Custom skin compiler for minecraft

We have a recently formed Delaware C Corp through Stripe.
Besides our Stripe account we also have a Paypal account. Sometimes Paypal is just a necessary evil and it is also beneficial in our opinion to alternative payment channels for customers.
Paypal just hit us with a message indicating they had put a partial freeze on the account pending receiving some:

1. ID
2. Delaware Business License Registration
3. Business Plan

This surprised us. On the ID side not an issue although we always thought Paypal as a processor relied on the bank upstream as the party for KYC. But in any case it is easy peasy requirement to satisfy.
The Delaware Business License requirement through us for a loop. We have peers who formed companies via Atlas, operating same as we are commencing, and they have never had a request for a DB license. So when I asked around everyone was "what"? They all just have their incorporations and annual fees they pay to the registrar either direct or through the agent.
We did some reading and next is going to be a phone call as they do have a help line for business license - and you need a business plan in order to obtain one as well!
Has anyone else encountered this?
Thanks in advance for any input on this matter.

The second edition of ESC took place in Frankfurt, Germany. Does that mean one of the German songs won in 1956 as the usual tradition is? Well no it was Switzerland who also hosted the first edition but apparently didn't want to host another the next year. To this day rumours persist that Germany got second place probably with "Im Wartesaal zum großen Glück" from Walter Andreas Schwarz but since no ranking was released to this day we can't know for sure. Some even believe Germany won. Anyway the good thing about this contest is that this contest can be fully watched with moving images. The director of this was Michael Kehlmann, an Austrian movie director. I sinceryly hope he was better at camerawork for his movies as it was filmed rather static and with a persistence of keeping the artists heads in close-up for lengthy periods which felt rather disturbing to me. Quality wise the songs were in my opinion a lot weaker than the previous edition with most contestants playing it rather safe and with little variety.
1957 saw the introduction of a real jury system where each country had to divide 10 points over the rivaling countries. So here it was made clear you can't vote for your own country, a rule which probably was not in place in 1956 but as of 1957 it was set in stone and never changed. Don't really know if that meant that 1 country could give the full 10 points to just 1 country. I notice however that only France divided their points over 2 countries while all other countries divided their points over 3 to 6 countries. No one ended up with 0 points and every country got points from at least 2 countries. Strange system but at least better than the shady backroom voting from the previous edition, which certainly was put into question and led to protest. To this day there is still a points system and no matter the result there is always people not understanding why song X ended up so low and song Y so high. Some things never change and this adds to the fun. Apparently the points system was borrowed from UK's 'Festival of British Popular Songs' which decided on the entry representing the UK in the ESC. So a scoreboard was introduced which was adapted after each call (by a traditional phone) from one of the juries of the competing countries.
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With the 3 countries broadcasting but not sending a song for various reasons (UK, Austria, Denmark) last year now joining the competition there was no more need for each country to send 2 songs. So 1 song per country (and this remained so for later editions) but 2 people were allowed on stage (in 1956 only solo artists on stage). So more countries involved (10 vs 7 in 1956) but less songs (10 vs 14 in 1956). Last change was a rule stipulating that songs could not exceed 3 minutes but a few countries really went over that limit by quite a margin. Maybe that rule was introduced quite late and therefore no one was disqualified for exceeding it.
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We saw a first duet with Denmark. Italy and the Netherlands had a musician accompanying the singer. We also saw a first prop emerging (Germany) and some other costumes than the traditional tuxedo or evening gown (Denmark).
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For those wanting more info about this edition check the wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurovision_Song_Contest_1957
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The full show can be watched here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViOi13j5cO8&t=4s
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1. Belgium - Straatdeuntje - Bobbejaan Schoepen (32 years) starts at 3:15

Just like previous edition the ESC kicked off with a song sung in Dutch however this time it comes from the Dutch/Flemmish speaking part of Belgium (Flanders). Bobbejaan Schoepen was the first Flemmish singer to try. Even though his success period was far before my time I knew that whistling was a trademark of his. He even had a song dedicated to whistling 'De jodelende fluiter' (The yodling whistler). Bobbejaan had an obsession with the Far West and often dressed with a cow-boy hat and later founded a theme park with a Wild West theme giving it his name 'Bobbejaanland'. Here of course he was as expected in a suit but with his hands in his pockets immediately giving him a pretty laid back attitude. The song is indeed a happy one about a melody he hears everywhere he goes making him happy. Don't think this had a chance winning, enjoyable definitely but in the end a bit too simplistic.
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1. Luxembourg - Amours mortes aka Tant de peine - Danièle Dupré (29-30 years) starts at 7:25

