Mace & Crown Spring 2024

CONTINUING REIGN: A PERSISTANT INFLUENCE

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MACE & CROWN

CONTENTS

EDITORIAL BOARD 2024

Editor in Chief

Social Media Editor

Justice Menzel

Loni Brown

Managing Editor

Photo Editor

Leyda RosarioRivera

Maria Toombs

Copy Editor

Graphic Designer

Amber Rountree

Summer Markham

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News 6–7 8–9 10–11

Assistants

Quinn Summers

Art Neal Ifrah Yousuf Allie Metzger Reagan Williams

A & E Editor

16–17

Benjamin Draper

18–19

Contributors

20–21

Brandon K. Hedgepeth Ace Siatkowski Benji Sweeney Leyda RosarioRivera

22–25 26–27 28–29

Advisors Jeremy Saks

30–31 32–33 34 35 36

Mace & Crown maintains journalistic independence from the university. All views expressed in this collegiate magazine are those of the author, not of the university, Mace & Crown, or the editors.

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“Hardcore Lager”: Norfolk’s One and Only Limited Hardcore Punk Beer ARGS: The Latest Evolution in Video Games The Heartbeat of ODU: WODU Studios

Creative Enclave

Mace & Crown is ODU’s student news organization. Every semester we produce a magazine written by and for the students of ODU. Originally founded as the High Hat in 1930, the paper became the Mace & Crown in 1961. In 2017 the Mace & Crown moved from a weekly newspaper to a magazine. You can find more from us at maceandcrown.com

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Continuous Success: ODU Men’s Tennis Team Kicks Off Spring Season Strong “A Great Game,” The Monarch Baseball Story

Technology

Technology Editor Gabriel Cabello-Torres

ODURep Embraces Comedy With Production of “The Revolutionists” Books and Bottles: How Eleanor’s Norfolk is Shaping the Community

Sports

Ash F.J. Thomas

Sports Editor

“Those of us who work in the OEA are not Heroes”: Q&A With Susan Nixon Satellite Program: ODU's Forgotten History with Guantanamo Bay Silenced Voices: The Intersection of Free Speech and Palestine Protests on University Campuses

Arts & Entertainment 12–15

News Editor

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Dehumanisation Breathe On Fire A Dead Dreamer Hollow maceandcrown.com

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EDITOR’S NOTE

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EDITORIAL BOARD 2024

“Thou canst not touch the freedom of my mind,” is a quote from John Milton, the 17th Century author and poet, that means quite a bit to me. Perhaps it’s a sentence that might innervate you, our beloved readers, to let your mind run all crazy. Write stuff– it’s fun. We, the staff of the Mace, choose to let our minds run rampant, just in a controlled, page-like, triple-edited environment. I love this publication, and I’m trepidatiously excited to see what happens to it. Old Dominion, we exist for you, so let us.

Justice Menzel

Leyda Rosario-Rivera

Amber Rountree

Gabriel Cabello-Torres

Ash F.J. Thomas

Editor in Chief

Managing Editor

Copy Editor

Technology Editor

A & E Editor

Benjamin Draper

Quinn Summers

Loni Brown

Summer Markham

Maria Toombs

Sports Editor

Assistant Copy Editor

Social Media Editor

Graphic Designer

Photo Editor

Justice Menzel

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Ifrah Yousuf

Art Neal

Allie Metzger

Reagan Williams

Assistant News Editor

Assistant Sports Editor

Assistant Technology Editor

Assistant A & E Editor

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“Those of us who work in the OEA are not Heroes”

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Q&A With Susan Nixon Written by Quinn Summers

NEWS

NEWS

Some responses have been edited for clarity

Photo Credit: Quinn Summers

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he OEA’s reputation among students has always been especially positive. “Being registered with the OEA helped me transition from high school to college,” says one anonymous quote from the OEA site.

“The office made it possible for me to mature into a self-proficient college student.”

The OEA’s reputation among students has always been especially positive.

“Being registered with the OEA helped me transition from high school to college,” says one anonymous quote from the OEA site. “The office made it possible for me to mature into a selfproficient college student.”

But how does an office of less than a dozen full-time employees provide

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accommodations for an entire state school? What challenges are inherent in trying to accommodate the needs of so many different types of people?

Susan Nixon, a counselor and the coordinator of learning and programming at the OEA, pulled the curtain back to clarify what the OEA does for students and what it needs from ODU. First, I'd like to ask what the greatest challenge of running the Office of Educational Accessibility is. Is there anything that the administration could do to help with this?

Susan Nixon: Administratively, I think the biggest challenge we have is a lack of space, a lack of enough full-time staff, and a limited budget to increase these two things. We need a larger testing

room, including individual testing rooms for those students who require a separate room to take tests. We also need more private office space to accommodate new staff and graduate assistants. We moved into this space about 15 years ago, and our caseload of students has at least doubled since then.

The administration could offer us a new location that would provide more space and increase our budget so we can hire more full-time staff and adequately meet the needs of the growing population of students we support.

Next, I'm curious as to whether or not student access to accommodations is increasing or remaining stagnant.

Are more students applying for accommodations than ever, or are the numbers pretty consistent?

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Nixon: The number of students applying for services and requesting accommodations rapidly increases.

What are some ways, if any, that the school could help increase access to accommodations for students?

Nixon: The students can access the accommodations by registering with our office for services. We are represented at open houses and orientations to help make students aware of our services.

Professors who are not already doing so should include our services in their syllabi and encourage students to use our services. Administrators and faculty should make it a practice to be aware of our services, the ADA law, disability and its impact on students, and how students can get registered with our office to access accommodations. The issue is

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not access to the accommodations; it is disseminating information across the campus community to raise awareness of what we offer and how to request the services and accommodations.

Are there any unsung heroes of the accommodation process or at the Office of Educational Accessibility?

How do you cope with managing so many students with such diverse backgrounds and needs?

Those of us who work in the OEA are not heroes. We are here to support students and work collaboratively as a team to meet the needs of all students who come through our doors, regardless of background. Students with disabilities are as diverse as any population of students, so we strive to give them equitable service without discrimination.

What's one thing you would say to a student who's on the fence about applying for accommodations?

Nixon: Students on the fence should first understand that their disability does not define who they are as a person, and there is no shame in requesting accommodation. They need to understand that accommodations are put in place to level the playing field and that their disability or the impact of their disability is not their fault or a choice. Also, they should know that all documentation and information they disclose to our office is confidential, that we don’t share this information with the professor or any other office, and that they are not required to disclose information except to our office. We merely provide a list of accommodations.

