Word craze answers

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There are just hundreds and hundreds of videos and articles for almost any restoration or care question you can think of, all hair care/washing, stain removal, clothes washing, etc. its all been done and documented before.
Identification requests can be found using a number of collectors recourse, my personal favourite is mhcollector.com, but you can google “monster high collector guide’, pick whichever one suits you best and get looking, reverse image searching can also be super helpful!
Pricing posts are all “how much would you pay for this?”, “is this a good deal?”, “how much should I sell this for?”, because the simple answer is no one can tell you how much money you should be spawning or making besides yourself, we don’t know your financial situation. If you do want a ball park on what the average price is, thats what Ebay sold listings are for. If you’re unfamiliar with the function, you don’t need an account to see these, just search for the doll you’re looking for, like normal then on desktop the search result setting should be on the left and on the app there is a “filter’”setting in the top right corner where you can select “sold listings”, when you select and confirm this, it will ONLY show you listings that have already been sold and the price.
There is a search bar at the top of the page that is super helpful, where you can find most of the answers to any questions you have plus so much information using key words to whatever you’re looking to find. All of these “easily googled” questions mentioned above are however permitted to be asked in our monthly discussion thread, how to find that is outlined below.
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Beginners Guide

I’d like to message one of you guys who wishes me ill but I believe it’s hard to point out what is without sounding cray-cray, so I will direct them here.
I am having difficulties because of these emotions that I don’t know how to cater openly. It’s hard and I’m in a rough spot. When you put those prejudice and ill wishes into the ether, you’re simply providing reasons to quit you and submit to the trials.
My situation isn’t getting better. I get that you’re tremendously burdened out as well. It’s not my intention that the most recent event panned out that way and I’ve navigated it poorly and communicated the parts that should have been expressed calmly. I was in a bad place and couldn’t talk to anyone.
A lot of these happened because of a big misunderstanding. I believe I was able to grow some balls and tell them the real score but I was struggling a lot because of the fact that I couldn’t control what happened after. The person who I was hoping to hear the most gave up on me. I thought my efforts would be appreciated or they’d be patient enough with me. But at end of the day they were the ones who shut their blinds and painted the walls with their judgment.
It was hard to process altogether and I felt deeply inadequate. My words, my means, my train of thought, my ability to stay positive.
They chose to cut themselves out of the picture because they believe it was leading into hopelessness. I also know there was exaggeration on my part. This, with my limited ability to cope and heal, affected the way I treated the other and in an attempt to exist harmoniously, I ended up affecting them in the same magnitude of hurt I was dealing with. It’s not an excuse either and I know I wasn’t ushering kindness to them even on the smallest things like doing chores and missing appointments. I’ve learned that I tend to micromanage the other and when the expectations weren’t met, I turned around and said things like I give up or this is not working for me which was partly true, the latter parts are discouraging and frustrating and there are no double rainbows and festive banquets to look forward to.
The worst part was that, every time my actions caused our endless fights, we’d sit down and try to talk through them all properly, address every little detail about the said shallow moments and try to come up with resolutions except that I couldn’t keep up. Eventually, it broke them and exhausted their ability to understand.
The cycle would repeat manically and the next thing they knew, it was me who’s pull the trigger on them. That’s why when they’ve declared their repulsion it felt like I am the world’s most stupid person. I was insensitive and mean towards them.
I admit that my efforts to change aren’t enough and I am at fault regardless. When They would accommodate my sleeplessness and demands for space, they would offer some help and things that might help. But theycouldn’t let me go, they’d rather stay and they’ve expressed their sadness even more. Although I was forcing them to leave me alone and I cried numerous times because I was losing myself and couldn’t be let go.
I thought by being honest some things would stride smoothly. However, this was not the case. I was impatient and mad that I cannot even have my own space to do the things I love. This was easier to express but impossible to pull off.
I talked to my sibling about it. It clarified a bunch of things and they offered some clarity on my struggles and overbearing misery. I was able to calm down for a moment but it was mostly too late as I muddied the pavement already where I could have made the situation better.
It is definitely my fault why I’m crumbling like this and as much as I’f like to say the same thing and give up, I can’t. It would only signal the weakest parts of me to obliterate further. I hope you’ll understand and I hope you will make room for a chance to talk.
It’s too much to ask I know, I’d give it a day to rest and take my mind away, be kinder to myself. I’d also prefer to leave you alone and respect your boundaries right now or maybe forever.
I don’t know why I am still curious about what you think of me. I don’t know why I still look for you. I don’t know why I’m waiting and I don’t know why I still care. The questions have been answered actually, but here I am hiding myself and avoiding responsibilities for the fucked up mess I caused.
I’m sorry for this, I really am. I was only hoping to try my best and right my wrongs. Anyway, I hope you’re alright and smiling.

