Podcasts about Upstairs

We welcome you back to another episode of Upstairs Neighbors! Today your neighbors are talking all about turning into a werewolf, surviving Nectar's new dating show, and loving what's happening in NYC. Enjoy! Go to https://everyplate.com/podcast and use code UPSTAIRS199 to get this special offer of just $1.99 a meal.  Get 30% off your first order at https://cornbreadhemp.com/UPSTAIRS and use code UPSTAIRS at checkout.  Ask and you shall receive Patreon is LIVE: https://www.patreon.com/c/upstairsneighbors IG: https://www.instagram.com/upstairsneighborspod/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@upstairsneighborspod Follow our Hosts:  Maya IG: https://www.instagram.com/mayamoto_/ Maya Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayahasatiktok Dom IG: https://www.instagram.com/domrobxrts/ Dom Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@domnotateenmom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Group Therapy, we all have questions as to WHY they didn't think to do one step before finding themselves in the pickle they are...and now are cat traffickers. The search for love has us wondering if the rapper next door has a muse in the same complex, or if the waitress who dumped linguine in his lap might be up for a date! And more of our conversations under the "not sober" microscope!

Our latest episode of The Writing Community Chat Show was the kind that makes you glance over your shoulder before switching off the hallway light. International bestseller J.D. Barker, fresh off the May 13 release of his ghost-thriller Something I Keep Upstairs (already #1 in Amazon's Ghost Thrillers) joined us for a live, laughter-and-screams-filled conversation that our chat hailed as “Outstanding interview!

Someone's Upstairs... 05/15/25

In this episode, you hear New York Times and international bestselling author. J.D. share how a real haunted house became the spine-chilling inspiration for his latest novel titled: SOMETHING I KEEP UPSTAIRS. releasing on the 13th of May 2025.WIN A NIGHT IN A HAUNTED HOUSEJ.D. has a competition where YOU and 3 friends can spend a night in the very house he writes about... ARE YOU UP FOR THE CHALLENGE? If hell yeah, is the first thing that comes to mind, check out:Click here to enter: J.D.'s website competition page link  J.D.'S SOCIALSWebsite: https://jdbarker.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jdbarker_authorFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/therealjdbarkerSend us a textTRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE: https://perfectlyparanormal.buzzsprout.com/2126749Click on the link above, choose your episode & click on transcript, enjoy :)LIKE THIS EPISODE? Follow and leave a review on Apple Podcasthttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/perfectly-paranormal/id1669474568SHARE YOUR PARANORMAL STORY: Email Anna: spiritualbeing44@gmail.com and your stories can be included in my podcast. Names are changed to protect your privacy. PARANORMAL AND FULL HOUSE CLEANSING:Visit my website: https://www.spiritualbe-ing.com.au/services/house-healing/MORE PARANORMAL INFORMATIONMy Youtube Channel playlist: The Spooky Stuff @paranormalspecialistMY BOOK - THE DARKNESS AROUND USA definitive guide to understanding dark beings & why they are here: Available on Amazon.com.au - type - The Darkness Around Us Anna SchmidtINTRO AND OUTRO MUSIC: Pixabay.com - Deep in the dell by Geoff Harvey, Creepy whispering by Raspberry Tickle Creepy music box by Modification1089, Terror...

From MPR News, Art Hounds are members of the Minnesota arts community who look beyond their own work to highlight what's exciting in local art. Their recommendations are lightly edited from the audio heard in the player above. Want to be an Art Hound? Submit here.Showcasing dance from across SomaliaSabrin Nur is a multi-disciplinary artist living in Minneapolis, and they are excited to see “Dhaxal-suge: the Somali Museum Dance Troupe Showcase.” The Somali Museum has maintained a youth dance troupe since its inception, teaching young people the widely varying folk dances from across Somalia. This will be the first performance by the museum's dance group residency program. There are two upcoming performances: at the Paramount Center for the Arts in St. Cloud, Tuesday, May 13, at 6 p.m., and at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis next Sunday, May 18, at 7:30 p.m.Sabrin reflects on the themes of the show: The storyline is “when a beloved leader falls, who carries the crown?” and I think the question they're asking is a big question for Gen Z and also the Somali millennials who have grown up in the wake of the war, right? I'm 25 years old. For people like me, we've never known a peaceful Somalia. We've had a lot of our elders looking down to us and being like, “This is your history. This is what we used to be like. Now, what are you gonna do?” They've put a lot of responsibility on our shoulders, and a lot of us are ready to take it on, but it's like, what kind of future do we envision for ourselves? How do we carry that responsibility? How do we wear that crown?— Sabrin NurBooks meet architecture meet sculpturePeggy Korsmo-Kennon of Eagan, a former museum and arts administrator, recommends that people see “Building/Books | Karen Wirth: A Retrospective Exhibition” at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts Main Gallery in Minneapolis. The exhibition spans 40 years of Wirth's work, and the pieces spread through the space include architecture, photography, sculpture, books, and the spaces where these disciplines meet. The exhibition is on view through June 8.The exhibition also marks the 25th anniversary of the Open Book Building and the 40th anniversary of the Minnesota Center for Book Arts.Peggy says: Karen has an extraordinary ability to think spatially and structurally, creating work with both conceptual depth and visually engaging images. Her projects range from small handheld artist books to major public artworks. Her art is playful, both thought-provoking, blends clever wordplay with striking visuals. You'll see this in her handwritten text that spirals through the Gale See staircase and in the whimsical assemblages of the Grammar of Architecture. Upstairs there are more works: my favorite are her “Follies.” She takes books and found architectural objects and put them together in a really interesting way.— Peggy Korsmo-KennonPhoto exhibit asks us not to look away from homelessnessGabriel Brito of Minneapolis is a graduating senior at the University of Minnesota and an Arts and Entertainment reporter for the Minnesota Daily. He wants people to know about “No More Turning Away,” a photography exhibit about homelessness in the Twin Cities by photographer David Fallon. The exhibit is on view at the Kenwood Burroughs Gallery in Minneapolis through May 31.This exhibit is a fundraiser for People Incorporated, a nonprofit mental health provider that also serves people experiencing homelessness.Gabriel says: [David] spent months in the Twin Cities, photographing homelessness in a very raw, real, captivating way. His photographs are raw, unflinching depictions of life on the street meant to challenge our society's tendency to look away from homelessness.— Gabriel Brito

This is it! This is for the girrrrrls, this one!!

This week, David Kamp explains why it's time to make Trump deport the creator of Saturday Night Live, Lorne Michaels. Then, Stuart Heritage tells us how and why the notorious Fyre Festival is back. We think? And finally, Jean Marsh, one of the great actresses of the past 50 years, who also co-created the beloved and influential television series Upstairs, Downstairs, died recently, and Michael Lindsay-Hogg will join us to share his tribute to the beautiful woman he knew and loved.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After Origin Theatre's artistic director Mick Mellamphy welcomes our paying (!) audience to the 1st Irish Festival's first live podcast event, we introduce theatre makers, Derry's own Labhaoise Magee of Fair Play Productions and Big Telly Theatre's Crissy O' Donovan who was raised in Dublin, worked in GB, and is now based in Northern Ireland.Fair Play brought Sinéad O'Brien's "storytelling masterclass" No One is Coming to Origin 1st Irish this year, while Big Telly staged the immersive Granny Jackson's Dead.Labhaoise and Crissy talk about their theatrical journeys, how storytelling can process collective memory, how theater can promote democratic culture in post-conflict Northern Ireland, and the transformative power of dramatic arts in fostering connections and understanding.Join us Upstairs at Ryan's Daughter for our first live podcast recording, made possible by the support of the Northern Ireland Bureau.LinksLabhaoise MageeIMDbFair Play ProductionsWebsiteInstagramXCrissy O' DonovanLinkedInBig Telly TheatreWebsiteYouTubeXOrigin TheatreWebsiteThe Northern Ireland BureauWebsiteEpisode Details: Season 7, Episode 14; Total Episode Count: 117

  A SPECIAL BONUS EPISODE Full Disclosure: McGraw Realtors is a sponsor of Hot Springs Village Inside Out. 13 Loyola Drive is located in the Diamante area of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. Listed for $849,000, this luxury home boasts an open and spacious custom floor plan with numerous extras throughout. The main level of the home features three oversized bedrooms in a split floor plan. The master bedroom features a spacious bath with an oversized walk-in shower and a generous walk-in closet. You'll also enjoy the remote-controlled roller shades. On the other side of the house, you'll find two spacious guest bedrooms that share a Jack-and-Jill bathroom. There is also a separate office on the main level, along with a chef's kitchen featuring pullouts and soft-close cabinetry, a double oven, and a gas cooktop. Upstairs is a spacious bonus room with a full bathroom, as well as a smaller bonus room that is perfect for a home office, storage, or any other use you might imagine. Let's go outdoors, and you're where most of your time would be spent overlooking the 12th hole of the Diamante golf course, a saltwater pool, and a saltwater hot tub - all enclosed in a black wrought-iron fence. The outdoor space features an outdoor kitchen and an oversized, custom tile patio, all of which are fully covered for year-round enjoyment. The mature landscaping consists of a combination of rock, stone pavers, lush shrubs and trees, Zoysia grass, and a Rainbird sprinkler system. Diamante is the only private golf course in Hot Springs Village, offering a clubhouse featuring a top-of-the-line restaurant, as well as pickleball and tennis courts, and a swimming pool. Call Laurie Henderson at (501) 276-3018 for the opportunity to learn more about this home and the Diamante Country Club.   • Join Our Free Email Newsletter • Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel (click that bell icon, too) • Join Our Facebook Group • Support Our Sponsors (Click on the images below to visit their websites.) __________________________________________ __________________________________________

The Upstairs Movie Club is back for draft season with our discussion of the 2014 classic (?) Draft Day! Don't miss out on the nuanced debate about this film's wacky editing and ridiculous logic while we struggle to think of any positive aspects of this movie. And of course, tune in for Alex's TedTalks about Moneyball! This was one of the most fun episodes to record, so don't miss out on this football classic!

This week's episode Kenzie sits down with her best friend, Dom Roberts of Upstairs Neighbors, to talk about their friendship highs and lows, grief, running, how to have a long lasting friendship and more. The girls are back together and catching up. Hope you enjoy!!

El pianista y compositor californiano de jazz Billy Childs quedó fascinado por Laura Nyro al descubrir los discos de ella que tenía su hermana mayor. Y en 2014, organizó 'Map to the treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro', disco con el que quiso rendir homenaje a la cantautora neoyorquina fallecida en 1997 con solo 49 años: 'New York tendaberry' -con Renée Fleming & Yo-Yo Ma-, 'The confession' -con Becca Stevens-, 'Map to the treasure' -con Lisa Fischer-, 'Upstairs by a chinese lamp' -con Esperanza Spalding & Wayne Shorter-, 'Been on a train' -con Rickie Lee Jones & Chris Potter-, 'Stoned soul picnic' -con Ledisi-, 'Gibsom street' -con Susan Tedeschi & Steve Wilson-, 'Save the country' -con Shawn Colvin & Chris Botti- y 'To a child' -con Dianne Reeves-. Escuchar audio

War Room today at the IKE Box coffee house upstairs beginning at 8:30am: https://oregoncitizenslobby.org/ Must submit comments opposing by 1pm today! Bad property rights bill by Dems that could allow bureaucrats to trespass and shut down your water well for you home: https://www.oregonlive.com/environment/2025/04/update-to-oregon-law-to-clean-up-contaminated-groundwater-draws-fierce-opposition.htmlThe New Cold War: How to beat China at trade: https://thelibertydaily.com/seven-tools-trump-needs-win-trade-war-china/ Inflation slows down: https://www.theepochtimes.com/business/us-inflation-declines-to-2-4-percent-for-the-first-time-since-september-5839721?ea_src=frontpage&ea_cnt=a&ea_med=top-news-2-top-stories-0-title-0 A nonprofit assists illegal alien criminals stay and vote in the US: https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/04/exclusive-nonprofit-assists-criminally-convicted-illegals-stay-vote/ US House votes on SAVE Act today which requires proof of citizenship for voting: https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/04/watch-live-house-vote-save-act-require-proof/  

