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Shaking the World for Jesus: Media and Conservative Evangelical Culture
In 1999, the Reverend Jerry Falwell outed Tinky-Winky, the purple character from TV's Teletubbies. Events such as this reinforced in many quarters the common idea that evangelicals are reactionary, out of touch, and just plain paranoid. But reducing evangelicals to such caricatures does not help us understand their true spiritual and political agendas and the means they use to advance them. Shaking the World for Jesus moves beyond sensationalism to consider how the evangelical movement has effectively targeted Americans as both converts and consumers since the 1970s.
Thousands of products promoting the Christian faith are sold to millions of consumers each year through the Web, mail order catalogs, and even national chains such as Kmart and Wal-Mart. Heather Hendershot explores in this book the vast industry of film, video, magazines, and kitsch that evangelicals use to spread their message. Focusing on the center of conservative evangelical culture the white, middle-class Americans who can afford to buy "Christian lifestyle" products she examines the industrial history of evangelist media, the curious subtleties of the products themselves, and their success in the religious and secular marketplace.
To garner a wider audience, Hendershot argues, evangelicals have had to carefully temper their message. But in so doing, they have painted themselves into a corner. In the postwar years, evangelical media wore the message of salvation on its sleeve, but as the evangelical media industry has grown, many of its most popular products have been those with heavily diluted Christian messages. In the eyes of many followers, the evangelicals who purvey such products are sellouts hucksters more interested in making money than spreading the word of God.
Working to understand evangelicalism rather than pass judgment on it, Shaking the World for Jesus offers a penetrating glimpse into a thriving religious phenomenon.
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domain: literature


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Austin, TX – The Texas Center for the Book has announced the winners of the 2021-2022 Letters About Literature Texas contest, a statewide event sponsored by the Texas Library and Archives Foundation. This annual competition invites 4th through 12th grade students to write letters to authors—living or dead—about how that writer’s words affected them or changed their worldview.
Hundreds of Texas students selected a book, book series, essay, play, poem, short story or speech that touched their lives and submitted their letters to the author this year. First place winners across three competition levels receive a $100 cash prize and will be honored at the 2022 Texas Library Association Conference.
Level 1 (Grades 4-6)
- Alexandra Akins of Austin wrote to Wilson Rawls
Book title: Where the Red Fern Grows
- Arhaan V Iyer of Addison wrote to Jordan Romero
Book title: No Summit Out Of Sight
- Josie Selfridge of Addison wrote to Shel Silverstein
Book title: The Giving Tree
Level 2 (Grades 7-8)
- Kaden Rice of Dallas wrote to Robin Benway
Book title: Far from the Tree
- Elaine Carté-Engel of Dallas wrote to Pam Muñoz Ryan
Book title: Echo
- Emma Ton of Austin wrote to William Kamkwamba
Book title: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Level 3 (Grades 9-12)
- Shamika Agrawal of Austin wrote to Anuradha D. Rajurkar
Book title: American Betiya
- Emily Hoang of Pasadena wrote to Rick Riordan
Book series: Heroes of Olympus
- Frida Gonzalez of Pasadena wrote to J.K. Rowling
Book series: Harry Potter
“Congratulations to this year’s deserving winners and runners-up! Thank you to all the students who submitted their letters, as well as the librarians, teachers and parents who encouraged their reading interests and participation in this contest,” said Gloria Meraz, TSLAC Director and Librarian. “We are so honored to organize the Letters About Literature Texas contest each year to encourage students to read closely, think critically and express themselves through writing. We are especially excited to hold the awards ceremony again this year at the TLA Conference.”
The winning 2022 letters are published on the TSLAC website (https://www.tsl.texas.gov/lettersaboutliterature), and all students are encouraged to share the link, as well as to reach out directly to the author and publisher. This contest is made possible with the support of the Texas Library and Archives Foundation. To learn more about the foundation's work, visit their website at https://www.txlaf.org.
Established in 1987, the Texas Center for the Book seeks to stimulate public interest in books, reading, literacy and libraries. The Center builds partnerships with library professionals, educators, authors, publishers and booksellers who provide support to our shared mission of promoting a love of literature throughout the Lone Star State. The Texas Center for the Book is under the direction of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission at the Lorenzo De Zavala State Archives and Library Building in Austin, Texas.
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission provides Texans access to the information they need to be informed, productive citizens by preserving the archival record of Texas; enhancing the service capacity of public, academic, and school libraries; assisting public agencies in the maintenance of their records; and meeting the reading needs of Texans with disabilities. For more information, visit tsl.texas.gov.

domain: library


I inherited an old but unused casting (centrifugal, broken-arm type)
machine. It came with just about everything, including a table built
of 2x4s and plywood. The safety wall around it was pretty lame
though, so I bought a metal wash tub (27" diameter) to replace it.
The table it’s on will not do though, it is too lightweight and isn’t
bolted down to anything.
I don’t have room in my workshop to bring it indoors and mount on a
wall-stabilized bench, so it’s outside on a covered patio. I don’t
want to drill into a concrete block wall of a house I’m trying to
I’m pretty handy, so I’m thinking of making a better base for it.
Any advice on working height, type of base, type and mass of the
object(s) used to keep it from dancing around the patio?
thanks very much,


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A couple sessions with Anna in the West End.. bring you two updates at once.
The first session was inside.. and outside. In the “Bachelor” suite that I scooped before it even hit the open market. I was a courier and on a delivery to that very address and as I stood there waiting for the manager to answer I saw that the suite that happened to be right there.. right at the front door.. was vacant and being worked on. So, when the manager answered and we were done with the delivery I asked if the apartment was available.. after all, Sparklefaerie and I were living in a pretty hateful situation (room mate from hell scenario). He told me it hadn’t come on the market yet but if I wanted I could fill out the application.. so I did and we moved in shortly there after.
It was a great space with a huge tree out front that blocked the view of the window quite nicely so we could walk around naked inside without fear of people, outside or approaching the front door, peeking in and seeing. That, also, meant that models~ who were more often than not fully unclothed in the space~ wouldn’t be seen.
The other gallery was a different session but in the same space.. Sparklefearie had a huge wicker basket.. kind of like a laundry basket but large enough to fit a body in it. So, Anna climbed in and we shot in that.. and we shot on the floor.. and I experimented with using some filters (coloured filters) as well as putting my enlarger lens over top of my first kinda real digital camera lens to make it look almost like I was peeping through an oldschool keyhole. It was fun and experimental. I do still have that old Canon digital camera.. it dosn’t work any longer (broken bits of plastic make the batteries not stay in) but was way fun even if it was super slow in reactioning (I’d press the shutter release and it wouldn’t realize for a bit.. oftentimes producing either fuzz or motion).
Watch for more updates coming shortly..

domain: artistic


Shore Power Is Expanding Its Footprint
One of the simplest ways cruise lines can cut down on emissions is to plug into shoreside power, allowing vessels to power down their fuel-hungry diesel engines that are needed for both marine (propulsion) and hotel (lights, air conditioning) operations.
Ports like Vancouver, Canada, have been equipped with shore power hookups for more than a decade, while others — like busy Florida turnaround mainstay Port Everglades — are just now getting into the shore power game.
It’s a similar story with the lines — CLIA notes that 174 vessels are equipped with shoreside power capabilities.
“Many cruise ships are also ready to utilize shore power, which limits emissions in the communities we visit,” said Pierfrancesco Vago “We look forward to utilizing shoreside power as more cruise ports develop their infrastructure.”
“We’re ready to plug in,” he added. “The cruise industry is ready to plug in.”
Trouble is, not every port has shoreside power — and finding out which ones do is not something the average consumer has access to, making this a technology that is powerful on a real-world level but difficult to assess from a customer standpoint.
The Scandinavian countries, led by Norway, are leading the way, with at least seven ports along the Norwegian coastline being fitted with shore power over the next few years.
“The cruise lines are moving faster than the shoreside,” Cruise Copenhagen’s Claus Bodker said.
Further complicating matters: The investment from ports isn’t cheap or easy, and destinations that are unable to support shoreside power could suffer.


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the 3rd of October is a national holiday in Germany and with some luck, you have brilliant weather on that day every year. So it also happened this 3rd of October (I will not mention that after that day the weather became all dull and grey and wet and nasty – – oopsi now I mentioned)
Anyways, a good friend of mine and I decided to walk around the city and discover the “Kiez”. We went for Neukölln and it was an awesome day.
another great thing about this day is I re-discovered my love for photography, light and shadows, those little details that make a picture just right and decided to buy a new camera. The one I have is a Nikon D5100 and as much as I love it, I never have it with me. It’s just too big. Now I have a “pocket-DSLR” the Panasonic Lumix LX100. While I have only just started testing it, I can already tell it’s going to be just wonderful.
Follow me also on instagram to see more of this awesome stuff 🙂
photo credit: John Faulk (Johns instagram)


