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ghostoftonantzin · 4 months

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Books I have read this year, 2023, roughly in order

I enjoyed doing this last year, so I thought I would do another little write-up of the books I read this year and what I thought.

I've read 52 books this year, hitting a goal I hadn't thought to set. That includes a few graphic novels, but not the audiobooks, which I listened to 15 of this year (I spent a lot of time driving). Same as last year, I've annotated the audiobooks with an asterisk.

I also started listening to Backlisted this year, which significantly influenced my reading choices.

Under a cut, because it got long

Swedish Cults, Anders Fager (1/2) - I saw this was originally published in 2009, and I feel like the first story in this collection somehow really echoes that time. Which is probably a strange thing to say about a horror story.

When Washington was in Vogue, Edward Christopher Williams (1/13) - very sweet, very interesting look at a time and a place I didn't know much about.

The Cement Garden, Ian McEwan (1/19) - I expected to enjoy this a lot more than I did, based on how it's often described as a great "fucked up" book. I think the teenage boy POV just didn't do much for me.

Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons (1/20) - a reread, for the first time since probably 2014 or so. I enjoyed it (and understood it) a lot better this time around. I got to the back half and couldn't put it down, which is a strange thing to say about a parody of the rural novels of the 1930s.

Nona the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir (2/12) - finally got this from the library. I didn't enjoy it as much as the first two books in the series

Fun Home, Alison Bechdel (2/24) - a reread. The final page always destroys me.

Cassandra at the Wedding, Dorothy Baker (2/25) - Very literary. I think I enjoyed it, though I can't muster up the energy to form a stronger opinion. The scene where Cassandra pulls out the bridesmaid dress she bought was memorable, though.

Are You My Mother?, Alison Bechdel (2/28) - a reread. Scratches the same itch as Fun Home, but doesn't tie the family narrative into the theoretical themes as cohesively.

Surviving the Applewhites, Stephanie S. Tolan (3/12) - another reread, to see if it was as good as I remembered from fourth grade. It held up for the most part.

The Secret to Superhuman Strength, Alison Bechdel (3/13) - finally, not a reread. Fun, erudite, perhaps not as tight as Fun Home, but another excellent Bechdel.

Ravishment, Amanda Quick (3/24) - sometimes you have to read an entire romance novel in an evening. This was fun, though its plot and that of "Mistress" (see below) blur into one another.

Season of Migration to the North, Tayib Saleh (4/7) - I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I had read it in a class where I could discuss it and learn more about the historical context behind it.

The Bloater, Rosemary Tonks (4/9) - of Backlisted fame. I should reread again, more slowly, to get a better taste for Tonk's use of language.

Mistress, Amanda Quick (4/15) - also a fun quick read, though I can't remember much of the plot.

Excellent Women*, Barbara Pym (4/25) - yet another attempt to get into audiobooks, and it semi-worked this time. Mildred sets a high bar for other Pym protagonists to follow, and I thought Pym created an excellent portrait of post-war life for unmarried women and the minor indignities and intimacies that accompany it. Also ridiculously funny, at least to me.

Clouds of Witness*, Dorothy L. Sayers (5/12) - I wanted to read Gaudy Night, but I figured I should read at least a few Peter Wimsey mysteries that came before it. I think my favorite character was Lord Wimsey's mother.

Star, Yukio Mishima (5/16) - an interesting portrait of a disaffected youth and of fame in Japan at the time it was written.

Strong Poison*, Dorothy L. Sayers (5/16) - the first Wimsey mystery to feature Harriet Vane, and my first encounter with Lord Peter's office of overlooked older secretaries, who provides the enjoyable detour of Miss Murchison making an important breakthrough in the case. Not bad, though not super memorable.

Have His Carcase, Dorothy L. Sayers (5/17) - the only Wimsey mystery I read instead of listened to, because neither library app had the audiobook. This one was too reliant on keeping timetables straight for my taste, but I still read it in a day.

Beyond Black, Hilary Mantel (5/22) - possibly the best book I read this year. Bleak, bleak, bleak, and wonderful for it. Yet one of the most cathartic happy endings I've ever read.

Thus was Adonis Murdered, Sarah Caudwell (5/28) - caught my sense of humor by the second or third page. Hilariously dry mystery, and understandable even if you don't know legal jargon.

The Feast, Margaret Kennedy (5/31) - this book is not even remotely a thriller, is in fact sort of an elaborate morality play, and yet I couldn't put it down. The conceit- that a cliff collapses onto a hotel and everyone inside dies, but not all the hotel guests were inside- keeps you guessing at whose sins are bad enough to merit a karmic death.

Starlight, Stella Gibbons (6/4) - a lot grimmer than I expected, and almost ahead of its time in terms of the (I'm going to say) pointlessness of its ending, in a "people come into the main character's lives, stuff happens, but the main two old ladies aren't actually affected" way. Not a book you would expect to find demonic possession in, but it's there and it's played straight!

The Shortest Way to Hades, Sarah Caudwell (6/6) - I find it interesting that all of these mysteries center around details of things like inheritance law and yet all feature murder as the main crime, and also that (spoilers) the villain is disposed of in a manner that does not require the main cast to get involved with the police.

The Sirens Sang of Murder, Sarah Caudwell (6/9) - by the second volume in this series I kept trying to guess who the murderer, and I was never ever able to do it. Not that I've ever been good at that part of mystery novels, but I do appreciate Caudwell keeping me on my toes.

Gaudy Night*, Dorothy L. Sayers (6/11) - finally, the book I read three prior mysteries for. I found this one fascinatingly slow for a mystery and much more focused on the life of women in academia in that era than I had expected. I particularly enjoyed the character of Miss de Vine, who at first seems like the classic absent-minded professor, only to reveal herself to be much wiser in ways of the heart than she appears.

The Black Maybe, Attila Veres (6/19) - short horror story collection, translated from Hungarian. Not bad, but none of the stories were super memorable.

Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Garmus (6/22) - I did not enjoy this and probably would not have finished it if my mom hadn't highly recommended it. The characters felt flat and the plot struggled to build enough tension for the emotional beats to hit. I also feel like the four-year-old character did not act anything like a four-year-old, though I'll admit I don't know a lot of four-year-olds.

Hackenfeller’s Ape, Brigid Brophy (6/26) - I would say this book wasn't that exciting, very dry and academic for its bizarre plot, but one detail near the end (which I won't spoil) knocked me sideways and tbh probably made the book for me.

Less Than Angels*, Barbara Pym (6/27) - I had to go back and add this while writing these reviews because I'd completely forgotten to list it at the time. Not as good as Excellent Women, though I also had to adjust to the multiple perspectives as opposed to just one.

Comemadre, Roque Larraquy (7/2) - a reread. Still one of the strangest books I've ever read. Highly recommend.

The Sky is Blue, With a Single Cloud, Kuniko Tsurita (7/3) - I'd had this collection of manga one-shots for about a year, and decided to finally read it when hanging out at the library when the water was out at my apartment. It's very interesting to see her style develop and to learn more about the alternative manga industry.

Mrs. Caliban, Rachel Ingalls (7/4) - I had been vaguely meaning to read this for a while, then found it on Hoopla. Looking back on it, it rivals In a Lonely Place (the Dorothy Hughes one) with regards to drawing California in the mind's eye, though the mood of their particular Californias are very different.

Black Wings Has My Angel, Elliott Chaze (7/8) - the tension at the end of this book is like pulling teeth, it's incredible.

Scruples, Judith Krantz (7/24) - absolutely frothy and frequently ridiculous, but also fun. Their are main characters named Spider and Valentine, and it's taken completely seriously. It's actually a really interesting look at the values and beliefs of the 1980's as reflected through pop culture.

Days in the Caucasus, Banine (7/28) - I was more interested in the sequel to this memoir, Parisian Days, but figured I should read this volume, about the author's childhood in Azerbaijan in the years leading up to its incorporation into the Soviet Union. It provided a really interesting perspective of the Soviet Union from a resident of one of its subject states.

Frederica, Georgette Heyer (8/6) - my first Heyer. I'm impressed by her ability to write annoying younger siblings and walk the line between "overly cute" and "overly aggravating".

In the Miso Soup, Ryu Murakami (8/17) - good, though not my favorite of the year by far. The violence depicted did manage to turn my stomach a bit.

My Man Jeeves*, P.G. Wodehouse (8/20) - I've realized that I need to listen to audiobooks that are fun if I'm going to survive long drives, so I turned to the Jeeves series (I only listened to the Jeeves stories in this one). An interesting introduction to the character, especially since it starts in America instead of the England of the more well-known tales.

Love in the New Millennium, Can Xue (8/29) - I'm not sure if this book is meant to be very surreal, if I'm missing cultural context, or both, but I will say it does serve me well to be a little befuddled by books sometimes. This book has a strange, flowing sense of perspective, where it moves between perspectives and the stories of its characters, only slowly unveiling where it's emotional weight lies. Very interesting.

The Inimitable Jeeves*, P.G. Wodehouse (9/1) - second collection of Jeeves & Wooster stories. Good, though Bingo isn't my favorite side character.

Flesh, Brigid Brophy (9/1) - the beginning chapters are incredibly sensual in a way I can't describe, but after that it inspired an incredible feeling of dread that something would go terribly wrong. Despite the fact that this is a satire of young adults in 1960s London, I could feel emotional catastrophe creeping around every corner. I don't think this was Brophy's intention.

Ice*, Anna Kavan (9/8) - somehow not anything like I had osmosed it being. The narrative flows between reality and fantasy so fluidly that it's incredibly easy to wonder if you spaced out and missed something important while listening to it. The plot is also fascinatingly simple and surprisingly free of actual conflict: despite impediments, the hero ("hero") rarely actually encounters any opposition that seems like it could truly keep him from his goal. This adds to the feeling that everything occurring in the book is barely-veiled symbolism.

