Sept. 30, 2025

Halloween Horrors: 11 Urban Legends & Scary Tales for Spooky Season

Halloween Horrors: 11 Urban Legends & Scary Tales for Spooky Season
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Dive into scary Halloween stories with our bingeable horror anthology featuring 11 chilling tales perfect for October nights. Discover spooky stories that explore everything from small-town mischief and cursed pumpkin spice to retro drive-in frights and eerie waterpark terror. Press play and let the jack-o’-lantern glow transform your experience this spooky season.

In this episode (in order):

  • Mischief Night — Shane Migliavacca — Pranks and vandalism give way to something meaner in the dark, when a “just-for-fun” night won’t stay harmless.
  • The Halloween Heist — Rob Fields — A smooth operator gambles on Halloween chaos to pull off a score—until masks and motives start to blur.
  • Photosensitive — Joe Solmo — Strobe lights and camera flashes turn a seasonal celebration into a panic-inducing nightmare.
  • Bad Cops in a Small Town on Halloween Night — John Oak Dalton — A quiet community learns what happens when the badge goes bad after sundown.
  • Barley and Clyde Meet the Pumpkin King — David O’Hanlon — Two rough cousins run afoul of autumn’s oldest royalty—folk-horror with a wicked grin.
  • Another Mischief Night — Shane Migliavacca — The pranks return—but this time the consequences come calling.
  • Pumpkin Spice and Nothing Nice — Charles Campbell — A rude encounter at a coffee counter brews into a curse no latte can sweeten.
  • Retro Halloween Weekend — Rob Fields — A drive-in marathon promises nostalgia, then spools into real fear between the reels.
  • The Halloween Party — Keith Tomlin — Friends head for a blowout bash; the only thing scarier than the costumes is what’s waiting outside.
  • A Wet ’n’ Wild Halloween — David O’Hanlon — After-hours at the waterpark, echoes in the pipes and shadows in the slides.
  • Halloween 198666 — Dan Wilder — ’80s memories, metal, and whispered rumors—some legends don’t stay buried after the credits roll.


Cue this Weekly Spooky compilation for the season: short, punchy scares; cozy-creepy vibes; and enough twists to keep your porch light burning. Follow, rate, and share if this kept you company on a long October night.


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

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📬 Contact Us / Submit Your Horror Story!

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

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On Weekly Spooky. Halloween never ends, but October is basically here.

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The air is sharp and the pumpkins are plotting, and

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our vault of Halloween horror stories is just itching to

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be opened. I'm your host and narrator, Enrique Kuto. Grab

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a cozy seat, maybe a candle or three, and follow

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me down into the stacks, past the dusty masks as

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we find something spooky on the shelf reel. We're kicking

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off these eleven terrifying Halloween tales with the one that

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started it all, Mischief Night, the first story ever read

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here on Weekly Spooky, six years ago. It's a monster

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compilation ready to help you through a late night drive

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or a long shift at your job. So get cozy,

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get creepy. Remember, some pranks are more than pranks, and

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some knocks on the door aren't looking for candy. So

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let's kick off October right, settle in, and every Tuesday

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in October we'll bring you another collection to enjoy. Mischief

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Night by Shane migliovaka Ray had a bad feeling in

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his gut. Bud had a sinister look in his eye.

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Tonight.

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It was Bud's idea they go out. There was an

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unreasonably cold chill to this October night, most likely the

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reason the tricker treaters were starting to thin out. Bud

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wanted to do some trick or treating of his own.

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Ray knew Bud long enough to know that meant some

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kind of crime would be perpetrated by them. Tonight, Bud

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swung a beat up paper sack back and forth as

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they walked. When Ray had asked, Bud told him only

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that it was a surprime. Ray didn't like his friend's

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surprises all that much, but without him, Ray would never

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have made it this far in life. His mother was

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an out of work nurse, his dad a foreman at

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a chemical plant. Stuck home with a kid and a

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husband that was never around. She took her frustrations out

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on Ray, smacking him around. His dad, too busy and

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too tired from long shifts, failed to notice or care.

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When he was fifteen, Ray ran away from home. Those

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first few years had been harder than hell. He'd resorted

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to things he'd never thought he was capable of. Then

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he met Bud, a former runaway himself. They were kindred spirits.

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Bud knew his way around the streets. Ray owed him

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no matter what the man did, he wouldn't desert him,

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not to mention he was more than a little afraid

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of him. A kid in a skeleton costume bounded down

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the side I'd walked towards them, happily clutching a full

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bag of candy in his arms. As he passed by,

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Bud stuck out a leg, sending the kid crashing to

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the sidewalk, his bag of candy landing next to him,

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some of the candy spilling onto the sidewalk in lawn.

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The kid started blubbering as he rubbed his knee. Bud

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knelt down and looked at the kid. Did you have

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a nice trip?

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Kid?

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The kid shook his head back and forth.

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You tripped me?

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Maybe you're just clumsy, kid, Bud laughed. He snatched up

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the kid's bag of candy. Hey, that's mine, the kid hollered,

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give it back. There was a flash of steel. Bud

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held out a switchblade he carried sh He whispered. Ray

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felt his heart quicken. What was Bud gonna do to

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this kid? He'd never seen him hurt a kid. Could

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he go that far? Kill a kid?

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Listen?

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Kid?

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Bud said, this is my eye candy, now mine. You

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tell anybody about it, your parents, a cop, anybody, and

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I'll make you watch as I kill him because I'm

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the Boogeyman and I know where you live.

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Got it?

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The kid near tears, more than likely pissing his pants,

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nodded good. Now run the fuck along and don't talk

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to fucking strangers. The kid high tailed that his Bud laughed,

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sniffing the air as he looked at Ray. I think

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that kid shit his pants?

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Or was it you?

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Fuck? Ray?

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Managed? Fuck man.

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This made Bud laugh louder, handing the bag of ill

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gotten candy to Ray have some. Shaking his head, Ray

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reached into the bag, grabbing a small bag of sour patch.

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Kids. What are we doing out here tonight?

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Man?

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He popped a red sour patch into his mouth. Besides

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mugging little kids, Well, my man, I want to do

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something more adult than tricker treating. Bud motioned to the

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houses up and down the street. Pick one, pick a

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good one, and we'll have ourselves some fun. Ray let

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his eyes wander over the houses, nice upper middle class homes,

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some decorated to the hilt for Halloween. Others bore nothing

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at all. One house in particular, A large grim reaper

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stood on the lawn, his eyes glowing. A witch stood

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next to him, cackling at a passer by. Purple, orange

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and green lights decorated the house's exterior. A large glowing

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ghost hung on the front door, loudly wailing at little

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kids as they walked up to the front door. That

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one ray pointed. Bud nodded in approval. A pretty brunette

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answered the door, handing out candy to the little kids

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waiting there. Good choice, Amanda followed the outline on the

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construction paper, a detailed drawing of a skeleton, grinning at her.

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She'd always been pretty good at drawing. Cutting things with

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scissors was another thing. Next to her. Amanda's little brother, Kyle,

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coughed as he colored in a pumpkin she'd drawn earlier.

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They sat at the kitchen table, surrounded by snacks in

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colored paper. What a drag Stuck at home on Halloween night,

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looking after her sick kid brother. Her parents were off

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to have dinner and then a movie. She was missing

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Stevie Lee's big Halloween party at the Mill Creek Farms.

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She'd just got her driver's license and barely got to

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use it. Why couldn't her parents cancel? Why did it

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have to be her? She looked at her brother. It

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sucked for him too. He'd really been looking forward to

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trick her treating tonight. Instead, they were stuck home together.

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Both of them had gotten bored watching horror movies on TV.

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She decided maybe making something would lift their spirits. The

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horror thon will be back with Night of the Killer

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Lobsters after reward from our ghoulish sponsors. The television played

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in an empty living room. The ghost hanging on the

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front door wailed, breaking Amanda's thoughts. The scissors slipped, causing

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her to poke her thumb. Oh shit, she hollered, you okay?

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Kyle asked, yeah, you didn't hear me?

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Swear right?

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He gave her a thumbs up. There was a loud

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knock at the door. Want me to get it, her

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brother asked. Amanda stood, holding the scissors in one hand.

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I'll get it. There was another loud knock coming coming.

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Amanda shouted over the ghost's howl. Hold your fucking horses,

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she said under her breath. Look a man warned on television,

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that is one of them now as a lobster superimposed

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over the side of a car, menacing some kids in

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lover's lane, walking past an upright piano set against one wall.

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Setting the scissors on the coffee table, Amanda picked up

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her mom's large ceramic bowl. According to her, it was

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some family heirloom. A red drop hit the beige carpet. Shit,

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Amanda growled, looking at the trail of blood drops on

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the carpet behind her. She hadn't thought the scissors had

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broken the skin of her thumb. Now she'd have to

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get bloodstains out of the carpet before mom and Dad

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get home.

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What next?

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There was another furious knock. Yeah, yeah, she said, this time,

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not even trying to hide her annoyance. The pile up

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of the night's events getting to her so much so

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Amanda forgot to look through the window to see who

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was out there first, something she always did. Unlocking the door,

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she yanked it open. Two men in plastic clown masks

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stood waiting. Amanda stood, hesitating tricker. The rest of it

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was cut off as the closer of the two men

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drove a fist into her stomach, knocking the air out

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of her lungs and doubling her over Mom's precious heirloom,

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hitting the floor, shattering, sending candy spilling over the floor.

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Before she could recover, strong hands shoved her back into

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the living room, the two men rushing in after her.

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The second man closes the door, locking it and turning

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off the lights. Amanda tries to stand, earning another punch

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to the stomach from the first man. We good, he asks.

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The second peeks out through the curtains, golden, he answered,

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keeping watch through the drawn curtains. Amanda staggered, hunched over,

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barely able to gasp her air, much less form words.

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She wanted to warn her brother, scream out for help, anything.

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The first man grabbed her by the hair, yanking her

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head up so they were face to face. His gloved

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hand touched her cheek. In his other he held a switchblade.

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You alone, girly, yeah, she gasped.

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What's a looker like.

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You doing all alone on Halloween night? I was grounded,

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she managed, tears burning her eyes. That's so, wouldn't be lying?

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Would you don't have a boyfriend stashed somewhere? Maybe a girlfriend?

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You know what they say when the cat's away the

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micel play you play in Pretty Mouse? Amanda coughed. No,

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too bad, he lamented, gonna behave Yes, Please take whatever

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and go, she pleaded. The first man picked up the

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family portrait sitting on the mantel.

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God.

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She hoped Kyle had heard everything and run and hid,

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or maybe he'd run out the kitchen door, heading to

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one of the neighbors for help. He was a smart kid.

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It was possible. Who says we want to take anything?

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He answered? Where's Junior?

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Here?

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He said, tapping on the picture. He went with my

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parents tricker treating. Amanda answered, did he now? Her watery

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eyes wandered the room. Not too far away sat the

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scissors on the coffee table. So far, all she'd seen

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was the guy's knife. No guns. If she could reach

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the scissors, the man chuckled loudly. She met his eyes.

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He'd I've seen her looking at the scissors. Amanda lunge,

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leaping towards the scissors. Don't think so, first man said,

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cutting her off with another punch. Amanda staggered and fell

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to her knees, the world fading in and out of

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blackness as the carpet came, rushing up to meet her.

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As she fell, Ray saw the girl go down in

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a flash, turning away from the window. When he heard

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the commotion, she hit the carpeted floor and went limp.

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She Bud knelt down, checking the girl out like a light.

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He stood, motioning Ray over, I'll stay here with the princess.

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I want you to check the place out. They got

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to have something valuable stashed here. Mommy might have some jewelry,

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or Daddy might have some cash squirreled away. Check the

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bedrooms first, okay, man, then we can get out of here,

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Ray said. Her parents could be back any time. Go

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find something good, Bud said, and if you see somebody,

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a boyfriend or the brat. He drew a finger across

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his throat. I'll entertain myself while I wait, he smiled.

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Ray nodded before leaving. God he'd be happy when they

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were out of there, when he could take off the

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crummy mask. He was sweating like crazy. Besides the mask,

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Ray was scared Bud was really on a rip tonight.

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He knew what Bud was gonna do with the girl,

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and he wanted no part of it. The fear in

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his bones of what Bud might do to even him

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stopped Ray from helping the girl best. He could do

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was find some shit so they could get the hell

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out of there. Heading upstairs, Ray searched as quick as

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he could a bathroom, the boy's bedroom, then the girl's.

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Nothing.

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At least there was no boyfriend waiting up here, no

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little brother playing in his room either. That left the

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parents bedroom.

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Fuck.

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He hoped there was something valuable there. He feared what

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Bud's reaction would be if he came back empty handed.

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He dumped the dresser drawers, clothes, adildo, and some papers

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Bill's mostly zip for anything worth a shit looked like

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the closet was it? Come on, Fox, He said to himself,

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you're killing me here, opening the sliding closet door, lots

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of clothes, mostly the mothers. The shelf was crammed full

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of stuff, but there was one thing that stood out,

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a metal box bingo. He reached up, pulling it down.

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A box of pictures fell, spilling on the floor. Holding

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the heavy box in his arms, Ray saw something that

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made his heart stop. A little kid hiding in the

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corner of the closet, huddled behind some of the clothes.

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The kid's eyes widened when he met Ray's gaze. Ray

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put a finger to his lips. Not a word, kid,

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he whispered. He knelt, setting the box on the floor,

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staring at the kid. What the fuck was he gonna do?

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If he brought the kid downstairs, Bud would kill him,

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for sure. Ray had a really good idea of what

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Bud was probably up to now with the girl. Even

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if Bud let the brat live, there was no reason

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to subject him to seeing that. Reaching into his back pocket,

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Ray pulled out his own knife. Looking into the kid's

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terrified eyes, Ray recognized what he saw there. How many

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times he had looked up with those same eyes at

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his mom as she beat the piss out of him. No,

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he couldn't kill the kid. I want you to stay here,

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he whispered. Me and my buddy are going soon. Don't

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come out of here till somebody comes and gets you. Okay.

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The kid nodded good, Ray said. He clapped a hand

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over the kid's mouth. One more thing. Don't worry, I

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ain't gonna hurt you. It'll just sting a little. Ray

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drew the blade out down the kid's cheek, opening up

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a small cut. The kid squirmed, wanting to holler in pain.

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Ray's hand suppressing the cry. Done Ray dabbed some of

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the blood from the cut on his blade. He wasn't

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taking any chances. If Bud thought he'd killed the kid,

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that should keep him from wanting to look for the kid.

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Picking up one of the father's t shirts from the floor,

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Ray wadded it up and handed it to the kid,

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telling him to press it to his cheek. Closing the

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closet again, Ray picked up the metal box, setting it

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on the bed. Using a solid metal ash tray, he

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smashed off the flimsy padlock inside the box. It was

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like Christmas morning had come, early jewelry and a couple

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of envelopes of cash.

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Score.

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Picking up his prize, Ray headed downstairs. Amanda heard gentle

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music playing over the screams of terror coming from the television.

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She felt the softness of the rug against her back.

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Her body ached, and she wasn't sure why. Her eyes

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focused on the man playing the piano. Amanda saw the

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clown mask and Rehac came crashing back. The last things

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she remembered was trying to grab the scissors, and then

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nothing save for scattershot images the man over her, the

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sounds of fabric tearing. Oh god. She rolled over onto

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her belly. The other man came rushing in, excited and

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holding the metal box from her parents closet. The first

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man opened it, letting out a jubilant hoot. She couldn't

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hear their words over the frenzy on the TV. Words

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are no words. A man knew what the blood on

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the other man's knife meant as he showed it to

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the first Ray bounded down the stairs, eager to show

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Bud the lute. Somebody was playing music, a piano or

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something in the living room. Bud sat at the small

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piano playing without a care in the world. The girl

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lay on the carpet, her clothes shredded. He knew what

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Bud had in mind for the girl. He could have

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no no, best not to dwell on it. There was

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nothing he could have done. They were almost out of

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there anyway. He showed him the contents of the box

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and then the knife. Good work, Bud said, looking at

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Ray's bloody knife. You're a man now. He motioned towards

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the girl. Want some Can we just get out of here?

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Ray asked, fine, fine, I'm getting restless anyway. Bud stood,

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tickling the piano keys. A wail of anguish and rage

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rose up over the piano. Over the screams on the television,

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the men turned to see a bloodied, beaten ban She's

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standing before them, the scissors in her hands. The girl's

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expression was filled with so much hate. Ray felt shivers

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run up and down his spine. She lunged. Ray felt

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the hot spray hid his face, blood not his, though.

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He looked over to see the scissors pulling away from

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Bud's neck, a large bloody hole left in their wake.

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Bud tumbled over the piano bench, gurgling up blood as

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he desperately tried to stop it from jetting out of

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his neck, fastening his hands over the wound, blood flowing

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between his fingers. Standing there, petrified, Ray couldn't help but

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watch his friends squirm about on the carpet floor, the

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girl jamming Bud repeatedly in the groin with the scissors.

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The knife slipped from his fingers. The girl turned from

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the now dead Bud, her eyes bloodshot, she howled with anger. Please,

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Ray begged his body. Finally responding, he ran towards the door,

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slipping on the spilled candy. Inches from his goal, He

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grabbed a large jagged shard of the broken candy bowl,

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slicing his gloved hand, swinging at the crazed girl, cutting

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her arm. The pain didn't FaZe her as she plunged

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the scissors into Ray's right eye socket with a sickening crunch. Frenzied,

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Ray pushed her away, fumbling for the door lock. The

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only thought in his dying brain was to get away,

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but his fingers couldn't seem to manage the lock. Ray

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heard the girl breathing behind him. Pulling the scissors from

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his eye socket, he blindly sliced the air with them.

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The crazed girl crouch watching him till finally his body

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gave out and he collapsed against the door. It was

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hard to believe the girl, her face covered with a

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blank white mask, was his sister. Kyle visited her from

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time to time at the sanitarium. He was sixteen, now,

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the same age she'd been when it happened. He touched

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the scar on his cheek, a constant reminder of that night.

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Amanda sat there in the day room, staring out the window,

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never moving her head, never turning. Doctor Chandler said she

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was near catatonic. The mask, he said she'd started wearing

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to hide her shame. After that man found him in

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the closet, Kyle had stayed hidden, staying there till his

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parents had found him. Amanda had believed the man killed him.

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Perhaps she still did. The doctors were afraid to let

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him talk to her. The first time had been a disaster.

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He blamed himself for what happened to her, even though

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his parents, the copse, and his shrink told him there

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was nothing he could have done. He'd only been a

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scared little boy. Sometimes he dreamed about her, Not of

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00:20:16.839 --> 00:20:22.839
that night. No, he dreamed of her escaping here, finding

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her way over his bed, a pair of bloody scissors

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in her hand. He watched her for a while.

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She was.

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So unnaturally patient, gazing out that window, staring into the distance,

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waiting The Halloween heist by Rob Fields. I don't mind

347
00:20:56.240 --> 00:20:59.000
telling you how great it is to wake up to

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a nice, warm female body most every morning, especially during

349
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the fall and winter months. Take this morning for example.

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I'm kinda in between sleep and being awake, but I

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can feel the soft, warm, naked body I'm spooned up with.

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Then I hear her moaning softly and feel her moved

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to lay on her back. Okay, now, I'm fully awake.

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I start feeling her up and then we kiss. Soon

355
00:21:28.279 --> 00:21:32.480
we're having some really awesome mourning sex. I usually only

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do mourning sex when the night before was just as incredible.

357
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We end up going a couple of rounds before we

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finally decide we're satisfied. Now, I remember the girl I

359
00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:47.880
brought to my loft. Her name is Kitty. Oh yeah,

360
00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:50.720
I remember the names of all the girls I've ever

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slept with, and for good reason, I'll get to that.

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I met Kitty at Shakers, a bar that Strickfield University

363
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students tend to hang out at. I usually frequent a

364
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few of the local bars and even a few outside

365
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a Strickfield to find that perfect girl, or the occasional

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woman to take to bed at least for a night.

367
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Kitty really stood out for me last night. I mean,

368
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this girl is perfectly stacked, great body, great face, awesome rack,

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hot ass. Normally I only have to turn on the

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charm to get a girl to come to bed with me,

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but once in a while, the girls just come right

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to you.

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That was Kitty.

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I bought Kitty a few drinks and just talked with

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her about whatever she wanted to talk about. See, that's

376
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one of the ways you're guaranteed to get girls into

377
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your bed. They need to know you're genuinely interested in them.

378
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They just want to know you care. And of course

379
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you need to make sure you keep your body finally toned,

380
00:22:54.000 --> 00:22:56.920
which means watching your diet and making sure you work

381
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out most every day. Getting back to kit, the girl

382
00:23:01.000 --> 00:23:04.160
was practically begging me to take her to bed. She

383
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wore a very form fitting dress that basically told me

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she wasn't wearing any underwear. I was right when I

385
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got her back to the loft and got her dress off.

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Kitty and I pounded each other many times last night.

387
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We just couldn't get enough. Normally, after I've had a

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girl for a night, we part ways. Sometimes I'll get

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a girl that wants more than just one night. Sometimes

390
00:23:26.799 --> 00:23:29.559
I make an exception or two, depending on the girl

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and how good the sex really was. But most of

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00:23:32.400 --> 00:23:35.279
the time I just tell them I'll call them just

393
00:23:35.319 --> 00:23:36.839
to get them the hell out of my loft and

394
00:23:36.839 --> 00:23:39.599
out of my life once and for all. But I'll

395
00:23:39.680 --> 00:23:43.200
let you in on a little secret. These girls aren't

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00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:46.720
all together out of my life. No, they end up

397
00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:52.160
being a part of my collection. See, I've got cameras

398
00:23:52.200 --> 00:23:54.720
set up all over the loft that record and store

399
00:23:54.759 --> 00:23:58.359
the content onto servers and hard drives that are rigged up.

400
00:23:58.559 --> 00:24:01.640
When it's time, I'll go and edit the footage and

401
00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:05.000
make some quality homemade adult movies that you just can't

402
00:24:05.079 --> 00:24:08.960
find anywhere else. Oh, and I can only imagine what

403
00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:13.359
kind of quality porno I'll make from Kitty's footage while

404
00:24:13.359 --> 00:24:16.079
I'm thinking about it. Getting girls into my bed has

405
00:24:16.160 --> 00:24:18.960
been so much better for me since my roommate, Jacob

406
00:24:19.039 --> 00:24:22.759
Levine and his stupid girlfriend Genevieve van Sandt both ended

407
00:24:22.839 --> 00:24:27.160
up getting murdered in this loft months ago. Yeah, it

408
00:24:27.200 --> 00:24:29.759
freaked me the fuck out. I was staying at Raylen

409
00:24:29.880 --> 00:24:33.440
Jones's dorm that night. One I forgot a term paper

410
00:24:33.440 --> 00:24:36.640
that was there. Two, I'd already had sex with Raylen

411
00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:38.960
before I left. As I was about to come into

412
00:24:39.000 --> 00:24:41.279
the loft, she called me back and offered to let

413
00:24:41.359 --> 00:24:43.920
me spend the night. Guess we both wanted more of

414
00:24:43.960 --> 00:24:47.039
each other and I needed that term paper, So there

415
00:24:47.079 --> 00:24:50.319
you go. The funny thing was I came back here

416
00:24:50.359 --> 00:24:53.200
the next day and found this message written in blood

417
00:24:53.599 --> 00:24:57.000
that told me I was glad I didn't actually come in.

418
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Knowing I had the loft all to myself, I quickly

419
00:25:00.440 --> 00:25:03.000
got that blood off the walls and got the room repainted.

420
00:25:03.519 --> 00:25:06.640
Since Jacob wasn't here anymore, that meant I could keep

421
00:25:06.680 --> 00:25:10.279
whatever he had. I mean, nobody in his family ever

422
00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:14.039
came to claim anything that included all the cameras he'd

423
00:25:14.079 --> 00:25:20.480
set up. See, Jacob and Genevieve were making homemade porn together. Yeah,

424
00:25:20.640 --> 00:25:23.720
she knew about it because she knowingly looked at the cameras.

425
00:25:24.119 --> 00:25:28.079
As for me, I managed to cleverly hide the cameras

426
00:25:28.119 --> 00:25:30.759
well enough. After I took over the loft. Not a

427
00:25:30.799 --> 00:25:34.559
single girl I brought here ever discovered them. But you

428
00:25:34.640 --> 00:25:37.039
know what the beauty of being able to make homemade

429
00:25:37.039 --> 00:25:41.000
porn is. There are actually a few websites I won't

430
00:25:41.039 --> 00:25:44.599
say which ones that'll pay some damn good money for

431
00:25:44.640 --> 00:25:49.000
these movies. Being a mirror, I've got more money than

432
00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:52.240
I'll ever know what to do with. But enough is

433
00:25:52.319 --> 00:25:55.359
never enough. Right every now and then, I'll just sell

434
00:25:55.359 --> 00:25:57.079
a video to one of those sites and make some

435
00:25:57.240 --> 00:25:59.799
damn good money. As for the girl in the video,

436
00:26:00.359 --> 00:26:02.880
who really cares? She ought to be happy that she's

437
00:26:02.880 --> 00:26:05.400
getting a lot of attention. Talk about getting to the

438
00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:07.799
height of your popularity, and if one of them ends

439
00:26:07.839 --> 00:26:10.359
up catching a lot of shit for it, oh well,

440
00:26:11.440 --> 00:26:14.400
come to think of it, Kitty has about the same

441
00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:16.680
build as a girl I remember sleeping with that I

442
00:26:16.720 --> 00:26:21.359
sold a video of Catherine Pierce. Not only did Catherine

443
00:26:21.359 --> 00:26:25.039
get expelled by the Dean of Strickfield University himself, her

444
00:26:25.079 --> 00:26:28.880
parents disowned her. Now I do know the thing about

445
00:26:28.880 --> 00:26:31.039
the dean is true, but the thing with her parents

446
00:26:31.160 --> 00:26:34.920
might just be rumors. Still, not a single girl ever

447
00:26:35.000 --> 00:26:36.000
came back to find me.

448
00:26:36.680 --> 00:26:37.480
Why would they.

449
00:26:37.799 --> 00:26:40.039
They can't prove that I was in the video. I

450
00:26:40.079 --> 00:26:43.279
am very careful to keep my face out of them.

451
00:26:43.599 --> 00:26:46.640
All they see is my body, all of her face

452
00:26:46.680 --> 00:26:50.440
and body, and all the compromising positions that we did.

453
00:26:51.000 --> 00:26:53.359
What are they going to do? Take me to court

454
00:26:53.440 --> 00:26:57.039
and sue me? Let them try. What people fail to

455
00:26:57.119 --> 00:27:01.880
understand is that I'm Calvin Miron. That's right. I belong

456
00:27:01.960 --> 00:27:05.279
to the rich and powerful mirror In family. We've got

457
00:27:05.319 --> 00:27:07.640
so much money that we actually own a whole section

458
00:27:07.720 --> 00:27:11.279
of Strickfield Commons, a housing community made up of mostly

459
00:27:11.359 --> 00:27:14.359
rich people on the east side of Strickfield. We even

460
00:27:14.400 --> 00:27:17.160
have our own section walled off to separate ourselves from

461
00:27:17.160 --> 00:27:20.119
everybody else. It's been said that we're the top one

462
00:27:20.160 --> 00:27:23.279
percent of the top one percent. That's the kind of

463
00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:26.279
money I'm talking about. Just being a mirror means that

464
00:27:26.319 --> 00:27:30.079
I can get away with pretty much whatever I want.

465
00:27:31.119 --> 00:27:33.680
But okay, I'm getting too much into myself here, which

466
00:27:33.720 --> 00:27:37.000
isn't really a bad thing. Kitty and I finish our

467
00:27:37.079 --> 00:27:39.960
mourning sex. I roll off her and onto my back.

468
00:27:40.240 --> 00:27:42.880
Then Kitty turns over and gets on top of me.

469
00:27:43.920 --> 00:27:48.640
Happy Halloween, she cheers. Then she kisses me. I go

470
00:27:48.680 --> 00:27:52.079
ahead and kiss her some more. No, I can't let

471
00:27:52.079 --> 00:27:54.880
this girl become a part of my life. But she's

472
00:27:54.960 --> 00:27:58.200
so fucking hot. Okay, maybe I can keep her around

473
00:27:58.240 --> 00:28:01.319
a little while longer. I've made a few exceptions like

474
00:28:01.359 --> 00:28:04.559
this in the past. You're in a pretty good mood today,

475
00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:08.640
I say, She packs my lips. Well, we just had

476
00:28:08.680 --> 00:28:14.160
fucking incredible sex. And it's Halloween. I love Halloween. That

477
00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:16.799
means trick or treating and all kinds of other fun

478
00:28:16.839 --> 00:28:22.319
things like parties. Ooh, in costumes. I roll my eyes. Oh,

479
00:28:22.359 --> 00:28:25.720
come on, you're telling me you go trick or treating?

480
00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:30.599
She groans, don't you dare roll your eyes at me, Calvin,

481
00:28:30.920 --> 00:28:34.400
Strickfield has their yearly tradition of trick or treating. It's

482
00:28:34.440 --> 00:28:37.559
not just for kids here. Anybody can do it, no

483
00:28:37.720 --> 00:28:42.920
questions asked, no judgments. She's telling the truth. Many years ago,

484
00:28:43.160 --> 00:28:46.519
Strickfield got to be this big Halloween town in addition

485
00:28:46.599 --> 00:28:49.599
to being a big college town. Normally, in most other

486
00:28:49.640 --> 00:28:52.319
parts of the country, trick or treating is basically limited

487
00:28:52.359 --> 00:28:55.559
to just kids. But in Strickfield it doesn't matter how

488
00:28:55.599 --> 00:28:58.640
old you are. Anybody's welcome to do it. People of

489
00:28:58.680 --> 00:29:01.119
all ages drive in from up towns just to trick

490
00:29:01.200 --> 00:29:04.319
or treat right here. Just don't ever think about coming

491
00:29:04.400 --> 00:29:06.920
to our part of town to do it. The gates

492
00:29:06.920 --> 00:29:10.720
of our part of Strickfield Commons are never open unless

493
00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:14.720
we want them open. Okay, you're going trick or treating?

494
00:29:15.079 --> 00:29:20.400
I reply, well, not just me. Kitty reveals I've got

495
00:29:20.400 --> 00:29:23.839
my two roommates coming too, Jamie and Lena. We're gonna

496
00:29:23.839 --> 00:29:26.640
go trick or treating and then to a Halloween party afterwards.

497
00:29:27.440 --> 00:29:31.599
Sounds like fun, I say, just to make conversation. Then

498
00:29:32.400 --> 00:29:35.799
Kitty's face brightens up. Oh my god, you should totally

499
00:29:35.799 --> 00:29:36.240
come with us.

500
00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:36.559
Tonight.

501
00:29:36.640 --> 00:29:39.599
Come on, it'll be fun. I raise my hand a

502
00:29:39.599 --> 00:29:42.960
little and shake my head. No, I don't think so.

503
00:29:43.440 --> 00:29:47.200
I'm not much into Halloween. Kitty moves and sits on me.

504
00:29:47.720 --> 00:29:51.039
I have to admit I love Kitty's naked body from

505
00:29:51.039 --> 00:29:54.519
this angle. Then she caresses her tits just a little.

506
00:29:55.119 --> 00:29:57.200
I know my girls would just love to meet you.

507
00:29:57.240 --> 00:29:59.400
They're going to ask why I never came home last night.

508
00:29:59.720 --> 00:30:02.759
Come on, baby, they're both hot like me. It'll be

509
00:30:02.839 --> 00:30:09.279
so much fun. Fine, Kitty's just guaranteed another night with

510
00:30:09.319 --> 00:30:12.559
me tonight. To be honest, I won't mind taking this

511
00:30:12.640 --> 00:30:16.079
fully stacked babe to bed again. Kitty squeals with the

512
00:30:16.160 --> 00:30:19.039
light and finally gets off me. I actually let her

513
00:30:19.119 --> 00:30:21.759
take a shower here, which I usually never let girls.

514
00:30:21.759 --> 00:30:24.279
I don't want to see you again, do. I get

515
00:30:24.319 --> 00:30:26.480
in the shower with her and we make out some more.

516
00:30:27.079 --> 00:30:29.519
When we finish, we both get dressed. Then we make

517
00:30:29.599 --> 00:30:32.519
arrangements on where to meet. Then we go our separate

518
00:30:32.519 --> 00:30:36.240
ways for the time being. That night, I'm waiting for

519
00:30:36.359 --> 00:30:39.960
Kitty at Wilder Hall. I'm wearing my costume, which is

520
00:30:40.000 --> 00:30:43.000
a pirate. I just finish with an energy drink and

521
00:30:43.079 --> 00:30:45.400
toss the can away when I see Kitty coming in

522
00:30:45.400 --> 00:30:47.759
through the doors. On the other side, she has two

523
00:30:47.759 --> 00:30:50.720
other girls with her. Kitty points to me, and then

524
00:30:50.799 --> 00:30:51.799
the three of them come.

525
00:30:51.680 --> 00:30:52.079
To see me.

526
00:30:52.720 --> 00:30:56.720
Glad you decided to come, Kitty says excitedly. Of course,

527
00:30:56.759 --> 00:30:59.119
she would be dressed up as a sexy kitty cat,

528
00:30:59.400 --> 00:31:03.200
a full form fitting bodysuit that tells me she's still

529
00:31:03.480 --> 00:31:07.519
not wearing underwear and shows a lot of her ample cleavage,

530
00:31:07.680 --> 00:31:11.160
a long tail, stiletto boots, and caddiers on her head.

531
00:31:11.920 --> 00:31:14.359
Seeing all three of these babes in my sight at once,

532
00:31:15.240 --> 00:31:18.000
imagine if I could get all three of them together

533
00:31:18.160 --> 00:31:20.759
in my loft. I'll bet one of the sites would

534
00:31:20.799 --> 00:31:22.759
pay big money for a video of me and the

535
00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:26.200
three of them. Kitty motions to the girl on her right.

536
00:31:26.759 --> 00:31:30.160
This is Jamie. She's dressed up like a sexy nurse,

537
00:31:30.480 --> 00:31:34.240
seemingly plastic uniform that shapes to her voluptuous body, nicely

538
00:31:34.759 --> 00:31:38.319
white knee high boots, a pink wig, and more cleavage.

539
00:31:38.640 --> 00:31:42.119
Then Kitty motions to her left, and this is Lena.

540
00:31:42.599 --> 00:31:45.160
She's dressed up like a sexy version of Little Red

541
00:31:45.240 --> 00:31:49.519
riding hood revealing outfit with more cleavage face, nicely made up,

542
00:31:49.799 --> 00:31:54.240
red pantyhose with garter belts, red shoes, and red hair dyed.

543
00:31:54.319 --> 00:31:58.920
Maybe Kitty and Jamie have those plastic pumpkin baskets. Lena

544
00:31:59.000 --> 00:32:02.359
has a small picnic it that matches her costume. All

545
00:32:02.400 --> 00:32:08.359
I brought was a pillowcase. Ready to go, babe, Kitty asks, Oh,

546
00:32:08.640 --> 00:32:12.079
I'm definitely ready, I assured her. The four of us

547
00:32:12.160 --> 00:32:15.000
leave Wilder Hall and go trick or treating. We go

548
00:32:15.160 --> 00:32:18.599
up and down one block and then several others. These

549
00:32:18.640 --> 00:32:21.160
girls want to get as much candy as they possibly can.

550
00:32:21.559 --> 00:32:24.720
We all end up getting some good hauls along the way.

551
00:32:25.039 --> 00:32:28.079
I learned some things about Jamie and Lena. Turns out

552
00:32:28.160 --> 00:32:31.680
Jamie's into having a good time more than anything. I'm

553
00:32:31.680 --> 00:32:34.119
definitely looking to hook up at our little party tonight,

554
00:32:34.599 --> 00:32:37.920
she says in her sexy voice. I'm always looking to

555
00:32:37.960 --> 00:32:42.359
play the nurse and let a good doctor take my temperature.

556
00:32:43.240 --> 00:32:46.599
Then she winks at me. Now I feel Lena move

557
00:32:46.680 --> 00:32:50.240
up right next to me. Oh but Jamie, why should

558
00:32:50.279 --> 00:32:53.720
he limit himself to your bubble butt when he could

559
00:32:53.759 --> 00:32:57.559
have these. Lena make sure nobody's around before she pulls

560
00:32:57.599 --> 00:33:00.279
down her top and shows me what she's passed in

561
00:33:00.359 --> 00:33:04.599
her upper basket. She covers them back up. Shortly after, you,

562
00:33:04.839 --> 00:33:08.880
total slut. Jamie cries and unzips her top a little

563
00:33:09.119 --> 00:33:12.400
to show me her perfect tits, then she covers them

564
00:33:12.440 --> 00:33:16.279
back up. I'm more put together than you are anyways,

565
00:33:16.799 --> 00:33:20.160
Kitty groans, Come on, you two. The cops are out

566
00:33:20.160 --> 00:33:22.480
here patrolling tonight. We don't need to be getting arrested

567
00:33:22.680 --> 00:33:26.519
before we can go to our party. Oh shit, you're right,

568
00:33:26.839 --> 00:33:30.480
Lena agrees. Then she wraps her arm around mine. You

569
00:33:30.640 --> 00:33:32.880
are coming to our party when we're done trick or

570
00:33:32.920 --> 00:33:40.039
treating right, well, some deliberate wishy washiness. Remember you have

571
00:33:40.079 --> 00:33:41.920
to make it about the girls if you want to

572
00:33:41.960 --> 00:33:45.759
get laid. Jamie wraps up my other arm. Of course

573
00:33:45.799 --> 00:33:48.480
he is, especially since I'm going to be the one

574
00:33:48.519 --> 00:33:53.319
fucking him tonight. But Kitty has something to say about that. Bitches,

575
00:33:53.599 --> 00:33:56.440
If anybody in our little Motley trio here is taking

576
00:33:56.519 --> 00:33:59.319
him to bed again, it's going to be yours, truly,

577
00:33:59.400 --> 00:34:03.279
so back the fuck off. Now I get to hear

578
00:34:03.359 --> 00:34:05.680
these three fight and argue about who's going to be

579
00:34:05.759 --> 00:34:10.719
the lucky one. Yeah, I definitely want all three of them.

580
00:34:11.039 --> 00:34:13.320
I just have to work my charms on them. But

581
00:34:13.360 --> 00:34:16.960
I'm sure I can easily pull this off. Besides, three

582
00:34:16.960 --> 00:34:20.840
girls at once isn't necessarily a bad thing, right, I'm

583
00:34:20.880 --> 00:34:23.719
already imagining the kind of money i'll get for this

584
00:34:24.199 --> 00:34:27.840
for some video. It's time to make this about them

585
00:34:28.119 --> 00:34:29.679
if I want to make this about me.

586
00:34:30.639 --> 00:34:34.079
So what do you lovely ladies do? I mean?

587
00:34:34.559 --> 00:34:36.960
I know your students. Kitty told me you all were

588
00:34:37.480 --> 00:34:40.480
What are you all majoring in? Turns out they're all

589
00:34:40.559 --> 00:34:44.159
former med students who came to Strickfield University on scholarships

590
00:34:44.599 --> 00:34:48.239
because of the excellent medical program there. Now they've moved

591
00:34:48.280 --> 00:34:51.280
on to bigger and better things, applying what they've learned.

592
00:34:51.679 --> 00:34:54.800
I've definitely slept with plenty of med students. I even

593
00:34:54.840 --> 00:34:57.239
took a class in medical terminology just to be able

594
00:34:57.239 --> 00:35:00.760
to keep up with their conversations. Tell me about the

595
00:35:00.800 --> 00:35:03.679
medical fields they're in. None of them say anything about

596
00:35:03.679 --> 00:35:06.280
being nurses. But the only one who says she's a

597
00:35:06.320 --> 00:35:10.679
surgeon is Kitty. At Strickfield, I clocked in some decent

598
00:35:10.719 --> 00:35:15.199
class hours just doing surgeries. What have you operated on recently?

599
00:35:15.519 --> 00:35:18.920
I asked Kitty. I actually had to do kidney removals.

600
00:35:18.960 --> 00:35:22.039
A couple of days ago, she says, the patient I

601
00:35:22.119 --> 00:35:25.039
was working on had non functioning kidneys. I had to

602
00:35:25.079 --> 00:35:28.159
remove them both. The patient is on machines now waiting

603
00:35:28.199 --> 00:35:31.400
for new donor kidneys. Once they come, I'll be putting

604
00:35:31.400 --> 00:35:36.159
them in My eyes widened a little. Is doing surgery scary?

605
00:35:36.920 --> 00:35:40.440
Kitty shrugs a little, But then it's always scary when

606
00:35:40.440 --> 00:35:43.119
you're doing different surgeries for the first time. I mean,

607
00:35:43.320 --> 00:35:46.079
you're always afraid you're going to fuck something up. At

608
00:35:46.159 --> 00:35:48.719
least when I was at Strickfield University, doctor Pratt was

609
00:35:48.760 --> 00:35:52.760
there to supervise me for every surgery I performed. Jamie giggles,

610
00:35:53.360 --> 00:35:57.039
probably letting him take her temperature afterwards. Oh fuck you,

611
00:35:57.519 --> 00:36:00.760
Kitty groans. It was never like that. It was strictly

612
00:36:00.840 --> 00:36:04.880
a mentor student relationship between us. So we keep talking

613
00:36:04.880 --> 00:36:07.239
it up until it's eleven o'clock and trigger treating is

614
00:36:07.280 --> 00:36:10.960
officially over. Now it's time to get to the Halloween party.

615
00:36:11.199 --> 00:36:15.599
Jamie cheers, where are we going again? Lena asks to

616
00:36:15.719 --> 00:36:19.760
Shakers where else? Kitty answers, Remember we're having a private

617
00:36:19.800 --> 00:36:23.119
party there. In fact, we're not far from Shakers now.

618
00:36:23.840 --> 00:36:26.760
Kitty's right, Shakers is only a block walk away from here.

619
00:36:27.360 --> 00:36:29.800
As soon as we get there, there's just one van

620
00:36:29.840 --> 00:36:32.559
in the parking lot. Usually this place is hopping on

621
00:36:32.639 --> 00:36:36.880
every holiday or any reason to celebrate something. I remember

622
00:36:36.920 --> 00:36:39.960
picking up chicks from here every Halloween and it's always packed.

623
00:36:40.679 --> 00:36:42.320
When we get to the door, there's a sign that

624
00:36:42.360 --> 00:36:45.840
says closed for a private event. As soon as we

625
00:36:45.880 --> 00:36:48.159
get to the door, it opens and the owner comes out.

626
00:36:48.440 --> 00:36:51.719
The owner and Kitty exchanged some pleasantries. Then the owner

627
00:36:51.760 --> 00:36:53.440
hands are the keys and tells her to make sure

628
00:36:53.480 --> 00:36:56.920
to clean up and lock up before leaving. Kitty promises

629
00:36:56.960 --> 00:36:59.599
she'll bring the keys by first thing. The four of

630
00:36:59.679 --> 00:37:03.519
us go inside. Kitty locks the door behind us. Then

631
00:37:03.559 --> 00:37:05.800
we put their hauls of candy down on a table.

632
00:37:06.599 --> 00:37:10.400
I turned to face them. Wait a minute, there isn't

633
00:37:10.400 --> 00:37:14.719
anybody else coming. Nope, Kitty chirps, it's just the four

634
00:37:14.800 --> 00:37:19.679
of us. Lina moves to the jukebox. Whoa, there's nothing

635
00:37:19.719 --> 00:37:22.960
but Halloween songs in here. Go ahead and play whatever

636
00:37:23.000 --> 00:37:27.039
you want, no quarters needed. Kitty tells her this place

637
00:37:27.119 --> 00:37:29.159
is paid for and is all ours for the night,

638
00:37:29.360 --> 00:37:33.239
including the jukebox, pool tables, video games, and all the food.

639
00:37:33.239 --> 00:37:36.159
And alcohol we want. As soon as Lena gets some

640
00:37:36.199 --> 00:37:39.639
Halloween tunes going, Jamie steps behind the bar. What do

641
00:37:39.679 --> 00:37:43.920
you all want? You're a bartender, I ask her. Not here,

642
00:37:44.000 --> 00:37:47.519
but it's great spending cash when I'm working, she says.

643
00:37:48.199 --> 00:37:50.440
We give Jamie our drink orders, which she makes up

644
00:37:50.519 --> 00:37:53.920
quite professionally. So now we're dancing to Halloween music and

645
00:37:54.039 --> 00:37:57.079
drinking and having an awesome time. After a while, we're

646
00:37:57.079 --> 00:38:01.119
all starting to feel a little drunk. Lena starts laughing

647
00:38:01.159 --> 00:38:03.320
and climbs up onto the bar When a Halloween song

648
00:38:03.360 --> 00:38:06.519
with a really fast beat starts playing. She's dancing it

649
00:38:06.599 --> 00:38:09.400
up as she's taking more SIPs of her drink. Jamie

650
00:38:09.480 --> 00:38:11.880
looks up at her and grins. Then she and Kitty

651
00:38:11.920 --> 00:38:16.519
both start squealing loudly. When Lena exposes her tits, Kitty

652
00:38:16.599 --> 00:38:19.760
hops up onto the bar with her and dances, exposing

653
00:38:19.800 --> 00:38:23.920
her ample assets too. I feel Jamie's hand on my forearm.

654
00:38:24.239 --> 00:38:26.480
I look to her and see she's got her tits out.

655
00:38:26.519 --> 00:38:27.199
Also.

656
00:38:27.599 --> 00:38:30.840
How about another drink, honey, I quickly down the rest

657
00:38:30.880 --> 00:38:33.639
of my glass and hand it to her. Top me off,

658
00:38:33.679 --> 00:38:37.239
pretty lady. Jamie gives me a very sexy smile and

659
00:38:37.320 --> 00:38:40.039
turns around to make my drink. I keep my eyes

660
00:38:40.079 --> 00:38:42.840
on the show above me. Then my eyes grow wide

661
00:38:43.000 --> 00:38:46.119
as Kitty and Lena come together and lock lips. They

662
00:38:46.239 --> 00:38:49.320
kiss hungrily for a little bit before Jamie returns with

663
00:38:49.400 --> 00:38:52.239
my drink. Then Jamie also gets on top of the

664
00:38:52.280 --> 00:38:55.440
bar and starts dancing. All three of them take turns

665
00:38:55.519 --> 00:38:57.639
kissing each other in front of me as I take

666
00:38:57.719 --> 00:39:01.920
SIPs of my refill. Ma, man, what I am going

667
00:39:01.960 --> 00:39:05.679
to have tonight? I say to myself. I down my

668
00:39:05.760 --> 00:39:08.840
drink and keep watching the show. After a little bit,

669
00:39:08.880 --> 00:39:10.920
I start to wonder if maybe I should have slowed

670
00:39:10.960 --> 00:39:14.000
down on my drinks. I try to keep my composure

671
00:39:14.039 --> 00:39:17.000
and keep watching the show. It's when I see Lena

672
00:39:17.079 --> 00:39:19.719
wrapping her arms around Kitty from behind that I'm really

673
00:39:19.760 --> 00:39:22.599
starting to lose my grip on things more. If I

674
00:39:22.639 --> 00:39:26.360
didn't know any better, i'd swear I was feeling really tired.

675
00:39:27.199 --> 00:39:29.840
It's becoming harder and harder to focus on these three

676
00:39:29.880 --> 00:39:33.280
sex kittens. Then I can't help myself. I just lower

677
00:39:33.320 --> 00:39:37.039
my head on the bar and feel myself fade away.

678
00:39:40.679 --> 00:39:44.679
As I'm starting to wake up, I'm feeling really really cold.

679
00:39:44.840 --> 00:39:47.519
I have to force myself to wake up completely. I

680
00:39:47.559 --> 00:39:50.800
have to see where those three lovelies are, but they're

681
00:39:50.800 --> 00:39:55.480
not here. What the fuck? I groan. I see that

682
00:39:55.519 --> 00:39:57.559
I'm in a bathroom that looks like it's in some

683
00:39:57.679 --> 00:40:01.000
cheap motel somewhere, and I look down to see the

684
00:40:01.000 --> 00:40:06.400
tub is completely filled with ice. What the fuck?

685
00:40:06.840 --> 00:40:07.280
I yell.

686
00:40:07.920 --> 00:40:10.719
I'm ready to pull myself out, But then I see

687
00:40:10.760 --> 00:40:14.199
a little table next to the tub. My smartphone's on

688
00:40:14.280 --> 00:40:18.280
it and has a message taped to it. Do not

689
00:40:18.880 --> 00:40:23.599
leave the tub. Call nine one one for an ambulance. Now,

690
00:40:24.840 --> 00:40:27.960
I don't fuck around and quickly call nine one one.

691
00:40:28.039 --> 00:40:28.599
I tell the.

692
00:40:28.559 --> 00:40:31.400
Operator what's going on and I don't know where I am.

693
00:40:32.079 --> 00:40:34.159
She's able to trace the call and says she's sending

694
00:40:34.199 --> 00:40:34.800
an ambulance.

695
00:40:34.840 --> 00:40:35.079
Now.

696
00:40:35.480 --> 00:40:38.840
When I finish the call, I just sit here and wait.

697
00:40:39.639 --> 00:40:41.519
It's only a matter of minutes before I hear the

698
00:40:41.519 --> 00:40:44.679
door to the motel room opening up. Then two paramedics

699
00:40:44.719 --> 00:40:47.920
come in. They both gasp in surprised when they see

700
00:40:47.960 --> 00:40:51.280
my situation. They quickly come to me and look me over.

701
00:40:51.920 --> 00:40:55.119
Then one of them points behind me, look at this.

702
00:40:55.960 --> 00:40:58.599
The other paramedic comes over and sees what his partner

703
00:40:58.599 --> 00:41:03.039
sees what I demanded, what is it? Then they both

704
00:41:03.079 --> 00:41:05.440
looked me in the face. We need to get you

705
00:41:05.480 --> 00:41:08.599
to the hospital, stat one of them says, we'll go

706
00:41:08.599 --> 00:41:13.280
get a stretcher and come right back. So now I'm

707
00:41:13.360 --> 00:41:17.960
stuck here at Strickfield General Hospital. I just can't believe

708
00:41:18.039 --> 00:41:21.280
this shit. I'm stuck here in this fucking hospital bed

709
00:41:21.320 --> 00:41:22.559
with all this shit hooked.

710
00:41:22.400 --> 00:41:22.719
Up to me.

711
00:41:23.039 --> 00:41:25.599
The paramedics brought me here. The doctor looked at my

712
00:41:25.679 --> 00:41:28.199
back and quickly examined me, told me that I had

713
00:41:28.199 --> 00:41:31.800
fresh stitches in my lower back that looked professionally done

714
00:41:31.920 --> 00:41:34.679
after an X ray. I practically shit myself when the

715
00:41:34.719 --> 00:41:44.800
doctor told me told me my fucking kidneys are gone. Yeah,

716
00:41:44.920 --> 00:41:47.760
that's right. I'm fucking stuck here until i can get

717
00:41:47.800 --> 00:41:50.480
at least one new kidney, which I'm told could take

718
00:41:50.559 --> 00:41:53.039
quite a long time since I'm on a fucking waiting

719
00:41:53.079 --> 00:41:55.079
list and they have to wait for a kidney donor

720
00:41:55.119 --> 00:41:59.280
match for me. I keep telling these fuckers, I'm Calvin Miern.

721
00:41:59.480 --> 00:42:02.280
I don't belieng on a fucking waiting list. A lot

722
00:42:02.320 --> 00:42:05.840
of good my name does me now. Just then the

723
00:42:05.960 --> 00:42:09.039
nurse brings me what looks like a tablet and says

724
00:42:09.079 --> 00:42:12.280
it was sent here with specific instructions to give it

725
00:42:12.320 --> 00:42:15.360
to me. I snatched the tablet from her and glare

726
00:42:15.360 --> 00:42:18.599
at her for a minute before she leaves. I turn

727
00:42:18.679 --> 00:42:22.480
on the tablet and see only a few apps. I

728
00:42:22.519 --> 00:42:26.840
tap the one that says play me first and immediately

729
00:42:26.880 --> 00:42:30.239
recognize one of the porn videos I made. I see

730
00:42:30.239 --> 00:42:34.960
the familiar face and now know who Kitty is. She

731
00:42:35.199 --> 00:42:40.519
was definitely Catherine Pierce. Not long after her video posted,

732
00:42:40.920 --> 00:42:43.000
she got in some serious shit with the dean at

733
00:42:43.039 --> 00:42:48.920
Strickfield University and ended up being expelled. I tap the

734
00:42:48.920 --> 00:42:52.880
app that says play me second and see a second

735
00:42:52.920 --> 00:42:58.880
porn video that I made, and then I recognize Jamie,

736
00:42:59.199 --> 00:43:03.960
or rather Belinda James. She ended up in the same

737
00:43:03.960 --> 00:43:08.880
boat as Catherine went before the dean, ended up getting expelled,

738
00:43:09.559 --> 00:43:15.800
became disgraced, parents threw her out. Not my problem. The

739
00:43:15.880 --> 00:43:19.000
play me third app just brought up a PDF of.

740
00:43:18.960 --> 00:43:19.760
A term paper.

741
00:43:20.840 --> 00:43:24.760
I saw the big red words copied from another student

742
00:43:25.519 --> 00:43:29.719
written all over the paper and discovered that Lena was

743
00:43:29.800 --> 00:43:35.079
really Raylene Jones. The night Jacob and Genevieve were both murdered.

744
00:43:35.360 --> 00:43:37.199
I went back to her dorm and spent the night

745
00:43:37.239 --> 00:43:39.880
with her. We were both in the same world history

746
00:43:39.920 --> 00:43:43.039
class and had a term paper due I stole her

747
00:43:43.119 --> 00:43:46.440
term paper, retyped it in my own words, and submitted

748
00:43:46.480 --> 00:43:50.840
it as my own. When she reprinted and submitted her paper,

749
00:43:51.360 --> 00:43:55.039
the professor later sent it to the Dean. Raylen pled

750
00:43:55.079 --> 00:44:01.280
her case, but she got expelled anyway. Ye play me

751
00:44:01.480 --> 00:44:04.679
fourth and get a video of the three of them.

752
00:44:05.400 --> 00:44:09.519
No Halloween costumes. Catherine had grown her hair longer than

753
00:44:09.519 --> 00:44:13.719
I remembered and dyed it black. I remember Catherine was

754
00:44:13.760 --> 00:44:18.800
a blonde. Rayleen and Belinda had been wearing wigs. They

755
00:44:18.840 --> 00:44:24.760
both have shorter brown hair. Catherine speaks up first, surprise, asshole,

756
00:44:25.159 --> 00:44:27.840
Now you know what this is about. You took from us,

757
00:44:28.280 --> 00:44:33.400
disgraced us, so we took from you. Belinda speaks up next.

758
00:44:34.119 --> 00:44:36.320
You have all the money in the world, yet you

759
00:44:36.480 --> 00:44:39.280
just kept right on taking it. Wasn't enough for you

760
00:44:39.320 --> 00:44:41.440
to exploit us for your sexual gain. You had to

761
00:44:41.519 --> 00:44:44.840
keep exploiting us for even more. Well, like Catherine said,

762
00:44:45.280 --> 00:44:49.719
now we exploited you. Do you have any idea how

763
00:44:49.760 --> 00:44:52.079
much a pair of perfectly good kidneys like yours, Celf

764
00:44:52.079 --> 00:44:56.119
wor on the black market? Ray Len speaks now. Must

765
00:44:56.119 --> 00:44:58.039
have been nice to have slept with me and then

766
00:44:58.079 --> 00:45:00.639
get away with stealing my term paper and submitting it

767
00:45:00.679 --> 00:45:03.800
as your own, all while pinning what you did on me.

768
00:45:04.760 --> 00:45:06.800
You took from us and didn't give a shit. But

769
00:45:06.880 --> 00:45:09.440
guess what, You're going to be stuck in that hospital

770
00:45:09.440 --> 00:45:12.880
bed for probably a very long time, and then there's

771
00:45:12.920 --> 00:45:14.599
going to be another place you're going to be stuck

772
00:45:14.599 --> 00:45:17.480
in for a very long time. If you ever get

773
00:45:17.519 --> 00:45:22.519
another kidney. Tap the last app and you'll see I

774
00:45:22.639 --> 00:45:25.519
tap the finish Me app and see a video of

775
00:45:25.559 --> 00:45:29.039
the police going through my loft and finding all the cameras.

776
00:45:29.519 --> 00:45:32.760
Another angle shows them finding my hard drives and servers

777
00:45:32.760 --> 00:45:37.239
with all my homemade porn videos. Then I hear Catherine

778
00:45:37.239 --> 00:45:40.679
in the background. Maybe you'll rot in prison, and maybe

779
00:45:40.719 --> 00:45:43.599
you won't, but we took our revenge against you. Oh

780
00:45:43.679 --> 00:45:46.480
and don't bother trying to look for us. We're somewhere

781
00:45:46.519 --> 00:45:49.760
you'll never find us. We're applying our medical experience on

782
00:45:49.800 --> 00:45:52.039
the black market now, so we'll just keep looking for

783
00:45:52.119 --> 00:45:55.760
more rich pieces of shit like you and harvesting whatever's needed.

784
00:45:56.400 --> 00:46:00.480
So this Halloween, you got the trick and got the

785
00:46:00.519 --> 00:46:03.599
treats thanks for your pillow sack of candy.

786
00:46:03.639 --> 00:46:04.119
By the way.

