#chapter thirty-six: at the mountains of madness

[episodeoftv]

Round 1 of 6, Group 2 of 4

propaganda is under the cut (57 words) - may contain spoilers

summaries (pulled from imdb or wikis)

propaganda

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina - 4.08 Chapter Thirty-Six: At The Mountains of Madness

cw: suicide

The darkest days of the void arrive as Sabrina struggles with grief and regret. Can she summon the strength to overcome an endless cycle of destruction?

Ok so in fairness this entire final season sucked but the real kicker is that in the final scene we learn that after the main character died, her love interest killed himself in order to be with her in the afterlife. Yeah, a teenager committed suicide and we were supposed to see that as a happy ending.

That '70s Show - 8.22 That '70s Finale

It is New Year's Eve and is the last day of the '70s. Kitty is having second thoughts about selling the house and moving to Florida, even though Red thinks she is happy they are moving. Donna has just broken up with Randy and is moving to college. Jackie realizes she loves Fez. Bob decides that he's moving to Florida and open a bait shop. Eric says he's coming home from Africa.

No propaganda submitted

[loveroftoomanyfandoms]

Angel of God -- The St. Agnes Years - Chapter One

Rating: Teen

Pairing: Matt Murdock & F!Reader

Warnings/Tags: Pre-relationship, Slices of Life, Pining (oh, so much pining).

Word Count: ~1450 (for this chapter )

A/N: A look into AoG's Matt & Reader's lives together as children, from their first meeting until their eventual separation.

November 17, 1996

Dear God, please help me to be brave, Matthew Murdock prayed to himself as the taxi he was in pulled to a stop outside of St. Agnes Orphanage. 

"Alright," the cab driver said in a thick New York accent. "Here you are."

"Come along, Matthew," the nun who had gone to pick him up from his temporary foster home said as she got out of the cab. "Don't dawdle."

"Sorry, Sister," Matt mumbled, trailing behind her.

He gripped his cane tight and adjusted his sunglasses, taking a deep breath before following her towards the entrance.

He fumbled for the railing as his cane bumped into a set of steps, slowly and carefully making his way upwards towards his home for at least the next nine years.

"Your things will be brought to your room," Sister… (Bernadine? Beatrice? Bonaventure? Matt couldn't remember, but he knew it was something with a B) said as they headed inside and down a winding hallway. "In the meantime you'll join the other children outside for recreation. Dinner is at six, nighttime prayer at six-thirty. Don't be late for either."

She opened another door and led Matt out into what he assumed was a backyard area.

He could hear other children laughing and yelling as they chased each other around.

"Ah, Sister Maggie," Sister B-name said as they walked up to another nun. "This is our new ward, Matthew. I'm entrusting him into your care -- I have urgent business to attend to."

"Of course, Sister Bernadette," Sister Maggie replied.

Sister Bernadette! That was it.

"Matthew." With that, Sister Bernadette turned and walked away.

Matt stood near Sister Maggie, unsure of what to do.

Suddenly a timid voice said, "Hi. I like your glasses."

Matt turned towards the voice. It sounded female, maybe slightly younger than him? Matt wasn't quite sure. "Thanks," he said warily.

"Are you an orphan too?"

The sting of losing his father hit Matt all over again. "Yeah," he said quietly.

A small hand slipped into his. "It's okay, I'll be your friend. I'm Y/N."

"Matt."

"There's some tables over here. Come sit with me."

Matt allowed Y/N to lead him to the tables, somehow already trusting of the young girl.

"So how old are you?" Matt asked as they sat. 

"Eight," Y/N replied. "You?"

"I'm nine." Matt paused. "Have you lived here long?"

"Yeah, since I was two. It's not that bad here, you'll get used to it. Just don't make Sister Bernadette mad, 'cause she's really strict. The other nuns are pretty nice though, especially Sister Maggie. She lets me bring books to outdoor recreation, and if we have to stay inside because it's raining, she'll let me spend recreation time in the library."

"Is that what you were doing just now? Reading?"

"Mhmm. I just started ' Where the Red Fern Grows' , have you ever read it?"

Matt shook his head. "Oh, um, no. What's it about?"

"It's about a boy who goes hunting with his two dogs in the mountains. I can read it to you if you want. I'm not too far into it so I don't mind starting over."

Matt nodded, relieved that Y/N hadn't made a big deal about his visual impairment. Most people other than his father had either treated Matt like a pariah or as someone to be pitied, but she didn't seem to mind. "Yeah, I think I'd like that."

"Okay. We'll have to start tomorrow though because recreation time is almost over."

Matt nodded again. "Okay."

As if on cue, the church bells began to ring. 

Y/N stood. "Come on, you can sit next to me at dinner."

Matt smiled, relieved to not have to sit by himself. "Yeah, okay."

Y/N took his hand once again. She led him inside and down a hall, then turned left and opened a door. "Okay, so this is the cafeteria. All you have to do is sit and wait and Sister Gertrude will bring your food, but we can't eat until we say grace."

Matt nodded. "Okay."

A few seconds later a tray was set in front of him.

Matt wrinkled his nose at the overwhelming smell of overcooked meat and dried-out tomato sauce. "What is it?"

"Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, a brownie, and milk."

"Alright, children, bow your heads for grace," a different voice interrupted.

Matt bowed his head and waited.

"Bless us, O Lord…" the voice began intoning. 

" And these thy gifts," Y/N and the other children joined in. "Which we are about to receive, in thy bounty, through Christ our Lord, amen."

"Amen," Matt echoed. He carefully reached out, feeling his way around the table in order to try to find his utensils without accidentally sticking his hand into his food.

Y/N took Matt's hand and placed it on top of his fork. "Here you go."

Matt smiled over at her as he picked it up. "Thank you."

He began eating in silence. There was something different about Y/N, something Matt couldn't quite put his finger on. He felt comfortable with her in a way he hadn't felt with anyone since his accident.

He wasn't able to think about it for too long, because Y/N began speaking again. "After dinner we all go to the chapel for evening prayer, then it's time to get ready for lights out. I can help you find your room if you want. Everyone's name is on their door."

Matt nodded. "Yeah, that'd be good. Thanks."

"And actually, um, I can come get you for breakfast in the morning too? Just until you learn your way around."

"Okay."

They continued eating their dinner in silence, and as soon as Matt was done Y/N stood. "Come on, we have to get to the chapel. Sister Bernadette doesn't like it if we're late."

She led Matt outside then through a courtyard to the chapel, slipping into a pew right before the church bells signaled 6:30.

A minute later Matt heard footsteps heading to the altar.

Y/N leaned towards Matt. "That's Father Reynolds," she whispered. "He's the priest here."

Matt nodded in acknowledgement.

"Good evening, children," Father Reynolds said in slightly accented English.

"Good evening, Father," Matt replied along with the other kids.

"Let us begin our evening prayer. 'In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit'. "

Matt joined in on the Sign of the Cross. "Amen."

Father Reynolds said an opening prayer, then led them in reciting the Lord's Prayer, the Hail Mary, the Hail Holy Queen, and the Doxology.