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SEIJO jose guillermo
Karyotype Stability and Genome-Specific Nucleolar Dominance in Peanut, Its Wild 4× Ancestor, and a Synthetic AABB Polyploid
SEIJO, JOSÉ GUILLERMO; KOVALSKY, EVELIN IVANA; CHALUP, LAURA MARÍA ISABEL; SAMOLUK, SERGIO SEBASTIÁN; FÁVERO, ALESSANDRA; ROBLEDO, GERMÁN ARIEL
CROP SCIENCE SOC AMER
Lugar: Baltimore; Año: 2018 vol. 58
Allopolyploidy is a significant evolutionaryprocess involved in the origin of many crops,including peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.). Theprocess usually results in a series of chromosome,genomic and epigenetic rearrangementsin the derived polyploids. Here, we examinedthe chromosomal consequences undergone byAABB tetraploids of Arachis after the genomemerger. For that objective, different chromosomemarkers and DNA contents were comparedamong peanut, its wild tetraploid ancestor, andthe diploid genome donors A. duranensis Krapov.& W.C. Gregory (AA, female) and A. ipaënsisKrapov. & W.C. Gregory (BB, male). The analysisalso included an artificially synthesized allotetraploidusing A. ipaënsis as a female [(A. ipaënsis´ A. duranensis)4´]. The karyotypes in the natural(originated ?10,000 yr ago) and newly synthesizedallopolyploids have largely maintainedthe patterns of heterochromatin and ribosomalRNA loci detected in the diploid progenitors.Intergenomic translocations were not evidentusing genome in situ hybridization, and the DNAcontents of the allotetraploids correspondedto the expected sum of those observed in theirparental species. The analysis of ribosomal DNAloci and their association with nucleolar organizingregions revealed a rapid establishment ofnucleolar dominance in favor of the A genome.The large macrostructural stability of karyotypeobserved here after polyploidization has notbeen frequently cited for polyploid crop plants.This stability is significant for peanut breeding,since it suggests that effective introgression ofwild useful alleles into cultivated peanut maypotentially occur in most of the extension of theA and B chromosome complements.

domain: agronomy


I had been planning this blog post for months prior to the Coronavirus pandemic. I was waiting for just the right late winter/early spring moment when my readers, sick of cold and long winter days, were bristling to get outside into warmth and sunlight. Who knew what was in store for us this year, in that in-between moment? Who knew that, this year, we would long to be outside for an entirely new set of reasons?
The last few seasons my business has seen a marked uptick in requests for kitchen gardens to be included in suburban home landscapes. It’s not like clients never wanted them before, it’s just that the volume of requests has risen noticeably. We have installed (or renovated) more kitchen gardens in the last few years than in all the other years of business combined. It has become such a dominant wish list item that we chose to theme our Mansion in May show house project as a ‘Farm to Table’. Our space was designed with an enclosed kitchen garden followed by a chicken coop, a modular cooking island and then an elegant dining space that segues into a deep seating area complete with fire table. Cancelled due to the pandemic, the Mansion in May has fortunately been rescheduled for September/early October and we hope you are able to visit us in New Vernon!
With damaging climate changes obvious (to most), legitimate environmental and health concerns have become political and policy hot topics. As a result, new thoughts affecting the landscape have gained ground (no pun intended!): eating organic, sustainable landscaping, growing one’s own unmodified food crops, being more self-sufficient. This is more than a passing fad or momentary trend. It’s here to stay as the time has come for collective recognition of the devastating impact human beings have had on the global eco-system. Our way of life and populations are simply unsustainable.
Add the reality of a global pandemic (not a coincidental phenomenon) to this already steaming brew and everything about kitchen gardens jumps into full color and bold lettering. Nurseries and growers, deemed ‘essential’ because they are at one end of the food industry selling crop starter plants and seeds have substantially stepped up promotions for ‘grow it on your own’ gardeners. On my Instagram account, sponsored ads have popped up from ‘off the grid’ homesteaders promoting ‘how to’ manuals and step by step programs for living independently off of the land.
If nothing else, the pandemic has reminded each of us how infinitely interconnected we all are and how dependent we are on domestic and global supply chains to bring us not only food, but pretty much everything we need to live our modern lives. It’s unrealistic to think you will feed your family from a suburban kitchen garden, but it is a gesture towards an emotional and spiritual need to reconnect to Nature and a collective recognition that things must change. You might feel like Marie Antoinette in her fantasy dairy farm at Versailles, but at least you’ll get your hands dirty and maybe teach your children that food doesn’t come in packages from a supermarket.
I hope this moment in time, as horrific as it is on so many levels, will refocus people on the things that truly matter. Certainly our health, food and water supplies are at the top of that list. I expect to be getting many more request for larger and more elaborate kitchen gardens – bring it on!
- Featured photo courtesy of Chanticleer Garden Wayne, PA
The Suburban Lot is a (somewhat) monthly blog that highlights topics and issues unique to the suburban landscape. For assistance with any of the above information please contact Mierop Design, a complete resource for landscape design, installation, outdoor furnishings and property maintenance services.


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A media column in The Washington Post says that Fox News will use the first Republican primary debate to help burnish the network’s image following its bevy of legal setbacks, and boy howdy, do journalists still not understand what Fox News is or how it operates.
Let's tear into this thing. The opening of the column is veeeery sketchy:
Months after a blockbuster defamation lawsuit raised questions about Fox News’s dedication to accuracy and fraught relationship with Donald Trump, two of its star anchors will have a chance to bolster the network’s image Wednesday night when they moderate the first Republican debate of the 2024 presidential cycle.
So the idea here is that Fox News will "bolster" the network's image by hosting a Republican lie-o-rama in which eight or so candidates will compete to say the most audience-pleasing lies while two moderators stare glassy-eyed at them? How's that gonna work?
The implication is that it’ll work because of the magical and unassailable reputation of the Fox News "news division," as opposed to its blatantly dishonest pundits that dominate the network’s primetime slots. Making the debate’s two hosts—Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum—available for Serious Journalism interviews suggests that Fox News itself is making the redemption pitch.
“I think that Fox has fantastic political reporters,” MacCallum said. “We have great war correspondents. We have a very strong news division, and I’m proud to be part of it, and I’m proud to be co-moderating this debate with Bret, and I’ve always felt really good about what we do.”
To be fair, the Post does include one of Baier's more awkward flubs, the one where an email revealed he had pressed Fox during 2020's election-night coverage to reverse their call that Joe Biden had won Arizona and “put it back in [Trump’s] column.” But the Post also accepts his answer that the email was "misread and mistyped," without challenging what he told them:
“It really wasn’t the case. So I think we’re past all of that. I think our work speaks for itself. The people who watch know that, and hopefully after the debate, they’ll know it even more.”
That's one way to cover Baier's supposed journalistic integrity. The other would be to measure it against the stuff Baier has actually done as a “news” anchor. In the run-up to Fox’s big debate night, a Media Matters report shows Baier to be pretty damn dishonest about his own role in election night coverage, among other things.
But instead of pressing him on his actions, the Post moves from Baier's defenses to its own assertion that:
The documents released in the Dominion case reflected somewhat better on the news side, showing that Fox’s journalists covered the story of the 2020 election accurately, though some faced internal blowback when they loudly rebutted some election lies.
That's quite the caveat, especially since that hyperlink leads to the Post's own coverage of Lachlan Murdoch and other network heads sternly warning reporters who pushed back on Trump's lies. It also skips over the bit where hosts Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity plotted to get one of those network journalists fired for contradicting the hoax.
But on we go, this time for some comments from MacCallum on why she, coming from the “news division,” won't be pressing the Republican candidates for responses on either the party's violence-provoking election hoaxes or on the attempted erasure of an American election on Jan. 6, 2021.
“I think that people understand the facts of what happened,” she said. “What I don’t want is to spend the whole evening kind of rehashing that. I think people are looking forward, and I think they’re much more concerned with what’s happening in their own lives.”
To be sure, it would be an awkward moment if the debate moderators probed the candidates about whether or not fellow challenger Mike Pence ought to have been singled out to the Capitol rioters. Fortunately for Fox, Pence himself doesn’t seem too invested in whether he ought to have been assassinated on that day, so it might not come up. But it is certainly an editorial choice to downplay the seditious conspiracy that the leading Republican nominee—former President Donald Trump—is facing charges over.
Wouldn't want to rehash that, though. It's time to look forward, and Trump's indictment on racketeering charges—charges that may have him watching election night coverage from a prison cell if prosecutors get their preferred timeline for the case—is very five minutes ago. What the voters really care about is the economy, the war in Ukraine, and what Hunter Biden was doing back in 2014.
We're left, then, with the same question we started with: How will Fox News redeem itself by hosting a Republican debate network-crafted to avoid bringing up the sedition-premised lies that Fox itself helped promote? How is pretending that none of it happened a boost to the supposed journalism credentials of those involved?
That seems to be an aspirational claim—one made by the network, in an attempt to will it into being. Fox News hosts are preemptively spinning the debate night, and the Post bought it.
Of course, the dubiousness of Fox News' news-side "objectivity" has been clear for decades now; it neither started nor ended with the network's false claims against two voting-machine manufacturers. Since the beginning, the network has prodded its "news" anchors to stay in the bounds of what their Republican viewers want to hear, and it likes to imply that the mere existence of its "news side" offsets the outrageous and often thuddingly ridiculous hoaxes peddled by its Bill O'Reillys and Glenn Becks, despite research regularly showing the “news side” to be a useless appendage at best when it comes to actually informing their viewers.
At some point, writing credulous articles about whether the network can regain lost credibility begins to look like preternatural gullibility. Do we believe, for even a moment, that the network heads’ concern for credibility is not trumped by its fealty to its viewers? Were not the Dominion documents rife with insistence that not pissing off viewers was the more important goal?
I don't know about you, America's collected actual journalists. You worry me. On one hand, Democracy Dies in Darkness; on the other hand, can Fox News regain lost network mojo by hosting an event that will try its hardest to ignore the most monumental attack on American democracy since the Civil War? Does that sound to you, dear journalists, like the network is behaving in a journalistically appropriate fashion? Or is Fox lazily, cheaply, and dishonestly choosing the path that will best deflect attention from its own role?
The shadow looming over Wednesday's Republican debate
Fox News pivots to blaming Tropical Storm Hilary on President Biden
Pivotal moment as GOP lawmakers across country risk exposure in Trump’s 'criminal enterprise'
After Trump indicted for coup attempt, Fox News still begs him to show up for debate
American political parties might often seem stuck in their ways, but they can and in fact do change positions often. Joining us on this week's episode of "The Downballot" is political scientist David Karol, who tells us how and why both the Democratic and Republican parties have adjusted their views on a wide range of issues over the years. Karol offers three different models for how these transformations happen—and explains why voters often stick with their parties even after these shifts. He concludes by offering tips to activists seeking to push their parties when they're not changing fast enough.

