#Buddy Woodson

[uniqueartisanconnoisseur]

A Southern Road Trip

It started out with a road trip heading to Nashville, Tennessee for a tractor show. As always, if time allows, I diverged! What is more fun than finding stops you never planned. Unanticipated finds bring me great joy! Our first planned stop was Patti’ 1880’s Settlement Restaurant in Grand River’s, Kentucky. The Land Between the Lakes is stunningly beautiful! In 2021, we traveled this direction.…

[honeybristle]

The Slenderman’s Manor was a house of rules. Most of them were basic; no fighting inside, rooms clean by the lord's day, no live prisoners, and so on. But there was one rule that, no matter how strange it was, no one dared disobey. No one but the proxies could leave the house under the full moon. 

The rule was heavily enforced. Long ago, a year or so, a young creep had left her room to find why the rule was in place. All they found of her was a bloody trail towards the rakes hold. Since then no creep has dared leave their room once the full moon showed her face.

Despite this, Jeff was determined to find the truth. 

He wasn’t ignorant, he knew the risks. But something felt… wrong. Although he lacked the words to describe the feeling he knew it was true. The creep’s disappearance had rubbed him wrong. Had she really been killed by The Rake or was the faceless being hiding something?

That didn’t matter. Because soon he’d know the truth.

It was a fortnight ago that Slenderman told them of his plan. 

“My children.” It had said through Masky’s mouth. “I shall be conducting business in the Under Realm for the next month. As should be known by now, the moon will rise before the Seventh day- Sunday I believe you call it.”

It waited until the room was full of nodding heads to continue. “I expect you stay inside. Lest you face the same fate as the one known formerly as Trouble.” 

“But that would never happen, for you are wise.Am I correct?” The question was clearly rhetorical, yet many answered with agreement. At this it formed some mockery of a human smile, the face tearing apart to reveal a black void. 

Jeff shivered. In his youth he had foolishly fought the creature and he knew just what those false teeth’s bite felt like. 

“If all is clear I will set off. The usual hierarchy is still in place. You answer to my hands,” It motioned towards the four masked humans, “They shall carry you to my will.” 

Then the being vanished and the room's atmosphere immediately lightened. Laughing Jack, a tall, spindly clown with a spiral cone for a nose, let out a cackle. “Old fool, ‘ear’s ‘e’s known us yet still ‘e doubt’s we’ll stay in.”

The young killer couldn’t help but scoff. “Just ‘cause you’re buddy buddy wit’ him doesn’t mean he trusts us all.”

“Trust has to be earned Jeffery.” The insufferable bitch- Jane for short- unhelpfully reminded him. 

“Mhm whatever. I’m getting in a pre-dinner nap.” With that he slipped away to plan his exodus. 

Time could not pass fast enough. Jeff marked everyday off his stolen calendar. As time drew nearer hours felt like months and days felt like years. Until finally the proxies were pushing everyone towards the upstairs. 

This was how it always started. Everyone was pushed into their rooms while the Slenderman’s goons checked the perimeter. 

But tonight Jeff wouldn’t go down easy. He had overheard that Toby was taking the first shift. And while the young man was fast, he had terrible spatial awareness. All Jeff had to do was stay silent until he got his answers. 

Although first he had to remove the planks from his window. For once his planning had paid off. He crouched beside his bed, pulling out the crowbar he had stolen from Lui’s workshop. With it he made quick work of the stubborn boards and their rusted nails. 

It seemed odd, yet familiar. He knew the window didn’t always have these boards but he couldn’t truly remember the last time he had stared out his window. He shook his head, This wasn’t the time to get distracted, he reminded himself. 

With a sudden energy, he climbed onto the window’s sill and leaped onto the sturdy pine’s branch. Carefully he wrapped his hands around the elderly limb. He glanced heavenward, a frown cast upon his face. Above his heads, misty clouds swirled together to conceal the beautiful moon. Jeff sighed, about to return to his room.

That was until a strange force grabbed him. The force pulled him somewhere. He knew not the path but his legs ached to walk it. So after a moment of hesitation, he sprung down. It was pure euphoria the moment his legs touched the barren earth. Lightning shot through his legs as he started off running. Below his feet the leaves sang along his joy for him. Soon he’d know. What it was he’d know, well that was to be found out. 

He could hear shouting in the distance, but he doubted any punishment could take this bliss from him. 

And in part, he was right. For the truth was what took his smile. 

In front of him laid a small graveyard. His path wasn’t complete, so with growing dread he followed his legs. Mindlessly he lurched forward, only stopping at the top of a hill. 

He began to shake, his stomach turning it’s contents towards his mouth, he could barely move. For the sight was too much for him. 

A single withered tombstone reading:

Here Lies

Jeffrey Samuel Woodson

Loving Brother and Son

He lived a faithful life.

Born

1676

Died

1691

The memories came rushing back to him. He’d been courting a girl… he was courting Jane? But the metal smith’s son got mad. He wanted Jane for himself. So he challenged Jeff to a knife fight… But Randall… yes his name was Randall. Randall didn’t fight fair, he and two of his friends jumped Jeff. They held him down and mutilated his body… they dragged him to the creek.

He choked out a sob as the moonlight exposed him. He wasn’t a fresh killer, he was an old ghost. One whose wounds would never stop bleeding, no matter how often he tricked himself that he healed.

[cheshirelibrary]

Reading stories featuring people of color is important for readers of all ages. We put together a few titles as a starting point for kids and teens.

Picture Books:

Woke Baby by Mahogany L. Browne

Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry

Sulwe by Lupita Nyong'o

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson

I am Enough by Grace Byers

Trombone Shorty by Troy Andrews

The King of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes

Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio

Middle Grade Books:

Betty Before X by by Ilyasah Shabazz

Blended by Sharon M. Draper

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramee

Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson

New Kid by Jerry Craft

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D, Taylor

My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich by Ibi Zoboi

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia                                

YA Books:

Dear Martin by Nic Stone

Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The Sellout by Paul Beatty

Monster by Walter Dean Myers

Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Day of Tears by Julius Lester

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

[cirrius-akiyo]

50* + buddie sorry but if you want to write both that is okay with me hehe

Read in AO3

@buckleysjareau , I couldn't help myself but to do both 49 and 50 from the Fluff/Angst Prompts List

I hope you'll enjoy this as much as I enjoy writing it.

Thank you for the prompts. 🤗🤩

The moment Eddie agreed to throw himself into the underground fighting scene, he never thought in a million years he would get addicted to the adrenaline roaring through his vein with every punch that followed. Eddie thought he would be able to quit anytime he wanted to, because he was still in control, he needed to be in control. He woke up every morning convincing himself that those days would be his last in the scene, that he would stop when he could, that he would not let himself astray more than it was, but every triumph and money stacks he received at the end of his wins made it harder and harder to quit.

Of course, things got out of hand because the next thing he knew, his opponent was not breathing and Eddie knew without intervention, the man was as good as dead. Calling for an ambulance to the scene was a risky move, but deep inside he knew he is a firefighter first, and so he braced himself for the consequences as he dialed the 9-1-1. Consequences that include exposing himself open in front of Bobby, confronting the ghost of his stewed anger towards Shannon and towards himself. Consequences that had forced him to talk with Frank, leaving out all of his skeletons and miles long disappointments for a stranger to see.

Now, the consequences of his bad decision had come back to taunt him yet again, forcing him to wait once more at the wrong side of the hospital room.

Moving Christopher’s weight from one side to the other, Eddie wipes away the stray tear stains painted on his son’s face who has his head cradled at the crook of Eddie’s shoulder, still sobbing silently. The hushed sobs compel Eddie to stifle his own as he inspects the gauze on Chris’ left elbow, examining his own aching knuckles.

Eddie’s focus shifted from their minor injuries as he looks up at the direction the clicking sound of booted footsteps belongs to none other than Sergeant Athena Grant, who is walking towards them with urgency and purpose.

“How is he doing?” Athena queries as she takes a sit beside Eddie, her back stiffs against the hard chair, staying alert with any impending news.

Eddie purses his lips and spats bitterly in a hushed whisper, “Are you asking about Chris or Buck?” Because right now, both of them are far from being okay by Eddie’s definition. Hell, he himself is far from okay at the moment, so excuse him for struggling to contain his emotion.

But credit to Athena, she does not sway a bit with his little outburst and simply clarifies, “both.”

“Sorry.” Eddie exhales roughly, wiping his face with his free hand.

Athena smiles empathetically. “Don’t be. We are all strung out with the news. I have talked with Maddie and Bobby. She will be here soon. The rest of the team will come once their shift is over.”

Eddie nods, grateful for her help because the thought of calling Maddie or the team totally skipped his mind with his sole focus fixed on his family and their safety. “Chris got some bruise on his elbow when he skinned himself falling down. Other than that, he’s quite shaken up. Buck on the other hand,” Eddie paused, pushing the queasy feeling down before continues, “he was barely responsive when they brought him in. The doctor said something about possible concussion and broken ribs.” Eddie breaks his eye contact with Athena, not wanting her to see his brimming tears.

“How about you, Eddie?”

“What about me?” Eddie retorts defensively, pulling Christopher tighter into his embrace, as if he is ready to pick up the boy and run away, away from this mess and nightmare.

“As far as I’m concern, you’re a victim too in this attack. So, tell me, how are you doing?” She repeats herself, demanding for a no-bullshit answer.

“I’m fine. Buck took the brunt of it.” That is definitely a ‘bullshit’ answer.

Athena arches an eyebrow, giving Eddie a skeptical look but does not pries further on the subject.

Instead, she proceeds with her business with, “Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”

There it is, the million-dollar question Eddie has been dreading the moment he saw Athena walked down the corridor. Because to answer her questions, Eddie needs to relive the hellish moment again, visiting his past mistake and he is not sure if he has the gut to do it.