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9 Records help to give a glimpse into the academia of the 1960s and 1970s—from the mundane, like American Government and Algebra, to the more unique, like Coral Reef Ecology and Commercial Law. Courses appeared to be quite well attended; out of the years sampled, the lowest course attendance was 12 students (English 102), and the highest was 33 (Introduction to Business Enterprise). In 1965, 102 students enrolled in courses, but the total tuition paid by all students was $4284—less than one student’s semester at ODU today.

�atellite Program ODU's Forgotten History with Guantanamo Bay Written by Quinn Summers Photos thanks to Special Collections & University Archives, Old Dominion University, Perry Library.

NEWS

Guantanamo Bay has also garnered condemnation from the international community because of its use as an offshore detention facility. In the aftermath of 9/11, the United States’s invasion of Afghanistan resulted in the capture of many persons of interest, ranging from alleged terrorists to enemy combatants. Torture and inhumane treatment have been alleged by dozens of international agencies, including Amnesty International and the U.N., which have called for their closure.

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hroughout Old Dominion University’s long and storied history, the university has sponsored many programs, some of which are lost to history. However, one particular program, whose records can be found in Special Collections, is notable for MACE & CROWN

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its setting—the infamous naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. But what secrets did these archives hold?

Old Dominion University established a satellite program at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in the spring of 1964. Courses were mostly taught by site personnel,

but the hiring decisions, materials, and curriculum were provided or approved by the university itself. Details about the program itself are scarce, but correspondence continued at least until 1979, meaning the program operated for a minimum of 15 years consecutively.

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There was not, indeed, any evidence of ODU’s complicity in a secret torture program (the reviewed records predated Guantanamo Bay’s detention program by decades), the Cuban Missile Crisis, or some other sordid affair. What was there instead, however, was evidence of a highly successful collaboration between an isolated, bored naval base

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The establishment of the Guantanamo Bay satellite program was largely a matter of happenstance; it appears that a major factor in the program’s establishment was Norfolk’s status as a naval hub. Regardless of its origins, the program was an immediate success.

Correspondence between Old Dominion and Guantanamo Bay in 1964 and 1965 mostly detailed the challenges of running a satellite program without constant supervision from the university, as well as securing funding and paying tuition.

Over time, however, concerns in several areas are brought to light, including hiring, payment challenges, and communication challenges. Overall, however, most internal correspondence from the early years has a decidedly positive tone.

Many articles from the archives reference the enrollment process or advertise the program to Guantanamo residents.

But on the backs of these newspaper clippings are rare glimpses into life on a military base in the 1960s and 1970s.

The Guantanamo Gazette, the base paper of Guantanamo Bay, has it all: solicitations from several organizations for new members, advertisements for everything from university courses to old bicycles, and invitations to on-base events and activities.

the Guantanamo Gazette reported that some soldiers reportedly extended their tours of duty at Guantanamo Bay to further take advantage of this program.

It’s not hard to see why—with cheap tuition made even cheaper by financial assistance and military discounts, this program was highly affordable to the young, mostly working-class enlisted men at Guantanamo Bay. Navy postings during peacetime are often highlighted for their tedium today, in an era where most soldiers have access to the internet and large libraries of media to watch in their free time.

The program also had practical implications—soldiers would be earning money from their service, advancing their careers in the military, and earning a degree at once. By simply fulfilling their duties and attending class, these soldiers were in effect “double dipping," earning progress towards a potential degree while holding a full-time job in a respected field and keeping themselves occupied.

ODU’s satellite program at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base may not have been a bombshell story for the Mace and Crown, but for a combined few thousand sailors over 15 years, it certainly made a big difference.

Listed among these events are movie showings, circus acts, social clubs for the families of soldiers and officers, and Boy Scout troops. A two-man relay race is advertised beside obituaries and boxing match scorecards. For the bored and idle soldiers of a peacetime American military base in a time before the internet, events such as these were likely a welcome respite from the monotony of military life, and so it’s no surprise that ODU’s program was so welcome.

This program was so successful that maceandcrown.com

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NEWS

Guantanamo Bay, commonly known as "Gitmo," is an American overseas possession on the island of Cuba. In 1903, America acquired Guantanamo Bay from the recently freed island of Cuba and immediately set out to make it a resupply station and naval base. Ever since the Cuban Revolution, however, the base has been a point of contention between the two countries, as the current Cuban government is not allowed to terminate the lease and it no longer wants United States armed forces on Cuban soil.

and an up-and-coming Norfolk college that had only been officially established a few years prior.

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�ilenced Voices

A penultimate meeting was scheduled for Nov. 16, 2023, at 1:45 PM, in which only four student representatives were allowed to meet with the Chief of Staff, Vice President, and President. “In the meeting, we shared our concerns and told them how their email was only sent to a specific community, which puts us in danger. To which the president responded that he wasn’t aware of the contents of the email as it was from the Institute of Jewish Studies, and he only signed off on it without measuring the importance of these words,” said Jaber. The students were assured that in the future, these matters would be dealt with with due diligence, as the administration wanted students to feel safe on campus.

The Intersection of Free Speech and Palestine Protests on University Campuses Written by Ifrah Yousuf

NEWS

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n Oct. 10, 2023, an email with the subject “Monarch Nation Stands Strong for Peace and Understanding” was sent out by President Brian O. Hemphill in collaboration with the Institute for Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding, addressing and condemning the attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. The email was sent to students, faculty, and staff.

Subsequently, a group of students and alumni wrote emails from Oct. 20, 2023, onwards to President Hemphill, Velvet Grant, Alicia Monroe, Ashley Schumaker, Karen Meier, Alonzo Brandon, and September Sanderlin, supporting the letter written by the alumna, Seena Alkaifi. In her letter, she highlights the first paragraph of the statement made by the president in collaboration with the Institute for Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding as misleading.

She mentions, "They have presented a one-sided perspective showing solidarity and concern only for Israeli civilians with no acknowledgement of the ongoing and historical suffering and death of Palestinians.” Although the statement by the institute did mention that they “hold space for the Palestinian, Druze, and Bedouin civilians who are also suffering,” Seena recalls that “the

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opening for the statement conveys an unbalanced and biased stance that was harmful to numerous students, faculty, and staff within [their] district who identify as Muslim, Palestinian, or Arab.”

One student received an email back on Oct. 25, 2023, from Velvet Grant, who copied Hemphill, stating, “He is very appreciative of you taking the time to write and share your thoughts and concerns related to this matter. We are grateful for the time and effort you put into this outreach.”

