#its growing like a fungus in my brain

[artheresy]

After looking at stuff for the upcoming honkai star rail characters cough Lynx and with the Fontaine update, I have the funniest idea

Like the crack ship part of my brain is going into overdrive rn

[snekdood]

ppl need to stop equating being messy with being unhealthy

[erinscoolart]

Wanted to design a fakemon based off of Truffle Pigs and my brain went brrrrrrrr

Truffles and trees have a symbiotic relationship (tree roots provide nutrients to truffles while truffles help trees access minerals they otherwise couldnt pull from the dirt) and I thought about like The Parallels to parasitic nature of paras/parasect. 

Snufflin - Snufflin has no eyes and relies on its nose to follow the earthy scent of its parents. Its skin is hard and brittle, but the mushroom on its back absorbs some of the impact of falling or being stepped on.

Trufflin - The coat on Trufflin's back may resemble fur, but it is actually an edible fungus. While considered a delicacy, its coat must be harvested with care as the mushroom growing from Trufflin's head releases toxic spores when it is startled.

Kerfufflin - The older a Kerfufflin is, the softer its truffle coat becomes. Kerfufflins can be seen rubbing against trees and throwing its weight around to disperse the spores and scent from its coat to mark its territory. However this often releases the airborn toxins from the other mushrooms growing upon its back and caution is advised.

[hushhushchild]

—NSFW Imagines—

Gender neutral reader, spicy, not smut

I seem to have picked up a slight fascination for… “rare” monsters in monsterfucking. Of course, the odd werewolf or minotaur fills my need most times. But there’s something so delectable about something novel, a unique flavor to sate my appetite. I might even elaborate on them later…

Needless to say, I’ve compiled a few of these, from savory to sweet. I hope you enjoy, my lovelies.

~Witch~

A new bakery just opened down the block! In a rather slow part of the city, any new development (let alone a bakery) catches your eye. It’s a quaint little shop. A chime greets your entrance. Ivy drapes from pots, indie music wafts through the air. And the owner herself, looking every last bit of the manic pixie dream girl.

Maybe she thought you were cute… slipped something into a pastry or some of the coffee served…

Maybe you just keep seeming to run into her. Grocery stores, banks, your own job. As if by fate.

Her spells could trap you, tempt you, tangle you up.

And the worst thing is… you don’t seem to care.

>Robot<

Ladies and gentlemen, the future of innovation has finally arrived! Our top scientists have managed to distill complex artificial intelligence into that of a physical form! With a simple at-home setup, you too could have an android! Whether it helps out in cooking or cleaning, teaching the kiddos, or being a good friend, our machines will do anything in their power to make you satisfied.

Suppose the robot you got was… mildly defective. It never got an update patch, which was designed to prevent the AI from learning too novel of behaviors.

Suppose it determined that what would make you happiest is fulfilling your deepest, darkest fantasies.

Suppose that this robot never slows down. Never needs to eat, or sleep, or even breathe. Spending all its time making your life a hellish heaven.

“Mimic”

Did you… always have two water bottles? Or, for that matter, two of the same stewpots? For some reason, it seems that instead of things going missing, you’re getting duplicates. And it’s getting worse.

When did your things start to move around the house without you noticing? You could’ve sworn that you left them one place, and you’re not the forgetful sort. It’s not like you have a roommate…

Say, when did you get a second vibrator? And why is that one oh-so-more intense?

%Fungus%

The air, deep in the forest, has a different smell. Not exactly floral, not exactly woody, not exactly earthy. It’s sweet, but the asphalt-sweet that reminds you of summer.

It’s growing thicker, more pungent. While it once was a gentle note in the bouquet of the forest, it slowly grows to overtake the moss and leaves. You don’t even notice when you wander off the path.

Your brain feels like it was dipped in sparkling water. It’s not hard to think, per se. It just… refuses to. The request never loads. A hazy static hangs over anything else.

You’re a perfect prey for the spores, before you even realize what you’re inhaling,

[cipheramnesia]

I want horns to grow out of my skull, but I mean in the sense that I would like my brain matter to multiply and spread in a fungal way, forming layer after layer of increasingly dense, sharp, and gnarled brain matter, crushing my mind and self inside my cranium until at last the sharp edge of my mind cracks and splits through bone and flesh and hair.

Horns that come sliding out all at once, in the same slick and bloody way as a newborn calf. Then and only then will I have a clear mind, chunks of fat and pus dripping down behind my ears and the back of my neck in sweet relief. I would be able to think, free of all the headaches and confusion. There my horns would grow continually, dragging me along with the same air of barely tolerated disgust that the cordyceps fungus must feel for its host.

[cinnamongorll]

a fragile line - chapter 23

read on ao3! (111k words) | previous chapter | next chapter | masterlist

Pairing: Joel Miller x Female OC

Tags: extreme slow burn, age gap, older man/younger woman, protective joel, jealous joel, hurt/comfort, pov third person, mutual pining, angst, sexual tension, friends to lovers, canon-typical violence, feral joel, parental abuse, eventual smut.

Series synopsis: three years ago, Juliet escaped her father's religious survivor camp, ending up in the Boston QZ. Juliet created a life for herself in Boston, desperate to forget the trauma of her upbringing. One day, Juliet arrives home to find a mysterious letter which forces her to return to her home town. Juliet can't travel the harsh post-apocalyptic landscape alone, so she enlists the help of the grumpy and, at times, frightening man she works alongside: Joel Miller.

Chapter warning: references to suicide/suicidal thoughts

Word count: 4.7k

Chapter 23: 'My Tears Ricochet'

One week later

Juliet’s POV:

It took three days to find a way out of Cody. 

The entire city was overrun; the infected lingered in every corner, round every bend. Terror had wrapped its cold hand around each of their necks, squeezing tighter and tighter as they fought their way out of the city. Juliet imagined that the fear caught Joel a little harder than herself. She could see it in the rigidness of his shoulders. He was terrified. But not for himself, never for himself. He was terrified for Tommy. 

Tommy was supposed to be in Cody, he was supposed to be somewhere safe, he was supposed to be okay. But there was no sign of any living being other than those who were more fungus than person. As they clawed their way out of the city, Joel’s steps were harder, his instructions were harsher, and his eyes grew colder and colder.

They had to leave the truck behind. There was no way they would make their way back to it with infected crawling around the vehicle. It was almost as though they knew how important the truck was to them and how devastating a loss it would be. 