The Glass Pearls, Emeric Pressburger (9/13) - the tension in this might have honestly been too much for me. Good, but I don't know if I can read it again.

The English Understand Wool, Helen DeWitt (9/16) - sometimes you read a book and recognize that it's very good, while also being annoyed that what it is is different from what you want it to be. I understood it worked as a morality tale, but I found it limiting and frustrating. I will also indulge in a bit of cattiness here and say that for a book about luxury and high-quality goods, the book design chosen by New Directions for this series feels like a cheap set of children's books. (I read this on an online checkout from the library, so I only saw the book itself in a bookstore.)

Right Ho, Jeeves*, P.G. Wodehouse (9/18) - The fact that Jeeves and Bertie were on the outs for this one did stress me out, I will admit.

In a Lonely Place, Karl Edward Wagner (9/22) - the stories pick up in quality in the back half, in my opinion, though none of them are true duds. The last story and standout in the collection, yet another twist on a vampire tale, really draws its strength from the grimy-yet-glamorous depiction of an art student's life in London.

Kissing the Witch, Emma Donoghue (9/27) - I enjoyed how each story folded into one another and found this book hard to put down. Also very gay, loved it.

The Drama of Celebrity, Sharon Marcus (9/27) - I was reading this for background for my fic, and it was somewhat helpful. It's really mostly an analysis of Sarah Bernhardt's career, with some light theory of celebrity to contextualize it instead of the other way around like I expected.

Malpertuis, Jean Ray (10/15) - I probably shouldn't have read the summary for this book before the book itself, but I'm not sure I would have fully understood the plot if I hadn't. Not a knock on the book itself.

The Great God Pan and Other Stories*, Arthur Machen (10/16) - I don't read a ton of nineteenth-century literature, so I was surprised by how compelling the title story was, especially when listened to. I also found some of the imagery in "The Novel of the White Powder" horrifying and would not be out of place in a modern horror story. The final story was a bit of a slog, though.

Heartburn*, Nora Ephron (10/20) - a relisten to the version narrated by Meryl Streep. I downloaded it based on a recommendation describing the audiobook as turning it into the one-woman monologue the book was meant to be, and I can't think of any higher recommendation to offer than that.

Casting the Runes and Other Stories*, M.R. James and others (10/30) - I knew about M.R. James from popular culture, but I honestly had not expected "Whistle and I'll Come to You, My Lad" to center so much around golf.

Invitation the the Waltz, Rosamond Lehmann (11/1) - I read most of this in one sitting, playing old music through my headphones, which felt really ideal. Setting most of it during one formal dance allows for a sense of insular-ness while allowing the details of the world to be woven in. If that makes any sense.

Crazy Salad and Scribble Scrabble*, Nora Ephron (11/3) - it's really interesting to listen to these essays written during the second wave feminist movement and realize that we've been having the same arguments for 50 years. It's also interesting to read about the minutiae of Watergate from the perspective of those watching it unfold in real time. So many weird, unmemorable cultural-political things that have gone down the hole of public memory! (I need to note here that the last essay in Crazy Salad is, based on my memory of the first time I read it (I skipped it this time around) very transphobic, so I can only recommend this collection with that heavy caveat.)

BBC Radiophonic Workshop: A Retrospective, William L. Weir (11/7) - I first learned about the BBC radiophonic workshop through the Backlisted episode about Rosemary Tonks, and this was a fascinating look into that period of British history and the origins of electronic music. It's also helped me pinpoint how to find that sort of music I think of as "alien abduction music", which is a bonus.

Joy in the Morning*, P.G. Wodehouse (11/10) - I didn't realize this wasn't in the 3-book arc that starts with Right Ho, Jeeves until I was partway through. Still, quality Wodehouse.

Good Morning, Midnight, Jean Rhys (11/17) - despite listening to the Backlisted episode before reading this, I didn't quite grasp what "modernist novel" meant, which meant I was surprised by the stream-of-consciousness flow of this novel. It's such gorgeous writing, though. Depressing as hell.

Winter Love*, Han Suyin (11/18) - beautiful and sad. The main character, Red, is frustrating, even though everything she does is perfectly understandable within the context she lives in.

The Girls, John Bowen (11/21) - the blurbs for this book ("Barbara Pym meets Stephen King") made it seem like this would be both lighter and more horrifying than it actually was. I found it to actually be very melancholy in parts, and surprisingly focused on the emotional aftereffects of murder. The ending, the final paragraph, is gorgeous.

Black Orchids, Rex Stout (11/30) - I'm now trying to find Nero Wolfe books in secondhand bookstores, though I'm limited by the lack of secondhand bookstores in my area (that may be a good thing). I enjoy how Nero Wolfe and Archie play off each other.

The Hearing Trumpet*, Leonara Carrington (12/1) - so, so good, and I'm glad I listened to it as an audiobook, because the narrator, Sian Phillips, is an elderly woman herself and therefore able to conjure up a whole range of different voices for the old women who populate this book.

Mistletoe Malice, Kathleen Farrell (12/6) - I was actually disappointed by this, which might have been a matter of mismatched expectations. However, the Christmas tree never caught fire, and I swore a review I read said it would, so I spent the whole book waiting in vain.

Venetia, Georgette Heyer (12/16) - A delight. Aubrey is a great character, and I enjoy how Heyer has the different characters play on each other.

Great Granny Webster, Caroline Blackwood (12/18) - did not expect this book to have a large section on "decaying old Anglo-Irish homes and their horrors", but I guess that's a richer vein in literary fiction than I realized (see: Good Behaviour by Molly Keane).

Sylvester, Georgette Heyer (12/21) - not quite as enjoyable as Frederica or Venetia, in my opinion, though that may be partly because I waited for almost 2/3 of the book for Phoebe's book to actually be published.

Providence, Anita Brookner (12/28) - beautiful prose, of the sort that makes me realize my own inadequacies in both my writing and my critical capabilities, because I can neither replicate it or describe what makes it so compelling. This book is also so tightly crafted for a story where almost nothing happens. It ends up exactly where it's been leading all along.

#ghost posts #oh my god this took forever to write #52 books! I'm surprised at myself #I really should make that list of “twentieth century queer or queer-ish literary fiction that I have read and can recommend”

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janwebster · 2 years

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Shibden

Monday 11 1818 4 40/60 10 55/60 Began on Saturday night to sleep upon a mattress only (i.e. to have no bed) that I might awake earlier and be the less inclined to doze afterwards -

Last night slept with my door wide open to try if this would do any good, and got up so soon (20 minutes before 5) even though I did not get to sleep last night till after 12- I could not get Miss Brown out of my head, and even this morning she has been darted across my mind a thousand times-

Before Breakfast did from question 5 to 12 page 141 volume 1 Hutton- read from page 518 to 530 volume 1 Les leçons de l’histoire - From 11 till 12 1/4 looking over the Principia Hebraica - Chapter 7- marked the quantity of 4 lines (vide Friday 8 May) -

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Priestly and Miss Birch (Harriet) called at 1/2 past 1 and stayed till 2 - From 2 till 3/4 past, read from verse 915 to 964 ajax flagellifer- In the afternoon read from page 349 to 391 volume 1 Gibbon -

Had tea early, and my uncle and I set off at 6, by our clock, to walk to Whitehall to attend Mr. Longstaff from Edinburgh who, thro’ the means of Mr. Hudson who got my uncle to subscribe £1 -1 - 0, commenced this evening a course of astronomy lectures. His lecture tonight (over a little after 8) was merely introductory and to my mind nothing very brilliant of its kind- he speaks broadish, pronounces ill, and very frequently sins against good grammar -

A fine spring like day, tho’ occasionally rather cloudy with a few drops of rain just before we got to Whitehall and afterwards -

Barometer 2° above Rain Fahrenheit 53° at 9 p.m. -

Flute 25/60 hour during supper-

WYAS AH:7/ML/E/2/0028

#annelistercodebreaker

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ibmiller · 6 years

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LORD PETER ALERT!

So, after listening to the funny (but overlong, I think) BBC radio adaptation of Stella Gibbons’ most famous work, Cold Comfort Farm (which I read in high school and thought was fun, but not amazing), I did a bit of googling, and found that Gibbons actually wrote a large number of novels. Most of them are not in print in the USA, but I did find one recent ebook at the library, Nightingale Wood. It’s a sweet, very interbellum look at 1930s England rural life with the structure of a Cinderalla story (though I’m actually really pleased, because it has a B-plot romance between a woman of the gentry and a man of the serving class. That’s something I don’t see much, and I’m really happy with how it’s turning out.)

Anyway, the reason I’m posting about it is because there was just mention of an old gentleman planning to go home and read Dorothy Sayers’s latest story over a decanter. Nightingale Wood was published in 1938, according to wikipedia, and the most recent Sayers novel would have been Busman’s Honeymoon, published in 1937.

This tickled me immensely!

