#Currency Counting and Sorting Machine

[ashlyninstruments]

Currency Counting and Sorting Machine – Revolutionizing Cash Management

A currency counting and sorting machine is an essential tool for businesses, banks, and financial institutions that handle large volumes of cash on a daily basis. These machines provide a fast, efficient, and accurate solution for counting, sorting, and verifying currency notes. By automating the cash handling process, they eliminate human error, reduce the time spent on cash management tasks, and improve overall operational efficiency. In this article, we will explore how currency counting and sorting machines work, their benefits, and why they are an indispensable asset for businesses and financial institutions.

How Does a Currency Counting and Sorting Machine Work?

A currency counting and sorting machine is designed to automate the process of counting and sorting currency notes. It typically works by using advanced sensors and motors to detect the size, thickness, and authenticity of the bills being processed. Here’s a breakdown of how the process works:

Counting: The machine automatically counts the number of currency notes as they are fed into the hopper. Sensors ensure that the machine accurately counts each note, even if they are damaged or wrinkled.

Sorting: The machine can sort bills into different denominations, organizing them into separate stacks. This sorting process helps businesses easily organize cash for further use, reducing the time spent manually sorting through bills.

Authenticity Verification: Advanced currency counting and sorting machines come with built-in counterfeit detection features. These machines use ultraviolet (UV), magnetic (MG), and infrared (IR) sensors to detect counterfeit notes, ensuring that only genuine currency is accepted.

Batching: The machine can also batch notes into specific quantities, making it easier for businesses to prepare deposits or for banks to distribute cash to customers.

Benefits of Using a Currency Counting and Sorting Machine

Speed and Efficiency: Currency counting and sorting machines process bills much faster than manual counting. This helps businesses handle large volumes of cash quickly, saving valuable time.

Accuracy: By eliminating human error, these machines provide highly accurate results. They can detect counterfeit bills, sorting them out to prevent losses due to fraud.

Cost-Effective: Although the initial investment in a currency counting and sorting machine can be significant, the time and labor savings make it a cost-effective solution in the long run. It reduces the need for manual labor and streamlines cash handling processes.

Improved Security: With advanced counterfeit detection features, businesses and financial institutions can be confident that the currency they handle is genuine, improving overall security and reducing the risk of accepting fake notes.

Organized Cash Management: By sorting bills into different denominations and batching them into set quantities, these machines help businesses maintain a more organized and structured approach to cash management.

Types of Currency Counting and Sorting Machines

There are several types of currency counting and sorting machines, each designed to suit different business needs. The most common types include:

Single Denomination Machines: These machines are designed to count and sort a single denomination of currency at a time. They are typically used in environments where one specific denomination is processed frequently.

Multi-Denomination Machines: These machines can handle multiple denominations simultaneously. They are ideal for businesses that deal with various denominations of currency, such as banks, retail stores, and casinos.

Portable Machines: These are compact and lightweight machines designed for easy transport. They are often used in small businesses or in environments where portability is required.

High-Speed Machines: Designed for high-volume cash processing, these machines offer faster counting and sorting speeds, making them suitable for large businesses, banks, and financial institutions.

Key Features to Consider When Purchasing a Currency Counting and Sorting Machine

When purchasing a currency counting and sorting machine, it's important to consider the following features to ensure you choose the right machine for your needs:

Speed and Capacity: Choose a machine with an appropriate processing speed and capacity for your business. High-speed machines are ideal for high-volume environments, while smaller machines are better suited for smaller businesses.

Counterfeit Detection: Ensure that the machine has advanced counterfeit detection capabilities to protect your business from accepting fake bills.

Ease of Use: Look for a machine that is user-friendly and easy to operate, reducing the need for extensive training.

Durability: Select a machine built with high-quality materials that can withstand heavy usage over time.

Maintenance and Support: Consider the availability of customer support and the ease of maintenance for the machine.

Conclusion

A currency counting and sorting machine is a valuable investment for businesses and financial institutions that handle large amounts of cash. These machines offer speed, accuracy, security, and efficiency, making cash management tasks simpler and more reliable. With counterfeit detection features and the ability to sort bills into denominations, they significantly improve operational workflows and reduce the risk of human error. By choosing the right machine based on your specific needs, you can streamline cash handling, enhance security, and improve your bottom line.

View for more amazing offers:- https://ashlyninstruments.com/product-category/ccsm/

[thisapplepielife]

Written for @steddieholidaydrabbles.

Gossip Is Currency

Prompt Day 21: Formal | Word Count: 1000 | Rating: T | CW: Language, Canon Background Stancy | Tags: Missing Scene from S2's The Pollywog, Post-Halloween "Bullshit" Scene, Pre-Steddie, Platonic Hellcheer, School Sucks, Eddie Knows

This is cruel and unusual punishment. 

Eddie sits on the stupid folding chair, behind the stupid folding table, with a stack of tickets to sell to the winter formal. It was this or another suspension, and it was only because he was sure Wayne would not appreciate not having to talk to the principal again anytime soon, that Eddie chose this option.

They've got bubbly cheerleader Chrissy Cunningham sitting next to him controlling the money box that they definitely didn't trust him to be anywhere near, as they try to sell tickets to the kids still roaming around during extracurriculars.

Chrissy hasn't said anything to him after greeting him, and he hasn't said anything in return. They hung out once before, during a middle school talent show, but he doesn't expect that she remembers that.

Another shitty jock walks up.

"Two?" Chrissy asks.

"Yeah," the kid answers, and she takes the money, makes the change, and all Eddie has to do is hand over the two ticket stubs.

He resents it. 

It's stupid, it's–

"It's bullshit," he hears from down the hall.

Yeah, it's exactly that.

And hell's frozen over, if he agrees with King Steve.

Harrington's in some sort of heated debate with Wheeler as they stomp down the hallway, bickering back and forth. She's a fucking firebrand, that one. Everyone thinks she's a priss, but oh no, Eddie's studied this whole school long enough to know that's not even remotely true.

Harrington's gonna get knocked down a peg or two under her, and deservedly so.

Seeing them coming in his direction is at least interesting. Eddie tears off the two tickets and hands them over to Tweedle Dumb, and keeps watching the free show heading his way.

"Winter formal tickets?" Chrissy asks Harrington, and Jesus H. Christ, does she have no observation skills? Now is not the time. This is the time to blend into the wall so they can get the dirty fucking details on this fight. Gossip is currency.

Harrington turns to look at them, and shakes his head no. He looks more sad than mad, and that isn't near as fun. 

"Steve," Wheeler says, and she looks annoyed.

Harrington runs his hands through his hair, tugging at the ends, and then they're gone. 

Well, that was uneventful in the end. He didn't learn anything worth repeating.

Eddie had heard rumors of a Halloween night blow-up, but wasn't there to see it with his own eyes. Apparently they're still in a tiff today.

He can still hear the echo of them around the corner and down the hall, and well, he's nosey. It pays to know everything that's going on in this school.

"Be right back," Eddie says, and follows them down the hall, with the excuse that he's heading to the pop machine.

He digs four quarters out of his pocket, and pretends it's hard to make a decision, before hitting the Mellow Yellow button. The machine whirrs to life, and the can drops down. He feeds the other two quarters in, still trying to listen to Harrington and Wheeler fussing by the double-doors.

Eddie can't really decipher much besides hissing mumbles. Damn.

He presses another button without even really paying attention.

Welch's Grape Soda.

He might actually pick that over the Mellow Yellow he thought he originally wanted.

Harrington and Wheeler leave, so Eddie takes both cans back towards the table, holding them up, an offer, "You want?"

Chrissy smiles, "Really?"

Eddie nods, "You choose," he says, and she falters, just a bit, looking up at him like there might be a wrong answer.

There's no wrong answer here. No trick. He puts them both down on the table, "Totally fine either way."

She reaches for the grape, and is still looking his way. He nods, "Excellent choice," as he picks up the Mellow Yellow, and cracks open the can.

"Thanks, Eddie," she says, like he's given her something more than a can of pop. Carver's a bigger dick than he'd realized, apparently. 

They sit in silence, waiting for more kids to finish up with their stupid clubs and practices. 

The door clangs closed on the other end of the school, and they wait. It's Harrington again. He crosses the hall intersection in his little shorts, and Eddie can see that he's pinching his nose as he darts out of their line of sight as quickly as he entered.

Then it's just them, alone in the hallway again.

"She called him bullshit," Chrissy whispers.

Eddie turns and looks at her, waiting for her to elaborate.

She does.

"On Halloween. At Tina's party. She called him and his love bullshit. I heard it myself, waiting for the bathroom. She was drunk, not making sense about Barb Holland. It was pretty mean."

"No shit?" he asks, leaning closer. 

She nods, giving him a rundown of the whole party. She's got all the good gossip, not just about Harrington and Wheeler's dust up. Eddie feels a twinge of something. 

He's well acquainted with being shit on publicly.

Nobody's around this school, and Eddie gets up to go take a piss. He can't sit still. Hates it. And doing it for this is a special version of hell.

He walks down the hall, to the bathroom. He stands in front of the urinal, unzips and is pissing when he hears the stifled cough from behind him.

Eddie turns to look and sees familiar shoes under the stall door.

Tucking himself back in, re-zipping, he reaches over and flushes the urinal.

"Harrington," Eddie says. 

He waits and there's no response. 

"Harrington," he tries again.

"Go away, Munson," Harrington says, and then mumbles under his breath, "It's bullshit. I'm bullshit."

Eddie takes three steps towards the door, then impulsively turns back.

"She's wrong, you know? You're not bullshit."

And then Eddie waits a beat before adding, "You're just an asshole."

Steve chuckles, and Eddie smiles to himself as he turns and heads out the door.

Timing is everything. 

Mission accomplished.

If you want to write your own, or see more entries for this challenge, pop on over to @steddieholidaydrabbles and follow along with the fun!

[therogueduchess]

At my job we have a coin machine. Coins dump in, the robot sorts and counts it and spits out a slip. Foreign currency gets rejected.

But inside, there is a divert tray into which non-coin items are shunted. Bobby pins, aspirin, jelly beans (predominantly red ones), crumples of paper, mints, stray earrings, drill bits. Once a tooth. Twice a bullet. Frequently, little religious medals, which I collect for the heck of it because they are shiny and go clink.

Today I had to go into the divert while clearing a jam and checked for little medallions. There were no medallions. There was however a pin, which I have claimed as my own.

If anybody asks, I’m saying it’s a microphone. And if anybody gets 👀, I know they too have been at the devil’s sacrament.

[peskellence]

Rule Of Nines

Loyal Dog

Explicit content, Graphic Violence (18+)

Pairing: Reed900

Tags: AU, Multi-Chapter, Lovers to Enemies, Kidnapping, Crime and Violence, Oral, Anal, Dom/Sub

Next Chapter

Read on AO3 here:

Summary: In a world where loyalty is currency and compromise is weakness, Gavin Reed, a ruthless mobster, lives by his own rules. When an old enemy resurfaces with a deadly demand, his life is thrown into chaos—as his trusted second-in-command, Nines, is put to the ultimate test of allegiance. Will he stay committed to Gavin, or will the loyal guard dog begin to stray? (Human Mob!AU)

Word Count: 3.3K

Warnings: Major Character Death (before events of the story), Graphic Violence, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Dubious Consent

Tag List: @sweeteatercat @wedonthaveawhile @ladyj-pl @tentoriumcerebelli @negative-citadel

♡ If you would like to be added to the tag list for future projects, please let me know ♡

Gavin Reed didn't 'do' compromise.

He took everything he wanted from life as he wanted it, doing so on his terms. There was no room for accommodations or deals, as he was the one calling the shots. Anyone stupid enough to question this would find themselves on the business end of a pistol, and that was only if he was feeling generous. For the rest, he would do everything in his power to make them wish they were dead. There were no exceptions to this rule under any circumstances—

"—Stay still, stop moving your hips."

Well. Except for one, of course.

Nolan Anderson had been fiercely loyal to his father, with this commitment extending to his offspring. In another life, he had probably been a Dobermann: Tall and built, the sort of man who could crush a skull with his bare hands if he wanted to. He was imposing and vicious, but at the same time obedient—working in servitude to his master, always understanding his place. 

The perfect guard dog or a ruthless killing machine, depending on how you wanted to look at it. His dad, who had been an IT consultant before establishing the family, always preferred the latter comparison.

The old man had pointed to Nolan's efficiency in completing any task assigned to him, regardless of how implausible or impractical, to an almost inhuman degree of perfection. He was a flawlessly optimised system, with a performance uptime and availability that was damn near endless. 'Nines' all across the board, so that's what he started calling him—

"—Holy fucking shit ." 

He was also a really good lay, which was definitely a bonus. 

Nines angled upright, striking a point deep inside him. Working the sensitive nerves, he rocked in bruising motions against his hips. He was a man who never missed, just as perceptive in the bedroom as anywhere else. Knowing exactly what his partner needed and just how to give it to them. 

" Fuck. Just like that, keep going—" The plea was undercut by a harsh slap across the face, propelling him back into the covers.

"I didn't say you could speak," Nines scolded, tutting under his breath.

Gavin groaned—a sound which transitioned quite neatly into a salacious chuckle. He reeled from the force of the strike, skin prickling long after its impact. The weight of Nines' hand had etched itself into him, formed in a burning imprint. As its sting began to wane, it was replaced by a dull ache radiating the length of his jaw. 

It was the only time he was prepared to relinquish control when they were like this—and damn, it felt fucking  incredible. Nines was far from stupid. He understood that the shift in power started and ended beneath the sheets, and he had never once sought to challenge this.

There were plenty of people who would take advantage of their current position, but he wasn't one of them. He knew Gavin trusted him and wasn't about to take that lightly. It made him a valuable confidante—the closest thing to a friend the mobster cared to have—and the obvious choice for second in command. 

"You like that, don't you?"

"I thought I wasn't supposed to speak," Gavin challenged, a mischievous grin plastered on his reddened face. "Make up your mind, dipshit."

Nines grunted in disapproval before burrowing his face against the crook of his pulsing neck. He began sucking one of the many bruises already dotting the sweat-soaked canvas. It was tender at first, almost affectionate, but Gavin knew better. 

