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Wagonny~Chapter Five
Antonio sat there silently as Sylvia paced back and forth in front of him. "When are they going to get back? What if this is permanent? What are we going to do?"
Antonio reached up and took her hand. He pulled her into the chair next to him and put his arm around her shoulders. "Honey, it's only been fifteen minutes. The doctor said it would be at least an hour. As for the rest, we will do what we need to do."
Sylvia lay her head on his shoulder. "How?" she asked, feeling completely overwhelmed. The doctor had ordered another MRI, this time of Carlos' lower spine.
"I don't know, but we will," Antonio promised.
There was a quiet knock at the door and Jen looked in. "Any news yet?"
Antonio shook his head. "It's going to be awhile."
"How are you holding up?" Jen asked as she went over and sat on the other side of Sylvia.
"My baby can't feel his legs, Logan is going to blame himself, and I have no idea how to help either of them," Sylvi said, choking back a sob.
"Sweetheart, Carlos will be fine, The doctor said that temporary paralysis is common after an injury like this," Antonio said.
"What if it's not temporary? Sylvia asked, tears pooling in her eyes.
"It WILL be," Jen said hugging her friend.
John was still sitting in the cafeteria with Kendall and James. He was watching the two boys like a hawk, and wasn't buying their sudden obedience. The two were talking quietly about their last hockey practice and how they could improve their passing skills. He yawned and was in desperate need of another cup of coffee.
"I can get you a refill," James offered.
"Not a chance, you two are staying right there," John said firmly.
"I was just trying to help," James pouted, trying to cross his arms over his chest.
"Hey!" Kendall said, yanking his own arm back.
James pulled his arm back. "Knock it off!"
"YOU knock it off!" Kendall said, pulling back.
James immediately yanked his arm over again. "What are you going to do about it?"
Kendall glared and suddenly jumped on James and the two tumbled off the chair. "THIS!"
"Hey!" John yelled and jumped up. He grabbed each boy by an arm, hauled them up, and pushed them back into their respective chairs.
"He started it," James said.
"I did not, YOU did!" Kendall said, yanking his arm back over.
"Do not start that again!" John ordered. He stood up and pushed a chair between the two boys. He kept a firm grip on Kendall's arm as he unlocked the handcuff and pulled it through the opening on the back of the chair and then hooked it back on Kendall's wrist.
"Hey!" Kendall protested.
John looked down at them, satisfied. He slipped his keys back into his pocket. "Good. Now I'm going to get another cup of coffee and you are both to behave. Is that understood?"
Kendall yanked on the cuff, moving the chair and bumping John's leg, but it didn't go any further.
"This isn't fair," James huffed.
John smirked and ruffled his hair. "Life isn't fair, kiddo."
"MY hair!" James shrieked, trying to smooth it back down with his one free hand.
John laughed. "Behave, I will be right back."
James leaned towards Kendall as John walked towards the coffee stand. "Well?"
Kendall smirked and dangled John's keys. He watched John carefully and as soon as the man looked away to pour his coffee, he quickly unlocked the cuffs and then palmed the keys again. He took the cuff from James' wrist and hooked it to the metal brace under the table. "Hold your arm still and wait for my signal."
James smiled and nodded.
John walked back over to the table. "Well, I see you're both still here."
"Very funny," Kendall glared.
John smiled as he set his coffee on the table. "Maybe this will teach you little monsters to behave."
"It's not very comfortable," Kendall said pulling on the cuff a little.
"Yeah, we have to hold our arms funny because of the chair," James complained.
John looked at them. "Alright, if you promise no more fighting, I'll remove the chair."
"We promise," they both said.
John went over to the chair, and the next thing he knew, his right arm had a handcuff on it. Both boys scooted out of reach and Kendall smiled at him, holding his keys up. "Missing something?"
"How did you do that?" John asked in shock.
"Trade secrets." Kendall smirked.
"Give me the keys," John ordered, yanking his arm and moving the table an inch or so.
Kendall snorted. "I don't think so."
"Give them to me now and we'll forget this ever happened," John promised.
Kendall shook his head, no.
"You're going to be sorry," John warned.
"Yeah, we hear that a lot," Kendall said.
"I mean it!" John said, exasperated.
James reached over and ruffled John's hair. "Life isn't fair, old man."
John grabbed for him with his left hand, but James was too quick for him.
"Well…bye!" Kendall smiled. He and James took off running through the cafeteria doors again.
"Great," John said as he reached for his cell phone, only to realize it was missing as well. He shook his head as he sat down. "It's going to be a long night."
Joanna shook her head at Logan as the boy giggled and tried to touch the monitors. "Mama, my hands are on upside down."
"Why do you think that?"
"They won't go up!" Logan said trying to figure out how to move his immobilized arm.
"You have a shoulder brace and a splint your arm," Jo told him.
Logan looked at her, shock on his face. "What did I didn't do to do that?"
Jo laughed at him. "Sweetie, why don't you try getting some sleep."
"S'not funny. When do they bring the elephants back, they didn't find them, did they?" Logan asked as he yawned.
Joanna pulled out her phone and set it to record. "What elephants, Logan?"
"Shhh, the ones in the attic. Papa G will make us take them back if he finds them."
"Maybe they're with the giraffes," Jo suggested.
"Pshh, mom, you CAN'T hide giraffes with elephants," Logan said.
"Why not?"
"They're too tall! Only zebras and elephants can hide together. Giraffes have to hide with the chimps," Logan told her, yawning again.
"Why is that?"
"Because the chimps can swing from them so people think they're trees," Logan said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"That's a new one, and I've heard a lot of interesting things here, in recovery." Dr. Barnes laughed.
"Well, this is new to me so I'm recording it for posterity," Jo said.
"They'll be taking him to his room in a few minutes and he'll probably sleep the rest of the night," Dr. Barnes told her.
"Thank you doctor, I really appreciate everything." Jo said.
"You're very welcome, but I might want a copy of that recording, he definitely has an amazing imagination."
"I'll send you a copy," Jo promised.
Half an hour later Logan was in his room, sleeping. Jo was quietly talk to Antonio and Sylvia, who were still waiting to hear about the MRI results.
"They don't know anything?" Jo asked.
"They should be bringing him back any minute. The doctor said she should have results in the next half an hour or so," Sylvia told her.
"She also said that temporary paralysis is fairly common with this type of injury," Antonio said reassuringly.
"So he'll be alright," Jo said, hugging Sylvia.
"I hope so," Sylvia said, trying not to cry again.
"M-Mom, C-Carlos is paralyzed?" Logan asked quietly. He had heard voices and had woken once he realized the tone was serious.
"It's just temporary," Jo said, going over and sitting next to him.
"N-No, this c-can't be true! It's all my fault, I did this!" Logan said.
"Logan, it's alright. He's going to be just fine," Antonio said going over to stand next to him.
"It's my fault! Why did I even consider it after last time! It's all my fault!" Logan cried, completely inconsolable. He started to hyperventilate and the alarms on the monitors started beeping.
"Honey, calm down!" Jo said trying to hold him.
"I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry! Please, please make him be okay!" Logan sobbed, He lost consciousness, as the nurse came running in.
Inkitt Publishing…
To ANYONE thinking about going through Inkitt, if you value YOUR work, YOUR rights,YOUR profits, DON'T do this. This is not a legitimate publishing house, they publish on Amazon, which costs NOTHING. You can do it yourself. If you need help with editing/proofreading/formatting/covers there is a place called Fiverr that has people who do this (at a greatly discounted cost). You will be signing away the rights to your work for NOTHING. They have NO clear marketing strategy, other than sending out vouchers to readers to purchase the book on Amazon. This is also HOW a book gets to a best seller list, because people have to purchase it within a certain amount of time. The vouchers are usually a dollar, which means they actually get 75 cents of that back and YOU get a quarter. You will have NO say in what happens to your work, AND they also hold the rights to any subsequent work you may try to publish in the future. If you still think it's a good deal, print out their contract and have an attorney look it over…they will not like what they see, and tell you to run from anything like this. There are actual legitimate places that you can publish for low costs or none. Createspace costs you nothing. There is also a place that holds contests that ARE legitimate and they have cash prizes. Try this site http://www.usissc.com/, you'll have a better chance of winning, and retain all rights to YOUR work. It's cash prizes so if you do win, you can use that to go through a legitimate self-publishing company.
Some other links to check out:
Inkitt Deleted My Account, and Other Forms of Nefarious Vanity Press Skullduggery
Inkitt Deleted My Account, and Other Forms of Nefarious Vanity Press Skullduggery
I joined Inkitt on May 23rd, 2015. I know this because after they deleted my account, I started feeling a little retrospective and wanted to verify just how long I'd given that site a chance before they decided to pull the plug. Also, I want to show that I wasn't just some recent fly-by who's salty because they only entered one contest and didn't win. I had eight or nine stories on there, the most popular having a little over 1000 reads and the others somewhere between 50-200. Not that I can check that anymore, since my analytics are gone with the account, but it should go to show that I was in there for a good while and gave it a pretty good shot, in my opinion.
With that established, let's get to the goods. Inkitt, as some of you may know, is a story publishing site similar to…
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Please help
I don't usually post a lot of things that aren't writing related, but a friend's grandmother passed away, and he is responsible for her burial. While there is family, most don't seem to be interested in helping him with this, so I'm asking if anyone can spare anything, this lovely lady deserves a decent funeral. Thank you.
Shadows ~ Chapter One
In nearly every culture there are stories of those who walk in darkness, or shadow people. Souls who linger here, unwilling or unable, to move on to the next realm. Some are believed to be good spirits who look over those they have left behind. Others though…others are believed to be malevolent spirits who come in darkness to feed off of anger, sorrow, and despair. In Turkey it is called Jiin, Phi Am in Thailand, Pinyin in China, Kanashibari in Japan, Madzikirira in Zimbabwe…and so on.