"How many more prayers are there?" Matt whispered to Y/N as everyone recited the Apostles' Creed.

"Just one more after this," Y/N whispered back. "Then we do a moment of silent intention, then Father Reynolds will say a blessing."

"Oh, okay." Matt was about to ask which one it was when everyone began reciting the final prayer.

"Angel of God, my guardian dear," they intoned, "to whom God's love commits me here, ever this day be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen."

Matt sucked in a breath as a thought struck him. He had asked God to help him be brave, and not even 2 minutes later Y/N had come up to him and immediately made him feel comfortable. And not only that, but she had even offered to be his friend. Maybe He sent me a guardian angel.

He turned his head towards Y/N slightly, resisting the urge to reach out and touch her. He knew she was real, because she had held his hand, but he admittedly wasn't sure what exactly angels were supposed to be like in human form.

He was jarred out of his thoughts as Y/N took his hand again. "Okay, let's go find your room."

She led Matt back out through the courtyard and up the steps of the orphanage. "Girls are on the second floor and boys are on the third."

They went up a couple of flights of stairs and down another hallway, then Y/N stopped in front of a door. "Here's your room. Bathroom is right across the hall."

"Oh. Okay." Matt hesitated. "Um, thanks."

"You're welcome." Y/N paused. "We're not allowed in each other's rooms after lights out, so I'll see you tomorrow morning before breakfast?"

Matt nodded. "Yeah, okay."

"It's at 7, so I'll come get you around 6:45 if that's okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine."

To Matt's surprise, Y/N gave him a hug. "Good night, Matt."

Matt hugged her back, the last of his nerves fading away in her warm embrace. Maybe life as an orphan wasn't going to be so scary, especially with an angel by his side.

[queerstuffonscreen]

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018-2020)

Episode length: 49-63 min.

Country: USA

Genre: Mystery, Fantasy

Language: English

As her 16th birthday nears, Sabrina must choose between the witch world of her family and the human world of her friends. Based on the Archie comic.

Season 1

Part 1

Episode 1: Chapter One: October Country

Episode 2: Chapter Two: The Dark Baptism

Episode 3: Chapter Three: The Trial of Sabrina Spellman

Episode 4: Chapter Four: Witch Academy

Episode 5: Chapter Five: Dreams in a Witch House

Episode 6: Chapter Six: An Exorcism in Greendale

Episode 7: Chapter Seven: Feast of Feasts

Episode 8: Chapter Eight: The Burial

Episode 9: Chapter Nine: The Returned Man

Episode 10: Chapter Ten: The Witching Hour

Episode 11: Chapter Eleven: A Midwinter's Tale

Part 2

Episode 1: Chapter Twelve: The Epiphany

Episode 2: Chapter Thirteen: The Passion of Sabrina Spellman

Episode 3: Chapter Fourteen: Lupercalia

Episode 4: Chapter Fifteen: Doctor Cerberus's House of Horror

Episode 5: Chapter Sixteen: Blackwood

Episode 6: Chapter Seventeen: The Missionaries

Episode 7: Chapter Eighteen: The Miracles of Sabrina Spellman

Episode 8: Chapter Nineteen: The Mandrake

Episode 9: Chapter Twenty: The Mephisto Waltz

Season 2

Part 3

Episode 1: Chapter Twenty-One: The Hellbound Heart

Episode 2: Chapter Twenty-Two: Drag Me to Hell

Episode 3: Chapter Twenty-Three: Heavy Is the Crown

Episode 4: Chapter Twenty-Four: The Hare Moon

Episode 5: Chapter Twenty-Five: The Devil Within

Episode 6: Chapter Twenty-Six: All of Them Witches

Episode 7: Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Judas Kiss

Episode 8: Chapter Twenty-Eight: Sabrina Is Legend

Part 4

Episode 1: Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Eldritch Dark

Episode 2: Chapter Thirty: The Uninvited

Episode 3: Chapter Thirty-One: The Weird

Episode 4: Chapter Thirty-Two: The Imp of the Perverse

Episode 5: Chapter Thirty-Three: Deus Ex Machina

Episode 6: Chapter Thirty-Four: The Returned

Episode 7: Chapter Thirty-Five: The Endless

Episode 8: Chapter Thirty-Six: At the Mountains of Madness

Watch on Netflix

[thesevenwondersofawitch]

SPOILERS FOR CAOS PART 4

Chapter Thirty-Four: The Returned, episode reaction.

Of course Wardwell is continuing Faustus's work.

Nothing like a good ole scary movie to make out to.

Nick copying Harvey with the chasing Sabrina makes me mad.

Sabrina is acting like a cock blocker for herself. 😂

Annnnnnd she's dead.

WHAT DID SPELLMAN HAVE TO DO?!

I am disturbed by Sabrina preparing to bury her body.

TF FAUSTUS?

I'm not one to say I told you so, so- AMBROSE TOLD YOU SO, SABRINA! IT WOULD TEAR THE UNIVERSE APART, BIT YOU DIDN'T LISTEN, DID YOU? AND NOW THE WORLD IS ENDING (in Mrs. Weasley voice) IT'S ALL YOU'RE FAULT!

Well hello again, Mr. Trinket Man.

I was going to say it would be a bad idea to give him back the Imp, but then again, at least the world didn't try to collapse on itself when he had it in his possession. At least I hope not.

Sabrina, nothing good can come of Pandora's box. Keep your hands in your pockets and do not touch anything.

Oh it's empty.

Well she has to die.

THAT MEANS SALEM WILL DIE TOO! NOOOOOOOOOO!

It really says THE VOID. huh.🤔

Salem's come to tell them.

THEY CAN'T GET HER!

How are they gonna get her soul, I wonder.

THE VOID is talking to her. Cool. 🙂

Isn't Sabrina really just sucking the planets into Pandora's box?

AMBROSE NO!

IT'S NOT OVER, YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT HER THERE, YOU FOOLISH SENTIMENTAL WITCHES!😳

Lilith was watching Sabrina and Nick, creeeeepy.

Mary is sewing Faustus's head back on. Lovely.

Mary gets to be a preacher. Yay.

Vinegar Tom doesn't even like blueberries, and Zelda's love for him makes me so happy.

Lilith has a plan, and I'm here for it.

Caliban is so manipulative, and I am not here for that.

Lilith is suspicious, and that is good.

NOT MR. KINKLE AND HIS BUDIES!

Cool, the candy is gone.

THE CAKE IS GONE TOO.

Zelda has a sweet tooth, which I love.

LUCIFER HAS CONE FOR SABRINA'S BODY.

AND THE VOID HAS COME!

OH NO HARVEY'S DAD!

LILITH KNEW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, DIDN'T SHE!

YEAH STAB HIM WHERE IT HURTS!

Drinking his blood, cool cool cool.

OH SHIT SABRINA SENT PEOPLE AWAY!

Yasssss ALL HAIL QUEEN LILITH!

NOT TODAY SATAN!

Oh dear, Sabrina is a void.

But not void of emotions.

Annnnnnd she's gone.

Again with Ms. Wardwell.

Faustus, seriously?

