#it also means that any lung issues are less likely to be deadly as quickly because if one layer is damaged or sick it can be removed easier

[followthebluebell]

FIP: Feline Infectious Peritonitis

Sprinkles contemplates some birds.  We’re re-doing the catios right now, so they’re all closed off.  I think she’s looking forward to being outdoors again.

I’m putting a cut here because this is a LENGTHY READ and, in case of further developments, I’d like to be able to easily update this article. 

In October 2019, she was diagnosed with ocular FIP (Feline infectious peritonitis), which is a mutation of feline coronavirus (FCoV, which is very distinct from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19).   FCoV is ubiquitous in the cat population: almost every cat has it or is exposed to various strains of it.  Most cats get over it just fine with only mild diarrhea.  In a small percentage of cats (we’re uncertain on the percentage, which I’ll get into later, but it’s theoretically somewhere between 5-10%), it goes fuckwhack apeshit and mutates into FIP.

We don’t know why it spontaneously mutates.  There seems to be a genetic component to it.  It’s believed to be more common in purebred cats, but we’re really not sure--- since FIP is a diagnosis by exclusion, there often is a hefty vet bill attached to the diagnosis and a person who can afford to buy a purebred cat from a cattery is more likely to be able to afford that bill.  It MAY be triggered by stress.  It’s much more common in younger cats, often appearing in kittens ranging from 4 months to 4 years.  This doesn’t mean older cats are safe; I know of at least one case in a 12 year old cat.

Sprinkles was diagnosed at 3 and a half months.  She didn’t have a particularly stressful event before developing symptoms.  She’s not a purebred.  I don’t know anything about her genetic history, so I can’t cross that off the list.

Mickey, my second FIP kitten, was diagnosed at 4 months.  I know slightly more about his health records but it’s still scant.  He arrived with an unusual skin ailment: sarcoptic mange.  Hypothetically, this could indicate an already delicate immune system that left him vulnerable to this sort of FCoV mutation.

FIP is deadly and remains, to this day, the most horrifying disease I’ve ever personally encountered.  Thankfully, FIP itself is NOT contagious.  FCoV is highly contagious but, as previously mentioned, it’s fairly common in the cat population.  There was a study done to see if separating kittens from their mother at 7 weeks (approximately the period when a mother’s antibodies begin to wear off and the kittens have to begin producing their own) would prevent cats from catching FCoV from her.  This was effective but the social drawbacks are too heavy a cost for it to be considered regularly.

There is a vaccine for FCoV but it’s largely ineffective and most vets don’t recommend it.

FIP comes in two primary forms: wet (effusive) and dry (non-effusive).  Usually, FCoV exists only in the gastrointestinal system.  It’s really the only place it can replicate itself with ease.  Once the virus mutates, it can’t replicate itself as well, but it CAN infect macrophages.  Macrophages are highly mobile white blood cells.  They go pretty much everywhere, and ones infected with FIPV (Feline Infectious Peritonitis Virus) will carry the virus along for the ride. 

The early symptoms are vague.  These cats are lethargic, listless, have low or no appetite, weight loss, and a fluctuating fever.  The first symptom I caught in Sprinkles was complete avoidance: she was actively avoiding other kittens and other kittens were avoiding her.   Mickey’s only symptoms were lethargy and diarrhea.  I only got suspicious about possible FIP because the other kittens in his playgroup didn’t have any diarrhea at all. 

And this is where we see a split in the forms of FIP.

Effusive FIP is characterized by the accumulation of fluid within the abdomen and is more common.  It happens very quickly.  Cats with effusive FIP develop breathing problems rapidly.  The fluid drawn from the abdomen is usually straw-yellow.  Effusive FIP is said to be more common, although only one of the 5 cases I’ve seen in the last few years was wet FIP. 

Thankfully, effusive FIP has a few distinct traits that makes it easier to diagnose.  It’s important to remember that FIP itself is generally a diagnosis by exclusion. 

Measuring the protein in the effusion is a good first step.  If it’s less than 35g/l, FIP is generally ruled out.

The albumin to globulin ratio is considered next, via a blood test. If it’s less than 0.4, FIP should be considered.

Finally, examining the cells in the effusion is valuable.  If they’re primarily lymphocytes, FIP is excluded.

Non-effusive FIP is more difficult to spot, because the symptoms are so varied.  Granulomas (inflammatory cells) form in various organs, which produces an extreme variety of symptoms.  The most commonly affected symptoms are the ocular and neurological symptoms.

Ocular FIP happens when the virus crosses the blood-ocular barrier and is characterized by slightly opaque white films on one or both eyes; these don’t cover the entire eye.  They’re often just a small section.  This was the first distinct symptom I saw in Sprinkles. It’s considered a distinct enough sign that her ophthalmologist was able to tell me that she was 99% certain it was FIP.

Neurological FIP is my own personal hell.  The virus crossed the blood-brain barrier and infects the brain.  The first symptom is usually a limp or a slight tremble in the head.  The paralysis often begins in the hind limbs and it travels upwards.  The cat eventually loses all mobility.  If the cat is lucky, they’ll begin to have seizures instead and die soon afterwards.  Like I said, it remains the single-most awful thing I’ve ever seen. 

Non-effusive FIP is harder to diagnose than effusive FIP, especially if the cat fails to develop ocular or neurological symptoms.  In these cases, the only symptoms the cat has are fevers, diarrhea, and other non-specific issues.

Once again, the best bet is to consider the albumin to globulin ratio.  The same rule of ‘if it’s under 0.4, FIP should be considered’ holds true.

Unfortunately, checking for antibodies is fairly useless.  A positive FCoV test just means the cat has been exposed to FCoV.

FIP is deadly.  While there are some isolated cases of cats seemingly recovering from it, I think it’s more likely that those were simply misdiagnosed cases.  As I’ve said before, FIP is a diagnosis by exclusion, so a misdiagnosis can happen fairly easily.  A cat with wet FIP is gone in days.  A cat who’s unlucky enough to develop neurological FIP may linger for weeks until they die of starvation, oxygen deprivation as the lungs themselves are paralyzed, or dehydration.  Ocular FIP generally spreads into the brain, causing seizures. 

Sprinkles is very, VERY lucky.  I had been following the study very closely and I had an acquaintance who recently started treating her foster cat for FIP.  I was able to get into contact with some folks and obtain experimental treatment for my kittens.

GS-441525

In February 2019, there was a very promising study on a specific drug called GS-441524.  Most of the cats involved with the study made a full recovery.  The company (Gilead-Sciences) behind the drug wasn’t interested in getting it FDA approved for cats out of concern that it would affect its approval for human use.  See, if it’s used officially for cats, Gilead-Sciences would be obligated to report any negative side-effects and that could impact getting it approved for human use down the line.  “One of the rules in drug development is ‘never perform a test you don’t have to, if the results could be problematic,” isn’t an uncommon saying.  It’s one of the reasons why I fell out of research and development myself.

I had some pull and was able to get experimental access to this drug for Sprinkles and, later, Mickey. 

Both kittens went through three months of daily injections and a further 3 months of observations before they were deemed FIP-free.  After seeing 3 other cats die from it, it’s been a blessing to see them recover.  They’re both especially lucky that they finished their treatment cycle JUST before COVID-19 hit American shores since I couldn’t, in good conscience, continue using a very promising antiviral in cats when it would likely be needed by humans.

It’s definitely not a perfect system.  Three months of daily injections (or pills) is not ideal for the average owner for several reasons.  In addition to the difficulty of injecting a cat with an EXTREMELY painful drug daily, it also requires a lot of math; the dosage has to be adjusted daily to take weight gain into consideration.  Even the concentration has to be adjusted at times.   I haven’t used the pills at all, but I know a lot of people have had problems with cats biting through the pills.  In addition, the pills seem less effective against neurological or ocular FIP.

Gilead-Sciences has refined GS-441524 into GS-5734 (named Remdesivir), which is supposed to be more efficient.  Hypothetically, the addition of the phosphate groups should make it easier for it to get across barriers and be absorbed more easily.  Hopefully this will result in a shorter treatment time, although I suspect it will be more expensive than GS-441524.  This is already a substantial cost attached to GS-441524, with the treatment of a single cat or kitten over 1,000 USD.

As of writing (April 20, 2020), neither Remdesivir nor GS-441524 are available to the average public legally.  Remdesivir has been approved for use in humans with COVID-19 in emergency cases.  

[wingsofkpop]

Finding SKZ - 1: CB97

pairing(s): Hybrid!Bang Chan x Reader, Hybrid!SKZ x Reader

genre: Hybrid!AU, Dystopian!AU, heavy Angst, Fluff, eventual Smut

warning(s): Mature language, mentions of violence, mentions of abuse

word count: 5,6k

synopsis: After rescuing an abandoned hybrid from his fate of death, he has on other favor to ask of you. Not only do you have to find his eight other hybrid brothers, but you have to keep them safe from the deadly dangers of your city: Miroh 

chapter directory 

The world isn’t as it was before.

Your great-grandfather used to tell you these words everytime the sun would sink beneath the horizon. You often wonder if he chose to do this on purpose, and somehow, felt safer with the absence of light. It was almost as if his comments were shielded beneath the dark of night, like a grieving wife shields her face with a black, opaque veil. Maybe he was afraid of getting in trouble. To this day, certain people still vanish into thin air without so much as a blink of the eye. Swallowed into the night without a trace.

Your great-grandfather lived in the Old World, before the devastation of WWIII and the rebirth of civilization under the New World. He used to tell stories of his time as a little boy growing up on a planet separated into continents, countries, regions, cities. During this time, different languages ranging from use of words to sounds to hands were spoken and thus, further diversified the population. This was the time before the Mass Genocide, before 95% of the population was taken out by extreme warfare and nuclear technology. Most of the languages and texts died with them, along with most other means to diversity.

Your great-grandfather’s favorite stories to repeat over and over again were those of his travels. His mother had been a successful business woman and continuously received one business trip after the other. They journeyed across the Earth together, visiting countries called Zimbabwe and Jordan and exploring cities like Budapest, Moscow and New York. He said his favorite place was Sydney as the oceans of Australia always seemed to sparkle and the sky always brightened. You’d seen pictures in history books from school, but they never brought his descriptions to justice. He was always good at putting an image inside your head.

You also often wonder what the world would have been like if the war never happened. It’s difficult to believe that your home could have been totally different if one event never occurred. If billions of people never died, would Miroh still have been created? Would the people of the earth still have united into one less than harmonious civilization? Or would there still be fighting? Even if one war could have been prevented, who’s to say the human race would have only been delaying the inevitable. Maybe fate has it set in stone for people to kill each other. The world is run by corruption, power and greed anyway.

That’s one thing that hasn’t changed in the New World.

A vibration sounds within the vicinity. You quickly connect the signal to your cell phone and retract the device from your pocket. Time away from your phone had allowed a collection of notifications to begin, the majority being text messages from your aunt.

Ever since you moved out, she had been keeping a close eye on you. Invitations to dinner, packages in the mail and calls about your day happened almost four, five times a week. And as much as you loved her and her compassionate heart, she failed to realize that you were an adult who could take care of herself. You didn’t need her help. Not anymore anyway.

After your mother’s death at sixteen, your aunt had taken you under her wing. The first few years were tough. You barely finished high school and were less than motivated to attend college. But you knew a decent education is what your mom would have wanted for you, so here you are: A student at one of Miroh’s most prestigious universities.

Your aunt wanted you to stay in the offered dorm rooms, but you couldn’t handle living with a bunch of strangers as roommates. With a portion of the inheritance your mom left, you were able to afford a nice apartment in the city only walking distance from your campus and the coffee shop where you work. And although you would never tell her to her face, you were glad to be a good couple hours away from your aunt’s home. It just made your life much more stress free that way.

You scroll past your aunt’s invitation to Sunday brunch and instead discover the original source of the vibration: Your father.

Your dad and mom divorced when you were about ten, deciding that their marriage was broken and could never be salvaged. Your dad remarried only three months after their official split, and began having children of his own only after a year. Truth be told, your father and you were never close, which is why you initially went to live with your aunt after your mom passed. Even so, you both still make the effort to meet up at least once a month just to catch up. You’ve considered completely cutting him out of your life, but then you remember your mom and what she would have wanted.

You quickly accept your dad’s request on meeting up two weeks from Tuesday, telling him to let you know which restaurant he chooses for lunch. Satisfied, you lock and put away your phone, then return your attention to the vacant cafe. You really shouldn’t be looking at your phone during your shift, and normally you don’t, but your last customer had finished his latte a little over ten minutes ago and left you to your lonesome. And you were the only employee willing to stay to close up shop today, so your coworkers left a long time ago. You didn’t mind though, it’s extra pay.

You glance at the clock across the room, discovering the time to be about five minutes after closing. With a sigh, you untie the apron from around your waist and head into the backroom to grab your stuff. The only issue about staying after late is the walk back to your apartment. It’s not that the paths are unsafe, but more so you hate walking in the dark. The streets tend to become strangely silent at night and it’s not the most easing feeling.

After tugging on your winter coat and securing your bag, you head back into the main shop. You make sure that everything is in place before turning your attention to the doors, which were already locked, courtesy of the alarm system your boss installed a couple weeks ago after the thieving incident. You weren’t there when it happened, but apparently some couple tried to break into the shop while one of your coworkers stayed after to clean. Again, you weren’t there, so you don’t know all the details. But you do know that your coworker ended up in the hospital with a couple broken ribs and a concussion.

You exit the coffee shop and prepare to go on your way, pausing to tug on the door handle just in case. Content in its rigidness, you begin to make your way down the dim and snowy sidewalk. Even though your path is illuminated by various street lamps, your muscles can’t help but tense at every shadow you catch in your peripherals. Maybe you should have considered taking the bus.

You manage to make it the two blocks to your street without fault. The nervous feeling coursing throughout your body lessens substantially now that your apartment building is in your sights. On instinct, your pace quickens and your mind wanders to the things waiting for you at home: A late dinner of ramen to ease the ache of your stomach, a nice, hot shower to take away the chill of winter and your warm bed waiting to be utilized all weekend long.

A sudden clatter has your attention returning to reality. You flinch at the noise and like a deer in headlights, pause. Peering down the alleyway, you’re able to make out a couple silhouettes through the snowflakes and the darkness. All the more reason to run the rest of the way to your apartment. And you move to do so as well, that was until another strange sound reaches your ears. You recognize it to be a cry, human-like and agonizing, as if they were in pain.

Against your better judgement, you pull out a bottle of pepper spray you keep handy in your bag and start to creep into the alleyway. In your other hand, to aim your phone flashlight toward the moving figures, who become rather alerted at your presence. Just when your about to catch a glimpse of their faces, they’re gone, having escaped out the other end of the alley.

A sigh of relief passes through your lungs as your grip on your weapon releases slightly. You turn to exit back onto the street and really return to your home, but that same pained whimper stops you. You snap around again and raise your flashlight, catching the sight of another figure just a few feet in front of you.

After getting closer, you’re able to distinguish the figure was not a human at all, but some sort of male hybrid. Your eyes widen at the wolf-like ears emerging from his blonde scalp and the fluffy tail laid limp at his side. The hybrid was naked from the waist down, exposing a concerning amount of bleeding wounds and dark bruises littering his chest. He looked like he was attacked by something, or someone. The most sickening feature was the fact he was chained to an impenetrable metal pole and had a large muzzle covering his face from the nose down. A large metal cuff encased his right wrist, and by the looks of it, it was tight enough to draw blood which had already long dried against his skin.

“Oh my god,” You murmur, lowering to kneel in front of the hybrid. His deep brown eyes stalk your every move, filled with a blend of fright and sadness which has your heart breaking even more. More cuts and bruises were painted across what you could see of his face, which was also snow white. The realization that he was out here in the cold for god knows how long with barely any clothing hits you fast and hard. Without hesitation, you rip the coat from your body and carefully move toward the hybrid. In a soft voice, you say, “Don’t be afraid, okay? I’m just going to put this around you…”

The hybrid makes no remarks, and for a moment you couldn’t tell if he understood you, much less heard you. After a couple seconds, you decide to test your luck and approach the wounded creature. He doesn’t react and easily allows you to throw the jacket around his quivering body. Because of his broad shoulders and muscular stature, the coat only covers so much of his skin, but it’s better than nothing.

You move onto the next issue: Somehow freeing him from his restraints. The task is a lot easier said than done, considering he was chained so escape was impossible. So, you decide to start with the contraption around his mouth. You warn him of your plan once more, before reaching out to pull the muzzle from around his head. When your hands brush against the tips of his ears, it was like touching ice. You need to warm him up. Fast.

With the muzzle off, more of his face was visible. You can’t help but notice his rather sharp jawline and smooth skin. Knowing yourself, you would have spent more time analyzing his features, but you have a greater concern that requires your attention first,

Gently, you take the hybrid’s wrist into your hands to better inspect the cuff. There was a hole meant for a key, which you obviously didn’t have. You couldn’t exactly break it either, so you decide on the next best option. You quickly grab your bag and pilfer through the contents to find what you’re looking for. With a sigh of victory, you take out the found paper clip and using the pointy end, try to pick the lock. After your fourth attempt, a click sounds in your ears and the metal falls from his wrist with a thud. You don’t spare the time to celebrate though, and instead help the hybrid to his feet.

The two minute walk to your apartment took over twenty, considering the hybrid could barely move and you kept crumbling beneath his immense weight. Luckily, when you do manage to get him through the door, no one is in the lobby to start asking questions (your neighbors aren’t the most private people). You drag him into the elevator, prop him up against the wall and admit an exhausted huff. The ride to your floor is oddly silent and tense, and more than once, you caught your new companion staring at you. You decide not to question it, knowing he’s probably a little scared.

You managed to transport him into your apartment fairly quick and noise free, so not to disturb your sleeping neighbors. The hybrid, for the most part, could stand on his own, which allows you the time to secure your door and toss your unnecessary belongings in a nearby corner. Your next destination is to the sofa, where you quite literally pile blankets on top of him. Later, when he’s much warmer, you’ll run him a bath. You can’t warm him up too fast.

You compile some hot towels and water bottles as well, making sure to only directly apply the towels to his neck and chest. The bottles are hidden beneath the blankets, safe away from any skin to skin contact. Making sure you’ve done everything you can for him at that moment, you rush into the kitchen to cook that ramen you mentioned earlier. Only this time, dinner for you would have to be a bit later than usual.

Five minutes and lots of nail biting later, you’re spooning the soup into a large bowl and sprint back into your living room. You nearly drop the dish in fright, noting how the hybrid’s eyes were shut. After making your presence known though, his eyelids part and expose the sad irises from before. You try not to let his sullen gaze affect you, but you were always an empathetic person and it takes a lot of will not to do so. You’re surprised you didn’t burst into tears how you found him that alley.

“Can you eat?” You ask, kneeling beside the couch to offer him the cup. “It’ll help to warm you up…”

The hybrid doesn’t answer, but moves to sit himself up. You help him, tugging aside a couple of the blankets and replacing the towel that had slid from his neck. He reaches to take the soup from your hands, but you refuse, shaking your head, “I’ll feed you. I don’t want you accidentally spilling it and burning yourself.”

Reluctantly, he nods and allows you to spoon a mouthful of soup onto his tongue. He inhales it greedily, barely taking three seconds to swallow and parting his lips for more. It takes even less time for him to empty the cup than it took for you to make the soup. Once he’s finished, the hybrid leans back and closes his eyes.

You take the time to scan his face, which thankfully had begun to flush with a little color. Like you saw before beneath all the cuts and bruises, his skin was smooth and nearly free of any flaws, mind the occasional acne scar. His nose was long and on the wider spectrum, but fit his features purposely. His lips were badly chapped, a result of time outside in the cold. You made a note to go out and buy some chapstick soon. You could always use some too.

Your eyes can’t help but trail up to his furry ears, hued a light silver. You wonder if he is derived from some sort of dog, or possibly wolf. You weren’t entirely familiar with hybrid species, seeing as this is the first time you have ever met one face to face.

From your biology class, you know hybrids were invented about half a century back. It was actually an accident. Scientists were originally looking for a cure for cancer and attempted to mix human DNA with different kinds of animal DNA. You can’t remember a lot of the details, but they somehow ended up with an embryo for the very first rabbit hybrid, which was then conceived by a human volunteer. From there, they went on to make so many different species, dogs, cats, mice, reptiles. Anything they could get to match with the human DNA. Eventually, they compiled a great enough number to where they could breed amongst themselves. Everybody at that time wanted one.

The public, for the most part, accepted the new creatures. Many people adopted and took care of them as they would regular pets, which was nice since majority of the animals died out during the Mass Genocide.

However, as time went on, life for hybrids became a lot worse. Without any rights, humans began to treat them like, well, like animals. You’ve seen so many news stories showcasing hybrid mistreatment, abuse and cruelty. Just a month ago, one of your friends told you that her dad nearly killed their family’s hybrid for accidentally breaking a plate. It makes you wonder what ever happened to him...

When you lower your gaze back to his eyes, you find the hybrid staring right at you. A couple moments of awkward silence roll by until a gentle smile emerges across his lips. His expression carries over his gratitude, which has the corners of your own lips upturning. When he speaks, or tries to, his sound is hoarse and quiet so it takes you a second to think over his words. Beneath his croak, you can trace the hit of what seems to be an Australian accent. For a moment, you can’t help but think of your great-grandfather’s story.

“I’m Chan.”

Still smiling, you reply, “It’s nice to meet you, Chan. I’m glad you’re alive.”

~~*~~**~~*~~

You didn’t know what was going through your head when you offered Chan a place to stay the morning after the night you basically saved his life. To be honest, you didn’t know what was going through your head the moment you decided to help him at all. Then again, you weren’t just going to leave him out there to die. You couldn’t live with yourself if you allowed that.

