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waywardxwords · 2 years ago

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Part Two

Summary: *Part 2 in the Highway to Hell series* While trying to wrap her head around her newfound role as a prophet, she finds herself connecting with the oldest Winchester brother. Word Count: 1,383 Warnings: Some light drinking, a little bit of cursing...nothing crazy!

INTRO | PART ONE

Castiel demanded that she stay the night with the boys. The uncertainty inside of her had been replaced with fear, and though she didn’t know these men (or the angel) from Adam, she somehow felt as though she could trust them. So, shockingly, staying the night at this stranger’s house brought her a weird peace of mind.

She stared at the ceiling as she contemplated the last twenty-four hours. Shadows of the tree branches just outside the windows danced across the ceiling.

“Can’t sleep?” A deep voice came from the doorway. Dean entered cautiously. He and Sam had decided to sleep in the bunker to give her some space and privacy.

Somehow she managed a smile and let out a soft laugh. “Guess I just have too much on my mind.”

Dean nodded. “Understandable,” he shoved his hands into his jean pockets and she took notice. The man must not own many clothes if he slept in jeans. If she understood his life correctly, she knew he must spend most, if not all, of his time on the road.

“Weren’t you terrified?” She asked as she tried to shift to face him. She winced only slightly at the pull of her healing wounds. Dean took a seat on the coffee table and looked down at the ground as he thought about her question.

“Sometimes,” he nodded with a slight shrug. He surprised himself with how comfortable he felt with this girl. “In the moments we were in serious shit, yeah. But I mean, this was our life. Always has been. We didn’t have a choice.”

“Neither do I, apparently,” she looked down and picked at a loose string on the plaid-print couch.

“Hey,” Dean said to pull her attention back to him. “When you understand what we do, you’ll understand why we do it.”

His tone was serious, the pressure from his gaze felt debilitating to her.

“We save people,” he stressed, his tone urging her to understand. “We hunt things that kill people.”

She nodded slowly and tried to understand how to phrase her next thought. “But in order to do that…you have to kill people?”

“Not people,” Dean corrected. “Things.” He thought it over as she shifted a bit more on her side. Dean licked his lips as he contemplated continuing. “Look, you’ve had a really long twenty-four hours…you should try to sleep. I think we’ve filled you in enough for now.”

She wanted to argue, but she figured he might be right. Her fingers gripped the blanket that was draped over her and tugged it up closer to her chest. “You’re probably right,” she nodded before continuing. “But I know sure as hell I’m not sleeping tonight…or not right now, anyway. You think Bobby has some hot chocolate or something?”

Dean raised his eyebrows. “Not too sure about the hot chocolate, but I could almost guarantee the ‘or something’.”

A slight frown pulled across her face but she stood to follow Dean anyway, as she tried to ignore the sting as her bandages pulled. He popped open a cabinet, knowing his way around Bobby’s kitchen (or liquor cabinet, at least). He pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels and two small rocks glasses.

“Ah,” she managed a small smirk as she rested her weight on the counter on her elbows. “The ‘or something’ category usually leaves me with a headache, but with the day I’ve had…why not?”

Dean chuckled and nodded as he set the goods down in front of her. He unscrewed the cap to the Tennessee whiskey and poured two glasses, straight up. “Yeah, Bobby doesn’t usually carry the good stuff…but this’ll do. It’s the only thing that puts me to sleep these days.”

She nodded as she took her glass and tipped her head to him in thanks. “To not going totally insane,” she smirked as she held the glass in front of her.

Dean smiled and tapped his glass against hers. “I’ll drink to that,” they made eye contact as they tapped their glasses back down on the wooden countertop and then took a sip.

Dean was impressed with how smoothly she seemed to take her liquor. She only winced for a moment before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “Whiskey your drink of choice?” They walked back towards the living room, with her resuming her spot on the couch, but this time Dean took a seat next to her, leaving enough room in between.

“I guess I owe that to my college days,” she shrugged as her eyes glanced down at the caramel colored liquor. “You learn how to hold your alcohol when your roommate is in a sorority and you’re invited to all the socials.”

“Sororities, huh?” Dean couldn’t help the smile that pulled at the corners of his lips. “I bet you have a lot of fun stories.”

“Number one rule of the sorority code,” she leaned a little closer before whispering. “We’ll never tell.”

Dean shook his head with a laugh and took another swig from his glass.

“What about you? You don’t seem like the fraternity kinda guy to me,” she eyed her company as Dean moved his glass around, swirling the liquid within.

“Thanks, I think,” he frowned. “I didn’t go to college. That was more Sammy’s thing.”

“Ah, right,” she nodded. “Too many monsters, not enough time, right?”

Dean smirked again. There was something about her he couldn’t seem to put his finger on.

“What?” She caught onto his stare and seemed to fold under the pressure. Her cheeks warmed up with a pale crimson color and she found her eyes averted to the glass in her hands yet again.

“Nothing,” Dean shook his head and broke his trance from the woman beside him. “It’s just…you’re different.”

“Like crazy, psychic, prophet different? Or this girl talks too much, especially when she starts drinking, different?” A soft laugh slipped through her lips as she took another sip from her glass.

Dean felt like he had smiled one too many times tonight, but he couldn’t help the grin he felt creep upon his lips. “Just different,” he shrugged and let the comment fall off there.

Before either could say another word, a slight breeze blew throughout the room. “She needs to sleep,” Castiel appeared just in front of the window, his silhouette haunting almost.

“Jesus, Cas,” Dean groaned as he closed his eyes for a moment. His newfound friend (and drinking partner) grasped at her chest, both taken by surprise. “Can you use a door or something?”

“But why?” Cas seemed genuinely thoughtful. Dean just shook his head and stood from his spot on the couch.

“Forget it,” he mumbled. “Well, angel’s orders.” He nodded back towards her. “Get some rest, you’re probably gonna need it.”

She nodded for a moment and glanced at the hardwood floor beneath her feet. “Um, Dean?” She hesitated for a moment as she gnawed at her bottom lip. She was hesitant to ask her next question as her eyes traveled over the makeshift bed in the window bay she assumed one of the boys might use regularly. She went back on the thought almost as soon as it had crossed her mind. “Nevermind. Goodnight,” she managed a smile up at the man.

Dean knew better as he eyed her carefully. His eyes followed hers to the window bed, and then traveled back to her. “Hey, uh, would you mind if I slept over there? The basement can get a little cramped with Sasquatch. Unless that makes you uncomfortable or anything,” he hurried to add in the last part, just in case his thought process wasn’t reading hers correctly.

He relaxed when he watched her smile and nod. “That would be great.”

Castiel made himself scarce, yet again, as Dean made up the makeshift bed. He moved his glass to the floor as he pulled up the blanket and rested his head on a small throw pillow. Just as he closed his eyes, he heard her whisper.

“Hey, Dean?”

“Hmm?” He glanced over towards her. In the dim glow of the moon, he could make out her biting her bottom lip once more.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” he whispered back. Both fell asleep with smiles on their faces, something neither thought was possible.

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Part Three here!

#supernatural fanfiction #spn fanfiction #supernatural fanfic #supernatural ff #spn fanfic #spn ff #dean winchester fanfiction #dean winchester fanfic #dean winchester #dean winchester x you #dean winchester x reader #dean winchester x female!reader #dean winchester ff #dean winchester fan fic #dean winchester fan fiction

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stardustbarbarians · 1 year ago

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Kneel Down Ye Sinners

A Samuel Kiszka / Daniel Wagner fic

Summary: Daniel has a bad round of golf... and Sam is bored.

Tags: spanking, oral, unprotected sex, literally just smut idk what else to say... so MDNI!

Words: 2.3 k

A/N: This has been written in my drafts for over a year and I just got around to polishing it up. Anyway, as usual, this is dedicated to @ofthecaravel because when is it not. (Also pspspspspsps @runwayblues) Title taken from Wild Side by Motley Crue (I swear I don't listen to them that much). Anyway, and as always, enjoy!!