Two days had passed since they left Cody. Both days were spent walking almost non-stop. There were multiple times where Juliet felt her steps stumbling and her legs giving out, but she didn’t let herself crumble. She kept going, kept moving, despite the worsening pain in her body. Juliet had one goal: get Joel to Tommy. Her guilt fueled every action, every thought in her mind. Juliet believed that if she got Joel to his brother, if they were reunited, that it would ease her guilt over lying to him, forcing him to save her on multiple accounts, kissing him…

Ethan walked a couple steps behind her as they travelled across the vast stretch of forestland. Wyoming was stunning. Even in her detached state, Juliet struggled not to appreciate its beauty. The autumn sun illuminated the world in browns and reds and oranges. Juliet made a point of only looking ahead, because she couldn’t bring herself to look at Ethan, to meet his eyes. She had lost herself after the clicker attack, the rational part of her brain had escaped her. Juliet had allowed her emotions to fuel her actions and every part of her had screamed Joel’s name. She had thrown herself as him and he caught her in his strong hands without a second thought. Despite the chilled air, sweat broke out across her back at the memory of his feral touch. 

She liked it, a little too much probably. But Juliet knew that the feeling was mutual. When Joel wrapped his hands around her waist and she’d raked her nails down his back, Juliet knew, without a doubt, that he felt the same surge of desire. It wasn’t like the last time, on the floor in that dark house when Joel’s blood still stained her hands and their kiss was confused and unsure. This time, Juliet didn’t have to wonder if Joel had meant it. The press of his rough fingers against her burning skin had told her more than enough. 

She was growing more and more desperate to stop Joel and demand access to the thoughts inside his head. Juliet was becoming an expert in the nuances of his expressions and the language of his hands. But it wasn’t enough. The tension between them was reaching an unbearable stage and she knew that one day, probably soon, it would snap. The dark looks, the devastating kisses, and the whispered words were addictive and Juliet had to know when her next fix would be.

Joel walked in front and Juliet couldn’t help but stare at the imprint of his muscles through his dark shirt. She had begged him to take his jacket from her, but he’d refused. When the wind hit them, blowing through the curls on his head, Juliet knew he must be freezing. 

It only added to her forever growing dept towards him. 

If they could find Tommy, maybe the twisting feeling in her gut would ease, maybe she’d be able to take a real, deep breath again. Joel deserved something good, something to live for. 

Juliet only wished that, eventually, she’d be able to find something similar. 

…………………………………..

When night fell, they stopped walking. 

Juliet’s legs nearly buckled when Joel announced it was time to set up camp for the night. They didn’t have much, only what was left in their bags when they abandoned the truck. There was some food and they’d managed to fill up their water canisters at a river the day before. However, they had no sleeping bags. 

The night before had been hell. There was an old cabin that they huddled in, but without any heat, Juliet struggled to sleep at all. Sleep was an old memory, something she desperately tried to cling to but it always fell through her fingers. She lay on the cold wooden floor, Ethan by her side, and stared at the broken roof for hours. Joel had kept watch most of the night, she wasn’t sure when he last slept. Juliet could hear him breathing and she felt his eyes scorch her skin. All she had to do was turn her head, to meet his eyes. But she was scared, terrified that she might meet his dark gaze and they would continue what they had started in the office building back in Cody. 

Her fingers curled at the thought. 

They all dropped their backpacks behind a large rock formation on the outskirts of the nearest forest. Juliet sighed when the weight left her back and she rolled her shoulders. Her stomach was healing, Ethan had told her when he had changed her bandage yesterday. She could feel it, too. Every movement didn’t come with the same scorching pain anymore, rather more of a dull ache.

The bruises on her wrists and ankles refused to shift, however. Juliet was thankful for Joel’s jacket and its long sleeves to cover the reminder of what happened to her. 

When she had blinked away the memory, Juliet noticed Joel crouched on the ground with his lighter gripped tight in his hands. Surely Joel wasn’t breaking his own rules…

“A fire?” Juliet muttered as she stepped closer, transfixed on Joel’s movements. 

He looked up at her from his position on the ground, scanning her entire body before meeting her eyes. Joel always did that, like he was examining her. Juliet shifted on her feet, but she didn’t back down. Juliet let Joel pin her with that same fierce look which softened the longer he held her gaze.

Then, he nodded, sudden and sharp. 

“We’re far enough out,” he explained before resuming his task.

Seconds later, a flame appeared, roaming over the sticks he had gathered before engulfing them entirely. 

Ethan pushed past her, his hands wide, reaching towards the fire. Juliet stumbled out of the way, almost tripping on a rock by her feet. She blinked in annoyance, but she couldn’t blame Ethan for his urgency. She edged closer towards the fire, bending down to sit at a close distance to the flames. The heat was glorious and the permanent numbness in her stiff fingers began to ease. 

Juliet tore her eyes from the red flames to find Joel sat across from them, but his eyes weren’t on the fire. He was focusing intensely on the man beside her. His glare was deadly. He looked utterly menacing as the light from the flames painted his face in shades of red. Her eyes dropped lower, and she watched as Joel tightened his grip on his lighter. His knuckles as white as the moon above their heads. Juliet swallowed and subtly shifted away from Ethan, not wanting to intensify the situation. Was it Ethan’s inexperience, his rash decision making, which angered Joel? Or was it something different, something stronger? Was Joel jealous? 

No, of course he wasn’t. 

Joel didn’t have those kinds of feelings. He was a closed book. He existed for himself and his family, he didn’t care for anything else. It’s the reason he was so dangerous, so adept at surviving in this world. He wasn’t jealous of Ethan. He couldn’t be. Because there was nothing between her and Ethan, only a ghostly presence of what once was. Joel was attracted to her, it was difficult to deny. But there were no feelings beyond that. She was a burden, the cargo he was forced to save and now had to keep alive for a little longer. 

Juliet bit her lip, using the sharp pain to distract herself from the mess inside her head. She couldn’t get a firm grip on her thoughts. Her mind was still fuzzy, there were still things that she struggled to remember. Everytime she closed her eyes she was back in that basement, reliving every moment of her father’s torture. But some part of her brain was protecting her from something, there was more from the basement that she couldn’t remember. Juliet wasn’t sure if she wanted to remember. But recently, self-destruction had been her only goal, so her mind kicked and screamed at that brick wall. So far, she hadn’t even made a dent. Maybe it was better that way. 

Juliet’s hand had absentmindedly reached into her boot and pulled her knife into her grip. It was an instinctual move, which puzzled Juliet even more. 

“You still have it,” Ethan said, amazed. 

Juliet’s head shot up, her fingers curled around the knife as she blinked away the fog that had surrounded her mind. With the fire, Juliet had begun to heat up and found her cheeks warming with the attention of the two men.

Turning her head towards Ethan, Juliet nodded as her thumb brushed over the rose carving. Then, she noticed his waiting hand and settled the knife in his warm palm.

“Thought I’d never see it again,” Ethan breathed as he examined the knife, then his eyes flickered to Juliet’s face. “Thought I’d never see youagain.” 

Juliet wanted to smile, she wanted to return his words and bathe in the relief of their reunion. But she couldn’t focus on Ethan, she couldn’t focus on anything other than that knife. 

