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[mostlysignssomeportents]

An open copyright casebook, featuring AI, Warhol and more

I'm coming to DEFCON! On Aug 9, I'm emceeing the EFF POKER TOURNAMENT (noon at the Horseshoe Poker Room), and appearing on the BRICKED AND ABANDONED panel (5PM, LVCC - L1 - HW1–11–01). On Aug 10, I'm giving a keynote called "DISENSHITTIFY OR DIE! How hackers can seize the means of computation and build a new, good internet that is hardened against our asshole bosses' insatiable horniness for enshittification" (noon, LVCC - L1 - HW1–11–01).

Few debates invite more uninformed commentary than "IP" – a loosely defined grab bag that regulates an ever-expaning sphere of our daily activities, despite the fact that almost no one, including senior executives in the entertainment industry, understands how it works.

Take reading a book. If the book arrives between two covers in the form of ink sprayed on compressed vegetable pulp, you don't need to understand the first thing about copyright to read it. But if that book arrives as a stream of bits in an app, those bits are just the thinnest scrim of scum atop a terminally polluted ocean of legalese.

At the bottom layer: the license "agreement" for your device itself – thousands of words of nonsense that bind you not to replace its software with another vendor's code, to use the company's own service depots, etc etc. This garbage novella of legalese implicates trademark law, copyright, patent, and "paracopyrights" like the anticircumvention rule defined by Section 1201 of the DMCA:

https://www.eff.org/press/releases/eff-lawsuit-takes-dmca-section-1201-research-and-technology-restrictions-violate

Then there's the store that sold you the ebook: it has its own soporific, cod-legalese nonsense that you must parse; this can be longer than the book itself, and it has been exquisitely designed by the world's best-paid, best-trained lawyer to liquefy the brains of anyone who attempts to read it. Nothing will save you once your brains start leaking out of the corners of your eyes, your nostrils and your ears – not even converting the text to a brilliant graphic novel:

https://memex.craphound.com/2017/03/03/terms-and-conditions-the-bloviating-cruft-of-the-itunes-eula-combined-with-extraordinary-comic-book-mashups/

Even having Bob Dylan sing these terms will not help you grasp them:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/10/25/musical-chairs/#subterranean-termsick-blues

The copyright nonsense that accompanies an ebook transcends mere Newtonian physics – it exists in a state of quantum superposition. For you, the buyer, the copyright nonsense appears as a license, which allows the seller to add terms and conditions that would be invalidated if the transaction were a conventional sale. But for the author who wrote that book, the copyright nonsense insists that what has taken place is a sale (which pays a 25% royalty) and not a license (a 50% revenue-share). Truly, only a being capable of surviving after being smeared across the multiverse can hope to embody these two states of being simultaneously:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/06/21/early-adopters/#heads-i-win

But the challenge isn't over yet. Once you have grasped the permissions and restrictions placed upon you by your device and the app that sold you the ebook, you still must brave the publisher's license terms for the ebook – the final boss that you must overcome with your last hit point and after you've burned all your magical items.

This is by no means unique to reading a book. This bites us on the job, too, at every level. The McDonald's employee who uses a third-party tool to diagnose the problems with the McFlurry machine is using a gadget whose mere existence constitutes a jailable felony:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/04/20/euthanize-rentier-enablers/#cold-war

Meanwhile, every single biotech researcher is secretly violating the patents that cover the entire suite of basic biotech procedures and techniques. Biotechnicians have a folk-belief in "patent fair use," a thing that doesn't exist, because they can't imagine that patent law would be so obnoxious as to make basic science into a legal minefield.

IP is a perfect storm: it touches everything we do, and no one understands it.

Or rather, almost no one understands it. A small coterie of lawyers have a perfectly fine grasp of IP law, but most of those lawyers are (very well!) paid to figure out how to use IP law to screw you over. But not every skilled IP lawyer is the enemy: a handful of brave freedom fighters, mostly working for nonprofits and universities, constitute a resistance against the creep of IP into every corner of our lives.

Two of my favorite IP freedom fighters are Jennifer Jenkins and James Boyle, who run the Duke Center for the Public Domain. They are a dynamic duo, world leading demystifiers of copyright and other esoterica. They are the creators of a pair of stunningly good, belly-achingly funny, and extremely informative graphic novels on the subject, starting with the 2008 Bound By Law, about fair use and film-making:

https://www.dukeupress.edu/Bound-by-Law/

And then the followup, THEFT! A History of Music:

https://web.law.duke.edu/musiccomic/

Both of which are open access – that is to say, free to download and share (you can also get handsome bound print editions made of real ink sprayed on real vegetable pulp!).

Beyond these books, Jenkins and Boyle publish the annual public domain roundups, cataloging the materials entering the public domain each January 1 (during the long interregnum when nothing entered the public domain, thanks to the Sonny Bono Copyright Extension Act, they published annual roundups of all the material that should be entering the public domain):

https://pluralistic.net/2023/12/20/em-oh-you-ess-ee/#sexytimes

This year saw Mickey Mouse entering the public domain, and Jenkins used that happy occasion as a springboard for a masterclass in copyright and trademark:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/12/15/mouse-liberation-front/#free-mickey

But for all that Jenkins and Boyle are law explainers, they are also law professors and as such, they are deeply engaged with minting of new lawyers. This is a hard job: it takes a lot of work to become a lawyer.

It also takes a lot of money to become a lawyer. Not only do law-schools charge nosebleed tuition, but the standard texts set by law-schools are eye-wateringly expensive. Boyle and Jenkins have no say over tuitions, but they have made a serious dent in the cost of those textbooks. A decade ago, the pair launched the first open IP law casebook: a free, superior alternative to the $160 standard text used to train every IP lawyer:

https://web.archive.org/web/20140923104648/https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/openip/

But IP law is a moving target: it is devouring the world. Accordingly, the pair have produced new editions every couple of years, guaranteeing that their free IP law casebook isn't just the best text on the subject, it's also the most up-to-date. This week, they published the sixth edition:

https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/openip/

The sixth edition of Intellectual Property: Law & the Information Society – Cases & Materials; An Open Casebook adds sections on the current legal controversies about AI, and analyzes blockbuster (and batshit) recent Supreme Court rulings like Vidal v Elster, Warhol v Goldsmith, and Jack Daniels v VIP Products. I'm also delighted that they chose to incorporate some of my essays on enshittification (did you know that my Pluralistic.net newsletter is licensed CC Attribution, meaning that you can reprint and even sell it without asking me?).

(On the subject of Creative Commons: Boyle helped found Creative Commons!)

Ten years ago, the Boyle/Jenkins open casebook kicked off a revolution in legal education, inspiring many legals scholars to create their own open legal resources. Today, many of the best legal texts are free (as in speech) and free (as in beer). Whether you want to learn about trademark, copyright, patents, information law or more, there's an open casebook for you:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/08/14/angels-and-demons/#owning-culture

The open access textbook movement is a stark contrast with the world of traditional textbooks, where a cartel of academic publishers are subjecting students to the scammiest gambits imaginable, like "inclusive access," which has raised the price of textbooks by 1,000%:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/10/07/markets-in-everything/#textbook-abuses

Meanwhile, Jenkins and Boyle keep working on this essential reference. The next time you're tempted to make a definitive statement about what IP permits – or prohibits – do yourself (and the world) a favor, and look it up. It won't cost you a cent, and I promise you you'll learn something.

Support me this summer on the Clarion Write-A-Thon and help raise money for the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Workshop!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/07/30/open-and-shut-casebook/#stop-confusing-the-issue-with-relevant-facts

Image: Cryteria (modified) Jenkins and Boyle https://web.law.duke.edu/musiccomic/

CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

[brisquad-unit-4402]

zombie au with ike ft. luxiem - In Pursuit to and from the Sun

(i think this submission got lost in the sauce and i can't find it but at least i still have this screenshot)

lmao sorry i went off the grid for a sec. life happens, you know, applied for some vsf programs, went on a classified operative excursion away from my post and got a new writing software. i actually wrote the last of this on a helicopter returning from the mission so that’s why i didn’t proofread beforehand sorryyyyy. but more importantly I TOUCHED GRASS. guys. i touched so much grass. i touched so much grass i could replant a garden. call me a topiary, i touched that much grass. is this what it’s like to work at a dispensary? bc i touched so much grass

a few disclaimers: this fic is ike centric but contains general luxiem angst as a treat and may be read in a platonic or romantic tone, whichever you prefer. it's also another 10.7k words long so if you want to read but don’t have the time, use a like/rb as a bookmark. most importantly: heed the tags for this one, i kind of went off the deep end here

tags: platonic relationship, hurt no comfort, angst, zombie au, no happy ending, gender neutral reader 

⚠️ major character death, suicidal thoughts, gore, infection, arson, and apocalypse-typical violence

continued au notes and commentary here (spoilers)

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Ever since the initial zombie outbreak, you’ve been running around the country with your best friend Ike and the circle of close friends you both share. You’ve made peace with the fact that it will always be hard. You and your band hop around from town to wilds, with no real objective other than to survive. Every location has something to glean, after all. It’s just that the zombies are always on your tail, and there’s only so much looting to do before the chorus of dead can tear you and your family apart.

It’s deluded to pretend you’re the invulnerable main characters, though. You and your friends are in a townhouse currently being ambushed by a strain of zombies. You swear they’ve gotten more intelligent since your last encounter. A dense herd of bloodthirsty undead is one thing, but a dense herd of bloodthirsty undead that have a chance of understanding positioning is another. Closing doors is barely a second of relief now. 

You were lucky to be in a room with Vox when you got ambushed. He lived his post-apocalyptic life with a rebar rod in his hand, wrested from a collapsed concrete building early in during the initial outbreak. He claimed to be a trained swordsman once, and even though the rebar was more of a club than a sword, you admit you would’ve been worse than dead if you didn’t have him by your side. You’re sure he’d be screwed without you, too. Now that the world’s gone to the dogs, you stay prepared with a pair of climbing picks that can clobber in zombie brains just as well as scale walls. Vox shoved zombies out of the way while your picks cleared a path to escape from the house out through the window, Vox in tow.

You and Vox reunite with Ike and Shu outside. The former keeps various kitchen knives hidden under his no-longer white mantle, and defends Shu from stragglers while he digs into his backpack. You notice his weapon, an iron fire poker, by his feet along with a bottle. He rips sheets off of an old Millwall brick to stuff inside the bottle.

“Blowing the place up,” Shu says, in case you didn’t make the connection already. His breath is ragged. “Where’s Luca and Mysta?”

Like a stage cue, you hear the rocket of gunfire the second he says it. Your hope is crushed. Noise attracts zombies, and Luca was the only one with a shotgun. If he pulled the trigger, the situation was even more dire than you thought. 

Shu grits his teeth and repeats himself, intensity barely restrained. “Where is Luca and Mysta.”

“I’m going back in,” Vox declares.

Ike drives a knife into the head of a fallen body. Destroying the brain confirmed they wouldn’t regenerate, and he minimizes the risk as precise as a surgeon. He made short work of the zombies that hadn’t overrun the house yet, but you could see them flood the interior. “Don’t be stupid, Vox, that’s suicide.”

“You heard the gun!”

“And I said that’s suicide!”

“Not if someone goes back in!”

“How are you going to find them without getting yourself killed?” Vox opened his mouth, but no sound came out, and Ike took advantage of it. “That’s what I thought. Luca’s our muscle and Mysta’s a clever guy, you’ve seen him outsmart the zombies so many times before!”

“They know basic organization, Ike!”

“All the more reason not to go back in! Have some faith in your friends!”

