#it only took 14 months and me getting poison ivy or something on my shoulder

[loquaciousquark]

[Fic] Metamorphose [3/3] - Complete!

Rating: T Characters/Pairings: Thanatos/Zagreus Word Count: 5k this chapter, 14k total Summary: The thing about loving the son of the god of the dead is that for a man with feet of literal fire, he can be so damned hard to pin down.

—

The Styx roils.

Except—this is different than before. Not the swollen churn which comes with delivering the prince of the house home again; not the froth of shades grasping for the stern jeweled gleam of Hades’s domain. Instead it’s a simple swell, displacement of the holy water marking the very real weight of a boat’s passage.

Charon, Thanatos wonders, all the way up to the moment Hades rises from his throne in full and dangerous glory, his face black as Nyx’s sky. The god of the dead sweeps towards the eastern palace doors, shades cringing away from his open wrath, and then—

A great power surges around them. It’s hot and bright and green as grass, a summerweight shout that stamps its name into every crevice of the palace. It weaves through iron and gem and gold, gentle and inexorable as vines rootling through mortar to crush it over many years.

The queen has returned.

—

Links: FF.net, AO3

[gothic-safari-clown]

The Mind’s Power Over the Body

Part 19: Hands Off

Story summary: They only ever had each other. It had been that way since high school, ever since Elianna transferred to dreary Arlen and took Jonathan under her wing. They go separate ways for college, and when they're reunited at Arkham Asylum professionally, Elianna comes to find that they've both changed during their time separated. Can she look past the promise of danger and stay by Jonathan's side as they slide further and further into the darkness while she grapples to come to terms with the truth about herself? Can she accept what needs to be done in order to hold onto the only person who holds any meaning in her life? This is a very self-indulgent AU that draws from several different canons of the DCU and ignoring others, starting in the Batman Begins Nolanverse. This will follow the plot of the movie, although the timeline has been very slightly tweaked.

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8 / Part 9 / Part 10 / Part 11 / Part 12 / Part 13 / Part 14 / Part 15 / Part 16 / Part 17 / Part 18

Word count: 2587

TW for self harm

"So you're tellin' me absolutely nothin' is goin' on between you two?" Between sessions, Harley had come to visit Elianna in her office for a chat. "Aren't you still staying at his place?" It seemed that the blonde still had yet to give up on the idea of El and Jonathan together; the only difference now was that she had ended up being right (a fact that the redhead had made sure to remind him of as they laid in bed catching their breath the day before. He hadn't found it quite as funny as she did).

"Yeah—wait, how did you know that?"

"I was pullin' into the parking lot behind you guys this mornin'."

"Uh-huh, we drove separately, stalker." El quirked an eyebrow with an expectant smile.

"Right, so you just happened to arrive at the same time? Just 'cause you didn't take the same car doesn't you're not comin' from the same place."

"Alright, alright," El laughed. "He's got some errands to run after work, so I promised to make dinner."

"Aww," Harley exaggerated the syllable, knowing it would get under her friend's skin.

"Oh, cut it out." El rolled her eyes and scoffed. "I already told you, nothing is going on." The blonde just laughed in response. "Hey, how's your big case coming along?"

As Harley enthusiastically began to tell whatever she could about her sessions with the self-named Poison Ivy, El used the distraction as an opportunity to recall the day before smugly to herself.

Already, the recent change in their relationships had its ups and downs. On the one hand, it almost seemed like a dam had burst; their dynamic flowed more smoothly, and for her part, she felt as though a weight had lifted from her shoulders. On the other, when he had told her that morning that he had to oversee the handling of that night's delivery personally (since Batman had effectively put Falcone out of commission), her usual worry for his safety had doubled.

Something that Elianna and Jonathan had in common was a lack of experience with real relationships. As such, they shared a sense of profound importance in regards to the new arrangement. It would take some work to balance the now heightened concern they held for each other.

Meanwhile, Jonathan was in his office trying in vain to occupy his mind by shuffling through the stack of administrative paperwork that the warden's office couldn't be bothered to sort through before sending it to him. Between the unexpected hitch in the master plan and trying as hard as he could to not think about El (on that count, Scarecrow was actively working against), he was struggling to make it through even the very basics of his job.

At that moment, for example, he was grappling with his schedule for the day. Falcone had been taken to Blackgate and apparently had been asking to see him for a few days. Jonathan had been putting off visiting the mobster since he had found out; he had been caught by a civilian in a cape and a mask; what could he possibly have to discuss with such a disappointment to the underworld? Today, however, he had received word that the older man had cut his wrists, and the administration at Blackgate had sent for him specifically.

As if that weren't enough, he had already had to clear his schedule for that night to oversee the shipment, given that Falcone was now indisposed.

There was no getting around it, though, he supposed, and found himself back in the car en route to Blackgate. However, the drive wasn't nearly long enough for Jonathan to quell his frustration in Falcone's incompetence, and before too long was meeting with the mobster's caseworker.

"Doctor Crane, thanks for coming." There was a thinly disguised urgency in her voice as she greeted him.

"Not at all," he replied, barely remembering to keep his tone patient. "He cut his wrists?" How irritating it was to fake concern.

"Probably looking for the insanity plea," well, at least the woman was pragmatic, "but if anything should happen..."

"Of course, better safe than sorry." He nodded as they approached the door to the private room that Falcone had been brought to. With that, the caseworker unlocked the door to let Jonathan in and let the door swing closed behind him.

Falcone didn't skip a beat. "Hey, Doctor Crane, I can't take it anymore. It's all too much; the walls are closing in, blah blah blah," the old man rambled dryly. "Couple more days of this food, it'll be true." Jonathan found himself steeling himself against the urge to let Scarecrow come out as he settled into his chair.

"What do you want?"

"I want to know how you're gonna convince me to keep my mouth shut." The ego of a powerful man is truly something indigestible, isn't it?

"About what? You don't know anything about the operation."

"Maybe not specifics, sure, but I know you don't want the cops to take a closer look at the drugs they seized. I know about your experiments with the inmates of your nuthouse." Jonathan listened and watched as patiently as he could as the tiresome man continued to talk. "See, I don't go into business with a guy without finding out his dirty secrets." At this point, Scarecrow was banging against the proverbial walls of their brain, desperate to retaliate. "Those goons you used. I own the muscle in this town. Now I've been bringing your stuff in for months. So whatever he's planning, it's big. And I want in."