When she was trapped in that basement, her ankles bound to that chair… she’d had that knife. It had always been in her boot, the entire time. A sharp ringing sound began to build in Juliet’s ears as the realisation poured over her. Surely some part of her must have known that her knife was still with her. Why didn’t she use it? Why did she allow her father to trap her, slap her, brandher…

She could have escaped, or at least tried. 

But why would she?

For months, Juliet was determined that she would most likely die in that basement. In her mind, her fate had been sealed from the moment she found that letter, from the moment she appeared at Joel’s door with a plan and a death wish. It was all for Ethan, she was living for Ethan. 

Saving herself was never an option. 

But she could have. 

Juliet just didn’t care enough. 

A sharp gasp released from Juliet’s throat. The ringing in her ears grew louder and louder. 

She had wantedto die that day. 

Juliet strumbled to her feet, pushing off Ethan’s hands which had settled on her lap. She needed space, she needed air. She couldn’t breathe. 

When she stood, Juliet turned as tears blurred her vision and her body staggered over to the nearest rock. Gasping for breath, her hand gripped the cold, rough surface. She could hear Ethan’s voice, calling her name, over and over. But the ringing was too loud and she couldn’t think of anything other than the sound of her own breathing. 

A gentle hand touched her shoulder and she whirled around. “Don’t touch me,” she demanded. Her own voice was unfamiliar to her. It was as frigid as the air around them. 

Ethan stood behind her, his mouth open in shock as he held his hands in a defensive stance. “Juliet, what’s wrong? Did I do something?” he asked slowly, as though approaching a wild beast.

Juliet’s eyes shot to the sky as a sharp laugh escaped her mouth. She just wanted a moment alone to herself, why couldn’t he give her that?

“I just need a minute,” she ground out before she turned and walked further away, deeper into the night. 

“Juliet!” Ethan called. 

She couldn’t think. She needed space to breathe. This was too much. 

Juliet had wanted to die that day.

Why didn’t they let her die? 

This wasn’t a life. She didn’t want any part of it. 

Her mind was screaming. Juliet wasn’t sure if it was just inside her head. She kept stumbling, tripping on rocks but managed to steady herself as she fought her way through the horror in her head. 

“Juliet, please!” Ethan shouted, more forcefully this time as he caught up to her. Juliet had stopped beside a tree, using the damp bark to steady herself. She was breathing heavy and tears poured down her face. 

“Tell me what’s wrong,” Ethan insisted, moving forward while Juliet began to press her back against the tree behind her. 

Juliet was sobbing now, she couldn’t answer him. She couldn’t even gather enough air to take a proper breath. Everything was moving too fast, she couldn’t keep up with anything. 

“Please,” she murmured, begging him to leave her as he stepped closer. 

“Shhhh,” Ethan whispered as he cradled her face in his hands. Juliet was trapped, entirely trapped against the tree. 

Then his forehead met hers as he continued to whisper soothing words but all Juliet could hear was her father’s voice screaming in her head. She could feel her father’s breath against her face, she could feel the force of his slap against her skin, she could feel herself slipping away into that same darkness. 

Another sob worked its way up her throat and, without warning, Ethan was ripped from his hold on her. Juliet blinked open her eyes, struggling to see through the tears. 

“She told you to leave her,” growled Joel as he gripped the back of Ethan’s shirt, whirling him around until he was pinned against a tree himself. In the fading light, Juliet watched as Ethan’s face transformed from shock to an intense, unbridled rage. 

Ethan barked out a cold laugh and Joel eased his grip, letting him slump against the tree. “You don’t think I know what this is about?” Ethan seethed, pointing between Joel and Juliet. 

Her breathing stopped entirely. 

“You think I haven’t seen the way he looks at you?” he accused, focusing on Juliet. 

Who was this man? This wasn’t Ethan. Ethan wasn’t cruel and threatening. 

He laughed again, this time harsher and he took another step towards Juliet. She caught sight of his hands - they were shaking with anger.

He didn’t manage to get any closer though, Joel caught him with a firm press of his hand against Ethan’s chest, pushing him backwards. Juliet flinched when he hit the ground. 

“There he is. Coming to save you again,” Ethan snarled from his position on the ground. 

“Ethan, stop,” she demanded. The ringing in her ears had grown louder. 

“No,” he said as he pushed himself off the ground, putting his palms in the air when Joel took a warning step towards him. “Juliet, who even is this guy?” he continued, nodding his head towards Joel. “He’s dangerous. I’ve seen the way he looks at you, like you’re a meal he’s waiting to devour. It’s sick,” Ethan spat. 

Juliet flinched again. She didn’t dare look at Joel. Her tears still flowed freely down her cheeks, only now, anger was her most prominent emotion.

“Ethan, you have no idea what you're talking about. You need to stop,” Juliet warned in a slow, icy tone. 

He scoffed. “I saved you, Juliet. Me.I gave you this knife,” he pulled the switchblade from his pocket, the rose carving illuminated by the moonlight. “I gave you your life back.” 

Something snapped inside Juliet. 

“And I wish you fucking hadn’t!” she yelled back. 

Her hands were curled at her sides, what was left of her fingernails pressed against her palms. Relief was sudden and intense as the words left her mouth.

“I wish you’d left me to rot in that basement years ago, so I wouldn’t have to live with this guilt,” Juliet seethed, her voice cracking on the last word. “So I wouldn’t have to find out everything the world had to offer and know that I could never have it,” she quietened, her words becoming softer but more brutal as she forced herself not to look at Joel. 

“You might have helped me run from my father, but he never really left me. Even now that he’s dead, I can’t escape him,” her words were pouring out from the deepest part of her soul. 

“So don’t fucking tell me that you saved me, because I gave up everythingfor you. I had a life in the QZ, I had a job, I had friends but I gave it all up to come back here, to sacrifice myself for you.”

Every selfish feeling she hadn’t dared vocalise was thrown out into the dark, sharpened with the bite of her words. 

“I was ready to die in that basement again. I wantedto die in that basement. Why couldn’t you have just let me die?” Juliet cried, her eyes finally moving from Ethan to Joel. She covered her mouth with her hands when she realised what she had said. Juliet didn’t recognise the look on Joel’s face. 

“Juliet, I’m -” Ethan started, but Juliet just shook her head, turned around and started running deeper into the forest. 

No footsteps followed her. 

……………………………………..

It could have been minutes later, or hours, but eventually Juliet slowed to a jog and found herself slumbled against a tree deep in the forest. 

Her hands shook so badly that she couldn’t even brush the hair from her face. 

God, what was wrong with her? Why did she say all of that? She had acted like a teenager, kicking off a temper tantrum then running away. 

Juliet reached her trembling fingers up to wipe her tears, then pressed the heel of her palm into her eyes, pushing deeper and deeper until she saw stars. 

When she opened them, Juliet caught sight of a torchlight in the distance. She froze, positioning her hands on the ground to push herself up. But then the movement stopped, the torch pointed downwards and then remained where it was.

