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rocketwerks · 3 years

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J. H. Harvey & Co.

5 West Broad Street (Office & Sales Rooms)

301 North Barton Avenue (Residence), AKA 2401 Barton Avenue

West of Brook Avenue & Admiral Street (Nursery)

West of Reservoir Street, AKA South Harrison Street (Farm)

[CHRV] — looking towards J. H. Harvey & Co.’s greenhouses, circa 1893 — the photograph identifies this as Barton Heights, but based on available map data, it’s hard to say precisely where

A tangled tale of men who grew flowers.

J. H. Harvey, florist, of 5 West Broad street, has his greenhouses at Barton Heights, a suburb of the city. They cover three or four acres of ground there. He has 60,000 square feet under glass. The greenhouses are heated with hot water. There is a bored well for the water supply of the place, two steam pumps and a wind-mill, hydrants and water-plugs throughout, and the equipment of the place is unquestionably as fine as anything of the kind in the South, and certainly the most extensive here.

(Ancestry.com) — advertisement for J. H. Harvey & Co. — Richmond, Virginia, City Directory, 1891

The specialty of this establishment is the trade in cut flowers and ornamental plants. These are shipped by it to all parts of the State. The gardens were established in 1870, and three generations of the Harvey family were interested in them. They were founded by the grandfather of the present proprietor. [CHRV]

A little confusing that, since J. H. Harvey’s grandfather was James Harvey, and he died in 1857 (Find A Grave). Perhaps he was responsible for the family’s interest in the flower business, but what became known as Magnolia Nursery was the province of James’s son, Levenous James Harvey.

(Newspapers.com) — advertisement for Magnolia Nursery by L. J. Harvey — Richmond Dispatch — Saturday, November 15, 1873

He had been in the same line in New Jersey before he came to this city. Mr. J. H. Harvey, the present proprietor, is a young man, but one of enterprise and sterling business character. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and as such is a participant in all the projects set on foot by it to further the interests of the city.

His down-town office and sales-rooms, on Broad street, are in the heart of the city and on the principal business street, easily accessible from all quarters of Richmond. [CHRV]

February 2021 — looking towards 5 West Broad Street, former location of J. H. Harvey & Co.

Sadly, the original 5 West Broad Street store no longer exists, having been replaced in 1924 with the present building, architected by Hunt and Amrhein. [AOR] It was also the Harvey family’s 2nd store on Broad Street, after moving a few doors east from 11 West Broad Street when the company was run by J. H.’s brother, Jacob Jones Harvey.

(Library of Congress) — Beers Illustrated Atlas of the Cities of Richmond & Manchester, 1877 — Plate E — showing J. J. Harvey & Bro. Magnolia Nursery

By 1877 Magnolia Nursery was a well-developed enterprise, consuming a considerable piece of land in North Side along Brook Avenue. This of course was back inna day before Lewis Ginter gobbled up the dirt that would eventually become Bellevue, Sherwood and Ginter Parks, and before Brook Avenue would be demoted to the rank of Road. Chamberlayne Avenue would be the new front porch to the north, at least until 95 was built.

J. J Harvey had at this point taken over the family business from L. J. Harvey, who seems to have been stricken with wanderlust in his autumn years. He died a considerable distance from Richmond in 1880 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. (Find A Grave)

February 2021 — looking west of Brook Road towards the former Magnolia Nursery

Today, the former greenhouse grounds is Hovey Field, home to the Virginia Union University Panthers.

The funny thing is that A City on the James describes J. H. Harvey & Co. as having greenhouses in Barton Heights, which is not quite where Magnolia Nursery was located.

[MTBH] — Map of the Town of Barton Heights in Henrico County, Va. — James T. Redd and Son, 1896 — showing “Garden Tract” to the northwest — (full-size image)

James H. Barton was a real estate speculator, who in 1890 found success crossing a small residential community with a new streetcar line that connected the area north of Richmond with the city. The allure of suburban living found an audience, among them the J. H. and J. J. Harvey families, and it became the Town of Barton Heights in 1896.

The 1894 Barton Heights Directory lists the Harvey’s were living at 301 North Barton Avenue. It would have been their second at that location. [BHD]

[BHPSR] — Map of Barton Heights and Brookland Park — Showing the System of Numbering — 1894 — showing 301 North Barton Avenue at the northwest intersection of Barton & Kersting — (full-size image)

Just two years prior, disaster had struck.

The handsome residence at Barton Heights of Mr. J. H. Harvey, the florist, was totally destroyed by fire last night.

Mr. Harvey was at his brother-in-law’s, across the street, engaged in a game of dominos, and happening to glance at one of the windows he discovered flames bursting from the front of his house. When he reached it the hall was a roaring furnace, and it was with difficulty he rescued his children, one of whom was asleep, from the building. There was a large tank of water on the premises, but this proved practically of no use.

When news of the fire reached Chief Puller he sent over Truck No. 3, and would have sent a steamer also, but could not learn whether there was an available water supply. The truck men did splendid service, and it is due to them that the flames did not communicate to Mr. Harvey’s stables and green-houses. [RD11061892]

(Library of Congress) — Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Richmond (1908) — Index Plate — showing Barton Heights at right & the location of Magnolia Nursery at left

Apparently the Harvey’s need for greenhouse space was such that they were needed on-hand at their home. However, this was smack in the middle of a residential neighborhood, so it’s hard to imagine it as substantial as the operation off Brook Avenue, itself far removed from Barton Heights. Google Maps calls the distance between the house and main nursery at 1.3 miles—not exactly in the neighborhood.

March 2021 — looking towards the former 301 North Barton Avenue

Like any good success story, Barton Heights ignited the acquisitive fires of its larger neighbor to the south, and it was annexed by the City of RVA in 1914. (”Manchester today! Tomorrow... Barton Heights!)

Changes followed. The former Kersting Street was renamed to Graham, and the houses were renumbered to fit the city’s scheme. Today, the former 301 North Barton Avenue is now 2401 Barton Avenue, and the residence that used to sit on the corner is gone.

(Stadium Journey) — undated photo of Hovey Field, Virginia Union University — formerly Magnolia Nursery

As for Magnolia Nursery, by 1896 J. H. Harvey & Co. company was winding down. The Richmond Dispatch reported its dissolution by mutual consent, and later a Deed of Assignment for all of the Harvey properties. [RD04091896] [RD04181896] The former nursery was eventually acquired by Virginia Union University in 1907 for their athletic grounds.

[CHRV] — looking southwest towards J. H. Harvey’s Reservoir Branch Barton Heights, circa 1893

The location of Harvey’s other principal property, Reservoir Branch, is more difficult to pin down. It was it was identified as being “west of the reservoir beyond Richmond's suburbs”, which places it in the general vicinity where two cemeteries exist today. [HCO]

(Library of Congress) — Beers Illustrated Atlas of the Cities of Richmond & Manchester, 1877 — Plate O — showing the south terminus of Reservoir Street and the Marshall Reservoir at lower right

The reservoir in question was Marshall Reservoir, constructed in the early 1800′s, and which was located just southwest of Hollywood Cemetery. It stood near the intersection of two streets, Ashland and Reservoir, since renamed Colorado and Harrison respectively.

