#Phyllis Barrington

[movie-titlecards]

The Murder in the Museum (1934)

My rating: 4/10

Dull and unremarkable, and for a movie set at a sideshow bizarrely devoid of any kind of music (seriously, there's actual dance scenes set entirely to crowd noises), but ultimately, I suppose, inoffensive.

[medinainternational]

(Motif-Radio) REGGAE PON TOP # 9 2024 TRACK LISTING:

SINGLES: BARRINGTON LEVY- PRISON OVAL DUB KAZAYAH- READY FI DI ROAD EESAH- BEHOLD THE CONQUERING LION ZION HEAD & MACKA B- PRAISE TO JAH MOSIAH- BLACK LIVITY KABAKA PYRAMID- START MY DAY HEZRON- NATURAL WOMAN JAH LIL- ABOVE WATER EXCO LEVI- STRIVE WITH ME EXCO LEVI- WHITE SQUALL L.A.B.- CASSANOVA DA FLAME- PHYLLIS DILLION TRIBUTE

RIDDIMS: NATURAL VIBES RIDDIM MEDINA DUBPLATES FIGHT AGAIN RIDDIM

DANCEHALL: ROSHAWNY BAD G & GOVANA- DEH SUH CAPLETON & AFAZ- NATURAL CAN'T STOP MAESTRO DON FT. D-YANI- TEASE MOSIAH- EQUALITY AWESOME SAUCE RIDDIM PURE POWER & STYLO G- N.H.S. NUH REGULAR RIDDIM CHRONIC LAW- ONE DAY EYE GEN- ROCKAWAY

ROOTS/DUBWISE/LOVERS ROCK: EXCO LEVI- ONE LIFE DUKE OF ROOTS- CROSS THE RUBICON PROTOJE- LEGEND LEGEND GINJAH- BETTER WAY MR. EASY & VAZASHA PETERS- SUFFERING EESAH- PUSH ON SKYGRASS & MYKAL ROSE- SENSI DONOVAN KINGJAY- SEE AND BLIND PERFECT GIDDIMANI- SAVE JAH CHILDREN KEN BOOTH- GREEN GROW THE RASHES O! MURDER DEM RIDDIM DENNIS BROWN- LIFE GOES IN CIRCLES

[tothelasthoursofmylife]

Mother's Day is today and Father's Day is soon (where I live at least). There were no such celebrations (at least not in the form as we know today) in the Victorian era. Still, I someday want to find the time (and opportunity within the story) to write something for those days. But then, it's unlikely to be a (fully) happy story anyway because most characters are (half-)orphans.

Cloudia: Simon is dead. Not on speaking or seeing terms with Penelope. (And Cloudia too is set to leave her children orphaned and in dubious guardianship.)

Cedric: His parents are obviously very dead.

Kamden: Both his bio (Edmund and Linette) and his (first) adoptive parents (Frederick and Phyllis) are dead. He's Barrington's ward, meaning that Barrington is essentially his adoptive father. (Dr Alan is a bonus "father.") Kamden has the most parents and the worst "track record" with them.

Barrington: His parents are dead too. Barrington actually didn't see his father for years before his death because of his travels! He had a fall-out with his mother after ditching the knighthood and didn't see her before her death either.

Cecelia: Never knew her mother, hated her father (he's dead too).

Oscar: Ealasaid is long dead, and he never knew Ranald (or his other father-candidate). Oscar rarely interacted with his mother, but when they did, she was always kind to him. One of his daughters was actually named after her.

Milton: Kordelia and Leland are both dead. He is very reserved to talk about his parents, actually.

Lisa: Joins the club of father-haters with Cecelia (Lisa might hate hers more). Her father is dead but she doesn't care. Her mother is dead too. She and Lisa were close though.

Newman: No information on his parents.

The only ones who win with parents are Cloudia's cousins, really. (All alive and decent.)

[manualstogo]

For just $3.99 Sinister Hands Released February 22, 1932: A wealthy man invites a group of friends over to be part of a seance, and when he is murdered, everyone present has a motive to kill him. Directed by: Armand Schaefer Written by: Oliver Drake and Norton S. Parker. The Actors: Jack Mulhall Detective Captain Herbert Devlin, Phyllis Barrington Ruth Frazer, Crauford Kent Judge David McLeod, Mischa Auer Swami Yomurda, Louis Natheaux Nick Genna, Gertrude Messinger Betty Lang, Lloyd Ingraham John Frazer, James P. Burtis Detective Watkins, Phillips Smalley Richard Lang, Helen Foster Vivian Rogers, Lillian West Mrs. Lang, Fletcher Norton Monroe, the butler, Bess Flowers Mary Browne, Russ Coller Tommy Lang, Allan Cavan the coroner, Jack Cheatham Police Officer Kennedy, and Henry Hall Chief of Police. Runtime: 1h 5m *** This item will be supplied on a quality disc and will be sent in a sleeve that is designed for posting CD's DVDs *** This item will be sent by 1st class post for quick delivery. Should you not receive your item within 12 working days of making payment, please contact us as it is unusual for any item to take this long to be delivered. Note: All my products are either my own work, licensed to me directly or supplied to me under a GPL/GNU License. No Trademarks, copyrights or rules have been violated by this item. This product complies withs rules on compilations, international media and downloadable media. All items are supplied on CD or DVD.

[bdscuatui]

