Beware the Ides of March — Horror Stories of Vengeance

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Hello, my spookys, it's your host and narrator Enrique Kuto,

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here to bring you a little compilation that makes me

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think beware the IDEs of March. I'm sure you've heard

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that saying, but maybe you're wondering what it means or

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what it could mean in the world of spooky. Well,

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tonight I'm bringing you a very special compilation of Come

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Up Once and Revenge and so much more that gets

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pretty damn devious. So get yourself comfy, get yourself cozy,

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and if you're listening to this on the day of

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release on Friday, February twenty eighth Tomorrow, Saturday, March first,

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we're going live on YouTube and you can check it

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out by going to Weeklyspooky dot com slash Live. From there,

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you can set a reminder to find out when we

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go live to talk about spooky things and play some games.

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But now it's time for the show Dead Ahead by

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Joe Sulmo. Becca, don't come out here with your witchy bullshit,

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Tom yelled as he threw another shovelful of dirt behind him.

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If you want to help, get in here and help

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me dig. It's not witchy bullshit. I'm telling you This

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is bad. A person died. We did it. This is

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going to come back on us threefold. This is a

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lot of negative energy, Becca said, pushing her long brown

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hair behind her ear. Her boyfriend Tom was in a

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hole about three feet deep and getting deeper by the second.

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Come take your turn. I need a break. It's a

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lot harder than they make it look in the movies.

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Tom said, I told you I want no part in this.

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Becca replied, taking a step back into the chilly night.

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You already are a part of this. You're just as

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guilty as I am. This poor bastard died because of

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both of us. Tom retorted, clanging the shovel off the

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corpse laying on the damp ground. I wasn't the one driving,

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Becha said, wiping a tear from her eye. And I

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suppose your next excuse is going to be you had

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your mouth full and couldn't see over the wheel, right,

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Tom sneered. Look, neither of us wanted this, but we

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have to take care of it. Do you know what

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would happen if we went to the cops. Yeah, I

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know we're wanted. Look I don't want to go to

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jail for murder either. Becca argued, murder, Who said anything

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about murder? It was an accident. We might get manslaughter,

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but surely not murder. Tom responded, pulling himself out of

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the hole and wiping his brow, his blonde hair dirty

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with the earth he had been tossing. This will have

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to be deep enough. What if somebody finds the body,

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Becca asked, No one would give a fuck. This is Jersey.

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I think you've watched too many mob movies. Becca said,

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and turned away from the grave. She looked at the car,

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sitting just off the road enough into the pines to

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be hidden from the traffic. Her blue eyes focused on

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the dent in the passenger side bumper and the blood

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that stood out starkly on the white paint. They were

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never going to get away with it, she thought. There

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was just too much evidence. They should have just called

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the cops when they hit that jogger. One thing was

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for sure. It was the last time Tom was going

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to talk her into RoadHead. Becca, Are you even paying attention?

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Tom asked. She turned around and saw him standing there

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with the jogger's arms in his hands. Come on, help

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me swing him into the hole, he finished impatiently. I

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told you I don't want that negative energy, she said,

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crossing her arms in defiance. I told you that, Witchie,

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the bullshit has to go. We have been dating for

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almost a year now and I haven't seen you do

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shit with it. So unless you're going to wiggle your

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nose and lift the corpse into the grave, get your

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ass over here and lift this bastard with me, Tom said,

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tossing the jogger's arms down under the damp earth. Becca

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rolled her eyes with a sigh. She gave in and

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walked around to the jogger's feet. She grabbed his ankles

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and looked at Tom, waiting, Well, are we doing this?

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She asked. Tom grabbed the other end, and together they

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put the jogger into the open grave. She looked at

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the mangled person lying there, wondering what kind of life

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he had before they had taken it from him. Did

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he have a family? Was someone looking for him? Her

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thoughts were interrupted when the jogger's face got a shovel

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full of dirt. She looked up at Tom and saw

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him in a new light. This was too easy for him,

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she wondered if this was the first time he had

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to bury a body. She really didn't know much of

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his past. He never spoke about his life before they

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met last year. She knew he wasn't mister right more

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of a mister right now, one that got her out

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of a bad situation. If she was being honest, he

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was a bit of an asshole. Don't worry, I got this,

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he said, as he continued to throw dirt into the grave.

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We only have one shovel. You want me to use

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my hands, She snipped at him. Why don't you go

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wait in the car? Then Tom responded, I was going

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to say a few words when we were done. Nothing much,

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but something should be said. Tom scoffed, I'll say something.

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Don't worry about it. Sometimes you can be a real jerk,

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you know that, she said, and stormed off sullenly to

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the car. She plopped in the passenger seat, slamming the door.

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You like him so much, maybe you should give him

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head too. I think it's going to get real stiff soon,

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Tom yelled, smacking the corpse again with a shovel. Becca

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could hear it ring out even from the car. She

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reached under the seat and found her bag. She dug

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inside for a cigarette, just to take the edge off.

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She pulled out a worn paperback payback rituals and spells

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of revenge. She remembered that her friend Amanda let her

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borrow it. They had found it in her mother's items

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after her suicide. That was just before she left town

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with Tom. She thumbed through it while waiting the Revenant

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the dead with a mission bring a recently deceased person

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back to right the wrong of death. This is a

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gray area of balance with nature. On the one hand,

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it disrupts death, but it can help the soul reach

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peace through resolution. The weight of this ritual can be

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heavy on one's soul. Caution should be used while contemplating

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this ritual. Haste will be your enemy. HA would serve

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the asshole right if I brought that jogger back, teach

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him a lesson. I'm the only one stupid enough to

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miss him, and it would absolve my guilt. Becha, said

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to the empty car. Haven't done shit with it, Hey, babe,

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I'm all done. Just going to say a few words.

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Tom yelled as he unzipped his zipper. A steaming stream

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landed on the newly packed earth. Ooh awe, those enough

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words for you, he called over his shoulder. That son

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of a bitch, Becha said, and got out of the car,

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but instead of heading towards him, she went off into

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the woods alone with her bag. Where are you going?

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It was just a joke, he called out as he

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shook out the last drops. Come on, babe. Tom chased

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after her into the woods. Babe. He heard a few

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twigs snap off to his left. He turned in that direction,

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but it was too dark to make anything out. She

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was heading farther into the barrens away from the highway. Okay,

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you made your point, Come back and do a real eulogy.

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I won't interrupt, I promise, Tom called out into the night.

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Was that a flashlight ahead, he sighed, and headed towards

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the light.

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He saw.

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Becca was on her knees in a small clearing, illuminated

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not only by the moonlight above, but by her flashlight

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laying on the dew covered grass in front of her.

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She was saying something over and over again in a

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whisper that Tom couldn't make out. Babe, he said, shining

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his light on her back, casting her shadow on the

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trees around them. It's done. We can leave now. Becca

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opened her eyes and turned her head quickly. She placed

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some objects into her bag before he could see what

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they were. Be right with you, she said, and stood up,

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wiping off her stockings. She reached down for her bag,

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but his hands on hers froze her in place. What

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were you doing out here with your bag, he asked, intensely,

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meeting her gaze. I had to use the bathroom and

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I didn't want to do it close to the highway,

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Becca replied and pulled her hand away from his. She

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clutched her bag to her chest with one hand and

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gestured with the other. Lead the way. She finished sarcastically.

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You know sometimes you can be a real bitch. You'd

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better get that in check before I leave your ass

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for a younger model, he said, as he led the

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way back towards the car. I doubt you could find

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someone that would put up with your shit for very long.

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Tom turned and faced her. I'm serious. Your looks will

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only get you so far. You better drop that attitude

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before I drop you, he threatened. Are you kidding me?

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You're threatening me. It's not a threat, it's a promise,

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he said, and stared at her for a few seconds.

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When she didn't respond, he turned back into the woods

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and continued on, that is the most cliche saying. Becca

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mumbled under her breath, but followed Tom into the night.

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She heard the words Tom spoke again, but this time

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it wasn't his voice, it was her father's. The threats

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and beatings that she had been suppressing came rushing back.

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She remembered the last time he spoke those words to her.

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It was just a little over one year ago. She

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had come home from Amanda's house, where they were studying

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for the history final. She came in through the back

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door into the kitchen. It was seven p m. And

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she had not eaten since lunch. She bumped into the

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dish rack, sending a steak knife onto the floor. She

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closed her eyes and froze, Hoping her father hadn't heard.

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Becca remembered opening her eyes and then rummaging through the

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cabinet for something to eat. Her eyes lit up when

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she found a box of cereal. In her haste to eat,

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she dropped the box, scattering the flakes across the linoleum floor.

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Her father entered the room a second later and saw

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the mess on the floor. What is this? Clean this up,

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he yelled as he made his way to the fridge.

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For another beer. At this time of night, he was

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probably on his fifth. She tried to walk past him

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to get to the broom closet, but her father's large

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hands stopped her. He threw her down to the floor.

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I said clean this up, you clumsy bitch. I was

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getting the broom, she said, looking up at him through

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tear blurred eyes. I didn't say get the broom, I

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said clean this shit up. Her father yelled and kicked

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her arm that she was leaning on. Her face dropped

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down onto the floor among the cereal. She blinked the

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tears away and saw in front of her the knife

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she had dropped earlier. Becca sat up on the floor,

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placing the steak knife under her so that he didn't

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see it. She looked up at her father as he

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cracked open his fresh can of beer. He turned towards her.

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You're so hungry. Eat it off the floor, he said,

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and pushed her back down. Eat it, you pig or.

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I swear to God I'll end you. Are you threatening me?

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That's not a threat, slut, that's a promise, her father said.

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Becca gripped the knife hard and stabbed her father in

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the thigh. He cried out and dropped his beer with

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his other leg. He kicked her. She had the knife

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gripped so tight she pulled it out of him as

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she fell back. What did you do, bitch? I'll kill you,

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she remembered him saying, before she had lost control. The

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next thing she remembered was her father laying in a

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strange pool of blood, cereal, and beer on the floor.

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He was so still. Becca came out of it. As

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they neared the car, Tom threw the shovel and flashlight

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into the trunk and walked around to the driver's side.

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As Becca stood there trying to make the image leave

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her mind. What's wrong with you? Tom asked. Becca looked

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towards the shallow grave with a look of disappointment before

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turning back to Tom. Was she going to actually get

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back into his car after what he said? She looked

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at Tom and saw her father's face. She tried to

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shake that image, but this time it was different. This

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time it wasn't self defense, just Tom being an act hole.

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She had her doubts that he would actually hit her.

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A twig snapped in the woods, and both of them

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turned towards the sound. In the darkness, something stirred who's

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out there? Tom called. The only response was the sound

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of a heavy footfall. Becca's hair started to stand on

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the back of her neck and she got an uneasy feeling.

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She tried to get in the car, but it was locked, Tom,

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she said unevenly. Tom didn't answer, his eyes transfixed on

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the image before him. In the flashing lights from the

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passing cars on the highway, Beca caught a glimpse of

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the man approaching. Another loud footfall from the man as

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he dragged behind him the broken leg inside the bloodstained

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pair of sweatpants. Becca looked on in horror at the

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twisted neck and the head lolling to one side. Did

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it actually work? Tom, open the door. Let's get out

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of here, Becha said, second, guessing what she had done.

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It looked so wrong as it moved towards them. One

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sec Babe, Tom said, and pulled out the pistol he

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kept tucked in the back of his jeans. I think

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this asshole wants to play, Tom, unlock the fucking door,

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she begged, as fear tears started to flow. Her heart

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was pounding in her ears. Tom took a step closer

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to the reanimated jogger, that's far enough, asshole. It was

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an accident. I'm sure you can appreciate that. Let's go

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get a beer and talk this over, Tom said, aiming

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the pistol at the jogger's head. He won't listen, Becky

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yelled in fear. She ran to the trunk of the car.

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Luckily Tom had not shut it, and she grabbed the shovel.

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Beside the shovel in the truck was a hunting knife.

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She tucked the blade into her belt and hefted the shovel.

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As she came around the car, Tom came into view

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just in time for her to see the jogger lunge

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at him. He fired a shot. They fell to the ground.

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The jogger on top his head flopped around as they struggled,

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but its hands were wrapped around Tom's neck. She cried

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out and ran over to help. She swung the shovel

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and hit the jogger in the back, to little effect.

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A few more swings made no difference. In her frustration,

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she threw down the shovel and kicked the jogger, who

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fell off the side of Tom but didn't let go

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of his neck. Becca could hear Tom trying to gasp prayer.

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She grabbed the jogger's arms and tried to pull them

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off of Tom, but the grip was too strong. Tom

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was going to die. She did this, she called the

267
00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:50.639
revenant back from the grave. She should have known better.

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The witchy bullshit was going to kill Tom. He could

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00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:58.879
no longer say she didn't do shit with it. Just then,

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Becca had an epifot Tom was going to die. The

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00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:07.960
thing was busy with Tom. She scrambled into Tom's pants

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pockets and found the car keys. She jumped to her

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feet and ran to the car. She fired up the

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engine and threw it into reverse. With a final look

275
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at Tom, who was now still She punched the gas

276
00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:22.359
and backed towards the highway. Tom never let her drive,

277
00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:25.279
but she had seen it enough to figure it out.

278
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The car bounced over uneven ground as she sped and

279
00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:31.000
reversed towards the lights behind her. Once she was on

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the side of the road, she spun the car around

281
00:17:33.000 --> 00:17:35.799
and threw it into drive. She pulled out onto the highway,

282
00:17:35.799 --> 00:17:43.160
cutting off a truck who blared its hornet. She opened

283
00:17:43.160 --> 00:17:45.839
and energy drink Tom had bought earlier, but left on

284
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the seat unopened, and took a swig. There was going

285
00:17:49.640 --> 00:17:53.240
to be a new Becca, now, one who took no

286
00:17:53.279 --> 00:18:00.160
one's shit. Later that evening, Becca sat at the small

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00:18:00.200 --> 00:18:03.440
motel table in her room. She was going through the

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00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:07.240
loot they had accumulated over the past year. She found

289
00:18:07.279 --> 00:18:10.119
a bag of cash that she didn't know about and

290
00:18:10.200 --> 00:18:15.000
had just finished counting it. Twelve thousand dollars was a

291
00:18:15.039 --> 00:18:19.200
lot of money, more than she had ever seen. Why

292
00:18:19.200 --> 00:18:22.599
did Tom always tell her they were broke? There was

293
00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:26.000
a bang on the door. It must be the pizza, ordered,

294
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she thought, and rose from the chair. Another bang on

295
00:18:29.799 --> 00:18:32.880
the door before she could reach it. I'm coming, she

296
00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:36.119
called out, grabbing a twenty from the table. She was

297
00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:40.440
going to tip big. Why not share her good fortune?

298
00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:44.440
She opened the door and dropped the cash. Standing on

299
00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:52.759
the other side was her father and the jogger. No,

300
00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:57.640
her mouth formed to say, but no noise came out.

301
00:18:58.720 --> 00:19:00.680
She took a step back in to the room, in

302
00:19:00.759 --> 00:19:04.440
horror of what she was looking at. With arm extended,

303
00:19:04.440 --> 00:19:09.799
they entered grasping for her. No, why are you here?

304
00:19:10.599 --> 00:19:14.440
Tom was driving, she said to the jogger, then looked

305
00:19:14.440 --> 00:19:18.440
into her father's dead eyes. You deserved what you got,

306
00:19:18.440 --> 00:19:21.279
you son of a bitch. There is no revenge for you,

307
00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:25.680
she said in defiance. Becca was a new woman and

308
00:19:25.839 --> 00:19:29.039
wasn't going to take shit from her father, alive or dead.

309
00:19:29.480 --> 00:19:31.640
She reached behind her and pulled the hunting knife out

310
00:19:31.640 --> 00:19:35.519
of her belt. The revenants charged her, knocking her back

311
00:19:35.559 --> 00:19:38.519
onto the double bed with their masts. She could smell

312
00:19:38.559 --> 00:19:40.920
the grave on her father as he climbed on top

313
00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:43.079
of her. There wasn't enough room for her to swing

314
00:19:43.160 --> 00:19:46.240
the knife. In desperation, she moved the blade between them.

315
00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:50.359
She turned the tip downwards towards her own chest and

316
00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:53.279
plunged it in. She didn't want her father to get

317
00:19:53.319 --> 00:19:58.400
his revenge. He should suffer, She smiled. As the pain

318
00:19:58.480 --> 00:20:03.079
flooded her. She felt herself getting weak, and, with a

319
00:20:03.160 --> 00:20:07.519
last act of defiance, spit blood into her father's face

320
00:20:08.519 --> 00:20:24.279
before succumbing to her wound. Hell hath no fury by

321
00:20:24.359 --> 00:20:32.000
Aaron Cook, Oh shoot the cookies. Zelda May Darling had

322
00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:34.559
been in the kitchen all day, and the stress of

323
00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:37.960
hosting a dinner party had caused her to nearly forget

324
00:20:38.200 --> 00:20:42.039
about the chocolate chip treats that were roasting in the oven.

325
00:20:43.160 --> 00:20:46.599
She fitted her dainty hands into mits and plucked her

326
00:20:46.640 --> 00:20:51.440
signature dessert from the sauna. No blemishes of overcooking to

327
00:20:51.480 --> 00:20:55.960
be found. Pulling the elongated trays out, She didn't wait

328
00:20:56.000 --> 00:21:00.720
two minutes before conducting a taste test. Delicious, if she

329
00:21:00.799 --> 00:21:04.400
did say so herself. She treated herself to a second one.

330
00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:08.359
Jake wouldn't approve of the extra snack, but what he

331
00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:11.920
didn't know wouldn't hurt him. There was more than enough food,

332
00:21:12.480 --> 00:21:17.599
she justified with internal guilt. The housewife had been in

333
00:21:17.680 --> 00:21:21.079
domestic bliss for three full years and was still in

334
00:21:21.160 --> 00:21:25.720
her early twenties. Born in smalltown, Arkansas in nineteen fifty,

335
00:21:26.119 --> 00:21:29.240
the bell had left home to attend Texas A and M.

336
00:21:30.359 --> 00:21:33.319
Towards the end of her first year there, she worked

337
00:21:33.319 --> 00:21:37.279
an alumni ball where she met Big Jake Darling, an

338
00:21:37.319 --> 00:21:41.119
oil big wig and generous donor to his old stomping grounds.

339
00:21:41.799 --> 00:21:45.559
Despite the three decade age gap, Jake fell madly in

340
00:21:45.640 --> 00:21:49.119
love with the fair skinned, dark haired server in the

341
00:21:49.160 --> 00:21:52.400
Go Go Boots, and his resources made it pretty easy

342
00:21:52.440 --> 00:21:56.079
for Zelda May to ignore the pot belly, receding hairline,

343
00:21:56.119 --> 00:22:00.880
and uneven mustache. After mere weeks of war arlwind courting,

344
00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:04.079
the pair joined in matrimony in front of a crowd

345
00:22:04.119 --> 00:22:07.599
of hundreds at his ninety acre ranch in the otherwise

346
00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:11.519
modest village of Tumbleweed. Jake was eager to prove to

347
00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:14.119
his new bile bride that he had learned from the

348
00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:18.960
mistakes of his first two marriages. There had been some downs.

349
00:22:19.480 --> 00:22:23.440
Jake was ornery, hypercritical, and mentioned his appreciation for the

350
00:22:23.480 --> 00:22:28.440
anatomy of other women, most even younger than her, quite often.

351
00:22:28.839 --> 00:22:31.640
But he was a man, and oh what a man

352
00:22:31.680 --> 00:22:35.799
he could be. That little wallflower who entered college station

353
00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:40.039
would be surprised at what she became. Prior to her nuptials,

354
00:22:40.480 --> 00:22:44.799
Zelda May's culinary expertise topped out at popping microwave popcorn,

355
00:22:45.240 --> 00:22:49.039
But now she was a regular Julia child. She chuckled

356
00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:51.319
at what her younger self would say if she found

357
00:22:51.359 --> 00:22:54.480
out about the elaborate shindigs she now held on a

358
00:22:54.519 --> 00:22:58.640
regular basis. Tonight she would be hosting a soiree for

359
00:22:58.759 --> 00:23:02.359
Jake's colleagues and their works. It was an important one.

360
00:23:02.839 --> 00:23:07.519
Cattle mogul k l Bandy had accepted an invitation. Joining

361
00:23:07.559 --> 00:23:11.519
his inner circle was a guaranteed ticket to political success,

362
00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:16.240
which the oilman craved. He had been locally beloved on

363
00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:19.279
the village council for a number of years, but he

364
00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:22.240
was sick of judging pie bake offs and attending ribbon

365
00:23:22.279 --> 00:23:27.559
cutting ceremonies for libraries. The state Senate was calling him.

366
00:23:27.920 --> 00:23:32.319
All Bandy had to do was hand him the phone.

367
00:23:32.440 --> 00:23:36.160
Ten minutes had passed since Jake's promised five thirty homecoming.

