June 13, 2026

Dark Fantasy Horror Fiction: Witches, Cults & Feral Legends

Dark Fantasy Horror Fiction: Witches, Cults & Feral Legends
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Supernatural horror stories, creature attacks, dark fantasy nightmares, vampire hunters, witchcraft, death cults, feral forest legends, and occult monster terror collide in this eerie Weekly Spooky compilation built for fans of scary stories, horror fiction, paranormal thrillers, folk horror, supernatural action, dark magic, cannibal legends, and cursed wilderness mysteries.

These stories crawl through haunted forests, secret schools, forgotten hills, and poisoned realms where the old rules of the world break apart. A gentle hermit discovers an ancient corruption spreading through the woods. A supernatural federal agent spends New Year’s Eve fighting undead servants and a death god. A folklore writer follows a century-old Oregon mystery into the trees… and finds out some legends are hungry enough to survive.

Inside this episode:
• New Year’s Evil: A Paranormal Thriller from the Case Files of Caroline Quinn
A half-vampire federal troubleshooter returns to her old supernatural school on New Year’s Eve, only to find the campus overtaken by cultists, undead creatures, and a possible death god resurrection. It’s occult action horror with monsters, government secrets, superpowered students, and a countdown to midnight.
• Hermit — by Mike Mann
In a strange fantasy realm, an ancient woodland healer discovers black ichor infecting animals, trees, and the balance of nature itself. Her desperate warning leads her toward a village where fear, cruelty, dark magic, and monstrous transformation await.
• Fool’s Hill — by Bruce Haney
A folklore writer investigating old Oregon witch legends uncovers a century-long pattern of disappearances, mutilated bodies, strange screams in the woods, and a hill with a terrible reputation. What begins as local legend becomes a grim folk-horror mystery about curiosity, cannibal survival, and the stories people should have left buried.
If you love supernatural horror podcasts, scary folklore stories, dark fantasy horror, occult mysteries, vampire hunters, haunted woods, death cult horror, folk horror, and creature-feature nightmares, this compilation delivers a strange, bloody trip into worlds where the monsters may be ancient, human, undead, or something much worse.

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

🎉 Unlock exclusive bonus episodes and support the show on Patreon!
👉 WeeklySpooky.com/Join

📬 Contact Us / Submit Your Horror Story!

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

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Welcome back, My spook is tonight. We're stepping off the clean,

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well lit road and heading into old places, the places

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where the trees remember, where the school bell rings at midnight,

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where a hill can have a name like a joke

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and still mean every terrible word. These are stories about warnings, ignored,

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doors opened, old magic waking up under the roots, and

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people who go looking for legends only to discover the

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legends have been looking back. Somewhere in the woods, something

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black and hungry is spreading from leaf to claw to bone.

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Somewhere behind razor wire and ivy covered brick, the dead

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are learning how to serve a new master. Somewhere in

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the Pacific northwest, a strange cry rolls through the trees,

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and another curious fool takes one step to many down

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the wrong side of the hill. And through it all,

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there's that very human mistake we keep making. We think

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we can explain the monster. We think we can name it.

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We think we can write it down, shoot it, freeze it,

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pray it away, or drag it into the light. But

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some things are older than fear. Some things know how

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to hide inside folklore. Some things where human faces until

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hunger peels away, So get comfortable and make sure you're subscribed,

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because there's a brand new scary story right here on

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Weekly Spooky, every single Wednesday. Now, let's get this show

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on the road. New Year's Evil, a paranormal thriller from

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the case files of Caroline Quinn by Mike Eskewy New

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Year's Eve, twenty twelve, End of the World er So

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I hear, yeah right, it should be a time where

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you reflect on the year and how you've grown and

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what you should be grateful for blah blah blah, sentimental bullshit. I,

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on the other hand, loved going out for drinks with

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the girls, pick up a guy or girl whoever looks

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fun and frankly party on. This year is not going

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to be like that, or at least this story won't

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end up with me losing my shoes and doing the

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walk of shame into a seven to eleven for a

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slurpee on New Year's morning. Instead, you get me your

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favorite ghouls. School graduate and recently instituted federal agent, Caroline Quinn.

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The government's own supernatural bats were called troubleshooters, and there

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aren't a lot of us In my graduating class. There

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were maybe five others like myself, a blend of the

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superpowered and supernatural aka the government sponsored freak shows, government

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goons who fight real life monsters, the kind of stuff

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that was once only found in books and fairy tales.

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Cool huh, However, that's not what's important. This part is

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actually pretty cool and not many know about it. Ghoule school.

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What's that you ask, Well, back when the world changed

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and suddenly superpowers and the supernatural just randomly started to

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coexist in the mid nineteen fifties, So now we have

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assholes who can fly and assholes who suck blood who

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can also fly. But it's complicated. Long story, short, spandex

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fights Dracula and even the occasional Frank Eckenstein like things

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we call them Frankies for short. Weirdly more common than

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you might think, and it's usually pharmaceutical companies anyway. So

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my mom was a vampire and my dad wasn't, but

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he was into the whole undead thing. Vamps are sexy,

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I guess, no, just gross, but I digress. My dad

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is what they call a ghoule, but not like an

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undead zombie thing, more like a bonded to vampiric host.

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Sort of thing. It sounds less fucked up if I

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use the science terms I learned at the academy nine

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months later, and I'm sure stuff that would render years

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of therapy if I lingered on it. I was born.

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So one night back when I was twelve, a couple

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of bad looking motherfuckers who looked like the Men in

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Black showed up for a chat. They pointed an ultraviolet

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shotgun at my mom and pistol whipped my dad and said,

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we know your kid is special. We're taking her and

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if all goes nice and smooth, she'll see when she

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graduates from our little school. Do anything but say that

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your daughter is on scholarship to a private school, and

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you'll be dissected. Am I clear? That was my life

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for six years at Ghoul School. It never officially had

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a name, but all of us kids nicknamed it Ghul School.

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And that's where I'm headed. And it happened to be

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in the dullest place you can imagine, Ohio, I know, right.

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I got a call from a friend Sammy, who works

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at the school, and said that I needed to come home,

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but it absolutely had to be tonight. He sounded panicked,

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and that was not what I knew of Sammy December

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thirty first, twenty twelve. This is not what I had

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planned for New Year's Eve this year. I had actually

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had a date tonight. She was a nice girl I

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met at the academy after I graduated. Her name was Rheanne.

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She was cute and I was totally into her. Instead,

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I drove through the backwoods of Ohio on New Year's

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and investigated something weird. It could be something, or it

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could be nothing. Entirely, I couldn't shake the feeling that

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something was wrong. Didn't need to be a super or

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something else to know something was going to go down

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at my old school. I was a few hours out

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from campus near Youngstown. Sammy had said that he noticed

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some of the newer kids were acting weirder than normal

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and something felt off. He'd mentioned that one day one

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of their cell phones was confiscated and it had very

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threatening messages, and not something as fun as a school

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shooting either. No, seriously, how the fuck is that still

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a thing in twenty twelve, especially since now the kids

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can literally pack as much firepower into their own fists

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as some militaries. I guess I should be thankful someone

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who can melt people with their eyes. Hasn't had a

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bad day in Pe yet. Way of the world I

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guess still sucks though. Anyway, Sammy had mentioned a name

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and that immediately set off alarm bells Yasu. When things

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got weird in the world, things got weird. It wasn't

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just vampires and shit that became real. It was things

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that were like nuclear threat level worse, demons, specters, and

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rumor has it, even death gods. Things got understandably bizarre

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in the post changed world, but things that literally could

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rise from the grave and command armies of the undead.

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I'm not a fan of, even if I share some

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of that supposed supernatural blood running in my veins. Part

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of my occult schooling involved learning about what new world

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I was a part of, but also the part that

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I would protect it and draw a paycheck at the

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same time, get some great education, learn rules, laws and regulations,

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and then privately enforce the law for Uncle sam and

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protect the country and even the world at large. It's

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a lot less cool than it sounds, but no student

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loans to pay back, so bonus. Yasu was some long

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forgotten god from somewhere in Asia and probably for good reason.

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A death cult that was left out of most history

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books and written off as myth by many. Now there's

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not an unreasonable possibility that this thing was potentially returning

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for a comeback tour in twenty twelve. Great timing, if

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I do say so myself. As a favorite cartoon of

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mine once said, he makes Gozer look like Little Mary Sunshine.

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Clearly I'm in for a fun time if he's right.

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But I am so praying this is just a bunch

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of edge lords trying to look cool in a school

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full of weirdos. This is great, isn't it. A dipshit

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with a Twitter account thinks they can summon great value. Cuthulhu.

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Sammy knew something was up but didn't want to get

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the kids in harm's way. Call me up and hopefully

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come in quickly, quietly, and do it before Uncle Sam

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decides to use all necessary force. The school had security,

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some super powered individuals of their own. But something feels wrong.

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You should go back to your old school to say, hey,

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what's up. Let's grab a drink. Not me, though, I

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get to spend my New Year's Eve potentially stopping the

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resurrection of a death god, or I break up some

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dorky kids New Year's Eve party, which was their ticket

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into someone's pants for a night Save the world or

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cock block someone fuck, please let this be a false

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alarm and just be someone overreacting to some kid trying

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to sound cool. I suppose, on the bonus side of

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all this, I can stop by the old cafeteria and

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see if they still make the best tuna sandwich in Ohio,

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if I can make it there in time. Not exactly

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how I envisioned ringing in the New Year. I should

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be getting drunk and getting laid, but here we are.

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Go me right. It's about ten PM when I finally

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arrive at the school. Big, expensive and like Oprah and

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Martha Stewart designed the campus. It was pretty in a

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weird artificial sort of way, but definitely doesn't give off

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super secret government institution for superpowers vibes. You'd think someone

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built an Ivy League school in the middle of the woods,

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and on one hand, you're right, except it's fully razor wiring,

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closed and has armed patrols near its grounds. Definitely missed

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dinner though the cafe closed hours ago. I wasn't even

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checked by guards when crossing over the perimeter. Okay, that's

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not normal. Calling sammy cell and all I get is voicemail.

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I'm definitely not liking this. Parking in the visitors lot.

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I step out into the cold December air. I look

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around the empty school grounds, and I can hear music

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coming from somewhere close. I don't see anyone around though,

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no guards, no kids, and definitely no one in charge.

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The parties should be happening in the dorms with the

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older kids. Got to keep whatever damage happens to a

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minimum tonight. I guess I'm going non lethal tasers, pepper spray.

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I also have my abilities super strength, be durability beyond

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the means of mere mortals at least, and I can

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see in the dark most of the time. I also

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heal super quickly should something be able to hurt me.

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I can shrug off most types of damage unless it

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comes from a supernatural or superpowered force. And it's pretty

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reasonable to assume that I'll run into some kind of

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trouble tonight. At the very least, I'm probably going to

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ruin my new winter coat, which I bought myself for Christmas.

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Wouldn't be a government operation without some cool toys, though,

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Director James Carlson, the new guy at the Department of

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Paranormal Researches, made sure we always had options in our

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field assignments. Now that's the kicker here. Though this isn't

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a sanctioned operation, this is so off the books that

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if I get caught or this makes the newspaper somehow,

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I am likely going to end up in some deep

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dark cell in a prison where not even God could

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save me unless he had proper security clearance. A lot

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is riding on this to keep it quiet, safe, and

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above all, make sure no one gets hurt who doesn't

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need to. Maybe, on second thought, I better sling the

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toys and just keep it to pure non lethals and

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stuff I can conceal in my purse or under my jacket.

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I'll take the taser and the spray nice and tight.

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Don't want to draw too much attention to myself, but

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a six foot blonde who doesn't exactly dress conservatively is

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bound to raise a few eyebrows if I get spotted.

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I stop myself from breathing and focus all of my

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attention on listening to the environment around the school grounds,

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focusing all my supernatural senses and just listening for real

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signs of life, talking, movement, fucking anything that doesn't belong.

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A moment passes and I hear something in the dorms

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across the parking lot. I carefully isolate the sound from

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the music that's pounding and almost overwhelming my senses. This

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is deliberate. This music is covering something up or is

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a part of it. A low murmur in a language

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I don't recognize, but I know it's bad news. It

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sounds like a group of voices are chanting or singing

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something deeply weird. Guess it's time to go. I feel

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weird leaving behind all the weapons in the car in

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case I run into something a little harder to kill

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than some gifted weirdo with who knows what powers. I

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don't feel good leaving behind my actual handgun, but I'd

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rather not accidentally shoot through a wall and hurt someone.

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I briskly walk across the lot and head towards the

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courtyard in front of the school dorms. A lot of

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00:14:56.399 --> 00:15:00.159
memories come flooding back as I cross the yard. I

217
00:15:00.159 --> 00:15:04.519
smile briefly as I look at one particular tree. That

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00:15:04.679 --> 00:15:09.840
tree is where I kissed my first boyfriend, Dan, he

219
00:15:09.960 --> 00:15:12.840
was all right, but it was his sister who was

220
00:15:12.919 --> 00:15:15.759
really into me, and she and I dated for a

221
00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:21.000
few semesters. Surprisingly, Dan was cool about it because he

222
00:15:21.120 --> 00:15:26.320
wanted his sister Laurie to be happy. They were good kids.

223
00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:29.519
It's too bad they didn't make it to graduation day.

224
00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:35.519
I missed them. A schoolyard fight went wrong and one

225
00:15:35.519 --> 00:15:38.720
of the other freak shows decided to use their pyrokinetic

226
00:15:38.759 --> 00:15:43.799
abilities to burn them to cinders. School security didn't waste

227
00:15:43.879 --> 00:15:48.120
any time in putting down the offender. In spectacular fashion,

228
00:15:49.080 --> 00:15:54.639
Security officer Franklin Wick aka Boyle used his superpowers to

229
00:15:54.720 --> 00:15:58.559
liquefy the water inside the attacker and turned them into

230
00:15:58.639 --> 00:16:03.399
a bloody puddle. Fights at Ghoul's school could get cataclysmic

231
00:16:03.480 --> 00:16:07.120
real fast if security didn't step in. I saw one

232
00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:10.159
kid who was partially a gargoyle get torn apart by

233
00:16:10.159 --> 00:16:15.120
the school's enhanced guard dogs. It wasn't pretty, and it

234
00:16:15.159 --> 00:16:19.399
put us in line pretty quick. The blood spatter wasn't

235
00:16:19.399 --> 00:16:23.279
something you could easily forget. There wasn't enough of Dan

236
00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:26.639
and Laurie to bury. I don't even know if their

237
00:16:26.679 --> 00:16:31.200
parents know what really happened. A small tree is planted

238
00:16:31.240 --> 00:16:34.799
in the courtyard with a plaque that reads, may they

239
00:16:34.840 --> 00:16:39.039
never be forgotten as we fight forward. I don't know

240
00:16:39.080 --> 00:16:41.840
how many died over the course of the school's history,

241
00:16:42.679 --> 00:16:46.159
but it's more than a few, but less than a

242
00:16:46.200 --> 00:16:49.919
fuck ton. The government spends a lot of money to

243
00:16:49.960 --> 00:16:55.679
protect its investments. Not all kids who are either superpowered, gifted,

244
00:16:56.039 --> 00:16:59.799
or supernaturally inclined and up here, but it's enough to

245
00:16:59.799 --> 00:17:03.720
make make sure it's protected. The United States stands on

246
00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:07.240
the front line of this weird occult war and tends

247
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to identify the most gifted individuals per its population. Most

248
00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:16.319
other nations try to keep those numbers quiet. The US

249
00:17:16.440 --> 00:17:20.000
likes to wave its supernatural superhero Dick around like a

250
00:17:20.200 --> 00:17:24.839
grinning idiot kid who found his dad's gun. Still, there

251
00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:29.200
are too many, but that's why I'm here. Maybe I

252
00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:33.319
can stop something bad before it really gets going and

253
00:17:33.440 --> 00:17:37.160
somebody else gets hurt. I know it won't bring back

254
00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:40.680
Dan and Lorie, but yeah, if I could do the

255
00:17:40.759 --> 00:17:45.599
right thing, then I absolutely should save the world. Right.

256
00:17:46.920 --> 00:17:50.240
I'll call Sammy's phone one last time before I enter

257
00:17:50.279 --> 00:17:53.720
the dorms and hope he picks up it. Rings and

258
00:17:53.799 --> 00:17:59.640
rings and rings, and then straight to voicemail. I pocket

259
00:17:59.680 --> 00:18:02.519
my phone and walk up the stone steps to the dorms.

260
00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:07.200
If Sammy is anywhere, it's probably here, since he's one

261
00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:11.799
of the resident advisors and is probably in the resident

262
00:18:11.880 --> 00:18:15.559
advisor's office or in his own suite on the fourth floor.

263
00:18:16.359 --> 00:18:19.039
I creak open the double doors and enter the front

264
00:18:19.079 --> 00:18:23.960
area of the dorms. It's loud, but unnaturally still. At

265
00:18:23.960 --> 00:18:28.799
the same time, weird loud music echoes over the PA systems,

266
00:18:29.480 --> 00:18:32.319
and even some of the interior lights are flashing on

267
00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:36.839
and off, as if in time with the music. Well,

268
00:18:37.880 --> 00:18:40.920
this one just jumped up on the weird shadow meter.

269
00:18:41.960 --> 00:18:45.200
The front desk is empty, as expected, but that may

270
00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:49.000
actually work to my advantage. I hop over the desk

271
00:18:49.079 --> 00:18:51.920
and thankfully don't tear the ass out of my jeans

272
00:18:51.960 --> 00:18:56.000
as I do. The security system is still open and active,

273
00:18:56.359 --> 00:18:58.759
and I have a whole suite of cameras across the

274
00:18:58.920 --> 00:19:03.759
entire building to look on. Examining multiple cameras across the

275
00:19:03.799 --> 00:19:07.359
four floors, and almost immediately I come across the bad

276
00:19:07.480 --> 00:19:12.680
news I've been expecting. The fourth floor is filled with people,

277
00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:17.200
and some do not look very friendly. It looks like

278
00:19:17.279 --> 00:19:20.759
almost all the students and staff have been subdued and

279
00:19:20.839 --> 00:19:23.559
are tied up lining the hallways of the fourth floor

280
00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:27.599
gags and ropes, and some are covered in a weird

281
00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:32.400
green goo that I've never seen before. This night just

282
00:19:32.599 --> 00:19:36.480
keeps getting better, doesn't it. I see a group of

283
00:19:36.519 --> 00:19:40.359
about six of them in long dark robes being led

284
00:19:40.400 --> 00:19:43.759
by a guy in skinny black jeans and a Christmas

285
00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:49.200
sweater wonderful, a gaggle of goofy wanna be cultists, and

286
00:19:49.240 --> 00:19:53.119
a dorky Hans Gruber type. He even has the cutest

287
00:19:53.119 --> 00:19:56.640
little bit of facial hair trying to look like Alan Rickman.