+++

"God, that was awful!" Daniel yelled as he stormed into the house, throwing his baseball hat into the wall and kicking off his slides. They made a subdued smack as they landed onto the floor near the entrance.

"How was golf?" Sam called out for his spot in the living room, flipping through channels mindlessly. He was bored out of his skull, having already finished all the chores he wanted to do this weekend and really not all in the mood to play any of his instruments.

"I shot in the 90s! I haven't gotten a score like that since high school!!" The golfer raged, now pacing in front of the couch Sam was on. He had to admit, Daniel was hot when he was mad. He'd get this set in his jaw that defined it more and this look in his eyes that reminded Sam of all the times he was pinned underneath Daniel.

Oh, thought Sam, now there’s an idea

"Oh, baby, that's rough," Sam patronized, his voice dripping in manufactured sympathy. He threw the remote down, not needing the tv anymore. His entertainment had arrived.

Though, he felt his heart skip a beat when that rage fueled gaze was cast onto him. His skin began to prickle with goosebumps as Daniel stopped in his tracks, one of Danny's eyebrows cocking up. He felt his blood simultaneously freeze and boil beneath his skin at that look.

"You think you can do better, Samuel?" His tone was even and dangerous, a low grumble in his chest.

Sam had to suppress a shiver at the words. He was diving head-first into the deep end and he knew the risks.

"No… but you should've" Sam retorted, his bratty streak always strong. He knew he was in trouble the moment Daniel crossed his arms over his chest, his muscles very visible under the pliant fabric of his golf shirt.

"You've got quite the mouth on you. Don't you, princess?"

At the pet name, Sam visibly shivered, unable to suppress this one. That name was reserved for the moments when it was about to get nasty. And the way Daniel was glaring at Sam? It was about to get very, very nasty.

"And what about it, big loser?" The bassist really hammered the last nail in the coffin with the smirk and raised eyebrow he sent Danny’s way.

That's what finally set Daniel off.

His arms dropped to his sides, hands balling into fist. Sam watched it happen in rapt fascination, feeling just the tiniest twinge of fear in his heart. However, it was drowned out by the excitement flooding his veins at knowing just how much he had successfully riled up Daniel.

"On your knees.”

Sam was not expecting that of all things for Danny to say. He felt his eyes get big as he swallowed thickly. That fear had turned into surprise, his heart fluttering inside his ribs. He knew where this was going, however he still dumbly asked: "W-what?"

"Get on your knees. Right now, princess," Daniel growled, his teeth clenched as he spoke.

Doing as he was told, Sam slipped off the couch and stood on his knees, his eyes gazing up at Daniel. This was far from the first time Sam had viewed Daniel from this vantage point; it certainly would not be the last, either. At least, not if Sam had any say in it.

"What have I told you about that mouth of yours, princess?" Daniel approached Sam, only a few inches away from him. Danny leaned down just enough so that Sam didn’t strain his optic nerve to look at him, but Daniel still loomed above him. Sam was suddenly reminded of devotees gazing up at their gods on bended knee, feeling a sense of understanding of their blind devotion at that moment.

"That it's only useful wrapped around your cock," Samuel answered, stealing a glance down at the other man's crotch directly in front of him. He felt a rush of saliva at the mere memory of the weight of it on his tongue, having to swallow it down so that he wouldn’t drool.

Daniel hummed in approval, his hand coming to pet Sam's hair. Sam is only mildly ashamed to admit he leaned into it like a cat.

"That's right, pretty boy," Danny used his other hand to unbuckle his belt and unzip his pants, leaving them on and only freeing his cock, "now put it to good use."

Knowing when to obey, Sam immediately wrapped his lips around the tip of Danny's dick. The growl that slipped past the golfer's lips made Sam's own dick twitch inside his jeans, a whimper escaping his lips.

Sam wasted no time bobbing his head up and down the length of Daniel's cock, hollowing out his cheeks and laying his tongue flat. The long, drawn out moan that escaped from the back of Danny’s throat was music to Sam’s ears. When he looked up at Danny through his lashes, he’d noticed that the drummer’s head had tipped back, his eyes pinched closed as he basked in the pleasure Sam was imparting onto him.

It wasn't long before Daniel grabbed the top of Sam's hair and began setting his own pace, Sam gagging as the other man's cock hit the back of his throat particularly aggressively. But Sammy took it all in stride, only mildly disgusted when the extra spit that flooded his mouth began dripping down his chin. At least Danny would find it hot that Sam now looked all ruined.

Tears fell from his eyes right before Daniel pulled Sam off of him, a string of saliva connecting them as he looked at Daniel with the most lust filled gaze. His eyes half lidded as he panted in order to catch his breath, barely able to breathe around Danny’s girth.

"Take off your clothes, whore," Daniel commanded, his voice rough but still authoritative. He had tilted his head forward in order to look down at Sam.

"Awww, Danny boy's a wreck 'cause of little ol' me," Sam taunted, his voice even more of a mess than Danny's.

Daniel cocked his eyebrow once again, Sam's smirk growing at the reaction he was able to pull from Daniel. However, it quickly fell from his face at what the drummer stated next.

"Clothes off. Get on the coffee table. On your hands and knees.”

Sam's breath caught in this throat, finding himself obeying the commands at the deep, rumbling tone Daniel employed. Once he was stark naked, Sam climbed up onto the wooden coffee table and rested on his hands and knees just as he was told. A twinge of embarrassment made his face pink, overly aware of the heavy staring from Daniel.

"I told you to only use that pretty mouth of yours for sucking, princess. Now it's gotten you into deep trouble," Danny told Sam, his voice deep and guttural.

Sam looked over his shoulder to see Daniel sliding his belt out of his pant loops, gathering the white leather in his hand; the appendage bulging with veins underneath tanned, practiced, and calloused skin.

The bassist involuntarily whined as he put together what was about to happen. Yeah, he was in deep trouble. Like, the deepest fucking layer of trouble he could possibly be in- well… maybe not. There was one time that Sam had continued to mouth off even after this stage and… well… Sam was pretty sure they’d have to move this little shindig to their bedroom to get the rope if he pushed his luck any further.

Sam gripped the edge of the table in his hands as a sharp snap of leather came down onto his ass, a yelp leaving his throat. He didn’t hurt. Far from it, in fact. The noise was one of surprise, more than anything else.

He felt a warm, calloused hand smooth over the spot that was just struck before it remained planted on the opposite cheek. Another blow came, the sound just as loud as the belt made contact with Sam's skin. This time, however, instead of a yelp in surprise Sam let out a needy whine as the pleasure overruled the pain.

Daniel kept going, raining down blow after blow. His fingers dug into the skin of Sam's ass as his moans became needier and needier. Samuel was certain his ass was becoming bright red. But he wanted Danny to keep going, to allow the belt and his digging fingers to leave bruises that would stain the skin there for days; to serve as a reminder for who he belonged to and who belonged to him.

With another snap of the belt, Sam became a waterfall of incoherent pleas. "Oh, please, please, PLEASE, Daniel! I need more fuck- FUCK! I need more, you don't understand how much I need- oh my god please FUCK!"

A pleased hum sounded from the drummer. "Look who finally learned how to run their mouth properly.”

Without any warning, Daniel flipped Sam so his back was pressed against the coffee table. Sam's brow was knit as he pleaded up at Daniel, his lips pouting slightly.

"God, fuck! You don't know how easy you are to fucking need with a face like that!" Daniel lost his composure momentarily after gazing upon the visage of Samuel fully exposed and begging him for anything Danny was willing to give him. It was enough to break any man, even one perceived as a god.

Throwing the belt to the side with a loud clatter, Daniel pressed his lips into Sam's; sudden and aggressively. Sammy's hands immediately grabbed at Danny's shirt, trying his best to rip it off. He was eventually successful as the fabric tore underneath his hands with a clamorous noise. Daniel was surprised, to say the least; marveling at what Sam had just accomplished.

