June 18, 2025

Stay Hungry - Hippo Horror in the Colombian Jungle!

Stay Hungry - Hippo Horror in the Colombian Jungle!
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A wildlife documentary crew heads into the Colombian jungle to film Pablo Escobar’s infamous cocaine hippos—only to find something far more deadly. As tensions rise between a passionate conservationist and a ruthless poacher, the real threat emerges from the water: a bloodthirsty pod of hippos that’s not just invasive… it’s unstoppable.

In Stay Hungry by David O’Hanlon, bullets fly, bodies drop, and the jungle runs red in this brutal, action-packed creature horror story.

🦛 Perfect for fans of: The Ghost and the Darkness, Anaconda, Lake Placid, and Tremors🌿

Themes: Eco-horror, survival, predator vs. predator, dark humor, nature’s revenge

Get your very own signed copy of Weekly Spooky's The April Fool !

🎧 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, Mark Shields, Bobbletopia.com
🎥 Produced by: Daniel Wilder
🌐 Explore more terrifying tales at: WeeklySpooky.com

🎧 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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A wildlife documentary crew heads into the Colombian jungle to

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film Pablo Escobar's infamous cocaine hippos, only to find something

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far more deadly, a bloodthirsty pod of hippos that are

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not just invasive and unstoppable, but hungry.

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

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You will experience tales over opera, ghosts and death. It

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is not recommended for the week at our tart listeners

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00:00:48.960 --> 00:00:52.600
in the dark, It's more fun at that way way.

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This is Weekly Speaking. Hello, my spookies, It's Wednesday, and

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you know what that means. It's time for a little

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spooky in your weekly. I'm your host and narrator, Enrique Kuto,

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and we have a little piece of South American summer

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time terror just for you to sink your teeth into.

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But before we get to that, I want to say

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thank you so much for joining us as we keep

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Spooky season alive all year long right here. We never

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slow down, we never stop bringing you the Halloween season,

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and we're so happy to have you here with us.

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So make sure you're subscribed on your favorite podcasting app

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because this Friday, we have a very special compilation of

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some of the most terrifying stories we've ever published about

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creature of the Night of the Fanged variety. You won't

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want to miss it, so subscribe on your favorite podcasting

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app and leave us a five star rating on Apple

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Podcasts or Spotify. It really does help the program, and

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if you want to support us in a very direct way,

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and for as little as one dollar a month, get

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two bonus shows every single month, as well as over

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five years of audiobooks and creepypasta readings. That's Weeklyspooky dot

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Com slash Join. But as for Tonight, they say hippos

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kill more people than any predator in Africa, But what

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happens when they escape to a jungle halfway across the world.

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Tonight's tale follows a film crew deep into the Colombian wild,

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where the animals aren't the only ones on edge, and

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some creatures were never meant to leave the zoo. So

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get yourself comfortable and maybe grab a snack, because Tonight's

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story is all about a massive hunger, and we're telling

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it right after this Stay Hungry by David o'hanley. Ella

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Scott watched in disbelief as the man passed the folded

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bills to the boat captain. Cain Marlowe was one of

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the most infamous poachers in the world, and last she'd

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heard was in a Kenyan prison. She doubted he'd been

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released on good behavior. Ella's face reddened as Marlowe went

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to stow his luggage, Her fingernails dug into her palms,

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and her entire body shook. Keith, the cameraman for the documentary,

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stepped in front of her with his hands raised defensively

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deep breaths. He said, it's just a mix up, I'm sure.

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Ella shoved him out of her way and stormed over

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to the captain, grabbing for his collar but mostly getting

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chest hair. The short, stocky man whined and slapped at

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her hands. What are you thinking, she demanded that I

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didn't ask for a manscaping. He rubbed his chest. You

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want to go up the river or no? Yes, Ella

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barked back to film the hippos migrating, not being butchered.

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Goddamn it, Louise, do you know who that is? Of course,

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Louise said, He's the guy that just paid me a

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lot more than you did to go to the exact

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same place. I can make a dozen trips to more

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popular locations in the same time. This trip is not

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cost effective. I got plenty of room. If someone else

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wants to come along, I'll take them too. I think

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you misunderstood. Keith chimed in. Ella is concerned because that

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man is a poacher. I don't care how he eats

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his eggs. Louise shrugged and started up to the ship's helm.

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He'll slaughter them, Ella said, this is Columbia, Miss Scott.

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Louis leaned on the rusted railing. This village here has

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been burned down at least three times since I've been alive.

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Human life is cheap. Hippos aren't many men pay to

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hunt these animals. You're upset that he is here, but

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you use this boat, so you'll tolerate him. I understand

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it's your boat, but it's their boat. The captain cut

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her off. The hunters are why this boat has a

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running motor. They are the reasons. And I was able

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to pay off my debts when your hippos killed the

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fish I used to catch for a living. You hate

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the hunters, but the hunters are the only reason you're

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going upriver to go where you wish. You either take

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this boat or you swim. Guess we're riding with the poacher.

