to be delayed, as the production were interrupted on the assembly lines in China ever since the outbreak. No matter what countermeasures and alternative supplies these US companies would eventually find, it takes time for the connected marketplaces to adjust to the next equilibrium. It is almost naive for the WSJ article to believe that the crisis occured in China will solely benefits the US.

Part 8: the compassion

You might have heard that the culprit of the virus influx is those who trade and eat wildlife in Wuhan. Although it has not been scientifically proven with 100% accuracy, the experts have suggested with high confidence that the wild animals, which were illegally traded in the food market, were the original carriers of coronavirus, Through these animals, the virus crossed the species barriers and crawl its way to infect human.

One more time, we human disobey the rule of nature; we human cross the line to exploit the resources that are not meant to be consumed by us. The virus outbreak is the mere consequence of it. Humanity is now paying for price of our own arrogance and ignorance. This is also how most Chinese people is feeling angry about. For that, I want to state one more time, not every Chinese eats or trades wildlives. Although the advocacy on animal rights in China is not as advanced and mature as in Europe, wildlife trade is legally forbidden in China; criminals involved in those illegal trades are bound to be prosecuted. What’s more profounding is that the majority of us also despise those who abuse the animal rights, just like most people in the world.

I have blabbed a lot, because I want to show you our part of the stories that you might have not heard before. Plus with the quarantine, I have way too much time on hand. I want to end my words on a high note. Next to empathy, Buddhism also teaches us compassion, as only with compassion, one could cure the wound on people’s body and mind. I might have bored you with my uneventful story; but with my story, I want to tell you that even though I do relate to you in any capacity, we share more in common than we differ. For whatever dismay that some of us is in, we are in this together. And it could only be overcome by our collective and compassionate efforts, rather than inflicting more fear and alienation.

Part 9: we are thinking of you.

Admittedly, we human, as a group, is not the best at learning old lessons. From the plague in Europe in the middle age to the novel coronavirus in China today, as much as my best wishes goes, it will not be the last time that the virus breaks out and spreads among human race. As an old saying goes: pain is forgotten where gain follows. At the end of the day, we are not able to determine when the next outbreak will come, but we could decide what attitude and morale we are going to use to fight against it. Just like Albert Camus wrote in “La Peste”, which sounds so very true at this moment: “All I maintain is that on this earth there are pestilences and there are victims, and it's up to us, so far as possible, not to join forces with the pestilences.”

To all those who are still fighting the coronavirus at the frontline, I want to quote what my Dutch friends wrote in a greeting card for me during my solitude: “You may feel alone right now, but we are thinking of you!”.

#stories

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furnitureoxide-blog · 5 years ago

Text

Sofa Cum Bed

Spending time with your loved ones, sitting around with them in a group can be the one thing that will make your day in the end. Having time to talk with your family members, maybe normal, maybe funny or serious any kind, just talking to them can be the thing we will remember till the very last, they'll be the memories we will cherish, something to remember. Often we don't find a perfect place to sit with everyone and share moments of joy. Talking of which we come to the sofa cum bed design that offers you the facility to use the set as a sofa for when some guests arrive, as lounge when you want to tilt your head back stretching your back into a resting and relaxing position and laying down there reading a novel by some of your favorite author. And last but not least this sofa set can also be transformed into a huge king-sized bed for two to sleep on. So all the perks in one place. Now you don't have to worry about arranging chairs for everyone to sit on instead assemble this into a bed where all can sit comfortably. How will you like it if you get the comfort of a sofa on a bed? That is what this sofa cum bed design does, it makes you feel you are sleeping on a sofa while you sleep on the bed. The same cozy, soft foam work when used as bed provides you will all the comfort needed. Festival season can be really hectic will all the daily work and then having guests over for the celebration. The whole day through the festival can turn out to be a little tiring, where this sofa cum bed design comes into the picture. Without much labor, you can transform it from one form to another and use it in whatever way you want and make the day a special day for you as well as everyone. In the end, sofas are a place to share stories and have a perfect quality time with friends and family. Here we have brought before you the best sofa cum bed form the following amazing brands: Adorn India Uberlyfe Furny Royal Interiors

The Evolution Of The Sofa

Infographics Credit :- Sofa WorkShop | Designer :- Jessica Draws

How To Choose The Right Sofa/Couches For Your Space? Step-By-Step Guide

https://youtu.be/GoLk42MXO_I

Best Sofa Cum Bed In India List:-

1. Royal interiors Matte Finish Metal Sofa Cum Bed with Hydraulic Storage (King Size, Black and Brown)

Picture Credits: Amazon.in ABOUT PRODUCT: Spending the whole day working into your offices, messing up your head into the different work pages, when you return home after a long work hour, you want a cozy corner to lie down and curl yourself into a comfort ball, right? Yes of course. Sofas are that those places for you. When you return home you want a fluffy place to lie down and spend the rest day maybe just sleeping or removing all your stress into the air. And this here is a sofa cum bed where you can not only sit but also when needed lie-down and have a good night's sleep. This sofa cum bed set design has upholstery material type of foam and Hilton, where Hilton is said to be waterproof, moisture-proof and soundproof. It is also said to have warmth within it, good plasticity, toughness, recyclable, environmentally friendly. So yes this is one of those sofas that help us keep the environment safe as well. It is also said to be strong and has many other advantages, like for example good chemical resistance. So you don't have to worry about it getting damaged early. Sofas are something that we want to have a long journey with and this definitely won't disappoint you. This sofa cum bed has top material of wrought iron which again is said to be an extremely strong and durable material, which means that it will hold up to physical damage very well. Aesthetically wrought iron provides a classic and elegant look to your home. The black-brown color combination of this sofa set will go best with a wooden looking living room. In addition to using it as a sofa, you can also pull the lower part out and use it, any time as a bed. So you don't have to move from one room to another for your bed to sleep or rest on. This sofa set will be enough for you. Also as it has good kind size when used as a bed so it will never be short for any of your family members. This is one of the best choices we have brought before you. So what are you waiting for? KEY SPECS: Product Dimensions: length (72inch) width (72inch) height (36inch) Sofa type: Metal sofa cum bed. Style: Modern Upholstery Material: Foam & Hilton Top material: Wrought iron Color Mattress: Brown| Sitting Capacity: Three Seater To Four Seater Mattress size: 4inch & 2inch Warranty: One year. PROS It can be used as a sofa as well as a bed. The top material is wrought iron which is said to be very strong. Hilton the upholstery material also has many advantages making it very good for the sofa set. Metalwork makes it extremely strong and durable. CONS No adjustable armrest. No adjustable headrest. Wrought iron if not maintained properly can be prone to some corrosion. Color may not be the same as shown in the figure. Check Price On Amazon 2. Furny Supersoft Three Seater Leatherette Sofa Cum Bed (Black)

