#Central Park Lake Front Towers

[dailyunsolvedmysteries]

Putting Big Things in Perspective

1. The Worlds Largest Oil Tanker - The largest oil tanker ever produced was the Seawise Giant which spanned 1,504 feet (458m). If placed in the main lake in New York’s Central Park it would only have 350 feet (106m) of extra room on the front and back.

2. The Mir Mine - The Mir Mine located in Russia is one of the deepest mines in the world. The official depth is 1,722 feet (525m) deep. If the 2nd tallest building in the United States, the Willis Tower which is 1,729 feet (527m) tall was placed in the mine, the tip would only stick out 7 feet (2.1m) past ground level.

3. The M-1 Rocket Motor - The M-1 Rocket motor was designed back in the 1950s for the NASA space program and would have been the biggest motor ever built had it been constructed. Its designed diameter was 14 feet (4.2m), or wide enough to fully cover a Smart Car with 2 feet (0.6m) to spare on either side.

4. Pulmonoscorpius kirktonensis (Breathing Scorpion) - Prehistoric arachnids were larger than today’s arachnids due to higher oxygen levels. The Pulmonoscorpius kirktonensis was a species of scorpion that grew to 28 inches (71 cm) long, or the size of an average house cat.

5. The Largest Radio Telescope in the World - The biggest radio telescope to date is the Chinese Guizhou province telescope that is 1,600 feet (487m) in diameter. If placed in Las Vegas it would cover half of The Mirage, all of the LINQ, all of Harrahs, and most of The Venetian.

6. The 2.6 Trillion Dollar Rock - The Dionysus asteroid is part of the Apollo asteroid belt. The Dionysus asteroid is estimated to be 1.5 km wide or 4921.26 feet. The value of the resources estimated to be within the asteroid is around $2,600,000,000,000. If the asteroid was placed above the Golden Gate Bridge, it wouldn’t even surpass the bridge span.

[sosimsofmaddi]

Roxie Appears

Reese stood on the flat front porch of her rental, looking over the angled yard that led right into a curve in the gravel road. The narrow, single-lane road forked off in a Y, creating vast, separate lots. Each was heavily populated with tall, narrow spruce trees. The skinny trunks and high-starting branches made the lots look peppered or sparse with views of the homes and buildings caught between trunks.

The town was ninety percent trees, densely packed and difficult to traverse. The only route to town was over an expansive bridge and single road. The river bisected the town, separating the lower part from the dense forests and cliffs on the other side. She, and most others, lived in the lower part of town where the land was cleared like a dirt plot in the center of a forest.

Moonwood was the remnants of an old logging town, and the defunct mill and factories were a testament to that. There were no collective neighborhoods, just houses peppered through industrial areas. There was no central community, only ghosts of what the town had been when the factories were open.

Reese scanned the defunct factory across the way. It was old red brick and rusting iron, sloped levels and roofs with iron freezes and a large central tower structure. The windows were arched and tined with metal, papered so you couldn't see in or out of most of them.

Reese hadn't seen anyone go in or out the last week, and the debris in the front and the overgrown landscaping made it clear it was defunct, and had been for a long time. It gave the whole town a sense of removal and distance.

The land above the river was even more remote, connected only by a small bridge over the river. When Reese looked that way, she could only make out the dirt road headed toward that bridge. It was barely even big enough to drive over, with rocks and steep drop-offs on either side of the water. It led right into the trees, cutting visibility only to the sheer cliff faces that towered over the greenery.

Rent was cheap here, and people were sparse. Kelley would need to bus to the next town over to go to school. There were only seven kids at the bus stop when she walked him over this morning.

Her walk back home had been quiet, filled with the rustling of the trees in the wind, the shuffling of animals, and bird calls. It was beautiful and serene, and nothing like the horror story her father told her as a girl.

To him, Moonwood had been the backdrop of his nightmares - a solo hiking trip gone wrong over the course of a weekend. He planned to stay out for three days and camp in the Moonwood forest so he could hike the cliffs. Very few experienced hikers attempted the unmarked hike, but her father loved hiking, and he visited almost all the national parks and wanted something new.

He told Reese his scary story before bed, because he hadn't been able to sit around a campfire since he was in his early twenties. He was deep in the woods and it was getting dark. He stopped for a drink and because he could see a lake as he looked down the cliffside through the trees. He said it was the last beautiful thing he saw before something hit him full-body, sending him skidding down the slope.

He hit the ground hard, but didn't have time to breathe before something tore at his pack, shaking and yanking until her father had to get his arms out or be dragged back with it. He screamed in agony when his shoulder dislocated, when he rolled facedown in the dirt.

It was quiet for a moment -- even the trees went silent in the wind. He barely got a look before a huge brown wolf slunk around him, pivoting to keep its beady black eyes on him. Her father was barely able to lift his face from the dirt because of the pain in his shoulder, but he lifted his eyes to the cover of trees, knowing there would be more wolves waiting.

The brown wolf pounced, large maw clamping down over the curve where his shoulder met his neck. The beast's mouth was hot and wet and sharp, and her father blacked out with his eyes still on the trees.

Reese knew that he survived, because he went on to marry her mother, then he had Reese. His fear was palpable when he looked at her, and she heard his story like a warning and an inheritance. He stared at her with the same eyes she had, and that scar along his neck was raised and pink.

She wore her father's scar as a birthmark on her own neck, and he took it as a sign for what she was. A werewolf, like he became after that attack in the woods. When he looked at her and gave her all his fear, she knew he feared her too, the way he feared himself now.

So, standing on her front porch and looking over the town where her father's human life ended, she expected to feel fear. She was raised with fear, ingrained with it. Her father feared his forced nature so entirely that he refused to learn to control it, and he ended her mother's life because of it.

Reese wore real scars after that, and she expected to hate this place where she knew all of it began. Yet somehow, she felt different. She heard her father and mother's voices in her mind, locked in her memory from when she was eight years old. Her father was screaming at her now, telling her to get away, telling her that he always knew she'd succumb the way he tried so hard not to.

Her mother's voice was softer. The woman had a softer presence in Reese's childhood. Her mother had pushed her father for a child, and he gave her one even as he worried that she, Reese, would inherit his shame. Her parents never knew for sure, outside of the strange birthmark that matched her father's scar, but they both treated her as though she was a product of that horrible, disconcerting hiking trip.

Her mother had loved her, but her father wished she hadn't.

Reese focused on the land in front of her, the flat, unnatural expanse of culled trees and dirt. She was always watching, trying to pick out patterns, trying to see faces, to see differences. She wanted to know if this reclusive town held answers to her lycanthropy, if they knew how her father became infected and passed the gene down to her. And what might happen now that she passed it down to her own son.

With the land cleared, she saw the yellow taxi as it came over the river crossing bridge. She watched as it turned off and descended down to the town, tires throwing up dust and dirt as it traversed the lone forking road through the lower town.

She held her ground when it stopped on the road outside her rental house, separated by 100-feet of sparse grass and dirt.

"Roxana?" she said, stunned, when a distantly familiar blonde head popped out of the backseat.

Roxana was her biological sister, her younger sister by four years. They'd spent those four years of Roxie's life together with their parents. Then her father killed their mother mid-change, and Roxana and Reese went into the system.

Reese put distance between them. Roxana had no bite mark scar. Her father had never feared his younger daughter. He didn't look at her and feel guilt.

Roxana hadn't inherited their father's disease. She was human, and Reese wasn't. So Reese, even at eight, knew they couldn't be sisters any longer.

Roxana was adopted at six, taken in by two new parents and two new brothers, one older, one younger. She was raised upper-middle class and went to college on scholarship. She was bright and brilliant and happy. Despite that, she sought Reese out every few years, as though she wanted to hang onto what happened to them that night with their father.

They both left bloody and scared, knees wet with their mother's blood. But Roxana survived; Reese knew she hadn't been so lucky.

"What are you doing here?" Reese demanded, stepping off the flat porch into the yard. How did you know where I was? she wanted to add.

Roxie didn't smile at her. She paid the taxi driver, gathered her suitcase, and crossed the distance between them. "What are you doing here?" she demanded, sparing a quick, nervous glance to the trees and town around them.

The question was obvious, and it was loaded. Why was Reese here, in the land of their father's nightmares and scary stories?

Roxana knew what Reese was, what their father had been. She knew why Reese had distanced herself from Roxana. She knew that Reese saw it as a sort of selflessness, to suffer in secret on her own, never get close to anyone, push away the only person who knew the truth of her all so Roxana could had the life Reese never could.

Now here Reese was, where their lives were decided.

"Why are you here?" Reese repeated, not inviting her in, not even taking a single step toward the house. She hadn't spoken to Roxana in a year. Hadn't seen her in almost nine. Roxana had her number sometimes, texted at holidays and birthdays. Reese never put in the same effort -- she wanted Roxana to forget her. She had no interest in a sister whose only connection was the shared experience of their mother's murder and father's suicide.

"You need to go home," she said, watching the taxi ascend from the lower town back up the main road and bridge out of here.

"You need to go home," Roxana argued. She was tall like Reese, but very slim with clear pale white skin. She had pink and orange highlights that pooled at the ends of her hair, and her eyes were big and pink with their father's mutation. She had a scar across her face, unhidden by makeup. It was the mark of their father's attack.

Reese had three claw marks across her own face, and more on her body. She'd stood in front of her sister, and still their father marked Roxana.

"I am home," Reese told Roxana. "I live here now, and you're not welcome."

Roxana faltered for a minute, but she was used to Reese's cold shoulder, and she knew its purpose. "I'm not leaving," she said. "You're not supposed to be here, and I won't just let you put yourself at risk."

Reese shook her chin. "I'm here for a reason, Roxana, and I don't need you here getting in the way. This has nothing to do with you. I don't even know how you found out where I was."

"My brother works for the school board," she announced anyway. "He told me when you unenrolled your son. And when you asked for his records to be transferred. I thought you were staying a town over, where the school is, but I knew you might come here."

"You've been spying on me?" Reese asked incredulously. "Tracking my son's school? How did you find the house?"

"I drove through here a few days ago," she admitted. "I saw you and Kelley walking." She waved her hand at the road behind them, the open expanse than gave little room to hide from anyone looking down on the town. "His blonde hair is definitely a beacon around here."

Roxana was right, Reese knew. Despite her own black hair, her son was blonde. Reese and Roxana shared a face, but Kelley was almost the spitting image of his aunt with his mother's warmer skin tone. Even though she'd kept Roxana at arm's length all those years, Reese had Roxie's spitting image at her side all these years.

"He's nine now, right?"

Reese gave a single nod. Roxana never met Kelley. The few times that Reese spoke to her sister were over the phone, and they were quick turn-downs of invitations to Roxana's family events - holidays, birthdays, Sunday dinners. Reese could never go to those, and she didn't want to give her son false hope by introducing him to an aunt whom lived a completely separate life from theirs.

"You need to go home, Roxana," Reese pushed again. "I need to meet Kelley when he gets off the bus, and you can't be here."

"I'm not leaving," Roxana said with a frown. "I'm not going until you tell me what you're doing here, until you leave with me. You know it's not safe."

Reese stared at her younger sister. It was four years and a lifetime separating them. A whole split history.

"My son is a wolf," Reese stated, watching the fear and nerves she knew would play over Roxana's expression. "He's a werewolf like I am, and he's showing signs really early. I need answers about what might happen to him if he changes this early."

[luminousvision]

Wait for our turn

Wait for our turn

I, too, wanted to point at a house someday and declare it mine. According to the Pulte brochure, we bought an olive green Mariner, the smallest two-story model. A blue Clipper watches us from across the street and Amber’s pink Admiral stands by our side. But these are the lesser homes. Deeper into the neighborhood, you find the real houses: the Sandpipers, Lighthouses, Woodsides. The four thousand square-foot Woodside has two staircases that merge before getting you upstairs. I ran up and down all the stairs in that grand Woodside show home until my parents told me to stop.

Pulte repurposed happy farmland in the far corner of a dusty Central Valley town, slapped seafaring names on several hundred houses, and called it Hidden Lake, building an artificial lake just big enough to make sure nobody laughed too hard. But I had more important things to worry about, namely memorizing all the square footages (Mariners are one thousand, seven hundred, and four, exactly), floor plans, and other trivia from the increasingly worn brochure, marveling at how some families had enough kids to need two garages for four cars.

Just outside our neighborhood lived a tomato farm stretching into the horizon. A narrow graveled path splits off the road and crawls up to a small one-story house, smaller than even our baby Mariner. The ground lies fallow until, one day, brave saplings poke their little heads out, brought into the world by some Mister Farmer. I checked on the tomatoes through the car window every morning on the way to school. Giant trucks arrived at harvest time, pick the millions of uniformly happy ripe tomatoes, and then let the earth rest until spring.

Five or six harvests later, four-thousand-square-foot homes and truckloads of tomatoes brought little novelty into our suburban life. We had already played every blacktop game a dozen times with the kids in our cul-de-sac, so Amber and I biked in search of adventure. At first, we took laps around Hidden Lake and we’d point to all the other homes, cars, bikes, and even kids who looked like us. We even found our doppelgänger, an olive green Mariner next to a pink Admiral. We stopped to inspect our newfound twins. They had succulents instead of geraniums on the porch and their windows were a bit cleaner than ours. Oh, and their trees were shorter. We compared in silence until Amber noticed a cat in their bedroom window. She is allergic to cats. Relieved, we let ourselves laugh, got back on our bikes and didn’t look back. We stopped biking around our neighborhood soon after.

When a Saturday whisked the parents out of town, we biked the distance to Elissagaray Ranch, a neighborhood built only the year prior. We fidgeted at the gate until a shiny Mercedes let us tag along. Instead of homes we found palaces, castles with multiple towers sticking out of them. I asked Amber how many square feet might be in one of these. She gave me a confused look so I explained size was measured in squares one foot on each side, but she was already pointing to a fountain in someone’s front yard. We looked up and down the street before we splashed some water and got ourselves wet.

On our second adventure to Elissagaray Ranch, we realized nobody lives there. Nobody walks their dogs or comes out to greet their neighbors. We only saw the armies of landscapers who drove up in their trucks and smashed the neighborhood silence with their machines. The deaf mansions listen with all of their windows closed, covering their secrets with invariably pallid curtains.

Amber and I started biking to Glenbriar instead, the other direction from Elissagaray Ranch. We didn’t mind the scraggly homes. People were outside with their plastic cars and street chalk. We often visited their park where the big high schoolers played basketball on the court cracked along its edges. We sat on the bench by the swings, pretending to wait for our turn at the hoops. Sometimes they needed friends and asked us to play. Other days, we just talked for a long time.

We were biking back when Amber announced she was moving. To Glenbriar? No, to Manteca. Amber didn’t explain why she was moving, nor did I ask. We understood there were simply powers above who once destined us for Hidden Lake, not Elissagaray Ranch or Glenbriar. Those powers now would pluck Amber out of her house and drop her somewhere else.

How about there? I point to the tomato farm. Giant machines harvest the fruit from evenly spaced plants, each indistinguishable from the next. She looks at the house, the tomatoes, and then back at me. Amber, the farmer? Any other day, we would have laughed all the way home.

[propertygroupcp]

Unlocking the Secrets of Central Park Gurgaon: Affordable Luxury at Its Best

Looking for affordable housing, luxury apartments, villas, or plots in Gurgaon? Central Park, a top real estate developer, offers various affordable homes, focusing on sustainability and community, making it your perfect choice.

Central Park is a well-known real estate developer in India, especially in the lively city of Gurgaon. They specialize in building a wide range of residential and commercial properties, including affordable housing, luxury apartments, houses, and villas, offering choices for different types of buyers.

Affordable Housing in Gurgaon

One of Central Park's standout offerings is its commitment to affordable housing Gurgaon, here are a few of its notable projects in Gurgaon:

Central Park Flower Valley

Situated in Sector 32, Sohna Road, Central Park Flower Valley offers 1 BHK and 2 BHK apartments starting at just ₹50 lakhs. This project is a testament to affordable luxury.

Central Park Lake Front Towers

Nestled in the vibrant Sector 32 and 33 on Sohna Road, Central Park Lake Front Towers presents 2 BHK and 3 BHK apartments starting at just ₹75 lakhs. The breathtaking views of the lake enhance the living experience.

Central Park The Room

Sector 32 and 33 on Sohna Road also house Central Park The Room, where you can find 1 BHK and 2 BHK apartments starting at just ₹50 lakhs. These apartments offer a spacious and comfortable living space for families.

All these projects feature top-notch amenities and features, including a clubhouse, swimming pool, gym, children's play area, and 24/7 security, ensuring a convenient and secure lifestyle.

Best Apartments in Gurgaon

Central Park isn't just about affordability; it also offers a collection of best apartments in Gurgaon, perfect for those looking for a high-end lifestyle. Here are a few of their luxury apartment projects:

Central Park 1

Located on the prestigious Golf Course Road, Central Park 1 offers 3 BHK, 4 BHK, and 5 BHK apartments starting at just ₹1 crore. The lavishness of these apartments is truly exceptional.

Central Park 2

Also situated on Golf Course Road, Central Park 2 provides 3 BHK, 4 BHK, and 5 BHK apartments starting at just ₹1.25 crore. The project promises an exquisite living experience with world-class amenities.

Central Park Resorts

If Sohna Road is your preferred location, Central Park Resorts offers 2 BHK, 3 BHK, and 4 BHK apartments starting at just ₹80 lakhs. The complex boasts a range of facilities, including a clubhouse, swimming pool, gym, spa, tennis court, golf course, and 24/7 security.

A Convenient Haven

Central Park Gurgaon's strategic location in Gurgaon offers residents easy access to the city's major hubs. Whether it's shopping, dining, or commuting, everything is within reach. This makes it one of the best apartment complexes for those seeking convenience.

Villas and Plots in Gurgaon

For those in search of a more spacious and luxurious living experience, Central Park offers villa and plot projects in Gurgaon. Here are a few of their options:

Central Park Villa Plots

Located in Sector 32, Sohna Road, Central Park Villa Plots feature villa plots starting at just ₹1 crore, giving you the opportunity to build your dream home from the ground up.

Central Park Orchard

Sector 32, Sohna Road is also home to Central Park Orchard, offering fully built villas starting at just ₹2 crore, a perfect choice for those looking for ready-to-move luxury.