Can you believe the balls on this guy? Let me out, Jonny.

Not yet; he still doesn't have a leg to stand on.

"Well, I already know what he'll say. That we should kill you." Just because we haven't yet doesn't mean that we won't, old man.

"Even he can't get me in here. Not in my town." Jonathan was growing tired of this conversation very quickly.

"Your town." The psychiatrist repeated, not a question—a mockery. The older man's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Oh, did I forget to ask? How rude of me, I forgot the most important part. How is your little lady friend from the asylum?" here the mobster leaned in threateningly, "Does she know what you're doing? What's gonna happen to her once you go down, I wonder. Maybe I'll send some people to make sure she's not alone, huh?"

Now that caught Jonathan's attention. The rest of Falcone's little threats were easily avoided; even he didn't have the power to endanger Ra's Al Gul's plans. He did, however, have the power to have unspeakable things done to Elianna. That would not stand.

Jonathan made his decision from there quickly. Scarecrow was overjoyed that El had been brought into the discussion, knowing that Jon would have to take it seriously, and was raring to be in control.

Jonathan sighed and removed his glasses, hearing the straw man begin to cheer in the back of his mind. "Would you like to see my mask?" He asked, opened his briefcase without waiting for an answer, popped open the false bottom, and reached for the mask, ignoring the several full syringes waiting to be used. He had added a new rig to the case, and it was as good a time as any to test it out. "I use it in my experiments. Now, I'm probably not very threatening to a guy like you," he continued, holding up the mask for emphasis, "but these crazies? They can't stand it."

With that, he made to put the mask on and let Scarecrow take over.

He could barely hear Falcone's quip about the nut taking over the nuthouse over the ever surreal feeling of taking the backseat in his own brain.

Once his face was secured, Scarecrow took great pleasure in pressing the button to release the cloud of toxin. The screams of terror began almost instantaneously, much to his delight, and he rose from his chair to loom over the mafioso.

"They scream, and they cry," he teased with menacing glee. "Much as you're doing now." Jonathan allowed Scarecrow a few more seconds of enjoyment before regaining control. They still had to leave undetected, and Scarecrow couldn't be trusted to be professional. As much as Jonathan enjoyed hearing the man who had dared to threaten El scream, he was more trustworthy when it came to subterfuge.

"Well, he's not faking," Jonathan cleared his throat as he reentered the hallway, greeted by the caseworker's concerned face. "Not that one." He was still a bit flustered by the rush of inflicting such horror upon someone. Move on, Jonathan, act normal. It was a bit of a blur after that, promising to talk to the judge and get Falcone transferred to Arkham before making his way back to the Asylum himself. He still had a few patients to see before he could punch out to oversee the shipment that evening.

However, once the rush wore off, Jonathan found his mind wandering back to what Falcone had said about El. Who knew what he could have told his people already? He stopped by El's office before returning to his own and was surprised to find her no longer there. A quick phone call to the secretary at the front desk told him that she had already left for the day—another phone call to find that her cell phone was dead.

Shit.

Jonathan forced himself back to the matter at hand, telling himself that she was fine, but the lingering worry stayed in the back of his mind.

For about an hour and a half at least, when he decided that he was done with work for the day. The sooner he could take care of business, the sooner he could rush home to make sure she was there.

In the car on his way to the meeting site, Jonathan tried calling her again to no avail.

I really need to get a home phone for the apartment; he cursed to himself.

He found himself unable to focus on the task at hand as he parked his car and got into the one being driven by the goons provided by Falcone. Any of them could have received orders at any point to take El, hurt her, anything. He had no way of knowing if instructions had already been given or what liberties were allowed should anything happen to her.

Behind his impassive expression, Jonathan was operating almost solely on autopilot, getting out of the car and entering the old apartment that served as a drop point. This one had already been used twice before, and given how close the end date was, he had already decided to eradicate any and all evidence once the job was done.

He looked disinterestedly over the pile of stuffed bunnies, appraising the shipment's size, doing quick calculations in his head to the best of his ability. After concluding that it was, in fact, the correct amount, he gestured to the goons to retrieve the substance from inside of the toys. "Get rid of all traces."

Jonathan couldn't help the disgusted look around the dilapidated apartment. He couldn't think of anywhere he wanted to be less at that moment. Distracted by the sheer quantity of distasteful thoughts swirling in his mind, he was almost startled when Scarecrow spoke suddenly.

There's someone else here.

That statement froze all other concerns as he tuned in to his environment. He barely registered one of the thugs telling the others to torch the apartment as he noticed a prickling on the back of his neck, as well as the open window.

Jonathan remained calm and in control as the other men began to douse the furniture in gasoline while he moved to examine the window.

Are you sure?

Before the straw man could answer, the sound of shattering glass from the other room stole Jonathan's attention from the window.

Yes, came the smug response. Wasting no more time, Jonathan let the other goon move to investigate and instead moved into the shadows to retrieve his mask.

You're up again, Scarecrow. Do it fast; we have to get home.

Yeah, yeah, you've been annoying me for hours; she's fine. Would you shut up about it? Retaliated Scarecrow as he forced Jonathan out of the driver's seat and took over, relishing in the drama of wearing his face again.

That moment didn't last for very long before his suspicions were confirmed, and the Batman himself burst into the room, swiftly incapacitating the leftover thug. Luckily, Scarecrow's reflexes were just as fast, and he released a cloud of toxin from their sleeve rig, which hit the caped crusader squarely in the face.

The effects were almost instantaneous, judging by the wide eyes behind the cowl and the erratic, flailing movements. Scarecrow stifled a laugh as the armored man toppled backward away from him.

"Take a seat," he taunted, thoroughly enjoying his playtime, "have a drink." Here he seized a bottle of vodka abandoned by his now useless goons. The staw man snarled mentally, understanding Jonathan's intolerance of incompetence. They would be eradicated along with the evidence of their crimes. Splashing the booze on the caped man in delight, he continued to tease him.