It was a subtle thing, the way the people looked up at me as I led my Sorcerers out.
Hushed whispers, voices echoing the same thought, the same idea, the same truth. "That's Ruuk Stingtail, he's the Bold who will lead Kurtulmak's Empire."
I pretended not to notice, it was too soon for people to just start calling out to me as their future ruler, yet when I spoke with authority, their eyes widened as it seemed it validated everything they believed.
The word 'Imperator' was whispered, so when I finished fixing one of our farmers' tools, and he said, "Thank you, Imperator." I simply looked at him and spoke.
"I am not worthy to rule."
It always worked, their eyes always grew wider as their respect for me grew.
The Clerics of both Temples were working together to spread the news of the vision, and what I had learned. This led to the understanding that if both of us were working together, the situation must be dangerous.
I passed by Tudru, he was wearing the enchanted armor our Emperor had made. "Imperator." He said, his caused gasps, a member of the Council had recognized my authority. I nonetheless said, "I've said before, if the people want someone to rule, it can't be me."
"The people want you." He said. "My Fighters are at the ready, Imperator."
I of course kept up my facade of refusal, always saying it loudly, publicly, but always visibly suppressing a smile, always making sure my serious expression brightened before I visibly pushed that brief moment of satisfaction away to remind them, "No, I am unworthy."
By the end of the first day, everyone in the city was aware of the danger, the people were busting their asses to get ready.
The second day, the people were more vocal, finding strength to say my title with more conviction, to bow their heads as I passed, dregs of uncertainty entered my voice as I repeated my refusal to lead.
A cadre of Sorcerers approached me, all of them relatively new.
"Imperator." They said clearly. "Seeing how you work to help our people, we wanted to help you any way we can, and... Well, we Awoke because of that. Direct us as you see fit."
There were fifteen of them, and when I directed them to seek our our God for guidance, they did so. As they walked away, as if in afterthought, I said, "And don't call me that!"
When I asked my Emperor about the Sorcerers, he said, "They asked about the collars, I told them that was only for those who endangered the Warren. As long as they serve their Imperator faithfully, they will not be bound so."
"Do you think I'll need a new outfit?" I asked jokingly.
"No." He said, smirking.
The third day, the Council gathered to address the Warren, the people were restless, many eyes were on me, rather than Tallyn.
"We have enough rations set aside for last us a week-" Tallyn started.
"Let the Imperator speak!" A voice yapped out.
Tallyn's eyes widened, he looked at me.
"I keep telling them, I'm not-"
That was when the riot broke out, voices clamored for me to take command, voices shouted that the Council was ineffectual, that a real leader was needed. The Paladins tried and failed to calm everyone down.
"SILENCE!" I roared, my voice amplified by the device Rekka had designed. All eyes were on me. "Release the Paladins." I said. The Paladins were released. "I have said time and time again, it is not my place to rule. Why do you insist on this?"
The voices blended together in a mass of sound, but I could hear things on occasion. "You are the only one who has the knowledge to lead!" "Even though you say that, we see you are honored, and want to rule!" "We all know you are the real power behind the Council!"
Now was the moment of truth. I raised my hand, and they quieted. "Only-" I said, my voice calm, yet commanding. "-if it is truly what the Warren wants, and my fellow Councilors agree." I looked at them, my allies knew what part they needed to play.
Kalith immediately stepped forward and knelt. "I have sworn time and time again, and yet you said not to, so I shall do it once more. I swear myself to you, Imperator, and the Empire of our God."
Kuvli walked forward next and knelt. "I owe my Barbarians this much, on their behalf, we swear to serve you, Imperator, and our Emperor, Kurtulmak."
Tudru approached and knelt. "I cannot ignore the will of the Warren." He said. "I swear my life to your Empire, Imperator."
Followed by Nakk, who simply said, "My Rogues are yours, Imperator."
Rekka appeared to hesitate before she approached and knelt. "It is the will of the Warren, Imperator Ruuk." She said.
Tatla was the first of the Temple of Bahamut's allies to defect. She gave Galax an apologetic look before she, took, approached and knelt. "There is no fighting against the people. I swear fealty, my Imperator."
This left Merti, Galax, and Tallyn. Galax approached first of the three. "And what, may I ask, will come of my Temple?" He asked.
The crowd roared, calling him disrespectful, some calling for his death, for the death of Bahamut's faithful.
"ENOUGH!" I snarled, before things could get out of hand. "Bahamut and my Master have had an agreement since before you were aware, this agreement was and still is the root of our alliance." I held my hand out. "I know you will not kneel before another God willingly, so I ask, as the alternative is losing our first and greatest Cleric, who is beholden to a God I still respect, will your Temple stand beside us as citizens of this inevitable Empire? Will you lend your wisdom, so we find the right path forward?"
"Answer me one thing, Ruuk Stingtail." He said. "Was there ever a moment you hesitated before claiming this title?"
"The title was thrust upon me." I replied honestly. "Refusal as this point would simply lead to unnecessary death. If I am to lead, let it be with peace."
He took my hand. "If I kneel, it is before Bahamut." He spoke.
"Then may Bahamut bless this day, that you do not need to."
I looked at Tallyn and Merti, they both approached, paused when they noticed the other moving, then approached together. Merti knelt.
"I swear, Imperator." She said.
Tallyn looked at Galax, then he drew his sword. I held my hand up before the crowd could begin screaming.
"If your desire is my death, brother, make it quick." I said.
Tallyn stabbed his sword into the stage and knelt. "Before Bahamut, my God, I swear fealty to your Empire so long as you follow the tenets of the Temple, for I swear to you, if you walk the path of a tyrant, I will slay you where you stand."
I smiled. "I will hold you to that, brother." I replied. "Very well, I accept the title of Imperator, and promised to lead everyone to the best of my ability."
The cheers were far more glorious than I could have anticipated, the Level I gained as a result only made it sweeter, as did the spell that I gained, that would allow me to transform anyone I chose into something else.
I wondered, briefly, how the enemies would react if I turned one of their own into a Kobold, and made him believe he was surrounded by enemies?
"As my first act as Imperator." I said, addressing the Warren. "The Council will remain in place." Everyone was surprised. "What? Why throw away skilled leaders? Their expertise will ensure the continued prosperity of our Empire. Tudru, as the one with the most military experience out of all of us, I am naming you my general. You will be in charge of establishing a formal military hierarchy, make sure any and all soldiers are willing volunteers. I expect nothing but the best."
"Yes, Imperator." He saluted by putting his fist to his heart.
"I like that, that will be our salute." I said. "Galax, as the High Priest of the God of Justice, I want you to codify our way of life into a formal list of laws. We may have already lived by them, but if there ever comes a time when we have visitors, they must have those laws easily accessible."
"I will do so under the guidance of Bahamut." He answered.
"To that effect, I am making this a formal order. Do whatever is necessary to achieve the level needed to bring back our dead." He nodded
"Tallyn, you will be in charge of locating any and all potential Paladins. I want all prospective servants of our Gods to be educated in both the teachings of Bahamut and Kurtulmak, If they are incapable of becoming either a Cleric or Paladin, ensure if they still wish to serve, that they have a place in the Temple of their choosing."
"I will do this." He said, saluting me. I smiled, he didn't even hesitate.
"Merti, Tatla, you both will continue your prior duties. I want sustainable industry to be the rule of law in this Empire, on which note, Nakk, if there comes a time that we are able to reach beyond our borders, I want you to ensure any trade or commerce that is necessary will be done correctly."
"Yes, Imperator." He replied, saluting.
"Kuvli, you will be Tudru's direct subordinate. I'm sorry, but I can't think of anything you can do that wouldn't be redundant."
"Absolutely no problem, Imperator. I prefer it that way." He replied, grinning.
"Rekka." She jumped startled by my addressing her. "I want your Artificers grouped based on their competences. Armor and weapons will be managed by armorers and weaponsmiths. Infrastructure will be managed by the appropriate people, magic items will be enchanted by any enchanters... Do what is necessary to ensure all of our bases are covered."
"Yes, Imperator." She saluted as well.
"Kalith, I still have no fucking idea how your magic works." I admitted.
He laughed. "If you have no command, I will defer to our Emperor." He said.
I nodded. "Sorcerer Goss. Approach the stage."
Goss approached, he looked terrified. "As our most competent Sorcerer, aside from myself, you will take my place on the Council."
"O-of course, Imperator!" He stammered.
I faced the crowd, all 70000 of them.
"Tomorrow." I said. "Each and every one of you will go into the mines, and you will enter the fortress our God and Emperor has built with his own two hands. I will remain behind with him, with Galax joining us. The day after, we may confront another God, one who might want us all dead. When we survive, those of us who can fight will ensure nobody ever dares to attack us again."
I paused, briefly considering how to finish before settling on simply saluting and saying, "For the glory of our God and Emperor!"
I smiled as my subjects cheered at my words.
I let my Council address them, made it clear that their word was second only to mine, and that they had my authority. The gathering proceeded as originally expected.
The rest of the day was spent getting things ready for the transition of power, we would need a flag, a symbol for our nation, names were thrown about- unsurprisingly Darastrixthurhi was tossed about, which I unilaterally decreed would be our name.
The next morning, my Emperor stepped out, the people were silent as he stood before them, with me stood beside him.
"My loyal subjects." He spoke. "Bathaldraynori di Darastrixthurhi. Ours is the Empire that was once promised, the Empire that was cruelly destroyed. Tomorrow, my ancient and hated foe is likely to come, and it is likely he will seek to recreate that cruel and tasteless prank of his- the genocide of our people."
His voice remained calm, even though his face twisted with hatred and malice. "Tomorrow, in honor of my Imperator, I shall meet him with compromise. I shall never forgive him, not for what he has done. Tomorrow, I will prove that a broken system cannot be salvaged by playing by its rules. Meditate on this, as you head below, to the safety I provide and promise. Today, I wield strength I did not on that day. Not one of you will die."
Our people, our subjects, walked into the mines carrying only what they needed, while Kurtulmak and Galax walked with me south, to the gates that separated us from the world.
I felt the high caliber bullet strike me, felt my bone break before Galax healed me. No other shots came, at least until they brought out the rocket launcher. The rocket launched and flew toward us, one magic missile later, and it was destroyed mid-flight.
"Bring forth your commander." My Emperor spoke. "So long as you do not fire upon us, they will not be harmed.
There was a loud ruckus on the other side, shortly before a man in military fatigues strode toward us, a shotgun in hand. He stopped five feet away from us, aimed his gun at us, and said, "One wrong move, and I'll shoot." His voice was the same as the gruff voice I had heard. A patch on his fatigues read 'Mendoza'.
"My name is Kurtulmak." My Emperor spoke. Mendoza tensed. "This is Ruuk, my Imperator, and first of my faithful." I saluted. "And this is Galax, first Cleric of Bahamut, King of the Metallic Dragons, Justicemaker, and so on."
"Why are you here?" Mendoza asked.
"To tell you that by the end of tomorrow, your entire garrison will be dead." My Emperor spoke. Mendoza pulled the trigger, my Emperor caught the blast with his hand and dropped the lead pellets onto the ground. "I am aware you seek to bring my nemesis here, that you intend for him to recreate the injustice he delivered unto my people. Understand, when I overcome him, my Empire will march upon your nation, those who do not kneel in recognition of our authority will be executed, and it will only be the leniency of Bahamut if they breathe again. Ruuk, our parting gift."
I nodded. "Slemon thirku rekisix bathaldraynor tairais."
The moment the words were uttered, he immediately shrank, his gear melding into his body, until he was just a Kobold like us. He let out a terrified screech.
"What did you do to me!?" He screeched.
"The only way you will survive is if you enter our town and accept this gift." Kurtulmak replied. "Otherwise, can you trust your soldiers to keep you alive?"
I could hear the horrified muttering above. We turned around and walked away.
"That was cruel and unnecessary." Galax said.
"Of course." I replied. "But it is deserved for the anguish we have been through."
I looked back, the gate had closed, and their commander was sealed inside, begging to be let out, "Don't leave me in here with these monsters!" He screeched.
I wondered what would happen first: Would they shoot him, or would they figure out what I did?
​
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TW!: EDs
for context: i (16f) have always struggled with EDs. it has caused me to loose too much weight i was dangerously underweight. i have recovered a bit and have gained the twice the weight back, that makes me 70kgs at the moment. for the last three years my father wasnt actually around this is third month around.
alright on to the story. there is a dress is bought back when i was skinny and it fitted perfectly. it looked gorgeous. ive always wanted to wear it to prom. now i cannot. ive just realised prom is two weeks away and i have to loose around 10 kgs to be able to fit in to that dress. i walked around 6-8kms everyday, did fitness ,pilates as well as limited my food intake. four days after i lost a kg and i was happy about it. however the day after we had to go to my grandmother. i excused myself during diner. my father(46m) told me to sit down and eat whatever was on my plate as its disrespectful to do otherwise. he wouldn't let me leave unless i was done with my plate. the next day i have gained all the weight i have lost in the last four days. i was really crushed because i was putting alot of effort which i haven't done before as i relied on my ED to help me loose weight.
my mom(45f) called me in after she felt my mood drop to have a talk with her and dad. my mom was really thoughtful while i felt dad was very dismissive, saying things like "thats not worth being upset about" or "its just a kg, stop crying about it...ect" i was just upset that he didnt understand so i told him why i was upset, how much i struggled with weight but he continued. i just decided to let it go. my mom wanted sign me up to the gym. i went with my dad as my mom had work. he forgot his credit card so we just went home after asking about the memberships and all. he said we'll go again tomorrow. when we got home i had a piece of bread, baguette specifically(if thatll make a difference), and he called me over so i got there with my piece of baguette. he looked at me and immediately said " dont come crying to me in the evening because of how much of this you eat." i feel like this comment made me snap. i just didnt answer him, helped him with whatever he wanted and left. i was cold towards him the entire day. my mom talked to me about it and said maybe i should talk to him because he noticed i was upset and didnt know why. i talked to him about it and he said i was overreacting and that it isnt as important as i think it is, saying he wasnt wrong for my bad food choices and then he told me something along the lines of i dont care(its a word i cant translate in my native language). i said the same to him and he got offended i disrespected him. hes disrespected me i was just shooting it back at him. he got upset and doesnt think anything he said was hurtful and im upset about that. he still joked about me being upset and wouldn't stop when i asked him to. i think im overreacting as its just a comment but on the other hand that kind sucked all the ambition out of me.

Hello, I was misdiagnosed with MDD when I was 15, got the correct diagnosis when I was 19 (but it wasn't specified what TYPE of Bipolar), and finally got diagnosed with Bipolar II at 20.
I've been teased (borderline bullied) by my peers for having "my head in the clouds." I usually think it's just the meds-induced brain fog that makes me ditzy or stupid-sounding but I have a scenario for you guys that often happens to me and idk if it's because of bipolar or it's just an odd quirk of mine.
Example 1: This happened just yesterday. My family and I were eating in a Korean BBQ restaurant. Quite often in these kinds of restos, they also play K-pop in the background. There was a specific song that played in the resto radio and I asked my sister if she knows it. She said she can't hear it well. I replied, "I think it's a pandemic song." She frowned at me and pointed out, "What you just said has no correlation to what I said." What I meant was, "The song was released during the rise of the pandemic (that's 2 or 3 years ago???) so she might not know the song."
Example 2: I was talking to the people in my discord server about an-almost relationship I had with a guy. In the Reddit community in my country, people have this weird criteria of what they consider a "must-date person": "studied in the Big 4," (which is basically the Ivy League equivalent in our country), "can host, can drive, has a condominium, etc. So when they asked me if he has a condominium, I said, "He commutes to [one of the Big 4 Universities] every day." They thought my answer was weird but what I was trying to say was that "I'm not sure but he doesn't seem to have a condominium because he commutes to uni every day. If he had a condo (near their uni), he wouldn't have needed to commute and walk to his uni instead."
Do you guys also experience this? What do you call this exactly? I heard about "word salad" for schizophrenic patients but mine is not merely words, it's a complete sentence, albeit, with very incomplete information.
I hope to hear your insights!

