text:
_“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”_ - Aristotle

Your morning routine sets the tone for the rest of the day. Here are 10 simple habits that you can use to create a morning routine that will set you up for success.

Have you ever noticed when your morning starts in a frenzy—snoozing your alarm, skipping breakfast, and rushing yourself out the door—the rest of your day seems to reflect that mood of chaos as well?

The tone of your morning will determine the tone of your day, so it’s time to start planning accordingly. When you form healthy habitual behaviors for the morning, you set your day up for success.

Whether you are aware of them or not, you operate under habits (both good and bad) all the time—they are an integral part of your daily existence. Part of developing a _healthy_ habit, is to become intentional with it. Most habits are formed because they are easy or along the path of least resistance. If you want to cultivate positive habits, then you may need to put some intentional effort into forming them until they become second nature.

This is particularly true with morning habits. What you cultivate in the morning influences how you feel, act, and think during the rest of your day.

HERE ARE 10 SIMPLE HABITS THAT YOU CAN ADD INTO YOUR MORNING ROUTINE NOW, to ensure you are feeling, acting, and thinking at your highest potential for the rest of your day—and days—ahead.

1. SNOOZE YOUR SMARTPHONE
If the first thing you do when you wake up is check your smartphone for messages or work email, you are doing yourself a disservice. You are immediately cultivating a reactive mindset, instead of a proactive one, which will cause you to start your day in a defensive state, rather than a place of inner peace and control.

Instead, try remaining detached from technology for the first hour of your day so you can begin your day with present-moment awareness and a positive focus.

2. WARM WATER, FRESH START
Drinking a glass of water in the morning after going hours without a sip is a good way to hydrate your body. The Ayurvedic technique of adding lemon to a warm glass of water helps remove toxins from your digestive tract that may have built up overnight, provides a good source of vitamin C, freshens your breath, supports weight loss, and stimulates metabolism and digestion. Bottoms up first thing in the a.m. for a healthy—and refreshing—start to your day.

3. WHAT ARE YOU GRATEFUL FOR?
Before you even get out of bed, give yourself a few minutes to smile and practice gratitude. When you smile, it signals your brain to release the feel-good neurotransmitters (dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin), which lift your mood, relax your body, and lower your heart rate. Who wouldn’t want to start their day on this positive note?

As you smile, start to reflect upon what you’re grateful for. Studies have shown practicing gratitude reduces stress hormones and improves mood, among other benefits. So, adding a simple daily gratitude practice is a great way to kick-start your morning.

Begin by taking one minute in bed before you rise to reflect on one person and one opportunity you are grateful for in your life.

4. MAKE YOUR BED
Tim Ferriss, author and podcast host (_The Tim Ferriss Show_) has interviewed more than a hundred highly successful people with diverse backgrounds and skillsets, and in a variety of industries. He always asks, “What’s your morning routine?” Along the way, he has collected five habits that he has incorporated into his morning routine, and one of them is _making his bed_.

It may seem like a waste of time, unimportant, or unnecessary (you’re just going to use it again at night), but making your bed is a simple action you can take in the morning that makes you start your day feeling accomplished—and what better tone to set than a sense of pride and accomplishment? Taking charge and completing simple tasks will give you the foundation to take on more and more throughout the day.

5. MEDITATE
Incorporating some type of mindfulness practice like meditation into your daily morning routine can help ground you and train your mind and emotions, which then influences how you react to challenges throughout your day.

During your meditation is also a great time to set your intention for the day. When you get clear on how you want your day to go or what you want to feel or accomplish, you can make clear decisions that create the life you truly want to live.

Note sure where to get started? Here is a simple meditation you can do in the morning:

-   Get into a comfortable seated position and set a timer for five minutes.
-   Close your eyes and focus on your breath.
-   Inhale through your nose for four counts, retain for four counts, and exhale through your nose for eight counts.
-   Every time you notice your mind wandering, gently guide it back to focus on your breath.
-   When the timer goes off, release your counting, but stay seated with your eyes closed for a moment.
-   Set an intention for your day and visualize yourself meeting this intention.
-   Open your eyes, draw your arms up to the sky for a stretch, and then move on with your day, carrying the calm energy and intention with you.

6. MOVE YOUR BODY
Whether it’s a simple yoga routine, a brisk walk with your pet, a quick set of sit-ups and push-ups, or hitting the gym to work off last night’s meal, starting off your day with movement energizes the body and the mind. Determine what kind of exercise is right for you and schedule it. It doesn’t have to be complicated, long, or intense, but having some sort of physical activity in the morning will get your blood flowing and help quiet any mental chatter. You can even switch up what kind of exercise you do every day to keep your routine interesting.

7. START WITH SELF-CARE
Putting time and effort into your appearance helps build self-confidence. When you feel “put together,” it is one less thing to worry about throughout your day.

So, shower, wash your face, brush your teeth, floss, comb your hair, apply lotion/oil, dress to impress, and apply any other hygiene/grooming habits that make you feel good about yourself. This may involve picking out your clothes the night before (especially if you are short on time in the morning) or ironing your clothes—whatever makes you feel like you are taking care of your health, looking presentable, and feeling confident.

8. EAT A HEALTHY BREAKFAST
You’ve most likely heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. When you make time to eat a healthy breakfast (lean proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains), you’ll have more energy throughout the day and a stronger ability to focus and concentrate.

9. REDISCOVER YOUR “TO-DO” LIST
Take a few minutes to write down a “to-do” list for the day ahead. Then prioritize it so your day’s list has only 3 to 5 items on it—ranked in order of priority to make sure you tackle the most pressing things first.

Writing down your “to-do’s” instead of keeping them floating around in your mind helps clear mental chatter. You also give yourself a sense of purpose each day when you know what you need to get done. And there is something satisfying about crossing off tasks on your list—it really cultivates a sense of accomplishment.

10. GET ENOUGH RESTFUL SLEEP
This last one isn’t a habit for your morning exactly ... however, before you can hope to implement new, healthy morning habits, you should have the foundation of a well-rested body and mind. The way you feel while you're awake is dependent in part on your sleep habits. If you’ve been feeling groggy, irritable, or exhausted, you may not be getting enough quality sleep.

During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. In fact, sleep plays such a vital role in your physical well-being, mental clarity, and quality of life that ongoing sleep deficiency (the amount varies by individual, but typically this means less than 6 to 8 hours of restful sleep each night) can have adverse effects on your health—and how well you think, react, work, learn, and get along with others.

If you are finding you are not getting enough quality sleep, check out this before-bed routine to wind down or our online product _7 Days to Restful Sleep_ to improve your sleep habits. There are also apps and gadgets out there that can track your sleep habits, like _Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock_.

When you start your day after a night of restful sleep, you will wake feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on the day, starting with your new morning habits.

question: Why does your morning routine affect your day?

answer: Your morning routine sets the tone for the rest of the day.

question: Why should you snooze your smartphone in the morning?

answer: Snoozing your smartphone in the morning will help you detach yourself from technology and begin your day with present-moment awareness and a positive

question: Does skipping breakfast affect your day?

answer: Yes.

question: What habits should you cultivate?

answer: You should cultivate the habit of making your bed, eating a healthy breakfast, drinking a glass of warm water in the morning, meditate, and many more.

question: Write a ~7 sentence summary.

answer:
Your morning routine sets the tone for the rest of the day. Adding a few simple habits to your morning routine may sure you are thinking and acting at your highest potential.

You should cultivate the habit of not using your smartphone right in the morning. Meditating in the morning helps improve your concentration. Eating a healthy breakfast is one of the key things one should do. A healthy breakfast improves your ability to focus. Lastly, you must get enough restful sleep.


split: test

text:
In the last six months I broke off an engagement, moved country, started a new job, moved into a new house, bought a car and basically started a new chapter of my life. It's scary, exciting, overwhelming and sometimes very lonely. On advice of friends, I have recently dipped my toe in the murky waters of online dating. All it's done so far is make me miss my ex terribly. Here's a rundown on a recent date that'll show you why (and hopefully gives you a giggle, at my expense). It's my first attempt at short mini story/blog. Let me know what you think!

Big B
It all started off so perfectly- he was early and waiting for me at the door of the bar where we had arranged to meet. He is tall, dark, a bit stocky (which I love) and has a head of dreadlock-worthy hair. He is handsome. Game on!

There was a full camera crew from the local news station at the bar, because unbeknownst to us- the bar was having a shindig to celebrate their 25th anniversary. Happy coincidence.

Go in, ask him what his drink of choice is. He says a “Dimple Pinch” ala Walter White and I’m like, interesting! Breaking Bad fan- something to talk about.
(Of course the bartender has no idea what a Dimple Pinch is, so Big B gets a well whiskey. I get our drinks, knowing dinner is ahead of us, and stupidly thinking he might spring for that.) Things are starting out ok- I'm still nervous/excited.

At this stage, as well as me, Big B has started chats with not one, not two, but three different people. “He’s social,” I think, “what fun!”

 Bar is crowded (nowhere to sit as everyone enjoying 25 years of boozing!), so we decide to sit outside (I also decide this is my best tactic for keeping him from engaging with randomers, so I can actually get a sense of him.)

 Ok. Now. Sitting outside. He has a slight lisp. He uses his elegant hands to emphasize points. Flamboyantly. Ok. That’s ok. We have Breaking Bad chats- excellent, great, he gets it. He likes it. Good rehash of the final season, feel like we have that much in common. I ask about Homeland. He is like “dammmmn, girl, yes!” And I get all excited because, well, he just said “Dammmmmn girl” which I think is adorable-and also because he likes this weird show that I’ve recently become obsessed with.

 Then he says something along the lines of “I am sort of embarrassed. I never confess I watch this much TV.” And I’m like, “Oh. Well, you know, neither do I. I quite like to read fiction. It’s like TV in my brain. Fun to tease the imagination,” etc etc.

He’s like “Wow. Wowwwwww. Shit! That’s really interesting. We are on different ends of that spectrum. I usually read nonfiction about politics, civil rights, community empowerment, feminism,” etc. etc. And I’m like, “Oh, ok. Cool. That’s interesting, too.” He then spends 45 minutes telling me about how he’s basically trying to unionize every place he steps into (interesting, ok- but very unfocused) and also has drafted a new Bill for legislature that bans GMO foods. He worked with the community to make that happen, which I try to learn more about because I think it’s a good way to tell him a bit about what I do. Can’t get a word in edge-wise.

