#plotwist

[isaacpainters]

A Lesson on Insanity Part 3 || i.n

stalker!isaac x reader

contains: mentions of dark themes such as stalking, kidnapping, mentions of knocking reader unconscious, bondage, gomez being a nuisance, cannibalism, reader is briefly held hostage, mentions of death, isaac is a freak,

a/n: crazy chapter yall. enjoyed writing this one. hoping to sum it up in another chapter or two. hope you guys enjoy. part one and two can be found on my page :)

there’s a chill in the air. winter is beginning to roll around. you feel the eyes penetrating the back of your skull. you don’t turn around to look at them. you don’t acknowledge them. you can’t acknowledge them for the sake of your sanity.

there’d been hushed whispers since the night of the rave’n - discussions of you and isaac night. what had happened between the two of you, why you guys hadn’t been spotted together since.

everyone assumed you guys had been secretly hooking up and called it quits that night.

but what really happened that night?

“i heard a story that you kissed isaac night. is that true?” a vanisher appeared beside you. she was roughly your height, curly hair and a big wide smile that was borderline creepy.

“we never kissed. where did you get this from?”

“uhhh” the vanisher fell silent. “gomez addams?” her voice rose slightly, out of fear.

of course it was gomez addams. him and his girlfriend morticia frump had been lurking in dark corners watching everything. two soulmates hooked on the unravelling situation that was of you and isaac night.

“huh gomez addams” the name is like poison on your tongue. “do you think you can do something for me? i’m not typically one to take advantage of others outcast’s abilities but in your case, i require your help”

the vanisher nods quickly, eager for the attention. “i’ll do anything”

you glance around quickly to make sure no one is watching. “spy on isaac night for me. follow him no matter what - especially at night. i have a feeling he is up to something”

“may i ask what you think he is up to exactly?” the vanisher asks innocently.

“he-“ you furrow your brows, thinking ahead. you can’t incriminate yourself but if you want to be aware of what he’s up to then maybe just maybe you’ll have to let your guard slip. “he’s stalking me for reasons unknown. find out why and i’ll do your homework for the rest of the semester” you bribe the vanisher.

“no need” she smiles politely. “i like doing homework.”

you pull your coat around you more before glancing up at the sky. gloomy was an understatement. the sky was teetering in the edge of black. the clouds rolled around, covering up any trace of sun. the night was beginning to roll in.

the night. it had been a month since your last feed. you had been relying on the cheap makeup you had picked up in town ages ago as well as the uniform to hide the sickly shade of green you had become once again. you could feel your humanity slipping away by the second. it wouldn’t be long until you completely lost yourself to death once again, returning to the savage beast you once were. the vanisher had disappeared before you had the chance to catch her name. maybe next time you’ll ask her.

there’s a quick flash of something dark, something flowy behind a corner. it caught your attention. it disappeared too quickly for you to spot features but you already knew who it could’ve possibly been.

you follow it quickly. the dark shadow isn’t behind the corner by the time you run to it. there’s not even the trace of a scent in the air. whoever they were, they were fast.

whoever they were, they were watching you as well.

before you had the chance to react, a had wrapped around the back of you. a cloth in their hand. they wrapped it around your mouth and partially stuffed it into your mouth. the fumes from the cloth filled your slowly weakening lungs. chloroform. if it had been any other point of the month, it would’ve been rendered useless however you were in desperate need of a feed to replenish your body. you fall limp in the arms of the stranger who had just overpowered you.

———————————————————————

your stomach churns as you begin to regain consciousness. your vision is foggy. wherever you are, it’s dark and dusty. the smell of dusty books and old paper fills your nostrils, penetrating deep down into your lungs. you notice the ropes holding you down to a chair. your legs had been tied tightly to the legs of the chair, prohibiting you from standing up at all. another rope wrapped around your torso and the back of the chair.

you want to scream out and cry but the gag in your mouth stopped you from doing so.

think. you picture strong winds, heavy rain pelting down on wherever you were being held. it was no use. you couldn’t hear any of that. either you were hidden deep underground, or you had grown to weak to utilise any of your powers.

there’s a soft noise in the distance. it’s not the rain, it’s not the wind. it’s clacking. like heels on tiles. it’s faint. definitely outside of the room you where being held in. the candles quickly light up.

eight hooded figures walk in.

you try your hardest to fight against the gag, trying to spit it out and talk against it. but it’s no use, all that manages to come out is muffled groans.

another figure walks in, making nine figures other than you. they swarm around you, forming a circle. the ninth figure walks towards you, finding their position in front of you.

there’s voices behind you. they talk in hushed whispers in different languages.

the figure in front of drops their hood.

morticia frump. she’s smiles politely. “isaac night suggested that we… indict you into the nightshades society effective immediately” her voice is soft, words chosen delicately.

“cara mia” gomez purrs “maybe you should remove the gag” gomez suggests underneath his hood. “you know… to allow for conversation”

“hmm” morticia ponders, a solemn looks across her face.

she removes the gag that’s being held in your mouth.

“where’s isaac?” it’s the first question to leave your lips.

“so there is something going on between you two!” gomez exclaims. “i knew it! he’s been avoiding this conversation for weeks” morticia swats gomez, shutting him up quickly.

“why does Isaac night want you to be part of the nightshades?” morticia interrogates you.

you gulp. your mouth was getting drier by the second, your body growing weaker. you were unsure of the time but if you had to assume, it was late.

“where’s isaac?” you call out again, ignoring morticia and gomez.

“i’m here” there’s movement off in the shadows. you can’t mistake the voice. it is in fact isaac night. he too, is dressed in a hooded robe. “leave” he instructs to the other nightshades. they scurry off quickly, hoods falling as they do so but the back of their heads provide no identification. “i said leave” his voice raises, almost snapping. morticia and gomez grab each others hands before scurrying off into the darkness.

you remain silent as isaac night walks around you. his cane is concealed by the robe but you can hear it clanking against the old tiles. he walks around you slowly as if waiting for you to speak up and start the conversation.

“for someone so antisocial, i didn’t expect you to be part of the nightshades society” you spit at him, anger boiling in your blood.

“i’m not” he replies nonchalantly. “but gomez and morticia are, and believe me i have enough information to hold over their heads to make them bend to my will.”

“coercion is wrong” you spit back at him.

“coercion gets you places. i thought that had already been established between us” he tsks.

“will you untie me?” you ignore his statement.

“ask nicely” he teases

“no” you snap back, defiantly

“then i won’t untie you” he stops in front of you. he shrugs the robe off of his body, revealing his uniform underneath it. “and it’s late” he looks down at his wrist. “and i know you need another feed very… very… soon” his voice drops. it’s quieter, softer, malevolent in tone.

you look away, refusing to make eye contact with him. it’s an act of defiance, a way of trying to regain control in the situation.

“i’ll untie you on the condition that you don’t feed tonight”

your eyes widen in shock. “no that’s not fair! if i don’t feed i’ll just wither and decay and before anyone knows it, im just some crazed zombie slurring the word brains over and over again” you feel the panic rising in your chest.

isaac night drops to his knees in front of you. “remember what i said at the rave’n? you don’t feed until i say so” his eyes are almost puppy like, soft and wide. “so if i say you can’t feed… that means that you can’t feed.” anyone else would mistake his behaviour as kindness but you can see through the tone and the fake puppy dog eyes.

you pull against the restraints that hold you down. isaac chuckles darkly, acknowledging the fact that you’re trying to escape from him.

“let me help you” his voice is soft, kind, nice. it’s almost too nice. his hands work at your ankles, untying the thick ropes that bound you to the chair. “flex your ankles for me” he instructs. you do as your told. they tingle with a brief sharp pain, replaced quickly with the sensation of pins and needles. he begins to work on your hands. his hands graze against yours. it’s intimate. too intimate for the situation you’re in.

his hands. they’re cold. freezing in fact.

“are you sick?” you inquire, in reference to his hands.

isaac night looks up at you. his eyes aren’t the crazed maniacal ones you had come into contact with lately. “i’m always sick” he states firmly. “why do you ask?”

“your hands are freezing cold” you state calmly.

“i’ve always been cold. ever since i was little” he moves, avoiding eye contact.

“francoise isn’t cold like that thought.” you rebut. “why is that?”

isaac ignores you. he leans in closer to work on the rope that’s wrapped around your torso. his hands are quick, untying the rope in just under a minute.

“francoise and i are different” the air is thick. it’s laced with awkwardness, anger, and obsession. “you’re free now” he redirects the conversation away from his family.

you lift yourself up out of the chair. you’re wobbly, weak, exhausted. you feel your stomach churn - the insatiable hunger growing stronger.

“run along now doll. show me how badly you need that feed” and just like that his demeanour switched, returning back to the cold hearted cunning twisted maniac. “i’ll be watching you” it’s a threat and a promise mixed into the one sentence.

