A heavy mist settled on the cemetery, just as it always had when we were children. Thwack! I ran straight into another headstone and fell into the mud, breathless. Scrambling to my feet, I looked behind me, hoping that whatever was chasing me had gone off somewhere else.
It was a mistake to come back to Endeavor for my 25 year reunion. I swore I’d never step foot in this town again, with its three block main street where everyone was either a drunk, an abuser, or a holier-than-the saints-themselves wannabe street preacher, or some combination of all of the above.
How the hell do I get out of this cemetery?
I’d gotten drunk, but not so drunk that I shouldn’t have been able to find my way out, even in this heavy mist. It descended as soon as we kicked over Mr. Grantz’ headstone, that old, blustering asshole. He deserved some sort of retribution after the shit he put kids through for decades in this town. He was Mister Evangelical himself, somehow granted the right to stuff his convoluted ideologies on us in the place of an actual science education.
After we turned a bit tipsy Derrick, Anne, Roger, and I decided to leave the bar that was hosting the reunion to stagger out to the cemetery one last time — pay homage to our old midnight refuge. What better way to relive our inglorious days?
Damn! I hit my knee on another headstone. I just wanted out, an escape from this hellhole. “I’ll go home and never bother this place again!” I shouted into the mist.
Derrick played football — still as skinny and probably at least half as fast as that knobby-elbowed teenager who was practically chased out of town for not scoring a winning touchdown to get us to state. Anne was the girl we were all in love with. She stayed in town and teaches history, or I'm sure as much actual history as she can get away with uttering aloud. Roger couldn’t do anything right, but could still get away with anything by his smile.
On June nights like this we’d always go hang out late at night drinking non-age-appropriate beverages at the Endeavor cemetery. It was about a half-mile walk on the train tracks from “town.” We’d all sneak out with our flashlights and walk there, sometimes solo, sometimes in pairs, and even then it sort of creeped me out to go it alone, walking on that path of lonesome steel between the walls of tall grass that swayed in the wind.
My alcohol tolerance had gone way down since I grew up and life stopped being about partying. Otherwise I would have been way too inhibited to let those old friends pry me back to the cemetery. Whose idea was this? It was Roger's ideas wasn't it?
The only good idea he had in his entire life is that we needed to get out of Endeavor.
Was I running in circles or something? I limped in a direction I believed had to be the way out. Tipsy, sure, but there’s no way I was drunk enough that I couldn’t find my way out of a small town cemetery.
In high school Roger has been spared, but the rest of us had been Mr. Grantz’ personal classroom punching bags, all because our families didn’t go to church, or didn’t go enough for Mr. Grantz’ liking. My heathen mother even had the gall to speak the word “evolution” in public once, so as far as the church folk were concerned (meaning nearly everyone) my family needed to be chased out of town.
Congratulations. Endeavor wasn't a paradise. It was a graveyard of aspiration.
So yeah, we stomped to the cemetery in the delirium of getting drunk together one last time in Endeavor after spending half our lives away from each other.
Derrick is the one who stumbled onto Mr. Grantz’ headstone. “Whoa!? That psychopath finally died. Hallelujah!” he yelled.
“Derrick!” Anne said, “I know you had your differences but that’s no reason to celebrate his passing. He was a human being.” She must have made her peace with the people of this town years ago. The rest of us did our real growing up once we got outside.
“Differences? Do you remember when I missed that touchdown, how it was because my family was unclean? He was the one who kept telling people we needed to go back to the old ways and they should burn me on a pyre for it. It was one bad play against a team of kids who were twice our size.” Derrick caught the wind in his throat, “It would be hard for me to mourn someone who wanted to kill a kid over a touchdown.”
“I gotta piss,” Roger said, smirking.
“No,” Anne said.
“See, even Roger wants to get this guy, and he wasn’t even one of Mr. Grantz’ targets.”
As they argued I swayed in the wind getting angrier and angrier remembering that old blowhard. Once, when I was having trouble sleeping, I fell to sleep on my desk in the middle of his science class, and he dropped a bowling ball on my desk to wake me up and “teach me a lesson.” It slid off the desk and landed on my foot breaking some small bones that never healed well and still bother me to this day.
“Let’s tip it over,” I said.
They all looked at me wide eyed, then grins spread over Derrick and Roger’s faces, devious in the moonlight.
“Hell yeah!” they agreed.
“You’re all going to hell for this,” Anne said, trying to stop them. But we were all already kicking at the marble headstone, trying to get it to budge from the Earth. My foot throbbed in that old familiar way, but this was worth it.
“Are you being serious, Anne? Are you a believer now? Don’t tell me this town got to you,” Derrick said.
“‘Got to me?’If that’s what you call growing up and getting over my youthful rebellious phase, then yes. Earl Grantz was a town hero. He only wanted the best for the people here and I can’t just let you desecrate his grave.”
Roger blocked Anne from stopping us while Derrick and I kept kicking the headstone. Hard and heavy, the thing didn’t want to budge. I got on its level and tried pushing it with my shoulder while Derrick kept kicking it.
After a minute I fell to the ground to rest.
Anne looked at me, “If you’re having a heart attack you deserve it. You don’t even know what will happen if you manage to knock that thing down. You don’t know what they’ll do.”
“Oh come on, I’m going to be out of this town for the rest of my life in about six hours. There’s nothing the community of Endeavor will be able to do to me ever again.”
“We’ll see about that,” she said.
I got back up and resumed kicking with Derrick who hadn’t stopped for a second. In fact, it was like he was getting stronger and stronger, maybe remembering more of Mr. Granz’ vitriolic outbursts. I could still see the old man with his white beard and loud, sharp face barrelling down at me for any perceived sleight.
“It’s starting to give,” Derrick said.
Then all at once, with one last kick the headstone cracked at its base and thudded over into the damp grass.
“Whoa, we did it.” Derrick took a step back.
We all stood there for a moment, struck by a kind of awe. That old man who had made things so hard for us in high school, he was really dead. He was dead in the ground and could never yell at us or throw bowling balls at us or set the entire town against us ever again. He was being eaten by worms. A sad meal. We’d survived him and this town.
I guess Anne was struck by a different kind of awe. Probably she was surprised at the audacity of her old friends, drunk and stupid in the cemetery. Whatever her feelings were, by the time I turned to look for her she’d already disappeared into the night.
We had a good laugh, the three of us, reunited for this taste of revenge. The headstone lay there in the barely tended grass and I thought of how pointless his attacks on us had been, the harassment, the ostracization, the constant preaching and withholding of an actual education — we were all doing fine to spite him. Derrick worked as head of sales at a sportswear company, I was the top non-profit tax whiz in my city, Roger had one of those vague program manager positions at an even more vague start-up gone big, and we all had families waiting for us at home. "Here lies a failure in life and death" is what the headstone should have read.
That’s when we heard it, a placeless whispering descended onto the cemetery.
It was as if the wind was made of barely audible voices, speaking in rolling anger that went on and on. And with it a dark mist fell on us.
“What the —” Roger said.
“It’s just the mist playing tricks on us, an auditory illusion,” Derrick said.
But up the back of my spine a tingling sensation had already started to warn me that something insidious was happening. Even when we were children, we’d joked about how the mist in the cemetery felt unnatural, but now it came on twice as quickly and it was twice as thick. I could barely see the others. “We should start making it back to our cars," I said.
"I don't remember the fog ever being this bad," Derrick said.
"We had actual flashlights with us. That might have made a difference," I offered. We only had the flashlights on our phones, and as the moments passed the mist deepened until they were nearly useless.
"Climate change," Roger said.
"Don't tell that one to Mr. Grantz," I said.
Laughing, Derrick stumbled on a small divet in the ground, rolling onto his back. I think he saw something then. I can’t say for sure, but as I looked down at him, my mind still blurred by the alcohol, I saw a serious fear drawn over his eyes, stifling his laughter. For a moment his lip quivered before he let out a scream that was swallowed by the thick country air. A column of mist poured into his mouth. It might have been the shock, but I thought in the mist I saw a torrent of pale hands forcing their way down his throat.
Derrick’s body convulsed. He shook harder and harder until the attack ceased and he sank, limp, into the ground.
“Help!” Roger screamed as he was pulled into the mist by something I couldn’t see.
I didn’t wait a moment longer. I didn’t try to stay and help my friends or check to see if Derrick was still alive. I bolted. Whatever that was in the mist, if I could put some distance between myself and it, maybe I could get out of this cemetery, follow the traintracks back to town, get back into my Honda Civic and drive away from this godforsaken town.
The mumbling whispers grew louder behind me, but I didn’t dare look. I’d give anything just to make it out of this cemetery. This was a stupid night. I never should have come back, but I wasn’t going to let this drunken mistake leave my children to grow up without a father.
Sorry Derrick, I thought. Sorry Roger. And, what in the hell happened to Anne? What was it she said, we didn’t know what they’ll do? Is that what’s happening now?
I ran until my lungs burned, bumping into headstones left and right. This place wasn’t a labyrinth. How was it that I hadn’t gotten out of it by now? The cemetery couldn’t be bigger than a couple few city blocks. Hardly anyone lived in Endeavor to begin with. It didn’t take much space to house their dead. How many of these people have been completely forgotten to time by now? How many of them were succeeded only by children like me, children who they chased out of town. How many of them had bigoted, evil hearts like Mr. Grantz?
My knee smacked on something hard, another headstone, and I cried out. I could hardly move anymore from all the bruises I’d just taken. But I limp-ran in desperation, my hurt leg skidding on the ground. The mist was close behind me. I could feel it wet on the back of my neck, but I knew I only needed to make it a little further.
An exposed tree root caught my foot and I tumbled to the ground, my head knocking against something hard. I frantically crawled back toward my feet but I kept falling back down. I wasn’t seeing straight. Why is this happening to me? I swore I’d never come back.
It was Anne that reached out to us all. She’d wanted to bring the old gang back together for the reunion. Over half the class had stayed in town after graduation, but the rest of us had left Endeavor, and from what I gathered none of us spared a look back. Why didn’t we ever think of how that would have felt for Anne? She didn’t have the same agency as the rest of us. Heck, her parents had threatened to pull her from school and homeschool her in their traditional way. Of course she ended up like this. We were her lifeline.
Damn it!
Every time I tried to get up I twisted some other muscle and collapsed back to the ground. I’d never put my body through something like this before, especially after the age of forty. I’d already been dreading the day-long hangover I saw in my future as we left the bar, but at this rate I’d be lucky to be able to walk — that is, if I even got out of this cemetery alive.
Anne had gone to the trouble of mailing us each nice, handwritten letters on stationary inviting us to the reunion. She wanted everyone to get together. It was incredibly thoughtful of her. Apparently she’d worked with all the others to make sure everyone else who’d abandoned Endeavor had an invitation. Of course, not everyone came, but most of the class made it.
We met at Freddy’s, an old country dive we’d never been able to get into before. In Endeavor everybody knows everybody, so there’s no sneaking into bars with a fake id.
I’d been in city dives, but Freddy’s was something else. It reminded me more of a barn where bats would live in the rafters than a bar — a big open space with tables strung about here and there, a pool table near the corner, dust counting the years on the floor. Just my guess, but I don’t think the owner knows what the flooring is made of, that’s how often it looked like it’d been cleaned. Still, it was nice coming back and seeing this part of Endeavor we’d always wondered about.
The folks that stayed in town welcomed us back in, but it was obvious there was a sort of familiarity and camaraderie among them that the rest of us would never have again — the kind of camaraderie that comes from spending forty years with the same small group of people, of having small town secrets and knowing all the things in a human life that can go unsaid.
It was Anne’s idea to go to the cemetery, wasn’t it?
She could tell we were all a bit uncomfortable and wanted to catch up more privately. As always, she was the sensitive person who could tell what we were all feeling and gave us direction. There was a time when I was young when I thought I’d grow up to marry her — funny to think of it now, that I pictured my life in Endeavor, of scraping out an existence in this place that now seemed so desolate, an isolated island away from everything that truly mattered to me. I’m sure Derrick and Roger felt like that too. Did Anne think about us like that? In her imagination, had she pictured the future with each of us, trying us on like coats, only to be abandoned in the end.
The mist had gotten so deep I couldn’t see where I was going, though I’d slowed to a crawl. My hand felt something cold and hard on the ground. I pulled myself close and I saw the inscription, “Here lies Earl Grantz.” After all that running I was back at Mr. Grantz’ headstone where I’d started.
I lifted myself to my feet and noticed two long shapes beside me on the ground. Derrick and Roger. My heart dropped. Something had dragged them back.
A cold hand grabbed onto my hair and pulled my head back. The mist poured into my open mouth like a thousand frozen beads of pain. I tried to scream, but it kept pouring into me as I collapsed to the damp dirt on my already bruised and skinned knees. Stop! Please, I can’t take any more! I wanted to beg. It kept going until I lost consciousness.
I awakened to the sun already high in the sky, my whole body throbbing with pain. Derrick was nudging me with his foot.
“Good,” he gasped, “we’re all alive then.”
“What? What just happened?” I asked.
He stood above me with Roger. Alive. Somehow after the events of last night we’d made it to the morning in the land of the living. I didn’t orphan my kids.
“I saw the mist get you, both of you. I ran, but I couldn’t escape the cemetery,” I said.
“All I know is that I’m getting out of here and I’m not looking back,” Roger said.
“I’m with ya.” Derrick helped me up to my feet.
Neither of them was as outwardly hurt as I knew I was. I could feel every scrape and bruise down to my bones, not to mention the hangover. “What about Anne?” I asked.
“No sign of her.”
Before we limped back to town I pulled out my cellphone to see the worried messages from my wife. She assumed I’d only gotten drunk and let my phone die. I sent her a selfie of my swollen face and said that last night hadn’t gone as planned, but I was on my way home — desperate to get out of godforsaken Endeavor — and would explain everything to her. How could I explain this? I can’t even explain it to myself.
I told the others about the events of last night after I’d lost them, and they nodded, listening. None of us had anything resembling a logical explanation.
My phone dinged with a message. “I’m glad you’re safe! I was so worried. But are you using some sort of filter? Your eyes are green in this picture.”