At this stage I feel like Big B is campaigning for himself a bit- I’m not following all of his “strategies,” nor do I want to. I feel like I’m at work, yet I’m sitting outside a bar. Can we not go back to talking about Breaking Bad, Big B? I mean, that’s great and everything, but this is like a monologue on what you think is wrong with the world, and it’s fab that you’re doing something about it, but jeeeez- I haven’t even finished my drink!

I convincingly continue with lots of head nodding, maybe I ask too many good questions? (Doubtful). Lots of “stay focused, he might end this monologue in a question.” (This does not happen- thankfully? Oh wait. Monologue. NOT WHAT YOU’D HOPE FOR!) He loops his monologue back around to the fiction/non fiction conversation….”So yeah, I mostly read nonfiction to support the work I do. Though I recently went to a poetry slam and that made me want to write poetry. I want to write a poem about a woman who writes poems on leaves.” I SHIT YOU NOT. A poem about a poet, who writes poems, on leaves. I smile. I am polite, I hold back laughter....but I’m hungry now, I’m ready to get a slice of pizza, wrap this up with a bow- maybe ask him a few bizarre questions to see how he takes it, try and have a few laughs, etc. I should have left it at the drink. But I'm still curious. Silly me.

We stroll down from the bar to the restaurant- we end up going for Cuban (Cubans love both Cilantro and Parsley- my only food no-gos. The Pizza Place was across the street-but Big B wanted to be adventurous. The Pizza joint winked at me, “I’ve got no line over here! I’ve got delicious, simple, beautiful, fresh pizza over here!” The Cubans made us wait, and I’m pretty sure added extra parsley and cilantro just to add to my evening of delights-Whatever.)

It takes him 20 minutes to decide what to order. The waiter comes by 3 times. Big B goes off on how he’s “working on following his gut instinct.” Ummm, we’re ordering A meal. Not deciding what to do with the rest of our lives. He eventually chooses the first thing he was looking at (of course). He says he was hesitant because of the garlic, and “that’s not what you do in this kind of circumstance.” I think, “this guy thinks he’s getting a kiss. Maybe I can get a bit more interested. I mean, he’s cute, right? I can look past his oddities for a little kiss, right? Could be a game changer.” I hold out hope....Needlessly.

Big B now tells me how he is going to try and start helping Bolivians import chocolate to the states. More “strategies” more “micro and macro level engagements.” I ask him if he speaks Spanish. He says no. But not to worry, the people he’d be working with on that project mostly speak French. I ask him if he speaks French. He does not.

He then tells me he also wants to go to school of natural medicine. He wants to make accessible, holistic health care a reality. Excellent! Wait. While also importing chocolate from Bolivia? No. Wait, WAIT. He ALSO wants to go to Law School. Big B wants to be a doctor AND a lawyer. And a chocolate importer! I ask him what he got his undergraduate degree in. He stumbles. “I haven’t quite finished it up yet.” Ummm. How do you plan to go to med school OR law school without your undergrad completed? I must look perplexed because he asks me if that’s a big deal (one of maybe 3 questions he throws my way all night). I make out that it’s not, but I feel like it kind of is. Well, could be. I mean, this guy is SCATTERED. Wants to go to Med School AND Law School but can’t get his shit together to finish his undergrad. I’m not judging, I’m just curious- “Do you have a day job, Big B?” HE EVADES THE QUESTION. “It’s not meaningful, it’s not what I do.” Hmmm. “I’m not making any assumptions here,” he says, “but I’m not planning on going in tomorrow.” Uh-huh. Well. That will have nothing to do with me, Big B.

 Somehow we move away from that and Big B tells me that his best friend is female to male transgender. They are going to “Man Training” together. I wonder, “ummm, Big B is a man, shouldn’t he LEAD “Man Training”?” He tells me he is most looking forward to going shooting. Ok, I think. That's manly. With cigars. Also manly....IN LINGERIE. Hmmmmmmm. He tells me his has a collection OF CORSETS. NOT AS MANY AS HE’D LIKE though.

At this stage I wonder if Big B is gay. Dismiss the thought, as it makes me feel judgemental, I should be cool with this. After thinking about the corsets again though, I start to realize, it’s actually ok if I’m not. I don't really want to date someone from Rocky Horror. I love Rocky Horror. Don't want to date Rocky Horror characters.

I finish my food WELL before he does because, not only did he order a huge platter, but obviously, he is doing all the talking. I think the only thing he learned about me was that I have brothers and a car and need to go because I live far away and get up early for work. I think he knows what I do for work because of my profile online-not from conversation. I could have been an axe murderer though, he wouldn’t know- and at that stage I would have told him that if it meant I could bounce out of there.

I make an excuse to go to the restroom to regroup. He tells me he will not take a mental note of the fact that I pee- as though it is disgusting to know that about someone- something everyone does. Umm, you basically just told me you wear corsets for fun- I am going to the bathroom- CHILL. In the bathroom I ask myself, “Is this as insane as it feels?” “Yes,” the mirror says back at me, “Yes. Just roll with it.” Deep breath.

He orders dessert. I figure, fuck it, I’m in too deep, and I might as well have a tasty treat to nibble as I hold back laughter/confusion/plan my escape. Big B thinks it essential to dissect the dessert. I mean, like, “Wow. This little piece of pudding! The textures! The layers! Mmmmm. The chocolate! Oh, there’s definitely vanilla in there. What a smooth pudding- but with crunch, too! WOW. WOW! WOW!!!” At this stage I am just staring at him. He is deadly serious. I am trying really hard not to laugh. He asks me “is this not ok? Do you not do that with your food?” No. That is fine, this is actually hilarious. I mean, the dessert was delicious. But MAN. GET ME OUT OF HERE. I blatantly yawn. I explain I have to be up early---again. I have to go.

We split the bill  because “I don’t want to get in the way of your independence” despite the fact that I already got drinks and his dinner cost twice as much as mine. He takes forever to finish up the dessert. I am just staring at him, wondering how he'd get himself in a corset to begin with- and how I can excuse myself before our coconut pudding is gone. I have been humoring this guy way too long. I’m tired of trying to follow his monologue about the different places he wants to unionize and things he wants to import to help struggling nations. I’m pretty sure at one stage he was talking about joining a drug cartel, but I can’t certain. I’m ready to bounce.

We finally rock out of the restaurant. I try not to seem too eager to go, but it's pretty apparent. It is dark. I need to get back to my car. We stop on the sidewalk. I have zero interest in granting him the kiss he assumed earlier he would score- he looks visibly disappointed. Awkward hug. We’re going opposite ways. No offer of a walk to the car- I’m an independent woman after all, and am I grateful for that!

TLDR; I think I was on candid camera for one of my first dates as a single woman in years. Sometimes, I think the universe lets you know when to avoid the dating scene. Just wish it didn't make me doubt my decision to leave my ex- he would have found this all pretty funny! Half wanted to teleport him to the dinner table to have a good laugh!

title: (Mis)Adventures in Dating (x/post TwoX)

question: Summarize what the protagonist found a little off about her date.

answer:
The online date the protagonist is meeting calls himself Big B. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Big B started talking about what he has been up to. He spoke about trying to unionize every place of work he steps into - Big B spent 45 minutes talking about this. He then pivoted to talking about a new bill he just drafted for legislation; the bill was drafted in conjunction with a local community that wants to ban GMO foods. The protagonist wanted to get a word in about what she has been up to but never got any chance.
Big B also talked about writing poems about people who write poems. The protagonist is hungry by this time but tried to be polite and smile. When the time came for Big B to order some food, it took him 20 minutes to make up his mind. He chalked it down to trying to learn how to follow his gut. After food, Big B continued to talk  - he spoke about helping Bolivians import chocolate. He wants to go to a school of natural medicine, he was to go to law school, etc. By now, the protagonist seemed fed up with the whole date.

question: Which school of natural medicine is Big B planning to attend?


text:
“SOMETHING UNFORGIVABLE” is the tenth and final episode of the fifth season of the AMC television series _Better Call Saul_, the spinoff series of _Breaking Bad_. The episode aired on April 20, 2020 on AMC in the United States and Canada. Outside of the United States, the episode premiered on streaming service Netflix in several countries. It is tied with “Winner” for being the two longest episodes in the series at 60 minutes.

Plot

Kim and Jimmy watch Lalo depart. Jimmy asks Mike why he has been protecting him, but Mike hangs up. Jimmy tells Kim the truth about his desert trek with Mike. Kim and Jimmy check into a hotel so Lalo will not find them if he returns.

Mike tells Gus that Lalo and Nacho went to Lalo's Chihuahua home. Gus tells Mike he has sent assassins after Lalo and suggests Nacho can help them. Lalo and Nacho arrive at Lalo's house, an expansive hacienda inside a large, walled compound, and are warmly greeted by family and friends. Nacho receives a call telling him to open Lalo's back gate at 3 a.m.

Kim ignores Jimmy's request to remain at the hotel, meets with the public defender, and accepts 20 pending felony cases _pro bono_. She tells Howard she quit Schweikart and Cokely. Howard assumes Jimmy is behind Kim's decision and tells Kim about Jimmy's recent harassment campaign. Kim laughs at Howard, says she is insulted by the notion that she cannot decide for herself, and tells Howard he does not understand Jimmy. Howard angrily tells her that Chuck knew Jimmy better than anyone else.

Lalo prepares Nacho for his first meeting with Don Eladio. At the meeting, Lalo explains that Nacho is associated with Tuco and will manage the Salamanca drug business while Lalo is in Mexico. Eladio is impressed with Nacho's plans to expand the Salamanca territory and gives his blessing.

Jimmy goes to Mike's house and demands that Mike explain why Mike has been aiding him. Mike reveals that Lalo will be killed that night, and Jimmy informs Kim. Still angered by Howard's comments, Kim proposes a forced resolution of the Sandpiper case by sabotaging him, which would enable Jimmy to receive his seven-figure share of the settlement sooner. Jimmy counsels against it, but Kim makes use of a finger-pointing gesture similar to one Jimmy previously used to show that she is serious about undermining Howard.

