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June 25, 2025

I Worked in a Museum of Oddities Until the Oddest Thing Happened to Me

I Worked in a Museum of Oddities Until the Oddest Thing Happened to Me
Apple Podcasts Spotify Spreaker Audible Castro RSS Feed
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A museum intern expects work experience among strange exhibits, but one impossible object turns the collection into a living nightmare.

In this chilling horror story from Michael Kelso, a young woman takes a summer job at a failing museum of cryptids and oddities in a forgotten small town. But when a mysterious new exhibit arrives, her life is changed forever—by a creature that doesn’t just bite… it transforms.

Now trapped behind bars, mutated into something monstrous, and helplessly watched by crowds, her only hope is a dying phone battery and a desperate plea for help.

📍 Set in the creepy town of Frost Creek.
🦎 Features cryptids, cursed exhibits, and horrifying transformation.
📱 Told entirely from the point of view of a victim fighting to be heard.

Written by Michael Kelso
🔗 https://geni.us/michaelkelsoau...
👻 Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/Ho...

Get your very own signed copy of https://weeklyspooky.com/april...!

What begins around I Worked in a Museum of Oddities Until the Oddest Thing Happened to Me develops into a focused mix of dangerous places and hidden histories, cryptid and creature horror, and folklore, ritual, and cursed traditions, with each escalation rooted in the story setup and character relationships above.

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

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

📬 Contact Us / Submit Your Horror Story!


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

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Hmm. A quiet museum of oddities in a forgotten town

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seemed like the perfect place for a summer job. But

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when a strange new exhibit arrives, something escapes. And it's

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not just small, and it's not just dangerous, it's contagious.

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

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You will experience tales over our broad ghosts and death.

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It is not recommended for a week at our heart

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listeners in the dark, It's more fun at that way way.

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This is Weekly Speaking.

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Hello, my spookies, It's Wednesday, and you know what that means.

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It's time for a little spooky in your weekly. I'm

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your host and narrator, Enrique Kuto, and tonight we have

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quite the terrifying tale of summer jobs gone wrong, just

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in time for a heat wave hitting a lot of

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the United States. But before we get to that, I

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want to let you know that next week we begin

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a brand new mini series, a five part horror epic

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from Rob Fields set in our very own Strickfield universe.

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It's called Deadly Second Chances, and it all starts Wednesday,

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July third. An ancient goddess is trapped in perdition but

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if three out of five tormented souls fail to change

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their fates, she'll be unleashed on the moverse. Each week,

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you'll be reintroduced to a character given a chance to

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rewrite their dark past, all from prior stories, from the

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deadly revenant known as Aids Mary to a vampire hunter

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haunted by her origin. Can they change their lives or

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are they destined to fall again? Five chances, one shot

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at freedom Deadly Second Chances starts July third right here

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at Weekly Spooky, with a new installment every Wednesday in July,

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so make sure you're subscribed. But as for tonight, have

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you ever been to one of those weird little museums

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on the side of the highway, You know, the kind

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full of two headed snakes and jars, dusty bigfoot statues

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and a gift shop that smells like old popcorn. They're

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supposed to be harmless fun until the exhibits start looking

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back at you. Tonight's tale is about a girl that

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thought she'd earned school credit and ended up losing much more.

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We're telling that story after this. I worked in a

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museum of oddities until the oddest thing happened to me

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By Michael Kelso. I never wanted this to happen. I

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didn't want to be standing here staring horrified at the

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blood dripping from my hands as people screamed and ran away.

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It was all my boss's fault. He made this happen.

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He had plenty of chances to make things right, but

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there was money to be made, and the love of

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money is the root of all evil. You know those

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people who strive for excellence, who work hard to get

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the grades because they're destined for better things. They're bound

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to leave the small town they grew up in, get

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out there and set the world on fire. I wanted

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to be one of those people. I studied like my

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life depended on it for my entire school career. But

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when it came down to the wire, I missed being

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valedictorian by two Measley points. I didn't get the scholarships

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or the accolades. I didn't get anything. The only thing

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I got was an invitation to do a summer internship

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at the local museum. It was an unpaid internship, but

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I thought it would look good on an application, so

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I took the job. When I first started working here,

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house terrified, especially walking in the door for the first

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time and getting the stair down from an eight foot

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tall bigfoot statue with arms outstretched and fangs showing in

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a frozen roar. After I realized what it was and

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restarted my heart, I was greeted by the owner, mister Applebottom.

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He was a small, thin man with round glasses and

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a receding hairline. He looked like a stiff breeze would

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carry him away to the land of Oz. He took

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me on a tour of the museum, showing me all

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of the attractions, Most of them were cryptids. There were

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drawings and paintings hanging next to blurry photos of just

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about any cryptid you can think of. The more popular

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ones had full sized wax models. All these creas captured

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my imagination, but not in a good way. There was

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also a theater with around twenty seats and a video

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playing non stop about sightings of various cryptids. Once he

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finished the tour, he showed me how to run the

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cash register and then showed me the janitor's closet. My

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jobs were to take care of customers during open hours

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and take care of cleanup during closed hours. After he

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had shown me everything, he turned the sign from closed

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to open and told me good luck as he went

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upstairs to his office. I stood there frozen, staring at

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the cash register like it was going to bite my

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fingers off if I touched it. So my big internship

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turned out to be a janitor slash ticket collector job.

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Worried I would get overwhelmed by the rush of customers

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and have no clue what to do. Fortunately for me,

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I didn't have a single customer all day. It turned

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out the museum had been opened for a few years

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and people had already seen everything there was to see.

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Repeat customers weren't exactly the museum's forte. I stood there

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waiting for over an hour. I soon became bored and

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walked through the gift shop, acquainting myself with the bric

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a brac we sold that lasted around fifteen minutes. To

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keep myself from falling asleep, I made the mistake of

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going to the theater and watching the videos of cryptid sightings,

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as if the wax figures weren't enough. Now, I had

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it in my mind that these things were not only real,

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but could show up at my doorstep any time they

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felt like it. At the end of the day, mister

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Applebottom came down and asked how many customers we'd had.

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His face fell when I told him none. He turned

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the sign from open to closed and told me to

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do the floors. I stared at the floors. But you

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and I are the only ones who walked through here today,

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I said, is this the way you're going to talk

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to your supervisor? No, sir, it just doesn't make sense

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to me. Call it a practice run, he said, I

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want to see how you do. I sighed and went

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to the cleaning closet. I vacuumed all the floors, cleaned

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the TVs, wiped down the counters, and washed the windows.

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The lights were turned down to night levels, making shadows

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dance as I did my chores. As I worked my

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way through the museum, I swore I could feel eyes

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on me, and they weren't mister Applebottoms. The statues of

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the creatures were so lifelike I didn't dare look up

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at them for fear they'd grab me and drag me

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off to their layer. I regretted ever taking this internship.

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It's only for the summer, and it can help you

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get a better job. That's what I told myself. I

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just wish I would have quit after that first day.

