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In his debut novel, "Trust No One," Michael Hearns introduced readers to the captivating world of Vice Intelligence and Narcotics detective Cade Taylor. The subsequent books, "Grasping Smoke: A Cade Taylor Novel" and "One More Move: A Cade Taylor Novel," were widely acclaimed solidifying Cade Taylor as a remarkable action-driven character in the literary realm. Now, in "Choices and Chances: A Cade Taylor Novel,"South Florida undercover detective Cade Taylor makes a triumphant return in Hearns' latest addition to the series. Cade finds himself embroiled in a complex homicide case that thrusts him smack dead into the heart of the investigation. Reluctantly, he must collaborate with an old police academy classmate turned homicide investigator, all while evading the intrusive interference of a federal agent that jeopardizes his standing with both the police department and the Drug Enforcement Agency. As the case unfolds, Cade discovers a Caribbean connection that stretches from South Florida to Philadelphia, making it the most intricate case of his career. The danger is palpable, and every twist and turn tests Cade's mettle in dangerous heart-stopping moments keeping him and the reader on the edge of their seats. Staying true to the Dark Tropics literary genre he pioneered, Hearns immerses readers in the vibrant energy of South Florida, revealing that sunshine isn't always the best disinfectant. Sometimes, it's the scouring of cold steel brass shells and lead bullets that reveal the truth.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey there, welcome back to Think Business with Tyler. Today, we've got a very special episode for you. Joining me is Chrissy Myers, an incredibly resilient business leader who has mastered the art of juggling family legacy, HR innovation, and the rollercoaster of entrepreneurship. Stick around as we dive into the inspiring journey of a woman who embodies strength in the face of adversity. You don't want to miss this one! My Links:  https://linktr.ee/thinktyler  https://thinktyler.com/podcast_episode/chrissy-myers-reluctantly-resilient/ https://thinktyler.com/  Podcast: ThinkBusinesswithTyler.com  Host: Tyler Martin Business Coach  Linkedin  Instagram  YouTube  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Derek Dombeck - The Generations of Wealth On the Challenging Relationship Employers Are Forced Into: "Speculation and appreciation doesn't pay your bills or keep your family fed. It looks beautiful on a spreadsheet ,on a balance sheet, until things go the other way." Real Estate Investing is a powerful tool for growing your wealth, as well as building a legacy for you and whomever you would like beyond your life. But some real estate investors just want to invest in real estate, and not deal with tenants, painting, plumbing issues, 3am phone calls and the paperwork that comes with owning property.  Some investors prefer to just invest their money, get a decent return and continue the process of having their money work for them. Derek sheds light on innovative solutions for storage unit businesses, his own path in the real estate industry, and the importance of understanding local markets and regulations. We'll explore the nuances of investing in places like Madison and Milwaukee, and uncover why he advises starting with single-family properties and values local real estate investor associations. With the launch of his Generations of Wealth podcast slated for March 14th, Derek is set to share his comprehensive approach to wealth, which extends far beyond financial gains. You'll learn about his commitment to helping Wisconsin locals navigate the real estate market without hidden costs or tricks. We'll also delve into the significance of effective communication and negotiation in closing deals, both in real estate and beyond, and the challenges posed by the evolving landscape of customer service in an AI-dominated world. Whether you're dealing in duplexes or many door count multifamily properties, this conversation boasts invaluable insights, including Derek's tales of overcoming adversity during the 2007 market crash and how building relationships can form the backbone of any successful business venture. Listen as Derek explains how to get into the real estate investing game without having to get dirty into the real estate investing game. Enjoy! Visit Derek at: https://thegenerationsofwealth.com/ Podcast Overview: 00:00 Passing on real estate wisdom to future generations. 06:25 Speculation doesn't pay bills, control business. 12:26 Ethical real estate broker helps sellers profit. 18:26 Structuring installment sale, focusing on mutual benefit. 21:57 Suggest talking to professional for personalized tax advice. 29:18 Reluctantly filed bankruptcy, stood by decisions. 33:40 Risky debt led to starting lending company. 37:33 Networking in person is more effective. 46:20 Shows, wealth.com, contact info, investing experience, Wisconsin. 49:31 Embracing diversity, solving problems, and staying humble. 55:14 Start small in real estate; seek local advice. 01:00:47 Authentic Business Adventures introduces successful business owners. Podcast Transcription: Derek Dombeck [00:00:00]: I have to call people. What if they answer? And and I said, okay. Let's look at it this way. Twist your mindset. If you know you have the skills to help somebody and you choose not to call them, you are by default harming that person. James [00:00:17]: You have found Authentic Business Adventures, the business program that brings you the struggle stories and triumphant successes of business owners across the land. Downloadable audio episodes can be found in the podcast link found at draw in customers.com. We are locally underwritten by the Bank of Sun Prairie. Today, we're welcoming slash preparing to learn from Derek Dombek, the founder of Generations of Wealth Global. And today, we're chatting real estate, which is, I think, almost everyone knows you can make a couple bucks with. So, Derek, how is it going today? Derek Dombeck [00:00:50]: It's going really well, James. And, you can make a couple bucks. You can also lose a couple bucks if you do it wrong. James [00:00:56]:

After Elizabeth's death, police ask a suspect, Michael, to sit for a polygraph exam. Reluctantly, he agrees, hoping that it will help clear his name. Ruth and TJ examine why that didn't happen.Click here to read a transcript of the polygraph clips heard in this episode.Visit www.truebelieverpodcast.com to see additional materials related to each episode or to get in touch with us.

Lost in Eros, Book II: The Forest – Part 7Daphne, the Amazon leader, Honors Don & Toshia.By BradentonLarry - Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories.Chapter 14Reunion: our heroes enjoy each other and a Sisterhood orgy.Don held Toshia tightly in his arms and kissed the top of her head. For several moments he just forgot about everything else and was happy to hold her. It had always been like that, one Toshia hug and he was totally in love with her. Whatever else was going on in his life, there was the constant affection he had for her, and in those all too brief moments when they were together like this nothing else mattered. Of course, here in Eros, he had gotten used to having much more of her attention and enjoying quite bit more than the occasional hug, but after being separated from her for a week a simple hug was a celebration!Gradually, he became aware that Shelonda and Nicole were also there, waiting to greet Toshia as well. Reluctantly, and only because he knew she wasn’t going to fall off another cliff anytime soon, Don kissed her again and loosened his embrace. He smiled at her and said, “Welcome back.”Blushing a little, she grinned back at him and gave him a quick kiss, before turning to the girls who immediately attacked her with a happy group hug.Don looked to Daphne, who was busy eyeing the creature who had escorted Toshia back to the castle. Somehow it hadn’t really surprised Don to see a living, breathing Minotaur here. Clearly, the big man-bull alarmed the sisters, and the fact that he had docilely accompanied Toshia, who had apparently counted on the fact that the sisters would be alarmed, amused Don a great deal. Paying a bit more attention to the creature, Don noticed that the Minotaur was anything but at ease here. He was looking about himself as if he expected the sisters to attack him at any moment. Likewise, the sisters seemed tense, ready to defend themselves if the big creature went berserk. Amy noticed the Minotaur’s agitation and reached out to stroke his side, but this didn’t really seem to help.“Toshia,” Don said, “I don’t think your friend there is too happy here.”“Oh!” Toshia immediately extricated herself from the girls and walked over to the Minotaur. She reached up and caressed his long, broad face and murmured encouragement. She said, “If you want to go back outside, it’s OK.” Then, with an obvious and meaningful glance at Daphne, Toshia added, “Just don’t go too far. We might need you again.”Don smiled to see the Minotaur clearly nod his head and turn and leave the way he had come in, sisters scattering to get out of his way.Don turned to Daphne, who had been watching all of these proceedings silently, and said, “My friends and I don’t intend to stay long – just the night.” Don thought he could see some conflicting emotions playing out in Daphne’s blue eyes. He added, “Perhaps a celebration of our visit is in order…”“Yes, of course,” she smiled and nodded. “We will have a party in your honor. I will have rooms made available for you to rest and bathe.”Don wondered if he detected the first genuine jealousy he’d seen in Eros in Daphne’s tone and choice of words. He continued to assert his dominance, saying, “Just one room will do.”Daphne bowed her head a little, but Don could tell she wasn’t smiling.In a short while, Don and the four women were alone in one of the castle’s bedrooms. There was a large, low bed in the middle of the room and a small chamber off to the side that Toshia identified as a bathing room.“You’re pretty badly banged up, love,” Toshia said with some concern. “We better get you cleaned up and bandaged.”As the women gently, but quickly, stripped his clothes off him, Don had to admit that he was feeling the abuse he’d suffered in his fighting with the Sisterhood. He cheek was tender and a bit swollen, the area around and above his left eye was quite sore, and the cuts on his left shoulder and forearm stung annoyingly. Moreover, his muscles were sore and stiffening from what had been a long, strenuous fight with the sisters. It was all enough to put thoughts of sex a bit out of his mind, even though he was led naked into the side chamber by Toshia and Nicole, who were also stripping out of their clothes. Toshia dumped a bucket of cold water over his head, and this did nothing at all to rekindle his lust.He noticed that Toshia’s belly was pretty seriously scraped up, but she assured him and the others that it was nothing and didn’t even hurt anymore.As Toshia and Nicole took washcloths and soap to his sore body, Shelonda began to wash his hair, and Don reflected that he was leading a weird and wonderful life. Thinking of weird and wonderful, he remembered that he wanted to ask, “So, Toshia, what have you been up to?”Toshia laughed and began to tell them about her adventures. She tried to summarize things, but Don and the others wouldn’t let her get away with that. She described her first encounter with the satyrs in as much detail as she could remember. The other three women found this story very interesting, and clearly arousing as they all began to be more and distracted by the lovely and increasingly wet and soapy bodies at hand. Don also felt his body and interest responding. He would have returned to his normal self if Nicole weren’t carefully cleaning his wounds and his head didn’t ache quite so much. Still, he contributed his own fair share of probing questions. To one of these, Toshia responded, “Yes, two of them at once – both in my pussy, but that’s nothing.”“Well, it’s definitely not nothing!” Nicole said, looking up from Don’s arm.“No, but there’s more,” Toshia smiled.“More than two in your pussy?” Shelonda asked in surprised.Toshia laughed, “No! How would that even work?”“Let me think about it, and I’ll get back to you,” Amy smirked.“You do that,” Toshia grinned. “I meant, let me continue, and you’ll see.”Toshia told them about being captured and brought to the castle, and about how she’d been tied up to the X-shaped cross while they finished cleaning Don up. Another bucket of cold water was dumped over him, and he was told to sit on a nearby bench to dry, while they took turns bathing each other, starting with Shelonda. Now, Toshia told them about being thrown to the men.“Oh, down where Don and Daphne fell and fucked?” Shelonda asked.“Oh, now I have to hear about that!” Toshia said with surprising enthusiasm.Don laughed and said, “No, no – you finish your story, first.”“Fine, but I won’t forget!”“Of course not,” he smiled, leaning back against the stone wall.“OK, well, I figured there were two ways I could think of the situation…” Toshia said and began to recount the story of her long gang bang. The girls weren’t having any synopses, and pressed her for as much detail as she could remember. Shelonda was actually finished being bathed before things began to get seriously out of hand. Toshia was being bathed by six hands, and was saying, “I got on my hands and knees, so I could suck that one big cock, and I told the others they’d have to take turns fucking …” when she was distracted as Amy pushed several fingers into her.“God, that feels so good!” Toshia breathed.“Having them take turns fucking you?” asked Amy mischievously.“Mmm, yes, but that’s not what I meant. Oh!”Shelonda had lowered her mouth to Toshia’s breast and proceeded to suck on her hard nipple. Seeing that they were taking a break from story time, Nicole went ahead and leaned around to kiss Toshia passionately, while cupping Toshia’s free breast in her hand. Don watched from the side as Amy worked her hand against Toshia’s wet, naked body, fucking her fingers in and out of Toshia’s pussy. His cock, already half-hard from listening to Toshia’s story, quickly returned to full mast, but he was still quite content to sit back and watch.Amy leaned forward to get her mouth on the tit that Nicole was holding, while Nicole began to kiss and bite Toshia’s neck. It didn’t take long before Toshia was moaning and then crying out loudly as she came hard on Amy’s hand. They kept at her, though, until she was coming again, this time longer and harder. When she pushed them back, Nicole proceeded to dump a bucket of cold water over Toshia. Naturally enough, this resulted in Toshia grabbing the slim black girl and pulling her down on the stone floor. Before another minute went by, Nicole was being mobbed by the other three girls; Toshia was between her legs, going down on Nicole’s pussy, while Amy and Shelonda attacked Nicole’s nipples with their lips, tongues and teeth.Don was admiring the tangle of wet, naked women on the stone floor when he noticed that someone was standing in the door to the small room. The newcomer was a tiny brunette woman with long hair and not a stitch of clothing. He was pretty sure she was the serving girl who had accompanied Brigit with the news that Toshia had escaped. She was meekly standing in the doorway watching Don’s four companions playing. Don thought she was very pretty, and found her tiny, fit build extremely attractive. When she glanced over at him, he smiled and beckoned her to come in.As she took the few steps it took to come to him, Don saw that she was looking at his hard cock with clear interest. When she stopped in front of him, she said, “I was sent to see if you needed anything, sir.”“What’s your name?”“I’m Nina, sir,” she said quietly. She was still looking at his prick.“Who sent you, Nina?”“Daphne, sir.”Don reached out and gently took the girl’s hand. “Were you supposed to do something specific for us?”“No, sir, she just said to make sure you had everything you need.” Nina seemed fixated by Don’s cock.More than a little amused by himself and the situation, Don asked, “Would you like to touch it?”“Oh, yes, sir!”Don chuckled a little and said, “Well, go ahead.”Don actually ignored the giggling, moaning and gasping group of women on the floor before him as he watched Nina inch closer and reach down to run her fingers over his rigid sex organ. Her delicate touch almost tickled as she explored his length.“It’s very big and hard,” Nina breathed.“What else would you like to do?”“Oh, sir, I would love to fuck it!” Nina said eagerly, looking Don in the eyes for the first time.“Oh, would you?” he chuckled. “I think that would be all right.”With a surprising combination of determination and timidity, Nina quickly stepped in front of Don and turned around. With her feet on either side of his legs, she bent her knees and waist as if she were going to sit on his lap. Don held himself upright until he felt Nina’s delicate fingers wrapping around the shaft. Then, he ran both hands over her tight butt and thin, muscular back. He felt her already very wet pussy being pushed against the head of his cock, and then, almost at once, he was inside Nina as she sank down on him.Nina let out a happy whimper as she took his thick sex into her. Don moved his hands over her petite frame, enjoying the feeling of her tiny body against his. Then Nina began to move up and down, and Don held on to her narrow waist to keep her on him. She was bouncing on his shaft when Don felt fingers brushing against the base of his cock. Looking around Nina’s body and dark hair, Don saw that Toshia had crawled over and was now sucking at Nina’s small breasts while she played with Nina’s clit. This made Nina cry out happily, and encouraged her to ride Don even more vigorously. At one point, she rode up high enough that he slipped out of her tight embrace. Nina let out a disappointed little sound, but, before she could get a hold of him and shove him back in, Don felt Toshia’s mouth on his cock.Toshia’s hand milked his shaft while she sucked on him enthusiastically. Then he was being shoved back into Nina who immediately went back to riding up and down on him. As soon as he came out again, Toshia caught his cock and went back to giving him an all too brief blowjob, before pushing him back into Nina. While Nina rode him, Toshia played with Nina’s clit and toyed with Don’s balls. When he felt Toshia’s hands pushing his thighs further apart, he happily complied, simultaneously spreading Nina’s legs wider. He was rewarded by feeling Toshia’s tongue on the base of his cock and on his balls, as she alternated between those and licking at Nina’s clit. To encourage Toshia to keep up with this, Nina leaned back against Don, not fucking him quite so energetically. Don reached around her to cup Nina’s small breasts in his hands while rocking his pelvis to keep moving himself in and out of her grasping vagina.When he felt Nina shaking and trembling against him, with her pussy squeezing and pulling his cock, Don could hold out no longer. He groaned and let a heavy stream of cum shoot up inside Nina. He pumped again and again into her, emptying his balls for the second time that day.As he regained his wits, he felt Toshia’s tongue on him, licking up the cum that leaked out of Nina. When the tiny girl pushed up, letting his cock slip free, Toshia quickly dove between her legs to lick and suck up the pearly treasure he’d left there for her. Soon, Nina was lying back on the bench as Toshia continued to go down on her. The little serving girl would be coming again soon, and Don was eyeing Toshia’s backside as a good place to put his still hard cock. When he moved to put this idea into action though, he felt Nicole pushing him back.“That’s enough for you for the moment, Professor,” Nicole said authoritatively. “Let me look at those cuts of yours.”Don had already noticed that he had stopped bleeding very quickly, and had guessed that the XYZ in his system would help him heal rapidly, so he wasn’t particularly surprised when Nicole said, “That’s just incredible! Both of these cuts have almost closed up already – not only don’t you need stitches, which is good because we don’t have anything to stitch you up with, but I’ll bet you’re healed in a couple of days.”“Excellent!” Don grinned. “Let’s get back to the good stuff!”“Hold on,” she laughed. “I don’t want you to mess those wounds up by bumping into something or rolling over on them. I’ll just bandage them to protect them a bit.”While Nicole quickly wrapped his forearm and bandaged his shoulder, Toshia, Nina and the others moved into the larger bedroom, which had the distinct benefit of having something more comfortable to play upon than a stone floor and a wooden bench. Don found the sounds of their play extremely distracting. It didn’t help matters that Nicole and he were quite naked, and her dark skin still glistened with droplets of water.Finishing up, she said, “Now try to take it a bit easy at least until tomorrow.”“This headache I’ve got is probably going to see to that,” Don smiled as he ran a hand over her smooth thigh and up her side.“I’m sure you’ve got a mild concussion,” she nodded, while reaching down to take his cock in her hand for some idle stroking. “Make sure you drink plenty of water.”“Yes, ma'am,” he smiled.At that moment, the quartet in the other room hit a crescendo of passionate moaning interspersed with “Oh god!” “Fuck!” and “Yes, yes, yes!” Nicole leaned in to kiss Don lightly on the lips. She smiled, said, “While I’ve got you all to myself for the moment…” and straddled his lap, her knees on either side of him on the bench.Don grinned up at her as she took his hardness in her hand and guided it into her waiting pussy. As she sank down on him, he took her by the back of the neck and pulled her down so that he could give her a long, passionate kiss. She wrapped her arms around the back of his neck, and he ran his hands up her back. As their tongues moved against each other, questing and probing, their bodies moved against each other; Don’s cock slipped in and out of Nicole’s smooth, tight pussy, as her pelvis rocking against his abdomen.When they broke their kiss, Nicole smiled at him and asked, “Are you sure you want to leave all this behind, Professor?”“This behind?” he grinned as he dropped his hands to squeeze her ass.“Well, that too,” she laughed. “If we get back to Earth we should definitely look each other up. But you know what I mean; do you really want to give up this sexual paradise?”“It’s more complicated than that,” Don said. “Both Toshia and I have people we’d like to see again, though she’s certainly more motivated as far as that goes. She really does love Sarah and wants to get back to her. If Toshia weren’t here I’d definitely want to get back home to see her eventually.”“Eventually, eh?” Nicole smiled as she bobbed up and down on his hard shaft.“Well, I’m certainly not saying I’m not enjoying the hell out of this place,” Don said. To accentuate that thought he paused to revel in the feeling of her tight, wet embrace pumping his cock. “But don’t you think that after a while you’re going to want to do more than wander about having sex?”“Um,” Nicole leaned and kissed the side of his neck as a tremor passed through her body, and then said, “right at the moment I have to admit I’m not sure. This feels pretty damn good!”“Yeah, it does,” smiled Don. Then, holding on to her ass, he stood up, hoisting Nicole up, impaled on his shaft. She laughed and promptly wrapped her legs around him. Taking a few quick steps across the chamber to the wall where there was no bench, Don leaned her back against the stone wall, and began to fuck in and out of her vigorously.Nicole grinned and said, “Yes, fuck me, Professor! Slam that cock into me!”His headache out of his consciousness, Don focused on doing just what Nicole said, driving in and out of her almost violently. Each thrust slapped her butt against the wall, and elicited an exclamation that was half-grunt and half “yes!” After several minutes of Don’s pile driving, she clenched her eyes closed and said, “Oh god! Yes, fuck, damn – yes! Fuck!”She wrapped her arms and legs tightly around him, holding him tightly to and inside her as she shook and trembled with her intense orgasm. Don merely held still, holding her up and enjoying the feeling of her body in his arms and wrapped around his sex.As she was slowly coming down, she smiled up at him and said, “It’s going to take me a long time to get tired of that.”Don grinned and said, “I know exactly what you mean.”“Hey! You’re supposed to be taking it easy!” she mock scolded. “Put me down.”Don lowered her and bent down enough to slip out of her slippery, wet embrace. Then, hand in hand they went to see what was going on in the outer room.As it turned out, the little girl-on-girl orgy had subsided into a drowsy, cuddling almost-nap. Nina had slipped away to report that the Sisterhood’s guests did not require anything else at this time. When Nicole and Don climbed on to the bed, Shelonda promptly reached out for Don’s hard penis. Finding it slick with Nicole’s juices, she lowered her head and began to lick and suck him clean. Apart from this little activity, though, everyone seemed inclined to rest a little. They all expected the evening to be quite raucous.Later, after everyone had at least dozed for a bit, it was Nicole who remembered that Toshia hadn’t finished her story. So, Toshia finished telling them about her time with the men, including the bit about the double anal penetration which impressed everyone, and then went on to relate how she’d been tied up and frustrated, and what had happened when she gave in. Don had many questions along the way. Hearing about Toshia and sex was one of his favorite things.Toshia told how she’d essentially climbed out of a window and made her escape, which both amused and impressed everyone, and then about her encounter with the Bull. Here, of course, Amy was able to add details, starting with, “You should have seen her, bent forward, leaning against a tree while that big beast fucked her with his huge cock!”The room was getting quite dark when Toshia got to the part about how she’d gone down on Amy and admitted, “I’d like to have one of you put your hand in me like that.”Amy grinned and said, “Well, there’s no time like the present!”Don, who, thanks to all the naked women and Toshia’s sexy story, was now quite horny, was looking forward to seeing Toshia being pleasured by Amy, and probably the other women. Unfortunately, at just that moment the room was filled with light as a torch-bearing Nina entered and said, “The banquet is ready.”Once they’d dressed in their respective “action wear” as Toshia mischievously called it, they followed Nina through the halls of the ancient castle into the main hall. The large tables were heaped with flowers and bowls of fruit. The sisters stood to welcome them as they entered. Don noticed that they had taken off their armor and were now wearing decidedly feminine garb of a particularly skimpy bent. More than a few of the women were bare breasted, and all of them seemed to be dressed so that easy access was guaranteed. At the far end of the hall, stood Daphne wearing a sheer black robe cinched around her waist with a silver cord. Her thick dark hair spilled loosely over her shoulders and down her back.“As our honored guests, please accept this banquet in your honor,” Daphne said and then actually bowed in Don’s direction. The other sisters also bowed at their entrance.“You honor us by your hospitality, sisters,” Don answered.Nina led them to a table at the far end of the room, near the one by which Daphne and Brigit stood. As he drew near Daphne, Don caught her eye and smiled a bit smugly. She responded by smiling in return and nodding.When Don and his party of four women were seated, the sisters also sat and began to eat, drink and be merry.As he ate some grapes, Don turned to Toshia, who was sitting next to him and said, “So, you seem to be enjoying the more exotic citizens of Eros.”She grinned at him and said, “We need to find you a harpy or a mermaid. And yeah, I’m doing my best to enjoy anything I can get my hands on.”Smiling warmly, Don said, “It suits you. We saw you with the satyrs by the way, twice.” He told her briefly about spying her with them at their campsite, before they were about to try to rescue her, and then seeing her in the Wizard’s mirror. He concluded by saying, “I have to admit, I just love watching you have sex.”“Right back at ya, stud,” she winked. “I also have to admit that I’m starting to really enjoy being watched. I feel like I’m the star of a huge erotic adventure movie or something.”“I know exactly what you mean.”“But, tell me more about this Wizard.”Don gave her the story of the Wizard and his wife in a fairly brief synopsis – with far less detail than had been drawn out of her in regard to her adventures. When he was done he said, “We’ll go back there after this, to return the carpet, get some fresh clothes and try to figure out our next move.”“And to have more sex, I hope,” she smiled impishly.“Well, of course,” Don laughed. “Speaking of which…” he gestured to the rest of the room. While at first the sisters had been content to talk about the events of the day and steal glances over at their guests while they ate, a few soon came over to talk to Don’s companions. It didn’t take long before Shelonda was making out with the tall woman with short, jet-black hair who had been guarding the gate earlier, and who now sported a purple bruise along her cheekbone and temple where Don’s staff had struck her. Amy had removed her khaki shorts and unbuttoned her shirt, and was sitting up on the edge of the table while a sister busied herself licking Amy’s pussy. Nicole had hiked her white skirt up a little and was sitting on the face of sister who was lying on the floor. All around the room, women were engaged in various acts of lesbian play. Don thought back to Nicole’s comments earlier and admitted that it would take him quite a long time to get tired of this place. He noticed that his headache was completely gone at about the same moment that he felt Toshia’s hand moving up his thigh. As he turned to smile at her, he noticed Daphne. The cool beauty was surveying the rest of the room aloofly.“Our hostess isn’t enjoying herself,” Don said to Toshia.“I’m not sure she knows how,” Toshia said.“Oh, she knows,” Don laughed. “I think she’s got things on her mind. Why don’t we go take care of some business with her?”Toshia frowned at him in confusion, but took the hand he offered and followed him over to where Daphne sat at her table.“You seem troubled, Daphne,” Don said as he sat down next to her. Toshia sat down on the other side of the sister.“I am wondering how what’s happened today will affect the Sisterhood,” she nodded.Don took an empty cup, nodded at the pitcher of water in front of Daphne, and said, “I’m thirsty.”Daphne looked at him with murder in her eyes for a moment, but then reached for the pitcher and filled his glass. Seeing that Toshia had also set a cup in front of herself, Daphne filled that too.“As I said earlier,” Don said after taking a long drink of water, “we intend to leave tomorrow. If anyone questions your authority you will have the pleasure of correcting them.”Daphne smiled with cold but real amusement at the thought of quelling any insubordination. Then, she said, “There is the problem of the Bull. Now that he has been tamed, we cannot use his myth to keep our servants in order.”“Most of your servants stay here and serve you because that’s what they want to do,” Toshia said. “Their submissive nature keeps them in check. You should let anyone who escapes on their own go anyway.”“In fact, I insist that you do,” Don said seriously.“However,” Toshia added, “I don’t think you’re fully appreciating the Bull. I’m sure he would be happy to patrol the forest around here for you, and help you defend yourselves if it came to that.”“Why would he do that?” Daphne asked skeptically. “We’ve never done anything but chase him away.”“Well, he’s really quite pleasant, and he has needs that I’m sure some of the sisters would be happy to satisfy,” Toshia smiled. “I can assure you it’s mutually satisfying.”Daphne looked at Toshia and genuinely smiled, “I really have underestimated you, pup.”“Why don’t you make it a ritual,” Don suggested. “Either draw lots for who gets ‘sacrificed’ to the Bull, say once a week…”“They’ll want to do it nightly once they give it a try,” Toshia corrected.Don laughed, “OK, well, either draw lots or make it a reward for success in a competition.”Daphne thought about it for a moment, and then said, “I can see how that would be acceptable.”“Toshia was telling me about the men you keep,” Don changed the subject. “She says they showed her wonderful hospitality. It seems to me that, in honor of my victory today, and to reward them for being so nice to Toshia, that you ought to let them join in the party tonight – freely. You can tell them it’s a one night only gift.”Daphne scowled at this thought, but then nodded, saying, “As you will.”“But first, I have a request…” Toshia began.After Toshia explained what she had in mind, Daphne called for Brigit and gave some brief instructions which the big blonde hurried to carry out. After waiting for a few minutes, while they watched the casual orgy around them, Daphne stood up and clapped for the sisters’ attention. Surprisingly quickly the play stopped and the sisters looked to their leader.“We are going to begin a new tradition tonight, in honor of our guests and to commemorate the unmatched prowess of Don, a male. Come with me, sisters, out to the courtyard.”A new Amazon Tradition.Don and Toshia followed close behind Daphne as she led the crowd of disheveled and curious women out into the courtyard and to the big hole in the floor through which she and Don had fallen earlier. She took a seat in what was apparently her reserved chair and indicated that Don and Toshia should sit on either side of her. Don could see that the pit with the big mattress had been lit by torches and that the three of them and anyone else who could get a “ring side” seat would have a pretty good view of anything that happened below on that mattress.Don looked for the other women in his party, but could only see Shelonda, sitting a short distance away, her feet dangling down into the pit. When everyone had a chance to find a position around the big hole, Daphne stood and the crowd got quiet again. In her commanding voice, Daphne said, “Our guest, Toshia, who is the most interesting pup I have ever had the pleasure of breaking, says one serving girl deserves special recognition for the hospitality she showed our dear pup. Yes, there she is.”Brigit appeared on the opposite side of the hole, holding Nina by the arm. The little serving girl seemed quite frightened.“Toshia has recommended a particular reward for this girl, and for the men who treated her so well the other day.”Nina looked confused, and then startled as Brigit shoved her out over the edge and into the pit. The tiny brunette sprawled out on the big mattress below.Daphne addressed those who were in the chamber below the big opening in the floor, saying, “Men, in honor of Don’s victory here today, and of your service to Toshia the other day, you will be allowed to come up and join us in our celebration tonight, and any time Don returns to visit us.”There was a murmur of excitement both from the men below and around the circle of women above.“However,” Daphne said loudly, “before you can come up here, each of you must come in or on this young woman.”All the sisters applauded this announcement, and the men didn’t seem to mind either. As Daphne sat down, a gate was opened by two sisters and three men hurried into the mattress area. Little Nina was kneeling by the time they surrounded her, and she quickly grabbed for their cocks. She seemed to not know what to do with so much man flesh, but she was certainly eager to figure it out quickly. Soon she was sucking on one cock and stroking the other two. The man she was sucking held on to her head and fucked himself in and out of her mouth. Before too long he was shoving more forcefully, which Nina didn’t seem to mind at all. Then, clearly, he was coming, filling her mouth with his seed. Nina tried her best to swallow it all, but quite a bit spilled out of her mouth to run down her chin and splatter on her tiny breasts.“Let him climb up,” Daphne ordered, and the rope ladder Don and Daphne had used earlier was dropped over the edge. As the first man made his way a bit awkwardly across the mattress and started climbing up, Nina turned her oral attention to the prick she’d been stroking with her right hand.Daphne leaned over to Don and said, “You should have seen pup, here, when she was down there. I thought she was going to fight and resist, but she just threw herself into it. I’ve never seen a more wanton slut. I would say the men used her thoroughly, but I think she was using them for the most part. It was quite impressive.”Don smiled across at Toshia, who had only been able to tell that she was the subject of Daphne’s comment. She gave Don a quizzical look and then went back to watching Nina. Don said to Daphne, “She’s really amazing. I understand she pleasured you as well.”“Yes, she finally behaved herself like a good pup,” Daphne smiled smugly.“I think it’s time you returned the favor,” Don said.“Oh, you do?” Daphne said in her old haughty tone.Don fixed her with a steady gaze, smiled derisively, and said, “In fact, now.”Daphne looked like she considered defiance, but then her expression softened and she bowed her head. She pushed her chair back and got down on her knees, and turned toward Toshia.“Toshia, turn your chair this way,” Don said. He said this loud enough that several of the nearby sisters looked over to see what was going on at that end of the gallery.Toshia seemed about to object that she was enjoying the show, but then she saw Daphne kneeling next to her. With an amused expression, Toshia turned her chair so that she faced Daphne, who promptly leaned in to run her hands up Toshia’s smooth legs.Toshia smiled down at the haughty beauty and scooted forward in her chair, taking the time to pull her skirt up. Daphne dropped to her hands and knees and began to kiss her way up along Toshia’s spread thighs. As Daphne reached Toshia’s pussy, Toshia leaned back and smiled. She cupped her left breast in her hand, squeezing through the thin fabric of her tight tank top.On the mattress below, Nina had gotten two more men to come for her, and their jizz ran down her chin. As three more came onto the mattress, she got onto her hands and knees so that she could suck one while another fucked her from behind. The two eligible men quickly clambered up to be welcomed by the horny sisters.Don was only barely aware of these things, though. Instead he was focused on watching Toshia as she enjoyed what Daphne was doing with her mouth and tongue. He reached out and ran his hand over Daphne’s butt. He could feel her firm muscles through the sheer fabric of her robe. Without another thought, Don pushed his own chair back. He stood up and quickly got rid of his clothing. Then, kneeling behind Daphne, he threw the back of her robe aside. Don caressed the perfect, tight ass in front of him, and then ran his hand down between her legs and felt the warrior woman’s dewy lips. As he pushed his fingers up inside Daphne, she pushed back against him, asking for more. Happy to oblige, Don took his hard cock in hand and pushed the fat head against her waiting opening. Slipping between her lips, Don penetrated Daphne once again. This time, as he filled her he pushed her forward into Toshia.Don and Toshia looked at each other as he held Daphne’s hips and fucked in and out of that wonderfully hot, wet and tight pussy, and as she held Daphne’s dark head pressed against her. Don wasn’t worried about coming, and only focused on maintaining a good, strong, steady rhythm which was carried through Daphne and delivered to Toshia. All the while, Toshia and Don held each other’s gaze. That is, until Toshia closed her eyes and let her head loll back. Don watched as her chest rose and fell, and then as she arched her back and gasped. Daphne kept at it, and Don kept at Daphne, until Toshia fell back in her chair.After a moment to catch her breath, Toshia said, “Why don’t you let Daphne and me change places so you can give me the real thing, Professor?”“Good idea!” Don grinned. He slowly pulled out of Daphne, who began to rise to switch places with Toshia. Toshia leaned forward abruptly, though, and caught Daphne’s head in her hands. Without any other warning, Toshia was kissing Daphne hard and deep. Though obviously she was initially surprised by this, Daphne was quickly responding in kind, returning Toshia’s passionate kiss with enthusiasm.Don smiled at this. These two women clearly had developed a strange, complicated relationship. He took a moment to glance down into the pit, where he saw a muscular, dark-skinned, bald man with an impressive organ preparing to enter Nina, who was lying on her back with her legs spread wide and a sloppy grin on her pretty little face.“That’s Victor,” Toshia said. “I want to take him with us if we can.”“Uh, OK,” Don said. Then Toshia kissed him on the cheek quickly before getting on her hands and knees between Daphne’s legs. While Don had been momentarily distracted, Toshia had quickly stripped and Daphne had shrugged out of her robe. Don looked down to see Toshia’s pale butt offered up before him and couldn’t resist taking a moment to caress and squeeze it. There was also her strong, thin back ending in her tousled hair as she went to work between Daphne’s gorgeous long legs. Daphne’s body, which he was seeing naked for the first time, was simply amazing – perfect abs, beautiful full, firm tits, strong muscles – amazing! Daphne smiled across Toshia’s bare back at him in the night, and he pushed into Toshia.Toshia shoved back against him and he began to fuck steadily in and out of her wonderful pussy. Remembering Toshia’s stories, Don took his cock out of her for a moment, replacing it with his thumb. When he got his organ into her pussy again, Don pressed his slippery thumb against Toshia’s puckered asshole. Toshia managed to make an audible sign of encouragement, and Don pushed his thumb into her. Soon he was alternating – pushing into her pussy with his cock while drawing back his thumb, and then pulling his cock out as he shoved his thumb into her ass – and Toshia was rocking her pelvis against him, clearly enjoying herself. Don felt Toshia’s fingers brushing against him as she reached back to play with her clit. All the while, Toshia kept going down on Daphne, who leaned back in her chair, pushing herself forward into Toshia’s mouth while she let her head and beautiful hair hang back and squeezed those wonderful tits in her strong hands.In spite of, or perhaps because of, the fact that she had just climaxed, Toshia was the first to come. She moaned and shuddered between Don and Daphne, her pussy and ass clasping at his cock and thumb. She never stopped licking at Daphne though, and soon the raven haired beauty was writhing in her chair as wave after wave of orgasm wracked that gorgeous body.Don withdrew his thumb and gave Toshia a moment to recuperate. Daphne raised her head and looked across at Don and down at Toshia with a satisfied smile. Then, she slipped down out of her chair, pushing Toshia up and back. Don sat back on his haunches as Toshia rose against him, still mounted on his hard cock. As soon as Toshia’s head was high enough, Daphne held it in her hands and returned the deep, passionate kiss Toshia had given her earlier. Pressed between Don and Daphne, Toshia squirmed on the former’s cock while making out with the latter. Don slipped his hands between the two women and cupped Toshia’s tits in them. He felt Daphne’s full breasts pressed against the backs of his hands. Toshia’s hands were roaming up and down Daphne’s back while holding the athletic woman tightly to her. Daphne, meanwhile, reached around Toshia with one hand to hold Don tightly against Toshia’s back, and down with the other to get her strong fingers between Toshia’s legs. Don’s head was next to Toshia’s, and he lowered his mouth to her neck, kissing it through wisps of her hair. Then Daphne was kissing him, hungrily and passionately. Toshia, sandwiched between the two of them, continued to squirm and shift on Don’s shaft.Then, Don felt Daphne’s fingers pushing up into Toshia’s pussy along with his cock. Toshia stiffened at this unexpected intrusion, but then began to rock her hips, working herself on the penis and fingers that filled her. Daphne went back to making out with Toshia, letting Don go back to kissing and biting at Toshia’s neck. Don pinched Toshia’s nipples between his fingers, and then sharply increased the pressure. Breaking her kiss, Toshia cried out and began to come again. She shook and bucked between her two lovers, moaning and whimpering until she sagged, spent, in their embrace.Daphne took her fingers from Toshia’s very wet crotch and gave both Don and Toshia an almost tender kiss, and said, “Come to my chamber when you’re through with the party.” Then, Daphne got to her feet, collected her robe and disappeared into the night.Toshia relaxed against Don’s chest as he caressed her, running his hands over her belly. She sighed and said, “That was nice.” When he strayed too close to her clit, though, she laughed and said, “No, I think I could use a little break. Let’s see what’s going on around here.”When they finally managed to disengage themselves and stand up, Don and Toshia saw that although a few people were still watching the spectacle of Nina getting fucked by one guy after another, the vast majority of people in the courtyard were busy with their own sexual activities. Due to the flickering quality of torchlight, Don found it hard at first to distinguish individuals, and instead saw a wild vista of naked, struggling flesh lit in red, yellow and orange. The first distinct group he made out was a nearby threesome consisting of two sisters and a diminutive woman who must be one of the serving girls. The girl was on her hands and knees between one of the sister’s legs, while the second sister knelt to the side, one hand teasing her companion’s bare tits and the other behind the serving girl, pushing what looked like a thick dildo in and out of the girl’s ass.Toshia’s hand slipped into his, and they began to slowly work their way around the hole in the floor of the courtyard. The first of their companions that they saw was Nicole, who was engaged in what looked like an intense session with one of the sisters – Don thought it might be the blonde who had tried to stab him with her spear earlier. Nicole and the sister were kissing passionately as their hands worked intently between the other’s legs. The muscular blonde, comparatively pale, was an interesting contrast to Nicole’s petite body and dark skin.Next they spied Shelonda, who was in the middle of an interesting foursome. Shelonda was leaning back against a section of wall, as a sister knelt in front of her to lick at Shelonda’s pussy. A second sister leaned over to suck at Shelonda’s luscious tits, while one of the men fucked this second sister from behind. Shelonda saw Don and Toshia, smiled over at them and gave a little wave.Before they found Amy, they noticed Brigit. The striking blonde Valkyrie was kneeling over another sister’s face, squeezing her own large tits. Toshia tugged Don’s arm and said, “I owe her some attention before the night is over.”“Why don’t we go over now?” Don asked.“No, she looks like she’s having fun,” smiled Toshia. “Oh, there’s Amy.”Amy had managed to secure the attentions of two of the men. She was on her hands and knees while one of the men was fucking her steadily from behind and the other was letting her suck his stiff cock with her customary enthusiasm. Don thought she looked particularly good like that, with the soft curve of her back and the swaying of her beautiful tits, not to mention the erotic sight of her mouth wrapped around a cock, which Don especially liked.“That looks like fun!” Toshia grinned.“Well, all we need to do is find another…”“Victor!” Toshia pointed across a small orgy of bodies, where Don could see the muscular, dark skinned and bald man kneeling behind a woman who was engaged in a 69 with another woman. As Toshia drew Don closer, Victor drew himself back so the women could roll into a side position. Before he could get back into the action, Toshia called out and touched his shoulder.Victor looked around and smiled warmly, “Hello, Toshia.”“Victor, this is Don,” Toshia said with what Don thought was an actual touch of nervousness. Don was amused to notice that Toshia had at least a little crush on Victor. She hurried on with, “Come play with us.”“I’d be happy to,” Victor grinned and quickly got to his feet. He was a bit taller than Don and much more muscular. His erect penis, which stood out proudly in front of him, was quite impressive, though not as big as Igor’s or the Player’s.Toshia took both men by the hand and led them off to a side of the courtyard near one of the crumbling walls. There was a pile of pillows there that Don hadn’t noticed before, and as soon as she got to them Toshia promptly knelt on them. Before either man could do anything, Toshia had a cock in each hand, stroking them happily and enthusiastically. There was enough torchlight here that Don could easily watch as Toshia bent forward and to the side a little to get her mouth on Victor’s prodigious prick. He watched her take his head into her mouth and suck on it greedily, and then as she stretched her mouth to get more of him into her mouth. He thought she was beautiful as she moved herself up and down on that thick shaft. Each time she got him a bit further into her mouth and down into her throat. She certainly had gotten better at giving blowjobs!All the time she was fucking Victor’s cock with her mouth and throat, Toshia continued to squeeze and stroke Don. His cock was almost painfully hard, as the sight of Toshia having sex like this was one of the most intensely erotic things he’d ever seen.When she had as much of Victor’s cock down her throat as she could manage, Toshia pulled back and smiled up at him, saying; “My pussy misses you, Victor. Get behind me and fuck me.”As soon as she got on her hands and knees, facing Don, Victor knelt behind her and began to push his big cock into her waiting pussy. Toshia looked so tiny and pale in front of the big man, and when he leaned over a little, Don could see the thick shaft of Victor’s cock disappearing into her tight vagina. As if this weren’t intense enough, Toshia was moaning and calling encouragement, “Yes, just like that! Fill me up with that beautiful cock!”Then, Toshia caught hold of Don’s hard on and drew him to her mouth. Without the slightest of preliminaries she lowered her mouth on his head and proceeded to take him past her lips, over her tongue and down her throat. At first she had her hand wrapped around the base of his cock, but she soon let go to use that hand to support herself on the pillows beneath her; her other hand was busy reaching back between her legs to play with herself.Don held her head in his hands as he gently fucked his cock in and out of her mouth and throat. When she murmured her encouragement around his organ, Don pushed into her with more abandon. Her slender, fit form swayed between the hands that held her head and her narrow waist. Don thought this was the hottest moment of his life, and then Toshia was coming – moaning loudly on his cock as she shook between the two men. She was a furnace of lusty ecstasy grasping and sucking on their sex organs hungrily.Both Don and Victor held still inside her until she began to come down from her climax. Then, she pushed Don back until she could say over her shoulder, “Fuck my ass, Victor!”“Gladly!” he grinned. He drew his glistening pole out of Toshia’s pussy and proceeded to press the big head against her ass.“Yes, that’s right. Put it in… Oh fuck! Oh god!” Toshia exclaimed. “That feels so good!”Don knelt there and watched for a minute as Victor pushed himself deep into Toshia’s ass. Her head hung down, with her hair falling on the pillow beneath her. Victor pulled back a long way and then slowly pushed back in. Toshia let out a long, low, happy groan. Victor repeated this, and this time, when he began to slide back in, Toshia pushed back on him, saying, “Fuck me!”Victor promptly began to work in and out of Toshia’s backside as Don watched. The big man was certainly capable of doing most of the work, his hands on her waist pulling and pushing her in time to his thrusting, using her light body for his pleasure, but Toshia was definitely a full participant, working herself back and forth, shoving back hard against Victor’s strong muscles.Don thought back again to Toshia’s stories and had an idea. He leaned in over Toshia’s back and said to Victor, “Lift her up in front of you.”Victor smiled and nodded, and then reached down to raise Toshia up so that she was sitting back against his front. Naturally she still had his thick cock up inside her ass. Having some idea of what Don had in mind, Victor leaned back and parted his legs so Don could get in close enough.Seeing Don in front of her with his own hard cock ready for action, Toshia also caught on quickly and spread her legs for him. Don walked on his knees until he could push the head of his cock up inside Toshia’s exposed pussy. He smiled at her as he pushed himself into her. The sensation of being inside her while Victor’s thick cock stretched her ass was quite new.“God yes - that feels so good!” Toshia said as she threw her arms around Don’s neck. “Fuck me, boys!”Victor leaned her forward a bit, so that the three of them were more nearly vertical. Don and Victor fucked in and out of her steadily, but it was Toshia, working herself between the two of them who was doing most of the work. It seemed to Don as if she had gone into a lust-crazed frenzy, riding up and down on their cocks and rubbing her sweaty body between them as if she couldn’t get enough of every sensation she was experiencing.When she came again, Toshia cried out shrilly and bit down on Don’s shoulder. She writhed there, clenching and gasping for a full minute before she sagged limply in the embrace of her two male lovers.The first thing she said after that was a whispered, “I fucking love you, Don.”He smiled, kissed her, and said, “I fucking love you too, Toshia.”Then Amy interrupted the moment by dropping to her knees next to them, her face and tits glistening with sweat and cum, and saying, “Who’s your friend, Toshia?”Toshia laughed, “Amy this is Victor; Victor, Amy. You’re going to like Victor, Amy.”In another minute or two, Toshia and Don were watching Amy suck and then fuck Victor’s big organ. When he filled her pussy with his cum, Toshia knelt down to lick her clean. Don took this opportunity to slip his still very hard cock into Toshia from behind.“No, no,” Toshia said over her shoulder, “please come in my ass, love.”Don promptly pushed his slippery manhood deep into Toshia’s butt. He held onto her hips and drove himself into her, reveling in the tight, hot grip of her ass. It wasn’t long at all before he finally came, shooting a flood of cum up into Toshia’s bowels.Of course, the party didn’t end there, but went on for several hours. Shortly after he came, Don got hard again, while watching Amy lick Toshia’s clit and fuck her entire hand in and out of Toshia’s pussy. Nina eventually crawled up out of the pit and was welcomed by Toshia and Shelonda who had great fun cleaning the serving girl up with their mouths. Don amused Toshia very much by bending Wanda over a chair and fucking her ass, and Toshia got a chance to repay Brigit with a long 69 and quite a few orgasms.Then, late in the evening, Toshia led Don, Shelonda and Nicole out of the castle, where she called for the Bull. When the Minotaur quickly came out of the trees, Toshia explained to him that the sisters would be coming out to visit him from time to time and wouldn’t run away. To make sure he understood, Toshia suggested that Shelonda and Nicole might sample his large phallus. The two girls, who had only heard about the satyrs and Toshia and Amy’s earlier encounter with the Minotaur, were quite happy to agree to this idea. So, Don found himself amused to watch first Shelonda and then Nicole hoisted up and held by the Bull and then bouncing up and down on his thick pole. Each of them came to loud, enthusiastic orgasms before Toshia joined them in gathering around to have the Minotaur spray his cum all over their upturned faces and breasts.Finally, Don and Toshia found their way into Daphne’s chamber, where the three of them expended the last of their sexual energy for the night in an intense and blissfully confused encounter that left them piled together in a deep satisfied sleep.To be continued InLost in Eros, Book III: The ResortBy BradentonLarry for Literotica

