User blog:Addfire/Current

Starting Note: Hello! Thanks for reading this, and presumably from reading the previous one, which you can find here, although I honest to goodness have no way of knowing for sure whether or not someone reads this unless they *cough cough hint hint* leave a comment, which, ya know, is really what keeps me going I generally don’t continue writing stuff unless I’m getting at least a little bit of positive reinforcement out of it- otherwise I just sorta burn out.

I think I’m gonna call this series Shell. Hopefully you’ll see why by the next chapter?

Anyways…

“A new kid, you say? I mean, that’s good to know, but I don’t see exactly how it helps our goals…”

“Boss, he’s seeing things. Thinks he’s going insane. I think he could be close to a Spill, and what’s even weirder is that his family moved into Jaromir’s.”

“Jaromir’s?”

“Yes ma’am. I fed him something about contaminated water, but as it picks up in frequency he’s going to start questioning it.”

“What’s that foreign phrase you’ve begun peppering into your speech?”

“C’est la vie?”

“That’s it. I think that’s how we should approach this. We don’t want another Fern, we’ll all suffer for it. Unless something big happens, we’re hands-off.”

“We can’t just leave him be, ma’am.”

“Don’t you have a class, Addison?”

AP Music Theory was apparently held in the auditorium, which was lucky for James, because the auditorium, along with the cafeteria, was one of two rooms closest to the window James had entered the building from. Unsure of what else to do except follow his schedule, James went into the auditorium.

The auditorium was huge, but pitch-black, the only light in the room coming from the open door. James could barely see his hand in front of his face, but he managed to find his way to one of the auditorium chairs and sit down. The chair was plush and comfy, red velvet.

A single spotlight turned on, on the stage, and James was able to make out the silhouettes of various objects– music stands, a drum set, a piano and a synthesizer, among other things. The percussionist privilege of not having to take your instrument with you.

With the light introduced by the spotlight, James could make out other figures in the audience. Jordan was a few rows down, and James noticed he had terrific posture. A girl sitting two rows back and all the way to the left was idly tapping on the seat in front of her, and her hair had a blue-green butterfly clip in it. Sitting all the way in the front was a boy who was slouched back in his chair– James guessed that maybe he was just sitting there because it was the most comfortable place. There was also a girl sitting decently close to James, and she was whistling some show tune.

Someone stepped into the spotlight. A tall man, and big, too, holding a conductor’s baton. He had on beige glasses, but they didn’t seem the type to catch the light, instead shadows pooled behind them. “Everyone is here,” he said. “Let’s all introduce ourselves. Ozymandias, you’re first.”

The girl with the butterfly clip blinked. “Uh, sure. I’m Ozymandias, my parents are nerds? And I’d like to be called Ozzy. I drum, but I suck ass at it, and I’m also into tennis and badminton and I swim?”

“Her last name is Sylvester,” the man said. “I’m Mr. Thatch, if you didn’t already know. Ozzy, you think you’ve seen everything there is to see. Your goal by the end of the year is to make a song featuring the G Major chord. The name of the person who will introduce themselves next is Chris Redner.”

The kid sitting all the way in the front gave a little shrug. “You heard the man, I’m Chris. Sort of just joined this class for the credit.”

“Chris, you live life out of obligation. Your song has to feature the A Minor chord. James Austen, talk.”

“I’m James, I play the piano and the violin too, sometimes.”

“James, you’ve spent your whole life being controlled by other people. To pass this class, your song has to be centered around the B Minor chord.”

“I-“ Mr. Thatch snapped his baton in half and threw one at James like a throwing dart. It grazed his cheek, and James knew that from the way show-tune girl was staring at his cheek, it had drawn blood.

Jordan whipped out a handkerchief and passed it to James. “He’s just putting your nose to the grindstone. Either the Prophet isn’t completely sure if you deserve to be here, or thinks you deserve to be here above everyone else,” Jordan whispered.

“This is AP Music Theory ,” James hissed back. “And do you just carry a handkerchief wherever you go?”

“Jordan Bywater, your actions will be your introduction. Unless there is anything else you want to say?”

“Just that I keep a handkerchief on me because of its multifaceted purposes.”