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Maybe I wouldn't have. When I was done, he mumbled

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that I had done satisfactorily and told me to be

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here bright and early tomorrow. The next day was exactly

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the same as the first, except I knew what to expect.

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I brought a book to rea so I wouldn't be bored.

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Of course, it disappeared when the boss was around. I

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got the feeling he was a if you can lean,

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you can clean kind of person. After a few weeks

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with barely more than a handful of customers, I wondered

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how he was even able to pay the electric bill.

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It was no wonder. This was an unpaid internship. I'd

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taken to cleaning in the afternoon so I could be

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done as soon as he closed up. It was also

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something to do. Boredom in a hall of monsters can

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do terrible things to your imagination. One day, the Boss

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came down from his office very excited. He told me

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he had found a new exhibit and it was being

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shipped in today. It was funny and very encouraging to

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see him so excited, like a kid waiting at the

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mailbox for a toy or a comic book to arrive.

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When the delivery man showed up with the package, the

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boss nearly knocked him over with the door. After he

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accepted delivery, he stood there staring at the shoe box

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sized package in awe. What is it? I said, looking eagerly.

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He was so focused on it that he whipped around

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and nearly lost his balance. He composed himself and smiled sheepishly.

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That was a close one, he said. Then he straightened.

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You shall have to wait until I have the display

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set up. I frowned as he carried the box up

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the stairs to his office like some trophy. I shook

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my head and continued cleaning. An hour later, a frantic

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mister Applebottom raced down the stairs and flew over to me.

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Ever seen him run so fast? I cringed, not knowing

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if he was going to stop in time or plow

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me over. Fortunately he stopped just in time. Where is it?

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He said, breathlessly. Where is what? I said?

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Don't go away, weakly, spooky, We'll be right back.

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He looked at me for a long moment. He tried

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to compose himself and regain control of his breathing. Have

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you seen anything? Out of the ordinary, he asked, with

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a forced calmness. No, I've just been cleaning and you

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haven't seen anything unusual, No, sir. His eyes scanned the

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room with special focus on the floor. He searched the room, room,

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then went into the theater, finally coming back to me.

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Looking defeated. He turned and walked slowly away, shoulders slumped.

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Is there anything I can do to help you, sir?

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I called after him. He just waved me off and

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kept walking. I took the vacuum back to the cleaning

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closet and got out the carpet scrubber. I needed to

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tackle a stain where some kid had spilled soda. I

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filled the upper tank with soap and water. Then, when

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after the stain, I found it interesting that, no matter

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how clean the carpet looked, the water in the collecting

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tank always looked like chocolate milk. When I was done,

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after two run throughs, I examined the stain and it

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was much better, but not perfect. This carpet cleaner did

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a good job, but never seemed to get it one

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hundred percent clean. I returned the cleaner to the closet

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and pulled the tank of dirty water out to empty it.

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As I dumped it out, something jumped out of it

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and bit me. I screamed and dropped the tank, recoiling

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against the wall. Whatever kind of bug it was took

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off into the museum. I looked at my bleeding hand,

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then gathered my courage and followed it. I grabbed a

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broom off the closet wall and held it out in

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front of me like a sword. I scanned around the

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floor of the room but didn't see anything. There weren't

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even tracks to follow as I passed each exhibit, holding

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my breath for fear of this thing jumping out at me.

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Checking around wax figures of monsters did not help my

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general anxiety. One by one, I checked each exhibit, paying

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close attention to the floor around it and behind it,

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but I came up short. As I started back through

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for a second search, mister Applebottom rounded the corner and

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scared me nearly half to death. I swung my broom,

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only to realize just in time who it was. What's

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going on, he said, holding up his arm to defend

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against a woman brandishing a broom. I'm sorry, sir, I said.

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I heard noises and thought there was an intruder, oh,

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he said, composing himself. Glad to see you defending the

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interests of the museum. Yes, sir, how did you injure yourself,

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Miss Primrose? He said, looking at my bloody hand. I

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stared at it for a moment. Should I tell him

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something bit me and ran away? Should I let him

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know there's something dangerous roaming around? Or will he blame

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me for not finding it? Would he fire me? God

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knows if anything happened to a guest because of me,

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I must have cut it in my haste to grab

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the broom, I lied, Oh well, best tend to that.

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He said, I don't want you bleeding on the floors. Yes, sir,

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carry on. Then he said, I'm leaving for the night.

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You'll lock up on your way out, won't you, of course, sir.

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With that, he turned on his heels and headed for

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the front door. I watched him go, then turned back

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to the now empty building. All that was here was

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me and the little monster that had bitten me. I

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panned around the room, feeling more alone than I had

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00:17:00.039 --> 00:17:04.519
in a long time. I slowly made my way back

220
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to the cleaning closet, holding my broom tightly. When I

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got there, I leaned my broom against the wall next

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to the first aid box hanging on the wall. As

223
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I got a bandage out and covered my wound, my

224
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eyes kept darting to the door. When I was done,

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I picked up the broom and carried it to the

226
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edge of the doorway. I scanned the empty room searching

227
00:17:33.960 --> 00:17:39.279
for my attacker. The deserted floor mocked me like it

228
00:17:39.400 --> 00:17:42.720
was a field of land mines waiting for me to

229
00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:46.519
step on one. I wished I had some sort of

230
00:17:47.000 --> 00:17:50.640
sci fi goggles that could scan for life forms like

231
00:17:51.559 --> 00:17:55.480
in the movies, but I was on my own. I

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took a deep breath and started for the door, holding

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my room to defend myself. At first, I walked toward

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the door, eyes darting all around, but as it came closer,

235
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I stepped more quickly. It didn't help that I had

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to pass one monster after another. By the time I

237
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got to the door, I was at a full run.

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I slammed into it in a full panic, pulling the

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keys out of my pocket and dropping them like in

240
00:18:28.599 --> 00:18:33.599
every horror movie ever. Sweat poured off my forehead, making

241
00:18:33.640 --> 00:18:36.640
the keys slip out of my hand A second time.

242
00:18:38.039 --> 00:18:40.920
Finally I got the keys in the lock and opened

243
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the door, only to whip around and try to slam

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it shut. But it refused to close. It was as

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00:18:49.960 --> 00:18:53.119
if the building was saying, Oh, no, you don't you

246
00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:56.599
get back in here and deal with this thing. I

247
00:18:56.720 --> 00:19:01.000
slammed the door over and over, but it used to shut.

248
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I looked around in a sheer panic. When I saw

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a piece of wood sticking out of the door, I

250
00:19:09.880 --> 00:19:14.640
bent down and picked it up. It was the broom.

251
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I threw it back inside and slammed the door shut,

252
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locking it and breathing hard as I leaned against it,

253
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trying to compose myself. The longer I leaned against the door,

254
00:19:28.279 --> 00:19:32.279
the more my breathing slowed. The more my breathing slowed,

255
00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:36.839
the more my mind told me how foolish I had been.

