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ubernoxa · 4 years

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The Dare: A GNR FanFic

Chapter 31: Earthquakes

Story Summary: A stupid harmless dare, that’s all it was supposed to be. It was supposed to be something they would do, and never revisit. For Delilah, little did she know that visiting the strip wasn’t going to be a one time thing when she made the choice to accept the dare. Life is full of choices. Some choices can mean absolutely nothing, while others can change your entire world. Delilah had heard many rumors about the Sunset Strip or Devil’s Strip. Teenagers would whisper stories about how the Devil walks the streets of the strips without a care in the world. It was known as a place untouched by God. After years of hearing rumors about the Devil’s Strip, Delilah wants to see it for herself. Thus a Dare was born.

Chapter Summary: Earthquake (noun), a sudden and violent shaking of the ground, sometimes causing great distruction, as a result of movements within the earth’s crust or volcanic action.

Author’s Note: Shit’s about to get real

Masterlist

Taglist: @gingerspicetalks @str4nge-haze @queen-crue

Earthquake (noun), a sudden and violent shaking of the ground, sometimes causing great distruction, as a result of movements within the earth’s crust or volcanic action.

While most earthquakes happen within the Earth’s crust, this one happened on the surface. Don’t worry, even though this one didn’t happen within the earth’s crust, it was still just as deadly. Just like any earthquake, it was bound to have aftershocks.

It had been three days since Mags had told Drew about the pregnancy.

Three days since her and Drew stood in the pouring rain.

Three days since he screamed at her and denied it was his own child.

Three days since he shoved her to the ground almost throwing her in the street.

Three days.

Tonya walked into the apartment after covering Mag’s shift at the strip club. It must have been at least 2 AM, she had honestly lost track of time. She unknowingly let a sigh escape her as she opened the rotted door causing the fragrance of whatever Delilah had cooked fill her nose. Tonya still hadn’t made her mind up about Delilah. Of course she was an absolute free loader who had inadvertently been the source of a lot of problems lately, but it was moments like this that Tonya let that slide. Moments where Delilah was there without question for her friend, even though she hadn’t known her for a while. No doubt that Delilah had cooked lasagna by the smell that filled the apartment. Between being their personal chef, cleaning, doing laundry, and taking care of the Mag’s brother’s band she earned her way of off Tonya’s hate list. As Tonya stepped into the living room, her heart ached as she saw the sight that had fallen asleep on the couch.

She placed a blanket over Delilah, carefully grabbing the pens and notebook that she must have been using before she fell asleep. Shaking her head Tonya looked at the sketch of Duff she had drawn. She hadn’t heard much from Delilah about how the boy’s visit to Seattle was going, but she knew it wasn’t going in accordance to plan. Tonya used to compare Steven or Tommy to a love sick puppy, but now Delilah had taken that role from the drummers. Duff had been gone for a day, and she was already missing him like he had left for the war.

Tonya felt her smile match the one that was on Mag’s face. Dried tears had stained Mag’s cheeks, but the smile was a source of hope. A source of hope that there was a place that Mags could imagine where she could be happy.

“Hey,” Delilah’s voice had caught Tonya off guard.

“Hey,” Tonya shot back.

“How was work? I made you some dinner,” Delilah stood up and made her way over towards the kitchen to reheat some lasagna for Tonya.

“Those look good,” Tonya pointed to some sketches that were laid out on the table.

“Thanks, Axl wanted me to draw some new logos or designs while they were out on tour. I think he is looking for some artwork for their new fliers,” Tonya mindlessly nodded at the brunette. Part of her wished that she could draw, but she knew she never had the patience for it.

“Any word from them?”

“Yeah, I talked to Duff a few hours ago. They ended up hitchhiking up to Seattle because their car broke down. They somehow made it, and their first gig is tomorrow so fingers crossed,” Delilah plastered on a fake smile and a happy tone as she spoke to Tonya. When he first called her and said that their car broke down and they were hitchhiking she wanted to beg them to come home. She was worried sick about him. Hitchhiking was so stupid, how could he have been so stupid! She wanted to scream at him, and beg him to come home. She didn’t, she couldn’t. He needed to do this.

“I wouldn’t worry about them Delilah....plus no one would ever mess with Axl Rose. He’s defiantly wound a little different than the rest of us,” Tonya sent Delilah a comforting smile hoping to alleviate her worry.

It was obvious that Delilah was putting on a strong front, but she could tell she was worried. It was clear she loved Duff, and he felt the same way back. Most people girls would whisper on how they would find someone like Duff, but Tonya didn’t. She knew rockstars were only good for one thing, heartbreak.

“Tea?” Delilah quickly pulled Tonya from her thoughts. Without hesitation Tonya nodded her head thankful for the brunette’s help.

“How’s she doing?” Delilah froze as Tonya pulled her out of her thoughts. Both girls barely able to focus this late at night. She was still waking up from her accidental nap, and her mid was still racing.

“Better, but not good. She plans on going to work tomorrow...or I guess today because it like what 2 in the morning?”

“Hmm, good for her. I don’t know if I can keep covering for her...it’s gotten kind of...hard,” Tonya took a bite of her lasagna as she finished speaking.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what’s Mag’s job? She’s never said anything,” Delilah felt silly as she asked the question. She had known the girl for months now and it had never come up. Tonya sent a sweet smile to Delilah as she watched her cheeks redden.

“She’s a dancer,” Tonya didn’t need to wonder why Mags didn’t tell Delilah about her job. She was probably ashamed or some shit like that.

A silent ohh crossed Delilah’s lips as she stared towards Mags who was currently asleep in the living room. The gears confined to turn.

“Don’t tell her I told you that,”

“Why?”

“She’s worries you’ll judge her or some shit. She’s not proud of it,” Tonya snapped back at Delilah as she spoke.

Delilah remained silent as she stared at Mags who was still asleep.

“A job is a job. I don’t know her story, who am I to judge,” Delilah’s words caught Tonya off guard.

“Seriously?”

“What do you means seriously?”

“She’s a stripper, don’t religious people hate strippers or some shit like that? Don’t they call them the Devil’s mistress?”

Delilah calmly shook her head no. “My parent and other might make a comment about it, but like I said, I don’t know her story. She needs a job to live, so she got herself a job.... Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her. Mathew 7:13.”

“Huh, I always thought you religious folks were a bunch of judge bitches,” Tonya’s comment earned a snort from Delilah.

“Some are, some aren’t, depends on who you’re talking to.” Silence filled the room once again as Tonya continued to eat her lasagna.

“You know, when I was little my mother wanted me to be a nun,” Delilah casually shrugged causing Tonya to almost choke on her lasagna.

“You okay?” Delilah turned to her roommate who was chugging her tea to help alleviate the coughing.

“Sorry...I just...don’t take it the wrong way, but it’s hard to see you, Duff Mckagan’s girlfriend, a nun,” Delilah joined Tonya as their laughter filled the room.

“Crazy right? I wanted to change the world,” Delilah admitted once her laughing died down.

“What are you two giggling about at 2 in the morning,” Mags appeared in the kitchen obviously exhausted.

“Did you know that Del here was almost a nun?” Mags sent Delilah a small smile.

“No I did not! I am horribly offended that I wasn’t told this sooner. Does Duff know?,” she teased back.

Laughter and giggles filled the room, but once the laughter died down Mags spoke again.

“You guys should follow me to the living room, you need to know what’s about to happen,” Mags tone went dark, and a familiar sadness filled her features. Without question, Delilah and Tonya followed her into the living room.

Before she could even begin to tell the story, Mags began to cry. The wound Drew made was still fresh and raw, but she had to tell them. This wasn’t just about her anymore.

(Flashback to three nights ago)

Mags stood waiting for Drew underneath one of the street lights. She was thankful for the water that poured from the sky concealing the tears that had stained her cheeks.

“So fucking poetic,” she mumbled under her breath as the rain continued to pour.

After what felt like an eternity, she spotted a figure that resembled Drew’s walking with an umbrella over his head. That’s when she felt the pit grow in her stomach. She knew this wasn’t going to end well.

“Hey, are you okay?” Drew’s voice was laced with concern as he spoke. It gave Mags hope.

