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March 7, 2026

Ides of March: Four Horror Stories of Revenge, Backwoods Violence, and Roadside Monsters

Ides of March: Four Horror Stories of Revenge, Backwoods Violence, and Roadside Monsters
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Ides of March horror stories are all about the moment trust breaks—and someone decides to settle the score. In this March compilation from the Weekly Spooky horror podcast, four tales spiral from small-town cruelty to wilderness terror, from viral fame to blood-soaked karma, and from a lonely highway to something not quite human waiting in the dark.

In this episode (in order):

• Hell Hath No Fury — by Aaron Michael Cook
A perfect evening curdles into humiliation and rage—until payback arrives with a smile and a blade hidden behind it.
• Valley Rat — by Charles Campbell
A simmering feud in a hard-scrabble town turns vicious, and the cost of cruelty comes due when the past won’t stay put.
• Fortune Falls — by David O’Hanlon
Two friends chase a wild view and a quick thrill—then realize the woods don’t forgive mistakes… and something out there is counting steps.
• ROADKILL — by Travis VanHoose
A late-night road, a predatory stranger, and a pickup that stops for the wrong reason—because the highway has teeth, and it remembers.

The anthology format supports a longer listen while the named stories, creators, and specific setups remain easy to distinguish from one another.

🎧 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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Hello, my spookys. Tonight we're cracking open. And IDEs of

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March compilation one of four for the aforementioned month, featuring

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four stories built on that special kind of dread where

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the air feels normal, the world looks normal, and yet

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underneath it all, some sharp teeth are grinnae. This is

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the month where promises get tested, where a harmless choice

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turns into a hinge that swings the wrong way, and

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where the past doesn't just knock on the door, it

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lets itself in. You'll feel it in the places that

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pretend to be safe. A cozy room with laughter that's

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a little too I don't know what, a town that

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remembers every insult like a family heirloom, a stretch of

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wilderness that looks like freedom right up until it's clearly not.

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And a lonely highway where the only sound is your

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tires and your heartbeat arguing about whether you should have

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kept driving or not. These stories aren't about monsters the

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way you're used to. They're about the moment the mask slips,

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when someone's patience snaps, when the universe tilts, the road

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goes quiet, and you realize you've been alone in the

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dark for way too long. They're about payback that doesn't

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need an invitation, and justice that doesn't care if you're ready.

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So dim the lights, my spookies, get comfortable as we

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step into this collection from the Weekly Spooky Vault. And

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remember the IDEs of March isn't just a date on

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a calendar, it's a worn that sooner or later, every

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debt gets paid. And remember there's a new scary story

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every single Wednesday here at Weekly Spooky. So make sure

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you're subscribed, and let's begin. Hell Hath No Fury by

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Aaron Cook, Oh, shoot the cookies. Zelda may Darling had

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been in the kitchen all day, and the stress of

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hosting a dinner party had caused her to nearly forget

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about the chocolate chip treats that were roasting in the oven.

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She fitted her dainty hands into mits and plucked her

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signature dessert from the sauna. No blemishes of overcooking to

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be found. Pulling the elongated trays out, she didn't wait

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two minutes before conducting a taste test. Delicious, if she

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did say so herself. She treated herself to a second one.

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Jake wouldn't approve of the extra snack, but what he

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didn't know wouldn't hurt him. There was more than enough food,

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she justified with internal guilt. The housewife had been in

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domestic bliss for three full years and was still in

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her early twenties. Born in smalltown Arkansas in nineteen fifty,

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the bell had left home to attend Texas A and M.

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Towards the end of her first year there, she worked

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an alumni ball where she met Big Jake Darling, an

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oil bigwig and generous donor to his old stomping grounds.

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Despite the three decade age gap, Jake fell madly in

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love with the fair skinned, dark haired server in the

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Go Go boots, and his resources made it pretty easy

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for Zelda May to ignore the pot belly, receding hairline,

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and uneven mustache. After mere weeks of whirlwind courting, the

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pair joined in matchrmony in front of a crowd of

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hundreds at his ninety acre ranch in the otherwise modest

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village of Tumbleweed. Jake was eager to prove to his

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new bile bride that he had learned from the mistakes

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of his first two marriages. There had been some downs.

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Jake was ornery, hypercritical, and mentioned his appreciation for the

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anatomy of other women, most even younger than her, quite often.

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But he was a man, and oh what a man

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he could be. That little wallflower who entered college station

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would be surprised at what she became. Prior to her nuptials,

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Zelda May's culinary expertise topped out at popping microwave popcorn.

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But now she was a regular Julia child. She chuckled

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at what her younger self would say if she found

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out about the elaborate shindigs she now held on a

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regular basis. Tonight she would be hosting a soiree for

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Jake's colleagues and their wives. It was an important one.

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Cattle mogul k L. Bandy had accepted an invitation. Joining

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his inner circle was a guaranteed ticket to political success,

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which the oilman craved. He had been locally beloved on

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the village council for a number of years, but he

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was sick of judging pie bake offs and attending ribbon

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cutting ceremonies for libraries. The state Senate was calling him.

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All Bandy had to do was hand him the phone.

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Ten minutes had passed since Jake's promised five thirty homecoming.

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This worried Zelda May sick. It was a pretty common

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occurrence for him to overshoot his eta, but President never

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made it peaceful. He was a wealthy and powerful man,

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which automatically put a target on his back. The poor

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wife never knew if her gregarious partner had blown away

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the time chatting with an old chum, or had been

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assassinated by an envious political opponent. The hypothetical loss of

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her paramour made her sick to her stomach, but she

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couldn't regress the paranoia. Finally, Jake stumbled in, having gotten

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a head start on the spirit embidement of the night. Hi, Honey,

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Zelda May lit up, Hey biscuit. Jake hiccuped his pet

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name for her, as his massive jowls jiggled and his

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pale white belly cut into his Everything's Bigger in Texas

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belt buckle. He stunk of the cheapest gin Brady's Bar

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had to offer, and the collar of his white Colonel

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Sanders' suit was scuffed. In Zelda May's eyes, she was

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looking at Paul Newman. The guests should be here soon,

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getting there. You need any help? Well, actually, if you

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could Jake's sobering snooze began. The second it was even

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implied there was a way he could streamline the toil

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of his labored spouse. It was no. She was pretty

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sure she liked doing housework. There were still several dishes

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she needed to magically conjure before nine o'clock. Then she

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needed to wash up the feast worked up a sweat,

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and it would be unladylike to not present herself as

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immaculate as possible. Not that long ago, the looming threat

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of the deadline would have scared her something fierce, but

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not anymore. Sure Enough, the spread was laid out, and

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she emerged from the powder room, renewed in her pearls

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and heels, mere minutes before the first ring of the doorbell,

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the sound of which revived her downed Bow, who quickly

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wiped the drool from his face. Harvey Lois the Learners

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were the beneficiaries of the death of the mister's father,

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which granted them control over one of the state's largest

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construction firms. Harvey had never actually seen a pile of rubble,

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and Lois, also from old money, was prone to make

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statements that made her formerly modest friend feel insecure about

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her background. Up next were the Duprees. Don had recently

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acquired controlling interest in the popular, inexpensive and small chain

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Selman's Department Store, which he was eagerly licking his lips

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to merge with a larger company. Flonetta and Ducky Perry

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arrived shortly after years of entertaining them hadn't shed a

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light on what they did for a living. All Zelda

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May knew was they were filthy rich. Just when Zelda

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May was about to shepherd her company into the dining

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room for their banquet, a limousine pulled up to the

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Darling residence. The driver exited his position to release an

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invitee that Zelda May had forgotten about, but Jake certainly hadn't.

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K l Bandy. Everybody stopped what they were doing to

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gaze upon the richest man in the lone star state,

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which angered Lois Learner, who had only he belted out

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a Stanza and a half as she cooed and curled

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over the piano. The VIP looked nothing like the image

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Zelda May had cooked up in her head. She had

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pictured a good old boy with roughly the same features

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as her beloved and his colleagues. Instead, a decrepit skeleton

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shambled up to her porch, escorted on each shoulder by

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a Miss Texas contender. The man half as old as

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the Earth and his gal pals glacially meandered towards his admirers. Inside,

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an irate Jake furiously barked at Zelda May to stop

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daydreaming and open the door for the guest of honor,

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long before he reached the welcome mat, how do mister

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Brandy and excited Don Dupree powered through the crowd to

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win the race. To determine the old man's inaugural conversation,

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Dupree firmly grasped Bandy's hand in a shake which cracked

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the Methuselah of Meat's worn joints. Embarrassed, Double d frantically

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apologized to the unoffended baron. Despite his assurance, Don replayed

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the moment in his head over and over, removing himself

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from the camaraderie to self flagellate. Hello, mister Bandy, beamed

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Zelda May. Jake has told me so much about can

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we get you anything? Mister Bandy? The King of the

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Castle stifled his wife he shot her a dirty look.

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As the ancient one declined, Jake pulled Zelde May aside

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and mentioned his distaste for the comment. When Bandy was

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out of earshot. What things was she implying he had mentioned?

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Did he look suspicious? Just now she was going to

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blow his big shot. Sorry, honey, just don't talk to

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him or look at him. The convoy entered the pure

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white dining room. Effusive scores were given to Zelda May's

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creations before a bite was even taken, including many from

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the treasured newcomer who sat in the head chair after

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the US usual alpha seated his territory for this one

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night only. Convival talk among the boys followed as the

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women chatted about past and future dinner parties. Although a

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rattled Don mostly just nodded in agreement, too worried about

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throwing another boneheaded interception. This was their one chance to

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impress a man that could fatten their portfolios. Ducky Perry

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fantasized about his soon to be new best friend handing

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over the deed to one of his tremendous golf courses.

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Jake took every inch to bring up his steakhouse concept.

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Tired of all beef all the time. The gazillionaire never

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offered much response to the proposal. Did this guy even

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know anything about running a restaurant? Further incessant, half baked

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hypotheticals continued to line dance on the geezer's already feeble nerves.

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The brisket was excellent, the corn was phenomenal, and the

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apple pie had been some of the best he had

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tasted in his countless years on this planet. But another

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round of rump kissers had left Bandy exasperated. Zelda May

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quit staring at mister Bandy. Jake reprimanded his adult wife

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as if she was a toddler with a tattling habit.

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I wasn't, she defended herself. Another round of tupperware talk

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had been her limit for the past ten minutes. She

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had been zoned out, affixed on nothing in particular. Yes,

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you was now apologize. It's quite all right, Bandy foolishly said,

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in an agitation that seemed to imply he was more

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irritated by him than her. Sometimes she gets like this,

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like what Zelda May countered, now, more anxious to hear

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her fictional shortcomings than appearing demure. Don't start, you started it, folks.

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I think I'm gonna call it a night, the esteemed

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mogul said, as he gestured for him twins to help

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him up and out. Part of him felt bad for

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his dogpiled host, but most of him wanted to thank

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her for giving him an excuse to escape this never

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ending assault of false praise. See what you did, Jake blared,

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to a degree that the heart of hearing Bandy heard

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from a room away. Zelda May Honey Floetta's fake accent

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permeated with a passive aggressiveness that elicited a cold draft

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down the pariah's spine. I hope you're happy. I almost

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had a third car dealership, Don whined. The grumbling gaggle

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emotionally and wordlessly returned to their vehicles, leaving Zelda May

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alone to face Jake's wrath. In addition to Tonight's alleged

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staring gaff, he found nitpicks in the food he scarfed down,

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and found flaws with her hair, makeup and chubby cheeks.

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If she kept letting herself go, that girl he saw

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today day after work might just have to move in.

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Jake continued his relentless attack, which would have driven Zelda

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May to tears if she hadn't cried them all out

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over the years. As a compulsion, she started to work

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on the everest of dishes. Of course, the supposed clean

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freak didn't offer her a modicum of help. At least

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he was talking to her. That was a refreshing change

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of pace. She began scrubbing the tainted plates in a

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fury as Jake continued his verbal bulrush a sutty mess,

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Zelda May pulled the dishwasher rack out and marched to

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the fridge for some chardonnay, which she elected to down

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straight from the bottle. Jake scoffed at the lush she

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could be, and attempted to pry the bottle loose much

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bigger his stripsack was overpowering, spiking and staining the kitchen

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floor with wet glass. Naturally, this was seen as purely

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Zelda May's error, which resulted in a final flurry of condescension.

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Sick of hearing these judgments, the harried housewife gave her

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husband a shove her anger, propelling her strength to unprecedented levels.

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The back of Jake's boots skidded over the edge of spillage.

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The hoss tried to compose his balance, which only caused

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him to dance more erratically before he fell over backwards

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in a heap, cracking his neck on the still exposed dishwasher.

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The crunch was louder than the snap of the wishbone

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of her famous Thanksgiving turkey. No choking, no throes, no

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mournful departing apology, instant death. Stunned, the accidental killer stared

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back at her unintentional victim. The eyes that had been

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full of fire just seconds before were now ghostly white.

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She didn't blame herself. It was a self induced accident,

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a fatal folly caused by his own foolishness. Now single

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part of her felt sad about the loss of her partner,

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but more of her felt relieved that there was finally

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some quiet in here. Now she could tidy this mess

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in piece calm as could be. Zelda May grabbed the

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mop and dust pan and commenced the arduous clean up,

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a chore that was made more difficult by the two

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hundred and fifty pound hindrance that blocked some of the puddle.

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Manslaughter was no excuse for a dirty home. My husband

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is dead, she phoned the cops. As hard as she

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tried to appear hysterical, she was no actress. The death

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of Big Jake Darling sent shockwaves through the local community.

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Although Zelda May figured she would be spending the foreseeable

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future playing the part of the sympathetic widow, her adopted

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home quickly made her a female Peter Sellar's and cast

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her in many roles a bloodthirsty harpie, a cold blooded Jezebel,

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and an unscrupulous gold digger who pulled out the ultimate

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gambit to collect Jake's money, which, unbeknownst to them, was

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sealed off by the prenup he convinced her to sign.

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Many claimed they saw this coming years ago. There was

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always something off about that Darling woman. Even with forensic

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experts confirming the death by misadventure theory, the late's buddy

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won Sheriff Zeke Hitchins decided to treat this as what

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they all knew. It was a heartless murder. That year's

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Trial of the Century followed. Soon everyone with access to

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a newspaper had an opinion on Zelda May Darling, Jake's

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financial accomplishments, subjective platitudes, and status as a local leader.

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Were broadcasted non stop, with no mention of his tantrums

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or philandering proclivities. On the other side of the token,

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any assumed character defect of Zelda May was taken with

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a tower of salt. Don dupre mentioned the foaming madness

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he witnessed first hand at the dinner party, and wondered

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aloud how he narrowly escaped the massacre. The defendant was

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powerless and unable to bring up the drunken not so

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nice words Harvey Lerner had to say about Jake that

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a similarly inebriated Lois had blurted to her during an

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avon social Zelda May was without any support. Even her

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own mother had severed ties, fearful of what having a

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cozy relationship with her criminally insane daughter would have on

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her own reputation. I didn't raise her that way, you know.

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Mamma Darling made sure to alert everyone in the court

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house the judgment was swift. Zelda May. Darling was going

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to fry. The poor girl had made the mistake of

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bagging a lofty and influential trophy. TE million dollars of

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leverage had been the difference between life without parole and

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the electric chair. The consensus was euphoric. Some felt even

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the most damning conviction was still too lenient for that bitch.

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Too bad they couldn't personally summon Satan to drag her

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to the nether world where she belonged. State endorsed killing

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is a lengthy process. Although scheduled for a nineteen seventy

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two execution, Zeldamie's lawyers appealed and petitioned as much as

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they could, much to the chagrin of the mob. Years passed.

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No longer was she a bubbly socialite or an angelic

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homecoming queen. She had grown hardened by the prison system.

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Unkempt hair, a haggard face, a perpetual scowl were all

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that remained. A new charity believed they had found a

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loophole to prevent her death from being a crispy one,

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which earned them hatred and mockery. It was too late anyway,

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she wanted to die. Finally, on the hottest day of

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nineteen eighty three, Zelda May was ushered to the chamber.

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Her last meal the previous night was two cookies, one

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more than Jake permitted her to have. The condemned was

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placed in the sparky fairy and asked if she had

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any final words. She had none. A guard walked to

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the lever. He had been a mere child during Zeldemay's trial.

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His mother and father made her out to be a

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boogie woman, but there was a sadness in her wild eyes,

295
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a story only she knew. Still, this is what the

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people of Texas craved. If there was a way to

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move her demise to a packed house at the Astrodome,

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few would protest it. The guard swung the switch. Zelda

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May's pupils bulged and her limbs threat The watts coursing

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through her veins were nothing compared to the hatred flowing

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inside her vengeful brain. She outlasted the average survival time

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00:21:10.839 --> 00:21:15.799
by ten agonizing seconds out of pure spite. Even when

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public Enemy number one had been reduced to a charred

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hunk of flesh, the overseers were fearful she had even

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more fight to give. She's Hell's problem now, boys. The

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00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:32.839
warden congratulated the elimination of the menace. Let's hope they

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keep her. Hope. You bitches are having a good sleigh.