256
00:19:37.839 --> 00:19:42.039
It was just a bug, I thought, nothing to get

257
00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:46.079
excited about. I wanted to tell my mind that it

258
00:19:46.119 --> 00:19:50.119
was full of belogney. I wanted to believe it was

259
00:19:50.359 --> 00:19:56.200
just a bug. But something wouldn't let me. Some small,

260
00:19:56.599 --> 00:20:00.480
niggling feeling wouldn't allow me to simply dis miss it.

261
00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:04.759
I went home and tried my best to forget about

262
00:20:04.759 --> 00:20:08.839
the events of the day, I made myself a microwave

263
00:20:08.920 --> 00:20:13.680
dinner meat loaf with mashed potatoes and corn, then laid

264
00:20:13.799 --> 00:20:17.640
in bed, laughing my head off to whose line is

265
00:20:17.640 --> 00:20:21.160
it anyway? Until I fell asleep.

266
00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:27.079
You're not safe yet, weekly Spooky will be right back.

267
00:20:31.480 --> 00:20:36.680
There were ants crawling all over me, no, not over me,

268
00:20:37.960 --> 00:20:43.400
through me. I could feel them under my skin. I

269
00:20:43.480 --> 00:20:47.000
looked down at my arm and saw them moving around,

270
00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:52.079
hundreds of them, like there were highways full of ants

271
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moving up and down beneath my skin. I scratched until

272
00:20:57.599 --> 00:21:00.839
I dug the skin open, trying to yank the ants

273
00:21:00.920 --> 00:21:04.960
out of my body one at a time. I grabbed

274
00:21:04.960 --> 00:21:08.519
one and pulled it out of my arm. I looked

275
00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:12.799
at it, and to my surprise, it looked like a

276
00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:18.079
miniature version of that thing that bit me. I tried

277
00:21:18.119 --> 00:21:22.160
to squash it, but it didn't seem to FaZe the creature.

278
00:21:23.079 --> 00:21:26.240
It got tired of me trying and bit me again.

279
00:21:27.480 --> 00:21:31.880
I threw it to the floor and stomped on it.

280
00:21:31.880 --> 00:21:36.839
It looked at me and then just skittered away unharmed.

281
00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:42.119
The rest of me felt like I was being slowly devoured.

282
00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:45.640
Pain shot from every inch of my body as these

283
00:21:45.720 --> 00:21:51.440
creatures dug deeper into me, reaching my bloodstream. It carried

284
00:21:51.480 --> 00:21:57.400
them all through me, causing even more havoc. I desperately

285
00:21:57.480 --> 00:22:02.160
tore at my skin, scratching, digging, tearing with my nails,

286
00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:06.880
anything to get these little monsters out of me. I

287
00:22:06.920 --> 00:22:10.680
didn't care about the blood running down my arms and

288
00:22:10.759 --> 00:22:14.559
seeping into my bed sheets. I just wanted to be

289
00:22:14.759 --> 00:22:20.319
rid of this torture. They were relentless. I could feel

290
00:22:20.359 --> 00:22:25.720
every molecule they invaded. The pain was beyond description. I

291
00:22:25.799 --> 00:22:31.440
was about to go completely insane if I didn't. I

292
00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:37.039
sat bolt upright in bed and screamed. I felt my arms,

293
00:22:37.440 --> 00:22:41.880
my legs, my face, searching for the tiny invaders that

294
00:22:41.960 --> 00:22:47.279
had destroyed my body, but they weren't there. I looked

295
00:22:47.319 --> 00:22:51.519
down at my arms, relieved to not see tiny creatures

296
00:22:51.640 --> 00:22:55.640
roaming under my skin and blood where I had torn

297
00:22:55.680 --> 00:23:00.640
the skin away trying to dig them out. However, I

298
00:23:00.759 --> 00:23:06.960
did see something disturbing. I had a rash. It ran

299
00:23:07.160 --> 00:23:11.160
all the way up my arms and disappeared under my sleeves.

300
00:23:11.960 --> 00:23:15.799
I threw off my sweaty sheets and ran to the bathroom.

301
00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:22.039
I turned on the light and wished I hadn't the

302
00:23:22.119 --> 00:23:25.960
person who greeted me in the mirror was a stranger.

303
00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:30.960
Red blotches ran all up and down my body. Even

304
00:23:31.039 --> 00:23:35.559
my face was covered in them. Had I scratched myself

305
00:23:35.559 --> 00:23:40.519
in my sleep? I examined the blotches more closely. They

306
00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:45.839
didn't appear to be scratch marks. In fact, they weren't itchy.

307
00:23:46.880 --> 00:23:51.440
That in itself seemed odd. Not that I wasn't grateful

308
00:23:51.559 --> 00:23:55.039
that whatever this rash was that covered most of my

309
00:23:55.160 --> 00:24:01.880
body didn't itch. It was just unique. I'd never heard

310
00:24:01.920 --> 00:24:05.319
of a rash that didn't itch, at least a little bit,

311
00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:11.279
As if on cue. I started scratching as soon as

312
00:24:11.319 --> 00:24:16.039
I scratched the first spot, everywhere else began to itch.

313
00:24:16.200 --> 00:24:19.960
At the same time. I watched in the mirror as

314
00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:25.119
my nails tried to reach everywhere at once and failed miserably.

315
00:24:25.920 --> 00:24:29.400
I had to do something quickly before I scratched myself

316
00:24:29.440 --> 00:24:33.039
apart like in my dream. I ran a hot shower

317
00:24:33.119 --> 00:24:37.599
and jumped in clothes and all I stripped in the shower,

318
00:24:37.720 --> 00:24:43.640
revealing even more red splotches. The water seemed to have

319
00:24:43.759 --> 00:24:48.039
a soothing effect on the itching, and soon I wasn't

320
00:24:48.039 --> 00:24:51.880
scratching at all. I plugged the tub and ran water,

321
00:24:52.599 --> 00:24:57.480
settling in for a bath, relief washed over me. As

322
00:24:57.519 --> 00:25:01.279
the water covered my skin, I was left with the

323
00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:08.480
obvious question, what the hell is this? As I looked around,

324
00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:12.160
I noticed the spot where I'd been bitten was swollen.

325
00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:16.920
I examined it carefully. I'd never seen a reaction like

326
00:25:16.960 --> 00:25:22.240
this before. Was this like a bee allergy? Was my

327
00:25:22.400 --> 00:25:26.799
throat about to swell shut? I swallowed just to be

328
00:25:26.920 --> 00:25:30.319
sure I still could. It went off without a hitch.

329
00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:34.599
It didn't even hurt, So what was going on with

330
00:25:34.680 --> 00:25:38.079
the rest of me? I needed to figure this out,

331
00:25:38.599 --> 00:25:43.680
but a hospital was the last resort. So called medical

332
00:25:43.759 --> 00:25:48.480
professionals had proven themselves to be untrustworthy as of late,

333
00:25:49.160 --> 00:25:52.279
I would probably end up being dissected in the name

334
00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:57.559
of medical science. I got out of the tub, dried off,

335
00:25:57.720 --> 00:26:01.480
and put on a bathrobe. Next, I camped out in

336
00:26:01.480 --> 00:26:06.119
front of my computer, searching for anything even remotely like this.