By this time, those students had formed Students for Justice in Palestine. The branch is not yet under an official student chapter, as they continue to search for professors to sponsor them. Faisal Alkhatib, a member of the chapter, said, “We have been trying to find support, but many professors are hesitant because they are afraid of the backlash.”

As no other emails were sent out after their request in the letter, the students in SJP planned a sit-in protest on Nov. 9, 2023, outside the president’s office.

When they arrived, the police were already there. The head of security called out the name of one of the students and read out the rules for the protest.

the names of anyone in the crowd.

The message was only spread through word-of-mouth by the students who are a part of SJP, and there were only 15-20 of us,” Alkhatib recalled. “The police were wearing body-worn cameras, and they recorded and took pictures of the protest. We were asked not to wear masks or cover our faces in any way, or else we would be charged with a Class 6 felony.”

2 hours and 15 minutes into the protest, Vice President for University Advancement, Alonzo Brandon, walked over to the students to schedule a meeting to discuss the matter. The students agreed but promised to finish the third hour of the protest before leaving.

“At no given point during the protest did anyone ask for our names, but then the very next day, each one of us who was present there received an email,” said Ahlam Jaber. The day after, several students involved in the protest received an email from Katie Winstead Reichner, the Executive Director of Student Engagement and Traditions and Student Engagement & Enrollment Services, with the subject “Old Dominion Freedom of Speech Notice.” It reiterated the rights of students to freedom of expression and how they can learn more about it.

This incident was addressed by the President in the email with the subject, “Welcome to the Spring 2024 Semester at Old Dominion University!” It said, “During the Fall 2023 semester, I directly heard from individual Monarchs, who shared that they did not feel safe due to specific instances and individual interactions experienced on our campus.

While we will always have differences, we should not allow those issues, regardless of their level of impact or severity, to create a divide on our campus in which individuals are questioning their safety.”

Photos thanks to Special Collections & University Archives, Old Dominion University, Perry Library.

“We were surprised that they knew the names of anyone in the crowd. The message was only spread through word-ofmouth by the students who are a part of SJP, and there were only 15-20 of us.”

- Faisal Alkhatib

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ODURep Embraces Comedy With Production of “The Revolutionists” Written by Ash F.J. Thomas

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Disclaimer: This author worked on building parts of the set for “The Revolutionists.”

Photo Credit: Maria Toombs

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ith five guillotines cast a shadow over an off-kilter set, a playwright sits at her crowded desk. She tries to start her play but feels blocked when three women burst into her office: a revolutionary, an assassin, and Marie-Antoinette with pink streaks in her iconic wig of piling curls.

“The Revolutionists'' is a feminist comedy set during the French Revolution that features four major characters: Olympe de Gouges (Reicse Owen), Marianne Angelle (Leila Bryant), Charlotte Corday (Angelina Paquin), and Marie-Antoinette (Abbie Pregitzer). Angelle, Corday, and Marie-Antoinette each visit de Gouges with a request that she write something for them—pamphlets, declarations, and final words—while the Reign of Terror rages around them.

Written by Lauren Gunderson, “The Revolutionists” ran from Feb. 15 to 25 as ODURep’s first play of spring 2024 and

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the first comedic play after a long line of dramatic plays.

“The Revolutionists” was directed by Kate Clemons, marking her directorial debut at ODURep after working on productions such as “Taking Measure” and “Macbeth.” According to Clemons, Jim Lyden approached her to direct a play for the spring semester.

“We knew we wanted something lighter,” said Clemons.

“There's a lot of good answers to the dramaturgical question of why this play is happening now.” Clemons continued. “It’s a period piece, but it’s really accessible. The language is not heightened.”

Reicse Owen described “The Revolutionists” as a “breath of fresh air.

“Has this show—has the turnaround been super stressful and hard, more so than any show I've ever been in? Yes, but

[...] the counterbalance is that it’s fun. [...] I was just super glad that I got to explore that different part of my acting,” Owen said.

disarm us into laughing and letting our guard down, and then all of a sudden, he sort of hits us with one of those big truths,” said Clemons.

For Leila Bryant, it had been a while since they acted in a comedic production.

The story of “The Revolutionists” is predominantly fiction, set in the mind of the main character, historical feminist playwright Olympe de Gouges, as she stands on the guillotine scaffold awaiting execution—a fact only revealed at the end of the play. However, the script still contains an abundance of historical references. Perhaps the most surprising accuracy is in Olympe de Gouges’ treasonous play, where she lectures Marie-Antoinette on how France should be led. This play, “La France Sauvée ou le Tyran Détroné,” was written by the real de Gouges and was used at her trial to sentence her to execution.

“It was relearning what the pacing meant—getting comfortable in your own body and your own words. I enjoyed it because it was like relearning a language that I knew.”

A play set in the Reign of Terror might not seem lighter than the horrors of the Trojan War or the political intrigue of “Macbeth,” but “The Revolutionists” approaches its story with fast-paced humor.

“There are sad moments in the show, but I think the overarching experience of the show was fun and lighthearted, and you were able to just sit back and chill and experience it,” said Bryant.

“Gunderson wields comedy to sort of

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“The Revolutionists” introduces intersectionality by honoring the stories of the women who took part in the Haitian Revolution through Marianne

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Angelle, calling out the hypocrisy of the French fighting for freedom while keeping a slave colony in the Caribbean.

“You might be familiar with the idea of theaters' purpose being to hold a mirror to society,” said Clemons. “What [Gunderson] does, I think the best metaphor I can use for it is she holds up a disco ball [...] we're sort of holding it up to history and refracting the light and the colors elsewhere in order to more fully see ourselves.”

“This show talks a lot about feminism and sisterhood, being there for one another and holding each other up, and being mindful of who’s telling our story and what they decide to tell,” said Paquin.

“We’re wrestling with questions about the social issues that were prevalent during the French Revolution, and many of them we still have not yet solved,” Clemons continued. “[...] themes of feminism, the unfinished work of feminism, and the need for a more

inclusive feminism. We also see themes of systemic racism at play, social justice, and the cost of action: What does it mean to actually do something about it?”

The costumes are one of the most eye-catching parts of the show. Bright and detailed, they draw inspiration from historical French fashions but are mixed with modern-day aesthetics.

“They’re discussing very modern ideas and concepts, so it’s important that we capture that modernity even though it is ‘a period piece,’” said costume designer Meredith Magoun.