Vox grants him an unholy leer through his haunting yellow eyes. “How dare you lecture me about faith when I’m trying to save their lives.”

His glare was lost. Ike focuses on confirming the dead stay dead. His back is turned from the swordsman as he chops a skull in two with a butcher’s cleaver. “Because no matter what, they’re going to get out, and they want you out just as much as they’re fighting.”

But Ike’s words were just as lost to Vox; you barely saw the trail of his blood-splattered haori before he ran back to the townhouse, rebar in hand and fury on display.

Shu shoves the remains of the Millwall brick into the cupholder of his pack, a battering ram for another day. He produces a box of matches instead. “It’s best to take them all out at once.”

You speak up. “But Vox just-”

“I know.” Shu’s lips purse. “And I’m not going to throw them. Not until I know they’re all safe.”

You watch as Vox speared through a living corpse, then threw its remains on the ground. The zombies are centered inside the house, but the windows are all covered. The door stays open as he passes through the threshold, but you can’t see a trace of him left.

Ike stabs through a brain close to you and Shu. You see him heft himself up, and the traces of a permanent dead remain on the ground. The head is split open with precision, and the brain blooms out from the skull. It leaks pink nerves and black rot among the blood, like a disgusting flower. 

He passes by you, dead set on his goal. “You’re not going, Reader.”

“I wasn’t planning on it.”

“And don’t expect to.” Ike’s words are emotionless, but not cold. As much as he pushes away Vox, you know he cares for everyone in your group like brothers. He’s the least risky out of all six of you- after all, he’s tearing apart zombie brains without a complaint while you catch your breath and Shu stands watch.

You draw your climbing picks and follow him to the field of dead. “Let me help you.”

You feel useless just standing there, after all.

Though the task of confirmation is much calmer than fighting for your life, it’s still unenviable, and you have to admire how Ike distances himself seemingly so easily from it. You try not to look at their faces, but that’s just as impossible. After all, the brain is right between the eyes. That’s the worst part. 

You made the mistake of looking into zombie eyes twice in your life. 

The first was your first fight of the apocalypse; a zombie had you deadlocked in an aisle of an outdoors store, and only when it was within biting range did you drum up the courage to grab the first thing you saw- two fluorescent orange climbing picks, never used- and drive them into the writhing heart. You bolted then, too focused on escape than freezing, and those climbing picks proved themselves to be your best survival tool in combat and exploration. 

The second was the first time you confirmed the dead, and those eyes, that face- skin and bone but youthful, blue bleeding through the iris like a cracked yolk, remains of eyeliner and mascara along her deteriorated features- she was a person, so young, so beautiful when she was alive, like she knew she had decades to go- sometimes you swear she’s the face you see at night when you remember how human and how simply unlucky this world is now. It’s simply unlucky, and being unlucky is simply brutal. 

(You held back your tears when you bashed her brain in. Later that night you pulled your best friend Ike aside, and cried in mourning of a woman whose name you never learned. He didn’t complain then, either, and you only sobbed harder when you realized as much as he comforted you, he could never muster up the vulnerability to grieve himself.)

You club a pick into the forehead of the fresh, putrid dead. The other pries it open, and a third swipe pulverizes with finality. 

It’s messy. When you drive your weapons into the skull there’s a crack of metal against bone, and a thin gush of blood that spurts out to your arms. Especially large openings reveal nodules of black rot spotted through the brain. If you focus, you can see the moist, moldy texture seep through the wrinkles of the brain, and if you were any less jaded it’d be enough to make you turn your head and hurl. 

But the deed is done in only three stabs, and you cling onto that fact. The more mechanical the task is, the easier it is to drive yourself to just get it done. Club, pry, pulverize. Club, pry, pulverize. 

You pass by one of Ike’s carvings as you move onto another body. His work is premeditated from habit; he usually does this deed while everyone else recuperates. A standard chef’s knife is his weapon of choice when he faces against zombies, but he keeps a cleaver sheathed to his side when he has the time to get precise. One good slash goes through bone. Bone sweeps through the brain, and the work is done, and he carries on to the next, messy on his mantle but clean in the cut.

There are only a few more bodies left untouched on the yard where you hear heavy steps on the grass and Shu’s voice cry out. “Luca!”

You and Ike snap up. Luca’s blond hair is matted to his face with blood and rot as Vox runs beside him. They look like they ran through a blender of decayed flesh, and considering the herd of dead inside the house, perhaps that isn’t so strange of a metaphor. Even as Luca sprints, he turns to pump shotgun lead to the predators when they get closer, and each corpse’s fall is punctuated by hot gunfire.

Shu calls out his name again frantically. The men return, and so do you and Ike, five missing one. “Luca, where’s Mysta?”

“It’s bloody,” Luca simply says. His breath is short, and he wipes at the mess of gore and hair on his forehead. All it accomplishes is smearing black and red together along his face and in a blotch along his arm. 

“But where is he, I need to know!”

“And it’s so much.” He trails off. He stares into the side of the townhouse and beyond the distance. Strapped to his back is his go-to weapon, a baseball bat littered with nails, each with residue dripping off the spikes from freshly killed zombies. “There’s a lot. Oh, I’m feeling kind of- kind of cold.”

“He’s in shock,” Ike says. He takes Luca’s hand in his, but Luca doesn’t even react. “Oh, Luca. What happened?”

“Kind of a lot?”

“Where’s Mysta?”

“He…” Luca’s eyes dart to the center of the townhouse. “He’s stuck, because of me, isn’t he?”

“Alright, lay off the man.” Vox intervenes. “We’re done asking questions. Shu. Your matches. Light it up.”

“What?!” Shu screams at Vox. You’ve heard him yell, but never once have you heard him scream. Especially not with Vox sounding so detached. “No, are you crazy? Mysta is in there!”

“Light it up, Shu-“

“I said, no! No! No way, not a- not a fucking chance!”

“Shu, listen to me!” Vox thunders. “I’m sorry, but Mysta is gone.”

Shu stands his ground. His features are tense, and his ultraviolet eyes burn holes through the earth. “Not a fucking chance.”

“Mysta is gone,” Vox insists, and you hear his bassy voice break even lower. “I saw it myself.”

“He is not.”

“It was too overrun, it’s miraculous Luca even got out.”

“Mysta,” Luca says, and closes his eyes. Ike holds him upright and rubs his arm, as comforting as he possibly can in the worst situation, as much as possible when his own face is just as distraught as everyone else.

“And I wish with everything that I have that I could’ve gotten him out,” Vox continues, more of his own justification than anyone else. “And I wish I was just a little faster, and that they were a little further away, and, God, that he wasn’t trapped, but he was, and I wasn’t fast enough, I wasn’t close enough…”

Shu is murmuring his own protests to himself at this point, and feeling the pit in your stomach yourself, you reach to hold his hand. He jerks away like you’re made of lava. You feel ill. “You’re lying to me.”

“And he got bit, and he knew that meant death. And he ran, ran upstairs, to draw them away from us, and there were more, and he knew, he knew, he knew he was dead but we weren’t.”

Luca lets his head fall on Ike’s chest. Ike becomes his crutch, and holds him. “Mysta.”

“His distraction saved Luca’s life. And mine if I was slow.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“He was a hero,” Vox says.

“Stop.” Shu’s eyes shut. He looks like stone about to break, paralyzed in denial as the proper grief is setting in. His hands dive and clasp around yours. He’s trembling. You squeeze back. “Don’t talk about him like he’s dead.”

“He was a hero, and our brother, and the sun. Please don’t devalue his sacrifice like that.”

“Oh my god.” Ike interrupts, and his face is paler than the dead. “Oh my god. Oh my god, Luca, don’t look.”

With one hand, he buries Luca’s head into the fabric of his mantle, and with the other, he points to the tallest point of the townhouse. 

You crane your neck up and squint. The townhouse has one window peeking out from the room along one small wall. When you recognize the shapes through the window your legs nearly give out. Startling, saturated, unadulterated horror grips you. You see his hat.

“He’s still alive,” you whisper. “Or he rose. But he’s still surrounded.”

With revived desperation Vox grasps Shu by the shoulders. “Don’t devalue his sacrifice, Shu, you know better than anyone he never wanted to fall victim to that curse. Let him and the rest of the zombies pass on properly, like a hero should. Light the match, please. Please.”

You absorb the chaos as if you weren’t there. You’re detached. Nothing feels real, not even as Ike strokes Luca’s hair, distressed and staring at the window, while Luca is just as distanced as you are. Vox’s heroic resolve shattered as he recounted Mysta’s last moments, and Shu, the smart one out of your group, can’t even function anymore. You knew everyone considered themselves each other’s family, but Shu and Mysta were especially close, and it tears you apart to watch Shu finally grasp the terror of the townhouse ambush. 

Shu lets go of your hands to cover his face. Through the gaps between bloodstained gloves, you can see the sparkle of tears. He’s crying. “This isn’t possible.”

“Do the right thing,” you say. “Do what he would’ve wanted.”

Shu stands so still. He looks up to the sky, as if it could all go back just by an hour. The clouds just kept rolling. 

He picks up a bottle and lights a match.

“This can’t be happening.” A teardrop nearly flicks out the match, but he gathers his strength, and places it by the newspaper wick. The paper flares alive in caution orange.

Shu breathes in. You see his face is scrunched up from crying even as he tries to aim, and it’s like he’s aged years in a matter of minutes. His face has never truly been clean of dirt or gore in weeks, just like the rest of you, but even under the orange fire his eyes go dull. There’s weight under his eyelids, and his mouth is forced into a tight, shaky frown as he exhales.

“I’m so sorry.” Even when it was a zombie Shu always apologized before killing. He treats it as a blessing of what they once were. “I’m so, so sorry. I’m so sorry it had to be this way.”

Shu throws the molotov. 

You lose track of Mysta’s silhouette as the townhouse goes up in flames.

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

The death of Mysta Rias was the death of the sun, and the world has been even drearier than the desolate land would have you think. 

Everyone lives on edge frostily. It’s barely been a month since he passed, but the wound hesitates to close. 

Ike is maybe the best adapted to your band of six now as five, but even then you can tell he’s not the same. He’s a champion of reservation. Every sweep of his knives into dead flesh are purposeful, every word spoken is calculated. 

You think back on that night you cried in Ike’s arms the first time you confirmed the dead. You still haven’t seen him cry. Strange, since he was the type to get emotional at sappy movies and video games before the first outbreak. You’re worried, but he insists he can keep it together. To be fair, he’s doing an excellent job at not having a conniption, but the way that he acts so much more emotionally distant isn’t exactly inspiring confidence either.

But Vox, for all he puffs himself up about making sure no man gets left behind and all that heroic junk, hesitates far more than his honed swordsmanship would have you think now that Mysta’s gone. It hasn’t gotten in the way of surviving yet, but you have to wonder when it will. He’s gotten indecisive and requires time to think- great for planning, not so much for a live-or-die fight. 

Luca’s the one that surprises you. You wouldn’t go so far as to call him happy when your band of friends started roaming the country together, but he was good natured, and was the first to pick himself up from a bad scrape. He had a sly, sideways curve to his lips whenever he laughed, but it’s been so long since you’ve heard it that you’re starting to forget the way his skin curves into smile lines. 

He doesn’t smile at all, really. As optimistic Luca was, it was no secret Mysta was the other half of the laughter in your group, and now that Mysta was gone the morale was as well. Luca keeps up his positive attitude as much as he can but it’s rare, and it’s quiet when you see it. 

