#april adderson

[walrusmagazine]

The Procedure

Ham, scalloped potatoes, minted pea soup, lemon pie. Ketman went a little crazy with the meringue. Mount Fuji in his oven. The reasonable foreboding in the concrete six-pack of his gut he’d channelled into a pussy willow centrepiece with matching sprigs for the napkin holders.

Shelby was mad at him. After hours of the silent treatment, with their guests about to arrive, she suddenly had at him again while tucking in the pussy willow sprigs.

“What you are, Ketman, is a bully.”

Read more at thewalrus.ca.

Illustration by Lily Snowden-Fine (lilysnowdenfine.com)

#Fiction #Illustration #March/April 2022 #Caroline Adderson #Lily Snowden-Fine

[bisexualbumblebee-writes]

Tired Part 2- Dally Winston x OC

Dally Winston x Tuesday Curtis

Description: Tuesday has been tired for a long time. Maybe it started with Johnny and Dally both almost dying, or before that when Ponyboy ran away. Many believed that it actually began when Mr. and Mrs. Curtis died (which was likely the case). But then along came Dallas Winston, and he saved her. 

Word Count: 1.4k

The courtroom almost felt so cold to Tuesday. Not physically per se, but more emotionally. Though, that may be because she was completely drained after the past few week’s events. Tuesday didn’t think she’d ever be in such a cold and uncomfortable room after her parent’s funeral. And yet here she was, in this courtroom watching her little brother be tried for the murder of Bob Sheldon.

It’d been a long week full of testimonies. They ranged from a doctor (likely Johnny’s though she hadn’t actually met him), to socs like Randy Adderson, Cherry Valance, several other socs that were present the night of Bob’s murder, to even Johnny and Ponyboy himself. Darry, Sodapop and Tuesday also had to give testimonies, but since they weren’t present during the murder their testimonies didn’t really mean much. 

Finally came the day of the hearing. Tuesday sat between Darry and Sodapop like she had done since the trial first started, her eyes on Ponyboy’s back as they waited for the trial for the results. There was a rather long winded speech about how a young man’s life had been taken too soon on the night of April 21st, which almost made Tuesday roll her eyes. She almost didn’t believe that Bob deserved sympathy, but one look at Cherry and Randy put those thoughts to a stop. The judge went on about how the stabbing of Bob Sheldon was an act of self defense considering what he’d been doing mere seconds before his death, which caught her attention once again. 

“So therefore, Ponyboy Michael Curtis, you are acquitted of any charges held against you,” he concluded as he looked over the paper in his hand. “And this court puts you in the custody of your older brother, Darrel. This court is adjourned.” He banged his gavel on the desk once with finality, which was everyone’s cue to stand up. The older Curtis siblings wasted no time in standing up and running to embrace Ponyboy. The four hugged each other like their lives depended on it, and by the time they pulled away all of them were either crying or teary eyed. 

“Come on, let’s go home,” Darry said happily. 

And so they did. They weren’t surprised to see Steve and Two-Bit waiting for them in the front yard, anxious to hear the results. They hadn’t been allowed into the courtroom as they couldn’t sit still nor stay quiet long enough for the trial to peacefully continue. So, they resigned themselves to just waiting at the Curtis house to hear the outcome. Tuesday could see the boys perk up as Darry parked the truck, smiling when they saw Ponyboy in the backseat with Sodapop. 

“Well?” Steve called from the gate as everyone clambered out of the truck. 

“Innocent on all charges!” Ponyboy announced excitedly.

“And we’re staying with Darry!” Tuesday added with the same enthusiasm. That immediately got the boys excited and they forwent opening the gate and instead jumped it to get to them faster, pulling them into a group hug. 

“Well? What’d they say?” Tuesday heard a familiar voice behind her. She whipped around and saw Dally standing there, looking as tuff as ever, which surprised her. 

“Dally! I didn’t know you got out of the hospital,” she greeted, still surprised but more delighted than anything. 

“Yeah, doctor said that I had healed enough that I could go home,” he answered with a small smile. “They let me out this morning. Now, what’s the verdict?” 

“Innocent,” Ponyboy answered simply with a wide grin, also both surprised and happy to see their friend. 

