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galedekarios · 4 months

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the splendours of waterdeep

Gale: I hail from Waterdeep, the City of Splendours.

we've all heard gale introduce himself and there's a certain pride that colours his voice. but what exactly are waterdeep's splendours?

1. general noteworthy things about waterdeep

i) waterdeep is one of the cleanest cities in the realms

this is not only achieved by having many of waterdeep's buildings and facilities connected to a sewer system, but also through waterdeep's dungsweeper's guild. the members of the guild make their rounds through the city, sweeping streets, collecting trash, litter and refuse.

this service is paid for by taxes.

ii) waterdeep's water system

waterdeep boasts an extensive water system that enables the city to have free access to clean water. this free access comes in many forms: fountains, wells and bath houses. some establishment even have their own access to fresh water in form of tap water "with the turn of a knob", as volo puts it in his chapbook about the city.

iii) waterdeep, city of light

waterdeep possesses many signs and street lamps that are lit with continual flame spells:

hundreds of driftglobes also illuminate the city each night:

A driftglobe was a small glass orb that magically floated in the air and emitted light.

in addition to these magical means, so called lamplighters keep the streets lit - with the exception of the field ward and more dangerous areas of the dock ward.

iv) waterdeep and literacy

waterdeep is one of the most literate cities in the realms.

the font of knowledge is a temple to oghma, god of the domain of knowledge, in waterdeep. priests of oghma "valued, preserved, shared, sought, created, or uncovered knowledge and learning. [x]" the priests there offer free instructions and lessons in reading to everyone. the temple has a library, known as "the great library".

the city has many publishing houses and printing presses. books and chapbooks (short books containing various topics from memoirs to romances, politics, etc.) are popular, as are small and large paper advertisements that dot the streets and alleys. broadsheets are popular too in the city:

A broadsheet, also known as a short scroll, was a short, printed document which usually contained tabloid-style news or political rants. They were common in Waterdeep, where they were sold by broadcriers on the main streets.

some of these broadsheets popular in waterdeep are [x]:

The Vigilant Citizen, which was one of the most reputable broadsheets in the city.

The Blue Unicorn, which reported paranormal events such as haunted mansions or undead hiding among the nobility.

The Daily Luck, a sheet aimed at gamblers.

Horkle's Gossip Cauldron, whose style of writing was said to be profane and blunt to the point of rudeness.

The Mocking Minstrel, one of the most read broadsheets in the city, known for its caustic and sarcastic tone.

The North Wind, which focused on nobility gossip and fashion.

The Merchant's Friend

Halivar's Broadsheet

restaurants and other establishments in waterdeep often have printed menus that are placed outside, as well as handed out to those who choose to eat there.

2. the griffon cavalry

"Waterdeep doesn’t have the fabled flying ships of Halruaa, but it does deploy an aerial defense force. Brave warriors of the City Guard light out from the Peaktop Aerie atop Mount Waterdeep, riding fearsome griffons that have been bred and trained for that purpose. Each of the riders is equipped with a ring of feather falling — not merely to prevent death from mishap, but to allow them to perform stunning feats of aerial acrobatics. In both martial displays and in real battles against flying threats such as manticores, harpies, and outlaw wizards, the griffon riders actually leap off their mounts into the open air! For a breath-stealing moment, they fall like stones, closing in on their targets at incredible speed. Their opponents rarely see the griffon riders. When they are past the danger, the free-falling riders then suddenly halt in the air, drifting like feathers until their griffon companions swoop in and they regain their saddles. Working in concert with one another in this fashion, members of the Griffon Cavalry can rapidly eliminate any threat to the city — and even catch the body of the offender before it hits the rooftops below. Riders of the Griffon Cavalry are trained to stay above the rooftops, not because they fear crashing into towers and weather vanes, but because the smell of so much horseflesh in the streets below can sometimes drive their griffons into a frenzy."

[from: volo's waterdeep enchiridion]

3. the walking statues

"Over a century ago, just one of these eight behemoth statues stood visible at the northern foot of Mount Waterdeep, on a bluff called Gull Leap. Ninety feet tall, it resembled a bald human staring out to sea. Later events (discussed below) caused it to be transformed into the statue known today as the Sahuagin Humbled. When the Spellplague gripped Waterdeep in 1385 DR, six more walking statues suddenly appeared in the city, wandering to wreak havoc even as the Sahuagin Humbled remained motionless. The authorities and citizens of Waterdeep succeeded in stopping three of these new statues, breaking the Swordmaiden and the Hawk Man, and sinking the God Catcher into the street up to its waist. Then all the statues mysteriously stopped their rampage just as quickly as they had begun it. Tsarra Chaadren, the Blackstaff at the time, couldn’t command them to return to their former hiding places on the Ethereal Plane. Consequently, the city repaired itself and built up around them. Much later, in 1479 DR, the eighth statue — the Griffon — merged from the Ethereal Plane to defend Ahghairon’s Tower against intrusion. It roosted there for a time before flying to its current position near Peaktop Aerie on Mount Waterdeep. Once more, this activity seemed to be outside the Blackstaff’s control. Thankfully, all the walking statues have been dormant for well over a decade now, serving only as beautiful, cyclopean reminders of Waterdeep’s might."

[from: volo's waterdeep enchiridion]

the walking statues are:

the god catcher

the griffon

the sahuagin humbled

the great drunkard

the lady dreaming

the honorable knight

the hawk man

the sword maiden

below you'll find more lore and backstory about these walking statues of waterdeep:

[from: volo's waterdeep enchiridion]

edited to improve format and added text descriptions of the statues for easier reading:

the great drunkard

This walking statue stopped its rampage as it approached the Market, then fell backward and sat upon a building. When it settled, its arms fell limp at its sides and its head tilted forward onto its chest, giving the impression that it had fallen asleep. The statue’s huge stone battleaxe still stands nearby, its haft angled upright and its blade half buried in the cobbles. The rubble of the crushed building was long ago rebuilt into a broad stone stair (with railings and a ramp that drunkards are often rolled down) that ascends from the cobbles to the statue’s lap. That lap now holds a two-story tavern also built from the rubble, called Gralkyn’s Tankard. The unconscious pose of the statue and the tavern in its lap made the name of the Great Drunkard a natural fit.

the god catcher

This is perhaps the most famous walking statue in the city, thanks to its dramatic pose, its nearness to the Market, and the self-evident magic of its existence. The statue is of a well-muscled but impassive male human with its left leg sunk to the hip in the street, the result of a spell cast by the Blackstaff at the time of its rampage. Its left hand and right foot press against the ground as if it is trying to pull itself out. Its right arm is raised skyward, and above its open palm floats a sphere of stone. Its gaze looks up toward the sphere, and the pattern of bird droppings around its eyes gives it the appearance of weeping. All about the statue, climbing up its chest and on its knee and shoulders, is a tenement that carries the name “the God Catcher.” The tenement’s landlord is Aundra Blackcloak, an unsociable sorcerer who is rarely seen in the city except when she alights from the door carved in the floating sphere, which serves as her home. On the rare occasions when she wants to meet with city folk (typically to purchase odd substances for magical purposes), she appears unannounced on balconies or rooftops after dark. Her dealings are polite, though, and she pays fair coin. She never confides in anyone or talks about her own doings — and if anyone but she has ever seen the inside of her spherical home, they’ve said nothing publicly about it.

the griffon

The walking statue called the Griffon is shaped like the beast for which it is named. Though it stands on all four legs, its back is fully twenty feet off the ground, making it a mount fit for a storm giant. Although it has shown itself to be capable of flight, with the granite feathers of its wings spreading like a bird’s, the Griffon now merely stands in a regal pose near Peaktop Aerie atop Mount Waterdeep, looking to the southeast over the Dock Ward. Newcomers sometimes assume it to be a monument to Waterdeep’s Griffon Cavalry, but Waterdavians know better.

the sahuagin humbled

For years, the only visible walking statue of Waterdeep was known simply as “the walking statue.” It stood at the foot of Mount Waterdeep near the head of Julthoon Street. Then, after its critical role in defending the city against an invasion of sahuagin in 1370 DR, Khelben Blackstaff reshaped the statue into a sahuagin. It now bows low toward the House of Heroes on bended knee — a gesture of obeisance to the city, and an acknowledgment of the sacrifice of all who fought for the city in that war.

the lady dreaming

This fair lady caused much chaos when she was active. The statue has the appearance of a female elf, whose hair and clothing appeared to flow naturally as it walked through the city during the Spellplague. When the walking statues stopped, this one toppled onto its side, taking on the appearance of a titanic sculpture of a noble lady asleep in her garden.

the honorable knight

The Honorable Knight is a statue of a male warrior in plate armor with a shield and longsword. When the walking statues stopped, it bowed to those opposing it, straightened, sheathed its sword, and doffed its shield, setting it point down on the ground and upright by its side. It then ceased motion in this position, facing southwest toward the harbor, and looking for all the world like a castle guard standing at ease. The pose it assumed led to its naming, and it is viewed with respect by the citizens of the southerly wards.