You notice whenever someone lights the campfire, he’s never around to watch it, and no one makes him do it. You don’t think anyone’s ever talked about it out loud, nor has he ever let himself show it. But when he turns around to feel the warmth, Vox is always to his front, blocking off the bright blazes, and sits by him while he cooks game. You have a theory Vox hasn’t given up his hero complex yet, but for as tense as he gets by the fire Luca hasn’t had a breakdown yet either. Unless things change, you won’t bring it up. Your group has never experienced a loss quite like this in the zombie apocalypse, and all things considered, for as awful as the morale it could be much, much worse.

Speaking of much worse, Shu…

He was a wreck when Mysta passed away, and that’s putting it lightly. When you ran from the remains of the burning townhouse and into a forest, your footfalls were punctuated by Shu’s shortened breaths, and he held back hiccups as you left Mysta behind. By the time Vox figured you were safe from the horde and Ike’s feet gave out from exhaustion, Shu’s eyes were shut tight in disbelief. 

You barely uttered a word to him before he fell back into sobs, and when you offered a hand he threw himself to you. It was disorienting. You always considered Shu the face of serenity and restraint even in your lives before the apocalypse, and after the outbreak he was always the one that could find the best path to follow for the greater good of all six of you. But now there were only five, and the grief was fresh.

But Shu howled. He clawed himself against your chest in inconsolable wails, and his face was contorted, sore and raw red in splotches of unmuted primality, nearly unrecognizable. There was an animal in your arms. Agonized. 

“It’s not possible,” he heaved. His articulation was lost in his eruption. “It can’t be, it can’t be, it can’t be, it can’t be!”

You didn’t have any words to say, and clearly Shu didn’t either. He howled again as his bestial hands clutched around your arm. Nails dug through his gloves and into your skin, and if he clutched you any tighter he’d tear the flesh off the bone straight, a creature of despair. Screaming and howling, and soon enough he was choking on his own spit and the block of mourning in his throat, some ugly peals of tears and snot, and the remains of rot on his hands and blood against the hollows of his ghastly cheek; the ash left in his lungs and the smoke that lingered in his hair, and the flames that licked through his fingers and inside the bottle and outside the glass; the blazes that ate through the wood of the house, the very same hue as his brother’s favorite shirts, his hat, flickering a cycle of brightness and color and roiling heat until he knew the fire had swallowed up what remained of Mysta.

Shu had no choice but to scream. When his throat took away that privilege he mustered up what he could of his vocal chords and churned. All his mouth went dry but he still smacked his tongue against his gums and huffed out seethings and surges of thin breath through gritted teeth, more akin to wheezing than anything else he’d howled but the pure distress gone untouched.

He eventually exhaled himself into an uneasy sleep, but even in sleep his face was still struck with suffering. Rest was more like a pause to a realized horror than it was a reprieve. You and Ike cleaned him up and laid him sideways on the ground for the night- after all, it had been an awful day, and as the moon rose in the sky you know you wouldn’t be getting anywhere after the horrible events, much less with an unconscious Shu.

Luca spent the rest of his day detached from his own experience, even after the shock wore off. When Shu’s composure broke, Vox had attended to Luca, and they quietly wept together while Shu bawled. By the time Shu began to rest, Luca looked into the ground, water bottle in hand.

Vox approached you while Ike started a fire and prepared some rations for the rest of the group. “He’s not taking things awfully, but I’m concerned for him,” he said. “Luca, I mean.”

“I know you mean Luca,” you responded. You couldn’t hide your own exhaustion from the day either. 

“As much as I hate to say it, Shu freaking out was to be expected. He and- and Mysta- those two- they were so close. And Luca, too. I thought he would freak out like Shu, but hell, Reader, I cried more than him. I know I get emotional and he’s better at keeping it down than me, but…”

Vox’s eyelids fluttered as he looked up at the dark sky. His eyes were red. “I’m just concerned, that’s all. It’s not like him.”

“Well, living without-” Your exhaustion dragged down your sentence before you could finish it. You thought you were well-adjusted to the death, but your voice caught before you could utter his name. You cleared your throat. “Living like this. There’s going to be a lot of weird changes, and everyone mourns differently.”

“I suppose you’re right.” But Vox didn’t look too pleased to hear that. “We need to protect him.”

“He does plenty of protecting himself. And we look out for each other regardless.”

“Then we should look out for him especially.”

“Of course. I don’t want him to get overexerted.”

“And let’s tap out of any interaction if we can, including looting. Last thing we need is to get into another big fight with the zombies, or worse yet, other survivors.”

“Avoiding fights has always been our M.O.” A chilled breeze ran through the forest. Vox fiddled with his haori. You stared right through him. “Sorry if this comes across as weird. But do you really think laying low is a good idea?”

“It’s dangerous to let anything interfere with us.”

“We’re in the zombie apocalypse, Vox, everything is dangerous. It’s not like I can just wave a wand and poof, we’re immune from the plague. Besides, we’re just two out of s- out of five. We’ll figure it out when it’s not so late, and Luca and Shu are in working condition.” You squinted. “Hey. Enough about them for a second. Has anyone ever asked you if you’re okay, Vox?”

“This isn’t about me.”

“Is now. How are you holding up?”

“What, do you want me to lie to your face? No one’s doing well.” He averted his eyes, and you knew he was averting the question. “I could ask you the same thing. Shu was intense.”

“Tired,” you said. “Just plain tired. I don’t even think I have the energy to properly grieve.” And just like the man standing before you, you averted your eyes as well. “I don’t think I want to either. I don’t know. I miss him a lot, but I don’t have the time to miss him. Not when the apocalypse is literally unfolding in front of us and there’s people taking the brunt of the loss way harder than I am. I wish I could give him the remembrance he deserves.”

Vox nodded slowly. He didn’t say anything in response, and the silence made you feel like you aged hundreds of years in his presence. 

“You’re very observant, Reader,” he finally said. “And you spend a lot of time making your own conclusions before you act. That’s smart. But knowing too much prevents you from action, full stop.”

Campfire smoke curls around the chilly air and by Vox’s face. His head was still angled up to look at the sky, and the orange glow against his sharp features weathered him into a dreary oil painting. There was a gash between his cheek and ear where a tree branch hooked him while he evaded a zombie’s grapple, and the light illuminated the soft pink flesh exposed under the cut of skin. The corner of the gash met his thoughtful frown. “Every moment of life teaches you something. I’m wondering when it’ll be too much and we simply can’t go on the way we used to.”

“Might be soon.”

“Today definitely sped it along.”

The fire crackled. You and Vox sat there unmoving, too focused on the blaze and how controlled it was compared to the townhouse. 

Even as the tinder burns, your thoughts were still so awry now that the group got smaller. Vox had a point about Luca. You needed to keep an eye out on him in case he’s putting on a brave front. Even then, you didn’t like how Vox deflected your concern, but prodding him would only make it worse, especially when the loss was so fresh. 

Your thoughts drifted to Ike, and how you haven’t managed to share a word with him at all since the townhouse burning. He hasn’t cried, you recall, not a single time since the first outbreak. You admired his composure but now that Vox admitted his own fears for the others (and neglected to tell you the ones about himself), you can’t help the unease that settled into your stomach. What were his thoughts like? Everything went off the rails whenever you tried to collect yourself, but if Ike was able to keep it all under wraps, then his mind must be a storm.

Speak of the devil. Ike hands Luca a small can of beans, but the blond stayed by his lonesome. Your best friend took the empty seat beside you, and gives you and Vox your dinner.

You thanked him, and after savoring what little you had of your portion, you asked how he’s doing.

“Just gotta get through another day,” Ike responded. 

Then he tipped the last of his beans into his mouth and stared at the fire, just as you did after talking with Vox. He was unreadable as ever, but the only thing you could glean from him with confidence is that he had just as much on his mind as you thought. Maybe even more.

You wished he would just tell you.

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

But grass grows over graves, and even if Mysta didn’t have a proper send off, time waits for no one. 

Once Shu woke up, his face was a mess of bleariness and exhaustion. Something in his bright eyes froze over during the night. Amethyst faded to plastic. 

“We’ll keep moving,” he declared, and his voice chilled you to the core. He called out the order as a leader, not a friend, without the care or delicacy he always granted to your group. His emotion died with Mysta. 

(And you saw Vox ready himself to refute, but once he met those purple eyes filled with something unearthly, he shank under Shu’s presence.)

Days pass. All of them are spent on the road. The group spends as little time resting as possible just to get a few extra miles out to your next destination. 

Shu and Luca say it’s to get away, but they end the sentence differently. Shu says to get away from the zombies. Luca doesn’t finish his thought at all. 

It’s no surprise that Vox opposes it. The more distance between the group and the townhouse, the more he speaks his mind. 

But Shu is determined to go further, just as much as Vox is convinced everyone needs to lay low.

And in all the time you’ve known these men, you’ve never seen any of them fight against one another quite like this. Vox always concedes, but not before Shu spits venom and he flings it right back. Their words are always about the plan, their future, where the group is going and why don’t they wait out the zombies instead of these hourly skirmishes on the road; but everyone can tell there’s more lying in subtext than the literal argument. You’ve seen the way Vox grits his teeth and musters up his courage whenever he’s about to tell Shu off, and you know that disgusted glare Shu gives Vox whenever he brings up hiding from the zombies.

Ike usually ends up being the one to break up their fights. One dismal evening while he lectured them both about teamwork and other platitudes, you and Luca sat next to each other. He’s a big guy, but he’s lost a lot of weight from rationing, and his expression looks like an abandoned dog more often than not these days.

He talks quietly, but plainly. “Shu hates me, doesn’t he?”

“What?” The bluntness startles you. “Luca, listen to yourself. He could never.”

“He could.”

“He wouldn’t,” you insist. “He’s gone through a lot, and he’s not taking it well, but I know it’s always because he wants to protect you. All of us.”

“So is Vox. But he just shuts him down without a thought. You ever wonder why, Reader?”

“To get away from the zombies,” you recite. That’s always his reasoning. Staying put in one place just means more time for zombies to gather at the scent of the living.

“So would finding a secure shelter, like how Vox says.” Luca sits with his knees close to his chest, and watches from a distance at the quelled fight. Vox says something, and you can see Shu’s face contort even though you can’t hear what he says. “But he doesn’t even listen to him. He doesn’t even listen to you, Reader, when you try to break it up.” He holds his legs closer to himself. “I don’t know if he’s ever listened to me. Or anyone.”

“He would if you told him you feel like that. He’d understand.”

“Would he really?” You nearly answer that before you realize the question is rhetorical. “You’ve got eyes, Reader. Be attentive like how I know you always are and look at how he looks at us. Me and Vox.”

You try to follow Luca’s request but Ike is speaking, and Shu’s eyes close.

He elaborates. “It’s not a nice look.”

“He’s stressed.”

“Then why doesn’t he ever look at you like that? Or even better, why does he listen to Ike only, and how come it never seems to stick?”

“He’s going through a lot.”

“We all are.”

Across the camp, you watch Ike run a hand through his hair. Shu is still talking, and Vox sighs.

“I think he blames us.”

You grab Luca’s arm. “Don’t say that.”

“Why not? It’s obvious anyways.”

“Because that’s our friend.”

“He hasn’t acted like one for a long time.”

“Because he’s lost so much.”

“We were all friends,” Luca snaps. “We lost just as much. Hell! I was in the house! We were together! And then we got separated, and unlike someone Vox actually tried to help him out until- and I should’ve- we saw him get bit, and I couldn’t- I just, I-”

Luca shuts himself up. Your hand falls from his arm to his palm and squeezes. No life returns your gesture. 

You sit in the stagnant silence. 