"You look like a man who takes himself too seriously." Scarecrow abandoned the now empty bottle and replaced it in his hand with a zippo lighter that El had left in their pocket.

Wait, she loves that thing-

We'll buy her a new one, pipe down.

He had corraled Batman in front of the window and sparked the lighter, extending it in front of him menacingly. "Do you want my opinion? You need to lighten up." With that, he tossed the lighter, which ignited the caped crusader and the old rug in seconds.

This allowed them a swift escape, as Batman threw himself out the window and plummeted with the rain onto the pavement several stories below. Wasting no time, Scarecrow had them outside and in the getaway car. Luckily, there was a spare key in the visor, and they sped down the street in the direction of where they had left their car.

Slow down! We're attracting attention; we don't need that.

You're the one who's been bitching about getting home for the past few hours.

Not letting up for a second, Scarecrow turned a fifteen-minute drive back to Jonathan's car into a five-minute one before finally retreating to his place in the back of their mind. Of course, on principle, Jonathan was still irritated with Scarecrow for behaving so recklessly, then leaving him to deal with any potential consequences. Still, he was glad for the saved time.

By this point, Jonathan was so frenzied with panic about El's wellbeing that he couldn't even think about their own run-in with the Batman. Still ten minutes away from home, he tried to call her cell once again. Still no answer.

Why the fuck won't she pick up?

Scarecrow didn't respond, finally picking up just how agitated the whole situation had made his counterpart. Best not to rile him up further.

Jonathan nudged the car faster. Only a few minutes away, but it felt like forever. He was so frantic to get home and see Elianna safe that he couldn't even think of what he would do if she weren't. No game plan, not even a shadow of one because she's okay. Or so he kept telling himself.

[thelastspeecher]

Superheroes/Villains AU Filbrick shows up to try and bully stan into admitting he (Pops) was responsible for Stan's current success (or something) but it happens a couple of the other McGuckets besides Angie were home, visiting the grandkids/or nieces that weekend and they take care of him for Stan.

Day 01   Day 02   Day 03   Day 04   Day 05   Day 06   Day 07   Day 08Day 09   Day 10   Day 11   Day 12   Day 13   Day 14   Day 15   Day 16Day 17   Day 18   Day 19   Day 20   Day 21   Day 22   Day 23   Day 24Day 25   Day 26   Day 27   Day 28   Day 29   Day 30

Ohohohoho this was fun to write.  Anon, this was such an amazing prompt.  Love me some Filbrick getting his just desserts.

Word count: 1508

              There was a knock on the frontdoor.  Stan looked up from the blocks heand his daughters were playing with.

              “Mind getting that, Ang?” heasked.  Angie nodded and got up from the couch,where she had been reading a précis about her crew’s last score.

              “It’s prob’ly my ma with thepower dampeners,” she said.  Danny sneezed,spraying snowflakes over Stan.

              “Not a minute too soon,” Stanmuttered.  “Fire, I can handle.  Snow? Not so much.”

              “I know,” Angie said.  There was another knock, this one moreinsistent.  “I’m comin’!”  While his fiancée went to get the door, Stanturned his attention back to his daughters. Daisy grabbed a block eagerly.  Itburst into flames in her hand.  Stan silentlytook the block back from her and stifled the fire.  Daisy pouted. “Oh!  Um, hello.”

              Shesounds surprised.  Must not be her mom.

              “So you’re the poor girl my no-goodson knocked up,” a voice rumbled.  Stan’sblood ran cold.  For once, it had nothingto do with the frost spreading from where Danny was sitting.

              “I- I beg yer pardon?” Angie saidpolitely.

              “Don’t bother trying to cover forhim.  I know he’s here, I know he got youpregnant from a one-night-stand, and I know he hasn’t even married you yet.”

              “Look, sir, I- hey!”  Footsteps stormed down the hall leading tothe living room.  Stan looked up,dreading what he would see.

              “Hey, Pops,” Stan saidweakly.  Filbrick Pines scowled at him.  “What- uh- what are you doing here?”

              “I’m here because you neverbothered to tell me I had two granddaughters,” Filbrick said.  Angie appeared behind him, furious.

              “Mr. Pines, don’t do that,” Angiesnapped.  Filbrick turned to faceher.  “I’ll invite people in when I want to invite people in.  Ya can’t barge in like that.”

              “Hmph.”  Filbrick looked back at Stan.  “Figures you’d find someone as insolent asyou.”  Angie’s eyes widened, thennarrowed.  Stan started to panic.

              Iknow that face.  She’s gonna kick his assto kingdom come.  As much as I’d like tosee that, I can’t let it happen.  Whoknows what he’d do after a beating from her.

              “Ang, wanna take Danny?  I think she needs a change,” Stan said.  Angie’s scowl deepened.

              “All right,” she ground out.  She walked over to where Stan and the girlswere sitting, picked Danny up, shot another glare at Filbrick, then marched tothe nursery.

              “I hear you’re some big hero now,”Filbrick said to Stan.  Stan swallowed.

              “I dunno about big, but, yeah, I’ma hero.”

              “Hmph.  I’m not impressed.”

              Figures.

              “Show me my granddaughter,” Filbrickdemanded.  Stan picked Daisy up andstood.  Filbrick walked over.  “What’s her name?”

              “Daisy Leigh McGucket.”

              “McGucket?  She doesn’t even have your last name?”

              “The other one does.”

              “Hmph,” Filbrick huffedagain.  Daisy was apparently picking upthe mood of the room, as she was being abnormally still and quiet.  “She’s got more than ten fingers, like Stanford.”

              “Yeah.  She does.” Daisy abruptly hiccupped and burst into flames.  Filbrick took a startled step back.

              “She’s a super.”  The snarl of disgust was identical to the onehe’d had when Ford’s power first manifested.

              “So’s her twin.”

              “Does her twin at least have auseful power?” Filbrick asked.  Stanopened and closed his mouth, unsure of how to answer.

              I don’t know what kinda power he thinks is useful.  The only power I know he liked was Mom’s, ‘causeit made scams easier.  But beyond that…  The front door opened.

              “Hello?” a voice called.  Stan broke out into a cold sweat.  “We were told to let ourselves in.”

              Shit.  Angie’s folks are here.  This isn’t gonna end well.

