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When it comes to Japanese cuisine, people often think of famous dishes like sushi or Ramen. However, there is a unique dish with a distinctive flavor and aroma, made from fermented soybeans. Could you guess what that dish is?
Exactly, that's Natto. It is a dish with a distinct aroma that is slightly sour, and quite pungent, but rich and has a sweet and slightly bitter aftertaste. Thus, not everyone enjoys this dish.
Natto is often eaten with other toppings, such as green onions, seaweed, mustard, and soy sauce,…. The simplest way to eat it is with rice to mellow out the flavor.
There are 2 main types of natto available in Japan that you can try, such as Itohiki natto &Tera Natto (Shiokara Natto)
More information: Post

Demographics: Asian (maybe pacific islander too I've seen filipino both considered as asian or pacific islander, for malay i dont really see any conflict ab it online but for the malay people ik some identify as pacific islander, others as asian) Female, Upper-middle income (family has 4 dependents if that plays into anything), georgia, legacy at UIUC and UChicago (idk if they consider it tho)
Intended Major(s): Biomedical for most colleges and either bioengineering or mech engineering at UGA
ACT/SAT/SAT II: Taking ACT in July but based of practice so far I'm expecting anywhere from 31-33, SAT is currently a 1390 superscore (reading score is probably gonna go up after June SAT tho, rn 720 bc i had to skip a couple questions bc proctor accidentally used a broken clock so time management was rly bad, math prob not going up, if anyone has advice on sat math please lmk i keep practicing and i do so much better on practices (700s) vs the actual sat (600s) so im kinda confused on what i might be doing wrong bc usually i feel like the sat went just like the practice and boom bad score)
UW/W GPA and Rank: 4.0/4.0 UW, 4.2 W, 45/825 (top 5% at school and the state)
Coursework: All Honors/Gifted courses throughout HS, 7 APs by end of HS: APHUG 5, Bio 5, Chem (awaiting score, expecting 4), USH (self-study, awaiting score, expecting 4-5), Calc BC (senior year), Phys C (senior year), US Gov (senior year), Macroecon (senior year), maybe self-study either ap lang or ap lit senior year as well idk which one will be more worth it tho
Awards:
2nd in state TSA Photographic Technology (national qualifier)
4th in nation TSA Digital Video Production
9th and 4th respectively in state TSA Engineering Design (national qualifiers) - developed designs for a moldable bioplastic (competed at the national level for this, club advisor forgot to tell us how we placed, def not in the top 10 tho) and a solar-powered nanocrystal radiation detector (also qualified for nationals with 4th but couldn't go due to club financial difficulties and not enough people eligible to compete to make the fees worth it)
Honorable Mention in county science fair - developed a moldable bioplastic to address the concerns of current-day bioplastics
Academic Letter: 9, 10, 11, expecting to letter senior year as well
Orchestra Letter: 9, 11 (took orchestra for one sem only in 10 to fit in a language and 2 sem was required to letter) expecting to letter in senior year as well
Certificates of merit: one from the state, another from the county for achievement bc of placing 2nd in a state competition
Extracurriculars: pretty good but idt their considered exceptional for many of the schools I'm applying to
TSA - Secretary (12) - for anyone that doenst know what this is, its a club based off of competition events around STEAM topics and careers; i kept track of all meetings, organized files and paperwork, in charge of creating/handling forms and sign-ups, filled out some paperwork, Event Lead (11) - organized and led meetings for several competitive events by facilitating stuff like conversation and cooperation among team members, served as a student advisor for certain events, roles from this role will be maintained as secretary
Green Team - Co-President (12), VP (11), Head o. Communications (10), Shadow Officer (9) - in charge of organizing and planning meetings and various events, managed communication between officers and sponsors through emails and social media, as of rn me and co pres are in charge of finding a new sponsor
Crochet Club - Co-President (12), VP (11), Founder (10) - same duties as listed with Green Team, helped teach members how to crochet and gave out advice on crochet
Crochet - tutored others in crochet, had a crochet business in 9-10 grade (had to stop in 11 because it got in the way of school), have a passion project for crochet in the form of an instagram account documenting projects and my crochet journey, potentially might start a non-profit but still figuring out details for if its plausible for me
Viola - played for 7 years so far, highest level orchestra class, section leader (we didn't really count section leaders as just first and second chair in my class), private lessons, alternate position at Emory Youth Symphony (one of the top state orchestras), tutored viola for 3 years (unsure if continuing next year because new orchestra teachers)
Photography - self taught myself photography, been doing it for 7 years, passion project in the form of a private senior year dump on insta comprised of various pictures from the year, designed to showcase the chaos and ups and downs of the senior year experience with pictures for everyday until graduation (styles ranging from professional to looks like a toddler took this), entered my work into several competitions, am currently working on reviving my school's photography club
Creative Writing - write poems in my free time sometimes, had a work published in my schools literary magazine
Work (Paid) - cashiebarista at a boba place
General member for NHS, Beta, AASO, and SWENext
100-150 volunteer hours (could be more could be less but the lady in charge of hours at my school has not responded to the last 5 emails i've sent over the year asking about how many I have)
Essays/LORs/Other:
Common App Essay - solid 7/10 averaging the ones i've started, language arts teacher last year told me I'm one of the strongest creative writers she has and she's very tough on writing. I have what i think might be good topics (might be generic tho in terms of my demographic), I've started on multiple essays for my strongest topics: red and the multiple meanings it carries (i.e. culture, events, people, memories, objects), being torn between my passion for the arts vs academics (as my ecs lean heavy on the arts so that addresses that a bit) and how that divide affects my relationship with those, or my tumultuous history with instruments and my cultures effect on that relationship
LORS:
11th LA teacher - she's my school mom and I love her sm, she's seen me really grow in my writing (and as a person) and has helped me to be able to get more creative with it as well. Whenever I need god advice she's one of the first people I turn to and she's probably my most trusted adult at school; I can ask her about pretty much anything and she won't judge (i'm able to talk with her ab my mental health and how school's been affecting it which I can't really talk ab it to my parents because they don't really believe that much in mental health if its not something obvious), we're pretty close and i even got the chance to write something for her wedding as well, she's definitely going to be a teacher that I'm gonna visit a lot senior year
ap chem teacher - she's seen me really grow as a person over the year and out of all my teachers, she especially can testify to my curiosity, drive to learn, and my determination/dedication as she knows i've stayed up late many nights so i could get good calculations and pre/post-lab questions (i'm surprised i didn't drive her crazy with the sheer amount of stuff i asked too), we're pretty close and i also tie-dyed a onesie for her upcoming baby
Note: my schedule got really messed up in junior year so I wasn't able to take many aps then so trying to make up for it with senior year (considering the self studied ap i did, I'm around 2-3 aps behind most of the top students at my school so my ranking is thus a lot lower than it could be, school offers around 20 aps but many are blocked behind prereq classes), schedule resulted in me taking senior year science in junior year as well an additional credit of Chinese instead of another AP (now at 3 years of Chinese, conversational level)
Schools: going for the ivies and JHU are considered me shotgunning I'm pretty sure considering my ecs lol
Idk which admission path yet so if anyone has any advice on deciding which admissions path would be most beneficial for me, that would be greatly appreciated: JHU (idt its legacy but i have several aunts and uncles that have attended), Cornell, UIUC (legacy, leaning towards EA), UChicago (legacy from grad school, admission path and if i even submit an application is hinging on how creative the writing prompts are gonna be), UPenn
EA: UGA, Georgia Tech
RD: MIT, UMich, Georgia State University, Kennessaw State

She met Armie Hammer on Facebook in 2016 but i don’t think it’s been discussed if she reached out to him or he reached out to her. she held a press conference in 2021 saying that they were intimate with each other during 2016 to 2020. At that press conference she said “Armie Hammer violently raped me for over four hours” in2017. Armie said his affairs were “completely consensual in that they were fully discussed, agreed upon and mutually participatory”. And Effie said “Looking back, it is now clear to me he was employing manipulation tactics in order to exert control over me until I started to lose myself. [He] would often test my devotion to him, crossing my boundaries as he became increasingly more violent used me mentally, emotionally, sexually” there are other allegations that you can google. Celebrity attorney Gloria Allred at first represented Effie and the LAPD started investigating her accusations in 2021. Armie hammer’s legal team said “With the truth on his side, Mr. Hammer welcomes the opportunity to set the record straight. From day one, Mr. Hammer has maintained that all of his interactions with Ms. Angelova — and every other sexual partner of his for that matter — have been completely consensual, discussed and agreed upon in advance, and mutually participatory. Ms. Angelova’s attention seeking and ill-advised legal bid will only make it more difficult for real victims of sexual violence to get the justice they deserve.” If I’m being honest, I watched a documentary on Armie and he’s a total psycho. Google that stuff too.
There’s some stuff around Effie and Armies attorney being involved with each other but I can’t verify it so I don’t want to get in to it.
Effie also released lots of screen shots and text messages that show he’s a weirdo. She made lots of instragram videos about them too.
Gloria Allred fired Effie as a client because “Gloria Allred fired Effie once she wouldn’t sign a declaration under perjury of her accusations” that means Effie wouldn’t sign a piece of paper that means “Declaration under penalty of perjury is a statement of facts or testimony accompanied by the declaration that the person making the statement will be found guilty of perjury if the facts declared in the statement are shown to be untrue” I’m using lots of quotes here because I’m using sources and not my opinion. You can copy and paste the quoted text into google to read the articles for yourself.
FFWD to a few days ago: The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said about her case “In this case, those prosecutors conducted an extremely thorough review, but determined that at this time, there is insufficient evidence to charge Mr. Hammer with a crime” “Due to the complexity of the relationship and inability to prove a non-consensual, forcible sexual encounter we are unable to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Effie doesn’t deserve to not be believed because her case wasn’t prosecuted and I want to be really clear about that. Saying and doing something takes bravery and more often than not things don’t go in favor of the victim and it’s awful. Armie also seems like a horrible person regardless of whether or not he was charged with a crime (take a hint Effie)
But then things got all sorts of twisted. Effie has posted on chrisdelia nonstop in the last while to tell every girl who has talked about how Chris has hurt them or what he did to them wasn’t hurt enough for her. Also, she doesn’t know him at all which is the craziest part. At her press conference she said Armie used her mentally and emotionally but laughs at the girls that say the same about Chris. She hasn’t ever mentioned the underage girls but talks alot about sucking dick which is so weird. She also says everything is just allegations because there’s no charges but now that she has no charges and just allegations, doesn’t thT make her like everyone else she’s been attacking? P.S. I think I probably left alot of details out but there is just too much to cover. Fill in anything I’ve missed and thank you for being here!

When it comes to Japanese cuisine, people often think of famous dishes like sushi or Ramen. However, there is a unique dish with a distinctive flavor and aroma, made from fermented soybeans. Could you guess what that dish is?
Exactly, that's Natto. It is a dish with a distinct aroma that is slightly sour, and quite pungent, but rich and has a sweet and slightly bitter aftertaste. Thus, not everyone enjoys this dish.
Natto is often eaten with other toppings, such as green onions, seaweed, mustard, and soy sauce,…. The simplest way to eat it is with rice to mellow out the flavor.
There are 2 main types of natto available in Japan that you can try, such as Itohiki natto & Tera Natto (Shiokara Natto).
Based on the above information, I hope that you will find a type of natto to your liking and gain a better understanding of Japanese cuisine!
More information: Post

Hey all! I don’t live in Daytona, or the state of Florida for that matter. I was on the phone with a friend this past evening (Sunday), and the Daytona Beach PD/State Police/ or (I have no idea which) department showed up and my friend was arrested when she answered the door. She didn’t do anything wrong. It’s a long TLDR if I went into it. Not drugs, non violent, and deals with crazy (more then likely literally crazy) tenants.
This was around 9pm EST.
I hopped onto the Volusia County inmate info page and she still hasn’t been booked. It’s 2 am EST. What gives?
I see a few other folks have been booked this evening and they don’t seem that busy in booking tonight. The scanner is crazy, (y’all are wild!), but not many arrests. So wondering if she wasn’t arrested by Daytona PD or Volusia County if there is a different agency she could have been arrested by - and if so, where else I should look for her booking? Any ideas? Trying to get her bonded out if they allow it. I have called the jail and they say they do not have an inmate by this name but confirmed with a family member she was taken away as under arrest in handcuffs in back of police vehicle. Thanks for your help!
TLDR - Friend arrested in Daytona Beach at 9pm and no booking still at Volusia County Jail at 2am. Looking for other locations or time frame.

Popular wedding venues in the western and central states were featured in Part 1 of US wedding venues. So in part two, we'll focus on wedding venues in the eastern states. Whether it's a luxurious hotel, a rustic barn, or a spacious meadow, all are included. Again, the features of these venues and the approximate prices will be written. Let's explore these beautiful wedding venues!

Wisconsin Wedding Venues

The Paine Art Center and Gardens

This is an art museum located at 1410 Algoma Blvd, Oshkosh. It is an English-style country estate and has nearly four acres of gardens. It has perennial plants and is a great outdoor ceremony venue. Also, there is a historic mansion, charming carriage house, and greenhouse. The venue can accommodate up to 200 people and costs approximately $3000 to $4000 For 100 Guests.

The Lageret

This is a professional event venue located at 515 E Main St, Stoughton. This historic venue offers industrial and rustic charm with exposed brick walls, high ceilings, and wood beams. It has ample space for ceremonies and receptions. The venue offers event coordination, customizable lighting options, a bridal suite, and access to preferred vendors. Accommodations for up to 250 people start at $3,500 for a 12-hour rental.

The Enchanted Barn

Located at 1543 6 1/2 Ave, Hillsdale, this barn has an old-world rustic atmosphere around every corner. Featuring several indoor and outdoor venues, one of the most popular ceremony locations is located in Barn's upper-level Hayloft, featuring old wood timbers. Several wedding package options are available here and can accommodate up to 220 people. Off-season all-inclusive wedding packages are $5,000 plus $21 per person.