“I’m sorry.” Luca lowers his head. His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Get it off your chest, Luca. I won’t hurt you.”

“No, I don’t think I should.” He unwraps his legs, and stands up from the ground beside you. “I’m not going to say it and be an awful friend, even if he’s acting like one.”

Before you could ask what the hell that was supposed to mean, Luca already turned his back, and you sat alone from the argument as he walked away from everything.

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

Despite all their bickering, Shu and Vox lead the group through travel. It’s more likely that the bickering is the exact reason why. The fire iron and rebar push aside the greenery, until Vox stops with his rebar casting the brush aside. “Fucking finally.”

You catch up and look across the hill. Buildings. This used to be a small rest town in a clearing between the hills before the outbreak, but now the bright signs are dimmed out and dirtied. Not a soul lurks in the abandoned town, including the dead. 

“We’re not stopping,” Shu says.

“Piss off, Shu. I’m tired.”

“You’re never going to be well-rested.”

“Then how does safe sound?”

“Not possible no matter where you go.”

“But safer than on the road-”

“Guys,” Ike interrupts. “Quit acting like toddlers.”

Vox pouts and Shu squints. None of the three want to get the next word in.

So you speak up instead. “We’re running out of supplies. If we don’t find any more food soon, then we won’t even be able to continue on the road.”

“Reader has a point,” Ike agrees.

Shu’s expression sours. “Fine. We’ll look around, but make it quick. Camping out here is a great way to get robbed.”

“Then we’ll move together and keep watch for one another,” Vox declares, and he smiles. “Welcome to the correct side, Reader, Ike. It’s good to have you on board.”

Ike rolls his eyes. “Don’t drag me into your petty fights.” You fight the urge to quip he’s already in the mess as the mediator.

But the group traverses the hills and enters the remains of the town. The ground is littered with garbage strewn about in the haste for its citizens to flee town- or for the ill-fated, become the corpses dragging along the cement. 

The zombies here shamble along independent from one another. That’s the best you could ask for. The only consistent thing about zombie behavior is their danger when in swarms. Alone, they’re nothing but fetid flesh barely clinging onto the skeleton, ready to fall into a hundred pieces at one strike, but when accompanied by others? Fodder makes up for each others’ weaknesses, and no matter how competent or skilled you are, one human is nothing to a crowd of zombies on the warpath. 

The zombies of this town haven’t synced up with one another, and you’d like to keep it that way. While on the road, you’ve had plenty of skirmishes with small groups of zombies, but the last time your band faced off against a proper herd, you lost one. 

A single zombie clambers to the front of your group. You hear metal against fabric as Ike pulls out his cleaver from its sheath, ready to do the deed, but before he can advance Shu already has his fire poker in his hands and the business end driven through the eyes of the zombie. He twists, assuring the brain is too punctured to allow the body to rise again, and the poker is back at rest. He barely even apologizes to the body as everyone trudges on.

Behind his back, Ike resheathes his weapon. He squints through his glasses, and you can read the confusion between his green eyes. Ike doesn’t meet your glance, but his expression is welcome, as unfortunate as it is. At least you’re not the only one that noticed how out of character Shu has been lately. You’re getting a sinking feeling about him.

However, the moment passes as soon as it appeared, and you and the rest of your friends rove onwards until you come across a set of stairs erring into the earth, surrounded by a dirtied glass entrance. 

“Who would’ve thought?” You wonder aloud. “I never would’ve guessed this little town had a subway system.”

Vox raises his hand along the cool glass. “This could be good. The entrance is camouflage pretty well considering the damage of this town, and there might be some preserved food in vending machines. All we need to do is break ‘em.”

“And if there isn’t any food, it’s still a big area,” Ike adds. “Plenty of space and a roof over our heads.”

Luca looks down the staircase. It’s dark, but not unnavigable. The edges of the sidewalk are lined with yellow paint stripes, and features small lights along the walls from a backup generator, most likely. “It’s a good hiding place,” he says.

Luckily for everyone, Shu can already tell he’s defeated, and doesn’t put up much of a fight before you all descend down the stairs. 

Not even ten minutes later Luca found a vending machine and smashed it apart with his spiked bat. Vox unwrapped a pack of Oreos with a smug smile. 

The subway was no longer in operation and the trains themselves were abandoned, but you found a sign with a map of the station. The subway connected the major areas of the town together, and could be used as secret passages through the ruins.

And most interesting, there were even less zombies underground than under the sun. 

“I wonder if the stairs confused them?” Luca says to himself. “Surely a few of them figured it out, since we killed some since we entered the subway, but it might be too complex for herds to come through. Or the architecture itself is confusing.”

You weren’t about to question it. This was one of the most peaceful environments you’ve entered since the outbreak, and there was no way you would ignore the moment to catch your breath, even if you can still cut through the tension with a knife. 

You enter first watch with the drifting bond between everyone on your mind, and when Ike relieves you for his watch, you fall asleep in record time.

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

An arm jostles you awake. “Reader. Wake up, zombies.”

You curse, albeit a little groggily, but in a flash you’re on your feet. You thumb under your sleeping pad and grab your climbing picks. “I thought we were safe?”

“Not at all.” Your eyesight adjusts after you start walking, but you can already recognize the voice as Ike. Out of the corner of your eye you can spot Shu trying to shake Luca awake, and Vox gathering everyone’s things together. “They’re flooding in fast. Herds of them. Like they’re all on the same wavelength.”

“Like the townhouse.”

It dawns on you and you say it without thinking. Ike’s shoulders freeze over. “Don’t say that. Not so loudly.”

“Fine. What do you need me to do?”

“Get your things together. They’re not here yet, but they will be soon, around the corner we came.”

Vox approaches halfway through zipping a backpack together. “We should take the next right corridor. I remember that leads to a different exit.”

“You sure it’s not the same one the zombies are coming in through?” You ask.

“Positive.”

“We need to stay ahead of the herd,” Shu said, Luca in tow. “No fighting unless absolutely necessary. If we get started now we should be able to get away without overexerting ourselves. Ready?”

No words need to be exchanged. You leave the clearing just as you found it. 

A collected groan follows behind you, and a chill runs down your spine. You’ve never heard so many zombies, and never so man all in harmony. The moans arrange together in the cavernous halls, bouncing off the cement and down the station. 

The urgency rises once the cries grow closer. Vox breaks out in a run, then Luca, and Shu behind him. 

“Right,” Vox calls, and dives at the turn. A zombie greets him. He drives his rebar into its head and flings it away without a second thought like a lancer. 

The zombie smashes against a sight with arrows to different stations. Ike swerves out of the way. “Fork ahead, where now?”

“Right? I mean-” He goes one way to view a sign, then sprints the other. “Straight! Straight!”

The dead sing. You can’t think to look back but the smell of rot is suffocating.

Your foot falls under the concrete ground in time with your family, and in time with the stumbling zombies approaching faster than you’ve ever felt before. 

Luca halts in his tracks, and you thump against his back. Your mouth parts to speak but your eyes fall upon the exit.

Or rather, the lack of exit.

Boulders of broken concrete hide the stairwell from daylight.

Hot breath strangles you, and you turn with your picks in hand. Swathes of the dead are fixated on your group. 

Ike runs straight-on to the choir. You scream out as one reaches for him before he turns at the last fork in the road.

You cut your scream off halfway when you follow him without a second thought. 

A hand covered in dirt and mold grasps against the sleeve of your jacket. You swivel and sink your pick into the limb, and the wrist pops off under your blade. The hand goes limp and falls from the fabric.

You hear footsteps behind you, and when Luca speaks up you’re full of relief even if only for a moment. “What now?”

“Just run,” You say back, more of a guess than an order.

Shu drifts in front of you. “Where are we?”

“Give me a moment, I’m trying to think!”

“We don’t have time, Vox!”

“I know, Shu, shut up!”

“Going left!” Ike shouts, and you all move without question. 

But you realize only after the zombies cut away the turn that the station turns more decrepit on this side. The tunnels are lined with debris and the floor crumbles away along the painted stripes. 

And before you can find a new route, you see a puff of dust from the ceiling.

“The roof!” You shout. You’re gasping to breathe now, and your words stumble upon the exhale. 

Shu’s eyes roll up to the flickering light, and you both see the elongated crack above your heads. It’s been in decay for years. How unlucky. How simply, brutally, lethally unlucky.

“Hurry!” He pleads. He’s at the front of the pack, followed by Vox and Luca alongside each other. Ike trails behind you. 

The crack in the roof follows your every footstep even as ancient instinct kicks in. Adrenaline shoots through your veins and pushes you forward, accompanied by bits of debris tangling in your hair. The flooring turns from concrete to tile, and with the dirtied mosaic comes a glimmer of hope. Surely you must be going the right way.

The zombies’ cries are loud, but the squeak of your shoe against the tiles is louder. There must be something beyond.

But the ceiling splintering out is the loudest of all.

It all happens at once:

The way that Shu turns at the sound and can’t even get one of his own out before he sees your face-

The powdered cement turning to hail in the blink of an eye-

Your war cry through gritted teeth as you launch off, the fastest you’ve ever run before-

A knife unsheathed in in warmth and frigidity in your midst-

Luca, hated, blamed, petrified. 

Your brain catches up through the curtain of scrap. It’s all because of Luca. Even at his most vulnerable, you’ve never thought of him as weak. Nonetheless, his eyes are dead purple crusted against his ghost-white face, and his lips force open while a vein along his neck strains to scream out your name, but he lets out just one small, throaty heave. A miserable noise.

It silences you. 

You know it, and he does too. A chunk of ceiling drops mere inches from your last step. Vox approaches, calls out your name before he’s even comprehended the truth before him. You see the dark in his pale eyes tighten into a thin reptilian pupil and he reaches out in desperation.

The last of the ceiling shatters. A broken crag hammers into his palm instead. All you hear is Shu finally get out the scream before the remains of the underground roof shuts you out from your family.

The dead rises in volume. The glimmer of hope evaporates.

You force yourself against the barricade, but your weight is no match for the pile of rubble, and you watch the zombies shamble forward with your back against the wall. The only person you have left brushes plaster away from his eyes with one arm and brandishes a knife in the other.

Ike Eveland looks like hell alive. 

It would almost be hilarious if you weren’t facing a subterranean grave. His face is dirtied with mud and rubble, and the legs of his trousers are matted in blood, rot, and dirt, but even then, this is still your best friend. The years you’ve spent alongside him blend together. His once-delicate hands now bear countless scars from travel and fights, but the contours of his face are recognizable even through the dust that mars his skin. 

This is an unwinnable situation. You’re locked in checkmate, but Ike stands next to you.

You speak. “No more exits, right?”

Ike swipes at his face again, and the sleeve of his mantle comes back grayer than before. “I think we both know how this ends, Reader.”

“Yeah. I do.”

You both watch the leading zombie shuffle one foot forward, and each of its followers mimic the motion. 

You notice Ike’s hand against his face out of the corner of your eye. Then how his shoulders jerk up for a moment, before setting themselves in place, stony and rigid. 

His words break your heart. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Me neither.”

“I wish I could refuse all this- all this-” 

He sniffs. 

You move without thinking, and your mind is set. You wrap your arms around Ike. 

He doesn’t even raise his hands. He just leans against your shoulder lifelessly, and lets the tears fall. 

You rub his back as he hiccups into your shirt. How long has he been keeping this locked up? You ache for him and all his repression as his body goes limp against yours, the only thing keeping him standing. 

“It’ll be okay.” That’s only a lie you can hope is the truth. “After all this. We’ll be okay. Shu and Vox and Luca, too. It’s a straight shot now that all the zombies are on us.”