Picture Credits: Amazon.in ABOUT PRODUCT: Are you the kind of person who is lazy enough to not move out of your sofa while resting and end up sleeping in that little cozy place? Are you the one who wants his sofa to be your bed? Well not to worry. This sofa cum bed set here is just for you. This sofa cum bed set has a very elegant look and the black color adds beauty to it. Black color goes with any kind go living room texture. Even if it's your personal room or any other place this sofa set will be a thing to be proud of. This sofa set has Timberwood as the primary Material which in return makes it extremely strong and durable. Timber Wood also shows a natural resistance to termites and insects so you don't have to worry about it getting harmed by various insects. Timber Wood is also said to be moisture resistant and rot decay-resistant and also has strong stability. Timber Wood has an aesthetic appeal to it. And so this is one sofa that is going to make your living room stand out. Who doesn't wants an aesthetic touch to their living room? The black color adds more essence to the aesthetic looks of the sofa. This sofa set also has a high-density foam present in it so from being the best place to chit chat this sofa set is also going to be the best place to lay down and step into the world of dreams out of reality. The upper back portion of the sofa can be stretched back into a big bed good for two people to sleep properly. The upholstery material leatherette used in this sofa cum to bed isn't porous material, it is waterproof, making it easy to wipe away spills and dirt with only a damp cloth. This is an advantage for people with kids who happen to spoil the covering of the sofa set making it hard to clean it. The low-maintenance fabric doesn't require any time-consuming regular care. This sofa set has silver-colored legs which again makes it look elegant in every aspect. KEY SPECS: Primary Material: Timberwood Upholstery Material: Leatherette Top Material: Wood Color: Black Style: Contemporary and Modern Seating Capacity: Three-seat Assembly Required Wooden frame High-density foam. Solid and very durable framework. PROS This is a sofa cum bed. Timberwood as the primary material making it extremely appealing. CONS No armrests. Color maybe a little different from what is shown in the figure. As a sofa, it has no adjustable headrest. Check Price On Amazon Also Read:- Best L Shape Sofa In India | Reviews and Comparison Best Sofa Set Designs In India | Reviews & Comparisons (2019) 3. Adorn India aspen three seaters sofa cum bed (medium grey & black)

Picture Credits: Amazon.in ABOUT PRODUCT: This velvet greyish blackish sofa set present here is an excellent choice for your living room. It's exquisite look stand out the simple sofa sets present in your living room. The upper grey color added with the dark black at the bottom makes it look stunning from every side. Want a premium style sofa set? Well, this sofa cum bed full fills all your need to leave your guests spellbound and amazed. It has velvet upholstery material type which makes it look more elegant and glamorous. Velvet with being beautiful also is said to be durable and strong if proper care is taken. It is best recommended for sofa sets. Tired after a long day of work hours? This sofa set is two in one. When you come back after an exhausting day and enter your living room, you sit on your sofa. Well, what you expect it to be? Just a sofa. No, this sofa is designed to provide you the comfort of both. Its back can be stretched back into a bed where you can lay down and sleep comfortably on the soft velvet layer. This sofa is made out of foam which is used internally in almost all sofas hence making it soft and fluffy as you want. It is also used as a cushion filling to provide extra comfort and convenience. The form provides the firmest support of all cushion fillings and is ideal for those wanting a supportive sit. The other benefit of foam cushions is that they keep their shape and require very little maintenance. So you don't have to worry about keeping the cushion with the utmost care. Use them for a pillow fight? Well yes, go on have some fun of your own. KEY SPECS: Product dimensions in inches: Length 75" Breadth 48" and Height 39" Primary Material: Wood Secondary material: Foam Upholstery Material: Fabric: Color: Medium Grey & Black Warranty:- 3 years warranty for foam. No assembly is required. Easy to use. Functions: For sitting and sleeping purposes. Chrome shining legs. PROS Easily converts from sofa to lounge and to bed. Shiny chrome legs make it look elegant. Sturdy spring mechanisms. CONS The velvet upholstery can wear out quickly with use. It can be difficult to clean. No adjustable headrest. Color may not be exactly the same as shown in the figure. No armrest. Check Price On Amazon 4. Funny Sleepy Three Seater Sofa Cum Bed with Cupholder - (3 Years Warranty 36 Density Foam)- Perfect for Daily Use - Sofa Cum Bed with Polyester Fabric Cover (Camel-Brown) 6'X5'. Pillows Free

Picture Credits: Amazon.in ABOUT PRODUCT: Do you happen to have a wooden structure house? In the brown shades of wood, this sofa cum bed set design will go best with your living room feels. If you are the one who prefers a brownish look that gives the sense of wood then this is the sofa set you have been looking for. It has the brown base color and the yellowish orangish touch on the sitting place. The combination of colors makes it look elegant and bright. This sofa set has perfect looks that will definitely make your guest stand in awe of the living room. This sofa set has polyester as the upholstery material which offers several advantages as an upholstery fabric. In general, it's a strong synthetic fiber that can stand up to daily use on a sofa. So you don't have to worry about children in the house jumping all over it and playing around. You can let them play as in addition to being strong it also is soft and fluffy that makes it suitable for children. Polyester is a stable synthetic fiber that stands alone, oftentimes as outdoor fabric or becomes part of various fabric blends. It is said to be very durable, easy-care hence making you free of the stress of regular maintenance. Worried about insects or sunlight damaging your sofa? Well, do not this sofa cum bed set here also has good resistance to waterborne stains, sunlight, insects, mildew, and abrasion. In the end, it's something you can have decorating your living room and not worry too much about it carefully. The soft cozy armrest it offers also has a cup holder in it. Having coffee? Well, now you don't have to worry about a plate so that you can keep the cup there, instead have fun spending time watching your favorite television show while keeping the cup in your cup holder. KEY SPECS: Upholstery Material: Polyester Sofa cums bed furniture dimensions: 6x5 Feet. Seating Capacity: 3 persons comfortably sit and comfortably sleep at a time. High-density foam. This folding foam mattress doubles as a sleeper and a sofa. Warranty: One year. PROS Three Seater Sofa Cum Bed with Cupholder. Zipper protection available. Comfy puffed armrests. Use as a sofa or lounge, bed or mattress. CONS Poor resistance to oil and greasy food stains. Polyester does not breathe. No adjustable headrest. Fabric shine can be unattractive. Check Price On Amazon 5. Adorn India Almond Three Seater Sofa Cum Bed (Black and Camel)

Picture Credits: Amazon.in ABOUT PRODUCT: This is an elegant looking camel blackish sofa cum bed set design that has an amazing feel attached to it. The black thick structure that borders around the sofa set makes it look gorgeous from every aspect. In addition to being a sofa, it offers a wide queen size bed that is best for two people to sleep cozily. The back frame has to be pulled back and lower bottom ahead to make it into a bed. It is easy to assemble so do not think it is going to be time-consuming. When you have a gathering at your house, party with your family or have friends over at your house this is the place for them. An elegantly designed sofa cum bed. This sofa set has recron fiber filling, which is said to be permanently antimicrobial, anti-odor and anti-fungal. You don't have to worry about the fact that it'll get dirty because this sofa set here has high wash durability. The recron fiber has many advantages like microbes do not develop on it. It is a very durable fabric type. Recron fiber is said to be a reinforcing fiber that has properties which make it tensile and strong. This fiber is a superior, economical and first of its kind used in filling for pillows & quilts in India. So yes it is one of the best kinds of fiber types. The secondary material used is foam which is the firmest cushion filling known for being as affordable as it is comfortable. So the pricing won't be a matter of concern. Foam retains its shape well, even with frequent use. So even if you regularly use your sofa for maybe spending time with your loved one or with yourself still you don't have to worry about it getting damaged early. This sofa cum bed has all you want, the shades that will make your living room look bright and warm and the material that's perfectly durable and reliable. KEY SPECS: Product dimensions in inches: Length 76" Breadth 30" and Height 28" Primary Material: Wood Secondary material: Foam Upholstery Material: Fabric: Color: Black & Camel Warranty: 3 years warranty for foam. No assembly required. Easy to use Can be used for sitting and sleeping purpose. Chrome Shining legs. PROS Chrome legs make it look stunning. Elastic belts making it easily foldable. High-density foam making it very fluffy. CONS Legs need to be fitted. No adjustable headrest. It is a queen size bed - only 2 people can sleep on it comfortably. Color may not be the same as shown in the figure. Check Price On Amazon 6. Adorn India Easy Three Seater Sofa Cum Bed Poly-Cotton (Maroon and Black) (6 x 6)