“Yeah, peachy,” Mags sent a sad smile back, earning a confused look from Drew.

“Then why did you call me to meet you here. I have a deadline at the end of the week, I need to get this story out,” Mags jumped back at his sharp tone. She froze as she was finally able to see his dry features. Dark purple circles were painted below his eyes, it was clear he hadn’t gotten any sleep in a while.

“I’m...I’m...”

“Mags, it is pouring rain, spit it out.”

Since the words were failing her, she took the pregnancy stick out of her pocket and handed it to Drew. He remained frozen as he stared at the stick.

Positive.

Holy fuck, it was positive.

Drew couldn’t breathe as she looked back at Mags.

What about his career?

His life?

His actually girlfriend?

What was he supposed to tell his family?

They had been smart.

She was on the pill.

He wore a condom.

Unless...unless she lied to him and she didn’t take her pill.

Was she trying to trap him with a child?

Was she trying to use him because he had a career he was building?

“What the fuck is this shit Mags.”

“A pregnancy test, Drew. What they didn’t teach you that in college?”

“Tell me this is fake!” He shouted back.

“It’s Tonya’s right? We all know she sleeps around! Or is it Del’s? She is dating a wanna be rockstar, so it comes with the territory,” Drew screamed back at Mags making her turn white. For the first time in her life, Mags wasn’t just scared, she was petrified. Her brain lost function as fear took control.

“You fucking bitch, tell me this isn’t yours!” Drew shot back making Mags take a couple steps back.

“It’s mine Drew, I’m carrying our baby,” Mags squeaked, her voice barely louder than a mouse.

“No you’re not. How do you know it’s mine? How many managers or bar owners have you slept with to get your brother’s band a gig?”

“Who...who told you that,” Mags wanted to run, she wanted to hide, but she couldn’t.

“I had to do my research Mags, it’s apart of being a writer. Why do you think I wanted to fuck you in the first place? I heard such great reviews!”

It was in that precise moment that Drew had shattered Mag’s hearts into thousands of pieces.

“Drew...I..”

“You’re all the same. This place really is..” Drew shook his head laughing at his own realization.

“This place is what, Drew? What?” Mags was finally able to find her voice as she screamed back at him.

“This place is without a doubt the filthiest vile place I have ever been, and the people here are so much worse!” He wore a smirk as he screamed back at Mags. One thing was clear to her, he was enjoying this. He was enjoying f ripping her to shreds.

Mags remained frozen at his words causing a larger grin to splash across his face.

“I can see your brain is trying to process this. Good for you for actually using it for the first time in years!” He cheered and clapped.

“You are all the same! You, Trixie, Del, and Tonya. Birds of a feather, is that how the saying goes? You’re all desperately clinging onto something, something so unreal that you will never obtain. You all live similar lives as you drink your ‘sorrows’ and ‘pain’ away. You will live on the strip and you will die on the strip,” he continued to laugh at his comment as if it was some type of sick twisted joke.

“Now you stand in front of me, ‘claiming’ that you are pregnant with my child? Please, I don’t buy it for a second. I’m not some idiot. Now have to go make a lot of edits to the article coming out in two days thanks to this little stunt your pulling. The desperate whores of the strip..has a certain ring to it don’t you think?”

“You fucking bastard,” once again Mag’s voice was not above a whisper.

Drew shook his head and let another chuckle escape his lips before promptly shoving her to the curb. He then smiled as he left her alone alone in the rain with her tears, her only company, falling down faster than the rain that surrounded her.

She loved him.

She truly loved him.

(End flashback)

The small living room went silent as Mags finished telling Tonya and Delilah what had happened.

“That fucking bastard!” Delilah shot a glance towards Tonya unsure if she had meant to say it out loud.

“I just thought you should know before his article comes out. I don’t know what the hell he is going to say about us, but I highly doubt that it will be good,” the tears once again stained Mag’s cheeks.

Without hesitation, Delilah pulled Mags into her arms. While her heart was focused on Mags her mind couldn’t help, but wander wondering if Mags actually slept with people to get her brother gigs.

They had survived the earthquake, but will the same be said about the aftershocks?

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thevampslyssa-blog · 6 years

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It’s a Love Story- C10

{there will be moments in this chapter, where you're like "oh this sounds familiar!" well it definitely will, because a lot of the second half of this chapters dialogue is from the 3D movie. i was watching it and thought it fit really well with the story and flow of the chapter. so yah. bare with me!}

{July 4th, 2008 Toronto, Canada Nick-15| Mel- 13}

Mel smiled big as she looked at the amphitheatre, she couldn't believe that the boys had come this far and were selling out big venues like this. Actually, this whole Burnin' Up tour was completely sold out.

The past few months since Nick had asked her to be his girlfriend had literally been a never-ending rollercoaster ride. Their first movie; Camp Rock; the Disney Channel Original Movie that they costarred with Demi Lovato in, had came out a few weeks back. That movie was a huge success, something that no one had even imagined would happen... happened.

Melissa had been asked by the boys' management to make a short cameo in the A Little Bit Longer's debut single's music video that was conveniently Burnin' Up. Those couple of days on set were an amazing experience, except for the times that Selena Gomez tried to flirt with Nick... that pissed Mel off.

But now that the summer was here, and the tour was just about to start, Melissa couldn't wait to be on tour with the boys for a few months. As this was their first actual summer tour. They were filming a 3D movie at some point and Nick was constantly writing the next album.

There were days where Nick dropped everything just to spend time with his girl, as in his mind... she was the most important thing, she always would be. But most times, the music had to come first, as it was indeed his job. ——— "Hey Mel!" Joe exclaimed as she walked onto the huge stage, with a JoBro tank top on and cute purple shorts. "Have a nice nap?" he asked, flipping the mic around, almost hitting himself in the head... almost is the key word there.

"Yah, but where's Nick?" she asked, her cute little heart-shaped sunglasses covering her brown eyes.

Joe smiled, knowing she'd ask about her boyfriend, "he's in the back, cooling off and writing with Demi." and just as he finished his sentence he had flung the mic right on his face, "shit!" he exclaimed, groaning loudly.

Melissa giggled, "Joseph, what have we told you about doing that? Now, did you learn your lesson?" she 'lectured' him, patting him on the shoulder gently.

Joe smirked, "Yes I did, Little Mama. Now go find your boy toy." he laughed, pointing to the side of the stage.

As she made her way back into the air conditioning, she put her sunglasses on the top of her head, and blushed as Nick looked up at her; his signature goofy smile on his face.

"Hey angel." he said, scooting over on the couch for her little bum to sit next to him. "I missed you." he whispered and kissed her head before looking back over at Demi.

Demi and Nick were currently working on a song for her new album, called Stop the World, "So if we put the hook here, and those cords along with it, it sounds good, yah?" Demi asked, strumming her acoustic guitar gently.

Nick nodded, grabbing the pen that was sitting in front of him, "what were those cords again?" he asked, and as Demi told him, he wrote them down.

Melissa just sat there in awe as the two collaborated, it really was phenomenal that they worked so well together. "What do you think about this babe?" Nick asked, starting the song as Demi sang so effortlessly.

Melissa clapped her hands and smiled big as they finished right before the end of the first chorus, "I love it guys. it's great." she exclaimed. ———- Later on before the concert, literally right before it:

The violins were heard, the beautiful melody that everyone had begun to memorize ringing through the amphitheatre. Everything seemed like it was going perfectly, but then Kevin was heard screaming, "GARBO LOST HIS PACK!"

Melissa then jumped into action, as she was kneeling besides the boys' lift, and hurried off to try and find it.

Don't understand what that means? Lemme explain.... Because Garbo didn't have his 'pack' that means they don't have the bass playing at that moment, that's not good.

A minute or two later as the violins began to dissipate, Melissa ran back to the lift, "I have it!" she exclaimed, the beloved pack in her hands. she handed it to one of the stage people and then came back in front of Nick and smiled big at him.

"Good luck baby, i love you." she mouthed to him, getting a grin and a "i love you more" from her boyfriend.