Central Park Mikasa Plots

In the same location, Central Park Mikasa Plots provides plots starting at just ₹50 lakhs, ideal for those with a vision for their own custom-designed home.

Luxurious Living in Central Park Gurgaon

Central Park Gurgaon stands out for its green environment, with well-maintained gardens and parks that create a peaceful atmosphere for residents to enjoy. This community offers:

Beautifully landscaped gardens that are perfect for morning walks.

Ideal spots for picnics.

Opportunities to immerse in the natural beauty of the surroundings.

Central Park Gurgaon is more than just an affordable housing option; it's a lifestyle choice. With its ideal location, green surroundings, and top-notch amenities, it offers an unmatched living experience in Gurgaon. So why wait? Your dream home awaits at Central Park Gurgaon.

[adamjvarner]

The Sights are The Dells

My favorite location in my game Corn Sausage RPG is The Sights, a wondrous miracle of nature that attracts tourists from all over the country. The shame of it is that access to those namesake sights is obstructed by conniving conmen and carnies. Cheap tourist traps and overpriced attractions guard gates that are invisible from the outside but, once passed through, fill visitors with the at-first subtle but always growing feeling that there is no escape.

But once they really get inside-- once would-be victims sneak beyond the scams and rackets, chain restaurants and junk shops selling garbage-- they find unforgettable views of blanketed green islets and the starry heavens above them. They can wander, guided by gentle winds that carry a breeze so fresh it can only be from a pre-human Earth.

That last word salad applies less to my videogame and more to one of my inspirations: the Wisconsin Dells. At the heart of the cheese state, along the Wisconsin River, is an otherworldly beautiful natural landscape. But, built right in the middle of it all is a long and miserable web of dirty motels, kitschy traps, and restaurants where patrons can taste savings that will never be known to their wallets.

My fiance and I stopped there some years ago on a road trip vacation around all of Lake Michigan. We'd heard The Dells were the place to be, with no shortage of fun activities for the bored tourist... Let's just say we did it wrong.

Our initial impression was a general confusion. Passing by a rollercoaster, the Parthenon, and the Incredible Hulk, we thought we might have stumbled accidentally on state fairgrounds. We must be in the wrong place, we reasoned. The first landmark I remember seeing from the car was a giant Trojan Horse, an appropriate omen-slash-welcome wagon for this nest of hucksters.

We stopped in a parking lot, confused as all hell, as a twelve or fifteen-foot-tall counterfeit Decepticon towered over our car. The obelisk and its many comrades stood guard in front of Top Secret, an "upside-down" White House that advertised to be hiding inside of itself the secrets of the universe.

The exterior told us all that we needed to know. We were in the deepest, most concentrated pit of consumerism. A junk town built with schemes, scams, and every trick you can think of to score a quick buck from a justpassingthrough. This struck me as the kind of place where the habitually incurious go to spend their money on reasons why they ought not to stray too far from the familiar.

For the modest entry fee of $5.00, you too can wander through the inverted halls of the white house and see the wonders of cheap furniture stapled to the ceiling and printer paper portraits hung upside-down. Deep within its labyrinthian bumpy, concrete corridors is its namesake-- the top secret chambers at the bottom (or top?) of the white house, where they've jailed horrific alien freaks, such as Darth Vader and a band of Stormtrooper mannequins.

After our daring escape from the unbearable truths Top Secret and its Donald Trump animatronic had to offer, we ventured down the road to heal our souls with a petting zoo. What a mistake that was. The animals were all visibly sad, lethargic, or otherwise in no mood to be pet. They had no business bearing responsibility to cheer anyone up, let alone the poor suckers wandering this twisted hell hole, force-feeding them scraps from the vending machine. A handful of said scraps, by the way, was about $10.00. Less value for more buck than Top Secret.

But even after all that misery we still had time to kill, as we'd booked a local dinner cruise for later that evening. That meant, unless we were willing to give up almost two-hundred bucks, we could not leave this-- for lack of more flowery language-- depressing shit hole. Our hearts couldn't possibly take any more of this.

We took refuge at a nearby state park. Unsurprisingly, such a place was not immune to the toxic leakage from the Dells' central crossroads. A worn-down playground littered with used condoms and other, less memorable pieces of garbage, was surrounded by beautiful but tick-infested woods. At least nature's bloodsuckers were merciful enough to leave us alone that day.

We had the lowest expectations for this cruise. We considered dinner alternatives, in case the food was inedible. As the time came, we approached the boat with our spirits and stomachs drained. I just wanted the night to end so I could sleep away and skip to the next morning. It was the least excited I'd ever been to get on a boat.

I'll cut right to the chase: It was magnificent. Sure, there is a chance my perspective was colored because my expectations were in rock-bottom, but I don't believe it. This was truly a wonderful experience.

Three white-haired brothers ran the operation, taking turns with different duties. One would captain the boat, another was the entertainment with acoustic guitar, and I forget what the third one did. Together they put on a boat tour full of charm, love, and laughter. And booze.

The boat took us to The Witch's Gulch, an enchanting piece of nature mostly protected from mankind by law and by water. A secret wonderland of verdant everything. The air there was fresh, wet, and carried the smell of moss and wood, and felt regenerative to my smokers' lungs. Wooden walkways were wet but not slick. The handrails smooth and eroded by millions upon millions of hands seeking balance from them. Tiki torches lit the way as the sun set during our short, linear but nonetheless whimsical trek. Us and the other tourists ooh-ing and aah-ing, and letting out other mystified utterances that echoed upwards beyond the short, fern-and-moss-covered ravines.

After we were guided like a herd of happy sheep through the gulch we returned to the boat for an honest-to-god good meal. I could taste that the cook was paid enough to not have to daydream about doing anything else. No, it wasn't the best I'd ever had, but it was better than I could have dreamed of coming from a boat kitchen in The Dells.

As the sun set, us and our fellow adventurers sang along drunkenly as one of the brothers played folksy classics on his guitar. He took requests. I asked for "La Vie en Rose" for Tessa. He didn't know it, so he hang a song that was special to him and his wife. Under the stars, above the water, and beside the love of my life, I couldn't help but feel great joy. Gratitude that I was alive to experience that moment. Sentimental already for the times I would be able to look back on that night as I experienced it.

I was filled with optimism and love for humankind. All around us on the boat were happy, healing people. I felt privileged to share the night with all of them. To share the experience with Tessa.

So now The Dells occupy a space in my mind as a microcosm of this country. Beneath the many layers of ugliness, cronyism, and everything else there is to be disgusted by, there is somehow still a redeeming beauty in its nature and its people. As with everything special we'll find people taking advantage of it, but as long as we're not alone in appreciating it and loving it, there is hope for its preservation. There is goodness. There is healing.

Thank you for reading.

[grandstrandvacationsandrentals]

Brigadune 17F ( 3 Bdrm, 2 Bath Oceanfront)

The Magnificent Brigadune Direct Oceanfront Condominium Complex is situated on a peninsula and overlooks the Atlantic Ocean providing for spectacular breathtaking ocean views. The Brigadune is located on the quiet and prestigious Shore Drive, between Myrtle and North Myrtle. Just South of the Kingston Plantation, North of Marriott’s Grand Dunes and directly behind the famous Dunes Country Club. This fantastic high rise complex offers the ultimate in oceanfront vacationing with numerous amenities including an outdoor oceanfront pool (heated in Spring and Fall), picnic area, gas barbeque grills, elevators, secure lobby, 24 hour on-site security, beautifully landscaped grounds and covered on-site parking.

This three bedroom unit on the 17th floor has fantastic views of the beach and ocean with tile and laminate flooring throughout. Modernly furnished with plenty of space for your family to spread out and enjoy a lovely vacation experience. The unit has internet and TV's. Close to everything that you need, great restaurants (River City Cafe & Flip Flops), ice cream, Ocean Annie's for live music, Apache Pier, and mini golf. Two parking spaces per unit.

Roxanne Towers ( 2 Bdrm, 2 Bath Ocean Front)

This 2 bedroom, 2 full bathroom suite is located on 4th floor of Roxanne Towers at 16th Ave N and Ocean Blvd. This is the best central location, right on the boardwalk and within walking distance to many great restaurants and stores. Only few minutes drive to Boardway at The Beach, Convention Center, Sports Center and more. The suite is direct oceanfront with private balcony from both living room and master bedroom. Master bedroom with king size bed offers amazing view of the Atlantic and has private bathroom. Second bedroom features two full size beds as well as another bathroom. Full kitchen is equipped with basic pots, pans and dishes, and a Keurig so that you can prepare a homemade meal when you just do not feel like going out. To make it a perfect place for your family or any group of up to 6 guests, this suite also offers stackable washer and dryer in the unit. This is the place you have been looking for.

There is no need to waste time checking in at the front lobby, This unit has a electronic lock for easy access. All access codes will be sent to you prior to your arrival date. Parking passes as well as pool wristbands (where required) will already be waiting for you in your unit. This unit is furnished and equipped with basic kitchen utensils such as silverware and plates/bowls. Upon check in, linens for each bed and towels for each person will be provided, along with starter items such as trash bags, toilet paper, and soaps. Items such as beach chairs, umbrellas, etc. are not provided by us but can be rented from the lifeguards on the beach. Our unit are privately owned and rented by off-site management, so all questions or requests must me made by contacting us. The front desks will have none of your information and will not assist you.

For more details on our products and services, please feel free to visit us at: myrtle beach vacation rental agencies, vacation rentals in ocean lakes myrtle beach, ocean lakes rentals pet friendly, pelicans watch myrtle beach & ocean lakes campground vacation rentals.

Please feel free to visit us at: https://www.grandstrandvacationsandrentals.com/

[sylispokeworldheadcanons]

Popular Romantic Spots by Region:

Kanto – the Cerulean Cape is Kanto’s most famous date spot, though locals now complain that it’s so popular (and also overrun by people looking for Mewtwo) as to not be so romantic anymore. There’s also downtown Celadon for those who like the nightlife and the Seafoam Islands for those who like some natural privacy but don’t mind the chill. Johto – the scenery around Mount Silver is legendarily beautiful. There are also the historical sites of the Bell Tower in Ecruteak and shrine of the Ilex Forest; the latter is said to bring good luck to visitors for centuries. Cherrygrove City’s flowers and pleasant sea locations are becoming more well-known lately. Hoenn – in the southeastern sea, lovers go diving together in search of heart scales or Luvdisc. There are also the hot springs and sand baths in Lavaridge Town. Sinnoh – lovers visit the sacred lakes, especially Lake Verity to receive the blessing of an emotionally healthy relationship from Mesprit. There are also the travelers to Snowpoint City during winter who hope to see the diamond dust together.   Unova – The central plaza of Castelia City is always bustling with activity, much of which doesn’t stop after sundown. There’s also the Ferris wheel in the amusement park in Nimbasa. Just make sure the person you’re with isn’t actually the leader of a villainous team.  Kalos – the entirety of Lumiose City has a reputation as romantic. Most people want to get a picture together in front of Prism Tower, but that place can be so full of tourists that couples wanting more privacy may head for the bridges or the more secluded plazas.   Alola – Alola’s beaches are popular with tourists, as are the Malie Gardens. However, locals often go for harder-to-reach natural places, especially Poni Meadows with its hanging purple flowers and quiet atmosphere. Galar – the baths of Circhester are popular with romantic and other tourists alike. There’s also an old tradition of crossing the Glimwood Tangle while holding hands to prove that your love is strong enough that the fairies can’t tear you from each other.

[keepmesaferp]

[curious-wildflower]

Silent Hill – 1983

Without the other half of her soul, Alessa could not birth God, so Dahlia casts a spell that would attract the baby back to Silent Hill when she grew older.

Four years later Jodie dies of a disease making Harry a single parent.  Harry still grieving from Jodie's death, a now seven-year-old Cheryl begs him to take a relaxing vacation to the resort town of Silent Hill, and he gives in.

Due to car troubles, they arrive late at the outskirts of Silent Hill, Harry sees a girl (an astral projection) walking across the street in front of the car Harry having to swerve to avoid hitting her is knocked unconscious by the resulting car crash.

Upon waking it’s discovered Cheryl has disappeared and he is forced to venture into the snowing, fog-covered town to rescue her. At first glance Old Silent Hill, seems to be abandoned. In the distance he sees Cheryl running away, and he immediately hurries to follow her. Chasing her through the streets of Silent Hill, he finds himself running down a small residential road and into a dark alley.

The sky suddenly turns dark, a siren blares in the distance, and when Harry lights the area with a lighter, he finds that his entire environment has altered into the Otherworld. Everything is covered in rust and blood, topped with barbed wire, and the shapes of hanging bodies are discernible behind the mesh. The sounds of industrial clanking and grinding metal form a constant cacophony of ambient noise. With nowhere to go, Harry follows the alley and finds the disturbing body of a mutilated corpse hanging on a fence before him. Moments later, he is attacked by small, child-like monsters known as the ‘Grey Child’ Harry is eventually overwhelmed and ‘killed’.

He wakes up in a diner called Cafe 5to2. An officer Cybil Bennett from the nearby town Brahms questions him about the current state of the town and she provides him with a handgun before leaving to look for help. In the diner, Harry arms himself with a map, a knife, and a flashlight. As Harry attempts to leave the diner, a radio on a nearby table starts emitting static, causing Harry to investigate it. A flying creature crashes through a window and into the store attacking him killing the monster he starts to move through the streets encountering others, he quickly discovers the radio's usefulness when it emits intensifying static as monsters grow closer. Following a clue left by his daughter, Harry eventually finds his way to Midwich Elementary School to search for her.

Instead of students and teachers, Harry finds many Grey Children or Mumblers.

He works his way around, eventually unlocking the clock tower in the school's courtyard. Upon reaching the other side of the facility across from it, he finds the world has once again shifted into the Otherworld.  In the Otherworld school, Harry travels to the boiler room. Inside a flaming corpse illuminates a creature known as Split Head.  

With its defeat, everything turns to darkness, and then the light returns reveal an ordinary boiler room. A girl, Alessa Gillespie, is leaning against the boiler, and she turns to Harry before disappearing into thin air.

Confused, Harry departs from the school. He hears a church bell ringing in the distance and heads to the Balkan Church, where he sees a woman praying at an altar.  

In a confusing conversation she reveals herself to be Dahlia Gillespie. She gives Harry a mystical item called the Flauros and tells him to make haste to the hospital. Before Harry can ask any questions, Dahlia leaves, and Harry exits the church. He crosses a bridge that leads to Central Silent Hill.

Harry arrives at Alchemilla Hospital, where he encounters Michael Kaufmann, a doctor who is as bewildered as Harry about the current circumstances.  

Shortly after this meeting, Harry obtains a red liquid known as Aglaophotis, which purpose is later revealed, drinking it. Harry endures another shift to the Otherworld the hospital now infested with monstrous nurses. Along the way, he also meets Lisa Garland (Yeap same nurse from Origins). Before he can get any answers, he is transported back to the real world, where Dahlia reappears and tells him that the "Mark of Samael” seen in various locations, must not be completed, lest "the darkness" devour the whole town.

Meeting up with Cybil, who has seen a girl out on the lake, the pair find a hidden altar in an antique store, Harry disappears out of sight, much to her confusion. Harry, meanwhile, finds himself back in the hospital with Lisa, who gives him directions to the lake, but also tells Harry she feels she's "not supposed to leave". On the way to the lake, Harry passes through some sewers and enters the Resort Area.

Here you determine Kaufmann's fate (and the game's ending) by choosing to assist him in Annie's Bar and doing a side-quest. Canon-wise, Harry saves Kaufmann and fulfills the side-quest. Kaufmann is thankful, but his business presses him onward. Harry finds a motorcycle stash of a mysterious red vial in a gas tank, Kaufmann reappears and angrily snatches it away.

Soon after the Otherworld begins to take over the town again. Regrouping with Cybil and deciding to stop the mark's completion at Dahlia's desperate request, Harry heads to the lighthouse, while Cybil's goal is reaching Lakeside Amusement Park. As an unknown assailant attacks Cybil, Harry once more sees Alessa and the "Mark of Samael" at the top of the lighthouse before heading to the amusement park himself.

On the amusement park's carousel, Cybil appears, possessed by a parasite. The player may choose to save or kill Cybil, once again affecting the game's ending; if Harry wishes to save Cybil, he must use the red liquid he obtained at the hospital on her, Cybil is killed by Harry in the regular Good and Bad endings. With Alessa appearing once more, Harry unwittingly uses the Flauros to trap her. Dahlia appears, revealing that she manipulated him into confining her, as he was the only one who would be able to get close to her, and that Alessa is in fact her daughter.

With Alessa's powers out of control, Harry awakens to find himself back in the distorted Otherworld hospital. He finds Lisa bleeding from every orifice in front of him, Harry flees when she approaches him. Lisa's diary, left in the room, explains that she was the nurse who attended to Alessa in return for a drug she was addicted to, PTV.  

PTV is a drug made of a plant that grew only in Silent Hill, the ‘White Claudia’, in order to create hallucinations and mysterious visions popularly used by The Order and tourists.

(Fun Fact! The white flowers may be a reference to Morning Glory, that is also found in the same areas near water as the White Claudia, they’re a family of flowering plants with hallucinogenic seeds that were used in Native American religious ceremonies.)

Dr. Michael Kaufmann, the manager of Alchemilla Hospital at Central Silent Hill, is the one responsible for the illegal distribution this drug. Harry then witnesses a flashback of a meeting between Dahlia, Kaufmann, and two cult doctors discussing Alessa's hospitalization and the rebirth of God.

Harry soon finds Dahlia and possibly Cybil if he saved her previously (Cybil's survival may or may not be canonical), as well as a figure in a wheelchair wrapped in bandages: who is Cheryl and Alessa recombined and Alessa's astral projection.  

Both a flashback and Dahlia's words explain that Dahlia sacrificed her daughter to fire seven years ago in an attempt to nurture and bring about the birth of God worshiped by the Order, of which Dahlia is a priestess, and that the God now resides within Alessa's womb. AS mentioned at the beginning Alessa split her soul in half to prevent God from being born. The other half of the soul manifested itself as Cheryl, who as said before was found as a baby on the road outside of Silent Hill.

