Dec. 18, 2025

An Angel of Death Christmas: A Scary Holiday Horror Showdown

An Angel of Death Christmas: A Scary Holiday Horror Showdown
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Looking for a Christmas horror story that hits like a slasher, moves like a thriller, and burns like a nightmare? This week on Weekly Spooky, the holidays turn deadly in the Strickfield universe when a toxic chemical crash on a snowy Ohio highway ignites neon green fire—and something comes shambling out of it.

Detective Chantel Devereux thinks the worst is over… until the “accident” echoes into the next year and the body count starts climbing in ways that don’t make sense—melted flesh, missing corpses, and a horror that refuses to stay buried. 

Meanwhile, Raigen—known to the press as the Angel of Death—is trying to keep her secret and survive the season… but when the killings circle closer to home, she and Chester are forced into a desperate hunt through holiday-lit streets and high school hallways to stop a chemically mutated monster before Christmas becomes a funeral. 

Inside this episode:

  • Holiday horror in Ohio snow with radio-suspense pacing and brutal surprises
  • A serial killer protagonist with rules… and a family who can’t know the truth 
  • A mutant chemical creature that melts what it touches—and keeps coming 
  • Twins, teen rivalry, and Christmas weekend tension that snaps into violence 

If you want scary Christmas stories with mature themes, a fast plot, and a finale that punches hard—hit play… and tell me: would you still go home for Christmas if you knew something followed you out of the snow?

An Angel of Death Christmas — by Rob Fields

🎧 LISTEN NOW and subscribe for spine-tingling horror stories every week!

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📬 Contact Us / Submit Your Horror Story!

🎵 Music by Ray Mattis 👉 Check out Ray’s incredible work here !
👨‍💼 Executive Producers: Rob Fields, Bobbletopia.com
🎥 Produced by: Daniel Wilder
🌐 Explore more terrifying tales at: WeeklySpooky.com
WEBVTT

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Neon green fire blooms on a snow bound highway and

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something crawls out of the wreckage. No one can stop

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it except Reagan, the Angel of Death. She's back, colder

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than ever, her bloodlust only beginning this Christmas. The bodies

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stack up fast. How did you get in here? Ho? Ho?

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What's that you want to be scared to? Come with me?

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This is Weekly Spooky. Hello, my spookies, It's Thursday, and

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we're getting ever closer to Christmas. So why not curl

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up tonight? So why not curl up tonight with a

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novella length episode? And it has a familiar face to

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all the long time spookies, and it may just be

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an introduction to the newcomers. But before we get to that,

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thank you so much for allowing me to bring a

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little scare to your holiday season. I hope it helps

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everything go a little smoother, having something chilling to listen

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to while you're buying gifts, running errands, working extra shifts,

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or traveling. Tomorrow we'll have an episode of cutting Deep

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into Horror, all about one of my favorite Christmas horror films,

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Dead Air, and maybe a little extra story under the Tree.

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And Saturday we'll have a compilation of Christmas horrors to

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make sure you have no shortage of spooky. So please

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make sure you're subscribed on your favorite podcasting app, and

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if you want to support us directly, I would consider

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it a Christmas present. Just head to Weekly Spooky dot

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Com slash join and for as little as one dollar

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a month, get two bonus episodes every month, as well

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as my undying gratitude and over five years of exclusive

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audio books and creepypastas at Weekly Spooky dot Com slash Join.

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But now, as for tonight, all right, my spookys pulling close,

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because this story isn't just a Christmas nightmare. Strickfield is

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about to give you something you've been asking for. Reagan,

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the one they call the Angel of Death. Now what

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if I told you she was back back, like a

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cold breath on your neck when you're alone in the snow,

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like a switch flipped and suddenly the body count starts climbing.

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And what if this Christmas the Angel of Death wasn't

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facing a serial killer, but a monster of a different type,

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a thing that's loose and hungry, crawling out from a

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burning chemical wreck. Tonight we witness a holiday story of

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Reagan's Bloodlust in its early violent beginning. So keep your

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lights low, lock your doors tight, and let's see what

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happens when the angel returns. You may want to get

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something warm to drink, because this one is a doozy

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an angel of death. Christmas by Rob Fields two thousand

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and fifteen. A truck from strict Field Chemicals was barreling

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down State Route one after eight pm on Christmas Eve.

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The snow had been coming down steadily all day. It

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was a wonder that the driver wasn't weaving all over

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the road, but they would eventually start doing that very thing,

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and not because of the winter weather. Buck Weathers had

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been driving for Strickfield Chemicals for several years. He was

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such a company man that Preston Miron, the owner of

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Strickfield Chemicals, gave him the special jobs, the ones that

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Preston gladly paid whatever amount Buck wanted to dispose of

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certain chemicals. Preston told Buck where he wanted them dumped,

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gave him half the money up front, then the rest

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when the job was finished. Buck always delivered results, which

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was why Preston never had a problem giving him the

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cash he demanded. On Christmas Eve night, However, Buck was

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struggling to keep his eyes on the road. Even the

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coffee he had been drinking wasn't helping, which was strange

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since he'd always relied on it to keep him going

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through the late hours. Unfortunately, for Buck, the need for

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caffeine wasn't the reason why he was having trouble focusing

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on the road. Buck had taken the truck that Preston

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had prepared for him. Unbeknownst to Buck, a small section

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near the compartment had corroded enough to let the toxic

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waste leak out slowly. To make matters worse, the fumes

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from the highly dangerous waste were overpowering Buck's senses. Soon

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they would overpower him completely unless he stopped and got out. Unfortunately,

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he had no clue what was happening or what was

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about to happen. On that same Ohio Highway, Detective Chantal

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Devereux was on her way back from Strickfield after handling

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another tough case for Chief Jeffrey Casmarak. Chantal was listening

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to Christmas songs and getting into the mood for what

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was to come. When she got home, she knew that

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her three daughters were waiting for her. Her oldest child, Gregor,

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had become more and more hostile towards her. He had

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continuously blamed Chantal for his father's death. The rift between

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them continued to grow wider, and the worst was yet

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to come. She was often hurt by Gregor's words and actions,

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but she put that pain behind her by focusing on

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her eldest daughter, Reagan and her twin daughters, Rouge and Lavender.

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Even though she might feel the urge to cry over

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Gregor at times, she truly believed that one day they

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would reconcile. Chantal was the top detective at the North

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Ridgeway Police Department, where she currently served. Every once in

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a while, Chief cosmar Ac from Strickfield asked Chief Monte

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Cobb if he could borrow Chantal when a case became

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too tough for his own detectives to solve. How many

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times had Chief Cobbs sent her to Strickfield. She didn't

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mind it so much. She liked Jeffrey and the two

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of them always got along as friends, even with him

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being a superior officer. Chantal was navigating the snow covered

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roads quite well in her corvette, keeping her eyes peeled

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for any oncoming cars. Then her eyes went wide when

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she saw the bright, neon green fire blazing just ahead.

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She breaked hard and brought her car to a quick stop.

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She got on her phone and called her home department

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to send the necessary help, including fire trucks. Chantal couldn't

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believe the color of the fire itself. She got out

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of her car and approached the scene. She could go

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no further, but could clearly make out the skeletons of

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what used to be a chemical truck and an suv

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that had collided head on. She felt sad there was

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nothing she herself could do to save any of these people.

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There were two skeletons of what were probably the husband

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and wife in the front. Chantal covered her nose against

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the stench. She had been a top detective long enough

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to sense when someone was approaching her. She whirled around

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to see. Oh God. The only way Chantal could have

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described the horrifying creature was as something straight out of

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a cheesy science fiction movie. Its insides glowed as green

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as the flames from the truck. Its skin had melted

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away enough to reveal parts of its skeleton that glowed

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just as green. It reached out for Chantal and gurgled

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something incoherent, then finished with a wet moan. Chantal ran

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to her car and retrieved her sidearm As it shambled

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after her. She raised her weapon and yelled, get your

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fucking ass back right now. The creature casually lifted a

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huge rock like it was a beach ball and hurled

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it at her. Tall, dropped flat and let its sail

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over her, then rolled and sprang back up to her feet.

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Before the creature could even touch her, it gurgled something

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as if trying to speak. It made it very clear

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that it was intent on killing Chantal. When it stopped

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and projectile vomited toward her, Chantal shrieked as she barely

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avoided the toxic bile. She landed on her backside and

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saw the vomit melt through the snow where it hit.

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She scrambled up as the creature bore down on her.

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Soon the North Ridgeway police and firefighters arrived on the scene.

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When they saw the creature that was trying to kill Chantal,

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the police didn't think twice and immediately opened fire with

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their side arms. Bullets had absolutely no effect on the

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creature whatsoever. Unfortunately, one of the officers had gotten too close.

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Before Chantal could yell, the creature grabbed him, making him

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utter a blood curdling scream. Then it hugged the officer

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to itself, melting the man's skin into its own chemically

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mutated body. The police continued firing on the creature, with

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the same lack of results. The firefighters turned their hoses

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on it, slowing it down. Chantal had been watching everything

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and had an idea that the officers hadn't tried. She

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stepped forward, raised her sidearm, and fired a single bullet

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right between its blank green eyes. The creature dropped onto

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its back instantly and didn't move again. In fact, whatever

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was left of its toxic flesh melted away from the body,

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leaving only a gross, browning skeleton. Soon, even the skeleton

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itself began to melt. Chantal stayed on sight until the

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fire had been extinguished. In the end, there were no

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corpses whatsoever. When no remains were found in the suv,

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it was determined that the flames had burned the occupants

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until not even ashes were left. Chantal herself was taken

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to Ridgeway Heights Memorial Hospital to be examined for any

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kind of contamination. She prayed she would be okay. She

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did not want to worry her kids. She knew they

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could take care of them, but she was a mother

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after all. She wanted to be there for them until

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they decided to go out into the world on their own,

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which she knew wouldn't be long. Gregor was out of

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high school, but seemed ready to leave home at any

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given time. At this point, Reagan was a junior and

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the twins were sophomores at Ridgeway High. Even though chan

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Tal knew this threat was over, she had a deep

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feeling that the incident itself wasn't. Little did she realize

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just how right her feeling was two thousand and sixteen.

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It seems lately I've been doing a lot of my

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special work before cheerleading at high school functions where on

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holiday brains from school, but the building is still open

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for extracurricular activities. It's the Friday night of Christmas weekend,

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and We've got to cheer for the North Ridgway boys

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basketball team against Ridgeway Heights in our yearly rivalry game

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known as the Battle of the Ridgeways. But first I've

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got my latest victim secured to a workbench. How many

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times do you hear about hit and run incidents? For

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that matter, how many times do you see such incidents?

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Just two days ago, downtown, a little girl walked away

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from her mother. As mom was getting her little boy

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situated in the back seat, the girl wandered out into

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the street. A guy driving a muscle car came flying

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around a curve. I'll leave you to connect the dots

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from there. My younger sisters, Rouge and Lavender were horrified

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by the hit and run. If I had emotions, I

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suppose if I had emotions, I would feel the same way.

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I could pretend to feel what they felt. But it's

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not the same thing. We saw what kind of muscle

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car it was, But I had seen the license plate

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and could easily recall it with my highly photographic memory.

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In order to find the driver, all I had to

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do was run the plate using Mom's computer. Now I've

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got Hayden Burns secured to a workbench in his family's

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garage for once, I don't need to explain to my

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victim what he did not when I show him the

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various newspapers covering this story. Uh, I'm sorry, he manages

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to choke out. If that's true, you would have remained

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on site, I counter, but no, you squealed tires and

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peeled out without thinking twice about it. I figured i'd

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find you here at home, being the holiday break and all,

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you didn't come home for a few days evading the police.

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But here you are. Now, what are you gonna do?

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He squeaks for a big, beefy basketball player from my

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high school. He sure isn't so high and mighty. Now. Yes,

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I know it's the Christmas season, but that's not the

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reason why I'm letting Hayden Burns live one. Even though

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he accidentally killed an innocent little girl then drove away,

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he actually regrets it. That's a first for a hit

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and run predator. Mom heard about it from rouge in Lavender.

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I can only imagine how she felt just looking at her.

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She was especially upset. For the record, Hayden can't see

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my face or hair thanks to the mask I'm wearing.

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I even wrapped up my breasts tightly so we wouldn't

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have an accurate description to give the police. I'm sure

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he knows I'm the serial killer. The press has dubbed

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the Angel of death. Hayden closes his eyes, fearing the worst.

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He'll soon realize that I'm gone. I waited to see

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Mom pull into the driveway along with a beat cop.

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Then they'll find Hayden nice and secure in his family's garage.

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I watched Mom read Hayden his rights and arrest him.

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Had he not shown regret, Mom would have found only

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00:19:11.599 --> 00:19:14.960
what was left of him. I can count on one

220
00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:20.000
hand how many times I've let my victims live. As

221
00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:23.599
for how Mom found him, I simply made one of

222
00:19:23.640 --> 00:19:29.119
my anonymous phone calls from a burner, telling her exactly

223
00:19:29.480 --> 00:19:33.880
where to find him. As for me, I remove my

224
00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:38.240
dark outfit and unwrap my chest so I can put

225
00:19:38.279 --> 00:19:42.680
on my cheerleading uniform. From there, I meet up with

226
00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:53.559
the twins and the others at the basketball game. The

227
00:19:53.640 --> 00:19:57.720
game goes well enough, no matter how much we cheer.

228
00:19:58.400 --> 00:20:03.480
Northridgeway loses this year's Battle of the Ridgeways, but not

229
00:20:03.599 --> 00:20:07.839
by much. These two teams will meet one more time

230
00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:12.519
to end their regular seasons in the Eerie Shore Conference.

231
00:20:13.559 --> 00:20:16.640
As it turns out, I do have a circle of

232
00:20:16.680 --> 00:20:21.400
friends here in North Ridgeway, more like friends and family.

233
00:20:22.440 --> 00:20:27.119
After I finish my shower. Beatrice Sherwood. Everybody calls her.

234
00:20:27.240 --> 00:20:31.000
B comes over to talk to me while we get dressed.

235
00:20:31.720 --> 00:20:36.160
I've heard people say Be is like a Japanese anime character.

236
00:20:37.400 --> 00:20:42.799
Be herself isn't Japanese, but her face can somehow contort

237
00:20:43.240 --> 00:20:49.519
to the emotional states of well anime characters. B becomes

238
00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:54.839
more animated the more emotional she gets. Today, she's talking

239
00:20:54.880 --> 00:20:59.400
about one of our friends and ramping up. I'm telling

240
00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:04.720
you rage. I'm tired of Chester. Willis always thinking he's

241
00:21:04.880 --> 00:21:11.279
right about everything. B mutters as I'm listening to b Rant.

242
00:21:11.799 --> 00:21:15.519
I remember hearing how the two of them first met

243
00:21:15.960 --> 00:21:19.799
late last winter. Chester told me how Bee went into

244
00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:24.599
the wrong shower after arriving late. Chester was still in

245
00:21:24.680 --> 00:21:29.319
there since he was late too. He tried to explain

246
00:21:29.440 --> 00:21:32.359
to Be that she was in the wrong locker room.

247
00:21:32.720 --> 00:21:35.359
I could only imagine the two of them arguing while

248
00:21:35.359 --> 00:21:38.319
they were naked in front of each other. She even

249
00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:42.319
ended the argument by pointing at him and becoming animated

250
00:21:42.599 --> 00:21:47.200
when she yelled, I'll bite your face off. The truth

251
00:21:47.359 --> 00:21:52.160
is B isn't a bad person. She's just very opinionated

252
00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:56.759
and always believes she's right. She's even admitted her parents

253
00:21:56.839 --> 00:22:02.519
think she's quite a handful. Quickly diffuse Bee by reminding

254
00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:05.160
her that we agreed to go to Vansen's for a

255
00:22:05.240 --> 00:22:09.319
late breakfast. When we finish our showers and get dressed,

256
00:22:09.799 --> 00:22:13.759
we see Chester willis waiting for us. This time, he's

257
00:22:13.799 --> 00:22:17.440
got Rouge and Lavender sitting on either side of him.

258
00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:20.359
As of late, it seems like the twins have taken

259
00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:24.720
a bit of an interest in Chester. I've been living

260
00:22:24.759 --> 00:22:28.559
with my sisters their whole lives, and people think they're

261
00:22:29.240 --> 00:22:34.680
quite weird. Keep listening and you might understand why Chester

262
00:22:34.839 --> 00:22:38.920
himself never judge them though. Maybe that's why the twins

263
00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:43.160
give him their full attention when he talks. Chester is

264
00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:47.119
a nerdy guy who always wears dark trousers, a button

265
00:22:47.200 --> 00:22:50.599
up shirt with a vest, a bow tie, and loafers,

266
00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:55.680
all punctuated by his glasses. You just know people at

267
00:22:55.720 --> 00:22:59.839
school give him a hard time, but he often just

268
00:23:00.119 --> 00:23:04.599
brushes it off. After his family moved here last year,

269
00:23:04.920 --> 00:23:08.119
Chester and I became lab partners in our science class.

