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therealmadblonde · 4 years

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October 21

The Things are getting restless, but their restraints still serve. I stopped by Larry’s place this morning, to suggest he answer to the name “Lucky,” if so addressed by any woodsy denizen in his wanderings. This necessitated my giving him a little background concerning speculations as to his status. He’s agreed to be even more circumspect in his comings and goings. I filled him in on all the rest, too, since I considered us partners.

Everything, that is, save for Linda Enderby’s true identity. I was loath to destroy his illusions concerning the genial old lady whose company had given him such pleasure. Whatever had been learned there had been learned — and I doubted it could have been much in such a bizarre case as his, with him so guarded concerning it — and letting him live a little longer with his fond memory of the visit did not seem much in the way of risk taking. I resolved to wait a few days before revealing the deception.

“Hear anything more about the police and their search?” I asked.

“They’re still investigating, but they seem to have questioned everyone and now they’ve started searching fields along the way. I think the latest theory is that the officer might have been thrown from his horse — which did make it back to their stables.”

“I guess he didn’t wash up. Maybe he made it out to sea.”

“Possibly. I’m sure they’d be looking at any washups pretty closely.”

“I wonder what this beating of the bushes might mean to the Count, if they go very far afield?”

“I’ll bet if you check today you’ll find he’s moved.”

“So you think he has another place, too?”

“Of course. That’s his style. And he has the right idea. Everyone should have a place to run to. You can never be too careful.”

“Do you?”

He smiled.

“I hope you do, too,” he said. When I smile no one can tell.

I went looking for Graymalk then, to see whether I could persuade her to climb down into the crypt for me again. But she wasn’t anywhere about. Finally, I gave up and wandered over to Rastov’s place.

Quicklime wasn’t readily available either, and I began rearing up and peering in windows. I spotted Rastov himself, slouched in a chair, vodka bottle in one hand, what might be his icon clutched to his breast with the other. Something stirred on the windowsill and I realized it to be my erstwhile partner. Quicklime raised his head, stared at me, then gestured with his head toward the adjacent room. At that, he slid from the sill and was gone.

I made my way back to the near window of that room, which was opened slightly. Moments later, he emerged.

“Hi, Quick,” I said. “How’s it going?”

“Sometimes I wish I were back in the fields again,” he replied. “I’d be getting ready for a long winter’s sleep.”

“Bad night?”

“I got out just in time. He’s at it again. Drinking and singing sad songs. He could get us into a lot of trouble when he’s had too much. He’d better be sober for the big night.”

“I should hope so.”

We went off toward the rear of the place.

“Busy?” he asked me.

“Believe it.”

“Listen, Snuff, the boss doesn’t tell me everything, and Nightwind said — just a day or two back — that there are divinatory ways for discovering whether someone’s an opener or a closer. Is that true?”

“He’s right,” I said. “But they’re unreliable before the death of the moon. You really have to have some juice to make them work.”

“How soon after?”

“Several days.”

“So people could be finding out everyone’s status pretty soon?”

“Yes, they will. They always do. That’s why it’s important to finish any mutual business before then. Once the lines are drawn, your former partners may be your new enemies.”

“I don’t like the idea of having you or Nightwind for an enemy.”

“It doesn’t follow that we have to kill each other before the big event. In fact, I’ve always looked on such undertakings as a sign of weakness.”

“But there’s always some killing.”

“So I’ve heard. Seems a waste of energy, though, when such things will be taken care of at the end, anyhow.”

“…And half of us will die in the backlash from the other half’s winning.”

“It’s seldom a fifty-fifty split of openers and closers. You never know what the

disposition will be, or who will finally show up. I heard there was once an attempt where everyone withdrew on the last day. Nobody showed. Which was wrong, too. Think of it. Any one of them with guts enough could have had it his own way.”

“How soon till the word gets out, Snuff?”

“Pretty soon. I suppose someone could be working on it right now.”

“Do you know?”

“No. I’ll know soon enough. I don’t like knowing till I have to.”

He crawled up onto an old tree stump. I sat down on the ground beside him.

“For one thing,” I said, “it would interfere in my asking you to do something just now.”

“What,” he said, “is it?”

“I want you to come back with me to the crypt and check it out. I want to know whether the Count’s still there.”

He was silent, turning in the sunlight, scales shimmering. “No,” he said then. “We don’t have to go.”

“Why not?”

“I already know that he’s not there.”

“How do you know this?”

“I was out last night,” he said, “and I hung myself in a plum tree I’d learned Needle frequents when he feeds. When he came by I said, ‘Good evening, Needle.’

“‘Quicklime, is that you?’ he answered.

“‘Indeed,’ I replied, ‘and how go your farings?’

“‘Well. Well,’ he said. ‘And your own twisting ways?’

“‘Oh, capital,’ I answered. ‘I take it you have come to feed?’

“‘Yes. I always come here last, for these plums are my favorites and put a fine end to a harvesting of bugs. I prefer saving the best for last.’

“‘As it should be,’ I said, ‘with all endeavors. Tell me’ — for I was wise in these ways now, having lived with Rastov — ‘have you ever sampled the long-fallen plums, those which look wrinkled, ruined, and unappetizing?’

“‘No,’ he replied, ‘that would be silly, when so many good ones still hang upon the tree.’

“‘Ah,’ I told him, ‘but looks may be deceptive, and “good“ is certainly a relative term.’

“‘What do you mean?’ he asked.

“‘I, too, enjoy the fruits,’ I said, ‘and I have learned their secret. Those over yonder on the ground are far better than those which hang yet upon the limbs.’

“‘How can that be?’ he said.

“‘The secret is that as they lie there, cut off forever from the source of their existence, they draw upon their remaining life to continue a new kind of growth. True, the effects wither them, but they ferment from their own beings a new and special elixir, superior to the simple juices of those upon the tree.’

“‘They taste a lot better?’

“‘No. They do not. This goes beyond mere taste. It is a thing of the spirit.’

“‘I guess I ought to try it, then.’

“‘You will not be disappointed. I recommend it highly.’

“So he descended to the earth, came upon one of those I had indicated, and bit into it.

“‘Agh!’ he exclaimed. ‘These are no good! Overripe and — ’

“‘Give it a chance,’ I said. ‘Take more, swallow it down, and then some more. Wait just a bit.’

“And he sampled again, and again.

“A little later, he said, ‘I feel slightly dizzy. But it is not unpleasant. In fact — ’

“He tried another, suddenly more enthusiastic. Then another.

“‘Quicklime, you were right,’ he said after a while. ‘There is something very special about them. There is a warm feeling — ’

“‘Yes,’ I answered.

“‘And the dizziness is not quite dizziness. It feels good.’

“‘Take more. Take lots more,’ I told him. ‘Go with it as far as it will take you.’

“Shortly, his words grew harder to understand, so that I had to slide down from the tree to be sure I heard everything he said when I began, ‘You were with the Count when he created his new graves, were you not..?’

“And so I learned their locations, and that he was moving to one last night,” he finished.

“Well done,” I said. “Well done.”

“I hope he didn’t awaken feeling the way I did the other morning. I did not linger, for I gather it is a bad thing to see snakes when you are in that condition. At least, Rastov says it is. With me, it was humans that I saw last time — all those passing Gipsies. Then yourself, of course.”

“How many graves are there besides the crypt?”

“Two,” he said. “One to the southwest, the other to the southeast.”

“I want to see them.”

“I’ll take you. The one to the southwest is nearer. Let’s go there first.”

We set out, crossing a stretch of countryside I had not visited before. Eventually, we came to a small graveyard, a rusted iron fence about it. The gate was not secured, and I shouldered it open.

“This way,” Quicklime said, and I followed him.

He led me to a small mausoleum beside a bare willow tree.

“In there,” he said. “The vault to the right is opened. There is a new casket within.”

“Is the Count inside it?”

“He shouldn’t be. Needle said he’d be sleeping at the other one.”

I entered nevertheless and pawed at the lid for some while before I found a way to open it. When I did, it came up quite easily. It was empty, except for a handful or two of dirt at its bottom.

“It looks like the real thing,” I said. “Take me to the other one now.”

We set off on the longer trek, and as we went I asked, “Did Needle tell you when these graves were established?”

“Several weeks ago,” he answered.

“Before the dark of the moon?”

“Yes. He was very insistent on the point.”

“This will ruin my pattern,” I said, “and everything seemed such a perfect fit.”

“Sorry.”

“You’re sure that’s what he said?”

“Positive.”

“Damn.”

The sun shone brightly, though there were clouds about — and, of course, a goodly cluster off toward the Good Doctor’s place, farther south — and there came a bit of chill with a northerly breeze. We made our way cross-country through the colors of autumn— browns, reds, yellows — and the ground was damp, though not spongy. I inhaled the odors of forest and earth. Smoke curled from a single chimney in the distance, and I thought about the Elder Gods and wondered at how they might change things if the way were opened for their return. The world could be a good place or a nasty place without supernatural intervention; we had worked out our own ways of doing things, defined our own goods and evils. Some gods were great for individual ideals to be aimed at, rather than actual ends to be sought, here and now. As for the Elders, I could see no profit in intercourse with those who transcend utterly. I like to keep all such things in abstract, Platonic realms and not have to concern myself with physical presences…I breathed the smells of woodsmoke, loam, and rotting windfall apples, still morning-rimed, perhaps, in orchard’s shade, and saw a high, calling flock V-ing its way to the south. I heard a mole, burrowing beneath my feet…

“Does Rastov drink like that every day?” I asked.

“No,” Quicklime replied. “He only started on Moon-death Eve.”

“Has Linda Enderby visited him?”

“Yes. They had a long talk about poetry and someone named Pushkin.”

“Do you know whether she got a look at the Alhazred Icon?”

“So you know we have it…No, drunk or sober, he wouldn’t show it to anybody till

the time of its need.”

“When I was looking for you earlier, I saw him holding what looked like an icon. Is it on wood, about three inches high, nine inches long?”

“Yes, and he did have it out from its hiding place today. Whenever he feels particularly depressed he says that it cheers him up to ‘go to the shores of Hali and consider the enactments of ruin’ and then to contemplate the uses he has for it all.”

“That could almost be taken as a closer’s statement,” I said.

“I sometimes think you’re a closer, Snuff.”

Our eyes met, and I halted. At some point, you have to take a chance.

“I am,” I said.

“Damn! We’re not alone then!”