In the present, when Cheryl was called back to Silent Hill, Alessa began inscribing several Seals of Metatron around the town to purge Silent Hill of reality, killing herself to prevent God's birth. Alessa manifested herself as an astral projection in the town to place the marks Harry has seen in an attempt to keep the God at bay. Dahlia also reveals that the "Mark of Samael" is the Seal of Metatron and she used Harry as her pawn. With Alessa's plan defeated and the two halves of her soul now back together instead of birthing God Alessa births something twisted by the world views of the person (Dahlia) in charge of the ceremony known as the Incubus.

In the most endings, Kaufmann appears and throws a vial of Aglaophotis at the god, Aglaophotis as it turns out is obtained from the refinement of an herb of the same name and has the ability to dispel demonic forces and grant supernatural protection against such forces to those who use the item. So, when hit with the substance, the Incubator falls to the ground, screaming as the Incubus emerges from her back. The Incubus kills Dahlia, Harry then fights and defeats the god, and the Incubator gives him a baby (who is revealed to be Heather Mason in Silent Hill 3) and shows him the escape route. Harry, Cybil, and Kaufmann try to escape, but a blood-covered Lisa Garland appears and drags Kaufmann with her into the abyss. Harry and Cybil continue their escape, but the Otherworld is collapsing too quickly for them to make it on their own, so the Incubator (Alessa) uses the last of her power to stop the world's destruction in order for them to escape she is then consumed by the flames, and Cybil and Harry escape together with the baby.  

[huntergatherercreator]

The Takedown | Part Nine

Pairing: Mob!Tom Holland x Detective Reader

Summary: NYC has a new drug lord determined to wipe out any and all competition in order to grow his empire. You're going undercover to stop him.

Warnings: Mentions of weapons, injuries and kidnapping

Notes: It’s taken me so long to get this part finished, I only hope it was worth the wait! Let me know what you think, any feedback is appreciated! 

Catch up here: Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six | Part Seven | Part Eight

Part 9  - 1,686 Words

Wagner Cove was a fairly public area in Central Park. A small rustic log pavilion sitting on one of the many lakes, it’s a little slice of wilderness without ever having to leave the comforts of the city. It should have filled me with confidence that he’d arranged to meet there but it didn’t. All the city’s key players would know by now that there had been an attempt on his life that failed.  Some would see it as a challenge, a chance to come out on top if they succeeded.

Knowing this I’d justified the risk of bringing along Arnold’s gun to the meeting. Feeling the weight of it strapped to my side was more reassuring than I ever thought it could be. I’d avoided being armed on the streets for my rounds. It was all too easy to be ambushed and have it used against me; it was safer to risk the chance of having a knife pulled and being able to fight my way out of the situation. However, last night cemented how deep I’d fallen down the rabbit hole. I wasn’t dealing with desperate users on the streets now. I was up against calculated murderers. Holland had been ready to have Arnold shot without a second thought. I needed to have a safety net. Even if the safety net was deadly, it put my mind at ease knowing I’d be on a level playing ground against them.

As we approached the Cherry Hill fountain I adjusted my cap, keeping my face down as we passed a gaggle of tourists. Hiding Arnold’s face was harder to manage. I’d washed off the blood from his nose but the beginning hues of what would become dark bruising had started to form under his eyes drawing several lingering glances. I tugged him closer, gaining a tighter grip on his arm, and a dark glower. I’d swapped out his ninety dollar hoodie for one of my own with a central pocket and zip tied his hands together within it. My arm entwined with his, the pretence of being a couple out for a leisurely stroll was an easy one to maintain. I hadn’t told him where we were going, but he knew who to expect at the end of our journey. Up until now, and throughout the cab ride, he’d played complacent and calm. Now we were out in the open in a park easy to get lost in there was a risk he’d try to run.

“Don’t do anything stupid, Arnold. Take a look around.” I inclined my head towards the fountain to point out the figure I’d spotted. Dressed in a casual sweater and jeans he lounged on the fountain lip with a tattered paperback in his hand. A book he’d been reading the same page of for the past five minutes.

Arnolds step faltered for a second as recognition hit and I had to pull him along to keep him walking.

“I count three for now.” His head swivelled trying to pinpoint the others; a runner cooling down by a bench who hadn’t broken a sweat, and a bum bag wearing tourist whose camera lay unused around their neck.

“I’m flattered he thinks I’m this much of a threat” he muttered dryly.

“You’re not. Your new boss, on the other hand, is.” I aimed us for the start of the trail that would lead to the water’s edge. “But you’d know that if you’d done proper research on him, wouldn’t you?”

His silence spoke volumes. I bit back the words I wanted to shout at him but couldn’t contain a frustrated sigh. He was a business man; someone who should hold the acumen to background check potential partners and deals, and also have a gut instinct for knowing when a deal would go south. Arnold clearly held neither of these qualities. He was all front, his inadequacies hidden by the net worth of his company.

It made me wonder if all Holland’s men were like this, chosen purely because they were high players in the normal world as opposed to having any real talents to contribute. Maybe their lack of intuition is exactly why Holland hires them, so they’re pliable and toe the line. It would explain why he had such a visceral reaction to finding out I had started upselling his product.

Reaching the final stretch of path the trees grew closer together blocking out most of the sunlight and view of the surrounding park. About five feet away from the entrance to the pavilion stood two guards. I recognised one from the other night, the one who had stepped in to diffuse the bomb that was our stand –off. He nodded briefly. The other I assumed was Morgan, stepping into fill Lenny’s shoes. The fact Holland hadn’t hired a new body guard right away told me he had respected his former one. That or he hadn’t had the chance to find someone new yet.

I looked past them to where Holland stood in the shade of the building. Facing out to the water his stance was wide, arms folded as he waited on us. In the warmth of the day he’d taken off his suit jacket exposing his holster. I instinctively did another sweep of the area making sure we were alone.

Removing my hold on Arnold, I relinquished him to the closest guard before continuing down the trail alone. I stopped short of entering the pavilion.

“You’re late.” He threw a glance over his shoulder at me before returning to stare out across the lake.

“Moving a hostage in the middle of the day isn’t exactly straight forward.”

“You could have killed him and come alone,” he suggested, as casual as noting the weather.

“It crossed my mind,” I lied. “However, if you suddenly decided that video evidence wasn’t proof enough then it would have left me at a disadvantage. Now you have him you can do what you want with him, and the information.”

Taking out Arnold’s phone I forced myself to take the last three steps needed to get me at his side. This close the scent of his aftershave wound around me, crisp and fresh but with an undercurrent of something muskier, darker. It was a heady mix. It suited him. I held the device out for him to take and watched him slip it into his front pocket without examining it.

“You’re not going to watch the rest of it?” My stomach tightened in apprehension. Something was off.

“Later. For now I’m more concerned with what you think you know about me.” When I didn’t answer right away he turned to face me. I got a hard eyed appraisal, one I’m sure would normally have his men squirming. I took it without flinching reminding myself that I held the cards no matter how outnumbered I was or how high my hackles had risen.

“I don’t deal in making assumptions. How I know,” I paused to eye the guards and assess whether they could overhear us before continuing, “that you’re not American, is because you slipped up.”

“I was born and raised in Queens.” He hadn’t moved at all when he said it. He had no telling quirk like Arnold’s to let me know that he was lying but the line had sounded well-rehearsed. My alarm bells were silently ringing to let me know I was treading thin ice but the insistent internal itch to dig down to the truth won out.

I took a measured step into his personal space and analysed his face as I quoted him. “You should listen to your own advice.” His lips tightened almost imperceptibly. I bit the inside of my cheek to hold back a triumphant smile.

His arms slowly unfolded as he closed the gap between us to tower over me.  “You’re going to forget everything you think you know.” His voice had deepened into a warning tone.

Before I had the chance to answer back he rounded on Arnold.

“It was Rivera who recruited you wasn’t it?” he barked. Unable to maintain eye contact Arnold focused on the water and nodded reluctantly.

In one swift movement he’d drawn his gun and aimed for Arnold. Without thinking my hand shot out to grab his wrist and he flinched, finger pulling back from the trigger slightly. I could feel his pulse beat steadily under my fingers as mine raced ahead. I couldn’t let him do it. Getting rid of Arnold would keep me safe but the thought of causing another death, even indirectly, gnawed away at me. Allowing him to be killed went against my morals. At least, it went against the ones I’d been able to hold onto.

“You can still use him,” I urged.

“I won’t have traitors working for me,” he growled.

“Not even if it gets you revenge?” He regarded me carefully with narrowed eyes. “Take out Rivera in response to his kill order and it’ll show you’re ten times more dangerous than he ever was. It’ll buy you safety, for a time.”

“Why do you care?”

“I’m associated now. My life’s on the life from being seen in that alley with you. For saving you.”

His gaze went back to Arnold, fingers tightening on the gun. I squeezed his wrist to get his attention.

“He has a contact number. He can lure Rivera’s men to meet with him.” I was on the verge of pleading and given the glint in his eyes he knew it.

“Then we take his men and interrogate them?” he scoffed mockingly. “You think I haven’t already done that? I’ve had my men pulling Hellions off the street all night.”

“You’ve… what…?” I stuttered. My stomach plummeted. He’d been ahead of me the whole time. That’s why he didn’t need to watch the rest of the video. I’d underestimated him and now all I was to him was a loose end who knew too much.

“Like I said, don’t try to tell me how to deal with threats. This is my city. My business. I’ll do what I like.”

The gun fired.

----

Taglist: @spideylovin​ @lukesbabylon​ @panicattheeverywherekid​ @keep-bears-wild @unbelievableholland​ @tomholland-mcu @whattheheckparker @stargazerholland @gorillaglue23 @marvelpeters

Part Ten!

[writemarvelousthings]

Let It Snow.

PAIRING: Reader x Bucky

WORD COUNT: 1.6k

WARNINGS: A little tiny bit of angst if you squint but mostly fluff, and Bucy hating the cold. 

A/N: This is for @arawynn​ ‘s Festive Winter Wonderland Writing Challenge!  There are still lots of prompts and scenarios left if anyone is interested you should defiantly check it out! My prompt was “Everything is ready for an afternoon in front of the fireplace”  And a big thank you to @bucky-plums-barnes​ and @abovethesmokestacks​ for beta reading and pointing out things I missed! Would be lost without those girls! I hope you all enjoy and it puts you in the Christmas mood x 

Gif, not mine. 

The cold seeps in slow and undetectable at first, the falling leaves are the first clue. Crunching crisp leaves turn into sludge. One wrong misstep could send your ankle rolling unnaturally and your heart rate skyrocketing. The cold nips at your nose and cheeks, it makes you shudder stepping out into the elements, large coats and woollen hats appear in the streets as people move more quickly, desperate to find a place of warmth. Then suddenly, all at once. The snows arrive and the world is bathed in a pristine white glow that brings the promise of YuleTide and once again Bucky is reminded how much he hates the cold.

Sam rips into him, howling at how such an imposing man could look like a petulant child swaddled in jumpers and scarves that cover the bottom half of his face his ice blue eyes rivalling the icicles that shine in the low morning sunlight. He tries to hide his discomfort from you, but you can see right through him.

You notice the way he favours his left shoulder in the mornings, the cold stabbing at the torn and reassembled muscle to steel. Not even Shuri’s genius with vibranium can fix seventy years of damaging scar tissue, you know it will be something Bucky will carry with him always. Just like how the cold brings back flashes of old memories, a fast-moving train. Steve screaming, cold sterilised rooms Hydra kept him in during his years of “service”. The memories don't keep him awake at night like they used to, but the cold always brings them back, how ironic that the Winter Soldier despises the very season he’s named after.

On this particular day morning arrives as usual, sunrise bathing the room in soft pink and orange hues. It catches the dust particles floating through the air before disappearing into the shadows, you smile softly, snuggling into the large heat source next to you. Tilting your chin upwards, you watch the sleeping man. There was a time you’d be the one waking up to him looking down at you, ice blue eyes crinkling at the edges as he gives you a soft smile only reserved for you. It’s a smile that sends a thousand fireflies bursting in your chest.

He’s on his back, one arm curled around your waist, the black vibranium tucked under his pillow beneath his head. His plump lips opened slightly, he’s relaxed. Open and vulnerable in your presence, it makes you reach out to trace the curve of his nose. The light touch makes him follow you, turning his head towards your smiling face.

“Good morning handsome.”

“Morning, sugar.”

Soft kisses press against your palm and wrist, sleeping snuffling noises akin to a puppy fall from his lips make you chuckle.

“You got that meeting in an hour.” you remind him gently, your fingers finding home against his skull. You scratch against it lightly as Bucky starts purring in earnest.

“But it’s nice and warm here, don’t wanna get up. Too cold.” To prove a point he tucks his toes behind your calves. The freezing offending toes in question make you squeak, donkey kicking back in retaliation you try and wiggle your way out of his grip. Bucky pouts grabbing at you gently.

“Why are you running from me, pretty girl, you wanna break this old man’s heart?”

You roll your eyes shifting quickly to straddle his waist, leaning down to kiss him soundly on the lips. “I’d never dream of it, but Sam might break something if you’re late again. You’re debriefing Peter and Carol remember,” you try not to grin at Bucky's expense as he groans pulling a pillow over his face.

“Come on, the sooner you get up, the sooner you can come back to the fun activity I’ve got planned for us.” You watch as the pillow is flung off his head, hands instantly on your hips as he gazes up at you through thick black lashes.

“Pretty sure we already did a fun activity last night… twice.” Despite fully remembering said fun activity, his words still manage to make you blush as you slap his hands off your hips springing off him with as much grace you can muster at eight in the morning.

“Up and at 'em, Sarge, the day is dawning.” You wander into the bathroom away from Bucky's soft groaning, the cold already settling in his bones.

~~

Bucky often wonders what his life would have been like if he never fell off that damn train. If he made it back home after the war if Steve never crashed the plane into the glacier. Would they have settled back in Brooklyn, would he have found a pretty dame that could have handled all the trauma he had gone through. Probably not, he doesn’t like to think about that too much. Because that world didn’t have you, or the small apartment you both shared in Brooklyn (at least the idea of settling in Brooklyn still stuck, just like the damn snow under his boots) The white offensive substance crunched merrily underfoot as he stomped up the steps to the apartment building. The cold he felt this morning still clung to his insides like frost, he still didn’t feel any warmer as he trundled into the lobby of the building. Stomping and shaking the snow off him like a dog, hair hanging limply against his cheeks, he really needed to start wearing that beanie you got him last week. Going through the mundane checklist of opening the mailbox, he relishes in the normality. Especially after reprimanding two superhumans about how-

“Just because you’re indestructible and can shoot webs out of god knows where you can not Instagram live a mission.”

With a handful of what he assumes is more Christmas cards, he thumps heavily up the stairs, no doubt to the irritation of Ms Jenkins on the second floor. Miserable woman, Bucky couldn’t recall a time where he has seen her smile.  

“I'm home,” he calls through the familiar space as he shoulder opens the door, instant warmth floods through his damp coat, his skin tingling sharply.

Shrugging off the offending damn coat, he hangs it by your bright red one, the woollen material a bright contrast to his black. He smiles as he recalls your comment as you pull it out from the depths of your wardrobe.

“Red is such a festive colour! Everyone should have a Christmas coat, James, it should be the law.”

“I swear that’s the last time I’m letting Sam put Danvers and the Parker kid on missions again. They cause more havoc than they stop, I swear to…”

The words die on his throat faster than the Central Park lake freezing over in January. The living room, which had looked relatively normal this morning, was now what can only be described as an explosion of Christmas. Fairy lights strung along each wall and shelving. Small ornaments stood proud on the mantle, the familiar sight of the pine tree towered in the corner of the room like a festive sentinel standing guard looking over the room, but what makes Bucky's heart simultaneously melt and expand is the pile of pillows and blankets in the middle of the room. His eyes gaze around the room till he finds you, stood by the tree, fuzzy socks on your feet as you push the sleeves of his grey hoodie up your arms.

“Help a girl will you, Sarge?” The grin that spreads across your lips is slow and sweet like molasses. Innocently holding out the glistening star towards him, Bucky toes off his boots and strides towards you, curling the black and gold arm around you as he takes the star gently out of your hand.

“You going to let me do the honours, sweetheart?”

“Wouldn’t feel like Christmas if you didn’t.”

He feels your wrap your arms around his waist as he leans upwards to place the twinkling star atop the tree, warm hands slide under his shirt, leaving a burning trail against his skin that shoots down to the very nucleus of his cells.

“Perfect,” you whisper into his shoulder as you both stand back looking at the tree, your hands rub small circles on his lower back as you feel him drop his lips to the top of your head.

“You really are.”

“I was talking about the tree, you old sap.” You poke his side for good measure only to be pulled back into his embrace.

“Well, everything’s ready for an afternoon in front of the fireplace. Go get changed then meet me back here.” You give his ass a light tap as you push him gently towards your bedroom.

“Alright, alright, woman, can’t a man enjoy holding his sweetheart in his arms for a few moments?”

You knew his words were empty, especially with the bright grin radiating from him. With a spring in his step, he makes quick work of changing into the soft grey sweatpants and red sweatshirt laid out on the bed. Eager to be back in your arms and under the soft blankets, the cold winds whipping against the windows, but Bucky can’t find a reason to pay them any mind. Not when you’re sitting pretty in front of the fire, two steaming cups in each hand, no doubt with It’s A Wonderful Life queued up on the tv. He doesn’t think of the seventy years spent cold, alone and in pain. He’d walk through the worst blizzard till his toes were purple and his nose frostbitten to hell if it meant you would be at the end waiting for him, with all the warmth in the world to thaw him out, calling him back home.