February 2021 — looking towards the entrances to Riverview & Mt. Calvary Cemeteries

The 1877 Beers map shows the area west of Reservoir to be undeveloped, with no sign of any property assigned to J. H. Harvey. Twelve years later, the 1889 Baist map shows the addition of Riverview (1887) and Mt. Calvary (1885) Cemeteries, along with a burgeoning neighborhood to the west, yet still no trace of Harvey’s farm.

February 2021 — looking towards former location of Marshall Reservoir — the intersection of Harrison & Colorado shown at left where the white truck is parked

On face, it seems reasonable to think that the farm existed on or near the present-day cemeteries, since it was named for a nearby landmark capable of providing the necessary water for a nurseryman, and accessible by a city road of the same name.

Unfortunately, while available maps depict the Harvie name, the Harvey name is absent. Add to that the fact that those cemeteries predate the publication of A City on the James, which depicted the photograph of said farm, makes it hard to place a pin down.

(J. H. Harvey & Co. is part of the Atlas RVA! Project)

Correction

The first version of this post speculated that J. H. Harvey’s competitor W. A. Hammond, who had his own greenhouse operation east of Brook Avenue at Sherwood, may have had a connection to the Harvey properties. This misguided notion was corrected by the discovery of the Barton Heights Directory and Barton Heights pamphlet. It seems more probable that North Side had great land for growing flowers, just ask Lewis Ginter.

Print Sources

[AOR] Architecture in Downtown Richmond. Robert Winthrop. 1982.

[BHD] Barton Heights Directory. Richmond Advertiser Print. Co. 1894.

[BHPSR] Barton Heights: the popular suburb of Richmond. Taylor & Taylor. 1894. Courtesy, Library of Virginia.

[CHRV] A City on the James, Richmond, Virginia. G. W. Engelhardt. 1893.

[HCO] Henrico County. Louis H. Manarin. 2006.

[MTBH] Map of the Town of Barton Heights in Henrico County, Va. James T. Redd and Son.1896. Courtesy, Library of Virginia.

[RD11061892] Richmond Dispatch. Wednesday, November 16, 1892.

[RD04091896] Richmond Dispatch. Thursday, April, 9, 1896.

[RD04181896] Richmond Dispatch. Saturday, April, 18, 1896.

[RTMS09251892] Richmond Times. Sunday, September 25, 1892.

[RT06081900] Richmond Times. Friday, June 8, 1900.

#rvalegends #rva #rvahistory #brookavenue #bartonheights #broadstreet #atlasrva #cityatomic #coloradostreet #harrisonstreet #bartonavenue

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rose-of-pollux · 5 years

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Ok, so, I said I should make a masterlist of Robert Vaughn roles and whether or not each character survived, so here it is, under the cut--presented in chronological order of release/airdate, here are the roles that @ksturf and/or I have seen (will be updated as we see more).

(Obviously, spoilers...)

Hamlet (Hamlet) -- death by poisoned blade

Pharaonic solider (Ten Commandments) -- death by Red Sea re-merge

Idol Worshipper (Ten Commandments) -- death by the wrath of God (yup, two bit parts in this move, and they both got killed off...)

Mr. Beekman (Father Knows Best) -- survives

Bob Ford (Hell’s Crossroads) -- survives

Buddy Root (No Time to Be Young) -- survives

Billy Jack (Zane Gray Theater) -- death by gunshot

Johnny Adler (Zane Gray Theater) -- survives

Kid (Gunsmoke) -- death by gunshot (after literally twenty seconds onscreen)

Andy Bowers (Gunsmoke) -- survives

Frank Elliot (Panic!) -- survives

Symbol Maker’s Son (Teenage Caveman) -- survives

Hank Barlow (Mike Hammer) -- survives

Dr. Dixon (Whirlybirds) -- survives

Don Bigelow (Unwed Mother) -- survives

Marshal Dan Willard (The Rifleman) -- death by gunshot

Eddie Campbell (Good Day for a Hanging) -- death by gunshot

Miguel Roverto (Zorro) -- survives

Lloyd Stover (Bronco) -- survives

Stan Gray (Frontier Doctor) -- survives

Chester Gwynn (The Young Philadelphians) -- survives

George Jones (State Trooper) -- death by execution

Roger Mowbray (Riverboat) -- survives

Art (Alfred Hitchcock Presents) -- death by gunshot

Theodore Roosevelt (Law of the Plainsman) -- survives in the episode, but as he’s playing a historical figure who eventually dies, idk what to count this one as...

Asa Bannister (The Rebel) -- survives

Perry Holcomb (Men into Space) -- survives (just barely)

Lee (The Magnificent Seven) -- death by gunshot I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THIS; YOU CAN’T MAKE ME 😭

Sandy Kayle (Laramie) -- death by gunshot/rock slide combo (I think; it’s been a while since I seen this one)

Dr. Guy Collins (The June Allyson Show) -- survives

Roy Pelham (Wagon Train) -- survives

Roger Bigelow (Wagon Train) -- survives

Dr. Frank Cordell (Thriller) -- death by falling

Billy the Kid (Tales of Wells Fargo) -- survives

Luke Martin (Bonanza) -- survives, but his fate isn’t so good as he’s pretty much promised death by hanging

Earl Rogers (G. E. True) -- survives

Simon Clain (The Virginian) -- I’m 99% sure he survived (it’s been a while)

Jim Darling (The Dick Van Dyke Show) -- survives

Capt. Raymond Rambridge (The Lieutenant) -- survives

Napoleon Solo (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) -- survives (after 10,000 close calls, but still!!!)

Bill Fenner (The Venetian Affair) -- survives

Walter Chalmers (Bullitt) -- survives

Antonio (If it’s Tuesday, it Must be Belgium) -- survives

Paul Krueger (The Bridge at Remagen) -- death by execution

Casca (Julius Caesar) -- not entirely sure, but seeing as though he is last mentioned by an angry mob out to get him and is never seen after that, I’m going to guess death by angry mob

Ray Whitely (The Statue) -- survives (but his dignity does not)

Neilson (Clay Pigeon) -- death by gunshot

Jerry Hunter (The Woman Hunter) -- death by gunshot or a fall (forget which...)

Harry Rule (The Protectors) -- survives

Parker (The Towering Inferno) -- death by fall

Charles Clay (Columbo) -- death by blunt force trauma

Hayden Danziger (Columbo) -- survives

Proteus IV (Demon Seed) -- survives... in a manner of speaking (he’s a sentient computer who uploads his sentience to a human body as he’s being shut down, so technically, he lives)

Col Rogers (Brass Target) -- death by gunshot (I think? It’s been a while)

Sebastian Rolande (Hawaii 5-O) -- survives

Hud (Cuba Crossing) -- death by gunshot

Harrison Crawford (City in Fear) -- survives

Barkley (Virus) -- death by genetically modified flu virus (saw that coming a mile and a half away...)

Gelt (Battle Beyond the Stars) -- death by intergalactic battle

David (S.O.B.) -- survives

FDR (FDR: That Man in the White House) -- survives, but, again, he’s playing a historical figure who suffers death by polio...