288
00:19:57.759 --> 00:20:01.359
Just as I'm sitting here giggling to myself, an icicle

289
00:20:01.400 --> 00:20:04.319
comes flying out of the darkness and impacts the wall

290
00:20:04.400 --> 00:20:10.000
behind my head and explodes into painful icy shards. Before

291
00:20:10.039 --> 00:20:12.759
I can even register the shock of the first impact,

292
00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:16.079
a flurry of ice spears comes flying at the desk

293
00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:19.279
and at me. I throw myself to the floor under

294
00:20:19.319 --> 00:20:23.920
the desk and hear more impacts. Oh fuck me, I

295
00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:27.480
quietly whisper to myself as I can hear more hits.

296
00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:30.880
The desk is made of heavy wood, but it won't

297
00:20:30.920 --> 00:20:34.920
last forever and I'll have to move. Time to go

298
00:20:34.960 --> 00:20:38.079
to work. Then I peek around the corner and see

299
00:20:38.079 --> 00:20:40.799
if I can spot where the attacks are coming from.

300
00:20:41.119 --> 00:20:44.799
My eyesight adjusts to the lighting conditions, and I can

301
00:20:44.839 --> 00:20:47.519
see a small shape at the far end of the lobby,

302
00:20:47.920 --> 00:20:53.079
hiding behind one of those big comfy chairs. I can't

303
00:20:53.079 --> 00:20:57.319
make out any distinct features, though, but I know they

304
00:20:57.319 --> 00:21:02.079
are alone. I can hear just one heartbeat besides my own,

305
00:21:02.839 --> 00:21:08.079
and it's beating so fast it's like our wrapper's backing track. Hey,

306
00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:10.839
could you please stop throwing shit at me for like

307
00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:15.519
five seconds? I yell from behind the desk and prepare

308
00:21:15.559 --> 00:21:19.440
to sprint from my position. If I can distract them

309
00:21:19.599 --> 00:21:23.440
for just a moment, I can use that supernatural speed

310
00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:26.839
and close the gap and not catch an ice spear

311
00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:30.720
in the head. I mean, there is a reasonable chance

312
00:21:30.759 --> 00:21:33.640
i'd shrug it off due to my own gifts. But

313
00:21:34.079 --> 00:21:38.519
just because you're tough doesn't mean you're reckless. Another impact,

314
00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:41.440
and this time I can see the ice penetrate right

315
00:21:41.480 --> 00:21:46.599
beside my face. I know it's time to move. I

316
00:21:46.680 --> 00:21:49.599
thrust my body forward and move across the room in

317
00:21:49.640 --> 00:21:52.279
the blink of an eye, and at the last second,

318
00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:54.480
I use the chair as a place to jump off

319
00:21:54.839 --> 00:21:58.799
and land behind it. Training kicks in and I'm now

320
00:21:58.839 --> 00:22:02.480
in combat mode, and it all happens almost by instinct,

321
00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:06.160
and sheer will alone. I sweep my leg low and

322
00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:09.359
knock my opponent over with tremendous force against the wall.

323
00:22:10.119 --> 00:22:13.960
Moving into close range, arms fly forward, and I throw

324
00:22:14.039 --> 00:22:16.680
all my strength in depending their arms while pushing my

325
00:22:16.759 --> 00:22:20.480
weight onto them and holding them to the floor. Looking

326
00:22:20.559 --> 00:22:23.240
down at my opponent for a second, and I see

327
00:22:24.680 --> 00:22:28.880
it's a kid. She looks frightened and terrified beyond reason.

328
00:22:29.880 --> 00:22:32.799
She's an Asian girl who couldn't be more than fourteen,

329
00:22:33.400 --> 00:22:36.480
and that's maybe a stretch. She looks up at me

330
00:22:36.599 --> 00:22:40.559
in pure fear and closes her eyes, fully expecting me

331
00:22:40.680 --> 00:22:46.119
to enterr right here and right now. I'm not a monster.

332
00:22:47.119 --> 00:22:49.160
I try to tell myself that before I go to

333
00:22:49.240 --> 00:22:54.880
sleep at night. I put my hand over her mouth firmly. Look, kid,

334
00:22:55.160 --> 00:22:57.880
I think we got off on the wrong foot. If

335
00:22:57.920 --> 00:23:00.519
I let you go, will you tell tell me what

336
00:23:00.559 --> 00:23:04.279
the fuck is happening around here? She nods, and I

337
00:23:04.279 --> 00:23:07.319
can feel some, but not all, of the tension leave

338
00:23:07.359 --> 00:23:10.240
her body. I release some of the grip I have

339
00:23:10.359 --> 00:23:13.279
on her and let go of my hold on her mouth.

340
00:23:14.559 --> 00:23:19.119
Who are you, she meekly asks. My name is Caroline,

341
00:23:19.559 --> 00:23:22.319
and I used to be a student here. I'm here

342
00:23:22.359 --> 00:23:27.240
to help. They killed mister Reeves, they killed Miss Simmons.

343
00:23:27.640 --> 00:23:31.359
They even killed lunch lady Maria. They turned the rest

344
00:23:31.440 --> 00:23:36.200
of the staff into monsters. The kid stammered out, then

345
00:23:36.359 --> 00:23:40.720
started to cry. Mister Reeves was also known as Sammy Reeves.

346
00:23:41.519 --> 00:23:46.519
Sammy is dead, or at least according to her. I'll

347
00:23:46.519 --> 00:23:50.720
deal with this later, but right now we've got bigger problems.

348
00:23:52.079 --> 00:23:55.920
I know how to fight monsters, terrorists, and about seven

349
00:23:56.000 --> 00:23:59.000
different types of zombies, but I don't know how to

350
00:23:59.039 --> 00:24:05.000
deal with a kid crying. Uh okay, look, I'm also

351
00:24:05.079 --> 00:24:08.799
a federal agent and I'm like you. But I figured

352
00:24:08.839 --> 00:24:13.759
you guessed that already. What do you mean monsters? We

353
00:24:13.839 --> 00:24:17.160
sat down for a few minutes in the darkness and talked,

354
00:24:18.039 --> 00:24:21.960
and what I heard I didn't like. It. Seems about

355
00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:26.680
two days ago things started getting weird and then people

356
00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:31.039
started dying. She told me about strange creatures that tore

357
00:24:31.160 --> 00:24:34.680
the security teams apart, and they looked like something out

358
00:24:34.680 --> 00:24:40.039
of a horror movie. Green corpse like monsters covered in slime,

359
00:24:40.559 --> 00:24:45.160
and their touch that seemed to rot in an instant. Well,

360
00:24:45.759 --> 00:24:51.559
this definitely narrows it down. Rots servants of death gods

361
00:24:52.119 --> 00:24:55.440
corpses reanimated by the will of death and powered by

362
00:24:55.480 --> 00:24:58.319
the souls of the damned near where they are animated,

363
00:24:59.160 --> 00:25:03.680
usually found in in Europe, but more recently on modern battlefields,

364
00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:08.440
the unfortunate consequence of war. I'm afraid tougher than typical

365
00:25:08.519 --> 00:25:12.079
zombies and had a pleasant side effect of a death

366
00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:16.960
touch that basically putrefied you. It's quick, but about one

367
00:25:16.960 --> 00:25:21.000
of the most unpleasant ways to die. You can imagine.

368
00:25:21.039 --> 00:25:27.119
What's your name, kid, Anna? Anna Wu They call me slush.

369
00:25:27.440 --> 00:25:30.799
I'm not good with my powers. You're the first person

370
00:25:30.839 --> 00:25:36.000
I've ever successfully used them on. I chuckle at that. Well,

371
00:25:36.480 --> 00:25:40.519
to be fair, you didn't land to hit Anna. Oh,

372
00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:42.920
I'm sorry. I thought you were one of Gary's goons

373
00:25:43.400 --> 00:25:47.400
and I panicked. I'm guessing Gary is the asshole in

374
00:25:47.440 --> 00:25:50.400
the Christmas sweater. The others in the robes must be

375
00:25:50.440 --> 00:25:54.640
the rots under his control. Anna stopped crying and nodded.

376
00:25:55.839 --> 00:25:59.319
He killed my roommate Sarah. She tried to stop him,

377
00:25:59.319 --> 00:26:04.279
but Gary's monsters. Her voice trailed off. I can guess

378
00:26:04.319 --> 00:26:07.440
that the rots touched her, and she likely died quickly

379
00:26:08.079 --> 00:26:13.119
but painfully, being rotted from the inside out. Goddamn. I

380
00:26:13.160 --> 00:26:16.279
can't save everyone, but that is no way to die,

381
00:26:17.119 --> 00:26:20.400
especially for a kid. Is that how you got away?

382
00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:23.759
I didn't want to ask, but I had to know.

383
00:26:24.920 --> 00:26:28.319
She protected me while I ran away. I couldn't help her,

384
00:26:28.359 --> 00:26:32.119
so she told me to run and hide. Any idea

385
00:26:32.200 --> 00:26:35.920
why Gary is doing this? You don't just try to

386
00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:39.359
resurrect a death god on New Year's Eve twenty twelve

387
00:26:39.839 --> 00:26:42.880
unless you have a really good reason or you're some

388
00:26:43.119 --> 00:26:47.279
nihilistic little fuck from Tumblr. No, but I know he

389
00:26:47.319 --> 00:26:50.400
talks to the dead. He transferred in a few weeks

390
00:26:50.400 --> 00:26:53.839
ago from out of the country, an exchange student from

391
00:26:53.880 --> 00:26:57.880
South America. I've got a few theories on why, and

392
00:26:58.359 --> 00:27:01.839
none of them good or even conclusive at this point.

393
00:27:02.000 --> 00:27:04.920
Could be anything from your typical I want to destroy

394
00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:09.559
the world, twirly mustache, to some kind of misguided religious belief,

395
00:27:09.680 --> 00:27:13.880
or my personal favorite, crazy as a shithouse rat, as

396
00:27:13.920 --> 00:27:18.319
my dad used to say, All right, cool, so I

397
00:27:18.440 --> 00:27:21.880
got let me see a crazy kid who can talk

398
00:27:21.920 --> 00:27:24.359
to the dead with about six rots under his sway.

399
00:27:25.000 --> 00:27:28.799
The resurrection of yasue likely at hand and hostages of

400
00:27:28.839 --> 00:27:32.519
all shapes and sizes. You know, some girls want to

401
00:27:32.559 --> 00:27:34.799
go out and have drinks on New Year's Eve, but

402
00:27:35.000 --> 00:27:39.200
instead I get dragged into Caroline in the Apocalypse, not

403
00:27:39.359 --> 00:27:42.519
exactly Dick Clark's rock in New Year's Eve at Times Square.

404
00:27:43.000 --> 00:27:44.759
But I'm sure I'll find a way to bring a

405
00:27:44.759 --> 00:27:49.559
little life to this undead ghoulfest next year. I am

406
00:27:49.599 --> 00:27:54.720
definitely turning off text messages and going someplace Sonny, maybe

407
00:27:54.759 --> 00:27:59.079
Disney World. I want my mouse ears. I glance at

408
00:27:59.119 --> 00:28:02.839
my watch. It's eleven forty eight, and if I'm going

409
00:28:02.880 --> 00:28:05.720
to make a move, it has to be now. I'm

410
00:28:05.759 --> 00:28:08.799
wondering how useful my new friend Anna is going to

411
00:28:08.839 --> 00:28:14.400
be in a fight, especially if things get messy. Not

412
00:28:14.519 --> 00:28:17.119
like I have a choice. There's no time to call

413
00:28:17.200 --> 00:28:21.000
back up. If I don't solve this problem quickly, then

414
00:28:21.039 --> 00:28:24.440
the world won't be around for too much longer. So

415
00:28:24.519 --> 00:28:27.160
I need a plan and kick the door down, so

416
00:28:27.319 --> 00:28:31.039
to speak, maybe really fast, to kill myself and run

417
00:28:31.079 --> 00:28:34.000
the clock out on planet Earth. I can't just pull

418
00:28:34.039 --> 00:28:37.359
a die hard and expect to survive. I have to

419
00:28:37.400 --> 00:28:40.160
think tactically and less like a video game or a

420
00:28:40.200 --> 00:28:46.119
comic book. I need a plan. B wait, light bulb

421
00:28:46.200 --> 00:28:49.000
moment here. I head over to the front desk area

422
00:28:49.039 --> 00:28:52.319
and start looking at those camera monitors. We can take

423
00:28:52.359 --> 00:28:55.839
out this asshole by going into his blind spots. Yeah,

424
00:28:55.880 --> 00:28:58.319
we're gonna get this guy, and we're gonna make goddamn

425
00:28:58.359 --> 00:29:02.240
sure he doesn't see us coming. There are two staircases

426
00:29:02.279 --> 00:29:05.119
with entrances up where Gary and his rots are, and

427
00:29:05.200 --> 00:29:08.359
only one of them is currently guarded. Looks like we

428
00:29:08.440 --> 00:29:11.319
have our blind spot. But how do we take advantage

429
00:29:11.319 --> 00:29:14.920
of it and move them away from the hostages. Well,

430
00:29:15.880 --> 00:29:19.279
maybe I can pull a die hard here. Hey Anna,

431
00:29:19.839 --> 00:29:22.119
I have a crazy idea, but I'll need your help.

432
00:29:22.720 --> 00:29:25.440
Tell me, do you have fine enough control of your

433
00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:29.319
abilities that you can super cool the air? The girl

434
00:29:29.359 --> 00:29:32.519
looked at me confused for a moment and seemed to

435
00:29:32.519 --> 00:29:37.200
think pretty hard for a second, but nodded at me. Yeah.

436
00:29:37.279 --> 00:29:39.200
It was one of the first things I learned to do.

437
00:29:40.200 --> 00:29:43.559
My parents didn't have an AC unit, so they'd ask

438
00:29:43.640 --> 00:29:46.759
me to do it, but more often than not, I'd

439
00:29:46.759 --> 00:29:52.200
freeze the house. Cute a living air conditioning unit, save

440
00:29:52.279 --> 00:29:55.480
a few bucks anywhere you can write. If she doesn't

441
00:29:55.519 --> 00:29:58.440
become a superhero, then she'll be a blast at parties

442
00:29:58.519 --> 00:30:04.920
for cold drinks. Okay, maybe this will work after all.

443
00:30:05.119 --> 00:30:07.640
Looked at the monitors again and it seemed like the

444
00:30:07.680 --> 00:30:11.759
hostages were relatively safe for the moment. The rots seemed

445
00:30:11.799 --> 00:30:13.440
to be guarding a door at the end of the

446
00:30:13.480 --> 00:30:18.480
main hallway, so likely the wreck room on the fourth floor. Unfortunately,

447
00:30:18.559 --> 00:30:21.480
that is the one camera whose feed is currently dark,

448
00:30:22.000 --> 00:30:26.359
and I couldn't see anything beyond a sea of static. Fortunately,

449
00:30:26.400 --> 00:30:28.839
the front desk had the other component of my plan

450
00:30:29.000 --> 00:30:32.720
right there, smiling at me with a large yellow sticky

451
00:30:32.759 --> 00:30:39.480
note proclaiming, do not touch the thermostat Anna. So here's

452
00:30:39.519 --> 00:30:42.359
the game plan, and I can't do it without your help.

453
00:30:42.920 --> 00:30:45.680
I'm gonna have you super cool the air in the elevator,

454
00:30:46.039 --> 00:30:52.799
and I'm gonna fuck with the thermostad Okay, why science,

455
00:30:52.880 --> 00:30:56.440
motherfucker instant fog cloud that leaves cover for me to

456
00:30:56.480 --> 00:30:59.559
go in there and play little miss badass. We're gonna

457
00:30:59.559 --> 00:31:01.359
put you in the top of the elevator where it's

458
00:31:01.440 --> 00:31:04.359
nice and safe, and you'll basically keep up the pressure

459
00:31:04.440 --> 00:31:08.079
and the cold. I could see the gears turning in

460
00:31:08.119 --> 00:31:12.079
Anna's head and it clicked temperature difference, and with someone

461
00:31:12.200 --> 00:31:15.240
constantly running the fog machine, it was a perfect way

462
00:31:15.240 --> 00:31:18.680
to get an ambush going Where will you be, Caroline,

463
00:31:19.400 --> 00:31:21.279
I'm going to be up the stairs, so when the

464
00:31:21.319 --> 00:31:24.359
attention is focused on the elevator doors opening, I can

465
00:31:24.440 --> 00:31:27.279
rush in behind them and hopefully clear the rots out

466
00:31:27.359 --> 00:31:30.839
before anyone knows what the fuck is happening. Looking at

467
00:31:30.839 --> 00:31:33.759
my watch and realizing the clock is starting to wind down,

468
00:31:34.519 --> 00:31:39.200
it's likely time to go. All right, six potential rots

469
00:31:39.240 --> 00:31:41.839
and cloaks, a dork who could talk to the dead,

470
00:31:41.880 --> 00:31:44.359
and a death god coming in hot for the New Year.

471
00:31:45.000 --> 00:31:48.200
What's not to love? I mean, realistically, this could go

472
00:31:48.359 --> 00:31:51.599
totally sideways and the earth gets plunged into a new

473
00:31:51.680 --> 00:31:54.440
dark age under a menacing death deity who hates everything

474
00:31:54.440 --> 00:31:59.720
with a pulse. Or we go upstairs, kick some supernatural

475
00:31:59.720 --> 00:32:02.160
apps and get back in time to watch the lane

476
00:32:02.160 --> 00:32:05.400
New Year's Eve shows hosted by Carson Dally or whoever

477
00:32:05.440 --> 00:32:08.079
the fuck is doing it now. If I end up

478
00:32:08.079 --> 00:32:10.880
saving the world tonight, I am getting that sandwich from

479
00:32:10.880 --> 00:32:14.880
the cafe before I leave. No matter what, I mess

480
00:32:14.920 --> 00:32:17.200
with the thermostat and set it in such a way

481
00:32:17.279 --> 00:32:21.039
that things should be downright uncomfortable upstairs. In just a

482
00:32:21.079 --> 00:32:25.440
few minutes, it's go time. Anna and I walk up

483
00:32:25.440 --> 00:32:28.319
to the elevators and I pry off the top of

484
00:32:28.319 --> 00:32:30.799
the ceiling and lift this little girl onto the top

485
00:32:30.839 --> 00:32:33.880
of the box. She makes herself as comfortable as she

486
00:32:33.960 --> 00:32:38.079
possibly can, but she looks scared shitless, and I don't

487
00:32:38.079 --> 00:32:42.000
blame her. This kid has already gone through a lot,

488
00:32:42.400 --> 00:32:44.359
and this is the kind of shit that fucks you

489
00:32:44.480 --> 00:32:48.119
up for life. Ghouls school always had a way with

490
00:32:48.519 --> 00:32:52.720
lasting memories. My scary memory was the death of Dan

491
00:32:52.799 --> 00:32:56.000
and Laurie. Anna isn't even done with her first few

492
00:32:56.000 --> 00:32:59.119
semesters here, so I can only imagine what else is

493
00:32:59.160 --> 00:33:02.559
going to happen to her. I sincerely hope she'll have

494
00:33:02.599 --> 00:33:08.559
an easier time after tonight. This is heavy and frankly apocalyptic,

495
00:33:08.599 --> 00:33:12.680
but she's holding it together. Anna, hit this with as

496
00:33:12.720 --> 00:33:15.680
much cold as you can muster. Keep pumping out the cold,

497
00:33:15.720 --> 00:33:19.359
and absolutely flood the place with fog or whatever as

498
00:33:19.400 --> 00:33:22.079
soon as the elevator doors open, and no matter what

499
00:33:22.200 --> 00:33:25.160
you hear, until I say all clear, keep it up.