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ach of the four characters’s main costumes was made from scratch in the seven weeks leading up to opening night. Magoun bought many of the fabrics used from stores in New York City. When crafting the costumes, Magoun and student assistants stayed true to historical silhouettes, even taking care to procure shoes that were accurate to the time period. maceandcrown.com

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15 The costumes each have a unique design and silhouette while reflecting the characters’ individual arcs and personalities, from Marie-Antoinette’s extravagant pink gown to Corday’s understated green dress, de Gouges’ corset and breeches, and Angelle’s soldier-like coat.

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The costume department also crafted three wigs for de Gouges, Corday, and Marie-Antoinette, using styles similar to the wigs from the French Revolution’s time with colorful yellow, green, blue, and pink streaks to give them a modern edge.

The makeup for the show is completely rooted in bold aesthetics rather than the pale faces and subtle rosiness popular during the French Revolution.

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he production also included a cultural sensitivity coordinator, Bethany Mayo, to help the actors handle the serious topics and scenes included in the play. Mayo is an adjunct professor at ODU and works with the Virginia Stage Company. “[She] was definitely necessary for a lot of the sticky bits we had, allowing us to understand how to work with that in the world we were creating and to help the audience process and get through it as well as the actors,” said Leila Bryant. “[...] It was treating us like human beings in the world of fiction.”

“She definitely put me at ease about some things,” said Abbie Pregitzer. “[She gave] us different ways to be able to speak and receive lines. And by the end of the process, I felt so much more comfortable.”

Owen plays Olympe de Gouges as theatrical and flighty, balancing her desire to leave a great legacy with her fear of her looming execution. For Owen, it was a challenge to connect to de Gouges.

“She is awful. She sucks,” said Owen.

“She’s the worst person; she is not redeemable. She is horrific. And then [Mayo and I] had a conversation about, ‘Okay, allow her to be unlikable.’ Male

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characters are allowed to be unlikable.

Do you feel like she can't be unlikable because she's a woman?”

Paquin expertly swings between the aggressive bravado and charm of Charlotte Corday, unfolding into a moment of vulnerability toward the end of her story while never losing sight of her drive and motivation.

what the students enjoy doing [...] and open up their minds and hearts to what the student body wants, which is relief from the current state of the world,” said Bryant. “I think they shouldn’t be afraid to do more shows like this.”

“It takes a lot of courage to be able to admit that you're scared, and [Corday is] able to do that, but still do what she thinks is right,” said Paquin. “[...] I hope the audience can also learn from her in that sense.”

Pregitzer’s portrayal of Marie-Antoinette first gives the impression that the former queen is air-headed and oblivious, but Pregitzer shows her bonding with the other women on stage and displaying moments of great empathy.

Bryant cut a commanding figure on stage as Marianne Angelle, a “sardonically sympathetic” character who does not have time for comedic theatrics as she is gathering intel for the Haitian Revolution. Bryant also displayed key moments of Angelle’s warmth and vulnerability, such as fondly recalling memories of her husband and children and comforting Corday before her execution.

“Marianne is both flesh and spirit in this show,” Bryant explained. “[...] I think she’s a representation of the fighting spirit of the Revolution, as well as the tragedies and the human feelings and thoughts you have when you’re faced with difficult, humanitarian situations.”

ODURep Theatre’s spring 2024 season is off to a strong start with the colorful and comedic production of “The Revolutionists.” Though their straight plays are wonderfully executed, a comedic play was a much-needed breath of fresh air.

“I think ODU shouldn’t be afraid to do

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Photo Credit: Maria Toombs

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17 “We try to focus on marginalized and oppressed peoples,” said Johnson. “We focus a lot on black authors, queer people, indigenous people, and just anybody who has some wisdom to share.”

Books and Bottles

The members of staff sort through new books and content that comes out, marking the ones that stand out to them, before selecting the final titles to be showcased.

How Eleanor’s Norfolk is Shaping the Community

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ust a few minutes away from ODU, on the corner where Colley Avenue meets Baldwin Avenue, is Eleanor’s Norfolk, a feminist bookstore. The yellow building that holds it was once a house; now repurposed, it holds the store at ground level and Fair Grounds Coffee Cafe on the second.

Eleanor’s Norfolk has been open since 2021 and incorporates themes of intersectionality and feminism, with the aim of “creating a space where people could locally gather, learn, and grow together.”

“There were a lot of people having individual conversations and not a lot of people coming together where there was a clear bridge of thought and a clear bridge of issues,” explained staff member Ren Johnson regarding the time after the George Floyd protests of 2020.

Johnson said that when community members are not filling the pantry, the members of staff “will personally go out and stock it [themselves] for people who are houseless or are in need.”

Once inside the building, there is a hallway filled with local artists’ for-sale work. From macramé plant hangers to paintings, these works hang opposite the floating shelf of used books for sale.

Fanzines take up a small section of the store.

Some are for free, while others are for sale.

Every inch of Eleanor’s is purposeful and educational. The display tables throughout the store have a lot more to them than what

may meet the eye. In February, there was a table dedicated to black authors, voices, and stories. Slingshot organizers, a type of planner manufactured by an independent business, are also for sale. On any given day, unique adult coloring books, postcards, posters, stickers, and journals can be found throughout the store and on these tables.

Short stories are on the walls, with some works preaching body positivity while others discuss disabilities. Next to this is a large puzzle station.

When it comes to the bookshelves, the selection is carefully curated and grouped together.

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There is also a children’s book section featuring books like “May Your Life Be Deliciosa” by Michael Genhart and “Ho’onani Hula Warrior” by Heather Gale. Right next to the children’s section is a reading cubby filled with fairy lights and pillows for children to cozy up and get lost in the world of literature.

The staff at Eleanor’s Norfolk ensures that all attendees are in a welcoming environment. Johnson said that they “love all of the different people that come through because there are so many different backgrounds that you get to hear from, and there's so many different ideas and ways of life that you might not have otherwise interacted with.”

Regardless of whether you’re interested in reading, writing, and/or learning about intersectionality, there is something for everyone at Eleanor’s.

My personal favorite section is the ‘Blind Date With A Book’ section. Books are wrapped in brown paper and grouped on shelves based on whether they are nonfiction or fiction. From there, customers can read description cards that have been placed on each book that give insight into what the book is about.

All of the secret titles are marked down 20% from the retail price.