Modern science tells us that these creatures do not exist… that what people experience is actually something called, sleep paralysis. You awake, or so you think, to find you cannot move or speak. You can sense something in the room, perhaps you can even catch a glimpse of the shadow as it moves closer, you feel it as it climbs on top of you and presses down until you cannot breathe. Doctors tell us all you have to do is concentrate, move a finger or toe to wake yourself up. Religious leaders tell us to recite The Lord's Prayer, or sing a hymn, and for some people, these things work.
What if BOTH versions are true? What if there are souls that need to feed off of the living? Have you ever felt something pressing down on you in the middle of the night. Been unable to speak or scream? Have you felt drained and confused when you awoke? Have you seen handprints in the bedding as you tried to turn your head. Perhaps it was just a dream… or maybe, just maybe, it was something else.
It watches… It waits… It hungers for the tears and screams of the innocent ones. It revels in their terror… but somewhere, deep inside, It mourns for what It used to be. There are times It wants to reach out and comfort those whose silent screams It steals, but shadows and darkness have taken the place of any form It used to have. So now…It watches and waits as the hunger grows.
March 2001, Shakopee, Minnesota.
3:00 a.m.
The little boy opens his eyes. The room is dark, with the exception of a faint sliver of light from the outside streetlight that makes its way through the closed blinds. The house is quiet and he yawns slightly, wondering why he is awake when it is still dark outside. He starts to nod back off when hears a faint noise coming from the direction of his dresser. He freezes, trying to figure out what it is. His eyes dart around the room and he thinks he sees movement out of the corner of his eye, but when he tries to turn his head, finds he cannot move.
Not again, please not again! he begs as his heart beats faster. His tries to move his arms and legs, but he is immobilized. He tries to call out, but his voice is gone. Suddenly his eyes catch a glimpse of a shadowy figure at the foot of his bed. His heart races as he desperately tries to move, only to be held down as something crawls over him and starts pressing down. He looks up into a hollow-faced figure of darkness and screams as the light goes out. "MOMMY!"
Nearly three hundred miles away near Red Lake, a young Objiwe woman, named Aki, tossed and turned in her sleep. Visions flashed through her mind and she was filled with dread as the screams of children resounded in her ears. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up quickly, taking deep measured breaths as she tried to slow her racing heart. Her eyes were drawn to the foot of her bed where her calico cat, Feather, lay. Feather's ears were back, her eyes focused on the wall by the window, and a low growl escaped from her throat. Aki turned on the light and looked around but nothing was there. Her dream fresh in mind, Aki jumped up, grabbed a sweatshirt, and raced out of her house and down the lane to where her grandmother lived. She'll know what we need to do!"
Wenonah Young was roused from sleep by a pounding at her door. "Nookomis, I need you!"
The woman opened her eyes and quickly got up, spurred on by the urgency in her granddaughter's voice. Aki was a very rational child and did not panic easily. Keeping calm in stressful situations was one of the reasons Nookomis Wenonah had chosen her to follow on her path as Mashkikiikwe for their people.
She opened the door to find the young woman still in her pajamas. Her dark hair was loose and blew freely in the night wind. "What is it child?"
"They're coming, some are already near," Aki managed to get out as she walked in and closed the door behind her.
"Who are coming?" Wenonah asked, fearing she might already know the answer. She had felt an uneasiness in the world around her, but nothing clear until now.
"Jiibay gimoodishkiiwinini," Aki said.
"Come inside and sit," Wenonah said, ushering her granddaughter to a chair near the fireplace. She sat in the rocking chair across from Aki and watched her silently for a moment. "Tell me what you saw," she instructed.
Aki nodded and took a deep breath. She closed her eyes for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "There was a child, no…children. So much sorrow, so much pain, and the shadows move towards them. Nookomis, I haven't felt any Jiibay gimoodishkiiwinini since I was a child. There are several and they scream to each other as they hunt."
Her grandmother nodded. "Go home and pack, tomorrow we follow them."
"How will we know where to go?"
"We follow the dreams," she said simply. "Now go, but be back here before dawn. I need to prepare the Mshkiki and make an offering."
"Yes Nookomis," Aki said, standing up.
Wenonah smiled softly at the girl. "Don't be afraid child, we will stop them."
"Are you sure?"
"Noozhis, have I ever been wrong?" Wenonah asked with a laugh.
"No Nookomis, never." Aki smiled.
"Then go, for tomorrow we hunt," the old woman said.
"Eya' Nookomis," Aki said and kissed her cheek. She rushed out the door, pulling it closed behind her.
The smile faded a bit from the old woman's face as she went over to a chest and opened it. She pulled out a large leather bag and started filling it with assorted items, chanting as she worked. She sent a silent prayer to Gitchi Manitou to watch over the little ones and keep them safe until dawn.
Officer Antonio Garcia groaned as he grabbed for his ringing phone. He looked at the caller ID and then the clock. "Hello, this had better be good because I'm off duty until Tuesday." He quickly sat up as the person on the other end spoke. "What the hell happened?"
"We're not sure. His parents heard him scream and by the time they got to his room he wasn't breathing. The medics are on scene and still working on him, they say it looks like cardiac arrest," Officer Johnson told him.
"He's only ten!" Antonio said as he pulled on his clothes.
"That's not all…"
"What else?" Antonio asked.
"The window has some marks on it that the parents say weren't there before," Johnson said.
"Was it broken?"
"No, it's not broken. The glass itself has some strange marks on it… it's really hard to explain. You'll have to see it for yourself," Johnson said.
"I'll be there in ten minutes," he said as he grabbed his lock box, opened it, and took out his revolver.
Sylvia Garcia had awoken at the commotion and looked over at him. "What's wrong, what happened?" she asked, sitting up.
"I'm not sure yet, honey. I have to go, but I'll let you know what's going on as soon as I can," he promised, as he ran out the bedroom door.
Sylvia tried going back to sleep and sighed in frustration as sleep evaded her. She got up and went to make herself a cup of tea, these were the times when she hated Antonio's job.
After finishing her tea she headed back upstairs and decided to check on Carlos before turning in again. She shivered as the wind howled outside and she tucked the covers tightly around Carlos and kissed his forehead. He opened his eyes and looked up at her. "Don't worry Mami, everything will be alright," he whispered.
"What will?" she asked.
"Bisabuelo Roberto said he won't let it come," he said.
"Won't let who come?" she asked.
"El oscuro," he murmured as he drifted back to sleep.
Sylvia shivered again and jumped when there was a rapping at the window. She could see the shadows of the tree branches moving as the wind blew and went to check the latch. She noticed a strange mark on the window and rubbed it with her finger. That's odd, it's on the outside, she thought as she inspected the dark smudge.
Two streets down seven-year-old Logan Mitchell tossed and turned in his sleep. He whimpered and was jolted awake by something in his dreams. He looked around the room as he tried to remember why he had awoken so suddenly. He started to lie back against his pillows, but decided he didn't like the quiet, lonely room. He grabbed his favourite blanket and padded down the hallway to his parents' room.
His dad woke up as Logan crawled into the large bed. "What's up Partner?" Alex yawned as his son curled up next to him.
"Bad dream," Logan said.
"Are you alright?" Alex asked, pulling the blankets over his son.
"Mhmm," Logan mumbled as he fell back to sleep, feeling safe and secure lying in-between his parents.
It watched from the shadows as the little boy woke and turned on the small table lamp next to his bed. It watched as he left the room and hissed at the light. The light brought pain, the light brought memories…including those of what It used to be. It had a name once…It had a form, now It was only a shadow. It was called An Brón by the others like It, who hunted in the night. The ones who ruled over them used only the name, It, for those who sought out the sorrowful, the fearful, the angry, and the lonely. Each hunted the world to feed off of the mortals while they slept.
This was the third home It had visited tonight, the second failure for tonight. The other home had been guarded by a light that had refused to let It enter and An Brón had screamed in fury. The guardian had refused to let It pass and had push backed towards the darkness, threatening to bring more light. It had retreated, knowing It couldn't defeat the other. Now this one had awoken too soon and It had failed again.
An Brón stayed in the shadows and made it's way to the window, careful to avoid the light, and slipped through the glass with ease. It glided through the night hoping to find more prey before the night ended.
Jennifer Knight sighed as she looked over at the clock, it was close to 4:00 am and she still couldn't sleep. Almost two months, she thought, holding back tears. She knew sleep wasn't going to come so she decided to get up and bake some brownies for dessert at the Garcia's tomorrow. She pulled on her robe and started down the hallway. She checked on two year-old Katie, before heading downstairs, to make sure she was still under her blankets. The toddler had a habit of kicking them down to the end of the crib and it was too cold at night for her to go uncovered. She smiled down at the little girl who had a firm grip on her little stuffed cat. Her brother had given it to her for her birthday last month and Katie refused to go anywhere without it.
Jen leaned down and kissed Katie on the forehead, pulling the blankets up around her. The toddler stirred, but just clutched her stuffed cat closer, snuggling her face into the soft body. Oh Will, she's growing and changing so much every day. She looks so much like my mom and I miss the both of you so much, Jen thought as she quietly backed out of the room.
She decided to check on Kendall, and walked across the hallway to his room. She opened his door and squinted against the sudden brightness. His overhead light was on full, as well as the table lamp. She looked over at him and saw his blankets were pulled up over his head, all she could see was a small tuft of blond hair on the pillow. Jen turned off the overhead and went over to him, wondering why he had all of the lights on. She tugged at the blankets, but he had them pulled tightly to him. She gently shook him."Kendall, why do you have all the lights on?"
He jerked awake and pulled back. "Mommy?"
"Yes sweetheart, it's mommy. Why do you have all of the lights on?"
"I don't know," he said quietly.
"Did you have a bad dream?" Jen asked.
"I don't remember," Kendall said.
"Are you okay?"
"Y-Yeah, I'm okay," he said.
"Are you sure?"
He nodded as he pulled the blankets close.
"Alright, only ONE light on please," Jen said as she kissed his forehead.
"Okay," he sighed.
"Goodnight baby," Jen said as she walked over to the door and turned off the overhead light.
"Goodnight mommy," Kendall said.