Các giao dịch bất động sản ở Massachusetts cho các hạt Hampden, Hampshire và Franklin: ngày 26 tháng 1 năm 2020 #thôngtin AgawamAndrew J. Fox đến Daniel O hèConnor, 51-53 Hope Farms Dr., $ 295.000.Daniel Fruwirth và Deanna Fruwirth đến Hamid Satraouy, 28 Melrose Place, 238.500 đô la.Thomas F. Reidy II và Sherry M. Reidy đến Pine Crossing Development Inc., 466 South Westfield St., $ 866,562.Tina M. Chandler đến Christian T. Ledoux, 11 Mansion Woods Dr., Đơn vị 11-C, $ 187.000.AmherstJeanne L. Balcom đến Jeanne L. Balcom, ủy thác và Autumn Lane Trust, 2 Autumn Lane, $ 100.Jean M. LaPlante đến Goldfinch Holdings LLC, 191-193 Middle St., $ 275,000.Amherst Real Properties LLC, đến Glenn Warren và Christine Warren, Leverett Road, 130.000 đô la.Robert T. Zoeller và Mary Mitchell Zoeller đến Elizabeth L. Hallstrom và Theodore A. Hallstrom, 63 Cherry Lane, $ 425.000.Sonja Guddat và Sonja Kadziolka đến Roshna Shahi và Ranju Shahi, 156 Columbia Drive, 420.000 USD.Ronald Fontanetta cho Tom Svrcek và Catherine J. Svrcek, 1133 North Pleasant St., 369.500 đô la.Sân vận độngBrown Trust, John R. Evans II, Ủy thác cho Peter D. Corens, Beldingville Road, 300.000 đô la.Maplecrest Trust, John R. Evans II, ủy thác, đến Janet L. Casteld, Beldingville Road, 400.000 đô la.Timberwood Trust, John R. Evans II, ủy thác, đến Peter D. Corens, Beldingville Road, 400.000 đô la.Cape Trust, John R. Evans II, ủy thác, đến Janet L. Casteld, 876 Beldingville Road. 700.000 đô la.BelchertownEdwin Diaz và Vivian I. Santiago-Diaz đến Dhana Bhattrai và Rajan Bhattrai, 20 đường Hill Hill, $ 315.000.Peter Barnett Dupret cho Eric D. Aasheim và Sarah D. Aasheim, 121 Barton Ave., $ 320.000.Georgette P. Defriesse, Georgette P. Defriesse, đại diện cá nhân và Madeline J. Casey, bất động sản, đến Jonathan Grossman, 61 Chadbourne Road, 166.500 đô la.Joel Harder với Raymond Jean Paul Robbins và Diane Marie Robbins, 140 Old Enfield Road, 395.000 đô la.Freedom Mortthing Corp, đến Robert Jay Mitchell, 216 Bay Road, $ 125.999.Robert Jay Mitchell đến Heritage Ventures LLC, 216 Bay Road, 100 đô la.M & G Land Development LLC, đến Joshua R. Wallace và Suzi A. Wallace, 510 Franklin St., $ 381,035.Kinda S. Binder cho Jennifer L. Albury và Antonio Marquez-Diaz, 281 Mill Valley Road, 270.000 đô la.Cánh đồngJason Bedard và Chevelle Bedard đến Beth A. Goven, 34 Lyman Barnes Road, $ 278.000.Pawel Kruszewski đến Erika Flores, 10 đường Echo, 27.000 USD.Roger A. Parker và Tracy L. Parker đến Jason M. Bedard và Chevelle Bedard, 19 Lyman Barnes Road, 400.000 USD.ChicopeeAlex B. Devivo và Gabrielle Devivo đến Dee Ann Civello, 143 Sesame Dr., $ 330.000.Christina M. Moreau, Stacy L. Moreau và Gerhard Teply đến 21 Dale LLC, 21 Dale St., $ 245.000.Craig Cwalina đến Luis A. Ortiz Diaz, 47 Lester St., $ 259,400.Trưởng khoa F. Desmarais và Maria C. Desmarais đến Douglas William Dolbow và Robin Marie Dolbow, 211 School House Road, 280.000 USD.Edward R. Paul và Margaret A. Paul đến Karen McCollaum, 4 địa điểm Pembroke, $ 170.000.Lana J. Guz đến Desiree A. Frank, 47 Whittlesey Ave., 100.000 đô la.Matthew M. Balut và Tiffany Balut cho Sarah E. Mueller và Brian E. Adams, 597 Broadway St., $ 190.000.Namik Mamedov đến Sergeo V. Arbuzov, 36-38 Fuller St., $ 259,900.Peggy Breault, Peggy A. Breault, Paul Allard và Paul M. Allard cho Robert Schlefstein và Tina Marie Bergeron, 663 Pendleton Ave., $ 185.000.Sylvia Fairbanks, đại diện, Richard Godek, bất động sản, và Richard Andrew Godek, bất động sản, đến Marisol Mateo, 11 Riverdale Road, $ 174.000.Thomas E. McCollaum và Karen McCollaum đến Vòng Hai LLC, 59 Artisan St., 75.000 đô la.Thomas McCollaum và Karen McCollaum đến Cesar Lopez, 27-29 Charbonneau Terrace, 110.000 USD.Đông thànhPeter Y. Hoag và Eugenia M. Hoag cho David Rosenthal và Beverly Rosenthal, 44 Ashley Circle, 469.000 đô la.Jordan P. Healy đến Jordan P. Healy và Jennifer Erickson, 218 East St., $ 100.David Raucher, Donald Raucher, Douglas Raucher, Dennis Raucher và Diane Miller Raucher đến Wagging Tails Animal Services LLC, 30 Florence Road, 750.000 USD.Cynthia M. Lukowski đến Heidi Chereski, 34 Đại lộ Tây Nguyên, $ 233,900.Leonard Larock và Corrine Larock cho Patsy Lawnhust MacKinnon và Gregory Neil MacKinnon, 19-21 West St., 425.000 đô la.GranbyEdward C. Shyloski & Sons Inc., đến Kotowicz Custom Homes LLC, Carver Street, 65.000 đô la.Tyson R. Ence đến Britney Archambault Jackson, 115 South St., $ 235.000.GranvilleHội tiết kiệm quỹ Wilmington, Christiana Trust, ủy thác và BCAT 2015-14BTT, ủy thác của, cho Robert Joseph Toth, 49 đường Hartland Hollow, 34.500 đô la.Cánh đồng xanhJohn V. Bellenoit cho Kurt William Schellenberg và Bekkaoc EllerEowind, 73 phố Maple, $ 222.000.Gary M. Bohonowicz và Doreen M. Tilley cho Christopher Charmack, 18 Green St./Green Street, $ 287.000.Cassidy Buchanan-Gauthier và Kayla R. Gundrum đến Jenifer L. Gelieneau và William L. Gussin, 12 Mountain Road, 220.000 USD.Wedgewood Gardens Inc., đến Taryn B. Valdez, 220 Silver St., $ 222.000.HadleyDonna M. Carver, ủy thác và Donna M. Carver Tin tưởng có thể hủy bỏ đối với Farah Chamoun và Fibi Kahabout, 131 Rocky Hill Road, 430.000 đô la.Nhà phân phối lợp kim loại của Hoa Kỳ Inc., đến Alan St.Hilaire và Christina Carrera-St. Hilaire, 103 North Maple St., $ 125.000.Hà LanMark N. Bierman và Jacqueline J. Bierman đến Classic Solutions Inc., 6 Wood Lane, 35.000 USD.HolyokeAnthony W. Soto và Melissa M. Soto đến Tyler William Tardy, 324 Elm St., $ 180.000.Daniel Chandler đến Coakley Corp, 60 Lower Westfield Road, $ 117.000.Giám mục Công giáo La Mã của Springfield đến Foley Property Management Corp, 1985 Northampton St., $ 875.000.Laura A. Renaud, đại diện, Roger H. Renaud, bất động sản, và Roger Henry Renaud, bất động sản, đến Brendan M. Cauley, 12 Arbor Way, Đơn vị A, 77.000 đô la.Holyoke Community Land Trust Inc. đến Diana Garcia, 140 Essex St., 4.000 USD.LongmeadowFrank N. Leichthammer và Laurie A. Leichthammer đến Đại học Bay Path, 577 Longmeadow St., $ 309.000.Raymond G. Rowe và Debra H. Rowe đến Patrick Curry, 35 đường Barrington, $ 182,000.Robert H. Marshall đến Linda A. Hickling và Angel L. Garcia, 76 Longmeadow St., $ 232.000.LudlowTạo bọt ngôi nhà LLC đến Taylor Lukas và David Normand II, 49 W. Belmont St., $ 229.000.Henry J. Kelly và Phyllis D. Kelly đến John Portelada Jr., 42 Hampshire St., 121.000 đô la.Raymond Jean Paul Robbins và Diane Marie Robbins đến Yongqiang Wang, 17 Windwood Dr., 375.000 đô la.Tuukakorp LLC đến Stephanie P. Nascimento, Parker Lane, $ 135.000.Đức ôngPamela A. Bourgault đến Ashley C. Gendron và Ashley Fussell, 17 Elm St., $ 157.500.MontagueGillian B. Wilson đến Casey J. Placek và Kevin Randall, 15 Norman Circle, 135.000 đô la.Cody-Joy Tringali cho Justin D. Killeen, 342 Liên bang St., 175.000 đô la.MontgomeryCIG4 LLC đến Tyler Montgomery và Anthony Fastiggi, 6 đường Pine Ridge, $ 185.000.Giáo dụcV Mortidor Reo 2 LLC, Newrez LLC, luật sư thực tế, New Penn Financial LLC, luật sư thực tế và Dịch vụ thế chấp Shellpoint, luật sư, thực tế, cho Kinda A. Kamins, 12 Maple St., 175.000 đô la.Janvier Rollande và Janvier L. Rollande đến Kristine Mak Yu, 48 Graves Ave., 336.500 đô la.Frank T. Sansom, Sarah E. Sansom và Sarah E. Beaumier đến Deerwater Realty LLC, 33-35 Conz St., và Maple Street, 910.000 đô la.Christopher E. Gobillot và Cindy L. Gobillot cho Jason Rodriguez và Naomi Rodriguez, 288 Riverside Drive, $ 252.500.Lawrence F. Bouley đến Peter Casey và Janet Casey, 85-87-89 Water St., $ 407.500.trái camNhà máy Echo LLC, đến Echo Real Real LLC, 61 R W Moore Ave., $ 910.000.Fred L. Heyes đến Noah W. Stone, 92 Butterworth Road, 37.500 đô la.Scott W. Green và Angela G. Green cho đến Kenneth J. Rogers, Jr., và Ashley E. Rogers, 11 Drive Drive, 180.000 đô la.CitiMortidor Inc. bởi luật sư, Servicelink LLC, luật sư, đến National Homebuyers LLC, 190 West Orange Road, 36.750 đô la.PalmerCharles J. Callahan và Barbara L. Callahan cho Matthew Lyons và Joy Lyons, 11 Winthrop St., $ 181.000.Derek A. Swallow và Jennifer A. Nuốt cho David G. Douillard và Theresa Douillard, 10 Diane St., 160.000 đô la.Russell Bukowski đến Mark A. Rehbein và Deborah Rehbein, 1025 Central St., Đơn vị D, 60.000 đô la.