————————————————————————

you can feel the eyes watching you off in the distance. you feel the skin of your next victim snap under the pressure of your teeth. blood drips down from your lips. you quickly wipe it away with the back of your hand. you gnaw down on the arm of an older man. his eyes are glazed white, his body is warm. a fresh feed is always a good feed.

the eyes move closer to you. they stalk you like prey in the forest surrounding nevermore. isaac night is infatuated with the sight. his clockwork heart ticks away quickly, causing him to breathe in deeply in an attempt to catch his breath.

not so far behind him is another pair of eyes. they too stalk like prey however they don’t stalk you. they stalk him. they stalk for you. those eyes watch isaac snap a couple of photos with a small camera. those eyes watch him shove the camera in the pocket of his coat. those eyes watch him grip onto the tree he was hiding behind, like it was the only thing keeping him alive. it was borderline erotic. the way isaac night hugged the tree and pushed himself against it like he was trying to get off to the situation unfolding in front of him.

the vanisher lingers for a little while longer, eyeing the da vinci carefully, jotting down notes in his behaviour into her mental notebook.

she will be there waiting tomorrow morning for you. waiting to pour all the information into your system for you to pull apart and think about.

isaac night wants to call out your name. the words get caught in his throat, tying up into knots, unable to form proper words. he watches you silently, his jagged breath soft and quiet in the night.

————————————————————————

saturday morning lulls around. rain pelts down on the windows quietly - a rare weather occurrence that was not of your doing. whispers fill your room from behind you. they’re quiet. male and female. you roll with a groan, muscles stiff as a result of the position you fell asleep in.

francoise sits cross legged across a tall lanky boy on her bed. his hand cups her face gently, a shake evident in his extremities. isaac night. it wasn’t uncommon for isaac to be in your room comforting francoise and spending time with her whilst you slept in, on the weekends. you typically ignored him. he’d ignore you, not in a manner of rudeness but he prioritised time with his sister on the weekends.

“hush” francoise giggles through her commandment as you pull yourself up into a seated position on the edge of your bed. you rub the sleep away from your eyes.

your mouth is stale. the taste of old blood lingers on your tongue and dances on your breath every time you inhale and exhale.

you take in the situation in front of you. isaac is incredibly pale in face. his skin almost bordering a sickly grey. his hair, extremely greasy as which wasn’t uncommon. his hair stuck out in all sorts of places, curls and frizz sticking up in the air like there was a thunderstorm in the distance.

he turns to look at you over his shoulder. “i don’t suppose you have anything to do with the weather this morning?” it’s not rude, it’s not condescending. it’s just a normal question, with a light hint of a joke hidden in his tone.

“i’ve just woken up. do you expect me to do anything about it?” you groan, slugging on an old knitted jumper.

francoise swats at isaac, it’s a friendly warning. “i wasn’t complaining about it. you know this is my ideal weather” there’s a shake in his voice, like a cold was beginning to brew in his fragile body.

knock. knock. knock.

“oh that’s probably that girl from earlier” francoise sings, twirling a loose strand of her hair. “she came by knocking hours ago looking for you. big wiry hair, creepy grin? didn’t give me a name though” francoise shrugs.

you bolt for the door. the vanisher stands in the other side of it. she’s smiling, politely unlike her description given by francoise. she peeks behind you into your dorm room.

“i needed to discuss last night with you” the vanisher squeaks. her eyes shift from yours to directly behind you. “oh uh nevermind. i’ll come back later when you don’t have company” she notices the siblings behind you.

you can feel the tension radiating off her like electricity.

isaac watches intently from his sisters bed.

“whatever you’re up to over there, cut it out or you’ll lose your hand” you shoot the threat at isaac who holds his hands up defensively.

“don’t know what you’re on about”

you roll your eyes at him. you turn back around to face the vanisher you had ‘employed’ but she was gone. crazy curls were racing down the stairs. “yeah i’m sure” you protest sarcastically, following the vanisher stairs.

“wait!” you call out.

the vanisher spins around. fears twisted in her features. “he was out in the forest last night watching… something” she hurries.

your heart drops.

“he was… odd. i can’t explain it-” a creek from above you interrupts the conversation.

isaac night hovers over the railing. you can see him breathing in deeply, as if the wind had just been knocked out of him. a pale, thin hand wraps itself around the railing of the stairs.

“did you see what he was watching?” you let your voice drop in hope that he wouldn’t be able to hear you from downstairs.

“no” the vanisher shakes her head profusely.

“oh… ok”

“i can get closer next time if you want” there’s a glimmer of hope in the vanisher’s eyes.

you rest a hand on her shoulder. you notice the dirt under your fingernails and make a quick mental note to scrub your hands when you get the chance. “no no it’s ok. i don’t want you to be caught. thank you though for this. i do appreciate it” you smile weakly at her.

you turn to face the staircase and crane your head upwards. isaac night stares down at your blankly. his expression is unreadable, unlike his usual manic dark look on his face. this was almost tired. like he had began to give up trying.

————————————————————————

the rain continued to pelt down for the rest of the day. most students stayed inside, away from the cold and the wet, seeking heat in the common rooms. francoise was knitting by one of the open fires, tucked away in a quiet corner, humming a tune quietly to herself.

you watch her from the doorframe of the common room. students shove by you, entering and exiting in groups, hot chocolates in hands and laughter echoing in the hallways, heading towards staircases, dorm rooms, and secret gathering spots.

footsteps shuffle behind you. “you wouldn’t expect her to be a hyde” the voice is quiet and solemn. it’s isaac. “i mean i never thought she was that was until…” it’s like he’s holding back a sob. “our father beat her so hard one day she snapped.”

“i know” you whisper. “i’ve heard this story before from her. she’s never been afraid to tell me the truth about herself” you look over your shoulder. isaac watches his sister intently, his eyes admire her for her strength and courage. the rest of his features lack emotion.

you turn the rest of your body to face him. he leans against the doorframe across from you, positioned just outside in the hallway. he rests his frail body against the wall, his cane is limply holding himself up.

“did you mean it?” his eyes perk up a bit. they meet with yours. “that night at the rave’n. you said you could possibly find… a cure. you could make me alive once again” there’s no hope in your voice, just fear. the fear of being alive, the fear of getting to age once again, the fear of looking human.

he remains emotionless. “i have been working on a machine… it was supposed to cure francoise but it failed. the hyde cannot be removed from her but i believe if i adjust the machine accordingly, maybe i could provide some relief” he flexed his wrists. a grimace runs across his face.

“everything ok?”

he grimaces again before excusing himself back down one of the hallways. you follow quickly behind him.

“you’re dying… aren’t you?” you call out.

the words make his head snap upwards. he doesn’t turn around to face you, he was afraid to be seen as weak and defenceless. he can feel the cogs in his mechanical heart creak and groan against each other.

“i have always been dying. death is inevitable” his words are cold, distant.

“for some yes. but for others we get a second chance at life after our last breath” you confess quietly.

isaac night turns to face you. you can see him clearly now. dark circles wrap themselves around his eyes, his cheeks have rapidly hollowed out over a period of several weeks. isaac night no longer looked like the remarkable young boy that haunted the halls of nevermore. he had now become a shell of what he once was. a memory, some might say.

“you were lucky” he spits out, finding a staircase to sit himself down on. “you died and you came back. i’ve already cheated death too many times in my life” he heaves in deeply, trying to catch his breath in between sentences. “you don’t age, you-“

“i’m not lucky, isaac. i died with my family. someone dug me up and experimented on me. shocked me till my heart started beating again. i’d rather be in the ground right now instead of going through this same monthly cycle”

“you said some people got lucky, getting a second chance after death?”

“i never said i was lucky” you admit. you huff, annoyed by his insensitivity, and you cross your arms over your chest.

the silence swallows the two of you. isaac night looks down at his lap. you can see him heaving even in the terrible lighting.

“your family is buried down in jericho aren’t they?” the words fall off of his tongue in the form of a question, despite it being a fact. “i’ve seen you visit them” he looks up though his eyelashes. “you should be right next to them, right? your name should be on that empty headstone” his voice is weak.

you ignore his statements. it hurts too much to hear the truth. you can’t bring yourself to face tje truth. especially the truth spoken by a madman. “how long do you have left?” you ask him.

“weeks at the absolute most” he sounds defeated. like he was finally caving in. he had no more energy to hold up the facade.

you heart sinks. you don’t want it to. you don’t want to feel bad for such a horrible person. you felt bad for the young girl in the common room, knitting away, unaware of her brother’s demise. “oh”

“francoise doesn’t know and she can’t know” isaac begs you to keep his secret.

“she hasn’t noticed?” you walk over to him, stopping at the foot of the staircase.

you watch him struggle for words. he opens his mouth, pauses, and then shuts it. he opens it again, shuts it again. he raises his right hand and points a wonky finger in your direction. whatever power he was trying to muster up, failed. you can see the anger fill his body. anger at himself for becoming so weak.

“if you don’t tell her, who’s going to look after you?” you ask.

he purses his lips. “you’re the only one who knows” his voice is shaky and you’re sure there is silent tears running down his face.

something maternal eats at you. seeing someone so admired for his strength and his creations, finally succumbing to something he thought he had cured, pulled at emotions you had long ago buried with your old self.

“i’ll do it. i will help you” you state firmly. he looks up, there’s almost a glimmer of admiration in his eyes. it quickly recedes into the depths of his body.