Oh lord, he's manipulative. But that won't work in the end I shouldn't think.

You know what I would like, Blackwood, to punch you in the face.

Two weeks laterm

I KNEW IT WOULD BE PRUDENCE, AMBROSE! Thought it would also be Hilda and Zelda, but not disappointed to see Agatha and Roz.

SALEM!!😍

The bride of The Void?

I think Sabrina was just bidding her time, and is gonna take out Blackwood.

Is Sabrina gonna eat them.

Agatha has replaced Marie.

FUCK YOU FAUSTUS.

I think Sabrina knew what he was planning, but was bidding her time and when he went to do the sacrifice, she was gonna take him out.

Zelda and Hilda are moods when Ambrose talks to them about the timeframe.

Wtf Nick? What happened?🧐

Ohhhhhh right, I forgot he went to retrieve Sabrina and the box.

Wow, Faustus, so dramatic with that blade.

He's gonna stab Sabrina, fun.

Zelda is gonna get him distracted? Does she have the box?🤔

HE CALLED HER WIFE.

I forgot they were still married, in my mind it was annulled.🤷🏻‍♀️

Eat the dollhouse, Faustus. Eat it.

The box is a fake.😁

His greed got his face melted!

Yeah, Nick! Punch him hard!

THEY'RE INSIDE HER.

Zelda knows what Sabrina is planning, and is not happy about it, and Hilda just caught on.

But her Aunties are gonna help Sabrina.

Sabrina is gonna die, just know it.

Zelda looks ready to cry but is holding it all back.

Sabrina is bleeding milk.

INTO THE UNKOOOOOOOOWN, INTO THE UNKNOOOOOOOWN.

A banshee has come😭

Got rid of Mckenna Grace, did they?

NO SHE'S DYING.

Goodbye Aunt Zee😭

And Aunt Hilda.😭

Hilda knew that Sabrina knew she'd die to save everyone, and damn it all my heart hurts because of it.

Faustus knew all of this. Mary is making me annoyed.

LILITH! IS! WATCHING!

FOR THEY ARE BOTH OUR DAUGHTERS! WHY MUST YOU BREAK MY HEART IN THIS WAY!

And Sabrina has a statue at the academy.

And Hilda and Dr. Cee are moving back into the academy!

Aw Zelda.❤️

YAY PRUDENCE, CUT HIM UP AND SCATTER HIM!

Nick committed suicide? Intentionally? Unintentionally?

THAT'S IT?! That's really how they ended it?

What happened to Judas and Judith? What even was the point of their characters if this is how they were going to be treated. So many questions.

It was quite a lame ending with weak writing, honestly.

[myepisodecalendar]

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Season 2 - Episode 16: Chapter Thirty-Six - At the Mountains of Madness AirDate: December 31st, 2020, 03:00 AM

[onscreenkisses]

I got you something...an early birthday present. 

CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA, 4x08 - “Chapter Thirty-Six: At The Mountains of Madness”

[whitefluffyyeti]

Chilling adventures of Sabrina “Chapter thirty-six: at the mountains of madness”

[chillingaudrina]

16MM CINEMA PROJECTOR (BELL & HOWELL)

AVALYN II; SLOWDIVE

"mirror," sylvia plath // labyrinth (1986) // variation on "other world," m.c. escher [edited] // "avalyn II," slowdive // the kaatskill kaleidoscope // emily of new moon, lucy maud montgomery // diagram of one point perspective // diagram of film projector // chilling adventures of sabrina, "chapter thirty-six: at the mountains of madness"

VISUAL & AURAL GUIDE for THE FINAL GIRL: chapter 20, "the eye of a little god"

[mynerdcorneroftheworld]

The darkest days of the void arrive as Sabrina struggles with grief and regret. Can she summon the strength to overcome an endless cycle of destruction?

           Chapter Thirty-Six: At the Mountains of Madness

[claras-oswald]

Chapter Thirty-Six: At the Mountains of Madness

[multi-lefaiye]

ALRIGHT I’M GONNA GO FULL INSUFFERABLE MODE AND POST GAS STATION ON MAIN!!!

So anyway here’s part of my rewrite of chapter one of volume one of Tales From the Gas Station! I didn’t change any of the actual events and tried to keep the dialogue mostly the same, but I did make some changes here and there (mainly,,,,,, removing some derogatory language certain minor characters used that bothered me, as well as just generally streamlining it in places). essentially this was just an exercise in translating this over to my own writing style! I’m not claiming this as any better or worse than the original, just a different spin.

If people are interested, I’ll post the other half in a separate post! But this first bit is already pretty long; chapter one is a doozy.

Content Warnings: Referenced violence towards animals, references to cult activity, references to/discussion of terminal illness.

--

It was a Tuesday night when the end of the world began.

Well, not exactly. The end of the world wouldn’t really begin for another thirty-six hours, but the events were first set in motion then.

A storm was brewing in the air, dark clouds gathering on the horizon and a heavy breeze combed through the trees surrounding the gas station at the edge of town. The full moon shone brightly down, and the air burned with energy. Basically, it was a dark and stormy cliché.

Not that any of that mattered to Jack Townsend, the only cashier on duty that night. He was safely cooped up inside the gas station, reading an old, cheesy pulp novel about a mad scientist who creates an army of ants. It’s not the greatest book he’s read in a while, but it’s not the worst either, and it distracts him from the mind-numbing boredom that comes with being the only one on duty so late at night.

If you’d asked Jack in high school what he wanted to do with his life, he almost definitely wouldn’t have said that he wanted to be the head cashier at the shitty, twenty-four-hour gas station near the woods at the edge of town. However, things change, and all things considered, it’s not the worst job in the world. Knowing that he’s dying slowly dulls any ambition he may have once had to climb the corporate ladder, and despite it all, minimum wage clerk is one of the only professions where someone with Jack’s particular cocktail of mental and physical illness can stand out.

Some days are mostly uneventful, just another day in the cycle of days up until humanity and the world as a whole are destroyed entirely by the inevitable supernova coming in millions of years. Those days are Jack’s favorites, the ones where he can pass an entire shift minding his business and reading his books. He doesn’t need to climb a mountain or visit the Grand Canyon to have a spiritual experience and truly understand peace.

Tranquility is a quiet, empty gas station at four o’clock in the morning.

Of course, some shifts aren’t so lucky. Jack has seen many things in the nearly ten years he’s been working at the gas station--rude customers, drunks, drug addicts, armed robberies, vicious raccoons, and nearly every imaginable variety of plain old human stupidity. Any time Jack thinks he’s seen it all, the universe throws him a curveball to keep him humble.

The weeks leading up to that particular stormy Tuesday night were unusually busy. A group of wildlife and fisheries agents from neighboring counties had been patrolling the woods every night, putting in a suspicious amount of overtime and stopping by every night to fuel up on fresh coffee and gasoline. None of them would tell Jack any details, though he knew it wasn’t his business and didn’t ask. If he had to guess, however, he would assume they were looking for whoever had mutilated all those cows in town.