Language: French - Result: 4th (tied) - Points: 8
Just like last year Luxembourg send a female French singer to represent them. As expected she went for a French chanson about a break up. I'm absolutely no fan of these type of songs unless it has some quicker pace. Also I often compare French chansons with Edith Piaff whose famous hits at least had some recognizable melody and chorus. Danièle's birth date varies from the source. The most common is that she was born in 1927 but other sources say her birth year is 1938 which is a huge difference. Looks to me 1927 is correct as she already had quite a bit of songs as a minor star and retired from the music business in 1958. She would during the show become long lasting friends with her compatriot entering for France Paule Desjardins.
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1. United Kingdom - All - Patricia Bredin (22 years) starts at 10:55

Language: English - Result: 7th - Points: 6
Patricia Bredin had the honour to be the UK's first ESC entry. She won as part of the Malcolm Lockyer Quartet the first Festival of British Popular Songs convincingly. Patricia was in the first place an actress (Malcolm Lockyer was a film composer and conductor so makes sense) but also did musicals. Presenter Anaid Iplicjian (from Armenian descent) referred to the UK as England a few times. With a duration of 1'52 this song remained the shortest in ESC history until 2015 when Finland came with a song of only 1'27. So yeah I can be pretty short about this entry too. She has a high soprano voice so even if your English is good it's just hard to understand what she is singing most of the time. It felt more like an opera song and I guess that's why it didn't do too well here. Was the disappointing result the reason UK didn't enter in 1958 and also didn't organise the Festival of British Popular Songs? However from 1959 they wouldn't miss a single ESC. Patricia's song was never recorded or released on a single.
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1. Italy - Corde della mia chitarra - Nunzio Gallo (28 years) starts at 13:35

Language: Italian - Result: 6th - Points: 7
In previous edition two young females were sent, this time a male artist got a try. Nunzio Gallo was accompanied by a guitar player who gets quite a bit of exposure with some solos (a really long one at the start). Nunzio sings a ballad which gave me much more latino/Spanish vibes than Italian. He sings a love song not for a woman but for his guitar. This theme actually reminds me of the Belgian entry of 2010 Tom Dice with "Me and my guitar". The biggest problem is the song's duration with over 5 minutes going well beyond the maximum time limit. Also its very slow pace makes it very hard to sit through. Fortunately Italy would bring a real hit in the next edition.
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1. Austria - Wohin kleines Pony - Bob Martin (34 years) starts at 19:45

Language: German - Result: 10th - Points: 3
Debut for Austria but Bob Martin wasn't the first Austrian performing in ESC. That honour goes to Freddy Quinn entering in 1956 for Germany with "So geht das jede Nacht". The song is accompanied by jazzy music. Of course a 30+ guy singing about riding his pony through the fields is a tad weird but at least he seems to be having a good time smiling a lot during his performance. It's also the only song which is (slightly) more uptempo than the other entries. A last place is rather harsh but I can understand this song perhaps didn't really fit well in the contest. After ESC he remained popular in southern Austria. His real name was Leo Heppe.
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1. Netherlands - Net als toen - Corry Brokken (24 years) starts at 23:20

Language: Dutch - Result: 1st - Points: 31
The winning song and this time even a critical one like me will find it hard to disagree. If they stuck to the rules this entry would be disqualified as it is going approximately 1 and half minute over the 3 minutes time limit. However it doesn't feel like ever lasting like Italy's due to a good pacing, great vocals and some really good music accompanying the song. Dutch conductor Dolf van der Linden was so eager to start making the orchestra start before Corry Brokken reached the microphone. Corry's previous entry was a break up song now it's again about a relationship but one that is already lasting a very long time. So yes the couple especially the man have become old (and grey) and their love has become a bit stale. But since he can still flirt (with other women I suppose) his wife wishes he would be sweet and gallant towards her, give her roses, say she is beautiful and all that jazz just like the time they first fell in love (referring to the song's title). Yes it's kinda weird given the young age of Corry and it's rather schmulzy. Also the style is a bit the same as her 1956 song "Voorgoed voorbij". However her vocals and the accompanying music really make up for that. About halfway a violin joins her on stage who also gets a solo towards the end. I'm not surprised this won quite convincingly and deservedly.
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1. Germany - Telefon, Telefon - Margot Hielscher (37 years) starts at 28:30