“we-we’re not even fr-friends” he stammers.

“no and i doubt we ever will be. but im offering my loyalty and my devotion to you. i will look after you until your final breath. mark my word” you sit down beside him.

“i followed you last night. deep into the forest. it took so long. my legs have become so weak these days. i rarely leave iago tower. but i did leave last night” he looks up at you. “i left for you” he holds a shaky hand up and pokes you softly. it’s almost like he’s joking around with you. “i should’ve been nicer to you”

“just because you’re dying doesn’t mean you get to become all sentimental on me now. i will leave you helpless if you think you’re gonna be my friend now” you warn him

you won’t leave him. you can’t leave him. you understand death more than anyone else. you understand the need for a support system.

“take me iago tower” isaac demands quietly. it’s not laced with rudeness like it used to be, it’s desperation.

uncomfortably, both physically and mentally, you wrap an arm around the dying body that sat next to you. you tucked your hand under the pit of his arm, supporting the frail boy as you both stood up. the shake in his body was evident, you could feel it. he reached to wrap his coat around him tighter, the cold creeping through.

“here. let me” you whisper. you slide around to stand in front of him, a couple of steps below him. from where you stood, you could see the early stages of matting in his hair and you make a mental note to brush it if you ever got the chance. your fingers are nimble, grabbing each side of the coat to pull it together. buttons doing up, in an attempt to keep any sort of warmth in.

he doesn’t thank you. he doesn’t have to. he looks over to the door to the common rooms. francoise stands in the doorway.

she smiles widely. she’s unaware of the nature of the situation. to her it looked like her best friend and her brother were finally getting along, making an effort to improve their relationship.

“francoise” you smile back at her, grabbing isaac’s free hand and helping him down the stairs.

“oh don’t mind me. i’m just so happy to see this day. i’m so happy for the two of you” she smiles like a proud mother at the two of you.

your heart shatters. if only she knew.

“oh” her face contorts. “oh i’m so sorry to interrupt you. i didn’t mean to watch you two. i didn’t realise you guys were on a date. i was just heading upstairs” she heads down another hallway back to the dorm room the two of you shared.

you don’t look at isaac. you don’t need to. his hand wraps around yours just a little more, and there’s the slightest squeeze. he didn’t need to say it either.

you were screwed.

————————————————————————

a/n: finally thinking about wrapping this story up. originally i made this just for my own reasons but im so happy people are enjoying this. this chapter was always meant to show a shift in dynamics. hopefully this is not too much of a shift. more to come in the next chapter!!!

tags: @maxxyferrari @m-ichelles-world @lunaryasha @llittle-monster @gossipbitchhh @cattleray @stranger-chan

[queercodednat]

how life feels after crying all day over volume 3 but finding out about conformitygate on sttwt and now I'm laughing historically kicking my feel on the floor

CONFORMITYGATE > OPIUM

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

A VERY Straightforward Book Review of Phantasma by Kaylie Smith

HEYYY writer friends! ✨ i have NOT been active for a very very long time (about 3-4 months) i am SOOO sorry about that. i've been trying to decide what to do with my blog, and i really want to work on REBRANDING it. but, i decided to crawl back into tumblr and bless you all with a short book review of this "romantasy."

alright, so... I just emerged from the depths of Phantasma by Kaylie Smith, and to be completely honest? My brain is a literal puddle of conflicting emotions. I wanted to LOVE this. I wanted to be consumed by it. I wanted to be so haunted that I’d have to leave the lights on while I worked on my own manuscript. But instead, I’m sitting here at 2 AM, three coffees deep, feeling… well, a little bit GUTTED.

We’re giving this one a solid 3 stars. It wasn’t a disaster, but it definitely didn’t set my soul on fire the way I hoped a Southern Gothic YA fantasy would. 🕯️💀

Let’s break down the "why" behind the rating, because there are some MASSIVE lessons here for us as writers. If you’re working on a fantasy romance or a high-stakes "game" plot, pay attention!

The Atmosphere (Or, Where is the Humidity??)

When I hear "Southern Gothic," I expect to feel the dampness in the air. I want to smell the decay, feel the oppressive heat, and sense the weight of a thousand family secrets pressing down on my chest. I want that GRIT. for "Mirror Girls" by Kelly McWilliams. let me tell you. it hit EVERY SINGLE POINT AND ELEMENT a southern gothic novel needs. LOVEDDDD the atmosphere. highly recommend it.

But with Phantasma, the vibe felt… thin? It lacked that heavy, atmospheric "chokehold" that makes the Southern Gothic subgenre so iconic. As writers, we have to remember that setting is not ONLY a backdrop, it's a CHARACTER. Especially in horror-adjacent fantasy!

• The Lesson: If you tell your readers a story is "Gothic," you have to deliver on the sensory overload. Don't just tell us the house is old; make us hear the wood screaming under the weight of the ghosts. Make us feel the dust in our lungs. Phantasma felt a bit too "clean" for a world that was supposed to be terrifyingly haunted.

The Romance: Lust vs. Connection 🥀

Okay, let’s talk about Ophelia and Blackwell. Sigh.

I wanted to ship them. I really did. But, the chemistry felt… artificial. It felt like "insta-lust" disguised as "fated soulmates," and it just didn't hit the mark for me.

• The Problem: Their connection felt purely physical. Every time they were on page together, it was all about the tension of touching, but I didn't feel the tension of their souls colliding.

• The Fix for Your WIP: When you’re writing a romance, especially a dark one, you NEED emotional stakes. Why do they NEED each other? Not just "why do they want to kiss?" but "how does this person fill a hole in the other's identity?" If the romance is only built on "he’s dark and mysterious" and "she’s the only one who seessss him," it starts to feel like a trope-by-numbers exercise. We want the MESS. We want the emotional devastation!

In Phantasma, I felt like Blackwell was there because the plot demanded a Love Interest™, not because he and Ophelia actually had a foundation of shared vulnerability. It felt performative rather than earned. (and the smut scenes gave me a headache and actually made me want to skip.)

The "Saving Grace": The Game Levels 🎮✨

Now, it wasn't all gloom and doom! The actual Phantasma game? That was the highlight. The different levels of the game were inventive, creepy, and honestly the only thing that kept me turning the pages past midnight.

• Why it Worked: This is a masterclass in "High Concept" execution. The game provided a clear structure, escalating stakes, and a sense of momentum. Each level felt like a new challenge for Ophelia’s character development (even if the development itself felt a bit shaky at times).

• The Takeaway: If your plot is dragging, look at your "trials." Are the obstacles your characters face actually INTERESTING? Are they visually distinct? The levels in Phantasma were vibrant and weird, and that’s exactly what saved the book from being a DNF (Did Not Finish) for me.

The Plot Twist (Or, The Case of the Missing Surprise) 🔍

okay, we need to talk about the "predictable twist."

I knew the "big reveal" from the very beginning. Like, page fifty. And there is nothing—and I mean NOTHING—more frustrating than waiting 300 pages for a character to realize something the reader already knows.

• The Tension Killer: When the reader is miles ahead of the protagonist, the protagonist starts to look… well, a bit dim. It kills the tension. You want your reader to be guessing, or at the very least, you want the reveal to recontextualize EVERYTHING they’ve read so far.

• VERY VERY RIN-ESQUE Advice: If you’re going to have a "predictable" twist, you have to make the journey to that twist so emotionally taxing that the reader doesn't care they guessed it. Or, better yet, use a "Double-Blind" twist. Give them the obvious one early, so they let their guard down, and then hit them with the REAL one at the 90% mark.

Phantasma played it a bit too safe here. It followed the YA fantasy blueprint a little too closely, and because of that, the "shock" moments landed with a bit of a thud.

Final Thoughts for the Writing Soul

So, why a 3 star? Because it was "fine." It was a fun, quick read with some cool imagery, but it lacked the SOUL and the UNIQUE VOICE that makes a book stay with you for years.

As writers, we should aim to be the book that makes someone stay up until 4 AM because they CANNOT look away. (Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia, DID that for me. AND made me a bit creeped out) We want to write the romance that makes people ache, and the twists that make people throw the book across the room (in a good way!).

Don't be afraid to be "too much."

• Be TOO atmospheric.

• Be TOO emotional.

• Be TOO weird.

Don't settle for the "artificial" feel. Dig deep into your characters' shadows and find the stuff that actually hurts to write. That’s where the magic is.

I’m going to go drink my fourth coffee and try to fix my own "predictable" subplot. Wish me luck! ☕✨

(let me know if you guys wanna see my wips i'm working on, i missed you all!!!)

-rin ✨

Write the Darkness: 75 Dark Academia x Horror Prompts

A gothic prompt pack for writers who love cursed universities, secret societies, and scholarly rot.✎ Write the Darkness ✎A 75-prompt horror

5 Opening Pages Mistakes to Stop Making — A Mini eBook for Fiction Writers

✦ A free (and actually helpful) guide to leveling up your first 10 pages ✦If you're unsure whether your opening is ✨doing enough✨ to hook re

[xazafranx]

THAT'S A WOMEN?! Qsmp mini-animatic

[condividiamolavita]

gli ho mandato un messaggio e l'ha visualizzato all'istante

porcapaletta

[randomruminator3000]

{LIFE IS STRANGE SPOILERS} !!!