Illinois Wedding Venues

Danada House

This is a historic mansion located at 3S501 Naperville Rd, Wheaton. a short drive from Chicago. The mansion is also surrounded by a forest preserve that allows for nature-filled photos. There are seven ceremony locations in total, and the largest Magnolia Garden can accommodate up to 300 guests. Venue rentals start at $3,500.

The Morton Arboretum

This is a public nature garden and outdoor museum located at 4100 IL-53, Lisle. Inside there are not only mature trees and flowers but also a playground for children. Offering beautiful woodland and lakeside views. The large garden has a total of 12 venues to choose from and the largest room can accommodate up to 300 guests. Prices range from $600 to $9,000 depending on the size of the room and the time of year it is held.

Salvage One

Located at 1840 W Hubbard St, Chicago, this is a very unique location that serves as a store besides being a wedding venue. It preserves treasured furniture from the past. This old Chicago warehouse offers an enchanting vintage atmosphere. The ceremony and banquet space can accommodate about 200 people and space rentals start at $4,000.

Kentucky Wedding Venues

The Barn at Cedar Grove

The address is 1000 Brockman Keltner Rd, Greensburg, which has a rustic barn setting with picturesque scenery. Offering outdoor ceremony space, climate-controlled reception space, bridal suite, groom's quarters, and fire pit. The venue in the barn can accommodate up to 230 people. For fewer guests, the average budget for a wedding here is between $6,000 and $9,000.

The Brown Hotel

This 100-year-old hotel is located at 335 W Broadway, Louisville. The hotel has a striking Georgian Revival look and offers elegant ballrooms, luxurious accommodations, and a gorgeous rooftop garden. The hotel also has extensive experience in hosting weddings of different cultures, such as Jewish and Indian weddings. Prices are $18,000 in the off-season and can accommodate up to 300 guests.

Talon Winery & Vineyards

This winery has a large outdoor space at 7086 Tates Creek Rd, Lexington. Offers vineyard and winery backdrop, outdoor ceremony space, and rustic barn. The best part is the wine-tasting and vineyard tours. The venue can accommodate up to 250 guests and prices for ceremonies start at $1500.

Tennessee Wedding Venues

Butterfly Hollow

Located at 28 Bussell Rd, Gordonsville, our vacation accommodations are perfect for small weddings. Surrounded by scenic walking trails, mountains, and woods. This venue specializes in small weddings of 30 people or less, with a focus on an intimate and cozy experience. Wedding packages range from $1795 to $5000.

Dixon Gallery and Gardens

An art gallery on 17 acres of gardens located at 4339 Park Ave, Memphis, offers a romantic and artistic setting for weddings. The gallery offers two indoor reception venues as well as woodlands and gardens, both of which can accommodate up to 200 guests. Prices are approximately $4000 to $5000 For 100 guests.

The Bell Tower

The Bell Tower, located at 400 4th Ave S, Nashville, is almost 140 years old. The ballroom features large windows that provide plenty of natural light, creating a charming and historic setting for weddings. There are two floors beside the lobby. Seated dinners for up to 400 people range from $3,500 to $16,000 depending on time and venue.

Mississippi Wedding Venues

The Cedars

The site at 4145 Old Canton Rd, Jackson is the oldest residential building in Jackson, with a history of 175 years. The courtyard in front of the house with trees such as cedar, oak, and magnolia provides a natural backdrop for weddings. The venue can accommodate up to 300 people and costs $3,500 for a two-day weekend rental.

Dunleith Historic Inn

A National Historic Landmark located at 84 Homochitto St, Natchez, the mansion features Greek Revival columns and original pine floors. The event space has a main floor, courtyard, and South Lawn, which can accommodate up to 700 people. Wedding packages start at $6,500, not including catering.

The Gin at Flora Station

The address is 4819 MS-22, Flora. The refurbished cotton gin blends rustic charm with modern amenities. It offers indoor and outdoor spaces, including a covered gazebo and a patio with an old-fashioned truck bar. Rentals for ceremonies and receptions start at $3,500.

Alabama Wedding Venues

B&A Warehouse

This building, located at 1531 1st Ave S, Birmingham, is historic from the outside. With its industrial-inspired design and high ceilings along with red brick walls. Three indoor venues can accommodate up to 300 guests, and the cost of a ceremony starts at $4,000.

The Sterling Castle

This castle is located at 389 Deseret Dr, Shelby, and has been voted the best wedding venue in Alabama. The fairytale-style castle, elegant ballroom, charming courtyard, and lakeside and drawbridge venues. This beautiful venue can accommodate up to 300 guests and all-inclusive weddings are priced at $10,000+.

Huntsville Museum of Art

This is an art museum located at 300 Church St SW, Huntsville. With unique indoor and outdoor spaces, the museum is a contemporary art gallery. Offering outdoor spaces with a rooftop terrace, and five indoor hospitality venues. The starting venue fee for a wedding reception in high season is $1,500.

Michigan Wedding Venues

Colony Club Detroit

Located at 2310 Park Ave, Detroit, this Georgian-style, historic venue features stunning architecture and gorgeous interiors. The hotel features a grand ballroom decorated with crystal chandeliers and intricate details. The ballroom can accommodate up to 350 guests and is priced between $12,000 and $15,000.

Castle Farms

This historic building, built in 1918, is located at 5052 M-66, Charlevoix. With a total of four site combinations in the summer. It offers several ceremony and reception spaces, including a charming outdoor garden and a majestic stone courtyard. The largest of these, the East Garden and Queen's Courtyard can host up to 300 guests. And the price range is between $6,750 and $9,250.

The Inn at Stonecliffe

This is a Victorian village located at 8593 Cudahy Cir, Mackinac Island. away from the hustle and bustle of the area. With beautiful gardens and breathtaking views of Lake Huron and the Mackinaw Bridge. Accommodates up to 300 people and prices range from $4000 to $10,000.

Ohio Wedding Venues

Franklin Park Conservatory

This is a horticultural and educational institution located at 1777 E Broad St, Columbus. The most popular venue is the indoor garden with an all-glass ceiling. Besides, there is an industrial-style venue and a 200-year-old barn. The venue has plenty of space and can accommodate up to 500 people, with prices ranging from $7,000 to $11,000 for a wedding of 100 guests.

The Columbus Athenaeum

The historic building at 32 N 4th St, Columbus, was built in 1899. With a total of ten venues to choose from, the Grand Ballroom boasts gorgeous details and a stunning atrium. It is decorated with classical Greek art as well as soaring ornate ceilings. It can accommodate up to 230 guests. Prices for receptions start at $3,000.

Gervasi Vineyard

An oversized wine estate located at 1700 55th St NE, Canton. Picturesque vineyard setting and sparkling lake views. The open-air venue can accommodate up to 300 people, while the indoor venue can accommodate up to 120 guests. Full-service event planning, vineyard tours, and wine tastings are available. Prices for receptions will start at $1,450.

Georgia Wedding Venues

Barnsley Resort

This resort is located at 597 Barnsley Gardens Rd NW, Adairsville. With over 3,000 acres of land, it is a historic southern estate. With lush gardens, luxurious cabins, and grounds that can accommodate up to 250 people. Three wedding packages are available: $275 per person, $320 per person, and $350 per person. And a least of 150 people is required.

Summerour Studio

This is a renovated warehouse located at 409 Bishop St NW, Atlanta. The roof is supported by massive bow trusses, which allow for a spacious, open floor plan without columns or supports. Through a wall of windows running the length of the space, there are breathtaking views of Atlantic Station and the downtown skyline. Accommodating up to 425 people, prices start at $4,000.

The Biltmore Ballrooms

The ballroom is located at 817 W Peachtree St NW 208, Atlanta, and was established in 1924. The ballroom features a handcrafted plaster relief ceiling, ornate crystal lighting, and a marble floor. Capacity ranges from 50 to 1,500 people and offers eleven caterers. Rental rates range from $3,500 to $5,000, depending on the day of the week.

Florida Wedding Venues

The Ancient Spanish Monastery

Located at 16711 W Dixie Hwy, North Miami Beach. This monastery was dismantled piece by piece from northern Spain and shipped to the United States, then rebuilt over 19 months. It offers a chapel and gardens for ceremonies. The garden can accommodate up to 300 guests for $6,500 and includes only the cost of the reception.

The Breakers Palm Beach

This is a luxury resort located at 1 S County Rd, Palm Beach. This luxury resort is located in Palm Beach and enjoys magnificent beachfront views, lush gardens, and an exquisite ballroom. It boasts a timeless and elegant ambiance. It can host weddings for a maximum of less than 500 people, and detailed prices need to be communicated with the hotel.

The Ringling Museum

The museum is located at 5401 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota, with a breathtaking view of Sarasota Bay. This venue offers unique views of art, culture, and the stunning waterfront. It includes many event spaces, including a large courtyard and an elegant ballroom. The largest art gallery courtyard can accommodate up to 125 guests and prices start at $20,000.

New York Wedding Venues

Mohonk Mountain House

Located at 1000 Mountain Rest Rd, New Paltz, this historic resort is surrounded by 40,000 acres of pristine forest. Featuring a majestic Victorian castle with panoramic mountain views. Choose from lakeside, garden, and mountain views for your ceremony. Wedding packages range from $275 to $375 per person.

The Foundry

The address is 42-38 9th Street, Long Island City, with a history dating back to the 19th century. Offering an industrial chic atmosphere, a garden courtyard and conservatory, a stunning main space, plus rustic interiors. Accommodates up to 180 guests, with receptions starting at $14,000.

The Garrison

Estate at 2015 US-9, Garrison, with superb Hudson River views and Catskill Mountain views. The venue offers a modern ballroom, outdoor ceremony space, and golf course. The venue can accommodate up to 200 guests for $12,000.

Pennsylvania Wedding Venues

The Curtis Atrium

The historic building at 699 Walnut St, Philadelphia used to be the Curtis Publishing Company. It is now a building with a mix of residential, office, and retail space. It features a stunning atrium, marble columns, and a stunning rotunda. Space rentals start at $8,000.

The Cork Factory Hotel

This boutique hotel is located at 480 New Holland Ave 3000, Lancaster, a converted historic cork mill with exposed brick walls. Offering industrial charm and modern amenities. The venue has a ballroom, a terrace, and a 2,300-square-foot warehouse. Space is available for up to 200 guests, and wedding packages start at $7,000.

Terrain Gardens at Devon Yard

A stunning garden is located at 138 W Lancaster Ave Suite 130, Devon. The venue is decorated with elements such as reclaimed barn wood floors, raised holiday lights, and skylights to create a unique aesthetic. Of course, there is an essential gardening setting and open-air venue that can accommodate up to 140 guests. Prices for receptions start at $4,525.

West Virginia Wedding Venues

Stonewall Resort

The entire resort is nestled beside a tranquil lake at 940 Resort Drive Roanoke, a place of scenic beauty and rustic charm. Wedding venues are available on the lakeside lawn or in the courtyard, with an indoor grand hall and stone-walled ballroom. Spa services, golf courses, and entertainment can also be experienced with wedding packages ranging from $3,500 to $12,000.

The Greenbrier

A luxury resort located at 101 W Main St, White Sulphur Springs. With stunning architecture, beautiful gardens, and breathtaking mountain views. The indoor venue has a dramatic chandelier and stage. The outdoor grounds feature expansive lawns and rustic cabins. Packages start at $10,000 and vary depending on the number of guests, season, and customization.

Sleepy Hollow Golf Club

The Club at 3780 Sleepy Hollow Dr, Hurricane. It is a private golf club for families. Featuring a scenic golf course, elegant ballroom, outdoor lawn ceremony venue, and picturesque countryside views. Wedding packages start at $3,500.

Virginia Wedding Venues

Maymont

Historic Manor River Park at 1700 Hampton St, Richmond. Inside are gardens, botanical gardens, and native wildlife habitats. The scenic setting includes 100-year-old Italian gardens, European-style manor houses, pavilions, expansive lawns, and the Robbins Nature Center. Prices range from $3,500 to $6,100.

Inn At Willow Grove

This is a rustic accommodation located at 14079 Plantation Way, Orange. It is unusually peaceful and romantic, surrounded by ancient trees and beautiful gardens. One of the gardens, Boxwood, can accommodate up to 175 guests and offers idyllic views. A versatile barn is also available as a hospitality venue, with rates starting at $7,500.

The Tides Inn

Located at 480 King Carter Dr, Irvington, the entire hotel is situated on a beautiful body of water with views of the Chesapeake Bay. It is a waterfront resort. You can also come here to take part in fun activities such as tennis, golf, paddle boarding, biking, and kayaking. Weddings start at $3,100.

North Carolina Wedding Venues

The Bradford

Professional wedding venue located at 523 Pea Ridge Rd, New Hill. It resembles a European town building with charming gardens and rustic barns. It can accommodate up to 250 guests for a ceremony in the gardens. Wedding packages will vary depending on the time of year and are priced at $8,000 on Fridays and $9,800 on Saturdays.

The Merrimon-Wynne House

The mansion located at 500 N Blount St, Raleigh was built in 1876 and has been well maintained and is now a venue for various events. The building has a main floor full of Southern charm. Inside are original floors and mantelshelves, ornate chandeliers, and a wide porch. The outdoor area is also large enough to host ceremonies in the garden and can accommodate up to 250 guests. Prices for receptions start at $5,000.

Fearrington Village

It's an English-style country hotel located at 2000 Fearrington Village Center. Besides the quaint country setting there are dense gardens with water features. The largest venue is the barn, which offers spacious dining and dancing space and can accommodate up to 250 people guests. Prices for ceremonies start at $2500.