Eleanor’s does an amazing job at showcasing the community as well as involving them. There are signs next to books written by local authors and through monthly book clubs. The clubs are broken up into three categories: intersectional feminism, radical studies, and speculative fiction. Based on which book club you join, there is an assigned book that matches the category.

As you walk up the shattered tile mosaic steps to Eleanor’s, you are greeted with the personal care and period pantry that sits next to the entrance.

The pantry is open 24/7 and is stocked with free feminine products, hygiene care, and diapers. It is a “take what you need, give what you can” station that supports the community.

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Young adult, contemporary fiction, history, and biographies are just some of the sections that Eleanor’s has to offer. Within these genres, there are subgenres displayed such as queer memoirs, women's liberation, and an “Unfuck Your Perspective” section stocked with books that discuss topics such as immigration and class solidarity.

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Written by Reagan Williams

Wine, beer, syrups, and seltzers are all sold at Eleanor’s, along with home decor and art in a section divided from the books. Thanks to the remaining house features, this part of the store in particular has an antique, homey atmosphere created by a large, white fireplace adjacent to two yellow armchairs.

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Continuous �uccess ODU Men’s Tennis Team Kicks Off Spring Season Strong Written by Benjamin Draper Photo Credits: ODU Athletics

As they headed into the 2024 spring season, the team was fortunate to have four players returning from the previous year's squad, including two award winners: Cosme Rolland De Ravel, who had been named ITA Atlantic Region Freshman of the Year, and Jakob Cadonau, who was honored as the Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year.

The van Schalkwyk brothers, Connor and Codie, also returned after finishing the fall season with a 7-2 record and making it to the ITA Fall Nationals finals.

Their impressive performance earned them a sixth-place ranking in the doubles category —the highest ranking achieved by a doubles team under head coach Dominik Mueller and the second-highest in school history. Rolland De Ravel and Cadonau also had a successful run by winning the ITA Atlantic Regional and finishing the fall season ranked 33rd.

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Old Dominion got off to a great start to this season with back-to-back 7-0 victories against Temple and Howard.

They won all the singles matches in the first game, and all but one in the second.

Cadonau played an important role in both victories, securing the clinching point in both matches.

The Monarchs tennis team embarked on their first dual-road trip of the season with a 5-2 victory against Wisconsin in their first game of the weekend series.

In the doubles category, ODU secured the point with a 6-3 win by Cadonau and Rolland De Ravel at No. 2, after Wisconsin forfeited at No. 3. In singles, Cadonau started off strong with a win by forfeit at No. 6. The team sealed the deal with victories at No. 3 by Rolland De Ravel and No. 4 by sophomore Yanis Moundir, leading 4-0. Connor wrapped up the night with a 7-5, 6-3 win at No. 2, giving ODU a 5-0 lead. Although Wisconsin won the final two matches, it was not enough to overturn ODU's impressive lead.

The next day, they continued their winning streak with a 7-0 triumph over Drake. In the doubles competition, Moundir and senior Maxime Mareschal-Hay secured the point with a 6-3 victory at No. 3. Moving on to singles, freshman Aryan Saleh's 6-3, 6-1

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Unfortunately, the Monarchs lost their next match against Penn in a 4-3 contest that lasted nearly four hours.

In the doubles match, Moundir and Mareschal-Hay won 6-1 at No. 3, but Penn came back and won 6-4 at the No. 2 spot.

The deciding match went to a tiebreaker at No. 1, where Penn won 7-6 (9-7) and got the team point. In the singles match, ODU took the lead with Moundir's win at No. 4, but Penn tied the match with a win at No. 6. The Monarchs won the next two contests, with Connor at No. 2 and Saleh at No. 5, but Penn won the last two matches at No. 3 and No. 1, with all five sets going to tiebreakers.

respectively. However, the team ended the tournament on a high note by winning against Boise State, ranked at No. 51, with a score of 4-2.

In April, the Monarchs will start with a road weekend, visiting Charlotte on April 5 and then Coastal Carolina on April 7. They'll celebrate Senior Day on April 11 with a 1 p.m. start against UNC Wilmington and close the regular season at JMU on April 13. The Sun Belt Tournament will be held in Rome, Georgia from April 18 to April 21.

The team bounced back from Saturday’s loss the next day and won a match against Brown with a score of 7-0. After that, the Monarchs focused on two local matches and won against Norfolk State with a score of 4-0 and against William & Mary with a score of 5-2. ODU continued its winning streak by winning two more matches against VCU and Penn State, making it five victories in a row.

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ld Dominion University is known for several sports that have received national recognition. Among these sports, the Old Dominion Tennis program has been particularly successful in recent years. In their 2023 season, the ODU men's tennis team achieved an impressive record of 18-10 and won their first-ever Sun Belt Conference championship.

win at No. 5 and Connor's 7-6, 6-3 win at No. 2 gave ODU a 3-0 lead. Cadonau sealed the deal with a 7-6, 6-0 win at No. 6, extending the Monarchs' lead to 4-0.

Codie then triumphed at the top spot, and Moundir rounded out the sweep with a win as the No. 4.

The team shifted their focus to the 76th annual Blue-Grey tournament taking place in Montgomery, Alabama, which they were invited to due to their impressive performance last season.

The tournament features eight men's teams, all of which are ranked in the top 64 of the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll. ODU ranked 47th nationally and secured the fifth seed.

During the first few matches of the tournament, ODU lost two games consecutively for the first time in the current season. They were defeated by Princeton (No. 31) and Rice University (No. 64)with scores of 0-4 and 3-4

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“A Great Game” The Monarch Baseball Story Written by Art Neal Photo Credits: ODU Athletics

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years at ODU and a long list of accolades, Verlander was taken second overall in the 2004 MLB draft by the Detroit Tigers.

Verlander’s accolades continued at the professional level, as he has racked up three Cy Youngs, three world series, and an MVP, among many others.

“That’s what makes [baseball] a great game—the support and commitment that the fans give it,” said Nolan Ryan, an acclaimed MLB player.

On Tuesday, Feb. 27, those in attendance witnessed something special when the East Carolina Pirates appeared for a game.

Head Coach Finwood and crew were able to partner with ECU to give Gavin Yonce a chance to throw out the first pitch. Gavin suffers from a rare pediatric cancer dubbed Ewing Sarcoma.

As Ryan says, sports are inherently dependent on the support of the fans. The fans buy tickets, purchase memorabilia, and, in ODU’s case, donate to the athletic foundation to further the opportunities of future athletes.

With these choices made by fans, it is inherently the responsibility of the athletes to put on a quality performance on and off the field as a way to pay homage to their home fanbase.

