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#the second part of my haunted house manifesto
holicanth · 3 years
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Hanging on to Threads
@shinoweek​  2021 Prompt 1 - Solitude
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Words: 2.7k
Genre: Angst. Horror. Suspense. Crime(?) Implied Shinohina
Warnings: Implied murder. 
Author’s Note: This is part 1 of my Shinoweek 2021 series!! The whole series would be 4-5 parts and possibly have each prompt (chapter) released in chronological order.
Summary:
" A shinobi must constantly suppress their emotions, follow a strict set of rules that they decide among themselves, and avoid extraneous conflict. "
Chapter 1 / Chapter 2
To his classmates, the grand tales of Konoha's history sounds like a distant, outdated fairytale, but Shino likes to think that there are things to learn from everything.
Tobirama Senjuu was renowned for his pragmatic approach to things, whether it be national or international. A model shinobi whose discipline has shaped the lives of generations after, and Shino revered him greatly.
Shino had thought, that if every shinobi were to follow the the Second's ninja way then surely Konoha would be much stable as a country, and considerably stronger against their rivals. If every ninja had kept their emotions on bay, then surely everyone would resolve conflict peacefully and level-headedly.
Even Shino himself takes pride in his ability to control his emotions. He was sure that nothing in the world could ever shake his roots.
That is, until his own brother was taken from him.
(Shino thinks he can picture the scene. A sunset. A lake. The dry voice of a man. And his brother. A serene yet glutted scenario.)
 His father came that day, with a crooked man on his tails.
Unpleasant.
Something spiked in his heart when Shino heard the man demand for him.
His bugs had sensed that his father was just as perplexed.
"He is your son. He must be exceptionally talented."
Shino could've sworn that the man was plotting something behind his back. There was no way that he would've had any use of him. He was just a young boy, barely ten. Shino had thought of a million reasons why he in particular was selected until--
 "Why don't you take me instead?"
Torune jumped off the tree and stood in front of Shino.
"I'm the son of Shikuro Aburame, after all."
 And soon after, the man had sealed his brother's fate. Torune was to go with him the following morning. Forever. 
And there was nothing that Shino could do to persuade him otherwise.
Torune had sacrificed himself. So that Shino could have relationships with others. So that Shino could have a significant bond with his friends. The relationship between the two could be said as distant, but Shino had considered him as a brother, while Torune had thought of himself as a burden.
The morning comes and goes too fast and Shino was unable to stop him from leaving. He spent the whole night thinking, creating a heartfelt speech that would have swayed his brother, making up excuses so that he won't leave. All of that crushed by the thought that he wouldn't be able to come up with a better solution. Shino knew that negotiating with Danzo was going to end up with himself being taken away. A cold morning and a silent goodbye was the only thing Shino had to bear with.
But even after years has passed, nothing about that day made sense for Shino. He didn’t know why, and ultimately he was banned from speaking of that day even with his own family. He had felt, with great intensity, a feeling that he can't quite describe with anything but he word "unpleasant" Was he angry? scared? anxious that he'll be next? All he knew was that his chest tightened every time he thinks about it, an unnamed sense of wary washing over his five senses.
The thought always haunts his mind—the fact that a human being can be forgotten out of existence. To be killed by proxy, as if their life had no meaning in the first place. 
Therefore Shino tries to honor his brother. He set a list of rules for himself. Followed it thoroughly. He tries to emulate his brother’s strength. And in the process, make comrades on the way, just like his brother requested.
 (The years pace faster than usual. Shino has yet made any meaningful connections outside of his teammates.)
 Yet when he's matured his powers enough to protect lives, he found himself falling out of the map all the while. Flimsy friendships with the bare minimal civilities. No one recognized his potential (nor his face) and there was active attempts of isolation from Konoha itself. 
Shino was alone yet again.
 He's heard the word from his father. That something internal was stirring up inside Konoha, messing the clan hierarchy, opening doors to clan discrimination. He's seen the Uchiha fall bait to it already, what are the odds that his clan wouldn't be next?
(By proxy, Hinata should also be subject to such mistreatment, seeing how The Hyuuga themselves are a noble clan involved in the scuffle. The Konoha elders seem to think otherwise. The Hyuuga are valuable.)
Hostilities or not, Shino knows enough about the Second's manifesto to figure the Uchiha massacre, but this time, all clues fall cold.
There was no talks about the Aburames. What would Konoha do with them, and how they would dispose of them. Outsiders dig up lies from spread rumors, but clansmen know the source of those rumors are none other than those they pay subservience to.
(Shino had thought that his newly found ability should be shared, but his family were in massive disagreement.)
Shino had always been aware of the Aburame's dojutsu. A technique that allows one to link their vision to an insect, granting them the candid ability to spy with the littlest trace of chakra. One so undetectable that the Yamanakas haven't noticed that the pests that ruins their flowers aren't merely parasites.
This dojutsu—The Senrigan—is regarded as superior in range to the Byakugan, which cannot reach intercontinental levels and are visible when activated. You wouldn't notice an Aburame using the Senrigan, what with their dark shades and stoic expression. Even within the clan, the ability is rare. It requires the finest chakra control and level headedness to connect to one bug, and years more to connect to a whole swarm.
The Senrigan requires exceptionally high amounts of concentration and will. A single mistake has Shino bedridden for days with migraine, and it requires Shino to be absolutely still in the process, akin to the Yamanaka's mind transfer jutsu.
Training comes easy to Shino, who has decided that it was his second priority (the first being his brother's promise) to do all his endeavors perfectly. He is diligent, and determined to awaken the Senrigan as soon as possible. Shino is aware that the situation in Konoha is brewing bad news; there is nothing but suspense and disarray in the air
But even after obtaining such power, his problems were still far from finished. 
 Konoha knows Shibi Aburame as a smart individual. Tactical, cold, and precise.
And Konoha’s intention was clear as day. Leaving Shibi from many clan meetings was downright disrespectful. And having the ANBU on lookout near the Aburame compound was just the beginning of Konoha’s hostility. Shibi has seen the Uchiha massacre, and there was no way he will let the same happen to his family
Therefore just like Torune, Shino was isolated to his house immediately after his Chuunin promotion. Cultivating chakra and beetles, preparing for a battle that might not happen. 
(The Aburames were being faced with open discrimination. It was always known that their relationship with Konoha was shaky even before the peace treaty)
And that is where his doubts are all confirmed.
 He tested the Senrigan on his friends. Once. Then twice. Then it becomes a routine as he claims that it was all for "practice"
(Shino was foolishly hopeless, but even a fool should stay optimistic and dumb.
He had hoped that the Senrigan failed him. That he heard wrong. That he had tailed the wrong ninja.)
There was no one that noticed him gone, no one that searched for him. Not even his teammates.
Not even the pretentious Naruto
 It has been two years since the Chuunin exams. Shino has been missing (protected) since then, and no one bats an eye towards it. No one questions it. Even the Hokage seems eager to wipe the Aburames out of Konoha
Shino knows by heart that the Nara and Yamanaka heads have told their heirs to not speak a word about this. The Inuzuka and the Akimichi would be left out of the discussion completely, while the Hyuuga are given the splendid task of periodical supervising, along with the ANBU.
(Of course, he knows that a civil war is on its way to hit them, but to think that Hinata had not asked about him either! His migraine hurts him just a little more.)
 In the next few bedridden days, Shino's thoughts linger to an old friend. One whose face he wouldn't forget, and one who wouldn't forget Shino's name either. 
Uchiha Sasuke.
Perhaps he had felt the same loneliness—to live in a village that sees your family name first before your own person
Shino's mind was spiraling, swirling, filled to the brim with outrageous whispers and his fading sense of clarity. How could he have been forgotten just like that? Like he was never an important comrade. Like he never existed in the first place. But at the same time his voice of reason yells at him to shut up. Stop thinking. There is nothing he could do but wait for a decree from the Hokage, or an official statement from the Konoha elders.
 But then an equally terrifying thought caught his attention.
What if Konoha had seriously intended to wipe off the Aburames?
To eliminate, and sweep the whole incident under the rug.
Would his father--the clan representative—be able to coax their way back? To assert that the Aburames were still useful?
(He scoffs. Begging Konoha to spare mercy on the Aburames would be such a pitiful sight. He can't imagine his father bowing down to them, nor can he foresee a favorable negotiation for his clan's future. Shino knows better than anyone that Konoha doesn't keep records of the Aburame's achievements. It was going to be a methodical, efficient depletion.)
It was all so horrible. The way his friends leave him out of the picture. The way they rejoiced over Naruto's return. The fact that something wrong was happening and his teammates were either in full acknowledgement or were turning a blind eye.
(He sees the way Team 8 functions without him. Kurenai has become more hands-on and active. She doesn't come to class drunk anymore, and actually teaches the other two justsus. Kiba and Hinata both steadily improve under her lead. And somewhere in his heart, he feels a clawing, steep anger whenever Kiba acts differently around Hinata. The three of them act like a perfect happy family. Perfectly ignorant to the missing participant)
Was it sweat that rolled down his face? Fatigue and stress had burned him down, thrown him off balance and hit him with a reality he wishes he could just sleep off. Every morning comes to slap the brutal truth on his face, and the fact that his father had been more and more cornered by the Konoha elders had him irked.
 He holds his breath and recalls the man he loathes. The same one who took his brother.
A daring idea comes to haunt Shino's mind. If Danzo Shimura adores the Aburame's abilities (having appointed many from his family to be his consultants), then perhaps Shino could lobby him into making the situation better for his clan.
But Shino? The boy was barely old enough to wager a significant deal with Danzo.
Unless of course. If he'd exchange his dojutsu for his clan safety.
 (To jump into the lion's den. 
There was a revengeful, spite-filled excitement that came with it.)
 A shinobi must constantly suppress their emotions, follow a strict set of rules that they decide among themselves, and avoid extraneous conflict.
Shino decides this is for the best. He repeats the words endlessly. Sometimes muttering, sometimes coming out only as a sigh. His footsteps are accompanied with his chants, but it stops abrubtly in the middle of the desolate road.
Solemnly he looks upwards. The moon emerged from the clouds as if it were saying goodbye to him. Bathing him in soothing light that calms his nerves. A sight he'd remember.
(And along with that, the moon reflects to him the eyes of a particular girl.
One whose house was just steps away.)
Shino finds himself transfixed. He could stop any moment now, visit a friend, and ask for help from anyone who'd be willing to listen to his problems. Hell, he might even beg Naruto to help him. The brat must've had a shred of empathy left in him. 
A string of hope tugged at his heart, trying to assure him that there must be something else that can be done. If he meets Danzo now what would happen to him? What about Torune?
What about his teammates? His friends?
(He leaves that thought adrift, noticing the howling winds and the clank of a familiar wooden cane.)
 "Aburame. Explain what business you have prowling around late at night."
Score.
 Danzo Shimura emerges with his two bodyguards. A Yamanaka and--
Torune. 
 Shino had known that Danzo was en route towards the Hyuuga clan. Shino had expected bodyguards to accompany him. Shino had not, however, suspected that one of his entourages would be his brother himself.
Something speaks for itself in the silence that ensues. Bitterness and resolve had taken over Shino, who had turned to look at them with a gait of arrogance. Torune shook his head in disbelief.
 "I'll have to assume you're out on an assasination if you don't answer." Danzo sneers, thumping his crane to call attention.
"You lowlives have been hiding something from us, haven't you? Especially you," He points towards Shino.
"The Aburame heir, Shino Aburame."
(Shino analyzed the three in front of him. Whatever words he says, everything will determine how he'll get out of this situation. 
Dead or alive)
"Answer him," Torune barks, a choking coil hanging around his throat. "Or you will have to be detained." 
(The Yamanaka boy behind them had gestured to his master to use his jutsu, which was promptly denied.)
He took off his hood and grimaced. There was no headband from which the moonlight can reflect itself on. Fists clenched, he was set on negotiating his terms.
"I have no business with the Hyuuga." He says in a practiced tone, "But I have things I need to discuss with you, Danzo Shimura."
Shino made it clear that he will not address him formally.
"You brat. You think you can get away with disrespecting me? You must have a justifiable reason to speak to me like that."
"Speak, runt," He growls "Or it'll be more than your life you'll lose."
 Torune flinches at the statement, eyes darting to Shino as if warning him to follow whatever he fucking says. To not fucking disobey Danzo.
Instead Shino finds a rush of tranquility—a childish confidence that doesn't hesitate when he touches the rims of his shades. 
 "You have an interest in utilizing the Aburames--my clan." His bugs slowly hover around. "And you've made it obvious that our village wants us gone."
(Shino thinks he ordered his bugs to stay. But apparently they respond to the thrumming of his heart instead of his mind.)
 "You are afraid of us. You want us under fear and control so that you may use our members as fodder." 
His bugs have started buzzing loudly.
 "You want to steal the Aburame's secret technique for your own benefit," Shino throws his glasses "And you want to sacrifice our clan for the sake of this lousy, corrupted village."
Despite the moon hiding in the clouds from him, Shino can still see. Even in the darkness. Even when he has shut his eyes. He knows that Torune is panicking. He knows that Yamanaka ninja was pulling out his tantō. He knows that Danzo was unfazed, even though he has begun tapping his finger rather impatiently.
 "I've come to offer you a deal, Danzo Shimura," Shino speaks defiantly, "In exchange for the Aburame's secret technique you will oath to protect our clan. This oath shall be a blood contract, and my bugs will bear witness to it shall you ever betray your words."
Shino finally opens his eye. Two green orbs pierce the darkness, suspense filling the air around the compound. His bugs have formed a sort of mist around him, buzzing quietly in his honor.
 "I will become your eyes, ears, and guardian until the day you die. That is my offer to you, Danzo Shimura."
(Shino laces his words with deceit. Something he hopes can fool the man into dismissing it as a child's foolish speech.)
A growing laugh bursts from the man. His normally astute image shattered into a cocky countenance. He walks towards Shino, smirk evident in his eyes. 
"You Aburames always have the best deals." He replies, zealously. 
"I'm more than glad to have you cooperate with me. Come." 
 Danzo walks past him, a trail of bugs following his feet.
 The sight unfolding before Torune could be described as his worst nightmare—the green eyes, the bug manipulation, Danzo and Shino's involvement...
But he looked down, and followed his master instead.
 The Senrigan was at full bloom. 
There was no way Shino could go back to his previous life.
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littlefreya · 4 years
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The Way to Hell - Part 8
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Summary: Post Mi6, Alternate Canon. August escapes Ethan Hunt with his face intact and is currently the most dangerous man alive. Unwilling to back down from his murderous agenda, he plots to continue where he stopped, unaware of the trained assassin who is sent to bring him down. 
Chapters: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10| Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Completed.
Pairing: August Walker x OFC (Ingvild)
Word count: 5.5k
Warnings: Smut, blood, violence, gunfight, choking, rough, angry, unprotected sex, foul language, bodily fluids.  
A/N: Okaaaay, it’s time to fuck shit up. The moment you’ve been waiting for. I lost sleep over this chapter, writing action sequences is HARD!!! So please leave feedback! Thanks, @agniavateira​ for editing my work and being my muse.💖
*No permission is given for reposting my work, copying it or parts of the source material and claiming it as your own*
Title: Maw of the beast
Following the coordinates given to him by Knight, August steps through the muddy ground in the darkening evening sky. He listens to the squelching sound as his shoes sink into the moist mud, making sure the steps are his and his alone. His hand pushes a curled-up cooper fence that blocks the way and ignores the warning sign as he continues forward, following a man-made path of wooden planks.
A monstrous abandoned building towers in front of him, looking like something out of an Italian horror film. Scaffoldings and metal bars surround the dark concrete brick of what appears to be a spire or a gothic opera house of some sort, construction not nearly halfway finished.  
August narrows his eyes with deep suspicion, making careful hesitant steps while looking around him. His hand reaches for the gun holster beneath the long beige jacket, ticking the clasp off in preparation of whatever awaits him tonight. 
The entrance is guarded by two large gargoyles, leering at him from above a large archway. He stares back at the sculptures, focusing on their empty eyes before stepping through the open gate.
A great hallway welcomes him, accompanied by large pillars that guide the way inside. They’re engraved by winged creatures-angels or demons, he cannot tell. The corridor is showered by red construction lights chained to the floor, laid next to each tall column. 
Bright enough to determine shadow from light, yet not strong enough to conclude if the deconstructed hall is a church, an opera house, or the gateway to hell itself. 
Only one thing is certain: it’s most probably a trap. 
August’s own steps echo in the acoustics of the tall ceiling. Marble shines on the floor through the wooden debris, and large sheets of nylons huddled on the floor. His soiled shoes step between them carefully, trying to listen to whomever walks with him among the darkness. 
There in the umbra, a stalking predator moves behind the pillars. August pauses, his right hand resting on the grip of his gun while his ears capture the tapping sounds of small steps. An odd sensation spreads through each of his nerves, it almost feels like deja vu yet not as quiet.  His heartbeat accelerates, her name rolling on the tip of his tongue even before the outline of her petite figure becomes clear. 
‘How the fuck…?’
He might as well have summoned her into appearing by his endless thoughts of her. He can almost see her face as she moves with him with a succubus grin and shining eyes. She can tell he sees her, yet she does not bother hiding. 
This is a game.
Aggravated, August sighs and moves to seclude himself behind one of the pillars. His gestures are nearly graceful, displaying a lack of panic even though the blood in his veins begins to boil. This will be the second time she is messing up his plans.
The petite woman moves through the columns like a playful ghost; she is silent yet in his mind, he swears he can hear her demonic giggles. August begins to slowly mimic her behaviour, stalking behind the opposing pillars like a large feline creature, watching her face and learning her movement methodically. 