Reluctantly, after the doctors office and experiencing more strange things, Brandon takes Nate Lansinger up on his offer to talk to Uncle Wayne Lansinger. Together the three come up with a theory on Brandons current issues.

Don enjoys the strange ball & two new playmates.Lost In Eros – book 1, Part 5 of 20 By BradentonLarry.  Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories.Don held out his arm and Tascha took it, both of them smiling at the surreal circumstances. They followed along with the Player and his entourage, who led them out into the hallway and then down a number of connected hallways. Certainly, the place was some kind of luxurious labyrinth. As they walked, Don asked Tascha, “This certainly has been an interesting little adventure so far, hasn't it?”She laughed, and said, “You're abusing the word ‘interesting', Don.”“Yeah, but I have no idea what other adjective to use. I keep trying to tell myself that this must be all some weird, really realistic and intense dream, but I'm not buying it.”“Me too,” she said. “This is all very real, even though it makes absolutely no sense.”Don smiled at her. “If it does turn out to be a dream it's been a very good one.”She smiled but didn't look at him. “Are you looking at my tits again?”“Would you rather I didn't?”Then she looked at him, still smiling, but serious, “We're never going to have the same kind of relationship, Don.”“Well,” he said thoughtfully, “do you mean we're not going to continue to be honest with each other, love each other, and treat each other well?”“Of course not.”“I didn't think so. Well, if you're talking about the kind of relationship where sex is completely out of the question, then I have to say I'm not too broken up about that.”“When we get back, though, it'll be different,” she said. Don thought there was a note of regret in her voice.“We'll see about that when we get there,” he shrugged, still smiling.“I'm still with Sarah, no matter what happens here,” she said firmly.“Right,” he nodded. “Did you get the impression I was trying to take you away from her?”“No, but things, ” she faltered. “But all of this; it feels complicated.”Don laughed a little, and said, “Sometimes complicated is good. It sure as hell is interesting.”She punched him in the shoulder, “Stop using that word!”As they walked on, Don thought that up until he had gotten here, to this strange place, he would have now been dying to ask her, “Does this mean you want to have sex?” Now, though, he could tell she wanted to have sex, but that wasn't all of it. His attitude had shifted somehow.Before he could pursue that line of thought any further, though, they came to the top of a huge spiral staircase they descended to a marble hall, with potted ferns and benches against the walls. Without stopping, the Player led them across the shiny floor to a pair of enormous doors that opened as they approached.Although by now Don would have thought he was beyond being surprised, he was shocked at how immense the ballroom was. It looked like something out of a particularly big-budget Hollywood musical. Huge chandeliers glittered way overhead, and broad stairways swept up the sides to a gallery overlooking the expansive floor where he guessed a hundred people mingled. Underneath the gallery (which was supported by marble columns) seemed to be a number of side chambers, open on the dance floor side but offering some small measure of privacy.“Wow!” Tascha said.“Exactly!” Don agreed.On either side of the entrance there were large tables covered with large bowls of brightly colored fruit. Suddenly, Don realized he was starving. Apparently, so was Tascha, because they both started immediately for the food. Don took a strawberry and bit into it, only to find that it was the sweetest strawberry he'd ever tasted. Next he devoured a banana, while seeing that Tascha had quickly peeled an orange and was making short work of it.“This is delicious!” she said.Don nodded, and took another strawberry. As he was chewing this, he saw a fountain with clear water pouring out of it and an array of glasses standing by. He hadn't had anything to drink since waking up, and hadn't even noticed that he was thirsty, which he certainly should be under the circumstances. He picked up another banana and moved over to the water. Filling a glass, he brought it to his lips and sipped it, suddenly concerned that this might be the moment when the drugging happened. The water felt cold, clean and surprisingly refreshing. He took a full swallow and felt thoroughly rehydrated and energized. He drained the glass, refilled it and brought it back to Tascha. He peeled his banana and watched her drain the glass, distracted a bit by the swallowing motion of her throat. He noticed she had dribbled some orange juice onto her breast, and without hesitation leaned in to lick it up.“Hey now!” Tascha laughed. “Such a forward fellow!”Don smiled up at her, and said, “That's me.”He started to eat the banana and realized he was almost full already, and felt like he wouldn't be thirsty again any time soon.“Are you full already too?” Tascha asked.“Yeah, I think so,” he nodded. “That's weird.”“At least you didn't say ‘interesting',” she said with a raised eyebrow.“Add this to the magic candles on the list of mysterious goings on,” Don mused. Then he looked around again and noticed that the Player and his entourage had gone ahead and disappeared into the crowd of people on the dance floor. He took a better look at the hall, and said, “Look, windows.”“Windows?” Tascha looked, following the line of Don's sight up above the chandeliers. “They do look like windows, but it seems to be dark outside.”“Those are the first windows we've seen since waking up,” Don observed. “Of course, we still have no idea how long we've been here.”Tascha took the banana peel from Don's hand and tossed it, along with her orange peel, into a handy bin. Then she took his arm again and said, “Shall we have a look around?”“Let's,” he nodded. Together they moved clockwise around the perimeter of the dance floor until they came to the foot of the stairway on the left side of the hall. Taking their time while looking around, they started up the stairs. Passing them coming down to join the crowd on the main floor were people in quite a varied assortment of clothes, mostly of bright colors. Almost everyone was displaying a quantity of flesh unusual for a Hollywood musical. Most of the men had, like Don and the Player, come to the ball with their sex organs on display. Many of the women were, like Tascha, displaying their breasts. At least one woman was wearing only a shiny black corset and a pair of boots that came up to her mid-thigh. At the top of the stairs they found the gallery was a broad, carpeted platform with a balcony railing on the right, and a bench-lined wall on the left. Though here and there they saw a couple engaged in mild fondling and necking, there was surprisingly little actual sex going on. As they moved along, Don noticed that everyone was checking them out. Both men and women were looking Tascha over as a potential playmate, and the women, and some of the men, were doing the same with Don. There was nothing shy about the way people were looking at each other, and Don found himself doing the same. On the other hand, he was not finding the mere fact that he could see a woman's tits or pussy as titillating by itself as he would have before today. What he did find titillating was that most of the women, and a few of the men, were looking back at him with apparent interest in getting their hands on him sexually.“Hey,” Tascha hissed. “Look over there.”Don followed her gaze to a point about halfway around the gallery from their current position. There was someone wearing a black robe. Not a black robe open in the front so you could have access to his or her sex, or even open part way so you could get a good look at their cleavage, but a full black robe, obscuring all of the wearer's body. To make things even more conspicuous, the person had a big hood drawn up over his or her head, completely hiding their face in shadow.“You're right,” Don said under his breath. “Let's get closer.” Trying not to draw attention to themselves, they began to move with a purpose through the idle people. Don thought they probably weren't doing a very good job of being inconspicuous, though, and, sure enough, when they reached the place where the figure in black had been he or she was nowhere to be seen.“One of our captors?” Don asked.“I don't know, but it certainly seemed suspicious,” replied Tascha as she looked around.Don smiled at her and said, “Well, we have something specific to look for now.”“Indeed,” she nodded.Right then music began to play, though there were no musicians, and they couldn't see any speakers. It was light classical music, possibly a piece by Mozart, though Don wasn't sure. People on the dance floor seemed to be arranging themselves as if they knew their places. Tascha and Don watched from the balcony. Then, when the first short piece was finished, another began. This was something from the Baroque period, Don could tell, though he couldn't identify the composer. The people below them began to dance in a formal, stylized way, much as Don imagined they must have danced in the court of Louis the XIII or XIV, except that here there was probably a bit more genitalia showing. The dance was uncomplicated and fairly slow moving, so that those wearing high heels and complicated dresses were in little danger of troublesome accidents.After watching for a while, Don asked, “Shall we give it a try?”Tascha smiled at him and said, “I thought you'd never ask.”Don's innuendo-prone mind thought she just might have misunderstood him, but she grabbed his hand and started off toward the nearest set of stairs, which was now the one opposite the one they had come up. They paused at the outskirt of the dancing throng, and looked for an appropriate opening. Peter and Natalia circled; or was it promenaded?; by, saw Don and Tascha and beckoned them to slip in ahead of them.Holding Tascha's right hand in his left up at shoulder level as the others were doing, Don led them into the dance. The measured, rhythmic steps weren't difficult to pick up and follow. They were on the outside circle of dancers moving clockwise, men on the inside. Passing on Don's right was another circle moving counterclockwise in the same arrangement, so a steady stream of provocatively dressed women paraded past him. On some cue that completely eluded Don, the people holding hands let go and switched partners. This last was done by the male half of each ring turning around to take the hand of the woman now on his left, and then moving in the direction that woman had been moving. The men from the innermost ring, being without partners, scrambled to make their way, without disrupting the dance, to the outermost ring of unattached women, who had continued to move clockwise. This process seemed to provide a lot of playful amusement all around.Don now found himself holding the hand of an exquisite woman with dark chocolate skin, almond-shaped, golden-brown eyes, a slender frame, short black hair in tight curls, and inviting, full lips that smiled warmly at Don's attention. She was wearing a deep red gown, with a neckline that plunged down to what Don guessed was her pubic bone, and at that it was one of the more modest dresses on display at the ball.Don passed Tascha once, noting that a fair-haired young man had managed to partner up with her, before there was another switch. This time, the women turned around, took another partner and went in the opposite direction. Don was now on the inner-side of the second circle, holding the left hand of a woman with wavy blonde hair falling down her back, a long nose that Don found particularly attractive, thin lips that smiled at him mischievously and laughing eyes of blue. She was wearing a sparkling gown of gold and green, cut much like Tascha's in the skirt, but providing more support for her breasts, which were displayed prominently, with nipples showing.Tascha must be partnered with someone on this circle, he reasoned, and sure enough he did not see her again until after the next switch. Now Don was moving clockwise again, holding the hand of a brunette with hair that hung straight down her back to below her behind, and who was wearing a sheer, see-through dress that hung from around her neck down her front, only covering the backside at the bottom of her back, and then only reaching down to her mid-thigh. Tascha, on the other hand was moving along with a dark-haired man with a goatee, who might be the man they had seen masturbating earlier, and who was wearing a costume much like Don's except that it was all black.This pattern of switching partners and directions gradually worked Don and Tascha in toward the center circle. As they went, Don found himself wondering what happened to the people who couldn't find a partner on the next inner circle, which must have fewer people on it because it was smaller. Then he saw it happen just a few couples ahead of him, and the man had to work his way back out to the outer circle. He seemed disappointed. When Don asked about this, his partner, a petite blonde with very short hair in a gown that looked very like a pink teddy to Don, said, “Once you've started on the outside and made it all the way to the center, you get to play with your partner when you get one on the outside circle again. If you don't find a partner with each turn, you have to go back to the outside and start over.”Don laughed, knowing that Tascha had no idea of this particular game. Looking around, he saw that indeed there was now one ring fewer than there had been. “What happens if you don't start on the outside circle?”“You just have to wait a little longer,” his partner smiled.Apparently the people who had reached the center of the dance at the first switch after he and Tascha had joined had not started out on the outer circle. Don wondered how this was going to play out, and felt himself quite excited when he found himself on the inner circle waiting for the next “turn”. When it came, he smiled to his former partner, caught Tascha's eye on the opposite side of what was now the innermost circle, waved, and then weaved his way through the alternating rings of dancers until he came to the outside of the dance. Unattached women were moving before him, as men quickly took their picks and led them away from the dance floor, either to the gallery or to the area underneath that. Don shoved a moment of indecision aside, and stepped forward with a smile to catch hold of the hand of a beautiful young woman. She seemed to be of Indian descent, with dark skin, thick, lustrous, black hair pulled back into a ponytail that spilled down her back, warm, laughing eyes, and full breasts pushed up out of her white bodice. Her skirt was basically a set of layered ribbons of black and white.Don tugged her away from the dance, and she came willingly with a musical laugh. Don put his arm around her bare shoulders, looked down into her pretty eyes and said, “Hello, my beautiful lady, would you do me the honor of this ‘dance'?”She laughed again, and said, “It would be my pleasure, sir.”They were close to the foot of the right stairs, so Don led her up those steps, saying, “My name is Don, by the way.”“I'm Sanja,” she smiled. “You're new here, aren't you?”“I am indeed,” he grinned.They passed several couples on the benches against the wall, and one set of two couples that seemed to have blended together, with one woman on her back getting fucked while the other woman sat on the first's face and sucked on her partner's cock. Don thought that group looked like a lot of fun. Somehow this carried Don to the thought that he would like Tascha to be able to see him and Sanja if she should happen to be looking. So, he turned her toward the balcony railing, which, being made of stone, seemed quite sturdy.Don took hold of Sanja's waist and lifted her up to sit on the broad railing. This put her face almost level with Don's, and she leaned forward to kiss him. He reached up to hold her face in his hands as he returned her kiss. She sucked on his lower lip a bit and he playfully bit hers. Their tongues slipped into each other's mouths, exploring and tasting. Don felt her hand reaching down between them. Finding his rising cock, she began to squeeze and pull on it. Reluctantly breaking their kiss, Don tipped Sanja's head back and kissed her bare throat. He nipped and kissed his way along, until he had descended to her collar bone, and then pulled back a bit, away from her greedy grasp. Smiling at her, Don knelt between her legs and kissed each of her smooth brown thighs. Gently, he parted the ribbons that concealed her pussy from him. She helped him by taking the offending ribbons and throwing them to the sides. Soon, Don was pressing his lips against the little hood behind which her clit was hiding.Don kept a firm hold on Sanja's thighs as he slowly ran his tongue along her moist lips. It wouldn't do to have the lovely young woman fall over the balcony. Moving patiently, he parted her outer lips with his tongue, and then used it to spread her sweet juices up and down between those lips. Finally, he returned his attention to her clit, which was now pushing itself out of hiding. He licked it slowly and gently a few times, then took it into his mouth, sucking on it a bit. Going back to licking it, Don very slowly began to increase the pressure of his tongue on Sanja's clit. He was rewarded with a little shudder and a cute whimper. When she took one of her hands off the railing and held the back of his head so that he wouldn't try to back away, Don let go of her left thigh and brought his right hand around to her pussy. Without stopping what he was doing with his tongue, Don gently parted her lips with his fingertips and probed the mouth of her pussy. He kept slowly but firmly licking Sanja's clit as he slowly pushed his finger up into her. Once, twice, three times Don worked his finger in and then out of her very tight and wet vagina. Then he took his finger away, only to twist his first and second fingers together, as if he was crossing them for luck, and then slowly pushed them together into her.Sanja gasped and pushed herself a little forward on the railing, encouraging Don to continue what he was doing. Of course, Don had no intention of stopping. He slowly built up the tempo of his licking, now turning his head a bit from side to side, while steadily fucking his twisted fingers in and out of Sanja's pussy. It didn't take too much of this before Sanja began to shudder and groan with her rapidly approaching orgasm. Then, almost abruptly, she came with a loud shriek and a minor flood of her juices on Don's tongue, chin and hand. She clutched his head to her as she shook there on the railing. Don held still, sucking on her clit as she climaxed. Eventually, though, when Sanja began to slump forward a bit, Don released her clit and withdrew his wet, slippery fingers.He smiled up at the brown-eyed beauty who leaned down, took his face in her hands and kissed him, hard. During this passionate, happy kiss, she began to pull him up. Don rose and stepped closer to her, slipping his left arm around her waist. Sanja leaned on the railing and scooted her butt forward. Don took his now very hard cock in hand and rubbed it between her lips. Sanja was staring intently into his eyes as Don pushed the head of his cock into her pussy. She moaned a low, “mm-hmm,” as he pushed up into her, filling her with his cock.Sanja wrapped her legs around him, as Don reached up to hold the back of her neck with his right hand. They continued to look into each other's eyes as he slowly began to fuck in and out of her. Don held on to her tightly as he pulled out and then thrust in, steadily building up the pace. Never breaking their gaze, Don fucked her in long, steady strokes, a bit faster as time went on.“You're going to make me come again,” Sanja said intently.“Good,” Don answered firmly, without taking his eyes off hers, and without pausing his rhythmic fucking of her strong, slippery pussy.Finally, it was Sanja who looked away, throwing her head back as her second orgasm careened through her body. Feeling her body clenching around him, Don leaned over Sanja again, still holding her tightly, but now burying his face in her neck and then her full breasts as he continued to fuck in and out of her. Then his own orgasm exploded at the base of his spine; his cock swelled and shot a fountain of cum up into Sanja. His entire body shook as he shoved up into her and held her close, his balls and cock sending spurt after spurt into her pussy.Then he found he was kissing her again. Sanja said, “That was definitely my pleasure, Don.”“That was beautiful,” said a feminine voice off to Don's left. He and Sanja looked to see a beautiful and elegant older woman with light brown hair shot through with streaks of silver and black piled up on her head to accentuate her long neck, wearing a coppery gown.Don smiled and said, “Thank you.”“May I?” said the woman, and immediately dropped to her knees next to them.Don looked at Sanja who only smiled back and gave a little shrug.“Um, sure,” Don said, and stepped back a bit from Sanja, letting his slightly deflated cock slip free.The woman on her knees promptly reached forward and took hold of Don's cock and leaned in to bring it to her mouth. Sanja and Don watched as she milked the last bit of cum from him and then very thoroughly cleaned him with her lips and tongue. Then, she moved in and, without the slightest preliminaries, began to lick up every remnant of sex from Sanja's thighs and outer lips. When she was done with that, she proceeded to slip her tongue up into Sanja's pussy and did her best to retrieve every last bit of Don's cum. While she was doing this, she had reached up to stroke Don's cock which was now back to full vigor. Don, meanwhile, leaned in to kiss Sanja, and then the tops of her breasts. Sanja yanked the top of her bodice down, so her breasts came free, and Don immediately began to kiss and suck on her nipples. The woman between Sanja's legs was now obviously licking at Sanja's clit, while Sanja held Don to her breasts where he sucked on her nipple, pulling on it and teasing it with his tongue and teeth. Before long, Sanja was trembling and moaning, then shaking and crying out, as yet another orgasm washed over her in crashing waves.Sanja collapsed forward with her arm around Don's shoulders. After a few moments, she said, “Wow!”The woman in front of them stood up, smoothed her skirts, gave them a broad smile and then turned and walked away.“Help me over to a bench, please,” Sanja said. “I'm afraid I'm going to be a bit weak in the knees.”Don slipped his arm around her back, and the other under her legs and gently carried her over to a nearby bench, where he laid her down with a kiss on her forehead. She smiled sweetly up at him and said, “I just need a little break. Go have fun, and I'll see you later, sweet Don.”He kissed her mouth once again, and said, “I certainly hope so, Sanja.”Don looked around in the hope that he might find Tascha again and close by, but she was nowhere to be seen. He had an overwhelming desire to see what kind of mischief she might have gotten into. He made his way around the rest of the balcony, and had to resist stopping to watch, or join in on, any number of interesting combinations of bodies. Before going down the stairs, he looked across the way to try to see Sanja, and thought he could see a little knot of people where he had left her. If he couldn't find Tascha soon, he thought he would have to go back there to see what Sanja had gotten up to.Back on the dance floor, some of the guests were dancing in a less formalized way, to music that sounded decidedly un-classical. Don didn't think he could see Tascha out there among the dancers, so he moved around to start looking in the area underneath the balcony. As he had seen when they came in to the ballroom, this area featured a number of smaller chambers, open on the one side to the dance floor. Each one had benches on the sides and then basically a large bed set along the rear wall. There was quite a bit of action going on here, and it took Don a while to work through the first five of these chambers, which accounted for the left half of them. In the middle of this area, directly opposite the doors they had originally entered, was a long heavy table set into an inset in the wall. This table was piled high with flowers and more bowls of fruit. Leaning back against the front edge of the table was Tascha. She was not alone.Tascha was half-sitting on the edge of the table, with her legs splayed out in front of her. Between those fish-net clad legs was a completely naked young woman with a rather fit back who knelt with her face in Tascha's crotch. On the table were two more girls, one kneeling on either side of Tascha. The one on Tascha's left was wearing a black taffeta dress and a big red bow in her dark hair and was leaning over to suck on Tascha's nipple. The one on Tascha's right was wearing a slinky red dress with a slit running way up the side, had blonde curly hair, and was both squeezing Tascha's right tit, and making out with Tascha. Aside from the long gloves, which had gone missing, and probably the G-string, Tascha was still wearing all of her ball clothes and had her right hand resting on the ass of the girl in red, and was using the left to hold the girl's head between her legs in place. She certainly seemed to be having a good time.To be continued, in The Ball part BBy BradentonLarry for Literotica