368
00:23:37.160 --> 00:23:40.680
This worried Zelda May sick. It was a pretty common

369
00:23:40.680 --> 00:23:44.200
occurrence for him to overshoot his eta, but precedent never

370
00:23:44.240 --> 00:23:48.160
made it peaceful. He was a wealthy and powerful man,

371
00:23:48.440 --> 00:23:51.960
which automatically put a target on his back. The poor

372
00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:56.039
wife never knew if her gregarious partner had blown away

373
00:23:56.079 --> 00:24:00.279
the time chatting with an old chum, or had been

374
00:24:00.279 --> 00:24:05.799
assassinated by an envious political opponent. The hypothetical loss of

375
00:24:05.839 --> 00:24:09.319
her paramour made her sick to her stomach, but she

376
00:24:09.400 --> 00:24:14.799
couldn't regress the paranoia. Finally, Jake stumbled in, having gotten

377
00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:19.480
a head start on the spirit embidement of the night. Hi, Honey,

378
00:24:19.920 --> 00:24:24.279
Zelda May lit up, Hey Biscuit. Jake hiccuped his pet

379
00:24:24.359 --> 00:24:27.240
name for her, as his massive jowls jiggled and his

380
00:24:27.400 --> 00:24:31.160
pale white belly cut into his Everything's Bigger in Texas

381
00:24:31.160 --> 00:24:35.319
belt buckle. He stunk of the cheapest gin Brady's bar

382
00:24:35.480 --> 00:24:38.359
had to offer, and the collar of his white Colonel

383
00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:43.279
Sanders' suit was scuffed. In Zelda May's eyes, she was

384
00:24:43.319 --> 00:24:47.680
looking at Paul Newman. The guests should be here soon,

385
00:24:48.680 --> 00:24:52.759
getting there. You need any help, well, actually, if you could.

386
00:24:53.400 --> 00:24:56.880
Jake's sobering snooze began the second it was even implied

387
00:24:57.200 --> 00:24:59.759
there was a way he could streamline the toil of

388
00:24:59.799 --> 00:25:03.160
his labored spouse. It was no big deal. She was

389
00:25:03.200 --> 00:25:07.240
pretty sure she liked doing housework. There were still several

390
00:25:07.279 --> 00:25:10.680
dishes she needed to magically conjure before nine o'clock. Then

391
00:25:10.839 --> 00:25:14.400
she needed to wash up the feast worked up a sweat,

392
00:25:14.599 --> 00:25:17.279
and it would be unladylike to not present herself as

393
00:25:17.279 --> 00:25:22.319
immaculate as possible. Not that long ago, the looming threat

394
00:25:22.359 --> 00:25:25.720
of the deadline would have scared her something fierce, but

395
00:25:25.799 --> 00:25:29.839
not anymore. Sure Enough, the spread was laid out, and

396
00:25:29.880 --> 00:25:33.240
she emerged from the powder room, renewed in her pearls

397
00:25:33.279 --> 00:25:37.319
and heels, mere minutes before the first ring of the doorbell,

398
00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:41.920
the sound of which revived her downed bow, who quickly

399
00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:48.000
wiped the drool from his face. Harvey Lois the Learners

400
00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:50.960
were the beneficiaries of the death of the mister's father,

401
00:25:51.480 --> 00:25:54.480
which granted them control over one of the state's largest

402
00:25:54.480 --> 00:25:58.680
construction firms. Harvey had never actually seen a pile of rubble,

403
00:25:58.839 --> 00:26:02.079
and Lois, all so from old money, was prone to

404
00:26:02.119 --> 00:26:05.960
making statements that made her formerly modest friend feel insecure

405
00:26:06.400 --> 00:26:11.039
about her background. Up next were the Duprees. Don had

406
00:26:11.079 --> 00:26:15.079
recently acquired controlling interest in the popular, inexpensive and small

407
00:26:15.160 --> 00:26:19.359
chain Selman's Department Store, which he was eagerly licking his

408
00:26:19.440 --> 00:26:23.400
lips to merge with a larger company. Flonetta and Ducky

409
00:26:23.480 --> 00:26:27.640
Perry arrived shortly after years of entertaining them hadn't shed

410
00:26:27.640 --> 00:26:30.359
a light on what they did for a living. All

411
00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:35.400
Zelda May knew was they were filthy rich. Just when

412
00:26:35.480 --> 00:26:38.240
Zelda May was about to shepherd her company into the

413
00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:41.839
dining room for their banquet, a limousine pulled up to

414
00:26:41.880 --> 00:26:46.240
the Darling residence. The driver exited his position to release

415
00:26:46.279 --> 00:26:50.440
an invitee that Zelda May had forgotten about, but Jake

416
00:26:50.680 --> 00:26:55.519
certainly hadn't. K l Bandy. Everybody stopped what they were

417
00:26:55.559 --> 00:26:58.640
doing to gaze upon the richest man in the lone

418
00:26:58.680 --> 00:27:02.359
star state, which which angered Lois Learner, who had only

419
00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:04.880
belted out a stanza and a half as she cooed

420
00:27:04.920 --> 00:27:09.200
and curled over the piano. The vip looked nothing like

421
00:27:09.240 --> 00:27:11.759
the image Zelda May had cooked up in her head.

422
00:27:12.720 --> 00:27:15.319
She had pictured a good old boy with roughly the

423
00:27:15.359 --> 00:27:19.680
same features as her beloved and his colleagues. Instead, a

424
00:27:19.720 --> 00:27:23.920
decrepit skeleton shambled up to her porch, escorted on each

425
00:27:23.960 --> 00:27:27.960
shoulder by a Miss Texas contender. The man half as

426
00:27:28.039 --> 00:27:31.720
old as the Earth and his gal pals glacially meandered

427
00:27:31.720 --> 00:27:36.400
towards his admirers. Inside, an irate jake furiously barked at

428
00:27:36.480 --> 00:27:39.319
Zelda May to stop daydreaming and open the door for

429
00:27:39.400 --> 00:27:42.559
the guest of honor, long before he reached the welcome mat.

430
00:27:43.119 --> 00:27:46.640
How do mister Brandy and excited Don Dupree powered through

431
00:27:46.680 --> 00:27:49.240
the crowd to win the race. To determine the old

432
00:27:49.279 --> 00:27:54.640
man's inaugural conversation, Dupree firmly grasped Bandy's hand in a

433
00:27:54.680 --> 00:27:59.960
shake which cracked the methuselah of Meat's worn joints. Embarrassed

434
00:28:00.359 --> 00:28:06.200
Double d frantically apologized to the unoffended baron. Despite his assurance,

435
00:28:06.720 --> 00:28:10.640
Don replayed the moment in his head over and over,

436
00:28:11.400 --> 00:28:16.440
removing himself from the camaraderie to self flagellate. Hello, mister Bandy,

437
00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:19.960
beamed Zelda May. Jake has told me so much about

438
00:28:20.319 --> 00:28:23.160
can we get you anything? Mister Bandy? The King of

439
00:28:23.200 --> 00:28:26.640
the castle stifled his wife. He shot her a dirty look.

440
00:28:26.680 --> 00:28:30.799
As the ancient one declined, Jake pulled Zelde May aside

441
00:28:31.160 --> 00:28:34.640
and mentioned his distaste for the comment. When Bandy was

442
00:28:34.680 --> 00:28:38.759
out of earshot. What things was she implying? He had mentioned?

443
00:28:39.440 --> 00:28:43.000
Did he look suspicious? Just now she was going to

444
00:28:43.039 --> 00:28:47.240
blow his big shot. Sorry, honey, just don't talk to

445
00:28:47.319 --> 00:28:50.720
him or look at him. The convoy entered the pure

446
00:28:50.759 --> 00:28:54.640
white dining room. Effusive scores were given to Zelda May's

447
00:28:54.680 --> 00:28:58.880
creations before a bite was even taken, including many from

448
00:28:58.880 --> 00:29:02.039
the treasured newcomer, who sat in the head chair after

449
00:29:02.079 --> 00:29:06.000
the usual alpha seated his territory for this one night only.

450
00:29:07.000 --> 00:29:10.640
Convival talk among the boys followed as the women chatted

451
00:29:10.680 --> 00:29:14.759
about past and future dinner parties, although a rattled Don

452
00:29:14.920 --> 00:29:18.920
mostly just nodded in agreement, too worried about throwing another

453
00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:23.599
boneheaded interception. This was their one chance to impress a

454
00:29:23.640 --> 00:29:28.839
man that could fatten their portfolios. Ducky Perry fantasized about

455
00:29:28.839 --> 00:29:31.880
his soon to be new best friend handing over the

456
00:29:31.960 --> 00:29:35.799
deed to one of his tremendous golf courses. Jake took

457
00:29:35.839 --> 00:29:39.680
every inch to bring up his steakhouse concept. Tired of

458
00:29:39.720 --> 00:29:43.039
all beef all the time, the gazillionaire never offered much

459
00:29:43.079 --> 00:29:47.400
response to the proposal. Did this guy even know anything

460
00:29:47.440 --> 00:29:52.519
about running a restaurant? Further incessant, half baked hypotheticals continued

461
00:29:52.519 --> 00:29:56.759
to line dance on the geezer's already feeble nerves. The

462
00:29:56.799 --> 00:30:00.759
brisket was excellent, the corn was phenomenal, and the apple

463
00:30:00.839 --> 00:30:03.400
pie had been some of the best he had tasted

464
00:30:03.559 --> 00:30:07.240
in his countless years on this planet. But another round

465
00:30:07.240 --> 00:30:12.640
of rump kissers had left Bandy exasperated. Zelda may quit

466
00:30:12.680 --> 00:30:16.599
staring at mister Bandy. Jake reprimanded his adult wife as

467
00:30:16.640 --> 00:30:20.160
if she was a toddler with a tattling habit. I wasn't,

468
00:30:20.640 --> 00:30:24.359
She defended herself. Another round of tupperware talk had been

469
00:30:24.400 --> 00:30:27.400
her limit for the past ten minutes. She had been

470
00:30:27.519 --> 00:30:31.519
zoned out affixed on nothing in particular. Yes, you was,

471
00:30:31.640 --> 00:30:37.200
now apologize. It's quite all right, Bandy foolishly said, in

472
00:30:37.279 --> 00:30:40.319
an agitation that seemed to imply he was more irritated

473
00:30:40.319 --> 00:30:46.039
by him than her. Sometimes she gets like this, like what,

474
00:30:47.000 --> 00:30:50.480
Zelda May countered, now more anxious to hear her fictional

475
00:30:50.519 --> 00:30:56.799
shortcomings than appearing demure. Don't start you started it, folks.

476
00:30:57.400 --> 00:31:00.480
I think I'm gonna call it a night, the steamed

477
00:31:00.519 --> 00:31:03.200
mogul said, as he gestured for his twins to help

478
00:31:03.240 --> 00:31:05.960
him up and out. Part of him felt bad for

479
00:31:06.039 --> 00:31:09.559
his dogpiled host, but most of him wanted to thank

480
00:31:09.599 --> 00:31:12.680
her for giving him an excuse to escape this never

481
00:31:12.799 --> 00:31:18.279
ending assault of false praise. Say what you did, Jake blared,

482
00:31:18.319 --> 00:31:20.880
to a degree that the heart of hearing Bandy heard

483
00:31:20.920 --> 00:31:26.039
from a room away Zelda May Honey Floetta's fake accent

484
00:31:26.119 --> 00:31:30.240
permeated with a passive aggressiveness that elicited a cold draft

485
00:31:30.359 --> 00:31:35.359
down the pariah's spine. I hope you're happy. I almost

486
00:31:35.359 --> 00:31:40.000
had a third car dealership, Don whined. The grumbling gaggle

487
00:31:40.039 --> 00:31:44.279
emotionally and wordlessly returned to their vehicles, leaving Zelda May

488
00:31:44.400 --> 00:31:49.480
alone to face Jake's wrath in addition to Tonight's alleged

489
00:31:49.559 --> 00:31:53.480
staring gaff. He found nitpicks in the food he scarfed down,

490
00:31:53.880 --> 00:31:58.319
and found flaws with her hair, makeup and chubby cheeks.

491
00:31:59.000 --> 00:32:01.839
If she kept letting her herself go, that girl he

492
00:32:01.920 --> 00:32:04.359
saw today after work might just have to move in.

493
00:32:05.160 --> 00:32:08.640
Jake continued his relentless attack, which would have driven Zelda

494
00:32:08.680 --> 00:32:11.480
May to tears if she hadn't cried them all out

495
00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:15.240
over the years. As a compulsion, she started to work

496
00:32:15.240 --> 00:32:18.759
on the everest of dishes. Of course, the supposed clean

497
00:32:18.799 --> 00:32:22.200
freak didn't offer her a modicum of help. At least

498
00:32:22.200 --> 00:32:25.119
he was talking to her. That was a refreshing change

499
00:32:25.119 --> 00:32:28.839
of pace. She began scrubbing the tainted plates in a

500
00:32:28.880 --> 00:32:33.279
fury as Jake continued his verbal bulrush a sutty mess,

501
00:32:33.559 --> 00:32:36.680
Zelda May pulled the dishwasher rack out and marched to

502
00:32:36.720 --> 00:32:40.359
the fridge for some chardonnay, which she elected to down

503
00:32:40.559 --> 00:32:43.920
straight from the bottle. Jake scoffed at the lush she

504
00:32:44.000 --> 00:32:47.400
could be and attempted to pry the bottle loose. Much

505
00:32:47.440 --> 00:32:51.839
bigger his stripsack was overpowering, spiking and staining the kitchen

506
00:32:51.880 --> 00:32:55.640
floor with wet glass. Naturally, this was seen as purely

507
00:32:55.759 --> 00:32:59.920
Zelda May's error, which resulted in a final flurry of condescension.

508
00:33:00.880 --> 00:33:04.000
Sick of hearing these judgments, the harried housewife gave her

509
00:33:04.079 --> 00:33:08.799
husband a shove, her anger, propelling her strength to unprecedented levels.

510
00:33:09.839 --> 00:33:13.839
The back of Jake's boots skidded over the edge of spillage.

511
00:33:13.920 --> 00:33:17.160
The hoss tried to compose his balance, which only caused

512
00:33:17.240 --> 00:33:20.640
him to dance more erratically before he fell over backwards51300:33:20.960 --> 00:33:25.200



in a heap, cracking his neck on the still exposed dishwasher.51400:33:26.279 --> 00:33:29.240



The crunch was louder than the snap of the wishbone51500:33:29.519 --> 00:33:35.880



of her famous Thanksgiving turkey. No choking, no throes, no51600:33:36.039 --> 00:33:44.720



mournful departing apology, instant death, don't go away, weakly spooky,51700:33:44.759 --> 00:33:54.640



will be right back. Stunned, the accidental killer stared back51800:33:54.720 --> 00:33:58.519



at her unintentional victim. The eyes that had been full51900:33:58.559 --> 00:34:03.200



of fire just seconds before were now ghostly white. She52000:34:03.279 --> 00:34:07.279



didn't blame herself. It was a self induced accident, a52100:34:07.319 --> 00:34:12.000



fatal folly caused by his own foolishness. Now single part52200:34:12.000 --> 00:34:14.320



of her felt sad about the loss of her partner,52300:34:15.119 --> 00:34:18.119



but more of her felt relieved that there was finally52400:34:18.159 --> 00:34:22.079



some quiet in here. Now she could tidy this mess52500:34:22.119 --> 00:34:26.159



in piece calm as could be. Zelda May grabbed the52600:34:26.239 --> 00:34:30.159



mop and dust pan and commenced the arduous clean up,52700:34:30.679 --> 00:34:33.599



a chore that was made more difficult by the two52800:34:33.639 --> 00:34:37.199



hundred and fifty pound hindrance that blocked some of the puddle.52900:34:38.119 --> 00:34:44.119



Manslaughter was no excuse for a dirty home. My husband53000:34:44.199 --> 00:34:47.800



is dead, she phoned the cops. As hard as she53100:34:47.880 --> 00:34:52.519



tried to appear hysterical, she was no actress. The death53200:34:52.559 --> 00:34:56.320



of Big Jake Darling sent shockwaves through the local community.53300:34:56.840 --> 00:34:59.840



Although Zelda May figured she would be spending the foreseeable53400:34:59.840 --> 00:35:03.360



thing future playing the part of the sympathetic widow, her53500:35:03.400 --> 00:35:07.239



adopted home quickly made her a female Peter Sellers and53600:35:07.400 --> 00:35:11.760



cast her in many roles, a bloodthirsty harpie, a cold53700:35:11.800 --> 00:35:16.280



blooded Jezebel, and an unscrupulous gold digger who pulled out53800:35:16.320 --> 00:35:20.760



the ultimate gambit to collect Jake's money, which, unbeknownst to them,53900:35:21.400 --> 00:35:24.559



was sealed off by the prenup he convinced her to sign.54000:35:25.400 --> 00:35:29.079



Many claimed they saw this coming years ago. There was54100:35:29.119 --> 00:35:34.639



always something off about that Darling woman, even with forensic experts,54200:35:34.719 --> 00:35:38.679



confirming the death by misadventure theory. The late's buddy won54300:35:38.880 --> 00:35:42.480



Sheriff Zeke Hitchins, decided to treat this as what they54400:35:42.519 --> 00:35:48.239



all knew. It was a heartless murder. That year's Trial54500:35:48.320 --> 00:35:51.760



of the Century followed. Soon everyone with access to a54600:35:51.800 --> 00:35:57.079



newspaper had an opinion on Zelda May Darling. Jake's financial accomplishments,54700:35:57.360 --> 00:36:01.519



subjective platitudes, and status as a local leader were broadcasted54800:36:01.599 --> 00:36:06.480



non stop, with no mention of his tantrums or philandering proclivities.54900:36:07.119 --> 00:36:10.199



On the other side of the token, any assumed character55000:36:10.280 --> 00:36:13.800



defect of Zelda May was taken with a tower of salt.55100:36:14.519 --> 00:36:18.400



Don dupre mentioned the foaming madness he witnessed first hand55200:36:18.440 --> 00:36:21.920



at the dinner party, and wondered aloud how he narrowly55300:36:22.079 --> 00:36:27.079



escaped the massacre. The defendant was powerless and unable to55400:36:27.079 --> 00:36:30.199



bring up the drunken not so nice words Harvey Lerner55500:36:30.239 --> 00:36:33.519



had to say about Jake that a similarly inebriated Lois55600:36:33.719 --> 00:36:38.079



had blurted to her during an avon social Zelda May55700:36:38.320 --> 00:36:42.239



was without any support. Even her own mother had severed ties,55800:36:42.599 --> 00:36:46.440



fearful of what having a cozy relationship with her criminally55900:36:46.480 --> 00:36:50.800



insane daughter would have on her own reputation. I didn't56000:36:50.920 --> 00:36:54.039



raise her that way, you know. Mamma Darling made sure56100:36:54.079 --> 00:36:59.159



to alert everyone in the courthouse. The judgment was swift.56200:36:59.760 --> 00:37:03.599



Zeelda May Darling was going to fry. The poor girl56300:37:03.639 --> 00:37:07.639



had made the mistake of bagging a lofty and influential trophy.56400:37:08.400 --> 00:37:12.039



Twenty million dollars of leverage had been the difference between56500:37:12.039 --> 00:37:17.920



life without parole and the electric chair. The consensus was euphoric.56600:37:18.400 --> 00:37:21.880



Some felt even the most damning conviction was still too56700:37:22.000 --> 00:37:26.039



lenient for that bitch. Too bad they couldn't personally summon56800:37:26.079 --> 00:37:29.159



Satan to drag her to the nether world where she belonged.56900:37:30.079 --> 00:37:34.360



State endorsed killing is a lengthy process. Although scheduled for57000:37:34.440 --> 00:37:38.960



a nineteen seventy two execution, Zelda May's lawyers appealed and57100:37:39.000 --> 00:37:42.400



petitioned as much as they could, much to the chagrin57200:37:42.480 --> 00:37:46.800



of the mob. Years passed. No longer was she a57300:37:46.800 --> 00:37:51.280



bubbly socialite or an angelic homecoming queen. She had grown57400:37:51.440 --> 00:37:55.960



hardened by the prison system. Unkempt hair, a haggard face,57500:37:56.280 --> 00:38:00.159



a perpetual scowl were all that remained. A New Who57600:38:00.239 --> 00:38:03.360



charity believed they had found a loophole to prevent her57700:38:03.440 --> 00:38:06.639



death from being a crispy one, which earned them hatred57800:38:07.079 --> 00:38:13.920



and mockery. It was too late anyway, she wanted to die. Finally,57900:38:14.519 --> 00:38:18.079



on the hottest day of nineteen eighty three, Zelda May58000:38:18.280 --> 00:38:21.840



was ushered to the chamber. Her last meal the previous58100:38:21.960 --> 00:38:27.079



night was two cookies, one more than Jake permitted her58200:38:27.119 --> 00:38:31.280



to have. The condemned was placed in the sparky fairy58300:38:31.480 --> 00:38:35.960



and asked if she had any final words. She had none.58400:38:36.440 --> 00:38:39.239



A guard walked to the lever. He had been a58500:38:39.280 --> 00:38:43.239



mere child during Zelda May's trial. His mother and father58600:38:43.320 --> 00:38:45.840



made her out to be a boogie woman, but there58700:38:45.880 --> 00:38:50.239



was a sadness in her wild eyes, a story only58800:38:50.320 --> 00:38:55.400



she knew. Still, this is what the people of Texas craved.58900:38:56.199 --> 00:38:58.280



If there was a way to move her demise to59000:38:58.320 --> 00:39:01.639



a packed house at the Astrodome, few would protest it.59100:39:02.679 --> 00:39:07.760



The guards swung the switch. Zelda May's pupils bulged and59200:39:07.800 --> 00:39:11.639



her limbs thrashed. The watts coursing through her veins were59300:39:11.679 --> 00:39:15.719



nothing compared to the hatred flowing inside her vengeful brain.59400:39:17.199 --> 00:39:21.840