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Delaney Parker and her flamboyant co host, Chet screamed their

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popular trademark greeting before they launched into the exposition of

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their latest vlog. A consummate influencer Delaney insisted on fourteen

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more takes before she was satisfied. Chet and Delaney were

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the team behind Booze and Bludgeonings, a lifestyle brand they

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had started together four years prior while attending UCLA. What

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started off as an online channel devoted to their mutual

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interest in both true crime and alcohol blossomed into a

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multi level brand that included a podcast, t shirts, and

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of course, their very own ipa. The duo was most

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famous for their broadcasts from murder sites. Their most popular

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episode up to this point had been the night they

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braved the Lizzie Borden Inn. Although it was a bit

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intimidating to be on the grounds of one of the

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most infamous slayings ever, neither talking had believed in the supernatural.

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Contrary to what their subscribers believed. Chet had added those

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orbs and moans and post right after they filmed their

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forty minutes worth and bolted. Their fans lapped that slop

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up B and B was a polarizing empire. Many felt

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their content was crass and exploitive, not to mention derivative. However,

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those critics were drowned out by their adoring acolytes, who

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loved to live vicariously through the pair's Instagram page just

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as much as they enjoyed the journey into the macabre.

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Their latest stunt was sure to be their biggest hit yet,

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a live midnight broadcast from the grave of Zelda May Darling,

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a Southern bell who rang for the last time in

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nineteen eighty two. In the forty years since Zeldamy's death,

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Tumbleweed had grown up to a fair sized city of

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sixty thousand, several miles from the pauper's grave they had

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given their most notorious former resident. Despite the shame of

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her now dead or senile dammers, the terror of Tumbleweed

339
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had been given a forgiving retrospective thanks to countless televised

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reenactments which elaborated on the kangaroo court in justice she

341
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had been forced to end, as well as revelatory evidence

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Jake Darling may not have been a nice man. A

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museum in her honor now stood not far from the

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very same court house she had been mortally punished. Cheap

345
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paperbacks inspired by her saga, littered bookstores, a street fair

346
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sold nachos and cotton candy. On the weekend closest to

347
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the anniversary of the night she lost her innocence, tourists,

348
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mostly women who occasionally had half the mind to butcher

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their own dufuss husbands, flooded the streets of the town

350
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that had ostracized her. Zelda May was forced to watch

351
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it all somewhere, every cheap trinket, every hollow word of support,

352
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every dollar made on her trauma, a montage of retribution

353
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against her, a cosmic decree for an unpremeditated act. No

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longer human, she still felt the pain of her penance

355
00:24:57.759 --> 00:25:02.279
burn across her changed image. She pleaded for her unseen

356
00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:07.279
tormentor to stop, which only intensified the noise. Four decades

357
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of torture had felt like four eons. Where was this

358
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adulation back in her own day? These parasites worshiping her

359
00:25:15.799 --> 00:25:18.440
were no better than the cocksuckers who put her away.

360
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The cycle flipped back to rage as she gnashed and snarled,

361
00:25:23.319 --> 00:25:28.839
vowing to break free. Half Way across town, two of

362
00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:32.960
those profiteers had taken up shelter at the Lone Star motel.

363
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Surveying her outfit for the big show, Delaney was assured

364
00:25:37.359 --> 00:25:41.480
by her boyfriend that she looked banging as he cradled

365
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her body, which earned a push. No macho bullshit. Chet

366
00:25:46.680 --> 00:25:50.039
needed to focus and stay in the caricature they had created.

367
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It was funnier, and the demographics suggested their male viewership

368
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might take a hit if they found out she was

369
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off the market. This was a big night and he

370
00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:05.039
wasn't going to ruin it. Neither were the haters online Tonight,

371
00:26:05.160 --> 00:26:09.960
she was going to break the Internet. Fuck I keep

372
00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:14.279
losing service. It was now eleven fifty eight and the

373
00:26:14.319 --> 00:26:19.279
event seemed on thin ice due to spotty reception. Chet

374
00:26:19.359 --> 00:26:23.039
was getting fed up with Delaney's devinus. The Hicks had

375
00:26:23.039 --> 00:26:25.920
buried Zelda May so far out in the boonies that

376
00:26:25.960 --> 00:26:30.480
Delaney feared they wouldn't make it on time. Finally, right

377
00:26:30.519 --> 00:26:35.160
over top the only recently installed marker two bars lit up.

378
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It was gonna happen. Zelda May's reputation had allowed them

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to become innovators. Cemeteries usually frowned on trifling among the graves.

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Delaney learned that the hard way. She took a deep

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breath and visualized the viral hit she had on her hands.

382
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The countdown hit zero, the red light went on, the

383
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marshy ground began to open up. What the fuck Chet

384
00:27:03.559 --> 00:27:06.880
said in his natural gruff accent, which broke there no

385
00:27:07.119 --> 00:27:13.319
unbleaped swearing rule, Chet girl, We're live, Delaney sternly reminded

386
00:27:13.519 --> 00:27:16.400
as she panned the camera, just as her lover was

387
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forcefully snatched by a bony hand, first by the leg

388
00:27:21.839 --> 00:27:25.680
and then quickly by the throat. Fuck all of you,

389
00:27:26.519 --> 00:27:30.640
the revenant hissed as she smashed another man's neck on

390
00:27:30.759 --> 00:27:34.039
purpose this time. Oh my god, Oh my god, Oh

391
00:27:34.039 --> 00:27:38.599
my god. Delaney took off, half in fear, half in amazement.

392
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All she had to do was outrun this old bag

393
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of bones and she'd have the most watched video of

394
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all time. Forty years of rust and Rod had not

395
00:27:50.039 --> 00:27:53.680
slowed Zelda may Down, the former track star, let her

396
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prey have a head start just to give her some

397
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false hope, and then sicked her the bones of her

398
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malformed legs, twisting and bending with each stride until she

399
00:28:04.640 --> 00:28:08.079
pounced on this intruder, pinning her against the side of

400
00:28:08.119 --> 00:28:12.119
the vehicle. They had violated her resting place with she

401
00:28:12.279 --> 00:28:15.240
was a pretty girl, roughly the same age she had

402
00:28:15.240 --> 00:28:20.240
been the night she really died. Zelda May looked at

403
00:28:20.240 --> 00:28:24.240
the ghastly visage in the rearview window, gasped, and with

404
00:28:24.319 --> 00:28:30.559
one violent tug, ripped Delaney's face clean off. She needed

405
00:28:30.559 --> 00:28:35.559
it more than her the triple homicider realized she had

406
00:28:35.559 --> 00:28:40.680
crudely applied the mask and adjusted it over the exposed rottage,

407
00:28:41.359 --> 00:28:45.279
shewing away a few worms as well. She was young

408
00:28:45.400 --> 00:28:49.599
and beautiful again, with a whole town to paint red.

409
00:28:50.599 --> 00:28:55.240
Zelda May reset her lower body and made her way

410
00:28:56.240 --> 00:29:01.880
towards Tumbleweed. The audience couldn't believe the sheer tackiness of

411
00:29:01.880 --> 00:29:06.359
this spectacle, boos and bludgeonings faking their own deaths, a

412
00:29:06.400 --> 00:29:11.599
phony monster, never ending footage of dirt. The channel had

413
00:29:11.640 --> 00:29:16.400
truly jumped the shark. Even their most loyal followers logged

414
00:29:16.440 --> 00:29:19.759
off the live stream in droves. By the time the

415
00:29:19.799 --> 00:29:24.039
battery had ran out, the incident was so panned Chet

416
00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:31.519
and Delaney never made another video or public appearance ever again.

417
00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:46.799
Valley Rat by Charles Campbell. What exactly is a valley rat?

418
00:29:47.920 --> 00:29:51.559
The first prerequisite for being a valley rat is that

419
00:29:51.640 --> 00:29:54.440
you live in one of the tiny towns along the

420
00:29:54.519 --> 00:29:59.960
length of road Highway for twenty one. The second prerequisite

421
00:30:00.400 --> 00:30:03.440
for being a valley rat is that you've struggled in

422
00:30:03.480 --> 00:30:07.680
life without realizing it. Hot Dogs on loaf, bread, vienna,

423
00:30:07.759 --> 00:30:12.240
sausages and soda crackers, bare feet and sand spurs, Stealing

424
00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:15.039
kisses from a little girl you like before she pops

425
00:30:15.079 --> 00:30:19.559
you in the nose. Because valley girls were tough, You

426
00:30:19.599 --> 00:30:23.279
grinned back with a bloody nose because it was worth it.

427
00:30:23.960 --> 00:30:27.839
Valley rats are mostly kind hearted, but some have mean

428
00:30:27.920 --> 00:30:33.000
streaks and a few are downright cruel. This story is

429
00:30:33.039 --> 00:30:36.680
about what happens when a kind hearted valley rat crossed

430
00:30:36.680 --> 00:30:42.039
paths with a particularly cruel valley rat. It started one

431
00:30:42.160 --> 00:30:46.559
hot summer day in nineteen eighty one at the minute shop.

432
00:30:47.200 --> 00:30:50.519
Charles Proser was behind the counter watching the kids flip

433
00:30:50.559 --> 00:30:54.519
through the comics. Dusty Turner walked in, covered in dirt

434
00:30:54.559 --> 00:30:57.400
from head to foot. He looked like he was wrestling

435
00:30:57.400 --> 00:31:01.279
in a pigpen. Dang, Dusty, what'd you get yourself into?

436
00:31:01.519 --> 00:31:04.480
Charles asked from behind the counter. I got in a

437
00:31:04.480 --> 00:31:07.880
fight with one of the Elliot boys. Dusty replied, his

438
00:31:07.920 --> 00:31:10.440
filthy T shirt was ripped at the collar and the

439
00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:14.480
beginnings of a good shiner circled his right eye. Just one,

440
00:31:15.359 --> 00:31:18.960
was it, Jesse or Johnny, Charles asked, as a grin

441
00:31:19.119 --> 00:31:23.920
crept across his face. Well before he was done, it

442
00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:27.720
was both of them, Dusty answered, that's what I figured.

443
00:31:28.160 --> 00:31:32.400
Them boys go everywhere together. Let me guess you started

444
00:31:32.440 --> 00:31:35.000
whooping on one of them pretty good and the other

445
00:31:35.119 --> 00:31:38.759
jumped in. That about the size of it, Yes, sir,

446
00:31:39.119 --> 00:31:41.480
but I beat the snot out of Jesse before Johnny

447
00:31:41.559 --> 00:31:44.000
jumped in, and he didn't jump in wholehearted. I can

448
00:31:44.039 --> 00:31:47.079
tell you that they ripped my shirt and Johnny popped

449
00:31:47.079 --> 00:31:50.160
me in the eye first thing. He ain't too bad off,

450
00:31:50.200 --> 00:31:52.240
but Jesse probably had to go in the house and

451
00:31:52.319 --> 00:31:55.200
lay down. Dusty finished with a grin of his own.

452
00:31:56.000 --> 00:31:59.480
That's good. Them boys ain't nothing but trouble. Glad you

453
00:31:59.559 --> 00:32:02.799
handled you yourself, Dusty. It'll make him think twice before

454
00:32:02.799 --> 00:32:05.920
they mess with you again. Pick yourself a free comic,

455
00:32:06.400 --> 00:32:09.759
Charles said, in total admiration of the boy. Thank you,

456
00:32:09.799 --> 00:32:13.559
mister proser. Dusty beamed and joined the other kids at

457
00:32:13.559 --> 00:32:16.880
the comic rack. He grabbed the first batman comic he

458
00:32:16.920 --> 00:32:20.119
could get his hands on. This is the one, mister Proser,

459
00:32:20.559 --> 00:32:24.039
Dusty said, and held the comic in the air. Charles

460
00:32:24.039 --> 00:32:28.440
didn't speak, but nodded as Dusty smiled. The next person

461
00:32:28.519 --> 00:32:31.519
to walk into the store was a Burnett Town police

462
00:32:31.519 --> 00:32:35.920
officer named Margie Ersy. Margie's look was solemn and her

463
00:32:35.960 --> 00:32:42.200
attention was immediately on Dusty. Dusty, you getting a scrap

464
00:32:42.200 --> 00:32:46.039
with Jesse a little while ago, she asked. There was

465
00:32:46.160 --> 00:32:50.799
concern in her face, with her furrowed brow and serious demeanor. Yeah,

466
00:32:51.160 --> 00:32:54.480
he started with me, though, I promise Johnny jumped me too.

467
00:32:54.920 --> 00:32:58.720
I was just taken up for myself, Dusty said. He felt,

468
00:32:58.839 --> 00:33:00.799
just by the look of things, that he may not

469
00:33:00.920 --> 00:33:05.559
be going straight home when he left the Minute shop. Well,

470
00:33:06.519 --> 00:33:08.319
I'm sorry to break the news to you like this,

471
00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:13.359
but Jesse's dead. He fell to the floor when he

472
00:33:13.400 --> 00:33:15.359
got back to their trailer and he didn't make it.

473
00:33:15.920 --> 00:33:19.279
His brother said, you killed him when the ambulance got there. Now,

474
00:33:19.319 --> 00:33:23.480
wait a minute, Charles Proser started in Dusty's defense. You

475
00:33:23.599 --> 00:33:26.880
know them elliot boys, both of them valley rats, both

476
00:33:26.920 --> 00:33:30.160
of them always up to their ears in trouble, you know,

477
00:33:30.279 --> 00:33:32.759
as well as I do that. Dusty was just defending himself,

478
00:33:32.799 --> 00:33:34.400
and if the boy got the worst of it and

479
00:33:34.440 --> 00:33:38.440
paid the ultimate price for it, then it's on him.

480
00:33:38.680 --> 00:33:41.160
Charles said. He was firm with it when he locked

481
00:33:41.160 --> 00:33:45.079
eyes with Margie. Look, Charles, I'm not saying you're wrong,

482
00:33:45.160 --> 00:33:46.960
but the fact of the matter is that that boy

483
00:33:47.039 --> 00:33:49.960
is dead and Dusty. She turned to face the boy,

484
00:33:50.079 --> 00:33:55.400
still clutching his Batman comic. Yes, ma'am, he replied. You're

485
00:33:55.440 --> 00:33:57.359
going to have to come with me to the precinct.

486
00:33:57.519 --> 00:34:00.559
We'll call your mama when we get there, Margie said

487
00:34:00.599 --> 00:34:04.039
and motioned toward the door. Dusty walked out the door

488
00:34:04.039 --> 00:34:07.400
with Margie right behind. Charles Proser was shaking his head

489
00:34:07.440 --> 00:34:11.599
behind the counter. As soon as Dusty stepped outside, he

490
00:34:11.679 --> 00:34:15.440
felt the stone crack against his forehead. It broke skin

491
00:34:15.519 --> 00:34:18.039
and the blood flowed down his nose just before the

492
00:34:18.079 --> 00:34:21.519
next rock cracked him in his right cheek. It was

493
00:34:21.599 --> 00:34:25.960
Johnny Elliott and his Valley famous home made slingshot. Johnny

494
00:34:26.079 --> 00:34:29.239
was deadly with that thing. Many squirrels and a few

495
00:34:29.360 --> 00:34:33.400
cats fell to his aim. Margie saw Johnny and turned

496
00:34:33.400 --> 00:34:35.880
to holler for him to stop. When the rock popped

497
00:34:35.880 --> 00:34:38.719
her in the left eye. She would lose it later.

498
00:34:38.800 --> 00:34:44.000
On the operating table, Margie fell to her knees. Come on, Dusty,

499
00:34:44.239 --> 00:34:46.599
you killed my brother. There's only one way this is

500
00:34:46.639 --> 00:34:50.920
gonna go, Johnny screamed from ADDIE's gas station across the street.

501
00:34:51.599 --> 00:34:55.239
Dusty was pawing at his bloody forehead. Charles Proser came

502
00:34:55.320 --> 00:34:57.719
running out of the minute shop with his Remington pump.

503
00:34:58.320 --> 00:35:01.159
Johnny pinged Charles on his should, causing him to drop

504
00:35:01.199 --> 00:35:04.639
the shotgun. You get down to Caver Park, Dusty. We're

505
00:35:04.639 --> 00:35:07.559
gonna finish this thing there. You get there by three

506
00:35:07.599 --> 00:35:11.320
o'clock or all. Come and find you, Johnny shouted, before

507
00:35:11.320 --> 00:35:15.159
disappearing behind the gas station. With Margie still on her

508
00:35:15.199 --> 00:35:18.199
knees and Charles bending over to pick up the shotgun,

509
00:35:18.360 --> 00:35:22.480
Dusty took off toward ADDIE's. Johnny already disappeared in the

510
00:35:22.519 --> 00:35:25.760
woods behind the station, and Dusty knew it was useless

511
00:35:25.800 --> 00:35:29.079
trying to follow the boy. Johnny knew those woods better

512
00:35:29.119 --> 00:35:33.159
than anybody. Now that his brother was deceased, Dusty couldn't

513
00:35:33.199 --> 00:35:36.559
believe that Jesse was dead. Sure they were in a

514
00:35:36.599 --> 00:35:39.760
good scrap, and Dusty got some good licks in, but

515
00:35:39.840 --> 00:35:42.800
he'd seen Jesse and bigger and dirtier fights than what

516
00:35:42.880 --> 00:35:46.199
they had. It didn't make sense to Dusty, but the

517
00:35:46.239 --> 00:35:49.960
words of Johnny echoed in his mind. You get down

518
00:35:50.039 --> 00:35:54.440
to Caver Park, Dusty. He wondered if Margie heard the challenge.