Juliet let out a shaky breath. 

It was just Joel. 

He would never let her run into the woods alone, but he was still keeping his distance, giving Juliet her space. The realisation forced tears into her eyes again, burning her cheeks as they fell. 

Maybe she could just stay against this tree forever. Let nature take her. There was something poetic in that, she thought. 

As the minutes passed her by, embarrassment stung deeper than the cold in her fingers. Ethan was wrong, he shouldn’t have said what he said. But Juliet was wrong too. It wasn’t his fault she went back. It was her decision. It was bound to happen. And he hadsaved her, he had given her another shot at life. Juliet was just too deep in her grief to remember that. 

When she looked up again, the torchlight was closer. Juliet pushed herself to her feet, ready to face Joel. He must have noticed the movement because, seconds later, he stood in front of her. The bright light poured over her and she blinked, blinded by it. 

When her eyesight returned, Juliet finally dared to meet Joel’s eyes. 

She gasped. His eyes were black, but there was no anger lingering in them. They blazed with something different, something that frightened her. In the dull light, Juliet watched his throat move before one single word rushed from his lips. 

“Juliet” 

It was quiet and restrained, but Juliet gasped at the huskiness of his voice. It wasn’t a command, or a warning, but a plea…

Her vision blurred again and Juliet watched the crease between Joel’s eyebrows deepen in response. 

Without thinking, Juliet moved. Her body crashed against his like two ships finding each other after a brutal storm. Her arms instantly wrapped around his back, her fingers gripping the material of his shirt, pulling him closer. 

Joel responded immediately, as though he had predicted her movements. His hand raised to cradle the back of her head as her face pressed against the front of his shirt, his other hand reached her back, his fingers still curled around the torch. 

For the first time that day, Juliet inhaled a deep breath and allowed it to flow out of her without restraint. Joel held her tight, adjusting his arms to pull her closer. He smelled just as he always had, and Juliet had never felt so safe. 

Tears stained his shirt, but he didn’t seem to mind. 

“Shhh,” he murmured when his chin met the top of her head, Juliet could feel the sharp scruff of his beard scratch her skull. “You’re safe,” he continued, his deep voice somehow even lower than it usually was. 

After an eternity in his arms, Juliet pulled away from Joel’s hold. His hands didn’t leave her though, they dropped to her arms, forming a light grip on her. Juliet’s cheeks warmed at his desperate need to touch her at all times. 

“I’m sorry for what I said,” she croaked, licking the tears off of her lips. 

Joel followed her movement with his sharp gaze, then drifted back up to meet her eyes. 

“Nothin’ to apologise for,” he affirmed, shifting his stance. 

“I didn’t mean any of it, I -” 

“You did mean it,” he interrupted. 

Juliet's denial died on her tongue. 

In the dim torchlight, Juliet watched Joel work his jaw and let his eyes drift to the trees behind before they returned to her face. 

“Saw it on your face when that clicker had you cornered in Cody,” he started, pausing to let go of her arm and run his hand over the bottom of his face. Juliet felt cold without his touch. She feared where this conversation would take them. “Looked like you were givin’ up.” 

Juliet’s breath caught in her throat. She wanted to shake her head, deny every bit of dread in the pit of her stomach, deny every terrible, selfish thought in her head… But she couldn’t, she couldn’t lie to Joel. Not after everything. 

Juliet looked away, asking the trees for help as she whispered her next words. “What’s left for me Joel? I was supposed to die. I was ready to die -” 

Joel’s rough fingers found her cheek and tilted her face back up to his. “Don’t” he ordered, his pupils flaring. “If you’d died…” he trailed off, closing his eyes for a moment. 

Juliet held her breath. 

“When we found you, I thought you were dead,” Joel breathed, his words a whisper in the wind. Juliet thought she had imagined them, until he continued. “Your head was turned at this sick angle and you were so still. There was so much blood.”

Juliet’s hands started shaking again. 

Joel held her gaze as he worked his jaw, gritting his teeth hard. “You’ve no idea what that did to me,” he ground out, his words slow and heavy. 

“I lost it. Saw red. Just started punchin’” 

She flinched, imagining her father’s face at the mercy of his fist. Juliet glanced down at his knuckles, still cracked and red. 

“I’d brought you there. I’d got you killed,” he announced, his voice clear and steady. 

“No -” Juliet tried to interrupt. Juliet had orchestrated her return home entirely herself, Joel had no part in her fate. 

He squeezed her arm firmer for a moment before easing his grip entirely. Juliet’s mouth hung open, desperate to deny his claims. 

“You were my responsibility. Mine to protect, and I failed you,” he said, his voice cracking on the last words. 

He paused, letting the moment stretch out between them. 

“There was a time I thought I’d lost everythin’, when I thought it was the end for me,” Joel said quietly. Then he swallowed rough, as though the words were choking him. His voice was a candle in the dark, an anchor in a storm, and she was caught in it. 

“I couldn’t see the point anymore, simple as that,” he continued with a slight shake of his head. “And I wasn’t scared either. I was ready.”

“Couldn’t have been more ready,” he insisted. 

Juliet’s hand found his wrist, and she squeezed, desperately reminding her that he was still there with her. 

“When I pulled the trigger, I flinched.”

Juliet froze, every muscle in her body locked up. She struggled to see Joel’s face through the pool of tears in her eyes threatening to spill down her cheeks at any moment. 

“Still don’t know why,” he clarified, with a shrug. Then his fingers found her chin again, and he soothed small circles into her skin. 

“The reason I’m tellin’ you all this -”

“I know why,” Juliet insisted with a whisper. And she did. Joel could read her mind, could understand her deepest fears better than herself. Of course he saw where her mind was heading. Of course he took her words seriously. 

She leaned into his touch, closing her eyes. “I just don’t know if I have the energy anymore, Joel,” she admitted as the tears finally fell. 

A muscle jumped in his jaw, and he titled his head down towards her. “You gotta find it. You gotta find somethin’ to live for’” he said, his voice dark and husky. 

“Stay with me,” he murmured into her hair after a long moment. 

Juliet let Joel’s confession wash over her. Her mind was still filled with monsters and gripped by a terror she didn’t think she’d ever escape. It would be so easy to sit against that tree again, let the roots sink in, allow the moss to cover her and fade away into nothing but a memory. 

It would be so easy to die.

This world wasn’t made for the living anymore, it was designed to hurt and maim and kill. Juliet could so easily let it. 

Yet at every turn in the road, fate had saved her. She had been forced back onto the path which eventually led her to this moment, to this decision. In the back of her mind, she recalled an old poem she’d found tucked into one of her father’s bibles.

Juliet could no longer just exist, she had to make a decision. Choose a path. Choose to live. Choose to hope for something better, something worth living for. 

She inhaled a breath, her head still cradled by the feeling of Joel’s chin against her hair. 

