Monday, 18 September 2023

A Fortified Tower






Moving forward, We wish to downplay 
What You Represent.

We find problematic your 
reckless self-determination.

Progress necessitates new strategies
you understand, collective behaviour.

In this endeavour, there are 
other potential candidates, 
better suited to The Task...




























Dr. Temple :

(reading from prepared notes)

That man in the isolation-tank... 

You know, the one you looked in on? 


(Rehearsing, without reference to his notes)

The one you looked in on. 


(Back to His Notes — )

The Police brought him in here 15 years ago. 

They picked him up wandering 

the C&O Canal. 

Down around Key Bridge. 


Yes, total amnesia. 


The Man in The Isolation Tank... 

You know, the one you looked in on. 

The Police brought him 

in here 15 years ago. 

They picked him up wandering 

the C&O Canal. 

Down around Key... 


Det. William F. Kinderman :

You had something to tell me? 


Dr. Temple :

Please, sit down. 


(Kinderman notes the huge stacks of magazines and scientific journals around Temple’s office)


Det. William F. Kinderman :

There's a paper drive? 


Dr. Temple :

Haven't had a chance 

yet to read them. 

I just keep them till I do

I hate to miss the science articles. 

They're good


That man in the isolation tank... 

You know, the one 

you looked in on. 


Dr. Temple :

Yes. 


Dr. Temple :

(checks his notes, hidden 

in an open desk drawer)

The Police brought him 

here 15 years ago. 

They picked him up wandering 

the C&O Canal around Key Bridge. 


Total amnesia. No I.D. 

They brought him to us here. 


And his condition grew worse. 

He ended up catatonic. 

Completely withdrawn


But recently... 

Well... about six weeks ago, 

he slowly started to come out of it. 

Every day he got better. 

Just a little, but better


And then all of a sudden, 

he got violent

Really bad news. 


We give him electroshock therapy. 


And as of two weeks ago 

he's been in isolation... 

...but the thing is... 


Det. William F. Kinderman :

Yes? 


Dr. Temple :

He says He’s The Gemini Killer


Det. William F. Kinderman :

I want the file on that man. 

Get it. Now


You want to know about 

The Man in Cell-11. 

Stretch your memory. 

What was he wearing 

when he was brought in? 


That was quite some time ago. 


Det. William F. Kinderman :

Was he dressed like A Priest? 


Like a Priest


Det. William F. Kinderman :

Were there any signs of injuries? 


That would be in the file. 


Det. William F. Kinderman :

It is not in the file! 

It is not


Two men on every ward. 

Rotate them 24 hours a day. 

In the disturbed ward, one man 

inside near the entry door, 

one man outside. 

Ask the Jesuits for the dental records 

of Father Damien Karras

Find out if he had a saliva test

Might help us get a positive I.D. 


Ryan :

What for, sir? Sir, are you all right? 


IV team to NICU. IV team to NICU. 


Ryan :

You all right? 


Det. William F. Kinderman :

Yeah.  Father Karras... 

was a Jesuit psychiatrist 

at Georgetown University. 

The man was A Saint. 

He was My Best Friend, 

I loved him. 


Fifteen years ago he jumped

or was pushed to his death... 

down that long flight of steps 

next to the Car Barn. 

Atkins...  I saw it. 

I watched him... die

I Think... The man in cell 11... 

is Damien Karras. 


The Gemini Killer :

It's a wonderfull life. 


Det. William F. Kinderman :

Who are You? 


The Gemini Killer :

I am No One. Many


Det. William F. Kinderman :

Are You Damien Karras? 


The Gemini Killer :

You haven't any medical 

records for him, have you? 

No tedious fingerprints


Det. William F. Kinderman :

Are You Karras? 


The Gemini Killer :

I am The Gemini Killer, 

James Venamun. 


Det. William F. Kinderman :

The Gemini is Dead


The Gemini Killer :

No, not quite. 


Remember Karen

Little ribbons in her hair? 

Yellow ribbons. I killed her. 


After all, it was inevitable, wasn't it? 

“A Divinity shapes Our Ends,” and all that. 

I picked her up in Richmond. 

And then I dropped her off at the city dump. 

Some of her. Some of her I kept. I'm a Saver

Pretty dress she was wearing. 

Little peasant blouse, pink... 

and white ruffles. 