              “I’m in the living room, Sally,”Stan finally managed.  Mrs. McGucketwalked into the living room, closely followed by her husband and youngest son.

              Lute’shere.  Why the hell is Lute here?

              “I was tellin’ my daughter on thephone that these are much easier to use than they look,” Mrs. McGucket said,fiddling with what looked like two bracelets in her hands.  She looked up.  “Oh! You have a guest.”

              “Pops, these are Angie’s parents,Sally and Mearl,” Stan said.  “And Angie’stwin, Lute.  McGuckets, this is my dad,Filbrick Pines.”  A shadow crossed Mr.McGucket’s face, but was gone in a second. Stan suddenly remembered a conversation he’d had with Mr. McGucket theday Danny and Daisy were born.

              “Stanley, what I just heard ya say was that yer father abused you.  Is that correct? … Goodness gracious.  That ain’t right.”

              Ispilled about my childhood, and even though he was pissed at me, he went out ofhis way to be nice.  He even stoppedthreatening to kill me for a hot minute.

              “Ah, so yer my granddaughters’other grandfather,” Mr. McGucket said. His tone was diplomatic, his face carefully neutral, but his eyes stareddaggers at Filbrick.  Filbrick glared atStan.

              “I don’t know what Stan’s beentelling you, but-”

              “But it’s enough,” Mrs. McGucketstepped in.  Filbrick rounded on Stan.

              “Stanley,” Filbrick growled.  Stan’s heart began to race.  All the memories of his childhood wereresurfacing, and it didn’t matter how many villains he beat up on a day-to-daybasis, his mom did that too, and she never-

              “Ngah!” Daisy said happily,stopping Stan’s train of thought in its tracks. He stared down at his daughter. She was aflame again, attempting to set fire to Stan’s fire-proofclothing.  Daisy grinned up at him.  The blue eyes she’d inherited from Angiereflected the flames she’d inherited from him. Stan smiled back at her.

              “Hey, sweetie,” Stan saidsoftly.  He looked back at Filbrick,resolute.  

              Mom might not have done anything for me and Ford, but that doesn’t meanI have to fall into that, too.  Daisyrested her head against his chest.  I’m not gonna let Pops spit his poison in myhouse, in front of my daughter.

              “Back off, Pops,” Stan snapped.  “If you wanna be in my house, you can’t talkto me like that.  Especially not when I’m holding my daughter.  She’s a year old.  She doesn’t need to be exposed to that kindof BS.”

              “You impudent brat,” Filbrickspat.  “Don’t talk to me like-”  A vine suddenly wrapped itself around Filbrick’smouth, gagging him.  Stan glanced over atthe hanging pot nearby.  The ivy in it haddrastically increased in size, multiple tendrils sneaking over to whereFilbrick was standing.  Stan looked atMr. McGucket.  Mr. McGucket noddedsilently.  Filbrick pried the vine offhis mouth.  “How-”  He gagged and collapsed to his knees,clutching his throat.

              “I think it would behoove ya tolisten to yer son, Mr. Pines,” Mrs. McGucket said calmly, striding over toFilbrick.  She crouched next to him, avicious smile curling the corners of her mouth. “If ya don’t, ya might have some trouble breathin’ in the near future.  And, ah, ya may not be a scientist like mydaughter, but I think even you knowthat ya need to breathe to live.”  Mrs.McGucket waved a hand.  Filbrick gasped loudly.  He stared at Mrs. McGucket.

              “Sirocco,” he croaked.  Mrs. McGucket beamed.

              “Oh!  You’ve heard of me!  Well, in that case, you know that anyone whomesses with the man what will be my son-in-law in a few short months ain’tliable to survive those actions.  I don’tbluff.  And neither does anyone else inmy fam’ly.”  Mrs. McGucket stoodagain.  She took Daisy from Stan’s arms.  Daisy giggled loudly and grabbed at herhair.  “Aw, howdy, sugar-cube.”

              “You all are insane!” Filbrickshouted.

              “Hush, now,” Mr. McGucket saidcalmly.  “There are children here.  Don’t raise yer voice.”

              “Stanley, you- villains-”Filbrick stammered.  Stan raised aneyebrow coolly, letting his father splutter. “Fine.  I’m out of this hellhole,”Filbrick finally spat.  He stormed out ofthe house, slamming the door with enough force to knock down Angie’s frameddiploma hanging on the living room wall. Stan grinned broadly at the McGuckets.

              “That.  Was. Awesome!”

              “I can imagine how satisfyin’ itmust be, fer someone who hurt ya so much to fin’lly get a bit of what hedeserved,” Mr. McGucket said, patting Stan on the shoulder.  He was grinning as well, but it had a vicioustint to it.

              “It was very satisfyin’ fer us aswell,” Mrs. McGucket said, playing with Daisy’s hands.  “We don’t want that bastard anywhere near thegirls.”

              “Amen,” Mr. McGucket said.  Angie walked back into the living room withDanny.  She looked around.

              “Is he gone?”

              “You betcha, junebug,” Mr. McGucketsaid.  “We read ‘im the riot act andspooked him out.  I doubt Filbrick willbe comin’ back anytime soon.”

              “Aw, shucks,” Angie said.  Stan stared at her.

              “Why are you disappointed?”

              “Well, I never got to take a shot at him.” Angie sighed.  “Maybe next time.”

              “Ang, if he ever shows up at thehouse again, you have my permission to do whatever you want to him.”

              “I can do anything I want?”

              “Anything,” Stan saidfirmly.  Angie grinned evilly.

              “Good.”

[placesthatchangedpeople]

Peninsula Village testimony

After the first time I attempted suicide, in 1998, I ended up in a long-term “treatment” facility called Peninsula Village, which is located outside of Knoxville, Tennessee. Yes, I was a troubled teenager -- like most, I suppose -- but the only difference between some others and me was that I had untreated depression and anxiety disorders. These factors made it very hard for my family to deal with me at times, and my parents eventually fell under the spell of Peninsula Village’s staff and their lies. However, my parents did not inform me about the extent to which I would be staying at the Village -- at least 11 months until I turned 18 and could sign myself out. My parents also did not inform me about the extent to which the staff will go in order to “discipline” the children, but in fairness, the Village staff lied to my parents and omitted key facts. The issues this caused me during my stay eventually led to my escape -- the second, fully successful one in 13 years at the time -- but the memories of that place haunt me to this day.