domain: news


The new Panasonic 103 inch plasma tv is out. The TH-103PZ600U with 1080p capacity could have an predicted SRP of $sixty nine,999.ninety five and is expected being available for shipping in time 수원다이어트 for Xmas 2006. It may also offer a three-yr in-house constrained guarantee, unprecedented while in the business.
In flat panel shows, plasma has complex advantages in excess of other systems, together with LCD, when it comes to generating bigger sizing panels. Nevertheless, there are several complex troubles in creating plasma panels which have been more substantial than a hundred inches calculated diagonally although protecting steady discharge and higher photograph top quality through the full surface area in the panel.
Panasonic has get over these specialized hurdles by acquiring a completely new rib and phosphor for these super massive panels. A “rib” divides Each individual gas mobile and helps prevent interference amongst adjacent cells to create very clear illustrations or photos. The 103-inch 1080p plasma panel, comparable to four fifty-inch panels in dimensions, functions constant and uniform discharge, providing the identical exact photographs from the center to each corner on the display and brightness as The existing fifty-inch High definition model (TH-50PX500). The panel incorporates Panasonic’s 1080p HD superior-pace pixel push. The same large-pace pixel drive is Utilized in the TH-65PX500 sixty five-inch 1080p Plasma Tv set, which has been well been given in Japan considering that its introduction very last November, https://www.washingtonpost.com/newssearch/?query=수원한의원 and the fifty-inch 1080p Plasma unveiled at CEATEC JAPAN 2005 in Oct 2005.
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ST. PAUL - Legislation that would help construct the Health and Emergency Response Occupations (HERO) Center in Washington County is moving forward in the Minnesota House. The proposal is sponsored by State Representatives Tony Jurgens (R-Cottage Grove) and Keith Franke (R-St. Paul Park).
Minnesota House Capital Investment Committee members debated the proposal this week.
“Both Republican and Democratic committee members thought the presentation went well, and the fact that it’s shovel-ready always improves its chances,” Jurgens said. “After nearly eight years of working on this project, the knowledge and enthusiasm shown from our local testifiers was obvious and they did a great job.”
“This bill will reduce the burden on local taxpayers in training costs while giving our officers the tools and state-of-the-art facilities they need to be more successful in keeping our community safe,” said Franke.
Their proposal would allocate $9.7 million in state bonding proceeds towards the construction of the HERO Center. The rest of the cost would be paid for by the cities of Cottage Grove and Woodbury. The HERO Center would also include a gun range which would be open to the public.
In 2015, $1.45 million was secured for the project’s plan and design. With a site already selected, the lawmakers say construction could begin later this year if state bonding proceeds are secured.
The Hero Center proposal was held over for possible inclusion in the Minnesota House Capital Investment bill, which will be brought forward later this session.


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Understanding curly maple timber
As are many other things in nature, there is not only a single type of a curly maple design. Different looking stripes can be achieved not only with different wood cutting methods but also because of the internal characteristics of the wood itself.
Our pieces are produced through a complex process of cutting maple logs. The resulting pieces of timber are prepared for the production of musical instruments, such as violins, cellos and double bass.
View our projects below, then get in touch with us
We are proud to show you our latest work. You will find a diverse gallery of curly wood planks, also known as flamed maple, curly maple, ripple maple.


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French Onion Soup - Cheese Soufflé - Mushroom Cream Chicken - Glazed Green Beans - Crème Brulee
What you will learn
Accompany your young chef into the heart of Paris with these classic French dishes. You'll both get a chance to re-create some of the food that has long made Paris the center of the culinary world. Starting with airy soufflé and ending in creamy crème brulee, you'll enjoy every bite.

domain: food


text:
At the Winfield Mt. Union School Board meeting on Wednesday the school board decided to continue sharing agreements with WACO Schools.
Keywords: baseball, Superintendent Agreement, Superintendent Patrick Coen, WACO Schools, Winfield Mt. Union Community School District
President-elect Donald Trump says NATO is obsolete. Is he right?
call: (319) 653-2113


text:
As general contractor, planner and service provider for retail, gastronomy, hotel and office we ensure that your project can be experienced with all senses – throughout Europe.
Shops that bring your brand to life
Restaurants that meet every taste
Hotels that invite you to just feel good
Offices that are more than mere workplaces
01. General contractor interior fittings
As a general contractor active throughout Europe, we implement planning concepts, ensure the professional installation of your interior fittings and carry out all necessary work for the dismantling or brand refreshing.
02. Dismantling & Facility Management
As a service provider, we guarantee the competent support for your business space through a service that, in addition to preventive measures and ongoing maintenance, also ensures professional dismantling.
03. Planning & Design
As (general) planners, we provide support in the concept, execution and approval planning as well as in the implementation of a convincing branding.
Diesen Brands geben wir bereits ein Zuhause
Our focus areas
Whether flagship store, pop-up concept or branch rollout: we turn shops into a brand experience, working with professional and reliable partners throughout Europe.
Your guest is king: therefore, we focus on an appealing atmosphere, modern design and consistent branding in the interior design.
Not only to work, but also to feel good: Our office solutions provide the best atmosphere and a pleasant working environment.
A feast for the eyes: We turn your catering business into a visual treat, inviting you to linger, enjoy and recommend it.
Strong brands operate cross-border
That is why we implement interior design projects for retail, hotels, restaurants and businesses throughout Europe. Our team is multilingual, experienced in intercultural project management and works with reliable local partners.
Our unique concepts are developed in our offices in Germany and Austria.

domain: design


text:
“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”–Mark Twain, American Writer
Ambition is an important part of achieving success in life. It’s what drives us to reach our goals, and it’s what keeps us motivated when the going gets tough. However, not everyone around us may support our ambitions, and some people may even try to belittle them. That’s where the famous quote by Mark Twain comes in – “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”
The quote emphasizes the importance of surrounding oneself with positive and supportive people. The people we surround ourselves with can have a significant impact on our lives and our ability to achieve our goals. When we’re around people who belittle our ambitions, we may start to doubt ourselves and our abilities. This can lead to a lack of motivation and ultimately, failure.
On the other hand, when we’re around people who support and encourage our ambitions, we’re more likely to believe in ourselves and our ability to achieve our goals. These people can provide us with the motivation and inspiration we need to keep pushing forward, even when things get tough. When we’re surrounded by positive and supportive people, we feel more confident and capable of achieving our goals.
The quote also highlights the difference between small people and great people. Small people are those who lack ambition and are often threatened by those who have it. They may belittle the ambitions of others in an attempt to bring them down to their level. In contrast, great people are those who are successful and ambitious themselves, and they recognize and respect the ambition of others. They understand the importance of supporting and encouraging others to achieve their goals.
It’s important to remember that everyone has their own definition of success, and what may be ambitious for one person may not be ambitious for another. It’s essential to surround ourselves with people who respect and support our individual goals, whatever they may be. When we’re around people who encourage us to reach our full potential, we’re more likely to achieve our goals and live a fulfilling life.
In conclusion, Mark Twain’s quote is a reminder of the importance of surrounding ourselves with positive and supportive people. It’s essential to keep away from those who belittle our ambitions and to seek out those who inspire and motivate us to achieve our goals. When we’re surrounded by people who make us feel that we can become great, we’re more likely to believe in ourselves and reach our full potential.

domain: psychology


Archos 5 500 GB
$485.00 to $500.00
500 GB capacity for up to 148,000 songs 10 hours of audio or 4 hours of video on a single charge 4.8-inch TFT LCD touchscreen display with 800 x 480 pixel resolution and 16 million colors Supports MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, AAC+, FLAC, and OGG Vorbis audio formats Supports MPEG-4, MPEG-4 HD (up to 720p), H.264 HD (up to 720p), WMV, and M-JPEG video formats; JPG, BMP, PNG, and GIF image filesMinimize
Tags:archos, 5, 500, gb,
Stay on top of your important tasks while also staying in shape with this Sharp Wizard Diet Organizer PDA. This handy and compact unit can help you work on your fitness goals and get your work done. It features1.5 megabytes of memory, whichholds thousands of names, numbers and addresses. Thepen-touch navigation and 14.5 character backlit screenmakes for easy input of information with the included stylus pen.Minimize
| Family Line||Sharp Wizard||Installed Memory ||1.5 MB|| Weight||3.7 oz.|
|Input Method ||Touch Screen||Interface Type ||USB||PDA Special Features ||Sound Notification|| Security Features||Security Password|
| Display Technology||Monochrome LCD|
|Battery Type ||Proprietary Lithium|
| Width||2.82 in.|| Depth||0.67 in.|| Height||4.43 in.|
| Warranty (List)||1 Year|
| Included Accessories||Stylus • USB Client Cable • Carrying Case|| UPC||074000017252|
The Sony PRS-500 is like an MP3 player but, instead, it downloads books and lets you read them comfortably and conveniently anywhere.
This slim and sleek, feature-and super-value-packed Pocket PC is small enough to fit in your pocket or purse yet substantial enough to keep your life in order. Includes multimedia, Bluetooth? (wireless ready with SDIO WLAN 802.11b card), and plenty of room to expand and accessorize!
The versatile HP iPAQ hx2415 Pocket PC allows you to maximize personal productivity. It comes equipped with both integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® to enable access to the Internet and email from corporate, home or Wi-Fi hotspots (in select airports, hotels, and other public places) and to allow cable-free connections to other devices with Bluetooth wireless technology. All the models in the hx2000 series include enhanced security protection with HP ProtectTools software secured by CREDANT Technologies.Minimize
Protect your information using your fingerprint (or fingerprint combined with a personal information number, or PIN). The versatile iPAQ hx2795 Pocket PC has this cool capability, plus lots more: optimal configurations for performance, connectivity and expandability.