“I’m going to miss you. All of you.”

“We’re together.”

“I’m sorry this is how it ends.”

“We still have options.”

He scoffs, even as his voice cracks through his quiet crying. “We’re trapped, Reader. There’s no way out.”

“We can still go out on our terms,” you say. You place your hand over his, the one that holds the knife. “Once we’re gone, the zombies are going to search for the other three.”

You squeeze one last time, and break away from the hug. You look upon the wave of dead flesh and rot, and draw your weapons. “I don’t want them to fight any more than they have to.”

“That’s hopeless.”

“It’s all I can do.”

“How are you so calm about this?”

“I’m not sure myself,” you admit. “It’s just that right now, I know I’m in a losing battle, and I accept that. But I don’t accept just laying down and dying like that.” 

Your climbing picks cross together as you ready your eerily still mind. The blades scrape against each other. Metal sings. “And I just want to handle things calmly. After all this time, I learned that from you.”

“I don’t know how you can just remember things like that when we’re about to die.”

“I suppose I only die on my own terms. Hey.”

Ike stumbles to his feet. His knife is pointed to the ground. With a tranquility that evaded you all throughout the apocalypse, you steady his posture and guide the blade up to the dead beyond.

Your hand rises up his arm as his eyes close, and he silently murmurs to himself. You rub his shoulder. “You good?”

Ike exhales. His body lowers as he does, and with the breath comes a relaxed posture. This is the most at peace he’s been since the outbreak strangled the past world. 

His eyelashes rise. Stormy green seas focus upon the staggering zombies. 

“No.” Ike’s lip trembles. But he’s set on the zombies ahead, and a bolt of lightning crosses through his eyes. “But I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Good man.”

“There’s about five of them leading the pack in that corner. We can pick them off and get some more breathing room.”

“Understood, Mr. Tactical.”

“Don’t call me that.” Under the exhaustion and the fear and the grittiness that comes with crying, you hear some of that classic, joking exasperation. You snicker to yourself, but the bittersweet smile remains. 

“Mr. Eveland, then.” Your sight hones in on one zombie to your right. Its jaw slides apart as it follows the scent of the fresh living. “It’s been an honor, Ike.”

“Likewise, Reader, we’ll do what we can.”

“Let’s go.”

At your command, you both launch off, laser-focused on the individual dead. 

Ike kicks a corpse down to knock it prone, then rakes his knife into the skull, and that’s all you can see before you throw yourself into the fray.

A one-on-one is simple. The zombie in front of you holds out a decrepit hand, perfect for your climbing pick to detach. It stumbles at the force and grants you an opening to clobber its brain in.

Rinse and repeat. 

You dive between the steps of your latest kills to divert attention in time to slay another and stay moving. The trick is to use gravity to your advantage. They aren’t smart enough to stand their ground, and when they inevitably fold from the pressure of your picks, it’s like the zombies present themselves for you can finish the job.

The next target swipes at you. You jut one pick down upon the corpse and one more meets the brittle skull. This gives you enough time to duck under a lunge, sweep the leg, and aim to kill. 

Something grabs your leg before you plunge the pick in. A body, dismembered from the waist up. 

You yelp as yellow-black teeth rise, and frantically kick. The zombie holds on tight, but when you regain your senses, it doesn’t even see the blade incoming before the soft brain squashes in. Splatters of gore and bits of chunky nerve endings sprays against your frame while your sweat mixes in with the stench of rot and muddy mildew.

You step back to reposition. Ike’s clothing is covered in blackened blood, and you watch him plunge his knife into the chests of whatever unfortunate beast approaches next. He twists and yanks out, then goes in for a final blow between the eyes. He has a rhythm established despite the shades of rot against his mantle and shirt. It almost looks routine. 

His next victim’s head rolls to the ground and breaks apart like porcelain. The brain is still in place, but the elongated gash through the nervous system confirms it would never rise again. 

But one gets the jump on Ike while his back is turned, and he yells out as he thrashes. He swivels on his heel. The zombie maneuvers around even as his hands push back in a fierce gridlock. It snaps its broken jaws in Ike’s face as it snarls, and sinks its claws in. Gunk travels through its saliva.  

“I got your back!” While Ike retreats, you trip the dead that crawls in front of you, and dash to his side. You drag your picks into the nape and back of the zombie’s head, and the creature goes limp just in time for Ike to shove it against the wall. 

Ike catches his breath, brushes his hand against his arm, and meets your concerned look with a nod in silent gratitude. “They’re gaining on us,” he says. “You don’t need to kill all of them, disabling them is fine!”

“Got it!”

But even that is easier said than done. There are so many zombies in the herd, it looks like you haven’t even left a dent, and your space is getting limited. You hack through the edges of the herd and pray that your wild swipes cut through a limb or two. 

“We’re losing turf!”

“Yeah, and I- gaah!”

Ike heaves. Your switch flips from ‘kill zombies’ to ‘check Ike’.

You follow his rasp to the corner of the room, where the ceiling crashed down. His back is pressed against the tiled wall, and he struggles to peel off his mantle. 

You don’t even need to ask. His hand clutches his arm, and the chunk of flesh missing from it. 

“Holy shit, Ike!” You can’t even mute yourself. Millions of warning bells go off in your head. The internals are coated in a dark membrane from where it meets the oxygen in the air, less red than it is purple, and his veins beside the mutilation rise in an ugly green. 

You reach your hands out as you rip off a cut of fabric from your sleeve. “No. No, this can’t be happening-“

He slaps your hand away before you can begin to bandage the blood loss, and immediately crumples. “Don’t do that! It’s the virus!”

“There’s no way it spreads that fast-“

“It will. I don’t want you to have that.” Ike sucks in air through his teeth as he sinks to the floor. 

“How did you even-“ you cut yourself off. “It was the zombie that jumped you, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah. I didn’t even notice the pain when it happened.” He curses in his native language. The green in his veins rise, and branches sprout from the veins under his graying skin, like tree bark. The rapid decay of the outbreak. “Oh, that’s not good.”

The din of the battle behind you is entirely forgotten as you focus on the uneven flesh, the imprint of the bite upon his mangled arm, how nearly every level of the wound has turned to the same rot of the zombies. 

Ike’s breathing is labored. The center of his shirt is soaked with the rot of those he killed, and rises and falls shakily. 

He smacks his lips, and you’re struck with the realization that talking is a strain. “I have a favor to ask of you.”

You crouch by his side and nod. 

“The sheath, on my belt,” he says. “Can you unfasten it?”

You comply without question even through your blurring eyes. I can’t refuse a request from a dead man, you think, and then the weight of your thought slams you. 

Ike’s unscathed hand rises from the wound, coated in slick purple gore, and brushes against the handles of his knives. The membrane pools together into beads along the handle. His fingers stop at the last slot in his sheath, and the tip of the cleaver is dyed in the beginnings of the rot. 

You think you’re about to vomit your heart out. 

“No.” Your voice wavers. “No. No, I can’t do this.”

“You can,” Ike comforts you, and you feel even more like trash. You should be the one comforting him instead. “I trust you.”

And that’s what gets the tears to spill out from your eyelashes. “But I can’t kill you.”

“You said it best earlier. Dying on your own terms, right?”

“But I can’t kill you.”

“I don't want to be one of them,” he admits. “Look around, Reader, we’re surrounded, and we both know there’s no way out. And being one of them, it’s unnatural. It’s just messed up. If I’m going to die, I want to know I’m at rest. None of this- whatever all this is.”

His head lolls to the side. “And I want to see Mysta again.”

The chorus of the dead accompanies Ike’s heavy breathing and your weeping. You are a helpless child. 

“I’ll help you,” Ike adds. “I’ll tell you how I usually confirm the dead. You’re my best friend. I trust you.”

It sickens you. 

You let out a puff of air as you draw your palm over your eyes. The gore across your face smears over with your tears. 

You take the cleaver in your hands. 

“Thank you.”

“You deserve better than this.”

“It’s the best we can do. I’m glad.”

“This is so fucked up.” You draw the cleaver with both hands, as if that would end the shaking. Even as you shut your eyes, you can’t get your resolve in place. 

“The trick is to be fast,” Ike says, and it disgusts you at how easily he says it. It disgusts you even more when you know the decay is spreading as he speaks, all the way into his raspy voice. “It’s all in the wrist. That’s what keeps it precise instead of clumsy. It’s where all the force is. Don’t swing wide. Just center it where you want to hit. How are you doing?”

“Not good.” Your breathing deepens, a last-ditch effort to remain calm. “I’m scared.”

You force your eyes open. The world floods in white, then falls into the blurred grays of the subway station. 

Ike is already so much worse for wear. The bite is entirely blackened, and the discolored skin stretches from his arm to his shoulder, creeping along what little you can see of his neck. 

His eyelids are shut, gentle aside from the furrow in his brow. 

“Me too.”

Even with his feigned nonchalance, there is so much sorrow laced between his words. 

“I’m going to miss you.”

“I’ll be safer,” Ike says, and even he doesn’t seem so convinced by it. “Thank you for everything. I’ll miss you too.”

“You’ll always be my best friend.” 

You raise the cleaver. 

“Please tell Mysta I’m thinking of him. We all are, always.”

“We’ll be watching.”

Ike’s head is lowered, but you still see his attempt at a smile. 

You black out as you swing.

There is no memory left of his last moment. It’s all too much to bear. 

You cover your face, because looking at him is simply- just- too- much. Blood mixes in with your eyelashes, and you taste metal on your lips. 

You don’t even have the energy to scream, or cry, or do anything. You are a husk, and you do not hear Ike’s cleaver clatter to the floor. There is nothing. 

Your body moves without your command. You step back, and even though you refuse to look, you know you’re backing away from Ike. Your heart hammers, and so do your limbs. It spreads in droves, this pressure of heartbreak, constricting you and squeezing you apart.

Daggers fall into your skin. You snap out of your stupor. 

But once you identify the daggers as teeth, you wish you didn’t.

You tear your hands away from your face as a glob of rot (his rot, you realize, and you can’t even begin to wrap your head around that) flicks out in an arc. The hammering- it’s claws raking against your flesh and tearing you apart like meat.

While you accompanied Ike in his last moments, the outbreak stopped for no one, least of all you. You are no invulnerable main character. You blocked out the roaring chorus as he lay, but it continued outside of your little bubble, and with your back turned they absorbed the last of your free space for a perfect siege. 

You veer your head away out of instinct when the teeth pull away, and takes a bite of muscle out with it. The pain is blinding hot- you finally regain your voice in time to screech, but it drowns out through the zombie moans. 

A second set of jaws snaps you up. Already your head is spinning, and when you see the sinew from the corner of your vision you resist the urge to faint. If you take a look at the broken skin and extruding vine-veins again, you know you’re going to black out again, and never wake up. 

You force your sight to anything else. 

You make the mistake of looking into zombie eyes for the third time in your life. 

But this time you don’t retain the memory, either. Because for as little time you have left, how could you live knowing that your best friend’s peaceful green eyes snapped open in terror in his final moment? 

You choke out, and whether it’s from pain or grief or pure fear, you can’t even tell. Just that it all mixes together into a toxic blend, the poison of your undoing. 

And to think, you had the gall to meet such a grisly end head-on minutes ago. 

On the ground, next to his limp foot, the steel edge of Ike’s cleaver winks at you. 

It’s all in the wrist, he told you, and your blood burns into dust. But Ike is gone, now, and for as horrified as his melted remains were, he was certainly watching your every move. 

