Wednesday Briefs: Bad Karma and the Family Plan #64 (13.3)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Well, this is a fine pickle! Five vehicles out of commission, thanks to some unknown person. Speculation is beginning that maybe Vinnie's least favorite actress is behind all this, but why? See what's happening in this week's chapter of Bad Karma and the Family Plan. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Bad Karma and the Family Plan #64 (13.3)

“Are you saying you think maybe Caroline St. Clair is responsible for what’s going on here?” Ethan seemed clearly skeptical, and who could blame him? And yet somehow I knew that was the case, even if I didn’t know how…or, more importantly, why.

“Caroline St. Clair?” Sarah and her family had just drawn up to us. “You know her too? Of course you do,” she quickly amended. “What about her?”

Ethan seemed reluctant to voice our fears, but I had no such inhibitions.

“We think she might be responsible for what’s going on here.”

“Whoa.” At least Sarah didn’t protest that a major Hollywood movie star couldn’t possibly do anything so crazy. I glanced toward Troy, worried I’d upset him, but he seemed more resigned than anything. She might be his friend, but he was not blind to her faults, or her eccentricities.

“But what exactly is going on here?” A very sensible question from the minister. I couldn’t help but notice he had a protective arm about his wife. I was glad to see that, especially for Ethan’s sake. He threw more than a curious glance toward the other agents, whom we had never introduced, naturally. Maybe it was time we did that.

“We’re still not sure, Dad,” Ethan admitted. “Our boss sent some back-up, though, to be safe.” Here he introduced Carlos. The other agents had taken up strategic points around us, keeping a watchful eye on everything and everyone. One of them had removed the offending spikes from the road. They sat on the ground nearby, gleaming troublemakers.

“How do you do, sir?” Carlos said as they shook hands.

“I’m concerned about the situation,” Joseph admitted just before he patted Ethan on the shoulder. “But I trust my son to do what’s best. What do you suggest we do, Ethan?”

Judging by the way Ethan’s beautiful blue eyes shone, I think his father’s words meant a great deal to him. I squeezed his hand in silent agreement.

“I think the first step is to contact Anderson and see what he wants to do. We need to get these vehicles back on the road and get everybody to a place of safety. At some point, when Anderson tells us it’s okay, we need to get Benny to Atlanta.”

That all made sense. Carlos nodded his agreement, and I followed suit. It was important we stay calm in order to keep Ethan’s family calm. No sense in panicking if we didn’t need to.

Ethan gestured to me and I followed him a short distance from the others, where he placed the call to our boss and apprised him of the current situation. He listened intently before saying “Understood” and hanging up.

“He’s going to send someone,” he said. “In the meantime, we’re to just remain alert, stay together, and wait.”

That sounded sensible. “You know, I just realized something.”

“What’s that, Vin?”

I scratched at my jaw while I formulated my thoughts, something that had been nagging at me for a few minutes. “You remember that detour sign, the one that sent us down this way?”

“I do. What about it?” He narrowed his eyes in thought as he listened.

“Well, if everybody is being shuttled off the main road to take that detout, why isn’t anyone else here but us?”

“That’s a damn good question, Vinnie. A very good question. I’m afraid we know the answer, don’t we?”

I nodded in agreement.

“That only goes to show,” he continued, “that we were the intended targets.”

That was the conclusion I reached even as he said it. So, if this was her doing all of this, she surely wasn’t acting alone. Who was helping her? Did this start back with Benny, at the hotel in Roanoke? The threats in Atlanta? But what did she have to do with any of that?

So many questions, so few answers.

 to be continued

Now go say howdy to the other Briefers!

Cia Nordwell

 

Film Review: Jab We Met

 Jab We Met

Aditya Kashyap (Shahid Kapoor) is at the end of his rope. His father's death has left him in charge of his very successful business, but there is the matter of his mother, who was also a part of the business but left the family to run off with another man. Feeling stressed, Aditya simply runs and finds himself on a train going who knows where. But his life is about to change when he encounters a very talkative young woman named Geet (Kareena Kapoor), who first chases him out of her seat on the train and then won't stop talking.