[naturecoaster]

Central Pasco & Gulf RR brings Joy to All Ages in Crews Lake Wilderness Park

Jeremy Carpenter takes his job as president of the Central Pasco & Gulf Railroad very seriously. Well...sort of. “We're just a bunch of old guys who love playing choo-choo,” Carpenter dead-panned. “My job is to keep the cranky ones in line.” Carpenter joked that he was voted in at a meeting because he had the misfortune of not being there to decline. He said his goal is to develop the non-profit attraction into a place where his two daughters and other local children can experience the vanishing institution of train travel. Jerry, along with some of the long-tenured members, harbors a true passion for what they do. What is the Central Pasco & Gulf RR? Established in 2006, the Central Pasco & Gulf RR winds its way through Crews Lake Wilderness Park, located at 16739 Crews Lake Drive in Spring Hill, Florida. This extensive railroad system is an authentic reproduction of a historic, full-sized system.  It has been built to miniature scale with locomotives that pull freight cars on track only 7.5 inches wide. Most of the engines are powered by a gasoline-hydraulic design, but a few privately-owned steam engines reside in the Oakland Engine House. These burn coal that is stored on the site. The passenger cars are stout enough to hold several people, including an authentically attired engineer who mans the locomotive. Established in 2006, the Central Pasco & Gulf RR winds its way through Crews Lake Wilderness Park, located at 16739 Crews Lake Drive in Spring Hill, Florida. This extensive railroad system is an authentic reproduction of a historic, full-sized system. Image by Kent Smith. This Ain't your average Toy Train Set The system is something only a fanatic could create: The track, yards, sidings, and 155 switches wind through the pine-and-oak forest 5.5 miles from the main switching station, called Sanford Yard, to the Carolwood East Barn, a train museum filled with rare collectibles. Stanford Yard includes a maze of dozens of tracks coming and going in almost every direction like a pile of unruly spaghetti. All the tracks are controlled by an electronic two-story switching tower. Sanford Yard has train tracks coming and going throughout, with a two-story switching tower. Image by Diane Bedard. This area also boasts functioning water towers, a large storage building housing an extensive workshop, and 10 steaming bays where trains can enter the system via a large hydraulic lift. A spacious administrative building and clubhouse are used to conduct group business and meetings, along with periodic classes on railroad safety for children that teach “Stop, look and listen” at rail stops and crossings. The group’s impressive workshop covers about 1,000 square feet, including a lathe, metal press, and machining equipment, where craftsmen can fabricate tracks, engines, and cars - essentially everything the system requires. “We just buy the steel and wood and turn it into what we need,” one member said. Front row L to R: Disney Historian Michael Broggie, Margaret Kerry "The Original Tinkerbell ", Disney Imagineer and Legend Bob GurrBack row L to R: 2018 CP&GRR director Mike Venezia, President Jerry Smithson, Director Les Smout. Image courtesy of CPGRR's Facebook page. The Central Pasco & Gulf Railroad's connection to Walt Disney The Carolwood East Barn museum is a similar replica of “Walt's Barn”, a wooden building where entertainment entrepreneur Walt Disney would go to get away from business matters. A lover of railways, Disney had a scale rail system on the property, according to CPGRR member Les Smout. Smout is a member of Carolwood Pacific Society, an association of train aficionados that Disney founded. “The barn was his getaway to escape his business for a while,” Smout said. “Disney had a great fascination for railroads.” Les noted that Disney indulged his passion by having a full-sized railway system at Disneyland. The Disney connection is strong here. Many of the items in the museum are rare souvenirs from the glory days of Walt's enterprises. The Central Pasco & Gulf RR system is exactly like the scale designs used for Disney’s railroad.   Walt's Barn, located in California, was a place for Walt Disney to get away from business matters. The CPGRR has constructed the Carolwood East Barn Museum , where passengers cue to ride, and can visit exhibits of trains and Disney memorabilia. Image by Epcot82 via Wikimedia Commons. The Historic Orange Belt Railway The CPGRR is also modeled after the historic Orange Belt Railway that crossed this region in the late 1800s. This scale setup includes stops named Trilby, Lacoochee, Macon, and Lenard just like the 19th Century full-sized version. The actual Orange Belt line ran from Sanford southwest through eastern Hernando County, passing roughly three miles west of Dade City on to modern-day Land O' Lakes before continuing on to Tarpon Springs and St. Petersburg. According to Wikipedia, the railway was established by Russian exile Peter Demens starting in 1885. When completed in 1888 at 152 miles, it was one of the longest narrow-gauge (3 feet) rail lines in the U.S. The project was plagued by building cost overruns and loss of business after a citrus freeze cut off one of the line's main freight customers. Demens lost control of the railroad to financier Edward Stotesbury, who renamed the line the Sanford and St. Petersburg Railroad in 1893. The Central Pasco & Gulf Railroad has over 12,000 feet of track in Crews Lake Wilderness Park. Their system is modeled after the Orange Belt Railroad, built in the 1880s and running through the area. It includes stops named Trilby, Lacoochee, Macon, and Lenard. Image courtesy of CPGRR. An even worse catastrophe, the great freeze of 1894-95, forced Stotesbury to sell the system to legendary tycoon Henry B. Plant in 1895. Two years later, Plant built the opulent Belleview-Biltmore Hotel near the Clearwater stop, attracting affluent guests to the area. Plant widened the track to standard gauge and dove-tailed it with his statewide network, which joined the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902. In the 1900s, the Orange Belt Railroad fueled development in Pinellas County and the region when it began carrying more settlers south chasing the burgeoning citrus and livestock industries. Under the ACL ownership, the line from Trilby east to Sylvan Lake became the Trilby Branch and the segment from Trilby southwest to St. Petersburg became the Trilby-St. Petersburg Line. It carried the famed West Coast Champion, a streamlined, luxury train from New York 1939-1979. The ACL merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad in 1967. Passenger service north of Clearwater was taken over by Amtrak in 1971, but the system's days were numbered. Freight service was stopped on most of the line by 1972, and passenger service to Pinellas County ended in 1984. Jerry Smithson, seen here, is a Founding Member of the CPGRR. He is an avid historian with a passion for railroads. Image by Kent Smith. The Driving Force behind Central Pasco & Gulf RR is People Carpenter identified founding member Jerry Smithson as part of a core group that is the driving force behind the attraction. Smithson said, in addition to entertaining children, the facility educates adults about the rich history of the area's original rail system. An avid historian, he said he owns roughly 80 percent of the items in the museum. “In 2006, five of us wanted to purchase a large tract of land for this, but we met with the county and (County Commissioner) Anne Hildebrand loved our plan,” he recalled. “We got a long-term lease for $1 to use the park as a non-profit volunteer group.” The CPGRR now has 70 members. The official CPGRR website states “Railways are a distinct cultural heritage. At CPGRR we preserve railroad heritage for its strong European significance. We also do it to promote cultural tourism in Pasco, Florida.” The second Saturday of each month until November, CPGRR offers train rides to the public. It is a blast for all ages! Image by Diane Bedard. Ride the Central Pasco & Gulf RR the Second Saturday of the Month On the second Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., the group offers free public train rides as part of its agreement with the Pasco County Parks and Recreation Department. A donation of $1 is greatly appreciated to help with maintenance and upkeep. Masks are encouraged. The Central Pasco & Gulf RR puts on holiday-themed rides at Christmas, Easter, and Halloween. The Easter ride stops at points along the way for kids to search the woods for bunny eggs. This popular two-day event had up to 3,000 participants in the past. You can rent the trains for a party or come out for one of the holiday events. Easter's train ride included a stop-off to hunt for bunny eggs. Image courtesy of Les Smout. Birthday parties and events are available for groups up to 30 people; call 727-645-2508 for details. There are annual memberships that cover the whole family for $35 per year and offer access to all the facilities. The group hosts meetings of similar organizations twice a year on the property, like the Florida Live Steamers. “They come from all over the country, lots of people who love trains,” Smithson added. The railroad's yard includes buildings that house steel and wood, tools and machinery to create trains. The two-story switching station helps to ensure safety as multiple trains run the tracks. It is a labor of love and the public is welcome to enjoy rides monthly. Image by Kent Smith. In the heart of every “cranky old guy” who loves trains resides a person who loves history. The two are inextricably intertwined. Smithson insists more modern trains will continue to fill a need in American industry and transportation that trucks and planes can't meet financially. Still, the future of railroad worship may depend on fellows like 18-year-old Brandon Chinigo of Land O' Lakes, who was browsing through the museum with his mother, Angel when NatureCoaster visited. “I came to take pictures for my Senior photos at my school,” Brandon said. “Trains are sooooo powerful. Everybody loves to ride them.” Read the full article

[talesofsea-index]

Bali Tour Service And Tourism Activities In Bali

When traveling to Bali for a holiday, it is never a case of what are you going to find to do on your vacation, however rather what number of weeks vacation can you take to get pleasure from all that Bali has to supply. Many people think of seashores and white sand when considering of Bali and affiliate is a being mainly a seaside holiday. Although there are various resorts alongside the beachfront to calm down at, this is solely a small part of all the Bali excursions and actions available. There are very few accommodations and resorts in Bali that won't have both in house tours of Bali or be able to prepare some tour by way of an unbiased tour company for you to get pleasure from.

With so many activities obtainable it is tough to choose the perfect to advocate, however based mostly on the popularity of the next these appear to be the most exciting issues to do when considering one of many many Bali excursions accessible.

Recommended Bali Water Activities

Bali Marine Walk

Have you ever all the time wanted to experience the ocean floor, the garden underneath water that's teaming with marine life filled with brilliant colors and gorgeous fish, however have been afraid to dive or usually are not a particularly great swimmer? Then this can be a must for you to try out once you go to Bali. This is a revolutionary diving system which you could experience even when you can’t swim; all you want to have the ability to do is stroll. The concept behind it is extremely simple; an open ended helmet permits the wearer to stroll on the ocean mattress by just placing it over their head. There may be an inbuilt defogging mechanism that stops the front “window” from becoming steamed up. There's a hose which is related to the scuba tanks permitting free motion whereas playing with the fish and feeding them out of your hand. That is actually a must do exercise when visiting Bali. Marine walk have their very own boat that can take you to Lembongan Island where you may take pleasure in a day exploring the depths of the ocean.

White Water Rafting

Bali Journey Rafting gives a five star service that's renowned because the safest family rafting company in Bali. Age just isn't an element with this firm, youngsters from as younger as 5 have been rafting down the Ayung River. The expertise is exhilarating and the views are breathtaking. The tour is on a stretch of river 8 kilometers long and contains 27 class II and sophistication III rapids wandering by way of unspoiled rain forests, towering gorges and sculptured rice fields. All the guides are professionally trained and have tons of expertise to pilot the rafts by means of some dramatic drops, waterfalls and rivers making your white water expertise protected however awesome.

The entire trip will last roughly one and a half hours, relying on how fast the river is flowing. At the end of the journey there are hot showers and altering rooms for you to refresh in, adopted by a scorching gourmand buffet at a personal restaurant with views of majestic mountains and rice fields. The distinctive services and having the longest course on the island has attracted Hollywood celebrities like Claudia Schiffer, Jean-Claude Van Damme and David Copperfield. Access is fairly simple, solely an hour’s drive from nearly all of the resorts in the south of Bali.

Waterbom Park

Waterbom Park is positioned within the resort village of Kuta; it is a large 4 hectares in size with tropical vegetation making up the amazing panorama. World class water slides are located throughout the park and are obviously the main attraction, however are many other recreational services located inside the large grounds. You might have the choice of dong some wall climbing, water volley ball, bungee jumping, and getting blasted with the water blaster. For the more relaxing vacationer, the park offers a spa, many swimming pools to chill out in, the Wantilan Restaurant has a swim up bar facility, or just watching the kids enjoy the Kiddies Park. This park is run by an Australian concern and the safety standards are exceptionally excessive. There is a strict maintenance regime as well as supervision from licensed lifeguards which might be consistently on responsibility allowing mother and father to let their youngsters splash away with none worries.

Advisable Inland Activities

Bali Quad Discovery Tours

One of many oldest mountain villages of Bali, Payangan, is home to Bali Quad and buggy discovery excursions. The amenities are only 15 kilometers south of Kintamani on the slopes of mount Batur near Ayung river valley. The tour is thru very isolated countryside, the place you'll not come across other vacationers whereas driving your personal 4 wheel quad bike. The groups are restricted to six to be able to not make an excessive amount of of a disruption to the locals and to ensure that guides are able to give private help. Groups are divided according to skill level, not essentially age, however if you wish to have your personal group composed of individuals of all talent ranges then that may be arranged. The one requirement that's wanted is that you just be in good physical form as the terrain may be very demanding.

Kintamani Volcano Tour

It is a highly regarded tour in Bali as it wanders by way of many various areas of the Bali countryside allowing you to experience the diversity of Balinese culture and ends up with you standing on the sting of the crater of mount Batur. Among the places and actions that are visited and experienced on the way is the well-known Barong Dance located in Batubulan, the village of Celuk famend for its silver and goldsmiths, the talented village of Mas with their exquisite wooden carvings, the cultural capital of Bali, Ubud that's overflowing with cultural activities and beautiful art work.

Elephant Safari Park Tour

The Elephant Safari Park situated in Taro, Tegallalang is a must do for all visitors that come to Bali as it is the only complete elephant safari expertise on this planet. The unique park is the house to the only Mammoth Skeleton in South East Asia and is acclaimed as the world’s best elephant park that's set in a picturesque tropical setting. In between using, sightseeing, hand feeding, touching them, taking images with them, you possibly can study their ancestry and diversity on the huge historic and graphic displays that the park has. The parks amenities additionally embrace a reception and data heart, a complete museum with many elephant memorabilia.

Overlooking a powerful lake is the restaurant that is able to maintain over 200 people and has a unbelievable worldwide menu making it ideally suited not only for a go to, but is an ideal location to carry a marriage or other occasion. The gift shop has an incredible array of elephant themed items that embody work, ivory (watch out when buying this, make sure that it won't be confiscated at your individual international locations airport), wood and carvings, clothes and plenty of different souvenirs.

Regardless that the park may be very tourist orientated the primary purpose of the park is the safety of those elephants that have all been rescued because of the deforestation that's occurring in Southern and Central Sumatra and this park has change into a sanctuary for this endangered and guarded species. Elephants are very clever creatures and at certain instances of the day there are displays of the elephant’s capabilities including portray. The park is nice for all types of vacationers and will probably be a spotlight of your Bali excursions. As a customer you will be able to the touch and hand feed the elephants, watch as they playfully bathtub within the huge lakes, have private photos taken with you driving on the elephants, witness the intelligence of these giant however light creatures and study their historical past, facts about them and the concerns for his or her future. The park additionally provides mini rides for the kids.

Bali Paragliding Journey

Bali has a mountain chain that stretches throughout the island giving paragliding lovers spectacular views and a wide range of totally different locations to launch from. The preferred locations are , Timbis, Gunung Payung, Mount Batur and Candi Dasa.

Timbis

Bali’s hottest flight zone and training center is positioned right here, close to the spectacular Bali Cliff resort. The rugged cliffs, white seashores, clear blue seas, Hindu temples and crashing waves over the coral reefs make this the perfect spot to learn how to paraglide. There are facilities for food and drinks in case you prefer just to calm down and watch the more adventurous vacationers jump off the cliffs. After your flight there are Balinese employees who will pack your canopy away simply as you need it.

Gunung Payung

East of Timbis, maybe 15 minutes drive, Gunung Payung presents a launch area for the extra experienced paraglider as at high tide there isn't any backside landing and you'll have to soar and steer your approach eastward to avoid crashing in the water.

Mount Batur. Mount Batur is an active smoldering volcano with four craters at an elevation of 1,717m which final erupted in 2000. There isn't any better place to get your coronary heart pumping before takeoff, and in case you are fortunate sufficient to not get bombarded with showering lava, the view is breathtaking. Mount Batur is positioned in Kintamani, north of Ubud.

Candi Dasa

Candi Dasa has a small take off area and due to this fact top touchdown will not be doable, the positioning is a 250m high ridge. The thermals are superior right here and it is often attainable to achieve cloud base, 600-750 meters. The stroll to take off from the black sand backside landing seashore is 20-30 minutes relying on how fit you're. There are Balinese porters in the event you want assistance.

There are a lot of trusted car rental in Bali with driver in addition to tour service who will in a position to drive visitors or vacationers to those attention-grabbing spots.

[baltimorehorsescycling]

Bali Tours And Activities

When traveling to Bali for a holiday, it's never a case of what are you going to find to do in your vacation, but fairly how many weeks vacation can you take to take pleasure in all that Bali has to supply. Many people consider beaches and white sand when thinking of Bali and affiliate is a being mainly a seashore holiday. Though there are many resorts alongside the beachfront to relax at, that is only a small a part of all the Bali tours and activities out there. There are only a few motels and resorts in Bali that will not have both in home excursions of Bali or be capable to organize some tour by way of an unbiased tour firm for you to take pleasure in.

With so many activities accessible it's tough to select the best to suggest, however based mostly on the recognition of the following these seem to be the most exciting issues to do when considering one of the many Bali excursions out there.

Well known Water Activities in Bali

Bali Marine Stroll

Have you ever always wished to experience the ocean flooring, the backyard underneath water that's teaming with marine life full of vivid colors and gorgeous fish, but have been afraid to dive or aren't a very great swimmer? Then it is a must so that you can check out whenever you visit Bali. This is a revolutionary diving system that you would be able to experience even should you can’t swim; all you need to have the ability to do is stroll. The concept behind it is extremely simple; an open ended helmet allows the wearer to stroll on the sea mattress by just placing it over their head. There's an inbuilt defogging mechanism that prevents the front “window” from turning into steamed up. There's a hose which is linked to the scuba tanks permitting free motion while enjoying with the fish and feeding them from your hand. This is truly a must do activity when visiting Bali. Marine walk have their very own boat that will take you to Lembongan Island where you'll be able to enjoy a day exploring the depths of the ocean.

White Water Rafting

Bali Adventure Rafting affords a 5 star service that is famend because the safest household rafting firm in Bali. Age is not an element with this firm, children from as younger as 5 have been rafting down the Ayung River. The experience is exhilarating and the views are breathtaking. The tour is on a stretch of river 8 kilometers lengthy and includes 27 class II and class III rapids wandering by way of unspoiled rain forests, towering gorges and sculptured rice fields. All the guides are professionally skilled and have tons of experience to pilot the rafts by means of some dramatic drops, waterfalls and rivers making your white water experience secure however superior.

The whole trip will final approximately one and a half hours, depending on how briskly the river is flowing. On the finish of the journey there are hot showers and altering rooms so that you can refresh in, followed by a sizzling connoisseur buffet at a non-public restaurant with views of majestic mountains and rice fields. The distinctive facilities and having the longest course on the island has attracted Hollywood celebrities like Claudia Schiffer, Jean-Claude Van Damme and David Copperfield. Access is fairly easy, solely an hour’s drive from the majority of the resorts in the south of Bali.

