No.635
I used to have a name. Back when names meant something.
%%I had a ranch, a family, and a life—maybe not much by the standards of the old world, but it was mine.
I remember the smell of hay, the feel of dirt under my boots, the sound of horses’ hooves in the morning mist. The world was simpler then. A place where you
knew who you were, what you had, what you could do. I used to dream of something more. Not just working the land, not just living day by day. I’d visit photography exhibitions
once. I always wanted to capture the world like they did, to freeze it in time, to show the beauty of the land, the creatures, the things that made the world
feel alive. I even bought a camera once, but… I never really used it. Never had the time. Always too caught up with the ranch, the daily grind.%%
No.636
But then… everything started to change. I felt it creeping in, like a storm on the horizon. The tension, the fear. And then, one day, everything fell apart.
The bombs dropped. My ranch burned, my family vanished in the blink of an eye. The people who knew me? Gone. My name? Gone. I became just a nobody, wandering
from one ruin to the next like the walking dead, a ghost among the radioactive remains. My life had lost its meaning. Driven by instinct alone, I survived the
long nuclear winter—searching for food, hunting, sheltering from the wind. But I had yet to encounter horrors I hadn’t even seen during the war: cannibals,
man-eating ghouls, slave traders, sectarians, bandits. In that moment, I didn’t care about the future. Years passed, my senseless existence slowly destroying
my mind, and then, one day, I suddenly remembered the camera. Yeah… my camera.
No.637
But then… everything started to change. I felt it creeping in, like a storm on the horizon. The tension, the fear. And then, one day, everything fell apart.
The bombs dropped. My ranch burned, my family vanished in the blink of an eye. The people who knew me? Gone. My name? Gone. I became just a nobody, wandering
from one ruin to the next like the walking dead, a ghost among the radioactive remains. My life had lost its meaning. Driven by instinct alone, I survived the
long nuclear winter—searching for food, hunting, sheltering from the wind. But I had yet to encounter horrors I hadn’t even seen during the war: cannibals,
man-eating ghouls, slave traders, sectarians, bandits. In that moment, I didn’t care about the future. Years passed, my senseless existence slowly destroying
my mind, and then, one day, I suddenly remembered the camera. Yeah… my camera.
No.639
Once at night I found my way into a camp of raiders. I faced with a primal savagery first time then. A group of slavers, pure bastards. They'd taken people, tortured them, used them like animals, like property. I took a photo. A simple thing. But that photo—those people, those raiders—then… I don't exactly know what happens, but… By the time the sun came up, the camp was a bloodbath. All cages was empty. No more slavery, no more tortues, only piace, friendship and bubble-gum.
No.640
Was it me who did all this? Was it me who brought down the hammer of justice? One minute, I’m standing there, staring at those cages, those poor souls—those slaves, those captives—and all I wanted was to open the cages, set them free. A good deed. I wanted to see them smile, hear them laugh. A little piece of happiness. But then… I didn’t think about the guns, or anything bad. No, just the magic of friendship and a leprechaun with his pot of gold, a rainbow bursting out of it. But the others, those angry, drunk, drugged-up bastards… they weren’t happy. Why? I did a good thing. I freed the prisoners. But they came at me, cursing… Someone shot at me. And then, the veil dropped. I wasn’t me anymore. I became a monster. A bloodthirsty demon, cast from hell to sow death.
No.641
The primal fear in the marauders' eyes, piss-soaked pants. Limbs torn off, explosions, guts spilling out… Blood. Everywhere. The blood, the screams. The awful screams of those stinking marauders, rotten-teeth bandits. It was like music. Beautiful, violent, desperate music. And I kept shooting. Kept moving, clicking that damn camera… maybe it was a shotgun. Likely it was. Blast to the face — crack. No more face. Path cleared. Run, prisoners. The filthy bastard’s
murky eye. Steel to the eye socket—boom — head gone. Let the blood spray, let the spine stick out. Torn veins, torn arteries. Nail heads loaded into shotgun shells — God, that’s a terrifying thing. Rib cages devastated, arrogant faces demolished. They thought they were gods, sitting in their little kingdom — well, their kingdom is burning, abandoned, forgotten. And I’m the one who captured it all. I captured them, just like I captured the rest of the world’s rot. Now 'Mad Cowboy' — sounded a new way.