Picture Credits: Amazon.in ABOUT PRODUCT: For a fancy setting in your house when you need something classy and elegant this sofa cum bed design is for you. It has a gorgeous look with two perfect colors complementing each other. The maroon and black color of this sofa set will add stars to your living room. It has a very beautiful sense attached to it. When having a party or a normal gathering at your home, and you are running out of place to settle all your friends and family then this sofa set will be your savior. This sofa cum bed design offers you the ability to fold the sofa set into a spacious bed or mattress. The back portion of the sofa can be pulled down and similarly the bottom when pushed out can be converted into a comfortable bed. The polycotton used in this sofa set design is a blend of natural cotton and synthetic polyester. The blend mixes cotton fibers with artificially made polyester fibers in return this makes the sofa set more soft and cozy for you to sleep when you are tired. This will be the place for you to spend some quality time with your family and share stories. And so it's necessary that the sofa set is absolutely comfortable and convenient. Cotton and polyester blend makes the sofa more wrinkle-free hence you can sit over it in however way you want without worrying about the irritating wrinkles. And so because of poly cotton's wrinkle-free characteristics, it doesn't really need to be ironed. Cotton's lightweight and cooling characteristics in the blend also make the fabric ultimately perfect for all-day comfort. The upholstery material, the polyester used in this sofa cum to bed is a long-lasting and perfect fit for his sofa set, polyester is a man-made fiber. It's very resilient and can withstand a good deal of wear and tear. When at one time you are worried about it's shrinking because of its regular use. The polyester that I used her is said to be resistant to shrinking. So overall no worrying. KEY SPECS: Product dimensions in inches: Length 72"x Breadth 30" and Height 27" Primary Material: Foam Secondary material: Foam Upholstery Material: Fabric: Color: Maroon & Black Warranty: 3 years warranty for foam as the foam gets soft after a period of time which is in its nature No assembly required for the product. PROS Lightweight sofa and so it is easy to use. It can be used as a lounge, three-seater sofa and bed or mattress. The covers are removable and washable. CONS No adjustable headrest. No armrest when used as a sofa. Polyester does not breathe. Color may not be the same as exactly shown in the figure. Check Price On Amazon 7. Adorn India Easy Three Seater Sofa Cum Bed Poly-Cotton (Blue & Grey) 5'X6'

Picture Credits: Amazon.in ABOUT PRODUCT: This blue-grey combination that's covering up the sofa creates a premium feel. The whitish greyish crossed lines or shapes that decorate the front bottom of the sofa makes it look more elegant and beautiful. This sofa cum bed design has an exquisite essence attached to it. In any royal function when gathering assembles and you are out of place to settle them, well then too not to worry as this sofa set will be your rescuer as it is a two in one sofa set with an extendable bed mattress. In this too the top front can be extended back to the floor and front bottom when pulled forward onto the floor can be used as one big bed for people to sit or sleep on. This sofa cum bed design when used as a sofa doesn't offer armrest making it different from other sofa set design. The in-depth foam filling of this sofa set makes it extremely soft and cozy, even perfect for the little children to sleep on. This sofa set offers foam as the primary material type which is mostly used in all kinds of sofa set fillings hence making it more comfy and fluffy. Polycotton used is another factor that makes this sofa best if you need a soft resting place. Polycotton is the blend of cotton and polyester and it makes the sofa resistant to any wrinkling and shrinking. So if you are tired of scolding your children and preventing them to have fun over the sofas then this is for you. Make it into a bed and give them more space and comfort to have fun on as it is not getting damaged easily. This is the sofa cum bed design that is very durable because of the materials used and absolutely pleasing, in addition to making your living room standout in looks this sofa set will give your living room a premium touch and feel. KEY SPECS: Product dimensions in inches Package = L 60"x B 30"x H 27" Primary material: Foam Upholstery Material: Fabric Color: Blue & Grey Warranty:- 3 years warranty for foam as the foam gets soft after a period of time which is in its nature No assembly required the product is delivered in a preassembled state. PROS Lightweight sofa set. It can be used as a lounge, sofa for three-seater, bed, and mattress. CONS No armrest when used as a sofa. No adjustable headrest. Color may not be the same as exactly shown in the figure. Check Price On Amazon 8. Uberlyfe 3 Seater Sofa Cum Bed - Perfect for Guests - Jute Fabric Washable Cover - Dark Grey with 2 Cushions | 5' X 6' Feet. (SCB-001733-BK_A)

Picture Credits: Amazon.in ABOUT PRODUCT: It is one of those sofa cum bed designs that offer an extremely soft and cozy base to sit on. The foam depth provided makes it stand out all the other sofas. Apart from that, the elegant and premium look it holds even with the one simple greyish color makes it perfect for your living room. This sofa set here is the place to sit and watch television with your friends or spend time sharing stories among your family members. The stylish white zigzag lined cushions make it look more attractive and striking. If you prefer simple yet elegant designs for your living room sofa then this makes full ticks on your list of choices. It is comfortable and also luxurious looking. This sofa set has EPE foam present inside it. This foam has better flexibility than most other alternatives, EPE Foam wraps around inside the sofa with ease and offers maximum puffed soft layer. And so it can be said that this is the very soft quality foam which best suits the sofa set. It also offers excellent cushioning and is highly shock-absorbent and durable. Comfort will be at its best with this sofa in your living room. Another material present on this sofa set is jute which makes this sofa cum bed highly tensile so it means that the sofa can be stretched a lot before tearing. Hence making it very durable and long-lasting. It has natural fire-resistant properties, and the material is lightweight and very inexpensive. It produces no irritation in the skin. Despite its softness, it is still sturdy enough to hold weight to prevent people from sinking into the sofa set. Polyurethane foam present in this sofa set is much more durable than many other materials which means it lasts longer making it value for money. So overall this is the softest sofa set with all the elements that add up to its cozy needs. When you have people over at your house than this will be the place where you spend time with them making thousands of memories. KEY SPECS: Product Dimensions :- Length (152.4 cm or 60 inch), Width (76.2 cm or 30 inch), Height (71.12 cm or 28 inch) Primary Material: EPE Foam, Soft Foam, and Fabric Upholstery Material: Jute Color: Dark Grey Style: Modern Contains:- 1 Sofa cum Bed with 2 Cushion Covers & 2 Fillers. Seating Capacity: Three Seat Cosily; No Assembly Required:- DIY Warranty:- 2 years warranty from the date of purchase. PROS EPE foam, which is flexible and lightweight. It can be made into a huge king-sized bed. CONS Color may not be the same as exactly shown in the figure. EPE foam needs very proper care as it can be flammable. Avoid getting the sofa in contact with moisture as that will ruin the foam inside. Check Price On Amazon 9. Adorn India Easy Two Seater Sofa Cum Bed Poly-Cotton (Maroon and Black) (4 x 6)

Picture Credits: Amazon.in ABOUT PRODUCT: This sofa set has the most elegant and beautiful color that is definitely going to attract people's attention towards itself. It has got the crisscross maroon color lines to spread all over the bottom black color which in return makes its stand out from all the other textures. After a long tiring day when you come back home and need a place to sit back and relax while reading your favorite novel, engrossed in its world or time for watching series online. This sofa cum to bed is the best place for you. Here you can sit the whole day and when needed can open it up into a whole bed and lay down comfortably onto this cozy sofa cum bed. From having a regular normal day to having a big party gathering this sofa set is suitable for all the cases. Perfect when in need of more space to give the seat to your guests or have a place for two people to sleep this is going to be a savior. This sofa set is the one that perfectly fits your needs. This sofa set has the foam filling which makes it very fluffy and comfortable. Finishing is an important part of any sofa set and here this sofa is flawlessly made without any finishing errors. It works as a lounge when you don't want to lie down but need inclining back support. It is made from polycotton which is made out of natural cotton and polyester, combined they both provide a very good and promising material type. It makes the sofa more soft and comfy. Which at the end of the day is our need. KEY SPECS: Product dimensions in inches: Length 48"x Breadth 30"x Height 27" Primary Material: Foam Secondary material: Foam Upholstery Material: Fabric Color: Maroon & Black Warranty:- 3 years warranty for foam as the foam gets soft after a period of time which is in its nature No assembly required the product is delivered in a preassembled state. Easy to use. This sofa set can be used for sitting and sleeping purposes for guests, kids, and adults. PROS Lightweight sofa and so it is easy to use. It can be used as a lounge, three-seater sofa and bed or mattress. The covers are removable and washable. CONS No adjustable headrest. No armrest when used as a sofa. Polyester does not breathe. Color may not be the same as exactly shown in the figure. Check Price On Amazon 10. Adorn India Straight line 3 Seater Sofa Cum Bed Digital Print (Blue)