This will involve a arranged marriage between a princess and a feared and ruthless king who is also a mercierless warlord.
Now let me explain you will be playing this feared and ruthless king but you may add your own ideas to his personality etc as this rp will also include mythical stuff to it as well.
And as for the plot or idea i have in mind is that they were arranged to get married to one another to bring an alliance between both kingdoms, but the eldest princess the ruthless king is suppose to marry ends up running off. So at the last minute the younger daughter who was abandoned and raised by a maid due to her appearance (that will be explained in the rp) The feared and ruthless king wont know he was marrying the younger daughter but she will have a disguise ( which will be explained in the rp) ,instead of the eldest until after getting married.
And thats all im spilling as the rest shall be brainstormed and feel free to let me know your ideas or what we could add to this as i would love to hear them and just PM me or leave a comment below and thank you for if you read to this far.
As a bonus to just make up the minimum of 200 words for this ad . Pleaselet me know who has read this all too by answering my question it your response when you reach out.
Question: who is funnier?? Deadpool or Nick fury??
Have a good rest of your day or night!!
Edit: and please have at least some roleplay skills and if not than that's okay but I find it difficult for the story line to properly develop if not and I'm sorry if that upsets anyone by saying that .

Hi y'all,
I just recently got into mining, got myself a prospector and spent a bit of time looking up starter tutorials on youtube.
I do have a few questions which I was hoping you guys can help me get answers to:

1. I just saw a post on here where a dude cracked above 20k rocks with a prospector solo. How on earth is that possible?
2. I read up on surge and stampede modules on the star citizen wiki page but I can't really see the difference. Can maybe someone explain it to me using simple wording? :D
3. As quant is pretty hard to come by this patch, I decided to mine mostly in the crusader system, as titanium is pretty common there. Worst case I get Titanium almost every time and it seems to be the most valuable "common" around, best case i get everything else and maybe some quant.

Maybe you guys have some other tips and tricks for a beginner-miner.
Thanks a lot in advance! :)

I never met my birth parents. They both died on a job when I was a baby, and I went into foster care. I didn’t have any interest in knowing anything about them; my adoptive parents are the ones who raised me.
However, everything changed a week ago when a group of men came knocking at my door. They wore what looked like military uniforms, but instead of the usual green, they wore a distinct red color instead. They loaded me, along with my foster parents into an unmarked matching red van. We were rushed to a farmhouse on the opposite side of Washington where the facility was heavily guarded with intimidating men and unfamiliar machines that appeared like they required several men to operate.
Being an IT major, I had no knowledge nor interest in these things. I’m not a runner, fighter or a strategist, so I couldn’t fathom what they wanted from me.
They relentlessly interrogated me for three days, bombarding me with questions and then, when they concluded that I was blissfully unaware, intimidated me with frightening information. Dumbfounded, I soaked in every ounce of knowledge they offered me. The new knowledge I gained made me see my parents in a new terrifying light. I couldn’t help but feel more resentment, adding on to the existing resentment I harboured. My parents not only betrayed themselves, but me as well and part of me feared that I would never be safe again. I couldn’t help but feel manipulated. They were long gone, but their past still controlled my fate.
I was eventually uprooted to a secondary protective facility, one in which I was not permitted to know the location of. For my own safety, they assured me. Once settled, they supplied me with new electronics and destroyed my old ones. They warned me that I was to stay under the radar, completely untraceable. Again, for my own protection. I was confident that given my knowledge of IT, software engineering and cyber security, I would remain unseen and untraceable to anyone who might be hunting me.
Now that I am sure I am safe, I can finally write this message and warn anyone connected to the initial bloodlines involved. It is crucial for my message to reach you.
The story begins with my biological grandfather. He worked for a branch of the government closely related to NASA. Following the moon landing there was a great deal of classified developments that the population was oblivious to. The department my grandfather worked for protecting the world against extra-terrestrial threats or extra-terrestrial terrorism as they described it.
Paranoia gripped them after the moon landing and they took drastic measures to prepare. Five years later, they deciphered the first communications and signals from frequencies previously unknown to them. These signals were so powerful that they destroyed entire systems, disrupted the power grid and took down entire radio stations. This special branch of government discovered they could tap into these signals which revealed that our galaxy has been under constant surveillance. This was ironically discovered by extra-terrestrials working within this branch, tasked to monitor and prevent extra-terrestrial terrorism on a much larger scale.
At this point in their story, the soldiers were reluctant to divulge more. Insisting that they already revealed too much. But I demanded full transparency, refusing to cooperate with their equivocation. It was essential that I know my involvement in these matters. So, they continued, placing a huge box in front of me, overflowing with papers. They swiftly unveiled its contents to me, Stacks of documents and old tapes they tossed onto the table, one after the another.
The documents contained, amongst others, details of weapons the organisation, known as ESA were crafting and testing along with formulas to create immensely powerful weapons. They used advanced calculations to try and manufacture better equipment that could be sent up to space. They were doing this undisclosed, to monitor and learn as much as they could.
The ESA spent millions designing and building a spacecraft to contain their equipment, if the situation ever called for it. It is still a work in progress. All of this is actively happening, the documents and footage stamped up until a week ago.
I opened a document with a list of classified individuals who had this information. Presidents, EU members, a handful of the rich and powerful, who used this information to design and construct underground bunkers, granting that, if anything were to ever happen, they’d be prepared. These aren’t a new concept though, the extremely rich and powerful have been known to publicly sponsor new technological advancements. Well some may think this gave them the upper hand, it eventually proved their foolishness.
The following is what I saw in the most crucial videos:
Video 1: dated 1975 The video opens in an empty cell, appearing to be a reinforced holding chamber. At first, the room is dark, then the spotlights switch on, illuminating the centre of the room. Now in the light, I could clearly make out what looked like a reinforced metal wall with chains protruding from it. The focus shifts to the back of the room where a large door opens and something is dragged in a sheet, concealing its identity, and tied down with thick chains. The video ends.
Video 2: June 1975 I saw about 20 armed men entered the room and start to unwrap the sheet from what they hauled in. After several minutes of unwrapping, the identity of the thing they brought in is revealed.
There seemed to be a glitch in the recording, at different points in the video the screen was covered in static. The sound was muted, and the figure was hard to make out. It appeared that the creature was attempting to change shape, vibrating as if to phase into a different shape. Despite its best attempts, it remained unsuccessful and reverted back to its original form. .
Video 3: the very next day wnd June 1975
The video opens with the creature fully in focus. Within the 18 hours of footage, the creature is constantly seen attempting to change form. It fails every time, but that doesn’t prevent it from trying again. It looks like a blur, occasionally a second head or what appears to be a human hand. It’s apparent the creature has shapeshifting abilities.
The next 200 videos are identical. To the naked eye, it seemed like a loop. But it wasn’t. The creature was, however, relentless in its attempt to free itself or escape.
Video 204: October 1975
This time the alien appeared to be asleep, head limp and no movement. This video had sound, but it was accompanied by a high pitch buzz that made my ears hurt. At the six-hour mark, the faint cry of a baby can be heard before gradually escalating into full-blown screaming.
At first I suspected that one of the scientists had brought their child along, but the agents assured me the crying was coming from the creature. As the video progresses, the cries grow louder and more demanding, eventually accompanied by a deep voice. Close to the end of the video, 22 hours in, multiple voices begin to scream simultaneously, causing everything to shake.
The documents show that, after this incident, the cage was reinforced. The next few videos are static, proving that the creature has the uncanny ability to manipulate video and disrupt frequencies.
Video 340 February 1982
The creature, with its brown discoloration, possessed crocodile like scales and an eagle like head, but it was entirely reptilian in nature. It stood at a whopping 12 feet tall and was covered in an unknown slime like substance.
The chains were substantially thicker than they were years earlier, and the cage has been fortified. It looked like a different room altogether.
The agents explained that the creature got loose and attacked 12 soldiers, absorbing them into itself instead of merely killing or eating them.
The creature was taken to Nevada, close to the desert, where a strong armoured underground structure had been constructed, far from civilization. The facility has been equipped with high level security precautions which allowed sections of the building to be sealed off and rigged to explode, guaranteeing that, if necessary, the building would collapse in on itself, trapping the creature within its cage, underneath the rubble.
The creature mirrored the image I conjured up in my head when I pictured the devil; brown, scaly, a demonic voice. The eyes were its most terrifying feature, shaped like that of a reptilian, but blood red. I counted 4 horns on its head, and it bore a pair of nasty fangs. Its feet bore the resemblance of a dinosaur, but it lacked a tale. Once the creature was no longer phasing in and out, it settled on a more consistent appearance, one that was easier to recognize.
Video 341 February 1982