South Carolina Wedding Venues

Middleton Place

This National Historic Landmark is located at 4300 Ashley River Rd, Charleston. You can experience daily life on an 18th-century plantation and enjoy 65 acres of unobstructed views and private garden rooms. Also, enjoy the oldest landscaped gardens on the property. There are 7 ceremony venues, ranging from small weddings of 50 to 400 guests. Prices start at $5,000.

William Aiken House

The 1807 mansion is located at 456 King St, Charleston, a restored mansion that showcases Southern charm and architectural elegance. The yard features a magnolia tree that is over two hundred years old and an elegant terrace. It is also rated as one of South Carolina's premier wedding venues. The cost of a ceremony starts at $3,000.

The Cedar Room

Modern industrial event space at 701 E Bay St, Charleston. Featuring exposed brick walls, high ceilings, and large windows overlooking the cityscape. The indoor Cedar Room venue can accommodate up to 500 people for events, and the outdoor yard can seat up to 200. Events on Fridays or Sundays start at $3,500.

Vermont Wedding Venues

Inn at Mountain View Farm

The Inn at 3383 Darling Hill Rd, East Burke, has breathtaking mountaintop views. Enjoy mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and visits to animal farms, among many other activities. Venues can range from beautiful fields to cozy campfires. Weekend wedding packages start at $3,500.

Hildene - The Lincoln Family Home

The building at 1005 Hildene Rd, Manchester is full of meaning. The Lincolns built Hildene as a summer home at the turn of the 20th century. Here you can look out over the Taconic Mountains to the west and the Green Mountains to the east. The outdoor venue can accommodate up to 200 people and wedding reception prices start at $8,000.
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(Hildene - The Lincoln Family Home)

The Henry House

The historic house at 1338 Murphy Rd, North Bennington, built in 1769, is one of the oldest surviving houses in Vermont. Overlooks the authentic red-covered Henry Bridge. The site offers several vendors for you to consider. The large trees outside the house make for the best wedding photos. The venue needs to be contacted for a specific quote.

Massachusetts Wedding Venues

The Crane Estate

This is a Tudor Revival mansion located at 290 Argilla Rd, Ipswich. It was the summer home of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Taylor Crane, Jr. with winding salt marshes, miles of barrier beaches, and a beautiful hilltop mansion. And of course the rolling lawns and gardens. There are three sites to choose from in all, with the beachfront site accommodating 200 to 500 people. Weekend weddings are priced at $6500.

Red Lion Inn

The Inn at 30 Main St, Stockbridge has a 250-year history. The entire Inn combines traditional New England hospitality with the amenities of a modern hotel. The largest Hitchcock room capacity is capacity 30-175 people. Venue rentals start at $4,000.

Liberty Hotel

A sophisticated hotel located at 215 Charles St, Boston. Located in the heart of downtown, just steps from shopping, dining, Boston Parks, and more. The hotel offers a private secret garden that can accommodate up to 200 people outdoors and an indoor 3000-square-foot ballroom. Wedding venue rates start at $26,000 for up to 100 guests.

Connecticut Wedding Venues

The Lace Factory

This historic factory is located at 161 River St, Deep River, and offers a charming and rustic atmosphere for a wedding venue. It has wood floors, high ceilings, and large windows overlooking the river. The Lace Factory offers event planning services, on-site catering, and a variety of rental options for weddings of all sizes. The Factory can accommodate up to 225 people and prices start at $5,000.

Eolia Mansion at Harkness State

The address is 275 Great Neck Rd, Waterford. Nestled on the shoreline of Waterford, Connecticut, this elegant mansion offers breathtaking views of Long Island Sound. It has manicured gardens, a stone terrace, and a beautiful ballroom. The price of $5,100 includes exclusive use of the mansion's first floor and south courtyard tent for 5 hours.

The Society Room of Hartford

This event venue is located at 31 Pratt St, Hartford, and the historic venue boasts magnificent architecture. It includes a marble staircase, beautifully frescoed ceilings, and crystal chandeliers. It provides a luxurious and timeless setting for weddings. The venue can accommodate up to 300 guests and prices start at 15,000.

New Hampshire Wedding Venues

Wentworth By The Sea Country Club

Country Club at 60 Wentworth Rd, Rye. This private club is near the shore and enjoys magnificent waterfront views and a romantic atmosphere. The hotel has manicured grounds and a historic clubhouse. It can accommodate up to 250 guests in this setting. Three options are available: lawn, clubhouse, and tent weddings. Reception prices start at $30,000.

The Preserve at Chocorua

This venue, located at 88 Philbrick Neighborhood Rd, Tamworth, is a rustic and secluded wedding venue nestled in the White Mountains. It offers scenic views, a charming barn, and plenty of outdoor space for the ceremony. Outdoor activities such as sleigh rides and hiking are also available. Approximate prices will start at $1000.

Bishop Farm

The Farmhouse, located at 33 Bishop Cutoff, Lisbon, is a historic and beautifully landscaped site in the White Mountains. It offers a restored 1876 farmhouse, a barn, and lush greenery. There is also a romantic bistro with a terrace to relax in. Accommodating up to 200 guests, prices start at $15,000.

Rhode Island Wedding Venues

The Chanler at Cliff Walk

A luxury hotel located at 117 Memorial Blvd, Newport. The Chanler offers luxurious accommodations and a grand mansion setting with stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean and access to their world-class restaurant. Specializing in weddings for up to 120 guests with access to their world-class restaurant. Site rentals start at $10,000.

Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum

Historic mansion on 33 acres located at 101 Ferry Rd, Bristol with breathtaking views of Narragansett Bay. Large tents are available in the outdoor area, followed by sunset views. Accommodating up to 225 guests, weekend wedding rates start at $12,995.

The Dorrance

Situated in the heart of Providence, The Dorrance is a restored bank building with a sophisticated atmosphere and elegant decor. The most special feature is the long, luxurious bar, which can accommodate up to 200 guests throughout the venue. Venue rentals start at $7,500.

New Jersey Wedding Venues

The Ashford Estate

Located at 637 Province Line Rd, Allentown, this elegant property is nestled in a picturesque setting. Surrounded by hundreds of acres of beautifully preserved farmland, it features sparkling fountains, waterfalls, garden pavilions, expansive views, and of course, luxurious private suites. The wedding venue can accommodate up to 300 guests. Starting at $10,000.

Mallard Island Yacht Club

A club surrounded by water at 1450 NJ-72, Manahawkin. six more venues to choose from in the luxurious private island mansion. The center plaza boasts grand arches and ornate ceilings reminiscent of old-world glamour. The ballroom can accommodate up to 250 people, and prices for receptions start at $20,000.

Liberty House Restaurant & Events

This waterfront event venue is located at 76 Audrey Zapp Dr, Jersey City. It features unparalleled views of the New York City skyline, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, and the Liberty Landing Pier. The Grand Ballroom features a marble floor and floor-to-ceiling windows. The venue can accommodate up to 300 people and venue rental fees start at $8,000.

Delaware Wedding Venues

The Queen Wilmington

This dazzling venue is located at 500 N Market St, Wilmington is downtown. It is a historic music venue that offers a unique and eclectic atmosphere. The venue features a grand ballroom with a stage, state-of-the-art sound system, and elegant décor. The venue can accommodate up to 200 guests and wedding reception prices start from $3,000.

The Cordrey Center

The address is 30366 Cordrey Rd, Millsboro, and its restored barn and surrounding gardens provide a rustic and charming setting. The venue offers a range of services, including in-house catering, bar service, and event coordination. It has indoor and outdoor options and can accommodate up to 200 guests. Venue rental rates start at $3,500.

The Waterfall Catering and Special Events

With an address at 3416 Philadelphia Pike, Claymont, The Waterfall has a modern venue. Centered around a stunning indoor waterfall. The spacious ballroom features contemporary décor and customizable LED lighting systems. The venue can accommodate up to 500 guests. Prices for venue rentals start at $6,000.

Maryland Wedding Venues

Belvedere Hotel

Located at 1 East Chase Street and built-in 1902 as a historic landmark in Baltimore, The Belvedere showcases stunning architecture and classic charm. It offers a variety of event spaces, including a rooftop ballroom with panoramic views of the city. Inside, the décor is more vintage and ornate. Accommodating up to 500 guests, venue rentals start at $8,000.

Evergreen Museum & Library

This grand Gilded Age mansion is located at 4545 N Charles St, Baltimore. It is full of history with a house museum and research library. With beautiful gardens, this venue offers a mix of elegance and history. It's architectural details and scenic surroundings provide a unique backdrop. As well as a tour of the museum's collection. Accommodates up to 200 guests and starts at $6,000.

Chesapeake Bay Beach Club

Located at 500 Marina Club Rd, Stevensville, this venue offers stunning waterfront views and an elegant ballroom. It also has an oceanfront ceremony venue and luxurious accommodations. There are four ballrooms in total, three indoor and one outdoor. Accommodations for up to 300 guests start at $10,000.

District of Columbia Wedding Venues

Larz Anderson House

Located at 2118 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, the Anderson House, established in 1905, is a stunning Beaux-Arts mansion that offers a romantic and intimate setting for weddings. The venue features beautiful gardens, a grand staircase, and gorgeous rooms decorated with historic artwork. It can accommodate up to 200 guests and has access to the house's magnificent library. Prices start from $8,000.

The Hay-Adams

Located at 800 16th St NW, Washington, across from the White House, the hotel offers magnificent views of the iconic landmark. This venue has many event spaces, including a rooftop terrace from which the White House can be used as a photo backdrop. Wedding venues can accommodate up to 250 guests and prices start at $15,000.

National Museum of Women in the Arts

Located at 1250 New York Ave NW, Washington, this unique venue celebrates women artists and offers a distinctive setting for weddings. With its stunning architecture and world-class art collection, it provides an exquisite atmosphere for your special day. The venue offers a variety of event spaces, including an assembly hall and mezzanine level, and can accommodate up to 400 guests. However, the museum is temporarily closed for renovations.

Maine Wedding Venues

Hidden Pond

The resort's address is 354 Goose Rocks Rd, Kennebunkport, and is nestled in a secluded wooded area. Featuring elegant indoor and outdoor spaces. Surrounded by 60 acres of birch and balsam fir, it features two outdoor pools and a three-room treetop spa. It ensures an unforgettable wedding experience. Prices start from US$10,000.

Hardy Farm

The farm is located at 254 W Fryeburg Rd, Fryeburg. This rustic and chic site features a restored 18th-century farmhouse and a spacious barn with panoramic mountain views. Of course, there are also seasonal gardens and a woodland church. The most special feature is the provision of a cable car to reach the top of the mountain, which is also a popular backdrop for photos. It can accommodate up to 250 guests and prices start from $6,500.

Portland Regency Hotel & Spa

The address is 20 Milk St, Portland, and is centrally located, offering a blend of classic elegance and modern amenities. With many event spaces, on-site catering, and a spa, it can accommodate intimate and large weddings. Accommodations range from 10 to 220 guests, with rates starting at $3,500.

Conclusion

"When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible." When Harry Met Sally
Finally, we've rounded up our recommendations for wedding venues in each of the remaining states. Choosing the perfect wedding venue is an important step in creating your dream wedding. It sets the tone for the entire celebration and provides the backdrop for your special day. No matter what style of wedding venue you prefer, there is a venue above that perfectly suits your style and preferences.
Last but not least, don't forget to check out Quictent's wedding tent. we offer quality wedding tents for your outdoor wedding, containing various types and sizes.

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The journalists at ProPublica need your help! After receiving a tip, ProPublica started investigating prenatal genetic testing. They're collecting stories from people who've had NIPT screenings, and/or work in maternal health. If this is you, please fill out their brief questionnaire! https://www.propublica.org/getinvolved/have-you-had-an-experience-with-prenatal-genetic-testing-wed-like-to-hear-about-it-and-see-the-bill. Questions? Email [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

Welcome to the Weekly Employment Question Thread!
The intent of this thread is to allow a space for those whom wish to ask questions about joining, training, testing, disqualifications/qualifications and other questions that would otherwise be removed as per Rule 1.
The answer to almost every question you can possibly ask will be 'It depends on the department'. Your first step is to look up the requirements for your department, state/province, and country.
As always, please attempt to resource information on your own first, prior to asking questions. We see many repeat questions on this sub that have been answered multiple times.
Frequently Asked Questions:

• I want to be a Firefighter, how do I get started: Each Country/State/Province/County/City/Department has different requirements. Some require you only to put in an application. Others require certifications prior to being hired. A good place to start is to research a department you wish to join, look up their website and check their requirements.
• Am I too old: Many departments, typically career municipal ones, have an age limit. Volunteer departments usually don't. Check each department's requirements.
• I'm in high school, What can I do: Does your local department have an explorer's program or post? If so, join up. Otherwise focus on your grades, get in shape and stay in shape, and most importantly: stay out of trouble.
• I got in trouble for [insert infraction here], what are my chances: Worse than someone who has a clean record, which is the vast majority of your competition. Depending on the severity, it may not be a factor. If it is a major crime (felonies), you're likely out of luck. You might be a really nice guy/gal, but departments don't like to make exceptions, especially if there's a long line of applicants that don't have any.
• What will increase my chances of getting hired: If there's a civil service exam, study for it! There are many guides online that will help you go over all those things you forgot such as basic math and reading. Some cities even give you a study guide. If it's a firefighter exam, study for it! For the CPAT (Physical Fitness Test), cardio is arguably the most important factor. If you're going to the gym for the first time during the hiring process, you're fighting an uphill battle. Get in shape and stay in shape. Most cities offer some sort of bonus to those who are veterans of the military.
• How do I prepare for an interview: Interviews can be one on one, or in front of a board/panel. There are many generic guides that exist to help one prepare for an interview, however here are a few good tips:

1. Dress appropriately. Business casual at a minimum (Button down, tucked in long sleeve shirt with slacks and a belt, and dress shoes). Get a decent haircut and shave.
2. Practice interview questions with a friend. You can't accurately predict the off the wall questions they will ask, but you can practice the ones you know they probably will, like why do you want to be a Firefighter, or why should we hire you?
3. Scrub your social media. Gone are the days where people in charge aren't tech savvy. Don't have a perfect interview only for your chances of being hired gone to zero because your Facebook or Instagram has pictures of you getting blitzed. Set that stuff to private and leave it that way

Please upvote this post if you have a question. Upvoting this post will ensure it sticks around for a bit after it is removed as a Sticky, and will allow for greater-visibility of your question.
And lastly, If you're not 100% sure of what you're talking about, leave it for someone who does

What's up people of reddit. You lovely people can call me squid. I am just a dude that moved from Southern California to Washington state to start a life with a lovely woman I met online that I have been with for about 7 years now. I moved here when everything was still in lock down so for the first year lived here I couldn't do much to meet people. So at the moment I don't really have much friends other then my girlfriend, my coworkers, and some guys I knew back in California that I game with when our schedules match up. So I am here on this cursed site looking for friends long term, short term, family or people who just want to chat when they have a free moment. That being said let me tell you somethings about me
About me: I am a 21 year old 5'6 hispanic dude that's built like the Pillsbury dough boy but working on getting fit. I have started hitting the gym 3 times a week. I like going on walks and runs at night as well. I'm a outdoorsman I do anything from hiking, fishing, and birdwatching. Do want to try hunting but I know nothing about it so if you want to teach a green outdoorsman please be my guess. I have picked up the hobby of shooting at my local range not the best shot but I have a steady aim and hit my target 5 out of 10 times with my handgun and 7 out of 10 with my rifle. I'm into gaming on console. I have both a ps4 and Xbox one but play ps4 more often. My favorite game series are Red dead redemption, Fallout, Elder scrolls, Call of duty, Cyberpunk, Apex legends, The forest, assassins creed, dark souls, far cry, and Forza. Looking for some battlefield 2042, forza, and call of duty buddies. My taste in music is wide I listen to everything from outlaw county, grudge, metal, classic rock, and rap etc. Some of my favorite artist are Johnny Cash, Alice in chains, Hatebreed, David bowie, juiceworld, and suicide boys. I have been to a few concerts as well was able to see megadeth (twice), hatebreed, Munford and sons, and falling in reverse. I am a mechanic by trade but I am green only have been doing it for about a year. Don't have a fancy or mod car because of saving money for the future but love working on cars.
The kind of person i am:
The kind of person I am is someone that likes working with his hands I am not the brightness bulb but with time I learn and can do anything I put time into. I try my best to be self-reliant and don't like asking for help from most people even when I am in deep shit but I usually make it work for me. I understand everyone has their own life and schedules so I am not one of those people that demand you text 24/7. I believe in living free do what you wish to do as long as you don't hurt other people while you are at it.
Conclusion: This whole post is really long so if you read it thank you. You can message me on here anytime you like. Once we talk more and get to know each other I have other types of social media I will be willing to share. I hope to hear from any of you soon!

Throwaway for OBVIOUS reasons. This is a long, kind of crazy story that has a lot to do with intuition and straight up Facebook stalking lol not the most serious detective work, but it ties together. Please bare with me, as I'm going to do my best to get it all out in a way that makes sense.
I'm a healthcare worker. When I was in my early 20s, I had a coworker, lets call him "Ross," who rubbed me the wrong way within the first few weeks of knowing him. He was a seemingly charming, outgoing ~40 y/o who infiltrated into and got along well with my work friend group. He started to rub me the wrong way when he would try to "innocently" make physical contact with me during visits with our patients (making a point to put his hand over top of mine when doing a Hoyer transfer, asking for hugs, putting his hand on my back or shoulder, etc.). This escalated to him telling me on a regular basis how beautiful he thought I was and how "in shape" I was, telling me that I could be a supermodel... he continued to do this refer to me as "supermodel" at our group outings, in front of my boyfriend and his fiancé, "Rachel." She was less than thrilled and safe to say she didn't like me from the get-go. (Side note: when he started working with us he had told us about his girlfriend, it wasn't until we met her that she told us that they had been engaged for over a year.) To tell you a little about Rachel, she too was in her early 20s and a beautiful, sweet, reserved, dark-blonde girl. Hair color ties into this. They lived together with his "only" teenage daughter.
After about two months of working with this guy I could not shake the weird vibes he gave me. I told a friend that I worked with about it and she expressed that she had noticed how Ross was strangely infatuated with me and another girl that we worked with (also early 20s). She told me how she had felt like he was appropriate towards her, but pointed out that she has blonde hair and that me and the other coworker both had dark brown hair--suggesting that perhaps he had more of a type.
Decided to google Ross, as he has a rather unique last name. I figured that I would probably find nothing and could put my mind to rest about the weird feeling in my gut once I did... but I didn't. Instead, I found an obituary for a close relative of his that had his name listed as well as what I assumed were the names of his ex wife and three daughters. This peaked my interest because he had told us at length about one daughter, but only one, and that one's name was on the list.
I searched the name of his ex wife on Facebook and to my delight it seemed that most of, if not all of her posts were public. Under the influence of a strong edible, I spent more time than I'd like to admit just mindlessly scrolling through her posts. Not reading every one, but just scanning to see if there was anything that stood out. She was a pretty, older, dark-haired woman who shared a lot of After scrolling through a few months worth of posts, I came across a screenshot of a Pinterest-like image of a living room with two canvases that spelled out "STOCKHOLM" on them, or something to the effect... and her caption on it was "I found the perfect housewarming gift for my sister, Rachel," and in that moment my heart sunk to my stomach... because I KNEW.
I kept scrolling and found another post that was sharing a link to an article entitled "A Different Kind of Heart Attack: New Research Finds A Broken Heart Permanently Weakens The..." (I'm referring to a screenshot, so that's all I've got.) Her caption on the post solidified the feeling in my gut. She wrote in her caption, "This literally happened to me a few years ago... My BP was regularly low and I had fainting spells due to my heart not pumping enough blood to my brain... this was after discovering that my now ex husband was sleeping with my 15 year old sister. I later learned that he was also abusing our children." I could have barfed. Putting those pieces together told me that Rachel had been groomed into being this gross man's fiancé. From her comments it sounded like for whatever reason, the court system failed them and he had gotten out with no charges or anything.
I immediately told my friend and from that point on only interacted with Ross in a work setting. If he went out with our work friend group then I didn't talk to him, I brought my boyfriend to ensure I wasn't alone, and I avoided him at all costs. At work he still was overly friendly/touchy towards me for months until finally like a year later he finally seemed to get the hint that I wanted absolutely nothing to do with him. He stayed infatuated with my other dark-haired coworker.
I can't pinpoint when I finally noticed the mask drop from him, but I definitely can tell you that once it dropped I could see him for all that I had learned that he was... cold, dark, and unfriendly. Once he noticed that I would not play into his games, he turned off the charm on me and would get mad at me for miniscule things at work. I'm good at what I do, but this guy would try to belittle me in front of other coworkers and make it seem like I didn't know what I was doing when I would fill in for others and that my other coworker (that he loved) was the best at what we do and that I should lead by her example. I sucked it up and didn't take it personally, because I knew it wasn't... He would talk down to me and scold me for weird things and try to mansplain everything.
We had one interaction that I will never forget, outside of our clinical office. He had gone out to leave for a visit where he was training someone (still on the clock, in-home care setting) but had forgotten something in the office. I ran down to see if he had left yet to give it to him to take, as the patient needed it, and his car was still in the parking lot. I ran up and tapped on the window and this man turned his head back in disgust and his blue eyes went pitch black. It was a very short moment, but it was a switch I definitely noticed. He did the annoyed "one minute" gesture, as he had gotten on a phone call, so I waited then gave him the patient's item and quickly went back upstairs.
Not too long after that I ended up finding another job and I stopped hanging out with that work friend group because I decided that it was just giving me too much anxiety to be around this weirdo, and I didn't have to subject myself to that.
After changing jobs, he sent me an "apology" text for being rude to me and that he hoped we could still be friends. I didn't respond, but rather blocked him on everything to get my point across.
I did, however, keep Rachel, who at this point had started school for a specialty medical program. I told my close friend who knew the whole situation that I was holding out hope that Rachel was just using Ross to pay her way through school and that she would leave him once she got her degree. I never had a problem with Rachel, we just got off to a weird start and I didn't like her dude so I was not going out of my way to be her friend.. lol. So we have stayed social media friends the whole time.
Anyhow, fast forward to this last summer, Rachel graduates with her degree. I say again to my friend how much I hope she was just going to get a good job and leave him after a few good paychecks.. (I don't wish that upon most people, and definitely acknowledge that in most situations that would be awful lol my moral compass is there, I swear, but like COME ON!!! How full circle karma would that be?)
Well, they seem to stay together for a while after that until all of a sudden I noticed that she was posting in a seemingly single way... iykyk. I looked at her Instagram and noticed that she had deleted all of their photos together. After responding to a story post, I decided to ask her and she confirmed that they had in fact broken up. I told her congratulations and suggested we get a drink. This was in December.
At the beginning of spring term in my psychology class we had been discussing personality disorders and I asked my teacher some questions keeping the weird interactions I had with Ross in mind, as it is still to this day one of the craziest intuition stories I have. So I ask my teacher about the ability to infiltrate into groups with charisma but then switch to being cold, having the eyes turn black, etc.. My professor told me that the "switching" is literally that, it is the person's personality switching.. and in that moment you see the real them and it's when the "mask slips." He said it is a very common trait amongst serial killers and advised me to stay cautious and safe.
This is where I feel like my story definitely becomes more of a reach (maybe I'm just feeling insecurely crazy), but if you've stayed with me this long, maybe you'll see the dots I'm connecting. I'm a big true crime fan so there's some crime junkie theorizing here.
So, there have been a bunch of bodies that have turned up in the last four months in rural areas of surrounding counties where I live. One of the counties that the bodies were dropped is one that this guy lives in.
The first girl that they found went missing in December. She eerily resembles Ross' daughter that I saw on his ex-wife's FB page (not the one he continued to raise).
Ross and Rachel broke up around that time. Could be a trigger.
The next five bodies were found in rural areas and the commonality amongst the women is that they had dark hair and dark eyebrows, and were in their mid 20s.
That's clearly not enough to accuse someone of something as serious as murder, but it's surely enough to give me the suspicion that if the murders are connected and it's a serial killer that it could be him.
I decided to look at his FB page from an account that can't be traced back to me and over the last few months he's shared a lot of posts about mushroom hunting. You know where people go to hunt mushrooms?? RURAL. AREAS.
I feel so freaking crazy but I CANNOT shake this feeling in my gut that something is up.
Ted Bundy was the same way, a freaking charismatic guy that got caught because someone (his wife) had a weird feeling in her gut!!!
I can't really do anything though but vent to reddit, because I just can't imagine that anyone else would listen to this story and take it seriously.
Also, on the off chance that this guy's on reddit he's definitely going to know who I am. I'll be sure to tell my fiancé about this post and add it to my "if I go missing" file.

A lot of places not yet open, but really, really nice addition to Cumming/Forsyth County. It appears to me to be mostly an "entertainment district" as opposed to a "lifestyle community" as there's no housing. (However there's parking for golf carts so I'm guessing there's going to be some housing built behind it). There's an amphitheater, interesting retail, restaurants, bars and a putt putt course. The anchor of it all appears to be Tin Cup restaurant/bar. The restaurant is huge - seating about 400-450 people on 3 levels with an outdoor patio on street level and a 3rd level. The lower and upper levels are not yet open. There will eventually be 5 bars including the airstream next to the putt putt course. The putt putt course is really big. According to the website many of the holes are replicas of holes around the world including Pebble and Augusta. (We saw a guy walking around with, I'm guessing his own putter.) $15 for adults/$7 for kids - this is all from memory so take it fwiw.
I'm guessing it's open carry because they have a lot of "bar like" seating overlooking the first greens of the putt putt course and the amphitheater.
Right now there's an upscale shaved ice place (think Strawberry Cheesecake ices) that was packed, a pizza place (doesn't look NY thin but thin crust from what I saw but plenty of ppl eating there and some carry out). An ice cream place, a health food place? with smoothies, etc. and a tea room. Looks like there's at least one brewery going in, another "anchor" on the opposite end of Tin Cup that's going to have live music and may just be a bar - not sure. So interesting places that aren't currently found in Forsyth.
We were able to find street parking but, again, not tons of places open at this point. They do have a parking deck and plenty of parking behind Central football field (with it looks like a police station being built in between the parking lot and the city center).
They have a "beer fest" coming up Father's Day weekend if anyone is interested in checking it out.