Picture Credits: Amazon.in ABOUT PRODUCT: The pink-flowered pattern on the blue color of this sofa cum bed design makes it look very different from all the above-mentioned sofa sets. This is the design that will make your living room as beautiful as a beautiful flower. The pattern looks elegant and attractive on the sofa set, so if you are the one who prefers flowers over anything then this is the best choice for you. With the beautiful flower print, this sofa set goes with any interior design of your living room. For making this sofa into a bed you just need to pull out the lower front bottoms of the sofa set and the back has to keep standing where it is. These standing wall makes a fort-like on one end of the bed hence giving a nice feel to the person who wants to lay on the bed. Even though only the lower part is used to make it into a bed still the space it offers is enough and perfect for two people to sleep. Comfort is the first priority we all have and so to make it complete, this sofa cum bed design present here has recron fiber filling, recron fiber is said to have more improved properties than from a normal fiber. It is said to be more tensile and strong. It is said to enhance the sleep as it fits according to your sleeping position and spreads your weight uniformly hence providing you with the most comfortable sleep. Due to flowery design, this sofa set stands out each other sofa set. It is going to be the best place to lay down and have quality time with your loved ones all in one place. KEY SPECS: Product dimension in cm Length (177) Breadth (76.2)height (68.58) sitting height (40.64) Primary Material: Wood Secondary Material: Foam Upholstery Material: Fabric Color: Blue Back loose cushion with zipper is washable. Warranty: One year warranty for frame & foam both. Foam gets soft after a period of time which is in its nature. No assembly required the product is delivered in a preassembled state. PROS Recron fiber makes the sofa durable. Perfect for sleep due to the use of recron fiber. It can be used as a sofa as well as a bed. CONS No adjustable armrest. No adjustable headrest. Color may not be exactly the same as shown in the image. Check Price On Amazon

Hindi Buying Guide - How To Choose The Right Sofa/Couches For Your Space? Step-By-Step Guide

https://youtu.be/69hN8slUjik

Conclusion

These sofas cum bed designs that hold elegance that will decorate your living room into beauty. Its a must-have thing in your living room. For when you have a surprise arrival of guests and you don't have the place arranged for them to it, in that case, this sofa cum bed will help you. Its soft cozy cushions will be the best place to relax out all day's stress. When you buy a sofa it becomes important that you lookout for the specific details that come, user, your own needs. It's important you take care of the dimensions, material used in it, the quality of texture that covers up the sofa set. All these little details make up the difference in the end. Most people prefer armrest while sitting on the sofa many don't. Some want their sofas to be as fluffy as possible. So it all goes to your wants. Choosing a perfect sofa set for your living room can be a hectic task. Moreover, it is a one-time investment that is going to stay with you for the rest of ten to eleven years. So you are bound to take your time. And it's important. Also Read:- Best Queen Size Bed In India 2019 | Reviews,Comparison & Buying Guide Best Single Size Bed In India - Reviews, Comparison and Buying Guide Read the full article

#bestsofacumbed #couchecumbed #couches #couchesset #sofacomebed #sofacumbed #sofasetdesigns

0 notes

pendragonfics · 8 years ago

Text

Not Alone

Paring: Pietro Maximoff/Reader

Tags: neutral reader, HYDRA, Pietro Maximoff lives, Pietro has ADHD, fluff.

Summary: Reader, by some coincidence is kidnapped by Hydra, then by the Avengers.

Word Count: 1,336

Posting Date: 2016-10-22

Current Date: 2017-05-26

The last thing you could remember was the noise of the marketplace. People everywhere. The colours of skin, bright and sweaty in the unusually warm spring, the smell of paprika and spices that lit your mind into a dizzy frenzy. Your friends had wandered off to find a food cart with bottled water, accidentally leaving you behind. That was it, and now, your eyes were opening, head throbbing, throat thick and sore, and it was all gone. The smell, the life of the marketplace. Gone.

---

"She's awake," a heavily accented man spoke. English. It felt strange to hear it, on his tongue. His smile is wicked, teeth sharp, like a wolf. Your gaze is wavy, like you've been drugged, but it soon passes, and you're left with an elevated heart rate and a wild suspicion of something dark and dangerous afoot. "I am Strucker, head of the facility here, and you are not going to feel a thing."

When you wake, your mind is off. But what you see isn't the faces of the evil men who had stolen you from the street, it's -

"Tony Stank," you mumble. Even suited up, and your mind in a fairyland, you knew the red and gold robot-suited man who was carrying you out. After all, his face was plastered everywhere, from billboards in your hometown, the news -- even to the box of his new Stark phones. "I can't be dead, I haven't finished watching Buffy yet."

When you wake again, it's slow, but unlike the grogginess you woke up to before, it simply feels like taking a breath after being underwater for a long time. As your eyes adjust, you come to notice lots of things. The lights are not flickering. It's white, a white room, sterile-looking like a TV hospital, or even a real hospital. There's a pen cup on the table beside where you are, and it only has blue pens, and one red.

There's a beeping sound.

"You're awake," a man's voice rumbles. It's an accent you remember, but not the speaker. Your gaze adjusts, to see a man in a blue tee beside the pen cup, sitting up in a hospital bed. Alike the one you are in. "Now I have a roomie, or, at least someone who will speak to me."

You blink, turning to see the other side of the room. It's a glass wall, looking out to a bright green lawn, and beyond that, beautiful forest as far as your eye can see.

"Where am I?" you whisper.

The man takes a deep breath, placing the pen in his hand upon the table. "You are in the Avengers facility. Unlike the other civilians who survived Sokovia, you are tucked away in here for observation." His accent is hard to wrap your mind around, but within the last sentence, you catch on. "Just in case you have any side effects of being in Strucker's care."

Your mind is reeling, and just to show it, the monitor beside the bed races alongside your pulse. There's a thunder of footsteps approaching, and none other than the faces of scientist Bruce Banner and Helen Cho appear. They both begin fussing over the machinery you're hooked up to, and Dr. Banner begins shushing the man in the bed beside you.

"Just because you're bed bound doesn't mean you're to be a pest to those recovering nearest to you," he chastens. "It's a miracle you're alive, let alone speaking, thanks to Dr. Cho's miracle machine."

The woman who's standing beside you, checking the numbers on the screen hums in agreement. "What Dr. Banner is trying to say, is that you are lucky to be alive, as is young _______ here. It would be no repayment for anyone to chew their ear off, Pietro."

The man, Pietro nods, his white-blonde hair falling into his eyes, silently agreeing. His fingers twitch without something within them, and without another word, he gathers the pen he put down to scribble with once more. Dr. Banner approaches the end of your bed, and placing his hands on the railing, he gives you a small smile.

"So, ______ is it?" he starts. "Where're you from?"

Your voice fails you, but with a deep breath, you manage to muster words. "Queens." You mumble. "I - I can't speak, like I - why?" you ask him.

