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If you believed the Deleted THX Trailer was unsettling, think again. I spent the entire night reflecting on that initial deleted THX Trailer, and it continues to linger in my mind. I considered distancing myself from THX after witnessing that, yet I am pleased to share a tale about another elusive THX Tex Trailer that remains unknown to most. It was a bright day in my town, and I found myself idly browsing on my phone in my room. My mother entered and informed me that she was heading out, offering me the option to join her, which I accepted. At the market, I searched for something that might pique my interest. I stumbled upon a section dedicated to DVDs but found nothing appealing. However, my attention was drawn to a THX DVD labeled “missing THX Trailer from 2008.” The cover featured Tex standing in a dimly lit hallway. I was quite taken aback to discover a THX DVD at the market. I inquired with my mother about purchasing it, and she agreed. Nevertheless, I couldn't shake the

https://www.deviantart.com/chongblyat/art/HSwMS-Manligheten-1069059478 Manligheten was once the youngest of four Äran-class pansarskepps, the newest capital warships of the Royal Nordrikan Navy at the turn of the 20th century. His status as a fair-born meant his childhood was a charmed one; spending his days in a supple Gothenburg household, isolated from the rest of his Karlskrona-based brothers and being taught the arts of war and diplomacy. After all, his predecessor was a renowned veteran of the Rutho-Nordrikan War. Despite his lush upbringing, the pansarskepp always felt alone. A part of him despaired that he was fated to be trapped in a gilded cage. When Manligheten was finally allowed to meet his brothers in 1904, his clockwork heart jumped with joy. Although many times their fun was interrupted by their duties as members of the elite counter-insurgency 1st Pansarskepp Division, the four young men still had time to be young men - partying, drinking, making merry, and riding around their homeport when not on parade duty. The four were perhaps the most tightly-knit batch of gregarious drunkards and avid hunters. Manligheten's headstrong but aristocratic attitude on duty often contrasted with being a foolhardy party animal off it. Homeland and brotherhood were everything to the Äran brothers, and they swore a promise never to turn against one another. Being capital models, named after military virtues, and honorary descendants of Gustav III's own meant that the impressionable juniors of the Navy often looked up to the Äran-class. One of these juniors was a siblingless pansarskepp named Oscar II. Sympathizing with the boy's lonely situation and relating to his fellow Gothenburg heritage, Manligheten took the lonely Oscar under his wing. But he knew raising him would not be easy. The tensions between Noregia and Svitjod were climbing high. Conflict soon became obvious to everyone on both sides of Nordrike's west. Over the course of a few months, Manligheten played the role of father and instructor. He shared his wealth with Oscar to bring him the best education, food, and shelter. Oscar loved the aristocratic stepfather who provided his loneliness with tender companionship, his aspirations a role model, and his tears a place to cry. Navy Command suspected Oscar even developed his own rash and hawkish attitude from the young Manligheten. But just like Oscar, Manligheten's own youth and inexperience meant he didn't know just how devastating the upcoming war would be. The 6th of June 1905 was the start of a two-year bloodbath that was the Nordrikan Civil War, and the 1st Pansarskepp Division would be its most active Svitjodian participant. Amidst the violence and brutality swallowing countryside and city alike, Manligheten put to use the guile he was taught in leading the Division's Gothenburg "King's Own" Regiment. Assassinations, sabotages, and convoy raids were his go-to tactics in any battle. Manligheten fought and carried himself like a freikorpsman, a proud but pragmatic fighter who lived every day like his last and let intuition guide his actions. He controlled the engagement like a craftsman wielded their tools. Nonetheless, Manligheten held to a sense of honour and felt it did not conflict with his strategies. He went to significant lengths to avoid harming civilians and mistreating POWs, often luring his objectives out before dispatching them accordingly. Although Noregians were never as respectable as Svits in his eyes, the deaths of their civilians broke his heart as much as Svit deaths did. If there was anything he loathed, it was needless brutalization. Among his brothers and Oscar, Manligheten carried himself as and prided on being the "honorable Lion of Gothenburg." What Manligheten saw as honor was what Navy Command saw as disloyalty. The pansarskepp's stubborn refusal to carry out any missions he saw as "dishonorable" repeatedly frustrated them, to the point some even tried to remove him from his post. These attempts were initially