270
00:23:09.000 --> 00:23:11.160
Since I don't have it in me to be repulsed

271
00:23:11.160 --> 00:23:15.240
by him the way normal girls are, I often had

272
00:23:15.359 --> 00:23:20.720
pleasant conversations with him. We became friends and started hanging

273
00:23:20.759 --> 00:23:25.640
out together. Seeing him and be arguing led me to

274
00:23:25.680 --> 00:23:29.880
believe they don't really hate each other. They're what you

275
00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:35.160
call frenemies. Looks like you girls cheered another great game,

276
00:23:35.680 --> 00:23:39.599
Chester says, you ready to hit Vanson's I know I am.

277
00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:44.960
B glares at Chester, noticing how close the twins are

278
00:23:45.039 --> 00:23:49.680
sitting to him. She points at him accusingly. Oh so

279
00:23:49.960 --> 00:23:53.960
now rage ain't good enough for you? Huh? Now you're

280
00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:57.599
looking to score her sisters? What you got some fantasy

281
00:23:57.640 --> 00:24:03.519
about scoring with twin cheerleaders? Real original? Chester just gives

282
00:24:03.559 --> 00:24:07.480
Bee his usual look that says he's used to her

283
00:24:07.559 --> 00:24:12.640
crazy accusations by Now, don't you look at me like that? Chester?

284
00:24:13.519 --> 00:24:17.200
When Bee clenches her teeth and growls, I can see

285
00:24:17.279 --> 00:24:21.480
where she looks like an anime character. Then she points

286
00:24:21.519 --> 00:24:24.519
at him and tells the twins he stared at me

287
00:24:24.640 --> 00:24:27.839
naked once in the shower for like a whole hour.

288
00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:33.880
Chester sighs, you were in the wrong locker room. I

289
00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:36.240
was trying to get you to leave, but you just

290
00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:39.119
wouldn't go. How many times do I have to keep

291
00:24:39.160 --> 00:24:45.440
telling you that? The twins burst out laughing. Bee rapidly

292
00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:49.680
points from one twin to the other, what's so funny? Huh?

293
00:24:50.599 --> 00:24:57.359
The twins stop laughing and smile mischievously. You, they say, together.

294
00:24:58.279 --> 00:25:02.519
Then Lavender turns to Chester, will be glad to give

295
00:25:02.559 --> 00:25:06.559
you a personal show. Just name the time and place

296
00:25:07.200 --> 00:25:12.039
Rouge finishes. What's interesting about the twins is that they

297
00:25:12.079 --> 00:25:16.960
always seem to be together, never too far apart. They

298
00:25:17.000 --> 00:25:20.640
always seem to know what the other is thinking, because

299
00:25:20.680 --> 00:25:25.359
they finish each other's sentences or they speak in unison.

300
00:25:26.440 --> 00:25:29.279
It's as if the two of them truly are separate

301
00:25:29.319 --> 00:25:34.319
halves of a whole person. And yes, I can tell

302
00:25:34.359 --> 00:25:37.359
them apart. Even though they dress the same and have

303
00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:41.519
the same hairstyle, they don't have any identifying marks. But

304
00:25:42.400 --> 00:25:46.119
I just know even Mom gives me that jealous look

305
00:25:46.559 --> 00:25:50.599
when she can't tell them apart. Be has more trouble

306
00:25:50.640 --> 00:25:53.839
wrapping her head around the twins than anyone I know.

307
00:25:54.880 --> 00:25:57.200
She wants to yell at them, and they're waiting for

308
00:25:57.279 --> 00:26:00.720
her to do it. In truth, the only thing that

309
00:26:00.759 --> 00:26:03.880
really gets to them is when the other is threatened

310
00:26:03.960 --> 00:26:07.759
in some way. I feel Rouge is more the aggressor,

311
00:26:07.920 --> 00:26:12.880
while Lavender is more passive. Want to be our date

312
00:26:12.920 --> 00:26:18.119
for tonight, the twins per to Chester together. Lavender takes

313
00:26:18.119 --> 00:26:28.200
his hand. Two's always better than one, right, Chester puts

314
00:26:28.200 --> 00:26:32.759
an arm around each twin. Okay, ladies, sure, why not?

315
00:26:33.960 --> 00:26:37.640
Be scowls and points a shaky finger right at Chester.

316
00:26:38.519 --> 00:26:45.559
Oh you, you, you sexist pig. Chester smiles. I can

317
00:26:45.599 --> 00:26:49.359
always marry you after graduation. B. Then I can add

318
00:26:49.400 --> 00:26:53.960
you to my growing collection of anime figures. B growls

319
00:26:53.960 --> 00:26:57.039
at him. You just keep it up, I'll bite your

320
00:26:57.119 --> 00:27:00.920
face off. Chester. When Bee's a out, ready to lunge

321
00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:05.039
at him, Lavender immediately strikes and kisses her on the cheek.

322
00:27:05.920 --> 00:27:10.039
Be staggers back and looks at both of them. Then

323
00:27:10.160 --> 00:27:15.640
she turns to me. They're both crazy. Rage and there

324
00:27:15.680 --> 00:27:20.000
my sisters. Be. I promise you they're not going anywhere

325
00:27:20.480 --> 00:27:28.359
except to Vansen's. Lavender interjects, let's go, Rouge adds. We

326
00:27:28.480 --> 00:27:32.759
leave North Ridgeway high and get in Chester's suv. Soon

327
00:27:32.839 --> 00:27:36.880
we arrive at Vancing's and head inside. Only a few

328
00:27:36.920 --> 00:27:40.559
of the booths are occupied. Normally this place is packed

329
00:27:40.599 --> 00:27:45.839
after a game. It's Christmas weekend, Teagan Andrews calls out

330
00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:49.559
from behind the counter. People usually tend to be doing

331
00:27:49.599 --> 00:27:53.000
other things around this time. You guys can sit wherever

332
00:27:53.559 --> 00:27:58.799
you want your usual coffees, sure, Chester tells her. The

333
00:27:58.839 --> 00:28:00.759
five of us sit at one of the tables in

334
00:28:00.839 --> 00:28:04.599
the center. Teagan brings us waters and coffees as she

335
00:28:04.720 --> 00:28:09.079
takes our orders. Be still can't believe Chester has a

336
00:28:09.119 --> 00:28:12.799
twin on either side of him. The girls seem like

337
00:28:12.839 --> 00:28:16.759
they're interested. I can't tell for sure. If it turns

338
00:28:16.759 --> 00:28:20.119
out Chester likes them too, well, he'll have his hands

339
00:28:20.559 --> 00:28:25.279
quite full. Be points at him. Yeah, you just keep

340
00:28:25.400 --> 00:28:29.759
enjoying the fantasy. Just wait till the joke's over. The

341
00:28:29.799 --> 00:28:34.599
twins look right at her and they appear insulted. Are

342
00:28:34.640 --> 00:28:39.240
you saying we're a couple of players. Rouge asks that

343
00:28:39.319 --> 00:28:42.640
we would just tease Chester here and laugh at him later,

344
00:28:43.279 --> 00:28:48.400
Lavender finishes. Then the twins slowly get up and suddenly

345
00:28:48.920 --> 00:28:53.640
look menacing. They move to either side of Be glaring.

346
00:28:54.680 --> 00:29:02.279
Lavender starts, okay, b you asked for this, Rouge finishes. Suddenly,

347
00:29:02.440 --> 00:29:06.559
the twins lash out and get Bee laughing fast when

348
00:29:06.599 --> 00:29:11.039
they start tickling her. Bees spent plenty of nights at

349
00:29:11.079 --> 00:29:14.160
our house since she came to North Ridgeway High around

350
00:29:14.200 --> 00:29:17.880
the same time Chester did that's been plenty of time

351
00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:22.640
for the twins to learn her main weaknesses. When Bees

352
00:29:22.759 --> 00:29:25.559
crying and ready to fall out of her chair, they

353
00:29:25.640 --> 00:29:30.960
stop and return to Chester's sides. When Bee calms down,

354
00:29:31.039 --> 00:29:35.440
she glares at them, I hate you too. I raise

355
00:29:35.480 --> 00:29:40.039
a finger. Ah ah ah. B being my best friend

356
00:29:40.079 --> 00:29:43.440
means putting up with the rest of the family. When

357
00:29:43.440 --> 00:29:47.200
she looks at me, I make a joke. Imagine if

358
00:29:47.319 --> 00:29:51.920
Chester married the twins, then he'd be family. Guess that

359
00:29:52.039 --> 00:29:56.079
means you couldn't bite his face off. B gawks now.

360
00:29:56.559 --> 00:30:00.440
Then she looks at Chester, points at him and withhispers

361
00:30:00.880 --> 00:30:07.400
so only we can hear womanizer. Chester laughs, Hugh kill me. B.

362
00:30:07.640 --> 00:30:11.079
You know that, but I already told you I'm marrying you.

363
00:30:12.039 --> 00:30:16.559
I want you so bad. Before Bee can return fire,

364
00:30:17.200 --> 00:30:20.519
the twins have something to say about that and grab

365
00:30:20.599 --> 00:30:26.960
his attention. Rouge starts you Mary, B never gonna happen.

366
00:30:27.559 --> 00:30:33.319
Lavender finishes. Now they turn and glare at Be He's ours.

367
00:30:33.839 --> 00:30:39.319
They say together, b starts growling again, but before she

368
00:30:39.400 --> 00:30:43.559
can snap at the twins, Teaguan arrives with our breakfasts.

369
00:30:44.119 --> 00:30:48.359
I can't feel emotions, but I do have physical sensations.

370
00:30:49.160 --> 00:30:52.160
The look and smell of the pancakes makes my tummy

371
00:30:52.240 --> 00:30:56.279
rumble as I'm reaching for the strawberry syrup. I see

372
00:30:56.319 --> 00:30:59.759
today's newspaper that was left behind by a previous patron

373
00:31:00.279 --> 00:31:07.519
and read the headline. Officer found melted at home. Focus

374
00:31:07.640 --> 00:31:13.559
Rage Lavender says, fresh pancakes in front of you, Rouge finishes.

375
00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:17.200
I don't look up from the paper, but I point

376
00:31:17.240 --> 00:31:22.200
across the table and chester in between you two. I

377
00:31:22.240 --> 00:31:25.279
only need to skim the article to commit the whole

378
00:31:25.319 --> 00:31:28.599
thing to memory. I'll read it in full later when

379
00:31:28.599 --> 00:31:32.519
I'm at home. I don't need people here getting suspicious

380
00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:37.680
about what I do in my private time. I have

381
00:31:37.799 --> 00:31:40.680
a feeling I'm going to hear Mom talk about this later.

382
00:31:41.559 --> 00:31:45.640
Little did I realize just how involved I would end

383
00:31:45.720 --> 00:31:53.799
up in all of this chrismas eve. It seems like

384
00:31:53.880 --> 00:31:56.759
no matter how much or how little sleep I get,

385
00:31:57.400 --> 00:32:00.000
my mind always knows to wake me up at seven.

386
00:32:01.400 --> 00:32:04.079
I don't have cheerleading practice or a game for the

387
00:32:04.119 --> 00:32:09.160
next two days, but it's always seven am, just the same.

388
00:32:10.160 --> 00:32:13.079
I peek in on the twins and see they're both

389
00:32:13.200 --> 00:32:17.839
still sleeping soundly. Then I head downstairs and find Mom

390
00:32:18.400 --> 00:32:25.359
having her morning coffee and looking over yesterday's paper again. Mornin', baby,

391
00:32:25.880 --> 00:32:30.400
she says as she sees me enter tough case, I ask.

392
00:32:31.440 --> 00:32:34.920
She's really frustrated when she takes another drink of coffee

393
00:32:35.359 --> 00:32:39.319
and realizes her cup is empty. I got it, I

394
00:32:39.400 --> 00:32:42.319
tell her. Looks like I'll have to make a fresh pot.

395
00:32:43.319 --> 00:32:46.839
You always know just how to make it, she says, gratefully.

396
00:32:47.799 --> 00:32:51.759
I make Mom's coffee extra strong. When I face her again,

397
00:32:51.920 --> 00:32:56.799
she tells me about the officer who was melted. He

398
00:32:56.960 --> 00:33:00.599
was in his patrol car downtown when someone shattered his

399
00:33:00.680 --> 00:33:05.079
window and placed a hand on his face. The skull

400
00:33:05.119 --> 00:33:09.240
itself had a burned handprint. The rest of the skin

401
00:33:09.319 --> 00:33:13.319
on the body was all melted, and, as my mother

402
00:33:13.440 --> 00:33:20.799
described it looked like goopy, wet candlewax. What on earth

403
00:33:20.920 --> 00:33:30.279
could even begin to do that? When Mom looks ready

404
00:33:30.359 --> 00:33:33.200
to lose her mind, I pick up her cup and

405
00:33:33.319 --> 00:33:37.039
top it off with the fresh brew. She takes the

406
00:33:37.119 --> 00:33:40.960
cup and drinks, never mind that it's fresh and hot.

407
00:33:41.359 --> 00:33:45.960
Then again, Mom loves her hot and spicy foods, same

408
00:33:46.000 --> 00:33:50.079
as the twins. How does this fucker do it? Baby?

409
00:33:50.720 --> 00:33:54.200
She's ready to slam the cup down, but stops herself.

410
00:33:54.960 --> 00:33:57.759
I don't mean to yell at you. She looks at

411
00:33:57.799 --> 00:34:02.599
me again. I've dealt with cases where fellow officers have

412
00:34:02.680 --> 00:34:06.759
been gunned down, run over, died from a heart attack,

413
00:34:06.880 --> 00:34:11.920
even an occasional automobile accident. She growls and drinks more

414
00:34:11.960 --> 00:34:15.880
hot coffee. Down. I've been shot, I've been stabbed, I've

415
00:34:15.880 --> 00:34:18.840
been hit by cars. I've even been in fights to

416
00:34:18.920 --> 00:34:24.960
the death with creatures of the night. But melted, melted,

417
00:34:26.159 --> 00:34:31.039
She closes her eyes and calms down. More coffee, baby.

418
00:34:32.199 --> 00:34:35.039
I take the cup from her and fill it up again.

419
00:34:36.800 --> 00:34:41.519
Like you always tell us, think outside the box. She

420
00:34:41.719 --> 00:34:45.559
sighs and takes her cup. I know what I said.

421
00:34:46.360 --> 00:34:50.159
What I do know for sure is someone intentionally targeted

422
00:34:50.159 --> 00:34:53.920
officer back. No one just does what this fucker did

423
00:34:54.000 --> 00:34:57.480
out of the blue. For the record, I'm used to

424
00:34:57.559 --> 00:35:01.480
Mom being coarse. She's talked that way for as long

425
00:35:01.480 --> 00:35:04.519
as I've known her. She's never cared if any of

426
00:35:04.599 --> 00:35:07.800
us kids use words like that, as long as we

427
00:35:07.880 --> 00:35:11.599
know when and where not to use them. Mom doesn't

428
00:35:11.599 --> 00:35:14.599
even really care if we bring boys home to spend

429
00:35:14.599 --> 00:35:19.400
the night. She's pretty lenient with us until we cross

430
00:35:19.480 --> 00:35:23.840
the lines. Only Gregor ever did that, and he always

431
00:35:23.840 --> 00:35:29.039
did it on purpose. After last Christmas, he no longer

432
00:35:29.119 --> 00:35:33.719
lives at home. It's just us sisters and the wild

433
00:35:33.840 --> 00:35:39.800
cougar herself. Mom's frustration bubbles up again. If that ain't enough,

434
00:35:40.199 --> 00:35:44.119
Chief Cobbs is sending this sexy hot mama back to Strickfield.

435
00:35:44.920 --> 00:35:48.480
In other words, he doesn't want me anywhere near this thing.

436
00:35:49.400 --> 00:35:51.760
He knows it's got something to do with that shit

437
00:35:51.920 --> 00:35:57.159
that happened a year ago. Today, I remember you telling me,

438
00:35:57.760 --> 00:36:01.880
I say, taking the empty cup from her again more,

439
00:36:02.800 --> 00:36:07.400
she nods. Mom is definitely a mess. To her credit,

440
00:36:07.920 --> 00:36:10.159
at least she doesn't go off the deep end when

441
00:36:10.199 --> 00:36:15.159
she's worked up like this. She's binging on coffee, not cigarettes,

442
00:36:15.280 --> 00:36:20.159
booze or drugs. I get another pot going, So you're

443
00:36:20.199 --> 00:36:24.679
headed to Strickfield? I ask when? As soon as I'm

444
00:36:24.679 --> 00:36:28.800
done venting to you, baby, she answers. I don't know

445
00:36:28.880 --> 00:36:33.159
how I understand what Mom needs sometimes, but I go

446
00:36:33.199 --> 00:36:38.440
and hug her. Oh baby, Mom calms down and hugs

447
00:36:38.440 --> 00:36:42.440
me back. You know what an insufferable bitch I can be.