No.659
No.660
Spoiler feature checking…
>>Terminal: 1
No.741
Mad Cowboy fiddles with the rusted lock of a cage, humming a cheerful tune. His pink hat gleams brightly under the sun.
- Alright, kiddos, don’t you worry now! Ol’ Mad Cowboy’s here to save the day! Just hold tight, and remember—freedom looks best with a big ol’ smile for the camera!
He yanks the lock with a grunt, and the cage door creaks open. From the building behind him, angry shouts echo. A raider bursts outside, his face twisted with rage.
- What the fuck is this pink-hatted lunatic doing with our slaves?! Hey, jackass! Hands off, or I’ll shove that camera up your shiny ass!
Another raider stumbles behind, holding a grenade and hiccuping.
- What the hell, PINKIE?! You think you can just waltz in here with that stupid hat and your dumb grin?! You’re DEAD MEAT!
Third raider follows, spitting on the ground, grinning maliciously
- You see this clown? Looks like someone pumped Psycho up his ass all the way to his throat! Look at him hoppin' around those cages like a rabid mole rat. Bet you anything he’ll start gnawing through the bars any second now.
Mad Cowboy doesn’t even look at them, focusing on the next cage, his fingers trembling as he fights with the lock. His voice rises, his tone becoming frantic and delirious as he speaks to no one in particular.
- Freedom… yes, freedom! Everyone gets to be free! Can’t you hear it? They’re calling, screaming—‘Set us free!’ Don’t you worry, little voices, I hear you! Ol’ Cowboy’s here to make things right!
The raiders exchange a glance, their mocking grins twisting into annoyance. One of them draws his gun.
- Hey, pink hat! Maybe we oughta put you out of your misery, huh? Might be doing you a favor.
A gunshot rings out. The bullet grazes Mad Cowboy’s shoulder, sending his hat tilting askew. He freezes. The world seems to blur and distort, a hazy fog descending over the scene. The voices in his head grow louder, drowning out reality. Slowly, he straightens, gripping his shotgun and adjusting his hat. His manic grin spreads wider as he turns to the raiders.
No.742
- Well now, boys… friendship is a magical thing. But you just went and killed it. The rainbow’s gone, the leprechaun ran off… and guess what he left behind? A gremlin. With a shotgun.
In one swift motion, the shotgun comes up. The first blast takes off a raider’s head, sending a fountain of blood spraying onto the cages. Mad Cowboy chuckles darkly as the body slumps to the ground.
- Y’know, boys, you forgot somethin’ important. Before ya die, it’s polite to say, ‘Hi!’ and, ‘How are ya?!’
He swings the shotgun toward the next raider, his grin stretching wider.
Some more raiders come outdoor to fight. One of the raiders charges at him with a knife. Mad Cowboy catches him under the chin with the barrel of his shotgun, his grin widening.
- Say cheese, partner!
The shot blows the top of the raider’s head clean off, splattering the ceiling with crimson. The headless body drops to its knees before collapsing in a heap.
The third raider, panicking, pulls a grenade from his belt, his hands trembling. The pin slips from his fingers, and the grenade drops to the ground.
- Aw, hell…
- SHIT?!
The explosion rocks the area, tearing the raider apart. Pieces of charred flesh and bone rain down. A severed arm lands near Mad Cowboy’s boots.
- Now that’s what I call a Kodak moment. Y’all look stunning!
Turning, he spots another raider trying to flee. A shotgun blast to the stomach sends the raider flying, his torso splitting open as his intestines spill across the ground.
Out of shells, Mad Cowboy draws his machete. The last raider, bleeding and desperate, crawls away, his face twisted in terror. Mad Cowboy follows, his voice almost sing-song.
- Oh, come now, don’t be shy. Let’s finish this with a little flair! Hands in the air, big smile… perfect! Now, say goodbye!
The machete comes down, severing the raider’s head. Blood sprays across the dirt as the body falls limp.
The cages stand empty, the slaves having fled. The ground is littered with corpses, gore, and shattered bones. Mad Cowboy surveys the scene, adjusting his hat. His camera clicks one last time.