Đồng bằngSally A. Rivard và William Rivard cho David E. Filkins Jr., 13 Maple St., $ 33.000.Laura B. Filkins và Sean Brown cho David E. Filkins Jr., 13 Maple St., 33.000 đô la.Kenneth M. Horowitz đến Michelle Helms, Phố Đông, 66.000 USD.Mary R. Flahive, Mary R. Flahive, ủy thác, Charles V. Ryan, ủy thác, John J. Flahive Trust Revocable Trust và John F. Flahive Revocable Trust to Mary Flahive Dickson, Grant Street, 80.000 USD.Mary R. Flahive, Mary R. Flahive, ủy thác, Charles V. Ryan, ủy thác, John J. Flahive Trust Revocable Trust và John F. Flahive Trust Revocable Trust to Mary Flahive Dickson, Grant Street, $ 100.ShelburneCoreen M. Klepadlo, "còn gọi là" Coreen M. Young, đến Joseph S. Rae, 163 Smead Hill Road, 350.000 đô la.ShutesburyEdward J. Moskal đến Leonard A. Moskal, 56 Lake Drive, 75.000 USD.New Penn Financial LLC, MTGLQ Investors LP, bởi luật sư, Newrez LLC, luật sư và Dịch vụ thế chấp Shellpoint, luật sư, cho Paul Roud, 250 West Pelham Road, 117.000 đô la.Nam HadleyDenis B. Poirier và Mary Ann Poirier cho Mary Ann Poirier, người được ủy thác, Denis B. Poirier, người được ủy thác, Chứng nhận có thể hủy bỏ của Mary Ann Poirier, Mary Ann Poirier, người được ủy thác, người được ủy thác Mary Ann Poirier, 262 Đông St. và 262 Miller St., 100 đô la.Russell B. Jopson Jr., và Cynthia A. Jopson cho Russell B. Jopson Jr., ủy thác, Cynthia A. Jopson, ủy thác và Jopson Family Trust, 99 Pine Grove Drive, 100 đô la.Ronald W. McMahon đến Lynne A. Helems, 5 ngõ Greenwood, $ 233.500.Jaimarie G. Ely đến Gary A. Geanacopoulos và Jimmie M. Geanacopoulos, 20 Lawrence Ave., 140.000 đô la.NamwickFiore Realty Holdings LLC đến Doreen Dargon, Sawgrass Lane, $ 120.000.Wendi L. Mello đến Andrew Mark Ouimette, Đường 27 V Mort Vining, $ 460.000.SpringfieldAmat Victoria Curam LLC đến Naylor Nation Real Real LLC, Trung tâm 273-275, $ 560.000.Ngân hàng New York Mellon, ủy thác, và Ủy thác tài trợ thế chấp Novastar 2005-3, ủy thác, cho Anthony M. Santaniello và Aguasvivas Realty LLC, 47 Spikenard Circle, 150.675 đô la.Basile Realty LLC đến L & J Realty Group LLC, 331-335 Allen St., $ 680,000.Blueline Management LLC đến Mickey Lynn Banks III và Lauren Banks, 82 Hillside Dr., $ 215.000.Bretta Construction LLC đến Simmone Shortte, 73 Woodrow St., $ 329,900.Bruce A. Webster, đại diện, và Robin K. Moreland, bất động sản, đến Stratton Renovation LLC, 155 South Branch Parkway, 135.000 đô la.Carol Rivet và Michael Remy, đại diện, và Irene J. Remy, bất động sản, đến Dilenes Ortiz, 143 Redlands St., 160.000 đô la.Liên đoàn thế chấp quốc gia PGS. và Fannie Mae đến Glenn Robert Zuffelato, 23-25 ​​Algoquin, 123.688 đô la.CIG4 LLC đến Candice L. Cipolla, 93 Pine Grove St., $ 169,900.Dan Beauregard đến Joaquim Santos, 69 Sherman St., $ 115.000.Daniel P. Croken và Patricia A. Courtney-Croken đến Aguasvivas Realty LLC, 12-14 Howes St., $ 145.000.Darlene R. Setkewich đến Basile Realty LLC, 164 Grooween St., $ 100.000.Diane M. Smith-Jubrey cho James Githiri, 34 Collins St., $ 31.000.Dolores P. Santinelli đến Anthony N. Yeboah, 214 Belmont Ave., $ 121,750.Tập đoàn Đông Phương đến Yvette Ortiz, 33 Euclid Ave., 184.000 USD.Flora Tung và Tok Chang đến Suldan Mohamud và Abdikadir Abdi, 485 Dickinson St., $ 185.000.Gary Delogg đến Saha D. Biswa, 16-18 Rosemont St., $ 201.000.Hampden Realty LLC đến Erik White, 62-64 Lester St., $ 281.500.Irelisse Gomez đến John E. Torres-Astacio, 92-94 Manhattan St., 294.000 USD.Jael M. Williams đến Baystate Medical Center Inc., 133 Springfield St, $ 250.000.James W. Fiore, Darlene Fiore, Tina Fiore, Tina Carnevale và Sean A. Howard đến Yamilex Vega, 35 Powell Ave., 175.000 USD.Joseph M. O KhănBrien III, đại diện, và Kevin D. O vạchBrien, bất động sản, đến Julio A. Ortiz, 354-356 White St., 175.000 đô la.Juan A. Santana đến Reba Andrea Raudales, 23 Russell St., 200.000 USD.Kelly Regan và Michael E. Briotta cho Christopher T. Regan và Alanna B. Regan, 29 Bethel St., 103.000 đô la.Larisa Rudin đến Krystal A. Corbin, 122 Middlesex St., 179.000 USD.Lynn M. Gauthier và John E. Gauthier đến Misael Salas, 101-103 Knollwood St., 175.000 đô la.Nationstar Mortthing LLC và ông Cooper đến Rayan C. Abdulbaki, 129 Margerie St., 60.000 USD.Nationstar Mortthing LLC, Ông Cooper và Jacqueline E. Turner cho Ngân hàng Hoa Kỳ, ủy thác và Ủy thác chính của LSRMF MH II, ủy thác của 47 Wellington St., $ 115.206.NWO Realty Inc. đến New Look Realty Inc., 96-98 Cambridge St., $ 50.000.Ralph R. Clifford cho Revovized Renovations Inc., 60 Parkside St., $ 85.000.Ramon Sornoza, Ra Mon Sornoza, Raymond Sornoza và Gloria Sornoza đến Jose A. Maldonado Cruz, 356 Orange S.t, 160.000 USD.Robert W. Lacas Jr. để tốt nghiệp Dịch vụ nhà ở LLC, 104 Bristol St., $ 60.000.Rogelio Marquez đến Anthony Santiago và Angie V. Marquez, 84 Eleanor Road, 170.000 USD.Scott D. Hathaway và Colleen M. Hathaway cho Robert Gasteyer, người được ủy thác và 15 Railroad Avenue Realty Trust, ủy thác của, Sumner Avenue, 30.000 đô la.Thành phố Springfield đến C & C ngôi nhà LLC, 427 Bay St., $ 1.000.Three Star Properties LLC để Pride Limited Partnership, 1110 Wilbraham Road, $ 2,300.000.William N. Clarke và Dawn M. Clarke đến Tyron Austin và Shannon Austin, 85 S. Tallyho Dr., 205.000 đô la.Chủ nhậtEllen G. Kelleher đến Daniel J. Fisk và Cynthia M. McGuire, 238 North Main St., 450.000 USD.Xứ WalesKevin B. Sheehan, Robert E. Sheehan và Eleanor M. Sheehan đến Ronald White Jr. và Lisa White, 2 Debbie Lane, $ 257.397.đồCarol H. Koczur, Ernest J. Robidoux, Ernest J. Robidoux, đại diện cá nhân, và Barbara A. Robidoux, bất động sản, đến Sarah E. Haney và Nathan E. Haney, 257 Greenwich Road, $ 216.000.Sengen Properties LLC, đến Park Otis LLC, 48-58 Park St. và 14-20 Otis Ave., $ 1,035,000.Lawrence A. Lanier đến Michael David Bingle, 15 đường Malboeuf, 158.950 đô la.Leslie S. Rivera đến Patricia Mendez Lara và Jorge Martinez Mendez, 92 Nice St., $ 182,000.Tây Springfield215 đường phố Baldwin LLC đến Bear Den Holdings LLC, 215 đường phố Baldwin, $ 1.170.000.Amina Ali và Amina M. Ali đến Muhammad Taqi, 46-48 Allen St., $ 173,400.John R. Spano đến Steven R. NAF và Jennifer L. NAF, Đại lộ Grandview, 440.000 đô la.Lori Galda và David H. Edgerly đến Ziya Lachinov, 56-58 Fairview Ave., 180.000 đô la.Paul Kida đến Brian P. St. Amand, 38 đường Robinson, 107.500 đô la.Vincenzo Rettura đến SS Fund LLC, 1146 Memorial Ave., 365.000 đô la.White Church Realty LLC đến Andrew Oedel, Andrew H. Oedel, Melissa McClung và Melissa E. McClung, 732 Elm St., 450.000 USD.WestfieldCH Realty VII / CG MACT Bird LLC đến Western Ma EEM LLC, 90 South Maple St., $ 4,849,837.Donna Clarke, đại diện, và Donald R. Champiney, bất động sản, cho James Rivera II và Heather Elizabeth Johnston, 48 Grandview Dr., 265.000 đô la.Jason C. Pomeroy và Naoko Pomeroy cho Sarah Hopson, 75 Orchard St., $ 251.000.Kevin C. Kết nối với Tuyên bố tin cậy Dorota Bak, ủy thác và Dorota Bak, ủy thác, 1430 Russell Road, Đơn vị 9, $ 115.900.Blythewood Quản lý tài sản LLC đến SLF Realty Corp, 40 Montgomery St., $ 507.000.LP4 LLC đến FHB Realty LLP, 14 Sterling St., $ 230.000.Michael R. Leveille và Theresa M. Leveille đến Henry Girardin IV và Kathryn D. Girardin, 57 Pequot Point Road, 250.000 USD.Sandra Callahan cho Kevin C. Connors II và Evelyn E. Connors, 51 Riverside Drive, 232.750 đô la.Wilmington Trust, ủy thác và MFRA Trust 2015-1, ủy thác của Oscar P. Naula Naranjo, 54 Montgomery St., 105.000 đô la.Wilmington Savings Fund Society, ủy thác, và 019-1 RMF Mua lại ủy thác mua lại 2, ủy thác của Jacquelyn Laura Kazierad, 47 Zephyr Drive, 200.000 đô la.WilbrahamEdward K. Gray và Jacqueline S. Grey cho Jamie Shepard, 9 Inwood Drive, 269.750 đô la.Faissal Khachaneh đến Mouna Almasri, 3276 Đường Boston, 100 đô la.Jeffrey F. Wolcott và Donna Espinoza-Wolcott đến Mark Edgar và Lorna Edgar, 11 ngõ Victoria, $ 418.000.Virginia F. Barry đến Doreen Cickyham, 96 Vòng tròn thông cao, $ 356,400.[ad_2] Nguồn