Apologies for the pun in the title, but the fruit was hanging too low to pass up. And apologies as well to the folks here that think the word “trade” is an affront to their Spurs fandom, but until the draft gets here in a few more weeks, there’s going to continue to be discussion around making a move for another first-round pick, presumably to address the long-term-PG-shaped hole in the roster right now.
Based on a few polls that have popped up on this sub lately, it seems like most people here (including u/paxusromanus811, whose opinions as a draft evaluator and Spurs fan are some that I greatly respect) like Anthony Black the best of our presumed options, but everyone seems to recognize that it might be hard to find a trade partner in his projected range. Amen Thompson is a fun pipe dream, but I’m incredibly wary of the fact that he and his twin were overagers in the mess that is OTE, and I don’t know if I’m a believer in his shot ever being fixed, either. Then you’ve got Kobe Bufkin, who’s been a bit of a late riser as a jack-of-all-trades sophomore but isn’t quite as polished as a defender or playmaker.
I like all three of those guys quite a bit, and if the Spurs end up with any of them on the 22nd I’ll be very pleased. But I wanted to take a little time to focus on Cason Wallace, because I think if you told me we had our pick between any of the guard prospects in the first round outside of Scoot, I’d want him. That’s not to say I’d bet on him being the “best” player of the four in 10 years (though I don’t think that’s impossible), but I think he fits in the best with what the San Antonio identity is going to be now and in the future. I think the advantages that the other guys have over him are of less consequence to the Spurs than vice versa.
OVERVIEW
The Spurs have a lot of player development to focus on this year. Wemby is going to command a lot of usage for obvious reasons. Sochan’s second season is going to be big as far as his potential progression as a shooter and playmaker while also likely getting some run as an actual point forward / lead ball handler. Branham probably isn’t suited to be a PG, and running him in that position too much carries a risk of hampering his growth as the smooth scoring SG he’s meant to be.
Enter Cason Wallace, who could bring some really valuable versatility. He spent the first half of the season with Kentucky as a movement C&S guy, then took over as the starting PG in a very ball-dominant role after Sahvir Wheeler went down. He had success in both roles, and combined with his overall high level of understanding of the game, he’d be the perfect complement for the roster now and in the future - he can be a high-level kickout option and floor spacer for possessions where we want Victor or Jeremy or Vassell to mostly run the show, but he can also competently run the offense as the lead at any given time as well.
SHOOTING
Wallace shot 34.6% from 3-point range this season, which is good but not amazing. That number needs a little context, though. In the fifteen games before January 10, he shot 41.9% from 3 on 4.9 attempts/game. I’m using that as the boundary point because he started to suffer back spasms on that date and pretty much just played through them for the rest of the season, where he shot 24.5% on 3.3 attempts/game. Back injuries are, generally speaking, the toughest injuries to shoot through - those muscles are involved in so much of your body movement that it’s basically impossible to maintain the same mechanics, and Wallace’s form is visibly more rigid and square in the second half of the season. His natural form is very smooth and free-flowing, but there were some games post-spasms that he was barely even getting off the ground. That Jan 10 date is also, interestingly, when he took over lead guard responsibilities, so as you can see from his 3PA/game, his catch-and-shoot opportunities went way down. Still, his 3P% ended within 1% of Bufkin’s for the full season on higher volume, so I’m comfortable calling him the most projectable spot-up shooter of the popular Spurs options.
Really, the bottom line here is that we already have Sochan, who may never be much of a shooter, and Wemby, whose shot I think will develop but isn’t guaranteed to turn into something that other teams have to gameplan for in a significant way. Without Chip Engelland still in the fold, I’d be a little concerned about adding another guy to our long-term core that needs a lot of work in that area.
Other notes:

• Shot 48.4% on corner 3s on the season on good volume, one of the most important shots in basketball and one that we know Pop appreciates. Bufkin shot 36.8%, Black 31.8%. NBA average is about 35%, and success from that spot in college has generally carried over well to the next level even for guys that have otherwise struggled adapting to NBA 3s.
• Shot 41% on transition 3s on the season. Can very easily envision Sochan or Wemby getting a defensive board, pushing the ball upcourt, and finding Wallace on the kickout when the defense is forced to collapse, because those guys will definitely run transition a lot in future years.
• Small sample size because it’s not a huge part of the Calipari system, but Wallace shot 9/17 on attempts where he relocated and immediately received a return pass after making one (i.e. entry passes to bigs, drive-and-kicks, as the inbounder), which is a window into how smart and comfortable he is in getting open as a movement shooter.
• This is not meant as a disparagement, because I don’t think the shot is unfixable, but Black shot 21% on unguarded catch-and-shoot attempts this year. That sounds bad because it is bad - there’s a big gulf between the two right now and even if Black improves I have a hard time seeing him getting to Wallace’s level.