Prof Kabir Haruna Danja, the Assistant to the KIU Principal, told the 'Daily News on Saturday' that all burning issues would be jointly resolved by students' representatives and the administration.
He promised improvement of the learning environment for academic excellence, saying that would be their priority while unnecessary frictions would be avoided as directed by the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU).
"I understand that some of the examination and coursework results had been retained by the suspended lecturers. That has been resolved and should not be allowed to interrupt the teaching programme," Prof Danja affirmed, adding: "All unmarked test papers must be graded accordingly and if necessary new exams should be prepared to 'fill the gap' for the students to move ahead with other planned courses."
He denied any fabrication of examination results as previously alleged, insisting that lecturers have volunteered their ample time to compensate the lost classes, even if it means teaching at night, provided the students were comfortable with the arrangement.
Since October, last year, strikes and class boycott crippled KIU activities as students took to the streets, issuing a set of demands, including university prospectus, well equipped library, internet services and also queried what they termed cumbersome supplementary examination system.
The students had also complained of not being represented in decision-making bodies and wanted to know why graduation ceremonies were held in Kampala, Uganda. Tuition fee pegged in US Dollar and questionable ability of some of the lecturers were some of their grievances.
Towards the end of last year, TCU issued directives to the institution to verify the accreditation of its lecturers and submit a report before December 31st. "The submission should be attached with the qualifications of all lecturers," reads part of the official letter signed by the TCU Executive Secretary, Prof Sifuni Mchome.
Commenting, Elizabeth Bryceson, a second-year international relations student admitted to have been attending 'wonderful' lectures since the beginning of this month. An interviewed parent, Othman Rashid said that KIU stood a good chance to excel in academic performance if the administration would chart strategies to address challenges before circumstances degenerated into serious disagreements.


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Smith & Wesson Model 629 Deluxe Handgun
Item # 694136
Satin Stainless Finish
Deluxe Textured Wood Grips
Our Price $949.99
Availability: Sold Out
- Firearms shipping charge of $25.00 per item.
- You must be at least 21 years old to purchase this item. State and local laws may vary.
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- Additional discounts do not apply.
Prices, promotions, styles and availability may vary by store and online.
details & specsback to top
Product DescriptionThe Smith & Wesson 629 .44 Mag Revolver with Red Ramp and White Outline Sights delivers power and accuracy you want for hunting game or protecting your home. The 629 .44 Mag is built on Smith & Wesson's large frame design favored by handgun hunters, competitive shooters, and revolver enthusiasts alike. Chambered in .44 Magnum, this high-powered gun can fire .44 Special rounds as well. Red ramp front sights with white outline rear sights help you zero in on targets faster.


text:
ODA may assess a civil penalty of up to $10,000 for a violation of these restrictions.
Western Lake Erie Basin
- On snow-covered or frozen soil:
- When the top 2 inches of the soil are saturated from precipitation; or
- When the weather forecast in the application area calls for >50% chance of rain exceeding one-half inch in a 24 hr. period. These restrictions on the surface application of manure do not apply under any of the following:
- The manure is injected into the ground;
- The manure is incorporated within 24 hours of surface application;
- The manure is applied onto a growing crop;
- If there is an emergency, the director of agriculture can provide written consent.
Watershed in Distress
The Grand Lake St. Marys watershed was designated as a watershed in distress on January 18, 2011. Within this area, all manure application must follow the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Practice Standard for Nutrient Management (Code 590) - See attachment. Failure to follow this standard is a violation of this of Ohio regulations regardless of whether pollution to waters of the state has occurred.
- Each owner, operator, or person responsible for producing, applying, or receiving in excess of three hundred fifty tons and/or one hundred thousand gallons of manure a year shall develop and operate in conformance with a nutrient management plan;
- No one shall apply manure between December 15 and March 1; and
- No one shall apply manure on frozen ground or ground covered in more than one inch of snow.


U.S. says it won’t give in to Iranian demands in nuclear discussions
VIENNA — While negotiators are still uncertain they can strike a deal on Iran’s nuclear program, a senior administration official said on Monday it is “absurd” to believe that negotiators will give in to Iran’s demands.
Responding to critics who fear that the United States may be making too many concessions, the official said Washington is sticking to principles outlined in a framework agreement announced April 2 in Lausanne, Switzerland.
“Why would we put ourselves through this, why would our teams be here for as long as they have been, why would we be spending the hours doing this in the way we are if we were to just say, ‘Whatever you want, you got’?” the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “This is a very tough negotiation.”
The talks to curb Iran’s nuclear capabilities in exchange for sanctions relief simmered along Monday, as officials waited for Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to complete a day-long trip to Tehran. He was expected to return on Tuesday.
Secretary of State John Kerry met with Yukiya Amano, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, for the second day in a row.
The negotiators are working closely with the IAEA, which is based in Vienna, because it would be responsible for sending inspectors to monitor Iran’s compliance with its commitments under a deal.
Officials say the talks, a culmination of 12 years of negotiations that gained momentum in 2013, will stretch beyond the Tuesday deadline but for no more than a few days.
The key outstanding issues are the pace at which sanctions would be lifted and how much access the IAEA inspectors would have.
The official said negotiators are still tackling the timetable for sanctions relief but the IAEA would have to verify Iran’s actions first.
“Everybody will get ready, everybody will take their steps,” the official said. “And when the IAEA has verified it, virtually simultaneously, whatever commitments we make about the first phase of lifting of sanctions will occur.”
The official also said the negotiators from Iran and the six nations trying to work out a deal with it, known as the P5+1, are mindful that their decisions will be felt around the world.
“This is staggeringly consequential for everybody,” the official said.
“Everybody who’s involved in this negotiation understands and quite frankly feels the burden of the responsibility of what we’re doing.”


Installing Canon Printers Driver for LMDE
The Linux Tutorial Shows You Step-by-Step How-to Install the Canon InkJet Printers Driver on Linux Mint Debian Edition Desktop.
Included in the Canon Printers Driver Installation Tutorial for Debian You will find also Link to Guide for Getting-Started with Canon Scanning on Debian.
Open Terminal Window
(Press “Enter” to Execute Commands)
Download Canon Printers Linux Drivers:Canon Printers .deb Driver
Search for “linux [myCanonModRounded]”
You Need to Round Down the Printer Model Number As here Below…
Eg: for ‘mx472’ search for “linux mx470”
And for ‘MG2240’ search for “linux MG2200”
Double-Click on Printer Driver
Extract into the /tmp directory
Installing Canon Printer Driver
su -c "./install.sh"
During installation You may be Asked to Connect & Power On your Printer…
If Needed Dependencies Installation First execute:
su -c "apt-get install gdebi"
su -c "gdebi ./*.deb"
Again Install/Update CUPS Package
sudo apt-get install cups
And if Freshly installed it need also to Started with:
sudo service cups start
Finally Go to System Settings and Add Printer
How-to Getting-Started with Scanning on Debian:LMDE Scanner Quick-Start
Tags: canon, canon printer, canon printer debian, canon printer driver debian, Getting Started, How-to, Install, install canon printer debian, install canon printer driver debian, install printer debian, Linux, quickstart


How Sustainable Will the World Cup Really Be?
New stadiums have high sustainability ratings and the event has a carbon neutral goal, but questions remain. November 22, 2022
Say what you will about the decision to hold a sporting event that requires a lot of running in the middle of a desert (The World Cup takes place November 20-December 18 in Qatar), soccer’s organizing body, FIFA, is at least making an attempt to claim the World Cup is practicing sustainability. But is it really a green event?
Several of the newly built stadiums (reasonable minds can disagree about the true sustainability of building several new buildings for a single event) have received high levels of certification Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS), a LEED-like green building rating system. So at least from a construction standpoint, organizers did hit high marks for energy efficiency and resource conservation. But again, if you subscribe to the argument that the most sustainable building is the one not built, it’s hard to see how building so many new energy-using, even if low-energy-using, buildings is legitimately sustainable.
Organizers of the tournament have also pledged to make the entire event carbon neutral through a four-step process of awareness, measurement, reduction, and offsetting. This is a noble goal, but it’s the last bit in that four-pronged process that gives experts pause. How much of the event’s emissions will be offset? Is this truly sustainable?
You can read more about the event’s sustainability efforts here.
Greg Zimmerman is senior contributing editor for FacilitiesNet.com and Building Operating Management magazine.