He bit down on the mark, sinking in his teeth with such ferocity he almost breached the skin. As he did so, he grabbed a fistful of his lover's tousled hair, winding it around his fingers and harshly wrenching back.

"You will speak when you are spoken to." He took advantage of the additional leverage, covering more of the abused flesh. "Tell me what you want and how much you want it. Do as you're told, and I might indulge you. Continue to misbehave, and I'll stop entirely."

The warning succeeded in dragging Gavin from his moment of blissful abandon. He looked up, levelling his partner with an accusatory glare. "You wouldn't dare."

"Do you want to risk that?" The purring voice was drizzled like honey as Nines reached between his legs, capturing his aching arousal in a tightened grip. "I could leave you right now if I wanted to. Bound to the bed. Hard and wanting, with no hope of relief..."

Then, he squeezed—hard—almost twisting as he did so.

"You sadistic piece of shit." Gavin reeled back, hissing through gritted teeth as charges of lightning-like pain pulsed through his hardness. "Okay, fine. I love it when you treat me like this. Tie me up, smack me, pull my hair. It drives me fucking insane."

"Keep talking." Nines continued to hold him, his grip excruciating and growing tighter with every passing second. "Being fucked is a reward, and you haven't earned it yet. I won't continue until you have given me precisely what I've asked for." 

Goddammit.  He was almost crying now, tears pricking at his eyes and marbling in the corners. Pulling against the restraints anchoring him to the bed frame, the ropes tore away at his wrists, leaving angry burns. It was torture, but the best possible kind. 

The firm digits continued to constrict him, cutting off any blood flow, and he was in absolute ecstasy. "I want you to ruin me. Mess me up so bad that I can't remember my own fucking name. Please, Nines. I need it. Need  you ."  

His partner hummed, appearing satisfied, before slowly relinquishing his hold on the hardness. "See how easy that was? If only you could always be this obedient." 

Nines eyed him greedily, his focus trained on the junction between his quivering thighs. He wedged a knee between the gap, and forced them firmly apart. "Now, spread your legs so I can give you what you need. I think you've earned it."

"Damn right, I have." Gavin arched his hips as far as his tightly bound restraints would allow. "Now stop talking. I want you to fuck me like you hate me." 

Nines did just that, not wasting any time on care or consideration. He pulled back slowly, methodically, before abruptly thrusting forward, breaching the warmth with brutal force. The shorter man's body constricted eagerly around the intrusion, gripping it like a vice. 

"Oh, fuck  yes —" He flung his head back, toes curling into the duvet as he let out a series of wanton groans. " Faster. Come on. Don't be a pussy." 

The taller man gripped onto his hips, anchoring himself in position before inspiration flickered within his steely gaze. Calloused hands slipped away, finding themselves behind Gavin's knees. Then he pulled up, hooking the legs over his shoulders. 

With the additional access, Nines claimed every inch his generous reach would allow—pounding into him in long, rampant spears. The pace quickened to such an extent that it rattled the wire foundation of the bed, as the headboard smacked repeatedly against the wall. 

" Yes, yes, yes, yes." Gavin could feel his arousal rub against the taut muscles of the other man's abdomen and pushed himself further into it, desperately chasing relief. A heat bubbled in his stomach as his cock pulsed persistently in response to the friction. "I'm so fucking close."

There was a knock on the door, loud enough to break through the chorus of sordid moans. Both men fell silent as Nines' pace began to slow, and their attention drifted towards the source of the unexpected intrusion.

"... Don't you dare stop," Gavin demanded as the pace drew dangerously close to stilling. "Fuck 'em, they can wait." 

Nines dutifully complied with his wishes, continuing to drive into him. They tried their best to drown out the steady raps against the wooden panel until they became increasingly difficult to ignore, a gruff voice accompanying them:

"... Uhhh, boss? Hello? You in there?"

The wavered address promptly doused any lingering embers of arousal. His hardness had softened, flopping limply onto the folds of his doubled-up stomach. 

Oh, you fucking  asshole . 

With a loud grunt of aggravation, he bucked his hips, signalling for Nines to get up. "Okay,  okay!  Just give me a damn minute…"

Motioning with his head, he directed his charge to release the binds. As the first of his wrists came loose, he pulled the rumpled sheets over his lap and gruffly readdressed the figure:

"Get in," he ordered, his scathing tone informing them to do so immediately before he changed his mind. 

The passage to the bedroom swung open, and Gavin observed with revulsion as Floyd came into view. A lumbering, snub-nosed brick of a man his father had hired onto the operation for reasons best known to himself. 

His bulbous eyes swelled to comedic proportions as he caught sight of a still very exposed Nines standing by the bedside, removing the final tether. Upon completing the task, he regarded Floyd with a calm nod—before reaching down to the floor to retrieve his dress shirt.

The large man emitted a yelp as if the shapely contours of Nines' ass were the last thing he'd ever wanted to see. A meaty hand was flung to his temple as he spluttered out a clumsy apology. "Ahh, shit, I, uh…sorry for interruptin'..."

Gavin wasn't entirely sure what the Neanderthal had expected; it wasn't like the arrangement with Nines was a recent development. They'd been screwing for years, having started on the night of his twenty-seventh birthday when the taller man presented himself as an unexpected gift. 

It soon developed into a habit, one they initially tried to keep secret, though he suspected Dad's more perceptive cronies had early suspicions. The old man himself remained blissfully unaware, a fact for which he was grateful. If the knife to the throat hadn't killed him, finding out about his son's clandestine activities probably would've. 

After he was gone, there wasn't really the same incentive to hide. It wasn't long until it was common knowledge amongst allies and adversaries alike. They all knew better than to say anything, though—unless they wanted to wake up in a nice pair of cement shoes.

"What the hell do you want?" Gavin spat the words with disdain as he leaned towards the nightstand, searching for his cigarettes.

Floyd lowered his hand once he was certain Nines' modesty had been restored. With the obstruction gone, he cleared his throat before explaining himself. "We've had a package come through in the mail. Unmarked, but we're pretty sure we know who it's from…you might wanna see it." 

"What kind of package?" He removed a smoke from the box, slotting it between his lips. Snagging a nearby lighter, he flicked it open and ignited a flame beneath the tightly wadded tobacco. "You tell me that, and I'll tell  you  if I wanna see it or not." 

"It's—uh—well—" 

The hefty man paused, his lips pinched so tight it looked like he was sucking on a lemon. His eyes darted towards Nines as his perpetually reddened face turned a sickly shade of grey. "Just trust me on this."

Gavin took a drag, staring him down the entire time. He then tilted his head back, exhaling sharply and sending wisps of smoke billowing into the air. The ashy trails were soon disrupted, waning to the force of a long, aggrieved sigh. "Well, seeing as you fuckheads don't know how to use your words, I guess I'll  have  to check it out, won't I?" 

Without warning, he ripped away the sheets, revealing his naked body in all its glory. Floyd hurriedly swivelled away, staring down the opposing corridor as though it led to the gates of Heaven. It was the fastest Gavin had ever seen the hulking mass of flab move, having clearly had his fill of gratuitous nudity for one evening. 

As Nines finished dressing, zipping up the front of his charcoal suit pants, Gavin manoeuvred past him to reach for a nearby bathrobe. After slipping it on, he trudged his way out of the bedroom with his second-in-command trailing closely behind. 

They discovered the rest of the gang sitting in the meeting room, huddled around a small card table. The air around them was thick, heavy with tension, as they all looked noticeably uneasy. 

Their leader was quick to scrutinise, his eyes sweeping across the group, narrowed in accusation. "So, what is it that's so damn important it couldn't wait until morning?"

"Salvatore," one of the men, Vincenzo, chimed up. Of the ragtag group of idiots he had inherited from his father, he was among the few worth the oxygen they breathed. His lips were pulled into a prominent grimace as he folded his arms across his chest.

A swell of bile steadily rose in the back of Gavin's throat as a resentful pit formed in his stomach. Salvatore DeLuca had been one of his dad's closest associates—until he'd turned out to be a lying, double-crossing snake. In charge of handling finances, he'd been skimming profits off their operations for months, cutting and running before he got caught. 

The bastard was lucky Dad croaked when he did, or else he'd be lying six feet under, maggots crawling out of his ass. "The fuck does  he  want?"

Gavin did not receive an answer as the silence in the room grew increasingly disconcerting. His attention shifted to the table, where he noticed a letter lying face down in the centre. Next to it, there was a small parcel wrapped in brown butcher paper, secured with a length of string. 

He stubbed out his cigarette, leaving a prominent scorch mark on the weathered plastic, before flipping over the note:

m I s Sïñ G s0mēTh I n G?

b r Ī nG $I m ì l L i Ón Iñ ū Nmār K eD 2o S tØ U n ĪT ²3 13 57 — 4 ⁸ 2 I 6 iF u W@ñ t I T bÂc k

U hâ vË ⁷ D aYs.

Si gN ēd , 

U R fRÏ e ñ D

$ n @ kē B Itê

Son of a bitch. 

His lips twisted into a snarl as his hands tightened around the note, crumpling it into a ball. "I bet he thinks he's so clever. The slimy motherfucker."

"We wanted to wait for you before we opened...well…that." Vincenzo gestured to the unidentified item, a tense knot formed in the crease of his brow. He then paused as his sunken eyes scoped the densely packed room. "We've called around to the rest of the family… there's only one person unaccounted for."

Nines perked up, brow quirked in intrigue before his focused gaze charted a course through the downcast faces. As he searched, his naturally stern features shifted into something more perturbed. Several men averted their sights, refusing to look at him.

Gavin moved to inspect the parcel. He tested its weight in his palm before removing the fastenings, allowing the string to slink to the ground in a coiled pile. The wrapping was next, and as he unfurled the layers of crumpled paper, a glint caught against something polished reflected from the dangling bulb overhead. Holding the object closer to the light, the mobster discovered it was a small black flash drive.

A developing curiosity gripped him, mingled with trepidation. Life came with very few certainties, but if there was one, it was that receiving an unmarked USB with a threatening note couldn't mean anything good.

He turned around, motioning for one of his lackeys to reach beneath the coach they were sitting on. Upon doing so, the man pulled out a laptop—a beaten-up relic from the 2020s with a cracked screen and broken hinge on the left-hand side. Still, he hoped it would serve its purpose. 

Settling down in a nearby chair, Gavin booted it up, ensuring his antivirus was active. He wouldn't have put it past DeLuca to load up the drive with a shit ton of malware. His intrigue grew significantly as a notification popped up, prompting him to open the files on the newly installed device.

There was a single item contained within—an unnamed .MP4 with a blacked-out thumbnail—looming ominously in an otherwise empty window. The man surrounding him leaned forward, arching over his shoulder in order to get a better look. 

He imagined many of them would come to regret this, as without further delay, he clicked on the video:

↻      ◁     ||     ▷      ↺

The scene opened to what appeared to be a dimly lit warehouse filled with towering shelves and wooden crates. In the centre of the room, just barely visible through the grainy footage, a figure sat bound to a chair. Cable ties had been used to bind them, and a burlap sack covered their head.

Initially, there was no movement, with the person appearing either unconscious or dead—but through the continuous haze of visual noise, Gavin was able to detect a few rogue twitches of life. 

Suddenly, a light flickered on, flooding the screen with a harsh white glow before softening into something more tolerable. A burly man, with features obscured by a black ski mask, strode into the frame, clutching a rusted box cutter. 

Approaching the restrained figure, he poised the blade at the brim of the sack, dragging it along the edge. It was then that Gavin noticed the tie around the victim's neck, which the blade had slipped under and was currently whittling away. The masked man sliced the plastic, revealing a shock of dishevelled brown hair as he ripped the sack from the captive's head. Wide eyes stared up at him, brimming with fear. 

0:34 ─●──────── -3:43

Upon the hostage's reveal, he heard a small hitch of breath from the man standing beside him. Nines had grown noticeably tense; his jaw locked tight as he moved his head in slow, repetitive shakes. His grey eyes were vacant and staring, lost in deepening pools of denial.

Gavin studied him, both surprised and disappointed to see his composure shattered so easily, before returning his attention to the screen:

0:42 ──●──────── -3:35

The captive's mouth had been tightly bound with strips of duct tape, muffling any screams that attempted to emerge. He had been beaten at least once, with his jaw blotched in fresh bruises and a crust of dried blood caked to his cheek. 

His captor retracted the blade a second time, moving the switch up slowly in apparent sadistic delight. The brunette struggled against their binds, gangly form sprawling and flailing as much as it possibly could. He looked like a rodent stuck in a glue trap, desperately trying to escape. 

In response to this, the masked man socked him cleanly across the face. He howled against the tape, writhing in agony, to which the hostage took hold of his scalp and firmly yanked back, presenting the full breadth of his neck to the camera.

With the knife, a small line was teased across the pale skin—not hard enough to cause any real damage, but just sufficient to draw a tiny sliver of ruby droplets. The prisoner's features contorted fearfully, and their entire body seized up, trying to keep still. 

0:59 ───●─────── -3:18

Several of Gavin's men turned away, unable to watch any longer. Their boss silently chided their weakness, regarding them as spineless cowards. 

A few stragglers remained, frozen in petrified silence as they continued to watch the video. The only sounds left in the room came in the form of muffled howls from the laptop speakers. Then a whispered voice broke through, laden with ill-suppressed emotion and punctuated by shaky breaths:

"Connor." 

[iviarellereads]

Artificial Condition, Chapter 1

(Curious what I'm doing here? Read this post! For the link index and a primer on The Murderbot Diaries, read this one! Like what you see? Send me a Ko-Fi.)

In which we catch up with our pal.

SecUnits don't care about the news.

Murderbot never paid much attention to it, even after hacking its governor module. Entertainment is less likely to ping alarms, while news is carried on channels closer to protected data.(1) And, of course, news is boring and it never cared.

Now, as it crosses a station, it skims a newsburst while mostly just trying to get through the crowd without attracting attention. Fortunately, the humans of all sorts are too busy with their own journeys to pay it any mind. It has worried a little about security drones scanning for SecUnit specs, since they're all identical, but they shouldn't unless instructed to do so specifically, and nothing's pinged MB yet.

MB is very pleased with how well it's navigated so far.

Then, in the newsfeed, it sees… itself.