This video marked the first appearance of my grandfather. He entered, along with four other men in lab coats, carrying a large syringe, approximately the size of my arm. He stuck it into the beast’s heart, causing it to instantly fall into a deep sleep. He proceeded to connect various machines onto the slumbering creature, attaching electrodes to its head and chest which were linked to a sizeable computer or something that resembled a computer. The video cuts off after this, leaving us to guess what occurred next.
Video 343 February 1982 The lights in the room were far brighter than before, and it once again lacked the presence of sound. The reason for this remained unknown.
Within the room stood a table filled with an assortment of equipment that appeared to be severely damaged. The lights flickered at intervals, and the creature began to phase in and out once more. This made it difficult to distinguish its appearance amid the static moments and blurred movements. The scientists observed the creature a safe distance away.
The scientists were relying on a certain frequency they discovered to keep the creature at bay. It seemed to produce positive results for the next few videos.
The videos that followed held a similar pattern. The creature remained silent, wired to machines while people came in and out taking notes or the occasional blood or slime sample. The creature remained composed, not once attempting to shift or escape again.
According to the agents’ records, everything proceeded as planned. My grandfather welcomed his first son, my father in 1975, he subsequently resumed his project until his resignation in 2008 when he was 55. A year later, he had a fatal heart attack, my grandmother following soot. My father was 34.
My father and his younger brother began working for ESA in 2004, when they were 28 and 24. New technological advancements introduced better cameras and electronic equipment for testing purposes. Since the technology became so advanced, their visits to the cage became as infrequent as once a week, or even less often. With new needles, enhanced equipment and upgraded data collection, the project transferred to electronic records ushering changes in the filing system.
While we waited for my transportation, they shared more classified documents. According to the notes, the once wild and violent creature was now unrecognisably tame and responsive, even answering questions. It remained unclear whether they had intentionally provoked it or stumbled upon a means to subdue it.
The circumstances surrounding my birth were strange. My dad impregnated a college classmate, and they made the mutual decision to put me up for adoption since neither of them had the desire to raise a child. My mother was studying biology and my father, a young genius physicist that found it hard to understand basic human interaction as it was. According to my foster parents, I was born in 2000, but the data I was presented proved I was born two years prior. This revelation had a more profound effect on me than anything else I’d seen.
Regardless, I was immediately given up for adoption and my existence was all but forgotten about. My adoptive parents moved to Iowa, and that’s where I lived up until 2018 when I left for Harvard. I always wondered what my birth parents were like. My adoptive parents told me I was a genius and speculated that I inherited my brain from somewhere. It’s an uncanny feeling; the knowledge that every aspect of my life was monitored.
The videos documenting the creature continued for the next 6 years. It became routine, apart from the indistinct chatter from the observing scientists and other government employees. There were no other sounds, incidents or noteworthy occurrences.
The tests revealed that the creature’s biology was predominantly alien, with no genetic material in common with humans. The scientists highlighted the alarming fact that the creature’s DNA was ever changing, resulting in frequent sample collection and analysis.
They concluded that, the creature was still a baby at the time of capture, which made it easier to contain. They did, however, underestimate its shocking growth rate which resulted in the deaths of the 12 soldiers’ years prior. At the time, it was still in its adolescent phase. Further research uncovered that the creature had the unique ability to absorb the genetic material of the men it came into contact with. The more humans it absorbed, the more diverse its gene pool became. A portion of the genes obtained gradually became more similar to those observed in humans. It’s as if the creature dove into an immense pool of genes and, as it absorbed more humans, its genetic makeup gradually began to adopt more human like qualities. Although difficult to comprehend at first, the basic explanation is that with every absorption of genetic information, the creature’s genetic composition seemed to evolve, storing human qualities within its own gene and gradually becoming more human-like That is my understanding of it.
Which brings me to the final video they have. Prepare yourselves.
Video: mov5078436b The creature behaved normally before viewing was disrupted by static. Among the sudden legion of voices, it echoed my father’s name, simultaneously expanding in size which causes the surroundings to convulse. Alarms resounded, piercing the silence as the creature tugged at its chains, cracking the floor ceiling in its attempt to break free. An ear splitting roar escaped its mouth as hordes of armoured soldiers rushed the cage, massive tasers in hand. They zapped the creature at maximum voltage as it continued to roar, lights flickering excessively. The camera feed is interrupted again by bouts of static.
A second group arrived, armed heavily with guns, increasing the crowd to a total of 30. The gunfire was so severe that it affected the video’s audio. One of the chains bound to the roof of the cage had already broken loose by the time the third group of soldiers arrived. This group carried a machine emitting bursts of fire, which had no effect on the creature aside from antagonizing it. It releases a powerful blast from its hand, causing the room to tremble which shattered the bulletproof glass into millions of pieces and sent the men flying across the room. Both of the creature’s hands were now free, and it began to morph.
Finally, a third group arrived in heavily armoured suits, unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. They wielded lasers and what appeared to be a concentrated lightning gun. I was grateful they hadn’t made use of nuclear weapons which would have wiped everyone out. After every attempt, the creature remained standing. Now it was his turn.
The creature freed itself from the remaining shackles and unleashed a blast with both its hands. All that was left of the solders was a gruesome mess of blood where they stood. The air filled with a haunting scream that echoed throughout the halls. The creature released a menacing growl in the form of words that sent chills down my spine, “Dennis McCarthy”, my father’s name.
Right before the camera blacked out, I could have sworn he was in the brink of morphing into a human form, but the recording was cut short by the thunderous detonation of explosions that sent the building into destruction, burying the truth within its rubble.
The scientists, including my dad, were taken by the ESA (extra-terrestrial security agency) and hidden in a heavily guarded underground haven. They were issued new identities and relocated, which isn’t a new concept for the government.
As far as the drones’ visual feed could capture, the entire operation was terminated, leaving behind the collapsed and buried ruins of a facility that was once fully functional. It was under strict surveillance for any signs of life, but as the years rolled by, complacency set in, compromising their once strict security measures.
My father, uncle and the rest of the scientists assumed new lives and identities. As far as the rest of the world was concerned, they were dead.
In 2010, an unexpected interruption occurred. Reports indicated that the drones simultaneously malfunctioned, and the video feed erupted into static. A team arrived at the site to find it disrupted, all the drones lay in scattered heaps across the landscape.
Before anyone could investigate or react, all communication with the agents safeguarding the scientists was abruptly terminated. One be one, the connections were severed, leaving them permanently unreachable. When they reached my father’s safe house, they were greeted with his spine-chilling absence. He had vanished without so much as a trace that he had ever been there to begin with—no signs of struggle or any shred of evidence left behind. He was lost in an infinite void of mystery. The only indication that something was amiss was the eerie blue glow invading the monitors moments before blackout. The only accurate word for it would be ‘suction’, leading the team to believe that they had been absorbed. It remained a speculation, though plausible enough to send waves of panic up their spines.
As we speak governments around the world have been swept up into the desperate search to locate the alien as well as training an elite group of drone pilots and soldiers in an attempt to confront and defeat the elusive entity. Furthermore, every effort at locating surviving relatives of the missing scientists, including my father, had fallen short. They too had vanished into an infinite cloud of mystery, not one left unscathed to provide answers.
Considering the site’s altered state, the complete destruction of the drones and the fact that the creature they had held captive was constantly evolving, they were profoundly aware of the unravelling truth.
I am the sole living descendent of the scientists that worked for ESA. The creature has made it his mission to eliminate any and all traces of their existence. This is the sole reason I was upended from my life and relocated to a heavily guarded facility, and this is the reason I feel compelled to share their stories.
I couldn’t comprehend why the creature would hunt me since I didn’t share the sins of my father, but I felt paranoid and vigilant regardless. I couldn’t help but feel compelled to look into the disappearances myself, perhaps due to some lingering hopes that the information was wrong. My pursuit for answers turned up nothing, not even social media accounts. It was as if any trace of their existence was utterly obliterated, there was no digital footprint left.
The reason I am now convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that my life is in danger is because I have started catching glimpses of subtle movements in my peripheral, a shadowy figure lurking around the premises, disruptions in the signal of my appliances, even the phone I am using right now.
Call me foolish for even relying on the very technology that might lead to my demise, but I felt compelled to warn anyone else who might be a descendent of the team that worked for ESA: project corrosion.
If you’re aware then heed my words and flee. If you are unaware, observe the news for any sudden or unexplained disappearances, and I regret to inform you but, if you come across the creature then it’s too late.
Stay safe my friends