500
00:33:25.880 --> 00:33:28.559
I know this is scary and probably isn't the best plan,

501
00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:33.920
but I think it's got a solid chance. Okay, Caroline,

502
00:33:33.960 --> 00:33:37.240
I got it. I won't let you down. We can

503
00:33:37.279 --> 00:33:41.960
stop Gary and help everyone, right, Yeah, I mean it's

504
00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:46.119
either that or we all die horribly. I don't think

505
00:33:46.160 --> 00:33:51.400
Anna appreciated my dark sense of humor. No, we'll be fine, kid.

506
00:33:51.839 --> 00:33:53.839
I trust you have my back, and it's not like

507
00:33:53.880 --> 00:33:57.720
I haven't faced my fair share of weird shit. I

508
00:33:57.799 --> 00:34:00.519
winked at her and hit the button for the four floor.

509
00:34:01.240 --> 00:34:04.640
The doors slid shut, and I sprinted towards the stairwell

510
00:34:04.720 --> 00:34:08.280
that led to the upper floors, trying to be as

511
00:34:08.320 --> 00:34:11.679
sneaky as I could moving up the stairs. I didn't

512
00:34:11.760 --> 00:34:16.440
exactly wear the most appropriate footwear for an operation, however,

513
00:34:16.840 --> 00:34:21.239
sensible shoes be damned. I wanted to look hot and cool.

514
00:34:22.039 --> 00:34:25.800
I also wanted to look cool. I knew this stairwell

515
00:34:25.840 --> 00:34:29.119
pretty well. I shared my first kiss with Louri in

516
00:34:29.199 --> 00:34:32.559
this place. She was so shy she trembled as I

517
00:34:32.639 --> 00:34:37.280
leaned in and kissed her. Okay, gotta get my head

518
00:34:37.320 --> 00:34:40.800
in the game. Slowly, I squeaked the door open an

519
00:34:40.840 --> 00:34:43.320
inch so that I could see into the hallway and

520
00:34:43.360 --> 00:34:48.119
assess the situation. I could see probably twelve kids, all

521
00:34:48.159 --> 00:34:51.679
aged from ten to probably close to eighteen or so,

522
00:34:52.039 --> 00:34:58.679
huddled around the doors lining the hallway like an execution line.

523
00:34:58.719 --> 00:35:02.239
This Gary was going to en execute them, and likely soon.

524
00:35:03.159 --> 00:35:06.119
I looked down at my wristwatch, and Minnie Mouse looked

525
00:35:06.159 --> 00:35:09.559
back at me and said, eleven fifty seven p m.

526
00:35:10.760 --> 00:35:14.000
The smell from the rots wafted into my nostrils and

527
00:35:14.079 --> 00:35:18.760
assaulted it hard. Death has an unmistakable scent, and I've

528
00:35:18.760 --> 00:35:21.679
been around it too many times since I became an agent,

529
00:35:22.440 --> 00:35:27.599
putrefied bodies and liquefied organs and so much worse. The

530
00:35:27.719 --> 00:35:32.079
rots didn't have much in the way of their faces left, Unfortunately,

531
00:35:32.119 --> 00:35:37.320
it was just scraps of flesh clinging to their skeletal remnants.

532
00:35:37.360 --> 00:35:40.440
The eyes were no longer human, but burning balls of

533
00:35:40.519 --> 00:35:44.639
green light that hated everything it saw before them. It

534
00:35:44.760 --> 00:35:48.920
is almost time all shall be sacrificed for the glory

535
00:35:48.960 --> 00:35:52.960
of yasue. A yell came from behind a closed door

536
00:35:53.320 --> 00:35:56.840
at the end of the hallways common room. Don't need

537
00:35:56.880 --> 00:36:02.280
to think too hard on who that was. Gary. Screams

538
00:36:02.320 --> 00:36:05.599
and yells of resistance from girls and boys, the sound

539
00:36:05.719 --> 00:36:09.239
of primal fear that death was coming, and nothing short

540
00:36:09.280 --> 00:36:17.079
of a miracle could intervene. The elevator doors opened, fourth floor,

541
00:36:17.840 --> 00:36:21.199
The air snapped cold in an instant, and ice started

542
00:36:21.239 --> 00:36:24.920
forming all over the surfaces like a blast of arctic air.

543
00:36:25.800 --> 00:36:29.679
Moisture froze and hung in the air. Even taking a

544
00:36:29.679 --> 00:36:33.639
breath hurt as my lungs started to freeze up. Anna

545
00:36:33.880 --> 00:36:37.239
was not fucking around. This girl had something to prove,

546
00:36:37.320 --> 00:36:40.480
and she wasn't going to let fear or doubt get

547
00:36:40.519 --> 00:36:43.440
in her way. She was here to save her friends.

548
00:36:44.199 --> 00:36:47.599
She was here to save me too. Throwing the door

549
00:36:47.639 --> 00:36:50.320
open like I was smashing through a brick wall, it

550
00:36:50.440 --> 00:36:53.840
was time to face down the legions of the undead.

551
00:36:54.719 --> 00:36:59.920
No real weapons, but that's perfectly fine. I am a weapon,

552
00:37:00.880 --> 00:37:03.760
reaching into that dark part of myself that comes from

553
00:37:03.760 --> 00:37:07.280
my mother's vampiric side, and letting the blood in my

554
00:37:07.440 --> 00:37:11.719
veins boil over All remnants of restraint are off. I

555
00:37:11.760 --> 00:37:14.599
am going to unleash all the hell and darkness that

556
00:37:14.760 --> 00:37:19.400
is embedded in my very essence. Vampire abilities aren't always

557
00:37:19.480 --> 00:37:23.920
the same from one to another. We get enhance strength, speed,

558
00:37:24.039 --> 00:37:29.639
and durability, but sometimes other special powers slip through. We

559
00:37:29.800 --> 00:37:33.119
can grow wings, claws that cut through a bank, vault

560
00:37:33.159 --> 00:37:37.360
and a bloodlust that rivals berserkers of ancient legend. I

561
00:37:37.400 --> 00:37:41.559
am moving so fast that time virtually stands still and

562
00:37:41.639 --> 00:37:45.800
I can fully assess the situation before me. The rots

563
00:37:45.800 --> 00:37:50.079
are absolutely caught off guard and slowly turn their deceased

564
00:37:50.119 --> 00:37:55.159
skulls towards me, too late, closing the distance between the

565
00:37:55.199 --> 00:37:59.559
stairwell door and the first rot, I strike. This abomination

566
00:37:59.639 --> 00:38:02.280
of flow, rush and bone was mine for the taking.

567
00:38:03.159 --> 00:38:07.840
I hit hard bone craters underneath my foot as I

568
00:38:07.920 --> 00:38:12.159
collapsed its chest into paste. This meat puppet explodes in

569
00:38:12.239 --> 00:38:16.039
a shower of blood and tattered bits of skin and worse,

570
00:38:16.840 --> 00:38:20.480
It flies against the next closest rot, and it knocks

571
00:38:20.519 --> 00:38:22.400
it to the floor before it can touch one of

572
00:38:22.400 --> 00:38:26.159
the hostages lined up along the hallway. The sheer force

573
00:38:26.199 --> 00:38:29.599
of the impact shattered its skull and fragmented it into

574
00:38:29.639 --> 00:38:34.119
thousands of pieces. The kids shrieked in panic, but held

575
00:38:34.159 --> 00:38:38.239
their position on the floor. Two rots down, four to go.

576
00:38:39.119 --> 00:38:43.119
Adrenaline filled my veins, and something deeper from my supernatural

577
00:38:43.199 --> 00:38:47.440
side fueled my speed. Snapping my hands at my sides,

578
00:38:47.679 --> 00:38:51.480
my vampiric claws extended from my fingers almost six inches

579
00:38:52.199 --> 00:38:55.639
supernaturally hardened and ready to take down whatever stood in

580
00:38:55.679 --> 00:38:59.400
my way. I've only used my claws a few times,

581
00:38:59.719 --> 00:39:02.079
but I I know it can cut through military speck

582
00:39:02.239 --> 00:39:05.960
armor if necessary. One of the rots slapped me across

583
00:39:06.000 --> 00:39:09.199
the face with its skeletal hand. I felt parts of

584
00:39:09.239 --> 00:39:13.159
my skin burn and tingle with the infusion of necrotic energy.

585
00:39:13.880 --> 00:39:16.679
This rot had moved just as fast as me and

586
00:39:16.800 --> 00:39:20.280
was intent on killing me, so I couldn't interfere with

587
00:39:20.360 --> 00:39:24.159
its master's plans. I wasn't prepared for the hit, and

588
00:39:24.280 --> 00:39:27.239
it stunned me. For just a moment. The taste of

589
00:39:27.320 --> 00:39:30.559
death filled my mouth. This is what the grave must

590
00:39:30.599 --> 00:39:35.639
feel like, as time itself eats your flesh. I instinctively

591
00:39:35.679 --> 00:39:38.440
grabbed at my face and the wound. I did it

592
00:39:38.480 --> 00:39:42.800
without even thinking. My vampiric ability would heal the wound shortly,

593
00:39:43.639 --> 00:39:46.440
but I could still die if I didn't get some distance.

594
00:39:47.360 --> 00:39:50.599
This was going to cost me my life. The rot

595
00:39:50.679 --> 00:39:54.079
was in my face and outreached its claws toward my throat.

596
00:39:55.000 --> 00:39:58.440
The first touch was a glancing blow. It wasn't enough

597
00:39:58.480 --> 00:40:01.880
to kill. If the other undead creature managed to fully

598
00:40:01.960 --> 00:40:04.679
grab a hold of my windpipe, that it would use

599
00:40:04.760 --> 00:40:07.679
all of its death fueled grasp to decay the very

600
00:40:07.760 --> 00:40:11.559
flesh from my body. I had no time to dodge

601
00:40:11.679 --> 00:40:14.880
or maneuver out of the way. It was way too close.

602
00:40:15.480 --> 00:40:19.320
I couldn't get enough room to swing my claws at it. Great,

603
00:40:19.760 --> 00:40:21.960
I'm going to die before I get a chance to

604
00:40:22.000 --> 00:40:26.320
even be assigned a proper field office. A high powered

605
00:40:26.360 --> 00:40:28.760
gust of polar air rushed past the side of my

606
00:40:28.880 --> 00:40:32.400
face and knocked me forward and almost flat on my ass.

607
00:40:33.119 --> 00:40:35.760
I rolled into it as best I could and tried

608
00:40:35.800 --> 00:40:39.599
to regain some semblance of control. It wasn't pretty, but

609
00:40:40.000 --> 00:40:43.880
I caught myself before I was completely prone. Anna was

610
00:40:44.000 --> 00:40:47.199
right beside me, and her face was as unreadable as

611
00:40:47.199 --> 00:40:51.360
an arctic glacier. Ice flowed from her outstretched hands in

612
00:40:51.440 --> 00:40:55.639
an ever increasing frequency and tempo. The zombie like creature

613
00:40:55.679 --> 00:40:58.280
that had wounded me was now coated in a thick,

614
00:40:58.719 --> 00:41:03.559
almost opaque of ice. Unable to move from its frozen tomb,

615
00:41:03.840 --> 00:41:07.920
the creature fell to the floor and broke apart. This

616
00:41:08.000 --> 00:41:12.079
little powerhouse was done fucking around, and something deep within

617
00:41:12.119 --> 00:41:15.800
her had awakened. Anna was ready to throw down, and

618
00:41:15.880 --> 00:41:18.840
it seemed like she was going to fully embrace her gifts.

619
00:41:19.679 --> 00:41:22.960
I'd only really met her, and something had snapped in her.

620
00:41:23.519 --> 00:41:26.639
This was one of those moments that defines us here

621
00:41:26.760 --> 00:41:30.079
at Ghoul School. You need to go. I've got this,

622
00:41:30.760 --> 00:41:34.159
the kids said, with stern authority that I certainly didn't

623
00:41:34.199 --> 00:41:37.519
expect from her. The other Rots had turned their attention

624
00:41:37.639 --> 00:41:40.920
towards Anna and seemed intent on her. A look of

625
00:41:40.960 --> 00:41:44.800
determination had set on the teenager's face. An aura of

626
00:41:44.920 --> 00:41:48.599
cold radiated off her, so intense that my eyes felt

627
00:41:48.639 --> 00:41:52.079
like they were going to freeze shut. The hallway filled

628
00:41:52.079 --> 00:41:55.360
with a blinding cloud of ice and snow, and you

629
00:41:55.400 --> 00:41:57.760
couldn't see more than a foot in front of your face.

630
00:41:58.639 --> 00:42:01.800
The kids screamed, and the run roared back in retaliation.

631
00:42:02.840 --> 00:42:08.239
I glanced at Anna, and she never stopped looking forward. Caroline,

632
00:42:08.280 --> 00:42:12.159
go stop, Gary, I'll handle this. Let me clear your path.

633
00:42:13.400 --> 00:42:15.760
This kid would be a great field agent when the

634
00:42:15.840 --> 00:42:19.960
time comes. Anna channeled whatever power she had and thrust

635
00:42:19.960 --> 00:42:23.719
her left hand forward in a dramatic gesture. The skeletal

636
00:42:23.880 --> 00:42:26.639
like rots glared back at her and began to advance

637
00:42:26.679 --> 00:42:29.920
on our position in the hallway. A glowing sphere of

638
00:42:29.960 --> 00:42:33.920
blue energy crackled out from her outstretched hand. She closed

639
00:42:33.920 --> 00:42:37.800
her eyes and a new look of concentration was on

640
00:42:37.880 --> 00:42:42.719
her face. The snowstorm in the hallway intensified and wind

641
00:42:42.760 --> 00:42:47.440
whipped around us in a wild, howling storm. Good luck, kid,

642
00:42:48.039 --> 00:42:51.119
I smiled at her and got myself ready to charge

643
00:42:51.159 --> 00:42:55.000
down the hallway. You could measure time and heartbeats for

644
00:42:55.079 --> 00:42:58.719
a moment. The four rots broke through the snowstorm and

645
00:42:58.760 --> 00:43:02.239
were right on top of us. With then seconds this

646
00:43:02.480 --> 00:43:06.719
was it. The air completely changed, and for a second

647
00:43:07.480 --> 00:43:10.039
it was as cold as the depths of outer space.

648
00:43:10.719 --> 00:43:13.440
It was like being hit in the face by liquid nitrogen.

649
00:43:13.840 --> 00:43:17.079
Cold doesn't even begin to describe it. I closed my

650
00:43:17.159 --> 00:43:23.639
eyes reflexively to protect myself. This really was it. The

651
00:43:23.679 --> 00:43:28.679
hallway was dead quiet, no one and nothing moved. I

652
00:43:28.840 --> 00:43:32.159
was perceptive of my own heartbeat, and for a second

653
00:43:32.679 --> 00:43:38.519
that was it. I was alone. No wait, there were

654
00:43:38.559 --> 00:43:42.920
more heart beats, frightened, but definitely there. I opened my

655
00:43:42.960 --> 00:43:46.159
eyes and saw the once vibrant colored hallway looking like

656
00:43:46.239 --> 00:43:50.199
the aftermath of a blizzard. I don't know what I

657
00:43:50.280 --> 00:43:53.280
expected to see when I started looking around, but I

658
00:43:53.400 --> 00:43:57.039
was pleasantly surprised. The rots were frozen in place in

659
00:43:57.079 --> 00:44:00.760
front of us. The undead creatures were completely turned into

660
00:44:00.800 --> 00:44:06.599
solid ice and utterly transmuted into something completely harmless. I

661
00:44:06.679 --> 00:44:09.880
reached out and pushed one of them. The touch burned

662
00:44:09.920 --> 00:44:13.400
my skin from the temperature difference, but they were for

663
00:44:13.519 --> 00:44:19.440
all intents and purposes dead. Whatever force of malevolence powered

664
00:44:19.480 --> 00:44:24.559
their undead forms was completely annihilated. The rots were destroyed

665
00:44:25.119 --> 00:44:30.079
and turned into ice sculptures. Right before us. Anna, a

666
00:44:30.159 --> 00:44:35.639
boy's voice called out, and it seemed almost hopeful. Then

667
00:44:35.719 --> 00:44:39.199
a few more voices called out as the snowstorm dissipated

668
00:44:39.239 --> 00:44:43.719
into a light flurry. Good. The hostages, as far as

669
00:44:43.719 --> 00:44:48.199
I can tell, are unharmed, except for maybe some frostbite.

670
00:44:48.360 --> 00:44:53.239
Anna can take care of them. We still yasu arise

671
00:44:53.400 --> 00:44:59.599
and come forth devour the unbelievers. Then blood curdling screaming,

672
00:45:00.119 --> 00:45:05.360
the snapping of bone and flesh, and something indescribable Gary.

673
00:45:06.519 --> 00:45:08.840
I didn't even have time to register that I was

674
00:45:08.880 --> 00:45:12.960
flying down the hallway at breakneck speed. My body was

675
00:45:13.039 --> 00:45:17.480
rushing forward towards a brightly decorated common room door. I

676
00:45:17.599 --> 00:45:20.599
threw my full body weight at it and crashed through

677
00:45:20.679 --> 00:45:23.679
and splintered it into pieces as it exploded from the

678
00:45:23.760 --> 00:45:27.800
force assaulting my senses is the pungent odor of death

679
00:45:27.880 --> 00:45:35.800
once again, but also cinnamon. This kid, Gary is doubled

680
00:45:35.840 --> 00:45:39.000
over in a darkened corner of the room and clutching

681
00:45:39.039 --> 00:45:43.519
his midsection. He raises his head at me and looks

682
00:45:43.559 --> 00:45:46.639
at me with pure daggers and hatred in his beady eyes.

683
00:45:47.480 --> 00:45:52.679
The Christmas sweater is drenched in an unfamiliar substance. I

684
00:45:52.719 --> 00:45:55.960
couldn't make out much of his form beyond the garish sweater,

685
00:45:56.559 --> 00:46:00.800
but what little I could see I didn't like. This

686
00:46:01.199 --> 00:46:07.320
wasn't human anymore. You dare enter Yasu's domain. The voice

687
00:46:07.480 --> 00:46:10.320
wasn't the same one I had heard in the hallway.

688
00:46:11.320 --> 00:46:15.840
This was distorted, warped. This voice wasn't the pimple faced,

689
00:46:15.880 --> 00:46:23.440
dorky teenager named Gary Ya Sue had arrived. This horrific

690
00:46:23.519 --> 00:46:27.400
blend of flesh and horror stood up to an impossible height,

691
00:46:27.719 --> 00:46:32.239
as skins sloughed off of their form, limbs extended to

692
00:46:32.280 --> 00:46:35.719
an unnatural length, and what little of Gary's face was

693
00:46:35.840 --> 00:46:40.079
left distorted into a mess of tentacles and eyeballs from

694
00:46:40.119 --> 00:46:45.159
impossible places. This was a cosmic horror given form right

695
00:46:45.199 --> 00:46:51.360
before me. Twelve a m. No time for witty banter.