337
00:26:07.400 --> 00:26:11.720
Several hours later, I was startled awake by my alarm clock.

338
00:26:12.799 --> 00:26:15.920
I got up, turned it off, then went to the

339
00:26:15.960 --> 00:26:20.759
bathroom to check my rash status. It was still there.

340
00:26:21.319 --> 00:26:26.200
In fact, it seemed to be getting worse. I decided

341
00:26:26.200 --> 00:26:28.720
that work was the last place I wanted to be

342
00:26:29.000 --> 00:26:33.960
while dealing with this what's wrong with your face? I

343
00:26:33.960 --> 00:26:38.799
could hear children saying over and over, having to patiently

344
00:26:38.839 --> 00:26:42.839
admit that I don't have a single clue repeatedly during

345
00:26:42.839 --> 00:26:48.319
the course of a day held no appeal. I called

346
00:26:48.319 --> 00:26:52.359
the boss and told him I wasn't feeling well. I

347
00:26:52.400 --> 00:26:56.240
could hear him practically go into convulsions at the thought

348
00:26:56.400 --> 00:27:01.279
of me calling off. How bad is it really, he said,

349
00:27:01.960 --> 00:27:05.440
can't you come in and just take it easy? I

350
00:27:05.480 --> 00:27:09.279
don't think so. I don't allow you to call off,

351
00:27:09.720 --> 00:27:14.079
he said, trying to assert himself. Well, I won't be

352
00:27:14.200 --> 00:27:19.119
there today with or without your permission. I could almost

353
00:27:19.160 --> 00:27:23.160
hear his little head boiling like a cartoon tea kettle

354
00:27:23.599 --> 00:27:28.640
about to blow. If you call off, you're fired, he said,

355
00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:34.559
thinking he had delivered the killing blow. Okay, and that

356
00:27:34.680 --> 00:27:39.359
will solve your problem of having no assistant. How he

357
00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:43.920
sputtered and chuffed and made sounds I couldn't even identify.

358
00:27:44.720 --> 00:27:46.799
I was about to ask if he was having a

359
00:27:46.839 --> 00:27:51.960
stroke when he suddenly regained control. We have the school

360
00:27:52.119 --> 00:27:56.400
children's tour today, he said, How will I do tours

361
00:27:56.480 --> 00:27:59.920
and run the counter at the same time? Damn it?

362
00:28:00.559 --> 00:28:06.480
I forgot about the tour, I sighed deeply. Okay, I'll

363
00:28:06.519 --> 00:28:13.039
be in, I said, under two conditions. Name them first.

364
00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:17.839
I don't do the tour, I said, I'll run the

365
00:28:17.920 --> 00:28:24.200
concessions and ticket sales, but deals off. I said. Okay, okay,

366
00:28:24.359 --> 00:28:30.039
I'll do the tours, he said, sounding quite exasperated. What's

367
00:28:30.079 --> 00:28:36.519
your other demand? No questions about my medical condition? He hesitated,

368
00:28:37.559 --> 00:28:41.400
or I could hang up right now. No, no, he

369
00:28:41.480 --> 00:28:47.200
said quickly, then cleared his throat. I agree to your terms. Great,

370
00:28:47.720 --> 00:28:53.359
I said, sarcastically. I was hoping he'd refuse. I sighed heavily.

371
00:28:54.720 --> 00:28:59.799
I'll be in. He hung up the phone, presumably before

372
00:28:59.839 --> 00:29:01.319
I could change my mind.

373
00:29:03.160 --> 00:29:05.640
Did you hear that? Better check the locks on your

374
00:29:05.680 --> 00:29:09.160
doors weekly, spooky, We'll be right back.

375
00:29:11.839 --> 00:29:15.160
An hour later, I unlocked the door and walked in.

376
00:29:16.359 --> 00:29:20.799
We're not open yet, mister Applebottom said, I don't know

377
00:29:20.839 --> 00:29:22.960
how you got in here, but you'll have to leave

378
00:29:23.079 --> 00:29:27.680
until regular business hours. That's fine with me, I said,

379
00:29:28.359 --> 00:29:32.240
I didn't want to be here anyway. He paused and

380
00:29:32.359 --> 00:29:36.160
took a closer look at me. To be fair, there

381
00:29:36.279 --> 00:29:39.400
wasn't much to look at. I was wearing a long

382
00:29:39.480 --> 00:29:41.960
sleeved shirt, even though it was supposed to be in

383
00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:45.359
the eighties. Today I had gloves on as well as

384
00:29:45.400 --> 00:29:49.279
sunglasses and a hat. I looked like a movie star

385
00:29:49.559 --> 00:29:55.279
trying to be incognito. Oh my goodness, miss Primrose, is

386
00:29:55.319 --> 00:29:59.799
it you under all that new condition? Don't mention the outfit.

387
00:30:00.920 --> 00:30:04.440
He put his hands up in playful surrender. So if

388
00:30:04.480 --> 00:30:08.880
I may ask, when did all this start? I sighed.

389
00:30:09.880 --> 00:30:15.720
Yesterday I was cleaning and this bug bit me. You say,

390
00:30:15.720 --> 00:30:20.319
a bug bit you? I nodded, and it caused all this.

391
00:30:21.519 --> 00:30:25.960
I'm fairly sure. I know I didn't eat any shellfish yesterday.

392
00:30:27.119 --> 00:30:34.359
Could you describe this bug? He said slowly. It was small.

393
00:30:34.440 --> 00:30:39.599
It kinda reminded me of a scorpion, but different. Honestly,

394
00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:42.640
it happened so fast I didn't get a good look

395
00:30:42.680 --> 00:30:47.759
at it. He stared off into space. I'll be back,

396
00:30:48.279 --> 00:30:53.799
he said, his eyes glazed. Okay, I'll start getting ready

397
00:30:53.799 --> 00:30:58.759
for the morning. You do that, he said, without looking back.

398
00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:04.160
I watched him go. He reminded me of a zombie,

399
00:31:04.559 --> 00:31:09.119
just slow and listless. I shook it off and started

400
00:31:09.160 --> 00:31:13.240
preparing for the day. The tour went smoothly, and the

401
00:31:13.319 --> 00:31:16.240
day was less eventful than I imagined it would be.

402
00:31:17.160 --> 00:31:20.039
I only had three kids stare at me the whole day.

403
00:31:20.759 --> 00:31:24.000
I said boo to two of them. When their parents

404
00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:27.640
were looking the other way, they jumped and ran off.

405
00:31:28.720 --> 00:31:33.960
Mister Applebottom kept checking on me. It seemed nice at first,

406
00:31:34.000 --> 00:31:37.799
but I started to wonder if there was more to it.

407
00:31:38.920 --> 00:31:42.680
He kept stealing glances at me. It was getting a

408
00:31:42.720 --> 00:31:46.519
little creepy. I wanted to ask him what was wrong.