PLAYMAKING AND CREATION
Kentucky’s adjusted offensive rating with Wheeler as the starting point guard was 109.3. After Wallace took over, that number jumped to 115.7 - top 20 in the country over that period - in what was easily the tougher half of their schedule. Much has been made about concerns over whether Wallace can truly be a lead guard, but the kid can run an offense. He put up more AST/game than Black and Bufkin on a significantly better AST/TOV ratio (over 2 to 1). Here’s the stat I don’t think is getting nearly enough attention, though: of the 86 two-pointers Wallace made this year, only 9 were assisted (9.5%). By comparison, 28.9% of Black’s and 25.4% of Bufkin’s were assisted. Marks under 10% for that stat are generally very, very good indicators that we’re looking at a skilled primary creator. It’s also probably worth noting that Black’s numbers at the rim were considerably worse than Wallace’s despite his size and the fact that he had twice as many dunks.
Other notes:

• Wallace didn’t draw a lot of shooting fouls this year, which is something he definitely needs to improve. When he did, though? He converted the and-1 53.6% of the time. That’s an absurd number - the highest in college in at least the last three years by far. For reference, Black and Wallace both drew 15 total and-1s, but Black drew a total of 50 more shooting fouls to do it (Black’s rate of drawing free throws in general is equally absurd). And Bufkin, considered an elite finisher, only completed them at a 31.3% rate.
• Close to 50% of Black’s assists came at the rim, but he and Wallace put up roughly the same rate there per 40 minutes and Wallace’s rate was better in almost every other zone on the floor.
• Great PnR operator with room to grow. Makes deceptive passes in the pocket and around big men, and he’s great at finding open teammates on the shake action, which I imagine is a look we could see Devin get a lot due to the attention Victor is going to command.

DEFENSE
This is Wallace’s calling card as far as being the skill that gives him such a high floor as a pick, and yet I still think it’s being a little underrated comparatively. Black has 3 inches of height and 15lbs on him, and is seen as a guy who’ll be able to comfortably defend 1-3 and maybe even 4s at the next level. But Wallace actually has the longer wingspan of the two (6’85” vs 6’75”) and I think he’s the more polished defender as far as fundamentals and disruptiveness. He’s deceptively strong, too. I think he’s equally capable of guarding up to 3s as well and even some small ball 4s in the vein of Andrew Wiggins or our very own Keldon Johnson - those sorts of lineups are still steadily gaining popularity. The fact that Black averaged effectively the same amount of blocks as Wallace and Bufkin despite his advantages in height and bounce is either a slightly worrying sign for Black or a big credit to the other two. Either way, the guy we’re theoretically drafting here gets to play alongside Sochan and Wemby, so even if Black does have a slight switchability advantage, I’m not convinced it’ll be all that impactful in the long run. Give me that small extra bit of refinement any day.
CONCLUSION
Wallace has some detractors for being a bit of a “safe” guard that doesn’t get too creative with his passing and playmaking, or at least he hasn’t yet. And look, some of the things Anthony Black pulls off make my jaw drop the same as everyone else’s does. But we’re Spurs fans - we saw the Beautiful Game in real time. For the most part, that wasn’t a system that relied on crazy passes but on the right passes, and on guys making smart movements to be in the right place at the right time. Even as one of the worst teams in the league last year, the Spurs were still top 3 in the NBA in assists/game and bottom 5 in TOs/game - this isn’t a system that is in desperate need of a guard to shake things up.
Wallace excels at those things, and he just comes off as a Spurs-y player in a lot of other ways too. He hustles like a madman - you couldn’t watch a Kentucky game without seeing him dive on the floor for a loose ball and running like hell to get back in transition - and is more than willing to play whatever role he has to to help his team win. And while he certainly gets fired up after some big plays, he’s a guy that mostly just goes about his business on the court. I can’t remember a time where I saw him do anything that could possibly be construed as taunting.
The Kentucky Guard Effect is something that can’t be ignored at this point, either. He isn’t the same style of player as a Tyrese Maxey or SGA, but when you go back and look at the scouting reports for those guys compared to Wallace’s, you see a lot of similarities - questions over whether they can really be a lead guard or if they have talents outside of the singular role they played as Wildcats. I’m not saying Wallace can be the next SGA, but I think a Maxey-like breakout is well within the realm of possibility. He accelerates well on drives, and even though he struggled to create significant separation at times, he’s such a good finisher that all he needs is a half step - he hardly ever got blocked. Kentucky’s spacing was supremely terrible last year, too, so Wallace should really benefit from the extra room on an NBA court. I actually think his passing creativity has also become a little underrated at this point simply by virtue of being compared to Black - he showed off some impressive reads on lobs in particular, and if he’s going to spend his career throwing alley-oops to Wembanyama he doesn’t need to get especially fancy anyway.
All in all, what you have in Wallace is someone who’s going to bottom out as a high-level role player and who could very, very easily have more to his game than that. We got to see him play two different roles as a Wildcat, which should give him plenty of priceless versatility immediately when coming into a rebuilding team with a lot of high-ceiling players to develop. But Calipari’s system never allowed him to play both roles at once, and if the Spurs are truly going to commit to this positionless basketball ideology (which they’ll have the personnel to do), that flexibility could fit in perfectly. I’m not saying Anthony Black can’t eventually develop a shot, and he’s such a smart cutter and strong finisher off the pass that he has some value off-ball already too. I just think Cason offers more to this team in that potential role right now as far as what it could mean for continued player development, and that there’s more than enough upside still there that we wouldn’t be limiting ourselves.
So, yeah, there's some draft crush propaganda for y'all today.

I went to the dollar store to get frosting after my ballet class, and as I was getting into my car this guy- I have no idea how old he was, but he’s definitely older than me- called out to me, telling me that I had a very nice car and he liked it. I said thank you and proceeded to get in my car.
My window was down, and the guy came and stood by it and told me that I was the most beautiful person he’s ever seen. I thanked him, and he asked my name, so I gave him a nickname. He gave me his name- George- and asked a couple more questions- what do I do for a job (I’m a bakery assistant, did not tell him where), do I have kids (no- I’m a twenty-year-old college student which I did not tell him, I just said no) am I from around here (yes.) To that last question he asked if I was sure because I “don’t look like I’m from around here.” I really have no idea what that means. He also told me that he’s from Ohio.
After that he said that he would “love to be my friend” and asked if he could give me his number- his phone was dead so I couldn’t give him mine. I would have said no, that I didn’t have a phone, but it was on the seat next to me and I didn’t want to be rude. So I let him give me his number, and then he went into the store and I went home. Told my mom what happened, she said it was probably a scam, and if it wasn’t I was dressed for ballet class in a leotard, short skirt, and tights, so that was probably why this happened.
I really have no idea what I’m supposed to do now? I feel like I shouldn’t text him back, but he was not creepy at all and actually very nice. He was quite attractive, not going to lie- tall Black guy with a gorgeous accent- but I’m asexual and aromantic, and very happily single. I’m also twenty and this guy was definitely older than that, probably twenty-five or older. I have a pixie cut and don’t wear makeup- I had just blue eyeliner on today because I forgot to take it off after rehearsal- and I’ve never thought of myself as pretty. I’ve never even been catcalled before, let alone had someone give me their number. So I was very confused and didn’t really know what to do.
Did I get scammed somehow? What just happened? Should I have not let him give me his number? What do I do now??
TLDR- guy gave me his number and I have no idea what to do

While I am impatiently waiting for this gorgeous movie Past Lives to open near my city, I was hoping to see some recommendations for fics that have this kind of haunting, pining, unrequited (or unfulfilled) love.
The number one writer that came to mind for me was PacificRimbaud, and her Advent shorts, specifically On the Virtues of Inexhaustible Burning and Les Pelerins. And while I know this is a Dramione sub, I urge everyone to read her ongoing Pansy/Neville WIP Remember One Thing, which is devastatingly beautiful and has dollops of delightful Draco/Hermione throughout.
In_Dreams and alexandra_emerson also have many stories that hit this aching vibe.
A few other fics with similar energy, that I don't see recommended too often here:

• Avalanche by setissma Great snappy dialogue between Hogwarts faculty Draco and Hermione, but a simmering undercurrent of pining, amusing students, a tiny mystery, satisfying HEA
• The Long Way Around by Fractured Mature divorcing parents Draco and Hermione, handling their burgeoning relationship while also juggling kids. It's very sweet and a little bit sexy.
• Pillow Talk Cute banter before/after all the sexy sessions between Draco and Hermione as they slowly work through being friends with benefits. Short but sweet.

I suppose the running theme for all these stories is a slow burn, but not even necessarily looking for an explicit, smutty payoff (though I love those, too). I encourage everyone to watch that trailer for the movie Past Lives and marinate in that heartache and maybe imagine Draco and Hermione in a similar situation of right person, wrong timing.

Reposted with a more accurate title:
I placed an online order today for a cliq cart because I wanted the free battery skin with purchase. When I picked up my order, I asked for the skin and was told I also had “to contribute to the pride fund to get it but I could use my points.” I agreed and donated a ton of points because I’m queer and can’t resist pride fundraisers.
It wasn’t til I was leaving that I noticed a whiteboard sign near the door saying they’d “collected $407 dollars so far.” By the time I got in the car I realized that’s a lot of money to collect in the hour and a half they’d been open and, skeptical me, I looked up the ad — which doesn’t say a contribution is required to get the skin, only a cliq purchase.
Are the Curaleaf stores competing internally to see who can raise the most money? Did I really have to donate money/points? I don’t have a leg to stand on since I voluntarily gave up my points but I’m beginning to think they may not have been on the level and that’s a good data point to have the next time I decide where to shop.

I’ve been exploring myself and started talking to this woman who I met online. At first we just chatted about everyday things here and there. She refused to answer my questions about her age and initially told me she wasn’t far from the city that’s near me. When I questioned why she wouldn’t answer she claimed it was due to valuing her privacy and she likes having this mysterious element about herself but she did say overtime once she gains some trust she will open up more. You guys it’s been like 4 weeks and she still won’t answer me as far as how old she is and when I offered to meet her in the middle to go on a date or do something together she clarified that’s she is actually not far via flight… she says I can ask her anything but every question I’ve asked has been completely disregarded, deflected, or met with a level of skepticism that I don’t think I deserve as I haven’t done anything but be open and honest with her. I have been genuinely trying to get to know this woman and I’m talking to a wall. And now all she does is ask for pictures of myself and what I’m wearing. I’ve stopped giving them because things have turned heavily one sided and it just makes me uncomfortable at this point because I don’t know this person at all and that not for a lack of trying… I’m not sure what to think and emotionally I’ve backed off because too many red flags. Pretty sure she was trying to catfish me but maybe I’m being paranoid? Any advice?