448
00:36:43.639 --> 00:36:47.079
You know I'm always vising on coffee. You know I'm

449
00:36:47.119 --> 00:36:50.760
a literal man. Eater. Yet you baby's all put up

450
00:36:50.760 --> 00:36:55.039
with my shit. I could tell her that I can

451
00:36:55.039 --> 00:36:58.280
put up with absolutely anything she throws my way since

452
00:36:59.000 --> 00:37:02.599
I can't feel ins. But I've learned how to help

453
00:37:02.639 --> 00:37:07.199
mom when it comes to certain things. Just hugging her

454
00:37:07.239 --> 00:37:11.599
like this calms her down more than the coffee. Even

455
00:37:11.679 --> 00:37:16.119
though I consider myself a primal girl, I do understand

456
00:37:16.320 --> 00:37:21.639
some things about the human condition because you're our mom,

457
00:37:22.280 --> 00:37:27.440
I tell her. She squeezes me a little. I always

458
00:37:27.480 --> 00:37:30.719
want to do right by you babies. Being a mama

459
00:37:30.840 --> 00:37:34.880
is the one thing I'll never regret when we come apart.

460
00:37:35.239 --> 00:37:39.079
She looks me over. I want some grand babies, you know.

461
00:37:40.280 --> 00:37:45.079
I fake a smile. Someday, Maybe I have to find

462
00:37:45.119 --> 00:37:50.000
my ideal mate first, She just looks at me. You

463
00:37:50.119 --> 00:37:54.159
sound like a cave girl. What about Chester. I know

464
00:37:54.239 --> 00:37:57.440
the two of you get along quite well. Then a

465
00:37:57.519 --> 00:38:02.440
voice calls out from the hallway. Chester, did he call

466
00:38:02.960 --> 00:38:06.920
the other twin? Finishes? Rouge and Lavender come into the

467
00:38:07.000 --> 00:38:10.519
kitchen in their oversized T shirts, one of the few

468
00:38:10.599 --> 00:38:15.320
things they wear in their own signature colors. I give

469
00:38:15.400 --> 00:38:18.679
Mom an uneasy smirk and point to the twins with

470
00:38:18.760 --> 00:38:22.840
my thumb. Chester might become your son in law someday, Mom,

471
00:38:23.320 --> 00:38:27.119
but it'll be because he married them. Mom gives the

472
00:38:27.159 --> 00:38:31.719
twins a scowl. Seriously, are you two Sharon boys again?

473
00:38:32.360 --> 00:38:35.639
What did I tell you both about that? Why not?

474
00:38:36.760 --> 00:38:42.880
They answer in unison. Then Lavender starts. Chester actually told

475
00:38:42.960 --> 00:38:48.519
us that together we're the perfect woman. Rouge finishes. When

476
00:38:48.559 --> 00:38:51.639
the twins look at each other, I still wonder if

477
00:38:51.679 --> 00:38:56.800
they truly feel emotions. For Chester, I imagine he'll want to

478
00:38:56.840 --> 00:39:00.280
talk to me about them later. He can find in

479
00:39:00.360 --> 00:39:04.559
me about pretty much everything. Then the twins go to

480
00:39:04.639 --> 00:39:10.800
Mom and hug her together. She squeezes them both, my babies,

481
00:39:10.960 --> 00:39:14.480
I love you all so much. I don't think any

482
00:39:14.559 --> 00:39:17.360
of us have ever said that back to Mom, but

483
00:39:17.440 --> 00:39:21.119
I think she knows the feeling is mutual when the

484
00:39:21.159 --> 00:39:26.800
twins squeeze her back. I myself can't feel love, but

485
00:39:26.920 --> 00:39:30.360
I understand that this woman carried me inside her body

486
00:39:30.440 --> 00:39:36.400
for six months and raised me into adulthood. I was premature.

487
00:39:37.480 --> 00:39:41.639
I know I owe her everything. If Mom ever needs

488
00:39:41.639 --> 00:39:44.519
me to take care of her, then there's no question

489
00:39:44.599 --> 00:39:48.400
of my loyalty. But Mom still wants to take care

490
00:39:48.440 --> 00:39:54.960
of us and raise her future grandchildren. She's calm enough now.

491
00:39:55.480 --> 00:39:57.480
I make her a to go cup for her drive

492
00:39:57.599 --> 00:40:01.519
to Strickfield. She promises us she'll be home tonight for

493
00:40:01.639 --> 00:40:06.079
Christmas Eve, and home all day on Christmas. The three

494
00:40:06.119 --> 00:40:09.840
of us watch Mom get in her corvette and drive away.

495
00:40:12.880 --> 00:40:17.679
You two seriously have feelings for Chester, I ask the twins.

496
00:40:18.480 --> 00:40:22.000
They look at me and give a single, romantic sigh,

497
00:40:22.719 --> 00:40:25.679
making me wonder if they are truly two halves of

498
00:40:25.719 --> 00:40:32.079
a single person. Seriously, they never fight, They're always together.

499
00:40:33.159 --> 00:40:36.400
They watch out for each other. They never mind sharing

500
00:40:36.440 --> 00:40:40.280
a guy on a date together. While guys might find

501
00:40:40.400 --> 00:40:44.119
this a perfect sexual fantasy, they don't want to be

502
00:40:44.239 --> 00:40:48.840
in a long term relationship with twins. I'm thinking that

503
00:40:48.840 --> 00:40:52.840
that is what they're looking for. The twins divide the

504
00:40:52.880 --> 00:40:55.760
rest of the coffee between them and go into the

505
00:40:55.800 --> 00:41:00.920
living room to watch TV. Holy shit, they speak in

506
00:41:01.079 --> 00:41:05.320
unison like they're sharing a thought. Rage get in here.

507
00:41:06.000 --> 00:41:09.840
I walk over to them and see the news. Missus Overton,

508
00:41:09.960 --> 00:41:15.519
our cheerleading coach, was found dead in her home. The

509
00:41:15.599 --> 00:41:20.719
news cruiser outside. This young reporter from Strickfield named Miranda

510
00:41:20.840 --> 00:41:23.559
Mason Phillips was first on the scene to cover it.

511
00:41:24.519 --> 00:41:28.760
The front door looks like someone burned right through it

512
00:41:29.159 --> 00:41:32.599
to get in. You can see the outline of a

513
00:41:33.360 --> 00:41:38.320
human shape. Watching the story further, I don't get to

514
00:41:38.320 --> 00:41:43.119
see the body. It's already in a bag. Mason Phillips said.

515
00:41:43.199 --> 00:41:48.000
The body's flesh was grossly melted, just the same as

516
00:41:48.039 --> 00:41:52.719
that cop that Mom lost her shit over earlier. Without thinking,

517
00:41:52.760 --> 00:41:55.800
I get up and grab one of mom's high school yearbooks.

518
00:41:56.519 --> 00:42:01.440
I open it to find some rather interesting picture. It's

519
00:42:01.480 --> 00:42:04.920
amazing what you can reference with a highly photographic memory

520
00:42:05.039 --> 00:42:09.559
like mine. Long ago, Mom mentioned she went to her

521
00:42:09.599 --> 00:42:15.880
senior prom with David Bach. Linda Moore was Mom's best friend.

522
00:42:16.679 --> 00:42:20.639
She married Dale Overton, the man Mom set her up

523
00:42:20.679 --> 00:42:25.719
with as her prom date. There is definitely a link here.

524
00:42:26.679 --> 00:42:30.079
She also mentioned the incident that happened on Christmas Eve

525
00:42:30.199 --> 00:42:36.559
last year out on State Route Ie. This man, Buck Weathers,

526
00:42:36.559 --> 00:42:40.880
caused a bad accident while driving a chemical truck. I

527
00:42:40.960 --> 00:42:44.519
still remember every word of that article like I had

528
00:42:44.679 --> 00:42:48.400
just read it. The chemical truck crashed head on into

529
00:42:48.440 --> 00:42:52.679
a car coming in the opposite direction. It was believed

530
00:42:52.719 --> 00:42:57.559
the chemical truck exploded on impact. Then the flames overwhelmed

531
00:42:57.599 --> 00:43:04.559
both vehicles, burning everybody inside. Somehow the green fire mutated

532
00:43:04.599 --> 00:43:08.920
Weathers into a mindless thing with melted skin and a

533
00:43:09.000 --> 00:43:13.360
glowing skeleton. Mom was the one who put Weathers down,

534
00:43:14.000 --> 00:43:17.199
but not before he melted a north Ridgeway cop who

535
00:43:17.239 --> 00:43:21.960
got too close. Not much of anything scares Mom, but

536
00:43:22.599 --> 00:43:27.159
Buck Weathers definitely spooked her. She even tried to nail

537
00:43:27.239 --> 00:43:32.760
pressed In Mirn, the owner of Strickfield Chemicals, for the incident. Unfortunately,

538
00:43:33.519 --> 00:43:39.079
Mom would not win. There was just no proof of negligence. Also,

539
00:43:39.280 --> 00:43:43.840
Miron himself paid all the costs for Weather's funeral, even

540
00:43:43.920 --> 00:43:48.679
though there was nothing to bury. The chemicals themselves burned

541
00:43:48.719 --> 00:43:51.880
up completely in the accident, so there was no way

542
00:43:51.920 --> 00:43:57.079
of knowing what they were exactly. After Mom shot Weathers,

543
00:43:57.719 --> 00:44:03.280
the body melted away, bone and all. I tried investigating

544
00:44:03.320 --> 00:44:07.159
preston Mirn myself. Since I can't be one hundred percent

545
00:44:07.320 --> 00:44:10.880
sure of his involvement, I can't pass judgment on him.

546
00:44:11.639 --> 00:44:15.559
I won't take the chance of killing an innocent But

547
00:44:15.719 --> 00:44:19.239
thanks to Mom, I've learned many of her detective skills

548
00:44:19.719 --> 00:44:23.599
and applied them to my work. I take a deep

549
00:44:23.679 --> 00:44:26.760
breath when I feel my bloodlust pushing me to find

550
00:44:26.880 --> 00:44:35.079
and claim this chemically created killer, you Oka, Rage, Lavender asks, Hugh,

551
00:44:35.159 --> 00:44:39.400
look like your horny Rouge ads. They suddenly look at

552
00:44:39.400 --> 00:44:44.719
each other as if realizing something. Then say, do you

553
00:44:44.880 --> 00:44:48.800
finally have a boyfriend? If only a boyfriend was the

554
00:44:48.880 --> 00:44:52.239
issue I had to worry about. I can never let

555
00:44:52.280 --> 00:44:57.360
my mother or sisters know I'm a serial killer. I

556
00:44:57.440 --> 00:45:00.639
flipped them both off. Yeah, guess you you to suck

557
00:45:00.679 --> 00:45:04.199
at reading people, or you figured out I'm fucking Chester.

558
00:45:05.159 --> 00:45:09.480
The twins scream like banshees and charge me. They both

559
00:45:09.559 --> 00:45:13.480
tackle me onto my back. Now they're looking down at me.

560
00:45:14.159 --> 00:45:18.199
Rouge starts trust us, Rage, you need to get laid,

561
00:45:18.679 --> 00:45:24.679
Lavender finishes, Maybe I do, I mutter. After they get

562
00:45:24.679 --> 00:45:27.159
off me and help me up, I grab a soda

563
00:45:27.199 --> 00:45:30.400
out of the refrigerator and head out. I don't tell

564
00:45:30.400 --> 00:45:34.159
the twins, but I do message Chester and tell him

565
00:45:34.320 --> 00:45:37.239
I need to talk. He tells me I can come

566
00:45:37.320 --> 00:45:44.320
over afternoon. Chester invites me to sit on his bed

567
00:45:44.440 --> 00:45:47.960
while he's at the computer. Then he takes my hand.

568
00:45:48.840 --> 00:45:52.199
Are you all right? Rage? When he sees I'm in need,

569
00:45:52.719 --> 00:45:56.880
he understands, I'm guessing you saw the paper last night

570
00:45:58.119 --> 00:46:01.960
and the news a little while ago. I add, I

571
00:46:02.079 --> 00:46:06.159
still can't believe someone like you is a serial killer.

572
00:46:06.719 --> 00:46:11.400
He says, I wish you hadn't learned my secret. I reply,

573
00:46:12.239 --> 00:46:16.920
I'm usually good about covering my tracks after I passed judgment.

574
00:46:17.480 --> 00:46:21.000
The problem is I let Chester Willis get too close

575
00:46:21.039 --> 00:46:25.199
to me. The more we talked, the more we became friends.

576
00:46:26.119 --> 00:46:29.559
I appreciate the companionship he gives me when we're together.

577
00:46:30.360 --> 00:46:33.920
The two of us could talk about almost anything for hours.

578
00:46:34.480 --> 00:46:38.800
He's called me both his friend and his intellectual peer.

579
00:46:40.079 --> 00:46:43.360
How did he learn my secret? It was just after

580
00:46:43.440 --> 00:46:48.440
I destroyed Annie Judge back in September. Chester didn't know

581
00:46:48.559 --> 00:46:52.119
her true nature as a drug dealer and a sexual predator,

582
00:46:52.800 --> 00:46:56.519
and was devastated to learn that about his favorite teacher

583
00:46:56.800 --> 00:47:01.280
at our school. As Chester was talking to me about her,

584
00:47:02.360 --> 00:47:08.239
he noticed I was unmoved. Then, just like that, he

585
00:47:08.320 --> 00:47:12.320
came to me and kissed me on the lips. He

586
00:47:12.480 --> 00:47:16.679
stopped to look at me when I didn't react. At

587
00:47:16.679 --> 00:47:21.719
that moment, he knew I had killed any Judge and

588
00:47:21.760 --> 00:47:25.280
that I was the angel of death. He could tell

589
00:47:25.320 --> 00:47:29.239
that I was emotionless, and he felt sorry for me

590
00:47:30.639 --> 00:47:34.760
since I killed only bad people. He said he'd keep

591
00:47:34.840 --> 00:47:40.920
my secret, which now only he knows. He also told

592
00:47:41.000 --> 00:47:48.480
me he wanted to help me. Since he was already

593
00:47:48.559 --> 00:47:52.599
kissing me, I offered to have sex with him. He

594
00:47:52.639 --> 00:47:55.920
admitted he was tempted and thanked me for the offer,

595
00:47:56.760 --> 00:48:00.719
but said he didn't become my friend plea for the

596
00:48:00.719 --> 00:48:04.840
hope of sleeping with me. He said he truly liked

597
00:48:04.880 --> 00:48:10.000
me and loved our conversations, and that he deeply respected

598
00:48:10.039 --> 00:48:14.320
me for my mind, especially when he found it difficult

599
00:48:14.440 --> 00:48:17.320
to beat me at the games we would play together.

600
00:48:19.079 --> 00:48:23.639
What do you think, Chester asks, now, I'm guessing some

601
00:48:23.719 --> 00:48:29.599
one's after your mom. I nod. Once I concluded that myself.

602
00:48:30.280 --> 00:48:33.519
The question is whether or not this person knows Mom

603
00:48:34.159 --> 00:48:38.480
isn't in North Ridgeway right now. You know, if you're

604
00:48:38.559 --> 00:48:41.599
right about this, there's a chance we can learn who

605
00:48:41.719 --> 00:48:47.719
this person is here his expression changes. But if that's

606
00:48:47.760 --> 00:48:52.519
the case, you yourself might be in danger, maybe even

607
00:48:52.559 --> 00:48:58.000
the twins. That means the killer would definitely be targeting Mom.

608
00:48:58.760 --> 00:49:03.360
I agree, of course, I can't be afraid for myself, Chester,

609
00:49:04.239 --> 00:49:07.079
but I don't want anything to happen to my sisters

610
00:49:07.519 --> 00:49:12.079
or to you. He sighs. I think your sisters are

611
00:49:12.119 --> 00:49:16.199
both crazy and interesting, and I like them. I don't

612
00:49:16.199 --> 00:49:20.400
want anything happening to them either, and I especially don't

613
00:49:20.400 --> 00:49:24.239
want anything happening to you. Rage. Mom thinks you'll be

614
00:49:24.320 --> 00:49:27.639
her son in law some day, I tell him, which

615
00:49:27.679 --> 00:49:31.239
means you better watch yourself around the twins. I may

616
00:49:31.280 --> 00:49:35.079
not have emotions, but if they truly like you, I

617
00:49:35.199 --> 00:49:38.199
don't want you to hurt them. He gives me a

618
00:49:38.239 --> 00:49:44.400
surprised look. Really, me and them, two girls at the

619
00:49:44.440 --> 00:49:49.039
same time. If you don't reciprocate their feelings, then don't

620
00:49:49.119 --> 00:49:53.679
lead them on. I advise him. No, I wouldn't do that.

621
00:49:53.840 --> 00:50:00.280
Rage he replies, I just never thought. Wow. Then he

622
00:50:00.320 --> 00:50:04.199
returns to the matter at hand. I think we should

623
00:50:04.199 --> 00:50:07.440
look more into the accident from last year. I can't

624
00:50:07.480 --> 00:50:09.840
put my finger on it yet, but I think the

625
00:50:09.920 --> 00:50:15.000
ANSWER's there. But we know it isn't Buck Weathers, I say.

