All Time

HOW TO READ : HOUSE OF LEAVES

A small advice post on how to read House of Leaves, a notoriously confusing book.

01 , 100% read the introduction.

Going into the book, for some reason I got the impression that the introduction is just a foreword by the writer, talking about "blah blah the book was fun to write." However, the introduction is VERY crucial. This technically isn't a spoiler since it's the very beginning of the book.

02 , Lose the impression that Mark Danielewski wrote the book.

Yes, obviously he did write it, but to avoid confusion the reader should disregard that. In your mind, pretend that the key author is Zampano, and the annotations are from a version Johnny Truant stumbled upon. It sounds simple, but it avoids a hell of a lot of confusion.

03 , You're supposed to be confused.

Yeah. It's an intentionally extremely confusing book, so that only certain parts make sense later on. Many people read it multiple times over, so just trust through until the end.

04 , Read all the annotations.

Though they may seem incredibly long-winded and mean absolutely nothing, a lot of them are extremely key. Some people choose to avoid them and only read Zampano's works (which is fine too!), but for the best understanding I'd read the notes. Generally, don't bother with small citations to news articles. However, it is worth checking the annotations every time. For example, in chapter one there is a reference to Dante's Inferno written in Italian. There is a translation in the annotations!

05 , Most of the difficult layouts have small keys.

As the book progresses, the layout becomes increasingly confusing. If something is impossible to read, you're probably not supposed to read it. For many of the layouts that wind around the page, there will be small arrows guiding you. Just trust that the author will not make it impossible.

06 , Only pick up the book when expecting a long session.

House of Leaves is VERY much not just a "quick read." You wanna sit down for a hell of a long time for it and to make sense of it all.

07 , Again, read everything except from when told to check the endnotes.

Although, you can probably skip that 3 pages of names.

08 , You're supposed to feel anxious.

The writer is exceptional in this genre and creating emotion. When paragraphs are long-winded, it's intentional to make you feel as though it draws on in a ramble. When the statements are quick, you're supposed to be a little dazed. You might find yourself feeling lost with the annotations, but that's pretty much the point.

And most of all - enjoy!

It's very much a "push through" book, but don't read it if you find yourself absolutely bored to death. If you hate long books, House of Leaves might not be your cup of tea. I personally loved it, and so do many others.

OH YES

Another jacket I made

small ramble because I'm too big a nerd for marble hornets NOT to :

no, Tim doesn't have DID! or black out episodes! he's actually not a proxy at all.

the whole concept that when he has the mask on, he's in a different persona? it's actually untrue. he's fully sentient and himself when he has the mask on - he knows what he's doing, who he's talking to, and it's the same person.

the only reason he forgets things in the series is because the operator wipes his memory. he forgets things after the operator gets his hands on him, or through Alex. Tim doesn't remember getting his leg broken, because Alex was there with the operator when it happened. other than that, he's sentient.

why? he was confused. he didn't understand, so when Brian came along (also fully himself), showing Tim how Alex was "the problem", Tim was enraged and teamed up as "Masky" and "Hoody" to work against Alex and the operator. theyre not proxies, they never served the operator, and they're fully sentient.

I recommend watching NightMind's video on it! NightMind my goat. gave me a completely new understanding on the series.

feel free to ask away if needed. :)

request from irl who said he looks like a Twitter lesbian

hate to post the same content twice but oh my good god looking at old art vs new is so funny.

4 years diff. granted I was probably 11-12 at the time of the first. SAME FUCKING CHARACTER I CANNOT

never give up your dreams guys!!! one day that freaky scrawny twink will become hot well rendered man.

I fucking love that there's a sudden spike in likes on this post because it's now hit october. find his pumpkins

I like to think I'm funny

Tim helps you through a panic attack

This is a part 2, but you do not need the context tbh.

Part 1 here

Genre: Angst, hurt/comfort

Literally the opposite of a slow burn, I'm sorry

Wc: 1.7k

Toby seized the moment and managed to yank his axe free. With a swift and decisive motion he raised his hands high above his head.

“Get back,” he warned you.