the hawk man

This statue looks like a winged, hawk-headed being, and thus locals call it the Hawk Man. I can reveal that in fact it bears much resemblance to an aarakocra, one of the bird-people said to live in the Star Mounts in the High Forest. The statue’s wings are folded tightly against its back and have never unfurled, leaving its flight capability uncertain. It was brought low during its rampage across the city, and now it tilts decidedly toward the northeast due to a missing right foot — long ago broken up for building rubble, along with its right arm. Its left arm is extended out toward the north, palm forward as if in a gesture to say, “Stop.” The body has been hollowed out and turned into a tower shared by several wealthy tenants, which is officially known as Sparaunt Tower after its owner. The statue’s left hand extends over a courtyard to the north, wherein lies the entrance of a tunnel carved through the arm. Visitors and residents can ring a bell in the courtyard, whereupon a door guard acknowledges the ringer and lowers a rope ladder for tenants and expected guests (or a rope chair that is drawn up for guests who are infirm or laden with heavy items).

the sword maiden

This statue appears virtually identical to the Honorable Knight, except for its female form and open-faced helm. It was felled during the Spellplague after causing much chaos and slaughter. The residents of Waterdeep’s North Ward funneled much of their frustrated and dismayed reaction to its rampage into dismantling the statue, parts of which can now be found all over the North Ward, either incorporated into buildings or as bits of freestanding sculpture. The head of the Swordmaiden sits in a stand of tall trees in the center of the block of the North Ward bounded by Hassantyr’s Street, Tarsar’s Street, Whaelgond Way, and Ussilbran Street. The center of its jaw and mouth have been replaced by a door, which leads into the shop known as Thort’s Findings. Undevvur Thort is a wizened ex-adventurer who leans on a cane (which some locals insist is more than just a cane). He lives in the small shop, whose many levels, staircases, and landings fill the hollowed-out interior of the head, and which is crammed with oddments sold to Thort by adventurers and other travelers. These items bear little placards in Thort’s beautiful, flowing handwriting that identify them (or at least provide speculation as to their origin and purpose). Nobles and wealthy merchants who desire props for themed revels often rent some of Thort’s wares as decoration — and many sages, alchemists, and wizards visit him regularly in search of potentially useful items.

#gale dekarios #gale of waterdeep #waterdeep #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #baldurs gate 3 #bg3 meta #ch: gale dekarios #vg: baldur's gate 3 #series: baldur's gate #meta: mybg3 #misc: reference #for all your waterdhavian lore needs

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spyskrapbook · 4 months

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"Unité d’Habitation / La Cité Radieuse", 280 Boulevard Michelet, 13008, Marseille, France [1947-52] _ Architect: Le Corbusier _ Photos by: Spyros Kaprinis [25.05.2024].

"The building takes the form of a housing bar 135 metres long, 24 metres wide, 56 metres high and mounted on stilts. Three hundred and thirty apartments, divided into twenty-three different types, can accommodate a population of between 1,500 and 1,700 occupants having at their disposal on the seventh and eighth floors a shopping street and a hotel-restaurant, together with a kindergarten and sports facilities on the roof terrace. The constructive principle adopted, the so-called “bottle rack”, consists in building apartments inside an independent frame of posts and reinforced concrete beams. The apartments are made up of standard elements assembled on the site. All the apartments are dual-aspect, except those on the south side. A sun-break loggia provides an open-air facility at the same time as limiting exposure to sunlight. Protected by double glazing, the apartment interiors are subject to the two basic rules of naval and monastic architecture: rationalism and simplicity. The living room, open on two levels, is the nucleus of the family “home”; upstairs the parents’ room occupies the mezzanine. The kitchen is equipped like a laboratory: electric cooker, refrigerator, rubbish chute and storage racks. The entire apartment is fitted with racks replacing traditional storage. The ventilation of the kitchen, bathroom and toilets is mechanically operated, while the entire apartment is supplied with clean air by an air conditioning system. These facilities were not found in the low-cost collective housing units of the time, and the standard surface areas of the Unité d’Habitation are greater than these by between 40% and 50%. The seventeen-storeys below the terrace are connected by eight interior streets which, given the overlap of the two-storey apartments, each serve three floors. Each street is accessed by a battery of four elevators complemented by a service elevator and three emergency staircases. The entire building and its equipment are designed in terms of the Modulor, the universal measuring unit conceived by Le Corbusier."

#Unité d’Habitation #La Cité Radieuse #Marseille #France #Le Corbusier #1947 #1952 #Spyros Kaprinis #2024 #Concrete #Brutalism #Housing #Architecture

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jasfhercallejo · 17 days

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Located on Tourism Road of General Luna, Siargao Bleu is very much accessible from the airport to the town center. Upon entering the resort, we were welcomed by its iconic 1,600-square-meter man-made lagoon.

There are rooms called terraces, which are on the second floor that have a veranda. Garden rooms are on the ground floor an outdoor lounge area, while the floating cottages are private cottages that are spacious and have an outdoor veranda with direct access to the pool. All rooms are equipped with Wi-Fi access, flat-screen TV, personal safe, air-conditioners, hot & cold shower, toiletries and comfortable beds & pillows.

What left us in awe were the uniquely designed outdoor showers. The shower area was built separately, with natural light, rocks and plants that emanate a strong connection with nature.

One thing I could never forget about this resort is that we had our personal butler. The staff at The Siargao Bleu were incredibly welcoming and attentive, making sure our every need was met.

The property offers fitness facilities, a business center, restaurant, dry cleaning, laundry service, and free breakfast. Other water activities are also available like kayaking and paddle boarding, enhancing the overall guest experience.

The serene atmosphere and unique experience of being right on the water made our vacation unforgettable. The cottages were beautifully designed and well-maintained, offering a perfect blend of comfort and tranquility.

We had a really filling breakfast, and I must say that the cocktails at the beach bar were really strong that we almost fell asleep during our massage. It was a night to remember!

#travel #photographers on tumblr #original photographers #landscape #original photography #iphonography #siargao

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hoperays-song · 1 month

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Named Businesses/Brands in the Sing Franchise: Sing 2

In a recent rewatch of the movies, I tried to find all the named businesses and brands that are in the movies for world building sake (minus bands and entertainment acts cause thats a different list). So here is, in semi chronological order, all the ones that appear in the second movie! There should be minimal overlap between the lists as I only included old ones if we learned new info. Anyways, I'll try to finish the shorts soon!

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New Moon Theatre - The new rebranding of the old Moon Theatre, including a name change!

Dusty’s - I did mention it last time but the color scheme has now changed from orange to green.

Sun’s Up! FM - A radio station seen on a billboard when Suki is in taxi. Also seen advertising on Redshore’s main strip.

Drama Club - An organization advertising on the street the taxi drives down.

Canal Promenade - The riverwalk and canal area that Buster falls into.

Antiques - A business along the Canal Promenade.

Laundry Service - A business along the Canal Promenade. Funnily enough, it is also seen later advertising in Vacation Newspaper.

Gophers & Associates - A law or real estate group advertising along the Canal Promenade.

Tanning Lotion - A product advertising along the Canal Promenade. Also seen advertising on Redshore’s main strip.

Lounge - An establishment along the Canal Promenade.

Bee Rich - The magazine Eddie was featured on on Buster’s coffee table. I'm not kidding, that's the name.

Rick’s Club - The club Ash performed at.

Pop Soda - Also has returned but now we know it has a lime flavour! That’s my second favourite soda flavor so it gets a shoutout.

Stage Left - A brand of storage for stage props and band equipment we see at Rick’s. We later see it at Crystal Theatre.

Safe Travels LTD - A travel company seen advertising behind the Canal Promenade and the Bus Station. It is then seen throughout Redshore.

Redshore City Bus - A bus line that seems to run from Calatonia to Redshore, though it is likely to have lines to other major cities nearby.

Critter Deli - A deli in front of the Bus Station.

Ginny’s Chips - A type of chips shaped like smiley faces.

Chips Potato - A type of chips in Mrs. Crawly’s supply box.

Babilonia - A hotel/casino on Redshore’s main strip.

Catty’s Bar - A bar on Redshore’s main strip.

Zeus - A hotel/casino on Redshore’s main strip.

PawJack - A hotel/casino on the Redshore strip, it has several advertising billboards.

Raincow - A hotel/casino on the Redshore strip, it has several advertising billboards.

Atlas - A hotel/casino on the Redshore strip, it has several advertising billboards.

Sand-Witches - A sandwich chain advertising on the Raincow billboards.

FireRock - A hotel/casino on the Redshore strip, it has several advertising billboards.

Soda - A drink that has a new lime hibiscus flavour that was advertising on Raincow’s billboard.

Eclips Gagaming - A business on the Crystal Square bus stop, seemingly an arcade of sorts.