787
00:46:04.599 --> 00:46:07.679
Also, that patient I was telling you about will benefit

788
00:46:07.760 --> 00:46:11.280
greatly from your kidneys. In fact, I'm putting them in

789
00:46:11.360 --> 00:46:14.840
right now as you're watching these apps. Have a nice life,

790
00:46:15.360 --> 00:46:18.920
whatever's left of it. The video ends and then the

791
00:46:18.960 --> 00:46:23.719
apps all disappear. The next thing I know, two detectives

792
00:46:23.719 --> 00:46:25.880
from the Strickfield Police Department are here to see me,

793
00:46:26.840 --> 00:46:29.320
and I'm sure they're not here to ask me if

794
00:46:29.360 --> 00:46:43.760
I'm all right. Photo Sensitive by Joe Salt. Lacey set

795
00:46:43.800 --> 00:46:46.639
the cardboard box down at the door's threshold and took

796
00:46:46.679 --> 00:46:49.800
a minute. This was the last box, and she was

797
00:46:49.880 --> 00:46:53.280
finally moved in to her new home. It really was

798
00:46:53.360 --> 00:46:56.119
a long time coming. She had saved up for years

799
00:46:56.159 --> 00:46:59.199
to afford a house of her own. No more apartments

800
00:46:59.239 --> 00:47:02.199
with noisy manessabors. She was on her own out here

801
00:47:02.639 --> 00:47:06.639
in the country. It really was a steal. Nowhere could

802
00:47:06.679 --> 00:47:10.039
she find a three bedroom house for this cheap she

803
00:47:10.079 --> 00:47:12.800
had been looking for a while. The best part would

804
00:47:12.840 --> 00:47:15.920
be the commute. She was now only five minutes from

805
00:47:16.000 --> 00:47:20.039
work as manager of the tabletop game store Dragon's Den.

806
00:47:20.679 --> 00:47:22.840
She had been there since high school, working her way

807
00:47:22.920 --> 00:47:26.320
up to her position. Get a move on, bitch, came

808
00:47:26.320 --> 00:47:29.320
a voice from behind Lacey as her sister, Simone bumped

809
00:47:29.320 --> 00:47:32.320
into her. Are you trying out your future as a door?

810
00:47:33.159 --> 00:47:35.920
I'm just taking in the moment. This is kind of

811
00:47:35.960 --> 00:47:39.159
a big deal, Lacey said, and moved into the house.

812
00:47:39.920 --> 00:47:43.079
Her sister was always the impatient one, but as far

813
00:47:43.079 --> 00:47:46.599
as older sisters go, she wasn't half bad. There really

814
00:47:46.639 --> 00:47:49.760
wasn't much of a rivalry growing up together. When Simone

815
00:47:49.800 --> 00:47:52.320
and her friends got into witchcraft, they would let her

816
00:47:52.320 --> 00:47:54.880
sit in the corner and watch them. She had no

817
00:47:55.000 --> 00:47:58.280
idea what they were doing back then, the age difference

818
00:47:58.440 --> 00:48:01.840
was too much. Year old can barely understand what the

819
00:48:01.880 --> 00:48:05.639
high school seniors were doing, but it seemed exciting to Lacey.

820
00:48:06.440 --> 00:48:09.119
They entered the kitchen and Lacey put the kettle on

821
00:48:09.159 --> 00:48:12.920
the stove. The cold late October morning chilled the bones.

822
00:48:13.800 --> 00:48:16.280
The furnace guy was coming later today to clean it

823
00:48:16.320 --> 00:48:18.400
and make sure it was good, and she didn't want

824
00:48:18.440 --> 00:48:20.719
to turn it on until he said it was okay.

825
00:48:21.360 --> 00:48:24.440
So which bedroom will be mine when I leave, dan,

826
00:48:24.880 --> 00:48:27.639
Simone asked, pushing her auburn hair out of her face.

827
00:48:28.320 --> 00:48:32.159
You can have the basement, seems more your style, Lacey joked.

828
00:48:32.960 --> 00:48:34.840
You have all the luck, little sis. You know that

829
00:48:34.960 --> 00:48:37.480
right single, owning your own house.

830
00:48:38.480 --> 00:48:39.159
I envy you.

831
00:48:39.800 --> 00:48:39.880
Ha.

832
00:48:40.719 --> 00:48:43.519
I'll be lucky if I can afford groceries after the mortgage.

833
00:48:44.320 --> 00:48:47.480
You don't seem to have that problem, though, Lacey joked,

834
00:48:47.639 --> 00:48:49.280
poking her sister in her belly.

835
00:48:50.199 --> 00:48:50.760
I miss this.

836
00:48:52.239 --> 00:48:54.760
Living in North Carolina kind of sucks, to be honest,

837
00:48:55.119 --> 00:48:59.320
Simone finished, well, at least I got three more days

838
00:48:59.360 --> 00:49:01.800
to hang here with you in New York. I fly

839
00:49:01.960 --> 00:49:05.880
back on November first. Don't blame me, You're the idiot

840
00:49:05.920 --> 00:49:08.719
that decided to chase your dreams, Lacey said, as the

841
00:49:08.760 --> 00:49:12.480
tea kettle began to whistle. They spent the rest of

842
00:49:12.519 --> 00:49:15.559
the day putting Lacey's belongings away and making the house

843
00:49:15.599 --> 00:49:18.400
feel more like a home. She was getting worried about

844
00:49:18.400 --> 00:49:20.920
the furnace. The guy they sent over had been down

845
00:49:20.960 --> 00:49:24.000
there a long time. He had startled her when he

846
00:49:24.039 --> 00:49:26.519
showed up. One minute, she was in the kitchen putting

847
00:49:26.519 --> 00:49:30.000
away the dishes that didn't get broke from Simone's lousy packing.

848
00:49:30.400 --> 00:49:33.840
The next he was standing in the doorway. Neither sister

849
00:49:33.920 --> 00:49:36.599
heard him enter the house. When she saw him there

850
00:49:36.719 --> 00:49:40.840
leaning against the kitchen doorway. It made her jump. She

851
00:49:40.880 --> 00:49:43.079
hadn't heard a noise from the basement in a while

852
00:49:43.320 --> 00:49:46.079
and went downstairs to check on him. Since Simone decided

853
00:49:46.119 --> 00:49:48.920
to take a nap on the couch. She always could

854
00:49:48.960 --> 00:49:52.400
fall asleep anywhere. It was like turning off a switch.

855
00:49:52.880 --> 00:49:55.480
Lacey used to tease her and call her a robot.

856
00:49:56.280 --> 00:50:01.360
She descended the wooden basement stairs slowly. Always hated basements.

857
00:50:01.800 --> 00:50:05.280
She didn't like the dark, open space. She knew the

858
00:50:05.320 --> 00:50:09.639
fear was irrational in her imagination. Once a space was

859
00:50:09.679 --> 00:50:14.960
empty and dark, that's when spooky things could fill the space.

860
00:50:15.800 --> 00:50:18.519
She decided in that moment that she would just leave

861
00:50:18.559 --> 00:50:21.280
the basement lights on from now on. That would give

862
00:50:21.280 --> 00:50:26.000
her peace of mind. At least almost done. The furnace

863
00:50:26.039 --> 00:50:29.079
looks good even for sitting, as long as it did.

864
00:50:29.280 --> 00:50:31.400
I put a heavy duty air filter in there because

865
00:50:31.440 --> 00:50:34.360
of the dirt, the furnace guy said, pointing next to

866
00:50:34.400 --> 00:50:37.199
the loose dirt near the washer and dryer. His name

867
00:50:37.239 --> 00:50:41.719
tag on his blue workshirt said, Brad, thank you. I

868
00:50:41.760 --> 00:50:45.480
wonder why they never finished the basement, She replied, Brad

869
00:50:45.559 --> 00:50:48.039
kind of gave her a weird look. Like the answer

870
00:50:48.119 --> 00:50:51.880
should be obvious. It's going to be ninety dollars for

871
00:50:51.920 --> 00:50:54.280
the service. I just need to pack up my tools.

872
00:50:54.480 --> 00:50:56.559
Cash or check works. I don't have a way to

873
00:50:56.599 --> 00:50:59.280
take a credit card, he said. As the furnace kicked

874
00:50:59.320 --> 00:51:02.639
on the first time since she moved in. She couldn't

875
00:51:02.679 --> 00:51:06.559
wait for the warmth. She shivered from the cold. She

876
00:51:06.679 --> 00:51:09.599
headed upstairs to get the man his money. She had

877
00:51:09.719 --> 00:51:13.119
enough cash to cover it. Simone was snoring, so Lacey

878
00:51:13.199 --> 00:51:15.400
took a few seconds to record it on her cell

879
00:51:15.400 --> 00:51:20.079
phone to blackmailer later, like sisters would do. She giggled

880
00:51:20.079 --> 00:51:23.480
with glee at the thought. A moment later, Brad entered

881
00:51:23.480 --> 00:51:25.840
the kitchen where she was taking the cash from her purse.

882
00:51:26.360 --> 00:51:29.039
She handed over the cash to him. She noticed he

883
00:51:29.119 --> 00:51:32.559
wore a gold ring. Too bad he was taken. He

884
00:51:32.639 --> 00:51:35.079
was a little older, but he was good looking.

885
00:51:35.960 --> 00:51:36.360
Thanks.

886
00:51:36.880 --> 00:51:39.199
I ran out of her sipts. I'll have the office

887
00:51:39.239 --> 00:51:41.280
send one over in the mail if that's okay with you,

888
00:51:41.599 --> 00:51:45.320
Brad asked with a smile. Yeah, that's fine, thanks for

889
00:51:45.400 --> 00:51:48.039
coming on short notice. The office said they weren't sure

890
00:51:48.039 --> 00:51:51.119
if they could send someone that quick. I'll definitely be

891
00:51:51.199 --> 00:51:54.480
calling you guys. For all my furnace stuff. Let me

892
00:51:54.519 --> 00:51:58.400
walk you out, Lacey said, sure thing, Brad said, and

893
00:51:58.440 --> 00:52:00.599
turned towards the front door of the house house. His

894
00:52:00.679 --> 00:52:03.599
tool belt hit Simone's teacup, which fell to the floor

895
00:52:03.639 --> 00:52:07.079
and shattered. Oh damn, I'm so sorry. I can be

896
00:52:07.119 --> 00:52:11.760
a clutch sometimes, he said, apologetically. Let me pick this up. No,

897
00:52:11.960 --> 00:52:14.960
it's okay, I'll get it, Lacy said, grabbing some paper

898
00:52:15.000 --> 00:52:17.400
towels for the spilled tea. She got down on her

899
00:52:17.480 --> 00:52:20.599
knees and began to clean it up. Oh okay, then

900
00:52:20.800 --> 00:52:23.519
I'll just show myself out, Brad said, and left the kitchen.

901
00:52:23.840 --> 00:52:27.840
Simone entered the kitchen a second later. Hey, what happened?

902
00:52:28.159 --> 00:52:30.800
She asked. You left your mug on the edge of

903
00:52:30.840 --> 00:52:33.039
the table and Brad knocked it over on his way out.

904
00:52:33.320 --> 00:52:36.119
Lacey said, picking up the broken pieces in her hand.

905
00:52:37.000 --> 00:52:39.920
Who's Brad? Do you have a secret boyfriend you haven't

906
00:52:39.920 --> 00:52:42.760
told me about? Simone joked and helped her pick up

907
00:52:42.800 --> 00:52:45.440
the pieces of the mug. You must have seen him.

908
00:52:45.519 --> 00:52:48.360
He was just there he fixed the furnace. Lacey explained,

909
00:52:49.159 --> 00:52:52.639
I just woke up. Must have just missed him, Simone said,

910
00:52:53.000 --> 00:52:56.719
Was he cute? He had his charm. Now that we

911
00:52:56.760 --> 00:52:59.280
have heat, let's get a pizza and watch some cheesy

912
00:52:59.320 --> 00:53:02.519
horror movies. I think I'm done for the day, Lacey said,

913
00:53:03.119 --> 00:53:08.280
fine with me, Simone replied. Later that night, Lacey washed

914
00:53:08.360 --> 00:53:11.039
up for bed. It was fun having her sister around.

915
00:53:11.480 --> 00:53:13.639
After living alone for so long, it was good to

916
00:53:13.639 --> 00:53:17.039
have someone to talk to. She didn't really realize how

917
00:53:17.039 --> 00:53:20.960
lonely she actually was. Simone had passed out halfway through

918
00:53:21.039 --> 00:53:24.199
chopping mall. Lacey left her on the couch, even though

919
00:53:24.239 --> 00:53:26.239
they had set up one of the spare bedrooms for her.

920
00:53:26.840 --> 00:53:30.320
She crawled into bed and checked her phone. No new messages.

921
00:53:31.000 --> 00:53:34.360
She really was lonely. She decided she would try to

922
00:53:34.360 --> 00:53:36.840
be a little more outgoing and make an effort to

923
00:53:36.880 --> 00:53:40.320
meet someone. It didn't have to be romantic, just someone

924
00:53:40.360 --> 00:53:43.400
to watch movies with or something. She placed her phone

925
00:53:43.400 --> 00:53:47.599
on the nightstand and closed her eyes. The next morning,

926
00:53:47.719 --> 00:53:50.519
Lacey woke with a start. She had had a nightmare.

927
00:53:51.039 --> 00:53:54.360
She couldn't remember it, just the uneasy feeling. It gave

928
00:53:54.400 --> 00:53:59.440
her a sleazy, greasy feeling. She got out of bed

929
00:53:59.480 --> 00:54:02.719
and looked for phone. She shook out the blankets and

930
00:54:02.760 --> 00:54:05.480
it fell to the floor. She looked at the nightstand

931
00:54:05.480 --> 00:54:08.599
for a moment and then shrugged. She had been pretty

932
00:54:08.639 --> 00:54:12.239
tired last night. She heard Simone downstairs in the kitchen

933
00:54:12.679 --> 00:54:16.719
and smelled bacon cooking. Her stomach rumbled in agreement with

934
00:54:16.800 --> 00:54:20.519
the delicious odor. She went downstairs and sat at the table.

935
00:54:20.760 --> 00:54:23.880
The kettle was already on. She checked her messages again,

936
00:54:24.679 --> 00:54:28.079
still nothing. Simone looked at her with a cocked head.

937
00:54:28.559 --> 00:54:33.199
Someone special getting a hold of you, she asked. No,

938
00:54:33.199 --> 00:54:35.800
no messages, she said with a sigh, and put her

939
00:54:35.800 --> 00:54:39.800
phone on the table. I'm sorry, Brad hasn't sexted you,

940
00:54:40.360 --> 00:54:42.519
Simone said, and set a plate of food down in

941
00:54:42.559 --> 00:54:45.239
front of her little sister. It reminded her when they

942
00:54:45.239 --> 00:54:47.280
both lived at home and she had to babysit.

943
00:54:47.920 --> 00:54:48.599
Wait until I.

944
00:54:48.559 --> 00:54:51.679
Go back to North Carolina before having him spend the night.

945
00:54:51.719 --> 00:54:53.360
I need my beauty sleep. I don't need you to

946
00:54:53.559 --> 00:54:58.000
keeping me up all night, Simone joked me, keeping you up,

947
00:54:58.440 --> 00:55:02.320
that's rich. You know how loud you snore, Lacey said,

948
00:55:02.440 --> 00:55:06.440
and reached for her phone. I certainly do not snore,

949
00:55:06.840 --> 00:55:09.760
Simone said loudly. Dan would have told me when we

950
00:55:09.800 --> 00:55:14.840
moved in together. I have proof, Lacey said, and opened

951
00:55:14.880 --> 00:55:18.880
the photos on her phone. Her face went pale, and

952
00:55:18.960 --> 00:55:23.440
she dropped her phone onto her plate of eggs and bacon. Lacey,

953
00:55:24.280 --> 00:55:28.519
what is it? Simone said? That wasn't very funny, Lacey said,

954
00:55:28.559 --> 00:55:32.039
cleaning off her phone. Simone gave her a confused look.

955
00:55:32.840 --> 00:55:36.760
Taking those pictures last night, Lacey finished, I don't know

956
00:55:36.760 --> 00:55:40.000
what you're talking about. Let me see, Simone said, and

957
00:55:40.039 --> 00:55:42.800
grabbed her phone from her. There were a half dozen

958
00:55:42.840 --> 00:55:45.760
pictures of Lacey's sleeping in the same pajamas she was

959
00:55:45.760 --> 00:55:50.760
wearing now, except the last one. The last one, Lacey's

960
00:55:50.760 --> 00:55:55.119
top was pulled up, exposing her breasts. These are from

961
00:55:55.199 --> 00:55:59.719
last night, Simone asked, Yeah, that's the new room around me.

962
00:56:00.239 --> 00:56:03.000
When did you take them? Lacey asked. She looked at

963
00:56:03.000 --> 00:56:06.320
her plate, but she had lost her appetite. I swear

964
00:56:06.519 --> 00:56:08.840
it wasn't me. The last thing I remember is falling

965
00:56:08.880 --> 00:56:11.000
asleep during the movie and waking up like a half

966
00:56:11.039 --> 00:56:14.800
hour before you. I didn't do this, I swear, Simone said.

967
00:56:15.559 --> 00:56:18.320
You better not be fucking with me, Lacy said and

968
00:56:18.360 --> 00:56:20.880
got up. They both went to the bedroom and looked

969
00:56:20.920 --> 00:56:25.039
everything over. The windows were still locked, Lacey explained to

970
00:56:25.079 --> 00:56:27.000
her sister. How she thought she left her phone on

971
00:56:27.039 --> 00:56:29.800
the nightstand and when she woke it was on the bed.

972
00:56:30.400 --> 00:56:33.840
Both of them agreed that it was really creepy. They

973
00:56:33.880 --> 00:56:36.039
got dressed and went to the hardware store to get

974
00:56:36.079 --> 00:56:39.840
new locks for all the doors. As the day grew long,

975
00:56:40.360 --> 00:56:44.400
Lacey dreaded going to sleep in that room. The more

976
00:56:44.440 --> 00:56:47.159
she thought about it, the closer to a panic attack

977
00:56:47.280 --> 00:56:50.360
she got. Around eight, she came up with the idea

978
00:56:50.400 --> 00:56:53.199
of her sister sleeping in there with her Before they

979
00:56:53.239 --> 00:56:56.079
went to bed. They checked every window and door in

980
00:56:56.119 --> 00:56:59.920
the house to make sure they were locked. Satisfied everything

981
00:57:00.079 --> 00:57:03.880
was secure, they went upstairs. I don't know what's going

982
00:57:03.920 --> 00:57:06.119
to keep me up more the thought of those pictures,

983
00:57:06.559 --> 00:57:09.519
or you're snoring, Lacey joked as she put her phone

984
00:57:09.519 --> 00:57:14.039
in the drawer on the nightstand. I don't snore, Simone refuted.

985
00:57:15.159 --> 00:57:18.920
Lacey's eyes cracked open. It was light out. She rubbed

986
00:57:18.960 --> 00:57:21.119
her eyes and looked at Simone sleeping next to her.

987
00:57:21.639 --> 00:57:24.000
She didn't realize what a comfort her sister had been.

988
00:57:24.679 --> 00:57:27.679
She rolled over towards the door, thinking about going back

989
00:57:27.719 --> 00:57:31.159
to sleep. Startled, she sat up straight in bed. Her

990
00:57:31.159 --> 00:57:34.840
cell phone was on top of the nightstand. She reached

991
00:57:34.920 --> 00:57:37.519
for it with one hand while the other instinctively itched

992
00:57:37.519 --> 00:57:40.519
her side. She lifted her shirt and looked at the

993
00:57:40.559 --> 00:57:44.039
spot that itched. There were scratch marks across her side.

994
00:57:45.000 --> 00:57:47.920
Did she just do that? Her eyes darted to her

995
00:57:47.920 --> 00:57:52.719
cell phone. She quickly opened it and looked. Simone, she said,

996
00:57:52.840 --> 00:57:55.320
and without taking her eyes off the phone, slapped her

997
00:57:55.360 --> 00:57:56.199
sister in the face.

998
00:57:56.800 --> 00:57:57.239
Get up.

999
00:57:58.159 --> 00:58:00.199
The panic in her voice snapped Simone out of her

1000
00:58:00.280 --> 00:58:04.440
sound sleep. What is it, her older sister asked. It

1001
00:58:04.519 --> 00:58:07.960
happened again, Lacy said, and dropped her phone into her

1002
00:58:07.960 --> 00:58:11.800
sister's lap. It couldn't have I was here all night,

1003
00:58:12.119 --> 00:58:15.760
Simone said, with disbelief. She began to scroll through the pictures,

1004
00:58:16.159 --> 00:58:20.119
her eyes widening with each one. The first two pictures

1005
00:58:20.119 --> 00:58:24.039
were just like the night before. After that they got

1006
00:58:24.079 --> 00:58:29.719
more perverse again. A topless photo of her a wide shot.

1007
00:58:30.119 --> 00:58:34.280
Simone was in the photo as well, but asleep an undisturbed.

1008
00:58:35.039 --> 00:58:39.000
The second topless photo showed the scratch on her side.

1009
00:58:39.079 --> 00:58:41.800
They were from the middle of the night, four gouges

1010
00:58:41.840 --> 00:58:45.199
across her belly off on the side. The next photo

1011
00:58:45.199 --> 00:58:47.719
showed a close up on her face. A hand from

1012
00:58:47.719 --> 00:58:51.599
the photographer could be seen holding her head to the side.

1013
00:58:52.039 --> 00:58:54.519
The back of the hand was obscured by a blue

1014
00:58:54.519 --> 00:59:00.320
blur that continued out of frame. What's this, Simone asked, asked,

1015
00:59:00.960 --> 00:59:05.960
that's a shirt I think like a work Oh shit,

1016
00:59:06.360 --> 00:59:09.239
oh shit, Lacy said, and started to hyperventilate.

1017
00:59:10.079 --> 00:59:10.840
I know who it is.

1018
00:59:11.480 --> 00:59:14.719
It's Brad, she cried. Okay, let's call the cops and

1019
00:59:14.800 --> 00:59:17.280
nail this fucker, Simone said, and dialed nine one one

1020
00:59:17.280 --> 00:59:19.519
from Lacey's phone. They got up out of bed to

1021
00:59:19.559 --> 00:59:22.880
meet the police at the door. She explained everything to

1022
00:59:22.920 --> 00:59:25.920
the officer that came to take her statement. His name

1023
00:59:26.039 --> 00:59:29.000
was Officer John O'Neill, and he was a new transfer

1024
00:59:29.119 --> 00:59:32.599
and therefore sent on things like this. He said, once

1025
00:59:32.639 --> 00:59:35.480
he reports back, they would make this case a priority.

1026
00:59:36.039 --> 00:59:38.679
He paid attention to Lacey as she told him every

1027
00:59:38.719 --> 00:59:42.360
detail she could remember. He genuinely seemed like he cared,

1028
00:59:42.639 --> 00:59:45.199
and that made her feel better. He left with a

1029
00:59:45.239 --> 00:59:48.000
promise to get back to her later that day with

1030
00:59:48.079 --> 00:59:51.239
whatever he could find. Maybe I can stay a few

1031
00:59:51.239 --> 00:59:54.480
more days until we get some answers, Simone said, as

1032
00:59:54.519 --> 00:59:58.000
they hung the last of the Halloween decorations. This used

1033
00:59:58.000 --> 01:00:00.960
to be their favorite holiday. Now neither of them could

1034
01:00:00.960 --> 01:00:06.519
stop thinking about those photos. You don't have to. I'm

1035
01:00:06.559 --> 01:00:09.800
sure Dan is waiting for you to get home, Lacey said,

1036
01:00:10.159 --> 01:00:12.800
but the tone in her voice revealed she felt the

1037
01:00:12.840 --> 01:00:16.519
opposite way. It's no problem, He'll just have to cook

1038
01:00:16.559 --> 01:00:19.760
for himself a little longer, she said, probably just order

1039
01:00:19.800 --> 01:00:23.800
out every meal. To be honest, if it's no bother,

1040
01:00:24.360 --> 01:00:28.519
I would appreciate it. Lacey said, Hey, do you still

1041
01:00:28.519 --> 01:00:31.719
do that which thing like you used to do back

1042
01:00:31.760 --> 01:00:35.960
in high school. No, I haven't talked to those girls

1043
01:00:36.000 --> 01:00:39.400
in years. They were really into it. I just was

1044
01:00:39.440 --> 01:00:42.480
there to be the third witch. I think they probably

1045
01:00:42.519 --> 01:00:46.079
watched too much Charmed, although I would turn Lesbo for

1046
01:00:46.119 --> 01:00:50.360
Alyssa Milano. Sorry, Dan, Lacey's older sister said with a smile.

1047
01:00:51.000 --> 01:00:54.920
They sat in silence for a moment. Wait, were you

1048
01:00:55.000 --> 01:00:59.800
thinking of doing some protection magic or something. I don't

1049
01:00:59.800 --> 01:01:03.719
know the cops are on it, but I would feel safer,

1050
01:01:04.079 --> 01:01:06.920
Lacey said, and grabbed Darcy's peanut butter cup from the

1051
01:01:06.960 --> 01:01:10.360
candy dish next to the front door. I don't think

1052
01:01:10.400 --> 01:01:13.159
we knew what we were doing. We were just being

1053
01:01:13.320 --> 01:01:17.480
edgy and different. Nothing ever happened with that stuff. Simone

1054
01:01:17.480 --> 01:01:20.840
explained and grabbed Erce's too. I can look them up

1055
01:01:20.840 --> 01:01:22.800
on Facebook and see what they say if you want.

1056
01:01:23.519 --> 01:01:26.400
Lacey nodded her head and went into the living room.

1057
01:01:26.880 --> 01:01:29.320
She plopped down on the couch and wondered when Officer

1058
01:01:29.440 --> 01:01:32.119
John was going to call her in a few hours.

1059
01:01:32.159 --> 01:01:35.039
It was going to be dark and she wanted some progress.

1060
01:01:35.800 --> 01:01:38.199
Maybe him calling to tell her that Brad was rotting

1061
01:01:38.199 --> 01:01:41.079
in jail and would never bother her again. That would

1062
01:01:41.079 --> 01:01:45.199
be ideal. Her dream house has been turning into a nightmare.

1063
01:01:45.800 --> 01:01:49.159
What had she done to deserve this? Snap out of it? Sis,

1064
01:01:49.440 --> 01:01:52.639
It's ten minutes to go time, Simone said, pointing at

1065
01:01:52.639 --> 01:01:55.719
the clock. Trick or treating was about to start. It

1066
01:01:55.760 --> 01:01:57.880
was supposed to be a good feeling, the first time

1067
01:01:57.960 --> 01:02:00.480
she could give out candy from her own home, but

1068
01:02:00.559 --> 01:02:06.039
she felt emotionless and sighed distant. The last two days

1069
01:02:06.039 --> 01:02:08.760
had taken the fun out of everything. A quick phone

1070
01:02:08.840 --> 01:02:11.719
check showed that no one had called her. No news

1071
01:02:11.800 --> 01:02:15.719
was good news, that was the saying right. Ten minutes passed,

1072
01:02:16.199 --> 01:02:19.559
then twenty. She could hear kids in the street, but

1073
01:02:19.679 --> 01:02:23.199
none rang her doorbell. She began to eat the candy.

1074
01:02:23.800 --> 01:02:26.800
She was a little disappointed. To be honest, seeing all

1075
01:02:26.840 --> 01:02:30.679
the happy children would be a good distraction. You want

1076
01:02:30.679 --> 01:02:34.320
to watch something, she asked her sister. Sure, what did

1077
01:02:34.320 --> 01:02:37.280
you have in mind? By the way, Rachel got back

1078
01:02:37.320 --> 01:02:39.239
to me, she told me what to do to protect

1079
01:02:39.239 --> 01:02:42.440
the house and keep danger out. I might have to

1080
01:02:42.519 --> 01:02:44.400
run out to the store really quick. Do you mind

1081
01:02:44.440 --> 01:02:49.119
being here alone while I go? Simone asked, well, I

1082
01:02:49.199 --> 01:02:52.360
guess as long as I'm awake, I seem to be safe,

1083
01:02:52.599 --> 01:02:56.760
she joked. The doorbell rang and they both looked at it. Well,

1084
01:02:57.840 --> 01:03:01.880
answer it, Simone said, with a showing Lacy jumped up

1085
01:03:01.880 --> 01:03:04.559
and ran to the door. Excited to get her first

1086
01:03:04.760 --> 01:03:07.480
trick or treater, She pulled the door open and presented

1087
01:03:07.519 --> 01:03:10.519
the bowl of candy. She did so a little too eagerly,

1088
01:03:10.559 --> 01:03:14.119
and two twigs went overboard towards Officer John on the

1089
01:03:14.119 --> 01:03:17.639
front step. He caught them instinctively and held them up.

1090
01:03:18.280 --> 01:03:22.119
If I catch them, can I keep them? He asked playfully?

1091
01:03:23.000 --> 01:03:25.880
And who are you supposed to be? Little boy? Lacey

1092
01:03:25.960 --> 01:03:29.760
joked with him. They both smiled. Simone pointed from Lacey

1093
01:03:29.800 --> 01:03:31.920
to the officer and made a whistle noise out of

1094
01:03:31.920 --> 01:03:34.679
sight of him. Lacey rolled her eyes at her sister.

1095
01:03:35.159 --> 01:03:39.159
She was always playing match maker officer. Can you stay

1096
01:03:39.199 --> 01:03:40.920
with my sister for a few minutes while I ran

1097
01:03:41.000 --> 01:03:44.480
to the store. She would really appreciate it, Simone said

1098
01:03:44.639 --> 01:03:48.039
and winked at her sister. Sure, he said, and turned

1099
01:03:48.039 --> 01:03:51.360
to Lacey. You can call me John. I'm off duty.

1100
01:03:51.719 --> 01:03:55.639
Just wanted to give her some information that I discovered today. Well,

1101
01:03:56.039 --> 01:03:58.880
by all means, give it to her, Simone said, and

1102
01:03:58.920 --> 01:04:01.519
slipped out the door. I took your car keys. Be

1103
01:04:01.599 --> 01:04:03.880
back in like an hour or so, she said as

1104
01:04:03.880 --> 01:04:08.880
she ran down the driveway. Come in, would you like anything?

1105
01:04:09.360 --> 01:04:09.559
Oh?

1106
01:04:09.679 --> 01:04:12.559
This TwixT was plenty. I couldn't ask for anything more,

1107
01:04:13.079 --> 01:04:16.840
he said as they entered the living room. Listen, what

1108
01:04:16.920 --> 01:04:20.000
I need to tell you is a kind of scary.

1109
01:04:21.079 --> 01:04:24.719
We better sit down. They both sat on the couch

1110
01:04:25.000 --> 01:04:28.519
and Lacy turned off the cheesy movie she was watching, Rubber.

1111
01:04:29.119 --> 01:04:31.639
She just wasn't in the mood for a story about

1112
01:04:31.679 --> 01:04:37.079
a killer car tire. So I did some research. Because

1113
01:04:37.079 --> 01:04:40.400
the guys at the station didn't seem very helpful. I'm

1114
01:04:40.400 --> 01:04:45.119
still new enough for them to prank me. Anyway. This

1115
01:04:45.199 --> 01:04:48.840
is what I found. The furnace company does not have

1116
01:04:48.880 --> 01:04:53.280
an employee named Brad. What I saw him, Lacey said,

1117
01:04:53.920 --> 01:04:58.480
There's more. Not only that, but it seems your house

1118
01:04:58.519 --> 01:05:03.320
has a resting history. Did the real estate lady tell

1119
01:05:03.320 --> 01:05:08.360
you about the murders, he asked, Never mind. By the

1120
01:05:08.360 --> 01:05:11.000
look on your face, I can see she didn't. It's

1121
01:05:11.000 --> 01:05:13.880
not actually illegal not to tell you. I looked into

1122
01:05:13.920 --> 01:05:17.039
that as well, at least not in this state, although

1123
01:05:17.039 --> 01:05:21.199
it is shitty in my opinion, He continued, What happened here,

1124
01:05:22.000 --> 01:05:24.960
I'm not sure I want to know, actually, Lacey said,

1125
01:05:25.000 --> 01:05:27.760
looking around the room as if for the first time.

1126
01:05:29.679 --> 01:05:33.039
I think you should. There was a serial killer that

1127
01:05:33.119 --> 01:05:37.000
lived here about fifteen years ago. He used to bring

1128
01:05:37.039 --> 01:05:40.679
women here and torture them before strangling them and breaking

1129
01:05:40.719 --> 01:05:44.800
their necks post mortem. There was a police report from

1130
01:05:44.840 --> 01:05:47.559
a woman who said she escaped this house and told

1131
01:05:47.559 --> 01:05:51.559
the police about him, but nothing was done. The man's

1132
01:05:51.679 --> 01:05:57.360
name was Brad, retired police chief Brad Crawford. He opened

1133
01:05:57.360 --> 01:06:00.719
an HVAC company after retirement. I think that's how he

1134
01:06:00.760 --> 01:06:05.079
found his victims. Anyway, they both went missing right after that,

1135
01:06:05.519 --> 01:06:08.440
and they discovered a map and photos in his bedroom.

1136
01:06:08.880 --> 01:06:12.079
All the photos were in their beds, alive, then the

1137
01:06:12.159 --> 01:06:16.360
rest were taken here in your room after he'd broke

1138
01:06:16.360 --> 01:06:20.400
in their necks. Several had scratches on them when they'd struggled.

1139
01:06:21.039 --> 01:06:23.559
The map led to the forest out on Route nine,

1140
01:06:23.679 --> 01:06:26.960
where they found the bodies. All but one woman in

1141
01:06:27.000 --> 01:06:31.039
the photos were accounted for. The one they couldn't find

1142
01:06:31.199 --> 01:06:34.480
was the woman who filed the report. It was all

1143
01:06:34.559 --> 01:06:37.559
kind of swept under the rug because the small community

1144
01:06:37.599 --> 01:06:41.000
didn't want all the attention. He had fled. The HVAC

1145
01:06:41.039 --> 01:06:43.639
company went to his nephew, and they doctored a death

1146
01:06:43.679 --> 01:06:47.119
certificate to close the case. That last part I learned

1147
01:06:47.119 --> 01:06:49.960
from the court records janitor, who was around back then

1148
01:06:50.880 --> 01:06:53.159
when I told them of your case. They thought it

1149
01:06:53.199 --> 01:06:55.800
was a joke someone was playing on me and ignored it,

1150
01:06:56.199 --> 01:07:01.159
John explained. A tear rolled down Lacey's cheek. John reached

1151
01:07:01.480 --> 01:07:05.119
and held her hand. I swear, I don't think this

1152
01:07:05.280 --> 01:07:07.880
is a joke. I won't let this happen, even if

1153
01:07:07.880 --> 01:07:11.159
the assholes at the station will, he said, and squeezed

1154
01:07:11.840 --> 01:07:14.960
Lacey laid her head against his shoulder and began to cry.

1155
01:07:16.519 --> 01:07:19.280
A little while later, Simone returned and prepped the house

1156
01:07:19.559 --> 01:07:22.559
as her friend had instructed. After that was done, all

1157
01:07:22.599 --> 01:07:24.639
three of them settled in to watch a few movies

1158
01:07:24.679 --> 01:07:26.920
and put a dent in the candy that no trick

1159
01:07:26.960 --> 01:07:29.679
or treater had come for. It didn't take long for

1160
01:07:29.760 --> 01:07:33.000
all the stress to overtake Lacey, and she fell asleep

1161
01:07:33.280 --> 01:07:36.960
on John's shoulder. Simone made herself scarce and went into

1162
01:07:37.000 --> 01:07:39.199
the den, where she kept all the supplies that Rachel

1163
01:07:39.199 --> 01:07:43.519
had told her to get. Sometime around midnight, Lacey woke.

1164
01:07:44.000 --> 01:07:46.440
She felt the warmth of John next to her and

1165
01:07:46.559 --> 01:07:50.519
started to settle into him, but goosebumps spread across her

1166
01:07:50.559 --> 01:07:53.880
skin like the wind on a lake's surface. She opened

1167
01:07:53.880 --> 01:07:57.280
her eyes and saw Brad standing in front of her.

1168
01:07:57.719 --> 01:08:01.079
She tried to speak, but was frozen in He held

1169
01:08:01.079 --> 01:08:03.840
her cellphone in his hand and took a picture of her,

1170
01:08:04.360 --> 01:08:08.119
a wicked smile on his face. He leaned in close

1171
01:08:08.159 --> 01:08:11.039
to her and placed his icy fingers on her neck,

1172
01:08:11.119 --> 01:08:15.960
gently tracing the lines of her veins. She shivered from

1173
01:08:15.960 --> 01:08:19.720
the touch, which was enough to wake John. What the fuck?

1174
01:08:20.079 --> 01:08:23.079
John yelled out and reached for his gun. Brad turned

1175
01:08:23.199 --> 01:08:26.319
and sneered at him. The change of attention broke Lacey

1176
01:08:26.399 --> 01:08:28.439
from her fear, and she jumped over the back of

1177
01:08:28.439 --> 01:08:31.239
the couch and away from Brad. She called out to Simone.

1178
01:08:31.680 --> 01:08:34.640
John stood with a pistol drawn and pointed it at Brad.

1179
01:08:35.319 --> 01:08:39.840
Back off, asshole, It's over, John said. He called out

1180
01:08:39.880 --> 01:08:43.800
to Lacy over his shoulder. Are you okay? Yeah, John,

1181
01:08:44.239 --> 01:08:46.680
she said, and called out for Simone again, who came

1182
01:08:46.800 --> 01:08:49.600
running from the other room. She stopped dead at the

1183
01:08:49.640 --> 01:08:52.880
sight in front of her. Brad leaned in close to John,

1184
01:08:53.159 --> 01:08:55.800
his chest mere inches from the gun, pointed at it.

1185
01:08:56.279 --> 01:09:00.239
John swallowed hard. Not another step, or I swear to God,

1186
01:09:00.439 --> 01:09:03.560
I'll fire, he said, You guys, get out of here.

1187
01:09:03.880 --> 01:09:06.279
He called over his shoulder, call the State boys in.

1188
01:09:07.079 --> 01:09:11.800
Brad stepped closer, and John fired as promised. The bullet

1189
01:09:12.159 --> 01:09:14.680
passed through Brad as if you were made of air.

1190
01:09:15.239 --> 01:09:18.439
He gripped John's neck in his large hands and twisted.

1191
01:09:18.880 --> 01:09:22.359
Lacey screamed as she watched John's body drop to the ground.

1192
01:09:22.720 --> 01:09:26.520
After the sickening snap, she grabbed Simone's hand and pulled

1193
01:09:26.520 --> 01:09:29.760
her towards the hallway. That was when she noticed Simone's

1194
01:09:29.800 --> 01:09:33.720
other hand held a backpack. They ran into the kitchen

1195
01:09:33.760 --> 01:09:36.159
since Brad was between them and the front door. In

1196
01:09:36.199 --> 01:09:39.079
their panic, they fled to a dead end. The only

1197
01:09:39.119 --> 01:09:42.800
other door in the room led to the basement. They

1198
01:09:42.880 --> 01:09:45.680
heard a furious scream from deeper in the house, and

1199
01:09:45.720 --> 01:09:49.359
as quietly as they could, went into the basement. The

1200
01:09:49.439 --> 01:09:52.359
lights were already on thanks to some pre planning anxiety

1201
01:09:52.359 --> 01:09:55.199
from Lacey. They ran over to the washer and dryer

1202
01:09:55.279 --> 01:09:58.159
set up by the unfinished dirt floor. They wiggled behind

1203
01:09:58.159 --> 01:10:01.000
the dryer as best they could. Wasn't really enough room

1204
01:10:01.039 --> 01:10:03.600
for both of them. Lacey had to balance herself by

1205
01:10:03.600 --> 01:10:07.039
placing her hand in the dirt. They heard the basement

1206
01:10:07.119 --> 01:10:10.199
door open, and they both jumped a little bit. The

1207
01:10:10.239 --> 01:10:14.479
footsteps sent chills down their spine. Why didn't John's bullets

1208
01:10:14.560 --> 01:10:18.880
stop him? The footsteps stopped, and that was even worse.

1209
01:10:19.600 --> 01:10:23.119
They didn't know where he was. The washer began to shake.

1210
01:10:23.720 --> 01:10:26.000
She knew they'd been made, but she didn't know what

1211
01:10:26.039 --> 01:10:29.560
else to do. Simone, on the other hand, was digging

1212
01:10:29.600 --> 01:10:33.479
in the backpack she had looking for something. She glanced

1213
01:10:33.560 --> 01:10:37.920
up at her sister stoll him. She whispered. Lacey grabbed

1214
01:10:37.960 --> 01:10:40.760
a handful of dirt and stood up. Brad was on

1215
01:10:40.800 --> 01:10:42.760
the other side of the washer. He gave her a

1216
01:10:42.760 --> 01:10:45.680
predatory look. She tried not to panic as she faced

1217
01:10:45.680 --> 01:10:50.880
her stalker. You want me, Lacey said, You can't have me,

1218
01:10:51.279 --> 01:10:53.279
she called out and threw the dirt in his face

1219
01:10:53.279 --> 01:10:55.760
for a distraction. There was a flash of something in

1220
01:10:55.800 --> 01:10:59.239
the dirt as it flew, something shiny. Brad took a

1221
01:10:59.239 --> 01:11:01.279
step back as if the dirt had hurt him, and

1222
01:11:01.319 --> 01:11:05.119
she started to gain some hope that she wouldn't die tonight.

1223
01:11:06.159 --> 01:11:08.800
Hate that, do you? She said, and reached down for

1224
01:11:08.880 --> 01:11:13.039
more dirt, but her hand found something more unexpected, something

1225
01:11:13.119 --> 01:11:15.560
stuck in the dirt. She glanced down to see what

1226
01:11:15.600 --> 01:11:18.560
it was and was shocked at what she saw. It

1227
01:11:18.680 --> 01:11:21.159
was a hand sticking out of the dirt. Her eyes

1228
01:11:21.199 --> 01:11:24.199
went back to the shiny object on the floor. It

1229
01:11:24.239 --> 01:11:28.560
was a ring, just like the one Brad was wearing. Simone,

1230
01:11:28.920 --> 01:11:31.359
look at the dirt, she called out, and grabbed some

1231
01:11:31.399 --> 01:11:34.039
more earth to throw at Brad, who had recovered from

1232
01:11:34.039 --> 01:11:38.479
the first toss. Gross. Simone called out as she pinged

1233
01:11:38.479 --> 01:11:42.000
the hand's fingers with hers. I think it's him. It's

1234
01:11:42.039 --> 01:11:44.800
why he disappeared. The woman who reported him came back

1235
01:11:45.159 --> 01:11:49.359
and got revenge. Does that make him a ghost? You

1236
01:11:49.439 --> 01:11:52.600
know about that kind of shit, right, Lacey asked, I

1237
01:11:52.640 --> 01:11:56.560
don't know. Maybe hold on, let me ask Rachel, Simone

1238
01:11:56.560 --> 01:11:58.880
called out as Lacey pelted Brad with the dirt from

1239
01:11:58.880 --> 01:12:02.319
his grave. We don't have time for a fucking online chat.

1240
01:12:02.359 --> 01:12:04.720
What do we have to do, Lacey called out, irritated.

1241
01:12:05.279 --> 01:12:08.640
Rachel says, we need to consecrate the grave. Simone answered,

1242
01:12:08.640 --> 01:12:11.800
after a moment of frantic typing, Oh okay, that sounds

1243
01:12:11.800 --> 01:12:12.279
easy enough.

1244
01:12:12.319 --> 01:12:13.239
How the hell do we do that?

1245
01:12:14.000 --> 01:12:16.840
I'm on it, Simone said, and began to pull stuff

1246
01:12:16.880 --> 01:12:19.800
from the backpack. Lacey could hear her bad pronunciation of

1247
01:12:19.880 --> 01:12:22.319
Latin as she kept Brad at bay with the shower

1248
01:12:22.560 --> 01:12:25.000
of his own grave dirt. She had a rhythm going

1249
01:12:25.319 --> 01:12:29.000
bend and grab, toss, wait two seconds, bend and toss.

1250
01:12:29.199 --> 01:12:31.760
It kept him from getting any closer, and the contact

1251
01:12:31.800 --> 01:12:34.239
with the dirt seemed to hurt him. It was like

1252
01:12:34.279 --> 01:12:37.279
figuring out a boss strategy in a tabletop or video game,

1253
01:12:37.439 --> 01:12:40.920
which she had years of experience with. A Few seconds later,

1254
01:12:41.039 --> 01:12:44.199
the Latin stopped. Lacey gave a quick glance over her shoulder.

1255
01:12:44.439 --> 01:12:49.680
Her sister shrugged at her. That should be it, Simone said. Suddenly,

1256
01:12:49.960 --> 01:12:52.680
a rumble shook the basement. As the dirt swirled around

1257
01:12:52.680 --> 01:12:55.520
Brad and eerie red light shone from under the dirt

1258
01:12:55.600 --> 01:12:58.680
and rocks on the floor. Black hands reached up and

1259
01:12:58.800 --> 01:13:02.039
grabbed Brad's legs. He looked down in horror and clawed

1260
01:13:02.039 --> 01:13:05.800
at the hands gripping him, Trying to break free. Lacy

1261
01:13:05.840 --> 01:13:07.920
stepped back against the wall of the basement to get

1262
01:13:07.920 --> 01:13:10.960
as far away as she could. More and more hands

1263
01:13:11.000 --> 01:13:13.760
reached up, and a demonic cackling could be heard from

1264
01:13:13.800 --> 01:13:17.119
the swirling dirt. In a quick second, Brad was pulled

1265
01:13:17.159 --> 01:13:21.359
straight down into the earth and everything returned to normal.

1266
01:13:22.720 --> 01:13:27.640
A second passed as the sisters caught their breath. Holy shit,

1267
01:13:28.079 --> 01:13:33.880
Simone said, Holy shit, Lacy repeated. Guess he's done for?

1268
01:13:34.840 --> 01:13:40.319
Dragged straight to hell? One would imagine, Simone said, with

1269
01:13:40.399 --> 01:13:45.039
a wild eyed look. Lacey stood tall in her new house,

1270
01:13:45.359 --> 01:13:47.039
which was now her home.

1271
01:13:48.479 --> 01:13:59.039
Good bad cop in a small.

1272
01:13:58.760 --> 01:14:04.920
Town on how Low Night by John Oak Dalton Farren

1273
01:14:05.039 --> 01:14:08.720
didn't know what a viral video was until his daughter

1274
01:14:08.840 --> 01:14:11.279
showed him a recording of him sleeping in the patrol

1275
01:14:11.359 --> 01:14:14.479
car in the parking lot of the school. Some asshole

1276
01:14:14.600 --> 01:14:16.720
kid shot it on a cell phone and sent it

1277
01:14:16.720 --> 01:14:20.039
to a friend who posted it on Twitter, and the

1278
01:14:20.079 --> 01:14:24.239
rest went how it went. That was on a Wednesday morning,

1279
01:14:24.239 --> 01:14:26.560
and by that night there was a dance club mix

1280
01:14:26.640 --> 01:14:30.119
with Farren's loud snores and a sample from Junie Morrison's

1281
01:14:30.159 --> 01:14:34.800
song Susie thunder Tussy. By Friday night, the memes were

1282
01:14:34.840 --> 01:14:38.000
in full swing. There was a screen cap of Farren

1283
01:14:38.079 --> 01:14:41.079
sleeping in the patrol car and the text read when

1284
01:14:41.079 --> 01:14:44.159
you've been racial profiling all day and the doughnut shop

1285
01:14:44.239 --> 01:14:46.880
is out of coffee and a lot worse than that.

1286
01:14:47.800 --> 01:14:50.399
Monday night was the town council meeting, and if Farren

1287
01:14:50.439 --> 01:14:53.520
didn't know anything about social media, he sure didn't think

1288
01:14:53.560 --> 01:14:54.560
the town council did.

1289
01:14:55.199 --> 01:14:56.039
But he was wrong.

1290
01:14:56.520 --> 01:14:58.600
It was a three person board who met once a

1291
01:14:58.680 --> 01:15:00.760
month at the library with a hand full of old

1292
01:15:00.760 --> 01:15:03.960
people and a few cranks in the audience. Ellen Solmes

1293
01:15:04.000 --> 01:15:06.720
was the board president and also the town librarian, which

1294
01:15:06.760 --> 01:15:10.479
was a tough combination. Joe Lindseed was a retired farmer

1295
01:15:10.520 --> 01:15:12.479
who held court at the gas station out by the

1296
01:15:12.560 --> 01:15:16.520
highway most mornings, but didn't do much here. Buster Winsome

1297
01:15:16.720 --> 01:15:19.439
was the son of a retired teacher named Anne Winsome,

1298
01:15:19.800 --> 01:15:22.159
and when she passed away. Buster filled the rest of

1299
01:15:22.199 --> 01:15:25.239
her term, and then nobody could think of any reason

1300
01:15:25.239 --> 01:15:28.880
to vote him off. Farren gave his usual monthly report

1301
01:15:28.920 --> 01:15:32.079
about his speeding ticket quota and one or two domestic

1302
01:15:32.119 --> 01:15:35.039
calls and one or two drunk driving stops, but he

1303
01:15:35.159 --> 01:15:37.920
skipped over the fight at the high school because he

1304
01:15:37.960 --> 01:15:40.479
didn't want to mention the high school. The town board

1305
01:15:40.560 --> 01:15:44.680
seemed to be listening unusually closely, and afterwards Ellen asked

1306
01:15:44.760 --> 01:15:48.039
him to stay and talk. We've got some changes that

1307
01:15:48.079 --> 01:15:51.439
have been in the works for a long time, Ellen started.

1308
01:15:52.399 --> 01:15:56.279
Farren didn't bother to ask what changes. He just stood there.

1309
01:15:57.039 --> 01:16:01.159
Ellen started back up. The county agreed to drive through

1310
01:16:01.199 --> 01:16:03.479
town a couple of times a day, and the high

1311
01:16:03.479 --> 01:16:06.399
school has been wanting to hire their own resource officer anyway,

1312
01:16:06.479 --> 01:16:10.279
So we will need you as a town marshall through

1313
01:16:10.319 --> 01:16:15.960
Halloween on October thirty first. But that's it now, Farren reacted,

1314
01:16:16.560 --> 01:16:19.680
that's this Friday. It's been in the works for a

1315
01:16:19.720 --> 01:16:23.279
long while, farn Can I at least get my insurance

1316
01:16:23.279 --> 01:16:27.680
through December? That's for Abby. It isn't going to work

1317
01:16:27.720 --> 01:16:30.800
that way. Ellen looked at him with sorrow on her face,

1318
01:16:30.840 --> 01:16:34.239
but Farren knew it was for herself. When her son

1319
01:16:34.279 --> 01:16:36.840
got back from Afghanistan, it was Farren who talked him

1320
01:16:36.880 --> 01:16:39.279
through what it was like to be a civilian. Farren

1321
01:16:39.359 --> 01:16:42.600
had gone from high school to Desert Shield and then

1322
01:16:42.640 --> 01:16:45.880
had been town marshall ever since, so maybe he wasn't

1323
01:16:45.880 --> 01:16:49.439
the best, but he was all Darren Solmes had. It

1324
01:16:49.600 --> 01:16:52.479
still didn't stop Darren from ending it all with a

1325
01:16:52.560 --> 01:16:55.199
takarev pistol. He shouldn't have been allowed to bring back

1326
01:16:55.239 --> 01:16:58.680
from in country. We can let you resign, she said,

1327
01:16:59.800 --> 01:17:03.800
I'm gonna need the unemployment. Farron answered, nobody is going

1328
01:17:03.840 --> 01:17:07.119
to know until the week after Thanksgiving. That's the next meeting.

1329
01:17:08.159 --> 01:17:12.439
It's okay, I don't got my daughter for Thanksgiving. Farren

1330
01:17:12.479 --> 01:17:15.600
walked out. The next day, Farren was sitting in his

1331
01:17:15.640 --> 01:17:18.279
patrol car by the flashing light on the main street.

1332
01:17:18.840 --> 01:17:21.479
It was Highway one, but through town it was called

1333
01:17:21.520 --> 01:17:25.800
Hadley Street, although everyone called it had been street like

1334
01:17:25.880 --> 01:17:29.079
there had been a grocery store there, that there had

1335
01:17:29.119 --> 01:17:32.039
been a bank, and that empty field had been the

1336
01:17:32.079 --> 01:17:37.520
school before consolidation. People were speeding and doing rolling stops,

1337
01:17:37.560 --> 01:17:39.159
but why did that matter?

1338
01:17:39.279 --> 01:17:39.560
Now?

1339
01:17:40.119 --> 01:17:42.720
He was talking to his daughter, on his cell phone

1340
01:17:42.840 --> 01:17:47.039
as the teasing died down at school, he asked, it

1341
01:17:47.119 --> 01:17:50.000
was never that bad. Mercedes dressed her dog up in

1342
01:17:50.039 --> 01:17:53.039
an octopus costume and put it on TikTok like Wednesday

1343
01:17:53.159 --> 01:17:58.399
or Thursday. People got into that. Well, thank Mercedes for me.

1344
01:17:59.439 --> 01:18:00.560
Are you going to in trouble?

1345
01:18:00.640 --> 01:18:00.880
Dad?

1346
01:18:01.399 --> 01:18:02.359
What Abby was.

1347
01:18:02.399 --> 01:18:05.159
Really asking was was her father going to be able

1348
01:18:05.159 --> 01:18:07.439
to pay for her college, which she agreed to do

1349
01:18:07.479 --> 01:18:10.199
as part of the divorce decree five years ago and

1350
01:18:10.319 --> 01:18:13.520
was happy to make happen. He worked as a bouncer

1351
01:18:13.560 --> 01:18:16.159
at a bar called the Red Triangle in Ohio on

1352
01:18:16.199 --> 01:18:19.000
the weekends, which was outside his agreement as a law

1353
01:18:19.000 --> 01:18:22.279
officer in Indiana and was why he was asleep Monday

1354
01:18:22.319 --> 01:18:25.000
morning at his third job as resource officer at the

1355
01:18:25.079 --> 01:18:27.720
high school. If I get in trouble, I can get

1356
01:18:27.760 --> 01:18:30.720
out of it, he answered. I'll see you on Halloween.

1357
01:18:31.000 --> 01:18:34.359
I'll have candy in the patrol car. I'm a senior.

1358
01:18:34.840 --> 01:18:38.359
I'm too old for trick or treating. Well, walk down

1359
01:18:38.399 --> 01:18:43.560
there anyways, okay, and they hung up. Farren turned on

1360
01:18:43.560 --> 01:18:45.279
the radio in the patrol car and put it on

1361
01:18:45.319 --> 01:18:48.560
the country station. Everybody listened to. His ex was the

1362
01:18:48.600 --> 01:18:51.880
midday DJ and had done a lunchtime request show for

1363
01:18:52.000 --> 01:18:55.640
years that Farren still liked. Dolly was singing about how

1364
01:18:55.680 --> 01:18:58.359
hard it was to be a diamond in a rhinestone world,

1365
01:18:58.880 --> 01:19:01.399
but then she played a Willie song about the red

1366
01:19:01.399 --> 01:19:04.920
headed stranger and the yellow haired lady, and his heart

1367
01:19:05.239 --> 01:19:08.720
fell in his chest. Faren was a redhead and his

1368
01:19:08.800 --> 01:19:11.600
ex was a blonde, and they danced to this song

1369
01:19:11.640 --> 01:19:14.760
at their wedding, So that's how Farren knew that the

1370
01:19:14.840 --> 01:19:18.239
news had spread through the little town about his firing.

1371
01:19:18.920 --> 01:19:22.479
His ex was playing the song because she was thinking

1372
01:19:22.520 --> 01:19:25.359
of him. Faren didn't want to think about what it

1373
01:19:25.359 --> 01:19:28.439
would be like to be an ex cop. Everybody he'd

1374
01:19:28.439 --> 01:19:32.159
pulled over and ticketed when pretty women were let go

1375
01:19:32.640 --> 01:19:35.520
after a smile and sometimes the promise of a drink

1376
01:19:36.279 --> 01:19:39.560
or more. All the guys he knew had hit girlfriends

1377
01:19:39.640 --> 01:19:42.239
or wives or kids or all three, and might have

1378
01:19:42.319 --> 01:19:45.720
accidentally bumped their face on the patrol car, or found

1379
01:19:45.760 --> 01:19:48.680
their paperwork lost for days when they got dropped off

1380
01:19:48.680 --> 01:19:52.399
at county. All the dealers who were busted because they

1381
01:19:52.399 --> 01:19:56.199
weren't his dealer, that was all worth thinking about. But

1382
01:19:56.359 --> 01:19:59.640
having the pity of his ex wife. That was the worst,

1383
01:20:00.600 --> 01:20:04.640
and then his thoughts turned to abby. He could pick

1384
01:20:04.720 --> 01:20:07.680
up more bouncer shifts at the Red Triangle, but not

1385
01:20:07.720 --> 01:20:10.439
too many more, and he could go back to doing

1386
01:20:10.479 --> 01:20:13.159
security at the big outdoor venue where they had stock

1387
01:20:13.239 --> 01:20:16.319
races in the fall in concerts in the summer. But

1388
01:20:16.399 --> 01:20:19.119
it was an hour each way, and the tweakers were bad.