It stops near a food court, so people will think it's deciding where to eat, and pays more attention to the news. The image it saw was from the lobby with Pin-Lee's comment to the reporters, and credits MB simply as "bodyguard". The story mentions Mensah buying the SecUnit who saved her(2), as a human interest note to soften the grisly details of the body count. But, the journalists are only used to seeing SecUnits in their assigned roles, and usually in armour, so they haven't yet connected the new augmented human in the Preservation team. Which is good, because it increases MB's confidence in going undetected as itself.

The rest of the story covers how the company, DeltFall, Preservation, and three other political entities are joining forces against DeltFall, even as they fight each other over bond guarantees and jurisdiction.

Still, the newsburst is days old, and now MB wonders if the official news channels will have anything more recent. But, the higher priority is keeping moving.

On that note, MB keeps moving toward the transit ring. It can't use the typical facilities to purchase passage, as weapons scans will reveal it immediately unless it hacks the scanners, and it has no currency so it would have to hack the payment machines as well, and that's just too much work.(3)

So, MB catches a bot transport to the bot-driven transport section of the ring, and downloads some new media, and thinks about why it left Mensah and what it might want out of its life and freedom. Though, before it can have any of that, it needs to answer one very important question, and to do that, it needs to go to a specific place, with only two bot-driven transports leaving in the next cycle. The one leaving later is the better option, as it gives MB more time to talk the bot around.

I could hack a transport if I tried, but I really preferred not to. Spending that much time with something that didn’t want you there, or that you had hacked to make it think it wanted you there, just seemed creepy.(4)

On the way to the cargo transport, it does have to hack an ID-screener and some weapon-scanning drones, as well as a bot guard, but it just deletes any record of its existence, which is downright easy compared to what it usually has to do to work with company equipment.

The first dock it tries, with the bot transport leaving later, has a bunch of humans there dealing with an accident. Reluctantly, because it shouldn't be here in the first place, it goes to the other bot transport. The newsburst has it rattled, and it wants to escape into its media ASAP.

The other transport is a long-range research vessel, currently assigned to an uncrewed cargo run that will stop at the place MB needs. It's owned by a university in this system, and the cargo runs pay for its upkeep between assignments. MB would really like the twenty-one gloriously isolated cycles between here and its destination.(5)

MB finds the research transport, and pings it, receiving a return ping almost immediately. It gives the same offer it gave the first transport: all its media, serials, books, music, and some new shows it picked up on this station, in trade for a ride where it's going.(6) It offers the same explanation for its presence, as well: a free bot making its way back to its human guardian.

There was a pause, then the research transport sent an acceptance and opened the lock for me.

=====

(1) I find this a little suspect, as far as explanations or worldbuilding choices go. I'm not an expert in any sort of communications methods, but I don't feel like this tracks with what I do know about broadcasts or feeds generally or how they'd logically be laid out if they did work this way. (2) That feels like a romance novel title. Technically, it's almost exactly a romance novella title: The A.I. Who Loved Me, book 1 in Alyssa Cole's The Hive series. (Book 2 has no info yet, but book 1 was really cute, I thought. In case anyone wondered.) (3) MB being relatable again. Why do all that work just to look respectable, when you can sneak around and get your real work done in peace? (4) Gotta agree. Even if they can't retaliate against you, either of those just sounds… awkward, at best. (5) Is it just me, or does that sound like the sort of phrase that would not come true when stated in chapter 1 of a book? (6) I could question why a bot transport couldn't download its own entertainment from the feed, but MB's explanation of the feeds possibly raising alarms about bot access have already more or less answered it. As a part-human construct, it probably has access that can look less suspicious.

[mangoslam]

Chrissy Ran Away - 3/3 - Fic

Chapter 3: On the wharf, I was caught in a tailspin

Eddie wasn’t being so friendly to her now. He’d barely spoken to her since she turned up covered in mud and leaves with a fucked up knee. He seemed to be doing his best to avoid her completely. What if Chrissy ran from Eddie after her vision? What if it pushed them apart? They share a joint and it gets much much worse. My take on 'Chrissy lives'.

Word Count: 10,188 (Oh god, I'm sorry)

Chapter: 3/3

Warning: some non-con touching about halfway through.

Also on Archive of Our Own.

Previous Chapter 1/3 here.

Previous Chapter 2/3 here.

(see end for notes)

------

Chrissy knew she was pretty. Knew she had a nice symmetrical face (according to a magazine quiz it was a ’heart-shape’) and people always remarked on her smile. Ever since middle school people had taken it upon themselves to comment on her looks as if she should be eternally grateful for their compliments and praise. She always pictured her mom’s screwed up face when she heard the word ugly - always saw the sewing machine she would bring out when she thought Chrissy looked heavy. The way she uttered the word ugly made it sound like the most awful thing that could ever happen. Forget about disease or poverty or mental illness. No no, being considered ugly was a sin in the Cunningham homestead. 

So Chrissy knew her appearance meant a lot. It held weight. It was the only real source of currency she owned and could trade off (you know - apart from actual currency). She had learned by the tender age of twelve (when her body started changing in funny new embarrassing ways) the impact her looks had on others and that other people felt good and treated her nice when she smiled and giggled and tried. 

Her mom would repeat over and over that appearance was everything. It didn’t matter how shitty you felt inside as long as you kept it to yourself. Chrissy’s mom was not a brilliant example of a good mom. Chrissy knew this. Her counsellor Ms Kelley knew this. Her father probably knew this though he would never lift a finger to help. Chrissy worried about turning into her mom one day but maybe the real worry was taking after her dad instead. Turning the cheek and ignoring what was right in front of you to keep up the facade of normal. Her parent’s greatest fear was to be abnormal and (God forbid) it tarnish their carefully curated reputation of a perfect upper-middle class wholesome family. Reagan’s wet dream, honestly. 

So even though Chrissy woke up the next morning feeling embarrassed and broken and totally called out, she could at least try not to look it. 

It was like when Jason asked about her headaches (which was weird in itself as he rarely noticed little things like that) and her automatic response had been to give him a pretty smile and lie and say they were probably due to her ‘monthly troubles’ instead. Jason had chuckled at that and rolled his eyes, appropriately (because society said it was okay) abashed. “Well take it easy, babe,” he’d said, pressing a distracted kiss to her cheek, his thoughts already turning to the big championship game coming up. “Have some candy or something.”

Because that’s what boyfriends did when you were unwell right? They’d buy flowers or chocolates or teddy bears with creepy stitched up mouths. 

Chrissy hadn’t really thought about Jason much over the last few days but instead of feeling guilty or worried she felt sort of…fine? In the films and TV shows she liked to watch, girls in trouble always went to their boyfriends first for comfort, but the idea of calling Jason now was just something she didn’t want to do. Was that unfair? Nancy’s boyfriend Jonathon (who she vaguely remembered from photography class) knew everything that was going on with Vecna and the upside-down world. She even caught the cute little looks Lucas and Max exchanged when they thought no one was watching, and Nancy’s brother Mike Wheeler was linked to this superhero El. They all seemed fine and even bolstered by sharing this madness with one another. 

She tried picturing Jason’s face if she told him about Vecna and nearly dying. Would he offer to come here and help Steve build up the defences? Show the freshmen how to shoot straight? Buy her candy? No, he’d probably get more angry at Eddie and the fact she was in his trailer, than her coming so close to having all her bones snapped and her eyes gouged out. He seemed so far removed from all this that she couldn’t fathom him beside her in this world of magic and hellfire. 

Eddie’s reproachful words from last night kept ringing in her ears… ‘did you hear what he did to that kid two weeks ago? Their parents had to pick them up’.

She was so ashamed. That poor kid. She was ashamed too that Eddie knew she had no idea about it. Like he assumed Jason would hide it from her and she would just go on with her little (sparkly pink bubble) life. ‘You just don’t know’.

Well she knew now, and she would not be like her father and ignore it. She was resolved to try and make things right at school even if it brought on Jason’s ire. The idea of him picking on Dustin or Mike Wheeler or any of them made her chest feel tight. 

Beep beep beep. 

Chrissy managed to get maybe two hours of sleep when the alarm on Steve’s watch went off and she groaned at the sudden rude awakening. She pushed her face deeper into the pillow, away from the sunshine beaming in through a blind. She tried to ignore that the pillow smelled like the eucalyptus shampoo Eddie used. There was also the unmistakable smell of cigarettes and weed but instead of being turned off she found it unexpectedly comforting. 

She felt Steve roll over and then there was a delicate pause. 

“Uh…Hi… Chrissy?”

“Hi Steve,” she mumbled. 

“Uh…there a reason you’re here and not Eddie? Not that I’m complaining, just a bit of a surprise first thing in the morning, is all.” 

Steve was peering over his pillow at her, bleary eyed and yawning. His hair was sticking up in all different directions and the sleepy hand he ran through it only made it worse. He still seemed half asleep. Chrissy might have giggled if she didn’t feel like total crap. 

“Couldn’t sleep so I took over the watch from Robin. Then Eddie came down and…well… he took over. Told me to come up here.” 

“Alright.”

“Steve?”

“Mhmm?”

“I heard the ticking noise again last night. Nothing floaty happened, but I thought you should know just in case. I think Nancy’s right. I think…I think it happens when I’m feeling really sad about something.”

“Damn.” She heard him swallow. “So I guess we’ve got to keep you and Max happy then. Happy thoughts an’ all. What got you so down?”

“I…I had a chat with Eddie and we kind of argued. We both said some really shitty things.” 

That was putting it mildly. 

She sighed and it seemed to reverberate down to her toes. She felt like the mattress might swallow her up whole. She eyed Eddie’s bag in the corner of the bedroom and the Hellfire Club T-shirt he so treasured screwed up beside it. His heavy belt was there too and the chains he clipped to the side of his jeans when he was trying to lean into the scary freaky look. 

“I think he hates me now.”

She wasn’t sure how to feel about someone hating her. It was a new. Everyone at school seemed to like her a lot and she never got into arguments or drama. Maybe some of the other cheerleaders were a bit put off when she beat them for the captain spot but they didn’t say anything mean. Her parents didn’t exactly treat her nice but that wasn’t out of hate. They said it was out of love. 

Steve’s voice noticeably softened. “Nah. He doesn’t hate you, Chrissy.  Far from it. The guy’s just…I don’t know…”

“Hanging on by a thread?”

“Exactly, yeah. He’s got a lot going on in that fucked up head of his…and he was a nutcase before all of this too, you know? We’re all trying our best but…it’s hard. He likes you though. Trust me.” 

Steve wouldn’t say that if he’d heard the way Eddie spoke to her last night…or this morning? Ugh. Or the way she spoke back to him. She tried not to linger on the awful expression on his face when she threw the words ‘hypocrite’ and ‘jealous’ at him like sharp darts. She’d meant every word - but she still felt bad. She wasn’t the kind of person to enjoy inflicting pain on others just because she was losing her mind, or punching down on someone who was already sinking. 

“We bought coffee, right?” Steve yawned again as he sat up and stretched, wisely changing the subject. “I can’t function without at least two cups in the morning. And Henderson has really been dialling up his attitude recently. The little shit.”

Chrissy sat up too and only then fully appreciated what an awkward situation they were both in. She’d deliberately not slipped under the sheets when she came to bed so they weren’t exactly side by side but it was still weird. She got out from under her borrowed blanket and wobbled to her feet. Christ, her head was reeling from the lack of sleep and food. And weed, probably, even though she barely had half. 

“I’m going to shower and I’ll make some. I think I spotted a coffee maker stashed in one of the cupboards.”

Steve hummed happily as Chrissy padded out the room barefoot. They had all agreed to keep the bedroom doors ajar last night so the person on guard duty could do their checks. Chrissy spotted a note tacked on their wood with what looked like gum. 

Gone to get milk - E.

The idea of Eddie coming up here while she was asleep and seeing her side by side with Steve made her feel odd, even if he’d been the one to suggest it. Another thought to push way down and ignore. 

She jumped in the shower before anyone else was up and washed and scrubbed her body thoroughly (who cared if her skin was pink and sore as a result?). She then scrubbed at her face and brushed her teeth. She applied her make up so well that you would never suspect she’d been awake all night crying over ticking and spiders and Eddie Munson telling her she was a sheep. She tossed her head side to side and smiled when the reflection met her approval. Once finished she towelled herself off and got dressed. 

She hadn’t been able to stuff much into her cheer bag but dug out an (admittedly wrinkled) flowery summer dress that would still look okay if she smoothed it down with her fingers. The thin straps showed off her slim shoulders but the skirts hid her knees. She decided to leave her hair down to dry as she hadn’t brought a hairdryer (though Steve probably had an emergency one stashed beside his hairspray). She very rarely wore her hair down because Jason said he preferred in a ponytail or in plaits. It felt different. New. She used her fingers to fluff out her bangs. 

Downstairs Dustin and Lucas were already awake and poking around the kitchen cupboards hopefully. Chrissy asked them to start up the coffee machine and found some breakfast stuff. By the time Robin and Steve came downstairs she was whisking pancake batter in one of Rick’s bowls. Robin said Max was still in the shower and Nancy was keeping an ear out. 

“You’re an angel, Chrissy,” Robin added gratefully, plonking herself down at the table. Her wet hair was still wrapped up in a towel. “Do we have syrup?”

“No way. Chocolate chips are the way to go,” Dustin corrected, still in his pyjamas. He reminded Chrissy of her little brother when he was still nice and occasionally an ally against their parents. 

Chrissy served up the pancakes as they debated the perfect pancake toppings. She never actually ate pancakes herself (far too many calories) but her grandma showed her how to do it when she was little and she could even do the perfect flip (naturally). While the others tucked into their food with thanks, she buttered some toast and nibbled it while leaning against the counter. 

She suddenly thought about those creepy lifeless women on the covers of Good Housekeeping. All made up with stiff fake smiles and with hair that looked totally pristine. She probably looked like one of them now. 

But no matter how pretty and composed she looked or how attentively she listened to Robin debate the virtues of pancakes versus crepes, Chrissy felt herself tense all over again when she heard the front door open. She turned at once to make herself a cup of coffee even though she hated it black. It would give her an excuse to do something with her hands besides wringing them together like a one dimensional damsel-in-distress character in their Dungeons and Dragons game (though Dustin, Lucas, and Eddie all seemed keen to them). 

