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The Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, fifth class, is the highest rank a Ukrainian foreign national can achieve. Its newest inductee is back home in Florida and has been in the shower so long he’s lost track of time. His feel for the present moment will return in about thirty seconds when the hot water runs out. His hair has been both shampooed and conditioned. His body throughly soaped. It’s the shower’s warm solitude he cannot leave. There is plenty to do today; an interview at a radio station at eleven, lunch with his sponsor, an early dinner at his mom’s pastor’s. All of them want to know more about his experience overseas, they want to know how the war is progressing, they want to hear how he went from Highland Hills High School to war hero. What they don’t want to hear, what David does not want to hear, is how cold his new found notoriety makes him feel. Before can explore his melancholy any further, the hot water goes. The steam rising above the shower clears as a lukewarm solution rinses the remaining soap and warmth off David’s body. He remembers taking similarly cold showers in Ukraine, and how happy he was to have them. It’s shocking how clean a man can get with a half full bucket of water and a couple of towels. “Ah look at Abie! Clean enough for a Russian bitch.” says Bone in his thick provincial accent. Words David can’t remember Bone actually saying or they only sound like something he would say. Sitting around waiting for mechanics, waiting on orders, waiting on food, waiting on the Russians to start shooting, David didn’t know war could be so boring. The only thing Bone said he liked more than killing Russians was fucking them. The rest of the guys in the platoon knew Bone was probably lying, but he was their instructor, and they were the international volunteers, so he was never questioned. He was the only person in their platoon who spoke Russian and Ukrainian and English. One guy, this kid from Belgium, called Bone a cunt after failing to pull the pen on a grenade during a training exercise, and Bone gave it to him. “What is this? You do not have to pull pens in Belgium? Or do you like to give your enemies the grenade so they can throw it back?” said Bone. He then effeminately ran around the kid saying, “Here Mr. German. Take my grenade. They are loud and I am afraid.” Bone comes back to his real voice. “Killing Russians is no different than driving a truck. It is your job. Don’t think. Don’t be like this Belgian. Pull the pin. Kill Russians.” The Belgian kid said something to Bone but no one knew what it was because no one spoke French. This didn’t stop Bone from hitting him in the face so hard it broke his nose. The kid quit later that day, and Bone got written up which David told him is like a kid being put in timeout during a house invasion. “What is this time out?” Bone asked. The water is cold so David gets out. In the kitchen his mother goes over the day’s itinerary again, just to be thorough she adds. “Do you know where you are going David? No, sorry. Do you know where you are going Abie?” she asks as David grabs a breakfast banana. “Yes ma’am.” “You know parking can be difficult downtown. Be sure to take quarters for the meter.” “Yes ma’am.” “And be sure to be yourself. I hope they are nice to you. You know how the media likes to spin things these days. I don’t think they are too liberal but don’t let them put words in your mouth. If they ask you something you don’t want to answer, you just say ‘No comment'. You just tell your story. You are a hero. And then you’ll meet with Fred, and then dinner at Pastor's. Be there at four. If it’s ok with you I’m going to bring the medal. Pastor will want to see it. He’s a big fan of Zelensky.” “Yes ma’am.” “Ok. Enough doting. That’s all you’re getting out to me today. Are you excited? Isn’t this exciting? News Radio 950 is doing a story about you. They want to hear about their local war hero…and that’s you. Give me a hug and get going before you are late.” “Yes ma’am.” In his car, David listens to Domination by Pantera at full volume. The heavy riffs, screaming and terrifying drums raise his spirit. Bone used to play it all the time. David hasn’t prepared anything for save his memory of his time in Ukraine. Perhaps Bone is giving an interview somewhere? You didn’t do anything wrong, he tells himself as he opens the station’s door. Inside he finds an attractive, young woman named Sara who has been emailing him for the past several weeks. “Nice to officially meet. Right this way.” David does his best not to stare at her as she leads him through corridor of offices and hallways. “She looks nice. Go into an office with her.” says Bone. “We’ve all been looking forward to having a more in-depth conversation with you. Our programming producer, who is also named David, will be asking you most of the questions. But I begged him to let me ask some too, so you might say I will also be interviewing you. I hope that’s ok?” Sara’s blonde hair folds into a neat part on the left side of her head. David pictures her styling it in her bathroom, in a bathrobe. It’s been a while since he has smelled perfume. He found a bottle in an abandoned apartment in Zaporizhzhia and kept it. It had some Chinese lettering he couldn’t read, but it smelt nice. Some of the guys teased him when they found it saying he was going to attract Russian because he smelt like an Asian. Sara’s perfume smells expensive and French. She introduces him to David the producer and the three of them find three seats on the end of a conference room table. Sara sits on the same side as David. After introductions, David starts the interview by saying even though he is not sure exactly when the piece will air, he is certain it will before the end of the month. He then adds something about how David is a hero for doing what he did. “So tell us how you found yourself in Ukraine?” “Well it was pretty easy really. I went online and volunteered for the IVB, that was the name of my unit, the International Volunteer Brigade. I don’t think I talked to a real person until I booked my flight to Poland. It was mostly just forms I was filling out online. So yeah it was pretty easy. So I landed in Krakow and my recruiter picked me up. I stayed in a hotel for a few days while we waited on a couple more guys to show up. One was from Spain, another from Portugal. The Portuguese guy never showed, or if he did he didn’t come with us. I guess he could have volunteered with another outfit. I guess that’s the thing about the war I didn’t really expect. We were always just kinda losing people. And I don’t mean they were killed, although a lot of them were. I mean guys would just be with you one minute and gone the next. And then you’d find them a week later and I go, ‘Where have you been?’ ‘Oh I’ve been in Dnipro’ or ‘Oh I got picked up by the Regs.’ It was crazy. The only place where that didn’t happen was the front.” “Who do you mean by ‘the Regs?’” asks David. “The regular army. The Ukrainians. The good guys we were there to help. Sometimes they would be short a man so they’d just nab one of the volunteers. That was a bad gig. The Ukrainians wanted their most motivated guys fighting in the worst places. I only had to do it a couple of times, but…it was not something I did and wanted to do again. ” David rubs his hand over his arm. He can’t smell the hot blonde anymore, only trench dirt and gun oil. The soil of Donetsk had a deep brown color to it he always enjoyed. Even with snipers supposedly in the area, digging was one of his favorite jobs. The earth smelled vibrant, full of worms and nitrogen and reminded him of his granddad, coming in from a day of field work, his jeans and boots caked in a rich layer of his land. “So tell us what is it like being a hometown celebrity?” asks Sara. “You’re from here so people already know you, but what’s it like now? I mean now, gosh, everyone i know has been talking about this kid from Highland who won a medal from Zelensky. Did you get to bring it by the way? You were on the national news. It was NBC, but still…” A bouquet of scents and questions. David looks across the room and sees Bone sitting with a heavy slouch in a chair at the other end of the conference table. He looks rough; still alive but not by much. He sits holding his side, his chin on his chest. “It’s neat I guess. I walk down the street and people call my name. I take lots of pictures with people. Everyone is really nice. I felt like I was kinda a wallflower before.It’s something I think lots of people think about experiencing. I know I did, I just never thought it would be for this.” “What did you want to be when you were a boy?” asks Sara. “I don’t know. The normal stuff; doctor, fireman, my Dad was in sales, so not that. I think about it a lot. I think mostly I just wanted to be good. I didn’t like getting into trouble.” “Oh my gosh, I was the exact same.” says Sara. Then durning her boss she adds “David, I don’t know if you knew this about me and this David, but we actually went to Highland High at the same time. I was a senior when you would have been a freshman, but I swear I remember you. I thought you were cute.” “Don’t be trying to steal my assistant Dave. Can I call you Dave?” “David’s fine.” Bone perks up and tells them to call him Abie “Ok so let’s get back on track. You’re over there, you’re fighting Russians, you’re helping the Ukrainians, can you tell us, what was that like?” “What is war like?” “Yeah the war, but you’re doing a good thing. You volunteered to help an oppressed people, to fight against tyranny, something I think our listeners think our government should have done a long time ago. But while our President sits on his ass, you bravely go do the thing that needs be done. God it must have been exhilarating, but I don’t know, I don’t want to put words in your mouth.” Bone lays his head back on the desk and says something David can’t quite make out but thinks he knows what his commander is saying. “Meta.” “What?” asks David. “It’s a Ukrainian word I learned while over there. It means purpose, but more than just doing a job, it’s your calling. It’s a word the priests with the beards use a lot. Everyday I knew exactly what was expected of me and what I could expect from everyone around me. I had clarity for the first time in my life. I felt like I could see for miles in every direction, like sitting on the roof watching all the cars going by.” Bone stands up out of his chair and walks out of the office. “Even when I was scared I knew that was to be expected. And when I was tired, I knew that too was to be expected. And when I was hungry, and wet, and cold, and angry enough to kill. I knew that too was to be expected because war is a cauldron. Everything gets boiled into a singularity. It’s terrifying but also pretty damn motivating. What