519
00:35:55.239 --> 00:35:59.679
Probably not. An approaching siren snapped Dusty out of his thoughts.

520
00:36:00.360 --> 00:36:03.599
It had to be coming for Margie. He didn't know

521
00:36:03.639 --> 00:36:06.559
if Johnny meant to hit her square in the eye,

522
00:36:06.599 --> 00:36:09.559
but he sure did, and Dusty knew it wasn't anything

523
00:36:09.599 --> 00:36:12.760
she could rinse out with water. A glass eye or

524
00:36:12.800 --> 00:36:16.679
a pirate patch was in Maggie's future. Dusty looked down

525
00:36:16.679 --> 00:36:19.559
and realized he was still clutching the Batman comic in

526
00:36:19.599 --> 00:36:23.679
his hand. He tossed it on the ground and stayed

527
00:36:23.760 --> 00:36:26.239
under the cover of woods, but close enough to four

528
00:36:26.320 --> 00:36:29.159
twenty one so he could hear the cars zoom by.

529
00:36:29.800 --> 00:36:33.280
He'd start heading to Caver. He was going to keep

530
00:36:33.320 --> 00:36:36.519
his date with Johnny. He just didn't know what he

531
00:36:36.599 --> 00:36:39.239
was going to do when he got there. Would he

532
00:36:39.320 --> 00:36:43.519
have to kill the other Valley rat too. Dusty walked

533
00:36:43.559 --> 00:36:46.199
a couple of miles. The blood had dried on his

534
00:36:46.280 --> 00:36:49.559
face and forehead. He was thirsty, as all get out,

535
00:36:49.559 --> 00:36:52.679
and the back of the convenience store called Balls stood

536
00:36:52.719 --> 00:36:56.639
out like an oasis in the desert. Dusty rummaged through

537
00:36:56.639 --> 00:36:58.880
his front pockets and pulled out all the change that

538
00:36:58.920 --> 00:37:02.679
he had. Dusty stared at his palm and counted seventy

539
00:37:02.679 --> 00:37:07.840
eight cents. That was enough for a co cola. He

540
00:37:07.920 --> 00:37:10.840
stepped into the shop and heard the distinct accent of

541
00:37:10.920 --> 00:37:16.239
Vencat Jagonnathan, the owner and operator of this establishment. Hello, Dusty,

542
00:37:16.920 --> 00:37:21.000
Vencat said when Dusty entered the store, Hey, mister Vencat,

543
00:37:21.679 --> 00:37:25.119
just need a co cola? Dousty, you don't look well,

544
00:37:25.679 --> 00:37:29.320
are you all right? I'm fine, mister Vencat. It was

545
00:37:29.360 --> 00:37:33.480
a bike accident. Seeming convinced, Vencat dropped it and took

546
00:37:33.480 --> 00:37:37.159
two quarters from the rough looking boy. Dusty took long

547
00:37:37.199 --> 00:37:40.079
gulps and the twelve ounce can was empty in seconds.

548
00:37:40.760 --> 00:37:44.039
He was even thirstier than he thought. Dusty could see

549
00:37:44.079 --> 00:37:46.559
the sign for Harrison Caver Park at the top of

550
00:37:46.599 --> 00:37:51.800
the hill. Dusty sighed and continued his walk. Whatever happens

551
00:37:51.880 --> 00:37:54.639
was going to happen anyway, is what he kept telling himself.

552
00:37:55.519 --> 00:37:58.880
He wasn't going to his mama or the police. This

553
00:37:59.119 --> 00:38:02.280
was between two alley rats, and it would be settled

554
00:38:02.639 --> 00:38:07.079
between two valley rats. It was two forty five when

555
00:38:07.159 --> 00:38:10.719
Dusty made his way onto the walking track at Caver Park.

556
00:38:11.440 --> 00:38:14.159
There was no sign of Johnny, and Dusty felt a

557
00:38:14.199 --> 00:38:17.880
bit of relief. He figured the Burnett Town PD was

558
00:38:17.920 --> 00:38:21.039
looking for both of them by now. Margie was in

559
00:38:21.079 --> 00:38:24.280
an operating room at Aiken Regional at that very moment,

560
00:38:24.440 --> 00:38:28.079
having her eye plucked out. Dusty walked toward the back

561
00:38:28.119 --> 00:38:31.320
of the park where the short nature trail began. There

562
00:38:31.360 --> 00:38:33.880
was a tiny man made creek that ran through to

563
00:38:33.960 --> 00:38:37.880
Langley Pond. Dusty figured Johnny would come through that way

564
00:38:38.519 --> 00:38:41.159
less eyes despot him, so Dusty would be right out

565
00:38:41.159 --> 00:38:43.400
in the open for him to see that he wasn't running,

566
00:38:43.960 --> 00:38:47.000
he wasn't hiding. He would fight to the death if

567
00:38:47.079 --> 00:38:50.400
that's what it took. What happened to Jesse was a shame,

568
00:38:50.840 --> 00:38:54.679
but it was Jesse's fault. Dusty saw him strolling towards him,

569
00:38:54.840 --> 00:38:59.679
traveling right beside the creek as he suspected, Johnny was whistling.

570
00:39:00.360 --> 00:39:05.280
But it wasn't just any whistle. Dusty recognized it immediately

571
00:39:05.320 --> 00:39:07.480
as the whistle that he heard in an old Eastwood

572
00:39:07.559 --> 00:39:13.440
spaghetti Western. I'm here, Johnny, Dusty yelled in Johnny's direction.

573
00:39:14.880 --> 00:39:18.840
I see that. Johnny replied with a serpent's grin. You

574
00:39:18.920 --> 00:39:22.320
better drop that slingshot on the ground. I'm here with these.

575
00:39:23.079 --> 00:39:26.840
Dusty raised his fists. Johnny held the slingshot up in

576
00:39:26.880 --> 00:39:30.000
the air and tossed it. Dusty could hear it splash

577
00:39:30.079 --> 00:39:33.920
into the creek. This made Dusty feel a bit better.

578
00:39:34.559 --> 00:39:37.039
He was confident he could whoop Johnny one on one.

579
00:39:37.920 --> 00:39:43.199
Johnny's grin is what turned Dusty's confidence into hesitance. Johnny

580
00:39:43.239 --> 00:39:46.679
began running toward him, and Dusty took a fighter's stance,

581
00:39:47.119 --> 00:39:49.840
left foot out front, fists in front of his face,

582
00:39:50.079 --> 00:39:53.079
ready to pop a jab. When Johnny's face got close enough,

583
00:39:53.960 --> 00:39:58.280
Johnny was within reach and Dusty popped the job. Surprisingly,

584
00:39:59.079 --> 00:40:02.559
it didn't connect. Johnny ducked the jab and slashed at

585
00:40:02.639 --> 00:40:06.480
Dusty's belly with the concealed switchblade. Dusty didn't feel it

586
00:40:06.760 --> 00:40:09.800
at first. He spun to try to catch Johnny with

587
00:40:09.800 --> 00:40:13.519
a left hook, and he missed. Again, Johnny sliced him

588
00:40:13.519 --> 00:40:17.719
across the cheek. That's when Dusty felt the pain in

589
00:40:17.800 --> 00:40:20.960
his gut. You didn't think I was that fast, did you,

590
00:40:21.079 --> 00:40:24.599
big dust Johnny asked as he stepped back to admire

591
00:40:24.679 --> 00:40:29.239
his work. To tell you the truth. No, No, I didn't.

592
00:40:29.639 --> 00:40:32.280
Dusty held his stomach as he felt the blood pouring

593
00:40:32.360 --> 00:40:35.199
from the wound. I should have known you wouldn't do

594
00:40:35.280 --> 00:40:39.679
this straight up, Dusty said, and continued, I didn't mean

595
00:40:39.719 --> 00:40:44.360
for your brother to die, Johnny. That's the god honest truth, Dusty.

596
00:40:45.039 --> 00:40:48.599
Johnny started with that same grin. Just so you know,

597
00:40:48.960 --> 00:40:53.400
before I kill you, you didn't kill Jesse. Johnny ran

598
00:40:53.440 --> 00:40:57.440
his fingers through his buzz cut and continued, I killed Jesse.

599
00:40:58.800 --> 00:41:02.519
Wait what? Dusty was puzzled. The fire in his gut

600
00:41:02.599 --> 00:41:07.440
was raging. Now, yeah, I killed him. Jesse was always

601
00:41:07.480 --> 00:41:11.920
the pussy, now you you ain't no pussy. I always

602
00:41:12.000 --> 00:41:14.400
had to jump in on his fights. He never had

603
00:41:14.440 --> 00:41:16.480
to jump in on mine, and I'd be embarrassed if

604
00:41:16.480 --> 00:41:20.079
he did. Jesse was a cry baby, and big Dust

605
00:41:20.480 --> 00:41:23.119
you gave me the out I needed. You beat the

606
00:41:23.280 --> 00:41:25.559
Jesus out of him. I'll give you. That might have

607
00:41:25.639 --> 00:41:28.159
busted a couple of his ribs. He was holding his

608
00:41:28.280 --> 00:41:30.559
side and whining like a little bitch when he was

609
00:41:30.599 --> 00:41:35.039
walking back home. Well, I went ahead and finished him off.

610
00:41:35.199 --> 00:41:37.000
I cracked him in the back of the head with

611
00:41:37.039 --> 00:41:39.719
an axe handle. And we both know who I said,

612
00:41:39.719 --> 00:41:43.519
did it, Big dust I was helping my brother. I mean,

613
00:41:43.559 --> 00:41:45.960
you were wailing on him when I walked up on y'all,

614
00:41:46.039 --> 00:41:47.599
and you cracked him in the back of the head

615
00:41:47.679 --> 00:41:51.239
before I put that shiner on you, Johnny finished proudly.

616
00:41:53.039 --> 00:41:58.920
You killed your own brother, Dusty asked, clearly flabbergasted. Nobody

617
00:41:58.960 --> 00:42:02.400
ever saw Jesse without Johnny. They seemed like two peas

618
00:42:02.400 --> 00:42:06.400
in a pod. Yeah, and now I'm gonna kill you,

619
00:42:07.360 --> 00:42:10.320
and it ain't gonna be no secret. You think they'll

620
00:42:10.320 --> 00:42:12.960
put me away for killing the one that killed my brother?

621
00:42:13.800 --> 00:42:18.639
Dusty felt anger. This valley rat was going to kill

622
00:42:18.719 --> 00:42:22.360
him and tell the world he was a murderer. Dusty

623
00:42:22.400 --> 00:42:27.360
blocked out the pain and got back in his fighting stance. Well, Johnny,

624
00:42:28.360 --> 00:42:31.159
you done cut me. You're gonna be a pussy now

625
00:42:31.360 --> 00:42:34.440
and not face me straight up. You see the blood

626
00:42:34.480 --> 00:42:37.400
on my hands. I might bleed out before it's over,

627
00:42:37.440 --> 00:42:40.639
but I ain't hiding behind a knife. Let's do this,

628
00:42:40.760 --> 00:42:44.679
pussy boy, Dusty snarled and held his fists in front

629
00:42:44.719 --> 00:42:48.280
of him with his manhood challenged the valley pride within

630
00:42:48.360 --> 00:42:51.480
Johnny came to the forefront. He tossed the knife into

631
00:42:51.519 --> 00:42:54.760
the creek and charged Dusty. His intent was to bear

632
00:42:54.880 --> 00:42:58.280
tackle and then get the wounded boy on the ground. Instead,

633
00:42:58.599 --> 00:43:00.559
he got a straight right hand to the bridge of

634
00:43:00.599 --> 00:43:03.760
the nose. Johnny saw stars and dropped to his knees.

635
00:43:04.199 --> 00:43:07.079
Dusty kicked him in the face, and Johnny rolled down

636
00:43:07.119 --> 00:43:10.519
into the shallow creek. Dusty was right behind him, still

637
00:43:10.559 --> 00:43:14.119
ignoring the pain from his gushing wound. Dusty grabbed Johnny

638
00:43:14.159 --> 00:43:16.159
by the back of his head before he could rise

639
00:43:16.199 --> 00:43:18.519
from the creek. With the full weight of his body

640
00:43:18.519 --> 00:43:21.320
on Johnny's back, he held Johnny's head under the water.

641
00:43:21.800 --> 00:43:24.840
Johnny bucked underneath, but Dusty's grip was firm and he

642
00:43:24.880 --> 00:43:27.400
had the full advantage of weight on his side. He

643
00:43:27.519 --> 00:43:29.960
was going to kill this valley vermin, and he would

644
00:43:30.000 --> 00:43:33.719
just have to explain what happened later. Everybody knew Jesse

645
00:43:33.840 --> 00:43:37.199
and Johnny were scum of the earth. There was a

646
00:43:37.239 --> 00:43:40.920
noise in the air that Dusty didn't register. His focus

647
00:43:41.000 --> 00:43:43.840
was making sure Johnny was dead before he lost consciousness

648
00:43:43.840 --> 00:43:49.000
from blood loss crack. Dusty fell with a splash Johnny

649
00:43:49.079 --> 00:43:51.880
jumped from the creek, holding his neck and gasping for air.

650
00:43:52.400 --> 00:43:54.559
He was on the brink of filling his lungs with water,

651
00:43:54.840 --> 00:43:57.320
and that would have sent him on his way. Dusty

652
00:43:57.440 --> 00:43:59.760
lay still in the creek bed. The bullet went through

653
00:43:59.760 --> 00:44:01.880
his back and straight through the center of his heart.

654
00:44:02.599 --> 00:44:05.599
Charles Proser stood at the top of the hill, his dirty,

655
00:44:05.599 --> 00:44:09.119
hairy Style three fifty seven magnum now at his side.

656
00:44:09.239 --> 00:44:13.400
Johnny saw him and took off through the woods. Charles

657
00:44:13.440 --> 00:44:16.679
didn't want to kill Dusty, but there was one thing

658
00:44:16.719 --> 00:44:21.079
that neither Jesse nor Johnny knew. Their last name should

659
00:44:21.079 --> 00:44:24.960
be Proser. Their mother, Jessica, had a one night stand

660
00:44:25.000 --> 00:44:28.079
with Charles after a night of drinking at Glinda's, and

661
00:44:28.199 --> 00:44:31.039
Charles did the math. It was right at nine months

662
00:44:31.119 --> 00:44:34.400
later when the boys came. While Frank Elliott's name was

663
00:44:34.440 --> 00:44:38.039
on their birth certificates, Charles and Jessica both knew whose

664
00:44:38.079 --> 00:44:41.960
boys they really were. Charles could see his eyes and theirs,

665
00:44:42.400 --> 00:44:45.639
and it made his stomach turn every time he saw them.

666
00:44:46.079 --> 00:44:48.400
He wasn't proud at all of the valley rats that

667
00:44:48.440 --> 00:44:51.519
they were turning into. He'd heard Johnny yell out to

668
00:44:51.599 --> 00:44:55.000
Dusty back at the minute shop. He knew they'd be here.

669
00:44:55.920 --> 00:44:59.480
He'd let them fight, but if things weren't going Johnny's way,

670
00:45:00.400 --> 00:45:04.400
he'd jump in and save his last surviving son. He

671
00:45:04.400 --> 00:45:08.039
would never tell Johnny why he saved him, and Johnny

672
00:45:08.039 --> 00:45:12.119
would avoid Charles Through the years. Johnny would be questioned

673
00:45:12.119 --> 00:45:15.599
about Dusty's death, but they wouldn't find a three fifty

674
00:45:15.599 --> 00:45:20.280
seven in Johnny's possession or dumped in the creek. Without that,

675
00:45:21.320 --> 00:45:25.719
they couldn't make anything stick. Valley rats keep things between

676
00:45:25.840 --> 00:45:31.840
valley rats, especially in the matters of life and death.

677
00:45:39.800 --> 00:45:46.440
Fortune Falls by David O'Hanlon. Janine and Rose were on

678
00:45:46.559 --> 00:45:51.119
summer break from their third year at the University of Kansas.

679
00:45:51.760 --> 00:45:57.440
Being from a flat, landlocked wasteland, the Lady Jayhawks usually

680
00:45:57.480 --> 00:46:02.119
took their breaks on a beach in Galveston. Then something

681
00:46:02.320 --> 00:46:07.599
immensely terrifying it happened the previous year. They'd been on

682
00:46:07.639 --> 00:46:12.880
the beach for three days. Between surf lessons and volleyball games,

683
00:46:13.480 --> 00:46:18.079
all anyone could talk about was this new movie opening

684
00:46:18.159 --> 00:46:22.480
that weekend. They decided to take a chance and join

685
00:46:22.599 --> 00:46:28.039
some of their friends for the first evening showing of Jaws.