“Daddy’s back safe and sound, kids, despite the looming threat of annihilation and bogus wizards that make even Saruman the White look like a pansy. Miss me?”

“You get milk?” Steve asked bluntly. 

“Yes dear. Got some more snacks too seeing as Lucas’ gone through like three bags of chips already.”

“Thanks man,” Lucas said, relieved. 

“I grabbed some gas too if you guys still want to hit up the War Zone?” Eddie added. “There’s plenty of room in the back of the van for guns, grenades, nunchucks…Could probably smuggle in some rocket launchers too.” 

“Flame throwers,” Nancy corrected him, walking into the kitchen. 

Chrissy didn’t need to look over her shoulder to know everyone was glancing at Nancy with a fair amount of respect (maybe a smidge of fear too). 

Hands wearing heavy silver rings placed shopping bags down onto the countertop beside her. A carton of milk appeared by the coffee pot but she ignored it stubbornly as she filled her mug to the brim. It took all her resolve not to shudder when the bitter liquid touched her tongue. Ew. 

“Can I grab a cup, ‘Rissy?” Nancy asked. 

‘Rissy? She liked that. “Sure, Nance.” 

Chrissy turned to see Nancy (followed by a clean and dressed Max) joining the others at the table. Eddie remained standing though as he slowly unpacked food into the cupboards.

Like her, he looked completely composed. He was wearing his usual ripped jeans but instead of a rock shirt he’d pulled on the black and red flannel that usually adorned his waist. Other than that though, the same Eddie; creepy rings that no store in Hawkins would surely sell, guitar pick around the neck, the now-familiar bat tattoo on his elbow (his sweet ol’ tatties, she remembered him saying). The only subtle tells that something may be amiss were the faint purple circles beneath his otherwise warm brown eyes and the fact he needed a shave (but saying that so did Steve). 

Eddie was putting away chips and soda and laughing at something Robin said. He even responded with a joke of his own in that flirty tone he seemed so comfortable using. Totally at ease. Totally in control. But it can’t be real, Chrissy thought, not after what he said this morning. He must be running on fumes. 

Which meant he had an excellent poker face. It almost rivalled her own. The others would observe them going out for milk, making breakfast, helping. Both of them seemingly fine. Christ, they could be her parents. 

Chrissy forced her shoulders to relax and flashed a blinding smile. When she spoke she made sure her voice was peppy and cheerful like she was getting ready for a cheer rally. Looking at her now you’d think she was running for the 1986 Miss America title and not miserable and sad and so fucking tired. Aren’t you proud of me, mom? 

“Want some pancakes too, Nance? Max?” she asked. “And you? How do you take your coffee, Munson?”

He almost - almost - cracked at that but caught himself just in time. She was nearly impressed.

“I can make it myself thanks,” he was all he said. 

–

They were indeed still going to the War Zone today. It was Nancy’s idea originally after spotting an advert in the paper but Eddie seemed to know about it too. It was about a two hour drive away and sounded like a Republican paradise. It would definitely have all the weapons and tools they needed until El and the others got there and they could regroup. Steve offered to drive but Eddie shut him down real quick. Only he drove his van, he explained. It wouldn’t run for anyone else. 

“Some of us should stay to guard this place,” Robin pointed out. “I don’t mind. I’m still sleepy from last night.”

Max and Lucas were quick to bow out too. Nancy was going to stay as well as she wanted to phone Jonathon again and check on his progress. Chrissy noticed her fingers twitching when she said this but didn’t make a deal of it. Nancy rarely spoke about Jonathon so maybe there was something not quite right there (though who was she to talk? Jason who?). She felt herself getting closer to Nancy every day but she still wasn’t sure they were in the boy-chat territory. Guns? End of the world? Sure. Heartbreak though? She felt herself growing closer to Robin too but there was something…different…about Robin she couldn’t quite place. It was like she belonged in a different era - one in the future maybe where they used flying cars and everyone was cool like her. She’d assumed at first she was Steve’s girlfriend but after only a millisecond it became abundantly clear they were just best of friends. 

Maybe one day after saving the world (they could do it) she and Nancy and Robin could crack out some wine coolers and discuss all the wonderful highs and tragic lows of being a teenage girl. Maybe even Max could join in. She’d like that a lot. 

So it was Eddie, Dustin, and Steve who got ready for the War Zone and then to everyone’s surprise Chrissy said she wanted to go too. She hurriedly retrieved her purse and opened it wide so they could see the large amount of cash wedged inside. 

“Woah!”

“Did you rob a bank?” Max said, eyeing her curiously, and Chrissy laughed.  

“It’s just my savings and what I could find in my dad’s office. Don’t worry, he’ll never notice it missing. He’s always leaving cash around the house. I brought some of my gold jewellery too in case we need to pawn it…though someone will have to help me. I’m not exactly sure how to pawn things,” she admitted. The words sounded unbelievably odd on her tongue. “I never wear any of it so I don’t mind. I only wear this one…” She gently flicked a nail against the ‘86’ at her neck. 

“We can’t accept your savings, Chrissy! You’ll need it for college, right?” Nancy pointed out. 

“Don’t worry, I have a separate college fund which is under lock and key. My dad won’t let me touch it until after I graduate. It’s his guarantee that…well, that I don’t drop out and do something to embarrass the family,” she said. “Please. I know you guys have all chipped in here and there and I wanna help too. Use this money to buy the…weapons…and food and things.”

“That’s really generous honestly but really we can manage if we stretch our money together. I think we’ll be okay if we’re careful.”

“But I don’t want you guys to be just okay. You’re so brave by doing all this - the least I can do is make sure money isn’t an issue, you know? This is something I can actually contribute to the group. Please just use it.”

She looked imploringly at Steve then. Steve came from a similar background to her own and must surely get it. Chrissy didn’t need this money and likely never would whereas she knew some of the others came from humble backgrounds and it just wasn’t fair. She found speaking about all of this uncomfortable - Jason and her other friends were just as privileged as her and her mom would rather die than discuss something as tacky as money - but Chrissy held fast because this gesture would alleviate some of the pressure from the others. It was her way of pulling her weight. 

“And…” she added brightly, smiling. “It would really annoy my mom if she ever knew and that thought makes me seriously happy. That’s got to be worth it, right?”

Steve laughed and she knew she’d won. “Alright, thanks Chriss. We’ll use the money today. Keep your jewellery though…we’ll only pawn that as a last resort, kay?”

Chrissy thought she saw a flash of relief cross both Steve and Nancy’s faces (they must have been worrying about this too) before they turned away and that made up for any embarrassment. 

Thankfully Dustin called shotgun in the van and the conversation shifted to a debate about what radio station to listen to. Chrissy collected her things - she borrowed a pair of Rick’s aviator sunglasses too as it was sunny (she hoped he wouldn’t mind) - and made to follow the others outside. 

But a touch to her elbow made her hesitate and Max was there looking awkward. “…I know we haven’t really spoken much before but I just wanted to say… that you do contribute to the group. Maybe you don’t feel that way, but it’s…nice…having you here.” Every nice word seemed to pain her but she held herself steady. She had a kind of intensity in her eyes which would surely make grown men tremble.  

She could be a governor or a DA, Chrissy thought, speechless. She finally choked out, “Thanks for saying that Max.”  

“Yeah whatever. Bring me back some peanut butter, ok? Smooth. I like that best on my pancakes.” 

Evidently dismissed, Chrissy jumped up onto the passenger seat beside Steve and Eddie started the engine. Eddie was the one to pick the music (“my van - my rules, Henderson”) and fiddled with the radio until some loud rock blasted out from the speakers. A few minutes later they were driving along the lake towards town. 

End of passion play, crumbling away

I'm your source of self-destruction

Veins that pump with fear, sucking darkest clear

Leading on your death's construction

Chrissy folded down the skirt of her summer dress so it lay neat against her thigh and settled back on the leather seat, doing her very best not to look ahead at the driver. She tried to ignore Dustin babbling about making  improvised weapons, or Steve complaining about the volume, or the thought of a certain pair of eyes watching her in the mirror. Instead she slipped on the too-big sunglasses, pulled out a shitty Capitalist magazine from her bag, and unfurled it resolutely. She would read it word to word like it was a textbook for class. No matter what anyone else thought. 

“Woah, what happened to your hand?” Dustin was saying. That did draw her attention. 

“Girls dig bruised knuckles, man, what can I say? They love that dangerous vigilante look. I caught it in the van door earlier, Henderson, I’m alright. It’s no biggie.” 

Did she imagine it or did Steve glance her way? She looked back at her magazine pointedly. 

Taste me, you will see

More is all you need

Dedicated to

How I'm killing you

“This music is killing me,” Steve grumbled. 

“It’s not so bad.” It wasn’t Chrissy’s style of music either but she liked the lyrics. “I think the band’s called metal something.” 

“Metallica,” Eddie corrected without looking round. 

She thought about the other time she’d taken a ride in Eddie’s van before her vision of Vecna. She’d met him in the car park after the championship game (ears still ringing from the cheers) so he could drive her back to his trailer for something stronger. He’d surprised her by holding the passenger door open like a gentleman from those old black and white movies. He’d even offered to let her pick the music though now it was his van, his rules. She’d been too nervous to suggest anything though. She remembered that whole journey being very very aware of just how bare her legs looked in her short cheerleading skirt. 

It was getting hot so she tried unrolling the window but the handle seemed to be busted. Eddie must have noticed because his window was suddenly down and a burst of cool air snaked around her shoulders and made her sigh. 

The War Zone was exactly as Nancy and Eddie described. Everything was made from lumber and it smelled strongly of polish and pine and oil. Testosterone in a bottle. There were rows and rows of clothing displays - hunting jackets, cargo pants, heavy work boots - as well as all the hunting and fishing equipment you could ever need. Behind the (again wooden) counters the guns and knives were locked away side by side in glass cabinets, and she thought they looked intimidating and scary. 

They let Steve take the lead inside. He seemed in his element and casually reeled off all the things they would need. He asked her and Dustin to go pick out some of the heavy duty coats and boots so Chrissy found herself ambling down the aisles with a heavily laden basket. She picked out a few things she thought might be helpful. She almost kissed Dustin on the cheek when he spotted a padded jacket he thought she might like (“There’s no pink, but it’s got little dots like your dress?”). It was so unbelievably cute that she thanked him and put it straight into the basket. They actually started having some fun picking bits out together (Dustin was going full Rambo with his own choices) - and inevitably their laughter started to draw stares. 

Not at Dustin though. At her. 

There were a few men openly staring at her now and she tried to ignore it like she always did when she drew unwanted attention. “Thank the heavens for that summer dress,” a man nearby drawled. He looked about the same age as her father. Maybe even older. “What’s a sweet girl like you doing here?”

She could hear Robin’s voice in her mind saying ‘buying a deadly weapon, dipshit, what’s it look like?’

Chrissy remained silent though. She knew that if she responded it would encourage them. It was a lesson that had been drummed into her ever since middle school. Don’t respond. Don’t be a tease. Don’t lead them on. Another voice behind her piped up. “Want a date, honey? Ditch the kid and come back to my van, eh? We can have ourselves a little party.” 

Dustin looked angry but was clearly out of his element and unsure how to best handle this sort of thing. “Let’s go back to Steve and Eddie, Chrissy. We’ve got enough stuff,” he said instead. His trust in the older guys seemed unshakeable. 

“Sure thing, Dustin. Everything’s cool, okay? Just ignore them.” 

They walked back over to the counter and waited. Steve was signing some paperwork and had four guns lined up on the counter in front of them. Chrissy stood as close to Steve’s side as she could and hoped that maybe those men would assume he was her boyfriend and leave her alone. They certainly looked like they could be a couple with their preppy clothes and looks. 

She saw Dustin whispering something into Eddie’s ear just as someone said loudly, “Want to come hold my gun, babe? I’ll let you polish it. Might even go off.” His friends seemed to think this was real funny because they began cracking up. 

Steve and Eddie heard that. She felt herself blush. “Sorry about this. Don’t worry, they’ll wind down in a little bit. Let’s just finish up and go…” 

“You can polish both our guns at the same time!”

“Shit,” Steve muttered. He was flushed too and she felt awful. “Sorry, Chriss. Just paying now. Won’t be long…Hey, can we speed this up please?”

She pressed closer to his side. Chrissy had this trick during times like this where she would try and physically make herself very small as a way of trying to hide. Her shoulders were already turning inwards and she crossed her arms over her chest. She tried to focus on what Steve was saying to the cashier but it was drowned out by a roaring noise in her ears. She wished Dustin would stop whispering to Eddie. She wished they would stop looking at her. 

But then someone brushed up close against her back. She felt a lingering hand on her hip. Her ass. She couldn’t stop herself from squeezing her eyes shut and grimacing. 

Here would be the part where someone should step in or where Chrissy finally told this jerk to get the fuck away from her (maybe even a tall body shielding her with his own, a gentle hand guiding her away) but this was 80’s Indiana and that shit didn’t happen just yet. The ideas of what to do when your customer or friend was being fucking manhandled in public just weren’t invented yet - and she could see her friends were pissed off but they hung back because they didn’t have the fucking right to get involved, you know? They weren’t her boyfriends or father or brother, they weren’t her. If she asked them to punch this guy's lights out they would in a heartbeat (and Eddie and Steve looked like they were gunning for it) but she didn’t. Chrissy just clenched her jaw and took it. 

They paid and left, and as soon as she slid onto the backseat she pushed on Rick’s sunglasses and stared out the window. She could feel the guys glancing at her (worried, angry, guilty) but they were following her lead and giving her some space. They made it a few miles before Steve reached out and turned the heavy rock music back on. 

“Did that asshole hurt you, Chrissy?” Dustin said at last and because it was Dustin she answered honestly. 

“No. He just touched my leg and my…” She shuddered at the memory and seemed to shrink even further back into the seat. “I’m sorry you had to see it. I swear I didn’t say a word to any of them or smile or even look at them. I didn’t…”

“You don’t have to be sorry. You didn’t do anything wrong.” 

She could have told him about the lecture she got at church when one of the pastors touched her leg because she wore a dress that was one inch too short, but Dustin didn’t need to know about any of that crap. He was just a kid. “I should have just stayed in the car,” she sighed. 