“Can we please do this after Tia Pepa picks up Christopher?” Eddie tries to compromise, ignoring how broken his voice sounds, because he really doesn’t want to subject Chris through the torment again.

Athena nods in understanding. “Sure. I’ll wait right here with you, or do you want to be alone?” She asks as she changes her posture, preparing to leave if Eddie wanted her to.

“No, stay please. I don’t want to be alone.” Eddie pleads, not sure what comes over him as the words leave his mouth.

“Sure, honey.” Athena relaxes in her seat, but her keeping her guarding stance.  

 

///

 

“Are you ready, Eddie?” Athena starts, pulling out her notepad and pen.

Eddie nods, not trusting his words now because he would never be ready. All his life, he never would imagine himself being a victim, having caring countless victims in his few years of service, but today’s incident has changed the narrative.

“Do you recognize who hurt you? Hurt Chris and Buck?”

“Yeah. He uh… I uh… fought him once… during the street fighting, and uh, he lost quite a big sum that day.” Eddie grits his teeth, nausea building up behind his throat as he remembered the thrills he felt when he received the winning stacks, the elated face of Christopher when he bought him the latest Lego set using the bloody money. 

“Do you have a name?” Athena proceeds stoically, not a bit fazed by Eddie’s dirty little secret.

“Jake…um, Jake Woodson? I think so, yeah.”

“How about you tell me what went down from the beginning.”

Eddie shuts his eyes, trying to recall the mirage of the daunting memories. He could feel his palm getting sweaty under the visible stress. He really doesn’t want to do this, but the son of a bitch needs to pay for hurting his family, and so Eddie perseveres.

“We were at the park. The one near the firehouse.”

*

“It’s getting dark. You think it’s time to go home yet?” Buck asked as he shoved his hands into the pocket of his brown jacket.

“Yeah. I think we burn enough of Chris’ energy for today. I’m tucking him tonight.” Eddie smiled cheekily at the prospect of Chris easily falling asleep.

Buck pouted. “You always tucked him in when he already burned out. It’s not fair,” the man half grumbled.

Eddie chuckled heartily, grabbing Buck’s elbow as they strutted towards Chris who was still immersed feeding the ducks. “But you love it.”

“I do, but we are stopping by the McDonald’s afterwards.” Buck flashed him an evil grin.

“No, we aren’t.” Eddie chastised.

“Hey Chris! How does a McFlurry sounds?” The shouts caught Chris’s attention right away and he beamed at the promise of dessert.

“You vile, vile man.”

“You love me.”

“I know I do.”

*

“We were walking back to our truck when he approached.” Eddie continues.

“Jake Woodson?”

Eddie grimaced at the name, but nods in confirmation.

“So, what happened then?” Athena prods as she tries to paint a clearer picture of the incident.

“We were completely blindsided. I was about to help Chris into his seat when suddenly this man shoved me to the ground, bringing Chris down with me. That’s how Chris…” Eddie gestures to his left elbow, hoping Athena would comprehend.

*

“Hey! Get away from my family!” Buck growled before pushing the man away from Eddie and Chris who were still stunned on the ground.

The man, who Eddie swears got bigger from the last time Eddie saw him, sneered at Buck and before Eddie could warned his husband, Jake grabbed Buck’s head and smashed it hard to the side of their truck, painting the metal red.

Eddie screamed as Buck collapsed in a heap, his face scrunched in a mixture of daze and pain as blood sluggishly trickled down his temple.

*

Eddie lets out a harsh sigh, looking down at the tear drops staining his jeans.

“Do you want to take a break?” Athena places her hand on the sobbing man’s shoulder.

Eddie shakes his head. He wants to get this done and over with.

“I want to help Buck, but Christopher was crying behind me. I couldn’t simply leave him alone. What if Jake attacked him?” Eddie sheds angrily at the tears that doesn’t seem to be stopping.

The torn feelings he had felt at that time was agonizing.

“So, I…I pushed Chris to hide behind the truck…oh God! I should help Buck faster! I should...I should…,” Eddie breaths bleakly at the thought as he shuts his eyes close, trying to replay the moment where he could do better.

Athena immediately kneels in front of Eddie, trying to calm down the man who is now borderline hyperventilating. “Eddie, Eddie! Listen to me. Listen. What you did was right. Buck would want you to put Christopher’s safety first.”

Eddie inhales, feeling his breaths stutter in his chest.

“You have to breath. Calm down now, Eddie. What you’ve been through is traumatic, but you have to breath.”

Eddie tries his darndest best to hold himself together.

“That’s right. Keep breathing, Eddie.”

“Okay. Okay.” Eddie chokes back the sobs.

“Are you good to continue?” Athena eyes him.

Eddie nods feebly as he levels down his breathing pace.

“When I got to them, Jake was kicking Buck in the chest.” Eddie swallows hard, recalling how Buck tried to cover his head and chest in a losing fight. “I threw some punches but he won’t relent. Keep snarking about how I should lose everything too like he did.”

“Do you know what that means?” Athena asks further as she jots down Eddie’s statements.

Eddie shrugged, completely clueless. “I don’t know. I just know that I won big that day. I haven’t fight him again afterwards.” He hangs his head low as shame and guilt slithers up his spine.

Eddie is pulled out of his self-loathing when he heard a female doctor asks, “family of Evan Buckley-Diaz?”

Both of them stand up in record time, meeting the doctor halfway who is smiling softly, but Eddie does not dare to let his heart hope, not until he could see Buck is alive and well for himself. Because the last time Eddie saw Buck, the love of his life was half-conscious with blood covering most of his face.

“I’m his husband. Is he okay?” In any other circumstances, Eddie is always proud to tell anybody who is asking that Buck is in fact his husband, but never like this. Not in this sterile hospital corridor surrounded by death and diseases.

“Your husband is going to be just fine.” She starts off with assuring note before continues, “he sustained a nasty concussion and two broken ribs, but he is very lucky there is no internal bleeding, neither in the head nor chest, just some major bruising. Head wound tends to bleed a lot, a fact that I’m sure both of you are familiar with.”

“Can I see him?” His voice timid. The smile that never leaves the young doctor’s face did little to nothing in comforting his racing heart.

“Of course, but he is asleep now. He will be disoriented and most likely in pain when he wakes up later, but other than that, he should recover just fine with plenty of rest.” The doctor finishes off cheerily.

Eddie lets out a breath he didn’t realize he’s holding. Buck is fine. He is fine. Buck is alive. The mantra resonates throughout his body, vibrating at a wild pace throughout each cell.

But he is pulled out of his stupor when Athena pats his back. “I knew his thick skull would come in handy sometimes.” She chuckles wetly, and Eddie swears he saw the Great Athena Grant sheds a tear.

 

///

 

It was almost midnight when Buck stirs groggily, whining unhappily at the assault of pain his body is experiencing.

Eddie approaches his husband almost immediately, calming the struggling man in a hush manner. “Easy Buck.”

At the mention of his name, Buck looks up hazily towards the caramel-brown eyes that hold his world. “Y‘kay? C’ris?” He slurred, flinching as he tries to swallow.

Eddie lets out a wet laugh at Buck’s question as he fetches the water and guiding his husband for small sips.

“We are both okay. Some bruises, but you’re the one who manages to land on this beautifully crafted hospital bed.” Buck doesn’t seem to miss the broken notes in the man’s jesting laugh, but he chooses to let it slides as he turns his head around the room, noting the absence of their son.

Seeing the confusion on Buck’s face as he starts to thrash around, Eddie know exactly who is Buck looking for. “Chris is at Abuela’s. He’s fine.” Eddie emphasis on the word ‘fine’, just so Buck would calm down in his bed.

Yet Buck gives him an unimpressed look, sensing some omission of facts through Eddie’s cracked voice.

Eddie sighs dejectedly. All the time they have spent together, obviously Buck could easily read through his lies even in his groggy state.

“Just some bruises when he fell, I promise.” Eddie confessed. “But you on the other hand…” Eddie tries to find the right word that won’t hurt so much, but suddenly his eyes starts to dampen again.

This time, in the private company of his lover and away from judging eyes, Eddie couldn’t help himself but to cry.

“I almost lost you so many times before, but nothing compares of almost losing you because of my own stupid mistake. I am so sorry, Buck. I swear I never thought it would come down to this.”

“Eddie, I’ll do it all over again just so you and Chris will be safe.” Buck’s voice is definitely stronger and Eddie wonders where does Buck pulls the strength from, because right now Eddie is feeling weak on his knees himself and if he had not been sitting, he would definitely collapse. As his tears fall free, Buck seems to be more alert than before and Eddie couldn’t help but to feel ashamed his outburst has ripped Buck from his well-deserving rest.

“Do you think I’m broken? Because you’re the one on the hospital bed, but here I am struggling to contain myself when I should be the strong one.” Eddie hangs his head low as more broken sobs escapes him.

“Eddie, look at me.” Buck cups Eddie’s chin with his right hand, wary of the IV lines as he pulls his lover’s face towards him. “Eddie, nothing is wrong with you. Struggling is what we do best, and people like you and me struggle because we care, we’re not giving up and we’re trying to stay afloat. Am I wrong?”

Eddie tries to look away, but Buck's face and arched eyebrow say that he demands a response. 

“No, you’re not. You’re right.” Eddie lets out a small smile at Buck’s words of affirmation.

“Heck yeah, I’m right. I choose to marry you and I’ve chosen to stay with you throughout your struggles.” Buck plops down on the pillow. “But for now, I’m struggling to stay awake. Get in here with me?” Buck scoots over and pulls his blanket to make space for his husband, careful of the lines  and wires hanging around him.

“I’m sure it will be a tight squeeze.” Eddie shakes his head affectionately at Buck’s proposal, not that he would fight it much if Buck insists.  

“Please. I sleep easier with you close to me.” And there is the puppy eyes attack and Eddie finally relents as he climbs onto the bed gingerly, trying not to jostle Buck’s ribs much.