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The red-haired bitch of vexing humiliation?A 5-part story By Blind_Justice & Loqui Sordida Ad Me. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.The quarry she had stalked for weeks over choppy seas aboard Ambrose’s crowded ship, had through uncanny skill or dumb luck once again eluded her. Even if Kelgore had been seized for food or sport by the beastly natives, Tsonia still needed proof of his death to claim the God-King’s bounty. She would be damned if she was going to be robbed of her prize.Besides, Kelgore owed her an explanation as to how she came to be kneeling before him, spattered with his essence and no recollection at all. If he still lived, she would wrest an answer from him, and woe unto him if the answer displeased her.Anger coiling in her innards like a steel-clad serpent, Tsonia dressed. She refilled the water gourd and a pair of skins her fallen foes had carried. She took their spears and a few other odds and ends that she thought might prove useful and bundled them together in one of their nets. After a moment’s hesitation, she added the witch head to the bundle she had made. Kelgore clearly ascribed it some perverse value to have carried it with him through the storm. It might prove a useful bargaining chip.With a final look around for any hidden threats, Tsonia turned her back on the spring and followed the trickling rivulet back towards the beach. Joras and Ambrose would be waiting, thirsting in misery for the water she had promised them.The sky had darkened to a velvety black. Unknown constellations sparkled amidst the remnants of stormy clouds. Ambrose found it hard to measure the flow of time. How long had it been since Tsonia left to fetch some water? One hour? Several? Maybe some days? Between ever-mounting thirst and the pain ravaging his body, staying awake proved to be difficult. The monotonous rumble of the drums didn’t help.He only realized that sleep had claimed him when the femur, the feeble weapon Tsonia had left him with, dropped from numb fingers and hit his aching foot, jolting him awake again. Groaning, Ambrose fumbled for the bone before checking the limp body of his companion. Joras had succumbed to exhaustion, slumped into a heap on the splintered bench he and Ambrose were sitting on. At least the artist’s breathing seemed even and his brow wasn’t ablaze with fever.Ambrose fought desperately to keep his eyes open, listening with focused intent for other survivors skulking among the debris. But there was nothing save for the unending rhythm of the drums. Slowly, inexorably, his head sank to his chest, the weapon drooped lower and lower and before he knew it, slumber had once again claimed him.A gentle hand on his shoulder shocked Ambrose awake. Acting on pure instinct, he raised the femur, only to be stopped by a second hand around his wrist.“Is this the way to greet me when I bring food and water?” The voice was feminine and laced with dry wit. Slowly, his eyes adjusted to the murky gloom under the broken hull and he saw Tsonia’s face, a pale mask with twinkling eyes. Ambrose heaved a great sigh of relief, his voice hoarse with thirst.Tsonia pulled something from the ground and pressed it into Ambrose’s hand. The water skin was filled to the stopper and Ambrose greedily opened it, yearning for the feel of cool moisture on his parched lips and throat.“Drink slowly,” Tsonia advised him, sliding onto the bench next to Joras. “If you’re hungry, there are some strips of dried meat in there.” She nudged a rustling something with her foot.“What took you so long?” Ambrose rasped. "Feels like you were gone forever.“ He took a long, deliberately slow swig from the waterskin and sighed as the cool water poured down his throat.Tsonia cradled Joras’s head into the crook of her elbow and carefully whetted his lips with a thin rivulet of water. Groaning, the artist came to, sipping the life-giving liquid."I found a spring and Kelgore both,” she said, setting down the water skin and helping Joras sit upright. Once she was certain he could steady himself, Tsonia handed the skin off to him and busied herself with her bundle.“My apologies to your tailor, Joras,” Tsonia quipped as she ripped strips off the bottom of his salt-stained traveling cloak and knotted them around a spar of wood. A moment later, there was the sound of flint on steel and painfully bright sparks as Tsonia fought to light a makeshift torch. With an angry hiss, the wick of tattered rags sputtered to life“Did you slay him?” Joras muttered, his voice slowly regaining strength. His gaze wandered along her toned body. “There are new wounds.”“Nothing to worry about,” Tsonia said, waving his concern away with a dismissive slash of her hand. “Before I could seize Kelgore, some natives appeared and attacked us. Either he used the commotion to abscond or the natives have snatched him.”“You’re not planning on following him, are you?” Joras asked, his tone suggesting he already knew that Tsonia was planning exactly that.“Unless we want this whole endeavor to be for naught, we will have to follow him,” Tsonia said. “I know we’re short on men and weapons, but each hour we wait allows Kelgore to slip ever further from our grasp.”“And what if we find him? How do you plan to get us back to Xhastria?” Joras asked. “Be reasonable, Tsonia. Kelgore might be gone or dead already. We should focus our efforts on finding a way home.”Ambrose bent low over Tsonia’s bundle, rooting for the food she had offered. Sharp teeth clamped around his hand, nearly taking off two of his fingers and tearing open his skin. Blood flowed freely. Cursing, he yanked his hand back, staring in horror at a grinning head amidst the gathered trappings. Sharp teeth were still snapping, framed by bloodied lips. But worst of all were the eyes, bloodshot orbs glaring straight into his soul. Ambrose recoiled and grabbed his club.“What in the Burning Hells did you bring back, Tsonia?” Ambrose snapped, raising the weapon for a devastating blow. “Is that a woman’s severed head?”“Your flame-haired whore has no understanding of the things she is meddling with,” the witch head sputtered. “She loosed the storm that I contained. She has marooned you here in this waste.”“Did you both hear that?” Tsonia asked, her gaze going from Ambrose to Joras. Ambrose nodded in uneasy confirmation. “I was drugged by a native’s dart and thought the speaking head was but a waking nightmare.”“Who is, or was, she?" Joras asked. "And why bring it here?”“I am Shala, mother to the great Kelgore! Traveler beyond the Veil! Willing consort to demons! I have received the seed and the blessing of horrors beyond your compre,”Tsonia snatched up the head and crammed a scrap of driftwood in its mouth, interrupting its blasphemous tirade. “And she calls me ‘whore’?” the flame-haired warrior growled.“I thought I killed the witch aboard Kelgore’s ship,” Tsonia explained over Shala’s muffled grunts. “When I met Kelgore at the spring, he had her head with him. It must be very important for him to protect it through the storm and whatever else he encountered along these savage shores.”“You could have warned me,” Ambrose said, cradling his mauled hand against his chest. “It nearly cost me two fingers.”“I didn’t realize it was still dangerous,” Tsonia said. “I’m sorry.”She offered Ambrose a scrap of fabric as a makeshift bandage. The captain took it and wound it around his hand, trembling with his hastened heartbeat and pumping fresh crimson into the fabric.“And what do we do now?” Joras asked, suspiciously eyeing the disassembled bundle at their feet. “I don’t fancy a trek through hostile jungles with just a few water skins and barely any food. No paper, no paints or brushes. Not that you’d let me paint you once your hair starts to fade. I suppose all of your henna is at the bottom of the ocean. Not even a simple whittling blade to carve,”“And we have no idea where Kelgore might be,” Ambrose added, interrupting Joras’s rambling.There was a ghastly sound, halfway between retching and coughing. Shala’s head had managed to work the gag from its mouth. Her hoarse, cajoling voice offered: “I know where Kelgore is. He is as much a part of me as eyes or tongue. My spawn lives yet, and so long as he draws breath, I shall sense his presence.”“Why should we trust the word of a dead demon-kisser?" Ambrose asked, voice filled with malice. "We should roast you over a fire and send you to whatever hell will have you.”“Because that buxom barbarian brute of yours won’t let you leave this island until you find Kelgore,” Shala gloated. “I wish to be reunited with my son. We share a common goal, For now.”“It galls me that she has a point,” Ambrose confessed.“It’s just bargaining for its life. There is no truth to its words,” Tsonia spat.“Can you get them home, whore?” Shala challenged. “Do you have any notion in which direction Xhastria even lies?”Even Ambrose, with years of experience at navigation, had been flummoxed by the storm. They had been chasing Kelgore westward when last he had his bearings, so Xhastria probably lay somewhere to the east. It would be a toss of the dice to venture out on the open sea with so little certainty though.“No?” the witch continued. “Help me restore my body and with a simple spell I can conjure you home. To your very doorstep if you wish.” A peal of mad laughter burst from her bloodstained lips as the torch light danced across her twisted visage. “You don’t want to perish here on this pox-ridden island, now do you? Neither do I!”“We can restore your body?” Ambrose asked, his brow furrowing at the capacity of magic.“Yes! And it’s easier than you,” Shala’s strained voice was choked off again as Tsonia wedged the driftwood gag back in her disembodied jaw and then bound it there with a length of leather strap.“Don’t encourage its mad blathering,” she scolded. “First we find Kelgore, then we will find a way off this island, If it even is an island. If we must bargain with a demon-kisser, we do so as a last resort when all other options are exhausted. Agreed?”“Yes, of course,” Joras acceded. “We should just bury the horrible thing. We can come dig it up if we need it.”“No, better to keep her close,” Ambrose countered. “If we do need help, we may need it very quickly.” Despite his misgivings, Ambrose was keenly aware that the odds were against them and their options might be exhausted much sooner than anticipated.The gall of the red-haired bitch was a vexing humiliation, but one that Shala was prepared to suffer. Once she was reunited with Kelgore, her son would show Red Tsonia the true meaning of humiliation. Shala was patient. She could wait. And in the meantime she would watch and plot.She had spent the night with the taste of salt-wood on her tongue watching the fop in the orange cloak splint the ankle of the buffoon and then fashion him a crude crutch while the bitch stood watch. The fop was too much in thrall to the bitch to be of any use. The buffoon, however, had potential. Shala could see in him a resistance to the bitch’s authority and a desire for control. It was only his injured leg that kept him subservient to her.The buffoon could be useful.When the sun rose, her captors ate the scant food taken from the beast skin, and emptied their water skins. The bitch removed Shala’s gag, carefully avoiding her teeth. She needn’t have bothered though. While Shala did need blood to reform her body, it had to be pure blood, not the corrupted filth coursing through Red Tsonia’s veins. If she could taste pure blood for seven days in a row, well then things would be different.The bitch hoisted Shala by the hair and held her up to gaze at the jungle that grew up and away from the beach.“You say you can sense your whelp,” she said plainly. “So tell me, should we head towards the volcano or towards the flatlands?”“Oh now you want my mad blathering?” Shala scowled. “I thought I was not to be trusted.”“Consider this a test of your good will,” the bitch dared to challenge her. “If you don’t want to help us find Kelgore, I’ll just gag you again and,”“Towards the volcano,” Shala interjected. She was kept alive by the grace of her demonic masters and didn’t suffer from many ailments of the flesh, but the driftwood was still uncomfortable between her teeth.“You don’t actually trust her, do you?” asked the fop.“It doesn’t matter,” the bitch replied. “We were going that way regardless. The spring lies towards the volcano. We can refill our water and pick up Kelgore’s trail there.” With that, the wooden bit was roughly crammed in her mouth once more and secured there.Tsonia was clearly cunning, but ultimately the bitch would be no match for Shala’s guile. Shala was patient. She could wait.When the first rays of the rising sun turned the ocean into molten gold, Tsonia, Ambrose and Joras emerged from their flimsy shelter. The incessant drumming had gone all night making it difficult to snatch a few hours of fitful sleep. The drumming continued unabated as they ate a paltry breakfast, the remaining scraps from the captured rations had them feeling better equipped for the task at hand.The pain of Ambrose’s wounds ameliorated somewhat with rest and with the help of Joras’s crude cane, he managed to keep pace with the others along the stony swath between the tree line and the surf. At a thin brook that cut a narrow path to the sea, the flame-haired warrior turned, eagerly heading into the jungle which awakened to riotous life around them.Birds and monkeys screeched in the branches overhead and larger bodies rustled in the shoulder-high underbrush. Occasionally, there was a low growl close by which put Ambrose’s hairs on end but Tsonia didn’t seem perturbed by the ominous sounds around them. And of course there were the drums, still rumbling sonorous, foreboding, in the distance. He was certain their cadence had changed.Tsonia's palm against his chest stopped his musing and stride both.“What is it?” Ambrose whispered. Tsonia tapped her nose and took a deep breath.Ambrose sniffed. It took him a few tries, but then he noticed the tell-tale aroma of roasted meat.“Someone ahead?” he hissed.Tsonia nodded, dropping into a crouch. She readied one of her scavenged spears.“Maybe survivors,” Ambrose offered. “We should greet them accordingly.”“You do that,” Tsonia said. “I’ll make sure we don’t stumble into an ambush. The natives carried flint and steel.” She unslung the crude pack from her shoulder and, quiet like a shadow, she slithered into the foliage. Ambrose tossed the pack over his shoulder. The head within grunted in annoyance. Grasping his driftwood cane with his free hand and, with Joras just behind, he pushed forward.He entered a large glade shadowed by overhanging branches. The early morning light glinted off the surface of a serene pool. A crude campfire had been erected next to a sturdy sea chest, the jungle wood causing more smoke than actual fire. Nevertheless, some skewers had been prepared, chunks of meat roasting over the flames. Two figures scrambled to their feet as Ambrose and Joras broke their cover. Long, curved blades glinted in the sunlight. One of the men, long-haired and sporting a thick, pointy beard, suddenly cried out in joy.“Captain!”Ambrose recognized the caller as Montu, one of his veterans. The other, a long-limbed, bald Xhastrian with ritualistic scars running down his arms, shot his companion a worried look and fell into a combat stance, his blade ready to strike.A shadow emerged behind the Xhastrian. Sunlight broke on flaming hair as Tsonia snaked an arm around his neck, a muscular leg slid between his and with an almost playful tug, the fierce warrior plucked the gleaming sword from his grasp, gently dragging the unbalanced man to the grassy ground. He was too surprised to offer much of a struggle, especially when Tsonia caressed his naked chest with the blade she had just wrested from his fingers.“Who’s your friend, Montu?” Ambrose asked.“Captain, that’s Sethos,” Montu said, sword down and hand open in a placating gesture. “Please, don’t hurt him. He was one of Kelgore’s, but without him, the bottomless sea would have claimed me twice over.”“Why didn’t we see you before?” Joras asked suspiciously over the din of the distant drums. The artist walked around the campfire, stopping at the large trunk. He raised the lid and peered inside. Within he saw weapons, tools, ropes, nails and other useful things. “That’s a Quartermaster’s Chest, isn’t it?”“That chest carried us both through the storm and then nearly broke our bones when we got tossed onto the shore a ways over there,” Montu gestured towards the distant beach, then grimaced, massaging his ribs. “We cracked it open to see if there was anything edible inside. When we heard the drums, we thought we might be able to trade with the natives, so we dragged it with us along the beach looking for water and found this spring. Someone had already been here though, killing two…” His gaze darted towards the edge of the glade. Something, hidden by the thick undergrowth, chewed on bones.“Two what?" Joras asked."Two green-furred, creatures,” Sethos added. “Heads like beasts, claws like daggers, long tails. Someone stabbed them good.” He offered a grim smile. "Your handiwork, eh?“ His eyes sought Tsonia."They left me no choice,” Tsonia grumbled. “I suspect they are the natives whose drum we hear. They wore crude clothing and carried tools so they have some savage culture.”“They seem quite proud of their music, at least,” Joras mused, casting an annoyed look towards the unceasing drum beat. Ambrose frowned at the quip. The drums were becoming tiresome, and he wouldn’t mind a chance to stab the drummers himself.“Sethos and I were just discussing what to do next, Captain,” Montu said, breaking Ambrose’s reverie. “We have water, game, some tools and plenty of wood. We could start building a ship to get home. But maybe we should look for other survivors first.”“I’ve seen no signs of other survivors on the beach,” Ambrose said. “I doubt there are many of us or Kelgore’s men left.” He gazed at the towering trees surrounding the glade. “With only the five of us and the tools in the chest, building anything seaworthy would take months. And I’m not much of a shipwright.”“But what other choice do we have?” Sethos asked. “Who knows if other ships even pass by this forlorn shore?”“Kelgore survived,” Tsonia snarled, fingertips touching her own cheek and lips as if she was wiping away some horrid stain. “I saw him myself here at this spring last night. I’m here to pick up his trail and I won’t return to Xhastria without his head as a prize. If the natives have taken him, we’ll need to deal with them as well.”There was a muffled chuckling only Ambrose heard. He jostled the pack to shut up the insolent head of the undying witch. Shala seemed to disagree with Tsonia’s assessment and uttered another guttural noise.“Provided they are willing to listen. Or hand over Kelgore,” Ambrose said. “Don’t forget, they tried to kill you.”“I’m not forcing anyone to come along,” Tsonia said, not unkindly. “But there is safety in numbers. Your chance of survival would be better by my side.”Ambrose had seen Tsonia fight, both during the recent boarding action gone awry and when they first met all these years ago in a nameless pirate haven tucked away on a rocky island off the Xhastrian coast.He had been there on business, selling overpriced food and diluted beer to the locals and taking on new crew. She had strode into the dockside tavern, wearing only her tattered chain mail and a devilish grin drawing the eye of every man. What caught Ambrose’s eye though was the rakish young man in her wake, frantically scribbling on a pad propped on his forearm, trying to capture her stride, her pose and probably her curvy backside.When stools went flying and heads started rolling, Ambrose met Joras under a table, unwilling to waste his drink in the maelstrom of bodies. The seed for a long-lasting friendship, and so much more!, was planted as they both watched Tsonia fell men by the dozen in pursuit of one crooked merchant who owed her money.Ambrose’s gaze sought Joras’s. If the artist stayed, they would be on even terms with the sailors and the chance of betrayal would be much lower. Maybe they could even rekindle some of the magic they had shared after Tsonia had bought rounds for the bar and left them to their own devices for a night. But Joras once again had eyes only for his muse. Ambrose sighed.Joras was too fixated on capturing every move Tsonia made. He would follow her blindly into the blackest pits of Hell. Someone had to make sure he wouldn’t find a miserable end in her company. And if she was willing to blindly dive into the jungle, brave a tribe of murderous savages all in the name of claiming a bounty on a demon-kisser, she would need all the help she could get.“Is this true, Captain?" Asked Montu tossing a glance at Sethos. "Are we still hunting Kelgore?”“Tyrant’s Blade is but a shattered wreck on the beach,” Ambrose replied. “I am your captain no more. You are free to do as you wish, but I invite you to accompany us as a fellow brother of the sea. Together, we can brave whatever this unknown land may throw at us.”Montu offered a wide grin. “Then you’ll be happy to know that Sethos and I have become brothers as well.” He raised his hand, showing a fresh cut in his palm. “I trust Sethos with my life, cap-, Ambrose.”The Xhastrian did the same. “No man or beast can tear us apart now,” Sethos said. “Where my brother Montu goes, I go.”“Even if it puts you at odds with your former master, Kelgore?" Joras asked.Sethos spat on the ground and turned, showing ghastly burn marks on his back. "This is how he treats his soldiers when in a foul mood,” the sailor growled. “I served him loyally from the beginning, but when his eye fell on a whore I was with, this is what I got for not wanting to share. He tore a poker from a fireplace and used it on my back. Kelgore can rot in the Pits for all I care!”“Why did you sail with him, even after what he did?” Joras asked, pity and dread in equal measure in his voice.“The only other choice was to be left behind in the fishing village we’d just despoiled,” Sethos answered with neither pride nor contrition in his voice.“Kelgore will answer for his crimes,” Tsonia vowed, rifling through the chest and picking up an axe. Grim determination flared in her steely gaze. “Let us take only as many weapons and gear as we can easily carry and be off. The sooner we find him, the sooner justice can be done!”The prints of Kelgore’s sturdy boots had vanished at the spring, replaced by signs of dragging, and the clawed footprints of the natives. Tsonia concluded that Kelgore had been drugged and carried off. Sethos wasn’t much of a woodsman but he recognized the broken leaves and the scuffed earth when the signs were pointed out to him.The small group, now armed with swords, daggers, axes and a spade, left the glade behind, following what appeared to be a hunting trail. Branches had been carved away, foliage had been cleared and the occasional snare had been set.“How kind of the natives to provide for us,” the red-haired woman called Tsonia chuckled, pulling a small, furry carcass from one such snare. “We won’t go hungry tonight.” She tucked the carcass into her makeshift pack and tightened the vines holding their meager possessions together.Tsonia led the party in single file, followed by the well-dressed northerner and the injured Ambrose in the middle. Sethos, bringing up the rear behind Montu, wasn’t quite sure what to make of his new companions. Montu’s former captain was preoccupied by something, probably his injury. The northerner called Joras seemed too milky to be a mercenary, and yet Montu and Ambrose both seemed to defer to him.They followed a meandering trail through the claustrophobic jungle. The dense foliage pressed in on them from all sides, and seemed to swallow their words. It was hard to hear Montu even just in front of him, let alone any of the others further up the line. Despite the hum of insects, the caterwauling cries of birds and monkeys, and the ceaseless drumming that seemed to surround them, Sethos found the jungle eerily quiet and still. He was a sailor, and used to the open expanse of the sea and the chatter of other sailors.“So that’s the infamous 'Red Tsonia’, is it?” Sethos asked, just to hear something other than the drums. “I heard she stalked the Beast of Bral for three months across the Wastes of Cairn and carried its hide back to Baron Septimus as a wedding dowry, then refused to marry him.”Montu laughed. “We played that game the first two days she was aboard. Someone would repeat some outlandish tale they’d heard of Tsonia’s exploits, she’d claim it was all true, and then her man Joras would set the record straight.”There was no response from further up the line so Sethos let the conversation end there. The confined bowels of the jungle unnerved him. He was certain Montu and Ambrose had to feel the same.Ahead, Tsonia called a stop. The trail they had followed intersected another and they could find no track or sign that made for an obvious choice.“Do we ask Shala?” Ambrose suggested, and Sethos’s ears perked up“What do you know of Shala?” he asked. “Does she still live, as well as Kelgore?”“Live’ is perhaps too generous a term,” Joras answered. “But by some sorcery, she’s not exactly dead yet, either.”Tsonia rolled her eyes. “Fine,” she sighed. “I suppose the old witch’s opinion is marginally better than a coin toss.” She set the pack on the ground and to Sethos’s horror, pulled out a severed head by its hair. He recognized her visage immediately as her malevolent gaze fell on each member of the party. Shala growled, her anger obvious despite the piece of driftwood between her teeth.“You have something useful to say, perhaps?” Tsonia removed the wood.“Insolent whore!" Shala spat. "How dare you cram-”Snarling, Tsonia rammed the wood back between the head’s teeth. “Oh, not enjoying the company?” she snapped. "Too bad. We only have this one pack and you’re sharing with our dinner.“ Shala replied with another growl and a hate-filled glare before Tsonia tied the vines again and tossed the pack over her shoulder."It’s dangerous to keep that thing,” Sethos warned. “If you can’t burn it to ash, you should smash it to a pulp.”“It may yet prove useful,” argued Ambrose. “We may need her magic to get home.”“They hurt you, didn’t they?” Joras asked softly. “Kelgore and his witch, I mean.”Sethos stood silent for a moment. The men who sailed the sea had a code, and he was loath to speak ill of any man he’d sailed with. And sailing with Kelgore had been hugely profitable for a time. But he had seen things that haunted him. Things he hoped no man would ever see again. Sethos glanced at Montu. His blood brother nodded.“Kelgore can seize the minds of others,” Sethos murmured at last. “It’s those black eyes of his. When you look into those eyes, he steals your will and your memories both. He turns you to his cause whether you wish to do his bidding or not. I have seen Kelgore compel strong men to slice the throats of their own children, or to throw themselves into the sea and just let themselves drown rather than try to swim.”“And after, you have no memory of what you have done,” Tsonia added quietly.“Yes!” agreed Sethos, looking up with a start. “You’ve seen it! You’ve seen this power he wields.”“I’ve seen it,” she agreed, wiping her hand across her mouth. “Which is why he must die, But first we must find him. Very well, if we can see no reason to choose one path over another, then I suggest,”Sethos couldn’t say where the violent eruption of fur and foliage came from. Before he was even aware of it, the whole party was knocked asunder in a chaotic frenzy of violence. As a massive beast tore through their midst, he saw flashes of teeth as long as his cutlass, claws like knives, fur striped brown and white like the sun-dappled jungle floor. And then just as quickly it was gone.“Ambrose! It got Ambrose!” Montu shouted as he clambered to his feet. In a flash of fiery hair, Tsonia was already plunging headlong into the thicket.Sethos sprang up, drew his sword, and followed his blood brother in pursuit with the man Joras close behind carrying the pack. If Sethos had found the winding trail claustrophobic, this wild boscage was worse. Leaves and branches assailed him as he tore heedlessly through the dense undergrowth. Somewhere ahead, Ambrose screamed for help.Montu hacked away a branch and Sethos did likewise, just in time to see the mail-clad mercenary let fly her axe on the run. The spinning blade vanished into the brush, but a monstrous squeal of pain told them it had found its mark.“It bleeds now!” Tsonia called, without breaking her stride, and only a few yards later, Sethos saw the splatter of crimson against the leaves and the crooked path it wove through the jungle.The beast fled like a coursed hare, skirting this way and that, but Tsonia doggedly held its trail and the three men followed in her verdant wake. Suddenly the ground dropped away and Sethos found himself skidding and sliding down the embankment of a deep ravine in a cloud of dry forest litter. As he scrambled to arrest his perilous descent, he finally caught sight of their quarry ahead.Its long, sinuous body was like that of a great weasel or otter, but the fangs that grew from its jaw reminded Sethos more of the great bloated tusk-seals he had seen in the frozen north. It held Ambrose in its maw, secure behind those fearsome teeth. The man struggled still, but before Sethos could guess at Ambrose’s fate, the beast had scrambled away around a bend in the ravine.“It’s trapped itself!” shouted Tsonia. "Hurry! Before it finds purchase to climb out again!“Sethos found it easier to follow the rocky gorge at speed. In the dim depths, the brush was not so dense, and he frequently spotted their prey trying in vain to escape back to the jungle coverage above. But the chasm narrowed. Sethos caught glimpses of Ambrose tucking himself tightly around the great saber-toothed snout to avoid being battered against the steeply sloping walls.Cornered by the contracting ravine, the great beast made one last desperate attempt to climb to its freedom, claws scrabbling against the loose dirt and mulch, Tsonia’s axe still lodged in its flank. Failing, it floundered back to the bottom and turned on its pursuers, hissing.Ambrose pounded the brute’s snout with his fists, but the creature shook him violently until Ambrose was forced to relent. He seemed to almost slump in the beast’s jaws, as if his very strength drained away."Stand your ground here and don’t let it flee,” Tsonia warned. Montu and Sethos flanked the warrior, swords at the ready, penning the great creature in. “It will have to drop Ambrose if it wants to fight.”“Here,” offered Sethos, "Take my blade.“With his blade in hand, Tsonia charged the beast, dropping low at the last moment to avoid a swipe of its giant paw. It was evident to Sethos that she sought to attack the monster’s flank and avoid any strike that might injure Ambrose, but the beast was too nimble, its long body turning and shifting and always keeping its snarling gaze on its foe.A distraction was called for."Montu, my brother, stand ready if it should flee,” Sethos instructed as he knelt down to pick up a pair of good-sized stones from those scattered at his feet. “Joras, help me draw its attention, To the left, ready?”“Yes, I see,” Joras confirmed, laying aside his pack and spade and picking up a pair of stones as well.The pair let fly with their stones, pelting the great beast’s shoulder and ample side. It turned, growling at them, and with no hesitation, Tsonia seized her opening. The curved blade drew a gash along the creature’s right side. It was no killing blow, but Tsonia clearly had a more immediate goal. As Sethos and Joras rearmed themselves, Tsonia snatched the embedded axe from the creature’s hide, ripping it out with a gout of flesh and blood.The mighty beast screamed in agony, dropping Ambrose, and wheeled on its tormentor with ivory blades. As Sethos and Joras let fly a second volley, Tsonia hacked at its tusk with the axe and drew a slash across the giant weasel’s flaring snout.The creature recoiled in pain, and decided it had had enough.Charging like a coiled spring the creature burst past Montu, who set his blade and raked the beast’s long flank as it passed. Sethos and Joras could only press themselves flat against the walls of the canyon to avoid being smashed by the careening hulk as it fled.“I am beginning to hate this place,” Ambrose quipped as Joras helped him to his feet. He was shaken, battered and scratched, but not seriously harmed. Sethos supposed the giant saber-toothed weasel had meant to carry Ambrose back to feed to its young.“The trails are far behind us now,” Tsonia observed, “and I don’t like our chances of finding our way back. I suggest that if we cannot track Kelgore, we make for high ground and get the lay of the land. Perhaps we can spot something useful.”This course of action sounded reasonable. Sethos and Montu nodded their agreement.“That sounds like quite a climb,” Joras objected. “Perhaps we should call it a day and let Ambrose rest. We only have a few hours of daylight left to find shelter.”Reluctantly their fire-haired leader agreed. “Let’s at least find a way out of this ravine then. I don’t want to get caught in a flood if there’s rain.”Ambrose had managed to spark a fire while the others scavenged in the gloaming twilight. The worst of his wounds had been swaddled in bright orange bandages torn from Joras’s cloak. The crude lean-to that Montu and Sethos had built had kept most of the brief rain off of him, but he was still damp and sweaty and miserable. His tunic dried by the fire as he fed damp punk wood into the flames.In the distance, the drums continued, and not for the first time, Ambrose wished they would stop. He considered unbinding the old witch’s head, just to have a voice to listen to other than the incessant beat of the drums. He was sure that sound would haunt his nightmares for the rest of his days.Before Ambrose’s misery could drive him to foolishness, Montu emerged, hacking through the foliage with his sword.“Well done keeping this fire alight through the rain,” Montu called. “The smell of smoke led us right back to you.”“We’ll not go hungry tonight, at least,” called Sethos from behind Montu. He held up a pair of large birds by their feet.“I’m glad you’re back before dark,” Ambrose replied without standing. “Come and dry those wet clothes by the fire. I’m worried about what rot and disease might find us without good, healthy sea air.”“The humidity is bothersome, isn’t it?” agreed Montu, removing his tunic and spreading it out to dry in the fire’s smokey heat. Sethos crawled into the lean-to in search of a knife to butcher their meat. “The drums are bothersome, too,” he added.“Did you spot a drummer, like you hoped?”“No,” Montu shook his head. “No sign of man nor beast-man. The drums fell silent as we approached. They’re watching us, I think.”“Of course they’re watching us,” Ambrose snapped. "But why? That’s the question.“"Perhaps they fear this,” Sethos said, emerging from the lean-to with the witch’s severed head in his hands.“Put that back!" Ambrose growled. Shala’s eyes locked on his and he felt for a moment as if his very soul shriveled under her gaze. He turned away. "I don’t want to look at her.”“Then we should cast it into your fire and be rid of it,” Sethos argued.“She claims her magic can bring us home,” Ambrose objected.“And you believe her?” Montu asked, snatching the grotesque thing from Sethos, holding it at eye level and staring defiantly into Shala’s scowl.“I don’t know,” Ambrose answered, his eyes fixed on the throbbing heart of the campfire. “I don’t want to, but I fear there may be no alternative, I don’t want to die here, But I’m sure there would be a terrible price for her help.”“Let’s ask her then!” Montu proposed with a laugh. “Tell us old woman, what would it cost us for your magic to take us all home?” He began to unfasten the gag that held Shala in silence.“No, stop!” Sethos objected and reached to grab the witch’s head back from his blood-brother.Ambrose flinched at the sudden flurry of recklessness. Montu, balancing the head in one hand, tried to jerk it away with a good-natured laugh. For a moment they fumbled Shala’s severed head between them, and Ambrose pushed himself back away from their roughhousing, his injured hand throbbing with the memory of his own carelessness. It looked for a moment as if Montu would yield to his wiser brother, but then Sethos suddenly yanked his hand back, leaving Montu with the prize.“Shit! The bitch bit my finger!” he cried, shaking the pain from his injured hand. “She drew blood.”“Traitor! Deserter! Mutineer!” spat Shala, as Montu dropped her to the ground to save his own hands. "Addle-brained Turncoat! Pox-ridden bastard son of a drooling whore!“Sethos found the gag and pressed the wooden bit back between her teeth."Does it ever say anything useful, or just hurl insults?” Montu asked as he helped tightened the gag back in place.Ambrose thought about it. The witch had been more forthcoming after Tsonia had first recovered her. He wondered if perhaps her mind was beginning to rot. Of course, if he’d been bound up the way she had, he wouldn’t be in a very helpful mood either. He was still considering how to answer Montu’s question when his former shipmate looked up with a start.“Hullo!” called a familiar voice from out of the brush. “Ambrose?”“It’s Tsonia and Joras,” Montu hissed. “Put it back,” he urged Sethos, forcing the gagged witch into his blood-brother’s hands “Quick! Quick, put it back!”“Here,” called Ambrose as Sethos scurried inside. "This way.“"I wish you wouldn’t make such a racket,” Ambrose heard Tsonia admonish Joras as she hacked their way into the campsite.“I’m pretty sure everyone already knows right where we are,” Joras countered, gesturing to the ever-present drumming that surrounded them day and night. “Did you have any luck?”“Two fine birds for dinner,” replied Montu, standing up and drawing the eyes of the newcomers. Ambrose recognized the ploy and scooted over to block their view of Sethos and the lean-to. "How about you?“"Not so much I’m afraid,” Joras replied. "A pair of breadfruits and an armload of dry hanging deadwood for the fire.“"That’s alright then,” said Sethos, crawling back out of the lean-to with what Ambrose considered forced nonchalance. “We’ll eat well, dry our clothes and be on our way in the morning.”The next morning, the party left their camp site, bleary-eyed, short-tempered and hardly rested. At least they had a bellyful of food, to grant them energy for another sweat-drenched hike through tangled vines under the wide-brimmed, leafy canopy.Sethos slid down a tree. “The volcano is that way,” he said, pointing. “There is no sign of a trail through all this damned tree cover.”“It was much easier walking than having to hack our way through the undergrowth,” Ambrose complained, massaging his ankle.“Can you still walk?” Montu snapped. “Or should we carry you?”“I think I have a few more miles in me,” Ambrose said, pulling himself up to his full height again. “Let us find some fresh water and a more defensible position before we settle down for the night.”“I’ve seen a clearing not far from here,” Sethos said. “With any luck we might find a spring or a stream there.”Tsonia again took the lead and they set out, soon swallowed by the deep viridian shadows of the jungle. The men were growing testy. The maddening noise of wildlife and the rolling of the natives’ drums was even beginning to wear on her nerves. The air was hot and humid, almost as tiring as the act of marching through the gloom. The stench of rotting vegetation was all-encompassing.The ground, Tsonia noticed, thus far stable enough save for hidden vines and air roots poised to trip them up, became more and more soggy. Rivulets of water glinted, highlighted by the few errant shafts of late afternoon sun which managed to pierce the emerald canopy overhead.And then the endless gloom brightened as the jungle thinned ahead of them. The clearing was nigh!Tsonia stopped abruptly, causing Joras to nearly bump into her. The artist swayed to the side, a shocked yell tearing from his lips. Ahead, wound around a thick, spiked pole, someone had left a skeleton, its skull painted a ghastly red and the arms spread along a crossbeam.“What is this?” Joras gasped.“Seems to be some kind of totem,” Ambrose guessed, mopping thick beads of sweat off his forehead. “Maybe the natives use it to mark their territory?”“I wish they’d use signposts, like civilized people,” Joras muttered. "Gave me a righteous scare.“Tsonia crouched, her blade at hand, her eyes scouring the ground sucking at her feet. "No tracks. No sign of a worn path.”“Why put up this ghastly marker then?” Joras wondered.Ambrose examined the body. “What do the natives look like?” he wondered.“Large, monstrous. Heads which look more like animals than human,” Tsonia said. “Why do you ask?”“Don’t you see? There’s nothing monstrous about the skull. They must have found a human and put him here.”Tsonia traced her fingers over the skull, noticing the cracks and pits in the bone. “That’s too old and weather-beaten to be a fresh kill.”“So we’re not the first humans to maroon on these shores,” Joras said. “Maybe there is a settlement somewhere? And ships to take us back home?” His eyes gleamed with renewed hope, echoed by Montu and Sethos. The sailors slapped their shoulders in silent jubilation.“We need directions,” Tsonia admitted. “First we learn more about the lay of the land. Then we find the natives and Kelgore.”The warrior pushed past the grisly totem, resuming their trek. She had taken only a dozen steps when a guttural noise came from the pack.“Quiet you,” Tsonia snapped. The unliving witch inside answered with another growl. Whatever she wanted was turned into gibberish by the wood secured between her teeth.“Maybe we should find out what’s irking her,” Ambrose suggested.“I’ll not suffer more of her insults,” Tsonia growled. “I’ve had more than enough of that already.” She slapped the pack. “You only speak when spoken to, you hear?”A spiteful grunt was her answer. Satisfied with it, Tsonia headed towards the vestiges of daylight breaking through the gaps between the towering trees. Ambrose and Joras were right behind her.“Ishtar’s tits,” Tsonia cursed, stopping just shy of the last trees. “That’s not the kind of water we need.”Ambrose joined her, blinking at the radiance assaulting his eyes. The clearing was vast, and covered almost entirely in swampy, brackish water. Misshapen trees grew from tiny islands like mutilated appendages of a submerged giant. Like diaphanous clouds with vile intent, large swarms of bloodthirsty insects lazily drifted over the stagnant pool, their droning buzz heralding naught but agony should they find soft, exposed flesh. The first breeze they’d felt in hours greeted them, but it carried a hellish stench, like rank, rotting eggs.“Sulphur,” Joras said, indicating the distant volcano visible above the tree line at last. “The volcano’s influence must reach all the way here.”The pack groaned. There was the hair-raising sound of teeth scoring salt-encrusted wood.Tsonia grabbed the pack and held it at eye level, her gaze lancing into one of Shala’s eyes, barely visible behind a clump of rodent fur. “I’ve had it with your noises, woman,” she hissed. “One more gasp, growl or moan and I’ll toss you into the depths of the swamp. Do you understand?”A noise, almost a word, made it past the gag. Tsonia tossed the pack over her shoulder again. “Good.”She cast a long, troubled gaze around the swamp and tried to judge the distance to the volcano’s rising foothills on the far side. The plume of smoke rising into the evening sky seemed almost sinister in the fading light of dusk.“Crossing this pit will be slow and messy. Who knows what kind of beasts are lurking under the surface.” She scowled at a swarm of insects drifting close. “And I don’t fancy being bitten by those bloodsuckers. Even if it takes us longer, we should walk along the edge.”The sun had long ago fallen below the horizon and still they trudged along the edge of the swamp, looking for a spot of dry land to set up camp. They came across another totem, this one built from human bones as well and still, their purpose eluded them. Exhausted, tired and riddled with insect bites, they struggled on.Montu cast uneasy glances to the side, noting the strange lights flickering under the surface of the swamp and the thick fog obscuring their already limited vision.He had been born and raised in the Green Cities, surrounded by endless deserts. The jungle, the swamp, all teeming with murderous life, was utterly alien to him. He didn’t know if swamps were supposed to glow like that. He glanced towards his blood brother Sethos, but the Xhastrian seemed as uneasy as he was, grasping the heft of his axe with white-knuckled intensity. The captain, no, Ambrose!, cursed and stumbled, the treacherous ground grasping his already weakened leg. Joras easily caught and steadied him.“If we don’t find a safe place soon, this swamp will be my grave,” Ambrose grumbled.A hollow groan answered him, loud enough to be heard over the ever-rumbling drums. And then another. And a third.Montu raised his sword and cast his gaze about. The sounds had come from the swamp, but try as he might, he didn’t spot anything awry.Tsonia, blade in hand, whirled on her heel. “This is not the time for idle jests!” she snapped.There was a strange, sucking noise, of something being dragged across the muddy ground. Montu caught movement at the edge of his vision. There, cast in sharp relief against the sickening glow of the swamp, he saw an arm rise and fall, hand curled into a claw. The arm ended in a body crawling along the ground. Sightless, milky eyes rolled in a devastated skull, the jaw frantically snapping.Another shape shambled close, this one’s rotted limbs swaying in an unsteady gait. And there were yet more, rising from the swamp, dozens of unliving nightmares coming to haunt the living.“Away from the water,” Tsonia ordered. "Before they cut off every escape!“"If it’s not too late already,” Sethos growled, swinging his axe. “They’re everywhere!” The heavy blade split a skull like rotted kindling. Still, a clawed hand grazed the Xhastrian’s shoulder as the body crumpled, tearing a gash into his dark skin. Montu swung his sword as well, beheading the crawler at his feet. Ambrose, Tsonia and even Joras swung sword and axe and spade, trying to stem the tide of shambling bodies slowly, inexorably encircling them.A hand closed around Montu’s ankle, sharp, filthy claws digging into his skin. He stumbled backwards, escaping the second hand slicing downwards by sheer dumb luck. The headless body at his feet still writhed, still sought to tear him apart. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Montu bent low and tore the clammy hand from his leg. Sethos’ axe came down, shattering the undead thing’s spine. At last, the body stopped moving.“Thank you, brother,” Montu said.Sethos gasped in protest. Hot blood fountained, spattering across Montu’s face and chest. Another corpse grasped Sethos from behind, claws like iron vises around the Xhastrian’s arms, teeth tearing at soft tissue. The Xhastrian moaned and staggered, trying to dislodge the monster frantically gnawing at his throat. The axe fell from his fingers.Montu used the heavy pommel of his sword, slamming it into the stinking head until the thing stopped tearing at Sethos’s neck. His blood brother was alive, just, his breath a sick, wet gurgling.“No, don’t die,” Montu whispered.Sethos raised his hand, a flick of a gesture to the rear.Before Montu could turn, a heavy weight fell on him from behind, toppling him onto the gasping Sethos. Razor-like claws tore into Montu’s back, sharp teeth sunk into his calves and shoulders. More and more bodies piled onto him, robbing him of the air to scream for help.Whimpering helplessly, his face caked in his brother’s blood, Montu died, torn asunder by the ravenous horde.T'pek shook his head. The fools had left the trails and ignored the totems. Every whelp of the tribe knew to give the red bones a wide berth. The elders had the grisly warnings placed for a reason after all. The swamp was forbidden, the final resting place of all convicted criminals, be they tribesmen or outsiders. Only, ever since they had tossed that witch into it years ago, the corpses would not stay dead. His keen eyes easily pierced the gloom and his nostrils caught the rancid stench of the swamp-borne dead as they poured from the waters.He had seen the dead walk twice, once as a dare when he still was a stupid, reckless whelp and now for a second time, while watching these curious outsiders blunder through the Hunting Grounds. While the other members of his hunting party couldn’t wait to boast of their catch in front of the females and elders, T'pek knew that patience would bring much greater gain.And unlike his younger kin, he knew a few words of the outsider tongue, gleaned from the flamboyantly clad traders who had come to the village once and never left or those lost souls that had been picked off the beach over the years.He would challenge this fire-headed female in her own tongue. She would accept, and then she would yield to him once beaten. His pack mates had been younger and quicker, but T'pek was a shrewd old hunter, invisible unless he wanted to be seen and gifted with years of experience.There was a distinct stirring from his loins. That fire-headed female was strong and fierce. Other hunters would scoff at her lack of caution the mighty jungle demanded, but T'pek had seen her grow and adapt already. Not even her lack of fur dampened his lust for her. She would give birth to powerful whelps and he would make sure she would do so often. To make his heated wish come true, T'pek needed to throw the ravenous dead off her trail first.From his perch in a holy kalupa tree, he spotted one of the thick-skinned swamp dwellers, docile plant-eaters renowned for their tender meat and fierce tempers once angered. Their fragrant blood made for good bait and he knew they would run away from any danger.T'pek pulled a sharp-edged sling stone from his pouch, a serrated, triangular flint perfect for piercing thick hide and cracking skulls. He nestled the projectile into his sling and, easily balancing on the thick branch he’d been sitting on, let fly. The jagged missile hit the swamp-dweller’s arse, carving a deep gash into its hide. Braying madly, the ponderous beast thundered forwards, blood mingling with water.T'pek bared his teeth in a feral grin. He could see the dead horde falter, the stragglers swerving to track the fresh bait. More and more stumbled back into the swamp, eager to latch on to the fresh source of blood like the wicked snapperfish infesting the White River which had torn apart his first mate.If she was as strong as he hoped, the fire-headed female would now be able to make a clean break from the dead.He settled back on his haunches and resumed his vigil. The hunt was far from over.To be continued in Part 3.By Blind_Justice & Loqui Sordida for Literotica.