686
00:46:28.920 --> 00:46:32.719
The next day, They all just sat on the sand

687
00:46:33.679 --> 00:46:37.920
the day after and every day after that until it

688
00:46:38.000 --> 00:46:42.480
was time to return to school for the summer of

689
00:46:42.559 --> 00:46:47.400
seventy six. They decided they'd try something different and far

690
00:46:47.559 --> 00:46:52.800
away from the threat of shark attacks. Kansas didn't have beaches,

691
00:46:53.480 --> 00:46:58.840
but it didn't have mountains either. Oregon was Jeanine's idea,

692
00:46:59.400 --> 00:47:03.119
and Rose had fallen in love with it. She studied

693
00:47:03.159 --> 00:47:05.880
the maps and picked the route for their journey of

694
00:47:06.280 --> 00:47:11.840
self discovery, five days of backpacking and camping from the

695
00:47:11.920 --> 00:47:16.800
isolated town of Sheldon to the Silver Creek Lodge, where

696
00:47:16.840 --> 00:47:21.559
they'd celebrate with a final day floating lazily down the

697
00:47:21.559 --> 00:47:27.239
Snake River. We should just camp here, Janine said, It's

698
00:47:27.280 --> 00:47:30.039
going to be dark soon, and we still kind of

699
00:47:30.360 --> 00:47:34.559
suck at setting up the tent. The signs say overnight

700
00:47:34.639 --> 00:47:39.440
camping is prohibited. Rose replied that couple said it was

701
00:47:39.519 --> 00:47:43.800
only eight miles to the next town. We'd be lucky

702
00:47:43.840 --> 00:47:47.920
to do that in three hours, Rosy. Besides, everyone we've

703
00:47:47.960 --> 00:47:50.360
talked to has said that we need to see this

704
00:47:50.639 --> 00:47:55.400
waterfall at sunrise. We already missed it this morning because

705
00:47:55.440 --> 00:47:58.000
you didn't want to get a ride from that trucker

706
00:47:58.880 --> 00:48:04.760
because hitchhiking is dangerous, She scoffed, and that guy was gross.

707
00:48:05.360 --> 00:48:11.400
He looked like an evil Jerry Garcia scary Garcia, Janine said,

708
00:48:11.440 --> 00:48:16.679
with a giggle. Come on, Rosie, everyone's leaving the park anyway.

709
00:48:17.239 --> 00:48:21.519
No one will know we're here. Worst case, some ranger

710
00:48:21.679 --> 00:48:25.000
smith guy comes by and we make dough eyes at

711
00:48:25.079 --> 00:48:29.920
him until he just gives us a warning. Rose seemed

712
00:48:29.960 --> 00:48:33.480
to consider it. She looked over to the parking area,

713
00:48:34.000 --> 00:48:38.559
and Jeanine was correct. Almost everyone had already cleared out.

714
00:48:39.280 --> 00:48:43.440
The park. Rangers wouldn't lock the gate until sundown, but

715
00:48:44.440 --> 00:48:47.960
with less than an hour to go, there wasn't much

716
00:48:48.039 --> 00:48:52.719
to do except feed the mosquitoes. A family of six

717
00:48:52.880 --> 00:48:56.719
was packing everything into their station wagon, A couple of

718
00:48:56.760 --> 00:49:00.320
teens made out on a park bench. Local kiss kids

719
00:49:00.360 --> 00:49:03.760
played the last downs of their football game, and a

720
00:49:03.800 --> 00:49:08.400
red pickup truck sat unoccupied in the far corner of

721
00:49:08.440 --> 00:49:12.440
the lot. No one would be around to notice them,

722
00:49:13.039 --> 00:49:16.519
and it would be nice to see the waterfall at

723
00:49:16.559 --> 00:49:21.320
first light. That had been their original plan after hearing

724
00:49:21.360 --> 00:49:24.760
about it from a couple at a diner two days earlier.

725
00:49:25.880 --> 00:49:30.519
The locals called it Fortune Falls because the water broke

726
00:49:30.639 --> 00:49:35.639
up and sparkled like a cascade of diamonds. At sunrise,

727
00:49:36.559 --> 00:49:42.840
Roses better safe than sorry approach had set them back hours. However,

728
00:49:43.000 --> 00:49:48.760
when they arrived at noon, the site was anything but impressive.

729
00:49:49.840 --> 00:49:55.880
The waterfall wasn't particularly large and only descended some fifty

730
00:49:56.000 --> 00:50:00.480
feet to the punch bowl below. After the big show

731
00:50:00.519 --> 00:50:05.519
at dawn, most people moved along to the larger recreational areas.

732
00:50:06.559 --> 00:50:11.159
It did seem unlikely park services would spend much time

733
00:50:11.360 --> 00:50:17.119
locking down the tiny fortune fall sight. An engine turned

734
00:50:17.159 --> 00:50:23.039
over and Rose glanced around again. The station wagon was

735
00:50:23.159 --> 00:50:27.440
ready to go. The winning football team was high fiving

736
00:50:27.880 --> 00:50:31.639
while the losers collected their bikes from the lawn, and

737
00:50:31.679 --> 00:50:35.079
the makeout session was getting hot enough that it would

738
00:50:35.119 --> 00:50:40.000
soon need to move to a more private location. That

739
00:50:40.079 --> 00:50:45.239
red truck still sat there. However, an ominous feeling came

740
00:50:45.280 --> 00:50:51.039
over Rows, but she shrugged it off. She always had

741
00:50:51.119 --> 00:50:59.239
an ominous feeling. It seemed okay, we can stay, she conceded,

742
00:51:00.400 --> 00:51:07.559
but we'd better not get caught. Janine used the sawback

743
00:51:07.679 --> 00:51:12.039
of the survival knife to split a thick limb. She

744
00:51:12.280 --> 00:51:15.960
tossed one half into the fire and stuck the knife

745
00:51:16.000 --> 00:51:21.000
into the ground. Next to her. Janine's boyfriend, Howard was

746
00:51:21.039 --> 00:51:26.119
in the rotc back home. He'd insisted she'd take the

747
00:51:26.199 --> 00:51:30.039
knife along, joking that she could use the compass on

748
00:51:30.119 --> 00:51:34.920
the pommel to find her way back home. Janine watched

749
00:51:35.000 --> 00:51:39.920
the needle settle and look to the southeast. She knew

750
00:51:39.960 --> 00:51:46.760
that somewhere beyond the expansive wilderness was Kansas. She'd never

751
00:51:47.000 --> 00:51:50.360
liked it there, over the last three days, she'd come

752
00:51:50.400 --> 00:51:55.000
to like it even less. It was boring in every

753
00:51:55.159 --> 00:52:01.039
possible way, right down to the men, she thought, as

754
00:52:01.039 --> 00:52:05.480
she pulled Howard's knife from the earth. Two more days

755
00:52:05.519 --> 00:52:09.679
and we'll be at the river, Rose said, folding her map.

756
00:52:10.400 --> 00:52:13.599
There's so much more stuff to see. We could come

757
00:52:13.639 --> 00:52:17.280
here every summer, and I don't think we'd ever find

758
00:52:17.320 --> 00:52:21.159
it all. I don't think I want to come here

759
00:52:21.239 --> 00:52:27.079
next summer, Janine whittled at the end of the stick. Jesus, Rosie,

760
00:52:27.280 --> 00:52:30.159
just look at it. How could anyone go back to

761
00:52:30.320 --> 00:52:35.400
Kansas once they've seen all this? Like? You want to

762
00:52:35.519 --> 00:52:40.679
transfer here? Why not? The university is a few hundred

763
00:52:40.679 --> 00:52:45.159
miles that way, She pointed with the knife, then checked

764
00:52:45.159 --> 00:52:49.920
the compass and corrected her aim. That way, there's an

765
00:52:50.119 --> 00:52:55.840
entire ocean nearby, an ocean that's too cold for sharks too.

766
00:52:56.039 --> 00:53:00.159
Didn't Jaws take place in New England? Okay? So well,

767
00:53:00.159 --> 00:53:04.400
maybe they still have sharks. But there's a whole state

768
00:53:04.679 --> 00:53:11.000
of this. She gestured to the deep black wilderness around them.

769
00:53:11.599 --> 00:53:14.440
Have you met anyone boring in the last few days?

770
00:53:15.679 --> 00:53:20.440
I'm sure I have. Rose couldn't think of any When

771
00:53:20.480 --> 00:53:26.840
did you decide this? I haven't decided anything, Janine sheathed

772
00:53:26.880 --> 00:53:30.920
the knife and inspected the point she'd put on the limb.

773
00:53:32.199 --> 00:53:37.679
Everywhere we've been this week has been so alive. Kansas

774
00:53:37.760 --> 00:53:41.960
is just an after birth. It's like God ran out

775
00:53:41.960 --> 00:53:45.000
of ideas and just left the canvas blank when he

776
00:53:45.039 --> 00:53:51.440
made it. What about Howard, The boys are cuter, Rose laughed.

777
00:53:52.440 --> 00:53:57.079
She didn't necessarily agree with her friend, but there was

778
00:53:57.199 --> 00:54:02.039
a ruggedness about the Oregon mountain men they'd encountered that

779
00:54:02.320 --> 00:54:08.679
was lacking in the Kansas stock. Howard is sweet, Janine continued,

780
00:54:09.679 --> 00:54:13.400
But all he can think about is the future. How

781
00:54:13.440 --> 00:54:16.960
can anyone give a rat's ass about the future when

782
00:54:17.000 --> 00:54:22.519
we have all this right now? Maybe you're right. We

783
00:54:22.599 --> 00:54:25.119
got an eight mile hike tomorrow to talk about it,

784
00:54:25.800 --> 00:54:29.800
Rose said, let's get some rest. We don't want to

785
00:54:29.800 --> 00:54:33.159
miss the sunrise showing. We can make sure we have

786
00:54:33.280 --> 00:54:37.000
the best view before the gates even open. It's going

787
00:54:37.039 --> 00:54:42.039
to be magical. Yeah, Janine tossed the wooden spike into

788
00:54:42.079 --> 00:54:46.840
the fire. There's a lot to see tomorrow. The tent

789
00:54:46.920 --> 00:54:51.360
lit up suddenly from the outside. The bright light shone

790
00:54:51.599 --> 00:54:56.559
through the nylon, turning the structure into an oversized lantern,

791
00:54:57.079 --> 00:55:02.000
and roused the girls from their slumber. Jeanine rubbed her eyes,

792
00:55:02.519 --> 00:55:08.519
trying to clear away confusion with the sleepiness. Rose groaned

793
00:55:08.840 --> 00:55:12.800
and rolled over in her sleeping bag. It cannot be

794
00:55:12.960 --> 00:55:19.239
morning already, she mumbled. It's not. Jeanine sat up sharply.

795
00:55:19.960 --> 00:55:24.880
She could hear the gentle rumble of a truck engine outside. Shit,

796
00:55:25.599 --> 00:55:29.719
I think we're busted, Rosy Rose said something, but the

797
00:55:29.800 --> 00:55:33.880
words were lost in the sudden rumble of the motor.

798
00:55:34.960 --> 00:55:39.440
The light became more intense as the headlights rushed closer.

799
00:55:40.599 --> 00:55:44.079
The shower of earth and rocks thrown up by the

800
00:55:44.159 --> 00:55:50.360
truck tires rained noisily through the tree branches. Janine watched

801
00:55:50.400 --> 00:55:55.880
as the tense, thin skin glowed brighter and brighter until

802
00:55:55.920 --> 00:56:00.599
the side collapsed and rushed towards her, Wrapped around a

803
00:56:00.679 --> 00:56:07.599
half ton of Detroit steel, Janine couldn't comprehend what was happening,

804
00:56:08.400 --> 00:56:12.360
or that the thing that struck her was the truck's bumper.

805
00:56:13.639 --> 00:56:19.559
Suddenly it was dark again. The ravaged tent lay draped

806
00:56:19.679 --> 00:56:25.199
over the women. Rose was silent. Janine felt a crushing

807
00:56:25.320 --> 00:56:29.519
weight on her right arm. She tried to move it,

808
00:56:29.800 --> 00:56:35.239
but the appendage wouldn't budge. She pulled harder. A lightning

809
00:56:35.320 --> 00:56:42.320
bolt shot threw her fingertips to her elbow. From the effort, Rosie,

810
00:56:42.360 --> 00:56:48.119
she cried out, A gentle sob answered her. The tent

811
00:56:48.360 --> 00:56:55.599
rustled wildly. I can't move, Rose, Janine said, what's happening?

812
00:56:56.239 --> 00:57:01.320
Rose sniffled. She fought with the nylon, clawing and punching

813
00:57:01.360 --> 00:57:03.800
at the tent as it collapsed on top of her.

814
00:57:04.679 --> 00:57:09.400
Her voice grew panicked and shrill. I can't, I can't

815
00:57:09.440 --> 00:57:13.760
get this off me. Why is this happening? The truck

816
00:57:13.880 --> 00:57:20.719
pulled forward, releasing Janine's arm from beneath its tire. The

817
00:57:20.800 --> 00:57:27.159
ground moved beneath them. Rose screamed. The tent was caught

818
00:57:27.440 --> 00:57:32.920
on the truck. They were being dragged. The fabric tore

819
00:57:33.280 --> 00:57:37.599
but not enough to get free. Janine pulled her injured

820
00:57:37.800 --> 00:57:41.920
arm close to her body and rolled over, looking for

821
00:57:42.079 --> 00:57:46.320
a way out. The engine growled as the driver hit

822
00:57:46.360 --> 00:57:50.760
the gas. Rocks and branches tore through the bottom as

823
00:57:50.800 --> 00:57:57.920
the tent sped along behind the vehicle, deeper into the woods.

824
00:57:58.920 --> 00:58:04.239
It finally came free. The truck's tires slid loudly to

825
00:58:04.360 --> 00:58:08.679
a stop. Rose found a tear and worked at it

826
00:58:08.760 --> 00:58:13.000
with both hands, forcing it open until she could get

827
00:58:13.039 --> 00:58:18.639
through Janine. She searched the ruins of the tent for

828
00:58:18.760 --> 00:58:25.639
her friend, finding a body shaped lump beneath Jeanine. Get

829
00:58:25.639 --> 00:58:30.000
me out of here, Rosie, I'm hurt bad, I will

830
00:58:30.840 --> 00:58:35.880
Oh my god, we're in big trouble. Rose stared at

831
00:58:35.960 --> 00:58:41.000
the truck, unable to look away. She could only discern

832
00:58:41.119 --> 00:58:45.239
the outline of the vehicle in the moonlight, but was

833
00:58:45.400 --> 00:58:49.079
convinced that it was the red pickup truck from earlier.

834
00:58:50.599 --> 00:58:57.679
The truck reversed, turning around slowly. The back bumper crunched

835
00:58:57.800 --> 00:59:03.400
against a tree. The noise snapped Rose out of her paralysis.

836
00:59:04.280 --> 00:59:09.400
She wrestled the tent off of Jeanine and gasped her

837
00:59:09.440 --> 00:59:15.559
friend's face was a mask. Of blood. Her forehead was

838
00:59:15.599 --> 00:59:23.119
split open in a large gash, showing bone beneath. Rose

839
00:59:23.280 --> 00:59:27.239
moved the flap of flesh back over the exposed skull.

840
00:59:28.519 --> 00:59:32.920
The headlights shined fully upon them as the truck finished

841
00:59:32.960 --> 00:59:39.639
writing itself. Rose leaned close to Jeanine. Stay really still,

842
00:59:40.480 --> 00:59:46.039
she whispered, don't make a sound. The engine revved. The

843
00:59:46.159 --> 00:59:50.159
driver did it two more times, letting the women know

844
00:59:50.519 --> 00:59:56.400
he could run them down with ease. Then the door

845
00:59:56.599 --> 01:00:01.039
swung open. A man stepped out of the view, but

846
01:00:01.239 --> 01:00:06.960
leaned back inside to get something. He stepped in front

847
01:00:06.960 --> 01:00:11.719
of the lights, casting a long shadow over the women.

848
01:00:13.480 --> 01:00:18.639
Rose couldn't see any of the man's features except the

849
01:00:18.719 --> 01:00:24.800
distinctive shape of a cowboy hat atop his head, and

850
01:00:24.880 --> 01:00:31.719
then the even more distinctive shape of the axe held

851
01:00:32.400 --> 01:00:38.159
at his side. Why are you doing this, she asked shakily.

852
01:00:38.920 --> 01:00:42.840
She clenched her teeth and drew a deep breath. She

853
01:00:42.960 --> 01:00:48.159
blew it out and asked again, with more force, why

854
01:00:48.199 --> 01:00:53.440
are you doing this? What do you want? The cowboy

855
01:00:53.559 --> 01:00:57.440
moved towards her without a word. He swung the axe

856
01:00:57.480 --> 01:01:03.400
onto his shoulder. His walk was cocky and nonchalant. He

857
01:01:03.519 --> 01:01:08.159
looked like he was out for a casual stroll. Janine

858
01:01:08.239 --> 01:01:14.119
groaned and Rose shushed her quietly, praying the cowboy didn't hear.

859
01:01:15.000 --> 01:01:19.480
If he did, he didn't let on. He just kept

860
01:01:19.559 --> 01:01:27.960
walking closer. Please stop this, Rose shouted. She pushed her

861
01:01:28.039 --> 01:01:33.360
hands out in front of her. Just leave us alone.

862
01:01:33.440 --> 01:01:38.559
The cowboy swung the axe one handed. The blade whooshed

863
01:01:38.679 --> 01:01:42.840
by harmlessly, and he placed it on the opposite shoulder,

864
01:01:43.679 --> 01:01:50.840
spitting tobacco juice playfully at Rose. He took a backhand swing.