Facebook events only seems to let me filter events by city. Is there any way to filter the location more broadly, for instance by county, miles radius or zipcode? There are about a dozen cities I follow but searching each one separately isn't useful

Long post but alot to explain.
Where to even start with this. I'm using a throwaway account as the people I know, might know who I'm talking about. Bare with me I'm going to try and give as much detail as possible (very highly stressed at the moment and might not be as clear as I could be).
Based in the UK
In the last year of uni I started living with a girl (lets call her Linda) who was a mutual friend of my best friend at the time. Didn't really know her except being told she smoked a lot of weed.
This was a bit of a Beige flag for me as I don't smoke or drink (mental health reasons its just not good for me fine if you do etc). I didn't have anyone else to live with so just went along with it which was alright.
When we were there for the year we were pretty close and both had alot of health/mental health issues going on. I had just been made homeless before returning to uni so my head was a bit all over the place.
Meaning I coped with the third year in kind of a mess. I started to smoke alot and eat alot of weed and drank to the point of addiction, when the fun stops, stop. I didn't stop, I had unprotected intimacy with a man and I'm not proud of it (took morning after pill, he didn't cum but yano just in case), it was a real wake up call. I had to get myself in order.
Linda, wouldn't drop that (because I was trying to stop) I wasn't being fun anymore, and that I was just a bit boring now, that I was trying to stop before it go worse.
Anyways, we left uni and then I kinda drifted and separated myself from her a bit as there was this toxic pressure to be the party girl. There were nights were it was fun but yeah, fuck me for trying to be sober.
2013 hits and I'm moving out of uni and met this new guy and I was a huge emotional wreck at this point and moved to a place far away from home in another County and yeah, didn't know anyone besides partner at the time and I drifted from this Linda girl and my best friends.
Linda didn't contact me until about 2015/2016 when I was due to visit home and make me feel guilty for not drinking and not having the party spirit I once did, the whole night I could order soft drinks and she would be pouring spirits from a hip flask into them (i was furious and accused her of being a date rapist).
She dropped contact with me and stayed as a back ground facebook friend. Just occasionally sending me messages with unsolicited tarot readings consistently and I believe in all the spiritualism things but, god did this get on my nerves.
2019 I break up with the guy in a different county and I head home. I see Linda a few times at the local gigs and stuff, nothing too intense.
THEN Covid hits, I started dating my current partner and moved into my own flat. In the same home town as Linda and one my best friends.
Because of Covid I checked up digitally with everyone and ran weekly quizzes on zoom which was great, kept the moral spirit going and people really liked them. I was so happy because I stayed sober and had been doing really well...
Before the stressed up me, returned again. Linda was very insistent that because we lived in the same town that we bubbled ( I have vulnerable family and my partner did too) so I had my 6 people and stuck to it religiously.
Anyway, the pressure began to rise, she started fancying a friend of mine we will call him Dan and got kinda obsessed with him.
2021 they share a few intimate text messages and then that was it in terms of intimacy and flirtation. She got obsessed with Dan.
She was making me the middle man, making mine and hers friendship seem like we were best mates. Which truthfully after uni I never really felt that close due to previous actions.
She wanted to get closer to Dan and Linda was driving me mad as ALL the messages had that ulterior motive of "Hey how are you... I wanna bitch about Dan"
When I say she is obsessed with DAN I mean it. Accusing him of things that are wild and beyond what actually happened.
Bear in mind due to previous actions I was trying to separate myself from Linda, she got pally in 2021 with this other girl called Sammy who is so toxic. And basically since that friendship Linda turned into a bit of dick.
Sammy has blocked me on social media because I called her out on being a dick.
I feel that Sammy has influenced her and the company she keeps is nasty.
In late 2021 I found out I was expecting my son and found out super late into the pregnancy and told my "friends" over zoom about this and that I was worried and scared.
2022 had the baby and because I had, had that night of upset and off loading, Linda held it against me and was supportive but also very draining emotially on me.
Always wanting to see the baby, hang out etc and again I kept her at arms length and kinda deteriorated mental health wise quite a bit.
I wasn't good health wise and was diagnosed with Post-partum depression, PTSD, psychosis and DID oh and anxiety (cause fuck yeah get all the diagnosis I've got a dark sense of humour applogies and I'm seeking help for this and need to be on meds too for it so I'm good for my son he is literally everything)
I couldn't cope and isolated mostly, I tried my best and made a group chat so that I could just say things the once and again tried to be there for people if they reached out to me.
But again a month post partum Linda asked about how I was and was again ulterior motive about Dan.
So I tried my best to be supportive, I was on alot of drugs to recover from the c-section, I was also yano busy being Mum, so things slipped a bit friend wise.
I know I'm not a neglectful friend as I contact and reach out where and when I can. I've always been mindful of checking in on people.
Linda was very needy and I explained in that friend group chat what I can and can't do. Emotionally and physically. And said please don't DM personally
But she kept on and on and then messaged my partner Andy and on and on it went and then more tarot readings and more and more about me, Andy and my son Allan. All the time
I don't feel like I have to justify having a life and prioritising my son and being accused of being neglectful is a bit rich really.
Am I the asshole?

1. "I messed up a jump skydiving. I was able to correct the situation and pull the pilot chute for my canopy, but I was very, very close to having my reserve go off. The reserves are generally reliable, but it’s still nothing I want to test. Landed fine and then got a very stern talking-to for pulling so low."
2. "Just google 'Levey PCH,' then ask away…I’ll be very surprised if anyone can beat what happened to me. THANK WHOEVEWHATEVER you believe in for Apple, Scorpion, UCLA, and the LA County Fire Department and Sheriff's Department."
3. "Minutes before it happened, I was under the Cypress structure that collapsed during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in California (which was a magnitude 6.9). I was traveling north underneath the double-layered structure and felt creepy and claustrophobic on the brightest day. I raced to get out, as I always did, because I hated being under it. After getting out, I felt like my tire had gone flat and started to weave around in my lane, then I noticed that everyone else was losing control and hitting their brakes too. That was the earthquake. I didn't find out until later about the collapse, and felt like I had been punched in the stomach. I'd never felt so close to death before."
4. "I was rappelling off the top of the tallest building in Bangkok (200 meters, or 656 feet) as a promotional stunt. I was supposed to rappel down to the 10th floor, land on a small balcony, and then traverse over to another building. The wind shear off the building was enough to blow me 20–30 feet away from the side of the building. Picture a spider hanging by a thread in the wind. As I got close to the 10th floor, I noticed that my rope had been cut and no longer reached the balcony, let alone the ground. The rope was about 10 feet short of the landing. So, still blowing away from the side of the building, off and on I waited until I was just above the balcony and dropped the last several feet onto the deck. Super pissed but alive."
5. "Going to school in San Francisco, I got off the bus to get cigarettes and a soda at a liquor store. I stopped at the trash can on the way out to open my cigarettes and soda and walked half a block up the street when a crane fell off the roof right where I'd been standing 30 seconds before. The crane operator was killed, and half a minute earlier, I would have been as well."
6. "Although being an ironworker comes with its fair share of risk, as long as you don’t become too incompetent, things can be safe. But that is easier said than done, seeing as the days are long and the work is physically draining. One day, I was about 60 feet in the air rigging a beam to be lowered to the ground. I signaled the crane operator to 'cable up' (lift the beam), but the beam wasn’t budging. I decided to look down the beam to see what was wrong...BANG! Before I knew it, the beam broke free and came up at my face with about 2,000 pounds of force. It knocked off my hard hat and hit every edge of my safety glasses, missing the side of my face by a quarter inch. I thought I had died, it was so sudden. I should never have put myself in what we call 'the line of fire.' I’ll never forget how close my kids were to losing their father that day because I let my judgment slip. Still gives me goosebumps talking about it."
7. "I got hit by a car and walked away with no injuries. The Sunday before final exams during my last semester of college, I went to the library at 6 a.m. to study. At 2 p.m., I needed a break and started walking back to my car. At an intersection, I stopped, made eye contact with the driver of a car at a stop sign, and started walking across the street on a crosswalk. The next thing I knew, I was up on the windshield of a Jeep Grand Cherokee. He hit the brakes, and I rolled off the hood of his car and landed on my feet. I was so freaked out that I told the guy I was fine and left. Later that afternoon, I went to the hospital to get checked out and had no injuries. The doctor told me to buy a lottery ticket on my way home because I was so lucky."
8. "While I was doing the dishes, my hip bumped the dial on my stove, turning it to ignite, but I didn't notice, so the stove was leaking gas all night. In the morning, I could tell something smelled off, but I have a hard time smelling things, so I just figured it was some old cauliflower rice I had thrown out the night before. To deal with the smell, I lit not one, but two candles, one of which was right next to the stove. Later, after coming back from running errands, as soon as I opened the door, I felt instantly violently ill, like a migraine and the flu all at once. Probably 20 minutes later, I finally saw the knob on the stove and realized what was happening."
9. "One time, I was watching TV in my lounge room and I was sitting on the floor eating. We have a really big TV and we had an earthquake, but I thought it was a train passing by. It wasn't. I ran out of the room as everything started to wobble, and the TV nearly fell on top of me."
10. "I went to summer camp when I was 15, and for our last weekend activity, they took us to Martha’s Vineyard and rented us bikes. Now, I loved riding bikes in the park as a kid but had never ridden in the street. But since 'you never forget how to ride a bike,' I figured I could do it. I headed out and tried to go up a street that was very steep. I started to lose control of the bike, and I fell into the street in between a truck that was hauling a trailer (I fell in front of the trailer). I saw this huge wheel coming at me, and my leg was stuck from the fall. I screamed as hard as I could and hoped it wouldn’t kill me (others told me they heard it a few streets away). The driver luckily heard it and slammed on the brakes; I was scuffed up but otherwise fine. You can indeed forget how to ride a bike."
11. "I got hit by a train. I was living and working at a college that has train tracks running through it and only a stop sign before you cross them at the vehicle intersection. You had to cross the tracks to leave campus. I was headed to the gym in July, and the windows were rolled up and the AC and radio were blasting. I’d crossed that crossing a thousand times, so I stopped a bit, passed the stop sign, and looked right, but the train was coming from the left. Its horn blew, but I panicked when I heard it, so I hit the accelerator but braked immediately. I was already on the tracks. It only hit my front end and dragged me about 200 feet down the tracks. I only had a broken rib, three cracked ribs, and a pretty gnarly cut on my finger. The people at the next crossing probably thought they saw someone die."
12. "My last day of driver’s education class, we were just about back to school. We were all feeling pretty good because we’d passed our tests that day. I was in the rear driver’s seat and had a classmate driving, one next to me, and a teacher in the passenger seat. We went through a green light at LITERALLY the last intersection before school when a car blew through the red light going 55 mph and slammed into us on my side, just a few inches back from where I was sitting. It spun our car into the intersection and kept going! We were all concussed and had to be taken to the hospital, but that was it. When we went to retrieve my bags from the trunk of the wreckage at the salvage yard, the shop owner admitted he hadn’t answered my ringing phone because he didn't think we had survived, and didn’t want to break the news to everyone calling me. Two inches between me and being crushed alive. In driver’s ed!"
13. "I was walking to class one day, and the shortest route went under a viaduct. It had been snowing and melting on and off for the past few days. The viaduct is about 100 feet high, and just as I was about to walk from under it and onto the pavement, a 6-foot icicle fell those 100 feet and smashed into the ground in front of me. Suffice to say, I took that as a sign not to go to my lecture and turned back home!"
14. "I was asleep in the passenger seat of a car on a highway when we flipped going about 80 mph. We rolled a few times and landed in a ditch. Airbags did not go off, and I shattered the passenger-side window with my skull. I literally walked away from it and didn't go to an ER until a few hours later. I literally had a concussion and one teeny bruise on my right arm, but nothing else. The nurses told me that if I had been awake for the accident, my neck would have snapped and I'd have died immediately. Whenever I tell people, they're always stunned — imagine my reaction waking up to a missing side window and a crushed car and being fully functional! I feel lucky every day that I was asleep and still have my life."
15. "There was one time my sister and I were driving down a long road with a huge cemetery. I thought it would be funny to hold my breath because people say if you don’t, the spirits of dead people will haunt you or something. When I held my breath, my sister slowed down to torture me. I was a little annoyed, but at the stop sign at the intersection, this car going really fast didn’t even bother to slow down. They even swerved into our lane, so my sister had to barely dodge. I swear, though, if my sister hadn't slowed down to torture me, we would have been in a bad wreck. Now I’m not annoyed that she did that, I’m lucky."
16. "This isn't dramatic, but it's continued to impact my life on a daily basis. When I was 11, I was playing baseball with the rest of my gym class. We took a time-out to argue about who was batting next, and I stood behind home plate, staring into left field. Play resumed, and no one told me to move. The strongest guy in the class laid down a single...and hit me in his backswing...with the baseball bat...in the middle of my forehead. I suffered skull fractures and a brain bleed. To this day, I have anxiety driven by the traumatic brain injury. The neurologist said that the fact that he hit the ball saved my life. Had he swung and missed, I would have died."
17. "I was in college and I had just finished my last class of the day. It was a short walk to my car that consisted of crossing a pedestrian crosswalk on the street separating the school from parking. On each side of the crosswalk were speed bumps so cars were forced to slow down. At this time of day, a good number of students were getting out of class, and a large herd of us started crossing the street at the crosswalk. There must have been 30 of us. I was stupidly looking down at my phone and was walking rather slowly. I didn’t realize that I was lagging behind. Everyone else was on the other side and I was still in the middle of the street. At the same moment, I noticed a freaking DUMP TRUCK whizzing by in front of me. It was probably 1–2 feet in front of me. Either he didn’t see me still crossing or he didn’t care. After I got to my car, all I could do was sit there in silence for a while and contemplate what could have just happened. Even as I write this, I shudder."
18. "This is definitely not the craziest cheating-death story, but it was definitely scary. I was at a waterpark with my family, and I don’t do well with heat and stairs — something about the combination makes me faint. We went on a waterslide that uses tubes, and it was a long trek up. I apparently was so sick from heat exhaustion, I passed out as I was next in line and hit my head on the tube. If it weren’t for the tube, they aren't sure I’d be alive right now."
19. "It was during Christmastime, and my mom, my little brother, and I all wanted to go look at Christmas lights near the middle school. There was a hill and then a lane where you would wait for the light to turn green and then you had to turn left. Well, the main light had turned red, so it was our turn to go, and thank god my mom checked before going, because if she hadn’t checked, a truck would have hit us, going like 60 mph, straight through the side of our car where my little brother was sitting."
20. "I was 4 or 5, and we were living in Estes Park, Colorado. At that time, I was challenging myself to go closer and closer to a river they have there. I was caught by the current and would’ve run into several rocks and a waterwheel if it weren’t for my cousin, who reached down, grabbed my arm, and saved me."
21. "I survived hitting an elk in the Canadian Rockies and going down a mountain 15 times end over end, stopping 20 feet short of a whitewater river. I gave myself first aid. Doctors said I would never walk normally again and I'd have brain damage. I sent one of them a picture of me with three gold medals around my neck."
22. "In the fall of '15, I was riding my motorcycle to work on a foggy morning. A truck with an enclosed trailer ran a stop sign in front of me while I was driving on a 55 mph road. I was unable to stop, ran into the trailer, and was pinned underneath the trailer, being crushed to death. A farmer was on his dirt bike behind the truck going to meet another farmer for coffee who lived on the corner of the intersection. Once he realized I was pinned, he ran to get his friend and his friend's skid-steer loader. They then used the skid loader to lift the trailer off of me and began CPR. Luckily, right as they started, a sheriff's deputy arrived on scene and took over. I owe my life to those two farmers. If they hadn't acted, I would have died underneath the trailer, as there would have been no way for first responders to lift it off of me (it had thousands of pounds of equipment in it) in time."
23. "I've always been handy with tools and taught myself how to do things; I've been changing flat tires for anyone who'll let me. However, one day when I was about 18 years old, my buddy came over to chill, and he had his dad's brand-new Tacoma. So we chilled for a couple of hours, and when it was time for him to leave, we noticed that his front tire was flat, so naturally, I volunteered to change it (no prior experience with independent suspensions). I placed the jack on the frame and started to go at it — lifted the car enough to take the flat out. But when the fully inflated wheel was fitted, it didn't have clearance. My first thought was to get a second jack. Half my body was underneath the car, putting the jack in, when I heard a creek, and the next thing I knew, the car slipped. The car ended up with the front end touching the ground, and I got a big scrape mark on my shoulder. To this day, I don't know how or why I did not die under that Tacoma."
24. "I lived alone with my dog. There was a hole in my gas heater, so it was leaking carbon monoxide, but of course I didn't know that at the time. My dog woke me up one morning, barking and whining, and I thought she had to go out to potty. When I sat up in bed, I got so dizzy and thought I would throw up. I ended up passing out twice, once hitting my head on the bathroom cabinet, very close to my temple, and once hitting my chin on the toilet seat. I called my boss — the only phone number I remembered at the time. (This was before cellphones.) She called 911 and they came to get me. They figured out I had carbon monoxide poisoning, and I was in the ER for eight hours that day. The doctor told that when blood gases are at a certain amount, the victim goes into a coma, without fail. Mine were more than double whatever that number was. He said no matter how much my dog was barking, I should not have woken up."
25. Finally, "I was at the beach with several of my friends, my sister, and my mom. Mom was sitting on the beach watching us. We were around 11–14, I believe, but no younger than 9. Kind of out of nowhere, we started getting sucked under the water in a rip current. I was being sucked under the pier and slammed my face into the barnacles. We were screaming for help, but at first, no one came. As I was being dragged under the water and coming up screaming for help, I could see people just staring and could hear my friends also screaming for help. Finally, people started jumping into the water to save us, including my mom. She jumped in and instantly got sucked into the current but managed to grab one of my friends. She used her body to shield him from the razor-sharp barnacles."