He was born early in the seventh century in the East. His birthplace is unclear: the Great Horologion says that he was born in eastern Arabia (present-day Qatar); the Synaxarion that he was born in Kurdistan. While still young he entered the Lavra of St Matthew with his brother, but after a few years of monastic life, having advanced far in obedience and the practice of prayer, he withdrew into the desert. His reputation for holiness reached the city of Nineveh, where the people prevailed on the hierarchy to consecrate him as their bishop in 670. Reluctantly but obediently, St Isaac took up the duties of shepherd of his flock in Nineveh. After a few months, he was called on to settle a dispute between two of the faithful, but they rejected his counsel and said 'Leave your Gospel out of this matter!' The holy bishop said, 'If they are not prepared to obey Our Lord's commandments, what need have they of me?', and retired to live as a hermit in the mountains of Kurdistan. Later, he settled in the monastery of Raban Shapur, where he wrote his Ascetical Homilies and other jewel-like works on the spiritual life. There he reposed in peace.   The fame of St Isaac' Homilies spread, and about one hundred years after their writing they were translated from Syriac into Greek by two monks in Palestine. In this form they spread throughout the monastic world, becoming a treasured guide to those who seek the fullness of the life of prayer. The Synaxarion says, "The book of Saint Isaac is, with the Ladder of Saint John Climacus, the indispensible guide for every Orthdox soul to journey safely toward God. Hence, not many years ago, a holy spiritual father, Jerome of Egina (d. 1966), recommended begging, if necessary, in order to be able to purchase a copy." We are blessed to have a good translation of the Ascetical Homilies available in English.   Saint Isaac is a very unusual case of an Orthodox Saint who lived outside the canonical boundaries of the Church: he was a bishop of the "Nestorian" communion, now sometimes called the "Oriental Orthodox." The purity of his own Orthodox faith is so clearly evident in his writings that the Church has nonetheless recognized his sanctity.

He was born early in the seventh century in the East. His birthplace is unclear: the Great Horologion says that he was born in eastern Arabia (present-day Qatar); the Synaxarion that he was born in Kurdistan. While still young he entered the Lavra of St Matthew with his brother, but after a few years of monastic life, having advanced far in obedience and the practice of prayer, he withdrew into the desert. His reputation for holiness reached the city of Nineveh, where the people prevailed on the hierarchy to consecrate him as their bishop in 670. Reluctantly but obediently, St Isaac took up the duties of shepherd of his flock in Nineveh. After a few months, he was called on to settle a dispute between two of the faithful, but they rejected his counsel and said 'Leave your Gospel out of this matter!' The holy bishop said, 'If they are not prepared to obey Our Lord's commandments, what need have they of me?', and retired to live as a hermit in the mountains of Kurdistan. Later, he settled in the monastery of Raban Shapur, where he wrote his Ascetical Homilies and other jewel-like works on the spiritual life. There he reposed in peace.   The fame of St Isaac' Homilies spread, and about one hundred years after their writing they were translated from Syriac into Greek by two monks in Palestine. In this form they spread throughout the monastic world, becoming a treasured guide to those who seek the fullness of the life of prayer. The Synaxarion says, "The book of Saint Isaac is, with the Ladder of Saint John Climacus, the indispensible guide for every Orthdox soul to journey safely toward God. Hence, not many years ago, a holy spiritual father, Jerome of Egina (d. 1966), recommended begging, if necessary, in order to be able to purchase a copy." We are blessed to have a good translation of the Ascetical Homilies available in English.   Saint Isaac is a very unusual case of an Orthodox Saint who lived outside the canonical boundaries of the Church: he was a bishop of the "Nestorian" communion, now sometimes called the "Oriental Orthodox." The purity of his own Orthodox faith is so clearly evident in his writings that the Church has nonetheless recognized his sanctity.

This was a sad episode. Reluctantly, the boys have decided to try and change things up a bit by going from two shows a week down to one. Chris, Saied and Haroon are eliminating the Friday episode so that they can focus on improving the quality of content and growing the brand. They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. I guess we are a little crazy. But not as crazy as the CEO who was the most accurate home-price forecaster in 2023. Chris has objections to that stance. The Fed's Raphael Bostic expects rate cuts to happen in the third quarter and Saied is convinced they are trying to scare the economy out of the optimism. And the Biden administration may have actually got something right for once. We are as shocked as you are.Sponsored By Transcend Company:TRANSCEND your goals! With a telehealth physician directed personalized treatment plan you can get a PERSONALIZED PLAN for Peptide Therapy, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Cognitive Function, Sleep & Fatigue, Athletic Performance and MORE. Their online process and medical experts make it simple to find out what's right for you. Click the link and start today: http://www.transcendcompany.com/THSP Resources:This CEO was the most accurate home-price forecaster in 2023. Here's what he expects for 2024 (Fast Company)The $8.8 Trillion Cash Pile That Has Stock-Market Bulls Salivating (Wall Street Journal)Fed's Raphael Bostic expects rate cuts to happen in the third quarter (CNBC) Macy's to Cut About 2,350 Jobs, Close Five Stores (Wall Street Journal) Biden administration unveils proposed changes to big banks' overdraft fees (CNBC) Disclaimer: Please note that the content shared on this show is solely for entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal or investment advice or attributed to any company. The views and opinions expressed are personal and not reflective of any entity. We do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information provided, and listeners are urged to seek professional advice before making any legal or financial decisions. By listening to The Higher Standard podcast you agree to these terms, and the show, its hosts and employees are not liable for any consequences arising from your use of the content.