- Well, what can I say? Freed the folks, made some memories, and created a masterpiece. Ain’t that just the prettiest thing? Now, time to mosey along—this cowboy’s got more art to make.
With a whistle, he slings his shotgun over his shoulder and strides off into the wasteland, humming a jaunty tune as the sun glints off his pink hat.
No.743
>>724Well now, partner, hold your horses! I ain't just sittin' on my tail, no sir. I've been out there, wrestlin' with the ghosts of the Wasteland, chasin' sunsets and makin' stories worth tellin'. But you know what they say: a masterpiece takes time. So sit tight, keep that smile on, and don't you worry—Mad Cowboy's got somethin' special brewin' just for you!
No.800
[Scene: Abandoned Building. Crumbling walls, rusty beams, and debris scattered across the floor. Dust floats in the stale air, and distant echoes of laughter drift from deeper within.]
(A skinny raider—dressed in a faded denim jacket with a lazy revolver hanging at his side—ambles through the ruined hallway, lazily puffing on a hand-rolled cigarette. From a nearby room, a short, stocky another raider emerges. His face is scarred, and he grips a sawed-off shotgun in his calloused hands. The two raiders lock eyes.)
The Second Raider (gruffly):
"Hey, man, what the hell you doin’ wanderin’ around? Heard some freak in a pink hat’s been sneakin’ around. He might be close."
(The first raider narrows his eyes, about to say something, but the second raider suddenly freezes. His eyes go wide in sheer terror as he stares past the hippie’s shoulder. His grip on the shotgun tightens, his breath quickens.)
[SLOW MOTION:]
(Close-up on the first raider's face. His mouth slowly opens, the hand-rolled cigarette dangling loosely from his lips. Suddenly—)
BOOOOOM!
(A roaring explosion of flame, gunpowder smoke, and wadding bursts out from the hippie’s open mouth like a dragon’s breath. Blazing powder, shards of burning wadding, and jagged nail heads hurtle forward in a searing storm of death.)
[CAMERA FOLLOWS THE NAIL HEADS IN SLOW MOTION:]
(The fiery shrapnel spins through the dust-choked air, closing in on the frozen, horrified the second raider. His eyes widen further as the first nail punches through his cheek, followed by a storm of searing hot metal ripping through his face. His body jerks backward violently, smashing into the crumbling wall like a ragdoll under a wrecking ball. Blood and flesh spray across the ruins.)
[SILENCE.]
(The smoke lingers in the air, swirling around the wreckage. Slowly, the camera pans to reveal Mad Cowboy, emerging from the shadows. His sawed-off shotgun rests casually on his shoulder. He tilts his head slightly, a subtle smirk creeping onto his face.)
Mad Cowboy (calm, with a cold grin):
"Huh. Guess smokin’ really does kill."
(With a lazy flick, he cocks the shotgun, turns on his heel, and disappears into the darkness of the ruins, boots crunching softly on the rubble.)
[GAME NARRATION:]
["The scent of gunpowder and scorched flesh lingers in the air. Or maybe that's just the Wasteland reminding you who’s in charge."]
No.801
"WELL NOW, PARTNER…"
This ain’t no quick-draw showdown. Workin’ on this project’s like stokin’ a locomotive—iron burnin’ hot, wheels screechin’, and no signs of slowin’ down.
Sure, it’s been quiet. But quiet’s just the sound of somethin’ big buildin’ up steam. Every piece’s comin’ together, tighter than a shotgun shell. And when it’s ready? Oh, it’s gonna hit harder than a double-barrel at point-blank.
So sit tight, tip your hat low, and keep your boots off the tracks.
Patience, partner. This beast ain’t stoppin’ for nobody.
No.982
Why is my default name Экспериментатор? Something weird is going on — the Имя field is blank, so there’s no reason for that unacceptable name to appear. Something tricky is happening in this thread.
No.988
>>987The sentence
He gave her a jeweled dagger can be ambiguous because of the adjective
jeweled. This adjective can refer either to a dagger that is
made of jewels or to one that is
decorated with jewels.
