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Well, hello, my spookies, tonight summer is taking a turn
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for the vicious. Not the postcard version, not the harmless
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kind with sunshine and lemonade and lazy drives. I mean
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the kind of summer where the museum exhibits bite back,
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where the swamp keeps secrets in the roots, where lonely
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roads pick up passengers that were never there to begin with,
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and where a beach vacation can end with fangs, claws
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and family drama under a full moon. These are the
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nights when bad ideas feel a little too exciting, the
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air stays warm a little too late, and every place
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that looked fun in the daylight starts showing its teeth
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after dark. So come on in, shake the sand out
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of your shoes, keep your hands off the cursed souvenirs,
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and make sure you're subscribed on your favorite podcast app,
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because every single Wednesday there's a brand new terror tale
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right here on Weekly Spooky. But now let's get out
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those beach towels and lay out for some fun. I
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worked in a museum of oddities until the oddest thing
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happened to me by Michael Kelso. I never wanted this
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to happen I didn't want to be standing here, staring
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horrified at the blood dripping from my hands as people
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screamed and ran away. It was all my boss's fault.
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He made this happened. He had plenty of chances to
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make things right, but there was money to be made,
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and the love of money is the root of all evil.
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You know those people who strive for excellence, who work
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hard to get the grades because they're destined for better things,
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They're bound to leave the small town they grew up in,
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get out there and set the world on fire. I
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wanted to be one of those people. I studied like
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my life depended on it for my entire school career.
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But when it came down to the wire, I missed
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being valedictorian by two measly points. I didn't get the
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scholarships or the accolades. I didn't get anything. The only
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thing I got was an invitation to do a summer
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internship at the local museum. It was an unpaid internship,
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but I thought it would look good on an application,
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so I took the job. When I first started working here,
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I was terrified, especially walking in the door for the
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first time and getting the stair down from an eight
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foot tall bigfoot statue with arms outstretched and fangs showing
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in a frozen roar. After I realized what it was
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and restarted my heart, I was greeted by the owner,
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mister Applebottom. He was a small, thin man with round
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glasses and a receding hairline. He looked like a stiff
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breeze would carry him away to the land of Oz.
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He took me on a tour of the museum, showing
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me all of the attractions, Most of them were cryptids.
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There were drawn and paintings hanging next to blurry photos
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of just about any cryptid you can think of. The
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more popular ones had full sized wax models. All these
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creatures captured my imagination, but not in a good way.
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There was also a theater with around twenty seats and
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a video playing non stop about sightings of various cryptids.
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Once he finished the tour, he showed me how to
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run the cash register and then showed me the janitor's closet.
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My jobs were to take care of customers during open
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hours and take care of cleanup during closed hours. After
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he had shown me everything, he turned the sign from
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closed to open and told me good luck. As he
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went upstairs to his office. I stood there frozen, staring
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at the cash register like it was going to bite
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my fingers off if I touched it. So my big
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internship turned out to be a janitor slash ticket collector job.
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I was worried I would get overwhelmed by the rush
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of customers and have no clue what to do. Fortunately
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for me, I didn't have a single customer all day.
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It turned out the museum had been opened for a
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few years and people had already seen everything there was
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to see. Repeat customers weren't exactly the museum's forte I
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stood there waiting for over an hour. I soon became
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bored and walked through the gift shop, acquainting myself with
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the bric a brac we sold that lasted around fifteen minutes.
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To keep myself from falling asleep, I made the mistake
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of going to the theater and watching the videos of
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cryptid sightings, as if the wax figures weren't enough. Now,
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I had it in my mind that these things were
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not only real, but could show up at my doorstep
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anytime they felt like it. At the end of the day,
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mister Applebottom came down and asked how many customers we'd had.
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His face fell when I told him none. He turned
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the sign from open to closed and told me to
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do the floors. I stared at the floors. But you
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and I are the only ones who walked through here today,
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I said, Is this the way you're going to talk
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to your supervisor? No, sir, it just doesn't make sense
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to me. Call it a practice run, He said, I
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want to see how you do. I sighed and went
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to the cleaning closet. I vacuumed all the floors, cleaned
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the TVs, wiped down the counters, and washed the windows.
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The lights were turned down to night levels, making shadows
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dance as I did my chores. As I worked my
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way through the museum, I swore I could feel eyes
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on me, and they weren't mister Applebottoms. The statues of
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the creatures were so lifelike I didn't dare look up
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at them for fear they'd grabbed me and dragged me
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off to their layer. I regretted ever taking this internship.
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It's only for the summer, and it can help you
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get a better job. That's what I told myself. I
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just wish I would have quit after that first day,
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maybe I wouldn't have. When I was done, he mumbled
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that I had done satis factorily and told me to
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be here bright and early tomorrow. The next day was
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exactly the same as the first, except I knew what
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to expect. I brought a book to read so I
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wouldn't be bored. Of course, it disappeared when the boss
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was around, I got the feeling he was a if
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you can lean, you can clean kind of person. After
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a few weeks with barely more than a handful of customers,
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I wondered how he was even able to pay the
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electric bill. It was no wonder. This was an unpaid internship.
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I'd taken to cleaning in the afternoon so I could
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be done as soon as he closed up. It was
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also something to do. Boredom in a hall of monsters
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can do terrible things to your imagination. One day, the
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Boss came down from his office very excited. He told
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me he had found a new exhibit and it was
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being shipped in today. It was funny and very encouraging
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to see him so excited, like a kid waiting at
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the mailbox for a toy or a comic book to arrive.
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When the delivery man showed up with the package, the
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boss nearly knocked him over with the door. After he
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accepted delivery, he stood there staring at the shoe box
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sized package in awe. What is it? I said, looking eagerly.
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He was so focused on it that he whipped around
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and nearly lost his balance. He composed himself and smiled sheepishly.
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That was a close one, he said. Then he straightened.
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You shall have to wait until I have the display
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set up. I frowned as he carried the box up
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the stairs to his office like some trophy. I shook
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my head and continued cleaning. An hour later, a frantic
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mister Applebottom raced down the stairs and flew over to me.
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I'd never seen him run so fast, I cringed, not
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knowing if he was going to stop in time or
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plow me over. Fortunately, he stopped just in time. Where
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is it? He said, breathlessly. Where is what? I said?
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He looked at me for a long moment. He tried
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to compose himself and regain control of his breathing. Have
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you seen anything out of the ordinary, he asked, with
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a forced calmness. No, I've just been cleaning and you
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haven't seen anything unusual, no, sir. His eyes scanned the room,
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with special focus on the floor. He searched the room,
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then went into the theater, finally coming back to me.
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Looking defeated. He turned and walked slowly away, shoulders slumped.
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Is there anything I can do to help you, sir?
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I called after him. He just waved me off and
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kept walking. I took the vacuum back to the cleaning
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closet and got out the carpet scrubber. I needed to
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tackle a stain where some kid had spilled soda. I
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filled the upper tank with soap and water. Then, when
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after the stain, I found it interesting that, no matter
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how clean the carpet looked, the water in the collecting
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tank always looked like chocolate milk. When I was done,
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after two run throughs, I examined the stain and it
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was much better, but not perfect. This carpet cleaner did
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a good job, but never seemed to get it one
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hundred percent clean. I returned the cleaner to the closet
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and pulled the tank of dirty water out to empty it.
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As I dumped it out, something jumped out of it
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and bit me. I screamed, and dropped the tank, recoiling
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against the wall. Whatever kind of bug it was took
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off into the museum. I looked at my bleeding hand,
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then gathered my courage and followed it. I grabbed a
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broom off the closet wall and held it out in
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front of me like a sword. I scanned around the
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floor of the room but didn't see anything. There weren't
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even tracks to follow as I passed each exhibit, holding
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my breath for fear of this thing jumping out at me.
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Checking around wax figures of monsters did not help my
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general anxiety. One by one, I checked each exhibit, paying
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close attention to the floor around it and behind it,
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but I came up short. As I started back through
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for a second search, mister Applebottom rounded the corner and
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scared me nearly half to death. I swung my broom,
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only to realize just in time who it was. What's
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going on, he said, holding up his arm to defend
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against a woman brandishing a broom. I'm sorry, sir, I said,
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I heard noises and thought there was an intruder. Oh,
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he said, composing himself, glad to see you defending the
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interests of the museum. Yes, sir, how did you injure yourself,
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miss Primrose? He said, looking at my bloody hand. I
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stared at it for a moment. Should I tell him
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something bit me and ran away? Should I let him
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know there's something dangerous roaming around? Or will he blame
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me for not finding it? Would he fire me? God
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knows if anything happened to a guest because of me.