865
01:01:51.840 --> 01:01:55.800
Rose felt the hit, but didn't realize the gravity of

866
01:01:55.840 --> 01:02:00.880
it until the three stumps on her right hand spurted.

867
01:02:02.199 --> 01:02:07.039
Before she could respond, the cowboy took a two handed chop.

868
01:02:08.079 --> 01:02:11.800
It struck with the sound of a gunshot, and flung

869
01:02:11.880 --> 01:02:18.960
her into the dirt. Rose wheezed air sputtered wetly out

870
01:02:19.000 --> 01:02:25.280
of her collapsing lung. She rolled over, hugged her chest,

871
01:02:26.440 --> 01:02:32.599
broken ribs gouged into her palm. Janine shifted carefully in

872
01:02:32.679 --> 01:02:36.480
the tent. Her legs were still inside the sleeping bag.

873
01:02:37.280 --> 01:02:41.800
She moved slowly to wipe her eyes with shredded tent fabric,

874
01:02:42.360 --> 01:02:48.440
being careful not to draw attention to herself. Everything was blurry,

875
01:02:48.559 --> 01:02:55.960
but simultaneously all too clear. She could see the cowboy

876
01:02:56.119 --> 01:03:01.119
and the axe, and her best friend laying on the ground.

877
01:03:02.400 --> 01:03:06.840
She closed her eyes again, but it didn't protect her

878
01:03:07.599 --> 01:03:12.000
from what came next. She listened to the crack of

879
01:03:12.079 --> 01:03:22.360
the axe striking Rose again. Why. Rose asked why. The

880
01:03:22.440 --> 01:03:28.960
cowboy answered her with another chop. Rose kept repeating the word,

881
01:03:29.480 --> 01:03:34.760
and their attacker continued to respond the same way. Sharp

882
01:03:34.920 --> 01:03:42.559
cracks became softer, wetter. Rose's voice got weaker, and then

883
01:03:43.800 --> 01:03:51.480
went silent entirely. Two more chops followed. Janine dared to

884
01:03:51.599 --> 01:03:57.719
look once more. The cowboy was kneeling over Rose. He

885
01:03:57.800 --> 01:04:03.000
sat on her hips and lean on his axe. Janine

886
01:04:03.199 --> 01:04:10.280
carefully crawled free. The blood pouring down her face slipped

887
01:04:10.360 --> 01:04:14.840
past her lips. She knew she'd be tasting a lot

888
01:04:14.920 --> 01:04:20.159
more of it. If the cowboy spotted her, he probably

889
01:04:20.239 --> 01:04:24.119
thought she was dead already. She could have laid there

890
01:04:24.280 --> 01:04:29.760
until he left, But maybe he wouldn't have. Maybe he

891
01:04:29.800 --> 01:04:34.880
would have used the axe to make sure she couldn't

892
01:04:34.960 --> 01:04:41.199
take the risk. She knew begging wouldn't work. It hadn't

893
01:04:42.000 --> 01:04:47.719
for Rose. Once her legs were free, she brought herself

894
01:04:47.760 --> 01:04:53.079
into a crouch and glanced over her shoulder. The cowboy

895
01:04:53.320 --> 01:04:59.679
was standing but still seemed focused on Rose. Janine wiped

896
01:04:59.679 --> 01:05:04.679
her eyes again. She needed a few seconds of clear vision.

897
01:05:05.880 --> 01:05:09.960
She pushed off in a dead sprint for the running truck.

898
01:05:10.760 --> 01:05:15.559
She heard a frustrated curse from the cowboy. Jeanine stumbled,

899
01:05:15.679 --> 01:05:20.119
bouncing off the bumper. She pulled herself up and whipped

900
01:05:20.159 --> 01:05:24.840
inside the cab. Her injured hand struggled with the shifter,

901
01:05:25.519 --> 01:05:29.679
forcing her to use her left. The cowboy ran at

902
01:05:29.719 --> 01:05:34.280
her in the headlights. Janine stomped the gas pedal down.

903
01:05:35.119 --> 01:05:39.719
The tires spun and threw up dirt. They gained traction

904
01:05:40.239 --> 01:05:46.000
as the cowboy grabbed the open door. The truck jolted forward.

905
01:05:47.079 --> 01:05:50.960
The cowboy stumbled, tossing himself over the side of the

906
01:05:51.000 --> 01:05:57.159
truck bed. Janine swerved around a tree. The rear window shattered,

907
01:05:57.480 --> 01:06:00.519
and the cowboy boots struck her in the back of

908
01:06:00.599 --> 01:06:05.159
the head. The truck veered hard, throwing her out of

909
01:06:05.199 --> 01:06:10.639
the open door. It plowed into a stump. The cowboy

910
01:06:10.840 --> 01:06:17.480
flew over the vehicle and disappeared into the darkness. Jeanine

911
01:06:17.639 --> 01:06:24.159
climbed woozily to her feet. She ran the trees blocked

912
01:06:24.199 --> 01:06:29.920
the pitiful moonlight. Branches tore at her skin to trytas

913
01:06:30.079 --> 01:06:35.360
stabbed into her feet. She bounced off the trees and

914
01:06:35.480 --> 01:06:42.480
kept on running. She was terrified. She was blind, she

915
01:06:42.719 --> 01:06:55.400
was hurt, she was heartbroken. She was flying. Jeanine laid

916
01:06:55.559 --> 01:07:00.519
against the rocks. The water gently sloshed over her face

917
01:07:01.159 --> 01:07:05.360
and down her throat, choking her back into the world

918
01:07:05.400 --> 01:07:10.599
of the living. The waterfall poured down across the pool

919
01:07:10.760 --> 01:07:15.599
from her. She'd blindly ran straight over the edge in

920
01:07:15.719 --> 01:07:20.599
her desperate escape. It was still dark out, but there

921
01:07:20.679 --> 01:07:24.199
was nothing blocking the moon at the waterfall, and she

922
01:07:24.280 --> 01:07:28.280
could inspect the damage to her arm for the first time.

923
01:07:29.360 --> 01:07:34.239
It was swollen, with the skin deeply miscolored. She could

924
01:07:34.320 --> 01:07:38.480
move her fingers, but the pain made her wish she couldn't.

925
01:07:39.000 --> 01:07:44.199
She knew it was definitely broken. She risked touching her forehead.

926
01:07:44.920 --> 01:07:48.119
It wasn't bleeding as badly as she feared, but she

927
01:07:48.320 --> 01:07:51.960
chalked that up to being almost out of blood. She

928
01:07:52.119 --> 01:07:57.280
knew Rose was dead. She'd laid there and listened to

929
01:07:57.400 --> 01:08:03.719
her best friend die. No, you didn't, she reminded herself.

930
01:08:04.840 --> 01:08:09.119
You don't know she's dead. Janine looked around for any

931
01:08:09.280 --> 01:08:13.960
sign of the cowboy. Not finding any, she worked her

932
01:08:14.000 --> 01:08:18.479
way onto the rocks and began her hike back to

933
01:08:18.600 --> 01:08:23.720
the campsite. She checked her watch. It was a dainty,

934
01:08:23.920 --> 01:08:28.199
pretty thing that she'd picked out for esthetics and not

935
01:08:28.479 --> 01:08:32.720
its ability to survive a fifty foot fall into a pond.

936
01:08:33.960 --> 01:08:38.079
She put it close to her ear. It wasn't ticking.

937
01:08:39.520 --> 01:08:43.600
The time was stuck at three am, but she had

938
01:08:43.640 --> 01:08:47.720
no idea when it had stopped. What she did know

939
01:08:48.520 --> 01:08:52.199
was that meant there was less than three hours until

940
01:08:52.199 --> 01:08:55.840
the park opened. She needed to get back to the

941
01:08:55.920 --> 01:09:00.760
campsite and check on Rose. Then she could wait for

942
01:09:00.840 --> 01:09:05.840
the rangers to come and open the park. The cowboy

943
01:09:06.119 --> 01:09:10.119
had to be gone. He couldn't know where Jeanine had

944
01:09:10.199 --> 01:09:16.600
run to. And that red truck, she remembered it was

945
01:09:16.640 --> 01:09:19.159
still there when we left to set up the tent.

946
01:09:20.159 --> 01:09:23.680
He would have to leave his truck to escape. He

947
01:09:23.760 --> 01:09:29.159
has to make sure I'm dead He's still here. More

948
01:09:29.319 --> 01:09:36.399
scarce to come weekly, Spooky, We'll be right back. She

949
01:09:36.520 --> 01:09:40.000
pulled herself from the punch bowl and started up the

950
01:09:40.039 --> 01:09:45.239
steep incline back to the campsite. Janine was sure the

951
01:09:45.279 --> 01:09:49.720
cowboy was looking for her. She wasn't going to make

952
01:09:49.760 --> 01:09:54.239
it easy for him. She had to survive. If she didn't,

953
01:09:54.720 --> 01:09:58.039
then there was nothing stopping that bastard from doing it

954
01:09:58.119 --> 01:10:05.000
again and again. Rose might not have even been his first,

955
01:10:05.319 --> 01:10:10.039
and she certainly wouldn't be his last. If Janine didn't

956
01:10:10.119 --> 01:10:15.439
get to the police, there'd be dead Roses all over Oregon.

957
01:10:21.000 --> 01:10:24.199
The hike back to the campsite came as close to

958
01:10:24.319 --> 01:10:30.399
killing Janine as the cowboy had. Her arm throbbed as

959
01:10:30.439 --> 01:10:36.279
she collapsed to her friend's side. Rose's face was gone,

960
01:10:37.079 --> 01:10:42.399
her arms ravaged where she tried to defend herself. There

961
01:10:42.439 --> 01:10:48.000
were no errant swings. The cowboy had practiced this. He'd

962
01:10:48.119 --> 01:10:54.119
killed before. Janine was sure of that. Rose hadn't wanted

963
01:10:54.159 --> 01:10:58.640
to camp there. If Janine had listened, none of it

964
01:10:59.279 --> 01:11:06.319
would be happy. I'm sorry, Rosie, she whimpered. This is

965
01:11:06.359 --> 01:11:13.399
all my fault, and I'm so sorry. Janine scoured at

966
01:11:13.399 --> 01:11:19.319
her tears, aggravating the head wound in the process. She

967
01:11:19.479 --> 01:11:25.479
looked around quickly. The truck was gone. There were no

968
01:11:25.640 --> 01:11:30.840
headlights shining anywhere in the woods, no flashlight searching for

969
01:11:30.920 --> 01:11:35.920
her trail. Janine tried to convince herself. The cowboy was gone,

970
01:11:36.840 --> 01:11:41.800
but she didn't buy it. Maybe he's waiting for the

971
01:11:41.920 --> 01:11:46.479
Rangers himself. She thought he could say he got stuck

972
01:11:46.520 --> 01:11:50.800
inside and they just let him go. He'll be in

973
01:11:50.840 --> 01:11:55.000
Canada by the time they find Rosie. That can't happen.

974
01:11:56.079 --> 01:12:02.880
It won't happen. I promise Rosie, it won't fucking happen.

975
01:12:04.399 --> 01:12:09.079
Janine rummaged through the wrecked tent until she found Howard's

976
01:12:09.079 --> 01:12:13.840
survival knife. She cut a strip of nylon and tied

977
01:12:13.840 --> 01:12:17.800
it around her head, pulling it tight to hold the

978
01:12:17.880 --> 01:12:22.479
flap of skin in place. A bent up aluminum tent

979
01:12:22.600 --> 01:12:27.279
post made a quick splint for her arm. Once the

980
01:12:27.319 --> 01:12:32.840
wounds were taken care of, it was time for other concerns.

981
01:12:33.239 --> 01:12:37.720
She'd helped her father cut firewood back home. Swinging an

982
01:12:37.760 --> 01:12:43.640
axe was exhausting and slow. She thrusted the knife into

983
01:12:43.680 --> 01:12:48.640
the air a few times. That wasn't slow at all.

984
01:12:49.760 --> 01:12:53.239
She found her belt and attached the knife to it,

985
01:12:53.920 --> 01:12:57.720
but could only manage to scrounge up a mixed pair

986
01:12:57.840 --> 01:13:02.720
of their hiking boots. Rose's pack was mangled, but the

987
01:13:02.760 --> 01:13:08.600
metal flashlight on the side had survived. Janine inspected rogue

988
01:13:08.680 --> 01:13:12.960
stitches on the face of the pack. The Jayhawk patch

989
01:13:13.079 --> 01:13:18.640
rose carefully centered on it was missing. The idea of

990
01:13:18.760 --> 01:13:24.720
the cowboy taking a trophy turned her stomach. She envisioned

991
01:13:24.800 --> 01:13:29.439
him mounting the patch over his mantle with souvenirs from

992
01:13:29.560 --> 01:13:34.199
other kills, like the antlers her father had mounted back home.

993
01:13:35.880 --> 01:13:40.399
Janine took the light and started towards the parking lot.

994
01:13:41.319 --> 01:13:45.680
The red pickup was sitting in the corner spot, exactly

995
01:13:45.720 --> 01:13:50.319
where it had been before. Janine dropped behind a bush

996
01:13:51.039 --> 01:13:55.279
and watched for movement. There was still no sign of

997
01:13:55.319 --> 01:14:01.359
the occupant or any other axe swinging psychos. Jeanine stayed low,

998
01:14:02.199 --> 01:14:07.319
crawling along the perimeter of the lot. With still no

999
01:14:07.560 --> 01:14:12.880
cowboy present, Jeanine made her move on the truck. She

1000
01:14:13.039 --> 01:14:16.760
broke into a crouching run and rolled to the side

1001
01:14:16.800 --> 01:14:20.640
of the vehicle. It hurt more than the TV shows

1002
01:14:20.720 --> 01:14:26.479
led her to believe. Her heart skipped. A sudden dread

1003
01:14:26.680 --> 01:14:32.840
washed over her. There was something wrong, or, more correctly,

1004
01:14:33.920 --> 01:14:38.520
nothing was wrong. She peeked around the front of the

1005
01:14:38.600 --> 01:14:43.920
truck to inspect the bumper. It was rusty and dinged up,

1006
01:14:44.399 --> 01:14:48.039
but she'd seen the truck rack into a tree. The

1007
01:14:48.119 --> 01:14:52.800
crash she'd heard must have done more than a few dents.

1008
01:14:53.279 --> 01:14:57.680
She moved down the side and checked the back glass.

1009
01:14:58.279 --> 01:15:04.840
It was intact. It wasn't the cowboy's truck, So where

1010
01:15:04.880 --> 01:15:09.880
the hell is he? She looked around frantically. There were

1011
01:15:10.079 --> 01:15:16.159
no other trucks, no other anything. She was completely alone.

1012
01:15:16.560 --> 01:15:20.520
As far as she could tell. She'd seen the tire

1013
01:15:20.640 --> 01:15:24.079
tracks all the way from their campsite back to the

1014
01:15:24.159 --> 01:15:29.119
parking lot. Rose's killer had definitely driven out the same

1015
01:15:29.159 --> 01:15:33.920
way he'd come in. She clicked on the flashlight and

1016
01:15:34.079 --> 01:15:39.319
set out for clues. She shined high first, hoping to

1017
01:15:39.399 --> 01:15:43.399
catch a glint off the truck, or to spotlight the

1018
01:15:43.439 --> 01:15:48.279
sun of a bitch himself. When that didn't work, she

1019
01:15:48.439 --> 01:15:53.399
moved the light down to search for tracks. A metal

1020
01:15:53.479 --> 01:15:59.279
door clanged behind her. Jeanine spun, waving the flashlight around

1021
01:15:59.359 --> 01:16:04.359
for the soorce she froze. The light hung on the

1022
01:16:04.399 --> 01:16:11.039
blocky concrete building that housed the bathrooms. Each had a

1023
01:16:11.079 --> 01:16:15.439
steel outer door that could be padlocked during the off season.

1024
01:16:16.840 --> 01:16:21.800
Jeanine snuck to the restrooms and waited. She didn't hear

1025
01:16:22.039 --> 01:16:26.039
anyone inside, but knew the door was too heavy to

1026
01:16:26.039 --> 01:16:30.760
have blown in the barely present breeze. She sat the

1027
01:16:30.800 --> 01:16:37.279
flashlight down on the archaic water fountain. Jeanine drew the knife.

1028
01:16:37.319 --> 01:16:41.000
It was uncomfortable in her left hand, but it was

1029
01:16:41.039 --> 01:16:45.199
going to be a lot more uncomfortable in the cowboy's belly.

1030
01:16:46.199 --> 01:16:49.880
She pulled the outer door and pushed the other inward

1031
01:16:49.960 --> 01:16:56.439
with her foot. No one chopped it off. Jeanine sprang inside,

1032
01:16:56.840 --> 01:17:01.479
keeping the knife close to her body. Chunky, disheveled man

1033
01:17:01.680 --> 01:17:05.239
threw his hands into the air, hiking his keep on

1034
01:17:05.439 --> 01:17:11.000
truckin shirt over his belly. His eyes flicked to the knife.