No.990
>>985I forgot to include the example sentence
They rolled up the carpet that demonstrates how the word
carpet is used in context.
No.993
>>991>His (pronoun) — Belonging to him (the man).His is a possessive determiner that marks
arm as belonging to the referent of
he (i.e., the man performing the action).
No.996
>>995If I don’t set a name,
Экспериментатор gets assigned as the default.
WTF?
No.997
>>995I just deleted all the posts with the name
Экспериментатор, and now the button isn’t working!
No.1001
>>1000NOTEThe phrase
by spoon is an
instrumental prepositional phrase, functioning as an
adjunct — it is not required to complete the verb, but adds how the action was done.
No.1008
>>1007There was a fork on the plate.SENTENCE-LEVEL PARAPHRASE A fork was on the plate. A fork existed on the plate. A fork was sitting on the plate. One fork was on a dish.LEXEME INTERPRETATION IN CONTEXT There (existential marker) — Used to say that something exists or is present.
Be (verb) — Shows that something exists or is located somewhere.
A (article) — Used when we talk about one thing for the first time.
Fork (noun) — A small tool with sharp points used to eat food.
On (preposition) — Shows that something is touching or resting above a surface.
The (article) — Shows that the noun is already known or specific.
Plate (noun) — A flat round dish you eat from.
SYNTACTIC CATEGORY & FUNCTION There (existential placeholder) — fills the subject position in existential constructions.
Was (verb) — functions as the predicate.
A fork (noun phrase) — functioning as the notional subject; the thing being talked about.
On the plate (prepositional phrase) — functioning as a locative adjunct; tells us where the fork is.
DEPENDENCY RELATIONS Was (predicate) ↔
there (existential placeholder) —
There fills the subject position in the existential clause.
Was (predicate) ↔
a fork (notional subject) —
A fork is the real subject; it is the thing that exists.
Fork (noun) ↔
on the plate (location modifier) —
On the plate tells us where the
fork is.
On (preposition) ↔
the plate (object of preposition) —
The plate completes the meaning of
on.
The (determiner) ↔
plate (noun) —
The makes
plate definite and specific.
SENSE DISAMBIGUATION ● The word
fork can mean a tool for eating, a point where roads split, or even a part of a tree (forked branch).
● In this sentence, the meaning is clearly
an eating tool, because it is found on a plate, which suggests a dining context.
● The word
plate could refer to a flat dish, a metal sheet, or a license plate. Here, the phrase
on the plate anchors it in a kitchen or table setting, selecting the dishware sense.
● The verb
was expresses existence in the past — it doesn’t describe action, only location or presence.
SUPPLEMENTARY OBSERVATIONS ● This sentence is an existential clause: it introduces the existence of an entity
a fork.
● The grammatical subject is there, but the logical subject is
a fork.
● The phrase
on the plate is a locative adjunct — optional, but provides spatial information.
● The indefinite article
a marks
fork as new information, while
the marks
plate as already known to the speaker and listener.
GLOSSARY Existential marker — A word like there that signals the existence of something in a sentence.
Predicate — The part of the sentence that tells something about the subject (includes the verb).
Noun phrase — A group of words built around a noun that can act as a subject or object.
Notional subject — The real subject of the sentence, even if it comes after the verb (e.g.,
a fork in existential clauses).
Prepositional phrase — A group of words starting with a preposition, often showing place, time, or manner.
Locative adjunct — A phrase that tells where something is or happens but is not required to complete the sentence.
Determiner — A word (like
the or
a) that comes before a noun to show whether it's specific or general.
Dependency relation — A grammatical link between words, showing how one word (e.g., a noun) depends on another (e.g., a verb or determiner).
No.1009
He picked the food up by fork.
SENTENCE-LEVEL PARAPHRASE
He lifted the food using a fork.
He took the food up with a fork.
He used a fork to pick up the food.
He got the food with a fork.
LEXEME INTERPRETATION IN CONTEXT
He (pronoun) — A man or boy who does something.
Pick (verb) — To take or lift something using your hand or a tool; needs an object.
The (determiner) — Shows that the noun food is already known or specific.
Food (noun) — Things we eat.