For the record, Jack wouldn’t use the word “mutilated.” The cows were perfectly fine--easily-panicked townies simply always overreacted anytime anything usual happened to their beloved cattle, and “mutilated” was the perfect sensationalist buzzword to use. In reality, someone had been sneaking onto local farms and shaving the livestock bald. No one knows why, exactly, but Jack suspects it’s just a result of typical small-town boredom. Boredom is a powerful motivator, he knows very well.

However, that Tuesday night, the gas station was, metaphorically speaking, dead.

Maybe it was the looming storm, or maybe the agents found whoever they were looking for. Either way, Jack didn’t know and didn’t care. He hadn’t seen another human being in almost four hours, and he was having the time of his life enjoying his solitude.

Unfortunately, though, his streak of peace was eventually broken sometime around midnight when a short, elderly woman walked into the gas station. She wore large, purple-rimmed sunglasses despite being indoors at night, a string of pearls, and long, grey hair that hung loosely around her head and looked more like an ill-fitting wig than anything. Her shoes were ruby-red Reeboks, her gloves were white, and she wore a long, brown coat over her purple blouse and blue jeans. Most notable, however, was the scowl on her face as she walked in, glanced at Jack, and immediately walked to the bathroom.

The woman spent the next forty-five minutes in the bathroom, and when she emerged she looked even more annoyed than before as she approached the register. She didn’t say anything, though, and just stood there tapping her foot. Jack didn’t look up at first, but it wasn’t long before the awkward silence got to him and he spoke.

“Can I help you?” he asked.

“I guess you expect me to buy something just because I used the bathroom, don’t you?” she said, her voice sounding somewhere between that of someone who had smoked over ten packs a day for ten years and someone who had just swallowed a kazoo. Jack barely stopped himself from wincing at the sound.

“No, that’s okay,” he said.

“No, it isn’t.” She huffed, rolling her eyes behind her thick frames. “I’m nobody’s charity case, boy. I know the rules. Customers only. So I’ll buy something and I’ll be on my way.”

Jack wanted nothing more than for this interaction to be over as soon as possible, and it had only just begun.

The woman grabbed a cheap roadmap from the stack next to the register at random and handed it to Jack, who quickly went through the process of ringing her up. Once he gave her her total, she handed him a credit card.

The gas station has plenty of regulars from in town, but the majority of its customers are out-of-towners. Something about the business’s proximity to some major highways makes it just convenient enough for desperate lost souls to visit in search of fuel, directions, and snacks. This woman was obviously an out-of-towner, and Jack was ready to mentally file this interaction away as nothing more than another unpleasant but ultimately forgettable transaction. Then, he glanced out the glass front doors as he waited for the machine to run her card.

It was then that he noticed something was important: the parking lot was completely empty.

The owners had asked Jack, when he first started working there, not to park his vehicle around the front because they felt his crappy 1990 Nissan Altima was “too depressing” and “might drive away potential customers” (no pun intended). His car was a product of his budget more than anything, and it was obvious to anyone who looked at it that it had lost its last legs many, many years ago. The engine made weird noises almost constantly, the speedometer had a twenty-mile-per-hour margin of error, and the vents kicked out a funny smell any time he put the car in reverse.

To be fair, Jack’s car isn't all bad. For one thing, he can sleep easy knowing no one would ever try to steal it. The radio might not work either, but the dealer also gave Jack the previous owner’s Louis Armstrong mixtape at no extra charge (due to it being stuck in the cassette player), so really, as far as Jack is concerned, he got a pretty good deal.

Point is, Jack knew he wouldn’t see his own car out front, but he couldn’t see any other cars either. From his vantage point behind the register, he could see all the pumps and every empty parking spot. Unless the woman parked along the side of the building, she had to have walked here. Based on her appearance, Jack didn’t think her having walked here was particularly likely, but he supposed he had no room to judge.

The card reader beeped, jolting Jack out of his thoughts, and when he looked down at it he saw a familiar error code that he recognized as “invalid or stolen credit card number.” He stared at it for a moment, and then he looked up at the woman, who was licking her lips as she looked at him.

“It seems something is wrong with the reader,” he said diplomatically. He knew it wasn’t the machine’s fault, but he wasn’t exactly looking for conflict. Experience had taught him that honesty wasn’t worth it in a situation like this. “Do you have any other way of paying?”

“Well,” she said with a slow, delighted grin, “I don’t carry cash. But maybe you’d be willing to accept an alternative form of reimbursement?”

Her voice sounded like two angry cats fighting to the death while scratching a moist chalkboard, and Jack had to resist the urge to grimace. He didn’t know what bothered him more--the sound of the words coming from her mouth, or the meaning attached to them. Nothing good has ever come from a customer asking if he would take “alternative” forms of payment.

“No, that’s fine,” he said. He was about ready to tell the woman that she could just take the map and leave. If it meant she’d leave and he could go back to his book, he could easily pay the two dollars out of his own pocket.

“Tell you what,” she said. “How about I read you your fortune? If you’re happy with it, I keep the map. If you think it ain’t worth salt, we part ways. What do you say, Jack?”

“I’d rather you didn’t,” he said immediately. He couldn’t outright tell her that he’d rather she just steal the map, but he was silently willing her to take it and run.

“I know what you’re thinking,” she continued, “it’s all hogwash. You don’t believe in divination. But it’s an ancient art, Jack, one that’s been around for millennia, and for good reason. Entropy is what guides us down every path we take. The same thing determines how the cards fall. You only need to believe.”

She was right about one thing at least, but Jack wouldn’t use the word “hogwash.” Jack wouldn’t necessarily call himself a skeptic, but he had a hard time believing this woman could look into the future while being completely unaware of how much Jack wanted to be left alone. (Or, at the very least, Jack figured a real psychic would probably know her card would be declined, or that her wig wasn’t on straight.)

The fact that she knew his name might have given her some credibility if he hadn’t been wearing a nametag on the left side of his chest. The employee name tag pinned to Jack’s orange polo was part of the gas station dress code. Actually, it’s the only dress code. The gas station doesn’t even have a rule about wearing socks or shoes or pants, so all things considered, Jack was overdressed for his job.

Jack didn’t want to participate in any divination this woman had to offer, but by this point, he couldn’t see any other way this interaction was going to end. So, with a sigh, he put his book away and asked, “Is this going to take long?”

She pulled a small pack of tarot cards out of her back pocket and fanned them out on the counter in front of him. “Not at all, Jack.”

The woman had Jack cut the deck, then arranged the cards one at a time on the counter, muttering to herself after each reveal. When she was done, she had nine cards arranged in a three-by-three square. She looked deeply troubled.

“Would you look at that?” she sighed. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

Jack wasn’t exactly the best at statistics, but this was nine random cards picked from a deck of fifty. If he was doing the math right in his head, it was a near statistical impossibility for her to have seen something like that before. Then, he realized that this was part of the reading, and it made a little more sense. At least she had a decent sense of showmanship.

Sensing she was waiting for a response, he asked, “Okay, what do they say?”

The woman sighed dramatically. “Jack, I don’t know how to tell you this. But the cards are very clear.” The corners are-” she pointed at each as she said their names- “upright tower, reversed hanged man, reversed wheel of fortune, and upright death. These symbols tell a story--a very bad story. These can only mean one thing.” She looked up at him and met his eyes. “You must be cursed.”