Ross Webster (Superman III) -- survives

Ed Ryland (Black Moon Rising) -- death by car

Stanley Auerbach (Prince of Bel Air) -- survives (not to be confused with a popular 90s sitcom of a similar name)

Hunt Stockwell (A Team) -- survives

Ray Melton (Nightstick) -- survives

Jerome Huxley (Ray Bradbury Theatre) -- death by strangulation

Schneider (Skeleton Coast) -- death by gunshot

Byron Orlock (Transylvania Twist) -- undead/temporarily dead

Gary Julian (Buried Alive) -- alive but presumed dead

Gideon Armstrong (Murder She Wrote) -- alive

Edwin Chancellor (Murder She Wrote) -- alive

Charles Winthrop (Murder She Wrote) -- alive

Col. Gavron (Tatort) -- death by explosion

Dennis Forbes (Dancing in the Dark) -- alive

The Devil (Witch Academy) -- immortal

Dr. Stewart Rizor (Walker, Texas Ranger) -- death by gunshot

Bill Stratton (Diagnosis Murder) -- death by gunshot

Alexander Drake (Diagnosis Murder) -- death by gunshot

Prof. Michaels (An American Affair) -- alive

Ron Fairfax (The Sender) -- death by gunshot

James Sheffield (The Nanny) -- death by old age (I think? I didn’t watch the ep where he died so if someone can fill me in on how James died, that’d be helpful)

Carl Anderton (Law & Order) -- survives

Tate Speer (Law & Order SVU) -- survives

Walter Briggs (Law & Order SVU) -- death by old age/illness

Baxter Cain (Baseketball) -- survives (but, again, his dignity does not)

Mr. White (Recess) -- survives

Vince Deal (The Sentinel) -- survives

Judge Travis (The Magnificent Seven Series) -- alive

Benny Palladino (Hoodlum & Son) -- survives

Albert Stroller (Hustle) -- alive but presumed dead/faked his death

Jacob (Excuse Me for Living) -- alive

Silver-Haired Man (The American Side) -- alive

Carmine (Gold Star) -- alive, but outlook not so good 😢

#random #don't mind me

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funkymbtifiction · 6 years

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Enneagram List Updated

I went through and added a bunch of Enneagram types today. Will update the archives on and off, focusing on the ones that are instantly recognizable first.

Type / social instinct / character / show

1w2 self-pres Elsa Frozen 1w2 sexual Felicity King Road to Avonlea 1w2 sexual Ruth de Witt Bukater Titanic 1w2 sexual Vincent Griffith Originals 1w2 social Albert Victoria 1w2 social Claire Dearing Jurassic World 1w2 social Clarice Starling Silence of the Lambs 1w2 social Eleanor Dashwood Sense and Sensibility 1w2 social Elijah Mikaelson Originals 1w2 social George Knightley Emma 1w2 social Hermione Granger Harry Potter 1w2 social Marmee March. Little Women 1w2 social Meg March. Little Women 1w2 social Mrs. McCarthy Father Brown 1w9 self-pres Levin Anna Karenin 1w9 sexual Geog von Trapp Sound of Music 1w9 sexual Hetty King Road to Avonlea 1w9 sexual Mycroft Holmes Sherlock 1w9 social Clarisse Renaldi Princess Diaries 1w9 social Marilla Cuthbert Anne with an E 1w9 social Thanos Infinity War 2w1 self-pres Andy Sachs Devil Wears Prada 2w1 sexual Alec King Road to Avonlea 2w1 sexual Clark Kent Smallville 2w1 sexual Fitzwilliam Darcy Pride & Prejudice 2w1 social Emma Woodhouse Emma 2w1 social Frollo Hunchback of Notre Dame 2w1 social Kerra Britannia 2w1 social Margaret Hale North & South 2w1 social Mary Stuart Reign 2w1 social Peter Pevensie Narnia 2w1 social Richard Cipher Legend of the Seeker 2w1 social Scott McCall Teen Wolf 2w3 self-pres Janet King Road to Avonlea 2w3 sexual Jenny Lind Greatest Showman 2w3 social Esmeralda Hunchback of Notre Dame 2w3 social Rebekah Mikaelson Originals 3w2 sexual Amy March. Little Women 3w2 sexual Lady Felicia Father Brown 3w2 sexual Porthos Musketeers, The 3w2 social Becky Sharp Vanity Fair 3w2 social Cal Hockley Titanic 3w2 social Lydia Martin Teen Wolf 3w2 social Marcel Gerard Originals 3w2 social P.T. Barnum Greatest Showman, The 3w2 social Philip Mountbatten Crown, The 3w2 social Princess Margaret Crown, The 3w2 social Trish Walker Jessica Jones 3w2 social Vicomte de Valmont Dangerous Liaisons 3w2 Michaela Pratt How to Get Away With Murder 3w4 self-pres Ralph Thorn Birds 3w4 sexual Philip Carlisle Greatest Showman, The 3w4 sexual Scarlett O'Hara Gone with the Wind 3w4 social Cardinal Richelieu Musketeers, The 3w4 social Emily Charlton Devil Wears Prada 3w4 social Jackson Whitmore Teen Wolf 3w4 social Ron Weasley Harry Potter 4w3 self-pres Emma Bovary Madam Bovary 4w3 sexual Edmund Pevensie Narnia 4w3 sexual Marianne Dashwood Sense & Sensibility 4w3 sexual William Shakespeare Shakespeare in Love 4w3 social Anna Karenina Anna Karenina 4w3 sexual Edward VIII / David Crown, The 4w3 sexual John Hammond Jurassic Park 4w3 social Anne Shirley-Cuthbert Anne with an E 4w5 self-pres Theodore Lawrence Little Women 4w5 self-pres Viola Shakespeare in Love 4w5 sexual Bella Swan Twilight 4w5 sexual Belle Beauty & the Beast 4w5 sexual Gillian Holroyd Bell Book and Candle 4w5 sexual Mary Shelley Mary Shelley 4w5 sexual Miranda Priestly Devil Wears Prada 4w5 sexual Rose De Witt Bukater Titanic 4w5 social Erik Phantom of the Opera 4w5 social Wally Winthrop W.E. 4w5 Jughead Riverdale 5w4 sexual Athos Musketeers, The 5w4 social Hannibal Lecter Silence of the Lambs 5w4 social Ichabod Crane Sleepy Hollow (Burton) 5w4 social Stephen Hawking Theory of Everything 5w6 self-pres Beth March. Little Women 5w6 self-pres Jasper Dale Road to Avonlea 5w6 self-pres Remus Lupin Harry Potter 5w6 self-pres Rey Star Wars 5w6 social Alan Grant Jurassic Park 5w6 social Sam Carter Stargate SG-1 5w6 social Sherlock Holmes Sherlock 5w6 social Stiles Stilinski Teen Wolf 6w5 self-pres Franklin Webb Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 6w5 self-pres Willow Rosenberg Buffy 6w5 sexual Victoria Victoria 6w5 social Anne Wheeler Greatest Showman, The 6w5 social Chris Argent Teen Wolf 6w5 social Mrs. Thornton North & South 6w5 social Susan Pevensie Narnia 6w7 self-pres Finn Star Wars 6w7 self-pres Jennifer Keller Stargate Atlantis 6w7 self-pres Rapunzel Tangled 6w7 self-pres Veronica Mars Veronica Mars 6w7 self-pres Xander Harris Buffy 6w7 sexual Allison Argent Teen Wolf 6w7 sexual Ben Solo / Kylo Ren Star Wars 6w7 sexual Brett Maverick Maverick 7w6 self-pres Annabelle Bransford Maverick 7w6 self-pres Ernest Victoria 7w6 self-pres Ian Malcolm Jurassic Park 7w6 self-pres Kol Mikaelson Originals 7w6 sexual Anna Frozen 7w6 sexual J.M. Barrie Finding Neverland 7w6 sexual Louis Musketeers, The 7w6 sexual Maria von Trapp Sound of Music 7w6 sexual Sara Stanley Road to Avonlea 7w6 social Buffy Summers Buffy 7w6 social Charity Barnum Greatest Showman, The 7w6 social Eleven Doctor Who 7w8 self-pres Aramis Musketeers, The 7w8 self-pres Han Solo Star Wars 7w8 self-pres Jack Dawson Titanic 7w8 self-pres Sid Carter Father Brown 7w8 social Alexei Vronsky Anna Karenina 7w8 social D'Artagnan Musketeers, The 7w8 social Josephine March. Little Women 7w8 social Moana Moana 7w8 social Spike Buffy 7w8 Ciri Witcher, The 8w7 self-pres Derek Hale Teen Wolf 8w7 self-pres Jessica Jones Jessica Jones 8w7 self-pres Victoria Argent Teen Wolf 8w7 self-pres Zia Rodrigaz Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom 8w7 sexual Catherine de Medici Reign 8w7 sexual Kate Argent Teen Wolf 8w7 sexual Klaus Mikaelson Originals 8w7 sexual Marquise de Merteuil Dangerous Liaisons 8w7 social Freya Mikaelson Originals 8w7 social Lois Lane Smallville 8w7 social Poe Dameron Star Wars 8w7 social Rhett Butler Gone With the Wind 8w9 self-pres Gerard Argent Teen Wolf 8w9 self-pres Hester Appleyard Picnic at Hanging Rock 8w9 self-pres Thomas Shelby Peaky Blinders 8w9 social Harry Potter Harry Potter 8w9 social Hayley Marshall Originals 8w9 social Leia Skywalker Star Wars 8w9 social Owen Grady Jurassic World 9w1 sexual Anne Musketeers, The 9w1 sexual Christine Daae Phantom of the Opera 9w1 sexual Frederick Bhaer Little Women 9w1 sexual Jane Bennet Pride & Prejudice 9w1 sexual Kahlan Amnell Legend of the Seeker 9w1 sexual Lucy Pevensie Narnia 9w1 sexual Matthew Cuthbert Anne with an E 9w1 sexual Quasimodo Hunchback of Notre Dame 9w1 social Elizabeth II Crown, The 9w1 social Ella Cinderella 9w1 social Joyce Byers Stranger Things 9w1 social Oz Osbourne Buffy 9w8 self-pres Mia Thermopolis Princess Diaries 9w8 social Father Brown Father Brown 9w8 social Gilbert Blythe Anne with an E