Language: German - Result: 4th (tied) - Points: 8
Host Germany did the opoosite of Italy after sending 2 men in 1956, now a woman was selected. Margot Hielscher already tried her luck at the German National final in 1956 but was unsuccessful. In 1957 she won and became the first woman to represent Germany at ESC. She was the first artist to use a prop on stage. What was more applicable than a telephone since that was the instrument for many years to come for the juries of the participating countries to send their points. Margot used the phone for another purpose though, expecting a call from her lover. Between talking in several languages (mostly saying hello) she sings in a calm and soft voice. The song in itself is not that special but the phone as gimmick is cool. Her song was also too long almost like 4 minutes. Placing 4th wasn't too bad and we would see her return the next year with a more uptempo song (and another prop). For the German audience she was no unknown being active since the 1940s as both singer and actress.
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1. France - La belle amour - Paule Desjardins (34-35 years) starts at 33:40

Language: French - Result: 2nd - Points: 17
A song about love in a French café. I liked this one more than the French song from Luxembourg. It came second and I don't think that is undeserved given she has a lovely voice even though the song in itself quickly fades from my memory. Paule had moderate success with a musical career lasting until 1962. When she married she stopped singing and started working as designer for the lingerie company of her husband. Her full birth date is unknown, Spanish wiki mentioned she was born in 1922.
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1. Denmark - Skibet skal sejle i nat - Birthe Wilke (20 years) and Gustav Winckler (31 years) starts at 38:00

Language: Danish - Result: 3rd - Points: 10
Denmark made its debut bringing the ESC its first duet. They were actually the only contestants in the first Dansk Melodi Grand Prix where 6 songs were entered 2 by them as duet and 2 by each as solo artists. As native Dutch/Flemmish speaker I can clearly hear it's from the same language family (German) as mine even though I hardly understand a word of it. I like the sound of it though and while it's nice that the presenter tells us that the translation of the song is "when the ship is sailing out" looking at the man's uniform it's pretty clear he is a sailor saying goodbye to his beloved girlfriend and future wife who is also wearing a typical dress from the country. There is also some gestures like him kissing a picture of her indicating he will be thinking about her on his trip and putting a ring on her finger meaning they will marry when he comes back. Actually the sailing theme is already clear before we see the couple as the orchestra starts with the sound of a ship's horn. It's all lovey dovey and cute but it works and they sing in harmony, complementary. A top 3 placing was well deserved in my opinion. Oh yes and there was in the end an 11 second kiss which definitely shocked the audience. They were applauded anyway. Did that hamper their chances to win, nah I think the Dutch entry was just too strong.
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1. Switzerland - L'Enfant que j'étais - Lys Assia (33 years) starts at 42: 30

Language: French - Result: 8th (tied) - Points: 5
Lys Assia returned to defend the ESC crown of Switzerland. The new crown however went to the other returning performer from 1956 Corry Brokken. Interesting to note that her birthday was the 3rd of March, the same day as the the contest of 1957 took place. I can't think of any other reason why the ESC took place so early (usually it's in May). She wasn't however gifted a good end result finishing a tied 8th with Belgium. Hard to understand as I found this song about a happy childhood very sweet and more captivating than her entries from 1956. However it was also too long about 4 minutes. But vocally I found her a lot better than the French songs from Luxembourg and France. Was it perhaps too childish or too happy? Notice that the other 2 songs in the bottom 3 were Belgium and Austria both upbeat songs. However Lys would still come back for a third consecutive time in 1958 just like winner Corry Brokken. Lys would do well a year later but Corry suffered even a worse fate as title defender than Lys.
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My top 10 was a bit harder to compile except the top 2 which stuck with me after 1 hearing. The rest is not too memorable for me.
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1. Netherlands
2. Denmark
3. Switzerland
4. Germany
5. Austria
6. Belgium
7. France
8. Luxembourg
9. Italy
10. UK

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Deceased artists
Paule Desjardins (1962) 39-40 years (only the Spanish wiki has a year of decease)
Gustav Winckler (1979, cause: car crash) 53 years
Bob Martin (1998) 75 years
Nunzio Gallo (2008) 79 years
Bobbejaan Schoepen (2010) 85 years
Danièle Dupré (2015) 88 years, French wiki has birth year 1938 and decease in 2013 (75 years)
Corry Brokken (2016) 83 years
Margot Hielscher (2017) 97 years
Lys Assia (2018) 94 years
​
Alive artists
Patricia Bredin (88 years)
Birthe Wilke (87 years)
You can check reviews also on RelivingEurovision

https://www.instagram.com/gawkkkkkk414/
Mizzy#2398 - discord

1. lmk if you interested in buying my account it has two battlepass skins for all guns and its level 85 peak rank on it is gold 3 i can negotiate a price

Spotted this in the latest MoneySavingExpert newsletter released today …
Get £100 for investing £500+ (stocks & shares ISA, junior ISA, general investment account or pension) for 12 months with &me via their link.
Limited to first 1,000 customers and nothing on the site showing numbers signed up so an element of risk.
Hopefully of some help to someone.