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I must have cut it in my haste to grab
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the broom, I lied, Oh well, best tend to that,
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He said, I don't want you bleeding on the floors. Yes, sir,
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carry on. Then he said, I'm leaving for the night.
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You'll lock up on your way out, won't you, of course, sir.
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With that, he turned on his heels and headed for
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the front door. I watched him go, then turned back
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to the now empty building. All that was here was
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me and the little monster that had bitten me. Panned
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around the room, feeling more alone than I had in
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a long time. I slowly made my way back to
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the cleaning closet, holding my broom tightly. When I got there,
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I leaned my broom against the wall next to the
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first aid box hanging on the wall. As I got
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a bandage out and covered my wound. My eyes kept
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darting to the door. When I was done, I picked
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up the broom and carried it to the edge of
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the doorway. I scanned the empty room, searching for my attacker.
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The deserted floor mocked me like it was a field
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of land mines waiting for me to step on one.
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I wished I had some sort of sci fi goggles
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that could scan for life forms like in the movies,
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but I was on my own. I took deep breath
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and started for the door, holding my broom to defend myself.
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At first, I walked toward the door, eyes darting all around,
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but as it came closer, I stepped more quickly. It
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didn't help that I had to pass one monster after another.
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By the time I got to the door, I was
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at a full run. I slammed into it in a
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full panic, pulling the keys out of my pocket and
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dropping them like in every horror movie ever. Sweat poured
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off my forehead, making the keys slip out of my
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hand a second time. Finally, I got the keys in
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the lock and opened the door, only to whip around
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and try to slam it shut, but it refused to close.
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It was as if the building was saying, oh, no,
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you don't, you get back in here and deal with
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this thing. I slammed the door over and over, but
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it refused to shut. I looked around in a sheer panic.
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When I saw a piece of wood sticking out of
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the door, I bent down and picked it up. It
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was the broom. I threw it back inside and slammed
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the door shut, locking it and breathing hard as I
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leaned against it, trying to compose myself. The longer I
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leaned against the door, the more my breathing slowed. The
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more my breathing slowed, the more my mind told me
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how foolish I had been. It was just a bug,
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I thought, nothing to get excited about. I wanted to
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tell my mind that it was full of belogney. I
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wanted to believe it was just a bug. But something
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wouldn't let me. Some small, niggling feeling wouldn't allow me
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to simply dismiss it. I went home and tried my
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best to forget about the events of the day. I
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made myself a microwave dinner meat loaf with mashed potatoes
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and corn, then laid in bed, laughing my head off
242
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to whose line is it anyway? Until I fell asleep,
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there were ants crawling all over me, no, not over me,
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through me. I could feel them under my skin. I
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looked down at my arm and saw them moving around,
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hundreds of them, like there were highways full of ants
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moving up and down beneath my skin. I scratched until
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I dug the skin open, trying to yank the ants
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out of my body, one at a time. On and
250
00:19:01.200 --> 00:19:04.279
pulled it out of my arm. I looked at it,
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and to my surprise, it looked like a miniature version
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of that thing that bit me. I tried to squash it,
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but it didn't seem to FaZe the creature. It got
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tired of me trying and bit me again. I threw
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it to the floor and stomped on it. It looked
256
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at me and then just skittered away unharmed. The rest
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00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:38.440
of me felt like I was being slowly devoured. Pain
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shot from every inch of my body. As these creatures
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dug deeper into me, reaching my bloodstream, it carried them
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all through me, causing even more havoc. I desperately tore
261
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at my skin, scratching, digging, tearing with my nails, anything
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to get these little monsters out of me. I didn't
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care about the blood running down my arms and seeping
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into my bed sheets. I just wanted to be rid
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of this torture. They were relentless. I could feel every
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molecule they invaded. The pain was beyond description. I was
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about to go completely insane if I didn't. I sat
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bolt upright in bed and screamed. I felt my arms,
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my legs, my face, searching for the tiny invaders that
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had destroyed my body, but they weren't there. I looked
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down at my arms, relieved to not see tiny creatures
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roaming under my skin and blood where I had torn
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the skin away trying to dig them out. However, I
274
00:20:56.119 --> 00:21:02.359
did see something disturbing. I had a rash. It ran
275
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all the way up my arms and disappeared under my sleeves.
276
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I threw off my sweaty sheets and ran to the bathroom.
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I turned on the light and wished I hadn't. The
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00:21:17.480 --> 00:21:21.359
person who greeted me in the mirror was a stranger.
279
00:21:22.359 --> 00:21:26.359
Red blotches ran all up and down my body, even
280
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my face was covered in them. Had I scratched myself
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00:21:30.920 --> 00:21:35.880
in my sleep? I examined the blotches more closely. They
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didn't appear to be scratch marks. In fact, they weren't itchy.
283
00:21:42.240 --> 00:21:46.839
That in itself seemed odd. Not that I wasn't grateful
284
00:21:46.920 --> 00:21:50.400
that whatever this rash was that covered most of my
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body didn't itch. It was just unique. I'd never heard
286
00:21:57.279 --> 00:22:00.680
of a rash that didn't itch, at least a little bit.
287
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As if on cue, I started scratching. As soon as
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I scratched the first spot, everywhere else began to itch.
289
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At the same time. I watched in the mirror as
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my nails tried to reach everywhere at once and failed miserably.
291
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I had to do something quickly before I scratched myself
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00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:28.440
apart like in my dream. I ran a hot shower
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and jumped in clothes and all I stripped in the shower,
294
00:22:33.119 --> 00:22:39.039
revealing even more red splotches. The water seemed to have
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00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:43.400
a soothing effect on the itching, and soon I wasn't
296
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scratching at all. I plugged the tub and ran water,
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00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:52.839
settling in for a bath. Relief washed over me. As
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00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:56.680
the water covered my skin, I was left with the
299
00:22:57.279 --> 00:23:02.799
obvious question, what the hell the hell is this? As
300
00:23:02.839 --> 00:23:05.880
I looked around, I noticed the spot where I'd been
301
00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:11.240
bitten was swollen. I examined it carefully. I'd never seen
302
00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:16.480
a reaction like this before. Was this like a bee allergy?
303
00:23:17.400 --> 00:23:21.880
Was my throat about to swell shut? I swallowed just
304
00:23:21.960 --> 00:23:25.240
to be sure I still could. It went off without
305
00:23:25.240 --> 00:23:29.559
a hitch. It didn't even hurt. So what was going
306
00:23:29.599 --> 00:23:32.920
on with the rest of me? I needed to figure
307
00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:37.759
this out, but a hospital was the last resort. So
308
00:23:37.960 --> 00:23:43.440
called medical professionals had proven themselves to be untrustworthy as
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00:23:43.480 --> 00:23:47.160
of late, I would probably end up being dissected in
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the name of medical science. I got out of the tub,
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00:23:52.200 --> 00:23:56.519
dried off, and put on a bathrobe. Next, I camped
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00:23:56.559 --> 00:24:00.279
out in front of my computer, searching for anything even
313
00:24:00.400 --> 00:24:05.240
remotely like this. Several hours later, I was startled awake
314
00:24:05.880 --> 00:24:09.880
by my alarm clock. I got up, turned it off,
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00:24:10.519 --> 00:24:14.119
then went to the bathroom to check my rash status.
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00:24:14.839 --> 00:24:18.960
It was still there. In fact, it seemed to be
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00:24:19.039 --> 00:24:23.279
getting worse. I decided that work was the last place
318
00:24:23.319 --> 00:24:27.720
I wanted to be while dealing with this what's wrong
319
00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:32.119
with your face? I could hear children saying over and over,
320
00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:36.279
having to patiently admit that I don't have a single
321
00:24:36.400 --> 00:24:41.759
clue repeatedly during the course of a day held no appeal.
322
00:24:43.160 --> 00:24:46.920
I called the boss and told him I wasn't feeling well.
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I could hear him practically go into convulsions at the
324
00:24:51.359 --> 00:24:55.759
thought of me calling off. How bad is it really?
325
00:24:56.119 --> 00:24:59.599
He said, can't you come in and just take it easy?
326
00:25:00.680 --> 00:25:04.680
I don't think so. I don't allow you to call off,
327
00:25:05.079 --> 00:25:09.440
he said, trying to assert himself. Well, I won't be
328
00:25:09.559 --> 00:25:14.480
there today with or without your permission. I could almost
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00:25:14.519 --> 00:25:18.519
hear his little head boiling like a cartoon tea kettle
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about to blow. If you call off, you're fired, he said,
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00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:29.880
thinking he had delivered the killing blow. Ok, and that
332
00:25:30.039 --> 00:25:34.759
will solve your problem of having no assistant. How he
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00:25:34.880 --> 00:25:39.319
sputtered and chuffed and made sounds I couldn't even identify.