The concerts from there on out had been super successful, every fan that had bought a ticket, showed up. As time went on, Melissa and also the boys' mom's birthday had come and go, and the new album's release was getting closer and closer. ———-

{August 8th, 2008, 4:31am Trump International Hotel & Tower New York City, New York Nick- 15|Mel- 14}

Big Rob walked into the the huge conjoined hotel rooms, making his way through the kitchenette, then walked over to the first Jonas' bed, "Hey Kevin, time to get up buddy. Gotta roll." he said, leaning over and turning on the bedside table light.

Kevin sleepily groaned, leaning up and rubbed his eyes, "I know, what time is it?" he yawned, looking up at Big Rob.

Big Rob smiled, "can you get up? I have to wake up the others, it's 4:30 man."

Kevin being the talkative person that he is, kept asking questions, "okay, yah... how long do we have?"

The big bodyguard simply said before leaving the dimly lit room, "5 minutes... living the dream, baby."

The next wake up call on his list was Nick and Melissa, so he slowly made his way to their bed, that of course had a guitar at the end of it, sitting nicely against the frame. "Nick, Mel... how'd you two sleep. Get up guys, we gotta go."

Big Rob leaned over, patting the almost 16 year old on the shoulder, as Nick sleepily spoke, "what time is it?"

"4:30, get up, alright?" Big Rob asked, knowing that getting everyone up and ready quickly was always a hassle, but he quite honestly hoped that Melissa would help get the curly haired boy up.

Melissa leaned over to her boyfriend and kissed his cheek, half coherent. "C'mon babe. You guys have a busy day today." she whispered in his ear, her hand resting softly on his chest.

Nick groaned, "I know... one more minute." he pressed his head against Melissa's shoulder, a hand snaking around her waist, pulling her closer.

"No guys, were living the dream, we gotta go." Big Rob coaxed, making his way into the last room, and definitely the hardest wake up— Joe.

"Hey Joe, gotta get up brother. You gotta move." Big Rob said, once again turning on the bedside light.

Joe; who always caused problems, groaned, "Dude, go away man."

Big Rob simply responded, "No, we gotta go." He did something that he normally never has to do, which is pulling Joe's dead-weight body to the side of the mattress.

Joe's attitude came out as he exclaimed, as Big Rob pulled him, "No, I'm sleeping dude! I'm sleepi—" he was interrupted as the bodyguard hit him with a pillow that Joe wasn't laying on, "Let's go!"

"Why'd you hit me man?!" Joe asked, rubbing his head where he had been 'assaulted'.

"We gotta go." Big Rob stated, then walked back to make sure everyone else was awake.

About five minutes had passed and the four of them were sitting at the huge table in their hotel room. There was so much more food waiting for them then they actually needed.

Kevin was sitting across from Nick, who had Melissa sitting next to her boyfriend, with her head resting on his shoulder. There was Joe sitting at the head of the table, dozing back to sleep.

The eldest Jonas grabbed his fork and clanked it against his water glass, then threw it to Nick who was also trying his hardest not to fall back asleep. Melissa giggled as she felt Nick flinch, and groan softly.

"Okay, so here's today's schedule, 7am, we—" Kevin began as he read the email off his phone, but was rudely interrupted by Joe who seemed to be more awake then he was the minute before.

"EARTHQUAKE!... Just kidding." he laughed, shaking the table, and Kevin rolled his eyes, looking back at his phone, "Yah, yah, so funny..." Kevin mumbled.

A few seconds later, Joe exclaimed again, shaking the wooden table once again, "AFTERSHOCK!"

The waitress that was assisting them that morning, came up with a plate in hand. She smiled at Kevin as she sat it down in front of him, "I'm sorry about him, thank you." Kevin said apologetically to her.

Joe then picked that moment to speak up, "Do you have any peach jelly?" The waitress nodded to Joe and went to her cart to grab the little container of the jelly he requested and handed it to him, "thank you."

Kevin continued on with the schedule, "—7:30, we are leaving for rehearsals, at 8:12, Burnin' Up with the anchors on stage."

Meanwhile, Nick was getting distracted by Melissa, who was eating her cereal, not even realizing that the teen was admiring her.

They had both begun to watch Joe, who was still struggling to get the jelly on his toast, "Joe, are you still listening?" Kevin asked, bringing Joe out of his thoughts.

Joe's head immediately shot up, "Huh? Oh, yah. I am." he said, then looked up at the waitress, who was waiting for him to choose between waffles and pancakes, "pancakes please."

Kevin again went back to the schedule, "...9am, post-show taping. Then 9:15, finish Good Morning America, then we depart for Central Park to finish our music video, we film it in 3D." Joe again was not paying attention to his older brother and was playfully trying to get the jelly on his toast.

Big Rob stood to the side of the table, pointing to the door, for the waitress to leave. "... 3:30pm, CD listening party at the Highland Ballroom, we will perform about 3 songs. Then at 5pm, interviews..."

Kevin looked up at Big Rob, realizing that the waitress had indeed been standing there the whole time, "how long was she standing there?"

Big Rob shrugged, "5 seconds."

Nick then spoke up, and leaned closer to his girlfriend, "She was— Joe, she was standing there because you're like, 'Can i have the jelly please?... like do you have any waffles?... pancakes will do.'" Nick mocked his brother, and Mel looked up at Nick gasping at his behavior and slapped the teen playfully on his arm.

She gave him the look, "he nice to your brother, baby." she said softly, her morning voice coming out fully.

Joe grinned at the young girl, "Thank you Mel, but seriously dude, did you see her buy the quake joke? That works every time!"

Nick of course had to encourage his brother's distractions and continue the conversation, "You've been doing that earthquake thing since you were in like third grade."

Big Rob finally stepped in, stopping the brothers and said, "Stop playing around boys."

Joe sighed, "but what's wrong with 'earthquake'?" he asked his brother, disregarding what their bodyguard had said.

Kevin and Melissa were the only ones who heard the man, and Melissa nodded while Kevin spoke, "Sorry Big Rob, only." and Melissa tried to stop the two boys, "Boys, stop. Listen to Big Rob!"

Nick leaned closer to Melissa, "Just stop doing it." he said.

Kevin rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed over the fact that Joe had wound Nick into his little immature antics. "Guys, guys, stop playing these earthquake games."

Joe grinned over at Kevin, "well i suggest sometime today, Kev picks up some new pajamas." the eldest Jonas gasped, looking down at himself—he was wearing a plaid, fleece robe.

Nick then reached his hand out to Joe to do a bro-ish like handshake, "Ohhhhh!" the two middle Jonases laughed.

Nick looked at his older brother, "you showed him." he said jokingly. All the while Mel sat there looking at Kevin, rolling her eyes.

Kevin who was clearly getting super annoyed, said in a funny voice, mocking the 18 year old, "Ooo, aftershock, can i have your number?"

Big Rob finally interjected the situation, "we gotta go guys."

Kevin looked up, worried, "are we late?" The body guard nodded, coming up to the table, "Yes, let's move."

Joe looked up, his senses coming to, "Where are we going?" everybody didn't know if he was trying to act dumb? But then again... it's teenaged Joe we're talking about here... kissing, well kinda. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Kevin sighed, "Joe, just follow." Everybody began to get up from the table, except Joe, who was still in a daze.

"Which way?" Joe asked, as Melissa and Nick held hands as they walked back to their room to finish getting ready.

Big Rob took this moment to his advantage, and pulled Joe out of his chair, as Joe said laughing, "this way, I'm assuming?" ———— An hour later, they were sitting in a van, Nick and Melissa in the way back, Joe and Kevin in the middle and Big Rob driving. Nick's head was resting back against the seat as Melissa was laying close to him.

Once Nick caught a glimpse of the traffic they were currently stuck in, he sighed, "this is a mess, do you see this? this goes all the way down to Broadway."

Kevin looked back at Nick and Melissa then back at the never-ending traffic, "unbelievable." he muttered.

Meanwhile, Joe was being Joe, paying attention to the game on his phone, "Yes! I just beat my high score."

Nick rolled his eyes, interlacing his hand with Melissa's, "Yah, and were gonna be late for our show."

Kevin looked at Joe, then pulled his phone out of his hand, slipping it into his jean back pocket, "Big Rob, this traffic is killing us. We're on in another hour, guys."