I never met my birth parents. They both died on a job when I was a baby, and I went into foster care. I didn’t have any interest in knowing anything about them; my adoptive parents are the ones who raised me.
However, everything changed a week ago when a group of men came knocking at my door. They wore what looked like military uniforms, but instead of the usual green, they wore a distinct red color instead. They loaded me, along with my foster parents into an unmarked matching red van. We were rushed to a farmhouse on the opposite side of Washington where the facility was heavily guarded with intimidating men and unfamiliar machines that appeared like they required several men to operate.
Being an IT major, I had no knowledge nor interest in these things. I’m not a runner, fighter or a strategist, so I couldn’t fathom what they wanted from me.
They relentlessly interrogated me for three days, bombarding me with questions and then, when they concluded that I was blissfully unaware, intimidated me with frightening information. Dumbfounded, I soaked in every ounce of knowledge they offered me. The new knowledge I gained made me see my parents in a new terrifying light. I couldn’t help but feel more resentment, adding on to the existing resentment I harboured. My parents not only betrayed themselves, but me as well and part of me feared that I would never be safe again. I couldn’t help but feel manipulated. They were long gone, but their past still controlled my fate.
I was eventually uprooted to a secondary protective facility, one in which I was not permitted to know the location of. For my own safety, they assured me. Once settled, they supplied me with new electronics and destroyed my old ones. They warned me that I was to stay under the radar, completely untraceable. Again, for my own protection. I was confident that given my knowledge of IT, software engineering and cyber security, I would remain unseen and untraceable to anyone who might be hunting me.
Now that I am sure I am safe, I can finally write this message and warn anyone connected to the initial bloodlines involved. It is crucial for my message to reach you.
The story begins with my biological grandfather. He worked for a branch of the government closely related to NASA. Following the moon landing there was a great deal of classified developments that the population was oblivious to. The department my grandfather worked for protecting the world against extra-terrestrial threats or extra-terrestrial terrorism as they described it.
Paranoia gripped them after the moon landing and they took drastic measures to prepare. Five years later, they deciphered the first communications and signals from frequencies previously unknown to them. These signals were so powerful that they destroyed entire systems, disrupted the power grid and took down entire radio stations. This special branch of government discovered they could tap into these signals which revealed that our galaxy has been under constant surveillance. This was ironically discovered by extra-terrestrials working within this branch, tasked to monitor and prevent extra-terrestrial terrorism on a much larger scale.
At this point in their story, the soldiers were reluctant to divulge more. Insisting that they already revealed too much. But I demanded full transparency, refusing to cooperate with their equivocation. It was essential that I know my involvement in these matters. So, they continued, placing a huge box in front of me, overflowing with papers. They swiftly unveiled its contents to me, Stacks of documents and old tapes they tossed onto the table, one after the another.
The documents contained, amongst others, details of weapons the organisation, known as ESA were crafting and testing along with formulas to create immensely powerful weapons. They used advanced calculations to try and manufacture better equipment that could be sent up to space. They were doing this undisclosed, to monitor and learn as much as they could.
The ESA spent millions designing and building a spacecraft to contain their equipment, if the situation ever called for it. It is still a work in progress. All of this is actively happening, the documents and footage stamped up until a week ago.
I opened a document with a list of classified individuals who had this information. Presidents, EU members, a handful of the rich and powerful, who used this information to design and construct underground bunkers, granting that, if anything were to ever happen, they’d be prepared. These aren’t a new concept though, the extremely rich and powerful have been known to publicly sponsor new technological advancements. Well some may think this gave them the upper hand, it eventually proved their foolishness.
The following is what I saw in the most crucial videos:
Video 1: dated 1975 The video opens in an empty cell, appearing to be a reinforced holding chamber. At first, the room is dark, then the spotlights switch on, illuminating the centre of the room. Now in the light, I could clearly make out what looked like a reinforced metal wall with chains protruding from it. The focus shifts to the back of the room where a large door opens and something is dragged in a sheet, concealing its identity, and tied down with thick chains. The video ends.
Video 2: June 1975 I saw about 20 armed men entered the room and start to unwrap the sheet from what they hauled in. After several minutes of unwrapping, the identity of the thing they brought in is revealed.
There seemed to be a glitch in the recording, at different points in the video the screen was covered in static. The sound was muted, and the figure was hard to make out. It appeared that the creature was attempting to change shape, vibrating as if to phase into a different shape. Despite its best attempts, it remained unsuccessful and reverted back to its original form. .
Video 3: the very next day wnd June 1975
The video opens with the creature fully in focus. Within the 18 hours of footage, the creature is constantly seen attempting to change form. It fails every time, but that doesn’t prevent it from trying again. It looks like a blur, occasionally a second head or what appears to be a human hand. It’s apparent the creature has shapeshifting abilities.
The next 200 videos are identical. To the naked eye, it seemed like a loop. But it wasn’t. The creature was, however, relentless in its attempt to free itself or escape.
Video 204: October 1975
This time the alien appeared to be asleep, head limp and no movement. This video had sound, but it was accompanied by a high pitch buzz that made my ears hurt. At the six-hour mark, the faint cry of a baby can be heard before gradually escalating into full-blown screaming.
At first I suspected that one of the scientists had brought their child along, but the agents assured me the crying was coming from the creature. As the video progresses, the cries grow louder and more demanding, eventually accompanied by a deep voice. Close to the end of the video, 22 hours in, multiple voices begin to scream simultaneously, causing everything to shake.
The documents show that, after this incident, the cage was reinforced. The next few videos are static, proving that the creature has the uncanny ability to manipulate video and disrupt frequencies.
Video 340 February 1982
The creature, with its brown discoloration, possessed crocodile like scales and an eagle like head, but it was entirely reptilian in nature. It stood at a whopping 12 feet tall and was covered in an unknown slime like substance.
The chains were substantially thicker than they were years earlier, and the cage has been fortified. It looked like a different room altogether.
The agents explained that the creature got loose and attacked 12 soldiers, absorbing them into itself instead of merely killing or eating them.
The creature was taken to Nevada, close to the desert, where a strong armoured underground structure had been constructed, far from civilization. The facility has been equipped with high level security precautions which allowed sections of the building to be sealed off and rigged to explode, guaranteeing that, if necessary, the building would collapse in on itself, trapping the creature within its cage, underneath the rubble.
The creature mirrored the image I conjured up in my head when I pictured the devil; brown, scaly, a demonic voice. The eyes were its most terrifying feature, shaped like that of a reptilian, but blood red. I counted 4 horns on its head, and it bore a pair of nasty fangs. Its feet bore the resemblance of a dinosaur, but it lacked a tale. Once the creature was no longer phasing in and out, it settled on a more consistent appearance, one that was easier to recognize.
Video 341 February 1982
This video marked the first appearance of my grandfather. He entered, along with four other men in lab coats, carrying a large syringe, approximately the size of my arm. He stuck it into the beast’s heart, causing it to instantly fall into a deep sleep. He proceeded to connect various machines onto the slumbering creature, attaching electrodes to its head and chest which were linked to a sizeable computer or something that resembled a computer. The video cuts off after this, leaving us to guess what occurred next.
Video 343 February 1982 The lights in the room were far brighter than before, and it once again lacked the presence of sound. The reason for this remained unknown.
Within the room stood a table filled with an assortment of equipment that appeared to be severely damaged. The lights flickered at intervals, and the creature began to phase in and out once more. This made it difficult to distinguish its appearance amid the static moments and blurred movements. The scientists observed the creature a safe distance away.
The scientists were relying on a certain frequency they discovered to keep the creature at bay. It seemed to produce positive results for the next few videos.
The videos that followed held a similar pattern. The creature remained silent, wired to machines while people came in and out taking notes or the occasional blood or slime sample. The creature remained composed, not once attempting to shift or escape again.
According to the agents’ records, everything proceeded as planned. My grandfather welcomed his first son, my father in 1975, he subsequently resumed his project until his resignation in 2008 when he was 55. A year later, he had a fatal heart attack, my grandmother following soot. My father was 34.
My father and his younger brother began working for ESA in 2004, when they were 28 and 24. New technological advancements introduced better cameras and electronic equipment for testing purposes. Since the technology became so advanced, their visits to the cage became as infrequent as once a week, or even less often. With new needles, enhanced equipment and upgraded data collection, the project transferred to electronic records ushering changes in the filing system.
While we waited for my transportation, they shared more classified documents. According to the notes, the once wild and violent creature was now unrecognisably tame and responsive, even answering questions. It remained unclear whether they had intentionally provoked it or stumbled upon a means to subdue it.
The circumstances surrounding my birth were strange. My dad impregnated a college classmate, and they made the mutual decision to put me up for adoption since neither of them had the desire to raise a child. My mother was studying biology and my father, a young genius physicist that found it hard to understand basic human interaction as it was. According to my foster parents, I was born in 2000, but the data I was presented proved I was born two years prior. This revelation had a more profound effect on me than anything else I’d seen.
Regardless, I was immediately given up for adoption and my existence was all but forgotten about. My adoptive parents moved to Iowa, and that’s where I lived up until 2018 when I left for Harvard. I always wondered what my birth parents were like. My adoptive parents told me I was a genius and speculated that I inherited my brain from somewhere. It’s an uncanny feeling; the knowledge that every aspect of my life was monitored.
The videos documenting the creature continued for the next 6 years. It became routine, apart from the indistinct chatter from the observing scientists and other government employees. There were no other sounds, incidents or noteworthy occurrences.
The tests revealed that the creature’s biology was predominantly alien, with no genetic material in common with humans. The scientists highlighted the alarming fact that the creature’s DNA was ever changing, resulting in frequent sample collection and analysis.
They concluded that, the creature was still a baby at the time of capture, which made it easier to contain. They did, however, underestimate its shocking growth rate which resulted in the deaths of the 12 soldiers’ years prior. At the time, it was still in its adolescent phase. Further research uncovered that the creature had the unique ability to absorb the genetic material of the men it came into contact with. The more humans it absorbed, the more diverse its gene pool became. A portion of the genes obtained gradually became more similar to those observed in humans. It’s as if the creature dove into an immense pool of genes and, as it absorbed more humans, its genetic makeup gradually began to adopt more human like qualities. Although difficult to comprehend at first, the basic explanation is that with every absorption of genetic information, the creature’s genetic composition seemed to evolve, storing human qualities within its own gene and gradually becoming more human-like That is my understanding of it.
Which brings me to the final video they have. Prepare yourselves.
Video: mov5078436b The creature behaved normally before viewing was disrupted by static. Among the sudden legion of voices, it echoed my father’s name, simultaneously expanding in size which causes the surroundings to convulse. Alarms resounded, piercing the silence as the creature tugged at its chains, cracking the floor ceiling in its attempt to break free. An ear splitting roar escaped its mouth as hordes of armoured soldiers rushed the cage, massive tasers in hand. They zapped the creature at maximum voltage as it continued to roar, lights flickering excessively. The camera feed is interrupted again by bouts of static.
A second group arrived, armed heavily with guns, increasing the crowd to a total of 30. The gunfire was so severe that it affected the video’s audio. One of the chains bound to the roof of the cage had already broken loose by the time the third group of soldiers arrived. This group carried a machine emitting bursts of fire, which had no effect on the creature aside from antagonizing it. It releases a powerful blast from its hand, causing the room to tremble which shattered the bulletproof glass into millions of pieces and sent the men flying across the room. Both of the creature’s hands were now free, and it began to morph.
Finally, a third group arrived in heavily armoured suits, unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. They wielded lasers and what appeared to be a concentrated lightning gun. I was grateful they hadn’t made use of nuclear weapons which would have wiped everyone out. After every attempt, the creature remained standing. Now it was his turn.
The creature freed itself from the remaining shackles and unleashed a blast with both its hands. All that was left of the solders was a gruesome mess of blood where they stood. The air filled with a haunting scream that echoed throughout the halls. The creature released a menacing growl in the form of words that sent chills down my spine, “Dennis McCarthy”, my father’s name.
Right before the camera blacked out, I could have sworn he was in the brink of morphing into a human form, but the recording was cut short by the thunderous detonation of explosions that sent the building into destruction, burying the truth within its rubble.
The scientists, including my dad, were taken by the ESA (extra-terrestrial security agency) and hidden in a heavily guarded underground haven. They were issued new identities and relocated, which isn’t a new concept for the government.
As far as the drones’ visual feed could capture, the entire operation was terminated, leaving behind the collapsed and buried ruins of a facility that was once fully functional. It was under strict surveillance for any signs of life, but as the years rolled by, complacency set in, compromising their once strict security measures.
My father, uncle and the rest of the scientists assumed new lives and identities. As far as the rest of the world was concerned, they were dead.
In 2010, an unexpected interruption occurred. Reports indicated that the drones simultaneously malfunctioned, and the video feed erupted into static. A team arrived at the site to find it disrupted, all the drones lay in scattered heaps across the landscape.
Before anyone could investigate or react, all communication with the agents safeguarding the scientists was abruptly terminated. One be one, the connections were severed, leaving them permanently unreachable. When they reached my father’s safe house, they were greeted with his spine-chilling absence. He had vanished without so much as a trace that he had ever been there to begin with—no signs of struggle or any shred of evidence left behind. He was lost in an infinite void of mystery. The only indication that something was amiss was the eerie blue glow invading the monitors moments before blackout. The only accurate word for it would be ‘suction’, leading the team to believe that they had been absorbed. It remained a speculation, though plausible enough to send waves of panic up their spines.
As we speak governments around the world have been swept up into the desperate search to locate the alien as well as training an elite group of drone pilots and soldiers in an attempt to confront and defeat the elusive entity. Furthermore, every effort at locating surviving relatives of the missing scientists, including my father, had fallen short. They too had vanished into an infinite cloud of mystery, not one left unscathed to provide answers.
Considering the site’s altered state, the complete destruction of the drones and the fact that the creature they had held captive was constantly evolving, they were profoundly aware of the unravelling truth.
I am the sole living descendent of the scientists that worked for ESA. The creature has made it his mission to eliminate any and all traces of their existence. This is the sole reason I was upended from my life and relocated to a heavily guarded facility, and this is the reason I feel compelled to share their stories.
I couldn’t comprehend why the creature would hunt me since I didn’t share the sins of my father, but I felt paranoid and vigilant regardless. I couldn’t help but feel compelled to look into the disappearances myself, perhaps due to some lingering hopes that the information was wrong. My pursuit for answers turned up nothing, not even social media accounts. It was as if any trace of their existence was utterly obliterated, there was no digital footprint left.
The reason I am now convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that my life is in danger is because I have started catching glimpses of subtle movements in my peripheral, a shadowy figure lurking around the premises, disruptions in the signal of my appliances, even the phone I am using right now.
Call me foolish for even relying on the very technology that might lead to my demise, but I felt compelled to warn anyone else who might be a descendent of the team that worked for ESA: project corrosion.
If you’re aware then heed my words and flee. If you are unaware, observe the news for any sudden or unexplained disappearances, and I regret to inform you but, if you come across the creature then it’s too late.
Stay safe my friends