Link to article

Welcome to Camp Redwood! The feel-good camp for ALL AGES.
We toast marshmallows around the fire, tell spooky ghost stories, and hide in random secret military bunkers under the campgrounds! Because SOMETHING IS HERE WITH US.
Camp Redwood is the PERFECT PLACE for a summer getaway where we start EVERY DAY with a CAMP REDWOOD SMILE. Where our counselors disappear every five minutes, and our campers disembowel us for funsies! Did I forget to mention our littles aren’t actually eight years old, but fully grown adults?
We hope you enjoy your fucking stay!
We are also not responsible for any counselors revealing they are not who they said they are—and not who they appear to be.
...
So. There’s a LOT to tell you and not a lot of time to tell it.
Right now, I suppose you could say we are under lockdown—if that is the word. I want to go over the last several days to get you up to date. That’s all I can do right now. I can hope and pray the thing with Teddy’s voice does not get in here, and once again cry out for help—that I know is not coming. Not from the authorities, at least. But hey, if any of you fancy coming to rescue us, we’re in the middle of the Canadian wilderness. The closest rest-stop is maybe three fucking hours away. So have fun. Has it really almost been a week since I posted? Well, we’re still here!
And surprise, surprise, help is not coming. So, please excuse the salt. I am seventeen years old and I have been abandoned by the adults who were supposed to be looking after us.
Who were supposed to act under protocol if something like this happened. I know they were waiting for it—there are specific fucking guidelines on an emergency evacuation for counselors if this ever happened. But then the little shits took over before we could do anything. I guess I’ll start by letting you know that there are two of us left. (three, if we count Rowan, but I’m not). What I thought was going to be a quiet summer getaway with kids my age has turned into a nightmare.
For one, we have been cornered inside the head counselor’s underground secret bunker. If you want to know why she has a secret military bunker, I guess you should keep reading.
Because shit gets weirder than animal crackers having the power to turn adults into kids, and vice versa. When I made my first post, I thought that was it for us. I thought for sure there must have been a self-destruct somewhere—which meant whoever was running this camp was waiting for something like this. I was sure we were going to die, so after making the post, I have to admit with ya’ll—I just slept. I curled up, tried to ignore Harry and Carmel calling our names through childish laugher, and went to sleep with the thought in my head that I was completely at peace with what I had done with my life.
Sure, I was young. Seventeen years old is too young to be ripped apart by littles who are in fact grown adults. But as I was falling into slumber and allowing myself to fall, with my head resting in my lap, my head turned towards a separate pile of files on the other side of the room—I realized I really wanted to know how this was possible. There was so much I needed to know. Why did eight-year-old Eleanor Summers have a file where here birthday dated back to 1979? Why had supposedly innocent sugary snacks turned our adorable littles into mini psychopaths?
These kids were not kids, somehow. But how? How was that even possible? Could it be that the files were wrong?
1979 was definitely 45.
But Eleanor Summers couldn’t be 45 years old. I knew what 45 looked like. I knew that they thought like. They spent half of their time on Facebook laughing at outdated memes, and the other half… I don’t know, working? They have job’s! They’re happily married with kids, maybe soon grandkids! That was not Eleanor Summers. Because Eleanor Summers was most definitely eight years old. I had played several rounds of teddy-bears picnic, and spent hours reassuring her that Harry's ghost stories were in fact not real, enough times for me to know that this little kid was little—and a kid.
But something was bothering me. More than the secret military bunker, and magic age-regressing animal crackers. When I first signed up to Camp Redwood, one of the tag-lines to gain attraction had been, “Solve mysteries in the woods in the dead of night, with nothing but a flashlight and your fellow campers!” I had no idea I would be solving this thing on my own, trapped inside a bunker.
“What are you doing?” Rowan, who was still looking through Allison’s dinosaur laptop, turned to me with half lidded eyes, when I slowly got to my feet, careful not to make too much noise, and crept over to the pile of separate files which seemed to be crumbling apart from age. He kept his voice low, but it sounded almost like a whine. He could have been scared, but from the way he was sitting, cross-legged with a frowny face, I figured something must have been going on with him. The guy looked tired. More tired than normal.
The bags under his eyes were practically shadowing his face, and were an odd contrast to unusually ashy colored cheeks and slightly dilated eyes. Still though, Rowan refused to look vulnerable. I caught glimpse of Harry’s raybans sitting on his head, pinning back thick dark brown curls from falling in front of sleepy eyes. Maybe he was finally losing his cool and breaking out of the well-constructed façade he had been hiding behind since Teddy disappeared.
We had just narrowly escaped a crowd of psycho littles high on age-regressing sugary snacks who were doing who-the-fuck knows to the other counselors who had been captured, so I didn’t blame him looking like that. I guess he couldn’t look me in the eye, because in Rowan’s mind, he was the reason why this happened. He was the leader, and the camp had fallen to psychopathic little eight year olds who had taken half of the counselors hostage, and the other half—most likely taken apart in the physical sense, after what we had witnessed in Cassie’s cabin. Still though, it wasn’t Rowan’s fault. He could sit there and pull a face all he wanted, it’s not like I was going to blow up at him for getting us stuck down here. He actually saved us.
And trapped us, judging from the footsteps upstairs, Carmel and Harry still bouncing around looking for us.
It was a game in their heads. The little’s thought it was cat and mouse. Harry and Carmel were the oblivious cats prowling, while we were the mice, hoping to fucking GOD we weren’t caught and eaten. Ignoring Rowan, I glimpsed what looked like a box full of DVD’S—all of which were labelled with dates and names. I saw familiar ones, my heart racing into my throat. Phoebe. Eli. Cassandra.
Each DVD had one of the kid’s names scribbled on the front, as well as a date.
I found Eleanor’s right at the back of the box.
Eleanor Summers.
08/05/2021. (PM)
Before I could hesitate and think what I was doing, I slid the DVD into the portable player attached to the MacBook. Rowan, to my surprise, didn’t move. But he did make an acknowledging noise when the screen flickered to what looked like video footage. Peering at the screen, I found myself staring at a small white room. There was no door. Only a wooden desk and a chair, and sitting on it was a middle aged woman with dark blonde curls tied into a strict ponytail. She was wearing what looked like a prison jumpsuit.
Her eyes were eerily glued to the camera, unblinking. Her wrists were cuffed in front of her. Though from the look on her face, she saw the restraints as a game. Her eyes lit up with intrigue and I could practically see the cogs in her mind starting to turn as she struggled with them.
As soon as I saw this woman, I felt all of my nerve endings set alight. I wanted to turn the screen off, or look away. But once I was looking at the screen, I couldn’t bring myself to tear my eyes away. “Let’s try this again.” There was a woman offscreen. She sounded young. Too young to be in that kind of authority. I figured there was no way teenagers were being hired as special ops agents, but I guessed I was wrong. She cleared her throat. “It is 4:35 exactly. August 5th 2021. My name is Agent Lemrac,” she stated. “I am asking once again for you to comply with us. As I have said several times, the court are willing to lessen your sentence if you plead guilty with insanity.”
The woman surprised me with a snorting laugh. She seemed to come alive, leaning forward with animated features, her brow reaching her hairline. She was acting like a child, bouncing up and down in the seat, her lips stretching into a wider grin. “What did you just say?”
There was a pause. I could tell the woman was intentionally antagonising the interviewer.
“It means you have been legally declared insane,” the interviewer stumbled over her words slightly. “Mrs Summers, it would be in your best interest to work with us to lessen your current sentence which at the moment is standing at,” the sounds of shuffling paper crackled through the speakers. The interviewer cleared her throat again rustling paper. “Thirty six years. Without parole.”
The woman didn’t speak, only continued to smile—and the interviewer delved further into the sentence. “If you do in fact plead guilty with declared insanity, you will be sentenced to a program which is in the process of supporting and rehabilitating people with your…” she caught herself for a moment. I could tell this interviewer had a biased opinion and it was definitely showing through her interviewing style. I could hear the rapid intakes of her breath as she hurried through what seemed to be a script she was reading from. “Conditions.” She finished. “The Redwood program aims to help people exactly like you.”
Redwood? I thought.
Like… Camp Redwood?
Rowan whistled behind me. I guess I could call that a reaction. The guy was probably still in shock after seeing Café de Teddy splattered all over little Cassie’s cabin floor. I should have known those little bitches weren’t playing Operation for eight hours straight. Turning my attention from Rowan and back to the screen, the woman in the jumpsuit appeared to have changed tactics. Her expression twisted into nonchalance. She leaned back in her chair. “I am not pleading insane because I am not insane.”
“Mrs Summers—”
The woman cut her off. “I am not crazy.” She raised her hands “I am doing what needs to be done.” She leaned forward. “Humanity suffers in the skin. We age and die— and how is that fair? What if we want to see the next millennium? And the next two millennia after that? Why should our bodies dictate our lifespan? Why should we sit here and wait to rot and wither and die when we have the intelligence and mindset to do it? If nobody else is willing to throw ethics aside to take a step forwards in human evolution, I should do it myself.” She folded her arms across her chest, again, like a child. “I did what was to be done.”
“Dr. Summers.” The interviewer’s tone grew stiff. “You and your colleagues conducted illegal and unethical procedures on your family and friends—as well as four other victims.”
The woman inclined her head. “You have a daughter, am I correct? I have a son.”
“A child you killed, Dr Summers.” The interviewer retorted in a hiss which was definitely expressing emotion. She ignored the mention of her daughter, but I could tell it had rattled her to her core. Her voice had cracked. This case was close to her.
That was obvious. Without seeing the interviewer herself, I could sense how uncomfortable she was, shuffling in the chair. Every so often I would hear the sound of her rubbing her hands on her knees and tapping her shoe against the chair leg. She oozed anxiety, not just from her tone of voice, but the way the frame seemed to move with her. “Dr. Summers, you used your son in your research, along with several of his friends. This was not science.” Her voice shook. I heard her sharp inhale. Unprofessional, but very human. Instead of staying stoic and keeping to script, this agent was cracking apart. “It was murder.”
“Agent Lemrac, concentrate on the interview only.” An official voice crackled through what sounded like an intercom on screen.
“Got it.” She spoke through her teeth.
The woman was finding wounds and pressing on them. She was scanning the interviewer for vulnerabilities and preying on every insecurity. She leaned back speaking through a sigh. “Without my son’s sacrifice we wouldn’t have created an answer to death. To growing old and dying, and leaving loved ones behind.” Her voice softened into a murmur, but I didn’t trust it.
After identifying the shattering pieces of this interviewer which were very clear visible in her view, the woman was taking advantage.
“Agent Lemrac, you have a daughter. Am I correct in saying her name is Mari?
“That… that is not relevant.”
“Glioblastoma.” Dr. Summers lips curved into a sickening smile hidden behind mocking sympathy. “A sickness of the brain--which, unfortunately, I cannot fix. If your daughter’s brain was in my hands, I would try. However, not even a brand new body would help her. One which would never age or grow sick. And for that, I am deeply, deeply sorry.” She reached her cuffed hands forwards. “My condolences, Agent Lemrac. Honestly. I have to hand it to you. You are incredibly brave for coming here today and talking to me while abandoning your sick child.” She shook her head.
“Your daughter is dying of an incurable illness, suffering inside fragile skin which will break and fall apart and be unable to keep her standing for much longer. While my son will live on forever. He will see every millennia, a planet which will crumble and build itself back together. And maybe the end of the universe itself.” There was a twitch in her expression and a glitter in her eye I did not recognise. Insanity.
She was fucking insane. I was seeing the pure of it, the depraved and disgusting gleam in eyes empty of remorse and regret. This woman did not care what she had done. I could tell from the look on her face. If she had the chance, she would do this again.
But there was no way they were trying to say her cruelty and complete disregard for her son’s life was due to insanity.
“You are sick, Dr. Summers.” The interviewer said after a moment of gathering herself.
The woman shook her head with a chuckle. “I told you. I am not sick--”
“Sick in the head!” The interviewer’s voice exploded through the speakers in a shriek—a terrified cry she had been trying to hold in. I finally saw her—or at least the back of her. She was a young woman with light blonde hair falling loose on her shoulders. She was trembling. Slamming her hands down on the table, she screamed at the orange jumpsuit woman.
“You are psychologically fucked in the head! You psycho bitch! That is my sister!” She spoke through strangled sobs rattling her whole body. “Mari is my little sister. She is not my child.”
Her breaths were strangled and harboured. I noticed figures looming in the background, but she was continuing. “You killed your own fucking son,” she spat. “You are not legally insane, you are sick!” she shrieked. “You planned and put this together! You sit there and you talk about your son like he’s a… like he’s a tool! You deserve to rot. Do you hear me?” I noticed the orange jumpsuit woman was still smiling, satisfied with the interview’s reaction. Her words were spoken in a vicious poison as she leaned forward and spat directly in orange jumpsuit’s face.
“Agent Lemrac!” Whoever her superiors were—were panicking. “I told you not to turn it off. I knew this was going to happen. Can we stop the demonstration, please? Human emotions present inside an Aceville soldier are too powerful—"
Voices were murmuring in the background, and Agent Lemrac raised her hands. “I want to stop.” She choked out, her hands trembling. She spoke like she still had control over the situation and wasn’t being apprehended. “I want to stop. Do you hear me?” The interviewer was crying, I realized. “Stop the recording! I can’t do this. Oh god, I think I’m going to be sick—”
When the footage ended in a burst of static, I found myself backing away, something slimy creeping its way up my throat.
The woman in the orange jumpsuit who had murdered her son and countless others in what sounded like an attempt at playing god, was Eleanor Summers. I thought back to Teddy’s corpse, and the surgical precision of every organ’s removal. The young interviewer had mentioned colleagues of Eleanor.
Was it possible that Camp Redwood was in fact nothing more than a rehabilitation camp for murderous criminals? There was a loud bang from above, and I was torn from my thoughts.
I turned to Rowan, who had been unusually quiet. And I realized why, when I twisted around to find him three inches from my face, his laboured breath tickling my cheek.
The boy jumped back with a chuckle—like me noticing him was some kind of game, before diving back into the chair. I did notice something odd, as my thoughts spiralled. Rowan couldn’t sit still. Slumped in the leather spinning chair, he fingers tapped a rhythm on the armrests while his feet jumped up and down. In the dim light of the bunker, I glimpsed a sheen of sweat glistening on his forehead and the flesh of his neck. He looked to be… feverish—and now that I was looking at him properly, all of my attention on the boy, I noticed small things which seemed… off about him.
For one, he wasn’t coming up with a plan. Rowan always had a plan. Even if he wasn’t completely sure of it, or was completely winging it. This time though, he was strangely quiet. I found my voice when he stuck out his tongue at me. “What are you looking at?”
“Rowan.” I spoke softly, careful not to garner attention from above us where Harry and Carmel were still clamouring around, playing games. “Are you… feeling okay?” I asked, when he turned back to the laptop, manically biting his fingernails.
“I dunnnooooo, Josie! Am I feeeeeeling okaaaaaayyyyy?” He surprised me with an uncharacteristic laugh.
But I did know it.
I knew it from earlier when he reacted to Allison’s bunker and I had been too freaked out to realize that I was dragging along the enemy with me.
Because the fucking idiot had consumed animal crackers. I had seen him for myself earlier, pouring a pack into his mouth for a snack. Which meant either the ‘kids’ had intentionally dosed him with mind altering sugary snacks, or the more likely, he could not resist those preservatives which was the equivalent of caffeine. It’s not like I could blame him when he harboured the weight of an entire camp, but come on, did he really have to sacrifice his own fucking mind to keep himself awake?
Rowan wasn’t just biting. His nails. He was gnawing. Which he previously thought was a filthy habit. He had yelled at a camper for chewing on her nails a few days earlier.
Now that I was noticing it, I couldn’t… stop noticing it. The boy’s whole demeanour had changed; the way he was sinking into the chair, instead of sitting up straight like usual—- I used to call it having a stick up his ass. The boy started typing on the laptop, ignoring me. But when I watched the pattern of his fingers, he was just typing gibberish. Footsteps pounded above us, Harry and Carmel acting as the kid’s’ brainwashed foot-soldiers. Or, more likely somehow, if the animal crackers had caused the littles, or I guess, the fully grown forty year old criminals, to relapse in age-- then maybe it was possible for the same thing to happen to us. To Rowan.
I could feel myself starting to back away, but there was nowhere to run. I just slammed into a cupboard. My gaze flicked to Rowan again, who was tapping a beat on the laptop tracking pad, swaying back and forth, his eyes elsewhere before his gaze found mine. “Marcoooooo!” Harry shouted from above, giggling with Carmel.