A vulnerable girl, having already endured abuse from her schizophrenic mother, loses her freedom and innocence when a trusted adult lures her into an unthinkable decade of captivity. Today's episode featured Tanya Kach. You can email Tanya at tnkach@gmail.com or find her on social media via the following: Facebook @Tanya Nicole Kach (Mimi)Instagram @libragirl1481Tanya wrote an autobiography “Memoir of a Milk Carton Kid”, available where books are sold. She's done many speaking engagements, as well as television, podcasts, school speaking engagements and book readings.A special thanks to Todd Rennebohm of the Bunny Hugs & Mental Health podcast for referring Tanya to us.Producers: Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits, Aviva LipkowitzContent/Trigger Warnings: childhood abuse and neglect, divorce, bullying, child grooming, predation and assault, rape and sexual assault, kidnapping, imprisonment, explicit languageLINK TO OUR LISTENER SURVEY! We've come up with a short audience survey, which you can find linked in our show notes and in the bio of our Instagram page @actuallyhappening. We'd love to hear your opinions and feedback, and we'd really appreciate your point of view. Link below:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxV-6qeNAOuIAbBnuSJpoyqE3tlvusxb069dZCUC1RWeLfEg/viewformSocial Media:Instagram: @actuallyhappeningTwitter: @TIAHPodcastWebsite: thisisactuallyhappening.comWebsite for Andrew Waits: andrdewwaits.comWebsite for Aviva Lipkowitz: avivalipkowitz.comSupport the Show: Support The Show on Patreon: patreon.com/happeningWondery Plus: All episodes of the show prior to episode #130 are now part of the Wondery Plus premium service. To access the full catalog of episodes, and get all episodes ad free, sign up for Wondery Plus at wondery.com/plusShop at the Store: The This Is Actually Happening online store is now officially open. Follow this link: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop to access branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop. Transcripts: Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website, thisisactuallyhappening.comIntro Music: ""Illabye"" – TipperMusic Bed: Re-EntryServicesIf you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988 National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)Be the first to know about Wondery's newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterListen to exclusive episodes of This is Actually Happening ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/this-is-actually-happening/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The last days before the Great Hunt.Book 3 in 18 parts, By FinalStand. Listen to the ► Podcast at Explicit Novels.“Can the scorpion ever stop being a scorpion? “"Do we get our legally permitted weaponry back?" The bishop still held my hand."Sure. If it makes you feel better.""I would like to meet your people then," he gave my paw one last shake then released me. "Shall we go?""I will have someone take you to your car. I want to briefly meet with the President, of Havenstone, then I'll join you in the garage. We'll drive over to JIKIT and I'll make the introductions. Good enough?""That is acceptable," he nodded."What about you two?" I regarded the nun and the Swiss Super-soldier. The nun remained vigilant, and silent. The Swiss' eyes flickered to his boss before settling back on me."It is what I volunteered for," he stated firmly."Okay. Please never say I didn't give you a chance to take the sane way out. Also, Bishop Nicolö, circumstances have conspired to up my prospective wedding date to January 1st.""That will be more difficult. Why the change?" he remained grim."We are having twins. By March, this will be very visible.""That is, unfortunate," he shook his head."You have no idea," and then a brainstorm. "And I am curious about resurrecting the Order of the Dragon, the Societas Draconistarum." Technically that meant 'Society of the Dragonists' which was more appropriate than the literal Ordo Draconis."Precisely how do you plan to recreate a crusading Christian Order which was the purview of the Hungarian monarchs?" he didn't sound the least skeptical, just curious."I have billions of euros to fund such a thing," I winked. "Of far greater critical importance, I know where I can find the supernatural guidance and spiritual imperative for such an organization.""You are going to produce a dragon?" his eyes grew larger even as he fought down his fear. Good man. He was adaptive. He'd need to be."I never said such a thing. That would make me sound crazy," I smiled broadly. "Besides, when I say 'dragon', you think 'devil' and that's way too pedestrian for where we are going.""I am not a moral relativist.""Neither am I. I'm out to save lives and nurture the drive in the human spirit to reach for freedom, love and liberty. As you might imagine, I'm pretty freaking outnumbered.""I think you are crazy," he re-evaluated things."I just might be. In all honesty, you should back out now. Take your two compadres back to 25 East 39th Street (the Holy See's Permanent Observer Offices to the UN in NYC) and report 'Mission Failure'. You'll most likely live longer," I reasoned."I am not afraid to die," Sister Rafaela Sophia finally voiced an opinion."That's idiotic," I scoffed before the bishop could reprimand her for opening her mouth. "You should be.""My soul is in God's hands," she set her jaw."Does he talk to you?" I countered."His message is clear.""Not what I asked. I asked if he specifically directed you to toss your life fruitlessly away as an object lesson for the reckless, or careless?""This is uncalled for," Nicolö intervened."Nope. I bet you a phone call to my Brother to physically restore your bishopric that there are four people in this room who have murdered in cold blood," I kept eye contact with the nun, "and she's the odd one out. Right Juanita?""Yes, Ishara," Juanita slipped up. Her spycraft, like mine, needed work."You were in the military?" the bishop asked my bodyguard."Was? I am. Right now," she related. "I will be until I die."That earned me looks from the three Catholics."She is loyal," Nicolö nodded slightly toward her, referring to Juanita's declaration."Huh? To me? Nope. She's loyal to my office, which we shan't get into right now. Back to you, Sister Rafaela Sophia. Are you out to be a martyr, or has some saint, or angel, given you a directive the other two seem to be unaware of which causes you to devalue your life?""I am devoted to the One True God, Christ, our Savior," and Juanita snorted, "and the Virgin Mary," the nun stated firmly. "I don't hear voices in my head.""Juanita, that was rude. Apologize to our guest," I kept looking forward."No." Well, fuck you too."Gun," I commanded. I held out my left hand."What? No. I will not give you one of my guns," she resisted."Juanita, give me your primary weapon, or I will ask Pamela to beat you up the moment I depart for the Great Hunt. After yesterday's stunt, you know she will," I threatened. Fair, I was not. She drew a Glock-20 and handed it to me. I went through the routine, dropped the magazine then ejected the round before opening the door.Oh look, there were four SD chicks outside, ready to escort my visitors downstairs. I didn't even need to waste a phone call. It wasn't like the conference room wasn't being monitored."Excuse me," I took a half step out the door then hurled all three items down the hall. Looking back at Juanita. "Go fetch.""Fuck you," she snapped."And insulting her faith was as degrading to both her faith and her as me doing this to you is degrading to you right now," I lectured her. "It is important to her, therefore it is important to me because she is my guest in the same way it is important to me that I let my bodyguard do her job without being a total asshole all the time. Now go get your God-damn weapon," I barked. Off she went. I left the door open."Now Sister Rafaela Sophia, the point of all this is: I don't give a crap if you are willing to die for God. In fact, that makes you less than worthless to me and the team. I want to know if you are willing to put other motherfuckers in the ground so that Bishop Nicolá, or Mathias, might get to keep doing their jobs.""Murder is a sin," she declared."Go home," I sighed while shaking my head."She answers to me, the Church and God, not you, Mr. Nyilas," the bishop stepped forward."Then you can go home too," I shrugged. "I'm not asking for remorseless killers. I'm asking for people willing to kill to get the hard work done and best of all, for people who know the difference.""Everyone on JIKIT is a professional soldier, or killer?" he asked."No, but the ones who aren't don't carry guns and know to get down when things get funky," I bantered."I vouch for her," he insisted. Juanita came running back into the room."Cool beans. I don't know you either.""You apparently know my service history," he volleyed."Yeah. Ten years a foreigner in the service of France, then you went straight into a university which turns out Jesuits," I riposted."What turned your life around?" he evaded. That was okay. I'd gotten what I wanted. I was willing to bet he had read every bit of public information about me and it was rumored the heavy Catholic membership in the FBI had its benefits to the Church as well. Not so much as to give them insight into JIKIT, but,"Someone risked their life for me. It's been pretty much downhill from there," I confessed. It was the truth. After Katrina gave me the life line on Day Two, it had all spiraled to the revelation of my heritage, Dad's death, Summer Camp, the Hamptons, Romania and Aya's kidnapping."A person, a soldier, died saving my life," the bishop empathized. "Her story is similar. She seeks redemption. She is not suicidal. I am staking both our lives on it."Did he mean him and Mathias, or him and me? I wasn't certain. Still, it was good enough for now. I'd gotten a look at their emotional make up, even the relatively quiet Swiss."Very well," I agreed. "I have to go see the President about my new job description. I'll catch up with you at your car." To the SD team leader, "Take them to the garage. I will join the group of you very soon.""Yes Ishara," she nodded. I exited the room, Juanita in tow. Two SD entered. I was gone before the Papal team left. Upstairs we went, with one last chore to discharge. I had to check on Ms. French to be absolutely freaking sure it was Shawnee, because anyone else would spell disaster.{8:30 am, Monday, September 8th. Last day}A Room full of asistants:Well, there it was, the office of the Executive Director to the President, and not 'Executive Assistant', because this was Katrina's final 'fuck you, no, just her final 'fuck you' before the Great Hunt got underway. I shouldn't assume things, dang it!Anyway, according to the gray-haired matron running gatekeeper to the Office of the President, this was where I was supposed to show up. I shot Juanita a worried look. She glanced my way and shrugged, momentarily willing to not give me shit about the past 24 hours because where I was situated would determine how easily she could do her job.In we went. In the suite were three desks, the 'big' desk situated at the far end of the office space and two far more modest ones on either side of the entryway. The room expanded beyond the chokepoint formed by the two closest desks into a cluttered area. The walls were cluttered with inset bookshelves and portraits of women. Facing one another were a loveseat on my left with bookend plush chairs in an 'L' facing and a full sofa on the right. There were end tables at the ends of the sofa and the corners between the loveseat and each chair.As the door opened, I hadn't knock as this was my office, or so it seemed, the occupants, who had all been sitting in quiet conversation in the central section, began reacting. Oh look ~ Constanza! I nearly had a heart attack before I realized there were three other Amazons also in the room. Sadly, none were behind the 'big desk', so I couldn't tell who was in charge. Two of the other three choices weren't too much better. First off,"Ishara," Marilynn Saint John stood to greet me. I'd last seen her when I'd dedicated her grandmother's (Hayden's) spirit to the halls of my ancestors, not hers, after forcing the political crisis leading to Hayden's suicide ~ her taking herself to the cliffs and in doing so, destroying the Amazon Cult of Blood Purity. Marilynne was clearly still bitter with me. Umm, I could still incite passion in women I hadn't slept with, yet, woot?"Cáel," the senior-most and only friendly face in the room spoke next. Thank goodness it was Beyoncé Vincennes, Head of House Hanwasuit and House Ishara ally."Cáel Ishara," the third individual was deferential which I wasn't sure how to take as the last time I'd encountered her, yeah, things hadn't gone well either."Beyoncé," I started off with a smile. From there, I had to figure out, ah, Beyoncé's eyes flickered to Constanza then Sabia. I knew Marilynn, with her young age, had the least seniority, "Constanza, Sabia, Marilynn. How's tricks?"Glum faces by everyone except Beyoncé. I didn't ask about Sabia's particular well-being. It had been months since I'd beaten her into the mats of the Full-blooded gym. She'd attacked Yasmin, the Brazilian Hottie and my Brazilian Jujutsu sparring buddy, and I'd retaliated by ambushed her when she turned her back on us. Besides, she'd been giving me shit before I even could see straight.Constanza was minus her left eye because of her dire insult to me. If she wasn't capable of working, she wouldn't be here. If she appreciated my 'mercy' in sparing her life ~ her insult was worthy of her death ~ Constanza hid it well. I hadn't spared her expecting a change of heart. I hadn't felt words alone warranted anyone's death. I was a big boy and could take a few insults. House Ishara, as represented by me, could care less. These days, my sisters would be less understanding despite them knowing my heart."Constanza Landau of House Jaya and Marilynn Saint John of House Anahit are Assistants to President Shawnee French," Beyoncé eased things along, "so will be working closely with us, at least for the short term. Sabia Noel of House Guabancex, who I now think you know as well, has joined you as the other 'Assistant' to the 'Executive Director to the President', (that would make me an 'adept', but adept at what?), and since two of the three Regents are unfamiliar with the workings of Havenstone proper, Shawnee has asked me to perform in that role."Beyoncé was, or had been, Havenstone HQ's CFO (Chief Financial Officer). From what I was quickly piecing together, she would essentially be making all the day-to-day decisions concerning the running of Havenstone (how the Host made the majority of its money) until the Regents got up to speed.Only Buffy had actual experience with the New York office and, from what she had told me, solely within Executive Services. While ES knew 'who' did what inside Havenstone, they weren't aware precisely how those Amazons got their jobs done. That would have been an impossible task. Katrina could do it, but she knew it was beyond the ability of most of us 'mere mortals'. Since we were currently at war, the Host needed Katrina completely focused on her duties as Chief Spy-mistress, not baby-sitting the adults.Shawnee indeed had much gravitas among the other House Heads. Not only had she risen up to lead a First House, she had performed heroically during the final days of the last Secret War. Afterwards she had moved into the realm of Amazon jurisprudence and mediation. Until yesterday, she had lived in a House Arinniti freehold in Minnesota's Great Lakes region thus her desire for the 'Training Wheels' period.The Regency would not rule through telecommunication (the upper echelons feared being eavesdropped upon beyond the standard Amazon (read: paranoid) levels) and Havenstone: New York was the center best situated for the current war-fighting operations, so here she lived. I was sure a team from Executive Services was buying, outfitting/spy-proofing and fortifying a dwelling suitable for the President of a Fortune 500 company. Hayden's home would remain the domicile of Sydney thus Marilynn.The same rigmarole would be done for Rhada and Buffy (though I imaged Buffy would bitch endlessly). Publically, they were VP's of a company worth hundreds of billions of dollars and they had to present the public trappings of such leaders.Why did the Amazons do this ~ unmask their leadership to public exposure? Legal-simple: they could request and expect all levels of public and private security for their executives who happened to also be important officials of the Host. Certainly not all executives at Havenstone were officeholders, House Heads, or House Apprentices, but the high level of competence which permitted one often led to the other.Beyonce:As an example: Beyoncé wasn't the most 'bad-ass' lethal chick in House Hanwasuit. As she was preparing to be casted, her intelligence, creativity and diligence at her future craft, finances, was noted by the Host and the members of her House. In due time her name was circulated as Apprentice and the elders approved. When her elder cousin, the prior House Head, took herself to the cliffs, Beyoncé assumed the top spot. Beyoncé wasn't even one of that woman's three daughters.Mirroring her advancement in her House was her advancement in Havenstone's Accounting, Acquisitions and Banking Divisions until she was appointed CFO Havenstone HQ ~ the supreme financial authority inside Havenstone, though the individual regional branches had a greater degree of autonomy than you might normally expect from a 21st century conglomerate, or a Bronze Age autocracy.I had to constantly remind myself, despite the near-constant feuding, Amazons exhibited a phenomenally higher level of trust than I'd ever found in any other society I'd ever witnessed, or read about, before. Though technically Beyoncé could have gone to President Hayden to enforce her decisions ~ or now the Regency ~ she was far more diplomatic in her approach in dealing with the other 'continental' CEO's and CFO's.That meant she had to wrangle the aspirations and resources from:North America (including Latin America, the 'Canadian Arctic' and the North Pacific Ocean),South America (includes both the South Atlantic and South Pacific as far as Samoa),Europe (mostly Central Europe these days plus Antarctica, the 'Russian' Arctic and the North Atlantic),Africa (mostly West-central Africa),India (the subcontinent plus the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean) and,Southeast Asia (which includes Australia)All of which suggested Havenstone hadn't redrawn the Amazons' geographic demarcations since the late 19th century. As an example, an East African venture, say in Tanzania, was as likely to be under the purview of Havenstone: India (due to its control over the Indian Ocean) as Havenstone: Africa (which traditionally had no East Coast holdings due to their constant struggles versus the Arabic slave trade).Returning to Beyoncé: initially she had held the proper 'conservative' (aka man-hating) mindset. My behavior during that first Board Meeting began to change her opinion of me and the New Directive. After the Archery Range incident, Beyoncé became a vocal proponent of the New Directive and faced challenges within her ranks. House Heads do not have to accept challenges and Beyoncé didn't, reasoning with her detractors they had no alternatives save the 'Old Ways' which spelled doom for the Amazon Race.Bing-bang-boom ~ I became the Head of a resurrected House Ishara by the Will of the Ancestors and Beyoncé was vindicated. Not necessarily in the New Directive, but in her support of me thus the rebirth of a sister First House. The purge following High Priestess' Hayden's death was her ultimate absolution. The Ancestors and Destiny had spoken and shown Beyoncé had been piloting House Hanwasuit along the proper course all along.Back to my current circumstances:Oh, why was I Assistant to the Executive Director to the President? It gave me direct access to the finances of Havenstone which was a critical leg of the war-fighting stool ~ people, morale, money and equipment. As Chief Diplomat, I helped with all four of those in varying degrees, allied troops, allied victories, allied bank accounts and allied armaments.The Great Khan, my spiritual 'Blood-Brother', was ramping up his logistic support for my Amazons in Africa, Asia and the Americas. We were 'Allies in the Struggle' and he wasn't going to wait for the Condottieri to begin coordinating with the Seven Pillars to declare them to be his enemies. They were already fighting the Amazons and 9 Clans, his allies, so their fates were sealed.In Japan, my Amazons provided small yet highly effective strike groups which the Ninja families furnished all the support services for. Everything from food to bullets to medical attention as needed. Without reservation, we shared their death-grapple with the Seven Pillars.From the dispatches I was getting back from my family members and envoys in Japan, we were making serious diplomatic inroads with the Ninja. Once again, it was the Amazons shocking capacity for violence as well as their fanaticism, professionalism and proficiency which all impressed our hosts and terrified our enemies, and this from people of a philosophical mindset which had them historically battling samurai.The Black Lotus were running around like rhesus monkeys on crack cocaine unleashed in a China Shop and given RPG's. While the Amazons couldn't help them in China, Indochina & Thailand ~ the Khanate could and was. The Amazons were of more help in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia, where the Black Lotus and Amazons were going everywhere on the offensive against the Seven Pillars while the normal tight cohesion and iron-clad confidence, traits which made the 7P's so dangerous ~ were shaken by their horrendous losses in the 'Homeland' aka Mainland China.Less we forget, the 'military intelligence' wing of their organization had been decimated by the Khanate's Anthrax attack due to members of the Earth & Sky sacrificing themselves by being injected with the toxin then allowing themselves to be captured, which always ended in torture and death.Furthermore, the People's Republic of China, while having a scary 18% of the population either captured, imprisoned, dead, or displaced due to the Khanate invasion, that had come with the loss of 63% of their landmass (they had lost all of Nei Mongol, Ningxia & Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Regions, Qinghai and Gansu as well as 90% of Yunnan, 80% of Sichuan and 20% of Shaanxi provinces) to the Khanate and the 'abomination' that was a free Tibet.Then came the Russian 'stab in the back' which entailed the loss of another 10% of their people falling under foreign dominion as well as losing 8% of their most industrialized territory, Manchuria (Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning provinces ~ the Nei Mongol portion of 'Manchuria' was in the Khanate's greedy clutches, from the viewpoint of a Seven P's warrior).Don't get me wrong, they weren't about to throw in the towel. If anything, they were becoming more dedicated to trying harder, digging deep into their knowledge of every atrocity, inhumanity and perversion now deemed necessary to re-chart history back onto its 'correct' path. It was this willingness to act in an even greater sociopathic manner which was being used against them. After all, the 7P's had plenty of proxy allies, who were starting to get really nervous about what their paymasters were now asking them to do,We Amazons were getting some extra special help too. The Booth-gan (Do not call them Thuggee ~ the confederate 9 Clan member based out of India though long since ensconced within various Hindi enclaves across the Globe) had created an all-female group of ultra-fanatical Kali-devotees ~ a gift for the upcoming battle fomented by the Will of the Goddess herself.While Aya was our Queen and the Regency would rule until she wished to assume command of the Amazon People, the nuts-and-bolts of the Host's activities were handled by Saint Marie as Golden Mare (our Minister of War) (technically she held the top spot due to our State of War, though no Golden Mare had ever exercised such authority over a Queen (and she definitely believed Aya was our Queen)), Katrina (as Minister of Intelligence and Security), Beyoncé (as Havenstone (the multinational corporation) ~ our Treasurer/Economic Tsarina) and me (our Foreign Minister).Saint Marie had decided to forgo a public face in order to better facilitate her moving around to various battle fronts and holding clandestine meetings with her junior regional commanders. Her Havenstone corporate title was 'Chief of Security Training and Certification'. As an extra level of deception, the head of Security Services wasn't even a Director-level position, instead being folded