The Monarchs have a rich history of baseball dating back to the 1960s with Bud Metheny and his propulsion of the program into a domain of respect and success in the state of Virginia and across the country.

Metheny’s 1964 crew finished 22-3 and won the “little eight,” a conglomerate of Virginia schools. They then went on to win the Mason-Dixon Conference title with victories over Buffalo and New Hampshire. This was an impressive accomplishment on an enormous stage as the Monarchs played and won at Yankee Stadium. Metheny’s success continued throughout the 1960s and won him a decisive place among a plethora of sports halls of fame, including ODU’s.

Yonce made a friend that day, however, as he was able to throw out the ceremonial first pitch to ECU’s Parker Byrd, who is the first player to compete in NCAA baseball with a prosthetic leg. Byrd’s leg was lost in a boating accident in 2022, and his presence at the ballpark gave Yonce a sense of solidarity in his ability to overcome roadblocks.

The luck of Yonce must have radiated through the home dugout as the Monarchs were able to topple #11 ECU on a walk-off home run from outfielder Steven Meier, bringing a happy ending to a dreary afternoon game.

The Monarch baseball squad is trying their best to win not only on the field but also in the hearts of the great fanbase that resides across Hampton Roads.

In recent years, the Monarchs have cultivated one of the best pitchers to ever pick up a ball, Justin Verlander. After three

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SPORTS

eing an athlete in the modern age at the college or professional level provides a unique opportunity and experience. These individuals are athletes primarily, but above and beyond, they are role models for the next generation.

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23 Photo Credit: Dalton Epley

“Hardcore Lager” Norfolk’s One and Only Limited Hardcore Punk Beer

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Written by Gabriel Cabello Torres

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unk music (with the exception of straight-edge punk) and beer have a very close relationship. Bands like Fear, Gang Green, Black Flag, and more have all written songs about the bubbly substance. In the spirit of punk rock celebrations, Not For The Weak Records and Benchtop Brewery have collaborated to make a beer for the label’s hardcore audience.

was done with the intention of a fun collaboration, it actually made a lot more sense for it to be associated with the record label and not just affiliated with one band. Not For The Weak Records has done a great deal of supporting local and small-time traveling artists, releasing new local music, and overall just fostering the scene. Who wouldn’t want to make a toast using a drink dedicated to the name that’s behind it all?

Jordan Greenough, the brains behind Not For The Weak Records, personally reached out to Benchtop Brewery.

They didn’t desire anything overly complicated. Obviously, the go-to beer for everyone in the shows at the Norfolk Taphouse is the beloved $3, 16-ounce can of Pabst Blue Ribbon, commonly referred to as PBR, which comfortably sits at about 5% ABV.

“The idea just comes from bands that do ‘beer releases’, so instead of a band having a beer release, let’s just have it as a label.”

Greenough made a valid point. Several bands have released brews under their own names, ranging from NOFX and Pennywise to Motörhead and Iron Maiden. Although releasing it as a label

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“Most of the people that come out to shows drink like PBRs and stuff... So we wanted something drinkable but a little bit nicer than a PBR. As far as the taste, we basically let them go for it. Basically, I just went in and told them, ‘We want

something like... take a PBR and put it on steroids.’”

It’s not everyday you see a local business do a collaborative beer release with a brewery in Norfolk. It may be the first time it's happened at such a scale with the making of the Hardcore Lager.

“I chose Benchtop because I feel like they’re the only brewery around here that I feel is the most authentic as far as just being themselves and doing fun things,” Greenough said. “They’re not afraid of taking risks with beer, and they’re also doing funny pun stuff [with beer names].”

The latter part rings especially true as the Hardcore Lager’s alcohol content sits at an amusing percentage of 6.66.

As fate would have it, the Taphouse labeled the beer’s overall price as $6.66, including tax, putting the hardcore in “Hardcore Lager.”.

Photo Credit: Dalton Epley

To celebrate the beer’s release, Not For SPRING 2024

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The Weak Records hosted a party at Benchtop Brewery in Norfolk on Jan. 19, 2024, starting at 6 p.m. The choice drink of the night? Not for the Weak’s Hardcore Lager.

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f course, such a special drink launch should be paired with delicious food. LeGrand Kitchen, a “finer diner” in Norfolk, came out to Benchtop Brewery and served a short menu to pair with the beer, including the famous “LeGrand Burger,” which many locals consider to be one of the best burgers in the city of Norfolk—and quite possibly all of the 757. To add to the ambiance, the guys from Not For The Weak Records came out, prepared a DJ booth setup, and started to spin their collection of records during the evening. Plenty of locals involved with the scene came out and shared a drink, supporting both the label and Benchtop.

While Friday was a great night to be among

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Photo Credit: Dalton Epley

“They’re not afraid of taking risks with beer…and they’re also doing funny pun stuff [with beer names].”

– Jordan Greenough

friends and to make new ones, the fun did not stop there. The Taphouse was the place to be the following night, Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024. Not For The Weak Records scheduled a show that featured a killer lineup of Norfolk bands that consisted of RHDP, Bato, Crime Line, Prime Suspect, and Reckoning Force—all of which can pull a large crowd

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Photo Credit: Dalton Epley

on their own. The noise started at 7 p.m., and the night was met with the blissful cacophony of hardcore punk and straight rock and roll until the final song rolled out.

The taphouse was at maximum capacity, and the crowd almost ended up draining the entire keg of Hardcore Lager.

The limited punk rock brew made its way into LeGrand’s lineup of draft beers, as well as Cogan’s. The can’s graphic design was in pure black and white, featuring the unmistakable Not For The Weak skeleton holding a vinyl record labeled “NFTW!!!”.

The initial taste of it is reminiscent of an IPA, but once swallowed, it doesn’t leave that bitter IPA aftertaste. It’s pretty smooth and enjoyable.

Even though the beer was intended to be limited, it’s still inspiring to see just how most of the community showed up to support both Benchtop Brewery and NFTW Records. There’s no doubt that the occasion will be a fond memory for the hardcore fans within the city of Norfolk.

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Photo Credit: Dalton Epley

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27 Happy Meat Farms

ARG�

Happy Meat Farms is another fantastic ARG. As opposed to Welcome Home, which takes place exclusively on the associated website, Happy Meat Farms also has content on YouTube. The overall premise is that the website presents Happy Meat Farms as a cruelty-free and humane meat production company.