“Let’s keep it quiet,” I said. “In fact, let’s not speak of it again.”

“But you can at least tell me whether you know if any of the others are.”

“I don’t,” I said.

I started forward again. A small plunge taken, a small victory grasped. We passed a pair of cows, heads down, munching. A small roll of thunder came from the Good Doctor’s direction. Looking left, I could make out my hill, which I’d named Dog’s Nest.

“Is this one farther south than the other?” I asked, as we turned onto a lane which led in that direction.

“Yes,” he hissed.

I kept trying to visualize the pattern tugged in new directions by these new foci of residence. It was irritating to keep finding and losing candidates for center. It seemed almost as if the forces were playing games with me. And it was especially difficult to keep surrendering ones that seemed eminently appropriate.

At last our way took us to what seemed like somebody’s family plot. Only, the family it belonged to was long gone. A collapsed building lay upon a nearby hilltop. Barely a foundation, really, was what remained. And I saw that the remains of the family had been adopted, when Quicklime led me into the overgrown graveyard, all but the eastern side of its fence fallen, and that side atilt.

He led me among tall grasses to a great stone slab. There were signs of recent digging about the perimeter it had covered, and the stone had been raised and offset to the side, leaving a narrow opening through which I knew I must squeeze.

I stuck my nose inside and sniffed. Dust.

“Want me to check it out?” Quicklime said.

“Let’s both go down,” I replied. “After this walk, I at least want a look.”

I went through and descended a series of uneven steps. There was a puddle at the bottom and I stepped over it. There were others about, too, and I couldn’t avoid them all. It was dark, but eventually I made out an opened casket set up in a raised area. Another had been moved aside to make room for it.

I approached to sniff about the thing. What odors I might have sought, I’m not sure. The Count had been scentless on the night we had met, a very disconcerting thing to one of my temperament and olfactory equipment. As I drew nearer and my vision cleared, I wondered why he had left the lid open. It seemed most inappropriate for one of his persuasion.

Rearing up, I placed a forepaw on the casket’s side and looked down into the interior.

Quicklime, nearby, said, “What is it?” and I realized that I had made a small woofing sound.

“The Game has grown more serious,” I answered.

He climbed up to the ledge, then mounted the end of the casket where he hovered, looking like Pharaoh’s headdress.

“Oh my!” he said then.

A skeleton lay within, atop a long black cloak. It still had on a suit of dark garments, somewhat in disarray now, opened in front. Splitting the sternum was a large wooden stake, angled slightly, passing far down, missing the backbone to the left. There was considerable dry dust within and without.

“Looks like the new site wasn’t as secret as he’d thought,” I said.

“Wonder whether he was an opener or a closer?” Quicklime said.

“I’d’ve guessed ‘opener,’” I said, “but I suppose we’ll never know.”

“Who do you think nailed him?”

“I’ve no idea, yet,” I said, lowering myself and turning away. I squinted into nooks and fissures then. “See Needle anywhere about?” I asked.

“No. You think they got him, too?”

“Could be. If he turns up, though, he’ll certainly bear questioning.” I climbed the stair and emerged into light. I started walking back.

“What happens now?” Quicklime asked.

“I have to make my rounds,” I said.

“Do we just go on and wait for it to happen again?”

“No. We exercise caution.”

We slithered and trotted back to our own area.

Jack was out, and I took care of business about the house and went looking for Graymalk to fill her in on the latest. Was surprised to encounter Jack engaged in conversation with Crazy Jill on her back step. He had in his hand a cup of sugar which he had presumably just borrowed. He ended the conversation and turned away as I approached. Graymalk was nowhere about. Jack told me as I walked him home that we might ride into town for supplies of a mundane nature sometime soon.

Later, I was out front, still looking for Graymalk, when the Great Detective’s coach passed, him still in his Linda Enderby guise. Our eyes met and held for several long seconds. Then he was gone.

I went back inside and took a long nap.

I awoke near dusk and made the rounds again. The Things in the Mirror were still clustered, and pulsing lightly. The flaw appeared slightly larger, though this could have been a trick of memory and imagination. I resolved to call it to Jack’s attention soon, however.

Eating and drinking and passing outside then, I sought Graymalk once more. I found her in her front yard doing catnappery on the steps.

“Hello. Looked for you earlier,” I said. “Missed you.”

She yawned and stretched, cleaned her shoulders.

“I was out,” she responded, “checking around the church and the vicarage.”

“Did you get inside?”

“No. Looked into every opening I could, though.”

“Learn anything interesting?”

“The vicar keeps a skull on the desk in his study.”

“Memento mori,” I remarked. “Churchmen are sometimes big on that sort of thing. Maybe it came with the place as a part of the furnishings.”

“It’s resting in the bowl.”

“The bowl?”

“The bowl. The old pentacle bowl they talk about.”

“Oh.” So I’d been wrong in assigning that tool to the Good Doctor. “That accounts for an item.” Then, disingenuously, “Now, if you can tell me where the two wands are . . .” I said.

She gave me a strange look and continued grooming herself.

“…And I had to climb the outside of the place,” she said.

“Why?”

“I heard someone crying upstairs. So I made my way up the siding and looked in what seemed the proper window. I saw a girl on a bed. She had on a blue dress, and there was a long chain around her ankle. The other end was attached to the bed frame.”

“Who was it?”

“Well, I met Tekela a little later,” she went on. “I don’t think she was too eager to talk to a cat. Still, I persuaded her to tell me that the girl is Lynette, the daughter of the vicar’s late wife Janet by a previous marriage.”

“Why was she chained up?”

“Tekela said that she was being disciplined for attempting to run away.”

“Very suspicious. How old is she?”

“Thirteen.”

“Yes. Just right. Sacrifice, of course.”

“Of course.”

“What did you give her for the information?”

“I told her the story of our encounter with the big man the other night — and the possibility that the Gipsies may be associated with the Count.”

“I’d better tell you something about the Count,” I said, and I detailed my investigations with Quicklime.

“No matter whose side he was on, I can’t say I’m sorry to see him out of the picture,” she said. “He was extremely frightening.”

“You met him?”

“I saw him one night, departing that first crypt. I’d hidden myself on a tree limb, to watch it happen. He seemed to ooze up out of there as if he weren’t really moving any muscles, just flowing, the way Quicklime can do. Then he stood there a moment with his cloak flapping about him in the wind, turning his head, looking at the world as if he owned it and was deciding what part of it would amuse him just then. And then he laughed. I’ll never forget that sound. He just threw his head back and barked — not the way you do, unless you’ve a special way of barking just before you eat something that might not want to be eaten, and that this pleases you, adds to the flavor. Then he moved, and it played tricks with my eyes. He was different things, different shapes, flapping cloak all about — even in different places at the same time — and then he was gone, like a piece of the cloak sailing away in the moonlight. I wasn’t unhappy to see him go.”

“I never saw anything that dramatic,” I said. “But I met him at even closer quarters, and I was impressed.” I paused, then, “Did Tekela give you anything besides the story on Lynette?” I asked.

“Everyone seems to be onto the idea of the old manse as the center now,” she said. “The vicar told her that it had served a much larger church, south of here, in the old days — one that the last Henry had ruined, as an example to the others that he meant business.”

“That makes it such a good candidate that I’m irritated at the Count’s bad taste in throwing off the calculations.”

“Have you figured the new site yet?”

“No. I should be about that pretty soon, though.”

“You’ll let me know?”

“I’ll take you with me when I do it,” I offered.

“When will that be?”

“Probably tomorrow. I was just going to walk up the road to see the Gipsies now.”

“Why?”

“They’re sometimes colorful. You can come along if you like.”

“I will.”

We headed on up the road. It was another clear-skied night, with multitudes of stars. I could hear a distant music as we neared Larry’s place. Beyond, I could make out the glow of bonfires. As we continued, I could distinguish the sounds of violin, guitar, tambourine, and a single drum within the music. We drew nearer, coming at last to a hiding place beneath a caravan, from which we could watch. I smelled dogs, but we were downwind and none bothered us.

Several older Gipsy women were dancing and there was suddenly a singer making wailing sounds. The music was stirring, the dancers’ movements stylized, like the steps of long-legged birds I’d seen in warmer climes. There were many fires, and from some of them came the smells of cooking. The spectacle was as much a thing of the shadows as the light, however, and I rather liked the wailing, being something of a connoisseur when it comes to barks and howls. We watched for some time, taken by the bright colors of the dancers’ and players’ garments as much as by the movements and the sounds.

They played several tunes, and then the fiddler gestured toward a knot of spectators, holding out his instrument and pointing to it. I heard a sound of protest, but he insisted, and finally a woman moved forward into the light. It was several moments before I realized it to be Linda Enderby. Obviously, the Great Detective was making yet another of his social calls. Back in the shadows, I could now make out the short, husky form of his companion.

Over several protests, he accepted the violin and bow, touched the strings, then cradled the instrument as if he knew its kind well. He raised the bow, paused for a long moment, and then began to play.

He was good. It was not Gipsy music, but was some old folk tune I’d heard somewhere before. When it was done he moved immediately into another on which he worked several variations. He played and he played, and it grew wilder and wilder —

Abruptly, he halted and took a step, as if suddenly moving out of a dream. He bowed then and returned the instrument to its owner, his movements in that moment entirely masculine. I thought of all the controlled thinking, the masterfully developed deductions, which had served to bring him here, and then this — this momentary slipping into the wildness he must keep carefully restrained — and then seeing him come out of it, smiling, becoming the woman again. I saw in this the action of an enormous will, and suddenly I knew him much better than as the pursuing figure of many faces. Suddenly I knew that he had to be learning, as we were learning other aspects, of the scope of our enterprise, that he could well be right behind us at the end, that he was almost, in some way, a player — more a force, really — in the Game, and I respected him as I have few beings of the many I have known.

Later, as we walked back, Graymalk said, “It was good to get away for a time.”

“Yes,” I said, “it was,” and I regarded the sky, where the moon was growing.

#10-21-20 #a night in the lonesome October #roger zelazny #full moon Halloween

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dumbfrickinlit · 4 years

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griffin - diary #6

XX/XX/XXXX, 9:07am

Wow, wow, Dear Diary. It’s been so long, Griffin almost forgot about you! So much happened since Griffin last wrote. But Griffin supposes that’s as usual, yes?

Today Griffin sails on the Steed again towards Silver City on a new mission. But why, Dear Diary asks? Well, it has to do with Griffin and everyone’s trip to Twilight Atoll...