Helios, the Greek Sun God torments his son-in-law, Jason, with blasts of sun rays into exposing the tragic events that led to his epic downfall as a legendary hero before an audience of ghosts from his past. Reluctantly, and with the aid of alcohol, he makes a promise to tell the whole truth of what happened to him, his wife Medea, and their children.Bernadette Armstrong directs Rosney Mauger as Jason. Issac Byrne is the writer. Isaac has been awarded the New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Direction twice. His productions have been nominated for a Drama Desk Award, an Off-Broadway Alliance award, 29 NYIT awards, and 6 Planet Connection Awards. NYC Credits: Other Mozart (NYIT Outstanding Solo Performance), In Vestments (NYIT Outstanding Premier of a New Play), To Nineveh (NYIT Outstanding Production), Tar Baby (DR2, PS122), 52 Man Pick Up (Ars Nova, Edinburgh Fringe), AMP  (NYIT Nominated for Outstanding Performance Art), I Used to Write on Walls, and Rusalka. He currently teaches acting at the University of the Arts. He is also a playwright whose work has been presented by MCS and the Chain Theater in NYC, Fusion Theater in NM, and the Weekend of New Work in Phoenix. www.isaacbyrne.com and www.theatre4thepeople.org LISTEN to The Golden Fleecehttps://www.opendoorplayhouse.org/opendoortheaterplays/thegoldenfleeceRuntime: 15:18Founded by playwright and filmmaker Bernadette Armstrong, Open-Door Playhouse is a Theater Podcast- like the radio dramas of the 1940s and 1950s. The Playhouse launched on September 15, 2020. At the time, Open-Door Playhouse provided Playwrights, Actors, and Directors a creative outlet during the shutdown. Since its inception, Open-Door Playhouse has presented Short and One-Act plays from Playwrights across the country and internationally. In 2021 Open-Door Playhouse received a Communicator Award for Content for the Play Custody. In 2023, the play What's Prison Like was nominated for a Webby Award in the Crime & Justice Category.SPECIAL announcement ...Open-Door Playhouse is partnering with the Geffen Playhouse along with Women's Voices Now and the Los Angeles Female Playwrights Initiative.  POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive.Written by Selena Fillinger. Directed by Jennifer Chambers. January 19- February 18 in the Gil Cates Theater at Geffen Playhouse. A derogatory comment, a summit gone awry, an anal abscess—it's a bad day at the White House. When the President unwittingly spins a PR nightmare into a global crisis, it inevitably falls on the seven women he relies on most to clean up the mess. Take a raucous romp through the halls of the West Wing in a riotous and irreverent farce about the men who hold the power vs. the women who get the job done. Visit geffenplayhouse.org for cast info, to purchase tickets, and more.SPECIAL DISCOUNT! Use code: WOMEN24 for $39.00 per ticket, fee included. Valid for performances 1/19 – 1/31/24. Excludes Premium seating. No ticket limit. Purchase online at geffenplayhouse.orgSocial Media HandlesGeffen Playhouse https://www.facebook.com/geffenplayhouse/ https:/Support the show

This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series, where I am sharing fascinating stories from Icelandic folklore on Fridays throughout 2024. The Wrath of an Elf Woman Scorned Even though this story is based in West Iceland, it starts out on the Reykjanes Peninsula in a small village. A group of men ventured to Geirfuglasker, known as Great Auk rocky island, on a g mission to capture great auks (a type of bird). But when it was time to sail back, they realized one of their own was missing. Reluctantly, they returned home, heavy-hearted and believing him lost to the sea.A year later, the same crew found themselves back at the the same rocky island, and to their surprise, they found the missing man alive and well. He revealed an incredible tale: elves had enchanted him and held him captive for a year. The interesting part is that they treated him kindly yet keeping him away from his world. Even though they were nice to him, he longed for his home and elated to return to the world he knew with the group.But his story took an unexpected turn. An elf woman, with whom he had shared a brief but intense connection, was expecting his child. She made him vow to baptize the child if she brought it to his church. How the Evil Icelandic Whale Came to Be Time passed, and during a mass at Hvalsnes church, a mysterious cradle appeared outside, bearing a note demanding the child's baptism. This raised suspicion among the people in the village that the man who had vanished for a year was the father of the child.The pastor confronted him, but he vehemently denied any connection. At that moment, a tall, imposing woman emerged, cursing the man for his denial. She proclaimed that he would become a monstrous whale, a terror of the seas, then vanished with the cradle, leaving the villagers in shock and awe.Driven to madness by the curse, the man raced to the sea and leapt from a cliff, instantly transforming into a whale that later was called Redhead because the man was wearing a red cap on his head when he plunged into the sea. Redhead became notorious and feared because he sank nineteen ships in his wrath. A Blind, Magical Icelander Pastor Vs a Massive Serial Killer Whale One of the people deeply impacted by Redhead's wrath was a blind pastor who lived at Saurbær. Tragedy struck when Redhead drowned the pastor's sons during a fishing trip. Grieving yet determined, the pastor, guided by his daughter, made a pilgrimage to the fjord. One thing that made the pastor different than others who encountered this whale is that he was skilled in magic.There, he and his daughter spotted the whale in the water. The pastor used a stick that his stuck in the ground along the shore to lead the whale through the fjord and up the Botnsá River. Not surprisingly, the huge whale struggling in the narrow, shallow waters. As they reached the roaring Glymur waterfall, the ground trembled like there were massive earthquakes because of the whale's immense flailing about trying to fight against the magic. In fact, it is said tha the hills above Glýmur waterfall (glýmur meaning roaring) are called Skjálfandahæðir or Shaking hills because of this incident.Finally, the blind pastor, with the help of his daughter leading him, had dragged Redhead the hot-tempered whale up to Hvalvatn Lake. Due to pure exhaustion from the difficult climb, Redhead died in the lake. The most intriguing part of the is story to me is that remains of whale bones have been found in this lake, which has led people to believe that it is a true story. When the pastor and his daughter returned home, the villagers were grateful for the work he had done to rid Redhead of the seas so it could be a little safer for all. Random Fact of the Episode Hvalfjörður is only 26 kilometers from Reykjavík, which is about an hour one way. It's a lovely fjord and the drive is really nice.

In this episode of "Hell Has an Exit," Teddy Tarantino welcomes Jessica as her special guest. Jessica is not just a listener but a dedicated fan who has been with the podcast since the beginning.  Jessica's backstory unravels, highlighting her early years as a shy, introverted child from a loving family. Her parents worked hard to provide for their four children, with Jessica being the oldest. Despite her parents' best efforts, Jessica's journey eventually led her down a path of substance abuse. Starting with experimentation in college, Jessica's addiction escalated as she became enthralled with the newfound confidence and freedom drugs offered. She recounts the party scene, including raves and late-night clubs fueled by ecstasy. Her addiction evolved to include a mix of substances, including opioids like OxyContin, marking a turning point in her life. With honesty and vulnerability, Jessica shares how her addiction spiraled, leading to job losses, toxic relationships, and a chaotic existence. Eventually, her parents intervened, discovering her struggle with crack cocaine and urging her to seek treatment. Reluctantly, Jessica entered treatment multiple times, each stint offering a glimmer of hope amidst the challenges of recovery. She reflects on her journey with moments of optimism, relapses, and the desire to regain her life. Tune in to this episode of "Hell Has an Exit" to hear Jessica's gripping story of addiction, recovery, and the enduring power of hope. Discover how she found strength in her darkest moments and the transformative impact of storytelling on her path to redemption.

Did you know that I was in a beauty contest? It's true. It was called the Maid of Cotton contest. It all started when my mother decided it would be a good experience for me to participate. Reluctantly, I agreed and went through the rigorous preparations for the contest. To my surprise, I won the first round and had to continue to the next level. However, as the pressure built up and I faced catty competition, I realized that this wasn't the path I wanted to pursue. Listen in as I reflect on this memorable and transformative experience.Now That You Ask is a podcast that looks at topics that range from death to desire, and from wondrous to downright whacky. Join host, Akasha Halsey as she takes listeners on a journey through her writing and experience with life's most persistent questions.Thank you for listening!Listen to more episodes like this and subscribe to updates at https://nowthatyouaskpodcast.com/

The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate Dicamlo was an amazing read-aloud! Please join Kate, Sheila and their special guest, Titus, as they discuss this unusual story. An old seaman noticed a girl puppet in a toy store window. He tried to buy her, but the seller said the five puppets must be sold as a group because they have a story to tell. Reluctantly, the seaman bought all the puppets, but he shoved the king, the boy, the owl, and the wolf in his trunk. He propped the girl puppet up on a table and wrote and wrote. Finally finished, he put his letter with the puppets in the trunk with the name, Spelhorst, on the outside. That night the man cried and cried and died. How can such a sad beginning end lead to such an intriguing tale? The giftedness of the author shines through as readers meet the arrogant king, the adventurous boy, the prideful wolf, the wise owl and the grateful girl. As one might guess, different personalities bring challenges to the box of puppets to which the girl responds, “How will it help us to fight with one another?” The puppets are sold to a rag and bones man who sells them to the uncle as a gift for his two young nieces. Adventures derail the puppet show for a bit, suspense looms as readers wonder what could be the story these five puppets have to tell. The prideful wolf learns a lesson when the youngest niece removes a tooth from the wolf and tosses it outside where it is picked up by a fox. Inside the fox's den is a lonely place for the wolf who sums up her feelings, “It is terrible not to be understood.” Relatable comment, indeed! What a wonderful read-aloud for any family seeking to spark imaginations and conversations! Humility is also an underlying theme, readers will notice the puppets less fixated on themselves are content and tend to live in the present. Community is another theme that will not be missed as dots are connected in this timely tale. We all have a story to tell, but it cannot be told solo. Embrace those in your circle. When we live out our story well we bless those around us. As the girl puppet reminds us all, “We are happy together and that in itself is a great thing.” --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/recapbookchat/message

‘Tis the season for giving.By TheSleepingKing. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories.7:16 amThe door from the bathroom swung open, spiling steam into the dim blue rays of light sneaking in through the blinds. Wrapped in a towel, Shauna strode into her dorm room, feet sinking into the carpet as she padded across the floor. Pausing at the window she pulled the cord to raise the blinds, bathing the room in the soft glow of an overcast Michigan dawn.A dusting of snow covered the glazing. About an inch drifted on the ledge outside. Beyond and several stories down a lone figure rounded onto the back straight of the athletic track. Shauna leaned in, her breath fogging the glass. She poked two dots and underlined them with a curve. Smiled at the new face smiling back at her. It was a beautiful Christmas Eve morning.She unhooked the towel and tossed it over the back of the chair parked under the desk. The cool air plucked at her nipples and sapped the heat from her skin. She skimmed her hands around the bulge of her breasts, across her taut tummy and the arc of her ass. Appraising her profile in the mirror she nodded. Spin class and yoga really paid off this year.From the top drawer of the dresser, she picked out white lace panties and drew them up over toned, creamy thighs. She paired them with red and white argyle knee socks and a soft strapless bra. Sifting through the hangers in the closet she settled on a flirty red A-line dress with wide shoulder straps and a length about mid-thigh. Not practical for the weather. But perfect for the mission.7:32 amShe capped the outfit with a fuzzy Santa hat and white-soled black Keds before returning to the mirror. She turned side to side and took a twirl, the dress flaring out before settling over her legs. Certainly the sexiest elf she'd ever seen. She glanced over at the clock on the nightstand. She would need to get going soon to make her deliveries. The schedule was tight.On any other Christmas Eve she'd still be asleep; tucked in tight and dead to the world in a quiet corner of her parents' six-bedroom McMansion in Traverse City. She'd get up around 10:00, meet her brother for lunch, then spend the afternoon serving food at a shelter across town before heading home for the traditional Christmas Eve dinner with her family.This year, dinner had been moved up to lunch – something about grandma and grandpa's flights. So volunteering was out. She was fine with it at first. But as the season ramped up and the holiday spirit infected her, she felt the need to replace it with something. Some way to give back. To spread a little cheer to those less fortunate this time of year.As 3rd floor RA for the co-ed dorm, she was privy to certain information. The administration realized not every student could make it home for the holidays. So the school remained open in a limited capacity, depending on the holiday and how many students remained behind. This year on her floor there were three. And since they were stuck there maybe she could celebrate with them before she left.She snatched a small white drawstring bag off her bed and slung it over her shoulder, the contents momentarily rustling about inside. Taking her key card from the dresser she slipped it into her bra and reached for the door. She paused, re-thinking, the lever rocking under her palm. Quickly, she picked it out and tucked it neatly into the back of a sock instead, before ducking out into the hall.7:40 amShauna stopped at Room 303. She gave her usual rata-tat-tat RA knock and shrugged the bag off her shoulder, holding the strap in the crook of her elbow. The corridor was weirdly quiet. No music or raucous conversation bleeding through the walls. She couldn't imagine having to spend the next week here under these conditions. A latch clicked in front of her, and the door creaked open.“Hey Ty,” she chirped, “Merry Christmas!”Ty seemed surprised by the greeting, then confused by her presence. He smiled. “Um…thanks. Merry Christmas to you too.” His eyes dipped – first to her cleavage, then to her legs – before rebounding to hers. He now seemed nervous too.“Can I come in for a minute?”“Uh…yeah, sure.” Shoving his hands into the pockets of his sweats he stepped aside. She glided past, her blonde curls swishing about her shoulders. Ty gently shut the door behind her.Shauna glanced around the suite. Open textbooks were strewn across the couch. Graph paper filled with notes littered the desk. The three computer monitors that typically flickered video games, now hosted row upon row of complex equations she didn't understand. Ambient techno pulsed softly through a pair of small speakers, and the room smelled faintly of Axe body spray.“I'm sorry,” he offered, “I wasn't expecting anyone today.”He was a freshman, so she'd only known him one semester. But he seemed like a good kid. Sure, he was disheveled, nerdy, and a little immature. But he was charming and considerate, and very bright – dedicated to keeping his name on the Dean's List. Didn't hurt that he was cute either.“That's okay,” she replied. “Santa knows it sucks having to be here over the holidays, so he got you a present.” She lowered the bag and reached inside, pulling out a deep green envelope with a silver star sticker sealing it shut. “Nothing big, just something to give you a break from…” she waved her arm toward the paper and monitors, “…this.”Cautiously he took the envelope, turning it over to find his name written neatly on the front. “Oh,” he said, “…thanks. That's…really nice.”A moment of awkward silence followed. “Go ahead,” Shauna prompted, “open it.”Ty shrugged. He peeled up the star and lifted the flap, extricating a Christmas card with a red-nosed Rudolph gracing the cover. He smiled as he opened it, eyes tracking back and forth across the page. Wedged in the crease was a white 3 by 5 note card. Flipping it right-side-up he discovered a sketch in black marker in the center. He froze, the smile fading, jaw dropped. He looked up at Shauna. Then back at the card.“Wait…,” he stammered, “is this…. Are you…. Is this for real?”Shauna raised her eyebrows and shrugged. “Santa likes to make sure no one on the nice list gets left out.” Her gaze fell to his groin, dialing in on the growing bulge. There was the response she was hoping for. She hung the bag over the doorknob. Closing the distance between them she reached out and pinched the card in her fingers.“Why don't you get comfortable.”She set it on a textbook and slouched against the desk, waiting. Ty looked left, then right, unsure of what to do. Finally, he stepped back and eased himself down to the edge of his bed. Shauna placed her hands on his thighs, pushing them apart before kneeling between them. The tented fleece covering his crotch pointed directly at her. She smiled. Looked up.“You've done this before, right?”He paused a moment, then nodded vigorously. She wasn't convinced. But it didn't really matter. It might even help keep her on schedule. She gave him a shove, forcing him to recline and brace with his arms. Grabbing his sweats by the pockets she jerked at them until they pooled around his ankles. His cock sprang out, slapping his abdomen before swaying back to vertical.She wrapped it in her fingers, the whole head protruding from her fist. He puffed and shivered under her touch. Leaning forward she lowered her head. His body tensed. She raised her eyes to find his narrowed, his mouth rounded and dry. “Relax,” she cooed, “just enjoy it,” and slipped his dick between her lips.A breath rattled his chest. She felt the blanket cinch beneath them as his fingers gripped and pulled. First she teased the glans, undulating her tongue beneath, then around and over the top. His hips shot up to meet her mouth. She lightened her hold, welcoming him in deeper.She bobbed her head to the rhythm of the music – down on one and three, up on two and four. His cock was rock hard, curving into the roof of her mouth with each descent. He sighed, and groaned, and grunted; the tone and timbre of each growing more urgent with each passing minute.Shauna's free hand dove under her dress and between her legs, fingers plucking aside the damp lace and strumming the slick, smooth lips of her pussy. Her partners were usually more experienced. More restrained. It had been some time since one had responded with such virginal enthusiasm. And she found it to be quite the turn-on.She held her neck as steady as she could, relinquishing control of tempo and depth. Ty trembled, huffing air through gritted teeth. Shauna peeked to find his eyes closed, neck strained, deep blue veins pulsing through. Sensing the moment, her fingers left the base of his dick and curled around his balls. She tightened her lips to a gentle squeeze.Ty stalled. A guttural growl forced its way into the air. His eyes popped open wide and fixed on Shauna's. With a batting of lashes, she pushed down on his throbbing cock until the tip of her nose bumped his abdomen. A heartbeat later, torrents of warm, viscid cum spewed into her mouth.The jets struck the back of her palate, sloshing over her tonsils and sliding down her throat. She swallowed hard but couldn't keep up. Each burst seemed richer than the last, filling her cheeks and leaking from the corners of her mouth. Her own juices deluged her fingers in response; the squelching filling the gaps between Ty's staggered gasps.A dozen spurts later his orgasm subsided. Shauna held his cock a little longer, savoring its texture on her lips and the mild, distinct flavor of his seed. She moved with him as his hips sagged back to the mattress, sinking him deeper to the root of his erection. After one final gulp she sucked in her cheeks and lifted her head, teasing the remaining fluids from the head of his dick.He gawked at her, speechless. She pulled her fingers from her pussy and held them up in front of her. They gleamed in the light, strands of grool clinging to her knuckles as she separated them. Fixing on him she sucked each finger into her mouth, swabbing them clean before licking her lips. Ty's eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed flat on the bed.Shauna giggled. Pushing off she rocked to her feet. She looked at him spread over the rumpled blanket, his penis twitching on his tummy. She nodded, pleased with herself. Sweeping her hair out of her face she took the gift sack from the doorknob and the note card from the desk, slipping the latter into the former.“Did you enjoy your present?” she asked, slinging the bag over her shoulder.Ty groaned a sigh, his satisfaction evident. A smile lit Shauna's lips.“Good,” she said, “that's great.” She made her way back to the door. “You know, Santa can't offer gifts like this to everyone, so…let's keep this between us, okay?”An arm raised and a hand approximated a wave before tumbling limp to the mattress. She took it as a yes. Catching her reflection in the window she adjusted her hat. “Merry Christmas Ty,” she said softly, before disappearing into the corridor.8:05 amSnowflakes drifted past the tall narrow windows of the student lounge separating the north and south wings of the third floor. Curled up at the far end of the couch opposite the ping pong table, Shauna twisted the cap off a bottle of diet soda and took a sip. Pulling her phone from the bag she checked the time. Javon would arrive in fifteen minutes. Plenty of time to finish her drink.She stretched out across the cushions and downed another swig. This one excited her more than the others. She and Javon were casually acquainted. Though both juniors they rarely shared classes. But they saw each other often around campus; playing pool in the lounge, grabbing coffee at Starks, or stocking up on dollar tacos Tuesday nights at Frankie's. And always, always flirting.Nothing ever came of it, unfortunately. He was putting himself through school and the scholarships just weren't enough. So he needed to work a lot. Every chance he got he'd bank some overtime or pick up an extra shift. That didn't leave much time for anything else. But today was Christmas Eve. The print shop would be closed tomorrow, so he couldn't go in tonight. Which she hoped would free up just enough time for what she had in store.A door closed in the distance, followed by footsteps in the hallway behind her. She checked her phone. He was early. She chugged another mouthful of soda, then quietly stuffed everything into the bag. The footsteps halted. A latch turned and a door opened, then closed. She counted to thirty, then slid off the couch and left the lounge, rounding the corner toward 317.8:08 amShauna waited, impatiently, shifting her weight from foot to foot. Still no response. She knocked again, harder this time. Shuffling noises, then heavy footfalls. The door swung open on a scowling Javon, his uniform shirt crumpled in his fist, muscles chiseled and taut. She smiled up at him, head cocked to the side. He looked her over, his mood softening as he recognized who she was.“Hey,” he said, eyebrows furrowed. “What are you still doing here?”She shrugged, ignoring the twinge in her pussy. “Waiting to see you. Can I come in?”Javon retreated inside, tossing his shirt on the bed and perching on the edge of his dresser. Shauna followed, taking quick stock of the room. Clean and sparse. Suitable for someone who spent very little time there. She turned her attention to him. Tall and dark, with bold, crisp features. His hands splotched with cyan and yellow ink from the press.“Is um…is this a bad time?”“Nah,” he said, shaking his head. “I was just going to take a shower, then go down for a nap.” He waved a hand in her direction. “Soooo, who are you supposed to be?”“I'm a Christmas elf,” she replied. “Santa's Helper.”Javon's eyes widened. “Oh. You're a lot taller than I would have expected of an elf.”“Well, we're not all size challenged artisans baking cookies in the off-season you know. Some of us are taller, and educated, and…really cute.”He laughed, his pecs jumping. “That's fair. Please forgive my ignorance of the elf community. I don't know any – aside from you.”She shrugged the bag off her shoulder and reached inside, crossing the carpet between them. “Listen, she began, “Santa knows how hard you work to be here, and how much that keeps you from having a life. So, he got you a little gift. It won't make up for having to be here over the holidays, but it might help take the edge off?”She pulled out a red envelope and handed it to him. He stared at it, his face cycling through several emotions, settling on confused.“Thanks,” he said, “that's…really sweet. I'm sorry I didn't get you anything.”Shauna smiled to herself, setting the bag on the floor. “Open it.” She wandered past him to the window. Raising the blinds she took a quick peek outside before turning and sliding up onto his desk, swinging her feet freely beneath.Javon zipped a finger under the flap and extracted the card; a red-nosed Rudolph printed on the cover. As he shook it open a white note card fluttered out. He snatched it out of the air and held it up. A sketch in black marker graced the white space.Shauna watched over his shoulder as he stared at the figures suggested by the swooping lines. He fanned the card, then turned and eased off his seat. He walked over to her, holding it up, the image upside down. His mouth curled in one corner. “This is uhhh…you and me?”She squinted at the picture. “Well…right-side up and all, but…sure.” She took it from him and snapped it on the desk. Her arms extended, fingers wedging themselves between the waist of his jeans and the warm, smooth skin of his abdomen. She reeled him in between her legs, squeezing them in hers. “Come on,” she said, thumbs separating the button and peeling the zipper. “Take a break.”Javon reached out, tracing the curl of her ear with his finger. Tilting his head, he leaned in for a kiss. Shauna planted a hand in the center of his chest, stopping his lips a hair's breadth from hers. His heartbeat pulsed through her arm and gut, thumping through her clit like a kick drum. She tapped a finger on the card beside her. He glanced down. Then back at her. She smiled. Pushed him away.She hopped off the desk, lowering her eyes to the height of his fly. Waiting. Javon nodded. In a single swoop he shoved his jeans to the floor and stepped out. The outline of his cock bulged the breathable fabric of his boxer briefs, curving down his right leg. A squeak left Shauna's throat. She reached inside and fished it out, needing both hands to hoist the shaft.It hardened in her grip, rising, reaching for its target. She pulled a few long strokes, its heat warming her hands. She had imagined what he might be hiding. But none of those dreams fell short of reality. Reluctantly she let go. Eyes fixed on her prize she slowly turned round, bending over the desk. She shuffled her feet a shoulder's width apart and casually wiggled her ass.Javon stepped up, his demeanor all business. Stroking his meat with one hand he grabbed the hem of her dress in the other and flipped it up over her butt. Her firm white cheeks glowed in the morning light. He took the waistband of her panties and rolled them down her hips and thighs, abandoning them around her calves and exposing her labia to the chill of the room.She was sopping wet. He swiped his penis along her slit, greasing it with her cream. Current bolted up her spine, raising the hairs on the back of her neck. She threw her ass toward him, anxious to be filled. But he took his time, lubing every inch to a slippery shine. Finally satisfied, he set a palm in the small of her back and wedged the tip of his cock between her folds. Slow and steady, he sank into her vagina.Shauna gasped, eyes round. Her knees buckled, fingertips clawing at the laminate as her canal expanded to accommodate the intruder. It was thicker than any dick or dildo she remembered. And she was suddenly grateful he'd been so careful to slicken up.He took shallow, steady thrusts, loosening her vice a touch each time. Short, silent breaths gave way to grunts and groans. She tried to restrain herself in case anyone still left was walking the halls. But it was a losing battle. The pressure coiling inside would soon be too much to contain.Javon curled over her. Reaching into her dress he freed her breasts from their padded sling and cupped one in each hand. He pinched her nipples between strong fingers, yoking her tits to her clit with little bolts of lightning. The heat of the moment telegraphed through her skin, flushing her ears, cheeks, and chest a robust, rosy pink.He pushed on, diving deeper into her velvet pouch. Her arms burning, Shauna lowered her elbows and forehead to the desk. Her hair shrouded her periphery, leaving the only clear view that of her lover's balls swaying back and forth between her thighs. A delightful fog rolled over her brain, occluding everything outside the aura of their bodies.“Do you want it all,” Javon whispered, his voice piercing the veil.Shauna turned her head, mouth agape. “That's not all of it?”A baritone chuckle rumbled from his chest. He straightened up, releasing her boobs for a firm hold of her waist. He eased down the throttle, slowing his rhythm. Measuring the distance. She caught his eyes for a moment, glimpsing the same lechery she felt coursing through her veins. He smiled at her. Then hilted his cock in her pussy.“Uhhh gawd.” A wave of pleasure rippled out from her core, breaking over her entire body. She couldn't gauge how big he was, but he was now twice as deep as he had been seconds ago.He gave her a moment and a few shallow dips before ramping up the pace; drawing his dick out to the barb each time before plunging back in. Shauna's ass rippled, limbs shuddering under each impact. She stretched her arms to brace herself. But her hands squeaked against the desk each time he crashed into her, jolting her forward.She began to lose control. Her pelvic muscles clenched; labia stretching around his shaft. He growled his approval. A stern smack stung her left buttock, forcing a squeal from her larynx and a shock to her sex. Another followed, echoing off the walls into her ears. Her strength failed, drooping her back and turning her legs to jelly.Javon grabbed hold of one and lifted it, bending the knee and setting it securely on the desktop. He continued to hammer away. The cords binding her orgasm began to fray. She imagined his view from behind; her sodden pink snatch vulgarly splayed for the massive dark rod plowing her gut. Words escaped her, leaving only screams and moans to communicate her desire.8:42 amShauna's head was swimming, her brain just mush. But she held on, wanting this ecstasy to last forever. Her hat flew off her head, landing silently on the windowsill. Long fingers raked through her hair. They gathered her curls into his fist and pulled. Her head snapped back, jaw dropped, eyelids fluttering. The cords snapped and the coil exploded.She bore down on his dick, silent and stiff, her body racked with orgasm. Her toes dug into the carpet, her raised foot flopping about over the edge of the desk. She slapped the top with her hands, translating her contractions into a frantic rhythm beat out for Javon to hear. Her juices flowed freely, seeping out past his cock and dribbling down her thighs. And through all this, he continued to fuck her.Shauna's orgasm continued in suspended animation, tweaking her muscles and prickling her skin. As snug as he fit there was now no friction. He glided in and out like a piston in a well-oiled machine. He pumped harder, faster, working to create resistance. But her pussy was a flooded mess and that wasn't going to change.He whispered something toward her ear. A question? She couldn't decipher the words. But it didn't matter. As long as he kept filling her, perpetuating this feeling, he could do whatever he wanted. She nodded as best she could. The pounding slowed and the hand holding her waist released. The slapping of skin ceased, and his penis slipped out of her vagina.The emptiness was deflating, like the air had been sucked from her lungs. She turned to look but he stopped her, pushing her head back down to the desk. She opened her mouth to demand he continue and that's when she felt it. The pressure on the dip of her anus. Her insides knotted up. Everything clenched, then released. Her rosebud relaxed, and Javon's cock surged up her ass.She held her breath, expecting pain. But there was none. Only an indescribable fullness she had never experienced before. Each time he retracted her stomach dropped. Each plunge threatened to split her at the seams. Orgasm ripped through her again, rattling her bones and sweating from every pore. The room closed in, swaddling her in a thick black heat. She screamed but heard nothing. Felt only his cock.His fingers curled over her shoulders and around her neck. He pushed and pulled her with new urgency, opposing the swing of his hips. He'd found the resistance he was seeking, and it drove him on toward ferocious climax.In her stupor, Shauna somehow regained control of her limbs. She twisted an arm behind her back and flailed at his. When he looked down, wanton lust blazing in his eyes, she willed words from her lips.“Cum in me,” she cried, breathless, desperate for his load. “Cum in my ass.”He glared at her, neck craned, jaw set. He shifted his weight, pinning her tits to the desk and raising her butt. He tried to hold out a bit longer. But she was too tight and he was too far gone. Nodding his head Javon closed his eyes and buried his throbbing cock balls deep, erupting hot semen deep in her bowels.He roared in release, his balls smashed against her pussy, rocking into the curve of her ass. The pressure lifted her foot from the floor, grinding her hip into the edge of the desktop. But she didn't care. His cum splattered inside her, capping her climax with a warm, gooey buzz. Her buttocks quaked with each spasm. She had his cock. All of it. In the moment, that was everything.9:04 amGradually the pumping slowed. The pressure on her back eased and the room drifted back into focus. She glimpsed herself in a mirror near the window; hair disheveled, bare breasts smushed beneath the cockled red fabric; a trembling leg coiled on the desk, panties dangling casually from her ankle.“You are so fuckin' hot,” said the voice in her ear. She cooed, not yet able to formulate words. He rested in her a moment longer, sharing her warmth.When they'd finally caught their breath Javon stood tall. Kneading his hands into the meat of her cheeks he pushed himself back, emerging from her ass with an obscene wet slurp. Empty, Shauna sighed, the void disappointing. Her rosebud gaped, then winked several times before shrinking back into place.Javon slumped against the wall near the window. Fumbling with the latch he cracked it open. December rushed in, swirling round their bodies and raising goosebumps on their skin. Shauna shivered, invigorated, the cold soothing her scalded sex. Watching her lover she smeared her cream over her pussy and along the crack of her ass. His organ flexed toward her, but Javon shook his head. Smiling, she wriggled off the desk.On wobbly legs she gathered the note card and the bag and set them on the edge of the bed. Rummaging around in the neck of her dress she tucked her tits back into her bra and plumped them into position. Javon sauntered over, her hat in one hand, soggy panties in the other. She took the cap and fit it over her head.“Can't put those back on,” she said of her underwear. “You keep them.”He nodded, draping them over the corner of the television. She shouldered the bag and looked up at him.“Did Santa get you what you wanted?”He laughed. She followed his eyes down to his semi-hard, polished rod.“I think he fucking crushed it,” he replied. Closing the gap between them he lowered his voice. “Tell me something though. Is this strictly a Christmas situation, or…are…special occasions not required.”Shauna shrugged, the corners of her mouth curling up. “Why don't you come by sometime and find out,” she offered. “You know where I live.” She gave his penis a playful nip and tug and backed out into the hallway.9:13 amShauna stood quietly outside Room 334, gently swaying to a tune in her head. Her fingertips tingled and her pussy hummed along to the beat, still riding the high of the last half-hour. A trickle of semen stained her inner thigh, the remainder of Javon's deposit still trapped inside. She smoothed the front of her dress and flipped the pom of the hat to the side. She was a few minutes behind schedule. But that shouldn't be critical here. Ready for more, she knocked on the door.There was a rustling inside. A few moments later the door opened on a beautiful raven-haired Japanese girl in a tight anime tee shirt and bright blue boyshorts. Seemingly surprised, the girl dropped the pencil she held in her left hand.“Hey Sachiko,” Shauna chirped.Sachiko ripped off her headphones and flashed a nervous smile. Shauna nodded inside. “Can I come in for a minute?” Sachiko glanced over at something Shauna couldn't see, then backed her slender frame away from the door. Shauna strode inside, the latch clicking shut behind her.Unlike her first two stops, this was a bit of a gamble. Their contact had been minimal, generally restricted to her RA duties. And her scouting report was incomplete. She knew Sachiko was a sophomore, and a graphic design major. She spent summers at home in Osaka. But she couldn't afford to fly back and forth for breaks, so she usually spent them on campus.Rumor was she was into women. Of this Shauna had no confirmation. But from their interactions in the dorm and Sachiko's shyness and fluster around particular friends she did have a feeling. It was risky. But that heightened the thrill.The room was warm and cozy, lit by a floor lamp and a cube on the nightstand. Fuzzy orange pillows adorned the loveseat below the window. Incense burned in a jade tray on the corner of the dresser and a thick down comforter covered the bed. Several sketchpads scattered across the desk, a collection of porcelain cats lining the shelf above. It was clearly the space of someone needing a touch of home.“Am I like…in trouble…or something?” Sachiko wondered.“No,” Shauna laughed, amused as much by her apparent discomfort as the absurdity of the question. “I mean, have you ever been in trouble? I just wanted to wish you Happy Holidays.”Sachiko blushed. Her face made several contortions before settling on a half nod and awkward smile. “Th…thank you,” she stammered. Shauna pinched her lips between her teeth. So far so good.“I like your kitties,” Shauna continued, drifting toward the shelf. She scanned for messages, photos, anything that might give her a clue.“My sister sends me a new one for my birthday every year,” Sachiko offered.“They're beautiful.” She spotted a sheet of paper with dark smudges sticking out of the pad on top of the pile. “What's this?” she asked, reaching for it.“What? Oh!” Sachiko leapt toward her, mortified. “It's nothing, I just – ”Before she could swipe the pad Shauna had the page, staring at a gorgeous unfinished graphite sketch of a sleeping woman. She lay on her side, head on a pillow, hands underneath. Bikini panties cloaked her nethers, an arm crossed her bare breasts. And her face. Well…. Her face was very familiar. Shauna smiled to herself. This might work after all.Sachiko slunk back as Shauna turned around. She studied the drawing a moment longer, impressed by the resemblance. Finally, she looked up at Sachiko. The rosy hue of her cheeks crept into her face and neck. Shauna noticed for the first time she wasn't wearing a bra.“Did you draw this?”Sachiko sighed, looking everywhere forward. “I um…. It…it's for a class.”“You did it from memory.”She rubbed her arms with her hands. “Yeah. It just…works that way.”“It's amazing.”Shauna returned the drawing to the desk. Sluffing off the bag she retrieved the final card. “I know you don't really celebrate Christmas,” she said, “but it can't be easy being here by yourself while everyone else is. So, I got you a gift.”The silver envelope rested in her palm while Sachiko hesitated, her name glittering in gold marker. She looked up, embarrassment clouding her eyes. Shauna smiled, extending her hand. Finally, Sachiko accepted.She zipped open the flap and removed the card. A red-nosed Rudolph blinked at her from the cover. Shauna dropped the bag on the loveseat. She clasped her hands behind her back and crossed her legs at the ankles, a flirty little swivel seizing her hips. Sachiko picked the note card from the fold and looked closely. Her fingers began to tremble.Shauna sidled up closer, tucking a lock of Sachiko's hair behind her ear. Sachiko jumped at the light touch. But her gaze remained fixed on the card. Her lips parted. No sound escaped.“If you want me to stop,” Shauna murmured, “just let me know.”She kissed Sachiko's ear lobe, rolling it between her lips before drifting to her cheek and the nape of her neck. Sachiko's tremor spread to her chest. The cards fell from her grasp. Shauna continued down, over her shoulders to the swell of her breasts. She caressed one in each palm, grazing the nipples with the soft cotton of the shirt.Sachiko tangled her fingers in Shauna's hair. They curled and flexed as Shauna descended, raising her shirt and kissing her navel. She lingered there, circling, lips skimming Sachiko's butter-smooth, unblemished skin. She smelled of cherry blossom and jasmine. Shauna filled her head with the scent, priming her for the peach she was about to unwrap. Sachiko's hushed whisper floated down from above. “Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god.”Sinking to her haunches Shauna eyed Sachiko's sex. A small wet spot darkened the fabric between her legs. Shauna peeled the underwear down over Sachiko's ass and thighs, pooling them around her feet. Exposed to the low light was a plump, tidy pussy, closely cropped dark pubic hair gracing her mound. Shauna's lips quivered. She bowed, pressing her face between Sachiko's thighs, sopping up the heat.Sachiko moaned, easing her legs apart, welcoming Shauna's tongue between her folds. Her entire body shook, chopping her breaths between chattering teeth. Shauna probed a little deeper. Sachiko doubled over, humping Shauna's mouth. Shauna yipped with delight. She shook her head side to side, slathering Sachiko's light sweet syrup over her cheeks and chin.She dug her nails into the brunette's ass, spreading her cheeks and kneading the meat. Sachiko mauled her own breasts, stretching and twisting the characters on her shirt into impossible shapes. Buffeted by Sachiko's gyrations Shauna wobbled on the balls of her feet. It was all she could do to hold on for the ride and she found herself failing at that. Toppling to her butt she roped an arm around Sachiko's neck and pulled her ear to her dripping lips.“Sit on my face,” she hissed.Sachiko fell to her knees, straddling Shauna's chest and pinning her to the floor. On all fours she scooched forward over the blonde's shoulders until her succulent snatch hovered over her RA's gaping mouth. Shauna's tongue darted out, flicking Sachiko's swollen clit. Stifling a scream Sachiko collapsed on Shauna's kisser, squeezing her ears between her thighs and swirling her pussy over her lips.Shauna lost herself in Sachiko. Inhaling her essence. Drinking her qi. She thrilled at her lover's responses – involuntary, honest and pure. There was no pretention. Only the passion of an inexperienced girl wholly submitting to her desires. She reveled in it, lapping at Sachiko's sex from the hood of her clit to the crease of her ass.Sachiko's back arched, thrusting out her chest. Her head lolled back, eyes strafing the ceiling. She squirmed on Shauna's face, blissfully ignorant of her weight, Shauna's nose, or her need to breathe. She reached back between the Shauna's splayed legs, probing under her dress until her fingers found the blonde's honeypot and slithered inside.Strangling Sachiko's wrist in her thighs Shauna groaned into her pussy. The vibrations spurred Sachiko's building orgasm, winding her body tighter and tighter, pushing her fingers faster, deeper. The circuit closed, the feedback loop complete. Every flip of the tongue, every curl of a digit, amplified the next.Sachiko bucked and thrashed. Shauna swirled and writhed. Again and again they traded blows until suddenly Sachiko fell silent, her body rigid, muscles strained. Clutching fistfuls of Shauna's hair Sachiko spread her knees and bore down, smashing her quaking pussy into Shauna's lips and gushing slippery, viscous cum all over her face.Racked with spasms she hunched over Shauna's head, wave after crashing wave of orgasm pummeling her sex.9:38 amWhen the contractions finally slowed, Shauna worked her hands up to Sachiko's buttocks and nudged her. Spent, Sachiko rolled away, settling on her back against the foot of the bed. Shauna's chest heaved, gulping the cool dry air. Her eyes re-adjusted to the light. Reaching up she brushed the hat off her head and raked her fingers through moist matted hair. Arms flopping to the floor she sighed. That went well.She rolled her head and looked at Sachiko. The junior lay knees up, feet flat on the floor, her arms draped between her legs – the odd twitch in her muscles interrupting her stillness. Shauna willed herself up and crawled over. Finding her eyes shut she pressed in close and planted a tender kiss on her forehead. Sachiko smiled.“Merry Christmas,” Shauna whispered. Sachiko nodded, radiant from her orgasm. Shauna stroked her ear. “If you want me to model for you sometime,” she added, “give me a call.”She gathered her things and prepared to leave. As she passed the mirror on the closet door she stopped to look. Her face and neck glistened, glazed with Sachiko's juices. She tossed the hat in her hand, raising it to wipe herself clean. But she didn't. She decided instead she liked the way it looked. And she'd wear it a little longer. Pursing her lips, she slipped out of Sachiko's room.Light as a feather she skipped down the hall toward her room. She slowed passing Javon's door, wondering if he was already asleep. Her phone chimed in the bag, interrupting her curiosity. Retrieving it she scanned the screen and frowned. Two texts and a missed call. All from her brother.“Hey Josh,” she answered.“Yo, where the hell have you been?” There was an urgency in his tone. “I've been calling you. I'm out front, let's go!”She frowned. “Wait, what time is it?”“Quarter to ten. I told you I'd be here at 9:30, remember?”She thought for a minute, then rolled her eyes, realizing what went wrong. “Fuck,” she spat. “I thought you meant 9:30 your time.”“So you're not ready?”“No, I packed last night. I'll be right down.”Hanging up she shook her head. How did she make that mistake? She thought she'd have an hour to shower and clean up, but now they were running late. No time for any of that. Swiping the key card from her sock she popped into her room and tossed the gift bag on the bed. Snagging her backpack and navy peacoat from the closet she dashed back out headed for the lobby.9:52 amShauna flung open the passenger door of the coupe and tumbled inside, stuffing the backpack between her feet as she settled in the seat. Her teeth chattered from their brief exposure to the cold. Rubbing her hands together near the warm air vent she looked over at her brother behind the wheel. He stared at her, forehead crinkled, a mix of confusion and amusement scrawled across his lips.“What,” she said, staring back.He glanced down at her bare thighs – the coat just covering her lap – then back at her scowl.“Nice touch,” he replied, pointing to the bright red pileus cap.“Thanks,” she quipped, flashing a smile.“But you know it's snowing, right?”She flipped him the bird. He shrugged.“You're going to get Uncle Leo in trouble today.”Shauna tried to stifle her laugh. “Just drive Josh.”He put the car in gear and pulled away from the curb. “Unlike you,” he said, “I got an early start. So I'm going to get some coffee. Did you eat already?”“Yup,” she nodded. “Several times.”Josh's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.At the next light he made a left and turned into the coffee shop drive-thru. Waiting in line behind a pick-up he turned to his sister. “Are you okay?” he asked. “You look a little…weird.”Shauna checked herself in the side mirror. She could taste Ty's spunk on her tongue; feel Javon's cum in her ass and Sachiko's pussy all over her face. A shiver buzzed her clit. She reclined the seat several notches and sighed, beaming at the ceiling.“Yeah,” she said softly. “I'm just…filled with Christmas spirit.” Quietly she shoved her hands beneath her legs to keep from touching herself for the remainder of the trip.By TheSleepingKing for Literotica