Juliet didn’t have a home anymore. But maybe she could make a new one. 

As she released the air trapped in her lungs, her head tipped downwards and Joel followed her movement. 

She nodded. 

Juliet had chosen her path. 

……………………………………………..

The next day, Juliet’s steps were quicker, more urgent. 

She hadn’t spoken to Ethan, she still needed time. But the three of them crossed rivers and fields, and Juliet, for the first time in a long while, felt that seed of hope plant itself within her. 

Juliet walked side by side with Joel, their arms occasionally brushing against each other, but he didn’t move away, and neither did she. Whatever was between them was still unspoken, but Juliet found she enjoyed the unacknowledged whispers of their accidental touches. 

So, when morning shifted into the afternoon and they spotted something moving in the distance, Juliet didn’t hesitate to grab Joel’s arm, to wrap her hand around his wrist. 

But as the figures moved closer, Juliet was more confused than frightened. 

With a gasp, she realised what was headed towards them. 

“Horses.” 

________________________________

@amyispxnk @shotgun-shelby @http-paprika

[majickth]

hey! here to ask about the hermits hollow au because it's Consumed My Brain <3

Do you have thoughts as to what everyone is in this au? Any thoughts on adding the Watchers at all, or is Evo not really your thing? Just some thoughts!

Watchers would be a fun little inclusion, though where they fit in, I haven't decided yet. I haven’t thought of what everyone is just yet, but so far I have:

Grian, a former journalist who’s trying to find some peace and quiet only to get wrapped up in the happenings of Hermit’s Hollow.

Pearl, who’s Grian’s sister and the reason he goes to Hermit’s Hollow. She’s a janitor at a local school who has a strong fixation with the night sky. Occasional sleepwalker, sometimes goes missing in the middle of the night only to wake up in the middle of the forest.

Scar, owner of Scarland and an infamous conman. He’s charming, if a bit accident prone, and constantly looking for the next big attraction. Surprisingly mysterious past. Occasionally invites people on a private tour, but if asked about it will deny outright or change the subject.

Jellie, co-owner of Scarland.

Cub, a strange man that often visits Scarland. His supposed relation to Scar changes each time, but the two seem like old friends. His appearance changes too. Sometimes he seems older, younger, or weirdly both. Strange ichor-like fungus seems to appear whenever he visits.

Doc, a backyard mad scientist who may or may not be responsible for some of the strange creatures seen wandering the woods at night. A recluse, lives at the edge of town, entertains few visitors. If all the lights in town suddenly flicker all at once, its probably because of his inventions. Grows the best tomatoes in town.

Ren, one of Doc's few friends and constant visitors. Pretty chill, friendly, outdoorsy kinda guy, the typical lumberjack. Tends to disappear once a month, coincidentally around the full moon. Towns folk tend to stay inside during this time.

Impulse, Pearl and Gem's roommate. Nice guy, even if he did just show up outta nowhere. If asked about where he's from, the trio get noticeably nervous and change the subject. Has a collection of occult-ish books. Always warm.

Gem, Impulse and Pearl's roommate. A forest ranger. Part-time actor in the local community theater troupe. Knows the wilderness like the back of her hand, even if the trees do tend to move around.

Mumbo, an engineer at the local electric plant who disappeared without a trace months before Grian's arrival. No one's seen him since, but Grian swears that he's seen him show up in the background of photos when no one was there before.

[shadeswift99]

SHADE. Shade I need your minecraft worldbuilding brain.

They introduced a bunch of new shards to 1.20. The one depicting the Warden is called "mourner."

THE POSSIBILITIES?? It's not just guarding these ancient cities, it's mourning what they once were? Maybe it's similar to an iron golem, a construct built to protect and then abandoned? Maybe it caused the ruination and it mourns what it destroyed? Maybe it's just cranky we disturbed it????

I really like all of those ideas! But, as is my duty as Shade, I am going to introduce you to an extra and more horrifying possibility!

So. Sculk. It's a fungus-like corruption that spreads when it's fed by XP, which is essentially souls or life energy in-universe released at the death or breaking of something. No mobs other than the Warden can spawn in the Deep Dark, which to me suggests sculk has a level of toxicity that even the undead can't handle. Except some people - players - seem to be able to withstand it, at least for a short period of time.

There sure is a lot of sculk in ancient cities, isn't there. A whooole lotta sculk. Whole lot of that stuff that duplicates through death of other living things.

Maybe the cities were full, when the first sculk was discovered. Maybe the toxicity claimed the first person to find it and spread as a result of that, the danger growing the more it took, until it was a wave few could escape. Maybe some got away through those odd portals, the ones with higher natural resistances lasting long enough to flee. ...Or, maybe some of them, left alive long enough to watch everyone else die, couldn't bring themselves to leave. Maybe they stayed to mourn the loss, exposing themselves for longer than even they could withstand. Maybe instead of dying, they changed.

The Warden has the same size hitbox as a player. In spite of visually far exceeding that size, it can fit through the same size gaps. Almost as if it outgrew the volume the Universe had calculated for it. And its ribcage, open and filled with sculk-like texture inside, has always read as human-like to me. The sculk controls it, so the body tries to kill living things to fuel the spread. It's only natural.

But maybe, like the cordyceps fungus, the sculk leaves the brain intact while bending the muscles of the body to its own purposes. Perhaps the Warden's eyes are closed because the mourner is still mourning - the loss of their city, still, or what they lost of themselves by not turning away.

[lazulian-devil]

I am writing on my audio drama and im kinda in the deepdive phase of worldbuilding.

So Im thinking about "jinxed" diseases. Like a fungus that can quite literally grow in your lungs or an infection that starts forming crystals in your body. They probably will never come up, but you know.

And then my brain spat out "bloodrot" and I was so proud of myself.

But Guys.

Fellows.

Chaps.

Bloodrot is such a common grim/dark disease. It is everywhere. I didnt come up with this.

Because its terrifying.

But you know what? Bloodrust. Thats also terrifying.

Just out of spite.