She outlasted the average survival time by ten agonizing seconds59500:39:21.880 --> 00:39:25.760



out of pure spite. Even when public Enemy number one59600:39:25.800 --> 00:39:29.400



had been reduced to a charred hunk of flesh, the59700:39:29.480 --> 00:39:33.000



overseers were fearful she had even more fight to give.59800:39:34.119 --> 00:39:39.199



She's Hell's problem now, boys, the warden congratulated the elimination59900:39:39.360 --> 00:39:50.239



of the menace. Let's hope they keep her. Hope, you60000:39:50.280 --> 00:39:53.960



bitches are having a good sleigh. Delaney Parker and her60100:39:54.000 --> 00:39:58.679



flamboyant co host Chet screamed their popular trademark greeting before60200:39:58.719 --> 00:40:02.400



they launched into the exposi of their latest vlog. A60300:40:02.440 --> 00:40:07.159



consummate influencer, Delaney insisted on fourteen more takes before she60400:40:07.239 --> 00:40:11.719



was satisfied. Chet and Delaney were the team behind Booze60500:40:11.760 --> 00:40:15.719



and Bludgeonings, a lifestyle brand they had started together four60600:40:15.800 --> 00:40:20.400



years prior while attending UCLA. What started off as an60700:40:20.400 --> 00:40:23.760



online channel devoted to their mutual interest in both true60800:40:23.800 --> 00:40:28.039



crime and alcohol blossomed into a multi level brand that60900:40:28.159 --> 00:40:32.440



included a podcast, t shirts, and of course, their very61000:40:32.480 --> 00:40:36.880



own IPA. The duo was most famous for their broadcasts61100:40:36.920 --> 00:40:40.239



from murder sites. Their most popular episode up to this61200:40:40.360 --> 00:40:43.480



point had been the night they braved the Lizzie Borden inn.61300:40:44.239 --> 00:40:46.679



Although it was a bit intimidating to be on the61400:40:46.719 --> 00:40:50.119



grounds of one of the most infamous slayings ever, neither61500:40:50.199 --> 00:40:53.679



talking had believed in the supernatural. Contrary to what their61600:40:53.679 --> 00:40:58.039



subscribers believed. Chet had added those orbs and moans and61700:40:58.159 --> 00:41:01.679



post right after they filmed their forty minutes worth than bolted.61800:41:02.599 --> 00:41:06.079



Their fans lapped that slop up B and B was61900:41:06.079 --> 00:41:10.840



a polarizing empire. Many felt their content was crass and exploitive,62000:41:11.239 --> 00:41:15.719



not to mention derivative. However, those critics were drowned out62100:41:15.800 --> 00:41:19.800



by their adoring acolytes, who loved to live vicariously through62200:41:19.840 --> 00:41:23.039



the pair's Instagram page just as much as they enjoyed62300:41:23.079 --> 00:41:27.679



the journey into the macabre. Their latest stunt was sure62400:41:27.719 --> 00:41:31.960



to be their biggest hit yet, a live midnight broadcast62500:41:32.000 --> 00:41:37.119



from the grave of Zelda May Darling, a Southern bell62600:41:37.280 --> 00:41:40.440



who rang for the last time in nineteen eighty two.62700:41:41.239 --> 00:41:44.679



In the forty years since Zelda May's death, Tumbleweed had62800:41:44.679 --> 00:41:48.199



grown up to a fair sized city of sixty thousand,62900:41:48.719 --> 00:41:51.559



several miles from the pauper's grave. They had given their63000:41:51.599 --> 00:41:55.920



most notorious former resident. Despite the shame of her now63100:41:56.039 --> 00:41:59.960



dead or senile dammers. The terror of Tumbleweed had been63200:42:00.199 --> 00:42:04.519



given a forgiving retrospective thanks to countless televised re enactments63300:42:04.920 --> 00:42:07.960



which elaborated on the kangaroo court in justice she had63400:42:07.960 --> 00:42:11.920



been forced to endure, as well as revelatory evidence Jake63500:42:12.000 --> 00:42:15.400



Darling may not have been a nice man. A museum63600:42:15.440 --> 00:42:18.079



in her honor now stood not far from the very63700:42:18.159 --> 00:42:22.360



same court house she had been mortally punished. Cheap paperbacks63800:42:22.400 --> 00:42:26.559



inspired by her saga littered bookstores. A street fair sold63900:42:26.639 --> 00:42:29.679



nachos and cotton candy. On the weekend closest to the64000:42:29.719 --> 00:42:35.199



anniversary of the night she lost her innocence. Tourists, mostly64100:42:35.239 --> 00:42:37.920



women who occasionally had half the mind to butcher their64200:42:37.960 --> 00:42:41.039



own dufus husbands, flooded the streets of the town that64300:42:41.119 --> 00:42:45.000



had ostracized her. Zelda May was forced to watch it64400:42:45.079 --> 00:42:51.880



all somewhere, Every cheap trinket, every hollow word of support,64500:42:52.199 --> 00:42:57.320



every dollar made on her trauma, a montage of retribution64600:42:57.480 --> 00:43:02.679



against her, a cosmic decree for an unpremeditated act. No64700:43:02.760 --> 00:43:06.199



longer human, she still felt the pain of her penance64800:43:06.480 --> 00:43:10.960



burn across her changed image. She pleaded for her unseen64900:43:11.000 --> 00:43:15.960



tormentor to stop, which only intensified the noise. Four decades65000:43:16.000 --> 00:43:19.760



of torture had felt like four eons. Where was this65100:43:19.920 --> 00:43:24.280



adulation back in her own day? These parasites worshiping her65200:43:24.480 --> 00:43:27.119



were no better than the cocksuckers who put her away.65300:43:27.760 --> 00:43:31.360



The cycle flipped back to rage as she gnashed and snarled,65400:43:32.000 --> 00:43:37.840



vowing to break free. Halfway across town, two of those65500:43:37.920 --> 00:43:41.679



profiteers had taken up shelter at the lone Star Motel.65600:43:42.679 --> 00:43:46.039



Surveying her outfit for the big show, Delaney was assured65700:43:46.079 --> 00:43:50.199



by her boyfriend that she looked banging as he cradled65800:43:50.199 --> 00:43:55.320



her body, which earned a push. No macho bullshit. Chet65900:43:55.360 --> 00:43:58.719



needed to focus and stay in the caricature they had created.66000:43:59.280 --> 00:44:02.840



It was funnier, and the demographics suggested their male viewership66100:44:02.920 --> 00:44:05.280



might take a hit if they found out she was66200:44:05.320 --> 00:44:08.679



off the market. This was a big night and he66300:44:08.800 --> 00:44:13.760



wasn't going to ruin it. Neither were the haters online. Tonight,66400:44:13.840 --> 00:44:18.639



she was going to break the Internet. Fuck I keep66500:44:18.679 --> 00:44:22.920



losing service. It was now eleven fifty eight and the66600:44:23.000 --> 00:44:27.960



event seemed on thin ice due to spotty reception. Chet66700:44:28.039 --> 00:44:31.719



was getting fed up with Delaney's devinus. The Hicks had66800:44:31.760 --> 00:44:34.599



buried Zelda May so far out in the boonies that66900:44:34.639 --> 00:44:39.199



Delaney feared they wouldn't make it on time. Finally, right67000:44:39.199 --> 00:44:43.719



over top the only recently installed marker, two bars lit up.67100:44:44.400 --> 00:44:48.000



It was gonna happen. Zelda May's reputation had allowed them67200:44:48.000 --> 00:44:53.320



to become innovators. Cemeteries usually frowned on trifling among the graves.67300:44:53.920 --> 00:44:57.599



Delaney learned that the hard way. She took a deep67400:44:57.639 --> 00:45:01.599



breath and visualized the viral hitch she had on her hands.67500:45:02.159 --> 00:45:06.039



The countdown hit zero, the red light went on. The67600:45:06.079 --> 00:45:12.199



marshy ground began to open up. What the fuck Chet67700:45:12.239 --> 00:45:15.559



said in his natural gruff accent, which broke there no67800:45:15.840 --> 00:45:22.039



unbleaped swearing rule, Chet girl, we're live, Delaney sternly reminded67900:45:22.239 --> 00:45:25.119



as she panned the camera, just as her lover was68000:45:25.199 --> 00:45:30.039



forcefully snatched by a bony hand, first by the leg68100:45:30.519 --> 00:45:34.360



and then quickly by the throat. Fuck all of you,68200:45:35.199 --> 00:45:39.320



the revenant hissed as she smashed another man's neck on68300:45:39.440 --> 00:45:42.719



purpose this time. Oh my god, Oh my god, oh68400:45:42.760 --> 00:45:47.280



my god. Delaney took off, half in fear, half in amazement.68500:45:47.840 --> 00:45:50.360



All she had to do was outrun this old bag68600:45:50.400 --> 00:45:54.519



of bones, and she'd have the most watched video of68700:45:54.559 --> 00:45:59.079



all time. Forty years of rust and rod had not slowed.68800:45:59.199 --> 00:46:02.800



Zelda May, the former track star, let her prey have68900:46:02.880 --> 00:46:06.320



a head start, just to give her some false hope,69000:46:06.360 --> 00:46:10.480



and then sicked her the bones of her malformed legs,69100:46:10.519 --> 00:46:13.840



twisting and bending with each stride until she pounced on69200:46:13.920 --> 00:46:17.360



this intruder, pinning her against the side of the vehicle69300:46:17.400 --> 00:46:21.119



they had violated her resting place with. She was a69400:46:21.159 --> 00:46:24.320



pretty girl, roughly the same age she had been the69500:46:24.440 --> 00:46:29.519



night she really died. Zelda May looked at the ghastly69600:46:29.639 --> 00:46:34.239



visage in the rearview window, gasped, and with one violent tug,69700:46:35.400 --> 00:46:40.239



ripped Delaney's face clean off. She needed it more than69800:46:40.280 --> 00:46:45.320



her The triple homicider realized she had crudely applied the69900:46:45.400 --> 00:46:50.800



mask and adjusted it over the exposed rottage, shewing away70000:46:50.840 --> 00:46:55.119



a few worms as well. She was young and beautiful again,70100:46:55.440 --> 00:47:00.679



with a whole town to paint red. Zelda May reset70200:47:00.719 --> 00:47:07.880



her lower body and made her way towards Tumbleweed. The70300:47:07.960 --> 00:47:12.360



audience couldn't believe the sheer tackiness of this spectacle, Booze70400:47:12.360 --> 00:47:17.239



and bludgeonings faking their own deaths, a phony monster, never70500:47:17.400 --> 00:47:21.599



ending footage of dirt. The channel had truly jumped the shark.70600:47:22.519 --> 00:47:26.119



Even their most loyal followers logged off the live stream70700:47:26.159 --> 00:47:29.639



in droves. By the time the battery had ran out,70800:47:30.280 --> 00:47:33.920



the incident was so panned Chet and Delaney never made70900:47:33.920 --> 00:47:52.880



another video or public appearance ever again. The Stop Signed71000:47:52.920 --> 00:48:00.599



Man by Bryce Gibson one for guys that grow up71100:48:00.599 --> 00:48:04.440



around this part of South Carolina. Stealing stop signs is71200:48:04.480 --> 00:48:07.440



a rite of passage, all for the sake of an71300:48:07.480 --> 00:48:10.880



old urban legend. It is something some of us do71400:48:11.039 --> 00:48:14.800



on our seventeenth birthday. If you choose to do it,71500:48:14.880 --> 00:48:21.800



there are three rules to follow. One do it alone. Two,71600:48:22.360 --> 00:48:26.119



don't tell a soul about what you see, and three,71700:48:26.880 --> 00:48:30.559



the most important rule of them all, never get caught.71800:48:31.400 --> 00:48:34.960



If you do, the stop sign Man will make your71900:48:35.039 --> 00:48:41.639



life a living hell. I Stratton Duke failed at number three,72000:48:43.119 --> 00:48:50.719



and the folklore is right, my life sucks. Two. Most72100:48:50.760 --> 00:48:53.880



everybody around here has heard the legend at some time72200:48:54.000 --> 00:48:58.000



or another. If you haven't, you're either too young or72300:48:58.039 --> 00:49:02.159



you've been living under a rock. It goes something like this.72400:49:03.400 --> 00:49:07.599



On the night of your seventeenth birthday, steal a County72500:49:07.639 --> 00:49:11.079



stop sign. Take it out to the old Williamson Barn72600:49:11.800 --> 00:49:16.519



and you will see him for yourself. The first time72700:49:16.559 --> 00:49:19.400



I ever heard the story, I was seven years old.72800:49:19.559 --> 00:49:21.639



I was sitting with Dad at the barber shop on72900:49:21.760 --> 00:49:24.519



Main Street. It was mid afternoon and I had just73000:49:24.559 --> 00:49:27.719



gotten out of school for the day. Halloween was right73100:49:27.719 --> 00:49:31.519



around the corner. Mister Perry, the barber, had the shop73200:49:31.599 --> 00:49:35.320



decorated with paper jack o lanterns, green faced witches, and73300:49:35.440 --> 00:49:39.519



spooky black cats. After telling Dad that he'd heard a73400:49:39.559 --> 00:49:42.639



stop sign had been stolen the night before, the two73500:49:42.639 --> 00:49:44.880



of them discussed the fact that it had been so73600:49:45.079 --> 00:49:48.760



and so's birthday. None of it made sense to me73700:49:49.199 --> 00:49:53.079



at the time. Then mister Perry looked at me and asked,73800:49:53.920 --> 00:49:58.039



do you know about the stop sign man? I told73900:49:58.079 --> 00:50:04.199



him I had no idea. Well, the barber continued, he74000:50:04.280 --> 00:50:08.920



has eyes shaped like octagons. They glow red and twirl74100:50:09.000 --> 00:50:13.239



around and around. After we got home and I was74200:50:13.320 --> 00:50:15.800



lying in bed with the blanket pulled up to my chin,74300:50:16.519 --> 00:50:19.440



I asked Dad if mister Perry was just saying those74400:50:19.480 --> 00:50:23.440



things to scare me with it being Halloween. I figured74500:50:23.480 --> 00:50:27.880



it was possible. It's just an urban legend, Dad said,74600:50:28.400 --> 00:50:31.400



a ghost story. It's something that gets passed down and74700:50:31.480 --> 00:50:36.079



told again and again. After that day, the legend was74800:50:36.280 --> 00:50:39.760



ingrained deep in my mind. Even though I didn't know74900:50:39.880 --> 00:50:43.760



many details. I thought about it often, and it wasn't75000:50:43.880 --> 00:50:47.840



just me who fell under the spell. Soon I realized75100:50:47.880 --> 00:50:51.440



the other kids at school knew about it too. Sometimes75200:50:51.440 --> 00:50:54.440



at recess we'd play a game we called stop the75300:50:54.519 --> 00:50:58.360



Stop Sign Man. One of us would be him and75400:50:58.480 --> 00:51:01.760



the others would be his advert series. We played the75500:51:01.800 --> 00:51:04.679



game on the wobbly roundabout, from which we tried to75600:51:04.760 --> 00:51:08.400



fling the stop sign Man off of Octagons play a75700:51:08.440 --> 00:51:12.239



big part in the weird mythology, from the signs themselves75800:51:12.320 --> 00:51:16.119



to the strange locale. Over the years, I'd seen the75900:51:16.159 --> 00:51:20.880



Williamson Barn many times in passing. I always knew something76000:51:21.039 --> 00:51:24.519



was a little off kilter about the construction, but I76100:51:24.599 --> 00:51:29.239



couldn't pinpoint what the building stands on a stretch of76200:51:29.280 --> 00:51:32.880



overgrown land next to a cow pasture and dense woods.76300:51:33.800 --> 00:51:36.519



Not long after learning about the stop sign Man, I76400:51:36.559 --> 00:51:42.039



realized the truth. The barn has eight sides of equal76500:51:42.119 --> 00:51:47.480



length an octagon. Needless to say, with the knowledge of76600:51:47.519 --> 00:51:51.440



the story, I was terrified to go anywhere near that place.76700:51:52.920 --> 00:51:58.039



Three boy, how things change between the ages of seven76800:51:58.119 --> 00:52:02.199



and sixteen. I became a completely different person. My body76900:52:02.239 --> 00:52:05.679



grew in ways I never imagined over those years. I77000:52:05.760 --> 00:52:09.679



shot up like a weed. Now I'm nearly six feet tall.77100:52:10.199 --> 00:52:13.159



I don't fit in with any particular group at school.77200:52:13.760 --> 00:52:16.000



That's not to say I don't have friends. I do,77300:52:16.599 --> 00:52:19.079



but for the most part I linger on the outside77400:52:19.519 --> 00:52:23.760



looking in. Ten years ago, nobody would have been able77500:52:23.760 --> 00:52:26.960



to drag my skinny ass anywhere near the Williamson Barn.77600:52:27.679 --> 00:52:31.239



And now I'm sitting here offering myself up like it's77700:52:31.320 --> 00:52:35.960



the great sacrifice that will save all of humanity. And77800:52:36.079 --> 00:52:41.119



really it's about a girl. Her name is Alison Weaving,77900:52:41.639 --> 00:52:44.119



new to our part of Crow County at the beginning78000:52:44.119 --> 00:52:47.000



of senior year. From the moment I saw her, with78100:52:47.039 --> 00:52:51.400



her long blonde hair and perfect body, she was everything78200:52:51.440 --> 00:52:54.800



I wanted to put it simply, I would have done78300:52:55.079 --> 00:52:59.119



almost anything to have a chance with her. Unfortunately, what78400:52:59.199 --> 00:53:02.159



Alison wanted was far removed from the likes of me.78500:53:03.159 --> 00:53:07.400



Right off the bat, she became besties with Becca Mansfield. Becca,78600:53:07.960 --> 00:53:11.039



a literal beauty queen, liked to hang out with a78700:53:11.079 --> 00:53:14.159



slightly rougher crowd than the atmosphere me and my friend78800:53:14.159 --> 00:53:18.880



Greg Collins could provide. The group was led by Mark Taylor.78900:53:19.840 --> 00:53:22.800



Every day after school, Mark and his gang liked to79000:53:22.800 --> 00:53:26.960



congregate behind the Big Courthouse on the town square. There79100:53:27.039 --> 00:53:31.880



they smoked stolen cigarettes, drew half asked graffiti on trash cans,79200:53:32.320 --> 00:53:35.320



and dared each other to do stupid shit like flipping79300:53:35.360 --> 00:53:39.360



mid air from a picnic table. One Friday night in79400:53:39.480 --> 00:53:42.400



early fall, I dragged Greg to a party at Mark's79500:53:42.440 --> 00:53:46.840



house because I knew Alison would be there. Mark's parents79600:53:46.840 --> 00:53:49.760



were out of town and the place was slammed. Greg79700:53:49.800 --> 00:53:52.880



and I pushed our way through the crowd. We found79800:53:52.920 --> 00:53:56.119



Allison and Becca sitting on the countertop in the kitchen.79900:53:56.719 --> 00:53:59.159



They were watching Mark and his friends do the latest80000:53:59.280 --> 00:54:02.880



viral challenge, placing a penny on the prongs of a80100:54:02.920 --> 00:54:07.320



halfway plugged in phone charger. As sparks flew, I couldn't80200:54:07.360 --> 00:54:10.800



help but to notice how both Alison and Becca laughed80300:54:10.840 --> 00:54:15.000



at what they were witnessing. At that moment, one thing80400:54:15.079 --> 00:54:19.960



became glaringly clear to me. For Alison Weaving to notice me,80500:54:21.079 --> 00:54:26.880



I needed more of an edge four I'm gonna do it,80600:54:27.159 --> 00:54:31.880



I say, Thursday night. It's on my seventeenth birthday, is80700:54:31.920 --> 00:54:35.480



only three days away. According to the legend, you only80800:54:35.519 --> 00:54:38.760



get one shot. If I don't do it, I might80900:54:38.800 --> 00:54:42.480



regret it later, I add. Greg and I are sitting81000:54:42.559 --> 00:54:44.719



in one of the study rooms at the library, which81100:54:44.760 --> 00:54:47.360



is located in a flat brick building on the square.81200:54:48.280 --> 00:54:51.440



He's on one side of the wide wooden table and81300:54:51.480 --> 00:54:54.480



me on the other. Greg throws a pencil and it81400:54:54.559 --> 00:54:57.280



hits me upside the head. You could have put my81500:54:57.400 --> 00:54:59.960



eye out, I yell out and retrieve the yellow night81600:55:00.039 --> 00:55:03.119



number two from the floor, promptly flinging it back in81700:55:03.199 --> 00:55:07.039



his direction. Greg ducks out of the way. The pencil81800:55:07.079 --> 00:55:09.800



bounces off the cinder block wall behind him and rolls81900:55:09.880 --> 00:55:13.840



underneath the radiator heater. Greg sits up straight and stares82000:55:13.880 --> 00:55:17.000



at me. The stop sign. Man is just a lame82100:55:17.119 --> 00:55:21.480



ghost story. You know that, He says, you need to82200:55:21.519 --> 00:55:22.000



grow up.82300:55:22.039 --> 00:55:23.159



Man.82400:55:23.360 --> 00:55:27.199



We pack up our belongings and walk outside. Greg reaches82500:55:27.239 --> 00:55:29.679



into the front pocket of his book bag and pulls82600:55:29.679 --> 00:55:32.320



out a pack of cigarettes he'd lifted from his older brother.82700:55:33.119 --> 00:55:36.519