626
00:50:15.880 --> 00:50:19.159
After Mom shot him in the head, his body melted

627
00:50:19.199 --> 00:50:24.599
away though still Mom would think outside the box, and

628
00:50:24.679 --> 00:50:28.480
we need to as well. Chester suddenly has an idea

629
00:50:29.000 --> 00:50:32.719
and lays flat on his back on the floor. Okay,

630
00:50:33.480 --> 00:50:37.039
I'm Buck Weathers and you're your mom. Now I'm melting

631
00:50:37.079 --> 00:50:40.639
away here after you've put me down. Chester's making me

632
00:50:40.760 --> 00:50:45.960
think again. Then I shake my head slowly, doing what

633
00:50:46.039 --> 00:50:49.199
Mom said. Well, the only way I can think of

634
00:50:49.239 --> 00:50:54.079
where it could be Weathers would be maybe Mom didn't

635
00:50:54.280 --> 00:50:58.440
kill him after all, Maybe he could control himself enough

636
00:50:58.480 --> 00:51:03.760
to liquefy and refort. Later when nobody was around, he

637
00:51:03.840 --> 00:51:10.599
reconstitutes himself. He decides to wait one year tonight to

638
00:51:10.719 --> 00:51:14.639
come for revenge on mom. Chester looks up at me.

639
00:51:15.960 --> 00:51:18.840
Have I ever told you how beautiful you are when

640
00:51:18.880 --> 00:51:23.639
you're thinking thirty eight times as of right now? I

641
00:51:23.719 --> 00:51:29.119
reply instantly. Thirty seven was last week. I really love

642
00:51:29.199 --> 00:51:33.719
that photographic memory of yours, He says excitedly as he

643
00:51:33.760 --> 00:51:38.559
gets back up. I'm so jealous. You're no slouch either,

644
00:51:39.199 --> 00:51:42.360
I remind him, did you gain anything while we were

645
00:51:42.400 --> 00:51:45.960
re enacting last Christmas Eve? I came up with the

646
00:51:45.960 --> 00:51:50.719
same thing you did. But he shakes his head. It's

647
00:51:50.840 --> 00:51:55.840
not logical, it's just not He gives me a stern look.

648
00:51:56.639 --> 00:52:01.639
That's like saying vampires are real. They are. I tell him,

649
00:52:01.639 --> 00:52:06.960
without hesitation, I've actually killed a few. Chester looks at

650
00:52:06.960 --> 00:52:09.639
me like he's waiting for me to say I'm joking.

651
00:52:10.679 --> 00:52:15.320
When my expression doesn't change, he gives me a weird look.

652
00:52:16.159 --> 00:52:19.599
You always have to be so damn honest. I can

653
00:52:19.639 --> 00:52:24.679
lie for you sometime, I offer. Chester gently pulls me

654
00:52:24.760 --> 00:52:29.400
to him. This isn't the first time he continues to

655
00:52:29.400 --> 00:52:34.360
feel sympathy for me. Since I can't feel emotions. I

656
00:52:34.440 --> 00:52:38.079
hold him in kind, mainly because he's a great friend

657
00:52:38.440 --> 00:52:44.119
and companion. We come apart and face each other. I'll

658
00:52:44.159 --> 00:52:48.760
always be here for you. He's told me this before too.

659
00:52:49.039 --> 00:52:55.079
Then he sighs, I really wish you could feel something anything.

660
00:52:56.400 --> 00:52:59.599
I can feel things that are physical, I remind him.

661
00:53:00.440 --> 00:53:05.920
Chester groans, I wish you could feel how incredibly frustrating

662
00:53:06.000 --> 00:53:09.719
this case is. I can see how frustrating it is

663
00:53:09.800 --> 00:53:14.239
for you, so to a degree. I can experience what

664
00:53:14.360 --> 00:53:18.960
other people feel, but in a physical sense, like you,

665
00:53:19.239 --> 00:53:22.639
I feel we've hit a stumbling block. I hate those

666
00:53:22.719 --> 00:53:26.679
things rage. He says. I'm supposed to be competing with

667
00:53:26.719 --> 00:53:30.920
you for the coveted spot of valedictorian. We're currently numbers

668
00:53:30.960 --> 00:53:34.039
one and two in the senior class and we can't

669
00:53:34.079 --> 00:53:38.079
solve this thing. Well, I still believe in what Mom

670
00:53:38.159 --> 00:53:43.039
says about thinking outside the box. I tell him, you'd

671
00:53:43.039 --> 00:53:48.760
have to since you said vampires are real. Then he sighs, Okay,

672
00:53:49.239 --> 00:53:52.079
we're not giving up here. There's got to be something

673
00:53:52.159 --> 00:53:56.360
neither of us is thinking of. Before I can answer him,

674
00:53:56.760 --> 00:54:02.920
my phone rings. It's Kam's mom. Hold on, Cameron Drexel

675
00:54:03.039 --> 00:54:07.119
is our cheerleading captain. Don't tell me you're calling for

676
00:54:07.199 --> 00:54:11.360
us to have practice today, I say, trying to sound

677
00:54:11.440 --> 00:54:18.440
like a normal high school girl. Missus Drexel, what's going on? No,

678
00:54:19.320 --> 00:54:26.199
I haven't seen Cam since yesterday's game. Chester watches intently

679
00:54:26.280 --> 00:54:29.719
as I talk to Cam's mom. Since hearing is a

680
00:54:29.719 --> 00:54:34.159
physical sense, I can understand her tones of anguish and worry.

681
00:54:35.000 --> 00:54:38.360
When the conversation is finished, I put the phone down

682
00:54:38.840 --> 00:54:44.599
and address Chester. Cam never came home last night, he translates.

683
00:54:45.599 --> 00:54:50.840
I raise an eyebrow perceptive as always. Then Chester and

684
00:54:50.880 --> 00:54:54.159
I have a twins moment when we actually think the

685
00:54:54.199 --> 00:54:59.280
same thing at the exact same time. Chester powers off

686
00:54:59.320 --> 00:55:03.280
his computer before we leave his house and make our

687
00:55:03.320 --> 00:55:12.000
way to Northridgeway High to check on our hunch. I

688
00:55:12.079 --> 00:55:15.800
can't believe how easily you can do that, Chester says,

689
00:55:15.920 --> 00:55:20.119
after I pick the lock and get us inside. Comes

690
00:55:20.119 --> 00:55:24.639
with being me, I reply. When we're in the basement,

691
00:55:24.920 --> 00:55:28.360
We walk out into the hallway. Then we cut through

692
00:55:28.400 --> 00:55:31.440
the cafeteria and get to the area where the locker

693
00:55:31.519 --> 00:55:36.119
rooms are. We walk in to the girls. We have

694
00:55:36.159 --> 00:55:39.719
a twins moment and stop at the exact same time again.

695
00:55:41.199 --> 00:55:46.960
The shower's running. Chester whispers. I nod. Then he sees

696
00:55:47.000 --> 00:55:50.519
me pulling out my knife in the daylight coming in

697
00:55:50.599 --> 00:55:56.440
from outside. I can see Chester's face. He's jealous that

698
00:55:56.559 --> 00:56:00.320
I can't be afraid. I've told Chester not to come

699
00:56:00.360 --> 00:56:03.679
with me on jobs like this, but he cares too much.

700
00:56:04.679 --> 00:56:07.480
That's when I again feel the physical part of me

701
00:56:08.400 --> 00:56:12.480
that is glad for his companionship. The two of us

702
00:56:12.519 --> 00:56:15.920
walk through the locker room, the sound of the showers

703
00:56:16.000 --> 00:56:20.800
getting louder. Chester's ready to go in and look, but

704
00:56:20.920 --> 00:56:24.800
I stop him. I point to myself, then to my

705
00:56:24.960 --> 00:56:29.880
eyes to indicate I'd better look first. He nods and

706
00:56:29.960 --> 00:56:34.000
pulls out his retractable baton. At least he knows to

707
00:56:34.119 --> 00:56:37.800
arm himself when we're out like this, I pull out

708
00:56:37.840 --> 00:56:41.159
my phone and use the light to illuminate the shower.

709
00:56:42.280 --> 00:56:47.000
Then I see it and turn to Chester. You're warned

710
00:56:47.000 --> 00:56:52.000
if you come in here. His jaw drops. Did you

711
00:56:52.199 --> 00:56:58.159
find yes? I confirm. Then he takes a deep breath

712
00:56:58.960 --> 00:57:04.880
and enters. Oh God. Looking at the hair, I know

713
00:57:05.280 --> 00:57:09.079
it was Cam Drexel. Like the other victims, the skin

714
00:57:09.199 --> 00:57:14.039
is completely melted into what looks like pus. Chester reaches

715
00:57:14.079 --> 00:57:17.599
out and tilts my wrist a little to better light

716
00:57:17.719 --> 00:57:23.519
up what he just saw, bloody footprints. We look at

717
00:57:23.559 --> 00:57:27.480
each other. I can tell he's scared, but he won't

718
00:57:27.480 --> 00:57:31.639
abandon me. He gulps and nods, telling me he's ready

719
00:57:31.679 --> 00:57:36.800
to follow me straight into Hell itself. I tell Chester

720
00:57:36.960 --> 00:57:40.840
to stay behind me as we follow the footprints, they

721
00:57:40.880 --> 00:57:45.480
go in the opposite direction from the way we came in. Suddenly,

722
00:57:45.519 --> 00:57:49.280
I stop and make Chester as well. I tell him

723
00:57:49.320 --> 00:57:54.880
over my shoulder, whoever it is is still here. These

724
00:57:54.920 --> 00:58:01.119
prints are fresh. You're right, he chokes out. We both

725
00:58:01.199 --> 00:58:05.840
hear something wet close by. Chester shrieks when he sees

726
00:58:05.920 --> 00:58:11.639
the glowing thing emerge. It's a gruesome, bloody, meaty creature

727
00:58:11.719 --> 00:58:16.119
with melted flesh slowly oozing and dripping off its body.

728
00:58:16.880 --> 00:58:21.000
We can see its muscles and bones. We can hear

729
00:58:21.119 --> 00:58:25.519
its heart beating. Its eyes are still in their sockets

730
00:58:26.239 --> 00:58:31.199
as the thing looks directly at us. Seeing the bumps

731
00:58:31.239 --> 00:58:36.679
on its chest, tells me it's female. Before I can

732
00:58:36.679 --> 00:58:40.360
tell Chester, the thing stretches its arms out towards us.

733
00:58:41.679 --> 00:58:46.360
Come to me, Reagan. The voice is wet and gurgling,

734
00:58:47.159 --> 00:58:52.519
like Mom described buck Weather's voice a year ago. Then

735
00:58:52.639 --> 00:58:57.199
it hisses something gross as it comes at us. Chester

736
00:58:57.400 --> 00:59:01.119
screams like he's in a horror movie. While it's true

737
00:59:01.119 --> 00:59:04.880
that I don't feel fear, that doesn't mean I'm stupid.

738
00:59:05.960 --> 00:59:08.159
I know I'm as good as dead if that thing

739
00:59:08.320 --> 00:59:12.960
gets its gross hands on us. Chester suddenly doubles over

740
00:59:13.559 --> 00:59:17.480
and throws up. No doubt it's from the awful smell

741
00:59:17.599 --> 00:59:21.000
of that thing. The best way I can describe the

742
00:59:21.079 --> 00:59:26.719
odor is a mix of decomposition and pure acid. I

743
00:59:26.719 --> 00:59:30.400
don't have time to see if Chester's okay, but I

744
00:59:30.440 --> 00:59:34.639
won't leave him here to die. Since I can't be afraid,

745
00:59:34.679 --> 00:59:37.719
I have no problem jumping up and kicking that thing

746
00:59:37.840 --> 00:59:41.800
right in between its breasts. It cries out and falls,

747
00:59:42.239 --> 00:59:46.239
sliding a little on its back along the floor. I

748
00:59:46.360 --> 00:59:49.719
quickly turn back when I see my shoe sole bubbling

749
00:59:50.159 --> 00:59:54.760
and nearly gone. I yank it off. Chester, get up,

750
00:59:55.199 --> 00:59:59.559
I yell. Chester dry heaves before he forces himself back

751
00:59:59.599 --> 01:00:03.000
to his He staggers along as I'm moving him back

752
01:00:03.039 --> 01:00:06.360
to where we came in. He pulls himself together. As

753
01:00:06.400 --> 01:00:10.480
we move back through the cafeteria and out into the hallway,

754
01:00:11.719 --> 01:00:14.760
we hear the wet noises and gurgling and see that

755
01:00:14.920 --> 01:00:19.199
thing coming after us. It raises a slimy arm and

756
01:00:19.320 --> 01:00:27.239
points I won't stop until I've tasted your lovely skin. Reagan,

757
01:00:28.679 --> 01:00:32.599
what do you want with her? Chester yells, what did

758
01:00:32.679 --> 01:00:39.800
she do to you? Suddenly the thing belts out a disgusting,

759
01:00:40.360 --> 01:00:44.639
bile like blast from its mouth. You would have thought

760
01:00:44.719 --> 01:00:49.519
Linda Blair from the Exorcist was portraying this thing. The

761
01:00:49.599 --> 01:00:52.559
bile lands on the floor directly in front of us

762
01:00:53.239 --> 01:00:59.119
and starts burning and eating through the tiles. Oh shit, run, rage,

763
01:00:59.679 --> 01:01:03.000
Chess yells. We turn and run to the stairs and

764
01:01:03.119 --> 01:01:06.440
race up to the first floor. We hear the thing

765
01:01:07.079 --> 01:01:11.960
right behind As we're turning a corner. We barely miss

766
01:01:12.000 --> 01:01:17.800
getting hit by another burst of projectile bile. After nearly

767
01:01:17.920 --> 01:01:21.519
tripping while running with one shoe, I decide to lose

768
01:01:21.559 --> 01:01:25.679
the other and go barefoot. I have another quick idea

769
01:01:26.360 --> 01:01:31.400
and turn around. Keep moving, Chester, I yell, heaving my

770
01:01:31.519 --> 01:01:38.360
knife right at that thing. The blade hits its mark

771
01:01:38.880 --> 01:01:42.880
square in the thing's chest and knocks it onto its back.

772
01:01:43.599 --> 01:01:47.119
I rush to catch up to Chester. We dart into

773
01:01:47.159 --> 01:01:50.920
a classroom. When he pulls the door shut. I quickly

774
01:01:50.960 --> 01:01:55.000
shove the teacher's desk right in front of it. Since

775
01:01:55.079 --> 01:01:59.639
the door opens outward, the desk won't do much, maybe

776
01:01:59.679 --> 01:02:03.599
slow it down a little. Not thinking twice, I run

777
01:02:03.679 --> 01:02:06.599
to one of the windows and smash it with my fist.

778
01:02:07.840 --> 01:02:11.840
I looked to see the door burning away, like someone's

779
01:02:11.920 --> 01:02:17.000
literally dissolving right through it. Move Chester, get out the window,

780
01:02:17.639 --> 01:02:20.880
I command him. He looks at me and shakes his head.

781
01:02:21.800 --> 01:02:24.880
No way. I won't leave you here to die. Don't

782
01:02:24.880 --> 01:02:29.280
worry about me. I tell him I'll be right behind you. Now,

783
01:02:29.320 --> 01:02:32.599
get out of here. The thing is coming in now.

784
01:02:33.079 --> 01:02:37.119
The door was no match for its acid bile. It

785
01:02:37.199 --> 01:02:40.760
could have easily opened the door and walked in. I

786
01:02:40.800 --> 01:02:43.440
think it wanted to show us what it could do.

787
01:02:44.599 --> 01:02:48.920
Safe to say it probably disintegrated my knife. Now it

788
01:02:49.039 --> 01:02:57.039
points right at me. I'm in so much pain, non stop.

789
01:02:58.119 --> 01:03:04.960
The thing rasps. I can never be human again. After

790
01:03:05.039 --> 01:03:09.760
I get my hands on you, I'll go after the twins.

791
01:03:10.400 --> 01:03:17.679
Then your mom will know what it's like to lose everything. Go,

792
01:03:18.599 --> 01:03:25.400
I tell Chester, not without you, he insists again, without hesitation.

793
01:03:25.559 --> 01:03:28.920
I shove him through the window. All I can do

794
01:03:29.039 --> 01:03:32.840
to keep that thing from touching me is to quickly

795
01:03:32.880 --> 01:03:35.679
pull a student's desk to me and shove it right

796
01:03:35.719 --> 01:03:39.480
at it. Then, as the thing has to knock it aside,

797
01:03:40.000 --> 01:03:44.000
I turn and dive right out. Chester's there to help

798
01:03:44.039 --> 01:03:47.679
me up, he gasps. When we both see the thing

799
01:03:48.360 --> 01:03:54.519
glowing bright in the window. I'll get you, Reagan, it

800
01:03:54.599 --> 01:03:57.960
gurgles in as close to a yell as it can manage.

801
01:03:59.119 --> 01:04:03.239
Let's get out of here, Chester says. I don't argue

802
01:04:03.239 --> 01:04:06.400
with him, and we escape from the high school. That

803
01:04:06.519 --> 01:04:09.400
thing can't run to catch us, and it knows it.