What does it do? No Idea. Will it ever be relevant for the audio drama? Probably not. But it sounds good :p

[assiraphales]

i just finished tlou and i just. cannot turn my brain out thruout. im in medicine and the medical stuff keeps killing my immersion bc like there ARE cleaning agents that can kill fungi and spores. they can come in aerosol canisters that u can just set off in a room. like throw a couple of those in the kc sewers and ur good. antifungals would stop the fungus cell walls growing. like i’m not saying it wouldn’t have been ugly but if someone stopped and rubbed 2 braincells together it couldve been fine also there is no way in hell that the cure would have worked IF they were even right about the mechanism of action because it was entirely conjecture its not like anyone bothered to check!!!!!! i know its scifi ish but oh my god

everyone was so busy with in fighting / rebellions / power / controlling the masses that no one spent any time dealing with what should have been the biggest issue — the infected. because they were manageable! they had a ton of weakness from fire to head wounds to like you said. cleaning agents that work against fungus. there should have been task forces whose job was hunting down and taking care of infected, or scouting out their locations, or trapping large herds of them in buildings and then bombing the buildings. creating defendable towns outside of cities bc it’s so much easier for infected to hide there, and the infrastructure was crumbling. it’s like besties pls sit down for a second and think about this

[pkmnprofloblolly]

hello prof ;) i have a question concerning Breloom (as you know half my brain is occupied by all things plant-related). I was wondering where it gets its energy, I've always assumed that most plant pokemon got their energy through photosynthesis but Breloom is a fungus and fungi do not perform photosynthesis. Does it get it from poke-treats like non-plant pokemon, or does it possess chloroplasts which would account for its green color? have a nice day

excellent question!! this is a fun one, i like the subject a lot, and breloom is one of my favorites.

like many grass types, breloom is actually made up of more than one sort of organism! much like how lichen is comprised of a fungus and an algae or cyanobacteria, working together in such a way that their cooperation essentially creates an entirely new organism.

most grass-type pokemon that are animals are indeed symbionts with a sort of plant. these mutualistic relationships are required in the majority of cases- even if you could remove the plant part from an animal pokemon, it wouldn't survive long afterwards. most of the time, the plant and animal tissues are so interwoven that removal would be impossible in the first place- cut off a deerling's flower, for example, and it will bleed. it's not just an animal with a plant growing on it, it's integrated down to the cellular level.

(note that there are also many grass type pokemon that are purely one species of plant- oddish and smoliv, for example. furthermore, there are plant-animal symbionts that aren't grass type- florges, notably, lives in symbiosis with the flowers around its neck and even photosynthesizes, but is actually a pure fairy-type.)

these composite organisms generally rely on both autotrophic and heterotrophic ways of getting food. the plant part will photosynthesize and the animal part will consume other organisms, and both parts will share in the nutrients and energy from these sources.

back to the topic at hand, though, shroomish and breloom! indeed, these pokemon are not at all plants. somewhat like paras and parasect, shroomish and breloom have both an animal and a fungal aspect (though paras and parasect have a particularly unique relationship with their fungi halves). interestingly, shroomish has very little animal-like features before it evolves, with barely any skeletal elements and minimal musculature compared to breloom, which is structured much more like a typical vertebrate, with large masses of fungal tissue being mostly on its head, neck, tailtip, and arms.

the line's green color is indeed something of a coincidence- they do not have any plant component nor do they photysynthesize. instead, it's hypothesized the green coloration is simply for camouflage among the dense forests that this species tends to call its home. while less common than white or orangey mushooms, there are mushrooms with a greenish hue, and similar pigments lend breloom its color.

shroomish and breloom get all their energy by ingesting food. they tend to be detritivores that sometimes supplement with live plants and the occasional insect or small vertebrate. they search forests for decomposing logs and the occasional rotten carcass to scavenge. unlike most other animals (with the exception of ruminants such as miltank, which use symbiotic bacteria and multi-stage digestion to break down tough plant matter), these pokemon are capable of breaking down the tough compounds found in wood and other plant matter like cellulose and lignin. this is thanks to the fungi that are part of them, which produce enzymes in the digestive system capable of slowly breaking down these difficult materials.

fungi make up only a small part of the pokemon family tree when compared to animals and plants, so it's always interesting to look into how they operate differently from their more common cousins. i love this cool mushroom dinosaur

[howdybeetle]

DDVAU SPOILERS QUESTIONS AND THEORIES

OKAY starting off the bat we all fucking realize its a HUGE deal that Scar has now seen Grian with his wings in the form of Motherspore right? Thats a HUGE insane thing for a couple main reasons-

1. To everyones knowledge until this point, Grian is human.

2. He’s seen the placement of his wings, his face feathers, his head wings - so while they might not be the right color or in the best condition after motherspore, I dont imagine Avians are very… common

3. Not only Scar, but also Cub and potentially others ALSO know about the existence of his non-human-ness

I have so many thoughts on this right now.

First line of thought, Scar has seen the wings, and now knows that Grian is potentially not just a regular human. He could be thinking the wings are part of motherspore but… why would the fungus put that much effort into growing extra limbs that are so torn and disheveled that theyre not of any use? Especially since going outside would mean going into the sun, which the fungus seems to be irritated by.

Whatre the consequences of not being legally resistered as a hybrid? Is that something youre required to keep updated with a certain office? Is hotguy, as a hero, going to need to tell someone?

I imagine Scar would keep Cub updated with all of this - is Cub going to put the pieces together that Grian is CuteGuy? Or Scar of course but Cub seems like he’d realize sooner..

As well as the *state* of Grians wings after mother spore…? They’re so horrifically torn to shreds and disintegrating that I’m wondering if they’ll go back to how they were, or if it’s going to take time to heal.? It seemed to me like the fungus had been destroying the wings, so when the fungus recedes, will the wings be even further destroyed, or will it just pull away and leave the real feathers?

A lot of this is based off my own assumptions and I’m still working my brain on this but I’m absolutely torn up about this newest chapter omg

Also, insane kudos to Doody and Maruu for such great quality on the comics, you deserve a much needed rest <3

[maytheratseatureyes]

SH ask - 8, 9, 12, 15?

8. What are your favorite trait exclusive interactions?

There are so many good ones for mystic, but I love that you can tell Reese you're able to feel the emotions that he put into his artwork. I'm pretty sure mystic also let me suggest that his illness was actually supernatural. I just love that it gives this kind of deeper connection with him, that I find romantic. I really hope episode 5 has an "oh shit!" moment with both Kaneeka and Stella realizing you were right and had the ability to pick up on those things about their best friend

And for hot... obviously Tame the Beast. I love the double hot romance option you get if you call Tabby. Being able to protect him from his mom only to be able to jump in front of a loaded gun for him right after????!!!! And the game letting you just flat out call him your boyfriend? *screaming* I love it so much! I'm really excited to see what he has to say about that in the next episode.

9. What difficult game changing choice was the hardest for you to make?

Episode 3 was easily the most difficult so far. I don't have book smart, I refused to let my MC age, and I like Oscar way too much to leave him homeless and without a job, especially after Rosalina lost her foot. So aging Tabby was my pick. I know saying this is very controversial in this fandom, but I'm not the biggest Tabby fan, so I'm guessing picking this was easier for me than it was for most people. That being said, I don't think it was fair. I feel bad for Charlie, I really do, but what happened to him wasn't Tabby or MC's fault.

12. What's your favorite ship(s)? What's your least favorite ship(s)

My favorite ship would be any of the love interests + MC. Yes, including Stella. Seeing the characters people come up with is my favorite part of this fandom.

Next would be Stabby, even tho I really don't like how Tabby treats Stella, and I honestly feel like she deserves better. But, I want Stella to be happy, so I got them together on my run. And that's it, I'm not really into any other ones.