“It’s just not…fair. You can’t just not exist, you know? I don’t know…it’s messed up.”

“Yeah, it is.”

He paused for such a long time that Chrissy thought he was done, but then he turned around properly and peered through the seats at her. “Chrissy? I’m sorry I didn’t…you know, defend you when that first creep said something. I didn’t know what to do and kind of freaked. Next time I’ll be better, though, I promise. I’ll look after you.” 

So this time Chrissy did lean forwards and press a kiss to his cheek. Dustin turned an alarming shade of red but he smiled. “You were perfect, Dustin. I promise. Never change, little guy, okay?”

She felt tears spring to her eyes so once again turned her head to the window. 

She didn’t notice Eddie pat Dustin on the shoulder. Or Steve messing up his hair. 

**

When they got back to Rick’s it was way past lunchtime but Nancy had left them some cheese sandwiches in the fridge. Chrissy took hers outside to eat in the back garden, along with a book she borrowed from Dustin. “Keep the door open though, yeah?” Steve had called. She promised she would. 

She dragged one of the wooden chairs from the circle towards the dock in what she considered was a perfect spot by the lake edge. Here she would be able to enjoy the last of the day’s sunshine and hear the gentle flow of the river in peace. She’d even borrowed one of Rick’s floppy fishing hats so the sun wouldn’t burn her nose again (poor Rick - she might as well try on his boots next). She’d thought about sitting in this spot last night - this morning - when she was out here sharing that joint with Eddie and thought it would be such a sweet place to relax and unwind. It was so quiet here. 

It was quiet back in the house too. Nancy and Robin were spending the afternoon researching the Creel family in the library archives and had taken Steve’s car. The others seemed happy enough to admire their new cache of weapons and gear and Steve was trying to get the TV to work so he could watch a sports game. 

There wasn’t much for Chrissy to do this afternoon except to stay quiet and not draw any more trouble. 

She could still feel those prickling eyes on her face and body and hear those vile comments at the War Zone. The laughter. They’d found it funny to make her uncomfortable and humiliate her. Like it was a game. And why hadn’t she spoken up? Why not answer like Robin or Max or Nancy might have? No, she’d just tried to ignore it and wait it out like a storm. Hadn’t she already made the decision not to end up like her parents? To challenge Jason? To stand up, to say something, to shout and make some fucking noise. She was off to a crap start. 

Christ, she was so weak. She couldn’t even go to a store with her friends without stirring up some kind of mess. She thought about Dustin’s helplessness when it first started to happen and Steve’s sympathetic (pitying, her dad’s voice corrected) smiles in the car after. She’d upset Eddie again. She should have just stayed in the damn car. 

She couldn’t focus on the book in her hands or even the sunshine. Everything suddenly felt so cold and dark. She hurled her sandwich into the lake. 

She made a noise that sounded like a whimper. Fuck fuck fuck. 

And just as she fell to her lowest - it happened. 

It started with a dark shape emerging beneath the surface of the lake. It was big - maybe the same size as a person - and way too big to be an eel or a fish. Maybe it was a body? Chrissy was suddenly standing and she peered over the edge and saw it was starting to move towards her. She stepped back (not noticing that the chair was no longer behind her). She began rubbing her eyes. She’d heard about people cracking up from stress and exhaustion. Maybe it was finally her time?

But then the ticking started and it filled her belly with an icy cold horror. Tick. Tick. Tick. 

She suddenly knew that whatever that thing in the water was, it was not something good and it was going to hurt her. She did not want that thing to come any closer! 

But it did. The top of its head broke the surface and she saw grey slimy flesh…

“No…” she moaned. “You’re not real. This isn’t real.”

Like a nightmare, Vecna’s face emerged inch by inch as he drew closer. His black lifeless eyes were staring at her and when she flinched back, he smiled. His teeth (black and sharp like fangs) twisted into a terrifying grin. “Chrissy…” he seemed to sing her name like it was a verse or a melody. “It’s time Chrissy.”

Chrissy shook her head as she took another step away from the water’s edge. She turned to run back to the house (to her friends and safety) but it was no longer daytime. Dark smoke caged her senses and the grass beneath her bare feet turned now to ash and soot. The smoke flooded her nose and mouth and she gagged on it. The sickening taste of death clawed at her throat making her eyes water. 

“You’ve been so clever trying to run away from me, Chrissy, but you knew I’d come back to claim you. You always knew, didn’t you? In the back of your mind. You knew that we needed each other. Poor Chrissy. You’re so tired, aren’t you? So exhausted. Let me help you…”

She couldn’t see the house or the dock or anything. Everything was so dark. 

“You don’t want to help me,” she cried. “You want to murder me.”

“No. I want to help you become something bigger than yourself. Something incredible and exciting. Chrissy…come to me. You’re so good at doing exactly what you’re told. Come to me now.”

He was rising out of the water and then - as sudden as a blink - he was standing before her, tall and threatening. She stumbled back against something hard and knew she could not run away. She felt her legs buckle beneath her and she fell to her knees. 

She was crying. She was terrified. “I don’t want to die. Please. I don’t want to die.” 

“Can you really call your miserable little existence living?” he asked cruelly. He bowed and curled one of his long fingers beneath her chin and forced her to look up at him. “You who are utterly without love. Not even for yourself. It is kinder to put you out of this misery, Chrissy. Believe me, you know that there’s nothing in this world for you. It won’t make the slightest bit of difference if you are alive or dead.”

His words seemed to pierce her heart like ice. Was he right? 

“You have a weapon - a gun - hidden upstairs. You’ve kept it so secret and safe but why do you have it, really? You and I both know why. You know that there will come a day when you finally snap and you want it all to end..”

“Oh god…” 

She couldn’t look away from his piercing eyes. He was cradling her face now and scratched his claws down her cheeks, tearing at her flesh. She felt no pain though. She was completely in his thrall. 

“Come with me….” 

“I…” 

Chrissy!

Someone was screaming her name, but no that was impossible. It was just her and Vecna and Vecna was going to murder her. 

But then there was music. Such loud ringing music that it seemed to shake the foundations of the world around her and flood it with a bright gold light. Its sparks gathered by the red vines twisted around her limbs (when had that happened) and seemed to rip them away. 

We are young

Heartache to heartache

We stand

No promises, no demands

Love is a battlefield

She remembered the first time she heard this song. One of her friends played it during cheer drills and they laughed themselves silly dancing along to it. She’d bought a tape herself and listened to it secretly at home using her headphones. 

We are strong

No one can tell us we're wrong

Searching our hearts for so long

And then she saw a swirling white light just behind Vecna. At the edge of the lake. Just like when Eddie saved her last time. 

Chrissy! That was Eddie’s voice calling her name. That sounded better than any cheering crowd, any morning birdsong, any fucking power ballad. 

She knew what she needed to do if she wanted to fight this but she didn’t know if she had the strength. Then she thought about Max telling her she belonged in the group. She thought about Nancy who was brilliant and badass and kept guns under her bed, and Lucas who was an athlete but also a total nerd. She thought about Steve who was a fucking hero and Robin who might be a timetraveller and who she wanted drink wine coolers with. She thought about Dustin who promised he’d fight for her even when he was scared. She thought about Eddie and the way he made her laugh in the woods and how he was hanging on by a fucking thread now because of Vecna. She owed it to Eddie to fight this. 

Vecna suddenly became those rednecks back at the War Zone with their creepy entitled eyes. He became her mom. Her dad. He became Jason and the way he and the team bullied the freshmen kids. He was a fucking asshole. 

She got to her feet with a whimper. 

Both of us knowing

Love is a battlefield

Chrissy! 

“LEAVE ME ALONE!”

She screamed and kicked Vecna right in the chest. All those years of cheerleading drills had made the muscles in her legs strong and the strength of that kick was just enough to surprise Vecna and give her a split second advantage. She ran towards the white light.

She jumped. 

–

And then she was underwater. She was being pulled down to the bottom of the lake and her lungs were empty and she was screaming but she had no voice. 

She couldn’t believe that this might be the end after all. Not when she’d jumped into that bright white light wanting to live and come home. 

But then hands were grasping hold of her and pulling her away from the darkness and up towards the surface. More hands dragged her out of the water and she sank, shivering and cold, onto the grass of the riverbank. She felt warm lips against her mouth and then she was choking and then she tasted gloriously sweet air. She gulped it down greedily and let it fill her lungs. The world seemed to clear and settle around her. 

It took a moment for her senses to catch up but when they finally did she could feel everything. She could hear someone crying and people shouting in hurried frantic voices. She could feel the way her lungs ached as her chest rose and fell. She could smell the coppery tang of blood. 

Her dress was clinging to her body like a second skin and she felt so achingly cold but she was alive. That was all that mattered. 

She opened her eyes and Eddie’s face was all she saw. He was kneeling in front of her, his hands still gripping her wrists, and he had tears running down his cheeks. He was soaking wet too. Chrissy raised a thumb and wiped at his cheek gently. 

“Are you here, Chrissy?” he was asking over and over. “Are you back with me?” 

“I’m here. Eddie, I’m here.”

He crushed her to his chest and she let him. Burying her face into the crook of his neck, she let her own tears come and she wept and wept. She let out every single tear and drop of fear into Eddie’s strong shoulder. His arms were tight around her back but she wanted the weight. It made her feel held. 

She might have cried for hours (it wouldn’t have mattered).

“Eddie? I need to look at her cheeks, man.”

Her cheek? She felt Eddie release her slowly and then Steve (also wet and shivering) was there inspecting her face. He was trying hard to keep calm so he could focus on whatever it was he was doing, but when she caught his eye he broke into a proud grin. “Hi Chrissy. Welcome back to Earth.”

“I can smell blood. Is it mine?” It was easier to breathe now. The smoke and ash and water were no longer in her lungs and throat. 

“You were floating in the air above the water,” it was Max speaking now. Chrissy’s gaze came to rest over Eddie’s shoulder and she saw Max and Lucas watching her closely. Max’s face was as white as a ghost. Dustin was kneeling at their side beaming though. All of these wonderful human beings who she had heard in her vision. Who brought her back. “And then your cheeks just slashed open. Like you were scratched either side by invisible claws. Was it Vecna?” 

“Yeah. I think so. I remember…he came out of the lake,” she murmured. She glanced back at the lake now and saw that it was still and calm. It looked beautiful again. “I knew I was having a vision but couldn’t stop it.”

Steve cleaned her up while she told them everything that happened. 

“...Then I heard my name…and I heard music…my favourite song. It made a bright light appear. As soon as I saw that I knew it was my way home.”

“It was Eddie’s idea!” Dustin said proudly. “He saw you from the window and grabbed Max’s walkman. He managed to cram the headphones over your ears just before you started floating up…but I guess it’s in the lake now though.”

“I’m just glad I had Pat Bentar on there,” Max mumbled.

Chrissy didn’t want to think about ‘what if’s’ right now. Instead she looked back at Eddie. His hands were still holding her waist. “How did you know that was my favourite? You’ve never asked.”

“Didn’t need to. You humm it sometimes.”

Chrissy smiled. She began to cry. 

She let Steve finish cleaning her wounds while Lucas grabbed them all warm blankets. Steve told her she had two large jagged scratches on either side of her face, running from the tips of her lips all the way to her eyes. “They aren’t deep enough to need stitches but I’ll get you something for the pain. I don’t think they’ll scar…” 

Chrissy found she didn’t care. She might’ve once. She was just thankful Vecna missed her eyes. 

“I can't believe you kicked Vecna,” Dustin was saying. “That’s so fucking cool.”

“Very metal,” Eddie agreed quietly. 

Eddie was still watching her closely. It was like he didn’t quite believe it was over and she wouldn’t start floating away again. She watched as two faint red patches started forming on his cheeks. It was like he was just now realising how close they were. 

“I need to sit down. Can I…?”

Steve immediately suggested she go upstairs to lay down on the bed but instead she asked them to help her back into the wooden chair she’d positioned so carefully before her vision. She wanted to stay outside and sit in the last remnants of the day’s sunshine. The sun would be starting to set soon and she wanted most of all in the world to sit out here on Rick’s dock and watch it. Like he did. She didn’t want to give Vecna the satisfaction of sending her to bed and having her miss out on something she damn wanted. “Can I have some alone time?” she asked. “I just want to…sit here.”

“I don’t think you should be left alone…” Max started but Eddie spoke up. 

“I’ll stay,” he said quietly. 

The others went back inside (though Steve brought her out the much-appreciated pain medication). Her hands were trembling too badly to take it alone so he helped her. She thanked him gratefully. 

“You’re one of the team now,” he said. “We look after our own. Eddie, bring her in if she starts turning blue, okay? Doc’s orders.” 

Chrissy sighed and she lay back in the chair. Her mind was swimming with Vecna and his soft velvety voice. He’d said he wanted her purposefully because she needed him to end her long drawn-out suffering. The most tragic and clever thing, she realised, was that his words had been sprinkled with seeds of truth. She was everything he’d said. He’d looked into her heart and only held up the cracked mirror. 

Chrissy was sad. She’d been sad for a long time. But did she really not want to be here anymore? Chrissy looked out towards the lake. The blue sky was gradually fading into pink. 

“Eddie?” she said softly. 

“I’m here.”

“Will you sit with me?”

She heard the sound of scraping wood as Eddie pulled over one of the chairs next to hers on the dock. He even readjusted the blanket around her shoulders before sitting down even though she was capable of doing it alone. It was just her face (and heart) that ached. 

They stared at one another, sizing each other up almost. She noticed for the first time that his eyes weren’t entirely brown. They had little flecks of gold in them too. She���d never thought of Eddie as pretty before but she did now. 

“So you jumped in the lake for me?”

“Didn’t even hesitate,” Eddie chuckled. “You can thank Steve for the lip service though. He just loves to be the hero and save the girl.” 

Chrissy was so tired but she didn’t dare close her eyes in case she fell asleep. She was happy sitting here on the dock with Eddie. She lifted her feet and curled them up beneath the blanket. 

“I thought I was a goner. Again. I almost gave up,” she said. “I know that’s such a pathetic thing to admit but when Vecna told me about wanting to put me out of my misery, a tiny part of me wanted to believe him. He knew about me being unhappy and sad all the time. Knew that I was shutting down inside, you know? He told me it wouldn’t make any difference to the world if I was alive or dead and I let myself believe him. Does that make me stupid?”