Lalo is awake at 3 a.m, so Nacho sets a kitchen fire as a distraction that enables him to open the gate. Nacho flees as the assassins enter and kill most of Lalo's family and guards. Lalo kills all but one assassin, then forces him to call the middleman who arranged the attack and report that Lalo was killed. Lalo realizes Nacho is missing, then angrily strides away from his house.

Production

Much of the fifth season was written to drive towards the final scene between Kim and Jimmy in which she appears ready to take vengeful action against Howard, showing that Kim has a side of her that is as conniving, if not more so, than Jimmy's “Saul Goodman” persona. Bob Odenkirk, who portrays Jimmy, said, “The show, it's called _Better Call Saul_. But the real show is, _Who the Hell is Kim?_”; he identified the show had gone to lengths to show how similar Kim and Jimmy were even to their routines, and that Kim had elements of her past that suggested there was more to her than she presented.[1] Rhea Seehorn, who plays Kim, said that “It isn't as simple as saying, 'Jimmy is turning [Kim] bad.' That’s not correct. So is he reigniting something that was always there? Is he bringing it out in her?”[2]

Lalo's character was a focus of this episode. According to Tony Dalton, who plays Lalo, showrunners Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould had not given much time to show the full breadth of Lalo's character outside of a few intense scenes such as when he confronts Fred, the clerk at the Travelwire store in “Winner”. Within “Something Unforgivable” they gave Lalo this larger characterization, first showing him as a warm and charismatic person when introducing his family to Nacho on arrival at his home, then later as a ruthless killer when attacking the assassination team, particularly when he finds they killed his _nana_ who may not have been a blood relative but who had taken care of Lalo.[3] Dalton said that it took a couple of days to film the final attack scene, but in contrast to the final scene with Kim and Jimmy in “Bad Choice Road”, the action scene was much easier and more fun to film.[4]

Reception

“Something Unforgivable” received universal acclaim by critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it received a perfect 100% Certified Fresh rating with an average 8.86 out of 10 score based on 15 reviews. The critical consensus is, “Lalo lives to fight another day and Kim breaks bad in a season finale that masterfully assembles the board for _Better Call Saul_{{'}}s doom-laden conclusion.”[5]

Ratings

“Something Unforgivable” was watched by 1.59 million viewers on its first broadcast.[6] The episode was the second most-watched episode of the season, after the season premiere which had 1.60 million viewers.[7]

Notes

[1]

[2]

[3]

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[5]

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[7]

title: Something Unforgivable

question: How was the episode of "Something Unforgivable" received by its audience?

answer: "Something Unforgivable" was watched by 1.59 million viewers, the second-most watched of the season after the season premier. It received universal acclaim by critics and on Rotten Tomatoes, it received a perfect Certified Fresh rating. Out of 15 reviews, it got an an average of 8.86.


text:
JAX COCO is a brand owned by Jing Holdings Limited,.[1] a company incorporated in Hong Kong with its registered office in Wong Chuk Hang.

Jing Holdings Limited is a beverage company that manufactures coconut water beverage.

Jax Coco is a premium brand of coconut water beverage founded by entrepreneur Jane Gottschalk,[2][3] Max Gottschalk,[4] Alexander Ing and Jason Ing. Jax Coco has been launched since 2012.[5]

Products and services

Jax Coco sells coconut related drink, coconut chips and coconut oil products.[6]

Jax Coco's products mainly includes coconut water beverages in Tetra Pak or in glass bottles with variations of flavour.[7][8]

[a Jax Coco glass bottle] [Jax Coco bottle front] [Jax Coco bottle nutrition facts]

Jax Coco sources coconut water from the Philippines. It partners with beverage factories such as Peter Paul Coconut Water Corporation, Superstar Coconut Water in the Philippines to produce beverage products.[9][10] It was planned to build a factory in the Philippines[11] did not mention whether the plan materialized.

The frosted glass bottle is sealed with screw caps. In 2014, the glass bottle product were bottled in China.[12][13][14] For recent batches the glass bottles are bottled in Taiwan. Glass bottles are generally considered recyclable items, however, it is suggested that frosted glasses might have recycle issue in some countries.[15][16][17]

Company network and partners

Jax Coco run office in Taiwan,[18] Canada,[19][20] USA,[21] Singapore,[22] Japan,[23] South Korea,[24] Australia [25] and UK.[26] However, overseas operations did not meet expectations [27] and now Jax Coco is focused on Hong Kong market.

Jax Coco worked with global distributors such as Brands Within Reach in 2016.[28][29] In 2015, Jax Coco were in talks with JYP Entertainment of Korea to promote its beverage business.[30]

Leadership

Mr. Alex Ing served as CEO of Jax Coco in earlier years from 2012 to 2015.[31][32] Mr. Greg Cattin was appointed CEO in 2016 to lead Jax Coco.,[33][34] however, he then joined Swire Coca-Cola in 2018. Mr Andreas Ruben Keijsers was then appointed CEO and then resigned in late 2019.

Ownership

Notable shareholders of Jing Holdings Limited includes Sir Elton John[35] and designer Stella McCartney.

Awards

Jing Holdings Limited was awarded “National Business Awards 2018” in the category of Food & Beverage Product[36]

Further reading

-   Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE, “8 Science-Based Health Benefits of Coconut Water”. Healthline.com, 2018

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4] https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/730633/couple-Maxmilian-Jane-Gottschalk-sack-butler-Robin-Pyke-Oxfordshire-mansion-henley

[5]

[6] https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190627005525/en/Global-4.7-Bn-Virgin-Coconut-Oil-Market

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15] https://recyclenation.com/2010/10/types-recycling-glass/

[16] https://www.gpi.org/glass-recycling-facts

[17] https://www.millenniumrecycling.com/what-types-of-glass-can-be-recycled/

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

[28] https://www.prweb.com/releases/2016/09/prweb13686299.htm

[29]

[30]

[31]

[32]

[33]

[34]

[35]

[36]

title: Jax Coco

question: What does the text say about the company's products?

answer: Jax Coco sells coconut related drinks, coconut chips, and coconut oil products. Their coconut water beverages are available in Tetra Pak or in glass bottles in a variety of flavors. Their coconut water is sourced from the Philippines, and their glass bottles were sourced from China in 2014, but more recent bottles were sourced from Taiwan.


text:
She opened her eyes, and all she saw was a searing white light. She felt a biting cold metallic surface beneath her. She was laying down, in a metal room with only one door; a heavy, solid metal door. The florescent lights: the searing light, buzzing incessantly above her. They were driving her mad. She suddenly felt a pool of warmth beneath her head; blood. It was bleeding. To her relief it was only a slight trickle. To her horror there was a large dried pool of blood below her. A few drops trailed off to the opposite end of the room. And she saw him.

Lying there on the floor, opposite to her was a man. She saw no blood around him, but saw blood on his hands. Lying between them were a syringe and a keycard. The syringe was empty; what was in it? She wondered. Did he attack me? What is this place? Why am I here? Why can't I remember? She couldn't remember. She couldn't remember anything at all; who she was, where she was, and why she was here. She couldn't remember; and she was afraid. Did he lock me in this room for something I did? Was this man a guard at this facility? Or were this man's intentions more...malignant? She didn't want to know. She wanted to get out; she had to get out. She had to find some answers.

She stood up and made her way towards the door, still slightly ajar. As she approached the threshold, she noticed a camera. What is this place she thought and what is it for? She left into the hallway, and stared down its sterile walls, glistening in the white light. There were more cells, but there was silence. She was unsure of whether that was a good sign or not. She made for the door at the end of the hallway; it looked different from the rest, perhaps it wasn't a cell, perhaps it was a way out. She hoped it was. When she reached the door, her heart sank; it was locked.

The key card in the room! It was the only thing she had to go on, the only ray of light in her frightening nightmare. Feeling hopeful, she raced to the end of the hall for the key card. When she reached the cell she had awoken in, she entered and made her way for the card, not noticing that the man had woken up, and was watching her. As she goes to leave the room, she hears an unsettling, animalistic growl. She turns back to see the man, crouching, staring at her with a predator's gaze. Looking closer at his eyes, she notices that his eyes are a yellowish color; like a cat's eyes. His nails had sharpened, and were more like claws. What was in that syringe? Was he planning on doing that to me?

Suddenly, the feral beast leaped. Thinking quickly, she pulled the door closed just in time. She started to run down the hall and then she heard that noise. The feral creature let out a sickening roar. The nightmarish noise paralyzed her with fear. For an eternity, she could not move, could not think, could not breath. What made her move wasn't fear of the beast behind her. It was the new sounds she heard. The other cells were alive with movement; something was lurking behind their walls. With an ever deepening sense of terror, she ran towards the door, inserted the key card, and turned the handle; the door opened. The minuscule amount of relief she felt was extinguished when she heard the footfalls of the beast. Without even looking, she went through the door and into the new room. She turned and closed the door, seeing the beast lunge forward, more feral in appearance than before, just in time for it to crash into the closed door. She was safe, for now.

Turning to examine the room, she saw monitors. Monitors that showed the horrors in the other cells. Creatures that lurked and prowled with vicious intent. Creatures that writhed and squirmed in agonizing pain. This facility...was for experimentation on human beings. Just who the hell are these people? What are they doing? What are these vile bastards doing to these poor people? Sitting down, she started to go through some notes lying on the table. They were of someone named Dr. Moreau. This despicable person wrote about these people, his "patients" with no empathy, no remorse. He was now one of his own experiments.

"Doctor, are you there? The Colonel is waiting for the latest results of your testing." It was a man's voice on the other side of the door opposite from the one with the cells. She sat frozen with fear. What would happen to her when he found out what happened to the doctor, that he had become one of his pets? "Doctor? I'm coming in..." The door slowly opened, and a man wearing heavily padded, black colored clothing came in. He was holding a gun. When he stepped into the room, he raised it and fired. At that moment, a life was silenced.
But it was not hers...

Lowering his weapon, he turned to her and said, "Your bleeding, come with me to the infirmary." When she didn't respond, didn't even breath, he said it. Those words which shattered her utterly and will haunt her for the rest of her days. It was just a simple question, yet it implied so much.