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Keith muttered, I'm not letting him kill anything. Ella said,

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mark my words. After the Colombian government slaughtered the bull

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named Pepe, there had been an international outcry to protect

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the so called cocaine hippos. Pablo Escobar had imported four

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of the animals for his private zoo back in the eighties,

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which had escaped into the wild after his death. Without

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a dry season, they begun reaching sexual maturity faster. Their

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number had swelled to at least two hundred in the

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years since. If interventions weren't found, there would be a

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thousand by the end of the next decade. In recent months,

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reports had come in of hippopotamus sightings far from Median. However,

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a local group of activists exploiting the rampant political corruption,

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had supplied Ella with satellite imagery of the area, as

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well as aerial photographs of what appeared to be three

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juveniles several hundred miles to the north. Ella studied the

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photos with the same intrigue she had when she first

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seen them in the alien jungles of South America. The

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animals often behaved in ways unseen among their African relatives. Still,

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it seemed unreasonable. Still, it seemed unreasonable for a group

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to break off from the herd when all their needs

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were being met in the Magdalena River they called home.

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If they had been forced out by a dominant bull,

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then they should have stopped moving once they were outside

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his range, which would have been no more than ten miles.

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The exodus made no sense. Ella needed to film them

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in the wild and to figure out exactly why they

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had moved so far. She had to show the world

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that the Colombian hippo had become its own species if

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she wanted to save them. They'd been on the river

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all day. Keith had occupied himself with filming establishing shots.

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For the first few hours. Ella had shot thirty three

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takes of her introduction, detailing the history of the hippos

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in Columbia, the efforts to contain them, and how they

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had transformed from an invasive species to a meaningful part

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of the ecosystem that they now lived within. Keith wasn't

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sure he bought into that last part, no matter how

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many times she made him reshoot it. He was from

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Indiana and had seen the negative effects of feral hog's firsthand.

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The hippos were a lot bigger and more ill tempered

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than the pigs back home. They'd started their trip at

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the tourist trap in Median The hippopotamuses had created a

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strange paradox for the locals. They killed the fish that

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provided the basis for their economy and diet, while simultaneously

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creating revenue through eco tourism. It was much cheaper to

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come see the hippos in South America than venturing to

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Africa for a pricey photo safari. Keith didn't see the appeal.

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The hippos did nothing but soak in a river and

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immodestly shit for the flashing cameras. It hardly seemed worth

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the airfare. While Ella reviewed the maps and photographs again,

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he optioned to take some still photos of the vast

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array of wildlife occupying the river banks. He zoomed in

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on the stone faced Columbian sitting at the rear of

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the boat. Hector filled every role on the boat as

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he was needed. He was a former farc soldier and

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his bear Torso was pock marked with shrapnel, scars and

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burns from his past life. Once they made land, Hector

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would make sure they were safe while filming. Ella had

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of course protested an armed guard, but Luis had only

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been paid half up front and insisted Hector go with them.

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Keith wasn't sure if the man never spoke because he

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didn't know English, or if it was some sense of

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warrior stoicism. Either way, the cameraman found Hector as intriguing

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as he was frightening. Keith pried his lens away from

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his subject and moved to the opposite end of the

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rickety boat.

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Don't go away Weekly, Spooky will be right back.

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Caine Marlowe stood at the bow with one boot on

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the edge and his Rigby rifle propped on his hip,

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like he was gracing the cover of a Harley Quinn

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romance novel. He looked the part with his Safari shirt,

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sleeves rolled up over muscular forearms, and the top two

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buttons down to show the valley between thick pectorals. Exotic

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oils made his golden beard glisten in the setting sun.

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He was a bondye beach Allen quartermain. The only thing

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out of place about him was the ragged scar on

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the right side of his face. The claws had left

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distinctive raised lines from his temple to his jaw. His

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eye was stuck in a permanent squint on account of

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the nerve damage. Keith wondered if some unfortunate jungle cat

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had turned the tables on the poacher, or if it

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had been his origin story. Perhaps the beast had mauled

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a young Marlowe, beginning his desperate need to kill them

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in retaliation. Like Hector, Keith found Marlowe to be more

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interesting than the hippos. This is insane, Ella said, snapping

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him back to reality. The photos clearly show the hippos

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have moved on. This is completely uncharted behavior for them.

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We're onto something huge here and crocodile dun dumbass wants

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to murder them. Maybe they're trying to go home, Keith said.

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They are moving in the general direction of Africa. Ancient

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Egyptians thought they were supernatural beings. Ella seemed to consider it.

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Perhaps the truth is somewhere in between, perhaps, Keith snorted.

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Or perhaps you're reading too much into them going for

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a walk. They've traveled over two hundred miles. Ella scoffed.

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That's hardly an evening stroll. It's an invasion. Marlow said,

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that's what the Venezuelans are calling it. They've got enough

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problems without a bunch of hungry, hungry hippos coming to dinner.

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So you're going to kill them and be the big hero.

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Ella asked, wouldn't be much fun or profit in that,

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corrected her. If the herd crosses the border, they'll be slaughtered.

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That's exactly what you don't want. If I recall, you're

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killing them for their own good Ella laughed, that's a

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new spin. I'll kill one or two. Marlowe admitted these

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animals are simply exploring their boundaries. It takes a predator

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to set some Luckily you have me. They don't go

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to Venezuela to be massacred, and I get a grand hunt.

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We both win. Miss Scott Keith looked around the boat

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and raised his hand like he was back in film school. Yes,

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marlow asked, there doesn't seem to be room for a

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dead hippo, let alone two of them. The cameraman said,

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he's only bringing back the teeth. Ella said, pointedly, trading

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in hippo ivory is illegal Internet nationally. Marlow said with

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a grim smile. They're not an indigenous species, so the

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Colombian government doesn't have a law on the books about

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domestic sales. You think you Americans have the patent on

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rich assholes. I can sell those tusks in Bogata for

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a mint. I won't let that happen. Ella ensured him

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the sightings indicate an entire pod up there that's big

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enough that we can both get the kind of shots

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we're looking for without being in each other's way. Marlow

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stepped closer to Ella. You're on the backside of Burke now,

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no police ya, no human rights, no fucking Starbucks. Is

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that supposed to be a threat. A reminder you're not

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live streaming a protest outside of Maybelene. Everything out here

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is lethal. Piranha, crocs and acandas and jaguars, even the

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fucking ants. Anyone can come into the jungle, but it

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takes a special breed to come back out, and I

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don't think you're of that stock. He nodded to Keith.