... Pretty city! Up to the north and east. A long ways from Bronze Bay... From Chimera Pass and the Surian Empire...

Griffin and everyone was rich after visiting Stone Star Island, so everyone decided we would go next to Twilight Atoll to see the pretty casino and play games! (Griffin found out games are really expensive, though...)

When Griffin and everyone got there, we visited the pretty tea shop! The tea masters couldn’t cure Astraea... but Griffin supposes it would be hard to do.

At the tea shop Griffin met Mint Julep. Mint Julep is a scholar. From the Emerald Tower! Griffin hasn’t visited there in a long time... Remembers times when Griffin would go to borrow a tome or two for Master...

Mint Julep told Griffin that she traveled to Twilight Atoll to find a special ring made of silver and ivory. Said one of the casino “bosses” had it. Well, eventually Griffin and Mint found it...

But before then, when Griffin and everyone was walking around the Strip in Twilight Atoll, Griffin caught something! Caught the drowned lady from before - from the lighthouse - trying to spy on Griffin and Astraea and Keryth! Well, the lady didn’t know, Griffin could spy on her! They used their Clairvoyance to watch her as she watched up! Even saw her float through a wall... It was kind of scary, Griffin thinks. A ghost! Eek!

Well, the ghost lady followed Griffin and everyone for a while, maybe. Griffin doesn’t know. Everyone went to the casino next and played games. It was fun! Griffin likes the pretty spinny things. “Slot machines”, Griffin thinks they were called? And the horse races! Griffin had a lot of fun. But Griffin lost 200 gold... oops, ehehe.

There at the casino Griffin and everyone met Oceanis! Oceanis is a sea elf. Works at Starlight! Gets to play the game “blackjack” all day. Wow! Griffin is really jealous...

So, Griffin and everyone was having fun playing games at the casino... until Skaggs, one of the casino “bosses” came. It was too fast for Griffin to see, but Keryth saw that the big chandelier was going to fall... and Keryth tried to save Skaggs... but couldn't. Mr. Skaggs got crushed by the chandelier. Griffin thought it was really awful...

And Mr. Skaggs wasn’t the first casino boss to die lately. Griffin and everyone heard from others that another boss, Mr. Larry Loomis, had died earlier - was found with black fog pouring from his mouth - before Griffin and everyone had arrived...

So Griffin thought to investigate what was happening in Twilight Atoll. Maybe Griffin could help the people there, they thought! And so Griffin and everyone looked around at the scene, but could only find the chandelier’s rusty chain. Rusty chain? Normal, Griffin thinks. But not the way the chandelier’s chain was rusted. No -- the chain was pretty gold and sparkling everywhere else. -- Only one tiny section of rust...

So Griffin and everyone decided to go to Mr. Larry Loomis’ house, where he died. Maybe Griffin and everyone could learn more about these mysterious deaths, they thought. So Griffin and Astraea told a little fib to get inside... That Griffin and everyone was with the “Silver Armada” (hehe). It actually worked! Everyone got inside the house. And in there we found... not much. Except Astraea found more rust! In Mr. Loomis’ window! Very peculiar, Griffin thought. definitely not a coincidence. Maybe not accidents, but murder.

Well, some time passed, and everyone heard an announcement that there would be a meeting at the casino. The meeting was for anyone to come and protect the last two bosses: Mr. Silverscale and Violo. So Griffin and everyone went - to protect them, and maybe to learn more about what was happening...

When Griffin and everyone reached the top floor of the casino, there were so many people! Lots of guards, but lots of different people too. There was Mr. Y, Mr. Nikita, Mint Julep... Detective (an actual detective! With the Silver Armada!) Crimson too. Even Mr. Bean (who Griffin and everyone met earlier when Mr. Skaggs died), the chief of security, and the Hammer was there! Not to mention Mr. Silverscale and Violo.

After Griffin and everyone there settled in, everyone split up... Mr. Nikita and Mr. Y wandered off, and Mint Julep... went down to the vault with Violo. Because Mint Julep saw that Violo wore the special ring she was looking for...

(Griffin wonders if only they would have stopped her then.)

So Griffin and everyone looked around, trying to find clues. And Griffin did find something: a bunch of pages on a desk in the penthouse. But Silverscale caught Griffin looking... But again, Griffin was smarter! Griffin used Clairvoyance again to look -- saw the accounting sheets and how the bosses had been making shady tradings...

But Griffin thought it was nothing. Maybe the bosses just did bad things sometimes when no one’s looking. Griffin thinks most bosses do. So Griffin and Astraea and Keryth looked around the hotel until everyone got to the vault...

And found Mint Julep dead. With Violo gone. Killed by “dancing shadows” who had run away -- gone upwards.

Well, Griffin and everyone raced back upstairs to Mr. Silverscale to see if he was okay. Took the elevator up... but then it stopped. Opened up, and Griffin and everyone saw something scary: shadows, standing over dead guards... and then the shadows turned into Griffin and Astraea and Keryth! And Mr. Y, Mr. Bean, and the Hammer saw...!

The elevator closed, but as it was going up, weird ooze came inside through the vent...! It was Mr. Y! And he attacked Griffin and everyone!

Astraea defeated Mr. Y, but Griffin made sure Mr. Y didn’t die. And then, the elevator opened again, and the Hammer was there.

Griffin convinced the Hammer that Griffin and everyone didn’t kill the guards. And so the Hammer and Mr. Y (Griffin healed him, they think) defended Griffin and Keryth and Astraea from Mr. Bean as everyone ran upstairs.

Well, everyone finally got to the top, and Mr. Silverscale was really badly hurt... and Detective Crimson was just standing over him. Really weird, Griffin thought...

Detective Crimson talked a little, Griffin thinks, but then soon Mr. Bean was back! But he was really hurt... collapsed on the floor. Griffin healed him, but Mr. Bean still thought Griffin and everyone was responsible...

Violo even came back! Popped into existence on the couch. Said Griffin and Astraea and Keryth were the bad guys!! There was no way it was really Violo, Griffin thought! It had to be another shadow playing tricks!

So Griffin tried their best to convince Mr. Bean that Griffin and Astraea and Keryth weren’t bad... and he still didn’t listen. Griffin told Mr. Bean to look hard at his boss Violo for proof that Griffin was telling the truth! And so Mr. Bean did...

And it really was Violo.

Then Griffin realized Violo wasn’t a dead good guy.

Griffin realized Violo was an alive bad guy.

Everyone fought then. Even the ghost lady who had been following Griffin and everyone. What happened, well... Griffin doesn't remember much. Griffin got touched by one of Violo’s scary shadows. Felt really, really tired. Then Griffin got hit -- knocked out. When Griffin woke up, Violo was tied up, Detective Crimson was dead, and Mr. Bean was recovering.

And so then with Violo tied up Griffin asked him why he did it -- why he killed the other casino bosses and Mint Julep. And Violo said it was because it was about Twilight Atoll. How it’s a place for other people to go. People like Mr. Y, an assassin, or the Hammer. A place for people to start over -- get a second chance.

Well, Violo was mad that the other bosses weren’t starting over. -- The casino bosses were still being bad people, making shady deals, doing shady things. Violo realized they didn’t change at all. So Violo killed them. To send a message to people who came to Twilight Atoll and were still bad.

... Griffin doesn't quite understand it. Well, Griffin does, but they don’t. Starting over is good. Being good is good. But killing people is bad. Doesn’t that mean Violo didn’t start over either? Hmm. Griffin thinks it's stupid. Griffin thinks Violo is stupid. Stupid and bad.

So that was what happened in Twilight Atoll. The next day, Griffin and everyone got our reward for protecting Mr. Silverscale. Got to say goodbye to the Hammer and Mr. Nikita and Mr. Y.

Griffin misses them. Mr. Y and Mr. Nikita were so funny. Maybe someday Mr. Nikita will smash and bash with Griffin again. And maybe Mr. Y can... be Mr. Y with Griffin again. The Hammer.... well, Griffin hopes the Hammer can find his “second chance.” As for Violo... To be honest, Griffin couldn’t care less. Violo doesn’t deserve a second chance. And Griffin hopes he hates it in jail. It’s what Violo deserves, anyway, for killing Mr. Skaggs and Mr. Loomis. For killing Mint Julep.

And so after talking to Violo and the Hammer and Mr. Bean and Mr. Nikita and Mr. Y, Griffin and everyone were going to leave. Griffin had gotten Mint Julep’s belongings and was going to deliver them to Emerald Tower. It was all that could be done. But then...

But then Griffin heard something amazing! No, impossible! At the tea garden! The tea masters said that there were special clerics in Silver City who can resurrect people!

... But it had to be within ten days!

So Griffin and everyone rushed to the morgue, was able to convince Oceanus (oh, Griffin forgot to mention - Oceanus was actually a secret detective of the Bronze Armada! Wow!) to give Griffin Mint Julep’s body.

...So that’s everything until now, Dear Diary! Griffin and everyone are sailing towards Silver City. Griffin was worried that the Steed could make it within ten days, but Griffin was very, very lucky! Found a special spell in Mint Julep’s spellbook! “Gentle Repose”! Stops bodies from decomposing! Really lucky, right? Griffin is so thankful! Now Griffin should be able to get Mint Julep’s body to Silver City safely!

... But Griffin has to wonder. If only Griffin had found Master... maybe they could have taken him to Silver City too... Griffin wonders where he is right now. Watching over Griffin, they hope. Maybe that’s why Griffin has been so lucky lately.

Well, Dear Diary, Griffin is going to do their best to get Mint Julep to Silver City, no matter what it takes! Griffin will undo that nasty Violo’s wrongdoings! They’re sure they will! Griffin will save Mint Julep! Just you wait and see! - Griffin

#diary #griffin #seven isles #d&d

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lula1991 · 5 years

Text

My Jewel

Summary

An ancient spell causes a millenary young lady to weaken, it is up to Larry and her friends to help her find the key to return her to normal while a stranger pretends, along with three already known individuals, to take over a captive jewel somewhere in Egypt with the in order to proclaim it “yours.” (The shock of all the chaos in her).

Objective? The guard and the exhibits must prevent it from falling into the wrong hands while between Ahkmenrah and the girl, a romance will slowly emerge that will bear fruit over time.

Genre: Adventure, comedy, romance, fantasy

Warnings: None.