“Congrats, horseman,” he joked, earning a laugh from the others. 

“Well I think that calls for a celebration dinner tonight,” Darry announced. “How about the Dingo?” His suggestion was met with cheers from everyone, which made him laugh. 

“Before we leave we need to change out of our nice clothes,” Tuesday added. “Make sure you boys hang them up.” Darry, Sodapop and Ponyboy nodded and headed inside without protest, Steve and Two-Bit following them. Just as Tuesday went to walk inside she was stopped by Dally grabbing her hand, making her stop and look at him confusedly. 

“Can we talk for a minute?” He asked simply. The girl was still confused, but she nodded anyway. Except he didn’t talk at first. Instead Tuesday watched as Dally stared at her, looking almost as if he was lost in thought. So she spoke. 

“How are you feeling?” 

“Better,” he nodded. “Yeah, the doc said that I was healing quicker than normal, so there’s that.” 

“That’s good,” Tuesday nodded with a small smile. “I’m glad.” Once again they were left in silence for a moment, then Dally finally said something. 

“Listen, Tuesday, about that night,” he started slowly. The girl didn’t need to ask which night, she knew he was talking about the night he was shot. He stopped, trying to figure out how to word what he was gonna say.

“I guess what I’m trying to say is I’m sorry for how I probably made you feel during all that stuff,” he finally continued. “You’ve lost a lot of people recently. Your folks, Ponyboy and Johnny- and yes I know they didn’t die but you know what I mean. I haven’t been able to get the face you made when I was shot. And the scream…” 

Dally trailed off, almost shivering as he thought about it. Tuesday offered him a sympathetic (albeit somewhat embarrassed) smile. Though she hadn’t actually heard her own scream (likely having blocked it out without thinking), she heard about it from the rest of the gang. For a second they thought she’d been the one that was shot until Dally fell. She opened her mouth to say something, though she had no idea what to really say. Thankfully the boy didn’t give her the chance. 

“I can’t imagine how you would have felt if you hadn’t stopped me that last night. You know I’m not really good at these things so… I’m sorry.” 

“It’s okay Dally,” Tuesday answered without hesitation. “In a weird and twisted way, I understand why you did it. You thought you didn’t have anything or anyone to live for. Of course, that isn’t true, but that’s just what you thought.” 

“Yeah, that was what I thought,” he agreed, putting an emphasis on ‘was,’ which piqued her curiosity. “I’ve come to realize that there are a few more people to live for.” 

“Like who?” 

“You.” His answer surprised her and she didn’t even attempt to hide it. She could tell because Dally smiled an amused smile at her. Once again Tuesday found herself opening her mouth to say something despite not knowing what to say. 

“I’m…worth living for to you?” 

“Yeah, you are. And I’m stupid for not realizing it until I almost died. You saved me in more than one way that night,” he muttered. “I’m not in the business when it comes to wasting time with these sorts of things, so you wanna go out sometime?” 

“Wow Dally, apologizing and trying to settle with a girl all in one day? Has hell finally frozen over?” She asked with a dramatic flair, holding a hand to her chest as if she’d just heard the most heinous thing. She found herself smiling when it got a chuckle out of Dally, and he rolled his eyes. 

“Probably,” he played along. “But don’t worry, I’ll be there to keep you warm.” That made Tuesday blush as she giggled. 

“Smooth, Winston, very smooth,” she muttered. “Now come on, I want to get out of this dress and into something more comfortable.” 

“Oh I can definitely help with that,” he smirked, though it morphed into a genuine smile when the girl swatted his arm before turning and heading inside. And he followed her, just like he always did. 

Tuesday had been tired for a long time. Maybe it started with Johnny and Dally both almost dying, or before that when Ponyboy ran away. Many believed that it actually began when Mr. and Mrs. Curtis died (which was likely the case). But then along came Dallas Winston. He was a hood, and to everyone else he wasn’t a good person. But that just wasn’t the case for Tuesday. He breathed new life into her, reviving her and saving her from the exhaustion she’d been struggling with for almost nine months. To everyone else Dallas Winston was no good, but to Tuesday Curtis, he was her rescuer. 

