Hey fellow writers and role-players!
Are you ready to dive into a world where your creativity knows no bounds? Look no further than Siliren, a beautiful online writing game that will transport you to a realm of magic, mystery, and endless possibilities!
Siliren is a play-by-post writing game that brings together writers and role-players from all walks of life. Whether you're a seasoned wordsmith or a newbie to the writing game, Siliren welcomes you with open arms and promises an unforgettable adventure.
in Siliren you'll step into a land forged by Humans and altered by the arrival of mysterious Anorians and their mind-bending magic. As you explore this captivating world, you'll encounter fantastical creatures, traverse breathtaking landscapes, and unravel deep-seated secrets that will leave you hungry for more.
What sets Siliren apart is its immersive and collaborative storytelling experience. You'll join forces with other players, weaving together a captivating tale of your own. Create unique characters, develop intricate plotlines, and engage in thrilling interactions with fellow players as you shape the destiny of Siliren.
But Siliren isn't just about writing; it's about forging friendships and building a vibrant community. Chat with like-minded individuals in our lively forums, share writing tips, and embark on epic quests together. With our supportive and passionate player base, you'll find inspiration and encouragement at every turn.
So, are you ready to unleash your imagination and embark on an adventure like no other? Join us in Siliren today and let your words soar to new heights. Get lost in the magic, connect with fellow writers, and experience the thrill of collaborative storytelling in an immersive fantasy world.
_________________________________________________
Why Join Siliren?
🌟 Unleash Your Creativity: Siliren is a writer's paradise, offering you the opportunity to craft unique characters, weave intricate plots, and immerse yourself in a rich tapestry of lore. Explore our Unique map, cities, locations, and original Races.
🔮 Discover a World of Magic: Encounter fantastical creatures, traverse breathtaking landscapes, and uncover hidden secrets as you explore the ever-evolving realm of Siliren. Discover your connection to our original magic System of Rigen, and study our unique list of magical spells and abilities.
🤝 Forge Alliances: Collaborate with a diverse community of writers and role-players from around the world, forming alliances, engaging in epic battles, and forging friendships that transcend the boundaries of our reality. Join our Discord and participate in our community events.
🏆 Challenge Your Skills: Sharpen your writing abilities as you craft compelling narratives, develop complex characters, and engage in thrilling adventures. Whether you're a seasoned writer or a beginner, Siliren provides a supportive environment for growth and creativity. Be part of a supportive community that encourages improvement and challenge.
🎁 Exciting Events and Contests: Participate in exhilarating in-game events and writing contests, where you can showcase your talent, win prizes, and earn recognition within the Siliren community. Earn badges and in-game prizes every season!
_________________________________________________
How to Get Started
Joining Siliren is as easy as stepping through a portal into a realm of endless possibilities. Simply visit our website and create an account to embark on your epic journey. Our friendly community is always ready to assist you, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience from the moment you arrive. Be sure to join our Discord as well!

as i said i never felt that i wanted anything i never thought about having money or improving my life or myself because I never wanted anything therefore i don't feel like doing anything because what should i do it for? i always felt that its okay for me whatever the situation i was in, broke, rich, ill, healthy all feels the same for me its not that i don't have motivation to do something its that i always felt that i didn't want the result of whatever i did

I've been using this LO for some time and made some changes to it(not mid playthrough of course) and most recently i've been getting constant crashes when going in either hall of attainment or hall of countenance, but hall of elements is loading fine. I think the problem is with the loading and not the area itself since loading a save of a character that's already inside works just fine, it's going through the door that makes it so at the ending of the loading the game just freezes. I thought it was The Magical College Bundle, but thats been on my LO for quite a while and that never happened before, so either some mod that wasn't there before is causing it or some updated caused it. Here's the LO, with the most recent additions having an * at the end of their name and the + before if they're a patch for other mods. Any advice for the LO in general is welcome as well :)
• Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch
• Unofficial Skyrim Survival Patch
• Reconciliation: QOL and Bugfixes
• +USSEP
• Unofficial Creation Club Updates - October Pack [XB1]*
• Simple Workaround Framework*
• Omen Weathers*
• Run For Your Lives
• Realistic Conversations
• Guard Dialogue Overhaul
• Skyrim Reputation
• Better Intimidation
• Even Better Quest Objectives
• The Choice Is Yours
• At your own pace - AIO/Listen
• Trained and Skilled*
• Laro's Perks, Magics and More
• Guild Leader Perks
• XP32 Maximum Skeleton+Realistic Ragdoll and Force
• Feminine Females
• Gritty Animation Requiem 2.0
• Cloaks face masks and all sorts 2
• Visible Favorited Gear
• Wear Multiple Rings
• Wearable Lanterns
• Become a Bard
• Mystical Scholarship: The Magical College Bundle 1K
• Merchants Chests on Display
• Night Mother's Embrace - An Assassin's Tale
• Walk With The Shadows - A Nightingale Bundle
• Comprehensive First Person Animation Overhaul - CFPAO
• Rebalanced Leveled Lists
• Rebalanced Encounter Zones and Leveled Actors
• OBIS - SE (full version)
• DLC Integration
• Stronger Bosses Skyrim
• Enhanced Atronachs - With Levelling and Luminosity
• Reliquary of Myth
• True Lords of Oblivion
• Dragon Priest Masks Tweaks
• Dragon Priest Staffs
• Rich Skyrim Merchants
• JaySerpa's Quest Expansion Bundle
• Melodies of Skyrim: All In One*
• Reverb and Ambiance Overhaul
• Phenderix Magic Sounds Improved
• Enhanced Draugr Fx
• Display Enhancements
• Relighting Skyrim
• ELE Interior Lighting Overhaul
• SMIM Essentials
• Vivid Landscapes - Alternate Tundra
• WizKid Signs
• 3D Log Farmhouse Fences
• Skyland - Dirt Roads
• Dark Ages: Sky Haven Temple and Alduin's Wall
• Detailing The Eldritch - Complete
• Dark Ages: Dragon Textures
• Draugr Retexture: Bloody Black
• Ultimate Sephoraz Beauty Bundle
• Flesh Spells Fx Restored[XB1]*
• Heavy Armory - New Weapons
• Old Kingdom - Armor Overhaul
• Old Kingdom - Weapon Overhaul
• + USSEP
• Old Kingdom - Crafting Add-On
• Glorious Dwarven Metal - Old Kingdom
• Elaborate Textiles Alternate
• (Lite) Guard Armor Overhaul
• Konahrik's Accoutrements
• Skyrim Sewers Bundle
• Unique Armors & Weapons - Unenchanted And Craftable
• Greener Glass
• SeeEnchantments
• Lockpicking Interface Redone*
• Embers HD
• Natural Forces Bundle - Wet
• Frozen Electrocuted Combustion - Realistic
• Cannibal Draugr on Solstheim
• Dwemer Spectres
• Sylvan Spirits
• Real Wildlife
• Birds of Skyrim
• Birds And Flocks
• Prismatic Insects
• Kiss My Grass
• Treeslod_23
• Landscape Fixes For Grass Mods
• Bells of Skyrim
• Tactical Valtheim
• Halted Stream Mine
• Provincial Courier Service
• MAP - Project Hippie
• Trees in Cities
• Riften Eastern Road
• Manor Roads
• Man Those Borders!
• EasierRider's Dungeon Pack
• The Blackest Reaches
• The Marshlands
• Master The Summit
• Nordic Ruins Of Skyrim
• Holidays
• Lanterns of Skyrim - Special Edition
• Lost Enchantments for The Discerning Adventurer
• Perk Points Per Level
• Truly Absorb Dragon Souls - Heavy
• VioLens
• More Blood and Gore!
• Know Your Enemy - All in One
• + AIO + OKA
• Immersive Movement
• Smilodon
• + Immersive Movement
• + Realistic Damage
• Mortal Enemies
• + Immersive Movement
• Better Combat AI
• Realistic AI Detection
• Sneak Tools
• Archery Tweaks Plus
• Silent Arrows
• More Effective Blocking
• No Draugr Disarm
• The Fire Within - Shouts Powered by DragonSouls
• Clear UI - Not So Sensible Preset*
• Pastel Map Markers*
• Updated Mine Markers
• Cheat Room
• Quest Debugger
• Free Player Home Heartfire Building*
• Improved Backpacks V2*
• Kip Ahrk Bahlok - Food and Hunger
• Dragonborn and Dawnguard Delayed
• Mystic Condenser
• Readable Shadomarks*
• Awesome Potions Simplified by Revoith
• Flying Vampire Lord
• Alternate Start - Live Another Life
• Abandoned Prison Tweaks
• + EBQO - Alternate Start
• Relationship Dialogue Overhaul
• + RDO - USSEP
• Immersive Hunter Dialogue
• Immersive Follower Framework
• + RDO
• YOU DON'T KNOW ME - No NPC Greetings
• Bat Vampire Lord