sucks is that I can already feel everything starting to get cloudy again.” Leaning his belly against the table, David leans in to ask his next question as if he does not want to be heard. “Did you, you know…and this will be off the record…did you kill anyone else?” Sara places her empty hand on the table, an offering for David to hold should his answer prove too much. But David knows the answer is not too much for his has thought of little else. “Nope. Just the one.” After another few minutes of hearing how brave he has been, how proud his family must be and how grateful the station is to have him come in, the interview is over. The producer shakes David’s hand and Sara walks him out. She mentions that friends of her’s are going to a new bar in the Depot and suggests David should come too. He says he can come but it will be late because he has dinner plans. “That’s ok. I’ll be there pretty late.” ————————— Only a few blocks from the radio station, David pulls into a Waffle House parking lot. There is condensation on the windows of the building and cigarette butts near the door. Nothing here breathes well, David notes. Inside he finds his old sponsor sitting at booth by himself. David sees Fred before Fred sees him and for a moment considers leaving. However, he sees Bone sits in the corner of the restaurant, smiling and looking to flirt with a chubby waitress with grown sons. “How the hell are you Abie?” says Fred. No turning back now. “Sober for today.” “Me too.” The pair order eggs, toast and bacon. The cook makes each of them a waffle on the house after recognizing David. He finishes his plate before Fred can finish a piece of toast. Meals happen quick on the battlefield and David can’t seem to slow himself down long to enjoy his food. Bone is no longer in the corner. David sees him moving around the room; following an old lady into the restroom. He comes out with a grotesque look on his face. “That little woman took the biggest shit I’ve ever seen! Abie, come and look at it. It won’t flush. Call in a drone strike. We are going to have to pull back!” “So” says Fred, “Mr. War Hero, how are you really? You’ve got recognition, a war recommendation, you’re doing interviews, you still got your sobriety. Life seems to be going well, but…” “How I am really?” When he was in NA Fred could always sniff out if he was high. As his sponsor that was his job, but David never liked it. I know you say you’re fine, but how are your really. Effective, but crude. Fred taps his finger to the tip of his nose. Bingo kid. David looks around the room for Bone but doesn’t find him. “I’m good man. Things are going well. Everyone always asks me how I’m doing, but I’m really fine. I honestly don’t feel much different than when I left. Same shit different day you know? Girls come up to me now, so that’s different I guess. So…yeah…things are good. Still sober. No real temptation to go back down that road. Been working the Steps since I got back. Doing the work. I didn’t even think about getting high when I was over there. I’m serious. Not once. I’ve got a therapist that I’m seeing. She’s really smart. And I get to see her for free. It’s part of some rehabilitation program from the federal government. I’m moving out of my Mom’s soon. I found an apartment through the church she goes to. There is a guy there who owns a bunch of places and he hooked me up with a really nice place for really cheap. He gave us a really good deal on it. The same guy said I could come work for him too when I felt I was ready. He has a real estate business and said he is always looking for new realtors. With my story, he told me, he thinks I could to really well.” Bone sits in the booth next to Fred. His face his clean, empty. Without blinking, moving or saying anything he stares at David; human mirror he is unsure is alive or dead, in a Waffle House in Florida or an expensive dirty tank in Ukraine. “But then I think, do I really wanna use my story to sell real estate? Some douchebag buys an apartment I’m selling him because I killed a Russian general. That’s not why I went over there. And who would even ask me to that? They don’t know what it was like. They make it seem like going over there was no big deal, that killing generals is something that happens all the time, or that the war is going well. Really man, I got so lucky with that shot. I’ve had trained snipers tell me they probably couldn’t hit a target at that range. But I did. I did that and I know I could never do it again. Even if I could, I don’t know if I’d want to. I didn’t know that guy. I mean I now know a bunch of stuff about him, but it’s only what I’ve been told. They told me that he supported Putin from the beginning and that a lot of the war planning was his idea. Ok. If you say so Bone. But I looked this guy up, he has a wikipedia page, and a wife, and kids, probably grandkids. I don’t know if his family is proud of him or not, but I know they will never see him again. And then just the charade of it all. So I got to meet the Ukrainian War Minister, Zelensky’s right hand man. Still not worth it. There’s just nothing noble or romantic about it. It’s all just a cold, black hole that runs on death and killing and for some reason you have to look at it…at least I do. I suppose I thought at some point I would see something. Never did though.” Bone breaks his stare and cracks a smile. “And for who, for what Fred? What is going to happen when all of this is over other than the same thing that happens after every war. A cabal of erudite assholes are going to meet in an overly secure room in the Netherlands and draw a new line in between Ukraine and Russia which is exactly what those same assholes did seventy years ago, and seventy years before that, and in seventy years we’ll do the same thing all over again. Wash, rinse and repeat. That line makes about as much sense as the first day of Spring. Sure, there is an official first day of Spring, March 20th or whatever, but we all know that there was some really warm days before the 20th and there is going to be some real cold days afterwards. But the 20th is the official day. It doesn’t make Spring happen. It just kinda helps sense out of a blurry situation. It wasn’t two days after getting there I realized the whole thing is so complicated. Half the regs were guys who had either lived in Russia at some point, gone to school there mostly, or had family living there. It felt like trying to break up a fight at a family reunion, only everyone is holding ARs as they argue about whether or not the 20th is the first day of Spring. The conflict goes back so far you can’t make out the start. And the profiteering my god, that’s what really gets me. Just like that asshole who wants to use the war to sell real estate, all the arms manufacturers who are pouring guns and bullets and tanks into Ukraine, propping this war machine so they can win another government contract. It’s sick. The people running those companies have the first available seat in hell. And Putin too. He started this whole mess. First him, then a nice row of CEOs and shareholders, that’s who I want to in hell. And there is never talk of any alternative. None. Not even a whisper. Just two sides trying to exhaust the other for a better seat at the bargaining table.” Bone gets up to leave, but not before stretching his back, revealing a large, dark red stain in his uniform, just above his waist line. “So here I am in all my hometown glory.” says David, “The renown Prince of the Order of the Ukrainian Shit-Show.” There is a wet spot on David’s pants which he is not sure how it got there. He looks at Bone who is already out the door and running down the street. It’s ok, David thinks to himself, I know where he is going. ———————————————— At the 7-11 next to Waffle House David buys two tall boys and two shots of Jack. He pours the whiskey into the cans and kills the second one as he pulls into Pastor’s driveway where several Mercedes, Teslas and BMWs are parked. David clears his throat, spits into the bushes and unwraps a stick of gum. He enters the house after two hard knocks. “Oh I think that is him.” David hears his mom say after shutting the large, dark front door. She comes around the corner of the corridor to tell him he is late and to take his shoes off. “But my socks don’t match.” “Well take those off too! Pastor just put down new carpet.” “Ah well, since there is new carpet involved. Let’s not walk on the new carpet.” The rest of the dinner party comes around the corridor in their socks. Each of them personally thanks David for coming and for his service. The men shake his hand. The women all give him hugs. By the end of introductions David has met two bankers, two retirees, and handful of housewives, as well as two more pastors and their wives. Bone is the last to shake his hand. He tells Abie he smells like old lady perfume. Elenor, Pastor’s wife, takes David’s arm, sliding her’s underneath his, leading him into their recently renovated kitchen. The rest of the group follows. “Well dinner is almost ready. As we wait, why don’t you tell us about Ukraine.” “Leave him alone Ellie,” says Pastor, “maybe he’s tired of talking about it.” “I don’t mind.” says Abie. “I don’t mind telling people about blowing some Russian guy’s head off.” “David Absalom!” “It’s ok Mom. Yeah so I saw this column of tanks approaching our trench, which ran parallel to this road running west outta Horlivka. I don’t think they knew it was there, or if they did know, they sure as shit didn’t know we were in it, which was weird because we’d been trading fire with them all day. We were all scared shitless. It was only me and Jizzy and Bone. Right Bone? Oh yeah, it wasn’t Jizz it was that kid from Croatia. The one who fucking just ran off one day. I don’t remember his name. Anyways, Bone tells us to all be real still, play like we are dead. So this entire tank column passes by us. Takes for fucking ever. Couldn’t have been more than an hour, but it felt like ten. Finally it starts to let up you know, the last tank passes. So Bone takes the radio and tries to find a spot to call it in. As he is doing that I see the last tank, which was what Bone, about four hundred yards from us? Anyway, he comes to a stop, and out pops the unluckiest son of bitch in the whole war. The General gets out to take a piss, I take aim, figuring I’ll just scare him. And yeah. Bam. Headshot. He didn’t feel a thing; killed him with his dick in his hand. Speaking of which…if you will excuse me.” “The bathroom is back down the hallway, first door on your left.” says Pastor. “Is it a full bath?” ask Abie. “Three-quarter.” “Close enough.” No one looks him in the eye, no one except Bone and Pastor. The bathroom has been redone in the same tile as the kitchen. David takes off his clothes, turns the steel knob in the shower to red, sits one floor and waits for the water to get warm.