1389
01:20:19.680 --> 01:20:21.600
You could put them in chokeholds and kick them in

1390
01:20:21.640 --> 01:20:23.760
the balls over and over, and they just didn't seem

1391
01:20:23.760 --> 01:20:27.560
to feel any pain or care. At least, the Red

1392
01:20:27.600 --> 01:20:30.520
Triangle had mostly drunks and stoners, and only a biker

1393
01:20:30.600 --> 01:20:33.560
once in a great while, and anymore. Most of the

1394
01:20:33.560 --> 01:20:36.520
bikers were cops and firemen running wild on the weekends,

1395
01:20:36.720 --> 01:20:40.159
and they always got a pass on their behavior. He

1396
01:20:40.239 --> 01:20:43.159
might be able to scratch together money, but he wouldn't

1397
01:20:43.159 --> 01:20:46.960
have insurance, medical, or life or anything. He had it

1398
01:20:47.439 --> 01:20:52.800
until October thirty first, and then there was nothing, and

1399
01:20:52.880 --> 01:20:56.560
a little thought squatted in the corner and he only

1400
01:20:56.600 --> 01:21:00.840
looked at it out of the side of his eye.

1401
01:21:01.000 --> 01:21:04.880
Halloween night, then Farren sat in his cruiser at the

1402
01:21:04.920 --> 01:21:08.239
flashing light at Hadley starting around six o'clock and gave

1403
01:21:08.279 --> 01:21:11.880
out candy. He waited until Abby came by, and she

1404
01:21:11.960 --> 01:21:14.359
had dressed up after all, and dragged out a couple

1405
01:21:14.439 --> 01:21:17.199
of girlfriends, and it was all meant to be ironic,

1406
01:21:17.279 --> 01:21:21.479
but they were having fun. Farren ribbed them, but told

1407
01:21:21.520 --> 01:21:24.159
his daughter that he loved her because of the thoughts

1408
01:21:24.199 --> 01:21:27.039
that had been growing in his mind all week. She

1409
01:21:27.159 --> 01:21:30.199
was wearing a mask, so he couldn't gauge her reaction.

1410
01:21:31.000 --> 01:21:33.439
As soon as she was gone, he put the patrol

1411
01:21:33.520 --> 01:21:36.359
car in gear and drove south out of town, and

1412
01:21:36.399 --> 01:21:40.520
then a little further. Two summers ago, during the town

1413
01:21:40.560 --> 01:21:43.439
by centennial, they had closed the main road through town

1414
01:21:43.520 --> 01:21:46.319
and had a carnival come in. But a night or

1415
01:21:46.319 --> 01:21:49.159
two in there was an immigration raid of some kind

1416
01:21:49.199 --> 01:21:52.079
and all the carnies were dragged off or ran off.

1417
01:21:52.800 --> 01:21:55.159
After a few days of complaints and nobody from the

1418
01:21:55.159 --> 01:21:58.960
carnival coming back, Joe Lindseed rode his tractor into town

1419
01:21:59.000 --> 01:22:01.079
and dragged the rides off off, one at a time

1420
01:22:01.159 --> 01:22:03.479
to a farm field the government was paying him to

1421
01:22:03.560 --> 01:22:08.079
keep fallow. There, those old rides rotted away, along with

1422
01:22:08.159 --> 01:22:11.720
some busted up trailers and some other ragged odds and ends.

1423
01:22:12.279 --> 01:22:14.840
It's where Farren pulled in and parked and saw a

1424
01:22:14.880 --> 01:22:19.079
little campfire in the dying light. He knew Joe Lindseed's

1425
01:22:19.079 --> 01:22:22.399
nephews or cousin's kids or some kin hung out here

1426
01:22:22.439 --> 01:22:25.399
all the time, but Lindseed was kind of his boss,

1427
01:22:25.479 --> 01:22:29.880
so Farren did nothing, even though he had an idea

1428
01:22:30.479 --> 01:22:33.560
what they were doing out there. Farren took a Remington

1429
01:22:33.640 --> 01:22:36.680
eight seventy shotgun out of the trunk and started walking

1430
01:22:36.720 --> 01:22:40.159
towards the campfire, where several figures crouched or sat in

1431
01:22:40.199 --> 01:22:44.479
broken down patio furniture, young guys still shirtless. In the

1432
01:22:44.520 --> 01:22:48.319
fall chill, there was a chemical smell in the air.

1433
01:22:49.359 --> 01:22:50.319
Hello Walls.

1434
01:22:51.079 --> 01:22:54.800
The call from the gloom brought Farren up short. Only

1435
01:22:54.840 --> 01:22:57.560
one person called him that, and it was his childhood

1436
01:22:57.560 --> 01:23:01.359
friend and adult weed dealer, Ricky way Ebb. He knew

1437
01:23:01.359 --> 01:23:04.319
his mother had named him after her favorite singer, Farren Young,

1438
01:23:04.720 --> 01:23:08.920
and had loved his hit song, Hello Walls. Ricky was

1439
01:23:08.960 --> 01:23:12.000
a nephew on Joe Lindseed's wife's side, but never came

1440
01:23:12.039 --> 01:23:14.640
out to this little encampment. People up the road called

1441
01:23:14.880 --> 01:23:19.279
Rusty Town. You look damn serious, Walls, and all you

1442
01:23:19.359 --> 01:23:23.680
hillbillies out here look damn jumpy. The energy shifted towards Junior,

1443
01:23:24.239 --> 01:23:28.279
though who he was junior to. Farren couldn't remember. He

1444
01:23:28.439 --> 01:23:30.840
was the lead dog in this younger group and went

1445
01:23:30.880 --> 01:23:34.279
from juvie to county to state prison, and only recently

1446
01:23:34.359 --> 01:23:37.560
returned from the Grand Tour. The shining whites of his

1447
01:23:37.640 --> 01:23:40.359
eyes stared out at Farron, and his neck tattoos looked

1448
01:23:40.399 --> 01:23:43.279
like bruises in the blue light. If you want some

1449
01:23:43.359 --> 01:23:45.760
of that Leopold gold I had done brought up from

1450
01:23:45.800 --> 01:23:48.960
Tell City last week, come by my place tomorrow. You

1451
01:23:49.000 --> 01:23:52.359
don't need to be out here, Ricky said, neither do you.

1452
01:23:53.359 --> 01:23:55.479
I ain't never out here, but I got business tonight.

1453
01:23:56.319 --> 01:23:59.039
I do too, So maybe you can slip out past

1454
01:23:59.079 --> 01:24:01.279
that tilta whirl and I'll come holler at you tomorrow

1455
01:24:01.319 --> 01:24:06.760
for that grass. Somebody snickered, he said, grass, shut up, Garwood,

1456
01:24:07.079 --> 01:24:10.560
Ricky said easily, his eyes trained on Farren Fair and

1457
01:24:10.680 --> 01:24:14.680
gestured with the shotgun. I tell you what leaving out, Ricky,

1458
01:24:14.960 --> 01:24:17.840
if there's eight teeth between all of you, I won't

1459
01:24:17.840 --> 01:24:20.840
take you whole passel of dickheads in for making and

1460
01:24:20.920 --> 01:24:25.079
dealing meth. Junior, Garwood and the others began to move,

1461
01:24:25.119 --> 01:24:28.560
but Ricky put up a steadying hand. It dawned on

1462
01:24:28.640 --> 01:24:31.640
Farren for the first time that Ricky, despite his easy

1463
01:24:31.680 --> 01:24:34.840
going demeanor, might have been the og of this loose

1464
01:24:34.960 --> 01:24:38.760
band of related feral criminals. It was just one more

1465
01:24:38.800 --> 01:24:44.159
thing you had overlooked, not paid attention to. Let's slide walls.

1466
01:24:44.560 --> 01:24:46.960
Why don't you ease on out of this here job.

1467
01:24:47.079 --> 01:24:49.479
Everybody knows. This is your last night, is town Marshall.

1468
01:24:50.119 --> 01:24:55.840
Let somebody else worry about this tomorrow, Ricky suggested. Junior blinked.

1469
01:24:56.199 --> 01:24:58.520
Hell if he ain't found until tomorrow, it ain't like

1470
01:24:58.600 --> 01:24:59.239
killing a cop.

1471
01:25:00.079 --> 01:25:00.680
Junior had a.

1472
01:25:00.640 --> 01:25:04.319
Gun in his hand, and then Ricky did too. Farron

1473
01:25:04.439 --> 01:25:06.800
just stood with the shotgun loose in his own hands.

1474
01:25:07.479 --> 01:25:10.920
We don't need to think like that, cuz, said Ricky mildly.

1475
01:25:11.720 --> 01:25:15.560
He knows, said another voice from the growing darkness. Junior

1476
01:25:15.640 --> 01:25:18.479
nodded for emphasis. What else would he be doing out

1477
01:25:18.520 --> 01:25:22.880
here on his last day? Ricky studied Faren. That's it,

1478
01:25:22.920 --> 01:25:26.199
isn't it. It's your last day? God damn, Faren, don't

1479
01:25:26.279 --> 01:25:29.439
let it go down this way. Think about Abby, you

1480
01:25:29.560 --> 01:25:32.600
know I am thinking about Abbey. It was the truest

1481
01:25:32.600 --> 01:25:35.600
thing Faren had ever said, And get her name out

1482
01:25:35.640 --> 01:25:40.720
of your mouth, Ricky blinked, and Farren swallowed. Then tell

1483
01:25:40.760 --> 01:25:44.000
your idiot half brothers or second cousins or whatever this

1484
01:25:44.159 --> 01:25:46.920
island of misfit toys is to stand over against that

1485
01:25:47.000 --> 01:25:49.399
hall of mirrors with their hands behind their backs.

1486
01:25:49.159 --> 01:25:50.319
And make this easy.

1487
01:25:51.520 --> 01:25:55.039
Ricky shook his head head on back to town, old hoss.

1488
01:25:55.520 --> 01:25:57.319
I'm trying to talk these kids out of making a

1489
01:25:57.359 --> 01:26:01.199
bad mistake. It's my mistake. I've been too easy on

1490
01:26:01.199 --> 01:26:03.199
these young dirt bags because I took most of their

1491
01:26:03.199 --> 01:26:05.600
moms behind the football stadium at one time or another.

1492
01:26:06.680 --> 01:26:10.039
Junior finally lifted his gun, a high point nine millimeter,

1493
01:26:10.239 --> 01:26:13.159
just as Farren had hoped. Only Ricky lifted his own

1494
01:26:13.159 --> 01:26:16.640
bursa thunder three eighty, and shot his cousin in the face.

1495
01:26:17.399 --> 01:26:20.119
Garwood fired, and Ricky tipped back in his chair and

1496
01:26:20.159 --> 01:26:23.039
his legs kicked the air. Garwood turned and fired at

1497
01:26:23.079 --> 01:26:25.680
Farn next, and Farren felt a hot bite take the

1498
01:26:25.680 --> 01:26:28.439
bottom of his right ear off. Ricky was up and

1499
01:26:28.479 --> 01:26:30.880
on his knees, pointing his gun at Garwood when somebody

1500
01:26:30.920 --> 01:26:34.039
stepped out of the shadow and fired at Ricky. A

1501
01:26:34.079 --> 01:26:37.079
geyser shot out of Ricky's neck, but he still shot again,

1502
01:26:37.359 --> 01:26:40.319
and Garwood's jaw disappeared in a cloud of red, and

1503
01:26:40.359 --> 01:26:44.640
his teeth peppered the campfire. Garwood convulsed and fired, hitting

1504
01:26:44.680 --> 01:26:47.640
another man in the shadows who started to scream. Farn

1505
01:26:47.640 --> 01:26:50.800
stood and waited for the bullet, but the new gunman

1506
01:26:50.880 --> 01:26:54.359
turned and ran for the trailer, flannel shirt flapping behind,

1507
01:26:54.720 --> 01:26:58.479
and the last man broke and ran as well. Farn

1508
01:26:58.479 --> 01:27:01.439
watched for a moment, then through his shotgun on the ground.

1509
01:27:01.640 --> 01:27:03.920
The remington had been empty, but the glock nineteen and

1510
01:27:03.960 --> 01:27:07.520
his holster wasn't, and it turned out he needed it.

1511
01:27:07.520 --> 01:27:09.199
It was one thing to die in a hail of

1512
01:27:09.239 --> 01:27:13.239
gunfire and another to die in prison. So he walked

1513
01:27:13.319 --> 01:27:15.800
up and shot the screaming man, then followed the other

1514
01:27:15.840 --> 01:27:18.840
two towards the trailer. The one in the flannel banged

1515
01:27:18.880 --> 01:27:21.319
the door open and ran in, but the other veered off.

1516
01:27:21.680 --> 01:27:23.760
He figured he had the flannel guy boxed in, but

1517
01:27:23.840 --> 01:27:26.399
had better catch up to the second guy. That guy

1518
01:27:26.479 --> 01:27:29.520
ran hell bent towards what was labeled the Funhouse, a

1519
01:27:29.560 --> 01:27:31.760
big sheet metal box that had been built on the

1520
01:27:31.800 --> 01:27:34.960
back of a flatbed. The funhouse had some sort of

1521
01:27:35.079 --> 01:27:39.159
zigzag gangplank held up with chains, and Farren watched for

1522
01:27:39.199 --> 01:27:42.479
a moment as the guy who he finally recognized as

1523
01:27:42.520 --> 01:27:45.920
the recent high school drop out, Peyton Sandford, tried to

1524
01:27:46.000 --> 01:27:49.439
navigate the wobbly platform in the dark. He stepped into

1525
01:27:49.439 --> 01:27:52.720
the round oh of a painted clown's mouth, and the

1526
01:27:52.760 --> 01:27:55.359
brake must have been off on that tunnel, because the

1527
01:27:55.359 --> 01:27:57.920
gears started moving and the opening rolled up like a

1528
01:27:57.960 --> 01:28:01.720
hamster wheel. It would have been fun if Farren wasn't

1529
01:28:01.760 --> 01:28:05.119
trying to die in the line of duty. Farron fired

1530
01:28:05.119 --> 01:28:07.600
into the clown's mouth and missed, but the bullet spanged

1531
01:28:07.640 --> 01:28:11.119
around and finally hit Sandford and knocked him flat. He

1532
01:28:11.239 --> 01:28:13.880
tried to get up, but just flopped around in there

1533
01:28:13.960 --> 01:28:16.439
until Farren drew a better bead and shot him again,

1534
01:28:17.199 --> 01:28:21.399
and Sandford stopped moving. Farren turned away and saw some

1535
01:28:21.439 --> 01:28:24.319
weird shapes dancing in front of him. He triggered his

1536
01:28:24.359 --> 01:28:27.920
gun without thinking and heard shattering glass. He had shot

1537
01:28:28.159 --> 01:28:31.600
right into the stupid half assed hall of mirrors. When

1538
01:28:31.640 --> 01:28:34.600
he saw his own image splintering a hundred times, he

1539
01:28:34.720 --> 01:28:37.520
kept going. Farren beat it for the trailer and quickly

1540
01:28:37.560 --> 01:28:40.840
realized he'd made a mistake when he stepped through the door,

1541
01:28:41.039 --> 01:28:42.520
the chemical smell was strong.

1542
01:28:43.000 --> 01:28:43.439
He saw a.

1543
01:28:43.479 --> 01:28:45.399
Hole that had been knocked in the back wall, with

1544
01:28:45.439 --> 01:28:48.239
a blue tarp strung over it and taped over onto

1545
01:28:48.279 --> 01:28:51.560
another trailer parked right behind. So Farren bolted through the

1546
01:28:51.560 --> 01:28:54.199
trailer and out the back, hoping for the bullet that

1547
01:28:54.239 --> 01:28:56.640
would blow up the trailer behind him and everyone around

1548
01:28:56.640 --> 01:29:00.880
the world beyond. But instead he found the last gunmen

1549
01:29:01.039 --> 01:29:04.000
standing in an open field nearby, next to a beat

1550
01:29:04.039 --> 01:29:08.159
up nineteen eighty Plymouth Vulaire roadrunner. Faren knew the beater

1551
01:29:08.279 --> 01:29:12.199
belonged to a kid everybody called Baby Gates, because once

1552
01:29:12.720 --> 01:29:15.000
he got so drunk, his friends gated him into a

1553
01:29:15.079 --> 01:29:17.680
kitchen to sleep it off, and he couldn't figure out

1554
01:29:17.720 --> 01:29:21.399
how to undo the latch. Even when sober, Baby Gates

1555
01:29:21.399 --> 01:29:24.199
had popped the trunk and had the gun pointed inside,

1556
01:29:24.640 --> 01:29:30.560
which Farren immediately flashed on dogfighting. Even Baby Gates couldn't

1557
01:29:30.600 --> 01:29:32.439
think he could get out of trouble by shooting up

1558
01:29:32.439 --> 01:29:35.439
a trunk full of drugs, but Farren went ahead and

1559
01:29:35.520 --> 01:29:38.680
killed him anyway, then walked over to see what Baby

1560
01:29:38.680 --> 01:29:43.319
Gates could have possibly been thinking. Inside the trunk was

1561
01:29:43.359 --> 01:29:47.319
a very thin and pale young woman wearing clothes you

1562
01:29:47.359 --> 01:29:50.239
would throw in a dumpster behind the good Will. The

1563
01:29:50.359 --> 01:29:53.680
stench of human smells was strong, but the young woman

1564
01:29:54.399 --> 01:29:58.439
was alive. Farren bent over and vomited in the grass.

1565
01:29:59.119 --> 01:30:01.640
Then he felt better. It was the killing of the

1566
01:30:01.680 --> 01:30:03.680
young men. In the finding of a young woman so

1567
01:30:03.800 --> 01:30:07.199
close to Abby's age. He had sometimes vomited after killing

1568
01:30:07.239 --> 01:30:10.800
an Iraq and knew that was part of it. He

1569
01:30:10.840 --> 01:30:14.079
reached a hand out to the cowering, feebly, moving woman,

1570
01:30:14.479 --> 01:30:17.319
but finally just reached down and lifted her out and

1571
01:30:17.399 --> 01:30:20.359
set her on the ground. She was a flat five

1572
01:30:20.399 --> 01:30:23.279
feet and didn't weigh a buck ten by Farren's eyes.

1573
01:30:24.720 --> 01:30:28.319
What's your name, miss? The young woman just stood and

1574
01:30:28.479 --> 01:30:32.479
shook her teeth, chattering. Can you tell me your name?

1575
01:30:32.520 --> 01:30:32.840
Miss?

1576
01:30:33.119 --> 01:30:36.960
You're all right now. The young woman slowly opened her mouth,

1577
01:30:37.760 --> 01:30:41.600
and Farn saw a darkness within. It took Farain a

1578
01:30:41.640 --> 01:30:46.680
minute to realize the woman had no tongue. Faren looked

1579
01:30:46.680 --> 01:30:50.600
into her eyes. Okay, we'll go back to my patrol car.

1580
01:30:50.640 --> 01:30:52.319
I got a paper and pencil there so you can

1581
01:30:52.359 --> 01:30:55.479
write your name down. The young woman shook her head.

1582
01:30:56.520 --> 01:30:59.560
You don't want to write your name down? She shook

1583
01:30:59.560 --> 01:31:04.079
her head harder. The truth punched farin between the eyes.

1584
01:31:05.399 --> 01:31:08.720
How long ago did you get taken? The young woman

1585
01:31:08.840 --> 01:31:11.279
lowered her hand until the flat of it hovered around

1586
01:31:11.279 --> 01:31:15.560
her knee. Faren felt the bile rise in his throat

1587
01:31:15.880 --> 01:31:18.560
when he thought about the enormity of what had happened

1588
01:31:18.560 --> 01:31:21.920
to the young woman. Okay, well, we still need to

1589
01:31:21.920 --> 01:31:24.560
get back to the patrol car. Just keep your eyes

1590
01:31:24.600 --> 01:31:26.439
on me when we walk that way, and don't look

1591
01:31:26.439 --> 01:31:29.920
at nothing else. The young woman nodded, and Faren led

1592
01:31:29.960 --> 01:31:32.800
her away from the road runner. But as he neared

1593
01:31:32.800 --> 01:31:36.880
the camp fire once more, he saw movement again. He

1594
01:31:36.960 --> 01:31:38.720
raised a hand for the young woman to stay where

1595
01:31:38.760 --> 01:31:42.359
she was, and Faren approached the fire, where his old

1596
01:31:42.359 --> 01:31:46.239
friend Ricky was, somehow still alive, holding a bloody hand

1597
01:31:46.279 --> 01:31:50.159
to his neck. Faren stood over him. You ain't calling

1598
01:31:50.239 --> 01:31:54.560
this one in, are you, old hoss? Ricky asked no.

1599
01:31:55.880 --> 01:31:59.000
Farin could see Ricky's eyes slide sideways in a glimmer

1600
01:31:59.039 --> 01:32:03.279
of firelight. I'm glad she's still alive, if it means

1601
01:32:03.319 --> 01:32:05.680
anything to you. I thought baby Gates was talking shit,

1602
01:32:06.000 --> 01:32:08.880
some stupid internet thing. I didn't think he could really

1603
01:32:08.880 --> 01:32:11.680
go and get a girl from somewhere. I was here

1604
01:32:11.680 --> 01:32:15.279
to make Junior let her go. That does mean something.

1605
01:32:16.079 --> 01:32:20.800
Where was she from. I don't know exactly, but they

1606
01:32:20.840 --> 01:32:24.119
bought her in Indianapolis, but I know where she was going.

1607
01:32:24.520 --> 01:32:27.199
They sold her to them people out at Comfort Farm.

1608
01:32:28.399 --> 01:32:32.960
Comfort Farm where they had those retreats. My ex went

1609
01:32:33.000 --> 01:32:36.439
to a writers group out there. Then people went bankrupt

1610
01:32:36.479 --> 01:32:40.439
two years ago. This is a different group. They're from Jersey,

1611
01:32:41.439 --> 01:32:46.119
Jersey East Coast people. Man Farren thought on this for

1612
01:32:46.159 --> 01:32:49.560
a moment, and when he looked down, Ricky was dead.

1613
01:32:50.039 --> 01:32:53.760
The young woman was standing and looking. She didn't resist

1614
01:32:53.760 --> 01:32:55.720
when Farren put her in the front seat of the car.

1615
01:32:56.319 --> 01:32:58.920
He started the patrol car and turned and looked at her.

1616
01:32:59.560 --> 01:33:01.560
I'm gonna take you into town and drop you off

1617
01:33:01.600 --> 01:33:04.439
at the flashing light. There are good people there, and

1618
01:33:04.560 --> 01:33:07.479
somebody will call the police and the county respond. She

1619
01:33:07.640 --> 01:33:11.439
grabbed his bicep and wouldn't let go. I can't take

1620
01:33:11.479 --> 01:33:13.199
you with me because I'm going out to the farm

1621
01:33:13.239 --> 01:33:15.680
where they were gonna take you, and I ain't planning

1622
01:33:15.720 --> 01:33:19.199
on coming back. The young woman grabbed and clawed him

1623
01:33:19.239 --> 01:33:21.920
so hard that instead of making a big u turn

1624
01:33:21.960 --> 01:33:24.840
to town, He turned off the car and started walking

1625
01:33:24.880 --> 01:33:27.039
back towards the road runner, with the young woman a

1626
01:33:27.039 --> 01:33:30.560
ghost trailing behind. He took the keys out of Baby

1627
01:33:30.560 --> 01:33:33.479
Gates Jean's pocket and threw his uniform shirt on the

1628
01:33:33.479 --> 01:33:36.439
ground and put on Baby Gates flannel, which only had

1629
01:33:36.520 --> 01:33:39.479
some blood on it. He didn't say anything when she

1630
01:33:39.520 --> 01:33:42.840
got into the passenger seat. Then pharrenh bumped over the

1631
01:33:42.880 --> 01:33:46.960
farm field and onto the highway and straight into darkness.

1632
01:33:47.560 --> 01:33:49.840
Comfort Farm was right at the very edge of the

1633
01:33:49.840 --> 01:33:52.760
county and probably out of his jurisdiction if he was

1634
01:33:52.760 --> 01:33:55.680
thinking hard about it. But what he was thinking was

1635
01:33:55.720 --> 01:33:58.479
that he should have noticed somebody building a watchtower on

1636
01:33:58.520 --> 01:34:02.039
the other side of the big cattle game. Farren idled

1637
01:34:02.079 --> 01:34:04.920
there and finally honked the horn, and damned if a

1638
01:34:04.960 --> 01:34:07.479
big spotlight didn't shine out of the tower and point

1639
01:34:07.560 --> 01:34:10.680
right at the road runner. Farron and the woman sat

1640
01:34:11.239 --> 01:34:14.319
very still. After a long moment, he heard a deep

1641
01:34:14.359 --> 01:34:17.920
throated rumble, and here came a nineteen eighty seven Chevy

1642
01:34:17.920 --> 01:34:21.199
El Camino black on top and silver on bottom that

1643
01:34:21.279 --> 01:34:24.960
he couldn't help but admire. Some long haired guy with

1644
01:34:25.000 --> 01:34:27.159
a leather vest over a bare chest came out with

1645
01:34:27.199 --> 01:34:29.399
a mac ten in one hand and a gym bag

1646
01:34:29.439 --> 01:34:31.079
in the other and stood on the other side of

1647
01:34:31.079 --> 01:34:34.960
the cattle gates. Farren waited, knowing he had a flannel

1648
01:34:35.039 --> 01:34:38.119
up top but uniform pants and a gun belt below.

1649
01:34:39.199 --> 01:34:41.880
The guy squinted at the road Runner. You're supposed to

1650
01:34:41.920 --> 01:34:45.800
keep her in the trunk, idiot, Farren said nothing as

1651
01:34:45.840 --> 01:34:48.279
the man started to undo the chain holding the cattle

1652
01:34:48.319 --> 01:34:52.640
gates together. Just for fun. Farron revved the engine and

1653
01:34:52.760 --> 01:34:55.439
gunned as the chain fell away and banged the gates

1654
01:34:55.479 --> 01:34:58.279
open and knocked the long haired guy backwards and watched

1655
01:34:58.279 --> 01:35:02.439
his limbs turn counterclockwise. He heard a gunshot from above,

1656
01:35:02.800 --> 01:35:05.000
and so he drove straight on into one leg of

1657
01:35:05.039 --> 01:35:07.520
the tower and crushed the grill of the road Runner.

1658
01:35:07.800 --> 01:35:10.039
He heard a crack and a creak as the wooden

1659
01:35:10.119 --> 01:35:13.680
leg gave way, but what happened next was hidden in

1660
01:35:13.720 --> 01:35:17.039
a cloud of radiator steam. He opened the driver's side

1661
01:35:17.079 --> 01:35:19.199
door in time to see a guy fall from above

1662
01:35:19.439 --> 01:35:21.600
and bounce off the hood of the car and AR

1663
01:35:21.680 --> 01:35:24.960
fifteen going flying. The guy scrambled for his weapon and

1664
01:35:25.039 --> 01:35:27.439
slid off the hood of the Roadrunner, and Farren shot

1665
01:35:27.479 --> 01:35:30.000
him before he could get his feet under him. The

1666
01:35:30.039 --> 01:35:32.960
long haired guy was somehow on his feet and firing

1667
01:35:33.000 --> 01:35:35.720
into the steam. Farin bent down and scooped up the

1668
01:35:35.880 --> 01:35:39.039
AR fifteen and let it rip into the darkness. He

1669
01:35:39.159 --> 01:35:40.359
liked it better than the mac ten.

1670
01:35:40.439 --> 01:35:40.840
Anyway.

1671
01:35:41.279 --> 01:35:43.479
He heard the long haired guy scream as he walked

1672
01:35:43.479 --> 01:35:46.520
over to the El Camino, accidentally kicking the gym bag

1673
01:35:46.560 --> 01:35:50.399
on the way. Money spilled out onto the dirt. Farn

1674
01:35:50.439 --> 01:35:52.359
couldn't believe what he was seeing, but he picked up

1675
01:35:52.399 --> 01:35:54.239
the bag and threw it in the back of the

1676
01:35:54.239 --> 01:35:58.279
El Camino. Anyway, somewhere down this dirt road, the big

1677
01:35:58.319 --> 01:36:01.239
barn you could rent for weddings was all up. There

1678
01:36:01.239 --> 01:36:04.159
were two guys walking down the path towards them. All

1679
01:36:04.159 --> 01:36:06.520
the little cabins they used to rent to church groups

1680
01:36:06.560 --> 01:36:09.159
were all boarded up on both sides of the overgrown track.

1681
01:36:09.520 --> 01:36:12.479
They had definitely heard a commotion, but weren't in full

1682
01:36:12.520 --> 01:36:16.119
tilt panic yet. These East Coast types didn't think much

1683
01:36:16.159 --> 01:36:20.720
of Midwesterners. Farren thought sourly. He climbed into the El Camino,

1684
01:36:20.920 --> 01:36:23.840
and there was the young woman sitting there already. You

1685
01:36:23.960 --> 01:36:25.880
got to get out of here. You got me through

1686
01:36:25.920 --> 01:36:27.800
the gate, but that's as far as I was planning

1687
01:36:27.840 --> 01:36:30.399
on going with you. There's a bag of money back there,

1688
01:36:30.680 --> 01:36:34.039
take it and walk to town. She started grabbing at

1689
01:36:34.079 --> 01:36:36.199
him again, so Farin just put the el Camino in

1690
01:36:36.279 --> 01:36:39.680
gear and started slowly rolling down the dirt road towards

1691
01:36:39.680 --> 01:36:42.880
the men in the barn. This one was absolutely not

1692
01:36:43.399 --> 01:36:46.479
the nineteen seventy el Camino he had lovingly finished restoring

1693
01:36:46.520 --> 01:36:48.920
when his older brother got sick of it. But it

1694
01:36:49.000 --> 01:36:51.600
was better than no El Camino at all. When he

1695
01:36:51.640 --> 01:36:54.479
got close, he floored it, then breaked hard and knocked

1696
01:36:54.479 --> 01:36:56.720
both men down in one swing from the long back

1697
01:36:56.720 --> 01:36:59.720
of the car. Farren got out and reached into the

1698
01:36:59.760 --> 01:37:02.680
back where he had seen a toe chain laying. He

1699
01:37:02.720 --> 01:37:05.000
pulled it out and hit one guy with it and

1700
01:37:05.079 --> 01:37:07.760
watched the hook hit him on the ear and yanked

1701
01:37:07.800 --> 01:37:10.760
part of his face onto the ground. Then Farron got

1702
01:37:10.800 --> 01:37:12.920
the other guy as he was standing up and wrapped

1703
01:37:12.960 --> 01:37:17.119
the chain around his neck. What's in the barn? Farron asked,

1704
01:37:17.159 --> 01:37:19.960
pulling the chain tighter, but he must have pulled too

1705
01:37:20.000 --> 01:37:23.239
hard because the guy went limp, blood running from his mouth,

1706
01:37:23.720 --> 01:37:27.079
and Farren just dropped him in the dirt. Farren climbed

1707
01:37:27.119 --> 01:37:29.359
back behind the wheel and told the young woman to duck.

1708
01:37:29.760 --> 01:37:32.319
Then he floored it one more time and drove right

1709
01:37:32.359 --> 01:37:35.680
at the big barn doors. They didn't bust open as

1710
01:37:35.760 --> 01:37:38.600
dramatically as he thought, since he was pushing forty five

1711
01:37:38.680 --> 01:37:40.800
or fifty by the time he reached them, but they

1712
01:37:40.840 --> 01:37:43.319
splintered well enough that the el Camino went on through

1713
01:37:43.359 --> 01:37:46.520
and went in a long skid as Farren pumped the brakes.

1714
01:37:47.199 --> 01:37:49.680
Farn jumped out with the ar fifteen and the glock

1715
01:37:49.760 --> 01:37:52.479
nineteen pointing straight ahead, and saw he was in the

1716
01:37:52.479 --> 01:37:55.840
middle of a big space, all painted red, the barn beams,

1717
01:37:55.880 --> 01:38:00.399
the floor, everything. There were big bright lights everywhere, little

1718
01:38:00.399 --> 01:38:03.600
cameras with red lights. There was medical equipment in the

1719
01:38:03.640 --> 01:38:07.880
corners and chains hanging down from above. There were men

1720
01:38:08.199 --> 01:38:12.399
and women in animal masks. It was the stupidest thing

1721
01:38:12.439 --> 01:38:15.920
Farren had ever seen. He felt tired. He'd gone this

1722
01:38:16.039 --> 01:38:18.319
whole night and hadn't met anybody with the juice to

1723
01:38:18.399 --> 01:38:21.000
kill him. He didn't think any of these people could either.

1724
01:38:21.840 --> 01:38:24.920
Then somebody stepped up with an ornate looking knife, and

1725
01:38:24.960 --> 01:38:27.359
when Farn stuck his hand up to block it, the

1726
01:38:27.399 --> 01:38:32.199
guy drove it right into Farren's palm. Now something was happening,

1727
01:38:32.239 --> 01:38:34.720
he thought, and he lifted the glock and blew a

1728
01:38:34.760 --> 01:38:37.840
hole in the mask man's face. Bone shards blew back

1729
01:38:37.880 --> 01:38:40.119
and cut his cheeks, and he realized it was a

1730
01:38:40.159 --> 01:38:44.119
real skull of some kind, not some Halloween town plastic

1731
01:38:44.159 --> 01:38:47.479
shit like he thought. Faren tried to steady himself on

1732
01:38:47.520 --> 01:38:50.000
the hood of the El Camino and work the air fifteen.

1733
01:38:50.760 --> 01:38:53.359
Somebody with a metal pole ran up to him, and

1734
01:38:53.439 --> 01:38:57.560
too late Farren realized it was a cattle prod. He

1735
01:38:57.680 --> 01:38:59.680
tried to kick, and it hit him in the leg

1736
01:38:59.720 --> 01:39:02.279
and him clear to his balls, and he went down

1737
01:39:02.319 --> 01:39:05.880
on his back involuntarily. The masked man threw the prod

1738
01:39:05.920 --> 01:39:08.960
aside and came thrusting downward with another fancy knife, but

1739
01:39:09.079 --> 01:39:11.319
Faren scrambled under the El Camino and popped up on

1740
01:39:11.359 --> 01:39:15.000
the other side, shooting. Farin could hear a low keening

1741
01:39:15.039 --> 01:39:17.760
from the front seat and realized it was the young woman,

1742
01:39:18.159 --> 01:39:20.800
but couldn't do anything but kill everyone in front of him,

1743
01:39:20.960 --> 01:39:23.159
and hoped she would get it together enough to finally

1744
01:39:23.239 --> 01:39:27.279
run away. Some woman in a flowing red robe rose

1745
01:39:27.319 --> 01:39:30.479
from behind a bank of computer monitors and started saying

1746
01:39:30.520 --> 01:39:32.880
some shit. Farin couldn't hear between the rumbling of the

1747
01:39:32.880 --> 01:39:35.600
el Camino and the sounds of gunshots, and the keening

1748
01:39:35.600 --> 01:39:37.640
of the young woman and the screams of the dying.

1749
01:39:38.039 --> 01:39:40.199
He shot her, thinking the rest of the might stop

1750
01:39:40.239 --> 01:39:42.920
fighting when they saw it, but they didn't, and somebody

1751
01:39:43.000 --> 01:39:46.560
stabbed Farin up around the collarbone, and the blade deflected

1752
01:39:46.560 --> 01:39:49.760
off and screeched across the el Camino's paint job. The

1753
01:39:49.800 --> 01:39:52.279
glock was out of AMMO, and so was the Air fifteen,

1754
01:39:52.640 --> 01:39:55.239
And now we wished he hadn't thrown that Remington shotgun

1755
01:39:55.279 --> 01:39:58.680
on the ground. But it was all right. He felt

1756
01:39:58.680 --> 01:40:01.760
about done, But then he started thinking about what that

1757
01:40:01.880 --> 01:40:04.960
young woman, or even his daughter, or both of them

1758
01:40:05.239 --> 01:40:05.960
could do with a.

1759
01:40:05.920 --> 01:40:06.680
Bag of money.

1760
01:40:06.960 --> 01:40:09.359
And he grabbed the guy who stabbed him around the

1761
01:40:09.439 --> 01:40:11.840
neck and beat his head onto the car hood until

1762
01:40:11.840 --> 01:40:14.840
he dropped the bloody knife. Then Faren took it and

1763
01:40:14.880 --> 01:40:17.119
tried to slip the guy's throat, but it skittered off

1764
01:40:17.159 --> 01:40:19.600
the bone of the guy's mask, and then he thought

1765
01:40:19.600 --> 01:40:22.239
maybe this was just a shitty knife, and threw it

1766
01:40:22.279 --> 01:40:24.920
on the ground. He picked up the cattle prod and

1767
01:40:25.079 --> 01:40:27.520
used the business end on some asshole with a big

1768
01:40:27.560 --> 01:40:30.319
hooked knife and then swung at the computer monitors, and

1769
01:40:30.359 --> 01:40:33.960
it sparked and sputtered, and surprising everyone, started a fire.

1770
01:40:34.680 --> 01:40:36.880
Then there was a sharp pain in his back, and

1771
01:40:36.920 --> 01:40:39.560
he half turned and saw somebody whose wolf mask was

1772
01:40:39.840 --> 01:40:42.600
half hanging off, was stabbing him with a scalpel from

1773
01:40:42.640 --> 01:40:45.159
the table full of medical instruments. And it was some

1774
01:40:45.279 --> 01:40:47.359
guy he had seen a hundred times jogging on the

1775
01:40:47.439 --> 01:40:50.399
historical trail out where the old railroad had been. Then

1776
01:40:50.560 --> 01:40:53.399
Faren got pissed because it was one thing to die

1777
01:40:53.439 --> 01:40:55.479
in the line of duty, and it was another thing

1778
01:40:55.479 --> 01:40:57.279
to die of a thousand cuts from a bunch of

1779
01:40:57.319 --> 01:40:59.640
dirt bags who got all their ideas from beating off

1780
01:40:59.680 --> 01:41:02.399
to death metal videos. So he headbutted the guy and

1781
01:41:02.439 --> 01:41:05.159
clawed at his scalpel, but couldn't get it loose. He

1782
01:41:05.159 --> 01:41:08.800
heard a loud behind him and saw some douchebag holding

1783
01:41:08.800 --> 01:41:12.439
a Mossburg pump action shotgun pointed at him. Faraen grabbed

1784
01:41:12.439 --> 01:41:15.600
the barrel and forced it upwards upwards until he forced

1785
01:41:15.600 --> 01:41:19.239
it under the guy's chin. The blast showered Faran with gore,

1786
01:41:19.560 --> 01:41:22.399
but he'd lost track of whose blood was whose. There

1787
01:41:22.479 --> 01:41:25.479
was somebody running away from the growing flames, and Faran

1788
01:41:25.520 --> 01:41:27.840
brought the barrel of the mossburg down on his head,

1789
01:41:28.079 --> 01:41:31.600
and the guy stumbled and fell. Farron wiped blood from

1790
01:41:31.640 --> 01:41:34.640
his eyes and didn't see anyone else running or moving

1791
01:41:34.680 --> 01:41:37.960
at all, just the steady red lights looking at him

1792
01:41:38.000 --> 01:41:40.840
from every angle of the room. And so he lay

1793
01:41:40.880 --> 01:41:43.800
down next to the last corpse and let the fire

1794
01:41:43.880 --> 01:41:47.479
warm his feet and waited to see if anything else

1795
01:41:47.520 --> 01:41:52.880
would happen. Unfortunately, Farron woke up not in that red room,

1796
01:41:53.279 --> 01:41:56.760
but in a white room the county hospital, and there

1797
01:41:56.800 --> 01:41:59.760
was a little boombox covered in stickers on the bedside table,

1798
01:42:00.039 --> 01:42:02.359
and his wife was talking on the radio. And he

1799
01:42:02.439 --> 01:42:04.920
knew that the boombox belonged to his daughter, and she

1800
01:42:05.000 --> 01:42:07.800
must have left it there, and he must be alive.

1801
01:42:08.479 --> 01:42:11.800
His daughter came in and started crying, and he did too,

1802
01:42:12.720 --> 01:42:16.439
not for the same reasons. After a few minutes, he asked,

1803
01:42:17.319 --> 01:42:23.039
who's the girl. They don't know yet, Abby said, everybody's somebody.

1804
01:42:23.880 --> 01:42:28.840
Her father whispered, you're a meme again, Abby said, showing

1805
01:42:28.920 --> 01:42:29.520
him her phone.

1806
01:42:30.439 --> 01:42:31.279
The video was.

1807
01:42:31.279 --> 01:42:36.479
Called Sleepy Cop Wakes Up, and somehow there was heavily

1808
01:42:36.600 --> 01:42:41.399
edited video of the massacre at Comfort Farm what is this,

1809
01:42:41.920 --> 01:42:45.239
Farah asked, pushing the phone away. You shouldn't be looking

1810
01:42:45.279 --> 01:42:45.520
at that.

1811
01:42:46.520 --> 01:42:47.760
You bust it up. A Red room.

1812
01:42:48.199 --> 01:42:50.359
It's where they take girls to be tortured, and people

1813
01:42:50.399 --> 01:42:53.319
pay to watch it on the dark web. The what

1814
01:42:54.600 --> 01:42:57.600
the bad part of the internet. There was a good part.

1815
01:42:58.520 --> 01:43:01.159
Somebody put the video out. They said they thought the

1816
01:43:01.199 --> 01:43:03.479
Red Room was a hoax, so they were recording it.

1817
01:43:03.760 --> 01:43:06.359
But they are probably just saying that now because they're

1818
01:43:06.359 --> 01:43:10.199
trying to stay out of jail. Speaking of which, that

1819
01:43:10.239 --> 01:43:13.920
guy outside the door looks like a fed I don't

1820
01:43:13.920 --> 01:43:16.760
know what he is, Dad, I reckon he wants to

1821
01:43:16.800 --> 01:43:20.000
talk to me. He does, but I had to get

1822
01:43:20.039 --> 01:43:23.239
in here first. By the way, Mom has your phone

1823
01:43:23.279 --> 01:43:27.079
and is taking all your calls. She's doing what the

1824
01:43:27.119 --> 01:43:29.359
password is? Still your anniversary?

1825
01:43:29.439 --> 01:43:30.039
Dad?

1826
01:43:30.600 --> 01:43:34.920
Okay, okay, what calls? People want to interview you pay

1827
01:43:34.960 --> 01:43:40.039
for your story a big podcast called What's That? It's

1828
01:43:40.039 --> 01:43:43.680
on the internet. You can get paid for that. Abby

1829
01:43:43.760 --> 01:43:45.880
snuck a glance at the door where the man in

1830
01:43:45.920 --> 01:43:47.600
the dark suit and red tie loomed.

1831
01:43:48.359 --> 01:43:48.680
Dad.

1832
01:43:49.520 --> 01:43:53.199
I think they want your help. I'm not a cop anymore.

1833
01:43:54.279 --> 01:43:57.880
The town council extended you. Mom got on the radio

1834
01:43:57.920 --> 01:44:00.600
and raised hell because you were all stabbed and whatever

1835
01:44:00.880 --> 01:44:04.319
and weren't going to have any insurance. Farren felt like

1836
01:44:04.399 --> 01:44:09.239
crying again. It had to be the drugs. Well, she's

1837
01:44:09.279 --> 01:44:13.520
a good woman. The town council still sucks. They only

1838
01:44:13.560 --> 01:44:18.399
extended it till December thirty. First, Farren tried to shrug

1839
01:44:19.399 --> 01:44:24.960
small victories. Farren closed his eyes, and when Abby left

1840
01:44:25.000 --> 01:44:28.640
and the Fed came in, Farren was sound asleep.

1841
01:44:36.239 --> 01:44:39.399
The Pumpkin King by David O'Hanlon.

1842
01:44:41.239 --> 01:44:45.399
Barley and Clyde Sawyer were not the nicest men in Bouchet, Arkansas.

1843
01:44:45.920 --> 01:44:48.960
If they were, they never would have found themselves in

1844
01:44:49.039 --> 01:44:53.399
my employment. The rural community of Bouchet was somewhere between

1845
01:44:53.399 --> 01:44:56.399
a large town and a small city, and had attracted

1846
01:44:56.640 --> 01:45:00.920
throughout its years a veritable rogues gallery, changing from petty

1847
01:45:01.000 --> 01:45:05.319
thieves to serial killers. The Sawyer cousins fell somewhere in

1848
01:45:05.359 --> 01:45:09.119
the middle of that spectrum. The boys worked any number

1849
01:45:09.159 --> 01:45:14.359
of odd jobs, but often supplemented their income by creative means.

1850
01:45:15.159 --> 01:45:18.359
The cousins were the perfect partnership, seeing as Barley was

1851
01:45:18.399 --> 01:45:22.279
strong as an ox and Clyde was well almost as

1852
01:45:22.319 --> 01:45:25.640
smart as one What Clyde lacked in intelligence, he made

1853
01:45:25.720 --> 01:45:29.720
up for in loyalty and tenacity, qualities found rarely in

1854
01:45:29.800 --> 01:45:33.079
men of his ilk, if they're ever found at all.

1855
01:45:33.760 --> 01:45:36.880
Clyde brought a heart of gold to the team, fool's

1856
01:45:36.920 --> 01:45:39.560
gold as it may have been, and damned if he

1857
01:45:39.640 --> 01:45:41.560
wasn't the best shot I've ever known.

1858
01:45:42.359 --> 01:45:44.279
Barley, on the other hand, was not.

1859
01:45:44.840 --> 01:45:47.479
In fact, if the boy managed to hit the broadside

1860
01:45:47.520 --> 01:45:50.159
of a barn, you could safely bet he'd been aiming

1861
01:45:50.439 --> 01:45:53.880
for the opposite direction. Luckily for him, he was hell

1862
01:45:53.960 --> 01:45:57.199
fire in a brawl. Barley also served as the thinker

1863
01:45:57.239 --> 01:46:00.880
of the two, a meager accomplishment, to be sure. It was,

1864
01:46:01.239 --> 01:46:04.279
as it turns out, Barley's bright idea that led the

1865
01:46:04.279 --> 01:46:08.920
boys to my doorstep. My name is barnabas A Lambert,

1866
01:46:09.239 --> 01:46:11.439
and I will do my best to relate to you

1867
01:46:11.600 --> 01:46:15.199
the events that would later bring me to employ Barley

1868
01:46:15.239 --> 01:46:18.159
and Clyde. Some of the details may have been exaggerated

1869
01:46:18.159 --> 01:46:21.479
in their recollections, so please try not to hold that

1870
01:46:21.520 --> 01:46:28.960
against me. I'm only telling you how I heard it. Well,

1871
01:46:29.119 --> 01:46:33.239
some bitch Clyde Barley said. He said it a lot.

1872
01:46:33.600 --> 01:46:36.199
It was only by the inflection that Clyde Sawyer knew

1873
01:46:36.239 --> 01:46:39.479
exactly how to take it. The slow, drawn out tempo

1874
01:46:39.520 --> 01:46:41.960
of the catchphrase told him. Barley was not at all

1875
01:46:41.960 --> 01:46:45.560
impressed by the turn of events. Clyde never missed a shot,

1876
01:46:45.840 --> 01:46:48.479
not even on purpose. It was like every bullet he

1877
01:46:48.520 --> 01:46:51.840
fired magically found the bull's eye. The fat man's head

1878
01:46:51.920 --> 01:46:55.199
leaked across the truck bed. Could have at least wrapped

1879
01:46:55.239 --> 01:46:59.760
him in plastic. Barley griped, I ain't have none. Clyde

1880
01:46:59.760 --> 01:47:02.800
we and dug in his pocket for his inhaler. That

1881
01:47:02.920 --> 01:47:04.920
bastard weighs a ton, and I had to pick him

1882
01:47:05.000 --> 01:47:08.239
up all by my lonesome. If you hadn't shot him

1883
01:47:08.239 --> 01:47:10.039
in the head, you wouldn't have to pick him up

1884
01:47:10.079 --> 01:47:13.039
at all. Barley grabbed the man's collar and jerked him

1885
01:47:13.039 --> 01:47:14.920
out of the back of the truck in three tries.

1886
01:47:15.439 --> 01:47:18.359
The body poured over the tailgate into a contorted heap.

1887
01:47:19.159 --> 01:47:19.359
Ugh.

1888
01:47:20.079 --> 01:47:23.159
He squirted brainjuice on me. I didn't say anything about

1889
01:47:23.239 --> 01:47:26.600
shooting him. I ain't saying nothing about not shooting him either.

1890
01:47:26.920 --> 01:47:29.880
Clyde straightened the corpse out. Things got a little out

1891
01:47:29.880 --> 01:47:33.000
of hand. I had to improvise out of hand, my ass.

1892
01:47:33.199 --> 01:47:35.000
You just needed to give him the brick and get

1893
01:47:35.000 --> 01:47:38.560
the bag of money. Clyde sighed, I got the money

1894
01:47:38.680 --> 01:47:41.680
and we can sell the brick again. Ain't the point?

1895
01:47:41.760 --> 01:47:42.199
Clyde.

1896
01:47:42.640 --> 01:47:45.600
Barley shook his head. What kind of drug dealers can't

1897
01:47:45.600 --> 01:47:48.960
be trusted to keep their word? Clyde scratched his head.

1898
01:47:49.840 --> 01:47:50.359
All of them?

1899
01:47:50.359 --> 01:47:54.600
I reckon, Well, that shit's got a change. Barley grabbed

1900
01:47:54.600 --> 01:47:57.119
the man's ankles. Lift with your knees. We ain't got

1901
01:47:57.119 --> 01:48:00.720
no workman's comp Clyde hooked the body under the arms

1902
01:48:00.800 --> 01:48:03.199
and they began the arduous trek down the levee with

1903
01:48:03.279 --> 01:48:06.880
their portly cargo. Thanks to Clyde's hair trigger and Barley's

1904
01:48:06.880 --> 01:48:09.600
short temper, the duo was getting good at disposing of

1905
01:48:09.680 --> 01:48:14.520
unwanted bodies, a skill they sold to others as well. Clyde,

1906
01:48:14.920 --> 01:48:18.039
make me a promise. Barley wrestled to fix his grip

1907
01:48:18.079 --> 01:48:23.239
around the gargantuan thighs. What's that, Barley? Make the fat

1908
01:48:23.239 --> 01:48:26.880
ones run a bit before you shoot them. Clyde laughed

1909
01:48:26.880 --> 01:48:29.920
and lost his grip, sending Barley in the body rolling

1910
01:48:30.000 --> 01:48:32.840
to the bottom of the incline. He stopped laughing when

1911
01:48:32.840 --> 01:48:36.199
he heard the splash and trotted down quickly, Barley shook

1912
01:48:36.239 --> 01:48:38.520
off the water and unraveled the plastic sheeting from his

1913
01:48:38.560 --> 01:48:43.039
pocket in silence. Near silence, anyhow, a low hiss alerted

1914
01:48:43.079 --> 01:48:47.880
them to another presence. Clever bastard Clyde pointed behind Barley,

1915
01:48:48.319 --> 01:48:51.920
that's the same one as last time. The alligator inched closer,

1916
01:48:52.319 --> 01:48:55.960
but stayed to the water's edge. Gators were smart critters

1917
01:48:56.079 --> 01:48:58.439
and knew the sound of the sawyer's nineteen seventy eight

1918
01:48:58.479 --> 01:49:02.239
dodge warlock meant a free meal was coming. Barley laid

1919
01:49:02.239 --> 01:49:05.079
the sheet out and rolled the man onto it. If

1920
01:49:05.119 --> 01:49:07.560
they're working, they might as well be getting paid for it,

1921
01:49:07.840 --> 01:49:11.079
Barley said, and unsheathed the knife from his boot. Hell,

1922
01:49:11.479 --> 01:49:13.159
we might even get a couple of them to keep

1923
01:49:13.159 --> 01:49:15.720
at the house. Be it damned sight better than coming

1924
01:49:15.800 --> 01:49:18.600
way out here to dump a body. Barley ripped open

1925
01:49:18.640 --> 01:49:21.039
the man's shirt and set about the grim task of

1926
01:49:21.079 --> 01:49:24.159
hollowing the corpse, while Clyde went up top to retrieve

1927
01:49:24.199 --> 01:49:27.520
the bags of landscaping rocks. By the time the younger

1928
01:49:27.560 --> 01:49:30.560
sawyer brought the Duffel bag back, Barley was finished with

1929
01:49:30.640 --> 01:49:33.319
his end. Barley tossed a kidney to the gaiter to

1930
01:49:33.319 --> 01:49:36.479
thank him for waiting patiently while Clyde stuffed the body

1931
01:49:36.520 --> 01:49:39.319
with stones. They wrapped the plastic around the man and

1932
01:49:39.359 --> 01:49:41.720
secured it with duct tape before loading him into the

1933
01:49:41.760 --> 01:49:45.560
camouflage John boat. As they rowed away, the gaiter went

1934
01:49:45.640 --> 01:49:49.760
for the viscera left ashore. The channel wound around a

1935
01:49:49.800 --> 01:49:52.279
series of bends and into the maze of swamps that

1936
01:49:52.319 --> 01:49:55.680
occupied the southeast of Fagin County. There was little in

1937
01:49:55.680 --> 01:49:58.279
the way of civilization in that nook of the natural state.

1938
01:49:58.880 --> 01:50:02.199
Barley and Clyde until they reached a tiny island known

1939
01:50:02.239 --> 01:50:05.880
locally as Frog's Ass, so called because it was bare

1940
01:50:05.920 --> 01:50:09.439
and wet as an amphibian's behind. Arkinsons can be quite

1941
01:50:09.479 --> 01:50:13.439
colorful in their colloquialisms. They rolled the body into the

1942
01:50:13.479 --> 01:50:17.199
water before mooring the boat to the ramshackle pier. Frog's

1943
01:50:17.199 --> 01:50:19.680
Ass used to be a popular spot with the peculiar

1944
01:50:19.760 --> 01:50:23.640
Church of Ebenezer Wit, the sinister minister and founder of

1945
01:50:23.680 --> 01:50:26.319
the nearby community of wits End, was something of a

1946
01:50:26.399 --> 01:50:29.720
local boogeyman. The Spanish flu found its way into the

1947
01:50:29.720 --> 01:50:34.000
tiny village and spread amongst the congregation like wildfire. At

1948
01:50:34.079 --> 01:50:37.520
least that's what they say. Fact of the matter is

1949
01:50:37.680 --> 01:50:40.720
like most stories in the South, there's the truth and

1950
01:50:40.800 --> 01:50:44.319
then there's what really happened. Whichever version you believe, the

1951
01:50:44.439 --> 01:50:49.000
ending is the same. Everyone in wits end died badly.

1952
01:50:49.840 --> 01:50:52.079
As the years went on, some of the yokels began

1953
01:50:52.199 --> 01:50:55.359
venturing to Frog's Ass to party without the nuisances of

1954
01:50:55.439 --> 01:50:59.880
local law enforcement. Reports of strange occurrences were rampant, as

1955
01:51:00.119 --> 01:51:04.479
were the disappearances. The island, not much larger than a walmart,

1956
01:51:04.560 --> 01:51:08.479
was eventually forgotten about except by those of ill repute,

1957
01:51:09.039 --> 01:51:12.600
those like Barley and Clyde. The boys got off the

1958
01:51:12.640 --> 01:51:15.920
boat and stretched their legs. Rusted beer cans poked out

1959
01:51:15.920 --> 01:51:19.039
of the dirt, like headstones of fun times long since dead,

1960
01:51:19.079 --> 01:51:21.479
and served as the only proof anyone had ever come

1961
01:51:21.520 --> 01:51:24.159
to the aisle before them. They didn't use the small

1962
01:51:24.199 --> 01:51:27.800
motor when carrying anything of legal ambiguity, and the two

1963
01:51:27.840 --> 01:51:30.600
hours of rowing took its toll, so they rested on

1964
01:51:30.600 --> 01:51:33.279
the island whenever their work took them so far into

1965
01:51:33.279 --> 01:51:36.880
the wetlands. Barley laid back and let the cool mud

1966
01:51:37.039 --> 01:51:41.399
soothe his tired muscles. A single cloud drifted lazily across

1967
01:51:41.439 --> 01:51:46.520
the full moon. Hey Barley Clyde called, as he urinated

1968
01:51:46.560 --> 01:51:51.600
noisily against a stone protrusion. Come look at this, I reckon,

1969
01:51:51.640 --> 01:51:54.640
I'll pass. Barley sat up and pulled his shirt back.

1970
01:51:55.119 --> 01:51:58.039
Best keep it away from the water, though some snapper

1971
01:51:58.119 --> 01:52:00.600
might think that little white wiggler of yours is a

1972
01:52:00.680 --> 01:52:03.840
minnow and bite it right off. This is why you

1973
01:52:03.880 --> 01:52:07.560
ain't got no friends, Barley. Clyde zipper punctuated the statement,

1974
01:52:07.960 --> 01:52:10.319
I meant, come look at what I was peeing on.

1975
01:52:11.560 --> 01:52:14.640
This better be good. Barley left his flashlight sticking out

1976
01:52:14.680 --> 01:52:17.119
of the mud and joined his cousin. He took off

1977
01:52:17.119 --> 01:52:20.479
his ball cap and scratched at his shoulder length hair. Yep,

1978
01:52:20.560 --> 01:52:25.159
that's uh, definitely interesting. It's one of them devil alters,

1979
01:52:25.199 --> 01:52:28.520
that's what it is. Clyde informed him. That's just lies

1980
01:52:28.560 --> 01:52:32.000
they tell in movies. Clyde Barley felt the carved lines

1981
01:52:32.039 --> 01:52:36.159
of the knee high stone pillar. The pentagram means good things.