into the duties of the Office of the President.To my current circumstances ~ I had been given Constanza's house name which could only mean she wasn't currently assigned to the Security Detail; a fact that couldn't have made her bad attitude any better. Marilynn had completely lost her way as an Amazon when I first met her, burying her pain and confusion in endless partying and intoxicants. I believed only her grandmother's status as High Priestess kept her from the severest of reprimands, or death. I didn't even know what Marilynn's caste was. Sabia,"While I'm sure you are both far more qualified than I, precisely how did you two get these jobs?" I had to ask my two non-coworkers. Constanza glowered. Marilynn flinched."I have an in depth knowledge of Havenstone security procedures and resources," Constanza replied."Shawnee requested me," was Marilynn's comeback. "I also have intimate knowledge of the City of New York and its environs.""Actually, Buffy Ishara recommended you both to Shawnee," Beyoncé corrected their misconceptions. I knew the score. I'd be working intimately with the tight community around the President (Shawnee) and Vice Presidents (Buffy & Rhada). Buffy wanted me to be surrounded by women who hated my guts, so I wouldn't end up boinking them. It rarely worked that way. All too often ladies who hated my still-beating heart ended up punishing me with sex. I wasn't sure why that happened, but it did."Beyoncé, didn't the Chief Diplomat of the Host have her own office? I'm pretty sure Troika had one before her unfortunate collision with Saint Marie," I felt entitled to inquire."Do you feel you've earned that office space?" she riposted."Oh, fuck no!" I waved my hands one over the other to accentuate my denial. "I was just wondering where I could stick Juanita while I'm hanging around, here.""She has the desk right outside the door, Cáel," Beyoncé smiled knowingly. "So there is no way you can sneak past her.""Oh," I grunted. "Buffy again?""No. Pamela Pile put in that particular request.""Oh, Sweet Mother of God, now she is conspiring against me too?""Yes. Some of us realize the greatest hazard to your health is yourself, Ishara," Beyoncé chided me. "We'd like to keep you around, so we listen to those charged with that nigh impossible task.""Is she going to be hanging around the office often?" Constanza asked, either myself, Juanita, or Beyoncé; I wasn't sure. She = Pamela."Please, Constanza," I attempted to intervene, "don't make Pamela kill you. It will upset Mona." Constanza's scowl was accentuated by the eyepatch covering her ruined left socket, the one Pamela had carved out when Constanza had insulted me and House Ishara on our first day of rebirth. I didn't tell Juanita this, because Juanita might just shoot Constanza over the insult before Pamela got a chance to finish the job.The tension was palatable."Mona and I have talked, about Romania, and other things," Constanza grudgingly allowed. It took me a second to realize there was a hidden meaning to what she said. Mona was part of my personal Security Detail bodyguard unit. If she felt Constanza, the woman who had raised her after her birth-mother had died, was a threat to me, she'd feel duty-bound to snuff Constanza first. Amazons were hard-ass bitches alright and I think Mona had made that clear."I hope things can improve between us," I offered to Constanza. "Beyoncé, I just stopped in to say 'hey'. I'm off to JIKIT and I've got three of the Pope's people waiting on me in the garage so,""Vice President Varma requested a moment of your time," Beyoncé smirked. "She is in 2604.""Who?""Vice President Rhada Varma, a moment of your time, alone?" she clarified."Sure thing," I backed out of the office. Once I had some space, I turned to Juanita. "Give me three minutes then bust in and say, I don't know, a tsunami is about to overwhelm the city, or something. Otherwise, I won't get out for at least an hour and I think I've put the Bishop and his people through enough delays as it is.""Are you actually asking me to stop you from having an in-office liaison?" she studied me intently as we walked in the direction of Rhada's office."Yes. It's not likely to happen often, believe me.""Oh, I do, in that you won't ask me to do it often," she grumbled. I'd deal with Juanita's morale problem later. Right now, I had to gird my loins so they wouldn't do anything else with Rhada. I had work to do, damn it!Rhada was sitting at her desk, working on something, stylus raised up so she could chew on the end. Her hair was pulled back in a half-ponytail, the type that captured the rear half of the hair in a ponytail while leaving the front and bangs free to flow down. Rhada's blouse was white & billowy and, as I was soon to discover, her pants were ultra-tight and contour hugging."Mr. Nyilas," she greeted me. "I would like a moment of your time," she relayed what I already knew. She was more than a tad nervous to boot."Vice President Varma," I started off."When in private you may call me Rhada," she interrupted."Rhada, you look more ravishing than ever."That got up her and coming around her desk, which revealed her ultra-tight pants with no sign of her wearing underwear. Yikes! My cock was preparing to do what a cock was meant to do and I just didn't have the time, Really!"Do you have any time?" she let her bosom heave."Not today, ugh," I groaned. See, Rhada took the stylus and dragged it down her chin, throat and in between her bountiful mounds.All of which exposed the top of her black bra."Are you sure, Master?" she enticed me by turning around and then leaning over her desk, point that ass in my direction. My mouth began salivating and my groin ached. I found myself quick-stepping to her and giving those buttocks two firm slaps, one on each cheek."No, damn it, though I'm going to make you pay for this when I get back," I rumbled."Master will make me wait?" she taunted me."That will cost you even more," I growled. "I have business which simply won't wait and here is my captive teasing me with the treasures of her flesh. Bad, war captive," I spanked her yet again, hard. "Bad!" and I spanked her a fourth time. With each beating, Rhada gasped in pain and then exhaled in pleasure."If I've been bad, Master must be extra harsh with me when he returns in triumph from the Great Hunt," she gloated. Rhada had gotten what she wanted, which was another affirmation of my lust for her and our 'game'. I could provide her the release she so desperately craved while allowing her the safety of remaining in the Amazon fold. It was a perfect pairing, for her.I had other problems, such as all the other baby mamas in my life plus the extra-marital affairs I was contemplating. I still took the moments we had to snuggle with Rhada, her grinding that tush into my rod while I held both her arms tightly to her side while raining kisses down onto her neck and head."Sir! A giant tsunami is approaching the city!" Juanita exploded through the door."What?" I coughed. I had a face full of hair."Huh?" Rhada pushed up and away from me. I let her go."Right now," Juanita insisted. She really needed to stop taking me so seriously when I gave her such advice."Really?" from Rhada. She shot me a curious look so I shrugged. What else was I supposed to do with such a flimsy lie forcing our separation? At least I got out of there on time?{9:50 am, Monday, September 8th ~ Last day}(JKIT HQ)"Is this a common occurrence?" Sister Rafaela Sophia whispered to the closest woman, who happened to be Wiesława, the Polish Amazon. Since she hadn't arrived with us from Havenstone, the nun might have assumed she was with the 'Americans', or British."What?" Wiesława responded evenly."Weapons combat, they look real," the nun clarified."They are real. We always practice with real weapons.""Really?""Of course," Wiesława smiled at her. "We believe a few cuts and scrapes now will save lives when the true tests come.""Oh, you are with, Havenstone?" Rafaela clued in."Yes. I am Wiesława of House Živa. I am currently assigned to Unit L, Cáel's unit within JIKIT," she offered her hand to shake. Despite being a full-blooded Amazon from a freehold, her 'human' skills were progressing nicely. The nun shook it."I am Sister Rafaela Sophia of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, that is a Roman Catholic Religious Order." Pause. "Do you hate Catholics too?""Yes. We have lived beside your people for many centuries and found your clergy to be much more dangerous than your pagan predecessors. Still, Cáel thinks you can be relied on and he's proven we can trust outsider women, which I was raised to believe was unlikely, and outsider men, which was basically anathema, so I'm willing to set aside my prejudices and judge you as an individual," the Pole imparted."Outsider men?" Rafaela mumbled."Well, yes," Wiesława smirked. "You are a nun, right?""Yes.""So you set aside the World of Men to live mostly among women, right?""Not entirely," the nun chose her words carefully. "We still rely on priests for religious rights and of course obey the life teachings of Christ and follow the leadership of his Holiness, the Pope, a man.""No one is perfect," the Amazon bantered back."Do you know the teachings of our Lord, Jesus Christ?" Rafaela ventured into dangerous waters."Yes. He was the semi-historical Son of your supposed One True God. We are not monotheists. We are Polytheists. Živa is my House's matron Goddess. It is also the name of the first woman to lead the House, her birth name surrendered to Destiny so all the daughters who came afterwards would be equals.""Oh, is Mr. Nyilas also pagan?" she inquired."I am unsure. From what I have been told, he has commended the spirit of his fallen father to your Jesus in a sacred ceremony then, in the presence of your Trinity and the Goddess Ishara, brought in new members to his House. I suspect he may be both," Wiesława reasoned. "Why don't you ask him?""Because he's fighting for his life?" Rafaela looked my way.See, the entire time their discussion had been going on, I had been sparring in a spare room at JIKIT HQ with Estere Abed, the Hashashin assassin (rather redundant ~ like saying the Sahara Desert). I had two tomahawks while she had a scimitar and curved dagger. While we sparred using the furniture as obstacles, Agent-86 was briefing me on various World events to get my input.Addison Stuart (CIA) and Lady Fathom Worthington-Burke (MI-6) were having a chat with Bishop Nicolé de Santis, verifying for themselves he was worth adding to the team. Juanita was having a similar discussion with Rikki Martin (US State Department) concerning my earlier encounter with the Papal team. Nicolé's buddy, Wachtmeister Mathias Bosshart of the Swiss Guard, was getting acquainted with the other security personnel.In comparison, those two had it easy. Both men were in their elements. Nicolé was a spook who pretended to be a diplomat for the Pope and was well acquainted with terms like 'deniable assets', 'plausible deniability' and your direct superior referring to requests concerning your identity/diplomatic status by saying 'I never heard of him and if I had, I have no idea what he was doing when you caught him doing what I don't know what he was doing', or something like that.Mathias was in the company of military-security specialists, brother professionals who were introducing him to his 'sister' professionals. Our Homeland Security gang were almost entirely former military by now. They got along with our JSOC folks and both had gained a limited acceptance with the Amazon security contingent.They bonded over the fact they were forced to work with really shady characters ~ the 9 Clans menagerie ~ who didn't always appreciate JIKIT operational security. Without going into particulars, the Wachtmeister was given the impression the abnormal was the norm and if you didn't think there was a 'down-side' to being able to carry your personally favorite bang-bang (the SG 552-2P Commando in his case) with some serious attachments (read: grenade launcher) around in downtown Manhattan, you probably didn't belong on this team.Back in the room,"He's not fighting for his life," Estere laughed. "He is fighting for mine.""Right," I responded sarcastically. We went through a flurry of exchanges, ending up with me kicking a chair at her. Estere stepped over it, colliding with me.I blocked her dagger, disarmed her scimitar and,"You are dead," she panted down at me, smiling. I was on my back, her straddling me. She had a belt-knife to my throat. I hadn't see her draw it. The scimitar 'disarm' had been a distraction."Woot!" I exhaled."But you're dead," Sister Rafaela misunderstood my good humor."He survived a minute and thirty-four seconds more today than his previous record," Estere responded. She slithered off of me, doing my arousal no good whatsoever, then offered me a hand up."And that's better?""He's a rank amateur with a few months on the job. I've been training to kill people for nearly two decades," Estere smiled. "Care to have a go?""With him, or you?""Either," Estere offered."I don't have a knife, or any hand weapons," she stated."We'll need to remedy that," Wiesława stated. "You should at least carry a knife.""Really? Why?""It is a nearly universal tool," I verbally stepped up. "Even if you are disarmed, you should be able to find one relatively easily, people are less likely to miss a stolen knife than a purloined gun, and a concealed blade could come in handy.""Do you train in knife-work?" Rafaela eye-balled me."Absolutely. It is part of my culture," I grinned."Okay. Can we spar, hand-to-hand?""Sure," I nodded. I put my tomahawks in their harnesses then put my harnesses aside. Estere gave me a wink before giving us the fighting space."So," Rafaela began to circle, "are you Christian?""By your definition, or mine?""By the definition of the Catholic Church."Oh cool, she went for a Savate stance. This was going to get ugly.My "no," was followed by her kick and my block, lunge and grapple. She wasn't nearly as good as Felix. I had her down and in a choke hold within fifteen seconds.Perhaps she thought I'd take it easy on her. She tapped out. I released her, retreated and flowed back to my boxing stance. It took her a moment to realize this was 'practice', not 'an interview'. She hadn't failed in anyone's eyes. We were both doing this to get better."See, I really, truly believe I have talked to supernatural entities ~ some who are considered divinities," I continued. This time she was more careful, trading jabs and blocks with me. "They don't claim to be the One True God. I believe in such a thing, but I also believe having been given the Message, Humanity has been left to muddle things out for ourselves."Whoops, she popped me one."The Woman-Thing this morning?""Yep," I evaded another flurry. She got cocky and I landed three blows, dropping her to the ground. I didn't help her up. Instead, I withdrew and let her get back up on her own before deciding if she wanted to continue. She did."I believe I've seen dragons and ghosts. I have felt legions of my ancestors give me quiet encouragement when I needed it. I know the dead have been brought back to life," I came at her. This time we both went for body blows, knees, elbows and fists. She was not SD-caliber and she needed to be. I grappled and she was forced to tap out again. After she regained her feet, she held up a hand for a pause."Do you believe any of that?" she addressed Estere."I am an adherent of Ismaili Islam yet nothing Cáel has encountered is contrary to my belief system. The Universe is a complex place and the Divine Light is often seen through a fractured lenses," she counseled the nun."Among the escapees were lawyer Francisco Luemba, Catholic Priest Raul Tati, economist Belchior Lanso Tati and former policeman Benjamin Fuca who are serving jail sentences of between three and six years each for supposed links to the rebel group FLEC (Frente para a Libertaé'o do Enclave de Cabinda), which carried out the attack on the Togolese football team at the start of the Africa Cup of Nations in January, 2010," Agent-86 read off yet another bit of global minutia."We need to get to them," I half turned. Sister Rafaela punched me in the gut and I folded up."Oh!" she gasped. "I'm sorry.""Okay," I mumbled. I had to keep with the plan. "Those men. We need to contact our Coils people in Kinshasa and the Warden of the Mountain Ways ('she' was the Amazon Host's leader of Africa ~ in the ancient times, the mountain ways had been the routes of southern vulnerability for the Amazon tribe thus the name).""Okay," both Agent-86 and Estere answered."Why?" 86 added."The Coils and the Host have had a serious problem with no nation in Africa giving them even back room recognition so we are going to take over our own country, Cabinda. It's been struggling to be free of Angola since 1975 and, by latest estimates, we've got strike elements of over 2,000 Amazons ready and waiting next door in Cameroon, Gabon and the Republic of Congo.""So you are going to go to war with Angola?" Estere frowned. "Don't we have enough enemies?""Au contraire," I grinned wickedly. "The resistance movement is genuine," I ticked off my points, "they have tons of offshore oil, and after we set off some spectacular explosions in the two main Angolan ports which are just down the coast, we allow global panic to bully the UN into intervening before the Angolan military launch an effective counter-offensive ~ considering the Angolan Armed Forces (I'd been reading up on a ton of CIA & MI-6 briefings) will most likely involve attrition warfare since they can't beat us in a stand-up fight.""They, the Angolans, have no overland access, they are separated by 60 kilometers of territory belonging to the Democratic Republic of Congo over some sad ass roads Plus the Congo River itself which is freaking huge by the time it gets that close to the Atlantic, Cabinda rests on the Atlantic Ocean by the way. No bridges. The Angolan Navy is anemic. Let me think."I began pacing."Hmm, they have no paratroopers though they have some Special Forces, we will need to hit as many of them in the barracks as we can. Their last invasion was from the north, overland, from the Republic of the Congo, in 1975, not likely to happen this time, though I may have my 'Brother' weasel up a battalion of Indian paratroopers to act as convincing peacekeepers after the initial take over.""Perhaps we can recruit some Vietnamese. I'm sure they'll love fighting in someone else's jungle for a change. We'll need some of 'our' guys to seize the port of Soyo, it is on the wrong side of the river, but has the major refinery the Cabindans will need. Since the entire surrounding province are the same ethnic make-up as the Cabindans, we'll have to take that too.""Man-o-man, I bet by the time this is over they'll really wish they'd given little Cabinda independence back in 1975. As for their other refinery, it is in their capital, Luanda, a few big explosions there too will get the markets jittery. Check that ~ the complete and utter destruction of their major petroleum facility will create a stampede for Peace," I continued. I walked over as our resident computer intelligence genius worked his magic."Blowing things up, you mean killing people," the nun blanched."Yes. This is what I do," I spared her a sympathetic glance. "I've got a madman roaming around in my head who provides me truly epic military advice which normally, but not always, means blowing shit up and killing folks. Welcome to the team," then as the data appeared, "Holy Shit! Did they build their oil refinery in the midst of their ghetto?" I was staggered. The refinery in Soyo was isolated from the town so it could be easily (and safely) seized. It was the one in Luanda which was the 'Holy Shit' site."It looks that way," Agent-86 agreed nonplussed. "Hmm, yeah, here is the port facility then your neighborhood of shoddily constructed one- and two-story dwellings between the refinery and the inland storage tanks, the perimeter barrier appears to be a chain link fence. I'd hate to be their Chief of Security.""Oh yeah," I choked. Estere slipped around to get a look."Whoops," she snorted."What are these people thinking?" I continued. "The whole shebang is exposed to the northern quarter of the city. The storage tanks have residential dwellings on all four sides with numerous side streets. Two teams with RPGs and four rounds apiece, Holy Crap. Sorry Sister.""But I want to save lives," she sputtered."Limiting the collateral damage could be pretty tough," Estere frowned. She toggled throw a series of maps to multiple pictures."Oh, look (dripping sarcasm); they light up the refinery at night. You can sit off the coast in a speed boat under cover of darkness and attack from there," she noted."Damn. Those are a lot of lights," Agent-86 agreed."24-7 operation," I suspected."We will need some experts," the government agent nodded."Or we are going to kill a fuck-load of innocent people. Not just the workers, but can you imagine a fire spreading to those neighborhoods? Shit," I muttered."You can't seriously be contemplating doing something like this," the nun sputtered. "It is inhumane. Think of the families, the children.""Lady, yes I am. Do you have any idea what the Human Rights record of the Angolan Army in Cabinda is? It is truly horrific and in case you missed it, one of the guys in dire need of rescuing by me, due to him being a huge rebel leader who has managed to escape, is also a Catholic priest. He's going to be part of the new government we are going to install once we kill a few hundred Angolans ~ mostly soldiers (more like well over a thousand).""We are going to kill a few hundred so a few hundred thousand can live free, democratic lives without worrying about the local police and political establishment torturing and murdering them. It is all part of the plan.""I think I need to talk with the Bishop.""Hang on. Let me finish," I forestalled her. "He'll get briefed along with everyone else. After all, it is a majority Roman Catholic country as is Angola, so I'm sure your guy can be of immense help.""The people you are putting at risk don't deserve this," she protested."They never do," I nodded in agreement with her. "It rarely stops terrible crap from happening to them though."I felt sorry for the Sister. She thought the Bishop was going to put a stop to this. Poor girl; he was going to do the exact opposite. See, the two competing forces at play here were a communistic kleptocracy (currently ruling Angola) and Catholic liberation theology united with a Cabindan national identity dating back to 1885. At stake was 900,000 barrels a day of petroleum. That was a bunch of funding for somebody. Last I checked, the state run energy conglomerate had misplaced $32 billion, in just three years.Mind you, the Coils of the Serpent and the Amazon Host didn't want to help the People of Cabinda out of the goodness of their hearts either. They wanted cover for the importation of weapons and other war-fighting material so they could kill the Condottieri in Africa. If the rebel leaders-turned-legitimate government didn't play ball well, the Coils were in the 'assassinating people' business and somewhere along the line the survivors would figure out keeping 'us' happy kept them alive. Problem solved.It was Bishop Nicolé de Santis' job to facilitate that understanding. If certain people with Vatican credentials explained the 'facts of life' to the new regime a lot more lives could be saved, Catholic lives. In turn, he could work to make sure the new group in power wasn't nearly as corrupt as the gang we were tossing out. Better education and quality of life, improved infrastructure & security and a nice shiny cathedral, or two.We, as in JIKIT and our component members, didn't want to rule the country and dominate the people's lives. We needed the ports and the airfields with a blind eye turned to our skullduggery. Sure, there would be future considerations. Amazons and Coil members would be fighting and dying for these people's freedom ~ public recognition definitely not required. No; the Amazons wanted to be left alone in their deep jungle homes which was an isolation they basically already had. This was a future chit which said 'don't come looking'.The Coils? Let's just say in the future Cabinda would have embassies around the globe and if occasionally they wanted someone to slip through under diplomatic cover ~ they were good for it. And if the Cabindans ever needed help in the future they knew they had friends in dark places who were now invested in Cabinda's survival. It was a win-win-win, unless you were an Angolan big-wig, or one of their foot-soldier currently serving in Cabinda. Amazons weren't big on taking prisoners, or even giving the opposition the option of giving up.For me, it wasn't lunch yet and here I was plotting to overthrow yet another government in yet another country ~ though in only two, small provinces this time. Thank the Goddess I had the rest of the week