There is a loud drum in her heart, her muscles slightly quivering beneath the skin from the thrill of finally seeing him. The chase was prolonged, and even now where they’re finally sharing the same air, there is an unforgiving distance between them.
‘I will kill him with my own hands if I have to.’
Perhaps that’s the intimacy he deserves.
“You really value your life so little, princess?” August's deep voice finally graces her ears, and the baritone makes her heart flutter. Not out of fear, but the rush of having him close after days of chasing him with sick intent. 
“On the contrary, Mr. Walker,” she replies with a smile on her soft-spoken voice, her eyes alternating between his figure and the path which is nearing its end. Arriving at the last wide column, she pauses, half-hidden behind the angels and demons that embellish the pale stone. August does the same, staring directly into her eyes from the other side. 
No festive facade this time, just plain jeans and a black t-shirt. She grips her gun low to the side of her hip, her finger circling the trigger while her eyes stalk down his suited form, trying to learn as many details as possible. This time there will be no surprises, no hidden knives, or sins of vanity and arrogance which made her fail in the past.
“I told you, I will keep coming for you.” 
“And I promised you, I won’t be merciful.”
A gun would be quicker, yet he would very much love to kill her using his bare hands. For a week the ghost of her face haunted him and now as her vision appears in the flesh all he fancies is to mount her small body and have his hands around her throat, squeezing hard until the breaking sound of her hyoid bone will fill his ears.
‘I wonder how many people know that it happens while choking someone to death.’
“I finally read your manifesto.” 
The many images of him pinning her to the floor fade by the softness of her voice. His gaze pierces through hers. A shimmering glint sparkles in her eyes which are now painted twilight red by the lighting of the room. 
“Do not mock me,” he warns while sliding his gun out from its holster. The sound of hard metal scratching against boiled leather makes her shiver with anticipation. 
“I’m not. It’s beautiful, I mean it,” she replies with sincerity. Her eyes focus on August’s long index finger as it ticks the safety off. “The suffering I bring you is the bridge to ultimate peace.”
August scoffs as she recites his own words to him, mesmerized by how her voice speaks his own written vows. 
“Are you trying to get me hard, princess? Because I’m halfway there.”
She offers him a slight chuckle, her mind tempting her with visions of his naked form, yet she brushes them away, her smile quickly fading. “Too bad, you have to die.”
“Too bad,” he answers back, his eyes drinking her pleasing sight one last time before a final farewell. He takes a hasty mental photograph of the facility, planning his strategy carefully, memorizing every exit route and possible guarding point.   
“Well then, do we do this like in the American western films?” she taunts with a grin on her voice. “We count to four and draw? ”
He chuckles and shakes his head with amusement. 
“However you wish to die, babycakes.” 
“Alright then, on four,” she answers and turns to lean against the pillar with her back while cocking her gun, now switching to hold it between her hands while they are folded up, the barrel pointing to the ceiling. 
“One…”
Stripping his jacket off quickly and throwing it on the ground, August prepares himself for the assault. With his back shoved against the thick column, he holds the gun close to his chest and glances at her from the corner of his eye. One eyebrow crooks up as determination paints his chiselled face.
“Two…”
The sounds of shots being fired shudder through the hall and ring painfully in their ears. Too loud to be able to hear the expensive stone blasting and falling apart at the floor. There is a high-pitched hum buzzing in Ingvild's ear as she crouches down to defend herself. Her hearing becomes somewhat impaired from the loud blast, making it near impossible to hear his movement. 
He counts two shots from her weapon and sneaks on his knees to switch positions. Now hiding behind the doorless frame, which leads to another room. The lighting of the facility makes it difficult to see movement, and the gunshots have temporarily damaged their ears. He wants to praise her for selecting such a perfect location for a showdown, but he knows she won’t hear a damn thing if he will. 
Breathing slowly, Ingvild sticks her head out carefully, just enough to seek his location. A whiff of violent wind grazes her cheek as a shot is fired too close to her face. She crawls back to her hiding position, glancing at the bullet that is pierced through the wall. Quickly, she sneaks out from her hiding place and sprints as fast as possible to stand at the same row of columns that August previously occupied.
He spots her movement and empties his gun four times, trying to hit her before she makes it to a barricade.
“Fuck!” he yells, missing her on all four shots. Her slender limbs and small figure make her far too agile for long-range combat, and he already spent 5 bullets. Chewing on the inside of his cheek, he quietly slides down the wall and disappears into the back room. His eyes quickly run through the next corridor, finding nothing but construction equipment, the scaffolding that holds the wall, and a half-exposed wooden floor that seems unstable as it creaks beneath his shoes. 
There is a disturbing silence coming from August’s frontier. Leaning her head back and closing her eyes, she attempts to sense his presence, trying to remember Liam’s training. Yet her heart pounds too fast in her chest making her forget everything she ever knew. She had endless successful terminations since she was 14, yet fighting August is like fighting Lucifer himself.
For the first time in her life, she feels doubt. 
Grabbing a rock that fell from one of the pillars, she throws it into the room, hoping the movement will fool him and evoke him to shoot yet there is no reaction from him, which makes her conclude he escaped to another room. 
Taking a deep breath and trying to keep silent, she presses against the wall, smoothly advancing toward what seems like a crooked door frame. Her hands reach inside first, her head turning back for a swift second to make sure he is not lurking behind in her dead-zone.  
She makes her way into an unfinished hallway of some sort, her eyes seeking for August in desperation, trying to determine movement, her feet nearly floating in the air as she hopes to remain unseen. The stern silence is needling and pricking her skin. 
The hunter is caught by her own trap.
Cold sweat covers her forehead, and a sharp intake of air is forced by her lungs as she feels his presence behind her. She attempts to turn and face him, but something hard hits her on the back of her head. Her knees lose the battle to the physical trauma, her gun falling from her shocked fingers as pain blooms through her head like an electric shock. 
Feeling triumphant for a split second, August seizes her by the neck with incredible force, eliciting a distressed scream from her lips. 
“Shush now, beautiful angel.” he coos at her and points the gun beneath her jaw. “You already died before, you know what awaits you.”
‘Nothing.’
August watches as she stares at him, helpless. Her big eyes reflect his face in cherry hues. She is drenched with fear, even her sweat is soaked with it. Darn. Doesn't it smell amazing, combined with her natural body odour. 
It’s an aphrodisiac, making him semi-hard, drawing him to smell it.
Ingvild scowls with shock as he nuzzles her neck, his moustache scratching at her skin. A terrifying chill flutters through her spine, adding to the harrowing sensation of death’s welcoming invitation. 
She is not accepting it yet, though. 
Her hands grab onto his and struggle to hold the gun away from her face. She claws her nails onto his fingers, leaving bloody trails across his fists.
The gun fires five more times, emptied into the ceiling until it runs dry, shooting desolated clicks again and again until August grunts with wrath. Still holding her neck, he shoves her toward the wall and slams himself against her back. The wooden floor creaks beneath them, its foundations starting to become unstable beneath their chaotic dance. 
“Why did you have to make this so fucking complicated?!” he barks at her, his hand lacing itself with her hair, pulling her head back against his chest. She can hear the stark sound of a knife being pulled from its sheath and watches as her eyes reflect on the sharp silver. 
“Why do you have to be such a fucking cunt?!”
August rasps at her, attempting to anchor the knife against her throat. Bracing a leg against the wall, she counters herself and pushes both of them back, also managing to knock the knife out of his hand and set herself free of his grasp.  
August’s shirt is stained with circles of sweat as she turns to face him; he is trying to catch his breath while glaring at her with blazing eyes. His infuriated gaze begins to travel lower, falling to the corner next to her and fixating on the floor. Bemused, she follows the direction in which his eyes are staring, finding her lost handgun resting on a pile of nylons. 
Their eyes meet together in a piercing glare, trying to read each other’s thoughts and calculate their next move. There is nothing between them but their loud breaths and the throbbing in their ears as their hearts pound heavily. 
Arrogant as ever, August is the first to make his move, lunging forward with ferocious speed. Infuriated, she moves to block him, her knee lifting high enough to kick his chest. Coughing violently he stumbles on his feet, his ankle thudding back through the rotten wooden flooring, causing the planks to fall through the basement level.
Ingvild stares horrified as the floor crumbles as if Hellmouth has opened in the ground. She attempts to step back, watching August fling his hands in the air as he loses his balance. His hand grasps the collar of her shirt, pulling both of them through the pit in the ground.
~*~
The air jolts from his lungs at once as his back hits the ground with incredible force and a twinge in his spine rips through his body, letting him know he is still alive. The sound of his own husky grunt is a plea in the darkness as his body remains stiff and immobilized. 
A sharp chill prickles his skin, moments of distilled fear are cold on his sweat. His mind begs to move yet his muscles ignore it.
Somewhere in the eclipse of the room, he hears Ingvild’s suffering grunts. Small movements catch his attention from the corner of his eyes. Attempting to find her, he slightly sticks his head up, watching her crawl on the floor with immense effort. Her black jeans are torn at the knees, blood and dust cake her chafed flesh. She coughs, holding one hand over her chest while the other supports her weight on the basement floor.
Scratches and blood stain her once porcelain face, her hair is a mess while her eyes are glossy from both the struggle to breathe and the burning hatred that boils within her. Dragging her limbs, she breathes so loudly every exhale comes out as a shrieking mutter. 
“You look so beautiful.” August mocks and chuckles in a rusty voice, his laughter melting into a pitiful cough. He manages to regain some of his motoric abilities, turning on one side, yet his body betrays him, every muscle screams with exhaustion as he attempts to get up. 
While watching August trying to get back on his knees, the bile rises in her throat. A spike of adrenaline shoots through her heart, and like a screeching cat, she lunges at him. Her hands push him back down on the dusty ground, securing his neck. She thrusts his head down and tightens her grip, strangling him while screaming with despair.  
She never hated anyone in her life as much as she hated him right now. 
August stares at her maddened face as she lies on top of him. Tiny wrinkles from between her brows as savage cries tear from her mouth. Her thumbs suppress his intake of air and force at his jugular. All the while, tears seam at her beautiful grey eyes, he can see his own reflection in the translucent glass. His lips are parted open, face turning purple. It almost feels like falling asleep. 
As his mind nearly drifts away, he thinks of Lacey. 
‘Was I the last thing on her mind?’
Aching as they are, his hands find their strength, reaching around Ingvild’s delicate throat. She hisses in disdain, trying to lift her upper body away from his reach yet he pulls her flat against him with all that remains in him.
Tiny spasms shock through her entire body as his lips crush against hers.
Her whimpers are divine, so gentle and delicate. He hums as if he is eating the most decadent desserts and devours every angelic sound her body produces. His hands are large and stark, restraining her head. Coarse fingers latch around her jaw, tethering her every movement while he dominates her mouth.
The scent of his own blood fills his nostrils as her claws paint his jawline threads of crimson, a pathetic attempt to resist him. Gory trails sear his skin, yet he is distracted by sugary-sweet lips. Capturing her, he suckles hungrily, flirting between the south and north of her maw while his thick moustache leaves the skin above her upper lip red and irritated. 
The devil’s kiss leaves her in daze, the touch of his lips made her heart beat to an irrational speed, fuming in her ears and between her thighs. 
It’s as if her nightmare came to being in order to haunt her, or perhaps the pit they fell through is hell itself. 
Fruitlessly she tries to pull away. Yet his grip is iron, her small breasts mash against his chest as he holds her and entangles their legs together. Somewhere amidst her impossible attempt to escape a dangerous throb awakens between her thighs.
‘No, I don’t want this.’
August’s sharp teeth nip at her succulent flesh, his tongue stubbornly fights to exhaust her defiance. Yet it’s not his mouth that tricks her into submission but a rogue gasp that rudely forces her mouth open as she feels him bumping his hips and grinding his rock-hard erection against her torso.
August smirks in vanity and exploits her disarray. Penetrating the hot velvet cavern of her mouth and groaning at the sweet cinnamon of her tongue. He licks and swallows every tender whimper while molten bliss dances through his tendons. 
Fear of death is replaced by a whole new strain of terror, making her squirm as August conquers her mouth. Ingvild’s mind whispers dark words, keenly reminding her that August Walker will not settle for just a kiss. The thought of his Adonis-like naked body pressed against hers sets a wild shiver in her arms. Horrified, she releases his neck and begins hitting his chest, exploiting the last drops of strength that still stream in her muscles. Her fist ploughs at him, seeking for that weakness until finally, his punishing mouth tears away from hers with guttural growl. 
Ingvild inhales sharply. Rage is hot and loud on her breath as she glances down on the man who violated her mouth. His unforgiving hands slide from her nape to her shoulders, caging her forcefully while his tongue flicks to clean himself from her taste provokingly.
A malicious smirks sparks his face as he watches her grey eyes turn into crimson. The sight of her mouth engorged and glistening from his abuse is enough to make his cock twitch with sheer anticipation. He wonders how hot and wet she is for him down below, how wonderful she will sound taking the entire length of his cock.
“I bet your cunt tastes even better.”
The blood seethes in her. Any coherent thought is lost, there is nothing but hatred as she bestows him a sharp smack across the face, causing him to turn his head aside from the force of her slap.
Iron caresses his tongue as he tips it at the small gash that formed in his lower lip.
‘Just like Lacey.’ 
He growls at her dangerously, his eyes narrowing and his grip tightening. He readies himself to hit her back but is stopped by delicate lips that smear blood across each corner of their mouths. 
Like an animal licking her prey, she drinks him. 
For a moment she feels weightless, floating feather-like, anchored by nothing but the gravity of his strong body beneath her. But the yearning to brutalize him grounds her back to reality. She bites and sucks, her fangs creasing small cuts at his chin and the apex of his lips before moving to torment his mouth which kisses back at her in a wet synergy. 
‘I knew it’d be fun to break her.’
August's hands travel south her spine, capturing her taut ass and squeezing it tightly. The heartless succubus tries greatly to be aggressive, yet he finds her kisses delicate as butterfly wings flapping on his flesh. The warm hums of her voice tickles his throat and her taste, a fear and lust mixed elixir. 
He could swear he has never been this hard in his entire life. 
Unrelenting desire flows through him, having had enough with letting her explore. He takes the reins and flips her down into submission. His tongue writhes into her mouth, snake-like and slippery while his hands ravage her body. He kneads and gropes, making sure to be as crude and ruthless. He hopes to hurt her every possible way. 
She wriggles beneath him, legs locked, entwined between his, her boots kicking the ground helplessly. Sharp talons tug at her shirt and her bra at once, huddling it up beneath her chin. Just enough to expose her perky breasts to feast upon. August breaks away from her lips, staring at her naked chest while his teeth chew at the gash in his bottom lip.
A rosy blush spreads down her naked torso, the cries that leave her mouth speak of just as much pain as they tell of pleasure. August’s fingers thread between her peaked nipples before reaching to kiss and nip at her breasts. Ingvild shakes beneath him, exclaiming small hisses as his teeth leave purple marks across her body. 
“Remember how I promised I’d fuck you, princess?” He asks darkly, a twisted fascination marking his face as his finger traces the stitches on the wound he gave her. 
“I wish you’d die.” she bites back with loathing to which he replies with a cold smirk.
“You can’t even get that right, little girl.”
Snarling like a possessed thing, she finds herself clawing at him. Berserk, mind twisted, sick with desperation, her hands seek through the shadows, nails ripping and yanking at fabric and skin, shredding at whatever she can find until his battered body is exposed to her.
August huffs at her, his nostrils flaring. The small vixen beneath him awakens his every primal instinct; he wants to gnaw at her bones, to reduce her to nothing as he fucks her through her tears. 
The violent scuffle to remove her jeans takes seconds. Sturdy fingers tug at both her undergarments and her trousers, pulling them down the bones of her hips in sheer brutality while she snakes her hips and kicks her feet. Exposed to the chill of the room and to August’s darkest needs. 
Alarm spikes in her chest, beating with anxiety as his hand runs smoothly up and down her creamy limbs. Her legs shut together instinctively yet the beast shoves his knees between her thighs, starved to enter the warmth of her body. He fumbles with his belt, and the noise of the buckle clicking makes her jostle with fright. She attempts to catch that whimper before it leaves her mouth yet fails. August sneers, pulling out his large erect cock and letting the base grind against the wetness of her slit.
One hand cradles her skull, his thumb pressing against her lips, holding her head in place. The horror feeds him, stupendous panic, making her shiver beneath his large body. 
The frozen girl who never feared death is afraid of him.
Feasting on her sight, he reaches his fingers to his mouth, letting his slippery tongue flake the tips. His thick saliva coats them before he sends his hand down to lubricate her inviting slit.
Ingvild’s breath suspends as scenes of her nightmare come to life. August hovers above her like a great incubus, and she muses if this is all but a dream, yet the brush of his wet fingers between her petals proves to be the only thing that feels real in her existence. There is a pulsating void in her chest and between her thighs, aching at his touch.
“Fuck.” he calls out ecstatic as the tip of his fingers finds her sleek and hot. Unable to wait anymore, he immediately grips at his cock and positions himself in her narrow slit. ”You’re soaked, you want this.”
Frozen in time, her breath takes away as the hard velvet of his manhood breaches her entrance, desecrating her with sin. His invasion into her body is brutal, ripping through her fresh core, while chanting moans of the most divine pleasure.
Every sensation becomes vivid inside her as he is buried in her depth, the astonishing, overwhelmingly tight grip around him, the nails that bite into his biceps, the small body that shudders unstoppably. 
It almost feels as if he just broke something inside her.
“Oh…”
Realization seeps into his mind as she remains still but for the twitch in her muscles. Frowning bemused, he tilts his head down, noticing the quiver in her lip and the wetness beneath her glassy eyes. Ingvild watches silently, white with shame as August reaches his fingers to the space where they’re connected and returns them stained in crimson.