Up (particle) — Shows movement to a higher position.
By (preposition) — Indicates the tool or means used to do something.
Fork (noun) — A small tool with points, used for eating.
SYNTACTIC CATEGORY & FUNCTION
He (noun phrase) — functioning as the subject; the one doing the action.
Picked up (separable phrasal verb) — functioning as the predicate; the action done by the subject.
The food (noun phrase) — functioning as the direct object; the thing that was picked up.
By fork (prepositional phrase) — functioning as an instrument adjunct; tells how the action was done.
DEPENDENCY RELATIONS
He (subject) ↔ picked up (predicate) — He performs the action.
Picked up (predicate) ↔ the food (object) — The food is the thing being picked up.
Picked up (predicate) ↔ by fork (instrument) — By fork shows what was used to do the action.
The (determiner) ↔ food (noun) — The makes the noun food specific.
SENSE DISAMBIGUATION
● The verb pick can mean choose, pluck, or lift. In this sentence, pick up means to lift — because it’s paired with up, and the object is food, which is something you physically lift when eating.
● The noun fork can refer to a tool for eating, a road split, or part of a tree. Here, because it's used with food and introduced by by, it clearly means an eating tool.
● The phrase by fork is not the most idiomatic; with a fork is more natural. However, the sentence is grammatically interpretable, and by still indicates the instrument used to do the action.
SUPPLEMENTARY OBSERVATIONS
● Picked up is a phrasal verb, made of a base verb pick and a particle up. The meaning changes when the two are together.
● The phrase by fork is an instrumental prepositional phrase, showing the means of the action.
● The use of the food implies that the food was already mentioned or known in the conversation.
● While by fork is understandable, most natural English would say with a fork. This reflects a preposition selection issue that learners commonly face.
GLOSSARY
● Pronoun — A word that replaces or refers to a noun (e.g., he).
● Verb — A word that shows an action or state (e.g., pick).
● Particle — A small word (like up) that joins a verb to form a phrasal verb.
● Separable phrasal verb — A multi-word verb where the object can come between the verb and its particle (e.g., pick up → pick the food up).
● Noun phrase — A group of words with a noun at the center, used as subject or object.
● Subject — The noun phrase that performs the action.
● Predicate — The part of the sentence that includes the verb and tells what the subject does.
● Direct object — The noun phrase that receives the action of the verb.
● Prepositional phrase — A group of words beginning with a preposition that adds information.
● Instrument adjunct — A prepositional phrase that tells what tool or method was used.
● Determiner — A word (like the or a) that shows whether a noun is specific or general.
● Dependency relation — A grammatical link between two words that shows how they work together.
No.1010
She gave the cat a treat.
SENTENCE-LEVEL PARAPHRASE
She gave the cat a treat.
She gave a treat to the cat.
She gave the cat something good.
She gave food to the cat.
She gave the cat food.
She gave the cat something.
She gave it to the cat.
LEXEME INTERPRETATION IN CONTEXT
She (pronoun) — A woman or girl who does something.
Give (verb) — To put something into someone’s hand or let them have it.
The (determiner) — Shows that the noun cat is already known or specific.
Cat (noun) — A small animal with fur and a tail, often kept as a pet.
A (determiner) — Shows that the noun treat is one item and not known before.
Treat (noun) — Something small and nice, often food, given as a gift or reward.
SYNTACTIC CATEGORY & FUNCTION
She (noun phrase) — functions as the subject; the person doing the action.
Gave (transitive verb) — functions as the predicate; shows what the subject did.
The cat (noun phrase) — functions as the indirect object; receives the thing being given.
A treat (noun phrase) — functions as the direct object; the thing that is given.
DEPENDENCY RELATIONS
She (subject) ↔ gave (predicate) — She performs the action.
Gave (predicate) ↔ the cat (indirect object) — The cat receives the thing being given.
Gave (predicate) ↔ a treat (direct object) — A treat is the thing that is given.
The (determiner) ↔ cat (noun) — The makes cat specific.
A (determiner) ↔ treat (noun) — A marks treat as a new, singular item.
SENSE DISAMBIGUATION
● The verb give can mean many kinds of transfer — in this sentence, it means to offer something willingly. The presence of a recipient the cat and a concrete object a treat selects the transfer of possession sense.