#Lord Peter Wimsey #Busman's Honeymoon #Nightingale Wood #Stella Gibbons #Dorothy Sayers #Harriet Vane #If we only get one otp in this life mine's Peter and Harriet

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dykevillanelle · 2 years

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savannah "dykevillanelle"'s 2021 reading list

books read: 86 pages read: 26,910

top 5: 1 (best). Gideon the Ninth / Harrow the Ninth (Tamsyn Muir) 2. Lolita in the Afterlife (edited by Jenny Minton Quiqley) 3. Carceral Capitalism (Jackie Wang) 4. Detransition, Baby (Torrey Peters) 5. Plain Bad Heroines (Emily M. Danforth)

bottom 5: 1. The Other Woman (Sandie Jones) 2. Meddling Kids (Edgar Cantero) 3. Haunted (Chuck Palahniuk) 4. Come With Me (Helen Schulman) 5 (worst). The Mask of Sanity (Hervey M. Cleckley)

full list and my ratings under the cut:

Plain Bad Heroines (Emily M. Danforth) ★★★★★

The Honey Month (Amal El-Mohtar) ★★★★★

Stamped From the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America (Ibram X. Kendi) ★★★★

Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity (C. Riley Snorton) ★★★★★

The Milk Lady of Bangalore: Adventures With My Milk Lady (Shoba Narayan) ★★★

Mules and Men (Zora Neale Hurston) ★★★

Ring Shout (P. Djèlí Clark) ★★★★★

The Friend (Sigrid Nunez) ★★★★★

The Body is Not An Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love (Sonya Renee Taylor) ★★★★

Meddling Kids (Edgar Cantero) ★★

Fade Into You (Nikki Darling) ★★

Queer Brown Voices: Personal Narratives of LGBT Latino/a Activism (edited by Salvador Vidal-Ortiz, Uriel Quesada, & Letitia Gomez) ★★★

The Fifth Season (N.K. Jemisin) ★★★★★

Her Body and Other Parties (Carmen Maria Machado) ★★★★★

Clock Dance (Anne Tyler) ★★★

The Other Woman (Sandie Jones) ★★

The Obelisk Gate (N.K. Jemisin) ★★★★

The Windfall (Diksha Basu) ★★★

The Freezer Door (Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore) ★★★★

Carceral Capitalism (Jackie Wang) ★★★★★

Watchmen (Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons) ★★★★

Lolita in the Afterlife (edited by Jenny Minton Quiqley) ★★★★★

The Stone Sky (N.K. Jemisin) ★★★★

The Mask of Sanity (Hervey M. Cleckley) ★

Grand Union (Zadie Smith) ★★★

In West Mills (De'shawn Charles Winslow) ★★★

The Farm (Joanne Ramos) ★★★★★

Jane: A Murder (Maggie Nelson) ★★★★

Inside This Place, Not Of It: Narratives from Women’s Prisons (edited by Ayelet Waldman & Robin Levi) ★★★★

Live Through This: On Creativity and Self-Destruction (edited by Sabrina Chap) ★★★★

Other Voices, Other Rooms (Truman Capote) ★★★★★

Moses, Man of the Mountain (Zora Neale Hurston) ★★★

The Weight of Ink (Rachel Kadish) ★★★★★

Two or Three Things I Know For Sure (Dorothy Allison) ★★★★

Clean and White: A History of Environmental Racism in the United States (Carl A. Zimring) ★★★★

The Grass Harp and Other Stories (Truman Capote) ★★★★

Sybil Exposed: The Extraordinary Story Behind the Famous Multiple Personality Case (Debbie Nathan) ★★★★

Without a Net: The Female Experience Growing Up Working Class (Michelle Tea) ★★★★

The Devil Finds Work (James Baldwin) ★★★★

Seed Sovereignty, Food Security: Women in the Vanguard of the Fight Against GMOs and Corporate Agriculture (edited by Vandana Shiva) ★★★

Women, Race, & Class (Angela Y. Davis) ★★★★★

Mermaid in Chelsea Creek (Michelle Tea) ★★★★★

Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present (Harriet A. Washington) ★★★★★

Freshwater (Akwaeke Emezi) ★★★★★

Summer Crossing (Truman Capote) ★★★

The Adventure Zone: The Crystal Kingdom (Carey Pietsch, Clint McElroy, Griffin McElroy, Justin McElroy, Travis McElroy) ★★★★★

Barracoon: The Story of the Last “Black Cargo” (Zora Neale Hurston) ★★★

Women, Culture & Politics (Angela Y. Davis) ★★★★

Superior: The Return of Race Science (Angela Saini) ★★★★★

In Cold Blood (Truman Capote) ★★★

The Keeper of Lost Things (Ruth Hogan) ★★★★

The Chosen and the Beautiful (Nghi Vo) ★★★★★

Mexican Gothic (Silvia Moreno-Garcia) ★★★★

On the Come Up (Angie Thomas) ★★★

Capitalism: A Ghost Story (Arundhati Roy) ★★★★

Blues Legacies and Black Feminism: Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, Bessie Smith, and Billie Holiday (Angela Y. Davis) ★★★★

The Fire Never Goes Out: A Memoir in Pictures (Noelle Stevenson) ★★★★

The Travelers (Regina Porter) ★★

Mister Impossible (Maggie Stiefvater) ★★

Honey Girl (Morgan Rogers) ★★★★

The Daylight Gate (Jeanette Winterson) ★★

Women in the Qur'an: An Emancipatory Reading (Asma Lamrabet) ★★★

Music for Chameleons (Truman Capote) ★★★★

Abolition Democracy: Beyond Empire, Prisons, and Torture (Angela Y. Davis) ★★★★★

Trans Love: An Anthology of Transgender and Non-Binary Voices (edited by Freiya Benson) ★★★★

The Left Hand of Darkness (Ursula K. Le Guin) ★★★★

Black Women and Popular Culture: The Conversation Continues (edited by Adria Y. Goldman et. al.) ★★★

The Meaning of Freedom: And Other Difficult Dialogues (Angela Y. Davis) ★★★★

Inside the Cell: The Dark Side of Forensic DNA (Erin E. Murphy) ★★★★

Detransition, Baby (Torrey Peters) ★★★★★

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me (Mariko Tamaki & Rosemary Valero-O'Connell) ★★★★★

The Magicians (Lev Grossman) ★★★

decolonizing trans/gender 101 (b. binoahan) ★★★★★

Gideon the Ninth (Tamsyn Muir) ★★★★★

Harrow the Ninth (Tamsyn Muir) ★★★★★

Come With Me (Helen Schulman) ★★

Geek Love (Katherine Dunn) ★★★

The House That Race Built: Original Essay by Toni Morrison, Angela Y. Davis, Cornel West, and Others on Black Americans and Politics in America Today (edited by Wahneema Lubiano)

The Only Good Indians (Stephen Graham Jones) ★★★

Too Brief a Treat: The Letters of Truman Capote (Truman Capote, Gerald Clark) ★★★★

The Call (Peadar O'Guilín) ★★★★★

An Untamed State (Roxane Gay) ★★★★

Haunted (Chuck Palahniuk) ★★

Anger is a Gift (Mark Oshiro) ★★

Ayiti (Roxane Gay) ★★★★★

Witches, Sluts, Feminists: Conjuring the Sex Positive (Kristen J. Sollee) ★★

#bookblr #books #angel.txt

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winsonsaw2003 · 2 years

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I’m Looking For Descendants Of William Willans Willans(1822-1903)

William Willans Willans is standing on back row 5th from left.

I'm looking for descendants of William Willans Willans(1822-1903) to share some information. Son of William Hall Willans &Mary Church. He married Lucy Blundell.His issue:- i)William Blundell Willans(1852-1915) married Henrietta Amelia Jeune. His issue:- ci)Gordon Jeune Willans(1883-1963)married to Ruth Inskip. His issue:- di)Robert Inskip Willans(1917-2001)married to Elizabeth Ellen Tuffield. His issue:- ei)Carolyn Mary Jeune Willans married to Stephen G.Townsend. eii) Simon William Tuffield Willans married Jennifer J Rezgalla dii)William Digby Willans(1922-?) married to Enid Kathleen Mercer. His issue:- ei) Timothy Jeune Willans married Fiona J Hutton. His issue:- fi) Adam Jeremy Willans fii) Laura Alice Willans fiii) Charles David Willans cii)Elsie Jeune Willans(1882-?) ciii)Eva Jeune Willans(1883-1937) married Townsend Wharton Shaw. civ)Sir Frederick Jeune Willans(1883-1949) married to Wynefred C M Manby. cv)Maxwell Jeune Willans(1886-1906). cvi)Lucy Jeune Willans(1889-1980) married Aubrey Barker Their issue:- di) Derek Barker dii) David A Barker diii) Ronald Barker div) Phyllis V Barker cvii)Norman Jeune Willans(1892-1948) married Anne Marie ?. cviii)Alan Jeune Willans(1896-1918). cx) Violet Jeune Willans(1902-1954) cxi) Marguerite Jeune Willans(1902-1968) ii)Gertrude Harriet Mann Willans(1855-1928). iii)Thomas Church Willans(1857-1890) married to Elizabeth Ann Avery. His issue :- ci)Bessie Gwendoline Willans married to Roderic Arthur Clapham. Their issue:- di) Deborah K R Clapham married Geoffrey N Hunt. Their issue:- ei) David R N Hunt iv) Charles Wellesley Willans(1859-1884). v)Harry Walter Willans(1862-1953) married to Catherine Vaughan de Jersey Clere. His issue:- ci)Willam Murray Willans married to Blanche Rose Walker. His issue:- di)Malcolm Murray Willans(1921-1978) married Eileen Spurdle. His issue:- ei)Ashley Willans married Lizanne Hogg. eii)Ian Willans married Jenny Blinkhorn. eiii)Suzanne Willans married Peter Linklater. dii)Harry Leonard Willans married to Dorothy Mary Johnstone.His issue:- ei)Neil Robert Willans married to Sandra Dymond.His issue:- fi)Mark James Willans. fii)Julie Sara Willans. eii)Sally Diane Willans married Roger Menzies.Their issue:- fi)Erin Leigh Menzies. fii)Kelly Andrea Menzies. fiii)Scott Andrew Menzies. eiii)Delys Marie Willans. cii)Lucy Willans married Ernest Picot.Their issue:- di) David Picot. dii)Peter Picot. diii)Nancy Picot married Bob Hope-Gibbons. div)Elizabeth Picot. ciii)Dorothy Willans married Percy Hodson.Their issue:- di)Catherine Hodson. dii)Sydney Hodson. diii)Mary Hodson. div) Fraser Hodson. dv) Pam married Jim Sharpe. vi) Lucy Augusta Willans(1865-1876). Please contact me at:- [email protected]