The staff at Peninsula Village view discipline as treatment, but not “time-out” discipline, I’m talking about “slamming.” Slamming is a word we used to describe what was done to us (the children) if we “acted-up.” It involved the staff pressing a siren button that hung around their necks. Then, at least 6 burly staff members would come flying into the room through every entrance, and basically, they would tackle the child, slam his (I only witnessed the males) face into the ground, and dig their elbows and knees into his back and limbs, making it hard for him to breathe. This would last a relatively long time, and would always lead to the removal of the child’s clothing in exchange for bloodstained hospital gowns. The child would also get a one-way ticket to the “quiet room” -- a slightly padded, tiny, cold room with a cement floor covered by linoleum -- for an indefinite amount of time. On occasion, the child would also receive a hefty IM (intra-muscular) dose of a sedative, like Thorazine, that would leave him drooling for hours. Even more disturbing, there were many occurrences of bloodshed during these slammings. The emotional and physical pain I heard in the cries, screams, groans, and sobs during the slammings, coupled with the sight of blood pooling around a child’s head, and 8 adults kneeling on him, is truly haunting. Most of the slammings occur in the STU (Special Treatment Unit), but the staff will not hesitate to slam someone outside in the gravel, mud, manure, or whatever else one might be standing in.

STU is where they put all the new admits, and a stay there can last anywhere from 2 months to more than a year. While in STU, the staff forced me to strip naked, bend over and expose my anus, and expose and lift my scrotum. They also put me on an anti-depressant medication called Paxil, but immediately at a very high dose that left me buzzing and tingling. I had them decrease the dose soon after. In addition, they forced me to sit, Indian-style, on a small, cubicle-like bed all day under fluorescent lights -- lights that they never fully turned off. One day, a staff member caught me slouching very slightly, and made me stand and watch the clock for ten minutes, then forced me to sit back down on the hard, wooden bed box, but without the mattress for the remainder of the day. That’s not the half of it because the entire time one is in STU, one has to remain silent and non-communicative with other peers; however, the staff will sit and chat all night long while we try to sleep under the dimmed lights, then, they wake us up at 6 A.M. by yelling, and slapping the cubicle tops. I didn’t dare speak though, aside from the occasional group “therapy” session where the staff tells everyone how much he sucks, and that he’s a worthless piece of crap. The Village’s lead psych. doctor was very good at this. They also force everyone to “admit” he has a drug and alcohol problem, join AA/NA, and become spiritual, even if he doesn’t have a problem or have spiritual beliefs. Aside from groups, bathroom breaks were the only other time we could get up from our beds. We only got 3 minutes to defecate, 1 minute to urinate, and 4 minutes to shower. If we went over our allotted time by even 1 second, we would loose minutes from our next shower time. I never lost shower time, but I frequently had to let soap dry in my hair or on my body, and it would sometimes become itchy. The other bad thing about STU was we were allowed no time with our parents, on the phone or in person. I spent 2 ½ months in STU, living as a monk, and the only communication I had with my parents was my outgoing letters that were read, and censored, by staff. I could not write anything slanderous about the goings-on there, or my letter would not be mailed. The staff does not show STU to parents on their tour of the facilities because I doubt any parent would allow their child to stay at the Village if they witnessed what went on in there.

All of the slammings I witnessed were during my stay in STU. The first time I developed a fear of the alarm buttons was after I saw one guy’s scabbed face early in my stay. The entire right side of his face was covered in scabs, and he was wearing the hospital gowns. I managed to ask him about it before the start of a group session one day, and he said it was from the staff slamming him, and then dragging his face across the carpet. The next time I saw a slamming, the boy ended up getting a large dose of Thorazine in the butt because, if I remember correctly, he was in the quiet room afterward, and couldn’t stop sobbing. I remember during his slamming he was in a lot of distress from all the force being applied to his small body. He was having difficulty breathing, and he was in a lot of pain, and he was voicing these complaints to the best of his ability, but the staff wouldn’t let up. I think they enjoy restraining children just to feel powerful or something. They could have easily restrained him with half as many staff members, and quickly put him in the quiet room, but no, they decided to prolong the enjoyment. Eventually, once he was good and high, they let him come out to join us in group therapy. I don’t see any reason, other than to scare the rest of us, for them letting him join us because he was droopy-faced and drooling on himself. Another slamming I witnessed was even worse. The boy was smaller, and the slamming was more forceful, so much in fact, that he might have had his nose broken. All he did to be slammed was shrug his shoulder when a staff member grabbed his arm to lead him back to his bed box after he wouldn’t go by command. I saw him lying in a large pool of his own blood, where they held his face for quite some time, and then they swapped his clothes for the gowns, and stuck him in the quiet room as well. I heard a number of other slammings happen on the other boys’ side of STU, although I didn’t witness them. I did see the aftermath of at least one of those though. One boy was crying, and sitting in a padded room with a straight jacket on. This boy couldn’t have been older than 12 or 13.