Step into the stylish world of The House of Eliott! To Beths immense joy, we're diving into the beloved 90s BBC drama that brought 1920s fashion, ambition, and drama to our screens. Created by Upstairs, Downstairs duo Jean Marsh and Eileen Atkins, the series followed sisters Beatrice and Evangeline Eliott as they built a pioneering fashion house in a world still dominated by men. We'll explore what made The House of Eliott such a standout show—from its lavish period costumes and intricate storytelling to the feminist themes woven throughout. The series perfectly captured the excitement and challenges of the Roaring Twenties, blending high society glamour with the grit of two women fighting for independence in the fashion industry. Despite its devoted fan base, why did it end after just three seasons? Join us as we revisit this unforgettable drama, relive the fashion moments that defined it, find out what the cast went on to, and celebrate the legacy of The House of Eliott. This episode is one you won't want to miss! Talk2TheHand is an independent throwback podcast run by husband and wife, Jimmy and Beth. Obsessed with 90s nostalgia and 90s celebrities, we'll rewind the years and take you back to the greatest era of our lives.   New episodes bursting with nostalgia of the 90s released on Tuesdays. Please subscribe to our podcast and we'll keep you gooey in 1990s love. Find us on Twitter @talk2thehandpod or email us at jimmy@talk2thehand.co.uk or beth@talk2thehand.co.uk