"Doctor Moreau, are you alright?"

title: This was a short story I wrote for a high school English class. I was told by my teacher that it was well written, but I would like some criticism from you guys and gals. (This story is about 5-6 years old) [Battle Not With Monsters]

question: What are the main sources of tension in the story?

answer: The girl wakes up in a room and notices blood. Then she sees a man laying. She does not know where she is. She cannot remember anything. The man's eyes are a yellowish color; like a cat's eyes. His nails had sharpened and were more like claws. She is scared and tries to run away. Later, she realizes that she is in a room that is made for experimentation on human beings. Dr. Moreau was now one of his own experiments. In the end, she realizes she is Dr. Moroeau.

question: What does the story say about the girl's family?


text:
CARLY HIBBERD (11 May 1985 – 6 July 2011) was an Australian professional road racing cyclist who competed in Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI)-sanctioned races. She won the 2008 Australian National Criterium Championships and was second in that year's Tour de Perth. Aged six, Hibberd took up BMX before moving onto mountain biking and then road cycling.through a talent identification scheme. She began riding competitive events in 2004 and went on to compete in several women's events organised by the UCI. Hibberd was hit off her bike by a road car while training in Northern Italy and died from her injuries. A memorial trophy and park in Toowoomba are named after her.

Biography

Hibberd was born on 11 May 1985,[1] in the Brisbane suburb of Sherwood, Queensland.[2][3] She was the daughter of Mark and Roslyn Hibberd and has one brother.[4][5] Aged six, Hibberd began racing BMX in Toowoomba,[6][7] often with the future professional cyclist Jared Graves,[8] before the family moved from Toowoomba to the Sunshine Coast around 1997.[9][10] She later took up mountain biking,[11] and was subsequently introduced to road cycling by a talent identification scheme in 2000.[12][13] Hibberd did so to provide herself with a greater number of opportunities for her career.[14] She attended boarding school and then was accepted into a scholarship scheme at the Queensland Academy of Sport from 2005 to 2007.[15][16] Hibberg became a member of the Ipswich Cycling Club.[17]

In 2004, she won the Tenthill Classic road race.[18] Hibberd began her professional career in 2005 when she entered the Geelong Tour and the New Zealand World Cup, finishing 60th and 48th overall, respectively. She finished 21st and 25th in the 2006 National Championships Australia time trial and road race. Two months later, Hibberd failed to finish her second entry in the New Zealand World Cup.[19] She took a second-place finish in the road race and third in the criterium events of the Women's National Grand Prix Series. Not long after Hibberd came third at the Grafton to Glen Innes Cycle Classic.[20] An illness required her to sit out several events in 2007;[21] Hibberd came second in the 2007 Australian National Criterium Championships in the Elite category.[22] With the MD Cycles Team she accumulated enough points in all six rounds of the 2008 Australian National Criterium Championships to win it overall with 768 points.[23]

Hibberd received a wild card to qualify for the 2008 Geelong World Cup,[24] where she finished 13th.[25] She then entered the Women's Tour of New Zealand and was 62nd,[26] before she finished second at the Tour de Perth.[27] Hibberd signed to the Cassina Rizzardi A Style Fionucci team in 2009 and moved to Italy to further her career;[28] she expressed a desire to qualify for the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games.[29] During the season, Hibberd partook in the Grand Prix de Dottignies, the Novilon Eurocup Ronde Van Drenthe, the GP Liberazione, the Emakumeen Euskal Bira, the Giro del Trentino Alto Adige-Südtirol, the Giro d'Italia Femminile and the Giro della Toscana Int. Femminile – Memorial Michela Fanini.[30]

In the 2010 season, she made an appearance in each of the GP Liberazione, the Gracia–Orlová, the Tour de l'Aude Cycliste Féminin, the GP Ciudad de Valladolid, the Emakumeen Saria and the Emakumeen Euskal Bira.[31] Before the 2011 season, Hibberd moved to the Cassina Rizzardi A Style Fionucci squad.[32] She competed in two events, the GP Liberazione and the GP Comune di Cornaredo.[33] Hibberd was due to marry her fiancée Cameron Rogers in October 2011.[34]

Death

On 6 July 2011, she was with her training partner and fellow cyclist Diego Tamayo in fine weather conditions on a road between Appiano Gentile and Lurate Caccivio to the north of Milan when a car struck her at around 10:45 local time.[35][36] According to Tamayo, Hibberd was about behind when the female driver of the car steered left and hit her bike.[37] Her riding helmet had come off in the impact and she was killed instantly.[38][39] Tamayo attempted resuscitation before paramedics arrived by helicopter to tend to Hibberd.[40][41] On 29 July she was given a funeral at the Ashgrove Baptist Church in Brisbane attended by her family and friends.[42]

Legacy

The organisers of the 2011 Giro d'Italia Femminile cancelled the podium ceremony for its sixth stage out of respect for Hibberd.[43] The competing Australian riders planned to wear black arm bands in Hibberd's memory and they requested a moment of silence be observed to remember her before the seventh stage began.[44]

The Carly Hibberd Memorial Trophy was established by her first coach David Budden after Hibberd's father consented to the idea to honour “a tenacious female rider” in 2012. It is awarded after the Toowoomba BMX Club's open day by her parents who deem on the best rider who won the award on merit.[45][46][47] On 20 January 2015, Toowoomba Regional Council voted unanimously to name a park in its “Cycling Estate” located on Nelson Street, Kearneys Spring after Hibberd following lobbying by Budden for additional memorialisation of the cyclist.[48]

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title: Carly Hibberd

question: When did Carly Hibberd begin riding competitively?

answer: Carly Hibberd began riding competitively in 2004.

question: How did Carly Hibberd die?

answer: Carly Hibberd was stuck by a car while training and died from her injuries.

question: Where was Carly Hibberd born?

answer: Carly Hibberd was born in Sherwood, Queensland.

question: How many points did Carly Hibberd earn in the 2008 Australian National Criterium Championships?

answer: Carly Hibberd earned 768 points in the Australian National Criterium Championships.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Carly Hibberd was an Australian cyclist who competed in and won many competitions during her career. She died in 2011 when she was hit by a car.


text:
There was an complete stillness to the air. There was no wind; it was calm, tranquil and cool. I laughed, one short quick exhalation and the vapor cloud  hung in front of my face for a while before dissipating to a realm beyond sight and mind.

I looked down at you. It had been about four years now, but you were exactly where I left you. The blades of grass had started to brown, marking the end of summer and soon the onslaught of winter would be upon us, bringing with it the cold devastation.

It was had been four years now, and judging by the condition of this place, you had already been forgotten.

I thought back to it all. The violence. The beauty. Your panicked breath washing over the skin on my neck, just below my ear. Normally I take no pleasure—well, that is a slight lie, but I deny myself from giving in completely to the fury of it all. The dance, while still skillfully executed, typically contains no emotion. I could make rivers and lakes with what I have done, so what is just one more bucket?

Sure the first time engulfed me. It fueled my desires. Eviscerated with every last second of the moment. It happened all so fast, but time distorts in my mind. It is slowed to the point of seeing a hummingbird's wings flap with a slow and steady pulse. I heard the echos of a heart beat, loud and thunderous, irregular and desperate...

And with you it wasn't any different—though thousands of times this ritual plotted, schemed, and preformed, I heard the echo of your heartbeat. Time was not in control, I was. You had surrendered completely, accepting your role entirely. You had your part to play, though you tried to rob me of it. Foolish, but still what more could have been expected of you? So fiery, so stubborn, and so sad. But oh so beautiful. Your cries still ring in my ears. I can still taste your sweat on my tongue, and the acrid scent in my nostrils. I don't have to imagine it, no. No no no; not you, my dear. And that is what makes you special. That is what mark you have left. That, and the scar from the bite mark on my shoulder.

I watched as your eyes glassed. I stayed to watch you paint the floor. Each and every last brush stroke, divine—sacrosanct. Plotted so precise by the hand of fate. And when it licked my boot, I watched it change—as beautiful as the leaves in autumn.

Ah yes. Autumn.

It had been four years now. And you were exactly where I left you.

The cold air made every sound within a mile crystal clear—clear as the sky on this day. The sun was starting so set now, and the once cool and tranquil calm—the eery stillness was replaced by a gentle breeze. The rustle of dead leaves interrupted the pin-drop-silence I so enjoyed. But as the leaves blew between the gravestones, they were caught and coalesced among the trinkets of those left behind...

There were no flowers.
There were no candles.
There were no wreaths or bells.

You were exactly where I left you. And it had only been four years, but the world has already forgotten you.

You had no mourners.
You had no survivors.
You have only me.

Me...

And it is only a matter of time before I move on. Till my life is once again chained to the ritual, the dance. Your screams will be replaced from my dreams. The blood on my hands will belong to someone else. And then what will become of you? How long till your name fades from the garnet? Your life was a short and pointless echo, muted at my hand. Erased, as if you never existed.

There were no flowers at your grave.
There were no candles.
There were no wreaths or bells.
There were no letters from loved ones.
There were no tears that frosted the browning grass.
You had no mourners.
You had no survivors.
You had only me.

I reached into the pocket of my long coat.
This was my paint brush. This was my pen. This was the baton I used to conduct your requiem.

I set the silver plated, serrated and barbed dagger at the foot of your headstone. A single red velvet ribbon tied into a perfect bow embraced the blade to the hilt.

I blew a kiss and walked away.

title: Prey

question: What did the main character do to the dead person they are addressing?

answer: The main character is a serial killer. They murdered the person in the story in a violent ritual. They are apparently the only person who missed this person, and they visit them at their grave to leave the knife they did the deed with.


text:
A/N: EARTH ALPHA. NOT ANOTHER NAME FOR EARTH ALEPH - IT'S JUST, WHEN THE NAMING GOT TO THIS EARTH AS THE EARTHS COMMUNICATE WITH ONE ANOTHER, THEY RAN OUT OF SEMITIC ABJADS. SO THEY SWITCHED TO GREEK LETTERS, AND SO ON. THE WARDENS, AND OTHER INTERDIMENSIONAL HERO TEAMS, HELP POLICE THE MULTIVERSE AFTER DECADES OF SLOW STABILIZATION (AND REGROWTH, FOR SOME WORLDS). THEY FORM A LOOSE ALLIANCE GENERALLY (AND, ONE MIGHT SAY, UNCREATIVELY) REFERRED TO AS THE ALLIANCE.