Once I “graduated” to the outdoor cabin program, I was able to speak again, but there were a completely new set of rules, and I was forced to do even worse things. I was also constantly condescended, laughed at by staff, and made to feel stupid and worthless. The staff all acted as if they were gods or something. As far as strange rules go, one was that I was never allowed to look at another female. One guy in my group did, and we were forced, as a group, to do a “pyramid 15.” That’s where we had to do 15 pushups, 14 pushups, 13 pushups, etc. After that same guy was caught looking at girls three times, our group had to eat our meals in our cabin for a week. That meant hiking a half-mile to pick up the food, hiking a half-mile back to eat it on a wooden cabin floor, hiking a half-mile to bring the food tub back, and then hiking a half-mile back to our side of the grounds to continue with our daily activities. Two miles of hiking for each meal, and every meal ended up being cold for a week. Then, one time, a staff member (notice I don’t call them counselors -- I don’t think they were qualified) forced us to clear a path that was overgrown with poison ivy, but he forced us to do it with our bare hands! We complained, but he said not to be babies and that if we washed our hands, we’d be fine. It took us over an hour to clear the path, and we all ended up with poison ivy. That wasn’t even the worse day I can remember though. I think the worse day I had, physically, was on a day the temperature reached the upper 90’s, and the humidity was probably in the same range. We were working in the garden, breaking up dirt clumps, and had very little water available to us, relative to the conditions. There were at least eight of us, only 5 gallons of water on site, and we were working there all day. I got so hot and red, and had so much sweat dripping from my face, that I started to have blurred vision and lose my balance. I was very near heat stroke. We worked in that garden 3 or 4 times per week during the summer. If we weren’t working in the garden, we were building a brick barbeque pit -- hardly things that were conducive to the therapy for which we were there. We only had school two days per week, and even that was a half-ass, teach-yourself kind of thing. After working, we would run around the cabin trails. They would force us to train for occasional 5k races. This training was mandatory. After working outside most of the day, I had to run in the Tennessee heat and humidity for over an hour, 3 times per week. In the beginning, it was too much for me, and I was so tired that I wouldn’t swallow to conserve energy. I was barely jogging to avoid being reprimanded, I was dizzy and had blurred sight, and I was drooling, but I could not stop. We were reprimanded for any number of things, even leaving hairs in the shower. For every hair left in the showers, we would have to do a pyramid 15 as a group. We usually had to do pushups after shower time, so I’d get clean, do some pushups, and then go to bed sweaty. We never cleaned our sleeping bags either. Once per month we would find a spot of sun peaking through the trees in the woods, and try to drape the bags over foliage to catch the sun in an attempt to “sterilize” the bags. Sometimes kids would wet their beds -- probably due to stress -- but they didn’t dare say anything to staff for fear of the consequences. They would just sleep in it. This is how much psychological stress and fear the staff impose on the children during their stay. The worst consequence I ever had while at the Village was when I had to carry a 40lb. Limestone rock in a milk crate, wherever we went as a group, for a week, while still carrying all of my other responsibilities (water gott, backpack, notebook, etc��it changed daily). During that same week, on July 4, 1998, I had to do 2,600 pushups, and 12 one-minute-leg-lifts. This punishment was a plea bargain I made, for the original punishment would have required 3 months of the rock and crate, and about 15,000 pushups. How ridiculous is that? It makes no sense. The staff also has no sense of safety, for one time we were made to dig out a large stump with shovels and an axe. The stump could easily have weighed as much as a small car, it was just as big, and we were forced to climb around it in a 4-foot deep trench to cut at the roots. If the stump had shifted on anyone, he would have been crushed to death. Not only do they have no sense of safety, they have no sense, period. They forced all of us to attend outside AA/NA meetings, and they tried hard to make us spiritual. I never believed I had a problem with drugs or alcohol, but they said I did. I have also never been spiritual, but they forced some Indian Spiritual Wheel belief system upon all of us. That was the whole basis of our level system. Just for the record, I still have no problem with drugs or alcohol 10 years later, and I stopped going to AA/NA after I left the Village.

It would have been nice to voice all my concerns to my parents, but the staff “preps” all the parents by warning them that their children are excellent manipulators, and that they will say anything to leave the Village. During therapy sessions with my parents, the therapist would try to avoid letting me say anything about the Village. If I was able to say something about the conditions, she would quickly respond by making it seem like I was just a whiner and manipulator, and that that is part of my problem, and she would change the subject. Then, for the next week, during group sessions at the cabin, I’d have to talk about how much of a whiner I am. It’s like they brainwash everyone. They brainwash the children into thinking they have issues they do not really have, they brainwash themselves into thinking they are real therapists, and they brainwash the parents into thinking they are doing the right thing by sending their child there. I think this allows them to keep kids there indefinitely in order to gain more and more money. At $500 or more per night, I think they are motivated.

I played their spiritual-level-system game for about 5 months in the outdoor program until I eventually had my high level stripped from me due to someone else’s mistake. Our group was put on shut down, which is essentially the same as STU life, complete with silence, but in a non-air-conditioned cabin, and we cannot sit on our beds, so we sit back-to-back on the hardwood floor all day. We also have to do the two miles of hiking for every meal while holding onto a small length of rope, and trying not to trip over each other’s feet. A shut down can last for months, and I had already worked so hard to gain my privileges. I was not going to be able to sit on a hardwood floor in silence for another 4 months until I turned 18. This event woke me up, and broke me of my brainwashing. I decided to escape the hell of Peninsula Village.

I decided to make my break for it during morning twilight, right after the group used the tubes (PVC tubes buried in the ground near the cabin that are used as urinals). I let my group get ahead of me a few paces, then I ran into the woods behind me, and never looked back. I had to run through the girl’s side of camp, so I was cautious, and fearful that a female staff member would come outside looking for me any moment. Eventually, I made it to the edge of the property, and with the sound of SUV’s roaring in the background, I jumped across the property line, and into more brush, just as a vehicle went by. The staff didn’t see me, but I lost my glasses in the brush, and I couldn’t find them after a few minutes of searching. Therefore, I continued my hike with limited sight, and tried to keep the only road into the peninsula within view as I kept myself hidden in the woods. I followed the winding road for hours, became dehydrated from the exertion, and soaking wet from the morning dew. Eventually, I found a shed near a house where I was able to hide, re-hydrated from a nearby spigot, rest, and change my clothes. Another few hours later, I made it to the end of the road just as one of the nurses drove by, but a couple minutes after that, someone stopped to pick me up since I had my thumb up. The staff missed me by minutes. I hitched many rides over the next 3 days to get to a friend’s house a few states away. One man gave me $20 for food, and drove me 20 miles out of his way. Another man tried to get a room with me so I could take a bubble bath, drink a beer, have a warm bed to sleep in, and sit back so he could “play with it a while.” Needless to say, I stayed in the woods on the side of an off ramp that night. I barely got any sleep, and I nearly got hypothermia, but it was better than the alternative. Remember, during this entire trip, I’m hiking and hitching without my glasses, so it was very hard to tell if a cop was coming down the road or not -- I just had to chance it. The morning after my cold night, I managed to “thumb” a Virginia State Trooper as he drove by, but he never came back, and I got a ride with an eighteen-wheeler about ten minutes later. I spent about 66 hours on the road to get away from Peninsula Village. Once I got to my friend’s house I managed to get a job in food service, but soon quit in order to move out of state again to live with a different friend -- away from bad influences -- and finish high school.