Prior to beginning TRT and also during you could say I've been a bit obsessed with learning about what I am taking and what are the best protocols. During my course I got bloodwork every 7 weeks. My clinic started me off on 200mg T per week and 500 iu HCG per week. My T levels were always too high. I kept reducing my amount of T injected. Also, I slowly progressed with reducing my injection frequency of T to twice per week, then every 3 days, then ultimately every other day EOD. My last 6 weeks of injections has been EOD of 30-35mg per injection (weekly total of around 120 mg T injected). My bloodwork during TRT has consistently shown my total T around high 1100s ng/dl.
At the 6-7 month mark, I began getting acne on my arms, shoulders, and back. It is something I dealt with in late teens/early 20s. I'm now 40 yo. I thought as an adult and someone who has a really clean diet (so much better than when i was young) that I wouldn't have to deal with acne.
Lots of advice online says getting down to injection frequencies of EOD will help with hormone balances, and while that might be true, I am still facing enough acne that the muscle gains and aesthetics aren't worth it.
I am going to stop the TRT and increase my HCG for the next 10 weeks to get my natural production going again, and then reevaluate. My goal is to clear up my skin and then figure out a better way for the future. I could be off TRT for 10 weeks or a year. I don't know yet. I'm not looking to do Accutane. I've done that before and not interested in another round. I'm looking forward to getting back to clear skin, and then figuring out a better way next time. Wish I didn't have to take this break.

Okay so I fully finished my build as of two days ago before it was mostly done except I wanted to do custom cables and water cooled. Before it just had stock amd cooler and stock cables. (Build list at the bottom) I got a Corsair hydro X cooling kit and when taking off the stock cooler it pulled the cpu out and long story short I bent some of the pins and one broke so I ordered a new one and then when I finished everything I was leak checking it and it started to leak only one drop before I turned it off. There wasn’t anything plugged in to the Psu except the 24 pin with the jumper wire and the moles to turn on the pump. The drop unfortunately missed the paper towel and dropped on my gpu (like I said one drop, and nothing had power to it) so I pulled the gpu and cleaned up where it dripped fixed the leak and ran it for 24hrs to make sure no more leaks. Went to start it fully with everything plugged in and no signal. So I thought Fuck, maybe I fucked up the gpu so I switched it with an old strix gtx 980 and it worked just fine. So I ordered another gpu the same one I ordered less than one week ago and still the same thing. No signal.
Wtf am I missing?
Build list: ASROCK X570 Ryzen 9 5900X (originally 3900x) Corsair vengeance pro rgb 128gb Powercolor Red Devil 6750 xt Corsair rm850x Wd 512gb nvme Samsung 256gb nvme Wd 256 sata m.2 Wd 1tb hdd (x3) Jonsbo D41 case

HELLO lovely people!
I have recently started taking a lot more care and interest with my beauty regime, I am on the look out for some products to help me glow up! I would love to hear what your holy grail is!
Extra points if you can recommend anything that helps with the following; rosacea/face redness, ingrown hairs, shaving products for legs, bikini, underarms (or other at home hair removal methods), itchy bumpy scalp, hair dryness, body exfoliation, at home teeth whitening, foot peels
My holy grails:
CeraVe SA Renewing Cleanser - got rid of flakes on my face when nothing else would
Superdrug B. Revealed Glycolic Cleansing peel (only available in the UK - sorry!) - let me tell you this made my face so super soft, it was discontinued and I was devastated but they seem to be making it again! Unfortunately I don't live in the UK anymore so I can't get it, but if you can you must!!!!
La Roche Posay Lipikar AP+M Baume - I'm not lying when I say I think I've bought at least 50 bottles of this over 3 years. The absolute best moisturiser I've ever used for face and body. Would recommend if you have dry/eczema prone skin.
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid Serum - hydrated my face really well when I suffered with really bad dry skin

Hi all
I am a diagnosed Anxiety-sufferer.
I on and off take 20 mg Lexapro (I know, I have bad commitment issues to medicines).
I have been having physical symptoms on and off for 7 months. They include:
Brain fog (dream like state)
tingling
burning skin
depression
heart palpitations
racing heartbeat
joint pain
achy jaw and shoulder (almost like a severely bruised feeling)
extremely tired
Now here's the kicker, all of my blood tests, MRIs, CTs, etc have come out normal. I feel like it's anxiety because what else could be bothering me this much? I also was grieving the loss of my precious dog to an abusive doggy daycare 3 months prior and went into a month long spiral and got better out of nowhere. Anyways, my question to you all is... anyone else suffering from almost a yearlong persistent physical symptom? How did you claw your way out? Anyone with stories that can at least make me feel better that one of us got out of this mess?