And the infection is unnatural, and climbs along your shoulder, and there is no agony in the world like this fate. 

And you wanted to see Mysta again. 

With the last of your strength you regain your legs, and kick off one zombie from your leg. It topples and gives you enough time to shake off another that has you grappled. 

The weight shift combined with your blood loss makes you hit the ground hard, but you scrape at the floor nonetheless. You are so weak, and you struggle, so focused on the glint of the blade that you ignore your skin crack apart like mud in a drought. 

You reach, bloodied and battered, and so close to rest. 

The washed light shines off the cleaver. Its reflection teases you as a monster snatches your foot and send you back into the horde like a toy. 

You emit your final scream, and that too dies as hundreds of hands hold you back. Your body and blood is swallowed by the herd of dead.

When you can’t keep your eyes open anymore, the dark in your mind rearranges to replicate the cleaver. Then it flattens, and you see the haunted remains of Ike Eveland between it. 

The only sound left is teeth meeting bone. 

.　 . • ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆

[furby-junkie]

An image from debaque.com (a website that is now dead). 

Furby Island had won an award of $5,000 (USD) for being the Best Licensed IP game.

“The winners will receive a cash prize, Software licenses from Adobe, Phones from Nokia and a guaranteed contract with an operator and a publisher to market the title. The IMGA will truly help to make mobile game developers' dreams a reality!”

Nominees (For Best Licensed IP Game)

The Crystal Maze (Dynamo Games)

Office Games 2 (Indiagames)

Rounders Poker (Nazara Technologies)

Ratatouille: Cheese Rush (Universomo)

Furby Island (LemonQuest)

The contest rules on IMGA’s website  (archive.org)

IMGA award nominees list (Pocket Gamer)

Furby Island, other award-winning games, and nominees on IMGA’s website 

LemonQuest’s article below cut

LemonQuest wins the IMGA award for Best Adapted Licence with Furby Island

日期 : 12/02/2008

The official videogame of one of the most successful toys from Hasbro

This videogame, developed and edited by LemonQuest, and which is the result of an agreement reached between LemonQuest and Hasbro, enables players to enjoy all the magic of Furby on their mobile telephones. Furby is one of the most important and successful toys of all time.

Furby Island, a fun adventure in a multitude of locations, with a wide range of objects, surprises that come in the form of bonuses and some colourful and cheerful graphics, has been given this award over the other four nominees: Office Games 2 – official licence of the NBC series developed by Indiagames; Ratatouille: Cheese Rush by THQ Wireless; Rounders Poker – based on the film and produced by Nazara; and The Crystal Maze – a title presented by Dynamo Games.

Following this recognition of Furby Island by one of the most important Mobile Gaming events in the sector, LemonQuest has become the first Spanish company to receive such a prestigious award.

Article source

[the-dixie-flatline]

Importance of Online Casino Guides

Before playing at online casinos and poker rooms, it tends to be exceptionally useful to go through a portion of the online casino guide. They provide a ton of useful data that can used while play.

Online casino guide provides tips on how to know about spam and illegitimate casinos. Up to 20% of they are unlicensed and there is a risk of fraud and uncalled for play. Therefore it is important to make sure that the online casino you wish to play at is protected and gets its payouts checked by a significant inspecting firm. These aides can assist players with searching for casino destinations that offer the best bonuses as well as the payout rates. This places more money in the player's pocket. There are many online aides that have a rundown of the best online bonuses and payout rates.

It additionally assist with general game play, strategies and tips for winning different games like Hold'em and Omaha. They offer a depiction and rules of different casino games.

Another benefit of going through online casino guide is that they offer good exhortation about the general game play like bankroll restricts, etc. Apart from this guide inform a ton regarding which online casinos are the most popular and which have the best software, designs, sound and liveliness. These surveys are a good source to compare the different sites and what they bring to the table. It can assist with telling which they offer the best return for money, which casino offer which games and what specific benefits and hindrances gaming software have.

[sologik]

Playing Online Casino Games

There is definitely a certain excitement, rush and romance associated with casino games, yet except if you live near Atlantic City, in the territory of Nevada, or (in certain parts of the country) a significant Indian reservation, odds are good that valuable chances to play genuinely in a genuine casino don't exist. That has generally changed, because of the Internet. Through the Internet, casino games are accessible to for all intents and purposes everybody.

What Are Online Casinos?

Basically, an "online casino" resembles some other online business - it is a virtual, "digital form" of a conventional physical institution. Additionally called "virtual," or potentially "Internet" casinos, these sites empower people to place wagers on conventional games, and include:

- online blackjack

- online slots

- online video poker

- online roulette wheels

also, just pretty much the very best games you're familiar with.

Are the Odds Any Better Online?

By and large, odds and restitution rates for casinos online are about equivalent to they are for physical casinos. Truth be told, here in the Digital Age, you might find a lot of a similar innovation used in online games as you will in Las Vegas, particularly with online slots; modern digital slot machines use irregular number generators. The more respectable sites that offer online games will distribute verifiable payout rate reviews.

Are Online Casinos Trustworthy?

This is certainly a typical - and very legitimate - issue. The individuals who run online gaming sites frequently rent software from a trustworthy outsider, and as shown earlier, will frequently distribute payout reviews.

All things considered, heeding the old guidance of admonition emptor is shrewd while playing games on the Internet. There are archived instances of deceitful casinos, yet curiously, this misrepresentation usually has practically nothing to do with the virtual games themselves. Usually, the misrepresentation includes nonsensical postponements or out and out refusals to pay withdrawals

[gorogues]

Fictober 2022

Prompt number #28 Fanfiction Fandom: Flash Rogues Rating: PG Warnings: None.

Day Twenty-Eight: “We all have our reasons.”

It was a dark and stormy night, which somehow turned out to be relevant to the evening.  The Mirror Master had bought a decrepit old warehouse with some ill-gotten gains and was hosting the first ever Rogues social gathering.

Or so he hoped.  He had no idea if anyone was even planning to attend, because apparently criminals were not great at RSVPs.  He’d told the others that the event began at 7 PM, and the buzzer first rang at fifteen minutes past the hour.

A tall skinny man in a striped costume stood at the door, and Mirror Master opened it after verifying his identity with a couple of hidden cameras and facial recognition software of his own design.  The newcomer awkwardly held up two six-packs of lager.

“Hello, I’m the Top and I brought beer,” he said politely in a somewhat stilted tone, and was clearly ill at ease.

“Yeah, I can see that,” Mirror Master observed with a bit of a chuckle, as both conclusions were painfully obvious.  “C’mon in, you’re the first to show up.”

The Top sat down and was soon joined by the next arrivals, the Pied Piper and Captain Cold.  Captain Boomerang was already drunk when he got there, and Heat Wave appeared next and gave the side-eye to Cold every five minutes or so.

“Where’s the bloody booze, innit?” Boomerang brayed at Piper, who winced at the high volume in his sensitive ears.

“You’re holding a cup of it right now,” Piper replied with barely concealed disgust, and Captain Boomerang laughed uproariously and hugged him.

“You’re a fun bloke, polka dots!  We’re gonna be best mates!���

The Trickster came creeping in soon afterwards, feeling more than a little cautious and trying to assess the vibe of the crowd.  He’d only met some of the Rogues in passing, and his team-up with Captain Cold hadn’t gone as well as it could have; there’d been double crosses and the two had shot each other due to the Flashes’ machinations.  Still, Mirror Master had thought he’d seemed promising and sent him an invitation, along with…

There was a crack of lightning and simultaneous thunder, and the lights momentarily went out.  Mirror Master sighed and checked the outdoor cameras even though he knew exactly who it was.

“Weather Wizard is here, boys and girls,” a newcomer in green declared imperiously as he walked through the front door with a stylish wand.  “Oops, I don’t see any girls.  Where are the girls?”

“No girls,” Mirror Master replied with some defensiveness, already wondering if he shouldn’t have invited this guy.  He didn’t know the Wizard personally but had been impressed by his criminal work and some intense battles against the Flash.

“Did you make this storm?” Captain Cold grumbled, and the Weather Wizard waved his hand dismissively.

“Guilty as charged.  Charged.  As in lightning?”

“That needs some work,” the Pied Piper told him, arms crossed and frowning.

“Tough crowd,” Weather Wizard muttered, but he knew the man was right: his pun game had always been weak, and the skill was something of a necessity in their field.

“Your attention, please!” the Mirror Master called, and everyone turned their eyes to him.  He looked around at the assembled crowd of young supervillains, gauging who seemed like a good fit for the crew and who might be a liability.  “The card tournament’s starting now for anyone who wants to play.”

Everyone filed over to the giant rickety table, as it turned out that the entire group was interested in poker.  As the game began, Mirror Master continued watching the others for signs of deceit (beyond the usual card cheating, which was rampant amongst their profession) and genuine anti-social behaviour which would spell trouble within the ranks.  He hadn’t noticed any thus far, and the guys seemed to be having fun.

“Captain Boomerang’s Royal Flush is using obvious fake cards,” the Trickster commented with a grin during a surprising lucky win.

“Ah, you never miss a trick, do ya?  Call me Digger, mate,” the Australian cackled with purely good humour, slapping the back of Weather Wizard and causing him to choke on his beer.

“I’m Mick,” Heat Wave announced with a pleasant smile, and Captain Cold gritted his teeth at him.

“I’m Len.”  He was not going to be upstaged by that fire-eating circus weirdo.  Not again.

But the rest of the Rogues sat in silence, not yet ready to reveal their secret identities to people they scarcely knew, so the game moved on.

“Who had the bright idea to dress you in polka dots?” the Weather Wizard inquired of the man across the table after his fourth beer, still somewhat annoyed about earlier criticism of his pun.

“I left it up to that tailor downtown, Paul Gimby or something,” Pied Piper sniffed.  “He’s the expert in fashion, not me.  But I mean, at least I’m not wearing a puffy pirate blouse with matching elf booties.”

“This outfit is stylish as hell!” Weather Wizard retorted hotly.  “But it’s funny, that guy designed my uniform too.”

“Yeah, and mine as well,” Mirror Master said, nodding.  “I think we all—”

“Mine too!” the Top blurted out suddenly, cutting him off mid-sentence.  His eyes widened under his mask when he realized he’d interrupted their host, and he went silent with a slightly reddened face.  The others stared at him for a moment, then moved on.

“Don’t you get hot in that coat?” the Trickster asked Len, who shook his head.

“Nah, I built a portable cooling unit which is stitched into a seam to keep things nice and frosty.”

“Niiiiiice.  I could use one of those in my workshop,” the Mirror Master whistled, and Len nodded magnanimously.

“Sure, I can set ya up.”

“Great, thank you,” Mirror Master grinned, satisfied.  “And I also wanted to thank everyone for coming tonight.  I invited you all here because I’m hoping to build something big amongst the professionals working in Central City, and I’m really pleased with this gathering.  Some of us have worked together before, some of us haven’t, and we all have our reasons for being here.  I’m hoping this is the beginning of a successful collaboration…a meeting of Rogues, if you will.”

“Hear hear!” Digger crowed loudly, and there were smiles around the table.

“And I guess I might as well introduce myself: I’m Sam Scudder,” the Mirror Master announced as he pulled off his cowl and showed his face to the others.  “I was born and raised in Central City, and I can tell some of you were too.  This city belongs to us.”

The locally born criminals nodded amongst themselves, but they didn’t seem to be excluding Digger or the Trickster from the group, so it felt like a moment of acceptance.

“You know what?  I like this place, it feels like it could be home,” the Trickster concluded after a moment’s thought.  He wasn’t ready to tell the others even his Americanized name just yet, but he was enjoying the guys’ company.  And their beer wasn’t bad.

