--This is an older prompt I previously missed but was able to re-visit - the prompt was to write an acrostic poem - enjoy!--
Day after day, week after week, year after year, we who are chronically
Ill are fighting. We are in survival mode, we are fighting,
And we are exhausted. Our best often is not much, but it is our
Best. We are trying, and forgetting, working and resting, but
Endlessly tired, or worn down, and no matter how hard we
Try it seems to never be enough,
Especially on those days we compare ourselves to our past
Selves, or our friends, family, and peers who are not ill and seem to be able to do
Anything. And sometimes it feels like we can do, and are...
Nothing.
Day after day, week after week, year after year, we who
Are neuro-divergent are fighting ourselves, our minds, the
Daily expectations we put on ourselves and others put on us,
Having to do so much to pretend, to live, to thrive, and on many
Days it feels like we can never do it, like we will never be good enough.
Day after day, week after week, year after year, we who are both chronically ill and neuro-divergent are fighting to survive against trials of the mind and body, seeing those around us outpace us with ease - it is our endless struggle.
–Was really happy when I finished this one - felt like it was possibly my best work yet! Not sure if I still feel that way, but I definitely enjoyed the process of creating it, even if I have some doubts about it now! Continue below to read–
1. You are responsible for your own media experience.
2. There is such a thing as a healthy level of avoidance towards topics that make you feel unwell or even (in a real-life clinical definition of the term) trigger you - but you are the one to actively take care of what you view.
3. Avoiding does not mean policing others.
4. You have no right to tell artists to censor themselves - you may criticize what others do, you may dislike it, that’s fine - but actively asking for censorship when you could easily unfollow or block a person just makes you look incompetent in your use of the internet.
5. Do not give people on tumblr or /any/ website the responsibility for your emotional well-being. Because these people do not even know you so no, you have no right to ask them to take care of you.
6. Content creators are not your parents and owe you nothing, not even a breakdown on why their content isn’t problematic. You don’t get to demand a dissertation denouncing any and everything unhealthy in a piece you don’t like. Move on.
7. Tagging is a nicety but not an obligation. You can message people, politely, and ask them to tag things, and many people will, but understand that it’s their blog and they aren’t obliged to say yes. Unfollow and block when you need to. Circling back to number 1, you are responsible for curating your own experience.
8. Don’t be a jerk. Remember at the end of the day, there are actual living, breathing people behind each screen name. Don’t say anything you wouldn’t say to someone’s face in real life.
Hello all! If you’ve enjoyed my writing and want some more interaction, or a place to make suggestions for my writing, join my Discord! It’s not very active right now, I’m hoping to revive it a bit, see you there!
https://discord.gg/eTvTyGdJ
(note: this link expires in 7 days, if you’re seeing this post past then and want to join feel free to message me and I’ll send you a link!)
Would I recommend: No - the movie has some good moments, but overall it didn’t keep my interest. If I can’t relate to or don’t care about the main protagonist/antagonist in your movie you’ve got a problem.
Had seen before: Yes (but couldn’t remember it)
Main movie, prequel, sequel, or midquel: Main movie
Theater or straight to video: Theater
Keep reading below for fun facts, my thoughts, and origin details (contains spoilers)!
Thoughts:
They’re so rude to the blue fairy!
I feel like the fairies should be running an orphanage, they’re so sad they’re going to have to give Aurora back, and it seems like they loved raising her so much
Yikes, not a good sign that by the time we see the prince and his horse the horse is the most interesting character so far
Okay, the prince is more than a little creepy - he overhears Aurora singing and uses details from her song to get her to trust him and like him (a complete stranger). Also, this is Phillip, he was at least 8 (possibly older) when he met her as a baby, and she’s almost 16, he must be 24 (or older)!
Aurora is a bit of an idiot… she thinks she’s in love with someone she met once (she didn’t even give her name or get his!)
King Hubert is a butt! King Stefan is just excited to finally see his daughter after all these years, and Hubert is already pushing Aurora and Phillip to move away together
The music when Maleficent is luring Aurora away is so jarring, it fits the mood of the scene very well
The prince being ambushed at the cottage is the most interesting thing to happen in the movie (it’s the only bit that surprised me at all)
The fairies tell Phillip he will have to face the rest of the dangers himself (once they free him from the dungeon), then save him from the next four or five dangers with their magic - c’mon ladies, consistency!
Maleficent needs to get a hobby, she devoted almost two decades to revenge over an insult, and takes most of it out on people not even responsible for the original insult! (I prefer in the original tales where the “evil” fairy gives her curse and moves on with her life)
CHILDREN EXPLAIN TO YOUR PARENTS - Phillip’s dad is so confused and Phillip just ignores him, explaining nothing when he shows up with Aurora after having run off earlier
Why is no one questioning the dress repeatedly changing color?