This is an ongoing drama, one that won't stop until probably next year or even longer. But before I get into the details of the drama, let's talk about the background, and the important information to know...
TW: Sexual assault discussion mentioned about halfway.

Hockey? NHL? What the fuck are those?

Ice hockey is a sport where 6 very large, burly men put swords on their feet and glide around on ice against 6 other very large, burly men who also have sword-shoes. They carry a stick to whack around a hard little circle of rubber and each other (most often each other) with the goal of hitting that little rubber past another large burly man into a 6'x4' net. A game takes place over 3 periods of 20 minutes each, and whoever hits the rubber circle most often in the opponent's Warhammer gaming table sized net is the winner of the game. There are 82 games during the 'regular season', and then they compete in the 'playoffs' for the Stanley Cup, which is worth at least $5.
The National Hockey League, or the Ligue Nationale de Hockey if you hate everyone else in North America, is effectively the world's highest level of ice hockey. People all over the world spend their entire youth lives training to have a shot at being drafted by an NHL team, from Belarus to England, from Canada to Australia. There are other leagues in the world, but they are more or less for people who are shunned in the NHL for whatever reason, people who have retired from the NHL but still play hockey for whatever reason (Jaromir Jagr, I'm looking at you), or people who aren't good enough to play in the NHL but still good enough to be paid to play.
There are 32 teams in the NHL at the moment, but the most important teams for this story are:
1) Chicago Blackhawks: I'm going to go over the Blackhawks later in this post. It's...a lot.
2) Anaheim Ducks: A team that was originally owned by Disney based on the movie The Mighty Ducks. No, I'm not joking. They were founded in 1993 and have had some close calls with the Stanley Cup, but has never won it. They finished the 22-23 season with the worst record possible, and one of the worst records in NHL history.
3) Columbus Blue Jackets: They're young, having only existed since 2000. They've never been in the Stanley Cup finals, and have never really had a good season during their existence. They finished second to last.
4) Seattle Kraken: They're the newest team, being founded in 2021. They're actually not relevant at all to this post; they're my team and therefore am obligated to mention them.

Okay, so sword-feet and stick hitting rubber circle. What is this about 'draft'?

In order to make it to the NHL, you have to be drafted by an NHL team. Being drafted is similar to how people used to pick each other for teams during recess. You know, where you kept getting picked last. Except if you get drafted, you get a contract worth potentially millions of dollars.
The draft takes place over a series of rounds, where each team picks one person each (unless they traded their draft pick, but this isn't relevant). In the first round, the teams with the worst record draft first, all the way up to the team that won the Stanley Cup. Then in the second round, it counts down from Stanley Cup winner down to the worst, third round is from worst to best again, and so on until the draft is completed (Usually 7 rounds).
HOWEVER, there is a twist...

The Lottery

So in order to prevent teams from 'tanking', aka losing on purpose in order to get the best draft pick, the league came up with the Draft Lottery. After the season has ended, every team that didn't make the playoffs participates in the lottery. Whoever wins the lottery will jump up 10 spots in the draft. Teams who were worse during the season get higher odds. This year, the team with the best odds are the Anaheim Ducks, at 18.5% chance of winning, since they sucked hard and it wasn't even on purpose.

Okay, enough. Why is the 2023 draft important?

This year is one of the most important drafts in recent NHL history. The current highest-rated prospect is Connor Bedard. Bedard is...good. Like, really good. Like, really, REALLY good. Top NHL players are saying that Bedard already has the best shot release in hockey right now at least...and he's only like 17 years old. I won't go into it much further, but Connor Bedard is the type of player that can lead teams to the Stanley Cup by just being on the team. People are comparing him to Wayne Gretzky; if you need context for who that is, he's considered one of the best sports-people of all time out of all sports.

Side Show -- The Chicago Blackhawks, and Why Everyone Hates Them

The Blackhawks, which I'm going to call the Hawks, are an old team. They've been around since the 40s as one of the 'original six', teams that have been around since the modern NHL was a thing (well, not really, but it's not relevant). Yes, the NHL only had 6 teams until the 1960s, which is when they finally expanded into more markets, which then snowballed into what we have now (32 teams).
The Hawks have had...a rough recent history. They effectively had a dynasty for most of the 2010s, winning the Stanley Cup 3 times, and a lot of it had to do with their talent. Before the 2010s, the Hawks sucked. That is, until they drafted amazing players like Jonathan Toews (pronounced "taves", not "toes") and Patrick Kane, who helped boost them to the Stanley Cup in the 10's (They have since retired. This is important context.) These picks were already controversial; people like to claim that the NHL favors original six teams because they're massive markets, which means more butts-in-seats, which means more money. So the Blackhawks getting so many first round, top-3 picks was...suspicious to most.
But all of this is overshadowed by the sexual assault and subsequent cover up.
During the 2010 season, one of their cup-winning seasons, a player named Kyle Beach, was sexually assaulted by a member of the coaching staff. He brought it forward to the organization who did their best to make sure that the coaching staff was safe and sound. Kyle Beach never broke into the NHL aside from the 2010 season -- take that information for what it is. In 2021, Kyle Beach sued the Blackhawks for their mishandling. An independent investigation found that the Blackhawks knew about the sexual assault, and did nothing to the perpetrator. The perpetrator went on to commit more acts of sexual assault against young players.
The punishment that the Blackhawks faced? Nothing major. They were fined $2 million. Which...is basically nothing, considering they made $222 million that year. So, like...1%.
This punishment was a slap in the face to teams like the Arizona Coyotes, who lost draft picks (which means losing players that could turn their organization around) because of a much, MUCH less severe violation (In their case, the Coyotes were performing physicals on potential draftees before they were drafted, which is a violation of the NHL constitution). Other teams have lost players because of similar circumstances -- the first one that comes to mind is the Boston Bruins, who dropped a (potential) top player because it came to light he had hazed, abused, and hurled racial slurs at a black autistic player in the junior leagues.
Needless to say, this further fueled conspiracies that the Blackhawks were getting special treatment because of their status as an original six team, and how big the Chicago market is.
From the /hockey subreddit:

Didn't the NHL originally fine the Devils $3 million for the Kovalchuk stuff a decade ago? What a joke. [Context: Kovalchuk was a high-level player, and the Devils tried to do some sneaky-shady stuff in order to keep him.]
Coyotes lost high picks for getting extra physical data, Devils got fined $3m and two picks for cap circumvention, and we got fined $250k for calling out George Parros for being the joke he is. And all the Blackhawks get for covering up rape is a $2m fine?? What a fucking joke [Context: This is a Rangers fan, and the Rangers called out George Parros, leader of the Department of Player Safety, for doing nothing about player safety. They were fined $250k for making mean comments.]