334
00:25:40.079 --> 00:25:42.160
I was about to ask if he was having a
335
00:25:42.200 --> 00:25:47.400
stroke when he suddenly regained control. We have the school
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00:25:47.480 --> 00:25:51.240
children's tour to day, he said. How will I do
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00:25:51.359 --> 00:25:55.319
tours and run the counter at the same time. Damn it,
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00:25:55.920 --> 00:26:01.880
I forgot about the tour, I sighed deeply. Okay, I'll
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00:26:01.880 --> 00:26:08.400
be in, I said, under two conditions, name em First,
340
00:26:09.519 --> 00:26:13.200
I don't do the tour, I said, I'll run the
341
00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:19.559
concessions and ticket sales, but deals off, I said, okay, okay,
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00:26:19.720 --> 00:26:25.400
I'll do the tours, he said, sounding quite exasperated. What's
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00:26:25.440 --> 00:26:31.880
your other demand? No questions about my medical condition, he hesitated,
344
00:26:32.920 --> 00:26:36.759
or I could hang up right now. No, no, he
345
00:26:36.839 --> 00:26:42.559
said quickly, then cleared his throat. I agree to your terms. Great,
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00:26:43.119 --> 00:26:48.720
I said, sarcastically. I was hoping he'd refuse. I sighed heavily.
347
00:26:50.079 --> 00:26:55.200
I'll be in He hung up the phone, presumably before
348
00:26:55.279 --> 00:26:59.559
I could change my mind. An hour later, I unlocked
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00:26:59.559 --> 00:27:04.400
the door and walked in. We're not open yet, mister
350
00:27:04.480 --> 00:27:07.759
Applebottom said, I don't know how you got in here,
351
00:27:07.799 --> 00:27:12.079
but you'll have to leave until regular business hours. That's
352
00:27:12.079 --> 00:27:15.119
fine with me, I said, I didn't want to be
353
00:27:15.200 --> 00:27:19.799
here anyway. He paused and took a closer look at me.
354
00:27:20.599 --> 00:27:24.279
To be fair, there wasn't much to look at. I
355
00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:27.039
was wearing a long sleeved shirt, even though it was
356
00:27:27.079 --> 00:27:30.680
supposed to be in the eighties today. I had gloves on,
357
00:27:30.799 --> 00:27:34.319
as well as sunglasses and a hat. I looked like
358
00:27:34.400 --> 00:27:39.440
a movie star trying to be incognito. Oh my goodness,
359
00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:44.119
miss Primrose, is it you under all that new condition?
360
00:27:44.640 --> 00:27:48.000
Don't mention the outfit. He put his hands up in
361
00:27:48.079 --> 00:27:52.400
playful surrender. So if I may ask, when did all
362
00:27:52.440 --> 00:27:58.599
this start? I sighed. Yesterday I was cleaning and this
363
00:27:59.519 --> 00:28:04.160
bug bit me. You say, a bug bit you? I nodded,
364
00:28:05.079 --> 00:28:09.519
and it caused all this. I'm fairly sure. I know
365
00:28:09.640 --> 00:28:16.039
I didn't eat any shellfish yesterday. Could you describe this bug?
366
00:28:17.000 --> 00:28:21.720
He said slowly. It was small. It kinda reminded me
367
00:28:21.799 --> 00:28:27.160
of a scorpion, but different. Honestly, it happened so fast
368
00:28:27.319 --> 00:28:30.559
I didn't get a good look at it. He stared
369
00:28:30.599 --> 00:28:38.200
off into space. I'll be back, he said, his eyes glazed. Okay,
370
00:28:38.559 --> 00:28:42.079
I'll start getting ready for the morning. You do that,
371
00:28:43.039 --> 00:28:48.079
he said, without looking back. I watched him go. He
372
00:28:48.200 --> 00:28:53.640
reminded me of a zombie, just slow and listless. I
373
00:28:53.680 --> 00:28:57.519
shook it off and started preparing for the day. The
374
00:28:57.599 --> 00:29:00.960
tour went smoothly, and the day was less eventful than
375
00:29:01.000 --> 00:29:04.640
I imagined it would be. I only had three kids
376
00:29:04.680 --> 00:29:08.240
stare at me the whole day. I said boo to
377
00:29:08.359 --> 00:29:11.039
two of them when their parents were looking the other way.
378
00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:17.240
They jumped and ran off. Mister Applebottom kept checking on me.
379
00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:22.240
It seemed nice at first, but I started to wonder
380
00:29:22.319 --> 00:29:26.559
if there was more to it. He kept stealing glances
381
00:29:26.599 --> 00:29:30.920
at me. It was getting a little creepy. I wanted
382
00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:34.119
to ask him what was wrong. All through the day,
383
00:29:34.279 --> 00:29:39.119
workmen came in carrying all kinds of construction equipment and
384
00:29:39.599 --> 00:29:45.319
pieces of metal. What's going on, I asked, mister Applebottom.
385
00:29:45.640 --> 00:29:50.160
They're setting up our new exhibit, he said, excitedly. I
386
00:29:50.240 --> 00:29:54.400
didn't know we were getting a new exhibit. It's very exciting,
387
00:29:54.799 --> 00:29:58.720
he said. Let me show you. I followed him to
388
00:29:58.799 --> 00:30:02.119
a large storage rom that had been cleared out, where
389
00:30:02.160 --> 00:30:08.680
a solid metal cage had been constructed. That's impressive, I said,
390
00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:14.359
admiring the gleaming metal. When will the creature arrive soon?
391
00:30:15.000 --> 00:30:18.599
It should be here within the next day or two.
392
00:30:18.680 --> 00:30:23.279
And it's live, not a statue. Our first live exhibit,
393
00:30:23.880 --> 00:30:27.440
he said, so excited he was dancing on his tiptoes.
394
00:30:28.200 --> 00:30:31.559
Would you like to see the inside? I shrugged and
395
00:30:31.640 --> 00:30:34.720
followed him around to the back of the cage. He
396
00:30:34.839 --> 00:30:39.000
stepped inside and I followed. It seemed like the animal
397
00:30:39.039 --> 00:30:44.119
would be comfortable. There were pillows disguised as rocks all around.
398
00:30:44.799 --> 00:30:47.480
In the corner was a nest that was a mattress
399
00:30:47.559 --> 00:30:51.720
disguised as a slab of stone. I sat on it
400
00:30:51.799 --> 00:30:55.839
and chuckled at how soft it was. Just then I
401
00:30:55.920 --> 00:31:00.839
heard the cage door slam shut. I jumped up and
402
00:31:01.000 --> 00:31:06.559
ran to it. Mister Applebottom was standing on the other side.
403
00:31:06.920 --> 00:31:11.200
Very funny, I said, you've caged me. Now what are
404
00:31:11.240 --> 00:31:16.720
you gonna do with me? Wait? He said, then walked away.
405
00:31:18.279 --> 00:31:22.359
I banged on the cage. This isn't funny, I yelled,
406
00:31:22.680 --> 00:31:25.960
let me out of here. I banged and carried on
407
00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:30.559
for a little while, then slowly walked a lap around
408
00:31:30.599 --> 00:31:35.680
the inside perimeter of the cage. There was what looked
409
00:31:35.759 --> 00:31:40.480
like a freshwater stream fed by a spring. I took
410
00:31:40.519 --> 00:31:44.079
a closer look and found the PVC pipe that was
411
00:31:44.200 --> 00:31:48.680
hidden from visitor's eyes. It fed into a plastic pool
412
00:31:48.720 --> 00:31:53.319
that was decorated to look like rock. They definitely went
413
00:31:53.440 --> 00:31:57.519
all out to create the illusion of wilderness. After a
414
00:31:57.519 --> 00:32:01.000
few laps around, with some more cage being thrown in
415
00:32:01.039 --> 00:32:04.400
for good measure, I sat on the slab rock bed
416
00:32:04.880 --> 00:32:09.079
and wondered what had possessed mister Applebottom to pull such
417
00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:12.640
a cruel joke. I'd been a good employee, or at
418
00:32:12.720 --> 00:32:17.279
least I thought I was, what if it's not a joke?
419
00:32:17.960 --> 00:32:24.799
My mind said, what if it's some sadistic torment? But why?