This is my first post, so welcome if you are seeing this. I recently completed the story game, Life Is Strange. I have been meaning to play this game for a while, but never have until now. I played with no idea what it was about, no guide or spoilers. Because I keep thinking about it after completing the final episode a few days ago, I now want to yap about it on here! I’ll also talk about the choices I made throughout.

Quick review

Life Is Strange definitely changes your perspective on almost everything within your existence and the universe. The almost impossible yet scary scenario this story forces you into puts you inside Max Caulfield’s shoes. The combination of scientific theories, natural disasters with the intimate interactions of the characters all sets it beautifully. The soundtrack is niche, reminding you and trapping you inside nostalgia whenever you listen to it outside the game. The graphics and scenery were excellent, despite my gameplay on mobile. Because Life Is Strange is a choice-based narrative game, everyone’s gameplay is slightly different. This adds to the idea of alternate universes that are within the game. The ending destroys you, almost wishing to go back in time to when it was more simple, as if you possess the power Max has. And once you shut off the game, it doesn’t leave your mind for a while.

My choices and why

1st Episode:

Reporting Nathan: After seeing the events that went down in the bathroom, of course I chose to report Nathan for that. Despite no one believing me, it was best to stir that rumor than to paint him as completely innocent. Now that I look at this, it saddens me that he was in an emotional turmoil against his will. He was a pawn, not the manipulator. I cannot remember if it was this episode that we received a threat from Nathan, but I was a little nervous when he did so. I wondered if one day he was going to come after us. I’m assuming he didn’t for a while because he wanted Max to find out the truth, he could tell she was investigating.

Comforting Victoria: Despite me not liking her, I didn’t want to stir up any drama. The other option seemed unlike Max. Yes, she did purposely cause the paint to coat Victoria, however her true character does not convey that she would bully in plain sight. Max is more of a character to do sneaky pranks behind the scenes instead of telling someone to scram. Like I said before, I didn’t want to cause drama or my name to become more tainted.

Intervening between Kate and David: I didn’t understand the purpose of a photo, which is why I immediately chose to intervene. I was a little worried if the cop was going to report Max or get her in trouble. Luckily, my defense sent him away and helped Kate. In this episode, we had no idea what was going on with her at all. Reflecting over this now, it devastates me how she couldn’t even receive help from police. Instead, she received harassment and stalking.

Taking the blame for Chloe: I do not recall why I couldn’t hide, but I believe something fell and got in the way. After completing the episode, I saw that I could’ve stayed hidden. However, taking the blame had a higher percentage, so I didn’t change it. It slightly frustrated me that Max, someone who would never go near drugs took the blame. Especially considering how I stood up to David, I was afraid he would dislike me even more and try to frame me for a crime. From this point, I could see the potential of Max and Chloe. She listened to Max about her powers despite how insane it sounded and complimented her a few times (as well as the other times throughout the series).

This episode is a great introduction to the game. So pure and innocent, yet slightly dark to add suspense and the want for purchasing the rest of the episodes. There was plenty of mystery, such as the vanishing of Rachel Amber. The ending was real nice and sentimental as well. The snow peacefully falling as Chloe questions Max and asks to tell her everything. I felt the weight of the mysterious power leave my shoulders as Max finally found someone to discuss it with. I enjoyed how each of the episodes had these kinds of cutscenes to embrace the scenery. Because this game is placed in 2013, it adds onto the overall vibe of the game. Not too old, but old enough to reminisce about.

2nd Episode:

Told Kate to go to the police: I actually didn’t tell Kate to go to the police at first, I told her to look for evidence. I thought this would be said politely and not come off the wrong way, but it did. I thought the police wouldn’t believe her which is why I recommended that to her, but I reversed time and that decision. I understood that perhaps the more allegations against Nathan, the more likely he would be investigated. After finding out about Kate’s story and why that video was going viral, it saddened me. She was drugged, humiliated and kidnapped. And when the big plot twist happens later on, it disgusted me even more. I’m glad Max actually believed Kate unlike everyone else. It shows Max’s character of no matter if she regularly talks to them or not, she will aid someone in times of hardship.

Answered Kate’s call: I didn’t understand why this was a huge choice, until I considered if the phone call would ruin Max and Chloe’s relationship, but it didn’t. Of course I was going to answer because, why not? Max and Chloe spent the whole day together afterwards either way. Plus, I wanted to be there for Kate as she was suffering. I cannot image how it must feel to see a false image of you planted everywhere. It haunted her, like a traumatic memory, except it’s one she can’t remember.

Didn’t try to shoot Frank: When this choice came upon me, I do not remember if the choices said ‘try to shoot’. Otherwise, I might have chosen that one. However, I thought I would accidentally commit a crime and shoot him. Especially since some decisions cannot be reversed. I’m thankful I didn’t because I believe it made Max & Chloe’s relationship better with Frank in the end. If we dealt with him with violence, it would’ve ended up worse. At this point in the story, Max cannot afford to have any more people on her case.

Couldn’t save Kate: Yes, I know. I am so sorry I couldn’t save Kate. I was doing great, until I mentioned her mother caring about her. I guess that was the wrong choice. At that moment, I didn’t remember who in her family deeply cared about her or who didn’t judge. Even now, I regret not paying attention to our conversations more. It felt like I actually lost her, when it was Max who did. And throughout the rest of the game, you see how it deeply affected her. Max kept thinking about her, mentioning Kate whenever she discussed her powers, she was haunted by Kate as much as she felt haunted by her video. It really puts a burden on not only Max, but also us, the player.

Blamed Nathan: I was surprised at how many options it gave us here. I didn’t know why Mr. Jefferson was an option, besides him being the last teacher to talk to her. I believe this was an easy choice because everything was connecting to Nathan. Now, David did seem suspicious, but I had no evidence against him and considering he is a police officer, no one would believe my claim.

With my failure to save Kate, I thought this was a really dark episode. However, this is not even close to being the most disturbing one. This episode was like a seed that’s barely sprouting up to the surface. It is only getting worse from this point. After this episode, I kept thinking on what I could’ve done. Max most definitely did the same. I was slightly relieved that Warren and Chloe comforted and supported her. Again, this episode did a good job with the use of aesthetics and nostalgia. The ending was drowned with grief as Kate’s body was in the rain. The eclipse was also an interesting factor, a meaningful one. Eclipses symbolize great change, perhaps even devastating ones. So upon seeing this eclipse, I knew things were about to get a whole lot weirder. However, I didn’t think the events later on would be so much worse than this episode.

3rd Episode:

Leaving the money: I did see that choosing to steal it did have a higher percentage, but I didn’t want to get into any more mess. At this point, Rachel is missing, Nathan almost killed Chloe, David is strange, and now Kate committed suicide. I feared that Max would be suspected due to her investigative behavior. Although Frank was someone Chloe needed to pay back, I thought perhaps somehow we could extend the due date or create peace with him. However, it was difficult to not be persistently anxious about it when Chloe kept mentioning the fact I let him take our gun. She quite literally made Max feel guilty as if she doesn’t already have enough problems. This is no hate to Chloe, I like her character but she has her own flaws and drawbacks.

Kissing Chloe: Okay, who wouldn’t? From the very first episode, their romance is obvious. They’ve known each other for years and easily connected after a long wait. I saw more of their romantic elements displayed during the scene at the train tracks and inside the pool. And then the next morning, they wake up next to each other, taking a photo together. These are the cute moments that romance authors write in their books. I was slightly disappointed when the kiss wasn’t fulfilled, but the insinuation was enough for me to be satisfied. I like how this scene is enough for us players to gawk at, but not to completely fulfill the side plot of romance. It keeps us awaiting for their confession, building up the amount of love that will be poured into it.

Siding with Chloe: This was another easy choice for me. First of all, I thought David was an odd one, stalking students and creating their profiles… it all seemed strange. David and Max also didn’t get along, so it wouldn’t make sense to side with him. And second of all, siding with him most likely betrays Chloe too. Therefore, I sided with her, especially since she has seen some sides of David that Max has not. When he departed from the house, I felt a bit guilty. I felt like I might have crashed a promising family. It saddened me, yet I knew we had bigger issues at hand.

Keeping Frank’s dog from harm: Of course I wouldn’t harm a dog! It was quite simple to throw the bone off to the side in the parking lot. Pompidou is a very cute dog despite his aggression. Wouldn’t want to be near him however. This decision was important and I was able to tell because of how this pet was the only thing Frank had left. He had lost Rachel and wasn’t living the greatest life. I couldn’t imagine attempting to make it even harder for him to get through day by day.

This was probably the least devastating and the most entertaining episode of them all. I describe it as such because of all the time we spent with Chloe, the kiss Max initiated, and the lack of darkness within this episode. It wasn’t a pointless episode, though. I believe it was placed in the middle to trick us players into thinking we are sailing smooth without the knowledge of a storm heading our way. In fact, the tornado was supposed to happen in two days from this point. I also think it was an episode for intimate interactions, to highlight character development, and draw us closer into the lives of these people. However, the episode ended off with something disturbing. The developers mixed the atmosphere of Arcadia Bay with the frightening fate of Chloe in the alternative universe. Chloe was not her usual self. No dyed hair, original style, nor the mobility Max knew she had. I feared that we were trapped in this universe as I wondered what else might have gone wrong. As a fan of the Spider verse movies and the Netflix Series Arcane, I understand how different universes completely flip the script. After this episode, I couldn’t wait to play the next one.