Without asking. He hands one to me. I just don't82800:55:36.519 --> 00:55:40.199



want you to get in trouble. He says, Chip Wagner82900:55:40.280 --> 00:55:42.760



is the most recent guy we know of to perform83000:55:42.800 --> 00:55:47.280



the ritual, and that was ten years ago. Chip was83100:55:47.360 --> 00:55:51.199



caught and charged with theft. With the common knowledge of83200:55:51.239 --> 00:55:54.000



the legend, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure83300:55:54.000 --> 00:55:57.239



out who to bring in for questioning. After all, it83400:55:57.440 --> 00:56:01.519



was Chip's birthday. I placed the cigarette between my lips,83500:56:02.000 --> 00:56:05.599



light the tip with Gregg's lighter, and inhale. The smoke83600:56:05.719 --> 00:56:11.039



makes me cough, and Greg laughs at my lack of experience. Besides,83700:56:11.239 --> 00:56:14.519



if you're that desperate for some action, I'm sure Roxy83800:56:14.679 --> 00:56:17.639



is ready and willing. Just take your ass over to83900:56:17.679 --> 00:56:21.159



the filling station. By the time we were young teenagers,84000:56:21.199 --> 00:56:24.440



we'd already heard the rest of the stop sign man folklore.84100:56:25.280 --> 00:56:28.039



After entering the barn with a sign as an offering,84200:56:28.760 --> 00:56:33.800



a woman appears. People say, she takes your innocence, she84300:56:34.400 --> 00:56:38.199



makes you a man. They say, no, one really knows84400:56:38.239 --> 00:56:42.320



what that means. Though obviously, with what Greg is suggesting84500:56:42.360 --> 00:56:45.639



to me now, his takeaway leans more towards something of84600:56:45.679 --> 00:56:50.519



a sexual nature. The girl he's talking about, Roxy is84700:56:50.599 --> 00:56:52.679



someone who grew up in the boggy land on the84800:56:52.719 --> 00:56:57.119



other side of the railroad tracks. Swamp rats, we call them.84900:56:57.519 --> 00:57:00.679



I glance across the square. The filling station is visible85000:57:00.719 --> 00:57:04.599



from here and I see her. She's sitting on an85100:57:04.639 --> 00:57:07.599



old wooden church pew that's pushed up against the side85200:57:07.599 --> 00:57:12.440



of the store. I groan in disgust. I'm sure she is,85300:57:12.599 --> 00:57:15.199



but I don't want to catch some kind of disease.85400:57:17.119 --> 00:57:20.599



Later that night, after having birthday dinner with my dad,85500:57:20.639 --> 00:57:23.400



I drive all the way out to Layman Road to85600:57:23.440 --> 00:57:27.599



where an intersection sits deep in a long stretch of pines.85700:57:28.679 --> 00:57:31.440



Over the past few days, I've been scoping things out85800:57:31.480 --> 00:57:35.039



and making a plan. Anybody who does this has to85900:57:35.159 --> 00:57:38.199



choose his own sign, and the one I've picked has86000:57:38.239 --> 00:57:42.360



a spray painted X on the back. With a wrench86100:57:42.440 --> 00:57:44.920



from the toolbox on the back of my truck, I86200:57:45.000 --> 00:57:48.239



remove the sign from the metal post. After I have86300:57:48.400 --> 00:57:51.079



the sign taken down, I place it flat on the86400:57:51.119 --> 00:57:54.159



bottom of my truck bed. I drive out to the86500:57:54.159 --> 00:57:57.880



Williamson Land and pull off the road, parking in a secluded,86600:57:58.199 --> 00:58:02.079



unused red dirt driveway located on the far side of86700:58:02.119 --> 00:58:06.239



the barn. Admittedly, the exterior of the barn is creepy,86800:58:06.280 --> 00:58:10.119



as all get out, even at seventeen years old. Briefly,86900:58:10.159 --> 00:58:13.480



I'm taken back to several years earlier when I thought87000:58:13.480 --> 00:58:17.119



the stop Sign Man might be real. Just as quick87100:58:17.159 --> 00:58:19.599



as those stories begin to resurface in the back of87200:58:19.639 --> 00:58:23.599



my mind, I push all the nonsense away and focus87300:58:23.679 --> 00:58:28.039



on the present. Here's the kicker about all of this. Tonight,87400:58:28.559 --> 00:58:31.679



I'm going to one up Mark Taylor. My visit to87500:58:31.719 --> 00:58:35.000



the stop Sign Man is going to be recorded. If87600:58:35.000 --> 00:58:37.360



the girl's got a kick out of Mark's penny trick,87700:58:37.800 --> 00:58:40.599



Allison is going to flip the f out when she87800:58:40.719 --> 00:58:44.440



sees this. With the stop sign held under one arm87900:58:44.480 --> 00:58:47.360



and my phone in the other hand, I walk toward88000:58:47.400 --> 00:58:51.800



my destination. For dramatic effect, I hold the phone at88100:58:51.800 --> 00:58:55.480



a low angle, recording the tall weeds that slap and88200:58:55.599 --> 00:58:59.960



brush against my jenes. Once there, I lift the wooden88300:59:00.119 --> 00:59:02.679



latch and push the door open with the toe of88400:59:02.719 --> 00:59:07.840



my boot. The rusty hinges creak in the still dark night.88500:59:09.199 --> 00:59:12.559



The door makes a soft slap against the interior wall.88600:59:13.400 --> 00:59:19.079



Finally I step inside. Narrow slants of moonlight come through88700:59:19.079 --> 00:59:23.119



the gaps between the boards of the wall. The smell88800:59:23.199 --> 00:59:27.360



of old straw hangs heavy in the air. Not knowing88900:59:27.400 --> 00:59:30.880



what else to do, what step I'm supposed to take next,89000:59:31.440 --> 00:59:34.239



I toss the sign onto a loose scattering of hay89100:59:34.880 --> 00:59:40.519



and uh, nothing happens. I'm about to leave when the89200:59:40.519 --> 00:59:43.199



wall on the far side of the barn begins to shake,89300:59:43.719 --> 00:59:46.679



like a set of shutters in a thunderstorm. As the89400:59:46.679 --> 00:59:50.920



boards clatter, a shower of thick dust falls from the rafters,89500:59:51.119 --> 00:59:55.559



making me cough and sneeze. Finally, the wall literally folds89600:59:55.599 --> 00:59:58.440



in on itself and I'm able to see what is89700:59:58.480 --> 01:00:04.639



on the other side, a wet, boggy swamp. This can't89801:00:04.679 --> 01:00:09.480



be real. I think this has to be a prank. Gregg,89901:00:10.199 --> 01:00:12.840



I call out, I don't know how you're doing this,90001:00:13.039 --> 01:00:16.639



but you need to cut it out. I imagine him90101:00:16.679 --> 01:00:20.280



around the corner or high above in the hayloft, looking90201:00:20.320 --> 01:00:25.840



down on me, watching and laughing. Movement within the wetland90301:00:25.880 --> 01:00:31.440



catches my attention and I look. A girl is standing90401:00:31.480 --> 01:00:34.960



on the end of a moss covered wooden dock. She's90501:00:35.039 --> 01:00:38.679



wearing a white tank top that's way too small and90601:00:38.719 --> 01:00:42.800



a pair of jean shorts that fit tight over her thighs.90701:00:43.280 --> 01:00:47.079



Roxy A moment later, I'm standing on the dock in90801:00:47.119 --> 01:00:50.039



front of her. I have no idea how I got here.90901:00:50.719 --> 01:00:52.800



I look down and see the bottom half of my91001:00:52.920 --> 01:00:57.880



jeans are covered in thick, dark colored muck. Obviously I91101:00:57.960 --> 01:01:01.320



walked through the water, but I don't remember any of it.91201:01:01.880 --> 01:01:06.239



I wonder if I'm hallucinating Gregg. I call out again,91301:01:07.119 --> 01:01:13.880



enough is enough, Joke's over. Roxy speaks, there's nobody here91401:01:13.920 --> 01:01:20.360



but us. Her voice is soft and strangely seductive. At first,91501:01:20.400 --> 01:01:23.599



I think she's talking about me and her, but then91601:01:23.639 --> 01:01:27.280



I notice her eyes look over my shoulder. I turn91701:01:27.400 --> 01:01:31.079



to look. A shadowy figure is standing in the barn.91801:01:31.679 --> 01:01:35.039



I can't make out any particular features, but I can91901:01:35.079 --> 01:01:38.440



tell it's a guy with a body built like an athlete.92001:01:39.119 --> 01:01:43.039



The tips of Roxy's fingers brush against my neck. The92101:01:43.159 --> 01:01:47.239



length of her nails causes my skin to crawl for92201:01:47.320 --> 01:01:50.920



some reason. When I turn back around, I'm looking at92301:01:50.920 --> 01:01:55.920



her exposed midriff, a cubic zarconia, belly button piercing catches92401:01:55.960 --> 01:02:00.480



a sparkle of light. Logically, I know I should run far,92501:02:00.800 --> 01:02:05.440



far away. But there's something else deep inside of myself,92601:02:06.360 --> 01:02:10.519



a pull that makes me stay. It draws my body92701:02:10.559 --> 01:02:15.920



closer to hers. She slides her fingertips against my lips.92801:02:18.000 --> 01:02:22.880



It is done, she says, you are a man.92901:02:24.639 --> 01:02:24.960



Five.93001:02:26.079 --> 01:02:28.719



I wake up the next morning, still wearing the clothes93101:02:28.760 --> 01:02:32.159



I had on the night before. The inside of my93201:02:32.239 --> 01:02:34.920



mouth feels like I've been chewing on a sheet of93301:02:34.920 --> 01:02:38.639



coarse sand paper. My head pounds, and when I sit up,93401:02:39.000 --> 01:02:41.840



I feel dizzy. Sitting on the edge of the bed,93501:02:41.880 --> 01:02:44.960



it takes me a moment to gain my composure. I93601:02:45.000 --> 01:02:47.400



stumble into the bathroom to take a leak and brush93701:02:47.480 --> 01:02:51.239



my nasty ass teeth. That's when I noticed the crumbly,93801:02:52.079 --> 01:02:58.239



crusty MUDs smeared across my shirt and jeans. Dry leaves93901:02:58.280 --> 01:03:01.679



are stuck in my messy hair. I look like crap.94001:03:02.559 --> 01:03:07.800



My eyes are bloodshot below them dark bags. My skin94101:03:07.880 --> 01:03:11.719



has a washed out, sallow look. To someone else, I94201:03:11.800 --> 01:03:14.119



might look like I've been on an all night bender.94301:03:15.239 --> 01:03:18.239



After looking for my phone, which is nowhere to be found,94401:03:18.559 --> 01:03:21.199



I change clothes and then go into the kitchen for94501:03:21.239 --> 01:03:25.880



a glass of water. Dad's sister, Rita is here. Aunt94601:03:26.000 --> 01:03:30.519



Rita lives next door and comes and goes as she pleases. Currently,94701:03:30.599 --> 01:03:34.360



she's sitting at the kitchen table talking on her phone.94801:03:34.400 --> 01:03:38.159



She acknowledges me with a brief smile. I pull a94901:03:38.239 --> 01:03:40.679



glass from the cabinet and fill it with tap water.95001:03:42.000 --> 01:03:44.719



This is just like nineteen ninety six all over again,95101:03:45.559 --> 01:03:48.400



aunt Rita says to whomever it is she's talking to.95201:03:49.440 --> 01:03:52.079



I'm clueless to the reference, but I can tell by95301:03:52.079 --> 01:03:55.360



the sound of her voice that she's upset. Did you95401:03:55.400 --> 01:03:59.400



hear about that girl, aunt Rita asks. Now, her voice95501:03:59.400 --> 01:04:03.840



has a different the one in your class. It takes95601:04:03.880 --> 01:04:07.679



me a second to realize she's talking to me. I95701:04:07.760 --> 01:04:12.360



pinch my eyes in confusion and shake my head. Alison Weaving,95801:04:12.679 --> 01:04:17.239



She explains, she had a crash last night. She died.95901:04:18.480 --> 01:04:21.559



My heart slams against my rib cage. The glass of96001:04:21.599 --> 01:04:25.119



water nearly slips from my grip, but instead I slam96101:04:25.159 --> 01:04:29.599



it onto the countertop. What do you mean another car96201:04:29.719 --> 01:04:33.840



t boned hers. They say she died on impact. I96301:04:33.880 --> 01:04:37.239



feel so terrible for that girl's parents. The loss they96401:04:37.280 --> 01:04:41.239



must be going through is impossible to fathom. This can't96501:04:41.280 --> 01:04:45.599



be happening. I think the room is twirling around me.96601:04:45.880 --> 01:04:50.559



I need to sit down, aunt Rita continues. They say96701:04:50.599 --> 01:04:53.880



the stop sign was gone. The driver of the other96801:04:53.960 --> 01:04:57.920



car didn't even know they should stop. What I'm hearing96901:04:58.000 --> 01:05:00.800



can't be true. It all it makes me feel like97001:05:00.880 --> 01:05:04.400



I could puke. Finally, I fall into the seat of97101:05:04.440 --> 01:05:09.400



the chair opposite Aunt Rita. Where where did it happen?97201:05:09.719 --> 01:05:13.840



What road was it on? Her answer solidifies the thoughts97301:05:14.000 --> 01:05:20.000



churning through my head way out on Layman. Later that day,97401:05:20.159 --> 01:05:23.760



English class is interrupted by the secretary from the Principal's office.97501:05:24.320 --> 01:05:27.159



After tapping on the door, Missus Brown leans her head97601:05:27.159 --> 01:05:31.559



in and calls my name. I stand from my desk97701:05:31.639 --> 01:05:36.039



and feel the entire room watching me. Missus Brown escorts97801:05:36.079 --> 01:05:39.559



me down the hall. It's the middle of fourth period.97901:05:40.039 --> 01:05:43.519



All the other students are in class. It's just me98001:05:43.679 --> 01:05:47.519



and her. The heels of her shoes clamp on the tiles.98101:05:48.239 --> 01:05:51.599



The sound is loud and echoes in the long, narrow space.98201:05:53.000 --> 01:05:56.360



Missus Brown opens the door to the office and I98301:05:56.519 --> 01:06:00.360



notice right away that two uniformed police officers are standing98401:06:00.440 --> 01:06:04.639



next to the Principal's desk. And Dad is here too.98501:06:04.800 --> 01:06:09.079



I can tell he's pissed. Stratton Duke. One of the98601:06:09.119 --> 01:06:12.559



officers steps forward. There's something we'd like to talk to98701:06:12.559 --> 01:06:19.360



you about. You turned seventeen last night, right more scarce98801:06:19.480 --> 01:06:31.079



to come after these quick messages. Six, I'm sitting in98901:06:31.119 --> 01:06:34.400



the back seat of the officer's car. The old Williamson99001:06:34.480 --> 01:06:37.760



barn looks even creepier than it did the night before.99101:06:38.800 --> 01:06:42.360



Now the mystical ambience of the setting is long gone.99201:06:42.920 --> 01:06:47.559



It seems real. It is real, I remind myself, and99301:06:47.599 --> 01:06:51.599



the reality of all this terrifies me. The repercussions of99401:06:51.639 --> 01:06:56.119



my actions are gut wrenching. It wasn't supposed to be99501:06:56.320 --> 01:07:00.079



like this. I say, it's just a silly urban lef le.99601:07:01.400 --> 01:07:03.159



We get out of the car and I lead the99701:07:03.199 --> 01:07:07.760



officers inside. Dad follows us, but he remains quiet the99801:07:07.800 --> 01:07:12.880



whole time. He stands with his arms crossed, watching. And99901:07:12.960 --> 01:07:15.519



you say, you drop the sign, and that wall there.100001:07:16.199 --> 01:07:20.079



The officer nods across the space. You say it opened up.100101:07:20.639 --> 01:07:22.960



I can tell by the look on his face that100201:07:23.039 --> 01:07:26.840



he doesn't believe a word I've said. Look, I know100301:07:26.920 --> 01:07:31.440



it sounds crazy, but yeah, that's exactly what happened. And100401:07:31.559 --> 01:07:36.039



this girl, roxy you call her, she took your innocence.100501:07:36.800 --> 01:07:40.280



I notice a smirk on the second officer's face. Yes,100601:07:40.880 --> 01:07:45.960



I say, it's not anything raunchy, well, not like sex100701:07:46.079 --> 01:07:49.239



or I don't think so anyway. Look, I'm not sure100801:07:49.280 --> 01:07:53.400



what happened, but I'm telling the truth. The second officer100901:07:53.480 --> 01:07:56.840



walks across and pulls open a wide door, revealing a101001:07:56.880 --> 01:08:01.400



second room. This one is full of stop signs. From101101:08:01.480 --> 01:08:05.760



floor to ceiling is a menagerie of red octagons. Some101201:08:05.840 --> 01:08:08.199



of them are lying on the floor while others are101301:08:08.280 --> 01:08:11.840



nailed to the walls and the support beams. With both101401:08:11.920 --> 01:08:15.719



doors open, wind barrels through the space, the hanging signs101501:08:15.760 --> 01:08:20.359



swing and clatter against each other. Look, kid, what you're101601:08:20.399 --> 01:08:23.439



telling us. All that mess about the stop sign man101701:08:23.520 --> 01:08:27.279



is nothing new. I've heard it all before. Don't forget.101801:08:27.319 --> 01:08:30.720



I grew up in these parts. I've heard the stories. Hell,101901:08:31.039 --> 01:08:32.720



when I was your age, I was tempted to do102001:08:32.760 --> 01:08:38.319



it myself. But the thing is I didn't. What we're102101:08:38.359 --> 01:08:42.000



dealing with now is something else altogether. The other man102201:08:42.039 --> 01:08:45.840



speaks up. A girl is dead because of what you did.102301:08:46.960 --> 01:08:49.039



I ride home in the back of the cop car102401:08:49.640 --> 01:08:52.800



after being issued a citation for theft. I stand on102501:08:52.840 --> 01:08:55.600



the porch and watch the cruiser pull out of the driveway.102601:08:56.520 --> 01:08:59.399



The horrifying truth of the matter hangs over my head.102701:09:00.520 --> 01:09:04.920



I could be charged with involuntary manslaughter. After telling me102801:09:05.000 --> 01:09:07.920



I'm grounded for the rest of my life. Dad heads102901:09:07.960 --> 01:09:10.960



back to his job. He's working a double and can't103001:09:10.960 --> 01:09:14.000



get out of it. While he's gone, I decide to103101:09:14.000 --> 01:09:16.479



sneak out and make a quick visit to Greg's house.103201:09:17.399 --> 01:09:19.840



I pull into Greg's yard and spot him sitting on103301:09:19.880 --> 01:09:23.640



the porch swing drinking one of his dad's cheap beers.103401:09:24.319 --> 01:09:28.640



I've been worried sick about you, he says, what's going on.103501:09:29.840 --> 01:09:32.239



I'm sure the gossip of me leaving with the police103601:09:32.279 --> 01:09:35.279



spread like wildfire through the school, and I can only103701:09:35.319 --> 01:09:39.279



imagine the assumptions people have already made. Greg offers me103801:09:39.319 --> 01:09:42.359



a beer, but I decline. I take a seat on103901:09:42.399 --> 01:09:48.159



the steps and tell him everything. Seven they say. If104001:09:48.199 --> 01:09:52.079



you get caught, the stop sign man will come after you.104101:09:52.079 --> 01:09:55.479



You can't sleep because he invades your dreams, and staying104201:09:55.560 --> 01:09:59.680



awake doesn't help either. He constantly stalks every corner of104301:09:59.720 --> 01:10:04.359



your mind, turning every peaceful thought into a nightmare. Even104401:10:04.399 --> 01:10:07.000



when I was talking to Greg, my attention was broken104501:10:07.039 --> 01:10:11.880



by the shape of the porch tiles octagons. Greg didn't104601:10:11.880 --> 01:10:15.479



believe my story. In fact, he suggested I seek mental104701:10:15.479 --> 01:10:19.199



help The knowledge that my best friend no longer has104801:10:19.239 --> 01:10:24.520



my back hurts me deep inside. After leaving Greg's house,104901:10:25.199 --> 01:10:29.640



I have an idea my phone. I recorded everything the105001:10:29.720 --> 01:10:32.600



night before. I wasn't able to find the phone in105101:10:32.640 --> 01:10:35.039



my room this morning, and I hadn't seen it in105201:10:35.039 --> 01:10:38.720



the barn this afternoon. There's one person I can think105301:10:38.760 --> 01:10:42.800



of who might have an answer. Finding the phone won't105401:10:42.880 --> 01:10:46.199



change what I did, but it will give proof that105501:10:46.239 --> 01:10:50.319



I'm not crazy. Instead of going home, I make a105601:10:50.359 --> 01:10:54.079



stop at the filling station where I spot Roxy today.105701:10:54.199 --> 01:10:57.640



She's leaning against the wall by the bathrooms. I get105801:10:57.680 --> 01:11:00.600



out of my truck and charge across the parking, not105901:11:00.840 --> 01:11:04.279



stopping until I'm standing directly in front of her. Her106001:11:04.319 --> 01:11:07.279



hair is damp from a recent shower. I can smell106101:11:07.319 --> 01:11:10.840



the flowery scent of shampoo other than the wet hair.106201:11:10.960 --> 01:11:15.119



She looks exactly like she did last night. Where's my phone?106301:11:15.760 --> 01:11:19.359