409
00:31:47.279 --> 00:31:50.960
All through the day, workmen came in carrying all kinds

410
00:31:51.000 --> 00:31:56.519
of construction equipment and pieces of metal. What's going on,

411
00:31:57.160 --> 00:32:01.240
I asked, mister Applebottom. There's setting up our new exhibit,

412
00:32:01.839 --> 00:32:05.599
he said, excitedly. I didn't know we were getting a

413
00:32:05.640 --> 00:32:10.599
new exhibit. It's very exciting, he said. Let me show you.

414
00:32:11.759 --> 00:32:14.960
I followed him to a large storage room that had

415
00:32:15.000 --> 00:32:19.519
been cleared out, where a solid metal cage had been constructed.

416
00:32:20.799 --> 00:32:26.240
That's impressive, I said, admiring the gleaming metal. When will

417
00:32:26.279 --> 00:32:30.359
the creature arrive soon? It should be here within the

418
00:32:30.400 --> 00:32:34.960
next day or two. And it's live, not a statue.

419
00:32:35.519 --> 00:32:40.000
Our first live exhibit. He said, so excited he was

420
00:32:40.079 --> 00:32:44.799
dancing on his tiptoes. Would you like to see the inside.

421
00:32:44.839 --> 00:32:47.279
I shrugged and followed him around to the back of

422
00:32:47.319 --> 00:32:52.279
the cage. He stepped inside and I followed. It seemed

423
00:32:52.319 --> 00:32:56.839
like the animal would be comfortable. There were pillows disguised

424
00:32:56.880 --> 00:33:00.559
as rocks all around. In the corner was an that

425
00:33:00.759 --> 00:33:05.000
was a mattress disguised as a slab of stone. I

426
00:33:05.119 --> 00:33:07.839
sat on it and chuckled at how soft it was.

427
00:33:09.279 --> 00:33:14.039
Just then I heard the cage door slam shut. I

428
00:33:14.200 --> 00:33:18.559
jumped up and ran to it. Mister Applebottom was standing

429
00:33:18.599 --> 00:33:24.240
on the other side. Very funny, I said, you've caged me.

430
00:33:24.680 --> 00:33:29.160
Now what are you gonna do with me? Wait? He said,

431
00:33:29.680 --> 00:33:35.440
then walked away. I banged on the cage. This isn't funny,

432
00:33:35.839 --> 00:33:39.400
I yelled, let me out of here. I banged and

433
00:33:39.480 --> 00:33:43.720
carried on for a little while, then slowly walked a

434
00:33:43.839 --> 00:33:49.079
lap around the inside perimeter of the cage. There was

435
00:33:49.160 --> 00:33:53.079
what looked like a freshwater stream fed by a spring.

436
00:33:54.119 --> 00:33:57.799
I took a closer look and found the PVC pipe

437
00:33:57.839 --> 00:34:01.799
that was hidden from visitor's eyes. It fed into a

438
00:34:01.799 --> 00:34:06.359
plastic pool that was decorated to look like rock. They

439
00:34:06.440 --> 00:34:10.280
definitely went all out to create the illusion of wilderness.

440
00:34:11.079 --> 00:34:14.400
After a few laps around with some more cage banging

441
00:34:14.519 --> 00:34:17.719
thrown in for good measure. I sat on the slab

442
00:34:17.840 --> 00:34:22.320
rock bed and wondered what had possessed mister Applebottom to

443
00:34:22.440 --> 00:34:26.440
pull such a cruel joke. I'd been a good employee,

444
00:34:26.519 --> 00:34:30.639
or at least I thought I was. What if it's

445
00:34:30.679 --> 00:34:34.519
not a joke? My mind said, what if it's some

446
00:34:35.239 --> 00:34:42.159
sadistic torment? But why? I thought? Mister Applebottom is a

447
00:34:42.280 --> 00:34:46.880
kind man and a respected business owner. As far as

448
00:34:46.920 --> 00:34:51.440
you know, what does that mean? You have no idea

449
00:34:51.559 --> 00:34:55.840
what he's like in private? Maybe he's some weirdo whack

450
00:34:55.960 --> 00:34:59.559
job satist that gets off by locking people up and

451
00:34:59.639 --> 00:35:03.519
protect their animals. That's a bit of a stretch, don't

452
00:35:03.519 --> 00:35:08.400
you think. Are you sitting in a cage? Yes? But

453
00:35:08.960 --> 00:35:13.440
did he put you there? Well? Yes? But have you

454
00:35:13.519 --> 00:35:17.519
been a bad girl? Stop that. I'm sure it's nothing

455
00:35:17.599 --> 00:35:21.719
like that. He just just what, just went crazy and

456
00:35:21.760 --> 00:35:23.800
locked me in a cage? How the hell should I know?

457
00:35:25.000 --> 00:35:27.840
You ever watched those crime shows on TV where the

458
00:35:27.840 --> 00:35:31.519
perpetrator was always the quiet sort, No one would ever

459
00:35:31.599 --> 00:35:35.480
suspect of killing his neighbors and grinding up their bones

460
00:35:35.519 --> 00:35:38.519
to bake into cakes that he donated to bake sales.

461
00:35:39.440 --> 00:35:43.599
That's sick. That's what missus Jones said when he invited

462
00:35:43.599 --> 00:35:47.280
her over and turned her into a bunt cake. You're

463
00:35:47.400 --> 00:35:50.320
just making this up to scare me, if that's what

464
00:35:50.400 --> 00:35:53.840
you want to believe. I'm tired. I'm gonna lay down

465
00:35:53.880 --> 00:35:59.039
on this nice, soft rock and go to sleep pleasant dreams.

466
00:36:00.440 --> 00:36:05.400
And laid down on the surprisingly comfortable fake rock, trying

467
00:36:05.440 --> 00:36:10.840
to imagine when and why mister Applebottom had gone crazy.

468
00:36:11.880 --> 00:36:15.599
I pulled out my phone and stared at it. I

469
00:36:15.639 --> 00:36:18.639
didn't want to call the police and raise a fuss,

470
00:36:18.719 --> 00:36:22.039
only to find out it was really just a joke.

471
00:36:23.000 --> 00:36:27.000
I started typing what had happened to this point? Maybe

472
00:36:27.039 --> 00:36:29.679
I could send it to myself and have a good

473
00:36:29.800 --> 00:36:33.360
laugh about it. When things got cleared up.

474
00:36:35.239 --> 00:36:39.480
More scarce to come weekly, spooky, We'll be right back.

475
00:36:43.039 --> 00:36:47.559
I woke up feeling stiff and sore. I guess laying

476
00:36:47.639 --> 00:36:51.679
on something that isn't my own bed had its consequences,

477
00:36:52.360 --> 00:36:56.559
no matter how comfortable it was. For the first time,

478
00:36:56.800 --> 00:37:00.320
I realized a design flaw in the cage set up.