420
00:32:25.279 --> 00:32:29.960
I thought? Mister Applebottom is a kind man and a
421
00:32:30.000 --> 00:32:34.599
respected business owner as far as you know, what does
422
00:32:34.640 --> 00:32:38.880
that mean? You have no idea what he's like in private?
423
00:32:39.599 --> 00:32:44.000
Maybe he's some weirdo whack job satist that gets off
424
00:32:44.079 --> 00:32:48.400
by locking people up and pretending their animals. That's a
425
00:32:48.400 --> 00:32:51.839
bit of a stretch, don't you think. Are you sitting
426
00:32:51.880 --> 00:32:58.079
in a cage? Yes? But did he put you there? Well? Yes?
427
00:32:58.319 --> 00:33:02.680
But have you been a bad girl? Stop that. I'm
428
00:33:02.680 --> 00:33:06.720
sure it's nothing like that. He just just what, just
429
00:33:06.799 --> 00:33:09.000
went crazy and locked me in a cage? How the
430
00:33:09.039 --> 00:33:12.799
hell should I know? You ever watched those crime shows
431
00:33:12.799 --> 00:33:16.359
on TV where the perpetrator was always the quiet sort
432
00:33:16.720 --> 00:33:19.960
No one would ever suspect of killing his neighbors and
433
00:33:20.160 --> 00:33:22.759
grinding up their bones to bacon to cakes that he
434
00:33:23.119 --> 00:33:28.160
donated to bake sales. That's sick. That's what missus Jones
435
00:33:28.200 --> 00:33:31.279
said when he invited her over and turned her into
436
00:33:31.359 --> 00:33:34.839
a bunt cake. You're just making this up to scare me,
437
00:33:35.720 --> 00:33:39.039
if that's what you want to believe. I'm tired. I'm
438
00:33:39.079 --> 00:33:42.079
gonna lay down on this nice, soft rock and go
439
00:33:42.160 --> 00:33:47.440
to sleep pleasant dreams. I sighed and laid down on
440
00:33:47.519 --> 00:33:52.839
the surprisingly comfortable fake rock, trying to imagine when and
441
00:33:53.039 --> 00:33:58.640
why mister Applebottom had gone crazy. I pulled out my
442
00:33:58.759 --> 00:34:02.680
phone and stared at it. I didn't want to call
443
00:34:02.720 --> 00:34:05.680
the police and raise a fuss, only to find out
444
00:34:05.720 --> 00:34:10.239
it was really just a joke. I started typing what
445
00:34:10.320 --> 00:34:13.760
had happened to this point? Maybe I could send it
446
00:34:13.760 --> 00:34:17.159
to myself and have a good laugh about it. When
447
00:34:17.239 --> 00:34:23.079
things got cleared up, I woke up feeling stiff and sore.
448
00:34:24.079 --> 00:34:27.119
I guess laying on something that isn't my own bed
449
00:34:27.320 --> 00:34:33.039
had its consequences, no matter how comfortable it was. For
450
00:34:33.119 --> 00:34:36.800
the first time, I realized a design flaw in the
451
00:34:36.840 --> 00:34:41.400
cage set up. I didn't see a bathroom. I did
452
00:34:41.440 --> 00:34:48.639
a full lap around, searching and found something disturbing. There
453
00:34:48.800 --> 00:34:52.400
was a small door in the corner, and a tray
454
00:34:52.440 --> 00:34:57.440
of food had been set inside. Right beside it was
455
00:34:57.480 --> 00:35:02.239
a bucket. Oh, I I don't think, so I did
456
00:35:02.280 --> 00:35:05.519
another lap to make sure there was nothing I had missed.
457
00:35:06.400 --> 00:35:11.800
There wasn't. I started to feel uncomfortable. Not only did
458
00:35:11.800 --> 00:35:16.320
I have to pee, but this entire scenario was getting
459
00:35:16.360 --> 00:35:20.320
out of hand. The joke was over. I'd had enough.
460
00:35:21.159 --> 00:35:23.519
I got my phone and held it to my face
461
00:35:23.599 --> 00:35:28.760
to unlock it, but it wouldn't unlock. I tried again,
462
00:35:28.920 --> 00:35:33.239
but it refused. I went to type in my password,
463
00:35:33.280 --> 00:35:39.239
but was distracted when I saw my thumb. The rash
464
00:35:39.360 --> 00:35:44.960
was gone, but in its place were layers of something
465
00:35:45.000 --> 00:35:51.639
that looked like scales. I stared at it with morbid fascination.
466
00:35:52.719 --> 00:35:57.519
I flexed it and moved it around, then pulled my
467
00:35:57.679 --> 00:36:02.239
sleeve up. To my horror, the rash on my arm
468
00:36:02.360 --> 00:36:07.320
had been replaced with scales as well. I panicked, pulling
469
00:36:07.400 --> 00:36:11.880
up my pant legs to find even more scales. I
470
00:36:11.960 --> 00:36:15.559
tried to pull off my shirt, but it kept getting caught.
471
00:36:16.480 --> 00:36:20.360
I pulled harder and harder until the shirt began to rip.
472
00:36:21.360 --> 00:36:25.440
I was determined at this point and continued ripping until
473
00:36:25.480 --> 00:36:29.880
the shirt finally came off. I stared down at a
474
00:36:29.880 --> 00:36:34.280
belly full of scales, just below my braw that was
475
00:36:34.360 --> 00:36:41.519
also hiding scales. I screamed, terrified of this demonic possession
476
00:36:41.559 --> 00:36:46.800
that had overtaken my body, But even my scream was unfamiliar.
477
00:36:47.880 --> 00:36:52.000
My voice had changed it was deeper and had a
478
00:36:52.079 --> 00:36:58.519
different quality to it. No, I cried out, but my
479
00:36:58.760 --> 00:37:05.559
voice only roared. It can't be I said, but only
480
00:37:05.679 --> 00:37:11.679
guttural growls emerged from me. I unlocked my phone with
481
00:37:11.760 --> 00:37:16.639
the password and called nine one one, nine one one.
482
00:37:16.719 --> 00:37:22.159
What's your emergency? The operator said, help me. I'm being
483
00:37:22.199 --> 00:37:26.320
held hostage in a cage inside the museum. I said,
484
00:37:27.239 --> 00:37:30.760
I'm sorry. Could you turn down the TV? All I
485
00:37:30.800 --> 00:37:36.239
could hear was animal sounds. I'm not watching TV. This
486
00:37:36.320 --> 00:37:41.119
is me talking. Can you please send help. If this
487
00:37:41.360 --> 00:37:45.639
is a prank call, you could get criminal charges. It's
488
00:37:45.760 --> 00:37:51.159
not a prank call, I roared, last chance, either talk
489
00:37:51.239 --> 00:37:55.880
to me or I'm hanging up. But I'm trying to talk.
490
00:37:57.039 --> 00:38:05.039
The line went dead to you. I stared at the phone.
491
00:38:05.199 --> 00:38:07.559
How can I get a message out if I can't talk?
492
00:38:08.800 --> 00:38:12.159
I looked through the options on the phone when it
493
00:38:12.239 --> 00:38:17.559
hit me text to speech, of course. I called the
494
00:38:17.599 --> 00:38:23.679
police again, then started typing like mad, Hello, I'm the
495
00:38:23.679 --> 00:38:27.880
one who just called. I typed, hearing the electronic voice
496
00:38:28.199 --> 00:38:31.599
say the words for me, the one who had the
497
00:38:31.639 --> 00:38:35.360
TV up too loud. I wanted to say it wasn't
498
00:38:35.400 --> 00:38:39.000
the TV, that it was my voice that somehow won't work,
499
00:38:39.719 --> 00:38:42.400
but I figured that would be the quickest way for
500
00:38:42.480 --> 00:38:47.840
her to hang up again. Yes, that was me. What's
501
00:38:47.880 --> 00:38:52.719
your emergency. I am trapped in the museum. My employer
502
00:38:52.880 --> 00:38:57.000
locked me in a cage. Are you in any danger?
503
00:38:57.880 --> 00:39:02.719
I looked around the cage, not at the moment. Are
504
00:39:02.760 --> 00:39:09.119
you injured? I looked at the scales on my arm. No, okay,
505
00:39:09.639 --> 00:39:14.079
we'll have someone there shortly. You hold on, okay. I
506
00:39:14.159 --> 00:39:19.960
nodded my acknowledgment, not realizing she couldn't hear it. Yes,
507
00:39:20.360 --> 00:39:24.639
I will hang on until you arrive, the mechanical voice said.
508
00:39:25.519 --> 00:39:30.320
The line disconnected. I did a fist pump in celebration.
509
00:39:31.360 --> 00:39:35.360
I started pacing. I was so excited to be rescued.