● The noun treat can mean a reward, a snack, or a fun experience. Here, it clearly refers to a small piece of food, given to a pet, based on the recipient cat.
● Both the cat and a treat are definiteness-marked: the — known entity, a — new information.
SUPPLEMENTARY OBSERVATIONS
● The verb gave requires three arguments in this structure: a subject She, a direct object a treat, and an indirect object the cat. This is a typical ditransitive construction.
● The indirect object the cat could also be expressed with a prepositional phrase to the cat — this is a known alternation in English.
● Learners may confuse which noun is the recipient vs. the object given. Word order in double object constructions is critical and less transparent than the prepositional variant.
GLOSSARY
Pronoun — A word used instead of a noun (e.g., she).
Verb — A word that shows an action (e.g., give).
Determiner — A word like the or a that comes before a noun to show whether it's known or new.
Noun phrase — A group of words with a noun at the center, used as subject or object.
Subject — The noun phrase that performs the action.
Predicate — The part of the sentence that contains the verb and shows what the subject does.
Direct object — The noun phrase that receives the action of the verb.
Indirect object — The noun phrase that receives the direct object or benefits from the action.
Dependency relation — A grammatical link between two words that shows how they work together in a sentence.
No.1011
He came in with a spoon.
SENTENCE-LEVEL PARAPHRASE
He entered the room with a spoon.
He walked inside holding a spoon.
He had a spoon when he came in.
He was carrying a spoon.
He came with something.
LEXEME INTERPRETATION IN CONTEXT
He (pronoun) — A man or boy who does the action.
Come (verb) — To move toward or into a place.
In (adverb) — Shows movement inside.
With (preposition) — Shows that something is together with someone.
A (determiner) — Used to show that the noun is not known to the listener; just one.
Spoon (noun) — A small tool with a round end, used for eating or stirring.
SYNTACTIC CATEGORY & FUNCTION
He (noun phrase) — functions as the subject; the one who performs the action.
Came in (phrasal verb) — functions as the predicate; shows the movement.
With a spoon (prepositional phrase) — functions as an instrumental or comitative adjunct; gives extra information about what he had with him.
DEPENDENCY RELATIONS
He (subject) ↔ came in (predicate) — He does the action of moving inward.
Came in (verb) ↔ with a spoon (adjunct) — With a spoon gives additional information about what he brought or had.
With ↔ spoon — With introduces the noun spoon in a prepositional phrase.
A ↔ spoon — A shows that spoon is singular and new.
SENSE DISAMBIGUATION
● The verb come has many uses. Here, in the phrase came in, it refers to entering a space.
● The adverb in adds a directional meaning to the verb come and creates a phrasal verb.
● The prepositional phrase with a spoon can indicate either: he had the spoon with him (comitative sense) and he was carrying it, not using it (instrumental).
SUPPLEMENTARY OBSERVATIONS
Came in is a phrasal verb, composed of a main verb come and a particle in. It behaves as a single unit of meaning.
With a spoon is not required to complete the sentence grammatically. It is an optional modifier that adds situational detail.
The determiner a marks the noun spoon as new information, not previously mentioned or known to the listener.
The phrase with a spoon indicates accompaniment, he had the spoon with him when he entered.
GLOSSARY
Pronoun — A word used instead of a noun (e.g., he).
Verb — A word that shows an action or state (e.g., come).
Phrasal verb — A verb followed by a particle (e.g., come in) that together express a single idea.
Preposition — A word like with that connects nouns to other parts of the sentence.
Determiner — A word like a or the that comes before a noun to show if it is known or new.
Noun — A word for a person, place, thing, or idea (e.g., spoon).
Noun phrase — A group of words with a noun at the center, used as subject or object.
Subject — The noun phrase that performs the action.
Predicate — The verb or verb phrase that tells what the subject does.
Adjunct — A part of the sentence that gives extra (non-required) information, like where, how, or with what something happens.
Dependency relation — A grammatical link between words, showing how they connect.
No.1049
>>1046Opposite to
switch off, the collocation
go off means
switch on or
activate!