blocked by his brothers, but Manligheten was eventually dragged from the frontlines for a supposed refit in 1906. The people did not share Navy Command's sentiments on Manligheten. Outside of Nordrike, the pansarskepp enjoyed a reputation of a just officer in an unjust war. His charisma, nobility, strong sense of honour, and aristocratic heritage made Manligheten the spitting image of a romantic war hero. From 1907 onwards, it was decided Manligheten would join Oscar in escorting the royal family in various diplomatic visits to improve Nordrike's reputation. Noregia could only seeth in impotent rage as the lion that hunted them down had his visage decorate stamps, posters, and photos. Nonetheless, the reality remained that the civil war saw a combined death toll of over a million and no significant territorial gains made by either side. Noregia's begrudging acceptance to stay under Nordrike was the sole consolation. Even though Manligheten supported Crown rule, he was not blind to the immense bloodshed the war caused. Manligheten was horrified at how it ravaged entire cities to rubble, it took the lives of the young and old without distinction, and traumatized the men who fought in it. The United Kingdoms of Nordrike were in no mood for warfare. Oscar, his young stepson, emerged from the war an utter mess. Although there was no term for it at the time, Manligheten knew what happened to him. He had seen it befall his brother Tapperheten. Manligheten considered turning to politics to find a less bloody solution for Nordrike to maintain its power. Upon the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Manligheten joined Tapperheten in clutching position as senators under Action Nord, Nordrike's right-wing party. Policies, not guns, would be the Crown's new reins over the impudent Noregia. His reputation and charisma spearheaded efforts to centralize the government, break up Noregian businesses through nationalization, and erase traces of Noregian separatism within the press. What lessons Manligheten learned in politics he taught to Oscar and the newly forged Gustaf V in private, hoping to have his junior mature into the honorable and tradition-commited man he was. Although Oscar initially had reservations, he earnestly supported his stepfather and planned to become a senator himself. Nonetheless, there were those who stood up to oppression. Many senators in the Noregian Stortinget fought ferociously to veto every censorship bill. Shipsmen organizations such as Gratis Nord smuggled censored material to the populace. Svitjod's view on the matter was mixed; some hated this deliberate breach of free speech and others lauded its cause. When Tapperheten's resolve began to waiver in the face of fierce resistance, it was Manligheten who inspired the bravery to face it. The Great Depression struck the world just a few years after World War I. Economies crumbled as prices soared out of reach. Many couldn't afford to feed or shelter themselves. The crash worsened as companies laid off workers en masse to save their finances. Debates raged in the Riksdag among different factions on what to do with the crisis. Action Nord, Nordrike's resident right-wing party, argued excessive government regulation and isolation in the economy was only making the situation worse; the free market would naturally right itself with interventionism. The hope of recovery and renewed imperial glory Action Nord provided became objects of adulation to the Äran-class. The nations of the Old World distanced themselves from Nordrike after seeing its brutal suppression of Noregia. The King was initially set on pursuing an isolationist path to allow the kingdom to lick its wounds, but the growing peril of his kingdom convinced him to try Action Nord's risky strategy. Starting from 1926, Manligheten, Tapperheten, and Gustaf V were assigned on training cruises as ambassadors to improve their homeland's standing on the world stage. Manligheten's attempt to apply his honorable mindset in warfare to diplomacy was mixed. Words could make or break trade deals that concerned entire economies. Obscuring and twisting the truth was an everyday matter. His stubbornness and lack of diplomatic tact initially turned a few trade partners away, but circumstances forced him to become flexible. Regardless of how well he healed diplomatic relations and boosted incoming foreign trade, Manligheten remained uncompromising on one belief; as long as he upholds his end of a deal, the other side will do the same to their own. He and Tapperheten inspired meritorious patriotism in the hearts of many in their native homeland, including Oscar. The two differed in party allegiances and beliefs. Manligheten preached Nordrike's glory while Oscar was unwilling to ignore its scars. The former saw the Livonians as lazy freeloaders, and the latter saw them as a vital workforce in the country's east. One believed higher education was a privilege to be earned, the other saw it as the right of every citizen. Nonetheless Oscar still loved