In photos he didn't belong. Among the wedding guests. In the rice field. Next to the old couple I clicked a photo for. Even next to the newborn I did a photoshoot for.
No one else could see him. Thankfully. Otherwise, I might have had to shut this shop down.
This shop was my place of refuge.
I cleaned the camera while whistling even as the man stood in the corner of the studio again. The studio room was not that old. After all, when I had arrived here a year ago, the studio had just finished being made.
One side of the huge-heavy camera was somewhat bent from the force of the collision. The paint had chipped too. No one commented on it, assuming I must have dropped it accidentally.
I looked at the man standing in the corner before rolling my eyes. Customers called me by his name each time. I had never corrected them because what would have even been the point of so many efforts I put in, otherwise? Doesn't mean it didn't annoy the fuck out of me. He glanced at his camera with longing. His camera. And I felt anger creep up my back. How long were people you murdered supposed to follow you after they died, anyway?
Y2K was more than some excuse to party hard. In the chaos of the blackouts, a virus was released from a lab somewhere that ravaged the globe. Now, some years later, Jo lives alone in a fire lookout tower in the middle of the woods with her cat, Rascal. Her interactions with the living are few and far, mostly over radio with a group that has it made for them, but Jo refuses to let herself rely on others. When disaster strikes and forces her to leave her home once again, can Jo learn to trust the people who care for her?
So where would we say is a good site to upload an original work? I’ve started writing down some of my vary plot heavy dreams and I would love to allow people to read them even if they’re a little shit. I’ve never written anything in my life since I thought I wasn’t good at it. I don’t care about that right now so! I want to put them up somewhere. Advice?
If you know me, welcome back! If you are new here, Hi! I'm August Song, an aspiring author and hobbyist fanfiction writer. And my newest fanfiction, Malfoy's Mark: Draco's Obsession, has been updated.
Here's a summary of what to expect from this series:
Draco Malfoy finally reached the limits of his morality. When asked to kill Dumbledore he found himself hesitating, which was a choice that changed his life. Draco's parents were forced to disown him to protect him from Voldemort's wrath, leaving him homeless as he begins his final year at Hogwarts. As he tries to figure out what's left without a family legacy, he meets a girl who changes everything. Follow Draco through a journey of self reflection, true friendship, growth, and obsession as he struggles to survive in a world without the protection of his title.
In this chapter, Draco has made up his mind to clarify the relationship he has with Azalea, but before he can an incident in Potion's Class ruins everything. Azalea is whisked away, leaving Draco to fester in solitude. Without her he is faced with the true horrors of his mind. It doesn't take long for him to realize how thin the thread of his sanity is as he struggles, reality swallowing him whole.
!!! IMPORTANT NOTE !!!
This chapter contains mentioned of bullying, suicidal thought, attempted suicide, depression, and anxiety. Read at your descretion.
Now, for the mandatory mechanical pencil sketches!
Are you sold yet? Well, that's okay if you aren't! I have an excerpt of the chapter ready for your reading pleasure. Take a look and see if you want to join me on this journey. :)
Chapter 7: Icy and Welcoming Inky Waters
Azalea was already in motion, pushing up from her chair and leaping across Draco’s lap. Just as Pansy tilted forward to dump the potion, Azalea hit it with her palm and splashed it backwards. It went all over Pansy’s shirt and face.
Pansy stood there in shock, her eyes wide. But oddly she didn’t react beyond that, keeping her mouth pressed tightly, her pug like face especially flat as she tried not to breathe.
“Azalea!” Hestia hissed in shock, ready to reach out and grab her cousin for her interference.
But Azalea was furious for some reason, and it cowed Draco who was confused by the entire encounter. He had never seen her so mad, and he didn’t feel he knew enough about the situation to speak up. So instead he watched with astonishment as Azalea tossed Hestia’s grip off and launched forward, her dominant hand stretching out to grasp Pansy’s cheeks. She squeezed her fingers on the girl’s face to try to force her mouth open, making her lips pucker like a fish.
“Why won’t you let it get in your mouth, Pansy?” Azalea hissed, her glare like green fire. “You were about to toss this potion on Draco.”
“Get off of her!” Flora tried to help Pansy. She grabbed at Azalea who shrugged her off violently, the thin girl tumbling over into some desk chairs.
“Flora!” Hestia rushed over to help her twin.
“Zay, maybe-” Draco stood up, putting his hands up in a soothing way like he was trying to tame a dragon. But his words were cut off as she continued to berate Pansy.
“Come on, Pansy. Why don’t you taste it?” Azalea crooned, squeezing her face tighter. “Or are you afraid because you were about to splash a Drought of Living Death on Draco?”
“...what?” Now completely horrified, Draco’s jaw dropped as he looked to Pansy who was turning bright red in an effort not to open her mouth.
“She’s going to make her eat it!” Millicent cried, trying to get between Azalea and Pansy. The boxy toad shaped girl was more successful than the slight Flora and jarred Azalea’s grip, which slipped on the slick potion. Azalea turned to the interfering girl with fire in her gaze as Pansy frantically swiped her robe sleeve over her face to clear any residue.
Instead of letting it go and going back to her seat, Azalea was too upset.
“Stay out of this.” She snapped at Millicent, holding up her hand, slick with potion. “Before I stick my hand in your mouth and make you taste it too.”
But their authority was challenged, and they weren’t about to be idle while they were embarrassed. Millicent tried to slap Azalea for her defiance but Azalea could read her moves. She stepped to the side, dodging the hit, and used Millicent’s motion against her. With a swift kick to her butt, the stout girl catapulted over with great force. Her hefty body slammed through desks, the loud banging and scraping of the furniture filling the room. Other students scrambled out of the way, trying their best to avoid the chaos.