“Athena was here. She said your thick skull is what saved you.” Eddie whispers against Buck’s shoulder, basking in the warmth that seeps through the thin hospital gowns.

Buck only smiles at the remarks, already half asleep.

Eddie knows he should update their family soon, but that is for future him to handle, because right now, he just wants this moment to be just for the two of them.

“I love you and all your struggles too.” One last confession before both of them paddles through their dreamland.

[maddie-grove]

Little Book Review: Harbor Me

Author: Jacqueline Woodson.

Publication Date: 2018.

Genre: Contemporary YA.

Premise: Six fifth-graders with learning difficulties at a Brooklyn elementary school are instructed by their teacher to talk with each other about their feelings and experiences once a week. Haley, our main girl, is reluctant to talk about her widowed father, who is in prison and about to be released, and her uncle, who raised her but plans to move out after her father’s return. However, she volunteers to be the “memory keeper” for her best friend Holly (the “rich girl”), her crush Amari (who is afraid of police brutality), Esteban (whose father has been taken away by ICE), Tiago (whose family deals with xenophobia), and Ashton (the one white kid, who is poor). 

Thoughts: Jacqueline Woodson’s writing is as fluid and lyrical as ever, and she deals with the book’s heavy themes with incredible empathy and nuance. The glimpses that we see of each kid’s home life--Haley’s bond with Holly’s mother, Esteban’s father’s open affection and selflessness towards his children, Amari’s father’s efforts to protect him from a racist society without scaring him too badly, Tiago’s admiration for his absolutely lovely-sounding mom--are full of beauty and love that provide some much-needed hope. There is really not much negative that I can say about the content of this book. It’s a lovely, highly readable story with a great message about caring for and trying to understand others, and I think it’s a good choice for assigned reading for late elementary/early middle school.

Yet I do think it suffers a little from its own efficiency. I’m surprised at my own reaction; one thing I admire about middle-grade/YA fiction is how often it tells interesting, multi-faceted stories while using concise language and/or relatively simple plots. (There’s nothing wrong with complicated language and plots in any kind of fiction, but sometimes they strike me as a sign that the author isn’t confident about the bones of the story.) But, here, I felt that the kids (reticent Haley aside) were too quick to deliver extremely on-point, eloquent monologues about a single issue each of them were facing. They would’ve felt like more fully individualized, fleshed-out characters if there’d been more dialogue, more fumbling, more venting about smaller issues in addition to (NOT instead of) bigger ones. I really liked the moments where the kids did go a little off-topic; Tiago is also upset about the recent death of a beloved elderly dog, and Ashton jumps around between subjects a bit.

I also felt like there were some missed opportunities. For example, the kids very rarely talk about having learning difficulties or being looked down upon for struggling with them (an issue that Haley mentions briefly near the beginning of the book). Some reviews I saw mentioned that Woodson said she chose not to focus on the learning difficulties, because some students who struggle with learning may not appear to need any help. (This is apparently from some bonus materials in the back of the book that I didn’t read before returning the book on Libby, because I assumed it was a standard reader’s guide.) There are students like this, of course, but clearly these kids seemed like they needed help to someone if they’re being grouped together in a classroom. The depiction of Haley’s dad’s incarceration is also unexpectedly apolitical. It’s a tragedy for the family, but I’m not sure whether the audience is supposed to disapprove of the fact that he was sent to prison for so long. 

Hot Goodreads Take: There’s some “damn SJW’s” nonsense that’s not worth repeating, but I am fascinated by the three-star reviewer who seemed to like the “challenging issues” discussed in the story and the fact that it was about “[a] group of kids from all sorts of backgrounds,” yet accused Woodson of being “a pawn in the liberal propoganda movement.” Buddy, what did you ever like about this book?

[cfdcminance]

{NOAH CENTINEO; HETEROFLEXIBLE; MALE} ‒ COOPER WOODSON is a 22 year old HUMAN who has just arrived on amor isle. around the isle HE is known as ICE KING. most people call them KIND, but also watch out they can be RECLUSIVE. HE came here searching for their soulmate who is GEMMA CHAN, KRISTEN KREUK, ALEXANDRA DADDARIO. and are on the isle searching for a person matching their birthmark that looks like a STAR.

When you're the human person who knows that supernatural creatures exist, what do you do with that knowledge? Some might wage a campaign and crusade for or against them. But Cooper is the kind who's thirst for knowledge overrides all - even sometimes his sense of self-preservation. Determined and focused, he's come to the island to seek to have experiences with supernaturals of some sort - whether it's sex, falling in love or just establishing long term relationships, his cool demeanor means he won't get too attached. Or will he?

Connections: Other humans (group together for safety, right?), supernatural friends / study subjects (he is a student, after all), drinking buddies, confidants, others he's 'studied' in the past that were maybe led on that there could have been something more.

[lost-n-stereo]

A/N: Fluff Prompt from @livinginrhythm and an anon. Nate/Serena #65. Prompt meme linked at the end!

can I call you up (just one more time)

His phone rings when he’s watching the soccer game he DVR’d with Chuck. It’s a rare boys night, one that they don’t get often these days with work and kids and married life. Well, the last two are just Chuck but it still affects him and how much time they hang out just the two of them.

“Serena is calling me,” he says, looking at Chuck with a bewildered expression. It’s almost two am on a Friday night and Serena most definitely shouldn’t be calling him. Not just because it’s so late but because she’s married, to someone else.

“Want me to pause it?” Chuck smirks behind his scotch glass. “This oughta be good.”

Nate shakes his head. “Nah, I think I should probably take this one in my room.”

He doesn’t answer until the door to his room is closed. He’s still in the Empire penthouse, although it’s been all his for awhile now.

“Serena? Is everything okay?”

That’s his first thought, that something is wrong because it’s pretty common knowledge that no good news comes after midnight.

“Nate!!”

Serena’s drunk voice comes through, the one he’s heard more times in his life than he cares to admit. He can hear loud music in the background and then a shrill “Get off the phone, bitch!” from someone that sounds eerily like Georgina Sparks.

“Serena, what’s going on? Are you with Georgina?”

She sort of hiccups into the phone and he rolls his eyes. The girl is positively wasted. “Yes, Nate. Georgie and me, we’re having a really good time at this club. But don’t worry, she’s being good. No craziness, I promise.”

Nate laughs. “Except for the fact that you’re completely hammered. Where’s Dan?”

“Who knows? Who cares?”

Well, that’s definitely not what he expected her to say. Since they have been married, Serena and Dan have been in this honeymoon phase that Nate honestly finds annoying. But this, this is new.

“Is that why you’re out drinking?” He asks, because it would make sense if her and Dan got into a fight and then she ended up at a club at two am with Georgina Sparks. 

“Nate, why didn’t we ever try again?”

He’s literally stunned silent.

“Nate, are you there?”

“Yeah, I’m here. I…I don’t know, Serena.”

She sighs and he can hear the music getting quieter. Either she went outside or into a bathroom, he doesn’t know, but she’s quiet. “I have always loved you, Nate. So much that I don’t think it’s ever going to go away.”

The broken sound of her voice makes his eyes close and he hangs his head as he attempts to process what she said. “Fucking hell, Serena. You’re drunk. You shouldn’t be saying that to me.”

“I know, I’m sorry.” Her voice is laced with sadness and he can hear that she’s close to tears. He knows he’s got to get her home but he is not the person for that job.

“I’m going to call Dan and have him come and get you.”

She’s practically frantic when she shouts, “No! Don’t call Dan, please.”

“Fine, then I’ll call Blair. Someone needs to get you home and I don’t trust Georgina, like, at all.”

He gets the name and address of the club she’s at and tells her to stay put before thumbing in Blair’s cell number.

“What’s wrong? Is Chuck okay? Did he drink too much again, because Nathaniel Archibald, I swear to God…”

Nate chuckles. “Blair, chill out. It’s not Chuck that’s too drunk, it’s Serena.”

“Serena? Wait...how do you know she’s drunk?”

“Well,” he sighs, contemplating just how much he should really tell her. Then he figures, fuck it. If anyone can get inside the mind of Serena Van Der Woodson, it’s Blair Waldorf. “She just called and professed her love for me so…”

’“Oh, so definitely completely hammered drunk. Where is she?” 

Chuck’s amused face greets him when he makes his way back into the living room. “So, Serena got drunk and told you she loves you, huh?”

“Jesus, gossip travels fast in this town.”

His best friend laughs, picks up the remote and presses rewind on the DVR.

***

He doesn’t see or talk to Serena for a week.

Blair invited him to a small party to celebrate the opening of Chuck’s new hotel and without asking she informs him that Serena will be in attendance.

“She’s your best friend, Blair. Of course she’s going to be there.”

Blair laughs like he’s missing something. “Did you not hear what I said, Nate? Serena will be in attendance. Not Serena and Dan.”

“Oh,” he says without really thinking about what she’s just said. But then it really hits him. “Ohhh…”

“There it is,” Blair says and he can practically hear her rolling her eyes through the phone. “Dress nicely, please. Don’t even think about putting on that grey pullover sweater.”

He looks down at the sweater he’s already wearing. “Hey, what’s wrong with the grey swea…”

But she’s already hung up the phone.

Six hours later his car drops him off at Chuck and Blair’s townhouse and Nate can see that the party is in full swing. He should have known when Blair said a small party that it meant at least fifty people, if not more. He hands Dorota his coat when he walks in and gives her a wink as he heads off to find his friends.

“Nathaniel! So happy you could join us,” Chuck says when Nate walks into the living room. “Come in, have a drink.”

His eyes are scanning the room for Serena but he doesn’t want to come right out and ask where she is.

“Serena is in the kitchen with Blair,” Chuck tells him. “Don’t give me that look. I know you and I know how you feel about my sister.”

“I don’t…Forget it. What’s going on with her and Dan?”

Chuck shrugs. “I guess married life isn’t what they thought it was? Who knows, who cares?”