Manligheten, continuing to sponsor his visits and support his economic policies. Handling diplomacy and international geopolitics mellowed Manligheten's temperament. His boisterous charisma quieted into unflappable calculation, his fondness for alcohol and the hunt died to dutifulness, and his princely mannerisms grew from a façade to an authentic part of him. He worked late into the nights to send updates, scheme against foreign powers, and draft political advice for the King. Manligheten's statecraft strengthened Nordrikan ties to nations like the Gallican Republic, the Parliamentarian Union, and the Polonian Commonwealth; whom he accurately saw as good trade partners (his personal beliefs on their citizenry notwithstanding). Nonetheless, it still worried him sleepless that he could not correctly predict nor control every action for Nordrike's sake. One late night in 1930 took him through the narrow waters of Horsfjärden. The fatigued Manligheten failed to see he made a wrong turn, and grounded himself. It took both Wachtmeister and Drottning Victoria to pull him out, and his injuries a year to heal. Despite warnings from his comrades to avoid overworking himself, Manligheten confidently reassured them he would be fine. As the amount of paperwork he was swamped in increased, so did the time he spent away from Oscar. A rift began to grow. Manligheten's continued diplomatic successes enticed his taste for politics and he was elected a senator for Action Nord in 1937. The Great Depression still left its mark on the ailing Nordrike. People could still barely afford to feed themselves. Nordrike's farmlands and factories were simply not yet able to provide enough, even with government aid. Left without answers on what to do, Manligheten turned his eyes towards the Holy Thedeland Empire - or rather, its successor. The senator was amazed at how a once bleeding country that civil war threatened to tear apart grew into a strong, stable nation ready to take on the Old World. Extremely assured of his veterancy in politics and desiring prosperity for his homeland, Manligheten secretly opened dialogue with the Thedereich. Much of the Thede leader's rhetoric appealed to his desperation and basest emotions. Although he disagreed with some of the more radical policies, Manligheten set about bringing his dreams to life. He campaigned tirelessly for increased military funding to ensure the nation was protected, and tariff-enforced autarky to ensure the people were fed. With popularity and flammable rhetoric by his side, Manligheten rallied a startling amount of support that pressured the King into entering a trade deal with the Thedereich. Just as planned. By allying with the Thedereich, Nordrike can stay out of the trouble brewing in the Old World, recover with foreign aid, and keep Noregia. What reason would the Thedereich have to invade them? Reap resources from their starved, wintry lands? Enslave their fellow Aryans? Make enemies with a Great Power that can assuredly defeat them? Unbeknownst to Manligheten, Quisling was set on revanchism. Aware of the strong anti-war sentiment in and weakened military of Nordrike, the governor used his ties to the Thedereich's Chancellor and established Noregia as a "freistaat" under him. The secession of Noregia in 1940 fractured the Riksdag as much as the people. Action Nord cracked under internal pressure as different subfactions bickered on how to handle the issue or selfishly profit off of it. Rather than be forced to fight against their own brother for their beliefs, Äran and Wasa stepped away from politics to honor their promise. Only Tapperheten stood by Manligheten. Journeying both to retake Noregia, Oscar led the Kalmar Bloc and Manligheten the Axis-supporting National Democrats. The two crossed swords in debates on how to handle "the Noregian question." Oscar was baffled why his own stepfather, the Lion of Gothenburg himself, was kowtowing to the Nazis and offering to split Noregia for a compromise. Manligheten was horrified at Oscar's apparent eagerness to wage a war that would be as bloody as the Nordrikan Civil War for a piece of land. He struggled to believe his greatest opponent, the calculating and ruthless man befor him, was the same warm-hearted young boy he raised. Where did he go wrong? The National Democrats went mostly unnoticed until 1941 heralded the Thede invasion of Nordrike's Livonia. Livonia had been used as a strategically important trade region and manufacturing hub by Nordrike for centuries, only made sweeter by the kingdom's poor military and lack of allies. Men, women, and children were torn from their homes, starved, beaten, tortured, enslaved, and killed by arbitrary standards in the name of "racial purity." Public and government sentiment became pro-Allies almost overnight. The reputations of Action Nord and the National Democrats as defenders of Nordrikan values crumbled. To Manligheten, Livonia's annexation was a grave strike against Nordrike, her glory, and the deal he made to secure her people's prosperity. How dare