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MUSIC BOX SONATA
By Timothy C. Hobbs
At the top of a steep cliff a derelict church serves its congregation of dust, cobwebs and birds roosting in the rafters. One human occupant lives there hidden in the cellar. He is cursed never walk in the tortuous sunlight, but to roam the woods on the cliff at night in the form of a hideous beast struggling with the violent desire to kill while striving to preserve remnants of his own humanity.
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Now available in paperback by Timothy C. Hobbs, The Pumpkin Seed
| LATEST POSTS |
- January 27, 2012
- #fridayflash Mutual Attraction by Grace Mahoney
- Posted by Gaynor Stenson, Vamplit Editor & Publisher at 5:40 PM
- CHALLENGES, FICTIONAL CREATURES, FRIDAY FLASH, GRACE MAHONEY, REAL LIFE, SHORT STORIES, SPIRITS, VAMPLIT AUTHORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, Circus & Carnival, GRACE MAHONEY, horror, Mardi Gras, twitter
‘How much for this?’ Sadie asked, handling the purple, green and yellow coloured-glass bead necklace. ‘That, my dear, it’s nothing but a cheap glass trinket of no real value. If you’re looking for jewellery, we have some beautiful jet necklaces or pearls.’ The woman moved across the junk shop with a grace and speed that belied her obvious age as [...]
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- January 27, 2012
- #fridayflash Mardi Gras Blood Bath by Blaze McRob
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 4:28 PM
- BLAZE MCROB, CHALLENGES, FLASH FICTION, FRIDAY FLASH, SHORT STORIES, VAMPLIT CONTRIBUTORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, Circus & Carnival, horror, Mardi Gras, twitter
Jangles is back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! February in New Orleans. Damn! Past flood or not, it’s still time for Mardis Gras. Masks, costumes, overturning social conventions, dancing, and parades are the order of the day. Not even Katrina can stop the luster. Laissez les bons temps rouler. Let the good times roll. Jangles pushes the lid of his coffin open and takes in [...]
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- January 27, 2012
- #fridayflash Mardis Gras: House of the Dead by Carole Gill
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 3:50 PM
- CAROLE GILL, CHALLENGES, FLASH FICTION, FRIDAY FLASH, SHORT STORIES, VAMPLIT AUTHORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, Circus & Carnival, horror, Mardi Gras, twitter
The streets were packed. The noise nearly deafening, all of New Orleans it seemed was alive with the fun and excitement of Mardi Gras and this was Shrove Tuesday, the best night. “This is the biggest parade,” Scott said. “Look!” Dany looked incredulous. “It’s fabulous!” ABOUT THE AUTHOR BLOG Carole Gill was selected by North West Playwrights of England for [...]
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- January 27, 2012
- #fridayflash Marylin by Rob Smales
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 2:52 PM
- CHALLENGES, FLASH FICTION, FRIDAY FLASH, ROB SMALES, SHORT STORIES, VAMPLIT CONTRIBUTORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, Circus & Carnival, horror, Mardi Gras, twitter
“To whom it may concern, It wasn’t my fault. It was Max. I went along with him, but that’s all I did. I swear. I think. There are bead necklaces on my table. Four necklaces, four colors. Mardi Gras souvenirs I’d give anything to get rid of. I’ve tried; they keep coming back. The blue one was Max’s. The Mardi [...]
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- January 27, 2012
- #fridayflash The New Orleans Vampire Tour by Timothy C. Hobbs
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 2:46 AM
- 1000+ WORDS, BLOOD DRINKER, CHALLENGES, FICTIONAL CREATURES, FRIDAY FLASH, SHORT STORIES, TIMOTHY C. HOBBS, VAMPLIT AUTHORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, Circus & Carnival, horror, Mardi Gras, twitter
Paul was satiated with Mardi Gras: the wild clamor of laughter, the jazz music, the heavy layers of gold, green, and purple beads swinging from bodies crowding the booby balconies, and, most of all, the vast portions of oysters, crayfish, gumbo, beer and Hurricanes he had forced into a rebellious stomach. Paul slid from the bed and stumbled to the [...]