4th Episode:

Refused Chloe’s request: This is another one of those decisions that I reversed. At first, I fell into Chloe’s trap with convincing me to assist her suicide. When seeing her in the wheelchair, my heart dropped. She wasn’t herself at all, completely different. Max saw the similar face, but not the dyed hair or the natural spunk. It saddened me how she couldn’t do the adventurous and dangerous things she once did. Therefore, I originally chose to follow her wishes. However, I saw the percentage of the choice and Max telling us to rewind, so I did. Although I did upset Chloe, it was for the better in that universe. She was kept alive despite that car wreck for a reason. I left the universe alone and decided to not leave it tampered with.

Stopped Warren from beating up Nathan: I knew that this fight could have escalated very quickly. It was an easy choice to block Warren from fighting Nathan, considering he had a gun on him and I didn’t want Max to lose another friend. I also care about Warren and I knew Max did as well. I admire Warren’s ability to defend Max and others. With his stereotypical nerdy appearance, you wouldn’t have guessed he could fight so well. I also like his character because he supported Max without the knowledge of her powers.

No one got hurt: Surprisingly, it took many attempts to correct this decision. So, Frank did get shot multiple times, but Max reversed it. Upon experiment, I discovered that commenting on Rachel’s photo doesn’t upset him. I thought it would because it was something found in his trailer. Luckily, no one got hurt and like I hoped for, Chloe and Max were able to recover their relationship with Frank. I had a feeling that a resolution or a deal would happen between these three. When Max brought up Rachel Amber in the conversation, it was clear how sentimental Frank was. He’s been reminiscing over her ever since her disappearance. I have mixed opinions when it comes to Frank’s character. Due to his age gap between him and Rachel and the outbursts noted in her letters to him, it is slightly off-putting, but similarly to Chloe, he has his own faults and issues. However, I am sure that Frank was great at protecting her with Pompidou and his sheer will. Unfortunately, his effort wasn’t enough against the perpetrator.

Victoria believed the warning: Another fairly easy choice, why wouldn’t I? Why wouldn’t Max? I will admit that Victoria was a bully towards us and Kate. She dragged on the horrors that Kate experienced from the video, yet I didn’t want anyone else to die and neither did Max. I also wondered if she was getting manipulated by Nathan as they were close. I’ll never forget what she did, but I do believe she possibly changed. This scene of her and Max was a little unexpected. Of course, I wanted to give her the warning, but the fact that she was telling Max how she secretly admires her photography skills and personality was interesting. All along, it may have been jealousy… which is why I am glad to see their acquaintance leveled friendship improve.

This episode is comparable to the peak of a rollercoaster. Everything is about to drop. This episode kept us on our toes throughout it, waiting for something to pop off. With the solved case, we were on a roll with it. However, everything went wrong as soon as Max and Chloe entered the junkyard. In search for Nathan, they instead meet their fates. Max, injected with a sleeping liquid, as Chloe gets shot and falls to the ground. I almost believed this scene wasn’t real or that none of it happened. I thought perhaps it was my fault because I followed Chloe, but I soon realized it all at the end of the episode. Before Max is forced by the injection to shut her eyes, Mr. Jefferson, the photography teacher, stands over her. This might have been one of the biggest plot twists I’ve experienced. I may have been blinded by the fingers pointing at Nathan that I didn’t exactly notice anything strange with Mr. Jefferson or it may have been like that on purpose. Either way, it was a perfect stab to the back. I felt betrayed, left with confusion and the wish to reverse time. We get a quick clip of Mr. Jefferson inside his designated space for photographing his victims. After this episode, I needed to play the very last one. I had to wait a whole day due to my busy schedule and it was painful. This episode is the definition of “what the fuck”.

5th Episode:

For the very last episode, I am going to describe the scenes with the final decision at the end. There is a lot to dissect from this episode, so focusing on that singular decision is not going to cut it.

The dark room: This scene is one of the creepiest I’ve seen in a game. The music is very unsettling and the room’s colors mixed with black and white adds onto the evil symbolism. The white backdrop of the photos represent the purity and innocence of Mr Jefferson’s victims. The black ceiling and walls show the darkness surrounding them, the disgusting fetish of picturing people in their last moments. When Max goes back to when she was being photographed, Jefferson explains his obsession with capturing someone’s fear and hope in a moment of desperation. This whole entire segment of the episode, I expressed shock and the disgust of this perversion. I call it this because he preys on very young women, shooting the same hopeless moments out of them. Men like him have the gross need of asserting control and dominance. Unfortunately, the developers did a great job at coding this sequence and making it equally disturbing as it is in real life situations. These kind of men exist, lurking, hiding away in a dark room.

Returning back to the beginning of the week: I felt relief when Max was able to return to the very class this all started in. The scene where she holds Victoria and Mr. Jefferson accountable were awkward to me because this moment is one sided. However, Max’s sassiness expressed all the words she never got to say. I loved when Max reconnected with Kate and comforted her. I was happy to see Kate again as well, considering what she was going through at this time. Max and I were so unaware of this and the persistent nightmare she endured. After the repainted classroom scene, Max won the Everyday Hero’s contest and flew to San Francisco, but with the principal. Jefferson and Nathan were thankfully arrested and Arcadia Bay were saved. Many people complimented the photo Max took and she had her dreams in front of her. However, we get the same predicament we’ve known about since the beginning of the game, the tornado. Bound with destruction, we receive a call from Chloe. She’s scared, the excessive wind is crashing into the phone’s speaker. I didn’t know what to do at this point, besides reverse time again. Max teared the winning photos into pieces, making sure she never went to San Francisco. We ended up back in the dark room once again despite our order of action.

Continuing through the gameplay’s universe: It was clear that we had to push forward in this universe where everything reeked of death. The tornado was rumbling the room, Chloe and Kate are dead, and Max was very close to her ending as well. I do not recall if it was this specific time or if it was when we originally entered the dark room, but Jefferson also mentions how he killed Nathan and explained their father-son relationship. This explains Nathan’s character as he was being manipulated and tortured before his death. I even felt sympathy for him. Jefferson is seeking the results of the photos and the death of Max. As he attempts to give Max her final dosage, David comes in unexpectedly from the right. When the cards are played right, David defeats Jefferson and pins him down. However, this scene also saddens me when Max reveals the death of Chloe to David. We can see him drowning in regret and grief. There was barely any anger besides him taking it out on Jefferson with his gun. This, to me is what makes this part the saddest. Seeing a soldier who only wanted to protect Blackwell and his family, now sitting with the knowledge of his dead daughter and with the corpse of Jefferson. I chose to reveal the truth to him because I believed it was the right thing to do. I didn’t want him to search for her without knowing or then get angry at Max for not telling the truth. We later receive the phone call from Nathan as we drive on to see Warren. Oh and how this phone call broke me. Throughout this whole game, we’ve been seeing the worst out of Nathan. Painting him as a villain because that’s all we knew from him. Yet, this phone call reveals otherwise. He’s shaken with fear and regret. This phone call might’ve been the best thing Nathan has done, as it warned Max. However, she missed the phone call due to other events and circumstances. Now we continue to navigate through the storm to Two Whales diner. Max finds Warren, Joyce, and Frank. I slightly talked you Joyce before heading to Warren. I told her that Chloe was safe because I wanted some of the stress to leave her. Then, Max reunites with Warren and she tells him the truth about her abilities. Okay, now this might be the most problematic choice I made in the entire game. PLEASE I BEG OF Y’ALL, do not hate me for this!! I left Warren without a hug or a kiss. I was scared that if I chose to do those things, it would mess another thing up. This interaction between Max and Warren had romantic potential, so I thought these decisions would affect the relationship between me and Chloe somehow. I do apologize for choosing this. When I have time to do another run, I WILL choose to at least hug him instead of leaving him. I will also look out for more details that signify and connect to Max and Warren. Because of my gameplay, it appears to me that Chloe and Max have more chemistry.

Returning to the original universe: I felt much better to see Chloe again. I thought that we could prevent the destruction of the time. Max convinced Chloe to not look for Nathan or Jefferson to instead to nothing and warn David. We skip to Max and Chloe at the beach, with the E6 tornado swirling in the background. (I looked up an E6 tornado to find out it is a fictional category of tornados, but I guess that adds on to the amount of strangeness in this game. As well as creating the scenario of the idea of what could happen if realities began to break.) As the storm approaches the bay, this moment is so sweet but dangerous. A huge threat is blocking the two from success. They discuss everything from their feelings, to Rachel, and the previous events. Again, this scene isn’t enough for us viewers to be satisfied, but it is good enough for us to see their relationship build even more in times of crisis. As they attempt to flee to the lighthouse, Max passes out once again. I was not only nervous from this, but also the fact that we were trying to escape to the lighthouse, as that was in Max’s vision from the very start.