[Claim Information at the Bottom]
**Centuries Since Liberation**
#The Kingdom of Asmanakashra
On a cool summer evening, a gathering of children formed a semicircle around the amber fire, eyes filled with a mix of wonder and excitement. Having entered their 10th year, the boys, girls, and *ashten* of Jorchiktele were finally old enough to hear the history of their kingdom, including its less savory aspects. As the young ones began to settle around her hearth, the high priestess Ajarma smiled to herself. The story of liberation was her favorite tale to sing. Once everyone was accounted for, her eyes widened as she became animated and her bracelets of iron, copper, and stone jangled together to form their rhythmic clangor. Performing the dance passed down for generations, the priestess began to sing Asmanakashra’s epic of liberation.
“Long ago we worked the mines,”
“Forced to toil akin to beasts.”
“Ancestors from far and wide brought in chains,”
“Unity under the crack of whips.”
“Spirits remained unbroken,”
“Even as bodies collapsed.”
“As we worked we learned,”
“Of gifts placed by the Gods.”
“As we dug deeper and deeper,”
“The bountiful mountains sheltered us.”
“One day the lowland devils,”
“Grew too weak to whip us.”
“Metal in hand we caved their skulls,”
“A people finally freed.”
“Now their bones pave our mountain paths,”
“And their blood grows our wine.”
“We honor our sacred freedom,”
“Praise the Mountains, the King, and the Mines!”
Her performance caused a raucous response from the young audience, who answered the end of her sacred tale with a chorus of oaths:
>**“Praise the Mountains, the King, and the Mines! Praise the Mountains, the King, and the Mines! Praise the Mountains, the King, and the Mines!”**
##Sanctification
King Damiharthro of Anagekh, his high priestess Ajarma and an assortment of porters were nearing the final stop of their annual tour of the kingdom. It was nearing the end of the harvest season, and chilled weather was sure to follow. In his youth, King Damiharthro had enjoyed traversing the beautiful hills surrounding his village, but as old age made his body weary even simple tasks like riding his horse were becoming difficult. Even as the evening sun warmed the hillsides and colored his white wool shawl, Damiharthro felt a chill deep in his bones. To age truly is a curse, he thought to himself. Thankfully, this was the last stop on his final tour as king, after which he could finally rest his weary bones.
Damiharthro and his entourage crested a small ridge, and on the other side they found their destination. The village of Keshthrute sat nestled between the ridge and the imposing base of a mountain, with a small brook bubbling through the village’s center. Southwest of Keshthrute and at the intersection of ridge and stoneface was the mine that had given Keshthrute its name. Before liberation, the Keshthrute mine had exported copper far abroad, feeding the war machines of empires far from these sacred lands. After liberation, Keshthrute followed the example of her fellow mine-clans and continued operations, albeit with less demand and under significantly better conditions. After all, the Gods did not fill their mountain homes with metal so it could go unused. Outside Keshthrute’s low stone wall, a man in traditional earth tone wool greeted Damiharthro and his assistants. The man bowed to his king, before declaring,
“I am Nakabno of Keshthrute, the *beto* of the Keshthrute mine-clan. May your ground be stable.”
“May your ground be stable.” King Damiharthro replied. “Let the sanctification ritual begin.”
Thereafter, the priestess Ajarma led the procession. First they visited Keshthrute’s village shrine at the center of the town square, a squat stone table with a chunk of copper ore embellished at the center of the table’s surface. Upon hearing her sacred chants, the townsfolk surrounding the party cheered. Then they visited the highest point in town, where Ajarma offered her prayers to the herders. At this time of year, many of the shepherds had already migrated east for warmer weather, so prayers at Keshthrute’s highest point were meant to carry across the wind and find their intended target. Next Ajarma arrived at the town’s vineyard. Keshthrute was too high in elevation for the best wine production, but the small grapes received Ajarma’s blessing nonetheless. By this point Damiharthro was fighting off the desire to fall asleep while still riding his horse, but he knew the most important part of the ritual still had yet to be conducted.
Ajarma, Damiharthro, and Nakabno and the other members of the procession finally arrived at the mine just as the sun was sinking beneath the mountain. Ajarma pulled out the sacred *mashthra*, a thin and slightly concave plate of iron. After a moment, she took her wooden staff and struck the face of the *mashthra*. The metallic clang reverberated off the mountain face, and the sound resonated well into the ravines beyond. For a moment there was silence, as Ajarma used her mythic intuition to interpret the sound of wood striking metal. Having interpreted the echos, Ajarma told the assembly,
“The Gods favor Keshthrute, but be warned as this year’s winter will be severe. In spring this chill will haunt you, do not plant until later in the season.”
And with that, the augury and sanctification were over. Damiharthro privately had many reservations about the auguries, as he knew they were not always correct. Such was the fickle will of the Gods he supposed.
Before leaving, Nakabno approached Damiharthro with a serene smile on his face. “May your ground be stable, King Damiharthro of Anagekh.”
“And may your ground be stable, Nakabno of Keshthrute. I believe I shall see you this winter?”
“As is my duty,” Nakabno replied.
###Lord of the Mine-Clans
Nakabno rode through the chilled winter night as snow quietly settled around him. In Keshthrute snow storms were larger and more frequent, but down here the falling flakes maintained their blissful serenity without a hint of danger. He had always enjoyed the snow, but he certainly would not mind the more mild winters of Jorchiktele. Just as this thought crossed his mind, the fires of the capitol became visible through the darkness. Thankfully he would not have to spend another night camped along the mountain paths, and he would arrive on time if only barely. An extra day’s delay might not have hurt his chances, but it is always difficult to discern what will contribute to the other *betya’s* considerations.
Jorchiktele had always been an imposing city, situated between two rivers and with mountains to its north and south. The most prominent hill is the eponymous *Jorchiktele*, which towers over the settlement from the southwest. From the north and the west, the *Mitele* and *Atuare* rivers come together to form the *Ishtene* River, and wheat fields blanket the small valley. When the basin along the *Ishtene* gives way to the gradually increasing face of *Jorchiktele*, the wheat fields transform into terraces, although these earthworks do not extend more than two-hundred feet above their lowland counterparts. Above the terraces come squat clay houses, where the majority of Jorchiktele’s people lived. These abodes had a single doorway in and out, and were constructed from the clay sediments harvested in the basin below. Above the clay homes are the stone houses of the merchants and landowners. While they have the influence to live in larger homes of polished sandstone, they pale in comparison to the estates granted to *betya*. Near the summit of *Jorchiktele*, these complexes had multiple levels and are built out of the finest stone in the region. They are often accented with gold and copper, two ores long associated with the nobility. Just beneath the final summit are two perfectly square buildings, cast in an amber hue as the flames of a thousand torches lick the polished granite surfaces. Even from this distance, Nakabno could see the metallic iconography catching in the light of the flames, a symbol of authority as resolute as the ground beneath his feet. Even after having visited multiple times, Nakabno was in awe riding towards Asmanakasha’s largest settlement. He hoped that he would soon be able to call it home.
Upon entering the city itself, an attendant led Nakabno to his local estate. As a *beto* Nakabno was entitled to stay in the luxurious structure while he was visiting the capitol, which far outshone his living quarters back in Keshthrute. The dimensions of his estate, given its position near the summit of the mountain, should have been impossible. Much like the other buildings of Jorchiktele, Nakabno’s temporary abode was partially built into the mountainside, sitting atop a manufactured plot of level ground. Nakabno always privately wondered if these would slide down the mountain-face, but he did not dare question his countrymen’s craftsmanship. Despite these concerns Nakabno had a wonderful night’s sleep, and around noon donned his ceremonial woolen robes to ascend the cobblestone path towards the Royal Palace.
After being ushered in by royal attendants, Nakabno found himself at the center of the palatial complex. The sturdy roof that covered the majority of the building gave way to an open circular courtyard, dotted with fire pits to keep the participants warm in the winter air. Alongside the lack of roofing, the polished granite floors of the palace were replaced with the bare earth of the mountain. Arranged in a circle were a collection of wooden seats and a single floor mat, all of which were empty when Nakabno had arrived. Early once again, that must count for something, he thought to himself.
As noon drew closer, the other *betya* entered the courtyard. Following them was Ajarma, the priestess of Jorchiktele, and finally King Damiharthro of Anagekh. In the few months since Nakabno had last seen the aged King, his eyes had become even more sunken, and his arms looked like branches in the depths of winter. He had already shed the royal white robes, but atop his head he still wore the Royal Crown. The King waddled to his rightful place on the floor mat, and Ajarma helped him take his seat. Despite his decrepit appearance, King Damiharthro wore a proud smile. After all, his burdens in life were about to be lightened at last.
Once everyone had arrived, Ajarma stepped into the center of the circle. Striking her *mashthra* and listening to it’s holy resonance, Ajarma announced with a thundering voice,
“The Gods have willed the selection of our next King, deliberation has begun!”
With this announcement, the many *betya* took their opportunities to speak during their allotted time. Each of these men had been elected in a similar process by their Mine-Clans, whether due to their work ethic, personal charisma, or raw talent when it came to mining and smelting. In addition to these qualities, the men were now to be judged by their administrative careers as well. King Damiharthro heard the arguments of the *betya* with increasing disinterest, it was clear this long process was wearing out the already weak King. Nonetheless, he remained awake long enough to hear all of the *betya* make their pitches, after which the debates began.
It was now up to the representatives to pick the leader they would rally behind through a voting process. The new King would require all other members to vote for him, so as could be imagined the selection process could last days or even weeks. Before Nakabno got a second opportunity to speak, the winter sun had already set, signaling the end of the day’s discussions. The *betya* left the courtyard and headed to their respective manors for the night, but as they say politics do not sleep. Nakabno spent the night hosting a grand celebration for his fellow *betya*, hoping that his own personal charisma would be enough to secure his place as the King of Asmanakashra.
Four days after deliberation had begun, Nakabno's plan had paid off. Upon entering the courtyard, everyone in attendance agreed to vote for their pleasant host. King Damiharthro, having seen Nakabno’s success only months prior, agreed with the verdict. After the striking of the *mashthra*, Ajarma carefully removed the Royal Crown from Damiharthro’s head and placed it on Nakabno’s. This artifact had been passed between kings for centuries, a golden ring studded with limestone, sandstone, and granite on the band. At the center of the forehead, the brand dipped towards the nose, the central bridge adorned with copper and iron stones. The Royal Crown fit Nakabno perfectly, and a wide smile spread across his face.
“Hail King Nakabno of Keshthrute!” shouted Ajarma.
“Hail! Hail! Hail!” came a chorus of voices.
Once the ceremony was completed, Damiharthro pulled King Nakabno aside.
“You know my liege, the title of King is a heavy burden to bear. When I was first chosen decades ago the title had been perfunctory, and my role mattered very little in the grand scheme of the Kingdom. But things are changing. In the past few years, there have been reports of other kingdoms ascending, even those who once yoked us in chains. This has the potential to be an unstable time, King Nakabno, and all I ask is that you rule well.”
“Thank you for this advice, Damiharthro of Anagekh. May your ground be stable.”
“May your ground be stable, King Nakabno of Keshthrute.”
***
Claim Name: The Kingdom of Asmanakashra
Claim Type: Confederation of the Mine-Clans/State
Starting Age: Iron Age
Map: [here](https://imgur.com/a/tjyY3dV)
Technology: Writing, Bronze Working, Iron Working, Horse Domestication

