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Jawl's Journal
The Gustin Brewery
Downtime
A new kind of problem
Drip
Drip
Drip
Damp, that was how Jawl felt at this moment. The constant drip of water leaking in from a new hole in the roof was the last thing they needed right now, and right over their bed too! Was this psychological torture? Honestly could be. The government could probably use this trash heap they called house to break interrogation subjects. Seemed like the kind of over the top thing they would do. Heavens know Jawl wouldn't be living here if there was ANYWHERE else to go.
Drip
Drip
Drip
Perhaps though they should just look on the bright side, use it as some nice ambiance. People do that right? People fall asleep to water sounds, why would this be any different? Just put a bucket underneath it or something and enjoy the free background noise. Yeah, that's the plan, turn it into a positive, something that's a benefit over a drawback. Just change your thinking around. Just have to think positively...
Drip
Drip
Drip
That was it, the last straw. If it took tearing out a floorboard, the dripping was going to stop tonight.
The garage was a mess, dust and cobwebs were everywhere and Jawl constantly had to brush them out of the way to keep them from getting in their hair. Narrowly avoiding slamming into a desk, Jawl began fumbling around for a spare piece of wood, frankly they would take an old Tupperware lid if it was large enough. Finally, they felt it, a solid piece of sheet metal, perfect for what they needed. As they pulled it out though, a stinging pain erupted on the back of their hand. They quickly pulled away with their haul before looking for the source of their new battlescars. There it was, nestled in the corner, not much larger then their hand, a small black shape with a pair of bright orange eyes staring back at them. The pair kept eye contact, each one almost daring the other to break it, until Jawl simply shrugged and walked out of the garage and closed the door behind them.
The metal sheet fit perfectly, the hole was patched in no time and their bed had never felt more comfortable. It was a world of weight off their shoulders as a yawn escaped their lips. Jawl - 1, world... okay the world still had way more points but a point is a point. The soft embrace of their mattress had never been more welcome then it was right now. Finally,
Peace and quiet...
Scratch
Scratch
Scratch
Meow
...%#&$
Who Done It?
Downtime
Tomorrow is another day
Jawl ran their hand through their hair as they looked at their phone. Two hundred thousand... the number itself almost seemed seemed fake. That amount of money, even in a video game... it was wild to see. They closed their phone, Lorelei's number in their contacts catching their eye for a moment. It had been a wise move to call from a payphone. Even if the change of voice was suspicious, it was worth making sure she had no idea where they were. You can never be too careful with strangers. Even if...
"Everyone's out for themselves... remember that you idiot..."
The high pitched meow of a certain furball dragged their attention back to the current moment. Charcoal's bright orange eyes stared up them before they meowed again, more insistently this time.
"Even you, huh, guess I can't blame you..."
The pipsqueak was always like this, demanding and needy, frankly they were more trouble then they were worth. It took a minute to find the food tin in the fridge, the light had given out yesterday. Jawl made a mental note to grab a replacement as the small creature went about eagerly devouring their meal.
"Well, at least one of us gets good food. It's gonna be left over take out for me again."
Watching the little guy eat had become a sort of evening ritual. It wasn't particularly enthralling, but there was something about it that just, took a weight off. They didn't care about the wider stresses of the world, all that mattered was the fact that they were hungry and they were getting food. It was a simple existence.
"Not a single thought in that skull of yours, huh?"
The kitten's fur was rough beneath their hand, a mess of tangles and knots that someone would need to take a weed whacker to to fix it had been like this since they had shown up and the brush Jawl had hadn't been any help. Tossing the empty can away, Jawl sighed.
"Tomorrow is another day, tomorrow is another day..."
Charlatans
“Unsettling are the days in which everyone is an expert.”
― Criss Jami
Nowadays you can't go a day without some phony prophet trying to peddle their wares to you.
Driven by the increased interest in the supernatural, charlatans from palm readers to televangelists are everywhere. And while the vast majority of witches, psychics, magicians, hypnotists, cures, potions, faith healers, and clairvoyants are complete fakes, they do make a living.
As the saying goes, "it's easier for an actor to make it in alternative medicine than Hollywood."
Most people scoff at these clearly-phony supernatural services, yet those same people often buy into at least one scam.
The most dangerous charlatans are the self-styled monster hunters who carry a mall-ninja arsenal and guns with silver bullets. Most have never encountered anything supernatural and do absolutely nothing besides burn some sage and patrol the area for a night or two. Even so, those who are superstitious, fearful, or desperate enough will hire them to solve the problems they simply don't understand. In some cases with disastrous results.
For Contractors, charlatans are red herrings and obstacles. Clumsy fakes that conjure a smokescreen of misinformation and escalate the situations they're in.