#enneagram #c: enneagram

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greysfanpage388 · 5 years

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The Resident Season 2 episode 17

Such an intense episode! The QuoVardis debacle finally came to a suspenseful and thriller movie like climax this episode.

*spoiler alert*

I loved that this episode didn’t focus on many storylines, but instead was mainly about QuoVardis vs Chastain Memorial, with the main players being Gordon Page and Marshall Winthrop.

I suspected from the beginning that Abe Benedict did not commit suicide but instead was almost murdered by Gordon Page. It all made sense for Gordon Page to want to murder him ever since he found out that Abe was intending to turn in QuoVardis to the authorities last episode.

The entire time when they were trying to save his life this episode was intense! I actually thought he wasn’t going to make it, especially since he couldn’t get the ECMO machine as another younger patient needed it more. Thankfully, they managed to come up with the idea to rotate the bed to save Abe’s life- just in time for him to write down the word ‘sever’. This word alone sent chills ripping down Gordon Page’s spine! Gordon Page is as evil and greedy as a person can be. He goes all out to kill people who are getting in the way of him and the million dollar profit. This shows how greed and love of money and power can blur a person’s conscience.

I did agree with Bell’s final decision to grant the ECMO machine to Evan. Evan was younger and had a whole life ahead of him, including a close female friend who was afraid to reveal her true feelings to him. I really hope ( and am sure) she finally told him that she loved him after he woke up.

The whole Gordon Page vs Marshall Winthrop debacle this episode was so fascinating to watch and had me at the edge of my seat. You could feel the tension slicing through the air when Marshall tried to negotiate with Gordon. It was very brave of Marshall to volunteer to risk his life to deal with Gordon, I doubt such a cold hearted person like Gordon would cave in that easily. I really feared for Marshall’s life when the negotiation didn’t go through and Gordon found out that the FBI were listening in on their conversation. I thought he was going to successfully kill Marshall when he dragged him away and my heart sank with Conrad’s when I saw the body bag. I breathed a sigh of relief with Conrad when Marshall turned out to be ok,albeit slightly injured in the end. Conrad hugging his father tight showed his extreme relief that his father survived, and showed how far their relationship has come. My respect for Marshall has really gone up this episode.

The ending with Gordon involved in a car chase with the police and later crashing and exploding to his death ( hopefully he did die) was like a scene from an action movie 🎥

p.s I love how Austin showed some character growth this episode and didn’t throw a tantrum when he failed to get the ECMO machine for Abe. His method of releasing tension in the OR was rather unconventional though 😆😅

Do let me know what you guys thought of the episode, I would love to hear from you all 😘

#the resident #episode review #season 2 epiosode 17

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aion-rsa · 4 years

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Lovecraft Country Episode 8 Review: Jig-A-Bobo

https://ift.tt/33xxf5X

This Lovecraft Country review contains spoilers.

Lovecraft Country Episode 8

Lovecraft Country has never shied away from depicting the brutal reality of the violence committed against Black people, and this episode is no different. However, instead of forcing the audience to experience the trauma of Emmett Till’s death through a visual of his mangled body, “Jig-A-Bobo” focuses on the emotional trauma stirred by his death. Till, known fondly as Bobo, is one of Diana’s best friends, and his murder comes on the heel of her father’s death, and her mother’s prolonged absence—though she has not been told that Hippolyta has disappeared.

Diana has been shielded from the truth about both of her parents, but that has left her exposed. When she runs away from Bobo’s viewing, alone, she’s accosted by Captain Lancaster who questions her, then puts a curse on her. She’s then incessantly pursued by an entity who takes the form of corrupted Topsys, the character from Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which will kill her if they catch up to her. Now, Diana has to grapple with her missing mom, the brutal murder of her best friend, and evil wizards. But she, like her parents, takes to magic like a duck to water and doesn’t need much time to process the reality of it. She follows Lancaster to his lodge and confronts him, and when he tries to convince her to get what he wants, she spits on him and says, “fuck you pig.” Diana is That Girl. She leads Topsy and Bopsy home, backdropped by Naomi Wadler’s powerful March for Our Lives speech, and bravely confronts them.

The problem with the Freemans and Leti is that they believe protecting people means keeping things from them, though it has never worked to their benefit. Lying about George’s death propels Hippolyta into a search for answers, and ultimately leads to her disappearance. Montrose destroying the pages and killing Yahima to keep Tic from magic, only makes Tic more desperate for answers. Leti hasn’t told Tic she’s pregnant, but he knows because the copy of “Lovecraft Country” he brought back from the portal was written by his future son. Everybody is making deals with the devil to protect each other without consulting one another, and any leverage they have individually or as a group is compromised by their inability to act as a unit. This pattern of behavior has become frustrating, and it makes fools of otherwise very intelligent characters.