Fun facts:
Aurora is the only one of the official 12 that is a true blonde - Cinderella is a strawberry blonde, and Rapunzel is a natural brunette
Aurora is the only of the official 12 to have an abnormal eye color (her eyes are violet)
Once again a tale that has a Grimm and Perrault version! Disney draws from Perrault’s tale, but in my research I found not only Perrault’s tale of a sleeping beauty (“The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood”), but two others as well, an earlier tale (“Sun, Moon, and Talia” by Giambattista Basile), and a later tale (“Little Briar-Rose”, by the Grimm brothers). Imagine my surprise when reading them and realizing the Grimm version is the least dark of the three!
Origin: (Charles Perrault tale) In this tale a king and queen who desperately wanted children were overjoyed to finally have a baby girl. To celebrate a grand christening was held, and every fairy that could be found (seven in all) were invited to be godmothers. Beautiful settings were prepared for them, each was to be given a gold casket holding a spoon, fork, and knife, each made with gold and set with diamonds and rubies. Right as everyone was sitting down an old fairy arrived, one that had not been seen in so long most presumed her dead or bewitched.
The king immediately ordered another setting for her, but only seven golden caskets had been made, so she could not be given one. The old fairy, thinking she had been intentionally ignored, began to mutter threats to herself. One of the young fairies sitting near her heard her, and went to hide, so she could speak last and try to counteract anything the old fairy may do.
The fairies all gave beautiful gifts of talent and beauty to the princess, until the old fairy's turn. She declared that the young princess would prick her hand on a spindle and die. The last fairy, the one who had hidden, now came out to give her gift. She did not have the power to remove the curse, but was able to amend it, saying the princess would not die, but fall into a deep sleep, which would last 100 years, and at the end she would be awoken by a prince.
The king, hoping to avoid the horrible event, declared it was now forbidden, under threat of death, to use or keep a spinning wheel or spindle. Despite these efforts, when the princess was fifteen or sixteen and her parents were away she came upon an old woman in the castle spinning. Having never seen a spinning wheel she had no reason to fear it, and as soon as she went to touch it she pricked her finger and fell. Every effort was made to wake her, but it was no use. She was laid to rest in the finest room, upon a bed embroidered with gold and silver.
The fairy who had changed her curse soon arrived, and touched her wand to all in the castle except the king and queen, so that they were all frozen in time, only to awaken when their princess did, and all would be ready for her when she awoke. Shortly after the king and queen left the castle the fairy grew a forest thick with trees, brambles, and thorns around the castle, so that the princess would be safe and away from prying eyes.
A hundred years later the throne had been passed to a different family. One day while out hunting the king's son found the castle, and asked his attendants about it. Most told stories of evil magic, hauntings, or monsters, but one elderly attendant said her father told her that inside the castle lay a princess, who was waiting for a prince. This story emboldened the prince, and he decided to enter.
As soon as the prince approached the castle the thorns and brambles fell away. He made his way through the castle until he found the beautiful princess. Trembling he moved near her, and, the prince having come for her and the hundred years over, she awoke. Supper was soon prepared, and shortly after the meal was finished the prince and princess were married.
The next morning the prince returned to the city, and told his parents he had simply become lost in the forest for a time. His father believed him, but his mother was not fooled. She had noticed he was more often going hunting, and often spent nights away from home.
In the two years since their marriage the prince and princess had two children - the first a daughter, named "Dawn", the second a son, named "Day". All this time the queen was urging the prince to settle down or confide in her, but he was hesitant, as she came from a race of ogres (the king married her for her wealth), and was said to have a hard time resisting pouncing upon children.
By the end of two years the king had died, and the prince found himself on the throne, at which time he publicly announced his marriage, and had his wife and children brought from the forest. Not long after the king declared war on his neighbor, and appointed his mother to rule and care for his family in his absence.
Not even a week had passed when the queen regent summoned her chief steward, telling him for supper the next day she would eat Dawn, with a piquant sauce. When the steward went to slaughter her (she was four by now) she ran to him, and he could not do it, and instead had her hidden. He served the queen regent a lamb instead, and she declared she had never eaten anything so good.
Eight days later the queen regent summoned the steward again, this time declaring she would eat Day (who was three by now). Day was hidden away, and the queen regent was served a young goat. She again said it was delicious, but her desires arose again soon, and she told the steward she wished to eat the princess, with the same sauce as her children.
The steward, not knowing what animal could substitute for her, made up his mind that to save his own life he must take hers. He faltered when he arrived in her chamber, and told her of the command he had been given. The princess (not knowing her children had been hidden) told him to do it, so that she may be reunited with her children. The poor steward, feeling compassion for her, told her she would be reunited with them, that they had simply been hidden away. He instead served the queen regent deer.