1982
01:52:36.479 --> 01:52:39.159
Most of the time. Folks use it to symbolize the

1983
01:52:39.239 --> 01:52:42.520
five wounds of Christ. For example, it's even big in China.

1984
01:52:43.279 --> 01:52:46.479
Damn you always learn in me something cuz Clyde spat

1985
01:52:46.520 --> 01:52:49.520
tobacco juice across it and inspected it. With his pen light,

1986
01:52:50.640 --> 01:52:53.760
so this is a good thing. Then Barley checked his

1987
01:52:53.800 --> 01:52:57.640
watch and grunted, well, Clyde, I don't reckon this one is?

1988
01:52:57.720 --> 01:53:02.680
Actually how's that you see, Clyde? We was here two

1989
01:53:02.800 --> 01:53:07.760
nights ago and it weren't. That's a bit worrisome. Climb

1990
01:53:07.840 --> 01:53:11.279
leaned over closer to the symbol. Maybe we just overlooked

1991
01:53:11.319 --> 01:53:15.239
it could be. Barley snugged his hat back on his head.

1992
01:53:16.039 --> 01:53:18.600
But it's been Halloween for about three hours now, and

1993
01:53:18.680 --> 01:53:20.640
it's a full moon, and I'd much rather we didn't

1994
01:53:20.680 --> 01:53:22.760
fuck around with the pentagram and the swamp if it's

1995
01:53:22.800 --> 01:53:25.399
all the same to you, Big Barley. Scared of an

1996
01:53:25.439 --> 01:53:29.760
old star, ain't that something? Clyde pointed at the indentation

1997
01:53:29.880 --> 01:53:33.079
in the center of the star. What you reckon that is?

1998
01:53:34.039 --> 01:53:36.600
Looks like a hand. Let's get back to the house.

1999
01:53:36.800 --> 01:53:39.239
We promised we'd do them hay rides for the kiddies tonight.

2000
01:53:39.640 --> 01:53:43.000
Barley turned to leave, and don't touch the A cypress

2001
01:53:43.000 --> 01:53:45.680
exploded in a flash of lightning across the swamp. The

2002
01:53:45.760 --> 01:53:50.039
animals went silent, like scolded children cowering before an angry mother.

2003
01:53:50.560 --> 01:53:53.119
Barley rubbed his eyes to clear the spots from his vision.

2004
01:53:53.640 --> 01:53:57.000
Frog's ass shuddered twice, and the muddy bank bubbled. The

2005
01:53:57.039 --> 01:54:00.239
ground shook again, and Barley's boots sunk into the liquifying

2006
01:54:00.239 --> 01:54:03.239
soil beneath him. He exhaled sharply and shook his head

2007
01:54:03.239 --> 01:54:06.640
before looking back at his cousin. Clyde's jaw was hanging

2008
01:54:06.680 --> 01:54:09.560
open and his hand was pressed firmly in the middle

2009
01:54:09.840 --> 01:54:12.920
of the bizarre altar well some bitch.

2010
01:54:12.960 --> 01:54:13.399
Clyde.

2011
01:54:14.159 --> 01:54:18.680
The carved star glowed brightly, and the younger Sawyer jumped away, immediately,

2012
01:54:18.720 --> 01:54:21.439
sinking into the island up to his knees. Barley plodded

2013
01:54:21.479 --> 01:54:24.239
over quickly as he could and pulled him free. They

2014
01:54:24.279 --> 01:54:26.520
made slow progress to the john boat as the ground

2015
01:54:26.600 --> 01:54:29.079
sucked at their legs, trying to pull them inside. The

2016
01:54:29.159 --> 01:54:31.960
edge of Frog's ass dissolved into drifting clumps of muck

2017
01:54:32.159 --> 01:54:35.119
as the land mass became nothing more than sludge and

2018
01:54:35.239 --> 01:54:39.159
broke apart before them. The remnants of the dock collapsed entirely.

2019
01:54:39.920 --> 01:54:43.479
I told you not to touch it, Barley exclaimed, but

2020
01:54:43.640 --> 01:54:46.399
you knew I was gonna. The island broke away in

2021
01:54:46.439 --> 01:54:49.119
a flash and dumped them into the swamp. Barley clung

2022
01:54:49.159 --> 01:54:52.119
to Clyde's back trying to stay afloat, Barley swam slightly

2023
01:54:52.159 --> 01:54:55.319
better than a boulder. After all. A pillar of fog

2024
01:54:55.439 --> 01:54:58.760
rose from the dying island, crackling with its own lightning storm.

2025
01:54:58.800 --> 01:55:02.039
Inside its swirling mass, the moon dimmed, and over the

2026
01:55:02.079 --> 01:55:06.560
symphony of horrid destruction, the Sawyers could hear something much worse.

2027
01:55:07.279 --> 01:55:10.239
It wasn't laughter, as we'd call it, but rather the

2028
01:55:10.279 --> 01:55:13.520
perverse imitation of the act by a thing born in

2029
01:55:13.560 --> 01:55:17.840
a place where joy did not exist. Clyde took great

2030
01:55:17.880 --> 01:55:20.680
motivation in this and got them to the boat right quick.

2031
01:55:21.159 --> 01:55:23.199
Barley kicked his feet to keep his head above the

2032
01:55:23.199 --> 01:55:25.960
black water, while Clyde submerged and cut them free of

2033
01:55:26.000 --> 01:55:28.960
the shattered dock. They clambered inside the boat, and Clyde

2034
01:55:28.960 --> 01:55:32.000
shook water from his inhaler for three puffs of salvation.

2035
01:55:32.560 --> 01:55:36.159
The remains of Frog's ass drifted lazily in all directions,

2036
01:55:36.279 --> 01:55:38.680
and the tower of fogs spread out across the sky,

2037
01:55:39.000 --> 01:55:43.199
blotting out the moon for all of Fagan County. Think

2038
01:55:43.279 --> 01:55:47.319
that's a bad omen, Barley Clyde spat swamp water. Barley

2039
01:55:47.359 --> 01:55:49.640
clicked the switch of the spotlight mounted on the nose

2040
01:55:49.680 --> 01:55:52.159
of the boat and shined it across the swamp. A

2041
01:55:52.199 --> 01:55:55.760
piece of plastic sheeting reflected it back as it floated away.

2042
01:55:56.439 --> 01:55:58.960
Bubbles popped next to the boat, and a pudgy face

2043
01:55:59.079 --> 01:56:02.960
rose silently above the water. Water streamed through the bullet

2044
01:56:02.960 --> 01:56:05.520
hole like a broken faucet. The man gripped the rim

2045
01:56:05.520 --> 01:56:07.720
of the boat and jerked it down, sending Clyde into

2046
01:56:07.720 --> 01:56:09.680
the water with him. The man gripped the rim of

2047
01:56:09.680 --> 01:56:11.800
the boat and jerked it down, sending Clyde into the

2048
01:56:11.800 --> 01:56:14.199
water with him. Clyde bobbed up in time to see

2049
01:56:14.239 --> 01:56:18.319
the obese corpse, breaststroking to his revenge, zombie teeth snapping

2050
01:56:18.319 --> 01:56:21.359
at the air in anticipation of Clyde's flesh. Clyde shut

2051
01:56:21.359 --> 01:56:23.640
his eyes tight. The trolling motor hummed to life, and

2052
01:56:23.640 --> 01:56:25.800
he knew Barley was skinning out before the corpse could

2053
01:56:25.800 --> 01:56:28.760
eat him too. Then the motor bogged down in an entanglement,

2054
01:56:28.920 --> 01:56:31.800
whining as it tried to break free. Sticky chunks pelted

2055
01:56:31.800 --> 01:56:34.760
Clyde's face. Barley must have gotten stuck in the broken

2056
01:56:34.800 --> 01:56:37.479
remains of the aisle. Clyde feared the revenant would have

2057
01:56:37.520 --> 01:56:41.199
his vengeance on both the sawyers. Soon enough, Clyde opened

2058
01:56:41.199 --> 01:56:43.479
his eyes and watched the headless body sink into the

2059
01:56:43.520 --> 01:56:46.520
swamp for the second time that night. Barley shut off

2060
01:56:46.520 --> 01:56:48.800
the motor and slung it over his shoulder with a grin.

2061
01:56:49.720 --> 01:56:52.000
You swiming home or you want to get yourself in

2062
01:56:52.039 --> 01:56:55.760
the boat. Barley remounted the motor to its bracket. Clyde

2063
01:56:55.800 --> 01:56:59.439
pulled himself in inside. There's a chance this might.

2064
01:56:59.319 --> 01:57:00.600
Be my fault.

2065
01:57:06.159 --> 01:57:08.920
The rest of the day was without further zombie attacks,

2066
01:57:08.920 --> 01:57:11.600
and the boys felt assured the incident at Frog's Ass

2067
01:57:11.760 --> 01:57:14.880
was an isolated one. With it being Halloween, they didn't

2068
01:57:14.880 --> 01:57:17.279
have any jobs lined up and focused on the evening's

2069
01:57:17.319 --> 01:57:20.960
task preparing their truck for the hay rides. The Dodge

2070
01:57:21.000 --> 01:57:25.039
Warlock growled into the daycare's gravel parking lot. Barley stepped

2071
01:57:25.079 --> 01:57:27.880
down from the lifted pickup, and the much shorter Clyde

2072
01:57:27.920 --> 01:57:31.560
slid out. The screen door swung open and clacked against

2073
01:57:31.600 --> 01:57:35.960
the siding. As she came out to meet them, Barley stumbled,

2074
01:57:36.119 --> 01:57:40.039
drawing an amused snort from Clyde. Everyone in Bouchet was

2075
01:57:40.079 --> 01:57:43.960
in love with Maude Beaumont. The streaks of green cascading

2076
01:57:43.960 --> 01:57:47.439
through her blonde French bob shimmered in the late afternoon sun.

2077
01:57:47.920 --> 01:57:51.239
She waved to the cousins with her slender fingers, dancing playfully,

2078
01:57:51.560 --> 01:57:54.760
and smiled in the way that only she can. It

2079
01:57:54.880 --> 01:57:57.479
was a tactic that melted the hearts and befuddled the

2080
01:57:57.479 --> 01:58:00.479
minds of men across the county. One had to be

2081
01:58:00.560 --> 01:58:03.319
careful with Maud, for if you looked into the depths

2082
01:58:03.319 --> 01:58:06.000
of her eyes, you might not ever return in the

2083
01:58:06.000 --> 01:58:09.720
same manner you left, as was the case with Barley Sawyer,

2084
01:58:09.880 --> 01:58:12.159
who fell into those eyes in the seventh grade and

2085
01:58:12.199 --> 01:58:16.359
found himself perpetually entwined around those playful slender fingers. I

2086
01:58:16.479 --> 01:58:19.319
must admit I myself have fallen for her charms on

2087
01:58:19.319 --> 01:58:22.760
some occasion, which has kept the boys employed and alive.

2088
01:58:23.640 --> 01:58:26.279
As he rounded the vehicle, Barley spotted a hunk of

2089
01:58:26.319 --> 01:58:29.119
brain clinging to the tailgate and quickly tossed it into

2090
01:58:29.159 --> 01:58:32.279
the bushes before Maud could see it. She'd convinced Barley

2091
01:58:32.319 --> 01:58:34.479
to pull the trailer through Driscoll's corn Maze for the

2092
01:58:34.520 --> 01:58:37.600
daycare's annual hay rides. Three trips through the field and

2093
01:58:37.680 --> 01:58:40.000
Barley would be in a position to finally admit his

2094
01:58:40.079 --> 01:58:43.479
love for Maud, though he wouldn't because he'd been in

2095
01:58:43.520 --> 01:58:46.680
that position on at least thirty three different occasions and

2096
01:58:46.760 --> 01:58:51.439
chickened out every time. Hi, Barley, Maud said, sweeter than Georgia,

2097
01:58:51.479 --> 01:58:54.840
t and Clyde. Of course, are y'all set for the rides?

2098
01:58:55.840 --> 01:58:56.479
Howdye? Maud.

2099
01:58:56.840 --> 01:58:58.680
Clyde pulled the trailer hitch from the bed of the

2100
01:58:58.720 --> 01:59:01.880
truck and slotted it into the bumper we are now?

2101
01:59:02.199 --> 01:59:04.720
Is Driscoll gonna send them damn scarecrows out this year?

2102
01:59:05.439 --> 01:59:08.600
Just like every year since nineteen sixty three, Maud assured him.

2103
01:59:08.840 --> 01:59:09.159
Fuck.

2104
01:59:09.600 --> 01:59:12.880
Clyde's face soured. I don't like them, not one bit.

2105
01:59:13.199 --> 01:59:15.680
Ain't no reason Halloween needs to be scary. After all,

2106
01:59:15.680 --> 01:59:19.720
we're taking little kids through that maze language Clyde. Barley

2107
01:59:19.720 --> 01:59:23.279
shook his head. I can't take you nowhere. I'm used

2108
01:59:23.279 --> 01:59:25.640
to him by now. Maud smiled and gestured to the

2109
01:59:25.640 --> 01:59:28.840
trailer with its square holes arranged into benches amidst a

2110
01:59:28.880 --> 01:59:31.640
bed of loose straw. I figure we can take them

2111
01:59:31.640 --> 01:59:34.520
in groups of ten, except the pre k kiddos. There's

2112
01:59:34.560 --> 01:59:37.600
eleven in that bunch. Sounds like you got it all

2113
01:59:37.640 --> 01:59:40.479
planned out Barley smiled and took his trucker cap off.

2114
01:59:40.920 --> 01:59:43.000
Will you be riding in the truck with me, me

2115
01:59:43.079 --> 01:59:45.520
and Clyde? I mean, unless you'd be more comfortable if

2116
01:59:45.520 --> 01:59:48.000
it were just you and me. Clyde, don't mind riding

2117
01:59:48.000 --> 01:59:51.680
in the back none. Clyde's face twisted in confusion. I'd

2118
01:59:51.720 --> 01:59:55.720
definitely mind riding where them scarecrows can see me. Man up, Clyde.

2119
01:59:56.000 --> 01:59:59.239
Barley's shoulders sagged. I reckon, I mean to ask if

2120
01:59:59.239 --> 02:00:01.399
you'd like to ride up front with me? Is where

2121
02:00:01.439 --> 02:00:04.359
I was going with that? I was thinking Clyde could

2122
02:00:04.359 --> 02:00:07.399
sit up front where he's safe. Maud squeezed Barley's arm,

2123
02:00:07.920 --> 02:00:09.520
and that you might like to ride with me in

2124
02:00:09.560 --> 02:00:12.159
the back. I even got a special Halloween blanket we

2125
02:00:12.199 --> 02:00:14.520
can sit on. Maud looked up at him with those

2126
02:00:14.600 --> 02:00:17.720
damned blue green eyes, and Barley went toppling down into them.

2127
02:00:18.000 --> 02:00:21.760
His affirmation came out in a squeaky, bashful yip of excitement,

2128
02:00:21.800 --> 02:00:24.119
and he quickly set about moving the truck and getting

2129
02:00:24.119 --> 02:00:26.560
the trailer hitched to it, while Maud went inside to

2130
02:00:26.560 --> 02:00:29.039
prepare the plastic pails the kiddies would be carrying on

2131
02:00:29.079 --> 02:00:31.680
the ride. Clyde wrestled loose bales into the bed of

2132
02:00:31.720 --> 02:00:34.520
the warlock for Barley and Maud to ride on. The

2133
02:00:34.560 --> 02:00:36.760
first carloads of kids pulled into the parking lot and

2134
02:00:36.760 --> 02:00:39.760
went inside to get their baskets. Clyde slipped the aluminum

2135
02:00:39.760 --> 02:00:42.640
bat from under the seat and patted it against his palm.

2136
02:00:43.039 --> 02:00:46.359
The hell you need a baseball bat for, Barley asked, Well,

2137
02:00:46.399 --> 02:00:48.760
I reckon, we got attacked by a zombie this morning,

2138
02:00:48.920 --> 02:00:50.960
and I might have sank an island after fiddling with

2139
02:00:51.000 --> 02:00:54.720
that magic do hickey, so we should have some protection tonight.

2140
02:00:55.279 --> 02:00:58.680
Clyde beamed with pride for his forward thinking. There's also

2141
02:00:58.760 --> 02:01:02.159
the time to think about it. What about the time Clyde.

2142
02:01:02.359 --> 02:01:05.960
Barley checked his watch. It's a quarter to six, exactly

2143
02:01:05.960 --> 02:01:08.800
because Clyde pointed up at the sun, or where it

2144
02:01:08.800 --> 02:01:12.800
should have been. Anyhow, why is it dark already? Barley

2145
02:01:12.800 --> 02:01:15.600
looked at the dense blanket of clouds folded across the sky.

2146
02:01:16.079 --> 02:01:19.199
Somewhere beyond the fluffy barrier. The sun struggled to come through,

2147
02:01:19.520 --> 02:01:23.159
staining them a hellish red. The screams of excited children

2148
02:01:23.239 --> 02:01:26.319
swarming out of the daycare or interrupted the cousins, the

2149
02:01:26.399 --> 02:01:29.479
little gremlins piled into the trailer, with their haggard parents

2150
02:01:29.520 --> 02:01:33.039
shuffling behind to wish them a plentiful bounty. Maud strode

2151
02:01:33.079 --> 02:01:35.880
up to them. Barley, forgetting the rest of the world existed,

2152
02:01:36.239 --> 02:01:38.479
lifted her gingerly into the bed of the truck. Before

2153
02:01:38.560 --> 02:01:41.239
joining her. He leaned over the edge and tugged Clyde

2154
02:01:41.279 --> 02:01:44.119
to him by the collar. It's probably just a storm

2155
02:01:44.159 --> 02:01:47.680
blowing in, but keep your eyes open. Nonetheless, he glanced

2156
02:01:47.720 --> 02:01:50.119
over his shoulder at Maud before turning back to his cousin.

2157
02:01:50.640 --> 02:01:54.439
Give me your gun. I ain't bring one. Barley stared

2158
02:01:54.479 --> 02:01:57.039
at Clyde until he begrudgingly pulled the revolver from his

2159
02:01:57.119 --> 02:02:00.199
boot and handed it up to him. Don't know why

2160
02:02:00.279 --> 02:02:02.760
you want it, Clyde said. You shoot straight as the

2161
02:02:02.840 --> 02:02:06.119
letter s. Just drive and watch out for the dead.

2162
02:02:08.439 --> 02:02:11.319
Clyde made the turn into the corn maze. Sure enough,

2163
02:02:11.399 --> 02:02:14.720
Driscoll scarecrows were waiting at the entrance. The whole Driscoll

2164
02:02:14.800 --> 02:02:17.560
clan was there as well, tossing candy into the trailer

2165
02:02:17.600 --> 02:02:20.319
to the joyous wails of the children. They were deep

2166
02:02:20.319 --> 02:02:23.479
into the maze before the lightning started. Clyde slowed the

2167
02:02:23.520 --> 02:02:26.199
truck to a crawl and watched the clouds crackle with

2168
02:02:26.279 --> 02:02:29.760
tangerine bolts of electricity. He mashed the brakes and put

2169
02:02:29.760 --> 02:02:31.920
her in part before leaning out the window to whistle

2170
02:02:31.960 --> 02:02:34.439
for Barley. He jerked a thumb up at the storm.

2171
02:02:34.920 --> 02:02:37.960
Barley stood up and looked to the clouds. They rolled

2172
02:02:38.000 --> 02:02:42.680
like waves, cresting in saffron strobes. The laughter echoing from

2173
02:02:42.680 --> 02:02:46.479
around them turned into harmonious singing, a hymn known only

2174
02:02:46.520 --> 02:02:50.560
to the forgotten cult of WIT's End. The stalks rustled

2175
02:02:50.600 --> 02:02:53.399
with sudden excitement. Clyde sucked his finger and held it

2176
02:02:53.439 --> 02:02:58.279
to the sky. Ain't no wind blowing, Barley. He slipped

2177
02:02:58.319 --> 02:03:01.279
out of the cab with his bat in hand. Nope,

2178
02:03:01.439 --> 02:03:04.399
they're sure, ain't Clyde. Barley climbed down from the truck

2179
02:03:04.439 --> 02:03:07.600
and looked to Maud Best you wait here, my dear.

2180
02:03:08.359 --> 02:03:12.039
The minuscule forms, adorned in temple garments ambled out of

2181
02:03:12.079 --> 02:03:15.199
the maize, not much higher than Barley's waist, with pumpkins

2182
02:03:15.199 --> 02:03:19.359
resting atop their scrawny shoulders. Clyde took tentative steps toward

2183
02:03:19.399 --> 02:03:22.079
the nearest of the infernal carrollers and swung.

2184
02:03:21.760 --> 02:03:22.479
For the fences.

2185
02:03:22.640 --> 02:03:25.399
The singing, stopped in a collective gasp as they watched

2186
02:03:25.399 --> 02:03:28.479
one of their number drop flat. Well, some bitch, Clyde

2187
02:03:28.640 --> 02:03:31.079
Barley pulled the pistol and kept it trained on the mob.

2188
02:03:31.520 --> 02:03:33.640
You can't just go whacking little kids with a bat

2189
02:03:33.680 --> 02:03:37.359
for being creepy. Weren't no kid, Clyde pointed to the

2190
02:03:37.399 --> 02:03:40.760
shattered remains of the pumpkin and slithering worms oozing out

2191
02:03:40.800 --> 02:03:41.239
of the neck.

2192
02:03:41.760 --> 02:03:42.359
It's an imp.

2193
02:03:42.600 --> 02:03:46.399
They're like goblins, but they serve a Oh shit, serve

2194
02:03:46.439 --> 02:03:50.520
a what, Clyde Barley asked. An earth shattering roar answered.

2195
02:03:50.720 --> 02:03:53.479
The imps shrieked in agreement. A vine whipped out of

2196
02:03:53.520 --> 02:03:56.399
the maze and twisted around Barley's legs, jerking him under

2197
02:03:56.399 --> 02:03:59.439
the truck. He screamed for help, clutching the cornstalks while

2198
02:03:59.439 --> 02:04:01.880
the vine pulled tighter. He drew the pistol and fired

2199
02:04:01.920 --> 02:04:04.720
into the maze. Still, the vine fought against him, snapping

2200
02:04:04.760 --> 02:04:08.760
the stalks and pulling him deeper inside. Clyde found himself

2201
02:04:08.800 --> 02:04:11.399
swinging at the swarm of charging imps. Unable to aid

2202
02:04:11.399 --> 02:04:13.960
his cousin, Maud jumped into the trailer and ushered the

2203
02:04:14.039 --> 02:04:15.439
terrified children into the truck.

2204
02:04:15.439 --> 02:04:15.680
Bed.

2205
02:04:15.960 --> 02:04:19.920
Stay here, We're leaving soon, she promised them. The tire

2206
02:04:19.960 --> 02:04:22.199
iron screeched across the bed as she pulled it to

2207
02:04:22.239 --> 02:04:24.560
her and joined Clyde in the game of demonic whack

2208
02:04:24.600 --> 02:04:27.960
a mole. More gunshots cracked in the maze. Clyde cursed

2209
02:04:28.000 --> 02:04:31.359
the whole situation and smashed another pumpkin sprang maud with

2210
02:04:31.399 --> 02:04:34.520
the wriggly contents. She swiped the worms from her hair

2211
02:04:34.640 --> 02:04:37.640
and slapped Clyde hard enough to dislodge the tobacco glob

2212
02:04:38.199 --> 02:04:41.000
Watch where you're swinging, She shouted. We need to get

2213
02:04:41.039 --> 02:04:43.319
these kids out of here and rescue Barley. You got

2214
02:04:43.359 --> 02:04:46.920
a plan for this, Barley does the planning. Clyde kicked

2215
02:04:46.920 --> 02:04:48.840
one of the creatures between the legs and laughed as

2216
02:04:48.840 --> 02:04:53.399
it collapsed. Ips got yards too. That's not helpful. Get

2217
02:04:53.439 --> 02:04:55.920
in the truck and tell them crotch dumplins to hold tight.

2218
02:04:56.239 --> 02:04:58.920
Clyde winked, I think I got me a plan after all.

2219
02:05:00.920 --> 02:05:04.199
The warlock bounced violently through the field, following the bent

2220
02:05:04.279 --> 02:05:07.319
and broken path of Barley's abduction. The truck was designed

2221
02:05:07.359 --> 02:05:10.479
for off road shenanigans, but the trailer slid and twisted,

2222
02:05:10.680 --> 02:05:13.399
tossing hay bales into the field like mortar fire. The

2223
02:05:13.439 --> 02:05:16.319
truck jerked hard, narrowly missing Barley. As they caught up

2224
02:05:16.319 --> 02:05:19.199
with him, Clyde pulled the truck alongside Barley and grabbed

2225
02:05:19.199 --> 02:05:23.159
the chrome nerf bar This is not a plan, Maud shouted,

2226
02:05:23.239 --> 02:05:25.079
as she tried to keep the kids from bouncing out

2227
02:05:25.119 --> 02:05:28.680
of the truck. Well it's working, lack one, Clyde shouted.

2228
02:05:29.000 --> 02:05:31.000
Clyde leaned out the window, told.

2229
02:05:30.800 --> 02:05:33.960
You, Barley, you can't shoot for shit. Now hold on.

2230
02:05:34.760 --> 02:05:37.479
Clyde jerked the wheel and pulled Barley away from the vine,

2231
02:05:37.520 --> 02:05:40.960
snapping the tendril in two. The agonizing scream drowned out

2232
02:05:40.960 --> 02:05:44.239
the roar of the Warlock's big engine. Clyde stopped the

2233
02:05:44.239 --> 02:05:47.319
truck and got out. Barley handed him the revolver and

2234
02:05:47.359 --> 02:05:49.760
went to check on the kids in Maud. Clyde opened

2235
02:05:49.760 --> 02:05:53.880
the cylinder and cursed. Only left me one bullet, he asked,

2236
02:05:54.199 --> 02:05:57.079
You ain't never needed more than one. Barley climbed into

2237
02:05:57.079 --> 02:06:00.479
the truck bed and tried soothing the children. What do

2238
02:06:00.600 --> 02:06:04.119
him serve, Clyde. A wall of corn dropped away with

2239
02:06:04.159 --> 02:06:08.479
a swish, and two scarecrows staggered forward with scithes held high.

2240
02:06:09.079 --> 02:06:11.359
Mad hopped out of the truck and cocked the tire

2241
02:06:11.399 --> 02:06:14.319
iron back. Hell Fire burned in the mouths of their

2242
02:06:14.399 --> 02:06:17.399
jack o' lantern heads. Barley broke a board free of

2243
02:06:17.399 --> 02:06:21.000
the warlock's bedrail and joined Mad. You boys can fuck

2244
02:06:21.079 --> 02:06:25.520
right off, Maud warned them. They didn't listen. They reaped

2245
02:06:25.520 --> 02:06:28.359
the air with their blades and ambled closer, side by

2246
02:06:28.479 --> 02:06:31.239
side in their pursuit. The gunshot silenced the wails of

2247
02:06:31.319 --> 02:06:34.960
terrified kiddos. The two pumpkins wilted, and their fires spread,

2248
02:06:35.079 --> 02:06:39.760
engulfing the straw bodies. I hate scarecrows. Clyde spun the

2249
02:06:39.760 --> 02:06:42.279
pistol on his finger and blew smoke from the barrel.

2250
02:06:42.960 --> 02:06:46.359
Barley's right, I ain't never needed more than one bullet.

2251
02:06:47.000 --> 02:06:49.680
Lightning crashed to the ground and scores the mazic I

2252
02:06:49.720 --> 02:06:52.399
knighted in their wake, and twisting vines curled out of

2253
02:06:52.399 --> 02:06:55.560
the flames like snakes seeking mice. The ground split open,

2254
02:06:55.760 --> 02:06:58.760
crazing in fissures that stretched the boys in Maud. The

2255
02:06:58.800 --> 02:07:01.800
sulphuric fumes right out from them, stung their nostrils and

2256
02:07:01.840 --> 02:07:05.640
brought tears to their eyes. Imp served the Royal Family

2257
02:07:05.680 --> 02:07:10.119
of Hell. Clyde grumbled, how do you know that? Maud whispered,

2258
02:07:10.960 --> 02:07:14.039
learned it from the YouTube. Clyde pressed a water tobacco

2259
02:07:14.079 --> 02:07:17.800
into his lip. Really wish you ain't wasted my bullets, Barley.

2260
02:07:18.399 --> 02:07:22.399
I was trying not to get killed, Clyde. Barley hoisted

2261
02:07:22.439 --> 02:07:25.439
the two by four the three story jack o' lantern

2262
02:07:25.520 --> 02:07:28.079
tore out of the earth. On the verdant coiling, vines

2263
02:07:28.159 --> 02:07:31.199
sprouting from the white fuzz along its spongy orange belly.

2264
02:07:31.560 --> 02:07:34.520
A great guffaw resonated from the pulpy mouth of the beast,

2265
02:07:34.800 --> 02:07:37.399
matched by the torso of a man rising where its

2266
02:07:37.399 --> 02:07:40.399
stems should have been. Tiny gourds grew out of his

2267
02:07:40.479 --> 02:07:43.960
flesh like tumors, and more greenery sprouted amongst his white hair.

2268
02:07:44.800 --> 02:07:50.079
I was Ebenezer, wit, prophet of the ascendant one Hamad.

2269
02:07:51.119 --> 02:07:55.239
He bellowed, for as the angels fall, so shall the

2270
02:07:55.319 --> 02:08:01.079
demon rise. That sounds bad, Barley whispered. Maud ran over

2271
02:08:01.119 --> 02:08:03.840
to the truck bed. Kids, I'm gonna need you all

2272
02:08:03.880 --> 02:08:05.760
to get on down from there and sit in the

2273
02:08:05.760 --> 02:08:06.880
trailer nice and sweet?

2274
02:08:07.000 --> 02:08:08.800
Can you do that? Just like when we play the

2275
02:08:08.880 --> 02:08:09.520
quiet game?

2276
02:08:09.960 --> 02:08:13.319
For my sacrificed and the lot of five hundred souls.

2277
02:08:13.479 --> 02:08:17.600
I am beyond the limitations of the flesh, the creature continued,

2278
02:08:18.119 --> 02:08:21.079
I am the pumpkin King, pontiffects of the Temple of

2279
02:08:21.119 --> 02:08:23.199
the Blight, and the harbinger of famine.

2280
02:08:23.279 --> 02:08:23.760
Famine.

2281
02:08:24.159 --> 02:08:27.960
Clyde spat tobacco juice down a fissure. How about you

2282
02:08:27.960 --> 02:08:30.560
come on down off your pumpkin, and Barley will just

2283
02:08:30.640 --> 02:08:33.279
go ahead and whoop your ass. Barley nudged him with

2284
02:08:33.319 --> 02:08:37.039
a board. Why me, damn it all to hell? Barley

2285
02:08:37.399 --> 02:08:39.600
Clyde threw his hands in the air. I took care

2286
02:08:39.640 --> 02:08:42.439
of them. Scarecrows and Maud helped with the imps. Carry

2287
02:08:42.439 --> 02:08:45.720
your weight some The vines lashed out, and Barley rolled

2288
02:08:45.720 --> 02:08:48.159
away from them. He tossed the board aside, switching it

2289
02:08:48.159 --> 02:08:50.159
out for one of the sickles lying on the ground.

2290
02:08:50.359 --> 02:08:53.720
Clyde wasn't as nimble. The creeper constricted around his narrow figure.

2291
02:08:53.880 --> 02:08:57.479
The blade flashed before him. Chlorophyll sprayed his face as

2292
02:08:57.520 --> 02:09:00.439
the tentacles shrank away. What did YouTube say say about

2293
02:09:00.479 --> 02:09:03.760
killing this guy? Barley swiped at vines, cracking like whips

2294
02:09:03.840 --> 02:09:07.399
at the boys. Need virgin blood Clyde jumped over a

2295
02:09:07.399 --> 02:09:10.560
fissure and grabbed the other side. I think we're in trouble.

2296
02:09:10.600 --> 02:09:14.279
Then Barley grunted, got a whole trailer full. I reckon.

2297
02:09:14.720 --> 02:09:18.239
Clyde cut down an attacking appendage. We're not feeding the

2298
02:09:18.359 --> 02:09:21.800
kiddos to the pumpkin. Barley grabbed Clyde's collar and swung

2299
02:09:21.880 --> 02:09:24.399
him to safety as the field cracked open beneath them.

2300
02:09:25.039 --> 02:09:29.439
I'm never gonna get a second date now, fools. The

2301
02:09:29.479 --> 02:09:33.319
pumpkin King lunged forward. The jack O'Lantern mouth stretched wide,

2302
02:09:33.479 --> 02:09:36.880
unleashing a wave of orange and green bugs. Millions of

2303
02:09:36.920 --> 02:09:40.520
aphids poured across the ground, their tiny bodies sliding across

2304
02:09:40.560 --> 02:09:44.960
one another like sand in an hourglass. This is entirely

2305
02:09:45.000 --> 02:09:47.199
your fault, Clyde. I told you not to fiddle with

2306
02:09:47.279 --> 02:09:50.640
that damn thing. Barley stomped at the early arrivals. The

2307
02:09:50.720 --> 02:09:54.079
cousin stood back to back while the famished horde besieged them.

2308
02:09:54.279 --> 02:09:57.920
The warlocks engine revved, rumbling through the smokestack exhausts. The

2309
02:09:57.960 --> 02:10:00.399
aphids slowed their advance and halted all the together. When

2310
02:10:00.439 --> 02:10:03.319
the engine roared again, the cousins looked at the truck

2311
02:10:03.520 --> 02:10:05.880
the rumble of the motor shook the gold striped body.

2312
02:10:06.199 --> 02:10:08.880
Through the window, they saw Maud rigging the steering wheel

2313
02:10:08.880 --> 02:10:11.840
in her fists as she pumped the accelerator in an

2314
02:10:11.920 --> 02:10:16.159
uneven rhythm. The aphids turned the movement imperceptible on account

2315
02:10:16.159 --> 02:10:18.720
of their size, and seemed to rewind with the cooriaceous

2316
02:10:18.800 --> 02:10:22.119
flesh of the pumpkin king. The warlock's tires spun, flinging

2317
02:10:22.119 --> 02:10:24.880
dirt across the kids hunkering and the unhitched trailer. Before

2318
02:10:24.960 --> 02:10:27.840
jumping forward. The engine roared like a lion pouncing at

2319
02:10:27.840 --> 02:10:30.920
its prey. The bullbar struck the cottony peach fuzz growing

2320
02:10:30.960 --> 02:10:33.720
along the demon's belly. The rind collapsed under the full

2321
02:10:33.720 --> 02:10:35.119
force of the redneck Limousines V.

2322
02:10:35.199 --> 02:10:35.359
Eight.

2323
02:10:35.720 --> 02:10:38.840
The cousins, dumbfounded more than usual, stared at the brake

2324
02:10:38.960 --> 02:10:41.319
lights glowing Within the moment it took the whole thing

2325
02:10:41.359 --> 02:10:44.920
to collapse on top of it. The house sized gourd

2326
02:10:45.039 --> 02:10:47.800
putrefied in a puddle of pie filling that heaped over

2327
02:10:47.840 --> 02:10:50.600
the truck, swallowing it like the tide takes the beach.

2328
02:10:50.920 --> 02:10:54.039
The pickup pulled out in reverse, its smokestacks bubbling hot

2329
02:10:54.079 --> 02:10:56.880
pumpkin puree as it slid in a j turn beside

2330
02:10:56.880 --> 02:11:00.239
the sawyer's Maud jumped down from the driver's seat. Orangeop

2331
02:11:00.279 --> 02:11:02.560
covered her body and dripped from her hair down her

2332
02:11:02.600 --> 02:11:06.399
stained blouse. She wiped her lips and muttered. Clyde left

2333
02:11:06.399 --> 02:11:07.159
the windows down.

2334
02:11:08.359 --> 02:11:08.680
Maud.

2335
02:11:09.079 --> 02:11:12.720
Clyde started and then snorted with her strained laughter, you

2336
02:11:12.840 --> 02:11:18.159
look gorgeous. Fuck you, Clyde. Maud slapped her hands over

2337
02:11:18.199 --> 02:11:21.039
her mouth and looked to the trailer. I'm sorry, kids,

2338
02:11:21.159 --> 02:11:24.000
Miss Maud shouldn't have used that word. Most of the

2339
02:11:24.039 --> 02:11:27.119
children were sobbing or calling for their mothers. Others simply

2340
02:11:27.199 --> 02:11:31.560
rocked silently. I'm sure they'll recover eventually. After all, nothing

2341
02:11:31.560 --> 02:11:35.880
builds character like supernatural trauma in early childhood. I wouldn't

2342
02:11:35.880 --> 02:11:37.880
be the man I am today if it weren't for

2343
02:11:37.920 --> 02:11:41.600
such events. Barley watched the mutated form of Ebenezer Wit

2344
02:11:41.760 --> 02:11:45.319
pulling himself out of the puddle, dragging his entrails behind him.

2345
02:11:45.640 --> 02:11:48.920
Clyde charged at him with a scythe overhead. Wit slithered

2346
02:11:48.960 --> 02:11:52.399
down a fissure. Clyde narrowly missed, sinking the curved steel

2347
02:11:52.439 --> 02:11:55.680
blade into the earth. Clyde threw his trucker cap to

2348
02:11:55.720 --> 02:11:59.720
the ground. Damn it all to hell. Tubular yellow flowers

2349
02:11:59.720 --> 02:12:03.000
blue around the blade, and Barley knelt to inspect them.

2350
02:12:03.560 --> 02:12:07.479
He plucked one and stood up pumpkin flowers. He slipped

2351
02:12:07.520 --> 02:12:10.520
it behind Maud's ear. I reckon, that means this ain't

2352
02:12:10.560 --> 02:12:14.840
over yet, whatever comes next, Maud said, lacing her sticky

2353
02:12:14.880 --> 02:12:18.359
fingers between his We can handle it, just like tonight.

2354
02:12:19.279 --> 02:12:22.880
How did we handle it? Clyde asked. Aphids don't like

2355
02:12:22.920 --> 02:12:25.560
acoustic stressers, so I used the truck to drive them away.

2356
02:12:25.800 --> 02:12:28.199
Maud pointed at the remains of the former pumpkin king,

2357
02:12:28.640 --> 02:12:32.960
and that was just a case of fitophora blight. Obviously, obviously.

2358
02:12:33.279 --> 02:12:36.800
Barley agreed. You know, I was thinking, after we get

2359
02:12:36.800 --> 02:12:39.600
these kiddos home, we should go on over to Orville.

2360
02:12:40.199 --> 02:12:42.800
Oh no, Clyde shook his head. I know what you're

2361
02:12:42.840 --> 02:12:45.600
gonna say next. We ain't never going near that shack again.

2362
02:12:46.439 --> 02:12:47.039
What shack?

2363
02:12:47.439 --> 02:12:48.119
Maud asked.

2364
02:12:48.960 --> 02:12:51.800
There's an old woman that lives in the woods outside Orville.

2365
02:12:52.000 --> 02:12:56.039
Barley said, she's a witch or a ghost. We ain't

2366
02:12:56.039 --> 02:12:58.239
too sure which one. She used to scare the Bejesus

2367
02:12:58.319 --> 02:13:00.399
out of us, as kids. She'll be able to shine

2368
02:13:00.439 --> 02:13:03.399
some light on what Clyde done did. I ain't going

2369
02:13:03.800 --> 02:13:06.439
Clyde crossed his arms. You know what happens when you

2370
02:13:06.560 --> 02:13:10.359
mess with ghost witches. Maud shook her head, splattering Barley

2371
02:13:10.359 --> 02:13:13.720
with pumpkin juice. Me neither, and we ain't finding out.

2372
02:13:14.000 --> 02:13:17.159
I draw the line. Clyde swiped his hand, making an

2373
02:13:17.199 --> 02:13:20.199
invisible line in front of him. Barley hitched the trailer

2374
02:13:20.239 --> 02:13:22.479
and got behind the steering wheel, with Maud snuggled up

2375
02:13:22.520 --> 02:13:25.399
against him. Clyde pouted on a bale of hay next

2376
02:13:25.439 --> 02:13:27.520
to the kids while they drove out of the corn maze.

2377
02:13:27.760 --> 02:13:30.520
They told the parents the scarecrows had been extra scary

2378
02:13:30.600 --> 02:13:34.199
that year, and promised the children would stop crying eventually.

2379
02:13:35.000 --> 02:13:37.399
Then they headed out across the old Highway to Orville

2380
02:13:37.399 --> 02:13:40.600
to see the Crone of cockscall holler. I told you

2381
02:13:40.960 --> 02:13:43.840
they got some colorful names for things in Arkansas. It

2382
02:13:43.920 --> 02:13:46.399
was Barley's bright idea to see the crone, and it

2383
02:13:46.479 --> 02:13:49.800
was that idea that brought them to my door. Sometimes

2384
02:13:50.359 --> 02:13:53.439
things just work out, and that's the story of how

2385
02:13:53.479 --> 02:13:56.920
Barley and Clyde first met the Pumpkin King. It might

2386
02:13:56.960 --> 02:13:59.359
not all be true, but that's how I heard it.

2387
02:14:06.520 --> 02:14:12.600
Another Mischief Night by Shane Migliovaca. Fresh from nursing school,

2388
02:14:13.039 --> 02:14:16.479
Kay Ferris had only been at Forbes Sanitarium for three months,

2389
02:14:17.279 --> 02:14:20.479
yet she was already sure she'd never get used to

2390
02:14:20.520 --> 02:14:28.239
that building or the psychotics that dwelled within. Lightning flashed

2391
02:14:28.279 --> 02:14:32.600
outside its crooked fingers searching for the ground. Halloween was

2392
02:14:32.640 --> 02:14:35.479
a few days away, but for Kay it may as

2393
02:14:35.520 --> 02:14:39.279
well be tonight. The dark hallways and stillness of Level

2394
02:14:39.319 --> 02:14:42.520
five were creeping her out, and the damn storm wasn't

2395
02:14:42.560 --> 02:14:47.119
helping matters. Doctor Chandler had all the patience on Level

2396
02:14:47.159 --> 02:14:50.960
five sedated early, something to be thankful for, she thought

2397
02:14:51.239 --> 02:14:54.039
as she made her rounds. But with the storm, it

2398
02:14:54.119 --> 02:14:56.880
really was the only course of action, as bad weather

2399
02:14:57.039 --> 02:15:00.520
tended to knock out the sanitarium's power, and since the

2400
02:15:00.560 --> 02:15:04.720
doors were locked electronically, if the power went out, all

2401
02:15:04.760 --> 02:15:09.520
the doors would unlock. The cheapskates in charge refused to

2402
02:15:09.560 --> 02:15:15.279
pay for a backup generator. She stopped. Ahead was the

2403
02:15:15.399 --> 02:15:18.119
end of the hall and the last door on the left,

2404
02:15:18.159 --> 02:15:24.640
behind which sat Patient fifteen. Patient fifteen, that girl in

2405
02:15:24.680 --> 02:15:28.640
the mask, Amanda Williams. She was worse than all the others.

2406
02:15:29.319 --> 02:15:33.079
The girl just sat there day and night in her

2407
02:15:33.119 --> 02:15:38.600
white mask, never making a sound. Chandler, who had treated

2408
02:15:38.640 --> 02:15:41.039
the girl since she'd first arrived, said she wore the

2409
02:15:41.079 --> 02:15:44.880
mask out of shame, shame that her brother was murdered

2410
02:15:44.920 --> 02:15:49.000
in a botched robbery. While she stood by, paralyzed with fear.

2411
02:15:50.439 --> 02:15:53.439
Kay heard noises coming from the room late at night,

2412
02:15:54.359 --> 02:15:57.680
not surprising since Amanda was the only patient that was

2413
02:15:57.760 --> 02:16:03.079
never sedated, as Chandler felt it unnecessary. Kay suspected the

2414
02:16:03.079 --> 02:16:06.279
old man thought of the girl as a daughter. She chuckled,

2415
02:16:06.359 --> 02:16:10.520
picturing them sitting down for a Sunday dinner. She started

2416
02:16:10.560 --> 02:16:12.800
down the hall again when there was a bright flash

2417
02:16:12.840 --> 02:16:21.039
of lightning followed by a loud crash of thunder. The

2418
02:16:21.119 --> 02:16:26.600
lights dimmed before finally flickering back on spooky shit. Huh,

2419
02:16:27.119 --> 02:16:30.119
Kay jumped. She spun around to see Johnny Earle behind her.

2420
02:16:30.600 --> 02:16:34.319
The husky orderly smirked, and she felt her face turning red.

2421
02:16:35.040 --> 02:16:41.440
What down there the last cell? His loud booming voice

2422
02:16:41.440 --> 02:16:48.639
trailed off into a whisper. Patient fifteen, I guess. Kay shrugged,

2423
02:16:48.879 --> 02:16:51.239
not wanting to let on how freaked the girl made

2424
02:16:51.239 --> 02:16:55.319
her feel all the ghosts and goblins will be coming

2425
02:16:55.360 --> 02:17:00.079
out soon. He made eerie sounds. I can protect you.

2426
02:17:00.680 --> 02:17:04.000
Save the trick or treat shit for Halloween night, Johnny Earle.

2427
02:17:04.959 --> 02:17:07.840
Thank god Halloween was on a Saturday this year. Kay

2428
02:17:07.879 --> 02:17:12.440
thought safe in the knowledge that she had the day off. Hey,

2429
02:17:13.040 --> 02:17:13.680
I'm sorry.

2430
02:17:13.920 --> 02:17:15.000
How about I make it up to you?

2431
02:17:15.680 --> 02:17:19.879
He touched her arm, making Kay flinch. There's some empty

2432
02:17:19.920 --> 02:17:24.040
rooms downstairs. We could take a little break. She pulled

2433
02:17:24.079 --> 02:17:28.639
away from the big orderly Not a chance, stuck up, bitch,

2434
02:17:29.440 --> 02:17:32.760
Kay heard him mumble as she walked away. Smiling at

2435
02:17:32.760 --> 02:17:36.200
his disappointment. She walked back to the nurses station. An

2436
02:17:36.239 --> 02:17:39.079
older nurse sat watching a small TV, which sat next

2437
02:17:39.120 --> 02:17:42.760
to a large jack O lantern. Lightning flashed, causing the

2438
02:17:42.840 --> 02:17:49.319
lights to dim again. The woman looked up as Kay approached.

2439
02:17:50.520 --> 02:17:54.040
Don't worry, the older woman took out a cigarette, lighting

2440
02:17:54.040 --> 02:17:57.600
it up. Happens every time there's a big storm. A

2441
02:17:57.639 --> 02:18:00.799
sinister laugh erupted from the TV. Thirty one Days of

2442
02:18:00.879 --> 02:18:05.319
Halloween will return with Jesse James meets Frankenstein's daughter after

2443
02:18:05.360 --> 02:18:10.600
these horrendous arcane adverts. Missus Bradley was the senior nurse

2444
02:18:10.639 --> 02:18:13.440
on the fifth floor, which meant she could do whatever

2445
02:18:13.479 --> 02:18:16.159
the hell she wanted. So the old nurse spent her

2446
02:18:16.200 --> 02:18:19.879
shift watching old horror movies and smoking. How are all

2447
02:18:19.920 --> 02:18:27.079
our little chickadees sleeping? Good, missus, Bradley coughed, Sit down

2448
02:18:27.120 --> 02:18:31.120
for a bit. They ain't going anywhere. Kay sat, stifling

2449
02:18:31.159 --> 02:18:33.639
a cough. She hadn't talked to the older nurse much

2450
02:18:33.680 --> 02:18:38.200
since starting at Forbes. Bradley intimidated her, and Kay had

2451
02:18:38.239 --> 02:18:40.600
heard stories from the other nurses that the old woman

2452
02:18:40.600 --> 02:18:43.040
could be quite the tyrant if he crossed her. So

2453
02:18:43.200 --> 02:18:45.799
Kay did as she was told and kept her head down.

2454
02:18:46.760 --> 02:18:49.639
You like it here, She felt her throat tighten as

2455
02:18:49.719 --> 02:18:54.280
Kay strained to think of the appropriate words. Um, it's

2456
02:18:54.319 --> 02:18:57.840
a shithole, missus, Bradley laughed. Don't worry about trying to

2457
02:18:57.920 --> 02:19:00.879
kiss my ass and say this is a great do

2458
02:19:01.040 --> 02:19:03.520
your job, put in your time, and if you're smart,

2459
02:19:03.520 --> 02:19:06.479
you'll use this as a stepping stone. After a few

2460
02:19:06.479 --> 02:19:09.360
moments of silence, Kay worked up the courage to ask

2461
02:19:09.399 --> 02:19:14.639
a question, how come you stayed? Before answering, the old

2462
02:19:14.719 --> 02:19:18.280
nurse tapped some ash into a coffee cup. Big fish,

2463
02:19:18.639 --> 02:19:21.440
small pond. If I'd gone somewhere else. I'd have to

2464
02:19:21.479 --> 02:19:26.600
start over again. Johnny Earle sauntered towards them. Well, well, well,

2465
02:19:27.120 --> 02:19:29.760
nobody told me it was break time. He made a

2466
02:19:29.959 --> 02:19:35.600
hurt face. Standing Kay adjusted her uniform well back to it.

2467
02:19:36.159 --> 02:19:39.159
She walked by Johnny Earle, giving him the cold shoulder.

2468
02:19:39.840 --> 02:19:42.520
Kay could feel them both watching her as she walked away.

2469
02:19:43.120 --> 02:19:45.479
She listened to the squeak of her sneakers on the

2470
02:19:45.520 --> 02:19:50.639
cold linoleum floor. Outside, lightning flashed, the brightest one yet

2471
02:19:50.920 --> 02:19:53.360
On its heels was a building shaking rumble. As the

2472
02:19:53.399 --> 02:19:56.639
thunder rolled above the earth, the lights flickered and hummed

2473
02:19:56.639 --> 02:20:03.079
again before going out. This time they remained dark. Oh fuck,

2474
02:20:03.559 --> 02:20:07.120
Kay muttered to herself. She stood alone in the hallway,

2475
02:20:07.760 --> 02:20:11.840
darkness surrounding her. Kay used the faint light from outside

2476
02:20:11.840 --> 02:20:16.559
to find the wall. Slowly feeling along the wall, her

2477
02:20:16.600 --> 02:20:19.040
hand glided over the concrete of the wall and the

2478
02:20:19.040 --> 02:20:23.440
mettal of the doors. She continued on this way until

2479
02:20:23.479 --> 02:20:28.200
she bumped face first into the wall at the hall's end. Embarrassed,

2480
02:20:28.639 --> 02:20:32.280
Kay headed back. She could see the pumpkin grinning there

2481
02:20:32.399 --> 02:20:36.360
by the now dark TV, a fiery face grinning at her.

2482
02:20:37.000 --> 02:20:41.719
A beacon in the dark. Another sharp blast of lightning

2483
02:20:41.799 --> 02:20:45.440
revealed the older nurse sitting there in her chair. Kay's

2484
02:20:45.440 --> 02:20:48.319
eyes strained to adjust after the bright flash of light.

2485
02:20:49.200 --> 02:20:52.639
This is really something, Kay said, feeling a little better

2486
02:20:52.840 --> 02:20:55.760
in the veteran's presence. I'm sure the power will be

2487
02:20:55.840 --> 02:20:59.440
back on soon. Right. Unable to see but the faintest

2488
02:20:59.440 --> 02:21:02.600
outline of the older nurse, Kay turned the face of

2489
02:21:02.600 --> 02:21:08.799
the jack O lantern towards the woman, Missus Bradley. The

2490
02:21:08.840 --> 02:21:12.479
woman's head slumped to the sode, her eyes open and wide,

2491
02:21:12.760 --> 02:21:15.799
her swollen tongue hung limp from her mouth, which was

2492
02:21:15.879 --> 02:21:20.760
frozen in a silent scream. Nearly tipping over her own feet,

2493
02:21:21.040 --> 02:21:25.200
Kay backed away. What should she do? Find Johnny Earle

2494
02:21:25.680 --> 02:21:30.280
call the cops. Slowly turning, Kay came face to face

2495
02:21:31.079 --> 02:21:35.040
with a blank, white face. Mask. Narrowed eyes sized her

2496
02:21:35.159 --> 02:21:39.799
up from behind it. Amanda was all Kay could spit

2497
02:21:39.840 --> 02:21:43.239
out before the strong, muscular hands gripped her by her throat,

2498
02:21:43.559 --> 02:21:48.559
lifting her off the ground. Amanda's eyes met Kay's cold, deep,

2499
02:21:49.760 --> 02:21:54.799
and somehow innocent. Suddenly there was a deafening crack and

2500
02:21:54.920 --> 02:21:58.360
it was over. Kay's body hit the linoleum floor with

2501
02:21:58.399 --> 02:22:02.040
a dull thud. Amanda stepped over the body without a

2502
02:22:02.079 --> 02:22:10.040
second glance. She had much to do. Kyle Williams felt

2503
02:22:10.040 --> 02:22:14.079
guilty as he put on his Halloween costume. Amanda would

2504
02:22:14.079 --> 02:22:17.760
want him to go out have a good time. The

2505
02:22:17.840 --> 02:22:19.639
thought of her made him touch the side of his

2506
02:22:19.719 --> 02:22:22.040
face as he ran his hand over the scar on

2507
02:22:22.120 --> 02:22:25.559
his cheek. If only he'd done something to help her

2508
02:22:25.600 --> 02:22:30.159
that night. Come on, let ask Trevor. His impatient roommates

2509
02:22:30.159 --> 02:22:34.040
stood in the door, dressed as Dracula. Them wild women

2510
02:22:34.079 --> 02:22:39.920
ain't waiting forever? Sure, almost done. Truthfully, he was glad

2511
02:22:40.000 --> 02:22:41.959
to be going. It was a chance to get out

2512
02:22:41.959 --> 02:22:44.559
of the dorm instead of sitting around by himself while

2513
02:22:44.719 --> 02:22:48.680
everybody had fun. I can't believe you're going as a hobo.

2514
02:22:49.479 --> 02:22:54.520
I'm not a hobo, Kyle groaned. I'm doctor who. I've

2515
02:22:54.559 --> 02:22:57.920
seen doctor who. He doesn't dress like a hobo. The

2516
02:22:58.000 --> 02:23:02.479
second one did. Trevor shook his head. Whatever, man, I'll

2517
02:23:02.479 --> 02:23:05.239
take your word for it. Let's go. As they pulled

2518
02:23:05.319 --> 02:23:08.280
up the driveway, Kyle was amazed by just how many

2519
02:23:08.280 --> 02:23:12.760
people were there. Holy shit, got that right, Trevor said,

2520
02:23:12.799 --> 02:23:14.799
looking for an open spot on the lawn to park.

2521
02:23:15.360 --> 02:23:17.639
I think the whole college is here, and then some

2522
02:23:18.520 --> 02:23:20.440
Finding a spot on the outer edge of the lawn,

2523
02:23:20.520 --> 02:23:23.600
Trevor parked. They got out, both marveling at the lid

2524
02:23:23.680 --> 02:23:27.520
up three story house, Halloween lights criss crossing its front.

2525
02:23:28.159 --> 02:23:31.200
A pretty Latino woman in a revealing red dress and

2526
02:23:31.239 --> 02:23:34.760
shoddy black wig, a close enough approximation of Sigourney Weaver

2527
02:23:34.799 --> 02:23:38.000
from Ghostbusters, brushed past Kyle as he and Trevor made

2528
02:23:38.040 --> 02:23:41.879
their way towards the house. Sorry, she said, turning to

2529
02:23:41.920 --> 02:23:45.840
look at Kyle, before disappearing behind a van. No prob,

2530
02:23:46.360 --> 02:23:51.200
Kyle replied, watching her go dude, she was checking you out.

2531
02:23:51.520 --> 02:23:57.239
Yeah right, fuck she was, Trust me really, Trevor nods,

2532
02:23:57.280 --> 02:24:01.440
go on, I'll be inside. Kile hesitated for a moment

2533
02:24:01.799 --> 02:24:04.120
before going to look for the girl in the red dress.

2534
02:24:04.959 --> 02:24:06.840
Poking his head around the other side of the van,

2535
02:24:07.239 --> 02:24:10.760
Kyle scanned the rows of parked cars. A guy his

2536
02:24:10.840 --> 02:24:13.920
hair pulled back into a ponytail, dressed in a karate ghee,

2537
02:24:13.959 --> 02:24:16.360
and a blonde girl in a cheerleader newiform stared at

2538
02:24:16.440 --> 02:24:19.559
him as he prowled around looking for the girl. He

2539
02:24:19.559 --> 02:24:21.280
headed back towards where they'd parked.

2540
02:24:21.719 --> 02:24:22.360
It was like the.

2541
02:24:22.280 --> 02:24:27.239
Girl had vanished into thin air. Hey over here, Kyle

2542
02:24:27.319 --> 02:24:29.520
turned to see the girl in the red dress leaning

2543
02:24:29.559 --> 02:24:34.440
against a tree. Hi, he stammered. She beckoned him over.