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dannymillerfansite · 5 years

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Full Emmerdale cast List 21-25 January

Aaron Dingle Danny Miller

Amelia Spencer Daisy Campbell

Belle Dingle Eden Taylor-Draper

Billy Fletcher Jay Kontzle

Bob Hope Tony Audenshaw

Brenda Walker Lesley Dunlop

Cain Dingle Jeff Hordley

Cathy Hope Gabrielle Dowling

Charity Dingle Emma Atkins

Chas Dingle Lucy Pargeter

Dan Spencer Liam Fox

David Metcalfe Matthew Wolfenden

Dawn Taylor Olivia Bromley

Daz Spencer Mark Jordon

DC Meaden Louise McNulty

Debbie Dingle Charley Webb

Diane Sugden Elizabeth Estensen

Doug Potts Duncan Preston

Dr Ashraf Gary Pillai

DS Sanders Clare Yuille

Ellis Chapman Asan N'Jie

Faith Dingle Sally Dexter

Graham Foster Andrew Scarborough

Harriet Finch Katherine Dow Blyton

Heath Hope Sebastian Dowling

Jacob Gallagher Joe-Warren Plant

Jai Sharma Christopher Bisson

Jessie Grant Sandra Marvin

Kerry Wyatt Laura Norton

Laurel Thomas Charlotte Bellamy

Liv Flaherty Isobel Steele

Manpreet Jutla Rebecca Sarker

Marlon Dingle Mark Charnock

Matty Barton Ash Palmisciano

Maya Stepney Louisa Clein

Megan Macey Gaynor Faye

Mick Joe Blakemore

Moira Dingle Natalie J Robb

Nicola King Nicola Wheeler

Noah Dingle Jack Downham

Paddy Kirk Dominic Brunt

Priya Kotecha Fiona Wade

Rishi Sharma Bhasker Patel

Robert Sugden Ryan Hawley

Ryan Stocks James Moore

Vanessa Woodfield Michelle Hardwick

Victoria Barton Isabel Hodgins

Solicitor Tony Gibbons

#emmerdale #cast list

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blackkudos · 6 years

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William Still

William Still (October 7, 1821 – July 14, 1902) was an African-American abolitionist in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, conductor on the Underground Railroad, businessman, writer, historian and civil rights activist. Before the American Civil War, Still was chairman of the Vigilance Committee of the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, and directly aided fugitive slaves and kept records to help families reunite. After the war, he remained an important businessman and philanthropist, as well as used his meticulous records to write an account of the underground system and the experiences of many refugee slaves, entitled The Underground Railroad Records(1872).

Family

William Still was born October 7, 1821 (or November 1819), in Shamong Township, Burlington County, New Jersey to Sidney (later renamed Charity) and Levin Still. His parents had come to New Jersey separately. First, his father bought his freedom in 1798 from his master in Caroline County, Maryland on the Eastern Shore and moved north to New Jersey.

His mother, Charity, escaped twice from Maryland. The first time, she and four children were all recaptured and returned to slavery. A few months later, Charity escaped again, taking only her two younger daughters with her and reached her husband in New Jersey. Following her escape, Charity and Levin had 14 more children, of whom William was the youngest. Though these children were born in the free state of New Jersey, under Maryland and federal slave law, they were still legally slaves, as their mother was an escaped slave. According to New Jersey law, they were free.

However, neither Charity nor Levin could free their older boys, who remained enslaved. Levin, Jr. and Peter Still were sold from Maryland to slave owners in Lexington, Kentucky. Later they were resold to planters in Alabama in the Deep South. Levin, Jr. died from a whipping while enslaved. Peter and most of his family escaped from slavery when he was about age 50, with the help of two brothers named Friedman, who operated mercantile establishments in Florence, Alabama, and Cincinnati, Ohio. They were the subject of a book published in 1856. Peter Still sought help at the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society to find his parents or other members of his birth family. Thus he met William Still, but had no idea they were related. However, William listened to Peter's story, and recognized the history his mother had told him many times. After learning that his older brother Levin was whipped to death for visiting his wife without permission, William shouted, "What if I told you I was your brother!" Later Peter and his mother were reunited after having been separated for 42 years.

Another of William's brothers was James Still. Born in New Jersey in 1812, James wanted to become a doctor but said he "was not the right color to enter where such knowledge was dispensed." James studied herbs and plants and apprenticed himself to a white doctor to learn medicine. He became known as the "Black Doctor of the Pines", as he lived and practiced in the Pine Barrens. James's son, James Thomas Still, completed his dream, graduating from Harvard Medical School in 1871.

William’s other siblings included Levin, Jr.; Peter; James; Samuel; Mary, a teacher and missionary in the African Methodist Episcopal Church; Mahala (who married Gabriel Thompson); and Kitturah, who moved to Pennsylvania.

Marriage and children

In 1844, William Still moved from New Jersey to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1847, the year he was hired as a clerk for the Pennsylvania Society for the Abolition of Slavery, Still married Letitia George. They had four children who survived infancy. Their oldest was Caroline Virginia Matilda Still (1848–1919), a pioneer female medical doctor. Caroline attended Oberlin College and the Women's Medical College of Philadelphia (much later known as the Medical College of Pennsylvania). She married Edward J. Wyley and, after his death, the Reverend Matthew Anderson, longtime pastor of the Berean Presbyterian Church in North Philadelphia. She had an extensive private medical practice in Philadelphia and was also a community activist, teacher and leaders .

William Wilberforce Still (1854–1932) graduated from Lincoln University and subsequently practiced law in Philadelphia. Robert George Still (1861–1896) became a journalist and owned a print shop on Pine at 11th Street in central Philadelphia. Frances Ellen Still (1857–1943) became a kindergarten teacher (she was named after poet Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, who had lived with the Stills before her marriage). According to the 1900 U.S. Census, William W., his wife, and Frances Ellen all lived in the same household as the elderly William Still and his wife, confirming the custom that extended families lived together.

Activism

Abolitionism

In 1847, three years after settling in Philadelphia, Still began working as a clerk for the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society. When Philadelphia abolitionists organized a Vigilance Committee to directly aid escaped slaves who had reached the city, Still became its chairman. By the 1850s, Still was one of the leaders of Philadelphia's African-American community.

In 1855, he participated in the nationally covered rescue of Jane Johnson, a slave who sought help from the Society in gaining freedom while passing through Philadelphia with her master John Hill Wheeler, newly appointed US Minister to Nicaragua. Still and others liberated her and her two sons under Pennsylvania law, which held that slaves brought to the free state voluntarily by a slaveholder could choose freedom. Her master sued him and five other African Americans for assault and kidnapping in a high-profile case in August 1855. Jane Johnson returned to Philadelphia from New York and testified in court as to her independence in choosing freedom, winning acquittal for Still and four others, and reduced sentences for the last two.

In 1859, Still challenged the segregation of the city's public transit system, which had separate seating for whites and blacks. He kept lobbying and, in 1865, the Pennsylvania legislature passed a law to integrate streetcars across the state.

Underground Railroad

Often called "The Father of the Underground Railroad", Still helped as many as 800 slaves escape to freedom. He interviewed each person and kept careful records, including a brief biography and the destination for each, along with any alias adopted. He kept his records carefully hidden but knew the accounts would be critical in aiding the future reunion of family members who became separated under slavery, which he had learned when he aided his own brother Peter, whom he had never met before.

Still worked with other Underground Railroad agents operating in the South, including in Virginia ports, nearby Delaware and Maryland, and in many counties in southern Pennsylvania. His network to freedom also included agents in New Jersey, New York, New England and Canada. Conductor Harriet Tubman traveled through his office with fellow passengers on several occasions during the 1850s. Still also forged a connection with the family of John Brown, and sheltered several of Brown's associates fleeing the 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry.

American Civil War and aftermath

During American Civil War, Still operated the post exchange at Camp William Penn, the training camp for United States Colored Troops north of Philadelphia. He also opened a stove store and, in 1861 bought a coal yard and operated a coal delivery business, which continued after the war.

In 1867, Still published A Brief Narrative of the Struggle for the Rights of Colored People of Philadelphia in the City Railway Cars.

In 1872, Still published an account of the Underground Railroad, The Underground Railroad Records, based on the carefully recorded secret notes he had kept in diaries during those years. His book includes his impressions of station masters such as Thomas Garrett, Daniel Gibbons and Abigail Goodwin. It went through three editions and in 1876 was displayed at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. Historians have since used it to understand how the Underground Railroad worked; both Project Gutenberg and the Internet archive make the text freely available.

Businessman and philanthropist

After the war, Still continued as an active businessman, philanthropist and social activist in the Philadelphia metropolitan areas.

In addition to the ongoing coal business, Still owned considerable real estate, including Liberty Hall, for some time the largest public hall in the US owned by a black man. He owned stock in the journal the Nation, was a member of Philadelphia's Board of Trade, and financed and was officer of the Social and Civil Statistical Association of Philadelphia (which in part tracked freed people).

Still also remained active in the Colored Conventions Movement, having attended national conventions including the New England Colored Citizens' Convention of 1859, where Still advocated equal educational opportunities for all African Americans. He also advocated temperance. He was a member of the Freedmen's Aid Union and Commission, an officer of the Philadelphia Home for the Aged and Infirm Colored Persons, and an elder in the Presbyterian church (where he established Sabbath Schools to promote literacy including among freed blacks).