The queen regent, planning to tell the king wolves had eaten his family, felt quite satisfied. However, as she wandered the castle one evening she heard the cries of Day, and knew she had been lied to. She ordered a huge vat be brought to the courtyard and filled with snakes and serpents of all kinds so the princess, her children, and those who had lied to her could be thrown into it the next day.
As her servants were preparing to throw them in however the king returned (much sooner than expected). Surprised, he demanded to be told what was going on. No one dared tell him, and the queen regent, instead of confronting him, threw herself into the vat and was devoured instantly. The king was saddened, but soon found comfort and consolation in his beautiful wife and children.
Would I recommend: Yes - it’s another classic that’s still quite enjoyable today!
Had seen before: Yes (but couldn’t remember it)
Main movie, prequel, sequel, or midquel: Main movie
Theater or straight to video: Theater
Keep reading below for fun facts, my thoughts, and origin details (contains spoilers)!
Also further below are my reviews for the sequels!
Thoughts:
Why do all the mice and birds have clothes? BIRDS DO NOT NEED SHOES
Cinderella’s rant at the clock tower truly shows the universal hatred of being woken up by a clock in the morning
Cinderella certainly has more attitude than I remembered! It’s wonderful
I can’t help wondering why the prince’s baby portrait shows him as a blonde, and from a toddler on he has black hair
What’s going on with the fever dream bubbles? What was in that tea…
I love how much the mice care about Cinderella, they truly do everything they can to help her prepare for the ball
There’s a lot more humor in the movie than I remembered - a lot of it is a bit subtle, I think some may have just gone over my head when I was little
I love the prince’s attitude (hiding a yawn while meeting some of the ladies, and rolling his eyes at the step-sisters)
The king is a bit creepy, he’s so obsessed with having grandkids, to the point that he says some of the ladies must have potential to be great mothers (before correcting himself to say wives)!
It’s wonderful that Cinderella is so appealing to the prince because she’s not fawning over him or his position - he first notices her because she’s admiring the palace beauty instead of trying to gain his attention, and becomes more fascinating with her later when he realizes she’s interested in him (she doesn’t even know he’s the prince at the time!)
While spending time with the prince why does Cinderella splash her GLOVED hand in the fountain?
The poor grand duke.. He may be my favorite character, he’s so sweet and trying so hard. I feel so bad when he’s so panicked about telling the king Cinderella has disappeared (though of course he’d be panicked, the king threatened to kill him if anything went wrong!)
Another reason to love the grand duke - he is literally the only character who acknowledges the very real concern that the slipper may fit many women!
I have noticed that Cinderella wears a black choker both with her ball gown and with her wedding gown. I don’t know what to do with this knowledge.
Fun facts:
Cinderella’s prince is the one known as “Prince Charming”
While the Brothers Grimm wrote a tale about “Cinderella”, the Disney movie draws inspiration from Cendrillon (Cinderella, or The Little Glass Slipper), a tale by Charles Perrault, first published anonymously in 1697 in Paris (over a century before the Brothers Grimm tale, which differs in many ways) - for my research I read both versions, and highly recommend you do the same! The movie stays mostly true to Perrault’s tale, though personally I prefer the Grimm version.
Cinderella was originally going to be a short, but the ideas were too complicated to fit, so instead they made it into a movie
Origin: (Cendrillon, or The Little Glass Slipper, Charles Perrault tale) In this tale a gentleman, who had an incredibly sweet and good daughter from his first wife, married again, this time a haughty woman with much pride. She showed these traits almost immediately after the wedding. The step-mother disliked the man's daughter, especially since her goodness made her own daughters pale in comparison, so she made the girl clean and do the most horrible of tasks and sleep on a horrible straw bed, while her daughters had only the finest of things. The girl dared not tell her father, for he was completely under the influence of her stepmother.
Her step-sisters began to call her names, among them Cinderella, because she would sit among the cinders and ashes.
It then was that the king's son announced a ball, and that many young ladies were invited. The step-sisters were quite excited to attend, and spent much time planning their appearance, and Cinderella, in her goodness, helped them prepare. On the day of the ball Cinderella saw them off, then began to cry. Her godmother, who was a fairy, saw her crying and came to see what was wrong. When Cinderella told her she too wished to attend the ball she said that she would make it so.
She had Cinderella bring her a pumpkin, six mice, a rat, and six lizards, which she transformed into a fine, gold-gilded coach, fine horses, a coachman, and footmen. When Cinderella asked her about a dress she touched her with her wand, transforming her rags into cloth of gold and silver, covered in many jewels. Her godmother warned her before she left to leave before midnight, when everything would transform back into what it was before.