Dr. Cho joins Dr. Banner at the end of the bed. "When you were in the Hydra facility, do you remember the men who took you administering you anything?" she asks you. Her voice is calm, words precise like a surgeon. "It would help in diagnosing what has happened."

You can't recall anything, mostly all the memories you have are in fractures, lost in moments and time like corners of a loaf of bread fed to the ducks, and the face of him, just leering close to you, the dark, dank walls closing in, his foul breath, a needle -

"Yes," you whisper. A tear forms, and falls before you can stop it. "A sedative, but, it...it didn't feel like one. It had something in it." you manage to whisper.

Dr. Cho's face lights up. "That's great - I mean, not for you, but for us to figure out." She grabs the notepad hooked at the base of the bed and jots down your words at once. "You said it didn't feel like a sedative, because you've been sedated before, or -,"

From the other bed, Pietro pipes up. "When my sister and I were injected, we had a mixture of morphine and a chemical formula that prepares the immune system for the second shot, which determines the outcome of the body." He gives the party around your bed a small wave, and relapses into his bout of silence like he was told, but not before he adds, "What _______ here would be in is the between state of being. They developed it after not many survived the, ah, Winter Soldier serum."

"The In Between?" Dr. Banner repeats. "Pietro, you remember being in this stage. What happened to your body?"

The grey-haired man shrugs, and winces. "Drowsiness, fatigue. It weakens functions of the body, like...like a-,"

"Medically induced coma patient, who instead is awake for a procedure, numb and disconnected." She turns to Dr. Banner, and in hushed words, the pair of them speak in doctor language and Avenger code. "_______, at present we have two options. We could seek the Hydra facility, and find the second dose, and proceed with what they had done to you."

"The inhumane, easy option," Dr. Banner sums up.

"Or," Dr. Cho adds, "I can hook you up to a machine that will cleanse your system, and remove the blood from your system and replace it before it can create a larger impact on you than it can. It is your choice."

Your mind wants to drift off, to think about little trivial things, like if your travelling party ever found the bottled water, and if you had really been saved by Tony Stark himself, but there's a voice that speaks in your head, the voice of logic that brings you back to where you need to be. In charge of your own fate.

"The...second option," you whisper. "I'd rather be a - freak than a...dead mutant."

---

As you wake, the first thing you notice is a warmth in your hand. The rest of your body is beneath the hospital sheets, right where you left it after the procedure. It's pleasantly heated under the gown and duvet, but your hand, it's full of something, filling something empty. Your eyes focus, fluttering ajar, taking in the dimmed lights of the room around you. The moonlight bathes the scene in a glow of silver.

And Pietro's bed has been wheeled closer toward yours, for your hand to be interlocked perfectly within his fingers. Your mind vaguely remembers the request, his accent slipping away from words as you went under the anaesthesia, but it's clear.

You are not alone.

#pietro maximoff #pietro aou #pietro maximoff x reader #pietro x reader #pietro maximoff age of ultron #avengers x reader #marvel x reader #marvel fanfic #chaotic--lovely #pendragonfics #gender neutral reader

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scotianostra · 7 years ago

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On July 14th 1927 The Scottish National War Memorial opened.

As this post regards the Memorial that was to become part of Edinburgh Castle, there is a wee bit history of the castle itself in this post. I recall putting a post together last year on it's centenary, but keeping it short as there ahd been many articles in the newspapers and online about it, this year with have devoted more time putting together this long post.

The National War Memorial for Scotland was established by Royal Charter to commemorate the sacrifice of Scots in the Great War, Second World War and subsequent conflicts. The Memorial within Edinburgh Castle houses and displays the Rolls of Honour of Scots servicemen and women from all the Armed Services, the Dominions, Merchant Navy, Women's Services, Nursing Services and civilian casualties of all wars from 1914 to date.

In 1927 the architect Sir Robert Lorimer and 200 Scottish artists and craftsmen created a serene Hall of Honour and Shrine, where the names of the dead are contained in books that are on permanent display.

A number of eminent Scots wanted a truly Scottish memorial, in Scotland, recording the names of all Scots and displaying Scottish material. The moving force behind this vision was John George 8th Duke of Atholl. A leading member of the Scottish aristocracy, the Duke of Atholl, or "Bardie" as he was known from his title, the Marquis of Tullibardine, was a serving soldier who had fought in the Sudan and had raised the Scottish Horse Yeomanry. He was a man of considerable vision and energy and, what was more important, he had both influence and connections.

In the spring of 1917 Atholl gathered around him a number of leading and powerful Scots. Atholl lost no time in promoting the Scottish case for a memorial. He wrote to the Commissioner of Works asking that Scotland should have her own memorial in the form of a museum collection to be housed in Edinburgh Castle. There then followed widespread consultation, which included the five Lord Provosts of the Cities of Scotland and extensive press coverage, largely in The Scotsman newspaper.

Initially there was concern on the part of the City of Glasgow and it was important that the City Fathers of Scotland's largest urban centre agree to the scheme. The problem was solved when Spencer Ewart hosted a dinner for all of the interested parties and agreement was obtained.

The choice of Edinburgh Castle was inspirational, historically interesting and sensitive.

The Castle stands high above the centre of the capital city of Scotland dominating the skyline for miles around. Even in 1914 the Castle was a major tourist attraction and its roots lay deep in the folklore and traditions of Scottish history.

Until 1914 it had been the main barracks for the Infantry garrison of Edinburgh and soldiers had lived there and guarded its walls for many centuries.

The standard of military accommodation within the Castle precincts was however very basic. The barrack rooms were crowded and draughty with leaky roofs. The accommodation was heated by small coal burning fires in open grates some of which were still used for cooking. There were only a few baths for the whole of the garrison, no running hot water and very basic toilet facilities. The one communal cookhouse meant that most of the men still ate in their barrack rooms.

As a result of these shortcomings a new barracks was built at Redford on the outskirts of the City which would house both infantry and cavalry units. These barracks were being built in 1914 just before the outbreak of war. It was therefore envisaged that when the war ended there would be vacant accommodation within the Castle walls which could be adapted for the Memorial plan.

In addition, the concept of a military museum was a very new idea which would not compete with existing regimental museums for there were none. The Scottish regiments were more likely to agree to a central location such as the Castle where they had all served at one time or another. By this time the individual regiments had acquired many regimental trophies and together with much of the silver, artefacts and archives these were usually deposited with the Regimental Depots and were not on display to the public. Thus the opportunity to show the regimental histories and traditions was welcomed.

The choice of Edinburgh Castle was however a sensitive one. Any proposal to alter the distinctive Edinburgh skyline by the building or demolition of any part of the existing structures was bound to meet with considerable opposition. This opposition was both vociferous and powerful and was in time to change the plan significantly.

In October 1918, a Scottish National War Memorial Committee was appointed by the Secretary of State for Scotland, "to consider what steps should be taken towards the utilization of Edinburgh Castle for the purposes of a Scottish National War Memorial". Great care had been taken with these appointments to ensure that the Services, the press, the church, learning, architecture, Scottish history, the cities and the political parties were all represented.

The architect Robert Lorimer designed the stunningly beautiful Chapel for the Knights of the Thistle in St Giles Cathedral, but advised against a church or chapel as it "would excite much opposition". It was estimated that the Memorial Shrine and Cloisters and the museum he proposed would cost a staggering £250,000.

While the money was a problem, there were many others that I won't go into in depth, needless to say, some were ploitical, others were fro, The Cockburn Society, who still do a great job to this day, trying to safeguard Edinburgh's heritage, to just give an example of the anger some people had for the scheme, the leading critics were Sir Richard Lodge, Professor of History at Edinburgh University, Principal Laurie at Heriot-Watt College and Lady Francis Balfour who actually demanded that the Duke of Atholl and Sir Robert Lorimer should be hanged!!!!!