I still hear from her occasionally, screaming

I think The Dead should shut up 

unless there's Something to Say —


The Gemini Killer :

I also killed the black boy, by the river. 

And the priests. Oh, yes, their names 

began with a K. 


That modicum at least I was able to insist upon. 

You see, they were off my beaten track. 

I kill at random. That's the thrill of it. 

No motive. That's the fun. 


The black boy and the priests were different. 

I was obliged to settle a score on behalf of... 

well... a friend


Det. William F. Kinderman :

What ‘friend’? 


The Gemini Killer :

A friend Over There. 

On The Other Side, 

one needs friends. 

There is suffering There. 

They can be cruel


Det. William F. Kinderman :

Who is "They"? 


The Gemini Killer :

Never mind. I cannot tell you. 

It's... forbidden. 



The Gemini Killer :

He lows like a Steer.

I Do That rather well

Don't you think? 

Well, why not? After all... 

I've been taught by The Master. 


Det. William F. Kinderman :

Who is that? 


The Gemini Killer :

The One. There is only One. 

Who's this ‘Damien’ you mentioned? 


Det. William F. Kinderman :

Don't you know


The Gemini Killer :

I know nothing, except I must 

go on killing Daddy. I must shame him. 

Do The Papers call these Gemini killings? 

You must get them to do that

Lieutenant, it’s important


Det. William F. Kinderman :

The Gemini is Dead


The Gemini Killer :


No, I am not! I'm alive

I go on! I breathe

Look at me! 

Look at me 

and tell me 

what you see


Det. William F. Kinderman :

I see a man who looks 

like Damien Karras. 


The Gemini Killer :

If you looked with 

The Eyes of Faith... 

You'd See Me. 


Det. William F. Kinderman :

What the hell are you talking about? 


The Gemini Killer :

Your blindness

Tell The Press that 

I am The Gemini, Lieutenant, 

or I will punish you


Det. William F. Kinderman :

Punish me? 


The Gemini Killer :

Yes. 


Det. William F. Kinderman :

What are you talking about? 


The Gemini Killer :

Do You Dance


Det. William F. Kinderman :

What do you mean? 


The Gemini Killer :

I like plays…. 

The good ones. Shakespeare

I like Titus Andronicus 

the best, it's sweet


Incidentally... Did you know 

that you are talking to 

An Artist…? 


I sometimes do special things 

to my victim. 

Things that are creative


Of course, it takes knowledge

pride in Your Work. 


For example: A decapitated head 

can continue to see, for 

approximately 20 seconds…. 

So when I have one that's cocking... 

I always hold it up so that 

it can see its body

It's a little extra I throw in 

for no added charge. 

I must admit, it makes me 

chuckle every time. 


Life is fun. It's a wonderfull Life, 

in fact... for some. 


It's too bad about poor Father Dyer. 

I killed him, you know. 


An interesting problem, 

but finally it worked —


First, a bit of the old succinylcholine... 

to permit one to work 

without annoying distractions. 


Then a 3-foot catheter... 

threaded directly into 

the inferior vena cava... 

or the superior vena cava. 


It's a matter of Taste


Then the tube moves 

through the vein... 

under the crease of the arm, 

into the vein that leads 

into the heart. 


And then you just hold up the legs 

and you squeeze the blood manually... 

into the tube from the arms 

and the legs —

There's shaking and pounding 

at the end for the dregs —

It isn't perfect

There's a little blood left, I'm afraid. 


But, regardless... 

the overall effect is astonishing. 

Isn't that really what counts 

in the end? Yes, of course. 

Good showbiz, Lieutenant. 


The effect! And then... 

off comes the head 

without spilling one 

single drop of blood —

Now, I call that showmanship, Lieutenant…!


Then of course, no one notices. 

Pearls before... 


(Kinderman PUNCHES him, 

a right cross across the face —)


Oh, a few boos from 

The Gallery, I see. 

That's all right. I understand. 

I've been dull. 


Well, I shall liven things up for you 

a bit, Lieutenant.


 The Master is throwing me 

a scrap from his table. 


A little reward for faithful Service. Something fun. Something random, something My Way

Good night, Moon. 

Good night, air. 

Good night, Amy. 

Telling her beads. 

Her beads….


He passed out. 


Again? 

He's hemorrhaging. 


The man in that cell knows the details of a girl's murder that happened years ago. 

A Gemini killing that 

wasn't in the papers. 



His goddamn nose is broken! 