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- January 27, 2012
- #fridayflash Mardi Gras Memories by Nicole Hadaway
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 12:16 AM
- CHALLENGES, FLASH FICTION, FRIDAY FLASH, NICOLE HADAWAY, SHORT STORIES, VAMPLIT AUTHORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, Circus & Carnival, horror, Mardi Gras, twitter
And so it begins, the Mardi Gras madness…. she thought. ABOUT THE AUTHOR BLOG Nicole Hadaway is the Vamplit published author of Release and the sequel Return to be released this fall. As a former lawyer, Nicole Hadaway knows all about bloodsuckers and deals with the devil. She currently lives in Texas where she pens such tales of horror, usually [...]
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Welcome to our showcase of #fridayflash horror stories by our authors and contributors, along with our favorite reads around the Internet. A list of our contributors latest stories are in the upper left column. Below are links to our favorite horror reads in other blogs. We also invite you to join our prompts and post a link to your story [...]
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- January 22, 2012
- #fridayflash Fire (A Circus of the Damned Story) by Grace Mahoney
- Posted by Gaynor Stenson, Vamplit Editor & Publisher at 11:52 PM
- CHALLENGES, DEMONS, FICTIONAL CREATURES, FRIDAY FLASH, GRACE MAHONEY, REAL LIFE, SHORT STORIES, VAMPLIT AUTHORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, Circus & Carnival, circus act, fire, GRACE MAHONEY, twitter
She saw the circus flyer pinned to a lamppost on the corner of the dilapidated street where she lived. She paused, only for a moment, it wasn’t the kind of neighbourhood it was safe to pause longer in, but she was hooked. Now, all they had to do was wait and one thing the damned are good at is waiting. [...]
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- January 20, 2012
- Extended Friday Flash Vampire Roulette by Timothy C. Hobbs
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 9:43 PM
- 1000+ WORDS, CHALLENGES, FRIDAY FLASH, SHORT STORIES, TIMOTHY C. HOBBS, VAMPLIT AUTHORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, circus, Circus & Carnival, circus act, horror, twitter, vampire
They didn’t thrill him anymore: the high wire acts, the trapeze artists, the lion tamer tempting death. Nothing about the circus got his juices flowing. The man left in mid-show, walking out into the windy, autumn night. “Where the hell are Bradbury’s October People anyhow?” the man asked out loud with a laugh. ABOUT THE AUTHOR BLOG Timothy C. Hobbs [...]
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- January 20, 2012
- #fridayflash So, You Wanted to Join the Circus… by Rob Smales
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 9:01 PM
- CHALLENGES, FLASH FICTION, FRIDAY FLASH, ROB SMALES, SHORT STORIES, VAMPLIT CONTRIBUTORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, circus, Circus & Carnival, circus act, horror, twitter
CLICK HEREfor more infoon how to join JUST ADDEDTimothy C. Hobbs3 eBook Set Raffle ENTER RAFFLE Welcome to our new contributor, Rob Smales. “Over here, Shataback! Here! Here! Gott in Himmel, Shataback, put it here or I vill feed you to him!” J.J. had been working for Religger for three days now, and though he’d given the man the name [...]
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- January 20, 2012
- #fridayflash How to Ruin Dracula’s New Year by W.J. Howard
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 5:27 PM
- BLOOD DRINKER, CHALLENGES, FICTIONAL CREATURES, FLASH FICTION, FRIDAY FLASH, SHORT STORIES, VAMPLIT CONTRIBUTORS, W. J. HOWARD, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, Dracula, horror, New Year's, twitter, vampires
I’m off prompt today, trying to catch up on stories I’ve written but not edited. This week I’m posting my Undead New Year’s story and earlier this week I posted 4 and 20 Clowns (Part 1), which really goes with this week’s theme, but part 2 won’t be ready until next week. -W.J. Howard I don’t know what I was [...]