It doesn't really help that Chicago fans have a poor reputation. In the NHL, Chicago fans have a reputation for being drunk fair-weather fans. Before 2010 Chicago had a rough time filling up their arena to half-way. During the 2010s? Sellout arena, every game. Going into the 2020s, when their team started sucking again, they're back to struggling filling seats.
So the hockey fandom in general doesn't really like Chicago, but how does this all tie into the 2023 Draft?

The Lottery (for real this time)

As mentioned before, the 2023 season was potentially a huge season for struggling teams like the Columbus Blue Jackets or the Anaheim Ducks. Getting Connor Bedard would turn around entire franchises, overnight.
Going into the draft, the heavy favorites to win the lottery were the Ducks at 18.5%, the Blue Jackets at 13.5%, and the Chicago Blackhawks at 11.5%. The other 13 teams had basically less than 10% odds.
The draft lottery was televised, and millions of people watched ESPN and TSN to see the results from all over the league. Top teams in the west were praying that the lottery winner would go to the Blue Jackets so they wouldn't have to face Bedard, and top teams in the east were praying the lottery pick would go to the west for the same reason. Everyone universally had the same sentiment though:

Anyone but Chicago.

The hosts go down the line to show the new draft lineup, starting from 16 and going down. Nothing seemed to change in the lineup; teams hoping for ajump up were sadly disappointed but knew they never really had a chance anyways.
The hosts get to the top 5. The reveal the 5th pick is...Montreal. Montreal fans speak French-Canadian sadly, or whatever it is Quebecois folk do.
The fourth pick is revealed. The San Jose Sharks. Sharks fans chomp sadly. Or drink their Starbucks sadly. Idk, I'm not rich enough to live in San Jose.
Then something curious happens. They cut to a commercial break, but the ESPN broadcasters say something very curious. "An upset for Columbus! It's down to Anaheim or Chicago!" Suspicion arises. The card for 3rd place wasn't revealed, how could they have known that Columbus was the 3rd pick? Conspiracy talk bumps up in the live Reddit thread. People were already saying that Chicago won the lottery. They just knew.

Nice of ESPN to state Columbus will pick 3rd before Daley ever even showed it and they went to commercials “It will be either Chicago or Anaheim”….
Elliotte Friedman tweeted out who got pick 1 and 2 during the commercial break. Said tweets have now been deleted.

The NHL lottery comes back on after commercials and reveal that CBJ wins the 3rd pick to no one's surprise. All that's left is two envelopes, one with a '2' the other with a '1'. They begin to open the '2' envelope. The hockey world goes silent, as whoever gets the 2 spot means that the other won the lottery...

The Worst Timeline

The worst-case-scenario happens. Chicago, universally hated in the hockey world, wins the draft lottery. Duck fans are outraged. Blue Jacket fans are outraged. Literally every fanbase is outraged.

hockey 9/11
why has god abandoned us
If you didn't think Chicago was getting Bedard here is your lesson of how fucked up the world is
Fuck this
Can't lose that media market now that Kane and Toews are gone!
Never forget that the Coyotes had to forfeit a first round pick for talking to a prospect before it was permitted, while Chicago protected a fucking rapist and got no reprecussions.
Coyotes: asks prospects what they ate and to wear shorts? Forfeit draft picks Blackhawks: cover up sexual assault and lie your asses off? Have a Bedard
Draft HoF talent 1st overall -> Go on a dynasty and win 3 cups -> Trade HoF 1st overall -> Draft another HoF talent 1st overall.
He went to the least deserving team.

Individual team subreddits were no better. Every fan from every team, aside from Chicago, were seething and chomping at the bit. There is an ongoing conspiracy about the NHL favoring Chicago now, and people are actively calling for the NHL commissioner's resignation.

Living in a Post-Apocalypse Wasteland

It's been barely a month since the bomb dropped. Food is hard to come by. Hope is lost. People fight each other for the barest scraps of undamaged cloth to keep warm at night since the sun was blacked out.
We don't know what will happen. Life is moving on, but is it really life if there's no will to live?
In seriousness, no one wanted this outcome. Even some Hawks fans hated this. It's hard to say what will happen to the NHL now. Some people are saying that Connor Bedard will get drafted and refuse to play for the Blackhawks, demanding to be traded. Some say he'll disappear to Europe and play in the Swedish league or the KHL to avoid the Blackhawks contract. Others say he'll be a fool to avoid the NHL and just take what he's got, and demand a trade later.
No one knows what Connor Bedard is thinking. He's not really said anything. But we do know that the world of hockey has been shaken to its core. If Bedard plays, Chicago will be a force to be reckoned with for years. If he avoids Chicago, it'll be a legendary act of defiance that will 100% cause the NHL to invent a rule to prevent that from happen again.
But for now, I must return to my fallout shelter. It's not healthy to stand in the radiation for too long.

This week I was on vacation in Bucharest. Yesterday I went to a pharmacy in Bucharest to buy some nasal spray and in front of me in line there was a guy, a young man, buying something. The pharmacist lady was talking to him and unconsciously I heard that she said something about a student, she probably asked the client a question, to which he answered "no" in an extremely trembling voice and in a different tone. I looked up to look at them and I saw him reach out to take his wallet out of his pocket, but he dropped it on the floor. And when he was looking for the money in it to pay, his fingers were running between the bills as if he was unable to grasp any of them. After he paid, and the pharmacist handed him the bag of medicines, he grabbed it hard, paused for a second, and then turned around and walked out with quick, in pressed steps as if he was at the speed walking Olympics.
Passing by, later in the evening when I was returning from visiting some museums around Bucharest (by the way, beautiful city!) I saw that boy again in front of the same pharmacy waiting for an old woman who was just leaving the pharmacy. that woman was crying and that boy looked a bit guilty, gloomy as if he was caught doing something wrong. I would like to ask you, did something happen to a student in Bucharest these days or what was the phase? That boy didn't seem to have a lot of money or to be extremely rich, but he wasn't poor either, but he looked as if he had done some tricks with some pharmacies to make money
from what happened, something makes me believe that I witnessed a mother whose child, being a student, was killed/suffered something bad. was a student killed in Bucharest these days? is there a drug world? cartels