“Huh,” he exclaims, playing with the blood between his fingers before landing his palm next to her head. Sick pride poisons his beautiful blue eyes, his tarred heart singing of great victories. He didn’t think it was possible to be even more aroused, having wanted her for so long, but the fact that he just stole something from her that she will never gain back drives the degenerate feral animal inside him wild.
“Did I just pop your cherry, princess?”
Ingvild answers with silence, ignoring the arrogance that beams on his face and the searing pain inside her. She feels the warmth of her blood and the righteousness of her walls trying to defend her lost honour while his manhood throbs inside her with excitement.  
Ever so slowly, he pulls out, his mouth ghosts over hers, aphrodisia coursing through his veins, fueled by the despaired gasp that leaves her mouth. 
“Aww…” he coos at her yips and cries with false sweetness, his hand snapping at her inner thigh, handling it against his hip to force another punishing thrust. Pain surges through her cervix as he hits too deep. His low groans are languished, guttural melodies of pleasure.
“You feel so good, princess.”
Unwilling to succumb to his cruelty, she growls in anger. As he pulls back for the third time, she pushes hard to meet his thrust, taking his thick cock all the way into her chasm. Still raw, her muscles scream with protest yet she grits her teeth and smiles twistedly, unwilling to let him triumph over her. 
August closes his eyes with delight, an onslaught of curses spilling from his lips at the sensation of her succulent walls engulfing him with woven warmth. He couldn’t be gentle with her even if he wanted to. His entire existence calls to shred her, to see her lips parting to small pathetic sobs of pain and pleasure as he conquers her. 
Pain still spasms in her core as he drives into her in a lewd manner, yet the odd sensation of fullness achieved with the reach of his cock to the pit of her cervix evokes a new pleasant tingle in her essence. Like a gentle chord it vibrates, playing the sweetest music and blooming within. 
Every time he pulls away, she suddenly grows desperate for his return. 
‘More please, more.’
Deep whimpers and laboured groans fill the empty spaces between the shadows, creating a violent harmony as August fucks into her in a wild, primal rhythm, ending every thrust with a slam which makes her arch against him and tear his skin with her nails. 
They can feel themselves pulsating in rage against one another, flesh slapping into flesh, blood and fluids, hot, savage like animals, reduced to nothing but their carnal lust. Their bodies move in unison, lips and tongues collide, teeth nipping at each other. 
“You like that?” August rasps, his voice cracking into groans as he continues to pump in and out mercilessly, feeling her walls growing tighter, milking his cock in demand to drain him from his generous offering. 
A hazed memory of a long time ago brushes through his mind. There’s a familiar sensation to this, surging through his ribcage, a desire to unload all his anger and hatred into someone else, to be baptized by her essence. It makes him fuck her harder, mistaking the thought that he could experience the slightest moments of redemption. 
‘She doesn’t feel like that ungrateful bitch, nothing about her does.’
Ingvild bites her lip tightly, withholding from crying his name. There is a wholeness in her she never felt before. Tears well in her eyes, loving and hating the way his body fits inside her, making every sensation she ever felt in her life become insignificant. All that matters is his lips, heart, and cock as it sinks into her in an unstoppable pace until the colours and tunes dance in her heart, and a burst of white flames explode within her.
For the first time in her life, she comes around something, feeling complete. 
‘She looks beautiful when she comes.’
“I’m going to come inside that virgin pussy of yours.” 
August gasps a threat as he rocks above her, astonished by the sight of ecstasy on her face. His balls clench against the seam of her cunt, and his cocks swell between her clutching muscles. Spiralling out of control his fingers snap at her feeble throat, choking tightly as he’s thrown beyond rapture. Ignoring her desperate fight for air, his orgasm takes him by force. He moans deeply and spills his seed into her virginal womb.
Sobbing gasps leave her mouth as he strangles her. Tears roll from the corners of her eyes, falling down to her dusty hair in the dim light. Too meek to fight him off, she watches as his stare turns black, lost in some trance.
‘What are you doing to the girl, August?’ 
As if waking up from a dream, he snaps back and gazes down on her, surprised by the vulnerability and fright in her grey eyes as his hand holds her down. 
‘End this.’ 
He frowns at himself, nearly frustrated, his hands releasing her slowly, backing away in the air, allowing her to breathe once again. 
‘You fucking idiot.’
August watches her heave, sobbing beneath him silently. Her skin trembles beneath his heavy body. Shock and grief storm in her eyes at her lost innocence. As his knuckle grazes her cheek, she suddenly flinches and looks at him oddly. 
The blue ocean in his glance shows no emotion, yet he croons at her and comforts her with the soft hush of his lips. His coarse thumb dries her tears, wiping them away and stroking her hair to cease her from shaking. 
“Shhh… it’s okay. It’s okay.”
His touch is tender, almost relaxing. But the more she stares at him, the more chaos charges in her chest, making her want to scratch her own eyes in anguish. Pushing him away, she forces him off, guilt-ridden and ashamed. She tugs her shirt back down and fumbles for her pants desperately. A pink mixture trickles down her inner thigh as she pulls her jeans up.
Her blood, his semen.
His cock is coated by her innocence as well, tainted by a thin layer of blood. He chuckles to himself, coldly while sitting up and holding himself from making a humiliating joke about it while she moves around between shadow and twilight. 
Unaware of what to say or do, he pulls his trousers back up and stands on his feet, trying to find his remaining piece of clothing before deciding what to do with her.
The sharp sound of a gun’s barrel being stretched pauses his musings before they even begin to take shape. His glare lifts up slowly to meet hers. There she stands, the untrustworthy whore, her gun gripped between her hands. A distressed look on her tortured bleeding face.  
‘Just like the rest of them.’ 
Her lips tremble as she speaks, her brow rising up as if out of mercy. 
“I have to kill you.” 
A burst of light flashes in the room, making her grey eyes shine so bright they glisten like stars in the darkest skies.
It’s the last thing he sees before his world goes black. 
_____________________________________________
Disclaimer: I don’t own Mission Impossible franchise and/or August Walker
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thetvmoviefan · 3 years
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Nabrina Fanfics Part 13 (Lupercalia Update)
Sabrina Spellman & Nicholas Scratch (Nick Scratch) FanFics MASTERLIST (UPDATEABLE PINNABLE)
Updated: February 14, 2021
Happy Lupercalia and Nabrina Anniversary day everyone. So Part 4 happened......So here’s a list of some fantastic Nabrina Fanfics that you can read to process and escape how the show ended. Because we know Nick and Sabrina deserved so much more. Escape into these amazing magical written creations and worlds by some wickedly good and amazing writers who helped us during those Part Hiatuses and now helping us now the show is done. Make sure to leave some Love/Praise/Kudos through the comments on their work. Or give them a message to how much you love their work, because they really are one of the best things in this fandom. They are the real heroes through everything we’ve been through.
As always have a Wicked or Hell-ish time with these fics and ENJOY!!!!!
Fics in order by Last Update: 2/14/2021
[Key: AU=Alternate Universe - AH=All Human Or Mortal Fic - *=New Fics to list]
1. "I See Sparks Fly”*
Author: shotgunkitten @shotgunkitten
Summary: Being single was okay and she didn’t mind being on her own. Not at all. At least that’s what Sabrina told herself as she looked around the table at yet another Spellman family dinner. But with everyone in a happy relationship, she couldn't help but long for the same - probably also because Lupercalia and Valentine's Day were fast approaching.However, she really shouldn't have said as much to her family; because suddenly everyone's a matchmaker and every option seems worse than the last. AU- Rated T - Chapters 1/1 - One-Shot 2/14/2021
2. “The Institute for Divine Craft”
Author: rayo aka @its-nabrina-bitch
Summary: After a humiliating spat with Father Blackwood pushes Sabrina away from her witching life and the Academy, Madam Satan crafts an alternative solution to move Sabrina Spellman further down the path of night. Ultimately leading her to the Institute for the Divine Craft. A handsome Headmaster with mysterious ties to her father, convinces Sabrina to abandon her mortal life, and cultivate her abilities as a child of the Church of Lucifer. AU - Rated Mature - Chapters 20/? - Last Update 2/14/2021
3. “Sins of the Father”
Author: willowaus @willowaus
Summary:  In a Greendale where Edward Spellman was given the chance to see his manifesto play out, Sabrina Spellman works to traverse the world her father created for her, walking that fine line between mortal and witch, trying to integrate them both. It’s not enough that she has to maintain that Spellman image while trying to juggle the Weird Sisters, her friends, and an annoyingly hot warlock, Nick Scratch. She also has to deal with the fact that someone or something doesn’t want her to make it to her seventeenth birthday. AU - Rated M - Chapters 19/? - Last Update 2/14/2021
4. “If You Let Me”
Author: bunivy aka @bunivys
Summary: After pouring all of her time and effort into obtaining a law degree in the city, Sabrina Spellman moves back to Greendale for one last summer before she departs for good. She's fully intent on enjoying her stay in her hometown, even deciding to pick up a part-time job at her Aunt Hilda's cafe to save up some money. The only problem is that the boy in the bookstore across the way is one she's had some not-so-good history with and it's becoming increasingly harder to ignore him. Before long, she finds herself exploring the complexities of old high-school grudges and what-ifs, all while trying to sort out her present-day relationship with the boy she has long since deemed as non-existent.Meanwhile, Nicholas Scratch wonders if it would just be easier to remain non-existent. AU/AH - Rated M - Chapters 32/? - Last Update 2/09/2021
5. “Let’s Fall in Love for the Night”
Author: shotgunkitten @shotgunkitten
Summary: Hilda Spellman once said that their meeting was fate. And while neither Sabrina Spellman nor Nicholas Scratch were sure if they believed in that kind of thing, they were sure of this: They never wanted to find out what their lives would be like without each other. AU/AH- Rated T - Chapters 21/? - Last Update 2/09/2021
6. “All you need is fluff...”
Author: Miss_Kath90 @misskath90​
Summary: Just a bunch of Nabrina short one-shots based on tumblr prompts. Mostly pure fluff, because after Part 4 that's what we deserve. Rated T - Chapters 12/? - Last Update 2/09/2021
7. "Take a Breath, I’m Still Here”*
Author: thoughtsaboutshows @thoughtsaboutshows​​
Summary: In the days after the Void nearly ripped Sabrina from her family, they decide to celebrate a late Yule. Nick and Sabrina can't stop touching each other and Prudence and Ambrose finally talk. AU/AH- Rated T - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 2/02/2021
8. "It Was Real Enough to Get Me Through”*
Author: shotgunkitten @shotgunkitten​​
Summary: Sabrina Spellman saw her twin die, her warning about the Void leading her to her own inevitable doom. Except that her family pulls her back at the right moment when she goes to trap the Void, finishing what Sabrina Morningstar started. However, surviving her encounter with the last of the Eldritch terrors doesn't mean that Sabrina got out unscathed, her demons haunting her in her sleep. Rated M - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 1/31/2021
9. “It’s Witchcraft, Baby”*
Author: Unseemingowl @unseemingowl​​​
Summary: In the wake of Sabrina discovering Nicholas Scratch at an orgy in her cousin Ambrose’s room things take a different turn Rated E Mature - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 1/31/2021
10. “Never Really Over”
Author: Miss_Kath90
Summary: Sabrina Spellman wanted nothing more than to have a normal life and to achieve it, she accidentally had caused a time paradox that had allowed two of her to coexist in the same timeline.One, living in Greendale with her family and friends. The other, reigning over the infernal court in Hell.She could finally have (almost) everything she ever wanted but nothing in Sabrina's life was simple or normal…A new threat looms over Greendale.And she would need all the help she could get to stop it.Especially Nicholas Scratch's, even though every time they are in the same room the weight of their shattered romance filled the air and threatened with crush them. Rated M - Chapters 16/? - Last Update 1/30/2021
11. “The Resurrection”*
Author: sarahkwut @sarahwyland​
Summary: Hecate hears the prayers of her coven and brings Sabrina back to her loved ones. This is their reunion. Rated M - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 1/29/2021
12. “Victory Celebrations”*
Author: Climbergirlio ​
Summary: “It is rather incredible,” Prudence states, her voice intentionally betraying how she is not speaking of the success of the song. Sabrina’s confusion at what Prudence could be referring to makes her fall headfirst into Prudence’s trap, “what?” she asks. Prudence’s lips curve into a wickedly innocent line, “how distinctly Nicholas smells of ...” Rated T - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 1/27/2021
13. “Illicit Affairs”
Author: thoughtsaboutshows @thoughtsaboutshows
Summary:  She had never really meant for it to start. It wasn’t like her, the secret meetings, hushed whispers, and built up lies. But there was something about all of it that dragged her under the current and swept her up that she couldn’t deny or ignore. It was never her intention to start an affair with Nicholas Scratch. Though it was somewhat of an inevitability. From the minute they met, a line in the sand was drawn and they spent the better part of two years trying not to come closer to it. But the magnetic pull between them was undeniable, and soon the line in the sand was just as messed up as their sheets. She hadn’t planned it, and the second she let her guard down they’d both fallen into a hole they couldn't quite climb out of. She’d been sleeping with Nick for months and talked to him about more things than she never dared to with Harvey. Harvey.The highschool sweetheart she couldn’t let go. Or rather she couldn’t admit the relationship was failing, because she wasn’t a quitter. But she couldn’t seem to quit Nick either. AU/AH - Rated M - Chapters 10/? - Last Update 1/25/2021
14. “Soft Place To Land”
Author: shotgun kitten @shotgunkitten
Summary: A collection of short Nabrina one shots based on fluff prompts on tumblr. Rated T - Chapters 21/? - One Shots 1/21/2021
15. “For Fluffs Sake, Angst-hole”
Author: thoughtsaboutshows @thoughtsaboutshows
Summary: This is a collection of short writings/scenes from an ask I did on Tumblr for Nabrina!It used to be all fluff, but now there's some agnsty ones in there too! Not Rated - Chapters 39/39 - Last Update 1/18/2021
16. “Pillow Talk”*
Author: octoberdiary IG: thecaosdiaries
Summary: This is a collection of short writings/scenes from an ask I did on Tumblr for Nabrina!It used to be all fluff, but now there's some agnsty ones in there too! Rated T - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 1/17/2021
17. “speak to me, my lover”*
Author: Unseemingowl @unseemingowl
Summary: Sabrina Morningstar doesn't come through the mirror to interrupt the mood when Sabrina and Nick leave movie night at Harvey's house, which means that everything is good and nothing bad happens. Except the playful squabbles over the anxieties between new lovers who can't keep their hands off each other. Rated E Mature - Chapters 2/3 - Last Update 1/10/2021
18. "Till the end of time”*
Author: Miss_Kath90 @misskath90​
Summary: Feeling his lips moving over hers again was like coming home after a long journey. All the months of separation, all the pain, all the words they could never take back didn’t matter anymore as she kissed him back. Oh, she had missed him, she had missed the way his arms held her tight and how his hands caressed her face in the middle of a kiss. And it felt so natural, so right… kissing Nick had always felt that way, as natural as breathing. Rated Mature - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 1/06/2021
19. “Born To Love You”
Author: thoughtsaboutshows aka @thoughtsaboutshows
Summary: So Sabrina left Harvey at the altar for Nick. What now? Tune in for snapshots into Nick and Sabrina's life now that they've admitted their true feelings. What happened after Sabrina left Harvey and ran to Nick? Did they live happily ever after?This will be a collection of snapshots of this version of Nick and Sabrina. I don't know how often it will be updated, but we will get a look into their life together.I enjoy writing my fics based on songs, so if a particular song screams this Nick and Sabrina to you please message me on tumblr or comment below and maybe I'll write a scene based on it! ****Follow up to One-Shot Marry Me. Go READ it first!**** AU/AH - Not Rated - Chapters 5/? - Last Update 1/05/2021
20. "A sea of sorrows”*
Author: Miss_Kath90 @misskath90​​
Summary: Nick's thoughts after Sabrina's death.  Rated Mature - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 1/01/2021
21. “Of Gingerbread and Snow Globes”
Author: sarahkwut @sarahwyland
Summary: Nicholas Scratch begrudgingly helps his grandmother move back to her hometown of Greendale. He's got a high powered job and is used to the big city lifestyle. The small town life isn't for him, but he promised his grandmother he would stay through the holidays. Enter, Sabrina Spellman, international journalist and soon-to-be author who happens to love Greendale - and all of its holiday traditions. She's not trying to change Nick's mind about the place, but they do seem to keep crossing paths... Rated M - Chapters 9/9 - Completed 1/01/2021
22. “yuletide blessings”
Author: bunivy @bunivys
Summary:  Journalist and hopeless romantic Sabrina heads home for the holidays with an assignment: write the perfect article on a small town Christmas to capture the spirit of the holidays. Things start off right when her aunt Hilda performs a bit of tea reading which suggests romance in Sabrina’s future, and she gets a call from one Harvey Kinkle, friend and childhood crush, asking her out on a date to the local Christmas Market. Hilda’s tea never lies and this could really be it. He could be it. To her surprise, she runs into a spellbinding bookseller at the market who seems to be on a quest of his own and before Sabrina knows it, she’s wrapped up in the mystery and holiday joy of it all. Along the way, she comes to learn that maybe there's still some new magic to be discovered in old Greendale, after all. Rated M - Chapters 3/3 - Completed 12/27/2020
23. “Another Year”
Author: shotgunkitten @shotgunkitten
Summary: Nick wanted to get his hands on his grandfather's journals for years and now his grandmother named her conditions: He gets the journals when he's in a steady relationship. Jumping at the opportunity to finally study his grandfather's research, he tells his grandmother that he has a girlfriend. The problem: He doesn't. Who better to ask than Sabrina to help him out and pretend to be his girlfriend while his grandmother is visiting for the Yule celebrations? Rated T - Chapters 4/4 - Completed 12/27/2020