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- January 20, 2012
- #fridayflash Circus Act: Blood Under The Big Top! by Carole Gill
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 3:41 PM
- CAROLE GILL, CHALLENGES, FLASH FICTION, FRIDAY FLASH, SHORT STORIES, VAMPLIT AUTHORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, circus, Circus & Carnival, circus act, horror, twitter
They were known as the Flying Vladkos. The greatest high-wire act to come along in decades. They played all the great cities of Europe. Places like Berlin, Paris and London adored them. They admired their daring. You see they insisted on performing without a net. “We do not require one for we are skilled at what we do!” ABOUT THE [...]
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- January 20, 2012
- #fridayflash Illusion Of Horror by Blaze McRob
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 3:15 PM
- BLAZE MCROB, CHALLENGES, FLASH FICTION, FRIDAY FLASH, SHORT STORIES, VAMPLIT CONTRIBUTORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, circus, Circus & Carnival, circus act, horror, twitter
The Davis Bros. Circus prides itself on quality shows. There are no animal acts at all: they have always been a forerunner in the animal rights movement, long before anyone else even thought about such things. Ah, but the allure of the the high-wire, the tumbling, the clowns with their special charms, and the gorgeous lady spinning around on the [...]
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- January 19, 2012
- #fridayflash The Night the Circus Came To Town by Sue Mydliak
- Posted by Sue Mydliak, Author Birthright at 9:00 PM
- 1000+ WORDS, CHALLENGES, FRIDAY FLASH, SHORT STORIES, SUE MYDLIAK, VAMPLIT AUTHORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, circus, Circus & Carnival, circus act, twitter
There is something to be said about full moons…they are truly a sight to behold. Which remind me, the story I am about to tell is a doozy. I was heading for the circus as I got out of my car. It was a warm summer night and as you may guess, a full moon was out as well. I [...]
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- January 19, 2012
- Issue 36: #fridayflash Circus Acts
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 8:01 PM
- CHALLENGES, FRIDAY FLASH, SHORT STORIES, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, circus, circus act, Freak Shows, horror, Side Shows, twitter
Welcome to our showcase of #fridayflash horror stories by our authors and contributors, along with our favorite reads around the Internet. A list of our contributors latest stories are in the upper left column. Below are links to our favorite horror reads in other blogs. We also invite you to join our prompts and post a link to your story [...]
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- January 16, 2012
- This Week’s #Horrorchat – Torture Films
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 2:30 PM
- DISCUSSIONS, HORROR CHAT
- Tagged with: #horrorchat, #humpday, books, evil, fantasy, hauntings, horror, indie films, indie publishing, movie thrillers, movies, torture, twitter, twitterchat, writers
Every Wednesday, Vamplit Publishing hosts #humpday #horrorchat, a way for us all to share our favorite things about horror while tweeting on Twitter. THIS WEEK’S TOPIC Torture Films Our horror chat is open to everyone whether you are a writer, publisher, film maker, artist, gamer, magazine or just someone who loves horror. Remember this is a fun and promotional chat. [...]
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- January 13, 2012
- #fridayflash 4 and 20 Clowns (Part 1)
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 11:59 PM
- CHALLENGES, FLASH FICTION, FRIDAY FLASH, SHORT STORIES, VAMPLIT CONTRIBUTORS, W. J. HOWARD, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, circus, clowns, horror, twitter
This is last week’s #fridayflash for Vamplit, but unfortunately I’m starting the new year behind on editing. Part 2 will come next week with a story about Mardi Gras. -W.J. Howard On their way home from fishing in their favorite pond, Kevin lagged back behind his older brother Matt and Matt’s friend Joey. He had stopped to slip out of [...]
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- January 13, 2012
- #fridayflash M&M Mayhem by Blaze McRob
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 10:34 PM
- BLAZE MCROB, CHALLENGES, FLASH FICTION, FRIDAY FLASH, SHORT STORIES, VAMPLIT CONTRIBUTORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, clowns, Freak Shows, horror, Side Shows, twitter
Jangles wanted another moment in the spotlight so here he is. I realize my story goes beyond the 1000 words. Bad Blaze. Jangles insisted it be told as is. Would you argue with him? I think not. Pretend this is two flashes. Enjoy the Big Top. –Blaze McRob Evening comes to Hackettstown. Such a wonderful time of the day: coolness, [...]