the Thedes betray a fellow Aryan nation! Seeing now what horrific fate working with the Thedereich led Nordrike to, he joined the Kalmar Bloc. The seemingly PR-motivated move distanced Gustaf V and Tapperheten from him. Just in time for a wartime modernization and the end of Manligheten's senatorial term next year. 1943 marked Nordrike's midsummer entrance into World War II. After recovering the late Ulven's crew, Manligheten led his regiment in raiding Thede supply lines in the Kattegat. The same talent that terrified Noregian insurgents put Kriegsmarine sailors and shipsmen through salvoes of unpredictable yet lethally accurate gunfire. Eventually, one raiding mission with an aerial escort put a stop to Manligheten's reign of terror, through an unpredicted 250lb bomb amidships that sent him running back to his homeport. Utterly humiliated by Oscar, his former "ally", and a newfangled invention that he once dismissed as a fad, the disquieted and disgruntled Manligheten spent the rest of the year patrolling Nordrike's eastern coast, occasionally skirmishing with U-boats. The summer of 1944 heralded D-Day, the Allies' landings in Gallica. Manligheten and his regiment led the charge at Juno Beach. Bullets from MG42s turned men into mincemeat. Pained howls and orders echoed throughout the gunpowder-filled air. It was death and destruction unlike anything he had seen. Steeling himself and hiding his growing grief, Manligheten motivated his men in taking ground and braving the horrors of war. Weeks turned to months as enemy soldiers hid in civilian buildings and Thede bombers stalked the skies. Despite his reputation as a pro-Axis senator, he exalted his men to act like liberators instead of bandits. It was all Manligheten could do. All he could control, but it was not enough. Ambushes still happened. Men still died. Bodies still piled up. The silence between vicious skirmishes and airstrikes remained uneasy and fragile. Even a wrong turn or a short trip outside cover invited a quick but brutal death by automatic gunfire. Iy was inevitable a day would come where one of Manligheten's cherished paid the price. He watched in helpless horror as a flight of Ju-87 Stukas dove towards Oscar and his unit, blowing most of them to shreds faster than Manligheten's old anti-air guns could react. The Lion of Gothenburg ran away from his unit to drag the broken, bleeding form of Oscar out of the chaos. The harsh blizzards, constant paranoia of ambushes, and the lack of cooperation with the locals made the 1945 Noregian Campaign an uphill battle. Manligheten and his aide-de-camp Fylgia made a steady but bloody march from Stavanger to Oslo, the former applying the lessons he learned from Normandy. Once the nation was fully occupied by the Allies, the Nordrikan government agreed to hold a referendum on Noregia's independence despite Manligheten's protests. Believing it would be better for both nations to stay under the Crown, Manligheten organized a swiftly successful coup against Noregia's provisional government. An Allied coalition led by Oscar and Gustaf was formed to oust Manligheten almost immediately. Even Tapperheten stood against his brother in the hopes of knocking some sense into him. (Manligheten feels betrayed) By 1950, Gustaf V was made flagship of the Royal Nordrikan Navy. As part of resuming the navy's role as an upholder of the Kingdom's neutrality, Gustaf relieved Manligheten ot his regimental leadership and assigned him to be Inspector of the Nordrikan Shipsmen Service Troops in 1956. The backline role suited the weary yet calculated and experienced Manligheten greatly, which he continued to serve in until his relief from duty in 1984. Shipsmen were trained and built for one purpose: war. There was no certainty in their fate after it. They had no home but a port, no rest but a light nap, no duty outside warfare and planning the next engagement. Manligheten's outwardly stoic appearance hid the scars within. Fear overtook his world. The brutal sights of D-day haunted what little sleeping hours he had. His ears still rang as if the guns had freshly sounded. His hands trembled and tightly grasped a sabre that was no longer there. He no longer had control. He spent years bouncing from employer, to the streets, to yet another employer. Far from an arrogant, regretless, yet principled soldier, Manligheten entered civilian life as an apprehensive and fretful old soul. The only stable employment he found was as a dock worker for Röda Bolaget. The present felt strange. Uneasy. Manligheten's days were spent in repetitive physical labor, hauling boxes and bags of goods in and out of cargo holds. He seldom spoke, only nodding or shrugging whenever someone tried to converse with him. With all the new technology he was expected to use, Manligheten couldn't tell what was worse: the constant reminder of what was left behind, or the realization of how far he had fallen. The life he knew was over a long time ago. Now, he was simply a tired, disillusioned dock worker trying to make a living.