I have a friend from the States in her 20s that has dual citizenship and wants to come here for college.
She is in college late as she has struggled with severe ADHD that only got treated at 19.
She's is on Desoxyn (methamphetamine) and concerned about not getting it. I don't think it's even available here.
I have heard bad stories about having to pay €600 - €1000 or going on the public waiting list which might take several years. She doesn't have a lot of money and what she has will probably go to rent, food, and transport.

So I(42M) and my wife(39F) have been married for 12 years now. We have a 7 year old daughter. My wife is a SAHM and we're happy with this arrangement because I work a lot(I'm a heart surgeon) and we wanted our daughter to have adequate attention from at least one parent. Moreover, my wife didn't want to pursue her career after she conceived.
My family has always been very vocal about women getting educated and working even after marriage. My mother, my sisters, my aunts. All of them are highly educated and have successful careers.
When we got married, she was working as an elementary school teacher. My mother didn't approve of our marriage because she wanted a more career oriented woman for me. But she came around after about a year of our marriage because I told her straight up that I didn't like her disrespecting my wife and we couldn't meet anymore if she didn't even try to be civil towards my wife. After that everything was going fine.... At least until my brother got married. His wife is a corporate lawyer and obviously my mother dotes on her so much because she's apparently "independent, headstrong, etc. etc." My wife feels insecure about it because my mother has never treated her that well. I asked her not to worry about it because my mother's opinion of her doesn't matter that much.
Well, coming back to the situation, my brother and sister in law have a 10 year old daughter. She and our daughter play together every weekend since we all stay in the same neighbourhood. The thing is my niece goes to ballet and piano classes. She also has a private tutor. This is because her mom wants her to go to an Ivy league college.
Our daughter just goes for art classes because she loves painting.
So yesterday, we all went to my mom's place for a family get together. After lunch, my wife said she'd bake cookies and a cake for teatime. The kids also went with her to help. While they were baking, my sister in law came home. She had gone to pick something up urgently from her friend after lunch.
She was furious on seeing her daughter in the kitchen baking with the other kids. She yelled at my wife saying that she has no rights to teach her daughter to be a traditional woman. I calmed her down and apologized saying that it wasn't our intention to interfere with her parenting and that my wife was just trying to do something fun with the kids. But she wasn't ready to listen and my mother joined in saying that she didn't mind my wife being a housewife but my wife shouldn't make the kids be like her(i.e. a housewife). She said that they were trying to make the kids be successful and my wife was trying to do the opposite. My wife started to cry and ran out of the house to the car. I told my mother that I wouldn't be crossing her doorstep again until she apologizes to my wife. Then I left their house immediately with my daughter.
I've been getting messages from my dad saying that I should go back home. I haven't replied to him.
AITA?

Is it possible to rent a place for less than a year in Qatar? Like 9 months. My contract ends in less than a year and I might not stay in Qatar.

I put together a list of Australian dry herb vaporizer stores. I thought the list might help others. Google shopping not displaying vapes makes shopping around a pain. I like the idea of Vapospy but unfortunately Sydney Vaporizers seems to be the only Australian store listed on there.
​

Store	Store Location	Primary Business
Australian Vaporizers	Online Only (Brisbane)	Dry Herb Vapes
Cloud 9 Vapes	Melbourne and Perth	Nicotine Vapes
Dry Herb Vaporizers	Geelong Vic	Dry Herb Vapes
High Tech Vaporizers	Online only	Dry Herb Vapes
Hydro Experts	Sydney	Hydroponic supplies
Insta Vape	Online Only (Brisbane)	Dry Herb Vapes
Leaf House	Melbourne (2 stores)	Nicotine Vapes
My Next Vape	Melbourne	Dry Herb Vapes
Sydney Vaporizers	Sydney	Dry Herb Vapes
The Bong Shop	Canberra	Glass Water Pipes
The Green Box	Online Only (unknown)	Dry Herb Vapes
The Vape Joint	Brisbane (3 stores)	Nicotine Vapes
Vapour Oxide	Online Only (Brisbane)	Nicotine Vapes
Vape and Grind	Brisbane	Nicotine Vapes
Vape Culture	Melbourne	Nicotine Vapes
Vape World Australia	Online Only (Qld)	Nicotine Vapes
Vaper Choice	Sydney (3 stores)	Nicotine Vapes
Vaporizers Direct	Online Only (NSW)	Dry Herb Vapes
Wick and Wire Co	Melbourne (5 stores)	Nicotine Vapes

I have limited the list to online stores. Being on the list is not an endorsement by me or anyone else. I have put the store location at the city they are in, they are probably not based in the CBD. The list is not complete, feel free to comment any omissions as well as any off-shore stores that people should check out when looking for a vape (if there are any). I have no financial interest in any of the above companies or the products they sell.