He had a strong interest in the welfare of black youth. He helped to establish an orphanage and the first YMCA for African Americans in Philadelphia. In addition to continuing as member of the board for the Soldiers and Sailors Orphan Home and the Home for the Destitute Colored Children, Still became a trustee at Storer College.

Death, legacy and honors

William Still died on July 14, 1902, survived by his wife Letitia and daughter Caroline, as well as grandchildren and other relatives. He was buried in Eden Cemetery in Collingdale, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, as would later be his wife and daughter. Founded just a month before Still's death, Eden Cemetery is now the nation's oldest African-American owned cemetery, and on the National Register of Historic Places since 2010.

Descendants

Family members donated his papers, including personal papers 1865-1899, to the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection at Temple University Library, where they remain accessible to researchers.

Brothers Peter, James and William Still later moved with their families to Lawnside, New Jersey, a community developed and owned by African Americans in Camden County, New Jersey across the Delaware River from Philadelphia. To this day, their descendants have an annual family reunion every August. Notable members of the Still family include the composer William Grant Still, professional WNBA basketball player Valerie Still, professional NFL defensive end Art Still, and professional NFL defensive tackle Devon Still.

National Underground Railroad Network

In 1997, Congress passed H.R. 1635, which President Bill Clinton signed into law, and which authorized the United States National Park Service to establish the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom program to identify associated sites and popularize the Underground Railroad. This also affirmed Still's national importance as a leading Underground Railroad agent in a major center of abolition.

In popular culture

Actor Robert Hooks portrayed Still in A Woman Called Moses, the 1978 miniseries that is based upon the life of abolitionist Harriet Tubman.

Actor Ron O'Neal portrayed a fictional version of Still in the 1985 miniseries, North and South.

Stand by the River (2003), a musical based on Still's life and rescue of Jane Johnson, was written and composed by Joanne and Mark Sutton-Smith. It has been produced in New York and Chicago, and at universities and other venues across the country.

Actor Chris Chalk portrayed a fictional version of Still on the WGN America period drama TV series, Underground.

Wikipedia

#William Still #10-07 #07-14

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spiderliliez · 16 days

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We’ll watch it together. I can see the future. THE GREATEST HITS (2024) [+] LUCY BOYNTON [GIF Collection] 🌷 [+] “The Greatest Hits” 🎬

#The Greatest Hits #Lucy Boynton #David Corenswet #Harriet Gibbons #Max Enders #Loud Places #Jamie XX #Mad Max #Quotes

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tomandharriet · 5 years

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When two became three

Despite being a long way from our family and friends, it was a Christmas which kept on giving. Our next present, 2 weeks in the company of Rose! The race to a prearranged point in Bangkok was narrowly won by us, as we anxiously waited for Rose, who is good at most things which aren’t navigation related. Thankfully she had 8 hours in Chengdu to study our detailed instructions and hand drawn maps and as it turned out, we needn’t have worried. Arriving about 5 minutes after us, we were delighted to see her familiar face as she walked along the platform. We headed straight to our hostel, just off Khaosan Road (another infamous Thai destination). We kept up the theme of not really exploring much around us, spending the remainder of the day catching up over food and drinks.

The next day turned into more of the same. By chance we had 2 friends in Bangkok on the same day. Meeting up with Simon and Ollie (who’s birthday it was) for an early afternoon drink, turned into a day session on Khaosan and before we knew it we’d seen none of Bangkok, beyond the street sellers selling all sorts of wierd, wonderful and outrageously rude tourist tat.

We could’ve happily spent the whole night drinking White Russians with them and nearly did, when we came extremely close to missing our night train to Chiang Mai. This culminated with our pre-booked ticket turning up at our carriage door 2 minutes before the train pulled out of the station. We’d had a great day but that was about to get even better as Rose suddenly turned into Santa. We knew that she was bringing a few gifts out from Harriet’s family - but Rose had also secretly got Tom’s mums contact details, which meant we both had little stockings to open and hang at the end of our sleeper train beds! We actually nearly cried, it was such a lovely gesture and moment. We also knew how much it would’ve meant to our mums to be able to piece together the stockings. Nobody is perfect though and Santa Rose had one comical slip up, handing Tom a present which he excitedly opened, and then froze.. discovering a Fitbit, which he knew was intended for Harriet, but didn’t quite know how to react whilst being filmed.

We woke up the next morning, shortly before pulling into Chiang Mai, which was comfortably our favourite place in Thailand and actually one of our favourite cities on the trip. Chiang Mai strikes a perfect balance between having interesting things for visitors to do, whilst feeling like a genuine locals town, full of lovely people. We were fortunate to be able to meet up with James, an old family friend of Tom’s, who lives in Bangkok but was spending New Year with his wife, Mandy and her family in Chiang Mai. Mandy who was born in Chiang Mai, acted as our personal tour guide for the morning and we soon found out that she shares a love for Tom’s newfound favourite dessert, which will be covered in great detail later on! She also showed us some great coffee spots, filled us in on some of the history of Chiang Mai and gave us the background on why the King looks so unhappy in the giant billboard pictures of him, which are on display everywhere. It turns out he’s not as popular as his Dad was, largely down to his own actions, it seems!

We had heard lots of good things about Chiang Mai, but it was the New Year lantern festival which we were particularly keen to witness. We had a lovely meal out before heading to the old town walls, where along the moat, thousands of people were already gathering and beginning to release lanterns. Environmental concerns aside for now (our pangs of environmental guilt have multiplied as our trip goes on), the Chiang Mai lanterns are a spectacle that outshone (sorry) any firework display we’d ever seen. The sense of fun, togetherness and hope for the upcoming year was infectious, as friends and families gathered in small groups, wrote their names, stories or wishes on their lantern and then released them. The cumulative affect was stunning, as a steady stream of candle powered lanterns disappeared up into the night sky.

Waking late and predictably groggy the next day, we had lined up two events to see us through the first day if the new year. The first was a relaxing boat tour along Chiang Mai’s river With a pitstop at quite a random and underwhelming herb farm, The main event was an evening at the Thai boxing, as we seeked to continue our run of watching sports in each country. After some dinner and drinks, we headed to the stadium, expecting a bit of a buzz to surround the place. We were greated by 1 security guard and a very shut boxing stadium. Despite selling tickets for the night online, there was no scheduled boxing due to it being the 1st January. A knockout punch to our plans!

Our final day in Chiang Mai produced our best example of just how overwhelmingly kind the majority of people we have encountered on our trip, came out of a moment of misfortune. Rushing to get out of one of the cities red taxis, Harriet left her phone on the bench, realising too late as the taxi drove off round a corner. Still with her Indian SIM card in, there was no way of tracing the phone, but that didn’t stop a couple of passers by who noticed that Harriet was upset and pulled over to ask what had happened. They made phone calls, posted on local Facebook pages and prompted a local garage with CCTV cameras to trawl through the footage in an attempt to get the license plate of the taxi. After more than an hour of trying but ultimately failing to find anything of use, they then drove us back to our hostel and outright refused our offer of any money or alcohol as a thank you for their display of kindness.

Our next destination was Pai, a small town located near the jungle, a few hours north of Chiang Mai. Over the 3 nights we spent there, we came to realise that Pai town itself was a slightly odd touristy bubble. It mostly consisted of a main strip, offering some really good street food and some Groundhog Day-esque street performances ranging from children who clearly didn’t want to be there, dancing to pop or traditional songs, through to a Pharaoh driving a giant duck and turning the sale of customisable flip flops into an interactive show. Ok that was actually great and Tom is still wearing his yellow and black flip-flops which cost less than £3, show included! We also had some great evenings at the bars, most notably the rock-bar which after a string of fairly decent performers, had a local Thai guy who gradually emptied the bar without us noticing. Ok so he wasn’t great at guitar, and his pitch was way off, but his heart was in the right place and when he thanked the crowd (three of us sitting outside and the barman who was likely his mate) we were won over and demanded an encoure.

Oddities aside, we really enjoyed our time in Pai. Our hostel looked not dissimilar to a hobbit home and provided us with an excellent base. The highlight though was the surrounding area, which no doubt attracted the original visitors and is the reason for Pai’s boom in popularity. Using mopeds as our mode of transport for a few days, we visited several sceneic locations, including the stunning Pai Canyon, some waterfalls, a land split caused by an earthquake and some thermal springs.

We also took our chance to complete a day trek through the nearby bamboo jungle. Setting off early and driving approximately 90 minutes out of Pai, we trekked through difficult undulating terrain. The trek was well worth it thanks to a dip in a waterfall at the end and mostly down to an encounter with a family of gibbons. The gibbons were wise to the trekking route and knew that humans passing would likely mean some treats. But unlike the many overly bold monkeys we’d encountered who would grab anything at first chance, they were more timid, keeping their distance at first and preferring to catch their food - and their handling was impeccable, not dropping a thing. Feeding them bananas and then a few spare muffins, they grew more confident and eventually came to take food out of our hands, before retreating to eat it.

As our flight to Hanoi was from Chiang Mai, we had one final evening there. Round 2 for Thai boxing and this time it was on! Whilst we’re no experts, the standard of most bouts wasn’t particularly high and the evening drew to a strange conclusion when the final fight was contested between 12 year olds.

Food

One of the more interesting things we tried in Bangkok was a popular Northern Thailand dip called nam phrik ong. This is a really spicy dip made with dried chillies, ground pork and tomato. It was served with pork scratchings, sliced cabbage, cucumber slices and some fresh herbs. The combination of all of the different flavours and textures made this dip so irresistibly morish.