It’s been a week since the incident, and Chan is almost fully healed. Most of his bruises faded to gray and all his wounds closed, leaving his skin even more flawless than before. Your guess was right, by the way. Chan concluded that he was a wolf hybrid. You knew by the ears and tail, but really didn’t want to assume.

You tried not to let that concrete knowledge change anything, but you were still a little wary. Most hybrids were known to be derived from domesticated animals, and those that weren’t had a track record of acting out of instinct. One of your aunt’s friends adopted a lion hybrid and ended up in the hospital after it out of the blue attacked her, nearly ripping out her throat.

You didn’t think Chan was capable of such violence though, since the hybrid is sweeter than sweet could be. Yesterday, you woke up to the smell of pancakes and found that he had actually made you breakfast, knowing you had work in just a little under an hour. You felt nice after that. No one has ever done something like that for you. And Chan is a really good chef.

The two of you bonded a lot over the week. Although, you didn’t learn as much about him as he did you. Genuinely, he seemed curious about your life, and given his previous situation, you really didn’t have it in you to voice your annoyance over the issue. What you did manage to find out is vague, but tells you enough about the kind of life Chan has had thus far.

He was created in a laboratory, which is pretty rare for hybrids nowadays, and grew up there. He was thrown in the real world almost three years ago when he was purchased by some guy with a bunch of money. His owner was an asshole (a kind word for you to use honestly) and when he wasn’t beating him, he was neglecting him for days on end and leaving him to fend for himself. That’s how he ended up in that alleyway. The bastard got tired of supporting him and left him to die. You’ve never wished death on anyone before, but this guy really deserves a knife shoved down his throat.

Chan became really quiet after that and sort of shut down for the night. You didn’t mind though. Something like that cannot be easy to remember, much less handle. One thing that almost made you laugh was when Chan expressed his sympathy for the loss of your mother. Although after a while, it made you feel even worse, considering he never even had parents other than the scientists.

Anyway, you made it clear to the hybrid that whatever he decided to do from then on was up to him. You would give him the support he needs either way. However, if he chose to stay with you, you wanted him to at least stay inside the apartment when you weren’t there with him. Hybrids caught traveling without a human escort have two fates: One, they’re taken by the MHA (Miroh Hybrid Association) and put into hybrid adoption centers and pounds, or two, they’re picked up by hybrid traffickers. And even when you took Chan to the store to get some things, a lot of people weren’t happy with the fact he was off a leash. You would never do anything like that to him. And you made that very clear when Chan asked.

You hated the idea of being Chan’s “owner,” which is why adopting a hybrid never interested you in the first place. Unlike most people, you saw hybrids as other types of humans. Sure, their DNA is a lot different, but they still bleed the same color blood. Who are you to collar a hybrid, declare yourself their master and take their freedom away?

You sigh for what seems to be the millionth time in the past hour. Right now, you had no motivation to listen to your psychology professor’s lecture on Freud’s psychoanalytic theory. You already read the chapter over the weekend and completed this week's homework so you were pretty much ahead of the game. You were already studying for your final in a couple weeks. This course was probably the easiest out of your others since it’s based on the textbook. You’re really grateful for that considering you’re not doing the best in your sociology class.

This was the longest time you were away from Chan in the past few days and you didn’t like it one bit. Ever since you walked out the door this morning, your mind couldn’t help but wander to him. You were paranoid about the fact that the hybrid might get himself into some trouble and have no way to contact you. You never gave him your cell phone number, which was stupid on your part. You just hope he’s okay.

Your eyes shift to the clock mounted above the smart board and you have to physically stop yourself from crying out in glee. There was only one minute left until your professor was forced to let you and your classmates run free. You quickly pack your things while also attempting to be as inconspicuous as possible. The last time your professor caught a student packing up early, he had to stay another hour after to help him clean. You can’t afford that today since you promised Chan you would be home in time for dinner.

Once the alarm your professor sets each day before class rings, you’re up out of your seat and making a mad dash for the door. Thankfully, you make it there before the rush occurs and are already outside when everyone else exits the classroom.

You try to keep a fluid pace all the way back to your apartment, but you end up sprinting the final block. When you enter your building, you bid the security guard a quick greeting and slide into the elevator with an elderly couple just when the doors were about to close. The ride takes too long for your liking and once the ding indicating your floor finally sounds, you’re out the machine at lightning speed and fitting the key you already prepared into your door.

When you swing it open, you’re met with an uneasy silence that has your nerves standing on end. Your panic only builds after you call the hybrid’s name and receive no answer. After tossing your bag into its homely corner, you make your way through your apartment, finding both the living room and kitchen empty. Your only other option is Chan’s makeshift bedroom, which used to be your office. You find the door cracked, a single strand of light bleeding into the dim hallway. Hesitantly, you call the hybrid’s name once more and push the door ajar.

Chan was sat at the desk, typing away on your laptop. Beside the computer was a bunch of papers the hybrid had obviously printed out. He was scribbling in a notebook, rather fervidly it seemed. You notice the earbuds you bought him the other day in the wolf ears atop his head and how you could pick up the music blasting through them from where you’re standing. He couldn’t hear you if he tried.

You step into the room and prepare to make your presence known before Chan whirls around in his chair. His eyes immediately find yours and a smile lifts to his lips. He quickly switches off his music and rips the pods from his ears. Still smiling, he hums, “You’re home. Did you just get in?”

“Yeah,” you answer with a grin of your own. It still caught you a little off guard whenever he did things like that. Somehow, he always knew you were there even if he couldn’t hear you calling his name. You move across the room to stand in front of him and continue, “I was thinking about ordering pizza tonight. What do you think?”

Chan nods, “That sounds good. I actually wanted to talk to you about something first.”

“Oh?” Your eyebrows furrow at the odd request. The thought of him possibly leaving makes you sick. He’s only been living in your apartment for a week, but you’ve gotten used to having him around. It’s been hard being by yourself ever since you and your old partner decided to split. Again, you try to ignore the nauseous wave that attacks your stomach and instead say, “Okay. What is it?”

Chan sighs and angles his head to look back at the laptop screen. You’re alarmed by his sudden mood drop and peer over the chair to see what’s stolen his attention. You find an article about an upcoming new exhibit at the Miroh city zoo featuring a never before seen creature. You’re too far away to read anything other than the headline, but you can tell whatever it’s about is extremely important to Chan.

“You remember when I told you I grew up in a lab?”

You nod.

“Well, I wasn’t alone,” Chan reaches across the desk to pick up one of his papers. He checks it before handing it to you, which you accept warily. You lift the piece eye level, glancing across the various sections describing the creation of nine different hybrids. You find what you assume to be Chan:

CB97

Species: Grey Wolf

Creation Date: 10.3.2297

Diet: Meat

Behavior(s) Observed: Calm, patient, only aggressive when provoked

Interaction: Relates well with humans and other hybrids

See page 3 for full report

“I grew up with all eight of them,” Chan explains while you quickly skim through the other reports. “We were like a family.

“Woojin was the oldest after me so he helped me take care of the other boys. He liked to sing too. He had one of the most beautiful voices I’ve ever heard.

“Then there was Minho, the most mischievous and sly guy you’d ever meet. He always found a way to make us laugh, even in the worst of times.

“And Changbin, one of my best friends. He listened to me when no one else would. I remember we used to stay up for hours talking about living freely outside the laboratory… Too bad it didn’t go how we planned.

“Anyway, next were the ‘00 liners: Hyunjin, Jisung, Felix and Seungmin. The best group of people you could ever be stuck in a room with.

“And then our youngest, Jeongin. I worry about him the most. He was so young when I left… All of them were…”

“What happened to them?” You ask.

Chan shakes his head, “I don’t know. We were all separated after they deemed us acceptable to go out into the public. Woojin was the first one to sell, then Seungmin, then me.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Riddled with confusion, you toss the paper back onto the desk and look toward the hybrid expectantly. He holds your gaze for a few seconds, allowing you enough time to catch the desperation and hope embedded within his dark brown irises.

He suddenly turns again, this time reaching for the notebook he was previously writing in. Staring over it, he offers it to you and says, “Here.”

You glance across his messily scrawled notes with a puzzled expression. He had written countless names of different locations, addresses, phone numbers, basically anything you could think of.

You stare at the page, allowing yourself a moment of hesitation before muttering, “You’re going to find them, aren’t you?”

“They’re my family, (Y/N). They’re all I have.”

“You know how dangerous this is, don’t you?” You feverishly shake your head, “Chan, Miroh is the most dangerous place for hybrids. Why do you think I barely let you outside this apartment?”

“I know that, (Y/N),” Chan rises from his seat and grabs your elbows. His sudden touch takes your breath away. “And I will be forever grateful for everything you have done for me. I know you’re a kind person, which is why I’m asking you to help me.”

Your eyes flutter shut when you release a defeated sigh, “What can I do?”

“I just need some supplies and some money. Not a lot, just enough to get me around the city.”

Your eyes shoot open at his request while your head moves to shake back and forth again, “Absolutely not. I am not letting you travel around this city by yourself.”

“(Y/N)-”

“-Don’t argue with me on this, Chan.” You notice Chan’s ears flick in annoyance, but continue to make your case anyway. Like hell are you going to allow him to lead himself into a death trap. “I’ll help you find your brothers. But there’s no guarantee I’m going to be able to keep all of you safe here.”

The hybrid shakes his head, “Don’t worry about that. Once I find everyone, we’re going to find Yellow Wood.”

“Yellow Wood-” Your eyes widen at the mention of the foreign place. From your knowledge, Yellow Wood is a place outside of Miroh where hybrids are said to be free once they cross the border. The only issue is that it’s considered a myth, since whoever travels the journey to Yellow Wood is never seen again. The path to get there is a death trap, so most assume they die and the government buries their bodies. What a way to go.

“I know it seems crazy,” Chan obviously notices your doubtful expression, “But, I know it’s real.”

“How could you possibly know that?”

“Because,” Chan reaches behind his body to grab his tail. Shocked, you watch as he parts his fur to reveal a bronze key sewn into his flesh. He continues, “Back in the laboratory when I was on observation, this one person came to see me.

“They told me that I didn’t belong in this world and that I needed to get out as soon as possible before it’s too late. They gave me this key and told me to find the door that leads down to Hell.”

You scoff, “Great. That easy, huh?”

“(Y/N), please. At least try to believe me.”

Chan’s pleading expression has your stubbornness wavering, especially combined with the sad eyes he bestows upon you. You so badly wanted to believe him, but it’s not that easy. How can you believe in a place that has no evidence of existence?

“I-I don’t think it’s a good idea,” The hybrid’s face falls at your retort. Although, you continue, “We’ll talk about it more when we get there. Right now, we have to work to get there first.”

His mood immediately lifts at the mention of the current situation. He nods in agreement, gesturing toward the paper still between your fingers, “I know for sure where Seungmin is. Before he was taken away, I was able to get the name of the person who bought him.”

“Okay, great. We just need to figure out how to get to him.” Easier said than done.

“I have somewhat of a plan. But, I need your word, (Y/N).” Chan places his hands on your shoulders this time, staring straight into your eyes. You feel your pulse race at his sudden gaze, hoping the hybrid wouldn’t notice the sudden change in your body.

“I trust you, a lot more than I really should. But I need to know that you’re with me. No matter what.”

You don’t hesitate, “You have my word, Chan. Let’s go find your brothers.”

“Stray Kids,” He corrects with a chuckle. “We used to call ourselves Stray Kids.”

You nod, “Okay.

“Let’s go find Stray Kids.”

[atlas-of-a-human-soul]

Non disclosure agreement

Summary: Ethan brings home a non disclosure agreement, which starts a fight that will make the agreement obsolete.

Warnings: ANGST, bit of fluff and mentions of smut

I've always believed Ethan and I were meant to be. As silly as it sounds, the moment I first heard his voice I knew. I just knew I'd want to listen to his voice for the rest of my life, whether it be rambling about how he's going to mess with his twin brother or how aliens and area 51 are real, even his tone deaf singing at every hour. I knew I wanted it every day, all the time and only with him.

Pun intended.

So, finally having a chance to be officially his and on his initiative after a year of being flirty and wistful looks, those 'I don't want you to be with anyone else, but I'm not sure I can commit' heartbreaks and stolen kisses that were only because 'I was curious' excuses. We were never just friends, but if felt good to finally acknowledge that.

"You're cooking, munch?" Ethan wrapped an arm around my waist, his hand pulling me back and into him. Flush against him, I could tell he's excited to see me and he didn't bother hiding it. Hovering his lips over my right ear, his breath both tickling and enticingly forcing my heart on a speed that matches a racecar driver in his prime.

"If you keep on teasing, the dinner will burn." I lean into him, closing my hand over his forearm and resting the back of my head on his right shoulder.

"I'm already burnt. In my desire for you." Rolling my eyes at his cheesy response and the subsequent chuckle that followed, I angle my head to place a feather light kiss on his jaw.

"Let's go to bed and have some fun." Ethan suggests, kinking his eyebrow until I feel butterflies swarming my stomach.

"You gotta eat, silly." Not a second passed as I uttered the words, when he spun me around in his arms and tilted my head with a finger on my chin. His eyes darkened, tongue just glazed over his rosy lips.

"Oh, I'll be eating alright." Heat rushed to my face, his words hitting the mark as I could feel myself getting wet without a single touch. That's the power Ethan Dolan has over me.

"For dessert, sure." Winking, I manage to peel myself off him only to enjoy the chuckle he awarded me with.

Ethan shuffles over to the table, leaning against it.

"Then we can talk first."

Without turning around, I check the oven and respond absentmindedly as I'm still trying to cool down from our previous interaction.

"What about?"

I hear him place something on the table considering it made a light thud, attracting my attention.

"What is that?" My eyes flicker from the pile of papers on the table to a nervous looking Ethan who is fidgeting with a 'boob' pen I got him months ago because it was breast cancer awareness month and they were handing out pens that quite literally had a boob on its top.

"Just a few things to sign. I went over everything with my lawyers, it's standard procedure." Ethan's voice sounds calm, unshaken, but the speed he chose to speak on betrays him.

"Standard procedure for what?" I step closer, knitting my eyebrows together as I stare at the giant bundle of nerves before me. What is he up to?

"For dating me. Or Gray. Or anyone famous really." Short, precise answers, devoid of emotion. I know what he's aiming at, all of it so abundantly clear now, but I need him to say it.

"Ethan Grant Dolan, what are those papers and who are they for?" Folding my arms over my chest, I hear myself speak with a tone much sharper than I usually use on Ethan. I watch him as his lips part and eyes widen ever so slightly as he feels my anger grow. His left eye twitches, his right hand running through his hair anxiously.

"It's an NDA. But it's", I interject, stepping closer once more.

"Standard procedure, like you said." Finishing his rehearsed statement for him, I watch his lips twitch into a small smile and his face relax, followed by a sigh.

"Oh, good. You understand. Grayson said you'd flip your shit if I brought it up, much less asked you to sign." His smile grew, while I stood frozen in my spot, slowly tapping my foot against the hardwood floors.

"You want me to sign a non disclosure agreement?" I ask to clarify once more, making sure I have the right intel before reacting accordingly.

"It's what the papers are for. Just sign it and lets continue on with our night." Swaying his hips, he saunters over to me, placing a hand on each of my hips and leaning down to make eye contact. Staring at his chest, I feel physically ill with his touch I craved not too long ago. My stomach is in knots, my mind in overdrive and my heart...my heart aches as if he just punched a hole through my chest.

"Munchkin?" His sweet voice feels sour now, the nickname he made for me almost cruel.

"Is that what this relationship boils down to? Is that what I mean to you?" My voice is weaker than I anticipated, cracking and shaking like never before. My eyes are dry, but I can tell tears are coming.

"What do you mean?" He frowns deeply, his forehead wrinkling. Lips parted, his fingers dig just a little deeper into my skin through the thin fabric of my dress.

"Don't play dumb, Ethan." Wiggling out of his touch, pushing him back with my left hand, I walk around him and grab the stack of papers on the table before shaking it in front of his face.

"Am I just an NDA to you? Something to play with while you're bored only to exchange me when I get too real? At least I'll be legally bound to shut my mouth, right? At least there won't be any loose ends when we're done, right?" Slamming the papers back on the table, I shake my head vehemently and put a hand over my chest, the other on my hip.

"What? That's not even...what the hell are you talking about?" Raising his voice slightly, Ethan rubs his forehead as if the words I spoke confuse him, baffle him into a headache.

"A non disclosure agreement means you don't trust me. You don't trust me to love you. To keep your, no - our secrets. You don't trust that we are the real deal. A non disclosure agreement means our relationship has a time stamp - an expiration date!" In all my time with Ethan Dolan, he has never aggravated me to the point of blatantly shouting what's on my mind. He had never wounded me so much that I struggled to breathe because not only is the lump in my throat too grave for any air to pass properly, but my lungs seem to be filled with blood that spilled over from my broken heart.

"I TRUST YOU!" Ethan shouts back and I find myself flinching and taking a step back. One thing I learned about the twins is that Grayson is the one who shouts and reacts abruptly without thinking, but it's harmless and passes quickly. Ethan is the one who shouts only when he loses control and he's unpredictable, wild and untamed. He is the patient one, so when he loses his temper, it can be deadly. I don't think he'd hurt me, but I also know he's seeing red and he could accidentally burn me with the flames of his blinding rage.

"No, you don't!" But I can't help myself. I'm baiting him, pushing him too far. The wreckage of my heart demands me to release the pain before the tidal wave of hurt destroys me.

"If you did, you wouldn't find it necessary to legally bind my trust!" Unable to stop the loud, shaky, breaking breath from escaping me, my chin trembles and my lips quiver and my eyes are now swimming in unshed tears of the ruin he caused.

Silence.

It befalls the room as he stares at me with narrowed eyes and clenched jaw, gritting his teeth in his attempt to take control over his temper. He steps closer to me way too fast for me to move out the way and he slams his hand on top of the stack on the table beside me.

"If you care for me, you will sign these papers." He says through gritted teeth, voice low and husky. I glance at his hand, seeing the pen I gave him has snapped during his rage, laying on top of the stack.

Turning to face him, I drag in a shaky breath and try to ignore tears pooling in my eyes. I meet his gaze confidently, lips pressed together in a pout that stops me from wailing out loud.

I've waited for so long to have this man. My heart told me he's the one. My brain didn't fight my stupid heart on it for the first time. He warned me he has issues committing. He warned me people usually break his heart and his trust is hard to earn, but I believed after a year of courting, I've earned my place in his heart.

"If you care for me at all, you wouldn't ask this of me." I sound frail, like a daisy in the eye of a hurricane.

"If you care about an NDA more than me, I suppose that's fine too. At least I know now where I belong in your world." Tears blur my vision, but I can still see the lines of his handsome face soften. It's a quiet change, so small one would miss it had they not spent so much time as I have just studying every inch of his face.

"And I don't want to be a part of your world anymore. I deserve someone who will put me front and center, not keep me chained to a wall in the darkness of the furthest place in their heart." Slipping past him, I make my way to the door just as he even signals the dinner is ready. Struggling not to spare him a glance, I walk out the home I left my heart at - hammered into a million shards of porcelain.

Part two

Tags: @accalialionheart @xalayx @fallinginlove-16 @heyits-claire @godlydolans @ethanhes

[trashyswitch]

A Little Magic to Help the Days Go By

Day 1: Butterflies!

The Coronavirus is forcing people to stay inside, and not everyone is pleased about this. So, Roman tries to make the slow days easier with a little bit of magic...

T.S’s Notes: I know a lot of people are trying to get away from the whole 'CO-VID19 Paranoia' thing, but I want to turn it into something positive with this fic. I think we all need a bit of magic in our lives, especially right now.

Everybody in the U.S.A is being forced to stay indoors. Medium/large gatherings are prohibited until further notice. No one should leave their house unless absolutely necessary. Those who leave the house are instructed to wash their hands really good and to resume previous instructions. The cleaning product sections are all empty in the local grocery stores, and so is some of the produce. People are rationing and finding things to do in their own home. Those who struggle with staying still and being in the house, are being forced to either deal with that issue in the safety of their homes, or risk their chances of catching the deadly virus. Anyone who is immunocompromised, are especially warned to stay in their home, and to wear gloves/use sleeves when they go places. Overall: The world has become a paranoid mess in less than a week, and Thomas doesn't know how to process it.

Introverts, like Virgil, are taking this news in a bittersweet manner. Introverts are always looking for excuses to refuse socializing. Now, they have one. Virgil is perfectly content with being in his room with his spider, listening to heavy metal. But, he's also anxious as can be. He has to keep reminding Thomas to stay inside, refusing to let him go anywhere without some anxiety and paranoia going through his brain. The last thing Virgil wants is for Thomas to get diagnosed with the virus and be close to death.

Logan is a little like Virgil, but with more sweet than bitter. Logan is the definition of unsocial, which means the virus pandemic is doing him some favors. Logan has been taking time to research whatever questions come to his mind, and has caught up on some documentaries he's wanted to watch for months. He's been busy learning all he can in the comfort of his room.

Roman's reaction is more optimistic. He's happy to be running around in the imagination he created for himself. He's had quests, dragon fights, and even invited Remus to have a sword fight with him! And surprisingly, it was really fun!

But Patton...Patton was not enjoying it. He missed Thomas's friends. He wished they could come over like they used to all the time. But...it wasn't allowed. Nothing fun was allowed. Though Disney movies and popcorn were allowed, that was really it. No friends over, no travelling too far away, no nothing. It was unfair. Patton had spent a couple of the days just pouting and crying on his own. It hurt, but it also felt nice to cry.

Meanwhile, it was growing painful for the other sides to see Patton like this. It just...wasn't right. They knew crying was okay, but for this long? That's never happened before. So, Roman made it his personal goal to make him a little happier everyday.

Starting today.

Roman hid behind the opened door, as he peeked in and saw a crying Patton, laying on the bed under the covers. Roman could sense himself ready to cry alongside him. He's been like this for almost a week. It's felt like forever since Patton's baked something in the kitchen. Perhaps some magic will cheer him up? Roman knew just the thing...