2544
02:24:35.719 --> 02:24:39.840
Kyle williams, Yeah, come with me if you want to

2545
02:24:39.920 --> 02:24:43.920
live what I always wanted to say that. A man

2546
02:24:44.000 --> 02:24:47.600
cleared his throat, stepping from behind a tree. Officer Mortez,

2547
02:24:47.799 --> 02:24:50.680
we don't have time for shenanigans. The man rubbed his

2548
02:24:50.719 --> 02:24:54.319
hands together, His thinning white hair was combed back. Kyle

2549
02:24:54.440 --> 02:24:59.920
was very familiar with the little man, Doctor Chandler. Kyle said, perplex,

2550
02:25:01.000 --> 02:25:05.040
what are you doing here? Did something happen? The doctor

2551
02:25:05.079 --> 02:25:09.280
stroked his chin. Your sister escaped after killing two nurses

2552
02:25:09.280 --> 02:25:12.479
in an orderly and later she stole a car after

2553
02:25:12.559 --> 02:25:17.040
killing a motorist, Mortes added. Kyle looked at the pair, dumbfounded.

2554
02:25:18.319 --> 02:25:22.559
Why Mortes scanned the area. Let's get to the car.

2555
02:25:22.719 --> 02:25:24.719
We can talk about it there. I don't like being

2556
02:25:24.719 --> 02:25:27.719
out in the open. She hustled them to an unmarked car.

2557
02:25:28.239 --> 02:25:31.719
Kyle stopped, What about Trevor. I don't want to just

2558
02:25:31.840 --> 02:25:35.639
ditch him. Mortes pushed Kyle into the back seat. In response,

2559
02:25:36.159 --> 02:25:39.000
Chandler slid into the passenger seat just in time. As

2560
02:25:39.000 --> 02:25:43.280
Mortes peeled out, how is this possible? Doc, Kyle asked,

2561
02:25:44.120 --> 02:25:48.600
I thought she was harmless. It's complicated. Something must have

2562
02:25:48.680 --> 02:25:51.959
been triggered within her. As the doctor tried to explain

2563
02:25:52.000 --> 02:25:54.959
his theory, Kyle became aware of the headlights bearing down

2564
02:25:55.000 --> 02:25:59.520
on them. Are we Mortes cut him off, being followed yes,

2565
02:26:00.000 --> 02:26:03.760
as we left the party. So you're a cop? Sure, am,

2566
02:26:04.040 --> 02:26:07.399
she said, their eyes meeting in the review mirror. Great

2567
02:26:07.479 --> 02:26:10.479
legs for a cop, Kyle said under his breath as

2568
02:26:10.479 --> 02:26:13.440
he looked over his shoulder. Mortes took the radio from

2569
02:26:13.479 --> 02:26:16.440
the dashboard, got the kid and the dock heading in

2570
02:26:16.600 --> 02:26:21.760
over kid, Kyle mumbled, I'm in college. Kyle could hear

2571
02:26:21.760 --> 02:26:24.479
the other car gunning its engine as it accelerated before

2572
02:26:24.520 --> 02:26:27.760
pulling up alongside them. Kyle made out an all two

2573
02:26:27.799 --> 02:26:31.719
familiar face in the driver's seat. His sister's blank white

2574
02:26:31.719 --> 02:26:35.000
face mask stared back at him. Amanda swerved the car

2575
02:26:35.000 --> 02:26:37.200
into them. Mortes fought to keep the car on the

2576
02:26:37.239 --> 02:26:39.920
road as they were struck again. Why the hell is

2577
02:26:39.920 --> 02:26:42.399
she doing this, Kyle screamed over the scraping of metal.

2578
02:26:42.719 --> 02:26:45.040
Mortes managed to shake off the other car for a moment,

2579
02:26:45.040 --> 02:26:47.559
but Amanda hit the gas and rammed their car again.

2580
02:26:48.079 --> 02:26:51.239
Your sister is getting on my nerves, Mortes snapped. As

2581
02:26:51.280 --> 02:26:54.040
Amanda continued to assault, Kyle leaned over the front seat.

2582
02:26:54.159 --> 02:26:56.879
He looked at Chandler, who was sweating profusely. Why is

2583
02:26:56.920 --> 02:27:01.040
she doing this, Doc? Chandler looked ready to faint. She

2584
02:27:01.200 --> 02:27:05.319
wants to kill you. Before Kyle had a chance to

2585
02:27:05.360 --> 02:27:08.079
process this, Amanda sent their car flying off the road

2586
02:27:08.079 --> 02:27:11.079
and into a ditch. Kyle wasn't sure which one of

2587
02:27:11.120 --> 02:27:13.600
them was screaming at the top of their lungs before

2588
02:27:13.639 --> 02:27:21.399
he realized it was himself. As darkness descended upon him, Hey,

2589
02:27:21.399 --> 02:27:24.360
great Gatsby, wake the fuck up. He looked up to

2590
02:27:24.399 --> 02:27:27.399
see Mortes hovering over him. As she pulled him up,

2591
02:27:27.479 --> 02:27:30.600
he saw Chandler nursing a nasty gash on his forehead.

2592
02:27:31.760 --> 02:27:34.559
Where is she, Kyle asked, feeling a sting of pain

2593
02:27:34.680 --> 02:27:35.280
in his back.

2594
02:27:35.959 --> 02:27:36.360
Don't know.

2595
02:27:36.920 --> 02:27:39.559
We got to get out of here. Mortes pulled a

2596
02:27:39.600 --> 02:27:42.399
pistol from her thigh holster, flashing a bit of leg

2597
02:27:43.040 --> 02:27:45.920
I radio. In our situation, there's nobody close, and I'm

2598
02:27:45.920 --> 02:27:48.079
not hanging around here waiting for your crazy sister to

2599
02:27:48.120 --> 02:27:51.680
show up. She popped the trunk open. Rummaging around, she

2600
02:27:51.799 --> 02:27:53.959
pulled out a tire iron and offered it to Kyle.

2601
02:27:54.600 --> 02:27:57.399
Merry Christmas. Don't say I never gave you anything. He

2602
02:27:57.440 --> 02:28:00.399
took it, turning the dingy looking metal bar over in

2603
02:28:00.440 --> 02:28:04.360
his hands. If I can get close enough, Chandler spoke up.

2604
02:28:04.760 --> 02:28:07.959
You don't need violence. He pulls a syringe from his jacket.

2605
02:28:08.520 --> 02:28:12.680
I can sedate her. Mortes frowned. We'll see, doc. Can

2606
02:28:12.719 --> 02:28:17.319
you walk okay? I think so, Officer Kyle helped him

2607
02:28:17.360 --> 02:28:19.719
forward as they headed into the tree line beyond the ditch.

2608
02:28:20.120 --> 02:28:23.280
Moretes took point. Kyle leaned in close as he helped

2609
02:28:23.319 --> 02:28:27.200
Chandler step over a tree root. Why is she doing this?

2610
02:28:29.680 --> 02:28:31.760
As you know, your sister believes you died in that

2611
02:28:31.799 --> 02:28:35.959
home invasion, He wheezed between words. Think of that time

2612
02:28:36.040 --> 02:28:39.239
you visited her in the hospital when she became agitated.

2613
02:28:40.280 --> 02:28:43.600
Agitated was one way to say it. Kyle thought he

2614
02:28:43.639 --> 02:28:46.440
could still remember that day, not that long after that

2615
02:28:46.479 --> 02:28:50.239
Halloween invasion, the doctor had ushered him into her room.

2616
02:28:50.840 --> 02:28:53.520
Upon seeing him, Amanda had started screaming at the top

2617
02:28:53.559 --> 02:28:56.360
of her lungs, A wild, terrified look in her eyes.

2618
02:28:57.120 --> 02:29:00.360
Since then, his visits consisted of seeing her through two

2619
02:29:00.399 --> 02:29:05.120
way glass. The doctor cleared his throat before finishing. What

2620
02:29:05.159 --> 02:29:09.559
I learned is your sister feels you're an impostor, a

2621
02:29:09.559 --> 02:29:13.959
phony duplicate of her brother, a doppelganger. Kyle let the

2622
02:29:14.000 --> 02:29:16.920
words sink in as they made slow progress through the

2623
02:29:16.920 --> 02:29:20.280
heavily wooded area. His sister, the one he loved more

2624
02:29:20.319 --> 02:29:24.600
than anything else in life, truly wanted to destroy him.

2625
02:29:24.799 --> 02:29:27.559
More Tes motioned for them to stop. There's a field

2626
02:29:27.680 --> 02:29:31.000
up ahead. Sit tight, I'll take a look. Not a

2627
02:29:31.000 --> 02:29:35.680
good idea, Kyle replied. Chill, kid, I'm just going five feet.

2628
02:29:36.440 --> 02:29:39.079
She slipped through the trees as Kyle shook his head,

2629
02:29:39.440 --> 02:29:42.600
I'm not a kid. After a few minutes, more Tes

2630
02:29:42.639 --> 02:29:46.559
came back. Looks like a farm in the distance. Can't

2631
02:29:46.600 --> 02:29:49.520
tell if there's anybody there. I think it's our best bet.

2632
02:29:49.840 --> 02:29:52.600
There might be a phone or a car. Beyond the

2633
02:29:52.600 --> 02:29:55.760
trees was a large field overgrown with tall grass. As

2634
02:29:55.760 --> 02:29:59.760
they started across, Kyle felt his heart beat faster. Amanda

2635
02:29:59.799 --> 02:30:03.840
could be anywhere out there, lying in wait. The grass

2636
02:30:03.879 --> 02:30:07.360
was overwaist high, tall enough to conceal one very pissed

2637
02:30:07.360 --> 02:30:11.079
off sister. A cool autumn breeze rolled over the field.

2638
02:30:11.600 --> 02:30:15.479
The grass swayed back and forth. Kyle's eyes darted back

2639
02:30:15.520 --> 02:30:19.319
and forth as he gripped the tire iron tightly. Suddenly

2640
02:30:19.319 --> 02:30:21.559
he caught a black shape off to their left in

2641
02:30:21.600 --> 02:30:26.760
the field, just sitting. Moonlight gave it a vague, ominous shape.

2642
02:30:27.559 --> 02:30:31.360
What the hell is that? What is what? Mortes asked

2643
02:30:31.840 --> 02:30:37.079
there Kyle pointed with the tire iron tractor, maybe, Chandler offered.

2644
02:30:37.559 --> 02:30:40.920
They kept going, like some great beast opening its eyes

2645
02:30:40.959 --> 02:30:43.840
after a long slumber. Headlights flooded the field as the

2646
02:30:43.920 --> 02:30:46.920
dark shape roared to life, the car's tires peeling out

2647
02:30:46.920 --> 02:30:50.319
as it shot forward towards the trio shit Mortes spat

2648
02:30:50.360 --> 02:30:52.639
as she took aim. She fired off around as the

2649
02:30:52.680 --> 02:30:55.399
car screamed towards her. Mortes dove to the side as

2650
02:30:55.399 --> 02:30:58.719
the car barreled by, heading straight towards Chandler and Kyle.

2651
02:30:59.120 --> 02:31:01.600
Kyle grabbed Chandler and pushed the startled doctor to the

2652
02:31:01.600 --> 02:31:04.079
ground and out of the car's path. The vehicle spun

2653
02:31:04.120 --> 02:31:07.680
around for another attempt. Kyle was running and screaming before

2654
02:31:07.680 --> 02:31:09.159
he even realized what he was doing.

2655
02:31:09.319 --> 02:31:10.040
All that he knew was.

2656
02:31:10.040 --> 02:31:12.520
He had to draw the car away from them, Amanda,

2657
02:31:12.879 --> 02:31:15.520
Kyle screamed as he ran full tilt towards the farmhouse.

2658
02:31:15.760 --> 02:31:18.079
Maybe there was something there he could stop his sister with.

2659
02:31:18.280 --> 02:31:20.840
Adrenaline was the only thing fuelling his fight. He ran,

2660
02:31:20.920 --> 02:31:23.319
huffing and puffing until the world slipped out from beneath

2661
02:31:23.360 --> 02:31:25.719
his feet and he fell face first on the grass.

2662
02:31:26.360 --> 02:31:29.360
Regaining his wits, Kyle rolled at the last possible minute

2663
02:31:29.360 --> 02:31:31.719
out of the way of the oncoming car, screeching to

2664
02:31:31.719 --> 02:31:34.200
a stop. The car now blocked his path to the farmhouse.

2665
02:31:34.360 --> 02:31:36.600
Amanda met his gaze behind the wheel of the car.

2666
02:31:36.959 --> 02:31:39.079
Getting to his feet, Kyle felt the sting of a

2667
02:31:39.120 --> 02:31:41.719
skin knee and a twisted ankle acquired from his tumble.

2668
02:31:42.000 --> 02:31:45.200
Hobbling towards the barn, he heard the car slowly turn around.

2669
02:31:45.920 --> 02:31:48.479
No rush, She had plenty of time to kill him.

2670
02:31:48.680 --> 02:31:51.639
The brake lights bathed the landscape in a bloody red hue.

2671
02:31:51.959 --> 02:31:54.600
The place looked deserted, A good thing no one else

2672
02:31:54.600 --> 02:31:57.280
could get in his sister's path. Kyle pushed open the

2673
02:31:57.360 --> 02:32:00.000
large barn doors. The headlights of the slowly approaching car

2674
02:32:00.200 --> 02:32:04.120
at his back illuminated the dusty interior. Kyle entered the barn.

2675
02:32:04.159 --> 02:32:06.120
As the car crept further towards him.

2676
02:32:06.479 --> 02:32:07.200
He could feel a.

2677
02:32:07.120 --> 02:32:09.280
Manda's eyes fixed on him, as well as the weight

2678
02:32:09.319 --> 02:32:11.719
of the tire iron in his hand. He turned as

2679
02:32:11.719 --> 02:32:16.200
the car lurched forward and stopped, then moved forward again.

2680
02:32:16.879 --> 02:32:20.200
It was halfway in the barn. Now she was taunting him,

2681
02:32:20.639 --> 02:32:23.559
playing with him. The high beams stung his eyes as

2682
02:32:23.600 --> 02:32:28.360
the car drew closer. God damn it. Mortes pushed tall

2683
02:32:28.399 --> 02:32:31.239
stalks of grass out of her way. When she'd gone down,

2684
02:32:31.280 --> 02:32:34.079
after the car had nearly clipped her. She'd lost her gun.

2685
02:32:34.479 --> 02:32:37.600
A fucking rookie mistake. It had to be here somewhere.

2686
02:32:38.040 --> 02:32:40.399
She glanced up across the field. The light from the

2687
02:32:40.440 --> 02:32:43.840
car was still visible. Stay here, doc, she ordered, I

2688
02:32:43.840 --> 02:32:47.200
gotta help the kid. Chandler tried to say something, and

2689
02:32:47.239 --> 02:32:49.680
she cut him off. He'll be a bigger help finding

2690
02:32:49.719 --> 02:32:50.159
my gun.

2691
02:32:51.000 --> 02:32:51.440
Take this.

2692
02:32:51.520 --> 02:32:54.879
Then he handed her the syringe. It'll put her out quick.

2693
02:32:55.440 --> 02:32:58.000
She took off running. If the kid was dead when

2694
02:32:58.079 --> 02:33:00.799
she got there, Mortes would make sure his sister was too.

2695
02:33:01.280 --> 02:33:03.879
Fucking knock her out. No going back to a nice

2696
02:33:03.879 --> 02:33:07.079
cell for that bitch, she thought. If Chandler didn't like that.

2697
02:33:07.399 --> 02:33:11.360
He could take it up with her captain. The car

2698
02:33:11.440 --> 02:33:14.200
stopped a couple of feet from where Kyle stood. The

2699
02:33:14.319 --> 02:33:16.440
roar of the Great Beast died as a man to

2700
02:33:16.440 --> 02:33:20.040
turn the engine off. The bright blinding headlights faded, leaving

2701
02:33:20.079 --> 02:33:23.680
spots in Kyle's eyes. Spots are not He could see

2702
02:33:23.680 --> 02:33:26.319
the pale white mask watching him from behind the wheel.

2703
02:33:27.319 --> 02:33:30.639
Come on, he taunted, you want me, I'm right here.

2704
02:33:31.479 --> 02:33:34.760
The car door swung open as Amanda exited the vehicle,

2705
02:33:35.239 --> 02:33:40.360
Her eyes blazed behind the mask, studying him. It's me,

2706
02:33:41.000 --> 02:33:43.280
Kyle said, don't you recognize me?

2707
02:33:43.360 --> 02:33:43.719
Sis.

2708
02:33:44.440 --> 02:33:47.079
As Amanda moved away from the car, Kyle could see

2709
02:33:47.120 --> 02:33:49.959
she was holding a large knife in her blood stained hands.

2710
02:33:50.799 --> 02:33:52.559
He held out the tire iron at the end of

2711
02:33:52.559 --> 02:33:56.079
his trembling arm. I don't want to hurt you, Okay,

2712
02:33:56.840 --> 02:33:59.879
She moved forward, her gaze never left him.

2713
02:34:00.000 --> 02:34:00.760
Got some copy.

2714
02:34:00.799 --> 02:34:05.319
You know it's me, Kyle, raising the blade, she advanced.

2715
02:34:06.360 --> 02:34:09.280
Remember when Bobby Ivers stole my book bag. You threatened

2716
02:34:09.280 --> 02:34:10.920
to kick his ass after school if he didn't give

2717
02:34:10.959 --> 02:34:15.719
it back. Amanda stopped, her eyes locked on him. Come on,

2718
02:34:16.319 --> 02:34:19.840
there has to be something there, Kyle, pleaded. Remember when

2719
02:34:19.840 --> 02:34:21.760
you were hung up on by Stevie Lee, you were

2720
02:34:21.799 --> 02:34:24.319
crying in your room and I sat with you. You

2721
02:34:24.440 --> 02:34:27.840
have to remember. She raised the knife over her head,

2722
02:34:28.319 --> 02:34:31.600
ready to strike. Kyle touched the scar on his cheek.

2723
02:34:32.399 --> 02:34:32.760
See this.

2724
02:34:34.200 --> 02:34:37.479
That man did this. He lied about killing me to

2725
02:34:37.520 --> 02:34:41.920
his buddy. He lied to save me. I didn't die

2726
02:34:41.959 --> 02:34:46.600
that night. Amanda's hand shook. She started to lower the knife.

2727
02:34:47.639 --> 02:34:51.200
Don't you fucking move, you crazy bitch. Mortes stood behind

2728
02:34:51.239 --> 02:34:55.239
the car holding a broken board. Stay away, Kyle warned.

2729
02:34:55.719 --> 02:34:58.040
Amanda turned towards the young cop and let out in

2730
02:34:58.040 --> 02:35:00.760
a human howl. She leapt on the the car's roof

2731
02:35:01.000 --> 02:35:04.559
In two swift movements. She crouched there, scraping the car's

2732
02:35:04.600 --> 02:35:07.719
roof with her knife. Kyle rushed forward, trying to put

2733
02:35:07.760 --> 02:35:10.680
himself between the two. He was too late, as Amanda

2734
02:35:10.719 --> 02:35:13.239
jumped off the car toward Mortes. Kyle caught a glimpse

2735
02:35:13.239 --> 02:35:15.399
of the blade as the two women collided. The two

2736
02:35:15.440 --> 02:35:18.520
struggled as Kyle tried in vain to separate them. Kyle

2737
02:35:18.600 --> 02:35:20.639
was pushed away from the skirmish, but managed to see

2738
02:35:20.639 --> 02:35:24.280
Amanda stand holding Mortes by the throat. His sister's fingers

2739
02:35:24.319 --> 02:35:27.440
tightened like a constrictor on the CoP's neck. For her part,

2740
02:35:27.559 --> 02:35:30.159
the struggling Mortes managed to land a solid punch to

2741
02:35:30.200 --> 02:35:32.719
Amanda's face, stunning the woman and cracking her mask in

2742
02:35:32.760 --> 02:35:36.559
the process, but her grip remained firm. Let her go,

2743
02:35:36.920 --> 02:35:38.639
Kyle pleaded, we can go home.

2744
02:35:39.000 --> 02:35:39.719
I'll take you.

2745
02:35:40.280 --> 02:35:42.879
Amanda let go of Mortes and turned to her brother.

2746
02:35:43.159 --> 02:35:46.399
Half of her mask gave way, revealing the pale, beautiful

2747
02:35:46.440 --> 02:35:49.520
face of a young woman. Still gasping for air. Mortes

2748
02:35:49.600 --> 02:35:52.600
jammed the syringe into Amanda's shoulder. Amanda responded with a

2749
02:35:52.600 --> 02:35:56.200
backhand that sent Mortes violently to the ground. She started

2750
02:35:56.200 --> 02:35:59.520
to walk away from them, staggering as she went, until

2751
02:35:59.520 --> 02:36:03.559
finally collapsing against the side of the car. Kyle took

2752
02:36:03.600 --> 02:36:06.440
her in his arms, sliding her into the backseat of

2753
02:36:06.479 --> 02:36:11.719
the car. What are you doing, Mortes asked, barely able

2754
02:36:11.719 --> 02:36:15.559
to speak. I'm taking her home, he said, getting into

2755
02:36:15.559 --> 02:36:21.479
the car. She'll kill you. We're family, he said, starting

2756
02:36:21.520 --> 02:36:25.440
the car. Mortes could only lean weakly against the barn

2757
02:36:25.479 --> 02:36:45.079
door and watch them drive off into the black October night.

2758
02:36:46.280 --> 02:36:59.520
Pumpkin Spice and Nothing Nice by Charles Campbell, seven o'clock am,

2759
02:37:00.280 --> 02:37:05.719
October thirty first, Amber Hannah sighed in frustration as she

2760
02:37:05.799 --> 02:37:10.239
impatiently waited in line at Frankie's Donuts, a line that

2761
02:37:10.559 --> 02:37:15.280
was threatening to spill outside the front door. By her count,

2762
02:37:15.559 --> 02:37:19.479
she was in spot eight and so far every single

2763
02:37:19.520 --> 02:37:23.639
person is ordered a pumpkin spice latte or pumpkin spice

2764
02:37:23.680 --> 02:37:29.680
donuts or both. Amber was so over the fall season

2765
02:37:30.319 --> 02:37:34.200
she just wanted her caramel cappuccino and glazed donut before

2766
02:37:34.239 --> 02:37:39.360
heading into the office. Everything was pumpkin spice, from candles

2767
02:37:39.399 --> 02:37:45.920
to fucking clorox. No shit, she saw pumpkin spice clorox

2768
02:37:46.280 --> 02:37:50.040
in the grocery store the day before. She dreaded the

2769
02:37:50.079 --> 02:37:53.360
three block walk to her office because as soon as

2770
02:37:53.399 --> 02:37:58.319
she arrives, Amber knows the place will smell of pumpkin spice.

2771
02:37:59.239 --> 02:38:02.920
Whoever thought of putting pumpkin spice and fucking everything ought

2772
02:38:02.920 --> 02:38:07.760
to be bound and flogged. Needless to say, Amber was

2773
02:38:07.840 --> 02:38:12.120
no fan and would be happy when November first rolled around.

2774
02:38:13.040 --> 02:38:17.000
It meant half priced candy and folks would start easing

2775
02:38:17.079 --> 02:38:20.760
up just a bit, and all this pumpkin spice shit.

2776
02:38:21.959 --> 02:38:26.879
Fuck Halloween, Fuck pumpkin spice. It was almost her turn

2777
02:38:26.920 --> 02:38:30.239
in line when a small hand tugged on her finger.

2778
02:38:31.040 --> 02:38:33.319
Trick or treat, the little.

2779
02:38:33.040 --> 02:38:38.399
Boy said, get away, Amber said, and stepped forward to

2780
02:38:38.440 --> 02:38:41.719
place her order. She felt a finger poke her on

2781
02:38:41.840 --> 02:38:45.879
the butt and spun around. Trick or treat. The little

2782
02:38:45.879 --> 02:38:50.280
boy repeated, look, you little turd? Where is your mother?

2783
02:38:50.879 --> 02:38:57.040
Amber asked angrily, what's your problem? Frankie asked Susie. The

2784
02:38:57.079 --> 02:39:01.399
cashier stepped aside for her boss. Oh, oh, nothing much.

2785
02:39:02.040 --> 02:39:05.799
I'm so sick of all this Halloween shit, the pumpkin

2786
02:39:05.879 --> 02:39:09.360
spice bullshit. This coffee shop used to be great because

2787
02:39:09.399 --> 02:39:12.479
it wasn't a fucking Starbucks or Duncan. But I'll be

2788
02:39:12.559 --> 02:39:15.600
damned if you fuckers didn't go ahead and sell out.

2789
02:39:16.440 --> 02:39:20.079
I hate all this pumpkin spice bullshit and snot nos

2790
02:39:20.159 --> 02:39:25.600
brats trying to touch my ass. That is my fucking problem.

2791
02:39:26.120 --> 02:39:29.319
Amber's face was beat red and she just couldn't stop

2792
02:39:29.399 --> 02:39:33.399
the spew of venom. Once it started, the little boy

2793
02:39:33.479 --> 02:39:37.280
with blue eyes and sandy blonde hair started to cry,

2794
02:39:38.680 --> 02:39:41.920
you're a meanie. The pumpkin man is gonna get you.

2795
02:39:42.559 --> 02:39:48.879
The kid cried out, pumpkin man, give me a fucking break,

2796
02:39:49.719 --> 02:39:53.079
Amber said, Get out of my store and don't come back.

2797
02:39:53.760 --> 02:39:57.399
Since you hate us so much, go to Starbucks or Duncan.

2798
02:39:57.840 --> 02:40:03.479
But you're not welcome here anymore. Frankie shouted, fine, Amber said,

2799
02:40:03.959 --> 02:40:07.639
and turned to leave. There was a tap on her shoulder.

2800
02:40:08.760 --> 02:40:09.799
It was the boy's father.

2801
02:40:10.799 --> 02:40:11.159
Miss.

2802
02:40:11.840 --> 02:40:14.920
The way you talked to my son was crass and unacceptable.

2803
02:40:15.559 --> 02:40:18.120
You owe him an apology. The tall man with a

2804
02:40:18.200 --> 02:40:22.399
dark complexion said he wasn't angry, but he was serious.

2805
02:40:23.280 --> 02:40:23.959
Uh.

2806
02:40:24.040 --> 02:40:27.639
Yeah, that ain't gonna fucking happen. You're lucky I don't

2807
02:40:27.680 --> 02:40:30.440
call the police. The little perv tried to grab my ass.

2808
02:40:30.920 --> 02:40:35.639
Amber said she was over it and ready to go. Okay,

2809
02:40:35.840 --> 02:40:39.600
so you're going to forego the apology, asked the man.

2810
02:40:40.680 --> 02:40:41.239
Duh.

2811
02:40:41.600 --> 02:40:45.200
Amber answered and began walking toward the door. The man

2812
02:40:45.319 --> 02:40:48.719
tapped on her shoulder once more. She turned to let

2813
02:40:48.760 --> 02:40:51.719
him have it for the final time. He held out

2814
02:40:51.719 --> 02:40:56.440
his palm and quickly blew orange dust into her face.

2815
02:40:57.760 --> 02:41:01.280
Amber coughed and gagged. She breathed it in and swallowed

2816
02:41:01.280 --> 02:41:01.719
a good.

2817
02:41:01.600 --> 02:41:02.040
Bit of it.

2818
02:41:02.319 --> 02:41:05.840
Her eyes burned, and she was fiercely rubbing them. What

2819
02:41:06.000 --> 02:41:10.280
felt like agonizing minutes was only a few seconds when

2820
02:41:10.319 --> 02:41:14.479
she felt the cool water wash over her face. Frankie

2821
02:41:14.559 --> 02:41:17.319
was pouring a bottle of cold dasani over her eyes.

2822
02:41:18.079 --> 02:41:22.719
It was helping. Did someone call the cops, Amber asked?

2823
02:41:23.440 --> 02:41:28.959
Nobody said a word. Where'd they go? Amber looked around.

2824
02:41:29.799 --> 02:41:35.239
The little boy and tall man were gone. She thought

2825
02:41:35.280 --> 02:41:39.920
about calling the police, but what was the point. She'd

2826
02:41:39.959 --> 02:41:44.159
go to work and tomorrow, this Halloween horseshit would be

2827
02:41:44.239 --> 02:41:55.159
over until next year. Ten minutes later, Amber was tapping

2828
02:41:55.200 --> 02:41:57.719
away on her front teeth with her index finger as

2829
02:41:57.719 --> 02:42:00.239
she was trying to decide what she wanted from the

2830
02:42:00.319 --> 02:42:04.120
vending machine. She rolled her eyes when she noticed what

2831
02:42:04.280 --> 02:42:10.040
was in B seven pumpkin pie pop tarts. This season

2832
02:42:10.159 --> 02:42:13.920
couldn't come to an end fast enough. She chose some

2833
02:42:14.120 --> 02:42:17.680
generic peanut butter crackers and had just enough change in

2834
02:42:17.719 --> 02:42:20.440
her pocket for a doctor pepper to wash it all down.

2835
02:42:20.959 --> 02:42:23.520
She needed something in her stomach to deal with all

2836
02:42:23.559 --> 02:42:28.159
the Halloween freaks in the office today. Shelley was a witch,

2837
02:42:28.719 --> 02:42:33.399
John was a half asked Frankenstein, Monster, Chuck was a

2838
02:42:33.559 --> 02:42:38.479
bargain basement mummy, and Tina, well, she didn't know what

2839
02:42:38.559 --> 02:42:41.680
the fuck Tina was supposed to be she had drawn

2840
02:42:41.680 --> 02:42:46.319
on whiskers, So maybe some kind of a dying cat

2841
02:42:46.440 --> 02:42:52.319
or something. Just another Halloween at Whitman's Insurance Agency. Chuck

2842
02:42:52.360 --> 02:42:56.760
and Tina Whitman owned the place, and they were very

2843
02:42:56.879 --> 02:43:01.440
firm believers in all Hallow's Eve. Another year without dressing up,

2844
02:43:01.520 --> 02:43:04.840
hih amber, Chuck asked, as he held his arms out

2845
02:43:04.879 --> 02:43:09.799
like a lumbering mummy from movies long long ago. Yeah, well,

2846
02:43:10.200 --> 02:43:14.120
you know, I really couldn't find anything to wear, mister Whitman,

2847
02:43:14.840 --> 02:43:18.360
Amber said, Looking at him made her want to puke.

2848
02:43:19.479 --> 02:43:22.719
At least you're consistent. You sure you didn't try a

2849
02:43:22.760 --> 02:43:26.520
little makeup this morning, Chuck asked as he pointed at

2850
02:43:26.520 --> 02:43:31.120
her neck. You've got a little something there. You get

2851
02:43:31.120 --> 02:43:35.799
one of those pumpkin spice donuts from Frankie's. No, mister Whitman,

2852
02:43:36.520 --> 02:43:39.159
let me go wipe this mess off, Amber said, and

2853
02:43:39.239 --> 02:43:43.520
excused herself from her desk. Thankfully, there was no one

2854
02:43:43.520 --> 02:43:46.799
else in the restroom. Amber looked in the mirror and

2855
02:43:46.879 --> 02:43:50.239
she could see the little orange smudge that mummy Chuck

2856
02:43:50.319 --> 02:43:54.040
pointed out. She soaked a paper towel sheet with warm

2857
02:43:54.120 --> 02:43:56.879
water and dabbed at the small spot on her neck.

2858
02:43:57.639 --> 02:44:01.360
She dried it and took another look. The smudge was

2859
02:44:01.959 --> 02:44:04.840
still there, so she added a little soap from the

2860
02:44:04.879 --> 02:44:07.280
dispenser and scrubbed.

2861
02:44:06.760 --> 02:44:07.600
A little harder.

2862
02:44:08.319 --> 02:44:14.600
She dried it again and the smudge hadn't gone anywhere. Fuck.

2863
02:44:15.200 --> 02:44:19.280
Amber whispered and tossed the paper towels into the garbage.

2864
02:44:19.360 --> 02:44:21.600
She'd have to wash the spot away in the shower

2865
02:44:21.680 --> 02:44:25.239
that night. It was par for the course. She'd have

2866
02:44:25.319 --> 02:44:28.600
to work all day with that pumpkin orange blotch on

2867
02:44:28.680 --> 02:44:34.440
her neck. Naturally it would be pumpkin orange. She took

2868
02:44:34.479 --> 02:44:37.479
one last look in the mirror and blew a strand

2869
02:44:37.479 --> 02:44:40.680
of hair out from in front of her face. Amber

2870
02:44:40.719 --> 02:44:49.000
then went back to her desk. This morning was busy

2871
02:44:49.040 --> 02:44:53.520
and lunch was fast approaching. Amber was hungry. The crackers

2872
02:44:53.520 --> 02:44:57.799
and doctor Pepper weren't quite the breakfast she expected. She

2873
02:44:57.879 --> 02:45:00.799
fielded quite a few calls and set soul several appointments

2874
02:45:00.840 --> 02:45:04.440
for the agents. Some customers came in with their young kids,

2875
02:45:04.479 --> 02:45:07.760
all dressed up. The little fuckers had their trick or

2876
02:45:07.840 --> 02:45:11.000
treat bags and the whitman's were more than happy to

2877
02:45:11.120 --> 02:45:14.799
fill them. To Amber, kids didn't belong in a place

2878
02:45:14.799 --> 02:45:18.799
of business, even if it was Halloween. She rose from

2879
02:45:18.799 --> 02:45:22.159
her desk and stretched her arms. Amber was going to

2880
02:45:22.200 --> 02:45:24.680
take a walk down the block and grab a sandwich

2881
02:45:24.719 --> 02:45:28.200
from underground Joe's. That's when one of the kids in

2882
02:45:28.239 --> 02:45:29.799
the office shouted.

2883
02:45:29.799 --> 02:45:31.799
Oh wow, Mom, look at her.

2884
02:45:32.600 --> 02:45:35.879
He shouted and pointed at Amber. I don't think she's

2885
02:45:35.879 --> 02:45:39.559
finished her costume yet. Stop pointing. It's not polite, the

2886
02:45:39.639 --> 02:45:42.600
portly woman said and waved at Amber before pulling her

2887
02:45:42.639 --> 02:45:46.879
son away by the arm. What the fuck was that about,

2888
02:45:47.520 --> 02:45:53.040
Amber whispered to herself. Then Chuck walked by and stopped

2889
02:45:53.120 --> 02:45:57.799
cold Amber. Have you been getting into the Halloween spirit?

2890
02:45:58.559 --> 02:46:01.840
Looks good so far, Chuck said, and made a circle

2891
02:46:01.879 --> 02:46:05.719
with his finger as he pointed at her neck. Amber's

2892
02:46:05.760 --> 02:46:09.159
brow furrowed. She noticed the others in the office now

2893
02:46:09.200 --> 02:46:13.159
looking at her. Tina, the afflicted cat, put her hand

2894
02:46:13.200 --> 02:46:16.239
over her mouth. That was enough for Amber to high

2895
02:46:16.239 --> 02:46:19.639
tail it back to the restroom. Amber locked the door

2896
02:46:19.680 --> 02:46:22.559
behind her and moved quickly to the mirror. She put

2897
02:46:22.559 --> 02:46:26.959
her hand over her mouth to stifle a scream. Fuck, fuck, fuck,

2898
02:46:27.479 --> 02:46:31.879
Amber repeated. It was the only word her brain would register.

2899
02:46:32.719 --> 02:46:37.360
The orange smudge had spread and there was more The

2900
02:46:37.399 --> 02:46:40.360
bottom half of her neck was pumpkin orange, covered with

2901
02:46:40.959 --> 02:46:46.479
what appeared to be black spider veins. There was no

2902
02:46:46.840 --> 02:46:50.000
washing this shit away. Amber took a deep breath and

2903
02:46:50.079 --> 02:46:53.280
exited the bathroom. She moved quickly to the coat rack

2904
02:46:53.360 --> 02:46:57.200
and lifted Tina's long black scarf. She wrapped it around

2905
02:46:57.200 --> 02:46:58.879
her neck and shouted.

2906
02:46:58.719 --> 02:47:01.479
Ah, I'm not fear feeling while mister Whitman.

2907
02:47:02.040 --> 02:47:05.479
Going home to lie down. She waved a hand in

2908
02:47:05.520 --> 02:47:08.799
the air and almost knocked Freddy Caldwell over as she

2909
02:47:08.920 --> 02:47:16.760
rushed from the building. Fifteen minutes later, Amber was safely

2910
02:47:16.799 --> 02:47:20.280
in the confines of her one bedroom apartment when she

2911
02:47:20.319 --> 02:47:25.520
immediately removed her clothes and stepped into the shower. She

2912
02:47:25.719 --> 02:47:29.440
saturated the loofa with soapy water and went to work

2913
02:47:29.479 --> 02:47:32.879
on her neck. There was no rush of orange and

2914
02:47:32.959 --> 02:47:38.319
black makeup running down her chest. She scrubbed harder, but

2915
02:47:38.399 --> 02:47:42.920
nothing was happening. It was as if someone tattooed this

2916
02:47:43.040 --> 02:47:43.680
shit on her.

2917
02:47:44.680 --> 02:47:46.879
Uh what the fuck?

2918
02:47:47.760 --> 02:47:51.120
Amber screamed. The shower was as hot as she could

2919
02:47:51.159 --> 02:47:55.479
stand it and nothing was happening. She pulled the shower

2920
02:47:55.520 --> 02:47:57.959
curtain and grabbed a towel from a clean stack on

2921
02:47:58.000 --> 02:48:01.600
the shelf. Amber wrapped her body and opened the bathroom

2922
02:48:01.680 --> 02:48:05.360
door to let the steam escape. Then she used a

2923
02:48:05.479 --> 02:48:11.440
dry washcloth to wipe the fogging mirror. Amber almost fainted

2924
02:48:11.799 --> 02:48:15.799
at what she saw. Not only did the orange and

2925
02:48:15.879 --> 02:48:20.360
black mess not go away, but it spread even more.

2926
02:48:21.399 --> 02:48:24.879
Now all of her neck was completely covered to the

2927
02:48:24.920 --> 02:48:30.360
base of her chin. Amber's heart was racing. Her hands

2928
02:48:30.600 --> 02:48:33.920
trembled as she attempted to remove her nose ring, and

2929
02:48:34.000 --> 02:48:38.120
quickly gave up on the notion when the scent crept

2930
02:48:38.159 --> 02:48:47.040
into her nostrils. It was the unmistakable combination of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice,

2931
02:48:47.440 --> 02:48:57.000
and ginger, the fucking smell of pumpkin spice. Something else

2932
02:48:57.120 --> 02:49:03.120
was strange. Amber noticed the color of her eyes were darker.

2933
02:49:04.239 --> 02:49:07.440
They were a sky blue before, but now they were

2934
02:49:07.479 --> 02:49:10.239
almost like dark pools of water.

2935
02:49:11.600 --> 02:49:12.920
This was fucked up.

2936
02:49:13.120 --> 02:49:20.200
On so many levels. Then it hit her. The man,

2937
02:49:21.360 --> 02:49:25.239
the man at Frankie's did the shit He poisoned me?

2938
02:49:26.159 --> 02:49:30.200
Amber said out loud, before thinking, what the fuck did

2939
02:49:30.239 --> 02:49:36.040
that kid say? The pumpkin Man will get you. Amber

2940
02:49:36.079 --> 02:49:39.399
got dressed as she opened the uber app on her phone.

2941
02:49:39.639 --> 02:49:45.520
She was going to the emergency room. Thirty four minutes later,

2942
02:49:46.760 --> 02:49:50.520
it was mid afternoon in AUGUSTA University Hospitals er was

2943
02:49:50.600 --> 02:49:54.680
crazier than usual. As soon as the uber driver dropped

2944
02:49:54.680 --> 02:49:56.760
her off, Amber knew this was going to be a

2945
02:49:56.799 --> 02:50:00.879
wasted trip. The er waiting room was almost to capacity.

2946
02:50:01.680 --> 02:50:05.040
A lot of them were snotty nosed little shits, sniffling

2947
02:50:05.079 --> 02:50:09.120
and coughing all over the place. There are prompt cares

2948
02:50:09.159 --> 02:50:13.200
and pediatricians for this bullshit, is what Amber thought as

2949
02:50:13.200 --> 02:50:16.239
she stepped to the front desk. The pretty young nurse

2950
02:50:16.280 --> 02:50:21.520
smiled as Amber approached. Wow, that's some great makeup. You

2951
02:50:21.559 --> 02:50:26.879
go into a Halloween party, No, Amber replied, She wanted

2952
02:50:26.920 --> 02:50:31.760
to look in a mirror trick or treating with some kids. Then, no,

2953
02:50:33.120 --> 02:50:38.239
how long is the weight? Amber asked, Well, the lobby's full.

2954
02:50:38.559 --> 02:50:40.879
You can fill out this paperwork if you want to wait.

2955
02:50:41.559 --> 02:50:44.040
The young nurse held a clipboard with a small stack

2956
02:50:44.079 --> 02:50:48.280
of paper attached. You're looking at a two to three

2957
02:50:48.319 --> 02:50:52.760
hour weight. We got a lot of sick kids today. Fuck,

2958
02:50:53.319 --> 02:50:57.280
Amber replied, and waved off the clipboard. Amber walked away.

2959
02:50:58.159 --> 02:51:03.559
The nurse smiled and greeted the next person in line.

2960
02:51:03.840 --> 02:51:09.520
Seventeen minutes later, Amber shuffled back into her apartment and

2961
02:51:09.600 --> 02:51:12.559
went into her bedroom. She turned on the light and

2962
02:51:12.600 --> 02:51:15.040
stood in front of the full length mirror attached to

2963
02:51:15.079 --> 02:51:19.760
the door. Half of her face was now covered in

2964
02:51:19.879 --> 02:51:24.760
pumpkin orange and black to est under her nose. Amber

2965
02:51:24.879 --> 02:51:29.319
stared in horror as the image was starting to present itself.

2966
02:51:30.559 --> 02:51:35.120
Oh my god, she screamed. The jagged black lines around

2967
02:51:35.120 --> 02:51:40.559
her mouth formed the unmistakable grin of a jack o' lantern.

2968
02:51:42.040 --> 02:51:45.239
The smell was back, too, and it was driving her bananas.

2969
02:51:46.079 --> 02:51:50.239
It was as if her nose were made of pumpkin spice.

2970
02:51:50.280 --> 02:51:54.280
It was sickening and caused her to convulse. She scurried

2971
02:51:54.280 --> 02:51:57.920
to the bathroom and dry heaved. After a couple of minutes,

2972
02:51:58.399 --> 02:52:02.079
she calmed down and caught her breath. The smell was

2973
02:52:02.120 --> 02:52:05.440
still there, but the compulsion to puke her guts out

2974
02:52:05.639 --> 02:52:09.559
was gone. For the moment. Amber laid in her bed

2975
02:52:09.879 --> 02:52:16.360
and sobbed. She cried herself to sleep. Four hours later,

2976
02:52:18.200 --> 02:52:22.479
Amber awoke with a pounding headache. The room was dark

2977
02:52:22.600 --> 02:52:26.639
except for the television. One of the Halloween movies was playing,

2978
02:52:26.680 --> 02:52:30.399
and she really didn't give two shits which won as

2979
02:52:30.440 --> 02:52:33.360
far as she was concerned. If you've seen one, you've

2980
02:52:33.399 --> 02:52:36.479
seen them all. She placed her hands on her temples

2981
02:52:36.879 --> 02:52:39.239
and was all but convinced that she just woke up

2982
02:52:39.280 --> 02:52:42.920
from one of the most vividly terrible nightmares she's ever had.

2983
02:52:43.799 --> 02:52:50.000
But the smell was still there, and she didn't think

2984
02:52:50.000 --> 02:52:54.719
it possible. It was even more prominent. This stoked the

2985
02:52:54.760 --> 02:52:57.760
fear in her, like a blow poker to a dying fire.

2986
02:52:58.840 --> 02:53:01.479
Amber turned on the law and fell to her knees

2987
02:53:01.479 --> 02:53:07.799
in front of the mirror. Dear God, she screamed. Her

2988
02:53:07.840 --> 02:53:12.280
face had completely transformed into that of a Jack o' lantern.

2989
02:53:13.280 --> 02:53:17.479
It wasn't makeup or parlor tricks, it was one hundred

2990
02:53:17.559 --> 02:53:23.239
percent her face. Her eyes were oval shaped and so

2991
02:53:23.559 --> 02:53:27.680
dark the iris blended with her pupils. The same type

2992
02:53:27.680 --> 02:53:32.280
of black jagged lines around her mouth now surrounded her

2993
02:53:32.280 --> 02:53:38.360
eyes and nose. Everything else was pumpkin orange, with streaks

2994
02:53:38.399 --> 02:53:42.360
that looked like ominous roads on a map. Her shoulder

2995
02:53:42.440 --> 02:53:45.920
length hair was black with orange highlights.

2996
02:53:48.079 --> 02:53:49.200
What did he do to me?

2997
02:53:50.479 --> 02:53:54.239
Amber was panicking. She should go back to the hospital,

2998
02:53:54.319 --> 02:53:58.639
but how could they fix this. She could go back

2999
02:53:58.680 --> 02:54:02.959
to Frankie's. Maybe the tall Man came back with his kid.

3000
02:54:03.840 --> 02:54:07.600
She could give the apology he asked for and maybe

3001
02:54:08.120 --> 02:54:12.399
he could fix it. That was her best shot. She

3002
02:54:12.399 --> 02:54:14.959
didn't want to go out looking like this, but it

3003
02:54:15.120 --> 02:54:20.319
was Halloween, so she shouldn't turn too many heads. Amber

3004
02:54:20.399 --> 02:54:24.280
retrieved her phone and headed out. Frankie's was, after all,

3005
02:54:24.760 --> 02:54:33.639
within walking distance. Nine minutes later, there were oohs and

3006
02:54:33.879 --> 02:54:38.040
ahs when Amber stepped into Frankie's. A line of kids

3007
02:54:38.120 --> 02:54:41.959
were waiting their turn at the candy table. Susie Reynolds

3008
02:54:41.959 --> 02:54:44.520
was dressed as a witch. It was one of those

3009
02:54:45.000 --> 02:54:49.239
Dollar General costumes, but Susie filled it out rather nicely.

3010
02:54:49.959 --> 02:54:53.559
Amber pushed to the front of the candyline. Susie didn't

3011
02:54:53.559 --> 02:54:59.159
recognize her at all until she spoke, Susie, you've seen

3012
02:54:59.159 --> 02:55:06.079
that kid from this more. Amber asked Amber that you wow,

3013
02:55:06.639 --> 02:55:13.159
your makeup is amazing. Susie was thoroughly impressed. Shut it, Susie,

3014
02:55:13.719 --> 02:55:17.639
the kid from this morning, have you seen him, Amber asked,

3015
02:55:17.639 --> 02:55:24.600
in desperation. No, Susie replied, and, because of Amber's bitchiness, added,

3016
02:55:25.360 --> 02:55:30.680
didn't Frankie tell you not to come back? Come on, Susie,

3017
02:55:30.719 --> 02:55:33.479
I need to find the kid and his dad. Let

3018
02:55:33.520 --> 02:55:35.280
me sit in the back for a little while in

3019
02:55:35.280 --> 02:55:41.360
case they come in please, Susie. Okay, but if Frankie

3020
02:55:41.399 --> 02:55:44.559
shows up, I'm not covering for you, Susie replied as

3021
02:55:44.559 --> 02:55:47.559
she grabbed a fistful of candy for the next kid.

3022
02:55:48.280 --> 02:55:52.440
Thank you, thank you, Amber said, before taking a seat

3023
02:55:52.479 --> 02:55:55.520
in a booth facing the entrance. She was tapping her

3024
02:55:55.559 --> 02:55:59.319
fingers nervously on the table. She kept her eyes on

3025
02:55:59.399 --> 02:56:02.479
the front door, hoping against hope for the kid and

3026
02:56:02.520 --> 02:56:06.239
his dad to return. Amber glanced at her phone to

3027
02:56:06.319 --> 02:56:11.440
check the time, and an immediate lump formed in her throat.

3028
02:56:11.760 --> 02:56:16.600
Her wrists were pumpkin orange. Amber was wearing gray sweats,

3029
02:56:16.600 --> 02:56:20.479
so most of her body was covered up. She quickly

3030
02:56:20.520 --> 02:56:25.040
glanced around, held her breath, and took a quick peek

3031
02:56:25.120 --> 02:56:29.159
down her shirt. Amber was on the verge of breaking down.

3032
02:56:29.479 --> 02:56:36.959
Her entire torso was pumpkin orange. No, no, no. Amber

3033
02:56:37.040 --> 02:56:40.959
was trembling uncontrollably. The kids, along with their parents in

3034
02:56:41.000 --> 02:56:45.879
the candy line, started to notice her. Then a line

3035
02:56:45.879 --> 02:56:52.840
of her very own started. Oh wow, you're a pumpkin. Look, mama,

3036
02:56:53.159 --> 02:56:56.879
she's a pumpkin. The little redheaded girl dressed like raggedy

3037
02:56:56.959 --> 02:57:00.920
Ann shouted, where's the rest of your costume? She asked

3038
02:57:00.920 --> 02:57:04.079
as she looked over the gray sweats. Amber gave the

3039
02:57:04.120 --> 02:57:07.280
little girl a nervous smile and squirmed in her seat.

3040
02:57:07.959 --> 02:57:13.559
Come on, come on, please, Amber mumbled, you look so cool.

3041
02:57:14.120 --> 02:57:15.319
You want some of my candy?

3042
02:57:15.920 --> 02:57:19.600
A little boy asked. Amber smiled and shook her head.

3043
02:57:19.680 --> 02:57:19.760
No.

3044
02:57:20.840 --> 02:57:23.600
There was now a full fledged crowd of kids in

3045
02:57:23.639 --> 02:57:25.760
front of her. Half of the kids were in the

3046
02:57:25.840 --> 02:57:28.120
candy line and the other half were in the line

3047
02:57:28.600 --> 02:57:34.079
to see the pumpkin lady. Please come please, Amber whispered.

3048
02:57:34.680 --> 02:57:37.479
The kids gawked, and most of the parents were impressed

3049
02:57:37.879 --> 02:57:41.159
with the detail of the make up. Almost an hour

3050
02:57:41.280 --> 02:57:44.000
passed and Amber was just about to leave and head

3051
02:57:44.040 --> 02:57:49.079
back to the er when she heard a familiar voice.

3052
02:57:49.239 --> 02:57:51.000
Trick or cheet.

3053
02:57:51.239 --> 02:57:55.200
He was wearing a pumpkin mask, but she immediately recognized

3054
02:57:55.239 --> 02:57:58.319
the voice. It was the little boy with the blue

3055
02:57:58.319 --> 02:58:02.520
eyes and sandy blonde hair. Hey, you want some candy?

3056
02:58:03.319 --> 02:58:06.000
Amber grabbed a handful some of the other kids left

3057
02:58:06.000 --> 02:58:09.840
for her on the table. Here you go, He held

3058
02:58:09.840 --> 02:58:12.760
a plastic pumpkin in front of him, and she dropped

3059
02:58:12.760 --> 02:58:17.600
the candy inside. Look, I want you to know that

3060
02:58:17.639 --> 02:58:21.079
I'm so sorry I yelled at you today. It was

3061
02:58:21.120 --> 02:58:23.239
wrong of me, and I shouldn't have treated you like that.

3062
02:58:24.959 --> 02:58:31.280
Please tell your dad that I'm sorry. Amber said, tears

3063
02:58:31.360 --> 02:58:34.760
filled her black eyes. She could tell the little boy

3064
02:58:34.879 --> 02:58:40.440
was smiling behind his mask. It's okay, thank you for

3065
02:58:40.479 --> 02:58:43.840
the candy, he replied, and opened his arms for a hug.

3066
02:58:44.760 --> 02:58:48.399
Amber scooched out of the booth and knelt down. The

3067
02:58:48.440 --> 02:58:52.040
little boy hugged her around the neck and whispered in

3068
02:58:52.079 --> 02:58:59.719
her ear. My daddy is the pumpkin Man. When Amber stood,

3069
02:59:00.600 --> 02:59:04.000
the tall man was there. He was behind his son

3070
02:59:04.760 --> 02:59:08.479
holding a cup. Thank you for apologizing to my son.

3071
02:59:09.479 --> 02:59:11.959
Halloween is his favorite time of year and he gets

3072
02:59:12.200 --> 02:59:16.479
very excited here, the tall man said, as he handed

3073
02:59:16.520 --> 02:59:20.799
Amber a Frankie's cup. Take this as an acceptance of

3074
02:59:20.840 --> 02:59:25.399
your apology. Make sure you drink the entire cup. You'll

3075
02:59:25.399 --> 02:59:28.680
feel like a new woman in the morning. Come on, son,

3076
02:59:29.280 --> 02:59:33.239
let's go. The two of them walked out of Frankie's.

3077
02:59:33.920 --> 02:59:37.520
Amber looked at the cup. It looked like a regular

3078
02:59:37.559 --> 02:59:41.760
old cup of pumpkin spice latte. She took a sip

3079
02:59:42.719 --> 02:59:47.879
and nothing ever tasted better on her tongue. It was hot,

3080
02:59:48.440 --> 02:59:54.600
but not too hot. Amber drank every single drop. Nothing

3081
02:59:55.159 --> 02:59:58.559
was left in the cup. She hugged a few more

3082
02:59:58.639 --> 03:00:04.799
kids before she left Frankes. She liked the feeling. One

3083
03:00:05.000 --> 03:00:10.399
year later, the line at Frankie's Donuts was almost to

3084
03:00:10.479 --> 03:00:14.000
the door. By her count, she was in spot ten

3085
03:00:14.159 --> 03:00:18.479
and so far every single person had ordered a pumpkin

3086
03:00:18.559 --> 03:00:24.440
spice latte or pumpkin spice donuts or both. Amber waited

3087
03:00:24.520 --> 03:00:29.120
patiently for her turn to order. Susie smiled as Amber approached.

3088
03:00:29.959 --> 03:00:34.200
Nice costume, Amber, not quite as good as last Halloween,

3089
03:00:34.280 --> 03:00:39.280
but not bad girley, Susie said. Amber was wearing a

3090
03:00:39.319 --> 03:00:43.040
tight fitting sexy witch costume straight from the Dollar General.

3091
03:00:43.840 --> 03:00:46.520
Thank you, Susie, I'll be by tonight to see what

3092
03:00:46.559 --> 03:00:50.120
you're wearing. I'd like a pumpkin spice latte and two

3093
03:00:50.159 --> 03:00:55.200
dozen pumpkin spice donuts for the office. Okie doke, Susie replied.

3094
03:00:56.000 --> 03:00:59.719
A smiling Frankie approached the counter. What a difference a

3095
03:00:59.799 --> 03:01:04.799
year makes, Hi, Amber. Amber nodded and replied, yes, sir,

3096
03:01:05.559 --> 03:01:23.079
I friggin love Halloween. Retro Halloween Weekend by Rob Fields.

3097
03:01:24.159 --> 03:01:28.000
Strickfield is always a major hotspot for the two major

3098
03:01:28.040 --> 03:01:31.680
holidays of the year. When the Christmas season comes around.

3099
03:01:31.959 --> 03:01:35.959
Each and every house is decorated to the max. There

3100
03:01:35.959 --> 03:01:38.959
are many events that go from the day after Thanksgiving

3101
03:01:39.040 --> 03:01:42.520
until the end of Christmas. The Christmas season is the

3102
03:01:42.559 --> 03:01:48.399
second biggest event of the two. The biggest event is Halloween.

3103
03:01:49.520 --> 03:01:52.920
Much like the Christmas season, each and every house is

3104
03:01:53.000 --> 03:01:56.840
decorated to the max. There are many more events that

3105
03:01:56.920 --> 03:02:01.120
take place for Halloween than during the Christmas season. What

3106
03:02:01.239 --> 03:02:03.799
sorts of events happen during the entire month of October

3107
03:02:03.799 --> 03:02:07.559
and Strickfield, you may ask. Many parties take place at

3108
03:02:07.559 --> 03:02:12.520
the local businesses. Denoyer's Grill, the popular restaurant in Strickfield,

3109
03:02:12.959 --> 03:02:17.120
usually picks up more customers seemingly every day. There are

3110
03:02:17.239 --> 03:02:21.760
plenty of haunted attractions around the area, though you may

3111
03:02:21.799 --> 03:02:24.959
want to avoid the backwoods areas. If you head out

3112
03:02:24.959 --> 03:02:29.159
to these attractions, all of the bars are open for parties,

3113
03:02:29.280 --> 03:02:33.120
which brings many of the students in from Strickfield University.

3114
03:02:34.120 --> 03:02:38.040
Strickfield also has the two biggest events that are greatly

3115
03:02:38.120 --> 03:02:43.200
talked about for the Halloween season. The first one is

3116
03:02:43.280 --> 03:02:46.440
their Trick or Treat Nights, which take place on both

3117
03:02:46.520 --> 03:02:51.399
October thirtieth and on the thirty first. The tradition here

3118
03:02:51.559 --> 03:02:54.840
is that anyone can go door to door and collect

3119
03:02:54.879 --> 03:02:59.799
candy without any judgment. It doesn't matter how old you

3120
03:02:59.799 --> 03:03:04.120
are or where you come from. In fact, people come

3121
03:03:04.159 --> 03:03:07.959
from miles away just to experience this event, and there

3122
03:03:08.000 --> 03:03:11.440
seem to be more and more tricker treaters here each

3123
03:03:12.040 --> 03:03:15.440
and every year, which was why the event was extended

3124
03:03:15.799 --> 03:03:18.760
to two days. There's even going to be an issue

3125
03:03:18.760 --> 03:03:21.440
on the November ballot to extend the event to a

3126
03:03:21.520 --> 03:03:25.680
full week. The second of the two biggest events for

3127
03:03:25.760 --> 03:03:31.159
Halloween takes place at the Strickfield drive In Theater on Friday, Saturday,

3128
03:03:31.200 --> 03:03:35.159
and Sunday of each weekend in October. There are triple features.