Nightmare sequence: I cannot tell you how creepy this sequence of the game was for me. I think others relate to this as well. They noticed a lot more than I did. We enter the classroom again with the same lecture, yet blood splatters the windows. I was terrified when this started happening, having no clue what was next or what could happen. The eerie silence that followed after the bell rang and everyone disappeared. One of my fears is being completely isolated with zero chance of human interaction or being put in a situation where I think I am alone, but I am not alone. I never expected to have Jefferson pop up behind me once I tried to leave the room. He asks Max the most disturbing question of the whole game. “Would you like to spend the rest of your life in the Dark Room?” The way he continues to describe the photos he would take and how he likes the purity within Max. Again, disgusting, terrifying, and perhaps traumatizing. This scene makes us uncomfortable within our skin by forcing Max to say something against her character or intentions. I tried every choice of words and each one ended up gross. Either way, we can leave the classroom once we tell him something. We enter the girl’s dorm hallway and see Kate crying by her altar. Oh how devastated I was to see her like this. When Max tries to talk to her, Kate makes us feel guilty for being responsible for her life or death situation. As if I didn’t feel bad enough for being unable to save her, this nightmare adds onto it. We then find keys and go through Rachel and Victoria’s point of view/painted nightmare. After completing that part, we enter the school again, except, everything is in reverse. It sounds and feels so wrong. The same doe we saw at the beginning of the game guides us to the bathroom, only to enter into a deeper nightmare. This part of the sequence took me the longest. I do not know if I’ve already said this, but I was a bit stupid when it came to this game. Some of the parts were difficult for me and this one was one of them. However, once we got past this torturous disturbing escape room, we then are placed inside the snow globe that sat above the fireplace when Chloe’s Dad was alive. Max sees her younger self burning the photo and knowing what happens next. We then burn into the Dark Room again, Max with less clothes on, which was even more frightening. We see clips of Chloe, Warren, Victoria, Jefferson, Nathan, and more people only serving as nightmare fuel for Max. We know these people would never say the things they do in this dream, yet it’s still disgusting and hurtful to hear. The only thing that slightly normalized me was Chloe’s “No mosh pit for you, shaka brah!”. Again, we clip into another scenario. This time it is inside a bathroom with the walls painted in codes. I can understand why Max absolutely despises digi-codes. After you discover the code, we enter Two Whales diner again, with everyone Max has interacted with. They all say their lines, some mild and less touching, while the others make her feel like a failure. As if Max could control everything that happened. Near the end of the room, we see Max.. as we play as Max. This is even more creepy, as this kind of Max represents the part of her that beats herself up for the events that have occurred. The guilt-tripping here is horrible, brutal, almost convincing us and Max that maybe this is all of our fault. She accuses Max of having StockHolm Syndrome because of how she hangs out with Chloe so much. The other Max begins accusing Chloe of possibility of murdering Max. However, I knew not to believe her because we’ve seen Chloe and how much she genuinely cares about us. And that’s when she comes into the diner and disproves all of the words the opposite Max says. At this point in the game, I feel lobotomized and disoriented. I slowly began to realize that maybe the ending is not with Chloe. All of these universes, reversals of time, and effort Max has put into saving Chloe is still not working. What more can she do at this point? We then teleport to a pathway of this whole week

with Chloe. The lines, familiar scenes, and lighting all make us reminisce when the plot of the game was simple, less complex. Everything was a mystery and mostly everyone was innocent. As Max continues walking along the path, the scenes get darker and sadder towards the end. All leading us back into our current situation. Max awakes with Chloe, all the way up to the lighthouse.

The final decision: I am not ready to write this… here comes the worst part of the game (by emotion, not like it’s bad, it’s got to be the best scene ever). We are with Chloe again and the storm still persists, just waiting to destroy Arcadia even more. Max is overwhelmed with fear, distress, and the final understanding that it all starts with Chloe. She herself, also pieces together that her life must be sacrificed in order to save everyone else. Chloe describes the burden she has put on everyone, how her life doesn’t matter, and how Max should save everyone else and let Chloe die. Chloe pulls out the photo that Max took in the restroom at the start of the week, when Chloe was supposed to die. “Maybe you’ve just been delaying my real destiny…” This line hit me so deeply. Destiny, fate, a thing we cannot control in our universe (the players), yet it was something Max could control. However, it all led up to this no matter how much she tried to help others. People would still die no matter what. Chloe would die if Max never reversed time. Someone had to meet their fate. Chloe’s selfishness begins to wear off as she is set for her death. She then appreciates Max and describes the best week she has ever had in her life. “You did nothing but show me your love and friendship. You made me smile and laugh, like I haven’t done in years.”. You can feel and hear her deep love for Max as well as how much she enjoyed this week with her. Despite the death, disappointing news, and the devastating storm, Chloe found something great from this chaos. She found joy in life again, she found someone who deeply understood her and stood up for her no matter what. And now Max and us the player, are met with the worst decision we have ever had to make. Sacrifice Chloe or Sacrifice Arcadia Bay. I sat on this screen for like five minutes. My eyes were already watery and I wanted everyone, especially Chloe to stay alive. However, I reconsidered the wish she had in the alternate universe; she wanted to be put out of her misery. So, I chose to sacrifice Chloe. She not only convinces Max to do so, but I feel as though it was the most respectable thing to do. Not only did Chloe want to meet her fate, but it is more reasonable to let one person die than everyone else. Max and Chloe hold their final embrace, knowing what is coming next. Chloe reminds Max to never forget about her and hesitantly runs off before she could turn around. And Max unwillingly returns to the very moment this all started. We rewatch the unfortunate event unfold, leaving Chloe dead and cold. We then watch the last scene of this game, viewing the funeral of Chloe Price and everyone who knew her attend. The blue butterfly also attends and gently sits on Chloe’s coffin. Spanish Sahara by Foals plays in the background as we all cry (or at least I did) to this depressing ending. The soundtrack is beautiful. I haven’t stopped listening to it since I’ve played the game.

Final thoughts: I’ve been working on this post for a few days, so it feels accomplishing to finish it. But never as accomplishing and life-changing as it was completing this game. I haven’t played a story game before, so perhaps that explains my awe with this one. However, I have watched another story game, Fire watch. That was a great game as well, especially watching Caseoh play it. But, I felt so much more connection with Life Is Strange because I was able to play it and choose my own decisions, look deeper into the detailing of the rooms, and play how I wish to play. This story is tragic because it perfectly develops the relationship of Chloe and Max throughout the short timeline. It also includes sci fi and real scientific theories into the plot which adds onto the mystery of it. Without the depth or knowledge on how Max received her powers makes it even better. There is no such thing as “Oh if Max didn’t do ___ then she wouldn’t have her abilities”. No, there is no way around her receiving these abilities unfortunately. Not only is this crazy, but there are more crazy parts of this story as well. The biggest question I have is about the alternate universes and what went down after Max leaves them. I cannot imagine how horribly the other universes are tampered and how everyone at Arcadia Bay must be dead. It’s disturbing to think about. As well as the possibility of Max being a villain in the other universes. The nightmare reflects this, as the text messages reveal her as being a puppet, a poser to Mr. Jefferson. I am not an expert, so I do not know if that is what I think it means, but alternate universes have an infinite amount of possibilities, anything can happen within them. For example, the alternate universe where Max is hanging out with Victoria. This shows that in these universes, anything and anyone can change including her. Therefore, the plots in the other universes have been twisted and turned into unrecognizable worlds. I will most likely make other posts about this game, as I plan to go into more depth about whether Chloe is better with Rachel or Max, or if Max is better with Warren. What do y’all think? I hope to go through this game again and take in more details, as well as helping out Alyssa more. Apparently, she is vital to the game because why is she in every episode? And in the mini decisions, the option to help her is always present. I would like to hear your thoughts, just be cool and respectful with different opinions. Okay, I have to stop yapping NOW. Stay tuned for more, bye!

(i am so fucking done editing this so i apologize for errors. i was trying to insert an image after i proofread twice and it deleted all my little edits so im done, but i hope yall enjoyed this post either way)

[chuuyaswifeandhoe]

If only

Pairing: Chuuya x femreader Warnings: swearing, mention of suicide attempts, language, hated, gunshots, death, mentions of killing, violence This is the second part of Not today. Enjoy!

Wake up, survive, kill, sleep, repeat. Wake up, exist, betray, sleep, repeat. Wake up, get yourself almost killed, sleep, repeat. Wake up, die. 