Patton laid in his blue bed in the darkness. He didn't feel like doing anything, except staying here to be comfortable. He knew it wasn't realistic. He knew he'd have to get up at some point to eat and go to the washroom. But for now, Patton closed his eyes as he laid down in his warm, comforting bed.

...He was so bored and saddened, that he didn't even notice his floor was changing color. His grey carpet had slowly turning brown, and grass was starting to sprout out of the ground. It was only when Patton smelled a flowery scent, that he finally opened his eyes. Patton gasped as big, enthusiastic smile grew onto his face! It was the biggest smile he had ever mustered up in over a week! Patton couldn't believe it! His room was covered in colorful flowers! They were all gorgeous, and pretty-smelling!

Flowers of all sizes, colors, types, and shapes were growing in his room! Butterfly Bushes, Cone Flowers, Phlox's, Lantana's, Marigolds, Black-eyed Susans, Blazing Heart Flowers, even Lavenders were growing there! It was the lavender scent that Patton actually opened up his eyes to. Patton slowly sat up in his bed, and looked at the flowers beside him. There were Chocolate Cosmos' and Lavenders growing beside him! Patton happily squealed before smelling them. They smelled so pretty!

How this was happening, Patton had no idea! But, that didn't matter! Patton knew what these flowers had in common: They attracted butterflies! So, where were the butterflies? Patton looked at each one, looking for any signs of butterflies.

Suddenly, Patton could hear the sound of twinkling magic! Patton turned around towards the source of the sound: Sure enough, there were sunflowers with monarch butterflies on them! Patton squealed and clapped his hands excitedly. Patton placed his finger slowly, but closely to the sunflower. Amazingly, one of the butterflies climbed onto Patton's finger! Patton was now holding a butterfly on his finger!

Patton giggled. "Hi! I'm Patton!" the father greeted. Another butterfly, a yellow and black one, flew itself over to Patton's shoulder! Patton bit his lip as he tried to stay as still as possible, as to not disturb it.

Soon, another butterfly came flying over from across the room! Patton's face froze as the butterfly landed on his hair! Patton slowly lifted his free hand up to his head, and showed it his index finger. The butterfly hopped itself onto Patton's finger, ready to be lifted up to him. Patton slowly carried the butterfly towards his face, and looked at it: It was a sky blue butterfly, with an outline of black pokadots on the outside of its wings, and an outline of black surrounding the dots. Lastly, there was an outline of white outlining the black! It was so pretty!

Unexpectedly, the monarch that was on his finger, hopped off and onto his shirt. It climbed his shirt up to his collar, before fluttering its wings up to Patton's nose! Patton went cross-eyed, to see the butterfly. The content monarch moved its wings open and closed to show Patton what its wings look like up close! Patton giggled and bit his lip nervously. This has never happened to him before! The butterfly's tiny skittery legs tickled the surface of his nose. It was so cute!

"Hi! Do you like my nose?" Patton asked curiously. It felt so weird to have 4 little butterflies on his body. Soon, the butterflies flew off him and onto some of the flowers surrounding him. Patton was so happy! There were so many butterflies! It was so cool!

Patton gasped as he realized who would love this: Logan!

"Logan! Logan!" Patton cheered excitedly, as he headed for the door. He opened his door, and sprinted out. Patton ran towards Logan's door, and began ramming on the door excitedly. "Logan! Come here! You HAVE to come see this!" Patton pleaded excitedly. Logan opened his door, and just about exploded in happiness. Patton was standing in front of his room, a glimmer of happiness in his eyes, and a huge smile on his face! How- Is Patton feeling better? How did he get out of his sad little funk?!

"What-" Was all Logan could get out of his mouth, before being interrupted.

"What do you know about butterflies?" Patton asked quickly.

Logan stumbled on his words for a second. "B-butterflies, you said?" Logan clarified.

Patton nodded his head eagerly. "Yes! What do you know about them?" Patton repeated.

Logan stumbled with his words as he attempted to create an answer for the suddenly enthusiastic Patton.

"I-I can name them off, based on their wing colors and shape-" Logan explained.

"Great!" Patton shouted, before grabbing his wrist and pulling him out of his room. "Follow me! There's something AMAZING I wanna show you!" Patton shouted as he pulled Logan with him.

"WAIT! PATTON! WHERE ARE WE-"

"TO MY ROOM! IT'S IN MY ROOM!" Patton replied excitedly. Logan quickened his feet to try and catch up with the witty father. As soon as they got to his room door, Patton stopped Logan's body by pushing lightly with his hand. Then, Patton slowly opened the door, and smiled as the flowers and butterflies filled his room still. Patton quietly told Logan to come in. Logan's left eyebrow raised, but he followed him into the room anyway.

Logan's eyes widened, as he observed the world around Patton's room: The whole room was filled to the brim with flowers and butterflies! It was absolutely gorgeous! He's never seen anything like it! Sure, Logan has red books on butterfly greenhouses before, but a butterfly greenhouse in Patton's room?! Who's heard of such a thing?!

"Hi buddy! Look! I brought a friend!" Patton cheered as he looked at the medium-sized monarch. Logan's eyes widened as he adjusted his glasses. This can't be real...This has to be Roman's imagination! Who else could create such beauty in under 10 minutes?! "This is Logan!" Patton introduced, bring the butterfly closer to Logan's eyes.

Logan let a small grin grow onto his face, as he lifted his right finger up to Patton's. Unexpectedly, the butterfly flew onto Logan's finger! Logan's smile grew wider as short gasp entered his lungs. Logan slowly brought his other free hand underneath the finger, to keep the butterfly safe. "Hi." Logan quietly greeted. The butterfly slowly opened and closed its wings, revealing its orange and black wingspan. It was so pretty. Logan couldn't fathom it. All he could do, as stare at it in awe, as it opened its wings again. Soon, the butterfly slowly walked itself up Logan's finger, up his hand, and onto his lower arm. It was so calming seeing such a beautiful creature on his arm.

Suddenly, Patton walked into Logan's view with several, different colored butterflies on his body. There were 8 butterflies: 2 on each arm, one on each index finger, one on his head, and even a tiny white one on his glasses! Patton looked so happy! He giggled as one of the butterflies on his right arm began skittering down his arm. The white, light orange and black butterfly flew off of Patton, and onto Logan's reached-out arm.

"A White Peacock butterfly." Logan thought aloud.

Patton gasped, and looked up to the butterfly on his glasses. "That's a Cassius Blue butterfly." Logan told Patton.

Patton gasped again excitedly. "Really?" Patton asked.

Logan nodded, before pointing at the butterfly on Patton's head. That one, on your head, is an Orange Sulphur butterfly." Logan stated.

"Is it orange?" Patton asked, unable to see the butterfly that was standing on his hair.

"Kind of...it's more of a yellow color." Logan replied. He pointed at the now-single butterfly on Patton's right arm. "That one is a Great Purple Hairstreak." Logan told him. Patton looked at it.

"That streak isn't purple, it's blue!" Patton corrected.

"I know it's blue. The name is what's stating it's purple." Logan explained.

Patton narrowed his his eyes with a smirk. "It sounds like the people who named these butterflies, were colorblind when they named them." Patton commented.

Logan chuckled as he watched the monarch butterfly walk up his arm further. "Perhaps they were." Logan agreed.

As they explored the different butterflies in the room, Patton happily listened as Logan named each type of butterfly off by heart and told him little facts about them.

"Here's something coincidental: all of the butterflies in your room are native to this state." Logan told him.

"Really? They originated in Florida?" Patton asked. Logan nodded in response.

Patton looked at a purple and black butterfly, that was collecting nectar from the lavenders. "This purple butterfly reminds me of Virgil." Patton stated.

Logan knelt down beside him, and observed the butterfly in its natural habitat. "This butterfly is called a Purple Emperor." Logan told him.

Patton giggled. "It's beautiful." Patton said with a smile. Logan watched as a yellow, lime green and black butterfly on a Chocolate Cosmos flower nearby. "That one is a Golden Birdwing. It kinda reminds me of Deceit..." Logan stated. Patton turned his head to the side slightly, as he looked at the butterfly. Slowly, Patton lifted hi finger up, and let the butterfly land on his finger. When the butterfly opened its wings, Patton observed them and smiled.

"You're right: It does remind me of Deceit." Patton stated with a grin. "Just put a tiny hat on him, and you'd get Deceit." Patton added.

Logan giggled at the extra comment.

Patton gasped; He suddenly got an idea! Patton got up and let the Golden Birdwing fly off his finger. Then, Patton looked around for a certain butterfly. When he found it, he slowly got the butterfly to get onto his finger. It took a few extra tries (this butterfly was stubborn), but Patton managed to carry back an outstanding-looking butterfly on his finger!

"Here's Roman!" Patton cheered. Logan's eyes widened at the sheer beauty of the butterfly in Patton's grasp: It was a hot pink color, with a mix of light purples mixed into the inner top of the wingspans. It was perfect for him!

"A Noble Leafwing. Good choice!" Logan told Patton.

Patton placed the butterfly onto the lavenders and looked around for a blue butterfly. It wasn't that hard, unsurprisingly. Soon, Patton had come back with a large black and blue butterfly. "Logan!" Patton called, grabbing his finger, and lowering the butterfly onto Logan's finger. "It's you!" Patton said excitedly.

Logan looked at the butterfly with a big grin. "A blue morpho?" Logan asked.

"Yeah! Logan the Nerdy Morpho." Patton stated proudly. Logan took one more peek at the butterfly, before placing it on his pocket. The butterfly locked its tiny feet onto the pocket flap, and opened its wings.

"Logan the Nerdy Morpho: at your service." Logan stated. Patton giggled happily and gave Logan a toothy smile.

"Yes! It's so cute!" Patton reacted.

To add to the butterfly party, Logan grabbed a monarch butterfly, and placed it on Patton's grey tied sweater. Patton's eyes widened as he looked down at the butterfly. "There. Patton: King of the Monarchs." Logan presented. Patton gasped happily. His reaction was so wholesome! Patton's eyes practically glittered with excitement from the light! He looked like he was gonna die of cuteness overload!

"I'm a kiiiing..." Patton whispered excitedly. Logan chuckled and shook his head with a smile.

"Do you wanna collect some flowers for the kitchen table?" Logan asked. Patton's lips closed to hide his teeth, before nodding his head. Logan conjured up some scissors to cut the flowers and fill their hand.

20 minutes later:

Patton and Logan looked at the flowers they collected.

"Hey Patton. Feeling better?" Virgil asked. Patton looked over to him, and nodded.

"Look what I collected!" Patton said, pointing to the vase of flowers.

Wow...those are pretty! Where did you get them?" Virgil asked.

"From my room." Patton replied, casually. Virgil froze. His room?! How does THAT work?!

A couple seconds later, Roman walked in. Upon seeing Patton out of his room and looking at the flowers (Roman's flowers), Roman ran up to him and gave him a big hug from behind. "You're okay!" Roman reacted.

Patton giggled in response. "Yeah, I am!" Patton replied.

"And you're collecting flowers again!" Roman reacted.

"Yup! The table looked like it needed it." Patton admitted.

"It's really nice!" Roman said.

"Thank you! Logan helped!" Patton told him.

"Really? Good job, Logan." Roman said, grabbing his shoulder and winking as he walked by.

Logan blinked and widened his eyes when he realized something:

It was Roman's doing! That explained everything. And now, Logan's in on his secret as well.

Here's some links for where I got the inspiration:

Virgil's butterfly: 

https://the-ghost-of-pastels.tumblr.com/image/183946971862

Roman's Butterfly: 

https://the-ghost-of-pastels.tumblr.com/image/183946010202

Deceit's Butterfly: 

https://the-ghost-of-pastels.tumblr.com/image/183944038382

Logan's Butterfly: 

https://the-ghost-of-pastels.tumblr.com/image/183943297077

Patton's Butterfly: 

https://the-ghost-of-pastels.tumblr.com/image/183942152672

Credit goes to @the-ghost-of-pastels!

[pineaberry]

Fictober 2019: #17

Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Inspired by all the Quinn love on my dash, here it is:

The Transponder Station Pt. 4: THE THRILLING CONCLUSION

Pt. 1 Found Here: [X]

Pt. 2 Found Here: [X]

Pt. 3 Found Here: [X]

________________________

With some difficulty Malavai managed to focus on the present. The vibroblade handle had skittered across the floor meaning the blade was still inside her. Her belt had tightened around the wound keeping it closed, she must have loosened it. His mind scanned the crew. He would need help, who could he trust to remain calm regardless of whatever dark turn this took?

Broonmark was out of the question. The creature was all fur with claws were too clumsy for something so precise, plus he wouldn’t put it past the savage to try and eat his fallen leader or something equally primitive. Pierce had seen blood before, he might be the least squeamish. Though the bruiser about as dexterous and intelligent as the Talz, he would no doubt recognize the blade and put two and two together. No, that was a confrontation he didn’t want to have while Tremas bled out on the table. Jaesa could help, if she could avoid distress long enough to not to trigger her powers. He wasn’t sure he wanted that kind of observation or that it wouldn’t cause her to do something rash.

Selfish, a voice echoed in his thoughts. She’s dying and all you can think of is keeping up the charade.

Shame filled him but still, coward that he was, he hid behind the fact that he had to save Lord Tremas. If nothing more, he needed to undo the damage he had caused. He turned to the crew exuding the very image of military detachment.

“Everyone out! Vette, you’re with me. Remove her armor while I prep a kolto drip,” he ordered. The Twi’lek was the only one who would allow him to keep breathing should she decipher the truth. Worst case scenario, she was the one easiest to subdue should things go south in the medical bay.

He worked quickly using his medical scanner to find the internal damage. The blade was deeply wedged, but it had thankfully missed her vital organs. He clenched his jaw as the kolto drip mitigated some of the blood loss. The blade would have to be extracted, thankfully the oscillation module on the blade’s handle had been severed quickly by her lightsaber rendering the vibroknife a relatively less deadly knife. He had Vette clean the burn-mark on her face with a kolto infused bandage before going through the painstaking process of removing the blade. Blood streaked metal soon emerged from the tear on her side. 

Unbidden memories of rainy days at Dromund Kaas filtered past his emotional shield as he saw the blade emerge from Tremas’ form. He’d been on his way to procure supplies, a simple enough venture back when there had been only three passengers on board, when out of the blue she had declared that they were all of them going shopping. No doubt their exploits on Nar Shadaa had provided a windfall of credits for her. His Lord had given what had been, in his opinion, an obscene stipend to her Twi’lek slave. He remembered noting how generous she was with her money in contrast to other Siths who had a tendency to hoard their riches. He had attempted to remain calm and professional throughout the trip though he did crack a smile when she saw Tremas’ eye the purple kyber crystals excitedly. His own military stipend allowed for little more than the purchase of an extra uniform, and perhaps an upgrade module for his blaster. His recent promotion and its boost in salary had been stalled going on two cycles, no doubt held up by someone with an ax to grind. And so he had whiled the hours away following his two shipmates and carrying their purchases.

Tremas had insisted on taking them to an expensive bistro high atop a skyscraper overlooking the Imperial Citadel. He'd learned of her taste for green fire sauce, and she of his fondness for Trammistan chocolates and Kopi tea. It was the first time he had felt completely free of the ever present stress after Drukenwell. 

At the end of the day, after setting a course for Tattooine, he'd found a black glossy storage case in his quarters. Upon closer inspection he came to see“M. Quinn” was etched on the side in silver script. After inspecting it for explosives or similarly unwelcome surprises, he opened it to find several sets of clothes and a pair of heavy boots. They were not the standard military issue, but luxury items reinforced with armor, weapon, and even cooling modules. Not only that but there was also a new high end blaster, field medical kit, even a new datapad and to top it all off, the vibroknife he had been eyeing longingly while she’d been bartering for purple crystals. 

She smiled when he mentioned it, of course, as though it were all just a game. He hadn’t wished to be a burden, and he had every intention of supporting himself.

“I’ll not have my Captain traversing the galaxy in rags and tatters.”

It made sense of course, to give him the best tools for the job. He would have believed it was only that, save for the knife. He had no use for it on the field.

“The vibroknife is unnecessary, my Lord. I will not require it to serve you.”

“But you wanted it, Quinn. That’s reason enough. It’s called a gift, welcome aboard.”

He wanted it. That was the only motivation. He wanted it, so she provided it with no strings attached, no ulterior motive. It was such a pure, simple thing, and yet it struck a chord deep inside him that his throat constricted. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had spared a thought about what he wanted.

“I am… overwhelmed, my Lord...”

The memory was cut short as he heard someone sniffling. Vette had begun to cry. Her blue fingertips smoothed dark locks back from ghostly white skin. The stench of blood and kolto was everywhere.

“Please hang on…” she sniffled and it took all of Quinn’s willpower not to break down and cling to Tremas' form like a frightened child. It was his doing. This was what he had strived for since he’d left Balmorra. Yet all he wanted to do was die of shame and guilt.

He sprayed a layer of kolto to seal the wound on her side stemming the blood flow and starting the healing process, before preparing the tank. His hands shook as he prepared her for immersion. He’d done this to her. Every fragile breath, every weakened heartbeat was evidence of his betrayal.

My Lord... my love. Please don’t die.

Idiot. He was an idiot. She could have killed him any number of ways, quick and efficient. Instead she had vented her rage on the droids, allowing him to wear her down to this state. Even then she hadn’t attacked. She could have executed him at once and she didn’t attack.

Even lunging at her should have been easy to block but she… she allowed him near. She had allowed him to wound her to the point of death. Meanwhile, here the traitor stood with only a few minor scrapes and bruises to show for the exchange. He’d mutilated her and in turn, she’d given him his life back. 

Nausea turned his stomach as he felt the slickness of her blood on his hands. Her skin was ice cold and wrong. She who always held his hands and thawed them now lay on a medical bed drained of warmth. Vette was trying to hold back tears as she stood by the Kolto tank.

“What happened out there?” she asked quietly, looking at the Sith Lord floating inside.

He felt a lump in his throat and the prepared words didn’t come. Instead he turned away and attempted to wash his hands wishing his sins could be so easily erased. Vette looked down and saw the ornate blade coated in her friend’s blood. She may have been a lot of things, but she wasn’t stupid. Her gaze fell on the man currently looking as though he were about to retch. Her blood stained his uniform, a fitting image for the things he had done.

“Baras… Baras happened,” the words were like acid on his tongue. Not entirely a lie, no. But his part in the entire sordid affair made the next few words feel like hot coals against his heart, “my Lord was caught by surprise.”

 "You're her tactician! You led her into a trap  and then you just left her? She was bleeding out when she came in! You are supposed to be her support! What kind of field medic just leaves?!"

"My lord ordered me back to the ship before I could analyze her wounds," he said and his words were tainted with the realization that she had probably thought he would take advantage of her wounded state. His heart felt as though it were being crushed under the weight of his guilt. "Even after my failure... my Lord protected me from Baras. This is my fault..."

Until her last breath. Her last words had been spent clearing him of any fault, securing his position with her crew. He was unworthy of her. Whether it was his defeated posture, or the obvious remorse in his voice, his reply was enough to quell any more questions from Vette.

“Yeah, that sounds like her,” she said with a sad little smile, “you know, when I first met her, I thought she looked exactly like what a Sith is supposed to look like. Tall, proud, like she’d never had anyone tell her what to do. I resented her, I hated her... even when she went out of her way to be kind. 

"Then his Tubbiness sent us into a creepy tomb to recover a relic or something. I’d tried to go there myself before and it had been nearly impossible, but with her… it was like taking a stroll on the beach. She kept talking to me even joking but I kept treating her like she was just another weird Sith. After she got the thingie, I hoped to give her the slip. I lagged behind, but got jumped by a pair of crazy Sithlings before I could get very far. I was done for, I knew it. But then she was suddenly there in front of me. Tremas took a lightning blast to the chest to protect me. Shook the pair off like it was nothing, and told me to not to wander off because it was too dangerous. 

“She acted like it had been normal, but I saw the damage at the next medical station. I saw what it’d done to her. She'd taken that blast, and didn't even punish me. When I asked her why she’d saved me said: ‘Because you were afraid.’ Can you imagine it? A Sith stepping in front of a blast of lightning just because some slave girl is scared. I told her she was crazy but after that, I don't think I ever felt safer than when she's around. There’s just something about her. She puts herself in danger constantly for us, I think, we take it for granted sometimes. Everyone sees an undefeated Sith Lord, the Emperor's Wrath, I think... sometimes... we see her like that too and we forget she's a person.”

“I would be a fool to forget,” he said barely above a whisper. He monitored her vitals and avoided Vette's eyes. Hopefully, she would interpret his guilt as a result of his inability to support her properly. “There is little else we can do. You should go inform the others.”

“What about you?” Vette asked obviously trying to determined if he was injured.

“I'm fine, I'll stay here and monitor her progress.”

 Vette eyed him for a moment before reluctantly leaving Malavai with his thoughts. The crew was waiting just beyond the door, and far too late did she realize her clothes were stained with blood. They bombarded her with questions most of which she wasn't sure herself.

For all of its miraculous properties the kolto was working far too slowly for his tastes. She couldn't die, not now... not after having spared him... not after everything they'd done together... not by his hand... His fingers were curled into tight fists to keep himself from shaking.

How little you must think of me. Exactly how stupid did you think I was?

She had known all along and still accepted him. She had known and still had hoped that he would ultimately make the right choice. He had failed her.

It all became too much and he ran to retch in the refresher.

________________________

Read More About Tremas HERE!

Original Fictober Promp List HERE!

[staghunters]

Some basic info about the new Coronavirus

I felt the need to make this post as I see a lot of people speaking of outbreaks near them and being afraid of getting an infection, usually based on rumours or mis-information. I’ve decided to compile verified info about all this in the hopes of giving a clear and maybe stress reducing overview of what the virus actually is.