“You want to help others, Jordan, but stretch yourself too thin, and want to find a different way. Your song must be percussion-based, and I have decided that if necessary you may collaborate with either Ozymandias or Chris. If you choose to take such a course, be warned: if the result is not twice as impressive as the two of you working separately, both of you will be harmed for it. Lastly is Caroline Xia– an introduction?”

Caroline must have been the show-tunes girl, because James didn’t think there was anyone else in the class. She had been staring at James’ cheek up until her name was called, and she gave a small eep of surprise. “I’m Caroline, I really like Broadway music and I thought it’d be cool to get to know how it all worked?”

“You have free reign for your song,” said Mr. Thatch.

“What’s the deal?” Chris said. “No personality analysis? None of your mind reading baloney?”

“While I may not exactly ‘mesh’ with Chris’ ‘style’,” Jordan said, “I’m a little aggrieved by the favoritism.”

“Why do you assume it’s favoritism?” Mr. Thatch replied. “Maybe she’s just boring.”

“Thatch, no offense, but, like, you’re the Prophet, y’know?” Ozzy said. “You don’t, like, dick your way into this class. Caroline’s gotta be a big name or else she wouldn’t be here.”

Caroline blushed a little at the compliment, but looked confused. “Thank you?”

“The nail’s head has been hit by Ozymandias Sylvester. I do know my moniker about the school is the Prophet, and those students lucky enough to participate in my class do become greater. But a Prophet has no control over their prophecy. Because of the rudeness of the class, you are dismissed.”

“Sweet, positive reinforcement,” Chris said, getting out of the chair, stretching, and then leaving the auditorium. Caroline was next to go, and then Jordan, and then Ozzy. James looked back at Mr. Thatch.

“So why didn’t you stab all the others? I wasn’t even being that rude to you.”

“I had to, and technically, it was a slash.”

The spotlight turned off. James, feeling a little disgruntled, left the auditorium.

Looking at his schedule, James knew he had lunch next. Somehow, though, he felt totally exhausted, like he’d been at school for multiple days in a row. He was having trouble wrapping his head around a school where everyone was totally insane, even the teachers. And he still wasn’t totally sure he’d imagined the feathers on Addison’s arms, or whatever the hell had happened with Fern and the handholds and the window and the twins out behind the school.

But James walked to the cafeteria, because what the hell else could a person do?

The cafeteria was maybe the strangest thing James had seen that day, because somehow, in defiance with all laws of reality, a high school cafeteria looked crystal-clean and totally sanitary. For a second, James thought he’d walked into the wrong room, but kids were eating lunch there, so James shrugged and walked over to the cafeteria line.

The kid who got behind James said, “Hey. You’re new to Nellrock, right?”

James turned around. An extraordinarily slick-looking boy was standing behind him, and behind him was two more kids, one holding a camera and one with one of those dangling microphones.

“Uh. Dude, I’m just here for some OJ,” James said, “And I’m pretty sure this is a violation of privacy, so…”

“Not at all!” The kid said. “You’re a minor, so you have no rights!”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s… exactly not how it works…” James mumbled, but the weird news crew still dragged him to one of the tables.

“You’re new to the school, your name is…” The kid pulled out a folder and thumbed through it. “James Austen. I’m Steve Paisley, and you’re on the Nellrock News. Remember to smile, you’re on camera!”

James sighed and gave an obliging smile. “So, uh, Steve, why all the noise for me? Also, that camera she’s carrying around has to be worth a lot of money, are kids allowed to have that?”

Steve winked. “Well, the answer to both of your questions is that us in the Journalism Club get to know things quicker than the viewers at home. Some might say we’re privileged, but it’s the reward we get for delivering news lightning fast. Besides, J – can I call you J? –  you’re being taught by the Prophet, you’ve had a run-in with the twins, talked to Fern and Addison, who are currently two opposing rooks on this chessboard– well, really, they’re like two different pieces in a game of Sorry, I’m not sure what Addison’s deal is yet. Well, you met Jordan, and he and Fern could probably be considered opposing rooks…” Steve thought for a moment. “Yeah. You talked to Fern and Jordan, who are currently two opposing rooks on this chessboard. You haven’t done anything spectacular yet, haven’t burned down any buildings, but the spectacular are getting drawn towards you. Don’t worry, my whole monologue’s getting edited out.” The last part seemed to be directed to the kids with the camera and microphone.

“Opposing rooks?” James asked. “This is a high school, what kind of stakes does this chess game even have?”