"Sweet dreams," she smiled as she closed the door.
Kendall pulled the blankets over his face, so only his eyes were visible. He tightly clutched the small flashlight he had under the covers as he watched the room for shadows.
Just a few blocks over, little James Diamond was sleeping soundly, dreaming that he and his friends were playing hockey at the pond in the park.
It was a beautiful, sunny day and the four boys skated and laughed as they passed the puck to one another.
"Boys, it's time to go home," Papa G called from where he and Alex were watching under the old oak tree.
"But Papi!" Carlos whined.
"It's getting late," Papa M said.
It was getting darker and the wind was starting to blow. James looked around at his friends and they all started back across the pond.
"Come on James, hurry," Mike Diamond called out, waving to him. He was standing apart from the other dads, on the hill to the right of the tree.
James smiled seeing his dad there. He rarely went to the boys' games and never to the park to watch them practice. "Daddy!"
Suddenly someone had ahold of his arm and pulled him close. "No James, he's not real. None of this is real. You need to wake up," a soft voice said.
James looked up into soft brown eyes of a little old man. He was a little shorter than Papa G and Papa M and he had thick, wavy hair that was mostly silver. He was wearing a white, loose fitting top that reminded James of something you would wear at the beach, not Minnesota in winter. He seemed familiar, but James couldn't remember where he had seen him before. "Who are you?"
"Hola James, you can call me Beto," the man said.
"Beto? I don't understand, am I asleep?" James asked.
"Yes, now listen to me. You have to be strong and you have to be brave because not everything is what it seems," Beto told him.
"I don't understand," James said, confused by what he was saying.
"Look around you, what do you see?"
James looked around and suddenly the park seemed to be engulfed by darkness. His friends' voices started to fade away, but he could hear his dad's voice calling to him. "James, come off the ice to daddy!"
James started towards Mike but Beto held him tightly. "What's going on?" the little boy asked.
Beto smiled softly. "This is very important, you must always remember that there are many who love you boys."
"I-I know," James said, his eyes tearing up and the sudden sadness he felt. The darkness was making it hard to see the man, even though he could still feel his hand on his arm.
"Others are coming to help, but for now you must wake up," Beto said softy.
James woke with a start, with a feeling of dread pushing down upon him. He started to panic as he realized he couldn't move. He tried to call out to his mother, but couldn't seem to speak. He looked up and there was something dark, floating above him. It didn't seem to have a shape, but he could tell it was there.
"JAMES, WAKE UP NOW!" Beto's voice called out.
There was flash of light and suddenly James could move. He jumped up and ran for the door, when he got there turned on the light. He looked around, but nothing was in the room. "Mommy!" he screamed.
An Brón hissed in anger as It fled through the glass. HOW did the Guardian find It here? He has no connection to this boy that An Brón could sense. Hissing again at the coming dawn, It changed course and fled to an old house where It could hide in safety until night came once more.
Antonio pulled up in front of the Gibson's home and got out. The ambulance was had already left and one patrol car had stayed behind. Antonio got out and walked up to the house. Officer Johnson met him at the door.
"Well?" Antonio asked.
"He's alive, not out of danger, but alive. His parents don't know what happened or why. They say he was perfectly alright when they tucked him in for the night," Johnson told him.
"What do the medics think?" Antonio asked.
"They don't know yet. Mrs. Gibson went with Jake, Mr. Gibson is inside waiting to speak to you," Johnson said, holding the door for him.
Antonio nodded and walked inside. He saw Mr. Gibson sitting on the couch, leaning forward with his head in his hands. Antonio went over and sat next to him. "How are you holding up Tom?"
Tom Gibson looked up and Antonio could tell he's been crying. "How do you think I am? My little boy could die and they tell me it may have been a heart attack. What ten-year-old has a heart attack?"
Antonio patted him on the shoulder, letting the man vent his fear and frustration. After a few minutes he quieted down and sat there, looking at his hands.
"Tom, Officer Johnson said there was a scream?" Antonio asked softly.
"What…oh, yes." Tom said, shaking his head to clear it. "We were all sound asleep, I checked on him at eleven-thirty, before I turned in. He was fine…I just don't understand this. When he screamed, I thought he was just having another nightmare."
"Has anything out of the ordinary happen lately?" Antonio asked.
Tom shook his head. "No, not really. I mean not today… we did have to put Caesar down on Friday. Jake was sad, but we explained it was time and he agreed. Poor old dog couldn't even walk on his own anymore."
"I'm sorry about that," Antonio said, remembering the yellow lab that had been a part of the Gibson household for as long as he could remember.
"He made it to fifteen, was there for all of Jake's life. Could that be the reason, could losing him have caused this?" Tom asked, looking at Antonio.
"I don't know, maybe. Jake hasn't been sick at all?"
Tom shook his head again. "No…he's always been such a healthy boy," he said, tears filling his eyes again.
"So you haven't noticed anything strange. He couldn't have gotten into anything that made him sick?" Antonio asked again.
Tom shook his head. "No, we don't keep anything lying around. Anything that could possibly be toxic is locked up in the garage cupboards, always has been. Caesar would eat any and everything, so we got into the habit before Jake was even born."
"Do I have your permission to look around?" Antonio asked.
"Of course," Tom said.
"Alright, I'm going to have Officer Dane drive you to the hospital and I'll be there as soon as we've checked things out. We'll lock everything up tight, so make sure you have your keys," Antonio said, standing up.
Tom nodded and stood up. He walked towards the door and looked back at Antonio. "W-What if he doesn't make it? How am I supposed to go on?" he asked.
Antonio walked over to him and put an arm around his shoulders. "He's a strong boy, and he has excellent doctors looking after him. You need to be strong for him, and you and Sophie need to be strong for each other. You know Sylvia and I will be here for you as well."
Tom nodded and opened the front door. "Thank you."
"Always," Antonio said, giving him a reassuring smile.
Tom nodded and Antonio signaled for Officer Dane who opened the back door of the patrol car for the man. Antonio watched until the pulled out and went back inside.
"Okay, show me this window," he said to Johnson.
"Yes sir," Johnson said as they started upstairs. They stopped at the first door on the left and Johnson opened the door and they went inside.
Antonio looked around the room, it was a typical bedroom for a young boy. Clothes tossed in the corner, a video game console and games littered the top of the dresser. The night table had a small clock, a glass of water, and a 5×7 photo of Jake and Caesar. Everything looked normal except for the bedding on the floor. He checked the closet and found nothing of interest there. "Nothing looks out of the ordinary."
"Check this out," Johnson said, pointing to the window.
Antonio walked over and looked at the window. It was clear and you could see the snow illuminated by streetlight outside the house, except for a dark streak, about three inches long, in the center of the window. He put on the gloves that Johnson held out for him."That's odd, it looks like someone smudged it with soot or ink," Antonio said, rubbing at it.
"That's what I thought, except for the fact that the window is double paned," Johnson said opening the window.
"So?" Antonio asked.
Johnson poked his head out and rubbed the outside of the window. "It's on the outside pane too, in the exact same place."
"How can that be?" Antonio asked, taking Johnson's place and looking back in the window. Holding his finger over the interior smudge for reference, he saw that what Johnson had said was true. "What the hell is it?"
"I've never seen anything like it," Johnson said.
"I doubt it has anything to do with what happened, but get someone from forensics here to check it out," Antonio ordered as he closed the window.
"That's not all," Johnson said.
"What else?" Antonio asked, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"There's another one here," Johnson said, picking up the framed photo of Jake and Caesar and pointing to the top right corner of the frame. On the glass was another small mark, exactly like the one on the window.
"What the hell?" Antonio said under his breath.
"Neither of the parents have seen the marks before, so I thought they were worth checking out," Johnson told him.
Antonio nodded. "Send the frame to the lab as well."
"Yes sir," Johnson said, pulling out a small plastic bag and carefully placing the picture inside it.
Brooke Diamond woke up and stretched out. She smiled sadly at James, who was finally sleeping peacefully. She had heard him scream and gone running, he had run right into her as he opened his door and fled his bedroom. He was shaking and not making any sense, talking about the shadows that came to life. She had gone into his room and found nothing there, but he still refused to go back to bed. She picked him up and took him back to her room, where he eventually fell asleep, but refused to let her turn out the lights. She sighed as she brushed back his bangs. "My poor darling, too much has changed recently," she said, kissing his forehead. He stirred slightly and cuddled up closer to her so she lay back and held him close.
Joanna Mitchell woke up about 7 am and was surprised to see Logan sleeping between her and Alex, usually she woke up if he tried to climb into bed with them. She reached over and nudged Alex. "When did Logan come in?"
"A few hours go, said he had a bad dream," Alex yawned, as he rolled over and smile at her.
"Poor baby," she said kissing Logan on the head.
"What about me?" Alex pouted.
"Look me up when you have a bad dream," she said as she started to get up.
"I think I'm in one now," he said, pushing his lower lip out even further.
She smiled and leaned over and kissed him.
"Yuck!" Logan mumbled.
"Quiet you little rustler, or next time you can sleep on the couch," Alex said.
"Daddy, it was scary," Logan whined.
"What was honey?" Joanna asked.
"I don't remember, but it was," Logan said.
"If you can't remember it, how do you know it was scary?" Alex asked.
"It just was," Logan insisted stubbornly.
"Daddy's not doubting you, we just want to know why you were scared," Joanna said gently.
"I don't remember…just that there was something there and then there wasn't," Logan told her.
"You know dreams can't hurt you, right?" Alex asked.
Logan sighed. "I know, but it was still scary."
"Of course it was Logie-Bear, but you're safe here with us and we won't let anything hurt you," Joanna promised.
"I know," Logan said, smiling at her.
"Good, now how about I make us a nice, big breakfast to start the day?"
"Okay, can I help?" Logan asked.
"Of course you can," Joanna said, holding her hand out to him.
Logan took it and grinned as he climbed off the bed and they headed downstairs to the kitchen together.