Chapter 5

The Natural History museum was peaceful, there were not many visitors, the morning schedule was used by students for their homework, incoming to university or simply passionate about history..

Larry was always nostalgic for that place, belonging to years working and leaving his place of employment to attend classes is not to throw trash having free time, he was comforted to visit his old friends, where they still remained alive for as long as the tablet of Ahkmenrah returned to English soil and in the meantime he continued learning in his new work field ..

He toured almost all the exhibition halls, but stopping where the little Egyptian slept during the day, made her think about how to help her in her shock and how it had been said before, it was not safe to hurry over that idea. But there were too many things hovering in Larry's mind and for some reason, he couldn't part with one of them ..

He had to refresh his memory for a better thought, maybe he would hit the mark ..

Up on his right, next to the showcases that contained small artifacts from the ancient world, there was a framed photo showing the men who found the tomb of the queen and her family; and there was something else, one of the names inscribed at the bottom of the picture, would give a hint to your search ..

"Dr. P. K. Anderson: Archaeologist involved in the Larempteh expedition of 1940.”

Perhaps Mr. P. K. Anderson could tell him the right thing to solve the torment of the little Egyptian queen, but that he was no longer in the world of the living. It had been so many years regarding that event in Egypt ..

But where to start? Larry analyzed that boy perched along with his father, maybe he was his son and it was only a matter of luck to find that little boy who today would be a man who would help him unravel the dilemma ..

"True works of art .."

An older man but of jovial age, stood beside Larry admiring in every sense and aspect the temple of the Egyptian sovereign, the room was contemporary, illuminated with two rows of six lights giving view to the exhibition hall made in warm and tiny colors imitations of wear for time ..

"The ancient relics are amazing." Larry admitted admiring the bas-reliefs in the mural to his right at the entrance to the queen's hall.

"It's what the little boy said when he saw them." Said the man and there was a moment of silence before Larry looked confused.

"Did you meet the young discoverer ..?" Larry pointed to the photo.

"You stand in front of him, boy." The man laughed willingly. "Johan K. Anderson."

"You are the son of .." said Larry.

"Peter K. Anderson, was a passionate Egyptologist and I have not lagged behind .." Johan commented with a firm handshake.

"Larry Daley." He introduced himself as he finished shaking his greeting. "I'm still doing my job here, and if you ask me it's a magical place, literally." Larry commented.

“Nice to meet you, Larry. Yes, the museum in New York was not the same since Ahkmenrah's tablet was owned by the establishment. ”Johan mentioned and that really took Larry out of the way.

"You know about the board and its power, how curious." Said Larry.

“They always run that kind of rumor among archaeologists. From curses to magic out of the ordinary. ”Johan commented.

"What about Larempteh's jewel did you know?" Larry tried to get information from him even though that man quickly changed his countenance.

“I have already left the subject of the jewel long ago, Larry, for a long time and in fact nothing was ever known about old jewel, it was just work.” Said Johan. “You should know that I have been looking for information but I didn't find anything so far. I would like to tell them both ... ”and Larry looked at the picture.

"But you can't .." Johan said.

"No?" Larry asked.

"All died. Only I stayed .. ”Johan said and the guardian deduced that this man standing in front of him would be the answer to everything. "Why so much curiosity about the jewel, Larry?" Johan asked a little surprised.

"The girl senses something bad is happening to her .." Larry said referring to Larem.

"I don't know what you're talking about .." Johan evaded the issue Olympic how to hide the worst of secrets.

"Well, maybe that child does ..." Larry tried to convince him to say what his mind was keeping and the man observed that old memory with a sigh of surrender.

"Let's talk alone, my son ..." said Johan.

A restaurant near the museum was the perfect place for Larry to get a hint or possible help for her. Mr. Johan. K. Anderson was like a signal to the security guard ..

“An expedition like that, it's amazing at 11, try to forget it but there was something about that jewel ..” Johan related.

“Larem has been acting very strangely, she weakens and not only that, she enters a kind of hypnotic trance that also causes her to lose her memory, which is for a few minutes and she then returns to her normal state. It's as if a horrible curse controlled her, something is affecting her .. ”Larry commented.

"Her end will fall upon her .." Johan recalled those words aloud somewhat absent.

"What?" Larry asked surprised ..

"The locals! They warned us, they begged us to leave that grave alone. Well, I thought they talked about the end of the world but maybe it was the end of .. ”Johan tried to continue his deduction.

"The magic in her ..?" Larry completed what Johan couldn't.

“We should pay attention. We should do it! But they also sent Larem and the jewel to Cambridge first, after a while they agreed that she be transferred to New York with separate parts so that the relic would be at the latest with her parents in Cairo, on a date that I never knew what it would be. ”Johan explained.

"How do you know all that?" Larry seemed a bit restless.

“I worked there when I grew up, I got the job as a night guard in that museum and I have lived the same experience as you. Before retiring I was to live with talking figures every night, famous paintings moving within his paintings and among all those oddities, was Larempteh, I had the good fortune to meet her, a good girl and a good Senet player, by the way, devoted to her ideals, kind and warm with his own .. ”Johan revealed commenting a part of his life.

"Yes, she is an extraordinary little girl so I am sure that in her time she was always ready to face the world by herself and that is why I want to help her." Larry paused to continue.

"And you do well, boy .." Johan acknowledged encouraging Larry in his mission.

"Did you mention that your parents are in Egypt?" Larry wanted to corroborate what he had heard before.

“It was a joint expedition, several artifacts stayed in Egypt. Then the rest was divided between New York and the Egyptian museum. ”Johan said without further ado.

"Larem said his father knew the secrets of that jewel." Larry said and Mr. Anderson looked at Larry to continue. "I think we need to talk.."

The Egyptian girl was thoughtful about her talk with Larry but her strange discomfort did not leave her head alone and another part did not cease either because of her and Ahk. They all agreed on the same theme, a coincidence that she was afraid of letting out a sigh and in that Larem unconsciously touched the gift that Ahkmenrah had given her a few nights ago, the girl smiled as she followed her walk until you meet Larry and Nick through the halls of the African Savannah exhibit ..

“ ‘Marhba’(‘ Hello ’), Larry!” Larempteh looked happy.

“Marjarabara, marjaba, majra, yes, whatever. Nice to see you, Larem. He is my son Nick. ”Larry introduced him and she made a brief bow with her head as she greeted.

“Hi, nice to meet you. Is he also a Brooklyn Guardian? ”Larem looked at both of them curiously.

"I see that Ahk brought you up to date." Larry said and she made a little blush to deny.

"A little." Larempteh admitted with a short laugh. "What brings you here?" She was sweetly kind.

“We only gave a night tour. How do you feel? ”And at the question, the girl smiled with tender humor as she brought one of her hands to her chest.

“Aw, how cute. Thanks for caring, seriously. Good for the moment. There were no anomalies so far. ”Larempteh smiled as he put his hands behind his back and shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay. Just don't panic if it happens again. ”Said Larry.

"Agree. Well, I have to go somewhere else. ”Larem put on his prettiest smile.

"Or else, Ahkmenrah will unleash a horrible disaster." Larry joked and she mentally blocked herself, became intimidated.

"Larry!" Larem protested smiling. "I am not with Ahkmenrah most of the time."

“But apparently he does. While always looking for any excuse to be close to you. ”Larry revealed and swallowed saliva in sign that his heart was going a thousand kilometers per hour.

Larry knew how important Larem was to Ahk and that made him happy for both boys. And although time still did not conspire completely in their favor in them, Larry was certain that those two were made for each other..

“If you excuse me, I must leave you guys. It was an honor to meet you Nick Guardian of Brooklyn. See you later. ”Larempteh whispered those last words using a thin smile as a farewell and continued on her way until she slowly lost herself to the African exhibition..

Ahk cared too much for Larem, so much so that he always looked for any pretext to get an approach to her, especially when he wanted to stay as soon as he saw that the girl was going a little way in his walk through the lobby ..

“Hey, what's up? Do you feel good? ”Ahkmenrah placed a hand on her shoulder.

Larem could not tell Ahkmen what she was going through even if the boy had lived it in his own flesh, not because of lack of confidence, it would be to kill him while he was breathing if he found out and the young woman did not want to make him suffer for his discomfort. She preferred to reserve her complaint ..

"Yes, don't worry, I'm fine .." Larem's voice was confused.

"Well, I don't believe you .." Ahk misunderstood the transmission of the tone in the queen's words.

"Why? I thought you trusted me, Your Highness. ”Said Larem.

But Ahkmenrah did not know how to read his eyes as he should, he felt fear, an irrational one, of those rare, who give you to believe that you are going to lose one person for another in the middle. But in this case, how wrong his thinking was, he did not dominate his real intuition well, he had no idea that that did not happen between her and him. If the king knew from the first moment that his heart belonged only to her and although the girl did not show as much as Ahk, it also turned out to be subtly so ..

Maybe it was that force that carries it, that pushes it and that fills it, that drags it and brings it closer to some god .. That feeling, turned almost into an obsession, is something that binds him the discharge of energy that is taking away his reason .. That makes him stumble and creates confusion, it sure is the strength of the heart ..

"It was just a misunderstanding, a thousand apologies." Ahkmen was kind.

"Misunderstood what?" Larem asked.

"No, nothing." Ahk said hiding a funny grimace.

"Ahk, what's up?" Larem wanted to know.

"I imagined by your tone something that was not .." Ahk confessed.

"What are you talking about?" Larem asked.

And Ahk stared at her as a funny grin invaded her real features..

****Flash****

The pharaoh walked solemnly through the room of the marine world, admiring the beauty of the deep blue of the exhibition hall and its enchanting aquatic life forms until he heard Larem's moans..

“Au no! Not there, Lance! ”Larem shouted.

"Miss, if you keep moving, it won't come out!" Lance exclaimed.

"Yes, but it hurts!" Said Larem.

And when Ahkmenrah decoded those words he followed the sound of their voices until they reached where a mountain with sea urchins did not reveal the possible image that the king was imagining ..

"I demand a non-sexual explanation in Ra's name now!" And Ahk made an exaggerated real appearance.

"What?! But what do you say, Ahk? Lancelot was just helping me remove these hedgehogs from my arm that stuck to my body when I tripped over a snail. ”She said when the knight pulled out a red hedgehog. "Au, that hurt!"

Sometimes Ahk could take the double meaning too far but when he made sure there was nothing weird, it calmed his mind ..

"Is that true?" Ahk inquired.