I am dutch and I have mostly been informed through dutch news sources, but I try to find as many english sources as possible.

What is A coronavirus?

A very common misconception is that this virus named the coronavirus. Corona however refers to the Type of virus it is. Corona refers to the look of the virus at it has little bumbs around the cells. The virus that is active in China is a new virus within the Corona family. A coronavirus typically causes infections in the respiratory tract area, which seems to be the case with the new virus as well.

the wikipedia article

Is the new coronavirus deadly?

In the general sense, no the new corona does not have to be lethal. As of now there are on a worldwide basis approx. 4500 people infected with currently 106 deaths. Most of these are located in China and the Wuhan region where the outbreak was. A majority of the deaths concerned people of old age and/or with pre-existing health issues.

A Dutch article from 28-1 on the numbers

In case you do get the new coronavirus there is no reason to panic. The virus causes infections in the lung area and can very from a mild flu to a lung inflamation. There are no medications/vaccinations available but through symptom treatment people have recovered from an infection. A study on 41 patients showed that 28 (68%) was fit to leave the hospital after treatment.

I don’t live in China, but I’m worried there might be an outbreak nearby.

The chances of you personally getting infected are very slim. So far every infection outside of the Wuhan area concernded people who have been to the city and in some cases direct family members.

Here is a map of the number of infections. As I before stated a different number in terms of total infection, the number in China should be taken with a grain of salt. The numbers outside of that have been confirmed in multiple sources.

There has been an additional infection in Germany but that person has been in Wuhan, is in quarantine and in good health. Of the persons in France it concerns two people who have been in Wuhan, and one direct family member. All have also been put in quarantine.

As you may note the number of infections outside China is below 10 per country. In most cases these are registered numbers which means the people are under supervision. When a person goes to the hospital with symptoms it is very likely that they will be put in quarantine as soon as possible.

Unless you have been to Wuhan or know someone in your daily life that has been to Wuhan there is no reason to fear for an outbreak/infection.

What measures can I take to prevent infection?

Corona is a type of virus that infects the lung area, and can therefore be considered a virus that spreads through the air. Mouth caps have been listed as the main countermeasure, but unless it closes around the nose it will not do very much.

Cleaning hands regularly is also going around as a countermeasure, but as stated before Corona is airborne so it is very unlikely it is spread through direct contact.

Mail and packages from China have been the cause of some worry, but it has been noted that Corona does not survive on plastic or cardboard surfaces. Outside of a living body it will die out quickly. (Dutch source with a faq)

The outbreak of the infection in a Wuhan market does not lie in the open display of food as some sources may note (this is most likely a tactic to put the blame on chinese market customs). Corona is very often found in bats and the current outbreak is so far linked to a wild cat for sale at the market. This can certainly be true as there is a mutation of corona that infects cats.

In short

There is no reason to panic about a possible infection/outbreak near you. Be aware that there are amateur news outlets who will try to gain something by spreading clickbait and misinformation. I would advise to check multiple official news outlets, even international once if possible, to check if something is happening near you.

So far the virus seems similar to the so-called SARS and MERS viruses from earlier this century, but less lethal based on the current numbers. If you did not hear from/get in contact with those viruses before, you can assume you will be safe from this one.

Again, unless you or someone you meet in your daily life has been in Wuhan the past two months there is no reason to worry. And if you do by any chance get infected there is a relatively high chance you will recover.

[icharchivist]

The organization around this quarantine thing is such a disaster tbh. 

About two weeks ago, two of our teachers were the ones who were especially worried. 

There was the first case of covid19 in the nearby high school, and our uni, being a linguistic one in a region nearby the Italian border, has a lot of connection with centric pandemic regions in Italy, before they even shut down themselves.

Two of our teachers were concerned bc, as we just came home from holidays, a lot of people connected to the Italian branch came back to the uni as well, and nothing was really done about it. 

One of my teacher was especially mad bc there was no soap in the bathrooms of the uni for a week at that time. She told us then that she will no longer note our presences for classes (mandatory esp for those with scholarships), and encouraged us if we were scared, knew we would be weak to the virus (asthma and such), or if we knew people who were, to not go to school anymore. Told us specifically to take pictures of the soapless bathroom so if the administration bothered us, we’d send them picture going “you’re endangering us”

I’m asthmatic. I have a lot of breathing problems in general, due to a nose malformation that makes it hard to breath and flow normally. and i have allergies. Hell my seasonal illness involves coughing, headaches, nothing flowing from the nose, and lung pains, feeling tired, all those stuff. I can’t even bring up how paranoid i am. Latest cycle of said sickness kicked in with a fever which worried my mom and I had to go see a doctor in urgence a couple of days ago. I’m fine. But i feel extremely paranoid. (and it’s not like France is getting us tested wth bloodtest or something - hospitals are overbooked with the pandemy so they only take in people with very urgent symptoms. Even if you get the virus unless you’re going very bad you’re encouraged to stay at home. There’s probably a lot of cases that we don’t know of because of that.)

But anyway school still didn’t stop back then, two weeks ago. We had two teachers who took the time to sit us down and discuss it with us. How the uni was not prepared to handle it. How they both thought the uni should have closed by now, that they’re discussing it, but they don’t want to yet. 

For two weeks all we got as info was that everything was fine. Only need to clean your hands and cough in your arms. But we also had massive announcement just 5 days ago about how it was not even thought of to close schools. To close places with high work going. That we can’t let it stop us and all.

Last Wednesday, there were still clear announcement that there will be no stopping schools or work or anything. Last Friday, we were issued with a message announcing the massive closing of every schools and we were encouraged to stay at home.

Our uni, is, of course, not prepared for it. We got a few homeworks or class by mails with clear messages from our teachers telling us they’re not prepared and we will need to improvise - us students involved. Our exams, that were to happen in April, will be pushed back to May or June. For now.

On Saturday, they encouraged us to still go vote for the Mayor Elections on Sunday. Obviously, more than half of the population didn’t show up. But we were encouraged to do it still.

On Saturday, we were told to no longer go in groups in places. Something that is obvious of course, but a couple of days ago was not even issued. People stayed up late, disregarded the announcement. In the same breath we were told to not go out anywhere with many people, but to go out to do the election on Sunday still.

Mid Sunday, i get a mail from my uni residence saying that people living in those are encouraged to leave their room, whenever definitly or temporary to return to their family during the shut down of the schools.

I didn’t want to, considering my relationships with my family, but this was getting scary. We were still /encouraged/ but not obligated yet. 

I had seen my mom on the Saturday for the doctor so we discussed the possibility, and while not obligated yet, i was a bit scared. I ended up askign my mom to come pick me up. I couldn’t move out *everything* obviously, but i took already 7 bags with me. My mom originally wanted to help me move out on Monday, but the announce scared me enough i wanted to get it done then immediatly.

Sunday evening, they announce they’re going to restrict moving around. Every shops would close. My mom works in administration soe she had to go work monday still. 

Monday my mom’s employer basically tells her to take “holidays” so she doesn’t have to pay her, all while planning to pass all the mails and phonecalls to the agency to my mom’s phone. She’s sent home on Monday.

Monday evening we got the announcement from the gov that we were in complete lockdown. No longer allowed out without a permit. Only allowed to be out for reasons like grocery shopping, going to the pharmacy or doctor, or if you have jobs that are obligated for the good functionment of the country and crisis. (although they did issue you’re allowed to take your dog out but not for long)

We have to go on the gov’s website to ask for a permit. Like Italy i’ve heard. 

We also have a curfew, no longer allowed out until a certain hour.

So now, today, Tuesday, the whole thing is in place. I’ve heard policemen in my street earlier today ask for people’s permit for being out. 

And my uni residence just sent us a mail saying they no longer even tolerate people being inside the residence for the quarantine. We are obligated to move out ASAP, to a family member or such, or leave definitly.  Today, while the gov has issued you can no longer be out without a permit you printed - while, also, we don’t have printers in our residences. 

I feel glad i followed my gut feeling on Sunday to move out bc i have no idea how i could have asked help to move out today with those measures in place.

What i’m trying to get accross is how quickly those measures were taken in the past few days while it’s been a few weeks we’ve been many to worry enough to think dispositions should have been taken earlier. We’ve been thinking about it for weeks at the uni, but suddenly in less than 5 days we went from “we’re not changing a thing” to “quarantine yourself at your parents’s”.

Not to mention our President doing lots of lectures about how we’re At War, A Health War Sure, But At War And We Have To Consider It As Such. Obviously extremely reassuring to hear while you hear about the amount of death and sickness on TV.

Not like the sickness is any better either. I have a friend who’s a nurse in a part of France that is badly affected. Cases with young people starts to degenerate very quickly, even if they had no prior reasons for it to happen. 

We discovered ibuprophen worsen the virus and it brought people who would have no prior situation into critical states to be taken care of.

/young people with no prior situations/, which i think is important to mention since so many people are brushing off the virus in a “it only affect the elderly or people with weak immune system”, as if this wasn’t reason enough to worry, as if we don’t all know multiple people like that around us, as if the 14days incubation period wasn’t terrifying, as if even if we get minor symptoms we don’t get to spread around a sickness that can be deadly for people with a weaker immune system. Well, if it’s so bad to understand the issue yet, i guess thus “young people with no prior situation get into critical situation” should be a wake up call. We don’t know that virus. It’s frightening. 

People get recontaminated too. Which means we don’t get an immunity from healing. We can catch it again. Who knows how that may even go.

My friend, the nurse, says people keep stealing their equipment. They’re shortstaffed, short in materials, they can barely handle the crisis, not helped by the fact it’s been years that the gov keeps cutting health center’s ressources down. We’re not prepared for  a pandemic that way.

Like... I read everyone talk about the panic buyer making it much more of a problem than it is. And while it’s true, it’s overshadowing that this is a Bad Situation, that we know nothing of that virus and it’s scary, and that the gov’s quarantine had been rushed into so much no one knows how to organize themselves around it. 

For now it’s planned for 15 days. god knows how long it will take.

I, asthmatic currently sick with issues breathing, am stuck back with my mom who smokes all the time at home. Both quarantined. I feel lowkey cursed tbh. For years i tried to escape my family, dealing with all the issues that goes with it, and when i finally manage to do so, i get two lawsuits up my ass bc my dad is a douche and then my residence closes up bc of a massive sickness forcing me to go back to my mom’s. 

I don’t know how to focus on my classes bc the organization is chaotic. I’m scared hearing the news. I have trouble breathing all day and while i know it’s nothing, i remain anxious. I don’t know how long i’m gonna stand my mom. Internet gets slower bc of the influx of people locked home to work. 

i don’t care much for being quarantined itself, i can spend days in my home without problems. I don’t like being stuck with my mom and i just don’t like how we’ve been pushed into it in a complete lack of preparation for it. 

I miss my home. 

And it’s just France. Italy and Spain have been in those situations for a while too. 

In a way that makes me even more angry that they didn’t take precaution before while the Italian gov had been warning us for weeks to be careful and take stuff into account before it’s too late. And we still waited, and we still rushed, and now we will blame everyone who is not understanding how thhe gov went from “it’s only a little flu don’t worry, keep going with your life just wash your hands” to “how irresponsable are you not to be in quarantine” in two days. You wonder then why people are panic buying, it’s not like the gov did any work to be crystal clear about the situation. You wonder people are being careless, a couple of days ago they were still told they had no reason to worry and to look down on those who panics.

EDIT: and lmao, i have been saying those stuff for weeks, for about two weeks i say it should have been taken into account, and my mom was pro-keeping-the-mayor-election-going (bc she wuld perhaps get a job out of it) and i told her then i thought it was a very bad idea to keep them going. My mom tried to convince me about how noooo, it was fiiine, we had to have those municipals anyway, “if people can go grocery shopping they can go vote” as our prime minister said, which i found horrifying (buying good is vital, electing a mayor can wait). And my mom kept insisting that it was important. And now, everyone says it was a bad idea to carry them on. Our own election house didn’t take any health precaution. Even my mom is saying “it was a bad idea.” Call me Cassandra bc i Keep Telling Them This Is Gonna Happen and no one ever listen to me and Too Bad. Ffs.

This is a mess of a situation. It’s making me extra anxious. 

But well that’s how it is now I guess. Sighs.

[daylilysirius]

Arms Unfolding: Year One

A/N: here’s the first proper part, hope you enjoy! also, a couple of people asked to be tagged so I'll start a taglist for this series, if you want to be added let me know!

Pairing: Draco Malfoy x Slytherin! Reader

Warnings: none

Word count: 1721

- MASTERLIST IN BIO -

Your first few months at Hogwarts had flown by. A flurry of flying lessons, potions classes and quidditch matches and before you knew it you were into a new term.

The Christmas holidays had been fairly uneventful for you. Your father’s side of the family were still giddy about the prestige that they thought you carrying on their Slytherin heritage brought them. A lot of your time was spent sat with your mother, who couldn’t care less about you all being part of the ‘Sacred Twenty-Eight’, giggling at your father as he sat trapped with his parents droning on about bloodlines as he kept shooting you both pleading, please come and help me looks. Your parents might have been purebloods, but to them that was nothing but a label. The other hot topic was you being in the same year as the youngest member of the Malfoy clan. Being part of such a wealthy and influential family put Draco at the top of the food chain so to speak, and your grandparents were eager to know as much about him as possible.

Thankfully your initial fluster around him had died down, although your mother still teased you about the little puppy crush you had written to her about, and you and Draco had fallen into a fairly easy friendship. You didn’t let him boss you around like he did his other little gang members, and although sometimes it caused some tension between the two of you, Draco was ultimately fond of your strong nature. You were prideful but kind-hearted in a way he had never experienced before.

However, not everyone was so fond of your passionate nature and it had taken you a while to settle in with the rest of your peers outside of your housemates. Hermione Granger, who you had first met on the train, took a liking to you fairly quickly however. After being paired up in charms class you realised you made quite a team, you had a lot in common considering your different backgrounds, and despite the fact that your similar personalities meant that you sometimes butted heads she was a sweet and supportive friend. So much in fact that she practically made it her duty to introduce you to everyone she knew and soon you were almost as close to Harry and Ron as she was.

Draco hadn’t taken kindly to your new friends. He still wasn’t over Harry snubbing him and, in his opinion, both Ron and Hermione were far inferior to the pair of you.

“I just don’t understand how you can stomach to be around her, being muggle-born and all.”

“Oh please, Draco, she’s harmless. And she’s nice, they all are.”

“They’re not Slytherins for a reason.”

You scoffed, “you’re such a snob, Draco Malfoy.”

He shrugged in response as you both descended down the stairs towards your common room.

“Are you really trying to tell me that the people you hang around with are any better? All your friends do is tease and push each other around.”

“They’re your friends too.” Draco said accusingly. You could tell he was trying to appear rational, but there was a slight bite to his voice, that defensive tone that only came out when you dared to challenge him.

You shook your head, “Crabbe and Goyle do nothing except follow you around like lost puppies, I don’t think they even notice if I’m there or not. Blaise is nice – when he wants to be. Pansy hates me.”

He shrugged again, as if that fact was neither here nor there, “I just don’t understand how your parents can be okay with it. You mixing with… people like that.”

You gave him a warning glance and he took the hint to stop talking before he dug himself an even bigger hole. You approached the door but Draco came to a halt.

“Aren’t you coming in?”

He shook his head.

“Why not?” It was already dark out and you had both been cutting it fine in regards to getting back before curfew.

“I’m going to see your friends.”

You sighed and moved back towards him, figuring out his evil masterplan in seconds. Ron had mentioned the trio’s plan to visit Hagrid after hours on their quest to find out more about the philosopher’s stone, and clearly Draco couldn’t miss an opportunity to antagonise.

“Why can’t you just leave them be?” You questioned. Their petty feud was already grating on you, you couldn’t understand why they didn’t see the good qualities in each other the way you did.

He flashed you a cheeky grin as he began to walk off, “Come with me if you’re so concerned.”

You huffed and stood in place, arms crossed across your chest as you watched him strut back the way you had just came.

No, you thought, I don’t want to get in trouble. I don’t want to go with him. I don’t… I don’t.

“Draco, wait up!” You called after him.

“This is all your fault.”

“Yes, Y/N, you’ve already mentioned that. Numerous times, in fact.” Draco retorted.

In a turn of events that was shocking to literally no one except the mastermind himself, Draco’s plan to rat out your friends had backfired spectacularly and had landed all of you in detention. You sighed dramatically as you trudged through the forest. Draco had already scared off Neville with his usual nonsense so now you were stuck between him and Harry as they bickered like an old married couple. You drowned them out as best you could, focusing solely on not tripping on the spiralling vines and tree trucks around you, and thinking about how much trouble you were going to be in with your parents when you came to a clearing. The view stopped all three of you dead in your tracks.

A unicorn lay dead. Its white fur standing out in stark contrast to the muddy greens of the plants. A cloaked figure hovered over it, drinking its blood and seemingly undisturbed by your arrival.

“What the hell…” You murmured.

Draco was quick to grab your arm and pull you back behind him, slowly edging you both away from whatever that was. You were both trembling and stumbling over each other but neither of you dared to let go. As soon as the mysterious creature looked up, baring its teeth, it was over for you both. He screamed as together you turned tail and ran as fast as you could, all the while Draco gripped tightly to your hand, until you were back at the forests opening. The both of you stood for a few seconds, chests heaving, until Draco realised you were back where you could be seen and he quickly dropped your hand and paced back slightly.

“Harry!” You gasped, your brain finally catching up with your body. You couldn’t leave him alone out there. Especially not with that thing. You lunged forward but Draco grabbed you before you could make your heroic dash.

“Get off me!” You shouted, “We can’t leave him!”

“I can’t let you go in there again!” He yelled back.

“I don’t care Draco, let go of me…” You trailed off as you kept trying to free yourself from Draco’s grasp but he was persistent. He kept a tight hold despite your flailing limbs, repeating that he wasn’t going to let you get hurt. The pair of you kept that up until Harry emerged with Hagrid, Neville, Hermione and Ron. Draco quickly released you and you lost your footing slightly before you ran to hug your friend. Draco stayed put, deadly quiet as he watched you fuss over Harry.

“Okay you lot,” Hagrid said nervously, “I think it’s best that you were all off to bed…”

Draco stayed a few feet in front of the rest of you as you trudged back to the castle, but you didn’t miss the way he would turn back and make sure you were still there every few minutes.

You and Draco never talked about the incident in the forest. You weren’t sure if it was out of fear or embarrassment but he didn’t mention it again after that night so neither did you. You focused your attention on your school work and staying out of trouble after a pretty harsh letter from your parents concerning you getting a detention.

The end of your first year came about quickly, but not before your Gryffindor pals could land themselves in some more trouble. Despite Dumbledore’s best efforts it quickly spread around the school that Professor Quirrell had been evil this entire time and Harry had fought him off single handed. Draco, of course, was less than impressed with all the attention Potter was getting and ranted to you even more than usual. Nevertheless, you arrived at the hospital wing with a box of chocolate cauldrons tucked under your arm and were greeted with a very grateful looking Harry.

You sat on the edge of his bed mulling over things that he had missed in lessons and reassuring him that yes, Ron and Hermione are fine, they’re just tired so you’re their temporary replacement.

“I didn’t realise that it would be such an issue, Mr Potter.” You smirked.

“It’s not!” His face reddened when he realised how rude his words had sounded, “It’s not, I just didn’t think you would be… allowed.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, if you hadn’t noticed, Malfoy and I don’t exactly see eye to eye.” He said coyly.

You snorted, “Now there’s an understatement. But Draco isn’t the boss of me, thank you very much.”

“No, of course not.” Harry grinned, “I don’t understand how you can stand to be around him.”

“He says the same about you.”

“I bet he does.”

You sighed, shaking your head, “He’s really not that bad.”

Harry raised his eyebrows at you.

“I just mean… yeah, he can be a prat sometimes, but there’s more to him than meets the eye. He can be kind, he just doesn’t show it in traditional ways I guess. He can be a caring guy.”

Now it was Harry’s turn to snort, “I’ll believe that when I see it.”

“You will, one day.” You gave a sweet smile. Harry chuckled softly before you both went back to gossiping and snacking on the various goodies he had been gifted.

S E R I E S  T A G L I S T : @callie-bear15 @marvel-th @uirene 

[geethedentist]

The Sassenach Warrior

Catch up on the Chapter 1 here! 

Chapter 2: Not Alone Anymore

Three Months Earlier 

It’s odd how quickly one’s life can change, not that mine had gotten off to a swell start anyway. Happenstance and fate become intertwined to create what you never thought possible. For years I clung firmly to the belief that I was a walking attraction for rotten luck. It took a fair bit of time, but much later I realized I was wrong. 

I had been walking relentlessly for three days, feet throbbing with each step. The rolling, rocky hills now behind me, I had entered an expanse of forest. Sheer exhaustion necessitated an overnight rest in a large, green glade. I had all but collapsed onto the soft grass the previous day. There was a small pool of water, and it was warm and peaceful. But it was time to get moving. An uneasy twinge of fear lurked at the back of my mind. I packed up my tiny camp, glancing nervously over my shoulder like a skittish animal. It was eerily silent, which could only foretell yet another (possibly deadly) predicament. I still needed to put a bit of distance between myself and the last village, where I had almost received a thorough beating for continuously refusing to give up my horse to a ragged group of men calling themselves The Watch. 

They took my horse. 

After my especially hasty retreat out of England, and riding through nearly half of Scotland, I had heard there was a port in the Highland town of Inverness, where I could finally board a ship again. The minor issue of financing this voyage remained firmly in the back of my mind, for I had nothing. It was strange being this destitute, not knowing where the next meal was coming from or going days on end without human interaction. I supposed I should be accustomed to it by now, it even gave me an odd thrill at times. 