479
00:37:01.320 --> 00:37:04.880
I didn't see a bathroom. I did a full lap

480
00:37:04.960 --> 00:37:12.159
around searching and found something disturbing there. Was a small

481
00:37:12.320 --> 00:37:15.920
door in the corner, and a tray of food had

482
00:37:15.920 --> 00:37:22.000
been set inside. Right beside it was a bucket. Oh,

483
00:37:22.159 --> 00:37:26.079
I don't think, so I did another lap to make

484
00:37:26.119 --> 00:37:30.639
sure there was nothing I had missed. There wasn't. I

485
00:37:30.719 --> 00:37:35.239
started to feel uncomfortable. Not only did I have to pee,

486
00:37:35.400 --> 00:37:40.360
but this entire scenario was getting out of hand. The

487
00:37:40.480 --> 00:37:44.760
joke was over. I'd had enough. I got my phone

488
00:37:44.840 --> 00:37:48.079
and held it to my face to unlock it, but

489
00:37:48.639 --> 00:37:54.000
it wouldn't unlock. I tried again, but it refused. I

490
00:37:54.079 --> 00:37:58.480
went to type in my password, but was distracted when

491
00:37:58.519 --> 00:38:04.280
I saw my thumb. The rash was gone, but in

492
00:38:04.400 --> 00:38:10.559
its place were layers of something that looked like scales.

493
00:38:11.679 --> 00:38:16.159
I stared at it with morbid fascination. I flexed it

494
00:38:16.519 --> 00:38:22.199
and moved it around, then pulled my sleeve up. To

495
00:38:22.280 --> 00:38:25.920
my horror, the rash on my arm had been replaced

496
00:38:25.960 --> 00:38:30.599
with scales as well. I panicked, pulling up my pant

497
00:38:30.679 --> 00:38:35.320
legs to find even more scales. I tried to pull

498
00:38:35.360 --> 00:38:39.599
off my shirt, but it kept getting caught. I pulled

499
00:38:39.679 --> 00:38:44.039
harder and harder until the shirt began to rip. I

500
00:38:44.159 --> 00:38:48.159
was determined at this point and continued ripping until the

501
00:38:48.239 --> 00:38:52.880
shirt finally came off. I stared down at a belly

502
00:38:53.119 --> 00:38:57.280
full of scales just below my braw that was also

503
00:38:57.880 --> 00:39:04.239
hiding scales. I screamed, terrified of this demonic possession that

504
00:39:04.280 --> 00:39:09.400
had overtaken my body. But even my scream was unfamiliar.

505
00:39:10.480 --> 00:39:14.639
My voice had changed. It was deeper and had a

506
00:39:14.679 --> 00:39:21.119
different quality to it. No, I cried out, but my

507
00:39:21.360 --> 00:39:28.159
voice only roared. It can't be, I said, but only

508
00:39:28.280 --> 00:39:34.280
guttural growls emerged from me. I unlocked my phone with

509
00:39:34.360 --> 00:39:39.239
the password and called nine one one, nine one one.

510
00:39:39.320 --> 00:39:44.760
What's your emergency? The operator said, help me. I'm being

511
00:39:44.800 --> 00:39:48.920
held hostage in a cage inside the museum. I said,

512
00:39:49.840 --> 00:39:53.360
I'm sorry. Could you turn down the TV? All I

513
00:39:53.400 --> 00:39:58.840
could hear was animal sounds. I'm not watching TV. This

514
00:39:58.920 --> 00:40:03.719
is me talking. Can you please send help. If this

515
00:40:03.960 --> 00:40:08.239
is a prank call, you could get criminal charges. It's

516
00:40:08.360 --> 00:40:13.760
not a prank call, I roared, last chance, Either talk

517
00:40:13.840 --> 00:40:18.440
to me or I'm hanging up. But I'm trying to talk.

518
00:40:19.639 --> 00:40:27.599
The line went dead to you. I stared at the phone.

519
00:40:27.800 --> 00:40:30.159
How can I get a message out if I can't talk?

520
00:40:31.400 --> 00:40:34.760
I looked through the options on the phone when it

521
00:40:34.840 --> 00:40:40.159
hit me text to speech. Of course, I called the

522
00:40:40.199 --> 00:40:46.280
police again, then started typing like mad, Hello, I'm the

523
00:40:46.320 --> 00:40:50.480
one who just called. I typed, hearing the electronic voice

524
00:40:50.800 --> 00:40:54.199
say the words for me, the one who had the

525
00:40:54.239 --> 00:40:57.960
TV up too loud. I wanted to say it wasn't

526
00:40:58.000 --> 00:41:01.599
the TV, that it was my voice that somehow won't work,

527
00:41:02.320 --> 00:41:05.000
but I figured that would be the quickest way for

528
00:41:05.079 --> 00:41:10.440
her to hang up again. Yes, that was me. What's

529
00:41:10.480 --> 00:41:15.320
your emergency? I am trapped in the museum. My employer

530
00:41:15.480 --> 00:41:19.599
locked me in a cage. Are you in any danger?

531
00:41:20.480 --> 00:41:25.320
I looked around the cage, not at the moment. Are

532
00:41:25.360 --> 00:41:31.840
you injured? I looked at the scales on my arm. No, okay,

533
00:41:32.239 --> 00:41:36.719
we'll have someone there shortly. You hold on, okay. I

534
00:41:36.760 --> 00:41:42.559
nodded my acknowledgment, not realizing she couldn't hear it. Yes,

535
00:41:42.960 --> 00:41:47.239
I will hang on until you arrive. The mechanical voice said,

536
00:41:48.119 --> 00:41:52.920
the line disconnected. I did a fist pump in celebration.

537
00:41:53.960 --> 00:41:57.960
I started pacing. I was so excited to be rescued

538
00:41:59.199 --> 00:42:03.320
the next time. Ten minutes were the longest of my life.

539
00:42:03.559 --> 00:42:08.280
Finally I heard voices. They were coming toward me. The

540
00:42:08.360 --> 00:42:13.559
door opened and in walked mister Applebottom with an officer.

541
00:42:14.519 --> 00:42:20.320
Help me, I screamed, he's holding me hostage. The officer

542
00:42:20.400 --> 00:42:24.800
stepped up to the cage then turned to mister Applebottom.

543
00:42:26.039 --> 00:42:31.119
I smiled in anticipation of seeing him led away in cuffs.

544
00:42:32.159 --> 00:42:35.480
I see what you mean, the officer said to him.

545
00:42:36.519 --> 00:42:40.440
It really doesn't like you very much at all. Well,

546
00:42:40.960 --> 00:42:44.880
we only just got it in yesterday, he said. She

547
00:42:45.000 --> 00:42:50.360
needs a little time to adjust to things. She, the

548
00:42:50.440 --> 00:42:55.599
officer said, looking at me, Oh, yeah, I guess it

549
00:42:55.719 --> 00:43:00.480
is a she. I covered my breasts, not even thinking

550
00:43:00.519 --> 00:43:04.719
about the fact that they were covered with scales. He laughed.

551
00:43:06.079 --> 00:43:11.480
I see she understands perfectly. Well, yes, sometimes a little

552
00:43:11.719 --> 00:43:14.480
too well. I'm going to have to keep a close

553
00:43:14.519 --> 00:43:18.199
eye on her to make sure she stays where she belongs.