Old friend and I are talking and for some reason we show her mom some of our last texts
She tries to scroll up but I don't let her
Ate a 3 layered cheeseburger, with pickles, and some bomb ass brownies
There was a murder investigation about someone shooting a birdshot type of ammunition against a sheet of metal and a piece ricochets into a third person
Then we're talking about fish
At my cousins house that isn't my cousins house and we're talking about some type of magnetic storage system
Meanwhile a semi truck is diving towards earth near us and a parachute slows it down but the men in the trailer and the stuff flies out
It was coming head on first but then somehow the back end is what was facing us
I swim and crawl over some pallets of stuff to get to them
It smells really bad of batteries reacting with the water
There were three men but I could only save one
He had his hand sticking out of the water and I dragged him out
Then for some reason I believe the guy is scolded
They say something about executives blah blah blah
He then shows me that he can make a slide whistle made out of mud
This dream was like ai. Everything kept slowing morphing into the next scene.

my wife (43) and i (43) moved into this beautiful old house last year (illinois). she has an old friend (34), call her Ann, who lives with her parents, and her bf, Joe, was living with them until a few days ago.
something happened (Ann claims it was dad just being spiteful to her) and dad kicked Joe out of the house. so she asked if Joe could stay in our guestroom for a few weeks while they look for an apartment.
​
i have very grave anxieties about this arrangement, but my wife really wanted to help out her friend. she keeps telling me not to worry, that he probably won't even stay the full 3 weeks, and so on.
so i said ok, i'll do it for you. i mean...i can't really forbid it. this is my wife's home too.
​
i've very weird about my personal space, and i've only met this Joe once, when he fixed my car's starter for free. he seems like an ok guy, but we don't really "know" him.
the thing is, my wife has some misgivings about this too, but she feels obligated to help out her friend because "it's the right thing to do".
​
this is where my wife lives, works, and sleeps. we both work from home. our kids (7 and 9) are on summer break now, and they'll be around all day too.
my gut is sick with all the What Ifs that could happen.
​
i mean, i don't think the guy is going to rob the place, or burn the house down, or harm the kids. i just feel weird about all this, and 3 weeks is a long time.
when you think about it, how well do we really know this dude? they've been together about 2 years, but how well do WE really know him? we've only met him once.
​
we don't even have a TV in the guestroom. i have no idea where this guy is going to spend his time, or what he's going to do. we just have the one TV in the living room, and that's where my wife and kids spend their evenings after dinner.
what if he refuses to leave? what if he decides he likes it here and he's going to stay awhile? then we have to go through all this eviction nonsense, court, pay for a lawyer, the guy could easily cause property damage out of spite when he finds out we're evicting him...
​
we aren't charging him any money, because we don't want him claiming he's a tenant who's paying rent. we also aren't making him sign any documents, because we don't want him being able to claim tenancy via a signed lease.
but he's getting the keys to the house + the back door lock code, he's bringing his suitcases and some of his stuff....it's starting to sound a LOT like he'd have a claim for tenancy, if he decided to stick around awhile and not leave.
​
this just seems like a really bad idea. i have really strong negative feelings about letting this near-stranger into our home, where our kids and pets live. this is the place we worked so hard for, and saved up for years to get, and we finally got....it's our dream home, and we love it.
and now that her friend who barely works and still lives at home suddenly got into trouble, she can't handle it because she's broke and can't help her own bf out of this jam, so she's essentially asking for our charity and to take this huge leap of faith and go through all this inconvenience.
​
they both promise they'll be looking for an apartment and they'll take whatever comes up ASAP. they promise it'll be no longer than 3 weeks.
my wife keeps assuring me it'll be fine, that i'm worrying too much, that everything is going to be ok and it'll be over before i know it.
​
should i have put my foot down and said "sorry, i'm just not comfortable with this"?
am i just being a big worrier?
am i being selfish for having these worries, when i should be happy to help someone through a tough time?

Hello all! I know yall arent doctors, but my pain is keeping me awake (again) and Im ready to explore the potential psychological explinations and figured I might throw a line and see if anyone else deals with similar symptoms. Sorry its a bit (super duper) long! I wanted to be as specific as possible.
It started about a year and a half ago, when I would go to bed and would be almost asleep when suddenly my heart would start to race. Then I started to wake up at night with my heart racing. After some googling I decided to stop eating sugar before bed, because my sweet tooth for dessert might be causing it. This went on for a few months.
Then I started having small occasional sharp little pains in my chest and sometimes Id feel out of breath for no reason. Odd. Then a few months later I went on a trip and felt like I was struggling to breath, like a fish out of water, and my chest felt tight. I went to urgent care and they said my vitals are fine and no assistance was needed.
These occasional sharp pains and lack of breath continued through summer and were annoying but I didnt really have the time, money, or energy to see the doctor about it. Then last December, I ended up in the emergency room thinking I had a heart attack- I was lying in bed talking about my day when BAM. It felt like my heart hiccuped three times, followed by a needle sensation going up my neck and head, and immediate need to use the bathroom. I was shaking hard and walking was difficult. My gf drove me to the hospital and after a 10hr wait I was inforned that I was perfectly fine and whatever it was, wasnt a heart attack.
From then on, my chest pain increased drastically. I recorded it for a couple of weeks and couldnt find any pattern to it- sometimes it would feel like a chest palpitation, a sharp stabbing pain, a dull throbbing pain, tightness, lack of breath, a combination of them- it could be left chest, right chest, center chest, sometimes in my arms. Time of day seemed to have little affect, though it happened the least in the mornings.
Doctor gave me a referral to a cardiologist, a pulmonologist, and mental health counceling. Cardiologist had me on a heart monitor and saw nothing wrong, so I checked heart off the list. Pulmonologist I procrastinated on and they book too far out (closest app is like 3 months from now). Insurance denied councelling, but I expected that.
For a while the pain faded and went back to being just occasional. Now its evolved into something I consiter worse. Instead of occasional sharp pains, its now a constant, neverending tightness in my chest, like Im being constricted. I feel like I cant breath. Fish out of water. But ask my partner and she'll say Im breathing normally. The only time I dont notice it is when Im very focused on something (usually working on a project that demands my full attention).
Sleeping is hard- any position is terrible, but on my belly helps a tiny bit, and if I put on headphones and listen to music it might distract me long enough to doze off. But if I try to take off the headphones, or if my gf shifts in bed, or I get an itch or literally anything happens, Im awake and its like my chest is running a marathon or seizing while the rest of my body is entirely relaxed. Worst part is, I started checking my pulse when I wake up like that, and only half the time is my heart beating quick. How can I feel like my chest is racing when my pulse feels normal? The tightness is in my throat now too, thats new in the last few days.
A few people have told me it might be stress-induced. My gf gets undiagnosed chest pain that was real bad in college and occasionally still acts up. I get anxiety sometimes (but I dont have an anxiety disorder) and Ive had depressive patches (not chronic), which doesnt help in my confusion as to whether or not its a physical or mental problem.
Its worth acknowledging for the mental health side of things, its been a really rough year and a half. I started optimistically, ready to level up and work a career job and upgrade from a studio.
To put it in its most summarized form without going into a million paragraphs of detail, heres my stress timeline:
-Moved into a larger place with friends, turns out everyone has chronic depression/anxiety and lots of pressure is on me to baby their brains and do most of the cleaning. Everyones miserable no matter what I do anyways. This is roughly when the occasional pains started.
-One of my coworkers passed away. We were all as close as coworkers could be, and I think they thought I was heartless for not attending memorial stuff, but I am not good with death.
-Put myself out there career-wise, ended up losing 2 jobs before spring. Lots of debt accrued. This is when I went on the trip and ended up in urgent care.
-Parents announced theyre selling the family home I grew up in and my dad built himself. I leave my gf, whose my pillar of love and support, to assist with the process and work a couple decent jobs while Im there. Somehow its not enough and debt slowly creeps ever upwards. I am cut off from my gfs physical support. Stripping down my home was hard.
-Lost one of the two jobs. This is a new record for me.
-I had to put my cat down. She was 19 and I had her since she was less then a year old. Im not good with death.
-Quit job to fly back home. My family house is now gone forever. Im coming home with more debt then I left with, the opposite of my goal. Pains started to get more common.
-Get new job (#5 in less then a year). Pay wouldve been decent if I didnt have credit card bills to pay. Struggle to afford gas and groceries. Debt creeps further upward. Love my new coworkers, but lots of drama there as well.
-Emergency room incident happens. Find out my job doesnt give a rats ass about me as a human being. I am repremanded for not coming into work. "We dont accept doctors notes for same day call-outs."
-Chest pain gets significantly worse. I am still feeling the pressure of caring for my household's horrible mental states. I do most of the cleaning. I work constantly but am still further in debt. I feel like a child, useless. Nothing I do helps. One of my past employers still has not given me my W2, so my taxes still arent done, a huge source of anxiety for me
-One roommate leaves. We now have to pay more to cover the lost portion of rent. Have to ask my parents for financial aide. Significant hit to my pride and mental health. This is when the chest tightness starts to dominate and I started finding it impossible to relax.
And that about sums it up! I didnt mean for this to turn be so long, so I guess TLDR; my chest makes me feel like Im gonna die for no obvious reason, is this a known issue caused by stress? What are y'alls experiences with mental health affecting your physical health? What kind of things have you done to relieve pent-up stress that doesnt want to leave your body?
Thx for your time! Signed, a very tired redditor in pain who has work in the morning.