I was reluctant to go, to leave this momentary peace and venture back into the unknown once more. Here, nobody chastised me for wearing trousers or carrying a sword. Sometimes I believed myself a traitor to womankind. Other times I thought perhaps I was its savior. Too often I had been on the receiving end of outright anger. Others merely stared in shock, content to observe from a distance as if watching some sort of exotic show or attraction. Many laughed at me. Of course, my nature is not what one might deem “typical.” My breech of the status quo is offensive to many, but it only served to fuel my passion for fighting, adventure, and knowledge. I thought of Uncle Lamb, who had gifted me all three of these things, so woefully unattainable for countless others. He always knew dolls and lace never satisfied my spirit. He gave me my first bow and taught me how to use it. The only thing I had left of him was his ring, which I kept on a chain around my neck. It gave me comfort, having him close. 

A twig snapped. My reverie dissipated like a fog. I was on my feet in a second, ears strained, listening for more. My breath caught as voices materialized out of the trees. I became completely still, perhaps I’d be swallowed by the shadows, be granted invisibility. I saw a flash of red. 

Oh God. 

I snatched the bow off my back and made to run when I heard, “Oi I found one!”

I had remained frozen and indecisive for a beat too long. 

My heart was threatening to burst out of my chest. I felt my pulse everywhere at once. 

“Where's the rest of your lads huh?” the redcoat continued, having fully entered the clearing. He was a short man, with a thick neck and a pink face. His teeth were badly stained.  

His small beady eyes nearly popped out in surprise as he took in my pants, boots, and weapons. 

“You're a lady!” He sputtered. 

“Very good! Your eyesight appears to be functioning normally.” I shot back with a sneer. 

Another soldier had entered the glade. A bit taller than his companion, he seemed much more able to prevail in a fight or a chase. His face reminded me of a rabbit. “Lady or not, she and her company raided our stores!”

While it was completely within the realm of possibility for me to have done this, I stood there wide eyed shaking my head. Plainly, a bunch of hungry and fed up Highlanders had attempted to nip a bit of food and perhaps a cow or a horse from the English stationed in the small town I had avoided the previous day. 

“So you’re just out here all alone, right after we discover the Scots robbed our depository?” He said it in a tone that conveyed he obviously didn’t believe that this was as coincidental as it appeared. 

“Yes! Precisely!” A jolt of anger and desperation shot through me along with the reality that they were not going to believe me no matter what I said.

The rabbit faced man was advancing menacingly while his partner prepared his rifle. I didn't like the hungry, animalistic way their eyes traveled over me. Suddenly, rough hands grasped the front of my shirt and I felt rotten breath on my face. “Boy she’s a pretty one.” He breathed. 

“How dare you!” I could not bear to imagine how many others he could have done this to, and his feeling of contentment knowing they could do nothing to stop him.

And then, in my typical fashion, I proceeded to ruin any chance I had of a peaceful escape. Grasping his shoulders, I drove my knee up as hard as I could. The building adrenaline caused me to be shaky and clumsy, and I missed my mark. The man looked stunned as we glared at each other for a second. The next thing I registered was a fist colliding with the side of my head. I half dropped to the ground as I felt warm blood oozing down my cheek. Panic rising, I scrambled away on my knees, grabbing the bow off my back. 

“You little bitch!” He shouted. “Who do you think you are?” 

“Not your plaything!” Shaking from anger now rather than fear, I had made my decision. Arrow in place, I slowly pulled the string back. 

At that moment, the sound of running footsteps became apparent behind me. A small squeak of fear threatened to escape my throat. I was surrounded. My mind was frantically working out some fantastical lie to tell if they decided to take me and question me. A petite, innocent lady shouldn't and wouldn’t be pointing her lethal homemade arrows (lovingly sharpened to perfection) in a good Englishman's face. There is most definitely something amiss with that.

“Surely ye don't mean the lass any harm? She isna with us. She travels alone.” 

My shoulders slumped in relief at the unmistakable Scottish voice behind me. My accent had earned me mistrust from many of the Scots I had met since arriving here. But overall I found them to be very kind and hospitable people who placed a high emphasis on family. The man behind me was undoubtedly one of the raiders that I had been mistaken for. I was thankful he had done what my less than rational mind had conveniently chosen to leave out before I raised the bow. At least now the fact that I had never seen these men before was now out in the open. 

Behind, I heard the unmistakable sound of a sword being drawn. He knew as well as I  that this had no chance of ending peacefully.

     “No harm at all.” The soldier said, a nasty smile creeping up his face. He stepped closer, rifle now raised. I stepped back. 

    “I dare you to try that again.”

“Now what would an English lady be doing out here in the mud with a bunch of filthy Scots, pretending to be a man?”

The man spoke from behind me again, “I tell ye she had no part in this. Let her be.” His voice was deep and soft, but not void of threat. I wanted to turn around to see who the voice belonged to, but I also didn’t want to turn my back on the redcoats.

“I am not pretending to be anything. What you see before you is simply a woman who happens to despise corsets. Dreadful things in my opinion. Trousers enable much more movement and freedom don’t you agree? I wouldn’t be able to do this!” 

I was only vaguely aware of my fingers releasing the string. Moments like these always seem to happen in slow motion. I heard a sharp inhalation from the Scot at my back.

The plump man screamed as the arrow pierced his boot. His gun fell to the ground. The other dropped his rifle in surprise. Fuck. I had only meant to shoot the ground near his feet to scare them a bit. Perhaps my aim was a bit too good. I was in big trouble now, and I could only dig myself a deeper grave from here on out.

I turned and ran . . . 

. . . right into a very large, very red-headed Scot. 

“Ooof!” The sound of the breath exiting my lungs all at once. 

 He was so solid. 

“Come on!” He said urgently. I staggered back, reeling from the impact as he caught me by the wrist and began towing me along with him. I allowed a glance back. It appeared that two more soldiers had reached their comrades, apparently unlucky in their search for the missing goods and the thieves responsible. One had stayed behind with the injured man, who was now writhing on the ground. It didn't take long for the other two to begin their pursuit, running to mount their horses. 

We were both sprinting now. The trees whipped past and my blood pounded in my ears. Suddenly he gave a high pitched whistle, and then I heard great hoofbeats from somewhere off to the right. A giant black stallion came trotting alongside us. We stopped and he quickly swung onto the horse and began to pull me up. 

“I can do it!” I said hotly, yanking my hand from his grasp.

  "Are ye sure about that lass?” He raised an eyebrow questioningly. But of course just to spite me, the horse proved too massive for my short stature. I saw that the side of his face had lifted in a smirk as I settled into the saddle behind him. Soon we were galloping through the forest, me haphazardly clutching this stranger's waist with my hair flying wildly in my face as the turbulence increased. His own shoulder length auburn curls flew out behind his head. I still hadn’t gotten a decent look at his face.

The horse jumped a large fallen tree trunk and I suddenly became airborne in the saddle. I blindly groped for a handhold and grabbed his kilt to anchor myself. He looked back in surprise; his ears tinged pink. I felt a flush up my neck as well, in spite of the wind whistling in my ears. I had been in Scotland long enough to know what a Scotsman wore under his kilts. I was about to mumble an apology when he jerked the horse sharply to the left and began to ride back the way we came, like a giant circle.

“And just where are we going?”

“Doubling back. They think we still ride ahead of them. We’re going to find the others and ride back into the Mackenzie lands.” he said in concentration, steering the horse away from more fallen trees.

“We?” I’d known him for a good five minutes. I had no idea who he was with, or what he thought he was going to do with me. He was speaking as though none of this mattered. The soldiers were now riding well ahead of us. They hadn't seen us turn. I thought I heard him sigh in relief. He slowed the horse to a walk and I relaxed my grip on his waist. My hands were clammy.

“I, um, thank you.” I told him, swinging my leg over the horse. Determined not to have any help with the dismount, I slid gracelessly off the horse’s back and almost pitched forward into the mud.

“No problem at all,” he too, had dismounted. I now saw that his eyes were the clearest blue, like the sky on the brightest of days. He had strong cheekbones and a prominent forehead, over which hung a mess of red curls. I then began to register the events of the past ten minutes.

“Allow me to clarify however,” I said indignantly, “that I don’t want you thinking that I was too scared to kill them. This arrow could have easily went straight through his eye had I told it to! And furthermore, I could have escaped without help. I am not some damsel in distress.” I crossed my arms.

I was babbling.

“I dinna doubt it, Sassenach.” He smiled. 

Sassenach. I’d heard that term before. But when he used it, it sounded different. It didn’t sound discriminatory or mistrustful, but endearing. 

Suddenly, I became aware of the absence of the comforting weight around my neck. My hand flew to the spot, finding only bare skin. Uncle Lamb’s ring was gone. It must have fallen off. I cursed quietly. 

“Will ye tell me your name?” 

“I - It's Claire.”

“Claire.” He smiled, as he said it in his odd Highland way. “I'm . . .”

“Jamie!” came a cry from someways off. “We thought we lost ye lad!”

Another kilted man was riding toward us. He was short, with a big brown beard. 

“My godfather, Murtagh.” Jamie murmured to me. 

Murtagh raised an eyebrow at the sight of me. He looked me up and down for several seconds. “Ye've found yerself a lady then?” He said finally. 

“I - she, redcoats . . .no!” Jamie stuttered, face flushing scarlet. 

I must have made a face for Murtagh laughed loudly and said, “she doesna seem too taken with ye does she?” 

I heard more riders approaching and decided the time had come to take my leave. “It was very nice to meet you both,” I attempted to mask the anxious tone in my voice. “But I had really better be going.” I began to back away slowly.

“And who might this English lass be? Following us were ye?” A new, accusatory voice asked. He was tall, as tall as Jamie. He didn’t have much hair on his head but made up for it with a dark brown beard streaked with gray. His emphasis on the word English did not go unnoticed. Annoyed, I exhaled loudly and ran a hand over my face. I should have run the second Jamie stopped the horse. But first I needed them to tell me the way to Inverness, and then I could put this whole little hiccup behind me.

With as much politeness as I could muster at this point, I tried to seem as innocent as possible. “Please sir, I was just trying to find my way to Inverness. Could you help me?” 

“Inverness. Is that where your consort is waiting?” 

So he wasn’t going to make this easy. I glanced helplessly at Jamie and Murtagh, as the last two riders of their company had ridden up behind them, watching with interest. “Uncle, Claire means no harm. She almost killed a redcoat!”

“Aye but what is she doing wandering these woods alone? She may be a pretty lass, but she’s also an English lass Jamie lad.” 

Jamie had gone red in the face once more as my last shred of patience disappeared. “What exactly do you mean to say?” 

“What I mean to say is that I canna be takin’ any chances letting ye go free should ye be an English spy!” His voice had risen considerably. 

“What I’m doing here is none of your business! Although I can assure you I have no interest whatsoever in your activities and I am most certainly not a spy!” 

“Rupert, Angus, have you ever seen a woman quite like this one?” He switched his gaze from me to the others. 

“That I have not.” One of the men answered. He was round but strong, with long light brown hair and a beard to match. “I suppose it’s wee bit suspicious.” 

I scoffed at him, and he shrugged. “Why should you be so nervous that I was a spy anyway?” I said, testing him. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jamie bend to pick something off the ground and a gasp escaped my throat. It was my ring. 

My accuser stepped forward and snatched it from him. 

“Dougal!” Jamie tried to snatch it back. He looked at me apologetically. 

An insincere smile appeared on Dougal’s face. “’Tis evident this trinket is of great importance to our new guest. I think I shall hold on it for a while.”

“No please!” I begged. 

“It would be foolish of ye to attempt an escape lass,” he said. “At least now I am guaranteed ye wilna be leaving us. Show’s over lads, we’d best be on our way back to Leoch. The Sassenach will ride wi’ Jamie.” 

And that was that. 

I stuck my arm up in the air with a scowl. Jamie’s large warm hand wrapped around mine and hoisted me up onto the monstrous horse yet again. 

“I’m sorry about my uncle.” He said as we began to ride behind the others.

I didn’t answer him, but pressed my lips together and folded my arms like a child. We swayed back and forth with the horse’s movements. Ahead, numerous pairs of eyes that thought they were being discreet stole glances back at us. 

“He won’t keep me here you know.” 

“Ooch I think ye’ve made that much clear, Sassenach. Give him time and no cause for suspicion aye?” 

“He seems a very difficult man to budge.”

“That he is. Will ye be getting on to Inverness then? After ye leave.” It sounded as though he expected me to elaborate on this. 

“Yes.” I said shortly, hoping my tone relayed the fact that I was not about to volunteer any information about my plans or reasons. There was no one left on earth who I would trust. He seemed to get the message. 

“That’s a handsome sword,” he commented with admiration. “I’d wager it does well in combat.” 

That was the moment I took a liking to this Scot. His remark was made in reference to the weapon itself, rather than passing judgement on me for wielding it. 

After that, we talked pleasantly. We discussed his sword as well, an extremely heavy thing that was not quite as agile as mine, but ruthless in a fight. 

“Do you use it much?” I asked excitedly, hoping for a story. 

“Oh aye this hunk of metal saved my neck numerous times while I was fighting in France.” 

We passed the next hour or two in companionable conversation. We talked of his time in France, and he spoke of the clan culture which dominated the Highlands. I’d always found upon first meeting somebody new, I draw conclusions and pass judgement subconsciously. I had been prepared to lump Jamie together with Scots like his uncle and the other Mackenzies, as he told me they were called. However, he lacked much of the narrow-mindedness and superstition I had previously encountered, not limited to Scotland. He was educated, like I was.

As the sun dropped and the shadows lengthened, Dougal declared that Leoch must wait until tomorrow. 

I was rolling out my thin blanket away from the others when Dougal, seemingly more calm than before, spoke to me. 

“I know ye said ’tis none of our business, but that answer wilna be accepted by Himself. He’ll want to know what an English lady was doin’, roamin’ around so close to the Mackenzie lands.” 

A small jolt of dread. He was right. If I was going to be questioned by their chief I had better come up with some believable excuse. I would make up a story then, and pray I’d be able to look the laird dead in the eye when I told it. Restless sleep overtook me. 

[dontdoitluke]

We Could Be Heroes - Ch 5

Sky High AU, but instead, it’s a superhero University.

Summary: First aid class proves to be much more complicated than what’s expected, a self proclaimed princess is knocked down a peg or two, and Michael is being suspicious.

Chapter: 5/?

Word Count: 3,132

CHAPTER INDEX

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The university had decided to add a required class on first aid to their curriculum. Sky High and S.A.V.E.U. had been training heroes for decades and the higher ups had only just now decided that first aid was necessary to a school made for people who are meant to rescue others.

Ashton thought it would be a good idea if everyone in their group went together since the impromptu first class was more like an open workshop. Most of the group knew there was deeper meaning behind that, regardless of the reasoning that he gave. He was convinced that he was only good for destruction and demolition. He wanted to learn how to heal, but he was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to control his anxieties about the subject without his closest friends nearby.

They were the bulk of the class sitting in the metal chairs, but aside from them, there were only six other students. An elderly woman who appeared to be sleeping sat at a folding table while her jade-haired assistant gathered white three ring binders in her arms and moved to the front of the waiting students.

“Hello everyone. Thanks for coming to our first session. I just wanna apologize on behalf of the school for not having a legit classroom setting yet, because sitting on those chairs for almost an hour is gonna be about as comfortable as sitting on a pile of rocks.” Most students nodded and chuckled while shifting in their seats at that.

“I’m Persephone Quinn, but you can just call me Persey. This sleeping beauty is Professor Ko’zabah. She’s agreed to let me take over the class for this semester to earn internship credits. I’m gonna be real with you, that’s probably best for all of us involved. Also, I don’t like to waste time with unnecessary bullshit, so I’m gonna give y’all these binders and... uh, yeah. Let’s get crackin’. Take one and pass it around, please.”

Persey handed the stack of folders to Calum, who was nearest to her, and moved to the table at the front and perched herself on top of it to wait until everyone had a folder of their own.  

“These are just some one-inch binders for you guys to keep your stuff in, but I already added the syllabus and some paper and dividers so that you don’t have to worry about it yourselves. The first page is just like a run-through of exactly how hands-on this class is g-”

“Excuse me, but I just have to ask something really quick.”

Persey and the rest of the class irritably turned toward the asker. It was the same pretentious red headed girl who always had something to say in every one of her classes. Jenna groaned loudly while pulling her water bottle out of her backpack, preparing to shut her up if needed.

“Uh... yeah, okay, what is it?”

“So, you’re telling me that this class is going to be taught by someone who isn’t even qualified to be a teacher?”

Persey hopped down off of the table and stared daggers at the girl, who just leaned back in her chair nonchalantly, waiting for her answer.

“I don’t believe I caught your name.”

“Cherice Alistair, Montgomery Alistair’s daughter.”

“Am I supposed to know who that is, Sharon?”

“It’s Cherice. And everyone who’s anyone knows who he is.”

“Guess that says a lot about me, then, doesn’t it, Shirley? And... what exactly makes you think I’m not qualified to be a teacher? Do you think you could do a better job? Or would you rather we wake up Madam Snores-A-Lot so that we can read medical journals instead of actually learning how to deal with real issues?”

“It’s CHERICE. And I mean, what is there to learn? My father, since you don’t seem to know, is the guy who owns the Alistair Regional Hospital, and he could teach me everything there is to know in, like, less than a day. It’s literally just first aid. Any idiot could tell you how to put on a bandaid. It’s not that hard, and it’s not that much to learn.”

Inhaling deeply, Persey put her palms together and closed her eyes. She held her breath for a few seconds before exhaling slowly. The rest of the class was dead silent; most of them tried to stay out of it and busied themselves with reading through the syllabus, and Jenna slowly put her water bottle back into her bag and watched the two carefully. Michelle tapped Luke’s knee and directed her thoughts toward him.

“Daddy’s girl is about to fucking get it.”

Persey cleared her throat and opened her eyes, smiling sweetly at her smug student.

“Okay. So, what do you do when you find a victim of a bank robbery with a bullet wound in their leg?”

Cherice scoffed and shrugged her shoulders. “Easy. Apply pressure to stop the bleeding.”

“And what else?”

“You wait until the bleeding stops, then wrap it up.”

“What do you do before all of that?”

“Uh... I’m pretty sure that’s it.”

“What do you even wrap it with?”

Papa’s pride and joy was beginning to get nervous. She flexed her fingers and fidgeted with a button on her shirt.  

“Ace bandage?”

“What’s the first thing you do when you find someone that’s been stabbed in the chest?”

“What are y-”

“And what do you do when you’re cutting into, I don’t know, a mango, and you accidentally slice your thumb off? What’s the first step you take, Debra?”

“Okay, that’s not even close to my name, I-”

“Let me guess? Apply pressure? What do you do when you find someone who’s got severe burns all over their body? How do you identify what kind of burns they are? What do you do when a villain with acidic spit licks your arm and your skin is corroding? What do you do when you find the survivor of an earthquake staked to the ground with a steel support beam sticking out of their gut?”

Cherice turned bright red and huffed in anger, averting her eyes toward the floor.

“First aid is not just about applying pressure. What are you gonna do, finish capturing the criminal while applying pressure to the injured? Most of us don’t have powers that allow that. You need to learn how to quickly create a durable makeshift tourniquet with nothing around you but the clothes on your back. You need to know when a person should NOT have a knife removed from their body. You need to know the difference between hypovolemic shock and septic shock, and you need to know the symptoms of dehydration, hypothermia, and hyperthermia as well as remember how to treat them. And this isn’t just basic first aid, honey. This is HERO first aid. You’re in this school to learn how to save the world. You’re gonna have to deal with extreme situations. If you don’t wanna find out what to do in extreme situations, you’re more than welcome to hit the road. And if you haven’t figured it out by now, I really don’t like being interrupted, so I recommend that you don’t do that shit again.”

The students tried, and failed, to cover their giggles. Most professors and even most of the student body just went along with Cherice’s antics, since her father had a finger in pretty much every pie and could easily ruin someone’s reputation with a simple flick of his checkbook. Cherice was mortified and her eyes brimmed with furious tears as she stood, throwing her binder to the ground.  

“You’re gonna regret pissing me off like that.”

Persey grinned and clapped her hands together with every word she spoke. “Come at me, bitch. I. Dare. You.”

The self-proclaimed Princess stormed out of the room, slamming the door with one hand and furiously typing on her phone with the other. Persey, however, simply took off her cardigan and draped it over Professor Ko’zabah’s still sleeping figure while moving on with the lesson.

“So anyway, as I was saying... what was I saying?”

“You were talking about the first page of the syllabus,” Michael reminded while adjusting his headphones.  

“Right, okay, so yeah, you heard a lot of it when I was sassing Sheldon a second ago, but I’m gonna say it again because I feel like it. This isn’t basic grade school first aid. Someone’s gonna get yeeted out of a window and you’re gonna have to know what to do with their injuries.”

Throughout the rest of the lecture, Ashton drank in every word that Persey spoke. He wrote down as many notes as he could and listened harder than anyone else in the room; he wanted so badly to help people, even if he couldn’t use his power to do so. Everyone seemed to have a first aid use for their power, Jenna can remove liquids from a drowning person’s lungs, Michael can listen for irregular heartbeats or breathing issues, and Persey suggested that Calum could even digest deadly parasites and disease cells to prevent them from spreading. Ashton, however, felt like he couldn’t do anything except make buildings crumble.  

“Once we get, like, an actual classroom, you guys are each gonna get a personalized first aid kit. It’s gonna have the basic shit in it, like bandages, alcohol pads, stuff like that, but it’ll also contain equipment and supplies that cater to your specific powers,” Persey continued gleefully. “I’m so excited about this, y’all have no idea. I’m not gonna get too far into it right now but trust me, it’s gonna be great. For example, Calum, we just mentioned that you could digest parasites, right?”

Calum turned a pale shade of green and nodded slowly. “Unfortunately.”

“I’m not a parasite, you could just swallow me instead.”

“Val please, I’m queasy enough already.”

Persey tried desperately to ignore the interaction and cleared her throat. “Well, your kit could possibly contain something like capsules to trap the little assholes in so that they don’t, like, cling to your insides on the way down and hurt you.”