Melissa looked over at Nick, a worried look on her face, but that diminished quickly as Nick leaned over to kiss her lips gently.

Joe who was currently pouting about his precious phone being taken away, spoke up, "There's nothing we can do."

"Helicopter?" Nick asked.

Big Rob replied, "already on it." Kevin nodded, looking out the window, trying to figure out how they'd get out of this situation more quickly.

Joe grinned, "Big Rob, nicely done."

Big Rob placed his hand on his ear and spoke, "Yesir, tenth and Broadway."

Kevin said softly, "that's so close."

"Yah, but we're gonna have to leave the car here." Nick interjected, chewing on his lip nervously.

"Yeah, but guys, i put this car on my credit card." He chuckled, trying to bring some humor to the situation, like he always does. But he was interrupted when there were deafening screams quickly surrounding their car. "—and, why are there fans?"

Big Rob sighed, "we got trouble." he spoke to his in-ear, his voice definitely sounding a bit stressed.

Kevin gasped, "how did they find us?"

Joe cried out, "BIG ROB! NO! EARTHQUAKE!" this time it really did feel like one, at least for them it did.

Nick and Melissa both placed their hands over their ears, and the young girl looked at her boyfriend with fear. As this was the first real mobbing situation of the sorts that she was experiencing.

Kevin looked back at Joe, "Not now! we have to get outta here!" he began to try to open his door, but there were too many fans surrounding them. "I can't get out Big Rob."

Big Rob began to get out easily, which was a surprise, "stay inside you guys."

Joe looked out the windows worriedly, "Where is he going?"

Melissa whimpered, leaning closer to Nick who seemed very conflicted on if he should be helping with his girl's anxiety or trying to figure out a way out.

Kevin began to feel more and more concerned as the seconds ticked by, "I'm trying to get out of the car...." a minute or so later an idea came to his mind, "we have to go through the roof."

Nick nodded, looking at his girlfriend who instantly seemed to calm down a little as he rested his hand on hers. "let's try it, ready?"

Fans began to scream louder as Kevin was the first to slip through the roof, then Joe next and lastly it was Nick and Melissa.

By the time Nick was done helping her out, Kevin looked back at them, and waved them along, "come on!"

Big Rob called out as Kevin tried to get him to come with them, "Go, Go! Save yourselves!"

Soon they were running through the streets of New York City, the fans following after them.

Joe was the last to make it to the helicopter as he had gotten distracted by a few cute girls, we're talking about Joe here, remember?"

Kevin climbed in the helicopter, looking at Big Rob, "how'd you get here so fast?"

Big Rob shook his head, "Don't worry about it, just get in!" ——-

{August 11th, 2008, 11:00pm Trump International Hotel & Tower New York City, New York}

The boys, Melissa and Big Rob climbed in the cramped elevator, as they were on their way to the "album release" party in Times Square.

Melissa was leaning against Nick as Big Rob went over the "ground rules" for how everything would go once they got there. "This is gonna be real out of control, we were told that there are thousands of girls waiting. Once we get there, we do what we gotta do... walk out, and that's it—ya know what i mean? Just stick by each other, and Mel remember, don't let go of Nick."

Mel nodded, her hand not leaving Nick's already. She wasn't planning on letting go of the teen till they made it safely back in the hotel room later that night. ——- The vans began to slow down immensely as they got closer to their destination. Joe was the first one to make a sound, as everyone was clearly in disbelief. "Oh my gosh..." he whispered, "oh my goodness.."

Nick pointed, "it goes all the way."

Joe exclaimed, "it's New Year's Eve. Oh my gosh!" he grinned, getting overly excited.

Kevin grabbed the walkie talkie from Phil, realizing just what Joe had just said, "It's like it's the Jonas Brothers' New Year everyone... it's the Jonas Brothers' New Year."

The vans safely pulled in front of the Virgin Music Store. Kevin of course was the first one to get out, standing on the car for a brief second to wave to the fans. Then Joe and Nick both followed what their older brother had done, doing the same.

Big Rob led the way as they made it into the store, each boy holding onto one another and Melissa was safely in the middle of Joe and Nick.

Everyone in their crew, each bought a album right as the clock struck midnight. Joe was the first one to officially buy A Little Bit Longer, as he walked away from the register, he took the album out of the small baggy, holding it up, "YAHHH!" he exclaimed. ——— 1:30am:

Nick and Melissa were both dead on their feet as they got back to their room, "can i just sleep in one of your shirts babe?" Melissa asked, already stripping herself of her clothes. At this time of night, and knowing what time they had to be up for the next day. She didn't care that she was practically naked in front of her boyfriend.

Nick smiled and nodded to the innocent girl, "sure, angel." he said softly, going over to his suitcase and grabbed one of his extra shirts he kept with him, just for her. "here baby." he said, coming up to her, helping her slip it over her head.

After her face was visible, he leaned down and kissed her lightly. "i love you. thank you for being here with me this summer." he sincerely whispered, his chocolate brown eyes searching her identical ones.

"Anything for you." she responded, after a few seconds, she yawned, kissing him once more. They quickly got situated in the bed, and snuggled into one another, and drifted off to sleep. ———— 💕

#nick jonas #nick jonas fanfiction #jonas brothers #jonas brothers fanfiction #nick jonas imagine

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tomemyxmen2017-blog · 6 years

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The Best (and Worst) Free Comics of FCBD 2018

Of the fifty-two comics released for Free Comic Book Day 2018, there were an unsurprisingly high number of excellent comics in this year’s class. Here are my picks for the best of the best (with a few dishonorable mentions too) from the many choices available this year.

THE BEST

10. BERLIN by Jason Lutes (w, a, c). (Drawn & Quarterly).

Set in 1928 Germany, a journalist and an art student meet on a train to Berlin; when they arrive, the young student is surprised by what she sees, and the journalist must navigate a changing climate for the press. Narrated in part by the main characters’ writings (his reporting and her diary), this street-level view of Berlin prior to the rise of fascism is masterful and cinematic. Even in this preview, the sense of menace and dread to the events that are to come in the story permeates every page. Absolutely genius. Part of a series written over the past twenty years, this FCBD release promotes the hardcover omnibus of the series due for release in fall 2018.

9. STRANGERS IN PARADISE by Terry Moore (w, a). (Abstract Studios).

The issue opens with an exciting pickpocket scene in which Scott, a generic business type, has his phone and SIM card stolen. He later contacts his wife, Laura, to tell her that he’ll be late coming home and why, prompting Laura to stoically retrieve her run bag and leave home for good. The phone thief heads to Laura’s house to discover she’s already gone and runs into Scott; the thief reveals that “Laura” is actually Stephanie Kelly, a Parker girl caught up in treason and espionage. This is a dynamic, fully realized introduction to what seems like a fun and exciting story loaded with intelligent, powerful women kicking all kinds of ass.

8. ULTRA STREET FIGHTER II #1 by Ken Siu-Chong (w), Hanzo Steinbach (a), Marshall Dillon (l). (Udon).

Trying to shake off his dark side, Ken meets with Ryu to fight through his worst urges and achieve some balance in his life. The pair travel to Japan for some high-level meditation (and fighting, of course), but that only gets Ken so far. Later in San Francisco, Ken is surprised by an attack from Rufus, and during the battle, he learns to control his evil within. Although this comic attempts to apply drama to a fighting video game, the result is fun, colorful, ridiculous, and delightfully entertaining. What more could you want out of a Street Fighter comic?

7. SHADOWMAN by Andy Diggle (w), Stephen Segovia (w), Karl Bollers (e). (Valiant).

Alyssa and her guide Isiah explore the swamps of Louisiana at night, searching for the cause of cursed water that’s making locals sick. She encounters a monster, the Grinder of Bones, and tries to use magic to protect herself to no avail. She runs, and summons Papa Legba for guidance: in return, her friend Jack, now the Shadowman, appears from a portal to help her in her fight. With gorgeous artwork, beautiful coloring, and a plot like nothing else on the stands right now, this issue draws readers into this world so effortlessly that it’s hard to imagine someone reading this issue without being fully engrossed and wanting to pick up the whole series. Terrifically well-done.