24. “Under the mistletoe”
Author: Miss_Kath90 @misskath90
Summary:  Nick and Sabrina meet at Spellman's Christmas party throughout the years. Rated T - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot - Last Update 12/18/2020
25. “Wicked Winds”
Author: sarahkwut @sarahwyland
Summary: Nicholas Scratch winds up at the Academy of Unseen Arts after being kicked out of several others for being too smart - and too powerful - for his own good. He’s got a chip on his shoulder and he’s not in Greendale to make friends. But then he meets Sabrina Spellman, a witch that’s not only beautiful, but just as up for breaking the rules as him.Except she wants nothing to do with him.His old friend Prudence places a bet that he can’t get her to give into him - but things get complicated as he not only starts to fall for Sabrina, but a deadly darkness settles over Greendale. Rated M - Chapters 23/23 - Completed 12/04/2020
26. “Wintertime Love”
Author: sweetjs
Summary:  Sabrina and Nick celebrate both Winter Solstice and Christmas through the years. Rated G - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot 12/04/2020
27. “p is for passion, n is for not this again”
Author: Unseemingowl @unseemingowl
Summary: In which Nick is very passionate about the Baxter High encyclopaedia section and Sabrina Spellman can never just get one day of peace and quiet and making out. Rated M - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot 12/03/2020
28. “Soft Place To Land”
Author: shotgun kitten @shotgunkitten
Summary: A collection of short Nabrina one shots based on fluff prompts on tumblr. Rated T - Chapters 14/? - One Shots 11/26/2020
29. “my greatest grief, my deepest desire”
Author: bunny @bunivys
Summary: She could put her hand out and touch Nick, but she couldn’t hold him, couldn’t kiss him, couldn’t slot her nose into the corner of his neck like she had once loved to do. Couldn’t run her fingers through his curls, hear him sigh against her lips. Could be the first person Nick loved, but not the last. Rated M - Chapters 14/4 - One Shots 11/21/2020
30. “I almost do”
Author: Miss_Kath90 @misskath90
Summary: Nick and Sabrina dance at Hilda's wedding. Rated T - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot 11/17/2020
31. “Before the Devil Breaks Me”
Author: willowaus @willowaus
Summary: All Sabrina wants to do is enjoy the last few years with her mortal friends. Attend college, party a little too hard, and make endless memories with them. But when you're a Spellman nothing ever goes as planned, especially not when she meets her handsomely mischievous classmate, Nick Scratch, who introduces her to a side of witchcraft that she's never thought possible.When people start ending up murdered in ritual sacrifices on campus Sabrina knows she can't keep both of her worlds apart any longer. Especially when it seems each murder is a message for her. AU - Rated Mature - Chapters 31/31 - COMPLETED 11/17/2020
32. “whispers in the white wind”
Author: bunny @bunivys
Summary: Nick had no one to knit him scarves and Sabrina didn’t mind sharing.(a collection of tumblr winter fluff prompts.) Rated T - Chapters 7/7 - One Shots 11/13/2020
33. “Haunted Herat”
Author: shotgunkitten @shotgunkitten
Summary: Sabrina ran through the woods, tree branches crashing to the ground in front of her, grasping at her. Roots digging themselves out of the wet soil, wrapping around her calves, dragging her to the ground. She set them on fire, the angry, high-pitched screams of the trees filling the air as Sabrina got up, looking over her shoulder. She could see torches in the dark, coming closer. “Find that witch!” a male voice bellowed, others chiming in, faint calls of “Burn the witch!” following. Rated T - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot 10/31/2020
34. “Cruel Summer”
Author: thoughtsaboutshows @thoughtsaboutshows
Summary: A mix between AU and Cannon, where the young members of the Church of Night also attend Baxter High. The young witches and warlocks then go to the Unseen Arts Summer Camp to bolster their gifts. However Sabrina, being half mortal, only began attending after her Dark Baptism. To the mortals of Greendale, Unseen Arts Camp was for the wealthy. An elite sector of the Baxter High youth that attended a camp deep in the Greendale Wood far upstream of Sweetwater River. Many had tried to find and break in, but none have succeeded. To the mortals, the divide between the camp attendees and the not was of money and status. When in fact, the difference lay with light vs. night.Set between two timelines- the present and the summer, Sabrina attends camp for the first time and grows closer to Nick only for them to be torn apart as school starts. Rated Mature - Chapters 27/27 - COMPLETED 10/27/2020
35. “in a dream, a thousand years ago”
Author: bunny @bunivys
Summary: It’s a painful thing to be a songbird with no one to serenade, and maybe he knows that, too.(part of the anti-soulmates au; Nick and Sabrina meet in a bar) Not Rated - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot 10/22/2020
36. “Unwritten”
Author: Miss_Kath90 aka @misskath90
Summary: Tired of her aunt’s matchmaking attempts, Sabrina decides to tell a little white lie… and now she needs a boyfriend to accompany her to her hometown for the holidays.And who better to play that part than her good friend Nicholas Scratch? There is only one little problem… He had a crush on her since the day they met. When two friends pretend to be in a relationship, what could possibly go wrong? Rated T - Chapters 10/10 - COMPLETED 9/22/2020
37. "Free Pour”
Author: sarahkwut @sarahwyland
Summary: He's a bartender with a perfect free pour and a Ph.D. candidate. She thinks she wants to be a lawyer and wishes she had taken more chances in life. Both of them are trying to move on. But when their paths collide, Nick's hand is no longer steady with the bottle and she's far more willing to take a risk. AU/AH - Rated Mature - Chapters 23/23 - COMPLETED 9/01/2020
38. "Burning House”
Author: thoughtsaboutshows @thoughtsaboutshows
Summary: Sabrina hasn't seen him in months but she still sees him everywhere. Nick sees her every night in his dreams. They both know what they want, but won't let the other have it. Not yet. Not when Nick will hardly talk to her and Sabrina used well...THAT candle... ONE-SHOT - Not Rated - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 8/28/2020
39. “The Four Pictures”
Author: Copper_16
Summary: It’s been 10 years. Nick and Sabrina are teachers at the Academy along with some familiar faces. It’s been a decade there can’t be that much chaos anymore, right? Wrong. Rated T - Chapters 4/? - Last Update 8/04/2020
40. “Marry Me”
Author: thoughtsaboutshows @thoughtsaboutshows
Summary: “No, No, No.” Nick said as he shook his head at Prudence. “Sabrina is my best friend. That’s it.”“Sure.” Prudence shrugged her shoulders.When she explained to her brother that they were likely more she had said it as a statement, not an invitation to have a conversation about it. She was entirely annoyed by the Spellman girl, and had found it odd and irritating that she and her brother had been attached at the hip from a young age.“Besides she’s marrying Kinkle, Prudence.” Nick explained more to himself than to Prudence. His eyes were wild and looking around the room, searching for something to land on. “Not me.”“Do you want her to?” Prudence asked as she leaned forward. Nick paused, unsure how to answer that question. Nick had been in love with Sabrina Spellman for most of his life. But she was happy with Harvey Kinkle. Prudence rolled her eyes and stood up sighing, and placed a hand on Nick’s shoulder. She was rarely affectionate and this was as comforting as she got. “You may want to figure that out.” AU/AH - Rated Mature - ONE-SHOT - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 7/11/2020
41. “The Chaos In the Stars”
Author: willowaus @willowaus
Summary: Nick sacrificed himself to save her, but Sabrina's not about to let him fester away in Hell. But what happens when saving the one she loves brings about a series of apocalyptic events that Sabrina and the rest of the Spellman clan need to thwart?Alternate part 3. (Part 3 Fic) - Rated Mature - Chapters 24/24 - COMPLETED 6/30/2020
42. “A Little Wicked”
Author: Miss_Kath90 aka @misskath90
Summary: Sometimes, in the darkness of her room, unable to sleep, she thought about how easy it would be to fall in love with him. And she was sure a part of her was a bit in love with him already, but she kept holding to the past and that was hurting them both. Rated Mature - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 6/16/2020
43. “Crash Into Me”
Author: thoughtsaboutshows @thoughtsaboutshows
Summary: Set after Part 3 and some time after Nick and Sabrina's breakup. Just a little one-shot of a mission they get sent on by Zelda. Tough conversations and some tears...and one bed ONE-SHOT - Not Rated - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 6/15/2020
44. “Heaven can’t help me now”
Author: bunivy @bunivys
Summary: Soulmates are a universal law, the way of life. Sabrina's soulmate is Harvey, but she'll pick Nick every time, in every way. ONE-SHOT - Not Rated - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 6/13/2020
45. “I knew you were trouble”
Author: Miss_Kath90 aka @misskath90
Summary: Sabrina didn’t know that being away from home for the first time could be so hard.Away from her aunts, friends and her-lifelong-boyfriend, Sabrina have to deal with the nostalgia but also with the new challenges College's life mean: get used to share a room with a not-so-nice roommate, put up with long hours of study and very few of sleep, learn to live from pre-cooked meals instead of her aunt Hilda’s homemade ones, find balance between her studies and her new social life… And resist the temptation a certain Nicholas Scratch mean for her. AU/AH - Rated Mature - Chapters 28/28 - COMPLETED 6/06/2020
46. “A Thing or Two to Learn”
Author: gracefulchaos
Summary: What if Sabrina and Nick weren't in the same coven, and they met each other later in life? AU - Rated Mature - Chapters 1/? - Last Update 6/06/2020
47. “When the Bones are Good”
Author: sarahkwut @sarahwyland
Summary: Sabrina Spellman is enjoying her life as a normal teenager. Sabrina Morningstar is reigning Hell with an iron fist. Ambrose Spellman is searching for a solution to bring them back together and close the time loop, Sabrina's wishes be damned. And Nicholas Scratch? He's faced down his own demons and he's desperate for redemption.Except the clock is ticking.On time and Terrors. (Part 4 Fic) - Rated General - Chapters 28/28 - COMPLETED 6/05/2020
48. “Bury a Lie”
Author: raeinthedark
Summary: Sabrina is comfortable with death. It's her job. But everything is changed on a rainy October morning. The life and work she was accustomed to are forever different in the wake of tragedy. There really isn't coming back from this, unless she can figure out who's behind it. AU/AH - Rated Mature - Chapters 3/? - Last Update 5/04/2020
49. “I run to you”
Author: thoughtsaboutshows @thoughtsaboutshows
Summary: Nick and Sabrina love two things. Research and each other. But their research often takes them to far away places, and far away from the person they love most. AU/AH - Not Rated - Chapters 1/1 - One-Shot COMPLETED - 5/21/2020
50. “My Body Is A Canvas For Your Love”
Author: Unseemingowl aka @unseemingowl
Summary: Sabrina had no love for the whip or the belt or the cane that Nick had used to enjoy so much, but restraints... That was another matter entirely. Rated E Mature - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 4/29/2020
51. ”Ground Beneath Her Feet”
Author: mindlesshappy aka @feministstree
Summary: Sabrina is born out of a miracle - one that she wishes would repeat for her, but when she is destined for someone else, how much can she resist before her heart decides to give in. Alternatively, Nick is Sabrina's soulmate, but she really just wants Harvey to be it. Also, in the backseat are all the other possible ships, getting their own soulmate glories. Rated T - Chapters 18/? - Last Update 4/17/2020
52. “in your eyes (there's something burning inside you)”
Author: jessequicksters
Summary: Nicholas falls in love with Sabrina as fast as a mortal sells their soul to the devil. The only problem is, in the Church of Night, everything has a price. Even love.Especially love.(He bleeds every time he dreams of Sabrina and when they kiss, it happens too, but love isn't supposed to hurt, right? Except he's never known about love; the only thing he knows is that this half-mortal is going to be the death of him.) Rated Mature - Chapters 5/5 - Last Update 3/22/2020
53. “My Lover of Blood and Milk”
Author: Unseemingowl aka @unseemingowl
Summary: It didn’t feel as though it had only been a few hours since she had made her way to the Greendale woods for Lupercalia. As she sat there, shivering in her muddied and bloodied silk slip, it felt as if a completely different person had made her way back out of the forest...... Or how Sabrina struggles with lust and trust after her disastrous Lupercalian night with Nick. Rated Mature - Chapters 4/4 - Last Update 3/15/2020
54. “I Need to Know”
Author: raeinthedark
Summary: Love isn't that easy to erase... and that song is on again. Rated General - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 2/29/2020
55. “Be True To Your School”
Author: rayo aka @its-nabrina-bitch
Summary: Nicholas Scratch is the Golden Boy™ of Baxter High; star athlete, top of his class academically, and devastatingly handsome. Sabrina Spellman sees Sophomore year as an opportunity to expand her horizons; joining the cheerleading squad, running for student council, and making new friends along the way while working to maintain her relationships with her old friends. What Sabrina Spellman doesn't know: sophomore year is about to turn her world upside-down. Rated T - Chapters 6/? - Last Update 2/23/2020
56. “Ocean”
Author: sarahkwut
Summary: AU, M-Rated. Nicholas Scratch has everything working in his favor. He's got a decent job as a history teacher, his roommate Melvin is always up for video games and getting high, and Sabrina Spellman lets him mess up her sheets frequently. Sabrina knows Nick isn't good for her, but she can't stay away, no matter how hard it is to pretend she's completely okay with their casual arrangement. But when life takes an unexpected curve, Nick is forced to face a new normal he doesn't know how to navigate. And Sabrina may or may not be there to help him through it. AU/AH - Rated Mature - Chapters 27/27 - COMPLETED 2/10/2020
57. “I’ll be there”
Author: Miss_Kath90 aka @misskath90
Summary: She couldn’t stop looking at him, since she had recovered him from the claws of the Dark Lord, she felt unable to be apart from him and had to admit that part of her was afraid he would disappear if she moved from his side. And Sabrina wouldn't let anyone or anything separate him from her again. Never. Rated Mature - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 1/30/2020
58. “Walk away”
Author: Miss_Kath90 aka @misskath90
Summary: Pain. Could he someday escape the pain? He sometimes thought it impossible. It was strange, his relationship with the pain, it was an enemy and a friend. The pain numbed him. The pain didn’t let him sleep. The pain hurt him and soothed him. It was unhealthy, the way the pain helped him relieve the pain. But it was the only thing he had left. Rated T - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 1/27/2020
59. “To Hell and Back”
Author: sarahkwut
Summary: Sabrina was successful in her efforts to retrieve Nick from Hell, but the damage - physical and emotional - is deep. Sometimes, the only way to heal is to go your separate ways and trust things will work themselves out in the end. (Written before Part 3 - an alternate take on how Nick recovers from his time in Hell - with and without Sabrina). Rated Mature - Chapters 3/3 - Last Update 1/26/2020
60. “The Morning(star) After”
Author: rayo aka @its-nabrina-bitch
Summary: A Painful NickxSabrina Reunion Rated T - Chapters 1/3 - Last Update 1/24/2020
61. “My only love sprung from my only hate”
Author: filmharlot
Summary: High School AU where Nick is based on the version of him that Sabrina creates in her dream during the Batibat episode. Harvey and Sabrina have broken up and don't want to work together on the Romeo and Juliet assignment in Drama class, so she ends up being partners with Nick AU - Not Rated - Chapters 8/? - Last Update 1/19/2020
62. “A very witchy Christmas”
Author: Miss_Kath90 aka @misskath90
Summary: Just a bit of silly Christmas fluff that I couldn’t help but write, placed in the series universe after a huge jump in time. Not Rated - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 12/25/2019
63. “Mortal Little Christmas”
Author: HeartsInJeopardy
Summary: ‘Twas the night before Christmas – and the first for Nick Scratch - but Sabrina’s holiday movie was not a good match. Rated T - Chapters 2/2 - Last Update 12/21/2019
64. “Lessons in the Unseen”
Author: bunivy aka @bunivys
Summary: Academy Teachers AU. Sabrina Spellman lives as simple a life as a half-mortal half-witch can. Despite her dislike for the headmaster, she enjoys spending her time teaching Ritual Magic at the Academy of Unseen Arts, hoping to positively shape the minds of young witches and warlocks. However, with the sudden dreadful announcement of her aunt Zelda's engagement and the appearance of one mysterious - and strikingly handsome - Nicholas Scratch, Sabrina finds that her life is not so simple anymore. Or all that safe. AU - Rated Mature - Chapters 32/32 - COMPLETED 12/17/2019
65. “Just a Little Obsessed”
Author: eyerys
Summary: Nicholas has developed a tinie-tiny crush on Sabrina. Nothing like major or whatever. It's not like he thinks about her all the time or daydreams about what it would be like to be with her or how cool she is. No, not at all.Sabrina doesn't have a crush on Nick. No, not at all. Uh-uh. She has Harvey. Sweet and loving Harvey Kinkle. But for some reason, she can't help but find her mind wandering. Rated T - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 12/13/2019
66. “As The Moon Rises”
Author: venzaren
Summary: Sabrina Spellman is tired.Tired of living a double life. Tired of facing discrimination at the hands of her pack. Tired of dealing with her status as an Omega. And most of all, she's tired of people hounding her about finding her mate.Then Nick Scratch returns to Greendale. AU - Rated General - Chapters 1/? - Last Update 12/07/2019
67. “Thirteen Memories”
Author: tempestbreak
Summary: (Set at the end of Season 2) Sabrina and her friends go to Hell and rescue Nick -- but what happens when that's the easy part?It turns out, having the Dark Lord inside your mind for months can do some damage, and Nick comes back different. His memories of the events leading up to his sacrifice, including his relationship with Sabrina, are gone. How can Sabrina help him regain his memories of their time together when she's not even sure she trusts her own? Rated Mature - Chapters 6/? - Last Update 11/02/2019
68. “But The Greatest Is Love”
Author: sarahkwut
Summary: The acheron captured Lucifer Morningstar, but their problems are far from over. The coven is decimated, the Church of Night is no more, Father Blackwood is on the run, and Nick and Sabrina's relationship is in ruins. How do they pick up the pieces and move on? There are more questions than answers and the consequences could be of biblical proportions. Rated Mature - Chapters 25/25 - COMPLETED 10/28/2019
69. “Back to You”
Author: nadiaselite
Summary: Sabrina brings Nick back from hell. Rated T - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 10/11/2019
70. “The Open Road”
Author: paradiamond
Summary: Nick wants her back, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes. In fact, he insists on it. Rated T - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 9/22/2019