>**What will you be doing with this PC? Be as specific as possible, and include specific games or programs you will be using.**
Building a pc for my parents who just need a reliable pc that should be able to last for the next 10 or so years (for reference, they're upgrading from a mini pc with an i3-2120T). They need it for work and general use - mostly through the browser and office apps with maybe some *very* light gaming. Onboard audio is a must (assuming thats optional on some mobos idk), Bluetooth would be nice, and wifi is welcome but not necessary. I've had a look for parts myself totaling Au$797 (including windows) that are in stock at my nearest store listed below. Any recommendations or alternatives would be greatly appreciated.
>**What is your maximum budget before rebates/shipping/taxes?**
We're looking around Au$800 but the budget is flexible.
>**When do you plan on building/buying the PC? Note: beyond a week or two from today means any build you receive will be out of date when you want to buy.**
Next week
>**What, exactly, do you need included in the budget? (ToweOS/monitokeyboard/mouse/etc\)**
Tower and win11 home (looks like I can get it for Au$130)
>**Which country (and state/province) will you be purchasing the parts in? If you're in US, do you have access to a Microcenter location?**
Queensland, Australia with the nearest store being MSY (they currently have some sales atm)
>**If reusing any parts (including monitor(s)/keyboard/mouse/etc), what parts will you be reusing? Brands and models are appreciated.**
Reusing an old case
>**Will you be overclocking? If yes, are you interested in overclocking right away, or down the line? CPU and/or GPU?**
Only memory oc to get full rated speeds
>**Are there any specific features or items you want/need in the build? (ex: SSD, large amount of storage or a RAID setup, CUDA or OpenCL support, etc)**
SSD, iGPU
>**Do you have any specific case preferences (Size like ITX/microATX/mid-towefull-tower, styles, colors, window or not, LED lighting, etc), or a particular color theme preference for the components?**
Reusing case (full atx, no side window) and no rgb
>**Do you need a copy of Windows included in the budget? If you do need one included, do you have a preference?**
Yes, windows 11 home (Au$130)
>**Extra info or particulars:**
PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/WCwRZw
CPU: Intel Core i3-12100 3.3 GHz Quad-Core Processor
Motherboard: Gigabyte B660 DS3H AX DDR4 ATX LGA1700 Motherboard
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR4-2400 CL16 Memory
Storage: Kingston KC3000 1.024 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME Solid State Drive
Power Supply: Silverstone Strider 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
*Note on PSU: its the cheapest 80+ gold psu available and the lowest available wattage is 500w so i figured it would be the best choice (with the added benefit of being modular)

Howdy there! I’m Ivan, a queer 18 year old artist/roleplayer!! Recently I’ve been feeling super inspired to write with my ocs, it’s been a big minute since I’ve had a good roleplay going. 18+ tho, no minors. ❗️
I only roleplay with original characters, I’ve never really been into canon roleplays heh.
All of the ocs I use for roleplaying atm are male and apart of the lgbtqia community! Me being queer I typically do non straight rps, gotta love fruity characters!! All of my ocs have drawn faceclaims that I created for em that I can send over >:]
Please keep this in mind if you’re interested in roleplaying with me, I have a lot, and I mean a lot, of experience writing. I’ve been writing since I was young, I would say I’m a literate to novella roleplayer. Though ngl I tend to get inspired really easily and tend up typing a lot- I’ve always been super passionate about my ocs heheh. So please give me effort back, be similar in literacy. Also! I’m usually down to make new characters by scratch, that’s always fun!
Like I mentioned I'm pretty passionate about my ocs, I tend to ramble and gush about em a lot. I'm a talkative fella, that's for sure! Over the years and different experiences I've had rping with other people, I've noticed that nearly 100% of the time it's a lot easier for me to enjoy and have fun roleplaying when my partners are cool with ooc chatting!!
I enjoy a lot of different genres/plots, I'm fairly open but I do adore fantasy, supernatural, romance, angst, sci-fi, and occasionally slice of life. Tbh, just my preference but I really like adding romance into the roleplay in some shape or form!! With that said, I don't mean that it's gonna be the entire plot pffft. I love slowburn, I hate rushing things bc it usually ends up getting boring quicker :<
Anyways! My timezone rn is est, and I don't have a lot going on at the moment so my replies should be fairly frequent depending. So, don't be shy to send me a message! I'm pretty laid back and friendly heh. ♡

From someone who has held management positions with three other companies throughout my lifetime I can honestly say that AutoZone is not like any other company. Though strict in it's policies and getting things done their way, I can truly say that they have a lot to teach that can be used in other sales jobs. All one has to do is lay aside what you think you know and try to understand what they are teaching you so you can go places.
Many retail jobs only ask you to greet a customer and be polite. AutoZone ask you to get to know your customers personally. When you can do that you will often find that your customer can benefit your career with their insights and knowledge. This comes in handy in your growth in the company. This is being a true SALESMAN. What you learn here can benefit you in so many other jobs. If you chose not to stay with AutoZone and move on.
AutoZone IS the world leading auto parts retailer, with the highest index in the stock market opening new stores often. If you bear with the ups and downs, that actually come with any company, you could very easily find yourself as a business operator of your own store, or moving up the chain to become a District Manager, Regional Manager, or possibly one day the next Vice President of AutoZone. So don't come in with a hard head and know it all mentality. Be open minded and draw from what they have to offer.
I've been with the store for one year and eight months. I came into throwing my prior experience around only to watch another get advanced before me. After having a heart to heart with my GM he helped me to grasp AutoZone's way. Proving to me that he had the best intentions for my career. I've been a PSM for two months now and look forward to the possibility of finally having a career job that I can retire from.
Make the most of what AutoZone has to offer. Don't let negative people lead you into bailing out. What you find here you will also find anywhere else at any other job. You have to decide what to do with what you get. And if you feel like you are not getting enough out of the job then talk to your management and ask for more. What you get out of a company is entirely up to you. You just have to chose to show the company how valuable you are.
AutoZone is not for everybody, and everyone is not for AutoZone.

So my grandmother is 81, she's been hit a few times from scammers due to being very naive and not wanting to listen to anyone. She loves her ipad and enjoys shopping with it and other things. She's now telling me how she can now open her email and click on the store email and go straight to whatever store she wants.
Is there a way or any app or anything or settings on the ipad i can install or put up to keep her safe.
A few things she's fallen for: Check scams, gift card scams (even yelled at a cashier at target for not letting her buy any). She also believes that it's illegal for people to impersonate another company*, so she falls victim to phishing.
*i mean it is illegal but she doesnt understand that scammers dont care and most of them arent US based.
Edit: i do not live with her, she lives with her husband whom she does not listen to either

He is the last thing that should be on my mind right now. I should be buried in content reviews and practice questions, the very rim of my future resides on this and it is critical that I focus and reach for stars. My dream is at stake. But I long to talk to him again, so, so much. Just one more sparkling pinch of time. Just one heavenly hour where our worlds can align once again.
Every chance I get to spend with him feels one in a million and I am unsure when I will ever get one again. It terrifies me that one day, we are bound to diverge paths, and there will be a time where he is so beyond my reach that we will never exchange a warm, healing glance or a shared smile again.
I was so close to seeing him today. But I needed to be transparent, I have to study for an exam I am taking in two weeks, I have no choice and it would only look absurd if I didn't go. But we could have eaten together, spent the sweetest time together. I desperately wanted to. Because everytime we have the chance to connect again, the world feels lovely and right. I feel so heard. There's an ecstasy unlike any other just being in his sweet, soothing presence.
He is my compass back to God when all else feels lost in the world. I can't fathom why; he's nearly a stranger and there is so much we do not know about eachother yet. And still – time with him feels like it transcends all space and time, it gives me so much joy, and I never feel more beautiful than when our eyes interface and it feels as though our souls are mingling in this secret, scintillating harmony that only we share.
I can never tell him, not really, I can't begin to explain. How he means the world, the moon, the stars, the whole solar system to me. How I would give everything for just a minute hand in hand with him. How he replenishes my entire existence. How I want the very best for him. How every moment with him feels like a wildflower petal, so precious but ultimately plucked off, how as more time passes the less we will ever share together.
He's undeniably hurt me in the past, yes, but I know it, in our deepest depths: we both care about and enjoy each other. I can feel the light in his beautiful eyes as they press into mine. What I would give to see them everyday for the rest of my life. I want to give him everything I am, all the love and warmth I cradle for him. But I can't. We're just both too scared. Life is just too complicated. Time is just too merciless.
But I am praying for him everyday, and will choose to never stop loving him, no matter what the future decides.

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Nonetheless, Wakanda Forever's $180 million opening is a huge one, being the biggest ever for the month of November (beating the $158 million of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire), the second biggest of the year, and the 13th biggest of all time (though it could go up or down a few slots once the actuals come out). It led an overall weekend box office of $208 million, which is the fourth biggest of the year and the biggest by a long shot of the past four months, with no other weekend since July 8 -10 even going above $133 million.