One year and a half has passed since Chuuya decided that you didn't have any value for him. You decided to celebrate it at the old apartment, exactly where it happened, so you would not forget why you're still alive. Revenge. No, you laughed at the flickers of the candles around the living room. Revenge was too kind for him. You wanted to make him hate himself. To feel useless, used, an incapable body having to survive with the consequences of his own actions. That's what you had been doing for the last year so he had to go through it for the rest of his life. Seemed only fair, an eye for an eye, a broken soul for another one. Even better, a broken soul to crush another. You blame yourself for the break up. If only you wouldn't have opened the discussion about marriage and kids. If only you would have been happy with the situation you were in, not craving for more, not wanting more from life, maybe he wouldn't have said those words to you. If only you would have acted differently. If only you would have changed to suit him better. If only…

You sipped another gulp from the expensive bottle of wine, his courtesy when he left you the apartment. No need to cry over spilled milk. Still, tears fell down your cheeks without warning. It stung, it is not like you could get rid of the feelings of betrayal and disappointment. In the dim lights of the candles you let yourself feel human again. It was a long year for you, one where you made permanent changes in your life. No more good girl behavior. Only a cruel bitch without a heart. One of the most interesting evolutions within the Mafia. That's what they called you. You had your underground name as well, Shadow. The one who kills her victims in their sleep, walking right behind you, living in the dark, never knowing when is going to hit. People don't fear their own shadows, so you took advantage of that. Befriending the target, using your innocence to make them trust you then slashing their heart in the sheets. Literally. 

You sighed, he should be back in two days. You found out after joining that the executive was sent on a suicide mission, having no communication with the outside world. A mission that has been extended longer than anyone anticipated. But everyone trusted him to accomplish the impossible and come back alive and successful, destroying some gangs, scoring some diamond deals, and bringing back the prize of the rarest diamond in the world. Easy, for the most powerful ability user in the Mafia. Not so easy to understand why he acted like that more than a year ago. You saw the reasoning behind it, but still, there were other options if he wanted to protect you. You shake your head, no, he did not want to protect you, he wanted to get rid of you. 

In retrospect, he tried to protect you after his departure, after the breakup.  You were desperate, you wanted to turn off your feelings so bad, everything hurt. In a desperate attempt, a message was sent to Dazai if his offer for the double suicide was still up. But he expected the message when he met you on the roof of the building his scope was to get you down, to hold you, and to make sure you didn't do it. What an ass, Chuuya informed him and knew already you'd try to kill yourself. “Bella, is not worthy, I promise you I'd take your offer under other circumstances, but now I know for sure that is going to get better.”

After that night you laid out your options on a piece of paper. The first was to get over with this life. Not an option anymore, Dazai did not help you and suddenly members of the agency bumped randomly into you at the grocery store. Atsushi wanted to accompany you and Yosano wanted to go shopping. Nice of them but it was making you feel worse. You wanted to root under a rock. Fragile. You felt fragile, ready to break if someone looked at you the wrong way. You wanted to move out of the apartment, but couldn't, you were between jobs and you were in no shape to start looking for one. To put on a fake smiling face… no. And ironically after three weeks, a position was available at the agency, for a secretary. What a lovely coincidence. And for a bit you even considered it, to have them around wasn't a bad idea after all and would also comply with Chuuya's demand to never get in his face again. But then, after the “interview”, while at the caffè, Atsushi -bless his innocent heart- left out a secret in his blabbering “Chuuya must really love you Y/N-san, kneeling to ask the president for the Agency to protect you”. He received a smack over his head from Kyoka and you acted like you did not hear him, but it was the moment you decided you weren't going to take the job at the agency. 

Bastard. Thinking he can control your life after breaking you like that. To make sure you were having a good life, that you would be under Dazai’s careful eye. The second option was to move back to your village, back with your not-so-close family. Not really an option, but more a desperate attempt to get the attention off the agony present in your life. And you tried it, with a short visit, wanting to understand if it would do you any good. But at the news that you and Chuuya broke up, your family started blaming you and accused you of being such a stuck-up bitch. Everything good about you was your relationship with Chuuya and you screwed everything up and your life did not have any value anymore. And maybe, to a certain extent, you started to believe it.  So after that weekend, you got back, having to deal with life again.

The next option was to just get on with your life. Going out, dating, meeting new people, living again. Well, you got yourself somehow functioning in those six weeks before deciding that there was a fourth option that was more suitable. You tried looking for other jobs, and you got yourself on two random blind dates which were absolutely horrible, but a friend of yours decided it was a good idea to get you out of your slumber so you accepted. You decided you were going to be single forever because there was no way you were going to deal with all that. And you also wanted revenge and when the opportunity arose, you went straight for it.

The fourth option you never envisioned or dreamed of. Joining the Mafia. A friend, of a friend, of another friend found out from some underground source about a recruitment process going on so you decided to join. You started preparing for it, hitting the gym and having shooting training on Chuuya’s money, because if he left you the card you might as well use it. One of your biggest qualities was the attention to detail and to anyone’s surprise shooting a gun. You remember the ‘basic training’ Chuuya gave you after telling you about his job so you could shoot a gun if you ever needed to protect yourself and he was amazed by your skills to not miss any of the targets he put in place. So, until the recruitment stage came around you trained. It was not like you had any better to do, apart from moping around in your sadness.

You started as a weakling, a mere nobody. No particular skill, apart from a good aim. The rest was hard work, broken bones, lots of cuts and bruises, not getting in your own way, being in constant fear for your life, and learning to kill. The first time was the hardest. Then you went on autopilot. No regrets, no remorse, no feelings. Exactly what you were looking for, a way to numb out your heart. No more worrying about a lover, a relationship, a breakup, or a future. Then, it was a question of being in the right place at the right time and saving Mori’s life in an altercation. The boss rarely participated in those things, but there were times he wanted to feel the thrill of fear and descend into the dirty underground. Obviously, some Black Lizard mission you were involved in by accident, but they did not fully clear the perimeter and a sniper got away.

You were feeling very suspicious about the whole deal, it was intuition, and you just knew something was wrong. Luckily, you saw the red dot on Mori’s chest, had enough balls to push him aside, and got yourself two beautiful bullets in your chest. You survived and got the permission to have one wish granted. You could ask whatever you want. You thanked your new direct Boss and asked him to keep this for the future when you would find a wish worthy of the occasion. You got yourself noticed, what weakling would dare touch the Boss in such a manner? So you started to be involved in more high-profiling missions. You received special training from the Black Lizards, transforming you into one of the finest assassins the Mafia had at its disposal. A killing machine, who did not ask twice about the victim, just got the job done. ‘’No hard feelings’’ was the last phrase every one of your victims heard. And your way of doing your job was very interesting to Mori. Approaching the targets in plain sight, gaining their trust in so little time, then breaking it when killing them. Every one of your missions seemed like a personal revenge you took. And Mori was definitely pleased, his mind coming up with different plans on how he could use his new pawn.

How ironic everything seemed to you. To be in front of the man Chuuya was trying to protect you from. Saving said man with your own life and getting your hands dirty just like him. Definitely, he did not expect his plan to backfire like that. You were dying to see his reaction when he would find out. Well, you will not be there, probably, as you were set to have some solo missions, which started exactly the day he was going to return. You were grateful, it would give you a bit more time. For what? You didn’t know. But you did not feel ready to see him again. Well, it was something you’ll worry about another day, now, you let yourself cry, be desperate again, and hope for the release of death. Tomorrow, you’ll get your knives and guns attached to you again.

The days rolled around and you departed to your new series of missions first thing in the morning. Little did you know that at the same time, in Mori’s office, a meeting regarding your future was happening.

‘’Chuuya-kun, as always your results are impeccable. You’ll get days off until your new partner will return from her missions’’.

Chuuya raised an eyebrow. He was tired and done with it all. But he definitely did not expect to have a new partner upon his return. He liked his solo missions and did not want to have to carry someone’s slack around. But he had little to no energy to fight. He just wanted to get in contact with Dazai right now and ask about her. His mind was only about her and how to make things right again, in case she did not move on.

‘’Thank you and who is her?’’

‘’ Her name is Shadow’’. 

[baybtron]

10 things i hate about you.

you hate yuji itadori.

well, maybe you don’t him…. actually who were you kidding? if you had a list of reasons why you hated him, you would read it to the whole world.

which you do.

you walk down the hallways of the campus, your earbuds in each ear, music blasting as you try to block out the loud shouts of other students who loudly trout through the hallways.

the obnoxious shouts from other students almost break through the barriers of your headphones…

what a nuisance.

as you begin to turn the corner to reach your next class, you bump into someone.

you stumble back a bit, your earbuds immediately falling from your ears, just as you open your eyes someone immediately grabs your wrist to keep you from falling back any further.

you look up in annoyance, “watch where you’re..” your voice trails off.

“sorry about that,” yuji itadori, he smiles softly. his smile gentle as his gaze, such an easy going smile. he ruffles his light pink messy locks of hair before kneeling down and picking up your fallen earbuds. standing up and handing them to you. “i wasn’t watching where i was going.”

you stare at him for a long moment before realizing he was handing your earbuds back to you. quickly taking them from him, “thank you.” you say quietly, avoiding his gaze. “it was my fault. i should’ve been paying attention.” you say before quickly walking the opposite way.

that was reason no. 1 why you hate yuji itadori.

his big dopey smile.

you stood out in the kitchen holding a glass of water in hand as everyone dances in the distance.

you were recently invited to a party, since it was an end of the year party it seemed everyone was there— some people were even surprised you arrived. 

“you made it!” a familiar voice said in the distance. Iori Utahime, one of your closest friends.