O4A Fashion - A fashion brand advertising on a billboard next to a Loopee sign.

Karaoke Party Club - A business on the Crystal Square bus stop.

Money Exchange - A business on the Crystal Square bus stop.

Dony’s - A business on the Crystal Square bus stop seemingly associated with the Atlas casino/hotel.

KeyLight - A business on the Crystal Square bus stop seemingly associated with with the Atlas casino/hotel.

PNJ Agency - Another building behind Crystal Tower.

Crystal Entertainment - The entertainment company owned by Jimmy Crystal.

Crystal Tower - The seemingly main offices of Crystal Entertainment.

Mist - A cleaning product seen in the supply closet the troupe hides in.

bog - Another building behind Crystal Tower.

Hot News - A news station heavily focusing on gossip and celebrity culture owned by Crystal Entertainment.

Crystal Tower Hotel - A luxury hotel heavily featuring an indoor water park along with several restaurants and stores that is owned by Crystal Entertainment.

Ice Cream Paradise - An ice cream store in Crystal Hotel’s main lobby.

Donuts - A donuts and pastry shop inside Crystal Hotel’s main lobby.

Cherry Blossom - An establishment inside Crystal Hotel’s main lobby.

Tea Salon - Seemingly a tea parlor and spa in Crystal Hotel’s main lobby.

Crystal Tower Theatre - The theatre that is within Crystal Tower Hotel. It has a minimum of six stages. Out of this world was located on said sixth stage.

Lift-Bub - A construction equipment brand used by Crystal Theatre.

Redshore News - A newspaper used during the hunt for Clay Calloway.

Rock News - A newspaper used during the hunt for Clay Calloway.

Facilisi - A fashion magazine displayed in the costume and design studio.

Scene - A fashion magazine displayed in the costume and design studio.

Cars - A newspaper the tech crew frog is reading during rehearsal that is entirely about cars.

Vacation - A newspaper the tech crew frog is reading during rehearsal that is entirely about vacations and only costs a dollar a year to get. Guys, this dude is like constantly reading these. I’m starting to think he doesn’t like his job.

Sylvia’s Bakery - A cake and coffee shop advertising in Vacation Newspaper.

Air Sun One - A airline advertising in Vacation Newspaper

Marock - A music store near the Crystal Hotel.

Eclips - A hotel/casino near the Crystal Hotel.

Newshore - A hotel/casino near the Crystal Hotel.

TV underdog - A TV studio near the Crystal Hotel.

Royalty Rental Cars - The rental place Mrs. Crawly got the red car from that specializes in luxury vehicles.

Loopee - The shop where Johnny buys his new skateboard, though we also see it advertise on the main strip as well.

StarTV Channel - A tv channel seemingly about celebrities that is advertising in the square where Nooshy is performing.

Digital Seeds - A company/brand that is advertising in the square where Nooshy is performing.

Canyon Cafe - The cafe that Johnny and Nooshy got to to discuss the training contract. It has a vintage western style.

Lunch Paris - A brand on one of Porsha’s shopping bags.

Alfonso’s Ice Cream - Alfonso’s ice cream truck that he has seemingly been running since he was a kid, which is super cool cause I knew a kid to do the same thing.

Raadio - The brand of speaker that Nooshy has.

Fruity Juicy - The food truck behind Alfonso’s that serves smoothies.

Sweet Jazz Cafe - A cafe near Crystal Hotel.

Community Food Service - The organization that the gang are working with during their parole.

Lantani Car Rental - A rental spot right across from the garage.

WOAW - A brand that Porsha has a shopping bag for in her bedroom.

Flowers - An establishment along the road Jimmy is driven down to get to the theatre.

Orion - An establishment along the road Jimmy is driven down to get to the theatre.

Deckard Inc - An establishment along the road Jimmy is driven down to get to the theatre.

Beckaro’n Hotel - An establishment along the road Jimmy is driven down to get to the theatre.

Xendary - An establishment along the road Jimmy is driven down to get to the theatre.

Boom Vinyl Records - A records store right behind the Crystal Square bus stop.

Tattoo Shop - An establishment advertising on a billboard seen along Redshore’s main strip.

XEND - An establishment seen along Redshore’s main strip.

The Majestic Palace Theatre - Apparently a famous theatre and hotel combo, commonly shortened to ‘The Majestic’.

The Majestic Palace - The hotel side of the Majestic Palace Theatre.

#sing 2 #sing 2021 #whoever designed redshore has a vengeance against my eyesight #making everything glow makes it so blurry #anyways! marcus 100% has that Cars newspaper #lets be so honest here #also whoever named some of this stuff #you and i need to have a talk #cause its either just what it is or not a real world like 96% of the time

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onboardsorasora · 9 months

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❄️Enchanted AU: Christmas Part 25❄️

Allo!! I hope everyone had a restful holiday/long weekend and if you didn't have any of those (a restful time or a long weekend) then I hope you were able to carve out some time for yourself💕💕

Part 1 | Christmas Part 1 | Last Chapter

Part 25/Christmas Part 12

Max jogged down the harbor path, breathing in the crisp boxing day morning air. He'd gotten a text from his trainer reminding him that training camp would be starting soon and that spurned him into at least getting himself used to the effort again.

The fairly lonely run reminded him of the morning Daniel came barrelling into his life– quite literally.

Max was a multiple time world champion, he was rewriting history every time he suited up for a race. He had never truly felt like his life was missing anything, he was a born and bred racer. He was at the top of his game, in the prime of his career.

And he wanted to be able to share it all with Daniel. Daniel who came out of nowhere, who turned his life upside down. Daniel was sweet, and caring. Max felt like he was a better person because of him. Felt like he wanted to be a better person for him. Because of his innocence and his completely different view on life, people and animals.

Max wasn't the worst person by any stretch of the imagination. Yes, he was very straightforward and that tended to rub people the wrong way. But he had always been a very kind and considerate person, he thought. He took care of his family and friends because he enjoyed it. Because he wanted to.

Taking care of Daniel was initially because he genuinely wanted to help– Daniel was far away from home, from everyone he knew. In getting to know him, Max now craved Daniel's smiles, his laughter. He craved the sparkle in his brown eyes. Max wanted him. And he wanted him to stay.

Max stopped by the pier, hands on his hips while he caught his breath. He looked out into the harbour, past all the yachts docked, out to the open sea. He remembered how Daniel looked out on the paddleboard, in the soft light of the setting sun surrounded by the open water

He needed to book a reservation, he needed to make sure nothing went wrong. He wanted their date to be perfect.

He shot off again, finishing his run in record time with renewed energy. When he got home, he was suddenly hit by how domestic and perfect everything was.

The boys were lounging comfortably on the couch watching TV while their parents chatted and packed around them. Daniel and Sophie were in the kitchen, she was teaching him how to make waffles. The sounds and smell of home washed over him like a wave and he felt as if he had entered the most impeccable bubble of everything perfect in his life.

He took a shower, scrubbing the sweat from his body and soothing his tight muscles with the water. He dressed quietly, listening to his family on the other side of his door and down the hall.

He heard the shrieks of the boys, excited noises while they were shepherded to presumably eat breakfast. Taking a further moment for himself, Max scrolled through his phone going through the restaurants in the area.

He was a simple man, he liked what he liked and he tended to stick with it. He went to the same restaurant for carpaccio that he found when he first moved to Monaco. He used the same cleaning service and got a weekly grocery delivery from the same supermarket for the last several years.

So he was ill equipped to find the ‘right’ place to impress. With a sigh he jumped into the group chat to ask for help. Charles and Lando were both annoying and unhelpful. In-between all of their surprise and teasing (including a 20 second voice note sent by Lando that Max did not bother to listen to), Alex was a beacon of hope.

He submitted a short list of options for Max's review. It was a list of three, listed in order of Lily's favourites. Max thanked him before looking through the menus of each and eventually making a reservation for new years eve.

Max grinned to himself and he pocketed his phone before leaving his room. The boys were eating messily as usual, being watched over by Tom who was fighting a losing battle at keeping their faces free of the sticky syrup. Sophie was doting on Vic who was sipping tea on the couch, her legs firmly in Sophie's lap on the receiving end of a massage.

Daniel walked up to Max, biting his cuticles. “Maxy, can I talk to you for a sec?” Daniel asked quietly, he looked nervous and Max furrowed his brow.

“Of course, Daniel.” They walked back to the hallway for a semblance of privacy, Max gave Daniel his full attention.

“A–about yesterday. I'm sorry if you felt pressured to kiss me because of like the stupid mistletoe. I didn't mean–” Daniel started to ramble and Max grabbed his hand to quiet him.

“Daniel, no, it's not like that. Of course, I wanted to also.” His confession was met with wide eyes, Daniel looked at him stunned.

“I- I mean– uhm.” Daniel grinned and covered his mouth with his hands that were covered by his sweater. His cheeks bloomed with colour. “I–” he didn't know what to say.