Makes sense, Jack thought.

“What about the one with the guy juggling?” he said, pointing to the card in the center of the square.

“That’s the reversed fool.”

“Is it good?”

“No.”

“Oh.”

“Give me your hand,” she said suddenly.

“Why?” Jack blinked at her in confusion.

“Do you want to know what your curse is or not?” she snapped impatiently, holding out her hand and snapping her fingers at him.

Jack suspected that she wasn’t about to tell him, specifically, that he was cursed with a rare genetic mutation that results in the gradual loss of certain higher neurological functions and eventual premature death. He was fine with giving her the benefit of the doubt, though.

“I’m pretty sure I know what it is,” he told her.

She stared at him, silently, for a long moment. Jack couldn’t help but think that she looked rather like a large bug with those giant sunglasses. He decided not to voice this particular observation.

“You already know about your curse,” she said. It wasn’t a question.

“Yeah.”

She scrunched up her face in bewilderment and said, “Well, in that case, allow me to offer my condolences.”

Jack pulled his book out again and thumbed through until he’d found the page where he’d left off (the ants had just figured out how to work door handles), while the woman gathered up her cards and pocketed them. He offered her his best attempt at a strained smile.

“I think that fortune was worth a roadmap!” he lied.

She grunted, nodded, and turned towards the doors, but she didn’t leave right away. Instead, she stood there for a moment, staring out into the parking lot, before turning back to face him like something had just occurred to her.

“Jack, she said, “aren’t you scared working here all alone like this?” There was a tone to her voice that Jack couldn’t quite identify, but he decided not to think on it too hard.

“No,” he answered honestly.

“But didn’t you hear? There’s a monster out there. It’s been feeding, and nobody knows how to stop it.”

That was the first Jack had heard of any monster. He looked at the woman, gauging her expression, and decided she probably wasn’t bullshitting. At least, she wasn’t being obvious about it.

“It’s probably just one of the cultists,” he said with a shrug.

She blinked at him and sniffed loudly. “The what?”

“The cultists,” he said. “They’ve got a community in the woods near here. They wander around at night. Sometimes they stop in for smokes or snacks. Rumor has it they like to get out and dance naked in the moonlight.” He shrugged again. “Y’know, cult stuff. I bet somebody saw one of them in a fur coat and the story just kinda took off from there.”

The woman stared at him, furrowing her brow behind her sunglasses, and bit her lip. Then, she said, “... Thank you, Jack. You’ve been a very kind young man. Stay safe.”

Jack always found it a little patronizing when customers, especially older ones, called him “young man.”

Sure, that’s technically what he is. He’s young enough that he still gets carded when buying alcohol and old enough that he can’t go to high school parties without looking like a creep. Anyone looking at him could tell immediately that he’s not a kid, but he hardly felt like a proper adult. He was stuck in the awkward in-between of two generations that both wanted nothing to do with him, and he had nowhere to go but dead.

She was walking away, now, and Jack offered her a parting, “You too.” He then turned his attention back to his book.

[episodeoftv]

Prelims, Vote 3 of 8

The top 4 finales will move on to be included in the main bracket

Propaganda is under the cut, may include spoilers

Blake's 7 - 4.13 Blake

Technically, the episode is a very, very good one. Hell, I wouldn't wish for a different finale, to be honest. It's perfect, in its own "What the actual hell!?" way, and it does wonders for the show's themes of doomed struggle. The problem with it is that it was intended to be just a *series* finale, not the *show's* finale, so it ends on an extremely high-stakes cliffhanger. It's fantastic, it's scary, it's heartbreaking, you want more, you want to see it resolved... and the show was cancelled after the fourth series. So all we have is an extremely bleak ending with all but one character presumed dead and that damned last smile in the face of overwhelming odds in a completely hopeless situation.

Castle Rock (2018) - 1.10 Romans

When this show was coming out I was still deep in my Stephen King hyperfixation so needless to say I was *stoked*. But man this was one of the most underwhelming things I've watched. With episodes released weekly we had two months of people going insane with theories, new revelations, Stephen King fans digging up their old books to pick for scraps of hints that could explain what's going on, every week there were new video essays and analyses of the new episode, subreddit buzzing with the wildest theories about who is this mysterious character of The Kid who's kicked the whole plot in motion and what the hell is going on with the seemingly cursed town. And then the finale came and just. Nothing. Everything went back to square one. The Kid is locked back up in the same cage he was originally found in. Nothing was explained. Everyone moves on as if nothing happened. After two months of Castle Rock being the main focus of all of my free time this completely took the wind out of my sails and I completely lost interest in the show and honestly, soon almost forgot it even existed. When the second season came out I didn't watch even the first episode, even though the second season *might* have explained everything, I simply didn't care enough to find out anymore. And from what I've seen, others have felt the same way because since the first season ended I haven't really seen anyone talk about the show.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina - 4.08 Chapter Thirty-Six: At The Mountains of Madness

Ok so in fairness this entire final season sucked but the real kicker is that in the final scene we learn that after the main character died, her love interest killed himself in order to be with her in the afterlife. Yeah, a teenager committed suicide and we were supposed to see that as a happy ending.

Choukou Senshi Changerion - 1.39 Over the Times...

It's the last episode, which means no new information or worlds should be introduced, right? WRONG. Inoue (the main writer) decided that, for this last episode, we should see into an alternate (maybe, perhaps) timeline alongside the regular content. The bad guys are coming, except our main guy is starting to go down and remembering all the things that have happened, as well. And then it just ends. On an explosion, of course. Roll Credits!

The Get Down - 5.11 Only from Exile Can We Come Home

rushed to complete the show and low on budget, the writers sent every character besides the protagonist (zeke) to their worst possible fate. shao, finally free and with the person he loved, was coerced to return to the sexually abusive woman who had been his boss since he was a child. dizzee is implied to have been struck by a train after breaking his boyfriend out of prison for graffiti. and boo-boo, the 14 year old, is arrested for selling drugs. in some ways its thematically appropriate, but the unrelenting viciousness of the end of each character's story is sudden, deeply tonally jarring, and leaves the audience feeling despondent and hopeless even with the main character surviving to sing it all as an adult and his love interest finding success as a singer, albeit far away in another city. tgd is an excellent show, but besides being cancelled, the big kicker for it was that the romantic lead mylene didn't hit for a lot of people, and watchers who preferred shao and zeke to get together due to having such strong chemistry and a well-developed bond probably had a very different experience than the writers had intended. mylene is a fine character and she's unfairly disliked by a lot of watchers, but her romance with zeke was simply not as well developed as shao's and zeke's relationship was

Grimm - 3.22 Blond Ambition

It forgoes the usual: 'there is a scary wesen that is causing problems and we can solve this' formula to pay off other plot points, but it kinda makes the episode feel less tethered. The focus is a wedding between supporting characters, whilst a former finale villain is just stalking around town and also a (corrupt) FBI agent is preparing to make his move. Both make their moves and the results are kinda lame. The agent is almost immediately beheaded rendering his active threat moot. And the other villain disguised herself as the MC's girlfriend and sleeps with him. The only major points are the wedding, a police captain getting shot (glossed over here but become relevant next season), the FBI agent dying (it starts a dull investigation next season), and the MC losing his power right at the end (which led to one of the worst periods in the show until he regains his powers...)