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That bloke certainly isn't. Marlowe climbed the ladder to join

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Louise at the helm. Ella looked back at Hector wondering

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if his role as their protector extended to keeping them

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safe from Marlowe as well. The former soldier locked eyes

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with her and replaced the strap on his holster, letting

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her know he'd been prepared to move if things had escalated.

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On Whose behalf he'd have acted was still a mystery.

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It had been a long night, so far from civilization.

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The wildlife went about their routines uninterrupted. All night long.

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Animals carried on in an endless cacophony of mating calls

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and ferocious hunts. Every time an animal cried out from

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the jaws of some predator, Ella would snap awake, expecting

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to see Marlowe carrying a gruesome trophy back on board

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the boat. It never happened. Each time she was roused

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from sleep, she found the hunter peacefully resting in his hammock.

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The sounds of death must have been his favorite lullaby.

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He didn't stir in the slightest while she snuck away

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with his rifle. They made good time. The next morning,

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Keith sat beside Luis at the helm. Ella watched him

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shakily pouring a fresh cup of coffee into a cracked

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mug with faded letters, despite having gotten even less sleep

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than her, Keith seemed wide awake. Now. Ella went to

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the top of the ladder. Keith, she called, yeah, He

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yipped excitedly. His feet tapped rapidly, and he was grinding

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his teeth. Oh, you want me to get some more

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bee roll? That would be great. She gestured to the cup.

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How much coffee have you had? This is my second cup.

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Keith nodded vigorously. Louise held up three fingers. You seem

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a little jittery, Ella said, it's really good. Keith slapped

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Louise on the back. Folgers doesn't know shit about Columbian blend.

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Colombian blend, Ella asked, Colombian blend, Louise said, tapping his

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nostril for clarity. Take him before he shakes us off course, Jesus. Okay,

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no more coffee, Keith. Ella snapped her fingers, pointing to

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the bow. We have work to do. Pour it over

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the side. I don't think so. Luis took the mug

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from Keith and down to gulp. Last thing we need

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is piranhas swimming in this. Go make movies with your

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girlfriend and leave the coffee to the men. Keith laughed,

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he thinks you're my girlfriend, Move your ass, Keith. Ella

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dropped to the deck and went to stern for the

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camera equipment. She looked around suspiciously. Hector had stayed at

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the rear of the ship the entire day, but had

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seemingly given up his post. A sharp whistle drew her

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attention and apparently the captains as the boat slowed.

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Did you hear that? Better check the locks on your

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doors weekly, Spooky, We'll be right back.

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I think you should come and see this, miss Scott,

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marlow shouted from the bow. Ella pulled the camera from

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the bag and shoved it into Keith's arms. On the

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way past. Hector was there, cradling an assault rifle in

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his arms and sipping at his own coffee. Marlowe pointed

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to the riverbank. You see that, miss Scott, he asked,

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Make sure your cameraman gets a good look. Flies swarmed

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over the corpse of the American crocodile. It laid on

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its back, with its intestines bulging out of its split belly.

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One leg was completely torn from its body. A yellow

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headed vulture tugged at a strand of muscle hanging from

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the stump. The birds stretched the tissue until it snapped loose.

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The grass was trampled around the scene, with deep hoof

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prints clearly visible in the mud. There are five thousand

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American crocodiles in the entire world world, Marlow said, minus one,

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thanks to your hippos. Maybe you two would like to

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get off the boat and film that. Fuck you, Marlow,

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Ella spat. Territorial disputes happen across species in every ecosystem.

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Don't try to justify what you do. That croc was

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at least fifty years old, Marlow said, pointing at the carcass.

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There was no dispute, dearie. This was his territory. Your

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hippos kill him for the sport of it. Funny how

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you seem to have such a problem when I do that.

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The crocodile has not been dead long, maybe since last night,

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Hector said, in an even mechanical tone. We should not

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be this close. What do you mean? Keith looked around,

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swinging the camera as he turned his head close to

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what blimey? Marlow scanned the water for air bubbles. A

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territorial dispute, you say, Ella gasped, Oh shit? What? Keith shouted?

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Why does everyone know what's going on except me. We

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moving on or what Louis asked, we were wrong, Ella shouted,

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get down here and bring your map. Ella laid her

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photos in topographic map on a small table and waited

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for Luis to add his own. The others gathered around

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to hear what she said, but Hector and Marlowe kept

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their eyes on the river. Hippos stay in the water

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most of the time, but we'll travel around ten miles

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to graze. Ella pointed at a circle on the map.

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Our photos were taken here, so we assumed they had

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migrated up the Magdalena to this inlet. It was the

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only logical place they could be. But we know a

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hippo was here recently. The inlet is too far away

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for a bull to have wandered. We were going to

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go right past them. I'm thrilled for you, lady, Louise said,

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But like my mother in law always says, you pay

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full price even if you don't go all the way.