“Is new years eve ok?” Max asked instead, to steer the conversation to better places. Daniel blinked at him owlishly.

“For our date.” Max clarified and Daniel made a small o with his lips. Before biting them shyly.

“Yes, that's ok.” Daniel whispered, tucking his head a little.

“Lovely.” Max agreed.

They rejoined the rest of the family, staunchly ignoring all inquiring looks and elbows for information. Daniel had a faraway gaze and soft smile for the rest of the day.

Daniel spent the entire time with the boys, helping them pack their toys and calling birds to the patio to meet them. He even helped them to let Sassy and Jimmy know that they love and would miss them.

Dinner was a loud and lively affair. It was agreed that Max would be taking everyone to the airport afterwards and Daniel would spend the time cleaning up and maybe calling his mom to check in on her. He hugged everyone goodbye, squeezing them all tightly and whispering his personal happiness for each of them.

Max was taking the last of the bags, with Tom's help, to the car they had rented. Daniel was corralling the boys, giving the last of his chubby cheek kisses when he heard it.

“I was skeptical when Max suggested we come here instead of staying at home but this was so fun, the boys truly had a blast.” Vic gushed to Sophie. They were by the door, slinging their coats over their arms. “We should do it again next year, maybe. Get out of the snow for a while– hey Max, I was just telling Mom that this was a lovely change of plans.”

Daniel's body went cold, frozen solid with shock. He looked over the boys' head to see Max looking over at him with a guilty expression. Daniel mustered a smile at him.

He managed to see everyone off happily, accepting promises to call. He felt discombobulated. Like he was wading through quicksand underwater and through the darkness he couldn't tell which way was up.

He packed and started the dishwasher mechanically, stripped the beds in the guest bedrooms and started a load of laundry. He ignored how much his hands started to shake in each task.

He was fine.

Daniel located his phone, cursing that he forgot to charge it again, the orange battery icon mocked him. He plugged it in and dialed Michelle's number at the same time, stepping from leg to leg in lieu of pacing.

“Hey Danny!” Michelle picked up on the third ring.

“Chelle.” Daniel's voice wobbled, and he sniffed loudly. Michelle was instantly alarmed.

“Danny what's wrong? Are you ok?”

“H-have you got m-my passport?”

Next Chapter

#🫣🫣🫣#maxiel #max/daniel #enchanted au #enchanted au: christmas #disney princess dan

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fidelisfm · 4 months

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Keeping Restaurants Spotless: The Importance of Professional Cleaning Services

In the bustling world of hospitality, maintaining a clean and sanitary environment is paramount to the success of any restaurant. From ensuring food safety to creating a positive dining experience for customers, cleanliness plays a crucial role in every aspect of restaurant operations. That's where professional restaurant cleaning company come in. In this blog post, we'll explore the importance of hiring a professional cleaning service for your restaurant and how it can benefit both your business and your customers.

Why Cleanliness Matters in Restaurants

Food Safety: Maintaining a clean kitchen and dining area is essential for preventing cross-contamination and foodborne illnesses, ensuring the safety of your customers.

Health and Hygiene: A clean environment promotes good hygiene practices among staff and customers, reducing the risk of illness and absenteeism.

Customer Satisfaction: A clean and well-maintained restaurant creates a positive impression and enhances the overall dining experience for customers, increasing satisfaction and loyalty.

Compliance: Restaurants are subject to strict health and safety regulations, and regular cleaning is essential for compliance with industry standards and regulations.

The Benefits of Professional Cleaning Services

Expertise and Experience: Professional cleaning companies have the knowledge, skills, and experience to effectively clean and sanitize restaurant facilities, including kitchens, dining areas, restrooms, and more.

Customized Cleaning Plans: Professional cleaners tailor their services to meet the specific needs and requirements of each restaurant, ensuring thorough cleaning and sanitation.

Efficiency and Consistency: Professional cleaners use advanced equipment, techniques, and cleaning products to achieve superior results quickly and consistently.

Cost-Effective: Outsourcing cleaning services can be more cost-effective than hiring and managing an in-house cleaning team, saving you time and money in the long run.

Flexibility: Professional cleaning companies offer flexible scheduling options, allowing you to schedule cleaning services at times that are convenient for your restaurant's operations.

What Professional Cleaning Services Can Include

Kitchen Cleaning: Thorough cleaning and sanitization of kitchen equipment, surfaces, and appliances to prevent the spread of germs and ensure food safety.

Dining Area Cleaning: Cleaning and sanitizing tables, chairs, countertops, and other surfaces to create a clean and inviting dining environment for customers.

Restroom Cleaning: Cleaning and disinfecting restrooms to maintain cleanliness and hygiene standards for staff and customers.

Floor Cleaning: Sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming floors to remove dirt, debris, and spills, reducing slip and fall hazards.

Deep Cleaning: Periodic deep cleaning services to tackle hard-to-reach areas, remove stubborn stains, and eliminate odors.

Choosing the Right Cleaning Company for Your Restaurant

When selecting a professional cleaning company for your restaurant, consider the following factors:

Experience and Reputation: Choose a cleaning company with a proven track record of providing high-quality cleaning services to restaurants and hospitality businesses.

Certifications and Training: Ensure that the cleaning company's staff are properly trained and certified in food safety, sanitation, and cleaning procedures.

Customization and Flexibility: Look for a cleaning company that offers customized cleaning plans and flexible scheduling options to meet your restaurant's unique needs.

Communication and Transparency: Choose a cleaning company that communicates openly and transparently, providing clear expectations, pricing, and terms of service.

Conclusion

Maintaining a clean and sanitary environment is essential for the success and reputation of any restaurant. By partnering with a professional cleaning company, you can ensure that your restaurant remains spotless, safe, and inviting for customers and staff alike. Invest in professional cleaning services today and reap the benefits of a clean and thriving restaurant.

If you're looking for reliable and experienced cleaning services for your restaurant, look no further. Contact us today to learn more about our comprehensive cleaning solutions and how we can help your restaurant shine.

At Fidelis Facillity Management, we know the cost of an unkept space. Breeding bacteria costs you employee sick leave, dust and hard to reach places costs you memorable first impressions and future transactions.

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elegantlaundry · 9 months

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Enhancing Corporate Image: Unveiling Best Corporate Laundry Services in Dubai

In the fast-paced realm of business, impressions wield tremendous power. The appearance of your team and premises speaks volumes. Enter Elegant Laundry – the trusted name synonymous with top-tier Corporate Laundry Services in Dubai, dedicated to fortifying your brand's identity. Our Specialized Corporate Laundry Services cater to a myriad of industries, including hotels, restaurants, salons, spas, and hospitals. Melding professionalism, reliability, and efficiency, we guarantee immaculate linens, uniforms, drapes, and carpets, meticulously curated to meet diverse business demands.

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Symbol of Corporate Excellence: Wash and Fold Services

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glennriley49 · 2 months

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The Graveyard Shift

A short horror story by Glennis

Part 1: The New Job

The neon sign of "Burger Bonanza" flickered weakly in the humid summer night, casting an eerie glow across the empty parking lot. Jake Cooper, a lanky 19-year-old with tousled brown hair and tired eyes, stood before the drive-thru restaurant, keys jingling nervously in his hand. He glanced at his watch: 11:55 PM. His first night shift was about to begin.

Jake took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. He needed this job; college tuition wasn't going to pay itself. Besides, how bad could a summer job at a burger joint be? Sure, there were those rumors about the last night shift worker, but those were probably just urban legends, right?

As he approached the side door, a beat-up sedan pulled into the lot. A middle-aged man with a receding hairline and a paunch that spoke of too many late-night burgers stepped out. This must be Mr. Grimes, the owner.

"You must be Jake," Mr. Grimes said, his voice gruff but not unkind. "Right on time. Good. Let's get you started."

Jake nodded, following Mr. Grimes into the building. The fluorescent lights hummed overhead, illuminating the small kitchen and service area. Everything looked clean, if a bit worn around the edges.

"Alright, kid," Mr. Grimes began, "night shift's pretty straightforward. You man the grill, the fryer, and the drive-thru window. Menu's limited after midnight - just burgers, dogs, and fries. Drinks are self-serve. Got it?"

"Yes, sir," Jake replied, trying to sound confident. "Um, Mr. Grimes? I heard some... stories about the last person who worked nights here. Is there anything I should know?"

Mr. Grimes' face darkened, and he turned away abruptly. "Don't believe everything you hear, kid. Focus on your job, and you'll be fine."

Jake wanted to press further, but something in Mr. Grimes' tone warned him against it. Instead, he listened attentively as the owner walked him through the equipment and procedures.

"Any questions?" Mr. Grimes asked after the brief tour.

Jake shook his head. "I think I've got it, sir."

"Good. I'll be back to relieve you at 6 AM. Remember, lock up if you need to use the restroom, and don't let anyone inside the building. No exceptions."