When I said The Man in Cell-11 fell 

unconscious, you said something. 


Really? 


Yes, I think you said, "Again?" 


Might've done. 


It's happened before? 


Yes, it has. 


Many times? 


No, not really. 


It's just been this week. 

I think the first time was Sunday. 


And again? 


The next day. 


If you want exact times, it's... 



On your chart. 


That's right. 


Any other times? 

Yesterday morning, 

before we found... 


Yes. 


That's all right. 


I'm very sorry. 


When this happens, 

does it seem like normal sleep? 


Nothing's normal about that man. 


You seem a bit pleased about that. It's quite unusual. 

His autonomic system 

slows to a crawl. 

His pulse, his temperature... 

his breathing. 

But his brain wave 

activity accelerates


Det. William F. Kinderman :

Accelerates? 


(Finishes bandaging Kinderman’s swollen Right Hand)

Okay, keep that on 

until the weekend. 


Det. William F. Kinderman :

You're most kind. 


(scoffs) I'm a bitch. 


Det. William F. Kinderman :

Have you told the man in cell 11 what happened to Father Dyer? No, of course not. Might anyone else have told him? Why would they? I don't know. I don't, either. Thanks again, miss. Why did you hit him? Take it easy on that hand. I will. "Save your servant." That's something our friend in cell 11 said once. "Save Your Servant"? 

Keeps running through my mind. Odd expression. What was odd was how he said it. How was that? It was just his voice. It was different. 


Det. William F. Kinderman :

Different how? 


He sounded decent. Nice. Completely different. 

There was so much 

emotion in his voice. 

He sounded... 

I don't know. Desperate. 



Det. William F. Kinderman :

And what else has he said 

in This Voice? 


Only one other thing. 


Det. William F. Kinderman :

What was that, miss? 


He said, "Kill it.


"Save Your Servant, 

who Trusts in You, My God. 

Let him find in you 

A Fortified Tower 

in The Face of The Enemy.



The Lord is my light and my salvation. The Lord is the defender of my life. My life. "


And Jesus said to the man who was possessed: 'What is Your Name?' And he answered: 

'LEGION, for We are Many."' 


Many



Julie Kinderman 

(sleepwalking) :

Good night, Daddy. 



(smiles, warmly

Good night, Julie. 


It's so late. 


Yes, it is. 


Very late. God! Can't I get any sleep? What do you want? I'm sorry. Bad enough you wake me at 5:30 to eat. I'm sorry. Sorry? You do this on purpose. What's your name? I'm reporting you. Amy Keating. Angels of mercy. Horseshit. 


You all right? Yes, I'm fine. I'm just a little jumpy. That's all. She was slit down the middle. 

Cut open... and all her vital organs were removed. 

Then The Killer stuffed her body 

with other materials 

and sewed her back up. 


'Other Materials'? 


Rosaries. Catholic rosaries. Lieutenant! Did you get my message? I left it with Keating. Nice girl. Good heart. Yes! About this body of mine... Friend of yours. Well, there I was... so awfully dead in that electric chair. I didn't like it. Would you? It's upsetting! There was still so much k*ll to do, and there I was... in the void without a body. But then along came... well, you know, my friend. One of them. Those others, there. The cruel ones. The master. And he thought that my work should continue. But, in this body. In this body in particular, in fact. Let's call it revenge. A certain matter of an exorcism... in which Karras expelled certain parties from the body of a child. Certain parties were not pleased, to say the least. To say the very least. And so my friend, the master... devised this pretty little scheme as a way of getting back... of creating a stumbling block, a scandal... a horror to all men who seek faith. Using the body of this saintly priest... as an instrument of... Well, you know my work. But, the main thing... is the torment of your friend, Father Karras... as he watches while I rip, and cut, and mutilate the innocent! His friends! And again! And again! And on and on! He is inside with us! He will never get away! His pain won't end! Gracious me. Was I raving? Please forgive me. I'm mad. Let's see... where was I? Oh, yes! The master. He was kind, you see. He brought me to our mutual acquaintance, Father Karras. Not too well at the time. I'm afraid he... was passing on in the dying mode, as we say. So... as Karras was about to slip out of his body... Is this true? The master was slipping me in. There was some confusion when the medics said that Karras was dead. He was dead, technically speaking. His time was up. He wanted out. But I was in. A little traumatized, true. After all, his brain was jelly. Lack of oxygen and that sort of thing. You understand? It took a MAXIMUM effort... that at last got me out of that cheap little coffin! Vow of poverty, disgusting. Never mind. Toward the end, a little slapstick... and comic relief when old Brother Fain... who was tending the body, saw me climbing from the coffin. It's the smiles that keep us going. The giggles and bits of good cheer. But then, after that, it was all blue Mondays for a while, I'm afraid. So much damage to Karras' brain cells. So many lost. It's not enough, you see, to be a spirit. There's no magic. In this artificial box you call a world... we can't touch, except through bodies. We must operate through neurologic systems, brains that function... and your friend's was nearly past resurrection. It was quite an effort to regenerate his puny little brain cells. It took me 15 years! So many years. Now I'm just a traveling man. One who moves. I have dreams of a rose. And falling down a long flight of stairs. 