"You're gonna pay for that, princess." And just like that, Daniel was back. Though, there was no missing the awe hidden just beneath that authoritative growl.

"Hurry up and give me my punishment, Danny. I've been waiting for it this whole damn time,” Sam impatiently demanded, also falling back into his role within the blink of an eye. He wouldn't be tamed so easily. It was more fun for both of them that way.

Opening the drawer next to Sam’s head and popping open the bottle of lube with his thumb, Daniel glared down at Sam. "Watch your fucking mouth."

Before Sam could even say anything, Daniel was plunging his lube covered fingers into him. With an unfettered scream, Sam's eyes rolled into the back of his head as his back arched up off the table. Danny played Sam like a violin, using his fingers to cause Sam to make all the noises he wanted him to.

Just as quickly as they had been shoved into Sam, Daniel pulled them out much to the bassist's dissatisfaction. He made his disapproval known, huffing out loudly. "That wasn't even close to being enough."

Kicking his boxers off, Danny's hand came down hard onto the side of Sam's right thigh.

"I think your next lesson will be one of patience, princess," Daniel threatened before squirting lube onto both of his hands before tossing the bottle back into the drawer.

Using his left hand, Daniel stroked his own cock. His right hand came to wrap around Sam's aching dick, a pathetic wail ripping out of his throat at the contact. He'd never been so thankful over the fact that Daniel was ambidextrous in his entire life. Truly, he’d have to write him a card or something for him when this was all said and done.

Daniel's hand never left Sam's dick as he plunged his cock into Sam, all eight, well endowed inches into Sam. All of the other noises Sammy had made up to this point had been absolutely nothing compared to the toe-curling scream he let out as

Daniel pushed himself in. Sam's vision was beginning to white out in pure pleasure, his eyes rolling into the back of his head.

His hands gripped the sides of the table for dear life as his back arched, his toes curling involuntarily as the feeling of Danny throbbing inside of him. It was driving him insane, the feeling of it being too much, yet not enough all at once.

It wasn't until Daniel started thrusting that Sam really lost control of himself. He became a mess of pleading and screaming out Daniel's name like a satanic and perverted prayer.

"Daddy please - fuck, please!!"

Sam cried out after Danny managed to nail his prostate, his vision fully whiting out.

Daniel, knowing exactly what he had just accomplished, shifted his thrusting to focus all his attention there. Samuel's brain short circuited, his mouth permanently hanging open as he remained silent, all brain function stopping.

Sam gave no warning before cum began spurting out of his cock, a final pathetic cry ripping out of him as he painted himself in white. It was a surprise to even Sam. But, hitting your g-spot over and over to the point of abusing it would surprise anyone, he guessed.

Daniel was soon to follow, pulling out and pumping his cock before he also covered Sam's chest in cum. They were both out of breath, sweat covering every inch of their skin. Danny had bent over at the waist, his arms catching his fall and planting on either side of Sam’s head. Looming above Sam once more, the bassist had never felt more comfortable in his life. He’d happily perish in this spot if it meant he got to spend his final heartbeats between Daniel’s arms.

"You should play bad rounds of golf more often," Sam finally posited, a stupid smile on his face as he gazed up at Daniel.

The drummer laughed, caught by surprise. "You'd like that, wouldn't you, princess?"

Samuel gulped at the pet name usage. However, that previous edge had vanished from his voice.

Impossibly, he felt his dick twitch at the combination of seeing Daniel covered in sweat and cum while panting heavily. And when he looked back into those hazel brown and green eyes and saw nothing but amusement, adoration, and satisfaction, Sam knew that it was, in fact, he was where he belonged.

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Tag List:

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#greta van fleet #greta van fic #danny wagner #sam kiszka #danny gvf #sammy gvf #daniel robert wagner #samuel francis kiszka #sanny gvf #smut smut smut #sam x daniel

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bracketsoffear · 7 months ago

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Other Leitner Reading List

The full list of submissions for the Unaffiliated Leitner bracket. Bold titles are ones which were accepted to appear in the bracket. Synopses and propaganda can be found below the cut. Be warned, however, that these may contain spoilers!

Allende, Isabel: Ripper

Beauregard, Aron: Playground Borges, Jorge Luis: Averroës's Search Borges, Jorge Luis: El Aleph Bosch, Pseudonymous: The Secret Series Breed-Wrisley, Kira and Scott Cawthon: Five Nights At Freddy's: The Silver Eyes Bulgakov, Mikhail: The Master and Margarita Burroughs, William S.: Naked Lunch Byng, Georgia: Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism

Carroll, Lewis: The Hunting of the Snark

Denning, G.S.: Warlock Holmes DeTerlizzi, Tony: The Search for WondLa

El-Mohtar, Amal and Max Gladstone: This Is How You Lose the Time War

Fforde, Jasper: Thursday Next series

Gaiman, Neil & Terry Pratchett: Good Omens Grahame-Smith, Seth: How to Survive a Horror Movie: All the Skills to Dodge the Kills Grimm, Brothers: Grimm's Fairy Tales

Holt, Tom: Doughnut Hussie, Andrew: Homestuck

Johnson, Jeremy Robert: We Live Inside You

Langlois, Amelie C.: The Sister Verse Series Lewis, C.S.: The Silver Chair Lovecraft, H.P.: The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath Lubar, David: Weenies series Lyons, Steve: The Crooked World

Nash, Ogden: A Tale of the 13th Floor

Osman, Richard: The Thursday Murder Club

Pinkwater, Daniel: Alan Mendelsohn, the Boy from Mars Pirinçci, Akif: Felidae

Rix, Jamie: Grizzly Tales For Gruesome Kids

Scieszka, Jon: The Stinky Cheese Man Shannon, David: No, David! Sims, Jonathan: Thirteen Storeys Skipp, John: Don't Push the Button Stine, R.L.: Goosebumps

Theis, Jim: The Eye of Argon Tokuda-Hall, Maggie: The Mermaid The Witch and The Sea Traditional (German): Der Struwwelpeter Trumbo, Dalton: Johnny Got His Gun

Van Allsburg, Chris: The Mysteries of Harris Burdick Vasquez, Jhonen: Squee's Wonderful Big Giant Book of Unspeakable Horrors

Allende, Isabel: Ripper

Seventeen-year-old Amanda Martin is fascinated by crime. She is currently obsessed with a game called "Ripper" which she plays online with players from around the world. With the assistance of her beloved grandfather, she guides the group (Sherlock, Esmeralda, Colonel Paddington, and Abatha) in their objective of solve crimes inspired by those of Jack the Ripper. When a series of grisly murders starts taking place in the San Francisco area where she leaves, she is fascinated by then and finds herself steering the group toward solving these real life murders.

But the game stops being fun when her mother, free-spirited Indiana Jackson, goes missing.

Beauregard, Aron: Playground

Three low-income families have been given a handsome retainer to join Geraldine Borden for a day at her cliffside estate. All the parents must do to collect the rest of their money is allow their children to test out the revolutionary playground equipment Geraldine has been working on for decades. But there’s a reason the structures in the bowels of her gothic castle have taken so long to develop—they were never meant to see the light of day.

When a band of dysfunctional children is suddenly thrust into a diabolical realm of violence, they must grow up instantly to have a chance at survival. Will they find a way to put their differences aside, or be swallowed up by the insidious architecture all around them?

Borges, Jorge Luis: Averroës's Search

The story very much reminds me of the domain in MAG183: Monument. "The story imagines the difficulty of Averroës, the famed Islamic philosopher and translator, in translating Aristotle's Poetics because he was not able to understand what a play was, owing to the absence of live theatrical performances from Averroës' cultural milieu, in contrast to that of ancient Greece. In the story, Averroës casually observes some children play-acting, then later hears a traveler ineptly describe an actual theatrical performance he once saw in a distant land, but still fails to understand that the tragedies and comedies of which Aristotle writes are a kind of performance art, rather than merely literature.