My name is Laura, and this is my story. It's a tale of fear and the unknown, of love and betrayal, and of the strength of a mother's love. It all started when my husband, Adam, and I decided to start a new life in a beautiful villa by the lake in the small town of Kruklanki. The villa, standing alone amidst the vast expanse of nature, was like an island, symbolising our isolation. The lake, with its calm surface hiding unknown depths, mirrored the unknown we were about to step into.
We were a young couple, full of hope and dreams. Adam, with his easy smile and infectious laughter, was my rock. We dreamt of a peaceful life, of raising our child in the serene surroundings of the villa. We shared a love for the outdoors, often spending our evenings stargazing, our hands intertwined. The villa stood tall amidst a lush emerald forest, its weathered stones blending harmoniously with the vibrant foliage. Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting ethereal patterns on the moss-covered path leading to the entrance. The air was fragrant with the scent of damp earth and wildflowers, inviting us to embark on our new life.
But even as we unpacked our belongings, I couldn't shake off a strange feeling. Adam, usually so attentive, seemed distant, his mind elsewhere. I dismissed it as stress from the move. Little did I know then, it was a sign of the betrayal that was to come. Soon after we settled in, I couldn't shake off a sense of foreboding. The villa, once a symbol of our dreams, was starting to feel like a prison, its grandeur overshadowed by a chilling silence. And the lake, once a symbol of peace, now seemed to whisper of hidden dangers beneath its serene surface.
Soon after we settled in, I began to experience strange and terrifying events. At first, they were just subtle nuances: shadows moving along the corridors, whispers in the night, vague movements nearby. I tried to dismiss them as figments of my imagination, but they became increasingly disturbing and intense, filling me with a chronic sense of fear.
Adam, my husband, was sceptical. He believed that these were just products of my imagination, the result of stress from the move and adapting to a new place. Adam, ever the rationalist, tried to reassure me. 'Laura, it's just the stress of the move and the pregnancy,' he would say, his eyes full of concern yet disbelief. 'There's no real danger.' His words, meant to comfort, only served to widen the chasm between us. But I could feel it, something was not right.
One night, I woke up to a chilling whisper. It was so close, as if someone was right next to me. I turned on the bedside lamp, but there was no one there. The room was empty, but the feeling of being watched was overwhelming. My heart pounded in my chest, my palms were sweaty, and I was shaking.
'Adam,' I whispered, nudging him awake. He groaned, turning to face me. 'Did you hear that?'
'Hear what?' he mumbled, his eyes half-closed.
'The whispering. It was right here, right next to me.'
Adam sighed, rubbing his eyes. 'Laura, you're just stressed. It's the new house, the new surroundings. You're imagining things.'
I wanted to believe him, to write it off as a product of stress and fear. But deep down, I knew something was not right.
The next day, I noticed something else. The shadows in the house seemed to move on their own, even when there was no one around. I could hear soft whispers, but when I tried to locate the source, there was nothing. I felt like I was being watched, followed. I tried to tell Adam about it, but he just brushed it off, saying I was just stressed and needed rest.
But I knew something was wrong. I could feel it in my bones. The house was not just a house. It was something else, something sinister. And I was trapped in it, with no one to believe me, no one to help me. I was alone, and I was scared.
The days turned into weeks, and the strange occurrences in the villa didn't cease. If anything, they became more frequent, more intense. I started noticing mysterious figures around the villa, always on the edge of my vision. They were close, yet always just far enough that I couldn't make out their features. Their presence filled me with a sense of paranoia and constant danger. I felt like a prey being watched by predators, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Our neighbours, Mr. and Mrs. Graverson, began to show an unusual interest in me. One afternoon, as I was tending to the garden, Mrs. Graverson approached me.
'Laura, dear,' she said, her voice sweet yet somehow unsettling. 'How are you finding Kruklanki? Is the villa to your liking?'
Her questions seemed innocent, but there was something in her gaze that made me uneasy.
Mrs. Graverson's eyes lingered on my stomach for a moment too long, a strange smile playing on her lips, something I couldn't quite define. Mr. Graverson, with his piercing gaze, and Mrs. Graverson, with her constant, unsettling smile, were always too eager to help. Their behavior was suspicious, their questions too probing. They seemed particularly interested in my pregnancy, their eyes lingering on my growing belly a moment too long. I couldn't shake off the feeling that they were hiding something.
One day, Mrs. Graverson came over with a basket of freshly baked cookies. As she handed them to me, her gaze lingered on my stomach. There was something in her eyes, a strange intensity that made me uncomfortable. I didn't know it then, but it was a hint of the dark intentions that lay beneath her friendly facade. I was pregnant at the time, and her eyes seemed to hold a strange fascination for my unborn child. It was a fleeting moment, but it sent chills down my spine.
As time passed, I began to suspect that the Graversons were part of a cult practising occultism, planning to use my unborn child in a dark ritual. It was a terrifying thought, but the pieces of the puzzle were starting to fit together. The strange occurrences, the mysterious figures, the Graversons' unusual interest in me and my child, it all pointed to something dark and sinister.
I started finding evidence of their involvement in other dangerous activities. I found strange symbols carved into the trees around their house, symbols that I later found out were associated with occult practices. I also noticed that they would often disappear during the night, only to return in the early hours of the morning, looking exhausted and secretive.
I suspected that they were responsible for the strange events and observations. The fear was overwhelming, but I knew I had to protect my child. I was alone in this fight, with no one to turn to. But I was determined. I was a mother, and I would do anything to keep my child safe.
In my desperation, I turned to the local clergyman, Father Christopher. He was a quiet man, always keeping to himself. I had often wondered why he seemed so distant, so detached from the rest of the town. Little did I know, his aloofness was a sign of the secrets he was hiding. I found him in the church, his eyes filled with a quiet serenity.
'Father Christopher,' I began, my voice trembling. 'I need your help. There's something... something wrong in the villa.'
He looked at me, his gaze thoughtful. 'Tell me everything, Laura,' he said, his voice calm and reassuring.
I went to the church, hoping to find some solace, some protection. I wanted to tell him about my experiences, ask for his support and protection. But to my surprise, Father Christopher seemed to be absent and avoided contact with me.
I tried to reach out to him several times, but each time, I was met with silence. His absence was strange, and it made me wonder if he was involved in this intrigue. The thought was terrifying, but I couldn't ignore the possibility. I felt even more disoriented and anxious when I discovered that Father Christopher might be involved in the conspiracy.
I started to suspect that he himself was a member of the cult or was being intimidated by them. This discovery made me feel even more alone and defenceless in the face of the impending threat. I was desperate and isolated, and I had to fend for myself.
I decided to seek information on my own to uncover the truth and find a way to protect myself and my unborn child. I spent countless hours researching, trying to understand what was happening. I read about occult practices, about cults and their rituals. The more I learned, the more terrified I became. But I knew I had to keep going, for the sake of my child.