3129
03:03:35.840 --> 03:03:39.760
Monday through Thursday features a horror double feature each night.

3130
03:03:39.840 --> 03:03:43.440
The drive in sells out even on Sundays and weeknights,

3131
03:03:43.840 --> 03:03:49.559
which are school nights. However, on Halloween weekend, the drive

3132
03:03:49.600 --> 03:03:54.040
in hosts special marathons in which four films are screened.

3133
03:03:54.959 --> 03:03:59.520
But on Halloween night itself, the drive in hosts an

3134
03:03:59.559 --> 03:04:04.680
extra special marathon in which they screen four secret movies

3135
03:04:05.479 --> 03:04:09.719
which aren't revealed until they hit the screen. Only the

3136
03:04:09.760 --> 03:04:13.440
manager knows what the titles are. The event sells out

3137
03:04:14.079 --> 03:04:17.600
just the same This year. Halloween night will be on

3138
03:04:17.680 --> 03:04:22.479
a Sunday as part of retro Halloween Weekend. It's Saturday

3139
03:04:22.520 --> 03:04:26.840
now Halloween Eve that I'm seeing Charity Miarn on TV

3140
03:04:27.559 --> 03:04:31.159
at the drive In giving a speech. As it turns

3141
03:04:31.159 --> 03:04:33.680
out the Strickfield Drive In Theaters in need of some

3142
03:04:34.040 --> 03:04:38.959
major renovations. Really, you just know the theater makes damn

3143
03:04:39.040 --> 03:04:41.799
good money. The owners can't raise the funds to renovate

3144
03:04:41.840 --> 03:04:45.600
the fucking place. Charity and her girlfriend Micah Collins were

3145
03:04:45.600 --> 03:04:48.079
at the drive in for a summer triple feature event

3146
03:04:48.559 --> 03:04:51.920
and had heard about the theater's peril. Not only did

3147
03:04:52.000 --> 03:04:55.319
Charity and Micah raise the money for the renovations, but

3148
03:04:56.280 --> 03:04:58.799
whatever was left over went to a charity of the

3149
03:04:58.840 --> 03:05:03.159
owner's choice, which was the Strickfield General Hospital Children's Ward.

3150
03:05:03.760 --> 03:05:06.440
Charity is standing at the podium with Micah next to

3151
03:05:06.479 --> 03:05:09.079
her and talking about how she and Micah heard that

3152
03:05:09.079 --> 03:05:11.799
the drive in was in trouble and might not reopen

3153
03:05:11.879 --> 03:05:15.000
for next year's season. She talks about how the former

3154
03:05:15.079 --> 03:05:17.200
drive in location on the other end of the village

3155
03:05:17.879 --> 03:05:21.600
went to hell. The old Strickfield Drive In Theater location

3156
03:05:21.760 --> 03:05:25.079
is on the very same road here as this current location.

3157
03:05:25.840 --> 03:05:29.719
Charity explains the Old Theater closed down in nineteen eighty

3158
03:05:29.760 --> 03:05:33.639
seven after hosting the final retro Halloween Weekend event there.

3159
03:05:34.159 --> 03:05:36.440
But now as we get to the end of the

3160
03:05:36.479 --> 03:05:40.120
Halloween season, the Strickfield Drive in Theater will finish this

3161
03:05:40.239 --> 03:05:46.600
final weekend with the traditional four four secret movies and

3162
03:05:46.680 --> 03:05:51.360
that's both nights this year. Charity laughs a little though

3163
03:05:51.840 --> 03:05:56.159
after tonight they won't be a secret so much. Then,

3164
03:05:56.440 --> 03:06:00.280
Charity really smiles. Micah and I would like to thank

3165
03:06:00.360 --> 03:06:03.639
all of you who donated. Because of your donations, this

3166
03:06:03.760 --> 03:06:06.799
Drive in Theater will continue to operate for seasons to come,

3167
03:06:07.120 --> 03:06:10.440
which means there will be many, many more special nights,

3168
03:06:10.879 --> 03:06:15.040
just like the Halloween season and Retro Halloween Weekend. Her

3169
03:06:15.120 --> 03:06:20.200
statement was followed by lots and lots of applause. Charity

3170
03:06:20.280 --> 03:06:24.440
lets Micah speak. Also, many of you requested to have

3171
03:06:24.559 --> 03:06:29.319
actual vendors here for retro Halloween Weekend. Well, consider that

3172
03:06:29.360 --> 03:06:32.959
wish granted. There'll be plenty of vendors here to sell

3173
03:06:32.959 --> 03:06:37.959
whatever your horrific little heart's desire, including even more scary movies.

3174
03:06:38.399 --> 03:06:41.440
This is going to be a retro Halloween Weekend. None

3175
03:06:41.440 --> 03:06:45.040
of us will ever forget, we promise, so we'll likely

3176
03:06:45.079 --> 03:06:48.040
see many of you here this weekend, and remember the

3177
03:06:48.200 --> 03:06:51.360
four Secret Movies will be playing on this screen here

3178
03:06:51.559 --> 03:06:56.360
both tonight and tomorrow night. Very few tickets are still available,

3179
03:06:56.479 --> 03:07:01.879
so don't wait. Happy retro Halloween weekend and happy Halloween.

3180
03:07:03.200 --> 03:07:08.520
More fucking loud applause. Yeah, everybody's all happy and excited,

3181
03:07:08.959 --> 03:07:13.440
ain't they? Fuck you, Charity. I'm lying on my bed

3182
03:07:13.479 --> 03:07:16.799
and shaking with seething hatred for my older sister by

3183
03:07:16.840 --> 03:07:19.680
a little over a year. I've had to watch you

3184
03:07:19.760 --> 03:07:22.680
on TV ever since I heard that you and Micah

3185
03:07:22.680 --> 03:07:26.399
were doing all those charity drives together. You two raised

3186
03:07:26.479 --> 03:07:29.639
funds for the expansions to Strickfield Elementary School. You even

3187
03:07:29.760 --> 03:07:32.840
raised funds to get the Stricfield Fire Department new fire engines.

3188
03:07:33.639 --> 03:07:37.559
I heave and heave with hatred, and now realize I've

3189
03:07:37.600 --> 03:07:41.760
tightened my fists so much that I feel myself bleeding

3190
03:07:41.799 --> 03:07:45.000
from where my long fingernails have dug into my palm.

3191
03:07:46.280 --> 03:07:50.600
Still shaking with hatred, I stand up and scream at

3192
03:07:50.639 --> 03:07:55.760
the top of my lungs. I'm heaving again. My hatred

3193
03:07:55.799 --> 03:08:00.159
for you will never stop, Charity. I march right of

3194
03:08:00.239 --> 03:08:02.479
the house and head down the road to my friend

3195
03:08:02.600 --> 03:08:05.719
Sienna Michael's house. When I get there, I open the

3196
03:08:05.760 --> 03:08:09.520
front door and walk right in. Sienna's parents just look

3197
03:08:09.559 --> 03:08:12.200
at me as I disappear upstairs and open the door

3198
03:08:12.239 --> 03:08:15.559
to Sienna's room. Sienna's lying on her bed with her

3199
03:08:15.600 --> 03:08:21.079
headphones on, listening to heavy metal records. When Sienna sees me,

3200
03:08:21.200 --> 03:08:25.200
she pulls her headphones off, destiny, Hey, babe, what's up.

3201
03:08:26.239 --> 03:08:29.719
I sit down next to her. Why does she do it, Sienna?

3202
03:08:30.120 --> 03:08:33.200
Why does charity have to make our family look so bad?

3203
03:08:34.239 --> 03:08:37.079
Sienna listens to me bitch about everything that happened at

3204
03:08:37.079 --> 03:08:39.879
the drive in, along with all the other charities. My

3205
03:08:39.959 --> 03:08:43.920
sister scored funds for mom, and Dad disowned charity, and

3206
03:08:43.959 --> 03:08:48.840
it's like this this. I glare at Sienna. She's so

3207
03:08:49.079 --> 03:08:54.200
goddamn happy, go lucky. She even has a girlfriend, a girlfriend.

3208
03:08:54.719 --> 03:08:58.440
I raise my finger. And every time charity raises money

3209
03:08:58.440 --> 03:09:02.319
for something and Dad hear about it, know what they do?

3210
03:09:03.000 --> 03:09:05.760
I stand up and scream they take it out on me.

3211
03:09:07.079 --> 03:09:10.600
I sit down again. Sienna sees a tear run down

3212
03:09:10.639 --> 03:09:13.040
my cheek and tries pulling me to her to hug me,

3213
03:09:13.639 --> 03:09:16.440
but I push her away and quickly wipe away the tear.

3214
03:09:17.399 --> 03:09:21.799
I won't show weakness. When mom heard on the radio

3215
03:09:21.879 --> 03:09:24.920
that Charity had saved the drive in theater, she turned

3216
03:09:24.920 --> 03:09:27.879
and slapped me hard across the face and told me

3217
03:09:27.920 --> 03:09:30.840
to get out of her sight. I tighten my fists again.

3218
03:09:32.239 --> 03:09:37.799
I hate you, Charity, I really really hate you. Just

3219
03:09:37.840 --> 03:09:41.799
then Sienna's door opens. Her parents come into the room.

3220
03:09:42.680 --> 03:09:46.120
What is going on up here? Her dad points right

3221
03:09:46.159 --> 03:09:49.479
at me. You just barge into our house. Then you

3222
03:09:49.520 --> 03:09:53.559
come up here and start screaming at Sienna Dad. She didn't,

3223
03:09:53.680 --> 03:09:57.040
Sienna tries to say. I stand up quickly and scream

3224
03:09:57.079 --> 03:10:01.600
at her father fuck off. Before he can respond, I

3225
03:10:01.639 --> 03:10:04.920
shove right past Siena's parents and move downstairs. They hear

3226
03:10:05.000 --> 03:10:08.680
the door slam shut behind me. It's not long before

3227
03:10:08.719 --> 03:10:12.920
Sienna comes after me, likely against her parents' wishes. Destiny.

3228
03:10:13.040 --> 03:10:17.159
Come on, don't be like this. Mom and dad said

3229
03:10:17.159 --> 03:10:20.319
you're not welcome at our house anymore. Fuck your parents,

3230
03:10:20.840 --> 03:10:23.479
I yell. I'm ready to say the same thing to Sienna,

3231
03:10:23.680 --> 03:10:27.920
but I quickly stop myself. Sienna is my only friend

3232
03:10:28.000 --> 03:10:33.440
in this world. I just look ahead and fuck you Charity.

3233
03:10:34.600 --> 03:10:36.959
We sit down on a bench outside of Gunter Square

3234
03:10:37.440 --> 03:10:41.079
and talk about things. Sienna really tries to calm me down,

3235
03:10:41.200 --> 03:10:44.600
but I'm so full of hate. I can still feel

3236
03:10:44.639 --> 03:10:47.079
Mom slapping me across the face so hard that I

3237
03:10:47.120 --> 03:10:49.840
fall and hit the floor just as hard. I keep

3238
03:10:49.840 --> 03:10:54.799
feeling her hands slapping my face again and again, all

3239
03:10:54.840 --> 03:10:59.959
because of you, Charity. Suddenly I stand up. I've got

3240
03:11:00.120 --> 03:11:03.159
at Siena. I know exactly how to get my revenge

3241
03:11:03.200 --> 03:11:09.840
on Charity. What are you talking about, Sienna stammers. I

3242
03:11:09.959 --> 03:11:15.000
turn to her retro. Halloween weekend, Tomorrow night is Halloween.

3243
03:11:16.000 --> 03:11:18.520
It doesn't matter what day of the week Halloween falls on.

3244
03:11:18.680 --> 03:11:20.879
It doesn't matter where it is or what the event is.

3245
03:11:21.600 --> 03:11:25.520
Halloween is, without a doubt, the biggest money maker in

3246
03:11:25.719 --> 03:11:31.639
all of Strickfield. I sigh a sinister sigh. That means

3247
03:11:32.239 --> 03:11:35.040
the Drive In will have its biggest money maker tomorrow.

3248
03:11:35.959 --> 03:11:37.959
The banks won't be open for them to take their

3249
03:11:38.000 --> 03:11:41.319
cash to and deposit it, and there are no night

3250
03:11:41.360 --> 03:11:44.760
deposits at any of the banks around here. I should know,

3251
03:11:45.040 --> 03:11:48.920
because our family owns all the banks. I sit back down.

3252
03:11:50.040 --> 03:11:53.040
That means the Drive In keeps the money locked on

3253
03:11:53.079 --> 03:11:57.000
the premises. Then I shriek with the light. The charity

3254
03:11:57.040 --> 03:12:02.479
money will also be there. Sienna looks at me uneasily. Um,

3255
03:12:03.719 --> 03:12:07.799
you're not thinking of oh, but I am Sienna. I

3256
03:12:07.840 --> 03:12:13.239
assure her I have a plan. Sienna still looks uneasy.

3257
03:12:14.440 --> 03:12:20.399
That's stealing destiny. I laugh. Why, yes, yes it is.

3258
03:12:21.239 --> 03:12:25.079
Sienna keeps giving me that uneasy look and pissing me off.

3259
03:12:25.920 --> 03:12:29.239
Fuck off, I'm doing this. Sienna lowers her head and

3260
03:12:29.280 --> 03:12:32.600
seems ready to cry. I hate it when you yell

3261
03:12:32.639 --> 03:12:36.879
at me. Now I feel awful again. Sienna is my

3262
03:12:37.000 --> 03:12:42.760
only friend. I hug her. I'm sorry, I say sincerely,

3263
03:12:43.719 --> 03:12:47.239
I won't involve you in my plan. But Sienna suddenly

3264
03:12:47.280 --> 03:12:49.040
hugs me back tightly.

3265
03:12:49.760 --> 03:12:50.120
Stop.

3266
03:12:50.239 --> 03:12:51.959
You can't do this by yourself.

3267
03:12:52.479 --> 03:12:53.040
You need me.

3268
03:12:54.200 --> 03:12:58.479
When we come apart, I wait for her explanation. I

3269
03:12:58.559 --> 03:13:00.600
love you and I won't let you do this yourself.

3270
03:13:02.000 --> 03:13:03.680
I know I can't talk you out of it, so

3271
03:13:05.239 --> 03:13:09.920
I'm going to help you. I consider her now. Then

3272
03:13:09.959 --> 03:13:13.920
I sigh. I'm such a bitch to you, and you

3273
03:13:14.040 --> 03:13:17.799
still want to help me because I love you, dummy,

3274
03:13:18.000 --> 03:13:22.559
You're my best friend. I only have one. I sigh again,

3275
03:13:22.600 --> 03:13:28.120
and whisper, I love you too, and I'm sorry for

3276
03:13:28.159 --> 03:13:32.520
how I treat you. We hug again. What's the plan,

3277
03:13:33.200 --> 03:13:39.120
Sienna asks. I compose myself. Okay, we'll meet at the

3278
03:13:39.200 --> 03:13:42.360
drive in tomorrow night and do the marathon. Plenty of

3279
03:13:42.399 --> 03:13:45.840
time to scope everything out. We'll wait until the final

3280
03:13:45.959 --> 03:13:49.680
movie plays before we grab the cash. I've never been

3281
03:13:49.719 --> 03:13:54.479
to the drive in. Where is it? Sienna asks me, neither.

3282
03:13:55.120 --> 03:13:58.319
I take out my smartphone and look it up. Thirteen

3283
03:13:58.479 --> 03:14:02.319
thirteen Harlow Roade. Here's a pick. You can't miss it.

3284
03:14:02.319 --> 03:14:04.639
It looks like it's ready to fall apart from the outside.

3285
03:14:05.319 --> 03:14:08.479
I look at the pick again and realize something else. Hey,

3286
03:14:09.239 --> 03:14:11.200
it's actually not far from Denoyer's grill.

3287
03:14:11.600 --> 03:14:11.799
How what?

3288
03:14:11.959 --> 03:14:13.840
We meet there and get shakes before we hit the

3289
03:14:13.920 --> 03:14:21.159
drive in. Great idea, Sienna agrees enthusiastically. I smile for her. Okay, Babe,

3290
03:14:21.600 --> 03:14:29.319
see you tomorrow at Denoyer's. It's Halloween night. After we

3291
03:14:29.399 --> 03:14:32.360
have shakes at Denoyer's grill, we leave the still packed

3292
03:14:32.440 --> 03:14:35.239
vintage diner and make our way to the drive in.

3293
03:14:36.040 --> 03:14:39.159
We pass a lot of trick or treaters. Like I said,

3294
03:14:39.200 --> 03:14:43.479
Strickfield is the place to trick or treat period. It's

3295
03:14:43.479 --> 03:14:46.200
not long before we see the drive in. The old

3296
03:14:46.239 --> 03:14:48.600
sign out front is brightly and dully lit at the

3297
03:14:48.639 --> 03:14:53.120
same time and reads welcome to retro Halloween weekend in

3298
03:14:53.239 --> 03:14:57.639
red letters. Suddenly, two cars appear from out of nowhere

3299
03:14:57.680 --> 03:15:00.799
and speed right past us. Just we all over the

3300
03:15:00.799 --> 03:15:04.600
fucking road. Sienna and I quickly find ourselves on our asses.

3301
03:15:05.399 --> 03:15:08.159
I quickly get up as I help Sienna to her feet,

3302
03:15:08.200 --> 03:15:08.840
I yell at the.

3303
03:15:08.799 --> 03:15:11.840
Cars, Hey, jerks, speed kills.

3304
03:15:13.159 --> 03:15:17.760
I'm okay, Sienna assures me when she's on her feet again, assholes,

3305
03:15:18.239 --> 03:15:20.879
I mutter, come on, let's get inside the drive in.

3306
03:15:21.479 --> 03:15:24.280
We can just go around and jump the fence. This way,

3307
03:15:24.319 --> 03:15:27.120
we won't have to pay shit to get in. As

3308
03:15:27.159 --> 03:15:30.440
we walk to the fence, I have an evil thought.

3309
03:15:31.200 --> 03:15:35.520
You know, once we rob this place, Charity's going to

3310
03:15:35.559 --> 03:15:38.719
hear all about it. It'll be a big fuck you

3311
03:15:38.920 --> 03:15:43.920
to her. Sienna glances at me. Can we go over

3312
03:15:43.959 --> 03:15:44.680
the plan again?

3313
03:15:45.879 --> 03:15:46.159
Sure?

3314
03:15:46.920 --> 03:15:50.159
I explain the plan over again. I'm finished. When we

3315
03:15:50.200 --> 03:15:54.719
reach the fence, got it, babe, Yeah, I got it,

3316
03:15:55.040 --> 03:15:59.600
Sienna assures me. Sounds good. We climb up and over

3317
03:15:59.639 --> 03:16:02.639
the fence and drop to the other side. I quickly

3318
03:16:02.680 --> 03:16:03.319
look around.

3319
03:16:04.280 --> 03:16:04.799
We're good.

3320
03:16:05.079 --> 03:16:09.120
Nobody saw us. We walk across the gravel lot pass

3321
03:16:09.200 --> 03:16:12.799
one car after another, noticing the speakers. People are hanging

3322
03:16:12.840 --> 03:16:16.719
on the windows for inside sound. Don't they broadcast the

3323
03:16:16.840 --> 03:16:20.600
sound through the car radios here? No wonder this fucking

3324
03:16:20.680 --> 03:16:25.360
place needs renovations. I had no idea retro Halloween weekend

3325
03:16:25.399 --> 03:16:31.399
meant retro cars too. Sienna says, yeah, I noticed that too.

3326
03:16:31.959 --> 03:16:35.959
I point to the concession stand. Okay, let's get refreshments

3327
03:16:35.959 --> 03:16:37.920
and make ourselves look like we're here for the event.

3328
03:16:38.840 --> 03:16:43.319
We enter the concession stand. Wow, I'm surprised by what

3329
03:16:43.360 --> 03:16:48.440
we're seeing. Everything in here looks vintage to Sienna. Well,

3330
03:16:48.760 --> 03:16:52.959
maybe being retro is the theme here, Sienna offers, I mean,

3331
03:16:53.559 --> 03:16:58.000
everything's supposed to be getting renovated, right, I smile wickedly.

3332
03:16:58.760 --> 03:17:03.559
Not after we're threat here tonight, we order food. Fuck,

3333
03:17:04.200 --> 03:17:08.959
even the prices are vintage. Everything's so cheap. Not only that,

3334
03:17:09.360 --> 03:17:12.680
the food actually looks and smells a lot better and

3335
03:17:12.760 --> 03:17:16.000
you actually get more. We head out and sit at

3336
03:17:16.000 --> 03:17:18.760
a picnic table and wait for the first feature to start.

3337
03:17:19.520 --> 03:17:22.840
I bite into my quarter pound hot dog. These are

3338
03:17:23.680 --> 03:17:28.040
the best fucking hot dogs I've ever eaten. The marathon

3339
03:17:28.159 --> 03:17:32.120
starts and the PSA's are playing. Some trailers follow then

3340
03:17:32.200 --> 03:17:35.520
The first movie of the night begins to play Carnival

3341
03:17:35.559 --> 03:17:40.760
of Souls. Something doesn't feel right. I can't put my

3342
03:17:40.920 --> 03:17:44.600
finger on it. We watch the movie. It's cloudy outside

3343
03:17:44.639 --> 03:17:48.440
and the wind starts to pick up. Intermission comes, We

3344
03:17:48.520 --> 03:17:50.879
buy more food and come back to the picnic table.

3345
03:17:51.479 --> 03:17:56.000
The second feature is Night of the Living Dead. Christ

3346
03:17:56.559 --> 03:17:58.639
are they going to be playing black and white movies

3347
03:17:58.639 --> 03:18:02.319
all fucking night? My question is answered one more time

3348
03:18:02.799 --> 03:18:07.319
when they play The Last Man on Earth for round three. Really,

3349
03:18:07.920 --> 03:18:12.399
these are the big, super secret mystery movies. We hit

3350
03:18:12.440 --> 03:18:16.040
the concession stand again. The last movie plays, which is

3351
03:18:16.079 --> 03:18:20.520
called Halloween Destiny. During the other movies, Sienna and I

3352
03:18:20.559 --> 03:18:23.760
would get up and look around. We confirm our plan

3353
03:18:23.879 --> 03:18:26.840
to get the money and are ready to make our move.

3354
03:18:27.959 --> 03:18:30.799
As we get up, we look at the movie. This

3355
03:18:30.920 --> 03:18:35.319
one's not familiar, yet Sienna and I feel compelled to

3356
03:18:35.440 --> 03:18:38.920
watch it. This black and white movie starts out with

3357
03:18:39.040 --> 03:18:42.799
a vengeful, mean rich girl who hates her older sister

3358
03:18:42.879 --> 03:18:47.319
for being kind hearted. She meets up with a friend

3359
03:18:47.879 --> 03:18:50.600
and gets her to help her with a revenge plot.

3360
03:18:51.479 --> 03:18:54.159
The two of them met up at a diner and

3361
03:18:54.239 --> 03:18:57.120
eat before they walk to the drive in and climb

3362
03:18:57.159 --> 03:19:02.040
the fence to get in. It's not long before the

3363
03:19:02.079 --> 03:19:05.440
girls hear the rumble above them, and no, it's going

3364
03:19:05.479 --> 03:19:12.079
to rain soon. Suddenly we hear a low rumble just

3365
03:19:12.159 --> 03:19:17.680
above us. What the fuck, Sienna, It's supposed to be

3366
03:19:17.760 --> 03:19:23.680
windy tonight, just windy, not raining. In the movie, the

3367
03:19:23.719 --> 03:19:27.399
girls take shelter underneath another picnic table that has a

3368
03:19:27.479 --> 03:19:31.120
large umbrella over it as it begins to pour down rain.

3369
03:19:32.159 --> 03:19:36.559
At the same time it pours down rain on us.

3370
03:19:39.120 --> 03:19:39.399
Shit.

3371
03:19:39.920 --> 03:19:45.319
Sienna shrieks, Damn, it's so cold. Unlike the film, there

3372
03:19:45.360 --> 03:19:49.280
are no picnic tables with umbrellas. In spite of the rain.

3373
03:19:49.600 --> 03:19:52.959
The driven patrons, both in the film and in the

3374
03:19:53.000 --> 03:19:56.040
real world, are still in their cars and watching the movie.

3375
03:19:57.040 --> 03:19:59.120
I take Sienna's hand and lead her back to the

3376
03:19:59.159 --> 03:20:02.319
concession stand, and the workers are a guy and a

3377
03:20:02.360 --> 03:20:06.799
girl about our age. They both look a little off somehow.

3378
03:20:07.559 --> 03:20:10.280
I know it's Halloween night and people usually dress up,

3379
03:20:10.280 --> 03:20:13.959
but still Sienna and I both look at each other

3380
03:20:14.319 --> 03:20:18.280
as if we're thinking the same thing. Nice night for

3381
03:20:18.360 --> 03:20:25.239
this event, huh. The girl asks us, all dark and stormy.

3382
03:20:26.319 --> 03:20:30.200
She quickly raises her hands in front of her, making claws.

3383
03:20:30.239 --> 03:20:35.399
Spooky goes great with the movie. The guy adds, looks

3384
03:20:35.440 --> 03:20:38.239
like you both got soaked. I glare at the guy.

3385
03:20:38.920 --> 03:20:42.920
No shit, Sherlock. The guy points at us, please refrain

3386
03:20:42.959 --> 03:20:46.760
from using profanity. I raise both of my middle fingers.

3387
03:20:47.159 --> 03:20:55.159
Eat me. The girl smirks, Sienna feeling uneasy destiny. That

3388
03:20:55.360 --> 03:20:59.760
wasn't very nice. The girl says, now I'm ready for

3389
03:20:59.760 --> 03:21:03.600
a confrontation. Oh you want to throw us out? The

3390
03:21:03.680 --> 03:21:07.159
guy and the girl laugh. Oh, no, no, no, The

3391
03:21:07.200 --> 03:21:11.159
girl says, we would never do that. On the contrary,

3392
03:21:11.799 --> 03:21:13.600
when the guy and the girl both come out from

3393
03:21:13.639 --> 03:21:18.719
behind the concession stand, we both shriek. The girl's uniform

3394
03:21:18.799 --> 03:21:21.719
top is torn open at the bottom and her stomach

3395
03:21:21.799 --> 03:21:25.879
and intestines are hanging out. The guy looks even worse

3396
03:21:25.920 --> 03:21:30.559
than her and seems to be broken in many places.

3397
03:21:31.319 --> 03:21:37.239
You're both going to be here for a very, very

3398
03:21:37.440 --> 03:21:43.239
long time, the guy kroons. We were on our way

3399
03:21:43.680 --> 03:21:47.520
to the Halloween formal at Strickfield High School. The girl cries,

3400
03:21:48.120 --> 03:21:52.360
we were hit by a drunk driver and we crashed

3401
03:21:52.399 --> 03:21:56.000
into that big tree just outside the entrance. Here, she

3402
03:21:56.159 --> 03:22:02.040
gestures to both herself and her boyfriend, drinking and driving kills.

3403
03:22:04.760 --> 03:22:09.799
She points to us. You two should know, the guy adds,

3404
03:22:10.520 --> 03:22:15.680
and now you're both here with us. Enjoy the show

3405
03:22:16.440 --> 03:22:21.719
because it will always go on. The guy and the

3406
03:22:21.760 --> 03:22:27.200
girl both laugh long peals of horrible, horrible laughter. We

3407
03:22:27.319 --> 03:22:30.319
both scream and run back out into the cold rain.

3408
03:22:31.200 --> 03:22:35.399
Oh fuck this shit, We're out of here. Damn right, Destiny.

3409
03:22:36.639 --> 03:22:39.280
The lightning flickers enough to light up both the sky

3410
03:22:40.159 --> 03:22:45.280
and the entire drive in. When the thunder finally crashes,

3411
03:22:48.760 --> 03:22:52.120
it actually sounds just the way it did in the

3412
03:22:52.159 --> 03:22:56.559
older horror movies, just the same. We both scream again

3413
03:22:56.639 --> 03:22:59.120
when we see the people in the car directly in

3414
03:22:59.159 --> 03:23:02.799
front of us. The couple look similar to the zombies

3415
03:23:02.840 --> 03:23:05.639
featured on the Return of the Living Dead poster in

3416
03:23:05.680 --> 03:23:10.040
the concession stand. The lightning flashes again and shows us

3417
03:23:10.040 --> 03:23:13.399
how hard the rain is pouring. We scream again when

3418
03:23:13.440 --> 03:23:17.159
we see that the cars are just full of dead people,

3419
03:23:18.159 --> 03:23:22.639
and the vintage cars themselves don't look so nice anymore.

3420
03:23:23.280 --> 03:23:26.719
You'd think this place was a fucking junkyard. Now we

3421
03:23:26.840 --> 03:23:30.479
turn and run and see that Halloween Destiny continues to

3422
03:23:30.479 --> 03:23:33.360
play on the screen. Those girls in the movie seem

3423
03:23:33.399 --> 03:23:36.799
to be in the same predicament. We're in, Sienna slaps

3424
03:23:36.840 --> 03:23:40.120
my arm. Let's climb back out over the fence. I

3425
03:23:40.159 --> 03:23:42.799
got a better idea. We're right by the front entrance.

3426
03:23:43.600 --> 03:23:46.280
We run to where the cars came in. When we

3427
03:23:46.360 --> 03:23:49.120
reach the admission booth, a man with half of his

3428
03:23:49.239 --> 03:23:52.399
face missing and several broken teeth steps out and points

3429
03:23:52.440 --> 03:23:56.959
at us. The rules specifically state that no one leaves

3430
03:23:57.159 --> 03:24:03.120
until the final feature has ended. Back you go, We scream,

3431
03:24:03.200 --> 03:24:05.959
as the wind suddenly picks up and drives us both

3432
03:24:06.040 --> 03:24:07.120
back into the main.

3433
03:24:07.000 --> 03:24:08.159
Area of the drive in.

3434
03:24:08.840 --> 03:24:12.559
We're both completely soaked. We move to try and climb

3435
03:24:12.559 --> 03:24:17.239
out over the fence, but now the fence is a

3436
03:24:17.239 --> 03:24:20.920
fucking brick wall. It's much too high and too slippery

3437
03:24:20.920 --> 03:24:23.760
from the rain to scale. Then there's the fact that

3438
03:24:23.799 --> 03:24:27.879
the walls covered with thorny vines and moss. Just then,

3439
03:24:28.399 --> 03:24:32.639
a security guard approaches us. When the lightning flashes, the

3440
03:24:32.680 --> 03:24:37.280
guard has rotting flesh everywhere, even as uniform looks ragged

3441
03:24:37.319 --> 03:24:41.719
and dull. You girls need to stop causing problems and

3442
03:24:41.920 --> 03:24:46.760
just watch the movies, he gurgles. We scream again and run.

3443
03:24:47.479 --> 03:24:50.440
What are we going to do? Sienna cries, What the

3444
03:24:50.479 --> 03:24:53.680
fuck can we do. I shriek, How the fuck is

3445
03:24:53.719 --> 03:24:58.479
this shit even happening right there? Grab them? It sounds

3446
03:24:58.520 --> 03:25:02.680
like the gurgling security guard again. Suddenly we're grabbed by

3447
03:25:02.719 --> 03:25:06.879
two big, hulking creatures and force to our knees. Now

3448
03:25:06.920 --> 03:25:09.680
the guy and the girl running the concession stand approach us.

3449
03:25:10.760 --> 03:25:14.920
The manager's here. The guy says he wants to have

3450
03:25:14.959 --> 03:25:18.639
a very serious talk with the both of you. I

3451
03:25:18.680 --> 03:25:23.959
am already here, A new, disembodied voice says. We both

3452
03:25:24.000 --> 03:25:26.600
scream again when we see who's suddenly standing in front

3453
03:25:26.639 --> 03:25:30.680
of us. There's no mistaking the figure with the long

3454
03:25:30.799 --> 03:25:34.319
shroud and the sickle. I gasp in terror when I

3455
03:25:34.319 --> 03:25:38.959
see the skeletal hand holding that sickle. Then the figure

3456
03:25:39.040 --> 03:25:45.840
points to the screen. Watch Watch Destiny, Mirren Siana Michaels.

3457
03:25:46.399 --> 03:25:49.920
Watch the events that have brought you to before me.

3458
03:25:51.200 --> 03:25:56.280
We're forced to finish watching Halloween Destiny. The girls in

3459
03:25:56.319 --> 03:25:58.799
the movie are at the exact point where we are now,

3460
03:25:59.399 --> 03:26:03.760
except now well, we see a flashback that shows that

3461
03:26:03.840 --> 03:26:06.799
both girls had been hit by cars with drunken fraternity

3462
03:26:06.840 --> 03:26:11.280
boys in them as they were nearing the drive in. Yes,

3463
03:26:12.200 --> 03:26:18.280
death tells us you two have perished. You will wait

3464
03:26:18.360 --> 03:26:23.959
your final judgment from me now. But before I render judgment,

3465
03:26:24.840 --> 03:26:32.520
you shall finish your movie marathon, and we have bonus

3466
03:26:32.559 --> 03:26:38.120
features just for the two of you. The Hulks pick

3467
03:26:38.200 --> 03:26:40.959
us up and seat us at our picnic table. The

3468
03:26:41.040 --> 03:26:45.879
fifth feature, called Destiny's Life plays for us. Here I

3469
03:26:45.959 --> 03:26:49.760
see the horrible truth. My parents never even wanted me.

3470
03:26:50.399 --> 03:26:54.559
They were happy with just having charity. Then shit happened

3471
03:26:54.840 --> 03:26:58.319
and I was born. I had tried doing everything I

3472
03:26:58.360 --> 03:27:00.840
could to please my parents, but I was treated like

3473
03:27:00.920 --> 03:27:04.399
shit by them time and time again in favor of charity.

3474
03:27:05.600 --> 03:27:09.399
Death speaks to me it would be your early life

3475
03:27:09.440 --> 03:27:12.719
that would cause your unbridled hatred for your older sister,

3476
03:27:13.520 --> 03:27:17.600
that tainted your soul. This is what ultimately brought you

3477
03:27:17.760 --> 03:27:22.920
before me, Destiny Miron. The sixth feature plays, which is

3478
03:27:22.959 --> 03:27:27.680
called Destiny's Friend. This showed the time from where Sienna

3479
03:27:27.719 --> 03:27:31.120
and I had met. We were just kids. Sienna kept

3480
03:27:31.159 --> 03:27:33.520
following me around on the playground at school like a

3481
03:27:34.120 --> 03:27:37.639
lost little puppy. No matter how many times I yelled

3482
03:27:37.799 --> 03:27:40.200
and screamed at her to just go away, she kept

3483
03:27:40.200 --> 03:27:44.440
following me around. Finally I gave in, if we hang

3484
03:27:44.440 --> 03:27:48.319
out after school once, you'll leave me alone, I offered.

3485
03:27:48.760 --> 03:27:52.760
Sienna nodded eagerly. I met Sienna after school and hung

3486
03:27:52.799 --> 03:27:55.120
out with her. By the time the day was over,

3487
03:27:55.239 --> 03:28:00.920
I decided that I actually liked Sienna. Okay, you can

3488
03:28:00.959 --> 03:28:04.479
be my friend. We watch as I could sometimes be

3489
03:28:04.639 --> 03:28:09.159
verbally abusive towards Sienna. She even cry a little when

3490
03:28:09.159 --> 03:28:13.159
she knew I wasn't watching the movie even shows the

3491
03:28:13.280 --> 03:28:17.079
day before when I just walked into Sienna's home uninvited

3492
03:28:17.319 --> 03:28:22.200
and unannounced. I look at Sienna and feel heavy remorse inside.

3493
03:28:22.239 --> 03:28:27.399
Now it's too much. I've become very weak and start

3494
03:28:27.440 --> 03:28:33.000
to cry. I'm sorry, Sienna. I choke out. I'm so

3495
03:28:33.239 --> 03:28:35.319
sorry I made you come along with me on this.

3496
03:28:36.280 --> 03:28:41.680
I'm so sorry about everything. Sienna shakes her head slowly. No,

3497
03:28:42.840 --> 03:28:46.559
I offered to come with you. You're my best friend,

3498
03:28:47.159 --> 03:28:51.200
I only have one. I shake my head quickly. I

3499
03:28:51.280 --> 03:28:54.319
did this out of hatred for Charity. I strive to

3500
03:28:54.360 --> 03:28:57.479
be everything my parents wanted her to be. But Charity

3501
03:28:57.600 --> 03:29:03.360
was kind, very kind, and our parents ultimately disowned her.

3502
03:29:04.239 --> 03:29:06.520
I thought I would get all the attention Charity used

3503
03:29:06.520 --> 03:29:09.959
to get. Yeah, I got all the attention. Mom and

3504
03:29:10.040 --> 03:29:13.959
dad hated my fucking guts. Mom absolutely refused to touch

3505
03:29:14.000 --> 03:29:17.120
me before yesterday. She wouldn't even let me hugger. Then

3506
03:29:17.159 --> 03:29:19.680
she heard about how charity was doing so much good

3507
03:29:19.760 --> 03:29:23.200
raising money for all these charities, and Mom hit me.

3508
03:29:24.200 --> 03:29:27.200
I looked Death in his vacant space where his face

3509
03:29:27.200 --> 03:29:27.799
should have been.

3510
03:29:28.520 --> 03:29:29.479
I did it.

3511
03:29:29.479 --> 03:29:30.120
It was all me.

3512
03:29:30.680 --> 03:29:32.840
I came here to steal the money tonight, punish me,

3513
03:29:33.120 --> 03:29:37.079
torture me, make me burn in hell. But please let

3514
03:29:37.120 --> 03:29:43.920
Sienna go. She doesn't deserve this. No, Sienna interjects, I

3515
03:29:44.040 --> 03:29:48.479
offer myself in exchange for Destiny. Let her go. Why

3516
03:29:48.479 --> 03:29:55.000
would you offer yourself for destiny? Miron, Death inquires, didn't

3517
03:29:55.040 --> 03:29:57.920
you hear me? I told Destiny she was my best

3518
03:29:58.000 --> 03:30:02.000
friend and that I only have one. Sienna turns to me.

3519
03:30:03.479 --> 03:30:06.200
You gave me a chance. You let me be your

3520
03:30:06.239 --> 03:30:11.079
best friend. You had to have one. I wanted to

3521
03:30:11.120 --> 03:30:16.799
be it. Death raises his hand enough. I have made

3522
03:30:16.879 --> 03:30:21.959
my decision. We're both scared now, as Death looks from

3523
03:30:22.000 --> 03:30:27.680
her to me. As it turns out, I have two

3524
03:30:27.799 --> 03:30:32.760
openings I need to fill, he points to Sienna. I

3525
03:30:32.879 --> 03:30:37.520
charge that you, Sienna Michaels, shall be the new manager

3526
03:30:38.120 --> 03:30:41.879
of this drive in theater by day, you shall live

3527
03:30:41.920 --> 03:30:46.399
in the mortal world. By night, you shall work here

3528
03:30:46.600 --> 03:30:50.920
in the after life and run my theater for me.

3529
03:30:52.680 --> 03:30:58.559
Sienna gulps, But I can't run this theater. I don't

3530
03:30:58.559 --> 03:31:02.639
know how I shall teach you all that you need

3531
03:31:02.639 --> 03:31:06.520
to know. I offer you this position because I know

3532
03:31:06.680 --> 03:31:10.799
you will be fair and just towards those who enter

3533
03:31:10.879 --> 03:31:15.959
the after life. Death looks at me now, I shall

3534
03:31:16.000 --> 03:31:21.159
not claim your soul, Destiny, Miren. It is the events

3535
03:31:21.159 --> 03:31:24.120
of your life that have poisoned your soul and have

3536
03:31:24.159 --> 03:31:27.559
caused you to make poor decisions that have brought you

3537
03:31:28.000 --> 03:31:32.559
to me. It is both your admission of guilt and

3538
03:31:32.680 --> 03:31:36.799
the selflessness of your friend that have convinced me to

3539
03:31:36.840 --> 03:31:43.000
give you my other job opening. I'm still crying. Just

3540
03:31:43.840 --> 03:31:46.239
let Sienna go and I'll do whatever you want. I

3541
03:31:46.280 --> 03:31:50.879
won't even try to run away. It's okay, Destiny, Sienna replies,

3542
03:31:51.520 --> 03:31:57.879
I am staying with you. My decision is final, Destiny mirn.

3543
03:31:58.920 --> 03:32:03.719
Death tells me I have my new theater manager, but

3544
03:32:03.959 --> 03:32:10.680
your new job shall carry even more responsibilities than hers,

3545
03:32:11.639 --> 03:32:15.760
And before I know it, Death places his sickle into

3546
03:32:15.799 --> 03:32:19.680
my hands. What what what do you want me to

3547
03:32:19.719 --> 03:32:24.600
do with this Suddenly my skin and long blonde hair

3548
03:32:24.719 --> 03:32:28.680
turn ghastly white. I feel my eyes, lips, and nails

3549
03:32:28.719 --> 03:32:37.040
also changing, turning black. I also feel powerful, stronger, immortal.

3550
03:32:38.319 --> 03:32:43.959
You shall be my replacement. Death explains, I have carried

3551
03:32:44.040 --> 03:32:47.319
souls from the mortal realm to the after life since

3552
03:32:47.399 --> 03:32:51.040
the dawn of time. Now it is time for me

3553
03:32:52.200 --> 03:32:56.319
to move on, though I shall look in on you

3554
03:32:56.600 --> 03:33:02.159
from time to time. From this moment, you shall carry

3555
03:33:02.200 --> 03:33:07.559
on with my name and my former duties. In addition

3556
03:33:07.680 --> 03:33:11.280
to bringing souls to the afterlife, you shall help those

3557
03:33:11.319 --> 03:33:14.719
who have tainted souls to change their ways for the

3558
03:33:14.760 --> 03:33:21.120
better and perhaps avoid their fates. Then Sienna steps up, Wait,

3559
03:33:21.840 --> 03:33:24.440
would you consider granting us the rest of Halloween night?

3560
03:33:25.079 --> 03:33:28.440
Come on, we can't possibly run away, not from you.

3561
03:33:29.639 --> 03:33:30.040
Please.

3562
03:33:31.159 --> 03:33:37.920
Death considers Sienna's request very well. I shall release you

3563
03:33:38.040 --> 03:33:41.959
both for tonight Tomorrow evening. Both of you shall begin

3564
03:33:42.040 --> 03:33:48.760
your duties in the afterlife. Thank you, Sienna says gratefully

3565
03:33:49.000 --> 03:33:53.799
for both of us. Suddenly, we find ourselves back in

3566
03:33:53.840 --> 03:33:58.840
Strickfield on Halloween evening, outside the drive in about the

3567
03:33:58.920 --> 03:34:03.719
time I first got here. Only this time there's no

3568
03:34:03.840 --> 03:34:08.000
sign of life whatsoever. Inside the theater. Sienna moves the

3569
03:34:08.040 --> 03:34:12.360
sign and examines it. Destiny, could you look up the

3570
03:34:12.399 --> 03:34:15.840
address again? I take out my smartphone and show Sienna

3571
03:34:15.879 --> 03:34:20.360
the pic from my search earlier. Here Sienna looks at it.

3572
03:34:21.760 --> 03:34:23.879
Oh my god, what.

3573
03:34:25.159 --> 03:34:30.440
Sienna looks at the sign again. This sign says thirteen

3574
03:34:30.600 --> 03:34:37.000
thirteen West Harlow Road. So Sienna shows me my phone.

3575
03:34:37.159 --> 03:34:41.399
Look closer. The text below this pick says this location

3576
03:34:41.600 --> 03:34:44.159
is closed. The drive and we should have gone to

3577
03:34:44.280 --> 03:34:47.479
is at thirteen thirteen East Harlow Road on the other

3578
03:34:47.559 --> 03:34:50.920
side of the village. I take my smartphone back and

3579
03:34:51.000 --> 03:34:53.920
see that. Sienna's right. I just looked at the picture

3580
03:34:53.959 --> 03:34:56.760
for this place. I didn't even read the text below.

3581
03:34:58.079 --> 03:35:03.559
I'm sad. Now this is all my fault. I'm so sorry, Sienna.

3582
03:35:04.479 --> 03:35:08.799
Sienna takes my hand. Why you didn't drive drunk and

3583
03:35:08.920 --> 03:35:12.520
kill us both. That's why we're really in the afterlife, now,

3584
03:35:12.559 --> 03:35:15.079
you know. I consider her.

3585
03:35:16.200 --> 03:35:17.200
Yeah.

3586
03:35:17.440 --> 03:35:21.479
I hug Sienna to me. You know what, let's have

3587
03:35:21.559 --> 03:35:26.440
some fun. Let's go trigger treating. Sienna hugs me back,

3588
03:35:27.079 --> 03:35:30.479
then she backs away and looks me over. Black and

3589
03:35:30.520 --> 03:35:34.399
white holding a sickle. You'll never need a Halloween costume.

3590
03:35:35.520 --> 03:35:36.719
I smile at my friend.

3591
03:35:37.479 --> 03:35:37.879
Thanks.

3592
03:35:38.440 --> 03:35:41.239
Now, let's go get some candy to take back to

3593
03:35:41.280 --> 03:35:45.159
the afterlife with us. Sienna shrieks with happiness.

3594
03:35:45.639 --> 03:35:46.360
Let's go.

3595
03:35:55.600 --> 03:36:02.600
The Halloween Party by Keith Tomlin. A rock skittered across

3596
03:36:02.639 --> 03:36:06.000
the cracked pavement of the road as a black engineer

3597
03:36:06.040 --> 03:36:10.120
boot playfully kicked at it. Clyde, a young man dressed

3598
03:36:10.120 --> 03:36:13.159
in blue jeans, white T shirt and a leather jacket,

3599
03:36:13.600 --> 03:36:18.239
stopped to survey his surroundings. There were empty warehouses and

3600
03:36:18.319 --> 03:36:23.600
factories on all sides, most falling apart, victims of a

3601
03:36:23.639 --> 03:36:27.920
failing economy. The blight stretched as far as he could see,

3602
03:36:28.360 --> 03:36:31.399
and from what he could tell, he seemed to be

3603
03:36:31.479 --> 03:36:36.000
the only person within miles. He paused next to a

3604
03:36:36.079 --> 03:36:40.239
rusty rim with a flat tire and lit an unfiltered cigarette.

3605
03:36:41.000 --> 03:36:45.920
He took a deep drag, closing his eyes, enjoying the

3606
03:36:45.959 --> 03:36:49.559
pleasure of the harsh, burning smoke in his lungs for

3607
03:36:49.600 --> 03:36:54.399
a few moments. He then opened his eyes and once

3608
03:36:54.479 --> 03:37:00.680
again surveyed the empty expanse around him. Okay, stop fucking around,

3609
03:37:00.719 --> 03:37:04.879
where are you? He yelled. Not hearing a response, he

3610
03:37:04.920 --> 03:37:08.239
tilted his head back and drank from a large bottle

3611
03:37:08.280 --> 03:37:11.959
of whiskey. He stopped long enough to catch his breath,

3612
03:37:12.399 --> 03:37:16.120
and then guzzled more of the bitter liquor. He wiped

3613
03:37:16.120 --> 03:37:19.280
his mouth on his sleeve and yelled again. Come on,

3614
03:37:19.479 --> 03:37:23.280
I'm bored. Where are you guys? I don't want to

3615
03:37:23.280 --> 03:37:29.520
miss the party? Fine fuck it, Clyde yelled, giggling. Downing

3616
03:37:29.559 --> 03:37:32.159
the last of the liquid, he turned and threw the

3617
03:37:32.159 --> 03:37:36.879
bottle over a tall, rusty chain link fence. He smiled

3618
03:37:36.879 --> 03:37:42.120
in satisfaction when he heard the bottle break. Running his

3619
03:37:42.200 --> 03:37:45.159
hands along his hair, which was greased back into a

3620
03:37:45.239 --> 03:37:51.200
duct tail, he started to walk on down the deserted road. Suddenly,

3621
03:37:51.840 --> 03:37:58.520
the evening was split by a soul shattering scream. The

3622
03:37:58.559 --> 03:38:01.719
sound echoed off of the mty buildings and seemed to

3623
03:38:01.760 --> 03:38:06.600
come from everywhere. The young man stopped, his head whipping

3624
03:38:06.680 --> 03:38:09.920
back and forth as he tried to pinpoint the source

3625
03:38:10.399 --> 03:38:14.159
of the scream. He finally zoned in on a row

3626
03:38:14.239 --> 03:38:18.120
of old brick factories. Flipping the cigarette to the ground,

3627
03:38:18.760 --> 03:38:27.280
he took off, running and grinning like a madman. Amber

3628
03:38:27.440 --> 03:38:32.200
slowly guided her eyeliner pencil across her cheek. Leaning back,

3629
03:38:32.319 --> 03:38:37.959
she looked at the results in the mirror prefect, she thought.

3630
03:38:38.520 --> 03:38:41.959
Pleased with the cat whiskers she drew, she stood up

3631
03:38:42.000 --> 03:38:44.879
and looked at the whole costume in the mirror. The

3632
03:38:44.959 --> 03:38:49.280
catsuit accentuated her slim figure and provided a decent amount

3633
03:38:49.319 --> 03:38:53.879
of cleavage without showing too much. She spent three weeks

3634
03:38:53.920 --> 03:38:57.479
designing and creating the costume and was very proud of

3635
03:38:57.520 --> 03:39:01.760
the effort. Plus she could submitted as a final project

3636
03:39:01.799 --> 03:39:05.319
in the fashion design class. She was taking loud laughter

3637
03:39:05.479 --> 03:39:09.319
and crude jokes from her sorority sisters Madison and Sarah

3638
03:39:09.559 --> 03:39:12.959
intruded on the moment. It almost made Amber wish that

3639
03:39:13.040 --> 03:39:15.440
she'd not agreed to drive them to the party at

3640
03:39:15.479 --> 03:39:19.559
a friend's cabin on Belleville Lake. Both of them had

3641
03:39:19.559 --> 03:39:23.719
started drinking hours earlier, and they were pretty wasted by then.

3642
03:39:24.639 --> 03:39:28.319
Having lived with an alcoholic father, Amber rarely drank and

3643
03:39:28.479 --> 03:39:32.600
was the resident designated driver. Amber sighed and began the

3644
03:39:32.639 --> 03:39:37.680
process of hurting the two drunks out the door. Thirty

3645
03:39:37.719 --> 03:39:41.719
minutes later, Amber turned onto a dark, deserted country road

3646
03:39:41.799 --> 03:39:45.680
near the lake. After a few minutes, red and blue

3647
03:39:45.719 --> 03:39:50.760
lights appeared behind her. God damn it, Amber said, turning

3648
03:39:50.799 --> 03:39:54.000
down the radio. Her two friends looked at each other

3649
03:39:54.520 --> 03:39:59.799
and burst into laughter. Oh no, Amber's getting a ticket,

3650
03:40:00.079 --> 03:40:04.040
Sarah teased. Maybe the cop will be cute. Ask if

3651
03:40:04.079 --> 03:40:07.520
you could touch his gun, Madison said, causing Sarah to

3652
03:40:07.520 --> 03:40:12.920
burst into laughter. Will you two stop it, Amber said, annoyed,

3653
03:40:13.639 --> 03:40:17.200
she hated dealing with drunks. She pulled over and shut

3654
03:40:17.200 --> 03:40:20.840
the car off, rolling her window down, She tried to

3655
03:40:20.840 --> 03:40:23.159
get a look at the car that pulled in behind her,

3656
03:40:23.239 --> 03:40:26.479
but a bright spotlight lit up from the car, almost

3657
03:40:26.479 --> 03:40:31.000
blinding her. Amber had a bad feeling about this. She

3658
03:40:31.159 --> 03:40:34.280
ignored the snickering comments from her friends as she tried

3659
03:40:34.280 --> 03:40:37.920
to watch behind her in the side mirror. After a

3660
03:40:37.959 --> 03:40:41.280
few seconds, she saw a shadow pass in front of

3661
03:40:41.319 --> 03:40:45.000
the spotlight as a large man walked up alongside the car.

3662
03:40:46.159 --> 03:40:50.079
Being backlit. It was hard to see any details, but

3663
03:40:50.159 --> 03:40:54.079
it looked like he was wearing a uniform. Something in

3664
03:40:54.120 --> 03:40:59.600
the way he moved seemed off. When the man reached

3665
03:40:59.600 --> 03:41:03.040
the driver side window, he stopped for a few seconds

3666
03:41:03.079 --> 03:41:07.559
and then leaned down and looked into the car. Amber

3667
03:41:07.639 --> 03:41:11.559
stared into his face, shocked at seeing him wearing a respirator.

3668
03:41:12.719 --> 03:41:16.000
She started to speak to ask why he stopped them,

3669
03:41:16.040 --> 03:41:20.479
but everything froze when she looked into his eyes, wild

3670
03:41:20.959 --> 03:41:25.479
crazy eyes, eyes that seemed to scream out for violence

3671
03:41:26.000 --> 03:41:32.600
and blood. Are you good girls or bad girls? He

3672
03:41:32.760 --> 03:41:35.959
said in a whispery voice muted by the mask he

3673
03:41:36.079 --> 03:41:39.959
was wearing. Amber jolted into motion and tried to start

3674
03:41:40.000 --> 03:41:42.000
the car. As the man brought his hand up and

3675
03:41:42.040 --> 03:41:44.760
sprayed a mist from a small tank into the car,

3676
03:41:45.200 --> 03:41:50.959
Amber faded into darkness. Hearing the screams of her friends,

3677
03:41:57.600 --> 03:42:02.040
Amber jerked awake to sounds of screaming. Groggily. She looked

3678
03:42:02.079 --> 03:42:05.120
down and saw that her hands and legs were tied

3679
03:42:05.159 --> 03:42:08.360
to an old office chair. The chair was on some

3680
03:42:08.479 --> 03:42:13.079
kind of loading dock in an old, dirty warehouse or factory.

3681
03:42:13.719 --> 03:42:16.680
She turned towards the screaming and realized that they were

3682
03:42:16.719 --> 03:42:20.200
coming from a naked young woman lying on the floor.

3683
03:42:21.200 --> 03:42:23.360
She was staked out in the middle of a crudely

3684
03:42:23.440 --> 03:42:27.040
painted pentagram with candles at each point, with her arms

3685
03:42:27.079 --> 03:42:30.719
and legs stretched out to her sides. The woman was

3686
03:42:30.799 --> 03:42:35.319
covered in blood, and between cries of pain, she was

3687
03:42:35.399 --> 03:42:38.559
pleading with a large man standing over her to let

3688
03:42:38.559 --> 03:42:43.079
her go. The man answered with swipes of a large

3689
03:42:43.600 --> 03:42:47.399
bloody knife. Amber tried to yell, but she found that

3690
03:42:47.440 --> 03:42:50.360
she had been gagged with a dirty rag, held there

3691
03:42:50.399 --> 03:42:53.879
by a cloth tied around her head. Even though her

3692
03:42:53.920 --> 03:42:57.479
cries were muffled, the man responded by turning toward her.

3693
03:42:58.319 --> 03:43:03.120
His eyes seemed to shine lit by the light of insanity.

3694
03:43:03.959 --> 03:43:06.559
These were the same eyes she saw on the man

3695
03:43:06.600 --> 03:43:10.239
who had pulled them over. He grinned and held the

3696
03:43:10.239 --> 03:43:13.520
bloody blade up to his mouth as if to shush her.

3697
03:43:14.440 --> 03:43:16.239
Amber was able to get a better look at the

3698
03:43:16.239 --> 03:43:22.319
woman on the floor and realized it was Sarah. Amber

3699
03:43:22.440 --> 03:43:26.360
strained against her restraints, trying to yell for help, desperate

3700
03:43:26.399 --> 03:43:30.680
to do anything to save her friend. The man grinned

3701
03:43:30.719 --> 03:43:35.639
even more and turned back to Sarah, using the knife

3702
03:43:35.639 --> 03:43:41.840
with more enthusiasm. Pleased that he now had an audience.

3703
03:43:43.040 --> 03:43:46.639
Amber sobbed, choking on the gag, trying to find a

3704
03:43:46.680 --> 03:43:51.479
way to break free. The killer plunged his knife deep

3705
03:43:51.559 --> 03:43:56.639
into Sarah, her screams fading into a low gurgle. He

3706
03:43:56.719 --> 03:43:59.879
reached into her abdomen and cut out a bloody piece

3707
03:43:59.840 --> 03:44:03.719
of flesh. He turned toward Amber and waved it in

3708
03:44:03.799 --> 03:44:08.399
the air, mocking her. He flipped it at her, and

3709
03:44:08.479 --> 03:44:10.360
she had to jerk her head to the side to

3710
03:44:10.399 --> 03:44:13.799
avoid being hit by the small piece of her friend.

3711
03:44:15.040 --> 03:44:18.360
The killer laughed and then began to make a game

3712
03:44:18.440 --> 03:44:21.479
out of cutting pieces of her friend, who now lay

3713
03:44:21.559 --> 03:44:27.879
silent and unmoving and tossing the matter. After a few minutes,

3714
03:44:28.399 --> 03:44:31.719
he seemed to grow bored with this game and raised

3715
03:44:31.719 --> 03:44:36.799
the knife high in the air. He mumbled words in

3716
03:44:36.840 --> 03:44:41.079
a language that Amber didn't recognize, and plunged the knife

3717
03:44:41.479 --> 03:44:47.479
deep into Sarah's chest. With effort, he ripped the knife down,

3718
03:44:47.639 --> 03:44:52.280
breaking ribs and cutting flesh. He reached into the large

3719
03:44:52.319 --> 03:44:57.319
gaping wound and ripped something out, holding it up high

3720
03:44:57.399 --> 03:45:01.799
as if offering it to the heavens. Amber felt bile

3721
03:45:02.040 --> 03:45:06.319
rise up as she realized it was her friend's heart.