Chiang Mai was full of lots of cafes and restaurants selling delicious and fresh Thai food. However, one absolute stand out cafe we visited with Tom’s family friends James and Mandy was a place called mango tango. Every dish (and drink) on the menu contained their beloved juicy fruit. Naturally, we went for the trio option to try as many of the mango treats on offer, which amazingly felt so varied. One particular mango dish that Tom managed to trial pretty much every day we were in Thailand was a dessert (or in Tom’s case breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack) called mango sticky rice. The dish is made by letting the cooked rice absorb all of the sweet coconut milk. Once absorbed the gooey rice it is served on a plate with any remaining coconut milk drizzled on top and served with slices of the juiciest mangos you can imagine. The dish often had a sprinkling of crispy yellow mung beans to give it that little extra crunch.

Another delicious dish that was a Chiang Mai speciality and insanely good was khao soi gai. This is a coconut curry dish made with chicken thighs and topped with crispy noodles (and more noodles mixed in the curry) and pickled, chilli shallots. All served with beans sprouts, coriander and a wedge of lime. A comfort dish to warm all hearts, my mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Pai was pretty much just one touristy strip of street food. You could get anything from your typical Thai dishes to nachos, corn on the cob and even home baked pasta dishes. Although very exciting at first the novelty did start to wear off by day three. The overwhelming choice often resulted in Rose, Tom and Harriet being split across the length of the strip aimlessly wondering around slowly filling up on a random combination of food, kind of like you do at buffet. Although the fried dumplings were heavenly....

A final note that is not specifically recipe focused but one that can’t go without a special mention was on a post night out dinner date with Rose and Tom (Harriet had tapped out and gone to bed at this point). Tom managed to eat a mouthful of wasabi mistakingly thinking it was guacamole. Tom’s eyes were watering so much Rose was concerned the couple next to them thought she had just broken up with him.

Travel Jukebox - ‘Amajovi Jovi’ by Sandy B

We must start by apologising to Joe McTaggart for being the sender of the only album we rejected. This wasn’t because it was a bad choice. Far from it, Joe’s original choice of Grandbrothers was an album we had listened to repeatedly in the weeks prior to leaving. We knew we could rely on Joe to provide us with a unique album we’d never heard of and we wanted to give him a second pick for the jukebox. He didn’t disappoint!

Joe suggested we listen to the album when we fancied a bit of a party, so it’s only fitting we talk about it in the same post as Rose’s arrival, New Year and a time in our trip when the scales of cultural traveling vs boozey holiday, took a big swing in favour of being ‘Brits abroad’.

Originally released on cassette tape in 1994, out of apartheid South Africa, the album has an underlying tribal theme, with rhythmical beats and playful chanting throughout. It has a very satisfying simplicity to it too, focusing on simple hooks and drum loops. It’s the type of album you’d love to be able to go back in time to the release year, to be able to gauge just how groundbreaking it likely was then. ‘Party Time’ stands apart from the otherwise more club vibe tracks and feels like a nod to the growth of West Coast hip-hop at the time. The album finishes full circle with an instrumental version of the opening (title) track, a very satisfying way to round off this (as anticipated) unique album!

TLDR; Rose brings the party!

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fuckyeahcostumedramas · 2 years

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Pippa Bennett-Warner as Harriet Lennox in ‘Harlots’ (TV Series, 2017-2019).

#pippa bennett warner #harriet lennox #harlots #perioddramaedit #fashion #brown hair #brown eyes #18th Century #Edward K. Gibbon #Charlotte Mitchell #Richard Cooke

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eienias20 · 7 years

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Phantom 05 - A Spirit’s Mistake

With more possible leads than they ever expected, the team buckles down and makes some more discoveries. Some that will aid them and some that will hinder everything.

A Spirit's Mistake

Another early morning brought forth another day into the Phantom investigation. Kruse's destination was once again the MMC. Solomon worked his way through Benton's personal staff and assistants, finally getting to the man and arranging a meet. Questions would be asked and hopefully, answers attained.

Until then, Kruse thought it best to use the time before he got back to work, to talk to Elma. As Jaynix put it, her being away is no excuse to drown in work. As Alexa can attest, when Jaynix is out on extended missions, she's always calling and leaving messages.

Kruse always imagined that Elma was just too busy and didn't want to interrupt but after countless times hearing relief and comfort in Elma's voice when he called her, he made it a habit.

"It was quite an experience watching this Grex pack for most the day while the rest of the Reclaimers salvaged the wreckage…Indigens are quite fascinating."

Kruse chuckled. "They are. We should go on an Indigen watching trip some time."

"I'd like that."

Kruse waited as Elma let out a small yawn, she never wanted to appear tired around the other Reclaimers but when she was on a call with Kruse, she didn't mind.

"I didn't get to ask this yesterday so I'm asking now, how's the current haul of White Whale wreckage looking? What have you found?"

"Well, there was one unit we found yesterday. The last one of the day actually…it contained countless works of fiction…books, books and more books."

A wide smile formed on Kruse's face as he whispered "Books."

"I knew you'd love that. I gave the list a quick look and it's hard to put it in words but there are a lot of books. That said there are a few book titles that stood out to me and I'm pretty sure they mean a little something to you…these books are, oh I don't know…written by an individual known as Terry Brooks…"

Kruse stood up "You did not find the entire Shannara collection did you?"

"It looks pretty complete to me."

"I love you."

"Oh you love me for the books I provide?"

"No I love you because you're amazing, honorable, brave, beautiful, kind, thoughtful…"

Kruse trailed off, smiling. He knew Elma was too.

"…and also cause you provide books."

The pair shared a laugh.

"Well…when I get back we can pick up where we left off and read the rest of the adventures of the Ohmsfords and the Bearers of the Black Staffs…together."

"Allanon is still the best."

"Please. Walker Boh is where it's at."

After another bout of laughter the pair exchanged goodbyes, Kruse sitting back on the couch as Abyssion hopped onto his lap.

"Hey there demon child, how are things going?"

The cat let out a loud meow before curling up and falling asleep.

"I take it Elma's doing just fine?"

Kruse nodded to Lin "She is…how have you been?"

"Pretty good. Though it is hard to focus knowing that there is a serial killer out there…I know it's probably too optimistic of a thought to have but I really believed we'd be done with this kinds of people after Dale Gibbon."

Kruse looked past Lin, at nothing in particular as he thought about Dale Gibbon. The very idea that a murderer like him could find his way onto the White Whale sickened him to no end. Even worse was the thought he had upon completing the mission…what if he wasn't the only one?

"Kruse?"

Snapping out of his thoughts, Kruse looked over to Lin.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah. Yeah…Dale Gibbon…there is one thing I'll say about chasing down that…monster. I got to do it alongside Sharon and as odd as this may sound, I grew to respect her through that encounter…"

Lin crossed her arms "I did notice your interactions with her…well, actually it was the way she interacted with you that changed after that. It was nice."

"It was."

Lin thought for a few moments.

"Part of me wonders what it was like for Sharon. For that reason I kinda wish I'd been there but at the same time it was probably for the best that I wasn't."

Kruse shrugged "Can't say how you would've reacted but despite the differences I had with Sharon and still have I do think she made the right call and he got what he deserved. Sharon is all the better for it…or Murderess…I'm still not sure. Have I been calling her Sharon this whole time?"

"You have. I think you've convinced yourself that the two of you are friends."

Kruse tilted his head.

"I guess…I mean, she and Jaynix are definitely closer than she and I but…I suppose there's nothing wrong with another friend…even if we did start off on the wrong foot. I just wish tracking down the Phantom was as easy as hunting down Dale Gibbon. But I suppose they can't all be that easy."

Lin put a plate of food in front of Kruse before sitting down across from him. The pair started eating with her speaking.

"Regardless of how difficult this is, I know you guys can do it...speaking of the Phantom investigation, I've been hearing bits and pieces of some things going on. I've been trying to stay out of it, focus on my work cause you know the Outfitters have a lot to do…"

Kruse chuckled.

"Oh yeah. A lot."

Lin laughed before continuing.

"Anyway, I did hear that there has been a lot going on around the Mimeosome Research Center. Apparently a lot of Crime Unit specialists have been over there day in and day out. What happened?"

Kruse tapped his chin.

"Well…it all started when Jaynix punched out Benton."

"She did? I don't know why I'm surprised…"

Kruse tapped Abyssion, waking the cat and sneaking him a slice of ham. As the cat ate it, Lin could only sigh. She couldn't stop Kruse if she tried…and she's tried.

"Punching Benton aside, a lot more important things happened. Key among them was that, Solomon and I, with the help of an MMC Staffer named Harriet Sinclair, discovered that one of the MMC Pods was tampered with. After opening it up and pulling it apart we found that many of its core components were missing. Key among them being the fluid injection cord and from what we could gather, that is what the Phantom is using to drain all the victims of their…well, blood, basically. Without those fluids circulating inside a mim, the mim can't run and functions cease which then, as we've seen, leads to death."

Lin crossed her arms "That seems like a rather extravagant killing method…not to mention that the gear is absurdly heavy, I doubt the Phantom is carrying around the injection cord…and where does the fluid that gets extracted go? You'd think we'd fine a huge pool of it somewhere…does he carry around a tank too?"

Kruse took a few more bites before speaking.

"We figured that was odd too…but then I thought what if he set up a makeshift pod somewhere in New LA? He captures his victims, brings them there, hacks off a limb or two, drains them and finally carries the body into the city and just dumps them off. At that point they are near death and by the time anyone stumbles upon them. It's too late."

Lin nodded "That sounds plausible…but why?"

"We won't know the why till we find the killer.”