“Funny, that’s exactly what Serena said when I asked her about him.”

His friend smirks. “Great minds, and all that.”

It takes an hour of talking and drinking before Serena makes her way into the living room. Nate looks up at the exact time she walks through the door, like they are in some sort of romantic movie, and her eyes meet his immediately.

“Hey, Nate.” She kisses him on each cheek, her hand resting on his forearm. “When did you get here?”

“Awhile ago,” he says and he looks behind her shoulder to see Blair grinning mischievously. “Do you want to go somewhere and talk?”

Serena narrows her eyes. “Talk about what?”

“Are you kidding me?” She shrugs and he sighs, pulls her by the elbow so they are away from the crowd. “So, we’re just going to ignore the fact that you drunk-dialed me to tell me you love me?”

“I did no such thing,” she says but he can see in her eyes that she remembers exactly what she said.

“Yes, you did. You said that you have always loved me and that it’s never going to go away.”

Serena bites her bottom lip and he tries not to focus on that, but at the issue at hand. “Look, can we just forget about that conversation, please?”

“I can’t,” he says with conviction. “Not if it’s true. Not if...”

“Not if what?”

He sighs. “Not if that’s how I feel about you too.”

There’s no way that telling her this is a good idea, not when she’s married and to one of his good friends at that. It’s just something that’s been in his head for awhile, maybe forever even.

“I think I should go,” she says, and before he can do or say anything about it she’s pulling on her coat and heading out the door.

*** He hears through the grapevine that she files for divorce two months later.

It doesn’t surprise him, not with the stories he’s been hearing from Chuck and Blair. Both of them have been bugging him to contact Serena but he knows that it’s too soon.

Maybe someday, when they are both in the right place at the right time.

***

“I told you Portugal plays pretty good football.”

Chuck scowls, slides five crisp hundred dollar bills across the coffee table. “Eat me, Nathaniel.”

Nate laughs, folds the bills over once and slides them into the front pocket of his slacks. “Don’t be such a poor loser, Charles.”

He ducks when Chuck throws the remote control at his head and grins at Blair, who’s watching their antics and rolling her eyes.

“Are they acting like children again?”

Serena walks in balancing a tray full of snacks on one hip and holding a glass of wine in the other. She stops and drops a kiss to Nate’s lips before setting everything onto the table in front of them.

“I don’t know how many children are walking around talking like heathens, but other than that, yes.” Blair reaches for a grape from the snack tray and pops it into her mouth. She watches with a smirk as Serena settles herself across his lap instead of sitting next to him. “You two are nauseating.”

It’s been eight months since she called him drunk in the middle of the night, six months since she signed her name on the divorce papers. It’s been two solid months of bliss between the two of them, since he called her up and asked her out on a real date.

Serena kisses his cheek and rests her forehead against his temple. “Leave us alone, B. We’re happy.”

Nate pulls her closer and kisses the tip of her nose. “That we are.”

They laugh at the gagging noises coming from both Chuck and Blair. Nate whispers in Serena’s ear to come with him and they both stand up and head towards the door.

“Hey, where are you two going?” Blair calls and Nate chuckles, helps Serena on with her coat before pulling his on.

“We are going to dinner. On Chuck. Thanks, buddy.”

They hold hands on the way to their car, laughing out loud as they listen to Blair rant about the downfalls of gambling.

“Do you think we’ll be like them someday?” Serena asks, winding her scarf around her neck.

Nate thinks about it, about Serena being his wife, them having kids. A boring married couple, like they always make fun of Chuck and Blair for being.

“Yeah,” he says, kissing her quickly. “Someday.” 

SEND ME A SHIP + PROMPT NUMBER

[rathertoofondofbooks]

March is the month that disappeared! I haven’t been up to much as my health’s not great at the moment and yet the days have flown by.  I have been doing lots of reading – mainly audio books as my eyes are still not great – but some print books too. I’m trying to spend less time looking at screens so apologies if I haven’t commented on your posts or shared things as often recently. I hope to get back to it soon.

  Here are the 23 that books I read in March:

Ordinary People by Diana Evans

I’d had this book on my NetGalley shelf for almost a year but I finally picked it up in March and I loved it so I’m kicking myself for not reading it sooner. I will review it soon but in the meantime I definitely recommend it!

Sewing the Shadows Together by Alison Baillie

I loved this crime novel, it has such a good sense of place and great characters. I’ve already reviewed this one so click the title above if you’d like to know more.

Don’t You Cry by Cass Green

I listened to this on audio and it was an okay listen. I enjoyed it while I was listening but it’s not a book that’s really stayed with me.

Past Life by Dominic Nolan

This book is so good! It has so much depth to it and kept me hooked all the way through. I’ve reviewed this one so click the title to find out more of what I thought.

Welcome to the Heady Heights by David F. Ross

This book is so hard to define but it was impossible to put down! I really enjoyed it. My review is already up so click the title to learn more.

Entanglement by Katy Mahmood

I had this book on my NG but I also got the audio book so part read and part listened to it. I very much enjoyed this one and hope to get my review finished and posted soon.

The Guilty Party by Mel McGrath

This book is so good! It grabbed me from the first page and had me gripped right to the very end. I’ll be reviewing this one soon too!

Beautiful Bad by Annie Ward

This is another really good read! I think I read this in one sitting pretty much and love how even though I thought I had it all sussed there was more to come! My review is posted so please click the title if you want to know more.

Hold My Hand by M. J. Ross

I downloaded this on audio after reading Meggy’s great review of the second book in the series. I loved this and already have the next book on my phone to listen to soon!

Not Fade Away by John Gribbin

This was a really enjoyable book looking at the music of Buddy Holly.

Goodnight Malaysian 370 by Ewan Wilson

I got this one on my Kindle Unlimited free trial and it was an interesting read but there was nothing in it that I hadn’t already read from articles online.

Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward

I’ve had a copy of this on my NG shelf for way too long so when I spotted the audio book on my Scribd trial I decided to listen to it while reading. I adored the writing in this novel and will definitely be looking to read more Jesmyn Ward in the future.

The Flower Girls by Alice Clark-Platts

This book was brilliant! I finished it a couple of weeks ago but it’s still going round in my head. I will be reviewing it once I get my thoughts together but in the meantime I recommend it!

White Lies by Lucy Dawson

I listened to this on Audible and really enjoyed it. It was gripping and I was keen to find out who was telling the lies!

The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian

I listened to this one on Scribd too. It’s a book I’ve wanted to read for ages and I enjoyed it but it’s not the best book by the author.

It Happens All The Time by Amy Hatvany

This was also a Scribd listen and I was engrossed all the way through this book. It’s a great read and it really makes you think as you listen to both sides in the aftermath of a sexual assault.

The Conviction of Cora Burns by Carolyn Kirby

This book is incredible and I feel sure it will be in my top books of the year. I was utterly absorbed in the story and I feel sad to have finished it. I highly recommend it and if you want to know more click the title for my review.

C is for Corpse by Sue Grafton

I’m slowly re-reading all of this series so when I found this one on Scribd I decided to listen to it. It’s not my favourite in the series but I enjoy all of the books. Kinsey Millhone is great!

The Point Of Poetry by Joe Nutt

This book gave me some of my confidence back for reading poetry and got me to see poems I already knew in a new light. I recommend this book to everyone! Click the title to read my full thoughts.

Call Me Star Girl by Louise Beech

This book is stunning! I loved every single second that I spent reading it and I’m sad to have finished it. This is also a contender for my top books of the year!

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

I’ve wanted to read this one for a while so when I saw it on Scribd I decided to listen to it. It’s a brilliant book and I now want to get a physical copy to have on my bookcase.

Milkman by Anna Burns

I had the book of this but decided to listen to the audio while also reading it and I completely and utterly adored it. I feel like my thoughts on this book will keep developing for a while but I 100% recommend it!

55 by James DeLargy

I finished this book yesterday and I’m still thinking about that ending! This is such a good read, it’ll be one that stays with me!

  March Blog Posts & Reviews:

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That Was The Month That Was… February

Stacking the Shelves on 2 Mar

Mini Book Reviews of The Trick to Time by Kit de Waal, Dear Mrs Bird by A. J. Pearce, Ivy and Abe by Elizabeth Enfield and Someone Like Me by M. R. Carey

Review of The Bridal Party by J. G. Murray

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This Week in Books 6 Mar

Review of Last Ones Left Alive by Sarah Davis Goff

Stacking the Shelves 9 Mar

Review of Are You The F**king Doctor? by Dr. Liam Farrell

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Review of Past Life by Dominic Nolan

Review of Sewing the Shadows Together by Alison Baillie

This Week in Books 13 Mar

Review of Welcome to the Heady Heights by David F. Ross

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Stacking the Shelves 16 Mar

This Week in Books 20 Mar

Review of Beautiful Bad by Annie Ward

Stacking the Shelves 23 Mar

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Review of The Conviction of Cora Burns by Carolyn Kirby

This Week in Books 27 Mar

Review The Point of Poetry by Joe Nutt

Stacking the Shelves 30 Mar

  The state of my TBR:

So I said in my February TBR update that my plan to reduce my TBR had gone somewhat awry. Well, in March it’s done waaay beyond that! Ooops! My plan was to reduce my TBR each month so that by the end of the year it would have 200 fewer books on it. At the end of February it was at 2482 and now it’s at 2500. That doesn’t seem too bad but it should be at 2387 if I was sticking to my plan. Ah well, I can’t really complain about having lots of lovely books to read. 🙂

  How was March for you? I hope you all had a good month and that you read lots of good books. Did you read many books? What was your favourite book of the month? Please tell me in the comments, I’d love to know. Also, if you have a blog please feel free to leave a link to your month’s wrap-up post and I’ll be sure to read and comment back. 🙂

That Was The Month That Was… March 2019! March is the month that disappeared! I haven't been up to much as my health's not great at the moment and yet the days have flown by. 