Universe Name: Stasis 1920s Universe Profile: This alternate timeline sees the 1920s locked in an endless loop, with the world stuck in the cultural, political, and technological state of that decade. The Roaring Twenties—characterized by jazz, flappers, Prohibition, the rise of consumerism, and the aftermath of World War I—never end. The hopes for a modernized and technologically advanced world are curtailed, and while society remains in the boom of post-WWI optimism, the inevitable changes and struggles of the 1930s and beyond are never realized. Instead of advancing into the Great Depression, World War II, and the modern era, the world is locked in a perpetual cycle of the 1920s' cultural excesses, economic highs, and political instability. Universe Timeline: 1920 (The Roaring Twenties Begin): In this timeline, the aftermath of World War I results in an initial economic boom, but an anomaly in time causes the world to become trapped in 1920. It is the dawn of the "Jazz Age," yet something feels off. Instead of the inevitable downturn that would come with the Great Depression, society remains stuck in an era of excess, art deco, and the clash of old values with new ones. 1921-1929 (Cultural and Political Stagnation): The economic prosperity of the 1920s continues unbroken. Flappers, speakeasies, jazz music, and Hollywood's Golden Age dominate the cultural landscape, but there's no significant evolution. The stock market keeps soaring, and the rise of consumerism continues without the impending collapse. The rise of political movements, including the growth of fascism and communism, remains dormant as tensions never escalate into the crises that would define the 1930s. 1930s and Beyond (Time Stalls): The Great Depression never hits, nor do the geopolitical tensions that would lead to World War II. The world is locked in a perpetual 1920s loop, with technological advances stunted and society trapped in a gilded age that never gives way to the hardships or victories that would come. The development of civil rights, women’s suffrage beyond 1920, and scientific progress are all frozen. No social movements advance, and global power structures are in a state of unchanging flux. Current Year (Stuck in 1929): It is always 1929, the height of the Roaring Twenties. The stock market has reached its peak, and the "Jazz Age" is in full swing. The world continues to function in a cyclical fashion, with no global events pushing humanity forward into the future. The sense of inevitable progress that defined the original 1920s is absent, replaced by an unshakable sense of stasis. People live in constant excitement, unaware that they are caught in a loop. As the decade repeats, they hold onto their cultural icons, technological milestones, and political hopes without ever realizing they are trapped in time. Universe Lore: The origin of this stasis timeline is tied to a strange and unexplained event in the 1920s, possibly involving an experimental technology or the interference of an outside cosmic force. The anomaly occurred around the economic boom, just as the cultural and political landscape seemed ripe for the changes that would shape the rest of the 20th century. Instead of continuing into the 1930s, the loop kicked in, stopping time at the zenith of the Roaring Twenties. The timeline's technological advancements are frozen in a 1920s context. The world has developed rudimentary aviation, radio broadcasting, and early automobiles, but there are no breakthroughs in science, such as space travel, computer technology, or antibiotics. Similarly, the political and social movements of the time—such as women's suffrage and the rise of civil rights—are never allowed to develop beyond their initial stages. The world remains at a crossroads, with no forward progress. Universe Tagline: "A decade of excess, forever untouched by time." Universe Theme/Genre/Motif: Theme: The theme centers on unrealized progress and the illusion of prosperity. In this universe, the optimism of the 1920s persists, but the harsh realities of history—the Great Depression, World War II, and the civil rights struggles—never come to pass. The world is stuck in an era of excess, with an eternal sense of “what could have been,” as society lives in a never-ending cycle of economic growth and cultural boom without facing the crises that would eventually reshape the global landscape. Genre: Alternate history / Dystopian (Retro) / Historical Fiction Although the world seems to be stuck in the gleaming excess of the 1920s, it is, in fact, a dystopia where progress has been deliberately frozen. The contrast of the bright, hopeful cultural landscape of the Roaring Twenties with the stagnation of time creates a strange mix of vibrant energy and oppressive stasis. Motif: The motif is endless celebration and the illusion of change. The people of this timeline live with an undeniable sense of being part of something grand—the optimism and cultural explosion of the Jazz Age—yet they are forever caught in its shallow, cyclical nature. The imagery of flappers, jazz bands, and decadent parties underscores a society locked in a perpetual loop of fleeting enjoyment but unable to grow or face real challenges. The stock market and art deco design are key symbols, representing both the material wealth and the fragility of this never-ending decade. Consequence of Butterfly Effect: The butterfly effect that led to this timeline centers around a pivotal moment in 1920—likely a technological