[fivestarjamz]

“Don’t Wanna Fall In Love (New Jack Swing Remix)” by Jane Child (1990)

After a one-song break to accommodate Rick Springfield’s finest moment, Teddy Riley returns to give another white singer some extra flavor.

Jane Child got more attention for her look than her music, which was fairly prototypical L.A. pop/soul. She rocked feathered hair on top with cornrows on the bottom. She also had a nose ring that was connected by a chain to one of her earrings, which was certainly a unique look for the time. Anytime I saw her, I wondered how much she worried about someone just yanking on that chain and fucking her whole face up. Not worth the risk, IMO.

Anyway, “Don’t Wanna Fall In Love” is a pretty solid jam in its original version. It has a very Nu Shooz vibe that was maybe two years behind the times when released in early ‘90s. Nevertheless, the song shot to the runner-up spot on the Billboard Hot 100. However, Warner Brothers wanted Jane to have some Black radio airplay, and Teddy Riley was enlisted to sprinkle his New Jack magic all over the track. He freshened the song up with some kicking drums and his signature synthesizer wizardry, and the result knocked “Don’t Wanna Fall In Love” into the top ten on the R&B list. When I watched Teddy’s Red Bull Academy session last year, he mentioned that he was dead broke and in the midst of separating from Gene Griffin when Warner called him for the remix, and that the label hit him off with some major ducats for his trouble. 

When your producer (or remixer, in this case) proves to be more valuable than you are as an artist, things probably aren’t going to go well for the rest of your career. Child didn’t bother the charts after “Don’t Wanna Fall In Love”, but for one brief moment at the dawn of the decade, she was new jack swing’s oddball princess. 

Four star songs between “Don’t Talk To Strangers” and “Don’t Wanna Fall In Love”: “Don’t Tell Me (What Love Can Do)” (Van Halen, 1994) | “Don’t Tell Me, Tell Her” (Odyssey, 1980 + Phyllis Hyman, 1981) | “Don’t Test Me” (Shabba Ranks, 1988) | “Don’t Throw It All Away” (Stacy Lattisaw, 1982 + Barrington Levy, 1991) | “Don’t Touch My Hair” (Solange feat. Sampha, 2016) | “Don’t Try To Take The Fifth” (The Pointer Sisters, 1971) |  “Don’t Turn Around” (Tina Turner, 1986 + Aswad, 1988 + no Ace of Base version because they’re Neo-Nazis.) |”Don’t U Know I Love U” (Chuckii Booker, 1989) | “Don’t Wait” (The Foreign Exchange feat. Darien Brockington, 2010) | “Don’t Wait Another Night” (Change, 1983) | “Don’t Walk Away” (Electric Light Orchestra, 1980) | “Don’t Walk Away” (Michael Jackson, 2001...this should’ve been a huge hit) | “Don’t Walk Away” (Jade, 1992) | “Don’t Wanna Be A Player” (JOE, 1997) | “Don’t Wanna Be Like That” (Joe Jackson, 1979) | “Don’t Wanna Change The World” (Phyllis Hyman, 1991...there is a real video for this but I can’t find it) | “Don’t Wanna Fall In Love” (original version) (Jane Child, 1990)

[lbeth1950]

Quirky Family Evening

Kathleen Swain and her children.  Front left to right, Connie Miller, Kathleen Swain, Marilyn Grisham, Phyllis Barrington.  Back row, Linda Bethea and Bill Swain.  How did she ever birth all these behemoths?