“Of course, Majesty. A gentleman should never evade his mission of helping a lady in danger. ”Lance said willingly.

But even if Lancelot was as kind as possible to him, Ahkmenrah used to be hateful in the sense of giving the medieval knight a "smile" of apology in the middle of turning around to withdraw from that room with his real and fine bearing, that no doubt such gestures made the young queen laugh ..

**** End of Flash ****

And when told by the pharaoh, Larempteh laughed, breaking into intermittent laughs..

"Hey, it's not funny, I thought so.." said Ahk with his cheeks dyed red.

“Oh Ahkmen, between Lance and me, nothing happens. I swear. ”Larem said trying to calm his laughter.

"Sure?" Ahk asked.

"Really, Ahk." Larem conveyed security.

He could not resist his lovely and spontaneous smiles, it was impossible..

"Of course yes. Because you and he are friends. ”Ahkmen reached out, giving her the reason. "And we still are, right?"

"Of course." Larem gave him a sensible smile.

They were not fooling anyone, they died for each other when their eyes met for seconds that were not uncomfortable, they felt a growing flame without tame within their anatomical foundations. They melted reciprocally and yet none took the first step firmly..

"What did you think of her?" Said Larry.

"She is very beautiful. A very attractive woman, I guess. ”Nick commented.

"But don't get your hopes up, Ahkmenrah laid his eyes on her first and you don't want to meet him angry." Larry said.

"The Pharaoh? His appearance is so peaceful, to be an Egyptian king that they were not well remembered for his sense of humor. ”Nick said.

“Yes, although the boy is different. The girl has a hypnotized Ahk. ”Larry commented.

“Now I remember when we were locked in his temple, his face was not the best when he claimed his tablet and we didn't have it, so he was quite rude when he asked his lackeys to throw the big block against the bars to escape. Yes, it's better not to wake that up on him and besides, I'm still with Andrea, forget it? ”Nick smiled calmly. “Hey dad, the above left me somewhat restless. Why did you ask her if she felt good? What happen?"

"I think something is affecting Larempteh and it's not exactly the table." Larry revealed and his son stopped his pace.

"You mean ..?" Said Nick.

"It's like an old spell dominates her." Larry said and Nick was thoughtful.

"Identical to what happened to Dex, Jed, Octavio and the others?" Nick inquired.

"So is. Only she is the only one affected. ”Larry confirmed.

"But if it's not the tablet, then what is it?" Nick looked restless.

“Larem mentioned a jewel that does not have it, although it may be in some of the museums in Cairo, if it is being exhibited as a historical piece. And I'm not sure, but I have a slight suspicion that if I am thinking about it, she needs us. ”Said Larry.

"You mean we'll have to travel to Egypt?" Nick asked, adjusting his backpack.

"I don't know if tomorrow or these days, but we have to do it and soon or otherwise, if we let a lot go by, the girl will be in danger and we have to help her or it will be too late." Larry said.

At one point Larempteh had lost so much wandering in her mind that she did not realize that she was in front of the main door of the museum, the girl did not notice anything strange or that seemed until she saw shadows moving outside the place ..

Without feeling any threat, the girl left knowing that it was not convenient, but as it was still night there was no danger of immobilization or that she became dusty ..

Or be surrounded by the army of the Egyptian queen with an unknown name, that was out of wave ..

"What's up?" Larempteh snapped with gracious spontaneity.

"Hello little sister, we didn't see each other for a long time." Her voice was jovial but the face of the younger queen was as if all possible emotions were transmitted in a single gesture, surprise, fear, in short, an excessive maelstrom. "Since 1106 BC, if I'm not mistaken .." that woman was as cynical as possible.

"Well, she's tall and dumb but she's not Kahmunrah." Larempteh deciphered herself detailing her relative.

"Do you remember me?" The queen smiled, revealing her precious teeth, showing off her incorruptible red lipstick, while Larem pretended to be thinking.

"As if it were possible to forget that horrendous outfit of yours, it is worthy of you, too dark for my liking ..." Larempteh said without further ado.

"I'll take that as a yes." Said that woman.

Larempteh did not know what to do, it was a tragicomic scene before and after the attempt to turn slowly being stopped by the voice of one of the girls ..

"Quiet, Ladempteh." Ahesut demanded.

"Oh yeah. Except for the small detail that it is Larempteh, with ‘R.’ ”Larempteh corrected with obviousness.

"I said that, Ladempteh." Apparently, either Ahesut was skating the letter "R" or the name was not remembered.

“Okay, this got a little weird so good! I think we met again and introduced ourselves so I better go back inside, it was a pleasure. See you later, until another day or maybe another life. ”Larempteh turned around, holding a smile of commitment ready to enter, but not before being pointed more closely by sharp points of the other two girls' war spears. "On second thought, maybe I can stay a little longer ..." she smiled constipated.

How was it that they were still alive? Was it because of that mysterious glow that would cause the effect of life all night even with the figures far from its reach ..?

Inside the museum nobody suspected anything, and who would do it, no ..?

"Larempteh?" Ahkmen was looking for her in the Africa room and nothing. "Larempteh?" He went to the Dioramas room and didn't find her. "Larempteh?" He looked for her even in the Planetarium and not a trace. ‘Why did she disappear from nowhere?’ Pharaoh wondered. His doubts succumbed to see his friend Larry. Maybe he would know. “Larry, have you seen Larempteh? I can't find her, do you know anything? ”

"I was talking to her a little less than about 5 minutes ago." Larry confessed.

"Me too. I need to return this to her .. ”Ahkmen showed the beetle that he gave the girl with much affection. "I found him lying in my temple at the Egyptian exhibition." His tone was distressing.

“Hey, calm down, we'll find her, Ahk. Larem must not be far away, come, come with me. We're going to look for her .. ”said Larry when he prepared to go in search of the young woman being followed by the pharaoh.

We traveled a few moments to the Middle East, to the ancient and captivating Egypt that detonated a majestic night in the Necropolis while the stars shone giving the sky a beautiful blanket of light, where there is also one of the many most beautiful places that the country presents, the Great Egyptian Museum in Cairo, that in the deep bowels of the same, something was failing and it was there exactly that in an area restored based on the original architectural details where the royal family's wealth was found, this anomaly was happening. It was that gold bracelet with a blue stone, possessed by a spectrum of striking green that “decorated” the luxurious piece hung on the wall surrounded by hieroglyphs, manipulating its natural beauty and slowly leading it to deterioration..

Several distressing minutes passed for Ahk who took forever. That young man was crazy about the Egyptian ..

So some minutes passed, until ..

"Any trace?" Ahk asked.

"I walked from the Asia section to the Dioramas and there are no signs of Larem." Sacajewea said very worried.

“Let's keep looking. Maybe Larem is closer than we think. ”The guard ordered turning on the light switches.

"Larempteh!" Ahkmen exclaimed heading toward one of the stairs.

He went back to the path he had previously traced, he passed through the hall of Egypt and his wish came true, she appeared from behind a column but she was with her sister and she was holding her curved sword in the neck of the beautiful girl when she became present in the museum ..

"Good evening," said the woman.

The queen smiled taking elegant steps with her sister in front of her ..

"Larem ..!" Ahkmen exclaimed worriedly.

Larry and the boys heard his voice from the lobby ..

"That was Ahk." Nick said encouraging the rest of the boys.

"Maybe he found Larem, come!" Said Larry.

They went up and reached where the pharaoh was ..

"Ahk, were you lucky ..?" And Larry's voice went off watching the scene.

The pharaoh tried to approach to get Larem out of those fibrous and elegant arms but not before being stopped by the woman ..

“Ah, ah! Do not touch. You know, Larem is changing my mood again and again and I'm not very animated when I get angry. ”The woman confessed.

All the young woman's friends looked at the tall woman with little kindness towards her person ..

"Aha, and you are ..?" Ahk inquired plaintiff.

“I am Garumpteh. The great queen of the great queens and the deep darkness of the ancient underworld. I am an ancient Egyptian queen and was dead but now I have come back to life. Half goddess and that on dad's side. Great ruler of Egypt and future owner of everything else. ”Said Garumpteh who seems to have the goodness of a sharp blade and the mind of a girl of 10.

"Oh yeah? Good for you, welcome. You must be Larempteh's sister? She told me about you and it's funny because I know her, she described you perfectly. ”Ahkmenrah said with a faint flash of annoyance.

"Oh yeah? You know my little sister, the favorite daughter. ”Garumpteh mentioned with disgust and suspicion, taking Larem's face sharply.

"Yes, a great girl." Ahk added simply.

“Oh yes, beautiful. Mom and dad always gave her the best of everything and when I say the best of everything, I mean the best of everything, they even gave her the throne. The throne that was mine by right! ”Garumpteh claimed.

"She never mentioned it." Ahkmenrah said.

“For convenience, of course not. Well, now that doesn't matter because the Age of Garumpteh has begun. ”And the boy stared at her finding why his way of speaking sounded funny. Ahkmenrah couldn't help laughing just a little. "What is the grace if I can know?"

"It's just that you speak like one of the Royal Court of Ancient Egypt ..." Ahk continued his laugh, but that mood ceased when the three girls manipulated their sharp spears pointing at his neck. "Okay.." he whispered raising an eyebrow.

"You know, a little bird told me that you also have something very valuable." Garumpteh said and he frowned comically frightened.

"What do you mean? In what way? ”Ahk's voice was a whole comedy dish, sometimes it was badly thought.

From a fleeting movement, Garumpteh released his sister and approached him taking him from the face with one hand to support his khopesh on the neck ..

His friends got up in arms but nobody advanced, it was not convenient ..

“Your tablet.” Garumpteh whispered in the boy's ear when he had it with his back resting on his chest, the boy processed his story. "Because with it I will be able to open the doors of my triumphs."

"Gar, let go of him .." Larempteh spoke calmly but his sister did not give in.

"Give me what I want and in return I let him go to him .." Garumpteh demanded stretching his free hand when the girls advanced with their spears in the direction of the queen, they were as tall as their boss but no less than her sister.

“Oh, really? Are they your childhood friends? ”Larem laughed with fine mockery. “Come on girls, we all know that none of you is capable ..; you are the comic touch .. ”and the tips of the spears were inches from Larem's neck. "Very well, I shut up .." Larem said.

"The jewel, now .." the queen continued to engage more deeply her kopesh in the boy's neck without causing injuries, as a kind of threat if they did not attend to his whim.