With that, Mr. Grimes handed Jake a set of keys and headed for the door. He paused for a moment, his hand on the handle, and looked back at Jake with an unreadable expression.

"Oh, and Jake? Whatever happens, whatever you might see or hear... don't leave your post. Understand?"

Before Jake could respond, Mr. Grimes was gone, leaving him alone in the suddenly too-quiet restaurant. The clock on the wall ticked loudly, marking the start of his shift: 12:00 AM.

Jake swallowed hard, trying to shake off the growing sense of unease. It's just a job, he told himself. Nothing to worry about. But as he moved to the drive-thru window, he couldn't help but feel like something was watching him from the shadows of the empty parking lot.

The crackle of the drive-thru speaker made him jump. "Hello?" a voice called out, tinny and distorted. "Anyone there? We want some burgers!"

Jake took a deep breath and pressed the talk button. "Welcome to Burger Bonanza. May I take your order?"

And so, his first night shift began.

------

Part 2: The Night Unfolds

The first few hours of Jake's shift passed without incident. A steady trickle of customers kept him busy enough to push Mr. Grimes' cryptic warning to the back of his mind. Most were what he expected for the late-night crowd: bleary-eyed truckers grabbing a quick bite, giggling teenagers out for a joyride, and the occasional drunk needing to soak up the alcohol with greasy food.

Around 2 AM, things began to change.

Jake was wiping down the grill when he felt a sudden chill run down his spine. He turned, half-expecting to see someone behind him, but the kitchen was empty. Shaking his head, he returned to his task, only to freeze as he caught a flicker of movement in his peripheral vision.

"Hello?" he called out, his voice sounding thin in the empty restaurant. No response.

The drive-thru speaker crackled to life, making him jump. "Order when you're ready," he said automatically, grateful for the distraction.

"Yeah, uh... can I get a... wait, where am I?" The voice on the other end sounded confused, almost dazed.

Jake frowned. "Sir, this is Burger Bonanza. Are you alright?"

There was a long pause, then a burst of static. When the voice returned, it was different – deeper, with an odd echo. "I'll have what's not on the menu."

A chill ran through Jake. "I'm sorry, sir, but we only serve—"

The line went dead.

Jake peered out the drive-thru window, but there was no car in sight. He rubbed his eyes, fatigue and unease battling for dominance. Must have been a prank call, he thought, trying to convince himself.

As the night wore on, Jake found himself growing increasingly jumpy. Shadows seemed to stretch and move when he wasn't looking directly at them. The hum of the refrigerators took on an almost musical quality, like distant, discordant whispers.

At 3:17 AM – he remembered the time precisely because he'd checked his watch, hoping his shift was closer to ending – Jake noticed something odd. The parking lot, which had been empty just moments before, now had three cars in it. A red sedan, a blue pickup truck, and a black SUV.

But there had been no customers. No one had ordered food.

Jake's heart began to race. He fumbled for his phone, thinking to call Mr. Grimes, but stopped short. What would he say? That he was scared of parked cars?

The drive-thru speaker crackled again. Jake nearly dropped the phone in surprise.

"Hello?" he said, his voice shaking slightly. "Welcome to Burger Bonanza. Can I take your order?"

Silence. Then, so faint he almost missed it, a sound. It might have been a whisper, or the wind, or...

A scream. A distant, muffled scream that cut off abruptly.

Jake stumbled back from the window, his breath coming in short gasps. This can't be happening, he thought. This isn't real.

But when he looked back at the parking lot, a fourth car had appeared. Its engine was still running, headlights cutting through the darkness. The driver's door was open.

There was no sign of the driver.

Jake's fingers trembled as he reached for the phone again. This time, he dialed Mr. Grimes' number. It rang once, twice, three times...

"You've reached Greg Grimes. Leave a message."

The beep of the voicemail coincided with another crackle from the drive-thru speaker. Jake's head snapped toward it, dread pooling in his stomach.

"Welcome to Burger Bonanza," he whispered, his mouth dry. "Can I take your order?"

The voice that answered was familiar. Too familiar.

"Jake?" It was Mr. Grimes. But something was wrong. His voice was strained, fearful. "Jake, listen to me. Whatever you do, don't—"

The line went dead.

Jake stood frozen, staring at the speaker. Slowly, mechanically, he turned to look out at the parking lot again.

A fifth car had appeared. Mr. Grimes' beat-up sedan.

The driver's door was open. The car was empty.

And in the darkness beyond the reach of the neon sign, something moved.

-------

Part 3: The Darkness Closes In

Jake's heart pounded in his chest as he stared out at the parking lot, his eyes fixed on Mr. Grimes' empty car. The rational part of his mind scrambled for explanations, but each one felt flimsier than the last. He found himself backing away from the window, his hands shaking as he reached for his phone once more.

As he dialed 911, a loud bang from the kitchen made him yelp, nearly dropping the device. Jake spun around, his eyes wide with fear. The sound had come from the walk-in freezer.

"911, what's your emergency?" The operator's calm voice in his ear grounded him momentarily.

"I... I'm at Burger Bonanza on Route 17," Jake stammered. "Something's wrong. There are empty cars in the parking lot, and I heard a scream, and my boss is missing, and—"

Another bang from the freezer, louder this time. Jake's voice caught in his throat.

"Sir? Are you still there?" The operator sounded concerned. "Can you tell me more about what's happening?"

Jake opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. Because at that moment, he saw it. A dark, viscous substance was seeping out from under the freezer door. It looked like oil, but it moved with a purpose, creeping across the floor tiles with unnatural speed.

"Oh God," Jake whispered, backing away. "It's coming from the freezer. Some kind of... liquid. It's moving."

"Sir, I'm not sure I understand. Is there a leak in your restaurant?"

The substance reached the base of the nearest counter and began to climb, defying gravity. Jake watched in horror as it formed into a shape – a hand, fingers outstretched, reaching for him.

He screamed, dropping the phone and bolting for the front door. But as he reached for the handle, Mr. Grimes' final warning echoed in his mind: "Whatever happens, whatever you might see or hear... don't leave your post."

Jake's hand froze inches from the door. He glanced back at the kitchen, where the dark substance had now formed a humanoid shape, featureless and glistening in the fluorescent light. It took a step toward him, leaving an oily footprint on the tile.

With a whimper of fear, Jake darted behind the counter, pressing himself into the corner. He could hear the 911 operator's tinny voice coming from his abandoned phone, but the words were drowned out by the sound of his own ragged breathing and the slow, wet footsteps of the approaching entity.

"Please," Jake whispered, squeezing his eyes shut. "Please, just go away."

The footsteps stopped. For a long moment, there was only silence. Jake held his breath, afraid to move, afraid to open his eyes.

Then, a new sound. A gurgling, bubbling noise, like thick liquid being sucked down a drain. Jake cracked one eye open, then both flew wide in disbelief.

The dark figure was gone. The oily substance had vanished, leaving no trace on the floor or counters. Even the freezer door was closed, showing no signs of the horror that had emerged from it.

Jake slowly stood up, his legs shaky. Had he imagined it all? Was the stress of the night shift playing tricks on his mind?

The drive-thru speaker crackled to life, making him flinch. "Hello?" a woman's voice called out. "Is anyone there? I'd like to place an order."

Jake hesitated, then moved to the window. A red-haired woman in her thirties sat in a green minivan, looking impatient. Beyond her, the parking lot was empty. No sign of the mysterious cars, no sign of Mr. Grimes' sedan.

"I'm sorry," Jake said, his voice hoarse. "What can I get for you?"

As he took the woman's order and prepared her food, Jake felt a sense of unreality wash over him. Had he dozed off and dreamed the whole thing? But no – his phone was still on the floor where he'd dropped it, the call to 911 still active.

He ended the call with a mumbled apology to the confused operator, then served the woman her food. As she drove away, Jake checked his watch. 4:23 AM. Less than two hours left in his shift.

Just get through this, he told himself. Get through the night, and never come back. To hell with college tuition – no amount of money was worth this.

But as the minutes ticked by, the earlier events began to feel more and more like a bad dream. Jake found himself rationalizing, making excuses. The cars in the parking lot? He must have been half-asleep and imagined them. The voice on the speaker that sounded like Mr. Grimes? A prank, or his mind playing tricks on him. The thing from the freezer? Just fatigue and an overactive imagination.

By 5 AM, Jake had almost convinced himself that nothing unusual had happened at all. He was wiping down the counter, humming softly to himself, when he heard it. A soft tapping sound, coming from the front of the restaurant.

Jake looked up and froze. A man stood outside the glass doors, smiling and waving. He was older, maybe in his fifties, with graying hair and glasses. He wore a Burger Bonanza uniform.

The man pointed to the lock, miming the action of opening it. His smile never wavered.

Jake hesitated. Mr. Grimes had been very clear – no one was to be let inside during the night shift. But this man was clearly an employee. Maybe he was here to relieve Jake early?

The tapping came again, more insistent this time. The man's smile widened, showing too many teeth.