...actually win trials.
Basically, the way the games stories are set up, for the canon killing games we see (not counting the oddities in the DR3 anime or the "first" one that was more just like a battle royale) the whole game is specifically designed for the blackeneds to lose. Now it can be argued that it's because these are almost always teenagers that aren't the smartest/most forward thinking people, that they make mistakes, and that something always gives them away, but... I don't think they're ever SUPPOSED to win.
In the first game, Kyoko's talent of Detective came in handy so often that Junko never had a reason to intervene when it comes to figuring things out. But if it ever looked like they might not conclude who the culprit is, because, say, for example, Leon had hidden evidence in his room instead of burning it, or wiped away the blood with his name, she would've done something to specifically point them in that direction, like having Monokuma explicitly say that all bedrooms are open for investigation, which would be all the trigger Kyoko would need. After all, she's broadcasting this to the world, and what's more despairing: watching them slowly kill each other one by one and then find out in trials, or all of them dying because they couldn't figure out Leon killed Sayaka?
In the second game, the Junko AI was trying to get bodies to place her brain into, and sure, more would be preferable, but the best, easiest way to ensure that is, again, to make sure that the killers don't succeed in fooling everyone in the trials. The trials became harder, more complicated, it's true, but ultimately, the AI knew Hajime would figure it all out, and if he hadn't, she would've altered the simulation to leave more clues. That, and she's still Junko, because AIs in Danganronpa are able to have emotions, therefore she would've still wanted to be able to fail to taste true despair.
V3 has this in even more abundance, what with the fact that this killing game was scripted to the point of outright programming people's brains to go in specific directions. People often speculate on why, for example, Korekiyo didn't just kill Tsumugi and claim First Blood Perk, or why he would waste time on a silly unnecessarily complicated and yet stupidly obvious to figure out way to kill Tenko when Angie was already dead, but the truth is, it's most likely because his brain was programmed with enough suggestions to go that way, to feel he had to go that way and do things that way, because that's how it was written. Just about everything in that game was scripted from the start, with careful tinkering with people's brains via Flashback Lights to implement various suggestions and/or trigger commands that might've been left dormant from the start. After all, how else would Tsumugi have known to be there to catch Rantaro if she didn't already know Kaede was making her device. She didn't plan on Kaede missing, and had to make up for it, in a frankly sloppy way... so sloppy that it feels like it too was scripted, on purpose, to out her in an obvious manner when it came to trial 6. And of course, since trial 6 reveals it's all for television, the blackened winning just can't be allowed to happen. Period. It ends the game too soon. Hell, even if Tsumugi HAD died, someone else would've just been reprogrammed with a Flashback Light to be the new mastermind.
So, with all of this in mind, how can a blackened win a trial? Well, it would have to come under two specific circumstances:
1) The killing game has to be run by a mastermind/minds that don't really care if the trials keep going or aren't trying to show it off, but instead just want to see what happens. This is because any kind of television show or livestream or whatever broadcast would rely on an audience being able to enjoy everything from beginning to end. Your show ending abruptly because your detective of the game failed to catch the blackened isn't going to get you anywhere. Mass executions just aren't fun to watch.
2) It has to be an accident at the last moment of someone's death.
Why that specific? Because almost anything else is going to be have enough clues that somone can and will figure it out eventually. Even if it were adults in a killing game instead of teenagers, unless someone is a literal genius with tons of forensic knowledge AND the strategic mindset necessary to place several feints to redirect evidence, they're going to do something wrong to mess up. But, if it's an accident at the very last moment, then all the evidence would point to the original INTENDED killer, only the one watching through cameras would know the real truth, and the entire trial would conclude with the voted one being innocent.
The easiest example of this I can think of is someone dying, slowly enough from injuries that they're still conscious, but in horrible pain. Someone else, perhaps someone who became close to the victim throughout the game, wants to do something, anything to ease this pain, so they get some pain reliever of some kind from a first aid kit. Because this is a killing game, that pain reliever is probably morphine, which as any CNA who works at a nursing home will tell you, can also be considered "end of life meds" because when the body is weak enough, morphine can very easily cause it to give up the ghost. So the person gives the victim the morphine, which is what actually kills the victim (slowly enough that they don't realize that's what happened and just think the victim passed away despite them trying to help) and everyone goes on to gather clues and things to point to the one who originally dealt the fatal blow to the victim. Then, so long as the mastermind decides that the morphine is what actually killed the victim (I sure would if I was masterminding) when everyone votes they can happily crow that the voted target was spotless.
This could still be satisfying in a story if it was done near the very end. I actually have notes from a story like this, one where my protag would end up so depressed and horrified that she'd just give up, go back into the next game, and it would turn out she even gets renamed by Danganronpa and it's Tsumugi. Tomato in the mirror ending, would've been great. But I gave up on it because my setting had apparently been done in too many Fanganronpas and also it just didn't feel compelling enough for me to spend the time to GET to that ending.
Anyways I just wanted to share this thoughts. Sorry for long post.

Animated Film! Here are options for downloading or watching The Little Mermaid streaming the full movie online for free on 123movies & Reddit, including where to watch Disney’s latest live-action adaptation movies at home. Is The Little Mermaid 2023 available to stream? Is watching The Little Mermaid on Peacock, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Netflix or Amazon Prime? Yes, we have found an authentic streaming option/service.
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“The Little Mermaid” is one of the most popular and beloved animated films of all time. The story of a young mermaid who dreams of becoming human has captivated audiences for generations, and the film’s iconic songs and characters have become timeless classics. If you’re a fan of “The Little Mermaid” and you’re looking for a way to watch the film for free online, there are a few options available to you. One popular way to watch movies and TV shows online for free is to use a streaming service like Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime. These services offer a variety of movies and TV shows that you can watch on your computer or mobile device. Most of them have a free trial period that allows you to watch a certain number of hours of content before you have to start paying. Another option for watching “The Little Mermaid” online is to find a free movie streaming website. These websites offer a variety of movies and TV shows that you can watch for free. However, they often have a smaller selection of titles than paid streaming services. If you’re willing to watch a few commercials, you can also find “The Little Mermaid” for free on YouTube. YouTube offers a variety of full-length movies and TV shows that you can watch for free. You can also find “The Little Mermaid” on DVD or Blu-ray. This is a great option if you want to watch the movie in high definition. You can usually find DVDs and Blu-rays at your local grocery store or online. Finally, you can also listen to “The Little Mermaid” soundtrack for free on Spotify. Spotify is a music streaming service that offers a wide variety of songs, including many from Disney movies. You can create a free account and start listening to “The Little Mermaid” soundtrack right away.
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“The Little Mermaid” Movie Free Online
“The Little Mermaid” is a movie that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It is a charming story about a young mermaid who falls in love with a human prince and must make a difficult decision between staying true to her family or following her heart. The movie has some great messages about staying true to yourself and being brave enough to follow your dreams. “The Little Mermaid” is a timeless classic that is sure to bring a smile to your face. There are a few ways that you can watch “The Little Mermaid” movie free online streaming at home. One way is to sign up for a free trial of a subscription service like Netflix or Hulu. This will give you access to a library of movies and TV shows that you can watch at your convenience. Another way to watch “The Little Mermaid” free online streaming is to find a website that offers the movie for free. These websites typically stream movies from their own servers, so you will need a good internet connection to watch the movie. Finally, you can also rent or purchase “The Little Mermaid” from a digital retailer like iTunes or Amazon.
​
What is The Little Mermaid About?
The official synopsis for The Little Mermaid by Walt Disney Studios read:
​
“The Little Mermaid” is the beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. The youngest of King Triton’s daughters and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea, and while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land, but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.There is not much mystery in The Little Mermaid’s plot. As seen in Disney’s many other live-action remakes, it is anticipated that the film’s plot will largely stick to the original. With the well-known song “Part of Your World,” in which Ariel sings about her wish to be a part of the world beyond the water, i.e., the human realm, the teaser already alluded to Ariel’s fascination with the human world. Fans will get to see Ariel and Prince Eric’s romance as they deal with the challenges posed by their differences
​
You’ve also both been part of projects with color-conscious casting before, but this one elicited some particularly ugly feedback online. How was it watching Halle Bailey walk through that, the reaction to a Black mermaid?
DIGGS: Halle is, I am convinced, the only person in the world who could have played this part. To watch her navigate the world post the announcement — that would’ve probably broken me, particularly at her age. I mean, so much excitement is already one thing, and then also that kind of intense racism just being fired towards you, it’s insane. But I think her performance is so undeniable. The best way to silence a hater is to just be great.
The movie does seem to evoke some really powerful reactions, because of all the attachments to it.
AWKWAFINA: People have told me that they were crying from like, the second that Halle started singing “Part of Your World,” then never really stopped.
​
DIGGS: I am one of those people. I was right behind you, trying not to cry audibly.
​
AWKWAFINA: I think the really cool thing about the best kinds of adaptations is that they truly do bring people back to whatever their relationship with the movie is. When I was young, it taught me so many themes about life and storytelling and character that still really hold true in this new one.

I am just getting started on building a PC for my husband. My PC is designed for FPS games so I have not designed something like this before. He plays games such as EU4, Rome Total War, Civ6, and similar titles. His current gaming laptop takes several minutes to load turns, so I want to build him some thing lightning fast for this kind of game.
I’m not familiar with this kind of game and the tech they require. I just know it needs a beefy CPU and memory (I think). So I’m going with a top-of-the-line CPU that I’m going to be cooling in a custom open loop liquid cooling system, I already have some supplies from my own build. This thing is a furnace, plus I enjoy the CLC building and the overall look.
This part picker list is not all inclusive, but I would like a bit of feedback on it. Specifically, I am not sure what kind of graphics card might work OK with this. I want him to be able to play some casual rounds of Apex or Overwatch with me. I was thinking about waiting for the nvidia 4060 to come out?
Trying to keep the total budget under $3000. Thanks in advance!