Calum closed his eyes and squeezed his lips together tightly. “Why couldn’t I have been born with super strength or something?”

“Fate gave you this power, just like fate gave me mine,” Val argued. “We were meant to be together.”

“I think I’m gonna fucking vomit.”

“Actually,” Persey interjected. “With the shrinking and digesting, that could work well together. Val can shrink down and trap the parasite or whatever it happens to be, and Calum can dispose of it.”

Emma raised her hand. “What about mine? I’m a shifter, how could I use that?”

“Some animals have heightened senses, right? You can possibly diagnose problems that aren’t easily seen. That... holy shit, guys, I just got the best idea. I’m gonna give y’all some homework.”

The class collectively groaned, but Persey held up her hands in defense. “Hold on, hear me out, this is gonna be awesome. I want you guys to think about how you could use your powers in a first aid situation. Come up with as many scenarios as you can, it can be as simple or as complex as you want. You don’t have to write an essay, because fuck that noise, just like, take a note in your phone or write it in your binders or something and bring it with you the next time you come in. Oh, and if you could, fill out the contact cards in the back of your binders for me and bring them up here on your way out, please.”

Ashton sunk lower in his chair and chewed on his thumb nail. This was what he was dreading; he had anxiety attacks relatively often, but he loathed having them in public. He already knew that he couldn’t use his power to help people and the mere thought of it made his head spin, and he couldn’t even imagine the damage he’d cause if he spent all night trying in vain to come up with something. He nervously tapped his foot on the ground and took a few shaky, deep breaths. Hiding it was worse, but he’d rather suffer in silence than let the whole class in on what was happening to him. His palms and forehead were beginning to sweat, his skin was hot, yet he felt cold, the pounding in his chest and the ringing in his ears were the only thing he could hear. Next to him, Viv and Luke sensed his panic and placed their hands on his shoulders to calm him and bring him back down, and after a few seconds, he was able focus on the warmth of his friends’ palms and he slowly began to relax and control his breathing. Jenna took his binder out from under his arm and filled out his contact card for him and handed it back once she felt he was relaxed enough to focus, and Ashton was so glad that his friends were there to help bring him back before it turned into a full-blown attack. He was even more glad that no one else in the room noticed what was going on.  

Everyone in the room lined up to turn their cards in. Ashton held his head low and handed his to Persey, who tapped his arm softly and leaned in to whisper.

“Hang out here for a sec, please.”

His heart raced and his palms grew sweaty again. A million thoughts rushed through his mind. Did he do something wrong? Should he have interacted more? Does she know his power is useless and is going to excuse him from the homework? He waved goodbye to his friends and waited nervously.  

Once all the students were gone and she was sure she could speak with him privately, she faced him and gave him a gentle smile.

“First off, you didn’t do anything wrong. Nothing is wrong, so don’t worry,” Persey began, turning around and bending behind the table to dig into her bag. “I just wanted to give you something.”

Ashton scratched the back of his head in confusion. “Give me something? Do I need like, extra credit work?”

She stood up shook her head with a smile. “No, nothing like that. Really, nothing is wrong. I just wanted to give you some of this.”

She held out her hands to show him what she had. In one of her palms she held an amber colored bottle with a rubber dropper, and in the other she had a smaller, clear bottle with the same kind of dropper. She set the items on the desk to work on transferring some of the liquid from the larger bottle to the smaller one.

“I always keep some of this in my bag with me. It’s just some lavender oil, it’s completely safe, I promise.”

“I... I don’t understand.”

“Listen, I know anxiety attacks when I see them. I saw your friends helping you. They did a good job, and kept quiet about it. But sometimes you can’t always have them around, so this should help. Lavender is known for being very soothing and that alone helps, but it’ll give you something to focus on as well to help bring that anxiety down. If you’re ever alone and feel like you’re about to have one of those attacks again, put some of that oil on your wrist or the back of your hand or something and focus on the way it smells until you come back down.”

Ashton’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. He was really hoping that no one had noticed, but if any stranger did, he was glad it was someone who could help.

“Thanks, I... thank you. I’ll definitely use this.”

“Come back to me if you need more, okay?”

He nodded and smiled shyly. “I will.”

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

“Show me the rule that says I can’t have him with me.”

“There isn’t... this library is for students only!”

“He’s technically a student, he’s a literal copy of me, and I’m a student.”

“That doesn’t even make sense...”

Skyler looked up from her laptop and glanced toward the library door, where Michael and the librarian argued about whether or not Mickey was allowed inside. She sighed and set her things down next to her and stood, preparing to defend Mickey’s honor with her life. And Michael’s, of course.  

“He won’t cause a ruckus, I promise. He can’t be alone, and I just need to print out some forms. Come on, have a heart?”

The librarian groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose irritatedly. “Fine, fine, but hurry up. I can't be-”

Michael, with Mickey riding in his book bag, was already halfway to the computer area where Skyler was standing before the exasperated librarian could finish his sentence.

“Hey, guys. Is everything okay? I’ll throw hands if I gotta,” Skyler joked. Well, half joked. She would one hundred percent throw hands for her friends. She’d throw whatever body parts that she needed to.

“Oh yeah, it’s all good now.”

“Am Mickey!”

“He says hello.”

“Hello to you too, little dude,” Skyler chuckled, reaching out to hold one of Mickey’s tiny hands. “You’re growing some more hair! And you look so handsome in your new clothes!”

Both versions of Michael blushed and hummed in unison. “He knows it too. He likes to check himself out in the mirror while I’m getting ready in the morning.”

Mickey squealed and hid his face in Michael’s neck while Michael connected his thumb drive to a nearby computer. His face showed no signs of emotion, but Skyler could tell he was excited about something.

“What’s got you so riled up today?”

Michael sucked his bottom lip in between his teeth and his eyes remained unblinking and focused, his expression illuminated by the soft blue light coming from the screen.

“Oh, nothing in particular.”

She hummed disbelievingly and went back to work on her list of first aid scenarios. So far, she’d only come up with two. She could use her forcefield to protect the victim and herself while she tended to the wounds, and she can also turn herself and the injured invisible to safely remove them from a dangerous situation. She furrowed her brows and tried to come up with a third scenario when Mickey suddenly trilled loudly, causing her to jump and almost drop her laptop onto the floor.

“What the f... you good, little bit?”

“Mickey!”

“Yeah, we’re good. See you later, Sky!”  

Michael jumped up and grabbed his thumb drive, his printed documents, and his bag and took off running toward the door, much to the dismay of the librarian. Sky narrowed her eyes and stared at the spot Michael was sitting and took out her phone, sending a quick text to Michelle.

“somethings up with mikey. can you meet me at pablos?”

[solarflaresrp]

Below the cut, you will find the preview for some new Illnesses and Disorders that have emerged since humanity has spread across the Solar System. As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to shoot us an ask or join our Discord server to ask your questions there!

ILLNESSES & DISORDERS

Black Vein

Black vein (as it’s called by citizens, official name in progress) is an illness that primarily attacks the brain, specifically its control over movement and emotion- however, this illness is constantly evolving. The exact origins of this sickness are not known, but there are theories that it was brought by rovers as a rover was the first person to be documented with the virus. While the main characteristics of this virus are the most well known, there’s less known and less looked for symptoms such as:

Fever

Drastic increase or decrease in appetite

Nausea

Dizziness

Numbness

Temporary loss of motion in hands

The most common symptoms and the ones most look for are:

Darkening of veins on skin

Sudden and erratic mood changes, aggression

Sudden and drastic personality changes

Loss of peripheral vision

Tremors

Seizures

Coughing up or vomiting of a black and oily substance

Delusions

Currently, there is no known cure for black vein, however there are treatments to help try and lessen the more severe symptoms and even rid a patient of the lesser known symptoms. If gone untreated, this illness can be deadly and it’s recommended you see a doctor if you begin to experience any symptoms. Usually, the illness will work quickly, and if not treated it can kill within months of contracting it- with treatment, the patient may be able to live years with the illness. The illness is not contagious through means of touch or physical contact, fluids (saliva, blood, ect) must be directly exchanged in order to contract this illness. It is not thought to be airborne, but this is greatly debated as there are people who have not exchanged fluids who have contracted black vein.

Scientists have started turning their attention to other possible causes, such as foods that are widely distributed and cheap such bread, rice, and potatoes.

The most common and widely known symptom of this illness, and it’s name sake, will slowly start to darken the color of your veins and arteries. Sometimes, this symptom doesn’t appear until the patient is on their deathbed, though this is exceptionally rare. Other common symptoms usually appear in later stages when the patient is far beyond help, but there are doctors who are working to help those in the later stages when others might find the patient a lost cause and turn them away so as to not risk their staff.

Explanation of common symptoms

DARKENING OF VEINS — The darkening of the veins is an odd process, but the most common symptom of all of them. Doctors don’t know why this happens, but they believe it may be caused by not enough oxygen getting into the blood and the blood itself thickening. It’s unclear how people survive as long as they do with the darkening of veins to the point they’re black, but it can be combated with blood thinners. It is thought that this is why the illness is so deadly.

SEIZURES — As the illness attacks the brain, it attacks different parts of the brain, particularly the focal frontal lobe. This lobe controls multiple things, and continued prolonged seizures in the capacity that black vein causes, in turn, causes damage to that lobe. Oftentimes these seizures are grand-mal.

ERRATIC MOOD SWINGS, AGGRESSION — Those with black veins may be prone to mood swings as a side effect to the damage the seizures cause, and can be minor or major changes in mood. Most experience the more major mood swings are more prone to anger, and more prone to aggression.

PERSONALITY SHIFTS — A side effect of prolonged seizures, it’s not uncommon for patients to have complete personality shifts almost overnight. One day they may be kind and caring, and the next they may be more prone to violence, anger, and rage- or vice versa.

TREMORS AND RANGE OF MOTION LOSS — The final side effect of prolonged seizures, patients may experience tremors and/or loss of motion in their hands, arms, and legs. Tremors are temporary more often than not. However, depending on the severity of the loss of motion, depending on if the patient’s motion is limited or completely unable to move said limbs, can be temporary or permanent.

PERIPHERAL VISION LOSS — Most patients describe the vision loss as tunnel vision, or like someone has put a white glaze over our peripheral. This loss is often slow, and you don’t notice it until it’s far too late to be corrected. This is caused by the virus attacking the Occipital lobe.

COUGHING OR VOMITING OF BLACK OILY LIQUID — Testing done on patients has found that those with these symptoms are, in fact, coughing up their blood. How the blood gets to this consistency, or how it has become so black is unknown, but doctors are racing to find the cause.

DELUSIONS — Patients experiencing delusions are not quite common, but are common enough in patients with black vein that it has become a main symptom. Patients experiencing black vein delusions often claim that they have already died. Sadly, not much research has been done into what causes this, as delusions are one of the final symptoms brought on by black vein, resulting in the patient dying usually within 1-4 days of experiencing these delusions. Doctors believe that these delusions may also be a side effect of the prolonged seizures, but have found no evidence to support this claim.

Acclimation Deficiency

Those born on stations that rely on artificial gravity, or settlements that are low gravity and use partial artificial gravity systems to compensate, must go through what is called the Acclimation Process in order to go down onto a planet or settlement with natural gravity similar to Earth’s. This is due to a difference in bone density between Dwellers and Stationers.

It took several generations to fully grasp the severity of the lighter bone density of Stationers and Low Gravs. At first, the issue presented itself with mild symptoms, as many Stationers and Low Gravs visited Earth or Mars during their life, giving them natural acclimation over time.

But as settlements became more independent, the less often those living off Earth or Mars went planetside. Scientists were thrown money from the richest Stationers and Low Gravs to research ways to combat this deficiency and allow them to go down to planets without issue.

Nearly a decade later, a treatment plan was developed with a 50% success rate. Many pushed back, saying this wasn’t good enough, but as this was a new medical issue there was no point of reference they could rely on to increase the odds of the treatment working. Still, many more were willing to throw money at doctors certified to oversee the treatment plan.

A 50% chance is better than no chance at all.

The treatment is incredibly painful and use of medication to ease the pain during the process is heavily advised against. Many scientists claim the use of other medications, such as pain killers, can decrease the odds of the treatment being successful.

Treatment Process

Day 1:

Two injections into the hip to infuse bone marrow with a serum to improve bone density

One injection at the base of the skull to improve blood circulation in the brain

Day 2:

One injection into the sternum to strengthen the heart’s muscles

Two injections, one into each lung, to increase oxygen intake

Day 3:

Two final injections into thighs to fully infuse bone marrow with a serum to improve bone density

Each injection is incredibly painful and carries the risk of damaging the targeted organs, around 10% experience a failure at this stage and have permanent damage to one or several of their organs. However, as medical technology has advanced, this number has begun to decline with the majority recovering from the treatment process.

However, there is no way to predict if the Acclimation Process has been successful until one goes planetside and experiences natural gravity first hand.

Of the 50% whose Acclimation is successful, the majority will experience some of the mild symptoms of the deficiency for the first forty-eight hours planetside. However, they will alleviate on their own once their bodies fully adjust to the new environment.

However, if severe symptoms begin to manifest after the forty-eight hour period, it is largely assumed by medical staff across Sol that the Acclimation has failed and thus recommend the patient is transported back to a Station or low-gravity settlement. Very rarely does one who experiences severe symptoms fully adjust to being planetside with no long-term effects on their body or health.

If someone who experiences severe symptoms ignores medical advice, critical symptoms begin to appear a week after they land planetside. Once these symptoms manifest certain death is around the corner.

At this point, medical professionals make the decision to transport the patient off-planet if they do not have a next of kin that can make the decision for them. When they are safely back on a station or low-gravity settlement, it is a fifty/fifty shot that their symptoms will reverse themselves and their bodies will recover from the trauma experienced planetside.

Most who recover from critical symptoms will have long-term health problems as a result, most damage to their lungs which prevents them from performing tasks as they once used to.

Mild symptoms:

Difficulty breathing/shortness of breath after menial tasks

Increased heart rate

Increased blood pressure

Elevated temperature

Severe symptoms:

Fainting

Tremors

Breathing difficulties while at rest

Ringing in ears

Blurred vision

Chest pains

Critical symptoms:

Unable to breathe without assistance

Vomiting blood

Swelling of the brain

Seizures

Space Sickness

Most common in those who were born and raised on planets or moon settlements and have moved to a station, space sickness is exactly what it sounds like. In a way, it’s like sea sickness or pressure sickness, and is usually not fatal, but there have been cases of it being so in the most extreme cases. This can easily be treated by docking on a planet for a week or two, and doctors are usually not needed but it is a very case-by-case basis.

Symptoms may include:

Dizziness

Joint pain

Headache

Fatigue

Nausea

Sweating

[onsitescanninginfo]

What is the Difference Between an Airborne Pathogen and a Bloodborne Pathogen?

Bloodborne and airborne pathogens can both pose significant risks in the workplace. However, they are very different threats with different requirements in terms of prevention and risk avoidance.

What are bloodborne and airborne pathogens? Both bloodborne and airborne pathogens are infectious micro-organisms that cause various diseases.

Bloodborne pathogens are passed along through blood, saliva, and other bodily fluids, whereas airborne pathogens can be transmitted through the air—either falling to surfaces in droplets emitted when an infected person breathes or coughs, or hanging in the air in aerosolized form.

Both bloodborne and airborne pathogens can be either bacteria or viruses.

How bloodborne pathogens are transmitted Bloodborne pathogens are transmitted through bodily fluid: blood, saliva, sweat, semen, vaginal secretions, and cerebrospinal fluid can all carry these pathogens.

You contract a bloodborne pathogen when you come into contact with an infected person’s bodily fluid. Some ways this might happen include:

Human bites Needle-stick injuries Touching infected cuts, abrasions, or sores Sharing infected needles Unprotected sex

Sharing a toothbrush or other personal grooming implements Some types of bloodborne pathogens, such as Hepatitis B, can live a long time on a dried surface—so touching an infected surface could possibly transmit a bloodborne pathogen as well, although it’s fairly rare.

Types of bloodborne illnesses There are many different diseases caused by bloodborne pathogens. A few of the more serious and common ones include:

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This is the virus that causes AIDS. Left untreated, it causes the immune system to fail over time—you don’t typically die of the disease, but of infections, cancer, and other health issues that your immune system can no longer fend off.

HIV is a sexually transmitted disease. You can also get it by other means, however, such as through contact with an infected person’s blood or breast milk, sharing needles with an infected person, or getting a needlestick injury in a healthcare setting.

Hepatitis B (HBV). This virus attacks the liver. Many people recover, but approximately one in ten cases becomes chronic and can lead to more serious complications such as liver failure and death.

You can contract this disease through unprotected sex, sharing needles, and sharing common grooming implements such as nail clippers, toothbrushes or razors with an infected person. It can also be passed from mother to child during birth.

Hepatitis C (HCV): Like HBV, this virus attacks the liver, but it is considered more dangerous than HBV. A much higher rate—as many as 85%--contract a more serious form of the illness that can result in liver failure, cirrhosis, and liver cancer.

This disease can be passed on by using infected needles for tattoos or piercings; getting a needlestick injury; or sharing a needle with an infected person. You can also catch it through unprotected sex or sharing razors and other grooming implements, although that’s more rare.

Types of airborne pathogens Airborne pathogens tend to be more contagious than bloodborne pathogens.  You have to come into contact with an infected person’s bodily fluids to contract a bloodborne illness; with an airborne one, all you have to do is breathe contaminated air.

Some airborne pathogens are more infectious than others, however. Here’s an overview of some of the more common airborne illnesses.

Infected droplets can hang in the air briefly before dropping onto surfaces, where you can touch them and contract the disease.  The virus can also become aerosolized, hanging in the air for possibly several hours, where it can be inhaled.

Tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is an airborne illness caused by a bacteria called Myobacterium tuberculosis. It mostly affects the lungs, although it can also take root in the kidneys, brain, and spine.

You can catch the disease by breathing in air where an infected person has been breathing, coughing, or sneezing. It tends to spread quickly in environments where people are close to each other, such as family groups, workplaces, schools, and hospitals.

Influenza. Influenza, or “the flu,” is one of the more common airborne diseases. It’s caused by a virus, and its symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening.

The flu virus is ejected when an infected person coughs, talks, sneezes, or breathes, and can transmit to others at a distance of up to six feet. You can also catch it by touching a surface where infected droplets have landed, and then touching your face.

Diphtheria. This respiratory disease is caused by the bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae, and prior to effective treatment, it was considered one of the more deadly airborne illnesses. In past times, it killed approximately 50% of people who contracted it; even today, it kills about one in ten.

When you catch diphtheria, a thick gray coating of dead cells forms at the back of your throat. This coating can eventually become thick enough to interfere with breathing. In earlier times, the disease was called the “strangling angel.”

Diphtheria can be spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes, contaminating the air around them. It can also be contracted if you touch a surface where infected droplets have landed, then touch your eyes, mouth or nose.

Less commonly, it’s possible to contract diphtheria by touching infected skin lesions or clothes that have touched infected skin lesions on someone with the illness.

Learn more about airborne and bloodborne pathogens Airborne and bloodborne pathogens can both be deadly, but there are preventive measures you can take to be safe in almost any environment.

Implement engineering controls in the workplace, wear PPE, and adopt behavioral protocols that will reduce spread, and hopefully you can reduce the risk of transmission at your workplace.

We offer comprehensive courses on airborne pathogens and best Osha Bloodborne Pathogens Training Online. Learn how to protect yourself from both, and the measures you should take to reduce risk in the workplace.

[marrincostello]

Coronavirus: Microsoft Teams crashes as millions work at home | Daily Mail Online

What is the coronavirus? 

A coronavirus is a type of virus which can cause illness in animals and people. Viruses break into cells inside their host and use them to reproduce itself and disrupt the body's normal functions. Coronaviruses are named after the Latin word 'corona', which means crown, because they are encased by a spiked shell which resembles a royal crown.

The coronavirus from Wuhan is one which has never been seen before this outbreak. It has been named SARS-CoV-2 by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. The name stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2.

Experts say the bug, which has killed around one in 50 patients since the outbreak began in December, is a 'sister' of the SARS illness which hit China in 2002, so has been named after it.

The disease that the virus causes has been named COVID-19, which stands for coronavirus disease 2019.

Dr Helena Maier, from the Pirbright Institute, said: 'Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that infect a wide range of different species including humans, cattle, pigs, chickens, dogs, cats and wild animals. 

'Until this new coronavirus was identified, there were only six different coronaviruses known to infect humans. Four of these cause a mild common cold-type illness, but since 2002 there has been the emergence of two new coronaviruses that can infect humans and result in more severe disease (Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronaviruses). 

'Coronaviruses are known to be able to occasionally jump from one species to another and that is what happened in the case of SARS, MERS and the new coronavirus. The animal origin of the new coronavirus is not yet known.' 

The first human cases were publicly reported from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where approximately 11million people live, after medics first started publicly reporting infections on December 31.

By January 8, 59 suspected cases had been reported and seven people were in critical condition. Tests were developed for the new virus and recorded cases started to surge.

The first person died that week and, by January 16, two were dead and 41 cases were confirmed. The next day, scientists predicted that 1,700 people had become infected, possibly up to 7,000. 

Where does the virus come from?

According to scientists, the virus almost certainly came from bats. Coronaviruses in general tend to originate in animals – the similar SARS and MERS viruses are believed to have originated in civet cats and camels, respectively.

The first cases of COVID-19 came from people visiting or working in a live animal market in Wuhan, which has since been closed down for investigation.

Although the market is officially a seafood market, other dead and living animals were being sold there, including wolf cubs, salamanders, snakes, peacocks, porcupines and camel meat. 

A study by the Wuhan Institute of Virology, published in February 2020 in the scientific journal Nature, found that the genetic make-up virus samples found in patients in China is 96 per cent identical to a coronavirus they found in bats.