Jen had finished the brownies and gone back to bed for a couple of hours. She woke up and quickly dressed for work. She woke up Katie, dressed her, and went downstairs so she could feed the toddler before waking Kendall. She saw the overhead light on and switched it off. "That's odd, I'm sure I turned out all the lights."
She was headed for the kitchen but stopped when she saw a small figure on the couch. She went over and saw Kendall, sound asleep, his blanket pulled around him. He was holding his small flashlight tightly in his hand. What is going on with you? She sighed and decided to let him continue sleeping while she fed Katie.
She and Katie had just finished breakfast when Kendall wandered into the kitchen. "Good morning sweetheart, how are you feeling today?"
"Okay," Kendall answered quietly as he sat down at the table.
"Did you sleep alright?"
"Are you sure? You look tired baby," Jen said, deciding not to mention finding him asleep on the couch. He had been quiet after the accident, but she thought he had been doing better. The last week or so he had withdrawn again, then he was sleeping with all the lights on, and now on the couch.
"I'm okay," Kendall said.
"Are you sure?" Jen asked again.
"Yes Mama, I'm fine."
"Okay, if you're sure. You and Katie are going to stay at Mama and Papa G's until I get off work and then everyone is going there for dinner and a couple of movies. How does that sound?" she asked, hoping to get a smile.
"But it's Sunday," Kendall said, they never stayed late on a school night.
"Tomorrow is teachers planning day, no school," Jen reminded him, surprised he'd forgotten they had a day off.
"Can I spend the night?"
"I don't know…you boys have a tendency to stay up too late and you haven't been sleeping very well."
"Please, I promise we'll go to bed when we're supposed to," Kendall said.
Jen smiled at him. "Aright, I'll call Mama G and see if she's up for it. If not, you can all stay here."
"No! Please mom, I'll be good," Kendall begged.
She looked at him in surprise. "Honey, I know you will. Why are you so anxious about this?"
Kendall looked down. "I don't know," he said quietly.
"I'm sure it'll be okay with Mama G, so why don't you run and pack your backpack while I give her a call," Jen suggested.
"Okay," Kendall said, smiling as he headed upstairs.
"Hurry and then come back and eat your breakfast!" Jen called after him.
"I will!"
She shook her head as she dialed the Garcia home number.
"Hello," Sylvia answered.
"Hey Sylvia, Kendall wanted to know if he could spend the night since there's no school tomorrow," Jen said.
"Of course! In fact, I was thinking of having all the boys over since Brooke had them last time."
"Thank you…could I talk to you about something?" Jen asked.
"Sure, what is it?"
"I'm not quite sure what's been going on, but Kendall has been having trouble sleeping lately, and I'm getting worried about it. I think he's been having nightmares again," Jen said. She went on to tell her about the lights being on and finding Kendall on the couch that morning.
"That's odd, we'll see how he does tonight. Maybe Antonio can try and find out what's been going on," Sylvia said.
"Okay, thank you. We'll be over in a little while," Jen said, her tone suddenly cheery as Kendall walked back into the kitchen.
"We'll be waiting," Sylvia said.
After performing a cleansing ritual and then making an offering of tobacco, Wenonah was able to find signs of the Jiibay and she and Aki had started their journey. They arrived in Shakopee about two in the afternoon. Aki pulled into a gas station and filled their gas tank as Wenonah sat in the car and meditated. Once the tank was full Aki got back in the driver's side and looked over at her grandmother. "Where do we go?"
Wenonah smiled without opening her eyes. "That way," she said pointing forward and to the north.
Aki nodded, started the engine and pulled out heading north.
They had been driving for about fifteen minutes when Wenonah put her hand up. "Stop here."
"Are you sure?" Aki asked as she pulled up in front of the police station.
"Yes," Wenonah said as she opened the door and got out. Aki wondered what Wenonah was up to as followed her into the police station.
They got inside and Wenonah walked up to the front desk. "How may I help you?" Officer Bannon asked.
Wenonah smiled at him. "There are children in danger and I need to speak to the officer in charge."
"What children and what kind of danger are they in?" he asked, typing something into his computer.
"If I knew who they were, I wouldn't be here, I would be where they are," she said.
He looked at her and cleared his throat. "Ma'am, I'm afraid I need a little bit more information than that."
She looked at him, arching her eyebrow. "Young man, we do not have time to waste on discussing details. I need to speak to the office in charge."
"Ma'am, details are what we need in order to find out if there is a crime being committed," he explained.
She leaned towards him and lowered her voice. "Child, crimes are for the living. What we seek has long since passed into the land of spirits."
Before he could reply, an older officer came out of an office, closing the door behind him. "I'm heading home now, if anyone needs me, call O'Hara."
"Yes Chief," Bannon said.
"Ladies," Antonio said, giving Aki and Wenonah a small smile as he walked by them.
Wenonah watched him leave and then turned back to Officer Bannon.
Antonio got home and found the boys watching the end of the hockey game. "Who's winning?" he asked as he hung up his jacket.
"The Rangers," Carlos said.
"Who are they playing?"
"The Penguins," James told him.
"Good game?" Antonio asked.
"Not really, The Penguins aren't playing the great today," Carlos said.
"Maybe next time," Antonio laughed as he headed for the kitchen.
Sylvia was in the kitchen a tray of snacks for the boys. "Hey, so what happened?"
Antonio kissed her cheek and sat down at the table. "Little Jake Gibson went into cardiac arrest last night."
"Oh my God! How is he, do they know what happened, how are Tom and Sophie?" Sylvia rushed out, sitting down next to him.
"He's stable, the doctor is running tests to find out what's going on with his heart. Other than that, they aren't sure what happened. Tom said he heard him scream and when they got to him he wasn't breathing," Antonio told her.
"Tom and Sophie must be out of their minds with worry."
"They are," Antonio said, rubbing his eyes.
"I'll call her tomorrow and see if there's anything I can do. Why don't you get some rest honey, you look exhausted," Sylvia said.
"Maybe a short nap," he said, standing up.
"That reminds me, Jen is worried that Kendall is having nightmares again. She's been checking on him at night and he has the lights on. This morning she found him in the living room, sleeping on the couch."
Antonio sighed. "Okay, I'll go talk to him about it."
"They're all spending the night so there's plenty of time," Sylvia told him.
He nodded. "Before bed then."
She kissed his cheek. "I'll wake you in an hour."
"Deal," he said, kissing her back.
He headed for the stairs and Carlos ran up to him. "Can we go skating Papi?"
"Later Mijo, I'm going to take a quick nap," he said hugging his son.
"Maybe Kendall should take one too, he keeps falling asleep," Logan said, nudging his friend with his arm.
"Do not!" Kendall said.
"Do too," James said.
"Kendall, are you not sleeping well?" Antonio asked going over and sitting on the table in front of the couch.
"Yes Papi," Kendall said, looking down.
"Yes you are, or yes you aren't?" Antonio asked.
"Umm, yes?" Kendall said, smiling in hopes that Antonio would drop the subject.
"Come on," Antonio said, standing up and holding his hand down to the little boy.
Kendall rolled his eyes. "I'm not sleepy."
"Well I am and I can't rest thinking that you might pass out from exhaustion," Antonio told him.
"Papi…" Kendall whined.
"Mijo…" Antonio whined.
The boys all laughed and Kendall shot them a dirty look. "Not funny."
"It wouldn't hurt you boys to take a rest either, maybe naps should become a regular thing," Antonio said, looking at them.
"We're good," James said shaking his head.
"We'll see about that," Antonio said, winking at Kendall.
Kendall smiled and then covered his mouth as a yawn escaped.
Antonio reached down and picked him up. "You and I are getting some sleep, and then we'll all go skating after dinner."
"I'm not sleepy," Kendall said stubbornly.
"If you can't sleep after fifteen minutes, then you can get up," Antonio said carrying him to the guest room.
"Fine." Kendall sighed, knowing he wasn't going to get out of it.
Antonio sat him on the bed and kneeled in front of him. "Are you having bad dreams again?"
"I don't know," Kendall said quietly.
"You don't know or you don't want to worry your mom?"
"I can't remember them," Kendall said.
"Okay, just know that you can talk to me about anything," Antonio said, pulling the blanket over the little boy.
"I know."
"Get some sleep," Antonio said, kissing him on the forehead.
"I'll try," Kendall said.
"I'll be right across the hall if you need me," Antonio said, standing up.
"Okay," Kendall said, yawning again. His eyes were already closing and he pulled the blanket tighter.
Antonio smiled as he closed the door.
"Nookomis, why are we here?" Aki asked as they walked around the frozen pond.
Wenonah walked up to the old oak tree and sat under it. She leaned back against it and smiled. "Jiibay gimoodishkiiwinini are afraid of this place."
"Why?" Aki asked sitting next to her.
"It is a sacred place, survived by generations and protected by those who have passed on."
"How does this help us?"
Wenonah touched the tree. "A new soul is drawn here, but isn't strong enough to drive off the Jiibay gimoodishkiiwinini yet."
"So what do we do?
Wenonah stood up. "We find the ones the Brugo told us about."
"How do we do that? It will be dark in just a few hours," Aki pointed out.
"Then we need to hurry," Wenonah said, as she started walking in long strides across the park.
"Nookomis, the car is that way!" Aki called after her, pointing in the opposite direction.
"We won't need it," Wenonah called back as she reached the street.
"Grandmother, where are you going?" Aki asked in frustration as she followed the old woman. She had to walk quickly to catch up with her.
"Here…here is where we are going," Wenonah said, stopping in front of a house.
"Who lives here?"
"The ones we seek," Wenonah said walking up to the porch. She knocked firmly on the door, ignoring the bell.
A moment later a dark-haired woman answered. "Yes?"
Wenonah smiled. "Your grandfather sent us."
"Excuse me?" Sylvia asked in confusion.
"Roberto Montoya sent us," Wenonah said.
Sylvia arched an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, but my grandfather died six years ago."
"Yes," Wenonah agreed.
"So…how could he have sent you?" Sylvia asked.
"A Brujo needs no physical form to communicate. As the granddaughter of a Brujo and daughter of a Bruja, you know this," Wenonah told her.