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Was your mother in law a prostitute, Keith asked, second

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finest in all of Columbia. Louise told him if she'd

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have been the first, I'd have married her instead. It

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00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:42.000
might have worked out better, Hector added, the answer seemed

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so obvious that no one looked for another. Ella sketched

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a rough circle that joined their current location to the

305
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confirmed sighting. The calves were photographed at one end of

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the grays Lands, and we're sitting on the other. You

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can't see it on my map because of the canopy,

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but yours is hand drawn. There's a large pond right

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in the center. What isn't on your map is the

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tributary that feeds it. That's because we already have enough

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ways to get killed in this country without going down.

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Rio dedl mortal seriously, Ella stiffened. It's actually called the

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river of deadly evil. You have a river of deadly evil.

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Keith screeched, of course not. Louis laughed. It's hard enough

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to get taurusts this far into the jungle without scary rivers.

316
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It looks narrow and shallow. Probably someone just figured there

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was no point drawing it on. Can the boat make

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00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:50.359
it through? Marlowe asked, If not, I don't give refunds.

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Louis sipt his coffee. You'll both see your hippos soon.

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Louise ducked under a branch, careful to keep his hand

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on the wheel. The hull scraped noisily against the rocky

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banks of the narrow channel. He stood and eased back

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on the throttle. Navigating the unmarked river had proven more

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challenging than the map suggested. The jungle reached out for

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the boat on both sides, swatting at the passengers like

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it was shooting gnats. A monkey jumped from one of

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the trees, using the boat as a stepping stone to

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the other side. Louise watched the foliage to make sure

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it wasn't being pursued Alto Alto. Hector called out from

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the bow. Something in the bushes ahead. Check it out quickly,

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Pendell Louise shouted back. Hector stepped onto the rail, using

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a branch for stability as he hopped over a round

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00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:05.279
boulder and on to the bank. The former rebel moved

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gracefully through the brush. He stopped in his tracks as

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something rustled behind him. He turned to find Ella picking

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herself up from the ground. He should have stayed on

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the boat, Hector told her, many dangerous things here. Marlowe

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00:26:25.720 --> 00:26:30.000
swung from a vine to land between them. He unslung

339
00:26:30.039 --> 00:26:34.839
the rifle from across his back. Hector groaned and signaled

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00:26:34.839 --> 00:26:37.960
for both of them to stay quiet before moving on.

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Ella shoved past Marlow to catch up. The hunter chuckled.

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00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:50.359
The smell of death lingered, but without the usual accompaniment

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of scavengers. Hector pushed through wasiste high grass, stepping into mud,

344
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blood squish up around his boot soles. A hippopotamus carcass

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00:27:05.160 --> 00:27:09.920
laid on its side. The bones were still wet where

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the meat had been removed, and its organs were strewn

347
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from its split belly all the way to the water's edge.

348
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Ornaments hung from the trees like archaic wind chimes. Ella

349
00:27:24.759 --> 00:27:29.480
investigated one of them. Vertebrae were spaced out along hand

350
00:27:29.519 --> 00:27:35.279
braided ropes with conical spikes at the end. These teeth

351
00:27:35.359 --> 00:27:42.720
are crocodilian, she said. The bones aren't, though they're human.

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Marlowe informed them, some poor bastard spine.

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You're not safe yet, weekly Spooky will be right back.

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This animal was butchered, Hector said, kneeling to examine the

355
00:28:02.680 --> 00:28:09.640
bear femur. There are knife marks another poacher. Ella asked

356
00:28:09.680 --> 00:28:14.599
with a baleful glare at Marlow. Jesus the monsters cut

357
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out its teeth, all of them Marlowe said a hunter

358
00:28:19.839 --> 00:28:23.680
would have only taken the tusks. These cuts are ragged

359
00:28:24.079 --> 00:28:29.680
and much too rough for steel. This was indios revenge.

360
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Hector rattled one of the wind chimes. The crocodile has

361
00:28:34.599 --> 00:28:39.319
been revered across the globe since time began. Marlowe nodded.

362
00:28:40.440 --> 00:28:44.200
The hippo killed one of their gods. They got their payback.

363
00:28:44.839 --> 00:28:47.799
They probably took the meat to appease the other crocs

364
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and keeping there good graces. Holy shit, Keith called from

365
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the boat. He zoomed in on the carnage. That's insane, Ella,

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I'm not going to believe the shot. He should probably

367
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keep quiet, Marlow suggested, while bringing his rifle to bear.

368
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This was a pup. The hippos will be more aggressive

369
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now there's too many rocks here. Louise bellowed, I can't

370
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slow down anymore. You need to get back on the boat. Hector,

371
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what color is the bottom of the boat? Ella watched

372
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the crock teeth swaying on the ceremonial decor white, I guess.

373
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Hector shrugged like a croc belly. Marlow whispered back on

374
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the boat. Louis ordered. Marlow turned slowly, scanning the jungle

375
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for movement. Ella gasped when he pointed the rifle straight

376
00:29:54.160 --> 00:29:58.960
at her. She watched as his finger moved to the

377
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trigger and took up the slack. The muzzle flash stretched

378
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at her like dragon's breath, accompanying the terrifying roar of

379
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the big game rifle. The ground rumbled around her. She

380
00:30:14.079 --> 00:30:19.480
whirled around to see the hippo dead at her feet.

381
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A wisp of smoke drifted from the fist sized hole

382
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in its skull. Crikey, that was a close one. Marlowe

383
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chambered another round. Good thing I reloaded, since someone took

384
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the bullets from my rifle. No worries I brought more.