My least favorite ships are obviously Tabby/MC and Joan/Reese. I just... no. I find it disgusting, and I hate that it's a thing people still do even though the devs themselves have said it makes them uncomfortable. That's all I'm going to say about that.

15. What is a fan theory you like?

Is it bad if I pick my own? I'm mostly doing that because I haven't kept up with any of the newer theories, and the only one I can remember off the top of my head is the one about Wayne being a sentient fungus and I don't really buy that.

So my theory is that the entity is Reese's dad, and his soul is currently trapped inside of what was once Teddy, who has been confined to that room.

There are a few reasons I think this:

1. The claw markings on the door frame. What Reese is able to transform into has claws, and he leaves similar markings on the clinic walls.

2. "Teddy's" favorite food being calfs brains. You can find this out in the cookbook hidden in the pantry. In a dev Q&A, we find out Reese's favorite food growing up was liver, and in the Matricide and Obedience endings, he eats his mom, sooo yeah.

3. The locked door in the estate holds parallels to Reese being locked up by his mom.

4. The seal concerning Teddy is in the clinic.

5. And then there's Joan. We know Dr. Kelly was best friends with Vivian, so I wouldn't be surprised if she visited the estate on a regular basis in her youth. I'm thinking the entity could have taken a liking to her (maybe even sweet talked her through the door) and used its abilities to visit her in her dreams.

6. Wayne calls Reese a weapon. Maybe the entity was hoping his son, Reese, would kill the remaining Scarlets and finally free him. Maybe using what Joan did to him as proof. What if Reese opens that door, finds his dad, and he says something along the lines of "They locked me up and they'll lock you up forever, too!"

So yeah, that's my theory that I'm certain has holes and is probably wrong, lol

If I think of anything else to add to it, I'll edit it later bc I feel like I'm forgetting some things.

[ireneakihabara]

so despite my interests in biology I have for various reasons (one specific reason) always avoided fungus and parasites. However recently I've been attempting to force myself to get over that and look into it a bit further and i found something in a talk I haven't seen anywhere else yet

This is a photo of a sheep crab infected with a riseencephalon taken by photographer Anand Varma as a part of a presentation for national geographic. The part that stuck out about this parasite to me was its ability to effectively transgenderize the crab MtF by inducing the growth of an egg sac to grow more parasites while also activating the maternal part of the crab's brain to protect the growth. The small white specks around the crab are spores being released by the parasites within it.

I think Varma's desire to depict the more biologically majestic aspects of parasites is noble and despite their ability to churn my stomach at a glance I'd like to come to share his eye :)

[final-girl96]

Ageless Secrets Chapter One

August 2007

It's been almost two years since the outbreak. The government, now known as FEDRA, finally had quarantine zones that people could go to. They had them set up a year after the outbreak happened. The QZs were in a lot of the major cities, New York, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, they were all over the place. Right now we were making our way to Boston. We tried getting in the one in Detroit, going all the way back home but it was clear it wouldn't happen as soon as we got there. The road to the QZ was backed up for miles. So we turned around and headed for the one in Ohio but that too was out of the question.

We then decided to just keep going. There was supposed to be one in Boston that wasn't even finished yet. We figured if we could get there early we could be one of the first to get in. But it was rough being out on the road. Supplies were hard to come by, no place was safe, we had to worry about raiders. This was a new world and the old world rules didn't apply anymore. People would kill you for whatever you had.

Eventually, we met up with other survivors. You know what they say, safety in numbers and all that jazz. We turned into those people that we would hide from. It's what we had to do to survive. It's that kind of world now that you kill or be killed. Hiding wasn't always an option. We car jacked, stole, killed, and left people for dead. I am nineteen now and I've been through too much for my age. I used to be scared all the time. I let Tess handle everything. But after A while those hopes and dreams that this whole outbreak would eventually be over vanished.

Cordyceps, that's what the sickness was, it's a fungus. At one point it only affected things like ants. It would attach itself to the ant and eventually make its way to its brain and take control. It used to never be able to survive in the human body with how high our body temperature was. But it adapted. There are three known stages of infection as of now.

Runners: The first and most common stage, occurring within hours or days of infection. They are still human in appearance, but lose control of their faculties and sprint you. Kind of like Andy had done.

Stalkers: The second stage, where the infected show physical signs of the infection, such as spores growing from their head and body. They are also more agile than runners. They like to stay in darker places and they like to follow you. They've been infected for at least two weeks and remain that way until about a year before going to the next stage.

Clickers: The third stage, where the infected become blood-hungry husks. They can't see you because of the fungus overing their face. But they have impeccable hearing and make this creepy ass clicking noise. They've been infected for a least a year or two.

You have to be careful no matter what with the infected, but they seem to like the dark more than being out in the day light. The dwell in builds where it's dark. You always need to so a sweep, being as quiet as possible when you go into a house or building to loat or stay in. You always need to be careful of any spores in the air. The Cordyceps isn't just inside the infected, it also grows around any that have been sitting somewhere for a while. The spores alone can infected you, so wearing a gas mask is the best option in those situation.

A few weeks ago we met two men, brothers. Joel, the oldest and his younger brother Tommy. Tommy was thirty-two, the same age as Tess and Joel was thirty-six or would be soon according to Tommy. Everything happened on Joel birthday, September twenty-sixth. I won't sit here and pretend that I didn't find Joel attractive the second I laid eyes on him. But he didn't pay any attention to me. Why would he? I'm a nineteen year old girl.

Joel didn't trust very easily either, not as easily as Tommy did. Tommy warmed up to Tess and I pretty quick. He the more reasonable one of the two. Joel and Tess had a lot in common, she wasn't very trusting either. I mean, I don't trust people anymore but I'm not as bad as Tess is. I would have trusted Joel in a heartbeat even after he put a gun to my head.

Yup, that's right, Joel had a gun to my head when we first ran into them. They thought we were trying to rob them and we thought they were trying to rob us. To be fair we were going to rob them and they were going to do the same to us. Tess had her gun trained on Joel, daring him to pull the trigger. Tommy was the voice of reason. He's the one that convince both of the to lower their weapons and talk. Tommy came up with the idea to band together all while Joel still had a hold of me.

“Let's put our guns down and talk about this. Joel, come on, she's just a kid.” I scoffed at that, “I'm fucking nineteen, asshole.” Tess glared at me. “Yn, shut up!” I rolled my eyes at her and let out a long sigh. “Joel, please, lower your gun,” Tommy pleaded. Only when Tess lowered hers, holding a hand up in surrender did Joel lower his gun. “Are you going to let go of me? I'm not one that likes physical contact all that much.”

It had all been quite thrilling and terrifying. When Joel finally let me go, he pushed me towards my sister, almost causing me to fall. “Fucking asshole!” Tess had grabbed me and pulled me behind her, telling me to shut up. They made a deal that we would all work together. But that doesn't mean we trust each other fully. Joel was cold towards us, at least he was to me. He got along with Tess more than he got along with me. I was ignored anytime I tried to pitch in ideas.