804
01:04:10.239 --> 01:04:15.239
We hear a loud, disgusting scream behind us. When we

805
01:04:15.280 --> 01:04:20.159
get far enough away, we stop to collect ourselves. I

806
01:04:20.239 --> 01:04:24.760
thought things like this only happened in Strickfield. Chester groans

807
01:04:25.639 --> 01:04:31.920
that glowing thing was really real, just like vampires, I

808
01:04:32.000 --> 01:04:38.119
remind him. Chester laughs a little, oh man. At least

809
01:04:38.159 --> 01:04:41.400
we know what that thing wants and where it came from.

810
01:04:41.920 --> 01:04:47.440
I point out, should we call your mom? Chester asks, no,

811
01:04:47.719 --> 01:04:50.559
I don't want her panicking. I know Mom would do

812
01:04:50.679 --> 01:04:53.639
anything to protect me, but I don't want her to

813
01:04:53.760 --> 01:04:58.239
risk her life. What's to say Chantal isn't already pursuing

814
01:04:58.320 --> 01:05:03.039
that thing herself. Chester points out, we both know how

815
01:05:03.079 --> 01:05:08.280
determined she can get. You're not wrong. I agree. Then

816
01:05:08.360 --> 01:05:12.199
I have a sudden thought that thing may likely go

817
01:05:12.239 --> 01:05:16.639
after the twins, maybe even be I turn back in

818
01:05:16.679 --> 01:05:20.280
the direction of the school. I won't let that thing

819
01:05:20.440 --> 01:05:25.320
take my family. Chester grabs my wrist. How are you

820
01:05:25.400 --> 01:05:29.519
going to stop it with what? You don't even have

821
01:05:29.599 --> 01:05:35.679
your knife anymore, or even shoes my mind? I tell

822
01:05:35.760 --> 01:05:40.599
him simply, And where do our minds get shaped? You

823
01:05:40.599 --> 01:05:44.480
yourself could stop that thing. He gives me his usual

824
01:05:44.559 --> 01:05:49.280
look when we're on the same page. Chemistry lab. That's

825
01:05:49.280 --> 01:05:53.440
what you're thinking, right, uh huh. Ten to one. We're

826
01:05:53.480 --> 01:05:55.400
not going to be able to stop that thing with

827
01:05:55.920 --> 01:05:59.880
just what's in our high school lab, he says, perhaps not,

828
01:06:00.000 --> 01:06:03.199
but maybe we can get some data on how to

829
01:06:03.239 --> 01:06:06.760
stop it. I tell him, and if not, then you

830
01:06:06.880 --> 01:06:11.239
have to remember one other thing. It's still human in

831
01:06:11.320 --> 01:06:15.800
spite of its mutations. We can stop that thing, you

832
01:06:15.880 --> 01:06:19.719
and me. I'm willing to bet it's still inside the school.

833
01:06:20.360 --> 01:06:22.800
If not, I'm sure we'll be able to track it

834
01:06:23.039 --> 01:06:27.760
while there's still daylight. He sighs. I really wish you

835
01:06:27.840 --> 01:06:30.719
knew how much I envy the fact that you're never afraid.

836
01:06:31.760 --> 01:06:35.199
Be careful what you wish for. I warn him, My

837
01:06:35.400 --> 01:06:38.639
not having fear is a double edged sword. I couldn't

838
01:06:38.679 --> 01:06:41.000
tell you how many times it's gotten me into trouble.

839
01:06:42.000 --> 01:06:45.480
Kind of like how I almost don't feel pain. We

840
01:06:45.599 --> 01:06:51.599
look at each other for a long moment. Chester sighs again. Okay, Rage,

841
01:06:52.440 --> 01:06:55.880
let's go back to the school. It's not hard to

842
01:06:55.920 --> 01:07:00.719
retrace our steps even without my photographic memory. We make

843
01:07:00.800 --> 01:07:03.840
it back to the school and through the basement window again.

844
01:07:04.719 --> 01:07:08.920
As Chester lowers himself through, I stop him. Let's go

845
01:07:08.960 --> 01:07:12.400
around the building and make sure it didn't leave. I suggest.

846
01:07:13.079 --> 01:07:15.519
If it did, we should be able to track it.

847
01:07:16.039 --> 01:07:20.880
Chester nods and raises his finger. Good thinking. He points

848
01:07:20.960 --> 01:07:25.440
to the window. WHOA, I just realized, what if that

849
01:07:25.639 --> 01:07:28.960
thing was right there waiting for me as I climbed in.

850
01:07:30.079 --> 01:07:34.320
Now you're thinking, I compliment him. Let's split up and

851
01:07:34.400 --> 01:07:38.159
go around the school. We'll meet out front and keep

852
01:07:38.159 --> 01:07:41.960
that baton handy. It won't stop that thing, but it's

853
01:07:42.000 --> 01:07:45.239
better than having no weapon at all. We split up

854
01:07:45.280 --> 01:07:49.119
and cautiously move around the building. So far, I'm not

855
01:07:49.159 --> 01:07:54.280
seeing any chemical or bloody footprints. Then I see Chester

856
01:07:54.400 --> 01:07:59.039
as we converge by the front steps. Nothing. He tells me.

857
01:08:01.440 --> 01:08:05.840
I look at the building. That thing is definitely still inside.

858
01:08:07.119 --> 01:08:09.400
Too bad. We can't see where it's at by its

859
01:08:09.480 --> 01:08:13.519
radioactive glow. It must be hiding. I guess we go

860
01:08:13.639 --> 01:08:16.960
in the way we got in earlier. Chester stops me.

861
01:08:17.920 --> 01:08:22.159
I can see he's truly afraid for me, but I'm

862
01:08:22.199 --> 01:08:25.560
about to find out it goes deeper than that when

863
01:08:25.560 --> 01:08:30.399
he gently pulls me to him and kisses me. The

864
01:08:30.479 --> 01:08:33.560
first time he did this, it was to determine my

865
01:08:33.720 --> 01:08:39.239
true nature, and it was an empty kiss. This kiss

866
01:08:39.319 --> 01:08:47.159
isn't long, but it's to the point. Now. He looks

867
01:08:47.199 --> 01:08:52.000
at me, I love you, rage I know, I reply,

868
01:08:52.960 --> 01:08:56.960
Remember I can read your feelings through your facial expressions

869
01:08:57.640 --> 01:09:03.880
and your actions. Gets bold and kisses me again, holding

870
01:09:03.920 --> 01:09:07.760
me to him. This time I respond to his feelings

871
01:09:07.760 --> 01:09:13.199
by holding him gently and kissing him back. I wish

872
01:09:13.239 --> 01:09:18.359
I could feel something for Chester emotionally. However, I'm not

873
01:09:18.479 --> 01:09:23.479
opposed to experiencing the physical with him. Have only had

874
01:09:23.520 --> 01:09:27.560
sex a few times and gained no satisfaction from it.

875
01:09:28.960 --> 01:09:32.399
But when we stop kissing again, I know he wants

876
01:09:32.439 --> 01:09:36.600
to tell me we should call the police or Mom.

877
01:09:37.840 --> 01:09:41.439
But I plan on killing that thing for sure. It'll

878
01:09:41.479 --> 01:09:46.239
satisfy my bloodlust. For many years, the dark passenger that

879
01:09:46.359 --> 01:09:50.199
lives inside me has pushed me time and time again

880
01:09:50.399 --> 01:09:55.079
to claim many victims. Each kill I make gives my

881
01:09:55.199 --> 01:10:00.720
bloodlust a feeling of satisfaction. Perhaps this is the closest

882
01:10:00.760 --> 01:10:06.119
thing I feel to emotions more than anything. Right now,

883
01:10:06.760 --> 01:10:11.079
I want that thing's life. I make sure we're in

884
01:10:11.119 --> 01:10:15.079
the clear before we go back into the school. Chester

885
01:10:15.239 --> 01:10:18.720
lets me go ahead of him to scout. I've learned

886
01:10:18.720 --> 01:10:21.439
a lot through my years of being a serial killer.

887
01:10:22.239 --> 01:10:26.680
That thing won't catch me on my worst day. Chester

888
01:10:26.760 --> 01:10:30.199
and I return to the girl's locker room. What's left

889
01:10:30.239 --> 01:10:34.199
of Cam's body is still in the shower, water still

890
01:10:34.319 --> 01:10:38.159
raining down on it. We are careful as we follow

891
01:10:38.239 --> 01:10:43.399
the thing's footsteps. No matter what precautions we take, neither

892
01:10:43.439 --> 01:10:46.920
of us is ready for the surprise waiting for us.

893
01:10:47.119 --> 01:10:50.479
When we get to the gym, I can see a

894
01:10:50.520 --> 01:10:57.520
glowing word on the concrete walls. Oh shit, he gasps

895
01:10:57.880 --> 01:11:04.079
when he reads it. Twins we know right then what

896
01:11:04.159 --> 01:11:07.720
that thing means. I go to one of the exit

897
01:11:07.760 --> 01:11:11.640
doors and pick the padlock. Chester's almost to me when

898
01:11:11.640 --> 01:11:14.880
I raise my hand for him to stop. Then I

899
01:11:14.960 --> 01:11:18.800
pull the door shut. We both nod once to each other.

900
01:11:19.479 --> 01:11:23.479
Knowing that that thing is still here in the school somewhere,

901
01:11:24.039 --> 01:11:27.079
I motion for him to come with me. We go

902
01:11:27.119 --> 01:11:30.239
to where the baseball bats are stored. I pick the

903
01:11:30.279 --> 01:11:33.760
locks so we have our choice of weapons. There's a

904
01:11:33.800 --> 01:11:37.560
good possibility these bats won't help us against that thing,

905
01:11:37.800 --> 01:11:42.800
but it's better than going after it bare handed. Plus

906
01:11:42.840 --> 01:11:47.680
the bats are bigger than Chester's baton. Knowing the thing

907
01:11:47.840 --> 01:11:51.600
is likely stalking us, we move through the school until

908
01:11:51.600 --> 01:11:55.079
we make it to the chemistry lab. Once we're inside,

909
01:11:55.720 --> 01:11:59.279
we pull the door closed. We can't really block it

910
01:11:59.680 --> 01:12:03.399
since it opens outward. At least we'll know if the

911
01:12:03.479 --> 01:12:07.359
thing is coming. There weren't any bloody footprints that we

912
01:12:07.439 --> 01:12:12.039
could see on our way to the lab. Chester and

913
01:12:12.119 --> 01:12:15.119
I look around. Between the two of us, we cook

914
01:12:15.199 --> 01:12:18.479
up a batch of test tube weapons we can maybe

915
01:12:18.600 --> 01:12:23.159
use against that thing. Unfortunately, we don't have a lot

916
01:12:23.239 --> 01:12:26.479
to work with, meaning we have to make these count.

917
01:12:27.439 --> 01:12:30.000
You'd think that thing would have come for us by now.

918
01:12:30.520 --> 01:12:35.119
Chester says, it's got to know we're here. I was

919
01:12:35.319 --> 01:12:41.199
just thinking the same thing, I reply. Suddenly, Chester screams

920
01:12:41.399 --> 01:12:44.880
when the thing drops down almost on top of us,

921
01:12:44.920 --> 01:12:49.960
having melted its way through the floor above. We both

922
01:12:50.039 --> 01:12:52.720
get some of that thing's blood on us and have

923
01:12:52.880 --> 01:12:57.199
to remove our upper garments fast. Now Chester's only wearing

924
01:12:57.239 --> 01:13:01.079
his wife beater and I'm in my braw The clothing

925
01:13:01.199 --> 01:13:06.159
we stripped off burned away quickly until practically nothing was left.

926
01:13:07.359 --> 01:13:12.800
Just let me touch you both. The thing gurgles more

927
01:13:13.000 --> 01:13:20.479
flesh for me to devour. Get away from me. Chester shrieks, Shit,

928
01:13:20.640 --> 01:13:25.479
what are you? Chester? And I quickly back away. I

929
01:13:25.560 --> 01:13:28.279
throw one of my test tubes at that thing's face.

930
01:13:29.079 --> 01:13:33.039
When it shatters, the liquid inside splashes the creature and

931
01:13:33.159 --> 01:13:40.239
it turns to me. Are you serious? It gurgles. We

932
01:13:40.279 --> 01:13:43.640
don't have much time to think when it suddenly projectile

933
01:13:43.720 --> 01:13:46.880
vomits at us again. Chester shoves me out of the

934
01:13:46.920 --> 01:13:50.479
way and dives to the floor. He gets back to

935
01:13:50.560 --> 01:13:55.039
his feet and runs, not wanting that thing to touch him.

936
01:13:56.359 --> 01:14:04.319
It's shambling after me now nice tits. Oh you like them?

937
01:14:05.159 --> 01:14:07.880
I pull the cups of my braw down and expose

938
01:14:07.960 --> 01:14:13.600
my breasts peek a boob. The thing is surprised and

939
01:14:13.760 --> 01:14:17.760
actually pauses what it's doing, which allows Chester to come

940
01:14:17.840 --> 01:14:21.680
up behind and blast it with a fire extinguisher, making

941
01:14:21.720 --> 01:14:25.560
it cry out in surprise. After I pull my braw

942
01:14:25.640 --> 01:14:29.920
back up, Chester drops the empty extinguisher and follows me

943
01:14:30.039 --> 01:14:34.720
out of the classroom. Chester reminds me why I appreciate

944
01:14:34.840 --> 01:14:38.439
him as my intellectual peer. When he grabs a chair

945
01:14:39.079 --> 01:14:41.920
after closing the door, he jams it under the knob.

946
01:14:42.800 --> 01:14:48.439
Good thinking, I compliment him. Let's go, He says, that

947
01:14:48.560 --> 01:14:51.920
thing is melting right through the door and the chair.

948
01:14:52.880 --> 01:14:54.960
We know we're not going to be able to beat

949
01:14:54.960 --> 01:14:57.680
it with a few test tubes that we have left,

950
01:14:57.880 --> 01:15:03.239
or with our bats. Then I have an idea. I

951
01:15:03.359 --> 01:15:06.920
pull out my phone and quickly text Chester what I'm thinking.

952
01:15:07.920 --> 01:15:11.239
I'm going back to the gym. I tell him not

953
01:15:11.359 --> 01:15:15.720
before I do. Chester counters, I got your text. I'll

954
01:15:15.760 --> 01:15:19.640
be ready, just I know, Chester, I will, I promise.

955
01:15:21.199 --> 01:15:24.079
He gives me a quick peck on the lips before

956
01:15:24.159 --> 01:15:28.960
running off. I turn back around to see the thing

957
01:15:29.560 --> 01:15:37.600
shambling toward me. I'll have your beautiful skin, Reagan. The

958
01:15:37.600 --> 01:15:46.880
thing gurgles. I would have thought the thing might projectile

959
01:15:47.000 --> 01:15:51.319
vomit at me again, but I think it can only

960
01:15:51.399 --> 01:15:56.159
do that so many times. It probably needs to reload,

961
01:15:56.640 --> 01:16:02.079
so to speak, probably from consuming another body. Speaking of

962
01:16:03.319 --> 01:16:05.680
just what the hell is going on in here? A

963
01:16:05.800 --> 01:16:09.640
voice yells, I saw kinds of lights moving from room

964
01:16:09.680 --> 01:16:13.760
to room outside. What are you kids doing here? The

965
01:16:13.840 --> 01:16:18.319
school is closed. When I see it's Tom Arbor's, one

966
01:16:18.319 --> 01:16:22.399
of the janitors, wearing a Santa Claus suit. I remember

967
01:16:22.479 --> 01:16:25.720
he rings the bell for the Salvation Army out at

968
01:16:25.800 --> 01:16:30.640
Denoyer's grill every holiday season. I quickly yell his way,

969
01:16:31.359 --> 01:16:34.840
get the hell out of here. When the thing appears,

970
01:16:35.720 --> 01:16:40.960
Arbor sees how it glows as it shambles towards him. Oh,

971
01:16:41.079 --> 01:16:45.720
give me a break, he groans. It's Christmas Eve. I

972
01:16:45.760 --> 01:16:48.880
ain't got time to be dealing with this Halloween horseshit

973
01:16:49.039 --> 01:16:54.600
from you dumb kids. That thing will kill you. I yell, run.

974
01:16:55.560 --> 01:16:58.680
I throw my last two test tubes and hit the

975
01:16:58.720 --> 01:17:02.840
thing on the back of the head. Unfortunately, it does

976
01:17:02.880 --> 01:17:07.640
not distract the creature. Not when easy prey is so close.

977
01:17:08.640 --> 01:17:12.199
You'd think Arbors would flee slow as that thing is,

978
01:17:12.920 --> 01:17:18.399
but he's too ignorant and thinks that glowing creature isn't real.

979
01:17:19.600 --> 01:17:23.239
I try using my baseball bat, but it catches the

980
01:17:23.359 --> 01:17:26.960
end of it, yanks it from me and disintegrates it.

981
01:17:27.880 --> 01:17:32.119
And still Arbor's refuses to believe and keeps standing there.