385
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Keith screamed as the boat listed violently. Great boulders bobbed

386
00:30:47.240 --> 00:30:51.400
to the surface around the vessel. A muffled whoomp came

387
00:30:51.480 --> 00:30:55.920
from the water, jostling the boat again. The group stood

388
00:30:56.240 --> 00:31:01.200
petrified as the boulders stretched open their wide jaw and

389
00:31:01.319 --> 00:31:07.440
cried out. Unseen members of the pod responded throughout the jungle.

390
00:31:08.119 --> 00:31:12.640
An immense hippo exploded out of the water, crashing bodily

391
00:31:12.680 --> 00:31:17.559
onto the boat's stern. The bow rose up, throwing Louis

392
00:31:17.720 --> 00:31:21.319
from the helm. The captain hit the deck with a splash.

393
00:31:22.279 --> 00:31:27.240
Four thousand pounds of hippopotamus pressed it deeper into the water.

394
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Louis clawed at the floorboards. The beast's fetid breath washed

395
00:31:33.680 --> 00:31:38.160
over him as he slid closer to the gaping maw

396
00:31:39.599 --> 00:31:44.119
on the shore. The others watched as Louis was dragged,

397
00:31:44.640 --> 00:31:51.079
screaming beneath the surface. Keith Ella cried out, you have

398
00:31:51.160 --> 00:31:56.319
to jump. Water rose around the cameraman's legs. The ship

399
00:31:56.480 --> 00:32:00.319
was going down fast. Hippo jaws snapped at him over

400
00:32:00.359 --> 00:32:05.240
the guardrails. He shook his head. I can't jump. Are

401
00:32:05.279 --> 00:32:11.480
you insane? He whined, They'll eat me. You're sinking, dopey.

402
00:32:12.200 --> 00:32:17.119
Marlow shouted, now get off the bloody boat. Automatic rifle

403
00:32:17.160 --> 00:32:21.839
fire masked any reply Keith might have given. Hector sprayed

404
00:32:21.880 --> 00:32:25.599
from his hip at the charging bull. The barrage did

405
00:32:25.680 --> 00:32:29.920
nothing to slow the beast. Hector fumbled a fresh magazine.

406
00:32:30.680 --> 00:32:35.720
The hippo swiped its head once, impaling the soldier with

407
00:32:35.839 --> 00:32:41.240
its tusks. It raised Hector's screaming body into the air,

408
00:32:41.839 --> 00:32:47.279
crushing his torso like an aluminum can. Marlowe knelt and

409
00:32:47.400 --> 00:32:52.720
fired a shot through the hippo's eye. The hippopotamus collapsed,

410
00:32:53.160 --> 00:32:58.759
with Hector wheezing his last breaths, still trapped between its teeth.

411
00:33:00.160 --> 00:33:05.200
Everybody run, Marlowe barked. Keith put a foot on the

412
00:33:05.279 --> 00:33:09.599
railing and leapt for the shore. Ella reached out for him,

413
00:33:10.400 --> 00:33:16.000
and so did a hippo. The jaws closed around his legs,

414
00:33:16.319 --> 00:33:20.640
swinging him to the shore. Ella grabbed him by the wrists.

415
00:33:21.200 --> 00:33:25.400
The hippo tugged on him. Ella dug her heels into

416
00:33:25.440 --> 00:33:30.000
the muck and tried desperately to pull him free. The

417
00:33:30.079 --> 00:33:35.359
hippo gave a slight jerk, ripping Keith's legs off with ease.

418
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Ella cried as she dragged him up the embankment to her.

419
00:33:42.039 --> 00:33:45.680
She was torn away from him. Suddenly, she landed on

420
00:33:45.799 --> 00:33:52.039
her back, expecting to see tusks closing around her face. Instead,

421
00:33:53.119 --> 00:33:59.359
she saw Marlowe dragging her away by the collar. No,

422
00:34:00.240 --> 00:34:04.440
she shouted, She clawed at the hunter's hands. We have

423
00:34:04.640 --> 00:34:08.880
to help him. There's no help for him. Marlowe struggled

424
00:34:08.880 --> 00:34:12.920
to get her up. Get on your feet, Keith, cried out.

425
00:34:13.840 --> 00:34:18.719
Ella wrestled free and scrambled to the edge. The big

426
00:34:18.880 --> 00:34:22.920
female that capsized the boat rushed out to meet her.

427
00:34:23.880 --> 00:34:28.719
A hoof came down on Keith. His rib cage collapsed

428
00:34:29.360 --> 00:34:34.800
in one wet crunch. Jaws snapped shut in front of

429
00:34:34.800 --> 00:34:38.880
Ella's face with enough force to blow her auburn hair back.

430
00:34:40.119 --> 00:34:44.199
Marlowe blasted a chunk from the beast's snout and worked

431
00:34:44.280 --> 00:34:49.679
the rifle bolt. Now can we bloody leave? Ella used

432
00:34:49.679 --> 00:34:54.000
Marlowe's belt to pull herself up. The hunter swung her

433
00:34:54.039 --> 00:34:58.719
by the arm. Despite the uneven start, she gained her

434
00:34:58.719 --> 00:35:03.119
footing quickly and broke into a full sprint with Marlow

435
00:35:03.440 --> 00:35:08.119
on her heels. The giant female charged out of the jungle,

436
00:35:08.480 --> 00:35:13.760
uprooting trees in furious pursuit of the humans. Shoot it.