3722
03:45:07.440 --> 03:45:10.600
She closed her eyes and turned away from the horror.

3723
03:45:11.760 --> 03:45:15.680
A few seconds later, she heard footsteps scraping on the

3724
03:45:15.719 --> 03:45:20.079
concrete and felt the killer's rancid breath on her face.

3725
03:45:21.120 --> 03:45:26.200
She closed her eyes even tighter as he spoke, Hey,

3726
03:45:26.239 --> 03:45:31.879
pretty girl, little miss kitty cat, look at your savior.

3727
03:45:33.520 --> 03:45:36.920
Amber turned her head away from the voice. A hand

3728
03:45:36.959 --> 03:45:40.000
with an iron grip seized her jaw and forced her

3729
03:45:40.040 --> 03:45:43.959
head up. A cold, sharp object placed against her throat.

3730
03:45:45.040 --> 03:45:49.559
I said, look at me, the killer stated in a cold,

3731
03:45:50.000 --> 03:45:55.440
hard voice. Amber opened her eyes and whimpered as she

3732
03:45:55.520 --> 03:45:59.799
looked into the face of evil. You look like a

3733
03:45:59.840 --> 03:46:03.600
good girl. I think Master will be pleased with you.

3734
03:46:04.680 --> 03:46:09.120
He wasn't pleased with the other sacrifices, the killer said,

3735
03:46:09.559 --> 03:46:15.239
pointing towards Sarah. Then gestured to a dark corner. Amber

3736
03:46:15.319 --> 03:46:18.479
looked and could make out an outline of a body

3737
03:46:19.319 --> 03:46:25.120
barely recognizable as human. Amber knew without a doubt that

3738
03:46:25.200 --> 03:46:31.239
the bloody mess was what was left of Madison. She

3739
03:46:31.440 --> 03:46:36.280
tried not to sob as she looked intently at her face. Yes,

3740
03:46:36.920 --> 03:46:44.000
I'm sorry you slept through that one. How inconsiderate of me. Anyways,

3741
03:46:44.440 --> 03:46:48.719
you didn't miss much. The Master didn't respond to her flesh.

3742
03:46:49.520 --> 03:46:54.479
She must have been unclean you. On the other hand,

3743
03:46:55.239 --> 03:46:57.719
the killer used the knife blade to play with the

3744
03:46:57.760 --> 03:47:02.559
buttons on her costume. You look like a good girl,

3745
03:47:03.319 --> 03:47:09.520
and the dark Lord likes good girls, he said, grinning.

3746
03:47:11.040 --> 03:47:15.319
Amber trembled with fear, tears and snot running down her face.

3747
03:47:15.959 --> 03:47:19.319
She tried to talk past her gag, begging him to

3748
03:47:19.440 --> 03:47:24.399
let her go, to let her live. The killer stepped back,

3749
03:47:25.120 --> 03:47:28.959
looking pleased. Let's get you ready to meet the master,

3750
03:47:30.000 --> 03:47:32.159
he said, as he wiped the blood off of the

3751
03:47:32.239 --> 03:47:35.600
blade and inserted it into a sheath on his belt.

3752
03:47:36.479 --> 03:47:40.479
He stretched, seeming to enjoy the discomfort and fear he

3753
03:47:40.559 --> 03:47:44.200
was provoking in her. As he started to lean forward,

3754
03:47:44.879 --> 03:47:48.120
a young man suddenly leapt out of the darkness, swinging

3755
03:47:48.159 --> 03:47:50.879
a large pipe. The pipe hit the killer on the

3756
03:47:50.920 --> 03:47:53.680
side of his head and sent him sprawling across the room,

3757
03:47:54.040 --> 03:47:59.959
landing near the unmoving body of Sarah Damn home run.

3758
03:48:00.600 --> 03:48:03.280
Clyde yelled, flipping the pipe like it was a baseball

3759
03:48:03.319 --> 03:48:06.159
bat and raising his arms in the air, waving to

3760
03:48:06.200 --> 03:48:12.559
an imaginary crowd. Amber stared at him in astonishment. Clyde

3761
03:48:12.600 --> 03:48:17.200
lowered his arms and looked around. Wow, man, what the

3762
03:48:17.239 --> 03:48:21.600
hell happened here? Looks like a slaughter Like one of

3763
03:48:21.680 --> 03:48:25.680
those slasher movies I keep hearing about, he said, pointing

3764
03:48:25.719 --> 03:48:29.600
at Madison's body in the corner. Amber snapped out of

3765
03:48:29.600 --> 03:48:32.760
her trance and struggled against the gag, trying to plead

3766
03:48:32.799 --> 03:48:35.719
with him to let her go. He turned to point

3767
03:48:35.719 --> 03:48:39.079
at the killer. Two bodies and a large ass fuck

3768
03:48:39.159 --> 03:48:44.719
slicing everyone up. This is a slasher movie. He said excitedly.

3769
03:48:45.559 --> 03:48:48.000
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a flask

3770
03:48:48.040 --> 03:48:51.399
and began to drink from it. I keep hearing about

3771
03:48:51.440 --> 03:48:55.920
these movies at work. Sounds like a blast, baby, he stated,

3772
03:48:56.200 --> 03:49:00.239
taking another long pull on the flask. Wiping his mouth,

3773
03:49:00.000 --> 03:49:04.360
he looked at Amber. Damned doll, you look like shit,

3774
03:49:04.920 --> 03:49:09.280
he said, walking over to her. Amber started to sob again,

3775
03:49:09.399 --> 03:49:14.799
straining against the gag. So uh, you must be the

3776
03:49:14.840 --> 03:49:20.200
final girl. All of these movies have one, he suddenly smiled.

3777
03:49:21.079 --> 03:49:25.920
That must make me the dutiful boyfriend that sacrifices himself

3778
03:49:25.920 --> 03:49:29.600
to save you. God, and I thought this would be

3779
03:49:29.680 --> 03:49:36.000
a boring night, he said excitedly. Amber tried yelling even harder,

3780
03:49:36.360 --> 03:49:41.159
begging him to let her go drink, he said, offering

3781
03:49:41.200 --> 03:49:45.520
her the flask. Seeing Amber struggle against her restraints, he

3782
03:49:45.559 --> 03:49:49.360
smacked himself in the forehead. Sorry, little missy, let me help,

3783
03:49:49.920 --> 03:49:53.040
he said, apologetically, as he reached down and took the

3784
03:49:53.120 --> 03:49:56.799
gag out of her mouth. Amber took a few deep breaths.

3785
03:49:58.479 --> 03:50:01.879
Please please, oh God, You've got to help me. Untiiny

3786
03:50:02.040 --> 03:50:05.000
and call the police. This crazy man kidnapped us and killed.

3787
03:50:05.360 --> 03:50:10.360
She broke into sobs as She looked over at Sarah. Hey, now, babyface,

3788
03:50:10.440 --> 03:50:14.360
dry those tears. As the dutiful boyfriend, I have to

3789
03:50:14.399 --> 03:50:18.559
help you. That's how these movies work, he said. Now

3790
03:50:18.680 --> 03:50:21.520
let me cut you loose. He gestured to his right

3791
03:50:21.520 --> 03:50:25.120
hand and a switchblade popped open in it. He gently

3792
03:50:25.200 --> 03:50:28.079
reached down and cut the ropes tying her to the chair.

3793
03:50:29.079 --> 03:50:33.159
There we go, sweets, he said, pulling the ropes loose. Oh,

3794
03:50:33.200 --> 03:50:36.959
thank you, thank you, thank you. Amber sobbed. Do you

3795
03:50:37.000 --> 03:50:40.879
have a phone. We need to call the police. Sorry, babe,

3796
03:50:41.040 --> 03:50:44.360
ain't got no phone, he said. We need to get

3797
03:50:44.360 --> 03:50:47.079
out of here. We need to get help. She said.

3798
03:50:47.399 --> 03:50:50.079
Her legs were numb from lack of circulation, and she

3799
03:50:50.159 --> 03:50:53.360
stumbled as she tried to stand. As he steadied her,

3800
03:50:53.680 --> 03:50:58.719
she could smell the overpowering stench of alcohol. We got

3801
03:50:58.760 --> 03:51:02.000
a long walk then, because I ain't got no car either.

3802
03:51:02.840 --> 03:51:04.719
I was with some coworkers on the way to a

3803
03:51:04.760 --> 03:51:07.479
Halloween shindig when I suddenly found myself here in the

3804
03:51:07.479 --> 03:51:10.600
middle of fucking nowhere. There ain't no one around for

3805
03:51:10.680 --> 03:51:14.879
miles except us and him, he said, pointing to the killer.

3806
03:51:15.559 --> 03:51:17.920
Amber looked to the killer and was shocked to see

3807
03:51:18.000 --> 03:51:21.280
him beginning to stir. She could now hear a low

3808
03:51:21.440 --> 03:51:24.360
moan coming from him as the maniac began rubbing the

3809
03:51:24.399 --> 03:51:28.079
side of his face. Oh God, you have to finish him.

3810
03:51:28.600 --> 03:51:32.680
He's getting up, she gasped. Well it's not time for

3811
03:51:32.760 --> 03:51:36.000
that yet. What kind of movie would that be? This

3812
03:51:36.159 --> 03:51:38.280
is where we beat feet and try to hide from

3813
03:51:38.360 --> 03:51:42.000
the vicious killer, the young man said as he turned

3814
03:51:42.040 --> 03:51:44.760
away from her. God, I always wanted to be in

3815
03:51:44.840 --> 03:51:48.239
a horror movie. Giggling, the young man walked through a

3816
03:51:48.280 --> 03:51:52.000
door leading deeper into the factory. Amber looked at the

3817
03:51:52.040 --> 03:51:54.600
doorway and then back at the killer, who was trying

3818
03:51:54.600 --> 03:51:57.639
to pull himself up to his knees. She limped through

3819
03:51:57.639 --> 03:52:00.559
the door. It took Amber a second and to see

3820
03:52:00.559 --> 03:52:04.840
Clyde moving silently through the rows of rusty machinery. She

3821
03:52:04.959 --> 03:52:08.879
moved as quickly and quietly as her aching legs would allow.

3822
03:52:10.000 --> 03:52:12.399
When she caught up to him, he turned and looked

3823
03:52:12.399 --> 03:52:15.559
at her with a sly smile. I hope he's a

3824
03:52:15.600 --> 03:52:18.399
good killer. I hate for this night to be a bust,

3825
03:52:18.959 --> 03:52:22.360
he said. Amber stared at him for a second before saying,

3826
03:52:23.159 --> 03:52:28.639
you're crazy. I'm not crazy, I'm Clyde. He whispered, giggling again.

3827
03:52:29.600 --> 03:52:33.879
Clyde turned and glided into the darkness. Amber hesitated, but

3828
03:52:34.000 --> 03:52:37.479
began to move once she heard a metallic scrape somewhere

3829
03:52:37.479 --> 03:52:44.520
behind her. Amber stumbled and groped her way through the

3830
03:52:44.600 --> 03:52:51.879
darkened factory, following Clyde. The killer could be heard yelling,

3831
03:52:52.319 --> 03:52:57.280
his voice echoing off the factory walls. After long, tense minutes,

3832
03:52:58.200 --> 03:53:02.520
everything grew quiet. Suddenly, a beam of light sprung out

3833
03:53:02.520 --> 03:53:05.879
of the darkness, illuminating the row of machinery ahead of her.

3834
03:53:06.600 --> 03:53:10.040
She stifled a scream as the light moved back and forth,

3835
03:53:10.520 --> 03:53:14.719
seeking them out. A booming voice yelled from the darkness

3836
03:53:14.799 --> 03:53:15.840
behind the flashlight.

3837
03:53:16.239 --> 03:53:21.559
Here, Kitty, Kitty, come out, kitty, and your little boyfriend too.

3838
03:53:22.360 --> 03:53:25.920
Clyde reached out and padded Amber's hand. I think it's

3839
03:53:25.959 --> 03:53:28.799
time for the big scene. You wait here and I'll

3840
03:53:28.840 --> 03:53:31.360
go out and see if we can't speed things up.

3841
03:53:31.879 --> 03:53:35.600
I have to be back by dawn, Clyde whispered. He

3842
03:53:35.719 --> 03:53:39.040
picked up a large, rusty wrench off the bench next

3843
03:53:39.079 --> 03:53:42.959
to them and banged it on the cement floor. The

3844
03:53:43.000 --> 03:53:47.879
flashlight whipped around and locked onto the crouching figures of

3845
03:53:48.000 --> 03:53:52.559
Clyde and Amber. Clyde stood and shaking his fist at

3846
03:53:52.600 --> 03:53:56.280
the killer, roared, if you want her, daddyo, you have

3847
03:53:56.360 --> 03:54:00.959
to go through me first. The killer, scene behind the

3848
03:54:00.959 --> 03:54:03.719
bright light, laughed and said that.

3849
03:54:05.399 --> 03:54:05.680
Come.

3850
03:54:06.879 --> 03:54:10.520
Clyde ran at the killer. Amber heard sounds of a struggle,

3851
03:54:10.680 --> 03:54:13.719
and the beam of the flashlight swung back and forth

3852
03:54:13.760 --> 03:54:16.000
as they fought, but it was difficult for her to

3853
03:54:16.079 --> 03:54:22.600
tell what was going on. Finally, the struggle ended. A

3854
03:54:22.680 --> 03:54:25.639
figure stumbled back and fell on the ground in front

3855
03:54:25.680 --> 03:54:30.719
of Amber. The flashlight swung around a spotlight. Clyde lying

3856
03:54:30.799 --> 03:54:34.079
on his back, holding his hands to his throat, blood

3857
03:54:34.200 --> 03:54:38.280
pouring out from between his fingers. Clyde tried to speak,

3858
03:54:38.520 --> 03:54:40.479
reaching out to her, but all that came out of

3859
03:54:40.479 --> 03:54:44.719
his mouth was an eruption of blood. His outstretched hand

3860
03:54:44.760 --> 03:54:49.479
fell to the ground as he stopped struggling and laid there,

3861
03:54:50.159 --> 03:54:56.319
limp and unmoving. The light snapped to Amber's face, blinding her.

3862
03:54:56.799 --> 03:54:59.280
She tried jumping to her feet to run away, but

3863
03:54:59.360 --> 03:55:03.440
her legs out from under her. She fell forward, striking

3864
03:55:03.479 --> 03:55:05.920
her head on the edge of a bench, landing on

3865
03:55:05.959 --> 03:55:09.879
the floor. Dazed, she felt the breath leave her as

3866
03:55:09.920 --> 03:55:13.280
the killer brought his large boot down upon her neck.

3867
03:55:14.639 --> 03:55:19.079
I have so much to show you, my little kitty cat,

3868
03:55:19.399 --> 03:55:30.200
he whispered. Once again, Amber's whirled went dark. As Amber

3869
03:55:30.319 --> 03:55:33.399
came to, she felt a coldness under her bare skin.

3870
03:55:34.559 --> 03:55:36.799
She tried to roll over, only to find that she

3871
03:55:36.920 --> 03:55:42.159
was tied down, spread eagle. She blinked the dizziness from

3872
03:55:42.239 --> 03:55:46.200
her eyes and squinted at her body. Each wrist and

3873
03:55:46.280 --> 03:55:50.600
ankle was tied to a steel rod hammered into the concrete.

3874
03:55:51.440 --> 03:55:55.159
As the fog continued to lift from her consciousness, she

3875
03:55:55.239 --> 03:55:59.680
saw something move above her, and, after a moment of effort,

3876
03:56:00.559 --> 03:56:06.399
her eyes focused on a face, the face of the Killer.

3877
03:56:07.440 --> 03:56:11.920
There you are, my little one, he cooed, grinning. You

3878
03:56:12.079 --> 03:56:14.879
gave me a scare. I thought you may not wake

3879
03:56:15.000 --> 03:56:18.600
up to accept the dark One's blessing, he said, his

3880
03:56:18.719 --> 03:56:21.600
wicked blade catching the light from the candles that were

3881
03:56:21.639 --> 03:56:27.280
placed around her. Amber began to weep, begging for her life.

3882
03:56:29.000 --> 03:56:33.600
Sh I'll have none of that. This is a joyous time.

3883
03:56:34.360 --> 03:56:38.159
If you start blubbering, I'll begin by carving out your tongue,

3884
03:56:38.399 --> 03:56:42.479
the Killer whispered to her. Amber struggled to control herself,

3885
03:56:42.719 --> 03:56:46.840
but she could not stop her sobbing. Maybe I should

3886
03:56:46.920 --> 03:56:51.840
begin here, the killer purred as he ran the knife

3887
03:56:51.879 --> 03:56:56.719
down her bare belly toward her privates. After all, that

3888
03:56:56.920 --> 03:57:01.879
is what turns little angels into lie hoars, he said,

3889
03:57:02.200 --> 03:57:05.719
yelling the last few words, he plunged the knife several

3890
03:57:05.760 --> 03:57:09.479
inches deep inside her. Amber screamed as she felt blood

3891
03:57:09.520 --> 03:57:12.840
flowing from between her legs. The Killer pulled the knife

3892
03:57:12.879 --> 03:57:15.639
out of her and slowly ran his tongue along the

3893
03:57:15.680 --> 03:57:20.840
flat of the blade, savoring the taste of her blood. Oh, yes,

3894
03:57:21.719 --> 03:57:24.799
the dark Lord will shower me with rewards for bringing

3895
03:57:24.840 --> 03:57:29.159
him a soul like yours. He leaned down and licked

3896
03:57:29.159 --> 03:57:32.440
the tears from Amber's face. As sobs wrecked her body,

3897
03:57:33.680 --> 03:57:37.319
Laughter exploded from behind them. The Killer whipped his head

3898
03:57:37.360 --> 03:57:42.959
around and gawked at what he saw. Amber, with considerable effort,

3899
03:57:43.280 --> 03:57:48.639
raised her head and stared unbelieving at Clyde, sitting calmly

3900
03:57:48.719 --> 03:57:51.000
on the loading dock in the chair that Amber had

3901
03:57:51.000 --> 03:57:54.639
been tied to earlier. Clyde's white t shirt was covered

3902
03:57:54.680 --> 03:57:58.680
in drying blood, but he seemed unhurt. He flicked his

3903
03:57:58.719 --> 03:58:02.000
thumb across a match head, causing it to burst into flame.

3904
03:58:02.479 --> 03:58:04.840
He brought the match up to a cigarette in his mouth,

3905
03:58:05.159 --> 03:58:08.840
lighting it. Damn, you have no idea how much I

3906
03:58:08.879 --> 03:58:13.239
miss these, he said, taking a deep drag. You'd think

3907
03:58:13.280 --> 03:58:16.040
with all the smoke and fire where I work, they

3908
03:58:16.040 --> 03:58:21.319
would allow these, But nope, Clyde continued wistfully. Hell can

3909
03:58:21.360 --> 03:58:26.239
be a weird place sometimes. The Killer rose to his feet.

3910
03:58:26.639 --> 03:58:29.879
He waved his knife in the air before saying, you

3911
03:58:30.040 --> 03:58:32.879
stay back. She is my sacrifice to the dark One,

3912
03:58:32.959 --> 03:58:39.879
and you cannot have her. Clyde laughed again. Dark and ominous,

3913
03:58:40.520 --> 03:58:44.159
you think this, he said, spreading his hands toward the

3914
03:58:44.200 --> 03:58:47.319
carnage around them, will get you the attention of the

3915
03:58:47.600 --> 03:58:52.399
dark Lord. You have no idea what it takes. I

3916
03:58:52.479 --> 03:58:56.600
committed countless atrocities, gave him the souls of hundreds of men,

3917
03:58:56.719 --> 03:58:59.680
women and children. I ripped babies from the wombs of

3918
03:58:59.719 --> 03:59:02.840
their and burn nuns alive, screaming for their God to

3919
03:59:02.840 --> 03:59:06.159
save them. And yet I barely registered on the radar

3920
03:59:06.239 --> 03:59:10.319
of his lowest Lieutenant Clyde was now standing screaming at

3921
03:59:10.360 --> 03:59:13.280
the killer. I devoted my whole life to killing for

3922
03:59:13.399 --> 03:59:17.079
his glory, and he doesn't even know my name. You

3923
03:59:17.159 --> 03:59:20.280
think killing a couple of skirts will bring down his blessing?

3924
03:59:20.920 --> 03:59:26.719
You're a fool, he said with contempt. The killer, shaking

3925
03:59:26.760 --> 03:59:31.559
with rage, roared the dark one promised me glory, eternal life.

3926
03:59:31.680 --> 03:59:34.680
You will not take that away from me. The killer

3927
03:59:34.760 --> 03:59:37.399
lunged forward and buried his knife up to the hilt

3928
03:59:37.559 --> 03:59:41.719
in Clyde's chest. The killer stopped dead, his mouth agape

3929
03:59:41.719 --> 03:59:46.559
as Clyde almost nonchalantly grabbed him by the neck and

3930
03:59:46.680 --> 03:59:49.760
lifted him off the ground. Clyde looked up at the

3931
03:59:49.840 --> 03:59:54.719
killer and grinned. So he promised you eternal life. Well,

3932
03:59:54.799 --> 03:59:58.879
let's u test that out. Clyde's hand shot out and

3933
03:59:59.040 --> 04:00:02.799
plunged into the ki killer's chest. When he withdrew his hand,

3934
04:00:03.200 --> 04:00:07.200
he was holding the killer's still beating heart. He left

3935
04:00:07.200 --> 04:00:12.079
both the killer's body and heart to drop to the ground. Sighing,

3936
04:00:12.520 --> 04:00:14.879
Clyde took a seat at the edge of the loading dock.

3937
04:00:15.639 --> 04:00:17.959
He reached over and picked up his cigarette from the

3938
04:00:18.000 --> 04:00:22.600
floor where he dropped it during the confrontation. He ran

3939
04:00:22.719 --> 04:00:25.959
his hand, still slick with the killer's blood, threw his

3940
04:00:26.079 --> 04:00:30.799
hair and sighed again. Taking a drag from his smoke,

3941
04:00:31.280 --> 04:00:35.719
he said, man, this isn't how I pictured this night going.

3942
04:00:36.440 --> 04:00:39.479
Hell's a bitch of a place, to work. A handful

3943
04:00:39.520 --> 04:00:42.840
of us get one night off a year on Halloween.

3944
04:00:43.959 --> 04:00:47.360
For the first time since I've been there almost seventy years,

3945
04:00:47.600 --> 04:00:50.840
I was picked. We had a great night planned. We

3946
04:00:50.840 --> 04:00:54.600
were going to terrorize a small remote village, burn their

3947
04:00:54.639 --> 04:00:57.639
crops and livestock, possess a few people, and end the

3948
04:00:57.760 --> 04:01:01.520
night in a blood bath. He flicked ashes on the

3949
04:01:01.559 --> 04:01:07.719
killer's forehead. Somehow I ended up here. I think it

3950
04:01:07.799 --> 04:01:11.040
was because of this fuck wad's ritual or whatever he

3951
04:01:11.159 --> 04:01:14.280
was doing. Maybe I was sent by the big Guy

3952
04:01:14.319 --> 04:01:18.559
to teach him a lesson. Hell, he laughed. Maybe the

3953
04:01:18.639 --> 04:01:22.000
dark Lord did have big plans for him and I

3954
04:01:22.120 --> 04:01:27.319
uh fucked it up. Oh well, either way, I'll find

3955
04:01:27.319 --> 04:01:30.799
out in the morning. Clyde took a final drag off

3956
04:01:30.840 --> 04:01:35.159
of his cigarette and flicked it off into the darkness. Well,

3957
04:01:35.200 --> 04:01:38.239
little missy, he said, as he looked over at Amber,

3958
04:01:39.319 --> 04:01:42.680
I don't have to leave until dawn, so let's have

3959
04:01:42.760 --> 04:01:46.399
ourselves a little Halloween party. He pulled the knife from

3960
04:01:46.440 --> 04:01:50.840
his chest and tested the edge with his thumb. Grinning,

3961
04:01:51.440 --> 04:01:55.399
he jumped to his feet and walked toward Amber for

3962
04:01:55.479 --> 04:02:09.479
the last time. Amber began to scream a wet and

3963
04:02:09.760 --> 04:02:18.159
wild Halloween by David O'Hanlon. Bryce glared into the gaping

3964
04:02:18.280 --> 04:02:21.760
mouth of the Pumpkin King and knew he was going

3965
04:02:21.840 --> 04:02:25.280
to die. He could hear the terrified screams of those

3966
04:02:25.479 --> 04:02:29.959
already inside. The screeching, piercing wails of their panic rang

3967
04:02:30.000 --> 04:02:33.440
out over the cacophony around him, drowning out the rest

3968
04:02:33.520 --> 04:02:34.239
of the world.

3969
04:02:35.319 --> 04:02:35.760
One of the.

3970
04:02:35.840 --> 04:02:39.479
King's victims launched between the bright orange lips and hung

3971
04:02:39.600 --> 04:02:43.959
in the air. Bryce's stomach twisted in nervous knots as

3972
04:02:44.000 --> 04:02:47.399
the child flailed about in the afternoon sky before splashing

3973
04:02:47.399 --> 04:02:51.079
into the pool below. The little boy exploded through the

3974
04:02:51.120 --> 04:02:54.680
surface and shrieked a prepubescent yeehaw.

3975
04:02:56.000 --> 04:02:56.920
Bryce shook his.

3976
04:02:56.920 --> 04:02:59.959
Head and wandered around the ever growing line of texts

3977
04:03:00.520 --> 04:03:04.000
Greatest water Slide. The only thing good about the state

3978
04:03:04.159 --> 04:03:06.719
was that Halloween was still hot enough to enjoy a

3979
04:03:06.719 --> 04:03:10.000
trip to the water park. The other water slides were

3980
04:03:10.120 --> 04:03:14.360
largely being ignored in favor of the big new attraction.

3981
04:03:14.959 --> 04:03:17.440
It was their last chance before the park closed for

3982
04:03:17.479 --> 04:03:21.879
the year. Some twisted genius had designed the winding Tubes

3983
04:03:21.920 --> 04:03:26.239
of Certainish Death so that four people could go down simultaneously.

3984
04:03:26.719 --> 04:03:29.719
Cris crossing each other's paths along the black and purple

3985
04:03:29.760 --> 04:03:34.559
shoots until being vomited out of the Pumpkin King's smirking face.

3986
04:03:35.479 --> 04:03:39.840
The oversized gourd hung perilously over a bat shaped pool,

3987
04:03:39.920 --> 04:03:43.479
with orange lights illuminating the water from below, so the

3988
04:03:43.559 --> 04:03:48.799
line of anxious guests could see the previous victims churning about.

3989
04:03:49.360 --> 04:03:53.799
A heinous cackle emanated from hidden speakers, signaling the attendants

3990
04:03:53.799 --> 04:03:58.280
to prepare the next victims. Bryce would be one of

3991
04:03:58.319 --> 04:04:02.760
the night's sacrifices. Splashtown was opened from the last day

3992
04:04:02.760 --> 04:04:06.159
of school to Halloween every year, and with the water

3993
04:04:06.239 --> 04:04:09.959
drop shaped season pass around her neck, Rebecca Angle would

3994
04:04:10.000 --> 04:04:13.959
be there almost every single day. Bryce had fallen in

3995
04:04:14.000 --> 04:04:16.520
love with Rebecca when they shared a moon pie at

3996
04:04:16.559 --> 04:04:20.959
recess in the third grade. After eight years of awkwardness,

3997
04:04:21.479 --> 04:04:24.440
Bryce had finally worked up the nerve to ask Rebecca

3998
04:04:24.680 --> 04:04:27.239
to go on a date with them. She'd be at

3999
04:04:27.280 --> 04:04:30.920
Splashtown anyway, so it wasn't any extra effort on her part.

4000
04:04:31.600 --> 04:04:36.159
He was still surprised when she said, yes, Mommy, my

4001
04:04:36.280 --> 04:04:39.760
skin is stinging. A little girl with auburn pigtails whined

4002
04:04:39.799 --> 04:04:44.079
as she walked past Bryce You're fine, Susy, Her mother said,

4003
04:04:44.639 --> 04:04:47.719
you just need more sun block. Bryce stuck his hands

4004
04:04:47.719 --> 04:04:49.879
in the pockets of his swim trunks and made his

4005
04:04:49.959 --> 04:04:53.000
way to the concession stands to meet up with Rebecca.

4006
04:04:53.479 --> 04:04:56.200
He sniffed the air and tried not to drool at

4007
04:04:56.200 --> 04:05:00.600
the flavors attacking his nose. He mentally und tangled the

4008
04:05:00.639 --> 04:05:04.000
sweet smell of funnel cakes from the savory chili dogs,

4009
04:05:04.479 --> 04:05:08.920
the pizza slices from the cheeseburgers. His stomach growled with

4010
04:05:09.120 --> 04:05:12.719
rage at the boy's new diet. Bryce rubbed his belly

4011
04:05:12.719 --> 04:05:15.920
and looked down. For the first time since he was seven,

4012
04:05:16.680 --> 04:05:20.719
he could see his feet again. He missed the delicious foods,

4013
04:05:20.760 --> 04:05:24.040
but he was glad he'd started eating right and working out.

4014
04:05:24.959 --> 04:05:26.959
He ordered a bottle of water in a bag of

4015
04:05:27.000 --> 04:05:31.239
peanuts before taking a seat on a nearby bench. A

4016
04:05:31.319 --> 04:05:35.120
girl walked by, sniffing her hair. Though he couldn't see

4017
04:05:35.120 --> 04:05:38.799
her face, Bryce recognized Tabby Winfield by her high pitched

4018
04:05:39.280 --> 04:05:43.319
nasal wine. She tossed the thick braid over her shoulder

4019
04:05:43.360 --> 04:05:47.159
and scrunched her nose. The water here smells like daddy's

4020
04:05:47.200 --> 04:05:51.280
farm hands, she told her friends. Bryce remembered the girl

4021
04:05:51.319 --> 04:05:55.200
from earlier and looked around the park. Others made sour

4022
04:05:55.280 --> 04:05:58.799
expressions as they towled off as well. A man rinsed

4023
04:05:58.840 --> 04:06:03.000
his sobbing grandson off with a bottle of water. John Cahill,

4024
04:06:03.120 --> 04:06:06.680
the star of the basketball team, wretched excess water into

4025
04:06:06.719 --> 04:06:10.959
a trash. Ben Bryce watched more park goers flying out

4026
04:06:10.959 --> 04:06:21.600
of that damn pumpkin. Something was wrong, God damn it,

4027
04:06:21.719 --> 04:06:25.159
stew Peter Brack shouted as he ducked under the low

4028
04:06:25.200 --> 04:06:28.520
hanging pipes on his way to the maintenance supervisor's office.

4029
04:06:29.120 --> 04:06:31.719
You got the solution up too high. These assholes are

4030
04:06:31.760 --> 04:06:34.760
beating down my door demanding refunds and free T shirts.

4031
04:06:35.120 --> 04:06:39.319
Those shirts cost me six fifty apiece. Peter stopped complaining

4032
04:06:39.360 --> 04:06:42.879
once he got to the water treatment controls. Stu Band

4033
04:06:43.000 --> 04:06:46.120
was nowhere to be seen. Pete checked the gages on

4034
04:06:46.159 --> 04:06:50.840
the machinery himself and sputtered his plump lips. Everything was

4035
04:06:50.879 --> 04:06:54.120
in the green. He thumped them each to see if

4036
04:06:54.120 --> 04:06:58.479
they were stuck, but nothing happened. He squatted as much

4037
04:06:58.479 --> 04:07:01.719
as his knees allowed and stared at the water samples

4038
04:07:01.760 --> 04:07:06.200
collected in the slight tubes. Something sparkled in the suspension.

4039
04:07:07.000 --> 04:07:11.799
What intarnation is going on? Pete scratched at his horseshoe

4040
04:07:11.799 --> 04:07:17.079
of silver hair. Pete shouted for Stew again, no response.

4041
04:07:18.239 --> 04:07:21.520
He continued his inspection of the machine, then stumbled to

4042
04:07:21.600 --> 04:07:25.440
a halt. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth,

4043
04:07:26.000 --> 04:07:30.719
hoping he was wrong. He opened his eyes slowly and

4044
04:07:30.799 --> 04:07:33.879
looked at the fifty five gallon drums plumbed into the

4045
04:07:33.920 --> 04:07:38.159
treatment lines with a defeated sigh. Pete had been running

4046
04:07:38.239 --> 04:07:41.920
Splashtown for thirty years. The drums for the water treatment

4047
04:07:41.959 --> 04:07:46.200
solution had always been blue polymer. Pete stomped closer to

4048
04:07:46.280 --> 04:07:49.639
the red steel drums and wrapped his knuckles against the

4049
04:07:49.719 --> 04:07:53.159
side of the nearest one. It was already half empty.

4050
04:07:54.120 --> 04:07:57.040
He searched each of them for a label or any

4051
04:07:57.079 --> 04:08:01.120
other indication of what might have been inside. I'm going

4052
04:08:01.159 --> 04:08:04.680
to break your scrawny neck, Stew. He grabbed the wheel

4053
04:08:04.719 --> 04:08:07.360
to shut off the flow. The lawyers are going to

4054
04:08:07.399 --> 04:08:10.040
have our balls for breakfast if this shit is toxic.

4055
04:08:11.079 --> 04:08:14.360
A moist hand clamped onto the back of Peter Brack's neck.

4056
04:08:15.159 --> 04:08:19.000
The screwdriver plunged into his ear and he fell to

4057
04:08:19.079 --> 04:08:25.639
the concrete Stew's slimy, malformed hands cranked the wheel, fully

4058
04:08:25.760 --> 04:08:30.719
opening the valves. Brack's final seconds were pure terror as

4059
04:08:30.760 --> 04:08:35.360
he watched the sample tubes change color. That horrible shimmer

4060
04:08:35.959 --> 04:08:42.760
became a frantic, swirling glow. Something slithered along the pipes overhead.

4061
04:08:43.840 --> 04:08:54.120
Pete could almost see it. Bryce sipped his water and

4062
04:08:54.200 --> 04:08:58.000
watched the park staff meander about in their Halloween costumes.

4063
04:08:58.680 --> 04:09:02.120
Attendants at the Pumpkin King tossed handfuls of sweets at

4064
04:09:02.120 --> 04:09:06.360
the line to keep everyone calm. Bryce missed tricker treating.

4065
04:09:07.319 --> 04:09:10.360
High school parties were fun, but they lacked the same

4066
04:09:10.479 --> 04:09:14.399
spirit of the more childish pastime he was a year

4067
04:09:14.440 --> 04:09:18.639
from adulthood. Halloween couldn't offer anything as scary as that.

4068
04:09:20.040 --> 04:09:22.600
A group of parents cornered a staffer in a witch

4069
04:09:22.639 --> 04:09:26.639
costume and began berating the poor girl. Bryce couldn't hear

4070
04:09:26.680 --> 04:09:30.159
what they were saying as they furiously waved their hands

4071
04:09:30.159 --> 04:09:33.479
at the crying children behind them. A hand on his

4072
04:09:33.559 --> 04:09:36.079
shoulder made him jump, and he spun around on the

4073
04:09:36.079 --> 04:09:42.000
bench to see Rebecca Angle standing there, smiling down at him.

4074
04:09:42.319 --> 04:09:46.680
Her black one piece was festooned with sparkling pumpkins, and

4075
04:09:46.760 --> 04:09:51.000
he tried to pry his eyes back to her face. Hi, Becca,

4076
04:09:51.680 --> 04:09:55.200
he said, with all the coolness he could muster. Been

4077
04:09:55.280 --> 04:09:59.479
here long. He didn't know why he'd asked. Her hair

4078
04:09:59.600 --> 04:10:02.520
was dry and they'd agreed to meet at the concession stand,

4079
04:10:02.600 --> 04:10:07.280
so the answer was obvious. Bryce forced a smile and

4080
04:10:07.399 --> 04:10:11.079
hoped it covered up his folly. Nope, just got done

4081
04:10:11.079 --> 04:10:13.840
putting my stuff in the lockers. She pointed at the

4082
04:10:13.879 --> 04:10:16.719
pumpkin king. Should we get in line for that one first?

4083
04:10:17.159 --> 04:10:19.440
It'll take the longest. I thought we could get it

4084
04:10:19.479 --> 04:10:21.440
out of the way and just hang out while we wait.

4085
04:10:22.520 --> 04:10:28.159
Bryce nodded, Sure, sounds good. The line zigzagged back and

4086
04:10:28.200 --> 04:10:31.399
forth in six rows between orange and black velvet ropes.

4087
04:10:31.959 --> 04:10:33.959
They took their place at the end of the line

4088
04:10:34.239 --> 04:10:37.120
and talked about their chemistry test and the fall dance.

4089
04:10:38.319 --> 04:10:42.280
He was too distracted by more disgruntled guests, which caused

4090
04:10:42.360 --> 04:10:45.479
him to miss his opportunity to ask her to the dance.

4091
04:10:46.639 --> 04:10:49.719
He tried bringing the conversation back around to the event.

4092
04:10:50.719 --> 04:10:54.000
When the screaming started, they echoed down the tubes of

4093
04:10:54.079 --> 04:10:56.680
the slide as heralds of the misery still to come.

4094
04:10:57.239 --> 04:10:59.639
The child shot from the mouth of the pumpkin, king

4095
04:11:00.120 --> 04:11:04.559
an iridescent gout of violet water. The shrill cries continued

4096
04:11:04.600 --> 04:11:08.319
until the boy splashed into the pool below. From his position,

4097
04:11:08.479 --> 04:11:12.920
Bryce couldn't see the chemicals spilling forth and spreading, consuming

4098
04:11:13.040 --> 04:11:16.760
the ordinary water with ferocity. His gaze flicked back to

4099
04:11:16.799 --> 04:11:20.360
the gargantuan gourd and the elderly man that flew out next.

4100
04:11:20.920 --> 04:11:23.360
Bryce rubbed his eyes to clear what must have been

4101
04:11:23.399 --> 04:11:26.760
a trick of the light, and obese lady streaked down

4102
04:11:26.799 --> 04:11:30.799
the water slide right behind the geriatric high Above them,

4103
04:11:30.920 --> 04:11:34.360
Splashtown employees dressed like Mario and Luigi hurried the next

4104
04:11:34.440 --> 04:11:37.920
riders into their passages. Bryce called for one of the

4105
04:11:37.959 --> 04:11:42.280
candy throwers, but got no response. Maybe it was for

4106
04:11:42.319 --> 04:11:45.079
the better, after all, how was he going to explain

4107
04:11:45.120 --> 04:11:48.120
his request to shut down the slide. They weren't going

4108
04:11:48.159 --> 04:11:51.719
to believe him if he said the geezer's skin was wrong.

4109
04:11:52.959 --> 04:11:55.239
Bryce shoved forward in line to one of the pool's

4110
04:11:55.319 --> 04:11:59.399
viewing windows. The purple fluid dyed the pool with shimmering,

4111
04:12:00.120 --> 04:12:04.120
ancerous swirls. The team cupped his hands around his eyes

4112
04:12:04.200 --> 04:12:08.559
and leaned on the cool glass. The underwater lighting reflected

4113
04:12:08.600 --> 04:12:12.719
off whatever. The violet substance carried and twinkled like thousands

4114
04:12:12.760 --> 04:12:17.559
of stars, but Bryce couldn't see anyone. The little boy

4115
04:12:17.680 --> 04:12:21.840
swam by the window, giving Bryce a start. More screams

4116
04:12:21.959 --> 04:12:26.040
pierced the evening, only these weren't filled with the playful

4117
04:12:26.079 --> 04:12:30.680
fear of sliders. Another shape whipped past the glass portal.

4118
04:12:31.159 --> 04:12:34.840
Bryce leaped away from the wall. The boy came back

4119
04:12:34.879 --> 04:12:39.159
into view. The old man clung to his back. Finger

4120
04:12:39.239 --> 04:12:43.280
length appendages danced from open wounds along the man's exposed torso.

4121
04:12:43.879 --> 04:12:47.319
A shiny black spine snicked out each like switchblades and

4122
04:12:47.440 --> 04:12:51.319
darted into the child's flesh. The fat lady flipped over

4123
04:12:51.360 --> 04:12:54.920
the guardrail overhead and hit the sidewalk next to Bryce,

4124
04:12:55.280 --> 04:12:59.360
pinning another impatient guest below her girth. Bryce listened to

4125
04:12:59.399 --> 04:13:02.239
the muffled sark screams beneath her and saw the same

4126
04:13:02.399 --> 04:13:06.239
dancing wormlike things stretching out from her skin and fighting

4127
04:13:06.280 --> 04:13:09.840
the fabric of her ill advised bikini. He bolted to

4128
04:13:09.879 --> 04:13:11.920
the back of the line for Rebecca. As the crowd

4129
04:13:11.959 --> 04:13:16.120
began to scream and run in all directions around the park.

4130
04:13:16.239 --> 04:13:19.719
Others were doing the same. Bryce seized Rebecca by the arm.

4131
04:13:20.040 --> 04:13:24.040
We've got to go, now, what's happening, she asked, as

4132
04:13:24.079 --> 04:13:26.559
he dragged her away from the pumpkin king. Did someone

4133
04:13:26.600 --> 04:13:30.799
get hurt? Tabby Winfield answered her question by tackling two

4134
04:13:30.840 --> 04:13:33.719
of their classmates. Her hand gripped the bag of Tom

4135
04:13:33.840 --> 04:13:38.239
Zabo's collar. The worm things tore out between her fingers

4136
04:13:38.440 --> 04:13:40.959
and stuck their talons into the base of his skull.

4137
04:13:41.600 --> 04:13:44.479
Tom's dates squirmed under Tabby, who lifted her head in

4138
04:13:44.520 --> 04:13:49.399
a weak shrill scream. Her throat undulated and ripped open wide,

4139
04:13:49.440 --> 04:13:53.040
revealing rows of teeth. The new mouth clamped onto the

4140
04:13:53.040 --> 04:13:58.399
trapped girl's skull with a crunch. What the hell, Becca whimpered,

4141
04:13:59.000 --> 04:14:02.200
she stumbled as Bryce pulled her along. More park goers

4142
04:14:02.200 --> 04:14:05.719
were being attacked by the mutants. Their new digits twisted

4143
04:14:05.760 --> 04:14:08.719
away from their bodies in search of prey. The black

4144
04:14:08.760 --> 04:14:13.200
talons darted in and out, ready to pierce flesh. Victims

4145
04:14:13.239 --> 04:14:17.040
screamed and cried around them. Bryce pulled Rebecca into one

4146
04:14:17.079 --> 04:14:20.719
of the restrooms and slammed the door. His hands slapped

4147
04:14:20.760 --> 04:14:24.440
at a bare brass plate. Damn it, he shouted, kicking

4148
04:14:24.479 --> 04:14:28.639
the door. It only locks from the outside. Wonderful hiding spot.

4149
04:14:29.120 --> 04:14:32.959
It'll do for now. Do you mind? A voice bellowed

4150
04:14:32.959 --> 04:14:36.280
from one of the stalls. Some of us are concentrating.

4151
04:14:37.000 --> 04:14:38.920
There's an emergency, Rebecca shouted.

4152
04:14:39.079 --> 04:14:39.879
Do you have a phone?

4153
04:14:40.799 --> 04:14:44.920
Obviously the toilet flushed. What else do people do on

4154
04:14:44.959 --> 04:14:47.840
the toilet? The door swung open, and a middle aged

4155
04:14:47.840 --> 04:14:50.799
man in a power ranger's costume stepped out, adjusting the

4156
04:14:50.840 --> 04:14:54.520
bulge in his crotch. Don't worry, miss, It's a sock,

4157
04:14:54.920 --> 04:14:59.120
not a chubby, he informed Rebecca. Spandex isn't the most

4158
04:14:59.440 --> 04:15:02.440
flattering fabric. Got to beef up the beef bus for

4159
04:15:02.479 --> 04:15:04.719
all the single moms that come through here. Know what

4160
04:15:04.760 --> 04:15:09.959
I'm saying, Jesus Christ mutants inside and out. Rebecca grumbled.

4161
04:15:10.799 --> 04:15:13.440
You've got some mighty fine genetics, the old man told her.

4162
04:15:13.840 --> 04:15:16.440
Wouldn't have any single moms swinging in your family tree.

4163
04:15:16.520 --> 04:15:20.520
Would you listen, Harvey Weinstein, people are getting killed outside

4164
04:15:20.559 --> 04:15:23.600
and we need to call for help, she blurted. Hell,

4165
04:15:24.239 --> 04:15:27.440
I was just joking about the phone, he said. They

4166
04:15:27.479 --> 04:15:29.479
make us lock them up at the start of each shift.

4167
04:15:30.360 --> 04:15:33.520
Bryce pointed to the plastic card dangling around the man's neck.

4168
04:15:34.159 --> 04:15:37.799
You're an employee. Who else wears a costume to a

4169
04:15:37.879 --> 04:15:43.000
water park. He chuckled names Flint, flint Stone, you can

4170
04:15:43.000 --> 04:15:45.000
shit can the jokes. I've heard them all my life.

4171
04:15:46.000 --> 04:15:48.440
Then you can get us to an office a guard shack.

4172
04:15:48.680 --> 04:15:52.280
Bryce stammered, I don't care where, just somewhere with a phone.

4173
04:15:53.120 --> 04:15:56.440
That's cute, kid. Flint told him, I'm not taking you

4174
04:15:56.520 --> 04:15:58.760
anywhere to make a prank call to the police about

4175
04:15:58.840 --> 04:16:04.200
monsters eating people. Can't you hear the screams, Rebecca questioned,

4176
04:16:04.760 --> 04:16:08.159
people are always screaming. It's an amusement park factor in

4177
04:16:08.239 --> 04:16:12.399
board staffers in spooky costumes, and they'll do it more so. Frankly,

4178
04:16:12.479 --> 04:16:17.000
miss it sounds like a Tuesday. The door exploded inward,

4179
04:16:17.079 --> 04:16:19.479
shattering from the force of the blow. Before the hinges

4180
04:16:19.479 --> 04:16:22.719
could swing it open safely, a man rolled across the

4181
04:16:22.799 --> 04:16:25.680
tile and came to a stop on all fours. The

4182
04:16:25.719 --> 04:16:29.680
white digits wriggled from his back like thick sentient hairs.

4183
04:16:30.479 --> 04:16:33.799
Purple drool trickled from the corner of his mouth, forming

4184
04:16:33.799 --> 04:16:37.799
a puddle beside his head. A tooth dropped into the saliva,

4185
04:16:38.680 --> 04:16:44.719
followed by another and another. Brown anorexic serpents slithered from

4186
04:16:44.719 --> 04:16:47.520
the empty sockets of his gums. Stretching two feet in

4187
04:16:47.559 --> 04:16:50.760
front of him. Mandibles unfurled from the sides of each

4188
04:16:50.799 --> 04:16:56.399
creature's head and snipped at the air. Flint backed away slowly.

4189
04:16:56.799 --> 04:17:00.079
His boots squeaked on the damp tile, drawing a hiss

4190
04:17:00.120 --> 04:17:03.600
from the throat slit of the mutant. The three oversized

4191
04:17:03.639 --> 04:17:07.840
worms lunged forward. Their motion tugged the man thing forward

4192
04:17:08.000 --> 04:17:11.360
as they followed the sound of Flint's retreat. The infected

4193
04:17:11.399 --> 04:17:14.719
man sprang up and dashed across the bathroom. Bryce stuck

4194
04:17:14.760 --> 04:17:17.600
out his foot and tripped the creature. It toppled to

4195
04:17:17.639 --> 04:17:20.879
the floor and slid closer to Flint. The mandibles hooked

4196
04:17:20.879 --> 04:17:22.920
into his thigh, and he let out a shrill squeal

4197
04:17:23.000 --> 04:17:26.079
before kicking the man's jaws shut on the bizarre appendages.

4198
04:17:26.920 --> 04:17:31.319
They released their prey and shot backwards. Flint leaped into

4199
04:17:31.399 --> 04:17:33.360
the air and came down on the man's back with

4200
04:17:33.440 --> 04:17:37.079
both feet. The black talons speared at the white leather

4201
04:17:37.159 --> 04:17:41.239
boots with sewing machine quickness. Flint pushed off, rolling across

4202
04:17:41.239 --> 04:17:44.159
the floor and away from the failed counter attack. He

4203
04:17:44.239 --> 04:17:49.040
dipped into the stall and shut the door seriously. Rebecca

4204
04:17:49.079 --> 04:17:52.559
shouted after him. Bryce hefted the rubber trash can overhead

4205
04:17:52.680 --> 04:17:56.159
and tossed it at the creature. It bounced off harmlessly.

4206
04:17:56.680 --> 04:18:00.000
Rebecca looked around for something more effective. When the creek

4207
04:18:00.319 --> 04:18:03.920
jumped to its feet. The throat slit spread wide and

4208
04:18:04.079 --> 04:18:07.680
gurgled a threat. The stall door banged open, and Flint

4209
04:18:07.760 --> 04:18:10.079
rushed toward the creature and bashed it across the back

4210
04:18:10.120 --> 04:18:12.799
of the head with a green bucket. A follow up

4211
04:18:12.799 --> 04:18:16.040
shot sent it careening into a mirror. The glass fell

4212
04:18:16.079 --> 04:18:19.280
into the sink and clattered to the floor. The makeshift

4213
04:18:19.319 --> 04:18:22.399
weapon flipped open and Flint swung it upward in a

4214
04:18:22.399 --> 04:18:26.680
single deft motion. It wasn't a bucket, but the helmet

4215
04:18:26.719 --> 04:18:30.959
to his costume. He clicked the latches in place. Can't

4216
04:18:31.000 --> 04:18:34.239
go into battle without my armor, Flint muttered and dipped

4217
04:18:34.280 --> 04:18:37.680
under an attack from the mouth tentacles. His gloved fingers

4218
04:18:37.680 --> 04:18:39.680
found a piece of glass in the sink. A moment

4219
04:18:39.719 --> 04:18:42.680
before the man thing's hand closed around his neck. A

4220
04:18:42.799 --> 04:18:45.760
talon clicked against the plastic helmet and drew back for

4221
04:18:45.840 --> 04:18:48.719
another try. Bryce placed his foot on the wall and

4222
04:18:48.879 --> 04:18:51.920
tore the paper towel dispenser free. The creature turned its

4223
04:18:51.920 --> 04:18:54.440
attention to the sudden commotion long enough for Flint to

4224
04:18:54.520 --> 04:18:58.159
drive the shive into its torso. The chest wound sputtered

4225
04:18:58.159 --> 04:19:01.360
as the obsolete lungs drained of it. The mouth tentacles

4226
04:19:01.399 --> 04:19:04.719
reared back and struck at the helmet. Flint thrust the

4227
04:19:04.760 --> 04:19:07.559
glass dagger into the man's abdomen and slid him from

4228
04:19:07.639 --> 04:19:11.440
hip to hip. Intestines unspooled from the wound and piled

4229
04:19:11.479 --> 04:19:16.440
at Flint's feet, and then something else plopped into the viscera.

4230
04:19:17.399 --> 04:19:21.000
The former person collapsed in a heap as the thing

4231
04:19:21.200 --> 04:19:25.920
evacuated the host body. The two foot long slug latched

4232
04:19:25.959 --> 04:19:29.680
onto the toe of his boot and slurped loudly. Flint

4233
04:19:29.719 --> 04:19:33.479
sprang up and sat on the sink. The radula darted

4234
04:19:33.479 --> 04:19:36.600
from the mollusk's mouth like a harpoon. Its serrated teeth

4235
04:19:36.680 --> 04:19:40.079
scraped across the porcelain and slashed side to side for

4236
04:19:40.239 --> 04:19:43.799
tender flesh. Rebecca slid across the floor like she was

4237
04:19:43.840 --> 04:19:46.760
stealing home, and kicked the slug against the wall. She

4238
04:19:46.879 --> 04:19:49.239
tried to stand, only to slip in the thick layer

4239
04:19:49.280 --> 04:19:52.799
of mucus clinging to her bare feet. Bryce ran forward

4240
04:19:52.879 --> 04:19:55.559
and jumped over the discarded carcass. He swung the paper

4241
04:19:55.600 --> 04:19:58.600
towel dispenser under his knees and landed on the strange entity.

4242
04:19:59.000 --> 04:20:02.600
A bright spray of yellow and magenta gushed across the floor.

4243
04:20:02.639 --> 04:20:06.319
To signal his success, Flint pushed off the sink and

4244
04:20:06.399 --> 04:20:11.360
helped Rebecca balance herself. Hugest air Sabuddha, goddamn space booker,

4245
04:20:11.799 --> 04:20:16.600
He shouted, It's a snail, Rebecca corrected him. Still look

4246
04:20:16.680 --> 04:20:20.920
like a Tuesday to you. Snails have shells, Bryce said,

4247
04:20:20.959 --> 04:20:25.200
between gags, what do you think that was? Rebecca pointed

4248
04:20:25.200 --> 04:20:28.959
at the dead body. They got in the water into

4249
04:20:28.959 --> 04:20:34.280
the pumpkin king wear their shells now. Flint shifted his

4250
04:20:34.440 --> 04:20:38.719
visored gaze between the teens. I don't follow. How'd a

4251
04:20:38.719 --> 04:20:42.559
bunch of those things go unnoticed? Maybe whatever that purple

4252
04:20:42.639 --> 04:20:45.879
shit was made them grow faster. Bryce threw his hands

4253
04:20:45.920 --> 04:20:49.399
into the air. What's it matter it drooled purple too.

4254
04:20:49.840 --> 04:20:52.959
Rebecca shook her head. These things might be able to

4255
04:20:53.000 --> 04:20:56.559
infect others by attacking them. We can't let them out

4256
04:20:56.559 --> 04:21:01.920
of splash town. Snails move slow, Flint said, like goddamn

4257
04:21:01.920 --> 04:21:06.719
hobbits trekking to Mordor slow. We've got time if you've

4258
04:21:06.760 --> 04:21:12.520
got a plan that is salt, Bryce suggested, we need

4259
04:21:12.600 --> 04:21:14.360
a lot of it, not to mention a way to

4260
04:21:14.399 --> 04:21:18.319
disperse it. Check and check. Flint put a hand on

4261
04:21:18.319 --> 04:21:21.239
each of their shoulders. You can't see it behind this

4262
04:21:21.559 --> 04:21:25.799
totally bitching and officially licensed replica helmet. But I'm smiling

4263
04:21:25.840 --> 04:21:29.239
bigger than shit right now. Rebecca turned to the door.

4264
04:21:29.920 --> 04:21:35.360
Well then, let's yabba daba do this, Flint groaned. You

4265
04:21:35.600 --> 04:21:42.120
just had to fucking say it, didn't you. This is

4266
04:21:42.239 --> 04:21:46.440
not a plan, Bryce shouted. Creatures hissed and shrieked in

4267
04:21:46.479 --> 04:21:49.879
hot pursuit of the six wheeled ATV. Designed for utility,

4268
04:21:50.239 --> 04:21:53.840
not recreation, the vehicle was barely keeping its lead under

4269
04:21:53.840 --> 04:21:56.799
the weight of its cargo. If there's one thing Texans

4270
04:21:56.840 --> 04:22:02.600
don't fear, it's a high cholesterol Dietzels, fries, burgers, homemade chips, popcorn,

4271
04:22:02.639 --> 04:22:05.559
tater rounds, fresh roasted peanuts, nachos, and onion rings were

4272
04:22:05.559 --> 04:22:08.559
available at each of the eighteen concession stands, which is

4273
04:22:08.600 --> 04:22:13.680
precisely why Splashtown bought salt in fifty pounds sacks. It's

4274
04:22:13.719 --> 04:22:17.000
working like a plan, Flint yelled back. One of the

4275
04:22:17.079 --> 04:22:20.559
mutants lunged onto the purely cosmetic brushguard of the ATV.

4276
04:22:21.159 --> 04:22:24.399
The mouthworms snapped at Flint's face. He seized one of

4277
04:22:24.399 --> 04:22:26.959
them and jerked down, bouncing the creature's face off the

4278
04:22:26.959 --> 04:22:29.879
hood and sending it back to the cobblestone path, where

4279
04:22:29.879 --> 04:22:33.639
the tires rolled over it. What exactly do you do here?

4280
04:22:34.440 --> 04:22:37.120
Supposed to be helping on the pumpkin king good thing?

4281
04:22:37.159 --> 04:22:39.879
I ate pizza heroes last night. If I hadn't had

4282
04:22:39.920 --> 04:22:42.520
the shits, the lines would have been moving faster and

4283
04:22:42.639 --> 04:22:45.840
you'd be a hobo murder slugs new tenement. Thank you

4284
04:22:45.920 --> 04:22:50.840
for your poor dietary choices, hopefully your girlfriend's imposition. She's

4285
04:22:50.879 --> 04:22:54.360
not my girlfriend, Bryce corrected him. Son, you're about to

4286
04:22:54.399 --> 04:22:57.840
save the entire state from Satan's s car go. Flint

4287
04:22:57.879 --> 04:22:59.920
punched him in the arm. Soon as we kill the

4288
04:23:00.000 --> 04:23:02.840
he's jiz drooling sons of bitches. She'll be all over you.

