Margaret Atwood, The Blind Assassin

RYAN DESTINY via tiktok

"a pony?" that makes them chuckle, amused by nadia's imagination. they shift their gaze past her, scanning the crowd, determination etched on her features. "there has got to be someone in here dressed as a little — there." they tilt their chin behind nadia where one can barely see the head of a horse poking out from a wall of people. "okay, no pony. close enough? i could still go wrangle him for you?" they offer. a poker face not something they usually struggle to maintain but the scenario is so ridiculous that kennedy can't help but break her attempt to look serious with a smile. "good! then you're welcome. happy to be of service." finally someone appreciates their bossy attitude! "shots? nadia... are you trying to get me into trouble tonight?" cus she just might, kennedy thinks. "as long as it's not vodka. unless your gearing to carry me home tonight."

" whatever i want ? what if i want a pony ? " nadia replies , twisting one of her eyebrows up in amusement . she allows kennedy to lead the way , trusting they know the SAFEST way out , with minimum groping by strangers . " firstly , tequila is never basic . " nadia says , with a small shake of her head . " secondly , i'm glad for the dragging . " nadia says honestly . she'll never turn down a party , per se , but of late she's been more than glad to have her routine of sleeping at a reasonable time . she's almost turned anti-social , which is not something that should be synonymous with her . " two tequila sodas then . here i was thinking i could charm you into doing a shot with me . . . "

Monkey Man (2024) dir. Dev Patel

Anyways🤔

"already? i'm not done smelling the candles." he's been at it for fifteen minutes now, moving from one jar to the next like he was shopping for a new scent at a home goods store, not browsing the shelves of a psychic shop. "you know," he says, "i used to see this girl a couple years ago that was seriously obsessed with this shit? had a rock collection and everything. kept saying she was going to curse me if she ever found me cheating." clearly in no rush to leave, he looks up from the displayed candles to flash nadia a grin, amused by her accusation. "you're still here aren't you?" there it was again, that playful challenge in his voice, the same air of flirtation he always slipped in, whether or not she acknowledged it. "locking me up isn't the only way to have fun with me, nadia." his grin lingers. always hinting, always offering. he has yet to make a move to leave. instead, he resumes the task of sniff testing every candle the sisters of the moon has to offer "hurry up and close up then. i'll give you a ride home." his tone gives little room to argue but he'd never turn down an opportunity to. "unless you have plans after this?"

○    NOW DELIVERING TO . . .    ⏤ @brntout !

" we're closing up . " nadia announces to salvador , looking him up and down as she flips the sign on the door . if anyone should know sisters ' moon hours , it'd be HIM . nadia rests a hand on her hip , jutting it out as she turns to face him properly . " and there's nobody here left for you to hit on , which i know is the real reason you're here . " her voice is drier than ever . she knows salvador , because he is everywhere , all the time . with a smile , a glint in his eye . HE'S A FLIRT and not even a good one . the amount of times nadia rolls her eyes while hearing him try his way with hana could make her eyes permanently stick . " chop , chop , salvador . locking you inside here does sound fun but i need this job , and something tells me holding you hostage inside would get me fired . "

the mention of santiago makes kennedy visibly cringe, nose scrunching in distaste as they shake their head. “no, thank god! do you think i would be able to show my face around town if i knew my brother was one of those losers? it's giving 'wheres my hug?'" kennedy lowers the octave of their voice to imitate what a man would so i don’t even know if he’s like, dating. maybe he should be.” perhaps a crush would give santiago some of the motivation that kennedy worries he sometimes lacks. “you don’t have any friends from other towns that you could... i don’t know, introduce him or something?” it's a silly question, one that they don't actually expect nadia to humor.

fingertips press against their own throat as they down the drink, a small grunt escaping them as they do so. "eugh, i think i just grew a chest hair." kennedy is biting into the flesh of a lime wedge when nadia asks her question, one that makes them fix their posture a bit. "of course. i didn't come back to town to settle down here or anything if that's what you're wondering. this is just, temporary. you know, while i figure out what to write next." kennedy isn't certain why they feel the need to explain themselves but they do. maybe it's to claw onto any superiority they might feel at the fact that they did it. in a town of wasted potential and unfulfilled dreams, ken made it out. "what about you?"