“Come on, don't make it harder, sister. I already know that memory trick, you did the same when we were little, Garumpteh. I know you don't want to hurt him. ”Larempteh tried to negotiate since her eyes showed a pleading light.

"Give me the gift that mom and dad made for me if it's not too much to ask .." Garumpteh said.

"Gar, don't be childish." Larem wanted her to reason.

“Well, if there is no jewel. The table and the child safe. Not for nothing they told me: ‘Garumpteh, the trustworthy ..’ ”their play was misleading, maybe Garumpteh wanted to persuade them.

After a long silence and with the solemnity worthy of an intelligent queen ..

“I propose something, Garum. I in exchange for him .. ”said Larempteh.

"Mm, I choose, to let go of the pharaoh who is indifferent to me so that my rival by direct blood will be trapped under the clutches of darkness and death?" Garumpteh was being cynically thinking.

"At one!" Larempteh exclaimed raising his index digit.

"Will there be any tricks here?" Garumpteh muttered.

"At two!" Larempteh exclaimed raising his middle finger.

“It's fine, it's fine, it's fine! You save him, he gets out, you stay .. ”said Garumpteh.

"It's a concrete deal but let it go to him, it's me who you want." Larempteh acknowledged negotiating with her to give up Ahk's position for her.

"If you insist .." Garumpteh released the boy who fell and quickly sat down, she repeated the scene with her little sister.

It didn't take long for the girl to have that effect again, showing a state that even Ahkmenrah himself was impressed. The girl did not lose her beauty but she looked like a body worn by time, that trance disoriented her ..

"Larempteh .." Ahkmenrah looked at her and looked in her place, just like a mirror of her vivid image in her mind, where she saw herself as she was some time ago ..

"The tablet, now." Garumpteh demanded marking the outline of his black khopesh with details in golden hieroglyphs and bas-reliefs on his little sister's neck.

"You do what she says .." Larempteh pleaded looking at everyone a little scared.

By prevention or perhaps by some divine sign of Ra, Ahkmenrah brought his tablet and seemed to be at a crossroads. He didn't know that tactic but how about this time they were doing the right thing for a good deed, save her. So slowly the king ..

"Oh, wise choice .." Garumpteh pretended surprise to see the tablet hovering inside the splendid layer of Ahk.

And that woman smiled with forced kindness at the positive condescension of the pharaoh but she never felt happy to have pleased her in good treatment or to recognize the impeccable affective generosity and good judgment of the king, Garumpteh was superior at all times and from what was understood , she only had that desire for herself, to fulfill her whims for her own benefit ..

"Very well, here's what you wanted, now release it to her .." Ahkmen feared for the life of the Egyptian.

But the older queen took it from her hands and ran away with the girl ..

“And by the way! Nobody told me ‘Garumpteh the trustworthy!’ ”Garumpteh shouted through the halls and ran to get lost in the walls.

"Larempteh!" Ahkmenrah followed. The boy ran at incredible speed when his friends followed him.

Outside the museum, Garumpteh continued to hold the hostage girl, changed only to take her arm while she copied the run as she could ..

“Hey, it's not for nothing but you never questioned why our parents gave me the throne and you didn't? I mean, you're pretty dumb for me to think. ”Larempteh spoke between being cut off by the jog and stumbling over the length of the dress.

“That is what you believe, little plague. By the way, what are you really from Ahkmenrah? ”Garumpteh inquired, the more she had, the more invincible she felt.

"I'm just your friend, until there .." Larempteh said without further ado.

“I was so close, so close and I stumbled at the end, why ?! Because our young lady wanted to do the good one .. ”Garumpteh used an exaggerated feminine tone.

"Wasn't that what you wanted?" Larempteh asked.

“No, my plan was to get rid of both at the same time with a distraction in between in the second place, but since you mention it and now seeing it more clearly, I think my first instance worked better than I thought. You gave in for him. It's so romantic .. ”Garumpteh commented mockingly.

"Romantic?" Said Larempteh.

"You were always very cheesy and Egypt would not tolerate a pretentious girl again." Garumpteh said.

“Hey, the Age of the monarchy ended centuries ago, other laws are enacted today and millennia have passed. Get over it, don't you? ”Larempteh recommended but reasoning her sister was a titanic task.

“No, I refuse to accept it. So as part of the plan, you will come with me. ”Garumpteh said and without hesitation she loaded the girl with a war chariot with two steeds. "Attend the girl and make sure she doesn't escape." The queen ordered and step by step at the same time the three girls climbed into the archaic vehicle.

Al Capone and Napoleon fulfilled the order of their leader although it was difficult since the Egyptian did not stop moving and the war chariot did not help much due to the galloping of the horses ..

“‘S'il vous plait ’(‘ Please ’), madame. You will not want to fall and suffer a blow, will you? ”Said Napoleon with his French accent trying to hold her.

"Any method is better than being with you, ruffians." Larempteh mentioned something unfriendly running her hair with head movements. “Hey, wait a minute, I know you. You are the idiot with bonsai attire that I saw in the New York museum. ”The girl deduced recognizing him in more detail.

“No, mona mi. You must be confused, mademoizelle. ”Said Napoleon refusing for obvious circumstances.

"Now I have an excellent memory, dwarf." Larempteh argued.

Ahkmenrah along with his friends could see everything once outside the establishment ..

"There they go!" Sacajawea alerted.

The cars were speeding but the echo of the young woman was heard at a great distance ..

“Ahkmenrah! Help me! ”Larempteh shouted and she seemed to see everything in slow motion.

"Teddy, you're the best to solve a crisis," said Larry.

"There's nothing to worry about, Lawrence Daley." Teddy spoke with his loyal solemnity of a good thinker.

"How will we find her now?" Ahkmenrah asked very worried.

“I didn't do the Panama Canal in one day, boy. Lawrence, we don't want to be left behind, the little girl's survival is in danger. What is the plan of attack? ”Said Teddy.

"But .." Ahkmen thought his answer was going to be answered by him.

"Okay, we must get Larem back wherever his premeditated place of abduction has been now and then take her with her dad to Egypt so he can repair what happens to her .." Larry said and everyone was confused. "She is suffering the same consequence that you went through, Ahk." Larry revealed and Ahkmen opened his eyes in fright.

"But how?" Ahkmen couldn't understand how she would hide something of that magnitude.

"Does it affect us, my lord?" Octavio asked.

"Will there be strange behaviors in the future, Larry?" Sacajewea asked.

"Only what you just saw and I can't say anything, guys, but it's as if a horrible curse dominated her .." Larry argued.

And Ahkmenrah thought and thought, until the focus went on. Bingo! He put his index fingers in his mouth to call the tyrannosaurus rex with a squeak next to the triceratop, and Rexy came running next to Trixy, both responding to the call of the pharaoh ..

"Good guys." Ahkmen climbed on the back of it while Lancelot repeated his movements being on top of Trixy. “ ‘eelaa alhamaal!’ (‘Charge!’) ”Shouted Ahkmenrah.

And with all the boys in the museum together with Larry they went out in search of Larempteh's rescue..

* * * *

Tags: @underworldsheiress @txmel @xmxisxforxmaybe @moon-stars-soul @singyourheartout4-rami @sherlollydramoine @mrsahkmenrah-malek @yousaycoke-isaycaine @eschnei7

#ahkmenrah #rami malek #night at the museum #NATM

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hermanwatts · 4 years

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Science Fiction and Fantasy New Releases: 5 September, 2020

Dragon riders, mecha mercenaries, and Larry Correia’s Black Heart appear in this week’s new releases.

Ascendant (Songs of Chaos #1) – Michael R. Miller

Holt Cook was never meant to be a dragon rider. He has always served the Order Hall of the Crag dutifully, keeping their kitchen pots clean.

But then he discovers a dark secret: dragons do not tolerate weakness among their kin, killing the young they deem flawed. Moved by pity, Holt defies the Order, rescues a doomed egg and vows to protect the blind dragon within.

But the Scourge is rising. Undead hordes roam the land, spreading the blight and leaving destruction in their wake. The dragon riders are being slaughtered and betrayal lurks in the shadows.

Holt has one chance to survive. He must cultivate the mysterious power of his dragon’s magical core. A unique energy which may tip the balance in the battles to come, and prove to the world that a servant is worthy after all.

Dream Stream Reality – Derrick Burke

The only time you can’t game is when you’re sleeping… until now.

Mild-mannered security guards by night. Powerful, magic-wielding heroes by day. Donald and his friends have been chosen to beta test the new version of Dream Stream Reality—a massive multiplayer game world which is played while you sleep.

Who wouldn’t want to design their own adventures while napping? It’s literally, well, the dream.

Donald must balance an increasingly volatile personal life while exploring the new release and actively hunting for glitches and bugs within technology so advanced it feels like reality. What could possibly go wrong?

Destroyer of Worlds (Saga of the Forgotten Warrior #3) – Larry Correia

The Great Extermination has begun.

In the Capitol, Grand Inquisitor Omand Vokkan hatches a plot to kill every member of the untouchable caste in all of Lok, down to the last man, woman, and child. As a member of the Order of Inquisition, Vokkan has no official say in the creation of Law, but he has powerful allies willing to do his bidding. Through them, he has convinced the Judges that the genocide will be swift, complete, and without complication. Nothing is farther from the truth.

Lord Protector Devedas has sworn to uphold the Law. Once, he and the traitor Ashok Vadal had been like brothers. Now, he hunts Vadal and the Sons of the Black Sword, heretics and rebels who seek to live outside the rule of the Law. All Devedas must do is find and kill his best friend and order will be restored to Lok.

The rebels seek the secret kingdom spoken of by the Prophet Thera, a paradise where water is pure and food plentiful, where there are no castes, where the people rule themselves, and are not slaves to the Capitol. Ashok Vadal is not sure he believes in such a Paradise, but he—along with his allies—does seek refuge in the rebellion’s hideout in Akershan. But Vadal, a former High Protector who has turned his back on the corrupt Law, will not merely wait meekly, hoping that fleeing to Akershan will spare the rebellion from the clutches of the Great Extermination. No, if it’s a war the Capitol wants, Vadal, who has faced down gods and demons, will be all too willing to give it to them.

Endure (Forgotten Starship #4) – M. R. Forbes

The ship is in dire straits, deep behind enemy lines and on the verge of capture. While Tyson fights to prepare a defense, other forces work to ensure his ultimate failure as they seek to claim one of Pioneer’s few remaining secrets.