Such was some of the opposition that there were even proposals to abandon the whole scheme in the Castle altogether and to erect a memorial on Calton Hill or Princess Street Gardens.

Undaunted they began fundraising. However this too had its problems as the Memorial appeal coincided with large appeals being made by Edinburgh Infirmary and Edinburgh University and the many small appeals for Parish memorials, most of these that you see in our towns and villages were paid for by public subscription.

Lorimer did make substantial compromises to his plan. He suggested that Billing's Buildings should be retained and adapted to form a Memorial Gallery. On the North side he proposed a deep apse, the roof of this extension being no higher than the existing height of Billing's Buildings, protecting our famous skyline.

Finally, in April 1923 the opposition crumbled. The Ancient Monuments Board gave a favourable report on the changes, the War Office gave final and unqualified consent and, in October of that year, the Government approved Lorimer's designs. Six years after Atholl had made his original proposals the project went to tender and work began.

Robert Lorimer paid regular weekend visits to Blair Castle to discuss the fine detail and how every regiment, service and corps should be remembered, including the animals who in their own way had served and suffered in the war.

Some of the finest Scottish craftsmen and women of the day committed many hours to ensuring that every detail was correct. The windows had to lend a soft and subtle colour to the interior, but there had to be sufficient light to ensure that the names in the Books of Remembrance could be read.

The frieze in the Shrine, the work of Mrs Gertrude Alice Meredith Williams, was deemed by all to be a masterpiece and the Duke of Atholl was particularly delighted with it. Referring to "Mrs Meredith Williams' wonderful frieze", the Duchess of Atholl recorded, " The beauty of the frieze is in part due to her husband. During his three years in the ranks in France he made endless drawings of his fellow soldiers. The drawings furnished a priceless inspiration for the amazing number of men and women recorded in his wife's masterpiece".

It is clear from the records that both the Duke and the Duchess of Atholl played a major part in influencing the interior design of the building, particularly in relation to the subtle symbolism and the wonderful serenity and simplicity.

As there is no photography allowed in the War Memorial, this video allows those who have not visited the chance to get a rare glimpse of the building.

#scotland #history

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featherwurm · 8 years ago

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Empty Cages

A dream I had last night (the first person use is only because it was a dream, the principle character was not myself). I promise it’s coherent.

My house is full of empty birdcages. There are perches, roosts, and nest boxes too. They are not sorrowful, and are kept clean and well maintained. In my shed, my tortoise complains to me that the spring is late, and he will never live to see the thaw. I have told him the thaw has already come, though the weather is indeed a bit chill. He has chosen to remain snugly in his substrate for the time being. Just as well, he was my mothers animal, and while he will put up with me, he seems to miss her. I have been told I cannot really 'talk' with him, but his terrarium is beautiful, large, well heated and well misted. He lives in comfort and luxury, and whether or not my eccentricities have any base in reality, his husbandry is solid.

I live high on the rim of the great gray canyon, which stretches for many hundreds of miles in either direction, weaving off in many rugged divides. It is an awe-inspiring scar on the landscape, and I am blessed with the best view in the entire area. There are several old houses up her on the rim. Mine is the blue one. They have all spread and sprawled from their initial humble foundations, but they are strong and solid to endure the weather that besets them. Years ago there were government men who came to seize the land here, and expand the city up to the cliff, building expensive homes here. They found their efforts in vain when they sought to reason with those here, and while I hear it is not common that they should turn tail and run, they have not come back.

My neighbor tends the elderly of the city nearby, at least those that can make the ascent to our homes, and they sometimes find their way to my garden. I do not mind if they sit a while and chat, they are pleasant people, even when their minds are not so strong as they once were. They find me good company as well, and while I have made it clear the care she need take to keep her charges safe, we find that the garden is a suitable extension of her own grounds. This is particularly reasonable as I am generally only in my garden at dusk and dawn, I have other work to attend to during the day. I am, surprising to some in this modern day, a weaver. But my work is like no other, I weave immense tapestries of iridescent thread with mythological and fantastic subjects that seem nearly alive. Hephaestus works at his forge, and he seems to glisten with sweat as his back pains his work. Cinderella contemplates the tip of a spinning wheel, and one can almost see the sigh in her chest as she resigns to a fate she doesn’t even know. I learned the art from my mother, and my work exceeds even her own tremendous skill. These works sustain my single and pleasant life here, and allow me my hobbies of which I am far more passionate than my own work.

It is an odd hobby, perhaps, but one that others have come to leave me to, for any attempt to explain it might cause too much difficulty in explanation. If I have found anything, it's that people do not care for difficulty in explanation. The easiest answer is most often the best. I simply live my life as I chose to. My empty bird cages are for my daytime guests. Each morning, after I have tended my garden and my chores, I look to the little cherry trees which have clung to life around my windswept home, and ask who will come with me first today. Every day it is someone different, but amongst the tittering milieu of birdsong an individual or two will come to me, and light on my hands. They gather here in a throng, a vast assortment of species, although who individually comes will vary, they always gather. I take those that come with me in the house, where my doors are always left open, and let them settle in the huge cages, and amongst the perches where they will, and bring them any assortment of seeds, nuts, greens, fruit, insects, and anything they so might desire. Others will always follow the first I call, and soon the house is full of song and color and motion. The cages are never shut, but they all stay with me for the day, generally (unless they find they have business elsewhere), and I like their company as my loom clicks away during the daylight hours.

Before it is too dark, and the birds could not get home safely, I send them on their way. I once again take whichever ones will come to me freely, and the others follow, erupting from the doors in a great flock of many. They go off on their own ways, to their own homes, and I am content with the world.

In the evening I often head down into town. It is not a large city, but its population is growing, and most of the amenities one would associate with a medium sized city can be found in the tight town center. The overall topography here is rough, and for those who have not clung to a life high on the cliffs, most architecture needs to go vertical. Most of the population lives in apartment buildings here, and the shops are stacked up in tall buildings too. There are paths that lead to the canyon, but even here in early spring they are dusted with leftover dry fall leaves and are in poor use. That, however, is not generally where I spend my time unless I am watching the hawks cavort along the rim (and the rim where it touches the path is guarded by high rails). They find good hunting far down, and can be seen striking from along the railings and roofs. Sometimes I bring them gifts as well, and let them catch airborne treats.

Today is an ordinary day for me. The birds are off about their business, and I have come into town for my own entertainment. I live alone, but I have friends here, and I meet up with one as she comes off her shift at the cafe. She is about my age, and I appreciate her enthusiasm for entertainment. She describes to me in great detail the characters from her favorite shows. I do not watch them, but I appreciate her descriptions and details. We walk through the plazas of the town between the high buildings, familiar routes, as we update our gossip of each other and the various goings on we've noted in our very different lives.

As we pass along the canyon rim, something catches my eye in the leaf litter. A stout little mail key etched with the number six. The little silver key must have been lost by it's owner as they checked their mail, as my friend immediately identifies it with a small gasp.

“It's from that mailbox.” She says as though I have touched something slightly cursed.

That mail box is the little octagonal box on the last plaza near the great set of stairs that lead into the canyon. The stairs are older than the city itself, and it's true it is known to be frequented by a different sort of crowd than most folk in the city prefer to interact with, but I see little harm in it. I am tempted to open the box coordinated with the key, and I can see my friends fear at it as we pass the box (all of five feet tall and with only a few dozen boxes). But that notion fades to another.

“We should return the key to the post office, someone will be missing it.”

“Er... you mean the regular post office? Right?”

“Sure, the one in the Canyon.”

“That's... not the... wait!” As she is forced to run after me if she wishes to keep up.