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- January 13, 2012
- #fridayflash The Tears of a Clown by Grace Mahoney
- Posted by Gaynor Stenson, Vamplit Editor & Publisher at 10:17 PM
- CHALLENGES, FEATURED FICTION, FRIDAY FLASH, GRACE MAHONEY, SHORT STORIES, VAMPLIT AUTHORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: circus, clowns, GRACE MAHONEY, twitter #fridayflash
Armando Venzinie had been a very bad man when he’d been alive. When he was a child, he’d tortured animals and other children, as an adult he committed crimes against property, stealing from the rich and poor, beating any who stood in his way. Everyone around him, including his parents, knew he was evil, but could do nothing to stop [...]
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- January 13, 2012
- #fridayflash The Circus by Lisa McCourt Hollar
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 1:58 PM
- CHALLENGES, FLASH FICTION, FRIDAY FLASH, LISA MCCOURT HOLLAR, SHORT STORIES, VAMPLIT CONTRIBUTORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, clowns, Freak Shows, horror, Side Shows, twitter
Leroy ‘Frankenstein’ Woods stepped outside his house to light up and found himself transported into the Twilight Zone. At least that’s the way it felt to him, when he looked up towards the stars and saw the moon acting as a backdrop to a flying saucer. Leroy thought it had to be a practical joke, put on by his friends. [...]
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- January 13, 2012
- #fridayflash The Demon Clowns IN FOOD FOR THOUGHT! by Carole Gill
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 1:45 PM
- CAROLE GILL, CHALLENGES, FLASH FICTION, FRIDAY FLASH, SHORT STORIES, VAMPLIT AUTHORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, clowns, Freak Shows, horror, Side Shows, twitter
Warning: graphic violence and imagery! “It’s no use running because we’ll catch you!” The three demon clowns were closing in. It might not have been any use, but he ran anyway. He ran all the way down the station platform, got to the end and just stopped. He knew he was licked. It wasn’t until he heard the approach of [...]
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- January 13, 2012
- #fridayflash Turn that Frown Upside Down by Timothy C. Hobbs
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 2:56 AM
- CHALLENGES, FLASH FICTION, FRIDAY FLASH, SHORT STORIES, TIMOTHY C. HOBBS, VAMPLIT AUTHORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, clowns, Freak Shows, horror, Side Shows, twitter
It was raining the day the circus came to town. I remember crying, afraid my father wouldn’t take me because of the weather. But we did go, and by the time The Greatest Show On Earth started, the rain had stopped and the sky outside the Big Top had cleared. All the acts were great: the animals, the acrobatic and [...]
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- January 13, 2012
- #fridayflash The Revenge by Sue Mydliak
- Posted by Sue Mydliak, Author Birthright at 1:47 AM
- CHALLENGES, FRIDAY FLASH, POETRY, SUE MYDLIAK, VAMPLIT AUTHORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, clowns, Freak Shows, horror, Side Shows, twitter
A tale is told to the meek and old, a tale as old as the sea. So, listen carefully to my tale, its as gruesome as it can be. ABOUT THE AUTHOR BLOG Sue Mydliak is the Vamplit published author of Birthright. Candra Rosewood returns to Utica, but she’s already missed her parents funeral and everything she thought about her [...]
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Welcome to our showcase of #fridayflash horror stories by our authors and contributors, along with our favorite reads around the Internet. A list of our contributors latest stories are in the upper left column. Below are links to our favorite horror reads in other blogs. We also invite you to join our prompts and post a link to your story [...]