437
00:35:14.239 --> 00:35:18.960
Ella plaied, I only have one more shot. Marlow answered,

438
00:35:19.679 --> 00:35:24.559
you said you had more on the boat. Marlow snarled,

439
00:35:25.519 --> 00:35:30.440
what is that? Look up ahead? The jungle broke open,

440
00:35:30.920 --> 00:35:35.639
giving way to a sun drenched clearing full of tall grass.

441
00:35:36.280 --> 00:35:40.119
On the far end stood something as out of place

442
00:35:40.559 --> 00:35:46.679
as the cocaine hippos themselves? Is that a mansion? We're

443
00:35:46.679 --> 00:35:49.840
not going to live long enough to find out. Marlow

444
00:35:49.920 --> 00:35:52.719
growled that Sheila's right on our ass.

445
00:35:54.760 --> 00:35:59.920
If you thought that was scary. Just you wait weakly, spooky,

446
00:36:00.159 --> 00:36:01.199
We'll be right back.

447
00:36:03.440 --> 00:36:07.559
The hippo let its jaw hang open, ready to chomp

448
00:36:07.639 --> 00:36:11.800
through them. Marlowe knew he wouldn't have time to line

449
00:36:11.880 --> 00:36:16.239
up a kill shot. He threw himself into Ella, sending

450
00:36:16.280 --> 00:36:21.679
her careening into the lush flora. Marlowe leaped the other direction.

451
00:36:22.519 --> 00:36:26.320
The hippo slid and stumbled as it tried to correct course.

452
00:36:27.280 --> 00:36:32.320
It wheeled around, turning its head between the two possible victims.

453
00:36:32.960 --> 00:36:36.559
Its black eye focused on the rifle that had mauled

454
00:36:36.559 --> 00:36:40.599
its face. It snorted and scratched at the earth with

455
00:36:40.679 --> 00:36:45.760
its hoof. There was no time to aim. Marlowe's bullet

456
00:36:45.800 --> 00:36:50.960
went wide, striking the hippo in the neck. Blood spurted

457
00:36:51.000 --> 00:36:55.719
from the crater. The monster fell on a bent knee.

458
00:36:56.320 --> 00:37:00.920
Ella walked towards it, cupping her hands over her mouth.

459
00:37:02.320 --> 00:37:08.400
The hippo dragged itself along. Its jaws snapped weakly as

460
00:37:08.400 --> 00:37:12.199
it tried to get close to marlow for one final

461
00:37:12.280 --> 00:37:19.320
go finish it. Ella sniffled, put it out of its misery.

462
00:37:21.159 --> 00:37:26.800
I told you I'm out of ammunition now. Marlowe laughed

463
00:37:27.119 --> 00:37:31.440
as the hippo collapsed he watched it struggle for breath.

464
00:37:32.639 --> 00:37:37.039
Even after all of this, you're still on their side.

465
00:37:37.280 --> 00:37:42.159
You still have my bullets. Ella reached to the pocket

466
00:37:42.199 --> 00:37:47.000
on her vest. The brass rattled as she shakily fished

467
00:37:47.000 --> 00:37:52.639
out a single bullet. That's a good lass. Marlowe walked

468
00:37:52.679 --> 00:37:57.119
to her and shoved the rifle into her chest. You

469
00:37:57.199 --> 00:38:01.440
got the ammo, now you have the rifle too. Marlowe

470
00:38:01.559 --> 00:38:05.840
leaned against a tree trunk and gestured for her to

471
00:38:06.000 --> 00:38:11.239
finish the wounded animal. Go on, he said, do it,

472
00:38:12.079 --> 00:38:17.039
end it suffering. Ella loaded a bullet into the chamber

473
00:38:17.840 --> 00:38:22.920
and closed the bolt. You heard the calls, Ella, We're

474
00:38:22.960 --> 00:38:27.840
surrounded by them, Marlowe continued. I can keep you alive

475
00:38:28.000 --> 00:38:31.320
until help comes. I'm the only chance you have, and

476
00:38:31.360 --> 00:38:34.239
you haven't even got that Until you show me you're

477
00:38:34.320 --> 00:38:39.599
worth saving. Kill the fucking thing. Ella raised the rifle

478
00:38:39.719 --> 00:38:44.280
to her shoulder. She tried to sight through the scope,

479
00:38:44.320 --> 00:38:50.920
but tears obscured her view. A long, plaintive wine came

480
00:38:50.960 --> 00:38:58.239
from the hippopotamus before it fell still. Ella watched for

481
00:38:58.400 --> 00:39:02.840
signs of life, but none came. It had bled out.

482
00:39:03.960 --> 00:39:09.000
She let the rifle hang limply in her hands. How's

483
00:39:09.039 --> 00:39:15.079
that for principles? Marlow snorted and walked away. Such an

484
00:39:15.159 --> 00:39:19.679
animal lover, But you let one die like that, I reckon,

485
00:39:19.719 --> 00:39:23.199
that makes you a damn sight worse than me. Fuck

486
00:39:23.280 --> 00:39:27.480
you keep shouting, Ella, it'll distract the others while I

487
00:39:27.519 --> 00:39:31.400
make a run for the hacienda. Ella kept her finger

488
00:39:31.480 --> 00:39:35.519
on the trigger as they crossed the clearing. If there

489
00:39:35.760 --> 00:39:40.880
was another attack, she'd be ready, ready to put her

490
00:39:40.960 --> 00:39:48.360
one shot right between Marlowe's shoulder blades before she died. Nearby,

491
00:39:49.000 --> 00:39:53.719
a hippo bellowed. Ella listened to the number of responses

492
00:39:54.360 --> 00:39:58.360
and shook her head. The calls were coming from across

493
00:39:58.400 --> 00:40:02.880
the POD's entire rain. She tried to guess at how

494
00:40:02.920 --> 00:40:06.360
many animals were out there. The number she came up

495
00:40:06.440 --> 00:40:12.559
with was entirely too large. She'd assumed the hippo sidings

496
00:40:12.599 --> 00:40:16.960
were a secondary herd that had migrated away from the original.