I had to guess their mental age had to be at least 8-10 years old. Which meant I wasn’t just dealing with a camp full of forty-year-old psycho’s, I was also dealing with mentally relapsed counselors acting like toddlers.
Rowan seemed to jolt in the chair, twisting his head around, his eyes suddenly incredibly childlike and playful, and very Un-Rowan, were finding the ceiling, his mouth stretching into a smile, like he was seeing butterflies. His eyes flashed to me, and I caught a twitch in his lip. I knew that look. It was the look on my seven year old sister, who knew mom was mad at me, and wanted to make it even worse.
His cheeks were starting to blossom scarlet from what must have been the overwhelming urge to laugh. Rowan pressed his lips together and held in a breath like a hamster, and the asshole was fucking with me. Waiting for me to beat him to it by accident. Kids were fucking ruthless, but there was something terrifying about an 18 year old with a little kid’s mind.
I lifted my index to my lips, miming for him not to even try, but the boy just mimicked me, bugging out his eyes and pressing his finger to his grinning mouth. “Don’t you fucking dare.” I managed to whisper. The boy was definitely playing his own game, moving in twitching movements, baiting me. When he cupped his mouth, I almost let out a cry, but then he dropped his arms with a giggle, as if to say, “I’m just kidding!”
Slowly, I turned around, grabbed the salt I’d found in Allison’s cupboard, and a flat can of soda. Without making too much movement, I poured a handful of salt into the can. But Rowan seemed to know exactly what I was doing. Because in the time it was taking me to advance towards him with the can of salty soda, one arm shakily ready to grab hold of him, and put him into a headlock, he was cupping his mouth, all logic and everything adult, everything he had been as our leader, igniting in playful eyes, leaving me the last one standing.
“Pollloooooo!”
By the time Rowan had managed to reveal our hiding place in a spluttered laugh, I had hold of the squirming boy, one arm wrapped around his neck, my other forcing the can of soda into his mouth. I had definitely miscalculated his strength. During camp Redwood activities, he was always the last one to come back from the trail, holding his knees and panting. I figured he was unfit. However, I was wrong. Underneath his shirt, the guy had some serious muscles.
It was like attacking a brick wall. However, Rowan was mentally a kid. So, I had my intelligence and logic on my side. When it became obvious I wasn’t going to get anywhere with brute strength, I resorted to tickling him, which made him squirm, squeaking out a laugh. When he opened his mouth to yell at me to stop, I took my chance, thrusting the can into his lips and holding his nose so he swallowed it down.
“No!” His laughter turned into muffled yelling, as he batted his fists at my chest. “No, no, no! Get off, get off!”
His body convulsed as the salt did its job, causing the boy to lurch to his knees and choke up forbidden animal crackers in a gooish sludge which turned my stomach. By the time Rowan seemed half himself and half not, still kneeling, his head pressed against the floor, Harry was poking his head through the door with a goonish grin. “Found you!” He giggled, before forcing the door open, allowing Carmel and Callen, freshly caught and mentally turned into littles, to advance down the stairs with equally terrifying grins. There was something wrong with Harry’s face, and I only realized it when the guy himself was hauling me from the bunker, Carmel dragging a barely responsive Rowan. There was nothing in Harry’s expression, only blind childish excitement at winning the game. When he dragged me out of Allison’s cabin and threw me to the ground, I realized he too had insane strength I had not been expecting. But that thought quickly retracted when I was seeing his face in the light of a crescent moon lighting up the sky an eerie glow. Harry’s cheeks were puffy and swollen, his right eye way bigger than it should have been.
When he spoke, his voice was more of a lisp. This was something far more realistic than magical animal crackers fucking with his brain.
“He needs help!” I managed to choke out when Carmel wrapped jump-rope around my wrists. Next to me, Rowan was refusing to get up, still choking up salty soda, groaning into his hands. Every time Callen tried to restrain him, he hissed out like an animal.
“Do you hear me?!” I struggled violently. “Harry needs—”
BANG.
Is what it felt like. The feeling of something—what felt and sounded like a toy car—colliding with my temples, sent me onto the ground, my head spinning itself off of its axis. I remember lying on my back and frowning at the moon which almost looked like it was getting closer to me, blurring into a white ball of light—before reality sunk in, and it was in fact Carmel’s converse coming down to finish me off. I didn’t stay knocked out for long. But I did dream.
I think you can call it a dream? I was lying in bed at home; my room drowned in the dark. I was cosy, curled up in my blankets, when a clammy hand slammed over my mouth, rousing me from slumber. There were two figures in my room. They didn’t have faces. They just existed as shadows, silhouettes. Before one of them raised something above their head, and… impact.
It was the same impact as the toy car hitting me, snapping me back to that night. It wasn’t a dream. Because I remembered his clammy fingers over my mouth, and his hisses for me to shut up as he dragged me from my room.
My parents stood in front of me with expressions of sympathy. Basked in warm light, my mom and dad looked almost otherworldly. “For the best.” Was what they mouthed when my own phantom screams slammed into me. I asked them why, and they didn’t reply, allowing him to pull me further and further from what I knew, from my life as I knew it. But.. that couldn’t be real. I had memories of getting on the bus to camp Redwood. I could recall the whole journey. So, why… why was my tangled mind saying otherwise?
When I gathered myself, the first thing I realized was I was sitting down. I was outside, cool night air grazing my bare arms. There was something attached to me, jerking violently, And it took me several disorienting blinks to understand that I was tied back to back with Rowan. My head pounded, and something wet and warm dripped down my temple. Great. I could add head injury to the long list of things to worry about.
“Let me go you little fucking witch.”
Rowan was back to himself, though from the muffled hissing and the sound of choking—I had to guess he was being force-fed animal crackers.
“Let me—mpphmmm. little…. fucking… mphmmphhmhppmm!”
“Rowan.” I managed to get out in a croak. Through flickering eyes, I caught glimpse of a familiar figure dancing around us. Shivers rocketed down my spine, and I wrenched at the jump-rope restraints, but they did a surprisingly job of restraining my arms behind my back.
Eleanor was with Rowan, while Eli was knelt in front of me. Looking at him, the boy had definitely aged in the face—and I couldn’t help wondering what exactly he had done as a forty something year old to be sent to this place.
“Josie!” Rowan responded in a wail. “Josie. Wake the FUCK up.”
“Stop swearing.”
Eleanor spoke with the cold tone of her actual age.
“Oh, yeah?” Rowan spluttered. “Fuck you.” The boy’s laugh was still rough from almost vomiting his insides out from too much salt intake. “I’m sorry, you were a fucking boomer all along?!” He wriggled in the restraints, lunging forwards, which sent me backwards.
“Stop swearing, Rowan.” Was all the girl responded with calmly.
“Like I’m going to listen to you!” He sneered. “Fuck, fuck, fuckity, fucking fuck!” What are you going to do, huh? Bite me with your false teeth?” The sound of saliva hitting skin made me wince. He was pissed. I had no doubt his completely rational anger was going to get us killed. Rowan was also somehow getting mixed up between forty and eighty. Though he was unwillingly snacking on mind bending sugary goodness.
“Fudge, Rowan.” Eleanor spoke in a giggle.
“What?!”
“Say fudge. Not fuck.”
“No.”
His hiss of pain caught me off guard. I don’t know what she was doing to him, but it was hurting him.
“You fudging fudge! I’m going to fudging kill you when I get out of these fudging ropes—“ his manic cursing became a muffled yell.
“Say fudge,” Eleanor hummed, followed by his hiss when the palm of her hand skinned his cheek. “Fuck is a bad word. You even said so yourself and you’re my favourite counselor.”
He heaved out a breath.
“You fudge,” Rowan spat. “When I get out of this, I am going to fudging kill you, you fudging—” His manic ranting morphed, once again, into muffled yelling, after another fistful of animal crackers were forced into his mouth. When I risked twisting around, I could see his rebellion slowly starting to simmer out as he relaxed slightly. I wanted to yell at him to keep a clear head before cold fingers were dipping under my chin and forcing my head around where I found myself face to face with Eli.
“I like you, Josie,” he said, before untying me and pulling me to my feet. Now at the age of nine or ten, he was a lot stronger. When I tried to pull away, the cruel blade of a knife grazed my gut. I caught his grin. “But we don’t need you.” Eli pointed to Rowan.
“We just want them.”
I followed his pointer finger which went from Rowan to Harry and Carmel, who were just standing there like fucking idiots, probably awaiting the next game. Harry’s face was getting redder. It looked like he was suffocating, and yet his grin was growing wider and wider, splitting his lips apart. “Rowan Atlas.” Eleanor said, dragging him to his feet. Something was stapled to his forehead head, which caused him to howl in pain, hissing another strangled line of “Fudge”. but I couldn’t read what it was.
“Camp leader. Intelligent, and problem solving skills.”
“Harry Carlisle.” Eli nodded his head with a smile. “Quick thinker. Strong minded.”
“Carmel Locke.” Cassie spoke behind me. She had her arms folded, a wry smile on her lips. “Smarter than she makes out—- an independent learner, and can work well under pressure.”
Looking at these kids, I felt sick to my stomach. They were planning something—and had the intelligence of renowned scientists, which was what I gathered from the footage on the MacBook. “What?” was all I could hiss out, as Eli prodded the blade of the knife into my back, ushering me to walk. “What are you talking about?”
“Duh.” He spoke in a more tweeny giggle. “Like I said, Miss Josie. You’re my favorite counselor but we don’t need you, so I’m going to use you for parts.” He laughed when a shiver spiderwebbed down my spine. “See! I told you I was going to show you my collection!”
“But… what do you need them for?”
Eli pressed his index finger to his lips with a laugh before forcing me to face forwards. “That’s a secret!”
When I didn’t, or couldn’t move, he shoved me into a stumbling power-walk, and I managed to turn my head quickly, making feverish eye contact with Rowan.
“Rowan.” I said calmly through the gutter in my throat. “Get…. Get help.”
If I was going to die, I needed him to get a hold of himself and somehow alert the outside world what was going on.
“From whom, Josie?!” He wailed back—and as I was dragged away, I could once again sense the childish undertones in his voice.
I had no choice but to obey Eli’s orders. If I didn’t want a knife in my back. He took me to the main lunch cabin, which, when I set foot inside, almost sent me to my knees.
Something lurched inside me, and I was screaming with no voice, staggering backwards, only to be shoved onto my face. In front of me was what had been the lunch hall, fully converted into the beginning of a laboratory.
What had been cafeteria tables were fashioned into makeshift gurney’s and beds, and I was looking at all of the missing counselors. Yuri and Noah had been skinned completely, their faces laid out on a makeshift surgical table. Joey had been ripped open, his heart and brain removed, a glittering metallic substance creeping its way across his forehead. It was then when I remembered Eleanor Summers words.
She wanted to prevent death and preserve the human mind. Looking at what was in front of me, this was the start of it. There was equipment I had never seen before. Lily’s body was empty, carved out completely, tubes forced inside her. When I glimpsed her fingers move and begin to ball into a fist, I saw red. I saw fucking red. The exit was so close and yet Eli, fucking Eli, wielded his knife. I think that is when part of me gave up. My brain just stopped. It short circuited. Seeing my friends murdered and yet somehow being kept alive through playing god, my body slumped to the ground. I was numb. Completely numb.
I’m not sure what would have happened if those bloody saws and instruments which had been used on my friends were used on me too.
Luckily, that did not happen. Before Eli could get his slimy hands on me, he crumpled to the ground in an almost cartoon-like fashion, and standing over me was Harry. Who was looking better. When he grasped hold of me and helped me up, I only had one word. “Out.” And he was nodding, his eyes glistening as he drunk in our friends’ fate.
“How?” I managed to sputter out, when we made it out of the cabin, ducking behind a tree. Harry turned to me, motioning for me to shut up. There was a group of now ten to eleven year olds already running around, searching for what I guessed was him.
“I’m allergic to peanut butter,” Harry murmured, his grasp tightening on my wrist as he led me across the camp, the two of us stumbling.
“What, and you just magically healed?”
He didn’t respond to that, which bothered me.
“The bunker is our best shot,” I hissed out. “I think we can get in contact with someone down there.” I paused, unable to stop myself. “What makes you so important?”
“Dunno. Maybe I’m their favorite.”
When we found Allison’s cabin, which was more of a safehouse (an exposed safehouse) I found Rowan sitting on the wooden porch with his legs swinging over the side. “Rowan!” Harry groaned. I found it hard to believe their roles had been switched. Now he was the one yelling at the camp-leader. “I told you to stay inside!”
He ushered the boy inside, before barricading the door with some hefty looking equipment. I could tell from the grin on his face that our so-called leader was once again no longer himself.
I had to bite back a groan. “You’re kidding.” I said, pointing to Rowan, who buried his head in his knees and blew a raspberry. “Does he look and act like our leader right now?!”
“It’s Rowan, Josie.”
“He’s a liability.”
“He’s our friend! Wouldn’t Rowan do the same?”
Yes, he would. But. He would also realize we’re lost causes.
“Gag him with something.” I said. “If he makes any more noise, we’re dumping him.”
“He’s a kid!”
“Just the mind of one.”
I don’t know how animal crackers worked, but his age seemed to be progressively younger. This time he just sat with wide eyes watching us.
Harry almost tore apart the place looking for means of communication, before an old fashioned ringing sound made me jump.
“What was that?” Harry turned to me with his lip curled.
“How am I supposed to know?!” I hissed. “Keep looking!” But when I ducked under the table, my hands crawled under the desk, finding a wire—and attached to that, an ancient looking phone which looked straight out of a 1940’s movie, a bright green rotary phone.
Hesitantly, I answered it, lifting the phone to my ear. “Hello?”
“Did you awaken the subjects, Agent Salta?"
The voice on the other end was a woman, an oldish sounding woman with the tinge of a British accent.
“What?” I shot a look at Harry before shaking my head. “No. My name is Josie Greenfield. We’re at Camp Redwood, and we need help.”
The woman paused.
“Where is Agent Salta?” She cleared her throat. “This line is reserved for communication with agents only.”
“I don’t know who the fuck you’re talking about!" I squeaked out. “My name is Josie, and whatever is happening here, we need help!”
“Josie. Did you awaken the subjects?”
I paused after a moment, shooting Harry a look when he tried to take the phone off of me. “Yes.”
“And… are our agents unavailable?”
“I don’t understand.”
“When a health and safety breach is activated, our agents are awakened to deal with the Project Spearhead subjects if they were to ever go rogue, or become conscious enough to think. Josie, can you tell me what is in front of you? Describe it to me.”
I held my breath. Next to the hidden phone under the desk was what looked like mismatched wires, all of which had been severed. I lowered myself slowly, poking at mess. “Wires. I see… cut up wires.” I whispered. “Does this mean they know about you?”
She hummed. “Ah…That makes sense. The only way to activate our sleeper handlers would be to send out the signal. You appear to have been sabotaged. Unless activated manually, our agents cannot help you. I am sorry. They are your problem now.” The woman paused.
“If I were you, I would hope and pray they have not sabotaged the self-destruct. If you find that, then you may be able to save yourselves and find peace.” She cleared her throat. “Thank you for your service, Josie Greenfield.”
“Wait.” I managed to get out. “Wait, no! You can’t just… you can’t leave us! We need help!”
I found myself yelling at nothing when the phone went dead. The dull tone of the dead ringtone was clanging in my ears before footsteps from up above. “Fuck this.” Harry picked up a lead pipe. “They’re still little kids, right? I mean, their head must still be partly kids—- so let’s fucking beat their heads in.”
He noticed something, then, starting forwards towards the mess of files I had left earlier. Harry knelt on the ground and picked up Eli’s file, his eyes wide. But he wasn’t staring at the dates confirming the little boy’s age.
Instead, Harry pointed at the bottom of the file. “I don’t want to freak you out, Josie,” he whispered. Initially, I didn’t know what he was trying to show before I glimpsed notes scrawled at the bottom of the file, followed by a signature. “But I’m pretty sure that is my fucking writing.”
Harry was right.
I pulled the paperwork off of him, flicking through each file before turning my eyes to him. “Who the fuck are you?”
A clanging sound from above broke the tension, and whatever Harry was about to reply with was strangled in his throat. He slammed a hand over his mouth.
“Guys?”
The voice twisted me up inside, threatening to release a shriek from my mouth I had managed to clamp shut.
Teddy.
“Are you down here?” His voice was strained, and had an odd tone to it. “I can’t… I can’t see you.”
…
Can someone please tell me what the fuck is going on?! It’s been a blur of a week. We’ve managed to stay down here, surviving off of Allison’s rations. Rowan isn’t getting any better. He seems to have stopped mentally de-ageing at the age of maybe six. Harry has spent the last few days trying to get in contact with anyone, but it’s like they are IGNORING US.
I’ve been looking through everything I can find on Project Spearhead, but nothing points to Harry being involved. So. How is his signature all over the files? How is it possible that two friends I thought I knew several days ago, are now complete strangers?
Teddy keeps coming back.
He’s crying out to us.
I think he’s… in pain.
My god, I can’t stand this anymore. Please. CAMP REDWOOD NEEDS HELP.