#The Outsiders #the outsiders imagine #Dallas Winston #dally winston #dally winston imagine #dally winston x oc

[enzaime-blog]

Flu vaccine failed to protect young leukemia patients during cancer treatment

New Story has been published on http://enzaime.com/flu-vaccine-failed-protect-young-leukemia-patients-cancer-treatment/

Flu vaccine failed to protect young leukemia patients during cancer treatment

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital investigators said the results reinforce the importance of hand washing and other measures to help protect vulnerable patients from influenzYoung leukemia patients who were vaccinated against influenza were just as likely as their unvaccinated peers to develop flu, suggesting that additional steps are necessary to protect high-risk individuals. These findings from the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital study appear October 16, 2017, in the Journal of Pediatrics.

The retrospective study looked at rates of flu infection during three successive flu seasons in 498 St. Jude patients being treated for acute leukemia. Researchers found the 354 patients who received flu shots, including 98 who received booster doses, and the 144 patients who were not vaccinated had almost identical rates of confirmed flu and flu-like illness.

“This is preliminary data. The annual flu shot, whose side effects are generally mild and short-lived, is still recommended for patients with acute leukemia who are being treated for their disease,” said lead author Elisabeth Adderson, M.D., an associate member of the St. Jude Department of Infectious Diseases. “However, the results do highlight the need for additional research in this area and for us to redouble our efforts to protect our patients through other means.”

Along with good hand hygiene, Adderson said at-risk patients would be wise to avoid crowds during the flu season. Patients may also benefit from “cocooning,” a process that focuses on getting family members, health care providers and others in close contact with at-risk patients vaccinated.

Flu and related complications remain a leading cause of death and hospitalization in the U.S. Children with chronic illness or weakened immune systems are at greater risk for flu complications than healthy children.

An annual vaccination with inactivated flu viruses is recommended for anyone 6 months or older by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the federal Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization. The advisory groups urged making special efforts to ensure that high-risk groups, including pediatric cancer patients and other children with chronic illnesses or weakened immune responses, were vaccinated.

Compared to healthy children, children being treated for cancer were known to mount weaker immune responses to the flu vaccine. However, previous research showed that following vaccination, 28 to 100 percent of pediatric cancer patients developed levels of antibodies considered adequate to provide protection.

Adderson decided to take a closer look at vaccine effectiveness when she noticed flu and flu-like illnesses in patients she knew had been vaccinated.

Researchers in this study reviewed the medical records of St. Jude patients in treatment for acute leukemia during the 2011–12, 2012–13 and 2013–14 flu seasons. Investigators found there was no significant difference in the overall rates of confirmed flu or flu-like illness between vaccinated and unvaccinated patients for either individual flu seasons or the entire period of the study.

A booster vaccine dose, which 98 (or 19.7 percent) of patients received, was not associated with a reduction in flu or flu-like illness. Also, vaccination did not delay the onset of confirmed flu or flu-like illness.

Patients in this study received the trivalent vaccine, designed to protect against three flu strains predicted to be in wide circulation during a particular flu season. A mismatch between the vaccine and circulating flu viruses can reduce overall vaccine effectiveness. However, the flu vaccines in this study were a fairly good match for circulating flu viruses during the flu seasons included in this analysis.

Pediatric leukemia treatment typically takes several years and often leaves patients with temporarily weakened immune responses. Adderson said the combination may help explain reduced vaccine effectiveness. She said additional research is needed to determine if a subset of pediatric leukemia patients or patients with solid tumors may benefit from vaccination, Adderson said.

The study’s first author is April Sykes, and the other authors are Elsie Gerhardt and Li Tang, all of St. Jude.

The research was supported in part by a grant (CA21765) from the National Institutes of Health and ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization of St. Jude.a infections

#A booster vaccine dose #effectiveness #hospitalization #leukemia #protection. #Leukemia

[cecilsstorycorner]

Never mind yall can get this doodle too

#doodles #tbobs #april adderson #the book of broken strings #i was gonna just send it to chat folks but hey i dont hate it so here #have the result of my characterization deep dive i realized i had to run on april #or at least one of the results

[cecilsstorycorner]

Some more fake screencaps! This time updated for the new plot.