However, there were not many bats at the market so scientists say it was likely there was an animal which acted as a middle-man, contracting it from a bat before then transmitting it to a human. It has not yet been confirmed what type of animal this was.

Dr Michael Skinner, a virologist at Imperial College London, was not involved with the research but said: 'The discovery definitely places the origin of nCoV in bats in China.

'We still do not know whether another species served as an intermediate host to amplify the virus, and possibly even to bring it to the market, nor what species that host might have been.'  

So far the fatalities are quite low. Why are health experts so worried about it? 

Experts say the international community is concerned about the virus because so little is known about it and it appears to be spreading quickly.

It is similar to SARS, which infected 8,000 people and killed nearly 800 in an outbreak in Asia in 2003, in that it is a type of coronavirus which infects humans' lungs. It is less deadly than SARS, however, which killed around one in 10 people, compared to approximately one in 50 for COVID-19.

Another reason for concern is that nobody has any immunity to the virus because they've never encountered it before. This means it may be able to cause more damage than viruses we come across often, like the flu or common cold.

Speaking at a briefing in January, Oxford University professor, Dr Peter Horby, said: 'Novel viruses can spread much faster through the population than viruses which circulate all the time because we have no immunity to them.

'Most seasonal flu viruses have a case fatality rate of less than one in 1,000 people. Here we're talking about a virus where we don't understand fully the severity spectrum but it's possible the case fatality rate could be as high as two per cent.'

If the death rate is truly two per cent, that means two out of every 100 patients who get it will die. 

'My feeling is it's lower,' Dr Horby added. 'We're probably missing this iceberg of milder cases. But that's the current circumstance we're in.

'Two per cent case fatality rate is comparable to the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918 so it is a significant concern globally.'

How does the virus spread?

The illness can spread between people just through coughs and sneezes, making it an extremely contagious infection. And it may also spread even before someone has symptoms.

It is believed to travel in the saliva and even through water in the eyes, therefore close contact, kissing, and sharing cutlery or utensils are all risky. It can also live on surfaces, such as plastic and steel, for up to 72 hours, meaning people can catch it by touching contaminated surfaces.

Originally, people were thought to be catching it from a live animal market in Wuhan city. But cases soon began to emerge in people who had never been there, which forced medics to realise it was spreading from person to person. 

What does the virus do to you? What are the symptoms?

Once someone has caught the COVID-19 virus it may take between two and 14 days, or even longer, for them to show any symptoms – but they may still be contagious during this time.

If and when they do become ill, typical signs include a runny nose, a cough, sore throat and a fever (high temperature). The vast majority of patients will recover from these without any issues, and many will need no medical help at all.

In a small group of patients, who seem mainly to be the elderly or those with long-term illnesses, it can lead to pneumonia. Pneumonia is an infection in which the insides of the lungs swell up and fill with fluid. It makes it increasingly difficult to breathe and, if left untreated, can be fatal and suffocate people.

Figures are showing that young children do not seem to be particularly badly affected by the virus, which they say is peculiar considering their susceptibility to flu, but it is not clear why. 

What have genetic tests revealed about the virus? 

Scientists in China have recorded the genetic sequences of around 19 strains of the virus and released them to experts working around the world. 

This allows others to study them, develop tests and potentially look into treating the illness they cause.   

Examinations have revealed the coronavirus did not change much – changing is known as mutating – much during the early stages of its spread.

However, the director-general of China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Gao Fu, said the virus was mutating and adapting as it spread through people.

This means efforts to study the virus and to potentially control it may be made extra difficult because the virus might look different every time scientists analyse it.   

More study may be able to reveal whether the virus first infected a small number of people then change and spread from them, or whether there were various versions of the virus coming from animals which have developed separately.

How dangerous is the virus?  

The virus has a death rate of around two per cent. This is a similar death rate to the Spanish Flu outbreak which, in 1918, went on to kill around 50million people.

Experts have been conflicted since the beginning of the outbreak about whether the true number of people who are infected is significantly higher than the official numbers of recorded cases. Some people are expected to have such mild symptoms that they never even realise they are ill unless they're tested, so only the more serious cases get discovered, making the death toll seem higher than it really is.

However, an investigation into government surveillance in China said it had found no reason to believe this was true.

Dr Bruce Aylward, a World Health Organization official who went on a mission to China, said there was no evidence that figures were only showing the tip of the iceberg, and said recording appeared to be accurate, Stat News reported.

Can the virus be cured? 

The COVID-19 virus cannot be cured and it is proving difficult to contain.

Antibiotics do not work against viruses, so they are out of the question. Antiviral drugs can work, but the process of understanding a virus then developing and producing drugs to treat it would take years and huge amounts of money.

No vaccine exists for the coronavirus yet and it's not likely one will be developed in time to be of any use in this outbreak, for similar reasons to the above.

The National Institutes of Health in the US, and Baylor University in Waco, Texas, say they are working on a vaccine based on what they know about coronaviruses in general, using information from the SARS outbreak. But this may take a year or more to develop, according to Pharmaceutical Technology.

Currently, governments and health authorities are working to contain the virus and to care for patients who are sick and stop them infecting other people.

People who catch the illness are being quarantined in hospitals, where their symptoms can be treated and they will be away from the uninfected public.

And airports around the world are putting in place screening measures such as having doctors on-site, taking people's temperatures to check for fevers and using thermal screening to spot those who might be ill (infection causes a raised temperature).

However, it can take weeks for symptoms to appear, so there is only a small likelihood that patients will be spotted up in an airport.

Is this outbreak an epidemic or a pandemic?   

The outbreak was declared a pandemic on March 11. A pandemic is defined by the World Health Organization as the 'worldwide spread of a new disease'. 

Previously, the UN agency said most cases outside of Hubei had been 'spillover' from the epicentre, so the disease wasn't actually spreading actively around the world.

This content was originally published here.

[bangkokjacknews]

What do we know about the DEADLY CORONAVIRUS?

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE DEADLY #CORONAVIRUS IN CHINA? Someone who is infected with the Wuhan coronavirus can spread it with just a simple cough or a sneeze, scientists say. At least 213 people with the virus are now confirmed to have died and more than 9,900 have been infected in at least 21 countries and regions. But experts predict the true number of people with the disease could be 100,000, or even as high as 350,000 in Wuhan alone, as they warn it may kill as many as two in 100 cases.  Here's what we know so far: What is the Wuhan coronavirus?  A coronavirus is a type of virus which can cause illness in animals and people. Viruses break into cells inside their host and use them to reproduce itself and disrupt the body's normal functions. Coronaviruses are named after the Latin word 'corona', which means crown, because they are encased by a spiked shell which resembles a royal crown. The coronavirus from Wuhan is one which has never been seen before this outbreak. It is currently named 2019-nCoV, and does not have a more detailed name because so little is known about it. Dr Helena Maier, from the Pirbright Institute, said: 'Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that infect a wide range of different species including humans, cattle, pigs, chickens, dogs, cats and wild animals. 'Until this new coronavirus was identified, there were only six different coronaviruses known to infect humans. Four of these cause a mild common cold-type illness, but since 2002 there has been the emergence of two new coronaviruses that can infect humans and result in more severe disease (Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronaviruses). https://bangkokjack.com/2020/02/03/thai-doctors-coronavirus-break-through/ 'Coronaviruses are known to be able to occasionally jump from one species to another and that is what happened in the case of SARS, MERS and the new coronavirus. The animal origin of the new coronavirus is not yet known.' The first human cases were publicly reported from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where approximately 11million people live, after medics first started seeing infections on December 31. By January 8, 59 suspected cases had been reported and seven people were in critical condition. Tests were developed for the new virus and recorded cases started to surge. The first person died that week and, by January 16, two were dead and 41 cases were confirmed. The next day, scientists predicted that 1,700 people had become infected, possibly up to 7,000. Just a week after that, there had been more than 800 confirmed cases and those same scientists estimated that some 4,000 – possibly 9,700 – were infected in Wuhan alone. By that point, 26 people had died.  By January 27, more than 2,800 people were confirmed to have been infected, 81 had died, and estimates of the total number of cases ranged from 100,000 to 350,000 in Wuhan alone. By January 29, the number of deaths had risen to 132 and cases were in excess of 6,000.   Where does the virus come from? Nobody knows for sure. Coronaviruses in general tend to originate in animals – the similar SARS and MERS viruses are believed to have originated in civet cats and camels, respectively. The first cases of the virus in Wuhan came from people visiting or working in a live animal market in the city, which has since been closed down for investigation. Although the market is officially a seafood market, other dead and living animals were being sold there, including wolf cubs, salamanders, snakes, peacocks, porcupines and camel meat. Bats are a prime suspect – researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences said in a recent statement: 'The Wuhan coronavirus' natural host could be bats… but between bats and humans there may be an unknown intermediate.' And another scientific journal article has suggested the virus first infected snakes, which may then have transmitted it to people at the market in Wuhan. Peking University researchers analysed the genes of the coronavirus and said they most closely matched viruses which are known to affect snakes. They said: 'Results derived from our evolutionary analysis suggest for the first time that snake is the most probable wildlife animal reservoir for the 2019-nCoV,' in the Journal of Medical Virology. So far the fatalities are quite low. Why are health experts so worried about it?  Experts say the international community is concerned about the virus because so little is known about it and it appears to be spreading quickly. It is similar to SARS, which infected 8,000 people and killed nearly 800 in an outbreak in Asia in 2003, in that it is a type of coronavirus which infects humans' lungs. Another reason for concern is that nobody has any immunity to the virus because they've never encountered it before. This means it may be able to cause more damage than viruses we come across often, like the flu or common cold. Speaking at a briefing in January, Oxford University professor, Dr Peter Horby, said: 'Novel viruses can spread much faster through the population than viruses which circulate all the time because we have no immunity to them. 'Most seasonal flu viruses have a case fatality rate of less than one in 1,000 people. Here we're talking about a virus where we don't understand fully the severity spectrum but it's possible the case fatality rate could be as high as two per cent.' If the death rate is truly two per cent, that means two out of every 100 patients who get it will die. 'My feeling is it's lower,' Dr Horby added. 'We're probably missing this iceberg of milder cases. But that's the current circumstance we're in. 'Two per cent case fatality rate is comparable to the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918 so it is a significant concern globally.' How does the virus spread? The illness can spread between people just through coughs and sneezes, making it an extremely contagious infection. And it may also spread even before someone has symptoms. It is believed to travel in the saliva and even through water in the eyes, therefore close contact, kissing, and sharing cutlery or utensils are all risky. Originally, people were thought to be catching it from a live animal market in Wuhan city. But cases soon began to emerge in people who had never been there, which forced medics to realise it was spreading from person to person. There is now evidence that it can spread third hand – to someone from a person who caught it from another person. What does the virus do to you? What are the symptoms? Once someone has caught the virus it may take between two and 14 days for them to show any symptoms – but they may still be contagious during this time. If and when they do become ill, typical signs include a runny nose, a cough, sore throat and a fever (high temperature). The vast majority of patients – at least 97 per cent, based on available data – will recover from these without any issues or medical help. In a small group of patients, who seem mainly to be the elderly or those with long-term illnesses, it can lead to pneumonia. Pneumonia is an infection in which the insides of the lungs swell up and fill with fluid. It makes it increasingly difficult to breathe and, if left untreated, can be fatal and suffocate people.  What have genetic tests revealed about the virus?  Scientists in China have recorded the genetic sequences of around 19 strains of the virus and released them to experts working around the world. This allows others to study them, develop tests and potentially look into treating the illness they cause. Examinations have revealed the coronavirus did not change much – changing is known as mutating – much during the early stages of its spread. However, the director-general of China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Gao Fu, yesterday said the virus was mutating and adapting as it spread through people. This means efforts to study the virus and to potentially control it may be made extra difficult because the virus might look different every time scientists analyse it. More study may be able to reveal whether the virus first infected a small number of people then change and spread from them, or whether there were various versions of the virus coming from animals which have developed separately. How dangerous is the virus?   The virus has so far killed 213 people out of a total of at least 9,800 officially confirmed cases – a death rate of around two per cent. This is a similar death rate to the Spanish Flu outbreak which, in 1918, went on to kill around 50million people. However, experts say the true number of patients is likely considerably higher and therefore the death rate considerably lower. Imperial College London researchers estimate that there were 4,000 (up to 9,700) cases in Wuhan city alone up to January 18 – officially there were only 444 there to date. If cases are in fact 100 times more common than the official figures, the virus may be far less dangerous than currently believed. Experts say it is likely only the most seriously ill patients are seeking help and are therefore recorded – the vast majority will have only mild, cold-like symptoms. For those whose conditions do become more severe, there is a risk of developing pneumonia which can destroy the lungs and kill you.   Can the virus be cured?  The Wuhan coronavirus cannot currently be cured and it is proving difficult to contain. Antibiotics do not work against viruses, so they are out of the question. Antiviral drugs can, but the process of understanding a virus then developing and producing drugs to treat it would take years and huge amounts of money. No vaccine exists for the coronavirus yet and it's not likely one will be developed in time to be of any use in this outbreak, for similar reasons to the above. The National Institutes of Health in the US, and Baylor University in Waco, Texas, say they are working on a vaccine based on what they know about coronaviruses in general, using information from the SARS outbreak. But this may take a year or more to develop, according to Pharmaceutical Technology. Currently, governments and health authorities are working to contain the virus and to care for patients who are sick and stop them infecting other people. People who catch the illness are being quarantined in hospitals, where their symptoms can be treated and they will be away from the uninfected public. And airports around the world are putting in place screening measures such as having doctors on-site, taking people's temperatures to check for fevers and using thermal screening to spot those who might be ill (infection causes a raised temperature). However, it can take weeks for symptoms to appear, so there is only a small likelihood that patients will be spotted up in an airport. Is this outbreak an epidemic or a pandemic?    The outbreak has not officially been confirmed as either an epidemic or a pandemic yet. This is likely because, despite the global concern, the number of people who have been confirmed to be infected is still relatively low. A pandemic is defined by the World Health Organization as the 'worldwide spread of a new disease'. An epidemic is when a disease takes hold of a smaller community, such as a single country, region or continent. – You can follow BangkokJack on Instagram, Twitter & Reddit. Or join the free mailing list (top right) Please help us continue to bring the REAL NEWS - PayPal Read the full article

[nemesis-nexus]

Darkest Greetings and Salutations my Family how is everyone? I am doing well, it’s the first day of Autumn yet it’s in the upper 80’s with crazy humidity, go figure! It’s supposed to be like this for a couple more days and then Autumn (should) start to wander across the threshold! I hope everyone is enjoying their Mabon/Autumn Equinox, I am about to go take a walk in the early night Air myself but before I do, I will leave this here. Fair warning, this one is about 8 pages long so be pace yourselves!

Mabon/Autumn Equinox 2019

Not only is today the beginning of Autumn, it is a day to take some time to reflect on all the things that we have been blessed with this year; from the new friends we've made to the old friendships we've maintained, new jobs to new members of the Family!

There is so much going on in the world that we need to be thankful for the things that we have no matter how minor we may think they are; remember what is minor to us could be quite a big deal to another! Things such as clean water which we take for granted - turn on the faucet and there it is - is a major deal for those who don't have that luxury! Food to eat is another huge deal for those who are not privileged to have access to their own! A roof over our heads doesn't seem like it yields a whole lot to be grateful for until you meet someone who doesn't have even THAT much!

This Mabon while you are giving thanks for all these things, don't forget that there are others who don't have much and not for lack of want or trying but because they have simply fallen on hard times! Take a moment to take stock of your own life and realize how good you really have it even if you are going through tough times yourself! There are many things we can do to help out, donating to a charity in good standing, volunteering in a soup kitchen, handing out supplies to those who are living on the streets to help them get through the harsh Winter months are a few examples!

When you are gathering supplies for your Mabon feast consider picking up a few items to donate to your local food bank and donate some items that you no longer use such as: clothing, blankets, toys and books to your local shelter where they will be put to good use once again by those who need them! Remember that NOT all those who fall on hard times or are taking up residence in a shelter are adults and they too need a helping hand! Compassion for our fellow humans and the natural world should always be the norm, NEVER the exception and it should not require a holiday for it to take place, everyday someone out there is struggling to get by and while things may not be easy for us, we have it better than some!

On Mabon we light the Fires and we take some of what we acquired from the Harvest and we share with our own families and friends, we express our gratitude for all we have and we look to the future to see what we need to do to keep things moving forward! With all that is happening it is important that we do our part to improve our communities - keeping in mind that we live here too - so whatever we can do whether it's joining the school board, coaching a team, running for office or taking part in a protest - ALL of these things can help bring to the forefront the issues that are currently plaguing this country so that they can be addressed and resolved instead of left to fester and become even worse as time goes on!

Also while you are enjoying the company and festivities, take a moment to acknowledge all those who are not able to do the same because they are on active duty Stateside and around the world and give thanks for their service as they are the frontline of our defense no matter where they are stationed! It’s not easy for anyone to be away from their family especially during the holidays but they chose to shoulder this burden not for their benefit, but for OURS! RESPECT! I mentioned donating to food banks and homeless shelters, what is REALLY needed for our homeless Vets is access to psychiatric care ESPECIALLY those who are dealing with very real and very debilitating issues such as PTSD, depression, rage and suicide! Our Vets need to be taken care of by getting the medical attention they need and being given employment so they can bring in a paycheck and afford to buy basic essentials - it is the VERY least we can do for them for everything they were willing to sacrifice for the rest of us!

More than anything we should express our gratitude for everything we have that Nature provides from the Air in our lungs, to the Earth under our feet, to the Water of Life to the Fire that warms us and the planet itself because without these things we as a species would cease to exist - as would the rest of the natural world - which is why we need to start taking better care of our ecosystem!

Now is the time when the world begins to prepare itself for the Season of Death, when the leaves begin to change color and fall to the ground and the trees go into a state of suspended animation; when bears go into hibernation and the birds fly south; when the squirrels begin to gather nuts; when all those who live off the land Harvest their crops and hunt their meat to store it for the long Winter ahead! Mother Earth provides everyone, human and animal alike, everything they need to survive in any climate which is why we need to remember ourselves and treat her with the respect she deserves instead of taking for granted everything that is readily available! The more we waste things, the more we pollute things, the less there will be for future generations and what we do have will be completely useless because it'll be so toxic that consuming it or being anywhere near it would be deadly!

This Mabon I would like to wish everyone in my Family both Blood and Spiritual as well as their families, to my friends and their friends a very blessed holiday! May your tables never be barren, your cups never be empty! May you know prosperity as well as generosity! May your health always be on the uptick, may anything that is a source of stress be resolved! May your loved ones know peace and tranquility and may they never go without!

I would like to thank everyone for being a part of my life especially those of you who were around between 2012 - 2015 and are still here, your loyalty means more than you know because it reminds me that there are still people out there that won't just cut and run when times get tough! There have been those who I thought were loyal who turned out to be acting as double agents which I find to be pointless especially if the ones they keep running back to are only manipulating them and casting them aside when they are no longer useful until the next time they are, but better to know who the weeds in my Garden are so that they can be pulled rather than live in denial because I don’t want to accept that those I called Brother or Sister not only betrayed me but also tried their damndest to damage my reputation from behind closed doors because they for whatever reason thought I wouldn’t find out! I’m not worried, let’s just say that Karma has a way of sorting these things out…

I would like to thank all the members of the Temple of the Eternal Dragon, the Temple of the Ancient Dragon, the House of the Warrior Phenex and the Ancient Church of God, your presence is appreciated as without you neither my Temple nor House nor the ACoG would exist! While there have been some rough patches we have shown by example that so long as we stand together that nothing and no one can drive us apart! Loyalty in the face of adversity demonstrates the true strength of ANY bond whether it’s between two people, a group of people or an organization of any kind. This holds true especially if the group of people is all striving for a common goal in a sea of drama that constantly threatens to wash over anyone who isn’t paying attention!

The fact is that not everyone who smiles at us is our friend and a listening ear/reading eye can and oftentimes is also a running mouth especially when it comes to those who can’t hold a candle to you and yours and are so vindictively hateful that they will make up any story and tell anyone willing to listen in an effort to ruin your reputation and stop anyone else from having anything to do with you! We never need to concern ourselves with those who believe whatever they are told without question, however, if one (or more) of those people is in OUR House then it must be addressed and dealt with quickly lest this person become a liability by dispensing information revealed in private meetings or sharing personal information of other members with those outside the group! It’s a hard thing to accept to be sure but it makes ALL those who would never consider such actions shine that much brighter!

Most of all I would like to thank the Ancient Family who years ago reached out to me and never left my side even when I became an atheist in my teens and then back in December 2012 - go figure - reached out to me yet again when I began Walking the Gates of the Simon Necronomicon and showed themselves to me in various ways! We all start somewhere and even though the Necronomicon was overall a work of fiction, there are MANY seeds of truth sewn all throughout the pages! What I have learned since then is that no matter how lost we may get on our Path that the Ancient Family will always shine their Light to help us find our way, all we have to do is trust in ourselves and our Faith in them and let the Path reveal itself to us!

While there are always those who will read the stories and use that knowledge to present themselves as being superior, we know that no one who holds any real wisdom or power would use it to keep the rest of the people oppressed! We know this because for the last 2018 years those same stories were stolen and hidden away, their contents deliberately mistranslated and oftentimes outright misrepresented because those who chose the low road knew they were nothing special which is why they had to use violence and genocide to force their agenda on the rest of the people! Many of these people are the lowly decedents of Abraham, a reprehensible human being who embodies and represents the very worst of human nature! Through his thievery and deception he sought to make a name for himself by stealing and rewriting the stories of Sumer and other Cultures, casting down the ‘Pagan’ Gods until people were too afraid to remember them! I have news for that wretch and ALL his followers who demonstrate the same level of hatred and malfeasance towards the rest of us - YOUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED!