After getting on Reddit at the end of my long day and seeing this crazy thing coming up about a BattleTech subreddit that I love to pop into and just see what's going on; I'm a bit flabbergasted.
I started playing the game at the age of 13 in 1996. I played with other people's collections and in rural Kentucky gamers were so few and far between that we were a tight-knit bunch and they were just so happy to get me into the hobby. As people got older I inherited a lot of people's collections as they moved off to college and had families and children. And then one day in bowling Green Kentucky in a house fire I lost somewhere between 45 and 60 minis from the early days. They were left in a puddle of slag.
But the thing is, after that anytime I can find someone that wanted to play I still had my books and we would do just like we did when I first started playing and I had no miniatures; we would play with pennies and nickels . We would tape a piece of paper over the top of the coin, mark it with a number and correlate that to a unit, and put a facing marker on it.
When I first started playing I memorized the rules and went back to my small little community tucked away in the hills of Kentucky and regurgitated that information to a couple of my friends. We compiled all that information. Including modifiers and basic rules of movement and such. We played with a ransacked version of the rules for like a year or two. Until I was able to go an hour or two away and find my first used rule book. I knew other people in the county that had books and miniatures but those things were so hard to come by there was no way they were loaning them to anyone. And I don't blame them. Because they loved and cared for that hobby so much I ended up with most of their materials when they couldn't support it any longer due to obligations.
So, for anyone to act like this hobby is not inclusive; you can take a long walk off a short pier.
Even as I got more serious about the game (making terrains and reading other rule books) I was never shunned by anyone who loved the game. Even if I didn't know how something worked, they were glad to explain it to me. There was so few of us. At least where I was from that we couldn't risk losing another. Because what happens when you have no one left to play with.
Solo scenarios aren't very fun.
I was never blessed to have access to the early lore. I would occasionally find books in gaming stores hours from my home. I would purchase them and read them. I honestly am not familiar with much past the clan invasion. But for my own head Cannon there's enough going on between the star leagues fall and the invasion of the clans. And that makes me happy and I don't need more. But I'm not going to hate on somebody who wants to have their own head Cannon.
Battletech is for everyone. Enjoy it how you like.
P.S. I've never kept up with any of the companies who owned the game or the people involved with it so that whole meta situation is lost on me.
Oh.... And Clanners can lick my butt.
And.... Capellans arent worth the munitions we use to kill them.

Monday 5th June - Fiver Feed : Five things to do today in Glasgow for around a Fiver or FREE!
Instagram here for extra stuff and things, come join the fun! (Disclaimer - may not actually be any fun)
Shoutout for Glasgow Science Festival 1st - 11th June, 100's of activities, most are free!
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• Talk/Debate/Q'n'A - Autonomy Live Panel Event! - £Free (Ticketed)
• What does it mean to be self-ruling? How can I know if I truly am making my decisions autonomously? A live debate between autonomy experts about their clashing views on what it means to be autonomous. This event is catered to all, even with no prior knowledge of philosophy or autonomy!
• 14:00 - 16:00 University of Glasgow Hetherington Building Room 118 G12 8QQ

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• Walk/Health/Wellbeing - Active Soles Walking Group - £Free
• Active Soles is a friendly and inclusive walking group for people of all ages and abilities. A little exercise a week and keeping yourself fit and active have a positive effect on your health and well-being. Becca will take you and the group on a relaxing walk throughout the green space, whilst giving you the opportunity to interact with others.
• 18:00 - 19:00 Alexandra Park Main Gate Alexandra Parade G31 3LH

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• Gig/Rock/Community - Abrazos w/ Stride x Rock DI - £3/Five£7/£9 (Pay What You Decide)
• A special LIVE gig between Paragon's Stride band and Rock DI from Mexico visiting Scotland for the very first time. What began as an online musical exchange has developed into a unique international collaboration between two incredible bands. The pair released an epic rock album together - Abrazos (“Hugs” in Spanish) - reflecting on their lived experiences about disability, the pandemic and the longing to connect across distance.
• 18:30 - 21:30 Cottiers Theatre 93-95 Hyndland St G11 5PU

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• Improv/Comedy - All Made Up! - £3
• Monthly show of improvisational comedy with some of the best comedians in Scotland.Three teams get 30 minutes each to do whatever they want. The rest will be - as they like to say - All Made Up!
• 19:00 - 21:30 McNeills 106 Torrisdale Street G42 8PH

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• Dance Lessons - Introduction to Salsa Dance - £25 for 5 weeks/£7 PAYG (Cash Only)
• This is an Introductory course for 5 weeks to help you learn basic Salsa moves and then decide if you want to continue learning more! Designed for people who have never danced salsa before or know very little. Come in what you feel comfortable in. Don't worry about your age, Salsa is for everyone!
• 20:00 - 21:00 Boteco De Brasil 62 Trongate G1 5EP