THIS IS NOT THEIR STORY. THIS IS THE STORY OF A SMALL SUBURBAN TOWN ON EARTH ALPHA; JUST OUTSIDE OF NEW AMSTERDAM OF WHAT ENGLISH-SPEAKING FOLK REFER TO AS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. OR, A VERSION OF IT. THIS TOWN, CALLED LITTLE BERLIN BECAUSE OF THE SURPRISINGLY HIGH GERMAN POPULATION THERE (THE NAME STUCK, AS IT WAS EVEN OFFICIALLY NAMED SUCH IN THE 1900S), IS HOST TO A LONELY, OLD AND CROOKED HOUSE.

IT IS OWNED CURRENTLY BY A WOMAN NAMED ROSE HERBERT, AGE OF 82. SHE'S SURPRISINGLY ACTIVE FOR AN OLD WOMAN, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING HER PROSTHETIC ARM THAT SHE FORGETS TO USE HALF THE TIME. SHE'S ALSO VERY ISOLATED; HAS BEEN SINCE HER FATHER, JOHN HERBERT, DIED. SUPPOSEDLY, SHE'S AN EARTH BET REFUGEE THAT RAN AS FAR FROM HOME WITH HER FATHER AS THEY COULD PHYSICALLY MOVE. THE OLD WOMAN IS ISOLATED, EVEN PAYING HER FEW NEIGHBORS TO DO SHOPPING AND SUCH FOR HER.

ON A DARE, TWO YOUNG BOYS - ONE NAMED BRYAN, AND THE OTHER GOING BY TED - GO TO VISIT OLD LADY HERBERT TO SEE IF SHE HAS ANY TALES TO TELL FROM BET.

THIS STORY IS ABOUT THE ENCOUNTER.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Are you sure we should be doing this, Bry?” Ted gulped, looking at the old, rickety house; it was somewhat crooked - but that was because it was on a hill, nearly overlooking the town. It used to be a guesthouse when Little Berlin had a Manor overlooking it, from back in the days when it was a Dutch Colony and named something else.

Bryan just managed to look totally apathetic; as if this was nothing new. “Don't be such a Frenchie. 'Oh, boo hoo, we can't win any wars so why bother, waa waa, now we have to try another Napoleonic era in nineteen fifty-seven. OH NO, THE RUSKIES ARE COMING! PLEASE DON'T HURT ME!'”

Ted couldn't help it; he snorted. The reference to the Second Great War when the fascist French State attempted to conquer the German People's Republic, only to be halted by the combined efforts of the United States and the Russian Empire. Sure, the Celts helped, but that wasn't very important, now, was it? Mr. Baumann's class was so boring.

“Bry, that's... you're a terrible person.” Ted wrinkled his nose. Bryan just shrugged, even as they got to the steps of the house. Some of them looked old and rotten. The mailbox outfront had only the address and last name on it, as per usual; one of the Rs had faded, over time, so it almost looked like 'Hebert.' Everything about the place was ancient.

“You go first, French.” Bryan smirked at Ted. The latter boy gave a soft glare at his friend, but shook his head with a sigh. With a few carefully placed steps, he was on the front deck. And then slowly, ever so slowly, he walked up to the door and knocked. No answer.

Ted looked back at Bryan, who rolled his eyes and came to stand beside him; ringing the doorbell. A series of footsteps approached the door, at a surprisingly lively pace. The door slowly cracked open, a chain lock preventing it from doing so all the way. Ted couldn't see inside, nor could Bryan by his guess.

“The hell do you want?” If Ted wasn't listening for the rasp, he might not have heard it. The voice was surprisingly weak for such a lively person. And she spoke fluid English, surprisingly; most people in Little Berlin, like most people in the US, were fluent in many languages. Usually, though, it was English, Dutch, and Celtic. Some German here and there, especially in Little Berlin. Ted racked his brain for the right words as he tried to respond in English.

“Uh, Miss Herbert, my... friend... and I were- wondering? If we could talk to you? It's... for a school project.” Ted pronounced the words slowly, some of them coming out as a question more than a statement because of the fact he'd forgotten some of his English lessons. He looked pleadingly over at Bryan, who grew up in a German-English family - he'd be more familiar with English than Ted. Bryan nodded at him, giving him affirmation he'd said the right words, and that it would be Bryan carrying on the conversation from now on.

“...You fuckin' serious?” It was more of a mutter than an answer to them. “No, wait, don't answer that. I know how retarded schools can be.”

Apparently, Miss Herbert had some pretty vulgar vocabulary, from what Ted could understand of it. Bryan snorted a laugh, so he probably understood it much better.

“Miss Herbert, forgive Ted. He was never really good with English. I'm Bryan. Our project's on Earth Bet, cape culture, and some stuff with the Gold Morning. There are rumors that you're from Bet, so we were wondering if we could record an interview for the project.” Ted had never heard Bryan sound so serious. He understood many of the words, but some were alien to him. He knew he should've done better in his English classes.

Whatever his thoughts, Old Lady Herbert hummed slightly. “...no recording. You can write this down, and I can sign it. But no recording. Got it?”

“Understood, ma'am.” Bryan nodded. Ted nodded along in agreement; writing things down wouldn't be so bad. The door closed, and there was a sound of a chain unlocking, before Old Lady Herbert opened the door. She was an abnormally tall woman, and very thin - almost fragile, despite the slight toning she still had to her body's musculature. Her face was sharp and had minor scars here and there. Her eyes looked like they had once been a bright and vibrant blue, but were now dull - almost grey-blue. They were still sharp, as if the fact her eyes were dimmer didn't affect her. She wore thin-framed glasses.

Her hair was completely snow white, save for a few strands of raven black or grey that remained from, presumably, her younger years. Her hair curled at her shoulders, either naturally or artificially. Ted got the impression that, when she was younger, she could've had any man she wanted. So why did she live alone? Herbert turned around and began walking away from the door.

“Enter. Close the door behind you, please. I'm just brewing some tea. Sit in the living room; I'll be right with you.” The commands were simple, Ted noted, even as Bryan waved him in first. Bryan closed the door behind them, and they went to the living room; they sat in an old, white couch that seemed to be of foreign design. None Ted had ever seen; a relic from Bet?

Herbert entered, having a teapot and some teacups. She sat down slowly, after putting them at the table. “Tea, gentlemen?”

Bryan shook his head; Ted as well. He wasn't much for tea. Herbert sighed, muttering something under her breath that Ted couldn't figure out. She poured herself a cup of tea, and put the pot down. She then began to sip the tea with her one arm. Had she removed her prosthetic, or had Ted not noticed it one way or another?

“School project, then. Is it some form of paper? Documentary?” Ted noted the woman gave a slight tilt to her head in curiosity. Bryan answered for them.

“It's a paper, but we need evidence from articles and stuff written by other refugees from other worlds. We figured if we used a firsthand source in either of ours, we'd get extra credit. Ma'am.” Ted looked over at Bryan, and then nodded slowly.

“Don't call me 'ma'am'. I get that enough from my, ah, errand runners. Call me Rose. I insist.” Herber- Rose said, her voice giving no room for argument.

“Rose, then.” Bryan agreed. Rose nodded her head, but turned her attention on Ted.

“You, young man, I think you're going to have trouble if I keep speaking English for the interview. Both of you speak Dutch, right? I'm afraid I hold a certain prejudice against German from certain events on Bet.”

Ted and Bryan nodded at almost the same time. Rose hummed to herself, and then continued - this time, in Dutch. “Very well, then. Let's begin.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was nearly four o'clock, but Rose didn't seem to mind. The interview had gone well, so far - 'when were you born?' 'where did you live on Bet?' - other mundane stuff.

“The, ah, last two questions for the first part of the interview might feel a bit personal, Rose. I hope you don't mind?” Ted tried to phrase it politely.

“Young man. Believe me, if you touch too deep into my personal life, I will _firmly_ let you know that you've crossed the line.” Somehow, Ted didn't doubt that.

“Did you know any capes?” Bryan was the one to ask it. Rose leaned back in her chair, moving to take a sip of tea, but her cup was empty. So she placed it down at the nightstand beside her - did she sometimes sleep in the chair? Or did she even sleep? Her face looked pained. She reached to her stump, rubbing it self-consciously; her liveliness, confidence, seemed almost gone. She reached up to her face and touched her scars. Her face seemed impassive.

“Yes.” Rose's voice had a dark undertone to it, full of pain, regret and sadness. “I did.”

Ted and Bryan looked at one another, silently agreeing that they shouldn't push too deep on that one. Something involving capes resulted in her injuries. Before they could move on, however...

“I even knew Khepri before she was Khepri. Went to school with her, anyway. I was friends with a few capes, too. But they're probably dead by now. If they weren't...” Rose stopped, tears seeming to prick at the edges of her eyes, even as her fist clenched and unclenched in repressed anger or sadness. The unspoken 'they would've come to me' or 'they would've found me, somehow' was very apparent to both Ted and Bryan. It also explained why she chose to remain alone; maybe she was still holding out hope for something, or someone, familiar.

But the fact she knew _the_ Khepri before she was even Khepri? Both boys made a decision to ask more on that for part two of their interview, or if not, ask her at another time.

“But that's in the past, now. What was your last question?” Rose wiped the small tears from her eyes, managing to return to her calm or seemingly lively attitude in another moment. Bryan bit his lip, but Ted motioned for him to ask.

“Where were you, on Golden Morning?” Bryan's voice was quiet. Rose seemed very tense, but relaxed a moment later.

“...saying goodbye to Khepri, before she went mad. Before she killed Scion to save us all. Saying goodbye to my friends, for the last time.” Her voice was almost dripping with regret at the second sentence; as if she would give anything to take it back and return to that day, to remain with her friends despite the risk of being Mastered by Khepri or killed by Scion.

“Thank you for... the interview, Rose. If this is too much, we won't bother you tomorrow for the other half?” Bryan offered.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Rose nodded a fraction before stopping. “No, it's... I should be fine. I'll tell you otherwise if I change my mind.”