510
00:39:36.599 --> 00:39:40.719
The next ten minutes were the longest of my life.
511
00:39:40.960 --> 00:39:45.679
Finally I heard voices. They were coming toward me. The
512
00:39:45.760 --> 00:39:50.960
door opened and in walked mister Applebottom with an officer.51300:39:51.920 --> 00:39:57.679
Help me, I screamed, he's holding me hostage. The officer51400:39:57.800 --> 00:40:02.199
stepped up to the cage and then turned to mister Applebottom.51500:40:03.440 --> 00:40:08.039
I smiled in anticipation of seeing him led away in cuffs.51600:40:09.559 --> 00:40:12.880
I see what you mean, the officer said to him.51700:40:13.920 --> 00:40:17.840
It really doesn't like you very much at all. Well,51800:40:18.360 --> 00:40:22.280
we only just got it in yesterday, he said. She51900:40:22.400 --> 00:40:27.760
needs a little time to adjust to things. She, the52000:40:27.840 --> 00:40:33.000
officer said, looking at me, Oh, yeah, I guess it52100:40:33.119 --> 00:40:37.840
is a she. I covered my breasts, not even thinking52200:40:37.920 --> 00:40:42.119
about the fact that they were covered with scales. He laughed,52300:40:43.480 --> 00:40:48.880
I see she understands perfectly. Well, yes, sometimes a little52400:40:49.119 --> 00:40:51.880
too well. I'm going to have to keep a close52500:40:51.920 --> 00:40:55.519
eye on her to make sure she stays where she belongs.52600:40:56.440 --> 00:40:59.679
So my question is, how did she manage to get52700:40:59.679 --> 00:41:04.199
a punt and call us in the first place. I52800:41:04.239 --> 00:41:08.159
had an assistant who wasn't very careful and let's just52900:41:08.360 --> 00:41:11.880
say she won't get too close to the cage again,53000:41:13.119 --> 00:41:15.880
got a hold of her. Eh, you could say that53100:41:17.199 --> 00:41:20.480
you gonna try to get that phone back, would you?53200:41:21.679 --> 00:41:25.360
He looked me up and down. I pleaded one last53300:41:25.400 --> 00:41:30.159
time for him to save me. It only came out53400:41:30.320 --> 00:41:34.119
as a growl. Nope, I think I'd leave it right53500:41:34.159 --> 00:41:37.320
where it is. The battery is sure to die soon53600:41:37.480 --> 00:41:40.840
unless you charge it up. For what are the odds53700:41:40.840 --> 00:41:45.599
of that happening? He looked me in the eye zero,53800:41:46.559 --> 00:41:50.920
he said, that's what I thought you have a nice53900:41:51.039 --> 00:41:54.440
night now, and we'll just block that number for the moment.54000:41:55.159 --> 00:41:57.440
Let us know if you get it back or if54100:41:57.480 --> 00:42:02.760
it dies. I surely will you have a good trip back, officer,54200:42:03.400 --> 00:42:07.559
he said. Once he was gone and the door was locked,54300:42:08.159 --> 00:42:12.519
mister Applebottom came back and stood just out of reach54400:42:13.119 --> 00:42:18.039
beside the cage. He held out his hand. I reached54500:42:18.079 --> 00:42:22.760
for it, but he pulled it back. No, give me54600:42:22.840 --> 00:42:27.840
the phone, he said. I shook my head. Give it54700:42:27.880 --> 00:42:33.400
to me. I stepped back and shook my head. All right,54800:42:33.760 --> 00:42:38.880
keep it, he said. It'll be useless soon. Anyways. I54900:42:39.000 --> 00:42:44.119
started typing and hit the play button. What happened to me?55000:42:45.079 --> 00:42:50.000
The mechanical voice said, through my phone, you have been55100:42:50.079 --> 00:42:57.639
transformed into another species. I typed, No, shit, Sherlock, how55200:42:57.760 --> 00:43:01.840
and why? I had ordered a creature that I had55300:43:01.880 --> 00:43:07.000
hoped would be the star attraction of the museum. However,55400:43:07.360 --> 00:43:10.639
when it arrived, I realized that it was too small55500:43:11.159 --> 00:43:15.800
to be a main attraction. That plus, it doesn't look55600:43:15.880 --> 00:43:21.360
that distinctive. It could easily be mistaken for a scorpion.55700:43:22.320 --> 00:43:26.280
As I was transferring it to its new cage, it55800:43:26.519 --> 00:43:33.480
escaped and found me. Yes, I was quite unaware that55900:43:33.559 --> 00:43:39.679
a bite would cause such a transformation. However, here you56000:43:39.760 --> 00:43:44.360
are my new star attraction. I don't want to be56100:43:45.719 --> 00:43:50.840
I do apologize for the inconvenience, but the transformation is56200:43:51.159 --> 00:43:58.440
quite irreversible. Inconvenience, I typed, then picked up a real56300:43:58.519 --> 00:44:03.199
boulder and threw it at the cage. He ducked and56400:44:03.400 --> 00:44:07.199
covered his head as it hit the bars and shattered56500:44:07.679 --> 00:44:12.280
into a million pieces. He squealed in pain as the56600:44:12.360 --> 00:44:16.559
small rocks hit him like a shotgun blast. He ran56700:44:16.639 --> 00:44:21.880
to the door and stood behind it, peeking his head inside.56800:44:22.880 --> 00:44:27.480
MAKE sure you get plenty of rest, he said. Tomorrow56900:44:28.440 --> 00:44:32.239
is your grand reveal. I need to get the word out,57000:44:32.880 --> 00:44:38.199
and I need to hire a new assistant. PA, my57100:44:38.360 --> 00:44:42.000
phone began to say, but the sound was overwhelmed by57200:44:42.039 --> 00:44:46.800
me throwing another boulder at the bars. He dove out57300:44:46.840 --> 00:44:51.079
the door and slammed it shut just before the rocks57400:44:51.519 --> 00:44:56.320
hit him. I collapsed to my knees under the sheer57500:44:56.360 --> 00:45:00.639
weight of my life having been taken from me. My57600:45:00.800 --> 00:45:05.079
eyes burned. I wasn't sure if this was some new57700:45:05.239 --> 00:45:11.760
aspect of my transformation or just my tears. I looked57800:45:11.840 --> 00:45:17.719
down at my mutilated, monstrous hands. My phone was still57900:45:17.760 --> 00:45:21.400
in one of them. I reached back to hurl it58000:45:21.440 --> 00:45:26.800
at the bars as well. When I noticed my cell reception.58100:45:28.239 --> 00:45:34.440
I had four bars, I still had internet, my battery58200:45:34.639 --> 00:45:40.480
was still half full. I began desperately typing my story.58300:45:41.559 --> 00:45:45.320
When I was done, I found a website that dealt58400:45:45.320 --> 00:45:52.280
with cryptids and unexplained phenomena. If you're reading this, please58500:45:52.480 --> 00:45:57.159
help me. I'm at the Museum of Oddities in Frost Creek.58600:45:58.519 --> 00:46:08.960
I'll keep posting until my phone dies. Mister Applebottom was58700:46:09.119 --> 00:46:13.639
true to his word. People flocked in to day, walking58800:46:13.760 --> 00:46:19.559
past my cage and staring. I considered throwing rocks at them.58900:46:20.159 --> 00:46:24.079
Maybe a few injuries would make them go away, but59000:46:24.239 --> 00:46:28.039
then I saw all the little kids and thought better59100:46:28.079 --> 00:46:31.840
of it. I decided to take a different path to59200:46:31.960 --> 00:46:35.960
show my protest. I laid on my fake rock with59300:46:36.000 --> 00:46:41.119
my back to the people and refused to move. It59400:46:41.199 --> 00:46:44.400
didn't take long for the complaints to bring him back59500:46:44.440 --> 00:46:49.119
to my cage. What are you doing, he said through59600:46:49.280 --> 00:46:57.599
gritted teeth. I typed on my phone. Nothing, absolutely nothing wrong.59700:46:58.119 --> 00:47:02.880
You're embarrassing me, he hissed, grabbing the bars for effect.59800:47:03.800 --> 00:47:06.480
Now get up and give them a sh I moved59900:47:06.519 --> 00:47:09.559
like a flash, my hand grabbed his and held him60000:47:09.599 --> 00:47:13.719
like a vice. I pulled him close. He was smashed60100:47:13.760 --> 00:47:19.000
against the bars. Please don't. I grabbed the top of60200:47:19.039 --> 00:47:23.280
his head and turned it around in a full circle,60300:47:24.159 --> 00:47:29.800
enjoying the satisfying cracks of his vertebrae snapping. I pulled60400:47:29.880 --> 00:47:36.119