696
00:46:51.840 --> 00:46:56.079
No time for a strategy, just me and them, tooth

697
00:46:56.159 --> 00:47:01.440
and claw, me and them. No, I had one more

698
00:47:01.480 --> 00:47:05.039
weapon in my back pocket, one thing my mom had

699
00:47:05.079 --> 00:47:08.320
said to me before I left for Ghoul School. It

700
00:47:08.400 --> 00:47:12.599
was also the last time I ever saw my parents. Honey,

701
00:47:13.199 --> 00:47:17.239
you're a monster, but you don't have to act like one.

702
00:47:17.320 --> 00:47:23.400
You choose what that means. Today. I chose violence. I

703
00:47:23.440 --> 00:47:27.199
am a monster, and you will remember my name. I

704
00:47:27.480 --> 00:47:31.679
do fucking dare. I flew at this hybrid of Gary

705
00:47:31.800 --> 00:47:35.800
and this avatar of the death god Yasu. I extended

706
00:47:35.800 --> 00:47:40.719
my claws once again and bared my vampire fangs. Deep inside,

707
00:47:40.760 --> 00:47:42.760
I started to let go of all that I had

708
00:47:42.840 --> 00:47:47.239
kept in check for what seemed like forever. Gifted and

709
00:47:47.320 --> 00:47:51.599
supernatural abilities and whatever else I had was being unleashed

710
00:47:51.639 --> 00:47:55.559
with this flurry of blows. I didn't have time for

711
00:47:55.599 --> 00:47:59.679
this to end any other way than Yasue dying here

712
00:47:59.760 --> 00:48:03.760
and now we got entangled and grappled with each other.

713
00:48:04.519 --> 00:48:07.559
Ya Sue was still bound by some of the limitations

714
00:48:07.599 --> 00:48:10.719
of the physical body they were inhabiting. I could use

715
00:48:10.760 --> 00:48:14.960
that to my advantage. I'm stronger, faster, and whatever this

716
00:48:15.039 --> 00:48:19.800
thing is, it hasn't fully transitioned to its full godly form.

717
00:48:20.159 --> 00:48:24.920
It's still vulnerable, and I can stop it. I have

718
00:48:25.039 --> 00:48:28.840
to stop it. Claws sunk deep into the creature, and

719
00:48:28.880 --> 00:48:32.119
it let out a cry of unnatural pain. I kept

720
00:48:32.159 --> 00:48:34.599
slashing and clawing with all that I had in me.

721
00:48:35.280 --> 00:48:38.400
Fluid of some kind started oozing out of the wounds.

722
00:48:38.840 --> 00:48:42.039
Yasu had weapons of their own, and they dug into

723
00:48:42.079 --> 00:48:46.400
me and drew blood. The wounds were deep, the burning

724
00:48:46.480 --> 00:48:50.719
pain was unbearable, but I had little choice but to

725
00:48:50.800 --> 00:48:54.960
press on with my attack. You will not stop me.

726
00:48:55.719 --> 00:48:59.719
Yasu's grave voice rattled in my ears, but it wasn't

727
00:48:59.719 --> 00:49:04.400
as brave as it was even moments before. Yasue drove

728
00:49:04.480 --> 00:49:07.719
a clawed appendage into an open wound on my chest

729
00:49:08.159 --> 00:49:11.880
and twisted it like a knife. I yelped out, but

730
00:49:11.960 --> 00:49:15.840
still kept fighting back with all I could muster. The

731
00:49:15.920 --> 00:49:19.920
death God plunged another attack into me, but made one

732
00:49:20.119 --> 00:49:24.480
vital mistake. Yasu left an opening for me to exploit

733
00:49:25.119 --> 00:49:29.239
due to Gary's body. He may be taller, but he

734
00:49:29.280 --> 00:49:32.760
didn't have my body weight. I threw all my weight

735
00:49:32.800 --> 00:49:35.559
into my next follow up hit and knocked them to

736
00:49:35.639 --> 00:49:40.440
the ground and left them momentarily stunned. They didn't think

737
00:49:40.480 --> 00:49:43.800
I had much left in the tank, and on one hand,

738
00:49:43.960 --> 00:49:48.679
they weren't wrong. I'm about to do something I never

739
00:49:49.119 --> 00:49:53.079
wanted to do. I bared my fangs to their full

740
00:49:53.199 --> 00:49:57.800
length and bit down on the befouled neck of Yasu

741
00:49:58.000 --> 00:50:01.840
and started to bite. Draining the life from someone or

742
00:50:01.960 --> 00:50:05.920
something carries a heavy price that no one talks about

743
00:50:06.320 --> 00:50:11.159
outside of vampire circles. You take not just their life essence,

744
00:50:11.239 --> 00:50:16.719
but pieces of them, memories, fears, in a short piece

745
00:50:16.760 --> 00:50:21.000
of their soul into your own. It's why a lot

746
00:50:21.000 --> 00:50:25.719
of vampires are crazy or are solitary loaners. It drives

747
00:50:25.760 --> 00:50:28.639
you mad. It takes a toll that no mortal is

748
00:50:28.679 --> 00:50:32.719
prepared to deal with. Vampires like my mom were rare.

749
00:50:33.440 --> 00:50:37.840
She retained what made her human. I kept sucking blood

750
00:50:38.199 --> 00:50:42.159
and life from this horrific creature till it stopped twitching

751
00:50:42.280 --> 00:50:46.679
under me. I felt memories of gary abuse, bullying, and

752
00:50:46.760 --> 00:50:49.159
a lonely kid who saw as powers as a curse.

753
00:50:49.880 --> 00:50:54.679
I also had memories and pulses from Yasu, worship, prowess

754
00:50:54.679 --> 00:50:58.400
from untold places that gave power, and a bloodlust unlike

755
00:50:58.480 --> 00:51:03.840
anything I had ever expect experienced after an eternity. It

756
00:51:03.960 --> 00:51:07.760
was over. Life had left the body and it started

757
00:51:07.800 --> 00:51:11.840
to decompose before me. I shakily rose to my feet

758
00:51:11.880 --> 00:51:14.679
and watched the body melt into the carpeted floor of

759
00:51:14.719 --> 00:51:18.159
the common room. Within seconds, it was a puddle of

760
00:51:18.199 --> 00:51:23.159
fluids and bits of something I couldn't identify. The taste

761
00:51:23.199 --> 00:51:26.320
of blood lingered in my mouth. I don't know what

762
00:51:26.400 --> 00:51:29.719
happened next, as the adrenaline left me and my claws

763
00:51:29.760 --> 00:51:33.639
disengaged and the energy in me dropped like a stone.

764
00:51:33.800 --> 00:51:36.599
I felt tears run down my face and all my

765
00:51:36.679 --> 00:51:39.920
emotions were all over the place. It was the resonance

766
00:51:39.920 --> 00:51:43.000
of the souls I had touched mixed with my own.

767
00:51:43.880 --> 00:51:49.239
I had absorbed something alien. I had absorbed something beyond myself.

768
00:51:49.880 --> 00:51:53.679
I had taken lives before, but not like this. There

769
00:51:53.760 --> 00:51:57.280
was no bravado in this. There was something in this

770
00:51:57.440 --> 00:52:03.079
that felt different. I am different now, and I don't

771
00:52:03.119 --> 00:52:07.400
know what that means. I have to leave, but I've

772
00:52:07.400 --> 00:52:09.440
got a check on the kids and Anna to make

773
00:52:09.480 --> 00:52:13.639
sure things are okay. Am I going to be okay?

774
00:52:13.719 --> 00:52:17.320
After all this? I could feel the edge of corruption

775
00:52:17.480 --> 00:52:20.800
from Gary and Yasu, but I pushed it down to

776
00:52:20.880 --> 00:52:23.880
the depths of my psyche to deal with at a

777
00:52:23.960 --> 00:52:27.719
later date. Still a few things to wrap up before

778
00:52:27.719 --> 00:52:32.159
I can leave, and also phone calls to make happy

779
00:52:32.239 --> 00:52:36.679
New Year. Eh. The Department of Paranormal Resources came in

780
00:52:36.760 --> 00:52:39.559
and cleaned up the mess at the school. The FED

781
00:52:39.719 --> 00:52:43.880
sent the kids home until a more secure permanent residence

782
00:52:44.000 --> 00:52:47.519
could be assured. It won't take too long, after all,

783
00:52:48.000 --> 00:52:52.000
Uncle Sam wants to keep a tight leash on his investments.

784
00:52:52.480 --> 00:52:57.119
I got chewed out by Director Carlson, but also congratulations

785
00:52:57.119 --> 00:53:00.440
on a job well done. I had managed to take

786
00:53:00.480 --> 00:53:04.320
down a significant paranormal threat without backup. I had lived

787
00:53:04.400 --> 00:53:08.239
up to the expectations of my training. I'm not sleeping

788
00:53:08.320 --> 00:53:13.639
particularly well after everything, but that's residual psychic resonance from

789
00:53:13.719 --> 00:53:17.679
Gary and Yasu. It should pass in a few more weeks.

790
00:53:18.039 --> 00:53:22.119
I hope Carlson's team gave me a pass from the psychics,

791
00:53:22.639 --> 00:53:25.840
so I guess I'm good to go. My wounds have

792
00:53:25.960 --> 00:53:29.400
mostly healed, but i'll have a scar across my face

793
00:53:29.920 --> 00:53:33.280
from where the rot touched me. I think it makes

794
00:53:33.320 --> 00:53:37.800
me sexy in a weird way. The Department has promoted

795
00:53:37.840 --> 00:53:39.840
me to a full agent and I was to begin

796
00:53:39.960 --> 00:53:42.960
my new assignment in New York State before the end

797
00:53:42.960 --> 00:53:46.679
of February. I kept in touch with Anna via text.

798
00:53:47.400 --> 00:53:50.800
She was in good spirits after the incident. The kids

799
00:53:50.840 --> 00:53:52.920
she rescued looked at her in a whole new light.

800
00:53:53.000 --> 00:53:57.519
Now they won't be calling her slush anymore. She'll need

801
00:53:57.559 --> 00:54:00.280
a cool nickname or title when she graduates out of

802
00:54:00.320 --> 00:54:03.239
the program. I hope she has a better time than

803
00:54:03.280 --> 00:54:06.639
I did when I went through it all. I attended

804
00:54:06.679 --> 00:54:11.000
Sammy's funeral, but I didn't approach his parents or his partner, Franklin.

805
00:54:11.719 --> 00:54:13.880
It was a good service, but I kept to myself

806
00:54:13.920 --> 00:54:16.760
in the back. I put my hand on his casket

807
00:54:16.800 --> 00:54:20.079
and said my goodbyes, and then left as quietly as

808
00:54:20.119 --> 00:54:25.039
I came. I'm sorry I couldn't save you, but the

809
00:54:25.159 --> 00:54:27.719
kids you helped teach will be the next strong batch

810
00:54:27.760 --> 00:54:32.440
of heroes and agents that I'll work alongside. I think

811
00:54:32.519 --> 00:54:36.280
that's a pretty powerful legacy. If Anna is any indication

812
00:54:36.400 --> 00:54:40.840
of things to come from that graduating class, I hope

813
00:54:40.840 --> 00:54:43.239
they give him a memorial like they did for Dan

814
00:54:43.360 --> 00:54:47.400
and Laurie on school grounds. Everyone who died deserves to

815
00:54:47.440 --> 00:54:51.199
be remembered for something. It'll be time to pack up

816
00:54:51.199 --> 00:54:54.079
my apartment soon and make my way to New York

817
00:54:54.159 --> 00:54:57.440
and see what happens next. I know that girl I

818
00:54:57.480 --> 00:55:00.079
was supposed to have a date with, Rhianne lives in

819
00:55:00.119 --> 00:55:02.880
New York City, so I'll call her and see if

820
00:55:02.920 --> 00:55:05.519
we can take a swing at this. The life of

821
00:55:05.559 --> 00:55:10.639
a supernaturally empowered troubleshooter isn't boring, that's for sure. And

822
00:55:10.800 --> 00:55:14.719
you know, after all of this, after facing life and

823
00:55:14.880 --> 00:55:19.519
death and consuming the blood of some creature beyond all

824
00:55:19.639 --> 00:55:23.599
human comprehension of evil, I never did get that damn

825
00:55:23.719 --> 00:55:38.760
tuna sandwich either. Hermit by Mike Man. A small yellow

826
00:55:38.800 --> 00:55:42.719
haired squirrel crept to the door of a rickety cottage

827
00:55:42.760 --> 00:55:46.800
set back in the deep, dark hollows of a wooded grove.

828
00:55:48.320 --> 00:55:52.880
Black slime covered its hind legs and blood leaked from

829
00:55:52.920 --> 00:55:57.440
the side of its mouth. The exhausted animal collapsed on

830
00:55:57.519 --> 00:56:02.760
the porch and the door opened to reveal an old woman.

831
00:56:04.280 --> 00:56:09.400
Her long gray hair reached her scrawny shoulders. Beads of

832
00:56:09.559 --> 00:56:14.400
stone and wood covered random strands, and twigs of healing

833
00:56:14.519 --> 00:56:20.079
trees were also present in her ancient locks. She looked

834
00:56:20.079 --> 00:56:25.360
down at the suffering creature. Oh, dear, no, no, this

835
00:56:25.599 --> 00:56:30.199
will not do. Her soft and rugged voice caused the

836
00:56:30.239 --> 00:56:34.480
squirrel's ears to perk up. She gently picked up the

837
00:56:34.559 --> 00:56:39.039
creature and brought it inside. She let it rest on

838
00:56:39.159 --> 00:56:43.079
a small area of a table adorned with fabrics and

839
00:56:43.159 --> 00:56:47.199
sweet smelling herbs. She set to work on something in

840
00:56:47.239 --> 00:56:51.280
the distance. A stone bull was used to hold different

841
00:56:51.400 --> 00:56:55.440
objects that were ground up until it became a fine powder.

842
00:56:56.440 --> 00:57:00.400
A small glass vial was removed from a shelf. Several

843
00:57:00.480 --> 00:57:04.960
drops of green liquid were added to the concoction. Soon

844
00:57:05.039 --> 00:57:08.320
the powder became a paste that was used to cover

845
00:57:08.400 --> 00:57:13.239
the black sludge that infected the squirrel. A day later,

846
00:57:13.760 --> 00:57:18.800
the creature was restored, leaving the cottage feeling revived and

847
00:57:18.880 --> 00:57:24.000
grateful for the gracious human who had saved it. This

848
00:57:24.239 --> 00:57:29.159
was the kindred spirit of these woods, a woman dedicated

849
00:57:29.320 --> 00:57:34.400
to the art of magic, Rooted deep in nature. She

850
00:57:34.480 --> 00:57:38.880
had practiced her ways of the ancients almost her entire life.

851
00:57:39.920 --> 00:57:43.960
The constant battle between light and dark magic had left

852
00:57:43.960 --> 00:57:49.199
a stain on her emotionally and physically. Her very soul

853
00:57:49.360 --> 00:57:53.920
could feel the living things all around her. Her sadness

854
00:57:54.000 --> 00:57:58.239
would bear tears pulled straight from her beating heart, and

855
00:57:58.320 --> 00:58:01.480
the tips of the woman's fingers held the mark of

856
00:58:01.599 --> 00:58:08.039
earlier dives into forbidden spells. Deep stains of jet black

857
00:58:08.199 --> 00:58:12.960
soaked the flesh and nails. Wisdom and knowledge graced the

858
00:58:13.000 --> 00:58:18.639
woman in scores of experience. This is perhaps why she

859
00:58:18.679 --> 00:58:23.159
would always find some animal crossing her path or stumble

860
00:58:23.280 --> 00:58:28.480
to her cottage in need and unspoken understanding that this

861
00:58:28.639 --> 00:58:34.840
old hermit was the healer in this secluded realm. The

862
00:58:34.880 --> 00:58:38.760
woman stood outside and smoked from a wooden pipe as

863
00:58:38.800 --> 00:58:42.239
she watched the animal venture off back into the woods.

864
00:58:43.199 --> 00:58:47.079
She stood for a while, wondering what would have caused

865
00:58:47.119 --> 00:58:52.079
such an ailment. Something sparked within her mind. As she pondered,

866
00:58:53.159 --> 00:58:57.320
she walked back inside and rummaged through a bookshelf until

867
00:58:57.360 --> 00:59:02.320
the proper tomb was found. A thick book housed in

868
00:59:02.360 --> 00:59:06.079
a black leather cover a red scar on the front,

869
00:59:06.400 --> 00:59:10.519
made up of signs from a forgotten age. She opened

870
00:59:10.559 --> 00:59:13.960
it and flipped through the pages before landing on one

871
00:59:14.039 --> 00:59:20.320
with an illustration of tar like creatures, monsters of various sizes,

872
00:59:20.639 --> 00:59:25.880
composed of dark splotches, bright eyes, and teeth that one

873
00:59:25.880 --> 00:59:28.920
would pray never to be the victim of a gnarly bite.

874
00:59:30.400 --> 00:59:36.519
She clicked her teeth and exhaled deeply. Now it's way

875
00:59:36.559 --> 00:59:41.440
too soon. Her heart felt heavy, and worry took over her.

876
00:59:42.519 --> 00:59:46.800
She scrambled to a storage box and began digging through it.

877
00:59:47.960 --> 00:59:53.159
Where did I Her sentence went unfinished as she continued

878
00:59:53.159 --> 00:59:57.840
her search. Finally she found what she had been looking for,

879
00:59:58.960 --> 01:00:02.360
a small piece of of amber attached to a thick

880
01:00:02.440 --> 01:00:06.679
strand of leather, a relic from one of her adventures

881
01:00:07.320 --> 01:00:12.559
long ago. The item came with a tragic story and

882
01:00:12.639 --> 01:00:17.760
a deep, jagged scar that remained hidden underneath her cloak.

883
01:00:19.239 --> 01:00:22.800
Countless sagas such as this had left her body frail

884
01:00:22.880 --> 01:00:26.639
and worn, but she never ceased to uphold her duty

885
01:00:27.119 --> 01:00:30.719
as it was given to her by the old gods.

886
01:00:31.480 --> 01:00:35.039
She had no time to reminisce on her past excursions

887
01:00:35.079 --> 01:00:38.000
at the moment, as she went back to her book,

888
01:00:38.639 --> 01:00:44.119
scanning more pages. As she flipped through them, something bothered

889
01:00:44.159 --> 01:00:49.880
her and she had to get answers. After some time passed,

890
01:00:50.280 --> 01:00:53.880
the old woman closed the book and headed out the door.

891
01:00:55.159 --> 01:01:00.880
She grabbed her decorative walking stick and trampled towards the woods.

892
01:01:00.920 --> 01:01:04.960
Something was off balance in her sanctuary, and the evidence

893
01:01:05.079 --> 01:01:08.400
was present with the arrival of the poor creature who

894
01:01:08.480 --> 01:01:14.039
desperately needed her help. The trip to her destination would

895
01:01:14.039 --> 01:01:20.400
not take long. She spied several peculiarities as she walked.