[arb0k]

Woodson?

baby boy! baby!

pros; super loyal, is used to taking the fall for his idiot brothers and would gladly take a fall for you too. really sweet and thankful for every little thing, just wants to hold hands and snuggle.cons; kind of a pushover. hangs out with a bunch of hooligans. busy and perpetually stressed out, seriously buddy, deep breaths.

[darkling-er]

Hope’s Savior ( John Seed x OC ) | Part 6

Summary: Trinity-Hope Johnson finds herself in the middle of a holy war, leading the Resistance, while having a complicated relationship with one of the cult’s herald. And she thought her first case would be easy. Oh how wrong she was!

Pairings: John Seed/Fem!Deputy, John Seed/OC, Earl Whitehorse & OC ( uncle&niece ), Joseph Seed/Fem!Deputy ( kind of ), might add more later

Warnings: mild language, violence, eventually smut, use of drugs ( bliss and other, thanks to Sharky ), fluff ( does that even need a warning? ), manipulation, angst, mention of mental illness ( insomnia, depression ), mention of child abuse ( from John’s side ), torture, I think that’s it? I swear it’s not so bad!

Word Counter: 2282

Notes: I’m making up for all the chapters without John, so yay! John interactions!

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 |  Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | MASTERPOST for the others

Hope sits up on the roof and looks down at her radio. Okay, this guy needs to chill down, we literally just met today. She considers not answering. That would be the wise choice, right? But she has a tendency to acting before thinking and facing the consequences later. John’s voice still in her head, the way he says ‘Dep-you-tee’ sending chills down her spine. And he thinks they need to talk, let’s talk then.

She picks up the radio and pushes down the button.

“I don’t think we need to do anything, Johnny boy. After all, you did try to drown me tonight.”

She’s poking the snake and she knows that. When he started the call he didn’t sound too happy. Well, why would he be? Big bro Joseph wanted him to get her to atone and now she was free, out of his grasp.

There’s a sharp inhale on the other end of the radio, before John talks. His voice is sweet and melodic like in the commercial and his sermons at the outposts. But Hope can feel the anger hiding behind the lines.

“Let’s not dwell on the past, shall we, Deputy?”

He says it again. ‘Dep-you-tee’ and it’s getting on her nerves. He must do it on purpose, making the word sound longer then it supposed to be. Her reaction is immediate and it’s filled with venom, with a fake laugh at the end:

“It happened, literally an hour ago... What, you miss me already? Are you angry that I didn’t join you in your weird torture dungeon?”

What is she even doing right now? Why is she talking to her? He’s an annoying ass, that’s for sure. And even if she’s trying to pull on his strings he always fights back somehow, making her angry.

John chuckles at the other end of the call:

“Oh, and here I thought you are the one missing me. You were the one holding my arm and not letting go, if I remember it correctly...” Hope’s glad the man can’t see her right now, because she can feel her cheeks are getting flushed. “Although I can’t lie, I was disappointed that my men couldn’t bring you to my bunker.”

She scoffs and interrupts him, before he could continue.

“First of all: I was drugged, remember? Thanks to your buddies with the bliss bullets. So fuck you! And second: You have to up your game, because your men are weak as hell. I even put down one of your Chosen, remember? And you what? Send me in a truck with two peggies? Come on, I am disappointed, Johnny boy. You’re not even trying.”

“The Bliss only makes you reveal your true nature, Deputy... It doesn’t make you do things, that you don’t want to do...” He speaks through his teeth next. “And yes... I do remember, but be careful. Our actions reveal our sins...”

Hope rolls her eyes.

“You know what? This was a mistake, next time you want to talk to somebody, just call a therapist. I’m sure you need all the help you can get.”

John laughs out loud at that and her stomach sends a weird sensation through her body.

“Oh, but Deputy... Here I thought we were starting to bond. It’s you that needs my help. I can set you free from your sins, but you keep insulting me... And you didn’t even ask about our dear Deputy Hudson, yet.”

Hope clenches the radio in her hands, so hard she fears she might break it. She speaks through her teeth. She knows John mentioned Hudson so he could get a reaction from her. If it’s a reaction what he wants, a reaction is what he’ll get.

“You listen to me, you motherfucker! If you even think about hurting her, I’ll make your life a living hell.”

“Is that a threat or a promise?” He asks, clearly satisfied with her reaction, but he doesn’t wait for an answer. “Sleep tight, my dear.”

And with that the call is cut off. She takes some deep breaths and swears out loud. Fuck the Seeds... Why did she even answer? And how come he knew her personal channel? He didn’t use the open one like before. Fuck...

She hears the door to the cabin open and Adam’s voice can be heard:

“Hey, Dep, you okay?”

She speaks low but makes sure the man can hear her answer:

“Yeah, I’m fine.” But in reality, she is far from fine.

All she can see is ash and fire. The sky has turned into a dark red, the clouds are black and instead of snow, ash falls from the sky. Hope can hear screams from everywhere. She’s panicking as she can’t move her leg. She’s in a car. Who’s car? She has no idea, but it seems like she is the driver.

There’s someone outside and the song that is echoing in the air, mixed with the screams she feels like this had happened before. She sees a silhouette walking by the car, but she can’t quite make it out, who it is. Though the next words she hears can’t be anyone else’s than Joseph Seed:

“Was blind, but now I see”

Hope weaks up, sweat covering her body. She is shaking with fear as she can still smell the smoke and ash in the air. She takes a few deep breaths and looks around. It’s calm and quiet, a clock ticking next to her head. She’s still in Adam’s cabin and the sky isn’t red. She can’t hear any screams and most of all Joseph Seed is not there.

She looks at Adam’s bed, he’s still asleep. Maybe it’s for the better, she couldn’t talk about her nightmare if asked. She doesn’t want to talk about it. She gets up from the bed and changes into a set of new clothes Adam got her from Fall’s End.

“You kidding me?” She whispers as she looks down at herself. A ‘trouble maker’ crop top and a jeans with her thigh holsters. One for her pistol and one for the throwing knives. I guess my whole stomach is free, ready to take bullets.

“Asshole, get up” She throws her used clothes on the sleeping Adam. He groans at her but gets up eventually.

Hope considers telling her conversation with John to Adam, but changes her mind as they drive to the Pig Farm.

“Deputy, it’s Pastore Jerome. If you’re getting close to Woodson’s Pig Farm be careful. Cultists will kil hostages if they lay eyes on you. You gotta attack quietly. It’s their best chance of survival.”

“That’s my speciality.” Hope replies. “Feed Boomer, while I’m away, will you?”

After fighting through the peggies, killing most of them with a bullet through the head with a sniper before getting spotted. They free all of the hostages and Hope is pretty satisfied with the work she had done. 

“You’ve done it again, Deputy. Actions like these are sparking the Resistance. Those people are stronger today because of you. Just like the story of David and Goliath. You’re inspiring real courage. Keep it up.”

She smiles to herself and almost gets a heart attack as her radio crackles again.

“Pastor Jerome is selfish and misguided.” She hears the annoyed voice of John Seed. “And if he were a true man of God, his people wouldn’t have left him in the first place.”

Hope laughs out loud, gaining a weird look from Adam. This guy sounds like he’s a kid. Pouting and calling names, like the Pastor took away his favourite toy.

“You, Deputy, will still confess your sins. Because this is the will of the Father.”

He actually sounds like he got a scolding from a teacher and now he has to do his homework. She can’t stop herself as she pushes down the talk button.

“Oh, Johnny boy, what happened? Did you get a scolding from Broseph?” She mocks him with a smirk that he can’t see. “How do you instantly know what I’m up to, anyway? You’re following me, hiding behind a bush, waiting for me to do something that’ll piss you off?”

There’s a moment of silence and she expects that the younger Seed won’t answer, when he replies:

“I have cameras everywhere, Deputy...”

Hope looks around the place but sees nothing. She holds up her middle fingers and takes a 360 turn.

“Kinky...” She laughs. “You see what I’m doing now?”

The answer doesn’t exactly pleases her, because John’s cold voice turns into his teasing one. He’s totally smirking, I can tell.

“Why, yes! Although I’m warning you again. Keep up this attitude and Deputy Hudson will suffer for your actions.” She lowers her arm, all of her playful mood gone. “She even told me things about you, Deputy... Interesting things, really.”

She scoffs and now she’s the one annoyed by this exchange:

“Oh, really?”

The man on the other end chuckles:

“Of course I’m not much for gossip. I would rather have you here, with me. Then you can tell me all about yourself.”

She scoffs and starts walking to Adam’s truck, the gun for hire totally shocked that the deputy is talking to that sadistic asshole.

“How about you find a new hobbie, John?” She uses his real name, not in the mood for teasing nicknames. “Or are you that pathetic that you have to kidnap and torture people talk to you?”

She shuts the car door behind her with a little bit too much force than she wanted to. Another chuckles and a ‘tsk’ sound comes from him:

“And here you are. Talking, to me. When nobody is making you.”

She rolls her eyes and gestures to Adam to start the truck.

“Well yeah, I’m an idiot. And I’m gonna hang up now. So screw you!”

She shuts off her radio entirely, only now realizing she was talking to the open station. Which means everybody who was listening to this channel heard that exchange. Fucking great.

“Why did you answer to him? And why in the hell did you flirt with him?” Adam asks as they drive to the Henbane River. Maybe some time away from the Valley is a good idea.

“I wasn’t flirting.” She says annoyed by even the idea.

“Ugh? Duh? You were. And HE was too. You two were totally flirting. In a sick way, but totally a boner way.”

She slaps his arm and looks offended:

“No, we didn’t. This is called enemy exchange.”

He scoffs with a laugh:

“You mean enemies-to-lovers exchange.”

She hits him now, hard on the bicep. He grunts but laughs and she can’t help but laugh too. Jesus, we were kind of flirting, weren’t we?