Rose stood. “It's time you two should be headed home.”

With that, she escorted them out of the front door; with a soft 'goodbye', she closed the door. The chain locked.

Ted and Bryan left the property, uncertain and solemn - they now felt bad for Old Lady Herbert, waiting for a day that would never come.

Even as an older woman passed them by, alone. She appeared to be a Dutch-African woman, and looked around the age of Rose - if maybe a couple or few years younger. Her hair was dyed black, though - aside from one strand she kept purple. An oddity, Ted decided, but maybe she was one of the errand runners for Rose. Who knew?

Ted and Bryan walked home, eventually parting ways.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: FOR THE SAKE OF CLARITY, ALL LINES WERE/ARE IN ENGLISH. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS? I'M NOT SURE IF I WOULD/SHOULD CONTINUE THIS, EVEN IF PEOPLE VOTE FOR IT NEXT ROUND - ONLY BECAUSE THIS GIVES AN... ALMOST A SENSE OF CLOSURE, IN THE DISTANT FUTURE OF THE WORMVERSE? EVEN IF IT IS A BIT OF AN AU AND IT IS A FANFIC. I DUNNO.

HOPE YOU ENJOYED - I DIDN'T. I HAD TO STAB MYSELF IN THE FEELS A FEW TIMES TOWARD THE END. WAS NOT PLEASURABLE IN THE SLIGHTEST. OH, WELL. AT LEAST IT'S GOOD, MAYBE?

EDIT: ALSO, WOW, WAY, WAY LONGER THAN I THOUGHT IT'D END UP BEING. IT JUST KEPT FLOWING AND FLOWING AND FLOWING, Y'KNOW? EH, IT'S GOOD PRACTICE FOR TRYING TO GET LONGER CHAPTERS OUT FOR THE FUTURE WHEN I DO FULL STORIES.[/hr][/hr][/hr]

question: What does the story say about the people in Rose Herbert's life?

answer: Rose Herbert has been isolated since her father died. She pays her neighbors to do shopping for her. She used to know Khepri before she was Khepri. She was friends with a few capes, but they are likely dead now.

question: What does the story say about Old Lady Herbert's romantic life?


text:
A story that may interest you, of how I survived in a moment hwere I could have either died or been brutally beat while passed out at the age of 15.

Hi, everyone. please excuse me for my grammar and punctuation but this is going to be a really long story that I think everyone should read including parents so you can protect and watch over your own and one another.

When I was 15 years old, I started of at a new high school in a new town in a place I’d never been, i studied at this school for a about 8 months getting to know everyone at the school but I was always that kind of scumbag/ratbag child that would say things that would really up people but never really realized what I was saying was offending people.
When I joined this school I made mates with quite a few people some of which were into video games which I had moved into just a few years before so we hit it off quite well, and I feel like I knew them quite well.
One day at school a bunch of the “cooler” kids invited me and my mates out to a creek in the middle of no where to get pissed and drunk and the sorts and it was an alright night, nothing really happened except me another drunk kid got in a bit of a fight but it was nothing major.
A couple months had went past and I had really started to get along with a lot of people at the school and I thought I was getting along with some of these other kids that I had met at the creek that night so they invited me again, we all went there and I felt a really strange vibe like everyone was standing around sus but the night went on and I got extremely drunk and half passed out next to this chick while having a chat. This is where the story gets intense and should be a warning to all and I’m really lucky to have lived through this moment.
I remember getting hit on the head, and I woke up like what the F#ck I said and I remember hearing someone yelling yeah thats what you get you cunt! I was so drunk I couldn’t even move and than I vividly remember all the kids grouping up behind me saying we should pick him up and drop him into the creek no-one will know will just say he drowned and everyone will pass it on like its nothing man a lot of cunts want this cunt gone lets fucking do it, than they started talking about ways to take me out while all being incredibly drunk (keep in mind I’m half passed out the whole world is spinning and I can’t get up and i’m only a few steps away from the creek).
Than this chick started yelling at them saying you can’t do that it’s fucking wrong guys come on and they started arguing with her for what felt like went on for well over 30 minutes until she just said fuck It do whatever you want i’m not apart of it. In this moment I had heard everything while half passed out and knowing that something was going to happen to me in a brief moment of being drunk and only 15 years old I had realized a few things in that moment A. I was probably going to die. and B. I couldn’t do anything to get out of the situation.
This is when the group of about 10 people walked up behind me and said you wanna fight? And I snapped. This is where I feel like someone from another world spoke to me.
I heard a voice rush through my head and said say everything I say out loud to these people and you’ll be alright. I’m not fucking kidding… so here we go these cunts are right up about to murder me because they didn’t like me all along and had lured me to the creek. (you’ll find out a lot more people knew about this moment than you’d think). Than after this voice rushed through my head I passed out for a few seconds until I felt someone kick me in the head. I woke up WHAT THE FUCK I said, really loud and the kids responded what the fuck did you just say mate and I than responded in a low tone voice (while hearing voices) Nothing mate im just fucked aye! And I heard them put out a laugh like what the fuck this cunt saying. next thing you know I’m passed out again I wake up to a boot in the head and they say you want to die tonight mate? we’re going to kill you get up and fight us or we’ll put you in the creek and no-one will know. (voice passed through my head to say the following). Mate I’m just fucking australian aye i’m fucking passed out mate gimmie a break cunts what the fuck aye. yet again they cracked up laughing is this cunt for real they said? You’ll see in a moment this went on for a while. I’m not going to say all the shit that was said in this conversation but it went on for a little while and than there was a moment when they were like alright guys we have to do this now we’ve had our fun. And I snapped woke up and a voice passed through my head and said scream FUCK really loud. So I started screaming FUCK really loud for about 10 seconds before they kicked me in the head again and told me to shut the fuck up or we’ll get caught. Keep in mind everyone this is a creek in the middle of no where the nearest house is over 1km away. Within about 2 minutes some random man in his 40s pulled up at the creek and said what the fuck is going on here. And than started laughing because he thought I was just passed out and they were fucking around he started asking me questions like you alright mate? I’m like yeah i’m really drunk I can’t move. The conversation flew for a while a bit I forgot about the conversation but in this moment the man turned around and said alright guys to the kids whats going on here this doesn’t seem right. And they just openly said to him we’re going to bash him but he can’t get up lets put him in the creek. The man turned around and shouted you guys are fucked I’m a witness. And they all started to get in a argument with one another (keep in mind i’m still half passed out on the ground). The man eventually said you know what fuck this If you guys do that you’ll all go to jail I’m going to go call the cops right now. This is when the kids freaked out and said we’ve gotta do it now or never. They picked me up and started to drag me to the creek. before someone yelled out oi guys we can’t do this aye this is really fucked up and wrong we’ll go to jail there’s a witness! Than they left me for a while on the ground like nothing had happened and about 10 minutes later a cop had driven up to this place ages away and came and saw me. In this moment I was completely almost passed out so much so to the point I couldn’t even open my eyes or roll over or anything. This cop spoke to me for about 10 minutes half passed out while having a conversation and she said she couldn’t help me to the car (she didn’t completely know what was going on and I was to drunk to explain). That she ended up turning around to the kids and saying oi guys I’ve been here watch out for this kid his just really drunk don’t mess with him. And than I woke up the next day and everyone was standing around this creek like nothing had happened and I asked where some of the others were and they said they left in the middle of the night and I’m like oh okay and they started arguying with each other like look he doesn’t know (keep in mind I didn’t know what had happened the night before all I remember was passing out not until years later). That they blew it off.
I vividly remember going to school the next monday and everyone was saying how lucky I was my real actual mates and how they didn’t know and how everything would have been different. Keep in mind I still didn’t remember what happened that night.
And it left me feeling really eery.
It wasn’t until now that I’m 23, that some how I had remembered the whole event while sitting down and thinking one day and it all came back to me that I went and asked my mate and he said that this actually happened and everyone knew except me and they were just trying to keep it on the low.

This is a moment that could have changed my life meaning I would be dead, my familys life, the other kids life and there familys and changed a whole region over something stupid like not really being mates with me because I was friends with someone else.

Over something so stupid and insignificant I might not be here today, but somehow I survived.
And it wasn’t until now that I didn’t realize what those voices were because I am now since the age of 20 years old a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic and those voices were the start of my onset of schizophrenia and some how saved my life.

Protect your kids.

I left a lot out in this story, the could make it into a better one becasue I just can’t completely remember everything. But apparently it was a really messed up night and it should be a warning to all, not everything is what it seems a lot of people would do anything to f#ck someone at the end of the day because a lot of people in this world don’t care about many things and would end someones life over something so stupid and insignificant, in this moment I lived some how and I don’t even know how but this could happen and does happen to other kids around the world (if you study into it). And a lot of the times sometimes people get away with it. In my case, with the other kids being really drunk and messed up they could have easily put me in the creek and I would have drowned and it could have been passed off as accidental. These are the things you need to realize not everything out in this world is what it seems and a lot of situations you put yourself in can be really bad. I feel like this was the leading moment that lead to my onset of schizophrenia and helped define my paranoid issues that ultimately define how I am in situations when I hear people speak and act strange and get paranoid enough that I have to leave the situation.

title: [SF] I survived

question: Summarize the most negative moment in the story.

answer: The most negative moment in the story comes when the narrator hangs out with the "cool" kids. The narrator gets drunk and half passes out. He's woken up by someone hitting his head. A group of his peers start to threaten him with expletives, and suggest to each other that they kill him by putting him in the creek. One of the peers says a lot of people want the narrator gone anyway. The narrator was fearing for his life because he was too drunk to move. The kids start physically beating the narrator, and laugh at him. When a random man gets involved, the kids don't really seem to care and even admit they are trying to beat him and put him in the creek. The kids don't seem to care until actual police show up.  The narrator is unable to properly express what is happening because he's too drunk.

question: Summarize the first month when the narrator just started at his new high school.

answer: The narrator is 15 when he starts at his new high school in a new town. He describes himself as a bit of a scumbag kid who accidently says things that offend people. Initially, he made friends with a few people that like video games like he did. During this time, a group of "cool" kids invited him and his friends to go to a creek in the middle of no where and get drunk. The narrator got drunk and witnessed someone get in a drunken fight there.

question: Summarize what the narrator is trying to teach people with this story.

answer: The narrator tells tale of his peers who tried to kill him and how he survived. He believes that his story should be a warning to everyone. He says that not everything is what it seems. It seems that a lot of people don't care about many things and would end a person's life over something stupid. He says what happened to him as a teen could happen to any other kid, and he doesn't even know he survived. He notes that people can fool you, and you could end up in a really bad situation.

question: Summarize how the narrator dies.


text:
Wilbur Ross could be “among the biggest grifters in American history,” according to _Forbes_ magazine, amid new allegations that he may have wrongly siphoned off more than $120 million from business associates. An investigation, citing 21 people who have worked with the man who is now President Trump’s commerce secretary, claims Ross stole “a few million here and a few million there” from various companies. _Forbes_ reports: “All told, these allegations—which sparked lawsuits, reimbursements, and a Securities and Exchange Commission fine—come to more than $120 million.” Ross’ former colleagues offer very unkind words about him. “He’ll push the edge of truthfulness and use whatever power he has to grab assets,” said New York financier Asher Edelman, while another of Ross’ former colleagues said: “He’s a pathological liar.” They say he is obsessed with money, with two former colleagues recounting that he took handfuls of Sweet’ N Low packets from a restaurant near his office, so he didn’t have to go out and buy some for himself. (A Ross spokesman disputed that claim—and denied that he sweetens his coffee.)