I cut right to the chase. Roxy laughs and stands106401:11:19.439 --> 01:11:23.520



up straight. I don't have your phone, Stratton. My name106501:11:23.560 --> 01:11:28.359



on her voice is like fingernails on a chalkboard. Oh yeah, well,106601:11:28.359 --> 01:11:31.119



where is it? Then? I just happen to lose it?106701:11:31.239 --> 01:11:31.960



Huh.106801:11:32.119 --> 01:11:35.720



I throw up my hands that would be really convenient,106901:11:35.800 --> 01:11:40.479



wouldn't it. Roxy reaches out and grabs my forearm. The107001:11:40.560 --> 01:11:43.319



sleeve of her shirt rides up and I notice a107101:11:43.359 --> 01:11:46.560



sketchy red tattoo spread across the underside of her wrist.107201:11:47.399 --> 01:11:50.920



The artwork is badly done. It's like something someone would107301:11:50.920 --> 01:11:54.960



get in prison, but the symbol is clear enough a107401:11:54.960 --> 01:11:58.960



stop sign. Let go of me. I jerk my arm away.107501:12:00.159 --> 01:12:04.520



What you did take someone of a certain character, she says.107601:12:05.399 --> 01:12:08.319



Why did you do it anyway? Was it to prove107701:12:08.359 --> 01:12:12.079



a point or to show that you're It was because107801:12:12.119 --> 01:12:17.039



of a girl. My voice cracks. Roxy laughs again. This107901:12:17.199 --> 01:12:20.119



time it sounds like a cackle coming from an old witch.108001:12:21.199 --> 01:12:23.560



You came to the barn with one goal in mind,108101:12:23.920 --> 01:12:27.960



and you got it. That girl was standing in your way.108201:12:28.680 --> 01:12:32.159



She would have held you back. I realize now that108301:12:32.239 --> 01:12:36.840



Allison's death wasn't just an accident caused by what I'd done.108401:12:38.199 --> 01:12:42.560



She was payment. I'm not sure what for, but I108501:12:42.640 --> 01:12:47.760



know it's something I don't want. That's messed up. I say.108601:12:48.119 --> 01:12:50.239



If I would have known there was a price, I108701:12:50.239 --> 01:12:54.159



would have never You're part of it now, Honey. From108801:12:54.159 --> 01:12:57.800



here on, it's between you and him. You have to108901:12:57.840 --> 01:13:02.600



finish what you started by him. I know she means109001:13:04.279 --> 01:13:07.720



the stop sign man. If facing him is what I109101:13:07.800 --> 01:13:12.920



have to do, so be it fine. My breath is109201:13:12.960 --> 01:13:16.680



coming and going out of my lungs in deep rhythmic puffs.109301:13:17.119 --> 01:13:22.319



I'll do it. Eight. The first rule in the legend109401:13:22.319 --> 01:13:24.119



of the stop Sign Man is that you have to109501:13:24.159 --> 01:13:27.840



go alone. I look at it like this. If I109601:13:27.880 --> 01:13:30.720



got myself into this mess, I'm the only one who109701:13:30.720 --> 01:13:34.760



can get myself out. I'm still not sure how or why,109801:13:35.640 --> 01:13:39.359



but the octagon shape is significant. I think I can109901:13:39.439 --> 01:13:43.039



use that bit of folklore against him. When I get home,110001:13:43.079 --> 01:13:45.479



I go into my closet and find an old workbook110101:13:45.520 --> 01:13:48.199



from when I was a kid. One of the multiple110201:13:48.279 --> 01:13:51.279



choice questions was to select an octagon from a group110301:13:51.319 --> 01:13:56.199



of shapes. I'd picked one, but it was wrong next110401:13:56.199 --> 01:13:59.640



to a red ex. The teacher wrote, an octagon must110501:13:59.680 --> 01:14:04.359



have eight eat equal sides. Then I go into the garage,110601:14:04.359 --> 01:14:08.520



where I find the hatchet Dad uses to chop firewood. Later,110701:14:08.640 --> 01:14:13.399



I park in front of the Williamson Barn. I go inside.110801:14:13.439 --> 01:14:16.319



Not long after entering, I hear movement in the hayloft110901:14:16.319 --> 01:14:19.520



above me. I turn to face the wooden steps that111001:14:19.600 --> 01:14:23.239



lead upward, and I wait for the stop sign man111101:14:23.279 --> 01:14:29.239



to appear. Finally he does. The steps creak under his weight.111201:14:29.720 --> 01:14:32.960



His thin legs are bare. The skin on his feet111301:14:33.039 --> 01:14:38.520



is thick, calloused, and cracked. The toes are gnarled and bent,111401:14:38.720 --> 01:14:42.119



like the knots on an ancient tree stump. He's wearing111501:14:42.159 --> 01:14:46.000



a pair of white boxers. It's obvious he's built from111601:14:46.119 --> 01:14:52.000



pieces of different men. His torso is defined with muscle,111701:14:52.399 --> 01:14:56.760



despite the fifties era greaser haircut. His face is wrinkled111801:14:57.039 --> 01:15:01.119



and spotted with age. The story mister Perry told me111901:15:01.239 --> 01:15:06.960



ten years ago is true. His eyes are spinning red octagons.112001:15:07.720 --> 01:15:13.319



Who what are you? I ask? When he speaks, his112101:15:13.479 --> 01:15:16.920



voice has an eerie timber of a teenager and a112201:15:17.000 --> 01:15:19.119



ninety year old speaking at the same time.112301:15:19.800 --> 01:15:24.560



We're an organization that stretches all across the southeast, from112401:15:24.680 --> 01:15:29.560



Virginia to Texas and everywhere in between. Right here in112501:15:29.600 --> 01:15:34.119



South Carolina. It just happens to be the epicenter a112601:15:34.199 --> 01:15:40.000



secret society some might call it, or a cult or112701:15:40.800 --> 01:15:43.560



In a flash, he's standing in front of me. I112801:15:43.560 --> 01:15:48.039



can feel his breath against my face. So are you112901:15:49.239 --> 01:15:53.520



the president? Of the whole thing, I ask. He scoffs113001:15:53.520 --> 01:15:56.760



at my question of this particular chapter.113101:15:57.800 --> 01:16:01.239



Yes, the idea that there are like him makes my113201:16:01.319 --> 01:16:01.840



head spin.113301:16:02.880 --> 01:16:09.600



Everywhere all over there are boys, young men, looking for113401:16:09.720 --> 01:16:12.920



ways to achieve their wildest dreams.113501:16:13.800 --> 01:16:18.640



But this is not about them. This is about us.113601:16:20.359 --> 01:16:21.359



Let me show you.113701:16:22.199 --> 01:16:25.680



He grabs hold of my arm. His grip is strong.113801:16:26.039 --> 01:16:29.079



The palm of his hand feels like hot asphalt against113901:16:29.119 --> 01:16:29.960



my flesh.114001:16:30.680 --> 01:16:37.000



Look deep into my eyes, really really deep.114101:16:37.640 --> 01:16:41.239



I don't want to, but I'm transfixed. I stare into114201:16:41.279 --> 01:16:45.680



his face and her eyes lock. His octagon shaped eyes114301:16:45.760 --> 01:16:48.960



light up in a traffic light glow of green, and114401:16:49.039 --> 01:16:52.159



I fall into them.114501:16:52.199 --> 01:16:59.359



Go, he says, go, go.114601:16:58.000 --> 01:17:03.680



Go, and I do. I let myself go. It's as114701:17:03.720 --> 01:17:06.399



if the interior of the barn melts away from us.114801:17:07.359 --> 01:17:10.560



In my mind, I'm speeding through space and time, through114901:17:10.600 --> 01:17:13.520



the years of my life that haven't happened yet. I115001:17:13.560 --> 01:17:17.600



see myself with what seems like everything a man could want.115101:17:18.399 --> 01:17:23.560



It's different for everybody, he says. What you imagine won't115201:17:23.560 --> 01:17:25.239



be the same for the next.115301:17:25.920 --> 01:17:28.119



In the vision, it all goes on and on.115401:17:29.560 --> 01:17:34.680



There's no stopping us, he says, you see the potential.115501:17:35.800 --> 01:17:40.319



You see what you can be, the things you can do.115601:17:41.840 --> 01:17:47.119



An octagon symbolizes a rite of passage. Eight is a115701:17:47.239 --> 01:17:52.159



number of transcendence. I recognize the truth. All of what115801:17:52.239 --> 01:17:56.760



he's showing me only looks good on the surface. None115901:17:56.800 --> 01:18:01.600



of it is worth the price he tricked me into paying. Somehow,116001:18:01.640 --> 01:18:06.680



my thoughts break the spell. You weren't tricked, he snaps.116101:18:06.960 --> 01:18:10.359



You wanted to steal that sign. It was your idea.116201:18:10.920 --> 01:18:13.680



You wanted to prove you were a man.116301:18:14.520 --> 01:18:18.199



I shake my head. No, not like this, I didn't.116401:18:19.000 --> 01:18:21.640



I think about the page from my grade school workbook116501:18:21.840 --> 01:18:24.119



and all the various shapes that were drawn on it.116601:18:25.119 --> 01:18:27.399



Do you know what the opposite of an octagon is?116701:18:28.520 --> 01:18:32.479



A surprised look spreads across his face. His eyes fade116801:18:32.520 --> 01:18:36.640



to yellow, and then the red they were before. Stop,116901:18:36.960 --> 01:18:42.600



he demands, I answer my own question. It's a concave polygon.117001:18:43.399 --> 01:18:45.840



I pull the hatchet from the waistband at the back117101:18:45.880 --> 01:18:48.840



of my jeans. It means one of the sides is117201:18:48.880 --> 01:18:52.119



angled inward at the sight of the weapon. The man's117301:18:52.159 --> 01:18:56.960



mouth drops open impossibly wide. I notice his teeth for117401:18:57.000 --> 01:19:01.840



the first time. They're the yellow of I swing the117501:19:01.920 --> 01:19:05.319



axe against the wall. The first blow only cracks the wood,117601:19:05.880 --> 01:19:09.239



but it's enough to cause the stop sign man to pause.117701:19:09.840 --> 01:19:13.239



He cries out in pain, clutching his side with both hands,117801:19:13.479 --> 01:19:16.840



his body bends. I swing the axe again, harder. This117901:19:16.960 --> 01:19:21.640



time the wood splinters. The stop sign man hollers. This118001:19:21.760 --> 01:19:24.520



time his voice is so loud it cuts deep into118101:19:24.560 --> 01:19:30.560



my essence. Dark blood gushes through the gaps between his fingers. Stop,118201:19:31.159 --> 01:19:35.600



he yells, jerking his disproportioned body back and forth, moving118301:19:35.680 --> 01:19:38.680



toward me. With the hand not holding his side, he118401:19:38.800 --> 01:19:42.600



reaches toward me. Put the axe down, you little shit.118501:19:42.960 --> 01:19:43.479



I don't.118601:19:43.880 --> 01:19:47.399



I swing a third time, harder now the sharp end118701:19:47.439 --> 01:19:50.439



of the blade crashes through, and I jerk it free.118801:19:50.840 --> 01:19:55.239



The broken slats are jagged and sharp. My nemesis body118901:19:55.319 --> 01:19:58.680



folds over on itself, like the snap of a mouse trap,119001:19:59.000 --> 01:20:03.520



and as his bone crack, it sounds like that too.119101:20:03.880 --> 01:20:06.800



The vocals of his agony pour from his throat in119201:20:06.880 --> 01:20:11.840



a torrent of pain. Still, he reaches for me. He's119301:20:11.880 --> 01:20:15.359



not giving up. I'm on the other side of the space,119401:20:15.640 --> 01:20:18.600



And just as he returns to his unsteady feet, I119501:20:18.720 --> 01:20:22.399



swing the axe through this section of lumber his body119601:20:22.439 --> 01:20:26.800



slams over. This time a deep fissure cuts into his abdomen,119701:20:27.079 --> 01:20:31.359



pulling his upper half horizontal to the floor. Now I'm119801:20:31.399 --> 01:20:34.600



sure what I have to do to finish this once119901:20:34.680 --> 01:20:38.039



and for all. Each of the next five walls are120001:20:38.079 --> 01:20:41.039



met with the blade, and each time my ears are120101:20:41.079 --> 01:20:44.079



assaulted with the agony of the stop sign man being120201:20:44.119 --> 01:20:48.920



reduced to a broken and splintered pile of nothing. On120301:20:49.000 --> 01:20:52.439



the eighth wall, I chop the blade through the boards120401:20:52.760 --> 01:20:55.600



and then twist the handle so the axe had catches120501:20:55.640 --> 01:21:00.000



on the other side. Then I pull with all my mind.120601:21:00.560 --> 01:21:04.720



The wall splinters inward, and the screams are finally silenced120701:21:05.479 --> 01:21:10.439



as the stop sign Man's head splits in two. I120801:21:10.560 --> 01:21:14.439



stand for a moment, catching my breath, when the entirety120901:21:14.479 --> 01:21:22.720



of the barn begins to rattle around me. Nine on121001:21:22.760 --> 01:21:25.520



my eighteenth birthday, I go out to the intersection on121101:21:25.600 --> 01:21:29.560



Leyman Road. Now a wooden cross stands by the road,121201:21:30.479 --> 01:21:35.399



marking the spot where Allison died on that night the121301:21:35.520 --> 01:21:39.199



year before. After I brought down the barn and destroyed121401:21:39.199 --> 01:21:42.840



the stop sign man, I drove out here and reattached121501:21:42.880 --> 01:21:46.560



the sign to the post. I was taken into custody121601:21:46.600 --> 01:21:51.600



for destruction of property. Thankfully, Dad bailed me out. He121701:21:51.680 --> 01:21:53.960



told me it was the one and only time he'd121801:21:54.000 --> 01:21:59.159



ever do it. My actions didn't bring Alison back, and121901:21:59.279 --> 01:22:02.600



my phone was never found, But the evidence from a122001:22:02.640 --> 01:22:05.920



nearby game camera and the analysis of the skid marks122101:22:05.920 --> 01:22:10.560



at the intersection revealed the truth. The fatal wreck wasn't122201:22:10.600 --> 01:22:14.039



because of the missing sign. The car that hit Allison122301:22:14.680 --> 01:22:18.960



was coming from the opposite direction. It's been one year122401:22:19.039 --> 01:22:23.800



since all of that happened. One plus eight is nine.122501:22:23.960 --> 01:22:26.760



Recently I learned that one of the meanings behind the122601:22:26.880 --> 01:22:32.520



number is wisdom. After dropping a single flower next to122701:22:32.560 --> 01:22:46.000



the wooden cross, I drive away the end The Devil122801:22:46.239 --> 01:22:51.199



Reaps the Harvest by John Oakdalton. The laboratory at the122901:22:51.319 --> 01:22:53.399



end of the dead end road had been closed for123001:22:53.439 --> 01:22:56.520



so long now that people had forgotten all about it,123101:22:57.159 --> 01:23:00.199



or tried to forget about it, And now everybody he123201:23:00.279 --> 01:23:03.800



said it was an abandoned factory. It was there that123301:23:03.840 --> 01:23:06.079



Peter O'Day was supposed to meet a guy who had123401:23:06.119 --> 01:23:09.199



a couple of kidneys and a beer cooler. So Peter123501:23:09.439 --> 01:23:12.399



parked in a weed choked employee lot and walked about123601:23:12.399 --> 01:23:15.039



a quarter a mile into the woods where the old123701:23:15.119 --> 01:23:20.760



laboratory sat. There, he was meeting Octavius. Octavia sounded like123801:23:20.800 --> 01:23:24.520



a mad scientist's name, and as it happened, Octavius kind123901:23:24.520 --> 01:23:27.439



of was a mad scientist. He had worked at the124001:23:27.520 --> 01:23:30.760



lab long ago doing things that are frowned upon in124101:23:30.800 --> 01:23:34.800



the mainstream medical world, but that gig dried up. He124201:23:34.880 --> 01:23:38.520



ended up harvesting organs, which wasn't much of a step down.124301:23:39.239 --> 01:23:42.359



He still liked meeting people there for the handoff because124401:23:42.399 --> 01:23:46.399



his greatest triumphs had been at that lab. Also his124501:23:46.479 --> 01:23:51.239



greatest failures, but those were buried here and there around124601:23:51.239 --> 01:23:54.760



the property. Peter had a bag of money, and Octavius124701:23:54.760 --> 01:23:56.680



had a cooler with organs in it and a new124801:23:56.720 --> 01:23:59.960



England Patriot sticker on it, so that went down about124901:24:00.159 --> 01:24:03.720



like you'd expect. Peter was a dot com guy. The125001:24:03.720 --> 01:24:06.479



bubble never burst on, so he had plenty of money125101:24:06.479 --> 01:24:08.880



and could jump the transplant list and buy a new125201:24:08.920 --> 01:24:13.119



kidney for their little girl, Alandra. People with money can125301:24:13.159 --> 01:24:16.319



pretty much do what they want. Just look at celebrities.125401:24:16.359 --> 01:24:19.319



They do drugs and get married eight or ten times,125501:24:19.359 --> 01:24:21.880



but can adopt all the kids they want and go125601:24:21.960 --> 01:24:25.720



on TV talking about various causes. If they did all125701:24:25.760 --> 01:24:28.119



the same things but lived in that trailer park on125801:24:28.159 --> 01:24:31.079



the other edge of town, the one called Warning Side,125901:24:31.079 --> 01:24:34.520



but everybody actually called it homicide, Nobody would give them126001:24:34.640 --> 01:24:37.880



kids or want them on TV talking about their causes.126101:24:38.319 --> 01:24:41.760



When Peter took the Patriots cooler from Octavius that had126201:24:41.800 --> 01:24:45.319



a kidney and despair for Alandra, his hands were shaking126301:24:45.439 --> 01:24:48.520



pretty badly, and some of the blood sloshed out from126401:24:48.560 --> 01:24:51.439



under the lid and onto his shoes and into the dirt.126501:24:52.079 --> 01:24:54.600



And it wasn't until that very moment that Peter sort126601:24:54.640 --> 01:24:58.960



of realized what the hell he was doing. Octavia stepped126701:24:58.960 --> 01:25:02.239



back easily and missed the sloshing, but he was used126801:25:02.279 --> 01:25:05.640



to blood spraying out all over the place. Peter nodded126901:25:05.680 --> 01:25:09.600



and walked away, but Octavius stayed where he was. To127001:25:09.720 --> 01:25:13.199



his misfortune, he had parked behind the old lab on127101:25:13.239 --> 01:25:17.479



an access road everybody had forgotten about too, because he127201:25:17.560 --> 01:25:19.880



did not want Peter or anybody else to see the127301:25:19.920 --> 01:25:23.199



car he drove. Peter was hardly out of sight when127401:25:23.239 --> 01:25:27.239



something just under Octavius's feet, where the blood was soaking in,127501:25:27.800 --> 01:25:32.840



sniffed and swallowed and opened its eyes. If this lab127601:25:32.880 --> 01:25:35.760



had been that good at black science, they'd still be127701:25:35.800 --> 01:25:39.119



in business. But they weren't, so they made the mistake127801:25:39.159 --> 01:25:42.279



of burying their problems instead of burning them in a127901:25:42.279 --> 01:25:46.479



big bonfire, so that there would be no trace, or128001:25:47.159 --> 01:25:51.560



in this case, so something could not bite and claw128101:25:51.680 --> 01:25:55.079



its way with long fingernails and sharp teeth out of128201:25:55.119 --> 01:25:58.880



the dirt and grab Octavius by the ankles, then pull128301:25:58.960 --> 01:26:01.720



him to the ground and bite him right on his face.128401:26:02.479 --> 01:26:05.399



But his face was kind of bony, so it started128501:26:05.439 --> 01:26:08.920



working on some of the soft parts. Peter had stopped128601:26:08.960 --> 01:26:11.720



not far away to call his wife, but never heard128701:26:11.760 --> 01:26:15.119



a damn thing. It was ironic because as soon as128801:26:15.119 --> 01:26:18.680



that creature's hand popped out of the dirt, Octavius's heart128901:26:18.720 --> 01:26:23.119



popped like a balloon. All those times Octavius had arranged129001:26:23.119 --> 01:26:25.399



for guys to meet Russian women off the internet for129101:26:25.439 --> 01:26:28.199



a night of passion, only for those guys to wake129201:26:28.279 --> 01:26:31.319



up in the hotel tub, packed an ice or dumped129301:26:31.359 --> 01:26:34.119



in a landfill, and never waking up at all. All129401:26:34.159 --> 01:26:37.880



those times, Octavius never knew he needed an organ himself.129501:26:38.680 --> 01:26:41.680



He ignored the shortness of breath and the tingling in129601:26:41.680 --> 01:26:46.000



his fingers and all the rest. Like I said, if129701:26:46.039 --> 01:26:49.039



they were better at science, they would still have been129801:26:49.039 --> 01:26:52.239



in business, And if they weren't all so lazy, they129901:26:52.279 --> 01:26:58.199



would have buried these things deeper. Peter's wife was named130001:26:58.239 --> 01:27:01.000



Stacy and was waiting in a bit McMansion out in130101:27:01.000 --> 01:27:04.079



the suburbs for news of a Landra's kidney. Do I130201:27:04.119 --> 01:27:06.479



even need to say that? This was his second wife130301:27:07.000 --> 01:27:11.760



and very young. Were halfway there, Peter told her it's130401:27:11.800 --> 01:27:16.199



not like a pig kidney or anything. She asked, how130501:27:16.199 --> 01:27:20.760



would I know? I don't know, she fretted. Look, this130601:27:20.800 --> 01:27:23.960



guy came highly recommended, and when it comes to Alandra,130701:27:24.239 --> 01:27:28.640



we don't have another choice, I know, said Stacy. And130801:27:28.720 --> 01:27:31.359



there was a lot in those words, And those two130901:27:31.439 --> 01:27:34.800



words were all the feelings Stacy had growing for little131001:27:34.800 --> 01:27:38.960