One night, as I was poring over an old book about local legends and myths, I came across a passage that sent chills down my spine. It spoke of a cult that had once existed in Kruklanki, a cult that practised dark rituals involving unborn children. The description matched the Graversons' behaviour and the strange occurrences in the villa. I knew then that my suspicions were not unfounded.
I decided to confront the Graversons. I knocked on their door, my heart pounding. 'I've noticed you've been acting strangely,' I said, trying to keep my voice steady. They exchanged a glance, their smiles never reaching their eyes. 'We're just concerned for you, dear,' Mrs. Graverson replied, her voice too sweet. But their reassurances did nothing to quell my fears.
I was up against something far more dangerous than I had imagined. But I was not going to give up. I was a mother, and I would do whatever it took to protect my child.
As my due date approached, I realised that time was running out and the threat was becoming greater. I had a recurring dream, a nightmare really, of a clock ticking loudly, its hands moving faster and faster. It was a chilling reminder of the impending danger, a foreshadowing of the race against time that lay ahead. I had to act quickly to save my child and uncover the truth. My maternal instinct and determination had strengthened, giving me the power to fight against the unknown and dark enemy. Despite the exhaustion tugging at my eyelids, I poured over the ancient texts, my fingers tracing the cryptic symbols. I wouldn't rest, not until I had found a way to protect my child, and I made a decision that would change everything.
I decided to find a mysterious book that, according to legend, had the power to protect against dark forces. I began an intensive search, scouring old libraries, archives, and places connected with the history of Kruklanki. I studied ancient writings, mythologies, and ancient rituals, trying to find clues and the key to solving this dark mystery.
During my search, I uncovered a horrifying history of Kruklanki. It turned out that many years ago, similar rituals had taken place in the town, bringing a curse and evil upon its inhabitants. The town's past was steeped in blood and dark secrets. Now, the cult wanted to renew this power and use my unborn child in their dark plans.
I spent countless hours in the town's library, pouring over old books and documents. I found references to a cult that had existed in Kruklanki centuries ago, a cult that had been banished after a terrible event. The details were vague, but it was clear that the cult had been involved in dark rituals and practices.
The more I learned, the more terrified I became. But I also felt a strange sense of determination. I was not just fighting for myself anymore, I was fighting for my child. And I was not going to let anything harm my baby.
I knew that finding the book was a long shot, but it was the only hope I had. I had to believe that it existed, that it could help me. As my due date approached, the Graversons' interest in me seemed to intensify. They would drop by unannounced, their questions becoming more personal, their gazes more intrusive. I had to believe that I could protect my child, that I could find the mysterious book and put an end to this nightmare.
In a dramatic turn of events, I discovered that Adam, my husband, had been bribed by the cultists and intended to give them our unborn child. A cold numbness spread through me as I read the words, each sentence a dagger to my heart. I could barely breathe, the paper trembling in my hands and fueled my motivation to fight even more. At first, I refused to believe it, but the evidence was overwhelmingly strong.
I found a letter hidden in his drawer, a letter from the Graversons. It spoke of a ritual, of a promise of power and wealth, and of our child. I couldn't believe what I was reading. The man I loved, the man who would hold me during those terrifying nights, was planning to betray me and our unborn child. Was it the promise of power and wealth that lured him? Or was he manipulated, ensnared by the Graversons' cunning words? The betrayal cut deep, but I had no time for despair.
I confronted Adam, my heart pounding in my chest. 'Adam,' I said, holding out the letter. 'What is this?'
He looked at the letter, his face paling. 'Laura, I...'
'You were going to give our child to them, weren't you?' I demanded, my voice shaking with anger and betrayal. He fell silent, his silence confirming my worst fears.
The look in his eyes confirmed my worst fears. I felt a wave of despair wash over me, but I knew I had to stay strong for my child.
I had to face Adam and defeat the dark forces that were plaguing Kruklanki. I pushed the boundaries of my courage and strength to protect my child and prevent the cultists from performing their dark ritual. I also had to confront my own fears and doubts that accompanied me.
In the hours leading up to the confrontation, I prepared myself for the battle ahead. Father Christopher had given me a small cross, a symbol of faith and protection. Clutching it tightly, I steeled myself for what was to come. As I entered the church, the cultists turned towards me, surprise flickering in their eyes. I stepped forward, my voice echoing in the silence, 'This ends now.' Adam was among them. Our eyes met, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of the man I once knew. But it was gone as quickly as it came. He stepped forward, trying to dissuade me, but I stood my ground. 'You won't take my child,' I declared, my voice steady despite the fear coursing through me. It was a moment where the power of a mother's love and courage broke through the darkness and triumphed over it.
I stood in the church, my heart pounding in my chest, as I faced the cultists. I could see the surprise in their eyes as I confronted them, as I defied them. With Father Christopher by my side, we fought against the darkness that threatened to consume us.
In the end, love and courage prevailed. I managed to save my child, to protect him from the darkness that had threatened to take him away from me. It was the hardest thing I had ever done, but I would do it again in a heartbeat for my child.
In the aftermath of the confrontation, the town was eerily quiet. The cultists had been defeated, their dark plans thwarted. Adam was nowhere to be found, and I was left to pick up the pieces of my shattered life.
In the days that followed, the weight of the ordeal began to lift, replaced by a newfound strength within me. I made the decision to leave the villa behind, a physical representation of the darkness that had consumed my life. With each step I took away from that place, I felt a sense of liberation and determination.
I found a small house nestled in the heart of Kruklanki, a place where the warmth of the community embraced me. As I settled into my new home, I realised that my journey was not just about protecting my child, but also about finding my own strength. Through the trials I had faced, I had discovered a reservoir of resilience and courage within myself that I never knew existed.
Father Christopher, my steadfast companion, continued to provide guidance and support. We spent countless hours in conversation, sharing our experiences and searching for meaning in the darkness that had enveloped Kruklanki. Through his wisdom and unwavering faith, I learned to embrace my role as a protector and a fighter.
As time went on, I saw the transformation within me. The fear that once gripped my heart had been replaced by a fierce determination to rebuild and find joy in the simple moments. I laughed with neighbours, embraced the beauty of the lake, and reveled in the innocent smiles of my child.
In the midst of the darkness, I found my own light. The journey had not only saved my child but had also saved me. I was no longer the frightened woman who arrived in Kruklanki, but a mother fortified by love and an unyielding spirit. Together, my child and I would create a new story, one filled with hope and the resilience to face any darkness that may come our way.
Despite everything, I found hope. Hope in the kindness of Father Christopher, hope in the strength of my love for my child, hope in the possibility of a new beginning. I had faced the darkness and come out on the other side stronger and more determined.
This is my story, a story of fear and courage, of darkness and light, of despair and hope. It's a story of a mother's love, a love so strong it can conquer even the darkest of evils. And it's a story of Kruklanki, a town that faced its dark past and emerged stronger.