1035
01:17:12.000 --> 01:17:16.479
Fuck shit, he shook his head violently. Be cool, Be cool,

1036
01:17:17.479 --> 01:17:22.720
you motherfucker. Janine hissed, where is it? Where's the truck

1037
01:17:24.079 --> 01:17:32.119
right outside? The man pointed shakily, Not that truck. That's

1038
01:17:32.159 --> 01:17:36.279
the only one I got. The man shrugged. I know

1039
01:17:36.399 --> 01:17:39.920
the sign says no camping, but stabbing is a bit

1040
01:17:40.079 --> 01:17:43.800
fucking extreme. Lady, aren't you supposed to write me a

1041
01:17:43.840 --> 01:17:51.159
ticket or something camping? Who are you phil? Why did

1042
01:17:51.199 --> 01:17:56.119
you try to kill me? Kill you, lady, I went

1043
01:17:56.159 --> 01:17:59.960
to jail for being a conscientious objector. I don't even

1044
01:18:00.039 --> 01:18:06.760
and killed bugs. The park is closed, Janine snapped, why

1045
01:18:06.760 --> 01:18:11.880
are you here? Fleetwood Mac is playing in Boise this weekend.

1046
01:18:12.920 --> 01:18:18.119
He let his hands fall, slapping against his thighs. I

1047
01:18:18.159 --> 01:18:21.479
stopped here to score some weed from a buddy. Had

1048
01:18:21.520 --> 01:18:25.279
got super baked and fell asleep by the falls. By

1049
01:18:25.319 --> 01:18:29.239
the time I got back, the gate was locked. Janine

1050
01:18:29.319 --> 01:18:32.720
hadn't gotten a good look at the cowboy, but she

1051
01:18:33.000 --> 01:18:38.680
was sure he had been slimmer and taller and didn't

1052
01:18:38.720 --> 01:18:44.199
reek of marijuana. She leaned against the wall and started

1053
01:18:44.239 --> 01:18:49.560
to cry. If Phil wasn't the cowboy, then she'd failed

1054
01:18:50.000 --> 01:18:55.199
and the axe murderer had escaped. Phil took tentative steps

1055
01:18:55.279 --> 01:19:00.840
towards her, patting the air as he went. Please don't

1056
01:19:00.880 --> 01:19:05.960
stab me, he said softly. You look really banged up.

1057
01:19:06.840 --> 01:19:09.279
Let's go to my truck and get you some help.

1058
01:19:10.000 --> 01:19:14.239
It's a dodge, it'll crash right through that gate. What

1059
01:19:14.399 --> 01:19:20.000
time you got, Janine asked, sheathing the knife. Phil checked

1060
01:19:20.000 --> 01:19:25.039
his watch quarter past five, About an hour until anyone

1061
01:19:25.119 --> 01:19:30.800
comes to rescue you. Guess that makes you my shining night.

1062
01:19:32.319 --> 01:19:37.680
You uh drew the short straw, then he chuckled. Janine

1063
01:19:37.760 --> 01:19:41.119
let Phil help her off the wall when a bright

1064
01:19:41.279 --> 01:19:46.560
light assaulted her eyes. What are you two doing here.

1065
01:19:47.359 --> 01:19:53.199
A strong masculine voice demanded, the park is closed. The

1066
01:19:53.279 --> 01:19:57.680
man moved the light back and forth between their faces,

1067
01:19:58.520 --> 01:20:02.680
keeping them both blinking and blocking their eyes with their hands.

1068
01:20:03.359 --> 01:20:08.000
Whoa dude, chill with the light? Phil whined, This lady

1069
01:20:08.079 --> 01:20:14.359
needs help. She was attacked, I know, the man said.

1070
01:20:14.760 --> 01:20:19.560
The flashlight clattered to the floor. Janine's vision was blurred,

1071
01:20:20.119 --> 01:20:23.920
but she could make out the curves of the cowboy hat.

1072
01:20:25.000 --> 01:20:29.439
The axe split Phil's face and stopped in the back

1073
01:20:29.479 --> 01:20:34.960
of his throat. Phil stumbled backwards, bounced off a stall,

1074
01:20:35.560 --> 01:20:41.600
and came forward. Woo oie, the cowboy exclaimed, we got

1075
01:20:41.600 --> 01:20:46.319
ourselves a dancer. He grabbed Janine by the hair and

1076
01:20:46.479 --> 01:20:50.640
pulled her close to him. You see that, he asked,

1077
01:20:51.279 --> 01:20:54.800
means he's dead, but his body don't know it. I

1078
01:20:54.960 --> 01:21:01.119
love when that happens. I wonder if you'll be a dancer. Think, dollface,

1079
01:21:01.800 --> 01:21:05.680
you want to dance with me. Janine pulled the knife

1080
01:21:06.159 --> 01:21:10.479
and brought it down into the cowboy's thigh. He howled

1081
01:21:10.520 --> 01:21:14.720
and let the axe fall. Janine twisted the blade and

1082
01:21:14.880 --> 01:21:20.560
jerked back, but the knife didn't budge. She could see

1083
01:21:20.600 --> 01:21:25.640
the strands of meat caught in the sawback. Since it

1084
01:21:25.760 --> 01:21:30.119
wouldn't come out, she went back in. She worked the

1085
01:21:30.239 --> 01:21:34.199
saw through his thigh until the cowboy whipped her away.

1086
01:21:35.239 --> 01:21:39.840
Her face smashed into the wall, breaking teeth against the

1087
01:21:39.880 --> 01:21:46.680
cinder blocks. Janine slumped down. The axe sparked off the wall.

1088
01:21:47.520 --> 01:21:51.640
Janine rolled away. Her boots slipped in Phil's brains, and

1089
01:21:51.760 --> 01:21:56.359
she toppled against the sink. The axe shattered the porcelain.

1090
01:21:57.000 --> 01:22:01.920
It continued downward, hacking into Janie's foot. She fell on

1091
01:22:02.039 --> 01:22:07.039
top of Phil. The cowboy straightened his hat and limped

1092
01:22:07.079 --> 01:22:10.880
to her. He took the axe handle with both hands

1093
01:22:11.199 --> 01:22:15.960
and rested the blade on Janine's forehead. He took each

1094
01:22:16.079 --> 01:22:21.279
hand off in turn, rolling the wrists in preparation for

1095
01:22:21.439 --> 01:22:27.079
the killing blow. Why are you doing this, Janine asked,

1096
01:22:28.159 --> 01:22:32.079
Someday one of you will ask an original question. He said,

1097
01:22:32.920 --> 01:22:40.279
it's always why well, Dolphace, why not how about that one?

1098
01:22:40.439 --> 01:22:44.279
He raised the axe high to show his might. The

1099
01:22:44.319 --> 01:22:49.680
asbestos tile overhead shattered, reining down dust around the cowboy.

1100
01:22:50.680 --> 01:22:55.439
The distraction was just enough for Janine to move her head.

1101
01:22:56.359 --> 01:23:01.680
The axe buried into Phil's body. The cowboy wrestled to

1102
01:23:01.720 --> 01:23:06.840
free it from Phil's oversized belly. Janine kicked the protruding

1103
01:23:06.920 --> 01:23:11.760
knife with her good leg. Her attacker fell, smacking his

1104
01:23:11.920 --> 01:23:15.880
head on the wall. Tobacco juice rolled from his lips

1105
01:23:16.279 --> 01:23:21.960
across his fancy Western shirt. Well, I'll be damned, doll face.

1106
01:23:22.680 --> 01:23:26.079
He stretched for his hat and used the trash can

1107
01:23:26.279 --> 01:23:30.680
to pull himself up. I reckon, that's a pretty fine

1108
01:23:30.720 --> 01:23:34.319
answer to my question. He put his hat back on

1109
01:23:35.279 --> 01:23:39.479
and unsnapped his shirt pocket. He held up something for

1110
01:23:39.560 --> 01:23:44.319
Janine to see. He squeezed it into a ball and

1111
01:23:44.439 --> 01:23:48.039
tossed it to her. I think I've had enough sport

1112
01:23:48.119 --> 01:23:53.039
for tonight. Sooner rather than later, I'm going to see

1113
01:23:53.079 --> 01:24:00.920
you dance, he promised. Then he was gone. Nine lifted

1114
01:24:00.960 --> 01:24:06.039
the crumbled Jayhawk patch. She crawled frantically for the exit.

1115
01:24:06.760 --> 01:24:11.319
A truck engine rumbled to life outside. Janine used the

1116
01:24:11.399 --> 01:24:14.760
door handle to come to her knees and forced her

1117
01:24:14.800 --> 01:24:20.640
way outside. Her face hit the ground. She pushed herself

1118
01:24:20.680 --> 01:24:23.920
out into the lawn in time to see the dark

1119
01:24:24.000 --> 01:24:29.520
blue Ford pulling from behind the outbuilding. Jeanine was helpless

1120
01:24:29.560 --> 01:24:33.840
to stop him as he plowed through the gate. She

1121
01:24:34.039 --> 01:24:38.119
rolled onto her back and held the patch to her chest.

1122
01:24:39.439 --> 01:24:44.199
She watched moths bounce off the dim yellow light overhead.

1123
01:24:45.319 --> 01:24:49.199
The sound of the truck faded out, and she laid

1124
01:24:49.239 --> 01:24:55.600
there alone. Janine wondered if the cowboy was a man

1125
01:24:55.760 --> 01:25:02.439
of his word, and somehow knew that he was. If

1126
01:25:02.520 --> 01:25:07.600
she lived, he would find her, and if she lived,

1127
01:25:08.439 --> 01:25:20.199
she'd make damn sure she was ready for him. Roadkill

1128
01:25:20.920 --> 01:25:27.680
by Travis Van House. Lucas Riggs was on top of

1129
01:25:27.720 --> 01:25:31.239
the world. For years, he had struggled to make it

1130
01:25:31.560 --> 01:25:35.680
as a professional photographer, a career he believed he was

1131
01:25:35.760 --> 01:25:39.920
destined for. Yet he had never made a sale like

1132
01:25:40.000 --> 01:25:43.840
the one he had just closed. He attributed his sudden

1133
01:25:43.920 --> 01:25:49.039
success to the unorthodox and disturbing subject matter of his

1134
01:25:49.159 --> 01:25:55.640
latest series of photographs. Multiple buyers had placed competitive bids

1135
01:25:55.680 --> 01:25:59.800
on the series, resulting in a crisp check for one

1136
01:26:00.000 --> 01:26:04.920
one hundred thousand dollars folded neatly in his back pocket.

1137
01:26:05.720 --> 01:26:10.640
It's been a long time coming, Lucas thought. He always

1138
01:26:10.720 --> 01:26:14.159
knew he was talented and could hardly believe it had

1139
01:26:14.199 --> 01:26:18.560
taken until age thirty three to get his first big break.

1140
01:26:19.479 --> 01:26:22.720
He had flown home to Ohio with a shit eating

1141
01:26:22.760 --> 01:26:26.640
grin plastered on his face. He was eager to spread

1142
01:26:26.680 --> 01:26:31.439
the word of his good fortune. His few friends would

1143
01:26:31.479 --> 01:26:35.399
refer to him as arrogant. They believed he expected the

1144
01:26:35.479 --> 01:26:39.840
world to hand him everything on a silver platter, and

1145
01:26:39.920 --> 01:26:45.039
his obsession with status defined him. They all knew he

1146
01:26:45.119 --> 01:26:49.760
was living life on his parents' dime. Those in the

1147
01:26:49.880 --> 01:26:54.439
art world despised him. Lucas had a habit of dismissing

1148
01:26:54.479 --> 01:26:59.680
their work as amateurish and lacking inspiration, even though he

1149
01:26:59.760 --> 01:27:04.199
had not sold a single piece since college. He was

1150
01:27:04.239 --> 01:27:10.960
a hypocrite with many enemies. Lucas Riggs. His arrogance extended

1151
01:27:11.079 --> 01:27:16.159
far beyond his photography, seeping into every aspect of his life,

1152
01:27:17.000 --> 01:27:22.960
especially his interactions with women. Lucas believed he was God's

1153
01:27:23.000 --> 01:27:26.920
gift to women and would seethe with rage whenever he

1154
01:27:27.039 --> 01:27:31.279
was rejected. When he looked in the mirror, he saw

1155
01:27:31.319 --> 01:27:36.279
a masterpiece and couldn't understand why any woman would ever

1156
01:27:36.479 --> 01:27:41.479
consider turning him down. He believed they should feel honored

1157
01:27:42.079 --> 01:27:46.319
to be in his presence. When a woman rejected him,

1158
01:27:46.920 --> 01:27:50.920
he always found a way to get his revenge. He

1159
01:27:51.039 --> 01:27:54.439
wasn't violent by nature, but he acted out when he

1160
01:27:54.520 --> 01:27:59.279
felt slighted. Once he had been snubbed by a girl

1161
01:27:59.359 --> 01:28:02.520
at a bar. When he saw her kissing another guy.

1162
01:28:03.680 --> 01:28:08.000
Recognizing the car she drove to the bar, he slashed

1163
01:28:08.399 --> 01:28:14.119
all four tires with the switchblade he always carried. Physically,

1164
01:28:14.279 --> 01:28:19.600
Lucas was undeniably attractive. He worked out and took care

1165
01:28:19.680 --> 01:28:23.319
of his body. He had well defined muscles and a

1166
01:28:23.399 --> 01:28:30.119
strong jawline. His arms were covered with expensive tattoos. His

1167
01:28:30.239 --> 01:28:36.119
smile revealed full lips, perfect teeth, and deep dimples. His

1168
01:28:36.239 --> 01:28:41.960
eyebrows and lashes were dark and striking, framing his hazel eyes.

1169
01:28:42.960 --> 01:28:46.920
His hair, short on the sides and tussled on top,

1170
01:28:47.560 --> 01:28:52.039
seemed casually perfect, though he spent at least half an

1171
01:28:52.079 --> 01:28:56.560
hour each morning creating the just rolled out of bed look.

1172
01:28:58.159 --> 01:29:02.399
Rolling down the window of his red BMW, Lucas lit

1173
01:29:02.439 --> 01:29:06.520
a cigarette and cranked up the stereo. An old rock

1174
01:29:06.600 --> 01:29:11.119
tune blasted through the speakers as he drummed his fingers

1175
01:29:11.159 --> 01:29:15.159
in time with the music on the steering wheel. The

1176
01:29:15.239 --> 01:29:19.119
cocaine he had snorted in the airport parking lot was

1177
01:29:19.199 --> 01:29:23.399
still coursing through his veins, and his buzz was keeping

1178
01:29:23.479 --> 01:29:27.479
him sharp and jittery. He couldn't wait to get home

1179
01:29:28.079 --> 01:29:32.399
to keep the party going. The night stretched on as

1180
01:29:32.439 --> 01:29:35.720
he drove down an old road known as Route seven

1181
01:29:35.840 --> 01:29:40.880
forty seven that led to Rigg's manor, where he lived

1182
01:29:41.319 --> 01:29:45.840
with his wealthy parents. He had the guesthouse to himself

1183
01:29:46.399 --> 01:29:50.640
and rarely engaged with his mother and father. In his mind,

1184
01:29:51.159 --> 01:29:55.680
their only purpose was to fund the extravagant lifestyle he

1185
01:29:55.720 --> 01:30:00.479
had been accustomed to since birth. He never said it

1186
01:30:00.520 --> 01:30:04.399
out loud, but he couldn't wait until they died so

1187
01:30:04.439 --> 01:30:08.560
he could inherit their fortune, something he felt he was

1188
01:30:08.760 --> 01:30:14.399
entitled to. Lucas's father was a day trader and his

1189
01:30:14.560 --> 01:30:18.880
mother was a famous lifestyle blogger. Together they brought in

1190
01:30:19.039 --> 01:30:25.439
nearly thirty million dollars a year. Lucas couldn't understand why

1191
01:30:25.479 --> 01:30:31.279
they lived in Ohio. He continuously encouraged them to relocate

1192
01:30:31.359 --> 01:30:36.399
to the West Coast, but they refused, explaining that they

1193
01:30:36.479 --> 01:30:41.520
loved the tranquility of their small Ohio town, hobbs End,

1194
01:30:42.439 --> 01:30:46.680
believing it kept them grounded. They feared moving to a

1195
01:30:46.680 --> 01:30:51.560
big city would change them and challenge their humility. Mister

1196
01:30:51.760 --> 01:30:57.720
and Missus Riggs knew they were solely responsible for Lucas's behavior.

1197
01:30:58.680 --> 01:31:02.399
They spoiled him as a true and often discussed cutting

1198
01:31:02.520 --> 01:31:05.319
him off to find his own way in the world,

1199
01:31:06.119 --> 01:31:09.399
but neither of them could bear the guilt of actually

1200
01:31:09.439 --> 01:31:14.359
doing it. Towering stalks of corn flanked the road the

1201
01:31:14.399 --> 01:31:20.520
BMW was speeding down. Lucas's sharp eyes scanned the road ahead.

1202
01:31:21.560 --> 01:31:25.840
The cocaine heightened his senses, and his wide eyes were

1203
01:31:26.039 --> 01:31:31.159
overly alert. Deer were notorious for darting out from the

1204
01:31:31.239 --> 01:31:34.399
sides of the road this time of year, and he

1205
01:31:34.439 --> 01:31:41.399
had no intention of damaging his pristine BMW by hitting one.

1206
01:31:42.039 --> 01:31:45.640
Just a month earlier, he hit a deer on this road,

1207
01:31:46.359 --> 01:31:49.840
but unlike the others who might swerve to avoid the deer,

1208
01:31:50.760 --> 01:32:02.239
Lucas deliberately hid it for his art. An art professor

1209
01:32:02.399 --> 01:32:07.840
once told Lucas that there is beauty in everything, even death.