Tess forced me to stay back when they went to raid people. She acted like I never killed someone. I had killed more people than I'd like to admit. I'm nineteen and have killed men and women. You didn't see too many children anymore. For a while Tess couldn't even look at a kid. She could hardly look at me. I hated that she would make me hang back a lot, but I also understood why she did It.

“Alright, yn, you–” I cut her off with a roll of my eyes. “Yeah, yeah, stay here. Stay out of sight. Don't come out unless I tell you to. You're no help to us. You're useless. You'll just be in the way and get yourself or someone else killed. Blah blah blah.” She let out a heavy sigh, “Please don't start your shit. I just want you to be safe.”

“Whatever, Tess, just go.” I turned around and walked back into the building we had been sitting in for the past three hours. Joel and Tess were watching a group of men across the way. Tommy didn't seem to want to be a part of it but he was doing what we had to do to survive. “I'll stay back with her, keep an eye out from here.” I groaned, rolling my eyes back and stormed off. “I don't need a babysitter!”

“Keep your damn voice down!” Joel hissed at me. I spun around and gave him the finger, "Shove it up your ass!” His jaw clenched and he started after me. “Joel,” Tommy warned. “Yn, please, stop your damn attitude!” Tess said sternly. “Look here little girl–” That pissed me off even more. I know I was acting like a child, but I was getting sick of them treating me like I was unable to do anything.

“Little girl! Little fucking girl! Really? Go fuck yourself, Joel. All of you can go fuck yourself. You all act like I can't take care of myself. You act like I'm nothing but a burden to you. I'm so sick and tired of it. You always thought you were better than me Tess, just because you're older. You always have to be in charge. You're not the only one whole has been having a hard fucking time! I'm not a little girl anymore. I can take care of myself.”

[karniss-bg3]

Perspective

I awaken. It is cold.

My eyes open to view darkness unending. The distance seems so short and yet I know it to be expansive beyond reason. I know not what was here before my malformed steps touched the earth but it doesn’t matter. All that matters is Her light, Her grace. I feel Her with me at all times and Her gaze never leaves me. I am protected, I am loved, but why is it so cold? The chill burrows into my very bones gnawing at the marrow with its icy bite. My energy is drawn from my very flesh only to fade away into the aether, stolen from me without my permission. How much has been ripped away? How much more must I wither before my ascension? I will shepherd Her faithful, I will be worthy of Her light. Majesty.

“Hey, legs! Get down here!”

The voice, it rattles my ears and prickles my skin. Yet another of my Queen’s followers, a parasite that I will excise from Her ranks. Time, I still need time. For now I shall play along, I will do as I am told until only She and I remain. None will love you as I do, Majesty. Surely you must know that.

I retreat from my perch atop the tower and follow the nagging that beckons me. I keep your gift close to my breast, my Queen. None may touch, it belongs to me and only to me. I know that you have blessed me because of how loyal I am, how true. The rest are vermin, scuttling about spreading their vile diseases like the pests they are. I can cleanse them, fix them, make them valuable in your service.

There he is, the little worm. I see his smug smile, his proud stance, so very pleased with himself. I see him for what he really is, a low-born goblin with limited wit. He believes himself above me but I know better. Your mercy is endless, Majesty. But why spare this rabble? I do not understand what use they could be in the face of your magnanimity but it is not for me to know. Why is he smiling at me so? His yellowed teeth and scent of foot fungus offends me on every level, I wish he’d be quick about voicing his desire.

“Speak,” I say, so very impatient.

“What’re you in a ‘urry for, eh? Got all tha time in tha world, haha.”

Every word he speaks makes my stomach churn. I wish to rip his mocking tongue from his skull and crush it to paste in my claws. “We do not have time. Tell us what they want or leave us be.”

“Pfft, no fun you are. My request is pretty simple, open this for me.”

I see him hold out a jar. A jar?! What does this fool think me to be? I am not some simpleton nor am I the village idiot, but he wants me to perform menial tasks? I am a warrior, a fighter, strong and brutal. How dare he insult me, Majesty! “You wish for us to open a jar?” I can feel it, something crawling under the surface of my skin. I must stay calm, my Queen. Give me strength.

“What else are ya good fer? Ya just stand around all day, eyes glazed over n’ shit. Does yer brain float away an’ go on vacation or somethin’?”

I can feel my breath quickening. Every muscle is growing taut. Patience, my Queen. I need to find my patience. Open the jar and walk away, that is all I must do.

“See, yer doin’ it right now. Ya still in there, web-arse? Hellooooo!”

Patience, I must—no, anger. The cold is fading, replaced with a white hot rage. I feel the fury clawing through my chest and up my throat. My eyes burn, my legs tremble, I want to scream but the sound is trapped in my gut. I’ve forgotten how to breathe, the desire to kill stands above all else. My hand moves before I can will it to stop. I grab the jar and clutch it so tight my fingers feel as if they are poised to break.

“You wish it opened?”

“Well, YEAH! Those pigs feet ain’t gonna eat themselves.”

I see crimson, it streaks across my vision and drowns out all other hues. Forgive me, Majesty, but it must be done. He will learn respect. I grab his throat faster than he can react. It’s so fragile and soft in my grasp, I can feel the hastened beat of his heart throbbing against my palm. I take the jar in my other hand and smash it into his face, the glass shattering on impact. Pork hooves scatter across the ground while the remainder are smashed into the little bastards face. I twist my hand and burrow the chunks of glass and keratin into his cheeks and eyes. The sounds of his screams are drowned out in my ears as if my head was dunked under rolling waves. He isn’t smiling anymore and he will never be allowed to look upon my divine visage ever again. I don’t even feel the pain in my hand even though I am aware it is bleeding. Nothing else matters but making this wretch feel as disfigured as I do. A hard lesson learned but one only I could teach.

Time passes in bizarre ways when your focus is so intense. I know not for how long I spent decorating his face but I do know that it took the hands of many to make me cease. I drop the fool, or what is left of him. I care not if he lives, it wouldn’t be a true loss if he didn’t. I hear voices all around me but they are as muffled and inaudible as the pitiful cries of my prey. Perhaps I will be punished, perhaps I even deserve it. If this is your will my Queen then I will do as you wish. You can see how strong I am, how important. No one else can do what is necessary to enact your grand design. No one.

Darkness, I tumble into an endless pit. There is nothing, it all goes blank. Majesty, are you there? I don’t know what is happening. Words, voices, tightness around my neck. Is this death? I don’t wish to die. My Queen, my everything, please deliver me to salvation. I am still useful to you, I will forever be all you could ever need.

Do you hear me?

Do you see me?

Do you—love me?

Silence.

I awaken. It is cold.