Elandra and all the feelings Peter lacked. But Peter did131101:27:39.000 --> 01:27:41.680



what he had to do. What Peter had to do131201:27:41.800 --> 01:27:44.199



next was walk out of the edge of the overgrown131301:27:44.239 --> 01:27:46.760



parking lot and wait for a guy from the transplant131401:27:46.840 --> 01:27:51.079



organization he'd paid off. Actually, this guy, whose name was Rollo,131501:27:51.520 --> 01:27:54.920



knew Octavius quite well, but neither man wanted anyone to131601:27:54.920 --> 01:27:58.239



know they were connected. Rollo had worked in that lab too,131701:27:58.560 --> 01:28:01.680



back in the day, not so much in the sciences131801:28:01.720 --> 01:28:06.600



as in the more nebulous parts of the organization. Octavius131901:28:06.600 --> 01:28:10.079



could have just given the organ to Rollo, but Octavius132001:28:10.119 --> 01:28:13.359



and Rollo always wanted a middleman. It wasn't fool proof,132101:28:13.399 --> 01:28:16.960



but it was better than nothing. Look, just go to132201:28:16.960 --> 01:28:19.880



the hospital and wait, Peter said. The guy is on132301:28:19.920 --> 01:28:22.000



his way here, and then he's going to be bringing132401:28:22.039 --> 01:28:27.239



the kidneys within the hour. Okay, said Stacy, but there132501:28:27.319 --> 01:28:30.159



was so much she could not face. She knew she132601:28:30.199 --> 01:28:34.479



was staying right where she was Okay, and Peter hung up.132701:28:35.399 --> 01:28:37.640



Peter had only taken a few steps before he saw132801:28:37.680 --> 01:28:41.279



something moving in the trees, just out of the corner132901:28:41.319 --> 01:28:44.079



of his eye. Of course, Peter was thinking it was133001:28:44.119 --> 01:28:48.119



a cop or the FBI, or maybe an investigative reporter133101:28:48.239 --> 01:28:50.439



trying to entrap him and put him on TV with133201:28:50.479 --> 01:28:53.560



all the pedophiles. So Peter stepped off the road and133301:28:53.640 --> 01:28:57.359



hid behind a tree, which was stupid because unlike cops133401:28:57.359 --> 01:29:00.880



and FBI agents and reporters, what was shamming towards him133501:29:00.920 --> 01:29:05.079



could smell the blood on his shoes. Peter peeked around133601:29:05.119 --> 01:29:07.640



the tree and realized he was wrong about the cops133701:29:07.680 --> 01:29:11.800



and the reporters, because how this person was dressed, how133801:29:11.800 --> 01:29:17.119



this shape was dressed, was in things Goodwill would not take.133901:29:18.000 --> 01:29:21.239



They looked like clothes somebody took out of a compost pile.134001:29:22.199 --> 01:29:24.960



Peter started moving quickly through the trees, trying not to134101:29:25.000 --> 01:29:28.279



slash the beer cooler too much, and cut cross country134201:29:28.319 --> 01:29:31.560



towards the parking lot. All the bones and muscles and134301:29:31.600 --> 01:29:35.800



ligaments and the things sniffing along behind Peter, which seemed134401:29:35.840 --> 01:29:38.880



barely connected to each other still let the thing move134501:29:38.960 --> 01:29:42.279



faster than you would think, But it would not have134601:29:42.359 --> 01:29:45.439



mattered if Peter had watched where he was going, which134701:29:45.479 --> 01:29:48.640



he did not, so he overshot the parking lot and134801:29:48.800 --> 01:29:52.600



thrashed deeper into the woods, and the thing that could134901:29:52.600 --> 01:29:56.800



smell his bloody footprints, who saw the shoeprints, glowing like fire,135001:29:57.279 --> 01:30:01.720



kept on coming. Peter saw the bloo gray concrete block135101:30:01.760 --> 01:30:04.359



of the lab building looming in front of him, and135201:30:04.399 --> 01:30:07.920



he realized he'd been a dumbass and circled back on himself.135301:30:08.079 --> 01:30:11.279



He was ultimately a tech guy. He'd never been much135401:30:11.319 --> 01:30:13.520



out in nature and did not really know how to135501:30:13.600 --> 01:30:17.319



navigate even a small forest of trees, much less tell135601:30:17.399 --> 01:30:20.760



one from another, and he'd never seen a dead body,135701:30:21.399 --> 01:30:24.600



but he recognized that Octavius was dead when he saw135801:30:24.640 --> 01:30:26.840



what was left of him in the small clearing where135901:30:26.840 --> 01:30:30.720



they had met up minutes ago, the chewed parts and136001:30:30.760 --> 01:30:34.119



the parts that should have been tucked inside but were136101:30:34.159 --> 01:30:38.000



glistening in the sun. The thing behind Peter was getting closer,136201:30:38.640 --> 01:30:42.199



so close now Peter could hear a slurping noise. And136301:30:42.279 --> 01:30:45.439



Peter turned and looked, and what he saw sent his136401:30:45.520 --> 01:30:49.600



heart plummeting and his balls scurrying up inside himself to136501:30:49.640 --> 01:30:53.199



meet it, and his butthole slammed shut with the finality136601:30:53.239 --> 01:30:56.840



of a coffin lid. Peter dropped the beer cooler, and136701:30:56.920 --> 01:31:00.000



this time a lot more blood slashed out than was good,136801:31:00.680 --> 01:31:04.439



and the thing moved faster. Somehow, Peter grabbed the cooler136901:31:04.479 --> 01:31:07.399



back up and started running. Peter was running, and the137001:31:07.399 --> 01:31:10.840



only place he knew he was running was away, wherever137101:31:10.880 --> 01:31:13.840



that was, and he was bouncing off of trunks and137201:31:13.880 --> 01:31:16.319



getting whipped in the face by branches and all that.137301:31:16.479 --> 01:31:19.800



Because instead of joining boy scouts, he had taught himself137401:31:19.880 --> 01:31:24.960



computer programming. He was richer but very close to being dead,137501:31:25.399 --> 01:31:30.119



so some of his life choices seemed poorer today. He137601:31:30.239 --> 01:31:32.920



kept splashing blood out of that cooler, and that wasn't137701:31:32.920 --> 01:31:36.800



great for a landra, but more importantly for Peter, it137801:31:36.880 --> 01:31:40.000



wasn't great for him at all. So Peter stopped and137901:31:40.079 --> 01:31:43.079



opened the cooler. He plunged his hand in and grabbed138001:31:43.079 --> 01:31:46.079



out a kidney that was in a leaky sandwich bag,138101:31:46.199 --> 01:31:48.600



and he flung that kidney in a long red arc138201:31:48.920 --> 01:31:51.720



that hit the thing's chest with a wet sound and138301:31:51.800 --> 01:31:54.520



plopped into the grass. And the creature looked down at138401:31:54.520 --> 01:31:57.439



it with yellow eyes, and it gave Peter a chance138501:31:57.520 --> 01:32:01.079



to catch his breath. Then the creature showed broken teeth138601:32:01.159 --> 01:32:03.880



and reached down with those long nails and grabbed the138701:32:03.960 --> 01:32:07.920



kidney up and it went down in one gulp, and138801:32:07.960 --> 01:32:11.319



Peter threw up in his mouth a little. When Peter ran,138901:32:11.399 --> 01:32:13.760



this time, he didn't even pick up the cooler. The139001:32:13.840 --> 01:32:16.800



thing tipped the cooler back and gulped the other kidney down,139101:32:17.279 --> 01:32:20.800



and that bought Peter a little more time. Peter ran139201:32:20.880 --> 01:32:24.039



and looked back, ran and looked back, and sure enough,139301:32:24.199 --> 01:32:26.680



in a minute or two, he saw that raggedy shape139401:32:26.760 --> 01:32:30.119



moving between the trees. Again, Peter was looking back when139501:32:30.199 --> 01:32:32.800



his foot touched asphalt and he was out on a139601:32:32.840 --> 01:32:36.479



country road. The woman driving the mini van was leaning over,139701:32:36.560 --> 01:32:39.920



pushing the Hocus Pocus DVD into the dashboard for her139801:32:40.039 --> 01:32:42.720



kids in the back seat to watch for the millionth time,139901:32:43.479 --> 01:32:46.760



so she didn't even tap the brake before she hit140001:32:46.800 --> 01:32:50.600



Peter head on. Rather than explain what that looked like,140101:32:50.960 --> 01:32:54.199



it's simpler to say the kids never asked to watch140201:32:54.279 --> 01:32:59.359



Hocus Pocus ever. Again, As it happens, Rollo was not140301:32:59.520 --> 01:33:01.760



too far behind the woman in a truck that looked140401:33:01.800 --> 01:33:05.720



like a medical vehicle but really wasn't. Rollo was very140501:33:05.800 --> 01:33:08.079



quick on his feet and looked like he had a140601:33:08.079 --> 01:33:11.479



lot of authority. He bet on ponies with the same authority,140701:33:11.560 --> 01:33:14.319



but no common sense, which is what got him into140801:33:14.359 --> 01:33:17.319



this bad situation to begin with. It didn't take much140901:33:17.359 --> 01:33:19.760



for Rollo to convince the stunned woman that he was141001:33:19.800 --> 01:33:22.239



going to take care of everything and she was free141101:33:22.279 --> 01:33:26.000



to go. He would even contact her insurance company for her.141201:33:26.680 --> 01:33:28.880



She wrote everything down on a piece of paper with141301:33:28.960 --> 01:33:31.880



tears in her eyes. Of course, as soon as she141401:33:31.960 --> 01:33:34.119



drove away, he chucked that paper in a cup of141501:33:34.159 --> 01:33:37.359



cold coffee he'd left on the dash. Rollo set to141601:33:37.439 --> 01:33:40.199



looking around for that cooler and started back into the141701:33:40.239 --> 01:33:44.159



tree line. He didn't find it, but he found a shambling,141801:33:44.399 --> 01:33:48.119



shuffling creature with blood dripping off of a lipless, leering141901:33:48.239 --> 01:33:53.800



mouth and grasping clawed hands stained with blood. Rollo was142001:33:53.880 --> 01:33:57.479



a bad gambler, but he'd been a good crooked cough142101:33:57.520 --> 01:34:00.560



and a decent emt who stole drugs. So he took142201:34:00.600 --> 01:34:03.359



a snubnose thirty two week kept under his shirt tail142301:34:03.359 --> 01:34:06.079



in the back and shot that thing in both its142401:34:06.159 --> 01:34:10.359



yellow eyes. It fell down, as you might suspect, and142501:34:10.439 --> 01:34:13.960



did not get back up. Then Rollo found the empty,142601:34:14.239 --> 01:34:17.439



bloody cooler with the Patriot sticker on it. His mind142701:34:17.520 --> 01:34:20.840



remained remarkably clear, and he knew what he had to do.142801:34:21.840 --> 01:34:24.800



Rollo did a very good job at the transplant center,142901:34:25.039 --> 01:34:28.199



which was his real job now, but he paid special143001:34:28.199 --> 01:34:31.239



attention when he was getting a fat envelope on the side.143101:34:31.399 --> 01:34:33.880



Rollo pulled Peter's body up into the back of the143201:34:33.920 --> 01:34:37.039



white truck that if you squinted your eyes at it143301:34:37.159 --> 01:34:40.199



might be a medical vehicle. He had some tools back143401:34:40.239 --> 01:34:43.479



there that could have medical uses. The back of his143501:34:43.520 --> 01:34:45.920



truck was not as clean as some places, but it143601:34:46.039 --> 01:34:48.199



was not as dirty as the back room of that143701:34:48.439 --> 01:34:52.760



massage parlor where Rollo knew Octavius had done a little surgery.143801:34:53.439 --> 01:34:56.279



If he hadn't already been a decent empty, he could143901:34:56.319 --> 01:35:02.159



have used YouTube. Stacy had been sitting very still in144001:35:02.239 --> 01:35:05.880



her spacious living room when the doorbell rang. She answered it,144101:35:06.159 --> 01:35:10.640



her hands trembling. Two stone faced men in dark suits144201:35:10.640 --> 01:35:14.920



stared at her. Stacy O'Day. One asked. It was more144301:35:14.960 --> 01:35:18.840



of a statement than a question. Yes, is this about144401:35:18.880 --> 01:35:23.000



a landra? She asked in a manner of speaking. The144501:35:23.039 --> 01:35:26.000



man showed her a piece of official looking paper. This144601:35:26.159 --> 01:35:29.640



is a warrant to search your house. Stacy took a144701:35:29.680 --> 01:35:33.880



step back. But a landra's in the hospital. She needs144801:35:33.880 --> 01:35:37.239



a transplant. It's on its way. Why is this happening144901:35:37.319 --> 01:35:41.279



right now? The man looked at her. That's just it.145001:35:41.840 --> 01:35:45.319



The hospital checked. There's no record that Alandra was officially145101:35:45.359 --> 01:35:51.279



adopted from anywhere. Stacy swallowed hard. There's no record she145201:35:51.359 --> 01:35:55.039



was ever enrolled in school. Stacy got her feet under her.145301:35:56.239 --> 01:36:00.239



She's homeschooled. Your neighbors have a lot to say. One145401:36:00.239 --> 01:36:02.560



of them says they saw a mattress on the floor145501:36:02.560 --> 01:36:05.119



in the basement, next to an ironing board and a145601:36:05.159 --> 01:36:09.760



stack of laundry. Stacy shook her head. We're painting her room,145701:36:10.920 --> 01:36:14.439



so can you show me that room? He asked, Like145801:36:14.479 --> 01:36:17.840



I said, it's being painted. The cop gave her a145901:36:17.920 --> 01:36:22.000



thousand yard stare. You're not the first housewife that needed146001:36:22.039 --> 01:36:25.600



a little help around the place. Tears showed in Stacy's eyes.146101:36:26.199 --> 01:36:30.640



She's living better than she was in that hell whole orphanage.146201:36:30.680 --> 01:36:34.000



She will be. She's in surgery and the kidney looks146301:36:34.000 --> 01:36:36.760



like it's going to take. Stacy leaned against the wall146401:36:36.800 --> 01:36:40.520



with relief, which surprised the two cops. But she's not146501:36:40.600 --> 01:36:44.159



coming back here, the cop added. Stacy stood up straight.146601:36:44.920 --> 01:36:47.479



If I didn't care, I wouldn't have pushed to get146701:36:47.479 --> 01:36:50.319



her that kidney when she got sick. The cop had146801:36:50.319 --> 01:36:53.960



cold eyes. What else could you do? I reckon, you146901:36:53.960 --> 01:36:58.560



didn't keep the receipt. Stacy processed this. She looked the147001:36:58.600 --> 01:37:02.239



cop full in the face. This whole thing, it started147101:37:02.239 --> 01:37:05.960



out differently than it ended with a landra At least147201:37:06.000 --> 01:37:09.680



for me. Stacy making that statement was the only thing147301:37:09.720 --> 01:37:12.239



that kept the cops from cuffing her and banging her147401:37:12.239 --> 01:37:14.319



head on the door when they lowered her into the147501:37:14.359 --> 01:37:17.000



back seat. They let her walk out on her own147601:37:17.039 --> 01:37:20.319



free will, but she did not see that McMansion again147701:37:20.840 --> 01:37:24.279



for a long time. The cops assumed Peter had run147801:37:24.319 --> 01:37:26.920



out on Stacy and all of their problems. Nobody ever147901:37:26.960 --> 01:37:29.399



found a trace of him. They were soon distracted by148001:37:29.439 --> 01:37:31.840



a very large fire at an old factory in the148101:37:31.840 --> 01:37:36.039



woods outside of town, which burned a big tract of land.148201:37:37.079 --> 01:37:40.039



Rollo had a steady hand and a clear head and148301:37:40.119 --> 01:37:43.119



got a bonus for all his quick thinking. Didn't change148401:37:43.119 --> 01:37:45.520



his luck at the track, but he can't have.148501:37:45.520 --> 01:37:45.960



It all.148601:37:56.600 --> 01:38:04.920



Grave consequences by killian crane. Dennis's shovel bit into packed dirt.148701:38:05.880 --> 01:38:09.119



Years of practice told him he'd passed the five foot marker.148801:38:09.880 --> 01:38:12.239



Only a few more inches and his blade would strike148901:38:12.279 --> 01:38:15.760



the coffin lid. This was one of the good cemeteries.149001:38:16.399 --> 01:38:18.600



It was off of a main road, but the town149101:38:18.840 --> 01:38:22.840



was sleepy and there were no lights. No lights meant149201:38:22.960 --> 01:38:25.399



he could park damn near on top of the grave.149301:38:26.319 --> 01:38:28.960



He wouldn't have to lug everything from a block or149401:38:28.960 --> 01:38:33.199



two away. As an added bonus, the night dripped with149501:38:33.279 --> 01:38:36.560



a heavy fog, it would be impossible to see his149601:38:36.640 --> 01:38:40.680



electric lantern from a distance. Mister Piles told him to149701:38:40.720 --> 01:38:43.800



look for an old money tombstone, and he wasn't kidding.149801:38:44.359 --> 01:38:47.880



The once lavish tombstone had a statue of a weeping149901:38:47.960 --> 01:38:51.600



angel wielding a sword, staring down at Denis as he150001:38:51.640 --> 01:38:56.159



worked at the angel's feet. Read here lies Vania Mills.150101:38:57.000 --> 01:39:00.319



Her birth year was worn away, but she died in150201:39:00.399 --> 01:39:05.079



sixty two. Chances were anyone coming to check on dear150301:39:05.119 --> 01:39:09.239



old Vanya was either an old fart or buried close by.150401:39:10.640 --> 01:39:15.199



He dug faster, feeling sweat dripped down his chin. He150501:39:15.279 --> 01:39:18.680



learned long ago to keep plenty of sweat rags handy150601:39:18.760 --> 01:39:21.720



for long nights, and there was a fresh beech towel150701:39:21.760 --> 01:39:24.359



already waiting for him in the driver's seat of his truck.150801:39:25.199 --> 01:39:27.760



He had a change of shoes in his covered bed,150901:39:28.199 --> 01:39:30.640



where he'd place his muddy boots and tools of the151001:39:30.720 --> 01:39:34.720



trade in one large trash bag and his hall in another.151101:39:35.880 --> 01:39:38.399



If it was too big, he'd just wrap it in151201:39:38.439 --> 01:39:41.880



painters plastic and tape it up. Once upon a time,151301:39:42.000 --> 01:39:44.960



Dennis was something of a jack of all trades, a151401:39:45.000 --> 01:39:47.520



pipe fitter when he could pass a drug test, a151501:39:47.560 --> 01:39:51.159



construction hand when he couldn't, and a thief in between.151601:39:52.079 --> 01:39:54.239



It was a stroke of genius that he found his151701:39:54.279 --> 01:39:59.760



favorite form of larceny, grave robbing. Many homeowners were getting151801:39:59.800 --> 01:40:04.560



home security systems, the ones with anything worth stealing anyway.151901:40:04.640 --> 01:40:08.279



The same was basically true of people you'd never guess152001:40:08.359 --> 01:40:12.399



who all was packing across the country. Sure, some places152101:40:12.479 --> 01:40:16.279



had hinky gun laws, but that didn't stop Granny from152201:40:16.359 --> 01:40:22.199



carrying a forty five. Dennis knew that from experience. Several152301:40:22.279 --> 01:40:24.680



years ago. He'd held up an old woman and she152401:40:24.800 --> 01:40:28.760



pulled heat on him. Luckily, her hands shook something fierce.152501:40:29.079 --> 01:40:32.560



The forty five rang his ears but didn't ventilate him.152601:40:33.039 --> 01:40:36.239



Dennis had enough gumption to snatch the revolver from her hands.152701:40:36.600 --> 01:40:40.720



He retaliated, stomping Granny's ass into the ground. She had152801:40:40.800 --> 01:40:44.399



just been protecting herself, but she damn near killed him.152901:40:44.960 --> 01:40:47.640



To teach her a lesson, Dennis made sure that she153001:40:47.720 --> 01:40:51.560



had the ass whooping of her long life when he153101:40:51.640 --> 01:40:54.000



found the only thing of value she had was the153201:40:54.039 --> 01:40:57.199



revolver and a coin purse with a whopping five dollars153301:40:57.319 --> 01:41:01.399



and change. He decided that robbing Peace was just too153401:41:01.439 --> 01:41:05.359



much drama. That night, he used the five dollars to153501:41:05.359 --> 01:41:08.159



get a coffee at a local diner. The night had153601:41:08.199 --> 01:41:11.279



been rough, so sweet thang at the counter wasn't getting153701:41:11.279 --> 01:41:14.560



a tip. The local paper was on the counter, opened153801:41:15.079 --> 01:41:19.039



to the o bits. One in particular caught his eye.153901:41:19.800 --> 01:41:23.560



A local heiress, pretty little thing, probably in her forties,154001:41:24.000 --> 01:41:28.039



had kicked the bucket. She wore something intricate around her neck.154101:41:28.800 --> 01:41:31.399