First Previous Next ​ ​

In a bustling mining town:

Jax had been enjoying himself. The war stories and barely believable tales of antics of the Humans he'd served with he told in the coffee parlors were popular among the intoxicated of both sexes, though the admiration and further libations from the men were far less captivating than the rapt attention a very pretty woman with a lithe figure and strong tail gave him. Comely indeed, and she would come to listen to him. Though it seemed to onlookers that he had captivated her, it was her dark pools of eyes that he had dove into, and found them deep and inescapable. She kept those eyes trained on him so long as he spoke, and so he spoke, seeing in those depths possibilities.
Indeed, Jax had begun to expect that if he were to ask Rae to accompany him to the upcoming autumn festival, she might not reject the notion. Even with troubling rumors about somebody attacking a neighboring nation, and the sudden vanishing of the Star Sailors from Star Council space were far from his mind, and the minds of the other coffee patrons parlor patrons. It was in this ease and comfort that he and many other Numiindan residents found their lives shattered by horror.
It began with the burning streaks of the wrecked Space Defense Force, more law enforcement than military, fell from the sky. He was just in the middle of a story about the time his buddy Erin had gotten stuck in his own armor when he stopped and said, "Does anybody else smell smoke?"
There was a general testing of the air by the group of variably intoxicated patrons, followed by a fruitless checking of datapads for the news. "Network's down," somebody in the small crowd said.
"Well, we'll just go outside and take a look," Jax said, and Rae subtly clasped his hand. Outside, the pair squeezed each other's hands so hard they hurt. The sky was streaked with gashes of billowing black smoke of destroyed ships and fighters, and what destroyed them was descending while raining hot plasma down on anything that looked vaguely like it might be fortified.
"The Ancestors preserve us," Rae whispered.
"I'm not going to wait on them," Jax said, "we need to get under cover now, and not just the lounge!"
Someone in the crowd said, "The mines! There are some pretty big chambers down there, and it's like, miles of rock to burn through."
"Good plan," Vex said, "If they're doing areal lances like that they don't care about collateral damage, everyone, split up in groups of three or four, and get as many people as you can to get to the mines."
"What if they follow us down?" Rae asked.
"We'll flood the mines. Hopefully they can't swim."
An hour later, a press of over a hundred panicked elderly and children were running along behind Jax. The majority of the parents and other adults had elected to buy time. Jax had to focus on his mission, save the civvies, get them under cover, to keep from bolting off to join them. "As long as the pups are alive," he muttered.
The sounds of shouting and plasma lance discharges spurred him and Rae on, and though he was obliged to lead the way, she insisted on bringing up the rear. She insisted that none of the injured were left behind. Then, they saw it, salvation. The gates to the mines, and behind them, the shaft plunging down beneath the rock. There were miners with plasma cutters and force axes at the gates, and Jax knew better than to relax. Even as the miners swung the gates open and escorted their panicked charges to the shaft elevator.
"We're getting ready to flood the main shaft, and everything but the vents to the largest chamber," one of the miners said, "get everyone up against the back wall, and pray the Ancestors remember us."
Jax just nodded and gripped his crowbar as he scanned the road they had run down saying, "I'm going to need fighters. We have to hold out until the Republic gets here."
"The Republic? You think they'll come?"
"Of course," Jax said with steel in his voice, "of course."
The next day, Jax held a meeting with the others he was thinking of as the leaders, or maybe other fighters, to tell them what he thought and hear what they thought in return. They had swam to an air pocket in one of the flooded tunnels and held their conversation in the dim light of a portable glow lantern to keep the civvies from panicking at what might be said. There Jax and Rae floated with Kai, a miner and the one who had suggested sheltering in the tunnels, Mei, an engineer in from the big city to help design an upgraded refining facility, and Ash, a man reluctant to divulge his past.
"So, we have about eight hundred civvies, none of whom are in fighting shape, no weapons, no food, and a highly defensible position," Jax opened, "I believe our first priority should be arming ourselves so we can raid the surface for food."
"The first aid kits are barely adequate. They're made to deal with maybe a localized plasma burn from a cutter malfunction, or to put temporary splints on a broken limb. Not lance wounds and to stabilize breaks for healing," Rae murmured softly.
"I did a little scouting," Kai said, "Just popping up in the vent covers, they didn't see me. I saw my house. What's left of it. Anyway, I know how to get to where there are some weapons we could get if we're quick. If we're quiet."
"The flooding did significant damage to the mines," Mei muttered. "I haven't seen any signs that it's getting worse, but the quakes will probably keep on. We will have to reassure the civilians. If they bombard the town from orbit though…"
"There's not much we can do about that," Jax said firmly, "so let's focus on what we can manage. Weapons, food, medicine."
"Blankets," Ash said, "The people are cold, scared. Blankets will help with morale. Survivors. There might be survivors."
"Weapons, food, weapons, blankets, and survivors. Okay, that's a start. Who wants to tell them?"
"Will the Republic really come?" Ash asked.
"They will come," Rex said firmly.
"I can tell them," Rae said as she reached out to clasp hands with Rex. He let her squeeze his hand once, and they dove down into the water to swim back to the main chamber.
The people were understandably stressed at the news that their only protectors would soon leave them alone, but they were reassured when Rae explained that they planned on raiding the surface for supplies and planned to be gone for a few hours at most.
Later, Ash was skulking around a police station, or at least the charred remnants of one, while Jax tried to see him doing so from inside the vent cover. He had been a little aprehensive of the man's claims that he could scout the building unnoticed, but the proof of the meat was inside the shell, so he took a chance. It paid off.
"All clear," Ash whispered from outside Jax's field of view.
"You made your point," Jax said, "good work."
"It's… it's not good in there."
Jax opened up the vent cover, and dropped to all fours to creep his way to the shattered building, and his companions did so behind him.
They squeezed through a gap in the rubble and slowly shifted the rubble until they had tunneled their way to the basement stairs, which they descended immediately. They tried to ignore the singed and shattered corpses of the police officers as they crawled past or over them. They failed at this. They had marginally more success in ignoring Rae's vomit at the grizzly task.
In the basement they found chemprop weapons, magacs, plasma casters, and long distance tasers in rifle and pistol configurations, as well as some light flak armor and personal shields. "Don't bother with the casters or tasers," Jax ordered as he wrapped his hands around the familiar shape of a rifle stock, "Terrans use these for a reason." The others deferrred to his experience, and Rae went to check the other basement rooms for medical supplies.
When she cried out, Rex and the others rushed into the adjoining room, but found no danger there. Only the chief of police, a magac pistol lay at his feet, and the wall to his left was painted in a sanguine splatter. "Nim," she almost moaned in grief.
"You knew him?" Ash asked.
"My uncle."
The others murmured their apologies, none of them strangers to such loss in the past day, and Ash pulled a discarded coat over the man taken by despair. "We have to make sure the people don't decide that this is a good idea," he softly murmured.
"Okay, see what else we can find for supplies here. Kai, can we get to a clinic from the tunnels?"
"Three of them."
"We'll hit the nearest one first, then we swim out to the bay and see if we can get anything from the fishery."
Then, they once again committed to the grizzly task of crawling through the rubble.
The clinic was miraculously intact, only a little exterior fire damage from the fighting, but it was also guarded. The invaders hadn't expected anyone to actually attack with weapons, as thus far most resistance had been fierce but only armed with improvised weapons. The two guards were relieved of their duties by magnetically accelerated iron chunks that left golf ball sized exit wounds in their backs before they even knew they were under attack. Inside, there was not only a treasure trove of medical supplies, which Rae directed them to take only the most versatile or in most dire need, but there were also prisoners in one of the exam rooms. They had injuries that indicated that they were painful but not lethal. Jax was furious.
The fishery offered enough food for the next few days, and their triumphant return kindled hope in the sheltering civilians that they might just hold out.

In low orbit over Numinda:

Acolyte-Lord Gukea-Sarvon surveyed his glorious conquest. Glad he was to have received orders to seek out resource rich planets, for instead of wasting his talents spilling unworthy blood to sate the thirst of Axzuur, he had instead found a race worthy of toiling for his glory. They could never be true warriors, Five days, and he had obtained control over the system and planet. Truly, the pathetic resisance offered by their so-called fleet had dismayed him, but the reports of the ferocity with which the males and some of the females on the orb below fight against his warriors armed only with what is to hand, and sometimes merely tooth and claw, excited him greatly.
It would be pleasing to elevate the lion's share of Axxaakk serfs to more worthy work, to more… worthy services. This new acquisition would even free up many serfs to become warriors, even, which would mean more sacrifices to Axzuur, which would mean greater favor. Although, there were still pockets of resistance across the planet. Even though his forces controlled the communication infrastructure for the planetary and superluminal networks, these pockets seemed to somehow act in concert to keep vital positions outside the Axxaakk's rightful reach.
It would seem that a mere scout group was insufficient, so he was being reinforced by, Acolyte-Lord Narrex-Quinn, who had been reassigned to a subjugation group including a battleship, three frigates, and their escorts. This should provide sufficient warriors and equipment to properly subjigate the planet, freeing Acolyte-Lord Gukea-Sarvon up for the much more pleasant task of crushing the next planet's defenses. Just two days of further drudgery until Acolyte-Lord Narrex-Quinn arrived to take on the unenviable task of crushing the indipendent spirits of the new serfs. At least he had a few specimens for his own research in the best methods to do so to occupy his time.
Two days later, Acolyte-Lord Narrex-Quinn had sent his counterpart sprawling off of his own dais with a metalic backhand slap, "WHY ARE YOUR ESCORTS NOT INTERDICTING HYPERSPACE EXITS AROUND THIS POSITION?"
Acolyte-Lord Gukea-Sarvon staggered to his feet in a fury, "BECAUSE MY SCOUT FLOTILLA WIPED AWAY ALL RESISTANCE IN LESS THAN A DAY!"
"Observe," Acolyte-Lord Narrex-Quinn said coldly as he slammed a data crystal into an input, and the display screen lit up with the scene of a Terran fleet engaging an extraction fleet, and far from being swept away, they were fighting the extraction fleet to a slow defeat.
"Is that a stone temple?" Acolyte-Lord Gukea-Sarvon blurted out.
"It is."
"Why?"
"To show they can," Acolyte-Lord Narrex-Quinn said with disgust.
Acolyte-Lord Gukea-Sarvon's eyes went wide as he asked, "How did that curiser take hits from behind."
"The Terrans apparently use kinetic weaponry, they fired the munitions in a slingshot trajectory while another ship forced it to maneuver into the line of travel."
"The calculations involved…"
"It is my belief that this is not even the main fighting force of the Terran military, for observe further," Acolyte-Lord Narrex-Quinn twisted the crystal to display a split video of several systems on the screen. "These look like merchant vessels with guns strapped to them, and Priest-Lord Tiglach-Pilexer agrees that is likely the case. These fleets are likely auxiliaries sent out to probe our strength while the Terrans gather their true forces."
"Thank you for relaying this, I shall indeed run hyperspace interdiction at the next world."
"Your orders have changed. We are to extract what we can, and carry it off to the Dominion. The expeditionary fleet is insufficient."
Acolyte-Lord Gukea-Sarvon resisted the urge to spit upon the floor. "I too have information. These… these mammal-worms are worthy of at the very least toiling underneath the Axxaakk. Though their forces are defeated, the people fight on, just as the serfs did before they were broken and rebuilt to Axzuur's glory, may the stars tremble at his step."
"They are mammals, hold hostage their young, as we do for an unruly serf."
"This is a good plan, brother."
"We must not allow the Terrans to surprise us as they did Acolyte-Lord Xamxi-Avav."
First Previous Next ​ ​

I'm looking for a perfect, fairy-tale, borderline unrealistic romance made with a male audience in mind. Something like Demon Accords by John Conroe. It doesn't have to be urban fantasy; high, low fantasy, sci-fi - any genre is fine as long as it's supernatural in some way. Here's some specifics on what I'm looking for:

• Male MC preferred, but female is fine as long as she's completely loyal to one male lead.
• Absolutely no love triangles, harem or polygamy. I'm fine if it's hinted at, but only to be abruptly shut down later in order to solidify the image of the main couple's unconditional love.
• Neither the MC or the love interest would even think about leaving or cheating on the other.
• All drama comes from external circumstances - a bumpy start is alright, but I need the lead couple to reach a point where they never question their choice anymore.
• I'd love if the male lead is human, but doesn't lag behind in strength or catches up very quickly. Hell, overpowered Gary Stu is fine. I've dropped all pretense at this point.
• A lot of action movie style fight sequences is a big plus. Props if there's a tastefully done instance of the 'damsel-in-distress' trope. Or at least the male lead gets plenty of chances to prove his (martial) competence in any way.

I'm looking for a perfect, fairy-tale, borderline unrealistic romance made with a male audience in mind. Something like Demon Accords by John Conroe. It doesn't have to be urban fantasy; high, low fantasy, sci-fi - any genre is fine as long as it's supernatural in some way. Here's some specifics on what I'm looking for:

• Male MC preferred, but female is fine as long as she's completely loyal to one male lead.
• Absolutely no love triangles, harem or polygamy. I'm fine if it's hinted at, but only to be abruptly shut down later in order to solidify the image of the main couple's unconditional love.
• Neither the MC or the love interest would even think about leaving or cheating on the other.
• All drama comes from external circumstances - a bumpy start is alright, but I need the lead couple to reach a point where they never question their choice anymore.
• I'd love if the male lead is human, but doesn't lag behind in strength or catches up very quickly. Hell, overpowered Gary Stu is fine. I've dropped all pretense at this point.
• A lot of action movie style fight sequences is a big plus. Props if there's a tastefully done instance of the 'damsel-in-distress' trope. Or at least the male lead gets plenty of chances to prove his (martial) competence in any way.

Bonnie Raitt - Dig in Deep - $13.95 w/ free shipping

Listening through Dig in Deep, Bonnie Raitt's 20th album, the entire arc of her career becomes clear. In the early '70s she insisted on recording live in the studio with her road band. Later, various producers -- from Jerry Ragovoy to Peter Asher, from Don Was to T-Bone Burnett -- assisted in shaping her sound, often with great commercial success: she's sold nearly 20 million records. She's learned from them all. There have been downs, but each was balanced by a rise. In 2012 she ended a seven-year silence with the poignant, powerful Slipstream, co-produced with Joe Henry and released on Redwing, her own label. Dig in Deep was produced by Raitt, with the exception of "You've Changed My Mind, written by Henry specifically for her, and recorded in 2010. She wrote or co-wrote five of its 12 songs. The members of her fantastic road band are again her musical partners. Raitt's signature slide guitar is back out front; it shines throughout the recording. Her earthy singing voice, with just a hint of time's grain, is more disciplined and holds more emotional authority than ever before. It soars through a song collection balanced between rough, rowdy rockers and searing ballads. All of the material, regardless of tempo, underscores her title.

direct link

I need some words of advice possibly. I am suffering with severe paranoia and I mean extreme. I can’t help but think people are after me and want to hurt me, that people think bad of me and discuss me to each other yet I don’t know who it could be.
When I go out to a store I think the people there knew I was going to go there, and that they went there to watch me. Somebody can read the thoughts in my head almost like the universe can. I think people have put cameras in the trees outside my window to watch me so I don’t open my blinds. I think someone’s watching me thru my phone.
I can’t tell if this is because of my EUPD. I also have anxiety disorder and OCD and c-ptsd. I take no medication other than occasional benzos for anxiety and sleep. I just feel like everything is a threat to me and I think when my boyfriend says things to me that it’s secret hints or something like double meaning and I spin myself out over simple things and replies.
I don’t know what this is or why it keeps happening I am worried there is something else more sinister wrong with me. I am so worried I can’t stop pacing around, I haven’t eaten in days just water. I feel like I can’t breathe. Like the oxygen has been stolen from each room of my house. Little signs like walking into things or seeing a spider I keep thinking is a sign the universe is giving me to let me know something bad is happening. Because it keeps making smaller things happen that I don’t like. It’s warning me. I don’t know I don’t know who to tell I’m sorry if this is messy I’m sorry

I'm looking for a perfect, fairy-tale, borderline unrealistic romance made with a male audience in mind. Something like Demon Accords by John Conroe. It doesn't have to be urban fantasy; high, low fantasy, sci-fi - any genre is fine as long as it's supernatural in some way. Here's some specifics on what I'm looking for:

• Male MC preferred, but female is fine as long as she's completely loyal to one male lead.
• Absolutely no love triangles, harem or polygamy. I'm fine if it's hinted at, but only to be abruptly shut down later in order to solidify the image of the main couple's unconditional love.
• Neither the MC or the love interest would even think about leaving or cheating on the other.
• All drama comes from external circumstances - a bumpy start is alright, but I need the lead couple to reach a point where they never question their choice anymore.
• I'd love if the male lead is human, but doesn't lag behind in strength or catches up very quickly. Hell, overpowered Gary Stu is fine. I've dropped all pretense at this point.
• A lot of action movie style fight sequences is a big plus. Props if there's a tastefully done instance of the 'damsel-in-distress' trope. Or at least the male lead gets plenty of chances to prove his (martial) competence in any way.