Sluts and surprises.Based on a post by Ostrich Mack. Listen to the ► Podcast at Steamy Stories.Peter is summoned for sex.It was 11 o clock on a Wednesday when Peter got the WhatsApp.A photo of a thong, pushed slightly to the side to reveal a neatly trimmed cunt, and the text."We need a real cock."Peter laughed. "Jeez Lucy, you don't mince your words." He replied."Come quickly, but don't cum quickly. Mark is away and your service is needed.""Pun intended with a smiley face."Peter and Lucy had been fuck-buddies for several years and had enjoyed some great adventures sexually. They were eminently compatible but had no intentions for a permanent relationship. When Lucy's husband Mark was away, she would contact Peter, and they generally ended up in bed together.In the past they had also shared with other friends who would either visit Lucy, or who came from the town where they both lived.Peter sighed and decided that as he had a free day from work that he would head towards Lucy's house."What a cheek using the royal "we", he thought. But really, he was laughing about it all.Lucy and Peter had an arrangement for when Peter would visit her at home. He would go into a side street next to her house and use the entrance to her garden. This way he would be out of view from the nosy neighbors. It paid to be discreet in such a small town.Peter entered the garden, closing the gate quietly behind him, and walked up to the patio doors which were slightly open. He stopped and looked inside. Lucy was inside leaning over the kitchen counter with her back to him, obviously engrossed in something on her tablet. Peter noticed that she also had air pods in her ears, and she swayed her ass to the rhythm of the music on her tablet.Peter knew that her petite frame was perfectly proportioned, with small firm tits with nipples standing out like bullets when they were teased. Her hips curved gently out from a narrow waist, framing a perfect cunt. Her pubic hair was neatly trimmed. She had an athletic body and perfect legs.Peter walked stealthily behind her and slipped his hand under the long t-shirt she had on. As was her wont, Lucy had no panties on."Hmm." groaned Lucy without looking round. "I didn't expect you back so soon."Peter was puzzled. "Back so soon?" he thought. "That's an odd thing to say."Feeling that Lucy's cunt already slick was, Peter slipped a finger inside her. "Oh, nice," said Lucy, still not turning around. She pushed against Peter's finger.Peter's cock was already hard, and he decided to free it from the confines of his jeans. It sprung out and Peter didn't hesitate to slip it between Lucy's outer lips.Lucy froze. She turned her head and saw to her shock Peter standing behind her. She went to say something, but Peter covered her mouth with his hand. Lucy looked completely confused at the situation, but slowly recovered her composure.Without a word from either Peter slipped his cock in Lucy's love channel all the way in until his balls were resting on Lucy's ass. They stood like that for a couple of seconds.Lucy turned her head back toward the counter and pushed herself back against Peter.Peter withdrew slightly and started to rock backwards and forwards in a gentle rhythm. Lucy didn't utter a word, but gently purred her pleasure with "Umm, Hmm, Hmm." In time to the movement.Peter closed his eyes. Lucy's cunt walls were milking his cock as if it was the first time she had fucked like this.They kept the rhythm going for minutes, both with their eyes closed, both gently making love, enjoying the penetration and the feeling of being filled with Peter's fat cock.Out of nowhere, Peter felt a hand on his ball sack, gently massaging his balls. And then a tongue licking his cock as it sawed in and out of Lucy's dripping cunt.Peter looked down and to his surprise he saw Alison, Lucy's friend with whom they had shared earlier erotic adventures, on her knees under Lucy's body. Her hands were on Lucy's thighs, and she was eating at Lucy's cunt and caressing Peter's balls at the same time.Still no words were spoken. "Wow, that is hot!" thought Peter. He gradually increased the pace and depth of his strokes, withdrawing almost completely, before gently pushing back into Lucy until he bottomed out.Lucy's breathing was becoming shallower and more rapid as she enjoyed the sensation of Peter's cock filling her up and withdrawing again and again.Alison found Lucy's clit and began to lick furiously at it. She trapped that nub between her lips and teased it with her tongue. Alison's free hand was rubbing her own love bud to a crescendo.Finally, Lucy spoke. "Oh fuck, oh fuck, it's coming. I'm coming, don't stop please!"Alison too was on the verge and panting furiously as she whipped herself to a climax.Then Lucy collapsed on the counter. She pushed her ass back onto Peter as if she wanted him even deeper in her. Gasping for air, her whole body was trembling from the orgasm that washed over her like a pleasure wave.Peter was still rock hard and not even close to coming. He held his cock in Lucy's cunt until she started to come down from her high.He withdrew his cock from her, only to be met with Lucy's sad eyes missing that feeling of being utterly filled by him.Alison got to her feet and went to sit on the sofa so that she could bring herself to the peak. Lucy went to sit on one side of her and Peter on the other.Peter took hold of Alison's hands and prevented her from making herself come. Alison pleaded."Please Peter, I am so close."Peter shook his head. "No Alison, that's why we're here."Lucy traced her finger over Alison's blouse, opening the buttons as she progressed downwards. When it was completely open, she leaned in and took Alison's right nipple in her mouth, biting it gently.Alison jumped from the electric shock that spread over her whole body.Peter then leaned in and did the same to Alison's left nipple, letting go of Alison's hands.Alison placed her hands above her head and leaned back, pushing her beautiful tits up and out. Her nipples were standing erect like bullets.A red glow spread along her neck and over her chest as she began to squirm under the attention of her two lovers.Lucy's hand slid down to Alison's naked cunt, and she inserted a finger between her folds.Alison groaned in approval.Peter's hand slipped downwards too and found Alison's clit. He massaged it in gentle circles. All this time both Lucy and Peter were licking and biting Alison's nipples.This was driving Alison crazy with lust. She lifted her hips off the sofa to try and get more pressure from the hands massaging her.Lucy slipped a second finger inside and increased the pressure and pace.Alison's mouth formed an "O", but no sound came out.Peter rubbed faster and harder and the effect could be seen and heard from Alison's breathing."Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes." She gasped. Her legs stiffened and she clenched her teeth, her breath hissing from her mouth like air escaping from a punctured tire. Alison began to spasm as her orgasm crashed through her, but Lucy and Peter didn't stop. They continued their assault on her nipples and cunt as Alison shook and trembled.Alison's eyes rolled upward in her head, and it seemed as if she was gone into a trance, feeling only the crazy sensations racking her body.Then she began to shake violently, crying, barking out "Ah! Ah! Ah!" as tears rolled down her cheeks."Stop! I can't take any more." She cried out.Peter leaned in and kissed Alison on the lips and said, "You're welcome sweetie."Lucy kissed Alison too. Then she leaned across Alison and kissed Peter passionately saying ""Hello lover. What a delightful surprise."Peter smiled. "I thought I had been summoned by the Royal "We". He laughed. "Didn't expect that there would be two of you."Lucy smiled back. "Well, I certainly didn't expect to be taken from behind by surprise, as Alison had gone to unpack, and I thought that she was fingering me. How nice it was to have your magnificent cock inside me once again."Alison had somewhat recovered. "And imagine my surprise to come downstairs to find Peter balls deep inside you, whilst you were bent over the counter. I just couldn't resist.""Well," said Lucy. "We have the house to ourselves. Mark is on a trip and Katie has a hockey game this evening and won't be back until very late. I would suggest you get comfortable, and we can have some fun."Katie, Lucy and Mark's daughter was now twenty years old and had the looks of her mother. She was taller though having inherited that from her father. She was an avid hockey player and had enjoyed some success in the regional leagues."Great idea." Said Alison. "Peter, it's so good to see you again. The last time we met was great fun. Remember?"Peter remembered all too well. Alison had been visiting and they met on a walk. After taking shelter at Lucy's from a torrential rain shower, some fun and games had been had, ending up with Peter giving Alison a good spanking and a good fucking. Finally, Peter ended in bed with both Lucy and Alison. Great memories indeed."So, what's the plan? "Peter asked. His cock was still hard and precum was leaking from its bulbous head."Well, we need to take care of that first." Alison answered."I am going to clean up and prepare something to eat. "Said Lucy. "You guys have fun."Alison smiled. She beckoned Peter with her finger to come closer. Peter shifted a little toward her."So, what can I do for your soldier there? "Alison asked.Peter smiled. "Knock yourself out sweetie "I'm up for anything."Alison stood and faced Peter as he sat on the sofa, his cock standing straight up.She straddled Peter's thighs and lowered herself onto his awaiting shaft."Oh, I'm still a bit sore," she said as Peter's cock entered her."Go gently then." Peter said.Alison slid slowly downwards until Peter was fully inside her. She stopped to enjoy the feeling of this fat cock filling her up like never before. Her juices were flowing again, and she was leaking over Peter's balls and thighs.Alison rocked gently back and forth getting used to Peter's size, He wasn't more than average length, but the girth of his shaft was impressive.Alison's lips were stretched to the limit, and they massaged Peter's cock with every movement.The soreness that had been before made way for a warm satisfying fullness.Alison raised herself and gently let herself fall again. The friction made her incredibly aroused. Peter too was feeling his balls get tighter and tighter as Alison accelerated her movements.Alison slowed down again. Peter felt slightly frustrated as he had been building to the point of no return."We want to enjoy this and make it last a little longer." Alison said.Peter grunted. He was lost in the feeling, craving release.Alison started to increase both the depth and frequency of her movement. This time Peter bucked himself upwards to meet her downward stroke and slammed himself into her. Peter felt his cum rising. His balls became tighter, and he was determined to reach his climax now.Just as he was about to blow his load, Alison raised herself until only the head of Peter's cock was inside her. Some very tiny movements upward and downward, massaging the head of Peter's cock, drove him crazy.His cock twitched as he spurted his first load on cum into Alison.She slammed herself on to Peter until he was fully inside her. He was still coming, and Alison wanted to get him as deep as possible inside."That's it Peter. Fill me up. Oh, what a fantastic cock you have. Later I want it in my ass."Peter was shocked. He had never done anal before.However, Alison's dirty talk made him come even harder. He was soon empty but didn't want to withdraw from the warm sensuous pocket that was Alison's cunt.