Jane the Virgin - 5.19 Chapter One Hundred

No propaganda submitted

[cperdomosource]

CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA Chapter Thirty-Six: At the Mountains of Madness

[tomboyneedshercoffee]

Thin Ice Pt4 || Peter Parker x Reader

Summary: Y/N and Peter spend some alone time and secrets get revealed. 

Word Count: 3.4k

Author’s note: This is literally the fastest I’ve ever uploaded but you guys gave me so much support from the last chapter and honestly it made my day. Thank you guys for being so sweet!!! 

Warnings: Mild swearing 

part one || part two || part three || part four || part five || part six || to be continued 

For the past day, your friends and the rest of the decathlon team were stuck indoors waiting out the blizzard that was supposedly coming your way. However, by some miracle, the resort wasn’t hit too badly and your itinerary had only been pushed back a day. 

Everyone was excited to go skiing more but you had other thoughts on your mind. You weren’t sure what to do about Brad and better yet, you couldn’t stop thinking about Peter. You only got a couple of glances at him between meals and even then, it was like he was avoiding your gaze. 

You wondered if Brad had told Peter that you had kissed and the thought alone made you mad all over again. 

“ You okay Y/N?” Betty asked as you looked down at your plastic fork that was bent from how hard you were gripping it. 

You nodded and inhaled deeply as you put the fork down and started to eat your waffles with your spoon,” I’m really tired. I just want to go back to bed.”

From your dining booth, you could look directly at Peter, eating away with Ned without a care in the world. You watched as Peter laughed so hard, he held his sides in pain. 

Before Peter could catch your gaze, you turned your attention back to your friends and crossed your arms. 

“ You’ve been sleeping for most of the trip. Ever since that night the boys came over you’ve just been in bed. You even missed the huskies that they brought to the lobby!” Cindy said as she felt your forehead,” are you sick? I have dayquil in my bag.”

You swatted her hand away and looked down at your half-finished breakfast,” I’m fine. You guys should just go on ahead and ski without me. I’m not really up for it.”

MJ eyed you suspiciously as Betty and Cindy continued to interrogate you. 

“ But you love snowboarding! What’s up with you cause something is obviously bothering you,” Cindy sighed as she put her hand on your shoulder,” is this about Brad?”

You put your hoodie over your head and rested your head against the table,”Can we please never say that dude’s name again.” 

MJ shook her head and brought out her phone from under the table. Unlike her friends, MJ quickly put the pieces together and came to the conclusion that you needed something to cheer you up. She went to her messages and sent a text to Peter. 

MJ: Something is up with Y/N & it has something to do with brad - u gotta get her out of the hotel room before she throws herself off the side of the mountain 

MJ sent the message and looked over at Peter’s table, waiting for him to get the message. Peter’s phone buzzed and when he went to check, his face dropped and he looked over in your direction. 

Peter: what did he do to her??? Did her hurt her??? 

Peter: I’ve never seen her like this before 

Peter: what if she doesn’t want to hang out with me :(

MJ rolled her eyes and typed out vigorously. 

MJ: This is ur chance to get alone time with her dumbass! Think of something NOW! 

Peter: okokok but what about ned? I can’t leave him alone

MJ: we’ll hang out with him - I’m sure betty wants some action with ned too

Peter put his phone down and looked over in your table’s direction. He watched as Betty poked the side of your head but you didn’t even flinch. 

After you went into the bathroom with Brad alone, Peter thought his chances of winning you over would be finished. That whole night Peter tossed and turned in his bed as he thought of what you two could’ve been doing in there yet at the same time, he tried to get those thoughts out of his mind completely. 

Even though the thoughts pained him,  Peter wanted to find out what happened that night and why you were so upset about it. It made him feel a tad bit better cause you feeling so bummed meant that maybe nothing happened between you and Brad but at the same time, what if Brad did something to you that made you feel this way? 

The thought only made Peter fume silently as he told Ned everything that was going on. Once Ned hesitantly agreed, Peter shot another text to MJ and told her he had a plan. 

MJ looked down at her phone and got up from the booth,” I think we should head out now. You sure you don’t wanna come Y/N?”

You raised your head from off the table and nodded,” I’ll be fine. I’ll catch you guys for lunch.” 

You didn’t bother saying goodbye as you shuffled out of the booth and made your way to the elevators. As you got into the elevator and pushed your floor number, you leaned against the corner and closed your eyes. 

There was so much on your mind and it kept eating away at you. After a lifetime of being friends, Brad sabotaged it and threw all of those great memories away over a stupid kiss. You felt guilty too because maybe you egged him on in a way and that you should’ve told him not to kiss you at all instead of falling for a “cheek kiss.” 

As the elevator doors closed, Peter slipped through at the last second and you opened your eyes. 

“Oh hey, Peter!” You said as you stood up straighter,” I thought you left with everyone else.”

Peter’s heart was racing as he pushed his brown curls off of his forehead,” Y-yeah about that...I was wondering if you wanted to hang out today?”

Your heart skipped a beat and deep down, you knew you had too much going on in your head right now. At the same time, you didn’t mind spending more time with him and you could use a distraction. 

“ Sure, I would love to,” You finally said as Peter smiled nervously,” what did you have in mind?” 

“ There’s this terrain park at the top of the mountain and I thought it would be cool watching people do tricks and stuff,” Peter said as the elevator stopped at your floor,” we would need to take the ski lift up there if that’s okay.” 

Peter followed you out of the elevator as you nodded happily,” Yeah, that sounds like fun. I’ll go get ready but I’ll meet you in the lobby in like...thirty minutes?” 

Peter looked down at his phone to check the time and smiled,” Great. I’ll see you soon then.”

As you both parted ways,  Peter walked slowly to his room so he could make sure you got to your hotel room safely. Once you got into your room, Peter raced to his room on the opposite side so he could get dressed. 

After you got ready, you practically rushed to the lobby to find Peter nervously tapping his fingers against his thigh. When he saw you, he did a double-take before standing up. 

“ Ready?” Peter asked as you nodded. 

The two of you walked side by side out of the lobby and through the shops as you both talked about the trip. While the two of you were talking, your phone buzzed and you casually pulled it out to check to see who it was. 

Brad: We need to talk

“ Have I ever told you that I really like your phone case?” Peter said as he pointed towards it. 

You turned off your phone and stuffed it into your pocket,” Are you making fun of me for liking Spiderman?” 

Peter shook his head and laughed. It was really strange to see merch of himself out there and he never really knew of the impact he had on people until little kids started dressing up as Spiderman for Halloween. 

He felt like a celebrity but the closest comparison he could think of was Hannah Montana. 

“ No I’m not. I’m just surprised you don’t have a Captain America one or an Iron Man on it instead.” 