Something wasn't right. Jake took a step back, shaking his head. "I'm sorry," he called out. "I can't let you in. Manager's orders."

The man's smile vanished. He pressed his face against the glass, his features contorting with rage. When he spoke, his voice came through clearly, as if he were standing right next to Jake.

"Let me in, Jake," he hissed. "Let me in NOW."

Jake stumbled backward, knocking over a stack of trays. The man outside began to pound on the glass, his fists leaving smears of something dark and oily. His face stretched and twisted, becoming less human with each passing second.

"You can't keep me out forever, Jake," the thing that was no longer a man snarled. "I'll get in. I always get in."

Jake scrambled for his phone, his fingers shaking as he tried to dial 911 again. But before he could complete the call, every light in the restaurant went out at once. The humming of the refrigerators and fryers cut off, leaving Jake in total darkness and silence.

For a moment, he stood perfectly still, straining his ears for any sound. There was nothing – not even the pounding on the glass.

Then, a new sound. A wet, slithering noise, coming from everywhere at once. Jake felt something brush against his ankle and let out a strangled cry, kicking wildly in the darkness.

His foot connected with something solid, sending it skittering across the floor. A faint green glow emanated from the object, and Jake realized with a jolt that it was the restaurant's ancient emergency lantern. He dove for it, his hands closing around the cool plastic just as something cold and slimy wrapped around his wrist.

Jake yanked his arm back and slammed his hand down on the lantern's power button. A weak green light filled the restaurant, and he found himself face to face with a nightmare.

The oily substance from before had returned, but now it filled the restaurant, covering every surface. And it was alive. Tendrils reached for him, faces formed and dissolved in its depths, mouths opening in silent screams.

At the center of it all stood a figure. It might have once been the man from outside, but now it was something else entirely. Its body was composed of the same dark liquid, but more solid, more defined. It had too many limbs, too many eyes, all fixed on Jake.

"No more barriers between us, Jake," it said, its voice a chorus of whispers. "No more rules to hide behind. It's just you and us now."

Jake scrambled backward, clutching the lantern like a lifeline. His back hit the drive-thru window, and he realized with a sickening lurch that it was his only chance. He fumbled with the latch, acutely aware of the creature's slow approach.

"You can't run from us, Jake," it said, almost gently. "We are everywhere. We are everything. Why fight it?"

The window swung open, and Jake didn't hesitate. He threw himself through it, tumbling onto the asphalt of the drive-thru lane. He could hear the thing inside, its liquid body sloshing against the walls as it pursued him.

Jake ran. He ran faster than he'd ever run in his life, his lungs burning, the green lantern bouncing wildly in his grip. He didn't look back, didn't dare to see if the creature was following. He just ran.

The sky was beginning to lighten, the first hints of dawn breaking over the horizon. Jake's only coherent thought was to reach that light, to escape the darkness that had nearly consumed him.

He had no idea how long he ran, or how far. Eventually, his legs gave out, and he collapsed on the side of the road, gasping for air. The lantern rolled away, its light flickering weakly before going out.

As Jake lay there, waiting for his heartbeat to slow, he became aware of a sound. Engines. Cars.

He lifted his head and saw that he was on the outskirts of town. The morning commute was beginning, normal people starting their normal days. The nightmare of Burger Bonanza felt distant, unreal.

A car slowed beside him, and an older woman rolled down her window. "Are you alright, young man?" she asked, concern etched on her face. "Do you need help?"

Jake opened his mouth to respond, to pour out the whole terrifying story. But as he met the woman's kind eyes, he realized how insane it would sound. He was alive. He had escaped. Maybe that was enough.

"I'm okay," he said, his voice raw. "Just... just went for an early morning run and pushed myself too hard. Thank you, though."

The woman didn't look entirely convinced, but she nodded and drove on. Jake watched her taillights disappear around a bend, then slowly got to his feet. His Burger Bonanza uniform was torn and stained with things he didn't want to think about.

As he started the long walk home, Jake made a silent vow. He would find another way to pay for college. He would forget about Burger Bonanza, forget about the horrors he'd seen. He would move on with his life and pretend this night had never happened.

But deep down, he knew. The darkness he'd glimpsed, the things that lurked just beyond the veil of reality – they were still out there. And somewhere in the shadows, they were waiting. Watching. Hungry for the next unlucky soul to stumble into their realm.

Jake shuddered and walked faster, chasing the rising sun. For now, at least, he was safe in the light. But night would fall again. It always did.

And in the darkness, something was smiling.

------

Part 4: The Aftermath

The sun had fully risen by the time Jake stumbled up the driveway to his parents' house. His legs felt like lead, his mind a fog of exhaustion and lingering terror. As he fumbled with his keys, the front door swung open, revealing his mother's worried face.

"Jake! Where have you been? We've been worried sick!" She took in his disheveled appearance, the tears in his uniform, the wild look in his eyes. "What happened to you?"

Jake opened his mouth, then closed it again. How could he possibly explain? "I... I quit my job," he managed to say.

His mother ushered him inside, peppering him with questions he couldn't bring himself to answer. He allowed her to guide him to the couch, barely registering as she fussed over him, checking for injuries and pressing a glass of water into his hands.

"I'm calling your father," she said, reaching for her phone. "He's out looking for you. We tried calling the restaurant, but no one answered."

At the mention of Burger Bonanza, Jake's head snapped up. "No!" he said, more forcefully than he intended. "No, don't... don't call anyone. Please. I just need to sleep."

His mother's frown deepened, but she nodded slowly. "Alright, sweetie. But when you wake up, we need to talk about what happened. Okay?"

Jake nodded numbly, already feeling consciousness slipping away as he sank into the familiar comfort of the couch. As his eyes closed, he thought he saw a shadow move in the corner of the room, but exhaustion claimed him before he could react.

He dreamed of darkness and oily tendrils and too many teeth.

When Jake awoke, the house was quiet. Golden afternoon light streamed through the windows, and for a moment, he could almost believe that the events of the previous night had been nothing more than a nightmare.

But the aches in his body and the stains on his uniform told a different story.

He sat up slowly, wincing at the stiffness in his muscles. A note on the coffee table caught his eye:

"Jake,

Your father and I had to run some errands. There's food in the fridge if you're hungry. We'll talk when we get home.

Love, Mom"

Jake was grateful for the reprieve, but he knew he couldn't avoid the conversation forever. What would he tell them? The truth seemed impossible, but he couldn't think of a lie that would explain everything.

As he shuffled to the kitchen, a news alert on his phone made him freeze:

"LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER FOUND DEAD, FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED"

With trembling fingers, Jake opened the article. His blood ran cold as he read:

"Gregory Grimes, 52, owner of the Burger Bonanza restaurant on Route 17, was found deceased in his vehicle this morning. Police are treating the death as suspicious. Witnesses report seeing Grimes' car in the restaurant parking lot overnight, but employees claim no one answered when they arrived to open the restaurant this morning..."

The phone slipped from Jake's grasp, clattering on the kitchen tile. Mr. Grimes was dead. The car in the parking lot hadn't been a hallucination. It had all been real.

Which meant the other things he'd seen...

Jake's breath came in short gasps as panic threatened to overwhelm him. He gripped the edge of the counter, forcing himself to take deep breaths. He needed to think, needed to figure out what to do.

Should he go to the police? But what would he say? That his boss had been killed by some kind of oily, shape-shifting monster? They'd think he was crazy, or worse, a suspect.

As Jake grappled with his limited options, a flicker of movement caught his eye. He turned towards the kitchen window and felt his heart stop.

There, on the other side of the glass, stood the man he'd seen outside Burger Bonanza. The one who had transformed into the creature that chased him. He smiled at Jake, raising a hand to wave.

Jake stumbled backward, knocking over a chair in his haste to get away. When he looked back, the window was empty. Just a trick of the light, he told himself, even as a cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

But deep down, he knew. They had found him. And they weren't going to let him go.

The sound of a car pulling into the driveway snapped Jake back to reality. His parents were home. He had to pull himself together, had to find some way to explain what had happened without sounding insane.

As he heard the front door open, Jake took a deep breath and stepped out of the kitchen. "Mom? Dad? I need to talk to you."

The next few hours were a blur of half-truths and omissions. Jake told his parents about quitting his job, about Mr. Grimes acting strangely and leaving him alone on his first shift. He mentioned feeling uneasy, hearing odd noises, and eventually fleeing the restaurant in a panic. He left out the moving shadows, the oily creature, and the man at the window – both at Burger Bonanza and at home.

His parents exchanged worried glances as he spoke, their concern evident. When he finished, his father cleared his throat. "Son, I think you should talk to someone. A professional. What you experienced sounds like it might have been a panic attack, and with Mr. Grimes' death... well, it's a lot to process."

Jake wanted to argue, to insist that what he'd seen was real. But the words died in his throat. Maybe they were right. Maybe his mind had conjured up the impossible horrors to cope with a stressful situation. It was certainly more plausible than the alternative.