Tic gives Christina the key from Hiram’s orrery in exchange for information on spellcasting. He doesn’t know what that key means for Christina, but it puts her one step closer to her goals, which is also one step closer to whatever her plans are for him. Leti asks Christina to give Tic invulnerability in exchange for negatives of the pages, but Christina refuses, offering to make Leti (and her unborn child?) invulnerable instead. Leti should have prioritized herself in the first place, given that she’s suffered as much or more than Tic —she fucking died! Which she reminds him of — but Christina gives her the Mark of Cain. Leti is immediately rewarded when Lancaster and his goons shoot up Winthrop House in search of the orrery, bullets deflect off of her.

Christina now has the key and the pages, and her lifelong knowledge of magic puts her above and beyond anything Tic n’em can conjure against her. But that doesn’t mean Tic is powerless. When he and Montrose cast a spell for protection, it manifests at the perfect time as a guard monster of Tic’s very own, like the shoggoths that guard Ardham. The beast savages Lancaster’s squad, which is truly a *chef’s kiss* moment of pure violent delight, then heels to Tic, it’s master. It is a bonkers scene, and so satisfying. I don’t know if it’ll ever get old. But now Tic and Leti have to deal with… All of that.

Lovecraft Country Episode 7 Review: I Am.

By Nicole Hill

Lovecraft Country: What is a Kumiho?

By Alec Bojalad

There are too many heroes and not enough folks saying, “but what about me?” and this is what makes Ruby so refreshing. She cares about things, sure, but she cares about herself most. That is perhaps why she and William connect like they do, because they are both adamant about getting what they want. After the viewing, Ruby goes to William’s house, where he bathes her, and they have sex—after she takes the potion to become Hillary— and it is a grisly, decadent scene. Ruby later tells Christina, “today of all days, I didn’t want to be a Black woman fucking a white man.” Which Christina refutes, “you took that potion cause even on today you’re a woman who wanted what she wanted.” Both things are probably true, and that contradiction makes Ruby a dynamic and exciting character.

Ruby finally confesses to Leti what she knows about magic, and her relationship with sometimes-William Christina. She tells Leti, “I finally got that job at Marshall Fields and you know what I learned. I don’t wanna be white. I’m just sick of forgiving every space that I enter cause it’s not for me. I want to create my own space.” Which is a word. “I can do that with magic, Christina’s gon’ teach me.” Now this… this is naive at best, blatantly stupid at worse, but Ruby has gotten everything she’s been promised so far, so it makes sense she trusts Christina’s word. What is unclear at the moment is what Christina gets out of the arrangement. That might be answered by Christina’s actions later in the episode. Maybe she… cares?

Like “A History of Violence,” this is a solid episode soured heavily by one egregious choice that takes away from everything that comes before it. Christina, for reasons unknown—but maybe in an attempt to feel empathy?— pays two white men to brutalize her in the exact way Emmett Till was, down to being dragged into a river. She emerges five seconds later mostly unscathed, except for pain and bruising on her abdomen, but this is just… gratuitous violence that doesn’t do justice to Bobo, or serve Christina. We enjoy violence on Lovecraft Country because it is earned. White folks who attempt to murder, and rape, and otherwise abuse, are given immediate karmic justice. Christina is a villain, but the specific violence she perpetuates on herself is removed from that context, so it feels like mockery, not a respectful ode or nod to Emmett Till.

If this is an attempt to humanize Christina, or make her sympathetic, it fails to do so. What makes Christina compelling is how comfortable she is in her privilege, and how she utilizes white femininity to protect and empower herself. As she tells Ruby, she doesn’t care about Emmett Till or his murderers. And while an argument can be made that her relationship with Ruby has softened her somehow, she doesn’t deserve redemption or anything like it, and more importantly, she shouldn’t want it. She can be affected by Ruby without being changed. Of course, if that’s not The Point, I am even more puzzled by the choice.

Lovecraft Country gets so much right. Its storytelling and character work is consistently on point. But when it fails, it does so spectacularly. Yahima’s murder is a still a sore spot. I love this episode. I love it for Diana, for the relationships between Tic and Montrose, and Ruby and Leti. And I love that Tic finally has some grasp on magic. I love it except for Christina’s self-imposed lynching, which is another perplexing and upsetting choice, that begs the question: what was the reason?! There is such a thing as doing too much, and this episode absolutely does it. If I could remove this scene, this would easily be top three, alas. We can only hope that there is some justification for these choices in the episodes to come.

Additional Thoughts:

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Ji-ah arrives in the midst of all the dealmaking and grieving, which is poor timing and a touch too late. Tic rejects her, which is bitchassery on his part, but maybe she’ll play a larger role in the conflict to come.

Montrose and Tic finally talk honestly, about their family, and about Montrose relationship with Dora. It was a tender moment and long overdue. (Montrose also reveals he’s dyslexic, which I think counts as positive representation because of his relationship with books/reading.)

There are several folks in Leti’s house when the police open fire and I want them to be okay. I also want them to have witnessed the monster rampaging, because I love the idea of magic being an open secret.

Leti nor Montrose can see Topsy and Bopsy following Dee, and I don’t think Montrose had time to see the drawings Diana made of them, but he should, at this point, instinctively expect something malevolent. If she’s swinging, he should be saying,”what is it, point me at it!” Not trying to hold her down. LOL. How many times do you need to be confronted with monsters before you expect monsters?

Where the fuck is Hippolyta?!

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russianspy24 · 5 years

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Devils in the Windy City - Chapter 2

Summary: Elijah travels to Chicago, led by a vague prophecy about a girl who could be the Mikaelson family’s salvation. Klaus soon confronts him, and later Rebekah is drawn into another case of family drama. However, this trip to the Windy City turns out to be longer than a short stint. The Mikaelsons discover that their lives may change forever. Including every other vampire’s.

Word Count: 4,870

Author’s Note: This story is posted on FF.net and AO3, and since I’m on Tumblr, decided to post it here. ‘Bout time I’d say. Hopefully you read and enjoy!

Warnings: Rated M

Previous Chapter - Next Chapter

Chapter 2: Don't Fear the Reaper

There was a jingle of metal against plastic. A hand held out an old 7-Eleven slurpee cup. The fingers belonging to the hand needed a good scrub in running water, and there was dirt underneath the nails.

The old man who was hunching over had probably seen better days long ago, and that included his worn, tattered clothes. He made his way under the overpass from busy North Broadway. People who were on their way home or wherever else usually passed him by without a glance, but a few dropped whatever change they could find in their pockets, and he always muttered, "Thanks," and "God bless."

He came to a halt twenty feet away from the glass doors of the Bryn Mawr red line stop, under said overpass, and leaned against the brick wall behind him. A smoke break was in order. So, he put the slurpee cup under his armpit—there was already a good amount of coins inside, maybe three buck’s worth—and rummaged in the oversized pockets of his cargo jacket, using his other hand.

Obviously, he had more money than that, which he'd accumulated throughout the day, but he wasn't going to reveal it all if he wanted more. That was not how it was done. Had to show 'em far less than you actually had. A middle-aged man walked by and held out a dollar.