1210
01:32:09.000 --> 01:32:12.600
He was referring to the vibrant hues of the leaves

1211
01:32:12.760 --> 01:32:17.640
changing color in the fall, but Lucas took this to

1212
01:32:17.760 --> 01:32:22.840
the extreme. His mind fixated on Route seven forty seven,

1213
01:32:23.760 --> 01:32:28.520
the desolate stretch of road to his home. It was

1214
01:32:28.560 --> 01:32:31.800
the kind of road where you could speed for miles

1215
01:32:32.199 --> 01:32:36.840
before passing another car. For this reason, it was also

1216
01:32:37.000 --> 01:32:42.640
littered with roadkill. All types of wildlife lived in the

1217
01:32:42.640 --> 01:32:47.800
woods and fed in the cornfields surrounding the road. Almost

1218
01:32:47.840 --> 01:32:52.359
everyone who lived along Route seven forty seven had at

1219
01:32:52.359 --> 01:32:57.600
some point hit a helpless critter on this stretch of asphalt.

1220
01:32:59.439 --> 01:33:02.960
Once a week, a city cleanup crew arrived to collect

1221
01:33:03.239 --> 01:33:08.520
and dispose of the dead carcasses. Lucas often wondered what

1222
01:33:08.640 --> 01:33:12.960
type of man could do such a job. In his eyes,

1223
01:33:13.439 --> 01:33:19.560
public waste workers were beneath him. What a sad fucking existence,

1224
01:33:20.199 --> 01:33:23.800
he would think with a sneer when he saw them working.

1225
01:33:24.880 --> 01:33:28.399
On more than one occasion, he'd even tossed an empty

1226
01:33:28.479 --> 01:33:33.720
bottle from his window at them, his lips curling in satisfaction.

1227
01:33:35.600 --> 01:33:40.960
Beauty in everything, even death, the Professor's words echoed in

1228
01:33:41.079 --> 01:33:44.680
Lucas's mind the day he pulled his car to the

1229
01:33:44.840 --> 01:33:49.680
side of Route seven forty seven, where he spotted what

1230
01:33:49.840 --> 01:33:53.279
looked like a dead raccoon in the middle of the road.

1231
01:33:54.840 --> 01:33:58.640
Grabbing his camera, he slung the strap over his neck

1232
01:33:59.039 --> 01:34:02.680
and stepped on to the hot asphalt. He could smell

1233
01:34:02.800 --> 01:34:06.800
the decay as the animal rotted in the beating sun,

1234
01:34:08.000 --> 01:34:12.720
but the odor didn't bother Lucas. To him, the scent

1235
01:34:13.680 --> 01:34:19.920
represented art. When he arrived within touching distance of the

1236
01:34:20.039 --> 01:34:25.319
dead and bloated animal. His brilliant white teeth appeared behind

1237
01:34:25.359 --> 01:34:29.359
a smile that would have been disturbing if anyone else

1238
01:34:29.439 --> 01:34:35.359
had witnessed it. Large black flies buzzed around the rotting corpse,

1239
01:34:35.840 --> 01:34:40.600
and maggots were already feasting on the critter. A black

1240
01:34:40.680 --> 01:34:44.159
beetle crawled from a hole where one of the raccoon's

1241
01:34:44.199 --> 01:34:50.199
eyes used to be. Raising the camera, Lucas began shooting

1242
01:34:50.239 --> 01:34:55.520
the raccoon. The camera clicked and the film inside rolled.

1243
01:34:55.920 --> 01:35:02.000
As Lucas collected photograph after photograph, he knelt to adjust

1244
01:35:02.039 --> 01:35:06.239
his angle, then lay flat on the hot asphalt to

1245
01:35:06.359 --> 01:35:11.680
snap an even lower perspective of the poor animal. As

1246
01:35:11.720 --> 01:35:17.439
he stood up, he noticed large black winged vultures circling above.

1247
01:35:18.800 --> 01:35:23.079
Their slow, ominous movements told him they would descend to

1248
01:35:23.239 --> 01:35:27.840
feast the moment he left, he made a mental note

1249
01:35:28.319 --> 01:35:32.319
to return in a few hours to capture the gruesome

1250
01:35:32.359 --> 01:35:39.840
act of the circle of life. Throughout that afternoon, Lucas

1251
01:35:39.880 --> 01:35:47.159
captured what he considered beautiful photographs of raccoons, squirrels, a possum,

1252
01:35:47.760 --> 01:35:51.880
and even a dog. He had found his inspiration in

1253
01:35:52.039 --> 01:35:56.279
death and believed each photograph was a work of art,

1254
01:35:57.239 --> 01:36:05.840
but he craved something more, something significant, smashed and strewn

1255
01:36:06.399 --> 01:36:13.600
across the road, something big and fresh. Lucas spent the

1256
01:36:13.640 --> 01:36:17.000
rest of the day developing film in his photo lab

1257
01:36:17.439 --> 01:36:20.560
tucked in the back of the guesthouse of Riggs Manor.

1258
01:36:21.760 --> 01:36:25.560
His parents had paid for every piece of expensive equipment.

1259
01:36:26.479 --> 01:36:31.000
As he watched the pictures slowly develop, he was consumed

1260
01:36:31.119 --> 01:36:36.920
with excitement. He had never seen something so beautiful as

1261
01:36:36.960 --> 01:36:41.520
the entrails of roadkills spilled on Route seven forty seven.

1262
01:36:42.560 --> 01:36:46.479
He was amazed at how the white maggots shined in

1263
01:36:46.520 --> 01:36:51.760
the bloody folds of the dark fur. This calls for

1264
01:36:51.800 --> 01:36:56.680
a celebration, Lucas said aloud, patting himself on the back

1265
01:36:57.159 --> 01:37:02.039
as he admired his work. Port himself tall glasses of

1266
01:37:02.079 --> 01:37:06.479
whiskey and coke, and he was thoroughly drunk by nightfall.

1267
01:37:07.720 --> 01:37:14.479
That is when inspiration struck a brilliant, twisted idea to

1268
01:37:14.600 --> 01:37:20.319
complete his collection of photographs. He'd take the gardener's truck,

1269
01:37:21.039 --> 01:37:25.520
head down Route seven forty seven and scatter apples from

1270
01:37:25.520 --> 01:37:31.039
the family orchard along the deserted road. He'd bust them open,

1271
01:37:31.640 --> 01:37:36.319
hoping the scent would lure a deer. Maybe even an

1272
01:37:36.520 --> 01:37:41.560
entire family onto the road. When the moment was right,

1273
01:37:42.439 --> 01:37:47.840
he would floor the truck, propelling it forward, metal meeting

1274
01:37:48.000 --> 01:37:54.000
flesh and bone. He'd then take his camera and create

1275
01:37:54.039 --> 01:38:00.560
another photographic masterpiece, the perfect work of art, to complete

1276
01:38:01.279 --> 01:38:13.199
his collection. Returning from his art exhibit in California, Lucas

1277
01:38:13.319 --> 01:38:17.199
hadn't seen a single piece of roadkill on Route seven

1278
01:38:17.319 --> 01:38:22.000
forty seven. He was still thirty miles from home and

1279
01:38:22.199 --> 01:38:26.279
eager to tell his parents about his good fortune, letting

1280
01:38:26.319 --> 01:38:31.720
them know he would relocate to California. He couldn't wait

1281
01:38:31.840 --> 01:38:35.319
to hold up his check and prove to his parents

1282
01:38:35.760 --> 01:38:40.039
he had finally made it. He'd have called ahead, but

1283
01:38:40.119 --> 01:38:43.680
had left his cell phone in the hotel room in California.

1284
01:38:44.600 --> 01:38:48.000
It was being shipped back to Rigg's manor the next day.

1285
01:38:49.159 --> 01:38:55.239
Up ahead, something caught his eye. This time it wasn't roadkill.

1286
01:38:56.159 --> 01:39:00.600
It was a woman. A stunning woman stood on the

1287
01:39:00.720 --> 01:39:03.359
edge of the road with a brown suitcase in one

1288
01:39:03.439 --> 01:39:08.640
hand and her skirt hiked up with the other. Her

1289
01:39:08.720 --> 01:39:12.640
leg gleamed in the moonlight and the headlights of his car.

1290
01:39:13.680 --> 01:39:17.359
Even from a distance, he could see the woman's smile,

1291
01:39:18.279 --> 01:39:23.399
her long blonde hair, blew gently in the evening breeze.

1292
01:39:23.680 --> 01:39:27.239
Lucas eased his foot off the gas pedal, pulling the

1293
01:39:27.319 --> 01:39:31.319
car to the side of the road. He assumed the

1294
01:39:31.359 --> 01:39:35.359
woman needed a ride, and Lucas was more than willing

1295
01:39:35.439 --> 01:39:41.920
to offer one, perhaps even more if the opportunity presented itself.

1296
01:39:43.239 --> 01:39:47.159
As the car rolled to a stop, the woman swiftly

1297
01:39:47.279 --> 01:39:53.399
moved toward the vehicle, her suitcase gone. Lucas barely blinked

1298
01:39:53.399 --> 01:39:57.920
his eyes before both the front and back passenger doors

1299
01:39:58.359 --> 01:40:03.239
swung open. The vixen slid gracefully into the front seat,

1300
01:40:03.920 --> 01:40:09.000
while a strangely dark, rough looking man slid into the back.

1301
01:40:10.399 --> 01:40:15.359
What the fuck, Lucas froze as both the doors slammed shut.

1302
01:40:16.520 --> 01:40:22.560
I thought she was alone. He became instantly nervous, jumping

1303
01:40:22.640 --> 01:40:26.600
slightly when the cigarette he had been smoking had burned

1304
01:40:26.600 --> 01:40:31.600
down to his finger tips, searing his skin. He flicked

1305
01:40:31.600 --> 01:40:35.399
the butt out the window without taking his eyes off

1306
01:40:35.399 --> 01:40:39.680
his passengers. His eyes darted to the rear view mirror.

1307
01:40:40.560 --> 01:40:43.920
He had seen enough movies to know he might be

1308
01:40:44.399 --> 01:40:49.560
in a terrible predicament. Thanks for picking us up, the

1309
01:40:49.560 --> 01:40:54.199
blue eyed vixen said, with a comforting smile. I'm Doris,

1310
01:40:54.319 --> 01:40:58.880
and that's my boyfriend, Derek. She nodded toward the back seat.

1311
01:41:00.199 --> 01:41:05.600
No problem. Lucas's tone was sharp and steady, although he

1312
01:41:05.680 --> 01:41:09.680
was nervous. His hand trembled as he gripped the steering

1313
01:41:09.680 --> 01:41:14.239
wheel so tight his knuckles turned white. He didn't like

1314
01:41:14.319 --> 01:41:18.600
the idea of a strange guy sitting behind him. Too

1315
01:41:18.640 --> 01:41:23.359
many horror stories about people picking up hitchhikers and being

1316
01:41:23.479 --> 01:41:30.479
robbed or murdered started this way. Don't worry, we're not psychopaths.

1317
01:41:31.000 --> 01:41:34.640
Doris laughed lightly, as if she could read his mind.

1318
01:41:35.600 --> 01:41:39.840
We were riding with another guy, but he kept getting handsy,

1319
01:41:40.000 --> 01:41:43.319
so we had him drop us off. He's not the

1320
01:41:43.399 --> 01:41:47.560
type of guy Derek and I would invite into our bedroom,

1321
01:41:47.920 --> 01:41:54.960
she remarked playfully. Lucas's shoulders relaxed slightly. He wasn't against

1322
01:41:54.960 --> 01:41:58.880
the idea of joining Doris and her boyfriend in the bedroom,

1323
01:41:59.039 --> 01:42:02.479
as he couldn't take make his eyes off her. Yeah,

1324
01:42:02.680 --> 01:42:04.760
you have to be careful who you ride with or

1325
01:42:04.920 --> 01:42:09.279
pick up these days, Lucas said, glancing at Derek in

1326
01:42:09.319 --> 01:42:13.239
the rear view mirror. He was tall and lanky, and

1327
01:42:13.399 --> 01:42:16.199
Lucas knew he could take him in a fight, as

1328
01:42:16.239 --> 01:42:19.640
long as the guy didn't have a weapon. He also

1329
01:42:19.760 --> 01:42:24.680
had long brown hair, which Lucas considered to be sissy hair.

1330
01:42:25.680 --> 01:42:29.079
He didn't believe real men should grow their hair long

1331
01:42:29.640 --> 01:42:35.640
unless they were bikers. Where are you headed, Doris asked, home,

1332
01:42:36.239 --> 01:42:40.680
I live about thirty miles down the road. Lucas glanced

1333
01:42:40.720 --> 01:42:44.239
at the glove compartment, wishing his switchblade was in his

1334
01:42:44.359 --> 01:42:50.039
pocket instead of locked away. Perfect. We can find our

1335
01:42:50.079 --> 01:42:53.279
way to town from there. We're just trying to meet

1336
01:42:53.359 --> 01:42:56.680
up with some friends. They were supposed to pick us

1337
01:42:56.760 --> 01:42:59.720
up from the bus station, but their car broke down,

1338
01:43:00.439 --> 01:43:05.079
Doris said, with a smile. Sorry to hear that. Lucas

1339
01:43:05.119 --> 01:43:08.479
put the car and drive, pulled back onto the road

1340
01:43:09.039 --> 01:43:14.199
and speeded down Route seven forty seven. Once again, he

1341
01:43:14.319 --> 01:43:17.199
kept his eye on Derek through the rear view mirror

1342
01:43:17.600 --> 01:43:22.640
to ensure he wasn't up to something sinister, but he

1343
01:43:22.800 --> 01:43:27.840
sat quietly, holding the brown suitcase on his lap. There

1344
01:43:27.960 --> 01:43:31.159
was a big white sticker on the side that declared

1345
01:43:31.840 --> 01:43:36.960
pork sucks. The rock music on the stereo played softly,

1346
01:43:37.640 --> 01:43:42.479
almost blending into the engine's hum. I don't even remember

1347
01:43:42.520 --> 01:43:48.239
turning it down, Lucas thought, don't you get scared driving

1348
01:43:48.279 --> 01:43:53.640
on these old roads alone at night, Doris asked, scared,

1349
01:43:54.760 --> 01:43:59.159
Should I have something to be scared about? Lucas knew

1350
01:43:59.239 --> 01:44:03.760
the cocaine buzzing through his system was most likely making

1351
01:44:03.840 --> 01:44:09.000
him paranoid. He shook off the creeping anxiety, but remained

1352
01:44:09.079 --> 01:44:14.880
on guard. Not really, I like the seclusion. It's beautiful

1353
01:44:14.920 --> 01:44:20.680
out here, Lucas replied, focusing on Doris. He prayed that

1354
01:44:20.840 --> 01:44:24.760
she didn't hear the tremor in his voice. This time.

1355
01:44:24.920 --> 01:44:28.880
He couldn't hide it. Something was off about the couple,

1356
01:44:29.800 --> 01:44:33.920
but he couldn't put his finger on it. He regretted

1357
01:44:34.000 --> 01:44:36.880
picking them up, but couldn't think of a way to

1358
01:44:36.960 --> 01:44:41.119
politely get them out of his car, so he stepped

1359
01:44:41.159 --> 01:44:44.840
harder on the gas pedal, speeding up to get to

1360
01:44:44.920 --> 01:44:49.960
his house as soon as possible. I just think it's

1361
01:44:50.039 --> 01:44:55.279
creepy out here, Doris said, her voice soft. She crossed

1362
01:44:55.279 --> 01:44:59.119
her legs in a deliberate motion, and Lucas couldn't help

1363
01:44:59.199 --> 01:45:03.640
but notice we heard strange sounds when we were standing

1364
01:45:03.680 --> 01:45:08.479
alongside the road. I started to imagine spirits lurking in

1365
01:45:08.520 --> 01:45:14.439
the woods or cornfields, she laughed, nervously. I've never seen

1366
01:45:14.479 --> 01:45:18.680
a ghost out here, Lucas scoffed. He didn't believe in

1367
01:45:18.760 --> 01:45:23.680
such foolishness. I drive this road almost daily, and the

1368
01:45:23.720 --> 01:45:32.479
grisliest thing I've seen has been roadkill. No ghosts, Lucas replied, calmly. Really,

1369
01:45:33.279 --> 01:45:37.680
Doris asked what the hell does she mean by really?

1370
01:45:39.359 --> 01:45:43.079
A sound came from the back seat. It was slow,

1371
01:45:43.920 --> 01:45:48.880
heavy breathing. If that dude is masturbating behind that suitcase,

1372
01:45:49.159 --> 01:45:53.920
I will be pissed. Lucas couldn't bring himself to look

1373
01:45:53.960 --> 01:45:57.800
in the rear view mirror. He was focused on Doris,

1374
01:45:58.439 --> 01:46:03.640
who shifted her skirt h Lucas was sure she was

1375
01:46:03.720 --> 01:46:09.239
intentionally giving him a show. Yeah, I hit a deer

1376
01:46:09.279 --> 01:46:12.479
out here a few weeks back, tore the shit out

1377
01:46:12.479 --> 01:46:14.479
of the front hood of the truck I was driving,

1378
01:46:15.199 --> 01:46:20.359
Lucas said, his voice thick. He felt himself growing hard.