The ASSKEA prowound® S is specifically suitable for the wound care of immobile patients with a high incidence of exudate.
Simple and uncomplicated menu navigation, the background color of the display shows the current device status.
Monitoring of exudate flow and 24 hours of effective and reliable therapy progress.
ASSKEA prowound® S in detail
The ASSKEA prowound® S is specifically suitable for the care of immobile patients with acute or chronic wounds. The ASSKEA prowound® S is used particularly with patients with a high incidence of exudate.
Low weight Disposable exudate canister system (1 l) with integrated solidifier, bacterial and carbon filter Quiet and with low vibrations (35 dB (A)) DFS® – double filter system protects the interior of the device from contamination Easy to use and very safe operation Optionally battery or mains operation possible
Operating modes to meet the treatment plan:
continuous operation vacuum range from -20 to -200 mmHg vacuum adjustable in steps of 5 mmHg
intermittent operation Aspiration with alternating vacuum ranges between -20 and -200 mmHg can be customized. Vacuum can be set in steps of 5 mmHg at intervals of 2 to 10 minutes in 0.5 minute increments.
flow rate (measuring point tube attachment) max. 8 l/min vacuum -20 mmHg to -200 mmHg (in steps of 5 mmHg) canister disposable exudate canister system (1 l) suction tube Ø 4 mm (internal), length 180 cm, sterile battery, rechargeable lithium ion battery dimensions basic unit (HxWxD) [in mm] 290 x 259 x 130 weight (basic unit) 2.2 kg operating time continuous runtime in battery operation approx. 24 – 48 hours, depending on the runtime of the motor CE marking CE0494 item number 100513-3-EW


German auto giant Daimler AG is working with its biggest shareholder, China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, to set up a joint venture to make the electric version of Smart cars in China, the companies said Wednesday.
The new venture, Smart Automobile Co. Ltd., with registered capital of 5.4 billion yuan ($778 million), has all the permits needed to start the business, the companies said in a statement. Daimler and Geely, backed by billionaire Li Shufu, each holds 50% of the venture. Tong Xiangbei, a veteran Geely executive, was named the chief executive officer of the company.
Smart Automobile will focus on developing the fully electric version of Daimler’s iconic Smart cars and plans to start production in 2022 in China for global sales.
The companies unveiled a plan to jointly build Smart cars in March last year. Geely has stepped up cooperation with Daimler since it purchased a 9.69% stake in 2018 to become the biggest shareholder of the German carmaker. The two jointly launched a ride-hailing venture in October 2018 and an electric helicopter venture, Volocopter, last year.
The Smart car venture will also help Daimler to expand further in the world’s largest electric-car market as competition heats up with global rivals including BMW AG, Volkswagen and Tesla.
Contact reporter Han Wei (email@example.com)


text:
Lively, entertaining reviews of, and essays on, old and newer films and everything relating to them, written by professional author William Schoell.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
REPUBLIC STUDIOS: BETWEEN POVERTY ROW AND THE MAJORS
REPUBLIC STUDIOS: BETWEEN POVERTY ROW AND THE MAJORS. Richard M. Hurst. Scarecrow Press. Updated 2007.
This book looks at Republic studios, which was most famous for cliffhanger serials and westerns, but also turned out the occasional "A" feature. It has chapters providing an overview of the studio and its work and influence; a look at sound serials of Republic's golden age; Republic's cowboy movies; their series films such as The Higgins Family and films starring hillbilly comedienne Judy Canova; etc. Although some chapters have been added, including an in-depth look at the Captain America serial, it is obvious that this was basically a dissertation, and indeed its academic tone is occasionally quite dry and pretentious, with the same themes stated over and over again. [The book does not appear to have been edited.] On the plus side, despite his prose style [or lack of same -- Hurst was a museum administrator for many years and not a professional writer] Hurst's enthusiasm for these films comes through, and the book is full of a lot of solid information although it certainly does not go into detail on all Republic films or even the famous ones. Still it has value as a reference book for those interested in the history and output of a famous "second-tier" Hollywood studio which issued some of the finest cliffhanger serials ever made. Other books that deal with Republic serials include The Great Movie Serials and In the Nick of Time.
Verdict: Some good stuff about the old serials. **1/2.