The bum said, like always, "Thanks. God bless," and, in addition, "You have a good night, sir." Then he pocketed the dollar, put a cigarette in his mouth, and prepared to light it with a bic lighter. Only no matter how many times he flicked it, it wouldn't light.

"Hey," he called out to a well-dressed businessman, who stood on the other side of the sidewalk. He looked like he was waiting. "Hey, man, you got a light?"

Cars passed by, honking.

"Hey, man!"

Elijah heard him. He just didn't realize that the homeless man was talking to him. He registered his presence when he heard the shuffling of feet, the jingling of coins, and the musty smell. He looked at the human as if he were an alien.

Then he blinked and saw the cigarette in his hand. The homeless man lifted it and said, "Got a lighter?"

The vampire shifted back slightly. Obviously not because he was afraid, but because the smell of a city street was interesting enough. Elijah wasn't too keen on the new notes, which seemed to be of...general uncleanliness, coupled with the smell of alcohol and whatever else that he didn't want to fathom.

So, Elijah haughtily said, "No. I don't."

The bum deliberately stared at him, not believing him. Putting the cigarette behind his ear, he tilted his head of matted hair and regarded the fancy man. "Got any change then?"

Elijah's gaze darted past him impatiently, to the glass doors, before returning sharply to the begging man. Again. "No. I don't."

The bum's expression was blank. He didn't move.

"Bullshit, man," he said after a moment. Elijah's eyebrows rose. "A guy like you has extra change. Bet a guy like you doesn't even live in this neighborhood. You from the Gold Coast?"

Elijah glared at him now. "Come on, man—" The persistence in the homeless man's gaze stilled all of a sudden. He didn't blink, and Elijah narrowed his own eyes, compelling him.

"You will go now." And an annoyed afterthought, "You're quite lucky I am not my brother."

"Who?" the man uttered. His mouth gaped slightly like a fish. Hypnotized, his head cocked the other way.

"Run along."

Obediently, the homeless man took a step back. Elijah straightened the lapels of his suit jacket even though they didn't need fixing. He didn't watch as the beggar proceeded robotically down the sidewalk, out the other side of the overpass, and into the night.

Elijah had looked up as he felt a rumble in the distance, stirring the air, vibrating beneath his feet through the asphalt. He glanced down at the Patek Philippe on his wrist and said to himself, "On time actually." The watch read ten past nine. The train slowed to a screeching stop so that its passengers could get off and head downstairs to street level.

In 1893, there was no Starbucks on the corner of Bryn Mawr and Winthrop Avenues, and no 7-Eleven or the UPS store further down. No hole-in-the-wall Thai places, or trendy, hipster breakfast joints.

Before 1889, this neighborhood of Edgewater was known to be "the only electric lighted suburb adjacent to Chicago," and was a part of the Lake View Township. Mansions, belonging to the elite, lined the shorefront. Then after 1889, Edgewater became a part of Chicago and quickly rose to the status of being one of the most prestigious communities. So, the homeless man was wrong. Elijah could've been part of this neighborhood, at least long ago.

During the year of the fair, he and his sister Rebekah were invited to this northern part of the city to attend a soiree, which was organized by none other than Marshall Field, who was perhaps the wealthiest man in the world in the 1890s. He was the founder of Marshall Field and Company, the Chicago-based department stores. To say that Rebekah was ecstatic was an understatement, for she loved parties and shopping, but that's a story for later.

Now, Edgewater was gentrified, and many students and young people lived there, with or without children. Renting prices were reasonable enough, and it was within walking distance of the beach. Parking was terrible, particularly in the summer, though that was name of the game in the city. Getting around town was what the El was there for.

The area off of the Bryn Mawr stop was generally safe, but at night, girls and young women usually used common sense so as not to walk alone, or if they did, they had to maintain constant vigilance. This was Chicago, after all.

The train started moving again. It was heading north toward its end stop, Howard. Loyola University was up ahead several blocks, and downtown glittered south in the night, the Loop seven miles away. The beach was just two streets over to the east.

A crowd pushed through those glass doors.

The train obscured Elijah's senses far more than automobiles ever could. He almost lost Liza for a moment, distracted by the grinding of metal that ground on his ears like nails on a chalkboard. He had moved behind one of the underpass's cracking columns so that she wouldn't see him. Then, as the noise from the tracks receded, he hurried out from under the bridge and deftly followed the girl, who'd already made it across Bryn Mawr, intent on turning left, which was north, onto Winthrop.

She was fast, not breaking her stride. The earbuds were still in, but her music was off. The set of her shoulders projected her instinctive caution. Even though she lit another cigarette, and Elijah caught whiffs of the smoke, he was glad to see that the girl was wary. She'd glanced back over her shoulder a few times, as she passed the breakfast place called Nookies, and the residential part of the street began.

Elijah expertly hid in the shadows as he followed her. He had a little over a thousand years to perfect this. One could indeed call it stalking, but he wasn't a pervert tailing some girl, so he most certainly didn't consider this stalking. This was investigating.

But he knew that when he'd finally reveal himself to her, whenever the time was right, there was a great chance of her reaction not being a good one. This he'd have to handle whatever way he could. And this was another reason why Elijah was following the girl alone. Not with any of his siblings.

This block or two of Winthrop mostly had courtyard apartment buildings. There were also a few worker cottages, but there were more classic Chicago graystones, which were either two level or three. Some appeared to be remodeled. Others kept the iconic gray limestone.

Liza, in particular, lived in a two level one, which was right next door to a tall building that used to be a hotel in the '20s. Present day, it was a residential apartment building. Sure, it might've dwarfed Liza's graystone, but her home was very quaint. She lived on the second floor.

Most graystones were very similar. This one had its wide stone steps to the right, leading up to a shared porch, and a wide bow of projecting, round windows to the other side. The first-floor windows were shielded by a small pine tree. The second-floor bay windows were rounded as well, curtains wide open, the light on, and above the porch, there was a balcony, a nice feature that allowed an overlook of the street.

The small front "yard" was fenced in and grew some sort of plant that was supposed to be decorative. The metal gate swung shut behind the girl, and she jogged up the steps.

The lower level was home to an elderly couple who owned the graystone itself. The Masked Singer was seen on the screen of an old television through the branches of pine. After Liza stepped inside into the small foyer, where her landlord's door was to the left of the stairs, she already heard the telltale sound of...paws upstairs.

On the second-floor landing, the door to that balcony above the porch was left again, and her own apartment door was directly ahead. The balcony was technically communal, but the old folks never went up there.

2B, read the metal characters directly above the peephole. The hanging little bell above the apartment number rang when Liza stepped inside her place. The sound of dancing paws grew only more furious with excitement. A roughly eighty-five-pound red Akita Inu assailed her with a half-destroyed teddy bear in his mouth.

A smile cracked across the girl's face, which was covered with a slight sheen of oil in the T-zone area, something that often happened when riding a subway car that was almost full to the brim with people. It might've been in the high fifties during the day, steadily cooling into the forties with the sunset, but subway trains perfectly insulated that cringeworthy BO.

"I'm tired, Ramsey," Liza said to her dog as she shut the door behind her. She hung her keys on one of the two hooks on the wall—on the other nail hung someone else's set—and gave the destroyed teddy bear a halfhearted tug before letting go.