I never met my birth parents. They both died on a job when I was a baby, and I went into foster care. I didn’t have any interest in knowing anything about them; my adoptive parents are the ones who raised me.
However, everything changed a week ago when a group of men came knocking at my door. They wore what looked like military uniforms, but instead of the usual green, they wore a distinct red color instead. They loaded me, along with my foster parents into an unmarked matching red van. We were rushed to a farmhouse on the opposite side of Washington where the facility was heavily guarded with intimidating men and unfamiliar machines that appeared like they required several men to operate.
Being an IT major, I had no knowledge nor interest in these things. I’m not a runner, fighter or a strategist, so I couldn’t fathom what they wanted from me.
They relentlessly interrogated me for three days, bombarding me with questions and then, when they concluded that I was blissfully unaware, intimidated me with frightening information. Dumbfounded, I soaked in every ounce of knowledge they offered me. The new knowledge I gained made me see my parents in a new terrifying light. I couldn’t help but feel more resentment, adding on to the existing resentment I harboured. My parents not only betrayed themselves, but me as well and part of me feared that I would never be safe again. I couldn’t help but feel manipulated. They were long gone, but their past still controlled my fate.
I was eventually uprooted to a secondary protective facility, one in which I was not permitted to know the location of. For my own safety, they assured me. Once settled, they supplied me with new electronics and destroyed my old ones. They warned me that I was to stay under the radar, completely untraceable. Again, for my own protection. I was confident that given my knowledge of IT, software engineering and cyber security, I would remain unseen and untraceable to anyone who might be hunting me.
Now that I am sure I am safe, I can finally write this message and warn anyone connected to the initial bloodlines involved. It is crucial for my message to reach you.
The story begins with my biological grandfather. He worked for a branch of the government closely related to NASA. Following the moon landing there was a great deal of classified developments that the population was oblivious to. The department my grandfather worked for protecting the world against extra-terrestrial threats or extra-terrestrial terrorism as they described it.
Paranoia gripped them after the moon landing and they took drastic measures to prepare. Five years later, they deciphered the first communications and signals from frequencies previously unknown to them. These signals were so powerful that they destroyed entire systems, disrupted the power grid and took down entire radio stations. This special branch of government discovered they could tap into these signals which revealed that our galaxy has been under constant surveillance. This was ironically discovered by extra-terrestrials working within this branch, tasked to monitor and prevent extra-terrestrial terrorism on a much larger scale.
At this point in their story, the soldiers were reluctant to divulge more. Insisting that they already revealed too much. But I demanded full transparency, refusing to cooperate with their equivocation. It was essential that I know my involvement in these matters. So, they continued, placing a huge box in front of me, overflowing with papers. They swiftly unveiled its contents to me, Stacks of documents and old tapes they tossed onto the table, one after the another.
The documents contained, amongst others, details of weapons the organisation, known as ESA were crafting and testing along with formulas to create immensely powerful weapons. They used advanced calculations to try and manufacture better equipment that could be sent up to space. They were doing this undisclosed, to monitor and learn as much as they could.
The ESA spent millions designing and building a spacecraft to contain their equipment, if the situation ever called for it. It is still a work in progress. All of this is actively happening, the documents and footage stamped up until a week ago.
I opened a document with a list of classified individuals who had this information. Presidents, EU members, a handful of the rich and powerful, who used this information to design and construct underground bunkers, granting that, if anything were to ever happen, they’d be prepared. These aren’t a new concept though, the extremely rich and powerful have been known to publicly sponsor new technological advancements. Well some may think this gave them the upper hand, it eventually proved their foolishness.
The following is what I saw in the most crucial videos:
Video 1: dated 1975 The video opens in an empty cell, appearing to be a reinforced holding chamber. At first, the room is dark, then the spotlights switch on, illuminating the centre of the room. Now in the light, I could clearly make out what looked like a reinforced metal wall with chains protruding from it. The focus shifts to the back of the room where a large door opens and something is dragged in a sheet, concealing its identity, and tied down with thick chains. The video ends.
Video 2: June 1975 I saw about 20 armed men entered the room and start to unwrap the sheet from what they hauled in. After several minutes of unwrapping, the identity of the thing they brought in is revealed.
There seemed to be a glitch in the recording, at different points in the video the screen was covered in static. The sound was muted, and the figure was hard to make out. It appeared that the creature was attempting to change shape, vibrating as if to phase into a different shape. Despite its best attempts, it remained unsuccessful and reverted back to its original form. .
Video 3: the very next day wnd June 1975
The video opens with the creature fully in focus. Within the 18 hours of footage, the creature is constantly seen attempting to change form. It fails every time, but that doesn’t prevent it from trying again. It looks like a blur, occasionally a second head or what appears to be a human hand. It’s apparent the creature has shapeshifting abilities.
The next 200 videos are identical. To the naked eye, it seemed like a loop. But it wasn’t. The creature was, however, relentless in its attempt to free itself or escape.
Video 204: October 1975
This time the alien appeared to be asleep, head limp and no movement. This video had sound, but it was accompanied by a high pitch buzz that made my ears hurt. At the six-hour mark, the faint cry of a baby can be heard before gradually escalating into full-blown screaming.
At first I suspected that one of the scientists had brought their child along, but the agents assured me the crying was coming from the creature. As the video progresses, the cries grow louder and more demanding, eventually accompanied by a deep voice. Close to the end of the video, 22 hours in, multiple voices begin to scream simultaneously, causing everything to shake.
The documents show that, after this incident, the cage was reinforced. The next few videos are static, proving that the creature has the uncanny ability to manipulate video and disrupt frequencies.
Video 340 February 1982
The creature, with its brown discoloration, possessed crocodile like scales and an eagle like head, but it was entirely reptilian in nature. It stood at a whopping 12 feet tall and was covered in an unknown slime like substance.
The chains were substantially thicker than they were years earlier, and the cage has been fortified. It looked like a different room altogether.
The agents explained that the creature got loose and attacked 12 soldiers, absorbing them into itself instead of merely killing or eating them.
The creature was taken to Nevada, close to the desert, where a strong armoured underground structure had been constructed, far from civilization. The facility has been equipped with high level security precautions which allowed sections of the building to be sealed off and rigged to explode, guaranteeing that, if necessary, the building would collapse in on itself, trapping the creature within its cage, underneath the rubble.
The creature mirrored the image I conjured up in my head when I pictured the devil; brown, scaly, a demonic voice. The eyes were its most terrifying feature, shaped like that of a reptilian, but blood red. I counted 4 horns on its head, and it bore a pair of nasty fangs. Its feet bore the resemblance of a dinosaur, but it lacked a tale. Once the creature was no longer phasing in and out, it settled on a more consistent appearance, one that was easier to recognize.
Video 341 February 1982
This video marked the first appearance of my grandfather. He entered, along with four other men in lab coats, carrying a large syringe, approximately the size of my arm. He stuck it into the beast’s heart, causing it to instantly fall into a deep sleep. He proceeded to connect various machines onto the slumbering creature, attaching electrodes to its head and chest which were linked to a sizeable computer or something that resembled a computer. The video cuts off after this, leaving us to guess what occurred next.
Video 343 February 1982 The lights in the room were far brighter than before, and it once again lacked the presence of sound. The reason for this remained unknown.
Within the room stood a table filled with an assortment of equipment that appeared to be severely damaged. The lights flickered at intervals, and the creature began to phase in and out once more. This made it difficult to distinguish its appearance amid the static moments and blurred movements. The scientists observed the creature a safe distance away.
The scientists were relying on a certain frequency they discovered to keep the creature at bay. It seemed to produce positive results for the next few videos.
The videos that followed held a similar pattern. The creature remained silent, wired to machines while people came in and out taking notes or the occasional blood or slime sample. The creature remained composed, not once attempting to shift or escape again.
According to the agents’ records, everything proceeded as planned. My grandfather welcomed his first son, my father in 1975, he subsequently resumed his project until his resignation in 2008 when he was 55. A year later, he had a fatal heart attack, my grandmother following soot. My father was 34.
My father and his younger brother began working for ESA in 2004, when they were 28 and 24. New technological advancements introduced better cameras and electronic equipment for testing purposes. Since the technology became so advanced, their visits to the cage became as infrequent as once a week, or even less often. With new needles, enhanced equipment and upgraded data collection, the project transferred to electronic records ushering changes in the filing system.
While we waited for my transportation, they shared more classified documents. According to the notes, the once wild and violent creature was now unrecognisably tame and responsive, even answering questions. It remained unclear whether they had intentionally provoked it or stumbled upon a means to subdue it.
The circumstances surrounding my birth were strange. My dad impregnated a college classmate, and they made the mutual decision to put me up for adoption since neither of them had the desire to raise a child. My mother was studying biology and my father, a young genius physicist that found it hard to understand basic human interaction as it was. According to my foster parents, I was born in 2000, but the data I was presented proved I was born two years prior. This revelation had a more profound effect on me than anything else I’d seen.
Regardless, I was immediately given up for adoption and my existence was all but forgotten about. My adoptive parents moved to Iowa, and that’s where I lived up until 2018 when I left for Harvard. I always wondered what my birth parents were like. My adoptive parents told me I was a genius and speculated that I inherited my brain from somewhere. It’s an uncanny feeling; the knowledge that every aspect of my life was monitored.
The videos documenting the creature continued for the next 6 years. It became routine, apart from the indistinct chatter from the observing scientists and other government employees. There were no other sounds, incidents or noteworthy occurrences.
The tests revealed that the creature’s biology was predominantly alien, with no genetic material in common with humans. The scientists highlighted the alarming fact that the creature’s DNA was ever changing, resulting in frequent sample collection and analysis.
They concluded that, the creature was still a baby at the time of capture, which made it easier to contain. They did, however, underestimate its shocking growth rate which resulted in the deaths of the 12 soldiers’ years prior. At the time, it was still in its adolescent phase. Further research uncovered that the creature had the unique ability to absorb the genetic material of the men it came into contact with. The more humans it absorbed, the more diverse its gene pool became. A portion of the genes obtained gradually became more similar to those observed in humans. It’s as if the creature dove into an immense pool of genes and, as it absorbed more humans, its genetic makeup gradually began to adopt more human like qualities. Although difficult to comprehend at first, the basic explanation is that with every absorption of genetic information, the creature’s genetic composition seemed to evolve, storing human qualities within its own gene and gradually becoming more human-like That is my understanding of it.
Which brings me to the final video they have. Prepare yourselves.
Video: mov5078436b The creature behaved normally before viewing was disrupted by static. Among the sudden legion of voices, it echoed my father’s name, simultaneously expanding in size which causes the surroundings to convulse. Alarms resounded, piercing the silence as the creature tugged at its chains, cracking the floor ceiling in its attempt to break free. An ear splitting roar escaped its mouth as hordes of armoured soldiers rushed the cage, massive tasers in hand. They zapped the creature at maximum voltage as it continued to roar, lights flickering excessively. The camera feed is interrupted again by bouts of static.
A second group arrived, armed heavily with guns, increasing the crowd to a total of 30. The gunfire was so severe that it affected the video’s audio. One of the chains bound to the roof of the cage had already broken loose by the time the third group of soldiers arrived. This group carried a machine emitting bursts of fire, which had no effect on the creature aside from antagonizing it. It releases a powerful blast from its hand, causing the room to tremble which shattered the bulletproof glass into millions of pieces and sent the men flying across the room. Both of the creature’s hands were now free, and it began to morph.
Finally, a third group arrived in heavily armoured suits, unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. They wielded lasers and what appeared to be a concentrated lightning gun. I was grateful they hadn’t made use of nuclear weapons which would have wiped everyone out. After every attempt, the creature remained standing. Now it was his turn.
The creature freed itself from the remaining shackles and unleashed a blast with both its hands. All that was left of the solders was a gruesome mess of blood where they stood. The air filled with a haunting scream that echoed throughout the halls. The creature released a menacing growl in the form of words that sent chills down my spine, “Dennis McCarthy”, my father’s name.
Right before the camera blacked out, I could have sworn he was in the brink of morphing into a human form, but the recording was cut short by the thunderous detonation of explosions that sent the building into destruction, burying the truth within its rubble.
The scientists, including my dad, were taken by the ESA (extra-terrestrial security agency) and hidden in a heavily guarded underground haven. They were issued new identities and relocated, which isn’t a new concept for the government.
As far as the drones’ visual feed could capture, the entire operation was terminated, leaving behind the collapsed and buried ruins of a facility that was once fully functional. It was under strict surveillance for any signs of life, but as the years rolled by, complacency set in, compromising their once strict security measures.
My father, uncle and the rest of the scientists assumed new lives and identities. As far as the rest of the world was concerned, they were dead.
In 2010, an unexpected interruption occurred. Reports indicated that the drones simultaneously malfunctioned, and the video feed erupted into static. A team arrived at the site to find it disrupted, all the drones lay in scattered heaps across the landscape.
Before anyone could investigate or react, all communication with the agents safeguarding the scientists was abruptly terminated. One be one, the connections were severed, leaving them permanently unreachable. When they reached my father’s safe house, they were greeted with his spine-chilling absence. He had vanished without so much as a trace that he had ever been there to begin with—no signs of struggle or any shred of evidence left behind. He was lost in an infinite void of mystery. The only indication that something was amiss was the eerie blue glow invading the monitors moments before blackout. The only accurate word for it would be ‘suction’, leading the team to believe that they had been absorbed. It remained a speculation, though plausible enough to send waves of panic up their spines.
As we speak governments around the world have been swept up into the desperate search to locate the alien as well as training an elite group of drone pilots and soldiers in an attempt to confront and defeat the elusive entity. Furthermore, every effort at locating surviving relatives of the missing scientists, including my father, had fallen short. They too had vanished into an infinite cloud of mystery, not one left unscathed to provide answers.
Considering the site’s altered state, the complete destruction of the drones and the fact that the creature they had held captive was constantly evolving, they were profoundly aware of the unravelling truth.
I am the sole living descendent of the scientists that worked for ESA. The creature has made it his mission to eliminate any and all traces of their existence. This is the sole reason I was upended from my life and relocated to a heavily guarded facility, and this is the reason I feel compelled to share their stories.
I couldn’t comprehend why the creature would hunt me since I didn’t share the sins of my father, but I felt paranoid and vigilant regardless. I couldn’t help but feel compelled to look into the disappearances myself, perhaps due to some lingering hopes that the information was wrong. My pursuit for answers turned up nothing, not even social media accounts. It was as if any trace of their existence was utterly obliterated, there was no digital footprint left.
The reason I am now convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that my life is in danger is because I have started catching glimpses of subtle movements in my peripheral, a shadowy figure lurking around the premises, disruptions in the signal of my appliances, even the phone I am using right now.
Call me foolish for even relying on the very technology that might lead to my demise, but I felt compelled to warn anyone else who might be a descendent of the team that worked for ESA: project corrosion.
If you’re aware then heed my words and flee. If you are unaware, observe the news for any sudden or unexplained disappearances, and I regret to inform you but, if you come across the creature then it’s too late.
Stay safe my friends