554
00:43:19.039 --> 00:43:22.320
So my question is, how did she manage to get

555
00:43:22.360 --> 00:43:26.800
a phone and call us in the first place. I

556
00:43:26.840 --> 00:43:30.760
had an assistant who wasn't very careful, and let's just

557
00:43:30.960 --> 00:43:34.440
say she won't get too close to the cage again.

558
00:43:35.719 --> 00:43:38.480
Got a hold of her. Eh, you could say that

559
00:43:39.800 --> 00:43:43.079
you gonna try to get that phone back, would you?

560
00:43:44.280 --> 00:43:47.960
He looked me up and down. I pleaded one last

561
00:43:48.000 --> 00:43:52.800
time for him to save me. It only came out

562
00:43:52.920 --> 00:43:56.719
as a growl. Nope, I think I'd leave it right

563
00:43:56.760 --> 00:43:59.880
where it is. The battery is sure to die soon

564
00:44:00.119 --> 00:44:03.440
unless you charge it up. For what are the odds

565
00:44:03.440 --> 00:44:08.199
of that happening? He looked me in the eye. Zero,

566
00:44:09.159 --> 00:44:12.840
he said, U sh.

567
00:44:12.360 --> 00:44:16.599
It was only the wind. You're safe, weekly, Spooky will

568
00:44:16.639 --> 00:44:17.480
be right back.

569
00:44:19.400 --> 00:44:22.519
That's what I thought. You have a nice night now,

570
00:44:22.559 --> 00:44:26.360
and we'll just block that number for the moment. Let

571
00:44:26.440 --> 00:44:29.000
us know if you get it back or if it dies.

572
00:44:30.039 --> 00:44:33.760
I surely will you have a good trip back, officer,

573
00:44:34.440 --> 00:44:38.599
he said. Once he was gone and the door was locked,

574
00:44:39.199 --> 00:44:43.559
mister Applebottom came back and stood just out of reach

575
00:44:44.119 --> 00:44:49.079
beside the cage. He held out his hand. I reached

576
00:44:49.119 --> 00:44:53.760
for it, but he pulled it back. No, give me

577
00:44:53.880 --> 00:44:58.880
the phone, he said. I shook my head. Give it

578
00:44:58.880 --> 00:45:04.400
to me. I stepped back and shook my head. All right,

579
00:45:04.800 --> 00:45:09.920
keep it, he said. It'll be useless soon. Anyways. I

580
00:45:10.039 --> 00:45:15.119
started typing and hit the play button. What happened to me?

581
00:45:16.119 --> 00:45:21.079
The mechanical voice said through my phone, you have been

582
00:45:21.119 --> 00:45:28.679
transformed into another species. I typed, No shit, Sherlock, how

583
00:45:28.800 --> 00:45:32.880
and why I had ordered a creature that I had

584
00:45:32.920 --> 00:45:38.039
hoped would be the star attraction of the museum. However,

585
00:45:38.400 --> 00:45:41.679
when it arrived, I realized that it was too small

586
00:45:42.159 --> 00:45:46.800
to be a main attraction. That plus, it doesn't look

587
00:45:46.920 --> 00:45:52.360
that distinctive. It could easily be mistaken for a scorpion.

588
00:45:53.360 --> 00:45:57.320
As I was transferring it to its new cage, it

589
00:45:57.519 --> 00:46:04.519
escaped and found me. Yes, I was quite unaware that

590
00:46:04.559 --> 00:46:10.679
a bite would cause such a transformation. However, here you

591
00:46:10.800 --> 00:46:15.400
are my new star attraction. I don't want to be

592
00:46:16.719 --> 00:46:21.880
I do apologize for the inconvenience, but the transformation is

593
00:46:22.159 --> 00:46:29.440
quite irreversible. Inconvenience, I typed, then picked up a real

594
00:46:29.559 --> 00:46:34.239
boulder and threw it at the cage. He ducked and

595
00:46:34.400 --> 00:46:38.199
covered his head as it hit the bars and shattered

596
00:46:38.679 --> 00:46:43.280
into a million pieces. He squealed in pain as the

597
00:46:43.360 --> 00:46:47.559
small rocks hit him like a shotgun blast. He ran

598
00:46:47.679 --> 00:46:52.920
to the door and stood behind it, peeking his head inside.

599
00:46:53.920 --> 00:46:58.519
Make sure you get plenty of rest, he said. Tomorrow

600
00:46:59.440 --> 00:47:02.639
is your grain and reveal. I need to get the

601
00:47:02.679 --> 00:47:08.599
word out and I need to hire a new assistant. Pa,

602
00:47:09.159 --> 00:47:12.440
my phone began to say, but the sound was overwhelmed

603
00:47:12.800 --> 00:47:17.559
by me throwing another boulder at the bars. He dove

604
00:47:17.639 --> 00:47:21.559
out the door and slammed it shut just before the

605
00:47:21.679 --> 00:47:26.960
rocks hit him. I collapsed to my knees under the

606
00:47:26.960 --> 00:47:30.599
sheer weight of my life having been taken from me.

607
00:47:31.559 --> 00:47:35.599
My eyes burned. I wasn't sure if this was some

608
00:47:35.880 --> 00:47:42.360
new aspect of my transformation or just my tears. I

609
00:47:42.400 --> 00:47:48.360
looked down at my mutilated, monstrous hands. My phone was

610
00:47:48.440 --> 00:47:52.320
still in one of them. I reached back to hurl

611
00:47:52.320 --> 00:47:56.920
it at the bars as well, when I noticed my

612
00:47:57.079 --> 00:48:04.840
cell reception. I had four I still had internet, my

613
00:48:05.000 --> 00:48:11.519
battery was still half full. I began desperately typing my story.

614
00:48:12.599 --> 00:48:16.320
When I was done, I found a website that dealt

615
00:48:16.360 --> 00:48:23.320
with cryptids and unexplained phenomena. If you're reading this, please

616
00:48:23.480 --> 00:48:28.199
help me. I'm at the Museum of Oddities in Frost Creek.

617
00:48:29.559 --> 00:48:40.000
I'll keep posting until my phone dies. Mister Applebottom was

618
00:48:40.159 --> 00:48:45.079
true to his word. People flocked in today, walking past

619
00:48:45.159 --> 00:48:50.599
my cage and staring. I considered throwing rocks at them.

620
00:48:51.199 --> 00:48:55.119
Maybe a few injuries would make them go away. But

621
00:48:55.239 --> 00:48:59.039
then I saw all the little kids and thought better

622
00:48:59.119 --> 00:49:02.880
of it. I decided to take a different path to

623
00:49:02.960 --> 00:49:06.920
show my protest. I laid on my fake rock with

624
00:49:07.039 --> 00:49:12.159
my back to the people and refused to move. It

625
00:49:12.199 --> 00:49:15.440
didn't take long for the complaints to bring him back

626
00:49:15.480 --> 00:49:20.119
to my cage. What are you doing, he said through

627
00:49:20.280 --> 00:49:28.599
gritted teeth. I typed on my phone. Nothing, absolutely nothing wrong.