I Don't Believe You're The Gemini Killer. 


Oh, YOU are Issuing a CLEAR Invitation to The Dance.... 


What does that mean? 


Nevermind. Incidentally, don't blame me for that idiot Temple. That was a su1c1de. The man was a lunatic weakling. 

Still, he Helped Me. Are there services? I would like to attend. 


Temple Helped You? Of course! He brought you to me. I told him if he failed to convince you to come to me... that he would suffer in unspeakable ways. "Pain that cannot be imagined," I said. Poor superstitious fool, he believed me. But he couldn't take the pressure. 


What pressure? 


The Pressure of Inimitable ME. 

Some other tasks I said I had in mind for him. 

Things. Little Things. 


Did Temple get you 

out of This Cell? 

Who Gets You Out


Just Friends. 

Old Friends. 

Tell The Press that 

I am The Gemini, 

Lieutenant -- Final Warning


Incidentally, I can Help. 


Help what? 


Your unbelief

I'm Tired. I am so Tired. 


Bill, Help Me. 


Damien? 


No! 

Little Jack Horner. 

Child's Play, Lieutenant. 



Father Morning, please. 

Jim, I can't read this. Korner. 

K-O-R-N-E-R. 




I'll call again. See you later, alligator. Sweetheart, let's go back to your room. Take your time. That's it. Take it easy. - How do you get out of here? Old friends. Old friends. I'm a traveling man. One who moves. Old friends. One who moves. One who moves... I didn't hear it. Say it again, will you? Hit the light! Mommy! God almighty! What are you doing? Are you crazy? What is the matter with you?! I want my mommy. Just toys. Is that a crime?! He's after someone. Who? You treat your own family like this?! Aren't you leaving?! Please leave! I cannot wait for you to leave! You are issuing a clear invitation to the dance. - To the dance. To the dance... Julie. Bill. Hi, honey. Where..? Okay, sweetheart. That was Bill. A nurse is coming over with a package. Danny, get in the car! Roll it! Move it! Go! Go around! Ram it if you have to! Back up, you son of a..! Get out! That must be the nurse. Go around the back! Hi, Dad. Mother, Daddy's home. What's this? Billy, what's going on? I'm crazy. That's the explanation. You're honest. From the beginning. It's fine. No, it isn't. What's this nurse thing? What nurse? I'm so tired. Julie! Dad, I'm talking. Sorry, I missed that. Bill... what kind of nurse is this? I open the door for the woman, she faints. And then when she wakes up, she says, "When is it bedtime?" Please help me. Is it bedtime? So is she staying for dinner? It's okay. Catatonics are so easy to possess. I've been waiting for you, lieutenant. I wanted you to see this.

High Anxiety







“Fellow analysts, psychiatrists, 
psychologists and laypeople

Today I would like to discuss some of the lesser 
known aspects of Psychobiological Therapy. 

Years ago, Psychology was akin to Witchcraft
But some of these great people, these giants 
behind Me, GAVE Us — A Nice Living.

Tuesday, 29 August 2023

Draw





Will Tenneray and Abe Cross are 
two famous gunfighters who are 
getting old and need Money. 
Cross tried his luck at gold prospecting but failed. 
Tenneray works at the local saloon where he 
capitalises on his past fame to 
"sucker fools into 
buying drinks". 
The Town expects them to 
become enemies and kill each 
other in A Gunfight but the two 
aging gunfighters start 
liking one another. 
Desperate for Money, 
Tenneray suggests to Cross to 
put on a show for the townsfolk 
and fight in an arena for money. 
The proceeds from 
the ticket-sales would 
go to The Winner of 
The Gunfight. 