I know it will probably never happen but imagine an open world warrior cats video game where you customize your character, choose your name as you age up as well as your job (warrior, medicine cat etc) and work your way up to be the leader of your clan. Maybe you start off as a kitty pet or a stray or whatever and get adopted into the clan. Build relationships with cats outside of your clan and go on adventures to the mountains where you meet the tribe of rushing water. This feels like such a pipe dream when we can’t even get a movie after all these years let alone a series.
I would pay so much for this game!!!
What else do you think should be in this fantasy video game ?

If you could select a skinline to give Jhin a prestige skin for, what would it be? I always felt Jhin would have been a great villain for the Spirit blossom skinline and a prestige from there would have been so sick.

Stumbled across this guy selling some custom made parts for Ivar. https://holzfeld.at/xshop/
The shelf brackets are in the best seller list.

Dark Factions is a Ultima Online Ren-Era shard that just launched for public access this month! Completely free to play, no donations, paid content or strange customization. This is the heart of what Ultima Online was and should have continued on as during the most nostalgic period of time.
Dark Factions UO is an immersive and dynamic MMORPG set in a richly detailed medieval fantasy world. Embark on an unforgettable journey where players have the freedom to shape their destiny and influence the fate of Britannia. With a focus on player-versus-player (PvP) combat, player-versus-environment (PvE) challenges, intricate crafting systems, and rewarding gameplay, Dark Factions offers a captivating experience for adventurers seeking a truly interactive virtual world.
PvP in Dark Factions is a central pillar of gameplay, providing players with exhilarating opportunities for competitive battles and strategic warfare. Engage in epic duels, join guilds to form powerful alliances, and participate in large-scale conflicts for control over valuable resources. With a robust skill-based system, players can customize their characters to become skilled warriors, mages, or rogues, each with their own unique playstyle. The thrill of outsmarting opponents and conquering foes in intense PvP encounters creates a dynamic and ever-evolving environment.
For those seeking PvE challenges, Dark Factions offers a vast array of events, dungeons, and encounters. Delve into ancient ruins, battle fierce creatures, and uncover hidden treasures scattered throughout the realm. From exploring dangerous wilderness areas to overcoming formidable boss monsters, PvE enthusiasts will find a wealth of content to test their skills and reward their bravery.
Crafting and gaining Skills in Dark Factions is a deeply immersive and nostalgic experience, allowing players to master various trades and become renowned artisans. Gather resources, refine materials, and forge powerful weapons, armor, and intricate trinkets. Utilize your skills to create valuable items sought after by fellow adventurers or establish a thriving business as a merchant. The intricate crafting system offers endless possibilities for creativity and serves as a meaningful aspect of the game's economy.
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Ultima Online: Dark Factions offers a vibrant and immersive virtual world where PvP, PvE, crafting, and rewards intertwine to create a truly captivating gaming experience. Whether you seek the thrill of intense PvP battles, the excitement of challenging PvE encounters, the satisfaction of honing your crafting skills, or the joy of reaping the rewards of your accomplishments, this game promises to transport you to a realm where adventure knows no bounds.
Check out our Discord and YouTube Channel links in the comments!

Hi! I am about to finish up The Ordinary's AHA BHA Peeling Solution, which is the only chemical exfoliant I am currently using, and I want to switch to a different one after I finish it! I haven't been super impressed with the product, but it works fine enough for now so I'm not gonna waste it lol. My question is, which one should I go with between The Ordinary's Lactic Acid and the Paula's Choice BHA exfoliant? I know the Lactic Acid one is an AHA and the Paula's Choice one is, of course, a BHA, so maybe I should get both especially since I've heard great things about both of them? Is there another product anyone out there recommends, maybe even one that is both an AHA and BHA like the Ordinary one I currently use to make things easier? I'm 24F dealing with adult acne, it seems like it takes my pores two seconds to fill up with dirt/oil/sebum/whatever which is gross but like... I have to be honest LOL. My skin is definitely on the oily side, but honestly I'm sure a lot of the acne I get is because of my hormones/menstrual cycle. I never really get acne on my forehead it's always on my cheeks, chin, and jawline. Hopefully that helps with figuring out what might be best for me whether it's The Ordinary or Paula's Choice or something else entirely, I'm pretty clueless when it comes to chemical exfoliants but the rest of my skincare routine is pretty consistent so this is the one thing I need help with! Thank you all so much, this community is truly so great!!!