You and Peter both made it to the line for the ski-lift and while Peter was excited to get some alone time with you, he was nervous that he would ruin things. 

“ Puh-lease. Spiderman is by far the most superior avenger. I used to have a poster hung up in my room but my brother told me it was creepy so I took it down...I understand though. I guess it just reminds my brother of too much.” 

“ What do you mean?” Peter asked as the line moved up. 

“ I don’t really tell people this,” You sighed but figured why not,” but a couple of months ago, my brother and his girlfriend were walking home from the movies and these guys pulled a gun on them. They tried to rob them and they even beat my brother in front of his girlfriend. He thought they were going to kill him but Spiderman came and saved them. He’s thankful for being saved but I don’t think he ever got over how scary it all was.”

Peter felt his heart sink to his chest. He remembered that night vividly because of how hard the girlfriend was crying. He always thought it would get easier and that maybe he would get desensitized over time but he remembered every encounter like it was his last. 

“ I’m sorry... I didn’t know he was your brother,” Peter said as he quickly caught his mistake,” I mean I-I remember hearing about it somehow...but that sounds terrible. Is he doing okay now?” 

You shrugged and let out a puff of air,” He seems fine. I think he’s so stressed about his first year of college that he doesn’t really think about it anymore. It shook me up too. I was never really afraid of crime and all that but I guess when you live in New York, you’re always paranoid about when the next attack will be.” 

You watched Peter’s solemn expression and you nudged him lightly,” I didn’t mean to bring down the mood. I just wanted to defend myself on why I love Spiderman so much. I just wish I could thank him, you know, for everything.” 

Even though you weren’t looking at Peter, he still smiled towards you. 

“ I think he knows. Trust me.” 

Once it was your turn to go on the lift, you and Peter walked over and waited for the seat to come from behind. You both sat down as you moved the bar down to rest against your laps. 

As it brought you further and further into the air, you noticed Peter gripping the bar. 

“ Are you afraid of heights Pete?” You teased as Peter shook his head.

“ I’ve just never been on a ski lift before. I mean, on the bunny slope sure but it was way smaller. This isn’t even that sturdy,” Peter said as he shook the bar softly, causing the lift to creak,” fuck we are really high up.” 

You looked around and you couldn’t help but smile. You loved seeing the whole mountain in fresh powder as Snowboarders glided down effortlessly below you. You felt like you were in your element and even though your cheeks were already rosy from the cold, you felt like you could stay up here forever. 

“ It’s been a while since I’ve seen you smile like that,” Peter said as he tried his best to ignore the height,” it’s nice.” 

For a moment, you had forgotten about all the problems that were lurking in your head and it was all thanks to Peter. You loved how easy carrying a conversation was with him and you would’ve never told anyone about what happened with your brother but something about Peter just made you instantly warm up to him. 

You exhaled deeply as you leaned back in your seat,” I’ve just been going through a rough patch that’s all.” 

Peter moved his legs up and down before turning back to you nervously,” Did Brad do something? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to but I’m here for you if you want to talk.” 

You wanted to tell Peter everything but you couldn’t do that without getting your feelings revealed. Not only that but if Peter did like you and he found out Brad had kissed you, it would change things and you liked the way things were. 

“ Brad and I have just been friends for so long, you know? When you’ve known someone ever since you were in diapers, you start to let things slide.  Maybe that’s why I always make excuses for him and his behavior sometimes,” you sighed as you turned to Peter,” you know, you sometimes remind me of him.”

Peter was quick with a comment as he shifted in his seat carefully,” Is that supposed to be a compliment?”

You playfully rolled your eyes as you tilted your head to the side to get a better look at Peter,” Well maybe what Brad used to be. On mother’s day, he always takes my mom out to brunch because my brother and I can never wake up early. I see that in you, you do things out of the kindness of your heart and you always do what’s right no matter what. You’ve been through a lot these past couple of years and you haven’t let it corrupt you or your heart.” 

Peter shrugged as he tried to cover up his blush,” You got all of that from just a couple of days?” 

“ I know we weren’t close before the trip Pete but I’m not blind. You’re literally the most selfless person I know,” you took a beat and decided to test the waters,” That’s why all the girls like you so much.”

Peter could feel his ears and neck flush as he laughed nervously before sighing quietly,” Girls don’t like guys like me.”

I like you. 

“ That’s not true and you know it. What about Liz and MJ? Plus I heard Vanessa and her friends in gym think you’re hot. You’re funny, super smart, kind, and cute; you’re the whole package. Any girl would be lucky enough to be with you.” 

You didn’t know it, but Peter could sense how fast your heart was beating and even though you tried to hide it, your voice trembled. 

Peter shifted in his seat yet again but this time, his body leaned closer to yours,“ I guess I don’t care about all those girls...There’s only one girl that’s been on my mind.” 

You could feel yourself turn into putty and your heart was racing like never before. You couldn’t believe what was happening and you didn’t even bother to hide the blush that was creeping onto your face. 

You studied his face carefully and for a moment, it was like time had stopped just for the two of you. A rush of adrenaline pumped through your veins as you rested your hand on his thigh before pressing your lips against his. 

Once your lips touched, Peter didn’t hesitate and immediately kissed you back. It was slow and soft, comforting in ways that Peter had never felt before. 

Your heart fluttered inside your chest before pulling away. 

“ Just to make sure, I’m the girl that’s been on your mind right?” You teased Peter bit his lip and nodded. 

“ Yes Y/N and I’ll prove it to you,” Peter pulled you closer to him as he kissed you again, smiling against your lips. 

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

“ Thanks again for today, I liked spending time with you,” You smiled sweetly as you and Peter walked hand in hand back to your hotel rooms. 

“ Me too but I’m just glad you had a great time. I know you’ve had a lot on your mind lately. You know I’m here if you need anything,” Peter said as you both stopped in front of your room. 

You looked at Peter one last time before pressing a soft kiss on his cheek. You squeezed his hand before sliding in your room key. 

“ I’ll see you later?” 

Peter hummed a quick mhm and once you closed the door, Peter made a triumphant fist in the air. 

You pressed your back against the hotel door and squealed happily like a schoolgirl. You took off your coat and hung it up as MJ looked up from her book. 

“ I’ve never said this to anyone but wow you’re actually glowing,” MJ grinned as she patted a spot beside her. 

You weren’t planning on telling MJ what went down but you felt like you would burst if you had to keep it in any longer. You told her everything from what happened in the elevator all the way until he walked you to the room. 

MJ listened patiently and after you had finished your story, Cindy stepped out of the bathroom. 

“ Hey Cindy, you’ll never guess what happened!” You beamed as you sat up from the bed. 

Your face dropped when you saw that Cindy’s face was less than excited. 

“ What’s wrong?”

Cindy let in a sharp breath as she held up her phone,” I think you need to see this.” 

You and MJ shared a look before you got up from your seat and came over to Cindy. She hesitated before opening up her most recent message from Brad. 

Your heart plummeted straight into your stomach as you reached for the phone slowly in disbelief. 

It was a picture of you and Brad kissing in the bathroom and from the angle, it looked like you were actually kissing Brad back. That’s why he wanted you to close your eyes, he was setting up the camera. 