Both men like the idea of a paid 
show but hate the possibility of 
one of them killing The Other.




Thursday, 24 August 2023

The Horror




The Horror….

The Horror….





horror (n.)
early 14c., "feeling of disgust;" late 14c., "emotion of horror or dread," also "thing which excites horror," from Old French horror (12c., Modern French horreur) and directly from Latin horror "dread, veneration, religious awe," a figurative use, literally "a shaking, trembling (as with cold or fear), shudder, chill," from horrere "to bristle with fear, shudder," from PIE root *ghers- "to bristle" (source also of Sanskrit harsate "bristles," Avestan zarshayamna- "ruffling one's feathers," Latin eris (genitive) "hedgehog," Welsh garw "rough").

Also formerly in English "a shivering," especially as a symptom of disease or in reaction to a sour or bitter taste (1530s); "erection of the hairs on the skin" (1650s); "a ruffling as of water surface" (1630s). As a genre in film, 1934. Chamber of horrors originally (1849) was a gallery of notorious criminals in Madame Tussaud's wax exhibition. Other noun forms are horribility (14c., now rare or disused), horribleness (late 14c.), horridity (1620s), horridness (1610s).
also from early 14c.

Entries linking to horror

abhor (v.)
c. 1400, "to loathe, regard with repugnance, dislike intensely," literally "to shrink back with horror or dread," from Latin abhorrere "shrink back from, have an aversion for, shudder at," from ab "off, away from" (see ab-) + horrere "tremble at, shudder," literally "to bristle, be shaggy" (from PIE *ghers- "start out, stand out, rise to a point, bristle;" see horror).

Formerly also "fill (someone) with horror or loathing" (16c.). In Latin it was less intense: "be remote from, vary from, differ from, be out of harmony with." Related: Abhorred; abhorring.

arugula (n.)
edible cruciform plant (Eruca sativa) used originally in the Mediterranean region as a salad, 1967, the American English and Australian form of the name (via Italian immigrants), from a dialectal variant of Italian ruchetta, a diminutive form of ruca-, from Latin eruca, a name of some cabbage-like plant (from PIE *gher(s)-uka-, from root *ghers- "to bristle;" for which see horror).

In England, the usual name is rocket (see rocket (n.1)), which is from Italian ruchetta via French roquette. It also sometimes is called hedge mustard.
Chersonese
gorse
hair
hirsute
horrendous
horrible
horrid
horrific
horrify
horripilation
rocket
urchin
See all related words (14) >
Trends of horror

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.
Others are reading

shiver (v.1)
tremble or quiver, shake suddenly," especially with cold, c. 1400, an alteration of chiveren "to shiver" (with cold, chills, horror...Related: Shivered; shivering.We shiver with cold or a sensation like that of cold ; we quake with fear ; we shudder with horror...
Moloch 
from Hebrew molekh, from melekh "king," altered by the Jews with the vowel points from basheth "shame" to express their horror...
curdle (v.)
To curdle (one's) blood, in the figurative sense of "inspire horror" is from c. 1600....
shocking (adj.)
It is attested by 1704 in a stronger sense of "causing a jolt of indignation, horror, etc."...
hideous (adj.)
.; Modern French hideux), from hisda "horror, fear," perhaps of Germanic origin....
electrocution (n.)
preliminary arrangements: the shaving of the head, the cutting of the clothing, the strapping in a chair, add much to the horror...
gruesome (adj.)
1560s, with -some (1) + grue, from Middle English gruen "feel horror, shudder" (c. 1300); not recorded in Old English or...
barmaid (n.)
woman who tends a bar," 1650s, from bar (n.2) + maid.The one employment from which Americans turn their faces in righteous horror...
abomination (n.)
., "feeling of disgust, hatred, loathing," from Old French abominacion "abomination, horror, repugnance, disgust" (13c.)...
phobia (n.)
"irrational fear, horror, or aversion; fear of an imaginary evil or undue fear of a real one," 1786, perhaps based on a similar...
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Dictionary entries near horror

horribly
horrid
horrific
horrify
horripilation
horror
hors d'oeuvre
hors de combat
horse
horse sense
horseback
updated on September 06, 2015
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English (English) 

Wednesday, 23 August 2023

In Search of The Rainbow’s End







“All of a sudden, Heather snapped into gear and I saw a forceful side to her I had never seen before. We had known each other about a year, during which time she played a major part in helping my understanding of Bambs’s condition. Having seen her own Mother consumed by similar problems, her knowledge of Psychology and Family Dynamics often made me feel very uncomfortable

Although outwardly soft and gentle, her quiet conviction that Bambs might just drown in a sea of Other People’s beliefs about her, including my own, was definitely not what I wanted to hear. She could also see me struggling with Thoughts of pulling Bambs back into the comparative safety of my own somewhat water-logged environment. 