She hesitates as I head down the stairs, but I feel no fear in coming here. She would have been taught early on that this was a dangerous place. Her family would have told horror stories of the place, where people are killed or worse, and no one returns. It is a tentative balance in the city, one that barely allows the presence of those outside its everyday life. Yes, there are people and businesses down at the base of the canyon, but good folk do not go there, and do not pretend to know they are there. They have always been considered outsiders and others, and whenever their paths take them through the city, they are shunned and ignored. Still, as with my house and the others near me, I know they have been here equally long.

My mother took me here once or twice when I was young, but it has been a long time. Still, I know my way down the stairs, and my companion catches up and keeps close. It is honestly a rather long decent, and it just barely still dusk as we pass the first smoky glass windows of the darkened business here. It is too early for them to be open, although we do pass a grim and worn looking man, with two others following him, who argues at the door of a shop who's green glass windows obscure what might be jars with flayed faces in them. I pay it little heed, by my friend clings to my arm as I wind into the streets here, nearly hidden in the canyon walls, until I find the nondescript little doorway in the rock, with its small USPS logo above the bell. It seems even in the underworld here, there is normalcy to be found.

I knock, and there is no answer, which my companion takes with relief.

“Just drop the key in the mail slot!” She says with with a squeak of hope.

“There is no mail slot, hang on.” I say as I open the door and call down the long winding brick stairs. “I've found a mail key, and wanted to return it!”

It is a surprisingly soft voice that answers, that of an older man with a heavy Russian accent “Thank you! Bring it on down if you would, please.”

I shrug, looking to my friend, her look is one that says she has given up living through the day, and we head on down. There is only a small landing behind the door, it would seem the facilities here lie deeper down. The old brick stars lead down amongst yellowed photos and memories along the walls. There are stacks of mail too, old parcels tied with string, dusty envelopes, and strangely shaped boxes. Everything is tidy and organized, but it seems the overflow of a small space.

We meet him at the bottom of the stairs, he is a narrow old man, balding, bearded, and bespectacled, though he seems strong and wiry. He takes the key from me, and thanks me profusely. Few would bother to return such a thing, but to do so keeps his job running smoothly.

“Thank you, thank you! Let me get you dinner.” He says heading off. It would seem this is both his business and his home, a small operation.

“Oh we're, fine, thank you!” Says my friend who is very much ready to leave.

“Wouldn't want to put you to trouble.” I offer.

“It's no trouble, no trouble! Let me see... let me see...”

My friend is looking frantically for an exit as we tentatively enter the living space here. Although there is work stacked neatly about. Plenty of sorted mail amongst personal belongings. It would seem he ferries mail to those that need to communicate above the canyon here.

“Plenty of pirozhki to go round.” He says from what must be the kitchen.

“I'm... um, going to use the loo.” Says my friend, seemingly having noted somewhere she can skitter off to.

“I don't think we're getting out of dinner here.” I offer as she gives me a look of resigned grief. This is not the first adventure she has been on with me. She slinks off.

“Come in, come in! You are welcome to dinner.”

I follow his voice, the place is far to real to distrust for some ill intent. The photos on the walls speak to an adventurous life, but the personal belongings, the coffee in a teacup on a stack of cheap paperbacks, the mostly empty cat dish, the tiles which would have looked out of date 70 years ago, these feel familiar to my own home.

“I suppose we could.”

“Oh good, good, ah, let me find more dishes.”

The kitchen is a warm and inviting place, things are just a bit out of date, and the pictures just a little crooked, but it smells of dinner and dust, and there is light from a sulfur colored lamp streaming in from somewhere. There is a beautiful poster hung on the wall here, across from the cramped little dining table. On it, a smiling witch on a flying carriage drawn by pretyons leads a promenade of performers and exotic animals over the canyon in which we all live. It is a beautiful thing in the style of Russian Fairy Tales, with gilded accents and the name of the circus it represents. He notices me looking it over.

“I was part of it, the greatest circus ever.” He says with both pride and sadness.

“Oh! It has been a long time since they came here. I remember it from when I was young.”

“Years and years, but it was good times, good times.”

It's true, I do remember the circus from when I was very young, but that would have been centuries ago. We are not all so human here as we seem. My friend has still not yet emerged, but she'll calm down eventually.

“What did you do in the circus?” I ask as he sets about serving up three plates. “Were you a performer? A stage hand? Did you work with animals?”

He smiles warmly “I was an animal charmer. Do you know what they are? I could call birds down from the skies in torrents, make the seas black with fish, and ask anything alive to comply to me.”

“You're my mother's lover!” I shout in realization of it all. He seems incredulous, but I know my mom's story well. I've never known my father, and she only hinted at where I came from, however, she raised me well and with love, it seems so sudden to think my father could be in the same city as I have lived for centuries on top of the hill. “I am an animal charmer too!” And with this his face is written with stern lines of doubt. It is, as I also know, a rare skill, and there is no way to lay claim to it but to demonstrate.

His two plush, apple-face, Siamese cats are getting into the sink, nosy and independent. I turn my attention to them.

“Hello, pretty kitties.” I say. Both of their attention focuses on me, ears alert, and eyes bright and curious. “You are both very handsome kitties. Could you come over here, please?” And they both do, leaping off the counter to come close to my feet, twining themselves under my chair. I let each sniff my hand, and pet both as they will allow. “Up on the table, thank you.” I say as I move my plate to make way for them, and they both leap up to stand in front of me. “And please sit too.” They do both sit, though they are still free-willed and look about, as cats do, settling themselves in, and blowing me kisses.

An animal charmer never takes over the minds of the animals they charm. There is no ability in this world that will bend an animal to something it will not do, but a charmer can coax an animal to do things within its ability and power with ease. The animal never looses its free will, but they will come and stay, or obey any command if it is given with politeness and earnestness. A good animal charmer will never exploit this, but may still use it for gain or protection. I have used it for years with my birds, so that I might care for them. I have never had so many words for it, but I have had more than enough time in my life to learn it well.

He is wide-eyed, that he should ever see another with his own skill is something else indeed. Sure they are his cats, and well accustomed to his charms, but cats are fiercely independent when it comes to a charmer's art, it takes great skill to move them about with such ease and no coercion.

“A daughter!” He says nearly tearful.

#dream #witch #animal charmer #dream journal #story #writing #personal

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2whatcom-blog · 6 years ago

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The Nice Starvation and the Randomness of the World