Even though I attained a relatively high-level while at the Village, I don’t think I actually achieved any kind of gains in my emotional recovery, nor was I put on the right medication or dosage. My parents were conned into spending the $50,000 college trust fund, set up by my grandfather, to have me verbally abused, indirectly physically abused, brainwashed, emotionally tortured, and to have me witness, beyond reasonable cause, the direct physical abuse of other children. In the end, my “treatment” was all a farce. I was stripped of all my privileges for something I had no control over and no part in, and I was able to put everything I “learned” behind me and see the truth. I think the events surrounding my escape prove that I was merely brainwashed the entire time, and once I was shocked awake, nothing, or very little, had changed in me. To this day, I am haunted by my memories of the sights and sounds in the STU, and I remain forever begrudged by the tasks, rules, and punishments for which I was forced to comply. I even find myself quickly looking at the ground when my eyes meet a female’s from time to time, because of how taboo the Village made it. Just to affirm how much Peninsula Village affected me, it took me 10 years before I so much as googled it, and once I did, I found numerous “survivor” stories that truly struck a nerve in me, and I began to sob. The stories of others took me right back to the time I was in the Village, and I realized it wasn’t just a dream I had -- it all really happened, it’s happened to others, and it’s happening to others right now. I hope someone else can identify with my story as well, and know that they are not alone in this sort of thing. I am amazed that these “treatment” places exist, and that people allow them to continue to exist for so long without consequence. I hope, through the shared stories of other survivors, and the diligence and courage of advocates like Ms. Stattel, that places like Peninsula Village will soon face their due consequences.

[2013-life-calendar-blog]

Camp 2018

Day 3: had a very fun camp fire, I feel so happy. I love hanging out with all of the people from Europe they are super funny! Met some of the cooks who are also nice. Sang campfire songs and chatted all night. The sky had so many stars. Got to witness multiple people having their first roasted marshmallow ever (Lizzy and Sophie).

Day 4 a person from Costa Rica was supposed to get antihypertensives before he came but he never went. Came in with chest pain. We couldn't find the bp cuff so searched for it. Took his blood pressure and it was super high so he told him to sit down. Measured it again and it went down + his chest pain went away. We were worried that we would have to call 911. Asked other nurses for antihypertensives but we don't have that here. They told their supervisors and said we had to wake up Sadie (which was annoying, and we just thought it was angina so we didn't wake her up).

Day 5: enjoyed the sunshine, worked out, played basket ball which was super fun!!!!! Got closer w everyone.

Day 8:

Very fun chatted with auggie and em all night about his girls and life

me and 2 of my friends were in the kitchen at like 11 just eating strawberries with chocolate cause my friends (auggie) is the baker for the camp. Basically tom Thomson (from the group of 7) got murdered on this lake and his body was found ON MY ISLAND. Anyways so we were talking about him and the lights in the kitchen started flickering. We then made a joke saying ouuu it's probs tom Thompson and I was like Emily pass my my phone incase tom shuts off the lights. Then I was saying how once when I was younger we asked for a sign from playing ouiji and the phone went off the hook. Then all of a sudden right after I said that the power went out in the kitchen so we were in the pitch black and it went out on the whole island. But it wasn't raining or anything so there was no reason for it to go out.

8. today in the morning I was like my brain was playing tricks on me after that last night I kept hearing someone walking behind our cabin (which is rocks and water so no one would be back there) and she was like WHAT THE FUCK I heard that too and just thought I was imagining it so I didn't say anything last night

Also went on a canoe trip I portaged the canoe on my shoulders alone for the first time it was so fun v proud of myself. Also learned how to stern the canoe. Learned about different things: cedar tread high in vitamin C, the British were dying of scurvy and asked the aboriginal ppl for help and they showed them to make Cedar tea. Ate wild blueberry leaves (tasted like ripe blueberries and have all of the antioxidants in them that blueberries do), wintergreen leaves (good in tea very minty), can use the sap from a cedar tree to help make a fire, its very sticky!!

July 17- so far it's been very busy. Dealt with an asthma exacerbation. Had Frankie a cute little girl who was obsessed with me always coming in for hugs (I miss her). Did 2 lice parties, one with 4 older girls (took 6 hours) one with 3 younger girls. Mikayla got a boyfriend at home wooo, but the guy here that likes her is sad. There's a nest and 3 little eggs hatched eggwardo Shelton and birdidette. 3 girls in inferm are so nice, chloe is very chill. Georgia and Sasha are hilarious!!!! Went sailing with Georgie and Mikayla and had the best time ever!!!!!!!!! I was so so happy. Javier said he misses me and started sending me hearts AHHHH he's so cute!!!!!!!!! Got to run a sexual health talk about STIs, contraception etc. I'm so happy and love it here

June 28 sat and played cards with Nikki Sophie, lizzy, and Emily on the diving tower. had the staff auction today which was so funny people spent $80 to make their friend chug a coke in front of the crowd, they did a big talk about raccoons at ahmek and had a big thing hiding behind the tarp. Then they took the tarp down and it was a door to the guys cabin. One dude bet $800 to get his door back. Another bet $1400 to get his walkie talkie LOl so funny

July 29- today was wild a 19 year old girl thought she may be pregnant I gave her a pregnancy test and it came back positive. She was super excited but anxious about telling her mom. I got to experience this for the first time which was cool and something I've never done before. Also a camper said she fainted for 30 mins in the past, she said she faints 1-2 times a day when doing lots of activity. She isint on any bp meds but takes 6-8 grams of salt a day. None of this was on camper files. She leaves on trip tomorrow. Said she had to stop swimming cause she thought she may faint. Had to interview her and got an extensive history took her standing and sitting bp, checked heart rate and stats. Relayed the info to doctor sarah and she said I did a great job, wooohoooo

July 30- camper FAKES having heart palpitations and fainting for 30 mins. We hold her back from trip and her dad fucking says she's lying about everything and her symptoms are nonsense.