In my endeavours 
to sort all this out
both Women 
had become invisible.”





“Leading psychologist Alice Miller speaks about the need for all children to have an adult witness to the hurts or injustices of their lives. Without this support, the unbearable loneliness compels us to put a lid on our feelings, repress all memory of the trauma and idealise those who inflicted the abuse; like all children, we need to look up to and have the respect of those who care for us. Thus dissociated from the original cause, feelings of anger, helplessness and despair eventually find expression in destructive acts against others (Dr Miller cites criminal behaviour, mass murder and rape as typical), or against themselves (alcoholism, drug addiction, prostitution, psychic disorders and suicide).

She then goes on to say that if mistreated children are not to become like this, it is essential that at least once in their life they come in contact with someone who knows, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the environment - not the helpless child - is at fault.

'In this regard,' she said, 'knowledge or ignorance on the part of Society can be instrumental in either saving or destroying a life.’



“Over the months, there had been a number of occasions when I seriously considered shelving the whole book idea; it was proving far too painful at times. But after the somewhat unusual encouragement that concluded the last chapter, I no longer had any real choice. I had to continue. It had also occurred to me that either Betty or Herbie could be the real source of such a message, but it didn't really matter : living or dead, I was being given genuine encouragement by people who cared.

Well, the book, like many aspects of this strange journey, took a long time to find its present form and the light of day. I now stand as a very different person to the one who walked out of Betty's house towards a murder trial. And like the book, which has existed in numerous forms, I have gone through many transitions since then. I had also reached a point in the journey where I was to discover there were many different tunnels to explore, all of them in my own psyche; tunnels that interlinked in strange and diverse ways.

But like Theseus with Ariadne's 'magical thread', there was still only one route to follow : the one which led to the centre of the Labyrinth, to the monster that lurked therein; to my own Shadow, as Carl Jung described it. I didn't know, then, where I was heading, but something in me knew that if I didn't go in to meet that unknown creature, 'It' would eventually come out to find me.

This was brought to the fore, I realise now, by my impending confrontation with Jeremy at his trial - not that I was required to speak to him, but I still had no wish to see him.

I was afraid of the feelings it might bring up in me. I was still very much in denial on very many levels: denial about the deaths and the brutal reality of them, but also of my own murderous feelings, especially towards Jeremy. As 'a nice guy' this did not sit too well with my own self-image: he, Jeremy, did things like that, not me!


In Chetwynd's Dictionary of Symbols, The Shadow, which is the opposite unconscious counterpart of the Ego (what I have described as 'my own self-image), is defined as the 'modern psychological name for an ancient symbolic figure, the embodiment and epitome of all that is most vicious, brutal and vile in the human character. It is also made up of all those parts of ourselves that we would much rather not know about, or indeed want others to see; all those parts that cause us to feel embarrassed, uncomfortable or ashamed. In that sense The Shadow is not necessarily bad. It only gets in the way if it is ignored.

For example, the very serious person, who has never been allowed to have fun or be reckless, may have a very joyful Shadow; one which, if ignored, might come out as The Trickster another Shadow character) and tip that person into situations where they suffer an attack of uncontrollable giggles when absolute seriousness is required. That is The Shadow at work. Another symbolic example might be the fairy-tale queen who is no longer considered the most beautiful and becomes, instead, the witch. Snow White comes to mind as a perfect metaphor for the drama between Bambs and her adoptive mother. They seemed to be a direct manifestation of each other's Shadow.

In its more dangerous aspect, the Shadow might become manifest in the gentle person who has never been allowed to show their anger, has been shamed by any display of it; the person who, pushed or prodded once too often, loses control and explodes with terrible consequences. Prisons, I have since discovered, are full of them. That was the danger with me.