“utah!” you say with a smile as you set down your glass of water and walk over towards her, “woah, you look great!” you say with a genuine smile.

“you’re just saying that.” she says with a flattered smile.

“no no! i mean it. really.” you say with a chuckle.

“she’s not lying, utahime! you look great!” a masculine voice from your right says.

you look in that direction.

yuji itadori in his best attire.

“thanks, yuji.” utahime says casually with a slight smile.

yuji then walks closer towards the two, he looks at you with a smile. “you too! lookin’ great.” he says happily.

you don’t say anything at first.

it’s like a frog is caught in your throat. all you can do is stare as it feels like you start losing all balance in your legs. you feel as if you can hear your heart making its way out of your chest, the beats getting louder and louder. you—

“hey?” utahime says suddenly. you turn to look at her quickly, then you look at yuji. “i’m sorry—“ you choke out. “sorry— i have to use the bathroom.” you say quickly.

“hey wait—“ you honestly can’t tell which one of them said that, but you couldn’t even look back. so you just quickly walk away.

reason no. 2 why you hate yuji itadori.

he makes your insides feel all warm and fuzzy.

you lay in bed one late night, scrolling through your phone. your back was against the white cozy sheets, your hair was spread along the pillow below you.

you had a green tea face mask draped over your face as you held your phone above your head. scrolling mindlessly when someone suddenly texted you.

you look at the notification,

“Maybe: Yuji Itadori.”

that was the contact.

you sat up quickly with wide eyes as you read, “hey!” a simple message. yet so nerve wracking. you feel your hands get all clammy as you tap it.

you stare down at the message for a solid minute before beginning to text back.

“hi.” you hit send. you felt your own heart beating so loud it felt as if it were going to burst. you immediately throw your phone across the bed and plummeting your face into the pillow and screaming.

when you hear the buzz of your you immediately sit up, grabbing your phone and opening it.

“got your number from Utahime. wanna get lunch sometime?”

you stare at his message.

your fingers start to hit the keys.

“Sure.” you say.

your cheeks flush. squealing as you roll around in bed.

reason no. 3 why you hate yuji itadori.

he makes you feel like a little girl.

you stand outside of the restaurant, wearing a short dress. but not too short, you were nice flats and even put your hair up neatly. you held a handbag in hand as you stood there with a gentle smile. you waited.

and waited.

…and waited.

you pull out your phone, swiping to see the messages you sent him over two hours ago.

no response.

you just stared into your phone, before turning it off and walking away.

reason no. 4 why you hate yuji itadori.

he stood you up.

that same night, you lay in bed. your dress sprawled out on the ground, shoes thrown along the ground, you in your Pjs.

your hair was pinned up, your makeup was wiped clean off.

what a big waste of time.

but.. why did you feel this way? hugging your pillow as tears pricked your eyes. your lips twitched as you smother your face into the pillow. small sniffles leaving your nose as you curled up.

it’s not like you were dating or anything.

your phone then suddenly buzzed. you slowly removed your face from your pillow, turning the other way before grabbing your phone and yanking it off the charger. putting the screen towards your face as you open the emerging messages from yuji.

things like, “hey, im sorry.” or “i know you’re upset with me.” and—

you just shut off your phone and tossed it across the bed. 

you just sobbed.

“i hate you, yuji itadori.” you say to yourself.

reason no. 5 why you hate yuji itadori.

he makes you cry like a child.

over the next course of those days you decide to avoid him, taking every possible route opposite to his. the whole entire day you’ve been going through opposite directions— different short cuts— anything you can think of.

11pm

you sit at lunch along with utahime, and maki.

“yknow,” maki says as she swallows her food. “that doof has been looking for you all day.” you look at her from your phone, raising a brow. “she means yuji.” says utahime who looks at you raising a brow. your eyes dart back and forth between the both of them. the two start giving you the look

“no. no, no.” you say with a huff.

“you can’t ignore him forever.” says utahime.

“i’ve done so for a w—“

you’re interrupted.

“hey.” a soft voice from behind you says.

you turn around quickly to see yuji, your eyes wide. why now?

“have you been avoiding me?” he says with a worried expression.

you stand up. “No, i haven’t. i was actually just about to go.” you say as you begin to walk away. but the second you do, he grabs your wrist gently as he yanks you towards him. “hey— if this is about lunch.. i didnt mean to stand you up— if you would just read my me—“ you cut him off. “look, i get it. you just aren’t into my like that. and that’s fine.” you say as you pull away, “that’s no—“ he’s interrupted as he begins to speak. “yuji, it’s fine, really.” you say as you give a small smile before walking away.

as you walk away, he follows behind you like a clingy puppy. “c’mon, let’s talk about it.”

“i’m fine.” you say.

but yuji doesn’t give up, he never has. and after a while.. it starts to become a bit annoying.

“look.. that night was my fault.. i really didn’t mean to stand you up— it wasn’t my intentio-“ “yuji itadori!” you shout aloud. turning to face him.

“i said forget it.”

“but—“

“forget it.” you say again.

you then quickly turn around before walking away.

reason no. 6 why you hate yuji itadori.

he’s insufferable.

you stare at yourself in the mirror as you brush your teeth, your hair was tied up as you spit out the excess water and toothpaste. rinsing your toothbrush off before putting it back in its holder. you then slowly put your retainer in before stretching.

it was no later than 10:07 at night, you’d gotten home from a late night shift not too long ago. you’d brought yourself dinner, and has taken a shower. you sigh in relaxation as you plop down on your couch.

just as you grab the remote you hear something from outside of your apartment. music.

“this late at night?” you grumble as you stand up. letting out a quiet groan as you walk to the door, you unlock the locks before turning the knob and opening it to see the ruckus.

as you pull the door open you jump back a bit— startled by the person in front of you.

yuji— his big dopey smile that makes your heart race. he holds a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates. “forgive me!” he says as he bows forward for forgiveness.

you stand there with wide eyes.

your cheeks immediately flush red.

“y— yuji! i already said to f—“ he cuts you off. “i know..” he says with a quiet voice. “but at least.. think about it.” he says. you look at the bouquet of flowers in his hand. “think about it as much as i think about you.”

your eyes suddenly dart to his as he says that.

oh God. it’s happening again. that fuzzy feeling.

you stand there in silence, your heart races, your hands get all clammy.

“…okay.” you finally say. slowly taking the bouquet from his hand, as well as the chocolates.

he smiles. “thank you.”

reason no. 7 why you hate yuji itadori.

he doesn’t stop until you’re happy.

a few weeks later, you find yourself outside of another restaurant. you wore a nice sundress, and baby blue flats. your bag on your shoulder as your hair is neatly styled.

you stand there, nervous. worried about whether or not it’ll just end up like last time. you did get here a bit early, so.. you expected to wait a bit. and you did.

you waited..

..and wa—

“you made it.” a voice says.

yuji.

you turn to meet his eyes, he holds up a hand. waving with a gentle smile. “Yo.” he says.

you smile softly, slowly walking over.

reason no. 8 why you hate yuji itadori.

his presence is enough to make you smile.

it was a long day, and i mean a long day. you had just worked a 5-12 hour shift. talk about pain in the ass. you walked down the empty parking lot, grabbing your car keys before pressing the unlock button and opening the door.

you get into your car, locking the door as you get in. putting the car into gear before putting on your seatbelt, you let it heat up a bit especially since it was a bit cold out. you yawn.

your hair was a mess, apron stained from spilt coffee and condiments.

you sigh, before pulling out of the parking lot and beginning to make your way home.

1:30am

you pull into the driveway of your apartment. turning the car off you sit there for a minute in silence. so relaxed you almost didn’t want to exit the car.

but you did eventually. making your way to your door you pull out your keys, fumbling them around in your hands as you frustratingly pick out your house keys. inserting them into the lock of the door before finally, unlocking. you twist the doorknob, pulling your keys from the door and shutting the door behind you.

it was dark— darker than you’d left it.

as you slowly walk through your apartment trying not to trip on anything unexpected. you notice a small trail of things on the floor— did a raccoon get in?

you follow the trail anxiously— what if someone had broken in? even worse.. a bear.

after a long while of following the trail you find that it lead you to your room. you stare at the face of the door, nervous for the outcome.

you anxiously put your hand on the doorknob, twisting it. slowly pushing it open.. you walk in.

your bedroom, covered in rose petals, fairy lights, balloons, and someone holding up a sign..

yuji itadori.

he smiled softly, holding up a sign.

words “will you be my girlfriend?” written on it.

your eyes go wide, a smile subconsciously makes its way onto your face.

“…so?” yuji says nervously.

“yes, yuji.” you say with tears in your eyes, slowly walking over with a gentle smile.

reason no. 9 why you hate yuji itadori.

because you love him.

“i never knew what my 10th reason would be.” you say softly. “i didn’t think i’d ever find my 10th reason.. until now.”

“yuji itadori, i hate you.” you say. your voice breaking. “i hate you for making me love you the way you do, i hate the way you smile, the way you make me cry, the way you make me feel like a little girl every time you come my way.” you let out a soft gasp. tears streaming down your cheeks.

“i hate the way you thought it was okay to leave me

on this earth alone.”

no. 10