982
01:17:32.960 --> 01:17:36.680
In fact, he pulls out his cell phone. I mean it,

983
01:17:37.079 --> 01:17:44.800
he yells at it. I'll call the too late. Yummy. Yes,

984
01:17:46.039 --> 01:17:51.000
it moans like it's having the most delicious feast. Arbor's

985
01:17:51.079 --> 01:17:56.439
continues to scream and bleeds out fast to describe what

986
01:17:56.600 --> 01:18:00.720
that thing is doing. It's eating the flesh off the

987
01:18:00.800 --> 01:18:05.800
Janitor by simply touching him. The chemicals it secretes are

988
01:18:05.840 --> 01:18:09.760
breaking down the flesh and letting the thing absorb whatever

989
01:18:10.119 --> 01:18:15.159
nutrient's Arbors had into its own body. He finally stops

990
01:18:15.199 --> 01:18:21.319
screaming as his flesh continues to seemingly melt away. Even

991
01:18:21.359 --> 01:18:25.960
the Santa suit dissolves, much like our clothes that were destroyed.

992
01:18:26.880 --> 01:18:31.159
His vital organs begin to liquefy. This is what that

993
01:18:31.399 --> 01:18:36.840
thing did to all those people, including cam. Soon, the

994
01:18:36.920 --> 01:18:41.119
Janitor is nothing more than a yellowish brown skeleton. Wearing

995
01:18:41.199 --> 01:18:46.039
a Santa cap and black boots. The thing lets it

996
01:18:46.119 --> 01:18:53.119
collapse into a pile on the floor. Thanks Santa, it gurgles,

997
01:18:53.159 --> 01:18:59.000
sounding almost grateful. Now it turns its attention back to me.

998
01:19:00.279 --> 01:19:08.720
Now where were we? I turn and run. After a moment,

999
01:19:09.159 --> 01:19:13.399
I stop and look back. Soon the thing comes around

1000
01:19:13.399 --> 01:19:17.680
the corner and seize me. When I blow at a kiss,

1001
01:19:18.520 --> 01:19:22.960
it hisses and shambles after me even faster. I move

1002
01:19:23.000 --> 01:19:26.520
again when I need to, keeping enough distance for that

1003
01:19:26.680 --> 01:19:30.840
thing to see me, but to avoid its toxic vomit,

1004
01:19:31.720 --> 01:19:35.199
I return to the gym and run back inside. It

1005
01:19:35.239 --> 01:19:38.199
doesn't take long for that thing to burn right through

1006
01:19:38.239 --> 01:19:42.319
the doors. When I reach the doors on the opposite side,

1007
01:19:42.960 --> 01:19:49.039
I shake them shit locked, I cry out, before turning

1008
01:19:49.039 --> 01:19:52.880
to face that thing. With my back to the doors.

1009
01:19:53.359 --> 01:19:58.800
It's inside now, making the dark gem glow bright. You

1010
01:19:59.279 --> 01:20:04.600
should just get naked. I'd much rather enjoy your flesh

1011
01:20:04.640 --> 01:20:10.680
without the without the clothes anyway, Hey, you greasy bitch

1012
01:20:11.199 --> 01:20:15.640
over here, a voice calls out. The thing looks to

1013
01:20:15.680 --> 01:20:19.319
see Chester standing at the entrance to the equipment room.

1014
01:20:20.000 --> 01:20:24.119
He looks over at me and nods. Once I turn

1015
01:20:24.239 --> 01:20:30.399
back around and easily opened the doors. What the thing gurgles,

1016
01:20:30.800 --> 01:20:34.399
realizing that I tricked it. I must have done a

1017
01:20:34.439 --> 01:20:38.680
good job pretending to be scared. Then the thing screams

1018
01:20:38.720 --> 01:20:44.079
after Chester approaches it and blasts it with another fire extinguisher.

1019
01:20:45.079 --> 01:20:47.800
I move out into the hallway to the other equipment

1020
01:20:47.880 --> 01:20:51.600
room on that side. I find what I'm looking for

1021
01:20:52.000 --> 01:20:56.720
and come back out after the thing recovers from Chester's attack.

1022
01:20:57.399 --> 01:21:00.000
It looks right at me as I'm aiming a bouve

1023
01:21:00.239 --> 01:21:04.640
and arrow at it. If that thing could smile, but

1024
01:21:04.760 --> 01:21:10.039
it gurgles with laughter instead. Haven't you learned anything from

1025
01:21:10.319 --> 01:21:15.000
when you threw that knife at me? Nothing can kill me.

1026
01:21:16.439 --> 01:21:20.000
I lock eyes with it. I don't know your name,

1027
01:21:20.560 --> 01:21:26.760
but let the punishment fit the crime. Without a second thought,

1028
01:21:27.199 --> 01:21:31.920
I fire the arrow right into the thing's heart. It

1029
01:21:31.960 --> 01:21:36.399
glares right at me before beginning to disintegrate the arrow.

1030
01:21:37.319 --> 01:21:40.720
Then I remember what happened to my knife earlier and

1031
01:21:40.840 --> 01:21:44.439
quickly knock a second arrow. As it shambles toward me,

1032
01:21:45.399 --> 01:21:49.720
it hisses and stretches out its skeletal hands. Then I

1033
01:21:49.800 --> 01:21:54.520
recall what Mom told me about how she killed Buck Weathers.

1034
01:21:55.039 --> 01:22:01.399
I raise my bow's aim slightly and fire the thing

1035
01:22:01.640 --> 01:22:07.039
gasps and stands still for the longest time. It gurgles

1036
01:22:07.079 --> 01:22:12.319
briefly before its skeletal legs give out, dropping it to

1037
01:22:12.399 --> 01:22:17.279
the floor. At the same time, I feel my bloodlust

1038
01:22:17.399 --> 01:22:22.960
being satisfied, and I moan softly. The thing looks right

1039
01:22:23.000 --> 01:22:27.920
at me, even though it can no longer see. Then

1040
01:22:28.119 --> 01:22:33.239
some strange liquid starts pooling underneath the skeleton as its

1041
01:22:33.279 --> 01:22:40.720
glow dims. Careful rage, Chester warns me, noted, I reply,

1042
01:22:41.560 --> 01:22:46.159
arming another arrow. The thing never moves again over the

1043
01:22:46.199 --> 01:22:51.319
next several minutes. Since I felt my bloodlust being satisfied,

1044
01:22:51.960 --> 01:22:57.479
that was confirmation that the thing is finally dead. I

1045
01:22:57.600 --> 01:23:03.039
lower the bow and arrow and them to Chester. Suddenly,

1046
01:23:03.560 --> 01:23:07.039
the gym lights come on bright hold it right there.

1047
01:23:07.760 --> 01:23:15.159
A voice shouts, Oh shit. Chester chokes out as he

1048
01:23:15.319 --> 01:23:19.800
slowly raises his hands as all these cops storm in.

1049
01:23:20.840 --> 01:23:23.760
Then he quickly points at what's left of that thing.

1050
01:23:24.760 --> 01:23:29.079
We didn't do that. The cop who yelled tells Chester

1051
01:23:29.159 --> 01:23:33.079
to shut up and starts reading him his rights. Let

1052
01:23:33.119 --> 01:23:39.600
them go. A familiar voice calls out, Mom, I call back.

1053
01:23:40.680 --> 01:23:44.479
She comes to us and throws her arms around me. Baby,

1054
01:23:44.960 --> 01:23:50.479
you're safe. I hug Mom back. We're okay, Chester and

1055
01:23:50.520 --> 01:23:56.479
I stop that thing, Detective Devereaux, another officer, shouts in

1056
01:23:56.560 --> 01:24:02.000
protest as she hugs Chester away from him and points

1057
01:24:02.000 --> 01:24:06.039
at the cop. You do not test me, asshole. Now

1058
01:24:06.079 --> 01:24:09.479
back off. I'm taking these two home. We'll have to

1059
01:24:09.560 --> 01:24:15.720
question them first, Detective. Another detective informs her it'll be okay, Mom,

1060
01:24:16.239 --> 01:24:21.359
I assure her. Mom nods reluctantly. Chester and I are

1061
01:24:21.399 --> 01:24:24.319
then escorted out of our high school and to a

1062
01:24:24.319 --> 01:24:27.920
squad car. We're taken to the station to be questioned

1063
01:24:27.960 --> 01:24:31.720
about this afternoon. Let's just say we were in the

1064
01:24:31.760 --> 01:24:36.800
interrogation room until it got dark. When we were finally done,

1065
01:24:37.520 --> 01:24:42.840
Mom brought us home. Chester and I are in my

1066
01:24:43.000 --> 01:24:46.560
room talking about things. I gave him a T shirt

1067
01:24:46.600 --> 01:24:52.039
Gregor left behind when he moved out. Anyway, Mom definitely

1068
01:24:52.119 --> 01:24:56.720
had some interesting information to share with us. While Chester

1069
01:24:56.840 --> 01:25:01.840
and I were dealing with that female monster thing. Mom

1070
01:25:02.000 --> 01:25:06.239
wasn't in Strickfield after all. In fact, Chester and I

1071
01:25:06.319 --> 01:25:11.039
overheard Mom getting into it with Chief Cobs over disobeying

1072
01:25:11.079 --> 01:25:16.279
a direct order. Long story short, Mom didn't get suspended

1073
01:25:16.399 --> 01:25:21.920
or reprimanded, especially not when she told Chief Cobs absolutely

1074
01:25:22.000 --> 01:25:25.760
no one comes in between me and my babies. I

1075
01:25:25.800 --> 01:25:29.840
stressed referring to that thing as female, because Mom said

1076
01:25:29.880 --> 01:25:33.800
she had pursued and killed a male one earlier today,

1077
01:25:34.720 --> 01:25:37.720
about an hour before the police found Chester and I.

1078
01:25:39.199 --> 01:25:42.600
We didn't talk too much about the female one. We

1079
01:25:42.720 --> 01:25:46.960
didn't want Mom to get an idea about our own investigation.

1080
01:25:48.239 --> 01:25:52.720
I love my mother in my own emotionless way, but

1081
01:25:52.840 --> 01:25:55.960
I do understand that it would devastate her to know

1082
01:25:56.119 --> 01:26:01.239
she'd given birth to and raised a serial killer. Mom

1083
01:26:01.279 --> 01:26:06.520
and the twins must never know. The only conclusion Chester

1084
01:26:06.600 --> 01:26:09.680
and I could come up with was about that couple

1085
01:26:10.000 --> 01:26:14.439
in the car that supposedly burned to death a year ago.

1086
01:26:14.760 --> 01:26:17.920
We reasoned that those green flames had something to do

1087
01:26:18.000 --> 01:26:22.600
with them not actually dying. They were pronounced dead when

1088
01:26:22.640 --> 01:26:26.920
their bodies were never found inside the car. It was

1089
01:26:27.000 --> 01:26:32.000
assumed the flames completely destroyed them. A positive ida was

1090
01:26:32.039 --> 01:26:36.760
never made then or now. The bodies both melted into

1091
01:26:36.840 --> 01:26:40.960
goo after they were killed, the same as Buck Weathers

1092
01:26:41.520 --> 01:26:45.439
after Mom took care of him. We reasoned the couple

1093
01:26:45.640 --> 01:26:49.680
escaped from the car. Since it was snowing heavily that day,

1094
01:26:50.359 --> 01:26:54.399
it likely covered up their tracks. They were badly burned

1095
01:26:54.439 --> 01:27:00.199
and mutated by those chemical flames, just like Buck weathers.

1096
01:27:00.720 --> 01:27:05.159
I'm sure glad that's over. Chester says, I don't think

1097
01:27:05.199 --> 01:27:09.319
I'll ever forget that thing we saw tonight. I know

1098
01:27:09.439 --> 01:27:13.800
I'll never forget for sure. Having my highly photographic memory

1099
01:27:14.239 --> 01:27:17.800
means once I see something, it's in my brain forever.

1100
01:27:18.960 --> 01:27:22.640
Seeing Chester's face, I know tonight is going to stay

1101
01:27:22.640 --> 01:27:26.720
with him for some time. I take his hand and

1102
01:27:26.880 --> 01:27:31.199
try to comfort him. You going to be okay, He

1103
01:27:31.279 --> 01:27:35.640
squeezes my hand a little and shrugs. I don't know.

1104
01:27:36.760 --> 01:27:40.720
First there was that thing. Then you told me vampires

1105
01:27:40.720 --> 01:27:45.720
are real. Anything else I should know about? I shake

1106
01:27:45.800 --> 01:27:49.479
my head. I know those things are real, for sure.

1107
01:27:50.439 --> 01:27:54.479
I wouldn't be surprised, however, if other things we've only

1108
01:27:54.520 --> 01:28:00.000
heard about in stories or in movies were real now too.

1109
01:28:00.199 --> 01:28:04.039
I look at the clock. It's getting late. I can

1110
01:28:04.079 --> 01:28:06.479
walk you down to the front door, or I could

1111
01:28:06.479 --> 01:28:12.239
even walk you home. Chester smiles. Yeah, your family will

1112
01:28:12.279 --> 01:28:15.239
be home to have Christmas Eve together. I'm sure my

1113
01:28:15.359 --> 01:28:19.079
parents will be expecting me home soon too. When we

1114
01:28:19.159 --> 01:28:24.239
get up, we find ourselves still holding hands. We stare

1115
01:28:24.279 --> 01:28:29.600
at each other, and then Chester kisses me again. I

1116
01:28:29.640 --> 01:28:34.560
should tell Chester that this isn't a good idea, but

1117
01:28:34.640 --> 01:28:38.439
I kiss him back. I know Chester wants to make

1118
01:28:38.520 --> 01:28:44.640
love to me. Likewise, I do desire him physically. When

1119
01:28:44.680 --> 01:28:49.319
we come apart, he looks at me. I'm sorry, Rage,

1120
01:28:50.239 --> 01:28:53.680
I can't help how I feel about you, he tells me.

1121
01:28:55.199 --> 01:28:57.520
I let go of his hand to move my door

1122
01:28:58.159 --> 01:29:03.239
and close it and lock it. Chester can't believe it

1123
01:29:03.439 --> 01:29:07.319
when he sees me undressing. Once I'm naked, I move

1124
01:29:07.399 --> 01:29:12.159
to the bed and pull back the covers. I look

1125
01:29:12.199 --> 01:29:16.359
at him expectantly. He gets naked and joins me in bed.

1126
01:29:17.199 --> 01:29:26.640
From there I let him make love to me. We

1127
01:29:26.760 --> 01:29:29.760
must have dozed off for a bit, but we soon

1128
01:29:29.840 --> 01:29:33.319
wake up. I'm resting with my head on Chester's shoulder.

1129
01:29:34.079 --> 01:29:39.920
Then he fully realizes what just happened. I'm sorry, Rage,

1130
01:29:40.520 --> 01:29:44.479
he says. I only wanted to be your friend. I

1131
01:29:45.920 --> 01:29:49.640
didn't mean for this to happen. I look up at him.

1132
01:29:50.640 --> 01:29:56.479
Don't be sorry, I'm not. We sit up. I'm willing

1133
01:29:56.560 --> 01:29:59.600
to give you a chance to explore your feelings for me.

1134
01:30:00.680 --> 01:30:06.119
But you can't feel anything, rage, Chester says, caressing the

1135
01:30:06.199 --> 01:30:11.319
side of my face. I hold his hand there. You're right,

1136
01:30:12.199 --> 01:30:17.640
I can't feel what you feel. However, I desire these

1137
01:30:18.560 --> 01:30:23.279
physical sensations you give me in that I can at

1138
01:30:23.359 --> 01:30:28.560
least give you something in return. Knowing he hasn't lost me,

1139
01:30:29.319 --> 01:30:35.399
we share another kiss. Reagan, Chester, are you here? I

1140
01:30:35.479 --> 01:30:40.239
hear mom calling from downstairs. Yeah, Mom, we'll be down

1141
01:30:40.239 --> 01:30:43.520
in a minute. I call back. I'd better get out

1142
01:30:43.520 --> 01:30:48.399
o here before your mom shoots me. Chester says she won't.

1143
01:30:48.720 --> 01:30:53.079
I assure him I'll talk to her. He caresses my

1144
01:30:53.239 --> 01:30:58.199
face again, I was joking. Rage. We get out of

1145
01:30:58.239 --> 01:31:02.479
bed and dressed. We share one more kiss before I

1146
01:31:02.600 --> 01:31:07.520
walk him downstairs. Sure enough, Mom doesn't give Chester a

1147
01:31:07.560 --> 01:31:11.159
hard time. The look on his face says she knows

1148
01:31:11.359 --> 01:31:16.199
exactly what we just did. You can stay with Reagan

1149
01:31:16.239 --> 01:31:20.199
if you want, Mom says sincerely. But no, if you

1150
01:31:20.399 --> 01:31:23.520
ever hurt my baby, there won't be anywhere you can

1151
01:31:23.600 --> 01:31:29.920
run to escape this sexy hot mama. We clear, Yes, ma'am,

1152
01:31:30.560 --> 01:31:35.560
he stammers quickly. She points at him, sharply, you ever

1153
01:31:35.640 --> 01:31:38.720
call me ma'am again, and you'll be out on your ass.

1154
01:31:39.279 --> 01:31:44.159
I told you before, call me chantelle. I'm a mama,

1155
01:31:44.439 --> 01:31:49.359
not an old lady. Remember that. He almost repeats himself,

1156
01:31:49.640 --> 01:31:54.600
but I nudge his arm. Yes, Chantelle, I'm going to

1157
01:31:54.640 --> 01:31:58.359
walk him home. Mom. I tell her I'll be back shortly.