nadia pulls a face at the idea of tinder . and dating . and dating anyone in this town . it all feels too incestuous for her . " that makes two of us . " she agrees . " you have to tell me which redcreekian had ' searching for tinderella ' on their profile . was it santi ? please say it was santi . " the amount of shit she'll give him will TRIPLE . nadia barks out a laugh , loud and unceremonious . the bartender gives them another look but nadia is done paying him any mind . she raises her shot glass to kennedy before pressing it to her lips and downing the substance . immediately , it burns . nadia winces slightly but she's WELL VERSED with shots by now . " fucking CHEERS . " she rasps out , nodding . nadia looks around the bar , the crowded space , the familiar faces . " do you ever think about leaving redcreek ? " she doesn't know where the sudden question comes from , but it rips out of her from somewhere deep and unfounded .

vikram’s mind hasn't stopped racing since the news of alaina price's body. there was too much to do. preparation to make, unwanted visitors to turn away, worried townspeople to ease. it wasn't just a death. it was a murder. a horrendously obvious act of violence that vikram somehow had cover up for the wake. but how do you make tragedy look presentable? a familiar voice echos down the hallway, pulling vikram from his pacing around the office to look up and meet pleading eyes. “oh! of course.” he’s quick to take the cup of coffee from greers hand, frantically looking around for a safe place to place it as if he didn't own the place and settling for an empty coffin left on its side that he has yet to bring to the main room storage room. it was next on his to-dos he swears! “wait— let me help.” he reaches for the smaller hand, fingers carefully prying open the clamped grip that threatens to tear dark locks out of greer's head. new target acquired, vikram can feel blair’s sticky fingers grab hold of his index and middle, keeping him locked by greer’s side. a chuckle escapes him then, as he leans slightly towards blair. “hi.” a whispered greeting, paired with a nervous smile as he playfully waves their tiny first. he turns to greer next, meeting the younger man's warm brown with tired, sleep-deprived black. “good morning, greer. it's really good to see you.” and he means it. "would you like some breakfast? i was about to whip myself up something." vikram doesn't have the stomach to eat yet but if greer and blair joined him then he would be more inclined to try.

𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗱      :   greer    &    vikram    (  @brntout ) !

𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿:   6:43am.

𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:  funeral home.

* ❪ ⛓️ ❫ ﹕ 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀   𝗻𝗼   𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴   𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸   𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁   𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀   which   of   the   rare   locations   the   world   has   to   offer   is   classified   as   inappropriate   for   children,   especially   those   in   redcreek   that   stay   stagnant.   save   for   the   trickle   of   new   industries   that   try   to   make   a   mark   in   the   rural   town.   unfortunately   for   the   one   of   them   today's   plus   one   isn't   nour,   despite   her   still   persistent   &   blunt   nature.  this morning's    guest   is   his   ten   month   old   niece.   chubby   hands   are   reaching   out   toward   greer's   face   as   they   walk   through   heavy   doors,   splintered   wood   creaking   underneath   them   as   he   tries   to   avoid   getting   his   eyes   poked   out.    ❛  i   know   baby. ❜     blair's   got   one   of   his   curls   now as she bounces in her chest carrier,   tugging   with   the   strength   that   most   toddlers   acquire:  the   brute   force   of   a   hundred  fucking  lions.   greer's   stifling   the   cuss   word   that   threatens   to   cross   his   tongue   by   simply   biting   it   &   letting   out   a   wince.    ❛  vik,   you   mind   takin'    this  while i get mauled for a sec ?  ❜    he   calls   out,   hoping   the   man   will   save   the   boiling   coffee   that   threatens   to   overspill   with   blair's   movements   &   singe   his   hand   to   bone.  an   added   bonus  ?   it   serves   as   this   morning's   gift   for  the   absolute   hell   he's   undoubtedly already   enduring   with   the   news.   greer   can   only   guess   the   diversity   of   company   that'll   be   searching   the   home   &   cemetery   an   equal   opportunity   to   sniff   out   the   investigation;   journalists,   wannabe   crime   sleuths,   police,   even   spunky   tourists   who   take   murder   scenes   as   fun   museum   tours.