"This isn't funny," Sylvia said, going to close the door.
"Roberto sent us, Jiibay gimoodishkiiwinini are here and he sent us to drive them away," Wenonah said firmly.
"What is that?" Sylvia asked. She was unnerved by the woman, but didn't really feel threatened by her.
"They are souls caught between here and there. Some are lost, some cannot let go of this world and pass on, for one reason or another. He calls them, se me subio el muerto."
"Stay here," Sylvia said, closing the door.
"Nookomis, she will call the police," Aki warned.
"Don't be silly child, the police are already here."
Sylvia went inside and made sure the boys were still playing in the backyard. She dialed her mother's number and told her about the women who were at the door. Her mother's response sent chills down her spine. After she hung up she went back into the living room and opened the door to find the women still standing there. "Come in," she said.
Everything will be alright child," Wenonah said, taking her arm as she walked inside.


text:
Dad turns off the car and shifts in the drivers seat until he is facing me. He's always been a lanky guy compared to my build, but if a stranger saw the emotion in his eyes they would see the strong person he truly is. Mom died four years ago and I know that dad is still alluding the sense of innocence that should overcome his sense of guilt.
I like to think of mom's death as an accident. Dad likes to think of it as something that could have been avoided.
"Do you have everything?" Dad asks, combing his large, thin hand through his curly black hair. Sometimes I wonder where my blond hair comes from.
I look at him swiftly before grabbing my bag by my feet and opening the door to the passenger side of the truck. Dad and I have never been close, mom was usually the one who managed to put us together during disagreements. At home, when he isn't at work, he is usually off in his room sleeping off the day or mourning my mom in ways that only a broken-hearted man can. I, in turn, usually avoid him. I hate the look that he gets in his eyes when he really looks at me. It's like as if he is trying to tell me something that I'm not meant to know. Something that is slowly eating away at him.
"Come on kid," dad says. His face furrows into a smile. The gesture makes him look a lot older than his forty-two years. "I'm just trying to make sure that your first day goes well."
"Maybe you should have thought about that at eight o'clock this morning," I murmur, closing the door behind me.
"You want me to pick you up in a bit?"
I look back at him and shake my head. I'm already late, might as well figure this town out on my own. I hear the car drive away slowly as I walk up the eerily empty campus towards the front doors.
We moved here a few days ago because Ontario reminded dad too much of mom. I know it's random to move to Lauden, the middle of nowhere in Florida, but dad knows some guys who own a super successful company. With a job secured and a more than decent salary rewarded us with a pretty good house about a five minute drive from the school and ten minutes from the beach. I know I should be excited that I'm finally out of the hellish weather of Ontario, but truth be told, I left all my friends back there. I also left Lisa.
"Hey there, you got a pass?" Some kid appears from around a corner the moment I open one of the front doors and immediately makes his way towards me. I take in his freckles, green eyes, and baggy shorts. His white flip-flops slap against the floor and the puka shell necklace sways loosely on his tanned neck. "Well?" he asks, sticking out his hand. "Got a pass, or not?"
"I'm new," I say. His black hair is spiked up with too much gel and I am slowly hoping that not everyone in this town wears the same style. "I'm running a bit late," I pull up my backpack on my shoulder. "Where's the office?"
He eyes me cautiously and takes a step closer. "New kid, huh?" I nod and he points down the hall straight ahead. "Office is down there. You're lucky, new kids always get a free pass on their first day."
I nod my thanks and swiftly walk around him.
The smell of the ocean drifts in through the opened windows of the office and I'm instantly assaulted with the sight of plants in hanging flower pots and assorted posters with motivational speeches and pictures. The room is small and almost directly in the middle is a woman with a sour look on her face and a severely permed hairstyle. Her grey-blue eyes dart from side to side as she reads whatever is on the computer and her long red nails click on the keyboard as she types in some information with surprising agility.
I clear my throat and she looks up, revealing two deep frown lines on her slightly wide forehead. Her purple t-shirt hangs loosely off her shoulders as she puts her hands down and away from the computer.
"Hi," I fidget with the strap of my backpack. "I'm the new student?"
She gives me a blank stare.
"Err," her stare is making me increasingly more uncomfortable. What is it with this town? "I'm Castiel Luther," another blank stare. "From Canada?"
"Oh," she suddenly says and gently slaps her forehead. Her voice is surprisingly high-pitched. "Right, we were waiting for you." She gets up from her chair and it gives a soft squeak of relief. She stops right outside of the door to what I am assuming is the principal's office and looks back at me. "Running a little late?"
I shrug. "Dad's not much of an early riser."
She nods in understanding and lets me in through the door.
When I see her it is by pure chance.
The whole day was an awkward mess. I'm used to girls staring at me or shyly looking away back in Toronto, but here it's different. They're not as shy and they're way more obvious with their giggles and flirting. The whole misadventure of girls I never wanted to meet had me thinking about Lisa during my earlier classes.
The hallways grow empty a lot sooner than anticipated at the end of the day. I look around and find myself standing alone, thinking about back home and my mom. I don't really know why, but when I am alone like this the image of mom with her light blue eyes and dark brown curls dances through my mind. Her voice is something I lost from my memories a long time ago, but somehow seeing her in my mind's eye fed my appetite. She always told me that God watches over all of us and that angels would keep us in their sights, promising a happy existence whether in life or death. I stopped believing these fantastical theories of hers the day that she was taken from me.
I close my locker and start walking tentatively towards the end of the hallway. The last thing I need is to get lost in this new place. I turn a corner and it hits me. An overpowering need to follow a scent. I know it sounds weird, but that's the only way I can explain it: a scent. Something tantalizing my senses; urging me forward.
Thoughts of mom and Lisa drift slowly away from my mind when I see her. Short, like a petite angel filling her bag with books. Her blond hair curls slightly at the ends and her brown eyes roam over the contents of her locker as if deciding whether she is forgetting something. The sounds of leftover students walking by is dimmed as I walk up behind her. Her face furrows into a look of surprise when she sees me in her locker mirror.
My hands automatically reach out to stop her as she awkwardly turns to face me. The action jerks me from my reverie and I swiftly put my hands down. A mixture of embarrassment, surprise, and curiosity flushes her lightly tanned face and the look appears strangely cute.
"Hi," I say, trying not to turn around and run. Why am I even here? I tell her my reason for approaching her and I wonder why she looks so nervous. I know that sometimes girls act strangely around me, but this one in particular gives the impression of being very confident. "I'm Castiel Luther," I finally conclude, "and I need help getting everywhere in this place." I smile and her blush intensifies.
"Elena de la Cortez," she says. Her voice is slightly raspy, sending chills down my spine. What the heck is happening to me? "If you need a tour guide, then you've got yourself one." Then she smiles and closes her locker unsteadily. "First, you'll have to meet our beach."
I silently find myself apologizing to Lisa, though I know she can never hear me from here. I follow the small Elena down the hall, trying to focus ahead instead of how her legs move as she walks. Or how the sweet perfume of flowers and summer blows softly in her wake.
When I moved here with dad a few days ago I expected to finally meet the ocean and feel the everlasting need to go back home to Toronto, but I never expected to meet Elena, whose radiance glows under the hot, Floridian sky in front of me.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Best Of :: People & Places
Yes, it's recently been unmasked as a bloated private company that drains big bucks from the public coffers. Yes, it's really just a fleet of glorified tugboats catering to the fat wallets of beached tourists. Yes, one ride up the Intracoastal will set you back ten whole kahunas. But let's admit it: Despite its flaws, Fort Lauderdale's Water Taxi is still the coolest way for nonmillionaires to get around Broward County. Unlike the Tri-Rail, it actually comes on time and stops within walking distance of destinations, not empty parking lots in office parks. And unlike land-bound buses, Water Taxi's poor cousins, it isn't permeated with exhaust fumes, hotter than flambé, or festooned with "PetPeePee" ads. It's South Florida's tourist-friendly answer to San Francisco's cable cars and New York's ubiquitous yellow cabs. The water taxi is one of the few reasons why Fort Lauderdale's dated title, "the Venice of America," is still valid; where else can you stroll around downtown sidewalks and then hop on a water-bound tour bus to see the sites? (OK, fine: Miami, New York City, Seattle, and Baltimore, for starters.) But still. You've got to admit that watching the honeycombed yellow barges belly up to the waterfront to swallow a column of tourists headfirst borders on the charming, and floating through downtown with only the quiet whirr of a propeller to distract you is a hell of a lot better than the bus.
This Best Of marks a New Times fall from grace for Cynthia Berman-Miller. Three years ago, in our 2003 Best Of issue, Berman-Miller, then director of the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, received a "Personal Best" nod. She talked to New Times about her love of reality TV. But after that issue, Berman-Miller became ambitious, and things went terribly wrong for the artsy lady. After taking a job with the City of Hollywood as director of the newly created Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, Berman-Miller became responsible for promoting arts in Hollywood and for raising funds for the taxpayer money pit that is ArtsPark. But Berman-Miller then tried to create a taxpayer-funded golden parachute. While a city employee, Berman-Miller led the creation of a private organization called the Greater Hollywood Arts Foundation. She helped GHAF receive $480,000 in seed money from Hollywood taxpayers at the same time she expected to become a paid staff member of the organization. But it didn't stop there. Also while a city employee, Berman-Miller submitted two separate development proposals to the city. For one proposal, she partnered with state Rep. Ken Gottlieb to ask for roughly $8.2 million in development incentives. Of course, she didn't mention that she received her real estate license a month before she submitted the proposals. Conflicts of interest? Berman-Miller says everything is on the up-and-up. She says she's just working hard for a city she loves. Tsk, tsk.