The process of writing the story is meant to parallel the events in the story itself; Borges writes in an afterword to the story that his attempt to understand Averroës was as doomed as Averroës's attempt to understand drama. "I felt that the work mocked me, foiled me, thwarted me. I felt that Averroës, trying to imagine what a play is without ever having suspected what a theater is, was no more absurd than I, trying to imagine Averroës yet with no more material than a few snatches from Renan, Lane, and Asín Palacios.""

Borges, Jorge Luis: El Aleph

I am not sure if this counts as it is a collection of short stories, so I will also submit my personal choice that best fits an unaligned Leitner in my opinion. "The title work, "The Aleph", describes a point in space that contains all other spaces at once. The work also presents the idea of infinite time. Borges writes in the original afterword, dated May 3, 1949 (Buenos Aires), that most of the stories belong to the genre of fantasy, mentioning themes such as identity and immortality."

Bosch, Pseudonymous: The Secret Series

The series is about two children who are not named Cass and Max-Ernest. Cass is a survivalist, while Max-Ernest has a condition (though no one knows quite what his condition is). One day, they are swept into the dangerous world of the Terces Society and the Midnight Sun...and the Secret.

Features alchemy, the quest for immortality, time travel, a very Lemony narrator, and the exploration of all five senses.

Breed-Wrisley, Kira and Scott Cawthon: Five Nights At Freddy's: The Silver Eyes

From the creator of the bestselling horror video game series Five Nights at Freddy's.Ten years after the horrific murders at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza that ripped their town apart, Charlie, whose father owned the restaurant, and her childhood friends reunite on the anniversary of the tragedy and find themselves at the old pizza place which had been locked up and abandoned for years. After they discover a way inside, they realize that things are not as they used to be. The four adult-sized animatronic mascots that once entertained patrons have changed. They now have a dark secret . . . and a murderous agenda.

Bulgakov, Mikhail: The Master and Margarita

One hot spring, the devil arrives in Moscow, accompanied by a retinue that includes a beautiful naked witch and an immense talking black cat with a fondness for chess and vodka. The visitors quickly wreak havoc in a city that refuses to believe in either God or Satan. But they also bring peace to two unhappy Muscovites: one is the Master, a writer pilloried for daring to write a novel about Christ and Pontius Pilate; the other is Margarita, who loves the Master so deeply that she is willing literally to go to hell for him.

Burroughs, William S.: Naked Lunch

It follows Bill Lee through Interzone: a surreal, orgiastic wasteland of drugs, depravity, political plots, paranoia, sadistic medical experiments and endless, gnawing addiction. The book is structured as a series of loosely connected vignettes, intended by Burroughs to be read in any order, and the main character takes on various aliases as he travels from the U.S. to Mexico, eventually to Tangier and the dreamlike Interzone. Burroughs wrote in his introduction that "The title means exactly what the words say: naked lunch, a frozen moment when everyone sees what is on the end of every fork."

Could this book be considered as being aligned to the Spiral? Could it be Flesh? I don't know, but it is certainly something or other.

Byng, Georgia: Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism

Molly Moon is a British preteen living in a terrible orphanage. Just before her only friend is adopted and moves to America without saying goodbye, she finds a rare book on hypnotism, and gains the ability to hypnotize anyone through eye contact and make them do whatever she wants. She heads off to America to find her friend, hypnotizing people all the way. Meanwhile, a sinister wanna-be hypnotist stalks her... and he is willing to do anything to get the book in his hands.

Sequels deal with further developing psychic powers, including body-hopping, weather control, and even time travel.

Carroll, Lewis: The Hunting of the Snark

An epic poem which hits quite a few different fears; the Hunt is an obvious one, and given the author, so is the Spiral. The sea voyage has elements of Vast, and various characters can be read as Flesh, Stranger, and even Web. The poem seems to end with the Lonely; " He had softly and suddenly vanished away — For the Snark was a Boojum, you see."

Denning, G.S.: Warlock Holmes

A Sherlock Holmes parody in which the titular detective is a rather abstracted mage, Watson is the brains of the outfit, and Gregson and Lestrade are an ogre and a vampire, respectively. Together, they investigate supernatural crime in Victorian England.

DeTerlizzi, Tony: The Search for WondLa

The Search for WondLa is the first book in a trilogy about a human girl, Eva Nine, in a strange and unfamiliar world.

She actually spends a lot of this book believing she is the last of her species surrounded by all sorts of strange creatures she can never quite feel close to (lonely, extinction) while being hunted by a trophy hunter who wants to give her to a mysterious queen.

On why it's Lonely: a large portion of the book is spent with someone she cannot communicate with and feels distant from, alongside the general Lonely vibes of "last human" stories.

On why it's Extinction: This is earth. A long-destroyed earth, specifically (she visits the ruins of NYC, I have proof), and these alien races have moved in now that the humans are all "gone" (complicated). It's heavily implied the earth was destroyed in some nuclear war or natural disaster, with the alien species having restored the earth from a wasteland.

On why it's hunt: she spends the entire book being hunted and being afraid because of that, what more do I need to say?

On why it belongs here: quite the fear cocktail for a children's book, isn't it?

El-Mohtar, Amal and Max Gladstone: This Is How You Lose the Time War

The novel is about two agents on rival sides of a time war, Red and Blue, who are both working to ensure that their respective futures — the highly technological Agency and the biological Garden — come to pass. Despite their opposing organizations, Red and Blue begin exchanging letters across time and space, and develop affection for each other that threatens not only them, but the entire time war.

Fforde, Jasper: Thursday Next series

Thursday Next lives in an Alternate History. In her world, Time Travel, cloning and genetic engineering are commonplace; resurrected dodos are the household pet of choice. The obscenely powerful Goliath Corporation, which nearly singlehandedly reconstructed England after World War II, now runs the country as a virtual police state. And literature, particularly classic literature, is very, very, very Serious Business. Writers are revered with nearly spiritual devotion, controversial claims about books and authors can be criminal, and an entire police squad, the LiteraTecs, exist to keep the literary scene in order. Thursday works for just such a unit in Swindon, with her friend and colleague, the exceedingly polite Bowden Cable.

In the course of rescuing her Gadgeteer Genius uncle Mycroft from international arch-criminal Acheron Hades, a gleefully evil individual with supernatural powers, Thursday discovers the Great Library, a sort of pocket dimension that exists 'behind the scenes' of all works of literature, where all literary characters live. They're self-aware, acting out their roles when a person reads a book but chilling out and living their own lives as soon as they close it. The Great Library is governed by the Council of Genres and kept in line by Jurisfiction, another police force whose task it is to make sure the plot of every book stays the same every time someone reads it. (Insofar as they can.)

Such is the universe of Jasper Fforde's meta-fictional masterpiece, the Thursday Next series. The author hangs a lampshade on everything and anything relating to classic literature, the tropes of police fiction and spy fiction, and even the relationship between a work of fiction and its audience. Heavy on wordplay and puns, the series deals with the tireless heroine's adventures balancing her work as an agent of Jurisfiction in the Great Library and LiteraTec in the outside world, to say nothing of her responsibilities as a wife and mother.

Gaiman, Neil & Terry Pratchett: Good Omens

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Grahame-Smith, Seth: How to Survive a Horror Movie: All the Skills to Dodge the Kills

Every month or so, a new horror movie hits #1 at the box office no wonder there are dozens of new fright films slated for release in 2007. But if you find yourself trapped in one of these movies, there's no need to be afraid. How to Survive a Horror Movie teaches readers how to cope with every kind of horror movie obstacle, from ax-wielding psychopaths to haunted Japanese VHS tapes. Chapters include:

-How to Survive a Night of Babysitting -How to Convince the Skeptical Local Sheriff -How to Perform an Exorcism -How to Tell If You've Been Dead Since the Beginning of the Movie -How to Vanquish a Murderous Doll

Full of illustrated instructions on avoiding ghosts, serial killers, haunted cars, murderous pets, telekinetic prom queens, and countless other hazards, How to Survive a Horror Movie is essential reading for movie buffs of all ages!