They step over the bridge to the Henbane the radio crackles and she’s glad it’s not the Seed’s voice that greets her:

“Deputy, you’ve crossed into the Henbane. Don’t trust anything you see and sure shit don’t believe a word that Faith says. Also steer clear of those white flowers. They seem harmless, but they will fuck your shit up... if you don’t believe me, just wait until you come across some of those shamblin’ junkies... Cult calls them ‘Angels’, but they’ll tear through you like shit through a goose.”

“Alright, thanks for the heads up, Dutch.” Hope replies.

Adam turns on the radio as the peggie channel blazes with music:

“Help me Faith, help me Faith, shield me from sorrow from fea...” The music is quickly cut by Adam changing the radio channel.

“Stupid thing, always ends up on that channel.” He murmurs under his breath and Hope chuckles as she leans back in her seat and looks out the window.

“You said the distress call came from the prison?”

She humms and nods:

“Yup, some guy names Virgil made it. Dutch told me to check out that place first before doing anything in Tinkerbell’s region.”

Adam scoffs and smiles at that:

“Tinkerbell? Johnny boy? Broseph? Are you trying to annoy them or make them your pets?”

She hits his arm, but not with force.

“I’m just asking, darlin’.” He says defending himself with a laugh.

“Yeah, sure. Will keep them on a leash too. Only Jacob left, to get a name.”

He shakes his head, disgust in his voice:

“Don’t call that one anything, he’s the worst.”

She laughs and looks at him with a smile in her eyes as well:

“He didn’t do me wrong... Yet... So on my list, he’s on top. My fave Seed at the moment.”

“I thought that was John.” She gives him a disapproving look as they turn on the road, only a couple of meters away from the Hope County Jail. She takes her AR-C into her hands as gunshots can be heard and she spots a couple of peggies outside of the building.

“First time I see someone trying to get inside the prison” She jokes and jumpes out of the car, when it slows down enough and marches on, taking out peggies as she goes.

“Let’s get these thugs, don’t give ‘em an inch!”

Hope almost gets shot by the voice she hears. Is that...? Adam takes out the peggie coming at her, while she’s shocked for a moment. That’s the last of them.

They open the gate and there he is. Hope’s eyes tear up as she runs up to the man:

“Holy shit... Hope?” She hugs him closely and doesn’t want to let go.

“You’re here... you’re here.” She says shakingly. Thank God, he’s here!

Adam comes up behind her, and asks:

“You guys know each other, I guess?”

Earl looks down at her niece, with pride in his eyes:

“She’s my niece.”

A/N: Okay, so no cliffhanger, and more is to come soon, but I wanted to finish and post this chapter! Thanks for reading! *-*

Tags: @onl-you

[uniqueartisanconnoisseur]

Story of the Tennessee Agricultural Museum

I love history and learning the story behind the story! Thanks to friend and tractor collector Buddy Woodson for the invite to the Spring-Crank Up 2024, antique tractor show. During our visit to the show, and Tennessee Agricultural Museum, Buddy gave me a tour of the grounds of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. Since then, I have been diving deep, and learning about the history of this…

[rossotronic]

This is an up-to-date reference sheet of my entire main and supporting heroic cast of Cosmic Cruiser Ho-Oh. I like to have all my characters in one place for the sake of being able to keep track of them and add/change info if I need to. If you have any interest, each receives a brief character description below! (Starting top left and working downward)

Ethan Emberheart - Entei - Captain of the Ho-Oh, a stoic, strong man whose notion of right and wrong guides him in all decisions. His relationship with Jet is what gives him purpose beyond merely being ship’s captain. He comes from a distinguished military lineage.

Jet Chambers - Latios - Commander of Dragon Squadron and a charismatic individual. Occasionally his confidence borders on arrogance, but there is nothing he cares about more than protecting the lives aboard the Ho-Oh.

Cassius Silver - Absol - Commander of the Advance Squadron and Jet’s arch rival. He is considered by many to be the best mecha pilot aboard the cruiser, but won’t believe it until he can really gauge Jet’s worth for himself.

Grady Macleod - Gogoat - The Ho-Oh’s Commander, second in command behind Cpt. Emberheart. He has been a friend to   Ethan, and his father, since before the Regi war. He is usually tough and thoughtful but still makes time to joke around.

Aria Chambers - Latias - Jet’s younger sister who still lives on Arceon. They grew up in foster care together until they were eighteen and Jet joined the military while Aria eventually became a psychologist. She misses her brother dearly and wishes him well in space.

Felix Cho - Floatzel - The most seasoned member of Dragon Squadron and the longest-serving pilot aboard the Ho-Oh. He is impossible to rattle, easy going perhaps to a fault. Enjoys a drink with Grady once in awhile. When he’s in the cockpit though, he is a force to be reckoned with!

Rotom - Rotom - The Artificial Intelligence core system of the Cosmic Cruiser. It keeps track of all crucial systems, navigation, as well as all computerized integral aspects to the Ho-Oh. Rotom is not so much a personality as a shipwide presence.

Samira Fayad - Swellow - Major under Jet in Dragon Squadron and his most trusted pilot. She has had to fill the role of Squadron Commander more than a few times in Jet’s absence and has proven capable. She is not quick to warm up to people.

Baxter “Buzz” Kowalski - Electabuzz - Another member of Dragon Squadron and Jet’s best buddy. A crass loudmouth much of the time, but his heart’s in the right place. Misses his family back on Arceon terribly, but does his best to remain optimistic. Has strong feelings for Samira.

Zuri Solarin - Azelf - She is the ship’s communications officer, keeping in contact with Arceon, other vessels the Ho-Oh encounters and even new species of Pokemon. She is brilliant and has a tactful mind. In many ways, her voice is the most important aboard the cruiser.

Father Dimakos - Carracosta - The leader of the religious group, Light of Arceus, aboard the Ho-Oh. He is kindly, wise, benevolent and tries to maintain a peaceful, fair atmosphere for his many followers. He welcomes all manner of worshiper to his chapel.

Tyler Fitzgerald - Tyrogue - After the loss of his father, Tyler took over the Hitmonlee mecha and joined the Dragon Squadron, despite being much too young. He has a lot to prove but his father taught him well, and while he lacks knowledge of protocol, his piloting skills are top-notch.

Liam Fitzgerald - Hitmonlee - [Deceased] Originally the Commander of Dragon Squadron, but when he was killed in combat his leadership passed to Jet. He left his son Tyler behind and after his mecha was fixed up, Tyler became a member of the squad.

Hector Diaz - Herdier - A stern and grumpy fellow who serves as the ship’s chief mechanic and engineer. He likes to play cards and may have a bit of a gambling addiction. When Rafa tried to steal parts from his shuttle, Hector saw his potential and brought him aboard the Ho-Oh as his apprentice.

Rafa Kalani - Rockruff - A young man and war orphan who grew up fending for himself on a refugee station called the ‘Junkyard’. Has never depended on or trusted anyone else until Hector realized his mechanical knowhow and brought him to the Cosmic Cruiser to learn under him.

Violet Nishimura - Vivillon - Ho-Oh’s Lead Science Officer. Her knowledge of xenobiology, alien customs and behavior is indispensable to the crew. She is often on the bridge giving informed opinions when not in her research facilities.

Margaret “Maggie” Steele - Mawile - Something of a civilian-appointed leader, she speaks for the non-crew population of the Ho-Oh. She can be a thorn in Ethan’s way of doing things, and just as stubborn about getting her way, but it’s generally for the good of her people.

Professor Malcolm Burnside - Flareon - One of the three seeking asylum after the Eevee Science Station took sides against the Ho-Oh. He became Ship’s Doctor, and has done astonishing work as a geneticist and medical practitioner. Though introverted, he is a well-meaning fellow.

Raze Renard - Quilava - A hot-headed young pilot in Dragon Squadron who has had trouble adjusting to life aboard the Ho-Oh. He lost his family when the space station they were staying on was destroyed. His relationship with Quaid has been helping him come to terms with his loss.

Davis Dewford - Dewgong - Commander of Avalanche Squadron, another of Ho-Oh’s mecha teams. He is a friendly sort, preferring to stay out of many of the pilots’ rivalries. Instead he prefers to daydream about life after the war and starting a family.

Orion Kincaid - Nidoking - Chief Security Officer aboard the Ho-Oh, essentially leading the police force. It’s a tireless job, being tasked with the interior protection of all the cruiser’s residents. Orion is tough as nails, intimidating and unsurprisingly, takes his work very seriously.

Quaid Wells - Quagsire - He owns and operates The Phoenix Fountain, an upscale bar near Ho-Oh’s downtown district. He’s a relatively new business owner, using everything he had to get his own place on the cruiser. He is outgoing and silly, but his patrons love him all the more for it.

Dax Gupta - Donphan - Major and second under Cassius in the Advance Squadron. He is a man who only speaks when he has something important to say, preferring to quietly observe and learn from those around him in his own way. Has utmost respect and loyalty for Cassius.

Lyle Green - Grovyle - A skilled wingman in the Advance Squadron. His brash way of acting and speaking often gets him to the verge of a fight, luckily his quick thinking and faster mouth usually helps him work out a less violent solution!

Sam “Zero” Keller - Zangoose - An enigmatic fellow who walks the line between legal and less-so every day. He trafficks in secrets and information. He has a peculiar relationship with Orion since they have no business being friends but find they need the other’s help more often than they’d like.

Forrest Woodson - Leafeon - Joined the Ho-Oh along with Malcolm and Gabriel. He left many who he cared about aboard the Eevee science station and is trying to find his place on the cruiser. He is smart, creative and excited to have joined a cause greater than himself.

Gabriel Crenshaw - Umbreon - Forrest’s boyfriend of several months and the last of the Eevee to join the Ho-Oh’s ranks. Big for an Umbreon, Gabe protects himself with a very tough facade, which helps him land a job as the bouncer at the Phoenix Fountain.