I remember back from the early youtube days, 2010~. Ghost videos were rather popular, around the time we got the hotel video where the security guard says the room looks like it flipped upside down. Well I remember a series that followed a man and the ghost we had discovered. The popular white dress and black hair ghost. I wanna say somewhere around episode five we see the ghost for the first time on the stairs and from there we get more sightings. I also remember that later on in the series he moves houses hopping it gets him away from the ghost but it follows him there too. I forget the channel name and all. I've attempted to search for it but either it has been removed or lost in the pages of time. if anyone remembers, it was be greatly appreciated

I am a non-US IMG and have done Step 1 and OET, currently, I am studying for the Step 2 Ck exam. My final year result came in May. So my graduation would be May 2023. Now I am confused between two options:
1) Don't do house job and try to give Step 2 by August (max) for Match of 2024
2) Do house job and go for Match of 2025
I am confused because I don't want to rush Step 2 exam. If I take my time with Step 2 and get done with it by November (for example) then in order to give Step 3, I will need to do the whole process of the pathway verification and ECFMG certification. But this certification will only last till December 2024 because it will expire and I will have to apply for certification again for the next match? So is it better for me to do house job and give Step 2, then apply for ECFMG Certification when the next Match application cycle begins in 2024?
Secondly, I don't know how accreditation will affect my application in Match of 2025 because from what I gather my medical school will probably show as non-accredited

Part III: Simple Matters
Now, on the title. The eponymous figure is the Greek deity of perpetual time, Aion. He represents the inevitable future and the returning past, the cycles of eternity; the suffering, glee, and dread of it all. However, he's not a character within my universe; instead, he's symbolised and manifests only in a few ways. I believe a skirmish game, like a short story, ought to feel this way, according to a great essay I once read (sorry, but I cannot recall the source): a swift punch to the midsection. That is how Aion feels to me, and how a space zombie feels, one assumes.
One of the great works centred around the deeper conception of Aion comes from Carl Jung's Aion: Researches Into the Phenomenology of the Self (1951). Within the Forward, he writes:'The theme of this work is the idea of the Aeon (Greek, Aion). My investigation seeks, with the help of Christian, Gnostic, and alchemical symbols of the self, to throw light on the change of psychic situation within the "Christian aeon". Christian tradition from the outset is not only saturated with Persian and Jewish ideas about the beginning and end of time, but is filled with intimations of a kind of enantiodromian reversal of dominants. I mean by this the dilemma of Christ and Antichrist. Probably most of the historical speculations about time and the limitation of time were influenced, as the Apocalypse shows, by astrological ideas.'
And, here we see the Near Eastern connection back again; and it's one of the few core connections to anything Greek. This is fitting in a few ways. First, in relation to time; second, stars. After all, my humanity is seeking haven across the universe as it tries to escape the eternal Zombie Invasion.
I believe that science fiction, at bedrock, ought to issue a warning -- not a prediction -- to the individual. The warning is simple: look inward for darkness, and fight the many monsters -- demons -- you find within. After all, the road to Hell consists of small steps. Demonic steps. Every time you lie to yourself, delude yourself, or let something terrible happen around you that you know, in your heart, to be wrong. These things inch you, and the rest of culture, closer to Hell (at least, Hell on Earth, which is plenty enough for me).
After all, stories consist of individual actions, or inactions as the case may be, just like cultures. Even novels read aloud, to a vast crowd filled with desires, wherein the crowd, the individuals may act and dream as they wish -- both light and dark -- the desires are forever of the individual. In this way, I hope to set my crowd of characters free, follow their actions, and see where they lead us. The rest is up to the fandomeer, as this is more of an open-source game and narrative.
To elucidate, I shall speak to the subtitle of the postface: House of the Gathering. This phase is taken from Carl Jung -- Volume 11: Psychology and Religion. We may view the psyche as a House of Gathering: a nest of frantic enemies and violent lovers, of the so-called sub-personalities; the drives, archetypes, and complexes. But, most importantly, it is the process of integration. As Jung writes, regarding the House: 'When they come out again, they are cleansed.'
If you face your Shadow and carry the suffering of life upon your flesh-frame; if you aim to mend your soul; if you voluntarily defeat its monsters, then surely you live within the House of the Gathering, and you have done at least one good thing for the world: you have become an integrated personality, no longer merely warding off a thousand faces within yourself, all alone, lost in a dull, silent world.
Jung kindly offers a distillation of sorts, and this is the tagline on this book's cover (which is also found in High King Balthazar II's quote down the side): 'As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being.'
(Note: Of course, I have twisted the House of Gathering notion, in-universe. Within the game and narrative, it's a key Ministry of Aion under High King Balthazar II. More on this later.)

So I know everyone is tired of the moving from NY—>NJ posts…lol. Here’s another one.🤷🏾‍♀️
Need the scoop on the Teaneck area. Single parent w a toddler looking for a safe area with a community vibe. Also areas to to avoid.
Renting and looking for a 1 bedroom with at least parking and laundry on site. My budget is for at least 2k. Open to suggestions on specific complexes or home rentals.
I know the schools have mixed reviews but it is what it is. I grew up in the Bronx and I turned out fine.
Thanks!🙏🏾

I adopted a dog from a shelter yesterday! He is a 7kg poodle ( Dog Tax ) of 7 years. He is from a dog factory where the autorities seized more than 100 dogs. So he never got home trained, doesn't know basic commands and doesn't even know how to play! I'm so excited to give him a new home and show him how it is to be safe and loved. I want to make sure i do things right so here is where i need some advice.
A bit about me: I live in a house with by girlfriend and 2 cats (that are used to dogs). We both work from home 100% of the time and we are pretty much always home except for occasional weekends to go see family (2.5h car drive. we plan to bring the dog to those). We had dogs in our families before but never adopted one from a shelter.
The dog is not used to pee/poop outside. In the factory where he was, dogs were never brought outside so the floors were full of urine and excrement. I was thinking for the first weeks to have him in a pen next to me in my office in the basement and bring him outside every 2-3 hours to greet him with treats every time he do his business. For the nights I plan to have him sleep in a crate in a room upstairs. Obviously I plan to let him free in the house with me during my lunch break, evenings and weekends and once he is fully house trained. I'm scared that if i dont do that i will find surprises everywhere in the house.
Is this a good way to train him ? will i create other problems by doing so ? (ex: attachment anxiety etc.) Also should I only focus on house train him before i teach him basic commands (sit, wait etc.) or it's fine to mix both? Any other things i should know/do ?
Thanks for your help!
TLDR; Adopted a foster dog that is not house trained. I plan to have him next to me all the time or in a crate at night to make sure he doesnt pee/poop inside and bring him outside every 2-3hours. Is this a good way to train an adult dog that is not used to go outside?

I recently just graduated from college and I’ve been living at home since. It’s been one month and I cannot stand being with my mom. She’s emotionally and physically abused me since I was in high school and it only got “better” because I was away (1.5hrs) at school.
I got into an argument with her about how shitty of a person she is and I brought up how my older sister and dad have left the house because of her. She went on to say we were the problem, and that I’m ungrateful because she puts a roof over my head and pays the bills. I can’t stand when she holds that against me because she has not helped me ever since I started college.
Two days prior I told her she only provides for my older sister, while I am struggling on my own. I said it’s not fair that she gets a car, you give her money all the time and paid for her private college tuition. Mind you, I chose to stay in state to not burden my family financially. I told her it’s not fair that everything was handed to my older sister and I have to work for everything I earn. She proceeds to tell me that there is no fairness in this house and because my sister is “struggling” she deserves the help more. Her struggles = living a lavish life. She travels all the time, goes out, lives in Boston. My mom basically fuels her expensive lifestyle and I on the other hand live a simple frugal life because I don’t want to burden anyone. It just doesn’t make sense why my mom complains about my sisters spending habits, yet provides her with the money??
The point of all of this is, I am looking to begin my PhD program in fall 2023. I would be working as a researcher and the salary is not a lot <35k. I want to move out within the next couple weeks but I am unsure of where I am going to get the funds. I have money saved up and I am working but it is an inconsistent job. I’m not sure if going back to school is financially right. I also should mention I have a four year old sister that I don’t want to leave with my narcissistic mom. I need advice