6. THE GHOST IN THE SHELL by Max Gladstone (w), David Lopez (a), Nayoung Kim (color), Jodi Wynne (l), Alejandro Arbona (e), Ben Applegate (e). (Kodansha).

Major Kusanagi (aka Motoko) and Aramaki are intercepted by an American Ghost Force Squad while on a business trip to Shangai. After her arrest, Motoko dramatically escapes through the streets of Shangai and meets her old wartime enemy, Li; the pair must work together to save Aramaki and others. This issue, part of an upcoming anthology, is perhaps the most complete, cover-to-cover, issue released on FCBD. At a whopping forty-five pages, readers are treated to an entire story that is exceptional all on its own. This is a fabulous issue that will convert even the most stoic of non-believers into fans of this character and this series.

5. RELAY by Zac Thompson (w), Andy Clarke (a), Eric Bromberg (st), Donny Cates (st), Dan Brown (color), Charles Pritchett (l), Mike Marts (e). (Aftershock).

In this sci-fi story, a space traveler lands on a planet with an undeveloped population and offers them “the Relay,” a monolith that creates uniformity in technology and ideas. Is it intergalactic socialism, or will it be intergalactic fascism? The Relay seemingly destroys community identity and cultural heritage with a new sort of religion: ultimate fath in the monolith itself. This is an expertly paced and well-rendered metaphor that gives sci-fi fans something deeper to ponder.

4. MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS by Kyle Higgins (w), Ryan Parrott (w), Digo Galindo (a), Marcelo Costa (color), Ed Dukeshire (l), Dafna Pleban (e). (Boom!).

This one takes me back! Chosing to advertise its best-selling series, Boom! strategically used its FCBD option to bridge the gap between fans of the old TV show(s) and the current comics mythology, hoping to draw in readers who may have been overwhelmed by the thousands of different Power Ranger characters and their convoluted origin stories and missions. This issue is a straight-forward explanation of how the first episode of the original TV series connects to the comic storyline today, with some surprisingly awesome artwork and a shockingly murderous ending. The issue concedes its childish origins, but by the end, these aren’t your kids’ Power Rangers anymore!

3. AVENGERS by Jason Aaron (w), Sarah Pichelli (p, i), Elisabetta D’Amico (i), Justin Ponsor (color), Cory Petit (l), Tom Brevoort (e). (Marvel).

This issue, frankly, defied my expectations. As the official free preview to Marvel’s “Fresh Start,” there was a lot riding on this issue, the release of which coinciding with yet another reboot of the Avengers in the same week and a blockbuster weekend for the House of Ideas at the cinema a week prior. And it did not disappoint. In a direct follow-up to last year’s Marvel Legacy #1, Odin meets with Black Panther in the ruins of Asgard. Odin explains that he has fallen to Loki and his manipulation of a Celestial and requests that T’Challa kill Loki; he agrees. The story ends in another scene with Captain America and Thor reaching out to Tony Stark for a meeting between the three of them as a new Avengers era begins. Rather than using its FCBD offering to pump in half-assed action, Aaron instead tries to win new readers over with a well-told and interesting story setup. It is refreshing to see Marvel return to storytelling in its flagship series rather than resort to the redundant tropes of its recent past. Very well done.

2. JAMES BOND 007: VARGR by Warren Ellis (w), Jason Masters (a), Guy Major (color), Simon Bowland (l), Joseph Rybant (e). (Dynamite).

On a mission in Finland, 007 hunts down 008’s killer and exacts gruesome revenge. Later at MI6 Headquarters, M is assigned to take over 008’s case load, setting up a story that is simultaneously exhilirating for new readers and faithful in spirit to fans of the classic Bond. With darkly exquisite artwork throughout (particularly the Helsinki scene) and a character whose charm radiates off the page, it’s hard to imagine any comic fan not falling madly in love with this series. Originally published in 2016, this issue and the rest of the story is already available in trade.

1.BARRIER by Brian K. Vaughn (w), Marcos Martin (a, c), Muntsa Vincente. (Image).

No comic in this bunch left my jaw on the floor and mouth agape quite like this one. In this exquisite story, Liddy discovers signs of a Mexican cartel using her land, which happens to be on the Texas-Mexican border, as a throughway for drug trades and illegal immigration. In a parallel story, Oscar migrates from his home in Honduras to reach the U.S., crossing onto Liddy’s land in the middle of the night. She finds him and holds him at gunpoint suddenly the pair are interrupted. It’s a contemporary story involving gruesome violence, cartels, guns, and sci-fi. Half the issue is in Spanish (a language deficit won’t detract from your enjoyment of the issue), and the entire book – at an impressive fifty-three pages – is elegantly printed in landscape format. The artwork is phenomenal. The writing is incomparable. This is simply a perfect comic book from cover to cover. Frankly, I’m shocked it was available for FCBD as it’s well-worth a cover price. I recommend this enthusiastically, and I can’t wait to pick up the whole series this month. An exceptional beauty of a comic.

THE WORST

3. SHADOW ROADS by Cullen Bunn (w), Brian Hurtt (w), A.C. Zamudio (a), Carlos Zamudio (color), Crank! (l), Charlie Chu (e). (Oni Press).

In this deeply convoluted introduction presumptively set in the late nineteenth century, we meet Henry Grey, a Native American and a Cambridge man who visits the British Museum of Natural History’s new Native American exhibit with remorse and perhaps disgust. He meets an elder at the Museum who gives him a magical ceremonial dagger carved from bone that ultimately lights up. En route home, his train passes through a Crossroads where Abigail Redmayne and Kalfu intercept him and bring him to the New Mexico Territory. What causes this issue to fail – aside from the onslaught of new characters to learn and an unexplained mythology to understand – is that by the issue’s end, we are no closer to knowing why any of these events occur. Why does Abigail bring Henry to New Mexico? What is so special about Henry? What’s the point of the glowing dagger? While a free comic book should purposefully leave questions unresolved to entice readers to find their answers in subsequent issues, this romp is sadly too obscure and complicated to elicit any interest.

2. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN by Nick Spencer (w), Ryan Ottley (o), Cliff Rathburn (i), Laura Martin (color), VC’s Joe Caramagna (l), Nick Lowe (e). (Marvel).

Facing off against America’s greatest threat – the Manhattan real estate market – Peter Parker and his buddy Randy look for an apartment when they are interrupted by a fight with Boomerang, Electro, Rhino, and Big Wheel. After a quick costume change, Spider-Man battles them all until Kingpin intervenes. Despite the Mayor’s apparent gratitude for Spider-Man, Peter drops his professionalism instantly and leaves the scene. Later, Randy and Peter settle on a new three-bedroom apartment with a third roommate: Boomerang himself. From the ludicrous dialogue, the boring trope-laden plot, the cartoonish graphic design, and the overall neutering of Peter Parker’s character, this was a deep, deep disappointment for me that goes beyond this single issue; if this was meant to be an advertisement for the new Amazing Spider-Man series, I’m afraid it did more to turn me off than on. In addition, despite picking up all fifty-two free comics on FCBD, this issue is the only one with running ink and cheap printing errors. Oh, Marvel. Why do you do this to me?

1. TANK GIRL by Alan Martin (w), Brett Parson (a), Warwick Johnson-Cadwell (a), Jonathan Edwards (a), Brett Parson (l), Martin Eden (e). (Titan).

This was perhaps my fault for setting my expectations too high. Having never read a Tank Girl comic and only vaguely understanding her origins from nineties samples and the Lori Petty film, I was expecting a post-apocalyptic badass who breaks the fourth-wall and uses ingenuity, humor, grit, and charm to fight the Man. Instead, I got an insufferable cutsey-wootsey romp about a woman face-punching an adult man after he ruined her birthday big wheel when they were children. In between this awful plot’s progression, vignettes either drawn by a child or rendered to look like it had been drawn by child are too annoying to attempt to read. The only enjoyable bit of this comic was the cover by Jamie Hewlett, who should have done the interiors as well.

#comics marvel fcbd image dc valiant darkhorse boom

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eddycurrents · 7 years

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For the week of 11 September 2017

Just one favourite this week: Ninjak #0 by Matt Kindt and Francis Portela (with MJ Kim, Khari Evans, Roberto de la Torre, Sija Hong, and Juan José Ryp). Published by Valiant.