[rjrempires]

A Son’s Future, a Father’s Final Down BEFORE THE EVER AFTERBy Jacqueline Woodson Zachariah Johnson Jr. (ZJ) resides a 12-year-old boy’s dream: His father is a star skilled soccer participant, he lives in a snug residence within the suburbs with a half basketball court docket upstairs, he has a trio of buddies who all the time present up on the proper occasions and his budding songwriting expertise appears destined to take him far.

[lazaroschamberger20]

The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 Audiobook Online

[Audio Books] The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 Audiobook Online by Christopher Paul Curtis

Celebrate the 25th anniversary of this Newbery and Coretta Scott King Honoree about a hilarious family on a road-trip at one of the most important times in America's history. This special edition makes a perfect gift and includes bonus content!

Enter the hilarious world of ten-year-old Kenny and his family, the Weird Watsons of Flint, Michigan. There's Momma, Dad, little sister Joetta, and brother Byron, who's thirteen and an 'official juvenile delinquent.'

When Byron gets to be too much trouble, they head South to Birmingham to visit Grandma, the one person who can shape him up. And they'll be in Birmingham during one of the darkest moments in America's history.

'Every so often a book becomes a modern classic almost as soon as it arrives on bookshelves. That happened in the mid-'90s when Christopher Paul Curtis released his first book, The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963.' --NPR

'One of the best novels EVER.' --Jacqueline Woodson, Newbery Honor and National Book Award–winning author of Brown Girl Dreaming

Download The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 Audiobook Online by (Christopher Paul Curtis)

Duration: 5 hours, 0 minutes

Writer: Christopher Paul Curtis

Publisher: Listening Library (Audio)

Narrators: LeVar Burton

Genres: LeVar Burton

Rating: 4.29

Narrator Rating: 4.91

Publication: Saturday, 01 July 2000

The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 Audiobook Online Reviews

Steve Robertson

A nice read. A great book.

Rating: 5

Lya Snell

Excellent read!!! This was the required reading for my daughter's English class, and the audio book with the narrator helped her so much!!

Rating: 5

Mindy

Somehow I missed the fact that this book might have been intended for kids or young adults. I am glad that I didn't know because I probably would have passed on this book if I had. I don't review books often, so it's got to be really good or bad for me to take the time. This one....really good. Everything: story, narrator, history, emotion, this book has it all. It deals with complex situations often with humor and always through the eyes of a little 10 year old kid. Please read this book. You will not be sorry.

Rating: 5

Genevieve DeBree

It is a very clever book. My daughter (11 years) and I found ourselves laughing out loud. I also like the fact that it provided insight for her into that period of our history. Highly recommend.

Rating: 5

Toya C

Well I haven't finished but so far I can't stop Laughing!

Rating: 5

Csilla Kovats Megyesi

This book is great! I could not listen to it without laughing. I could listen to it over and over again.

Rating: 5

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[otterfluff]

Celebrating Diverse Books!

Reviewed by Anna-Celestrya Carr with help from her twins.

I’m so happy to have the opportunity to review three picture books for the 5th Annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day. A day to learn, share, and talk about the fantastic diverse literature available for young readers. It was a joy to share these stories with my twin three-year-old boys.

Disclosure: I received the following three books from their authors to give an honest review for #MCBD2018.

As an Indigenous woman with two little boys, finding them diverse stories is very important to me.  As biracial children I want them to have books that reflect their Indigenous heritage as well as stories from as many cultural backgrounds as possible. I want my boys to have the opportunity to not only see a representation of themselves in stories but find a connection to diverse characters.

A Tall Tale About a Dachshund and a Pelican How a Friendship Came to Be, written by Kizzie Jones, illustrated by Scott Ward and published by Tall Tales. This is a simple story about making friends regardless of differences and celebrating diversity.

This delightful flip-over bilingual English-Spanish picture book is a sequel to Kizzie Jones award-winning book How Dachshunds Came to Be. The illustrations are beautiful. As someone who grew up with a dachshund, I thought the artist portrayed the exuberance of Goldie the dachshund perfectly. Dog lovers will adore this story.

This tale is about the excitement of a dog wanting to make a new friend. The lesson to take away is unmistakable: you can like and appreciate someone without being similar.

It held the attention of both twins on our first reading. I can see it becoming a recurring book for story time. It is a charming sequel to the Tall Tale Series.

The next two picture books I have the pleasure of reviewing are Sporty Lou Soccer King and Johnny Skip 2 The Amazing Adventures of Johnny Skip 2 in Australia written by Quentin Holmes and published by Holmes Investment & Holdings LLC.

The illustrations in both Sporty Lou and Johnny Skip 2 have a cheerfulness to them. The bright color palette works well for both stories. It’s impressive that both books are drawn using the same style and the two little boys are completely different. The characters and background in each book are diverse.

Sporty Lou Soccer King is a story about Lou a spirited little boy being taught soccer for the first time. In Lou’s fantastic imagination his self-confidence is shown as he pictures a stadium full of people cheering his name. Lou’s disappointment in not being a naturally gifted player shakes that confidence.  Lou’s dad wants to share this great game with him and doesn’t let Lou stay discouraged. He gently teaches and encourages Lou to persevere.

Lou is a little boy with dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, and cappuccino skin color. He is ethnically ambiguous and could be any nationality. It’s possible a child from any race could look at Lou and see themselves or someone familiar. He’s every child.

I like the two sides we see of Lou; he pictures himself as a sports star and he’s a small boy who as he struggles, and misses finds the determination to keep trying.

Many kids who love sports will enjoy this book. But, I think the lesson of perseverance in Sporty Lou is important for any child to hear. I appreciated the thoughtful way the dad taught and corrected Lou. Sporty Lou Soccer King is an enjoyable read out load book.

Johnny Skip 2 The Amazing Adventures of Johnny Skip 2 in Australia is a story about Johnny, a black little boy, and his dog Grounder who use a remarkable device to skip all over the world.  They go to Australia to explore the outback and help a kangaroo.

This story has a lot going on for a picture book and it didn’t hold my three-year-old boys’ attention. I think it would be better enjoyed by kids five to seven.

This interactive adventure is an ambitious series that combines science and magic. The book teaches about the culture, language, animals, and environment of a continent. The story presents a lot of information on Australia quickly, but this causes the rhyme structure and rhythm of the text to feel forced making it difficult to read out loud.

I’m interested to see what is next for both Sporty Lou and Johnny Skip 2 in their series.

Reading diversity in fiction creates empathy and understanding in real life. These three books reflect a piece of our diverse, beautiful and complicated world.  I’d like to thank Kizzie Jones and Quentin Holmes for contributing their stories to Multicultural Children’s Book Day.

 Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2017 (1/27/18) is in its 5th year and was founded by Valarie Budayr from Jump Into A Book and Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom. Our mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in home and school bookshelves while also working diligently to get more of these types of books into the hands of young readers, parents and educators.  

Current Sponsors:  MCBD 2018 is honored to have some amazing Sponsors on board.

2018 MCBD Medallion Sponsors

HONORARY: Children’s Book Council, Junior Library Guild

PLATINUM:Scholastic Book Clubs

GOLD:Audrey Press, Candlewick Press, Loving Lion Books, Second Story Press, Star Bright Books, Worldwide Buddies

SILVER:Capstone Publishing, Author Charlotte Riggle, Child’s Play USA, KidLit TV, Pack-n-Go Girls, Plum Street Press

BRONZE: Barefoot Books, Carole P. Roman, Charlesbridge Publishing, Dr. Crystal Bowe, Gokul! World, Green Kids Club, Gwen Jackson, Jacqueline Woodson, Juan J. Guerra, Language Lizard, Lee & Low Books, RhymeTime Storybooks, Sanya Whittaker Gragg, TimTimTom Books, WaterBrook & Multnomah, Wisdom Tales Press

 2018 Author Sponsors

Honorary Author Sponsors: Author/Illustrator Aram Kim and Author/Illustrator Juana Medina

Author Janet Balletta, Author Susan Bernardo,  Author Carmen Bernier-Grand, Author Tasheba Berry-McLaren and Space2Launch, Bollywood Groove Books, Author Anne Broyles,  Author Kathleen Burkinshaw, Author Eugenia Chu, Author Lesa Cline-Ransome, Author Medeia Cohan and Shade 7 Publishing, Desi Babies, Author Dani Dixon and Tumble Creek Press, Author Judy Dodge Cummings, Author D.G. Driver, Author Nicole Fenner and Sister Girl Publishing, Debbi Michiko Florence, Author Josh Funk, Author Maria Gianferrari, Author Daphnie Glenn, Globe Smart Kids, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, Author Quentin Holmes, Author Esther Iverem, Jennifer Joseph: Alphabet Oddities, Author Kizzie Jones, Author Faith L Justice , Author P.J. LaRue and MysticPrincesses.com, Author Karen Leggett Abouraya, Author Sylvia Liu, Author Sherri Maret, Author Melissa Martin Ph.D., Author Lesli Mitchell, Pinky Mukhi and We Are One, Author Miranda Paul, Author Carlotta Penn, Real Dads Read, Greg Ransom, Author Sandra L. Richards, RealMVPKids Author Andrea Scott, Alva Sachs and Three Wishes Publishing, Shelly Bean the Sports Queen,  Author Sarah Stevenson, Author Gayle H. Swift Author Elsa Takaoka, Author Christine Taylor-Butler, Nicholette Thomas and  MFL Publishing  Author Andrea Y. Wang, Author Jane Whittingham  Author Natasha Yim

We’d like to also give a shout-out to MCBD’s impressive CoHost Team who not only hosts the book review link-up on celebration day, but who also works tirelessly to spread the word of this event. View our CoHosts HERE.

TWITTER PARTY Sponsored by Scholastic Book Clubs: MCBD’s super-popular (and crazy-fun) annual Twitter Party will be held 1/27/18 at 9:00pm.