August 2nd - best day at camp ever. We got to put sparkles all over us for campchella. Jermey had them all over his beard(the resident). We are snow cones, went on bouncy castles, hit eachother off these stands with big poles,  did karaoke to don't stop believing (with the med staff) and went on the slip in slide which was so friggen fun!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so happy :)

August 8th- this 7 year old girl had been found on the ground after fainting multiple (around 4) times, her vitals and blood sugar were normal. We had called her parents cause we were very concerned I asked a counsellor to watch her faint, and turns out she was just falling on the ground and pretending to faint loooool. She braced herself and would squint her eyes. We told her that if it continued she would have to stay in the infirm. I participated in the bouleé which is a canoe race. Our time was 15 mins 13 seconds. We then dunked our canoe and played on the water tramp with the sun setting a magnificent pink, it was so beautiful and fun. I'm so happy

August 9 The bar was so great, they had a computer plugged into a speaker so we got to YouTube the songs we wanted and be our own DJs. The bus ride was also so fun!!!!! We had to paddle from the island to the bus. On the way back it was so dark, there are lights all over the lake and one of the lights is our camp so it was a big challenge trying to figure out how to get home. Also in the middle of the lake Mikayla and I were paddling and then all of a sudden tipped over by accident. It was so weird cause we didn't even feel wobbly but then we were in the water with all of our stuff, our rain jackets on and shoes. It was very funny, we both were dying laughing. We had to do a T rescue so that we could get back in our canoe cause it was filled with water. I was very smart though cause I made sure my purse was strapped on before we left just incase we tipped and I also put mine and mikayla's phones in a ziplock bag (go drunk shea!!!!). Then we got home and ate Cheetos and chocolate. It was a great night!!!!! Still getting chirped by everyone for tipping

August 11- went to boots and hearts!!!! Had so much friggen fun! A nice cute man named Jordan saved our lives cause our dick head cab driver wouldn't drive us to line 7. Chilled w the pals, saw Vince connor and Liam which was nice. The gals were super pumped to see me. We played frizzy bat, lots of drinking games and chatted. Saw Parker Jackson and he told me he is still in love w me, we dated 4 years ago how peculiar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

August 13- today was my last intake day, very bittersweet feeling!!!!!! It went by so quickly, only 1 person had lice (much better than our 10 person staff lice party). We got to swim and I paddle boarded with the tocos they are so cute!! I also played this or that while the kids jumped in the water. Today was a great chill day. One toco broke her tooth in half on a rock, she didn't even cry or anything (very proud). For treating a poison ivy rash all over this girl's body we are using prednisone, you have to be careful and slowly taper this medication. She started with 30 mg once a day and then went down to 20 mg once a week. Rash is causing burning and pain, it went away but 3 days later it came back so we had to give her more prednisone.  

Aug 14

Good day got to relax in the sun and swim. Started making my paddle, it is hard work!!! The girl with the poison Ivy's rash continued spreading. they think she may have a hypersensitivity to the meds and this is a delayed reaction of it. She took 20 mg of reactine and 50 mg benadryl. We will see if this helps

Aug 15

The camper from before with the "heart palpitations" is back. She said that she had heart palpitations twice on trips and then listed the 2nd 4th and 5th day??¿ she said the last time she fainted was 2 weeks ago doing a science experiment when the last time we spoke to her it was kayaking and then playing tennis with her brother. Before she said she fainted for 30 mins 2 years ago, now she's saying it happened 1 month ago??? This girl is FUCKED. I'm so angry that she keeps doing this. a girl in her cabin fell off of a horse, so they think she is doing it so that she gets some attention back. I'm going to scream.

August 19th

Council ring

Where are you mike? I'm right here pat,*bonk with sock*

August 20th

Got to watch all of the 50 days paddle in, was so wholesome, very proud of them. Georgia came and gave me a big hug awwwww!!! Wait nvm lmao the doctor found a louse on my fucking ear, must've been from Georgia hahahaha, that's okay still such a good day. Then watched the final play which was AMAZING momma Mia was so good!!! Then went to a dance which was so LIT, everyone was in a small circle inside tables. A girl got hit in the head with a jug and was bleeding everywhere, cleaned her head and tonja applied glue. Contacted parents

August 22nd

Was trying to say boo or bubs accidentally called emily boobs lmao, did inventory got to pop some staff infection wounds like pimples which was AWESOME!!! Mikayla and I are brain dead and hyper and laughing about the stupidest s things hahaha. Did inventory and lots of intakes of kids from trip. Game night final banquet was SO FUN!!!!! Had mozzarella sticks, guac, enchiladas, spinach dip and lots more. Monopoly would go around putting people in jail and everyone would stand up and diss eachother. One of ours to chess was there ain't now yawns on us their ain't no yawns on us there may be yawns on you pawns but their ain't no yawns on us CHECKMATE! Giant mosquito attacked me wahhhh.

Aug23

Finished inventory. Rose fainted in the canoe was hyperventilating had to calm her down. Mikayla threw tape at me and I threw my phone across the room on the floor to catch the tape

Cute things campers have said

-Willa: comes to infirm and says arm hurts counsellor says what, you said your leg hurts! Then Willa goes it moves, oh look now it's in my tummy.... ouch now it's in my neck.

-evy: says she can't see and won't focus on me and says: where are we?? Counsellors scared that she has heat stroke. I take her with me to the inferm and she is limping walking really slow and saying she's going to faint. Keeps asking where she is. Then I say don't be homesick you only have 7 days left. She stands up normally and says 9 then starts limping and saying she can't see again lmaooo.

-Christina: health checks we ask her if she's been sick at all in the last month, she thinks for a few seconds and says I'm positive I had diarrhea once then pauses and says ya I'm positive. Then she leaves and we hear her counsellors say: don't lie to the nurses. Then we see her running back to the door and she frantically knocks on the door and says: I didn't have diarrhea

-Christina- gets belly button cleaned because she has an infection. She always comes in and lifts her shirt up so she can get it cleaned and today she walked and and pulled down her pants and then goes oops I forgot

-Greer: see at first I would have said that you saying my nose will get bigger if I like wasn't true but like... you're a nurse so you know

it's like chill

Chelsea

me:" so what happens when you eat red food colouring, how are you allergic to it?" Her: " I get aggressive" me: "what do you mean by that" her: "I get violent"