Ninjak #0 provides a capstone to Matt Kindt’s run with the character, giving both an encapsulation of Ninjak’s history to date and one final mission to propel the series further into a more in-depth exploration into the Ninja Programme and legacy, before handing the character off to Christos Gage and Tomás Giorello for their new Ninja-K series.

I very much like how Kindt plays with time in this story. After firing an arrow on the first page in the present, the book’s pages are bisected by that arrow’s path, with the top telling of the events immediately leading up to that first page--illustrated by Francis Portela--and the bottom offering snippet’s of Ninjak’s history--illustrated by MJ Kim, Khari Evans, Roberto de la Torre, Sija Hong, and Juan José Ryp. (You can see an example above). It’s an interesting and effective way of delivering a lot of simultaneous information and narrative at once and I was particularly impressed by everyone involved.

As time on the top converges with the arrow, the structure reverts to a standard one timeframe narrative as it leads into a teaser for the new Ninja-K series from Gage and Giorello.

Like with the previous recent zero issue offerings for Bloodshot Reborn and Divinity, this serves as an excellent primer for people interested in the character and in jumping into the Valiant Universe.

Quick Bits:

All New Wolverine #24 wraps up the “Hive” arc guest-starring the Guardians of the Galaxy and Leonard Kirk’s tenure as artist on the series. This arc was fun, with Tom Taylor delivering some very nice and heartfelt interactions between Laura and Gabby, as well as continuing to present some strong characterization with Rocket and Groot.

| Published by Marvel

Amazing Spider-Man #32 is a single issue story of Norman Osborn trying to reclaim his Green Goblin persona. It’s an interesting look into Osborn’s drive and potential, with some absolutely beautiful artwork form Greg Smallwood & Jordie Bellaire.

| Published by Marvel

Birthright #26 provides a jumping on point as it begins a new story-arc. It’s fairly exposition heavy, but Joshua Williamson still makes it feel interesting, even to old readers since there’s a bit of a shift since the last issue. As always Andrei Bressan’s art is beautiful.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Deadpool #36 is a transitional issue from Deadpool working for “Stevil” Hydra Cap and the forthcoming Despicable Deadpool, closing out some old plot threads and sending off the remaining supporting characters, while setting up Wade’s new status quo of reluctantly working for Stryfe. As usual Gerry Duggan mixes in humour while ultimately making Deadpool a tragic figure.

| Published by Marvel

Doctor Strange & The Sorcerers Supreme #12 is a fitting send-off to a series that still feels gone to soon. From Javier Rodriguez to this issue’s Nathan Stockman, the series has been great artistically, and this issue’s sideways widescreen format is well appreciated. Robbie Thompson also brings it back full circle to how this excursion started in last year’s Doctor Strange Annual by closing on the “Not So” Ancient One’s journey.

| Published by Marvel

Grass Kings #7 is still an inscrutable beauty. Part crime drama, part mystery, part family drama, part treatise on loyalty and community in an extremely independent society, Matt Kindt and Tyler Jenkins have something special here. This issue adds another layer to the problems that they’ve been having with Cargill, while more explicitly breaking open the mystery of a potential serial killer and giving us some more details on what happened in Bruce’s past that led him to coming home to the Grass Kingdom.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Gwenpool, The Unbelievable #20 is going to mess with your head. In a good way.

| Published by Marvel

Hulk #10 brings Mariko Tamaki’s second story-arc to a conclusion. I can’t say I enjoyed it as much as I did the first, but there have still been some entertaining moments. The character interaction between Jen and Patsy being particularly strong.

Also, like the previous issue, the art shift part way through detracts. Both artists, Julian Lopez and Francesco Gaston, are good, but their styles kind of clash. Lopez uses a thick line and somewhat realistic style similar to Jesus Saiz, whereas Gaston has a thinner line and a bit more angular, stylized character composition--much like Georges Duarte, who started this arc.

| Published by Marvel

Kill or Be Killed #12 pushes Dylan further into darkness, even without his little demon friends whispering not-so-sweet nothings into his ears. As always, Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips are creating a compelling, nuanced story month in and month out. There’s also some good development in Dylan and Kira’s relationship, but, as per the original dissolution, I’m expecting the other shoe to drop sometime soon.

| Published by Image

Mech Cadet Yu #2 brings Yu and his adopted Robo back to the Sky Academy, where he’s officially accepted as one of the cadets. The story beats are pretty standard coming of age, living through adversity by being a fish out of water, ruffling the feathers of the establishment-type thing, but Greg Pak never allows it to feel old. Yu and his Robo are just too likeable characters to not enjoy seeing their advancement and acceptance. It also helps that Takeshi Miyazawa’s artwork is wonderful.

Despite not being published under one of their more all-ages imprints like Boom! Box or kaboom!, this series remains something that I think that kids would get a lot of enjoyment out of as well.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Old Man Logan #28 is a work of art. I don’t know who made a pact with the devil in order to consistently get this level of artwork out of Mike Deodato Jr., but whatever they did since at least the Jeff Lemire Thanos series, Deodato has been producing some of the most beautiful, thoughtful, and compelling work of his career. He’s been a great artist for more than twenty-five years in the industry, but his work lately has been absolutely next level. His shading, page layouts, character designs & staging, and panel transitions are practically a masterclass on the art form.

| Published by Marvel

Pestilence #4 unveils some secrets as we head towards the conclusion. This has been a fairly bloody and brutal tale of knights vs. zombies from Frank Tieri and Oleg Okenev and it’s not letting up. It delivers a nice satisfying crunch.

| Published by Aftershock

Redlands #2 jumps the series ahead to modern day, fleshing out the sisters’ characters and the world that they live in, having pretty much taken over Redlands, Florida following the bloodbath back in ‘77. We’re still left a lot of details out, but we’re given a better look at some of the things going on, as a game of murderous cat and mouse between the sisters and an unknown potential blackmailer unfolds. Jordie Bellaire and Vanessa Del Rey are creating something interesting here and I’m definitely hooked to see what happens next.

| Published by Image

Retcon #1 is...something, I’m not really sure what. Interesting, though, certainly, and something I’ll continue to read for a bit. Ostensibly this is about a team of supernatural beings working for the government, but the interview in the back and the title suggest something else. If anything, the artwork from Toby Cypress is worth the price of admission alone. Still not sure what to think of the story.

| Published by Image

Sacred Creatures #3 again challenges me to decide whether or not I like Pablo Raimondi’s mix of traditional comics art with photography. I’m leaning towards yes.

| Published by Image

Secret Warriors #6 kicks off a two-part arc with the members of the Warriors back on their own. The bulk of the issue is devoted to Daisy tracking down who murdered Coulson and it leads to some humorous exchanges. Who would have known that life model decoys are anatomically correct?

| Published by Marvel

Spy Seal #2 feels even more like a European funny animal book than the first issue. To me it feels like Rich Tommaso is doing a take on something like Tin Tin, but with an anthropomorphic seal, and it’s just wonderful.

| Published by Image

Transformers: Lost Light #9 gives a kind of closure, or at least a transition, to the Natuica/Velocity/Skids character and story arcs. It’s kind of bittersweet when you consider the implications and I expect that James Roberts will undoubtedly revisit this somewhere in the future. Also, the reveal of who the “Grand Architect” is at the end of this issue is pretty epic.

| Published by IDW

Uncanny Avengers #27 is a pretty straight-forward conclusion to the team’s confrontation with Graviton. It’s mostly action, but there are some character moments cementing that this team can still work together fairly effectively. The artwork from Sean Izaakse again is very nice.

| Published by Marvel

Other Highlights: Babyteeth #4, Black Science #31, Clue #4, Curse Words #8, The Damned: Ill-Gotten #4, Defenders #5, Dread Gods #2, First Strike #3, Genius: Cartel #2, Ghost Station Zero #2, Harrow County #25, Hellboy & BPRD - 1955: Occult Intelligence #1, InSEXts #13, Jane, Lumberjanes #42, Mage: The Hero Denied #2, The Realm #1, Riverdale #6, Rocket #5, Rose #6, Runaways #1, The Shadow #2, Shadows on the Grave #8, Slam!: Next Jam #1, The Sovereigns #5, The Spirit: The Corpse Makers #4, Star Wars #36, Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #12, TMNT Universe #14, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #24, Venomverse #2, War for the Planet of the Apes #3, Weapon X #8, Winnebago Graveyard #4, X-Men Blue #11

Recommended Collections: Britannia - Vol. 2: We Who Are About to Die, Elektra: Always Bet on Red, Kingpin: Born Against, Saucer Country, TMNT - Vol. 17: Desperate Measures

d. emerson eddy believes that uptown funk is going to give it to you. Don’t believe him? Just watch.