1158
01:31:59.279 --> 01:32:03.800
Then I noticed where are the twins? They just texted

1159
01:32:03.840 --> 01:32:06.880
me and said they were on their way home. Mom answers,

1160
01:32:07.479 --> 01:32:11.199
I sent them to Wylder's Market to get some things. Sure,

1161
01:32:11.239 --> 01:32:14.960
I'm glad they stay open later on Christmas Eve. Just

1162
01:32:15.079 --> 01:32:19.039
then the back door opens, the twins come in with

1163
01:32:19.199 --> 01:32:23.960
B and they're all carrying lots of stuff. Mom turns

1164
01:32:24.000 --> 01:32:27.760
back to Chester. Are you sure you won't stay? I

1165
01:32:27.840 --> 01:32:31.000
really don't mind. It's nice to have this big house

1166
01:32:31.039 --> 01:32:37.119
full of people on Christmas Eve. Chester sighe. Okay, Chantelle,

1167
01:32:37.840 --> 01:32:40.880
you talk me into it. There's never much going on

1168
01:32:41.000 --> 01:32:45.520
at my house on Christmas Eve anyway, Thank you. It

1169
01:32:45.640 --> 01:32:48.640
ends up being a full house with Mom, Chester and

1170
01:32:48.760 --> 01:32:52.920
US cheerleaders. At times, B and Chester give each other

1171
01:32:53.000 --> 01:32:58.439
their usual frenemy looks. Aside from that, B hasn't said

1172
01:32:58.520 --> 01:33:03.720
much of anything. What's wrong? B? Mom asks you've been

1173
01:33:03.760 --> 01:33:07.079
looking pretty down since you got here. It's Christmas Eve

1174
01:33:07.159 --> 01:33:11.359
and we're about to have dinner. B sizhe, I just

1175
01:33:11.439 --> 01:33:16.159
can't believe Cam's gone, and the way she died in

1176
01:33:16.199 --> 01:33:21.000
the shower at our school. Red flag now my eyes

1177
01:33:21.039 --> 01:33:24.960
are right on Be. How would you know about Cam?

1178
01:33:25.560 --> 01:33:29.319
It hasn't made the paper or the news yet. Other

1179
01:33:29.399 --> 01:33:32.279
than Mom, Chester and I are the only ones here

1180
01:33:32.359 --> 01:33:40.479
who know Cam's dead, Rouge asks in shock seriously. Lavender gasps,

1181
01:33:41.239 --> 01:33:47.000
Mom's definitely alert. Now, Reagan's right, how would you know that?

1182
01:33:48.159 --> 01:33:50.560
Did you go into the school at some point today?

1183
01:33:51.640 --> 01:33:55.000
I take over. If you did, you would have to

1184
01:33:55.039 --> 01:33:57.439
have heard all the commotion that was going on when

1185
01:33:57.640 --> 01:34:02.159
we were there with that thing chasing us. Be. You

1186
01:34:02.199 --> 01:34:05.960
would have to have seen that thing as bright as

1187
01:34:05.960 --> 01:34:09.520
it glowed in the dark. I quickly point to Rouge

1188
01:34:09.520 --> 01:34:13.680
and Lavender. Get away from Bee right now, both of you.

1189
01:34:14.640 --> 01:34:17.760
The twins don't argue and do what their big siss

1190
01:34:17.760 --> 01:34:22.960
tells them. B gives us this weird look. I know

1191
01:34:23.079 --> 01:34:28.359
how Cam died because Mom and I both fed off her,

1192
01:34:29.640 --> 01:34:33.199
just like I'm going to feed off all of you tonight.

1193
01:34:34.680 --> 01:34:39.000
That's why Rage and I didn't find any bloody footprints outside.

1194
01:34:39.119 --> 01:34:44.439
Chester figures out. Then he points to Be. You obviously

1195
01:34:44.520 --> 01:34:49.840
can become human, so you did and left before we

1196
01:34:49.960 --> 01:34:53.199
could see you. I'm right with him, figuring it out.

1197
01:34:54.039 --> 01:34:56.439
It wasn't just the two people in the car a

1198
01:34:56.560 --> 01:35:01.319
year ago. Tonight, you were in the car too, maybe

1199
01:35:01.359 --> 01:35:05.079
in the back seat. Correct, I was in the back

1200
01:35:05.119 --> 01:35:09.640
seat when that chemical truck hit us. Be explains. The

1201
01:35:09.720 --> 01:35:14.640
truck exploded immediately, and we all burned alive, but that

1202
01:35:14.760 --> 01:35:20.520
green fire did something to us. We couldn't die, but

1203
01:35:20.680 --> 01:35:25.880
burning just hurt like hell. B stands up and points

1204
01:35:25.920 --> 01:35:30.680
to Mom. It's not exactly fair that we became freaks

1205
01:35:30.680 --> 01:35:33.439
while you got to go home to your babies, as

1206
01:35:33.479 --> 01:35:37.279
you call them. When Mom grabs for her gun, Be

1207
01:35:37.560 --> 01:35:42.319
wretches projectile vomit. Mom lets out a scream and dives

1208
01:35:42.359 --> 01:35:47.119
out of the way. Then Bee's skin starts melting like

1209
01:35:47.199 --> 01:35:52.960
it's made of wax. I'm gonna bite off all your faces,

1210
01:35:53.760 --> 01:35:57.760
then I'm going to have your skins for Christmas dinner.

1211
01:36:03.279 --> 01:36:07.600
Be roars as her skin melts away further and her

1212
01:36:07.640 --> 01:36:12.880
clothes dissolve instantly. She looks just like her now deceased

1213
01:36:13.000 --> 01:36:17.600
parents did. She's covered in disgusting blood and melted flesh,

1214
01:36:17.880 --> 01:36:22.199
while her muscles and bones are exposed. Even her eyes

1215
01:36:22.239 --> 01:36:27.199
are still in their sockets. Bee walks toward Mom, her

1216
01:36:27.319 --> 01:36:31.960
arms outstretched. She's leaving bloody footprints all over the dining

1217
01:36:32.039 --> 01:36:36.359
room floor, and they're melting the tile as she moves.

1218
01:36:36.920 --> 01:36:40.079
Mom grabs anything she can get her hands on and

1219
01:36:40.239 --> 01:36:44.199
heaves them at Bee. The thing either swats them away

1220
01:36:44.359 --> 01:36:48.439
with a quickness her parents never showed, or she catches

1221
01:36:48.520 --> 01:36:53.239
the items and melts them to nothing. In fact, she's

1222
01:36:53.319 --> 01:36:59.359
actually walking normally, not shambling at all. I will have

1223
01:36:59.479 --> 01:37:07.439
my room avenge. Be gurgles. It wasn't fair, but it

1224
01:37:07.560 --> 01:37:12.159
wasn't my fault. Mom yells, I arrived on the scene

1225
01:37:12.199 --> 01:37:15.960
after the fact. I'm sincerely sorry for what happened to

1226
01:37:15.960 --> 01:37:22.000
all of you. Sorry won't make me human again. Be roars.

1227
01:37:23.239 --> 01:37:27.119
It also won't bring back my parents. You and Rage

1228
01:37:27.279 --> 01:37:32.920
killed tonight. She raises her fists. I'm going to kill

1229
01:37:33.399 --> 01:37:38.359
you all, Mom screams as she grabs a chair to

1230
01:37:38.439 --> 01:37:43.079
hit Bee with. Be surprises Mom by showing she's clearly

1231
01:37:43.199 --> 01:37:47.800
stronger in addition to being faster than her parents were.

1232
01:37:48.560 --> 01:37:51.439
She's about to put her hands on Mom when I

1233
01:37:51.560 --> 01:37:55.439
don't think twice and charge it. Be. I know I'm

1234
01:37:55.479 --> 01:37:59.960
putting myself in terrible danger. My inability to feel fee

1235
01:38:00.359 --> 01:38:04.359
is a double edged sword. But Chantal Devereaux is my mother,

1236
01:38:04.920 --> 01:38:08.920
and she gave me life. I owe her my life

1237
01:38:08.960 --> 01:38:12.239
for hers. When Bee grabs hold of my arms, I

1238
01:38:12.279 --> 01:38:16.680
barely feel her hands burning into my forearms. Not feeling

1239
01:38:16.760 --> 01:38:20.760
pain is also a double edged sword, but this time

1240
01:38:21.239 --> 01:38:25.159
it works in my favor. I punch Bee square in

1241
01:38:25.199 --> 01:38:28.399
her skull like face and send her crashing right through

1242
01:38:28.439 --> 01:38:33.479
a nearby window. She falls outside and lands on the

1243
01:38:33.520 --> 01:38:39.840
snowy grass in the darkness. Her radioactive glow is quite evident.

1244
01:38:40.960 --> 01:38:45.239
Chester pulls me into his arms, rage, Jesus Christ, are

1245
01:38:45.239 --> 01:38:49.880
you okay? He quickly looks at Mom. Call an ambulance.

1246
01:38:50.479 --> 01:38:54.520
She's bleeding out. I look down and see that Bee

1247
01:38:54.720 --> 01:38:58.840
burned my skin enough to draw blood. Mom grabs her

1248
01:38:58.880 --> 01:39:02.640
phone to call for help. Baby, What are you doing?

1249
01:39:03.359 --> 01:39:06.159
She yells when she sees me break away from Chester

1250
01:39:06.960 --> 01:39:11.800
and dive right through the window. Reagan, I don't care

1251
01:39:11.840 --> 01:39:14.920
if this thing pretended to be my best friend for

1252
01:39:15.000 --> 01:39:19.439
a year. Tonight it targeted my family, and I'll die

1253
01:39:19.520 --> 01:39:23.199
before I let it have them, Reagan, for Fox's sake,

1254
01:39:23.239 --> 01:39:27.399
get away from her. Mom frantically begs me, I just

1255
01:39:27.479 --> 01:39:32.279
called for backup and an ambulance. Just get away from her.

1256
01:39:33.239 --> 01:39:36.359
I can't feel it. I can't say that I feel it,

1257
01:39:36.960 --> 01:39:39.920
but I must tell the most important woman in my life.

1258
01:39:41.159 --> 01:39:47.840
I love you, Mom. How touching the thing mocks. I've

1259
01:39:47.880 --> 01:39:51.159
been keeping an eye on b When she starts to

1260
01:39:51.279 --> 01:39:55.359
projectile vomit at me, I dropkicker in the gut. She

1261
01:39:55.560 --> 01:39:59.079
chokes on her own deadly vomit and gags as she

1262
01:39:59.199 --> 01:40:02.760
falls to her knees. You'd swear she was choking on

1263
01:40:02.840 --> 01:40:05.880
a big piece of steak or something. As for me,

1264
01:40:06.640 --> 01:40:09.119
I just lost another pair of shoes. When I kick

1265
01:40:09.159 --> 01:40:16.359
off these rapidly melting ones, it augh burns, she manages

1266
01:40:16.399 --> 01:40:20.680
to say, while clutching her throat. Just then, Chester is

1267
01:40:20.720 --> 01:40:24.239
outside with me, Rage, come on, let me take you

1268
01:40:24.279 --> 01:40:28.920
to a hospital. You're you're hurt bed. I glare at him.

1269
01:40:29.600 --> 01:40:34.319
I won't let Bee get my family or you. Seeing

1270
01:40:34.359 --> 01:40:37.520
that Chester pulled out his baton, I snatch it from

1271
01:40:37.560 --> 01:40:41.079
him and get a few good hits on Bee. She's

1272
01:40:41.119 --> 01:40:44.359
still in pain as she keeps choking on her own vomit.

1273
01:40:45.119 --> 01:40:48.159
I crack her hard on the head, knocking her flat

1274
01:40:48.199 --> 01:40:52.399
on her back. When the baton suddenly catches fire, I

1275
01:40:52.520 --> 01:40:57.119
drop it. Rage, Chester yells and snatches me to him.

1276
01:40:57.640 --> 01:41:02.399
You're bleeding out fast, I don't care. I push him away.

1277
01:41:03.079 --> 01:41:07.640
I will protect my family no matter what. Chester tightens

1278
01:41:07.680 --> 01:41:11.399
his fists in frustration. I love you. I won't let

1279
01:41:11.399 --> 01:41:15.560
you die. Now I see the twins gawking at me

1280
01:41:16.119 --> 01:41:20.439
from inside the dining room. I can now clearly see

1281
01:41:20.520 --> 01:41:25.840
that they truly have feelings for Chester. For a brief moment,

1282
01:41:25.960 --> 01:41:30.039
they give me hurt looks. Then they remember I'm out

1283
01:41:30.039 --> 01:41:34.560
here fighting for them. Next thing I know, the twins

1284
01:41:34.680 --> 01:41:39.720
disappear from the window. Babies. I hear mom yell, what

1285
01:41:39.760 --> 01:41:44.119
the fuck are you doing? Get back in here. Then

1286
01:41:44.239 --> 01:41:47.800
that thing gags as it finally coughs up the rest

1287
01:41:47.840 --> 01:41:52.159
of its bile and sits back up. I'm not that

1288
01:41:52.920 --> 01:41:58.479
easily beaten, rage Be gurgles. Then she points at us.

1289
01:41:59.079 --> 01:42:03.359
I'm gonna bite both of your faces off. Then I

1290
01:42:03.479 --> 01:42:08.720
hear one twin call out, like hell you will. The

1291
01:42:08.840 --> 01:42:12.840
other one finishes. The twins are outside with Chester and

1292
01:42:12.880 --> 01:42:17.000
I and they have Mom's gun. They're both holding it

1293
01:42:17.079 --> 01:42:21.720
together and aiming at that thing. Rouge using her left

1294
01:42:21.760 --> 01:42:26.119
hand and Lavender using her right. Without a second thought,

1295
01:42:26.239 --> 01:42:31.279
they fire at its heart together. B cries out and

1296
01:42:31.359 --> 01:42:36.119
falls on her back. Like her parents, she refuses to die.

1297
01:42:37.119 --> 01:42:40.680
Then the twins glare at both of us. You knew

1298
01:42:40.720 --> 01:42:45.319
we cared about Chester, big sis. Lavender yells, but you

1299
01:42:45.399 --> 01:42:51.279
took him for yourself anyway, Rouge growls. Chester turns to them.

1300
01:42:52.359 --> 01:42:55.039
Be pissed at her all you want. It was never

1301
01:42:55.079 --> 01:42:58.479
going to be about the three of us. I like

1302
01:42:58.560 --> 01:43:04.199
you both, but it was always about Rage. I love her.

1303
01:43:05.359 --> 01:43:10.239
The twins look really pissed now. They raise the gun together,

1304
01:43:11.199 --> 01:43:20.039
pointing directly at Chester. Lavender made eye contact with Chester.

1305
01:43:21.600 --> 01:43:26.960
Get out of the way, you dumbass, Rouge finishes. Chester

1306
01:43:27.119 --> 01:43:29.920
quickly drops to the grass as the twins squeeze the

1307
01:43:29.960 --> 01:43:33.720
trigger and catch Bee in the heart again, just as

1308
01:43:33.800 --> 01:43:37.399
she had gotten up and was about to grab him.

1309
01:43:37.760 --> 01:43:41.239
Aim for the head, I tell the twins, as I'm

1310
01:43:41.279 --> 01:43:45.840
starting to feel faint. Without a second thought, the twins

1311
01:43:45.880 --> 01:43:53.680
advance together and aim the gun Beatrice Sherwood. Let the

1312
01:43:53.680 --> 01:43:59.079
punishment fit the crime, I say, before the twins drop

1313
01:43:59.159 --> 01:44:04.119
her and for all with a point blank shot between

1314
01:44:04.159 --> 01:44:10.520
the eyes. Give me that right now, Mom shrieks, The

1315
01:44:10.600 --> 01:44:15.800
twins disengage. Lavender hands the firearm back to Mom, saying,

1316
01:44:16.760 --> 01:44:22.079
we had to save our big sister. Rouge finishes, She's

1317
01:44:22.119 --> 01:44:27.560
our family. Mom, they say together. Mom takes a moment

1318
01:44:27.960 --> 01:44:33.359
and calms down. Then she hugs the twins to her,

1319
01:44:34.399 --> 01:44:40.399
my babies. I don't feel it when everything suddenly goes dark.

1320
01:44:41.600 --> 01:44:44.640
I think I felt myself fall in land on my back.

1321
01:44:46.239 --> 01:44:49.520
Maybe Chester was right about my bleeding out, after all,

1322
01:44:50.840 --> 01:45:02.199
that was my last thought before I die. Epilogue. Clearly

1323
01:45:02.479 --> 01:45:05.840
I didn't die because I wake up to find I'm

1324
01:45:05.880 --> 01:45:10.199
at the North Ridgeway Municipal Hospital. My arms are wrapped

1325
01:45:10.319 --> 01:45:14.560
up and I feel a lot better. Chester is at

1326
01:45:14.560 --> 01:45:21.720
my bedside. You're awake, he says excitedly. I wasn't in

1327
01:45:21.760 --> 01:45:25.640
a coma, was I? I ask? Still trying to wake

1328
01:45:25.720 --> 01:45:30.079
up now. The doctor said he'd monitor you. He said

1329
01:45:30.119 --> 01:45:34.079
you'd probably wake up after your transfusion. I feel him

1330
01:45:34.079 --> 01:45:39.159
squeezing my hand. You lost a lot of blood. You

1331
01:45:39.239 --> 01:45:43.399
were tested for radiation, poisoning too, and any other contamination.