A few evenings ago, Mother and her five children met for dinner at a local restaurant.  Afterwards, we went to her house to visit.  As soon as we no longer had to be socially acceptable, we…

[tothelasthoursofmylife]

I dedicate this chapter to my brother because it's his birthday today. He has no idea that I am writing this (I mean both the FF and dedication) but if some very odd galactic coincidences ever make him go through the Kuroshitsuji tumblr tag and read a lengthy Cloudia/Undertaker FF: Happy 26th birthday, you hiding-birthday-presents-under-pillows-dork.

“Everyone can break.”

Countryside, England, United Kingdom – April 1848

 ~Cedric~

 The clock was ticking.

 Right before I had gone to sleep yesterday, I had received a message from Cloudia via the skull pendant that I should take tomorrow off and come to the manor at twelve o’clock. Now, I was sitting in the manor’s library, staring at a grandfather’s clock on the far opposite wall.

Alfred had welcomed me when I had arrived and told me that I should wait for Cloudia in the library. I was sitting here for almost an hour now, and I honestly wondered if she had forgotten about me.

  “Hello, Undertaker,” Cloudia said when she finally arrived ten minutes later.

  I had last seen her five days ago on her birthday, and back then, she had not looked very well. But she had still looked better than right now: her hair and clothes were as orderly as ever, but she looked shockingly pale as if she hadn’t slept for days, as if she had been drained of all colours.

  “Are you fine, Countess?” Cedric asked when he followed her through the corridors.

“I am as fine as the circumstances allow it,” she answered, keeping her eyes locked in front of her.

“And how fine do the circumstances allow you to be? I guess not much because you look awful.”

She stopped to look at him, and he grinned. Cloudia sighed and resumed walking. “I will tell you when I will tell everyone.”

He frowned. “‘Everyone’?”

“The rest of the Aristocrats,” Cloudia said. “And now, you can jump around joyfully like the child you are.”

“Didn’t you say that you would never allow me to be in the same room as Barrington Weaselton?”

“Times change, Undertaker. And please, just keep walking now. I am not in the mood for talking.”

  Cloudia was always in the mood for talking. Sometimes, it was really hard to make her stop.

  ***

  It was the first time that Cedric had ever stepped inside the Aristocrats’ Bureau. He knew what kind of room it was – a private place with especially thick walls where the Aristocrats of Evil could gather and talk about business – and how to get there as Cloudia had shown him around Phantomhive Manor a few months after they had made their deal. However, as the manor had a lot of rooms, Cloudia had only opened every door, told him a few things about each room before proceeding. It had still taken them the entire day.

“My lovely Cloudia!” said a voice as soon as Newman opened the door to the bureau for Cedric and Cloudia.

An immensely beautiful woman with blonde locks and dark brown eyes approached them, a smile all over her face. She was pale, perhaps even as much as Cloudia, and looked like she had just stepped out of a tale about princesses and princes, of angels and faeries. The woman’s beauty was mesmerising and the fact that she was wearing mourning clothes highly irritating.

She briefly hugged Cloudia. “How are you, my dear? We haven’t seen each other in so long now,” the woman said, holding Cloudia’s hands.

“As fine as the circumstances allow it.”

“But what do the circumstances allow, dear?”

“I asked her the same,” Cedric interjected, grinning, and the woman turned her attention to him, a sly smile on her cupid’s bow lips.

“Kristopher Underwood, the 46th Duke of Underwood, the nephew of the late Wallace Underwood,” she said, letting go of Cloudia and extending her hand to Cedric. “Marchioness Cecelia Williams – such a pleasure to finally meet Cloudia’s enigmatic addition to our small group.”Cloudia’s enigmatic addition to our small group.”

“Shouldn’t you have waited for Dia to introduce the two of you?” a man with short brown hair and a moustache said from a couch in the back of the room.

Cecelia smirked at him. “We are under colleagues, Barry, I think we can forget about etiquette in these walls.”

“You are not allowed to call me that.”

She shrugged and turned back to Cedric. “Cloudia did her best to hide you – but eventually, all little secrets come to light.” Cecelia ran a hand over his arm. “I cannot believe that she withheld someone like you from society.”

“Stop this nonsense, Williams,” a raspy voice said, stepping forward. “He is not one of your puppets – he is one of us.” A tall man with grey hair and a grey beard had joined them. He looked the oldest out of everyone in the room, but his blue eyes were young and cold.

“Oh, who says that you people aren’t my puppets?” Cecelia said.

“Because it is Mylady’s game we are part of.”

“My dearest Oscar, aren’t we all playing our own little games?”

He ignored her and looked at Cloudia who cleared her throat before speaking. “Duke, let me introduce you to your fellow Evil Noblemen. Cecelia already gave you her name. The tall man in front of you is called Lord Oscar Livingstone – and the man in the back who is too lazily to stand up and greet us is Sir Barrington Weaselton.”

“Insults before greetings, Dia?” Barrington said from his seat.

“Always insults before greetings.”

Cecelia linked arms with Cloudia. “Oh, we haven’t gathered in so long now!” She gazed at Cedric. “You need to know that Cloudia prefers to work on her own – she only writes letters to us for business and invites us for emergencies. You, however, are the lucky one who gets to work right alongside her.

“Say, Oscar, when was the last time we all have been here?”

“You can answer that for yourself,” Oscar replied, returning to his place in the seating area.

Cecelia smiled at Cedric. “The Case of the Hanged Men – March 14 to March 29, 1846. Fifteen days of absolute terror and mystery hanging over London. Fifteen days in which Barrington, Oscar, and I stayed in the manor to help our dear Cloudia and make sure that she doesn’t fall apart right before her sixteenth birthday.”

  Ah, I remembered this case. Every night for around two weeks, men had been hanged on clotheslines. People had barricaded their houses and taken down their lines, police had patrolled the streets of London without pause – and the Aristocrats of Evil had worked as they had never worked before. Still, the city had woken up to men hanging from clotheslines, and it had taken rather long to unfold the mystery.

It had been a busy time for Grim Reapers.

  “I am never falling apart, Cecelia,” Cloudia replied, scowling, and for a very short time, worry ran over Cecelia’s face. “Of course, you don’t, love.”

Cecelia led them to the seating area, and everyone sat down. Before Cloudia could say anything, Barrington raised his voice, eying Cedric.

“So you are Duke Underwood.”

“Kristopher.”

“My name is Barrington Weaselton.” He shook his head. “Dia – from which field did you pick up this moron?”

“Where were you born again?” Cloudia said, and Cecelia chuckled while taking a glass filled with wine from the side table. Newman seemed to have set it earlier with cups, a tea pot, and some snacks. Cecelia had got the wine from the bar in one of the corners of the Bureau though.

“You are one year older now, Dia,” Barrington continued, “I think you should stop being so mean and start being more mature.”

“You are forty-four, Barrington, and you are still behaving like a child. You are not in the position to tell anyone to become more mature.”