up and his head came off, showering me in blood.60500:47:37.079 --> 00:47:39.840
I stared into his face with a look of shock,60600:47:40.239 --> 00:47:44.639
permanently frozen on it. The people in the room began60700:47:44.719 --> 00:47:48.800
to scream and run away. I stared at the dead60800:47:48.880 --> 00:47:52.800
body that was only upright because I was holding it.60900:47:53.599 --> 00:47:56.440
I looked back and forth between the head in one61000:47:56.480 --> 00:48:00.840
hand and the body in the other, dropped them both61100:48:01.360 --> 00:48:06.280
and stared in horror. As they hit the floor. Blood61200:48:06.320 --> 00:48:10.719
poured out onto the ground. I watched with morbid fascination61300:48:11.519 --> 00:48:15.760
as a bug skittered over and began darting its tongue out,61400:48:16.639 --> 00:48:22.079
licking up the blood. As I watched, I saw that61500:48:22.199 --> 00:48:26.719
it was the same bug that had infected me and61600:48:26.800 --> 00:48:32.199
turned me into this horrible monster. I reached out through61700:48:32.239 --> 00:48:36.559
the bars towards it. It paused and looked up at me.61800:48:38.239 --> 00:48:42.159
I could almost see it make the connection between us61900:48:42.760 --> 00:48:46.599
that it had been responsible for me, that we shared62000:48:46.639 --> 00:48:51.800
a kind of kinship, a bond that could be barely fathomed.62100:48:52.920 --> 00:48:57.760
It reached an appendage out towards me as well. I62200:48:57.880 --> 00:49:02.639
smashed my hand, splattering blood everywhere and crushing the thing62300:49:02.760 --> 00:49:07.320
that had destroyed my life. I withdrew my hand and62400:49:07.480 --> 00:49:11.400
stared at the flattened creature laying in the blood of62500:49:11.480 --> 00:49:18.000
my boss, the two entities most responsible for this hideous transformation.62600:49:19.079 --> 00:49:22.920
I trudged over to my fake rock and plopped on it.62700:49:24.039 --> 00:49:28.239
I opened my phone, saw the battery indicator was flashing,62800:49:29.159 --> 00:49:36.119
and made this last entry. I will escape this cage.62900:49:36.159 --> 00:49:40.360
I will find where the creature came from. I will63000:49:40.840 --> 00:49:44.960
find a way to change back to my human form,63100:49:46.119 --> 00:50:05.159
and I pity anyone who stands in my way. Summer63200:50:05.320 --> 00:50:14.119
slay Cation by David O'Hanlon. The plan is simple, Henry63300:50:14.159 --> 00:50:17.000
Stout said, around the butt of his cigarette. We take63400:50:17.039 --> 00:50:20.039
the canoes across the lake and into the Cypress Maze,63500:50:20.119 --> 00:50:22.360
and then it's just a short hike to the mini63600:50:22.400 --> 00:50:27.039
Winyan bunk houses. What if we get lost, Lance Calavera63700:50:27.159 --> 00:50:30.679
snatched the smoke from Henry's mouth. It's called the maze63800:50:30.719 --> 00:50:34.119
for a reason. Henry scratched at the patch of bristly63900:50:34.199 --> 00:50:38.039
hair he called his beard. I've done the maze three times.64000:50:38.159 --> 00:50:41.079
I can get us through. Henry was on his fourth64100:50:41.079 --> 00:50:44.800
stay at the Living Grace rehabilitation camp for youth offenders.64200:50:45.199 --> 00:50:48.599
The thirteen week camp was developed by Pastor Frank Oppendecker64300:50:48.800 --> 00:50:51.119
to put kids on the straight and narrow through Christ.64400:50:51.639 --> 00:50:54.679
If that didn't work, the former Marine Corp drill instructor64500:50:54.719 --> 00:50:57.840
had more inventive ways to grind the little pukes into64600:50:57.920 --> 00:51:02.039
productive members of society. The Cypress Maze was the final64700:51:02.079 --> 00:51:04.800
test for all the teens that entered the program. If64800:51:04.840 --> 00:51:08.599
they failed, they completed their sentences in a juvenile detention center.64900:51:09.000 --> 00:51:13.920
It was a one time deal. Normally, Father Oh, as65000:51:13.960 --> 00:51:17.119
the delinquents called him, took a special interest in Henry65100:51:17.320 --> 00:51:20.559
and brought him back every time he reoffended. He saw65200:51:20.599 --> 00:51:24.320
Henry as the camp's one and only failure. Henry saw65300:51:24.360 --> 00:51:27.800
the camp as a grueling but welcomed reprieve from his home,65400:51:28.239 --> 00:51:33.719
a dilapidated trailer park outside of Russellville called the Green Mile. Yeah,65500:51:33.920 --> 00:51:37.679
you've done the maze, Lance said, but not at night?65600:51:38.880 --> 00:51:41.519
Then stay here. Henry threw his hands in the air.65700:51:41.920 --> 00:51:44.719
Maybe Father Oh, will let you polish the pews for65800:51:44.800 --> 00:51:47.480
morning service. The rest of us are going to the65900:51:47.519 --> 00:51:52.199
mini Winnions, and then we'll see Ted Vang cut both66000:51:52.239 --> 00:51:56.360
his hands to his chest as if cradling breasts. Seriously.66100:51:56.440 --> 00:52:00.039
Ted Dexter Brown shook his head with those glass this66200:52:00.519 --> 00:52:03.920
you can see them from here. Too many trees in66300:52:03.960 --> 00:52:07.039
the way. Ted adjusted his glasses over his plump cheeks.66400:52:07.920 --> 00:52:11.679
Ted's right, Henry smirked. The Senior House is responsible for66500:52:11.719 --> 00:52:14.880
bed checks and lock down, so they hit the showers last.66600:52:15.440 --> 00:52:18.280
That's when we'll strike. We throw the bombs through the66700:52:18.320 --> 00:52:22.199
windows and they'll all come out running. Dexter held up66800:52:22.199 --> 00:52:25.159
the polaroid camera, and I'll get the photos to make66900:52:25.199 --> 00:52:27.320
sure we all get a good look and don't miss67000:52:27.320 --> 00:52:31.920
out on anything. What about the counselors, Jimmy O'Reilly, always67100:52:32.000 --> 00:52:35.679
the pragmatist, asked, they're going to come running. Two These67200:52:35.679 --> 00:52:39.639
babies aren't exactly subtle. Jimmy tossed one of the devices67300:52:39.679 --> 00:52:42.679
between his hands. It wasn't much bigger than a thermos67400:52:42.960 --> 00:52:45.719
with a main body of paper machet over chicken wire67500:52:45.800 --> 00:52:49.599
with four thinner cardboard tubes attached to the sides. A67600:52:49.639 --> 00:52:52.320
waterproof fuse snaked from the top of all four and67700:52:52.400 --> 00:52:54.840
came together in a braid with that of the main device.67800:52:55.320 --> 00:52:58.280
The entire package was wrapped in black electrical tape for67900:52:58.360 --> 00:53:03.039
easy concealment on the moonless night. Jimmy's unsettling interest in68000:53:03.159 --> 00:53:06.760
things that went boom were what landed him in the camp.68100:53:07.480 --> 00:53:11.079
Spas will take care of that, Henry reassured them. Marco68200:53:11.280 --> 00:53:14.320
Spaz Reynolds tugged at the ends of his shaggy mane68300:53:14.599 --> 00:53:18.639
and rocked in place, giggling, Yeah, yeah, I got something68400:53:18.639 --> 00:53:21.880
to keep those pesky counselors out of our business. Father68500:53:22.079 --> 00:53:26.199
Oh handpicked all the campers. He wanted to challenge himself68600:53:26.239 --> 00:53:29.280
as much as the youth's. Whether it be Henry's seeming68700:53:29.320 --> 00:53:34.400
inability to rehabilitate Ted's obesity, Dexter's unwillingness to apply his68800:53:34.559 --> 00:53:39.440
genius IQ, Jimmy's authority issues, or Lance's temper, each of68900:53:39.480 --> 00:53:42.400
the sixteens offered him a chance to prove his faith.69000:53:43.000 --> 00:53:46.480
Spaz was no different. He grew up in a Satanic69100:53:46.519 --> 00:53:50.920
cult that were currently all facing charges of kidnapping and cannibalism.69200:53:51.159 --> 00:53:53.519
There was no evidence that Spaz had been involved in69300:53:53.559 --> 00:53:56.519
the Colt's crimes, but it didn't matter. He was still69400:53:56.519 --> 00:54:00.119