Read it at Forbes

question: What does Forbes magazine call Wilbur Ross?

answer: One of the biggest grifters in American history.

question: How much do the allegations against Wilbur Ross come to?

answer: More than $120 million.

question: What did one of Ross' former colleagues call him?

answer: A pathological liar.

question: What did he take from a restaurant near his office?

answer: A handful of Sweet' N Low packets.

question: Write a ~2 sentence summary.

answer: Forbes magazine reports that Wilbur Ross could be the biggest grifter in American history. Allegations against him rack up to more than $120 million dollars and associates call him a pathological liar.


text:
Trans-Pacific View

Insights from Sam Beatson.

[The Power of Ports: China’s Maritime March]

Chinese construction in Sri Lanka’s Colombo harbor.

Credit: Flickr/Rehman Abubakr
_Trans-Pacific View_ author Mercy Kuo regularly engages subject-matter experts, policy practitioners, and strategic thinkers across the globe for their diverse insights into the U.S. Asia policy.  This conversation with Dr. Sam Beatson – teaching fellow at the Lau China Institute, King’s College London; chairman of the Smart Societies Institute; and founding leadership fellow of St George’s College, Windsor Castle – is the 82nd in “The Trans-Pacific View Insight Series”.

EXPLAIN CHINA’S EMERGENCE AS A MARITIME SUPERPOWER AND THE CHALLENGE IT POSES TO U.S. SEAPOWER SUPREMACY.

China is expanding as a maritime power in terms of port and shipping assets, naval power, and independence, not unlike the U.K. 200 years ago in its exporting to other areas of Empire. China has in a tentacular fashion invested billions of dollars in expanding its international port network in addition to Chinese naval hardware, including surface vessels, such as warships and aircraft carriers, and nuclear submarines, such as those stationed on Hainan Island province’s southerly coast. The largest shipping and container companies are strategic assets for the Chinese state and are economically and politically important. However, China’s experience of trade and military activities in international waters do not rival the United States’ at this juncture, even though the number of military vessels do, and indeed outweigh those of the U.K., Japan, and India. Therefore, the challenge China poses to U.S. seapower arguably depends on China’s behavior as an ocean-going military and economic concern.

I recently conversed with Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent, KCB [Knight Commander], CBE [Commander of the British Empire], former commander-in-chief fleet, about this matter. Sir James made his view clear: Navies are political instruments, in that they can be flipped into different roles, different forms of pressure, and different behaviors very easily, provided that a warship is in the right place geographically. A naval vessel keeping sea lanes open for trade can very easily be used to keep them shut at the signaling voice of one hierarchical command. It is much harder for UN vessels, for instance, to transform in such a way due to logistical, support, and weapons issues. In this sense, a Chinese naval vessel today keeping sea lanes open could thwart innocent flight of passage practically overnight.

Members of Trump’s new administration have voiced clear opposition to China’s activities in the South China Sea, following the ruling by The Hague in favor of the Philippines’ rights within the so-called nine-dash line area, [a ruling] which China has sought to undermine. The issue here is arguably that China is rather surrounded by U.S. overseas naval bases, and U.S. allies, whether by Taiwan and Japan to the east, or by Southeast Asian nation-states to the south. This perhaps renders militarization in the South China Sea rather an impotent exercise, regardless of bluster from any sides. It is fairly intuitive to assume that the U.S. seeks to sustain a naval capacity that is able to overpower that of China.

IDENTIFY KEY PORTS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE IN CHINA’S SHIPPING NETWORKS.

In terms of investments, a recent _Financial Times_ article cited some work Jim Coke and I had done on infrastructure projects, mergers and acquisitions, and joint ventures by Chinese enterprises, often with strong links to the state, and thus the Chinese Communist Party, through either ownership or management. We worked out around $46.6 billion investments involving 40 port projects had been announced or completed, the largest five of those for which we found data being: Tanzania (Bagamoyo—$10 billion); Sri Lanka (Colombo and Habamtota—$3 billion); Burma [Myanmar] (Maday Island—$2.5 billion); Australia (Darwin, Newcastle, and Melbourne—$2.2 billion) and Israel (Ashdod and Haifa—$2.9 billion). Ownership level and scope of investments vary. Taken together, Chinese port operators China Merchants Port Holdings, Cosco Group, and China Shipping Terminal Development, all mainland companies, easily rival the top two companies in the world by container flow (PSA International of Singapore and Hutchison Ports Holdings of Hong Kong). The FT article shows that Chinese container shipping lines taken together dwarf other countries’ container flow.

Where the matter of Chinese ownership and container shipping flow becomes particularly interesting — and baffling — is in the case of China’s 2013 49 percent stake (favorable terms) in Terminal Link making the China Merchant Holdings—CMA CGM (France) group the third largest in the world. This came after CMH purchases in Taiwan and Africa, propelling it into the global league. This indirectly brings Miami and Houston ports in the United States under what is all but in nominal (‘49 percent’) terms a Chinese controlling stake. Dubai World Ports had failed to acquire ports of much lower annual container flow a couple of years earlier and the media was in uproar. The CMH CMA CGM deal went through almost under the radar. An intriguing case and one you would not have expected from the United States — allowing Houston Terminal Link Texas (Houston) and South Florida Container Terminal (Miami) to come under 49 percent Chinese ownership.

WHAT ARE THREE SALIENT TRENDS PROPELLING CHINA’S INVESTMENT IN FOREIGN PORTS?

Chinese outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) has been bolstered by policies that have supported this increasingly over the last ten years, through incentives. Capital accumulation by large enterprises through a period of rapid economic growth, scarcity of energy resources in China, rising production costs, the importance of merchant shipping to serve China’s massive export market, [and] technology transfer requirements are further drivers of this sort of investment more broadly. What the enhanced OFDI (“Go Global”) policies have done in part is encourage buying up of assets in [regions] like central and south America, like Africa, in order seek out resources on land. This necessarily requires access to shipping and container terminals for transport.

China also has had to be increasingly mindful that other places have been emerging for U.S. manufacturing, such as Mexico and Southeast Asian countries, places that offer even cheaper labor than in China with people now having more money who are less willing to do the low-wage jobs. Looking to the future, China, having made money over the last 30 years, needs to think carefully about and guide its firms in investing abroad. As I’ve said above, Sri Lanka is a good example, also Vietnam or even in developed countries. This is about spreading money around, covering bets if you like, by investing in infrastructure projects around the world, in any region that has the potential for consumer demand in the future. People spending more will need infrastructure, e.g. for ports, shipping, and terminals.

It is also about China seeking to secure sea lanes for itself, and demonstrating its naval prowess, not only in the military power sense, but also in the cooperative sense — keeping open sea lanes, fighting piracy and protecting international waters. In this way, China is seeking to show its responsibility as a global actor.

EXPLAIN THE CORRELATION BETWEEN CHINA’S “ONE BELT, ONE ROAD” INITIATIVE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SECURING SEA LANES.

Securing shipping lanes are an important part of China’s ambitions in opening up the belt and road. Under the idea of rejuvenation of the original Silk Road trade routes, OBOR is a project instigated and promoted by Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping from September 2013. The project aims to link parts of China hitherto difficult to reach, like western and central regions, with rail links through northwestern province Xinjiang, for instance, to Eastern, Central, and even Western Europe. Concurrently, China has sought to develop a Maritime Silk Road for China, linking African and Middle Eastern countries through Asia, with a view to supporting regional economic development.

If China seeks to provide support in missions, for example, to counter piracy, then China’s naval forces are a welcome addition to international shipping lanes. The ports China has invested in do follow the sea route of the One Belt, One Road plan. There is plausibility in the argument that developing routes, naval support and securing assets, supply lines, and political and economic ties in the Middle East, Africa, and Indian Ocean littoral are a parallel objective for China strategically and defensively in the OBOR project, in addition to the grand and benign objectives promoted in the OBOR rhetoric.

ASSESS THE STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS FOR THE UNITED STATES OF CHINA’S EXPANDING NAVAL PRESENCE.

China’s expanding naval presence does not only have strategic implications for the United States, it has implications for all countries using international sea lanes to conduct business. If China works with the rest of the coalition of countries who actively engage together in seeking to strategically keep the sea-lanes open and to keep those sea-lanes safe for use, then China can learn a lot about international cooperation in merchant shipping and the keeping open and protecting of sea lanes specifically for that purpose. If China seeks to provide support in missions, for example, to counter piracy, as China did after 2008 with Somalian pirates, then China’s naval forces are a welcome addition to international shipping lanes. Chinese vessels have supported aid and merchant ships with coordination with other forces, in spite of not belonging formally to international coalitions.