Noon came to NLA, bathing the city in a warm light. This marked yet another day that Jaynix and Alexa were in BLADE Tower, looking over and studying the myriad of dossiers all over the archive…or…they should be doing that.

Instead, many folders and countless loose pages were strewn aside with the pair on the floor, Jaynix on top of Alexa, kissing her and drawing all her favorite sounds from her favorite Outfitter.

They should be working; they knew they should be working. But an innocent enough conversation of what they could do after they got off work spiraled into a not so innocent conversation of what they could do after they got off work and…well…now they were here.

Jaynix kicked a box aside, papers and folders spilling out.

Alexa whispered for her to be careful, giggling Jaynix apologized before kissing Alexa again.

As Jaynix's hands traveled all over Alexa's body the Outfitter tried her best to form a sentence, constantly being interrupted by touches and kisses. Jaynix was only half listening as Alexa reminded her that it was very likely that someone would walk in. Prompting Jaynix to ask.

"Should I stop?"

"Don't you dare."

Jaynix began to laugh, only to be cut off by Alexa's hands and lips.

It was in that moment that Jaynix realized, she was getting better. Alexa was an incredibly fast learner.

Next thing she knew they had rolled over and Alexa was on top. A rarity. But one she had no problem with.

The pair heard another box fall over and laughed but nothing could separate them from the other.

Sometime later, the pair was lying on the floor, in each other's arms, Alexa letting out a comfortable sigh before asking.

"How long have we been like this?"

Jaynix could only shrug.

"I don't know…but I could lay here with you all day…"

Alexa smiled.

"Me too…but we do have work to do."

There was a pause before Jaynix sighed "Right. Well I guess we should track down our clothes first. I do hope you realize that this is entirely your fault Alexa."

"My fault? I was talking about tech jobs or getting a bite to eat!"

"Don't think I didn't know what you were implying with that second part."

"I wasn't implying anything! You were!"

The pair stared at each other before cracking smiles and laughing.

They were cut off by a comm device going off, untangling from each other they stood and began searching for the buzzing comm as well as their discarded clothes. Finding the comm on a table, Alexa picked it up and answered.

"Heyo! What's up Kruse?"

"Alexa? I was calling Jaynix."

"She's busy…BUT NOT LIKE THAT! She's…just…busy…"

Silence.

"With reports."

Silence.

"And files…and work…and…"

"I'm going to choose to not comment. On anything. Have you two found anything?"

Alexa laughed nervously.

"N-no…we've been trying! But she's really hot, I MEAN it's really hard…it's hard, there are a lot of files here all over the floor and…yeah…it's…hard to…find…anything…"

Silence.

Jaynix walked over, half dressed and took the comm, kissing Alexa.

"Isn't she adorkable?"

"Jaynix."

"Look bro, we ain't found shit. This place is a mess but it's always been a mess. You and Torrez have been looking through this stuff for days, as have we. Need I remind you that there is a chance none of the six victims' files are here?"

"You don't have to remind me…I'm not mad just…you…and Alexa…"

Jaynix giggled "What? Are you surprised at how adventurous she's become? Is that such a bad thing?"

"Ok. Ok. Let's. No. We are not talking about this. No. You are my Sister and I don't want to hear about it. I called for matters on a serial killer and I am clearly not gonna get anything. I'd rather cut this line of conversation right now. Goodbye."

With that he hung up. Jaynix broke out into loud laughter, tears escaping from her eyes.

Alexa walked up to Jaynix, buttoning up her shirt.

"So um…"

Wiping her eyes, Jaynix looked at Alexa "It's all good. Kruse is just…Kruse. More importantly. We have to find something to make up for this."

"Yeah. We should also clean up some of the mess we made…"

Jaynix looked at the many boxes that fell over during their…activities.

"Hey Alexa. Take a look at the main terminal."

"Huh? But I thought-"

"Solomon said he put too much trust in the words of others without checking all the facts himself. Kruse and I have been doing the same. Just scrub through it and look for any of the six names."

Alexa stepped over to the terminal.

"…would you mind…repeating them to me? I know them but I just…I need to hear them again."

Jaynix took a deep breath and turned to Alexa.

"May Alstead. Geoff Parker. Misha Idling. Evan Torre. Raymond Penn. Erick Fern."

Alexa nodded, looking back to the terminal, she began searching.

Jaynix in the meantime found her shirt and pants. Finally. Putting them on, she ran her hands through her hair, spotting her jacket she retrieved it as well before bending down and picking up a few of the fallen boxes. Whistling to herself she placed them on a table. Giving one look at all the papers and folders strewn about she tapped her chin before deciding.

"Totally worth it."

Chuckling to herself she picked up as many of the discarded papers as she could when she heard Alexa mutter something.

"What in the…"

Jaynix put the various forms and files back in a box and turned to Alexa. "What's wrong?"

"They're all here…"

"…what?"

"They're all here. Alstead. Parker. Idling. Torre. Penn. Fern. I found them all. I double checked but this is them. All of them."

Jaynix approached the terminal, pulling out her comm device and bringing up pictures of the deceased.

"They were in the terminal the whole time…which means…you, me, Torrez, Kruse, Solomon...we've wasted days, weeks even looking through these papers!"

Turning in anger, Jaynix kicked a box over, the papers flying everywhere.

"Doctor Edwin Benton. Good to see you all healed up and even better for you to finally take time out of your busy schedule to meet with me.

The doctor looked up to see Solomon, shaking his head.

"I'm a very busy man, Mathias. I can't conduct my work with you and your specialists hounding my employees."

Solomon shrugged.

"If you had just met with me sooner and gotten this out of the way sooner, that wouldn't have been nearly as much of a problem as it was."

Benton sighed "Are you going to arrest me or something? Despite all I've done for that Corporal…despite how clearly unstably she is, you're going to take her accusations to heart eh? Take her word over mine?"

Solomon thought for a bit before shaking his head.

"No. I'm not here to arrest anyone…yet. But I do have quite a few questions. All our time in the MMC and seeing how things are being handled have us concerned."

Leaning back in his seat, Benton narrowed his eyes.

"Where are your shadows? Torrez and Kruse."

Solomon sat across from Benton, taking off his hat.

"Kruse would be here but he just got a call from Jaynix, with any luck she's found something. Torrez on the other hand is looking through the security tapes trying to find the moment the pod was trifled with. Which brings me to my first question. The pod. Why was this not handled sooner?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean. The MMC is incredibly valuable. The pods in here are crucial to keeping BLADEs alive. One has been on the fritz for over a week. Most of the employees we asked about it said they came into work one day and it was like that. No one was around for the failure and no one inspected it. From what I've been told by some of the more trusted staff here like Harriet Sinclair and other department heads like Iris Falkan is that despite their attempts to get repair workers in here, they were told to leave it to your office…by your office."

Benton rolled his eyes.

"You've been in the MMC for a few days now and you've no doubt seen the dozens of pods that we have in here. Losing one is not that big of a deal not to mention it costs valuable materials to repair it, materials better used to construct more replacement mimeosome parts, which I might add, we've never had an abundance of…and even more vital than that we're required to use many of the same supplies to fix and repair overclocked Overdrive Gear."

Solomon tapped Benton's desk a few times as the doctor continued.

"You aren't a BLADE so I don't blame you for not knowing this…but some BLADEs rely on Overdrive a little too much and it stresses their Mimeosomes. It's one of the reasons Maximum Overdrive exists as a limit. If one was to push themselves past that, they'd begin breaking down. So again, repairing these failures before they occur is just more important than repairing a single pod."

"I have to say…I can definitely follow the logic there…we only have so many resources and with NLA gearing up for something big, we need to make the most of what we have. But the matter still stands, the pod is broken, no official report was filed and you prevented anyone else from looking into it. I know you aren't a detective so I don't blame you for not knowing this…but paperwork, accurate paperwork is vital. Omitting things is a crime. It's illegal."

Benton narrowed his eyes, but remained silent as Solomon gave him a smile.

"Paperwork. Right. That brings me to my next point. The autopsy reports with the questionable reasoning to brush off wounds that occurred on all six victims…I had Harriet provide me with the names of your 'trusted doctors' who aided you in the autopsies."

Solomon was glad he was already smiling, because Benton seemed worried.

"Doctors Arnold Bradbury and Eliza Jun. I had some of my Specialists question them and they seemed…confused about the whole thing. One look at the official report left them asking who tampered with it because that is not the autopsy they helped you file."

Solomon could see a mix of emotions in Benton's face. Moments like this reminded him exactly why it was he enjoyed his job.

"So between the faulty paperwork. The testimonies of your doctors, the staff and your handling of the MMC pod that 'broke' you can see why we're suspicious. The thing that ties all of this together being the Phantom. The killer who would most benefit from scrubbed autopsies and MMC Pod components that…fell off a truck. Not to mention all the smokescreen you're desperately throwing…"

Benton shook his head.

"So either I'm terrible at my job and have no right to be one of the head doctors of the MMC or I'm involved with a lunatic serial killer. You're a fool to believe either of those. I have all my degrees, I've studied Mimeosomes to death. I've saved countless lives. And yet-"

"The evidence speaks for itself, Benton. So…I'm sure you know this but I'll do you the courtesy of telling you that are under investigation. I'm here to seize and look through all your personal files and reports as well as scrub through all security camera footage. The whole nine yards as they say."

Solomon tapped the desk one more time, still smiling as Benton spat.

"I'd ask if you have a warrant but I don't even think that office is active yet."

"Unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it, it isn't but I went to Chausson with everything that I just told you and he said I was free to take a look through your offices."

Kruse entered at that moment.

"Solomon. Jaynix and Alexa got something."

Standing, Solomon looked to Kruse and nodded before putting his hat on, tipping it to Benton.

"I'll be back. We're far from done."