text:
Kick the Can
Coal Ridge July 1981
“48, 49, 50...ready or not, here I come!”
For Jesse Martin, the world consisted of things he had to do, like going to school and doing chores, and things he got to do, like hanging out with friends and playing baseball. At thirteen years of age, he'd not yet moved into the sullen place where peer pressure dictated everything from how he dressed to with whom he could be friends. Literally between worlds, it was unlikely to last into the school year.
For most kids in Coal Ridge the 9:15 whistle meant that it was time to come in for the night, but this was summertime. As twilight fell towards full night, Jesse stepped away from the empty tomato sauce can and scanned the space between the houses on the right side of Pecan Avenue looking for anyone who might be hiding poorly. A veteran of Kick the Can, he knew that no one was coming out until he got far enough away that they might have a legitimate shot to kick it before he could put his foot atop and call out their name. Sure, speed and reaction time were important, but you didn't need to be super quick to win, it was all about having a keen eye, keeping a cautious distance, and making some lucky guesses.
Stepping over to the can, he put his foot on it and shouted, “Jackie by Newsome's hedge.” The blonde pre-teen stepped out, absently wiping at her designer jeans. Not really caring if she was caught, for her the game was more social than competitive. And because Jesse knew which of the twins had a crush on her, he guessed, “Kenny by Newsome's trash can.”
“There is literally no way you saw me there,” the platinum haired boy called out as he stood. Any further argument he might have offered fell silent when Jackie grabbed his arm and pulled him over to the driveway where they would remain until someone kicked the can or everyone else was caught.
Pivoting around, Jesse caught movement between two houses, but had no idea who it was. “Sammy at the corner of Stein’s house?” It was a total guess, so when the little blonde boy—easily the fastest kid in the neighborhood—stepped out, the corners of Jesse’s mouth turned up in a wide grin.
“Lucky guess, punk,” Sammy grumbled as he jogged past to the driveway.
“Pure skill,” Jesse countered, moving parallel to him as he scanned the two driveways that had cars in them. Most everyone in the neighborhood parked in their garages, but Amelia Newsome had recently started at Silver Spring University, adding a third car that was sitting at the end of the drive. Cattycorner across the street, Bob McConnel used their garage as a workshop when there wasn't snow on the ground, leaving the family car and his work truck in the drive for most of the year. Anyone who was going to try to sneak up on him would likely use the cars to get as close as possible to the can. Because they were on opposite sides of the road, it was impossible for him to keep an eye on both at once.
When the small group in the driveway began to laugh, briefly drowning out the hammering from Mr. McConnel’s garage, Jesse turned towards them and immediately ran back to the can. “Carl behind the telephone pole.”
The other twin stepped out from his hiding spot, and shouted, “You are sloppy lucky.” Paternal twins, Carl had darker hair and a slightly more rugged appearance, better resembling their father.
“I got eyes like an eagle,” Jesse replied with a laugh. Carl playfully flipped him off and jogged over to the driveway where the others were waiting. Doing a slow circle to make sure no one was sneaking up on him, he turned his attention back to the cars, moving away from the can to see if anyone was on the far side of them. The sound of shoes slapping on the pavement drew his attention and he turned in time to see a figure bolting down the McConnel's driveway towards the can. Rushing back, he put his foot on it and yelled, “Kevin running right at m—”
The can was kicked out from under his foot from behind. Jason ran past him laughing, shouting “Olly olly oxen free!” His dark curls bounced with each step. Circling back, he stepped up next to Jesse, his cheeks dotted with acne. “Didn't see that, did you eagle eyes?”
“Where the hell were you?”
Pointing past Jesse at the driveway, he grinned. “Standing over with them waiting for you to get distracted.”
When Jesse glanced over, he could see everyone in the driveway laughing. Although at his expense, he'd known these kids long enough to know their laughter was not malicious. Still, he hated to lose and so just grumbled and stifled an urge to punch his friend. Being the biggest and strongest among them, his playful punches were rarely taken as such. “Since no one ran, I take it we're done.”
Putting his hand up on his friend’s shoulder, he led them to the driveway. “Come on, we're gonna let Kevin take a turn at being it.”
With everyone gathered on the driveway, Kevin set the dented can down at the end of it. Smiling at them, he clapped his hands together. “Are you ready to fly my pretties?” Last summer Kevin had the exaggerated distinction of not having the can kicked out from under him. Sure, he was only it twice for the whole summer, but that didn't stop him from growing the legend over the school year into something completely obnoxious.
“What's going on?” Darla asked, coming out from behind her house.
Putting her hands in her hips, Jackie asked, “Were you hiding in your living room again?”
“Oh damn, I forgot she was playing,” Carl laughed, stepping up next to his brother who visibly tensed. The two of them were constantly doing things to annoy one another and they fought like cartoon characters—one being the aggressor until the other got angry enough to retaliate, then they'd switch off. Jason claimed that eleven turnabouts was their current record.
“I had to use the bathroom, for your information,” Darla offered, crossing her arms over her chest as she approached. Nearly as tall as Jesse, but rail thin, what she lacked in athleticism and general grace, she more than made up for in appearance.
“Are we going to do this?” Kevin asked, standing near the can, “I want to add to my undefeated record.”
Jackie rolled her eyes.
Jason and Sammy groaned.
Kenny stared at Jackie, and Carl punched him.
Darla scoffed. “What’s undefeated, Jackie kicked the can on you two years ago and she always goes out first.”
The shorter girl put her hands on her hips. “At least I don't go home to hide.”
“I had to pee, alright?” Darla retorted. The two girls turned their noses up at one another, and then began giggling.
Jesse shook his head. “You two are almost as bad as them.” Behind them the twins were in the middle of their yard fighting. Kenny had Carl on the ground in a headlock, their angry faces turning red under the streetlights.
“No one is as bad as them,” Darla muttered.
“One of us should probably break them up,” Sammy observed, nudging Jesse.
“Yeah,” Jason agreed, taking a step back.
Jesse shook his head. “No way; I got kicked the last time.”
The two boys stared at Jesse while Carl pushed at his brother's face trying to break the headlock and then Sammy, the smallest of them, shrugged. “I guess if you wimps are too afraid, I'll go do it.”
From the end of the driveway, Kevin shouted. “I'm just going to close my eyes and start counting; if you all are still standing there when I'm done, this will be super easy. 1, 2, 3, 4…”
Striding over to the twins, while Kevin continued his obnoxious counting, Jesse reached down, grabbed Kenny by the arm, and yanked him upright. “Break it up!” As the boy came up to his feet, he was forced to release the headlock on his brother.
While pulling at the bigger teen's grip, Kenny kicked out at wildly at his brother. The glancing blow wasn't enough to knock him back down, but it pissed him off. Carl lunged up as Kenny stepped back into Jesse and all three of them hit the ground, just as the streetlights blink off.
A squeal of fright slipped past Jackie’s lips in the dark. The others looked around, wondering what happened as the lights came back on.
Jason was the first to speak. “Hey, where's Kevin?”
* * *
Standing at the end of the driveway with his eyes pretend closed, Kevin watched the fight between the twins and Jesse play out. When all three of them hit the ground, he'd stuttered in his count trying not to laugh, so he really did close his eyes to avoid being caught. He didn't see the lights blink off and come back on, but everything around him went suddenly quiet.
“48, 49, 50...ready or not, here I come.” He opened his eyes ready to shout out his friends’ names as fast as he could, but the driveway and yard were empty. “Huh,” he muttered, surprised at how quickly they'd hidden. It made sense after all the bragging he'd done that they’d wanted to make it tough on him.
Roving a few paces from the can, he began looking for figures in the shadows between houses and around the hedges, shrubs, and cars. Everything was quiet, but for the hammering from Mr. McConnel's garage.
Behind him, down at the end of the street, two figures climbed out of an old truck, one of them carrying a green army style pack.
* * *
“Just stop it!” Jackie’s voice cut through the night. Jason and Sammy were pulling the twins apart while Jesse stood with his arms crossed over his chest, looking like he wanted to punch someone. They all turned. Once their attention on her, she glanced left then right and whispered. “Something's wrong.”
Jesse sighed. “What’s wrong?”
“Can't you tell?” she replied gesturing around.
“No. What are you—”
“What the holy hell?” Jason exclaimed as he pulled Kenny towards the street, while Sammy and Carl ran towards the driveway. A shadow rose up off the front yard, its body appearing spiderlike, but with a wolf’s head and two long tentacles coming off its back. It was easily the size of Mr. McConnel’s work truck and had Jesse pinned between it and the twin's house.
“Jesse, run!” Jackie shouted, backing towards the two that ran past her on the driveway, while Kenny and Jason gave it a wide circle jogging towards them.
“Dude, are you seeing this?” Sammy asked, his mouth hanging open.
“Yeah,” Carl muttered, “seeing...but not believing.”
Moving up behind them, Jackie asked. “Do you see Jesse?”
“He ran through the shrubs and disappeared around the house,” Kenny explained as they jogged up.
“That dude can move when he wants to,” Jason added, and then turned towards the creature. “What's it doing now?” As they watched, the creature shifted its bulk back and forth, while the details of its head slowly seemed to lose detail. The tentacles wavered slightly in the air.
“It looks confused,” Jesse offered from behind, causing several of them to jump.
“Punk ass,” Sammy muttered, shoving the bigger teen.
The creature shuffled forward a couple of steps, but when the group didn't react, it stopped.
“What the crap?” Jason exclaimed. “This makes no sense. Where are Kevin and Darla?”
Jackie glanced around. “She was right next to me?”
From across the road, Darla stepped out of her house and shouted. “Did my parents come out—” When her gaze fell on the creature, she screamed.
In a blink, the head became bear-like with spikes running down its neck. Unleashing a silent roar, it moved quickly across the road. With it moving towards her, Darla ran inside and slammed the door shut.
The teens all took a step back as it skittered past.
“What the crap?” Jason repeated.
“Maybe it heard her?” Jesse guessed.
“Should we do something?” Jackie asked.
“What do you want to do, yell at it?” Jesse retorted, “Besides, I'm sure she's locked the doors and that thing is too big to get into the house.”
Shaking their heads to clear them, the twins glanced at one another. “I feel like my ears just popped.” Carl said.
“No. It's more like being released from one of Jesse’s stupid bear hugs,” Sammy countered.
Kenny shook his head and took a deep breath. “I think you’re both right. It’s possible our senses might have been dulled within the specific proximity of that thing.” When they all turned to stare at him, he let out a sigh, again realizing that he would have to dumb it down. “Like an area of effect.”
“Dude, are you talking about a Charm spell from D&D?” Sammy asked.
Kenny nodded. “Essentially, but maybe more of a glam or confusion spell.”
“Maybe more of a glam,” Carl mocked. “Do you always have to correct everyone on everything?”
“I was just trying to be precise.”
“You were just being a jerk.”
A scream erupted from within Darla’s house. When they turned to look, the creature was clinging to the second story, reaching both of its tentacles in through the windows. Jackie turned an angry look on Jesse.
“How the hell was I supposed to know it could do that?”
Jackie started towards Darla’s house, glancing back at the boys. “Well don't just stand there, we have to help her!”
None of them moved; Jesse shrugged. “How?”
The screams stopped and everything went eerily silent. That quiet was broken by the sound of someone blowing their nose. Turning, the group watched Jason bend down to wipe his hand in the grass. Stopping in mid-motion, he looked up at them. “What?”
Jackie scrunched up her face and uttered, “Gross.”
“I can't smell anything,” Jason stated, wiping his hand in the grass, and then on his shorts.
While the rest of the boys began sniffing the air, Jackie sighed, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, that's one of the things that's wrong. I also don't hear any insects or hammering from Mr. McConnel's garage.” The boys looked at one another, confusion growing into alarm.
“What the hell, man?” Sammy muttered, taking a step back.
Jason pointed across the street. “I think we need to go check on Darla. What if it got her?”
“Yes,” Jackie agreed.