I'm jealous of people who have clear skin. They get to put foundation and stuff on their face. I have to deal with holes in my face because of acne scars and avoiding using makeup in general. Some people also look good with just their bare, smooth skin.
I know it's not a big deal compared to other type of skin issues or health issues and it's mainly just a cosmetic problem, but for some reason i'm affected by it emotionally.
I wish I didn't have acne and it wasn't prevelant in my genes. It sucks.

Before I begin my story I must maintain that my sentence to death was a wrong and vile thing to do. I maintain that I am not a killer. I did not kill the schoolchildren the authorities decided to hang me for.
My sentence to death, I must maintain, is a huge misunderstanding. There must be forces out there against me, who conspired to put me in prison for this very experiment, this accursed expedition.
I am not deranged. I am not insane.
The man in the odd multicolored sweater paid me a visit a week before my scheduled execution date. “You are the former schoolteacher Chet Adami?” he asked, polite, offering me a plastic cup of coffee.
I nodded, taking a sip. “I didn’t kill those kids,” I reiterated, for about the thousandth time. “Are you the uh, priest guy? That comes before-”
He shook his head and waved away the guards. “My name is Canopy Hydrangea,” he introduced, extending a hand. I shook it. “I understand you may not be guilty, despite what the state believes.”
I nodded. “Finally, someone who-”
He cut me off. “I’m not interested in your story. Whether you die or not is of no consequence to the people I represent,” he continued. “But I am here to offer you a deal. There’s a place the people I represent need exploring, and I need volunteers.”
He produced a sheet of paper and a pen. “This agreement,” he clasped it into my hands, “has you join a team of expendable, uh, volunteers such as yourself on this expedition. You get in, get the things we need, and get out- and you’re free for life.”
This was better than dying in prison.
I asked him what place this was that I’d be sent to. He told me I had to sign the form first. “I’ll do it, then,” I cheered, signing the document.
He smiled and patted me on the shoulder. “We’ll even give you a whole new identity,” he offered. And with that, he seized the document away from me and left the building.
Within hours I was blindfolded, sedated, and transported. When I awoke I was strapped to a bed in a helicopter, with four others beside me, all beginning to wake up.
The man who’d offered me the deal was there too, sucking on a lollipop while rearranging documents and photographs.
These images, I assumed, was the place they wanted us to explore. They were mostly all aerial photos, a sea of endless green and the occasional bird. And yet, there was more- images of impossible landscapes, dreamlike beings.
“Ah, you guys are awake!” he clapped once, and walked over.
The next few moments were a flash as he re-injected us with some sort of blue, wriggling substance. It was cold, and I swear it pulsed inside my arm.
Then we had landed, and the group was quickly taken inside a compound. We were freed and sat down in some sort of meeting room. More people were inside.
A blue haired lady joined the man.
“Welcome, volunteers,” he announced, pointing to a projector. “You are all, save for one, prisoners on death row,” he reminded. “This offer today is simple- you enter the forest, travel to an outpost we have recently lost contact with,” he turned on the projector, displayed a bright red cylinder labeled ‘SYSTEM RECORDER-A32’, “and recover this data module.”
The woman spoke next. “Easy, right?” she counted us. “We’ll provide maps,” she gestured to tablets. “But this forest is different.”
They proceeded to explain the reason they need ‘volunteers’ for the assignment then.
We were on an island somewhere in the Java Sea. The island had a massive forest in the center, one that at first glance seemed as normal as ever. This changed when an international mining company sent in a team of geologists to determine if there was anything of note beyond the forest.
This team never returned.
Nor did a second team, armed with weapons. Or an environmentalist group that ventured in to document new species. So then the organization our recruiters had come from entered the forest.
We were on the outskirts of the forest, at a place they were calling Ake Base.
Over the past month, they had begun to map the forest and determine why so many hadn’t returned. The reason was illogical- the forest was bigger than the island itself.
Drones that ventured in should have come out the other side- yet remained inside the forest, encountering bizarre phenomena and creatures undocumented.
Every so often, the forest would slope downwards, revealing a new layer with new and distinct ecosystems.
“Recently though,” Canopy concluded, “we’ve lost contact with several outposts in the third layer to eighth layers.” He changed the slide to one of the lost outposts, standing alone amidst a vibrant, alien forest. “You enter the forest, get to your team’s assigned outpost, get back out with the data and you’ll be set for life.”
“Does anyone choose to rescind their agreement?” the woman asked. “It’s either death, or this, and frankly, your chances here aren’t that better.”