She saw Eddie swallow. “Look, I’m not gunna’ sit here and pretend to know what your life is like because I was dead wrong before. I know now it’s been… tough… and that asshole Vecna used that to try and manipulate you. But, Chrissy, it didn’t work. You chose to come back and you kicked him like some cheerleader warrior. It probably won’t mean much, but I’m fucking proud of you, kid.” 

Chrissy smiled despite herself. “As I live and breathe, scary Eddie Munson acknowledging cheerleaders might not just be some dumb stereotype. You’ve dropped Cunningham too. It sounds nice.”

“No turning back now. It felt like such a trip when you called me Munson during breakfast. Even if I totally deserved it.”

“You didn’t.” 

“No, I did. I was a complete asshole. Chrissy, look, I know you’ve been through a lot today and the kindest thing would be to leave you alone, but can you stay awake just a little longer to hear my shitty apology? After that I’ll give you some space or carry you up to bed or…whatever you want.”

“You don’t need to -”

“I do. Please. I need to apologise for everything. For the way I’ve been avoiding you and for every fucking crappy thing I said to you this morning. I would take it all back in a heartbeat because every word was total bullshit, Chrissy. I didn’t mean any of it. I was so angry and scared and worried and pathetic… and you were right when you called me out on it because I was taking it out on you.”

“But why me? Because I ran away?”

“No, Chrissy, please listen…” He moved his chair so close that his leg brushed against her knee. “It wasn’t anything you did or didn’t do, okay? You’ve been so fucking spectacular. The way you’ve been caring for everyone and helping out. It’s just…in my fucked up brain…every time I look at you I think of that Fred kid - but I see you like that and it just breaks me. Every time you flinch at the name Vecna or touch your jaw I die a little bit inside. I feel so guilty and scared that it could have so easily have been you. I still can’t believe tonight…seeing you floating like that above the water and seeing the blood when that fucker cut into your face…God, if Max hadn't had that stupid song on her walkman... Chrissy, I can’t deal with the thought of…you dying.”

Eddie had closed his eyes but when Chrissy lightly touched the back of his hand they flew open. 

“Eddie, I’m right here. I’m alright. Look at my neck. My wrists. My jaw. I’m not broken. Look at my eyes. I’m here.” 

She shrugged down her warm blanket and held out her arms, bared her neck, lifted her chin. She let him trace his fingers along her skin, reassuring himself that yes she was smooth. She was whole. His eyes searched her greedily. She might have found the idea of letting Eddie Munson do this to her odd once but now it only made her feel safe. 

Then his eyes came to rest on her face, on the deep scratches. “Steve’s done a good job and I don’t think they’ll leave any punk scars. We’ll have to think of an excuse for your folks though…and Jason. If I’d only put that music on sooner…”

“The important thing is you did. It was quick thinking.”

She let him trace his fingers over her face too. She could see it helped clear away some of the tightness on his face. 

“When I looked out the window and saw you go still…I’ve never felt so fucking scared, Chriss. And the last time in my trailer? I was so freaked out I nearly ran out of there myself. I thought I was used to horror and gore and monsters, but that was all pretend before. I don’t know jack shit about any of this or how I can help, and maybe I’m a coward but I think that just added to whatever sizable chip I’ve got growing on my shoulder right now. When I saw you again at the Wheeler’s you thanked me, Chrissy, and kept looking at me like I was some hero like Steve and I knew I wasn’t. You’re still looking at me like it even now…it’s like, what the fuck can I do?”

“But Eddie, don’t you remember that Twain quote in English class? About courage being resistance to fear? We had a test about him.” 

“You know I’m failing English, Chrissy.”

“Well that’s what he said. The fact is you’ve saved me three times now. Twice from Vecna and once from drowning, and you’ve been scared the whole time. I think that’s pretty courageous,” she added with a small smile. “So I do get to call you a hero. That’s my prerogative as the  crappy damsel.” 

Eddie’s lips twitched into a smile and it looked like he was blushing. 

“Well maybe I’m okay when Vecna comes calling… but I was too much of a coward to face you though. To give you what you wanted. What you needed…”

“What do you mean?” 

They were both still soaking wet although the blankets and sun were doing their damn best to dry them off. But when Eddie reached out and took her hand she felt like it was a summer day in July. He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. 

“By my count, we’ve shared two fucking terrifying moments together but instead of…I don’t know, bonding over it? Helping each other out?...I’ve been pushing you away like an asshole. I don’t know a damn about psychology or trauma or whatever…but what I do know is talking to you about it now feels really good. Like some of my damage has mended and I can breathe a little easier. That’s got to be a good thing, right?” he said. “So let me finally step up and be here for you. I want to. I want to hear everything that’s going on with you. No frills. No bullshit... Lay it on me, Chrissy. Please.” 

Chrissy met his eyes and saw such honest sincerity and warmth there she thought she might start crying again. He was putting down his shield and offering her his friendship and she wanted to take it so badly. 

This wasn’t an olive branch or a sledgehammer - this was a flamethrower - and they would burn the metaphoric wall down to the ground. Together. 

So Chrissy told him everything. She told him about her life before her visions - about cheerleading and her shitty parents and her miserable anxieties about food. She told him about Jason and how she was pretty sure she was going to break up with him because she hated bullies and didn’t want babies and a house and to be ignored for the rest of her life. She even told him about the incident at church and how it made her hate her body but at the same time she wanted to buy fucking silk pajamas too because she knew they would feel nice. She told him about college and how she wanted to take a year off and see some of the world. She was sure she’d love California and Rome and maybe even England so she could visit some real life castles. 

She told him about her first vision and why she’d come to him for drugs and about how crap she still felt about running away from him. She told him about this vision. About how Vecna made her feel so worthless and weak. She told him about the gun she had upstairs (this was the only time he interrupted her to say gently they would get it later and store it with the other weapons so it was safe). She told him about how much she liked her new friends and how thinking about them helped her find the strength to get away from Vecna. 

Eddie listened to it all and seemed to be drinking it in. With every word she felt a coil inside her begin to unwind a little. It was just like he said before about feeling mended. Like he was switching her up. 

“...And I thought about you,” Chrissy admitted at long last. “How I owed it to you to come back and be here for you. I didn’t want to leave you alone again.”

Eddie had tears in his eyes and so did she. 

“You weren’t totally wrong about me this morning. I have been ignoring some of the crap that goes on at school,” she admitted. He looked like he wanted to interrupt but she kept going. “I didn’t know how rough things were for you guys, but that’s no excuse now. I promise I’ll help from now on. No one should be treated that way.”

“Chrissy Cunningham, defender of the downtrodden misfits and freaks. Atta’ girl,” Eddie smiled. “But you don’t deserve to be treated that way either, you know? Not to be a dick again, I swear, but you kind of let people walk over you sometimes and you seriously don’t deserve it. You’re so cool and smart and really talented. You…you’re the real deal. You should own it.”

“…I’ll try.”

Loving oneselves was not easy and Chrissy had spent years putting herself down, but she knew Eddie was right and she should exercise more self-love like Ms Kelley said. She should try, at least. Baby steps. 

Behind them the sun was setting behind the trees and the sky was a colour palette of pink, yellow, and orange hues. She lay back against her chair and she let her eyes flutter close for just a minute. She could almost purr she felt so content right now. 

“The next day at the hour of sunset Aragorn walked alone in the woods, and his heart was high within him; and he sang, for he was full of hope and the world was fair…”

“Is that from…?” Chrissy clumsily scooped up Dustin’s book from where she must have dropped it before her vision. On seeing the cover, Eddie grinned and she found herself grinning back just as wide, though she didn’t know why they were both so happy. Eddie took it from her gently, seeing that she was at risk of dropping it again in her tiredness. 

“Same author but different book. If you like The Hobbit you can borrow my copy of Rings after. I promise you’ll love it. That’s a Munson guarantee.” 

“I’d really like that, Eddie.”

“And I’ll try and read Little Women…are they actually tiny women or…?”

Chrissy found herself giggling softly. “Maybe we can talk about them together? Start our own private ‘End of the World’ book club. I’d like to hear more about D&D too and what it all means. Maybe even watch a game sometime…if that’s okay?”

“It’s a deal.”

Chrissy found her eyes once again closing and she yawned. She thought she could sleep for a thousand years. She snuggled down further into her blanket. 

“Sleep Chrissy. We’ll be here when you wake up.”

She liked the sound of that. Her friends. Nancy and Robin would be home soon too. 

“Eddie?” she mumbled sleepily. 

“Mm?”

“So you really don’t hate me?”

“No way. Not possible.” 

“Can we…can we be friends? I’d really like to be your friend.”

There was a little pause and she just about heard him clear his throat. 

“Best of friends, Chriss. Best buddies.”

And her heart sang. 

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

A/N:

Annnnnnd we're done folks. Chrissy and Eddie can now look to the future and kick some Vecna butt as team mates (the best team mates). A few notes:

- Firstly, thank you so much for reading this crazy mess. I promise to go back at some point and edit and cut that word count down - but I'm already up to my eyeballs with others ideas for the two (maybe taking place in the same series as this one?) - I wanted to leave it as them friends but it's pretty clear they are going to be something more, you know? Plenty of hints scattered in that Eddie is crazy about Chrissy and she's starting to notice him too. - Eddie IS crazy about Chrissy throughout this fic though he might not feel like he can show it (she has Jason remember and as far as Eddie knows they're a couple couple until she admits it at the end). He's not treading on any toes. - Lyrics are from 'Master of Puppets' and 'Love Is a Battlefield'. I saw an interview where Chrissy's actor mentions this would be the song to pull Chrissy out. - Yeah the men at the War Zone suck balls, but it's something we read about every day right? I'd like to say things are better but fuck that. Make noise, people. I actually wrote Eddie stepping in and guiding her out initially (with Chrissy under his arm naturally) but it just didn't feel right. You can bet that both he and Steve wanted to kick ass though and Eddie was gritting his fucking teeth. - I love Dustin and Chrissy moments. I also love Steve and Chrissy moments. - Yeah sorry Steve gave her mouth to mouth because he actually knows what he's doing - being a lifeguard and all - but Eddie was first in the water. Steve helped pull her out. - The Rings quote Eddie says '...The next day at the hour of sunset Aragorn walked alone in the woods, and his heart was high within him; and he sang, for he was full of hope and the world was fair…” is about a sunset, yes, but also before Aragon meets the love of his fucking life and thinks he's stumbled into a dream. Nice work, Eddie, lay those seeds.

Love to you all - Hellcheer forever.

[kolibriusa01]

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Speed matters. Look for machines that offer at least 800-1,000 notes per minute. Higher-end models can go up to 1,200 notes per minute, which is ideal for high-volume businesses.

2. Denomination Recognition

Ensure the machine supports full denomination recognition for your specific currency. Not all bill counters are compatible with every currency, so verify before you purchase.

3. Counterfeit Detection

This is non-negotiable. The best mixed bill counter will have multiple counterfeit detection systems, including:

UV (Ultraviolet)

MG (Magnetic)

IR (Infrared)

Size Detection

4. Display and Interface

User-friendly interfaces make a big difference in daily operations. Look for machines with a clear LCD screen, intuitive controls, and multiple language options.

5. Batching and Sorting

Advanced models offer batching (grouping bills in specific quantities) and sorting (organizing by denomination or orientation). This is especially useful for preparing bank deposits.

6. Software and Connectivity

Some bill counters come with PC compatibility, allowing you to download reports or integrate with POS systems. If your business needs digital reporting, this is a critical feature.

Why Choose a Kolibri Mixed Bill Counter?

When narrowing down your options, one brand that frequently tops the list is the Kolibri Mixed Bill Counter. Known for its high reliability, user-friendly design, and advanced features, Kolibri offers several models to suit various business needs.

Key Benefits of Kolibri Mixed Bill Counters:

Advanced Counterfeit Detection: Kolibri machines use multiple sensors to ensure every bill is authentic.

Easy Operation: These counters are designed with simplicity in mind. Even first-time users can navigate the interface easily.

Versatility: Kolibri counters work with multiple currencies and are ideal for businesses of all sizes—from retail stores to financial institutions.

Durability: Built to last, Kolibri machines can handle high volumes without frequent maintenance.

If you’re planning to buy a mixed bill counter, the Kolibri Mixed Bill Counter should definitely be on your shortlist. The balance between price, performance, and reliability is what sets it apart from many competitors.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Choosing the best mixed bill counter isn't just about picking the most expensive model. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

1. Overpaying for Features You Don’t Need

Evaluate your business's actual requirements. A small boutique shop doesn’t need the same features as a high-volume casino.

2. Ignoring Customer Support and Warranty

Always choose a machine that comes with a solid warranty and reliable customer support. Things can go wrong, and you want peace of mind.

3. Not Considering Future Growth

If your business is growing, invest in a machine that can scale with you. It’s better to buy a slightly more advanced model now than to replace it a year later.

4. Skipping Reviews and Research

Before you buy, take time to read customer reviews and watch product demos. These insights are invaluable in understanding real-world performance.

Where to Buy Mixed Bill Counters

Once you've identified your needs and shortlisted the best options, it's time to make a purchase. Always buy from reputable suppliers, whether online or from a trusted distributor. Ensure they provide after-sale service and support.

Look for bundled deals that include additional accessories or extended warranties. And don’t forget to compare prices—you might find discounts or refurbished models that offer excellent value.

Final Thoughts

Investing in a Buy Mixed Bill Counter is a smart move for any business that handles cash regularly. It saves time, increases accuracy, and improves overall efficiency. But the key lies in making an informed decision.

To recap:

Look for key features like counterfeit detection, denomination recognition, and user-friendly controls.

Don’t overlook the importance of reliability and support.

Brands like Kolibri Mixed Bill Counter offer excellent performance at a competitive price.

Make sure the machine aligns with your current and future business needs.

Whether you're a small business owner or managing a high-volume retail operation, choosing the best mixed bill counter will pay dividends in time, accuracy, and peace of mind.

If you're ready to streamline your cash management, now is the perfect time to buy a mixed bill counter that matches your needs and budget. With the right machine, you’ll never have to worry about miscounted bills or counterfeit money again.