Derek Hayward has a way with words. A general-assignment reporter with WSVN-TV (Channel 7) since 1991, the English-born Hayward has an uncanny ability to drop phrases that only he could get away with. Our favorite: When police were looking for a murder suspect recently, Hayward told his audience that the boys in blue were looking to have a "wee chat" with the man. An old-school, shoe-leather television reporter, Hayward is known for his casual, disarming style with sources behind the scenes and a beat-on-the-door-for-a-comment approach to on-camera journalism. He's the guy you see in front of the courthouse or police station when big news breaks. Heck, he's often one of the first reporters on the ground when big news happens. And that hard work has paid off for Hayward, who has won three Emmy Awards for journalism in South Florida and, before that, Jacksonville. But Hayward is also a regular guy. Unlike some TV reporters, Hayward hates pretension. In the off hours, it's not uncommon to happen across Hayward at a pub, his jacket and tie in the car and hand cradling a pint of beer. Sit down with Hayward, buy a pint, and have a wee chat. After all, whether he's on camera or off, Hayward is always one of the good lads of South Florida journalism.
This is no contest. In terms of local programming, WPBT kills the competition. For local politics, you've got Issues with Helen Ferré. Sure, Ferré's show is low-key, but you usually learn something when you watch the area's politicians, educators, and journalists yap about important, um, oh yeah, issues. Listening to Broward County Mayor Ben Graber talk about how he thinks the commission gets a bad rap for corruption is priceless. It's not just local politics, though. Capitol Update takes you to Tallahassee for the latest from that little cesspool of special interests. The station also has the only local newsmagazine out there. New Florida is a well-produced show that features two classy (and lovely) hosts in Debra Ball and Hunter Reno. If that's not enough, then turn to Florida Crossroads for homegrown documentaries. What's amazing about these shows is that they offer a lot more than your average -- and so often boring -- public television tripe. The shows have solid reporters who know how to tell great tales. They pull you in to the Florida that's around you -- and that's worth the price of admission right there.
Joe LaRue has achieved renown by ingesting large quantities of food -- pancakes, corn on the cob, hamburgers, hot dogs -- better and faster than almost anyone else. He is South Florida's foremost competitive eater. To watch the six-foot-eight LaRue down Nathan's Famous at the annual hot-dog-eating contest in Coney Island (where he placed 14th last year) is a wondrous sight, a rarely viewed natural function, akin to watching a python swallow an alligator. This has absolutely nothing to do with LaRue's choice of snakes and lizards for pets (actually, living in an apartment, he couldn't have a dog or cat) or with his selection of Pet Paradise on Hiatus Road in Sunrise as his favorite mom-and-pop establishment. The friendly little pet store is where LaRue, who owns three pythons and a leopard lizard, goes to do his reptile thing. Paradise is where LaRue gets the rats to feed the pythons and the crickets and worms for the lizard. It's also where he gets knowledgeable advice from Paradise's proprietors, Robert and Patricia Kesselman. Like, what kind of heating system should you get for your python terrarium? The Kesselmans will school you. It's all for love. Reptiles can be surprisingly personable, LaRue contends. "They actually do have personalities," he says. "It's hard to find them, but they're there."
She began humbly as Tropical Depression 12, dawdled for a bit over the Bahamas, and eased over to South Florida in the last week of August. Around the time she breached our shore, she graduated from a tropical storm to a full-blown hurricane, although with sustained winds no faster than your grandma drives on I-95. But it was just enough to snuff your electricity and blunt your weekend. Candles and Jameson and Scrabble came out of the cabinets; milk and meat went into the garbage -- c'est la vie, welcome to Florida. The storm passed, FPL made its rounds, TVs awoke, news spread: Our kitten of a 'cane killed 14 people in Florida, then swelled in the balmy Gulf to a 175-mph, 902-millibar, Category 5 civilization-stopper of a storm. We then watched her go all Old Testament on Louisiana and Mississippi. It was horror. And as we gaped and grieved and beheld a thousand dead and a million homeless and $200 billion in destruction, we could feel at least a tingle of providence, knowing that for us, at least, the jazz-hating, Superdome-wrecking, family-killing cycloptic scourge that was Katrina could have been much, much worse. At least we got to say we knew her when.


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Customer Service Done Right In 10 Easy Steps: Step 8
Posted by Kate Leggett on November 29, 2011
- 558 Recommendations
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Step 8 of my 10-step program on how to master your service experience is to tame your knowledge problem.
A good knowledge program is one of the foundational elements of a good service experience. Many informational requests can be easily handled using a simple FAQ, which deflects calls from your contact center and keeps your customers satisfied with relevant answers. Agent knowledge that is the same across communication channels guarantees that your customers receive consistent and accurate answers.
But getting your arms around your knowledge assets and maintaining them is hard work. I use a six-step best-practice framework to get you going with knowledge management:
- Align the organization for success. To be successful, you need an executive sponsor who will fund your knowledge program and allocate resources to the effort. You also need to put together a project team, follow proper project management practices, and define a rollout and adoption strategy.
- Design a framework for knowledge management. Knowledge base content must be easy to find and use. Before starting to create content, you need to determine usage roles, content sources (i.e., what content lives inside the knowledge base and what content lives outside of it but is accessible via knowledge base searches), content standards, and information architecture and localization requirements.
- Create and maintain usable knowledge. Knowledge base content must be fresh, usable, and contain the "right" number of solutions so as to not overwhelm the user. You need to create content using the user's vocabulary. You need to determine who will author your content — front-line agents or technical writers — and you need to deploy authoring workflows that are flexible so that new content can be added quickly.
- Empower customers with relevant content. A good web self-service site must be usable, personalized, include guidance to the right content, and allow escalation to alternate contact channels such as chat, email, and click-to-call. It must never be a dead end.
- Focus on the agent experience. An agent's knowledge base must be personalized to his role, allow access to contextual knowledge, and be integrated with case management tools for operational efficiencies.
- Continually improve knowledge management practices. Your knowledge base is never complete. You need to run usage reports to understand what content is being used and determine what to do with content that is not used (Delete it? Archive it?). You need to solicit feedback from your agents and customers that use your content, and set up feedback loops within your organization to act on the feedback received.
Knowledge management is not a project that has a clear end. It is an ongoing program within a customer service organization that has to be resourced and funded for the long term. How many of you have a knowledge program within a customer service organization?
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Mobile App
Nagaon Gopinath Dev Goswami Commerce College
Total Students
Fees Range
How to reach
Nagaon Gopinath Dev Goswami Commerce College is situated at JYOTI NAGAR, PANIGAON DIST. NAGAON, ASSAM Pin :- 782001 in Nagaon.
Courses Offered
- 3 Years
- Bachelor of Business Administration-B.B.A.
- Management - BBA / MBA / Diploma
- 3 Years
- Bachelor of Commerce-B.Com
- Banking / Finance / Accounts / Commerce
- 2 Years
- Master of Commerce-M. Com
- Banking / Finance / Accounts / Commerce
Nagaon Gopinath Dev Goswami Commerce College - NGDGCC
The College has played a crucial role in promoting higher education in commerce in a vast area of the Central Assam region. The vast area of the college is that as the only full fledged Commerce College of the districts of Nagaon, Morigaon and Autonomous districts of Karbi Anglong and North Cachar hills it has made commerce education available To the students of this industrially and otherwise backward region dominated by backward classes, scheduled castes and tribes, religious and linguistic minorities by talking commerce education beyond urban areas to the door step of the rural mass. We, at this institution, hope to shape the young generation, majority of whom are coming from the underprivileged classes of an underdeveloped region, so that they will be prepared to accept responsibilities in the business world and at the same time mould them into disciplined, cultured and sociable human beings. Vision " To impart education particularly in commerce in three years degree course under Gauhati University and +2 Higher Secondary Programme under Assam Higher Secondary Education Council, To inculcate modern scientific outlook and secular values among the students, To build up good moral character and discipline among the students and provide facilities for extra curricular activities in art, culture, sports, athletics, social services etc .
Why join Nagaon GNDG Commerce College
Lush green campus with well built infrastructure
3 Type Courses Available
- 2 UG Courses
- 1 PG Courses
Nagaon Gopinath Dev Goswami Commerce College Placements
Visiting Companies
Student Placement
The college has a small hostel for outstation male students. Desirous students may apply to the principal at the time of admission. Since the seats are limited, admission will be given on a first come first served basis. The college has a small but compact library. Generally the library observes the following timings for students.Extension as the Third Dimension in Higher Education is an umbrella term which includes adult education, continuing education, population education and community education through field out-reach activities.
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text:
Bruins bounce back to beat Sabres
|12.21.13 at 9:41 pm ET
The Bruins avenged Thursday's loss to the Sabres by earning a 4-1 victory Saturday at TD Garden in their final home game before the Christmas break.
Reilly Smith got the B's on the board in the first on a power play goal off a feed from Carl Soderberg, with Zemgus Girgensons tying the game by sneaking a puck over Tuukka Rask's right arm as he tried to hold the post. The Bruins re-took the lead in the second period on a David Krejci goal to cap a strong rush and added to it in the third period with Milan Lucic's team-leading 12th goal. Smith's nipping at Lucic's heels, however, as Smith scored an empty-neter for his 11th of the season.
Rask made 32 saves saves in the win, while Jhonas Enroth took the loss after Ryan Miller stood tall for the Sabres Thursday.
The game also featured the first career regular season fight for Patrice Bergeron in the NHL. Bergeron dropped the gloves with Buffalo blueliner Tyler Myers in the second period in a bout the taller Myers took.
The Bruins will play the Predators Saturday in Nashville before breaking for the holiday and returning to work Friday at TD Garden against the Senators.
– Krejci now has 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) over his last 14 games. His multi-point night came as part of a strong effort for his line Saturday, as Lucic also scored and Jarome Iginla was stoned by Enroth on two solid opportunities.
– Carl Soderberg to Reilly Smith in front on the power play for a goal. Sound familiar? It should, as it's the third time it's happened this season.
– The Bruins made it through a pair of 5-on-3 shorthanded situations without allowing a goal. The first one came in the second period when Gregory Campbell drew blood on a high-stick on Jamie McBain just 11 seconds into a Patrice Bergeron cross-checking penalty. The Sabres turned in a brutal showing, while a bad call on John Scott ended a third-period 5-on-3 in short order.