"Okay," he said quietly. "Maybe you're right."

The relief on his parents' faces was palpable. They spent the rest of the evening making plans – finding a therapist, discussing alternative ways for Jake to earn money for college, assuring him that everything would be alright.

But as night fell and shadows lengthened across the living room, Jake couldn't shake the feeling that eyes were watching him from every dark corner.

Days passed. Jake started seeing a therapist, Dr. Elaine Carter, who listened patiently as he recounted his experience at Burger Bonanza. She nodded sympathetically, offered coping strategies for anxiety, and assured him that his reactions were normal given the circumstances.

"Our minds can play tricks on us when we're under stress," she explained. "Especially in unfamiliar environments, like a new job. What you experienced was likely a combination of anxiety, fatigue, and an overactive imagination triggered by the stressful situation."

Jake wanted to believe her. And in the light of day, surrounded by the normal, everyday world, it was easy to accept her explanations. But at night, when the house grew quiet and shadows deepened, doubt crept in.

Because the oddities hadn't stopped.

It started small. Objects not where he'd left them. Strange noises in empty rooms. Glimpses of movement just at the edge of his vision. Jake tried to rationalize each incident, but they kept piling up, wearing away at his fragile sense of normalcy.

A week after that fateful night at Burger Bonanza, Jake was home alone, trying to distract himself with television. As he flipped through channels, the screen suddenly went dark. In the reflection on the glass, Jake saw a figure standing behind the couch.

He whirled around, heart pounding, but the room was empty. When he turned back to the TV, the picture had returned to normal.

That night, he dreamed of Burger Bonanza. In the dream, he was back behind the counter, but everything was wrong. The walls oozed that same dark, oily substance. Distorted faces pressed against the windows, mouths open in silent screams. And behind him, always behind him, he could hear the wet slithering of the creature, getting closer with each passing second.

Jake woke with a strangled gasp, sheets tangled around his legs. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he realized with dawning horror that his nightmare hadn't fully retreated.

There, on his bedroom ceiling, was a slowly spreading stain of something dark and viscous. As he watched, frozen in terror, it began to move, reaching down towards him with grasping tendrils.

Jake threw himself out of bed, slamming into his desk in his haste to reach the light switch. When the room flooded with light, the ceiling was clean. No sign of the horror he'd seen.

But he knew. He knew it had been real.

The next day, Jake skipped his therapy appointment. Instead, he found himself driving aimlessly, trying to clear his head. Without realizing it, he'd taken the road out of town – the same road he'd fled down that night.

As Burger Bonanza came into view, Jake felt his pulse quicken. The restaurant was dark, surrounded by police tape. A "CLOSED" sign hung in the window. He should have driven past, should have put as much distance between himself and that place as possible.

Instead, he pulled into the parking lot.

For a long moment, Jake sat in his car, staring at the building. In the harsh light of day, it looked almost ordinary. Just a run-down fast food joint, nothing more. But he knew what lurked behind those walls, what waited in the shadows.

A tap on his window made him jump. An older man with a detective's badge peered in at him, gesturing for Jake to roll down the window.

"Can I help you, son?" the detective asked, his voice gruff but not unkind.

Jake swallowed hard. This was his chance. He could tell this man everything, lay out the whole terrifying truth. Maybe then someone would believe him. Maybe then he could finally be free of the nightmares, the paranoia, the constant feeling of being watched.

He opened his mouth, ready to spill it all. But as he met the detective's eyes, he saw something that made his blood run cold. Just for a second, so quick he might have imagined it, the man's pupils elongated into slits, like a cat's. Or like something much, much worse.

"No," Jake heard himself say, his voice surprisingly steady. "No, I was just turning around. Got a bit lost."

The detective – if that's what he really was – smiled. It was too wide, showing too many teeth. "Well, best be on your way then. Nothing to see here. And Jake?" The use of his name, which Jake was certain he hadn't given, sent a chill down his spine. "Drive safe. We wouldn't want anything to happen to you."

Jake nodded numbly and put the car in reverse, tires squealing as he peeled out of the parking lot. In his rearview mirror, he saw the detective – the thing wearing a detective's face – wave goodbye, its arm stretching impossibly long.

As Jake sped away, his mind raced. He couldn't stay here. Couldn't pretend everything was normal. Whatever had been unleashed that night at Burger Bonanza, it wasn't confined to that building. It had spread, infecting the town like a cancer.

And it was after him.

By the time Jake reached his house, he'd made up his mind. He threw some clothes and essentials into a bag, scrawled a hasty note to his parents, and was back in his car within minutes. He didn't know where he was going, only that he had to get away.

As he drove past the "Now Leaving" sign at the town limits, Jake allowed himself to hope. Maybe if he got far enough away, he could escape the reach of the darkness. Maybe he could start over somewhere new, somewhere untouched by the horrors he'd witnessed.

But as the miles rolled by and night began to fall, Jake couldn't shake the feeling that he was being followed. Every set of headlights in his rearview mirror made his heart race. Every shadow by the roadside seemed to move with unnatural purpose.

And when he finally pulled into a motel on the outskirts of a town he didn't know, exhaustion overtaking his fear, the clerk behind the desk smiled at him with too many teeth.

"Welcome," the thing wearing the clerk's skin said, its voice a chorus of whispers. "We've been expecting you."

Jake ran. He would always run. But deep down, he knew the truth that had been revealed to him that night at Burger Bonanza. The veil between our world and something darker, something hungry, was thin. And once you've seen behind it, there's no going back.

The darkness had tasted him. And it would never stop hunting him.

As Jake peeled out of the motel parking lot, the open road ahead of him, he realized that his summer job had taught him something after all. There are things in this world – and beyond it – far more terrifying than student loans.

And no matter how far he ran, the night would always fall. The shadows would always lengthen.

And in the darkness, something would always be smiling.

-------

#scary horror stories #horror #cosmic horror #scary horror #scary stories

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peace-coast-island · 6 months

Text

Diary of a Junebug

Exploring the shops of Skybelle Mall and taking a class in dyeing yarn

It’s happening - once I went down the rabbit hole of knitting garments I was exposed to the world of yarn. They really weren’t kidding when they say that getting into fiber arts can get dangerous! To be honest though, I don’t think it’s something I’ll be doing often because of how much work goes into it, not to mention how expensive the supplies are - still, it was a lot of fun and now I have a sweater quantity of lovely hand dyed yarn!

The Skybelle Mall is the center of Skybelle City, literally and figuratively. Even though it’s a mall, it feels more like a classy resort. There’s a lot of shops and restaurants obviously, but the general vibes of all these places feel homey. While visitors come here to shop, the locals come here to unwind and socialize. It’s almost like a little town within the city.

Along with checking out the shops and classes they have to offer, Arabella invited us over to check out the community college that’s right next to it. The location happens to be convenient as a lot of the students at Fortuna Community College also work at the shops around here either part-time or under an internship or apprenticeship. Most of the shop keepers and instructors are actually graduates from Fortuna, and for a lot of them, the lives they’re living right now was considered impossible or improbable had they not come here.

What makes Fortuna unique is that over half their students come here for a new start. Their circumstances vary from growing up in a place where education was inaccessible, refugees, former criminals, abuse victims - all sorts of situations that require a clean break. Since a lot of these people likely have little to no support, the purpose of Fortuna’s Special Circumstances Program is to help them out every step of the way.

The program’s been around for almost 30 years and has a high success rate. Of course, it’s not perfect, though most who fail or drop out are more likely those who don’t put the effort in and expect an easy way out, which is not how the program works. Along with providing a good education and giving out GEDs, they also offer various services like counseling, healthcare, help with employment, programs to support those with families, housing - it’s really comprehensive.

One of Arabella’s friends from college, Kara, is now part of the English department over there. She teaches a traditional undergrad course as well as a basic literacy course in the Fortuna program. Getting a position as a faculty member in the Fortuna program isn’t an easy process because while a job like that would be fulfilling for those who truly have a passion to teach, it is by far an easy one. Because a lot of the students come from special circumstances that often require a lot of one-on-one interactions, that kind of thing obviously isn’t for everyone, especially when dealing with students who are dealing with so much that in most places, they’d simply be written off as “problematic” or “uncooperative.”

In other words, if you aren’t equipped to deal with difficult people because you don’t have the patience or it takes too much out of you, then this kind of position wouldn’t be a good fit. There’s a reason why the staffing over there is so selective because it’s understandable why some people, despite having very good qualifications, won’t last long here. And as Kara said, that’s not entirely a bad thing, but it’s one of those places where you really have to consider, “Am I willing to put in the time and effort to work with people like them?” Part of the reason why Fortuna has been successful is because they really take the time to make sure the faculty is on top of things so that they can follow through on their promises. For those at a huge disadvantage, having a strong support system really makes a difference.