“Glad to have you here,” Sam told him, and his tone seemed sincere.  “A toast, then: to new friends, good times, and some really lucrative hauls.”

“Hear, hear!”

[loudtravelerlight]

OBOR138: A Comprehensive Guide to the Premier Online Gaming and Betting Platform

Introduction

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, online gaming and betting platforms have surged in popularity, creating an exciting space for entertainment, skill-based gaming, and sports betting. One name making waves in this space is OBOR138, a leading online gaming platform that provides users with a wide variety of games, secure betting options, and a seamless experience for all types of players. Whether you're an experienced gamer or someone seeking fun and excitement, OBOR138 offers a versatile gaming environment, delivering on quality, security, and player satisfaction.

This article explores the various features of OBOR138, delves into its gaming categories, reviews its benefits, and evaluates how it stands out in the competitive landscape of online gaming and betting platforms.

Overview of obor138

OBOR138 is an online gaming platform designed to cater to both gaming enthusiasts and casual players. From casino-style games, including slot machines and poker, to sports betting on various international and regional leagues, OBOR138 brings together the best of the gaming world into one seamless platform.

What sets OBOR138 apart from many other platforms is its user-friendly interface, excellent customer service, and strong focus on security and fairness. With an extensive collection of games, multiple betting markets, and generous promotions, OBOR138 appeals to a wide range of audiences.

A Wide Variety of Games

OBOR138 offers a vast array of gaming categories, ensuring that every player finds something that suits their preferences. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most popular game types offered on the platform:

Slot Games Slots are a staple of any online casino, and OBOR138 has a large selection of them, from classic 3-reel slots to modern 5-reel video slots with exciting themes, animations, and bonus features. Many of these games are powered by top-tier software providers, ensuring smooth gameplay and fair results.

Table Games For players who prefer skill-based games, OBOR138 has a comprehensive collection of classic table games such as blackjack, roulette, and baccarat. The platform offers multiple variations of these games, ensuring that both traditionalists and modern players are catered to.

Live Dealer Games To recreate the atmosphere of a land-based casino, OBOR138 also offers live dealer games. Players can interact with real dealers in real-time while playing games like live blackjack, live roulette, and live baccarat. The live streaming quality is impeccable, adding to the authenticity of the experience.

Sports Betting OBOR138 also excels in sports betting, offering players the chance to bet on a wide variety of sports, including football, basketball, tennis, and more. With competitive odds, in-play betting options, and an easy-to-navigate interface, sports enthusiasts have plenty to look forward to.

Esports As esports continues to grow in popularity, OBOR138 has embraced this trend by providing betting options on popular esports tournaments. From Dota 2 to CS

, OBOR138 offers coverage of major events, allowing fans to bet on their favorite teams and players.

User-Friendly Interface and Mobile Compatibility

One of OBOR138’s strongest assets is its intuitive user interface. The platform is designed with simplicity in mind, ensuring that even first-time users can navigate through the site with ease. Games are well-categorized, making it easy for players to find their favorites or explore new ones.

In addition to its desktop platform, OBOR138 is optimized for mobile use. The platform works seamlessly on smartphones and tablets, allowing users to enjoy gaming on the go without sacrificing quality or functionality. Whether on Android or iOS, OBOR138 offers a smooth, responsive mobile experience that enhances the gaming experience wherever you are.

Security and Fair Play

One of the primary concerns for online gaming enthusiasts is the security and fairness of the platform. OBOR138 prioritizes these aspects to ensure that players have a safe and trustworthy experience. The platform utilizes advanced encryption technology to protect users’ personal and financial data, guaranteeing secure transactions.

Furthermore, OBOR138 is committed to fair play. The games offered on the platform are powered by reputable gaming software providers, and all results are generated by Random Number Generators (RNG), ensuring fairness and transparency. Regular audits and certifications by third-party organizations further enhance the platform’s credibility.

Bonuses and Promotions

To attract and retain players, obor138 offers a variety of bonuses and promotions. New users can often take advantage of generous welcome bonuses that boost their initial deposits, while returning players can benefit from ongoing promotions such as reload bonuses, cashback offers, and loyalty rewards.

The platform also runs special promotions during major sporting events and casino tournaments, giving players the chance to win extra prizes or free bets. These incentives create a more engaging and rewarding gaming experience, giving players more reasons to stick around and explore the platform.

Customer Support

Exceptional customer support is another feature that sets OBOR138 apart from its competitors. The platform offers 24/7 customer service to address any concerns or issues that players may face. Whether it's a question about depositing funds, withdrawing winnings, or resolving technical issues, OBOR138's support team is always available to assist players through live chat, email, or phone.

Responsible Gaming

OBOR138 recognizes the importance of promoting responsible gaming. The platform encourages users to play within their limits and offers various tools to help manage their gaming habits. These tools include deposit limits, self-exclusion options, and time-out features, ensuring that players maintain control over their gaming activities. The platform also provides resources for users seeking help with gambling-related issues.

Conclusion

OBOR138 has emerged as a top-tier platform in the online gaming and betting industry, offering a diverse range of games, a seamless user experience, and a strong focus on security and fairness. With an extensive gaming library, competitive sports betting options, and a mobile-friendly interface, obor138 caters to the needs of a broad audience, from casual gamers to serious bettors.

Its commitment to customer satisfaction, responsible gaming, and continuous innovation makes OBOR138 a platform worth exploring for anyone looking to dive into the world of online gaming and betting. As the industry continues to grow, OBOR138 is well-positioned to remain at the forefront, delivering exceptional entertainment and gaming experiences for years to come.

[topbosdominohiggsrp]

Hold'em Site Guide: Where to Play and Win Big

If you're a poker enthusiast looking to play Texas Hold'em online, choosing the right site is crucial for an enjoyable and successful experience. The variety of Hold'em sites available today can be overwhelming, with each platform offering unique features, games, bonuses, and player pools. In this guide, we'll explore the key factors to consider when selecting a Hold'em site and highlight some of the top platforms where you can play and win big.

1. Key Features to Look for in a Hold'em Site

Choosing the right Hold'em site can make a significant difference in your online poker experience. Here are some important features to consider:

Reputation and Security: Ensure the site is reputable and secure. Look for platforms that are licensed, regulated, and have a history of fair play. Reading reviews and checking player feedback can give you insights into the site’s reliability.

Variety of Games: A good Hold'em site should offer a variety of game types and formats, including cash games, tournaments, sit-and-go’s, and more. This variety keeps the game exciting and gives you multiple ways to win.

User Interface and Experience: The site's layout and ease of use are important, especially if you plan to play regularly. Look for sites that are easy to navigate, visually appealing, and compatible with both desktop and mobile devices.

Bonuses and Promotions: Many Hold'em sites offer welcome bonuses, free tournament entries, and ongoing promotions to attract players. These bonuses can provide extra value, so consider what each site offers and how easy it is to clear the bonuses.

Payment Options: A good Hold'em site should offer a range of secure and convenient payment options for deposits and withdrawals, including credit/debit cards, e-wallets, and cryptocurrencies.

Player Traffic: High player traffic means more game variety and shorter wait times. Choose a site with a healthy player base, especially during peak hours, to ensure you can find games at your preferred stakes.

2. Top Hold'em Sites to Play and Win Big

Here are some of the best Hold'em sites that stand out for their features, player traffic, and overall quality:

PokerStars: Known as one of the largest and most popular Hold'em sites globally, PokerStars offers a wide variety of games, including cash games and large-scale tournaments with significant prize pools. The site is highly secure, has excellent software, and offers generous bonuses for new players.

888poker: This site is known for its soft player pool, making it a great choice for beginners and those looking to maximize their winnings. 888poker also offers a wide range of promotions, including no-deposit bonuses and frequent freerolls.

GGPoker: GGPoker is a rising star in the online poker world, offering innovative features like the integrated poker tracking tool and unique game formats. It has a diverse player base, frequent promotions, and some of the largest guaranteed prize pools in the industry.

PartyPoker: PartyPoker has been a staple in the online poker community for years. The site offers a variety of Hold'em games and regularly hosts major tournaments. It’s known for its user-friendly interface, great promotions, and strong security measures.

WSOP.com: As the official online poker site of the World Series of Poker, WSOP.com offers the thrill of competing in WSOP-branded events. It’s a top choice for players in the US, offering a solid variety of Hold'em games and the chance to win real WSOP bracelets online.

3. Tips for Winning Big on Hold'em Sites

Start with Low Stakes: If you’re new to online Hold'em, start with low-stakes games to get familiar with the site and the competition. As you gain experience, you can gradually move up to higher stakes.

Use Bonuses Wisely: Take full advantage of deposit bonuses, freerolls, and loyalty rewards. These can boost your bankroll and provide extra opportunities to win without risking much of your own money.

Study Your Opponents: Pay attention to your opponents’ playing styles and habits. Use this information to adjust your strategy and exploit their weaknesses.

Practice Bankroll Management: Set a budget for your poker play and stick to it. Avoid chasing losses, and always play within your means to ensure you can keep playing and improve over time.

Stay Updated on Promotions: Hold'em sites often run special promotions, leaderboards, and tournament series. Staying informed can help you take advantage of extra value and increase your chances of winning big.

Conclusion

Finding the right Hold'em site is the first step to enjoying a great online poker experience and increasing your chances of winning. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, choosing a site that suits your needs, offers a variety of games, and provides a safe environment will enhance your enjoyment and success. Explore the recommended sites, keep refining your skills, and get ready to play and win big in the exciting world of online Texas Hold'em!

[dfungames1]

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How does online betting and gaming work for making money?

Thus, concern should not be attached to different kinds of entertainment and ways of making money through online betting and games of different sorts. Creating websites likeRadhe Exch means that users have several options open to them and they can engage in betting on different products such as baseball, football, and even casinos. As you may know, I have just started a blog on how online betting operates and how one can make money from it. 

Understanding Online Betting

Internet gambling refers to the act of betting on diverse events via the internet. Some of these platforms include the Radhe Exchange which enables people to place bets on sporting activities, gamble in casinos, and engage in other related acts from the comfort of their premises. This normally entails creating a user account, depositing cash, and wagering on certain events or games of the individual's choice. 

How to Get Started with Radhe Exch

To begin your journey in online betting, you first need to create an account on Radhe Exch. Here’s a simple guide to help you through the process:

Visit the Website: Navigate to the Radhe Exch ID site and get to the registration area.

Register Your Account: Please provide some details to get an account number or create your Radhe Exchange ID. This ID will enable you to use all the other parts of the platform. 

Deposit Funds: After registering, you can deposit cash into that account. Gaining access to this exchange platform, one can transact using multiple payment methods approved by Radheexch. 

 Explore Betting Options: After registering your account, the next step is to deposit funds that will enable you to wager on numerous areas of betting such as sports betting, casinos, and others. 

Types of Betting Available

Radhe Exch offers an extensive array of betting types, catering to different preferences:

Sports Betting

Sports betting are one of the most common types of online betting that is practiced by players. Some of the popular sporting disciplines on which users can wager range from Cricket, Football, and Basketball among others. The odds offered are competitive and despite being targeted towards beginners they are easily accessible by experienced bettors willing to bet on the platform. 

Casino Games

On the same note, Radhe Exch offers clients several different games related to casinos. There is also the possibility of traditional games such as poker, blackjack, and roulette, and new generation slots. The chances to win a large amount of money contribute to raising the level of adrenaline in casinos. 