– Torey Krug still has just one goal over his last 12 games, but he factored in Saturday in other ways. He moved the puck well on the shift on which the B's scored the go-ahead goal, but he also handled some major responsibility in the second period on the second shift of the 5-on-3.
– With Bergeron's cross-checking penalty and his second-period fight with Myers, No. 37 now has 13 penalty minutes the last three games. He had only 12 in the previous 33 games of the season. There will be no Lady Byng trophy in the near future for Bergeron.
– On the subject of Bergeron fighting, it is obviously a super bad idea. Given that he's had four concussions in his NHL career and he's one of the best players in the game, there is nothing to be gained by having Bergeron spend five minutes in the penalty box or risk any injury.
– Sabres defenseman Christian Ehrhoff was something of a wrecking ball in the first period, as a collision with Brad Marchand forced Marchand to miss a couple shifts. He also hit Zdeno Chara in the left hand with a shot, which forced Chara to ice the hand on the bench.
Marchand got dinged up in the second period as well when he blocked a slapshot from Myers. He was slow to get off the ice but stayed in the game.
– Rask had to save Marchand's bacon on a tough shift for No. 63 in the first few minutes of the third period. Marchand turned the puck over in the defensive zone to set up two quick bids from Matt Ellis and Linus Omark, with Marchand unable to get the puck out on his next clearing attempt either.


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We are making massive changes to our website, which includes stopping our manually operated online system for bookings and starting an automated online system for bookings with compulsory advance online payment.
As a part of these changes, we had to disable the form that we used for collecting online requests for booking from our patients. Therefore, until our new automated system starts, patients can send their requests for booking through the Email Us form, even though this form is not meant to be used for this purpose. But patients must supply the following information while using the Email Us form for requesting bookings:
|Working hours of our doctors at the 2 branches (All special OPDs are held in New Panvel only)
|Old Panvel
|New Panvel
|Special OPD
|Dr Dipak Kulkarni
|9:00 am to 2:00 pm except Wednesdays
|3:30 pm to 9:30 pm
9:30 am to 11:00 am - discussion of difficult cases with Dr Satish Udare
11:00 am to 1:00 pm - Paediatric OPD
|Dr Laxman Phonde
|9:00 am to 2:00 pm except Thursdays
|9:00 am to 2:00 pm (only Thursdays)
11:00 am to 1:00 pm - Concessional OPD
|Dr Bindu Gautam
|Not Available
|10:00 am to 3:00 pm
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm - Hair OPD
|Dr Nitin Tayade
|5:00 pm to 8:30 pm
|2:00 pm to 4:30 pm
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm - Hair OPD
|Dr Parul Thakur
|10:30 am to 2:00 pm except Fridays
|5:30 pm to 9:00 pm
10:00 am to 2:00 pm - Cosmetic OPD
|Dr Priyanka Gadge
|9:00 am to 1:00 pm except Tuesdays
|9:00 am to 1:00 pm (only Tuesdays)
9:00 am to 1:00 pm - Hair OPD
|Dr Aparna Gaikwad
|12:00 pm to 4:30 pm
|5:00 pm to 7:30 pm
|Not Available
|Dr Pranita Wankhede
|6:00 pm to 9:30 pm
|1:30 pm to 5:30 pm
1:30 pm to 4:00 pm - Hair OPD
If you want to consult Dr Kulkarni, you cannot insist on an urgent date (same day that we read your request or the very next working day after it.) So please be flexible about date if you want to consult Dr Kulkarni and provide non-urgent dates in your preference.
2 or more patients who want to come together must submit a separate request for each patient. Each request should clearly say that these patients want to consult together.
Please also remember that the time given to you is only a rough estimate of when to reach the clinic. You will have to wait if your turn is yet to come.
Please use the Email Us form only to request bookings for consultations, not procedures. To book a procedure, please call the clinic.
Please also note that facilities like Live Status and other information on our website may be unavailable until our new automated online system for bookings is ready.


text:
Click here to view sale items.
Can't find the item you are looking for using the search and browse tools above? View our special order catalog.
• Compatible with all Flare taillights and Ion headlights from both Trek and Bontrager
• Fits most bars/seatposts (22.2-31.8mm), some helmets and Madone integrated seat masts
• Silicone body with a tooled adjustment handlebar clamp diameter
• 20-degree +/- side-to-side adjustment
• 16-degree seatpost angle adjustment integrated into SyncV2 bracket
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By MANEBI - Add splashes of color to resort ready ensembles with this tropical inspired espadrille. Woven canvas is accented with neon hues and lurex sparkle. Jute platform is finished with a rubber sole, adding a casual finish to this playful slip on.
MANEBÍ was started based on the inspiration and love of travel, summer and friends. While spending a great time in Côte d'Azur , the search for a great pair of shoes, both comfortable and fashionable began. It was from this that the company was born. MANEBÍ has repurposed the classic espadrille as the perfect travel shoe with unique and updated designs. From seaside to city and the world in between, MANEBÍ shoes are handmade in Spain for global glam trotters everywhere.
size conversion:
36 = size 6
37 = size 7
38 = size 8
39 = size 9
40 = size 10
41 = size 11
25% nylon, 46% polyester, 5% polymide, 24% viscose
made in Spain
FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE INQUIRIES:Phone
Monday - Friday: 9:00am-5:30pm ET
Saturday - Sunday: closed
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Free personalized radio that
plays the music you love
Alabama 3
Signed to One Little Indian, their 1997 debut, Exile on Coldharbour Lane, was a groundbreaking work that effortlessly fused gospel, country, blues, and house music. Dubbed "chemical country," Alabama 3 broke down the barriers between line dancers and ravers. The band's penchant for absurdity was displayed in Spragg and Black's insistence on singing, rapping, and preaching in deep Southern accents alongside samples of cult leader Jim Jones preaching Maoist philosophy and the renaming of all members -- Spragg became the Reverend Larry Love; Black became D. Wayne Love. Yet the songs were strong and imaginative and their observations on contemporary U.K. culture were spot-on: country and blues were used to look at the excesses of dance culture -- all with a pumping 808 beat behind them. The band was picked up on by U.K. roots DJs Charlie Gillet and Andy Kershaw, but the U.K. music press, at the height of its infatuation with Britpop, ignored the group or derided them as a novelty. Fortunately, U.S. audiences displayed a greater degree of irony, and cult TV series The Sopranos employed the band's "Woke Up This Morning" as its theme music. Unfortunately, country-lite vocal outfit Alabama sued over the group's name, which means in the U.S. Alabama 3 is now known as A3.
Album number two, La Peste, followed in 2000 and found the band in more muted form. Again, the gospel-country-blues axis was there and the shows were wonderfully outrageous, but it appeared that two years of touring and a stronger awareness of the mounting casualties of rave culture and New Labor Britain had made the band wear a bleaker face. Where their debut cheekily nodded at the Stones' seminal double album, La Peste shared with it a bleak, murky sound that demanded the listener dig into the songs to discover their meaning. In 2007, with a continuing reluctance to conform, the band completed an equally dark and wonderfully uncompromising album titled M.O.R. Unfortunately, it's doubtful that A3 will shake loose their cult status anytime soon, considering that their constant mashing of opposing genres results in a tremendously original soundscape, and this makes it nearly impossible to classify the band or nail it down to a single specific genre. ~ Garth Cartwright
Selected Discography
Track List: Blues
Track List: The Men from W.O.M.B.L.E
Track List: Revolver Soul
Track List: Hits And Exit Wounds
Track List: The Last Train To Mashville, Vol. 2
Track List: Power In The Blood
Track List: La Peste
Track List: Exile On Coldharbour Lane (Explicit)
Similar Artists
What a unique band! Seems like nobody knows anything about them except a passing knowledge if you mention "Hey......th e y did The Sopranos theme song". Shame because they have many great songs along with their intelligent wit.
very, very, nice. I like 'em
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text:
HYPEBEAST 100: The innovators from all realms of creativity in the spotlight.
With in-depth interviews, focused features and fashion-forward editorials, our print publication features long-form coverage of the topics valued by readers.
Explore and be inspired by the latest women's fashion news and trends.
The King of Pop takes over the streets.
Graphics for days.
Boldly colored jackets were out in full force.
A collab for fans of all ages.
Sade-printed tees, felt box logo stickers and more.
Rep your local city.
Supreme fans have had no shortage of announcements to enjoy this week as the label's Spring/Summer
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text:
Greater Boston
Convention & visitors Bureau
Outlook Kitchen and Bar offers a chic-urban setting with a nod to its prime waterfront location. A high-energy bar with of-the-minute technology—including power outlets at every seat—gives way to a refined dining room and a seasonal patio overlooking the harbor. Guests are invited to enjoy an up-close and personal dining experience at the two-seat chef's table located just off the kitchen, available to reserve at no additional charge (based on availability).


text:
|Reviews for Hello
| KentouKurige chapter 1 . 12/2/2004
Er... this one's a bit odd Kei-chan... in a way it seems sweet, but for some reason I got a stalkerish feel to it... heh heh... I must be reading too much lately... Anywho, great as ever Kei! *glomps* Ja ne~!
~Shouri-chan the Uma~


text:
The Water Lords
I simply can't go to the Terrans, Kai thought. He knew that would be the first place his tribe would look for him. The message was certainly on its way by now, and it might have arrived already. It was too risky to even go there just for food.
The Water Lords were so far away... but it would be worth the journey when he got there. They weren't friendly with the Flame Weavers, but perhaps that would work in his favor. After all, he was just a child... lost, homeless... They wouldn't need to know about his exceptional talent... the reason he left... He would think of a good story to tell them, something to turn them even more against the Flame Weavers, so that they would be determined never to hear them out. Yes, the Water Lords would protect him from those who would strip his powers.
Kai stood up. He did not continue on the path towards the Terrans. He knew that the Water tribe was south of his village, but that was the extent of his knowledge. So he headed south, taking a moderate pace this time, to conserve energy. He had never ventured into this part of the forest before, and was unaware of the secrets it concealed. As his mind raced through all the years of training, noting lessons that would be useful in forest survival, he realized one ironic obstacle that could mean the end of him.