When Cinderella arrived all were stunned by her beauty, and admired her grace when they saw her dance. A fine meal was served, and Cinderella surprised her sister's by sitting near them and giving them some of the fine fruit the prince had given her (they did not know it was her). Shortly before midnight she returned home, and when her step-sisters returned home they told tales of a beautiful and kind princess who had been in attendance.
The following evening she attended again, dressed even more magnificently. She was having such a wonderful time she nearly forgot to leave before midnight, and had to hurriedly flee as the clock began to strike twelve. In her hurry she left a glass slipper behind, which the prince found. By the time she returned home she was once again in her dirty clothes, with the exception of her single glass slipper.
A few days later the prince announced that he would marry whomever could fit into the slipper. Many tried, including the step-sisters, but no matter how hard they tried none fit. Cinderella, watching all this amused, said they should see if it fit her. The gentleman whom the prince had set agreed she should try, as the prince had given him orders to let everyone try.
The slipper fit her perfectly, and her step-sisters were astonished, even more so when she pulled the matching flipper from her pocket. At that moment Cinderella's godmother came in and touched her wand to Cinderella, dressing her in things more fine than she had ever worn before. Her step-sisters, now recognizing her, threw themselves at her feet begging forgiveness. She raised them up and embraced them, forgiving them completely.
Cinderella was taken to the prince, and after a few days they were married. Cinderella, in all her goodness, gave her sisters homes in the palace as well, and that same day matched them with lords in the court.
----------
Movie: Cinderella II: Dreams Come True (2002)
Would I recommend: Yes*. You can definitely feel the ideas/influence from when this was going to be a TV show, it feels closer to three separate episodes rather than one overarching movie plot. *Overall it’s not as good as the first movie, but if you enjoyed the first and want some silly stories about events that take place after this may be a fun watch.
Had seen before: No
Main movie, prequel, sequel, or midquel: Sequel
Theater or straight to video: Straight to video
Keep reading below for fun facts and my thoughts (contains spoilers)!
Thoughts:
Cinderella is still rocking a choker with all of her gowns
Ball gowns are Cinderella’s Clark Kent glasses - with a gown on everyone immediately recognizes her, with no fancy gown she blends and no one recognizes her as the princess
I like that Cinderella questions many of the customs at the palace - that she shouldn’t make her own breakfast, that people can’t just choose where they sit at dinner, or wondering about essentially same colored napkins - it’s quite relatable
WHY DOES PART OF THE PLOT INVOLVE JAC BECOMING A HUMAN
There are color changing strings of lights at the Spring Festival - historical accuracy be darned
The fairy godmother needs the get “bippity boppity boo” embroidered on her sleeves or something, it’s her only spell and she still manages to forget it half the time
Well the movie has mice romance sub-plot, now all it needs is the kitchen sink… [edit from later in the movie: LUCIFER AND POM POM? That’s it, they’ve covered every possible love sub-plot]
Quite a 180 from the first movie, I actually am liking Anastasia (one of the step-sisters), and the other begins to seem better as well
Fun facts:
This was originally going to be a TV series, but it got cancelled, and the ideas adapted into a movie instead
----------
Movie: Cinderella III: A Twist in Time (2007)
Would I recommend: Yes - it’s certainly a fun sequel to the original, I’m finding myself debating whether I like it or the original better, and honestly, I think this one might be winning!
Had seen before: No
Main movie, prequel, sequel, or midquel: Sequel
Theater or straight to video: Straight to video
Keep reading below for my thoughts (contains spoilers)!
Thoughts:
I’m not 100% sure, it’s pretty subtle, but I think from the opening song this movie takes place a year after the first one
Lady Tremaine is so much more evil in this one! It shows in her use of magic too, hers is green, while the fairy godmother’s and Anastasia’s are white/blue
I love how much more independent and clever Cinderella is in this one - she’s taking control of her life, a true fighter!
SHE WEARS A SIZE 4.5? What is she, a fae?
Aww, Anastasia reminds the king so much of his wife (who I can tell through inference as passed away)
It’s amazing how some genuine kindness and care changes Anastasia’s personality and outlook, I sympathize with her so much in this movie - it really shows how much she just wants to be loved and appreciate for who she is
Good prince, questioning the weird animal interactions
OMG the prince is dramatic as heck, when told he was forbidden to take another step down the stairs he just yeeted himself out the window instead
Would I recommend: Yes - it's such a classic, and despite all the time that has passed it's still quite entertaining.
Had seen before: Yes (but couldn’t remember it)
Main movie, prequel, sequel, or midquel: Main movie
Theater or straight to video: Theater
Keep reading below for fun facts, my thoughts, and origin details (contains spoilers)!
Thoughts:
Though the scene where Snow initially flees into the forest is weird I feel like it does a good job of metaphorically showing the terror a child may feel if they have to flee through a dark forest for their life
How is Snow running through the forest IN HEELS?