Genesis 22 And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
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For the Christians that believe, that God is the only source of objective morality how do you, Interpret this line.
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It seems to imply humanity has an inherent morality, and does not need a higher power to define it for them. In fact it heavily implies the only difference between a human and God is that we don't live forever.
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Why then would it be unreasonable for someone to judge god as evil, if this line holds true. If it doesn't hold true why not? Is this not the immutable word of God?
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If any line of the bible is not true, doesn't that demonstrate, that it isn't the perfect word of God.
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Please only answer to what holds true to you. I by no means expect someone to defend beliefs that are not their own. These are questions that came to my mind concerning specific beliefs I've seen or heard espoused in the bible, while I was reading it. I am genuinely willing to hear out your reasoning.
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I am solely looking for others insight into this, so I have a better understanding going forward. I promise, I am not looking for a debate, and do not intend to respond unless invited to do so.

It’s the first time I’m experiencing grief. As I was scrolling through instagram, I thought about an old friend of mine. I checked out his profile, wondering what he had been up to. I look at his posts, and there’s an unusual amount of comments with the dove emoji 🕊. I’m extremely confused, and hoping it’s a prank or something. His last post is from 2021.
I search his full name on the Internet. I come across his publication of death.
Malek Akram. Pronounced dead. 18 years of age.
I don’t know how he died. It’s driving me crazy. I texted all his friends asking them what happened. I’ve gotten no answer. Has he killed himself? Was he in a car accident? Did he catch meningitis? What happened???
I’m thinking of all our memories together. His precious, infectious smile, his odd yet intriguingly charming attitude, his charisma, his high-pitched, joyful voice and his laughing eyes. Why did he leave?
It feels so odd that he’ll forever stay 18. He’ll forever be a teenager. He’ll forever stay in this tender age. The rest of us will continue. People will have kids. People will apply to universities. People will buy houses. People will live.
He’ll forever be dead. Dead at 18.
I checked his family obsequies and his father died two months after he did. I’m at loss for words. I don’t know what to do, how to move on. I feel guilty for living. Guilty and sad, because it’s unfair. He’s dead and I’m alive.
I’ll experience happiness and he never will have the chance to.
I am so deeply sad.
name has been modified for confidentiality purposes.

Here is my long letter about how it’s unfair that I’m in love and new information came to surface about a former love. Just had to get out of my mind
Dear Reader,
I hope this letter finds you well. I wanted to take a moment to express my feelings and thoughts about my current relationship, and how it has impacted my perspective on love and happiness.
I am incredibly fortunate to be in a committed relationship with a remarkable man who brings so much joy into my life. His kindness and the way he treats me are beyond words. We share numerous interests and have developed a level of comfort and connection that I have never experienced before.
Reflecting on my past, I recently discovered that my previous relationship was tainted by the actions of some friends of my ex-partner. It saddens me to realize that our connection was compromised by their jealousy, leading to lies and manipulation that ultimately ended our relationship. For the past four years, I believed he cheated on me and subjected me to other hurtful experiences, while he thought I was some immature douche. Looking back, I now realize that my decision to end us was fueled by jealous lies.
In this moment, I find myself with someone I consider to be the love of my life. It is a bittersweet realization that the man who I believed had hurt me deeply is not the person I thought he was. If I could turn back time, I would have chosen not to break up with him. I feel I missed out on him being my forever. Who knows where our connection would have lead us too…However, I am here today, overjoyed to be with my new boyfriend, who has truly captured my heart, it’s not my fault the former relationship failed, that was the fault of who ever decided to derail us. But I can’t sit here dwelling on the past.
Sexually our connection is incredibly strong, and it enhances our relationship in a profound way. We share a deep understanding of each other's desires and needs, fostering a fulfilling and passionate bond. He touches me in ways that make my toes curl and forces me to grip the sheets. In contrast, with my ex, our sexual compatibility was lacking. It was a part of our relationship that left me unsatisfied and unfulfilled. I now realize the importance of this compatibility and how it contributes to overall relationship satisfaction.
I am grateful for my new boyfriend, who provides me with comfort and support. In contrast, my ex left me alone at a train station at night, leaving me feeling abandoned. It was a distressing experience that made me question the care and consideration in our relationship. It's a reminder of the stark difference in the way they treat me during challenging times.
I'm amazed by the level of thoughtfulness my current boyfriend has shown. After only one month of dating, he surprised me with a huge bouquet of flowers and treated me to a romantic candlelit dinner at a winery for my birthday. In stark contrast, my ex-boyfriend, even after dating for 10 months, gave me a camel plushy as a birthday gift. It truly highlights the difference in effort and consideration between the two relationships. I feel incredibly lucky to have found someone who goes above and beyond to make me feel special and loved.
I can list so many things that make my new partner the obviously choice. He’s the dream man. But is he my dream man?
Life has a way of teaching us valuable lessons through unexpected circumstances. It has taught me the importance of trust, communication, and not letting the actions of others define our relationships. I have learned to cherish the present and embrace the happiness I have found with my current partner.
As we continue our journey together, I am excited about the future we can build and the love we will share. My heart is filled with gratitude for the opportunity to be with someone who treats me with kindness and respect, and with whom I can envision spending the rest of my life.
Thank you for being a part of my life and for bringing immense happiness into it. Here's to the love we have found and the beautiful future that lies ahead.
To answer my own question, my new partner is my dream man and I love him, I can’t wait to tell him that I love him.
With love and appreciation, From Sender