I was gonna use the excuse to include the taglist because it’s story relevant, but the real reason is just that I’m proud of these and want people to see them so here we are

Taglist: @oceancold @zielenbloesem @henrike-does-writing-sometimes @dramaticvoiceover @andiwriteunderthemoon @feathered-inkling @piyawrites @halfbloodlycan @kalis-scribbles @swirley-whirley @chayscribbles @ladywithalamp @metanoiamorii

#doodles #tbobs #the book of broken strings #sabina tkachuk #arin casias #april adderson #ollie alimose #drawing #digital art #writeblr #wip #fake screencaps #messed with lighting and colours a bit #hopefully they worked out? #note that these are not in order #theyre just in the order that looked best #if you go from 1-4 in the order there #the chronological one is 1 3 4 2 #if that makes any sense #fishtank

[cecilsstorycorner]

Ollie knew he shouldn’t trust the note.

Clamped tight in his hand, the sharp wrinkles of the paper bit into his palm, made all the more painful by the unease burning his skin. The night air seeped in through his clothes, his coat having been too much of a risk to try and grab on his way out.

It was awfully dark.

He wrapped his arms around himself, forcing down the lump in his throat as he walked. A clearing, the note had said. North of the cart. Sure enough, the trees opened up, the ground turning to crunching snow as the sky cover slipped away. Ollie stopped, just on the edge of it, straining his eyes to see anything in the shadows that blanketed the trees.

Maybe this was stupid. Maybe he should just go back. Go back, forget it ever happened, and tell no one about any of it. Maybe he should-

Something tapped his shoulder.

He spun around, instinctively beginning to let out a cry of shock, when a hand clamped down over his mouth, another grabbing his shoulder.

“Hey! Shh, shh!” the woman before him whispered frantically. “Quiet! It’s just me!”

Ollie’s eyes went wide. Her hand dropped away, as she scanned his face, trying to gauge his reaction.

“...April?”

She broke out into a giddy grin. “Hey puppy!”

“You- how-“ Ollie stepped back, stumbling slightly in the snow. “Where did you-“

“It doesn’t matter, it’s complicated,” April said, waving the questions away. “I’ll explain later. But what matters right now is I’m here!”

Ollie stared at her, utterly dumbstruck. She was here. She was here. Her bright eyes, face flush with excitement, her perfectly brushed red hair falling down around her shoulders. Her. Here.

With him.

“...Oh.”

The smile fell from her face. “What…? Are you not happy to see me?”

“No!” Ollie said quickly, heart jumping into his throat. “No, I am! I am, I’m sorry!”

“Well what’s wrong?”

“Nothing! Nothing, sorry, I just- it’s just… confusing, that’s all. But not bad! It’s not bad at all I promise, I’m happy to see you!” The words rushed out, no time to breathe between as a weight crushed his lungs and panic clouded his head.

April softened, rubbing his upper arms gently. “It’s okay, you’ve clearly been through a lot recently. I’ve worried every single day since you left, you’re just not made for going out on your own like this!”

“But- you-“ Ollie stopped himself. It wasn’t fast enough.

“I know,” April sighed. Ollie couldn’t tell if the exasperation was at him or herself. He felt the guilt anyway. “And I’m sorry. I didn’t want to, but I… it’s so complicated, Ollie. I had to, okay? I had to. You trust me, don’t you?”

“Of course!” Ollie said instantly. April smiled again, a tired, grateful smile. She squeezed his arms.

“Thank you, puppy. I’ll explain it all in time, I promise. For now, just… don’t tell your friends about this, okay? I don’t want them… tangling with things.”

“...Okay.”

April reached up, taking his face in her hands. “I’ve missed you.”

She pulled him in, and kissed him.

For a moment, Ollie only stood there. Let her.

Then, a wave of something beyond his understanding, something that had been tugging for weeks and now surged in a single moment, washed over him.

And he returned it.

He held her arms, letting her hands slip up into his hair, as a familiar twisting pain filled his chest and a shake started in his hands.

She was here. She was with him.

His vision began to swim.