The baby bird Snow talks to/sees throughout the movie is adorable
Much more of the movie is songs or set to music than I expected - it’s very nearly a musical
There’s certainly much more humor than I expected in the movie, which was a pleasant surprise
I found it interesting that nearly all the characters had brown eyes, the exceptions being Dopey (blue eyes) and the Queen (green eyes - symbolism of “green with envy”?)
I love that it’s not Snow’s offer to clean or sew that convinces the dwarfs to let her stay, it’s the fact that she can cook/bake (I relate)
The scene where the Queen transforms into her disguise is amazing to watch (it makes me wonder how she bottled things like “the black of night” though)
I really enjoy watching older animation, it truly has changed over time, and sometimes I miss the older styles
There is more relationship development between Grumpy and Snow than Snow and the Prince. He at first doesn’t like her presence, but grows to care about her, to the point that he’s the first to lead the charge when they realize she’s in danger, and he blows her a kiss goodbye at the end when she’s leaving with the Prince! (#betterlovestorythantwilight)
I hate that the Prince kisses Snow in the movie - EW. I prefer in the original story when instead of a kiss awakening her it’s a stumble when moving her coffin which dislodges the apple
A detail I noticed and found interesting was that the Queen’s book said that “Love’s First Kiss” could cure the Sleeping Death, as opposed to the “True Love’s Kiss” we’re used to
Fun facts:
In the original theatrical trailer Walt Disney introduces the dwarfs using figurines of each one
Origin: (Brother's Grimm tale) In the tale Snow White is born to a queen who dies, and soon after the King takes another wife. The new queen was quite beautiful, and each morning asked her magic mirror who the fairest in the land is, and until Snow is seven it is always the queen. Once Snow is seven the mirror declares that Snow is the fairest, and the queen, in a state of envy, tells a huntsman to take Snow to the woods and kill her. The huntsman, taking pity on her, instead cuts out the lungs and liver of a boar to return to the queen (which she then cooks and eats).
Snow runs through the forest, stumbling upon a hut. Inside she eats a bit of food then goes to sleep, until the seven dwarfs who live there find her sleeping. They wake the beautiful child and they agree that if she cares for the home she can stay, and she does. The queen asks her mirror again who is the fairest, and when it declares Snow she knows she has been deceived, and ventures out to find and kill Snow herself.
First she disguises herself as a peddler, and offers Snow a bodice, which she laces so tight it suffocates her. Her next attempt is disguising herself as a peasant woman, who offers to comb Snow's hair with a poisoned comb. Both times the dwarfs return and are able to save Snow, and warn her to talk to no one and let no one in. The queen's third attempt is a poison apple, one half red and poisoned, one half white and safe. The disguised queen is able to convince Snow to try the red half of the apple as she eats the white half, and Snow, after barely a bite, falls to the ground, dead.
The dwarfs, unable to bring themselves to bury her in the ground, place her in a glass coffin on the mountain. Some time later a prince came through the woods and sought shelter at the dwarves' house. Seeing Snow, he offers to buy her coffin, but the dwarf's will not sell her. He then asks them to give him the coffin, saying he will honor and respect her, and they let him take her.
As the prince's servants carry the coffin down from the mountain one stumbles on some brush, and this dislodges the piece of poisoned apple from Snow's throat. She awakens, confused, but the prince tells her he cares for her and asks her to be his wife - she accepts, and they are married.
The queen, asking her mirror yet again, knows Snow has re-awakened, and is frightened. She was invited to the wedding, and felt she had to go see Snow. When she arrived and saw her she froze in terror.
As punishment the queen was forced into iron shoes that had been heated in burning coals, and she was made to dance in the red-hot shoes until she fell down, dead.
Absolutely true! If y’all follow an artist (drawing, writing, music, anything) and you like what they’re doing, let them know! It makes a world of difference <3
--I really like my concept for this one, though I’m not crazy about the execution. Definitely one I want to revisit in the future! Continue below to read--
Transcript of DeityDetectiveGal's latest stream
DDG: Hello everyone, and welcome to another DeityDetectiveGal stream in my Shrine Row series! Today's shrine is a bit different, and one that I think very few, if any of you, will recognize.
[DDG walks to specific plot on Shrine Row]
DDG: As you can see, this shrine is a bit different. Unlike most plots, on this one the shrine takes up very little room, most of the space is actually taken up by wildflowers and wild herbs. There are several hives here, suggesting it's been intentionally designed to be a bee sanctuary, though the reasoning for this is debated.
[DDG walks to the shrine building]
DDG: Now, Deedee, you may be wondering, why haven't you told us about the deity that this plot and shrine belong to? Well, my dear viewers, that's why today's shrine is a bit different. We don't know! This is one of the only shrines where the god's identity is unknown. We don't even know if this one belongs to a god or goddess!