The Latest Evolution in Video Games Written by Allie Metzger Illustration Credit: Clown Illustration

Differences Between Mediums One of the newest forms of gaming is ARGs, or alternate reality games. Before going into ARGs specifically, though, it’s important to distinguish between other similar entertainment genres such as AR (alternate reality) and VR (virtual reality).

If you’ve ever put on a Meta Quest or Oculus headset, you’ve experienced VR. Virtual reality entertainment typically involves a 3D environment that can be interacted with and is one of the most recognizable genres.

AR is usually less intensive than VR and integrates the real world into its model with a few added features. This is where the “augmented” part comes from. While VR typically needs an accompanying headset to experience a simulated world, AR games are often played on mobile. The best example of this is the ever-popular Pokemon Go. When catching Pokemon, you see your real-world surroundings through your phone camera, but extra things pop up, such as the loveable Pokemon you're trying to catch.

Then there are ARGs. While it’s hard to provide a concrete, generalized definition, ARGs have a few shared features.

ARGs mostly take the form of websites set up as puzzles or scavenger hunts. A user finds the site, then uncovers clues and

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Easter eggs along the way. This can include elements such as hidden text, randomly capitalized words, and more. This puzzle-solving is highly intertwined with the narrative, and there is usually something sinister lurking beneath a normal or bright-looking surface.

These are just a few ARGs out there. As video games continue to evolve, more and more games will reach beyond the parameters of traditional gaming.

The biggest aspect that sets ARGs apart, however, is the use of the audience. While they certainly hide clues and require some thinking, ARGs are also dependent on user interaction.

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ew forms of art and entertainment always come with the passage of time. Before radio, there were novels. Before TV, there was radio. One of the more recent mediums is video games. Although many of us have been playing video games for a while, they have occurred as the result of decades of research and are also gaining variety in what type of experience they can offer players.

However, as most ARGs tend to do, there is something sinister lurking behind the happy exterior. A YouTube channel by the name of “This place is not happy” uploads occasional videos that expose the company for what it is: a sinister facility that does experiments not only on livestock but on unruly employees as well. As seen by finding the password for the employee login as well as analyzing the YouTube videos, users eventually discover that the entire facility is used to feed a mysterious entity by the name of Mother. This ARG has a lot of layers to it, especially with the addition of Youtube videos, which tie into other clues for the actual website.

Welcome Home Welcome Home is a relatively new ARG created by Clown Illustrations. The website itself (within its own fictional world) claims to be documenting a forgotten children’s TV show, “Welcome Home.” The makers of the website are dedicated to archiving any kind of proof they can find that this show existed.

It features a cast of characters, such as the main character, Wally Darling, Frank Frankly, Barnaby the Dog, and more!

Diving deeper, however, uncovers the real mystery. When exploring the website, users stumble across hidden messages such as secretly clickable icons that lead to recordings of the TV show itself, albeit only from one unknown person’s perspective. Later additions to the website revealed something sinister about the whole operation to uncover more about the Welcome Home TV show.

Overall, this is a wonderful ARG to start with. With bright colors and even more colorful characters, this (fictional) show is reminiscent of a cross between Sesame Street and Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. All the artwork is done by one person, Clown Illustrations, so even if you find the mystery hard to follow, you’ll enjoy all the drawings. If you’re looking to explore the genre but want something a little more colorful, Welcome Home is a great place to start.

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The Heartbeat of ODU WODU Studios Written by Brandon K. Hedgepeth Disclaimer: The author of this article is affiliated with WODU Studios.

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n Feb. 29, 2020, I officially accepted my offer to attend Old Dominion University, solidifying my future as a monarch. It was shortly afterward that I came across WODU Studios on my Instagram feed.

studio were initially limited, and I was left unsure of how to get involved.

However, after being named the newest promotional director in April 2021, I worked to learn more about the studio, its expansive history, and the students who consider it their home.

The social media page highlighted student work in video and audio production at the university and ultimately intrigued me into inquiring about the studio weeks later just as the world entered the COVID-19 pandemic.

Though I would later join the studio and serve as their promotional director for two terms, it was not until last year that I fully understood what it meant to be a part of this community.

With WODU Studios reaching its 50th anniversary in 2024, I spoke with their on-air under-director Kenneth W. Ashley about his involvement and role within the organization.

Starting as a student in the fall 2020 semester, my experiences with the

“I really believe in college radio; [it’s] so special and there’s nothing else out there like it.”

– Kenneth W. Ashley Photo Credit: Brandon K. Hedgepeth SPRING 2024

Noting that he had dreamed about being a radio host since he was younger, he initially signed on as the gaming underdirector before assuming his current role. While he was a more casual player of video games, he felt at home with the radio side of the station, where he also serves as the host of “Pass the Aux,” a show that features a weekly musical selection and occasional guests.

In asking him what stood out as the most about being a part of WODU Studios, he said that he was initially surprised at the scope of the organization, though that it was pleasantly surprising. He further noted that the best part of being involved was the community that was associated with it.

As a commuter student, currently in his first semester of graduate studies, he highlights that when he first joined the organization during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was a much more isolating time on campus, and it was difficult to make a space of his own. The studio that gave him a home outside of his studies, and it’s where he would spend much of his spare time while on campus.

In adjusting to his new role, Gardner said this was his first real leadership experience and that he has been crafting the role to his interests, setting up partnerships with campus organizations including ODU NAACP and Monarch Dining, alongside venues such as the Hampton Coliseum. His hope is to build the organization into one of the best student organizations at the university.

While the studio is set to mark fifty years at ODU, Garnder notes that all the staff and directors are aligned in their goals to advance the standing of the organization and follow the legacy of setting students up for success. He notes the work of his fellow executive board members and their comradery for their recent success and is excited to see the progress they will continue to make.

The newly appointed general manager, Mekhi Kirkwood, who was elevated from the role of gaming under-director in January 2024, states that the forward mission is to increase the popularity of the studio and expand upon its legacy of bringing people together through radio, streaming, and video.

As for Xavier Gardner, the current promotions director for WODU Studios and my successor, he first found WODU Studios on the Monarch

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The ‘Heartbeat of Old Dominion,’ WODU Studios is the student radio station at ODU and serves as a creative community for students to explore video production, sports recording, promotions, gaming, and podcasting. Coming from a high school telecommunications program, I felt that joining the studio would be a natural transition, though following the advent of the pandemic, I ultimately opted to be an online student rather than living on campus as so-often intended.

“I really believe in college radio; [it’s] so special, and there’s nothing else out there like it,” said Ashley.