497
00:40:17.880 --> 00:40:22.400
She'd anticipated a colony of a dozen at most. The

498
00:40:22.440 --> 00:40:28.679
female that attacked them was fully matured and larger than average.

499
00:40:29.039 --> 00:40:34.559
A pungent stench disrupted her thoughts. Ella paid attention to

500
00:40:34.599 --> 00:40:39.679
the grass for the first time. Hippo shit clung to

501
00:40:39.760 --> 00:40:45.079
the long swaying blades. It had smeared across her shorts

502
00:40:45.199 --> 00:40:49.679
and bare legs. Ella stared at the small mansion beyond.

503
00:40:50.599 --> 00:40:54.159
It looked like a private getaway and had clearly been

504
00:40:54.199 --> 00:40:59.719
abandoned for quite a while. Pablo Escobar had many homes

505
00:40:59.719 --> 00:41:05.880
across the country. This one looked special, a place where

506
00:41:05.880 --> 00:41:10.000
he was a father and not a drug lord. She

507
00:41:10.199 --> 00:41:15.719
froze in her tracks. Hippos were her daughter's favorite animal.

508
00:41:17.599 --> 00:41:22.280
Looks like Pablo was a regular. P. T. Barnum marlow said,

509
00:41:22.519 --> 00:41:26.599
coming to the same conclusion, he waved a hand at

510
00:41:26.639 --> 00:41:31.639
the expansive retaining pond. A rusty fence lay in ruins

511
00:41:31.719 --> 00:41:37.000
around it. Red algae formed a thick layer concealing its

512
00:41:37.079 --> 00:41:42.320
murky depths. Guess they're more effective than guard dogs. The

513
00:41:42.400 --> 00:41:47.079
authorities definitely never found this place. I bet there's a

514
00:41:47.119 --> 00:41:52.840
ton of cocaine inside. You won't find out. Ella said, Oh,

515
00:41:53.480 --> 00:41:56.880
why is that? Marlowe put his hands on his hips.

516
00:41:57.840 --> 00:42:00.599
I'm perfectly safe as long as you have the gun.

517
00:42:01.840 --> 00:42:06.159
Ella aimed the rifle. Marlowe followed the barrel to the

518
00:42:06.199 --> 00:42:11.559
pond and the bubbles popping on its surface. She fired.

519
00:42:12.719 --> 00:42:16.719
The stagnant water erupted in a geyser that showered the hunter.

520
00:42:17.800 --> 00:42:22.719
The bull sprang up. Marlowe watched the small fortune of

521
00:42:22.840 --> 00:42:28.159
ivory stretch open wide. The pink gullet rushed towards him.

522
00:42:28.719 --> 00:42:35.159
Darkness enshrouded the poacher. His feet kicked helplessly as he

523
00:42:35.280 --> 00:42:40.960
descended whole down the hippo's throat. The four ton bull

524
00:42:41.119 --> 00:42:45.440
let itself slide off the side and sunk back to

525
00:42:45.559 --> 00:42:51.199
the bottom of the lake to digest its meal. Ella

526
00:42:51.360 --> 00:42:55.920
walked to the mansion steps. A baby hippo ran from

527
00:42:55.920 --> 00:42:59.760
the porch when it saw her coming. The door was

528
00:42:59.800 --> 00:43:05.719
long gone. Inside, she found all the furnishing still in place.

529
00:43:07.039 --> 00:43:10.440
It seemed as though Marlowe had been correct about no

530
00:43:10.519 --> 00:43:15.920
one finding the property. The local wildlife certainly had, though.

531
00:43:17.000 --> 00:43:22.519
Ella flopped onto a couch, freeing thirty years of dust.

532
00:43:22.880 --> 00:43:26.599
If she was never found, at least she'd die in style.

533
00:43:28.159 --> 00:43:32.559
Ella ejected the empty casing from the rifle and rummaged

534
00:43:32.599 --> 00:43:36.960
for another bullet. She wondered if any canned goods would

535
00:43:37.000 --> 00:43:41.239
still be edible, or if she'd find some way to

536
00:43:41.360 --> 00:43:45.480
call for help. Ella pressed a bullet into the chamber

537
00:43:46.119 --> 00:43:50.079
and closed the bolt. There may have been things she

538
00:43:50.159 --> 00:43:53.960
could use but she needed to search while there was

539
00:43:54.000 --> 00:43:59.599
still daylight coming through the dingy windows. She begrudgingly gave

540
00:43:59.719 --> 00:44:05.519
up the comfort of the sofa. The doorframe crashed inward,

541
00:44:05.920 --> 00:44:11.639
showering the imported marble with debris. The bull looked around slowly.

542
00:44:12.760 --> 00:44:16.760
Ella ducked behind the couch and risked a peak at

543
00:44:16.800 --> 00:44:23.119
the animal. Years of battle scars ornamented its flesh. The

544
00:44:23.199 --> 00:44:28.480
bull stared back at her and snorted, its jaw hung open.