[DDG walks into the shrine building, over to a small plaque in front of a small pond and fountain]
DDG: Most of what we do know can be inferred from this plaque.
[DDG turns the camera to face the plaque, which reads:
Everything can be lined with silver
In a stranger's heart we can find gold
Tales filled with humble kindness
Are the greatest stories ever told
After a moment the camera is turned back to face DDG]
DDG: As you can see from the decor in the shrine here, some of the plaque can be taken literally too.
[DDG turns the camera around to show the architecture inside the small shrine, most of which has thin lines of silver running along the walls]
DDG: But what I think it means is that this deity wants us to be kind to each other. What it makes me think of is when you do things like leave a present for someone secretly, or a nice note. The kind of kindness that comes with humility, where you don't need recognition, you're just trying to help someone or be nice to them. I mean, the plaque talks about stranger's having hearts of gold even! I think this deity wants us to be those strangers to each other.
[DDG steps closer to the pond and fountain, focusing on a small divot, shaped like a bowl, formed into the stones around the pond]
DDG: I mean, it makes sense. Even at the shrine there's bits of food here to feed the fish in the pond, and most of the plot here is set up as if it's to help bees. I think that's why this deity hasn't done anything to their shrine to tell us about who they are. They don't want us to focus on them, but instead on each other.
[DDG stands up and heads back outside, re-focusing the camera on themself]
DDG: Anyway, that's my interpretation! Not everyone agrees, that's for sure, this shrine leaves a lot up for debate among those who know about it. But it certainly does make us think! I definitely recommend visiting it if you're near this part of Shrine Row anytime soon. Anyway, that's it for me this time! Tune in to my next stream to see which shrine I visit next!
--Was really happy when I finished this one - felt like it was possibly my best work yet! Not sure if I still feel that way, but I definitely enjoyed the process of creating it, even if I have some doubts about it now! Continue below to read--
I drift in and out of sleep, so much so that it's hard to tell when I'm truly awake. I'm not ready, and it's all coming so fast. Shifting my weight, I roll over onto my side to face the glowing face of my alarm clock. In the dark the cyan numbers slowly come into focus. 02:43.
I gently sit up, sighing. Grabbing my shirt and pulling it over my head, I wander down the hallway to the kitchen. I've always loved the calm of night. The dark and the quiet, everything illuminated only by the faint glow of streetlights through the windows. I fill a glass of water, sipping it slowly in the dark. I don't need to turn on lights to move around, nor would I want to, it would disturb the quiet.
Leaning against the counter, I look around the room. There's no one around now. No hustle and bustle of people. No expectations. No one to disappoint. Just me and the quiet...
My thoughts are interrupted by a muffled thump from an empty bedroom down the hallway. "Odd," I find myself thinking. The room is being prepared to be painted, the only things in there are rolls of painter's tape and paint samples taped to the wall, nothing that could fall.
Walking towards the room I don't know if I expect to hear more noise or not, but I certainly hadn't expected to enter the room to see a small figure standing in the middle of the room. It's small, and humanoid, though it's shape is hard to make out beyond that; it almost seems to be made out of shadow, the way it's outline and figure seem dark and to shift.
I hesitate, unsure what to do, until the small figure speaks in an unnatural voice. "Water." Blinking, I stare at the tiny figure again, thinking I've misheard. "Water," it says again. In a state of shock I walk back towards the kitchen to fill a glass with water, expecting the figure to be gone by the time I do so.
"Hallucinating," I mutter to myself. "Must be all the stress." I absentmindedly fill the cup from the sink, startled out of my thoughts by a noise behind me.
"Water," it says again. Odd, I hadn't even heard it follow me. I turn around and hand it the cup, only for it to immediately drop it. The sound of shattering glass makes me jump, and seems to cause the... thing... to begin to cry, the most unnatural sound I have ever heard. The wailing can only be described as otherworldly, making every nerve in my body panic, anger, fear, and worry competing in my brain and I struggle to understand what's happening.
"Waaatttteeerrrrrr," it continues to wail, until I'm shocked into action and retrieve another cup, this one a plastic party favor from last week, fill it with water, and hand it to the being. It tips the cup towards its face, as if to drink, but the water seems to pass through the ethereal creature, splashing onto the floor, adding to the mess already there.
A chill runs up my spine when, as I continue to watch the being in front of me, I hear the same voice from behind me saying "hunnnnngggrryyyy."
Turning, I see another one of the figures. Like the first it is small, and impossible to make out it's exact shape in the dark. Stunned, I whisper "okay," and go to the pantry to grab some leftover chips. I nearly scream when I turn around.