I must not produce a large fire. They will never stop looking for smoke on the horizon as long as I am on the run.
I must control my power.


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Popular property highlights
Americas Best Value Inn - Tulsa West (I-44) is located 2.7 mi (4.3 km) from Reed Park and within a 10-minute drive of Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area. This motel has 68 rooms and welcomes guests with conveniences like free breakfast, an outdoor pool, and free in-room WiFi. In central Tulsa, the motel is also within a 15-minute drive of BOK Center and Woodward Park.
Free continental breakfast is included with your stay.
All 68 air-conditioned accommodations feature sitting areas. Guests can expect free WiFi and TVs. Microwaves, refrigerators, and coffee makers are also standard.
Property features
Americas Best Value Inn - Tulsa West (I-44) features an outdoor pool, free WiFi in public areas, and conference space. If you drive, put free parking to good use. The 24-hour front desk has staff always at the ready. Additional amenities include a seasonal outdoor pool, express check-out, and laundry facilities.
- Free continental breakfast
- Free WiFi in rooms and public areas
- Free parking
- Outdoor pool
HighlightsInformation missing or incorrect? Tell us!Opens in a new window
Americas Best Value Inn - Tulsa West (I-44)
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Guests can enjoy a complimentary breakfast. Public areas are equipped with complimentary wireless Internet access. This Tulsa motel also offers an outdoor pool, laundry facilities, and express check-out. Onsite self parking is complimentary.
- 24-hour front desk
- Total number of rooms - 68
- Number of floors - 2
- Free breakfast
- Conference space
- Express check-out
- Free WiFi
- Laundry facilities
- One meeting room
- Free self parking
- Free RV, bus, truck parking
- Outdoor pool
- Outdoor seasonal pool
Family Friendly Amenities
- Family Hotel
- Outdoor pool
- Free Wi-Fi
- Laundry facilities
- Refrigerator
- Microwave
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Free self parking, Free RV, bus, truck parking
Room Amenities
Americas Best Value Inn - Tulsa West (I-44) offers 68 air-conditioned accommodations with safes and coffee/tea makers. Accommodations offer separate sitting areas. Refrigerators and microwaves are provided.
Guests can surf the web using the complimentary wireless Internet access. Business-friendly amenities include phones along with free local calls (restrictions may apply). Additionally, rooms include hair dryers and irons/ironing boards. Housekeeping is provided daily.
- Separate sitting area
- Air conditioning
- Free local calls
- Phone
- Microwave
- Refrigerator
- Coffee/tea maker
- Daily housekeeping
- Hair dryer
- Iron/ironing board
- In-room safe
- Television
- Free WiFi
- Cribs/infant beds (surcharge)
Where to Eat
Guests are offered a complimentary continental breakfast.
Nearby Things to Do
Recreational amenities at the motel include an outdoor pool.
- Golfing nearby
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please note them at check-out when you book your room.
- In-room accessibility
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 2 PM
Check-in time ends at midnight
Check-out time is 11 AM
Payment types
Children and extra beds
- Children are welcome.
- Kids stay free! Children 12 years old and younger stay free when using existing bedding.
- Rollaway/extra beds are available for USD 10 per night.
- Cribs (infant beds) are available for USD 10 per night.
- Pets allowed for an extra charge of USD $10.00 per pet, per night
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
Optional extras
- Pet fee: USD $10.00 per pet, per night
- Crib (infant bed) fee: USD 10 per night
- Rollaway bed fee: USD 10 per night
Hotel Name
- Americas Best Value Inn I-44
- Americas Best Value Inn I-44 Motel
- Americas Best Value Inn I-44 Motel Tulsa West
- Americas Best Value Inn Tulsa West
- Americas Best Value Inn Tulsa West I-44
- Americas Best Value Inn Tulsa West I-44 Motel
- Americas Best Value Tulsa West I-44
- Americas Best Value Inn Tulsa West (I 44)
We should mention
Children 12 years old and younger stay free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding.


text:
Wolverine to Make First Stop in San Francisco?
It was only five months ago that Milk made its world premiere at the Castro Theatre. Now, San Francisco just might play host to another high-profile debut, this time for a tale sprung from the realm of comic-book fantasy.
Wolverine, the adamantium-clawed hero of X-Men fame, and his real-life alter ego Hugh Jackman could make the Bay Area their first stop before X-Men Origins: Wolverine arrives in theaters across the country on May 1. The catch? Fans must demand the privilege via the Internet.
Promoted as an expression of gratitude to those who have helped make X-Men one of the most successful franchises in Hollywood, the contest (announced by Jackman on YouTube) allows moviegoers to choose the site of the Origins premiere, which will feature the traditional red carpet, plus appearances by the film's stars. (The testosterone-heavy cast includes Ryan Reynolds, Liev Schreiber and Lost's Dominic Monaghan.) Online voting will continue until the winning city is revealed April 20.
Gimmicky? Sure. But what better way to usher in a summer of blockbuster popcorn movies than with a lavish, damn-the-recession party? Think of it as just another way to beat L.A.


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Current versions:
Gamejack protects original disk and allows for maximum game enjoyment with minimal effort.
Who buys a new game software, who wants maximum game enjoyment for long life duration of the game. It's now really essential to provide maximum system performance of the PC computer game and fundamentally to protect the disk from unwanted damage. That can afford Gamejack. Computer games are now quite expensive, it is better to protect them well with minimal effort. Gamejack s.a.d. copied nearly every game, so the original disk spares and additionally optimizes the performance of your computer.
Gamejack creates perfect backup copies of your games CDs and DVDs, which involves nearly all copy protection methods of buying games. You can burn images on a CD or DVD disc or on a virtual hard disk transfer but what is mainly the future of backup and storage. Gamejack: Emulator, backup burning program. When saving on a virtual hard disk, copy protection of course including Gamejack simulates an inserted disk, if necessary. This procedure offers the advantage that you the disk to use the game as so far need to insert and your used computer system performance can be increased, since not more constantly the CD drive must be accessed.
A GameTuner integrated in Gamejack optimized enjoy even further by an increase in system performance using the auto-configuration of different system details. The utility Gamejack manages the created images using a grandios-effective image archiving and also enables you to refresh the games through various updates, patches or bug-fixes. So an individual maximum performance by Gamejack is ensured, regardless of the age and size of your computer or the purchased original disk.
What is Gamejack everything and what can Gamejack
• Burning protection
burn virtually any video game •
• Conservation of the disk
• Use a virtual hard disk
• integrated GameTuner
• compatible with major operating systems
System requirements for Gamejack
Gamejack is compatible in the normal case with all major operating systems: Windows 2000 but also Windows XP Home and professional. To install and run the program, you need 15.4 MByte disk space and 256 MB of RAM memory.
The new version of the GameJack software is now even easier the backup of your favorite games. The developers have added many new settings, so that you can use for many different game disk the GameJack software. If necessary, even the copy protection mechanism on your computer game can be emulated. Additional assistance makes available the PDF with tricks and tricks. The software is not only for games, CDs and DVDs for movies.
The most important functions of the GameJack software version 5
• New setting options
• Additional tricks and tricks for even more user friendly
• If necessary simple emulation of copy protection methods
• Extensive help in PDF format


text:
Superstitious feeling
I didn't know whether it would be rude to just turn up at Scarlett's door. But when had Taylor ever been offended by my being rude? Never. I picked up the phone. I didn't want to go on my own - something didn't feel right about that. I dialed Selena and Roxy's number and started a 3 way conversation.
"Hello?" I said.
"Do you two want to come over to Scarlett's with me? I mean, to see how Taylor is?"
"Sure," Selena bubbled.
"Yeah, okay," Roxy said. I imagined her sweet smile on the other end of the line. I coughed, quickly awaking myself from my two second day dream.
"Meet me outside my house," I suggested.
"No, mine. It's closer to Scarlett's; it makes more sense. Otherwise me and Selena will be coming back on ourselves," Roxy replied. Even if it was just a two minute walk to Roxy's, I didn't want to be on my own. But I didn't want them to be, either. Fine. It was only a strange feeling. I could get over it.
"Oh yeah, didn't think of that. I'll be over in two," I said, hanging up. I clutched my phone tightly underneath my coat and walked out the door. Turning left, I felt my pace speeding up. The awkward feeling of somebodies eyes boring into my back stayed strong as I continued to walk. My head whipped back, I stared behind me. There was a hooded man, with a sharp looking object in his pocket. A red stain in the corner of it. A trail of red dots followed him. 1 word trailed through my head.
My hand was clutched round my phone so tightly I thought the pieces were gonna burst out of it. I quickly turned a sharp corner down a dark ally way. Then I thought to myself;
'Nice one. There's a murderer behind you so you decide to go through a dark ally way where nobody can hear or see you. DIV.'
Adrenaline rushed through my veins in a split second. My legs stretched apart from each other quickly, and I found myself sprinting into the brightness. The man was still behind me, running as well. As soon as I spotted Roxy and Selena, I shouted as loud as I could,
They looked as if they was going to burst out in laughter. But as soon as my stalker burst into daylight, their lips trembled and they zoomed down the street. They're pretty fast. I ran towards Roxy's house and slammed the door as I fell through it. Her mum stood there, looking appalled.


text:
Albert Nofis The Great War 1914-1918
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Albert Nofis The Great War 1914-1918 Product Description
The Great War is a strategic level, area movement system simulation of the First World War. It is a reprint of the game originally published by Rand. On a map of Europe as it was in 1914, divided into a number of distinct geo-political areas, the Players maneuver Armies, Corps, Naval Squadrons and other types of units; engage in mobilization, Combat and diplomacy; and attempt to meet their victory conditions. Great War includes seven regular and one hypothetical Situation Games, plus a Campaign Game which links all of these into one 72-turn or longer game. The game may be played by from two to seven Players and comes complete with both basic and optional rules.
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