1332
01:45:44.239 --> 01:45:47.840
You're okay there too, just the burns from when Bee

1333
01:45:47.960 --> 01:45:52.840
grabbed a hold of you. Are you insane? Rage? You

1334
01:45:52.920 --> 01:45:58.479
could have been killed? I squeeze his hand back. They're

1335
01:45:58.479 --> 01:46:03.199
my family, Chester, I would die for them. Then I

1336
01:46:03.279 --> 01:46:08.319
remember Rouge and Lavender before I wondered if the twins

1337
01:46:08.359 --> 01:46:13.239
were just joking about sharing you as their boyfriend. I see,

1338
01:46:13.279 --> 01:46:15.640
I'm still not perfect when it comes to trying to

1339
01:46:15.680 --> 01:46:20.239
read emotions. They truly did feel for you, and I

1340
01:46:20.359 --> 01:46:24.319
came in between you three. Chester shakes his head slowly.

1341
01:46:25.119 --> 01:46:27.399
Didn't you hear me tell them there would never be

1342
01:46:27.520 --> 01:46:30.680
anything with the three of us? They heard me tell

1343
01:46:30.720 --> 01:46:34.640
you that I love you. I let Chester come and

1344
01:46:34.800 --> 01:46:38.880
kiss me. I kiss him back. I'm feeling the desire

1345
01:46:39.000 --> 01:46:43.119
to let him have my body again. I just want

1346
01:46:43.159 --> 01:46:45.520
to please him the way he wants to please me

1347
01:46:46.520 --> 01:46:49.960
love me, but I just can't feel for him the

1348
01:46:50.000 --> 01:46:55.279
way he does, and I should probably heal up when

1349
01:46:55.279 --> 01:46:59.439
we come apart, He checks his phone. Your mom's here.

1350
01:47:00.439 --> 01:47:03.840
She and your sisters were with Chief Cobs answering questions.

1351
01:47:04.560 --> 01:47:07.159
I really hope there's not another one of those things

1352
01:47:07.199 --> 01:47:10.960
walking around out there. I hope Bee didn't have any

1353
01:47:11.000 --> 01:47:15.319
other siblings in the back seat with her. He turns

1354
01:47:15.680 --> 01:47:20.479
and leaves no doubt to get my family. Without a

1355
01:47:20.520 --> 01:47:24.479
second thought, I pull out the ivy needles and free

1356
01:47:24.560 --> 01:47:28.600
myself from the instruments monitoring me. I know I've caused

1357
01:47:28.640 --> 01:47:32.439
dissension between Chester and the twins, and I know I

1358
01:47:32.560 --> 01:47:37.239
worried Mom. Then I remember how my older half brother,

1359
01:47:37.399 --> 01:47:41.479
Gregor became angry with me for defending Mom when he

1360
01:47:41.600 --> 01:47:45.840
lost his shit and tried to attack her. When Gregor

1361
01:47:45.960 --> 01:47:49.279
lashed out, I stepped in between them and took the

1362
01:47:49.399 --> 01:47:53.560
fist meant for her. I know Gregor blames Mom for

1363
01:47:53.640 --> 01:47:57.920
his father's death. I don't know what exactly happened to

1364
01:47:58.000 --> 01:48:02.720
make him feel such hostility towards her. He'd always been

1365
01:48:02.760 --> 01:48:06.119
a bad seed since we were kids. He refused to

1366
01:48:06.199 --> 01:48:10.000
call his three half sisters his siblings. I could tell

1367
01:48:10.039 --> 01:48:14.399
he really hurt Mom more than he hurt me. Gregor

1368
01:48:14.479 --> 01:48:18.520
didn't stop there. He grabbed me, shoved me to the floor,

1369
01:48:18.840 --> 01:48:23.039
and kept pummeling me as hard as he could. Mom

1370
01:48:23.159 --> 01:48:25.840
finally pulled him off of me and knocked him on

1371
01:48:25.920 --> 01:48:28.880
his ass. Then she screamed for him to get out.

1372
01:48:29.800 --> 01:48:33.920
He gladly obeyed her, and Mom sobbed and cried as

1373
01:48:33.960 --> 01:48:37.720
she held me, knowing I'd taken that beating for her.

1374
01:48:38.600 --> 01:48:42.840
I didn't feel the pain whatsoever, but I had bruises

1375
01:48:42.880 --> 01:48:47.680
to show for it. Chantaldevereux gave me life, and I

1376
01:48:47.800 --> 01:48:52.520
owed her that life. This was on Christmas Day of

1377
01:48:52.640 --> 01:48:57.119
last year. The chemical truck accident was the day before,

1378
01:48:58.199 --> 01:49:03.039
then Gregor's assault that very next day. Now I've made

1379
01:49:03.079 --> 01:49:06.600
the twins angry with me. Looking at the clock, it's

1380
01:49:06.640 --> 01:49:12.640
after midnight. It's officially Christmas Day. All I understand is

1381
01:49:12.640 --> 01:49:15.359
that I myself have been the center of pain and

1382
01:49:15.399 --> 01:49:18.840
sadness in our family during what's supposed to be a

1383
01:49:18.920 --> 01:49:24.800
joyous time of year. There should be celebrations, not suffering.

1384
01:49:25.840 --> 01:49:29.800
Without a second thought, I get dressed and leave the room.

1385
01:49:30.760 --> 01:49:34.920
I'm walking out into the night as it's snowing. I'll

1386
01:49:34.920 --> 01:49:38.920
stop by the house and get some things I know

1387
01:49:39.119 --> 01:49:41.560
enough to be able to survive and make my own

1388
01:49:41.600 --> 01:49:45.800
way in the world. I'll live in isolation, off the

1389
01:49:45.840 --> 01:49:49.680
grid and off the land as I continue my work

1390
01:49:49.840 --> 01:49:54.600
punishing the guilty. It'll be all I have left, since

1391
01:49:54.640 --> 01:50:03.479
all I am on the inside is just defective Reagan.

1392
01:50:04.319 --> 01:50:08.640
I stop after hearing Mom screaming behind me. A few

1393
01:50:08.640 --> 01:50:12.039
seconds later, she's right in front of me, just what

1394
01:50:12.119 --> 01:50:16.239
the fuck do you think you're doing leaving? I tell

1395
01:50:16.279 --> 01:50:20.039
her I've caused enough pain and suffering in this family

1396
01:50:20.760 --> 01:50:24.279
since last Christmas, and I won't be the cause of

1397
01:50:24.319 --> 01:50:30.840
any more. Mom looks dumbfounded, she shakes her head. Don't

1398
01:50:30.880 --> 01:50:34.560
you ever say that again. Baby, She hugs me tightly

1399
01:50:34.640 --> 01:50:38.039
to her. I don't know where you got those feelings,

1400
01:50:38.079 --> 01:50:40.359
but you are not running away. You are part of

1401
01:50:40.399 --> 01:50:44.720
this family. She eases me back to look me in

1402
01:50:44.760 --> 01:50:48.479
the eyes. I love you with everything I have to offer.

1403
01:50:49.399 --> 01:50:53.159
She looks past me to the twins. You babies too.

1404
01:50:53.600 --> 01:50:56.119
I carried all of you in my body. I brought

1405
01:50:56.159 --> 01:50:59.239
you into this world. I did everything I had to

1406
01:50:59.279 --> 01:51:01.359
do to raise you, babies and give you the lives

1407
01:51:01.399 --> 01:51:05.000
you deserved. I will never, never, never, regret a single

1408
01:51:05.039 --> 01:51:09.000
moment with any of you. You babies are my very life.

1409
01:51:10.199 --> 01:51:14.000
Mom starts crying now. I can't believe you all grew

1410
01:51:14.079 --> 01:51:17.039
up on me so fast. I don't want to lose

1411
01:51:17.079 --> 01:51:19.960
any of you. I don't want you to ever leave home.

1412
01:51:20.680 --> 01:51:23.920
You babies are all I have in this world. She

1413
01:51:24.079 --> 01:51:28.960
takes a deep breath. Reagan, what happened with Gregor had

1414
01:51:29.039 --> 01:51:32.720
nothing to do with you. I've tried and tried so

1415
01:51:32.880 --> 01:51:36.199
hard to reason with him. What happened to his father

1416
01:51:36.279 --> 01:51:39.960
still hurts me today, but I know it wasn't my fault.

1417
01:51:40.880 --> 01:51:44.359
Your brother blames me for his death. After all these years,

1418
01:51:44.920 --> 01:51:48.119
I never thought he'd actually try to assault me. It

1419
01:51:48.239 --> 01:51:51.199
hurt me so much more knowing that you had to

1420
01:51:51.239 --> 01:51:55.680
defend me, Reagan. Mom sniffles and shakes her head. You

1421
01:51:55.760 --> 01:52:00.279
are not the reason, baby, Don't ever think that now.

1422
01:52:00.279 --> 01:52:02.520
I want you to come home with us. I want

1423
01:52:02.560 --> 01:52:08.039
all of us to have Christmas together like a family, Please, Reagan.

1424
01:52:09.239 --> 01:52:11.479
When I feel the twins on either side of me,

1425
01:52:12.239 --> 01:52:14.960
the next thing I know, they're both squeezing me at

1426
01:52:14.960 --> 01:52:21.079
the same time. We're sorry, they say, together, Lavender, and

1427
01:52:21.159 --> 01:52:26.359
I'll be just fine. Rouge says, it's clear Chester loves you.

1428
01:52:27.199 --> 01:52:32.000
We can't hold that against you. Lavender adds, here's still

1429
01:52:32.000 --> 01:52:36.760
our big sis. They say, together, and you always will be.

1430
01:52:37.399 --> 01:52:44.680
Rouge finishes, So that was it. I misinterpreted emotions. I

1431
01:52:44.720 --> 01:52:48.560
guess there's still room for improvement there. If I had

1432
01:52:48.680 --> 01:52:51.840
left the family, I would have hurt them even worse

1433
01:52:51.920 --> 01:52:56.039
than when Gregor hurt Mom. I think if I could feel,

1434
01:52:56.199 --> 01:52:59.600
I would feel great pain and sadness knowing that I

1435
01:52:59.640 --> 01:53:04.720
had wrongfully hurt my family. I suppose my constant numbness

1436
01:53:04.760 --> 01:53:09.279
is the closest thing I have to those feelings. Thank you,

1437
01:53:10.000 --> 01:53:16.760
I tell my family and I'm sorry. After some silence.

1438
01:53:17.279 --> 01:53:22.199
Mom looks past me again, Chester, you coming home with us?

1439
01:53:23.000 --> 01:53:29.119
I turned to him and take his hand please? He nods, Yeah,

1440
01:53:29.239 --> 01:53:31.920
why not? I just got a text from my parents

1441
01:53:31.920 --> 01:53:34.800
saying they're still with my aunt and uncle at their house.

1442
01:53:35.520 --> 01:53:39.000
Said they'll probably be back late. Not much going on

1443
01:53:39.079 --> 01:53:42.399
at my house on Christmas Eve. I let Chester know

1444
01:53:43.079 --> 01:53:47.079
I still want to try by kissing him. We hold

1445
01:53:47.119 --> 01:53:50.560
each other and kiss longer. I think it's safe to

1446
01:53:50.560 --> 01:53:55.000
say that Chester Willis is my first real boyfriend. Now

1447
01:53:55.960 --> 01:53:59.119
I'm hoping that maybe being with him will trigger something

1448
01:53:59.199 --> 01:54:04.439
inside me to finally make me feel my first emotions.

1449
01:54:04.960 --> 01:54:07.720
We go back to the house where we have a

1450
01:54:07.800 --> 01:54:11.560
late dinner or early, depending on how you look at it.

1451
01:54:12.600 --> 01:54:15.520
As it turns out, Mom had the twins pick up

1452
01:54:15.560 --> 01:54:19.720
dinner from Wylder's Market here in town since she didn't

1453
01:54:19.760 --> 01:54:24.199
have time to prepare a meal herself. We all enjoyed

1454
01:54:24.239 --> 01:54:29.239
each other's company. As for presents, we wouldn't open those

1455
01:54:29.319 --> 01:54:34.359
until later when it's daylight. I think things are going

1456
01:54:34.399 --> 01:54:37.439
to change for the better when it comes to the holidays.

1457
01:54:37.479 --> 01:54:40.920
From now on, I know I at least want to

1458
01:54:41.000 --> 01:54:44.840
be here in this house until the time comes when

1459
01:54:44.880 --> 01:54:50.279
I leave for Strickfield University next fall. I suppose I'll

1460
01:54:50.279 --> 01:54:53.079
be leaving Mom to go out into the real world then,

1461
01:54:54.760 --> 01:54:59.159
but I know my dark passenger will never depart from me.

1462
01:55:00.520 --> 01:55:04.920
The work will continue. There are evil souls that await

1463
01:55:05.039 --> 01:55:09.239
my judgment, and I shall be there to deliver it.

1464
01:55:10.520 --> 01:55:16.520
But not today. Today is Christmas, and today is for family.

1465
01:55:17.399 --> 01:55:23.199
Because now even I understand that there's nothing more important

1466
01:55:24.359 --> 01:55:36.439
than family. Merry Christmas. And that's where we leave Strickfield

1467
01:55:37.039 --> 01:55:43.640
for this holiday season. Snows still falling, sirens fading, and

1468
01:55:43.760 --> 01:55:49.079
Reagan and Rage slipping back into the dark like she

1469
01:55:49.279 --> 01:55:54.079
never laughed. But don't go anywhere, spookyes, because tomorrow on

1470
01:55:54.239 --> 01:55:58.239
cutting deep into horror. Myself and Rachel are taking a

1471
01:55:58.319 --> 01:56:01.319
hard left turn down on a road you do not

1472
01:56:01.680 --> 01:56:04.600
want to be on, with a full deep dive of

1473
01:56:04.960 --> 01:56:08.880
dead end from two thousand and three, a late night drive,

1474
01:56:09.239 --> 01:56:12.279
a wrong turn, a stretch of road that feels endless,

1475
01:56:12.920 --> 01:56:16.239
and the kind of dread that creeps in slow until

1476
01:56:16.279 --> 01:56:20.199
it's sitting right beside you in the back seat. So

1477
01:56:20.399 --> 01:56:24.479
buckle up, keep your tank full, and maybe don't take

1478
01:56:24.560 --> 01:56:27.880
the back roads. And if you love what we do

1479
01:56:27.960 --> 01:56:30.920
here at Weekly Spooky and want to get two bonus

1480
01:56:30.960 --> 01:56:35.880
shows every single month, head toweeklyspooky dot com slash join

1481
01:56:36.399 --> 01:56:39.760
sign up today and join over ninety other spookies in

1482
01:56:39.840 --> 01:56:42.760
supporting the show. And an extra special thank you to

1483
01:56:42.800 --> 01:56:45.960
the Patreon podcast boosters folks who pay just a little

1484
01:56:45.960 --> 01:56:48.079
bit more to hear their names at the end of

1485
01:56:48.079 --> 01:56:51.159
the show, and they are Johnny Nicks, Kate and Lulu,

1486
01:56:51.520 --> 01:56:56.279
Jessica Fuller, Mike is Skewey, Jenny Green, Amber Hansford, Karen Wee,

1487
01:56:56.359 --> 01:56:59.520
met Jack Kerr and Craig Cohen. Thank you all so

1488
01:56:59.600 --> 01:57:01.640
much for your support, and if you want to hear

1489
01:57:01.720 --> 01:57:05.159
your name at the end of every episode of Weekly Spooky,

1490
01:57:05.600 --> 01:57:09.239
just go to Weeklyspooky dot com slash join and sign

1491
01:57:09.279 --> 01:57:11.920
up at the fifteen dollars a month or higher tier.

1492
01:57:12.600 --> 01:57:16.279
You'll get my undying gratitude and I'd appreciate it as

1493
01:57:16.319 --> 01:57:19.840
a little something under my tree. But now it's time

1494
01:57:19.880 --> 01:57:22.000
for me to get back to it, my Spookyes, because

1495
01:57:22.039 --> 01:57:24.800
there is so much more to do until our last

1496
01:57:24.840 --> 01:57:29.600
holiday story unveils on Christmas Eve. So for myself, for

1497
01:57:29.720 --> 01:57:33.479
my executive producers Rob Fields and babbletopia dot Com, my

1498
01:57:33.640 --> 01:57:37.720
producer Dan Wilder and of course my creepy composer Ray Maddis.

1499
01:57:38.279 --> 01:57:43.520
I'll see you tomorrow. Until then, don't get melted. Thank

1500
01:57:43.560 --> 01:57:47.279
you for listeningsies. Make sure to find your way back

1501
01:57:47.359 --> 01:57:54.039
next weekly, But for now you are safe. Trust me,