Meanwhile, Keesha and the Marines may have captured the enemy Forge, but they have no idea how to bring it under control. Searching for answers, strange echoes from within the station lead Keesha to make a dangerous decision that could cost her everything.

The fight for survival is coming to a head, and it will take all of the strength Tyson, Keesha, John, Tsi, and the passengers and crew of Pioneer can muster to endure the coming storm.

Otherwise, it won’t just mean the end of the colony…

…it will be the end of us all.

One Minute to Midnight (Four Horsemen: Guild Wars #8) – Tim C. Taylor and Chris Kennedy

Having destroyed the starkiller located at Aneb-4, the alliance of Goltar, Spine Patriots, and the Midnight Sun Free Company have gained a bit of breathing space from the criminal organization known as the Endless Night.

But the Endless Night isn’t done. They have two more starkillers in their possession, and they are ready to use them against a civilization that no one—especially the Mercenary Guild—is going to miss. Their target: Sol.

Although victorious on Aneb-4, the alliance only has the façade of combat power; they need time to re-equip and rearm…time they don’t have. They need help.

When the Speaker of the Mercenary Guild offers the job to Nigel Shirazi, he is already busy and mentions it to the one person who knows something awful is coming—Sansar Enkh, who has had a vision of the Sun blowing up. In the aftermath of the Omega War, though, the Golden Horde isn’t ready to take the field, either, and Sansar will have to recruit anyone who’s available, and somehow find a way to put together a working team if they are to be successful.

But time—as Gray Wolf operative Beowulf knows—is rapidly running out. The Endless Night are readying the weapons, and it is only a matter of time until they fire them. Can the forces arrayed against the Endless Night get there in time, or will the clock strike midnight for Earth?

The Place of Knowing (The Volatar Saga #5) – D. K. Holmberg

The Volatar started one war. Now he must end another.

Hevith has found a city of Jahor, though none want to fight. While they might be content to hide in the north, he wants to push the attack and reclaim what was lost. Others are willing to fight alongside him, but the price of war might be more than he can stomach.

Heading into the southern forest revealed a truth about the Volatar. He may have stopped one war, but at what cost? Now another war threatens to bring about even greater destruction than what they’ve ever faced, but first he needs to understand the truths hidden within lands ravaged by war for decades. How can he find those truths when so much has been lost?

Small Unit Tactics #1 – Alexander Romanov

A strange, foreign world. Mysterious judges with capricious rules. Thousands of gamers find themselves split into factions and pitted against each other at the whim of an unknown higher power, with no idea how they got there or why they were chosen. Dying in this world hurts, but it’s not the end: dead players always respawn to fight again.

Echo, with his extensive knowledge of fighting, armor, and weapons, has all the makings of a great leader. The ragtag recruits fighting for him under the less-than-threatening name “Society of Pinprick Enthusiasts” become the bane of the opposing factions, sowing terror in their wake. But this game won’t be won in straightforward skirmishes. The squad will have to forge pacts with their own faction, the judges, and even their enemies. Each day brings new twists, new rules, and new ways to play, and a step that seemed to be in the right direction might suddenly become a fatal mistake.

Brute force and bravado won’t be enough for Echo to carve his way to the top and stay there. He will have to lead his squad through mistakes, good fortune, victory, and defeat in his quest to secure his position.

Science Fiction and Fantasy New Releases: 5 September, 2020 published first on https://sixchexus.weebly.com/

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trippinglynet · 4 years

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Has Popularity Killed Northern Nevada's Biggest Art Festival? | D. Brian Burghart | Burning Man 1997

By D. Brian Burghart

MIKE BILBO TELLS A STORY ABOUT A CERTAIN SPRING—a watery oasis near Roswell, N.M.—that became popular with travelers who needed a stopping off place while driving across the desert. An outdoor recreation planner for the Bureau of Land Management, Bilbo says old photos show the spring to be a flourishing resource. But as time advanced, the spring was abused and overused. It shrank.

“Now there's nothing,” he says. “You can't even tell where it was, they basically loved it to death.”

Bilbo's spring may be a perfect analogy for the Burning Man.

Lack of controls, poor planning, sheer popularity and philosophical differences may have killed the event. Whether something called “Burning Man” will happen outside Reno this year on Labor Day weekend remains to be seen. But one thing is certain喫t won't be the free expression of freedom and anarchy that it has been in years gone by.

"We want to keep the door open, but for the first time, there is going to be a door. People need to understand that this is a place with boundaries. In this case boundaries that are hard to breach. We're are trying to socialize it more intensively, and the way to do that is to have them live next to one another." -- Larry Harvey

“We're going to try and keep it inviting and inclusive,” says Larry Harvey, Burning Man creative director and founder of the anti-commercial, pagan arts festival that brings thousands of people from around the world to Nevada's Black Rock Desert “We want to keep the door open, but for the first time, there is going to be a door. People need to understand that this is a place with boundaries. In this case boundaries that are hard to breach. We're are trying to socialize it more intensively, and the way to do that is to have them [participants] live next to one another.

“You can have large gatherings of people, and they don't turn into ravening animals. So, to the people who say you can't have a lot of people, or they turn into robots, I say, 'Bullshit,' that's simply not true.”

The fact is, it is the number of people that may have caused the festival to collapse under its own weight. There were 11,788 participants at Burning Man 1996, according to figures arrived at cooperatively between BLM and BM staff. Black Rock City, for those several days is undoubtedly the largest city in Pershing County. While it may be a tent city, it experiences all the problems that a city the same size experiences—infrastructure issues such as sewage, taxes environmental impacts, police, fire, ambulance, insurance, leadership—without the incremental growth that allows other cities to address problems one at a time. For Burning Man in 1997, these issues will be dealt with before the city begins building, or the city will simply not be built.

The 1996 special recreation permit had 16 stipulations that had to be met to go into 1997 with a clean record: 10 of them were violated, according to the BLM.. It is these violations that put Burning Man on a probationary status with the feds.

“If you get enough formidable organizers out there, it will happen again,” says John Law, former technical director for the project. Law retired after the 1996 event, citing philosophical differences as much as anything. “For me personally, it's just gotten too big,” he says.

Law is not the only integral participant to bow out. Reportedly up to half of the old staff of volunteers and enthusiasts, including members of the Danger Rangers and gate organizers, have found the event has gotten too far from its founding principles and won't be returning.

“But, don't count Larry Harvey out,” says Law. “If anyone can get it going, it's him. He's an impresario in the literal sense of the word.”

Flaming Hurdles

What the Burning Man Project needs is money. Financial burdens have the most potential to nix the event.

“We got killed this year, financially devastated,” says Law. “The event doubled in size, doubled in people coming in and tripled in costs. One third of the people didn't pay, they simply rolled around the gate.”

Costs are only going to rise.

Insurance required by the BLM are projected to rise from $10,000 property damage for any one occurrence to $50,000 in 1997; personal injury, bodily injury liability will go from $300,000 for any one person to $2,000,000 based on the Lara Sherbin claim of $1,000,000-plus (Sherbin was injured at last year's event); and $300,000 for any one occurrence is predicted to rise to $5,000,000 in 1997. While these numbers are yet to be chiseled in stone, they are included in the model plan. No estimates for how much these insurance hikes will cost are yet available.

The project still has to pay the lion's share of fees from last year. They were assessed fees of $23,576 (based on $2 per person). Of this $3,000, a permit performance bond, was taken, and an $8,000 payment was made on the balance. Two more payments of $6,288 are to be made, one on April 19, the next May 17. If either are missed, the permit will he revoked, and the project killed, at least on public lands, for one to three years.

Another financial obligation to be met will be a paid security force. Everyone contacted expressed concern about general safety, although solutions to the problem vary.

The BLM sanctions getting a paid security staff on the order of a Lollapalooza event. “Permittee will hire and coordinate closely with regional certified law enforcement of officers at the federal, state and county levels. An avocational security backup is appropriate when it only augments certified personnel,” says an issues and potential solutions document compiled by the BLM.

“Lollapalooza has around 100 security guards,” says Law, and emphasizes that the area covered by Burning Man participants is much larger than any comparable rock show. He suggests that organizers may be between a rock and a hard place, since paying 100 guards 24 hours a day for three to five days will be expensive and “you couldn't do it with volunteers.”

Another cost that will be required this year is for an expanded environmental assessment. Since the event annually has doubled in size since its first appearance on the Black Rock Desert in 1990 (it started on a California beach in 1986), there is larger impact on the environment than before. According to Bilbo, past assessments did not take into account all potential impacts on the playa and surrounding areas. Contrary to popular opinion, there are environmental concerns on the playa. The event is held near the Applegate Lassen Emigrant Trail, a settler shortcut that crossed the desert last century.

Hot springs, both on public and private land, had negative impacts last year. In particular, water and mud was illegally removed from Trego Hot Springs and emigrant-period artifacts (two bottles and possibly a rifle barrel) were reportedly taken.

Trash is another concern. While the BLM praises the trash removal efforts made by the project, (“A highly commendable effort—the place becomes spotless”) it wasn't the perfection exhibited in past years. “Eye-witness reports and photos indicate considerable trash blown from event to Black Rock Desert eastern edge areas. Also, debris left at springs from campers and the water 'vendor,' ” the agency said.

Law's evaluation agrees. “From the very beginning, we were concerned with not trashing the desert,” he says. “Even though people carried 95 percent of it away, we still took out eight 30-yard Dumpsters [in the weeks after the event],” he says.

While the cost of an environmental assessment is less than that of an environmental impact study, a detailed assessment of the “real and perceived impacts” could be pricey. The BLM has assisted the project by compiling a list of companies that do these sort of studies. Bilbo could not estimate within $10,000 its cost.

“Who knows,” he says. “They could get someone to do it for free.”

The cost overruns for toilets and cleanup were mentioned in the BLM's closeout as reasons for the lateness in paying fees, saying they totaled $45,000.

Expect that cost to jump even higher. Planners had anticipated around 6,000 participants last year (as mentioned, nearly 12,000 showed) and supplied 80 toilets: half the number needed. The assumption is that if the event again doubles to 24,000 people, 320 toilets will be needed, and the toilets will have to be pumped two or three times a day—potentially quadrupling last year's cost.