“Hold up a second.” They all turned to Jesse. “If we all try to go there it’s going to come after us. Maybe some of us can lure it away.”
Jackie nodded. “That’s a good idea.”
“It’s a good idea until you have to be bait,” Sammy offered, his brow creased in a deep scowl.
Putting his arm around the smaller boy’s shoulders, Jason grinned. “Just don’t let it catch you, Sammy Speedball.”
Hanging is head, the little blonde boy sighed. He tried to pretend otherwise, but he liked that nickname and often did things to encourage people to call him by it. “I knew it was going to be me.”
“Nah, we’ll take turns,” Jason replied, and then took a step back, “But you can go first cause whatever that creature is, it's coming back, and it looks pissed.”
They all turned to see the creature stalking down the front yard, its body taking on more of a feline appearance, with the head of an ant, its giant mandibles clacking silently as it approached.
With his eyes wide, Jesse shouted, “Scatter!”
* * *
“Man, I still don't get how you knew it was going to show up here,” Bruce Richards, asked, pouring salt in a circle on the grass. He and Hank McDonald had climbed over the five-foot metal fence in the backyard of the corner house and were hunkered down between a shed and small garden behind an above the ground swimming pool.
The older man sighed. “I told you, it migrates around town in the same general pattern. It was observation and a little luck, but we need to hurry. I've never seen it pull in that many at once.”
“If we need to hurry, why in the hell did we sneak all the way over here?” Standing up straight, Bruce put his hands on his hips and stretched his back. “Those kids disappeared four houses up?”
“Be quiet damn you,” Hank hushed him, pausing as he drew the scripting in the salt, “there's still a kid down there, if he or anyone else comes over here and breaks this circle while we're inside, we'll be trapped.”
“I can watch it while you go in, like normal.”
“You saw how many kids disappeared, we're both going in to collect them.”
Glancing away to hide the fear in his eyes, Bruce shuddered in the silence while Hank finished working the symbols into the circle of salt. He hated going in there. Aside from the creature of which he was completely terrified, he found the silence and lack of smell to be extremely disturbing. It was like walking around in a dream, waiting for the guy with razors on his fingers to show up.
After completing the last symbol, Hank moved back as the area directly above the circle dulled, looking like an iced over window. Taking the athame out of its sheath, which looked suspiciously like a double-edged decorative knife that could be found in any small-town flea market, the older man turned to his companion, his tone hushed. “You ready?”
Bruce shook his head, wishing desperately for a drink, a toke, or a snort—anything that would stop his inside from shaking.
“Stop being a sissy,” Hank whispered with a grin, stepping up to the portal and driving the athame into the dulled column. Bruce wondered if any knife could cut the barrier, but only ever thought about it when they were doing it, and so never asked. “We have to rescue those kids,” the older man continued. When he pulled the blade out, the barrier shuddered and then shattered inward, leaving the edges of the column ragged and flapping silently.
Sheathing the athame and grabbing the green pack, Hank stepped inside and disappeared.
“Oh man, I don't wanna do this,” Bruce muttered. Sighing, he looked down at the ground and whispered, “Fuck,” before stepping through. Once inside, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath of nothing, feeling the despair of the place creeping into his mind. Next to him, Hank was on one knee digging things out of his pack, when a boy’s voice broke the silence.
“Over here! Come and get me.” The kid was goading it.
The two men glanced at one another, confusion stitching their brows. Bruce was the first to speak. “What the hell, man?”
Shrugging, the older man handed him two purple felt bags full of salt and pulled the pack over his shoulders. “Let's go find out.”
“I hate this place.”
Hopping over the fence and moving quickly in the direction of the voice, Hank didn’t bother to respond. Much as he had when they made their way over it the first time, Bruce struggled, rattling a large section of the fence as he thumped to the ground on the other side. Pushing himself up, he wondered how much alcohol it would take for him forget all about Hank and this place. He'd just started making his way up the road, when he saw a dark-haired boy sprint across the street ahead of him, running towards a yellow house. “Hey kid!”
The boy practically skidded to a stop. “Dude run!” he shouted, pointing back across the road. “It's coming.”
Bruce backed towards the kid when the creature emerged from the shadows between the houses. It looked like a giant cat with two long tentacles coming off its shoulders, and an insect-like head. Muttering, “Man, I hate that thing,” he pulled the bow free and launched one of the purple felt bags. It was difficult to miss something the size of a van, but Bruce did his best, scoring only a glancing hit, but it was effective enough. When the salt inside exploded outward on impact, the creature shrank back the way it had come.
“What was that?”
“Salt. Come on kid, we gotta get you outta here.” He turned back towards the fenced in yard on the corner.
“No time to wait kid, we gotta round up a gaggle of you all.” He started walking; the kid stood there. “What the hell are you doing, man, let's go!”
“We have to warn my friends, they're not gonna know it's coming back.”
Bruce sighed. “Man. Shit. Okay, where are they?”
* * *
“We need to find a way out,” Jesse whispered.
“What are you talking about, punk? You said we can go out the back door if it comes to the front and the other way around if it comes to the back,” Sammy replied.
“Not out of the garage, out of this place. Wherever it is.” When they didn’t find anyone in any of the nearby houses, Kenny had explained that they likely stepped into a parallel dimension, citing science that made no sense. Since he was by far the smartest kid in school, they all acknowledged his explanation. Accepting it was something else altogether.
“Dude, we don't even know how we got into it.”
Scanning the shadows over by Darla's house, Jesse scowled. “I still don’t see Kenny or Jackie.” Turning back to Sammy, he asked again. “You said it's not letting us off the block, right? Maybe we just need to get out of the area. Over to the stadium or something.”
“Jason should be back by now,” Carl called from the backdoor.
Sammy turned to him. “Shit. I told you guys, it’s faster than you think and does that creepy teleport thing when you get close to Palm or Douglas. It won’t let us onto those streets. Do you think it got him?”
Jesse shushed his friend. “Nah, Jason’s smart, but I think there's someone coming around the house.”
“Maybe it's that thing.”
“How would you know?”
“It doesn't make any sound and I hear footsteps.”
“Oh.” Sammy paused. “But we haven't seen anyone else.”
Putting a finger over his lips, Jesse waved his friend back as the footsteps got louder. The two of them hunkered down next to the blue station wagon in the garage.
The quiet was broken by Carl’s voice as he moved to the front of the garage. “Jason's late, he should have been here by now.”
Standing, Jesse motioned his friend back as a figure loomed at the corner of the garage. “Hey fellas,” a man's voice said, “I'm Hank, let's get you all out of here.”
Carl yipped when the man stepped forward and, fell back on the lawnmower parked against the back wall, barely catching himself on his father's workbench. The crashing noises seemed to be amplified by the silence around them.
Jumping at all the noise, Jesse shouted. “Jesus Christ! What's wrong with you?” Turning back to the front of the garage, he scowled. “Wait, did you say Hank, as in Hank McDonald?” The old man offered a half smile.
“Shit,” Sammy uttered, grabbing the larger teens arm, “my ma says to stay away from him.”
“Well my dad told me that if I ever saw Mr. McDonald, I should do whatever he says, and he'll make sure I get home.”
“My mom was pretty insistent.”
“Your mom goes to a psychic for Bingo advice.”
“Uh, guys…” Carl called from the back of the garage.
“No, she doesn't,” the boy started, his brow knit, and then looked away. “She goes for lottery advice.”
“Yeah. So, I think we'll go with what my dad said.”
“It's coming!” Carl announced as he retreated towards the back door.
While the two boys moved deeper into the garage, towards the front of the station wagon, Hank pulled the bow on the pouch in his hand and launched it directly into the insect-like head. The salt exploded out of the bag and the creature backed away, practically pouring into the driveway next door. When he turned back to the teens, he said, “I saw a backdoor, let's go. I need to get you guys outta here.”
“We definitely listen to him,” Sammy agreed, clambering over the hood of the station wagon.
* * *
“Crap.” Kevin stood by the can, he hadn't seen any of his friends since the game started and had gone so far as to check behind several of the houses, leaving the can completely unguarded, purposely giving them plenty of time to kick it.
He felt like he was all alone and didn't like that feeling one bit.
It was time to give them what they wanted, if only so that he wouldn't be alone any longer.
“Alright guys.” He paused, breathing through the grimace on his face. “I give up. Olly olly oxen free!”
When there was no response, he got angry. “Come on you guys! I said that I give up! You win, just come out!”
More time passed, and Kevin sat down on the curb, muttering to himself. “Come on you guys, where are you?”
* * *
“Hank’s got them man,” Bruce insisted, as he and Jason watched the creature move towards the garage and then retreat away in a cloud of salt. “See. Let's get out of here.” Again, he turned back towards the fenced in yard on the corner.
“What about Kenny and Jackie?”
“They went to Darla's house to check on her.”
“Fuck man, why didn't you all stick together?”
The teen shrugged. “Things got crazy, and it's not like we wanted be here...man.”
“Fuck.” Mulling his options, Bruce sighed—there weren't many. “Alright, what house are they in?”
“The blue and white one next to the McCon—err, five houses up on that side.”
“What! Are they far enough away?” Bruce ran his hands through his greasy black hair. “Fuck.”
“I get it, that thing is out there, but it tried to get to Darla in her house. They're trying to get to her so we're keeping it busy. Or we were until you showed up. If it loses track of us, it might go back over there. We need to get them all out of there first.”
“Fuck, you guys are making this complicated.” Bruce looked at the creature hunkered down in the driveway. It was already starting to reform. There was no way he could leave them in that house without leaving this one too. Hank is going to have to spring for something a lot stronger than beer when we get out. “Come-on, let's go get ‘em.”
When Bruce started up the road, the teen grabbed his arm. “Not that way, we can't let it see us. We have to get behind the houses.” He took a couple of steps across the street and turned back. “It's like the world's deadliest game of Kick the Can.” For the third time that evening, no one laughed at that joke.
Shaking his head, Bruce grimaced at the teen. “Come on, man, let's go get these fuckers and get the hell outta here.”
* * *
Leading the three kids back to the fenced in yard on the corner, Hank whispered, “Go over quietly, we don't want to draw any attention over here.”
“What about my brother?” the dark haired one asked again.
“I told you, my friend's getting him and the others.” Hank sounded a lot more confident about that than he felt. He needed to get these three out fast so he could go look for Bruce and the other kids. The problem was that the creature wasn't going to just be feeding any longer, after getting hit with the salt it would be raging. Anyone it caught would be crushed or torn to pieces almost immediately.
“What's that?” The big boy asked, pointing at the ragged tear above the circle.
“That is an exit strategy. You always have to have one,” he said, clapping the teen on the shoulder as the boys moved over to the circle. Gathering them into a huddle, he continued keeping his voice low, “Go through one at a time and be damn careful to step inside the circle. If you step on it and break it, the rest of us are gonna be trapped in here with that thing and I'm gonna be pissed.”
The boys all nodded, and the dark haired one asked again, “What about my brother?”
“They're gonna get him out,” the short blonde-haired boy said. “Stop being a punk.”
Hank grinned. “I couldn't have said it better myself. When you go through, sit quietly and wait, don't draw any attention until everyone comes through.” His gaze went pointedly at the dark-haired kid, “including your brother.”
* * *
“Do you think you could've taken us further up the block?” Bruce asked between labored breaths as they jogged down through the backyards towards the blue and white house.
“No, if we go any farther it will just show up, like teleport or something.”
“Don't get sarcasm, do you kid?”
The teen glanced back. “Uh, yeah.”
Frowning to himself, Bruce followed as they moved in silence to the back of the house. Once there, Jason went to the sliding glass door and slowly pushed it open. “Wait here, I'll go get them.”
“What? No.” Bruce began to push his way inside.
Standing firm, the kid put up his hands. “Dude, I don't know you, I ain't letting you into Darla's house.”
“Are you fucking kidding me here?”
“The more you argue, the longer this is going to take.”