Just as April pulled away, his legs buckled, and he slipped down, face burying into her shoulder as he gripped onto her for balance. Silently, she wrapped an arm around him to hold him steady, the other hand stroking the back of his head.

“I know…” she said softly. “I know. I’ve missed you too.”

The ground tilted. He kept holding on.

She was here.

She was with him.

She was here.

Taglist: @oceancold @zielenbloesem @henrike-does-writing-sometimes @dramaticvoiceover @andiwriteunderthemoon @feathered-inkling @piyawrites @halfbloodlycan @kalis-scribbles @true-trans-space-pirate @chayscribbles @ladywithalamp @metanoiamorii @alicewestwater @nsanleyawkward @little-boats-on-a-lake @crystallized-ink @northernrosewritings @magic-is-something-we-create @wildfaewrites @ashen-crest @wildswrites

#tbobs #excerpt #the book of broken strings #writeblr #doodles #wtwcommunity #fishtank #ollie alimose #april adderson #me: *hits enter every other line* pacing #anyway happy birthday to me i am celebrating with a scene that made me deeply uncomfortable to write #which like........ i suppose that means its working #i kinda want this to be one of those ‘hits differently on the second read’ scenes #obviously everyone here will get the second read effect #because you all know Whats Up with this bitch #but yeah im hoping this gives people a Realization thinking back #hm this feels like it moved too fast but oh well #if it sticks to final draft ill give the pacing a check and edit as needed #anyway ask to tag i suppose?? #like i said this felt Unsettling to write and idk if it needs any content tags but i wouldnt really know what to put #so like........ if you want one in future and have one in mind let me know

[cecilsstorycorner]

Drew a NastyLass as she’s becoming more and more important to this story as I continue to plan it

#tbobs #the book of broken strings #april adderson #doodles #digital art #wtwcommunity #fishtank #ocs #writeblr #this isnt at all how i saw it in my head but oh well #i specifically tried to do A Thing and then just Didnt

[cecilsstorycorner]

Villains - The Book of Broken Strings

~~~~

April Adderson

25 - she/her - the devil - red string

Ollie’s girlfriend

I thought about keeping it a secret how Nasty she is but if you’ve seen basically any excerpt she’s in or read that short story you know that ship has LONG sailed

From a relatively wealthy family, but knew they didn’t care much for her, so she left at 17 and went to a little fishing town, where she met a cute nerd and went ‘hm. That one please’

The reason for like half the content warnings in this series

Very smart, mostly socially. She knows how to wrap people around her finger and oh boy does she use it

Anyway I hate her

SONG: Tongues and Teeth - The Crane Wives

~~~~

Samuel Copper

62 - he/him - the magician - beige string

Eir’s husband. Not technically Twig’s father

Wants the same level of magic and power the Spirits have, but knows becoming a Spirit basically costs your entire being, and it’s essentially a transformative version of death, so he wants to avoid that part

Planning to take the essence needed for said power from Twig through a ritual he’d discovered that would kill her