Strategically, we might think of Djibouti and the Gulf of Aden, whereby China is able to supply logistical support to peacekeeping forces and support UN humanitarian tasks. We might also think of naval deployment and exercises, in addition to asset seeking in the coastal regions of countries proximal to the Indian Ocean, especially given China’s dependence on Straits of Hormuz and Malacca for energy supply through the sea lanes, routes that need to traverse ocean to India’s south.

There is projection of power in the way China has built up and deployed port, merchant shipping, and naval assets, in addition to the economic logic of doing so. A recognition of the need to deal with Chinese vulnerability, particularly in respect of protecting the flow of commodity imports, especially energy, forms a part of the practical basis of the expansion. All sides need to be aware that while each hopes the other will abide by UN norms and legislation, there is a perceived risk that the other will not. There does appear to be fear of and defiance toward U.S. intervention, reflected by the defensive nature of responses to U.S. public statements, e.g. on China’s South China Sea activities, and The Hague ruling. However, the latter also provides political and operational evidence of China not behaving in the desired ways.

Nevertheless, there is a certain naturalness in a country seeking to defend and lay claim to those territories it deems as its own, no matter the seeming defiance of the norms and rules defined outside of its boundaries. 50 percent of the surface of the spherical planet on which we live is made up of international seas, yet countries compete for the resources contained in that seas-space — mineral deposits; food in the form of fish and other resources. China wants as much of that economic space as it can to obtain resources, whether hydrocarbon, mineral, or protein in nature. China wants to assert its claims, whether exclusive or not, over rights to zones in which it can act in or beyond its territorial waters for these resources and sea-lane protection. China is under much scrutiny and thus caution and the exercise of restraint is much advised and practiced by China — and the United States so far — but China seeks to robustly defend its position in the diplomatic discourse when threatened in the direct manner.

Certainly, the solution lies in diplomacy rather than the firing gunboat cannons in the 21st century, which would be a disastrous development. But it also lies in upholding responsibly a common objective of keeping sea-lanes open, promoting economic development in poorer regions, as China is doing, and combating piracy. If such cooperation can continue, then risks of conflict are reduced.

The Vivekananda International Foundation published a piece on strategic implications of OBOR last year which is worth reading for further information.

question: What makes it easier for China to invest in foreign ports?

answer: The country's policies support foreign investment for the last ten years through incentives.

question: What could China do?

answer: China could possibly try working with the rest of the nations to actively keep the sea lanes open and safe for use by everyone.


text:
I awoke on the outskirts of town, Kamyshovo was the name of the little port side town, I had been suckered into traveling the 'Scenic' route to my younger brothers wedding by my roommate James. James told me "We'll take a tour of Russia and the other eastern countries, we can see Pripyat and the forests of the east!" I was reluctant at first but I was twenty seven, soon to be a father and I hadn't done anything useful with my life.. so why the hell not.

It was a mistake. When we arrived in Kamyshovo everything was fine, the boat was set to leave in four days and I was ready to see how the people lived. James had a friend who was renting out his parent's old family home just outside of town. The first night we drank, tried our best to break the language barrier and found ourselves lost just about every few moments. It went on like that until the last night when James left to see some castle he had heard about, that night I decided to just... stay in and read some, I had brought a book to read on the boat and when we drove from Moscow to Kyiv. It was **On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection** by **Charles Darwin**

There was a knock at the door and originally I had believed it to be James, so I called back "Open the damn door you drunk," and that was the mistake of a lifetime, I heard the door crack open and someone barking in russian from the lobby.

"кто называет меня чертовски пьян в моем собственном чертов дом!"

That's when I knew I had something to really worry about, I sprang to my feet and made my way to the foyer, there stood a large russian man who smelt of cheep liquor and bar snacks. He began to should more at me "кто ты, кто ты" over and over, and I couldn't calm him with anything I said, I tried and tried to inform the man that he was in the wrong home, but after a few moments of waving my hands in front of the man he became infuriated and laid one good punch to my skull.

That was all I remembered, when I awoke, it was mid day, the house seemed almost picked clean by what I only guessed were thugs, and all of my belongings save my clothing was gone. Too much like a dream, everything was gone, when I went back to my room it was the same story, everything gone, luckily no one wanted my book. 'Uneducated Communists.' Why was this book not good enough for them? It was a perfectly good book!

My thought process was quickly derailed as I heard a set of loud gun shots just outside the house followed by thuds of what I could only guess were bodies hitting the pavement. So I ducked down low and held the book in my arms, like a child I sat there closing my eyes tight as footsteps marched steadily into the front room of the house. 'I'm dead, this is where I die,' my eyes began to water as I tried to keep them shut.

It was my day of reckoning I knew it, but like an angel come to save a swaddling babe a voice beckoned the footsteps away. "This one's been picked clean, just look at the door you morons!" The foot steps replied in Russian and slowly grew quieter away from my position. That moment, I looked down at my tear stained hardcover of the definitive work on evolution and made the stunning realization that... if this were a baser world... I would not survive.

I dwelt on those words for an hour or so before I remembered that James had never come back to the house. I knew for a fact that the Castle was some where up the road from the house and though it would be a trek through the forest it didn't feel safe to stay holed up in the bare home any longer. So with my book in my hand and nothing in my pockets I crept out the front door and looked to where I had heard the gun shots, and just as I thought there lay four or so bloodied and desecrated masses of once living being on the side of the road.

The sight of the gore made my stomach heave and I took flight like a terrified sheep up the road and away from Kamyshovo. I hoped that I'd never have to see the sight of that port town again.

I carried on up the hillside for about twenty minutes until I saw the tower of the castle, that was when I knew I had a chance at finding James. When I finally made it into the castle however there was only a note on the ground outside of the main tower. It read:

'Jack,

Sorry I got you into this man, but I don't have anytime to explain the military is rounding everyone up and pushing north. Find my Msta.

Your friend, James'

At the end of the page was a small and badly drawn map of the area and where to go. Msta, was just north of here. Fuck, I thought to myself, what in the hell did all of that mean? It was all an enigma to me and as I began to walk out the castle grounds I saw for the first time. What it was the note meant. On the ground just where the roads met each other north of the castle was a blond haired woman collapsed on the ground, and in my 'Gallantry' I ran to save her. As i neared she began to move and when i was just a few yards from her she reared her face towards me. Her skin was peeling and bleeding, her eyes were devoid of life and what looked to be flesh was hanging from her teeth. She crawled after me and I stood there completely paralyzed. What in the hell was this thing? I remember asking myself over and over and over again, but the answer was there. It was there from the moment I woke up, I knew what this was... I just didn't want to accept something as foul as this as reality.

Seconds passed as I just stood and stared as the beast tried to find its way to her feet. She kept coming even as she struggled to stay balanced and as she grabbed hold of me and her mouth opened wide I realized something. This is where I would die, if I would not rise to the challenge of evolution. If I was so hell bent on civility and weakness that I could not survive. Like that I had regained control over myself and reached forth for the woman's neck. I pushed her to the ground, easily over powering the *thing* due to its injured ankle. When we fell forward I held my face in a disgusted grimace as I lifted her head from the stone and smacked it down again and again. Four smacks later and the body stopped fighting back... and my own body as well. I fell to the side choking on puke as I couldn't fathom the things I had just done to another human being.

Vomit sprayed against the grass and stone when I flipped to the side. It was a horrible sight. Having eaten or drank nothing in the past several hours my waste looked more like a sludge than human waste.

When i regained my barrings I picked my book from the ground, dusted it off and began to run north towards Msta. I was not going to let what ever that thing was take me, nor was I going to lose my humanity in doing so. I ran and ran for atleast half an hour, my stomach growling and my mouth so dry that I couldn't even breath through it without bringing myself to pain. When I came to Msta, it was just like the castle, completely empty, but there seemed to be more of those undead creatures in the grasslands and forest just south east of the town.

Three of them saw me and began to run towards me, these ones were much more intimidating than the last, they were all jacketed men by the looks of it and ran at a jog. I sprinted for the houses, dipping into the first one and laying low for a few moments. As the grumbling and moaning subsided I quickly surveyed the room to find a can of baked beans, a can of spaghetti, multivitamins and some strange Russian cola. The cola was gone in seconds as i downed the hole thing, it hurt my chest to drink so fast but it slightly helped my thirst and subdued the gut wrenching feeling in my stomach. I had nothing to open the cans with however. So I placed them on the table and went into what seemed to be the room of the children that once lived in the house. There was a large green backpack. This was great i thought to myself before hurrying to the kitchen, storing the food and vitamins in the bag along with my  book.

I left the house and spotted through the fences a water spigot, 'finally I am catching a break!' I thought happily as I took off through the back of the house and booked it for the spigot.

Forgetting about the creatures that were just outside of the house I jumped the fence before I heard them, "Dammit!" I exclaimed under my breath, cutting into a shed trying to find something to defend myself, Foolish! As my back was turned one of them got me with its nails into my back. I could feel blood dripping from my right arm. Knowing I'd be a feast for these things if I didn't get out of the area I took off east, desperately trying to break away from the beasts. It took about five minutes, but finally I had lost them in the forests and returned to the water pipe. I removed my shirt as soon as I could and began to tear at it until I had long strips of cloth that I could wrap around my upper arm and stop the bleeding.

With that finished I splashed some water on my face after washing my hands and finally drank until I had no thirst. There was no sign of James and from what I could see it didn't look safe enough to carry on north west, so I followed the rode to the east.

I passed a farm house and so much more until I finally cut through the forest and finding myself in a quarry. Finally in the quarry I found a nice black hoodie i could throw over my undershirt and before long I was in what looked to be another port town. For safety I ducked into a small home and after securing the rest of the house to insure there was none of those... zombies I secured a knife and feasted on Baked beans until I felt comfortable enough to lay in the master bed and read my book.

Jack Bowyer
December 16, 2013

title: Apocalypse Short Story : On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection : Day 1 [X-Post r/DayZ]

question: Explain why the narrator became worried.

answer: The narrator and James were taking a trip through Russia and other Eastern countries and one night his roommate, James, left to see a castle while the narrator stayed in. While James was away, the narrator was alarmed by angry Russians in the lobby whom ended up knocking them out with a punch. When the narrator finally awoke, most of their belongings had been taken and James was nowhere to be found.