71. “The words “I love you” aren’t enough”
Author: Miss_Kath90
Summary: “Look at me, Nick” he was reluctant but when he finally looked up she took his face in her hands making him unable to look away “What you did that day… Nick, you sacrificed yourself for my sake, even when I mistreated you and told you all those horrible things. You did it for me, because you love me… Don’t you see? You’re incapable of being evil.”Or... Sabrina gets her boyfriend back but things don’t go as smoothly as she thinks they will. Rated Mature - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 9/22/2019
72. “Mission: Let’s get my boyfriend back”
Author: My_Evak_Heart
Summary: Sabrina and the Fright Club ventures on their first mission: getting Nick back from Hell Not Rated - Chapters 1/1 - Last Update 9/7/2019
73. “Jealousy is a killer”
Author: Melissa1226
Summary: Will Sabrina and Nick Start something new? and who is watching them from the shadow full of jealousy? Rated Mature - Chapters 8/? - Last Update 8/28/2019
74. “The Jock”
Author: mikaila_ealum
Summary: An Alternate Universe where Nicholas Scratch is Baxter High’s quarterback along with one of the most popular boys at school. With few knowing the truth, Scratch is living a double life as a warlock at the Academy of Unseen Arts. Sabrina takes a hiatus from the Academy to get more in touch with her mortal side. When Sabrina gets back she becomes partners with Nicholas for a project in theatre class. AU - Chapters 8/? - Last Update 8/07/2019
75. “act 5, scene 2 (thou and i are too wise to woo peaceably)”
Author: ghostemo aka @wickedscratch
Summary: When Sabrina Spellman rose to a challenge issued by Prudence Night, she never imagined she’d actually make the varsity cheer squad - or that doing so would upend life as she knew it. Now she has to navigate her new role within the social hierarchy of hell -er Baxter High as well as trying to get her boyfriend to actually communicate. It certainly doesn’t help that she’s been paired up with the annoyingly handsome Nicholas Scratch, captain of Greendale’s beloved football team, for a project in her theater class. It’s exactly as, if not more so, cliche as it sounds. AU/AH - Rated T - Chapters 3/? - 7/25/2019
76. “Off the Record”
Author: sarahkwut
Summary: AU. Detective Nicholas Scratch left New York for Greendale in desperate need of a change of scenery. The small town takes some getting used to, but local reporter Sabrina Spellman quickly grabs his attention. It's the fresh start he needed until Greendale's residents start turning up dead. With a murderer on the loose, no one is innocent - and anyone might be next. AU/AH - Rated Mature - Chapters 29/29 - COMPLETED 7/22/2019
77. “Bring You Close To Me”
Author: BridgetMcKennitt
Summary: Sabrina and her friends managed to bring Nicholas back from Hell. There was a lot the two of them needed to discuss, but tonight, they had this. Rated E Mature - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot - Last Update 7/13/2019
78. “A Brief Moment”
Author: bunivy aka @bunivys
Summary: Ever since he's returned from Hell, Nicholas Scratch has been having nightmares. With help from Aunt Hilda, Sabrina unknowingly shows him a light and for a moment, Nicholas knows everything will be okay. Rated General - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot - Last Update 6/24/2019
79. “To Hell and Back”
Author: swtnerdgirl
Summary: A year has passed since Sabrina and her friends rescued Nick from Hell. No one came back the same. They all had their scars. Some emotionally. Some physically. In the days leading to Hilda's wedding, they all prepare for their lives to change and heal their wounds. Rated Mature - Chapters 16/? - Last Update 6/06/2019
80. “Dead Witch Walking”
Author: rayo aka @its-nabrina-bitch
Summary: Faced with the possibility of being harrowed to death by her classmates, Sabrina finds an escape. Rated E Mature - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot - Last Update 5/26/2019
81. “Moonlight Beneath Rough Lips”
Author: ivylikeveins
Summary: After the encounter with the thirteen witches of Greendale, Sabrina enters the dining hall with moonlight locks bathed in soft blue hues, and Nick does not know what to do. He ends up with a soft and small Sabrina pressed into his chest, sleeping, and wrapped around his very much over-sized jacket with Nick's lips pressed into the soft, pearly strands he wants his soul to get entangled within. Rated Mature - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot - Last Update 5/19/2019
82. “The Hunt”
Author: OnlyInAutumn
Summary: Nick howled into the night, up at the stars to signify that he was ready on the eve of Lupercalia, the darkness of midnight around them. The first sound of the horn sent them into the forest. The hunt had begun. Rated E Mature - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot - Last Update 5/11/2019
83. “Secrets, Secrets are no Fun”
Author: filmharlot
Summary: Sabrina is the new kid for the first time in her life. Choosing to go to the Academy full-time seems to be a hard transition than she was expecting. With the Weird Sisters harassment at an all-time high, dealing with leaving her mortal friend's and condescending teachers, Sabrina is suffering. She's not even allowed to have Salem for comfort. It's not all bad though. She is finally free to do magic whenever she wants, and there's a charming warlock who is being particularly nice to her. Plus, someone is leaving kind gifts on her bed at the end of the night. She just wishes she knew who it was. Not Rated - Chapters 1/? - Last Update 5/06/2019
84. “Unsettled Nighttime Creatures”
Author: mindlesshappy
Summary: We all know Sabrina is going to save Nick. This is how Nick reacts to being saved - which, spoilers alert - is like a very stupid warlock. Rated T - Chapters 5/5 - Completed 4/25/2019
85. “Selfless”
Author: sarahwut
Summary: Sabrina Spellman dragged Nicholas Scratch back from Hell. But Hell might be better than a world in which they aren't together. Rated General - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot - Completed 4/23/2019
86. “Homecoming”
Author: cherrystems
Summary: After several months Sabrina is able to get Nick back from Hell with the help of her family and friends. However, Nick has to adjust to Earth again while dealing with PTSD and anxiety. This tells the story of the growth of Sabrina and Nick's relationship over the recovery time. Not Rated - Chapters 3/? - Last Update 4/20/2019
87. “Under Your Spell”
Author: londonmarie
Summary: Sabrina doesn't hesitate to have her Dark Baptism and things go differently. Rated T - Chapters 10/? - Last Update 4/18/2019
88. “Photographs”
Author: Greyowl9831
Summary: It's been at least 150 years since Sabrina signed her name in the Book of the Beast. One day she finds an old photo album. Will the memories it contains be a great walk down memory lane or will it be more than she can bare? Not Rated - Chapters 4/? - Last Update 4/14/2019
89. “An itch That Needed Scratching”
Author: umbrellacorp
Summary: What if Nick slayed his familiar and Sabrina and Nick got to experience the last night of the Lupercalia festival alone. Tonight, Sabrina would be transformed. Nick was going to show her power that she never knew she had, an innate carnal power. They were about to become the most powerful union of the Church of Night. Rated E Mature - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot - Last Update 4/13/2019
90. “and I keep waiting (but I won’t say I’m waiting)”
Author: lost_n_stereo @lost-n-stereo
Summary: You would think that it would hurt less as the days go by, since it’s been nearly two years since Nick sacrificed himself for the greater good and Lilith took him to hell. Except, he didn’t sacrifice himself for the greater good, he sacrificed himself for her. And that makes it a hell of a lot tougher to let go. Rated General - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot - Last Update 4/10/2019
91. “Fire”
Author: OnlyInAutumn
Summary: Their power—together—was overwhelming. It was something that she had not felt either, the consuming feeling of expanding power. It was entirely addicting. Rated Mature - Chapters 2/2 - Completed 3/24/2019
92. “something I can believe”
Author: Anry
Summary: Missing scene after Sabrina's baptism. I wouldn't say that it's really a relationship here, just conversation. Rated General - Chapters 1/1 - One Shot - Last Update 1/25/2019
AND THERE YOU GO!!!!! Have fun everyone, if i missed any fics or you have any recommendations for the list message me or send an ask. It’s been a good ride and this list has come so far from being only 13 fics to now 92. Love and Praise to all the CAOS/Nabrina Fics out there.
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jewish-privilege · 5 years
Link
Today should have been my funeral.
I was preparing to give my sermon Shabbat morning, Saturday, which was also the last day of Passover, the festival of our freedom, when I heard a loud bang in the lobby of my synagogue.
I thought a table had fallen down or maybe even that, God forbid, my dear friend Lori Gilbert Kaye had tripped and fallen. Only a few moments earlier I had greeted Lori there; she had come to services to say Yizkor, the mourning prayer, for her late mother.
I went to the lobby to check on her. What I saw in those seconds will haunt me for the rest of my days.
I saw Lori bleeding on the ground. And I saw the terrorist who murdered her.
This terrorist was a teenager. He was standing there with a big rifle in his hands. And he was now aiming it at me. For one reason: I am a Jew.
He started shooting. My right index finger got blown off. Another bullet hit my left index finger, which started gushing blood.
After the massacre in Pittsburgh, we had a community training. Now that training kicked in. Somehow my brain directed my body to the synagogue ballroom, where the children, including two of my grandchildren, were playing. I ran toward them screaming “Get out! Get out!” I grabbed as many as I could with my bloody hands and pushed them out of the building.
One of our congregants that day, Almog Peretz, a veteran of the Israeli Defense Forces, ran after me to help get the children to safety and took a bullet in the leg. His eight-year-old niece, Noya Dahan, took some shrapnel to hers. Then an amazing miracle occurred: The terrorist’s gun jammed. Two other heroic congregants — an Army veteran named Oscar Stewart and an off-duty border patrol agent named Jonathan Morales — rushed toward him and he fled.
The ambulances had not yet arrived. We all gathered outside. I don’t remember all that I said to my community, but I do remember quoting a passage from the Passover Seder liturgy: “In every generation they rise against us to destroy us; and the Holy One, blessed be He, saves us from their hand.” And I remember shouting the words “Am Yisrael Chai! The people of Israel live!” I have said that line hundreds of times in my life. But I have never felt the truth of it more than I did then.
I am a religious man. I believe everything happens for a reason. I do not know why God spared my life. I do not know why I had to witness scenes of a pogrom in San Diego County like the ones my grandparents experienced in Poland. I don’t know why a part of my body was taken away from me. I don’t know why I had to see my good friend, a woman who embodied the Jewish value of hesed (kindness), hunted in her house of worship. I don’t know why I had to watch Lori’s beloved husband, a doctor, faint as he tried to resuscitate her. And then their only daughter, Hannah, sob in agony as she encountered both her parents collapsed on the floor.
I do not know God’s plan. All I can do is try to find meaning in what has happened. And to use this borrowed time to make my life matter more.
I used to sing a song to my children, a song that my father sang to me when I was a child. “Hashem is here,” I would sing, using a Hebrew name for God, pointing with my right index finger to the sky. “Hashem is there,” I would sing, pointing to my right and left. “Hashem is truly everywhere.” That finger I would use to point out God’s omnipresence was taken from me.
I pray that my missing finger serves as a constant reminder to me. A reminder that every single human being is created in the image of God; a reminder that I am part of a people that has survived the worst destruction and will always endure; a reminder that my ancestors gave their lives so that I can live in freedom in America; and a reminder, most of all, to never, ever, not ever be afraid to be Jewish.
From here on in I am going to be more brazen. I am going to be even more proud about walking down the street wearing my tzitzit and kippah, acknowledging God’s presence. And I’m going to use my voice until I am hoarse to urge my fellow Jews to do Jewish. To light candles before Shabbat. To put up mezuzas on their doorposts. To do acts of kindness. And to show up in synagogue — especially this coming Shabbat.
I am a proud emissary of Chabad-Lubavitch, a movement of Hasidic Judaism. Our leader, the great Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, famously taught that a little light expels a lot of darkness. That is why Chabad rabbis travel all over the world to set up Jewish communities: I have colleagues in Kathmandu, in Ghana, as well as in Paris and Sydney. We believe that helping any human being tap into their divine spark is a step toward fixing this broken world and bringing closer the redemption of humanity. It is why 33 years ago my wife and I came to this corner of California to build a house of light.
Because we are obviously Jewish, identifiable by our black hats and beards, it has also meant that some of us have been targets before. Eleven years ago, my colleagues Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg, who ran the Chabad of Mumbai, India, were murdered with four of their guests. They were targeted by the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba because they were Jewish. And over the years people I know have been harassed and assaulted by thugs in the neighborhood where I grew up, Crown Heights, Brooklyn, in incidents that typically go unreported by the press.
In his vile manifesto, the terrorist who shot up my synagogue called my people, the Jewish people, a “squalid and parasitic race.” No. We are a people divinely commanded to bring God’s light into the world.
So it is with this country. America is unique in world history. Never before was a country founded on the ideals that all people are created in God’s image and that all people deserve freedom and liberty. We fought a war to make that promise real.
And I believe we can make it real again. That is what I pledge to do with my borrowed time.
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Full Line-up Announced for 2018 Overlook Film Festival – April 19-22, New Orleans
The Overlook Film Festival has just dropped an incredible line-up of horror and genre films, interactive exhibits and panels for the 2018 event.  Happening April 19th-22nd, genre audiences will descend upon the Bourbon Orleans Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana, for premiere screenings of Hereditary, Unfriended: Dark Web, St. Agatha, Ghost Stories, among many others.
We attended to the 2017 Overlook Film Fest atop Mount Hood at the infamous Timberline Lodge (exterior setting of the Overlook Hotel in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining) and it was our favorite festival experience of the year. From the second you enter the fest, you step into a world of film, interactive horror, and sensory experiences. We had such a good time, we’ve already booked ourselves in for 2018’s events. And now that they’ve announced the line-up, I can hardly wait..
  From the Press Release
(NEW ORLEANS, LA) – The Overlook Film Festival is proud to announce its second year programming lineup. In addition to the 40 films (23 features and 17 short films from 12 countries) on offer, the festival will feature exciting parties, virtual reality, interactive events, and live performances – all taking place in America’s most haunted city: New Orleans, Louisiana.
On opening night of the festival, audience members will enjoy the chiller Unfriended: Dark Web (United States, 2018), from Blumhouse Productions and Bazelevs Productions, directed by Stephen Susco, and starring Colin Woodell, Betty Gabriel, Rebecca Rittenhouse, Andrew Lees, Connor del Rio, Stephanie Nogueras, and Savira Windyani.
The Overlook Film Festival will screen A24’s highly anticipated Hereditary (United States, 2018) as its closing feature presentation, directed by Ari Aster, and starring Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro, Ann Dowd, and Gabriel Byrne.
The Centerpiece of the 2018 edition of The Overlook Film Festival is St. Agatha, directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, which will hold its world premiere in New Orleans at the festival.
The festival’s Visionary Award will be presented to modern genre favorite Leigh Whannell, best known for writing the first three films in the Saw franchise, as well as Insidious, and Insidious: Chapter 2, and directing Insidious: Chapter 3. Whannell is an Australian screenwriter, producer, director, and actor who will celebrate his latest directorial effort at the festival, Upgrade. The Visionary Award was established to honor a contemporary horror figure or company elevating the genre, while fostering the community by providing opportunities for new talent to thrive.
  Hereditary
  In addition to the films and special guests, the Overlook Film Festival will be generously packed with live presentations. The festival’s virtual reality program will feature the world premiere of noted experience creator Jon Braver’s Delusion: Lies Within, a fully immersive, 360 degree episodic narrative from Skybound Entertainment.
Other experiences will run the gamut from live podcasts and storytelling shows, to immersive attractions for an audience of one – including the world premiere of a new show from immersive theater troupe BLACKOUT – and The Overlook Immersive Game, a new alternate reality game that will span the entirety of the festival created by this year’s experience designers Scott Gillies and Nick Tierce, whose credits include a range of interactive projects for companies that include Electronic Arts, Disney, Microsoft, Niantic Labs and Google.
The Overlook Film Festival is programmed by festival co-directors Michael Lerman and Landon Zakheim, and programmer Lili Rodriguez. The schedule, sponsors, and additional surprises will be announced in the coming days.
“We’re so excited to unleash this program onto our devoted audience and new fans in this haunted city” said festival co-director Michael Lerman.
  “It’s such a great year for horror and the varied nature of this program is really a testament to innovative ways filmmakers are finding to frighten, challenge and celebrate the genre.”
  Added co-director Landon Zakheim: “We’ve assembled a wonderfully sordid array of some of our favorite storytellers, performers, and immersive artists to create the signature events and shows that round out our weekend-long summer camp. We can’t wait to share the secrets, surprises, and ghosts of New Orleans with all of you.”
  Opening, Centerpiece, and Closing Night Presentations
Unfriended: Dark Web
Opening Night Film:
Unfriended: Dark Web Director: Stephen Susco Cast: Colin Woodell, Betty Gabriel, Rebecca Rittenhouse, Andrew Lees, Connor del Rio, Stephanie Nogueras, Savira Windyani United States, 2018 Preparing for his weekly Skype game night with his friends, a cyber café attendant borrows a laptop from the lost and found, only to find that the previous owner will stop at nothing to retrieve it. A sequel in name only, UNFRIENDED: DARK WEB borrows key cinematic elements from the original UNFRIENDED while telling its own edge-of-your-seat sadistic tale full of shocks and surprises that will make you think twice about who’s watching when you log on.