896
01:01:21.199 --> 01:01:25.559
Deep scratches on tree bark that left green goo oozing

897
01:01:25.719 --> 01:01:30.159
from the gashes, trampled flowers that appeared to be sucked

898
01:01:30.280 --> 01:01:34.960
dry of their chlorophyll. Periodically she would find tracks left

899
01:01:35.000 --> 01:01:39.159
behind by creatures she had not encountered, or at least

900
01:01:39.239 --> 01:01:44.079
not in her ninety five years of living in these woods.

901
01:01:44.840 --> 01:01:47.960
Although she was one hundred and twenty years old, she

902
01:01:48.119 --> 01:01:52.199
felt like she was sixty. With all that time, she

903
01:01:52.239 --> 01:01:59.039
had seen many things and experienced even more, encountered strange creatures,

904
01:01:59.079 --> 01:02:03.079
helped many and even had written books documenting all of

905
01:02:03.119 --> 01:02:06.960
her discoveries. But the sites she had witnessed during this

906
01:02:07.159 --> 01:02:13.400
walk were new. However, the old leather bound book passed

907
01:02:13.440 --> 01:02:17.480
down to her by her predecessor had details of things

908
01:02:17.519 --> 01:02:22.199
to come in the future. These new sites were connected

909
01:02:22.199 --> 01:02:26.440
to what she viewed in its pages. The black sludge

910
01:02:26.519 --> 01:02:29.519
found on the squirrel had been part of one of

911
01:02:29.599 --> 01:02:35.920
those countless premonitions in that ancient book. The woods seemed

912
01:02:35.920 --> 01:02:40.639
to be too quiet, leaving a dreadful stillness in the air.

913
01:02:41.920 --> 01:02:46.800
The woman felt uneasy, but had to continue. She knew

914
01:02:46.800 --> 01:02:50.320
where she was going and peered at the markers indicating

915
01:02:50.719 --> 01:02:54.599
she was on the right path. Gliding her hand across

916
01:02:54.679 --> 01:02:59.559
lavarice bushes and admiring the multitude of trees, she embraced

917
01:02:59.599 --> 01:03:03.119
the warmth of the twin suns behind her and the

918
01:03:03.159 --> 01:03:08.000
softness of the blue grass below. Her sanctuary had the

919
01:03:08.039 --> 01:03:13.079
grandest sights within the whole of Manriath. The woman couldn't

920
01:03:13.119 --> 01:03:17.599
be happier with her life and where she was, but

921
01:03:17.800 --> 01:03:21.199
something was wrong with the balance of nature, and what

922
01:03:21.360 --> 01:03:25.920
she found in her book sent depression down into her soul.

923
01:03:27.599 --> 01:03:31.880
That contentment and joy was being threatened by something, and

924
01:03:31.960 --> 01:03:36.719
she vowed to find it and stop it. This was

925
01:03:36.800 --> 01:03:41.800
her land and she must protect it. Discovering the answer

926
01:03:41.840 --> 01:03:46.079
to her question was the sole purpose of this current adventure.

927
01:03:47.480 --> 01:03:50.960
She made it to a clearing and began seeing puddles

928
01:03:51.000 --> 01:03:55.000
of thick black echore, as if it had fallen from

929
01:03:55.039 --> 01:03:59.880
the sky, ripped stalks of red fungi that dwelled within.

930
01:04:00.000 --> 01:04:04.960
When the ebony goo were present. Pock Marks littered the ground,

931
01:04:05.559 --> 01:04:10.440
showing many things scrambling about digging claws into the dirt.

932
01:04:12.079 --> 01:04:15.559
A smell of decay mixed with copper was in the air,

933
01:04:16.280 --> 01:04:23.440
accompanied by a sting of something unfamiliar. Her steps continued forward,

934
01:04:23.880 --> 01:04:29.800
and she finally reached her destination. Upon arrival, the sight

935
01:04:29.960 --> 01:04:34.519
before her struck her heart. The woman fell to her

936
01:04:34.599 --> 01:04:40.440
knees and began to weep. It can't be, she wailed.

937
01:04:40.920 --> 01:04:45.280
Crimson tears fell from her eyes that landed on the

938
01:04:45.360 --> 01:04:52.199
desecrated ground. A large tree had been decimated, A cavernous

939
01:04:52.280 --> 01:04:56.320
hole was at its center, ridged edges that had crusted.

940
01:04:56.440 --> 01:05:00.880
Fluorescent flakes near more of those intimidating so scratch marks.

941
01:05:01.920 --> 01:05:05.880
Streams of countless liquids had run out and dried from

942
01:05:05.880 --> 01:05:11.440
inside this beauty of nature. No leaves present, and the

943
01:05:11.480 --> 01:05:17.400
thing had the appearance of being torched. Coal encased the

944
01:05:17.440 --> 01:05:22.000
form a sure sign of life. A circle of once

945
01:05:22.119 --> 01:05:27.320
luscious blue grass was tarnished and burned. Dried remnants of

946
01:05:27.480 --> 01:05:31.519
sick fluid surrounded the dead tree in a circle, and

947
01:05:31.639 --> 01:05:37.079
the skeletal remains of many creatures settled in it. Death

948
01:05:37.679 --> 01:05:44.960
had taken this very spot, something dark and cruel. The

949
01:05:45.039 --> 01:05:49.840
woman gripped her broken heart, struggling to regain her once

950
01:05:50.039 --> 01:05:55.440
calm posture. She rose to her feet, wiping her tears

951
01:05:55.480 --> 01:06:00.320
and regaining her composure. She pulled out the amber to

952
01:06:00.440 --> 01:06:05.599
examine the gruesome scene. Through the mystical item, she could

953
01:06:05.639 --> 01:06:10.519
see trails of colorful auras left behind from something that

954
01:06:10.559 --> 01:06:14.639
had burst from the tree, faint blue with a fading

955
01:06:14.719 --> 01:06:19.000
haze of orange that rose like steam to reveal multiple

956
01:06:19.119 --> 01:06:24.719
paths of assorted sized creatures, almost like a shadow that

957
01:06:24.920 --> 01:06:28.320
stretched in the directions of these things and where they

958
01:06:28.400 --> 01:06:33.039
ran off to countless claws and feet that shot out

959
01:06:33.079 --> 01:06:37.360
in different directions, all making their way towards the woods.

960
01:06:39.079 --> 01:06:44.840
It started decades before it should, the old woman muttered

961
01:06:44.840 --> 01:06:49.000
to herself. She placed a hand on the corpse still

962
01:06:49.039 --> 01:06:54.960
planted in the ground. Black stained fingertips traced emptied veins

963
01:06:55.519 --> 01:07:00.519
on the scorched wood. A sniffle, and one side military

964
01:07:00.719 --> 01:07:07.119
red tear fell from a weary eye. My heart shatters

965
01:07:07.159 --> 01:07:12.960
for thee great protector. She turned and began to walk

966
01:07:13.079 --> 01:07:18.320
back from which she came. Preparations had to be made,

967
01:07:18.800 --> 01:07:23.360
Help must be found to stop what comes next. The

968
01:07:23.400 --> 01:07:33.280
woman walked and mumbled one word continuously under her breath. Magaladish, Magaladish.

969
01:07:34.400 --> 01:07:38.360
The word burned her tongue, and electricity sparked in her

970
01:07:38.440 --> 01:07:44.079
lungs as she uttered the moniker of something terrible, the

971
01:07:44.119 --> 01:07:49.159
culprit to the murder at the clearing. Back at the cabin,

972
01:07:49.639 --> 01:07:55.239
the old woman filled a bag with supplies, food, potions,

973
01:07:55.639 --> 01:07:59.480
and other items she may need. She set off to

974
01:07:59.599 --> 01:08:04.079
find some form of civilization in order to help combat

975
01:08:04.159 --> 01:08:10.159
the approaching doom that would soon come. Walking stick in hand,

976
01:08:10.760 --> 01:08:15.400
she set off on another long trek. Hope filled her

977
01:08:15.800 --> 01:08:19.439
and it pushed back the pain and fear. For the

978
01:08:19.520 --> 01:08:24.800
time being, Surely she could find a small group willing

979
01:08:24.880 --> 01:08:29.199
to volunteer in her quest. Time would tell if her

980
01:08:29.239 --> 01:08:35.439
efforts bore any fruit. For days of walking had exhausted

981
01:08:35.479 --> 01:08:38.920
her resources of nourishment, and the woman had sought the

982
01:08:38.960 --> 01:08:45.079
provisions given by nature, vegetarian diet of fruits and berries,

983
01:08:45.720 --> 01:08:51.520
water given from the sparkling creeks. Animals passed by, some

984
01:08:51.720 --> 01:08:56.039
delighted with her presence, others rabid with an ominous gleam

985
01:08:56.159 --> 01:09:00.800
in their eye. The toxic black substance caked in the

986
01:09:00.840 --> 01:09:05.800
fur and feathers of innocent creatures. An infection was spreading

987
01:09:05.840 --> 01:09:09.880
within the realm of the animal kingdom. She tried to aid,

988
01:09:10.039 --> 01:09:15.319
but it was too late. They scurried away or showed

989
01:09:15.359 --> 01:09:19.119
their teeth. By day five, she had to ward off

990
01:09:19.239 --> 01:09:25.520
many sick creatures. One ended with execution. She cried for

991
01:09:25.680 --> 01:09:29.800
ending its life, but it was either her or the animal.

992
01:09:31.119 --> 01:09:34.600
Seeing that people may not believe her, she removed the

993
01:09:34.640 --> 01:09:38.279
head of an infected loness hound and placed it in

994
01:09:38.359 --> 01:09:43.079
her bag. Proof of the sickness that was growing like cancer.

995
01:09:44.199 --> 01:09:47.680
The infected red spots present in the dead animal's eyes.

996
01:09:48.720 --> 01:09:52.199
The black ichor had replaced any trace of its original

997
01:09:52.239 --> 01:09:57.119
fluid of blood. The task was ghastly, and a piece

998
01:09:57.159 --> 01:10:01.920
of her humanity left when the act was being The

999
01:10:02.000 --> 01:10:07.119
longer time passed, the heavier her heart felt, sinking deep

1000
01:10:07.680 --> 01:10:14.039
with the stain of regret and sadness. Soon her nights

1001
01:10:14.079 --> 01:10:18.640
were spent peering back into the eyes of something horrid.

1002
01:10:19.239 --> 01:10:23.920
Inky silhouettes with glowing pupils a stench of rotting meat

1003
01:10:24.199 --> 01:10:27.960
surrounded her when they stalked the area where she camped,

1004
01:10:29.079 --> 01:10:33.159
clicking of jagged teeth and screams that sent other creatures

1005
01:10:33.239 --> 01:10:38.359
fleeing in fear. The old woman kept the fire hot

1006
01:10:38.399 --> 01:10:43.039
and bright in hopes it would ward off the monsters.

1007
01:10:43.079 --> 01:10:47.199
It did for the most part, and she remained unharmed.

1008
01:10:48.359 --> 01:10:52.399
For added security, a small pouch of red albine salt

1009
01:10:52.680 --> 01:10:56.760
was used to create a protective circle around her quarters.

1010
01:10:57.640 --> 01:11:01.319
A few twigs laid out in specific lines sigils, but

1011
01:11:01.479 --> 01:11:05.039
this did not ease her terror, and one morning she

1012
01:11:05.159 --> 01:11:09.640
woke to find evidence of the things scrounging her camp site.

1013
01:11:10.720 --> 01:11:14.760
The salt circle had been broken, and the gnawed twigs

1014
01:11:14.800 --> 01:11:19.039
were accompanied by a pile of maggot filled excrement near

1015
01:11:19.159 --> 01:11:24.960
the now extinguished fire. She was being stalked, and yet

1016
01:11:25.439 --> 01:11:30.000
the culprits had not killed her. She wondered if she

1017
01:11:30.079 --> 01:11:34.439
was being toyed with Luck fell in her direction by

1018
01:11:34.520 --> 01:11:38.079
day seven, when she came upon a thick forest filled

1019
01:11:38.079 --> 01:11:42.159
with baroctin trees, A glimmer of hope began to burn

1020
01:11:42.279 --> 01:11:46.439
inside of her nerves tensed up, and her stomach filled

1021
01:11:46.479 --> 01:11:51.960
with butterflies when she spotted structures beyond the trees. Cabins

1022
01:11:52.000 --> 01:11:57.960
scattered throughout the area, and eventually people could be seen,

1023
01:11:58.079 --> 01:12:02.319
some tending to small patches of crops, others working on

1024
01:12:02.359 --> 01:12:06.399
the very walls of their homes. She heard the sound

1025
01:12:06.439 --> 01:12:11.039
of children, then soon saw a line of three chasing

1026
01:12:11.079 --> 01:12:16.239
one another. She had found a village and hopefully some

1027
01:12:16.319 --> 01:12:21.239
of its inhabitants would listen to her plea. She knew

1028
01:12:21.399 --> 01:12:24.279
time was of the essence, so things needed to be

1029
01:12:24.479 --> 01:12:29.600
done in haste. Emerging from the trees, she jogged towards

1030
01:12:29.640 --> 01:12:34.159
the first person she saw and stopped them. Please, sir,

1031
01:12:34.680 --> 01:12:38.039
you must help me. The man pulled away and gave

1032
01:12:38.079 --> 01:12:42.520
her a look of confusion and annoyance. He gazed at

1033
01:12:42.560 --> 01:12:47.279
her and spit. The man turned and walked away without

1034
01:12:47.279 --> 01:12:51.439
a word. She attempted this multiple times with almost the

1035
01:12:51.520 --> 01:12:55.119
same reaction. She made her way through the place, and

1036
01:12:55.159 --> 01:12:59.520
with frustration bubbling up, she began to yell, addressing everyone

1037
01:12:59.560 --> 01:13:03.560
around her, I beg of you, please help me. Her

1038
01:13:03.560 --> 01:13:08.119
eyes began to water and her stomach churned. The eyes

1039
01:13:08.159 --> 01:13:12.359
of the people all pointed in her direction. She continued

1040
01:13:12.399 --> 01:13:18.199
her case, and all that she received were stars. Omnivera

1041
01:13:18.279 --> 01:13:21.399
At has fallen, the great protector of our land. The

1042
01:13:21.479 --> 01:13:26.640
ancient tree has been decimated. Darkness and death approach all

1043
01:13:27.000 --> 01:13:32.479
in monorath. Her words fell upon ignorant ears, and she

1044
01:13:32.640 --> 01:13:36.000
hoped her proof of the coming doom would show she

1045
01:13:36.279 --> 01:13:41.119
wasn't crazy. She held up the sack with the infected houndshead.

1046
01:13:41.479 --> 01:13:45.159
Black liquid seeped from a corner and dripped toward the ground.

1047
01:13:46.359 --> 01:13:50.680
The lands have been tainted, along with the animals. The

1048
01:13:50.760 --> 01:13:55.439
Malakdiche have returned to reclaim this world. They must be stopped.

1049
01:13:56.239 --> 01:14:00.199
Her throat began to ache from shouting. She told of

1050
01:14:00.239 --> 01:14:03.119
what she saw in the book, the return of the

1051
01:14:03.119 --> 01:14:07.079
demons who were once locked within the tree, the death

1052
01:14:07.359 --> 01:14:11.520
and destruction that followed their release. She warned them of

1053
01:14:11.600 --> 01:14:16.279
all the catastrophic events that would soon take place. Some

1054
01:14:16.479 --> 01:14:21.640
called her crazy, while others backed away. Many scoffed at

1055
01:14:21.640 --> 01:14:24.319
her warning of the day when the twin Suns would

1056
01:14:24.319 --> 01:14:29.920
burn away, leaving Monrath in darkness and allowing Maghladish to

1057
01:14:30.079 --> 01:14:34.359
murder and consume all who lived. Her body grew weak,

1058
01:14:34.760 --> 01:14:36.920
and she fell to her knees in front of a

1059
01:14:37.000 --> 01:14:41.359
large man dressed in black. She begged for help, but

1060
01:14:41.520 --> 01:14:46.479
the man gave a blank expression, and with no warning,

1061
01:14:47.399 --> 01:14:51.359
he attacked her, pummeling her worn face with his fist.

1062
01:14:52.239 --> 01:14:55.840
The pain shot through her entire body as blood flew

1063
01:14:55.960 --> 01:15:00.000
from her mouth and nose. Continuous strikes from the steel

1064
01:15:00.319 --> 01:15:04.920
like fist berated her face. The act was viewed by

1065
01:15:04.960 --> 01:15:09.880
the entire crowd. None appraised it, but no one stopped

1066
01:15:09.880 --> 01:15:13.960
it either. Soon the poor woman fell unconscious from the

1067
01:15:14.000 --> 01:15:23.520
beating with a painful gasp for air. The woman woke up.

1068
01:15:24.159 --> 01:15:28.239
Lightning bolts of agony pierced her skull as she attempted

1069
01:15:28.600 --> 01:15:33.439
to open her eyes. One was swollen and no visibility

1070
01:15:33.560 --> 01:15:38.279
came from it. She couldn't move. There was a struggle

1071
01:15:38.760 --> 01:15:42.560
until the sensation of thick ropes around her arms and

1072
01:15:42.640 --> 01:15:49.079
legs gave her the realization of her situation. Something stiff

1073
01:15:49.560 --> 01:15:53.960
pushed against her back. She looked up to view the

1074
01:15:54.039 --> 01:15:59.319
night sky, shades of purple mixing with a stream of yellow.

1075
01:16:00.439 --> 01:16:05.079
The stars burned brightly, and at that moment she wished

1076
01:16:05.079 --> 01:16:08.920
to be up there. She looked downwards to see the

1077
01:16:08.960 --> 01:16:13.720
people of this village were all present. Looks of disgust

1078
01:16:13.840 --> 01:16:16.800
and pity were shown by the light of the fire

1079
01:16:17.319 --> 01:16:22.239
that illuminated their faces. She heard footsteps near her, and

1080
01:16:22.359 --> 01:16:26.920
the man dressed in black appeared. He spoke to the crowd,

1081
01:16:27.600 --> 01:16:30.840
giving a speech that ultimately painted her as a wicked,

1082
01:16:31.239 --> 01:16:36.800
evil thing. He called her defiling names and claimed her

1083
01:16:36.840 --> 01:16:40.159
to be associated with a name The woman had never

1084
01:16:40.239 --> 01:16:46.000
heard of satan. The man scared her, and when she

1085
01:16:46.079 --> 01:16:49.479
begged to be set free, he threw his fist into

1086
01:16:49.520 --> 01:16:53.920
her face. She felt a crunch and something hard shot

1087
01:16:54.000 --> 01:16:57.479
out of her mouth. The old woman wept as she

1088
01:16:57.640 --> 01:17:01.960
felt a hole where a tooth one was. Her heart

1089
01:17:02.000 --> 01:17:05.960
thumped hard against her chest. When she witnessed another man

1090
01:17:06.079 --> 01:17:11.560
approach with a wooden cart full of stones, the man

1091
01:17:11.640 --> 01:17:16.000
in black spoke again and let it be known that

1092
01:17:16.119 --> 01:17:21.960
she would die tonight, death by stoning, for accusations of

1093
01:17:22.039 --> 01:17:28.159
sacrilege and blasphemy. All the woman wanted was help, and

1094
01:17:28.239 --> 01:17:33.000
she was given assault for her efforts. Someone from the

1095
01:17:33.079 --> 01:17:37.239
crowd walked towards the leader who had pronounced the woman's execution.