What is PMI And How to Avoid It You want to work with a lender so that you don't need to purchase a property with all cash. The lender is willing to lend you money, charging you interest to make a profit, and ensuring there is a safety buffer of equity in case you default and they need to foreclose to recover their funds. Your goal is to minimize the amount you need to invest in the deal to maximize your return on investment, but the lender requires a minimum down payment of 20% to feel secure in loaning you the money in case you default and they need to foreclose to recover the property and their money. You insist on putting down less than 20%. Reluctantly, they agree to let you put less than 20% down, but only if you purchase third-party insurance to protect them in case of default. You agree. The third-party insurance company is offering private mortgage insurance (PMI), which is insurance you pay to protect the lender in case you default because you put down less than 20%. In this mini-class, we will look at PMI, what it is, and how you can avoid it as a real estate investor. Check out the video from this class here: What is PMI And How to Avoid It - Video In this class, James discusses: What is Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) and why does it exist? What is PMI called for FHA loans? How to avoid paying PMI? Putting at least 20% down to avoid paying PMI Paying down on your loan to get rid of PMI Opting to take a higher mortgage interest rate instead of PMI Get a loan that doesn't have PMI at all Utilize the creative financing strategies that don't have PMI Plus much more... Free Real Estate Deal Analysis Spreadsheet: Download a copy of the newest version of The World's Greatest Real Estate Deal Analysis Spreadsheet™ by going to:https://RealEstateFinancialPlanner.com/spreadsheetImprove Cash Flow: Book a consultation to improve cash flow using our proprietary 88 cash flow improving strategies.Real Estate Agent & Lender Collaborators: Interested in collaborating with us on the Fort Collins real estate investor podcast? Book a free consultation to discuss.

A horny woman invents her own game to secure a seduction.by Bumpinguglies. - listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories.They say it's not a good idea to fool around at the office Christmas party, a piece of advice she was deliberately choosing to ignore. Her decision had been made the moment he had walked in the door. Feeling horny and with a few drinks under her belt, she had decided right there and then that she was going to fuck him.Her plan was a simple one. Sitting on a sofa opposite where he was standing with his colleagues and knowing that any man couldn't resist looking up a woman's skirt, she casually kept uncrossing and crossing her legs, parting them just enough to keep giving him and only him a good look between her legs and the thin white strip of material nestled between her thighs. Her drink was on the coffee table and she also made sure he got full view of her ample breasts in her low cut dress each time she bent forward to pick it up. She smiled inwardly to herself as she spied him pretending not to notice but staring intently between her legs every time she moved them. She could feel his gaze burning into her panties and it made her pussy tingle and her nipples hard with excitement knowing what thoughts must be going through his mind and how arousing the sight of those panties were to him. She even suspected that the bulge in his pants had grown since she first saw it and the thought of it made her even more aroused. She could feel her pussy moistening inside her panties with every moment that passed and every look he gave them.Deciding he had looked enough, she got up off the couch and carrying her empty glass made to walk to the bar. As she passed him she stopped.“It's shaved and wet.” She whispered into his ear.“I'm sorry.” he asked, as if he hadn't heard her properly and at the same time shocked and embarrassed he had been caught out.“If you want a better look, meet me in my office upstairs in five minutes and bring that nice cock.” she told him and walked off, her hand casually brushing the front of his pants, enough for him to feel it but not enough for anyone else to notice.It was the longest five minutes of his life, standing there talking to his workmates with a stiffening cock in his pants and thoughts of her shaved pussy coursing through his mind. Excusing himself, he made straight for the elevator, his heart beating hard with anticipation.She sat on the corner of the desk in her dimly lit office counting down the seconds hoping he would take up her invitation. Like him, her heart was racing and her pussy ached with anticipation. She couldn't help reaching down and running her fingers over her panties, caressing her pussy through them, her fingertip pressing the material into the moist cleft between her lips.She heard the elevator ding and she jumped off the desk. Suddenly, he was there, his silhouette framed in the doorway against the well-lit outer office. They came together in the middle of the office and he kissed her passionately, his hands sliding up her outer thighs under her skirt. Breathing hard, she reached down and pressed her hand to his groin, feeling the hardness there. She fumbled with his zipper as his hand slid down inside her panties seeking out the wet pussy within. Her hand now inside his pants gripped his rigid throbbing cock as his fingers eagerly parted her silky wet lips and found her tingling hard clit. She groaned with pleasure and began to pull him as he rubbed her clit using her own wetness to lubricate it, quickly propelling her towards the orgasm her pussy craved. She pulled him faster as her arousal grew and grew and her legs opened wider and began to quiver. With a gasp she froze, gripping his cock tight, her whole body jerking as she came with a loud groan of pleasure. With his hard swollen cock sticking out the front of his pants leaking precum, he guided her backwards to the desk and made to pull down her panties. She stopped him.“No, not here.” she whispered, still recovering from her orgasm. As much as she wanted that hard cock inside her, for some reason she didn't want to do it there in the office.“Let's go back to mine.” She suggested. Reluctantly, he withdrew his hands from her panties and stuffed his aching swollen cock back in his pants. They kissed once more and made for the elevator hand in hand.When you are horny and desperate to fuck everything takes so long. That was the case with the cab ride to her place. In the darkened back of the cab she had rubbed the front of his trousers and he in turn had done the same over the front of her panties. It had made the cab ride seem longer but the thrill and excitement of their fondling and the level of arousal it created was worth it.Inside her apartment she decided to slow things down by pouring them both a drink. She wanted the night to last, not be over with quick five minute fuck. Reclined on one end of the couch with him sitting on the other end facing her, she reached down and pulled off her panties, threw them on the floor and spread her legs wide.“I said you would get a better look at it.” she said smiling. “What do you think? Does it make you hard?”“Fuck yes!” he groaned, starting at her gorgeous shaved pussy with its slightly parted pink glistening lips and dripping wet opening between them.“Would you like to taste it?” she asked, instantly making herself even wetter at the thought of what she just said. Without answering, he put down his drink, slid along the couch and bent between her legs. She was so wet and the musky smell of her pussy filled his nostrils inflaming his senses. Hungrily he began licking her, savoring the sweet taste of her pussy, his tongue rasping against her hard clit and delving into her saturated opening. She moaned and her head lolled back as his tongue sent waves of pleasure from her pussy right up through her entire body. Sensing she was about to cum he licked at her clit and flooded opening faster. With shaking legs she reached down, grasped the back of his head and crushed his face between her legs. She came with a huge groan, grinding her pussy up and down over his mouth.With a final few soft licks of her delicious pussy, he straightened back up, moved to the other end of the couch, retrieved his drink and took a long hard swig of it.“Let me see your cock.” She said, lying back with her drink back in hand and her legs still wide open. Once again replacing his drink, he undid his belt, pulled down his zipper and reached into his pants. His rigid cock almost sprung from them, the engorged head glistening with precum and the thick shaft throbbing with excitement.“Stroke it for me.” She commanded, staring at it longingly and imagining the feel of it inside her.   Fuck, it was so nice and big. Taking his cock between thumb and fingertips he began to slowly stroke his cock, his gaze firmly between her legs as his hand moved up and down the rigid shaft. The sight of him pulling himself had her breathing heavily and her pussy wanting to cum again. Her eyes fixed on his hand and cock, she reached down and began to rub her clit. Watching her masturbating had his cock jerking with excitement in his hand. He groaned trying to block out the sensation of his hand on his cock. He didn't want to cum, couldn't cum, not before he had felt himself inside that gorgeous tight pussy. Stroking as slow as he could, he watched her rubbing get faster and then turn frantic until her pussy sprayed wetness over the couch between her legs as she came. The sight of her cumming and squirting pussy was sending him over the top. Desperately he squeezed the shaft of his cock to stave off his orgasm. He was on the very edge for what seemed like an eternity until it finally subsided. Releasing the grip on his cock, he watched as one solitary drop of cum leaked from the tip. He had fought off his orgasm but now his swollen balls ached, needing release. Sitting up, she moved onto all fours, crawled along the couch, bent and licked the drop of cum from the head of his cock. The touch of her tongue on his cock made him suck in his breath. Her mouth opened and she took him into it. He groaned as her mouth enveloped the head and slid down his quivering shaft. No sooner had she started she stopped, sliding her mouth off his cock, leaving it jerking with excitement and frustration. Sliding off the couch, she stood beside him, reaching down for his hand.“Time to fuck me.” she said in a husky voice. Taking her hand he rose up and she led him by the hand to the bedroom.“Oh shit! Fuck!” she cried out as the swollen head of his cock prized her open and his thick rigid shaft forced itself deep into her tight wet pussy. Gasping at the fullness of his cock inside her, she spread her legs as wide as she could, wanting him deep. Braced on his arms above her and filled with lust, he worked his hips, grunting and driving his glistening wet cock in and out of her until he felt it gripping him with pleasure. Driven wild with the sensations inside her pussy, she groaned loudly and gave a little squirt with every thrust, pushing herself up hard to meet each one.“Fuck it! Fuck it! Make it cum!” she pleaded, her pussy so close and desperate to cum. Almost there himself, he fucked her even harder, slamming himself between her legs, driving his cock between her parted lips into her warm wet pussy to the hilt.“Oh fuck! Yes! Yes!” She cried out, jerking on his cock as her pussy exploded between her legs, spraying them both with a huge squirt of wetness. The tight grip of her contracting pussy and sound of her cumming pushed him over the top and he felt the numbness and rush of cum start. Quickly he pulled out his jerking cock and with a roar sprayed thick ropes of cum all over her tits and stomach. Still hard and not waiting for her orgasm to subside, he pushed his cock back inside her. She yelped as he slid into her sensitive pussy but pain soon turned to pleasure as his hard thrusting cock sent her hurtling towards another orgasm. He gave a loud groan and pushed into her hard, cumming again, this time inside her. Feeling him cum inside her was enough and she came herself, her whole body quivering. He lay on top of her, both of them spent, breathing hard and enjoying the sensation of his cock softening inside her cum soaked pussy. Then they slept.He awoke the next morning cuddled up behind her, his hand cupping her breast. She seemed to be asleep but her nipple was hard under his fingers. He began fondling it and she moaned softly, her eyes still closed. Aroused, he began to run his hand over her naked body under the covers, his now hard cock pressed firmly against the crack of her behind. Reaching down under it, he ran his finger along the slit of her pussy, still slippery and wet with his cum. She moaned again as his finger slipped in between her lips and worked up to her clit. Rubbing it softly, he felt her body becoming aroused. Feeling his hard cock pressed behind her, she raised her top leg. He slid down and positioned himself and holding his cock, pushed the head into her warm wet pussy. Within minutes they were both cumming again, her pussy leaking another load of nice thick load of cum. She had never been fucked from behind on her side before, only on all fours. It was softer than the hard thrusting doggy ramming against her behind but she liked it a lot.Evident there was a definite attraction between them they decided later that morning over coffee that they would spend the weekend together. Maybe the saying about not fooling around at work parties wasn't a hundred percent true. They would see how the weekend went.by Bumpinguglies, for Literotica

Directed by Ron Howard, How the Grinch Stole Christmas is the Christmas fantasy comedy film starring Jim Carrey in the title role. Luke and Nathan re-enter the world of Dr. Seuss to take on the first of only two live-action Dr. Seuss films, and the first live-action adaption of the 1957 children book of the same name, following the 1966 animated TV sepcial of the same name. The reclusive green Grinch (Jim Carrey) decides to ruin Christmas for the cheery citizens of Whoville. Reluctantly joined by his hapless dog, Max, the Grinch comes down from his mountaintop home and sneaks into town to swipe everything holiday-related from the Whos. However, the bitter grump finds a hitch in his plans when he encounters the endearing Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen).

The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land's flagship podcast is here! Join LGHL's Josh Dooley and Chuck Holmes as they discuss Ohio State football, recruiting, and much, much more! Come for the hot takes, stay for the warm ones. On this episode of “Hangout in the Holy Land,” Josh and Chuck focus solely on The Game... In which Ohio State failed its mission, both on the field and on the sideline. Reluctantly, the Hangout Boys discuss all that went wrong for Ryan Day and the Buckeyes in Ann Arbor. Outcoached and outplayed in every facet, OSU is or should also be out of CFP contention and excuses. Where did it all go wrong? Did anything actually go right? And/or was this year's outcome a further indictment on the Day regime? The guys talk through the pain and make some strong statements about the future of the Ohio State football program. Please make sure to like, rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast! And as always, Go Bucks! Sign up with MyBookie using our link to receive your welcome bonus: https://mybookie.website/Grant23 Connect with the Podcast: Twitter: @HolyLandPod Email: HolyLandPodOSU@gmail.com Connect with Josh: Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye Connect with Chuck: Twitter: @ctholmes3 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to another episode of Holy Smokes! I'm your host, Steve Reiter, and today, we have a very special guest joining us: Ashley Early. In this episode, Ashley shares their personal journey of making a significant life change, one that involved leaving their job and moving back to their hometown. They open up about the emotional process of making this decision, as well as the deep sense of duty and respect they feel towards their parents. Ashley's story is filled with moments of reflection, self-discovery, and faith, reminding us of the importance of family, community, and finding our true purpose in life. So grab your headphones and get ready for an inspiring and thought-provoking conversation. Let's dive in!    Outline: (01:35) Grew up near farms, Mennonite community, split. (06:41) Coaches wanted to be like Bobby Knight, but struggling to win got old. Need to get tougher for success. (13:54 Exchanged life for something better, understood verse. (17:18) Remote court officer with extensive powers. Ideal job. (25:43) Lawyers in small towns make money off something they know, not practicing law. Reoccurring revenue allows for client turnover and limitless potential. Liked being in control and creating my own business. (27:02) The Head of the firm engages with employees openly. (35:12) Transformation through challenging debates and incidents. (40:42) Reluctantly moving back home to care. (44:00 Dad in apartments, smoking grass, finding a job. (48:18) Building relationships with guys through lunches and breakfasts. (56:43) Striving for apostle calling, supporting, encouraging, and connecting through cigars and bourbon to help neighbors find hope and freedom. (01:01:21) Meeting in graveyard secures successful account deal. (01:07:34) Doctor J, MJ, and the cool factor. (01:12:23) Concerned about kids' success, but it's about me. (01:18:53) Charlie introduced new friends, all-black churches, and preaching. Transitioned from partying to Christianity lost friends. Charlie threw a 21st birthday party in a black neighborhood. (01:20:25) Dad succeeded without college and selflessly gave. (01:26:53) Fast folding, odd plans, hospital, medical university, ambulance. Asleep, dream. (01:30:23) Anger turns into realization of lifelong presence. (01:35:42) "Holy Smokes fosters men's authentic community engagement."   About the Guest:  "Ashley Early" grew up in a rural community surrounded by farms. Half of the community consisted of Old Order Mennonite or Anabaptist families, while the rest were a few generations removed from that background. In elementary school, Ashley had friends from both backgrounds, but by 8th grade, the Mennonite children would no longer attend school with the rest. Despite this separation, Ashley would still cross paths with them while driving their cars, while the Mennonite families traveled in horses and buggies.

EPISODE SUMMARY: Unleash the entrepreneur in you with the wisdom of Chrissy Myers, a powerhouse in the realm of real estate and the CEO of three thriving companies. Embark on a journey with Chrissy as she unveils the narrative of her unique life - from birthing a book on Amazon to steering the wheels of a blended family with the acumen of a seasoned business leader. Be inspired by her fervor for philanthropy, as she serves on numerous nonprofit boards and ardently helps Northeast Ohioans secure employment. In a world of constant hustle, Chrissy shares the secret to maintaining peace amidst pandemonium. Take notes as she demonstrates how to juggle multiple roles without dropping the ball - navigating her multifaceted career, authoring books, and co-running a commercial real estate business. Chrissy's sage advice extends to cultivating emotional resilience, achieving equilibrium between work and life, and fostering tranquility in chaos.  Finally, Chrissy imparts invaluable lessons on fostering a culture of life in business rather than one ruled by revenue. We delve into the notion of taking a long-term view of success, planning life in decades while living in moments, and ensuring smooth transitions within a family business. Gain insights from her experience about the early cultivation of relationships and the pivotal role it plays in the seamless passing of a family business from one generation to the other. This episode is your ticket to an enriching discourse on maintaining balance, future planning, and successful business transitions. CHRISSY'S BIO: Chrissy is the author of Reluctant Resilience and CEO of AUI and Clarity HR which provide insurance benefits and HR services to small and medium sized businesses in both for profit and non-profit sectors. Chrissy describes herself as the chief cheerleader for both companies setting direction, steering marketing content, and finding creative ways to disrupt two established business sectors. Chrissy is also the author of AUI Gives Back & Clarity Cares two community impact programs where employees serve in the community, track their impact and share what they are doing on behalf of their customers. Around Akron Chrissy works to leave her community a better place. She is a graduate of Leadership Ohio, Torchbearers, Leadership Akron, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, Scalerator NEO and Community Leadership Institute. As an advocate for families struggling with addiction and mental health issues, Chrissy serves as the Vice Chair of the Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board of Summit County. In addition, Chrissy serves on the Board of Directors for the Greater Akron Chamber, Goodwill Industries of Northeast Ohio and Jobs for Ohio Graduates. Chrissy received her Bachelors in Business Administration from John Carroll University and her MBA from the University of Akron. When she is not plotting world domination of the insurance industry or volunteering in the community Chrissy can be found at home with Team Awesome Sauce who includes her husband, Steve, and two children, Maddy and Caleb. GE IN TOUCH WITH CHRISSY: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissymyersceo/ www.clarityhr.com www.auiinfo.com EPISODE CHAPTERS: (0:00:13) - Interview With Austin Linney and Chrissy Myers Chrissy Myers shares her success in real estate, mindset coaching, and leading a blended family, as well as her involvement with nonprofit boards and passion for helping people in Northeast Ohio get jobs, referencing 75 Hard. (0:05:04) - Calm and Happiness in Small Business Chrissy Myers shares strategies to build emotional intelligence and resiliency to manage difficult situations and balance multiple jobs. (0:13:04) - Long-Term Perspective in Business and Life Creating a life-giving culture, long-term success, social media anxieties, understanding life goals, and planning in decades are discussed. (0:24:02) - Family Business Transition Navigation Fostering healthy relationships, creating a life-giving culture, and cultivating early relationships are key to transitioning a family business. (0:27:36) - Challenges and Strategies in Business Transition Fostering healthy generational relationships, discussing payment, terms and value, owning real estate and business, and emotional transitioning of a business are discussed.