4289
04:23:02.920 --> 04:23:06.360
Like imitation cheese sauce on a corn chip. You should

4290
04:23:06.360 --> 04:23:10.200
consider writing poetry. Roses are red, violets are blue. I

4291
04:23:10.239 --> 04:23:13.959
get carpal tunnel thinking of you, Flint laughed. There's one

4292
04:23:13.959 --> 04:23:15.399
for you to use when you ask her to make

4293
04:23:15.440 --> 04:23:18.680
it official. Later, Rebecca waved at them from a tower

4294
04:23:18.760 --> 04:23:22.200
high above the path. Flint bleaped the horn three times

4295
04:23:22.239 --> 04:23:24.639
to signal her to go. She stepped out of the

4296
04:23:24.680 --> 04:23:26.879
tower and rode the zip line across the way to

4297
04:23:26.920 --> 04:23:30.120
the platform over tsunami falls. She grabbed the bullhorn from

4298
04:23:30.159 --> 04:23:33.159
the hook next to the lifeguard station and squeezed the trigger.

4299
04:23:33.399 --> 04:23:37.319
Hey over here, her voice bellowed across the park, Oh

4300
04:23:37.520 --> 04:23:41.000
get me. Several mutants clamored through the pool below and

4301
04:23:41.120 --> 04:23:43.959
slipped about in a vain attempt to scale the curly

4302
04:23:44.040 --> 04:23:47.920
slides leading up to her. She smiled down at them.

4303
04:23:48.200 --> 04:23:52.879
Her plan was working complex alien biology aside, they were

4304
04:23:52.920 --> 04:23:56.959
still powered by primitive ganglia clusters. She needed as many

4305
04:23:57.000 --> 04:24:00.239
of the stupid mutants coming after her as possible. She

4306
04:24:00.319 --> 04:24:03.239
pressed the button on the bullhorn to set off a siren.

4307
04:24:03.360 --> 04:24:05.079
U space snel. Dickheads hear that.

4308
04:24:05.639 --> 04:24:07.600
She called out, that's.

4309
04:24:07.440 --> 04:24:09.319
The dinner bell. What are you waiting for?

4310
04:24:09.840 --> 04:24:14.319
Apparently just that very thing. The creatures broke from their

4311
04:24:14.319 --> 04:24:18.520
pursuit of the ATV and rushed toward Rebecca's diversion. Flint

4312
04:24:18.520 --> 04:24:21.360
whipped around the corner, putting the ATV on three wheels

4313
04:24:21.360 --> 04:24:24.280
before it rocked back down to safety. A wall of

4314
04:24:24.360 --> 04:24:28.040
mutants converged on their path, some more changed than others.

4315
04:24:28.479 --> 04:24:33.000
Mouth tentacles flailed in anticipation of the fight. I'll meet

4316
04:24:33.040 --> 04:24:36.559
you at the water treatment station. Take the wheel. Flint

4317
04:24:36.559 --> 04:24:38.920
didn't wait for Bryce to listen. He rolled out of

4318
04:24:38.959 --> 04:24:42.040
his seat and toppled across the path. He groaned and

4319
04:24:42.079 --> 04:24:45.440
tried to ignore the bone sticking out of his forearm.

4320
04:24:45.799 --> 04:24:52.079
It looked a lot easier in the movies. This is

4321
04:24:52.120 --> 04:24:56.959
what we get for using civilian contractors. General Wade Cisco

4322
04:24:57.120 --> 04:24:59.719
pinched the bridge of his nose. Do we know the

4323
04:24:59.760 --> 04:25:03.680
low of the samples? Captain del Harmon leaned a curvy

4324
04:25:03.760 --> 04:25:06.959
hip on the plastic blue drums they'd been shipped by mistake,

4325
04:25:07.319 --> 04:25:12.879
and nodded slowly. Fuck Cisco sighed, how.

4326
04:25:12.719 --> 04:25:13.280
Bad is it?

4327
04:25:14.159 --> 04:25:17.479
She waved for the General to follow her. They navigated

4328
04:25:17.520 --> 04:25:21.200
the winding corridor to the elevator, an in turn, mixed

4329
04:25:21.239 --> 04:25:26.239
up the shipping instructions. We got water treatment chemicals, Del

4330
04:25:26.319 --> 04:25:29.040
Carmen said, with a voice too sweet for her skill set.

4331
04:25:29.760 --> 04:25:33.079
The Argos samples went to a water park in eastern Texas.

4332
04:25:33.479 --> 04:25:36.280
The elevator door hissed open in a room full of

4333
04:25:36.319 --> 04:25:39.479
computer stations and one wall to wall screen showing a

4334
04:25:39.520 --> 04:25:44.959
live satellite feed of Splash Town. Mutated guests ran down victims,

4335
04:25:45.159 --> 04:25:48.840
small fires, burned corpses twitched to life as the parasitic

4336
04:25:48.879 --> 04:25:53.639
mollusks burrowed into their brains and took control of the flesh.

4337
04:25:54.000 --> 04:25:59.120
Do we have options, Cisco asked, Nuclear and conventional. The

4338
04:25:59.200 --> 04:26:02.440
captain stated bluntly. Retrieval is out of the question at

4339
04:26:02.440 --> 04:26:05.879
this point. The sight and samples are lost. We only

4340
04:26:05.920 --> 04:26:09.520
need one, Cisco reminded her. I want a team in

4341
04:26:09.559 --> 04:26:12.000
there to snatch one of those things. Have our people

4342
04:26:12.040 --> 04:26:15.559
cook a story about a chemical spill? Yes, Sir del

4343
04:26:15.600 --> 04:26:18.719
Carmen said, aren't we forgetting about the big one? Sir

4344
04:26:19.399 --> 04:26:26.040
oh him? Cisco swallowed hard. Scratch the retrieval burn the

4345
04:26:26.079 --> 04:26:32.520
whole sight. Flint spotted a salt sack that had fallen

4346
04:26:32.559 --> 04:26:35.399
when the ATV tipped and darted for it. He tore

4347
04:26:35.479 --> 04:26:38.559
the bag open. As the horde charged closer, he tossed

4348
04:26:38.559 --> 04:26:41.440
a handful of salt at the nearest one. It plowed

4349
04:26:41.440 --> 04:26:44.079
into him, driving him to the ground. The human host

4350
04:26:44.159 --> 04:26:47.639
was protecting the snail inside from the salt. Flint clutched

4351
04:26:47.639 --> 04:26:50.600
the mutant by the chin, pushing the snapping tentacles away.

4352
04:26:51.159 --> 04:26:55.079
The throat slit hissed and chewed the air. Flint gritted

4353
04:26:55.120 --> 04:26:57.719
his teeth and used the bone protruding from his arm

4354
04:26:57.799 --> 04:27:01.239
to stab into the creature's chest, aiming for the slug inside.

4355
04:27:01.639 --> 04:27:04.920
A magenta spurt let him know he'd found it. He

4356
04:27:05.079 --> 04:27:08.319
stabbed it again. The corpse went limp, pinning him to

4357
04:27:08.360 --> 04:27:11.879
the path. He felt the stick of black spines going

4358
04:27:11.920 --> 04:27:16.360
into his legs. The world became a kaleidoscope of shapes

4359
04:27:16.879 --> 04:27:21.399
and colors. The ground swayed beneath him like a gentle current.

4360
04:27:22.079 --> 04:27:26.200
Pain drifted away from his wounds, and he giggled softly.

4361
04:27:27.280 --> 04:27:29.760
Sons of bitches brought the good stuff to the party,

4362
04:27:30.520 --> 04:27:35.959
Flint said, quietly, You guys are swell. A small mutant

4363
04:27:36.040 --> 04:27:39.120
with auburn pigtails tore Flint's arm off at the elbow

4364
04:27:39.319 --> 04:27:43.040
and shoved the nub to her throat slit. This is

4365
04:27:43.120 --> 04:27:53.760
better than ozfest, Flint snorted, Just swell. The mutants clamored

4366
04:27:53.760 --> 04:27:56.440
over their own, building a meaty ladder off of each

4367
04:27:56.440 --> 04:27:59.399
other's failed attempts at ascending the water slides to get

4368
04:27:59.479 --> 04:28:04.760
to Rebecca. Her plan was working. Too well. She scurried

4369
04:28:04.799 --> 04:28:07.520
down the ladder into the tiny chamber where the staff

4370
04:28:07.639 --> 04:28:11.639
entered the ride and cracked the door open. The area

4371
04:28:11.680 --> 04:28:14.799
behind the ride looked clear, and she bolted across the

4372
04:28:14.799 --> 04:28:18.079
grass to hide behind a fish shaped fountain, spewing violet

4373
04:28:18.159 --> 04:28:23.440
water from its puckered lips. Then something caught her eye

4374
04:28:24.760 --> 04:28:33.159
the clear path to the front gate. Bryce aimed the

4375
04:28:33.200 --> 04:28:36.360
ATV at the roll up door and floored the accelerator.

4376
04:28:36.879 --> 04:28:39.799
The little green vehicle bounced off the door with a bang,

4377
04:28:40.159 --> 04:28:44.639
and Bryce's face whipped into the steering wheel. Shit he

4378
04:28:44.719 --> 04:28:47.239
slid out of his seat with a groan. He made

4379
04:28:47.239 --> 04:28:49.719
his way inside and opened the bay door that rolled

4380
04:28:49.799 --> 04:28:53.079
up noisily thanks to the massive dent he'd added to it.

4381
04:28:53.840 --> 04:28:56.239
He looked around for a trolley to load the bags on.

4382
04:28:56.840 --> 04:29:00.000
An empty pallet sat unsafely on a jack in the corner,

4383
04:29:00.040 --> 04:29:02.319
and he ran for it, quickly wheeling it back to

4384
04:29:02.360 --> 04:29:05.680
the ATV and offloading the salt. He looked around for

4385
04:29:05.760 --> 04:29:08.920
flint and cursed he didn't know anything about the water

4386
04:29:09.000 --> 04:29:12.319
treatment system or where to find it. He scanned the

4387
04:29:12.360 --> 04:29:14.879
large room and spotted a yellow sign shaped like an

4388
04:29:15.000 --> 04:29:19.639
arrow in black letters, Water Treatment Bryce ran toward it,

4389
04:29:19.920 --> 04:29:22.879
tugging the pallette jack behind him. He told himself he'd

4390
04:29:22.879 --> 04:29:24.600
be able to figure it all out, and then the

4391
04:29:24.639 --> 04:29:28.079
monsters would die, Texas would be saved, and Rebecca would

4392
04:29:28.120 --> 04:29:30.959
throw herself into his arms. It was all going to

4393
04:29:31.040 --> 04:29:38.520
work out perfectly. Rebecca crept through the shadow of the

4394
04:29:38.559 --> 04:29:42.600
nearest concession stand. Fifty yards of mutant free grass were

4395
04:29:42.639 --> 04:29:46.600
all that separated her from a safe getaway. Something moved

4396
04:29:46.600 --> 04:29:50.000
in the corner of her eye. A thin black post

4397
04:29:50.079 --> 04:29:54.159
pushed up from the ground. You've gotta be fucking kidding me,

4398
04:29:54.840 --> 04:29:57.559
she shot from her hiding place. As the sprinklers kicked on,

4399
04:29:57.959 --> 04:30:01.360
she zigzagged between them back onto the walkway. Her legs

4400
04:30:01.399 --> 04:30:04.719
burned with effort. Rocks cut into her bare feet. She

4401
04:30:04.799 --> 04:30:07.799
couldn't stop running. A body twitched along the path and

4402
04:30:07.840 --> 04:30:11.120
sat upright. Rebecca kept running, cutting away from the thing's

4403
04:30:11.159 --> 04:30:14.799
desperate lunge to seize her legs. She hurtled the turnstile.

4404
04:30:14.840 --> 04:30:17.079
Her ankle twisted on the landing, and she fell on

4405
04:30:17.159 --> 04:30:20.200
her face. She groaned and wiped the blood away from

4406
04:30:20.200 --> 04:30:23.120
her lip. She gazed down at the crimson smear along

4407
04:30:23.159 --> 04:30:26.120
the back of her hand. Her eyes shifted to the

4408
04:30:26.159 --> 04:30:30.559
purple tinged water droplet rolling down her arm. She sniffled

4409
04:30:30.799 --> 04:30:34.399
and shook her head. It's just a drop, she stood up.

4410
04:30:34.799 --> 04:30:38.360
It takes more than a drop. Rebecca started running again.

4411
04:30:38.879 --> 04:30:41.799
The old War Highway was only a mile away. She

4412
04:30:41.840 --> 04:30:44.959
could find a ride away from the nightmare. There she

4413
04:30:44.959 --> 04:30:51.840
would be home by dawn. Bryce's feet shuffled in the

4414
04:30:51.879 --> 04:30:54.920
thick trail of slime. The jack bumped him from behind,

4415
04:30:55.000 --> 04:30:58.399
pushing him into a vertical water pipe. A deep, moist

4416
04:30:58.559 --> 04:31:03.319
laughter resonated from the shadows. Glowing orbs angled toward him

4417
04:31:03.360 --> 04:31:07.639
in the darkness, and the things slithered forward. People in

4418
04:31:07.719 --> 04:31:12.040
maintenance coveralls lined the monstrous snail's undulating body, held tight

4419
04:31:12.120 --> 04:31:16.040
to its flesh by hardened strands of mucus. Their flesh

4420
04:31:16.079 --> 04:31:19.159
writhed with hundreds of the white tube worms, flicking their

4421
04:31:19.200 --> 04:31:23.159
talons in and out. Bryce lunged for a sack and

4422
04:31:23.200 --> 04:31:26.040
tore it open, pouring a line of salt between him

4423
04:31:26.120 --> 04:31:30.600
and the suv sized hell snail. Get back, you ugly fuck,

4424
04:31:31.360 --> 04:31:37.799
he warned, Oh or what it said in a sticky.

4425
04:31:37.479 --> 04:31:41.559
Hiss, Will you assault me?

4426
04:31:42.600 --> 04:31:48.079
The snail attempted to laugh again. This shit keeps getting weirder.

4427
04:31:48.799 --> 04:31:51.760
Bryce scooped a handful of salt and cocked his arm

4428
04:31:51.840 --> 04:31:53.440
back last.

4429
04:31:53.159 --> 04:31:57.239
Warning, I fear not morsel.

4430
04:31:57.760 --> 04:32:01.680
The behemoth slithered forward, inching closer to the saline barrier.

4431
04:32:03.559 --> 04:32:07.319
You fight tasty meat in a fighter.

4432
04:32:07.840 --> 04:32:11.000
The monstrous mollusk speared its ragula over the line and

4433
04:32:11.040 --> 04:32:15.239
pierced Bryce's shoulder. The teen screamed and collapsed onto the pallet.

4434
04:32:16.639 --> 04:32:18.719
Tasty meat, indeed.

4435
04:32:19.959 --> 04:32:23.280
Bryce clutched the wound, watching his own blood spurt between

4436
04:32:23.280 --> 04:32:27.360
his fingers. He remembered enough from biology class to know

4437
04:32:27.440 --> 04:32:32.239
the brachial artery was severed. He was a goner. You

4438
04:32:32.319 --> 04:32:35.879
want to taste a fighter? Bryce rolled over and pressed

4439
04:32:35.920 --> 04:32:39.959
his gory hands into the salt. Let me just season

4440
04:32:40.000 --> 04:32:44.319
your meal first. The snail overlord stretched its head across

4441
04:32:44.360 --> 04:32:47.440
the line, letting the tip of the radula wrap around

4442
04:32:47.479 --> 04:32:51.360
Bryce's ankle. It tugged the teen closer. He rolled and

4443
04:32:51.399 --> 04:32:54.760
punched the organ. The snail whipped back its head, slinging

4444
04:32:54.799 --> 04:32:58.600
the radula side to side. Violet drools splattered Bryce as

4445
04:32:58.600 --> 04:33:03.520
it roared angrily. Your motherfuck's garden gnomes. Bryce lunged forward,

4446
04:33:03.559 --> 04:33:06.080
punching the beast in the gaps of its cadaver shell.

4447
04:33:06.400 --> 04:33:09.319
The mucus glazed tissue shriveled and bubbled in the wake

4448
04:33:09.360 --> 04:33:12.360
of the boy's salted knuckles. He jumped up and struck

4449
04:33:12.360 --> 04:33:15.279
a blow against one of the beast's googly eyes, rupturing

4450
04:33:15.319 --> 04:33:18.720
the orb in a shower of goo. The monster headbutted

4451
04:33:18.759 --> 04:33:19.200
him to the.

4452
04:33:19.159 --> 04:33:22.560
Floor valorous effort.

4453
04:33:23.200 --> 04:33:28.840
More sore, the snail said, in a pained slur, But

4454
04:33:29.599 --> 04:33:33.560
you have failed. They both cocked their heads at the

4455
04:33:33.639 --> 04:33:40.799
sudden piercing whistle coming from high above. Rebecca Engle watched

4456
04:33:40.799 --> 04:33:44.119
the ground sail beneath her and then toppled through the

4457
04:33:44.200 --> 04:33:47.799
muddy field. She groaned with pain as she sat down

4458
04:33:47.840 --> 04:33:51.599
and tried to orient herself. A fiery pillar rose where

4459
04:33:51.639 --> 04:33:55.840
Splashtown used to be. She hadn't even heard the explosion

4460
04:33:55.880 --> 04:33:58.439
when the shockwave caught up with her and launched her

4461
04:33:58.560 --> 04:34:04.959
far far from the nightmare. Everything was gone. All the

4462
04:34:05.040 --> 04:34:10.400
monsters were dead, so was Bryce. She'd wanted to tell

4463
04:34:10.479 --> 04:34:13.439
him how much she liked him ever since they shared

4464
04:34:13.439 --> 04:34:17.479
a moonpie at recess in the third grade, but she

4465
04:34:17.639 --> 04:34:22.560
was always too chicken. He died trying to save her

4466
04:34:22.919 --> 04:34:26.360
and the rest of the world from the murderous mollusks.

4467
04:34:27.840 --> 04:34:32.159
At least that much happened. We're all safe now, Bryce,

4468
04:34:33.119 --> 04:34:40.240
we won. It's over, Rebecca said softly and scratched at

4469
04:34:40.279 --> 04:34:53.479
a stinging spot on her arm. Halloween nineteen eighty six

4470
04:34:53.680 --> 04:34:57.599
six' six By Dan. Wilder are you sure this is

4471
04:34:57.639 --> 04:35:02.599
going to? WORK i can't believe. This i'm fucking, unemployed

4472
04:35:03.119 --> 04:35:07.319
dateless eighteen and working a spell more than two thousand

4473
04:35:07.400 --> 04:35:11.799
years old On halloween in the dark in a. Graveyard.

4474
04:35:12.560 --> 04:35:15.639
Damn if this crap got any more, CLICHE i would

4475
04:35:15.639 --> 04:35:18.360
have flown in here in a sopwell camel while my

4476
04:35:18.439 --> 04:35:20.840
pals bobbed for apples and picked on a kid with

4477
04:35:20.959 --> 04:35:25.200
obvious alopecia. Issues don't you think she'll be all hot

4478
04:35:25.240 --> 04:35:29.319
with a big old set of? Boobs how DID i

4479
04:35:29.439 --> 04:35:39.000
end up? Here october thirty, first nineteen eighty six started well.

4480
04:35:39.159 --> 04:35:42.840
Enough halloween fell on A, friday which meant that in

4481
04:35:42.880 --> 04:35:45.240
the past we would all rush home from school in

4482
04:35:45.279 --> 04:35:48.560
the already fading daylight and either throw on a store

4483
04:35:48.599 --> 04:35:53.080
bought number or a homemade concoction most likely thought up

4484
04:35:53.119 --> 04:35:56.040
that day in one class or another and drawn in

4485
04:35:56.159 --> 04:35:59.880
ballpoint in our well illustrated notebooks that served as impromptu

4486
04:36:00.159 --> 04:36:04.639
art galleries and occasionally as a method for taking. Notes

4487
04:36:05.360 --> 04:36:08.759
then had out in those, mean small town streets until

4488
04:36:08.759 --> 04:36:12.040
we were loaded down with enough candy to ensure our

4489
04:36:12.119 --> 04:36:16.159
lives as future diabetes, sufferers with a whole weekend to

4490
04:36:16.279 --> 04:36:19.680
utilize as a recovery from our night of unspeakable corn

4491
04:36:19.720 --> 04:36:26.279
syrup drenched. Darkness, anyway all of that happened for seventeen,

4492
04:36:26.439 --> 04:36:29.639
years with more of our friends bailing with each passing.

4493
04:36:29.720 --> 04:36:35.200
Year and this this was to be our soween swan.

4494
04:36:35.319 --> 04:36:39.880
Song the sun hung low and swollen when my best Friend, ace,

4495
04:36:40.360 --> 04:36:43.319
well his name Was, ricky but he looked Like Ace

4496
04:36:43.360 --> 04:36:47.720
freely formerly Of, kiss all gangly energy and long straight,

4497
04:36:47.759 --> 04:36:51.240
hair AND i headed out into the cold dusk to

4498
04:36:51.319 --> 04:36:55.639
collect our saccharin. TITHE i was dressed As Brett michaels

4499
04:36:55.680 --> 04:36:58.919
from the new band on the, Scene, poison And ace

4500
04:36:59.040 --> 04:37:04.240
was dressed As Gene simmons From kiss That ace always

4501
04:37:04.240 --> 04:37:09.159
one to defy. Expectations so long story, short our haul

4502
04:37:09.400 --> 04:37:13.759
was kind of, lame full of bullshit like mallow cups

4503
04:37:13.799 --> 04:37:17.279
and pennies in a baggy and a deficit of miniature

4504
04:37:17.360 --> 04:37:22.159
name brand candy bars And reese's cups plus it started to. Snow,

4505
04:37:22.959 --> 04:37:27.119
yeah it snows here a fucking, lot and early. Too

4506
04:37:27.479 --> 04:37:30.560
and when temps drop and quality sugar is in short,

4507
04:37:30.560 --> 04:37:34.400
supply there was only one solace a young wanderer could

4508
04:37:34.400 --> 04:37:39.159
seek woods. Porn ace, queried as if reading my. MIND

4509
04:37:39.919 --> 04:37:42.880
i exhaled a long trail of visible breath into the

4510
04:37:42.959 --> 04:37:49.560
rapidly cooling night woods. PORN i nodded. Stoically, now, wait

4511
04:37:49.959 --> 04:37:52.479
some of you city folk may not be acquainted with

4512
04:37:52.520 --> 04:37:56.880
a rural kid's main source of sex, education namely a

4513
04:37:56.959 --> 04:38:00.319
pornomag stuck under a rock in a nearby forest used

4514
04:38:00.319 --> 04:38:05.279
by any number of neighborhood horn dogs for unspeakable. Deeds

4515
04:38:05.880 --> 04:38:08.799
and we had a real doozy safely stored under the

4516
04:38:08.840 --> 04:38:12.200
third large rock from the left and barely covered in

4517
04:38:12.279 --> 04:38:18.599
mold worms or. Spunk only problem the magazine wasn't, there

4518
04:38:20.040 --> 04:38:24.959
but a spell book. WAS i flipped through that tone

4519
04:38:25.000 --> 04:38:28.880
While ace bitch that his titty rag was. Gone, Hey,

4520
04:38:28.919 --> 04:38:31.680
ACE i think this may be even better than, porn

4521
04:38:32.520 --> 04:38:37.479
better than. Porn are you having a? Stroke, no listen to.

4522
04:38:37.520 --> 04:38:40.560
THIS i read aloud the parts of the text that

4523
04:38:40.599 --> 04:38:46.639
were In. English certain words stuck out sex witch resurrection

4524
04:38:47.360 --> 04:38:52.400
unspeakable evil will be unleashed upon all. Mankind sex witch

4525
04:38:52.759 --> 04:38:58.639
fucking Rad ace ejaculated almost. Literally it was, then right

4526
04:38:58.720 --> 04:39:01.240
then THAT i should have just ripped that book to

4527
04:39:01.319 --> 04:39:06.319
shreds and to hell With ace's. Libido BUT i. DIDN'T

4528
04:39:07.040 --> 04:39:13.040
i simply fucking. DIDN'T i was. Horny may my descendants forgive.

4529
04:39:13.119 --> 04:39:20.919
Me the pictures in the book indicated we'd need to

4530
04:39:20.959 --> 04:39:27.000
be in a graveyard and acquire a few, supplies mostly simple, herbs,

4531
04:39:27.439 --> 04:39:31.080
spices some virgin. Blood where the hell are we going

4532
04:39:31.080 --> 04:39:35.360
to find virgin's? BLOOD i have no, Idea, Ace i'm

4533
04:39:35.360 --> 04:39:38.279
pretty sure these kinds of things were probably easier to

4534
04:39:38.319 --> 04:39:41.599
come by in the old. Days, yeah the ancients never

4535
04:39:41.639 --> 04:39:44.959
had to deal with the liberated eighties woman all in

4536
04:39:45.040 --> 04:39:47.279
control with those sweet sweet shoulder.

4537
04:39:47.319 --> 04:39:53.080
Pads, hmm are you? Okay do you need a? Minute my?

4538
04:39:53.200 --> 04:39:56.439
Sister how is that any way shape or form the

4539
04:39:56.479 --> 04:39:59.400
answer to that? Question my, Sister my sister is a.

4540
04:39:59.479 --> 04:40:02.599
Virgin are you? Sure have you seen her?

4541
04:40:02.639 --> 04:40:05.080
Face? Yeah it's?

4542
04:40:05.119 --> 04:40:05.880
Gorgeous?

4543
04:40:06.400 --> 04:40:06.479
What?

4544
04:40:07.159 --> 04:40:07.439
Uh?

4545
04:40:07.840 --> 04:40:12.360
NOTHING i was just fucking around as all good, ANYWAY

4546
04:40:12.840 --> 04:40:17.720
i know she's a. Virgin how SIMPLE i read her? Diary,

4547
04:40:18.159 --> 04:40:22.840
dude isn't that a bit? Wrong who? Cares she writes

4548
04:40:22.880 --> 04:40:25.680
funny ass girl shit in, there including the fact that

4549
04:40:25.720 --> 04:40:28.119
her legs are locked together tighter than a hummingbird's.

4550
04:40:28.159 --> 04:40:29.159
Tweet.

4551
04:40:29.560 --> 04:40:34.119
WHY i don't. Know she hasn't found her prince charming or.

4552
04:40:34.159 --> 04:40:37.919
Something does she mention me in there? Anywhere?

4553
04:40:38.840 --> 04:40:42.080
No why the hell would? SHE i don't.

4554
04:40:42.119 --> 04:40:46.319
Know an eligible younger guy can be a real enticing

4555
04:40:46.360 --> 04:40:53.159
thing for a older. Lady older, lady she's nineteen, Whatever so,

4556
04:40:53.360 --> 04:40:56.919
genius how are we going to obtain her? Blood leave

4557
04:40:57.000 --> 04:41:04.119
that all to? Me, Hey, hannah Can sam use your? Bathroom?

4558
04:41:05.119 --> 04:41:08.720
Why what's wrong with the other? Two dad's in one

4559
04:41:08.759 --> 04:41:12.200
and the toilets clogged in the other. One hannah scrunched

4560
04:41:12.279 --> 04:41:17.200
up her, face her angelic, face and. Thought ace leaned

4561
04:41:17.240 --> 04:41:20.639
in and offered this. Wisdom head straight to the trash

4562
04:41:20.680 --> 04:41:23.240
can next to the. Toilet it'll be in there all

4563
04:41:23.319 --> 04:41:27.520
right for the. TAKING i. Nodded hannah looked me. Over,

4564
04:41:28.159 --> 04:41:32.520
fine he looks like he has okaim a. Compliment she

4565
04:41:32.680 --> 04:41:36.639
actually paid me a. Compliment he probably sits down to pee.

4566
04:41:36.680 --> 04:41:42.240
ANYWAY i have a condition split. Stream it's just easier

4567
04:41:42.279 --> 04:41:44.680
to sit you shut up and go.

4568
04:41:44.799 --> 04:41:47.159
Quick. THANKS i.

4569
04:41:47.240 --> 04:41:52.759
SPUTTERED i entered her bathroom and was immediately. Overcome here

4570
04:41:52.880 --> 04:41:57.080
was my holy. LAND i cast my eyes, around so

4571
04:41:57.319 --> 04:42:02.240
many sweet smelling lotions and. Soaps FINALLY i saw the,

4572
04:42:02.240 --> 04:42:06.040
goal the snoopy trash can that sat on the tile

4573
04:42:06.119 --> 04:42:09.840
floor just left of the. SINK i headed across the

4574
04:42:09.880 --> 04:42:11.400
cold floor and swallowed.

4575
04:42:11.439 --> 04:42:13.479
Hard there it was.

4576
04:42:14.200 --> 04:42:19.520
A, simple DISCARDED maxi. PAD i eyed it nervously and

4577
04:42:19.680 --> 04:42:26.119
made my. Approach we reconvened. Outside the, swollen full moon

4578
04:42:26.159 --> 04:42:30.080
and ever increasing snowfall made the whole scene seem. SURREAL

4579
04:42:30.759 --> 04:42:35.639
i held aloft that sacred feminine hygiene. Product ace, Beamed,

4580
04:42:36.200 --> 04:42:46.840
yes awesome, job, DUDE i smiled. Sheepishly. Thanks the walk

4581
04:42:46.919 --> 04:42:51.200
to the graveyard was long and, quiet given how it

4582
04:42:51.240 --> 04:42:54.080
was now after nine and trick or treating had officially.

4583
04:42:54.240 --> 04:42:58.439
Ended we were two cold lunatics strolling around in the,

4584
04:42:58.479 --> 04:43:01.119
snow heading off to make our selves a.

4585
04:43:01.200 --> 04:43:01.520
Woman.

4586
04:43:02.400 --> 04:43:05.599
Yeah now THAT i say it, back the whole thing

4587
04:43:05.680 --> 04:43:10.000
does sound, ludicrous like an ec comic mixed with a

4588
04:43:10.119 --> 04:43:14.080
letter To Penthouse forum as the. Script to be, HONEST

4589
04:43:14.840 --> 04:43:18.799
i literally had nothing else to. Do neither Did. Ace,

4590
04:43:19.319 --> 04:43:24.200
well Maybe. Nintendo the growing wind lashed me in the,

4591
04:43:24.240 --> 04:43:27.159
face like a slap from a fist made of frozen pizza.

4592
04:43:27.240 --> 04:43:27.560
Roles.

4593
04:43:28.119 --> 04:43:32.159
FUCK i could be eating pizza roles and Playing. Nintendo

4594
04:43:32.599 --> 04:43:36.919
no boob's, there my FRIEND a said. QUIETLY i said

4595
04:43:36.919 --> 04:43:39.720
that out. Loud you said a lot of stuff out loud,

4596
04:43:39.759 --> 04:43:43.560
tonight like you're narrating our. Adventure it's, weird but it's

4597
04:43:43.639 --> 04:43:46.159
kind of, funny SO i figured it's best to keep

4598
04:43:46.240 --> 04:43:48.959
quiet and enjoy the. Ride you're a Real we're, Here

4599
04:43:49.639 --> 04:43:58.919
ace said. Happily the gates To Prospect Hill cemetery were three,

4600
04:43:58.959 --> 04:44:07.799
things iron locked and very very. Tall four. Things what four?

4601
04:44:07.880 --> 04:44:12.880
Things it's also decorative and connected to a two foot concrete.

4602
04:44:12.919 --> 04:44:16.279
Wall walk like a foot left and, right and we

4603
04:44:16.319 --> 04:44:18.720
can just hop over and be inside in a. Jiff

4604
04:44:19.240 --> 04:44:23.599
not even a particularly robust leap, either for shit's. Sake

4605
04:44:25.360 --> 04:44:29.599
one small leap, later we were traversing that icy necropolis

4606
04:44:29.680 --> 04:44:32.840
on our way to where the fuck are we?

4607
04:44:32.880 --> 04:44:34.279
GOING i don't.

4608
04:44:34.319 --> 04:44:38.799
Know cemeteries don't usually have a designated practice black magic.

4609
04:44:38.919 --> 04:44:44.919
Section that's, true and a tad passive. Aggressive. SORRY i

4610
04:44:45.000 --> 04:44:47.639
was just hoping for more candy and horror flicks and

4611
04:44:47.799 --> 04:44:51.680
less schlepping around in the freezing. Cold wandering among the.

4612
04:44:51.720 --> 04:44:57.520
Tombstones it's pretty, metal, Though ace. Offfered we both. Laughed

4613
04:44:58.200 --> 04:45:03.000
here not. WRONG i tripped over an ancient. Tombstone ace

4614
04:45:03.040 --> 04:45:05.639
extended a hand to help me to my feet and

4615
04:45:05.680 --> 04:45:10.439
glanced at the. GRAVE i had completely. Decimated, whoa this

4616
04:45:10.560 --> 04:45:14.720
chick was eighteen like us when she, died so, young

4617
04:45:15.720 --> 04:45:16.080
that's so.

4618
04:45:16.279 --> 04:45:16.599
Sad?

4619
04:45:17.240 --> 04:45:24.959
What, no she was eighteen, okay eighteen three times six

4620
04:45:25.759 --> 04:45:36.840
three sixes oh oh sixty six to. Six, yeah after

4621
04:45:36.880 --> 04:45:42.799
that indisputable sign from, above well more. Below in this,

4622
04:45:42.959 --> 04:45:46.279
case we got down and dirty with the devil's. Work

4623
04:45:47.119 --> 04:45:49.560
you said that out, LOUD i.

4624
04:45:49.639 --> 04:45:49.880
Did.

4625
04:45:50.560 --> 04:45:53.319
Yeah, shit now you got.

4626
04:45:53.119 --> 04:45:56.680
Me doing it. Anyway ace AND i set up our

4627
04:45:56.720 --> 04:46:00.680
eleven herbs and, spices lit a, candle got the. Spellbook

4628
04:46:01.159 --> 04:46:07.639
everything was in, order well almost. Everything get, it, dude

4629
04:46:07.959 --> 04:46:12.599
you get. It she's your, sister GROSS i suppose you're.

4630
04:46:12.639 --> 04:46:13.360
RIGHT i.

4631
04:46:13.439 --> 04:46:17.439
Am, besides you already touched, IT i sighed AS i

4632
04:46:17.479 --> 04:46:21.439
reached into my backpack and removed The maxi. PAD i

4633
04:46:21.560 --> 04:46:24.319
held it in my trembling hands and placed it on

4634
04:46:24.360 --> 04:46:28.400
the makeshift, altar wiping my hands and silently apologizing To,

4635
04:46:28.479 --> 04:46:34.639
hannah his, mother and Especially pap pap and, mema dear Sweet.

4636
04:46:34.680 --> 04:46:38.720
Mema it took me a few seconds to register what happened.

4637
04:46:38.759 --> 04:46:43.279
Next there was an electric, pop then a slight plume

4638
04:46:43.319 --> 04:46:47.240
of lavender smoke wafted into the, air after which a

4639
04:46:47.360 --> 04:46:50.720
crow like out of a post. Story that was a.

4640
04:46:50.799 --> 04:46:55.759
Raven what's the? Difference ravens are bigger and their tails

4641
04:46:55.759 --> 04:46:58.599
are a different. Shape how the hell do you know?

4642
04:46:58.680 --> 04:46:58.840
This?

4643
04:46:59.520 --> 04:47:04.520
Ranger Ranger? Rick, yeah it's one of those magazines at

4644
04:47:04.520 --> 04:47:09.759
every doctor's, office Like, Highlights. Highlights now you're talking timber,

4645
04:47:09.840 --> 04:47:11.200
toes goofis and.

4646
04:47:11.279 --> 04:47:11.720
Gallant.

4647
04:47:12.319 --> 04:47:15.680
Shit that crow just Snatched Hannah's maxi pad and flew.

4648
04:47:15.720 --> 04:47:21.720
OFF i exhaled. Dejectedly you ready to call this one?

4649
04:47:22.040 --> 04:47:22.360
Ace?

4650
04:47:23.360 --> 04:47:32.720
Yeah a shitty send, off if you ask, Me, yeah

4651
04:47:32.919 --> 04:47:40.799
build nest use thing humans had taste like, blood, blood bad, body,

4652
04:47:40.880 --> 04:47:53.240
hurt ave. SETANUS i sat the plate of pizza rolls

4653
04:47:53.279 --> 04:47:56.520
down and returned to my. Game while most of the

4654
04:47:56.639 --> 04:48:00.000
night had been either weird as, fuck, disappointing or an

4655
04:48:00.159 --> 04:48:05.560
holy combination of, both this was a welcome. Reprieve after

4656
04:48:05.599 --> 04:48:08.840
the ceremonial burning of the mouth on the pizza, ROLES

4657
04:48:09.200 --> 04:48:15.159
i swore and played on tap Tap what in the

4658
04:48:15.200 --> 04:48:15.680
hell was?

4659
04:48:15.759 --> 04:48:17.919
That tap?

4660
04:48:18.759 --> 04:48:23.479
TAP i looked around the, room but nothing seemed to.

4661
04:48:23.520 --> 04:48:31.759
Miss tap tap the. Window it's coming from the. WINDOW

4662
04:48:33.200 --> 04:48:36.720
i crossed the room and stared into the darkness. BEYOND

4663
04:48:37.959 --> 04:48:42.200
i didn't see jack. SHIT i wonder if those pizza

4664
04:48:42.240 --> 04:48:43.360
roles have cooled down a.

4665
04:48:43.439 --> 04:48:44.560
Me they.

4666
04:48:44.639 --> 04:48:48.720
Hadn't. Shit, NOW i can't stop messing around with the

4667
04:48:48.759 --> 04:48:51.720
loose dangle of burnt skin hanging down from the tender

4668
04:48:51.799 --> 04:48:57.639
roof of my. Mouth tap, Tap back.

4669
04:48:57.479 --> 04:48:58.200
To the, WINDOW i.

4670
04:48:58.279 --> 04:49:02.639
Go this, TIME i barely caught a glimpse of a

4671
04:49:02.680 --> 04:49:08.000
porcelain skinned. Hand retreat into the darkness after the, hole

4672
04:49:08.119 --> 04:49:10.680
jump back and hope that fart wasn't a shit. ROUTINE

4673
04:49:11.159 --> 04:49:14.159
i scrambled back to the. WINDOW i pressed my face

4674
04:49:14.200 --> 04:49:16.840
against the pane in a futile attempt to see further

4675
04:49:16.919 --> 04:49:21.959
into the. Night the glass was ice. Cold the hand

4676
04:49:22.000 --> 04:49:32.279
that tapped the glass felt even. Colder for a, second

4677
04:49:32.840 --> 04:49:36.240
my heart. STOPPED i cartwheeled around the room like a,

4678
04:49:36.279 --> 04:49:40.639
madman upending everything in my whirlwind. Wake the pizza rolls

4679
04:49:40.959 --> 04:49:44.919
definitely didn't. Survive neither did the can of soda that

4680
04:49:45.000 --> 04:49:48.200
fell onto the video game, console creating a massive jolt

4681
04:49:48.479 --> 04:49:51.720
that traveled along the controller cord threw the buttons and

4682
04:49:51.799 --> 04:49:56.799
directly onto my bare feet that were admittedly a tad

4683
04:49:56.919 --> 04:50:02.759
damp from. Piss don't d, Me i'm. Frail can you

4684
04:50:02.840 --> 04:50:04.599
keep your private time a tad more?

4685
04:50:05.119 --> 04:50:05.520
Private?

4686
04:50:05.599 --> 04:50:10.080
Dear my mother called up the. Stairs just, Great i'm

4687
04:50:10.119 --> 04:50:12.040
going to die and my mother will be left with

4688
04:50:12.200 --> 04:50:15.119
just a memory of her darling, offspring cock in, hand

4689
04:50:15.319 --> 04:50:19.880
trying to beat the devil and losing good. News the

4690
04:50:19.919 --> 04:50:25.479
shock restarted my. Heart so there's a Fucking halloween. Miracle tap,

4691
04:50:26.119 --> 04:50:30.000
Tap oh, SHIT i haven't even caught my breath from

4692
04:50:30.080 --> 04:50:34.080
dying the last TIME i saw the hand, again but

4693
04:50:34.240 --> 04:50:42.520
this time it didn't. Retreat, Hello hannah came into, view

4694
04:50:43.240 --> 04:50:46.479
the extended hand connected to her alabaster body by an

4695
04:50:46.639 --> 04:50:50.479
arm so delicate it could have been that of an angel.

4696
04:50:50.560 --> 04:50:55.080
Itself she was wearing an Oversized Kaja GOOGO t, shirt

4697
04:50:55.680 --> 04:50:59.240
and if the suddenly bright moonlight behind her illuminating that

4698
04:50:59.279 --> 04:51:02.159
which lurked, meath the smug smile Of limbhaul was to

4699
04:51:02.159 --> 04:51:12.200
be believed absolutely nothing. Else, Hannah, yeah what are you

4700
04:51:12.279 --> 04:51:17.240
doing out there trying to get your? Attention well you

4701
04:51:17.360 --> 04:51:21.639
definitely got, That, hannah drew closer to the, window her

4702
04:51:21.680 --> 04:51:24.919
t shirt shifted to reveal more of her perfect shoulders

4703
04:51:25.279 --> 04:51:29.400
and just a pixies whisper more. Cleavage after seeing you,

4704
04:51:29.439 --> 04:51:31.000
EARLIER i couldn't get you off my.

4705
04:51:31.119 --> 04:51:33.159
Mind you.

4706
04:51:33.599 --> 04:51:37.599
Couldn't, No i'm SORRY i made fun of. You your

4707
04:51:38.040 --> 04:51:41.279
condition must be a heavy cross for you to. BEAR i,

4708
04:51:41.360 --> 04:51:45.360
mean it's a bit of an inconvenience at, times but it's.

4709
04:51:45.479 --> 04:51:50.919
Manageable look at, you shouldering your pain like a big strong.

4710
04:51:51.119 --> 04:51:55.840
Man are you feeling, Okay?

4711
04:51:55.919 --> 04:51:56.360
Hannah?

4712
04:51:57.240 --> 04:52:03.439
Yeah why because because usually you're repulsed by my very.

4713
04:52:03.560 --> 04:52:08.279
Existence now you're rubbing against my window like a cat in.

4714
04:52:08.400 --> 04:52:14.400
Heat Oh i'm in heat all? Right with, That leamal

4715
04:52:14.560 --> 04:52:17.680
and the lads were torn free and tossed into the

4716
04:52:17.720 --> 04:52:23.279
crisp night. Air holy fucking, SHIT i, exclaimed As hannah's

4717
04:52:23.319 --> 04:52:27.639
naked form stood at the. Window you like what you

4718
04:52:27.680 --> 04:52:32.119
see my, boner AND i answered in the, affirmative why

4719
04:52:32.119 --> 04:52:34.560
not let me in and we can get to getting

4720
04:52:34.919 --> 04:52:40.439
know WHAT i? Mean hannah, WINKED i don't know what

4721
04:52:40.520 --> 04:52:45.159
in the hell WAS i? Saying you, Don't hannah, pouted

4722
04:52:45.680 --> 04:52:49.840
it was sexy as all. Shit, well it's just it's

4723
04:52:50.479 --> 04:52:55.840
weird is? All isn't tonight reserved for the strange and?

4724
04:52:55.959 --> 04:53:02.560
Unusual my pulse pounded in my. PANTS I i suppose you're.

4725
04:53:02.639 --> 04:53:05.759
RIGHT i started to make my way closer to the,

4726
04:53:05.799 --> 04:53:10.319
window as if on. Autopilot, oh you can just, BET i.

4727
04:53:10.360 --> 04:53:15.200
AM i unlocked the window and opened it. Quickly hannah

4728
04:53:15.240 --> 04:53:21.200
smiled so, saccerin so. Sweet the door to my bedroom

4729
04:53:21.240 --> 04:53:24.119
nearly exploded off the hinges of. IT i turned to

4730
04:53:24.159 --> 04:53:28.040
See ace And. Hannah you guys look like shit did,

4731
04:53:28.080 --> 04:53:32.360
too all bruises and. SCRATCHES i turned back To. Hannah,

4732
04:53:32.400 --> 04:53:37.080
Wait hannah at the, Window hannah at the door. Door

4733
04:53:37.119 --> 04:53:40.880
hannah pointed at, Window hannah. Window hannah's skin was going

4734
04:53:40.919 --> 04:53:46.279
from pure driven snow to blood clot rotten, blood and

4735
04:53:46.319 --> 04:53:49.919
her pitch black eyes and anglerfish teeth weren't doing her

4736
04:53:49.959 --> 04:53:53.959
any favors. Either it was then that a bit of

4737
04:53:54.040 --> 04:53:58.159
logic slapped me right in the. Face i'm on the second.

4738
04:53:58.159 --> 04:54:02.520
Floor hannah can't, float at least as far AS i. Know,

4739
04:54:03.240 --> 04:54:05.360
man that should have been a huge tip off that

4740
04:54:05.919 --> 04:54:11.119
something was slightly. AMISS i blame the pizza. Roles you

4741
04:54:11.240 --> 04:54:15.000
guys really look like. Shit blame it on your. Girlfriend out.

4742
04:54:15.000 --> 04:54:21.319
There tap, tap she's not my. Girlfriend closest you'll ever

4743
04:54:21.360 --> 04:54:26.240
get to, me, Real hannah said under her. Breath tap, Tap,

4744
04:54:26.799 --> 04:54:29.599
HEY i heard, that come on in my own house and.

4745
04:54:29.639 --> 04:54:32.520
Everything you two can kiss and make up when we're

4746
04:54:32.560 --> 04:54:39.080
out of. Here, tap mother fucking. Tap the window exploded

4747
04:54:39.119 --> 04:54:43.200
inward as we all turned in unison to see the

4748
04:54:43.240 --> 04:54:48.799
creature's extremely enormous bird foot extend back into the. Darkness

4749
04:54:49.520 --> 04:54:53.159
speaking of, DARKNESS i then realized WHY i couldn't see,

4750
04:54:53.200 --> 04:54:57.439
outside as quick flashes of the beast's dreaded wings revealed

4751
04:54:57.479 --> 04:55:02.000
a wingspan of nearly thirty Fe we didn't hesitate to

4752
04:55:02.040 --> 04:55:04.439
haul ass from the, room the nightmare form of that

4753
04:55:04.520 --> 04:55:07.959
toothy horror snapping in our. Wake we slammed my bedroom

4754
04:55:08.000 --> 04:55:10.479
door closed behind us and dashed down the stairs as

4755
04:55:10.520 --> 04:55:12.840
the sound of the cheap plywood door of my bedroom

4756
04:55:12.880 --> 04:55:16.040
being splintered from repeated blows of the monster spurned us.

4757
04:55:16.080 --> 04:55:19.840
On we dashed past the kitchen where my mother washed

4758
04:55:19.840 --> 04:55:23.680
dishes as she danced and bopped the music issuing from Her, walkman,

4759
04:55:24.360 --> 04:55:26.360
wait we have to get my mother out of. Here

4760
04:55:26.799 --> 04:55:30.040
we don't have, Time ace, screamed dragging me by the.

4761
04:55:30.200 --> 04:55:33.479
ARM i tried to fight, back but a lifetime of

4762
04:55:33.599 --> 04:55:36.080
video games and shitty eating habits had left me a

4763
04:55:36.119 --> 04:55:40.599
tad deficient in the strength. Department we blasted into the chilly,

4764
04:55:40.680 --> 04:55:45.040
night large snowflakes blowing past our. Faces the creature sailed

4765
04:55:45.080 --> 04:55:48.119
directly past my mother and followed us through the open front.

4766
04:55:48.159 --> 04:55:57.360
Door we flew into the. Night we sat in the,

4767
04:55:57.400 --> 04:56:01.959
closet trying not to. Breathe we'd snuck into a house

4768
04:56:02.000 --> 04:56:05.639
a few blocks, away climbed into an unlocked, window and

4769
04:56:05.759 --> 04:56:11.400
paused to collect our. Wits after long moments of, Silence ace,

4770
04:56:11.400 --> 04:56:16.119
spoke what the fuck are we going to? Do We

4771
04:56:16.959 --> 04:56:20.119
you're the one that talked me into. THIS i was, horny,

4772
04:56:21.159 --> 04:56:24.759
reasonable but, still, hey does anyone want to discuss how

4773
04:56:24.799 --> 04:56:27.560
you groedy fools stole My maxi pad to make that?

4774
04:56:27.599 --> 04:56:32.040
Thing it was, Him it was your, Idea, Ace, yeah

4775
04:56:32.080 --> 04:56:32.799
but you took the.

4776
04:56:32.880 --> 04:56:34.560
Pad you didn't want to touch.

4777
04:56:34.599 --> 04:56:37.040
It neither did. You BUT i, figured since you're all

4778
04:56:37.040 --> 04:56:40.799
hot and horny For, hannah are you? Serious you too are.

4779
04:56:40.880 --> 04:56:45.119
DISGUSTING i think you're a beautiful, Woman. HANNAH i had

4780
04:56:45.119 --> 04:56:49.520
no desire to touch your your period. Blood shut, Up.

4781
04:56:49.560 --> 04:56:54.759
Ace we both spat screams filled the. Air what the

4782
04:56:54.799 --> 04:57:02.439
fuck was? That more screams. Followed, Jesus hannah exhaled. Dejectedly

4783
04:57:03.159 --> 04:57:07.200
i'll go and check you. Too cuddle. Here hannah gingerly

4784
04:57:07.240 --> 04:57:11.159
snuck out of the. Closet the seconds seemed like. Days

4785
04:57:12.319 --> 04:57:20.159
more screams followed by stifled. Giggles, hey, heroes come, Here hannah.

4786
04:57:20.159 --> 04:57:24.520
Whispered we quietly exited the closet and Joined hannah in the.

4787
04:57:24.560 --> 04:57:29.639
Hallway she pointed down the. Stairs we peered cautiously down

4788
04:57:29.720 --> 04:57:32.880
the steps to see a family watching a, film a

4789
04:57:32.919 --> 04:57:35.599
horror film where a family was being menaced by some

4790
04:57:36.240 --> 04:57:40.439
monster porcupines on a. Farm oh, shit this flick. Rocks

4791
04:57:41.000 --> 04:57:44.400
you've seen? It, YEAH i rented it last. Weekend it's Like,

4792
04:57:44.479 --> 04:57:48.200
gremlins but with. Aliens why didn't you call? Me we

4793
04:57:48.240 --> 04:57:51.279
could have watched it. TOGETHER i don't know you had

4794
04:57:51.279 --> 04:57:56.159
bowling or some such. Bullshit you too belonged. Together girls

4795
04:57:56.159 --> 04:57:59.680
can sense. That shut, Up, hannah don't tell her to shut.

4796
04:57:59.759 --> 04:58:02.159
UP i don't need you to defend me from this.

4797
04:58:02.319 --> 04:58:09.439
Dweeb the family turned and locked eyes with the. Trespassers, hannah,

4798
04:58:09.560 --> 04:58:11.000
yes Missus, henderson it's.

4799
04:58:11.040 --> 04:58:12.759
Me what are you?

4800
04:58:12.880 --> 04:58:16.919
Doing upstairs in our. House i'm not going to. Lie

4801
04:58:17.439 --> 04:58:19.840
we're running for our lives from a crow that is

4802
04:58:19.919 --> 04:58:25.319
turned into an evil version of. Me oh, oh, Dear

4803
04:58:26.080 --> 04:58:29.680
hannah smiled and turned towards her. Comrades she believes.

4804
04:58:29.720 --> 04:58:31.599
Me are you on the? Drugs?

4805
04:58:32.400 --> 04:58:32.639
What?

4806
04:58:33.119 --> 04:58:34.240
No no? Drugs?

4807
04:58:34.720 --> 04:58:37.000
Monsters should we call your?

4808
04:58:37.000 --> 04:58:37.240
Mother?

4809
04:58:37.880 --> 04:58:42.400
No, No ace led the march down the. Stairs enjoy your.

4810
04:58:42.439 --> 04:58:44.919
Movie we'll get her home so she can sleep it.

4811
04:58:45.000 --> 04:58:49.639
Off ace smiled his Best Scheshire cat. Grin he reached

4812
04:58:49.680 --> 04:58:52.159
into the nearest popcorn bowl and grabbed a handful of

4813
04:58:52.159 --> 04:58:58.200
the salty snack within good, night now, Eh Happy, HALLOWEEN i.

4814
04:58:58.279 --> 04:59:06.720
Injected we were soon on the streets. Again we walked, on, aimless.

4815
04:59:07.159 --> 04:59:11.119
Directionless in the distance came the sound of great wings

4816
04:59:11.200 --> 04:59:16.400
flapping in the midnight. Sky we are so, fucked you think?

4817
04:59:16.479 --> 04:59:16.560
So?

4818
04:59:17.439 --> 04:59:21.319
YEAH i, mean come, on we're just some kids in

4819
04:59:21.360 --> 04:59:25.200
the middle of, nowhere harassed by a. Demon the odds

4820
04:59:25.240 --> 04:59:27.959
are stacked against. Us but come, on the assholes in

4821
04:59:27.959 --> 04:59:33.520
this town always. Survive that isn't, wrong you, Guys hannah,

4822
04:59:33.560 --> 04:59:35.720
Offered so what should we?

4823
04:59:35.759 --> 04:59:36.880
Do as?

4824
04:59:36.880 --> 04:59:40.119
If on que far in the, distance the bells Of

4825
04:59:40.159 --> 04:59:44.040
Saint James church of our holy. Concubine rung, out we

4826
04:59:44.159 --> 04:59:48.119
headed towards the. Church the doors of the church were.

4827
04:59:48.200 --> 04:59:52.479
Unlocked we slinked, inside looking high and low for any

4828
04:59:52.599 --> 04:59:57.119
means of. Salvation it was then we saw, it tucked

4829
04:59:57.159 --> 05:00:00.720
away in the corner of the pantry far the. Church

4830
05:00:01.639 --> 05:00:03.840
we cut open the box and dragged it up the

4831
05:00:03.880 --> 05:00:07.680
stairs to the main hallway to the front, doors and

4832
05:00:07.759 --> 05:00:11.720
then we started to toss that consecrated bird. Seed we

4833
05:00:11.799 --> 05:00:14.520
scattered the communion wafers about the parking lot of the,

4834
05:00:14.599 --> 05:00:18.560
church all the while those thunderous wing movements filled the,

4835
05:00:18.599 --> 05:00:22.639
air punctuated by the angry screams of that unholy. Amalgamation,

4836
05:00:23.919 --> 05:00:27.520
finally that putrid pigeon came to, roost and forever a

4837
05:00:27.639 --> 05:00:31.040
slave to Its avian, instincts it began to peck at

4838
05:00:31.040 --> 05:00:35.319
the bread we, offered on and on at, eight so

4839
05:00:35.520 --> 05:00:38.680
long that the sun began to rise and chase away the.

4840
05:00:38.759 --> 05:00:43.840
Darkness the illumination increased as the creature feasted on. Crow

4841
05:00:43.919 --> 05:00:47.680
hannah burpt and looked at the. Sky its eyes grew

4842
05:00:47.720 --> 05:00:52.200
wide at the, sunrise filled with, hope, peace and possibly

4843
05:00:52.240 --> 05:00:56.680
a chance at redemption for its blasphemous. EXISTENCE i stepped

4844
05:00:56.720 --> 05:01:02.200
forward and stroked its, furrowed nearly innocent. Brow it cooed

4845
05:01:02.319 --> 05:01:06.599
low and. SATISFIED i leaned close to kiss its. Forehead

4846
05:01:07.639 --> 05:01:10.919
the creature exploded in a shower of gore that plastered

4847
05:01:11.000 --> 05:01:16.599
us in underworld. Filth ace, Puked hannah, sneezed AND i

4848
05:01:16.720 --> 05:01:24.200
spit bloody chunks from my. Mouth Greatest halloween, Ever ace, Offered. Fuck, Yes,

4849
05:01:29.040 --> 05:01:32.840
well if you're still with, us the sun is probably

4850
05:01:32.919 --> 05:01:37.479
beginning to rise over the. Hills that's our, marathon at

4851
05:01:37.560 --> 05:01:42.959
least until Next, tuesday when will bring you even More halloween.

4852
05:01:43.119 --> 05:01:49.200
Horrors consider the Weekly Spooky vault officially opened for the,

4853
05:01:49.319 --> 05:01:56.439
season huge thanks to our fiendishly talented Storytellers shane Migliovaka Rob,

4854
05:01:56.599 --> 05:02:02.759
Field's Joe, Solmo John, Oakdalton dave, O'hanlan Charles, Campbell Keith,

4855
05:02:02.840 --> 05:02:08.240
tomlin And Dan. Wilder If tonight gave you, chills do

4856
05:02:08.439 --> 05:02:12.000
The Spooky signal boost and give us a rating and

4857
05:02:12.080 --> 05:02:17.319
review on your favorite podcasting. App maybe share this extensive

4858
05:02:17.400 --> 05:02:21.200
episode with a horror hungry friend who always wants to

4859
05:02:21.240 --> 05:02:24.240
have a little something scary to get them through the.

4860
05:02:24.319 --> 05:02:28.759
Day and, remember there's a brand news story dropping every,

4861
05:02:28.880 --> 05:02:33.720
week in, fact nearly every day In, october not just

4862
05:02:33.919 --> 05:02:38.479
classics from the. Vault so until next, time keep the

4863
05:02:38.520 --> 05:02:42.680
porch light, low keep the candy bowl, close but most,

4864
05:02:42.680 --> 05:02:47.520
importantly keep. Listening talk at you next. Time