[mrsirobin]

Discover the Real Money Counting Machine Price in Bangladesh – Everything You Need to Know

In today’s fast-paced financial world, handling cash manually is no longer efficient. Whether you're a busy shop owner, a bank employee, or someone managing transactions daily, a Money Counting Machine can save you a lot of time and prevent errors. But how much does a money counter actually cost in Bangladesh? Let's explore the real Money Counting Machine price in Bangladesh, its key features, and why it’s a must-have for every business.

🔗 Click here to explore trusted machines

What is a Money Counting Machine?

A Money Counting Machine, often known as a Currency Counting Machine, is an electric device that counts stacks of cash automatically. With one push of a button, it can count hundreds or even thousands of notes within seconds. Some advanced models also include a fake note detector to identify counterfeit currency, making it even more secure.

Why is it Popular in Bangladesh?

In Bangladesh, many businesses still rely on cash payments. Supermarkets, pharmacies, restaurants, banks, and NGOs handle large amounts of cash every day. Manual counting is not only time-consuming but also prone to mistakes. A reliable Money Counter Machine can solve these problems.

Due to increasing demand, these machines have become more affordable, which has raised interest in learning about the Money Counting Machine price in bd.

Key Benefits of Using a Money Counting Machine

✅ 1. Save Valuable Time

Manual counting can take hours. A counting machine processes notes in seconds.

✅ 2. High Accuracy

With 99.99% precision, there's no room for counting errors.

✅ 3. Detect Counterfeit Notes

Modern machines have fake note detector features using UV (Ultraviolet), MG (Magnetic), and IR (Infrared) sensors.

✅ 4. Increase Security

Less human handling means fewer chances of fraud or internal theft.

✅ 5. Easy to Use

Just plug in the machine, place the cash, and press start. It's that simple.

Money Counting Machine Price in Bangladesh

Now let’s break down the real costs based on different types of machines available:

🔹 Basic Models: BDT 5,000 to 8,000 – Ideal for small shops. These models just count cash without any advanced detection.

🔹 Mid-Range Models: BDT 10,000 to 20,000 – These come with fake note detection, perfect for retail businesses and NGOs.

🔹 Advanced Models: BDT 25,000 to 45,000+ – These premium machines can sort notes by denomination, detect counterfeits, and provide detailed reports. Perfect for banks and corporate offices.

💡 Tip: Always buy from a reliable source. Nobarun BD offers trustworthy brands and local support.

Who Should Use a Currency Counting Machine?

🏪 Small Business Owners

Whether you're running a grocery store or a pharmacy, counting money fast and accurately is essential.

🏦 Bankers & Financial Institutions

Banks handle large volumes of cash and can’t afford counting mistakes. A Currency Counting Machine is standard equipment in all banks.

🧾 NGOs & Educational Institutes

Tuition fees, donations, and event funds can be managed better with a reliable machine.

🏛️ Government Offices

Departments dealing with tax collection, fines, and service charges use these for efficiency.

What to Look for Before Buying?

Here are some must-have features to consider when buying your machine:

✅ Counterfeit Detection: UV/MG/IR sensors are essential.

✅ Counting Speed: Aim for at least 900–1000 notes per minute.

✅ Batch Counting: Great for organizing cash in specific bundles.

✅ Noise Level: Choose low-noise models for quiet workspaces.

✅ Display: Clear LCD or touchscreen displays improve ease of use.

Commonly Used Related Keywords

When people look for these machines, they often use different names, such as:

Money Counting Machine price in bd

Money Counter Machine

Currency Counting Machine

Fake Note Detector

All of these refer to the same essential tool for cash management.

Real-Life Example

Let’s say you own a small pharmacy and deal with hundreds of cash payments every day. You and your staff spend an hour every night manually counting the day’s earnings. That’s 30 hours a month!

With a Money Counter Machine, you’ll finish in 5 minutes daily. That’s more than 28 hours saved each month, which can be spent on better customer service or growing your business.

Quick Comparison of Machine Types (Written Format for Tumblr)

🟩 Basic Model

Price: BDT 5,000–8,000

Features: Note counting only

Best For: Small businesses

🟨 Mid-Range Model

Price: BDT 10,000–20,000

Features: Fake note detection, batch counting

Best For: Retailers, NGOs

🟥 Advanced Model

Price: BDT 25,000–45,000

Features: Fake note detection, denomination sorting, reporting

Best For: Banks, large businesses

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Can a money counting machine detect fake currency? 👉 Yes, mid and high-end models come with UV, MG, and IR detection systems to spot counterfeit notes.

Q2: Is it worth buying for small shops? 👉 Definitely. Even small businesses benefit from saved time, reduced error, and increased reliability.

Q3: How long does a machine last? 👉 A good-quality machine can last for 5+ years with proper maintenance.

Q4: Where can I buy a genuine machine in Bangladesh? 👉 You can check out Nobarun BD’s trusted collection here.

Final Thoughts

Investing in a Money Counting Machine isn't just about convenience; it’s about smart business. The time you save, the accuracy you gain, and the added security make it an essential tool for anyone who deals with cash regularly.

With the rising demand in Bangladesh, now is the best time to explore the Money Counting Machine price in Bangladesh and pick one that fits your needs and budget. Whether you’re managing a small business or working in a high-volume cash environment, this machine will prove to be one of your best investments.🔗 Get yours today from Nobarun BD

[hannahciara]

Top 5 Benefits of Using a Coin Separator for Your Business

Efficient cash handling is crucial for businesses that deal with a high volume of coins daily. From laundromats to arcades, coin-heavy operations can save time, reduce errors, and streamline processes by investing in a coin separator. Here are the top 5 benefits of using a coin separator for your business, brought to you by Lynde Ordway, Huntington Beach’s trusted supplier of high-quality cash handling solutions.

1. Save Time with Automated Sorting

Manually sorting coins is time-consuming and tedious. An automatic coin sorter can handle the job in a fraction of the time, allowing your staff to focus on other important tasks. Whether you run a car wash, vending business, or arcade, the efficiency of a coin separator will significantly improve productivity.

2. Increase Accuracy and Reduce Errors

Human error is inevitable, especially during busy hours. A coin separator machine ensures precision in sorting and counting coins by denomination, minimizing mistakes and discrepancies. This accuracy boosts confidence in your financial reporting and cash management.

3. Enhance Employee Efficiency

By automating the coin sorting process, your employees can redirect their efforts to customer service, inventory management, or other revenue-generating activities. Improved efficiency leads to higher satisfaction for both employees and customers.

4. Improve Security and Cash Management

Handling large volumes of coins manually can increase the risk of theft or mismanagement. A coin sorting equipment system enhances security by providing accurate counts and records, ensuring accountability and reducing cash shrinkage.

5. Cost Savings in the Long Run

Investing in an automatic coin sorter can seem like a significant expense initially, but the long-term savings in labor costs, error reduction, and improved efficiency quickly offset the cost. Businesses that rely heavily on coin transactions see substantial ROI over time.

Why Choose Lynde Ordway for Coin Sorting Solutions?

Based in Huntington Beach, Lynde Ordway offers reliable and durable coin handling equipment tailored to your business needs. Our machines are built for accuracy, speed, and ease of use, ensuring seamless cash management.

FAQs About Coin Separators

Q1. What types of businesses benefit from coin sorting equipment? A: Businesses like laundromats, arcades, car washes, vending machine operators, and retail stores benefit the most from using a coin separator machine.

Q2. How does an automatic coin sorter work? A: The machine uses sensors and sorting mechanisms to separate coins by size, weight, or denomination, providing an accurate count for each category.

Q3. Can coin separators handle foreign currencies? A: Some advanced models can handle multiple currencies. Contact Lynde Ordway to learn about models that suit your specific needs.

Q4. How do I maintain my coin sorting equipment? A: Regular cleaning, proper use, and occasional professional servicing ensure the longevity and efficiency of your coin separator machine.

Q5. Where can I purchase a reliable coin sorter in Huntington Beach? A: Lynde Ordway offers a range of top-notch coin sorting solutions. Visit us or explore our products online to find the perfect machine for your business.

For businesses in Huntington Beach and beyond, an automatic coin sorter is an investment in efficiency, accuracy, and security. Let Lynde Ordway help you find the right coin handling solution for your needs. Contact us today to learn more!

automaticcoinsorter coinseparatormachine

[stanislausg]

Effortless Cash Handling & Peace of Mind: The N70 Review

Tired of the tedious task of manually counting cash and worrying about counterfeits? Say goodbye to counting headaches and hello to seamless cash management! Dive into our comprehensive review of the N70 Mixed Denomination Money Counter – the smart solution designed to streamline your business's cash handling, detect fakes with laser precision, and give you back precious time. Is this the ultimate cash counting companion? Let's find out!

Pros:

Efficient Mixed Denomination Counting: This machine automatically recognizes and counts bills of different denominations simultaneously, providing a total value and a breakdown of the quantity and value for each denomination. This significantly saves time compared to manual sorting and counting.

Accurate Counterfeit Detection: Equipped with UV, MG, IR, and MT counterfeit detection methods, along with dimensional detection, it offers robust protection against fake currency. It alerts users with a red screen and an alarm upon detecting suspicious bills.

User-Friendly Interface: A 3.5" TFT LCD display, along with optional side and external displays, provides clear visibility of counting results from multiple angles. Some models also include voice settings for added convenience.

Fast and Smooth Counting: Utilizes advanced roller technology to minimize jams and can count up to 1,200 bills per minute.

Multiple Counting Modes: Offers various modes like Mixed Denomination Counting (MDC), Single Denomination Counting (SDC), Count the Number (CNT), Batch, and Add functions to cater to different counting needs.

Multi-Currency Support: Some versions support multiple currencies, including USD, EUR, MXN, CAD, and GBP, making it suitable for businesses dealing with international currencies.

Printer Enabled: Certain models are printer-enabled, allowing for easy printing of counting results for record-keeping.

Durable Construction: Users have reported the machine to be robust and capable of withstanding minor accidents.

Software Updates: Lifetime software upgrades are often available to support new currency versions.

Easy Maintenance: Designed for easy cleaning and maintenance to ensure continued efficiency.

Click Here 

to Learn More & Purchase.

Cons:

Requires Bills to Be Relatively Straight: The machine may face difficulties with very old, crumpled, or significantly damaged bills, potentially leading to miscounts or jams.

Instructions Could Be Clearer: Some users, particularly first-time users, might find the provided instructions lacking in clarity.

External Display May Be Unnecessary: The additional wired external display might not be useful for all users.

Not Suitable for Coins: This machine is designed for banknotes only and cannot count coins.

Potential for False Rejects: Some machines might incorrectly identify genuine bills as counterfeit, causing inconvenience.

Key Features:

Mixed Denomination Counting: Automatically counts and values mixed stacks of banknotes.

Value Counting: Provides the total monetary value of the counted bills.

Counterfeit Detection: Utilizes UV (Ultraviolet), MG (Magnetic), IR (Infrared), and MT (Magnetic Thread) sensors, along with dimensional analysis, to detect counterfeit currency.

3.5" TFT Display: Offers a clear and user-friendly interface for displaying counting results and machine status.

Multiple Displays: Some models include additional side screens and an external display for enhanced visibility.

Printer Compatibility: Allows connection to a thermal printer for printing detailed counting reports.

Multiple Counting Modes: Includes MDC, SDC, CNT, Batch, and Add modes.

Adjustable Counting Speed: Some models offer selectable counting speeds to suit different needs.

Batching Function: Enables counting bills in preset quantities.

Adding Function: Allows cumulative counting of multiple stacks of bills.

Automatic/Manual Start: Offers the flexibility to start counting automatically upon placing bills or manually.

Self-Diagnostic System: Can detect and display error codes for issues like paper jams or counterfeit detection.

Voice Setting: Some models provide voice prompts for different operations and modes.

Click Here 

to Learn More & Purchase.

Comparison with Other Products:

   When comparing the N70 with other mixed denomination money counters, several factors come into        play:

Counterfeit Detection Technology: Many competing machines also offer UV, MG, and IR detection. The N70's inclusion of MT detection provides an additional layer of security, which might not be standard on all models. Some high-end counters also incorporate CIS (Contact Image Sensor) technology for more detailed bill scanning and serial number recognition.

Counting Speed: The N70's speed of up to 1,200 bills per minute is competitive with many machines in its class. Some industrial-grade counters might offer even higher speeds.

Display and User Interface: The 3.5" TFT display is a common feature, offering better visual clarity than older LED displays. The inclusion of multiple displays on some N70 models can be a unique advantage for certain setups. Touchscreen interfaces are also found on some competing models, offering a more modern user experience.

Currency Support: The number of supported currencies varies among machines. If your business deals with a wide range of international currencies beyond the N70's standard offerings, you might need to look for a more specialized multi-currency counter.

Printer Integration: While some counters are printer-enabled, the type of printer and ease of integration can differ. Some machines have built-in printers, while others, like the N70, might require an external printer.

Software and Connectivity: Advanced models might offer PC connectivity for data export and analysis, which could be a crucial feature for businesses requiring detailed cash flow management. The N70 offers the option to upload count data via a serial cable in some versions.

Price: Mixed denomination counters generally cost more than single denomination counters. The N70's price point will depend on its specific features and the vendor. It's essential to compare prices and features across different brands and models to find the best value for your business needs.

Conclusion:

The N70 Mixed Denomination Money Counter Machine appears to be a capable and efficient tool for businesses that handle moderate to large volumes of cash with mixed denominations. Its key strengths lie in its mixed denomination counting capability, robust counterfeit detection, and user-friendly interface. The printer-enabled feature is a significant advantage for record-keeping.

However, potential buyers should be aware of its limitations with damaged bills and the need to sort bills to some extent for optimal performance. Comparing the specific features and price of the N70 with other mixed denomination counters in the market will help determine if it's the best fit for your business requirements. If your business prioritizes strong counterfeit detection and efficient mixed bill processing, the N70 is a strong contender.

Click Here 

to Learn More & Purchase.

[kajalsawant434]

Currency Sorter Market Overview: Trends and Forecasts

The currency sorter market has witnessed significant growth in recent years, driven by the increasing demand for efficient and secure cash management solutions across banks, retail chains, casinos, and financial institutions. With the rising volume of cash transactions in developing economies and the integration of advanced technologies, the market is expected to expand steadily over the forecast period.