1096
01:17:38.600 --> 01:17:43.199
The words were hushed, but she could make them out. Pastor,

1097
01:17:43.560 --> 01:17:47.239
I think this is wrong. She hasn't done anything. She's

1098
01:17:47.479 --> 01:17:52.199
just a crazy old woman. The words did not please

1099
01:17:52.279 --> 01:17:56.960
the man in black, because shortly after he attacked the person,

1100
01:17:57.760 --> 01:18:00.960
a large club was used to bash the person's skull.

1101
01:18:01.760 --> 01:18:05.039
The poor soul begged for their life, but it did

1102
01:18:05.119 --> 01:18:09.159
no good, and the final blow ended their life with

1103
01:18:09.239 --> 01:18:13.600
a sickening crunch. A threat was given to the crowd

1104
01:18:13.680 --> 01:18:17.520
for anyone else that wanted to interfere with the execution.

1105
01:18:18.680 --> 01:18:22.439
No one spoke, and he walked a few paces back.

1106
01:18:24.159 --> 01:18:27.680
This is when an avalanche of pain came crashing down

1107
01:18:28.359 --> 01:18:33.079
on the poor old woman. Every single person grabbed a

1108
01:18:33.119 --> 01:18:37.439
stone and threw them at her, some hitting her torso,

1109
01:18:37.880 --> 01:18:42.600
but most landed against her face. Her ears began to

1110
01:18:42.680 --> 01:18:46.319
wring from the shots that pelted her. One caught her

1111
01:18:46.359 --> 01:18:50.840
good eye and destroyed the orb. All was black, but

1112
01:18:50.880 --> 01:18:57.520
the pain continued, followed by her cries. Blood poured from

1113
01:18:57.520 --> 01:19:02.000
her eyes, mouth, and nose. The event lasted for minutes,

1114
01:19:02.479 --> 01:19:07.039
but for the woman it felt like an eternity. A

1115
01:19:07.119 --> 01:19:12.600
loud crack reverberated inside of her head, and eventually she

1116
01:19:12.720 --> 01:19:18.640
died from this horrific display of hate. When her heart

1117
01:19:18.800 --> 01:19:22.680
stopped and no breath drew from her lungs, she was

1118
01:19:22.720 --> 01:19:27.039
cut down. Her battered corpse landed with a thud on

1119
01:19:27.119 --> 01:19:32.439
the blood stained ground. The crowd dispersed. A few individuals

1120
01:19:32.479 --> 01:19:35.720
were ordered to bring her body inside the building that

1121
01:19:35.920 --> 01:19:39.960
was set behind her. Later in the night, the man

1122
01:19:40.039 --> 01:19:43.279
in black dragged the old woman's body down a declining

1123
01:19:43.359 --> 01:19:47.600
set of stairs. His hand gripped her ankle while her

1124
01:19:47.640 --> 01:19:53.039
head slammed against each step. Loud sounds of bone cracking

1125
01:19:53.399 --> 01:19:57.720
and soft tissue expelling out of newly formed holes bounced

1126
01:19:57.720 --> 01:20:02.920
off the stone walls. A disgusting trail of coagulated blood

1127
01:20:03.000 --> 01:20:07.439
and brain matter leaked from her destroyed head and smeared

1128
01:20:07.479 --> 01:20:12.239
across each step. The sounds continued until the man reached

1129
01:20:12.279 --> 01:20:17.279
the last step, leading to a long hallway lit up

1130
01:20:17.640 --> 01:20:23.359
with torches. After passing many hallways and cells, the man

1131
01:20:23.520 --> 01:20:28.800
brought the body to a special room filled with different tables, tools,

1132
01:20:29.439 --> 01:20:33.640
and a single chair. A large metal goblet sat on

1133
01:20:33.720 --> 01:20:36.920
the seat of the ornate chair. A single stream of

1134
01:20:37.039 --> 01:20:41.840
red pulled inside and gleamed from the light. In a

1135
01:20:41.880 --> 01:20:45.279
slight effort of will and strength, the man slung the

1136
01:20:45.359 --> 01:20:49.640
battered corpse onto a table. A few metal items fell

1137
01:20:49.720 --> 01:20:53.199
and landed on the floor. He knelt down to pick

1138
01:20:53.239 --> 01:20:56.319
them up, along with the sack he had taken from

1139
01:20:56.359 --> 01:20:59.880
the dead woman. He had also kept her walking so

1140
01:21:00.800 --> 01:21:05.079
as a souvenir. The man opened the sack and removed

1141
01:21:05.119 --> 01:21:08.079
the diseased head of the animal the old woman had

1142
01:21:08.119 --> 01:21:12.680
taken for proof of her discoveries. He set it next

1143
01:21:12.720 --> 01:21:17.039
to the metal tools and set to work a whistling

1144
01:21:17.159 --> 01:21:20.680
tune filled the air as the man removed flesh and

1145
01:21:20.840 --> 01:21:25.159
muscle from the neck of the woman. Once that was finished,

1146
01:21:25.199 --> 01:21:29.119
he gripped her spinal column with both hands and broke it.

1147
01:21:30.279 --> 01:21:35.000
The effort was slightly easier than his usual victims, no

1148
01:21:35.159 --> 01:21:39.039
doubt from the age of her body. He held the

1149
01:21:39.079 --> 01:21:43.680
woman's head to his and kissed the now blackened lips.

1150
01:21:44.640 --> 01:21:49.279
A kiss turned into a bite, and eventually his teeth

1151
01:21:49.640 --> 01:21:53.319
removed the two lumps of flesh and began to chew

1152
01:21:53.359 --> 01:22:00.279
on them. Woman, your lips taste awful, he spoke, before

1153
01:22:00.399 --> 01:22:05.119
spitting towards the floor. The whistling returned as the man

1154
01:22:05.279 --> 01:22:10.760
tossed one decapitated head and gripped another with a needle

1155
01:22:10.880 --> 01:22:15.079
and thread. A new head was sown onto the woman's body.

1156
01:22:16.359 --> 01:22:20.159
Black slime oozed from the nose of the hound and

1157
01:22:20.359 --> 01:22:25.960
dripped onto the man's hand. He finished his work, then

1158
01:22:26.119 --> 01:22:29.760
drew his attention to the substance. He sniffed it and

1159
01:22:29.920 --> 01:22:34.159
gagged at the stench of something foul. Although the man

1160
01:22:34.239 --> 01:22:38.640
wiped the sticky fluid on his trousers, a stain remained

1161
01:22:38.720 --> 01:22:43.239
on his skin. It began to burn, and veins of

1162
01:22:43.319 --> 01:22:48.279
purple slowly expanded around it. Panic took over him as

1163
01:22:48.319 --> 01:22:52.399
he watched the area grow faster and faster, until his

1164
01:22:52.640 --> 01:22:58.279
entire arm was covered. The sensation of searing flesh covered

1165
01:22:58.279 --> 01:23:02.760
his entire body. Within second, the infection was spreading and

1166
01:23:02.880 --> 01:23:07.840
made its way into his eyes. Ice cold streams of

1167
01:23:07.920 --> 01:23:11.880
tears flooded out of the sides of his eyes. Stinging

1168
01:23:12.000 --> 01:23:16.680
sensations nipped at his internal organs. His body shook, and

1169
01:23:16.840 --> 01:23:22.399
yellow sweat expelled from every pore. The man's mind emptied

1170
01:23:22.479 --> 01:23:28.239
until all that remained was an urge to eat. His

1171
01:23:28.399 --> 01:23:32.319
reddened vision spied the new form on the table, and

1172
01:23:32.439 --> 01:23:38.359
he viciously gnawed at it. Wrinkled flesh and spoiled fluids

1173
01:23:38.760 --> 01:23:43.439
filled his mouth. Wet slopping and crunching echoed within the

1174
01:23:43.479 --> 01:23:47.520
walls of the room. The frenzy of hunger consumed every

1175
01:23:47.600 --> 01:23:51.399
ounce of the man's attention until a sound came from

1176
01:23:51.520 --> 01:23:56.239
far off in the distance. A voice resonated in the

1177
01:23:56.319 --> 01:24:02.520
mutated ears of the thing that was once human. Pastor Caine,

1178
01:24:02.760 --> 01:24:06.199
are you down here? The voice came from the door

1179
01:24:06.319 --> 01:24:11.960
that led down to his dungeon. The voice returned, and

1180
01:24:12.000 --> 01:24:17.720
the feasting stopped. The thing dressed in black walked toward

1181
01:24:17.760 --> 01:24:32.920
the sound its stomach gurgling with intense hunger. Fool's Hill

1182
01:24:33.720 --> 01:24:40.239
by Bruce Haney from a Missing An Oregon sub forum

1183
01:24:40.279 --> 01:24:43.680
of the Lost but Never Forgotten for him, subject line

1184
01:24:44.159 --> 01:24:49.199
I solved my Uncle's disappearance. Hey guys, longtime reader, first

1185
01:24:49.279 --> 01:24:52.920
time posting. I'm not an Internet sleuth per se, but

1186
01:24:53.039 --> 01:24:56.720
I did solve my uncle's disappearance. My name is Brenda,

1187
01:24:57.000 --> 01:24:59.760
and my uncle was a small time folklore author who

1188
01:24:59.760 --> 01:25:03.359
wrote under the name R. H. Thurston. You might have

1189
01:25:03.439 --> 01:25:06.399
heard of him, maybe because of his writing, but most

1190
01:25:06.520 --> 01:25:10.680
likely because he went missing some time ago. I wanted

1191
01:25:10.680 --> 01:25:12.800
to share the last thing he wrote for a couple

1192
01:25:12.840 --> 01:25:16.920
of reasons. One so people understand how he went missing.

1193
01:25:17.520 --> 01:25:20.800
It's a bit of a cautionary tale. Two so his

1194
01:25:20.960 --> 01:25:23.520
fans can read it. I think he had fans anyway.

1195
01:25:24.000 --> 01:25:26.119
At the time of his disappearance, he was calling this

1196
01:25:26.279 --> 01:25:30.279
piece Fool's Hill. I received what he had written of

1197
01:25:30.319 --> 01:25:34.279
it in an email after he went missing, so here

1198
01:25:34.319 --> 01:25:37.680
it is. Afterward, I'll explain how I solved this one

1199
01:25:37.760 --> 01:25:47.159
hundred year plus Oregon mystery. Fool's Hill by R. H. Thurston. You,

1200
01:25:47.359 --> 01:25:50.960
my friend, are on top of fool's hill heading down

1201
01:25:51.000 --> 01:25:54.119
the wrong side. That was a phrase that an old

1202
01:25:54.199 --> 01:25:57.479
man told me when I was only halfway through the journey.

1203
01:25:57.920 --> 01:26:01.479
That got me into my current predication. How right he

1204
01:26:01.560 --> 01:26:05.159
had been, And that was probably the last moment that

1205
01:26:05.199 --> 01:26:08.039
I could have stopped and changed my course and gone

1206
01:26:08.079 --> 01:26:12.800
back up that figurative hill, back to my normal, boring life.

1207
01:26:13.760 --> 01:26:17.000
I should start at the beginning. But where is the beginning?

1208
01:26:17.840 --> 01:26:20.119
What was that first piece of folklore that I got

1209
01:26:20.119 --> 01:26:25.079
obsessed with? Was it Bloody Mary? I loved how everybody

1210
01:26:25.119 --> 01:26:28.000
had their own version of that tale. For some you

1211
01:26:28.199 --> 01:26:31.640
just recited Bloody Mary three times in the mirror, while

1212
01:26:31.720 --> 01:26:34.760
others had the crueler version of the myth and would

1213
01:26:34.760 --> 01:26:39.079
have you repeat Bloody Mary, I got your baby. When

1214
01:26:39.119 --> 01:26:41.279
I was a boy, my older sister told me that

1215
01:26:41.319 --> 01:26:45.199
Bloody Mary had died in a car accident while pregnant

1216
01:26:45.359 --> 01:26:49.600
on Prom night. How many legends take place on prom night? Anyway?

1217
01:26:50.399 --> 01:26:53.439
I could tell you a few, but my time is limited,

1218
01:26:53.520 --> 01:26:57.720
so let's get into this first. Let me introduce myself.

1219
01:26:58.239 --> 01:27:02.600
My name is Randy, writer of folklore. The name Randy

1220
01:27:02.680 --> 01:27:06.079
doesn't give quite the impression one wants from a history book.

1221
01:27:06.479 --> 01:27:10.239
So I publish under the name R. H. Thurston. I've

1222
01:27:10.239 --> 01:27:14.720
spent years researching local legends. My first book was Haunted

1223
01:27:14.760 --> 01:27:18.319
Cemeteries of the Pacific Northwest. I followed that up with

1224
01:27:18.399 --> 01:27:22.680
Ghosts and Other Spooky Things in Portland, Oregon. My publisher

1225
01:27:22.760 --> 01:27:25.640
is big on having a town name or region in

1226
01:27:25.680 --> 01:27:29.000
the title. It was during the first book that I

1227
01:27:29.119 --> 01:27:33.840
found that newspaper article in the digital archives that started

1228
01:27:33.840 --> 01:27:37.680
me on this journey. It wasn't really a ghost story,

1229
01:27:37.800 --> 01:27:40.560
so I added it to my bookmarks and didn't think

1230
01:27:40.640 --> 01:27:43.920
much about it for a couple of years. That was

1231
01:27:44.239 --> 01:27:47.800
until my second book was published and I found myself

1232
01:27:47.840 --> 01:27:51.199
trying to find something new to write about. I still

1233
01:27:51.239 --> 01:27:54.239
wanted it to be about the supernatural, because that's where

1234
01:27:54.239 --> 01:27:56.920
my interests are, but I felt like I needed to

1235
01:27:56.960 --> 01:28:02.239
do something different than another book about ghosts. The original

1236
01:28:02.359 --> 01:28:05.479
article was short, only a few lines. In the community

1237
01:28:05.560 --> 01:28:10.159
section of a nineteen nineteen issue of the Beaver Creek Herald,

1238
01:28:10.560 --> 01:28:15.600
it read, William Ivanhoe of Locust Grove, Oregon, must have

1239
01:28:15.680 --> 01:28:19.119
got himself into a bad batch of moonshine. He claims

1240
01:28:19.119 --> 01:28:21.039
that he saw a group of witches in the woods

1241
01:28:21.079 --> 01:28:25.720
near here. Poor old fool. This isn't Salem, Massachusetts, this

1242
01:28:25.880 --> 01:28:30.039
is Oregon. When I did a search for William Ivanhoe,

1243
01:28:30.239 --> 01:28:32.880
I only found a couple of references in the papers.

1244
01:28:33.560 --> 01:28:37.880
One was a brief mention William Ivanhoe upset claims someone

1245
01:28:37.960 --> 01:28:41.560
is stealing all of his crops. The last mentioned in

1246
01:28:41.600 --> 01:28:45.920
the papers was from nineteen twenty W. M. Ivanhoe of

1247
01:28:46.079 --> 01:28:52.359
here found in woods, dead, missing right arm, possible bobcat attack.

1248
01:28:53.720 --> 01:28:56.319
For a while after this, I was at a dead

1249
01:28:56.399 --> 01:29:00.279
end in my investigation. Where could I go from here?

1250
01:29:00.840 --> 01:29:03.279
The man had been dead for one hundred plus years,

1251
01:29:03.279 --> 01:29:06.359
and I couldn't find much else. I found a little

1252
01:29:06.439 --> 01:29:08.880
more life in the search when I got rid of

1253
01:29:08.920 --> 01:29:13.199
his name and just searched the two keywords witches and

1254
01:29:13.920 --> 01:29:18.880
Locust Grove. Not a ton of hits, just two that

1255
01:29:19.079 --> 01:29:24.159
original article and one more. Cattle farmer found strange carvings

1256
01:29:24.199 --> 01:29:27.520
in trees near Locust Grove while clearing land for his

1257
01:29:27.640 --> 01:29:32.000
cows to roam. Is this a sign of witches? Either way,

1258
01:29:32.359 --> 01:29:35.760
more land equals more cows and hopefully a cut in

1259
01:29:35.880 --> 01:29:38.239
price the next time you are buying meat at more

1260
01:29:38.279 --> 01:29:42.239
and Meat market. This article was from nineteen twenty six,

1261
01:29:42.760 --> 01:29:46.399
a few years after Ivanhoe had died, so it's another

1262
01:29:46.479 --> 01:29:51.600
local that experienced whatever it was. Through my research skills,

1263
01:29:51.600 --> 01:29:54.520
I was able to find out where the Ivanhoe property was,

1264
01:29:55.159 --> 01:29:57.520
where the more And Meat Market had been, as well

1265
01:29:57.560 --> 01:30:01.279
as where Moran's farm had been located. So I made

1266
01:30:01.279 --> 01:30:04.199
plans to take a trip out to investigate all three.

1267
01:30:05.560 --> 01:30:07.920
Where more End Meat Market used to be is now

1268
01:30:08.039 --> 01:30:11.399
the Locust Grove Saloon. From the one photo I was

1269
01:30:11.439 --> 01:30:14.159
able to find of the market, I believe it's still

1270
01:30:14.199 --> 01:30:17.760
the original building. That's the great thing about those turn

1271
01:30:17.800 --> 01:30:21.279
of the century brick buildings. They never burned down and

1272
01:30:21.319 --> 01:30:25.560
they never rot, so small towns use them forever. When

1273
01:30:25.600 --> 01:30:28.000
I arrived, I asked a couple of locals if they

1274
01:30:28.000 --> 01:30:31.279
had ever heard of any legends of witches in the area.

1275
01:30:32.359 --> 01:30:34.880
The two I asked hadn't and didn't seem to care

1276
01:30:34.920 --> 01:30:38.399
for my presence. Though I didn't feel welcome, I did

1277
01:30:38.439 --> 01:30:41.239
decide to stick around long enough to have a beer

1278
01:30:41.279 --> 01:30:45.760
in a club sandwich bar. Tip always get the club sandwich,

1279
01:30:46.159 --> 01:30:48.760
no matter how much of a dive you're at, and

1280
01:30:48.880 --> 01:30:51.680
this was a dive. They don't seem to mess up

1281
01:30:51.680 --> 01:30:55.399
on a club sandwich. How could they? Sometimes you get

1282
01:30:55.560 --> 01:30:59.000
too much mayo? But is that all that bad? The

1283
01:30:59.079 --> 01:31:02.640
club sandwich was excellent. The fries could have been better

1284
01:31:02.680 --> 01:31:04.880
if they had changed their fry oil in the last

1285
01:31:04.960 --> 01:31:08.000
decade or so. Word must have gotten around to the

1286
01:31:08.039 --> 01:31:11.600
other daytime drinkers in the bar about my questions. An

1287
01:31:11.600 --> 01:31:14.399
older man who looked and smelled like he'd been drinking

1288
01:31:14.479 --> 01:31:17.359
since the night before, sat next to me and said,

1289
01:31:17.960 --> 01:31:19.720
buy me a shot and a beer and I'll tell

1290
01:31:19.760 --> 01:31:23.439
you everything I know. Writing local history books is not

1291
01:31:23.600 --> 01:31:26.399
the cash cow some might think it is. A beer

1292
01:31:26.399 --> 01:31:29.439
and a shot are a hefty investment. I needed to

1293
01:31:29.479 --> 01:31:33.279
consider this expense carefully, the gas getting out here in

1294
01:31:33.319 --> 01:31:35.439
the club sandwhich was more than I should have spent

1295
01:31:35.520 --> 01:31:40.279
on this story. Already, they aren't witches, he said, and

1296
01:31:40.319 --> 01:31:43.279
then smiled at me. I could smell the cheap beer

1297
01:31:43.319 --> 01:31:46.760
and the even cheaper whiskey on his breath. I decided

1298
01:31:46.760 --> 01:31:49.479
I would go for it. I asked him what he drinks,

1299
01:31:49.640 --> 01:31:52.600
and it was cheap, so I spent the money. I

1300
01:31:52.680 --> 01:31:55.199
decided that if it was juicy information, I would buy

1301
01:31:55.279 --> 01:31:58.039
him a good shot as well. He drank the shot

1302
01:31:58.079 --> 01:32:01.159
as soon as the bartender set it down, then started

1303
01:32:01.199 --> 01:32:04.760
sipping on the beer. I gave him a look to say, hey,

1304
01:32:04.840 --> 01:32:07.520
you got what you wanted. Now make with the details.