The Akita's curled tail still wagged as he eagerly looked up at the human, his triangular, brown eyes hopeful. Liza shook her head and went past the canine.

Through the small foyer, in the parlor (or living room as they called it nowadays) was a pile of shit in front of the bay windows. Liza sighed, seeing it, and walked further into the apartment. Judging by the lack of smell, Ramsey must've pooped earlier in the day when no one was home.

"Hey, Ollie," she said. There was another girl there.

This girl sat on the dark gray Ikea couch, which stood with its back to the front door. She was watching that show Harlots that was on Hulu. Their television was a decently sized flat-screen, hanging on the wall directly in front of the cheap sectional. Before her, on the coffee table, which was also from Ikea, was a large plate of steak and mashed potatoes. Oh, and don't forget the bowl of chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, sprinkled with feta. For a girl of her petite size, it was hard to imagine that she could eat it all.

This girl responded with a distracted, "Hi."

Liza stepped past the couch, looking back at the headful of thick, wavy dark hair.

Judging by the way she spoke, even by that one syllable in Hi, Olympia Belugin was in a mood. And instead of following Liza through the rest of the apartment, Ramsey dropped the teddy bear and watched her go. But he didn't watch for long. Oh no.

He quickly went around the chaise part of the couch to sit directly before Ollie and the coffee table, and resumed watching her eat (which was what he had been doing before Liza got there) while Ollie kept her eyes glued to the television. In the show, Lucy Wells was at the opera with her mother, who was taking silent bids for her daughter's virginity. It was riveting, clearly.

The dining room was really an extension of the living space, with its own large windows that looked out into the lovely, narrow alley alongside the building. The dining table, which was hardly used, was from (guess?)—Ikea!

The first door on the right was Liza's room, and just as she turned the doorknob, she heard from Ollie: "Oh, yeah, and you forgot to do the dishes from last night. Thanks. Exactly what I need when I come back from work."

Liza closed her eyes and found no energy to offer up an excuse—which was that she had overslept and had to rush to work that morning. Hence the dirty dishes. Hence the poop. Still, she didn't answer Ollie.

She stepped inside her room, switching on the light, and crossed the floor to put her messenger bag onto her bed. The yellow bedspread and light blue walls were a little too obnoxious at the moment. The color choice hadn't been her choice. Rather, the room had been painted by the previous tenants before they had moved into this place a little over a year ago. The color yellow logically was supposed to brighten spirits.

Not so much now.

Leaving the light on, Liza left. The kitchen was in the back, as all kitchens were when graystones were built sometime during the beginning of the 20th century.

Ollie's room was right next door to hers, and their shared bathroom was directly across from both of their doors, between the dining room and kitchen. One of the few bonuses of living in such an old building was the fact that the landlords kept the vintage pedestal sink and the deep tub.

The back entrance, which had been originally used for receiving deliveries, from say, the milkman, was now where Liza often stepped out onto the patio for a cigarette. When Ollie was in better spirits, she too joined. Or she made enough steak for the two of them on their little grill. The lingering aroma from the food stirred the emptiness of her stomach, but Liza wouldn't dare to ask if Ollie would share. Not now.

The street outside was quiet, save for a few neighbors who were more than likely arriving home late and now searched for parking. They made circles around the block. When he'd noticed one of the cars for a third time, Elijah decided to step further into the shadows. He hid partway in the alleyway that separated the graystone from the newer, red-bricked house on the other side.

He was looking up along the corner of the home, that corner of the living room to be exact. There were moans coming from above. They sounded very much like ones that a lady might utter mid coitus. Regardless of who was moaning and then shrieking, he realized after a moment that whatever sexual activities that were going on in the girl's apartment were coming from a television.

After his previous search on the internet, he'd found out that Liza had a roommate. She was supposed to live with another girl. Considering that he still had much to learn about this Elizaveta Belov, he certainly had no idea who the roommate was. He couldn't see much of the apartment at all. He resorted to just listening. But after a moment, he did see Liza's face against the warm beige walls, what he could see of them at least. Mostly his view was of the ceiling and its original crown molding.

The downstairs folk were far too absorbed with figuring out who the masked singer, the rabbit, was to even bother looking out their windows. Plus, their eyesight would've probably been too poor to distinguish the lurker from the moving shadows of the pine.

Having gotten a plastic bag and some clorox wipes, Liza had stepped in front of the bay windows and then ducked down. She was cleaning up Ramsey's mess. Quick about it, she rose a few seconds later, only to disappear again.

Inside the apartment, she lingered behind the couch again. In her hand, she held the plastic bag containing the dog crap. Ollie didn't turn around. She stuffed a forkful of meat into her mouth.

"Did you take the wolfsbane I made?" Liza asked. Her voice was careful. "I know it turned out thick this time…"

Ollie spoke as she chewed. "No' 'et. I'm 'oing 'o 'omorrow."

"Okay," was Liza's reply. Letting out a soft breath, she turned to head back to the kitchen.

Ollie's delayed reply sounded before Liza opened the patio door: "Thanks...for the wolfsbane." It was a reluctant apology from someone who naturally had a hard time apologizing for things, but something about Liza's own tone sounded understanding.

"No problem, Oll." Liza left the plastic bag outside on the patio so it wouldn't stink up the apartment during the night and shut the door behind her.

Below, at the front of the building, Elijah stood very still. Had he heard correctly? Wolfsbane?

He was certainly no expert in mystical herbal remedies, but he knew for a fact that a concoction of wolfsbane was used only in one instance, and that was to subdue, to weaken, a werewolf.

Was that who this second girl was? A wolf?

Next, he heard the sound of clinking china and running water. Dishes. But the sounds were muted because they came from the back. Liza must've been washing said dishes per her friend's request. Although, it had been more like an order that would've come from someone's mother.

"Rams, get away. I'm not sharing," he heard Ollie's voice next.

Then came the sound of paws. He couldn't see this brief interaction, but this is what happened: Ramsey, ever persistent, jumped onto the couch beside Ollie, who turned to face him with unexpected yellow eyes.

There was a moment of silence between them, a stare down, and then the dog finally obeyed. He stepped backward, lowering his head in submission. Ollie said, "Go," and pointed the way.

Rams went, jumping off of the couch and trotting around it, tail a little low. He looked down the way to the other side of the apartment, where he could see Liza standing in front of the sink. The canine was at a loss as to what to do next. The forlorn teddy bear, which was lying where he'd dropped it, was an option.

Maybe. That was until something caught his attention.

His pointed ears turned back, he straightened, his tail went up in a tight curl, and he was moving to the front windows. Akitas rarely barked, only if there was a good reason to. Despite their size, they were far from Goldens or Labs. They were sneaky and very smart, and they didn't do anything without a purpose. So, when Ramsey sensed someone outside, and he released a low, rolling growl, Ollie tore her attention from the television and paused in her chewing, cheeks puffy.

Elijah took a small step back, hearing the dog. Old leaves crinkled underneath a polished shoe, and Ramsey's head peeked above the window frame. The man saw that the animal was very reminiscent of a large fox, or an orange husky, or a red wolf.

"Why are you freaking out, Ramsey?" Elijah heard Ollie ask, suspiciously, too.

Ramsey yowled at the dark. He didn't quite see Elijah, but the vampire had certainly been made. Ollie's face appeared in the window a second later. She too looked out to see who was there, lurking. She scanned the street, then the sidewalk, north and south. The front of the building, the fenced-in yard, if you could call it that.