#This Week in Comics #Ninjak 0 #Matt Kindt #Francis Portela

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wiildhcartsrun · 7 years

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in honour of the seven year anniversary of the first christchurch quake, here is my list of things that could play apart in your character/setting after an earthquake or during it. please note these are from personal experiences, so it could differ.

waking up during one - it is terrifying, especially after going through one before. it can be very hard to go back to sleep once it dies down.

some can people can move around as it happens, it’s a matter of balance.

if it’s not secure it may fall. the bigger the quake, the more likely something is going to fall or crack.

cupboards are loud, shelves are loud.

power is most likely going to go out, and can be out for hours at a time - even days

water will get contaminated, you’ll be boiling water for at least two days

older buildings have a higher chance of falling/breaking/becoming unlivable compared to that of newer homes.

the taller the building, the chances are it may become less stable - even worse if it’s older

CONTACT VIA CALLS AND TEXT WILL TAKE A WHILE BECAUSE EVERYONE IS TRYING TO CONTACT LOVED ONES.

Some people are criers, some people shake after, some people are ‘strong’ through and after.

after shocks are scary, but if experienced enough, can become unnoticeable unless it’s big.

big schools will become safe havens for weeks, they’ll help supply spare water, help with shelter for a bit - those school will be closed to the students. it might not be a school, but some big place similar

it interrupts school work. in end of year exams, an emergency pack with your cell, keys, money etc. is allowed in the room in a clear bag under the desk.

homes will be destroyed.

liquefaction can very well happen

traffic to get home will become jammed

ptsd will most likely happen, especially in kids. (this has been studied, 4 in 5 kids going to primary in chch suffer from ptsd ranging from one symptom up to twelve)

the pstd might not show up for a while, but can show up later

personally i can not watch earthquake scenes in shows or movies anymore, and this is 7 years later, and seeing photos of the damage can make my heart race. and i’m fine if a quake happens during the day, but if i’m asleep and it wakes me, i will be awake, wide awake with my heart racing.

talking about it can help, but sometimes it doesn’t - this is person dependant. sometimes even writing about it is hard (example me writing this right now)

some people become jumpy after for a while, so if aftershocks happen or if a heavy truck rumbles by, it can make people scared or jumpy

people will run from a building if they can during one, i was in school when one happened and we were waiting to get into class when it started and everyone was already running out of the building and heading to the ‘fire/evacuation’ spot.

earthquake drills will become frequent for months

#reference #earthquake reference #writing reference

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roccorrios · 5 years

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10 Worst Natural Disasters in History (Deadliest, Biggest, & Most Recent)

Nobody prepares you for natural disasters.

They happen unexpectedly and without warning, leaving behind a trail of distraction.

It takes years for countries affected by the worst natural disasters in history to recover from the destruction.

Some of the natural disasters that have hit various parts of the world in recent years include; tsunamis, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods.

Helpful Links: Disaster Preparedness Kit

Disaster Prediction: Advancements in the World of Science

Innovations in the world of science have enabled scientists to predict some natural disasters in advance.

This gives people living around and close to the flagged areas sufficient time to shift before the biggest natural disasters happen. Sometimes when the predicted disasters aren’t severe, all the residents will need to do is to take shelter and be cautious.

Predicting natural disasters in the world was impossible in the past and the aftermath would be mass casualties.

Some of the most famous natural disasters are a clear indication of the tremendous power of the earth’s geology and atmospheric conditions.

Let’s look at some of the top 10 recent natural disasters in the world.

Video – Worst Natural Disasters in History

1. The 2010 Haiti Quake

On January 12, 2010, an earthquake that has since been listed in one of the top 10 natural disaster lists in the world hit Haiti. The earthquake was so massive that estimating the casualties was a difficult task.

A year after the worst natural disaster happened, the Haitian government estimated that the quake’s magnitude was 7.0.

The government went on to report that the disaster claimed the lives of 230,000 people. Government officials, however, would later in 2011 revise that figure to 316,000 lives lost after the aftermath.

The figures were highly disputed in a study published in 2010, which placed the number at 160,000 deaths.

Another report would revise the number downwards to between 46,000 and 85,000. The variations in the number of casualties displayed the difficulties incurred in counting the fatalities.

Critics in Haiti claimed that the government increased the death toll to secure additional international aid.

2. Cyclone Idai 2019

Cyclone Idai, a category 2 storm hit Beira city in Mozambique on March 14, 2019. The cyclone is one of the most deadly natural disasters experienced in the country.

It was accompanied by strong winds and heavy rains which resulted in flash flooding, tremendous destruction of crops and property, and numerous deaths.

On April 25, 2019, less than six weeks later, the country was again hit hard by Cyclone Kenneth. This time the northern part of Mozambique approximately 600 miles north of Idai’s collision area was affected.

Tragic flooding resulting from the two worst disasters in history affected approximately 2.2 million people in Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe, leaving behind a trail of unparalleled amounts of damage. Cyclone Idai formed in the Mozambique Channel between the country and Madagascar.

Magnitude of Storms

Storms that form here are hardly as strong as those that develop east and north of Madagascar. However, Cyclone Idai was bolstered by warm water temperatures.

The tropical Cyclone Keneth developed at the Mozambique Channel north of Madagascar. It was bolstered by warm sea temperatures which strengthened it to a category 4 storm from category 1 in a record 24 hours before making landfall on the 25th of April 2019.

3. 2018 Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami

A large shallow earthquake hit Minahasa Peninsula, Indonesia on the 28th of September 2018. The Quake’s epicenter was located in central Sulawesi at the hilly Donggala regency.

The 7.5 magnitude earthquake was located up to 77 km away from the capital Palu and its effects were felt far off in Samarinda along the East Kalimantan and stretched to Tawau Malaysia.

Before the event which would later go down as one of the worst disasters in history, a series of foreshocks were experienced. So massive were they such that a 6.1 magnitude tremor occurred before the quake. After the main shock, a tsunami alert which would later be called off was issued from Makassar Strait.

A Large and Destructive Disaster

At the same time, the deadliest tsunami in history hit Palu and swept buildings and houses it encountered along the way. The tsunami and the earthquake left behind approximately 4,340 people dead. Experts later described the earthquake as one of the largest natural disasters to ever hit the country since the Yogyakarta earthquake that struck in 2006.

The Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics later confirmed that the deadliest tsunami estimated to be between 4 to 7 meters had been triggered, sweeping away settlements in Donggala, Palu, and Mamuju. The aftermath of the earthquake was soil liquefaction in areas around Pal which led to mudflows in two areas. As a result, buildings were submerged leading to more deaths and missing people.

4. Hurricane Maria 2017

Hurricane Maria was one of the worst natural disasters in US history. The category 5 hurricane which struck Dominica, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands in 2017 also went down as one of the deadliest natural disasters in history.

The hurricane left behind calamitous destruction and a trail of fatalities throughout the northeastern Caribbean. This complicated recovery efforts along the Leeward Islands which had been hit by Hurricane Irma.

The losses incurred from the hurricane were estimated to be more than $91.61 billion in 2017 in Puerto Rico, making it the third most expensive tropical cyclone in history.

The hurricane Maria which originated from a tropical wave would later become a tropical storm on September 16 of the same year, east of the Lesser Antilles. Favorable environmental conditions intensified the storm as it made its way towards the island.

Category 5 Hurricane

On September 18, the hurricane was a category 5 before making landfall in Dominica. It became the first category 5 hurricane in history to strike an island, earning its place among the worst disasters in US history.