Centerpiece Film:
St. Agatha WORLD PREMIERE Director: Darren Lynn Bousman Cast: Sabrina Kern, Carolyn Hennesy, Courtney Halverson United States, 2018 Horror film impresario Darren Lynn Bousman, director of SAW II, III and IV, modern experiments REPO! A GENETIC OPERA and THE DEVIL’S CARNIVAL, not to mention the groundbreaking ongoing immersive property The Tension Experience, brings to life his latest vision, a period piece concerning a troubled woman running from her past who finds herself kept hostage by a coven of vicious nuns.
Closing Night Film:
Hereditary Director: Ari Aster Cast: Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro, Ann Dowd, Gabriel Byrne United States, 2018 When their reclusive grandmother passes away, the Graham family is slowly taken hold by a cursed terror, one that won’t let go. A cavalcade of gifted performers led by Toni Collete star in filmmaker Ari Aster’s astounding debut feature, which has deservedly become one of the most anticipated horror films of the year since it’s electrifying debut at the Sundance Film Festival.
  St. Agatha
  Feature Film Presentations
Arizona Director: Jonathan Watson Cast: Danny McBride, Rosemarie DeWitt, Luke Wilson, Lolli Sorenson, Elizabeth Gillies, Kaitlin Olson United States, 2017 This wickedly inventive comedic thriller that sharply utilizes the true life economic turmoil of the housing crisis as its backdrop, casts Danny Mcbride as an unhinged homeowner who attempts to take out his frustrations on a scrupulous relator (Rosemarie Dewitt) with a rampage that grows increasingly murderous.
Beast Director: Michael Pearce Cast: Jessie Buckley, Johnny Flynn, Trystan Gravelle,Geraldine James United Kingdom, 2017 In this brutal, sexy, critically acclaimed debut thriller from UK director Michael Pearce, a disturbed woman finds herself caught between her oppressive family’s demands and her animalistic attraction to an alluring stranger who’s arrival in her life is suspiciously timed with a series of vicious murders in their isolated community.
Blood Fest Director: Owen Egerton Cast: Robbie Kay, Jacob Batalon, Seychelle Gabriel, Tate Donovan, Barbara Dunkelman, Nick Rutherford, Zachary Levi United States, 2018 When the most exciting horror festival in the country turns the tables on its zealous fan base by trapping them on the grounds and murdering them en masse, a group of teens armed with the knowledge of a thousand horror movies must fight their way through the bloodbath in this hilarious send-up of horror culture.
Blue My Mind Director: Lisa Brühlmann Cast: Luna Wedler, Zoë Pastelle Holthuizen Switzerland, 2017 During the process of moving cities with her parents and trying to start over with a new group of friends, 15-year-old Mia begins to discover unexpected changes to her body that she dare not speak about to anyone. In spite of her radical attempts to halt the process, Mia is forced to face the horrifying reality of who she truly is. Equal parts tender, surreal, and grotesque, actor-turned-director Lisa Brühlmann’s first feature is a worth addition to the adolescent body horror canon.
Caniba Director: Véréna Paravel & Lucien Castaing-Taylor Cast: Issei Sagawa, Jun Sagawa France, 2017 Sensory ethnography documentarians Lucien Castaign-Taylor and Véréna Paravel turn their cameras on notorious Japanese cannibal cum manga author, pornography director, and sushi critic, Issei Sagawa. In an unprecedented and shocking interview, Sagawa reveals gruesome details about his life and crimes, as well as a peak into his fraught relationship with his mysterious brother.
Don’t Leave Home Director: Michael Tully Cast: Anna Margaret Hollyman, Lalor Roddy, Helena Bereen, David McSavage, Karrie Cox Ireland, 2018 An American artist accepts a strange invitation to a secluded Irish manor to construct an original sculpture for a priestly painter whose work has been shrouded in a sinister urban legend involving the disappearance of an 8-year-old girl in this creepy, offbeat cinematic discovery from indie stalwart Michael Tully (SEPTIEN).
Downrange Director: Ryuhei Kitamura Cast: Kelly Connaire, Stephanie Pearson, Alexa Yeames, Jason Tobias United States, 2017 Macabre mastermind Ryuhei Kitamura (VERSUS, MIDNIGHT MEAT TRAIN) comes crashing back with a frenetic new film of murder and mayhem. Stranded by the side of the road in the middle of nowhere from a tire blowout, a group of carpoolers become suddenly besieged by flying bullets from an unseen shooter with incredible precision and a savage will.
The Farm WORLD PREMIERE Director: Hans Stjernswärd Cast: Nora Yessayan, Alec Gaylord, Ken Volok, Rob Tisdale United States, 2018 The classic horror tale of a young couple who takes a wrong turn and stumbles into a small town full of people with nefarious intentions is turned on its head in this disturbing manifesto about food production. Seeping with eerie atmosphere, this unnerving first feature from newcomer Hans Stjernswärd finds as much fear in its silences as it does in its sickening, insidious images.
  Ghost Stories
  Ghost Stories Director: Jeremy Dyson & Andy Nyman Cast: Martin Freeman, Alex Lawther, Andy Nyman, Paul Whitehouse United Kingdom, 2017 After stumbling across a long-lost folder of material from his childhood hero, Goodman, a TV investigator known for debumking psychic hoaxes, digs deep into three cases of ghoulish hauntings. Determined to find rational explanations, Goodman quickly realizes he’s in over his head. Featuring Martin Freeman, this spine-tingling anthology, adapted from the hit stage play, tells enough tales to keep you up for nights to come.
Good Manners Director: Juliana Rojas & Marco Dutra Cast: Isabél Zuaa, Marjorie Estiano, Miguel Lobo Brazil/France, 2017 A surprising, imaginative and engaging twist on classic genre stories told with a sophisticated cinematic technique, GOOD MANNERS begins unassumingly with a near destitute nurse becoming the caretaker for a wealthy, isolated pregnant woman exhibiting strange behavior. But soon her habits turn into a sleeping hunger that changes both of their lives forever.
Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich WORLD PREMIERE Director: Sonny Laguna & Tommy Wiklund Cast: Thomas Lennon, Michael Paré, Barbara Crampton, Udo Kier United Kingdom / United States, 2018 During a roadtrip to a convention for the 30th Anniversary of the infamous Toulon Murders, a comic book nerd, his new girlfriend and his best friend come face to face with a set of sadistic nazi puppets out for blood. A reimagining of the Charles Band classic, this uproarious horror comedy starring Thomas Lennon, Udo Kier, Barbara Crampton, Nelson Franklin, and Charlene Yi pays homage to the Full Moon features of the late 80s, early 90s.
The Ranger Director: Jenn Wexler Cast: Chloë Levine, Granit Lahu, Jeremy Pope, Bubba Weiler, Amanda Grace Benitez, Jeremy Holm, Larry Fessenden United States, 2018 A band of punks on the run from trouble with the local law hide out in the woods, only to stumble onto the radar of a deranged park ranger with a malicious approach to justice and a mysterious connection to a member of their group. Longtime indie horror producer Jenn Wexler makes her directorial debut with this manic, punk-rock take on the traditional slasher flick.
Revenge Director: Coralie Fargeat Cast: Matilda Lutz, Kevin Janssens, Vincent Colombe, Guillaume Bouchede, Jean-Louis Tribes France, 2017 First time filmmaker Coralie Fargeat subverts expectations of the exploitative rape-revenge film tropes from the grind house age for this explosively shocking assault on misogynistic culture that stunned unsuspecting audiences at both the Toronto and Sundance film festivals. Don’t miss one of the most intense debuts of the year.
Satan’s Slaves (Also our featured image) Director: Joko Anwar Cast: Tara Basro, Bront Palarae, Dimas Aditya, Endy Arfian, Nasar Annuz, Ayu Laksmi, Egy Fedly Indonesia, 2017 When Mawarni, a famous Indonesian singer, dies of a mysterious illness, her husband and four children are left behind to pick up the pieces, only to discover that they are being haunted by a pack of rabid spirits headed by Mawarni herself. Technically billed as a remake of the 1982 Indonesian remake of Don Coscarelli’s PHANTASM, celebrated director Joko Anwar’s SATAN’S SLAVES is its own chilling throwback to 70s supernatural thrillers, packed to the brim with jump scares and iconic imagery.
Sex Madness Revealed WORLD PREMIERE Director: Tim Kirk Cast: Patton Oswalt, Rob Zabrecky United States, 2018 Notorious comedian Patton Oswalt and renowned magician Rob Zabrecky star in Tim Kirk’s (DIRECTOR’S COMMENTARY) latest experiment in how to tell tales of terror. Taking the form of an audio commentary that plays out over the little known 1938 STD propaganda film SEX MADNESS, the voice of a persnickety film blogger interviews the descendant of the original motion picture’s director who harbors a nefarious secret.
Tigers Are Not Afraid Director: Issa López Cast: Paola Lara, Juan Ramón López, Ianis Guerrero, Rodrigo Cortés, Hanssel Casillas Mexico, 2017 In one of the most imaginative (and award winning!) features traveling the genre festival circuit in recent months, a young girl with a missing mother joins a band of street misfits in effort to survive amidst rampant cartel violence in modern-day Mexico City. Populated with fairy tale imagery, TIGERS is at turns harshly real and terrifyingly surreal, reminiscent of films like THE DEVIL’S BACKBONE and CITY OF GOD as it details a tragic and engulfing nightmare.
  Upgrade
  Upgrade Director: Leigh Whannell Cast: Logan Marshall-Green, Betty Gabriel, Harrison Gilbertson, Benedict Hardie Australia, 2017 Fan favorite Leigh Whannell, whose work on the SAW and INSIDIOUS franchises have made him a modern genre icon, thrills and delights with this gory and action-packed foray into a science-fiction dystopia. An experimental procedure infuses a sentient computer chip into the body and mind of paralyzed Grey Trace (Logan Marshall-Green), fueling a spiraling mission for vengeance that leads to a terrifying endgame.
Vampire Clay Director: Soichi Umezawa Cast: Kyoka Takeda, Momoka Sugimoto, Ena Fujita, Yuyu Makihara, Asuka Kurosawa Japan, 2017 A group of unwitting art school students find themselves in a brutal showdown against a pack of evil of modeling clay in this campy, inventive, practical effects extravaganza from Japanese FX artist turned filmmaker Soichi Umezawa.
What Keeps You Alive Director: Colin Minihan Cast: Hannah Emily Anderson, Brittany Allen, Martha Macisaac, Joey Klein, Charlotte Lindsay Marron Canada, 2018 For their first wedding anniversary, Jackie and Jules retreat to a cozy cabin near a beautiful lake. The sudden appearance of Jackie’s childhood best friend sets off a chain of unlikely events that turn a quiet vacation into the deadliest game of cat and mouse in Overlook Alum Colin Minihan’s (writer of STILL/BORN) claustrophobic survivalist thriller.
Wolfman’s Got Nards: A Documentary Director: André Gower Cast: Fred Dekker, Shane Black, Seth Green, Adam F. Goldberg, Ryan Lambert, Ashley Bank, Adam Green, Joe Lynch, Chuck Russell, Heather Langenkamp United States, 2018 August 14, 1987 saw the release of what has become one of the strangest, scariest and most iconic kids film to ever grace the silver screen – THE MONSTER SQUAD. In this endearing documentary, director Andre Gower takes us not only behind the scenes on the production, but also into the heart of the fandom surrounding the movie and the magic that made it such a defining cinematic experience for so many in the genre community.
Virtual Reality Presentations
Campfire Creepers
  Campfire Creepers: The Skull of Sam Director: Alexandre Aja From master of horror Alexandre Aja, the director of films such as The Hills Have Eyes, Piranha, and Horns, comes an original anthology series that brings classic campfire stories to life in stunning Virtual Reality. Produced by Oculus and Future Lighthouse and distributed by Dark Corner, Campfire Creepers invites viewers to join the fire circle at a summer camp called Camp Coyote as a group of kids take turns telling spooky tales. Inspired by cult classics like Creepshow and Tales from the Crypt, every episode of Campfire Creepers is a wild ride that will have you laughing and screaming in equal measure.
Delusion: Lies Within WORLD PREMIERE Director: Jon Braver Set in the 1940’s American South, beloved author Elena Fitzgerald goes missing before releasing the final novel in her epic dark fantasy that has captivated fans Daniel and Virginia. As many believe her to be dead, Daniel and Virginia must leave their grim reality behind to save Fitzgerald from her own literary nightmare. The VR series from Skybound Entertainment is a fully immersive, 360 degrees episodic story. Delusion is based off Jon Braver’s 2014 immersive theatrical performance in Los Angeles.
Masters Of The Sun Director: will.i.am This interactive comic book series from Oculus Studios, born from the mind of will.i.am (Black Eyed Peas), is a retro futuristic B-boy zombie thriller about a hip-hop group from East LA that must battle an ancient god who is turning black drug dealers and gangsters into zombies. This epic journey, spanning 13 episodes, explores gang culture, hip-hop origins, and cloaked conspiracy theories—from ancient Egypt to the streets of LA. Starring Queen Latifah, Rakim, Jamie Foxx, Ice-T, and KRS-One.
Night Night Director: Guy Shelmerdine It’s time to drift off to dreamland…but first your mom is going to read you a short bedtime story. Take a journey into your childhood nightmares with Dark Corner’s sense-stunning immersive experience. Produced by Dark Corner and MPC VR.
Wolves In The Walls (Chapter 1) Director: Pete Billington Eight-year-old Lucy suspects that wolves live in the walls of her family’s home. She has no one to believe her … but you. Forging a groundbreaking blend of film, theatre, audience agency, and sleight of hand, this exquisitely crafted animated experience, adapted from material by Neil Gaiman and choreographed by immersive theater company Third Rail Projects, casts you as an active performer in a narrative where you interact, have a relationship with, and go on a quest with the central character in ways that leave your mark on the experience.
  Live Event Presentations
BLACKOUT WORLD PREMIERE Creators: Kristjan Thor and Josh Randall In 2009, an underground immersive horror experience swept through the NYC art scene and began a path that would transform the international theater community. BLACKOUT, the X-rated fear experience designed for adults over 18 to walk through completely alone. Created by directors Kristjan Thor and Josh Randall, BLACKOUT has had productions in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Now at the Overlook Film Festival, BLACKOUT presents the world premiere of a rare and unique opportunity for the adventurous to make their way through what the NEW YORK TIMES has called the “most extreme theater event of the year.” WARNING: This is considered an extreme experience and is exclusively for pass holders. Participants are required to sign a waiver. Slots will be made available exclusively for all-access pass holders.
The Canon Podcast Live Host: Amy Nicholson What films should be included in the list of all-time greats? Film critic Amy Nicholson and a guest debate, discuss and sometimes harmoniously agree about whether a film should be Canon-ized. Ultimately, the decision is yours. Cast your vote, and decide the legacy of each movie forevermore. No pressure.
In Another Room Directors: Austin and Aaron Keeling Last summer, E3W Productions’ surprise hit ‘In Another Room’ invited guests to explore the richly storied rooms of a notoriously haunted house in Los Angeles, introducing audience members to the inhabitants who lived and died within its walls. Now, E3W Productions is pleased to offer exclusive access to one of the rooms from their debut show, transported to the Bourbon Orleans Hotel for the duration of the Overlook Film Festival. Audiences of three will be invited to step inside this room, where they will meet a previous inhabitant and learn of the tragedies that befell them. ‘In Another Room’ sold out in just three days upon its initial run, and this excerpt promises a haunting, moving, and extremely intimate experience. We invite those of you most attuned to the psychic and supernatural to join us for a once in a lifetime opportunity to come face to face with the unknown. Slots will be made available exclusively for all-access pass holders.
Infinitely Dinner Society: Midnight Snacks Creator, Director: Annie Lesser Infinitely Dinner Society’s Midnight Snacks presents Bananas Foster. IDS Midnight Snacks are late night pairings of food and art with the math and science behind infinity. Previous snacks have included donuts paired with the infinite points of a circle, cheese cubes paired with hypercubes and oyster shooters paired with the intangible nature of infinity. Each snack features food sourced from local bakers, shop owners and farmers markets. For the Overlook Film Festival, creator Annie Lesser has designed a piece based on the cosmic horror of the multiverse featuring Bananas Foster made from Louisiana cane sugar and rum. News about Infinitely Dinner Society and the IDS Midnight Snacks can be found Instagram @infinitelydinnersociety. Slots will be made available exclusively for all-access pass holders.
The Overlook Immersive Game Producer: Mali Elfman For the signature event of the Overlook Film Festival, 2018 introduces a new alternate reality game and welcomes this year’s experience designers Scott Gillies and Nick Tierce, whose credits include a range of projects with companies such as Electronic Arts, Disney, Microsoft, Niantic Labs, and Google. Throughout the entire weekend, uncover an interactive horror mystery that permeates the festival, featuring live actors inhabiting unique locations, hidden clues, tactile puzzles, and surprising twists that each player can engage with at their own level of comfort and curiosity. Follow the clues to become the protagonist of an engaging and thrilling narrative that no two players will experience in exactly the same way. Details of the game’s story will remain locked away until the festival begins, but you may wish to seek out the celestial raven, instantly. The game is available exclusively to festival pass holders, with active player registration limited to 100 available spots. All registered players must attend a game orientation upon festival check-in. Over the course of the game, curious players may receive invitations to engage further for additional immersive depth, which they may opt-in for when the opportunity is presented.