Grimm, Brothers: Grimm's Fairy Tales

Can't beat the classics, especially when the original versions feature cannibalism, murder, mutilation, and torture!

Holt, Tom: Doughnut

Multiversal travel is made possible through mathematics and fried dough.

Hussie, Andrew: Homestuck

This thing is a tome of madness, chaos, and early 2000s Internet culture (oops, tautology!)

***

you know why

Johnson, Jeremy Robert: We Live Inside You

"We are within you, and we are growing. Watching. Waiting for your empires to fall. It won't be long now. We are the fear of death that drives you and the terrible hunger that reshapes you in its name. We are the vengeance born from senseless slaughter and the pulsing reptile desire that negates your consciousness. We are the lie on your lips, the collapsing star in your heart, and the still-warm gun in your shaking hands. The illusion of control is all we'll allow you, and no matter what you do... WE LIVE INSIDE YOU"

This book is one of those story collections that everybody should read. In turns fascinating, poignant, scary and all too human, Jeremy Robert Johnson taps into the nightmare psyche that threatens to eat you every moment of your life. Each story highlights another gremlin that snacks on your nerves, tells you things you don't want to hear.

Langlois, Amelie C.: The Sister Verse Series

John, an unstable detective living in an alternate future, is plagued by hallucinations of a malevolent, shapeshifting entity, known as the Lord in White, that haunted his childhood. While he struggles to maintain his grip on reality, he soon discovers that his world is a terrifying illusion designed to make him suffer. Surreal, horrifying, and unflinchingly brutal – enter a world of blood and fear. Enter the Sister Verse.

The series reads like a fever dream. The world reflects the fears of all the characters in the most bizarre way possible, and things continue to unravel the further they go, typically ending in a forest made of liquid meat that surrounds a black hole shaped like a willow with teeth. It is revealed in the first book that the whole reality John and the rest of the cast of characters live in and themselves was created by the Lord in White for his own amusement. The Lord in White is completely aware that it’s in a fictional universe, and is implied to have the power to rewrite parts of the story, being the avatar of the Sister Verse. It often refers to the reader directly, as well as real world occurrences and future in-universe events, to the point that it literally recites lines from the book. And that's just the first book in the series, with the Lovecraftian horror continuing further in the sequels as the past of the Dreadlands is revealed, along with the past of its characters.

Lewis, C.S.: The Silver Chair

"Eustace and Jill escape from the bullies at school through a strange door in the wall, which, for once, is unlocked. It leads to the open moor...or does it? Once again Aslan has a task for the children, and Narnia needs them. Through dangers untold and caverns deep and dark, they pursue the quest that brings them face to face with the evil Witch. She must be defeated if Prince Rillian is to be saved."

Lovecraft, H.P.: The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath

Uncelebrated writer and illustrious dreamer Randolph Carter dreams three times of a majestic sunset city, but each time he is abruptly snatched away before he can see it up close. When he prays to the gods of dream to reveal the whereabouts of the phantasmal city, they do not answer, and his dreams of the city stop altogether. Undaunted, Carter decides to use all his talents in the dream-world to find the legendary mountain Kadath, where the wiser Earth Gods live, in order to ask them for the location of his beloved sunset city. He initiates a quest through the depths of the Dreamlands, finding the weirdest things and meeting the strangest friends and foes.

Unknowingly to Carter, a powerful entity is bent on making him desist of his quest...

Lubar, David: Weenies series

A series of horror story collections for kids which range from the funny to the weird to the outright twisted.

Lyons, Steve: The Crooked World

Synopsis: The people of the Crooked World lead an idyllic existence.

Take Streaky Bacon, for example. This jovial farmer wants nothing more from life than a huge blunderbuss, with which he can blast away at his crop-stealing nemesis. And then there's Angel Falls, a racing driver with a string of victories to her name. Sure, her trusted guardian might occasionally put on a mask and menace her for her prize money, but that's just life, right? And for Jasper the cat, nothing could be more pleasant than a nice, long nap in his kitchen — so long as that darn mouse doesn't jam his tail into the plug socket again.

But somebody is about to shatter all those lives. Somebody is about to change everything — and it's possible that no one on the Crooked World will ever be happy again.

The Doctor's TARDIS is about to arrive. And when it does... That's all folks!

Propaganda: okay. okay okayokayokkay. I can be normal about this book (a lie). The TARDIS lands on a planet that operates on cartoon logic. The Doctor immediately gets shot in the chest and everyone is very confused when he doesn't immediately heal. The travelers have inadvertently introduced the real world into this Saturday Morning fantasyland, with concepts like death and sex and social inequality. For the first time, people can die permanently. The two-bit villains unite to nuke the heroic characters. The Scooby gang actually do discover the flayed corpse of God. In the middle of it all is the Doctor at maximum Nyarlathotep, fomenting revolution and drastic metaphysical upheaval in his strange, too-real clothes. If nothing else, vote for this book for actually making me cry over the death of Scrappy Fuckin' Doo!

Nash, Ogden: A Tale of the 13th Floor

A poem which warns against murderous retribution and illustrates the hellish fate of killers tied forever to their victims in the afterlife. Link: https://allpoetry.com/A-Tale-Of-The-Thirteenth-Floor

Osman, Richard: The Thursday Murder Club

“In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet up once a week to investigate unsolved murders. But when a brutal killing takes place on their very doorstep, the Thursday Murder Club find themselves in the middle of their first live case. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves. Can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer before it's too late?”

While it seems like a shoe-in for the Hunt with tracking down who did the crime, the book goes in areas that could consider being touched by the Lonely, the End, and the Eye. After all, this does take place in a retirement village — people die, people are lonely and these four senior citizens want to get to the bottom of this mystery.

Pinkwater, Daniel: Alan Mendelsohn, the Boy from Mars

Leonard Neeble has been unhappy since his parents moved from the big city to suburban Kangaroo Park, New Jersey. His new school, Bat Masterson Jr. High, is terrible, and he has no friends since his classmates are snobbish louts who won't be friends with him because he's portly.

Things change once a new student shows up from The Bronx: Alan Mendelsohn, a trollish student who shuts the school down by telling everyone he's from Mars. After they both get suspended for acting out, the two boys journey to Downtown Hogboro, where they start a Mind Control course that teaches them telekinesis and, eventually, how to travel between dimensions.

Pirinçci, Akif: Felidae

Francis is a cat who has moved with his owner to a city in Germany. There, he comes across a mystery involving the murders of several neighborhood cats. Think Warriors, but it is a murder mystery written for adults. It has a lot of Slaughter and Hunt going on, but the killer's motives and backstory would honestly make him a prime Avatar for the Extinction.

The serial killer, Claudandus aka Pascal, is purely motivated by a deep hatred of humans after a traumatic past as the victim of some truly sadistic animal experiments in which he and other cats were used as lab rats, which leads him to try to create a race of "genetically perfect" cats while murdering those he considers to be inferior. He dreams of a future in which humans have been replaced as the dominant species by this future breed of cats, the narration even including an imaginary scenerio of the very last human trying to hide in the ruins of civilization before being hunted down like prey.

Rix, Jamie: Grizzly Tales For Gruesome Kids

A series of cautionary tales for lovers of screams! Getting a haircut? eating spaghetti? Having a birthday party? You may think these all sound like very ordinary things to do. But read on and see just how grizzly they can be!

Scieszka, Jon: The Stinky Cheese Man

it scared the FUCK out of me as a child, I have no idea why and I don't remember what it was about, and just its art style still creeps me out and I'm in my thirties now. That's got to count for something, yeah? ...okay this prolly isn't a great one for the tournament, but if you're struggling to fill in the brackets.

Shannon, David: No, David!

When David Shannon was five years old, he wrote and illustrated his first book. On every page were these words: NO, DAVID! . . . and a picture of David doing things he was not supposed to do.Now David is all grown up. But some things never change. . . .Twenty years after its initial publication, No, David! remains a perennial household favorite, delighting children, parents, and teachers alike. David is a beloved character, whose unabashed good humor, mischievous smile, and laughter-inducing antics underline the love parents have for their children -- even when they misbehave.