1305
01:32:07.800 --> 01:32:11.600
He understood my nonverbal cue, and I took out my notebook.

1306
01:32:12.640 --> 01:32:16.399
What's your name, Bob Smith, he said, and then laughed.

1307
01:32:16.960 --> 01:32:21.680
I wrote down the presumed alias. Anyway, it's just people.

1308
01:32:22.239 --> 01:32:26.800
I looked at him, confused. Okay, got it? Nothing supernatural,

1309
01:32:27.039 --> 01:32:30.960
I asked, trying not to sound too disappointed. I wouldn't

1310
01:32:30.960 --> 01:32:34.600
say that exactly. He said, what would you say? Then?

1311
01:32:34.840 --> 01:32:39.159
I asked, let me tell you? He said, are they

1312
01:32:39.279 --> 01:32:42.800
still around? I asked him, just let me tell the

1313
01:32:42.840 --> 01:32:48.039
story uninterrupted. All right, I'll lose track otherwise. Just let

1314
01:32:48.039 --> 01:32:50.760
me ramble about my experience. Take your notes and ask

1315
01:32:50.880 --> 01:32:55.920
me your dumb little questions after Okay, I said, thinking

1316
01:32:55.960 --> 01:32:59.720
that he probably wasn't getting that extra shot now. He

1317
01:32:59.800 --> 01:33:02.359
might have thought he was losing my interest because he

1318
01:33:02.439 --> 01:33:06.840
did not bury the lead. They killed my grandfather and

1319
01:33:06.960 --> 01:33:11.520
my daughter, he said. I wrote down grandfather, daughter, and

1320
01:33:11.600 --> 01:33:14.239
a question mark. Since I was told not to interrupt him,

1321
01:33:15.119 --> 01:33:18.560
I would get their names later. I lost my daughter

1322
01:33:18.600 --> 01:33:21.359
when she was only six years old. I was young

1323
01:33:21.399 --> 01:33:24.760
at that time, like you, how old are you? Twenty five?

1324
01:33:25.159 --> 01:33:30.159
Twenty six, He asked thirty three. I replied, well, I

1325
01:33:30.319 --> 01:33:33.000
was twenty seven years old and I wanted to show

1326
01:33:33.000 --> 01:33:35.159
her my favorite trail from when I was a kid,

1327
01:33:35.800 --> 01:33:38.920
the trail my father forbade me to take. I never

1328
01:33:39.039 --> 01:33:42.640
knew why. It seemed safe enough, though I found it

1329
01:33:42.720 --> 01:33:45.560
strange how well stamped down it was, since I had

1330
01:33:45.600 --> 01:33:49.159
never seen anyone else out there. The only sign of

1331
01:33:49.199 --> 01:33:51.800
life before that day that I ever saw was an

1332
01:33:51.800 --> 01:33:56.159
animal hide hanging from a rope years earlier. It might

1333
01:33:56.199 --> 01:33:59.359
seem startling to you, but catching game and making rugs

1334
01:33:59.359 --> 01:34:02.079
and such was more common then, and I thought nothing

1335
01:34:02.119 --> 01:34:07.319
of it. That day was different. As we walked, we

1336
01:34:07.359 --> 01:34:10.520
heard noises all around us. It was spring, so I

1337
01:34:10.560 --> 01:34:12.760
told my daughter that it was just deer and small

1338
01:34:12.840 --> 01:34:17.000
wildlife moving about. Bob stopped telling the story, and I

1339
01:34:17.039 --> 01:34:20.000
could see tears forming in the corner of his eyes.

1340
01:34:20.560 --> 01:34:23.279
He took a minute to compose himself and took another

1341
01:34:23.359 --> 01:34:26.760
drink of his beer. I decided at that moment that

1342
01:34:26.840 --> 01:34:30.359
I would get him that extra shot. It happened, so

1343
01:34:31.920 --> 01:34:35.239
suddenly I heard a loud noise and then somebody screaming.

1344
01:34:35.880 --> 01:34:38.880
I looked over towards where the sounds came from and

1345
01:34:38.920 --> 01:34:41.560
there was this guy dressed in furs on top of

1346
01:34:41.600 --> 01:34:44.079
a hill, waving his arms at me and making weird

1347
01:34:44.119 --> 01:34:49.239
noises that were almost musical. Then he smiled at me,

1348
01:34:49.359 --> 01:34:52.960
which scared me. I turned around from him for one

1349
01:34:53.039 --> 01:34:56.600
second to look at my daughter, but she was gone.

1350
01:34:57.600 --> 01:35:02.079
And when I looked back, why was he? Tears began

1351
01:35:02.159 --> 01:35:05.680
to run down Bob's face. I signaled for the bartender

1352
01:35:05.720 --> 01:35:07.800
and ordered him a second tear shot of whiskey and

1353
01:35:07.880 --> 01:35:12.239
another beer. The bartender obliged and said, I think it's

1354
01:35:12.279 --> 01:35:15.119
time you paid up and left. What did I do?

1355
01:35:15.479 --> 01:35:19.159
I asked? She tipped her head towards Bob, then signaled

1356
01:35:19.199 --> 01:35:22.000
for me to move towards the cash register, which I did,

1357
01:35:22.399 --> 01:35:25.479
but I had no intention of leaving yet. Once away

1358
01:35:25.479 --> 01:35:28.479
from him, she said, don't believe anything that man says

1359
01:35:28.520 --> 01:35:31.000
to you. Everybody knows that he's the one that killed

1360
01:35:31.000 --> 01:35:33.920
his daughter. He's just been spinning that tail for the

1361
01:35:33.960 --> 01:35:39.159
last forty years, she finished. Okay, but why do I

1362
01:35:39.199 --> 01:35:42.359
need to go? I asked. She turned her head towards

1363
01:35:42.399 --> 01:35:45.000
the back of the room. The men I had asked

1364
01:35:45.079 --> 01:35:47.880
questions too earlier were sitting in a corner booth working

1365
01:35:47.920 --> 01:35:52.560
themselves up. I've seen this many times before. Once David

1366
01:35:52.600 --> 01:35:55.279
and Brandon get worked up, there's no calming them down.

1367
01:35:55.640 --> 01:35:57.640
For my sake, Get out of here before it gets

1368
01:35:57.680 --> 01:36:01.039
out of control. I don't need this today, she said,

1369
01:36:01.520 --> 01:36:04.520
and then, like on a queue, the two guys got up.

1370
01:36:04.760 --> 01:36:07.279
I gulped and started making my way to the exit,

1371
01:36:08.119 --> 01:36:11.920
but they didn't approach me. They went to Bob. I

1372
01:36:12.000 --> 01:36:14.600
handed my card to the waitress. She rang me up

1373
01:36:14.640 --> 01:36:17.159
and I quickly signed it. I gave a thirty percent

1374
01:36:17.239 --> 01:36:19.640
tip for warning me before I got my butt kicked.

1375
01:36:20.399 --> 01:36:23.880
This was an expensive day of research. I was glad

1376
01:36:23.880 --> 01:36:26.840
to get my card back into my wallet before things escalated.

1377
01:36:27.600 --> 01:36:30.640
Tid Killer, the bigger one, yelled at the old man.

1378
01:36:31.319 --> 01:36:33.479
If you weren't so old, I would have kicked your

1379
01:36:33.479 --> 01:36:37.359
ass long ago. The old man didn't respond. He just

1380
01:36:37.399 --> 01:36:39.439
took his shot and drank his beer as fast as

1381
01:36:39.439 --> 01:36:42.520
he could. What do you have to say, kid killer,

1382
01:36:43.079 --> 01:36:48.000
the first guy asked to you, nothing, Bob said, and

1383
01:36:48.039 --> 01:36:51.319
then smashed his glass into the guy's face. The broken

1384
01:36:51.359 --> 01:36:54.399
glass cut open the man's cheek and eyebrow. Before the

1385
01:36:54.399 --> 01:36:56.600
second guy could respond, the old man kicked him in

1386
01:36:56.600 --> 01:36:58.960
the knee as hard as he could. The guy fell

1387
01:36:59.000 --> 01:37:02.119
and Bob jumped up and ran towards the door. I

1388
01:37:02.239 --> 01:37:06.000
followed him outside. When I got outside, I saw the

1389
01:37:06.039 --> 01:37:09.239
old man jump into an old Ford truck. I ran

1390
01:37:09.319 --> 01:37:11.199
to him, wanting to get the rest of the story,

1391
01:37:11.279 --> 01:37:14.399
but he quickly started it and took off. I waved

1392
01:37:14.439 --> 01:37:17.560
and tried to stop him. Where can we meet? I

1393
01:37:17.840 --> 01:37:20.399
want the rest of the story. What about your grandpa?

1394
01:37:21.039 --> 01:37:23.760
The old man stopped just long enough to roll down

1395
01:37:23.760 --> 01:37:28.520
his manual window and said, forget about it. Leave here. You,

1396
01:37:28.720 --> 01:37:31.560
my friend, are on top of Fool's Hill, heading down

1397
01:37:31.600 --> 01:37:36.239
the wrong side. Then he drove off. I stood there,

1398
01:37:37.199 --> 01:37:41.199
stunned until I heard the door of the bar open. Damn,

1399
01:37:41.640 --> 01:37:44.760
I muttered to myself, hoping I wasn't going to receive

1400
01:37:45.000 --> 01:37:49.119
his beating. Hey, come here, one of the two guys yelled.

1401
01:37:49.640 --> 01:37:52.119
Damn it, I muttered to myself. As I could hear

1402
01:37:52.159 --> 01:37:55.199
them walking towards me. Just before they got to me,

1403
01:37:55.640 --> 01:37:58.800
a plan popped into my head. I turned around and

1404
01:37:58.880 --> 01:38:02.439
spoke to them, Matt their anger, where the heck is

1405
01:38:02.479 --> 01:38:05.159
the closest bar that kig killer said to meet him there?

1406
01:38:05.640 --> 01:38:09.720
I lied. They both calmed down, and they told me

1407
01:38:09.760 --> 01:38:12.399
where the bar was, and we made plans to meet

1408
01:38:12.479 --> 01:38:15.840
him there and attack the old man. I let them

1409
01:38:15.920 --> 01:38:18.439
lead and escaped on the first side road I could find,

1410
01:38:19.119 --> 01:38:24.159
crisis averted. My next destination was Moran's old farm. I

1411
01:38:24.239 --> 01:38:26.600
wanted to see if he left any of those trees

1412
01:38:26.640 --> 01:38:29.880
with the weird carvings up. It was now a nice,

1413
01:38:29.920 --> 01:38:33.359
well planned manufactured home with a forest and a large

1414
01:38:33.399 --> 01:38:37.800
hill as its backdrop. I couldn't find any carvings. Moran

1415
01:38:37.960 --> 01:38:40.359
either cut them all down for land for his cows

1416
01:38:40.399 --> 01:38:44.159
to roam, or the developers did. My third and last

1417
01:38:44.199 --> 01:38:48.319
stop was the land where the Ivanhoes had lived. The

1418
01:38:48.359 --> 01:38:51.920
property wasn't far off from the former Moran property. It

1419
01:38:52.000 --> 01:38:53.840
was on the opposite side of the woods in the

1420
01:38:53.920 --> 01:38:57.720
large hill. The property was mostly vacant, except for a

1421
01:38:57.760 --> 01:39:01.760
small house that was rotting away. There were no signs

1422
01:39:01.800 --> 01:39:05.479
of any farming or recent habitation on the property. The

1423
01:39:05.560 --> 01:39:09.039
trees even looked like old growth like somehow this area

1424
01:39:09.119 --> 01:39:12.079
was skipped during the lumber boom of the early twentieth century.

1425
01:39:12.920 --> 01:39:16.600
While doing research, I had never entered an abandoned house before,

1426
01:39:16.640 --> 01:39:19.319
but this one was a few miles from anywhere so

1427
01:39:19.960 --> 01:39:23.239
I felt confident that I wouldn't get caught. Plus, the

1428
01:39:23.279 --> 01:39:27.359
back door was missing, so it really couldn't be considered

1429
01:39:27.359 --> 01:39:31.239
breaking and entering, could it. Probably I'll have to check

1430
01:39:31.279 --> 01:39:35.399
the laws before publication. Based on the carpet and furniture,

1431
01:39:35.479 --> 01:39:38.319
no one had lived there since at least the nineteen seventies.

1432
01:39:39.079 --> 01:39:41.079
It was creepy in the house, but at least it

1433
01:39:41.119 --> 01:39:44.239
was empty, which meant the chances of getting assaulted by

1434
01:39:44.239 --> 01:39:47.960
locals were at a lower percentage here. I went through

1435
01:39:48.000 --> 01:39:50.319
the house quickly, as I didn't want to still be

1436
01:39:50.439 --> 01:39:53.720
out there when it got dark. The first clue that

1437
01:39:53.800 --> 01:39:56.319
I found in the house was a framed photograph of

1438
01:39:56.359 --> 01:39:59.520
a family. Looking at it, I could see indents in

1439
01:39:59.520 --> 01:40:03.600
the picture, like there was writing on the backside, so

1440
01:40:04.479 --> 01:40:06.720
I opened up the frame and took the picture out.

1441
01:40:07.359 --> 01:40:09.840
I was in luck. On the back were the names

1442
01:40:09.880 --> 01:40:12.600
of the people. I turned on the flashlight on my

1443
01:40:12.640 --> 01:40:14.439
cell phone and held the photo in front of it.

1444
01:40:15.279 --> 01:40:18.079
The names were written behind each person in the photo,

1445
01:40:18.600 --> 01:40:21.000
so holding it up to the light revealed who was who.

1446
01:40:22.000 --> 01:40:25.520
I was shocked. The names revealed that the young, handsome

1447
01:40:25.560 --> 01:40:29.439
man with the thick seventies style mustache was Bob Smith.

1448
01:40:30.800 --> 01:40:34.279
I can't believe that's not an alias. The woman next

1449
01:40:34.279 --> 01:40:38.199
to him was only listed as Missus Smith. The other

1450
01:40:38.239 --> 01:40:41.600
person in the photo, of course, a young girl. Her

1451
01:40:41.720 --> 01:40:46.720
name was listed as Gracie. Wow. What were the chances

1452
01:40:46.720 --> 01:40:49.560
that Bob Smith would have lived in this house on

1453
01:40:49.640 --> 01:40:53.359
the Ivanhoe property? With that, I took out my cell

1454
01:40:53.359 --> 01:40:55.680
phone and snapped a picture of the front and back

1455
01:40:55.760 --> 01:40:58.960
of the old photo, then switched to the Internet browser

1456
01:40:59.039 --> 01:41:01.520
so I could bring up the news usepaper archives to

1457
01:41:01.600 --> 01:41:05.319
do some light research. But of course I was too

1458
01:41:05.359 --> 01:41:07.680
far out from civilization and didn't get enough of a

1459
01:41:07.720 --> 01:41:11.439
connection to even load the page. I only had two bars.

1460
01:41:12.039 --> 01:41:15.039
I always wondered, why show any bars if it's not

1461
01:41:15.199 --> 01:41:19.760
enough to connect or even make a call? Yeah, I

1462
01:41:19.840 --> 01:41:23.399
heard coming from outside. I walked out but saw nothing.

1463
01:41:24.159 --> 01:41:26.600
This would have been another good time to leave this

1464
01:41:26.720 --> 01:41:30.680
path I was taking and head back down Fool's Hill.

1465
01:41:31.479 --> 01:41:34.600
I listened for a while but heard nothing else, so

1466
01:41:35.239 --> 01:41:38.720
I went back into the house to look around. Finding

1467
01:41:38.760 --> 01:41:41.960
nothing else of interest, I made another foolish move and

1468
01:41:42.000 --> 01:41:46.560
decided to check out the basement. I was only down

1469
01:41:46.600 --> 01:41:48.439
there for a minute or two before I heard the

1470
01:41:48.479 --> 01:41:52.239
door close. It was a dugout basement with a dirt floor.

1471
01:41:53.079 --> 01:41:56.239
While I searched for another way out, I heard multiple

1472
01:41:56.239 --> 01:42:00.760
footsteps walking through the house. I decided to keep and

1473
01:42:00.880 --> 01:42:04.520
hoped that they would go away. I found no other exit,

1474
01:42:04.960 --> 01:42:07.199
so all I could do was wait for whoever they

1475
01:42:07.239 --> 01:42:10.720
were to come down here. The only potential weapon I

1476
01:42:10.800 --> 01:42:13.359
found was an old two by four that was so

1477
01:42:13.520 --> 01:42:16.560
worm eaten it would probably break on the first swing.

1478
01:42:17.239 --> 01:42:20.880
After a while, the sounds of footsteps ceased, so I

1479
01:42:20.960 --> 01:42:24.520
made moves to escape. To my surprise, the door to

1480
01:42:24.560 --> 01:42:27.199
the basement was locked, and I had to kick it down.

1481
01:42:28.039 --> 01:42:30.800
They must have known I was down here. Why they

1482
01:42:30.800 --> 01:42:34.199
didn't come down and get me, I don't know. Note

1483
01:42:34.800 --> 01:42:37.880
it is extremely hard to kick a door open when

1484
01:42:37.960 --> 01:42:41.680
you're standing on a set of stairs, but I managed.

1485
01:42:42.359 --> 01:42:45.600
As soon as I started kicking, I heard the screams yeah,

1486
01:42:46.600 --> 01:42:50.880
but thankfully they were in the distance. Once I was

1487
01:42:50.920 --> 01:42:53.399
out of that house, I ran directly to my car,

1488
01:42:53.439 --> 01:42:57.760
which of course had four flat tires. I still drove

1489
01:42:57.800 --> 01:42:59.680
it and made it a mile before the tires were

1490
01:42:59.680 --> 01:43:02.720
so shit shredded that my rims started throwing sparks from

1491
01:43:02.760 --> 01:43:06.159
the damage. When I stopped, I could hear that they

1492
01:43:06.159 --> 01:43:10.439
were following me with their yah screams far in the distance.