Steve winked again, with his other eye. “Well, starting last year was when the biggest part of this whale breached the water- the student council president had just been chosen. But then, she had an accident, and the person she had chosen as her vice president had been forced out of the school a week ago. With no head to govern the student body, the teachers assumed the student council would be in a panic.”

“But they weren’t?”

“Exactamundo, J. The new president was chosen by the student council, and suddenly the government kicked into overdrive. Before, it was just organizing field trips and selling cookies. Now? Countless laws are being passed with no clear view behind it. Most everyone’s money is that one twin or the other is in control of the government, but after the previous president’s fall from grace, the president is understandably trying to keep hidden.”

“Sorry, the twins aren’t working together?”

“You talked with them, didn’t you?”

“Well, sure, they disagreed, but it was just, like, normal sibling stuff. They weren’t at each other’s throats. And why are they even so powerful? Wouldn’t you assume the seniors would have the best grasp over what’s happening?”

“Well, they aren’t at each other’s throats because they have appearances to keep up. Think carefully, J. Every club is controlled by one of the two, and a mole for the other one is sure to be planted as well. And that’s the most confusing part. So far, the government has been indiscriminate about who it hurts– one day cutting funds for the Comic Club that makes propaganda for Ted, the next day denying the Video Game Club’s request for an assembly where they’d choose Red as the audience volunteer. A lot of clubs have been culled from the ranks after making hasty action and then suddenly losing half their membership.”

“Then… which twin does the journalism club work for?”

Steve raised his eyebrows. “That’s the question, isn’t it? On the record, we’re unbiased, but that’s really because we don’t report on anything too toxic to either one. Most of the real stories are denied to us, and that’s the price we pay. On top of that, Camilla–“ he nodded to the girl dangling the microphone, “and Mike,” he said, pointing to the boy manipulating the camera, who nodded at James, “have been enlisted by Red and Ted, respectively, to make sure that nothing we say swings too far one way or another. No hard feelings, though, after all I’m still in business.”

“Can I just say, officially, that this school’s drama is dumb and everything about it is dumb?”

“You can. But you’re through asking questions! Your presence gives the Journalism Club an unprecedented opportunity, a chance to look at Nellrock through freshly peeled peepers, some fresh meat before the twins can dig their claws into you.”

“My peepers are going to start by saying that all this twin drama is dumb.”

“Mike, I’m assuming you cut that?” Steve said, leaning back to look at Mike. Mike gave a thumbs-up. Steve sighed and looked back to James. “J, you can’t be this hot of a potato right out of the gates. Quit being such a lone wolf, you know? Find your river and let it carry you.”

“I think that’s actually the exact opposite of what I need to do,” James muttered. And then, louder, he said, “Sure, I’ll tango.”

Steve grinned. “Look at us, talking serious already! Well, with that as our opening note… What do you think about Nellrock?”

James sighed. “The carpeting is ugly.”

“Thanks for the interview, J!” Steve said, standing up from where he sat and stretching. “It’ll probably make some good filler for me to use in between segments.”

James nodded as Steve walked off, followed by Mike and Camilla. He hadn’t eaten anything the whole lunch, and the hunger was growing on him. He looked around the cafeteria, wondering if there anyone there he could mooch off of?

A swarm of butterflies – James thought the official term was ‘flutter,’ but he wasn’t sure – blasted through the cafeteria doors. They were all the exact same shade of blue-green, and they did a loop in the air before making their way through a group of students. James noticed immediately that the students didn’t even react, and although he was sitting pretty far away, it looked like the butterflies were passing through the bodies of the students.

“…ghosts?” James whispered, confused.

“Say ‘demons’ next,” whispered a voice in his ear. James whipped his head around and almost broke Chris’ nose. “Woah, who lit a fire under your ass? Just thought you were acting weird and thought it was funny.”

“What do you want?”

“Me? Nothing. People always go thinking I’m up to something but, like, sometimes it’s just that I wanna mess with people. Sometimes surface level’s all that there is, right?”

“Yeah, but you were in Mr. Thatch’s class, right? Don’t you have a ton of potential?”

Chris pouted. “Man. Thought that because you were new, you wouldn’t get messed up by all that shit. What, you’re a day in and you’ve already swallowed that Prophet garbage? Pretty low threshold for assimilating.”