The black and white photo didn't do the thing justice,154201:41:31.880 --> 01:41:35.920



but he could tell it was gold and diamonds. It154301:41:36.000 --> 01:41:40.359



was then he had an idea. While he waited for154401:41:40.399 --> 01:41:43.199



her to be buried, Dennis pawned the forty five for154501:41:43.279 --> 01:41:46.319



three hundred dollars, then went to the hardware store for154601:41:46.399 --> 01:41:53.960



things he thought he'd need. A shovel, crowbar, mallet, good rope,154701:41:54.279 --> 01:42:01.600



bolt cutters, flashlights and a lamp, towels and large trash bags.154801:42:02.640 --> 01:42:05.119



It all came out to just under two hundred dollars.154901:42:05.720 --> 01:42:09.359



Another eighty five went to a shithole motel nearby, and155001:42:09.439 --> 01:42:11.920



the last fifteen dollars to his name went to a155101:42:11.960 --> 01:42:15.199



good hot meal. He had a full night's work ahead155201:42:15.239 --> 01:42:18.079



of him and he needed to have his strength up.155301:42:18.720 --> 01:42:22.000



Once he was at the cemetery, he realized just how155401:42:22.079 --> 01:42:27.479



brilliant his plan was. Graveyards were empty at night. The155501:42:27.600 --> 01:42:32.079



dead made people uneasy, except goth kids, but they were155601:42:32.119 --> 01:42:36.319



easy to scare off. Another plus, there were no pigs155701:42:36.319 --> 01:42:40.239



on patrol. Small town pigs couldn't be bothered that late155801:42:40.560 --> 01:42:42.720



when there was a car to sleep in or doughnuts155901:42:42.800 --> 01:42:46.760



to suck on. Best of all, graves didn't call the156001:42:46.800 --> 01:42:53.880



police or shoot back. They were buried treasure waiting to156101:42:53.960 --> 01:42:57.920



be plundered. As he dug up the heiress's grave, he156201:42:58.000 --> 01:43:02.039



had this feeling of destiny as macab As it was.156301:43:02.800 --> 01:43:05.479



This was what he was truly put on earth for.156401:43:06.560 --> 01:43:10.319



His shovel bit greedily into the dirt, like a first date.156501:43:10.560 --> 01:43:14.479



He was both nervous and excited to meet little miss Money.156601:43:15.239 --> 01:43:17.640



When he finally felt the thunk of his shovel on156701:43:17.680 --> 01:43:20.560



her coffin lid, he scraped away enough of the dirt156801:43:20.600 --> 01:43:23.840



to put his hand on bare wood. He gave the156901:43:23.880 --> 01:43:29.680



coffin a little knock you in there, sweet thing. No answer,157001:43:30.880 --> 01:43:34.279



don't you worry. I'm on my way. He cleared the157101:43:34.319 --> 01:43:36.920



dirt away from the top and the sides and slid157201:43:36.920 --> 01:43:39.960



his crowbar under the lip of the lid. It was157301:43:40.039 --> 01:43:42.319



like he was at a casino pulling the handle of157401:43:42.359 --> 01:43:46.760



a slot machine. Would he hit? Would he bust? He157501:43:46.840 --> 01:43:51.159



pulled the crank. The lid popped with a hiss. She157601:43:51.279 --> 01:43:56.439



still smelled sweet like flowers. He turned away, caught in157701:43:56.479 --> 01:44:00.960



a sneezing fit. Anything scented always did this to him. Well,157801:44:01.359 --> 01:44:06.159



damn near anything, really, He had a sensitive nose. He sniffled,157901:44:06.439 --> 01:44:09.319



embarrassed that she saw him like this on their first meeting,158001:44:09.960 --> 01:44:13.720



But that embarrassment evaporated when he saw the gold chain158101:44:13.960 --> 01:44:20.680



encrusted with diamonds around her pretty little neck jackpot. He158201:44:20.720 --> 01:44:23.880



took the necklace off her. She didn't seem to mind.158301:44:24.359 --> 01:44:27.279



As he stared at her, he had another bright idea.158401:44:28.119 --> 01:44:30.760



She wasn't doing anyone any good laying in that coffin,158501:44:31.199 --> 01:44:34.279



but maybe she could still be good to someone out there.158601:44:35.000 --> 01:44:37.880



He threw the arress over his shoulders and loaded her158701:44:37.920 --> 01:44:40.640



into the back seat of his sedan. It took a158801:44:40.680 --> 01:44:43.199



little doing to get her seated, on account of her158901:44:43.239 --> 01:44:48.119



being so stiff, but he got it done. Dennis buckled159001:44:48.119 --> 01:44:51.359



her in and covered his work in the driver's seat.159101:44:51.399 --> 01:44:54.880



He wiped his forehead with an old bandana. He saw159201:44:54.920 --> 01:44:59.199



her through the rear view mirror, staring at him. The159301:44:59.279 --> 01:45:04.439



glue hold her eyes closed had come undone. It freaked159401:45:04.439 --> 01:45:07.119



Dennis out a little, but she was just as stiff.159501:45:07.800 --> 01:45:11.199



Nothing she could do to anyone. I know, this car159601:45:11.239 --> 01:45:14.239



ain't what you're probably used to, he said, giving her159701:45:14.279 --> 01:45:18.600



a bashful smile, But I hope you enjoy the ride.159801:45:18.760 --> 01:45:21.079



He threw the sedan in drive and crept out of159901:45:21.119 --> 01:45:24.960



the cemetery. To Dennis's surprise, it didn't take much searching160001:45:25.039 --> 01:45:28.920



to find a buyer for the Heiress. Down a dirt160101:45:29.000 --> 01:45:32.119



road that the sedan didn't like, he found the old160201:45:32.199 --> 01:45:36.159



ranch house of mister Piles. He was an old man160301:45:36.239 --> 01:45:39.800



with a look in his eye of terrible intelligence. He160401:45:39.880 --> 01:45:42.800



and Dennis shook, and he explained that he was a160501:45:42.840 --> 01:45:47.600



sort of artist. After viewing the Heiress and seeing what160601:45:47.680 --> 01:45:51.720



he liked, he paid Dennis two thousand dollars for her160701:45:52.560 --> 01:45:57.159



in cold, hard cash. He was floored, like a kid160801:45:57.199 --> 01:46:00.159



looking at the ocean for the first time. Before or160901:46:00.159 --> 01:46:03.039



Denis could leave, mister Piles fetched two glasses and a161001:46:03.079 --> 01:46:06.319



batch of moonshine from the cabinet you got time for161101:46:06.399 --> 01:46:09.760



a drink, the old man asked, I got an offer161201:46:09.840 --> 01:46:13.359



for you you might like to hear. Dennis never was161301:46:13.479 --> 01:46:16.239



one to say no to good money, so he stayed161401:46:16.239 --> 01:46:19.479



for the drink. I've been looking for someone like you,161501:46:20.079 --> 01:46:24.439



mister Piles said, been looking a long while. You know,161601:46:25.079 --> 01:46:27.560



in the right hands, a dead body can be spun161701:46:27.600 --> 01:46:31.800



into gold. He poured two shots of moonshine and slid161801:46:31.800 --> 01:46:34.560



one to Dennis. How would you like to make this161901:46:34.720 --> 01:46:39.239



a regular thing? Dennis stared at the shot of moonshine,162001:46:39.319 --> 01:46:43.039



reminiscing about the thrill of the dig. He flexed his fingers,162101:46:43.079 --> 01:46:45.960



remembering the tension of his crowbar under the lid of162201:46:46.000 --> 01:46:50.319



the coffin. For the sake of formality, he had to ask,162301:46:51.520 --> 01:46:56.800



what's the pay? Mister Piles smiled same for her, two162401:46:56.840 --> 01:47:00.239



thousand dollars as stiff. Anything on their person as a162501:47:00.279 --> 01:47:06.439



bonus for you, unless specifically instructed otherwise. For Dennis, it162601:47:06.560 --> 01:47:10.720



was a no brainer. They toasted the moonshine burned on162701:47:10.760 --> 01:47:15.479



the way down, and their packed was forged. Mister Piles162801:47:15.560 --> 01:47:18.399



gave him a burner phone, a name, a photo of162901:47:18.399 --> 01:47:23.720



a gravestone, and an address. Dennis set out immediately. Things163001:47:23.760 --> 01:47:27.560



went that way for three good years Since then, Dennis163101:47:27.560 --> 01:47:30.239



sold the sedan in favor of a four wheel drive163201:47:30.319 --> 01:47:33.720



truck with a long bed and a hard cover. An163301:47:33.720 --> 01:47:36.399



eight foot bed meant he could put a basketball player163401:47:36.399 --> 01:47:40.199



in the back if need be. His new profession took163501:47:40.279 --> 01:47:43.920



him all across the country. He found that northern dirt163601:47:43.960 --> 01:47:46.279



didn't like to give like the ground in the South,163701:47:46.760 --> 01:47:49.640



and the more rain a place got, the better For163801:47:49.720 --> 01:47:53.800



the older graves. Wet ground meant the coffins weren't busted163901:47:53.800 --> 01:47:57.119



when he got to them. He wasn't sure why that was,164001:47:57.640 --> 01:47:59.560



He just knew it meant he had a lot less164101:47:59.560 --> 01:48:04.560



work today. A busted coffin meant playing archaeologist, and on164201:48:04.640 --> 01:48:09.359



more than one occasion it resulted in a bust. Despite164301:48:09.359 --> 01:48:12.720



his love of Southern coffins, Southern air played hell with164401:48:12.800 --> 01:48:16.239



his allergies. They were bad enough as it was, but164501:48:16.319 --> 01:48:19.520



the South really let him have it. He caught a164601:48:19.560 --> 01:48:21.720



sneeze in the crook of his arm for probably the164701:48:21.760 --> 01:48:25.600



tenth time that night. The angel looked down at him scornfully.164801:48:26.960 --> 01:48:30.159



Bless me, he said, blowing a snot rocket at her164901:48:30.159 --> 01:48:33.840



feet before he kept digging. Most of the houses near165001:48:33.880 --> 01:48:37.560



the cemetery looked like old money. Chances were Vanya was165101:48:37.840 --> 01:48:41.680



probably a trophy wife for some local millionaire when she165201:48:41.840 --> 01:48:47.199



was alive, meaning she carried some trophies into the afterlife.165301:48:47.399 --> 01:48:52.159



Dennis hoped anyway. He wondered if Vanya was feeling lonely165401:48:52.239 --> 01:48:55.640



down there, maybe she was looking forward to finding a165501:48:55.640 --> 01:48:59.079



new friend in mister Piles. He wasn't sure what the165601:48:59.119 --> 01:49:02.039



old man did with any of the bodies. Dennis brought165701:49:02.119 --> 01:49:05.119



him all kinds of people at various stages of decay.165801:49:05.760 --> 01:49:08.600



He learned that graves over fifty years old were usually165901:49:08.760 --> 01:49:13.359



just the frame. He enjoyed those graves. The best bones166001:49:13.399 --> 01:49:15.920



were easy to pick and clean and load into the truck.166101:49:16.680 --> 01:49:19.279



As he bit into the dirt, the shovel jolted with166201:49:19.319 --> 01:49:24.520



a thunk. The r she be, he whispered with a smile.166301:49:25.399 --> 01:49:28.159



He cleared away enough dirt to touch the coffin lid.166401:49:28.840 --> 01:49:32.520



If that little bit was any indication Vanya's coffin was166501:49:32.520 --> 01:49:36.000



a good looking one in its heyday. Fingers crossed For166601:49:36.039 --> 01:49:40.039



a bonus, he gave the lid a little knock. I'm166701:49:40.079 --> 01:49:43.439



comin for you, old bitty, You better be decent. He166801:49:43.560 --> 01:49:46.319



cleared away the dirt as he had so many times before,166901:49:46.680 --> 01:49:49.720



and grabbed his crowbar. If the lid wouldn't act right,167001:49:49.920 --> 01:49:52.359



he'd have to grab the mallet and force it open,167101:49:52.880 --> 01:49:56.000



but he wasn't worried about that. Vanya was going to167201:49:56.039 --> 01:49:58.880



be a good girl. She wanted to feel the air167301:49:58.920 --> 01:50:01.720



on her old cheeks again, and if she played her167401:50:01.760 --> 01:50:05.920



cards right, she could leave with Dennis like a good167501:50:06.000 --> 01:50:08.880



Southern cough and the crowbar slid under the lip with167601:50:09.000 --> 01:50:12.560



no resistance. Gripping in his hands. Feeling how ready the167701:50:12.600 --> 01:50:16.039



lid was to pop, Dennis wiped excited sweat from his brow.167801:50:17.000 --> 01:50:20.720



Would he hit? Would he bust? All he had to167901:50:20.760 --> 01:50:25.159



do was pull and find out. The lid popped with168001:50:25.239 --> 01:50:28.840



a hiss. Dead air swelled into the night sky, and168101:50:28.920 --> 01:50:32.760



Dennis found himself in another sneezing fit. Allergies in the168201:50:32.800 --> 01:50:38.159



dead didn't mix. Well, it's okay, old gal, he said,168301:50:38.199 --> 01:50:40.920



once he could breathe again. We'll get you out of168401:50:40.960 --> 01:50:46.199



that stinking box. Lid up, Dennis leveled his lantern, not168501:50:46.359 --> 01:50:51.079



understanding what he saw. Where Vanya should have been, there168601:50:51.159 --> 01:50:56.119



was a ragged hole leading somewhere below the ground. Dennis168701:50:56.159 --> 01:51:00.600



lowered his lamp, trying to see past the dark uneasily,168801:51:00.680 --> 01:51:05.199



he realized that wherever the hole went, it went deep.168901:51:05.720 --> 01:51:09.560



From the depths below, a screech shattered the silence of169001:51:09.600 --> 01:51:13.359



the night. Denis tripped face forward before he could grab169101:51:13.399 --> 01:51:16.560



for anything. He was falling through the coffin into nothing.169201:51:17.319 --> 01:51:20.600



As he slid, the dirt scraped painfully into his stomach.169301:51:21.000 --> 01:51:25.279



Then he stopped sliding and started falling, spinning in the air.169401:51:26.479 --> 01:51:30.560



Something not dirt broke his fall. A jolt of pain169501:51:30.640 --> 01:51:33.399



shot from his ankle as he landed wrong, and his169601:51:33.520 --> 01:51:40.159



lantern went out Above. He heard the coffin lid slam shut.169701:51:41.039 --> 01:51:46.960



He was left in total darkness. Instinctively, he reached for169801:51:47.039 --> 01:51:50.760



his leg, but he was waist deep in something slimy169901:51:51.279 --> 01:51:55.600



and dense. His heart pounded in his throat as pitch170001:51:55.640 --> 01:51:59.960



black pressed in on him. The smell was unbearable, makeing170101:52:00.239 --> 01:52:03.520



him vomit on himself. He tried to be quiet about it,170201:52:03.560 --> 01:52:08.600



because somewhere someone was crying. He fumbled for his lantern,170301:52:08.760 --> 01:52:14.399



fingers trembling as they dug into slime and something else. Please,170401:52:14.920 --> 01:52:18.760



he whispered, the sound of his echoing voice, terrifying him.170501:52:19.000 --> 01:52:22.479



After what felt like an eternity. He found the lantern.170601:52:23.399 --> 01:52:27.439



He pressed the button, but it wouldn't come on. No,170701:52:28.000 --> 01:52:32.880



he hissed, no, no, no. He jammed the button madly,170801:52:33.399 --> 01:52:39.039



but still the light wouldn't activate. He felt himself sinking deeper.170901:52:40.359 --> 01:52:44.399



Liquid drenched his clothes and wet his skin. Whatever it was,171001:52:45.039 --> 01:52:50.720



it felt disgusting. Please, he cried, terror, almost drowning him.171101:52:51.279 --> 01:52:55.359



After an eternity, the lantern blessedly came on, and the171201:52:55.399 --> 01:53:01.640



echoes of someone crying stopped immediately despite its blinding effect,171301:53:01.840 --> 01:53:05.000



Denis held the light close to himself, thanking the powers171401:53:05.000 --> 01:53:08.800



that be that it wasn't dark anymore. But as his171501:53:08.880 --> 01:53:12.239



eyes adjusted and he saw what it was he'd fallen into,171601:53:12.840 --> 01:53:17.279



realized what it was that he smelled, he wished otherwise171701:53:18.359 --> 01:53:21.720



he was in a large cavern. As he squirmed, he171801:53:21.800 --> 01:53:26.119



sank deeper into a pile of bodies, each of them171901:53:26.479 --> 01:53:31.960



at wildly different stages of decomposition. Through the muck, he172001:53:32.000 --> 01:53:36.640



could see that they were missing parts, faces ripped off, hands,172101:53:36.720 --> 01:53:41.960



missing bodies torn in two. He tried to wriggle free,172201:53:42.159 --> 01:53:46.439



only succeeding in falling further into the pile. The dead172301:53:46.439 --> 01:53:49.119



weight began to press on him, and with the little172401:53:49.119 --> 01:53:53.520



air he had left in his lungs, he screamed. From172501:53:53.560 --> 01:53:57.000



the single rough entrance to the cavern, came a faint172601:53:57.079 --> 01:54:03.199



light accompanied by wailing. Whatever the crying thing was, it172701:54:03.319 --> 01:54:06.800



knew he was near. He tried to turn off the lamp,172801:54:07.319 --> 01:54:10.600



but the button was jammed. The glow beyond the cavern172901:54:10.640 --> 01:54:13.560



grew brighter as the patter of bare feet and wild173001:54:13.600 --> 01:54:16.800



shrieking closed in on him. He was out of time173101:54:17.520 --> 01:54:21.359



and only saw one option. He flung the lantern away173201:54:22.079 --> 01:54:26.359



and played dead. The crying thing stepped into the cavern,173301:54:26.840 --> 01:54:31.279



having to hunch over. She was tall, with long red173401:54:31.319 --> 01:54:35.840



hair and impossibly long arms and legs. She wore a173501:54:35.960 --> 01:54:38.960



ragged black dress that was much too short for her173601:54:39.000 --> 01:54:42.800



skeletal frame, exposing her bony legs to the tops of173701:54:42.840 --> 01:54:48.800



her thighs. One slender hand held an electric lantern, bathing173801:54:48.880 --> 01:54:52.680



the room with questing light. With her other hand, she173901:54:52.800 --> 01:54:56.680



held her face. Tears streamed between her fingers and down174001:54:56.720 --> 01:55:00.680



her forearm, where they dripped from her elbow. Seeking between174101:55:00.760 --> 01:55:04.960



her fingers, Dennis caught a look at her eyes. They174201:55:05.000 --> 01:55:10.880



were puffy and impossibly red, and searching for him. It174301:55:10.920 --> 01:55:15.159



took everything he had to keep up the act. Her hand,174401:55:15.239 --> 01:55:19.439



which ended in jagged nails covered with black grime, dropped174501:55:19.439 --> 01:55:23.439



from her Verico's face, revealing crude makeup that ran down174601:55:23.439 --> 01:55:27.800



her cheeks and cracked lips, dribbling the same black grime174701:55:27.920 --> 01:55:33.640



on her fingers. What that grime could possibly be, Dennis174801:55:33.640 --> 01:55:37.199



didn't know. Snot flowed from her nose, and a fresh174901:55:37.239 --> 01:55:40.039



line of drool leaked from her mouth. She looked like175001:55:40.119 --> 01:55:43.079



she was always trying to say something, but the tears175101:55:43.119 --> 01:55:47.800



only aloud. Hitching sobs. Her cries reminded him of his175201:55:47.920 --> 01:55:50.640



mother's the day his baby brother was put in the ground.175301:55:51.640 --> 01:55:55.479



That memory in this strange place, sent cold sweat trickling175401:55:55.640 --> 01:55:59.720



down his spine. He wanted to look away, but he175501:55:59.720 --> 01:56:03.680



did dare move. She put her lantern down and reached175601:56:03.680 --> 01:56:06.079



for the one Dennis had flung, picking it up with175701:56:06.159 --> 01:56:11.279



two spindly fingers, She sniffed at the handle, licking it175801:56:11.479 --> 01:56:15.880



with a long, dirty tongue. Tears streamed down the lantern,175901:56:16.439 --> 01:56:20.760



glistening in the light. She gently placed his lantern on176001:56:20.800 --> 01:56:25.079



the ground and sniffed at the air. Her nose danced176101:56:25.760 --> 01:56:29.920



in his direction with a sad grunt. She worked both176201:56:30.000 --> 01:56:33.119



hands into the piles of bodies. She fished out the176301:56:33.119 --> 01:56:36.680



bottom half of a corpse, her hand still searching the pile,176401:56:37.199 --> 01:56:41.159



her sobbing mouth worked around a bloated thigh, Every bite176501:56:41.159 --> 01:56:45.159



a struggle as her teeth sank into decayed flesh. Black176601:56:45.239 --> 01:56:48.479



goo bubbled around her mouth as her slender neck flexed176701:56:48.680 --> 01:56:52.199



and pulled the sound of old thigh me tearing from176801:56:52.239 --> 01:56:54.960



the bone made Denis sick again, but he kept his176901:56:55.039 --> 01:57:00.199



face stone dead. His eyes begged him to blink, but177001:57:00.279 --> 01:57:04.000



he didn't care. As she chewed and swallowed, he could177101:57:04.079 --> 01:57:08.079



feel her other hand questing the muck near him. The177201:57:08.199 --> 01:57:11.319



dark liquids oozed down the length of the half corpse,177301:57:11.600 --> 01:57:15.199



mixing with her tears into the dirt. Even as she ate,177401:57:15.880 --> 01:57:22.199



she sobbed, her fingers prodded his foot. His heart jumped177501:57:22.199 --> 01:57:24.199



in his chest as she grabbed him by the ankle,177601:57:24.319 --> 01:57:27.399



testing him. As she pulled his leg, he grimly thought177701:57:27.399 --> 01:57:31.199



of his crowbar against the lid of the coffin. Would177801:57:31.239 --> 01:57:37.359



she hit would she bust? She squeezed, shooting fresh pain177901:57:37.520 --> 01:57:40.319



up his leg. He knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt,178001:57:40.359 --> 01:57:44.239



his ankle was broken like her. He began to cry.178101:57:44.560 --> 01:57:48.000



The tears rolled down his cheeks, but somehow he kept178201:57:48.039 --> 01:57:51.920



himself from blinking. Back and forth, she worked his leg,178301:57:52.079 --> 01:57:54.840



forcing Denis to use willpower he didn't know. He had178401:57:55.199 --> 01:58:01.640



to stay absolutely still. There was a rumbling in the pile.178501:58:02.239 --> 01:58:06.319