Groups campus social media platform.

A sophomore at the university studying communications, he joined the studio in his first semester. Though he was originally inclined to join the sports recording division of the studio, he found his calling with promotions, serving as an under-director for a year before taking the director role.

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Dehumanisation Written by Ace Siatkowski

I don’t see the reason behind your eyes.

Because you were inherently “too kind”

I see a lost soul,

And now your personality was everyone else’s,

Numbness howling in the skull.

You look at me, and I see a cry for help, You look for arms to hold you,

So now you wander here, lost in your own masks,

You seek a few kind words to aid your journey.

The hundreds you used, now enveloped by the shadows,

But yet now you wander around,

Colourless and morphed into rigid expressions.

Aimlessly,

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Not your own.

Through the grey and the shadows that fill your void.

Your heart is no longer in two, Rather it’s in millions, Now the dust that scatters the floors And is swept away by your occasional tears.

You don’t know why you cry And yet you want a reason to do so.

So break free.

Be your own.

There is an “I” in the word Individual for a reason.

Don’t abide to other’s wants, Find your own desire to be you.

Because at the end of the day, You are the only one who can save yourself.

You remained a doormat, a piece of neutrality, And did yourself as much justice as a murderer did.

So now you watch your life you once had become forgotten, A plague to your insanity, A puzzle piece not for your jigsaw.

Is there a reasoning to this?

No. Only you let them stay when they shouldn't have.

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Breathe Written by Benji Sweeney

C REATIVE ENCLAVE

Jodie slides out of his room across the old hard-wood floor with an anxious, yet excited smile across his face. Jodie is late for work. His room is filled with the warm glow of the sun’s struggling reach through the cotton blinds. On his wall hangs an American flag and a vinyl copy of the Richie Havens record “Live at the Cellar Door.” The old hard-wood floor mentioned above is mostly covered by the piles of laundry in his room.

As he slides, he shimmies in order to hike up his jeans and slide on his belt.

He hums the beginning of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Sun.” Two Eggo waffles pop out of a toaster.

He puts them both between his teeth as if his mouth was a third hand and laughs as he curses their heat. He awkwardly pulls his jacket over his shoulders and runs out the door.

He immediately begins to play the song he was humming earlier and puts the windows of his 1998 green Honda Civic down to allow the chill late-summeralmost-fall air in. He rests his arm on the window as he drives down the tan highway towards the city. The blue sky contrasts with the tan pavement. The sun reflecting off the buildings ahead reminds Jodie that he is driving to work.

This creates a quiet gratitude in him, and he smiles. Just six months ago, he never thought he would be going to work again.

Further on, he sees the two furthest right lanes are glowing red with break lights.

He slams on his breaks and comes to a stop about four feet from the bumper of the car in front. Stand-still traffic. The music continues to play and he takes a moment

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to breathe.

The cool air feels refreshing on his face. He enjoys his cheap car speakers’ rattling sound, his cheap Kurig coffee in a mug in the center console, and even the weight of his worn-through work boots. He looks in his left rear-view mirror and notices that about ten cars behind him, there is a vehicle speeding towards the line of cars. They must not have looked up to realize. Thinking that they still had time to slam the breaks or swerve into the open left lane, he leans on his horn and keeps leaning on it.

An instant later, the driver’s silver SUV slams into the back of the last car in the line with a thunderous crunch! This creates a domino effect of car alarms, busted-in bumpers, broken tail-lights, and the smell of burnt rubber and car exhaust. Jodie looks behind him in horror and clumsily reaches to find the door handle. As he opens the door and begins to walk toward the first car, he shoves his back against the line of cars behind him and quickly shimmies toward the back in order to not be hit by the cars speeding by him in the left lane.

Her face is rapidly oozing blood and the bridge of her nose is crooked and splintered. Jodie’s green eyes scan her up-and-down in terror knowing he must help her. He looks around as cars pass by him not more than two-feet away at eighty miles an hour. He does not know what he is looking for. Maybe he’s looking for an ambulance. Maybe he’s looking for someone to help him and intervene. Maybe he’s looking for the calm of the moment before this happened. What he does find was a tree line. A tree line of vibrant green. He can almost feel the cool shade. He sees birds flying through the light beams streaking through the foliage. For a moment—just a moment—he almost forgets about everything around him. He considers running across the left two lanes into the oasis not 40 feet away.

Between swiveling his head between the woman and the greenery, all he can think is to breathe.

When he finally reaches the back car, he waits for a break in traffic and quickly opens the driver’s side door.

A screaming woman with black hair soaked with blood sits weeping, and screams through the cluttering of expended airbags.

“MY BABY! MY BABYYY!” Blood is running down her shirt sleeves and onto the seat. Her right arm is broken and she’s holding it tightly.

Photo Credit: Unsplash.com SPRING 2024

ART BY: Leyda RosarioRivera

ART BY: Leyda RosarioRivera

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Hollow Written by Leyda RosarioRivera

I know by the teeth in the porcelain sink that He thought of me before going to sleep.

Two fangs lie in a partially congealed pool of blood, shimmering with an iridescence that belies their impermanence. The hollow tips are translucent, tinted pink by leftover blood staining the inside. On one tooth, a scrap of necrotic gum clings to the root.

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I smile down at the gifts. He is growing more considerate. Usually, I have to pry them out from the broken necks or gnawed thighs of His meals, but this is a sign that He approves of what I am doing with them. He will spend the next few days languishing in His coffin, so sated that He will want little in the way of service, giving me time to focus on my collection.

I clean up the blood — the scent of old blood disturbs His post-feed rest — and creep out of the bathroom toward the kitchen. It is the only room I’m allowed to let sunlight into.

A tablecloth shrouds the contents of the kitchen table. I pull up the corner to let the fangs grin out from behind the glass confines of jars and up from jewelry box compartments. There are hundreds, dating back to the early days of my relationship with Him, all bound to their twin with delicate wire. They’re largely regular in size and shape, with some subtle variations in pearlescent color. Few are the circumstances that can impact the way a vampire’s fangs grow back in.

I fold the tablecloth and sit at the head of the table with the sun to my back. The teeth can’t take direct sunlight, but I’ve learned they can withstand glancing strikes of sunlight.

I hold one of the latest fangs up, tilting it so its hollow tip turns the same shade of red webbed skin held to the light does. It is a shame He can’t see this.

The sunlight grows stronger, forcing me to put it down with its twin. Before I settle in, I stand to draw the blackout curtains fully shut. I don’t need the light for my work.

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