628
00:49:29.159 --> 00:49:33.880
You're embarrassing me, he hissed, grabbing the bars for effect.

629
00:49:34.800 --> 00:49:37.519
Now get up and give them a sh I moved

630
00:49:37.559 --> 00:49:40.599
like a flash. My hand grabbed his and held him

631
00:49:40.639 --> 00:49:44.719
like a vice. I pulled him close. He was smashed

632
00:49:44.760 --> 00:49:50.039
against the bars. Please don't. I grabbed the top of

633
00:49:50.079 --> 00:49:54.320
his head and turned it around in a full circle,

634
00:49:55.159 --> 00:50:00.800
enjoying the satisfying cracks of his vertebrae snapping. I pulled

635
00:50:00.920 --> 00:50:07.159
up and his head came off, showering me in blood.

636
00:50:08.079 --> 00:50:10.880
I stared into his face with a look of shock,

637
00:50:11.239 --> 00:50:15.639
permanently frozen on it. The people in the room began

638
00:50:15.719 --> 00:50:19.840
to scream and run away. I stared at the dead

639
00:50:19.920 --> 00:50:23.840
body that was only upright because I was holding it.

640
00:50:24.639 --> 00:50:27.440
I looked back and forth between the head in one

641
00:50:27.519 --> 00:50:31.400
hand and the body in the other. I dropped them

642
00:50:31.440 --> 00:50:35.679
both and stared in horror. As they hit the floor.

643
00:50:36.840 --> 00:50:40.440
Blood poured out on to the ground. I watched with

644
00:50:40.559 --> 00:50:45.920
morbid fascination as a bug skittered over and began darting

645
00:50:45.960 --> 00:50:51.159
its tongue out, licking up the blood. As I watched,

646
00:50:51.599 --> 00:50:55.840
I saw that it was the same bug that had

647
00:50:55.880 --> 00:51:02.199
infected me and turned me into this horrible monster. I

648
00:51:02.320 --> 00:51:06.760
reached out through the bars towards it. It paused and

649
00:51:06.840 --> 00:51:10.920
looked up at me. I could almost see it make

650
00:51:11.000 --> 00:51:16.000
the connection between us, that it had been responsible for me,

651
00:51:16.840 --> 00:51:20.920
that we shared a kind of kinship, a bond that

652
00:51:21.039 --> 00:51:26.280
could be barely fathomed. It reached an appendage out towards

653
00:51:26.320 --> 00:51:32.079
me as well. I smashed my hand, splattering blood everywhere

654
00:51:32.440 --> 00:51:36.960
and crushing the thing that had destroyed my life. I

655
00:51:37.039 --> 00:51:41.159
withdrew my hand and stared at the flattened creature laying

656
00:51:41.199 --> 00:51:46.039
in the blood of my boss, the two entities most

657
00:51:46.159 --> 00:51:51.280
responsible for this hideous transformation. I trudged over to my

658
00:51:51.400 --> 00:51:56.159
fake rock and plopped on it. I opened my phone,

659
00:51:56.920 --> 00:52:02.639
saw the battery indicator was flashing, and made this last entry.

660
00:52:03.960 --> 00:52:08.800
I will escape this cage. I will find where the

661
00:52:08.880 --> 00:52:13.679
creature came from. I will find a way to change

662
00:52:13.719 --> 00:52:20.039
back to my human form, and I pity anyone who

663
00:52:20.239 --> 00:52:32.280
stands in my way. Wow turns out the internship really

664
00:52:32.719 --> 00:52:39.599
changed her career path from minimum wage to maximum rage.

665
00:52:39.960 --> 00:52:43.079
But mister Applebottom got exactly what he was hoping for,

666
00:52:43.719 --> 00:52:47.960
a display so great you lose your head. So thank

667
00:52:48.000 --> 00:52:51.079
you all so much for joining us tonight on Weekly Spooky.

668
00:52:51.519 --> 00:52:54.000
I really do appreciate it, and thank you to mister

669
00:52:54.320 --> 00:52:57.440
Michael Kelso for sharing the story with us tonight. If

670
00:52:57.480 --> 00:52:59.800
you have a story you'd like us to consider reading

671
00:52:59.800 --> 00:53:03.199
on the show, send us an email at Weeklyspooky at

672
00:53:03.239 --> 00:53:07.039
gmail dot com, or really send us an email for

673
00:53:07.119 --> 00:53:09.840
any reason at all. I'm happy to take a look

674
00:53:09.880 --> 00:53:11.800
at and remember my friends.

675
00:53:12.119 --> 00:53:15.719
Next week we begin the brand new mini series for July,

676
00:53:15.840 --> 00:53:19.960
our summer mini series here at Weekly Spooky with Deadly

677
00:53:20.440 --> 00:53:24.480
Second Chances. So make sure you're subscribed on your favorite

678
00:53:24.519 --> 00:53:28.000
podcasting app, and while you're there, leave us a five

679
00:53:28.039 --> 00:53:31.880
star rating at Apple Podcasts or Spotify because it helps

680
00:53:31.960 --> 00:53:35.280
new spookies discover the show. And if you want to

681
00:53:35.320 --> 00:53:39.360
get bonus shows and support us directly, Headweeklyspooky dot com

682
00:53:39.360 --> 00:53:41.800
slash join for as little as one dollar a month

683
00:53:41.840 --> 00:53:44.119
to get two bonus shows every month. And I want

684
00:53:44.119 --> 00:53:46.360
to say an extra special thank you to our Patreon

685
00:53:46.480 --> 00:53:50.800
podcast boosters. They are Johnny Nix, Kate and Lulu, Jessica Fuller,

686
00:53:51.079 --> 00:53:55.079
Jenny Green, Amber Hansford, Brent McCullough, Karen we Met, Jack Kerr,

687
00:53:55.159 --> 00:53:58.559
and Craig Cohen. They are our Patreon podcast boosters and

688
00:53:58.599 --> 00:53:59.920
we appreciate you a whole lot.

689
00:54:00.400 --> 00:54:01.719
If you want to hear your name at the end

690
00:54:01.719 --> 00:54:05.119
of the show, just head Toweeklyspooky dot com slash join

691
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and choose the fifteen dollars a month or higher tier.

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You'll hear your name at the end of the show

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00:54:10.360 --> 00:54:12.480
and get the two bonus shows, as well as over

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five years of Creepypasta readings and audiobooks. But now it's

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time for me.

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To get to work because the new mini series drops

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next week, So for myself, for my executive producers Rob Fields,

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00:54:23.800 --> 00:54:27.800
Markshields and Bobbletopia dot Com, my producer Dan Wilder, and

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00:54:27.880 --> 00:54:31.119
my composer Ray Mattis, I will talk at you next time,

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So stay chilled in the heat. Thank you for listening series.

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Make sure to find your way back next week week.

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But for now you are safe, trust me.