When the train stops, Aditya gets off. Geet notices him walking along the platform as the train begins to pull away. Frantic, she calls him but he does not respond, so she jumps off the train to get him back on. Unfortunately, her Good Samaritan intentions cause her to miss the train herself, to her dismay. She berates him for what she sees as his fault, and tells him he has to make sure she gets home. She has a fiancè, even if her family doesn't approve. Well, they don't even really know yet. But she knows they won't approve, so he has to take her there, no mater what he says.

And so their journey begins....

Jab We Met is a fabulous Bollywood rom-com that I watched for the second time, and I still cried, even though I knew what would happen. It is funny and romantic (as a good rom-com should be!), but throw in some great music and dancing, and you have a very wonderful film. The main characters have wonderful chemistry, and watching the evolution of their relationship from complete strangers to two people in love is wonderful. Bollywood musicals are so upbeat, I love them! Geet's family are wonderful and very colorful. But of course there has to be a complication, both with her family and with the man she thinks she loves!

This is a wonderful film, and I highly recommend it!  I'll give this film 4.5 Stars!

Saturday is Horror Day #103 - Phantasm IV: Oblivion

 Phantasm IV: Oblivion

The saga continues as Mike (A Michael Baldwin) and Reggie (Reggie Bannister) chase down the elusive Tall Man (Angus Scrimm), determined (as always) to take him out once and for all. And yet for all their good intentions and machinations, they never manage to do so, do they?

In the fourth installment, our heroes are separated, but working toward the same goal. Mike is driving a 

hearse, and Reggie a muscle car. Naturally, the Tall Man appears to both of them at different times, toying with Mike. He continues to call him boy (though he ceased to be one long ago) and tells him what he can and cannot do. Mike's brother Jody (Bill Thornbury) makes his appearance as well, although there is some confusion as to just what he is, as he supposed died years ago.

Their individual pursuits lead Reggie and Mike to Death Valley where they find the same weird gateway they found in the mausoleum in the first film. Mike enters it and finds himself in what he believes to be a different time, and there he encounters a different incarnation of the Tall Man, a much nicer version. Meanwhile, Reggie, as usual, manages to pick up a girl, because we know what a chick magnet he is.

Seriously, there is not a lot to this one. Mike is not only depressing, he's suicidal, and who can blame him? He's spent his whole life in this nonsensical pursuit of the Tall Man. Who wouldn't be psychologically disturbed? Reggie is Reggie, and for the most part oblivious to a great deal, but I will say he's a great friend, and someone who won't ever give up. Still, this adds little to the sage, except for the possibility that maybe Mike and Jody can go back to the beginning and change things. But that remains to be seen. There is one more film in the series. I'll give this film 2.5 Stars

Book Review: Demon Slayer, Vol 21 by Koyoharu Gotouge

 

Demon Slayer, Vol 21      

Author: Koyoharu Gotouge

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: April 6, 2021

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Fantasy Manga/192 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★

 

The Number 1 demon has been defeated, but at what price? Now, it’s on to settle this once and for all by getting rid of Muzan. Sanemi is devastated, but Gyomei reminds him they must continue until the job is done. Tanjiro is heartbroken at how many of them are dying, but his determination never wavers. They come across Muzan at last, only to find that he has killed Tomayo, sneering at her that her medicine to turn demons human has failed. When the Demon Slayers arrive, he is determined to kill them all and devour them as snacks.

Tanjiro is determined to eradicate the evil that is Muzan Kibutsuji. But can he and the others do that, do they have the skill to defeat him… or at least hold out until the remaining Hashira arrive? Things seem to have taken a terrible turn. Tanjiro has been wounded, perhaps fatally, and his life flashes before his eyes… Correction, this is someone else’s life. An ancestor, perhaps? Meanwhile, Nezuko has received the news that her brother needs her…and nothing will stop her, not walls or people or anything else!