Hey friends, I'm just looking for a little bit of advice regarding something that happened to me at work.
I work in a place where everyone including the managers are very chummy with each other and like to laugh and joke around a lot. I've only been working there for a few months and I'm known as someone who's very quiet and shy, but I still get along well with everyone and I do join in the fun at times.
One of my managers is a genuinely really nice person and I get on with him a lot, but he can have a bit of an abrasive sense of humour. At one point I needed to come near him to get something and I was standing very close to him; like shoulder to shoulder, and he let out an extremely loud yell in my ear to make me jump, and it was so loud that it made my ear ring. Immediately I froze and I couldn't move for about ten seconds or so; and while my coworkers did give him a hard time for doing that to me of all people, it was still treated as him being silly and my coworkers were also laughing. When I was able to move again my immediate response was to also try to laugh it off despite the fact that I could feel myself involuntarily starting to cry. The feeling was so overwhelming and I started to experience flashbacks and I was still trembling an hour later. My trauma stems from a very violent experience in my childhood and all my defense mechanisms went right up, as if my whole body was on an emergency alert.
Basically where I'm having trouble is that I want to tell him that I didn't like that and to please not do it again, because I was quite afraid for the rest of the day that it would happen again. But I feel this huge amount of guilt about not being able to take a joke, and I know how stupid that sounds and that trauma is absolutely no joke. It's just that everyone there has a bit of a morbid sense of humour, it's not quite bullying but more like gently poking fun at each other. I'm actually okay with this because it goes all ways regardless. It's just that when I think about bringing this up to him or anyone else I just feel so afraid that I'll seem like I'm making something out of nothing, even though it's really not nothing. I'm sorry this is quite confusing; I suppose this is somewhere between wanting advice and needing to vent.
I don't really know if or how I should approach him about it because we're not working together very often these days, and when I think rationally I don't feel like he would be likely to do it again. But the fear is still there. No-one at my workplace knows about my diagnosis of PTSD mostly due to it being a fairly recent diagnosis, and I feel like telling people opens a whole can of worms that I'm not comfortable going into. I'm certain if I told him why it upset me that he would feel bad and not do it again, but I can't shake the fear around talking about it. I don't want to escalate it because I don't believe it was malicious. It's just that in combination with having autism I really have no idea how to approach these things socially. The situation is still bothering me a lot and I can't really talk to anyone about it even just with friends and such, so I'm feeling quite frightened and alone with it.

The next morning, Kokichi trudged out of his room. He heard excited talking in the living room, so he decided to see what was going on. Everyone had crowded around Himiko, telling her how different she looked. Kokichi noticed that Sonia was there, as well.

"Himiko's hair really nice!" Gonta exclaimed.
​
"Why did you decide to go with black hair again?" Maki asked.
​
"Nyeh...I liked it so much last time that I just wanted to do it again," Himiko replied. "Besides, it makes me feel more...mysteriooouuusss."
​
"You definitely look great, Himiko!" Shuichi said.
​
"Yes, perhaps you have found your new look," Sonia said with a happy smile. "I think it gives you a more...gothic appearance, which is totes awesome!"
​
"Oh, my! I never thought of it like that!" Himiko said. "Maybe we should be goth girls, Sonia!" Sonia's grin became wider with excitement.
​
"Oh, yes! We can become...queens of the night!" she said.
​
"Hee-hee...I like that!" Himiko giggled. Kokichi felt his heart drop.
​
"Let's go to the mall, already!" Tenko said impatiently. "We gotta get there before the free stuff goes away!"
​
"Right!" Himiko and Sonia said at the same time. Then, they smiled and pointed at each other. "Jinx!" they said before bursting out into giggle fits.
​
"You girls have a great time," Rantaro said, waving goodbye. Kokichi rushed back to the boys hallway and peaked from behind the wall as he watched Himiko, Sonia, and Tenko leave. His shoulders dropped with sadness.
​
"She didn't even notice me," he muttered despondently. Tears stung his eyes as he rushed to his room and quickly closed the door. He slid down the door and covered his face. "Stop crying," he growled to himself. "This is your fault! This is what you deserve!" He aggressively wiped his tears from his face. But no matter how much he wiped the tears away, they kept streaming from his eyes. Finally, he hung his head and allowed himself to cry.
​
Outside of Casa V3, Himiko, Sonia, and Tenko were walking along the sidewalk, when suddenly, Himiko realized she forgot something.
​
"What's wrong, Himiko?" Tenko asked as she and Sonia watched Himiko search her body.
​
"Nyeh...I forgot my purse," Himiko replied. "You guys go on ahead, I'll go get it."
​
"Are you sure, Himiko?" Sonia asked.
​
"Yeah, I'll be right back!" Himiko called back to them as she dashed off. She rushed back inside and up to her room. "Nyeh...where did I put it?!" she exclaimed. She opened one of her desk drawers and found her small black purse inside. "Ah! There it is!" she reached for it, but something made her stop abruptly: Kokichi's yo-yo. She picked it up and stared at it quizzically, wondering why it was still there when she had given it back to Kokichi. She also remembered the strange way he had been acting the night before after she had come back from the mall. Suddenly, she realized what day it was.

"Oh, no!" she said, standing up. She put the yo-yo in her pocket and slung her purse over her shoulder before rushing downstairs towards Kokichi and Gonta's room, but paused before knocking on the door. She sighed, thinking how much of a jerk she was for forgetting her and Kokichi's rom-com movie day. She realized that the reason why he was acting unlike his usual self was because he must have been feeling left out, but he didn't want her to know how he felt. Himiko sighed.
​
"Nyeh...poor Kokichi," she whispered softly. Then, a look of determination crossed her face. She turned and marched briskly down the hallway and exited the house. She quickened her pace to catch up with Tenko and Sonia. "Um...Sonia? Tenko?" she said. Sonia and Tenko turned to face her.
​
"What's wrong, Himiko?" Tenko asked. Himiko paused to catch her breath.
​
"Nyeh...you two should go on without me," Himiko said. Sonia and Tenko looked perplexed.
​
"Why, Himiko?" Sonia asked.
​
"I have something more important to do," Himiko responded.
​
"More important?! Like what?!" Tenko exclaimed.
​
"I can't explain, right now," Himiko said, rushing off. "Just go have fun without me!" She hurried off towards the nearest convenience store as Sonia and Tenko watched her in confusion.
​
***
​
Kokichi was lying forlornly on his bed all afternoon. His pillows were stained with his tears, and his eyes were red and puffy from sadness. He was about to drift off to sleep, when he heard a knock on his bedroom door. He sighed heavily as he stood up to go open it. When he did, he felt a sudden surge of surprise and delight jolt through his body seeing Himiko. She was holding many shopping bags in her hands.
​
"Himiko!" he said before turning his head away so she wouldn't see his eyes. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with Sonia?"
​
"Nyeh...aren't you and I supposed to be at the movies?" Himiko asked with a smile. Kokichi's eyes widened. He couldn't contain the small smile that made its way onto his face. But then he rubbed his arm uncomfortably.
​
"Himiko, you don't really have to-" he began.
​
"Kokichi, we need to talk," Himiko interrupted, staring him in the eye. Kokichi stared back at her for a few moments before nodding.
​
"M'kay," he said, moving aside to allow her in. Kokichi closed the door behind him. Himiko placed the shopping bags onto his bed, then patted the space next to her for him to sit down. "What did you wanna talk about?" he asked.
​
"Nyeh...you were crying just now, weren't you?" Himiko asked softly.