As the pair exited the office, Benton rested his head on his clenched fists.

Kruse and Solomon walked through the MMC, the latter still smiling.

"Did you get what you needed?"

"No…but I think I did pretty damn well. This Investigation is in an incredible place right now. All thanks to you and Jaynix."

Kruse shook his head.

"We can't take all the credit. While we have come across a lot of leads, it's you and Torrez and all your specialists who bring forth the finer details. The Investigative Crime Unit as a whole is a boon to New Los Angeles."

Exiting the MMC, Solomon pulled out a cigarette.

"Thank you for saying as much…"

Puffing out some smoke, he tilted his head.

"So. What did Jaynix and Alexa find?"

"Jaynix insists we have to see it. It's crucial."

Solomon nodded his head as the MMC door opened behind them.

"Kruse. Sir. Where are you going?"

The pair turned to Torrez.

"Jaynix uncovered something. We aren't sure what yet but we're going to go check at her insistence. How did the tapes look?"

Torrez sighed before answering Solomon's question.

"I went back to the date the machine was shut down and there is about two hours removed from all the cameras. If the Phantom did indeed come in here one night to dismantle a pod, I'm pretty certain that someone helped. That is a lot of time even in the dead of night. Someone had to have seen or heard something."

"Part of me expected as much. Ah well, ask around Torrez. Ask all the doctors and staff even if we've interviewed them already and search all of Benton's back offices. I'm certain he's involved with all of this in some way, we have to find out in what way. Intentionally or not he has to have left something behind. I know that we're looking for a lot of somethings but this is the most luck we've had in…well, ever."

Torrez bowed to Solomon before taking off.

"You're right. It's all of us working together that is getting this done…I'm glad I called you in, Kruse."

The Harrier chuckled “Indeed…all that said we really could stand to thank Jaynix, she’s apparently a good luck charm.”

"Apparently so."

Kruse, Solomon and Jaynix stood behind Alexa as she brought up the digital dossiers of the six Phantom victims.

"Son of a bitch. Right under our noses the whole time."

Kruse looked over to Solomon "Torrez told us the digital logs were incomplete and he'd searched them. Found nothing."

Solomon nodded "Same here. I checked myself before and after Torrez told me and found nothing either. I had a few technicians look into the terminal to see if anything was tampered with it but they all came back empty…what did you do to find this Alexa?"

She gestured to the search bar "I just…typed in their names."

Solomon narrowed his eyes "Someone is making a fool out of all of us…"

Jaynix crossed her arms "Whoever it is, they're probably laughing at us right now…asshole."

Solomon pulled out his comm "Torrez."

"Yes Sir?"

"We found the six victims. Their files."

"Really? Okay. About time…what now?"

Jaynix gestured to Alexa who turned around and pressed a few buttons, all six dossiers filling up the space before them.

"I was looking for a combined trait these six had. With this many people it didn't take long to find it. The first victim May Alstead. She lost a leg back on Earth long before being transferred into her mimeosome. The second victim, Geoff Parker lost his legs in a Skell training accident on Earth, again, before being transferred into his mimeosome. It's the same for all six of them…they lost parts of their real human bodies."

As Alexa finished, Jaynix spoke up.

"The Phantom is removing the parts of their bodies that they originally lost."

Kruse narrowed his eyes "You think the Phantom sees these people regaining parts of their bodies as a sort of perversion?"

Jaynix nodded as Solomon tapped his chin "The Phantom can't accept that we don't have real bodies anymore. That's what I gather…Misha Idling lost an arm…Evan Torre was a paraplegic…Raymond Penn lost an arm and Erick Fern was blind…it all adds up. Astonishing."

Torrez voice came up "So we finally have a way to save people or at the very least, a more credible way to guess who's next…"

Solomon shook his head “How did we miss this? How did no one we interviewed notice that these people were losing their same limbs again? Torrez?”

“I don’t have an answer for that sir…maybe all the people that knew just…didn’t make it onto the White Whale. Maybe they just never talked about it…”

Alexa turned quickly "Jaynix! Do you think the Phantom knows about…you?"

Kruse and Solomon turned to Jaynix.

"Maybe…"

She looked to Solomon who snapped his fingers "That's right. I read that during a raid on a terrorist cell you lost an eye. Your right eye."

Jaynix nodded as Torrez spoke up "My left hand. I lost it long ago…so the two of us are potential victims?"

Kruse crossed his arms "We're not going to let the killer get to either of you. We know how the victims are chosen, we've found something. Whether the Phantom knows it or not, a mistake was made. This is our best chance to catch him, her, it…whoever!"

Alexa and Solomon nodded as Jaynix spoke.

"If we can somehow manipulate the Phantom into targeting me…"

Alexa shook her head "No! Absolutely not! I won't let you use yourself as bait!"

"Alexa-"

"No! You promised me you'd be safe! This is not safe! Jaynix please…"

Before Jaynix could speak, Solomon cut her off.

"She's right. I'm not about to use you as bait, Jaynix. That's not a proper way at all to thank you for all the help you've been…you as well Torrez. We'll find another way. A better way. We've got a strong lead on him. It's only a matter of time."

Outside of BLADE Tower, Jaynix walked behind Alexa, the Outfitter was clearly upset. Jaynix wanted to say something only for Alexa to face her, undeniable worry in her eyes.

"Why would you say that, Jaynix? You promised me…"

Jaynix approached her, hugging her girlfriend.

"I'm sorry. I really am…I just…I want to stop this before more people die…it was the first thought that came to mind…I didn't mean to…"

Alexa hugged her back.

"I don't want to lose you."

"You won't. You know me, I'm way too tough to let anything stop me…"

Alexa allowed a small smile to come to her face, her hold on Jaynix growing tighter.

"I know…"

Kruse and Solomon stood apart from the pair, Solomon tipping his hat to them.

"Fantastic couple…I can't imagine what it's like to have such a perfect partner…"

Kruse took his comm device out, reading a few new messages from Elma.

"Hopefully, you find someone Mathias."

The head detective could only smirk.

"Once this Phantom fiasco is behind us. I'll look into it. In the meantime I should head back to the MMC and…"

Solomon's comm went off, pulling it out he read a message.

"Murder?"

"The Phantom?"

"No…it's…just a murder in the commercial district where…"

Cursing, Solomon took off, Kruse chasing after him.

Jaynix and Alexa separated, watching the two men run off, Jaynix wanted to suggest to follow when her comm device received a message from…

"Doctor Benton? Why in the hell is he messaging me?"

Alexa looked at her.

"It could be important."

Jaynix was about to deny it when she opened the message, it was one word.

"Help."

Putting her comm device away she looked at Alexa "I gotta go."

"What's wrong?"

"It's…nothing. I'll meet you back home, alright?"

Jaynix took off towards the MMC, Alexa staring after her before giving chase.

Kruse and Solomon arrived at the scene of the crime, a textile shop. The owner lay dead on the ground, multiple deep knife cuts, his mim bled out all over the shop’s floor..

Kruse looked around the place as other Crime Unit specialists filed in and began working.

"This is where I brought the cloth…the one you gave me. The Phantom knew…"

Solomon cursed and exited the shop. Kruse walked up to one of the specialists.

"Tell me everything you can about what you've learned."

Entering the MMC, Jaynix found it eerily quiet. Why in the world did Benton message her 'help'? Was this some sort of joke? If so she wasn't having any of it. She walked past the desk only to hear a faint whimper.

Walking back to the desk she asked "Anyone there?"

"J-Jaynix?"

"Harriet?"

The receptionist stood up.

"What happened?"

"I…I don't know. All the lights went off and a…a shadow…like a ghost ran by…I thought it might be…"

"The Phantom is here…"

"Help."

Jaynix's eyes widened.

"Doctor Benton!"

"Last I heard he was in the back offices with an investigator..."

"Thank you Harriet, hide. Stay quiet. I'll be right back."

Nodding, Harriet got back under her desk as Jaynix drew her pistol and a flashlight. Holding one over the other she began walking through the MMC.

There was no one around save for a few BLADEs in stasis. Where were all the workers? Did Harriet sound an alarm? Did Benton?

She found someone on the floor and approached, recognizing their clothes and hair.

"Torrez!"

She knelt down next to him, someone had punched him severely hard in the jaw. He turned, seeing Jaynix and whispering.

"Phantom…"

With that he fell unconscious.

Standing, Jaynix continued moving towards the back offices. Torrez was here looking into Benton and now both men were in danger. Why was the Phantom here? Where did Kruse and Solomon go?

She heard something fluttering, like a cape, a cloak. Kicking the door open she stepped into the back, aiming her gun carefully and calmly. Boxes and papers were strewn about everywhere, one box was on fire. Acting quickly, Jaynix ran over to it, pulling her jacket off she tried to beat down the flames.

If anyone set anything to burn here, it had to be something important.

Then she heard the rapid flutters of a billowing cloak and turned just in time to see a black mass headed her way, aiming her gun she fired several shots into the figure as it shot past her and out a window, smashing through the glass.

Acting quickly, Jaynix leapt out the window after it only to land on the outer precipice of NLA. The walls of the Habitat Unit stretching up before her and piping and other support beams crisscrossing below her, the gel pool at the bottom.

"Did I just…lose him?"

Stepping back through the window she found Alexa waiting for her.

"What are you doing here?"

"Jaynix."

Recognizing that tone of voice, Jaynix followed Alexa as she led her back a few rooms, pointing into one. At that moment Jaynix could see fear in Alexa's eyes.

Bringing her gun up she took a deep breath and kicked the door open finding Doctor Benton sitting at his desk.

She lowered her gun, her flashlight revealing to her that the doctor was dead, his head and chest brutally ripped open.

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