I had heard of Intermittent Fasting long before I ever tried it. I was totally opposed to it at first, because I was someone who woke up hungry, ate about every 3 hours, and would get shaky if I didn't.   Reluctantly, as I read more from experts, I opened my mind to the possibility of fasting.   I set about learning from the experts.  I was intrigued, to say the least, but I had many opinions and beliefs about it that turned out to be false.  This episode addresses five false beliefs I held about fasting before I did the research on it, and they are: That intermittent fasting is a diet. That you will go into starvation mode. That you will be hungry a lot. That it is bad for you if you exercise a lot. That it is rigid. You'll also hear a general recommendation to safely start intermittent fasting.   To learn more about the Intermittent Fasting 101 5-week course mentioned in the episode, go here:   https://www.elisapoolwellness.com/intermittent-fasting-101 Tag me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/elisapool_wellness  Tag me on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/elisa.mcclurkan/ Join the community! Free private FB group for women, “Wellness Rising”:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1153532848019343/ If you'd like a weekly mindset reminder, text me the word “REMEMBER” to 727-591-4959, and I'll share one or two quotes with you each week via text message.   Have a podcast topic to suggest?  Please do!  Email me at elisapoolwellness@gmail.com - suggestions always welcome. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/elisa-m-pool/message

After milking him over two weeks, Sammy (substandardsammy2) and Nat (thoughtful.fetishist) conclude their conversation with the leatherbound stud Jonathan (hushednbound).

Over two weeks, Sammy (substandardsammy2) and Nat (thoughtful.fetishist) are joined by Jonathan (hushednbound). He loves leather, bondage, and travelling, and as an added bonus he'll tolerate you calling him Daddy. Tune in as anything goes!

Magna Carta is one of the most enduring documents from the Middle Ages. Reluctantly signed by King John at Runnymede in 1215, it forever changed society and politics in Britain, and the rest of the world. Magna Carta has been credited with inspiring the US Constitution and Bill of Rights, and providing the basis for democracy across the globe. But what does Magna Carta actually say? What events led to its creation? And how has it changed the world today? This is a Short History Of Magna Carta. Written by Lindsay Galvin. With thanks to Dan Jones, host of the podcast ‘A Dynasty To Die For', and author of ‘Magna Carta: the making and legacy of the Great Charter'.  For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Now available for Apple and Android users. Click the Noiser+ banner on Apple or go to noiser.com/subscriptions to get started with a 7-day free trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Glen and Kevin review the loss to the Knicks and the trends of the past couple of weeks.

I met Vera a decade ago and we were both invited to speak at Deek Diedrickson's Tiny House workshop in Connecticut. She explained that my first pictures of my tiny house that I built in 2012 with rain screen inspired her to deep dive into everything from thermal bridging to mold mitigation for the build of her silver bullet tiny house. When Vera takes on a project or issue you can bet she's thorough, persistent, and resilient. Vera has been on our podcast twice before, last time she discussed pandemic tiny house living at the very beginning of 2020. Today, she will help us learn about her process of becoming an active participant in democracy to legalize the very housing product she's lived in for over a decade in Massachusetts.In This Episode:

Pastor Jason is continuing our series on the book of Exodus entitled Exodus: Redeemed for Relationship.   This week's passage is Exodus 4:1-31 Moses' three excuses and God's three questions:     1.   “They will not believe me” – “What is in your hand?”     2.   “I am not eloquent” – “Who made man's mouth?”     3.   “Please send someone else.” – “What about Aaron, your brother?”

On today's show I will be chatting with one of my former colleagues and friend, Lt. William Walsh! Lieutenant Walsh joined the Milwaukee Police Department in 1993. He started in patrol and worked in one of the busiest and most dangerous districts in the city, and perhaps the country! During his distinguished twenty-seven-year career, he went on promoted to sergeant being a supervisor for the tactical enforcement unit (SWAT), an instructor at the police academy, an investigator in the internal affairs division (IAD), and then promoted again to lieutenant where he finished his career supervising the sergeants and police officers at district five late shift, where he began his police career. The good lieutenant is now teaching at Blackhawk Technical College and writing novels. In today's episode we discuss:·      Will growing up in Milwaukee and then later joining the Marines.·      How and why, he joined the Milwaukee Police Department. ·      How friends, family, and the community reacted to him becoming a Milwaukee Police Officer.·      His beginnings in the department working late shift in one of the busiest and most dangerous districts in the city/country.·      Him being promoted to sergeant and immediately being assigned to the tactical enforcement unit (SWAT) in an attempt to balance racial inequality.·      Common misconceptions associated with how SWAT officers are portrayed on TV, in movies, and in books.·      Reluctantly being assigned to the internal affairs division (IAD) and the problems and challenges that assignment posed.·      Promoting to lieutenant and commanding the late shift at District Five where his career started!·      Retirement and his new teaching career and writing novels.Connect with Lt. Walsh on LinkedIn.Check out his debut novel, Fallen Angels.Check out Field Training (Brew City Blues Book 1)!!Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website. Do you enjoy gritty, action-packed real-life police dramas to get your fill of blood, heartache, and cop humor, and maybe even a little romance?I have partnered up with Michael Anderle and we have released a new crime fiction series called “Brew City Blues.” If you're a fan of Hill Street Blues, Southland, or Bosch you're going to love Brew City Blues! Brew City Blues is now live! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BLR7FX27 Only for Cops and Writers Podcast listeners! Get 50% off the audiobook version of the F.B.I. K-9 thriller, Avenging Adam by Jodi Burnett. Use code, https://jodi-burnett.com/copsandwriters/Avenging Adam Audiobook by Jodi Burnett Get 50% off Avenging Adam audiobook with this link! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Introduction (Shawn)Topic: League Summit Review (Brian and Shawn)Give a review of the lessons and some feedback received from coachesSat: 2023 review, TTC, Friday Fails, EAPSun: 2024 preview, Adventure, Dynamic Agility, Team CultureClinics: OTBS101 refresh, 201, course evaluationGive thanks to WWC for being a great hostTopic: Sponsor Announcement (Brian)Constellation Cycling - James Lee (course setter) is a member.CC is hosting their big event of the season (Lions Roar) on 22 OctoberLion's Roar. NCCX, Race #3.  Sunday, October 22, 2022 - Lions Park - 516 Dennis Ave. Raleigh, NC 27604Topic: Season 8 Dates and Locations (Brian)Posted on website and announced via Iterable and social mediaHighlightsWalk through the events by dateTwo new venuesOne western venue - private!Qualifying championship (race committee to help determine criteria)Season finale = Adventure Festival Hybrid fee scheme - discount packageTopic: Sponsor Announcement (Brian)CognativeMTB a returning sponsorSupport to our TTC program: big 3000 hour goal in 2024 and Trail Week 24', March 18-24TTC staff is coordinating events with SORBA chapters and various conservancy groups across the state to help provide opportunities for teams during that week (goal of 1,000 hours that week)Topic: Pre-season Date Reminders (Brian and Shawn)GRiT - open to all registered female student athletes and coaches- 28 October at Keowee Park, Wilkesboro (Warrior Creek and Headwaters Hub trails)- 4 November at Medoc Mountain State Park, Hollister, NCAdventure - open to returning student athletes. (mention form in coaches conversation about new athletes) Must attend with their team. Head Coaches may choose one event for their team to attend. Each event is capped at 200 participants. If we have extra space at either event, we will open it to teams wishing to attend both, as space is available. Clarify does not count as a pre-season event- 18 November at Whitewater Center in Charlotte, NC- 2 December at Browns Creek, ElizabethtownRegional Event 10-12 Nov in FairHill MDRegistration closes Tuesday 17 October extended to 1 NovClosing (All)Dad joke

The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land's flagship podcast is here! Join LGHL's Josh Dooley and Chuck Holmes as they discuss Ohio Statefootball, recruiting, and much, much more! Come for the hot takes, stay for the warm ones. On this episode of ‘Hangout in the Holy Land,' Josh and Chuck reluctantly preview Ohio State's upcoming road trip to West Lafayette (IN) and Purdue's Ross-Ade Stadium. Reluctantly, because it seems like just whispering “Ross-Ade” has a spooky, Beetlejuice-like effect.  The Boilermakers' home venue has long been a house of horrors for the Buckeyes, with the latter dropping five games in West Lafayette since 2000. Including three of their last four! While Ross-Ade was also the site of ‘Holy Buckeye', there is no doubt that Purdue's stadium has been more worrisome than welcoming to the Scarlet and Gray. So will OSU continue to struggle at Ross-Ade, and deal with the Ghost of Upsets Past? Or is the talent gap between Ryan Day's and Ryan Walters' teams just too big this season? Against their better judgement, the hosts feel pretty good about their Buckeyes this weekend. The look-ahead possibilities are very real for Ohio State, but Day's squad can ill afford to go into Penn State week with anything less than 100% confidence. So the guys are hoping that OSU will exercise some Ross-Ade demons in dominant fashion. Please make sure to like, rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast! And as always, Go Bucks! Sign up with MyBookie using our link to receive your welcome bonus: https://mybookie.website/Grant23 Connect with the Podcast: Twitter: @HolyLandPod Email: HolyLandPodOSU@gmail.com Connect with Josh: Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye Connect with Chuck: Twitter: @ctholmes3 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Introducing a running podcast for people who think running podcasts are stupid. This is an ultrarunning comedy podcast instead. So if you are looking for inspirational or deep, thought-provoking content, you will probably DNF your next race just from listening to this.   Dom Grossman and Andy Pearson host this monthly variety show with guests who are probably too famous to be on it, totally worthless advice call-in segments, and other dumb jokes designed to make you shoot gel through your nose. Reluctantly presented by UltraSignup.

Better late than never folks! Diggory and Oscar wholeheartedly apologise for their late review of Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, which was finally released on limited release in the US in March 2023 and on streaming platforms elsewhere in April 2023. It's come six months late, but what side of the coin will this latest Hugh Grant effort fall? Are we taking Hugh for granted or not? Directed by Guy Ritchie, this film sees super spy Orson Fortune (Jason Statham) track down and stop the sale of a deadly new weapons technology wielded by billionaire arms broker Greg Simmonds (Hugh Grant). Reluctantly teamed with some of the world's best operatives (Aubrey Plaza, Cary Elwes, Bugzy Malone), Fortune and his crew recruit Hollywood's biggest movie star Danny Francesco (Josh Hartnett) to help them on their globe-trotting undercover mission to save the world. Make sure you're following Taking Hugh for Granted on Instagram and Facebook (@TakingHughforGranted) as well as Twitter (@TakingHugh). You can get in touch with us there or via our email takinghughforgranted@gmail.com For SEO: Hugh Grant is a British actor who is best known for starring in films like Love Actually, Notting Hill and The Undoing alongside huge stars such as Nicole Kidman and Julia Roberts. In 2023, Hugh Grant continues to make movies and has a wife and kids.

Last time we spoke about the Huon Gulf offensive. The Japanese until now had not considered their losses at Guadalcanal and Buna-Gona as irretrievable, but with the loss of Salamaua and Lae there was a brutal realization they were going to have to pull back their defensive line. The absolute defense line was established as the entire empire of the rising sun took two steps back. Meanwhile General Douglas MacArthur and the allied war planners decided to revise operation Cartwheel. The enemy was in disarray and this provided an opportunity to keep them off balance and maintain the momentum. They decided to launch an offensive against the Huon Peninsula, to hit places like Finschhafen. The offensive began with another bang as forces landed and advanced to seize immediate objectives to the misery of the retreating Japanese.  This episode is Drive to Finschhafen  Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  Before we leap back over to New Guinea, we first need to talk about some developments in the Solomons. Admirals Kusaka and Samejima were about to launch Operation Se-Go, the evacuation of Kolombangara. Now after the battle of Vella Lavella, Brigadier Potter's 35th battalion was closing in on the Marquana Bay area by September 26th. Potter sent two New Zealander Platoons as a vanguard. To face them, Captain Tsuruya had organized his meager forces and successfully surrounded the New Zealander Platoons. This began a fight for the New Zealander's survival that would last until October 2nd. Worried about the fate of his two platoons, Potter ordered Lt Seward with 3 companies to rescue the platoons. Seward described the endeavor as running straight into a hornets nest. They ran straight into some Japanese machine gun positions, which they nicknamed Machine Gully, and it cost them 18 dead and 10 wounded. Tsuruya managed to halt their advance using Machine Gully, which was a dense rainforest concealing his men. On October 2nd, the two platoons were finally rescued. The horrible casualties prompted Potter to halt attacks until every landing craft could bring over the 37th battalion from Tambala bay to hit the other side. The 37ths movement down the rugged coast would be sluggish, giving the Japanese ample time to prepare for the evacuation of the Tsuruya unit. Meanwhile General Sasaki and Admiral Ota were getting their forces ready for the evacuation. Each unit was responsible for its supply and had to carry enough rations to last until october 5th. All the troops had to carry their weapons and as much ammunition as they could, while medical supplies were divided amongst them. Mountains guns, quick fire guns, heavy machine guns could be disassembled and carried if possible, everything else was to be destroyed. And I mean everything, even street signs were destroyed. Sasaki moved all the wounded to the north shore of Kolombangara who were to be the first loading onto the destroyers. Ota was in charge of all matters related to the embarkation such as communications; locating hiding places for the barges and loading which would take place between September 28-30th. They were expecting to evacuate 7660 men in all. Operation Se-Go began on the 27th, as General Yoshimura's barges headed for Kolombangara in separate groups and Admiral Ijuin prepared his force of 11 destroyers to run towards the northern coast the following day. Only one of Yoshimuras groups led by Commander Tanegashima were intercepted as they headed down the slot. 5 destroyers, the USS Claxton, Spence, Dyson, Foote and Charles Ausburne led by Captain Martin Gillan pounced on the force destroying 4 barges, but the rest eventually escaped to Kolombangara by the 28th with the other groups. Ota hid the barges as he awaited Ijuins destroyers. Ijuin's force were spotted by a PBY due northeast of Green Island, prompting Generals Moore and Twining to launch an air raid. A strike force of radar equipped B-24's of the 394th bombardment squadron intercepted Ijuin's destroyers as they were passing Bougainville strait. None of their bombing attempts found a hit luckily for Ijuin. Meanwhile the barges began to depart up the slot towards Choiseul seeing zero opposition. At Tuki point the barges awaited the destroyers before the loading process began. The only major mishap would occur when the commander of the barges carrying 735 men from Jack Harbor to board the Amagiri steered too widely, missed the signal light from the destroyers and began heading for Vella Lavella. By the time they figured out the mistake and returned to the loading area, the destroyers were gone, with only 1950 men aboard. With the 1950 men aboard, Ijuin's destroyers made their first dash, but would be intercepted again, this time by 27 B-24's. The strike was thwarted by Zero fighter escorts and bad weather allowing Ijuin to arrive safely at Buka by the 29th. After this, the Americans were now fully alert to what was going on and responded by bombing Choiseul. At 9:15am on the 29th, Kakasa was attacked by 17 Dauntless, 12 Avengers and 56 fighter escorts. Destroyers Patterson, McCalla, Foote and Ralph Talbot led by Captain Frank R Walker were sent up the slot to hunt barges as well. On september 29th, Tanegashima headed for Choiseul with 11 barges carrying 1100 men. At 10:30 the Americans found them. There was no moon that night, and frequent rain squalls dotted the slot. Upon seeing the Americans, Tanegashima ordered the barges to scatters and Walker detached McCalla to hunt a small group while the rest of his force hit a larger one. Yano, whose battalion was on the barges recalled his barge running at full speeds as shells flew all around them. No barge was sunk or seriously damaged as they made a quick escape. Thus the first stage of operation Se-Go saw the rescue of over 6000 men, relying on the combination of surprise and gambling to be honest. But 25 barges were lost in the process. For stage 2 Samejima would reinforce the surviving 43 barges and 5 vedettes with 3 torpedo boats and two other armed boats. Yoshimura and Ijuin planned to toss 3 destroyers Kazagumo, Yugumo and Akigumo to be a diversion for the Americans. On the other side, Admiral Halsey ordered Admiral Merill's task force 39 consisting of Light cruisers Montpelier and Denver; and destroyers Eaton, Waller, Cony, Renshaw, Spence, Claxton, Dyson, Selfridge and Charles Ausburne, to sweep the slot. Commander  Chandler with four destroyers, Pringle, Saufley, Radford and Greyson was in the lead, followed by Merrill with two cruisers and nine destroyers.  On the night of October 1st, while Yoshimura's barges were leaving Choiseul en route to Kolombangara. The Americans spotted the decoy destroyers northwest of Choiseul at 9:20 via a VP-54 Black Cat that began tailing the force as it heading in the direction of Vella Lavella. Now Merill had orders to not risk his cruisers unless heavy Japanese units were found, so he turned back and allowed Wilkinson's destroyers to advance. The American chased the decoy towards Vella Lavella as Yoshimura's barges went by relatively unmolested, though a small group of barges would be fired upon by US destroyers, losing 2 in the process. On the morning of October 2nd, Ijuin departed Rabaul with 9 destroyers and at Vila, the Yokosuka 7th guns would fire their last rounds before moving towards the coast. That night, Ijuin approached Kolombangara as Tanegashima awaited with 2100 men to be transported onto the destroyers. They managed to load 145 men by 10:35, but then the destroyers were forced to pull back as Americans had been spotted in the slot. Tanegashima nonetheless, headed for Sumbe Head with the rest, 600 men in all.  Commander Harold O. Larson with three destroyers, Ralph Talbot, Taylor and La Vallette dashed across the slot to hit barges. Largson located the barges and began firing upon them when Ijuin's destroyers appeared at 10:42. The Americans closed in on the Japanese and fired torpedoes at 11:25 scoring no hits. They then opened fire with their guns targeting the Minazuki. The Japanese scattered, prompting a chase, but it fell into nothing by midnight. In the end the Americans managed to sink 5 of Tanegashima barges. With that the Japanese had successfully completed operation Se-Go rescuing 4000 men in the second stage, for a near total of 10,000 men in all. The Japanese had truly proved themselves capable evacuatee's if that is a word, with the evacuation of Guadalcanal, Kiska and Kolombangara. That's all for the Solomon's as now we need to venture back to Green Hell. Poor General Adachi's 18th army was not giving a single break. Just a week after the fall of Lae, General MacArthur's southwest pacific area had launched two new offensives aimed at the Ramu Valley and Finschhafen. Operation Cartwheel had initially scheduled an offensive against the Huon Peninsula to take place 6 weeks after the taking of Lae, but MacArthur pushed this forward due to intelligence indicating the Japanese were in the process of sending heavy reinforcements from Madang to aid Ramu Valley and Finschhafen. The first objectives for the allies were Kaiaput and Dumpu in the Markham and Ramu valleys where airfields could be constructed to help General Kenney extend his arm. Lack of air and naval capability meant the Japanese would be forced to march nearly 200 miles to reach places like Finschhafen with reinforcements, giving MacArthur ample room to hit the port before they could.  Now in the previous episode we saw Brigadier Windeyer successfully land is forces at Scarlet Beach, with the 2/17th advancing further to secure the Song River area; the 2/15th captured Katika and the 2/13th were advancing southwards towards Heldsbach and Tareko. Just like at Lae, the Japanese were taken completely off guard by the landings, prompting General Adachi to order General Yamada to hit the enemy at the most opportune moment while General Katagiri's 20th division were quickly dispatched on 20 large barges for a coastal advance. Katagiri's men reached Sio by barge on September 21st and from there he dispatched his 2nd battalion, 79th regiment with 3 machine gun platoons and an artillery company to the Kalasa-Kelanoa area while the rest would concentrate around the Sio area until september 30th. Yamada ordered his forces to concentrate at the Sattelberg mountains, a important point 1000 meters above sea level which dominated the Finschhafen area. It was hoped holding such a point would allow a launching pad for future counter offensives. Meanwhile Windeyer ordered the 2/15th battalion to lead an advance towards the Bumi river while the 2/13th consolidated at the Heldsbach plantation Launch Jetty area. Yet Wootten also gave Windeyer that task of securing Sattelberg, so he ordered Lt Main's company of the 2/17th with an additional platoon for the job. On September 24th, Main signaled “Coy less one pl now approx 3 miles along main track and proceeding to Sattelberg. Patrol P.I.B moving ahead of coy”. Sattelberg was an interesting spot to defend. It was initially a 19th century German mission, about 5 miles inland with a height of 3150 feet. It offered a birds eye few of the coastal area making it a particularly important point. Allied intelligence misjudged how inaccessible it was and there was the belief its occupation was merely a method of guarding one's right flank. Yamada's men were easily able to slip into Sattelberg via the Tirimoro, Gurunkor and Kunawa, this certainly would not be the same case for the allied forces. On September 22, the 22nd battalion had departed Hopoi. They marched through a swampy terrain towards Wideru without opposition. By 8am on the 23rd, they saw their first signs of the Japanese occupation. They also ran into locals who began reporting to them the Japanese had spent the night at Buiengim. At 1:35pm they reached Bua where leading troops had a small skirmish with a Japanese outpost which quickly withdrew. By 4pm part of the Australian forces seized a steep ridge where the track cut around 250 yards east of Bua. When it began to get dark they began to be fired upon from a mountain gun. The fire was coming from an area near the mouth of the Mongi river. Meanwhile the 2/15th battalion were advancing along a coastal track with its leading platoon reaching the mouth of the Bumi by midday. The river looked to be fordable, what they didnt know was two mixed companies of the 85th naval garrison had fortified and wired positions on its southern bank. When the Australians began crossing they were fired upon, prompting Lt Shrapnel to order 6 3 inch mortars to be brought up to support the Bumi crossing. The battalion continued their advance along the foothills of the Kreutberg Range. This was the first time any units of the 9th division apart from the 2/24th battalion and some individual companies had done any hill-climbing on New Guinea. It was a very tough initiation. There was no track and zero water, the force had to cut their way for about 800 yards through dense jungle and then go up a slope so steep that any man carrying a heavy load had to have it passed up to him. Several tin hats clattered down the hillside and the stretcher bearers left all but two stretchers going half way up. The unsexy stuff about war, but terrain can be just as much of an enemy to you and your objective than the actual enemy. They reached the crest of the ridge, took a breather and then began advancing south. The next day the 2/13th began to join them, allowing the 2/15th to move off towards the Bumi. However to their amazement, upon reaching the river at 10am, they found it unoccupied on the southbank. Barbed wire was seen, but no Japanese. Then as they advanced some more they were fired upon, it was a deception. A company led by Captain Snell was ordered to cross the river to create a beachhead on the opposite bank. The men entered the waist deep water further down, seeing one man killed by enemy fire. Bullets were flying around as the Australians were providing cover fire. As the men crossing went further down they found an area not occupied by the enemy and formed a bridgehead. From there more men were able to safely get across. However the position under pouring rain forced the Australians to improvise. They had a supply issue and needed better access, so they cut a track around the foothills to the bridgehead positions. The difficulty was that the rain had really begun to kick in and it was causing enormous delays. Windeyer ordered a jeep track to be established from the coastal track due north of Kamloa to the bridgehead to compensate. A platoon of the 2/3rd pioneers and some men of the 2/17t7, 2/13th and 2/15th were employed to carry supplies along the current path until the track was made to their misery.   On September 25th Lt Mair led a patrol of the 2/13th out to deal with some troublesome enemy mortars to the east. At around 9am they found a Japanese outpost 20 feet above them. They were fired upon losing 2 men dead and 4 wounded. The enemy was firing from some bunkers and foxholes with barbed wire coming up from the river. Other patrols were made prodding the area as the 2/3rd field company and the pioneers of the 2/15th finished cutting the new jeep track. When the track was completed, Windeyer ordered the men to not advance south of the Bumi for another two days to allow more supplies to be brought up near the river crossing. Back over at Scarlet beach, Japanese aircraft were striking them early in the morning as allied aircraft hit airfields on New Britain. At 12:30pm on September 24th, a Japanese airforce of 12 bombs and 20 Zeros hit Australian positions at the north end of the airstrip. Artillery pieces that had been pounding Kakakog and the Salankaua plantation areas were hit hard. 60 or so bombs were dropped leading to 18 gunner casualties and the 2/3rd field company had 14 deaths and 19 wounded. Despite the airstrikes, by September 25th there was something worse to worry about emerging from the west. After the 2/17th began its advance to Sattelberg which Papuan infantryman had reported was unoccupied, it soon became apparent this was false. After passing 800 yards beyond Jivevaneng, the same papuan infantry could visually see the Sattelberg area was anything but unoccupied, it was heavily fortified. Now the 2/17th were still on the merry way to Sattelberg none the wiser, in fact they reached Jivevaneng and mistook it to be Sattelberg, not realizing they had to cross a place called Coconut Ridge to get to Sattelberg. Windeyer received brand new reports from the Papuans that Sattelberg was heavily fortified while simultaneously the 2/17th vanguard patrols ran into some forward defensive lines around Sattelberg. The 2/17th patrols were hit hard by mortars and grenades forced to pull back quickly. Windeyer decided he was stretched to thin in the area so he ordered everyone to pull back to Jivevaneng. The Japanese now saw the Australian presence on the Sattelberg Road, General Yamada planned an offensive against Heldsbach to cut the enemy off north of Arndt Point. Meanwhile by 2pm, Colonel Grace of the 2/13th was ordered to seize Snell's Hill a high ground southeast of the bridgehead. By 9am some platoons were patrolling the area, when Lt Webb's platoon ran 400 yards into a Japanese position sitting on a Spur controlling a track from Tirimoro. Lt Webb reported it in prompting Colonel Grace to call in for support. The men would be facing around 150 men of Yamadas 85th naval garrison.   Two companies of the 2/15th took up the job and would begin by literally falling and tumbling 150 yards from their assembly line. They were tripping over vines, bamboo and heavy timber descending down a valley. When they got 450 yards from the slope of Snell's Hill they were pretty exhausted. However Yamada's naval troops gave them no time to take breath as they began lobbing grenades down at them. Luckily the grenade shower was rather ineffective. The Australians used cover fire as they could not hope to toss grenades them themselves lest they tumble back down upon their charging men. The Australians charged up the slope bayonets fixed and as they came to its summit, many of the Japanese turned and fled. Sergeant Fink took his men through a kunai patch to try and hit the Japanese rear, managing to clear some machine gun nests in the process. During his sweeping maneuver 10 casualties were inflicted upon the Australians. Finks men drew a lot of the enemy fire, relieving pressure from the others who led a frontal and left wing attack. Over on the left wing Captain Stuarts men charged through some kunai grass overrunning two 13 mm machine gun nests. 40-50 Japanese panicked upon seeing this and ran back to an observation post. Soon the Australian platoons began to consolidate and applied pressure. Stuarts advanced in what he termed “an extended line-desert formation, not in a file according to orthodox jungle tactics”. Three 13mm guns were captured, 7 LMGS, a ton of mortars and rifles and 52 Japanese would be buried on the summit. It was an intense actions seeing potentially 100 casualties inflicted by the 2/15th who in return had 3 deaths and 7 wounded.   While the 2/15th had been tackling Snell Hill, the 2/13th tried to cut across the Tirimoro track to another high ground called Starvation Hill. Around 5 minutes after the Snell battle started, some gunfire could be seen coming over from the other high ground. A few platoon of the 2/13th were immediately ordered to check it out. As the men advanced along the Tirimoro track they came across thick vegetation along the slope going up to Starvation Hill. Companies 7 and 8 of the 238th were defending Starvation Hill and they held a great field of fire looking down. The men began to crawl through it going up along the slope. Men were on their hands and knees going through thick bamboo, the progress was slow and noisy because the bamboo would make sharp snapping sounds. The two leading platoons took what cover they could as a storm of fire erupted. Japanese LMG's were opening up forcing the Australians to try and pull back safely 150 yards and hunker down for the night. 9 men were cut down during the mayhem.  Over in the north, Yamada ordered the 3rd battalion, 80th regiment to hit Scarlet Beach. Enroute to Scarlet beach was Major Pike's company of the 2/17th who were guarding the approaches to the beach from Katika. Pike had sent a small patrol out and 2500 yards to the west they ran into patrols of Yamada's force. At around midday, 30 Japanese attacked a position west of Katika held by Lt McLeod. Two Japanese were killed, including an officer who had a marked map and what looked like an operation order on him. To the south Windeyer received a report of what was going on and ordered Pike to send out a stronger patrol to hit and locate the enemy so their artillery could fire upon them. A platoon went out in the afternoon and after 2000 yards or so found the enemy and ordered the artillery fire in. The platoon was met with heavy fire, leading Sergeant Brightwell to be shot dead as the men pulled back to Katika. Thus Yamada's plans to hit Scarlet Beach quickly dissolved into back and forth patrol skirmishes in the Sattelberg and Katika areas.   The new threat to the west, forced Windeyer to request reinforcements. Reluctantly, General MacArthur and Admirals Barbey and Carpender authorized the sending of reinforcements to an area they had assumed had a small enemy presence. General Herring met with Barbey aboard the Conyngham informing him Finschhafen would required an additional brigade. Barbey declined to transport the extra troops to Finschhafen on the grounds it was against MacArthurs orders. Apparently MacArthur's planners felt that Finschhafen was going to be a pushover and they had pretty much considered the operation won and down already. Herring then asked Carpender to help transport the additional units, but was amazed to discover that the Americans would not comply unless the matter went first to MacArthur. None the less Carpender planned to transport the units via small craft staging out of Lae when Finschhafen was cleared. Then Windeyers urgent requests for reinforcements came in, indicated things were not won and down and Finschhafen had not fallen. Herring then sent a secret signal to Blamey and MacArthur pleaded for additional help, which finally secured him the 2nd battalion of the 43rd regiment by the end of the month. Back over at Jivevaneng on the 27th telephone lines to Zag were suddenly cut and one of hte 2/17th's patrols made contact with the Japanese. The 2/17th at Jivevaneng opened fire with artillery  upon the Sattelberg area and along the main track. Then after dusk a platoon of screaming Japanese apparently screaming Tojo charged the Jivevaneng defensive lines. 6 of them were killed in the attack. Windeyer ordered what became known as the Sattelforce, two companies of the 2/17th led by Lt Main and Lt Pike to take control of the Sattelberg track and the tracks leading back to the beachhead. On the 28th, Sattelforce began probing, but between 3-8pm a company of Japanese made three consecutive attacks against them. All the attacks were coming from the front and left flank, seeing screaming Japanese charging madly upon them. Main's company was soon running low on ammunition and they feared a dawn attack was approaching. Main estimated the enemy had suffered up to 60 casualties at this point. During the morning of the 29th, Main's assumption about a dawn attack came true, as they were hit by a Japanese platoon, but after this the Japanese retired. Main's men found 30 dead Japanese after performing a intense defense in a rather isolated position. The 2/43rd battalion landing at Scarlet beach at 3:30am and their commander Lt Joshua was immediately ordered “you will relieve the troops known as Sattelforce…This relief to be completed as speedily as possible to enable 2/17 battalion to concentrate for operations against Finschhafen”. 13 Hours later they did just that. On september 27th, Windeyer ordered the 2/13th to exploit the gains made by the 2/15th to capture Kakakog, while the 2/15th would attack the Salankaua Plantation. Back over at Starvation Hill, Mortar Sergeant Chown led a patrol, getting as close as possible to the hill. A telephone wire was carried up and Chowne found himself an observation point at the edge of a bamboo patch, just 20 yards or so near the Japanese. Despite being dangerously close to the enemy, he directed 3 inch mortar fire down upon them. He only had 15 mortar bombs, thus this led him to be so critical with his positioning. Before firing them off he sent word to the other Platoon leaders that an attack could be made. A platoon led by Sergeant McVey advanced to the edge of the bamboo ready to pounce. Chown lined up McVeys men called the mortar fire and they charged up the slope. The Japanese were caught by complete surprise seeing the enemy suddenly on top of them. Many of the Japanese fled at the offset, thus Starvation Hill was captured with pinpoint precision. Unbeknownst to the Australians, the only Japanese atop Starvation were rearguards as the 7th and 8th companies of hte 238th regiment had already withdrawn over to Sattelberg that morning. The next day, the 2/13th made their way cautiously over to Kakakog. Their objectives were three demolished buildings known as the “triangle” and the remains of the Kakakog hospital designated “the city”. These were found on the west and east ends of Kakakog respectively. D Company led by Lt Cribb and A company led by Lt Cooper crossed over a spur on their way to hit the triangle. Cribb took the left and Cooper the right as they advanced upon the objective. They were met with a heavy bombardment, but the aim was apparently so bad the men joked “we were under more danger from falling coconuts than the gunnery itself”. Their attack only got 300 yards past Snell's Hill by september 29th. The next day the men continued to advance, and now the enemy's artillery took a toll upon them causing them to halt. Two other companies led by Lt stuart and Colbin were penetrating east of the Ilebbe Creek without any opposition. They got within 50 yards of the Salankaua Plantation but had to cross a bridge to close the distance. To ford the river was just as dangerous as attempting the bridge leading the companies to launch smaller patrols to prod out options. It quickly became apparent by the late afternoon the element of surprise was lost. Luckily for the frustrated men, the Salvation Army and YMCA were up with the troops. The religious and welfare organizations looked after the mens physical and spiritual comfort. After the war there were few Australian ex-soldiers who would not put a coin in a Salvo's box when it was passed around the pub or street corner, as it brought back memories of their aid during the fighting. One soldier who fought across the Bumi wrote  “Another army came down to the Bumi—its weapons a coffee urn, its captain a Good Samaritan. Proudly he hoisted his unit's flag… He came not to reproach us for past sins or preach of the men we might have been. It is ideal, practical Christianity; he succoured the wounded and sick, revived the tired and weary; his was a happy little half-way tavern for those that passed.”   The next day, the 2/17th were relieved and would advance south, while the 2/13th came up for another assault against Kakakog. At 6:20am Colvin reported back to Windeyer there was going to be delays as the men needed to first take some higher ground. Windeyer back over in Scarlet beach decided he would come over to see it for himself. In the meantime some patrols were poking around the Triangle and to their surprise they saw no sign of the enemy. When Windeyer arrived it was decided the men would attack from the northwest. The 2/13th hit the Triangle while the 2/17th hit Salankaua plantation. On October 1st they were supported by an aerial strike at 11am followed up by artillery. For some reason know one ever found out why, this all began at 10:35am instead. 10 Vultee Vengeances and 8 Bostons bombed and strafed Salankaua plantation and Kakakog, doing little damage, but keeping the Japanese hunkered down. As the aircraft disappeared the infantry had run to their assembly points just in the nick of time to be ready to advance under artillery barrage. When one platoon got 250 yards near the City, grenades and mortar fire occurred. The australians could now see the enemy was hiding in the area and waiting for them to advance. As men forded the Ilebbe creek they were fired upon heavily suffering a few casualties before the men dispersed for cover. Instead of continuing across many changed direction and joined the assault upon the Triangle. The Australians were getting pinned down in every sector, seeing men trying to hide behind anything they could. The situation seemed desperate, then suddenly Lt Crawford took charge of the situation and organized a bayonet fixed direct attack across the Ilebbe. Crawford ordered the men to toss their grenades over the top of two platoons charging over the creek in an attempt to rush the enemy post on the other side. One Private Rolfe stood up at the bank of the creek and began firing his Bren from the hip providing wild cover fire. The men charged over the creek, being fired upon by Japanese snipers from tree tops. Despite their firepower, the Japanese were unable to stop the bayonet charge as the Australians ran them down. Crawford was wounded during the action, but they practically annihilated the entire outpost, bayonetting many Japanese. Due east of them near the Salankaua plantation, the men began to take out the tree top snipers. 12 2 inch mortars helped keep the pressure and momentum going. The Creek area was secured seeing 50 dead Japanese at the cost of 27 Australians. With the Ilebbe Creek cleared out, the pressure increased against the Triangle and City. Artillery was raining down upon them, likewise heavy fire was coming back from Kakakog ridge. By 3pm the Australians found themselves pinned down again. Yet again they had to halt their attack and dig in for the night as they had 10 deaths and 70 wounded, though they estimated that they had killed between 80-100 Japanese atop Kakakog ridge. The casualties would force the Japanese to abandon the Salankaua plantation. Meanwhile  after advancing to Kasanga, the 22nd battalion was able to seize Timbulum and Logaweng without opposition and were now preparing to cross the Mape River. On October 2nd, the 2/13th would find Kakakog ridge abandoned, but they very cautiously checked every nock and cranny upon it expecting Japanese ambush. A forward patrol went to the triangle and saw signs of an evacuation, numerous dead Japanese and abandoned equipment everywhere. The 2/17th likewise found the mouth of the Bumi unoccupied and easily secured a bridgehead before finding Salanakaua plantation unoccupied as well. With the enemy gone, the 2/15th were set forward towards Simbang and the 2/17th towards Kolem. With that, Finschhafen had fallen. It was a bitter fight, but by early October it was evident the enemy were yielding the coastal stip to assemble further west at the peak of Sattelberg which dominated the entire area. The 2/17th had already found out the hard way what it was to approach Sattelberg, and now the 2/43rd were trying to rescue one of their companies pinned down at Jivevaneng. Though Finschhafen was theirs, it was by no means secure. Papuan infantry and friendly locals were sending reports the Japanese were entering the wareo-sattelberg area from the north. The cost for this victory had been 73 Australians killed, 285 wounded and 301 sick. To the west at Kaiapit, the Australians were consolidating their position along the Markham valley and preparing to resume their advance on Ramu. Brigadier Dougherty's brigade were flown over to Kaiapit to relieve King's valiant commandos. Meanwhile General Nakai ordered the Saito unit to infiltrate and raid the Australians position. The 80 men of the Saito unit were led by Captain Morisada who organized his men into 4 smaller attack groups. Back on September 23rd, 3 Saito groups carried out their first operation, successfully blowing up the billet of a commanding officer and setting fire to a entire kunai patch that delayed an Australian advance. Meanwhile the bulk of the Nakai detachment withdrew back to the Ramu valley where they established fortifications at the Kankirei Mountains. Kankieri means “summit of joy” and was named so on June of 1943 when troops of the 20th division reached its peak to look down upon Ramu valley, cheering as they did because they had just completed the road from Madang. However by late september the Australians now looked to be approaching said road to Madang.   By the 23rd the 2/16th battalion captured Antiragen and the Umi river crossing. The next day was quite a handful for them alongside the 2/6th independent company. Both had patrols probing the Sagerak when they ran into some Japanese rearguard. 2 inch mortars and rifles pushed the rearguard to pull back and soon some patrols were moving on towards Narawapum. Meanwhile a papuan company was patrolling its northern foothills trying to find a fast route for the Australians to take to catch up to the Japanese in the Boana-Wantoat areas. Around midday the 2/16th and 2/6th were crossing the Umi to secure some high ground south of Sagerak. They clashed with around 20 Japanese carrying full packs in the Narawapum area causing them to flee. All of these Japanese forces were from the 1st battalion, 78th regiment, struggling to estalbish decent delaying actions.    General Vasey then appointed a new objective, Dumpu, where he hoped to catch General Nakano's men whom he assumed were retreating up the Ramu Valley towards Bogadjim. In reality, Nakano's 51st division were withdrawing through the Saruwaged Range, whose track deteriorated as it went up the upper reaches of the Sanem river. Private Kitamoto who was traveling with the 51st would recall “After we escaped the clutches of the enemy we were confronted by nature. Here the living had to walk across the dead to stay on the track. Using the dead bodies as stepping stones and clinging to the slippery lichen covered rocks, the men made their way up the mountain. Fresh red blood ran from the mouth of the dead when they were stepped on and their glassy eyes stared us in the face. Approaching 4000 meters, the cold bit hard into the light summer uniforms the soldiers wore but the exhausted men could not stop to sleep or they would freeze to death. The screaming voices of the men who slipped from the log bridges to their death in the canyons below, and the wailing cries of the men who could move no more and were asking for help. It was a sense of hell, something quite out of this world.'   Under the belief there was a strong enemy presence covering the withdrawal, possibly the full 20th division, Dougherty decided to order the 2/16th back across the Umi river on september 25th. At the same time, Nakai had ordered the bulk of his 78th regiment to take up a position in the Gurumbu-Kankirei area;  for the 1st battalion, 26th field artillery regiment to defend the seashore in the Erima area; and for the 2rd battalion 78th regiment to advance into the Yokopi mountain area to defend Kesawai. Meanwhile the last battalion of the 21st brigade had just arrived to Kaiapit, so Vasey ordered Brigaider Eathers 25th brigade to be the next one flown in.  General Herring had decided to place the Bena Force under Vasey's command, which was ordered to cross the Ramu and assault Dumpu and Kesawai. For the next few days, heavy patrolling was conducted at Dumpu, the upper Ramu valley, Kaiapit, Sagerak and eventually past the Umi. Patrols would find no enemy at Kaiapit, nor Sagerak, this prompted Dougherty to believe there were no enemy east of the Umi. On september 28th, Dougherty ordered the 2/16th battalion to recross the river and successfully began occupying Sagerak as the rest of the brigade made their way over after. On the 29th, the 21st brigade were advancing west, taking Wankon Hill and Marawasa facing no opposition. On that same day, some Australian commandos of the Bena Froce led by Captain Dexter were advancing west of Kesawai where they established a new abmush position. The Australians tried to lure the Japanese to the ambush area with 3 men boldly coming over to the Japanese base, drawing their attention. The 3 men ran back to the ambush position and wondered if it worked, and soon 60 Japanese appeared. Their commanding officers were within 30 yards of the ambush are, when the Australians opened fire. The Australians had taken a semi circle position and the effect was like “a reaper's sycthe”. A larger group of Japanese then rapidly came over once they heard the gunfire and the Australians were soon running low on ammunition. Dexter was wounded, another man was killed, so they began a quick withdraw, racing back for the Ramu in broad daylight. While this was going on Eathers forces were beginning to assemble at Kaiapit.  On September 30th, Dougherty's units advance to the Gusap River which divided Markham and Ramu. In the battalions report of the crossing of the Gusap, they described it as such "It was a complete surprise to most of the battalion to learn that during the day's march—actually just before reaching Arifagan Creek—they had crossed the divide between the Markham and Ramu River basins. The divide was impossible to pinpoint on the ground as the gradients were imperceptible. The only visible indication that a divide had been crossed was that rivers were now flowing in the opposite direction from the Markham drainage basin." It was at this point Vasey realized he might not be facing the full strength of the 20th division as he received a report Wootten was apparently fighting them over at Finschhafen. Upon looking over the matter, Blamey and Herring decided to not heavily commit to Markham and Ramu Valleys, but instead prioritize the battle for Finschhafen. The commanders met at Lae on October 1st, where Herring agreed to allow Vasey to push towards Dumpu, but he would not allow him to remove the whole of two independent companies from the Benabena plateau. Vasey  ordered Dougherty and Eather to concentrate on the Gusap area and for the 2/7th independent company to scout the Bumbum area. God I love new guinea.  I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. The Japanese pulled off another incredible evacuation, similar to that of Guadalcanal and Kiska with operation Se-Go. Over on Green Hell the battle for Finschhafen was turning out not to be a pushover, and it was looking like another major offensive was afoot.   