"Well...no, I was just-" Kokichi began, shaking his head. Himiko gently held his face.
​
"Kokichi..." she said firmly, looking him in the eye. Kokichi abashedly closed his eyes and sighed.
​
"Yeah..." he said.
​
"Because of me hanging out with Sonia, right?" Himiko continued. "And you thought I had forgotten about you, right?"
​
"Yeah..." Kokichi answered. "I'm sorry, Himiko."
​
"Kokichi, why didn't you tell me?" Himiko asked.
​
"Because...you were so happy being with Sonia," Kokichi explained. "I didn't want to ruin that for you. And, plus, I guess that's what I get for not going with you to DeepBlueSea World. It's my fault."
​
"No, that's wrong!" Himiko said. "It's not your fault, Kokichi. It's mine."
​
"How is it your fault?" Kokichi asked.
​
"Because...you and I had already planned to do things together yesterday and today, and I skipped out on it," Himiko explained.
​
"Because I told you to," Kokichi pointed out.
​
"It doesn't matter," Himiko insisted. "We made plans together, and I should have stuck with it." Kokichi gave her a skeptical look and shrugged his shoulders.
​
"Well...maybe we're both to blame," he mumbled. "I shouldn't have told you to go with Sonia if I really didn't want you to go with her." Himiko put a comforting hand on his arm.
​
"Kokichi...when something is bothering you, you need to tell me," she said in a kind, but firm voice.
​
"I just wanted you to be-" Kokichi started.
​
"Happy...I know," Himiko interrupted. "But I want you to be happy, too! Your happiness is just as important to me as mine is to you, okay?"
​
"Okay," Kokichi nodded with a small smile.
​
"Next time, you'd better tell me if something is bothering you," Himiko said in an authoritative voice. "I'm your supreme lady. And you're my supreme leader. We need to be able to configure in each other." Kokichi let out a small chuckle and rolled his eyes.
​
"Confide," he corrected.
​
"Oh...well, you know what I meant," Himiko mumbled sheepishly. Kokichi smiled at her.
​
"Yeah, I do," he said. "But...you're right. I'm sorry, Himiko." Himiko smiled and wrapped her arms around him.
​
"Nyeh...I'm sorry, too," she said. Kokichi wrapped his arms around her, as well, and smiled before giving each other a kiss. "By the way...here's your yo-yo," Himiko said, pulling out Kokichi's yo-yo from her pocket and handing it to him.
​
"Oh, thanks, Himiko," Kokichi replied with a grateful smile, taking it.
​
"You're welcome," Himiko said. "Keep it with you. You can't cause mischief without it." She gave him a flirty wink, causing Kokichi to chuckle and blush a little. She then gave him a sassy smile. "Now that all that mushy stuff is out of the way, I've got a surprise for you!"
​
"Ooo! What is it?!" Kokichi asked, coming back to his usual happy-go-lucky self. Himiko opened the shopping bags.
​
"I got us our snacks!" she said. Kokichi's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.
​
"No way!!" he exclaimed. "You got more Grape Boo-Boo Bops! Ooo! And you got the little chocolate cupcake thingies! Ooo! You got Pocky, and potato chips, and chicken cracker thingies, and..." Kokichi happily sifted through the snacks as Himiko smiled adoringly at him, happy that he was happy and back to his old self. Finally, he finished going through all the snacks and smiled a large, happy smile at Himiko.
​
"When did you get all this?!" he asked.
​
"Today," Himiko replied. "I ended up not going with Sonia and Tenko after all." Kokichi's smile faltered.
​
"Oh..." he said.
​
"BUT...that's okay, because I wanted to buy our snacks," Himiko assured him, placing her hand on his arm. "I can hang out with Tenko and Sonia anytime. But you and I planned for a movie today, and that's what we're gonna do, got it? Supreme lady's orders!" Kokichi's smile grew bigger again.
​
"You got it, HimiCocoa Bean!" he said. "But...we planned to go early in the morning, since we usually like to be the first people in the world to see a movie when it comes out."
​
"Nyeh...that's okay," Himiko said with a mischievous grin. "There's another showing at night...and we get to wear our pajamas, which makes it easier for us to sneak our snacks inside." Kokichi tossed his head back and laughed evilly.
​
"Mwa-hahahahahahahaaa...great idea, Monkey Buns!" he said. Then, he pressed his forehead against Himiko's and stared lovingly into her eyes. "I love you."
​
"I love you, too," Himiko said. They gave each other a kiss before hugging and squishing their cheeks together.
​
***
​
It was around 11:30 p.m. when Kokichi and Himiko arrived at the movie theater after successfully sneaking their snacks inside, thanks to their baggy pajamas. They sat down in the back row, far from the others up front, and shared their snacks with each other. As the movie started, Kokichi wrapped his arm around Himiko. She smiled at him and leaned closer to him.
​
"Himiko?" Kokichi whispered.
​
"Yeah?"
​
"I think I prefer watching movies at night...when the day ends with just you and me," Kokichi said. "Does that sound okay, or is it too corny?" Himiko smiled and gently patted his chest.
​
"I was thinking the same thing, Panta Bear," she replied. Kokichi smiled back at her and kissed her. Together, they sighed happily as they watched the rest of the movie in silence and ate their snacks.

Animated Film! Here are options for downloading or watching The Little Mermaid streaming the full movie online for free on 123movies & Reddit, including where to watch Disney’s latest live-action adaptation movies at home. Is The Little Mermaid 2023 available to stream? Is watching The Little Mermaid on Peacock, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Netflix or Amazon Prime? Yes, we have found an authentic streaming option/service.
Watch Now>>The Little Mermaid” Online Free Streaming At Home
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“The Little Mermaid” is one of the most popular and beloved animated films of all time. The story of a young mermaid who dreams of becoming human has captivated audiences for generations, and the film’s iconic songs and characters have become timeless classics. If you’re a fan of “The Little Mermaid” and you’re looking for a way to watch the film for free online, there are a few options available to you. One popular way to watch movies and TV shows online for free is to use a streaming service like Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime. These services offer a variety of movies and TV shows that you can watch on your computer or mobile device. Most of them have a free trial period that allows you to watch a certain number of hours of content before you have to start paying. Another option for watching “The Little Mermaid” online is to find a free movie streaming website. These websites offer a variety of movies and TV shows that you can watch for free. However, they often have a smaller selection of titles than paid streaming services. If you’re willing to watch a few commercials, you can also find “The Little Mermaid” for free on YouTube. YouTube offers a variety of full-length movies and TV shows that you can watch for free. You can also find “The Little Mermaid” on DVD or Blu-ray. This is a great option if you want to watch the movie in high definition. You can usually find DVDs and Blu-rays at your local grocery store or online. Finally, you can also listen to “The Little Mermaid” soundtrack for free on Spotify. Spotify is a music streaming service that offers a wide variety of songs, including many from Disney movies. You can create a free account and start listening to “The Little Mermaid” soundtrack right away.
​
​
“The Little Mermaid” Movie Free Online
“The Little Mermaid” is a movie that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It is a charming story about a young mermaid who falls in love with a human prince and must make a difficult decision between staying true to her family or following her heart. The movie has some great messages about staying true to yourself and being brave enough to follow your dreams. “The Little Mermaid” is a timeless classic that is sure to bring a smile to your face. There are a few ways that you can watch “The Little Mermaid” movie free online streaming at home. One way is to sign up for a free trial of a subscription service like Netflix or Hulu. This will give you access to a library of movies and TV shows that you can watch at your convenience. Another way to watch “The Little Mermaid” free online streaming is to find a website that offers the movie for free. These websites typically stream movies from their own servers, so you will need a good internet connection to watch the movie. Finally, you can also rent or purchase “The Little Mermaid” from a digital retailer like iTunes or Amazon.
​
What is The Little Mermaid About?
The official synopsis for The Little Mermaid by Walt Disney Studios read:
​
“The Little Mermaid” is the beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. The youngest of King Triton’s daughters and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea, and while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric. While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land, but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.There is not much mystery in The Little Mermaid’s plot. As seen in Disney’s many other live-action remakes, it is anticipated that the film’s plot will largely stick to the original. With the well-known song “Part of Your World,” in which Ariel sings about her wish to be a part of the world beyond the water, i.e., the human realm, the teaser already alluded to Ariel’s fascination with the human world. Fans will get to see Ariel and Prince Eric’s romance as they deal with the challenges posed by their differences

You’ve also both been part of projects with color-conscious casting before, but this one elicited some particularly ugly feedback online. How was it watching Halle Bailey walk through that, the reaction to a Black mermaid?
DIGGS: Halle is, I am convinced, the only person in the world who could have played this part. To watch her navigate the world post the announcement — that would’ve probably broken me, particularly at her age. I mean, so much excitement is already one thing, and then also that kind of intense racism just being fired towards you, it’s insane. But I think her performance is so undeniable. The best way to silence a hater is to just be great.
The movie does seem to evoke some really powerful reactions, because of all the attachments to it.
AWKWAFINA: People have told me that they were crying from like, the second that Halle started singing “Part of Your World,” then never really stopped.
​
DIGGS: I am one of those people. I was right behind you, trying not to cry audibly.
​
AWKWAFINA: I think the really cool thing about the best kinds of adaptations is that they truly do bring people back to whatever their relationship with the movie is. When I was young, it taught me so many themes about life and storytelling and character that still really hold true in this new one.