Paperbacks From Hell Creator, Writer, Performer: Grady Hendrix In the early Seventies, three books changed horror forever: ROSEMARY’S BABY, THE EXORCIST, and THE OTHER. The first horror novels to hit bestseller lists since 1940, they opened the floodgates for an avalanche of horror paperbacks to pour onto supermarket shelves throughout the Seventies and Eighties until SILENCE OF THE LAMBS slit the genre’s throat in the early Nineties. Writer Grady Hendrix delivers a mind-melting oral history of this now forgotten world of Nazi leprechauns, skeleton doctors, killer crabs, killer jellyfish, killer babies, pretty much killer everything. Prepare yourself for a tour of this long-lost universe of terror that lurked behind the lurid, foil-embossed, die-cut covers of…the Paperbacks from Hell!!!!
The Pumpkin Pie Show: Best of Show Creator, Writer, Performer: Clay McLeod Chapman Come join us for an encore presentation of the best Pumpkin Pie Show stories from over the last 20 years. Author Clay McLeod Chapman will lead the audience through the back-catalogue of his personal favorite tales, offering a view into the sordid lives of Southern Gothic monstrosities that explore the domestic horrors of the everyday, finding terror within our own households. This is Edgar Allan Poe for the modern age, people.
The Pumpkin Pie Show: New Skulduggery Creator, Writer, Performer: Clay McLeod Chapman Author Clay McLeod Chapman is bringing BRAND NEW STORIES to the Overlook! The Pumpkin Pie Show has remained a staple of the fest – and this year they’re offering an even sweeter treat: original tales that have never been inflicted upon an audience anywhere. Flesh-eating bacteria, killer baby carrots and haunted comic books are all on the menu. These new campfire stories will be sure send a shiver up your spine. Hear them first before they’re unleashed upon the rest of the world!
The Pumpkin Pie Show: One-On-Ones Creator, Writer, Performer: Clay McLeod Chapman A returning favorite from last year’s fest, please join author Clay McLeod Chapman as he takes one audience member at a time on a dark ride through this depraved, intimate storytelling experience. Think of it as a heart-to-bleeding-heart with madmen, murderers and monsters telling their own story. No fourth wall, no escape. First come, first serve. Sessions will last 20 minutes. Slots will be made available exclusively for all-access pass holders.
Shock Waves Presents Host: Ryan Turek Overlook welcomes Ryan Turek, co-host of Blumhouse’s hit horror podcast Shock Waves for an insightful discussion with one of the festival’s guests.
Summerland Lost Creator, Writer, Performer: Grady Hendrix The Wall Street Journal calls him “a national treasure.” His mother calls him “Sunshine.” Now author Grady Hendrix brings his one-man show about psychic teenagers and shaved cats to New Orleans with Summerland Lost: A Ghost Story. Telling the all-shocking, all-true tale of drunk Victorian teenagers who spoke to the dead, this is the real life story of how biomechanical sex cults, the ghost of Ben Franklin, suffragettes, abolitionists, anarchists, and Arctic explorers all teamed up to answer the ultimate question: is there life after death?
  Short Film Presentations
The Beaning
  Amy Director: L. Gustavo Cooper Cast: Danielle Kennedy, Rebekah Kennedy, Tom Fitzpatrick, Samantha Ann United States, 2017 Set against the backdrop of the deadliest heat wave in recorded history and inspired by America’s most prolific female serial killer, L. Gustavo Cooper’s AMY provides a surreal and distorted glimpse into a killing spree that captivated a nation in the early 1900s.
The Beaning Director: Sean McCoy United States, 2017 An experimental sports film combining documentary techniques with horror aesthetics, THE BEANING explores a sinister theory surrounding the death of Cleveland baseball player Ray Chapman in 1920 and the subsequent rise of the Yankee dynasty.
Beastly Things Director: Zev Chevat United States, 2017 A young street artist encounters a group of local schoolchildren, and learns what really makes monsters.
Blood Runs Down WORLD PREMIERE Director: Zandashé Brown Cast: Farrah Martin, Idella Johnson United States, 2018 When a woman undergoes a frightening transition, her vigilant young daughter must decide between saving her or protecting herself in this haunting tale of inheritance, daughterhood, and demons.
Cerulia Director: Sofía Carrillo Cast: Diana Bracho Mexico, 2017 Cerulia returns to her childhood home to bid farewell to her past, but the memories of her youth and a presence in the home will not let her go.
Coyote Director: Lorenz Wunderle Switzerland, 2018 A coyote loses his family to a vicious attack by wolves. Tormented by fear, anger and grief, he sees a chance to avenge their deaths…
Good Morning Director: Elaine Mongeon Cast: Maya Kazan, Jamie McShane United States, 2017 A young woman and her father adapt to terrifying changes they never expected.
Hair Wolf Director: Mariama Diallo Cast: Kara Young, Taliah Webster, Madeline Weinstein, Trae Harris, Jermaine Crawford United States, 2017 In a black hair salon in gentrifying Brooklyn, the local residents fend off a strange new monster: white women intent on sucking the lifeblood from black culture.
Latched Director: Justin Harding & Rob Brunner Cast: Alana Elmer, Peter Higginson, Jarrett Siddall, Bowen Harding Canada, 2017 A choreographer pursues creative inspiration at a cottage retreat while attempting to wean her demanding toddler — and unknowingly awakens a vile fairy corpse in the process. When she discovers the creature’s terrifying intentions, she will have to put her creativity to good use to lure the repugnant beast.
  We Summoned a Demon
  Milk Director: Santiago Menghini Cast: Cameron Brodeur, Anana Rydvald Canada, 2018 On a late night, a young teen goes into the kitchen for a glass of milk. Upon encountering his sleepless mother, he quickly realizes things are not as they seem.
Möbius Director: Sam Kuhn Cast: Caley Jones, Daiva Z, Britt Grayson, Elissa Mielke, Austin Will Canada/United States, 2017 A moth eaten tale of magic and mutation half remembered by a teen poet whose beloved lies lifeless in a stream.
Pan Director: Anna Roller Cast: Anna Platen, Jeff Wilbusch, Luisa-Céline Gaffron, Sue Simmy Lemke, Emil Borgeest Germany, 2017 Juno, a twenty-year-old girl becomes obsessed with Pan. Her obsession turns her into an animal.
The Plague Director: Guillermo Carbonell Cast: Gabriela Freire, Walter Rey, Rafael Soliwoda Uruguay, 2017 Rosa’s father escapes from a nursing home and comes back to his former house. He hides a secret, and he’s not coming alone.
The Sermon Director: Dean Puckett Cast: Molly Casey, Grant Gillespie, Denise Stephenson, Oliver Monaghan, Emma White United Kingdom, 2018 In an isolated church community in the English countryside, a powerful hate preacher prepares to deliver a sermon to his flock, but his daughter has a secret that could destroy them all.
Tammy’s Tiny Tea Time (Episode 1: Strangers) Created by Peter Gulsvig Cast: Rachel Butera, Nate Corddry, Peter Gulsvig United States, 2018 Tammy’s Tiny Tea Time exists in the fractured psyche of a middle aged woman whose refusal to grow up has resulted in a life spent talking to inanimate objects (and a dying box turtle) in her parents’ house.
Thursday Night Director: Gonçalo Almeida Cast: Bimbo the Dog Portugal, 2017 An elusive stranger pays Bimbo a visit in the middle of the night to deliver a vital message.
We Summoned a Demon Director: Chris McInroy Cast: Kirk C. Johnson, Carlos Larotta, John Orr United States, 2017 They just wanted to be cool. Instead, they got a demon.
  Well, what are you waiting for? Head to the Overlook film Fest website and pick up your festival passes. Tweet at us @NOFSPODCAST if you’re attending the fest- and we’ll meet up for a bourbon-something! And, if you can’t make it, keep your eye on The Nightmare on Film Street website, Instagram, and Facebook Pages for all of our highlights from the fest!
    The post Full Line-up Announced for 2018 Overlook Film Festival – April 19-22, New Orleans appeared first on Nightmare on Film Street - Horror Movie Podcast, News and Reviews.
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'There seem to be no possible ray of hope to bring back Kashmir to its erstwhile graceful form '- by Yudhvir Sisodia
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New Delhi By Yudhvir Sisodia (Views expressed are of the author only,author an India defence personnel by profession) Crown of India, heaven on earth, Kashmir with its pristine beauty is one of the most beautiful places not only in India, but across the world. Its beauty since time immemorial has fascinated and found exquisite mention in their art works. Mother nature has done every bit on its part to preserve the tranquility and alluring scenic beauty of Kashmir, however, we ironically, have not left any stone unturned in its oppression. Unfortunate to happen though, but I have witnessed this transition happen and even experienced it happening, when I have been to Kashmir. Its natural charm and its incredible culture have been ruthlessly destroyed and it seems as if there is no possible ray of hope to bring back Kashmir to its erstwhile graceful form. Being son of a government servant, I got the opportunity in childhood to stay in Kashmir during my father’s tenure there in the early eighties. That time Kashmir was the most sought-after destination, not only for tourists, but also for the silver screen. Our gratitude to the film makers for bringing glimpses of this beautiful place to us through their movies, otherwise present generation never would have seen the beauty of Kashmir. As I look back, that was the best part of my life. I can vouch for this because though I was too young, but I still remember those wonderful days and that sight of heaven on earth is imprinted in my mind today also and as fresh as it was then. My father was posted in Anantnag district of Kashmir, and I lived with my mother at Srinagar because of education facilities there. In today’s scenario it’s just next to impossible to imagine that then we were living in a rented house owned by Kashmiri pandit family. The house, a typical Kashmiri architecture, is still alive in my memory. Located on the bank of river Jhelum, It seemed to have been built with lot of emotions and thoughts. I still cherish those beautiful evenings when we used to see the sunset and change of colours from yellow to orange and red in the sky as the sun went down. To add to this, the holy Azan and temple bells made the atmosphere pious and pure. I loved to see the house boats and people staying in them this being one of my favorite sight. Stay in Srinagar city without any feeling of fear in those days, we used to mingle with the locals, irrespective of their caste or religion. Every weekend we were pre-occupied with plans of picnics to the famous Mughal gardens or the Dal lake or temples without any second thought. Kashmir is also home to many divine destinations and popular among them is the shrine of ‘Amarnath’ which is the most important pilgrimage for the worshippers of the ‘Lord Shiva’. I was fortunate to have visited this holy place, which is in the heart of great Himalayas, where the natural beauty adds to the divinity and serenity of the shrine. ‘Those were the days’ -memories are still fresh as if all this happened yesterday. Could anyone guess in those days, that decades later, the poison of terrorism would infect and spread in this heaven. “Umar Gujar Jaati hai Insaan ki, mehez ek ghar banane mein, Tum taras nahi khate ho, in bastion ko jalane mein” -Bashir Badr My next visit to Kashmir valleys about two decades later brought me to a very forbidding face of Kashmir. I was zapped to see Kashmir in such a grim situation where nothing was same as I had seen in my childhood. This time I was in the valley as a government employee myself and was in the helm of affairs. When I reached Srinagar, I was eager to visit the house where once we stayed, but the situation was not same now. Somehow I managed to visit and the very first sight of it almost made my eyes wet. House was empty, haunted and badly destructed. Portions of house which once were full of life and joy were now in ruins. I also visited my school which was nearby. It now appeared more like a prison than a school, with high walls all around and lot of protection. I was shaken badly in my second phase in Kashmir when I again I visited the holy Amarnath and had a close escape from an IED blast. With Gods grace the entire group I was travelling with was saved and we all were turned back. Three persons lost their lives and many were left injured in this dreaded incident. When I close my eyes I always think what we have done to this beautiful piece of earth. The bright golden evenings have turned into darkness. How could someone be so harsh, heartless and inhuman. This act of terrorism is something very shameless, graceless and ruthless. What we have done to Kashmir is not pardonable under any circumstances. Once called “Paradise on Earth” Kashmir has now transformed into netherworld. I have mixed feelings of Sympathy, Grief, Fear and Anger. “Sympathy and Grief” for the people of Kashmir whose life, which was once full of joy and contentment and rich in culture, is now always in the shadow of fear and treachery. “Fear” that this situation might further damage Kashmir and “Kashmiriat” so badly that it will be impossible to revoke it. And of course, “Anger” towards all those who are the very cause of bringing Kashmir to such a juncture where it is very difficult to decide which is the best foot forward. Is it the military option which can bring an end to this situation? Maybe this option is not enough without a strong political will. I say so because though the presence of military has been in Kashmir for decades now, but as we start to feel that situation is improving, this thought is yet again shattered by an act of terror and bloodbath. This option has been implemented though, but with a huge cost of precious human life of our martyred soldiers. The issue of Kashmir is not as simple as most of the people think. Every day innocent Kahmiris and brave heart soldiers are sacrificing their lives. “Ray of hope is now clearly visible in this shadowy sky” The much awaited political will has now been strongly displayed with the bold decision of the present government under the able guidance of the Honorable Prime Minister Modiji, with the abolishing of the Articles 370 and 35A. Many more concrete steps and decisions have also been taken by the government to bring normalcy in the valley. Lets hope the government continues to take more such bold steps in future to further its manifesto “Zero Tolerance to Terrorism” policy to bring back the charm and beauty of Kashmir. “Jai Hind” Article by :- Yudhvir Sisodia Read the full article
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devilishdewitt · 4 years
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Haunted Cathouse in Moscow, December 2019
Hoorah, the “most rock’n’roll Burlesque party” in the land made its way to Moscow, uniting Haunted Cathouse belles with Sugar Factory debutants.
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Read before blocking, darling! ~The Eternal Manifesto~ It is hereby declared that this little nook of the world wide web shall be devoted to the praise & critique of the art of burlesque, specifically in Russia.
Let it also be known that I am first and foremost a benevolent force, and every single criticism is documented solely for the purpose of evolution, growth and inspiration, darling.
Never forget - it is fantastic that the burlesque scene in Russia has grown so much in the last few years. Brava, ladies! As a fact and a statement, it is absolutely fabulous.
However, I volunteer to wear the heavy crown of expertise, having seen many a show in many a place, and having a keen eye for detail and a heart hungry for that wow factor. 
I always come with an open heart, am quite easily entertained, and know how hard the craft is - I can overlook many a fault when there’s stage presence, charisma and that fire of passion.
 Oh, and self-irony.All is sickly without self-irony.
Now, onwards! To fabulousness!
Short summary: I do it because I love you all and want you to excel. The Venue
Set in a deeply industrial part of the city, this craft beer pub called FRAKCIA didn’t scream “burlesque”, but it did aid with the rock’n’roll.
People were encouraged to come in full fabulous costumes, but most of the crowd had to sit on the floor. But again, the spirit was fun and no one came over-dressed, so the party vibes were uninterrupted.
Rocky Zombie’s hosting was lovely - she made everyone feel at home. Friendly, funny, fierce! She has a beautiful talent of balancing self-irony and confidence that makes her instantly likeable as a host.
Jeva Noir dancing to Би-2 is a combination I didn’t know I needed. Would be fantastic to see some emotion in the performance - I couldn’t tell if her seemingly detached coldness was a choice or a given. It felt like she was going through the motions, ticking checkboxes in her head with every move…You marvel at the beauty of her costumes, at the word “MUSE” splashed against her in sequins, but her attitude might seem quite arrogant. awaiting in anticipation for the moment she truly busks in the sunshine of her stunning talent.
Okani Mills! Move over, Gia Genevieve! Classic bombshell, sultry, playful - but perhaps a different kind of stocking would be more alluring. This act definitely has a lot of growing space - the world of Bond holds many treasures…
Victoria Semmybird, the lyrical heroine with Gershwin at her aid. She looked like a fairy, even though we could tell that there was a bit of struggle with the heels. The iridescent costume was the most memorable part of the act.
Хатуль , a Sugar Factory gradute,  as the Little Mermaid. This act tells a tale of a tail  - and the audience lived for it. Curious, playful, refreshing! The use of the net as a prop is gloriously inventive, and the twerking added a dash of pepper to the mix.
Mary Shokoladova, Slytherin queen, mesmerising sense of rhythm. She entranced the audience with precise movement - and her stage presence is delicious.
The precious Lana Summerwine, who caught my heart at the Russian Burlesque Festival with her gentle gypsy act (aka tambourine queen). What makes this act so beautiful? Perfect harmony. The second she appears on stage, the room is transformed - we feel her freedom, her stubbornness, her character - and each movement tells a story. That’s raw talent right there.
Sabina Moon, Snow Queen turned Space Spy! Why not? Fantastic audience connection, pure fun, the lights are brilliant - especially the rhythmically perfect moment of them turning on. Entertaining!
Stacey Brume (Parker?) Be still, my heart! What a brilliant idea! Lily pads, an arrow, charming hues of green and blue…a Frog Princess!
Not quite sure the second chance was really needed, as the first time was not that bad at all - but  takes guts to start over, and this girl clearly has them guts, darling!
Oh my, Miss Tea! Gosling, satanism and humour? Brava! Perhaps the most entertaining act of the evening - great story, hilarious approach, delightful costume. I wish there was a tad bit more eye contact and she didn’t hurry quite so much, but surely that’ll come in time. Shame about the technical difficulty at the end, but it did not take away from her marvellous act!
Victoria Semmybird, Minnie the Moocher! The audience were kept guessing if she was truly tipsy - there was one particularly convincing misstep in the audience that even made a few people gasp. Tiny bottles in the bosom are a classic that never fails to entertain. Semmybird knows how to entertain - and you can feel how much she loves being on stage…and that feeling is contagious!
Саша Редкая - Amen, rock’n’roll! This twerking witch set the house on fire - even though the number itself was quite basic and at times hurried, the energy was undeniably fierce. I wonder why she needed the socks though…and boy, she was really angry at that broom!