Maria weakened slightly while crossing Dominica and intensified across the eastern Caribbean with a maximum of 175 mph sustained winds and a 908 mbar pressure.

An eye wall replacement cycle happened on September 20, which weakened the hurricane to category 4 as it struck Puerto Rico.

Due to interaction with the land, the hurricane weakened further but later intensified as it made its way towards the northeast Bahamas. Maria slowly proceeded to the north weakening to a tropical storm on the 28th of September.

The hurricane advanced towards the east and the east northeast towards the open Atlantic and later became extra tropical on the 30th of September.

Dissipation of the Hurricane

Maria would dissipate on the 2nd of October. The aftermath of Hurricane Maria caused severe devastation on the entire Dominica, characterized by communication blackout that affected the entire Island. A big percentage of the infrastructure and housing were destroyed beyond repair and the abundant vegetation on the island was destroyed.

There was flooding, uprooted trees, and damaged roofs on the islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe.

Maria also left a tremendous humanitarian crisis as well as a trail of damage.

Following the storm, one of the worst electrical blackouts in US history was experienced. Numerous businesses and homes were still grappling with a lack of power as late as June 2018, almost 10 months after the storm.

Hurricane Maria was the third successive major hurricane to hit Leeward Islands within two weeks. This was after Irma made landfall in some of the islands exactly two weeks before hurricane Jose, another worst natural disaster in US history struck, and causing tropical-storm-force winds to Barbuda.

5. 2016 Ecuador Earthquake

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit the coast of Ecuador on the 16th of April 2016. This was one of the largest natural disasters which left approximately 700 people dead. The disaster left schools, homes, and infrastructure damaged beyond repair.

Over 6,000 people were left with severe injuries as well. The epicenter of this earthquake was approximately 17 miles offshore from Muisne, a town in Manabi province around 100 miles northwest of Quito, the capital city. The most affected provinces were Esmeraldas, Manabi, Santa Elena, Santo Domingo, Quayas, and Los Rio.

The earthquake left over 700,000 people needing assistance, approximately 35,000 houses damaged, and over 100,000 people in need of shelter. Sanitation, water, and healthcare facilities were also damaged.

The earthquake was described as the worst to ever hit Ecuador since 1987. Ecuador lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire and is prone to numerous small earthquakes that happen every year.

6. 2015 Nepal earthquake

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal on the 25th of April 2015. So powerful was the earthquake such that it was said to be one of the worst natural disasters in the world. The disaster left many multi-story buildings in Kathmandu completely damaged and created avalanches and landslides in the Himalaya Mountains.

Approximately 9,000 people died and over 22,000 more suffered injuries. What followed was a series of aftershocks and 17 days later another 7.3 magnitude temblor struck.

Thirty-nine out of the country’s 75 districts with 8 million people were affected. Numerous people lost their property and the quake left destruction in more than 60,000 homes.

Approximately 288,000 homes in the 14 worst struck districts were destroyed. The earthquake was worst felt in remote rural areas which made response an arduous task.

Still, humanitarian bodies responded to the disaster fast with their search and rescue services and aid deliveries. The rebuilding of schools, houses, health clinics, and livelihoods is still underway to date.

7. 2014 Ludian Earthquake

A 6.1 magnitude earthquake hit Yunnan in Ludian county China on August 3, 2014. The quake left approximately 617 people dead and injured 2,400 other people.

As of August 5th, 2014, 112 people were still missing. Following the quake termed as one of the worst natural disasters in the world, more than 12,000 collapsed while 30,000 others were damaged.

The United States Geological Survey reported that the quake took place 29 km in the west southwestern area of Zhaotong city.

The earthquake was more intense in the Yunnan province and less in the Sichuan and Guizhou areas. The earthquake resulted from a strike-slip fault that has a southwest-northeast fault plane.

Seismicity in Southern Asia results from the orogenic activity in the Himalayan mountain belt.

Following the intricate interaction between the Indo-Australian Plate and the Eurasian Plate from Afghanistan in the east of China and West of Burma, many superficial subsurface faults can be found in Myanmar and southwest China.

8. 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake and Tsunami

On the 11th of March 2011, a 9 magnitude earthquake struck northeastern Japan resulting in one of the worst tsunamis in history.

The aftermath of this massive earthquake was felt across the world from Antarctica’s ice sheet to Norway’s fjords. Years later, Tsunami debris continues to flow along North American beaches.

Residents of Japan are yet to recover from the disaster. As of 2017 February, 150,000 evacuees were still grappling with a lack of homes with 50,000 of them living in temporary housing years after the catastrophic event.

Over 120,000 buildings were destroyed following the earthquake while 278,000 were slightly damaged.

Over 726,000 homes were damaged partially, according to a Japanese agency. The financial damage was estimated to be 199 billion dollars according to statistics provided by the Japanese Government.

The entire economic cost was estimated to be $235 billion according to statistics provided by the World Bank. this was by far one of the most expensive disasters in the world.

9. 2013 Typhoon Haiyan

On the 8th of November 2013, Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in the Philippines as a category 5 storm. The typhoon left a trail of waste along with the Visayas group of islands, one of the central regions in the country that hosts up to 17 million people. Hayan was the most robust storm in 2013 and among the most robust in history.

Wind beats sustained from the typhoon were over 150 mph landing it a classification as a super typhoon. The typhoon’s gigantic storm surge left more destruction with local officials estimating that Tacloban city located on the Leyte island was 90% damaged.

The disaster affected over 14 million people in 44 provinces and left 4.1 million people displaced.

Over 6,000 people were killed in the disaster which left 1,800 people missing. Further, 1.1 million houses were partially or completely damaged.

Coconut trees are a crucial source of livelihood for the people of the Philippines. The typhoon, however, didn’t spare them and left over 33 million of them entirely damaged disrupting the livelihoods of over 5.9 million workers.

10. 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami

On the 26th of December 2004, a massive earthquake and tsunami, also known as the Boxing Day Tsunami, with its epicenter at the west coast area of Northern Sumatra Indonesia struck. The 9.1 – 9.3 magnitude earthquake achieved a Mercalli intensity up to IX in some areas.

The quake resulted from a rupture along the fault between the Indian Plate and the Burma Plate. The underwater seismic activity triggered massive tsunami waves which left huge damage to the people living along the nearby coasts.

Following the disaster, approximately 227,898 people in 14 countries died.

The largest number of victims was from Banda Aceh, a city in Indonesia. The disaster was the third-largest earthquake ever in history with the longest faulting duration ever recorded between 8 and 10 minutes.

This triggered a 10-millimeter vibration on the planet and also triggered a series of earthquakes as far away as Alaska.

So huge was the disaster such that it prompted a humanitarian response worldwide resulting in up to $14 billion. Scientifically, the event is referred to as the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake.

Video – Worst Natural Disasters You Didn’t Know About

Which are 5 of the Deadliest Natural Disasters Since 2000?

Some of these disasters include:

Haiti Earthquake of 2010

Kashmir Earthquake (2005)

Indian Ocean EarthQuake and Tsunami (2004)

Cyclone Nargis (2008)

Sichuan Earthquake (2008)

Which are 4 of the Deadliest Natural Disasters since 1900?

They include:

Bangladesh: Cyclone 1991

China: Yangtze River Flood: 1935

Japan: Great Kanto Earthquake: 1923

East Pakistan (now Bangladesh): Bhola Cyclone: 1970

Which are the Worst Natural Disasters in United States?

The 1901 Eastern United States Heat Wave which left behind 9,500 Deaths

The 1988 United States Heat Wave that left 10,000 Deaths

The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire that left 6,000 Deaths

The 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane that left 3,000 Deaths

The 1900 Galveston Hurricane that left 12,000 Deaths

Which are the World’s Worst Natural Disasters in 2018?

These include:

Papua New Guinea earthquake that left 145 people dead

Pakistan heat wave that left 180 people dead

Nigeria floods that left 200 people dead

India floods that left 361 people dead

North Korea floods that left 151 people dead

Finally

While we may not be able to prevent natural disasters, we can be on the lookout for alerts and move to safer places where necessary.