his  smile  widens  at  the  sight  of  hana  rolling  her  eyes,  always  a  sucker  for  that  type  of  banter,  especially  when  it  came  from  someone  as vivacious as  hana.  always  smiling,  always  sunny.  salvador  couldn’t  help  but  wonder  what  she  looks  like  when  she’s  annoyed.  would  she  be  the  type  to  yell  or  silently  plot  revenge?  can’t  really  picture  her  slashing  a  tire,  but  he  is  convinced  that  she  has  to  be  some  type  of  crazy  to  work  here.  to  base  her  reply  on  what  a  playing  card  has  to  say. he  was  a  sucker  for  crazy  too.  his  gaze  only  flickers  to  the  image  when  she  presents  it,  a  lazy  attempt  to  feign  interest  before  landing  back  on  hana.  “the  fool?”  he  repeats,  an  airy  chuckle  escaping  her  as  he  does.  “didn’t  even  know  they  had  a  card  named  that.  i’ll  take  it,  i  guess.”  he’s  been  called  worse.  mostly  deserved.  honestly,  she  could  have  told  him  anything  and  he  would have  accepted it. knew better than to question a woman with witchy inclinations.  “fresh  starts  and  taking  risks…  think  it’s  talking  about  you?  you  got  some  danger  attached  to  you,  han?”  he  asks,  taking  a  step  back  to  look  her  over,  as  if  he  could  find  an  answer  on  sight  alone.  “what  are  you  doing  this  weekend?” // @repentulant

☾ ⋰ hana rolls her eyes as she stands upright, although she isn't entirely annoyed. any attention is great, positive attention even better. she bites the inside of her cheek to keep an excited smile from spreading across her features. head tilts like she's heavily debating the answer. ❝ hmm... let's see what card has to say about that, yes ? ❞ she flips the card & shrieks out a little laugh : in her hands sits the fool. she can think of more than one person that would love to know the card he pulled. she turns it to him like a gift. ❝ so, this one isn't bad. it was just funny to flip around. it's all about fresh starts & taking risks. ❞ and also warns of the dangers of blind optimism & delirium, but she can tell him about that later. ❝ lucky for you, it also means yes. ❞

“god, took you long enough! wait... what are you supposed to be?” they take a moment to do a quick look over, assessing his attire with open amusement before getting down to business. “anyway —" attention is shifted to their phone, a wall of text displayed on screen. “i already requested an official statement from the police on behalf of the register but nothing yet. my guy at the department is being real stingy with the details too — makes me think it’s definitely something bigger. like someone important…” has anyone seen the mayor? “… or foul play. got some guys on record saying that norwood street was closed via police tape a few hours ago. they must have found the body there.” they gasp, look up to meet ricardo's eyes with a sudden realization. “do you think it’s that estrada girl that went missing a while ago ?” then… a smile. it’s brief and easy to miss under the moonlight but it’s there and it’s hungry.  a subtle way of matching his sentiment about the attention it would bring this small town, to them. “i'll have something at your desk by five. i just... i need coffee or water or something. gonna go to redstone and see who i can interview there.” they aren’t drunk by any means but now that the adrenaline of the party and the news was beginning to subside, they could feel their body begging to crash. “don’t be an incel and make me walk there alone in the dark. think there might be a murderer out on the loose.” OoOOOOooooO

○    NOW DELIVERING TO . . .    ⏤ @brntout !

location :  lurking thru da streets

time:  1 : 54 am

as soon as ricardo makes out the familiar shape , he's moving swiftly towards them . " HEY ! " he calls out , completely ignoring the fact that some people might be on edge or jumpy with the news that's currently out there . but , he doubts that KENNEDY is included in that bunch . she blurs the line between typical in a way that ricardo has begrudging respect towards . ricardo falls into line beside them . " what have you heard and how quickly can you get a story up by - " ricardo twists his wrist to look at his cartier watch " by 6am ? we'll be pushing first print , but it'll get us some attention in this forsaken , weird , boring - as - shit town finally . " and with attention comes MONEY .

DEV PATEL as GAWAIN THE GREEN KNIGHT (2021)