1493
01:43:10.920 --> 01:43:14.560
I checked my cellphone, only two bars. So I continued

1494
01:43:14.560 --> 01:43:16.880
on foot and headed to a place I had been

1495
01:43:16.960 --> 01:43:21.439
before that I recalled having a connection. I arrived at

1496
01:43:21.439 --> 01:43:25.520
the Locust Grove Saloon fifteen minutes later. I checked my phone.

1497
01:43:25.960 --> 01:43:29.880
I had full bars. I peeked inside the saloon and thankfully,

1498
01:43:29.920 --> 01:43:32.800
the two brutes from before were not there, and the

1499
01:43:32.840 --> 01:43:35.640
other bartender's shift must have ended because there was a

1500
01:43:35.680 --> 01:43:40.079
guy behind the counter. Now, I thought to myself, I'm okay.

1501
01:43:40.800 --> 01:43:43.319
While I ate another club sandwich for my dinner and

1502
01:43:43.399 --> 01:43:47.239
drank another beer, I contemplated my next move. Calling the

1503
01:43:47.279 --> 01:43:51.680
cops wouldn't accomplish much. What would I say? While I

1504
01:43:51.800 --> 01:43:56.000
was trespassing? My tires were slashed. I called my insurance

1505
01:43:56.000 --> 01:43:58.239
to get my car picked up, but they wanted me

1506
01:43:58.279 --> 01:44:00.279
to meet the driver there, and I had had no

1507
01:44:00.359 --> 01:44:04.239
interest in doing that, at least not tonight. I had

1508
01:44:04.319 --> 01:44:07.880
just finished my sandwich when Bob Smith walked in. He

1509
01:44:07.920 --> 01:44:10.560
didn't notice me as he sat down two stools over

1510
01:44:10.880 --> 01:44:15.920
and ordered his drinks. Hey, Bob, I said, still here.

1511
01:44:16.880 --> 01:44:19.039
I thought you would have gotten yourself killed. By now,

1512
01:44:19.920 --> 01:44:24.760
you are one curious cat, and that curiosity it's gonna

1513
01:44:24.800 --> 01:44:29.000
get you killed. Bob laughed. You love a good turn

1514
01:44:29.000 --> 01:44:32.439
of phrase, don't you. I asked. A nod as he

1515
01:44:32.479 --> 01:44:34.920
took a sip of his beer was all the response

1516
01:44:34.960 --> 01:44:39.079
I got. There's something I don't get. You said, they

1517
01:44:39.159 --> 01:44:44.600
killed your grandpa. When was that nineteen twenty seven, years

1518
01:44:44.640 --> 01:44:47.119
before I was even a gleam in my old man's eyes.

1519
01:44:47.880 --> 01:44:51.560
Bob said, okay, and then your daughter was when I

1520
01:44:51.640 --> 01:44:56.840
asked him, nineteen seventy seven. Bob told me that's a

1521
01:44:56.920 --> 01:44:59.479
fifty year gap. Do you really think it was the

1522
01:44:59.520 --> 01:45:04.920
same peace, I asked, yes, Bob said, then who was

1523
01:45:05.000 --> 01:45:09.319
out there? I asked, Then I thought about it. It

1524
01:45:09.359 --> 01:45:12.000
was you, wasn't it. You followed me out to your

1525
01:45:12.000 --> 01:45:15.239
old house and locked me in the basement. Why just

1526
01:45:15.319 --> 01:45:18.359
to mess with me? Bob grabbed his drinks and moved

1527
01:45:18.399 --> 01:45:21.279
away from me. He gave me a sad little laugh,

1528
01:45:21.479 --> 01:45:25.640
shook his head and said, Mark Twain once said, it

1529
01:45:25.720 --> 01:45:28.000
is better to keep your mouth closed and let people

1530
01:45:28.039 --> 01:45:30.520
think you are a fool than to open it and

1531
01:45:30.640 --> 01:45:34.399
remove all doubt. I knew you were a fool before

1532
01:45:34.399 --> 01:45:38.079
I even heard you open your mouth, Bob said, I

1533
01:45:38.119 --> 01:45:40.560
had no comeback, and I was sick of him and

1534
01:45:40.600 --> 01:45:44.680
his borrowed witticisms. I had thought he was a dumb yokel,

1535
01:45:44.720 --> 01:45:48.359
but I'm the idiot. I was irritated and had no plan,

1536
01:45:48.640 --> 01:45:51.520
so I began searching the newspaper archives on my phone

1537
01:45:51.640 --> 01:45:55.399
for Bob Smith while I thought about my next move.

1538
01:45:56.399 --> 01:45:58.399
I was too far out for an uber or a

1539
01:45:58.479 --> 01:46:01.399
lyft or even an old school taxi, and I was

1540
01:46:01.439 --> 01:46:03.960
still too afraid to go. Sit in my broken down

1541
01:46:04.039 --> 01:46:09.760
car search for missing girl called off. Read the first

1542
01:46:09.800 --> 01:46:15.560
headline that I found. Subheadline mister Smith's house. Searched, nothing found.

1543
01:46:16.399 --> 01:46:19.239
I searched for a while longer, but never discovered an

1544
01:46:19.319 --> 01:46:23.479
article that stated she was ever found. She never was

1545
01:46:23.720 --> 01:46:29.680
found alive or dead. Then it hit me, how did

1546
01:46:29.800 --> 01:46:33.319
Bob never figure it out? A few more searches and

1547
01:46:33.359 --> 01:46:36.520
I was ready to approach Bob. I sat down next

1548
01:46:36.520 --> 01:46:41.119
to him. Go away. Bob said, you're a fool. I

1549
01:46:41.239 --> 01:46:44.840
told him, yeah, yeah, he said, and waved his hand

1550
01:46:44.840 --> 01:46:48.520
at me. I have found references to these people or

1551
01:46:49.079 --> 01:46:52.399
creatures for over one hundred years. Your grandpa was killed

1552
01:46:52.439 --> 01:46:55.960
nearly one hundred years ago. Right. Yeah, what are you

1553
01:46:56.000 --> 01:47:00.399
getting at? Bob asked, you believe they're still out there, right,

1554
01:47:01.359 --> 01:47:07.159
and you believe they're just people, right? I asked, Yeah, Well,

1555
01:47:07.840 --> 01:47:11.199
the man on the hill looked human to me. Bob said,

1556
01:47:11.199 --> 01:47:14.399
while looking into his drink. How many people have gone

1557
01:47:14.439 --> 01:47:19.039
missing over the years? I asked, A few, not a lot,

1558
01:47:19.159 --> 01:47:24.000
but a noticeable amount. Bob replied, mostly female. Am I correct?

1559
01:47:24.319 --> 01:47:28.119
Never found? I asked? Bob thought about it hard for

1560
01:47:28.159 --> 01:47:33.840
a minute. Bodies have been found mutilated, but those have

1561
01:47:33.920 --> 01:47:37.920
all been men, Bob said. That is when it clicked

1562
01:47:37.960 --> 01:47:42.920
in Bob's mind. They're reproducing. It's not the same people

1563
01:47:42.960 --> 01:47:45.720
who killed his grandpa. Whoever's out there is a couple

1564
01:47:45.720 --> 01:47:49.680
of generations removed, and they even add new blood to

1565
01:47:49.720 --> 01:47:54.319
their gene pool from time to time. She's probably one

1566
01:47:54.359 --> 01:47:57.840
of them, your daughter, she would be what fifty two?

1567
01:47:58.439 --> 01:48:02.439
Bob said, not even have to do the math. We

1568
01:48:02.479 --> 01:48:05.439
plotted for a while after that, as Bob and I

1569
01:48:05.479 --> 01:48:09.239
got quite friendly. The conversation ended that night with Bob

1570
01:48:09.279 --> 01:48:14.039
telling me, well, I guess I got a shotgun. I

1571
01:48:14.119 --> 01:48:17.600
gave him a questioning, Look, what did I say to

1572
01:48:17.680 --> 01:48:21.520
you on our first meeting? Bob asked, that I was

1573
01:48:21.560 --> 01:48:24.640
on top of Fool's Hill heading down the other side,

1574
01:48:25.000 --> 01:48:30.119
I replied, the wrong side, Well, wrong or right, I

1575
01:48:30.159 --> 01:48:32.560
guess I'm riding shotgun with you on the way down,

1576
01:48:33.079 --> 01:48:36.720
Bob said. Bob was nice enough to drive me back

1577
01:48:36.760 --> 01:48:39.640
to my apartment. I did have to give him gas

1578
01:48:39.680 --> 01:48:42.600
money in twenty bucks for his time. Along the way.

1579
01:48:42.680 --> 01:48:45.560
We made plans that in a couple of days we

1580
01:48:45.560 --> 01:48:48.199
were to head out to his old house and hunt

1581
01:48:48.880 --> 01:48:54.880
them down and maybe just possibly find his daughter. Over

1582
01:48:54.920 --> 01:48:57.279
the next couple of days, I got my car towed.

1583
01:48:57.760 --> 01:48:59.720
I had to buy new tires, of course, but I

1584
01:48:59.760 --> 01:49:02.000
also so I had to buy new wheels since I

1585
01:49:02.079 --> 01:49:04.840
drove on them like the fool that I am. But

1586
01:49:04.920 --> 01:49:07.119
I was glad to have those couple of days away

1587
01:49:07.119 --> 01:49:10.920
from that town because I realized that my curiosity for

1588
01:49:10.960 --> 01:49:14.279
this story was not as strong as my will to live,

1589
01:49:15.199 --> 01:49:18.800
so I made a decision not to pursue it any further.

1590
01:49:19.359 --> 01:49:21.319
I called Bob to tell him that I was putting

1591
01:49:21.399 --> 01:49:24.000
on the brakes. I was turning around and heading back

1592
01:49:24.079 --> 01:49:29.119
up Fools Hill and back to safety, except he didn't

1593
01:49:29.119 --> 01:49:32.279
answer my call. I left a message and then decided

1594
01:49:32.319 --> 01:49:34.800
to just stop thinking about it and move on to

1595
01:49:34.840 --> 01:49:39.399
other things. To Brenda, my niece. If you've read this far,

1596
01:49:39.560 --> 01:49:43.000
this means I didn't return from my trip. I set

1597
01:49:43.079 --> 01:49:46.039
up this document to auto email to you five days

1598
01:49:46.079 --> 01:49:49.880
after I left. That means if you've received this email,

1599
01:49:50.520 --> 01:49:55.199
I'm probably dead. A few days ago, someone tried to

1600
01:49:55.199 --> 01:49:58.439
get into my apartment. I believe it's the people from

1601
01:49:58.439 --> 01:50:02.760
the woods, from that town that I had visited. So

1602
01:50:02.880 --> 01:50:05.600
that was the last I heard from my uncle. I

1603
01:50:05.640 --> 01:50:08.479
don't know what he was thinking. He believed there were

1604
01:50:08.560 --> 01:50:11.560
strange woods people that had been killing locals for over

1605
01:50:11.600 --> 01:50:14.079
one hundred years, and he went out there on his

1606
01:50:14.119 --> 01:50:19.840
own without a weapon. Why Because Bob Smith disappeared and

1607
01:50:19.880 --> 01:50:23.159
someone tried to break into his apartment. There was a

1608
01:50:23.199 --> 01:50:26.960
simple solution all along. Did you know there really is

1609
01:50:27.119 --> 01:50:31.680
a Fool's Hill? Yeah, Bob was only being slightly clever

1610
01:50:31.800 --> 01:50:35.800
when he referenced it. So this is what happened, and

1611
01:50:35.840 --> 01:50:38.079
then I'll tell you how I solved this one hundred

1612
01:50:38.079 --> 01:50:41.359
plus year old problem. Just like my uncle, I can

1613
01:50:41.399 --> 01:50:44.640
do research and put two and two together. It's actually

1614
01:50:44.720 --> 01:50:48.000
a hobby of mine other than lurking on webb sleuth

1615
01:50:48.119 --> 01:50:52.600
message boards. I'm also really into those subscription box mysteries.

1616
01:50:53.119 --> 01:50:56.439
I'm subscribed to a few of them, So this is

1617
01:50:56.479 --> 01:51:00.199
what I believe happened. Using those skills and my conversation

1618
01:51:00.359 --> 01:51:03.920
with the police, Randy began to get worried since he

1619
01:51:03.960 --> 01:51:06.560
hadn't heard from Bob Smith in a few days, and

1620
01:51:06.600 --> 01:51:09.800
he'd heard someone outside his door the night before. He

1621
01:51:09.880 --> 01:51:12.800
planned to try and figure out where Bob lived, which

1622
01:51:12.800 --> 01:51:16.279
he was able to do easily enough. Then he packed

1623
01:51:16.279 --> 01:51:20.239
a bag with supplies and snacks, including a book on witchcraft.

1624
01:51:20.359 --> 01:51:24.880
For whatever reason, these items were found by the police.

1625
01:51:25.479 --> 01:51:28.720
That's how I know that he brought them. He then

1626
01:51:28.840 --> 01:51:31.680
drove over to Bob's house. This we know because he

1627
01:51:31.760 --> 01:51:34.960
left a note on Bob's door. It read, hey, Bob,

1628
01:51:35.000 --> 01:51:36.920
if you get this, I've been trying to get a

1629
01:51:36.920 --> 01:51:39.359
hold of you, call me. I'm heading to the house,

1630
01:51:40.279 --> 01:51:43.079
which he did. He traveled to that house and then

1631
01:51:43.159 --> 01:51:47.079
most likely entered the woods behind the place or they

1632
01:51:47.199 --> 01:51:50.359
dragged him there. No blood was found around the house,

1633
01:51:50.399 --> 01:51:53.600
so he probably went of his own accord. Once he

1634
01:51:53.720 --> 01:51:57.119
entered the woods, he would have started up an incline. Yes,

1635
01:51:57.239 --> 01:52:01.159
you guessed it. He was heading up the literal fool's Hill,

1636
01:52:02.159 --> 01:52:05.039
It was named after this swindler in the eighteen sixties

1637
01:52:05.039 --> 01:52:07.439
who hid a little gold and a lot of Fool's

1638
01:52:07.479 --> 01:52:10.039
gold around the hill in a scheme to sell the

1639
01:52:10.119 --> 01:52:13.600
land off to the highest bidder. At some point they

1640
01:52:13.640 --> 01:52:16.880
found my uncle's car. It was driven and parked outside

1641
01:52:16.920 --> 01:52:20.600
of the saloon where he first met Bob. This story

1642
01:52:20.600 --> 01:52:23.000
would have ended there, with my uncle and Bob missing

1643
01:52:23.119 --> 01:52:26.840
like many others. But like I said, I did some

1644
01:52:27.000 --> 01:52:30.319
research found out that Fool's Hill was a real place,

1645
01:52:30.399 --> 01:52:34.800
then thought fuck it. I took a chance, lied to

1646
01:52:34.840 --> 01:52:38.319
the cops and told them drug manufacturers were operating up

1647
01:52:38.359 --> 01:52:41.520
on Fools Hill. The police must have believed me too,

1648
01:52:41.600 --> 01:52:44.840
because ten of them headed right up that hill. They

1649
01:52:44.880 --> 01:52:48.520
found no drugs, but they did find chunks of Bob

1650
01:52:48.600 --> 01:52:52.560
and my uncle hanging from trees over a burning woodpile.

1651
01:52:53.520 --> 01:52:56.600
They were smoking the meat to cure it for the winter.

1652
01:52:58.079 --> 01:53:01.600
The people up there were feral, but were easily taken

1653
01:53:01.640 --> 01:53:04.720
into custody as they had no real weapons but wooden

1654
01:53:04.760 --> 01:53:08.920
clubs and old knives they had stolen. They're now all

1655
01:53:09.000 --> 01:53:13.279
captured and going through the system. There were females in

1656
01:53:13.319 --> 01:53:16.800
this tribe of lost humanity, but none of them seemed

1657
01:53:16.800 --> 01:53:19.039
to be the right age to have been Bob's daughter.

1658
01:53:20.359 --> 01:53:24.640
There's now a new legend out there that Gracie is

1659
01:53:24.720 --> 01:53:28.880
still in those woods. She's allegedly picking up where the

1660
01:53:28.920 --> 01:53:34.479
others had left off and is looking to rebuild her family,

1661
01:53:35.560 --> 01:53:47.199
or so the legend goes. Well, my spookies, if you're

1662
01:53:47.279 --> 01:53:54.520
still with us, then congratulations, you survived the woods, you

1663
01:53:54.600 --> 01:54:01.680
survived the school, you survived the hill. More. Tonight we

1664
01:54:01.800 --> 01:54:05.760
met the kind of horror that does not stay politely

1665
01:54:05.840 --> 01:54:11.279
in one little box. It crawls through fantasy and folklore,

1666
01:54:11.720 --> 01:54:17.439
through government secrets and New Year's nightmares, through missing person

1667
01:54:17.600 --> 01:54:23.439
message boards, old newspaper clippings, and villages that mistake cruelty

1668
01:54:24.159 --> 01:54:28.479
for righteousness. And isn't that the real fun of a

1669
01:54:28.520 --> 01:54:32.720
show like this. One minute you're worried about dark magic

1670
01:54:32.840 --> 01:54:37.199
bleeding through the trees, the next you're watching a supernatural

1671
01:54:37.279 --> 01:54:43.119
disaster unfold under fluorescent school lights. Then suddenly you're in

1672
01:54:43.159 --> 01:54:47.199
a dive bar, eating a club sandwich, trying to decide

1673
01:54:47.239 --> 01:54:50.600
whether the old drunk telling you a century old cannibal

1674
01:54:50.680 --> 01:54:55.159
legend is crazy or the only sane person in town.

1675
01:54:56.359 --> 01:54:59.680
That's how these things get you, not all at once,

1676
01:55:00.119 --> 01:55:03.960
not with thunder and lightning. They start with a weird

1677
01:55:04.239 --> 01:55:07.920
sound in the distance, a sick animal on the porch,

1678
01:55:08.199 --> 01:55:12.159
a friend who calls when they should be celebrating, a

1679
01:55:12.199 --> 01:55:16.840
newspaper clipping that's too strange to ignore, a local who

1680
01:55:16.840 --> 01:55:21.800
says don't go up there, and naturally, because human beings

1681
01:55:21.880 --> 01:55:27.239
are basically horror movie raccoons, but with car keys, we

1682
01:55:27.399 --> 01:55:31.039
head up there. We follow the trail, we open the door,

1683
01:55:31.159 --> 01:55:35.119
we read the forbidden book, We walk into the woods

1684
01:55:35.159 --> 01:55:42.600
and tell ourselves it's just folklore. But folklore is just

1685
01:55:42.720 --> 01:55:48.199
a warning that learned how to survive. So tonight, before

1686
01:55:48.359 --> 01:55:52.640
you head off to bed, maybe don't look too long

1687
01:55:53.439 --> 01:55:58.479
out the window. Maybe don't answer if something calls from

1688
01:55:58.520 --> 01:56:02.359
the trees. And if an old stranger tells you that

1689
01:56:02.399 --> 01:56:07.319
you're standing on top of Fool's Hill heading down the

1690
01:56:07.359 --> 01:56:14.359
wrong side for once in your life, listen until next time,

1691
01:56:15.159 --> 01:56:17.600
Stay creepy, my spookies,