There were some who raised their hands. “Hell no!” a man shouted. “I’m goin’ back to life!” The woman had them taken away. We heard gunfire outdoors. No life row for him.
Whoever they were- they were serious about this.
They started to call out names and assign teams.
My team, was small, four of us. There was a mercenary named Leo who kept talking about the food the organization had brought us. He seemed pleasant, charismatic, and I almost forgot he was a criminal.
There was a scientist called Anya who, as she joked, was ‘serving infinite life sentences’ for crimes against humanity. She was given the codes and a booklet of things to watch out for in what they called the ‘Sea of Green’.
Then there was Gail. She was quieter than the three of us, and had an almost eerie vibe to her. She didn’t tell us what she’d done to get here, but she was there nonetheless.
Thankfully, we were given the closest- and safest outpost. A little place in Layer Three, marked by the map as only a few hours walk away.
We set off the next day.
The forest, in the beginning, seemed to almost invite us in. The birds chirped and danced, unafraid of mankind. We even fed them the nuts we’d been given as breakfast rations, which they seemed to enjoy.
About an hour in, things changed. The light from the sun barely pierced the canopy, and at times, we had to utilize our flashlights to see what was in front of us. Leo took the lead, hacking away at the branch and vine in front of us.
The forest was starting to look like a jungle- and yet, as we traversed it never seemed to choose which one it wanted to be.
“Wait!” Anya hissed, as we crossed a stream that seemed oddly familiar. She read from the booklet, then to the map on tablets we’d been given. “We’ve made a circle.”
Leo shook his head. “That’s impossible,” he insisted. “I don’t remember turning.”
“Yeah,” I agreed, catching up from behind.
Anya shared the booklet. “It’s one first phenomena researchers encounter,” she explained. “This place plays tricks on us- we need to follow the stream.”
“But then,” Gail pointed out, “we’d be going in the wrong direction.”
“Trust the book,” Anya concluded. We followed the stream then, and the path started to grow denser, as if the forest hated us for traveling further. But the path was right, and the forest changed as we journeyed.
An hour later the forest had changed. It had sloped downwards a bit, inviting us to the second layer of the maze. The trees seemed higher, and the light was now gone completely.
This was when we started to hear it. Click-click.
“What was that?” I asked, turning. Click-click.
Anya rushed through the book. “It’s not documented.”
Click-click. And then we saw lights in the distance, lights that as we continued walking, were revealed to us as bulbous fruit on the trees that glowed an eerie electric blue.
Click-click. “You sure it’s not in that book?” Leo questioned, switching his machete out for a gun. Click-click.
The clicks were getting louder, each one sending a jolt of uneasy fear down my spine. We moved closer together now, fearing the unknown that were in these- A bush in front of us rustled. Leo aimed his weapon.
A deer- no, something like a deer popped out, gently squawking. It was… wrong in every sense, but it seemed more occupied in chewing a flower than us.
The small creature had the antlers of a deer, yes, but it also had the face of an old man. Not to mention six fists full of thumbs at the end of its legs. It inspected a glowing fruit with it’s odd thumbs.
“Ew,” Gail commented, disgusted. “What the hell is that?”
Anya didn’t have time to look for answers before a black, insectine limp shot out of one of the bulbous fruits and impaled the deer-thing. It screamed an all too human scream and struggled.
We backed away- and by then, the noise was overwhelming. Click-clickClick-clickClick-clickClickclickClickclickClick-clickClick-click. They erupted from every single one of the bulbous fruits, and things began to pour out of them.
The limbs, see, were attached to a head. The a simple sphere that opened into buzzsaws of teeth that grotesquely clicked as they opened. The face-deer only screamed as the clicking creatures devoured it.
“Run!” Leo reminded, shooting as some started to near us. “Run!”
That shook us out, and we ran, terror in our very veins. They seemed more interested in the fallen deer than us- but we still ran until we could no longer.
Actually, it was until I fell off and entered the third layer.
A weight appeared on my chest and I fought it off, thinking I was about to die- but the soft, furry creature atop me jumped off. It wasn’t one of the clicking monsters.
And then I realized the third layer was bright. The trees themselves were glowing now, not the insect fruits of before. And there were a whole host of new, bizarre creatures.
The thing I’d pushed off was some sort of rabbit, covered in glowing blue stripes. If layer two had been a forest of darkness this was it’s very opposite.
In the skies there were ribbons of glowing creatures- thin kites on an unseen wind. The trees were alive with all sorts of furried friends, darting here and there and eating odd colored berries that didn’t seem real.
Anya pointed and spoke, “Look!” It was the outpost, in ruins.