Live Betting 

 This type of betting lets users place bets on a particular event that is ongoing at various sports events. This feature makes bets even more engaging as people can respond to the events as they are being broadcast. This makes the Radheexchange adjust odds constantly to ensure that the new update is provided in the best way possible for customers to make decisions with. 

E-Sports Betting 

 As e-sports become more popular, Radhe Exch also offers the choice of putting a wager on games. Such stars of e-sports as Dota 2, League of Legends, and Counter-Strike can be bet on by users. This segment has a young audience and presents different betting options. 

Virtual Sports

As for others who seek instant betting opportunities, Radhe Exch offers them virtual sports betting. These virtual events enable users to wager on events with results being produced with software making it possible to wager at any time. 

Strategies for Making Money

While online betting can be lucrative, it’s essential to approach it with a strategy. Here are some tips to enhance your chances of making money:

Research and Analysis: One thing that is essential while betting on sports or even on games is to have a full understanding of the games. Match performance of the team, number of players, and other factors can influence the outcome of the match. 

 Manage Your Bankroll: One should set a ceiling on the amount that he/she would like to spend on betting activities and should not cross that limit. Do not try to recover losses and the amount of money you want to risk should not be blind. 

 Take Advantage of Promotions: Most platforms such as Radhe Exch provide their clients with offers and bonuses. It’s time to turn these offers to your advantage to multiply your bets. 

 Stay Disciplined: This is because when it comes to decision making it is always unwise to let your emotions guide you. Keep on practicing. The aim is to control impulses and not to bet recklessly. 

 Utilize Betting Tips: If you want to follow the insights and the betting tips given by these platforms, you should go along with the Radhe Exch. These can enable you to come up with better decisions. 

Conclusion

Betting and gaming online seem to offer an exciting prospect of making money by being part of social networks such as Radhe Exch. Through knowledge of how online betting is carried out, betting options, and strategies, one is in a position to bolster odds of success in betting. Whether you have a passion for betting, games, casinos, or esports gambling, Radhe Exchange has everything you want on one platform. 

To get started, visit Radhe Exch ID and embark on your online betting journey today!

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Casinobog: A Comprehensive Guide to the World of Online Gambling

The gambling industry has witnessed a significant transformation over the past decade, driven by technological advancements and the proliferation of the internet. Among the many facets of this industry, the concept of "Casinobog" has gained traction. Whether you're a seasoned gambler or a newcomer, understanding Casinobog can enhance your online gambling experience and provide insights into this evolving digital landscape.

What is Casinobog?

Casinobog is a term that generally refers to a platform or a system associated with online casinos and gambling. It can represent a blog or a website dedicated to providing information, reviews, and insights about various online Casinobogto, gambling strategies, and tips. These platforms often serve as a hub for casino enthusiasts, offering a wealth of knowledge about the best casino games, promotional offers, and responsible gambling practices.

The word "Casinobog" itself is likely derived from the combination of "casino" and "blog," emphasizing its role as an informative and engaging space for casino-related content. These platforms typically offer detailed analyses, expert opinions, and user-generated content that cater to the interests of both casual players and high-rollers.

The Evolution of Casinobog

The rise of Casinobogto platforms aligns with the growth of online gambling. Initially, casinos were physical establishments where people would gather to play games of chance, such as poker, blackjack, and roulette. However, the advent of the internet in the late 20th century paved the way for online casinos, making gambling more accessible and convenient.

As online casinos grew in popularity, so did the need for information and guidance. This gave birth to Casinobog platforms, which emerged as valuable resources for players seeking trustworthy reviews, strategies, and tips. These platforms have evolved to include video tutorials, podcasts, and interactive content, catering to a diverse audience.

Key Features of Casinobog Platforms

Casino Reviews: One of the primary functions of Casinobog platforms is to provide unbiased and comprehensive reviews of online casinos. These reviews cover various aspects, including the game selection, software providers, payment methods, customer support, and security measures. By offering detailed insights, Casinobog platforms help players make informed decisions when choosing an online casino.

Game Guides and Strategies: Casinobog platforms often feature guides and strategies for popular casino games. Whether it's a beginner's guide to blackjack or advanced poker strategies, these platforms offer valuable information to enhance players' skills and increase their chances of winning. Tutorials, step-by-step guides, and video demonstrations are common features.

Promotional Offers and Bonuses: Online casinos frequently offer bonuses and promotions to attract new players and retain existing ones. Casinobog platforms compile and present these offers, making it easier for players to find the best deals. From welcome bonuses to free spins and cashback offers, Casinobog platforms keep players updated on the latest promotions.

News and Updates: The online gambling industry is dynamic, with new games, regulatory changes, and technological advancements emerging regularly. Casinobog platforms provide the latest news and updates, keeping players informed about developments that may impact their gambling experience. This could include information about new game releases, software updates, or changes in gambling laws.

Responsible Gambling Resources: Recognizing the potential risks associated with gambling, many Casinobog platforms emphasize responsible gambling. They provide resources and information on setting limits, recognizing signs of addiction, and seeking help if needed. Promoting responsible gambling practices is a key aspect of creating a safe and enjoyable environment for all players.

The Role of Casinobog in the Gambling Community

Casinobog platforms play a crucial role in the gambling community by bridging the gap between players and online casinos. They act as intermediaries, offering valuable insights and recommendations that help players navigate the vast online casino landscape. By fostering a sense of community and providing a platform for players to share their experiences, Casinobog platforms contribute to a more informed and engaged gambling audience.

Benefits of Using Casinobog Platforms

Informed Decision-Making: With so many online casinos available, choosing the right one can be overwhelming. Casinobog platforms simplify this process by offering detailed reviews and comparisons, allowing players to make informed choices based on their preferences and needs.

Improved Gameplay: Access to expert strategies and tips can significantly enhance a player's skills and increase their chances of winning. Casinobog platforms provide valuable resources that cater to players of all skill levels, from beginners to seasoned gamblers.

Safety and Security: Casinobog platforms often evaluate the security measures of online casinos, ensuring that players can gamble safely. They highlight casinos that are licensed and regulated by reputable authorities, reducing the risk of fraud or unfair practices.

Exclusive Offers: Many Casinobog platforms have partnerships with online casinos, allowing them to offer exclusive bonuses and promotions to their readers. Players can take advantage of these special deals to boost their bankroll and enjoy a more rewarding gambling experience.

Community Engagement: Casinobog platforms often feature forums, comment sections, and social media channels where players can interact and share their experiences. This sense of community fosters engagement and allows players to learn from each other.

Challenges and Considerations

While Casinobog platforms offer numerous benefits, there are also challenges and considerations to keep in mind:

Bias and Objectivity: Not all Casinobog platforms maintain the same level of objectivity. Some may prioritize certain casinos due to affiliate partnerships, potentially leading to biased reviews. It's essential for players to consult multiple sources and cross-check information to make informed decisions.

Gambling Addiction: While Casinobog platforms promote responsible gambling, the accessibility of online casinos can still pose a risk for some individuals. Players should be aware of the signs of gambling addiction and utilize the resources provided by Casinobog platforms to gamble responsibly.

Regulatory Compliance: The online gambling industry is subject to regulations that vary by country and region. Casinobog platforms must ensure they comply with local laws and guidelines to operate legally and ethically. Players should also be aware of the regulations in their jurisdiction to avoid legal issues.

Conclusion

Casinobog platforms have become an integral part of the online gambling ecosystem, providing valuable information, resources, and community engagement for casino enthusiasts. By offering detailed reviews, game strategies, and responsible gambling guidance, these platforms empower players to make informed decisions and enjoy a safer and more enjoyable gambling experience.

As the online gambling industry continues to evolve, Casinobog platforms will play a crucial role in shaping the future of online casinos. By prioritizing transparency, objectivity, and responsible gambling practices, Casinobog platforms can contribute to a positive and sustainable gambling environment for all players.

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Unveiling the Magic: A Closer Look at Woori Casino's Game Selection

In the realm of online gaming, Woori Casino stands out as a beacon of excellence, offering a rich tapestry of games that cater to a diverse range of player preferences. Whether you're drawn to the strategic intricacies of table games or the fast-paced excitement of slots, Woori Casino has meticulously curated its game selection to provide an unparalleled gaming experience. This blog post delves into the magic behind Woori Casino's game offerings, exploring the variety, quality, and unique features that make it a top choice for online gamers.

A Legacy of Trust and Reliability

Before diving into the specifics of Woori Casino's game selection, it's important to highlight the foundational elements that make this platform exceptional. Trust and reliability are at the core of Woori Casino's operations. With official certification ensuring access to verified domains and addresses, players can confidently engage with the casino, knowing they are protected by advanced security systems. This commitment to trustworthiness sets the stage for a gaming environment where players can fully immerse themselves in the experience without concerns about fairness or security. Discover the Ultimate Casino Experience at 우리카지노! Click here to explore exciting games and unbeatable rewards

The Enchanting World of Slot Games

Slots are often the heart and soul of any casino, and Woori Casino excels in this area with a vast and varied selection of slot games. From classic three-reel slots that evoke the nostalgia of traditional casinos to modern five-reel video slots packed with stunning graphics and engaging storylines, there's something for every slot enthusiast.

One of the standout features of Woori Casino's slot games is the incorporation of advanced gaming software. This ensures not only high-quality visuals and sound effects but also smooth gameplay and fair outcomes. Additionally, many of these slot games come with generous bonus rounds and progressive jackpots, adding an extra layer of excitement and potential reward. Players can expect frequent updates and new game releases, keeping the slot experience fresh and thrilling.

The Strategic Allure of Table Games

For those who appreciate a more strategic approach to gaming, Woori Casino offers a comprehensive selection of table games. Blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and poker are just a few of the classic options available. Each game is designed to replicate the authentic casino experience, with high-quality graphics and realistic sound effects that transport players to a virtual casino floor.

Blackjack enthusiasts will find numerous variations of the game, each offering unique rules and strategies. Whether you're a fan of classic blackjack or prefer the twists of Spanish 21, Woori Casino ensures that every player finds a version that suits their style. Roulette players can enjoy both American and European variations, each with its own set of rules and betting options, providing endless opportunities for strategic play and big wins.

Live Dealer Games: The Best of Both Worlds

One of the most exciting aspects of Woori Casino's game selection is the inclusion of live dealer games. These games combine the convenience of online gaming with the immersive experience of a real casino. Players can interact with professional dealers in real-time, adding a social element that enhances the overall gaming experience.

Live dealer games available at Woori Casino include blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and poker. High-definition streaming and multiple camera angles ensure that players don't miss a moment of the action. The chat feature allows for interaction not only with the dealer but also with other players, creating a communal atmosphere that is often missing in online gaming.

Themed Games and Unique Offerings

Beyond the traditional casino games, Woori Casino takes pride in offering themed games and unique offerings that cater to niche interests and preferences. These games often draw inspiration from popular culture, mythology, and historical events, providing an added layer of engagement.

For example, players can embark on adventures in ancient Egypt, explore the mysteries of the deep sea, or relive iconic movie moments through themed slot games. These games are designed to captivate the imagination, offering not just a chance to win but also an entertaining narrative journey.

Maximizing Player Satisfaction with Bonuses and Promotions

To complement its impressive game selection, Woori Casino offers generous bonuses and promotions designed to maximize player satisfaction. New players can take advantage of welcome bonuses, which often include match bonuses and free spins. Regular promotions and loyalty programs ensure that returning players are continually rewarded for their patronage.

These bonuses and promotions not only extend gameplay but also provide additional opportunities to win. The transparent terms and conditions associated with these offers reflect Woori Casino's commitment to fairness and player satisfaction.