I am a 31 year old female. My ex partner is also female. We discussed having a child together as we were with each other for a few years, but I did not want to at the time. I already have a nearly 11 year old son who has SEMH issues and I myself have several mental health conditions that I am working on.
Stupidly, at a low point in the relationship, I got close with someone else and ended up cheating. I don’t know why, and I felt guilty and hated myself after. By this point in the relationship, it was already going downhill, communication was scarce, physical activity was scarce, I was severely depressed, felt alone, unwanted. So to feel desirable again, I wanted that. I needed that. This person ruined a lot and I had to drop out of uni because of this person and they were extremely toxic. They had a huge grip on me and I’m not sure why but I guess sometimes I can be quite vulnerable.
I came clean to my partner and we were going to work through it, but we were stuck with a dog from the person I had cheated with (he got dumped on us), I absolutely hated this dog and he was not a good fit for the house and our other dogs. My partner however loved him and I tried for months to make it work. After one particularly bad fight between two of the dogs, I told my partner they would have to go and stay somewhere else with the dog until he was rehomed. This was discussed a lot and he was going to stay with her dad. We live at opposite ends of the country. So she leaves. There isn’t really any animosity, but we can’t have the dogs attacking each other.
We continue to talk, text, FaceTime etc. After a few weeks of heavy discussions we decided to call it quits for a bit as something clearly wasn’t working in the relationship. At the time I was addicted to prescription medication, self harming, slipping back into eating disorder behaviours, and just generally severely depressed. After two overdoses and another stint in hospital for self harm, I decided to get myself help. My best friend was very supportive. Not long after I got into ‘recovery’ which really was just methadone and not a whole lot else apart from being on waiting lists and trying to just get through the days really. Fast forward and me, my ex, and my best friend fall out. I suspected they were talking about me being my back and I found out they were after seeing the messages. This immediately vilified my feelings of paranoia as I originally put it down to my mental health.
We fell out, I spent hours deleting every single picture of any of us at all on every social media and cloud backup I have. I’m very good at cutting people off and didn’t really bat an eyelid, as much as I did miss them I didn’t even think of them at the same time?
Subsequently I ended up talking to them both again, mainly because of messages that needed to be sent. We all sort of moved on and all was fine. The past two weeks I have been unwell due to starting and then coming off a new medication. I also had a major mood dip and went from ‘okay’ to extremely suicidal in a matter of minutes for days. This is pretty normal for me, so I tried to just ride the waves. Still speaking to my ex everyday, talking about how we could make it work, what could we do to make it work etc. I made sure I kept on track getting better for my son and with the thinking that eventually me and my ex would end up back together again due to the numerous, extensive conversations we had had. I always knew she wanted a child, I told her it wasn’t the right time for me and I was unsure, but at the same time we spoke of all different scenarios of us pregnant and how it would work.
Fast forward to this week, my friend shows me something on her phone and I see my exes picture there. Normally not a problem except that my ex said she doesn’t speak to her so instantly my head went into overdrive thinking they were talking about me. I asked my best friend about it and she said ‘Oh, we talk all the time’ which was a lie right to my face. I called her out on it and said well that’s not what my ex says etc. The rest of the ride home I feel really uncomfortable because I feel paranoid and I know something is happening.
Later that night, my ex texts me and tells me she’s pregnant. She hadn’t even told me she was trying. Turns out my best friend knew before me, and had been keeping it from me. I get that it wasn’t her news to share, but considering she is meant to be my best friend, she should’ve known how upset I would be. I flipped. I was livid at my best friend for lying to my face and keeping that secret from me. I text my ex congratulations but in reality I think they are now dead to me. I have told my family and other associates of my ex that if I see or hear of her or the baby they will also be out of my life. I do not care if it is a boy or a girl, I never want to see a picture of it or my ex again.
In my opinion, me and my ex were going to make another go of it and I was actually planning to surprise her when my son finished primary school (6 weeks left) by potentially relocating. This was another factor in me trying to get better, as I wanted to BE better for us. I believe we would’ve eventually had a child as we had spoken about it in depth but as I had said it was not the right time.
I feel extremely betrayed by both of them and the anger is like something I’ve never felt before. I feel so upset and hurt and confused and every single emotion there is except happy and full of joy for her.
My best friend thinks it’s pathetic that I’m pissed at her but she literally lied to me and knew it was coming and knew I was already in a fragile mental state. She does not understand how I feel betrayed and I asked her several times to leave me alone as I wanted to be alone but she kept pushing the argument, so I blocked her. Oh, my best friend is also a mental health nurse, so you’d think that having a best friend with EUPD plus other things would maybe make her think ‘yeah she probably will be more upset than the average person’ but no. I’m just pathetic. I haven’t spoken to my ex as she is on holiday and as much as she has betrayed me when I thought we were working towards being together again, I don’t want to spoil her holiday. Since my best friend called me pathetic etc and basically insinuated that I was over reacting, I want to know if I am over reacting?