We’re almost down to the wire now. Only Muzan is left, and two volumes of the series to go. Demons and Demon Slayers alike being slaughtered. How will this end? Hopefully with good defeating Evil. Only time will tell.

 

 

Wednesday Briefs: Bad Karma and the Family Plan #63 (13.2)

  Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Heading back from a family breakfast, all hell breaks loose when someone lays a trap that catches everyone unawares! See what's happening in this week's chapter of Bad Karma and the Family Plan. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Bad Karma and the Family Plan #63 (13.2)

What the hell’s going on?

Our car came to a halt. Not surprising, since I had a feeling we just blew out four tires, as did the rest. Everything had happened too quickly to alert the cars behind us, so add two more vehicles to the list of disabled cars by the side of the road. I was grateful that the slow speed at which we’d been traveling had prevented anything worse from happening, as did the presence of the grassy field in which we’d all rolled.

But the question remained—who had done this and why?

Ethan turned toward his uncle in the back seat. “You okay, Benny?”

“Fine,” Benny assured him. “Go check on the others.”

Ethan was already halfway out the door before Benny had finished speaking, and I was close behind. “Go check on Troy’s car,” he directed me even as he headed toward his parents.

Troy and Brendan were already assisting Sarah and little Alex out of the car. Far from upset, the toddler seemed to have enjoyed the unexpected detour and was clamoring for more. No one was hurt here either. I glanced toward the leader car, driving by the minister, and relieved to see they too were exiting the vehicle. Behind us, the two cars containing the agents—two in each vehicle—had emptied as well, and they seemed as baffled as we were. Guns drawn, they seemed ready for anything.

But what? Hard to tell since we had no idea what had happened.

I recognized one of the men. He had become an agent at the same time as Ethan and I had. We’d exchanged pleasantries a few times over the years, although our paths didn’t converge very often. At least not until today. Spotting me, he waved his partner to follow and approached our group.

“Hey Carlos,” I said. “You guys okay?”

‘Yeah, we’re fine,” he said. “You?”

“So far so good,” I responded. Hard to say any more than that, but at least for now, no one had been injured. Although we were looking at five cars that were out of commission, at least temporarily. One flat tired could have been an easy fix. Four each? A nightmare.

Sarah, clutching her son, hastened in the direction of her parents. Joe Junior followed in their wake, eyes wide. For once, he had nothing to say. I glanced toward Troy and Brendan. They seemed fine, but Troy’s expression seemed troubled. I quickly excused myself to Carlos and hurried toward my friends.

“Everything okay?” I queried once I was within earshot. Brendan seemed upset as well. A feeling of unease began to grow in the pit of my stomach. Somehow I knew what had just happened was just the tip of the proverbial iceberg…and more was to follow.

“I…I don’t know.” Troy drew an agitated hand through his blond hair. “This may be nothing, or it may be something. I just don’t know.”

That feeling inside of me was growing stronger.

Brendan took Troy’s hand in his own, as if to anchor him. “I’m afraid it might be bad,” he said.

This absolutely did not portend anything good. I caught Ethan’s eye and signaled to him to join us, which he did.

“Is something wrong?” he asked, glancing between us.

I waited for Troy to respond, as clearly he had knowledge which we didn’t possess.

“I just got a call from Carrington.”

I searched my brain for some clue as to why that sounded familiar. Oh yeah, the rehab center where spoiled rich people went to avoid serving actual time for their crimes. Well, at least one of them, anyway.

“Apparently, Carrie’s not there. Probably hasn’t been for a little while.”

Holy shit. How could that even happen?

“They didn’t notice she was gone?” That was from Ethan. He wore an incredulous expression, and I couldn’t blame him.

“Her stunt double,” Troy said, his voice dropping. “At some point, she switched places with her, and Carrie got out. That particular double’s name is Marlene. And she’s good. Very good. They used to switch places before, play practical jokes on people by confusing them as to who was who. I never thought….” His voice trailed off in distress.

Brendan immediately drew Troy to him, and hugged him close. “It’s not your fault, please don’t think that. None of this is your fault.”