Waterbom Park

Waterbom Park is situated in the resort village of Kuta; it is a massive 4 hectares in size with tropical vegetation making up the amazing panorama. World class water slides are situated all around the park and are clearly the main attraction, but are many different recreational services situated throughout the massive grounds. You've gotten the choice of dong some wall climbing, water volley ball, bungee leaping, and getting blasted with the water blaster. For the more stress-free tourist, the park presents a spa, many swimming swimming pools to loosen up in, the Wantilan Restaurant has a swim up bar facility, or just watching the children enjoy the Kiddies Park. This park is run by an Australian concern and the safety requirements are exceptionally high. There is a strict maintenance regime as well as supervision from certified lifeguards which might be continually on duty allowing mother and father to let their children splash away with none worries.

Inland Activities

Bali Quad Discovery Tours

One of many oldest mountain villages of Bali, Payangan, is house to Bali Quad and buggy discovery tours. The facilities are solely 15 kilometers south of Kintamani on the slopes of mount Batur close to Ayung river valley. The tour is through very remoted countryside, where you will not come across other tourists whereas driving your own 4 wheel quad bike. The teams are limited to six to be able to not make an excessive amount of of a disruption to the locals and to make sure that guides are able to give personal assistance. Groups are divided in line with talent stage, not necessarily age, however if you wish to have your own group composed of people of all skill ranges then that may be arranged. The only requirement that's needed is that you just be in good bodily form as the terrain can be very demanding.

Kintamani Volcano Tour

This is a very popular tour in Bali as it wanders by way of many alternative areas of the Bali countryside allowing you to expertise the variety of Balinese tradition and finally ends up with you standing on the edge of the crater of mount Batur. Among the locations and actions which might be visited and experienced on the best way is the well-known Barong Dance located in Batubulan, the village of Celuk famend for its silver and goldsmiths, the talented village of Mas with their beautiful wood carvings, the cultural capital of Bali, Ubud that is overflowing with cultural actions and beautiful paintings.

Elephant Safari Park Tour

The Elephant Safari Park located in Taro, Tegallalang is a must do for all visitors that come to Bali as it's the solely complete elephant safari expertise in the world. The unique park is the home to the only Mammoth Skeleton in South East Asia and is acclaimed as the world’s finest elephant park that's set in a picturesque tropical setting. In between using, sightseeing, hand feeding, touching them, taking photos with them, you possibly can study their ancestry and variety at the huge historic and graphic shows that the park has. The parks facilities additionally include a reception and information heart, a complete museum with many elephant memorabilia.

Overlooking an impressive lake is the restaurant that is able to hold over 200 folks and has a improbable international menu making it ideally suited not only for a visit, but is a perfect location to carry a wedding or different occasion. The gift store has an unimaginable array of elephant themed objects that embrace paintings, ivory (be careful when shopping for this, make it possible for it is not going to be confiscated at your individual nations airport), wooden and carvings, clothing and plenty of other souvenirs.

Though the park could be very tourist orientated the primary purpose of the park is the protection of those elephants which have all been rescued because of the deforestation that is happening in Southern and Central Sumatra and this park has grow to be a sanctuary for this endangered and guarded species. Elephants are very intelligent creatures and at certain instances of the day there are displays of the elephant’s capabilities together with portray. The park is great for every type of vacationers and will be a spotlight of your Bali excursions.

As a customer you will be able to the touch and hand feed the elephants, watch as they playfully bathtub within the massive lakes, have private photographs taken with you driving on the elephants, witness the intelligence of those large however gentle creatures and study their historical past, information about them and the considerations for their future. The park also gives mini rides for the children.

Bali Paragliding Journey

Bali has a mountain chain that stretches throughout the island giving paragliding lovers spectacular views and a wide range of different locations to launch from. The preferred locations are , Timbis, Gunung Payung, Mount Batur and Candi Dasa.

Timbis

Bali’s hottest flight zone and coaching middle is located right here, near the spectacular Bali Cliff resort. The rugged cliffs, white seashores, clear blue seas, Hindu temples and crashing waves over the coral reefs make this the perfect spot to discover ways to paraglide. There are facilities for meals and drinks when you prefer just to loosen up and watch the extra adventurous tourists soar off the cliffs. After your flight there are Balinese staff who will pack your cover away simply as you need it.

Gunung Payung

East of Timbis, possibly 15 minutes drive, Gunung Payung affords a launch area for the extra skilled para-glider as at high tide there is no such thing as a bottom touchdown and you'll have to soar and steer your means eastward to keep away from crashing in the water. Mount Batur. Mount Batur is an active smoldering volcano with four craters at an elevation of 1,717m which last erupted in 2000. There is no higher place to get your heart pumping earlier than takeoff, and if you're lucky enough to not get bombarded with showering lava, the view is breathtaking. Mount Batur is positioned in Kintamani, north of Ubud.

Candi Dasa

Candi Dasa has a small take off area and subsequently high landing isn't doable, the location is a 250m high ridge. The thermals are awesome here and it's typically possible to succeed in cloud base, 600-750 meters. The walk to take off from the black sand backside touchdown seashore is 20-30 minutes relying on how fit you are. There are Balinese porters for those who want assistance.

There are lots of trusted Bali car rental with driver as well as tour service who will in a position to drive visitors or vacationers to those attention-grabbing spots.

[nika-the-hunter]

House of Mist [Ch. 11]

Central Seattle Ruins, Pacific Northwest. House Mist Territory +157 days 

Nicole and Rykis walked down the path that had been worn through the tall grass. The old road surface was clearly visible here under the dirt. It was cracked and crumbled, resembling gravel more than the flat concrete it had once been. The other trees, not the evergreens, were starting to get their leaves again, and were bringing brighter shades of green to the pale urban ruins. This was her first spring, and it was wonderful, everything was so full of life. 

 Her meeting with Fort Discovery had gone well; so well in fact that she was absolutely convinced that working with the House of Mist had been the right decision. She and Rykis had spent the remainder of the day walking around the small settlement named after the original park it was built on. There had been a fort there before at some point in ancient history, but its name had been lost to time. 

She met many Humans in the fort; over half of them had ties to the region that went back to before the Collapse. Those that had migrated over to Fort Discovery from elsewhere had interesting stories of the world outside the region as well. She had made it a point that return trips would be common for her. The children that her Ghost was entertaining followed him the whole time, trying to play tag with the mechanical ball. 

Pedro and Athena had ideas for expansion that Nicole could help with. They had been in radio contact with a group of people due east that were worried about a band of Fallen lurking around their town. The town had been cautious about Mist, but stories of the friendly Fallen out west had apparently made the journey to them. They were willing to move into Mist territory but had no way to do it without drawing the attention of the local Fallen crew. Pedro had planned to bring it to the Kell’s attention soon, but the campaign against the House of Devils had kept the Kell busy. Now that things were calming down, he would bring it up and suggest that Nicole help convince the others that Mist was extra safe. 

When Nicole finally left Fort Discovery, she found the Archon taking a video call with an Eliksni Vandal who wore a banner she did not know. Though there was a lot she did not know already. It was hard to tell the color of the armor with the screen glare from the angle they were at, but it looked green. Marakis had ended the call and turned to face the two who had approached. He briefly mentioned that he was speaking with the House of Exile, before asking about their tour. Later Rykis told her that the House of Exile was an Eliksni collective that lived up on the moon. Mist apparently had a trade deal with them regarding Ether. 

On the flight back to the Archons compound, they all talked briefly, Marakis was interested in how she and Rykis were getting along. He seemed really excited with a Guardian and Eliksni living together and seemed to read the subtext of what was really going on quite well. Sparing them the embarrassment of just saying it. 

The day was nearly over by then with the sunset lighting the sky in a bright gold. Their walk back towards downtown kept them in the shade already. Her Ghost spent his time orbiting around the two and occasionally flying off to scan something dangling in the old windows. The ruins were mostly empty, Mist Eliksni lived in the newer buildings that were further downtown. Those buildings were still old pre-Collapse construction, but they were in much better shape than the stone and steel skyscrapers that made up ninety percent of the city. Over the centuries after the collapse, those buildings had remained free of overgrowth and were still somewhat waterproof, unlike her hotel across the lake. 

“So, are we headed back to the Kell to catch that truck back, or are we walking home on our own?” Nicole asked.

“No, the Kell gave you the choice of living elsewhere now. You’re not restricted to Baron Acskis’ outpost.” He replied. 

“So... where are we headed then?” He did not really answer her question. 

“We’re headed to where I lived before. I think that you might like it.” She could see the edges of his face move behind his mask in what she recognized as an Eliksni smile, then he shrugged. “If you do not, then we can go to your hotel tomorrow, or maybe somewhere else.”  

“Oh, alright. It’s been a while hasn’t it?” 

“Mm, not as long as you think, I visit it whenever you’re busy around Bellevue.”

Nicole nodded. “Well that’s good; I’d hate to keep you from home.”

There was a bleep from her helmet that was clipped to her belt. She looked down and saw something flashing on her visor. “Oh hey, give me a second.” Her helmet slipped over her head, but she did not activate the seal. 

The blinking icon opened into a list that took up half of the view screen. The word Quests was in bold at the top, with little icons and what she guessed were the quests themselves listed on it. There were only a few entries. The currently highlighted ‘quest’ had a graphic of one of the metro trains she had seen in the tunnel over a banner for Umic. Memory Troubles was the name with the description “Locate Metro Security Records.” 

The chirp of her Ghost sounded from the helmet’s internal speaker. “Hey! You finally checked out the Quest tab!” 

“What is this?” She asked. 

“Well, you seemed to be getting a lot of things to do, so I decided to put together some of my own quests for you. Usually these come from the Vanguard at the Last City but given how we’re not planning on going there any time soon, I’ll do it for you for now.” 

“Okay... why did it just pop up now?” she stopped Rykis. “Hold on for a second.”

“Well follow the marker and find out!” the Ghost replied, at the same moment a diamond shaped marker appeared. He sounded excited which was very unlike himself. 

Nicole nodded in the direction the marker showed and started to go. “Sorry Rykis. My Ghost found something he wants me to see. We gotta’ detour.”

“Then lead on, Neh-cole.” 

The marker led back and over one block, to the front doorway of a tall office tower. The building's stone facade was crumbling in places, leaving piles of rubble underneath the trees. Once at the door, the icon appeared again further inside. It stopped at a stairwell leading down into the dark. “Alright, we’re here. What did you find?” 

Her Ghost appeared from inside the doorway and played his flashlight over the remains of a sign hanging on the wall. The letters had faded but most were still legible. -Metro Transit Authority. Regional Security Office.

“I found the place!” He did a spin inside his shell. At first, she was not sure what he meant, but the name of the ‘quest’ connected the dots. The camera down in the subway tunnel had been looking right at where her body had been. It was still working and sending the data back somewhere and something was still giving it the command to record. Robust systems were still working somewhere. But if she wanted to find out what had happened to her, all she needed to do was go down and find the network hub. It was not a priority; she had actually forgotten about it up until now. The discovery of her cause of death was more of a hopeful curiosity than an actual objective. However, there it was... at the bottom of the staircase were some answers about her previous life. Under the helmet she bit her lip and gave it a good two seconds of thought. The answer was obvious.   

Down she went. Quickly at first, but immediately slowing for caution; the stairs were slick and covered in moss. That was something she was used to seeing out there. Buildings, trees, rocks, and even growing on the side of Eliksni crates that had been sitting just a little too long; moss was everywhere. The bottom step was submerged beneath a few centimeters of water and somewhere deeper in the basement she could hear flowing water.

At the far end of the large open space, Nicole could see dozens of blinking green lights hidden behind a window. The working systems were a good sign that this was the right place. She stepped into the ankle-deep water and apologized to Rykis. He was not wearing any sort of water-resistant footwear, but he followed her anyway without complaining. Sloshing through the water, Nicole noticed that people had died down here fairly quickly. A few had died at their workstations, leaving their skeletons collapsed over keyboards and left computers in stand-by mode.

The sign on the side of the door said that it was the data-storage room. It was exactly what they were looking for. The blinking lights were the status lights for over a dozen large computer racks. The hum in the room was loud, and the air was warm. The doorway was raised higher than the water, someone had some forethought when they built the place in the basement, so there was no water inside. Once inside with the door closed behind them, Nicole could not hear the water flow anymore.

Nicole had no idea how to search all this for what they wanted, so she waved to the machines. “Okay Ghost, do your thing.” 

He chirped and flew over to one of the stacks. “This might take a while. These cameras have been recording for centuries...” The Ghost flew from stack to stack, an optical beam connecting with each tower. “Just have to find the feed from your station and trace where it goes. It was Olympic... I think?” 

“Well take your time, Ghost. It’s not like Rykis and I can do anything.” 

After a few minutes scanning through the various racks, he had found the data. “I got it!” he exclaimed with all his fins expanding out from his core. “Well, are you sure you want to watch this, last chance.” 

Rykis looked at the Ghost, and then to Nicole. “What did he find, what are we looking for?” 

“Well he found the recording of how I died. The first time.” Nicole grimly smiled. “I'm hoping it’ll give me something to work with. So yes, Ghost, start it up.” 

He floated over to a dormant computer station and interfaced with the monitor. The screen flickered and flashed to life. The multiple camera feeds from across the station appeared. There was even sound. 

Olympic Park Station  -28 minutes

Umic Security Officer Nicole Walker rushed down the escalator leading into the chaotic subway station. Her heavy plasteel ballistic vest almost knocked her off balance in the shifting sea of Seattle citizens. Thirteen hours ago, she had thought that the vest had been overkill; her regular uniform had woven strands of sapphire wire which was good enough to stop mid-caliber ammunition. But as the day progressed, she no longer felt that way, and was grateful for the vest. 

Gunfire at the top of the stairs brought her around with her rifle, aiming the carbine towards the odd colored daylight streaming in at the top of the shaft. The citizens and refugees parted and dropped to either side, clearing a firing lane to the doors. At the top of the stairs her partner, USO. Keane, fired out the door and onto the street. An explosion rocked the shaft and people fell, more pushed deeper into the station. “I’m gonna’ close the doors!” Keane shouted. “Get in here now.” 

He fired again, Nicole tried to get back up the escalator, but the parted sea had closed and everyone that was up near the top was making their way down whether she was in the way or not.

A cluster of blue energy shots peppered the wall above Keane. A large group of people finally made it through the doors, and he slammed his fist into the switch on the wall. The station’s storm shutters dropped from the ceiling and bounced once off their rubber seals. 

They were locked in, and the bad stuff was locked out. 

Another explosion from outside shook the ground again, more gunfire erupted nearby, it was all muffled by the storm shutters. “Everyone downstairs.” Nicole ordered. People that had remained on the stairs, even after the crowds fled, slowly got to their feet, and moved down to the station. 

The trains were still running, “Thank the Traveler...”  Nicole muttered. There were casualties and moving the injured on foot down kilometers of tunnel was just not going to work. 

“Please form a line! Cue up at the marked positions!” A Transit cop in a high-visibility vest was directing the panicked people to where they could board the next subway car. “We’ll get you all out of here as fast as we can. The trains are running double-time and filling up at previous stations!” 

Nicole walked over to one of the small coffee shops along the wall that had its lights still on. The windows were smashed, but two of the original employees were busy passing out water and snacks to anyone who came for them. She grabbed two bottles of water and a small bag of sugar cookies. Downing her bottle in one go, she headed back into the space between lines where Keane was wiping the sweat from underneath his helmet. “You alright?” She offered him the other water.

Taking the water, he also drained it. “Yeah... uh... just glad those doors are doing the job.” He nodded over to a group of Seattle Police Officers talking on the other side of the next line. “They got working radios. Military’s been trying to get up here for hours apparently. Something is bogging down the roads, and the weather is just insane.” 

She nodded. “We could really use the help. A bunch of street cops and some deputized, heavily armed, and highly skilled, security guards ain’t going to help everyone.” Nicole smirked; trying to add some humor into the situation. 

Keane returned the look with a thin smile. “Yeah, doesn’t mean we can’t try.” 

The ceiling chimed. “Train approaching... train approaching.” 

At the front of the lines, the Transit cop checked his wrist pad. “Alright people, this train is only two-thirds full! Stay in line and wait your turn. We’ll all make it out, just don’t push.” 

The sleek subway train slid into the station and squeaked to a stop. The cars were packed, but apparently only part full. Once the doors opened, no one got off, and the lines began to squeeze in wherever they could. With a blow of their whistle, the crowds stepped back and allowed the Transit cops to get the doors sealed and sent the train on its way. “Next train arrives in... five minutes,” chimed the ceiling. 

Two more trains came and went, but the population count in the station did not seem to be decreasing. People were just spreading out now that there was more room. 

Nicole noticed a lone kid standing in the middle of the station clutching a stuffed animal. It was covered in dirt, but she thought it might have been an Orca. The little girl could not have been older than five, but she did not look scared or sad. Nicole walked over and took a knee beside her. “Hey there kid, where are your parents at?” 

The girl looked at her and shook her head. “I dunno, mommy went to get daddy. She said to wait here.” 

“Well which way did she go?” Nicole asked. Hopefully it was not far. 

The little girl pointed the stuffed Orca up the stairs. “She went up there.” 

Nicole looked up that direction and frowned. That was not good. 

“Train approaching... Train approaching.” 

Unknown to Nicole, the station security system picked up a conversation going on down one of the maintenance corridors, coming towards the station. 

“Holy shit Sam, where did you get those?” Voice one spoke out, in audible surprise. 

“From nowhere. I ain’t telling.” Voice two was gruff, and noticeably angry. “Here, take it, it's loaded.”

Voice one huffed and had to hurry to follow “What the hell are we going to do with them?!” 

“We’re getting on that next train. I'm getting us out of this place.” A sharp click-clack sound was registered with the system. It was identified as the racking of a shotgun pump by algorithmic analysis. 

It would have alerted the authorities if there was anyone left to pick-up. There was not.