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- January 9, 2012
- The Terrible Old Mr. Roogs by Paul D. Dail
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 6:02 PM
- 1000+ WORDS, CHALLENGES, EVENTS, HOLIDAY HORRORS, SHORT STORIES, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: holidaycontest, horror, Horrors of Christmas Entry, writing contest
Benjamin Roogs sat at his desk grading final papers. It was a cold, blustery night in Rapid City, South Dakota, and as it was his last day of work before Christmas break, Mr. Roogs would’ve much rather been sitting in the quiet of his home with a hot cup of cider, spending the evening with the only woman in his [...]
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- January 9, 2012
- This Week’s #Horrorchat – Vicious Vampires
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 12:01 AM
- DISCUSSIONS, HORROR CHAT
- Tagged with: #horrorchat, #humpday, books, evil, fantasy, hauntings, horror, indie films, indie publishing, movie thrillers, movies, torture, twitter, twitterchat, writers
Every Wednesday, Vamplit Publishing hosts #humpday #horrorchat, a way for us all to share our favorite things about horror while tweeting on Twitter. THIS WEEK’S TOPIC Vicious Vampires Our horror chat is open to everyone whether you are a writer, publisher, film maker, artist, gamer, magazine or just someone who loves horror. Remember this is a fun and promotional chat. [...]
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- January 6, 2012
- #fridayflash The Freak Show at the End of the Universe by Grace Mahoney
- Posted by Gaynor Stenson, Vamplit Editor & Publisher at 3:20 PM
- ALIENS, CHALLENGES, FEATURED FICTION, FICTIONAL CREATURES, FLASH FICTION, FRIDAY FLASH, GRACE MAHONEY, SHORT STORIES, VAMPLIT AUTHORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: GRACE MAHONEY, twitter #fridayflash, vamplit publishing
‘Will they come, do you think?’ I ask my beloved bonded other. He smiles and shrugs his shoulders in an obvious gesture of resignation. He and I have come a long way from our childhood on Earth, so far in fact, that we’ve become famous, become freaks. ‘You know they’ll come, Astrid, they always come.’ ‘Why us, Adonis?’ I raise [...]
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- January 6, 2012
- #fridayflash The Snakeman by Lisa McCourt Hollar
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 3:06 PM
- CHALLENGES, FLASH FICTION, FRIDAY FLASH, LISA MCCOURT HOLLAR, SHORT STORIES, VAMPLIT CONTRIBUTORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, Freak Shows, horror, Side Shows, twitter
Sharona was in love. With each thrust that Leo delivered, she screamed out his name, begging him to keep going. Her body began to shake as Leo plunged into her one last time. Hanging onto him, Sharona dug her fingers into his back and rode out the orgasm. “Oh my God, that was amazing.” Kissing his neck, she slowly moving [...]
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- January 6, 2012
- #fridayflash The Return of the Murderous Midgets: Al and Hank’s Latest Rub-out! by Carole Gill
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 2:52 PM
- CAROLE GILL, CHALLENGES, FLASH FICTION, FRIDAY FLASH, SHORT STORIES, VAMPLIT AUTHORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, Freak Shows, horror, Side Shows, twitter
“Freaks get bullied it’s as simple as that.” Baby Alice wept. “And we are freaks!” Poor woman. She was the fat lady in the circus. And what an unhappy lady she was. Al and Hank nodded because what she said was true. Baby Alice sniffled. “You oughtta hear what this guy said to me. He’s been coming around regular too. [...]
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- January 6, 2012
- #fridayflash No Clowning Around by Blaze McRob
- Posted by W. J. Howard, Contributor & Admin at 2:05 PM
- BLAZE MCROB, CHALLENGES, FLASH FICTION, FRIDAY FLASH, SHORT STORIES, VAMPLIT CONTRIBUTORS, WRITING CHALLENGES
- Tagged with: #fridayflash, Freak Shows, horror, Side Shows, twitter
The small circus has traveled pretty much the same route for years. Sure, there have been a few occasions where extreme weather or wars have caused a few fluctuations, but the little farming communities in the far-flung sections of this part of western New Jersey look forward to the big top with all the excitement of the high-wire acts, the [...]
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