This listener's experience in a 1920s Florida house was filled with unsettling moments that made her question everything. From strange noises upstairs to ghostly jump sounds that couldn't be replicated, there was something odd in that house. But when the footsteps got too close and even the dog seemed to hear the spirits, it became undeniable. Is it just an old house settling, or is something—or someone—still lingering? If you have a real ghost story or supernatural event to report, please write into our show or call 1-855-853-4802! If you like the show, please help keep us on the air and support the show by becoming a Premium Subscriber. Subscribe here: http://www.ghostpodcast.com/?page_id=118 or at or at http://www.patreon.com/realghoststories

On this week's Haven't Scene It, Tim & Tommy are joined by Upstairs Steve as they chase a train in The French Connection. This is all three's first time watching the film. All this and more on this week's Haven't Scene It!Follow us on Social Media:Twitter: @SceneItPodInstagram: @SceneItPodTiktok: @SceneItPod

Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town, Upstairs and downstairs in his night-gown, Rapping at the window, crying through the lock, Are the children all in bed, for now it's eight o'clock? 小威利溫奇，在城裡跑來跑去，穿著睡袍上樓來，下樓去，用力敲窗戶，對著鎖孔 叫，小朋友都上床了嗎？現在已經八點囉！ *補充: wee: 極小的 through: 穿過 gown: 長袍/ pajama睡衣褲 Rap: 叩擊聲 Cry: 大叫/呼喊 for = because #每周一進階英語瘋英語 #每周六雙語麻吉同學會 #每周日英語童謠童話小森林 #想要無廣告收聽更多節目請點選教育電台雙語頻道 #每周一、六、日更新 ----- Apple｜Spotify｜Google｜KKBOX｜Firstory｜SoundOn 搜尋訂閱：NER Kids -----

In China, when there's a mouse in your house, don't just sit around and grouse! You put on your favorite blouse and douse him with poison! In today's Chinese podcast, you'll learn how to talk about the vermin in your home, all in Mandarin Chinese. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1237

What noises were coming from upstairs?