“Fuck.” Bruce looked around. “Fine. Go get them.” If he wanted to leave them, this was going to be his chance. Moving to the edge of the house, he peeked around the corner. The creature was moving across the road towards the house, its form had become lobster-like, with a bear’s head. The two tentacles were now forward on the body and they slammed silently into the ground as it moved. “Fuck, its raging.”
Turning back towards sliding glass doors, a grin crossed his face. A short blonde stepped out—and man was this girl stacked—hips, breasts, and butt all perfectly proportioned. He was suddenly very happy that he hadn't left them and wondered how grateful she might be for the rescue.
Seeing his leer, the girl took a step back and wiped tears from her eyes.
“Dude, stop staring,” Jason said, crossing in front of him as he exited the house. “It’s creepy!”
Distracted by her, he hadn't even noticed him or the other teen boy, presumably Kenny, come out of the house. “Right,” Bruce said, clapping his hands once as he glanced over at the girl, “Wait, ain’t there supposed to be two girls?”
Jason shook his head. “It got her.”
The girl leaned on the platinum haired boy and began to sob.
“Uh. Sorry.” The platinum haired boy looked pissed. Bruce wasn’t sure if the kid was pissed at him or someone else and didn’t much care. “We all need to get out of here and the way we’re gonna do that is by heading straight back towards those houses up there and then quickly, but quietly, back towards the end of the street. Any questions.”
“Whoa!” Jason jumped back, grabbing the girl and pulling her to the ground.
Looking up, she screamed and pushed herself away in an awkward crabwalk.
Turning, Bruce saw the creature atop of the house. The platinum haired boy was wrapped in one of its tentacles. Something popped and the boy let out a stifled scream. “Fuck.” Glancing down at the bag of salt in his hand, he hesitated—he'd planned to use it to cover their escape, throwing it now meant that once the creature recovered it would be a race and he'd be willing to bet that all the kids were faster than him, even the girl.
Another pop sounded over the screams.
Sighing, he shook his head. “Fuck.”
Pulling the bow, Bruce launched the purple felt bag, striking the silently rotating bear head right in the mouth. It dropped Kenny and skittered back off the roof. Pointing at the girl he turned to Mike. “Pick her up and shut her up!” Moving over to the injured teen, he pointed towards the front of the house. “Forget the yards, get to the street.” Jason and the girl stared at him. “NOW!” The shout got them moving while he helped the injured teen up by his shoulders.
“I can't...breathe,” the boy uttered.
“Probably busted ribs,” Bruce replied, doing his best to get them jog-stumbling towards the road.
The two kids were there waiting for him.
“What the fuck are you doing, man? Run! Get to that fenced in yard on the corner.”
While the girl started running, Jason grabbed one of the injured boy's arms and put it around his shoulder. “You are way too slow to do this alone…man.”
Before they got more than a few steps, with the platinum haired kid whimpering in pain between them, the creature stepped up out of the shadows on the street in front of them.
“Well this sucks,” Jason muttered.
Glancing over at the dark-haired boy, Bruce nodded. “Yep.” Watching it silently roar, he felt it trying to dull his senses. “Fuck!” Letting go of Kenny, he let himself be scared. “I'm gonna to lead it away. Tell Hank I fucking hate him for bringing me into this shit!”
With that, Bruce took off running towards the house across the road.
Behind him the kid shouted, “Who's Hank?”
Ignoring him, Bruce pushed himself as hard as he could, half-hoping the creature would settle for the easy meal instead of the moving one, but just like the old man said, whenever someone runs, it chases.
* * *
“Why are we even talking about this?” Jesse asked, his arms crossed over his chest.
Carl stepped up to the larger teen. “Because my damn brother is still in there!”
“I don’t give a rat’s ass what Hank said.”
“Listen, if we go back in there all we’re going to do is make it harder for them to get everyone out. We’re safe now so they don’t have to worry about us and can just worry about the others.”
“That’s easy for you to say.”
“No, it isn’t I—hey, where’s Sammy?”
The two of them turned in circles, looking around and stopped at the ragged tear.
“You don’t think—” Carl’s voice trailed off.
“Nah, he wouldn’t be that stupid.”
“Sammy Speedball might be.”
* * *
Retracing his steps to the backside of the yellow house, Hank peeked around the front to see the creature crossing the road. It had recovered from the salt and was moving deliberately, aggressively; more like a soldier than a hunter. If it were going after the kids it should be stalking, and it certainly wasn't moving fast enough to be on the chase. Watching as it climbed the blue and white house across the street, he waited, curious by this behavior. There was no doubt that it was pissed and would kill anyone it managed to capture, but for the moment it seemed...unfocused.
As it moved over the house, Hank wished he'd been able to get a look at its head, the form of the head often mirrored its behavior.
Unable to see it any longer, he took the opportunity to retrieve a couple more bags of salt from his pack and picked up the empty bag from the one he'd thrown earlier. Throwing it back over his shoulder, he wondered if Bruce might have had gotten the kids out, and then heard the girl's scream.
“Dammit,” he muttered, realizing that the creature had been going for the kids after all. Racing across the street, he moved to the back of the neighboring house in time to see the last of the kids disappear around the corner, heading for the road. From his vantage, he could see the creature stumbling across the roof and realized that Bruce likely hit it with one of his pouches of salt. Moving into the backyard to get a better look at the creature, he saw the tentacles wagging frantically. It hadn’t been that angry since the night it killed Chief James and his wife.
And the angrier it gets, the faster it recovers.
It leapt off the house as Hank ran around to the front. Out on the road, he saw Bruce sprinting away from the kids, drawing the creature after him.
A small grin touched the corners of the old man’s mouth. “I knew he had it in him.”
* * *
No one catches Sammy Speedball, the boy thought to himself as he ran up through the backyards. Not even stupid shadow monsters.
No matter what Jesse thought, Sammy’s Mom had been clear about staying away from Hank McDonald, and that meant that doing as the old man said was the wrong thing to do. There was no way he was going to leave his friends to fend for themselves, not when he could lead it away and then escape into the portal.
The smallest among you is the greatest.
His Mom said that to him all the time. Now he was going to prove it.
Ahead of him he saw someone running towards him through the backyards, and the creature followed.
* * *
Fueled by outright terror, Bruce ran as hard as he could, ignoring the growing stitch in his side and trying to remember if he should be breathing through his nose or mouth. A glance back at the creature closing the distance between them, with the bear head beginning to sprout spider eyes as it silently roared, nearly made him forget to breathe altogether.
He ran up the driveway of a green house with white trim, tripped through a flower garden, and rounded the gray house next door as a tentacle slammed down on the ground behind him. Somewhere in the terrified scream that followed was Hank's name, if he were still around to hear it. Even with the terror clouding his mind, he was aware enough to note that the green house with white trim had a fenced in backyard—had he been one house further up or gone around to the other side, he'd have likely been trapped and dead by now.
It was a sobering thought that did nothing to allay his fear.
“Stupid fucking kids,” he muttered to himself, as he ran beneath a two-story deck that the creature was forced to navigate around, giving him a few precious seconds of lead time. Big obstacles helped a little but weaving through trees or around cars just slowed you down enough for the tentacles to get you. “I should have left the fuckers there,” he huffed, taking some solace in the sounds of his own voice in the silence that seemed to permeate this place. After the creature fed on them it could have been a year or two before it started hunting again, plenty of time for him to convince Hank that he was the wrong guy for this job.
With his breath coming in pants, a painful stitch growing in his side, and his legs beginning to cramp, Bruce was beginning to slow. He'd almost made it to the yellow house, but it wasn't going to be enough. For as much as he willed himself to keep running, a voice in his mind was telling him that it was already too late. At this point, all he was going to accomplish was to die tired.
Just as he was about to give up, a voice called out in the darkness. “Over here, you punk ass thing!”
Bruce turned, the creature was practically on top of him, but there was another kid in the back by a large tree. Hopping from side to side, the kid was practically shaking his ass at it, and drew its attention. “Kid, no! Obstacles don’t…”
The tentacles lashed out. The teen dodged one and ran around the tree, but the creature anticipated the move and the other was there waiting.
It slammed down on the kid, driving him into the ground with a muffled scream.
Turning away at the sound of breaking bones, Bruce saw the open door at the back of the yellow house. He leapt inside and barely managed to pull it shut as the creature slammed into it, rattling the frame.
“Fuck!” After taking a moment to catch his breath, he made his way through the storage shed at the back of the garage and moved between a blue station wagon and an old blue truck towards the open garage door.
The tentacles dropped down onto the driveway first, followed by the creature slowly lowering itself down, the spider-eyed bear head was staring right at him.
Anger joined the fear in his mind. “Seriously man! You just fucking ate two kids, give me a break here!”
Silently, the creature moved forward, completely blocking the garage, its tentacles moving inside.
“Fuck you!” he screamed at it, backing away.
Almost back to the shed, he fell backwards over the edge of a lawnmower parked against the back wall, hitting the concrete floor hard. Pulling himself up on a shelf, one of the tentacles wrapped around his leg and lifted him into the air.
For the moment the only thing that kept him from being ripped back into the garage was his desperate grip on heavy workbench. Pain lanced through his mind as the creature began to crush his lower leg and moved upward to engulf him.
Turning to look for a weapon on the shelf, what he saw instead brought a smirk to his pained features.
* * *
When hank had returned, two of the three kids he’d already put through were standing on this side by the fence. The third, a blonde kid named Sammy had gone back out to try to help. A string of curses fell out of his mouth as Hank roughly herded them all back through, warning them repeatedly not to step on the circle of salt. The last one, a curly-haired boy named Jason, stood there and asked, “What about the other dude?”
“I'll go get him and your other friend, don't worry.”
“I don't think there's gonna be anything to get,” he replied. “That guy wasn't fast enough to outrun that thing.”
“I'll worry about that, you make sure none of them come back through, no matter what.”
The teen nodded and stepped out, and then popped his head back in. “You sure you want to go it alone?” Hank stared at him until the kid acquiesced with a nod. “It's your funeral, dude.”
When he was alone, Hank took off his pack and started digging through it. Even though the creature got one of the girls, he knew from experience that the kids would tell their story, and no one would listen. A story would circulate about the girl running away and once the mockery started, the kids would stop talking about it. That's the way it always went. Those who let it go would be fine, but the ones who persisted would fall on hard times.
Looking around, he blew out a long breath. Jason was right, chances were good that Bruce was gone, but he'd still have to look, he owed him that.
A smile touched the corners of his mouth. When it came down to it, Bruce had sacrificed himself to save others. From the moment they'd meet at Miller's Pond that night, he'd known Bruce had it in him, even if he didn't know it.
“What are you smiling about, old man?”
Turning, what Hank saw left him speechless.
Bruce hobbled up to the fence with a confident grin that was new. “You made it. What happened?”
Holding up an empty bag of rock salt, he waved it around. “That fucker hates this shit.”
Starting to laugh, Hank gave him a big grin.
“Come-on, man, help me over this so we can get the hell out of here.”
“Wait, we’re still missing one.”
Bruce looked away and shook his head. “There was nothing I could do, man.”
“Dammit, if he’d just stayed put!”
“Not your fault, man. We do what we can, now let’s get the fuck outta here.”
Nodding, the older man started helping him over the fence.
“All the drinks are on you tonight.”


text:
Hanna 1382 PPM TDS Calibration Solution 20ml
CAD 3.75 Excl. tax
HI70032P is a premium quality 1,382 mg/L (ppm) TDS calibration solution standardized with a conductivity meter that has been calibrated with potassium chloride NIST 2202 SRM in deionized water for analytical use in accordance with ISO 3696/BS3978.
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