That is the fifth excerpt from a work-in-progress tentatively titled Science & Subjectivity. It is a quasi-fictional account of a day within the lifetime of a science author who teaches at an engineering faculty in Hoboken, New Jersey. I name it "faction," anthropologist Clifford Geertz's time period for imaginative writing about actual folks, locations and occasions. The earlier 4 excerpts describe a morning commute, a freshman humanities class, an argument over lunch concerning the nature of fact and a journey from Hoboken to New York Metropolis. The excerpt under describes what occurs after the science author leaves the World Monetary Heart ferry terminal in decrease Manhattan. -John Horgan I go away the ferry terminal and enter Battery Park, headed for Emily's condo, vowing to not see my route as merely a method to an finish. I am going to concentrate, admire the route for its personal sake. However to what ought to I listen? Timber? Flowers? Pedestrians? Pets? The duck pond deserves consideration. The geese inhabit two worlds, heads and backs above water, bellies and webbed ft under, with the ghostly orange goldfish. I watch a black lady watching a white toddler watching a duck till the lady eyes me. This breach within the fourth wall unnerves me. I head inland towards a hulking fortress of slate and glass slabs, the Irish Starvation Memorial. Ringing the memorial is a courtyard of black stones with pale crescent-shaped markings, cross sections of historical shells. Are these fossil-laden stones supposed to evoke deep time? Present a soothing reminder of the transience of human tribulations? No matter occurs, irrespective of how unhealthy, don't be concerned about it, this too shall go, we'll all be lifeless some day, like these primordial fossilized creatures? That is not soothing, that is nihilistic. No, this memorial desires us to remember--to care about--the Nice Starvation, the famine that ravaged the land of my ancestors within the 19th century. Inscriptions etched into glass slabs file the inhabitants's collapse: 4,040,000 folks in 1790, 8,175,124 in 1841, down to five,174,836 in 1881. The Brits let the Irish starve however saved darn good information. The famine drove my nice grandpa from Eire to America when he was only a boy. He sailed from Dublin to New York Metropolis, funneled via Ellis Island, grew to become a builder of slaughterhouses and hearth stations, drank himself to demise on the daybreak of the Nice Despair, abandoning my grandpa, father of my father. If the British had not been so callous towards the Irish, if the Nice Irish Famine had not occurred, I might not be standing right here Starvation Memorial. I might not exist. Rerun the experiment of life on Earth 1,000,000 occasions over, mentioned Gould, guru of contingency, and nothing would ever be the identical, as a result of evolution depends upon randomness, rolls of the cube. You'd by no means once more get mammals, not to mention mammals that invent writing and math and science. Not to mention science journalism. How seemingly is that? Physics, because it was quantized, is much more random than biology. Our world is the end result of infinite rolls of the cube, beginning with the Large Bang, the roll that acquired all the things rolling. If there's a God, He is simply the Large Curler, who has no extra thought the place we're headed than we do. Quotes from large human rollers cowl a wall of the Memorial. This is one from Dwight Eisenhower. "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed." Good speech, Ike, however why did you let that maniac Joe McCarthy run amok? Drag us into the mess of Vietnam? Make that murderous Quaker Nixon your vp? Log out on an enormous H-bomb buildup? We had been one roll of the cube away from the top. And this is Jimmy Carter: "We know that a peaceful world cannot long exist one third rich and two thirds hungry." Good sentiment, however warfare begets starvation greater than vice versa. Churchill throughout World Warfare II confiscated a lot Indian grain for British troops and civilians that tens of millions of Indians starved. The Brits cared even much less about Indians than they did concerning the Irish. As I stare on the Memorial, brooding over humanity's inhumanity, a lithe, tanned lady jogs previous me in a halter-top and silky shorts. She's burning energy to remain match. Lust curdles into resentment towards her and the suited women and men strolling previous me, or sitting at a sidewalk cafe, sipping cocktails and nibbling hors d'oeuvres, throughout the road from the Starvation Memorial. They're most likely bankers, making tens of millions whereas others have awful jobs, well being care, colleges, properties. Bankers assume they're higher than the remainder of us, however they're worse. They're unhealthy folks. Wait. Analyze the difficulty calmly, rationally, with out emotion, the way in which Peter Singer would. Give capitalism credit score for rising international prosperity, the decline of poverty. That is an enormous step ahead for humanity, together with longer life, extra democracy, much less warfare. Issues are getting higher! And bankers aren't all unhealthy. Bankers with Irish blood most likely put up the bucks for this beautiful Starvation Memorial. Singer would most likely say, As a substitute of losing cash remembering the lifeless, assist residing ravenous folks. Singer is so good at laying guilt journeys on us. Think about you are strolling via a park and also you see a child drowning in a pond. You are sporting a brand-new go well with. Do you let the child drown? After all not. You bounce in, save the child, damage your go well with. Solely a monster would hold strolling. Then Singer springs his "Gotcha": In case you spend cash on fancy garments, vehicles, TVs, computer systems, eating places, holidays, stuff you do not really want, you are a monster, since you may spend that cash saving ravenous third-world youngsters. Singer's argument made me really feel so responsible that I grasped for counter-arguments to justify my $150 trainers. I do not eat out a lot, I often put on denims and t-shirts, I drive a Prius. And I ought to get ethical credit score, as a result of I write about how unhealthy warfare is... Okay, that is bullshit. This is one other argument. You may't let humanity's struggling hold you from having fun with your individual life. Pity can develop into pathology. Have a look at Simone Weil, who starved herself to demise to protest remedy of the victims of World Warfare II. What good did that do? Individuals endure and die, however life and the pursuit of happiness should go on. It is like Bruegel's portray of Icarus. He is tumbling into the ocean, drowning, and nobody notices, and that is correctly, life should go on. What good do do-gooders do, actually? Like these antiwar activists I met at a rally who did severe jail time, a yr or extra, for breaking into drone crops and missile websites. They organized upfront for mates to deal with their youngsters. I love your braveness and dedication, I informed them. However I believed, I might by no means abandon my youngsters for a trigger, and what did your protests accomplish? Do-gooders are simply rolling the cube. Even the noblest memes, as soon as they begin propagating, can mutate into one thing ugly. Christ's message of affection evokes the Crusades and Inquisition. Marx's imaginative and prescient of equality and justice results in the gulag. Who will save us from our saviors? Higher have a tendency your individual backyard than attempt to terra-form the planet. I am rationalizing, as a result of I am too lazy, egocentric, cowardly to surrender my creature comforts, not to mention my life, for an thought. Sufficient guilt! I bolt from the Starvation Memorial and head east on Warren Avenue, the place I confront an infinite, Seurat-like tableau. Scores of ladies and boys in multi-colored shorts and shirts chase balls on an infinite emerald subject punctuated by blue and white stripes, yellow cones and nets. Males in enterprise fits yell, "Run! Run! Pass! Shoot! Good!" A girl in a slinky silver cocktail sheath kicks a ball forwards and backwards with a purple-uniformed teen. The lady claps her palms and shouts, "Yeah, yeah!" Busy, profitable women and men taking the time to teach their youngsters, assist them excel, in order that they'll develop as much as be busy, profitable women and men. However you could be a nice guardian and your child finally ends up dumb, disabled, depressed. Or imply. What's worse, your child turning into a mild, unhappy failure or joyful psychopath? A troublesome alternative, however I would most likely go together with psychopath. You need your child to be completely satisfied, proper? Even when he hurts others? I hate scientists who say genes are future, however there is a kernel of fact in bio-determinism. Some youngsters appear born unhealthy. Mike and Mindy are great folks and oldsters. They doted on their daughter, Kendra, and she or he nonetheless grew to become a junkie by 15. Mike and Mindy blew their financial savings on swank rehab facilities all throughout the nation, in useless. After they introduced Kendra residence to dwell with them, she stole from them, introduced unusual males into the home, overdosed in her bed room when she was 20. What would Peter Singer do if his daughter acquired hooked on heroin? Spend $50,000 on rehab when she'll most likely relapse anyway? Or ship the cash to Oxfam to avoid wasting numerous sick, hungry youngsters? Plug that riddle into your utilitarian calculator. The lady within the slinky silver gown is now not kicking the ball along with her son. She's observing me. She digs me. No, she thinks I am a creep testing youngsters in shorts. Time to maneuver. There's an upside to genetic determinism: In case your child messes up, it is not your fault. The cube simply did not roll your method. Additional Studying: What a science author thinks about on his morning commute Stream of Thought Description of Instructing James's "Stream of Thought": A Work of Faction Science, Historical past and Reality on the School Membership What a Science Author Thinks on a Ferry to Manhattan The Thoughts-Physique Drawback, Scientific Regress and "Woo" Dispatch from the Desert of Consciousness Analysis, Half 1 Dispatch from the Desert of Consciousness Analysis, Half 2 Dispatch from the Desert of Consciousness Analysis, Half 3 Dispatch from the Desert of Consciousness Analysis, Half 4 A Bloomsday Appreciation of Ulysses by James Joyce, Best Thoughts-Scientist Ever. Credit score for Bruegel's "The Fall of Icarus": Royal Museums of Nice Arts of Belgium, through Wikipedia Commons. Read the full article

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