"Who's out there, Rams? Huh? Who's out there?" A playful note entered her words. Her voice was slightly husky compared to that of Liza's smooth cadence.

Ollie was pretty, her hair darker, thicker, and slightly longer than that of her friend. Her face, rounder, had those slavic cheeks, too. But whereas Liza was fair, Ollie was warmer-toned. Dark, arching eyebrows framed her eyes, which were large and green.

As that green gaze surveyed the front of the building, Elijah deftly snuck away, going unnoticed, even as the dog still ruff'd.

"What's wrong?" he heard Liza call from the kitchen.

"Rams heard something outside," Ollie answered. "It's fine."

Then their feet were moving. Ollie returned to the couch, fell onto it backward. Liza stepped back to the sink. The dog retreated from the window once he sensed the vampire was gone—from the front of the house, at least.

The scandalous TV show was being rewound. It was harder to hear, while the sound of the sink grew louder now. Elijah blended into the darkness, creeping outside of the first-floor patio, looking up at the window of the second-floor kitchen.

Steam rose, fogging up the glass. He could see Liza behind it. Lifting an arm, she wiped her forehead with the back of her forearm. She had those yellow kitchen gloves on. Elijah took two steps back to better see her face. As unnerving as it was that her roommate was an apparent werewolf, he was there for Liza, after all. But what the hell did she have to do with his family? The fact that she'd brought up wolfsbane could've meant a couple of things. He didn't want to jump to conclusions, however. He wanted proof first. The most important thing was to proceed with caution.

Liza's brown gaze was set much like the expression that he'd seen on her face earlier that day, when he'd left the tea shop: pensive, somber. Her brows were drawn slightly, her lips pressed together, far from a smile, but not quite a frown either. She didn't appear to be one of those girls who were quick to smile, or easily amused. She might've been a deep thinker. She looked like something heavy was on her mind. Maybe not. He could've been wrong. This was only what he was assuming as he tried to read her features.

She was putting the dishes by the sink. Once she was finished, she shut the water off and took off her gloves. She hung them over the faucet, but before stepping away, she looked out the window.

Beyond the first and second floor patios, there was a short driveway and a small single-car garage beside it. An old, Ford sedan from the mid 2000s was parked before a much newer silver Mustang.

In front of the garage on a chunk of dead grass, there were a few pieces of patio furniture—nothing special, just two lawn chairs and a glass table. The place needed some sprucing up, but it wasn't too terrible. There was one of those round, unused charcoal grills near the lawn chairs. The whole area was surrounded by a fence, as were most of the backyards of these graystones. At the end of the driveway, on the other side of the gate, was the alley.

There were no milk men nowadays. Only garbage trucks on Tuesdays, and sometimes scavengers with their trunk beds in the evenings on Mondays before. The homeless were known to waddle past with carts as well. And bordering the alley were the above-ground El tracks.

Liza watched the tracks as a train—no, maybe two trains—neared, for the sound was louder than usual. Elijah too looked back, past the garage, and up at the rails beyond the back street. How the hell a person could get used to the noise was beyond him. When he glanced back at Liza, he saw that her attention was riveted on the train line. The rushing trains, going in opposite directions, snapped with electricity and clanged rhythmically against the rails. Yellow windows with silhouettes, which were sitting or standing, blurred past.

Her face was unreadable, almost in the way of Elijah's own natural physiognomy, everything there below the surface, yet all of it hidden. His own face usually obscured his thoughts, leaving most people floundering as they would try to figure him out. Liza was clearly far, far away now. Maybe there was something hypnotic about the sound of the train—because it did something to the girl. He didn't take his attention off of her.

The trains passed each other with a whoosh and sped to the south and north ends of the line. Even as the roaring receded, Liza kept her gaze there for a moment or two longer. Then, her eyes lowered to the yard.

Elijah shifted closer again to the first-floor patio, to make sure she didn't spot him.

There was a clink sound. When Liza had jumped, he tensed. She was turning around, and although Elijah had a harder time seeing her through the window now, he heard the girls.

"Jesus," Liza had gasped.

Ollie had brought in her dirty dishes. Liza obligingly took them and turned on the sink again.

"Sometimes I forget you're not a wolf after I'm around them all day at the daycare," Ollie said with a hint of dark amusement. There was a smirk in her voice, too.

Elijah heard Liza's heart rate go up as she scrubbed her friend's plate, foregoing the gloves this time. He wouldn't blame any human for being taken aback like that. The wolf's heart beat was steady. Of course, it would be. The vampire found himself on edge. He couldn't help it.

"I thought you said that every woman can find her "she-wolf," Liza quipped, sounding bemused. It was a reference to the Shakira song, which Elijah didn't catch.

"Well, yeah. But you know what I mean. You're so jumpy." Ollie laughed, a rougher edge in her throat.

Elijah took hold of one of the wooden balusters of the patio.

"Shut up."

"Can't I tease you? You have something smart to say all the time."

Liza was silent. She certainly wasn't acting sharp-tongued right at that moment. Ollie yanked the fridge open.

Liza's pulse skipped a beat. She turned off the faucet, added Ollie's now-clean dishes and utensils to the dish rack on the counter, and turned around to find the shorter girl chugging out of a plastic bottle of kefir. Liza crossed her arms and leaned against the sink. Ollie wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and gave her a look.

"Oh, don't be so sensitive."

Knowing better than to argue with a wolf, who was feeling the effects of the coming full moon, Liza forced a smile. She hid her face by turning around to get a glass out of a cupboard.

Ollie threw the now-empty kefir bottle into the trash can, which had a secure lid—so the dog couldn't get in. "I'm going to bed. Good night."

"See you in a couple days," Liza bid. Her tone now belied a relief that she couldn't help but feel. Ollie didn't take offense if she even noticed.

"I won't be bitchy then." Ollie's footsteps were already receding down the hall.

Liza was filling her glass with water from the fridge filter. "I know," she said.

However, they needed a break from each other. It was hard living with a friend. And female werwolves were bitchy twice a month, not once. Sometimes their time of the month coincided with the full moon, but not always.

Elijah was calmer but waited still. He heard, "Come on, Rams," as Liza stepped out of the kitchen, the lights going out. Ollie's door, the closest to the kitchen, closed shut.

Liza continued to speak to her dog: "No? You're not coming in? Fine then." The hallway light dimmed next. She stepped inside her own room, but there was no sound of the door closing, which meant she left it open.

But instead of following his owner, Ramsey stepped into the kitchen, not ready to call it a night. His part-time job of security dog wasn't over yet for the day. Elijah heard the growl. Then a scrape of paws at the back door. The vampire took this as his cue to finally leave. So, he vanished into the darkness, around the building, without making the slightest of sounds.

Sensing the reaper's movement, Ramsey ran out of the kitchen and bolted into Liza's room. She gasped as he skidded to the window, putting his paws up on the frame. He barked loudly and his snout pressed against the glass, fogging it up. Having taken off her shirt, in her bra, Liza quickly reached to yank the curtains shut.

Rams stuck his head past the fabric, anyway, and huffed out a low, threatening snarl that must've translated as, "I know you were there, asshole."

"Shut up, Ramses!" Ollie yelled through the wall.