a devout, devil worshiper. The raised flesh of a pentagram69500:54:00.239 --> 00:54:03.400
branded on his forehead made spas a poster child for69600:54:03.440 --> 00:54:09.079
the program if Father Oh could reform him. Okay, Lance said,69700:54:09.280 --> 00:54:12.320
let's stop talking about it and get moving. He grabbed69800:54:12.320 --> 00:54:17.000
one of Jimmy's devices. No one gets hurt, right, maybe69900:54:17.000 --> 00:54:21.400
their feelings, Jimmy shrugged. It's all smoke and sparks and70000:54:21.440 --> 00:54:24.079
some little pops, just enough to make them think there's70100:54:24.079 --> 00:54:27.559
a fire. The six boys made their way to the70200:54:27.599 --> 00:54:30.360
door of the cabin, and Dexter poked his head out first.70300:54:31.079 --> 00:54:34.440
The pastor's cabin was dark in the distance, opposite the70400:54:34.480 --> 00:54:39.159
oppressive structures of the obstacle course. Dexter nodded the all clear,70500:54:39.400 --> 00:54:42.519
and they eased through the screen door, one after the other,70600:54:42.960 --> 00:54:46.400
careful not to let the rusted spring slam it shut.70700:54:47.280 --> 00:54:51.000
The rubber band of Ted's slingshot twanged softly, followed by70800:54:51.039 --> 00:54:55.199
the unavoidable pop of a light bulb shattering. Jimmy stretched70900:54:55.239 --> 00:54:57.400
his neck to watch over the bush for Father Oh's71000:54:57.480 --> 00:55:01.000
lamp to come on. When it didn't, he tapped Head's shoulder.71100:55:01.360 --> 00:55:04.559
The portly Mongolian fired another stone. At the second light.71200:55:04.599 --> 00:55:08.159
Positioned over the rack of canoes, shards tinkled off the71300:55:08.159 --> 00:55:11.920
fiberglass bodies of the little boats. The boys sprinted across71400:55:11.960 --> 00:55:14.639
the open lot and quickly loosed three of the canoes.71500:55:15.119 --> 00:55:17.760
They carried them overhead, just like the pastor made them71600:55:17.760 --> 00:55:20.920
on their morning marches. The boats hit water, and the71700:55:20.960 --> 00:55:25.239
teens paddled gently into the lake. On the other side71800:55:25.239 --> 00:55:28.440
of the lake, the lovely ladies of the Mini Winnion71900:55:28.559 --> 00:55:32.559
Girls Retreat would be working diligently to finish their nightly duties.72000:55:33.119 --> 00:55:36.320
Then they would head to the showers. Their bare flesh72100:55:36.400 --> 00:55:40.519
was a siren song sang between the horrid cries of frogs, crickets,72200:55:40.559 --> 00:55:44.039
and cicadas. The six boys increased their rowing without saying72300:55:44.079 --> 00:55:46.800
a word. They were at the mercy of their loins,72400:55:46.800 --> 00:55:49.760
which spurred them faster into the low fog that shrouded72500:55:49.760 --> 00:55:54.519
the mouth of the cypress. Maize Spaz held the narrow72600:55:54.599 --> 00:55:57.199
trunk of a smaller cypress to keep the canoe still72700:55:57.440 --> 00:56:01.320
as Jimmy urinated over the aft. Henry and Ted shared72800:56:01.320 --> 00:56:05.159
the lead boat and panned their flashlights around wildly. Lance72900:56:05.159 --> 00:56:08.400
and Dexter rode past them and deeper into the maze.73000:56:08.639 --> 00:56:12.159
Glad you know the way, Henry, Lance said, This is73100:56:12.199 --> 00:56:15.039
the right way. Henry responded, I marked the trees the73200:56:15.119 --> 00:56:17.840
last time I went through the stupid thing. We already73300:56:17.840 --> 00:56:19.920
made it to the second marker, which means the third73400:56:19.920 --> 00:56:23.639
should be right here. That's the half way point. You've73500:56:23.639 --> 00:56:26.760
been looking for the mark for twenty minutes. Dexter reminded him.73600:56:27.199 --> 00:56:29.199
The girls will already be dried off by the time73700:56:29.199 --> 00:56:33.119
we get there. They'll still be naked, though, Ted reassured73800:56:33.119 --> 00:56:36.400
them all. A sudden splash broke up their debate and73900:56:36.519 --> 00:56:39.599
was immediately followed by a profane cry and another dynamic74000:56:39.760 --> 00:56:42.320
entrance into the marsh. The fourteens turned their lights in74100:56:42.360 --> 00:56:44.599
the direction of the commotion. The red bottom of the74200:56:44.639 --> 00:56:47.079
canoe was facing up and rocking in the turbulence. The74300:56:47.199 --> 00:56:49.440
lights danced over the surface of the water and converged74400:56:49.480 --> 00:56:51.840
on the face down body that drifted away from the74500:56:51.840 --> 00:56:55.639
boat lazily. Oh damn, Dexter went to work with his74600:56:55.679 --> 00:56:59.519
oar rowing them backwards. Hold on, Jimmy, we're coming. The74700:56:59.559 --> 00:57:02.360
canoe have come down on him. When it flipped, Lance74800:57:02.440 --> 00:57:06.480
rode harder and panned his head mounted light wildly. Where's74900:57:06.480 --> 00:57:10.079
Spaz Get him out of the water. Henry twisted in75000:57:10.119 --> 00:57:13.679
his seat. There's gaiters out there. Why are we out75100:57:13.719 --> 00:57:16.360
here in the dark? If there's gaiters, Ted gripped his75200:57:16.400 --> 00:57:18.760
oar like a spear and gazed at the black void75300:57:18.840 --> 00:57:22.840
around them. They hunt at night, Lots of things hunt75400:57:22.880 --> 00:57:26.360
at night. The bank of halogen lights illuminated the teens75500:57:26.440 --> 00:57:29.559
and everything in a sixty foot path. Dexter pulled Jimmy's75600:57:29.599 --> 00:57:32.519
unconscious body across the canoe behind the glare of the bulbs.75700:57:32.679 --> 00:57:36.119
A silhouette stalked across the deck of a camouflaged airboat.75800:57:36.559 --> 00:57:39.480
The form of some strange malevolence moved behind him and75900:57:39.519 --> 00:57:43.679
slipped over the side, disappearing into the water. Ted stood quickly,76000:57:43.719 --> 00:57:46.639
swinging the paddle over his shoulder like a club. Who76100:57:46.679 --> 00:57:50.000
are you? Ted took a step back, rocking the boat hard.76200:57:50.519 --> 00:57:53.639
Henry leaned forward to the other side to steady them.76300:57:53.880 --> 00:57:56.400
Get out of here. Mister, our counselor's out here with us.76400:57:57.280 --> 00:58:01.760
The good pastor is sound asleep. The shadowy figure said,76500:58:02.400 --> 00:58:06.480
don't struggle too much. I don't want you hurting yourself.76600:58:07.280 --> 00:58:10.519
Something broke the surface beside Lance and Dexter. A pair76700:58:10.559 --> 00:58:14.199
of malforned green brown appendages reached up and twisted in76800:58:14.280 --> 00:58:18.920
Jimmy's clothing. His body slipped back into the marsh. Dexter76900:58:19.000 --> 00:58:21.320
and Lance grabbed his legs and struggled to pull him77000:58:21.360 --> 00:58:23.880
back in the tug of war intensified with the heavy77100:58:23.960 --> 00:58:27.719
rocking of the canoe. Jimmy's legs were completely submerged, then77200:58:28.039 --> 00:58:32.119
up to his rib cage. Suddenly the boys were airborne.77300:58:32.239 --> 00:58:34.840
They popped their heads above the filthy water, coughing and77400:58:34.880 --> 00:58:38.039
rubbing their eyes clear. Jimmy bobbed beside them. They reached77500:58:38.039 --> 00:58:42.159
for him in unison. They screamed that way too, when77600:58:42.199 --> 00:58:45.440
the bisected body of their bunkmate tipped over and sank77700:58:45.800 --> 00:58:49.880
into the abyss. Dexter watched in horror as Ted and77800:58:49.920 --> 00:58:52.760
Henry were knocked into the marsh. A net sailed from77900:58:52.800 --> 00:58:55.960
the airboat over them, and something beneath the surface gathered it,78000:58:56.320 --> 00:58:58.840
dragging it back to the man hiding behind the lights.78100:58:59.400 --> 00:59:02.639
Lance disab appeared with a quick splash. Dexter swam as78200:59:02.679 --> 00:59:04.440