He turned to Cedric. “I am never behaving like a child – I am forty-four years old after all. I raised two children–”

“Kamden was raised by Phyllis and Frederick and Dr Alan, and I basically raised myself,” Cloudia cut him off.

“You didn’t raise yourself. How can a child raise itself? You had this very charming governess – what was her name again? I forgot it because of all her charm.”

“Agatha.”

“I meant the charming one.”

“Agatha was the only governess I’ve ever had.”

“Then, I must have imagined the charming one.”

“Apparently, yes.”

Again, Barrington turned his attention to Cedric. “Oh, where did I stop? Ah, right. I raised two children, am a veteran Villainous Nobleman, travelled through the world, fought against monsters…”

“Monsters?” Cecelia looked up from her drink.

“Metaphorical monsters, not real ones.”

“You cannot fight metaphorical monsters; you know that, Barry.”

“Don’t call me ‘Barry.’”

“I am still right, dear.” She took a sip.

“Well… I raised children, am a veteran, world traveller, monster fighter…”

“How long will you keep this up?” Cloudia wanted to know.

“… and I put up with Dia for eighteen years now. Normal fathers, veterans, world travellers, and monster fighters wouldn’t have managed that for so long.”

Cloudia cleared her throat. “Can we please start our meeting now?”

“We cannot,” Oscar said, and she frowned.

“Why can’t we?”

“Because, I am afraid, Mylady, you need to be at your finest to sit through a meeting.”

“I am fine, Oscar.”

He looked at her – he didn’t blink; he didn’t show any emotions. Oscar only looked at her.

  Apparently, Cloudia had chosen the oddest of people she could find to be part of her group of Aristocrats of Evil.

  “I am… I…” Cloudia sighed. “I should have picked up more agreeable Aristocrats. And what do you suggest, Oscar? What do you think can bring me back to ‘my finest’?”

“Horseback riding – when was the last time you went riding?”

“You sound like Thomas.”

“In that regard, Holmwood seems to be wiser than you, Mylady.”

“I cannot go riding when we have to talk about something of such importance,” Cloudia said.

“We will not talk about anything; we will only listen to the canon of Weaselton’s, Williams’, and Underwood’s relentless chatter until you caught some fresh air and sorted that chaotic head of yours, Mylady. You know very well that we will achieve nothing if your mind is not completely with us. Especially today of all the days you could have chosen as a meeting date.”

“Oscar, my head is not chaotic.”

Again, he didn’t say anything; he just looked at her.

“I am doing very well.”

Oscar didn’t move, and Cedric wondered if he had mastered the art of falling asleep with opened eyes.

“I don’t need you to tell me anything about chaotic minds, Detective Chief Superintendent Livingstone.”

He still didn’t do anything. Even Cecelia and Barrington didn’t do anything to interfere.

Cloudia sighed and stood up. “Very well. I guess I will see Falada now. I will return in around an hour – and then, we will definitely start the meeting. No nonsense, no rambles, no ‘Cloudia, you look a shade paler than usual but, of course, that automatically means that you aren’t feeling well not that you weren’t outside for a while.’”

“Aye aye, Watchdog,” Cecelia said, raising her glass. “We will see you in an hour then. I already miss you, sweetie.”

She waved at Cloudia as she grumpily left the bureau.

“I have never met anyone who was able to intimidate the Countess,” Cedric said when she was gone. “How did you do that, Mr Livingstone?”

“Practise, experience,” Oscar answered and poured himself a cup of tea. “I have known Mylady for five years now – and I was able to read her in less than five seconds. She is only an enigma for beginners, fools, and herself.”

“Rodomont,” Cecelia said. “It took me eight seconds.” Then, she smiled like a devil at Cedric, and, immediately, he knew that nothing good would come now. “Now to you, dear. Did you know that I have known your uncle, Wallace? He was such a fine man… his eyes didn’t have the odd colour of yours, but the shape was the same. You resemble him a lot, has anyone ever told you that?”

  Wallace Underwood had been a real person? All this time, I had thought that Cloudia had made him up just like she had made up everything else too.

  Cedric nodded. “Yes, everyone keeps telling me that.”

“Oh, really? That comes to a surprise to me because you don’t look like him at all. Wallace Underwood was an ugly idiot who neither had any children nor nephews.” Cecelia turned to Oscar. “I think doomsday is around the corner – Barrington was right: Cloudia took in a moron.”

“I am right here, Cecelia,” Barrington said but was ignored.

Cecelia dug her fingers into Cedric’s arm. “So, now, would you be so kind and introduce yourself with your real name? Then, you can proceed with telling us how you really met our dear Cloudia and what is the goal you are pursuing.”

  Surely, it hadn’t been a good idea to sit down next to her.

  Cedric freed himself from her grip and glared at her. “What goal are you pursuing? You said earlier that you were all playing your own games.”

“I want to take revenge on the people who took my dearest Michael, the love of my life, away from me,” Cecelia said without hesitation, and, only now, Cedric could see the coldness in her dark eyes. “Even if that means to work for the crown and give me to sin. Oscar’s game is so dark and twisted that you may go mad upon hearing it – your mind simply doesn’t seem to be very strong. And Barrington? Barrington is picking up old figures and struggling to protect Cloudia after he couldn’t protect her father.”

She raised her chin. “It is your turn now, impostor dear – what game are you playing? What made you want to become an Aristocrat?”

“I…”

  “Ced – wake up! It is time to wake up, Ced!”

  “Before I met the Countess, my life was boring – I did the same things every day for many years,” Cedric ultimately said. “I had nobody; for years, I was all alone. Then, I encountered the Countess and saw a way to break free from my boredom; that’s why I took it.”

Cecelia laughed. “Do you really think that we would believe this? You became an Aristocrat only for fun? Just because you were lonely you associated with the Queen’s Watchdog? That’s absolutely ridiculous.” She narrowed her eyes. “I have no idea who you are – and that worries me. I can only grasp a few things concerning you – the rest is locked up tight behind a steel door. As if you were a dead man. I need to be sure that you will never hurt or exploit our Cloudia.”

“Let Underwood be, Williams,” Oscar said. “Certainly, he will never do Mylady any harm.” Oscar’s gaze briefly met Cedric’s and a shiver stabbed right into his spine. Then, Oscar looked back at Cecelia, and Cedric could breathe again. He hadn’t even noticed that he had held his breath.

  He was a monster. This man was a monster.

  “And if I am correct, not even she knows about the demons chasing Underwood – and before he tells us about himself, he should open up to Mylady first,” said Oscar.

Cecelia stood up and grinned at Cedric. “I hope so. Let me tell you something, my dear Not-Kristopher, we all decided to become Aristocrats of Evil because of personal reasons, but that doesn’t mean that Cloudia is only important to us for business’ sake. We all enjoy her presence, and that poor girl already does herself enough harm – we cannot allow someone so close to her to hurt her too; it could ruin her. And how would the world look like without our Cloudia?”

She walked to the bureau’s bar.

“Especially for someone like you, Not-Kristopher, who only became an Aristocrat for fun, for someone like you to whom Cloudia was the first star in a never-ending dark night, a world without her would be rather gloomy.” Cecelia poured herself a new glass of wine. “Don’t you agree?”

  Why did Cloudia have to surround herself with such dangerous people?

And how could she leave me alone with them?

  “I have no reasons at all to ever hurt the Countess,” Cedric said, getting more and more annoyed because of Cecelia. She put down her glass on the top of the bar and turned around to him, and the smile on her face had something oddly soft in it.

“Cloudia Phantomhive is so much – my one and only friend, Oscar’s anchor, the daughter Barrington never had and simultaneously his second greatest failure. And to you, Not-Kristopher? To you, she is the person you love the most – the Queen of Your Heart.