“Do you really think I can just let her go?” you shot back, panic gnawing at your insides. The cultist's mouth gaped open, her teeth snapping at the air, desperate to get a piece of you. You shifted your hand as best as you could to avoid the axe’s path, but you couldn’t afford to loosen your grip on her nose. “Just don’t miss, for god’s sake!” you urged, casting a worried glance at him through furrowed brows. You were painfully aware that his usual unpredictability could lead to disaster.

There was a brief, charged silence as he locked eyes with you, both of you acutely aware of the fine line between you saying goodbye to your dominant hand or not. With a deep breath, Toby steeled himself; there was no room for uncertainty.

In a fluid motion, he swung the axe downward, zeroing in on the cultist’s neck, the raw power of his intention propelling the blade through the air toward its target.

You shot your eyes closed and averted your head in an effort to protect the rest of your body. It was not only for the lack of pain that you knew Toby did successfully hit his target; it was the sudden, jarring shift in weight that fought against your grip. You did not dare open your eyes until the loud thud of the woman’s body echoed in the empty cabin.

“Jesus christ!” you cursed instictively, throwing away the left over head you were still holding. Taking two steps back you tried to regain confidence, shaking off your hands and legs hoping they would stop trembling. As you glanced around the room at the bloodstained floor and the ominous stairs leading down toward the basement, a horrifying question popped into your mind: “What about Tim and Brian?”

Toby scuffs seemingly annoyed your urgency to rescue the other two is more important than celebrating his perfect target. Nonetheless, he straightens his back and marches past you before coming to a full stop at the top of the stairs.

“You hear anything?” he asks in a whisper, lowering his ear. You mimic his motion and listen, but only the sound of your fast beating heart was audible. You turn to look at him, before looking down into the darkness, as if prompting him to go check it out. Toby doesn’t seem to accept the anxious negative head shake you give after he nodded his head for you to go first.

His lips move silently, forming the words as he mouths emphatically: “G-O-!”

Your eyes widen in disbelief. Here he is, a towering 6’2" man wielding a blood-soaked axe, fresh from decapitating a creature that resembled a human. Absolutely no way was he sending you into the fray first.

“Y-O-U,” you mouth fiercely, pointing at him with both hands before shifting your attention to the enveloping darkness. “G-O-!”

With an angry shake of his head, he insists, “Y-O-U,” his voice rising in a hushed shout. “GO!”

“You go!” you retort, whispering defiantly back at him.

“I’ll fucking go!” Tim hollered from the basement. “Can one of you two idiots come untie us already?”

You roll your eyes, a new sense of safety washing over you.

“No, no, give them a minute” Brian’s muffled voice followed. “I think they were just about to reach to an agreement.”

The four of you were scattered around the dimly lit room. The paint was peeling off the walls, revealing layers of faded colors long abandoned. Dust hung heavy in the air, dancing lazily in the single, flickering yellow light bulb that buzzed incessantly above. Its glow barely reached the corners.

You found Tim pinned beneath a heavy metal tool case with a crimson gash on his forehead oozing slowly. Meanwhile, Brian was jammed awkwardly inside a cabinet, his face flushed and cheeks stuffed with gear. His body was tense, but even he managed a deadpan “thanks.".

"We've got one in two pieces upstairs," said Toby, adjusting his sleevs with trembling hand.

Tim nodded, a smirk creeping up on his face, despite his plight. The approval from Tim, in this absurd situation, felt like a badge of honor. It was enough to make Toby's chest puff out with pride, as if he'd just scored the winning goal. He bounced slightly on the balls of his feet, oblivious to the tense atmosphere.

“Where's the other?” you interjected, your voice cutting his cheerful moment short. It was the natural follow-up question. The thought of another cultist lurking in the dark made the hair on your back raise.

“Probably snuck out while we were busy,” Toby replied quietly, his gaze darting around the dimly lit room.

“And left her friend to die?” you countered, frustration creeping into your voice. The two men you turned to for support didn’t seem to share your unease.

“Well she surely didn’t back her up, did she?” Tim shot back, his eyes fixing on you with a confidence that only added to your anxiety.