Sims, Jonathan: Thirteen Storeys

"You're cordially invited to dinner. Penthouse access is available via the broken freight elevator. Black tie optional.

A dinner party is held in the penthouse of a multimillion-pound development. All the guests are strangers - even to their host, the billionaire owner of the building. None of them know why they were selected to receive his invitation. Whether privileged or deprived, besides a postcode, they share only one thing in common - they've all experienced a shocking disturbance within the building's walls.

By the end of the night, their host is dead, and none of the guests ever said what happened. His death remains one of the biggest unsolved mysteries - until now.

But are you ready for their stories?"

Skipp, John: Don't Push the Button

We all know horror. It's in our face every day. You can try to negotiate the nightmare but total chaos and destruction is just one button-push away.

In this intensely personal collection of short stories, screenplays, and essays, the author walks you through the light and the dark with an unflinching eye. Revealing both the best and worst of us, one laugh and scream at a time.

It ain't pretty. But it's beautiful. Once you go all the way.

Stine, R.L.: Goosebumps

It is a series of horror novels written for very young audiences. The protagonists in these stories are teens or pre-teens who find themselves in frightening circumstances, often involving the supernatural, the paranormal or the occult. The best way to describe these books is that they are The Twilight Zone for pre-adolescents, with a twist at the end of every book (sometimes cruel, sometimes not, sometimes non-existent, which is a twist in and of itself given the series). It has spawned a pair of television series, a video games series, a comic series and merchandise, as well as a pair of feature films.

While the books are written for children and so they might not be that scary, they can still get quite creepy, and you might find one book for every Entity if you search hard enough. The book covers can also get really creepy to look at, too.

Theis, Jim: The Eye of Argon

Described as "the worst fantasy novella ever", The Eye of Argon is a story by then 16 year-old Jim Theis. It's the tale of Grignr, a foul-mouthed barbarian warrior who is trying to escape the dungeons of Evil Overlord Agaphim and rescue a young woman named Carthena from a pagan cult who want to sacrifice her to their idol — a statue with one eye called "The Eye of Argon". (A "scarlet emerald", complete with some interesting plumbing.)

Published in the fanzine OSFAN 7 in 1970, the story is well known for its abundant cliches, shoddy spelling, flat characters, wooden dialogue and overly colourful writing. Every woman is a "wench", eyes are "emerald orbs". Almost nothing is ever "said" — instead it is "queried" or "ejaculated" or "husked" or "stated whimsicoracally". There's an extended scene involving elderly cult priests groping Carthena, and she is described earlier as a "half-naked harlot… with a lithe, opaque nose".

The most widely-known and circulated copy of the story comes to an abrupt and unsatisfactory halt, and for many years it was believed that the ending was lost forever (or even, in some quarters, that the story was never completed). Recent years have seen the separate discoveries of two intact copies of the fanzine in which The Eye of Argon debuted, so it is now known how the tale ends. (With multiple exclamation marks, it turns out.)

At science fiction conventions, The Eye of Argon is now a sort of parlor game. All participants sit in a circle with a hard copy of the story, and the first one starts reading aloud — pronouncing every word as it's misspelled, and including every adjective. When they finally burst into laughter, the copy is passed to the next person. If a person manages to make it through more than a page, the copy is sometimes passed anyway, on the grounds that the reader must have special training as a news anchor.

Tokuda-Hall, Maggie: The Mermaid The Witch and The Sea

Follows mainly two characters – Evelyn, the daughter of a wealthy family, sent off on a ship to an arranged marriage, and Flora, known by the alias Florian, a pirate on said ship. This ship is a conship, as it takes people on long travels only to sell them as slaves. Themes of the vast, stranger, the end, the slaughter, and the desolation are commonly present throughout the book

Traditional (German): Der Struwwelpeter

1845 German children's book filled with cautionary tales. These cautionary tales are more grim than others, however — they often end in death or dismemberment for the child. They are a source of plenty of nightmare fuel, too.

Notable examples: The Dreadful Story of Harriet/Pauline and the Matches - Desolation, she plays with matches and burns to death. The Story of the Wild Huntsman - Hunt, a hare steals a hunter's rifle and eyeglasses and hunts him. The Story of Little Suck-a-Thumb - Flesh(?), Conrad is warned by his mother not to suck his thumbs, but he does anyway. So a tailor appears and snips them off. The Story of Flying Robert - Vast, Robert goes outside during a storm and the wind picks up his umbrella, carrying him off never to be seen again.

Trumbo, Dalton: Johnny Got His Gun

It follows a young man named Joe Bonham, who, after becoming grievously injured during World War I, is left deaf, blind, dumb, and without any limbs. Throughout the novel, Joe reminisces about the life that he's lost, waxes philosophical about war and conscription, and tries desperately to communicate with the doctors keeping him alive.

The novel is heavily about the horrors of war, which would make it Slaughter, but in Joe's plight there's also another sort of horror: He can't move, he can't see, he can't speak. He is effectively trapped in his own body, a torment that could be but it's not quite Buried. There's also some argument for the Spiral to be there as well, as his condition makes it hard for him and the reader to know when he's awake or when he's dreaming, to say nothing on how the horrible situation he's in affects his sanity.

"I don't know whether I'm alive and dreaming or dead and remembering."

Van Allsburg, Chris: The Mysteries of Harris Burdick

Downloadable PDF: https://mrsgraveswebsite.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/6/8/12686140/the_mysteries_of_harris_burdick.pdf

The Mysteries of Harris Burdick consists of a series of images, ostensibly created by Harris Burdick, a man who has mysteriously disappeared. Each image is accompanied by a title and a single line of text, which encourage readers to create their own stories.

Vasquez, Jhonen: Squee's Wonderful Big Giant Book of Unspeakable Horrors

Squee (named after the sound he makes when he's afraid) is a little boy whose short life is an unending parade of horrors. His parents outwardly detest him to the point where his father watches footage of his birth played in reverse for amusement, and the only kid in school who likes him is the Antichrist, who Squee is terrified of. He has never, ever, ever, had a good dream. Through the course of the book, he is visited by aliens, ghosts, zombies, time travelers and the serial killer next door.

Though Squee is as frightened by all this as anyone else might be, he takes it in his stride with a passive resilience that only a child could possess and the help of Shmee, his teddy bear and 'trauma-sponge.' He gets through the horrors just by being a simple-minded kid. Adults dwell on the past and the future. Kids live squarely in the present, daydream about flying and drink Tang until they forget it all. He takes for granted that the world is scary and just goes to school each day, provided he hasn't been abducted by aliens.

#leitner tournament #reading list #16th poll #non-affiliated

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adamwatchesmovies · 10 months ago

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Anatomy of a Fall (2023)

Of all the legal thrillers I’ve seen, Anatomy of a Fall feels the most genuine and relatable. While there are big revelations about the people involved and technically, they come suddenly, this isn’t a story of accidental confessions, surprise witnesses, or even earth-shattering pieces of evidence. Something happened while there were no witnesses present. The court must decide whether a crime was committed or not based on the evidence. That's it. In the process, the film peels back layers to reveal the truth and half-truths that comprise relationships.

Sandra Voyter (Sandra Hüller) is woken from a nap by her son, Daniel (Milo Machado-Graner). Her husband (his father), Samuel Maleski (Samuel Theis), has fallen from their roof and died. She insists it must have been an accident - he was working on the roof when she went to sleep. The authorities are not convinced and she is indicted on charges of murder.

There’s a particular line in the film that summarizes what a nightmare this situation is. It's something like “What you hear, it’s just a small part of the whole”. As we're presented with testimonies from experts and people who knew Samuel, as more evidence is brought forth, we're given a version of Sandra and Samuel's relationship. In a way, it’s not even Sandra who’s on trial; it’s her marriage. If she and her husband fought a lot, if someone was unfaithful, if someone was planning on leaving, then it probably means Sandra killed him. It’s not even if the whole relationship was bad; it’s if it was bad recently. We're not talking about "a rough patch" or something they could've overcome. This fragment is now the whole.