Three years ago before getting into university, my life in high school was all perfect. Perfect in education and unimaginably, in society as well. I had never ever thought of support from anyone except myself, literally accepting no one to interfere with my life at that time. This was because my background from my former school where I had been being raised since I was in kindergarten by some ill-mental teachers, like being mocked of my feminine voice in front of my classmates, despite the fact singing is my self-admitted hobby, until for a period of my life, I had forced myself to sound low as a boy should, detaining me alone every day because my handwriting was not as beautiful as the standard one, and teaching me that all kinds of love except love for family are ought not to have the beginning of them, and its unreasonable strict rules, like not talking in the class (literally) if you don't want to be hit by any wooden or sometimes mental rulers roughly in the end of the day (some of my classmates were hit so often that they didn't even feel painful and laughed instead, no exaggeration) and not bringing any electronic devices to the class, which seemed agreeable but made me never have idea of having conversation with friends outside the class (this results in lack of attaching importance to friendship and also having no friends). All media just exposed the school and some of its other affiliated ones 3 years ago, and some other student cases that were harmed by teachers there either mentally or physically began to be reported since then. The schools are still now available, but they really are not a choice of most parents for their child education anymore. Before all of the truth was revealed, at first my parents, whom I love so much that I have pretended to be insensitive and independent all the time for fear of worrying them, wanted me to have life in high school there, but my one and only favourite English teacher, the one who first expands my vision of a language, especially English, told my parents not to let me stay there because she already knew that the entire school itself was hell in both education and management and took pity on my being and English skill if I had had to study there. On the strength of her advice, they encouraged me to enrol at a new school after that, and here was a start of a sense of perfection in my life.
I decided to enrol for the French-English programme, and it was the best decision in my life. I met two mesdames (French teachers, but we usually call each of them madame despite the fact we speak Thai). They really saw that I had a problem socialising with others, mindset one, although my French skill was top. At that time, I was unaware that all I had been through was unconventional because no one told me that the former school did wrong to me, and I just thought that it was its duty to "rectify" and "perfect" me in their way. Madame, instead of persuading me to focus on study, several times told me to hang out with others. I was so lucky that there were five classmates who first asked me to tutor them English and also French, and they began to reach out to me to socialise with them. It was the first time that I was given a birthday present, homemade cookies, from one of them and had someone, not my own family, say "Happy birthday" to me. It was the first time that I had my own mobile phone to play social media and share Youtube videos with someone. It was the first time that I was able to feel myself letting my guard down and dare to sing a little together with someone in spite of this feminine voice. Last but not least, it was the first time that I hung out with someone.
Somehow, two of them seemed to go out with someone, and another one had a crush on our classmate real hard. All of a sudden, I desired to know what love was. Admittedly, I was great at English because of chatting with online people on one application, and by chance, there was one online person who I had often had conversation with and who came to me and confessed me. I didn't reciprocate his feelings at all but was just curious about love. Of course, it lasted like three months, and the conflict was that I tended to express low self-esteem and repeat that I felt not so valuable as others. In the end, he was perhaps depressed by me and was gone. I admitted that it was the first time for me to feel a little heartbroken very briefly, but in a nutshell, all was well with me.
Personally, it was true for me to spend time on online conversation most because it was the only place where I could perhaps be valuable and feel helpful. And, I did observe that the application I was on had many online people who had a tendency to escape from their reality to there perhaps due to such problems in real life as dysphoria, financial problems, familial ones, and etc. It was certain and knowing that I was as runaway as those, but never had I had bad attitudes towards them.
As if to look at the mirror, someone then burst through the dark there. He appeared to be a boy and talked about stuff that I wasn't used to at all, but all I knew was that he had some secrets and covered his background, very enigmatic. It wasn't love at first sight at all. In the beginning, I urged to make him happy and also copied his vocabulary and speech style to practise my English. He then introduced me to asexuality, and I was so positive that I was in this term. Until... staying up late together with him echoed my reverie. I realised that something unusual grew within me. I imagined more. I talked more. I overthought more. I linked all to him. I felt connected... Then I confessed to him casually for the first time. It ended up with his exemplifying the situation where he used to get confessed by others and rejected them. By nature, I was so stubborn and thought that perhaps both of us might not be that deep at the time. Well, I began to plan to "make something happen." I had long wished that I would have had someone countdown with me on the 31st of December. I knew that he was the one I needed to cling onto that day, so I swayed him into doing it for me or perhaps dragged him into it. I admitted that it was pretty exhausting to prepare to materialise everything in my mind to show him, like the written lyrics at my own website and the painting of him despite the fact that I don't like painting because I'm not good at it. The second confession went on, and the response seemed the same, but he gave me his details on love more. Platonic love. "What is it?" I had no idea of it at all and still have not comprehended its definition up until now.
For those who can explain me what platonic love is and how it works, please read my questions on this subreddit:
https://www.reddit.com/aromantic/comments/13z1sjh/platonic_love_what_criteria_do_you_conside?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
All I knew was that he had impacted my life so much that I felt impressed and lost in his aspect. When I was in the French storytelling pair competition at the national level, I had to go and describe a random picture in French to French judges, and I luckily got a picture of a cosy fireplace with an ornate Christmas tree. So, I imagined to myself what I would want to tell him if we both sit next to each other at the fireplace at Chirstmastime. I taled all the judges about the warmth when with him and somehow made them laugh in a positive way. Abracadabra! I got a gold medal in French storytelling pair competition at the national level.
The feelings for him connected me more to all five friends of mine in a way that I almost dared open up to, most R&B and love songs in a way that I had no doubts anymore why a songwriter loves to write a love song most, and those Facebook posts about love in a way that a teenager seems to press the like button. I understood and visualised life full of colours, not only interested in spending all hours reading dictionaries or academic textbooks at home. Perfection, never had I imagined or been told before. My mother always noticed my smile and wondered why it appeared in my sleep every day. And, I saw only him in my vision, refusing those who confessed to me without hesitation or fear of depressing anyone, which I really did break a group of my online friends for this reason.
Perfection. It was like a drug. I was addicted to it and realised that it brought me back to life. When I was at the former school, I only hoped to survive each day. Study was never in my sight, nor did I homework. I left behind my class, and it seemed that I had no right to grab anyone's attention at all. This led me to think if I had had enough wisdom to impress him and also five friends of mine, they would have given me more attention. So, I made up my mind to live up to him. And the result was the worst decision. I was under pressure to impress him with my knowledge of everything; however, he was always ahead of me no matter how much I did research into various topics. I was really moody every time I saw him, his paintings and writings. Envious of his skill, I misbehaved towards him, and somehow he turned into my rival. Expecting myself more than anyone, I felt disappointed at myself and felt no values for anyone to love or take care of me. Then it was the first time that I... had an urge to criticise and judge him. Plus it was time for university admissions, and I admitted that I wasn't in a state of determination at all.
Eventually we were drifting apart, and he slipped away without farewell while I was still competing with him for perfection. Realising that I was all alone then and we were growing apart, I felt dead inside, a heavy heart to zone out for about 4 lockdown months without talking to any people around me. I blamed myself for all so much that I began to feel myself unable to differentiate between a dream and reality and oftentimes vomited when something about languages including alphabets and vocabularies reminded me of him. I hated myself more and more that I leaned on interpersonal relationships although I had never depended on such a thing at the former school. I never told all of these to my parents because I believed that no one wanted to be seen weak, did they? So, I pretended all the way although my mother did see something different from my usual traits such as a pitch change in my voice, insomnia, loss of appetite, and a lack of interest in reading. It was that time I tried to find his background on the Internet to somehow threaten him? It did seem possible for me, but this contrasted with my personal values, disgusting myself more and more. I ended up with myself, the root cause. I didn't think of self-harm, but with having nummular eczema for 8 years, I always woke up in the morning, covered in blood from scratching all severely inflamed skin subconsciously. This is from stress and allergy to my own immune system. For some reason, I couldn't stand it anymore and messaged one of my five friends and pretended that I just conflicted with one online friend. She did accompany me and really did remind me of my childhood memories influenced by my elder sister whom I haven't talked to since she got into university many years ago, like listening to Vocaloid and Kagerou Project songs, old Japanese songs, especially Utada Hikaru, anime (Cardcaptor Sakura, Kamichama Karin), and immaturity (RPG Maker horror games). I felt that I didn't have to be in a hurry to be an adult. Perfection does not have to lie in only wisdom but also liveliness? It was the first time that I got to play online games with my five friends and understood that it was okay to consult someone and call for help. I kept in mind that when Covid-19 was completely gone, they all had to grow apart as well as him to start their university lives. I wished that I could have frozen the time right here and rested in the moments of immaturity a little longer.
It was hard to control myself not to write and think of him. There were only fragments of memory, but didn’t memory of someone make them themselves? The linguistic exams, the last part was to explain relationships of phonology, morphology, semantics, and syntax, and I wrote answers with examples of pandas and names. I topped in linguistics. I should have forgotten. Him. But, the memories weren’t gone at all. Even in academic writings, there were several times when I made an intention on a connoted meaning. December, it was a month that I’ve loved less since then, while a choir teacher seemed to love it most because of the Christmas spirit to carol at the mall. It was the first time I felt that a dream about touching snow in December would be more possible than before.
Until...

Day 1 aboard the UES Eden, Lukas POV-
November 13th, 2114
Those scientists gave me this journal to write in, so I guess I should set it up. Where to start? Two weeks ago, a raffle was held around the world for something called the "Eden Project." They had a bunch of criteria, and if you met them all you could submit your name to the raffle. Clearly I won, but I wasn't sure how many others made it until the debriefing. A congratulations was sent in the mail, alongside some instructions. They basically said that I would have a plane in 14 days that would take me and other winners from my region out to an undisclosed location where the Eden Project was located. The letter also said that I would be allowed to bring five survival related items, so long as they couldn't qualify as weapons. That weirded me out a bit, but I chose a water filter, a sleeping bag, a flashlight, matches, and a tarp. So I waited the two weeks, about halfway through my job at the waste processing plant was terminated because of my participation in the Eden Project but I didn't try to get a new one. Another week passed and they knocked on my door at 8:30 exactly, who does something like that and how? Not important, I was escorted out to a big bus that drove us to the Toronto airport at what felt like unsafe speeds through miraculously empty roads. Once we reached the airport, they brought us through to a plane "exclusively for the Eden Project" which I guess is known about by everyone except for us. It was probably on the news, but I stopped watching it after the 2106 financial crash because it was all just depressing stuff. Anyways, the plane ride was pretty short all things considered and they brought us to the middle of nowhere in the ocean where there was a giant wall blocking out the view and going as high as any of us could see. It had a strip where we landed near the ocean surface where hundreds of other planes were parked nearby. Everybody got off the jet and we went through a bag check type thing, where they went through our tax records or something stupid to make sure I was in fact Lukas Gill, former trash processor and holder of the five allotted items. Once the girl finished looking through all my stuff, she handed me a survival guide from a big stack next to her and sent me into the giant wall looking thing. Directly through the door was basically a soccer stadium with all the goals cleared out. They had flags marking what sections everyone was supposed to sit in, so I went to the Canadian area and spent the next half hour looking around while I waited for everyone else on my plane to finish going through the little security thing they had set up. Every country imaginable was there, from Bhutan to Togo and Anguilles to Eswatini. Obviously the major ones were there, India, China, America, France, whatever but there were also countries like Liechtenstein (they had names beneath the flags). Not important though, once everyone was in and seated, the doors shut and this guy came in through the ceiling on a hovering platform and introduced himself as Dr. Laufer, some famous Swiss scientist guy. He looked like a stereotypical evil genius or mad scientist, but he finally revealed what the hell the Eden Project was. They put 100 people from every country into that wall thing, which was actually a coin shaped spaceship that would take off from Earth in a week to save humanity from itself. Over the past decade and a half, every world government had been supplying the resources and money necessary to build this recreation of a jungle from ancient accounts, fossils, and from the memories of the previous generation. Before ascending back into the ceiling, Dr. Laufer revealed that we are no longer permitted to leave the ship, and that we would be introduced into the recreation of the rainforest with nothing but what we had on us and this journal I'm writing in right now. I'm now sitting in a tree, trying to figure out how I'm going to live through just the time before takeoff that we have to acclimate to our new environment for God knows how long. For now though I should probably start reading through that survival book they gave me, so signing off I guess.