Draco watched in astonishment, unsure of who to help, Azalea or the bullies.
“Are you mad?!” Pansy finally screeched, spitting potion from her lips and paling when she realized she didn’t get it all.
“No, you must be mad!” Azalea turned on the girl, poking her roughly in the chest. “Your potion brewing skills are remedial at best, and you dared to brew a potion like that and splash it on someone!? If you made one wrong mistake, you could have killed him!”
It was true. He could have died. Draco realized what Azalea had intercepted, and why she was so mad. A Draught of Living Death was nothing to scoff at. It was designed to bring the drinker to a state so close to death it was indistinguishable, and one misstep could make it a fatal poison. Not only did it stand on the precipice of being fatal, it was one of the most difficult to brew so it was easy to ruin.
Likely the group of girls thought to dump it on Draco, mocking him for his expulsion from high society. The Drought would have been symbolic, showcasing how Draco was alive but basically dead to them. They had thought it was a witty way to terrorize him, and didn’t care if it did damage.
But Azalea caught their thoughts before they got too close.
“How did you know I brewed it?” Pansy stammered, her hand tightening on the empty phial.
“Does it matter?” Azalea narrowed her eyes. “I wouldn’t trust any one of you to brew a potion to cure acne, much less one that dangles on the precipice of death. You all share a single braincell.”
“Say that again, you bloody reject!” Pansy tossed the vial to the ground, the glass shattering, before pulling out her wand. She tried casting Stupify at Azalea. Azalea stepped to the side and dodged the cast easily, having already read the move, but couldn’t dodge Millicent also charging her way with blood on her forehead. There was no time to avoid both.
“Zay…!” Draco started to step forward, realizing that the conflict was about to escalate. Unlike before where he was sure it was best to just allow Azalea to vent her anger, now her safety was at risk. He was ready to pull her behind him and protect her from the conflict, but a loud booming voice fell over the class.
“Arresto Momentum!” All of the girls froze in place at the call.
Wraith is eating good because he has gone to read the FULL CHAPTER. Join him on Ao3 or FF.net. If you want mature content, where the explicit parts are chopped out, go check out the version at FanFiction.net. If you want the *spicy* version, head on over to Archive of Our Own.
If you want to access my full fanfiction library or read this story from the beginning you can go to my profile at Ao3 here, or visit my profile at Fanfiction.net here.
lease follow me on instagram at pennameaugustsong where I will likely post whenever I add a new chapter update! Or follow me on this page where I will have extra drawings and author commentary!
Update schedule for Malfoy's Mark: Draco's Obsession is on Mondays and Fridays, bi-weekly. I hope you stick around for the full journey!
Confucius would love to hear your thoughts, and so would I! Please tell me what you think below or on any of my platforms! I love hearing from anyone (as long as it's not solicitation).
Lastly, I am trying to build as much of a social media platform as I can as an author. If you like this content, please reblog and share!
Hello tumblr I have returned to the void to tell the few people here who might care- I wrote a book.
It releases July 25th the link will be in my bio for whom ever is interested. We’re in the home stretch and this hellscape of a website is where my writing journey started a year and a half ago if you read my TADC fic or my DE fics I hope you’ll give my book a shot it’s 520 pages of wholesome and spicy chaos so hopefully it’ll be up your guys alley.
Everyday is tiring, but today especially was exhausting. The fight with Mary... it felt relieving in a way, finally being able to voice my thoughts. But when I saw that Magnolia, someone usually so meek, was able to calm Zhenzhen I felt myself just feeling worse. My body filled with the terrible dread, that all my efforts to stand MaryRose's constant mood swings would be stolen by someone we barely know.
I pushed the thought down, even if Mary ever leaves me, I have far more friends than her. Everyone adores me at school. But still, I hope it never happens.
Suddenly, my phone rang with a notification, I stared down at the screen, seeing that it was a private message from MaryRose. No groupchat. Just us.
"My parents are arguing again."
"Fuck I really hate my dad."
I sighed, I get that Zhenzhen's parents suck, I have been knowing that for a long time. But damn, shouldn't she be more...tactful with her words? I don't even have a dad, and I always have to listen to her go on about how much she hates hers.
I wish I could just take away all her pain, and bring it on myself. But I know I can't do that no matter how hard I try.
I looked up at the clock on the wall, and saw that it would still take a bit for my mother to come back, she usually comes back from work around midnight. Every single day.
I typed a quick message to MaryRose:
"That sucks... if you need to talk, im here!!:)"
Then, I put my dinner for today in the microwave, a lasagna. I put the timer of 5 minutes on, and went to scrutinise myself in the bathroom.
My acne is going away thankfully, it's a lot better than middle school.
Then, I checked my hair, and noticed that my dark roots are starting to show, a stark contrast against my dyed blonde. Whatever, I'll just buy that exact shade again, and everything will be perfect. I smiled in the mirror, and started reminding myself:
As long as I remain happy, everything will go just fine. Mom will be happy. Mary will be happy. And I'll be the light that shines everywhere she goes.
I went to check the microwave, and pulled the food out, then sat on the comfortable couch of my house.
I turned the TV on, and saw that 'Jaws 2' was airing right now! That's the sequel of my favourite movie! I smiled to myself. As long as I smile, nothing will go wrong.
I love reading stories and helping authors make them even stronger. As a beta reader, I provide honest, reader-focused feedback that highlights what works well and where readers might become confused, lose interest, or want more.
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