In a way, the trial is a matter of life and death. The jury is deliberating whether Sandra killed her husband. It’s also about an intimate subject you could call mundane in the grand scheme of things: two people’s marriage. Drawing a conclusion from the snippets presented is an unfair way to judge their relationship but it’s also the best way to see what it was like because you get the “highlight reel”. By the time this film is over, you feel like you know these people so well that they're no longer characters in a film. Then, you remember that quote from earlier and you second-guess everything. Do you really know? That sentiment is amplified by the revelations that come up during the trial. They’re not the sort of bombshells you’re used to seeing in these legal dramas, but they’re just as earth-shattering and revelatory.

The film is as absorbing as it is because of the excellent script by Justine Triet (who also directs) and Arthur Harari and the performances. There are so many character moments in Anatomy of a Fall that I see it as the kind of film you would come back to in the future, despite so much of the suspense coming from the uncertainty of the final verdict. Even some of the minor characters I keep thinking back to, like the two forensic analysts who bring to the stand completely different interpretations of three drops of blood found outside. It makes you wonder if they - despite having no investment in this narrative whatsoever - somehow made up their minds about the case anyway and brought in their biases. Why else would they be so combative? Many characters are deliberately unlikable, but not in a way that makes them villains. Wait. Did I dislike them because of who they really are, or because of the way I perceived them based on the evidence presented? hmm.

Anatomy of a Fall is a film of complex emotions. There are so many details in the case, the way the characters behave or relate to each other that you forget everything else around you. The performances are excellent, as is the script. You've never been put on trial for murder before but you'll know what it must feel like once the end credits roll. (March 27, 2024)

#Anatomy of a Fall #anatomie d'une chute #Justine Triet #Arthur Harari #Sandra Huller #Swann Arlaud #Milo Machado-Graner #Antoine Reinartz #Samuel Theis #Jehnny Beth #2023 movies #2023 films #movies #films #movie reviews #film reviews

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beardedmrbean · 2 years ago

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ATLANTA — The purported names and addresses of members of the grand jury that indicted Donald Trump and 18 of his co-defendants on state racketeering charges this week have been posted on a fringe website that often features violent rhetoric, NBC News has learned.

NBC News is choosing not to name the website featuring the addresses to avoid further spreading the information.

The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office declined to comment. District Attorney Fani Willis faced racist threats ahead of the return of the indictment, and additional security measures were put in place, with some employees being allowed to work from home.

The grand jurors' purported addresses were spotted by Advance Democracy, a nonpartisan research group founded by Daniel J. Jones, a former FBI investigator and staffer for the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee.

“It’s becoming all too commonplace to see everyday citizens performing necessary functions for our democracy being targeted with violent threats by Trump-supporting extremists," Jones said. "The lack of political leadership on the right to denounce these threats — which serve to inspire real-world political violence — is shameful.”

Advance Democracy also noted that users were posting the names and images of people believed to have been grand jurors on other social media sites. The posts asserted that the jurors had posted on social media in support of Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., former President Barack Obama and the Black Lives Matter movement.

The indictment issued Monday lists the names of the grand jury members but not their addresses or other personal information.

Tuesday — after Trump posted on his social media website that authorities were going "after those that fought to find the RIGGERS!" — Advance Democracy said Trump supporters were "using the term ‘rigger’ in lieu of a racial slur" in posts.

The Fulton County Sheriff's Office, which is handling the surrender of Trump and his co-defendants over the next 10 days, declined to comment.

“We are not commenting on any issues related to grand jury security," said Natalie Ammons, a spokeswoman for the sheriff's office.

The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The grand jurors have come under attack in the days since Trump's indictment, the fourth criminal indictment brought against the twice-impeached former president.

“These jurors have signed their death warrant by falsely indicting President Trump," a post on a pro-Trump forum read in response to a post including the names of jurors, which was viewed by NBC News.

#nunyas news #i bet leaks are bad now

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basketballjersey · 8 months ago

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#daniel theis #new orleans pelicans #nba

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philocalistherz · 18 days ago

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⋅ʚ The visual illusion of presumed innocence and the art of constructing the truth⋅ʚ

Scene analysis of Anatomy of a Fall (2023).

➴ June 08, 2025. ₊˚ෆ

💭 Technical data.

𖥔 Timecode: 1:35:12 – 1:38:37 𖥔 Scene referenced: Sandra and her husband's recorded discussion during the second session of the trial.

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𖥔 Scene background and description:

Following an unsupervised conversation between Sandra (Sandra Hüller) and Daniel (Milo Machado), the session is adjourned and the judge asks the clerk to provide the transcription of Exhibit 31 to those present. As the characters exchange glances, the focus shifts between the screen, the defendant and her team, and a flashback of the situation presented.

Samuel (played by Samuel Theis) and Sandra argue in the kitchen about their difficult relationship, bringing up past events and present people to support their arguments. Sandra is adamant: "The frustration is there, and we're both dealing with it." As the argument continues, the faces of the jurors in the courtroom come into focus alongside Sandra's frustrated dialogue. Her accusations towards Samuel are accompanied by shots of the other male jurors, as well as of Daniel, the couple's son. The explicit words of his parents are shown in a transcript cut. A wide shot returns to the vastness of the courtroom before focusing on Sandra, her legal team, and finally the prosecutor and witness. The latter concludes with the statement: 'A physical altercation, the defendant hitting her husband'.

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I. PRACTICAL AND GENERAL FACTORS THE MONTAGE

Seeing the compositional units as interconnected and interchangeable elements is what makes this scene so particular and relevant to the final work, as its placement of shots and cuts is strategic for the construction of parallel internal discourses, serving as narrative tools that scale the environment, depriving itself of elements such as the soundtrack to emphasize the sobriety of the scene.

Initially it is a shot and counter-shot, marked by the prevalence in Sandra's character, and all the time used on this one, even when parts of her monologue could be “filled” with shots of Samuel, is focused solely and exclusively on her presumed truth. The more weighty accusations are kept with the camera following the protagonist, only turning to her opposite when it comes to unveiling attitudes that somehow replace what has been built in previous scenes.

And that's the trick, because Anatomy of a Fall is more like “Dissection of a presumed innocence”. Where the montage plays the role of forensic scientist and Victor Frankenstein by recomposing at will the perception of the spectator from a language codified in the visual, the clues are hidden in the duration of its shots, in the overlapping of its sound; in the supposed truth of the living over the reality of the dead in “objectivity”.

Even in matters that some might consider 'superficially aesthetic', we can interpret the lighting in Samuel's response to Sandra as a reflection of the internal conflict he experiences, as well as his silence.

The axioms in this test go beyond a simple flashback from the transcript. The way it is presented to us, and the intelligence of the cuts, appeal to viewers and divide them into the same thirds as the jury of this mock court. So why would there be a cut to the women in the room when the social imposition of 'parental responsibility' is present? Why do we see the men when Sandra accuses Samuel of being 'a monster'?

The camera stalks Daniel in a tracking shot, much like his parents' interpretation of his past comments. If this sequence were resolved with the same stillness as the others, it would not have the desired effect. Thompson asserts that there is a science to what is seen and how it is seen, and this is refined bit by bit within the film's ephemeral verisimilitude. The cut to the screen reveals this clever deception, this construction of a truth disguised as objectivity, which we must determine as observers.

Daniel is in the foreground. The artificial depth of his surroundings is reduced to blurred members of the audience. Even the light serves as a 'cut-out' or 'visual dissociation' for the character, accompanied by the dialogue reproduced on stage and the spotlight. The camera acts as our prosecutor and witness, presenting the facts, albeit not as they happened. This ambiguity mirrors the uncertainty surrounding the veracity of this final transcript, which was not created by the victim, but by a third party.