In Jeremy's case, there was something else in action, something slightly different, connected to morality - or rather, to its negative counterpart - as well as anger. His justifiable hatred of moralistic chastisement, amongst other things, had gone so deep it would seem to have invoked the very embodiment of Darkness-Itself. From his perspective, The Family would represent to him everything alien to his survival; his own Shadow.

Monday, 21 August 2023

Younglings





youngster (n.)
1580s, from young (adj.) + -ster. Earlier was youngling, from Old English geongling.
also from 1580s
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Entries linking to youngster

-ster 
Old English -istre, from Proto-Germanic *-istrijon, feminine agent suffix used as the equivalent of masculine -ere (see -er (1)). Also used in Middle English to form nouns of action (meaning "a person who ...") without regard for gender.
The genderless agent noun use apparently was a broader application of the original feminine suffix, beginning in the north of England, but linguists disagree over whether this indicates female domination of weaving and baking trades, as represented in surnames such as Webster, Baxter, Brewster, etc. (though modern spinster probably carries an originally female ending).
Also compare whitester "one who bleaches cloth;" kempster (c. 1400; Halliwell has it as kembster) "woman who cleans wool." Chaucer ("Merchant's Tale") has chidester "an angry woman" (the 17c. had scoldster). Also compare Middle English shepster (late 14c.) "dressmaker, female cutter-out," literally "shapester," sleestere (mid-15c.) "murderess, female killer" ("slay-ster"). Sewster "seamstress" (Middle English seuestre, late 13c. as a surname, also used of men) is still in Jonson but was obsolete or provincial after 17c. In Modern English, the suffix has been productive in forming derivative nouns (gamester, roadster, punster, rodster "angler," etc.). Thackeray (1850) has jocular spokester "female speaker or spokesman."
young (adj.)
Old English geong "youthful, young; recent, new, fresh," from Proto-Germanic *junga- (source also of Old Saxon and Old Frisian jung, Old Norse ungr, Middle Dutch jonc, Dutch jong, Old High German and German jung, Gothic juggs), from PIE *yuwn-ko-, suffixed form of root *yeu- "vital force, youthful vigor" (source also of Sanskrit yuvan- "young; young man;" Avestan yuuanem, yunam "youth," yoista- "youngest;" Latin juvenis "young," iunior "younger, more young;" Lithuanian jaunas, Old Church Slavonic junu, Russian junyj "young," Old Irish oac, Welsh ieuanc "young").

From c. 1830-1850, Young France, Young Italy, etc., were loosely applied to "republican agitators" in various monarchies; also, especially in Young England, Young America, used generally for "typical young person of the nation." For Young Turk, see Turk.

oldster (n.)
"old or oldish person, man past middle life," 1818, colloquial, originally nautical, from old + -ster, on analogy of youngster.

Monday, 14 August 2023

Forever Avon

  









 
 
 
[Exterior of Liberator]
 
[Teleport section]
 
AVON 
If I go alone, can I pilot 
The Liberator indefinitely?
 
ORAC 
With the help of the automatics,
of course you can.
 
AVON 
I know that.
 
ORAC 
Then why did you ask 
The Question?
 
AVON [Smiles]
 I didn't. How long can 
I maintain myself?
 
ORAC 
Is that A Question?
 
AVON 
Yes.
 
ORAC 
We have concentrated food for one 
person for a thousand years.
 
AVON 
And Our Power is 
self-regenerating.
 
ORAC 
Affirmative.
 
AVON 
Can you plot courses to keep out of
the range of any known spaceship 
manned by The Federation?
 
ORAC 
The battle and navigation computers 
can handle that perfectly adequately.
 
AVON 
I asked if YOU could.
 
ORAC 
Of course, should 
it be necessary.
 
AVON 
Failing that, we are powerful enough 
to resist all but an attack by three 
Federation pursuit ships at once.
 
ORAC 
Is that A Question?
 
AVON 
No. If we go now, we can sail The Universe
for as long as we like in reasonable safety,
provided we keep out of everybody's way
and we do not do anything rash.
 
ORAC 
No data available to answer The Question --
if it was A Question.
 
AVON
I put it to you as a possibility :
I request The Odds.
 
ORAC
The odds would be 3.5:1 on Survival.
 
AVON
Therefore I do not need Blake,
I do not need any of the others ...
 
ORAC
Is that A Question?
 
AVON
... I do not need anybody at all.
 
ORAC
Is that A Question?
I -- I --
I must ask you to
be more specific.
 
AVON
Shut up, Orac.