“ You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” you whispered as you felt tears welt up in your eyes. Your mind immediately thought of Peter and you started to feel dizzy,” please tell me that he only sent it to you.” 

MJ got up from her spot on the bed and shook her head,” That fucking prick...Y/N...he sent it to the decathlon group chat.” 

@spaghetittiesbcimgay​ @holland-in-disguise​ @yeahimcrying​ @greatpizzascissorstaco​  @mysticalbanshee​ @weyheyavengers​ @infinityflamesworld​ @fandom-fangirl22​ @peterparkoure​ @crumpets-are-better-with-jam​ @marvel4geeks​ @sad-sagita​ @juliebean247​ @quitepointless​  @bannanasz​ @spideyyeet​ 

[love-tv-freak]

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Nabrina - 4x08 Chapter Thirty Six: At The Mountains of Madness

Part 3 / 3

[starsfic]

The Ghosts of Fiery Cloud Manor, Chapter 6: Rage

Summary: Xiaotian and Xiaojiao learn some things.

AO3

-_-

Xiaotian and Xiaojiao both collapsed on the floor of the inn the moment they slammed through the door. The monkey hopped off the latter’s head, chattering at them. The boy reached out and managed to scratch it. “Good boy,” he grumbled into the floor, head spinning and heart racing.

   There was a monster in Fiery Cloud Manor. He had nearly avoided being taken. His best friend had saved him.

   “He started jumping at our door,” Xiaojiao said, sitting up. Xiaotian followed her example and glanced at the clock, which said it was six-thirty. Huh, weird, it had felt longer in the manor. “And refused to leave unless I followed him.” The sound of a door opening made them look up. Mr. Syntax rushed over, looking worried…

   And then his eyes landed on the staff and he froze.

   “Oh, the prince isn’t going to be happy about that.”

   The two blinked. “...the what?” Xiaotian managed out.

   Syntax sighed. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.” He gestured them to follow him and the two, sharing hesitant glances, stood up. Xiaotian made sure to scoop up the monkey before walking around the desk and following the innkeeper into what must’ve been his room.

   There was a bunch of mismatching rugs scattered on the floor with a low ceiling and a fireplace. There was a desk in the corner, with a door that must lead to the bedroom. Xiaotian settled on the couch and yelped in both surprise and a bit of pain when the room suddenly lit up in gold. “Here’s the first aid kit!” Syntax called and he turned and-

   He couldn’t resist the yelp. The innkeeper he knew, with the friendly smile and messy brown hair, had been replaced by something darker and more teeth. There was a set of deep scars in his now purple skin, right under his eye. “What?” Xiaojiao asked.

   “Him!” Xiaotain screeched, pointing to the innkeeper who looked confused. “He- He- He’s a spider!”

   “Oh.” The golden light faded and suddenly Syntax was himself again. “My apologies,” He reached for Xiaotian, but he pulled away. Xiaojiao took the first aid kit and set to work instead. “You two just saw a glimpse of a world you were never meant to.”

   “What was that?!” Xiaotian demanded because he was freaking out and scared. “I just- the-”

   “Red Boy.”

   There was silence.

   “Red Boy is a mythical figure.” Xiaojiao had paused in bandaging her bestie’s hands, staring at Syntax like he was crazy. “I know this is the area in the book where he lived but-”

   “The book’s real.” Syntax settled down in the armchair next to them, rubbing his face. He looked incredibly exhausted by this. “All of it is true. Red Boy was taken by Heaven when defeated by Guanyin. I don't know if you know what happened to his father…"

"The Demon Bull King fought against the Monkey King and the Monkey King sealed him under a mountain with his magic staff." Xiaotian rattled off, frustration eating at him. He had read this story plenty of times to have it memorized but it wasn’t answering his question. "What does any of that have to do with this?"

Syntax sighed. "I only heard bits and pieces but...he was released back to his mother and started trying to find a way to free his father." A false smile spread on his face. "He got a bit too close for Heaven’s comfort and was decided the bigger threat. He was locked away and cursed to move between the real world and a shadow realm." His smile turned a bit more genuine. "But, in any case, it's rare for a runner to escape." He reached over and, after a month, patted Xiaotian's hand.

A runner.

...that explained why the village had been staring at them.

"You knew he was there."

The smile dropped.

"Wait, we-"

He yanked his hand away and stood. "You were going to let him take me!" Behind him, Xiaojiao gasped and the monkey screeched.

Syntax was scrambling. "Yes, you're so pretty it seemed reasonable that you would and nobody interferes with that house's business!"

"I nearly got kidnapped! And you-!"

His words were silenced when the clock started to ring. Syntax started to curse, something about seven, as Xiaotian's vision swam. He could faintly hear Xiaojiao say something, but his ears were buzzing with inaudible whispers. He fell down, feeling unseen claws dig into his skin.

The smoke in his vision cleared, enough so he could see furious amber eyes. In his panic, he swung and his fist smashed into something. There was an echo of a bellow and then his vision was clearing. With a weak gasp, he sat up.

Syntax, Xiaojiao, and the monkey were in the furthest corner of the room. The first seemed to be using the second one as a shield, holding what looked like two bracelets. His bestie pulled free and ran over. "It- you were just gasping- and-!"

"What's with the bracelets?" Xiaotian said, glaring at Syntax.

The innkeeper held them up. "Wormwood keeps demons away."

"So, while my best friend was getting kidnapped," Ooh, Xiaojiao sounded murderous. He should try and stop her. "You had a weapon?!"

"I can't go back to that woman."

Xiaojiao snarled in annoyance and scooped up Xiaotian and the monkey, heading out of the office.

The door slammed shut and Xiaotian had barely a moment to see Syntax's terrified face fall.

The rest of the night, Xiaotian was furious.

Not just at the village for allowing him to get kidnapped. No, he was mad at Red Boy. The manor was his safe space, whoever was there first be damned. Surely, there was a way.

That morning, Xiaotian caught Spindrax. Xiaojiao was still in the bathroom and he couldn't waste this opportunity. "Do you mind taking Xiaojiao to the next town? We need a generator and the hardware store doesn't have one." Which was an absolute lie. He just needed Xiaojiao out of the way.

"Sure." She could clearly tell the lie but was jumping at the chance to spend time with Xiaojiao. (Gods, he hoped one of them would confess soon.)

Xiaotian hid in his room. As soon as Xiaojiao's protests died and he heard their motorcycles rumble away, he stepped out. It felt like the entire village was downstairs. They watched as he headed into the kitchen.

He grabbed the salt. He had watched plenty of horror movies to know salt repelled ghosts. He wasn't sure about demons, but he had left his phone in the manor so he couldn't check. Syntax was behind the counter.

Before he could say anything, Xiaotian reached over the counter and took the wormwood bracelets. He slipped them on, keeping eye contact with Syntax as he did. With all supplies on or in his bag, he shouldered the staff and marched out of the inn.

His bravery vanished the moment he saw the trail. But Xiaotian hiked up his shoulders. He preferred a demon over his sister any day.

He started up the trail.