There are more of them, dozens more, all around the kitchen and living room. Some on the couch, many standing around the rooms, a few sitting on top of cupboards, tables, or shelves. All of them staring at me, or so it seems, I cannot make out any eyes or facial features. None of them move aside from the slight shifting of their form, as if mimicking the shadows.
Silence. We all stare at each other, as if waiting for the others to do something. In my shock my grip loosens on the chip bag, and it drops to the floor.
The moment it hits the kitchen floor their eerie voices all begin to scream, every word they say clear despite their overlapping voices.
"HUNNNGGRRYYYYY!!!"
"WATTTEERRR!!!"
"LOOOVVVVEEEEE MEEEEE!!!"
"WHY WON'T YOU HELP US?"
"PLAY WITH MEEEEEEE!!!"
"HEEEELLLLLLPPPP!!!"
"WHY WON'T YOU LOVE US?"
"WE HATE YOU!"
"YOU RUINED EVVVEERRRYYYYTHIINNNGGG!!!"
They all continue to scream, some pleading, some sound as if in pain, some making accusations. I find myself overwhelmed, wanting to run, but slowly being cornered by the growing crowd. I curl up in a ball, not knowing what to do...
Until I wake up, bolting upright in bed, heart racing. I glance at the clock, seeing the time - 02:43. Once my heart rate slows again I lay down again, turning away from the clock. Claire doesn't seem to have awoken thankfully. The moonlight hits her, highlighting her pregnant stomach, now large enough to be obvious.
Months to go still... plenty of time to prepare, to learn. To make sure I don't make the same mistakes. I glance once more at Claire as she sleeps peacefully. She's already so excited, throwing herself into reading, talking to other mothers, painting the nursery, picking names. Shaking slightly, I turn onto my back to stare at the ceiling.
--I had some fun with this one - I took a lot directly from the prompt, and I’m happy with the result. Continue below to read!--
For as long as Death could remember he had been greeting and guiding deceased souls. The job, though full of purpose, often felt tedious to Death, though that tedium had recently had some interruptions. Death stood quickly as a fizzle sound indicated another departed mortal was about to arrive.
Death: "WELCOME, MORTAL, TO THE END OF EXIST- OH IT'S YOU AGAIN."
Death was not entirely surprised this time to see a familiar face.
Barbarian: "Hi!"
Though most souls only passed Death once or twice before becoming acclimated to the afterlife there was one group of travelers who continued to come and go from Death's realm, their barbarian becoming one of Death's favorites.
Death: "BIG WEEKEND?"
Barbarian: "You betcha! Did you redecorate?"
Death knew what a big weekend meant. More of the barbarian's party would be coming to visit, though Death knew he would mostly see the barbarian himself.
Death: "OMG YES THANKS FOR NOTICING."
Barbarian: "Oop! Gettin' healed. Tell Nancy I said 'Hi'!"
Death: "SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!"
Death watched as a flash of green and the smell of grass signaled the barbarian was gone once again. With a sigh Death went to search for Nancy to pass along her still-living husband's message. Death knew, of course, that the tedium had continued.
With a shake of the head and a chuckle Death's mood lifted. The barbarian would be back, with more tales of the living world and with more energy than the resting souls. Death returned to the arrival area just as there was another fizzle.
Death: "WELCOME, MORTAL, TO THE END OF EXISTENCE, TO THE AFTERLIFE. LET ME GUIDE YOU TO YOUR ETERNAL PLACE OF REST AND RELAXATION. PAMPHLET?"
--I wrote this with a specific person in mind - take what you wish from it! [continue below to read]--
Do you know what a cornflower is? What it looks like? I didn't. It's a little blue flower, often growing in places you wouldn't notice, but now I notice them, growing in their little spots along the sidewalk.
Do you like cats? I always did, but not until later in life did I know how different their personalities and temperaments could be from each other. How some could be aloof, while others friendly. How some would hunt, some would prefer to be pet, and some are simply the physical embodiment of a cotton ball.
Do you look up at the sky, the clouds? Do you notice how the pattern shifts and changes over time, day to day? Some days the clouds may be fluffy, others flat. Some days grey-hued, others blue, purple, yellow, or orange. The shapes, the wind, the color, they all change every day. And every day they're beautiful.
I notice all those things now. Now I stop to see the little things in the world that are beautiful, and take the time to appreciate them. I didn't always. Without one person I wouldn't always stop to notice the clouds. I wouldn't always stop to see a beautiful flower, or a cat, or a snowflake, or a raindrop. Pulling on the branches of trees to make petals falls. I wouldn't always stop to see the stars, or the fall trees, or a pond. But now I do. And for that priceless gift I will be grateful for the rest of my life.