“Of course it’s not,” I quickly interjected, and Ethan chimed in as well.

But what did one have to do with the other? And why did I have the feeling that whatever was going on was tied to that horrible horrible human being, whose name I still refused to allow to pass my lip?. 

to be continued

Now go see what's up with the other Briefers!

Cia Nordwell

Film Review: Ip Man 4: The Finale

 Ip Man 4: The Finale

Ip Man (Donnie Yen) is having troubles with his moody son Ching (He Ye). He doesn't want to do anything his father tells him and gets into fights at school. Ip decides to travel to San Francisco, to see about getting his son into a school there. Time is of the essence, as he has just been diagnosed with cancer. A former student, Bruce Lee (Danny Kwok-Kwan Chan) invites Ip to witness a martial arts demonstration when he is there.  In order to get his son into the school, Ip needs a letter of recommendation from the Chinese Benevolent Assocation, located in Chinatown. However, the head of the association, Wan Zong Hua (Yue Wu) is dismissive of Bruce Lee's desire to teach Chinese martial arts to other people, and refuses to give Ip the letter.

Ip receives a letter from another source and takes it to the school, but he is told he still needs the letter 

from the CBA. While there, he witnesses a Chinese girl being bullied by a jealous classmate, and leaps to her defense. She turns out to be the daughter of Mr. Wan. However, when Ip returns Yonah (Vanda Margraf) to her home, her father is still not impressed. To complicate matters, Yonah's bully is the daughter of a racist Marine who advocates karate and has no use for kung fu or Chinese people. He is determined to close down the CBA and teach the Chinese their place. Something  has to give!

Sorry to say this is the last film in the series, and we have to say good-bye to Mr. Ip, but this film does not disappoint. The racist sergeant will make your blood boil, and I am angry that his bully daughter never faces any real consequences. The actor playing Bruce Lee did a good job, and all the fight scenes are well choreographed and very interesting. Although this is the last Ip Man, I plan to watch more Donnie Yen films. I'll give this film 4.5 Stars.

Saturday is Horror Day #102 - Terrifier

 Terrifier

It's Halloween night, and Tara (Jenna Kanell) and Dawn (Catherine Corcoran) are out having a good time. But they have a bit too much to drink, so they decide to get a bite to eat to eat at a small diner. There they see the same creepy clown (David Howard Thornton) that was annoying them earlier. Did he follow them? Dawn doesn't let him get to her and cheekily asks for a selfie while sitting on his lap.

After he leaves, they return to the car only to find one of the tires has been slashed. Distraught, Tara calls 

her sister Victoria (Samantha Scaffidi) for a ride. Although she's studying for midterms, she agrees to come get them when her roommate returns unexpectedly with a male guest, and it's obvious they are going to be noisy. While they wait, Tara has to use the bathroom, but where? Dawn smiles a man stepping out of a building and asks him on Tara's behalf to let her in. Mike (Matt McAllister) is an exterminator and he's reluctant, but finally agrees to let her in while Dawn waits in the car.

The building is disgusting and filthy, and it has rats, but beggars can't be choosers. But then Art the Clown makes his appearance and everything goes downhill from there...

This film was... I guess torture porn would be a good description. The little plot there is only serves to bring everybody together in this location in order to be killed. Why? I have no idea what this guy's problem is. He never speaks, remaining mute throughout the entire film. Why? No clue. Maybe we'll find out in the sequel. Is there gore? In spades. One scene after another. This movie is not for the squeamish, not at all. There is one scene where a girl is hung upside down, naked, and split open, down the middle, starting between her legs.

I had many questions, but few answers. One of the biggest was why this scummy building would even need or call for an exterminator. It looked to be abandoned. So why was he there? Or is that just bad writing? The guy playing the clown did a great job. Definitely gave up very creepy vibes. Did I enjoy this movie? Not really. Am I going to see the sequel? Of course I am. So, I'll so that if you know what you're in for going into this, you'll be fine. I wouldn't blindside anyone with this though. I'll give this film 4 Stars for doing what it meant to do pretty well.