“Don’t you see the butterflies?” James gestured to the butterflies, which were currently doing figure eights around the room.

“What butterflies?” Chris asked. As he spoke, the butterflies swirled into one orb, and then formed a funnel, pouring into one student. The butterflies were making it difficult for James to figure out who it was. “Unless you’re talking about that snazzy hairclip Ozzy’s rocking out? It’s weird, she wears it all the time, but she’s a total hardass. Gotta be the only thing she wears that has a drop of color.”

The butterflies were thinning, and James peered at the student. It was Ozzy.

“Ah, James, please don’t be going off the deep end. Can’t we just get one kid in this school that isn’t totally insane? Just one?”

James wasn’t listening. He got up slowly and walked over to Ozzy, who was eating her lunch carefully. While she had messy hair, there was nothing to indicate that butterflies had just poured into her skull.

“Hey, Ozzy…” James began. Ozzy looked up, a saltine cracker in her mouth. James thought for a second. What if this was just ‘Ashbrook Eyes’ or whatever? What if he was just seeing things? “N- never mind.”

He felt himself being hauled away, he looked over his shoulder and saw that Chris was physically dragging him by his shoulder. Without looking at James, Chris said, “Do you watch anime?”

“I- what?”

“Anime. Do you watch it?”

“I don’t really- like, sure, I guess?”

“Great,” Chris said, sitting him down in a chair. “What do you like?”

“Uh, Aggretsuko? I watched one or two episodes of One Punch Man? Used to be totally into Dragonball Z.”

“Alright, you’re gonna tell me about that or whatever, and here’s why: at this school, it’s gotten to the point where everyone’s got some weird-ass tragic backstory or broken heart or, like, mystical power– except nothing ever gets proven– and I’d like to have one person in this school who’s normal.”

“Uh, sure, Aggretsuko’s like, there’s this girl? Who’s a fox, all the characters are animals, she works at this really bad job with a sexist boss and really annoying coworkers but she suppresses all her anger and then lets it out through death metal karaoke. It’s… it’s alright, I guess.”

Chris nodded. “Sounds cool. Where’s it on?”

“Netflix, maybe? Or Crunchyroll? I really have no clue it’s been ages since I last saw it.”

“Okay. Well, class is starting, so… you should probably get on that.”

James hurried off to what was apparently English class. He stopped at the door, Red had mentioned being in the class with him, and the last time James had talked to Red, the surrounding scenery had really stopped making sense.

But James couldn’t exactly skip class, so he sighed and stepped inside. The class was worse than he could have imagined.

Red sat at the far back, fiddling with his ring. He feigned disinterest, but it was clear that not only was he acutely aware of the fact that everyone else in the room was on pins and needles because of his presence, James also got the feeling that Red was seeing, and seeing through, everyone.

Sitting at the front was Jordan, fingers steepled on the desk. Addison was sitting at a door that was right next a window, and she looked outside, a frown on her lips. Fern was sitting right behind Addison. Camilla and Mike sat next to each other near the middle, although away from Steve they dropped whatever mask of politeness they had and were staring daggers at each other. Weirdly enough, Beau was there too, but Beau was lost in his own little world. Caroline was also sitting at the front, seemingly unaware of all the power swirling around her. She was just looking at the chalkboard at the front of the room in confusion.

On the chalkboard, in large handwriting that looked more similar to Comic Sans than anything else, were the words IGNORANCE IS BLISS.

James suddenly realized that the class was looking at him. James blushed and slid into a chair slightly off-center, closer to Red than anyone else.

His phone buzzed. Sharpe.

C#: yo j my main man

C#: the most epic of gamers

C#: sans to my kormaed

C#: *kormaed

C#: shit

C#: *komaeda

C#: there we go

C#: sans to my komaeda

Jamehameha: Sharpe I love you but

Jamehameha: You are a clown

Jamehameha: Ive got my English class

C#: is it rlly english or one of ur

C#: weirdass

C#: #obscure classes

Jamehameha: Its um

Jamehameha: ‘Exploration of Ideals’

C#: why am i friends w/ a hipster???

C#: the life choices i make. like srsly i coulda been

C#: getting sideways with some sportsballer

C#: no instead i spend time txting u

C#: why??