1379
01:46:21.600 --> 01:46:25.680
He didn't know if it was because of Doris or

1380
01:46:26.680 --> 01:46:30.960
from remembering how beautiful the dead deer had been when

1381
01:46:31.039 --> 01:46:35.279
he smeared it across the road. He could still remember

1382
01:46:35.359 --> 01:46:40.359
that night as vividly as if it had happened yesterday.

1383
01:46:41.880 --> 01:46:46.439
After scattering apples along the pavement, Lucas pulled the gardener's

1384
01:46:46.479 --> 01:46:49.279
beat up green truck to the side of Route seven

1385
01:46:49.439 --> 01:46:54.199
forty seven and waited with the headlights on. He knew

1386
01:46:54.359 --> 01:46:58.720
most deer were reckless when it came to light. People

1387
01:46:58.840 --> 01:47:01.880
said they ran straight toward the light, as if they

1388
01:47:01.880 --> 01:47:07.159
were drawn to them, like moths to a flame. Lucas

1389
01:47:07.199 --> 01:47:10.880
didn't have to wait long. From the edge of the cornfield,

1390
01:47:11.159 --> 01:47:17.239
a large deer had emerged, cautious but curious, its legs

1391
01:47:17.319 --> 01:47:22.239
moving hesitantly across the grass before stepping on to the pavement.

1392
01:47:23.720 --> 01:47:27.920
It placed its nose against the concrete, sniffing the broken

1393
01:47:28.000 --> 01:47:32.119
apples on the asphalt. Tapping the apples with its nose,

1394
01:47:32.600 --> 01:47:36.960
it lifted its beautiful head to stare directly at Lucas

1395
01:47:37.439 --> 01:47:42.560
and the truck. Then hunger went over fear, and it

1396
01:47:42.640 --> 01:47:49.399
dipped its head again, nibbling at the apples. Tightening his seatbelt,

1397
01:47:50.039 --> 01:47:53.000
Lucas eased the truck to the center of the road.

1398
01:47:54.359 --> 01:47:59.600
The deer didn't seem to notice or care. He pressed

1399
01:47:59.600 --> 01:48:06.159
the gas slowly at first, then harder. The deer looked

1400
01:48:06.239 --> 01:48:10.439
up with only a few seconds left to escape, but

1401
01:48:10.680 --> 01:48:16.560
was frozen in the headlights. Lucas hit the accelerator, colliding

1402
01:48:16.600 --> 01:48:21.760
with the deer. He heard the sickening thud, followed by

1403
01:48:21.800 --> 01:48:25.319
the scrape of the body hitting the bumper as it

1404
01:48:25.399 --> 01:48:30.520
flew up and over the hood before landing on the pavement.

1405
01:48:31.760 --> 01:48:37.119
Fuck yeah, Lucas screamed, spittle flying from his lips. He

1406
01:48:37.279 --> 01:48:40.920
slammed on the brakes, coming to a screeching halt. He

1407
01:48:41.039 --> 01:48:44.960
placed the truck in park, opened the door, and ran

1408
01:48:45.119 --> 01:48:49.920
to the deer. It was twitching and making horrible sounds.

1409
01:48:50.840 --> 01:48:55.399
It was still alive, struggling to get up, but Lucas

1410
01:48:55.399 --> 01:48:58.720
could see one of the legs was broken and bleeding,

1411
01:48:59.399 --> 01:49:03.600
nearly torn from the hip. Blood was pulling around its

1412
01:49:03.720 --> 01:49:08.960
mangled body. But that wasn't enough for Lucas. He wanted

1413
01:49:09.039 --> 01:49:16.520
more slick blood, torn flesh, and twisted organs. Lucas was

1414
01:49:16.600 --> 01:49:20.159
panting as he jumped back into the truck, put it

1415
01:49:20.199 --> 01:49:24.840
in drive, and floored it. He felt the dull crunch

1416
01:49:24.880 --> 01:49:29.479
as the tires rolled over the deer. The brake squealed

1417
01:49:29.760 --> 01:49:33.479
as he put the truck into reverse, backing over the deer.

1418
01:49:34.520 --> 01:49:38.880
This time, the tires crushed its skull and tore its

1419
01:49:38.960 --> 01:49:44.840
flesh from its bones. Its guts smeared across the road.

1420
01:49:46.479 --> 01:49:50.880
Lucas killed the engine, grabbed his camera, and ran to

1421
01:49:50.960 --> 01:49:56.760
the deer. It was still twitching, barely alive. His hands

1422
01:49:56.920 --> 01:50:02.079
trembled with excitement as he began snapping photos, each one

1423
01:50:02.279 --> 01:50:07.000
more beautiful than the first. It was the most incredible

1424
01:50:07.000 --> 01:50:11.520
work of art he had ever created. Amid the frenzy

1425
01:50:11.560 --> 01:50:15.600
of his work, he didn't hear the faint cries from

1426
01:50:15.680 --> 01:50:22.960
the cornfield, a noise that was both animalistic and disturbingly human.

1427
01:50:29.359 --> 01:50:35.079
Was the deer okay? Doris lowered her eyes, then stared

1428
01:50:35.119 --> 01:50:41.479
out the windshield. Her voice was slow and quiet, almost haunting.

1429
01:50:42.439 --> 01:50:46.039
Lucas shook away the vivid memory of killing the deer,

1430
01:50:47.000 --> 01:50:50.720
wondering why the hell. She asked if the deer was okay.

1431
01:50:51.760 --> 01:50:55.039
He thought it was just a pointless animal with no

1432
01:50:55.279 --> 01:51:01.840
soul or purpose, even if its meat tasted foul. Don't know,

1433
01:51:02.640 --> 01:51:07.119
Lucas lied with a casual shrug. I got out and

1434
01:51:07.199 --> 01:51:09.880
it was still moving a little, But I didn't know

1435
01:51:09.920 --> 01:51:13.920
what to do, so I just drove on, leaving it

1436
01:51:13.960 --> 01:51:17.840
on the roadside. He didn't want to share the secret

1437
01:51:18.359 --> 01:51:24.000
of his creative process that was just for him to savor.

1438
01:51:25.600 --> 01:51:28.800
You hit a poor, defenseless animal and left it to

1439
01:51:28.880 --> 01:51:35.000
die on the roadside. Doris's voice wavered with shock. Lucas

1440
01:51:35.079 --> 01:51:38.640
turned to look at her. Her eyes, which had been

1441
01:51:38.680 --> 01:51:43.880
a beautiful shade of blue, now appeared almost entirely black,

1442
01:51:44.600 --> 01:51:50.079
as if her pupils had dilated, erasing all color. It

1443
01:51:50.239 --> 01:51:53.439
had to be the faint glow from the stereo display

1444
01:51:54.039 --> 01:51:59.000
playing tricks on him. Lucas glanced into the rear view

1445
01:51:59.079 --> 01:52:02.000
mirror and was pleased to see the guy in the

1446
01:52:02.079 --> 01:52:08.159
back seat staring blankly out the window, uninterested in their conversation.

1447
01:52:09.720 --> 01:52:13.640
He reached for his cigarette in the center console, grabbed

1448
01:52:13.640 --> 01:52:18.399
one and placed it between his lips. Do you mind,

1449
01:52:18.920 --> 01:52:24.800
he asked. Doris shook her head slowly. Lucas lit the cigarette,

1450
01:52:25.399 --> 01:52:30.279
taking a long drag to calm his nerves. It was

1451
01:52:30.560 --> 01:52:34.960
just an animal, he muttered. Wanting to change the subject,

1452
01:52:36.079 --> 01:52:39.680
he tried to switch the conversation to see if the

1453
01:52:39.720 --> 01:52:43.000
couple was interested in going to his guesthouse to party

1454
01:52:43.119 --> 01:52:46.039
for a bit and let Doris show off more of

1455
01:52:46.079 --> 01:52:50.640
her legs. His mind flicked to the fat check in

1456
01:52:50.720 --> 01:52:54.600
his pocket. He was no longer afraid of the situation.

1457
01:52:55.600 --> 01:53:01.439
He wanted to celebrate his big win. Anna animal, What

1458
01:53:01.520 --> 01:53:04.560
the hell do you mean by that? That deer was

1459
01:53:04.600 --> 01:53:08.880
a living and breathing organism. It had a family and friends,

1460
01:53:09.720 --> 01:53:15.720
It even had kids. Doris screamed in rage. Lucas almost

1461
01:53:15.880 --> 01:53:19.880
laughed at the absurdity. He assumed she was an animal

1462
01:53:19.920 --> 01:53:25.439
activist or a dirty hippie. He hated hippies. He nervously

1463
01:53:25.520 --> 01:53:29.479
took another drag of his cigarette, noticing the sincerity in

1464
01:53:29.520 --> 01:53:34.079
the girl's eyes. At the same time, he once again

1465
01:53:34.239 --> 01:53:39.600
heard the man in the back seat breathing heavily. It

1466
01:53:39.680 --> 01:53:43.479
was a deer, just an animal. No harm was done,

1467
01:53:44.279 --> 01:53:48.119
Lucas said flatly. He glanced in the rear view mirror

1468
01:53:48.520 --> 01:53:53.479
as fear crawled up the back of his neck. He froze,

1469
01:53:53.520 --> 01:53:57.199
his cigarette hanging from his lips. As the heavy breathing

1470
01:53:57.239 --> 01:54:01.279
from the back seat turned into a low, guttural growl.

1471
01:54:02.680 --> 01:54:07.079
Lucas's heart pounded in his chest as sweat pooled under

1472
01:54:07.079 --> 01:54:12.000
his armpits. It wasn't just a deer, it was my father,

1473
01:54:12.720 --> 01:54:18.079
Doris screamed, her voice trembling with fury. What the fuck,

1474
01:54:18.760 --> 01:54:22.600
Lucas hissed. I think it's time I drop you too off.

1475
01:54:23.359 --> 01:54:28.039
Lucas wanted to say more, but the words died in

1476
01:54:28.119 --> 01:54:32.960
his throat. Lucas's foot eased off the gas as his

1477
01:54:33.079 --> 01:54:37.760
trembling hand reached for the gearshift. Cigarette smoke burned his

1478
01:54:37.840 --> 01:54:44.159
eyes as Doris's face began to change, Her soft porcelain

1479
01:54:44.319 --> 01:54:51.239
skin faded, replaced with coarse, bristly brown fur. Shocked. His

1480
01:54:51.319 --> 01:54:55.760
cigarette fell from his lips, landing between his legs. He

1481
01:54:55.880 --> 01:54:59.760
slammed the brakes as her long blonde hair morphed into

1482
01:54:59.760 --> 01:55:05.119
a thick brown pelt sprouting from her scalp. Lucas didn't

1483
01:55:05.159 --> 01:55:08.319
want to believe his eyes as he stared back at

1484
01:55:08.399 --> 01:55:15.800
Doris's unblinking, black as tar eyes. Doris, the woman was

1485
01:55:15.880 --> 01:55:20.520
no longer sitting next to him, replaced by something else.

1486
01:55:21.640 --> 01:55:25.880
The growling from the back seat increased. Lucas dared to

1487
01:55:26.000 --> 01:55:29.399
look into the rear view mirror, just in time to

1488
01:55:29.439 --> 01:55:33.560
see the man Doris called Derek, now with the face

1489
01:55:34.079 --> 01:55:41.960
and hoofs of a deer, his mouth stretched unnaturally wide.

1490
01:55:42.159 --> 01:55:46.960
Deer don't have teeth like that, Lucas's mind screamed. The

1491
01:55:47.079 --> 01:55:53.760
teeth were elongated into jagged, razor sharp points. Derek lurched forward,

1492
01:55:54.399 --> 01:55:59.840
the suitcase tumbling aside. Lucas let out a strangled scream

1493
01:56:00.239 --> 01:56:05.279
as Derek's teeth sank into his cheek. Blood rolled down

1494
01:56:05.319 --> 01:56:09.960
his neck as the flesh was torn from the bone.

1495
01:56:10.000 --> 01:56:13.239
His foot slipped from the brake pedal as the car

1496
01:56:13.359 --> 01:56:19.199
inched forward into the ditch next to the cornfield. This

1497
01:56:19.560 --> 01:56:25.239
can't be fucking happening. Lucas's mind twisted, but he couldn't

1498
01:56:25.279 --> 01:56:31.920
deny what was occurring. The two strange hitchhikers had transformed

1499
01:56:31.960 --> 01:56:37.359
before his eyes into deer with razor sharp teeth. We

1500
01:56:37.560 --> 01:56:42.560
are more than roadkill. We are alive. We are man

1501
01:56:43.039 --> 01:56:49.039
and beast. Doris's distorted voice roared as she bit into

1502
01:56:49.079 --> 01:56:54.359
his side. Lucas cried out in pain, blood dripping from

1503
01:56:54.399 --> 01:56:59.920
his torn flesh. Derek spoke for the first time, She walked.

1504
01:57:00.239 --> 01:57:03.920
You hit him and run him over again and again.

1505
01:57:04.960 --> 01:57:07.680
Had I been there, you would have been dead that night.

1506
01:57:08.800 --> 01:57:14.439
We've been watching you and waiting for this moment. Their

1507
01:57:14.920 --> 01:57:20.720
dear and people. This was the last coherent thought Lucas

1508
01:57:20.840 --> 01:57:25.720
had as Doris and Derek tore him apart with teeth

1509
01:57:25.880 --> 01:57:31.680
and claws. They ripped open his stomach, spilling his guts,

1510
01:57:31.800 --> 01:57:36.279
just like he had done to Doris's father. When the

1511
01:57:36.319 --> 01:57:41.399
grizzly task was done, Doris and Derek began to shift

1512
01:57:41.520 --> 01:57:46.680
back to their human forms. Their clothes were tattered and

1513
01:57:46.800 --> 01:57:53.039
torn as they sat naked, covered in blood. Doris leaned over,

1514
01:57:53.960 --> 01:58:01.119
kissing Derek gently. Thank you, baby, she whispered through tears.

1515
01:58:02.239 --> 01:58:07.039
Derek nodded, pulling the suitcase from the back seat. He

1516
01:58:07.159 --> 01:58:12.800
ripped Lucas's still warm heart from his chest and placed

1517
01:58:12.840 --> 01:58:17.119
it inside the suitcase to bring to the others. As

1518
01:58:17.279 --> 01:58:24.439
proof of their revenge. They scattered Lucas's remains, draping his

1519
01:58:24.720 --> 01:58:30.000
entrails across the road, recreating the exact scene he had

1520
01:58:30.079 --> 01:58:36.119
left behind the night he killed Doris's father. As the

1521
01:58:36.159 --> 01:58:41.840
wind swept across Root seven forty seven, Lucas's shredded one

1522
01:58:42.000 --> 01:58:49.960
hundred thousand dollars check fluttered free. Later that night, Lucas's

1523
01:58:50.079 --> 01:58:55.680
mangled corpse would be discovered the most gruesome road kill

1524
01:58:56.239 --> 01:59:03.319
ever found en Route seven forty seven in Hobbs End, Ohio.

1525
01:59:07.720 --> 01:59:12.359
All right, my spooky is there? It is four stories

1526
01:59:12.439 --> 01:59:16.319
for the IDEs of March, where the universe keeps receipts,

1527
01:59:16.479 --> 01:59:21.880
accepts no returns, and somehow always knows your forwarding address.

1528
01:59:22.560 --> 01:59:26.720
Because revenge doesn't always kick in the door wearing a

1529
01:59:26.760 --> 01:59:34.880
hockey mask. Sometimes it shows up polite, patient, smiling. Sometimes

1530
01:59:34.920 --> 01:59:38.800
it's a small town that feels like a warm blanket

1531
01:59:39.359 --> 01:59:44.800
until you realize it's actually a net. Sometimes it's the woods, quiet,

1532
01:59:44.960 --> 01:59:50.600
beautiful and absolutely not interested in your survival plan. And

1533
01:59:50.720 --> 01:59:54.800
sometimes it's the road where your headlights only show you

1534
01:59:55.279 --> 01:59:59.680
what's immediately about to ruin your evening. So if you're

1535
01:59:59.720 --> 02:00:03.600
heading to bed, lock the door and don't overthink the

1536
02:00:03.640 --> 02:00:08.680
noises downstairs. If you're driving, keep your eyes forward, and

1537
02:00:08.760 --> 02:00:10.880
if you see something on the side of the road

1538
02:00:10.960 --> 02:00:15.840
that makes your stomach drop, ask yourself, do I need

1539
02:00:15.920 --> 02:00:18.720
to be a hero or do I need to get

1540
02:00:18.760 --> 02:00:23.399
home alive with a funny story. Next Saturday, we'll have

1541
02:00:23.439 --> 02:00:26.920
another collection of the IDEs of March for you to enjoy,

1542
02:00:27.119 --> 02:00:31.079
so make sure you're subscribed. And of course every Wednesday

1543
02:00:31.159 --> 02:00:35.680
is a brand new terror tale never before heard anywhere

1544
02:00:35.760 --> 02:00:41.279
else at Weekly Spooky. Until next time, don't forget the

1545
02:00:41.399 --> 02:00:46.600
scariest part isn't the knife, it's the moment you realize

1546
02:00:46.840 --> 02:01:17.119
you are the punchline