Her questing had disturbed some precarious balance, and the meat178601:58:06.720 --> 01:58:11.520



shifted in response. Dennis became even more entangled, only his178701:58:11.680 --> 01:58:15.760



head above the pressing corpses. The mourner squealed, her hand178801:58:15.880 --> 01:58:19.000



darting from his ankle into the shifting. She thought she178901:58:19.119 --> 01:58:23.560



had him. This might be my chance, he thought. It179001:58:23.640 --> 01:58:27.680



was a slim one, so impossibly slim. But maybe if179101:58:27.680 --> 01:58:32.960



she didn't find anything, she'd move on. It would be terrible,179201:58:33.479 --> 01:58:37.319



but maybe he could wait her out. There had to179301:58:37.359 --> 01:58:40.319



be another way out of this cavern. She got down179401:58:40.359 --> 01:58:44.119



here somehow. He wasn't sure yet what he'd tell mister Piles,179501:58:44.520 --> 01:58:46.640



but he'd burn that bridge when he got to it.179601:58:47.439 --> 01:58:53.560



Right then, he just had to stay calm. As the179701:58:53.600 --> 01:58:57.000



pile shifted, the body of an ancient woman whipped around179801:58:57.039 --> 01:59:00.800



to face Denis. Around her bony neck was solid gold179901:59:00.880 --> 01:59:05.319



necklace sparkling with fine emeralds. He was face to face180001:59:06.199 --> 01:59:10.880



with Vanya mills. He didn't know how he knew, but180101:59:11.039 --> 01:59:14.600



he did. His night had already been the craziest of180201:59:14.640 --> 01:59:17.880



his life. He was terrified, and he should have been screaming,180301:59:18.399 --> 01:59:23.880



but all he could do was look at that necklace, Jackpot.180401:59:25.079 --> 01:59:28.600



It was beautiful, easily the most valuable thing he'd ever180501:59:28.640 --> 01:59:31.680



seen on a dead person, easily worth more than the180601:59:31.720 --> 01:59:36.640



bones wearing it. Dear old Vanya was just another skeleton,180701:59:36.960 --> 01:59:41.159



begging Dennis to pick her clean. Mad Lee threatened to180801:59:41.199 --> 01:59:44.640



creep into his stone face. He flexed his fingers, fighting180901:59:44.680 --> 01:59:48.600



the urge to grab the precious jewelry. The mourner wailed181001:59:48.600 --> 01:59:51.359



in anger, grabbing a body and flinging it into the181101:59:51.399 --> 01:59:54.760



cavern ceiling. It exploded up there like a party favor181201:59:55.119 --> 01:59:59.199



and parts reigned. An arm struck Dennis in the head.181301:59:59.520 --> 02:00:02.319



He couldn't scream. Now he had to have that necklace.181402:00:02.640 --> 02:00:06.039



This thing thought she had him licked. She didn't. She181502:00:06.119 --> 02:00:08.640



didn't have any idea who Dennis was, what he was181602:00:08.720 --> 02:00:12.279



capable of. He was in his element. He understood then,181702:00:12.479 --> 02:00:15.039



the intoxicating thrill he felt the night he stole to181802:00:15.079 --> 02:00:18.960



airis his entire life had been building up to this181902:00:19.239 --> 02:00:25.399



very moment. He breathed carefully, shallow breaths, reveling, and how182002:00:25.439 --> 02:00:30.119



the dead made him feel alive. Vanya must have been182102:00:30.119 --> 02:00:33.520



able to read his mind, because as he stared into182202:00:33.560 --> 02:00:38.399



her empty hollows, she gave him a light, knowing smile.182302:00:40.239 --> 02:00:44.439



He wanted to smile back. No Vanya, he thought, unblinking182402:00:44.720 --> 02:00:47.880



as his vision began to blur. He won't get me182502:00:47.960 --> 02:00:50.279



that easy. I'll be getting out of this one, and182602:00:50.359 --> 02:00:53.880



that necklace around your scrawny neck will be mine. The182702:00:53.960 --> 02:00:57.399



mourner collapsed, pulling at her hair, ripping it out in clumps,182802:00:57.439 --> 02:01:01.000



and pounding her fists into the ground. The thuds made182902:01:01.039 --> 02:01:06.159



Vanya's head tilt to one side. Now she was questioning Dennis.183002:01:06.920 --> 02:01:09.920



She thought she had him licked too. She and the183102:01:09.960 --> 02:01:14.079



mourner were in this together. He might take Vanya's head183202:01:14.079 --> 02:01:17.520



as a souvenir, just to spite her, take her on183302:01:17.600 --> 02:01:20.800



a vacation, paid for it with her necklace. That would183402:01:20.840 --> 02:01:24.319



show her, That would put her in her place. Who183502:01:24.319 --> 02:01:27.439



did she think she was? She thought she was a183602:01:27.479 --> 02:01:32.279



match for Dennis. He'd robbed hundreds of graves, hundreds all183702:01:32.319 --> 02:01:36.640



of them, preparing him for this, his masterpiece. You can't183802:01:36.680 --> 02:01:41.600



stop me Vanya, He thought, no one can. I'm getting183902:01:41.640 --> 02:01:46.279



out of here. I'm gonna win. Vanya laughed at him,184002:01:46.680 --> 02:01:50.800



not out loud, but in his head. As she did,184102:01:51.000 --> 02:01:54.800



her head whipped back and her jaw fell open. Dust184202:01:54.920 --> 02:01:58.680



spewed from her skull into Dennis's face. The kiss of184302:01:58.720 --> 02:02:02.479



death hit him just right. He wanted to cover his face,184402:02:02.800 --> 02:02:05.880



but he was thoroughly trapped by the dead. His grand184502:02:05.960 --> 02:02:09.840



plan to steal the necklace and Vanya's head evaporated as184602:02:09.880 --> 02:02:14.720



he let out a loud sneeze. The morning lady stopped184702:02:14.760 --> 02:02:17.920



pounding the ground and their eyes met for the first184802:02:18.359 --> 02:02:22.880



and last time. Terrified, Dennis realized he knew that look184902:02:22.920 --> 02:02:36.520



in her eyes all too well. Jackpot Dead. In Breakfast185002:02:36.880 --> 02:02:41.359



by Morgan Moore, the screams of a young woman pierced185102:02:41.359 --> 02:02:44.600



the night as the source of the din exploded from185202:02:44.640 --> 02:02:48.239



the back door of her home, letting loose another screech185302:02:48.520 --> 02:02:52.640



in her wake. Her screaming didn't last long, as the185402:02:52.680 --> 02:02:55.880



cold night air cut off her wind, forcing her to185502:02:55.960 --> 02:03:00.359



stop to catch her breath. She was enjoying it night185602:03:00.399 --> 02:03:04.119



to herself while her mother baby sat for her, but185702:03:04.239 --> 02:03:07.439



the peace she was hoping to get was shattered when185802:03:07.479 --> 02:03:10.920



a stranger knocked on her door. When she opened it,185902:03:11.239 --> 02:03:14.039



the man rushed her and chased her into the living room.186002:03:14.439 --> 02:03:17.239



A bottle to the head led to her escape, and186102:03:17.359 --> 02:03:21.319



here she was taking a break to regain her composure.186202:03:22.439 --> 02:03:25.600



She was freezing, but there was no way she was186302:03:25.640 --> 02:03:30.319



going back into her house. A neighbor, any neighbor, would186402:03:30.399 --> 02:03:33.800



have to do. The young woman started to walk towards186502:03:33.800 --> 02:03:37.159



a distant gate when the man shoved his foot into186602:03:37.159 --> 02:03:40.319



the small of her back. With no time to react,186702:03:40.600 --> 02:03:43.760



he flipped her over, sitting knees first on her stomach.186802:03:44.239 --> 02:03:47.199



Stunned by the blow, she looked up at him as186902:03:47.239 --> 02:03:51.520



the ice pick, recently pilfered from her own home, entered187002:03:51.720 --> 02:03:56.960



and exited her heart repeatedly. When he finished, the man187102:03:57.000 --> 02:04:00.000



stood up and slid the ice pick into the pocket187202:04:00.039 --> 02:04:04.079



of his jacket before walking off into the cold, bitter night.187302:04:08.079 --> 02:04:12.239



I think it stuck, Matt, Really, I hadn't noticed, Rachel,187402:04:12.720 --> 02:04:17.119



Matt replied sarcastically. Rachel, Matt, and their friends Danny and187502:04:17.239 --> 02:04:19.720



Jack had been trying to get in one last camping187602:04:19.760 --> 02:04:23.800



trip before the weather turned bitter, but a blizzard appeared187702:04:23.840 --> 02:04:27.000



out of nowhere midweek, so the quartet had packed up187802:04:27.239 --> 02:04:30.520



and hit the highway. The blizzard in full swing. The187902:04:30.560 --> 02:04:33.439



group took the recommended detours and ended up in a188002:04:33.479 --> 02:04:38.680



town called Oldsville, or, more accurately, on the front lawn188102:04:38.720 --> 02:04:41.239



of a house they almost hit as they skid it188202:04:41.279 --> 02:04:44.520



off the road thanks to the ice that surrounded Oldsville.188302:04:45.000 --> 02:04:47.760



So now what do we do? Danny asked, as she188402:04:47.840 --> 02:04:51.439



held her arms against her body for extra warmth. There's188502:04:51.520 --> 02:04:53.520



no way we're gonna get any help out here tonight.188602:04:54.000 --> 02:04:58.039



Jack remarked, Well, we have to do something, or else188702:04:58.079 --> 02:05:03.199



we'll freeze. Matt interjected. Rachel looked around the area. He188802:05:03.359 --> 02:05:06.760



was right. She thought they'd freeze to death if they188902:05:06.760 --> 02:05:10.920



stayed out here. Rachel looked around the neighborhood and noticed189002:05:10.920 --> 02:05:14.479



that the lights were off in every house except for189102:05:14.560 --> 02:05:17.319



the one they were stuck in front of. Hey, guys,189202:05:17.880 --> 02:05:20.079



it looks like the people who live here might still189302:05:20.119 --> 02:05:22.479



be up. Why don't we try asking them for help,189402:05:23.039 --> 02:05:26.560



she suggested to her friends. The other three looked at189502:05:26.560 --> 02:05:30.159



each other and shrugged. I'm game. As long as they189602:05:30.199 --> 02:05:33.199



have heat, Danny said, and a warm bed to go189702:05:33.359 --> 02:05:36.399



with it, Jack added, grabbing Danny by the waist and189802:05:36.439 --> 02:05:39.640



bringing her into a kiss. Don't get too lovey dovey,189902:05:39.920 --> 02:05:42.720



you might get stuck together, and not in the fun way,190002:05:43.199 --> 02:05:46.079



Matt said, as he hauled out everybody's bags from the car.190102:05:46.720 --> 02:05:48.800



The four trudged up to the house and banged on190202:05:48.840 --> 02:05:52.720



the door all at once. Almost immediately the door swung open.190302:05:53.039 --> 02:05:56.720



A middle aged woman stood between them and the interior. Yes,190402:05:57.479 --> 02:06:02.159



she asked, slightly annoyed. Hi, We're sorry to bother you,190502:06:02.199 --> 02:06:05.399



but we slid off the road and into your yard.190602:06:05.760 --> 02:06:10.479



Matt started gesturing to the car. And anyways, it's stuck now.190702:06:10.560 --> 02:06:13.640



Is there any way you could let us spend the night,190802:06:14.239 --> 02:06:17.359



he finished, before giving the woman a warm smile. The190902:06:17.399 --> 02:06:20.640



others following suit. The woman looked at the group and191002:06:20.680 --> 02:06:24.560



shrugged a bit. Well, I guess we'd be a really191102:06:24.680 --> 02:06:27.239



terrible bed and breakfast if I didn't let you sleep here.191202:06:27.840 --> 02:06:32.119



Come on in, she ushered them inside a bed and breakfast.191302:06:32.640 --> 02:06:35.600



I guess we lucked out big time. I didn't see191402:06:35.600 --> 02:06:38.239



a sign out in the yard, though, Rachel remarked, as191502:06:38.239 --> 02:06:41.399



she and her friends stripped off their winter gear. It's191602:06:41.439 --> 02:06:45.279



more than likely covered by all the snow, the caretaker explained.191702:06:45.760 --> 02:06:47.880



She led the group to the kitchen, and after a191802:06:47.880 --> 02:06:50.319



few minutes, handed the meach a hot cup of tea.191902:06:51.039 --> 02:06:54.520



The foursome downed their beverages eagerly, which elicited a chuckle192002:06:54.560 --> 02:06:57.720



from the caretaker. Are there any other guests staying here?192102:06:58.159 --> 02:07:02.079



Danny asked, nope, You kids are probably the only ones192202:07:02.119 --> 02:07:05.079



we'll have until the weather blows over. Well, how much192302:07:05.119 --> 02:07:09.159



do we owe you, Jack asked, don't worry about it tonight.192402:07:09.279 --> 02:07:11.720



We can hash that out in the morning. No point192502:07:11.720 --> 02:07:14.479



in handling the business side of this now, when you192602:07:14.520 --> 02:07:17.520



may end up staying a lot longer. The group looked192702:07:17.520 --> 02:07:21.880



at each other. Sheepishly, sounds like a plan, Then Matt said,192802:07:21.920 --> 02:07:25.479



breaking the awkward silence, I don't know about you guys,192902:07:25.479 --> 02:07:29.560



but I'm tired. Would you excuse us, ma'am? Not at all.193002:07:29.880 --> 02:07:33.039



The rooms are upstairs for guests, pick whichever ones you want.193102:07:33.479 --> 02:07:35.760



My room is down here if you kids need anything,193202:07:36.119 --> 02:07:43.439



she explained, giving them all a smile. The stranger trudged193302:07:43.479 --> 02:07:47.199



through the harsh winter conditions. He did not know where193402:07:47.239 --> 02:07:51.039



he was going. He was only moving because he felt193502:07:51.039 --> 02:07:54.560



the urge to do so. He would need shelter soon.193602:07:55.600 --> 02:07:58.840



As if reading his mind, the snow led up some193702:08:00.159 --> 02:08:08.640



the lights of the nearby house. Beckoning him, Rachel walked193802:08:08.680 --> 02:08:11.840



into the room she and Matt had claimed, buttoning up193902:08:11.840 --> 02:08:15.039



a pajama shirt. As she did so, Matt sat on194002:08:15.079 --> 02:08:19.760



the bed looking at his phone. Anything interesting, Rachel asked,194102:08:20.600 --> 02:08:24.039



I was checking the weather. Looks like the snow is194202:08:24.079 --> 02:08:29.800



definitely not stopping until late tomorrow night. I guess that194302:08:29.920 --> 02:08:33.279



means we will be staying here for a bit, Rachel said,194402:08:33.600 --> 02:08:37.720



blowing a strand of hair from her face. Looks like it,194502:08:38.319 --> 02:08:43.199



Matt said, sternly. The stranger pried open the back door194602:08:43.279 --> 02:08:48.640



of the dwelling and slipped inside, Finding himself in a kitchen.194702:08:49.119 --> 02:08:52.199



He sat down at a table and pulled off his coat.194802:08:52.760 --> 02:08:55.680



He removed an ice pick from his pocket, laid it194902:08:55.760 --> 02:08:59.119



upon the table, and sighed at the sight of the195002:08:59.159 --> 02:09:08.000



instrument before him. Danny collapsed on to Jack and smiled195102:09:08.039 --> 02:09:11.560



before rolling off of him. The two lovers lied next195202:09:11.560 --> 02:09:15.000



to each other, sweat covering them. I'm gonna take a195302:09:15.039 --> 02:09:18.479



shower while there's still some hot water, Danny said, exiting195402:09:18.520 --> 02:09:22.920



the room. Jack dozed off seconds later, only to come195502:09:23.000 --> 02:09:27.680



two in pitch blackness. He stumbled to his feet in195602:09:27.720 --> 02:09:31.199



search of his phone and the light it would provide.195702:09:31.239 --> 02:09:34.880



The stranger rushed at Jack and pinned him against the wall.195802:09:35.359 --> 02:09:39.760



Jack's assailant slid a gloved hand over his victim's mouth tightly.195902:09:40.399 --> 02:09:45.439



The blows came fast, tearing his flesh savagely. Again and again.196002:09:46.119 --> 02:09:49.720



The stranger let Jack's body collapse to the floor before196102:09:49.760 --> 02:09:54.319



heading to the bathroom and the sound of running water.196202:09:55.800 --> 02:09:59.119



Matt and Rachel rushed into the bathroom as Danny's screams196302:09:59.239 --> 02:10:03.640



rang out repeat. Now Here, they were face to face196402:10:04.359 --> 02:10:08.520



with a psycho path run. Matt screamed as the stranger196502:10:08.560 --> 02:10:11.720



bolted towards them. The duo rushed down the stairs, nearly196602:10:11.760 --> 02:10:14.880



falling over one another. As the stranger pursued them. Their196702:10:14.920 --> 02:10:17.560



eyes went to the front door, widening in joy that196802:10:17.600 --> 02:10:22.600



they would be free of this nightmare. The stranger tackled Matt.196902:10:23.279 --> 02:10:27.000



Rachel screamed. Matt turned his head to look at her197002:10:27.560 --> 02:10:31.039



as the stranger slid his throat. The killer stood up197102:10:31.359 --> 02:10:34.840



and turned to face Rachel. She bolted and dove out197202:10:34.840 --> 02:10:36.640



the window on the far side of the room and197302:10:36.800 --> 02:10:41.000



ran pell Mell into the cold night. The frigid air197402:10:41.079 --> 02:10:45.880



assaulted her lungs and skin. Rachel pressed on, desperately searching197502:10:45.920 --> 02:10:48.520



for signs of life in any of the neighboring houses.197602:10:49.079 --> 02:10:51.960



Minutes passed, and she was ready to give up when197702:10:51.960 --> 02:10:55.319



a light appeared from a distant home. She stumbled forth197802:10:55.439 --> 02:10:57.399



up the stairs and beat on the door until her197902:10:57.479 --> 02:11:01.840



knuckles bled. The door opened, and a middle aged woman198002:11:01.920 --> 02:11:06.439



peered forth from the slight opening. Please please help me.198102:11:07.000 --> 02:11:10.159



The woman looked at Rachel, stunned. She gathered her wits198202:11:10.159 --> 02:11:14.960



and spoke, what's the matter. Somebody's chasing me. He killed198302:11:15.000 --> 02:11:19.159



my friends. The woman ushered Rachel inside and bolted the198402:11:19.199 --> 02:11:26.000



door shut. Honey, I'm home. A voice called out, that's198502:11:26.079 --> 02:11:28.520



my husband. Let me go tell him what happened to you,198602:11:28.960 --> 02:11:31.640



the woman said as she left the room. Wringing her hands,198702:11:32.319 --> 02:11:34.920



Rachel listened to the sound of a clock ticking away198802:11:34.960 --> 02:11:40.359



in the kitchen. The gentle tick talk droned on and198902:11:40.479 --> 02:11:50.319



on as Rachel's eyelids grew heavier and heavier. Rachel started199002:11:50.359 --> 02:11:55.199



awake as footsteps approached. In the doorway stood the stranger,199102:11:55.760 --> 02:11:59.960



ice pick in hand. His lips split into a gruesome smeame.199202:12:01.079 --> 02:12:05.239



Rachel's blood curdling scream rung through the neighborhood and across199302:12:05.800 --> 02:12:12.760



the cold winter's night. All right, my Spooky is you199402:12:12.920 --> 02:12:17.319



manage to survive a compilation of the IDEs of March199502:12:18.000 --> 02:12:22.119



well at least until next year. So please make sure199602:12:22.159 --> 02:12:26.199



you're subscribed on your favorite podcasting app because there's always199702:12:26.640 --> 02:12:30.239



more where that came from right here at Weekly Spooky,199802:12:30.520 --> 02:12:32.840



And while you're at it, leave us a five star rating.199902:12:33.199 --> 02:12:36.359



It really does mean a whole lot to us. But200002:12:36.520 --> 02:12:38.399



now it's time for me to get back to my200102:12:38.640 --> 02:12:42.880



job of recording terror tales to keep you all in200202:12:42.960 --> 02:12:47.960



suspense until next time. Make sure you truly do heed200302:12:48.039 --> 02:12:53.000



the warning and beware the IDEs of March four. They200402:12:53.039 --> 02:12:58.039



are waiting for you. I'll see you all next time200502:12:59.600 --> 02:13:01.359



with an you luck at all