Back in the station proper, the next train was slowly gliding into the station. It was only one fourth full. Plenty of room for evacuees. The door in the backside of the station burst open and out rushed two men. One had an assault rifle, and the other in the front was carrying a large gauge semi-automatic shotgun. He fired it into the ceiling once. “Everyone fucking back off. We’re getting on that train, you hear me?” the man bellowed. Chunks of plaster fell to the ground around them.

People froze in place, some dropped to the ground. The traffic cops had their hands on their sidearms, but nobody drew their weapons; not with a threat like that in a crowd of civilians. “Hey now, there's plenty of space for everyone. Just put the guns down.” One of the cops motioned slowly.

“Nah, we’re going. Now. Get everyone out of the way.” The guy in front swept the gun across the station. “Stay the fuck back.”

Nicole eyed the gunmen, both the shotgun and the rifle had large drum magazines, however the guy with the rifle seemed put off by what was going on. That did not change the fact that he was still waving the gun around the crowd.

One of the cops that had been back near the coffee shop came around slowly and half crouched. He looked like he was going to try and tackle the shotgun wielder. If shots started flying, things would go bad very quick.

Nicole threw herself in front of the kid who was just out in the open, well in the line of fire. Too many potential targets had been behind the kid.  

The man with the gun reacted to Nicole's sudden movements and fired at her. Under normal conditions, if that shotgun had been loaded with buckshot, it would have just caused a few dents in her plate vest. However, that gun had been loaded with high-velocity solid slugs. 

At the range they were at, there was nothing that could be done. The slug smashed into the center of her plasteel plate, causing it to deform beyond its threshold. Her chest cavity was crushed. The plate had stopped the bullet, but not in any manner that would have saved her life. 

Central Seattle Ruins +157 days 

Nicole watched her original self crumple to the floor and die. The others, who she did not know or recognize, took down the men with the guns. They tried to revive her, but it was no use, she was already gone. Her fellow security guard was visibly distressed and started to kick the guy who had shot her while he was detained. However, the officer in the bright yellow vest pulled him off and shoved him away. The girl was loaded onto the train with the Umic guard and sent away almost immediately. 

The people that remained in the station pulled her body far out of the way, moving it to its final resting place on top of the mezzanine above the tracks. One of the people that helped carry her body placed her arms on her chest and draped a tablecloth from the store over her. He seemed to say a prayer and leave, but there was nobody else up there to witness it.

“Well there you have it.” Her Ghost blinked. “There is more to the recording near the end, but that's how you died.” The video sped up and the station eventually emptied, leaving her body sitting alone on the platform. Nobody else entered the station after the last train zipped down the track. “Huh...” She had expected some firefight with the cause of the collapse, not getting shot by fellow Humans. It did not change anything though, she had hoped that when she found the video of her death it would unlock the memories of that past life, but nothing came from them. No insight into who she was, or any of the people they had known. It felt almost like a wasted trip; the question of how she died was answered, but there was no extra reward. “I can tell you're disappointed. If you thought that it would help your memories, I could have told you that it wouldn’t.” The Ghost replied to the look on her face. “This bit at the end though might cheer you up a little.

Nicole sighed as the video clicked and moved on. With no movement it switched to an ‘extended event monitoring’ mode. There were only subtle indications on how fast time was passing in the station; a steady drip became a flood of water down the tunnels, drowning the track.  Dirt piles slowly grew across the floor from the corners, eventually enough for plants to grow and sprout under the steady station lights. Her body rapidly deteriorated on screen, becoming food for moss and other things that made the station their home.

The video would briefly slow when the occasional animal triggered the cameras, or some big event like part of the roof caved in. The system timestamp degraded into error symbols before the first lightbulb went out. 

When the station was looking similar to how it was when she was revived, the camera slowed down back to real time. Movement appeared from the other side of the platform and an Eliksni scurried in looking around the space. They were small and about the size of one of the Not-Dregs. 

Rykis made a sound behind her, like a squeak almost, but she continued to watch. 

The Eliksni on screen cautiously poked around the ruined metro station, digging through the shelves and boxes left in the cafe. They crossed out to the station mezzanine and came across the moss-covered remains of Nicole’s former life. The Eliksni knelt and picked up the old ballistic helmet, the skull still secured by the chinstrap. However now that it was disturbed the skull slipped free and fell to the ground with a loud thunk. A dull ache spontaneously formed on the back of Nicole’s head and then faded. 

Setting the helmet upside down, the Eliksni carefully returned the skull to its place on the remains. Then they pulled a backpack out from under the moss and ferns that laid beside her body. Digging through it, they pulled out a tablet and what looked like a small stack of notebooks. They put the notebooks back into the pack and threw it over their shoulder but put the tablet into another bag. 

 The image froze in her head as the video went on. She had seen that bag before. It was so familiar, still covered in paint brushes and other small tools. Her eyes slid over to Rykis watching from beside her. The same bag was slung over his shoulder, looking a bit smaller after all the years. If an Eliksni could look any more guilty, she doubted it. 

“Rykis is that you?” Nicole asked him. “Did you take my backpack?” She would not say he stole it; she was dead at the time after all.

Slowly, Rykis nodded. “Yes. that was me. Years ago.” His fingers tapped together nervously, and he seemed to think he needed to say more. “I still have your stuff; I was going to give it back when we got to my place.” 

Nicole raised her eyebrow. “Oh, really now? How’d you know it was mine before we saw this recording?” 

He nodded towards the screen showing the current status of the old station. “When we went down there on your third day. You stopped over where your body had sat for so long. I recognized it right away. Yours were the only bones in the station, and the only bones I had seen down there that day.”

“Well we just saw why. I hope that guy made it somewhere safe. We’ll never know though.” Nicole sighed and waved her hand in the air. “Alright, we found what we were looking for. It didn’t help me, but let's get out of this flooded basement. Rykis, lead on to your place.” “Yes yes.” he chittered. “Follow me.” 

They headed back up to the surface and into the early hours of night. The occasional streetlights continued burning brightly through the trees that grew around them. Some lights were still on in the various buildings, making the skyline an odd patchwork of light and dark. The walk only lasted a few blocks, not long at all. It was actually directly behind the Kell’s hall. Rykis had probably gone home after her last meeting there. She was mainly mentally exhausted, there was a lot that had happened today. 

The building Rykis called home turned out to be the old Art Museum. She smiled at that, of course the local artist would choose to set up shop in an art museum. The windows had all been patched over with metal scrap, just like he had done over in her building, and the door was sturdy and weather-proof. He held it open for her to go in. 

“Anyone else live here?” She walked in and found herself inside a small tunnel made of hanging tarps. The light was provided by the warm Eliksni tube lights that stuck up from the floor every few meters. Her question was nearly answered by voices from behind some of the curtains that broke off from the tunnel. “Yes actually. Many of Mist’s more artsy Eliksni live in the building. But there is more than enough space that I can have this for my own,” Rykis replied. He closed the door behind him and latched it shut. 

Taking the lead again, he took her up the stairs and through a set of double doors, to a half sphere structure in the middle of a room. Tarps and string lights spread out from the structure which was attached to the walls and ceiling of the big room they were in. Nicole could see faded and water damaged paintings hanging from the walls which had to be old Human art. The dome structure was obviously Eliksni construction with heat and light pouring out into the cold building from behind the curtain. “Come in, this is my... uh... home.” He pulled the curtain open and gestured her inside.

"It looks very cozy." Nicole followed him through the curtain and into the space.  He had probably left it to warm up while he went to meet her. 

There was a mix of Eliksni and Human furniture inside. In the center of the space was a table covered in small jars and brushes; she could see a few unfinished canvasses sitting around it. It appeared that Rykis was quite good at traditional painting. 

Rykis had walked over to a locker leaning up against the wall. "Take a seat, let me see if I can find it..." He motioned for her to sit at the table with his lower arms.

Nicole sat where he pointed and watched Rykis dig through the locker. From there she was able to get at a better look at the canvases he had leaning against the bench. 

She recognized the scene in the painting. The looming Spiderwalker in the snowstorm. Nicole had been standing a meter to the right when this had happened. It was the battle at the Pass, when Rykis had charged the tank with a flare to alert the artillery on the ridge. 

One of the other paintings was of the interior of her hotel tower, after she had done some cleanup of the swamp, and made it more like a pond. The light was captured perfectly, and the colors were wonderful. Her art viewing time was cut short as Rykis brought her attention back to him when he placed a hard-backed case on the table. It looked just like the one from the video, just a bit cleaner.

“So, this was mine? From before?” Nicole picked it up and looked it over. The case was made from a slick stretchy material, and the edges cracked when she bent it too much. The straps had rotted away at some point and their remains dangled haplessly at the side. 

“Yes, it should be everything.” Rykis nodded, sitting across from her. “I was young and looking for salvage back then, I had tried to trade your tablet, but it didn’t work and wasn’t worth anything. I did like looking through your sketchbooks though.” 

“Sketchbooks?” Nicole pulled open the bag and heard the rubber seal peel apart, still holding strong over the centuries. Carefully, she emptied the bag and found an old data-pad, and a few notebooks. 

“Yes, there were some really old, stylized drawings that I think you did. Just take a look.”

"Well if you say so." Nicole opened one of the old notebooks and slowly paged through them. The pages were remarkably well preserved; they were filled with drawings of places and things, as well as some random animals and creatures she did not recognize. They were not as good as Rykis' drawings, but they were fairly good. If these belonged to her, Nicole wondered if she had retained those skills as well as her warfighting abilities.

While carefully flipping through the pages, a small rectangle fell out from between them. 

The piece of plastic material was a photograph; it was not even faded at all. Five people were standing in a semicircle, and they were posing with bright yellow guns which looked really strange. She saw herself near the middle of the group in a Umic hat and leaning up against a man wearing a vest with Mars Tactical stitched onto the chest. On the other end of the group was the other Security guard from the recording.  

She flipped the picture over and found that it was not actually a piece of paper, it was something more advanced. The back flickered and began to form words across its surface. "11th Quinquennial Intersystem Defense Technologies Convention. SimFire Combat 3rd place team. Hosted by Clovis Bray"

"Huh," Nicole muttered. "Check out me back in the day." She passed the photo to Rykis and put the sketchbooks back into the bag.

The data-pad looked to be in okay shape, but when she tried the power switch nothing happened. At the moment, it was not really worth her time. She figured she could get her Ghost to fix it, but she should probably save it for later. A lot had happened today, and her head was a little fried. 

Setting the data-pad back onto the table, Nicole ran her fingers through her hair and let out a sigh. "Well... This has sure been a day. Wanna take me to bed and call it a night with the newest member of Mist?" 

Rykis let out more of a purr than a chitter. "Mmm... Yes Guardian." 

He dropped the photo on the table and came over to pick her up. By the time they reached the bed on the other side of the room, her armor and her Ghost had made themselves scarce. Hopefully the neighbors did not mind the noise.

--

[the-headbop-wraith]

X 

3 _ 41 _ The Land Time Forgot

Part 3

  Late the following morning (no one set an alarm aside from Mystery, and he kicked it off the nightstand) the Mystery Skulls arrived back on the scene of the Fanatical Hypes ™ theme park. The group splint into two, with Vivi and Mystery hitting up an information desk, and scheduling a meet with Mr. Klayton. While she went in to establish the meeting, Arthur and Lewis jammed off to scope around. The main priority of the latter group was get a feel for the general mood of the park, and as usual, keep track of the staff performing mundane services. For this specific case, pay special attention to character actors doing meet-and-greets.

 Arthur and Lewis returned to the district where they first encountered the Allosaur, but likely by morning and the park opening, the reconstruction staff had the demolished perimeter repaired totally. Covered up, and not much evidence left in the open for documentation.

 The fences were replaced, the hedges and shrubs trimmed back to conceal the shredded branches. Nothing was left for the curious, aside from some footprints in the soil, likely to entice the fascination of a child exploring around.

 “Well shit.”

 “Language.”

 Arthur grumbled to himself as he gnawed on his powdery funnel cake. “It wasn’t like there was much else to check out, anyway.” He followed Lewis, who was leading the way while he leaned hard on aimlessness; distracted by his second breakfast. “Y’think we should check out the attraction in the daylight? Ride it, see if Allo is on the prowl?”

 This wasn’t his first choice, it was last on the list. But the list was short, and he was a bit lethargic from the sugar dump and not invested in running cross country over the Ages Gone district. He did rationalize the Allosaur wasn’t present in the ride, if it was damaged the night before – he didn’t see how much – the Allosaur might be decommissioned for repairs. He didn’t want to be a drag on the case, either, even if he wasn’t invested in getting chased top of the morning out of the attraction first thing. Better than putting it off until nightfall, when the creep factor spiked one-hundred percent.

 The closed sign was still up, and no lines gathered at the entrance of the Land Time Forgot ride.

 “I can turn it on,” he mentioned.

 Lewis paused to examine the entrance. “Naw. We should head over to HQ, and meet with Vivi and Mystery. How’s the cake?”

 “Hmm.” Arthur shrugged. “Not as good as the ones your Mamma makes.” Lewis smirked. “At least, the ones not sabotaged by heaty spicy.” This got a laugh out of Lewis.

 “Every time, I warn you not to leave your food unattended.”

 Arthur choked on powdered sugar. “S’not my fault, she’s so crafty!” He tore off a bit of the cake and passed it over.

 “No contest?” he prompted, as Lewis nibbled.

 “Mmm. Es un poco decepcionante. Then again, it doesn’t have the same fragrance.”

 “Ever the connoisseur of pastries and spicies.” Arthur fell in step with Lewis. “if we’re lucky, maybe the thing blew a fuse and fell into one of the lakes.”

 An estimated time was set for meeting up with Vivi and Mystery at the main security office, and the central headquarters for the Fanatical Hypes ™. She had to make her way to HQ, after checking in with information and securing a bit of time with Mr. Klayton. The hoops and hurtles took time, and at best was a ‘hurry up and wait’ scenario.

 “Everything looks normal,” Lewis mentioned.

 “Attendance bein’ low n’all,” Arthur rebounded. He dumped the cardboard box and napkins in a trash reciprocal, and stopped at a bench beside a towering tree. From his own backpack, he produced the bottle of ninety-nine and scrubbed the sweet-sticky off his hands. “I’ll keepin’ an eye out for the Allo chasing team.”

 “You wanna chase the Dino Exterminators?”

 “Heck no! I wanna know which way to be runnin’, and race out of dodge.” He jammed a thumb up over his shoulder.

 Lewis pulled his backpack around front and fished around for the work camera. “Classic Arthur, the brave.” He waved the camera. “Can I get a pic? For the memorias.” It wasn’t important where Arthur relocated to, as long as Lewis moved into position. “Strike a pose.”

 Arthur stood, flexing his… noodle arms. “Check out these guns.”

 Lewis adjusted the zoom and snapped a picture. “Cojo.”

 “Did you say something rude?”

 Lewis stuffed the camera back in the backpack and resumed walking. “No.”

 “I’m gonna look up that word right now.” He pulled out his phone and began tapping. “Say that word again. C’mon, say it.”

 Lewis sighed. “We’re supposed to be working.”

 “I’m doing essential research.”

 __

  The layout of the security office was not overly complex, and one of the security officers escorted Vivi through the corridors. It was still off-putting with how most the corridors were identical, they might’ve been going around in circles and would be none the wiser. They came through the day before, and Mystery pursued the security guy with every ounce of confidence in his doggy stride. But Mystery was at times overconfident in his own abilities, she usually had to keep an eye on him.

 They reached the inner waiting room for Mr. Klayton’s office, a quaint little space where a receptionist worked behind a desk and work station. The previous day, the team didn’t spend much time here. Vivi bid the security escort a thank you and went to the receptionists. In a brief exchange, she gave over her details and offered the temporary ID. The receptionists made a brief call to Mr. Klatyon, and then to Vivi:

 “He’ll see you in a moment. Would you like some refreshments?” The receptionist stood a bit and indicated the far side of the room. Both Vivi and Mystery followed the line of sight.

 One side of the room reserved space to a short concession table, among some comfortable looking chairs. A mini fridge huddled in the corner, with a glassed in front, revealing chilled snacks and sodas. The offered goodies didn’t appear to be off-brand names, and appeared to be on the pricey side.

 Vivi strolled over to the fridge and squinted one eye. “Want a snack?”

 Two minutes later, the receptionist was peering over the desk uneasily as the dog and girl cleared out the refreshments. All the cups and trays were in a neat stack on the table, among with two cans of soda with straws sticking out. Mystery was drinking his soda, very politely. Vivi polished off another one of those adult lunchable meal-sets, with the meats and cheeses portioned out, and some crackers. Mystery took up a napkin and dabbed at his snout.

 Quite suddenly, the door to Mr. Klayton’s office swung open wide, and three people emerged, mid argument. Not arguing among each other, but speaking loudly in a heated fashion, and being expressive with the tangle of the back and forth. Vivi stood up from the recliner she had claimed, but the door to Mr. Klayton’s office shut. Um, what was she supposed to do? She looked at the receptionists, but they were on the phone.

 “—is keep sitting on this debt, we lost money we’re unable to compensate for because he has the models,” one was saying.

 Vivi perked.

 “We can refurbish the skins,” another was saying. “Get them off our hands. The skins are pliable, the finalized version universal.”

 “Excuse me.” Vivi smiled when they stopped and looked her way. The three looked rather distinct with their general style, piercings, and a few tattoos. Nothing over the top or overdone, but they stood out with the clash of the formal blazers and slacks. “I take your meeting went well?”

 The smaller guy, he looked the most stressed, took a deep breath. “I hope you did not get commissioned for work with this guy.”

 Vivi gave a little wave. “Oh no, don’t worry. No money transactions going on here.” She got her backpack off the recliner and rummaged around. She pulled out a dog toy for Mystery. “You’re talkin’ about skins. That’s heckin’ scary. Mystery, you scared?”

 Bark! He loved wail chicken. OH! But he was scared. He took the chicken and slinked under the table. A little whimper would sell his performance.

 “Yeah, sorry ‘bout that,” an older girl replied. “Don’t pay attention to that. The owner of this company kind of skimped on our checks for some orders. We want it settled, but contract technicalities.” She sighed and smoothed out her extravagant hair. “We’ll have to explore our options with the court, but right now we don’t want to go there.”

 “Oh boy,” Vivi feigned surprise. “Court fees are kind of high. Would it be worth it?”