Kara first heard of the Fortuna during high school through a friend whose distant cousin got their GED through there and later went on to become a physician. The cousin was from a branch of the family that was estranged, and so her whereabouts went unknown for years until by chance, a relative found her and took her in. Basically, she was kidnapped by her father when she was young, a fact that she was unaware of until he abandoned her when she was around her mid-teens, forcing her to live out on the streets for a time before her aunt was able to confirm her identity.

While exploring Skybelle, we got to meet a couple students from the Fortuna program. Aina and Saku are in Kara’s basic literacy class, both studying to get their GEDs. They’re a young married couple who left their homeland when a civil war broke out. They kinda played an indirect role in that because of their connection to the main village and the former chief’s family. The way Saku put it, there was already a lot of political instability that had been brewing for decades, so it didn’t take long for rebels like them to topple it.

They pretty much lucked out because Saku is affiliated with a former general and her comrades, who are all under protection from an outside faction that serves to help refugees like themselves. What that basically means is that they’ve pretty much severed their ties to their homeland, which in turn prevents them from being targets of retaliation by enemies who intend to bring them back by force without severe consequences. In other words, they came from an isolated nation where it was designed to keep foreigners from entering, as well as prevent those born there from leaving.

Before the war, Saku and Aina attempted to leave and were nearly executed. In fact, it was that incident that led Saku to get a pardon that involved a mission that was supposed to be impossible to complete as the officials assumed that he wouldn’t survive. Well, they were wrong. The trial proved to be difficult, even for a trained assassin like Saku, and considering what little options he had, as well as the fact that it wasn’t just his life that was on the line, he did whatever he could to complete the objective. However, he never expected to kick off a civil war in the end, even if it was inevitable.

As for the connection they have with the main village, it turns out that Aina was the illegitimate daughter of the chief. She was labeled as a punishment who should be hidden away, and she credits that to how she became different from the rest of the family as their neglect left her to her own devices. The scar on her face that blinded her right eye is a mark she wears proudly as it was the chief’s failed attempt to shut her down after she spoke back to him one too many times.

The more he tried to shackle her, the sneakier she became - that’s how it usually works in these kinds of situations. Apparently, he thought by wedding her to Saku, his most loyal weapon at the time - yikes - he assumed that Saku would be able to tie her down. Instead, the opposite happened - Aina influenced Saku to break out of that mentality of seeing himself as a mere weapon whose sole purpose was to bring destruction to maintain order, which ended up saving his life.

The arrangement started out awkward at first since they were strangers despite being raised by the same family, but over time it evolved into genuine love and devotion that made them even more determined to leave their homeland. Aina managed to get glimpses of the outside world through things like social media, which was heavily censored over there. Since she struggled with reading due to a learning disability that went undiagnosed until recently, a lot of her knowledge of the outside came from vlogs and video essays. Knowledge really can be a weapon.

Eventually, her influence began to rub off on Saku, who came to realize that there is life outside of accepting orders and taking the lives of those who don’t follow the rules. The nation basically trained children to become assassins, objects that authority figures used for their own convenience and benefit. These figures thrive on ignorance and blind obedience, so these assassins are raised to think they are nothing but killing machines.

Not surprisingly, they’re desensitized to violence and death, which contributes to how the public sees them as inhuman. To think that Saku was well on his way to becoming just another disposable tool - it’s a good thing that Aina managed to get through to him. It’s hard to break out of a mindset that’s been ingrained into you since you were born, but that doesn’t mean that people can’t change.

Of course, in order to make any meaningful change, it’s up to the other person to decide. In Saku’s case, he made the conscious decision to question the way he was raised after getting a glimpse of the outside world through Aina. He said he was also intrigued by Aina’s insistence for normality with little things like expressing gratitude, living in the moment - things that have nothing to do with bloodshed and violence. It wasn’t long before he began questioning every aspect of his life, which naturally made him an enemy as he was no longer a convenient tool for them. Again, they’re the kind of people who prey on ignorance, so anyone who questions their word is automatically considered an enemy.

Along with Aina, Saku also credits Kaori, the former general who accompanied him on his mission, for saving his life by ensuring his survival. Like him, she had long grown disillusioned with the higher authority, and so when she realized that he could be a potential ally, she encouraged him to defy fate by accomplishing the mission. Neither one ever thought something like that would set off a domino effect kind of thing, which they admit they still don’t fully understand themselves. Sometimes things just work out like that.

Basically, because of Kaori’s rank and status, she was able to use her authority to protect as many civilians as she could from the impending storm. She wishes she could do a lot more, but what little she was able to manage made a huge difference, something Saku and Aina emphasized. It was her connections that allowed a lot of people such as themselves to leave the nation safely and seek refuge in other lands.

Saku and Aina spent a couple years in a refugee camp working odd jobs so they can settle down somewhere, ultimately choosing Skybelle City because of its location as well as the Fortuna program. Kaori spent about a year in the same camp before going off traveling with her partner, a former shinobi who also accompanied Saku on his mission. The two are on the road a lot, though since Saku and Aina have a place of their own now, they stop by the city often when they’re nearby.

While she plans to keep on traveling, Kaori’s looking for a place in the city so she can be closer to the couple now that she’s gonna be a godmother to their kids. It’s still a surprise to them that in the summer they’ll be having twins, so they’re excited and kinda nervous. Aina’s glad that they’ll be summer babies as it won’t disrupt her schooling too much since they’ll be on break by the time they come. Now that she’ll be a mother, she’s more determined than ever to get her GED to set a good example to her kids. Saku felt the same - he admitted to being a bit indifferent about getting a degree until he realized what it really meant for his future.

After hearing about what Aina, Saku, and Kaori have been through, I’m glad that their lives have taken a turn for the better. Even though it’s been a couple years since they moved here, Aina says it still feels like an impossible dream that she never wants to wake up from. To think that living a mundane and ordinary life seems like a luxury to some people…

Another one of Kara’s students in the Fortuna program, Barbara, also joined us. Her story isn’t as harrowing like most of her peers as she had a cushy upbringing, something she admits to having mixed feelings about. She came from a well-off family, so she considers herself as sort of spoiled and sheltered - not in a bad way, more like that’s kinda the norm where she’s from. The best way she can explain her hometown is that life is pretty relaxed over there, which is not a totally bad thing, but it can feel kinda shallow and stifling.

Like Aina, Saku, and Kaori, Barbara’s homeland is kinda isolated and cut off from most of the world, though in her case, it’s more because of the location than politics. Back home, she was a party girl - and she still kinda is, though obviously her studies come first. Her main priorities at the time was having fun and keeping up with fashion trends, so a very materialistic type of lifestyle. That’s just how the people are over there - not exactly superficial, just really sheltered and cushioned.

Then stuff happened and Barbara got a glimpse of the outside world. Seeing how complicated and confusing the world really was, she ended up going through multiple existential crises. I imagine that it would be such a shock to her, stepping into a world where everything’s so different. Even though it scared her, she became intrigued by the complexities of life, especially after meeting some people who were patient enough to deal with her naivety, which often got her into a lot of trouble at first.

She eventually went back home, but found it stifling and unfulfilling. Her friends tried to help her, except they didn’t know how because she herself didn’t understand why she felt so restless. Then that led to another existential crisis where she tries something, putting in a lot of time and investment in it, only to get bored and jump on to the next new thing that attracted her attention. That whole act got old soon and Barbara decided that she really needed to take action by do something drastic. So she contacted her friends from Sunnyville to explore the possibility of her moving there.

For now, Barbara’s living with Rita, who she calls her hero as she was the one who helped her out so much that she’s indecisive on how to repay her. Since Rita’s birthday is coming up, she signed up for the yarn dyeing class so she can crochet something for her. Right now she’s busy adjusting to life over here as well as keeping up with classes, but when the semester ends, Barbara hopes to get a part-time job or internship at Skybelle. Once she’s saved up enough money, she plans to move into her own place, already having a neighborhood in mind that’s not too far from Rita’s. And in a couple years when she graduates from Fortuna, she plans to continue to her bachelor’s, and maybe master’s too. Sounds like she’s got a good idea of what she wants for her future - good for her!

The yarn dyeing class was a lot of fun, though potentially dangerous if I decide to pick this up more. Barbara plans to use her pink pastel yarn to crochet a throw blanket for Rita. Aina wants to knit more baby stuff, so she managed to convince Saku and Kaori to join the class too since that means she’ll get more yarn to work with. Arabella and Kara dyed a bunch of mini skeins so they can make small accessories to give as gifts. Daisy Jane went for a sweater quantity like me for a future project.

I went for a warm orangey reddish brown because I want a sweater in that color after seeing someone’s else hand knitted sweater they nicknamed the pumpkin spice sweater. Also, I don’t really have that many reds and oranges in my wardrobe, especially with my me-made knitwear. I know for sure that this will be perfect for the fall and I already have a pattern in mind that’s perfect for this yarn.

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#animal crossing pocket camp #animal crossing #headcanon ramble #diary of a junebug

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