“You love her even though you do your best to bottle up your feelings. You love her, but you are still lying to her. I am not certain how Cloudia’s feelings for you look like, but I assure you that she holds you dear although she would never admit it. You are lying to her about your feelings; you are lying to her about the true reason why you became an Evil Nobleman – what would happen if she found out about your lies? Don’t you think she would be hurt? Don’t you think you are hurting her with every day you don’t tell her the truth? One of the things Cloudia Phantomhive hates the most is when someone withholds something important.”

“I am not in love with the Countess,” Cedric set right. “And I don’t lie to her.”

“I hope so,” Barrington said, glaring at him.

“Denying will not help you,” Oscar meant, taking a sip of his tea. “Confessing, however, will.”

“Nobody confesses to Dia,” said Barrington, but was ignored.

“You hurt her as much as you hurt yourself with this,” Cecelia continued. “Oscar is right – you should tell her what needs to be told as soon as she returns from riding out. Cloudia will finally know about your intentions, and it is better if she breaks your heart sooner than later.”

“I am not in love with her,” Cedric said again. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard in a long time.”

“It is not healthy to lie to yourself, Not-Kristopher. We all saw – and with ‘we all’ I mean ‘Oscar and me’ – how you looked at Cloudia. For the short time, she was in the Bureau, you could not take off your eyes from her – you may not have noticed it yourself, but we surely did.”

“I didn’t take my eyes off her because she walks around like a ghost and I am worried,” Cedric replied, annoyed. “I have no idea what is going on – what happened that made her like that – but I know that she shouldn’t be all alone outside right now.” He stood up and headed towards the door, but before he could open it and leave, someone raised their voice.

“You want to know what happened? Someone died.”

  ***

  ~Cloudia~

  I couldn’t believe that he had made me do that.

We had so much to do today – and he had just sent me away. I wasn’t a child anymore. I was used to being locked up; I was used to locking myself up.

  In her riding gear, Cloudia walked towards the stable and with every step she took, the familiar scent of horses and hay became more and more intense.

“Lady!” someone called her. With a smile on his face, Thomas Holmwood waved at her from the stable.

The first thing Cloudia had done after her decoration was to replace every servant Agatha Bolton and King William IV had employed. And during this shift in the Phantomhive household, Thomas had come to her, asking her to be her stable boy. At first, she didn’t want to employ someone who was only two years older than her – especially when he was terribly annoying – but Barrington had suggested a test trial and Horse Boy wouldn’t be Horse Boy if he hadn’t proven himself to be worthy of being a stable boy.

  Because I couldn’t get back Mable and the others…

Because I couldn’t let them see what I had become…

Because I couldn’t take them away from the new lives they had built…

Because…

  “Hello,” Thomas said when Cloudia reached the stable. “What are you doing here, Lady? Aren’t you having one of those secret meetings with Miss Merry Widow, Mr Silent Scary, and Sir Barrington? Oh, and with Kris. Nearly forgot him.”

He frowned and examined her. “You are not looking very well, Lady – did you fight in there?”

“I… We…” She took a deep breath. “I am here because I want to ride out with Falada.”

“Are you sure that you are fine, Lady? You didn’t ride out with him in a very long time.”

“I am fine. Can you… Can you just prepare him?”

Thomas shrugged. “If you say so, Lady. But if something happened, you can just talk to me. Even though you are my employer and I am only a servant. After all, we have known each other for quite a while now, haven’t we, Lady?”

Cloudia nodded absentmindedly, and Thomas vanished inside the stable. She leaned against the manor’s façade.

  “Even though you are my employer and I am only a servant.”

I closed my eyes.

  “Lady?” Thomas said, and Cloudia opened her eyes again. Her head was spinning, and she needed a while to be able to see Thomas’ face properly.

“Hm?”

“Falada is ready – but I don’t think you should ride out right now,” he said, his eyes widened. “You are really not looking well, Lady. You should go to bed. You should drink this disgusting milk-honey drink of yours and sleep.”

“I am fine, Thomas,” Cloudia waved away, and stroked Falada, her bay Thoroughbred. “Hi, old friend. Long time, no see.”

She was about to mount her horse when Thomas took hold of her wrist and forced her to look at him. Cloudia had never seen him so serious.

“I know what day today is,” he said with a low voice. “And I don’t think you should do this – not today. You can ride all day tomorrow, but not today.”

“Let me go, Thomas.”

“I’ve known you for six years now. In these six years, I’ve seen the best and worst of you, but I’ve never seen you like this. Not even on this day. In these six years, you have never missed an opportunity to call me names – and when you wanted to ride out, you’ve always prepared Falada yourself. Cloudia – I am worried, and I am sure the others are worried too.”

Cloudia dug her fingers into his hand and ripped it off hers. “You are only a servant, Thomas. Don’t dare to touch me again with your filthy fingers. Don’t dare to decide what I can do and what I can’t. You don’t have the right to do anything like that,” she snarled, mounting Falada and riding into the woods.

  ***

  Before I got Falada, I ran a lot. I remembered the day after the decoration when I woke up to the first sunlight of the day, got dressed in silence – and just run through London not knowing where my feet carried me.

I remembered the refreshing feeling running had brought to me, remembered how I had smiled and how alive I had felt when I had eventually returned to the townhouse.

From that day on, I had gone out for a jog every time after waking up if my schedule allowed it. I had never liked bicycles or driving in a carriage for too long, had always preferred to walk and run. But then, someone gifted me Falada, and I started to ride – and to my surprise, I loved it. I didn’t know why but I loved riding the instance I had first sat on top of my dear horse.

Lately, however, I found less and less time for it.

  Sometimes, she let Falada gallop through the forest, making the colours around her blend into one another, making it seem as if there were only she and her horse in the world; sometimes, Falada just trotted through the woods, and Cloudia took herself the time to marvel at nature’s beauty.

She had no idea how much time had passed – Cloudia knew that she should head back soon as she still had a lot of work to do, but, right now, she only wanted to be here and nowhere else.

Cloudia made Falada stop at a meadow of flowers, dismounted, and let herself fall into the flowers.

“Let us pause for a while, old friend,” she said to her horse, reached into her pocket and got out a few carrots which she tossed in front of him. Falada eagerly started to pick them up and eat them.

Cloudia’s body was sore from riding, but she didn’t mind the pain, in fact, she appreciated it. It reminded her that she was still alive.

She ripped out a flower and held it up. “An Evening primrose,” Cloudia said aloud and closed her eyes, pressing the flower against her chest.

  I had to apologise to Thomas. I would apologise to him right after returning to the manor.

  With difficulty, Cloudia sat herself up when a sudden thought overwhelmed her.

“Falada,” she said, still pressing the flower against her chest. “Falada, I murdered a flower. I…” Tears gathered in her eyes, and she blinked them away. “I… I just ripped it out without thinking. It can’t bloom today because of me… I…” Cloudia whipped away her tears, breathed in and out, and threw away the primrose. “I am going crazy, Falada. I am crying over a damn flower. There are flowers in nearly every room of the manor. They were all ripped out; they had all been stolen of a huge part of their lifespan. Why did I never cry over them? Shouldn’t I cry over every flower which died because of me? But, for some reason, I was never upset because of them. But now… now, I…” She ran a hand over her face. “I threw the flower away, Falada. I threw the goddamn flower away. I killed it and threw it away without thinking twice. What is wrong with me? I took away a life and threw a corpse in-between his living flower friends. I…”

Cloudia stood up and nearly tumbled to the left, but Falada walked towards her so that she fell against him. She cried against his soft fur, and he buried his nose in her hair and chewed a bit on it.