545
00:44:29.760 --> 00:44:36.159
Ella swore she could hear Marlowe crying deep inside its belly.

546
00:44:37.719 --> 00:44:42.880
She'd been so adamant about preserving the Colombian hippos, but

547
00:44:43.159 --> 00:44:48.119
she didn't want to die either. She raised the rifle,

548
00:44:48.760 --> 00:44:54.000
steadying it on the back of the couch. Tears welled up.

549
00:44:54.920 --> 00:44:59.440
She thought about killing it to save herself, only to

550
00:44:59.480 --> 00:45:04.360
be killed by another one later. It would all be worthless.

551
00:45:04.360 --> 00:45:09.840
Then she broke down, sobbing and choking for a breath.

552
00:45:10.840 --> 00:45:15.679
She heard the marble cracking under his hoofs. The room shook.

553
00:45:16.719 --> 00:45:21.519
All she could see was the blurry mammoth form charging

554
00:45:21.559 --> 00:45:27.360
at her. Someone was crying out for help. Maybe it

555
00:45:27.440 --> 00:45:34.559
was Marlowe slowly digesting inside, or maybe it was her

556
00:45:34.559 --> 00:45:43.920
own voice. Begging for another solution, heaving stinking breaths assaulted

557
00:45:43.960 --> 00:45:55.280
her as it drew closer, Ella squeezed the trigger. Well,

558
00:45:55.360 --> 00:45:58.880
my spookies, that story left a little bit more to

559
00:45:59.519 --> 00:46:03.039
wet your appetite. You never know, maybe we'll go back

560
00:46:03.079 --> 00:46:07.239
to Columbia and find out what happens, But until then,

561
00:46:07.599 --> 00:46:10.559
make sure to check out David O'Hanlon's other great works

562
00:46:10.599 --> 00:46:14.159
here at Weekly Spooky, and also by going to Amazon

563
00:46:14.199 --> 00:46:17.920
and checking out the Babysitter Massacre books that he penned

564
00:46:17.960 --> 00:46:21.400
and I published. That was a lot of fun and

565
00:46:21.440 --> 00:46:24.559
it really brought out a summertime terror that I think

566
00:46:24.599 --> 00:46:28.079
we all deserve to enjoy as the temperatures get hotter

567
00:46:28.159 --> 00:46:31.760
and hotter. So thank you David, and thank you guys

568
00:46:31.800 --> 00:46:35.239
for tuning in and listening. I really love sharing something

569
00:46:35.360 --> 00:46:38.760
scary with you every single week. And if you missed Monday,

570
00:46:38.880 --> 00:46:41.360
well make sure to check that out if you want

571
00:46:41.400 --> 00:46:46.639
something truly terrifying and real, as we covered Carl Tansler

572
00:46:46.840 --> 00:46:50.639
and his real life corpse Brock on Monday's show. So

573
00:46:50.719 --> 00:46:53.239
make sure you're subscribed on your favorite podcasting app because

574
00:46:53.239 --> 00:46:56.239
there's always so much going on here at Weekly Spooky.

575
00:46:56.679 --> 00:46:58.760
You don't want to miss it, and remember you can

576
00:46:58.800 --> 00:47:02.400
support us directly by going to Weeklyspooky dot com slash

577
00:47:02.480 --> 00:47:04.719
join and signing up for as little as one dollar

578
00:47:04.760 --> 00:47:06.920
a month. Speaking of I want to say an extra

579
00:47:07.000 --> 00:47:10.400
special thank you to our Patreon podcast boosters, folks who

580
00:47:10.400 --> 00:47:12.480
pay just a little bit more to hear their name

581
00:47:12.559 --> 00:47:14.960
at the end of the show, and they are Johnny Nix,

582
00:47:15.079 --> 00:47:19.639
Kate and Lulu, Jessica Fuller, Jenny Green, Amber Hansford, Brent mccaullough,

583
00:47:19.880 --> 00:47:22.800
Karen Wee, met Jack Kerr and Craig Cohen. Thank you

584
00:47:22.880 --> 00:47:24.239
all so much, and if you want to hear your

585
00:47:24.320 --> 00:47:26.800
name at the end of every episode of Weekly Spooky

586
00:47:26.840 --> 00:47:31.559
from my silky Spooky voice, go to Weeklyspooky dot com

587
00:47:31.599 --> 00:47:34.000
slash join and sign up at the fifteen dollar a

588
00:47:34.039 --> 00:47:37.039
month or higher tier. It really does help us keep

589
00:47:37.079 --> 00:47:39.840
the show going and going. But now it's time for

590
00:47:39.880 --> 00:47:41.559
me to get back to it because we have something

591
00:47:41.599 --> 00:47:45.039
scary for you this Friday and of course Monday and Wednesday,

592
00:47:45.039 --> 00:47:48.920
as always so for myself, for my executive producers Rob Fields,

593
00:47:49.000 --> 00:47:53.400
Markshields and Bobbletopia dot com, for my producer Dan Wilder,

594
00:47:53.440 --> 00:47:56.920
and my composer Ray Mattis, don't mess with hippos unless

595
00:47:56.920 --> 00:47:59.920
they're made of plastic, and only eat those little beads.

596
00:48:00.440 --> 00:48:04.199
Trust me. Talk at you next time. Thank you for listening.

597
00:48:04.840 --> 00:48:07.679
Make sure to find your way back next week week,

598
00:48:08.519 --> 00:48:13.800
but for now you are safe. Trust me.