Medical Doctor. Model. Miss South Africa Finalist. Entrepreneur. Healthcare Strategist. Executive MBA. Investor. Chronic Disease Warrior. Fashion Blogger. My guest, Dr Suhina Singh has worn more than a few hats in her career thus far, but her current hat as co-founder of Jonda Health is the one she was truly meant to wear.We discuss her past adventures and how she found her calling. In this wide-ranging conversation we cover:- Growing up the odd one out- Reluctantly entering the world of fashion and modelling- Is there a tax on attractiveness?- Her most painful moments as a doctor- Leaving the medical profession- The new lease of life her INSEAD Executive MBA gave her- Finding her way back to herself- Why everyone loses in the current healthcare system- The ups and downs of entrepreneurship- Daily habits and words to live by- Plus much moreI hope you enjoy this raw and unedited conversation as much as I did. Guest: Dr Suhina SinghWebsite: https://www.jonda.health/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-suhina-singh/Instagram: @luxitgirl Playing The Inner Game Podcast: Hosted by Michael CampionHomepage: www.michaelxcampion.comLinkedIn: @michaelxcampionhttps://linktr.ee/MichaelxcampionIG: @michaelxcampionCoaching & Speaking Enquiries: hello@michaelxcampion.com

The journey continues as Jonah finds himself in Nineveh, a city filled with corruption and sin. Reluctantly, Jonah fulfills his prophetic duty, delivering a powerful sermon calling the people of Nineveh to repentance. Grab your bible and lets study together!

Last week, the European Union named the six big tech companies that should be considered as gatekeepers in one way or another under the Digital Markets Act.

The Connection Between Strep, PANDA/PANS and Strange Behavior in Kids The Investigation I've helped thousands of patients and have even overcome my own health mystery, but in this episode, I share one of the hardest health mysteries I've ever faced because it involved my son Jake.  As someone who has triumphed over health challenges and now helps others do the same, I believe in the power of sharing our stories - especially this one that shook my world. Suddenly Everything Mysteriously Changed  My son Jake was a lively five-year-old gearing up to start kindergarten. It was the summer of 2022, and I noticed shifts in his behavior. He craved more independence, which was only natural as he was growing older. However, alongside this newfound desire for autonomy, something else was brewing.   He started acting out, displaying anxiety, mood swings, and becoming increasingly oppositional. The changes were concerning, but as a loving parent, I attributed them to the whirlwind of transitions he was facing—starting a new school, meeting new people, and adjusting to a different routine. However, as time passed, the signs became more distinct and concerning. The Symptoms Escalated In September of 2022, Jake's issues took an even more perplexing turn. He began chewing on his shirt and experiencing frequent urination. I continued to think it might be anxiety and adjusting to his new school environment but deep down, I knew that something was just not adding up. These challenges persisted as the months went by, and his mood swings and oppositional behavior escalated.   Seeking Answers: Behavioral Therapy and Listening Therapy   Determined to help Jake overcome these challenges, I embarked on a journey of exploring various therapies and solutions. Behavioral therapy gave us some valuable tools but didn't alleviate the symptoms. We then tried listening therapy which is a very cool concept that involved having kids listen to music. Unfortunately, these didn't fully alleviate Jake's struggles.   And, they would continue for months to come.    The Surprising Strep Connection Fast forward to February of 2023, a crucial turning point in our journey. My husband Scott woke up with a fever and a bad sore throat. He went to the doctor and had it tested. It came back as a streptococcus infection. He was taking antibiotics and was feeling much better but it occurred to me that the whole family should get tested. We didn't have any symptoms but knowing how contagious Strep is, I thought it would be good to do the test.    I was surprised to discover that we all came back positive. Listeners of the show will know that I am hesitant to use antibiotics when not absolutely necessary given the impact they had on my long-term health but in this case, it was imperative. Strep can cause long-term health issues if left untreated. While I, Jake and my daughter Juliette didn't have any symptoms, the test and and culture showed that we absolutely did have Strep and so we had to treat it.    Reluctantly, but knowing we had to, I got antibiotics for everyone including Jake. What happened next was beyond interesting. Within days of starting on Amoxicillin, the shift in Jake's behavior was remarkable. The tantrums ceased, the frequent urination subsided, and Jake's sweet nature returned. It was as if a veil had been lifted, and my son was back.   Seeing this, I now knew exactly what was happening but just didn't connect the dots right away… Unraveling the Mystery of PANDAS and PANS Enter PANDAS (Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcus) and PANS (Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome). These conditions are triggered by infections like Strep, which can lead to autoimmune responses that target the brain's basal ganglia—a region responsible for behavior, emotions, and motor control.   The main difference between PANDAS and PANS is that PANDAS is directly related to the Streptococcus virus whereas PANS is triggered by other viruses or infections.    It's so important for parents to note the behavioral changes (which are often reported as happening ‘overnight') because PANDAS isn't always preceded by a notable Strep infection. Like Jake, some kids are asymptomatic and just don't display the sore throat we associate with Strep throat.    Here are some of the most common symptoms of PANDAS and PANS Sudden onset of OCD symptoms New and intense fears New and intense concerns about things like being clean or putting certain things away Stressful thoughts and images. Compulsions  Repetitive jerky motions or ticks Anxiety Depression Mood Swings Acting out or hyperactivity Behavioral changes like adopting baby talk Frequent urination or bedwetting Challenges with fine motor skills like handwriting Challenges with memory Sleep issues Sensory issues (sensitivities to noise, touch, or light) Additional PANDAS and PANS Triggers In my quest to fully understand what was going on, I wanted to get Jake in to see an expert. Dr. Nancy O'Hara is the pre-eminent expert and luckily for us, she's just a 3-hour drive away. She explained that while Strep is a common trigger of PANDAS and PANS, it's not the only one. In fact, she says the cases she sees are typically triggered by mold, Lyme, or other viruses. So, we kept a close eye on Jake and tested for all of these other potential triggers.    Dr. O'Hara had us do a parasite protocol with Jake and interestingly, this brought on some stuttering (which was unusual for Jake). We attributed this to the release of viruses harbored within the parasites. This further reinforced the intricate web of triggers affecting Jake's condition. I decided to also start using anti-inflammatories with him like a strong curcumin supplement. This is, after all, an autoimmune disease. Just like Hashimoto's, it's important to manage the inflammation and be aware of the triggers in order to manage the disease and avoid flare-ups.   Advocating for Awareness and Understanding As I journeyed through this maze of PANDAS and PANS, I realized that these conditions are far less understood and recognized than they should be. Many families, educators, and healthcare providers remain unaware of their existence. This lack of awareness can lead to misdiagnosis, unaddressed challenges, and unnecessary suffering for children and their families. This is what inspired me to share this personal story.  And, why I hope you'll share it with anyone who has kids, grandkids or works with kids.    My hope in sharing this personal journey is to shed light on PANDAS and PANS and encourage a broader conversation about these conditions. By sharing our experiences and knowledge, we can empower others to seek answers, find support, and navigate their own health mysteries with determination and hope.   Resources mentioned   Suggested Products   Related Podcast Episodes:   Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information.   Never miss an episode -  Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts and remember to rate and review the show! Find out more at http://healthmysteriessolved.com   PLEASE NOTE All information, content, and material on this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Some of the links provided are affiliate links. This means we may make a very small amount of money should you choose to buy after clicking on them. This will in no way affect the price of the product but it helps us a tiny bit in covering our expenses.   

Anna Gomez was born and raised in the city of Makati, Philippines before she met and married her best friend who whisked her away to Chicago over twenty years ago. You may recognise Anna as she has been on our show twice before. She came on alongside actor and author Kristoffer Polaha. They wrote a book series together and we talked about the difficulties and joys of doing so.Anna is a full time career woman who thought she could write a book about her life (The Light in the Wound, Christine Brae 2013) and then run away as far as possible from it. She never imagined that her words would touch the hearts of so many women with the same story to tell. Since then, Anna has released six more books under her pen name, Christine Brae.In December 2019, her agent convinced her to write one more book. Different model, different subject matter. Clean, contemporary, happy endings. Reluctantly, she decided to give it a try. This time, under her real name, Anna Gomez.When not listening to the voices in her head or spending late nights at the office, Anna can be seen shopping for shoes and purses, running a half marathon or spending time with her husband and three children in Chicago.Anna is represented by Italia Gandolfo of Gandolfo Helin Literary Management, and is published by the Vesuvian Media Group.Her latest novel is MY GOODBYE GIRL:“A heart-wrenching tale of two people destined to be together. Simon and Tessa are fantastically portrayed as star-crossed lovers whose lives are worlds apart. Even those who are not fans of romance will enjoy the relationships, scenery, and beautiful prose of this book. Five stars!”BUY IT HERE: https://amzn.to/443dbUKHey! We have spent 3 years using StreamYard. You can see how much we love its features, and how we can make it look great for live streaming. We are huge fans and they are constantly improving their service. Check it out with our link and we could earn from referrals!https://streamyard.com/pal/d/4835638006775808This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5445493/advertisement

Ezekiel 10

Close your eyes and come back in time with me to the year 2011. You're spending the night at a friend's house playing Beatles Rock Band, when an idea crosses his mind. “I saw some really creepy videos on YouTube, you guys wanna see?” says Josh. Reluctantly we come to the conclusion that since we are all in the same room for the night, it would be fun to try and freak ourselves out. And with that we dove down the YouTube rabbit hole, eventually landing on the king of all internet creatures, Slenderman. But how did this faceless being become the face of internet creepypasta? FIND OUT as we explore the story of the internet's greatest legend and the medium in which he grew. Creepypasta and the Weird World of Slenderman.LIKE, RATE, PIERCE THE JUGULAR OF THAT SUBSCRIBE BUTTONDo you have a story of your own? Share it below! it may show up in a future episode!i'mnotcrazypodcastofficial@gmail.comCheck out Matthew! Instagram - mattprovenzano5Website - purplecloudny.com...Check out our stuffTiktok and YouTube  - imnotcrazypodcastInstagram - imnotcrazynySourceshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_the_Caverhttps://www.angelfire.com/trek/caver/page1.htmlhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2014/06/03/the-complete-terrifying-history-of-slender-man-the-internet-meme-that-compelled-two-12-year-olds-to-stab-their-friend/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marble_Hornets#Development_and_receptionMusic@Myuu on Youtube For years I had zero idea ALL of the music used in every single creepypasta video was made by the same guy. Huge shoutout to Myuu for the wave of nostalgia I got while editing.

With Janet off, Eric and Stacey try and navigate Crazy Days speculation, tally name drops again and look at deals for this fall and winter.

With most holiday weeks, it's best just to take the whole week off. However, we find ourselves drawn into the prospect of making big bucks or missing out on a spectacular day. Today was a boring day with none of my trades hitting, a total waste of time. I'll do a little headline review, market movers and field any viewer questions. We will be live at 2pm PT today!   #trading #futures #cryptocurrency #bitcoin #TSLA #RIVN Sign up for a free, 6 video course on Cryptocurrency here: https://www.tradingacademy.com/crypto/ Contact TraderMerlin: Email – TraderMerlin@gmail.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13930555/ Twitter: TraderMerlin - https://twitter.com/TraderMerlin IG: TraderMerlin - https://www.instagram.com/tradermerlin/ FB: TraderMerlin  - https://www.facebook.com/TraderMerlin Live Daily Show:  - https://www.youtube.com/TraderMerlin   Trading Applications used: #TastyWorks, #ThinkOrSwim #CliK, #TradeStation, #TradingView, #Barchart

Gojo and Brandon are back to react to… (02:03) - CBS Miami Reporter Samantha Rivera stiff-arming a Vegas Golden Knights fan as they try to photobomb her shot during a LIVE broadcast. (06:34) - Kyrie Irving reportedly reached out to LeBron James about joining the Dallas Mavericks. (10:50) - BREAKING NEWS: PGA Tour agrees to merge with LIV Golf (20:03) - Nekias Duncan from the Dunker Spot Podcast joins the show! Nekias touches on the growth of X's and O's basketball analysis on Twitter, Eric Spolestra's frustration with simplifying The Joker's game, his co-stars stepping up, the Nuggets' defensive lapses that lead to losing Game 2, and Jimmy Butler's shift in offensive focus. (31:09) Reluctantly, Nekias speaks on the reports of Kyrie teaming up with LeBron in Dallas or Los Angeles before joyfully touching on some of the WNBA's biggest headlines this season. (39:54) - This, That, and the Third: Oklahoma Softball's dynasty lives to play another game, reactions to Apple announcements like their new Apple Vision Pro VR headset, and Taylor Swift's newest old album drops soon. Click here to subscribe, rate, and review the newest episodes of GoJo with Mike Golic Jr!  If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling, and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NJ/ NY/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. New customers only. Min. $5 deposit required. Eligibility restrictions apply. See http://draftkings.com/sportsbook for details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Photo: No known restrictions on publication. @Batchelorshow #Ukraine: Beijing POV: Reluctantly obtuse.  Professor H.J. Mackinder, International Relations. #FriendsofHistoryDebatingSociety

Tonight I will be speaking to Tim. Time writes "The first actual encounter I experienced was in the fall of 2020. It was a nice night. I had been working late which is often the case in my line of work. My wife and I have two pet rabbits who are fed a diet of Timothy Hay. We would get this hay from a friend who had a farm about 40 minutes away from where we were living at the time. Seeing that it was a nice night and the coming days were going to be quite busy for me, we decided to go for a drive and pick up some hay as we were getting pretty low. The drive from where we were living to the farm went through a variety of back roads and farm lands. The way out was pretty standard. A lovely, peaceful drive after a bit of a stressful day. We picked up the hay and headed back pretty much right away. By this time it was a lot darker. Pretty much a pitch black night. Low hanging clouds prevented any stars or moon from being seen. As we were driving through an area of thick trees we spotted eye shine about 100 yards ahead of the car. We both saw it pretty much right away. There's lots of animals out on these roads and we always would be on the lookout for any that we might see. We have deer, fox, coyote, skunk, raccoons and possums. There's some weasels out this way but they're pretty rare to see. So anyways, we spotted the eyeshine and were instantly wondering what we might be seeing. Since the eyes were close to the ground we were thinking it was one of the smaller animals that are familiar to this area. But... a moment later as our vehicle got closer, those eyes rose up to about 7 feet in the air and this tall shape bounced away to its right - our left - and disappeared into the tree line. Though it was fall all the leaves were still on the trees and were yet to fall so in an instant it was completely gone. Seeing it was such a bizarre moment. I still remember my brain not being able to justify what we had seen. I had spent a lot of time in Australia in my youth and have seen kangaroos in the wild. Seeing them bounce was the closest thing that I could correlate to what I had just seen. I turned to my wife and said: "Did we just see a F***ing Kangaroo?" She had no idea what to say. I spun our Jeep around and passed by the location again but it was long gone. For days I wrestled with what we had seen and the only thing that I think it could have been was a Sasquatch. Then years later after finding your show I heard similar accounts of them being low to the ground and hopping on occasion. The second encounter that I had happened in the spring of 2022 in Asheville, North Carolina. My wife and I were doing some pet-sitting on the western edge of the city. Near the house that we were staying in, at the front to be more specific, there was beautiful dense brush which led out into a forest. The trees and brush of North Carolina in spring were filled with butterflies, birds, rabbits and a host of beautiful life. We would hear a lot of noises coming from that area both day and night. The house we were at had a little door for the cat to come in and out at will, and seeing as though the weather was really nice, the cat would be out at all hours of the day. During our time at the house there was a lunar eclipse that was going to occur. The night that it happened was clear, calm and beautiful. My wife and I sat out on the back deck and watched it happen. It was actually a blood moon lunar eclipse and as it progressed the moon turned a blood red. When it got to be about midnight we decided to turn in. I was a little worried as the cat had not returned. As we went inside I suddenly felt very uncomfortable... like we were being watched. We got ready for bed and went to lay down knowing that the cat would meow if he wanted in. A few minutes after laying down we heard a horrifying scream/howl. The window in our bedroom was open and the sound... it tore through there. Worried about the cat, I got up and ran outside. My wife followed. We went out to the back porch and listened as the scream/howl continued. It was coming from the forest area at the front. It just kept going for what seemed like the longest time. It was something that was so unnerving that I instantly felt anxiety coursing through my body. After a while my wife convinced me to go inside, convinced that the cat would be okay. Reluctantly, I went inside. The screaming stopped. But... the worst part was that our bedroom was at the front of the house. The window in the bedroom faced the brush that led to the forest. Once we laid down my wife fell asleep almost instantly. I tried as hard as I could but... man I hate saying this, but it was like something was in my mind... like whatever was out there in the bush screaming was trying to get into my head... I felt like it was right outside my window, like right outside looking in. I can't tell you how intense, overwhelming anxiety and fear that I was feeling. I didn't sleep a single minute that night... and I was near frozen in terror until about 4:30AM when all of a sudden that feeling subsided. And when I say subsided, I mean it was just gone... instantly. Even now just writing this my body is tensing up. I have no idea what was happening that night but it shook me up man. There was something so familiar that was happening... like I felt like it was there for me. I know that sounds crazy but that was just the overwhelming sense that was running through me."