One of the things that enrages me about Abraham is the absolute DEMAND of SUBSERVIENCE towards women, in the Ancient World it was NOT like this! In fact in Ancient Sumer men and women spoke two separate languages and the men ONLY learned the language of the women - the keepers of all things Spiritual, whose wisdom and assistance was sought out by everyone including soldiers and politicians - if the women deemed them worthy enough to be granted such an honor! I absolutely exalt NINHURSAG on the HIGHEST of THRONES and thank her and the rest of the Grand Council PROFUSELY for making me the way I am no matter how difficult and isolating it has made my Path at times because at the end of the day I can honestly say that I would never harm a child and I would be the first in line to take down any person or institution that would! I will NEVER tell people they need to hate anyone for something as trite as sexual identity or preference, same sex marriage has been legal in many places for a while now and I don’t recall the world coming to an end because of it, go figure!

The fact is all one has to do is look at the track record of ALL THREE of the Abrahamic Religions and then at the track record of legitimately practicing Satanists and you will see where the true “evil” is not only cradled but nurtured and unleashed! Then go back even further to the Ancient World and realize that for all their theft, lies and violence that the ONLY hold they have over anyone is PSYCHOlogical! Once a person realizes the truth about what REALLY happened and HOW things came to be as they are, they no longer feel obligated to feed that delusion! The second they stop feeding the delusion and they claim their independence of such debauchery is the second they are no longer a slave to Abraham and they are able to find the Path back to the REAL Mother and Father and the rest of the Family!

This Mabon I give thanks to the Ancient Family who lets me know that I am NO ONE’S SLAVE! That being said I would like to share on this Mabon/Autumnal Equinox all that for which I am grateful:

1) First and foremost I am grateful to the Ancient Family for helping me to find my Path, I admit it took a while to figure it out and there were many obstacles I had to overcome, but at the end of the day I understand why it was necessary.

It needed to happen this way so that not only would I have an actual appreciation for everything I gained through my personal trials, including wisdom and insight, but so that I would see the world with eyes unclouded, meaning that I would accept the truth no matter how much it might hurt. Part of this is accepting any situation – especially personal situations – for what they are and to not deny it out of a misguided sense of loyalty or duty to anything or anyone. One of the harshest lessons that lead to being able to do this was seeing people for who they are and to stop helping those who don’t deserve it! Unfortunately this can apply to family as much as friends and co-workers. One thing a person needs to keep in mind is that there is a huge difference between trying to help someone who is being resistant because they might have issues in their past that makes it hard for them to trust anyone and someone who takes both you and EVERTHING you do for them for granted!

The first may be dismissive because they aren't used to ANYONE giving a damn, the second has become so accustomed to others doing things FOR them that they don't bother doing anything for themselves or they continuously ask you for favors and get mad if you say no! There are those that will never accept your help no matter how sincere you are and then there are those that will not only accept your help but will milk it for all they can until such time as you cut them off, in both cases you have to let them go and move on!

2) I am grateful for my Family both Blood and Spiritual.

There are two forms of Family, our Blood Family whom we are connected to through biology and our Spiritual Family with whom we share a common Path and Belief. We may not always agree with our either one on everything especially religion, but we will go through the fire for them! Our Spiritual Family are the ones who offer us the kind of support that repairs most past damage that has been inflicted by those we have met all along the road called life and as such we in turn are able to help others through their difficult times. I am grateful for both because I know who I am and where I came from due to my Blood and Spirit; that is a privilege that many people are denied! I am grateful for my Spiritual Family because not only do we share a common bond through our beliefs but we also stand together regardless of where we come from or where we are going!

3) I am grateful for my Friends online and offline.

There are people that we meet in life who stay with us no matter what happens and these people may be physically present or they may be communicated with via the internet. While we may be able to hang out with our offline friends, go to the movies, have private conversations that can’t be hacked and go through the motions of life, our online friends are also a source of support especially in a social media forum where it can get so bad that it’s literally a free for all where it’s no holds barred. Online friends are also in many cases the only people that some have to talk to either because a person is deathly shy or because they need to talk to someone about something they feel they can’t speak to anyone in their immediate area about out of fear something may be overheard or that they might be betrayed by that person.

In essence online friends are something of a safe harbor because when we are in dire straits and there is no one else around to talk to, we can go online and talk to them. We must ALWAYS however be very careful who we trust because online friends CAN be a double edge sword, because unlike offline friends we can never be certain who we are talking to at first, however as time goes on and we become more and more familiar we can usually tell who is legit and who isn’t. Sad to say but people we know offline can be even shadier than those we meet online. It’s all a matter of paying attention and never taking anything at face value.

I am grateful to my offline friends because I have people I am able to physically be with and confide in and I am grateful to my online friends because no matter where I am (for example on a train for 24+ hours) I always have people to talk to! I am MOST grateful for those who start out as online friends and eventually become offline friends and in some cases Spiritual Family! Nobody crosses our paths for no reason, they are either there to become someone of importance to us personally or they are there to be a lesson to remind us that not everyone who enters our lives should be trusted and as such are not meant to stay.

4) I am grateful for my Temple as well as each and every member in it.

When I formed the Temple of the Eternal Dragon, it came on the heels of a VERY stressful time where I had to make a choice; either continue to be used by an ungrateful man child who felt he was entitled to have other people do his work for him while he took the credit and simultaneously disrespected me behind closed doors every chance he got, or lead by example and show the congregation that I had told many times to never be afraid to walk away from a bad situation and an equally toxic person.

I chose the latter and when I did that bad situation got even worse because not only was I accused of ruining the church while I was still running it, after I left I was accused of being a member of a terrorist group that exploited children and people were told to not trust me. There was so much more vitriolic and hateful things said but you get the idea. When I formed the TotED I vowed to not bring the drama into it and to also NEVER “recruit” members or otherwise bribe people into joining by offering automatic ordainments just for joining. In my opinion ANY rank or titled NOT EARNED is not only superficial, it is completely meaningless!

Ordainments should ONLY be offered if a person has demonstrated knowledge of the Path itself, the ability to think for themselves and not be lead by the nose and also has been a member of the Path long enough to prove their loyalty and that they are NOT just getting ordained because they can! There are too many people who claim all sorts of ranks and titles yet they have NO background in the Path and they don’t know anything other than what was dictated to them AFTER they joined the organization!

Mind you we all start somewhere and there is nothing wrong with learning about the Path after you join an organization, the problem is when the ONLY knowledge you possess is what is dictated to you and you demonstrate absolutely NO desire to learn anything else. This is dangerous because ALL cult leaders rely on their members to rely SOLELY on what they are told and to NEVER look things up for themselves. This shows a clear lack of personal application and NO ONE who lacks the desire to take part in their education or Spiritual awareness should ever be ordained because they have no more to offer someone else than the one who dictated copy and paste garbage had to offer them. In fact a person in that position stands to be more of a hindrance to someone else’s Spiritual growth and personal evolution than anything else. Not only this, but a person who cannot think for themselves or do their own research is someone who stands to MISREPRESENT the Deities rather than uphold his/her honor! This is an insult to the Deities primarily but also to the individual themselves as it insinuates that they are unable to stand on their own without the man behind the curtain feeding them their lines!

Enki, Ninhursag and Ningizheda created us to be able to stand together or alone, whichever the situation calls for, neither they nor the rest of the Ancient Family intended for us to ever become so dependent on another human - or THEM for that matter - that we are unable to function without them or to ever be so easily won over with empty titles and meaningless ranks that we would be willing to claim belief in something ONLY to hold said meaningless rank and titles!

There are few things I have and will ever ask from those looking to join or are currently in my Temple; one is that you join of your own accord as you will not be given anything except respect and support by myself as well as resources to begin your own personal journey on the Path. Your connection to the Family is your own, I cannot make it for you and despite what you may hear from other groups NO AMOUNT of contract writing in blood or any other medium will establish this connection. You need to approach the Family with respect and humbleness.

Two is that you are respectful of the other members keeping in mind that while you may possess advanced knowledge or at the very least MORE knowledge than some, that there are others who are just starting out and therefore there is no such thing as a stupid question. I would rather have someone ask me a question that has been asked 10,000 times before so that THEY know the answer than EVER have a member who is to afraid of retaliation in the form of harassment or flaming to even pose it in the first place! A person who is denied access to the same knowledge everyone else possesses is a person who will never know more than they previously did and that doesn’t help ANYONE trying to advance on their Path! Remember we ALL had our “first day” and we knew just as much then as the newbies know now, so for all intents and purposes we are not above them when it comes to following the Path!

Three is that you do NOT mindlessly attack ANYONE else regardless of their faith. If a person wants to be a Christian, Buddhist or Pastafarian that is entirely at THEIR discretion NOT YOURS and you have no more right or business to mock them than they do to mock us! If you emulate the behavior of your so called enemy then you are really no better than your so called enemy! Keep in mind if you want Satanism/Aasarism to be respected as a religion or Path then you need to ACT like you do! Also whenever you are out and about keep in mind that it is NOT just you or this Temple that you are representing when you talk to people, it is the entire Ancient Family and if you behave in a manner that reflects THEIR preconceived notions as to what Satanism/Aasarism is about or how Satanists/Aasarists behave then all you are doing is proving THEM right!

Words can never express fully how grateful I am to those who joined in the beginning - especially those who followed me from my old church - and stayed no matter how much drama was going on at the time! I am grateful that this Temple is 4.75 years strong with no signs of slowing down! I am grateful that people continue to join every day and while not everyone sticks around I take pride in the fact that they came in the first place! It shows that they were curious enough to want to know more and even though they decided this wasn’t for them, they could have just dismissed me completely as someone not worth their time!

There is so much more I am grateful for but at the end of the day but I think the thing I am most grateful for, aside from the afore mentioned, is that no matter how arduous the road that led me here has been, I kept moving forward and because I did I found my way back Home and even though new challenges arise every day in various forms, I know we will NEVER back up, we will NEVER back down! We will NEVER give up! We will NEVER give in! That so long as the Ancient Family is by our side, we can handle anything! It is my fervent hope that I convey all the lessons I have learned through my own experiences to every member of the Temple of the Eternal Dragon so that they may glean a little something from them and even avoid certain situations altogether so as to not have to go through what I did!

I would like to take this opportunity to say a resounding THANK YOU to the members of the Temple of the Eternal Dragon, to my Sister Cindy who has helped me and continues to help me with various aspects of my Path, to my Blood Family for putting up with me, to my Spiritual Family for their continued support, to my Friends online and off for not abandoning me and especially to my Blessed and Most Exalted Father and Mother for showing me the way and for helping me to remain strong during the very worst of times - THANK YOU ALL! HAVE A MAGICKAL MABON AND A VERY BLESSED AUTUMN EQUINOX!

“O now is the time of the Harvest,

As we draw near to the years end

Now is the time of Mabon

Autumn is the time to descend

Old Woman waits patiently for us

At the threshold of the labyrinth within

She offers her hand that we may understand

The treasures that await at journeys end

O Great Mother has given of Her body,

We give thanks for Her fruit and Her grain

We then clear the fields so that next harvests yields

Will be full and abundant again.

Old Woman leads us through the darkness

Our most ancient and trusted of friends

She carries the light of spiritual insight

And leads us to our wisdom once again

And as we journey through the darkness

And as we continue to descend

We learn to let go of what obscures our soul

And re-discover our true being in the end

- Lisa Thiel (“Mabon/Autumn Equinox”)

---

“In the Darkness we ignite the fire

And we dance in the light,

We feast, we drink, we laugh

We enjoy the company this Mabon night!

We work the Web that connects us all

Our focus we shall maintain,

We gather up all the energy

And send it into the Astral Plane!

We are thankful for everyone

All those who decorate our life,

We stand together in full support

No matter how severe the strife!

No matter where we are

No matter what we do,

We know we can count on Family

To always come shining through!

To the Ancient Family who stands tall

Their Honor tried and true,

You are the reason why we are still here

And tonight we revere you with endless gratitude!

-HPS Meg ”Nemesis Nexus” Prentiss”

ZI ANA KANPA! ZI KIA KANPA!

MAY THE DEAD RISE AND SMELL THE INCENSE!

Etiamsi MULTA Et Nos UNUM Sumus Nos Sto Validus Ut Nos Sto Una!

Semper Veritas, Semper Fideles, In NINHURSAG'S Nomen Nos Fides! AVE NINHURSAG!

(We Are ONE Even Though We Are MANY And We Stand STRONGEST When We Stand TOGETHER!

Always TRUTHFUL, Always FAITHFUL, In NINHURSAG'S Name We Trust! HAIL NINHURSAG!)

AVÉ IGIGGI!

AVÉ ANUNNA!

AVÉ DRACONIS!

HAIL THE GREAT SERPENT!

HAIL THE ANCIENT FAMILY!

HPS Meg "Nemesis Nexus" Prentiss

[macgyvermedical]

NERVE AGENTS

WARNING: This post is about chemicals frequently used in acts of war and terrorism- particularly acts that have recently made headlines and been a very real, terrifying, and deadly part of people’s lives and news cycles. This post does not explicitly reference any particular real-life attack. That being said, it does present information aimed at writing the human response to exposure to nerve agents in a fictional and/or whumpy context, and does mention several uses of nerve agents in fiction. If you’re not comfortable with reading about such things, or don’t feel comfortable reading them in those contexts, feel free to keep scrolling- if you do want to read it, the rest of the post is below the cut.

Guys, I am on so many lists now. Like so many. I have googled so much sketch stuff for this blog I’m going to have to ask my sister to order a new humidifier for my snake’s tank because if I order one on Amazon the NSA is gonna send a SWAT team to my apartment... But anyway...

It’s been a while since Hawaii Five-0 S1E23 “Until the End is Near” premiered, and yet there’s a gifset that hasn’t stopped circulating in the whump community: one of Danny Williams, struggling to breathe, sweat covering his face, sliding slowly down a stone wall as the rest of the team runs towards him in panic. Later in that episode, it would come out that Danny ingested (or rather absorbed through skin contact with the episode’s victim) sarin, a chemical weapon well known for its longstanding applications in war and terrorism. 

What "Nerve Agents” Are:

As explained in the episode, sarin belongs to a group of chemicals known as nerve agents. Medically, nerve agents are called acetylcholineseterase inhibitors. Some common ones include:

“G-Series”- These were pre-WWII-era, and probably the most well-known nerve agents. They were originally invented as highly-effective pesticides, but were realized as chemical weapons when the scientist and lab assistant testing tabun both accidentally came into contact with less than a drop and became severely ill for several weeks.

Sarin (GB

Tabun (GA)

Soman (GD)

“V-Series”- These were invented during the Cold War for the express purpose of creating chemical weapons. They stick around in the environment for longer without degrading than G-series agents, making them more useful as weapons. The most well-known is denoted “VX,” but there are many others named with “V’ and then a second letter.

Organophsphate Pesticides- today in the US, about 50% of pesticides can double as nerve agents. They come in very dilute concentrations and degrade very quickly, making them less useful as poisons. However, farm workers with long-term exposure have had significant health problems as a result. In fiction, the pilot episode of Royal Pains features a case of organophosphate pesticide poisoning, and (though this is not explicitly stated) Mac is poisoned by some variety of these in the MacGyver episode “Bitter Harvest”. The most well-known of these include the substances malathion and parathion. Since 2001, it has been illegal to use these substances in residential areas in the US because they tend to stick around in the environment long enough to potentially harm humans. They also reek.

How They Work:

Normally, when the brain wants something done in the body, it sends a signal via nerve to the muscle, gland or organ responsible for it. The end of that nerve then releases a neurotransmitter, and molecules of that neurotransmitter bind to receptors on the tissue, triggering the intended effect. When the job is done, the excess neurotransmitter is either slurped back up and recycled for next time, or degraded by an enzyme so it can’t hang around and make stuff happen when it shouldn’t.

There are many neurotransmitters in the human body, but the most important one for this post- and one of the most active in the body- is called acetylcholine. Presence of acetylcholine at receptor sites triggers secretion of mucous, tears, and sweat, causes muscle to contract, modulates memory and attention, and helps control digestion. Now, in order for these things to happen correctly, only very precise amounts of acetylcholine can be available to the receptors for very precise amounts of time. Once acetylcholine does its job, it immediately gets broken down by an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase.

This acetylcholinesterase stuff is super important. If is didn’t exist, or was, say, inhibited, acetylcholine would just hang around and build up in the areas where it does its work. This would cause all those things above to happen continuously and inappropriately. Which is exactly what happens when nerve agents, which are, as I said, very potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, end up in the human body.

What They Do:

People (and by extension characters) unlucky enough to be exposed to a nerve agent will typically show symptoms of severe acetylcholine poisoning. “Classic” symptoms include:

Pupil constriction

Headache

Difficulty breathing (from contracting muscle and excess secretions in lung passages)

Profuse sweating

Weakness

Excess tear formation

Fasciculations (muscles contracting inappropriately)

Nausea/vomiting/abdominal pain/diarrhea

Urinary frequency/incontinence

High heart rate and blood pressure

Higher doses will show symptoms progressing to:

Seizures and coma

Paralysis

Low heart rate and blood pressure

Respiratory arrest

Most people end up dying from paralysis of the respiratory muscles.

How quickly symptoms show up has to do with how the chemical got into the body- breathing a nerve agent may cause the onset of symptoms almost immediately, while absorbing it through the skin can delay onset of symptoms up to 18 hours.

How They’re Used:

Nerve agents are colorless liquids that can enter the body by ingestion (eating or drinking a substance containing them), absorption (through skin, eyes or mucous membranes), or inhalation (breathing a vapor or gas).

While nerve agents are poisons and can certainly be used to target a specific individual (as in the H50 episode), they are particularly well-suited to war and terrorism because of the ability to poison many people at the same time- and poison them quickly and repeatedly.

Spread by aerosol, they can persist in an environment (and continue killing people) for up to three days (three days in colder, wetter environments- in hotter, dryer environments they may last less than 24 hours). 

Only a very, very small volume of any nerve agent is required to kill a person. A normal-sized drop of sarin placed directly on skin (and not washed off) is more than enough to kill an adult. If breathed, death requires considerably less.

Surviving Them:

If your characters have no access to drugs, people can survive very small exposures without them- particularly skin exposures. Since the main deadly issue is respiratory arrest, getting control of their airway and forcing air into them is probably the most important intervention (I say “forcing” because given the airway constriction and the excessive secretions, this won’t be easy. Like, good luck if they’re not intubated).

After their airway and breathing is taken care of (if you have to get to circulation, meaning CPR, its too late in a mass-casualty/drugless situation, but that’s a whole other post), getting them cleaned off is really important. This is both to protect people taking care of them, and to make sure they don’t continue to absorb the agents. Nerve agents degrade when exposed to alkaline solutions, so plain old soap and water (or bleach) works pretty well as a decontamination solution.

Now, if they do have access to drugs, the above holds true, but...

In the H5-0 episode, Jenna tells Steve that Danny needs a drug called pralidoxime in order to survive. Pralidoxime is a nerve agent antidote that works by chemically reactivating the inhibited acetylcholinesterase. Unfortunately, it only works if given within a specific time frame after exposure (2 minutes for soman, 5 hours for sarin, 13 hours for tabun). Pralidoxime also doesn’t work immediately, so other drugs must be given to mitigate the effects of the nerve agent and keep the person alive until the reactivated enzymes can bring acetylcholine down to safe levels.

The first drug given for this is atropine. Atropine works by blocking some of the acetylcholine receptor sites. If there’s only a few receptor sites available, it matters less how much excess acetylcholine is around because it can’t do as much harm.

Another drug given is diazepam. Diazepam can stop or decrease seizure activity related to nerve agent exposure. Like atropine, it is not an antidote, but it can help manage life-threatening seizures until the pralidoxime works.

Now, none of these drugs can be effectively given orally. They’re best given IV, but since the poison works so fast, most people don’t have time or resources to start an IV to administer them. The solution to this is the “Mark 1 Kit”- a case with two auto-injectors (think epi-pens), one containing pralidoxime and the other containing atropine (this was the type of kit featured in the Royal Pains episode mentioned above).

The auto-injectors are designed to be given simultaneously or one immediately after the other, as soon as possible after symptoms appear, by the exposed person if at all possible (one of those “help yourself before assisting other passengers” things).

Another type of kit is also available, called the duodote, and contains both drugs in one auto-injector. Duodote kits are also available in bulk for response to mass-casualty events. Though specific drugs carried in the national stockpile are not published publicly, pralidoxime, atropine, and diazepam are likely included.

As it stands, Ambulances (and, I’m assuming law enforcement vehicles??) in major US cities carry Mark 1 or duodote kits for the medical and rescue personnel serving inside them. Military personnel serving in areas where nerve agent attacks are a potential hazard may carry up to three. In the case of an attack, if exposed and symptomatic, rescue personnel can self-administer the kits, or provide “buddy aid” to unconscious personnel. These kits are not for use, typically, by civilians. 

Note that people do not get immediately better when treated. These are primarily life-saving drugs, and repeated doses and medical care may be needed for weeks to months after.

Protecting Against Them:

For your characters who may be called into service to respond to a nerve agent attack (or who may be going in after a character exposed to nerve agents), there are a couple of options for keeping them safe(r).

There are a few options for detecting nerve agents in the environment. These range from “M8″ or “M9″ paper pads (which detect agents by changing color when exposed), but that only work on liquids, to more sophisticated and very expensive machines that pull air through special detectors that can identify chemicals that have been vaporized or turned into gas. 

Currently, “Level A” personal protective equipment is recommended by OSHA for any potential exposure to nerve agents. For reference, that’s this snazzy suit:

In addition to this (or instead of, if your characters are feeling lucky), there is a chemical option for preventing nerve agent poisoning. A drug called butyrylcholinesterase is currently in development to bind any nerve agent before it has the opportunity to cause problems in the body. This could be given to law enforcement, medical, and rescue personnel in the event of a nerve agent attack where they would need to be fit enough for duty to respond and have a high likelihood of becoming exposed.

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