“What if she does?” The words tumbled out before you could stop them. Your glance flickered from Toby’s frown of disagreement to Brian, who was casually shaking the dust from his hoodie, seemingly unfazed. “We can’t just assume she’ll abandon the situation like nothing happened!”

Toby groaned, leaning his head back as annoyance washed over his features. Tim narrowed his gaze at him: a warning, before turning his attention back to you. He struggled to keep his tone gentle, trying not to amplify your anxiety, but the traces of frustration and irritation seeped into his usually warm brown eyes.

“I know they look human, and it's tempting to think they possess intelligence,” he began, his voice steady.

Brian rolled his eyes, expressing the exhaustion of having heard this lecture countless times before. He took a step toward the stairs, glancing back at Tim to gauge whether he was still needed before making his way up to the living room. Each step on the old wooden stairs creaked loudly, a sound that only deepened your discomfort.

“Go secure the perimeter, Tics,” Tim commanded the teenager.

Toby scuffed audibly: “You really m-mean to tell me you- you really mean t-t-to tell me you think the other one is still- Fuck- lingering around?”

“What are you, desne?” Tim retorted sharply, giving Toby a light shove against the sternum and stepping closer, effectively cornering him. Instinctively, Toby shrank back, trying to make himself small against Tim’s imposing presence. “Object again and I’ll make you a cripple that repeat’s himself by sunrise.”

A chill climbed up your spine as you darted your eyes between Toby and Tim. The microaggressions Tim was displaying surely made you feel so much calmer. Heart raced as Toby, face pale with fear, suddenly darted up the stairs without looking back. Pity washed over you as you watched him flee, but your own dread grew palpable.

Everything that happened so far finally came crashing down on you and became awfully aware of the danger lurkig in every shadow. The cultists, the operator, and now Tim, who stood with his back turned, an air of menace that curled your stomach in knots. You stiffened, breath hitching at the thought of what might happen next.

“I know they look human,” Tim started over with a tired exhale. “They are not. Closer to fish rather than dogs, actually.”

What on earth are you doing? You spent the last months of your life eating, sleeping next to the people who killed your friends. Not only had you laughed with them, helped them heal- you came to care for them. The guilt suffocates you, eats at you from the inside. Yet this heaviness pales in comparison to the unbearable fear swirling in your mind as Tim calls your name.

He looks annoyed, you think. Is this the moment he finally snaps? The thought sends another wave of anxiety crashing over you. Even if he doesn’t lose it, you know whatever lurking monster awaits you all will surely come for you. And deep within, you can’t help but think that maybe it would be exactly what you deserved after everything that had happened.

“Hey, hey- look at me,” his voice is hard to grasp, like a distant echo. You cannot hear the words he’s speaking, they remain irrelevant though. You were going to die tonight- you felt it so strongly.

Tim steps closer, gently brushing your cheek with his thumb. When did you start crying? Your breaths come in shallow gasps, and the world around you feels distorted and menacing.

A choked sob escapes your lips, and you can feel yourself breaking down completely.

"Sorry, I’m so—" you begin, but your words are abruptly cut off by a hiccup. "I don't know why I'm crying, I'm sorry," you manage to choke out, feeling overwhelmingly ashamed.

Tim remains still, his hand tenderly resting on your cheek. He looks at you with what you might've mistaken for concern had you not known him.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Surprisingly, his calloused hand begins to ground you. The steps he took towards you were forgotten in the haze of your panic attack, and now, you came to the abrupt realisation of how close you two really were.

You look up at him through teary eyelashes, and the image of him blurs, much like the lines of your hostile relationship. After swallowing dryly, you accept how much you embarrassed yourself in front of him. Despite all your better reasoning, you allow your head to fall heavy in his palm.

Exhale.

His hand is rough, cool against your skin, and undeniably dirty

Inhale.

But it’s been too long since someone touched you, and if you just close your eyes shut, perhaps he will feel familiar.

Exhale.

His fingers move ever so slightly brushing your skin with care. You cannot recall anyone touching you so gently before.

You should open your eyes, sooner better than later. You know who he is, what he’s done. It’s unfair for you to find comfort in the very hands that have inflicted so much pain.

Inhale.

“We’ll keep you safe, kid.”