Asian Wars BrewingBy FinalStand. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.[World News]It was the happenstance of another conflict that encouraged Turkish solidarity and Khanate action, the Crimea. Russia had opened a serious door to the Abyss by annexing the Crimea from the Ukraine by force. Technically, Russia had violated Ukrainian sovereignty by seizing that region.The Russians (with tacit support from China) put forth the political notion of 'lost territory'. Thus Vladimir Putin had unwittingly 'green lighted' the greatest consumption of 'lost territory' in the history of mankind. Following Putin's reasoning, all Temujin was doing was reuniting the widely separated pieces of the Great Khanate. His invasion of Xinjiang and Nei Mongol were also part of that policy.The 'Carolina Reaper' spice in this chili was a group called the Crimean Tartars. It didn't get too much press in the West, but in the spring of 2014, the Crimean Tartars, a Turkish ethnic minority, attempted to do to Russia and the new Republic of Crimea what those two had done to the Ukraine. They declared their own autonomous state within the Crimea.Russian security forces quickly squashed that movement, and in doing so, managed to incite the Turkish Republics and the minority Turkish populations living inside the Russian Federation. It was a low grade irritant to the Turkish people that would, in time, have dwindled into being yet another indignity, much like the Uyghur struggles for independence. By the dictates of Fate alone, it was the right irritant at the magic time for the Khanate.The Turkish people were being reacquainted with the clarion call of Pan-Turkish Nationalism. It was an idea that was over 100 years old and rather discredited in most circles, treated as an anthropological discipline, but not as a political ambition. But there were now three igniters for the Khanate Phoenix.The dismissive treatment of the Crimean Tartars was the smallest spark, yet also the most crucial in that it reminded your average Turk that for 100 years, they had been the victims of secular, oppressive regimes, the Soviets (Russian) and the Communist Chinese. That oppression was still living its fifteen minutes of fame.The second factor was the boogeyman of the West that had been burning bright-hot over the past twenty years, the Islamic Identity movement. It wasn't just fanatics running around the Syrian Desert, or the Afghan/Pakistan border. It was a strong undercurrent in the Muslim world that recalled the halcyon days of the Caliphate.The original Mongol Khanate hadn't championed any religious doctrine. It had been the Mongol-Turkish successor states that had turned Islam into a weapon to strike down their enemies. That was the history that Temujin and the Earth  and  Sky were embracing. This was both a jihad and a struggle to reassert their ethnic identity.The Russian Federation had arrogantly discarded Turkish appeals. Turkish nationalists were incensed, but they were never big fans of Russia anyway. It was the commuters on their way to work who found this utter dismissal to be insulting. It was the Imams who spoke out against still more sectarian oppression. It was the journalists who wrote a few scathing articles about the new Russian imperialism.When that tiny core of Earth  and  Sky seized power in those four countries, their power was more ephemeral than substantive. The important factors working against them were that they had relatively little power in those countries and no organized political support. (They had been a secret society, after all.) What they did have going for them was an antsy, dissatisfied public and an on-edge military.Remember, the Chinese had launched a series of apparently unwarranted attacks into their nations only forty-eight hours ago and had given these countries some trumped up claims of combating terrorism. The militaries of Kazakhstan and Mongolia discovered that they were at war before sunrise. Not knowing the score, unengaged PLA border units began clashing with their Mongolian and Turkish counterparts.In War as in Love, the same rules held true. The quality of your 'game' was secondary to who approached the girl first. If the girl was on the prowl, you were the answer to her desires. Unless the second guy to show up was remarkably superior, she'd stick with the one who recognized her qualities first.Girls are not nearly as shallow and superficial as guys would like to believe. Unless she's looking for a three-way, she'll take the guy she feels is the least likely to stick with her for the night, rather than become a date-jumper herself. (If she is a party girl, all bets are off.) For the militaries of Kazakhstan and Mongolia, they were about to be that 'second guy' to get to Lady Victory if they didn't get moving.If they hesitated much longer, they knew they'd get clobbered. The unknown person talking to them from the Ministry of Defense was saying that their countries were at war. Shots were being fired. If those generals and colonels had believed there was still time for rational discourse, they would have realized they were engaging in madness.But every second that passed increased the likelihood of planes being caught in their bunkers, runways being cratered, their troops being caught in their barracks and their reserves left unarmed in their homes. The Khanate was broadcasting that a State of War existed. The legitimate governmental infrastructure hadn't adjusted yet, so those militaries went into 'pre-emptive' strike mode.[End World News]So the UN was meeting in Special Session, trying to figure out what had gone wrong in Central Asia. The UN representatives of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan didn't know what was going and as seasoned diplomats, they kept their mouths shut. Only four people in the UN knew the real score.One was my old friend, Oyuun Tömörbaatar, Kazakhstan's Permanent UN Representative. He was fresh off the jet back to New York and most likely, the Khanate's silent ambassador. The other three didn't include the US. No, two of them were Sir Grant, Her Majesty's Representative, and David Donoghue, Ireland's Representative and member of the Illuminati, the O'Shea faction.There also was yet another 'slight problem'. The former Mongolian Representative seemed to have vanished and his Youth Panel Advisor was handing over his own bona fides, which no one at the UN could confirm because the Mongolian Capital, Ulan Bator, was in the midst of a regime change. Until then, Tuguldor Batjargal could speak and talk, but not vote.That news wasn't all that relevant to the Amazons. To the US and the Brits, it was critical. The US Cabinet was still assembling and had no specific orders for their UN Ambassador yet, so it fell to the United Kingdom to make the first move. From the minimal expressions Delilah and Chaz were slipping our way, the Amazons were getting 'Brownie Points' with at least one world government.I had little doubt I was gaining status in Temujin's eyes too. I had delivered diplomatic contact in less than eleven hours, even if it was the British, and not the Americans, putting forth the first feelers. I was soul-sick looking over at Katrina and Elsa. They respected my pain by not congratulating me on a successful diplomatic stratagem.St. Marie had already honored my initiatives by agreeing to send help to the ninja. I doubted such a mission was in the Amazon War Plans Manual. In their past, Amazons always fought alone. Even allies were little more than different factions fighting the same enemy. In the past two weeks that had changed.By my interpretation of events, the Augurs had bound us to the Earth  and  Sky. By conception, I was tied to the Illuminati. I had manipulated my birthright via Vranus to intertwine the blood of House Ishara with that of the 9 Clans. Was I making a difference, not only within my Amazons, but to the World at large?Maybe I was. I would have been happier if I wasn't being such a spaz, stumbling from one encounter to the next, hoping I was doing the right thing. I would have settled for doing the least harm. To survive this, I had to get back to my roots, ambitious playboy. I was going to let people down because of my sexual ambitions. Okay.If I suddenly began to embrace traditional Western morality it was going to break me. I had to prioritize. I was giving women, trapped in the ghostly place between the outside World's secularism and Amazon spiritualism, immortality. I had two unborn daughters and one unborn son who might actually want me around as they grew up."Cáel?" Helena beckoned me. I hadn't heard her come in. I had no idea she was here, which implied another disaster had befallen people in life I cared about. She foisted a box on me. It was wooden, about 30cm x 30cm x 10cm. It had a simple latch that I flipped so that I could look inside. Inside was,"We, the Isharans, decided that if you are going to make a pledge to this outsider woman, then you should give her something of us," she explained. "We were unaware of you making other arrangements, so three of us examined a few of the artifacts Krasimira had transferred to Havenstone and decided on this."I put the box down on the side table. The necklace inside was beautiful, fragile and ancient-looking."It was the gift of a Parthian princess to an Isharan Emissary from, we think it is from the 2nd century," Helena explained. She meant 2nd century CE.The artifacts transferred must have been from the repository of the Amazons, location unknown, that had been held in the Isharan vaults. My House had anticipated my mind-splitting day and selected an engagement gift for Hana Sulkanen."The small selection of rings was unpromising, so, we figure she knows you are unconventional," Helena shrugged.I began crying. I hugged her, then motioned Buffy over to share in the 'family' moment."You are getting married?" CIA Officer Cresky ruined the mood."Yes. I proposed marriage to Hana Sulkanen and she has accepted, but circumstances interrupted my search for the ring," I interlaced deceptions with the truth.I did not mention the timing of the arrangement in order to buy Hana some time to prepare for the CIA rectal probes coming her family's way. I had forgotten the company I ran with."Officer Cresky, if I may?" Chaz spoke in a smooth, yet lethal intonation. "I suggest you circle-file that bit of data." Cresky looked his way, still so sure he knew better than the rest of the room."Very well," Chaz nodded to Cresky. "Before you trip over your own arrogance, think about what we are doing here? Highly equipped mercenaries operating without concern for legal prosecution, bio-terrorism on a scale to rival the European colonization of the Americas, and a military conflict on your soil involving perhaps seven hundred well-armed, experienced light infantry and Special Forces, does any of that ring a bell?""Thank you for that summary, Mr. Whoever-You-Are," Cresky smirked. That lasted about two seconds before FBI Agent Vincent stepped over and landed a painful Gibb-slap (that is from NCIS) to the back of Cresky's head. "What the fuck!" Cresky spat as he stood up, spun around and began to draw down on Vincent.Whoa, we are a fast crowd. Cresky's sixth sense kicked in just in time to realize every Amazon, two of the three Brits, two of the Illuminati and Virginia all held guns pointed at him. Vincent hadn't even bothered to defend himself."Everyone put their guns away," I stated calmly."Let me shoot him," I added with a vicious gleam in my eye. "I've got diplomatic immunity.""Good point," Delilah responded gleefully. "Chaz, go get some of those curtains. We'll used them as a drop cloth. I'll call housekeeping.""I like this plan," Buffy jumped in. "I think we can stuff his body in the refrigerator.""I'll make sure to leave a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the door when we leave," Helena finished up our murderous conspiracy. They weren't done with Cresky. Color Sergeant Chaz Tomorrow strode purposefully to the closest drapes and yanked them down with no effort."I'm afraid I can't let you do this," Vincent extended a palm to Chaz.I couldn't begin to describe how stupid that was, had Chaz not been a consummate professional. He dropped the curtains, moved past Vincent and returned to his station by the MI-6 leader who was continuing an unbroken telephone conversation. No sooner had we re-holstered our firearms,"Sulkanen eh?" Senior Field Officer George Cresky looked back at me.The entire time Deidre, Riki, Javiera, Katrina and Captain Moe were on their phones, giving and receiving information from their various organizations. That explained the lack of refereeing from the people with authority, unless you counted on me to be in charge. No one was. The ATF guy had open his laptop and was streaming some data with Elsa looking over his shoulder.The ICE agent was playing phone tag with his brethren in Arizona. They were trying to figure out who all those dead Chinese guys were and how they had gotten into the country, with all their freaking armory. With old Jonas still waiting for his bail hearing, the ICE guy was also juggling the Homeland Security inquiries that Javiera couldn't deal with at the moment."George," I shrugged. "I'm not going to threaten you. It is pointless. You think you are the smartest man in the room. I think you are the fifth smartest and that's only because I've recently experienced a lobotomy that gifted me with five thousand years of life experiences. My money is on Katrina being smarter than Javiera, but I don't really know her yet.""Who do you think is fourth?" George scoffed."Riki, of course, moron. I only rate her below Javiera and Katrina because she even remotely believes I might be Irish," I chuckled."No, I don't," Riki corrected me in a brief interlude in her phone conversation."What about me?" Delilah mused."If you were smarter than me, you would be halfway to Heathrow by now," I pointed out."Damn it!" Delilah snapped her fingers, conceding me this round."Agent Loire, I see you aren't arguing with him," Virginia prodded her colleague."I learned some time ago that I don't need to possess the highest IQ to get the job done. Smart people screw up just as often as dumb ones," Vincent related. "I'm a big believer in common sense and the remarkable ability for most people to ignore it.""Thank you for that wisdom, Sir," I bowed to Vincent. "I'm glad today hasn't been a total waste.""You are saving lives," Virginia brought up. By the looks I was getting from the 'talkers', they agreed with her. I didn't."By all means, when I've actually saved a single soul, let me know," I countered unhappily."Wakko Ishara," Wiesława got my attention, "we need to be going."Making it to Hana on time was on my wish list, so I gave the various female authorities a quick acknowledgement, grabbed the box, and then made for the door. For a split second, I almost made it out the door with only two bodyguards (Wiesława and Saku), almost."Cáel? Where do you think you are going?" Buffy inquired.I was head of a First House of the Amazon Host, a Prince of Hungary, a diplomat from the Pugnacious Nation of Ireland and, a prospective sex toy to the Illuminati."Run for it!" I urged my two companions as I raced past them."Son of a Bitch!" Buffy yelled after me. "Get him!"I really am a bad influence on most of the people I meet. And the three of us were safely ahead of the pack until I had to stop to pound on the elevator button. The reactions of Nikita and Skylar saved me. Nikita put her hand on her piece and took two steps my way. Skylar turned the other way, trying to figure out what we were running from.Buffy collided with her, became tangled up and they fell over together. Helena, coming right behind Buffy, leapt over those two and ended up impacting with Nikita. Helena landed face-first on Nikita's back. Wiesława, Sakuniyas and I fled into the elevator and hit a button for a lower floor."What are we doing?" Wiesława inquired in a nervous tone."I don't want to walk around with a freaking army, Wiesława," I confided. "I want to have a bit of intimacy when I meet with Hana.""Why didn't you tell our sisters that?" she reposted."Would they have listened?" Saku snorted. "Amazon, would you have listened if he insisted you stay away?""I, " Wiesława looked from Saku to me then back to me. "No, but why are we running away from his 'First'?""Child, this oddity I understand," Saku studied me. "Before battle, we would kick the heads of dead enemy scouts around to ease the tension. It was a nonsensical thing to do before facing death. Whatever else I dislike about this one," she gave me a sign of her approval, "he does not shy away from the fight, nor deludes himself into thinking a fight is not coming.""He is easing his nerves," she concluded."That is the nicest thing you've ever said about me," I gave her a respectful nod."I was wrong to doubt you were the grandson of Alal," she explained. "That was one of the things that drew me to him, I loved battle too much and he loved it not at all. We complimented each other."The elevator opened up on the tenth floor and off I ran. The Odd Couple was on my heels."Where are we going?" Wiesława asked."The service elevator. There must be fifty people in the lobby waiting for us and I'm not pulling a Butch and Sundance," I huffed. Those two didn't get it. Pamela would have.Not only did I have to find the service elevator, but I had to find someone in Facilities or Housekeeping because this elevator wasn't for guests and had its own key code. I found the elevator first. The doors opened. It was Pamela."How the?" I huffed as I jumped on board."Rachel fitted you with a tracking device, Chumley," Pamela joked. The four of us were heading down into the bowels of the hotel and, hopefully, an unguarded exit."Damn it!" I groused. "Tennessee, you need to keep me abreast of such things.""Don't Tux your tail between your flippers and waddle away," Pamela chortled."This isn't nearly as much fun when they don't get it," I reminded her."Be patient," Pamela snickered. "I'm sure their curiosity is eating them alive."

HOUSESITTING All stories were written and narrated by Steve Hudgins "Hudgins is a Horror-Meister to reckon with!" VICTOR MILLER - Writer of Friday the 13th Here are 5 simple ways to help support the show: 1.) Contribute directly to the show here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maniacontheloose.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 2.) Buy some of Steve's books: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maniacontheloose.com/books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 3.) Buy some of Steve's audiobooks: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maniacontheloose.com/audiobooks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 4.) Buy some Maniac on the Loose Merchandise: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maniacontheloose.com/store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 5.) Please Subscribe. Share. Tell everyone you know about the show!

#paranormal #supernatural Please follow Jen, the Arcane Observer, who is now the official co-host of Salsido Paranormal; https://linktr.ee/jenniferhawkins_arcana Have you ever had an experience with the paranormal, supernatural, and / or unexplained, that you would like others to know about? If so, let me know. You can reach me at; salsidoparanormal@gmail.com Follow Mike, host of Troubled Minds Radio. https://www.troubledminds.org/ You can now listen to 2 episodes of the show every night at 6 pm Pacific / 9 pm Eastern on the Troubled Minds Radio Network KUAP-DB! https://www.troubledminds.org/ Also, if you or anyone you know should ever feel like there is no hope, or help, please consider the information in the link below. Special thanks to Michael Strange for putting this page together. https://www.troubledminds.net/help All of my shows, social media, and ways to support the show can be found at; https://www.salsidoparanormal.com/  

Sometimes, teenage angst goes way beyond slammed doors and loud music—like an apartment complex haunted by a truly twisted mother-son story that left an eerie energy dripping through the floors. Join us as we explore this blood-chilling saga that puts even the best horror movie marathons to shame. Find out what happens when an unsuspecting pair of roommates realizes their neighbor upstairs doesn't just have a knack for dropping bowling balls at dinnertime. Because in this story, the real terrors aren't from nightmares—they're from the apartment above. If you have a real ghost story or supernatural event to report, please write into our show at http://www.realghoststoriesonline.com/ or call 1-855-853-4802! Want AD-FREE & ADVANCE RELEASE EPISODES? Become a Premium Subscriber Through Apple Podcasts now!!! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/real-ghost-stories-online/id880791662?mt=2&uo=4&ls=1 Or Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/realghoststories Or Our Website: http://www.ghostpodcast.com/?page_id=118 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Featured Lectures: Yud Shevat Farbrengen with Rabbi YY Jacobson Motzei Shabbos, February 8th, 20 Forshay Rd, Upstairs. Hot food will be served Livestream will begin at 9:00 PM

A Criminal and Creepy SundayFirst a look at the events of the dayThen The FBI in Peace and War, originally broadcast February 9, 1958, 67 years ago, The Upstairs Roomer.  A crook takes a room in a house, but the landlord knows the crook has a lot of money, and tries to figure out how to get it from him.  Followed by the news from 67 years ago, then Frontier Gentleman starring John Dehner, originally broadcast February 9, 1958, 67 years ago, A Meeting With Sitting Bull.  J.B. Kendall and a local reporter named Charlie Meeker hire a half-breed to take them to meet Sitting Bull, but are double-crossed on the trail and shot! Then Mr Keen Tracer of Lost Persons starring Bennett Kilpack, originally broadcast February 9, 1950, 75 years ago, Murder and The Jewel Thief.   Kansas Karl, a notorious jewel thief, decides to go straight...but doesn't get very far.Followed by Lights Out, originally broadcast February 9, 1943, 82 years ago, We Dug It Up.  An ancient stone coffin buried in the peaceful English countryside becomes an instrument of death. Inside the coffin is a woman with the head of a lion...and she's alive!Finally, Superman, originally broadcast February 9, 1942, 83 years ago, The Ghost Car. Jimmy Olsen reports a "ghost car" has caused accidents near the Bar-O-Ranch. Thanks to Honeywell for supporting our podcast by using the Buy Me a Coffee function at http://classicradio.stream

In this special episode of Chaplin Talks, host Spencer Chaplin sits down with the multi-talented Gary Kemp—musician, actor, and songwriter, best known for his role in Spandau Ballet. A career spanning decades, Gary opens up about his creative journey, the art of songwriting, and the inspiration behind his latest projects.Gary has a new album called "This Destination¨ released on 31st January 2025 by East West Records, and is available for pre-order now on www.garykemp.comWhether you're a fan of Gary's music, his acting roles, or simply captivated by Charlie Chaplin's lasting impact on the world of entertainment, this interview offers a unique and thoughtful exploration of their connections to art, music, and film.Subscribe to Gary's YouTube page:  @garyjkemp  Gary is the host of "Rockonteurs with Gary Kemp and Guy Pratt¨.    / @rockonteurs  A very special thank you to ¨Upstairs at Lagan's¨ for letting us film there. https://www.langansbrasserie.com/upst...✨  And if you like this video, consider subscribing to Chaplin Talk using this Link! ⤵️https://www.youtube.com/c/ChaplinTalk...Theme music composed by Fran Cruz

This is what went down during my set in the Upstairs Room at the I Remember House party in Sydney, on Sunday 26th January 2025. Enjoy!