Rockie Zombie, rock’n’roll mama! Showed ‘em how it’s done with her classic Cowgirl act. A last dash of fire for the grand finale, the ultimate essence of the mood of the night - bold, bright, rockin’, confident.
The Verdict
Overall, we only had about 2 acts that could be called pure rock’n’roll. Even Muse’s “Newborn” (hello, Frog Princess) was cut right before the most driven part started.
Even if occasionally some acts came close to the vulgar side of things, they were still very entertaining, vivacious and passionate!
It was pure fun - and isn’t that really all that matters, darling?
Extremely excited to see so much fresh talent emerging on the scene.
The most precious thing about the whole evening was the camaraderie. From Jeva running on stage to help Stacey with a stuck corset to Tamasinushka and Sahara in the audience, this is exactly what the world of Burlesque needs. There is never any need to be toxic, am I right, darling?
Long live Russian Burlesque!
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10oclockdot · 7 years
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True/False 2017 Festival Report, part 2:
in which I give capsule reviews of films that I viewed on March 4 and 5, the last two days of this year's True/False, in order of best to worst. Part 1 here.
The War Show (Andreas Dalsgaard, Obaidah Zytoon, 2016) Imagine Five Broken Cameras, but in Syria. Mix in a deeply wise coming-of-age story that tragically spirals into a tale of existential perdition with poetic voice-over to rival The House is Black and ending with the most clear-throated call for piece I've heard in ages. That's The War Show, and that description doesn't do justice to this rich, multi-modal, and severely underappreciated film. It all begins with Obaidah Zytoon, a young woman who liked shooting home movies with her friends (and who became the film's director), playing forbidden music as a DJ on a Syrian radio station. "Going on air was like dancing in a mine field," she recalls. As the anti-Assad protests begin, she films the people marching with her. "I'm doing it to breathe," says a kid named Nawarah. A bevy of catchy chants fill the air with the bracing spirit of revolution. And so we meet her exuberant friends -- Houssam, her lover, Lulu, a friend who removes her hijab for the first time, Hisham, Lulu's boyfriend and a poet, and more. But even as their spirits remain high and the crowds swell, "demonstrations turned into funerals," she tells us. Journalists are targeted, the country's "senses polluted" by the ensuing flow of disinformation. "No one raised in Syria can define freedom," says one of her comrades. Dozens of locals show off scars left by torture at the hands of the Assad regime. The friends take one final trip, and then, out of nowhere, they start to be arrested, kidnapped, houses destroyed, one is even killed, the halcyon opening smashed. As the film goes on and the madness of the conflict spirals ever farther away from believability, I found myself lost -- I didn't know where we were, when we were, or what to believe. Intelligently, the film doesn't attempt an encyclopedic or journalistic account of the conflict -- it would be impossible as yet anyway -- so what we're left with are fragments that we can barely situate or hold onto. Scenes of destruction, of protests and counter-protests between those wanting democracy and those wanting a caliphate, children playing with unsafed rifles, and, of course, an inside look into how a revolution gets co-opted by warlords and arms dealers, each staging some unreality for YouTube to further their financial cause. "There was a place for everyone in the war show," Obaidah explains, "except for the people." Many moments of brilliance follow after this, but it culminates in the very final scene of the film, just as a felt most poetically and tragically lost (which, of course, is the point). After years of prison, a disappeared friend returns unexpectedly, reconciling the lives of the few friends who remain. "Syria as we know it is gone," she intones, but kneels over a clay pot, gathering soil and planting seeds, and she says of the Syrian people, "We will plant the seed of peace around the planet." And there it is: the powerful, beautiful, perfect message of The War Show -- that the Syrian diaspora is, contrary to what every xenophobic isolationist asshole has ever said, the greatest peace movement of the 21st Century. Because the Syrian people, each scarred by the madness of their country's war, will carry the scars of that war their entire lives, scars that will always speak to the necessity of peace, wherever they live and as long as they live. It's an essential message and an essential film.
Brimstone and Glory (Viktor Jakovleski, 2017) I guess that in the back of my mind, I knew that documentary could be pure spectacle -- what, after all, are IMAX documentaries? -- but I never imagined I'd spend fully half of a feature length documentary leaning forward, mouth agape, absolutely in awe of the visceral madness taking place in front of me. Brimstone and Glory is a documentary about fireworks -- specifically the absolutely bonkers annual fireworks festival in Tultepec, Mexico, where half the buildings in town are labeled "Peligro" (they build the fireworks there, year-round), where they erect hundred-foot-high towers of fireworks (castles of fire, they call them) and where they build sculptures of bulls the size of buses and run them through downtown, shooting fireworks off of them into crowds of thrill-seeking and oft-injured spectators. Director Viktor Jakovleski spent went three years in a row, shooting with drone cameras, an arsenal of Go-Pro's, and cinematographers covered head-to-toe in protective gear diving headlong into the middle of the mayhem. Add to that eruptive sound design, sharp editing, and a driving original score co-written by Behn Zeitlin (the guy who directed and wrote the music for Beasts of the Southern Wild), and you've got one of the best adrenaline rushes you can get sitting still in a seat. Best moment: as they're setting up the castles of fire, lightning strikes one of them, setting it alight. Cut to the perspective of a Go-Pro mounted on a man's head whose job it is to rapidly scale the wooden tower without a safety harness and put things in order. Damn.
Manifesto (Julian Rosefeldt, 2017) Extreme close-up, shallow-focus, ultra-slow-motion: a fuse burns across the screen, sending sparks in all directions while Cate Blanchett quotes some delicious gobbledegook from Tristan Tzara's Dada Manifesto, culminating with, "I am neither for nor against and I do not explain because I hate common sense." Thus began a film that refused common sense and did not explain itself. Cut to old women shooting off fireworks over some abandoned Eastern bloc factory or weather station. As a drone camera flies over the tumbledown complex, we find Cate Blanchett, dressed as a shabby character that recalls Denis Lavant's Monsieur Merde, dragging a suitcase through the ruins and quoting Marx. In a flash, the opening credits are a barrage: huge white block letters on a black background, the names of artists and thinkers who wrote manifestos, each on screen for about a third of a second, like a stripped-down Enter the Void. The ensuing 90-minute film follows Blanchett as she dons a dozen different disguises in a dozen different environments -- from a puppet shop to a garbage processing facility to an anechoic chamber, all brilliantly photographed -- and speaks excerpts from a few dozen manifestos from across the last century and a half. To be clear, this is not a documentary. In fact, it began as a 13-channel video installation that editor Bobby Good transformed into a feature. Though most of the audience was probably befuddled and confused about the origin of these words (the film does not caption the quotations), they were generally amused by the absurdity of deterritorializing the tone of the manifesto into more quotidian environments (a highlight: Blanchett as a news anchor conversing with Blanchett as a field reporter in a rainstorm). I enjoyed the handsome cinematography and the Nils Frahm score, but I had the most fun whenever I recognized the origin of the words: Maciunas, Lewitt, Jarmusch, Brakhage, and a few others. As for the words I didn't recognize ("Equal rights for all materials," "One dies as a hero or an idiot, which is the same thing," "Elephants are very big and cars go very fast, but so what?"), I looked a bunch of them up and learned something. A nice provocation of a film. Perfect for screening the last week of a class on avant-garde art history.
Distant Constellation (Shevaun Mizrahi, 2017) A lovely, slow-moving film made of lovely slow-moving and somewhat haunting images. The whole is not greater than the sum of its parts, making it a film that's not especially worth seeking out, but a few of the images will probably stick with me. In Istanbul, languid shots of a building under construction intercut with languider scenes of life in a retirement home. It all seems to take place neither in the past, nor the present, nor the future, but a place disconnected from time, where the overworked young build a future that won't happen while the un-visited old disappear from a past equally unreachable. Two old men ride up and down on an elevator in order to have a private conversation with each other. A very old woman who insists on being known by a pseudonym (Selma) falls asleep in the middle of an interview. One old codger, not without some charm, recounts the sexual exploits of his youth before proposing marriage to the director, saying she'll surely outlive him, which would make the marriage to her advantage. A stopped clock labeled USSR sits next to a working Western one. An old woman complains that now she walks too slowly to make it all the way across the street while the walk sign is on. The rhythms of the modern world aren't kind to everyone, but as tales of the Armenian genocide reveal, perhaps the world was never all that kind. So this constellation drifts on, and fades away.
Still Tomorrow (Fan Jian, 2016) A woman with cerebral palsy living in a remote Chinese village writes a poem that gets shared a million times on Chinese Facebook and scores her a book deal. That sounds like a good hook for a documentary, but the film lacks a clear shape or direction. For the most part, Yu Xiuhua spends the film not charismatically soaking up her newfound fame (though there's a bit of that, and it's really fun), but rather fighting with and divorcing a husband she's never loved. That focus feels strange until you notice that the poetry isn't really the object of investigation here, but rather the abuse which lower-class disabled people suffer in exchange for a caregiver. Sadly, this theme receives scant development. Still, there's plenty of her lovely poetry on display. "Silent wheat in the moonlight / the frictions between them / are the trembling of all the things of the earth." Here the image shows a wheatfield near her home. It's a choice not entirely without grace, but when a documentary's images cannot stand alongside its subject's words, the project falters.
Lindy Lou, Juror #2 (Florent Vassault, 2017) I desperately wanted to like this film. Lindy Lou served on a jury two decades ago that sent a murderer to death row. There's no doubt the man was guilty, but in the intervening years Lindy Lou has come to deeply regret this decision. So she and the documentarian travel around Mississippi tracking down her fellow jurors and finding out whether any of them changed their minds. It's a clear spine with clear motivation and all, but the structure ends up deeply limiting the film, since many of the people she goes to talk to aren't all that interesting people to talk to. The film was at its best when one of the jurors who'd also felt pangs of guilt years later suggests that their ought to be a state-funded counseling service for jurors who have to do such work. In the Q&A after the film, Lindy Lou, who was there in person, suggested that the trauma experienced by jurors on such cases was a bit like the trauma experienced by soldiers -- and she ought to know, she's a veteran herself. But she made the mistake of mentioning the film American Sniper to the fairly liberal crowd at T/F, which drew a couple of muted snarls from people seated near me. And in that moment I realized that even if Lindy Lou's on the right side of the death penalty debate, the Confederate flag flying on her property and her husband's gun enthusiasm (both depicted in the film) put her in such a different world from many of the folks in the audience that effective bipartisan collaboration might be impossible. I rarely learn more from the Q&A than from the film, but that was the case here.
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avahuang · 6 years
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Life on the page
I. MARCH READS
I read a book of essays by a rock critic. I read three short story collections--Ben Greenfield, Otessa Moshfegh, Jhumpa Lahiri. I read a memoir on learning to write in a new language. I read a manifesto about translation. I read a manifesto about women and power. I read a book of essays about women and art. I let Noam Chomsky explain syntax to me. I revisited Philip Roth and Goodbye, Columbus. I read about future sex. I read a book that traced the paths of three marriages in Mumbai over the course of decades. I bought History of the Russian Revolution by Leon Trotsky after I watched The Death of Stalin but I haven’t finished it. I read two books by David Deutsch. I read Geek Love and Blood and Guts in High School and Fear of Flying which I think are vaguely in the same genre of messy bloody odd. I read Anais Nin’s letters with Henry Miller and then I read the portion of her unexpurgated diary that covered 1944-1947. I read about how she met her second husband in an elevator when he was 28 and she was 44 and she was still married to her first husband. She would go on to be secretly married to both at the same time for 11 years. I read Fun House by Alison Bechdel and was touched by the part where she reads Ulysses because it reminded me of the first time I read Ulysses. I read a short story by Han Kang in which a woman turns into a plant and bears fruit which her husband then plants, wondering if his wife will be reborn in them. I read Foucault on madness in the back of a car on my way home from Tahoe. I read a collection of essays by Marilynne Robinson but the way she wrote about God didn’t quite resonate. I can only understand the divine through absence: I reread Tractatus and highlighted the part when he says that God doesn’t reveal himself in the world. It makes sense to me that things are in the world have no connection with what is higher.
Language is innate within us. Chomsky’s Minimalist Program “appeals to the idea that the language ability in humans shows signs of being incorporated under an optimal design with exquisite organization.” We are born with everything we need and the rest is the process of realization. The rest is just a process of realization that the world is just words.
II. METAPHOR
An explanation for why every once in a while I try to write about what I read and it never turns out very well: good books and good ideas are always expansive and it’s hard to capture that sense of space on the page. When you write about a specific and personal feeling you are of course also writing about the universal feeling, which so many people before you have felt before. Echoes of echoes, concentric circles rippling outwards into the space of all possible actions. There’s implicit history in everything you have ever thought and felt. Broad patterns can be extrapolated from the slightest movement. The universal lies always in the particular. It’s so hard to do even justice to the smallest thing. It is impossible to be literal in any way: all of language is dead metaphor, which starts with analogies in the physical world (people chew over ideas, swallow information, gobble up books, etc) and then becomes more abstract over time. This applies not only to phrases but also to words themselves (transpire originally means to breathe through, discover means to un-cover, sarcastic means flesh-tearing). We look at the world and try to describe it the best we can and our descriptions gradually become fossilized bridges that compose the building blocks of how we speak.
IIi. NOTES
“What separates a language from a dialect is who has the army.”
The Latin noun homo (“man”)  is masculine, luna (“moon”) is feminine, Mare (“sea”) is neuter. Man, moon, sea. What a recipe.
Also Latin: agricola = farmer, nauta = seafarer.
In atmosphere, is the /s/ part of the second syllable or the third? It is not clear.
The most important thing to learn is that all categorizations leak.
Language is a system that makes infinite use of finite means.
Lisa Halliday: “Casals, who also played the piano, by the way, once told a reporter when he was in his nineties that he had played the same Bach piano piece every day for the past eight-five years. When the reporter asked whether this didn’t get boring, Casals said, No, on the contrary, each playing was a new experience, a new act of discovery.”
Camus: ‘“Because,” Cormery went on, “when I was very young, very foolish, and very much alone . . . you paid attention to me and, without seeming to, you opened for me the door to everything I love in the world.”
Li-Young Lee: “in his mother's garden, magnolia, hibiscus, azalea, peony, pear, tulip, iris;
reading in another book their names he knows, and then the names from their secret lives;
lives alchemical, nautical, genital”
IV. ATTENTION
If you read a book per day you can read 25,550 books over the course of your life. Open on my laptop right now: Language and Mind. A Dictionary of Modern Usage. selected unpublished blogposts of a mexican panda express employee. A Timeless Way of Building. I don’t think I’ll read all of these books thoroughly because I’ll get distracted midway through and my mind will wander so in the end even if I finish the entire text I won’t have properly absorbed it. But who can absorb everything? Everything that I’ve ever forgotten comes back to haunt me. Ditto with everything I’ve ever decided to not pay attention to. If you want to learn, if you want to have good relationships, you have to pay attention. Attention without object is the supreme form of prayer. I’m trying to figure out the best way to learn. I read a book on that, too: Making Learning Whole. My friend said she learns best when presented with extreme granular detail. Personally I prefer abstraction. There are entire systems of rules that we’ve all internalized without ever consciously examining them. Like how to put together a sentence. Learning new systems as an adult is difficult but not impossible. The fact that everything is interrelated makes it easier. The fact that I can speak English makes it possible for me to learn Russian. Everything building upon everything else.
Loneliness comes from being unable to communicate things that seem important. I am overwhelmed by the impossibility of articulating the truth, knowing that the truth is subject to change, just as sounds in language shift gradually over time, eroded by usage itself, so that what was once correct is no longer correct. Fallibilism seems like the only tenable philosophical position. I still want to believe that anything that can be thought can be thought clearly. I want to think things through the best I can and write my observations down. I try to ask for help when I need it: the world makes more sense when parsed by multiple people. When everything seems unbearably precarious, structurally unstable, I remind myself not to panic the same way I remind myself not to panic when my backpack gapes open and everything spills out and I get on my knees to shove it back in. The antidote is slowing way down. The antidote is, quite simply, to pay more attention.
V. OVERCOMING
What does the Hegelian term aufheben mean? Varied (and seemingly contradictory) things: to lift, to abolish, to cancel, suspend, sublate. Walter Kaufmann: “It is what you do when something has fallen to the floor. Something may be picked up in order that it will no longer be there; on the other hand, I may also pick it up to keep it."
Hegel believed in the interaction of the thesis and the antithesis. To sublate is to transform something, to overcome, and then at the same time preserve. Nothing is lost but rather incorporated into a larger whole, like the spiral of a fern opening into infinity.
Living is a process of sublation: if you allow yourself to constantly be undone by the beauty of sentences, if you do not allow the topology of life to at any point of become familiar, if you resist predictability, value both movement and stillness, you will realize that the struggle of becoming is the becoming, that concepts that seem to negate each other are interdependent, that you have already arrived; the vast and implacable universe is within you, blooming impossibly tender, the constant presence of loss coexisting with the miracle that there are people who will stay to bear witness to the ways time will ravage your body and mind. You are the synthesis of what is there and what is necessarily absent, every iteration ambered in every new iteration. You are the overcoming.
VI. UBER TRIP
_______, blue-eyed, slight pulling on socks in the morning. We’ve only held hands in the car on the way from _____ to _____ the silent explosion of happiness in my chest like the air during Holi, bright colors smeared over all my organs, irrepressible. In the middle of the act he puts my hand over his throat the warm tender length of it I can’t contain my joy, feel like-- forget simile there’s just panic wonder panic silence great swaths of sound cliff and crest speech disintegrating because the emotion is simple and today simplicity undoes me.
VII. ? There was a door.  I entered without the least bit of reluctance.  Better forward than back.
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