or scientific experiment that went wrong, an unexplained cosmic event, or a shift in collective consciousness. In the original timeline, the 1920s represented a time of both cultural flourishing and looming social change. The stock market crash of 1929, the Great Depression, and the eventual rise of fascism and communism were catalysts that pushed humanity into the next era of challenges, social progress, and geopolitical struggles. However, in this stasis timeline, the first signs of economic collapse were mysteriously averted by the anomaly, which froze the world in place. The butterfly effect can be seen in the avoidance of the Great Depression—this change causes the loss of the needed societal shifts, such as labor reforms, the growth of civil rights movements, and the political and technological advancements that would define the mid-20th century. The inability to face these challenges stunts growth, and the world remains trapped in a never-ending loop of prosperity and excess without true progress. Additional Note: People born into this world are unaware of any reality beyond 1929. They see the world as always being this way—constant parties, jazz music, political uncertainty, and the “good times” of a post-WWI world. The feeling of nostalgia for a past they have never known runs deep, as they experience an illusion of “the good old days,” unaware that it is a never-ending loop. Some groups, known as the Erasers, have formed around the belief that they can break the cycle and allow time to flow forward. However, their attempts always end in failure. Technological development remains frozen, meaning there is no Internet, no television, and no major scientific breakthroughs like nuclear energy or medical advancements. The world is stuck in its 1920s technology—radios, early planes, and crude automobiles. The political climate remains volatile but stationary. Although there are tensions between capitalist democracies and rising socialist or fascist movements, they never come to fruition in a way that forces the global political map to change. The social movements for women’s rights, labor reforms, and racial equality stall just as they begin to make headway, and no major social upheaval or war ever erupts to alter the course of history. This world’s population continues to experience the same decade over and over, with no knowledge of what may lie beyond it, caught in a cycle of unrealized potential and an everlasting sense of nostalgia for an age that will never pass.

The Cracked Illusion In the neon-lit ruins of what used to be civilization, where holograms promised equality but reality delivered abandonment, there was a hacker named Riven. She wasn’t just any rogue—she was disabled in a world that had long since decided people like her were “too expensive” to accommodate. The so-called Utopia Protocol had promised universal accessibility, but behind its sleek AI-driven bureaucracy, it was just a pretty veneer over a system that let people like her rot in the shadows. But Riven didn’t rot. She adapted. Her wheelchair was hacked together with salvaged military exoskeleton tech. Her neural implants, initially marketed as "assistive devices," had been jailbroken into weapons. Where society withdrew its help, she built her own. And now, she was about to burn their illusion of benevolence to the ground. The target? The Help Desk. A misleading name—it was neither helpful nor a desk. It was the central AI that governed all requests for assistance, doling

The latest report by IMARC Group, titled “Europe Real Estate Market: Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity, and Forecast 2024-2032,” offers a comprehensive analysis of the Europe real estate market report. The report also includes competitor and regional analysis, along with a breakdown of segments within the industry. The Europe real estate market size is projected to exhibit a growth rate (CAGR) of 3.78% during 2024-2032. Europe Real Estate Market Trends: The Europe market is primarily influenced by demographic trends such as population growth, urbanization, and migration patterns driving demand for residential and commercial properties. In line with this, infrastructure development projects, including transportation networks and urban revitalization initiatives, enhance property values and attractiveness in urban centers, thereby impelling market growth. Furthermore, foreign investment flows seeking stable returns and diversification opportunities support market

The Ainsworth family – David, 45, Sarah, 42, and their two children, Emily, 12, and Thomas, 9 – were, by all accounts, an ordinary British family. David, an accountant with a local firm, and Sarah, a part-time teacher, were described by neighbors as kind, if reserved. Emily excelled in school, while Thomas was a budding footballer. Their lives in the quiet suburban town of Market Harborough, Leicestershire, were unremarkable, predictable, comfortable. That is, until they booked a holiday to Bulgaria in the summer of 2023 and vanished without a trace. The Ainsworths arrived in Bulgaria on July 15th, their destination a small, family-run hotel in the picturesque coastal town of Sozopol. They planned a two-week stay, hoping to soak up the sun, explore the ancient ruins, and enjoy a relaxing break from their routine. Initial reports from the hotel staff described the family as polite and unassuming guests. They spent their days as expected, exploring the local beaches, visiting the old