“ Dog Upstairs”

Bryce's girlfriend, Tiffany claims she went on a walk but he heard something happen upstairs from his apartment that makes him think she might've been with the neighbor, Marcel.

On this week's Haven't Scene It, Tim & Tommy drive cross country with special guest Upstairs Steve as they cover Wild at Heart. This is a first time watch for all three gentleman.They give a wonderful tribute to life and career of David Lynch and discuss the film at length. RIP David Lynch a true icon. All this and more on this week's Haven't Scene It!Follow us on Social Media:Twitter: @SceneItPodInstagram: @SceneItPodTiktok: @SceneItPod

Bigfoot Upstairs in the HouseJoin my Supporters Club for $4.99 per month for exclusive stories:https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/what-if-it-s-true-podcast--5445587/support

Here she is bois, here she is world, here's June! We are here with Oscar-nominee June Squibb. You Might Know Her From Thelma, Nebraska, About Schmidt, The Humans, Hubie Halloween, In & Out, Girls, Inside Out 2, and Broadway productions of Gypsy and Waitress. We were delighted to talk to 95-year-old June about her role in the action-dramedy Thelma for which she absolutely deserves an Oscar nomination. From fearlessly driving a scooter to charming the late Richard Roundtree, June opened up about her very first “lead role” and the difference in being number one on the callsheet. We also got the intel on her time as a replacement for Electra in the original (yes, original) Broadway production of Gypsy opposite Ethel Merman, returning to Broadway in a gender-reversed casting as Josie in Waitress, her rapport with director Alexander Payne (who she had to audition for AGAIN for role in Nebraska), and her upcoming lead role in Scarlett Johansson's directorial debut Eleanor the Great. This one will go down in the books for sure. Please go stream Thelma right after you listen! Patreon: www.patreon.com/youmightknowherfrom Follow us on social media: @youmightknowherfrom || @damianbellino || @rodemanne Discussed this week: Deh-ME Moore but DE-mee Lovato Demi Moore's name is Demetria Pam Anderson's comeback is so smart (Broadway, book, documentary, no makeup on red carpet, prestige film). She is 57 June's first starring film role is in 2024's Thelma available to stream on Hulu and Disney+ now Richard Roundtree's last film role (wears clothes so well) June did her own stunts but hasn't yet received Tom Cruise's coconut cake Headlining Eleanor the Great, directed by Scarlett Johansson (releasing 2025) Thelma written and directed by Josh Margolin Replaced in the original Broadway production of Gypsy with Ethel Merman (as Electra) and later went on the national tour with her Was auditioning for La Plume de ma Tante when the Gypsy stage manager came in and requested she audition to replace Chotzi Foley (original Electra) Only other Rose she saw was  Tyne Daly in Gypsy on Broadway in 1988 Juliet Taylor was Woody Allen's casting director and she helped get her work Was in the off-Broadway production of The Boy Friend  (produced by Gus Schirmer Jr) Returned to Broaday in 2018 to replace in Waitress as ‘Josie' thanks to Jessie Nelson Patti LuPone did her midnight cabaret show at Les Mouches after her performances at Evita Plays Bruce Dern's wife in Alexander Payne's 2013 film, Nebraska  In & Out took forever to film since there were 3 different opinions of how the movie should go (Director: Frank Oz, Producer: Scott Rudin, and Star: Kevin Kline) Debbie Reynolds does a very odd Barbra Streisand impression and a great Meryl Streep Played an aging Broadway star in season 5 episode of Glee opposite her now friend, Chris Colfer Blood drinking leprechaun with glaucoma in anthology series, American Horror Stories Saw the nightclub act of the great Dorothy Loudon Worked at Upstairs at the Downstairs Every shirt June Squibb wears in Hubie Halloween  

The Angel Who Lived Upstairs | An Immersive Audio Experience To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1388/29

Merry Christmas from the Off Air team! We hope this email special Christmas bonus episode brings you some festive cheer. Jane and Fi chat destitute donkeys, round robins and Noel Edmonds. Get your suggestions in for the next book club pick! If you want to contact the show to ask a question and get involved in the conversation then please email us: janeandfi@times.radio Follow us on Instagram! @janeandfiPodcast Producer: Eve SalusburyExecutive Producer: Rosie Cutler Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Haven't Scene It, Tim & Tommy are joined by Upstairs Steve as they cover Stanley Kubrick's final film, Eyes Wide Shut. This is all three of these gentleman's first time watching the film.The controversy, the theories and everything in between, we discuss it all!All this and more on this week's Haven't Scene It!Follow us on Social Media:Twitter: @SceneItPodInstagram: @SceneItPodTiktok: @SceneItPod

Two 911 calls, a salon, and witches. In the fall of 2023, 30-year-old Yoshua Monday moved into an apartment with friends in Angola, Indiana. Less than a month after he moved in, 56-year-old Bryan Hall was shot dead inside his apartment. Investigators were able to piece the puzzle together quickly, but what was the motive? If you or someone you know is struggling, resources are available in the US 24/7 at SAMHSA - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Sponsor: Greenlight Start putting your kids on the right financial path. Sign up for Greenlight today at greenlight.com/least Least of These on Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/leastofthesepodcast/ Least of These Discussion Group: https://m.facebook.com/groups/288046119723080/?ref=pages_profile_groups_tab&paipv=1 Least of These on Instagram:  www.instagram.com/least_ofthese/ Support the show and get your episodes ad free at: https://www.patreon.com/leastofthesepodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

(00:00) Zolak and Bertrand kick off the fourth hour by reacting to Derek in Foxboro’s latest Christmas song. (13:18) The crew dives back into some more Christmas calls with thoughts mixed in about the Patriots. (25:33) The guys finish the day by questioning whether Jerod Mayo could be kicked upstairs if Mike Vrabel becomes the head coach. (33:12) Fake Promo Friday.

Jingle Boom: The Costco Guys drop a Christmas song for the season! Surely it is a rap?! It's a rap right!? Dr. Pepper Guy: Everyone's favorite Sexual Predator Hunter and infamous pumpkin smasher, Dr. Pepper guy pops up in another video kicking ass! TikTok Weirdos: We have a doozy of a weirdo that throws us for a loop as we try to figure out if he is a character or a real person. But then we discover DAREDEVIL DEB! FUCK YOU WATCH THIS!, THE BEAR!, NEW FOUND GLORY!, HIT OR MISS!, SAM BROWN!, UNITE THE PARTIES!, GAY TRUMP!, CYRUS!, JORDAN!, JAKE PAUL!, MIKE TYSON!, 2 MINUTE ROUNDS!, KOBAYAHI MARU!, CHRISTMAS SONG!, JINGLE BOOM!, THE COSTCO GUYS!, AJ!, BIG JUSTICE!, ASHLEY!, MOTHER OF BIG JUSTICE!, JINGLE BELLS!, MEXICAN STANDOFF!, 808S AND HEARTBREAKS!, ANTIPASTI!, MARGE SIMPSON!, THE RIZZLER!, COMMENTS!, NEW JERSEY!, BOCA RATON!, BABY JESUS RIZZLER!, PREDATOR HUNTING!, PUMPKIN SMASH!, DR. PEPPER GUY!, DOLLAR STORE!, NEW VIDEO!, SHARED UNIVERSE!, SUPERHERO!, MICHAEL MYERS!, JASON VOORHIES!, HORROR MOVIE!, TELEPORTATION!, 13 YEAR OLD KID!, TIKTOK WEIRDOS!, FUNERAL!, YOU'RE WELCOME!, WRESTLING!, CHARACTER!, VOICE!, BRANDON BABYLON!, MENS' RIGHTS!, PICKUP ARTIST!, NEO!, POKEMON!, ANIME!, CONVENTIONS!, JOKES!, DAREDEVIL DEB!, HANGING OFF LEDGE!, OLD LADY!, DEB!, LADDER!, UPSTAIRS!, ESCALATING!, JUMP!, BRIDGE!, JACKASS!, BROKEN BONES!, POLICE CAR!, LAYING DOWN IN THE ROAD!, HUGGY WUGGY!, POPPY PLAYTIME!, DEATH DEFYING!, IMPRESSIVE!  You can find the videos from this episode at our Discord RIGHT HERE!

In Michigan, law enforcement was called to a trailer park after receiving a report about an unresponsive toddler.In Oregon, police responded to a report of a shooting where they found a man dead. Moments later, they were called to another shooting just a few blocks away.In Connecticut, police are called to a highway where a body was discovered wrapped in a blanket.In Minnesota, deputies are called to a home after the homeowner received some concerning phone calls.Consider joining PLUS+ at swordandscale.com/plusGoFundMe for Oregon victims:https://www.gofundme.com/f/assist-cindy-herndon-with-funeral-expenseshttps://www.gofundme.com/f/help-gabe-elizabeth-hadley-in-crisis

Welcome back, to The Dark Paranormal. On today's episode we hear about something which is as entwined with paranormal folklore as anything, that of the “Renovation Spirit”, but, this time with a twist. We've all heard the encounters of people knocking through walls or changing a home around, only to then be met with a series of paranormal activity, but usually that just stays focused to the home. Today's episode sows the seed that that very idea is not always the case, and very much sets up our final 2 episodes of Season 17.Joining our Patreon team not only gives you early Ad-Free access to all of our episodes, it can also give you access to the Patreon only podcast, Dark Bites. Dark Bites releases each and every week, even on the down time between seasons. There are already well over 60+ hours of unheard true paranormal experiences for you to binge. Simply head over to:www.patreon.com/thedarkparanormalAlso check out our website:www.thedarkparanormal.comYou can also follow us on the below Social Media links:www.twitter.com/darkparanormalxwww.facebook.com/thedarkparanormalwww.youtube.com/thedarkparanormalwww.instagram.com/thedarkparanormalOur Sponsors:* Check out Acorns: https://acorns.com/DARKPARANORMAL* Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: www.rosettastone.com* Check out Uncommon Goods and use my code DARKPARANORMAL for a great deal: www.uncommongoods.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

When a family moves into a new home, they quickly realize they aren't alone. It starts with the sound of footsteps upstairs when no one else is home, the laughter of a child echoing through the empty halls. But when they check, there's no one there. At first, they try to brush it off as the creaking of an old house, but soon the activity becomes impossible to ignore. The ghostly child doesn't just want to play; it wants something more. This episode dives into the eerie and unsettling experiences of a family haunted by a child spirit that refuses to stay unseen. Doors slam, toys move on their own, and the presence grows stronger every day. Is it a playful spirit, or is there something darker lurking beneath the surface? And why does the child remain unseen, always just out of sight?

When a family moves into a new home, they quickly realize they aren't alone. It starts with the sound of footsteps upstairs when no one else is home, the laughter of a child echoing through the empty halls. But when they check, there's no one there. At first, they try to brush it off as the creaking of an old house, but soon the activity becomes impossible to ignore. The ghostly child doesn't just want to play; it wants something more. This episode dives into the eerie and unsettling experiences of a family haunted by a child spirit that refuses to stay unseen. Doors slam, toys move on their own, and the presence grows stronger every day. Is it a playful spirit, or is there something darker lurking beneath the surface? And why does the child remain unseen, always just out of sight?

Picture this: you're outside enjoying a peaceful swing when suddenly you hear loud banging on the windows of the house. Naturally, you look up and see your friend, or so you think, furiously pounding on the glass. But wait, she's inside, lying on the couch with a headache, watching cartoons. So, who's the little red-haired girl in the window, and why can't you hear her screams? Even cartoons can't protect you from what's outside—or upstairs. If you have a real ghost story or supernatural event to report, please write into our show at http://www.realghoststoriesonline.com/ or call 1-855-853-4802! Want AD-FREE & ADVANCE RELEASE EPISODES? Become a Premium Subscriber Through Apple Podcasts now!!! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/real-ghost-stories-online/id880791662?mt=2&uo=4&ls=1 Or Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/realghoststories Or Our Website: http://www.ghostpodcast.com/?page_id=118 

In Florida, a woman contacted the Lee County Sheriff's Office to report that her elderly father killed her mother. Over in Denver, Colorado, a fight broke out at a home on Sunday over a bottle of hot sauce that left one man dead. This past week, a Texas man was taken into custody for murder after a tipster came forward and told law enforcement he admitted to the murder of a missing man. In Michigan, a man is charged with the murder of a 13-year-old girl he's accused of impregnating. Follow us on social media:X: @SAS_DailyInstagram: @swordandscaledailyConsider joining PLUS+ at swordandscale.com/plus