C#: make a sales pitch now chop chpo times money

C#: *chop

Jamehameha: I really would but for one

Jamehameha: English is about to start for real

Jamehameha: And two

Jamehameha: You and I both know you cant do better

C#: >:[

Jamehameha: I think the teachers here

Jamehameha: Bye

James pocketed the phone with a sigh. Sharpe was a fast friend, but James was pretty sure that if Sharpe went five minutes without talking to someone, they would die.

The second James’ fingers left his phone, he heard a thump, and the door buckled.

“It’s unlocked?” James asked, to himself.

Another thump, louder. The door shook in its frame.

Caroline and Jordan stood up, presumably to help whoever was behind the door.

The door flew open, a stocky woman having kicked it open. Her socks, pure white, reached her knees. She marched into the room, took a stand in the middle, right in front of the chalkboard.

“You two can sit. What does that say?” She asked, jerking a thumb back at the words behind her.

As he sat down, Jordan raised his hand. She nodded at him. “It says, ‘ignorance is bliss’?”

She nodded again. “Tell me, what’s the most important word in this sentence?”

Jordan pointed at himself. After making sure she was talking to him, he said, “Well, it was in 1984, by George Orwell. The authoritative government was spreading messages-“

“Not the context. Which word in this sentence is the most important? Someone else.”

Fern raised his hand, a ‘sure, why not’ look on his face. After she gave him the go ahead, he said, “Ignorance?”

The teacher grinned, walked over, and shook his hand, which he seemed totally surprised by. “Fantastic! In this class, we’re going to be looking at texts that discuss humanity’s view of ignorance. All stuff that you should at least have heard of, Oedipus, excerpts from the Bible, Much Ado About Nothing.”

Then she walked back to the front of the room, and the smile was wiped from her face. “What’s the most important word in this sentence?” She asked, jerking her thumb back at IGNORANCE IS BLISS.

Fern cocked his head, confused. “Ignorance?”

“Wrong!” She said. “What’s the most important word in this sentence?”

Beau shot his hand straight up, and without waiting for the teacher, said “Bliss!”

The teacher ran over to him and grinned, clapping her hands on his shoulders. “Fantastic! In this class, we’re going to be looking at texts that discuss humanity’s view of happiness. Passages from the Koran, Plato’s Dialogues, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. All stuff you should have at least heard of.”

Just like before, the teacher walked back to the front, lost her smile, and asked, “What’s the most important word in this sentence?”

The class was a little confused. After a few seconds had passed, Camilla said, “Is.”

The teacher grinned and ran over to Camilla, ruffling her hair. “Fantastic! It should all be stuff you’ve at least heard of, but in this class, we’re going to be looking at texts that discuss humanity’s view of being. Macbeth, pieces of the Tanakh, A Modest Proposal.”

Then she ran back to the center of the room. “Now, what’s the most important word in this sentence?”

James shook his head. “There aren’t any other words,” he said.

“Wrong! What’s the most important word in this sentence?”

“The most important word in 'this sentence,'” Red said, from the back, causing every head to turn, “Is ‘sentence.'”

The teacher gave Red perhaps the biggest grin, while everyone else in the room tried to not freak out over the fact that they’d all forgotten he was there.

“Terrific! Inspired! Show-stopping! My name is Ms. Klein, and welcome to Exploration of Ideas! You all likely know each other, so I wouldn’t make you all introduce yourself, but I don’t know you, so tell me why you picked this class, along with your name! The kid who read the sentence at the very start’s going to start, and we’ll just go backwards.”

Jordan nodded. “I’m Jordan Bywater, and I was asked to take this class by someone I can’t say no to.”

“I’m Caroline Xia, I thought it would be fun since I already have a free period!”

“I’m Beau Edolasim. Ideas are what this world is made of!"

“Camilla Klein, and you know exactly why I’m in this class.”

“Mike Vasiliev. I guess I have to be attached to certain people at the hip.”

“Addison Stewart, I needed the English credit.”

“Fern. Fern Wilson. I’m here, right?”

“I’m James Austen, and I wanted something that could be individual.”

“I’m Red. You know me. I saw the makeup of this class, and wanted to watch anything that happens.”