“There are periods of time in which I am feeling fine, and there are others in which I feel like I will never get up again,” Cloudia struggled to say, tears running over her face. “And my head… inside my head, my thoughts are spinning. And it hurts. My head and my body, they hurt. All of me hurts and feels numb at the same time. I don’t know.

“And I can’t even drink a cup of hot milk with honey. I can’t even look at it. It always helped – but I know… I know that it won’t help this time; I don’t know if it will ever help again. I don’t know if I will ever be fine again.” She took a deep breath.

“My mind is a mess – I am a mess. I could not bake Kamden a cake this year. I tried, but I always started crying when I began. I couldn’t even do my Watchdog work properly – that’s why Oscar, Cecelia, Undertaker, and Barrington are here. Because I need help to compensate my mistake. Perhaps, the Royal advisers had been right all along. Perhaps, I am really not suited to be the Watchdog. Perhaps, he was wrong all along…”

Cloudia stepped away and stroked over Falada’s nasal bridge. “I am a liar, Falada. I am a coward and a liar. I keep telling everyone that I am fine; I keep telling myself that I am fine. I wanted to tell Undertaker what is going on but I can’t. I simply can’t do it. Everyone else knows because everyone else knew him, and I know that I should tell Undertaker what’s wrong, that he deserves to know what is going on, but I am not brave enough to do it. Because I know that when I speak about it, I will start to cry and I don’t want him to see me cry. He should never see me cry. Not like that. Never like that.”

She took a deep breath. “Let us go back now, my dear friend. And I am sorry that I burst out like that.”

Cloudia whipped away her tears and before she could do anything else, two hands wrapped around her throat – and her vision turned black.

  ***

  ~Cedric~

  Cedric turned around and looked right into Barrington’s eyes. Before Cloudia had left, he had joked but, now when Cedric saw him, the memory of him joking seemed like a distant dream.

“Who died?” Cedric wanted to know, coldness running over his spine.

  I hadn’t found the name of a person close to Cloudia in my Death Book. Perhaps, I had overlooked it. Perhaps, this person had died someone else and not in the area of London.

Perhaps, I didn’t know the name of who had died.

  “Someone important to her,” Barrington said in a low voice. It surprised him that Cecelia didn’t cut him off. Usually, she would have done that, but now, she and Oscar were just silent. “Someone very close to her died a week before her birthday. Dia is always not feeling very well on her birthday, and this sudden death made it even worse. She couldn’t think straight, she still cannot, and this caused her to make a mistake – and this mistake made her gather us all today. Today of all goddamn days. Dia shouldn’t have done this, but she feels guilty for having made this mistake and wanted to compensate it as soon as possible – no matter what date today is.”

Cedric swallowed, the coldness having fully embraced his body.

  I didn’t want to ask this question because, deep inside, I knew the answer – and I dreaded it. But I knew that I had to. And I hated it.

  “What… what happened on April 10?”

Barrington cradled his head in his hands for a while, facing down and closing his eyes, before looking up again and clutching his hands together.

“Today is the anniversary of a case Scotland Yard had never been able to solve. A case which is haunting Dia for fourteen years now. A case to which she is the sole witness.”

Barrington looked at Cedric – and Cedric couldn’t remember if he had ever seen such a hurt, such a sad and lost expression like the one Barrington was wearing in his eyes before.

  Now, I knew why he joked so much.

  When Barrington spoke, his voice cracked.

“Simon Phantomhive died on April 10.”

  ***

  ~Cloudia~

  Everything was blurry.

I couldn’t make out my surroundings. I couldn’t make out from where the voice came which was speaking to me. I could barely hear what the voice was saying to me.

“I… I am not here to hurt you…”

  ***

  “Is she alive?”

“Think, Ainslie! Why should they have brought in a corpse?”

“Perhaps, they want to scare us?”

“Ainslie has a point, Prunella.”

“Be quiet, Adair.”

“I am not going to be quiet – we are in a far too small dungeon, and we are far too many people. If they don’t kill us, claustrophobia will hit me, and I will commit suicide with Robena’s ridiculously long fingernails.”

“I heard that, Adair.”

“I will not stay quiet like Julius and rock back and forth in a corner. I will speak until I take the last of my breaths!”

“I will end your life right here, right now if you don’t stop talking, Adair.”

“I will fully support you, Prunella.”

“Thanks. That means a lot to me, Kelia.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Do you think we can eat her?”

“That’s gross, Jessalyn.”

“But we didn’t get anything to eat for so long now, Prunella! If the new girl is dead, we should eat her. Levi already ate Ernest, Claude, and Vanessa. Why can’t we eat the new one?”

“There is no proof that Levi ate them.”

“Elliot saw it – and he is still traumatised. He hasn’t spoken a word since it happened.”

“Very well. Levi did eat Claude, Vanessa, and Ernest, but…”

“Can we eat the new girl then?”

“… we won’t eat the new girl.”

“Dammit, Prunella.”

“Prunella?”

“What do you want Ainslie?”

“Do dead people move?”

“Usually, not. Why do you ask?”

“Dammit, Prunella, the new girl moved.”

“Oh, be a smart-ass somewhere else, Adair.”

Cloudia woke up with a terrible headache and in-between a crowd of people and noise. Slowly, her vision cleared and she saw right into the wide blue eyes of a girl with messy brown hair.

  Where was I? Where was Falada? What had happened?

  “Are you dead?” the girl asked, puzzling Cloudia. “Prunella said that the dead don’t move, but now, she’s arguing with Adair, so I can’t ask her if the dead don’t open their eyes too or not.”

Cloudia struggled to sit up and leaned against a cold wall. She had been dreaming, but she couldn’t remember what her dream had been about – the voices around her had slowly woken her up and cut her off from her dream.

“My head hurts,” Cloudia said with a voice too rough and thin to be hers. “Can you repeat that please?”

The girl’s eyes widened. “I don’t know if dead people can open their eyes or not, but I am sure that they don’t speak!” A huge smile appeared on her face. “You are alive! You are alive! We already started to debate whether or not to eat you if you weren’t!”

“What?”

“Don’t worry – we decided not to eat you even if you hadn’t woken up! Prunella, Adair!”

A man with dirty blond and a woman with auburn hair turned around to the girl. “What do you want, Ainslie?” they said synchronically.

“The new girl is awake!” the girl, Ainslie, replied joyfully, and the man and the woman – Prunella and Adair – laid their eyes on Cloudia for the first time – and stared.

“It’s not polite to stare,” she said, massaging her temples.

“What is your name?” a woman with short black hair asked, and Cloudia skimmed over the crowd in front of her. There were around as many boys as girls present. Most were around Cloudia’s age, but some like Ainslie looked a lot younger. There seemed to be nobody over twenty-five.

“I am Robena,” the woman said. She was slightly older than Prunella and had significantly longer fingernails. “What is your name?”

“I am Cloudia,” she answered. “Where am I? Where are we?”

“We are in the Witch’s Castle,” Prunella told her.

“To be exact – we are in the far too small dungeon of the Witch’s Castle,” Adair added, and Prunella rolled her eyes.

Cloudia looked around the dungeon – this time, she didn’t look at the people surrounding her but at the dungeon’s structure and saw that… the door to it was wide open.

  That was more than strange.

  “Are we prisoners? Because if we are… why is the door open?”

A man in the back laughed. He had dark brown hair and bloodlined grey eyes. “Name’s Evander,

and I tell you, girl, what da Witch isn’t stupid. The door isn’t closed because i’ doesn’t ’ave to. Because da corridor behind i’ leads ter a labyrinf – an’ just like Levi’s a cannibal, da labyrinf is a place ov no escape.

“Sorry, new girl, but we are all stuck ’ere.”