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II. CONTINUITY

Triet's cinematography is full of fractal units that move from side to side like a tennis match. If we take the second session fragment and break it down into functional sub-units, we realise that its continuity is fractured. However, it is simultaneously kept connected by the transcription bridge, which transcends the unit and keeps us in two places at once: the past and the present, superimposed for the analysis of an uncertain future. The absence of music is not a minor detail, as maintaining focus on so many elements simultaneously necessitates the sacrifice of certain tools.

The thematic rhythm in Anatomy of a Fall is presented fairly clearly at the beginning of the film. The incessant repetition of an instrumental and the back-and-forth between Sandra's innocence and guilt form two sides of a coin that spins on the table. A simple association must be made to grasp the variability of the film:

𖥔 Sandra imposes her truth over Samuel's.

𖥔 Both use Daniel as a pawn of presumed neutrality and trustworthiness to undermine the other's argument.

If we abstract this function and bring it to trifle, we can perceive a repetition in a fractal manner throughout the film, but is it present in the chosen fragment? Of course, the evidence presented serves not only in the trial with narrative implications, but also as a demonstration of the film's anatomical code:

Truth posed → Oppositional assertion to the truth posed → “Mediating” point that confirms / denies said truth → both sides create a new truth → opposition to the new truth.

This rhythm serves as the fundamental piece of the montage for the work, but it is only a synesthetic perception: an association with the absent music that is repeated ad nauseam by the spectator and the characters. This may or may not be concordant with the perceptions of others.

In the second chapter of El Montaje Cinematográfico (1971), Sánchez emphasises the importance of variety within a film's temporal rhythm. He discards this because of the weariness it can cause, but it is one of the resources used in Anatomy of a Fall. After all, what kind of person would not assume that the same arguments are being repeated without any change? The details are hidden in the subtle twists, precise cuts and timing of the shots, and the spatio-temporal relationship of the multifaceted monotony. Going from one lie to another and from the past to the present with the plans is just an overlay of units, a new branding that not only works to avoid jadedness, but also emphasises the intrinsic meaning of the large-scale fragment with contrasting elements.

Moving from one lie to another and from the past to the present with the plans is simply an overlay of the units — a new branding that not only avoids jadedness, but also emphasises the intrinsic meaning of the large-scale fragment with its contrasting elements.

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III. DIALOGUES

The fragment presents the pre-climax of the discussion (the 'flashback' that runs alongside the transcript presented at the trial) and the dialogue works in tandem with the scene montage. The découpage is simply an arrangement of elements, and the trial scene is an insect posed in a particular and thoughtful way, both within the diegesis and in its presentation as a work of fiction. This is evident even before the set-up and cutting, and the premeditated nature of the découpage is clear from the outset in the literary script.

The manipulation of time and space in Anatomy of a Fall goes beyond the editor's need to create a consistent narrative; it plays with the subtle gaps allowed by the dialogue to present dual, mostly visual narratives. The decision to keep Sandra's monologue with few cuts adds weight to her accusations, as do the direct cuts and the length of Samuel's silence. This silence exists in the void where the script does not interrupt, and where editing builds increasing tension as the dispute progresses.

The subtle zoom-in draws the viewer's attention to the character, and the decision to keep his hand in shot adds cohesion and continuity to the scene, emphasising the intention to portray Samuel as a coward to his wife.

In the section of the fragment (02:28–02:41), a detail that may have been overlooked in the general fatigue of the scene is brought to the viewer's attention. Samuel did not transcribe the last recording of his project properly, which gives rise to trickery in the test. As life is made up of balanced lies and strategic snippets of truth, so too is editing. The theory of evidence tampering for the benefit of the victim is therefore quite feasible. The fact that we see a visual representation of such a discussion is not an arbitrary choice on the part of the editing team, but rather a way to appeal to the victim's truth and the curiosity of the jury on the other side of the screen. But how easy is it to tamper with audio, diegetically speaking? Not as easy as it sounds. Anyone who has edited audiovisual material for long enough will know it's not impossible.

This is one of the tricks of intention that can be achieved with montage: how the distribution of information may alter the audience's response and persuade them to choose X or Y, depending on the director's intention. In this case, the intention remains intermediate for dramatic effect, given the possibility that subjective truth is merely a montage of memory and not an objective fact.

The abstraction of the information is characterised by clean, direct cuts that resemble literary similes and give the sensation of unequivocal continuity. This continuity is premeditated, just as the crime committed in the film is premeditated, as the same direct raccord used for the present facts is also manifested in the uncertain past.

The length of the dialogues could be interpreted as either an attempt by Sandra to force Samuel to act, or a motive for her alleged murder. Her dialogue exists even when she is outside the frame, above the jury and herself. Their justification could be varied as each subsequent shot opens up a new possibility, but their converging element is clear: she is fed up and dominates the discussions, as we can infer from Samuel's words.

Burch highlights a truth I wish to recover in Praxis of Cinema (1969): 'An editor will tell us that there is only a fair place for direct raccord or for an ellipsis'. This is a crucial moment where truth meets manipulation — a loophole that the fictional lawyers in this footage would adore. Where better to completely truncate a piece of evidence than here? Where it cannot be perceived and neither viewers nor the jury can provide more than reliable evidence, and where internal transposition or play with the story leads us to select this fragment.

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IV. CHARACTER MOVEMENTS

The way in which the movements interact with the characters is closely linked to the emotions presented by the actors. While the camera follows Sandra's frantic movements in close-up, Daniel's more static direct cuts and medium shots act as a contrast, as does the empty space to his left — at least in the first part of the fragment.

The court is still and expectant as the camera zooms in, abruptly cutting to the awkward moment when the judge stands up and the prosecutor (02:15) reacts, visible in her expression and sudden movement as the shot changes.

Beyond the direct cut and the interplay of dialogue, there are few resources. The sound remains within the diegesis of the two presented areas, emphasising their direct relationship. This sequence can almost be read as if it were real time, as the weight of the silences and the length of the speeches create the sensation of being another witness in the room.

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V. CAMERA MOVEMENTS

Among the possibilities explored in articulating movements, several things can be highlighted: Tracking Sandra versus static shots of Samuel's actions; a tracking shot that wraps around Daniel, leaving us with him for long enough to sense his guilt over his words, which are now being used as a weapon in an argument that does not concern him; a seemingly anticlimactic zoom that cuts off the argument and brings the viewer back to the present; subtle panning; and the prosecutor's questions directed at Samuel's witness.

Eisenstein qualifies these combinations as oppositions of dynamic content. Something polyphonic occurs in this fragment, but it is devoid of musicality. It is as if the shots and their durations were Morse code, speaking directly to the audience. There is a reiteration of cuts, from solitary subjects to condensed groups, and of legal oppositions, shot sizes and moral assumptions. These finally form a piece that culminates in suspense. Burch's comparison with cubism is apt, as the reiterative elements in Anatomy of a Fall can be distinguished according to their intention and the 'colour' of the intended subtext. These elements can be sustained visually without causing the viewer undue fatigue.

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VI. CONCLUSIONS

The relationship between an editor and their audience can be compared to the artistic processes of writing and photography. Understanding the way people think and using this knowledge to enhance the narrative is an important part of storytelling. If Triet's film were not subtle and intelligent in its use of audio cuts and overlays, it would be genuinely indigestible. The gaze of someone who possesses all the evidence allows us to unravel layer upon layer of interpretation from a single sequence that encapsulates the encoded anatomy within.

The atmosphere is created through meticulous editing, giving us an enjoyable sequence that keeps us on the edge of our seats, waiting to see who or what the new culprit will be in the jury's mind and in ours as witnesses on the other side of the screen. Who will we give the truth to before we change our minds? More importantly, which side will the coin finally fall on?

This scene is not only a visual representation of a confrontation; it is also a clever piece of editing that skilfully manipulates the viewer's perception and challenges them to discern the truth from the characters' subjective interpretations.

-ˋˏ philocalistherzˎˊ

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