Market Overview

Currency sorters, also known as currency counting machines or cash sorting machines, are designed to sort, count, and detect counterfeit notes. These machines improve operational efficiency and reduce human error in handling large volumes of currency. The global currency sorter market is segmented based on type, end-user, and region.

By Type: Small size, medium size, and large size

By End-User: Banks, retail, casinos, and others

By Region: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa

Key Market Trends

1. Automation in Banking Sector

The adoption of automation and digital banking solutions has significantly impacted the growth of the currency sorter market. Banks are investing in high-speed, multi-currency sorters that can handle complex tasks such as fitness sorting and counterfeit detection, enhancing the overall customer experience.

2. Growing Demand in Retail and Commercial Sectors

Retail businesses are increasingly implementing currency sorters to streamline their cash handling operations. The integration of these machines reduces labor costs and improves accuracy, particularly in high-volume environments like supermarkets and shopping malls.

3. Technological Advancements

The incorporation of AI and machine learning into currency sorters has enhanced their ability to detect fake notes and sort mixed denominations accurately. Touchscreen interfaces, remote monitoring, and connectivity features are also being added to modern machines, making them more user-friendly and efficient.

4. Focus on Counterfeit Detection

As counterfeit currency remains a persistent threat globally, the need for advanced detection capabilities has become a major driver in the market. Governments and regulatory bodies are mandating the use of certified machines, further propelling the demand for currency sorters.

Market Forecasts

The global currency sorter market size is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7–9% during the forecast period (2025–2030). Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate the market due to its large cash-based economy and growing investments in banking infrastructure, especially in countries like India and China.

North America: Driven by technological innovation and demand from casinos and retail

Europe: Stable growth with increasing focus on anti-counterfeit regulations

Asia-Pacific: Fastest-growing market due to high cash circulation and government initiatives for financial inclusion

Challenges and Opportunities

Challenges

High initial investment costs for advanced machines

Increasing adoption of digital payment methods

Maintenance and calibration of machines for accuracy

Opportunities

Emerging markets with cash-heavy economies

Development of portable and user-friendly devices

Expansion into small and medium enterprises (SMEs)

Conclusion

The currency sorter market is poised for continued expansion, fueled by technological innovation, demand for security in cash handling, and the ongoing need for automation in financial and retail sectors. Stakeholders in this industry are likely to benefit from strategic investments in R&D and regional expansion, especially in emerging economies.

As the global economy evolves and financial systems become more sophisticated, the importance of reliable and efficient currency sorting machines will remain critical in ensuring trust and operational excellence.

[notecountingmachine]

A note counting machine quickly counts large volumes of currency notes.

It ensures accuracy and saves time in cash handling operations.

Many machines also detect fake or damaged notes.

They are widely used in banks, retail shops, and offices.

Some models include features like batch counting and denomination sorting.

[businessindustry]

2032, Currency Count Machine Market Share, Trends by 2024-2032

The Reports and Insights, a leading market research company, has recently releases report titled “Currency Count Machine Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2024-2032.” The study provides a detailed analysis of the industry, including the global Currency Count Machine Market, size, trends, and growth forecasts. The report also includes competitor and regional analysis and highlights the latest advancements in the market.

Report Highlights:

How big is the Currency Count Machine Market?

The global currency counting machine market size reached US$ 230.2 million in 2023. Looking forward, Reports and Insights expects the market to reach US$ 360.1 million in 2032, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 5.1% during 2024-2032.

What are Currency Count Machine?

A currency counting machine is a specialized device designed to rapidly and accurately count large quantities of banknotes. It works by automatically sorting and counting bills as they move through its mechanism, often including features for detecting counterfeit notes and sorting by denomination. This technology enhances efficiency and minimizes errors compared to manual counting. Commonly used in banks, retail settings, and financial institutions, these machines may also offer additional functions such as batch counting, totaling, and report generation, making them vital for cash management and processing.

Request for a sample copy with detail analysis: https://www.reportsandinsights.com/sample-request/1960

What are the growth prospects and trends in the Currency Count Machine industry?

The currency counting machine market growth is driven by various factors and trends. The currency counting machine market is growing as the need for efficient and accurate cash management solutions rises across various industries. This growth is fueled by the demand for quicker processing and reduced errors in banks, retail stores, and financial institutions. Technological advancements, including improved counterfeit detection, enhanced bill sorting, and digital integration, are driving market expansion. Additionally, the increasing volume of cash transactions and the push for operational efficiency contribute to the market's development. Leading companies are investing in innovation and broadening their product lines to address the changing needs of customers and support ongoing market growth. Hence, all these factors contribute to currency counting machine market growth.

What is included in market segmentation?

The report has segmented the market into the following categories:

By Product Type:

Basic Currency Count Machines

Advanced Currency Count Machines

Mixed Bill Count Machines

High-capacity Currency Count Machines

Portable Currency Count Machines

Technology:

Optical Sensing Technology

Magnetic Sensing Technology

Ultraviolet (UV) Detection

Infrared (IR) Detection

Magnetic Ink (MG) Detection

End-user:

Banking Sector

Retail Sector

Commercial Sector

Gaming Sector

Hospitality Sector

Features:

Counterfeit Detection

Sorting and Batching

Value Counting

Fitness Sorting

Connectivity Options (USB, Ethernet, etc.)

Distribution Channel:

Online Retailers

Offline Retailers

Direct Sales

Distributors

Ownership Type:

Independent Ownership

Bank-owned

Capacity:

Low-capacity Machines

Medium-capacity Machines

High-capacity Machines

Sales Channel:

New Sales

Aftermarket Sales

Rental/Leasing

Price Range:

Low Range

Medium Range

High Range

Customer Type:

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

Large Enterprises

Application:

Cash Centers

Retail Stores

Banks

Casinos

Hotels

Counter Type:

Single Counter

Multi-Counter

Authentication Mode:

Manual Authentication

Automated Authentication

Industry Vertical:

Financial Services

Retail and E-commerce

Gaming and Entertainment

Hospitality and Tourism

Others

Market Positioning:

Entry-level/Basic Models

Mid-level Models

Premium/High-end Models

Segmentation By Region:

North America:

United States

Canada

Europe:

Germany

United Kingdom

France

Italy

Spain

Russia

Poland

BENELUX

NORDIC

Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific:

China

Japan

India

South Korea

ASEAN

Australia & New Zealand

Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America:

Brazil

Mexico

Argentina

Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa:

Saudi Arabia

South Africa

United Arab Emirates

Israel

Egypt

Rest of MEA

Who are the key players operating in the industry?

The report covers the major market players including:

Giesecke+Devrient

Glory Ltd.

Cummins Allison

Delarue

Cassida Corporation

Kisan Electronics

Laurel Bank Machines

Innovative Technology Ltd.

BCash Electronics

AccuBANKER

Billcon Corporation

Semacon

Klopp Coin Counter

Magner Corporation

Royal Sovereign International

View Full Report: https://www.reportsandinsights.com/report/Currency Count Machine-market

If you require any specific information that is not covered currently within the scope of the report, we will provide the same as a part of the customization.

About Us:

Reports and Insights consistently mееt international benchmarks in the market research industry and maintain a kееn focus on providing only the highest quality of reports and analysis outlooks across markets, industries, domains, sectors, and verticals. We have bееn catering to varying market nееds and do not compromise on quality and research efforts in our objective to deliver only the very best to our clients globally.

Our offerings include comprehensive market intelligence in the form of research reports, production cost reports, feasibility studies, and consulting services. Our team, which includes experienced researchers and analysts from various industries, is dedicated to providing high-quality data and insights to our clientele, ranging from small and medium businesses to Fortune 1000 corporations.

Contact Us:

Reports and Insights Business Research Pvt. Ltd. 1820 Avenue M, Brooklyn, NY, 11230, United States Contact No: +1-(347)-748-1518 Email: sales@reportsandinsights.com Website: https://www.reportsandinsights.com/ Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/report-and-insights/ Follow us on twitter: https://twitter.com/ReportsandInsi1

[cashcountingmachinebybankomat]

Technological Evolution of Currency Counters

The technological evolution of currency counters represents a fascinating journey of innovation, transforming from simple mechanical devices to sophisticated electronic systems that revolutionized cash management.

Early Beginnings

The first money counting machines emerged in the early 20th century, with initial developments focusing on mechanical coin counting. In the 1950s, the Japanese company (now Glory) developed the first coin counter, designed to simplify tasks for bank employees These early machines used a simple mechanism with a rotating inner disc that sorted coins by size, marking the initial step in automated cash counting.

Technological Milestones

First Generation Machines

The first cash counting machine, invented in China in 1958, was remarkable for its time. It was approximately the size of an office desk and featured:

An air pump

Suction nozzle

Counting shaft

Motor

This initial design allowed banknotes to be sucked up and counted individually, though the speed was extremely slow.

Bankomat Premium Cash counting machine

Electronic Advancements

By the mid-20th century, significant technological breakthroughs emerged:

Introduction of electronic components

Increased counting accuracy

Improved speed of cash processing

Batch counting capabilities

Size detection features

The 1980s marked a pivotal moment when computerized technology transformed currency counting. The REI High Speed machine, developed by the US Federal Reserve, could:

Count up to 72,000 notes per hour

Detect incorrectly positioned currency

Filter out worn or damaged bills

Automatically arrange currencies in 100-note blocks

Modern Capabilities

Contemporary currency counters have evolved to offer advanced features:

Counterfeit detection

Multi-currency processing

Damaged note identification

Precise sorting mechanisms

Integration with digital banking systems

Technological Innovations

Modern currency counters now incorporate sophisticated technologies:

Ultraviolet (UV) scanning

Magnetic (MG) detection

Infrared (IR) technology

Advanced optical sensors

AI-driven authentication systems

Future Outlook

The evolution of currency counters continues, with emerging trends pointing towards:

More compact designs

Enhanced AI-driven detection

Greater integration with digital financial systems

Improved energy efficiency

More precise authentication technologies

The journey from manual counting to advanced electronic systems demonstrates human innovation in financial technology, transforming how businesses and financial institutions manage cash.

[mrunalijadhav]

Currency Sorter Market Growth Drivers: Automation, Technology, and Efficiency Shaping the Industry

The currency sorter market has gained significant traction over the past few years, driven by a surge in demand for automation and precision in financial operations. Currency sorters are machines designed to quickly and accurately sort banknotes based on their denomination, authenticity, and quality. These devices have become crucial in financial institutions, retail businesses, and casinos, where large volumes of cash need to be processed efficiently. The market for currency sorters is expected to continue expanding as various factors drive growth and innovation in the industry. This article explores the key market drivers shaping the future of currency sorters.

1. Increased Demand for Automation

One of the primary drivers of the currency sorter market is the growing demand for automation in financial operations. As businesses strive to enhance operational efficiency and reduce human errors, the adoption of automated solutions like currency sorters has become a priority. With the ability to process large amounts of currency rapidly and accurately, these machines minimize the need for manual labor, which can be slow and error-prone. The automation trend is particularly evident in sectors such as banking, retail, and casinos, where cash handling is frequent and needs to be precise.

2. Need for Faster Cash Processing

With the rise in cash transactions worldwide, the need for faster cash processing systems has become critical. Currency sorters play a vital role in ensuring that banknotes are sorted in a matter of seconds, saving valuable time for businesses and financial institutions. By improving speed and efficiency, currency sorters enable organizations to handle high volumes of cash without disrupting daily operations. The speed at which currency sorters work also reduces the time spent on manual counting and checking, helping businesses save on labor costs.

3. Advancements in Technology

Technological advancements have significantly influenced the growth of the currency sorter market. The integration of features like counterfeit detection, quality assessment, and currency verification has made modern currency sorters more sophisticated and reliable. These advancements ensure that businesses can not only sort currency quickly but also maintain accuracy in detecting counterfeit notes. Furthermore, continuous improvements in sensor technology, artificial intelligence, and machine learning algorithms have enhanced the capabilities of currency sorters, driving their adoption across various sectors.

4. Expansion of the Retail Sector

As the retail sector continues to grow, the demand for currency sorters has surged. Retailers, especially large chains, handle significant amounts of cash daily, making manual sorting inefficient and costly. Currency sorters provide a practical solution by automating the sorting process, allowing retailers to reduce time spent on cash handling and increase overall efficiency. Additionally, with the increasing trend of cashless payments, many retailers are focusing on improving the efficiency of cash handling systems to balance their operations. This shift is expected to continue driving demand for currency sorters.

5. Rising Security Concerns

The need for enhanced security in cash management has been another significant driver for the currency sorter market. With increasing concerns about counterfeit currency and theft, businesses are seeking advanced solutions to protect their cash handling processes. Currency sorters are equipped with sophisticated security features, such as counterfeit detection mechanisms, which help identify fake banknotes and reduce the risk of financial losses. As security concerns continue to rise, the demand for reliable and secure currency sorting solutions is expected to grow.

6. Growth of Emerging Markets

Emerging markets, particularly in Asia-Pacific and Africa, are witnessing rapid economic growth, which is driving the demand for currency sorting machines. As these regions experience an increase in the volume of cash transactions due to rising populations and expanding economies, the need for efficient cash management systems becomes more critical. Currency sorters help businesses in these emerging markets meet the growing demand for fast and accurate cash handling while minimizing operational costs. Additionally, the increased adoption of digital currencies in these regions is further accelerating the need for automated currency sorting solutions.

7. Focus on Regulatory Compliance

In many countries, financial institutions and businesses must adhere to strict regulations regarding currency handling and cash management. Compliance with these regulations is crucial to avoid penalties and maintain smooth operations. Currency sorters aid businesses in meeting regulatory requirements by ensuring that the cash they handle is properly sorted and accounted for. This compliance-driven demand for efficient cash management systems is expected to propel the growth of the currency sorter market in the coming years.

Conclusion

The currency sorter market is poised for significant growth due to several key drivers, including the demand for automation, faster cash processing, technological advancements, and enhanced security features. As businesses across various sectors recognize the benefits of currency sorters in improving operational efficiency, minimizing errors, and ensuring regulatory compliance, the market is likely to continue expanding. The evolving needs of the retail sector, the growth of emerging markets, and increasing security concerns will also play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the currency sorter market.

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