Convinced Eir to help him with promises of power and saftey

Absolutely swimming in hubris

Just a crusty old man. Rancid vibes. Not a fan

SONG: The Wolf Song - Amanda Palmer

~~~~

Taglist: @oceancold @zielenbloesem @henrike-does-writing-sometimes @dramaticvoiceover @andiwriteunderthemoon @feathered-inkling @piyawrites @halfbloodlycan @kalis-scribbles @swirley-whirley

#tbobs #the book of broken strings #writeblr #character intro #april adderson #samuel copper #villains #writing #here they are! the NastyFolk #copper doesnt look quite like i imagine him but i just couldnt figure out how to fix it

[cecilsstorycorner]

With a sigh, Lavender stood from their armchair, stretching and placing their book on the side table. Their houseguests would be home soon, and they were well aware that if they didn’t get dinner started now, one of the boys would insist on helping. As much as Lavender appreciated it, they had also watched those two get more and more exhausted by the day, and figured they deserved the rest.

They made their way to the kitchen, running over the various foods they could remember having in there, trying to plan what tonight’s meal would be.

When they reached the doorway, they stopped dead in their tracks.

The woman sitting at the table looked up. A flash of anger and annoyance flew across her face, but she quickly molded it back into a pleasant smile.

“Oh, hello, I wasn’t aware you were in here.”

Lavender was frozen to the spot for a couple moments, before scrambling and grabbing a knife off the counter, never once taking their eyes off the woman in front of her. She wore a beige sweater, a faded blue scarf, and had perfectly brushed red hair draping down onto her shoulders. Lavender held out the knife in front of them, praying the woman didn’t see how much their hand was shaking.

“Get the fuck out of my house,” they said. Something about this woman felt wrong. They wanted nothing to do with it. The woman sighed, almost exasperated.

“Pet, I've been here for weeks now. I don’t know why I should suddenly be evicted just because you happened to catch me corporeal.”

“I- what? What the fuck does that even- get out!”

The woman got to her feet, staring Lavender down. “I can disappear now, if that makes you feel better. But I’m not leaving.”

“Wh- We’ll see about that!”

“We will, won’t we?”

She was gone.

Lavender stood in an empty kitchen, knife held tight in a shaking, outstretched arm. They stared at the spot the woman was.

The feeling wasn’t gone.

Taglist: @oceancold @zielenbloesem @henrike-does-writing-sometimes @dramaticvoiceover @andiwriteunderthemoon

#writeblr #writerblr #writing #excerpt #wip #tbobs #the book of broken strings #lavender vikhrova #april adderson #doodles #can you tell i put way less time into the art for this one #in my defence its the fifth attempt at how to draw this scene and i just kinda gave up #oh gods i forgot to draw aprils scarf #im a fool in fools clothing #oh well #oh god this is the first one all the new people see oh no #i promise the other one has better art #kinda #and like #any of the characters in the intro

[cecilsstorycorner]

I drew memes instead of writing

#doodles #tbobs #wip #the book of broken strings #april adderson #twig #juno goldspire #(that grave is their old identity btw) #(little shit faked their own death because theyre too dramatic to just run away normally) #arin casias #more to come i just wanted to post these now

[cecilsstorycorner]

Some dumb memes as I untangle the mess that is book 1

#doodles #tbobs #the book of broken strings #juno goldspire #twig #ollie alimose #april adderson #meme #ill probably make more of these at some point

[cecilsstorycorner]

Have some old-ish art that actually has some context now

#doodles #writing #tbobs #the book of broken strings #april adderson #ollie alimose #arin casias #ignore the messing shading and weird facial proportions shhhh

[cecilsstorycorner]

Meet the WIP Tag

Thank you @oceancold for tagging me!

rules: choose a WIP you’re working on (can be a large project, a standalone short story, or anything else!) and answer for the questions below. tag others so you can see their projects too.

Title: The Book of Broken Strings

Logline (1-3 sentence premise): Vaugly magic kid runs away from home. Meets two disaster lads, one very stressed and one very chipper. Emotionally compromising shenanigans ensue

(can you tell I’m not very good at summaries yet)

Favourite theme explored: It’s a bit of a bummer, but digging into the complex ways different types of abuse effect different people has been really interesting and I’ve learned a lot through it. Plus it makes for some very intricate character relationships which I’m not sure I’m skilled enough to pull off but fingers crossed

A character I’m proud of and why: April! I don’t wanna give TONS away but basically getting into her head and figuring out why she does what she does, and how she evolves with it, has been super fun. Especially because I still absolutely despise her even while knowing all the reasons she’s Like That

That characters tag (if there is one): When I remember to, it’s just #april adderson. But I’m not very on top of that unfortunately

Link to a peice/excerpt/post that I’m proud of: Ya boy here is terrible at self confidence but I will say I still kinda like the art for Ollie’s intro page, and I’m pretty proud of the short story thingy I did for his backstory!

Any additional info I want people to know/am proud of: Hmm.. maybe that it’s not just one book, but hopefully a trilogy? Maybe important to note that I’m currently writing it out of order for NaNo so the story might be a little disjointed for now (though I’m always happy to explain things if asked as long as it’s not too spoilery!)

I’ll tag @teriwrites if you’re interested and haven’t done this one already!

#thanks again for the tagging! #tag game #tbobs #the book of broken strings