The final hurdle is time. Even though Labor Day weekend is six months away, the clock is ticking. According to Bilbo, the sooner the environmental assessment is begun, the sooner it can be analyzed. The payment schedule deadlines will not be adjusted, and a missed one will spell disaster for the project. Specific emergency services plans must be developed, coordinated and implemented by Harvey with BLM, state and county emergency response personnel (medical and law enforcement ). The plans must be delivered to the BLM no later than 75 days before the event in order to give the public time to respond before the BLM will issue a new permit.

“We need to hear from them, like, now,” says Bib.

Burnt Out?

One possibility that Harvey is exploring is to partially move the event off public lands, although he is keeping the potential site secret

“I'm interested in publicizing the fact when its an absolute go,” he says. “What we are essentially talking about is private land—a place where people can form community instead of just a big parking lot. What happened to us was we were in an uncontrolled environment. All these people came and they drowned us.”

Still, whether the event happens even partially on public lands, state and county governments and the BLM are going to have a say in the proceedings.

“It's our job to ensure that resource degradation does not occur, and public's safety is handled,” says Bilbo. With these two goals in mind, the BLM has created more hoops for Burning Man to jump through to pass the federal permit application process. While it is true that moral questions have been raised and letters have been received both for and against the event, “It's not necessarily the BLM's position to rule on moral issues.”

Still, the moral objections are, in effect, covered by the BLM, because one of the stipulations covered by the permit is that state and local laws will be obeyed by participants. While the BLM is more concerned with health, safety and environmental violations like public defecation, food and water vending and water rights than flagrant drug use and public sex, it is obvious that those are considerations that will affect renewal hopes for the permit.

A group called The High Rock, Black Rock, Immigrant Trail Coalition made up of mining, ranching environmental and land use groups have also expressed concerns about the event. Contrary to other reports, they are not specifically against Burning Man, but against most large-scale recreational uses of the Black Rock Desert until a management policy for the area is put into force. Burning Man is the largest event on the desert.

“There really aren't any problems with Burning Man, per se,” says Desna Young, former planner for the BLM and project and research coordinator for Public Resource Associates, a group that belongs to the Coalition. “It's just how large it has gotten out there. For every event there comes a point when the life cycle changes and the dynamics change.”

She says the Coalition is most concerned with maintaining the desert's “integrity of setting.”

Pershing County has also raised objections to the event.

“Pershing County got slammed,” said Law. “Sheriff Skinner and the deputies did a great job, but it was just too much.”

Sheriff Skinner is at the FBI academy in Washington, D.C., and was unavailable for comment. Acting Sheriff Lt. Bill Barks would not comment for the record

“We're not against Burning Mall, per se,” said William Denier, Pershing County commissioner. “We are against anything illegal that took place on the desert last year. We don't want to violate anybody's rights, free speech and the right to assemble and such. Everybody has the right to use public land. What we are against is the alcohol and drug use that was beyond anybody's ability to control.”

“It was probably fine when it was just a gathering of artists when it started in California and for the first two years or so there in the Black Rock, nobody got hurt,” he said.

Last year, there was one death and two severe injuries associated with the event.

“I was on 14 accident sites, and I didn't get to all of them,” says Law. “It's a miracle that there weren't more accidents than there were.”

Invariably, organizers of the event see automobiles as the major threat to public safety on the playa.

“If you could leave the fucking cars out of the equation, you could mitigate problems,” said Harvey.

Harvey says that his plans for the new event will take people out of their cars, thus increasing safety and minimizing impacts on the desert. He plans to lessen financial impact by raising ticket prices (preliminary planning suggests that tickets will go from $25 to $45 in advance and from $40 to $75 at the gate) and making it impossible for people to sneak in.

“If they come out and expect what they're used to, they are in for a shock,” Harvey says.

“I don't believe we're going to be on the Black Rock playa [in '97]. If today they said, 'No problem, you've got the big playa,' I think I'd just say 'No.'

“We are well into the planning process,” he said. “I think we've got what we need. I think we've got exactly what we need.”

#D. Brian Burghart #1997 #Burning Man 1997

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buddyrabrahams · 6 years

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10 NFL teams most likely to make a draft day trade

The NFL trade market has been unusually active this offseason, and there’s no reason to believe that’s going to change during the 2018 NFL Draft. In fact, there is already an abundance of speculation regarding a series of potential trades that may or may not come to fruition.

Most of the trade rumors orbit around two or three teams, but as we’ve seen in draft’s of the past, just about anyone is capable of making a shocking deal to either move up, move down or acquire an unexpected talent.

Here’s a look at 10 teams most likely to make a trade during the 2018 NFL Draft.

10. Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks represent an interesting potential trade partner given that they have no picks in rounds two or three. They do however, have the No. 18 overall pick in Round 1, which could be used to move back and acquire additional Day 2 picks. And given the complete overhaul in Seattle this offseason, there are more than a handful of needs that require immediate attention. And it’s not as if Pete Carroll & Co. are shy about trading down, having done exactly that in the past. But there is also the added element of safety Earl Thomas, who is currently skipping voluntary workouts and could be targeted by the Dallas Cowboys. There are any number of possibilities for the Seahawks, and the likelihood is that they won’t sit on their hands.

9. San Francisco 49ers

Last April, 49ers general manager John Lynch made four separate draft day trades, so it’s clear he’s not shy about making something happen if he feels the right deal is on the table. Does that mean he’ll do the same in 2018? Not necessarily, but San Francisco holds some prime real estate at No. 9 overall, and there are undoubtedly a handful of teams that would love to move into the top 10. If Lynch doesn’t have his optimal target on the board when the 49ers are put on the clock, they could very easily move back in Round 1 to acquire additional Day 2 picks.

8. Indianapolis Colts

The Colts believe in Andrew Luck despite the fact that he’s still not throwing, which is why they’ve already moved back in Round 1 in a trade with the New York Jets (from No. 3 overall to No. 6 overall). They aren’t in the hunt for one of the top quarterback prospects and therefore they’re open for business. Making a trade more likely is that the Colts sport a plethora of picks — nine in total and three within the first 37. If they’re not targeting a quarterback and their perceived top three — Penn State running back Saquon Barkley, N.C. State defensive end Bradley Chubb and Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson — are already off the board, it becomes far more likely they trade back and stock up.

7. Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals are in a precarious position sitting at No. 15 overall. They’d like a chance to snag one of the draft’s top quarterback prospects, but moving up into the top five would cost them at least their first three picks and, quite possibly, a first-round pick in 2019 as well. Considering they have also invested heavily in Sam Bradford and have Mike Glennon backing him up, they may not be quite as inclined to give up such a haul. However, if someone like UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen or Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield begins to slip down near pick 10 or so, the Cardinals could very well make some calls in an effort to move up and snag a gunslinger.

6. Miami Dolphins

Similar to the Cardinals, the Dolphins are on the outside of the top 10 looking in, currently sitting with the No. 11 overall pick. And while they have quarterback Ryan Tannehill for at least one more season, they’ll be keeping a watchful eye on the best four quarterback prospects available in the NFL Draft. And should one or more of those players begin to slide, Miami could ultimately battle it out with the aforementioned Cardinals to move up. The one benefit Miami has is the draft pick value chart, which puts them in better range to move up than some of the other quarterback-needy teams behind them. It would still be costly, but they’re in much better striking range.

5. New England Patriots

The Patriots could very well top this list because it seems like each time the draft rolls around, they’re wheeling and dealing more than any other team in the league. They repeatedly pull off remarkable draft day trades to stock up on picks and build through depth, but in 2018, they could very well find themselves trading up instead. After trading Jimmy Garoppolo to the 49ers, New England has no long-term plan or player in place behind Tom Brady, who has reportedly not committed to playing this season. And while that will undoubtedly end with Brady vying for another MVP award, the truth remains that the Patriots may need to attempt to land a quarterback. With the Nos. 23 and 31 picks in Round 1 to go along with two second-round picks, they have the ammo needed to move up and steal a quarterback should they truly desire to do so. If not, expect a series of draft day trades anyway.

4. Cleveland Browns

The Brown are in perhaps the most unique position in the NFL Draft. They hold picks Nos. 1, 4, 33, 35 and 64. There’s no denying they have the ammo to do literally whatever they’d like. For teams desperate to move up and select a quarterback, the Browns could secure an obscene amount for No. 1 overall. If not, they could still walk away with quite a haul for No. 4 overall. If they opt to stick with both of those picks, they then have enough to trade up later and target a specific player in the middle of Round 1. Either way, the Browns will likely be the center of the trade world come Thursday.

3. New York Giants

Giants general manager Dave Gettleman never traded down while in charge of the Carolina Panthers, but that’s because he never felt the right offer was on the table. He’s already stated numerous times he’d be open to trading back if the price is right, and acknowledged quite a few calls have already come in for the No. 2 overall pick. There have also been lingering rumors about a potential trade with the Denver Broncos or Buffalo Bills, and possibly even a three-team trade. Some reports have gone as far as to suggest the Giants and Bills have a potential agreement in place should they opt to go that route come Thursday, but that remains nothing but hearsay. Either way, the Giants will be fielding a ton of calls come Thursday. If Cleveland opts to pick Penn State running back Saquon Barkley at No. 1 overall, the Giants may be inclined to trade back a few spots and target someone like N.C. State defensive end Bradley Chubb or Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson.

2. Denver Broncos

Sitting at No. 5 overall, the Broncos are in an enviable position. They have enough to move up a few spots — possibly with the Giants — should they desire to do so, but depending on how things shape up in front of them, they could just as easily trade day with someone like the Buffalo Bills. If they decide to go for a quarterback, they’re in good position to do so. If there’s a run on quarterbacks ahead of them, they could still trade back and focus on other quality targets. Ultimately, like some of the other teams that top this list, the Broncos will receive a lot of calls and remain one of the teams most likely to make a draft day trade.

1. Buffalo Bills

The Bills have maneuvered their way up to the No. 12 overall pick ahead of the 2018 NFL Draft, and it’s clear they’re not yet satisfied. They’ve made no secrets about their desire to land a potential franchise quarterback and are now in striking distance to do just that. But do they have enough to climb the remainder of the ladder and draft one of the top four prospects? They’ve been repeatedly connected to the Giants at No. 2 overall with some reports suggesting a deal is already in place if the two sides decide to pull the trigger, but they won’t rest on that hope. Whether or not they ultimately land their next quarterback, the Bills will continue to wheel-and-deal until the very last second.

from Larry Brown Sports https://ift.tt/2JhPvTX

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