“But what attacked it?” Gail murmured, as we walked over.
We entered through a hole in the wall. The place was oddly peaceful, calming, now home to bioluminescent little ants that dotted the place. Occasionally, one or two of the face-deer would appear, licking the dots up with twin tongues that emerged from it’s too-human face.
“Cute,” Leo joked, picking one up and stroking it. It screamed back at him, chilling and he dropped it. “Never doing that again.”
The place was… too peaceful. And- “what happened to their bodies?” I posited. “If they were attacked- where’s their blood? Their corpses?”
Anya shrugged. “It is odd- perhaps they got devoured.” She gestured to the many oddities around us. “But you’re right, there should be bones, at least.”
This was when we heard the screaming. And all of a sudden every single creature retreated away, disappearing from view, save for the tiny ants inside with us. The screaming was a cacophony of voices, realer than the ones we’d heard from the face-deer.
“I think we need to go,” Leo whispered, holding out the red ‘data module’ in his hands. “Now.”
The screaming got ever closer, and the trees in front of the outpost, beyond a window, started to shake. “I concur.”
We were backing away when we heard the squelching of something loud and heavy. Turning around, we saw the screaming creature we’d heard. It was massive, fleshy, and filled with tiny gaping holes, some filled with eyes, all rising, breathing as one.
I nearly threw up. But that was for a different reason.
The holes were one thing. But the screaming, severed bodies of dozens of people attached the the eye-full monster was another. They screamed and screamed, their bodies unneatly joined and sown into the creature.
It sniffed the air and walked over to the glass, looking in as we hid. “What is it?” I squealed. “What the hell is that?”
The face of a victim in military clothes appeared at the window, screaming, face slowly popping, skin repairing and being digested all at once. Anya flipped through the pages. “They called it a Fleshweave. It absorbs bodies and eats them that way.”
That would explain the lack of bodies we’d seen.
The window shattered- and the thing began to force itself on it, flesh turning to churned cylinders through the window. The bodies, crushed further, screamed some more.
So we ran as the beasts fell into the room with a plop. And despite it’s heavy, gluttonous form it charged forwards, faster than it looked.
Out the outpost we went. I felt a meaty hand hit me and then I fell. It stalked towards me, but a gunshot from Leo burst it’s pus-ridden hand, covered my in grotesque, viscous liquid.
I picked myself up and ran from the screaming thing, up the steep slope and climbing onto the second layer.
I fell again, but Anya caught me, helping me up.
Leo did the same for Gail- but she slipped and fell back into the third layer. The thing approached her, all of it’s pulsing eyes upon her. “Help me!” she bellowed. “Don’t leave me-”
Leo prepared to jump down- but it was too late. The Fleshweave simply picked her up and it opened it’s skin, forging her into her body- er, her top half,- it severed the rest.
“Go!” I snapped, dragging the mercenary to action. The creature behind us lifted itself onto the dark forest and continued to follow.
Gail, merged with the other unfortunate bodies, screamed. I almost stopped in terror from the sound, but flight-or-fight forced me to continue.
Click-click. We found ourselves back in the center of the abode with the insect fruit. And the insects were clearly attracted to the stench of decay the monster emanated. Limbs emerged, and the face-beetles jumped up and swarmed the creatures.
I don't know if the creature was killed by it. I only remember Gail’s face as the insects started to pick her body- and so many others like her- apart.
The way out seemed harder than going in, but we made it. We survived. We reached the outpost and handed our data module to the man who’d offered us the deal. “Impressive,” he congratulated. “You’re the first team back.”
“I want out now,” I panted. “Back to real life.”
He patted me on the shoulder and gave me a sad smile. “According to the world you’ve already died by suicide in your cell,” he informed. “See, there’s a way the people I work for have operated so cleanly for the past few centuries.” He paused and took a step back. “We can’t afford loose ends, see, and you’ve shown us you have the guts to survive Bandai La- er, the Sea of Green.”
I took a step back, panicking. “What do you mean?”
He sighed. “We can’t give you a new life and risk exposing our operation here,” he explained. “And we still need ah, expendable people to lead us to whatever’s in the center of the island.” He handed me a can of soda. “Welcome to your new life. The Company really values your dedication as a treasured employee.”
​
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But I don’t want this. I was promised freedom. And they can’t keep me from exposing them- I’ve typed this up and Anya did something to the tablet so I can receive and post things online.
I’m not sure if this’ll work. But if it is: I’m on an island somewhere in the Java Sea. There’s a forest that goes on forever and I’m being held as some sort of explorer by some Company.
Find me. Before I die.