First Previous [Next]()
Two days later Nathan Sophie and Jim were standing on the bridge, all three had chosen their outfits properly. Sophie and Nathan were dressed as opulently as possible, Nathan in his armoured empire battle suit shining white and gold, his helmet tucked under one arm and a rusty Kettle held in the nook of his other. His hand white knuckle gripping the thing from inside his suit.
Sophie was dressed in her own imperial regalia, a large ornate headdress was bedazzled with jewels, her face was painted white with silver and sapphire paint across her cheeks, a single line of gold going down her black lips. She’d chosen a jade dress embroidered in silver which billowed with smoke around her feet.
Jim was dressed the same way he was the day Nathan found the kettle, ripped and worn clothing that bore the weight of years hung off him but his hair was neatly trimmed and freshly combed, a few days of beard growth was evident on his face and his eyes were tired, red around the edges and he had bags underneath them.
They all stood in a triangle alone on the bridge in silence, the soldiers all standing guard at each end giving them distance, they had already said their goodbyes. And Nathan had spent all of the previous day reading and re-reading the wish he was going to make.
Sophie reached out and gently took Nathan's helmet from him and nodded at him. He took a shaky breath and began.
“I Lord Nathan…” he starts but fails to complete the sentence as a lump forms in his throat.
He takes another breath and starts again. “I. Lord Nnnn” athan wish that my friend and Djinn, Jim, be reborn. Come on and say it! He screams in his head but the lump is there like an anchor on his tongue preventing the words from forming.
Jim looks at him and smiles. “Its alright kid.”
“No it's not.” Nathan complains. “I'm losing you and I accept that Jim, and it makes sense that it's here but.”
“But what?”
“The guy who comes afterwards…what’ll he think when he’s born on the wrong planet.”
The two Djinn look at Nathan for a few seconds and then Jim nods. “Yea. I suppose you’re right, it's not about me anymore it's about him.” he says, taking a look around before sighing. “Well it was good to spend some time here anyway. What are we going to do with the rest of the day then?”
“I have an idea…my lord ” one of the soldiers says moving closer.
“Go ahead,” Nathan replies as the man stops a few feet away from the group.
“Back to the ship. Fly it over Buckingham and let the world know who you are.” the soldier says.
Jim looks at the man and then to Nathan. “You were going to do something similar anyway. Did you figure out a nonlethal method yet?”
“Yea, one of the lads borrowed a SA80, fired a mag at one of us a few fields over. Didn't drain the shield so a dozen of us will be a lot harder to stop…that's provided the royal guard shoot on sight. If we drop from a big ass plane hovering over and ask to meet the queen we’ll probably get a meeting.” the soldier says.
“Did you run this by Cave?”
“Not yet Sir.”
“Get on it. Have the others pack up, leave anything we don't need for the security team. We’re heading back to the ship.” Nathan orders.
Four hours later the sun is at its peak as the Hello Kitty’s Revenge drifted as slowly as it could down across London. Attack helicopters flanked it, guns pointed as jets flew overhead, on the ships speaker as quiet as they could make it and still hear the voices of several pilots were demanding the ship alter course, Fly higher, surrender or be destroyed. As if the first or second volley of missiles had done anything to them so far. They hadn't shot at them since the ship entered London's airspace but that might change. As Trafalgar square drifted out of view, hidden by the belly of his ship.
“Lower the landing gear and stop us just over the gates. Keep her about 30 metres in the air at least.” Nathan tells Jim who was in the pilots chair, before marching out of the cockpit accompanied by Sophie, Cave and the 10 soldiers all wearing their full suits, sabres at the ready, guns on their backs. The plan was to go in, let their shields take the brunt of anything coming their way and cut through anything put in the way.
He walked with his helmet under one arm to the forward landing strut and stood at the end as it juddered down an inch before lowering smoothly revealing a crowd of civilians, a number of armed police outside the gate and a small squad of royal guards gathering inside the courtyard. Sophie waited at the top of the stairs whilst his own soldiers formed two lines behind him. One of the helicopters, a gunship, bravely flew in front of the ship and he stared at the pilot for a few seconds before looking away. The gunship pilot seemed to take the hint because it slid backwards before rising up and flying away leaving them a clear path to the palace.
He watched for over a minute as Jim carefully piloted his cruiser until it was hovering nose first over the courtyard.
“Everyone ready?” he asked not looking behind him.
“Yes sir! We drop on go, you drop after us.” Cave replied. He put his helmet on and heard Cave through the helmet speaker count down from 3.
On ‘go’ the soldiers all step off to the left and right, plummeting briefly before using their suits' flight packs to drop slowly and in formation. Nathan waits for them to land and form a wedge before stepping forwards and plummeting himself. Instead of controlling his fall from the get go however Nathan waits until he’s about a second from becoming paste before full powering his flight system, jets of flame coming from his back and feet whilst tiny bursts of gas come from the front of his suit keeping him stable as he slams into the ground right in the middle of his guards.
“Surrender! Drop the weapon or be fired upon!” one of the royal guard shouts. As he and the rest of his squad take aim at Nathan's group.
In response Cave, who was at the tip of the wedge formation, steps forwards. “Lord Nathan has a meeting with the queen,” he announces.
There's silence for a few seconds. “Drop your weapons final warning!” the Guard shouts again.
“No.” Cave replies. “Let us pass or start shooting.”
The guard hesitates, apparently listening to someone before closing one eye and shooting a single round at Cave. The bullet sparks against his shield before the rest of his squad open fire, shooting single rounds into Cave and the soldiers who stand there blades ready.
When the magazines run empty the royal guards start falling back and reloading. “Advance.” Cave orders and as one his squad move forwards swords at the ready. Nathan follows after them, remaining inside the formation as they walk towards the main entrance of the palace.
Nearly twenty seconds later we’re close to the main door of the palace when shouts of “Hold fire!” ring out and the Royal guard to their credit immediately stop firing, which was lucky since some of the shield readouts on Nathan's HUD were running very low. Cave’s in particular was in the red, not that losing his shield would even slow the man down at this point.
The Guard wait as a man comes out in an odd uniform and speaks to them. “We are to escort you to her majesty.” the Guard captain shouts, the gunfire probably deafened him slightly.
Cave nods and once the door is hastily opened by the guard we head inside. “Sheathe blades” Nathan orders quietly and everyone's silver blades vanish.
The royal guard stands back and their leader moves into the palace entry hall followed by Nathan and his men. Once inside the guard turns around. “I need to know. Are you here to harm the royal family.”
“No, there are simply matters that need discussing with the Monarchy.” Cave replies using his suits' speakers.
The guard captain seems to accept this because he leads the way up the staircase past groups of armed guards. There are no house staff visible as we’re led through the public spaces and into the private areas of the Royal palace.
We pass through several hastily vacated offices until we come to a pair of wide open doors with a quartet of guards outside. One of them steps forwards. “Your guards wait outside.” he says.
Nathan thinks about forcing his way inside for a moment but then nods. “Cave with me.” he says, walking into the study.
Inside sitting at a squat, ornate, tea table on an old richly embroidered two person sofa is the queen, sipping at a porcelain teacup. Standing behind her to her left and right are prince Charles and prince William.
Nathan takes two steps inside before reaching up and taking off his helmet and then moving to sit at the sofa opposite the queen. Cave taking up positing behind him to his left.
The queen sips her tea one last time before setting her cup down “So you’re the little shit that stole my favourite tea pot.” she says startling Nathan.
“Suddenly a lot of things make sense,” he notes.
“Suddenly things make sense. Great, we have a genius. Let me guess your first wish was for something fucking stupid. What was it, a million pounds?”
Nathan doesn't reply for a moment. Considering his responses. He could tell the truth but why play her game. “Does it matter?” he asks.
“I Suppose it doesn't. Fuck sake. Well are going to tell me how the fuck you did it?”
“I wished very specifically that all the Djinn Phylacteries be relocated to my home.” Nathan replies. “On the advice of a friend.”
“A friend…they’re not friends, they’re tools…I did feel for the one those Japanese had, poor thing.”
“You mean Dorei?” Nathan asks.
“Slave yes. That cunt of a woman treated her most valuable asset like a trash tool only fit to mop floors.”
“We at least had ours as a butler.” Prince Charles says offhandedly
“Shut the fuck up Charles did I say you can talk?” “No Mommy.” he replies, bowing his head.
“Then shut the fuck up. Useless child, at least Harry had the balls to leave the family…now back to the subject at hand. What the fuck do you want?” the Queen says reaching for her tea. “And someone pour him some tea, we’re royalty not common businessmen.”
A soldier moves towards the table and pours Nathan a cup of tea.
“Official acknowledgement as an independent state by your self, your government and endorsement going forwards to facilitate the transfer of individuals from being members of earthbound states to citizens of my own state.”
“And what state would that be. The state of chaos?”
“Give it a few years and it will be the start of a stellar empire, for now, I have a small city on a planet some 3000 lightyears distant. It's a terrain like world, roughly 60% water covered. Completely untapped for resources…but when you’re skimming stars for fuel and cracking asteroids for metal. Mining iron from a planets crust seems a little redundant.”
“And what do I get out of this?”
“I don't fuck off and leave, permanently. I have no reason to stay on earth. No family to care for, no friends worth a damn that I haven't already gathered. I already have an alliance with an interstellar conglomerate of species. You want the scraps of that. You do what I ask, and in 10 years, there might be humans out there in the asteroid belt mining for resources. People farming on Europa, fishing under titan. I leave, that leap vanishes.” Nathan replies somehow finding the queen's crass nature easier to navigate than some shrewd negotiator.
“How sure are you that achieving long range space travel is possible in 10 years?” Prince Phillip asks.
“I could drop off a ship for you to study and you could have a working prototype inside a year probably.” Nathan admits.
“And you’re asking for us to recognise you as a nation separate from our selves, and to allow immigration.”
“Yes. 8 billion people on the planet. Why not let a few million go somewhere else and start up a new life? Get unemployment down at least.” Nathan notes.
Prince William nods and Prince Charles opens his mouth to say something before looking at the Queen and bowing his head again.
“Fuck it, why not.” the queen says finally.
“Good, we’re going to need a method of communication, shall I just use your email?” Nathan asks.
“You really are an ignorant little shit. But considering the distances involved. Digital communication is favourable.” the queen says waving to one of the soldiers who grabs an envelope and hands it to Nathan, Cave deftly reaches over and takes it for him.
“I think that's it.” Nathan says standing up. “It was a pleasure to meet you.” he says getting ready to walk out.
“By the way, what did you do with the Djinn? I find it hard to believe they’re all in a cupboard somewhere.”
Nathan turns around and looks at the queen again before flexing his presence for the first time, letting it settle around everyone, the soldiers shudder and look for the threat whilst prince philip and Charles stare at Nathan in shock. The queen simply glares at him. “I set them free.”

my dad doesn't need me. I'm just a hole in his wallet and a waste of space in his house. I don't want to die nor do I want to live.
sometimes I want to kill myself just to see if he will care. he expects so much of me but doesn't help me meet his expectations. he expects me to help me with chores but he never tells me what needs to be done. my dad's mood swings are crazy, one minute he's a caring dad and the next hes an asshole blaming me for all his shit.
I've worked my ass off for the past year and I'm finally gonna get a gaming PC so i don't have to keep asking my dad for his high spec PC to play with my real family, my friends at school. I'm scared he's going to take that away from me.
someone please help me I feel so trapped but my dad's mood swings make it hard to express myself to him, I'm scared he's going to get grumpy at me.

So, after over a year of unemployment, I got an interview for a senior software developer position. The interview took place with the manageCEO of a small company that has 15 employees. During the interview, the manager asked me about my salary expectations. I mentioned that due to needing to rent a new place, I would like to start at a minimum of $1200 per month, which would cover my rent and other expenses. The manager proposed starting at $1000 per month and adding $200 for each completed project. I agreed to this arrangement.
The interview lasted only 15 minutes, and it ended with the manager telling me, "Let me consider it and I will reply shortly." I thanked him and left the building. As I reached the front of the building, I heard him shouting from above that I was accepted and could start the next day. The job required me to work from 8 AM to 5:30 PM.
I showed up the next day and was given simple tasks to work on. The manager informed me that we would sign a contract when he returned from his business trip. I worked at the company for 2-3 weeks, performing tasks that were more suitable for a junior developer. Then, the manager called me to his office to sign the contract.
He began by stating that he normally wouldn't pay more than $800 for new employees. However, he mentioned that the secretary had mistakenly printed $1000 on the contract, but he was willing to honor that amount because "he believed in me." I looked at the contract, and my title was listed as "Junior Software Developer," with a monthly salary of $1000 and a $50 raise after each project completion. I didn't say anything because the contract stated that it was valid for one month only (it said, "This offer is valid for a period of 1 month from its date"). I assumed that I could negotiate better terms once I proved myself.
Another detail I didn't realize at the time was that the contract was dated one month before I started. The following day, I asked the secretary about this, and she explained that there was a mistake in my social security application, which caused me to be registered one month earlier. Therefore, she had to make the contract effective from that earlier date. I mentioned the one-month period specified in the contract, and she clarified that the period referred to the time before I signed it. In other words, the contract would become ineffective after one month if I didn't sign it.
So now, I find myself with a contract that has no time limit, a salary and job title different from what I applied for, and I am performing the work of a junior developer. Additionally, the schedule is quite long, and I have a commute time of 1 hour and 20 minutes both in the morning and evening.
Do you think I was tricked? What should I do in this situation?