Ms. Klein nodded. “Good! Now that we all know each other…”

She kept talking, but James couldn’t hear. White lines, like veins or roots, spread out from her feet. James saw them spreading, but James got the horrible feeling that this was just him noticing them for the first time, that these things, maybe it was string, were infused into the very foundation of the school. And Ms. Klein stopped looking as human, and more like a grotesque collection of that same white string, wrapped into a human shape and forced into clothes. He blinked a few times. No change. And then…

James felt like some force was shoving its way out of him. His back burned. James gave a strangled squeak, and fell out of his chair. As his cheek hit the ground, whatever stuff he had been seeing suddenly vanished.

Beau was the first to his side. “James, are you hurt?”

James blinked a few times, sitting up unsteadily. Behind Beau, James saw bits and pieces of other action. Addison gesturing towards him, but looking pointedly at Ms. Klein. Jordan confronting Fern, Camilla looking just about ready to deck Mike. Caroline looking totally lost. James looked back at Red, who just looked like he expected this to happen.

“Y… yeah. I think I just need to lie down.”

Ms. Klein nodded. “I’m really sorry to cut this class short, but I’m going to make sure Jacob-“

“James.”

“-James gets the help he needs. Addison, come with me. Camilla, you’re in charge.”

Beau helped him to his feet, and Ms. Klein and Addison each took him by an arm and steered him out of the room. The room he was led to was probably some sort of teacher’s lounge, they were the only ones there. A clear plastic hamper held random clothes, James guessed it was the lost and found bin.

“What happened, James?” Ms. Klein asked.

“I saw something weird. I’m fine now.”

“Weird how?” She pressed.

“Like- you were- string- look, it doesn’t matter. I’m okay now, I just have Ashbrook Eyes.”

“Yeah,” Addison said. “Just Ashbrook Eyes. Still, that was a pretty shitty thing to have happen in class, so why don’t you get a prize?”

“Prize?” Ms. Klein asked, warning in her voice.

“Yeah. Go grab something from that bin.”

“Isn’t that the lost and found?” James asked.

“No?”

“Isn’t it… stealing?” James didn’t want to, but it was getting clearer and clearer that the feelings James had were the least important things to consider.

Addison shoved James over to the hamper. James reached in and grabbed an earthy green jacket. He shrugged and put it on. The pain from his back, which had faded into the background, totally stopped.

“I’ve got History class coming up,” James said. “I should be going.”

Ms. Klein shook her head. “You should take the rest of the day off.” She took out a blue slip of paper.

“Wait, if I go home early, can Beau, too?” James asked.

“Why?” Ms. Klein asked.

“We’re brothers- well, he’s a foster kid. But we live together. Usually he gives me rides.”

“I know where you live, basically,” Addison said. “I got it, dude. Free period next, so I’ve got time.”

James shrugged. It seemed like it’d be pointless to try and get his way. That just seemed to describe his whole day- other people making him do stuff.

Addison took him out to the car. “So, not-stranger, how was day nombre une?”

“Everyone had their own gravity, and I was just getting sucked into different people’s orbits.”

“That’s a good way of putting it, and also the most words I’ve heard strung together by you. Today was pretty rough, huh?”

“… yeah.”

After a while, they got to Jaromir’s. Addison slowed the car to a stop. James got out.

“Hey, not-stranger, you seem pretty smart, so you’ve probably figured this out, but some stuff is going to happen soon that is going to be less painful if you’re more open to truth, so I thought I might as well tell you just to make sure you’re crystal clear on it. Ashbrook Eyes isn’t a real thing. See you tomorrow.”

Addison pulled out of the driveway, her expression no different than if she’d been talking about the weather.

James’ dad ran out of the doorway. “Mine lamb, returned from grazing early! What misfortune has befallen you? Your cheek, it has been harmed! How was school?”

“It was…” James thought back to Addison and Jordan’s confrontation, Fern’s weird, resigned behavior, the twins’ potentially reality-warping abilities. The assignment by Mr. Thatch, the interview by Steve, the butterflies in the cafeteria and Chris’ exasperation over normalcy. Whatever the hell had happened in English. Addison’s revelation.

“Oh, you know,” James said. “The same.”

Heyo! Back at it again! Bits and pieces of Ozzy can be found in User: OnlyShots, and aspects of Chris are fromUser: HAWAIIANpikachu. Camilla, Mike, Steve, Caroline, the teachers, they’re all from my brain.

A comment would be greatly appreciated, especially because I just wrote. Over five thousand words. Which is a little insane if you ask me, which I just did. Five thousand words. Wow.

Have a nice rest of your day! <3