 The group looked around to each other, uncertain, annoyed. The buff guy once more, responded, “It wouldn’t be very profitable, for our company. But we might be able to recover some of our lost appraisal value.”

 “That’s why we need to forget it, and just refurbish the skins,” the girl was saying.

 “What skins?” Vivi asked innocently. “Like, taxidermy? Is there a taxidermy attraction in the park?” They kind of laughed.

 The third member, a stout figure, spoke. “We built some 3-D attractions for the park, we can’t talk much about it due to… corporate copyright protections.”

 “Gotcha.” She winked.

 “There were two purchases,” he went on. “The endo-structure support, and then the skin cover. We got paid for the mechanical skeleton, but there was… a miscommunication for the covering, and Geoffrey ordered the skins off another supplier.”

 “They don’t even look that good,” the buff guy snapped. “We incorporated specialized silicon into the joints, to compensate for wear and tear.”

 “None of them are anatomically correct.” The girl was saying.

 “That’s enough,” the stout guy said. He checked his phone. “We gotta get going. Another meeting.” He waved his phone Vivi’s way. “Good luck with anything.”

 When the trio exited the main door, the buff guy turned back. “Pfft, hope you get your money’s worth.”

 Vivi was already digging through her backpack. “We’re not… getting paid.”

 The security escort was at the door, holding it while the trio exited. Arthur and Lewis slipped in, Lewis appeared perplexed.

 “Paid?” he asked, when the door shut. “Are we getting paid?”

 Arthur sighed. “No.”

 “Should we?”

 “Technically, yes.”

 Vivi was busy writing in her notebook. “We’re not getting paid, not this job. We’ll be compensated in something far more valuable.”

 Arthur tugged on his goatee. “Pray tell, what is more valuable that cold, hard, cash?”

 Lewis prompted, “Liquid assets?”

 Mystery barked. He slipped out from under the table, chicken in his teeth.

 Arthur was laughing. “God, I love you Lewis.”

 Vivi swung her pen at them. “We’re getting paid in unlimited food.”

 Bark! Mystery balanced the chicken on his head.

 “Exactly. Lifetime passes.” She continued writing in the notebook. “What did you two find out?”

 “Well—” Lewis began. The door to Geoffrey Klayton’s office opened, and the business owner’s head poked out.

 “Mystery Skulls,” Mr. Klayton called. “Do you have anything to report?”

 There wasn’t much to impart onto Geoff or Geoffrey Klaton, manager of Fanatical Hypes ™, and distressed new owner of the park. The most that the Mystery Skulls afforded was a courtesy call, to see if there was anything he could recall. Likewise, if anything was reported by Geoffrey’s staff in the short time the crew was absent, let alone if the Allosaur was making rounds. The team did speculate to the park owner, the animatronic that was malfunctioning might not be a malfunction at all. For the time, this was all the intelligence they would be willing to impart until deeper into the investigation.

 “A saboteur?” Mr. Klayton uttered, on the side of disbelief. “I don’t know what you mean. That is to say, I understand your suspect. But who could possibly want to sabotage my theme park?”

 Vivi exchanged a glance with Lewis. Both were sitting, with Arthur between them on his phone doing more ‘research’. He hadn’t spoken much since the meeting initiated, his spare arm was draped down an idly scratching at Mystery’s ear.

 “You… really can’t think of anyone that would have it out for your park?” Vivi proposed. “A disgruntled worker? A group opposed to the expansion of the park?”

  “Or how ‘bout a bright but neglected kid, with a knack for engineering and computer programming,” Lewis tossed in.

 Arthur stopped what he was doing and gave Lewis a thousand-yard stare. “Dude, really?”

 Lewis huffed and adjusted his ascot. “Don’t underestimate the power of kids. You of all people should know their capabilities.” Arthur gave a shudder, and the topic ended there.

 “A rival competitor!” Vivi speculated, with fervor. “Or other theme attraction, such as museum or zoo? Your theme park is a massive draw from other, perhaps lesser-known tourist stops.”

 Mr. Klayton thoughtfully stroked his chin. “I suppose all of those are possibilities, but I wouldn’t know where to start.”

 Vivi opened her mouth, but stalled out and took a short breath. “Yes,” she sighed. “Well, we know how they plan on defaming your company.”

 Lewis took over, “Once we deal with the Allo-dino menance, it’ll dry up their tools. Might even draw them out to confront us, if only to salvage the machine.” He glanced to Arthur, still engrossed with his phone.

 Mr. Klayton cleared his throat and leaned back. “I should be the one utilizing the Allosaur nuisance to scare off all the ruffians that come to this park, and vandalize attractions. It costs millions yearly to repair graffiti! Never mind the damage a broken, malfunctioning animatronic causes.”

 The group chuckled a little uneasily. After the events the night before, they were more than eager to investigate the human influence behind the machines ‘glitch’, or lack of. The problem wasn’t the mechanical nightmare deviating from its programming, but that it was following someone’s programming to the absolute command.

 “It is pretty serious,” Vivi admitted. “We’re rooting for a starting point, and that’ll give us the momentum we need to reach a conclusion with minimal hiccups. You can’t think of… who might have it out for you?” Geoff Klayton wasn’t taking the bait.

 He flipped his palms up, shrugging. “I don’t know what to tell you. As a theme park owner, and owner to several trademarks and copyright properties – I have rivals, and I have competitors – any one of them might have the capacity to… rob my attraction of an animatronic.”

  “Oh, they didn’t hijack the animatronic.” At last, Arthur spoke up. He continued tapping and swiped on his phone. “It’s not an original of the set you purchased, so technically you don’t own it. I would ask for records on the transaction, those animatronics ordered and supplied. Have that on hand.”

 Something in Mr. Klayton’s demeanor changed. “Yes. That would… make sense.”

 Arthur pointed to his phone. “I’m going through files for the ride from Influencer Adrenalin Junky Park Enthusiasts, trying to estimate where and how Allo began making first appearances.” He chewed on his knuckle as he returned to the phone. “It’ll narrow down the parties or persons invested in sabotaging your park.”

 Mr. Klayton nodded. “All right. You seem to have things under control. Er, please notify me if you learn anything new.”

 __

 The meeting didn’t reveal much for the Mystery Skulls, but cashing in and checking Mr. Klayton’s response to the investigation was telling. It was more productive discussing their progress amongst their crew, while meandering through the park and keeping an eye on the boring routine, scouting for the lingering glance that linger too long on the colorful assemble. Someone other than Geoff would be in on their involvement, and it would narrow down who that person or people were, if they were forced to emerge from the shadows rather than hide behind a computer monitor. Given how bare the park was today, it wasn’t difficult to sift through familiar faces.

 Directly following the departure from the main headquarters, the group stopped for some late lunch. They planned to make a direct path to the Land Time Forgot attraction, with the aid of a golfcart rented to them for convenience.

 “You guys are really taking advantage of the free food gig,” Lewis stated. He had a small crate of fries, bummed off from Arthur’s meal. He should have been the one driving, but he barely managed to catch the golfcart when Vivi sped off.

 “I’m a growing boy,” Arthur mumbled, seated in the back-bed reserved for supplies. And him. He loaded the hotdogs with his usual condiments, expertly applying sauces regardless the rock and bumps of the vehicle. “I’m callin’ it now, gonna beat twenty KM tonight. I need calories.”

 Woof!

 “Yeah-yeah, hold on.” Arthur used the spare plastic cutlery to divide off a piece from one of his hotdogs, and tossed it to Mystery.

 “Then there’s this guy following us.” Lewis bit onto the end of his fry tray and pulled his backpack up off the floorboard. He dug out the work camera and began fiddling with the menu on the back. “’Unna ‘end ohh ‘eh ‘ick’ures.”

 “Aw, thanks sweety,” Vivi gushed. “Love photos.”

 Arthur stuffed a hotdog into his mouth. “MumhmumhmmmuumhmhmhmumhUUGH.”

 “Artie, don’t talk with your mouth full.”

 He chewed and swallowed. “I’m tryin’ tu say, he could be a fan.” He had to brace his feet to the tailgate and wrap an arm around Mystery, when Vivi took a sharp turn. Mystery gobbled up one of his hotdogs while he was distracted.

 Vivi took some fries from Lewis’ tray. Together the two chimed, “Naah.” She took the side of the phone and gave the photos a short review; the fry stuck out of her lips like a lollypop.

 Lewis added, “Guys a creeper. Don’t like that.” With practiced routine, he held the steering wheel while Vivi was distracted. The golfcart bounced over a railroad intersection and revved down the pathway, the sights and shadows of scenery whipped by as did the visitors enjoying a very offseason.

 __

 Through the next two hours, the team browsed through the Land Time Forgot attraction, with some of the ride features on, minus the roaming animatronics. With the lights on, they returned to the scene of where Arthur became trapped by Allo, and scouted through the roughed up terrain to determine if anything else could be scrounged out of the untouched region. Thankfully, the attraction remained shut up and abandoned over the course of their investigation, otherwise, the roots and undergrowth might’ve been restored to their former glory. And all evidence within whisked away – an aspect that greatly annoyed Vivi. Which was why no one divulged that information to her, prior to the meeting. They needed Geoff’s cooperation, especially if he could be manipulated into divulging intel he wasn’t aware was relevant to the investigation.

 With clear minds and energy, they took some additional pictures of the damaged tree. The attraction was less creepy with the light and the pre-recorded jungle ambiance, it seemed normal despite the artificial birdcalls replicating anticipated clamor of long extinct avian and reptiles. With the animatronics inactive, the crew made certain to keep alert for the thundering steps and grumbling that should have no right being present.

 After scarfing two hotdogs, Mystery was on the hunt for evidence as well.

 “The people I spoke with,” Vivi was saying, “seemed open about their dispute with Geoff McKlayton. They have plans on going to court with their dispute, but they could also be pressuring him into paying up the money he owes on the machines. Though, I don’t think either party want it to go that far.” She set her hand on her chin, contemplating the flaws in the assessment.

 “But they went off and told you.” Lewis picked up a cracked chunk of the root, and examined the inner gray material that was cement. “Maybe they were frustrated and venting, or they’re not fixed on covering their tracks. Even if I wasn’t aware of an investigation, I wouldn’t go broadcasting. That’s just me, though.” He grinned.

 Vivi shrugged. “It doesn’t need to be the whole group. One person, a programmer, can scheme this plan up.”

 Arf-arf!

 Arthur lowered his phone and turned the way Mystery was. “Watcha got there?” Mystery pawed at the fake soil, a ways off from the group. Some of the terrain was disturbed, and footprints visible in the undersoil. He crouched and moved aside a few strands of the interwoven fiber. “Hmm? This is something.” He reached over and gave Mystery’s head a playful rub. “Nice work, bud.”

 Bork! Mystery smiled and wagged hit bob tail.

 It was a short bar with wires attached at a servo and computer board. The piece was no longer than his forearm, though it was apparent this was not the entire part. The metal was warped and bent, the circuit board was snapped in two. A few insignificant pieces lay in the dirt, but being so small they were not worth the time.

 Arthur took his phone up and snapped off some pictures. “I need your paw for reference.”

 Mystery sat back and bent his ears down.

 “C’mon, just your—” Arthur rolled his eyes. “Never mind. I got this.” He stuck out his foot, and snapped off some pictures. “They’re for our private collection.” He flipped the piece over and inched in close, until he was a foot off the floor.

 Lewis and Vivi came over. “What’s that? From the Allo?”

 “Obviously.” Arthur pulled down his backpack and slipped out a napkin. “Likely the arm, but it might’ve come off its snout.” He bounced the metallic piece in his hands. “Light. Snapped easy too. The endoskeleton support must be zinc or aluminum. I would have to examine it more carefully.”

 Vivi adjusted her head band. “They made it cheap.”

 “It’s not cheap,” Arthur corrected. “This metal is light, which benefits the dinos swift movement and alleviates stress on more important components, such as the legs and infrastructure.” He pulled out a bag and stuffed the metal component into it, then sacked it. “Anything else to declare, Mystery dog?”

 Mystery did a tight circle and barked. I’ll give it another patrol, no promises.

 They spent a little more than thirty minutes, rechecking the only other location where Lewis and Arthur had an extended encounter with the Allosaur. That was the plaster cliff, where Lewis spectacularly failed to climb. Not that it was his fault, the cheap material and the sheer panic. Though Arthur did note the vine rope was missing. Why would it be missing? No secret someone came through and moved it, with intent. It didn’t supply much to the sleuthing, aside from what they could already figure. The missing vine could mean someone came through and removed some incriminating evidence, but it left the question of why the vine?

 “It’s still early,” Lewis yawned. “Should we hit up the room, go through our research until the park closes?”

 “Grab a nap,” Arthur teased. From the ledge he jumped and landed between Mystery and Vivi, the soft fake ground cushioned his touchdown. Even so, he shook his legs out as he began walking. “Snag a snack on the way.”

 Woof. Mystery trotted alongside Arthur.

 “I’m game,” Vivi proclaimed, as she stretched. “We’ll get an early start this evening, see if we can scope anyone suspicious. Hmm… cool. Hey! Wait a second!” She halted dead in her tracks – Lewis was right behind her, and stumbled into her backside. “Hey! WAIT!” She pointed to one of the animatronics, a long-necked sauropod nuzzling the high branches of a frond. It paid her no mind.

 “Um!” Lewis exclaimed. “Arthur?”

 “Hah?” He stopped and swung back. Following the gaze of Vivi and Lewis, he spied the issue at hand. “Hey! Noway! You’re not pinning that on me!” Mystery popped behind his legs, ears folded back and shoulders dipped.

 “You’re totally missing the point,” Vivi rebuked. “We’re not alone here.”

 “In more ways than one.” Lewis grabbed her hand and tugged her along. “Vamoose! Con rapidez!”

 “Damnit-damnit-damnit!” Arthur hissed. He ducked and dove between the forest saplings, with Mystery in his shadow. “We should be okay if we don’t divert our course. The dino displays aren’t dangerous, if we get too close they’ll move out of the way. Right? Right! They have that failsafe programmed.”

 In their swift footed retreat, they happened across paths with a biped herbivore and another one of the tyrannosaur models amid a dramatic confrontation. Though, the conflict was complete PG, the two animatronics shuffled around and growled, no real physical assault was planted on the other. The tyranno charged, and the bipedal herbivore gave a wail and trudged aside – tail swishing in the low branches. The group sprinted out of the way, altering their trek when the herbivore animatronic waddled much too close to their position, though neither animatronic dropped focus or heeded them in the slightest.

 “You can let go of my hand now.”

 Lewis snatched his hand from Vivi’s. “Oh, sorry. Forgot.”

 “It’s okay.” She picked up speed, threading among some baboo foliage and leapt out onto the road. One of the buggy’s rolled through, forcing her back beside the barrier and the grove of fake trees. “Yikes!” She was joined by the others, springing free of the fake shrubbery.

 “Someone ain’t playing around,” Arthur panted.

 Lewis was already stepping over the trackway, where the buggy’s followed the pathway fitted into the vehicle guidance rail. “Let’s hurry. If Allo spies us, we’ll have a heck of a time shakin’ it.”

 Arthur and Mystery leapt to the side, beside Lewis. “Don’t have to tell me about it.” He adjusted his backpack, that janky part dug into his shoulder blade.

 The noises of the passive animatronics was off-putting, the lumbering machines prowled through the thicket on pathways of their pre-scripted focus. Sometimes one or two grunted in the thicket, the machines gave pre-scripted calls to their counterparts, and it was somewhat reassuring when someone returned the cry – it made them more conscience and lifelike rather husks or puppets. Nonetheless, the clamor was off-putting.

 Though none took an interest in the group as they navigated through the patches of undergrowth, there was an otherworldly strangeness to the situation. It would’ve been different, if they were aboard the ride and could marvel at the animatronics as a fantastic spectacle. Being trapped within the attraction itself, was akin to getting locked in the lions den. Anywhere, the Allosaur could be lurking, watching, its movement masked by the other roaming giants mindlessly patrolling.

 “We should’ve checked the charging station,” Arthur muttered. “It was worth a shot.”

 Vivi barely stalled, as she skipped down a mild slope. “The chances were astronomically low. Anyway, it’s unlikely whoever built it, would chance it to have the same restrictions the other animatronics have. Maybe it has a car battery, or something similar - something to change out manually, and quickly.” Arthur was about to counter, but Lewis broke in:

 “Argue back at the room,” he huffed, while clambering over fake logs. “Mr. Klayton doesn’t need another incident.”

 “Another incident,” Arthur spat. “If I’m turned into a toothpick, he’ll have another incident!”

 “Artie!” Lewis and Vivi snarled simultaneously. Mystery barked.

 Ten minutes later, they were stumbling out of the grove of thick elephant ears that bordered the initial entrance to the attraction. A buggy was situated at the ramp that slopped down, and intersected with the track where the vehicle locked into. It remained stationary, while the group marched the remnant meters over to the vehicle dock. Arthur took up the lead, climbing up onto the boarder where riders would exit off.

 “For the record, someone has to manually unlock these so they can start off.” He moved along the walkway beside the vehicle port, toward the control office. The group followed. “For safety reasons.”

 “Then someone was just here,” Lewis amended, slamming a fist into his palm. “We might’ve missed them by a second.”

 Vivi grabbed the elbow of his shirt sleeve. She whispered, “They might still be around.” The control office had a glassed door, and through it no visible shape of a person or anyone was visible. The corridor leading behind the paneling was deserted. “Let’s keep our eyes open.”

 “Right.”

 The door was left ajar, but there was no indication of who might’ve been there to tamper with the controls. Arthur checked the ceiling, for tiles that might’ve afforded a hasty escape. Not that they would pursue someone up there.

 With him entered Vivi, giving the monitors in the room a lingering scrutiny – the cameras revealed every angle of the attraction. Primarily, the tracks and the buggies, and the exits. None of the office revealed much, aside from what could be observed from this singular location. Arthur hadn’t even activated the cameras, though they were clearly marked.

“Y’know what I’m seein’ a lot of?” he ventured, upon taking a closer examination of the screens.

“Huh?” Lewis followed Arthur’s gaze, tracking each static shot. Some of the dinosaurs in the attraction continued to lumber about, performing for no audience their monotonous charade.

“We didn’t need these screens going,” Arthur continued. “Though it might’ve helped. But these cameras are watching everywhere we were runnin’ around the other night.”