So me and my friend (both M21), were out sitting in a park close to my friend's place. We had just finished training around 11 p.m. and decided to relax, talk and have a smoke on one of the benches in the park. We were in a remote area in the city, and it was close to 12p.m. so there wasn't anybody out and about except for my friend and me.
40 or so minutes in, in the midst of our conversation, we hear an unfathomably loud explosion right next to us. We heard that explosion echoes to the farthest corners of that district. The second we heard it go off, me and my friend look in the direction of its source, and we see a rather big blueish Light orb in the middle of the park, approximately 20 meters (65ft) away from us. I disappeared a moment after we looked.
Both of us were stunned. After the explosion, we listened intently for voices, footsteps, or anything of any kind, only to hear nothing but complete silence. Both of us were thinking the same thing: "That must've been a gunshot." , but we had a clear view from where we were sitting and there was no one there.
So we got curious. We went and investigated the area only to find absolutely nothing and no hint to what might have caused the explosion and the flash of blueishwhite light.
We're still no further in knowing what was going on.

Long story short my wife of 10 yrs especially after having kids pushed to take over more and more of what was my house. Fine, but she has pushed continually for the kids to have more and more of our living room, then more and more of the house to be “kid-proofed”. Step by step we had arguments over that. Seems like I should be in the corner with all my stuff while everybody else gets whatever they want. Yes I have things and tools and etc that come and go around a house with handy projects going on. Every time there’s an idea of what should go where there’s changes of mind and things sometimes gets switched around with notice. My wife likes or permits her mother to come over periodically and help her with things. Usuallly clean our sink full of dishes, that are a priority for me but not for her. Her mother is left to work alone where things get put anywhere and it’s up to someone to find it when they need it. Also they move things around and change where my things are which drives me nuts. She’s long known I don’t like people moving my things around because I know exactly where things are and usually after her (or their) work I have to look for one or more items for 15-20 mins when I need them, do that 2-3 times in a day and that would tick anybody off. Recently she approached me about clearing our third bedroom out that needs finishing. Been slow going from being busy with kids, life, work, job change etc. A couple weeks ago her mother was over, its always scheduled on a day I’m working. (I once asked her why and she says it’s because I would slow them down.🙄) I come home from work and though I’m angry I just go do something I wanted to do and took the kids to a park. I just tried to ignore it all, because when I think about it I get angry. They were back at it the other day, I get some texts at work saying she’s moving our big dog crate for our two dogs back into that room etc. I just don’t respond, I’m already angry. I come home and a bunch of my stuff is moved or boxed toted or stacked like a couple weeks ago. I don’t know if she knows how to clean, (she calls herself more of an organizer) I come home and look around at and have basically ignored, been brief, and given her the cold shoulder the past two days. I think I’ve done a good job separating why I’m ticked at her and why I’m upset about other things going on in recent days. This is not a new thing, every time this happens I feel hurt and and I’m pissed at her. She had the nerve to ask for a pep talk this morning ( as she sometimes does when she’s feeling down and asking if I still love her and hinting at sex tonight which I didn’t even respond to. I believe so have a legit reason to be angry. You go around doing what you want when you want and expect me to be fine with something you know at least put me on edge and usually over it. I just feel like ignoring her some more. It’ll probably blow over, but I’m so tired of the same BS. She tried to compliment me on handling our tough kids well at an all day scout event today. I didn’t want it and made it clear. If I fall into the sex intoxication lol it’s like drinking your feelings away. I’m angry and want it to be known, my stuff is not being respected. Her stuff and kid’s stuff taken care of or all over. I’m very active in the daily cleaning and care of our home btw. It’s times like this where I wonder my fiancé is behind this person I’m married who would knowingly stab me repeatedly 10 yrs later and want it to be ok.

If that name is unique, it could be possible to get hints on who is googling them and where.
There's google keyword planner which goes by month, and gives a relative number of how often that name was googled by city.
You could also use google search console to see how many search "impressions" occurred by country, daily. You would need to create a website, have the SEO keywords be the person's name, and verify you are the domain owner.
Since every query on google is tracked, are there other ways to accomplish this?

Can we get over this?
Married 31 years. I (WH, 62) had an emotional affair 18 years ago with my wife’s (BS, 54) best friend. There were a million excuses why, but they don’t matter it was wrong. 29 years ago my BS had an affair, with an person from the past. There were a million reasons why, but they don’t matter it was wrong. All was forgiven. 8 years ago with BS knowledge I began an online relationship with someone I met on Reddit, a few months later BS said she was no longer comfortable with me talking to her, so reddit woman (RW) and I stopped talking. ( sidebar: RW is a computer wiz) 2 years later I’m trying to develop a website for my latest idea for how to get rich. (hint: it’s not a fitness website) I contacted RW and we started working together to get the website going, ( during this time BS and I had almost completely stopped having any sorts of intimacy, there were again a million reasons) the website work this was totally professional. No flirting, nothing. However I knew my BS would be jealous so I did not tell her computer wiz was RW. After working together for a year or so, it was clear the site was getting no traction, I stopped throwing money down the drain. And RW and I didn’t talk much at all. During this time our son passed away. A year later I decided to try my hand at coding, who did I call?? Yep RW, and again didn’t tell my BS this was RW or website lady. We worked together almost daily for months with her trying to teach an old dog new tricks. After 6 month of futility I gave up, however during this time we had gotten flirty again, and it was inappropriate. Feb of this year RW sends me a text calling me sweetheart, my BS saw it and was rightly upset. She asked me to stop talking to this woman. I didn’t. My BS went thru messages and found we were talking, she confronted me in April and I lied saying it was over. She showed me the messages to prove I was lying, and had lied straight to her face. I was mortified, and so ashamed, I came clean about RW. I have been doing everything BA has asked of me. Now we are having sex , our intimacy is coming back to normal. However I’m a LongHaul truck driver I am only home every 3-4 weeks. Things seem to be moving forward. However, now she’s not sure she can ever trust me, or if she can continue “doing this” which I understand. How do I help her thru this. She is in individual counseling and I will be starting on Monday.

I'm pretty sure my drinking urge would wither if I could process some stuff in my life and in my person. Change my emotional landscape and ways of thinking. Become more balanced and less tense.
I've seen a therapist in the past, but I don't know if they had a specific method they used or not. It was not aimed at curing alcoholism specifically.
So if anyone has hints: what therapeutic or psychiatric methods have helped you and contributed to stopping or reducing your drinking? How did it happen?
I would like to hear also about therapies which weren't specifically targeted at alcoholism, but ended up helping with it as well.
Thank you.

I'm not sure how specific I can be about this because I remember so little of the details, but I'm desperate to find this book!
I read it when I was very young (around 2005-2010), it was in my parents collection of novels from when they were kids. Most of the books were religious so I'm assuming this one was too- the only other book I can actually remember was Treasures of the Snow by Patricia st. John, so I'm assuming they're from the same time period as well.
The book followed two girls and one boy all hanging out at a junk yard. One of the girls was really poor and lived with her mom (possibly grandmother?) in an apartment over a grocery store. I do remember detailed descriptions about how she had very long gray hair. The other girl was rich, and if my memory is right at the end of the book it turns out the poor girl actually is related to the rich girl.
The other reason I think it's christian is because the kids find a box at the junk yard, I think a record player. It has pills in it and when they take them they grow wings. I wish I could be more specific about any of this, but if either of these details jog anyone's memory I'm extremely thankful!