--Just a random bit I wrote last night, I didn’t do any editing, and was tired, so thank you for overlooking any errors! Inspired while watching the show Bones [continue below to read]--
They make it so black and white
For the movies and the shows
Obvious good and bad guys
But in real life? Who knows
The lines are always gray
Some shades dark, others light
But the more we empathize
The less it's black and white
We all tend to hide
Behind these lines of gray
Thinking in black and white
Hoping it all just goes away
Was the sniper's shot worth it?
Should the criminal go free?
Are we ruined by black and white?
I think we just might be
-- This prompt was a ton of fun. I strayed a little more from the prompt than I usually do, but I’m happy with the result (continue below to read)--
I rub the tears out of my eyes and take another sip of my energy drink, staring at the screen in front of me. "Almost done," I mutter to myself, hitting save for the last time on my essay before shakily crossing 'History Essay' off my to-do list. "Hope was right, I should've gotten some of this done earlier, I need to stop procrastinating like this..."
Sighing, realizing I probably won't learn my lesson this time either, I pull up the last task on my list for the weekend, editing and formatting my resume. Pulling my chair closer to the desk I get to work...
-
Twenty minutes later tears are on my face once again as I throw my (now empty) can at the wall behind me. "Stupid formatting... why is it so hard to get the bullet points to do what I want?!" I hang my head down, ready to give up for the night, when I realize I never heard the sound of the can hitting the wall. Turning slowly I see a figure sitting against my bedroom wall, holding the can.
"Lose this?" the figure says, holding the can towards me. I quickly glance at the clock, reading the time - 03:48. Thinking I must be sleep deprived to the point of hallucinating I turn once again towards the stranger in my room, watching them as they slowly stand up and walk towards me. Once they reach my desk they start looking around my room.
"Not one for organization, huh? Congrats by the way, I haven't been summoned via documents in a long time, how'd you manage that?"
Stunned, I manage to get out "I don't know, I was just trying to format bullet points." The (I now presume) demon continues to look around, before turning to face me again.
"Do you want some help? I can do it, but it will cost you." Figuring I have nothing to lose to this... dream? Hallucination? I nod, then before I know it I'm laying back on my bed, fading to sleep as the demon hovers over me smiling.
-
I snap awake to the sound of my final alarm, realizing I'm about to be late for class. Rushing through getting dressed, I glance at my laptop screen long enough to see my completed resume, formatted just how I imagined. Figuring I had finished it sleepily before going to bed I shove the computer into my bag.
On the bus ride to school I sit back, thinking on the odd scenario I remember from the night before. I chuckle. A demon. Hope will get a kick out of that when I tell her about when we meet for lunch. Or she'll use it to support her not-procrastinating stance. Or both. I close my eyes again, resting until we arrive at school.
-
Getting home at the end of the day I realize how exhausted I am. I definitely didn't get enough sleep. After I set my bag down I head to the kitchen to grab a snack before settling in to do homework. I grab a bag of chips out of the cupboard, immediately dropping it as I hear a voice behind me.
"Now let's talk about what last night will cost..."
--Frick-frack-tic-tac I forgot to post this a few days ago when it was finished, my bad! Here is the most recent one we did, enjoy! (Continue below to read)--
"What are you doing in my room?"
"Jennifer... do you want to play Scattergories?" His question makes me sigh.
"Sure. And Michael, remember, we've talked about this, I prefer Jen."
"Sorry Jenni... Jen. I'll go get the game!" I watch him rush to the hallway where the games are kept as I start to clear the table for space. As he returns and we set up the game I start to think again about the last few weeks and how unusual they have been. Meeting Michael at game night. Him telling me about him being a vampire. The night he showed me his fangs and drained a chicken just to prove it.
I'm still adjusting, not so much to his being a vampire, but to the fact that he seems to want a friend so badly. I think he's lonely, staying the same age while he watches those he knows grow up and eventually die without him.
"Jen, I'm worried about you. Here, wear this pendant, it will keep you safe." His statement snaps me out of my reverie. I absentmindedly take the pendant, though I quickly notice it's odd shape and look at it more closely.
"Uh... this is obviously just half of a 'best friends forever' necklace." Looking up at Michael, I notice he seems a bit nervous, and already I can tell he's concocting a lie.
"I, uh, enchanted it. It was the only thing I could find at the time." I can tell he's waiting to see if I buy it, and I realize that if he's willing to share being a vampire, but lie about this, he must be more lonely than I realized. Who knows what all those years alone has done to his psyche?
I smile at him. "Thanks, I'll wear it all the time, just to be safe. Now let's get to it! Do you want to roll the die first?"
The smile on his face is happier than any I've seen from him so far as he grabs the die and sets the timer. The necklace feels cool against my neck, and as I hold the pendant I already look forward to all the memories my BFF and I are going to make.
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