Lewis hiked up his brows. “The place wasn’t as deserted as we wanted. They could be – ” He’s cut off by Arthur’s hand capping his mouth.

 “Mystery?” Vivi prompted. She stepped out of the office and addressed the hound. “Can ya get us a lead?”

 Yip! Mystery plowed his way into the control office and gave the floor, the dial panel, and the chair a brief skim with his snout. He padded out of the office sniffling at the cement floor, decorated with imprints of fossilized insects and varied species of crustaceans. Weaving this and that way, then in a circle, Mystery directed his path to the ride exit.

 Woof!

 “Lead the way then,” Vivi cheered. Lewis, then Arthur followed one after the other.

 “Could it have been anyone not affiliated with the park?” Lewis questioned, as they pursued Mystery through the narrow corridor. Displays of replicated bones and dioramas of dinosaur statues amid patches of forest, gave guests ample photo opportunities upon exit. There was also a pose with dinosaur station, set aside in an alcove along the way.

 “It’s possible.” Arthur scratched at his sideburns, thoughtful. However, he knew what Lewis was getting at. “The controls are easy enough to figure out, with minimal issues if you fuck it up. Basically, everything is on or off. I lay my cards, that we didn’t miss them by a second. They fooled around, got the ride going, and then took off.”

 “You said the ride buggies have to be manually set off.” Vivi indicated.

 “True,” Arthur piped. “Still, it takes the buggies a few minutes to roll around the trail. The ones we saw might’ve been the first activated on an error, before the Flintstones got warmed up.” Vivi groaned at that.

 “Is the trail hot, Misty?” Lewis called.

 Mystery gave an affirming bark, and picked up the pace. He banked into the curve, leading past displays of replica dinosaur fossils ‘excavated’ from the wall. But suddenly, the dog skidded on his rear paws and pulled himself up short. Vivi nearly tripped over him, and Lewis nearly collided into her once more.

 “Dang breaks.” Lewis caught Vivi before she could topple over onto the hound. “What gives?”

 Mystery tilted his head, then set his nose back to the floor. He made a dog grumble, baffled, going in a circle, then went counterclockwise. His head sprang up and he looked back at the group, ears sprouting high, and a yip for good measure.

 “Arthur?” Vivi echoed. She glanced around, jolting. “Arthur! Where—”

 “Oh Dios mío!” Lewis capped his hands over his face. “Otra vez?”

 Vivi pushed past him, charging throgh the narrow corridor. “He didn’t go that way, that’s for sure!”

 Mystery scampered after them, barking up a storm. I have to get in the lead! Let me by!

 They returned to the main chamber of the attraction entrace, spreading out and skimming across the nearby thicket for a chance of movement or flash of yellow. Mystery barreled by, headed for the ride entrance and yapping.

 “It happened so fast!” Lewis was saying. “He was right behind me! Cómo! Como dejamos que esto suceda?”

 “They couldn’t have gone far. Mystery!” Vivi gave chase, before the bob tail winked out of view beyond the curvature in the entrance corridor. “Lew! Hurry!” With a growl, Lewis raced after. “Arthur! Ya there!”

 “They’ll hear us Vi!”

 Ruff!

 “So will Art,” she countered. “He can buy us some time, if he can fight them.”

 After a grueling chase – no indication or view of where Arthur and the vandal might be, let alone indication of how far ahead they’d gone – the lengthy tunnel ended abruptly. The trio was blasted by vicious, unobstructed sunlight of the noon day. Vivi squinted and raised a hand, struggling to dampen the light and view through the over-exposedness of her vision. She blinked several times, at a total loss. Mystery was barking in hysterics.

 “Where!”

 “MMHP!” She knew that stuffed mouth mumble anywhere!

 Lewis had an easier time adjusting to the light, given the shade of his pompadour. He took a stand and pointed, aimed toward the parked golfcart already loaded with yellow and orange. “Hey! Stop right there!”

 One of the corny costume masked dinosaur curios popped up, its static eyes gawked north and south simultaneously. In the back of the golfcart bed, Arthur jerked his legs, but with his body bundled tight he was not going anywhere. He couldn’t get up over the edge, despite his desperate thrashing.

 The masked vandal ducked into the driver side of the golfcart and hit the gas, and like that the electric vehicle shot off – its corner bumper skid across one of the fence posts in the tight turn.

 “I said STOP!” Lewis hooted. “C’mon Mystery!” He and the dog jumped the “Out of Commission” fence, and sprinted down the inclined stepping sections, immediately hurrying after the speeding cart.

 “You guys!” Vivi called. “Wait, we need a better plan!” Regardless, she bounded down the steps as well, nearly falling down completely in a misstep. Before she could devote herself entirely to running down her colleagues, she broke off and took a different route.

 When he wanted to be, Lewis could move fast. He could absolutely rival Arthur in a sprint if the occasion called, but for a short stint of time. In that same amount of time, he recognized he was not going to get ahold of the cart that was zooming off with his friend. Faster than his legs could move, tireless, and with the authority of a beep-beep – guests moved aside.

 Though Mystery could keep going, and could be just as relentless.

 “Don’t lose him!” Lewis called.

 Bark! His tongue lolled out of his mouth, he wasn’t going to fail. If he lost the vehicle, picking up the scent would not be simple. He should know, he devoted lifetimes to obstructing trails.

 In short time, the soft putter of an engine revved beside Lewis. He gave it a look over, and glanced at the driver. “Should I ask?”

 “Official Mystery Skulls business!” Vivi barked. In the back of the cart, numerous packages and boxes were packed in. That explained a lot. “We’re losin’ them.”

 Lewis hopped aboard. He took the bar that framed the canopy of the vehicle and leaned out. The vehicle swayed and skidded, when Vivi swerved to avoid oblivious guests and a few character actors out on the path. Vivi smacked the horn.

 Beep-beep.

 “Outta the way! Look out!”

 The other cart remained a ways ahead, the little vehicles were not highway fast Ferraris but they could move. Ahead, a sharp left took the other cart on another path. Lewis clambered to the other side of the cart and leaned out.

 “Don’t slow down!” He reached an arm out. “Get as close as you can, and hold tight!”

 “Gotcha!” Vivi altered course, going for the corner of the path and the lamppost there. “This is some GTA next level, huh?”

 “More like P-G-TA!” He grabbed the lamppost and held the cart steady with his other arm, hauling it into the trajectory they needed to catch. The wheels screeched over the pavement, but they maintained stability without a full-on rollout and maintained speed. “I’d wager this was a lead.”

 “Cheerio!” Vivi cheered.

 Arf! Arf-arf! The cart rolled up beside Mystery. He gave a leap and plopped right into the back of the cart, among the packed merchandise. He set his front paws on a sealed box and stood tall, tongue hanging and the breeze sweeping through his mane.

 “We’re not gaining much,” Lewis noted. He shoved off his backpack and began digging inside.

 Ruff! Mystery popped his head in the front seat, and leaned his snout up toward Lewis. Woof.

 “Oh, thanks.” Lewis took the rolled up twine, likely for prizes at the game district. He took the end and skillfully tied a small knot, then slipped a loop of twine through. “Keep us steady.”

 “You can’t lug Arthur out of the cart, at thirty miles an hour!” She ground her teeth together while swerving, skillfully avoiding a pack of teens. Her palms slapped the helm as she regained stability, and pulled up straight.

 “I want to lasso that guy, or stall him.” Lewis fitted the loose end of twine in his hand and began swinging. Someone flashed off a picture as they sped by. A short knob sat visible on the back of the cart, beside the cargo space. If he could get it snagged there, they could stall the cart. That was the plan. “In broad daylight,” he hissed.

 The first two lasso throws missed by a mile, but the third was close. Too close to Arthur’s foot, sticking out of the cargo back. The yellow hair sprang up, and briefly Arthur poked his head up – the sash around his face was coming undone. Arthur tumbled over, disappearing from view momentarily. When next he did appear, it was to kick out the backpack he had been wearing.

 Lewis put a pause on the cowboy antics and climbed to the other side of the cart, he leaned out and snatched up the pack.

 “I think I’m gaining,” Vivi grunted, focus fully on the cart holding steady ahead of them. “The battery might be going bad.”

 Mystery raised his head and bent one ear high. “Aroo?”

 Lewis was busy fitting the tie into his fingers, and winding to throw the lasso once more. But Mystery’s question gave him pause, and he glanced around. Upon spying the cause for scrutiny, he swung to Vivi. “Train!”

 “What?” she snapped, disbelief. Looking the way Lewis was focused, she too spied the cause for alarm. “Agh! Arthur!”

 And up ahead, the level crossing signals descended onto the pathway, directly between a steadily growing swarm of people abiding by the clear warning. The chime of bells rang unrestrained, and the miniature hoot of the train tooted as it closed in on the leveled platform. The train’s speed decreased, but not on account of the approaching golfcart.

 “He’s not stopping!” Vivi snapped. “The people!”

 “The train!”

 Bark!

 Lewis clambered into the driver side and slammed his foot onto the brake. The cart wheezed and swerved, but by adjusting his weight over the frame he managed to keep it from crashing sideways. Vivi’s line of sight never broke from the other cart – as it veered around the mob of people gathered to observe the train – and barreled through the level signals. The train blared its horn but didn’t slow, and in an instant it was all over.

 Vivi leaned out of the opposite side. “What happened!” She disembarked the immobile golfcart and ran toward where the train was. Lewis followed.

 “No debris!” he noted. “The train didn’t stop. They made it through.”

 “You sure?” Vivi gripped her shirt as she skimmed over, through the crowd and to the train tracks on the level. The train chugged by, what was worse was the waiting. “We lost them.”

 The train hooted, its speed dropped considerably in the pedestrian zone. Some of the people muttered amongst themselves, perplexed entirely by the scene witnessed – Was it some sort of publicity stunt? When the last cart rattled by undiscouraged following the event, the level crossers ceased their insistent chime and hoisted skyward. Bystanders broke apart and crossed the leveled tracks, and through the mesh of faces there was absolutely no sign or indication of where the golfcart or the googly-eyed reptile scurried off to. But thankfully, there was no sign of ruble or plastic, let alone metal. The cart made a clean getaway, and for once they were grateful.

 For the time, that is.

 Mystery whined.

 “It’s all right.” She knelt and hugged the pup around his shoulders. “My fault. I should’ve been watching.”

 Lewis took a breath and exhaled. “Hang in there, Art. We’ll come get you.” He leaned over and tapped Vivi on the shoulder. “Let’s get the car, see if Mystery can pick up the trail before it gets too cold.”

 __

 The Dinosaur mask could pass for a mythical lizard, or a dragon. Yeah, a mighty dragon, driving through the park on his way to do maintenance. He sped beneath the archway designating the new district, the Mythical Plateau full of attractions themed after regions of the world and local creatures that prowled the forests, mountains, or swam through the lakes. The castle was an eye-catching landmark, but it had a back access barred off from visitors. An easy optical illusion barred access, unless someone knew what to look for or how to find it. The illusive entry was not the only barrier eluding park guests.

 He drove the cart down the curving slope and into a space built out beneath the road, where a metal gate stood impenetrable. Closer inspection would reveal the lock wasn’t fastened, and needed minor manipulation to open the padlock latch. But there was nothing down in this area, the location was off limits to civilians, and impossible to navigate without a light. No one but project-coaches knew about this space, let alone the stories it could tell.

 He heaved the gate open, the wheels beneath the barrier creaked as they eased the thick metal along its tract. Returning to the cart, he drove it the next few feet through the small opening allowed. After shutting the door enough, he returned to the cart and snapped the headlamps on.

 It was a short ride on the circular ramp, which transported loose supplies and attraction décor to an upper floor, this level elevated alongside the surrounding park. The road led up into the interior of the elaborate castle, an faux edifice that was completely hollow, its entire frontal display a façade. The interior construction ventured back several meters, where more of the outdated machines could be stored; train carts from rollercoasters, single vehicles from the rides, and unused vehicles. Likewise, mannequins or other creature statues got stashed away, among the disassembled portions of large statue pieces, along with props or entire furniture sets.

 After a few minutes, the golfcart was eased to a halt. The dust from the storage chamber swirled in the lamp lights. Deep within the plaster chambers of the castle fortress, noises from the surrounding world pilfered through, muffled.

 The masked man reached to the ceiling of the cart and clicked on a miniscule light, the contribution didn’t assist much in visibility. It did offer some definition to the edges of the cart, its seats, and the passengers. The masked man climbed out and went to the back, where Arthur lay in the cargo bin. He hauled the prone figure out and dumped him on the ground. Arthur grunted through the bind across his jaw, snorting at the dust and blinking.

 “Fuhh!” He tried to roll over and get up, but his ankles constricted any beneficial movement. At the cart, the figure fumbled around, noisily.

 “Where is it? The part!” The masked person scrambled over to where Arthur wriggled and grabbed him by the shoulder. The reptile mask had wacky eyes, a stiff snout, and the jaw bounced out of sync with all verbal demands. The rest of his full-bodied disguise was pleather with printed scales, in blue and green patterns. “What’d you do with it? Your backpack! Where is it?”

 Arthur sneezed, and rolled his eyes. This guy was a dumbass.

 “Oh,” said the guy. “You must’ve dumped it off the side, did you? Crafty.” He dropped Arthur once again, and left him in the dust. The pleathered suited jerk hurried across the floor to a drape, covering a tall heap on the floor. “You’ll regret that.” He pulled the tarp back, revealing… something.

 With the shitty light, Arthur couldn’t make out much. He glared, uncertain what the guy was up to. He had a suspicion, but the specifics were lost on him. He shifted his legs closer to the wheel rim of the golf cart – he wasn’t bound by rope. It was cloth, easy to cut and fix, within hasty time constraints. It could be sheared, with time constraints.

 “Antrodemus.” At the spoken word, a sound vibrated against the hollowed walls of the interior building. Of where they were, no dimensions could be defined by Arthur – noises came through. And now, this sound. A whirring, and creaking… was that a growl?

 What really did he expect?

 The animatronic dinosaur rasped as its hydraulics kicked to life. With a hiss, it rose from its lying stance and hefted upward to its full height. The masked figure back-peddled a few feet, as the tarp covering it slithered away. Glint and flashes of light glanced off the outline of the figure, it loomed in the drab mud of space, a vague heap. Below it, a self-sustained light shimmered – the shape and interaction with masked figure, indicated a phone of palm pilot.

 A connection sparked in Arthur’s mind. He paid careful attention, already working through the details the person skimmed through on the display face. He sneezed.

 After a short sequence or exchange, the Allosaur creaked to face Arthur – the eyes in its head glinted. He gaped at it, mind fluttering with the prospects for his survival. The Allosaur marched over, and Arthur made the valiant effort to kick away; somehow he had to escape. Where was Lewis and Vivi? Why hadn’t Mystery located him yet? He gargled, trying for a scream—

 Talons the size of butcher knives looped around his shoulders and lifted him upwards. Panicked proper, Arthur twisted and kicked like a deranged merman. The animatronic ceased movement at least. But he remained clamped tight within its not PG serrated claws.

 Below, some shuffling and movement closed in, though the dino-animatronic remained static. Hands shoved into Arthur’s pockets, padding him down, grabbing at his vest. Arthur struggled more, and managed to smack the guy in his crummy dinosaur masked face. The dude crumpled sideways, dazed. A good shot! But he hadn’t intended to actually hit the guy, not while he was trapped in this position with a giant meat grinding puppet looming. The Allosaur watched with all the interest of a blank television screen.

 “Argh!” The masked man wobbled as he tried to stand, a hand capped to the side of his snout. “Don’t test me! Antrodemus can bench press a car, and he has no restrictors. I’ll have him turn you into a gooey, soggy pretzel before the suns sets.”

 Arthur swallowed around the sash in his mouth. The portion of the blindfold over his face pressed uncomfortably into his eye, causing it to weep.

 The man finished searching his pockets, and located one cell phone, a package of pepperoni snacks, his lockpick set, a lighter, a graphing calculator, two magazines, and a flashlight. The vandal rolled everything up to the best of his ability between the magazines, and gave Arthur a look that couldn’t be conveyed through the dopey reptile mask.

 “How the hell did you have all this crap on you?”

 Arthur grimaced. “Mah-Ick.”

 “Well,” the guy said, as he went over to the golf cart. “Antrodemus. Execute command: Freeze. Confirm.”

 The Allosaur wheezed. The servos and hydraulics through its torso shifted, settling the entire animatronic in place.

 “Antrodemus. If no reset supplied, then Execute command: Movement. Pursuit.” He set the magazine burrito onto the golf cart bin, and took out his own phone. After some tweaking over the screen, he spoke, “This will be your only warning. If you try to get away, I won’t be responsible for what happens. What will happen, if you try to run? That, you will have to figure out for yourself. I’ll put it this way,” he began walking, “I don’t recommend testing Antrodemus.”

 Arthur’s glare persisted, until the masked jerk’s silhouette fully dissolved into the murk of the interior chamber. The questions swarmed his mind: What was he planning? and What about his friends? They were in danger, but at least the Allosaur was off the playing board for the time. That was his only comfort. There was still a great deal that could be done, in his absence. If this guy could control the Allosaur, likely built the damn thing, then he was more versatile in terms of the theme parks functions.

 It was too soon to try and work towards escaping. The guy wasn’t stupid, but he might be careless now. He needed to hold on for a while longer, think about a plan for if once he got free. There was time to think and plot, secure a safe escape. Reset and Movement. Those keywords. What did they mean? They were triggers, designated to erupt the marionette into action.

 To the Allosaur. What did it mean?

 He turned his eyes up. In the dim, piss poor light the Allosaur remained unmoving, frozen and gazing off in the same state the other animatronics undertook when they were deactivated. Likely a sleep mode. He shifted his focus to the abandoned golf cart, and the lights. The atmosphere abound was bleak, no penetrating shapes or suggestions of form aside from what gleamed against the dull illuminations of the abandoned cart. The present golf cart didn’t offer enough, and to test any theories would test recapture. That depended on how much battery life the vehicle had.

 A more terrible thought occurred to Arthur, and his breathing hiked up. What would happen if the Allosaur locked onto movement, while it was still latched onto him? It was not a ‘thinking’ machine, it was a ‘respond to’ machine.