Look, I admit it, I was drunk when I sent you that friend request. Laying in bed, wine-drunk and missing you, it seemed like a really good idea. In the sober light of day, I realise it wasn’t but I’m also not sorry for it. Because I finally got the answer I need.
It’s been tough to move on from you, especially since you’ve completely stonewalled me ever since whatever we were ended. I asked you at one point for closure and you again refused to say a word. I really struggled to interpret your silence. Were you mad at me? Did you hate me? Were you just protecting yourself? Did you still think about me? Did you want to reconnect but felt like you couldn’t? Those questions have played on my mind a lot.
I didn’t really expect you to accept the request. I honestly thought I’d wake up to a message chewing me out. But no, you just rejected the request. That’s it. No message, no angry words, just deafening silence.
I still have some questions. Did you think about it? Was it a dilemma? Did it give you a sleepless night? Or was it as easy as one click and done? I wasn’t perfect but do I really deserve that?
But, mostly, I feel a little lighter today. I feel at peace, because I understand your silence now. It speaks volumes.
It says ‘I don’t care’.
Understood, loud and clear, over and out.

Hey everyone, 😥 I need your help please, I was wondering how everyone is handling wording that it is a childfree wedding? We have announced since 1 year ago that it is an adult only wedding. We have worded on our wedding website and invitations that “this is an adult 18+ wedding only” that we apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate their understanding. I the brides side, have about 8 little cousins I have had to unfortunately deny attendance to. Our godparents (from mine, the brides side) have just had a baby, they are an important part of our wedding and they have understood that their baby cannot attend.
My fiancés eldest brother who has a 1.5 year old, is giving us a hard time, my fiance let him know a year ago it is adults only, he said okay. Today at a family gathering my fiancé reminded him because the brother randomly mentioned he has a “mini tuxedo” for the baby to wear to the wedding. My fiancé reminded him it’s adult only, and he said to him “come on it’s your only nephew”, my fiancé said, “I understand but unfortunately we have agreed on child free, it needs to be fair for everyone, the brides side has multiple cousins she isn’t able to have there and it wouldn’t be fair” he literally answered “I don’t give a f*ck”. 😨
Where do we go from here? It was absolutely disrespectful, he basically said I do not give a crud about the brides side or the problems it may cause.
How do we handle this, basically I feel like it’s either if you can’t respect it then don’t come. But it is my fiancé’s brother. ☹️ (he is the youngest out of the 3, the one giving us trouble is the eldest by 5 years. it is hard for me to get involved, I feel my fiancé should handle it but he is very stressed about it)

Hello, these are some questions I've been pondering. If you have an answer, please chime in!

1. If Vipassana is the teqnique rediscovered by Gotama Buddha, why is it that there are so many other forms of meditation practiced in Buddism? Why not just practice the actual technique that brought forth enlightenment for "the Buddha"? -recently i befriended some folks in an Ananda community and I was surprised that they had never even heard of Vipassana.
   
2. There seems to be 2 spellings for "the Buddha's" name, Gotama and Gautama... why is that?
   
3. Why does the wikipedia article for "the Buddha" (Gotama) not even mention the word Vipassana (besides from one cited source)? ..Is it not the most profound discovery of his entire life and the reason he is a Buddha at all? Furthermore, I find it quite strange that on the Vipassana wikipedia page, it only mentions Gotama Buddha one single time, and his name is actually misspelled as "Gautam"! Doesn't it seem strange how not transparent this information is??
   

Thanks for reading! Love U all

Seeking to get some kind of explanation from male point of view on my below situation because it’s driving me nuts.
So I (30F) met this guy (32M) while on work trip. We really hit it off and had a great first date. He showed me a lot of interest and affection from the get-go. Because all went very well and I felt the same way about him, I kinda fell for him a little bit. However, the following day it seemed to me that his interest faded. He barely texted me and did not show any initiative in meeting with me again, giving me excuses that he was tired or didn’t feel well. Our second meeting was totally my initiative as I wanted to speak with him to make things clear. Again, he seemed super into me and told me things that I was his choice of girl and the reason why he wasn’t talking much, was because of his fear of feelings. I reassured him that I wanted to continue keeping in touch with him and he even said he was going to miss me. After that I felt sure that we worked it out and went home thinking all was fine, because I believed him.
Of course, it wasn’t fine. When I returned home, he was barely replying to me and didn’t take the initiative to reach out to me more often. He again said he was busy with work and didn’t have time to talk. I became anxious and irritated and finally told him that his words and his actions did not match all, which was making me confused and so I asked for a reason why. I admit I did not approach this in the most polite manner, but I was getting tired of trying to get him to speak with me, so he got very defensive and decided to cut ties with me altogether instead of communicating clearly.
My question is – was he just love bombing me when I was with him to impress me somehow or make me feel good, but had no real intentions of sticking to his words? Or was he actually the avoidant type and as soon as he felt there were some feelings developing, he decided not to get involved?
I am just very curious about the psychology behind this type of behavior. By the way he was not trying to get into my pants and while we did some preliminaries, he was always respectful and never pushed me to do anything.
I know the obvious answer would be - he was just not that into you. But why not be straight and tell me that instead of making me question everything and worry? He obviously saw that I liked him.

Hello everyone, a bit of a long story with way too much context to be had, so I thought I'd do me best to cut to the chase. I moved in with a father and his two year old ("Joshua,") who is now four. It was entirely unconventional. I needed somewhere to live and they offered nannying in exchange for rent for awhile, but later on when I had an actual job/interviews, I "couldn't go," because they'd make plans and leave me with Josh. Eventually, this just became "the thing."
The custody arrangement between the parents gave me two evenings off per week up until September, to which it swapped to week to week. In other words, I had Josh for all but eight hours per week for a year and a half, and now I have him full time two-three weeks a month. He's become very close to me, and in a non-egocentric way, only really listens to me as I have been the only real constant in his life.
However, in my time living here, Josh was "expelled," from two daycares for hitting, biting, scratching, etc. We've also gotten countless calls from his current preschool for similar disputes. He's partially special needs, so one of his teachers recommended he be enrolled in a Charter school because he is smart, but he needs an acclimated environment. There aren't many locally, and the parents live three hours apart. We finally found one in the middle of us who are willing to surpass district laws, but now with summer break coming up and his behavioral issues exacerbating, we're worried he's going to be expelled from that school too. They won't be nearly as patient as this preschool has been, should that happen, the father, kiddo and I will have to pack up and move those three hours away because the other charter school is in the mothers hometown.
Almost all of his disciplinary action, his rewards systems, his learning to read, write, and speak has been up to me. The parents give me a lot of "He won't listen when I do it, so you do it," as if I don't endure the same tantrums they do. I just don't think they put in much effort. He's been in both speech and occupational therapy, but the parents consistently drop him off and leave, and I'm unsure if that's normal. I've asked both of them the name of his teachers, all of the therapists names, what they're practicing so we can work on it at home, and neither can answer any of the questions. A year ago, I asked to be put on the teachers/speech therapists text list so I can be up to date on what he's learning, and the answer (I suppose obviously,) was no, since I'm not a legal guardian.
This summer will give me 13hr days, 7 days a week, and that is all the time I'll have to try and "fix," his behavior. I can't control how he's raised in the other parents house the opposing weeks. He'll be in occupational therapy again this summer, but he almost never goes on our weeks (I don't have a car anymore), and again, they never know what he's actually doing there, so outside of the hour per week, he's not getting any practice in. I am unsure of what to do because as of now, he WILL get expelled quickly, we cannot afford to move, and I do not want to go with them - while also not wanting to leave the kid alone. To leave would take me further from "my life," but I literally just negotiated from $0.60 an hour to $2.00, so my options would be to move or not have a roof over my head.
Here's what I've incorporated -
- Limiting and controlling screentime, making sure he doesn't watch anything too wound up. No screens between dinner and bed.
- Reward systems, lots of "yays," "you did it!" "thank you!" and "good jobs!"
- Corner time when it calls for it.
- He's super into routine. I have alarms for all meals, naps, clean up, baths, etc. When there's an alarm or five minute warning, he'll drop everything and do as he needs to with little to no tantrums. Springing it on him will have all hell break loose.
- Creating homework for him when he rarely has it to help him keep up.
I do all of the gentle parenting I see online, and recently, the mother has picked up on it too and quit using spanking. The fathers picked up on it too, but hasn't given up spanking.
I just think a lot of this is over my head, and I can't "cure," his issues. FWIW, I think it's a combo of being a pandemic kid and special needs, he never became accustomed to socializing. His parents say he's "too hyper," to take anywhere, so he's never taught how to behave in restaurants, waiting rooms, stores, etc. The only time he goes out is when the "fun parent," takes him out to highly stimulating places (ie arcade, trampoline park) and I believe that emphasizes his hyperactivity.