Join the conversation and win one of 12-5 book bundles and one Grand Prize Book Bundle (12 books) that will be given away at the party! http://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/twitter-party-great-conversations-fun-prizes-chance-readyourworld-1-27-18/

Free Multicultural Books for Teachers: http://bit.ly/1kGZrta

Free Empathy Classroom Kit for Homeschoolers, Organizations, Librarians and Educators: http://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/teacher-classroom-empathy-kit/

Hashtag: Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.

[junker-town]

7 moments we’ll remember most from the Brady-Belichick era

What will you remember most about the seemingly never-ending Patriots dynasty?

For nearly 20 years, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick had the NFL pinned down like a grade school bully. On Tuesday, that era ended when Brady announced he would not be going back to the Patriots, likely so he could start fresh with Tampa Bay at 42 years old.

Though neither Brady nor Belichick are retiring yet (and may not for a while), their careers have been defined by the other as much as by their own selves. So as they go their separate ways, now is a perfect time to revisit one of the most dominant, brilliant, occasionally obnoxious and seemingly never-ending dynasties in American sports history.

Here are just a few moments that members of SB Nation staff will remember the most from the Brady-Belichick partnership. You probably won’t be surprised to see we have a wide range of memories. Feel free to give us your own — the good, the bad, the stupid, ALL OF IT — because there is a lot to choose from.

When he replaced Drew Bledsoe

I was a Michigan fan as a kid, which means I was hip to Brady’s moxie, poise, chutzpah and grit before it was cool (indeed, I was hip to it even when Michigan fans refused to be). I was 13 when I watched him replace an injured Drew Bledsoe on a Sunday evening early in the 2001 season. I ran and told my dad what was happening. As Brady eventually led the Pats to the playoffs, I felt immense validation at having been in from the very beginning on one of the greatest sports underdog stories ever.

Then the Patriots wouldn’t stop winning, Brady grew more alien, and I no longer wanted to call myself a fan. Though it seems distant now, it’s worth remembering that there was a time when Brady was universally beloved.

— Louis Bien

When he made John Madden look stupid and started a dynasty

The Patriots were 14-point underdogs in Super Bowl XXXVI. It made sense. New England was rolling a backup quarterback who nickel-and-dimed his offense to the top of the AFC against The Greatest Show on Turf Rams. His low-wattage passing attack was a cavalry, and Kurt Warner’s offense was nothing but tanks.

I was 17 when this game happened, filled with optimism despite growing up with a Pats team whose only motivation to climb out of the AFC East basement was to get pelted with rocks over and over again in the playoffs. A small group of us watched this game from a friend’s basement — the furnished chunk of a split-level ranch. It was middle-school teacher nice; pool table, bar we weren’t allowed to touch, 32 inches of pure RGB beauty broadcasting the game from New Orleans. Paradise, really.

And it felt that way when New England raced out to a 17-3 third-quarter lead, even if we knew it wouldn’t last. St. Louis unsurprisingly came back to tie the game late in the fourth quarter. Brady got the ball back with 81 seconds left, then dropped back to pass despite John Madden’s protests; he wanted the Pats to play for overtime against a scorching-hot Rams’ offense that had just mounted a 21-second touchdown drive.

“With no time outs I think the Patriots, with this field position, you just have to run the clock out,” Madden opined from the broadcast booth. “You have to play for overtime now. You don’t want to force anything here. You don’t want to do anything stupid.”

Brady did no such thing. Like he had against the Raiders in Foxborough three weeks before, the young quarterback calmly dropped back and sliced up the St. Louis defense with a thousand small cuts. Five yards here. Six yards there. A 23-yard sideline strike to Troy Brown, who deserves so much more recognition than he actually gets. Madden’s tone changed:

“I kinda like what the Patriots are doing ... This is amazing. This is something, I’ll admit, I don’t think they should have done. But they had the guts, they have the quarterback, and they did it.”

Then, finally, the moment:

We exploded from our spots on the edge of the floral-upholstered couches. Cool ranch flecks flew from our hands and into the atmosphere. My buddy Matt grabbed me and we collapsed, screaming, into a delirious hug on the floor. Sports had never made me feel that way before. Everything was a dumb, sloppy mess, and it was amazing.

“That’s the way you should win a Super Bowl,” concluded Madden, appropriately convinced of just how damn wrong he was about Brady.

— Christian D’Andrea

When he grew his hair long

What was happening there? Look, Brady is an objectively handsome man. That long hair nonsense that happened in 2011 was just such a bad look. Please don’t do this again. Oh, and remember when he dropped that pass in Super Bowl LII against the Eagles? That was fun.

Photo By Rob Tringali/SportsChrome/Getty Images

— Caroline Darney

The tuck rule

It’s not mature nor proper to blame a loss on a bad call. There are dozens of things that happen through the course of a game that affect the outcome. For instance, the Raiders were much too conservative during the fourth quarter of their 2002 Divisional Round matchup against the Patriots in snowy Foxborough.

But that game will always be remembered for that pivotal moment. In the final two minutes, Brady fumbled the ball, but the call was overturned because of a rule that said that even if a quarterback loses control when in the process of tucking the ball back into his body, it’s an incomplete pass.

Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

This was a fumble. Don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise.

It was a fumble, a turnover that would have ended the game, allowing the Raiders to move on while cementing Charles Woodson as a national hero. I’d like to think that loss for New England would have nipped the Patriots’ dynasty in the bud, but years of intense therapy (and a dash of common sense) led me to believe otherwise. But it’s still fun to believe the Patriots are built on a foundation of lies.

— Eric Stephen

Brady and Moss against the Dolphins

As a Patriots fan, I could have chosen a number of different plays and moments from that glorious 2007 season, but two moments that still delight me took place against the Dolphins in Week 7. The Dolphins were 0-6 at the time, and the Patriots were in the midst of an undefeated season. On the first possession of the game, Brady found Donté Stallworth for a touchdown, and from then on it was obvious that the Dolphins were in for a long day.

But the big story of the offense that season was the connection between Brady and Randy Moss. Not only was Moss playing well after leaving Oakland, he looked even better than he did in his Minnesota days. He was doing ungodly things to defensive backs. Brady would finish the season with a record 50 touchdowns, of which Moss caught 23. I couldn’t wait to see what the two would do against Miami.

It only took until the beginning of the second quarter for them to connect in the end zone, and it was glorious. From the Dolphins’ 35-yard line, Brady launched the ball deep after a play-action fake. When the ball came down, Moss was just past the goal line. The ball was slightly under-thrown, but no worries. Moss stopped his run and jumped over two defenders to catch the ball for a touchdown.

That play was an archetypal display of Brady and Moss’s unstoppability. Even when the ball was less than perfect, and two defenders were in position to stop the play, Moss erased the disadvantage.

A few minutes later, the same thing happened again. Brady launched the ball deep, this time from even farther out, and found Moss in the end zone blanketed by two defenders. Again, Moss caught it. He landed on his feet and the two defenders fell to the ground. Then he simply handed the ball over to the referees, because the play was just business as usual.

It encapsulated the feeling of that season: excellence as routine. And there was nothing anyone could do to stop it. It’s too bad the Super Bowl was cancelled that season due to the weather or something like that.

— Zito Madu

Brady and Belichick’s mutual friend

A story in four parts:

1.

Via YouTube

2.

Congratulations to Tom Brady on yet another great victory- Tom is my friend and a total winner!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2015

3.

Belichick wrote Donald Trump a letter the week of the 2016 general election, which Trump read at a rally in Manchester, New Hampshire, the night before the polls opened. Belichick confirmed that it read:

Congratulations on a tremendous campaign. You have dealt with an unbelievable slanted and negative media, and have come out beautifully — beautifully. You’ve proved to be the ultimate competitor and fighter. Your leadership is amazing. I have always had tremendous respect for you, but the toughness and perseverance you have displayed over the past year is remarkable. Hopefully tomorrow’s election results will give the opportunity to make America great again. Best wishes for great results tomorrow.

Bill

4.

“Donald is a good friend of mine,” Brady told WEEI in December 2015. “I have known him for a long time. I support all my friends. That is what I have to say. He’s a good friend of mine. He’s always been so supportive of me — for the last 15 years, since I judged a beauty pageant for him, which was one of the very first things that I did that thought was really cool. That came along with winning the Super Bowl. He’s always invited me to play golf. I’ve always enjoyed his company.

“I support all my friends in everything they do. I think it’s pretty remarkable what he’s achieved in his life. You’re going from business, kind of an incredible business man and then a TV star, and then getting into politics. It’s a pretty different career path. I think that is pretty remarkable.”

— Natalie Weiner

Never forget that his last pass with the Patriots was a pick-six

Brady didn’t have much of a choice but to take a chance. The Patriots were trailing the Titans by one point with only 15 seconds on the clock, starting a last-gasp drive at their own 1-yard line.

So he dropped back into his own end zone and tried to quickly get the ball to Mohamed Sanu for a first down. Instead, he threw a pick to ex-Patriots cornerback Logan Ryan, who jogged in for the touchdown to send his former team out with an early playoff exit:

PICK-6! The @Titans extend their lead with nine seconds left. #Titans #NFLPlayoffs : #TENvsNE on CBS : NFL app // Yahoo Sports app Watch free on mobile: https://t.co/EF5fHZbZSf pic.twitter.com/AOcwqlTSlc

— NFL (@NFL) January 5, 2020

At the time, we knew it *could* be the last throw Brady ever made in a Patriots uniform. But most of us didn’t think it would really happen. Would the six-time Super Bowl champion, the greatest quarterback in NFL history, the man partially responsible for the most dominant dynasty most of us have ever seen in this league really end his career in New England with a pick-six?

As it turns out: yes.

Now that I think about it, it’s kind of fitting that, of all quarterbacks, he’s replacing Jameis Winston, whose Bucs career started and ended with a pick-six.

— Sarah Hardy