hard as he could. He didn't care if he was78300:59:04.440 --> 00:59:07.239
swimming toward camp or the Mississippi, just so long as78400:59:07.239 --> 00:59:10.480
he was swimming anywhere that wasn't a cypress maze. Something78500:59:10.519 --> 00:59:13.599
snagged his shirt. He felt the barbs dragging through his flesh,78600:59:13.800 --> 00:59:18.599
but forced himself onward. Then he was under water, and78700:59:18.639 --> 00:59:24.679
he wasn't alone. The house sat on a tiny island78800:59:24.719 --> 00:59:27.079
in the back of the bayou, away from prying eyes.78900:59:27.639 --> 00:59:31.079
Sawgrass obscured the boundaries where land met swamp, and the79000:59:31.119 --> 00:59:34.960
tiny dock at which the airboat rocked sedately. The ramshackle79100:59:35.000 --> 00:59:37.719
three story was built shortly after the Civil War and79200:59:37.800 --> 00:59:41.239
abandoned for almost as long. Portions of the roof sagged,79300:59:41.320 --> 00:59:44.480
and others had collapsed long before and were patched with tarps.79400:59:44.960 --> 00:59:47.239
Glass was long gone from the windows, and the breeze79500:59:47.239 --> 00:59:50.880
whistled across the edges of the century old shards that remained.79600:59:51.760 --> 00:59:55.119
Two rusted water tanks had been converted to hold gasoline79700:59:55.159 --> 00:59:58.119
for the generators, and three windmills provided the rest of79800:59:58.119 --> 01:00:03.079
his electricity. The owner stretched his aching limbs. The isolated79901:00:03.119 --> 01:00:05.800
home was the perfect location for the laboratory and the80001:00:05.840 --> 01:00:09.400
clandestine aims of his research. It was not so easy80101:00:09.440 --> 01:00:13.039
on his ailing body, however, He wrung his arthritic hands80201:00:13.039 --> 01:00:15.400
and worked the blue nitrial gloves over them with a80301:00:15.440 --> 01:00:18.559
pair of sharp snaps. He checked his reflection in a80401:00:18.599 --> 01:00:22.199
grimy mirror. Its surface shook with the constant rumbling of80501:00:22.239 --> 01:00:26.000
the generators. He'd forgotten surgical masks on his last trek80601:00:26.000 --> 01:00:28.880
into town, not that it would matter once the procedure80701:00:28.960 --> 01:00:32.119
was complete. He adjusted the paper cap over the few80801:00:32.159 --> 01:00:36.119
remaining patches of vomit, yellow hair, and the unfortunate results80901:00:36.199 --> 01:00:41.320
of the last treatment. He would succeed soon. It was81001:00:41.360 --> 01:00:43.599
a shame the one boy was torn in half, but81101:00:44.159 --> 01:00:47.880
science came with losses. No one cared how many monkeys81201:00:47.920 --> 01:00:51.679
got vivisected in the name of medical advancement. Teenage boys81301:00:51.679 --> 01:00:55.239
were just as abundant and equally expendable. One of them81401:00:55.320 --> 01:00:59.039
was advancing at an exponential rate already. The previous summer's81501:00:59.079 --> 01:01:01.800
campers were failure, but they did get him closer to81601:01:01.840 --> 01:01:04.920
his goals, and he was certain that this was his year.81701:01:05.639 --> 01:01:08.159
He wiggled a tooth in its socket with his tongue.81801:01:08.480 --> 01:01:11.559
It clacked off the floorboards next to his feet. If81901:01:11.559 --> 01:01:14.599
he didn't succeed this year, there wouldn't be enough left82001:01:14.599 --> 01:01:18.079
of him for another harvest. He patted up the stairs,82101:01:18.079 --> 01:01:21.559
feeling each step rattling his fragile bones. The boy in82201:01:21.599 --> 01:01:25.719
the suspension tube was showing amazing cellular response, the other82301:01:25.840 --> 01:01:29.000
had not been so compatible. The doctor watched two of82401:01:29.039 --> 01:01:32.079
his previous failures, dragging the corpse to the window to82501:01:32.119 --> 01:01:34.800
push it over the sill. A splash let him know82601:01:34.920 --> 01:01:38.079
they'd made their shot. The two creatures slapped each other's82701:01:38.159 --> 01:01:43.079
backs wildly and screeched with excitement. Baboons were so easily pleased,82801:01:43.360 --> 01:01:47.440
even ones that weren't entirely monkey anymore. The three remaining82901:01:47.480 --> 01:01:50.440
teens awaited their first rounds of injections on the reclined83001:01:50.440 --> 01:01:55.159
gurneys that served as surgical tables. The chubby Asian boy83101:01:55.239 --> 01:01:57.960
was sobbing, while the other two observed the room quietly.83201:01:58.599 --> 01:02:01.840
The doctor found their calm unsettling and busied himself with83301:02:01.920 --> 01:02:05.760
turning up the isotope saturation of the suspension tube. The83401:02:05.840 --> 01:02:09.280
disfigured team floated in the irradiated solution, beneath the glow83501:02:09.320 --> 01:02:12.320
of ultra violet lamps that shimmered between the lily pads83601:02:12.320 --> 01:02:15.119
floating at the top of the tube. The doctor tapped83701:02:15.119 --> 01:02:19.400
the glass until the boy's eyes opened. You are a83801:02:19.519 --> 01:02:24.480
marvelous creature, the doctor said. His two servants bounded closer83901:02:24.480 --> 01:02:27.760
to him, leaves pressed through their green gray hairs, with84001:02:27.840 --> 01:02:31.480
coiling vines dangling from their aged faces like unkempt beards.84101:02:32.159 --> 01:02:36.320
They were his first successes and his only companions. The84201:02:36.400 --> 01:02:40.639
doctor patted their heads. Go feed your siblings. They may84301:02:40.679 --> 01:02:44.679
not be necessary after tonight. He leaned in and kissed84401:02:44.719 --> 01:02:49.039
the suspension tube. We may finally have what we need.84501:02:50.639 --> 01:02:54.760
Frank Oppendecker dragged the inflatable boat onto the island's shore.84601:02:55.199 --> 01:02:57.920
His boys were missing, and there were two places they84701:02:57.960 --> 01:03:01.280
could go with no disturbances at the mini Winyan camp84801:03:01.559 --> 01:03:03.559
That only left the creepy house in the middle of84901:03:03.599 --> 01:03:06.920
the swamp. Something splashed behind him, and he cocked the85001:03:06.920 --> 01:03:10.079
shotguns slide to remind the mysterious owner to stay away.85101:03:10.840 --> 01:03:14.599
It did. Father Oh crept through the house, thankful for85201:03:14.639 --> 01:03:17.480
the drone of the Generator's masking his creaking ascent to85301:03:17.519 --> 01:03:20.679
the second floor. He pressed the walnut stock of his85401:03:20.719 --> 01:03:23.960
weapon tight into his shoulder and swiveled around the doorway85501:03:24.000 --> 01:03:27.280
into the lab. Three of his campers were strapped down.85601:03:27.639 --> 01:03:30.000
Another man stood with the back of a filthy lab85701:03:30.039 --> 01:03:33.280
coat turned toward Father Oh. He inched into the room,85801:03:33.400 --> 01:03:36.920
scanning the abundance of shadows left by the inadequate illumination85901:03:37.400 --> 01:03:41.599
of the strands of Christmas lights overhead. Lance's face stretched86001:03:41.599 --> 01:03:43.840
into a smile as he saw the pastor coming in86101:03:43.920 --> 01:03:46.840
to save them. He quickly wiped the look away before86201:03:46.880 --> 01:03:50.800
the doctor could see it. Where are the others, Father86301:03:50.880 --> 01:03:56.320
Row asked. The doctor turned slowly. Warped earth and tendrils86401:03:56.360 --> 01:03:59.519
stretched from corrupted flesh and wiggled in the air. Beneath86501:03:59.519 --> 01:04:01.960
the lab coat. It was nothing but liver spots and86601:04:02.039 --> 01:04:05.239
deep purple veins, broken up by the abominations of the86701:04:05.320 --> 01:04:10.119
doctor's self experimentation. Tiny leaves sprang where normal men grew hair,86801:04:10.280 --> 01:04:14.719
and bright red flowers opened to sniff the air. You86901:04:14.880 --> 01:04:18.800
never come to visit any more, Francis. The doctor ambled87001:04:18.800 --> 01:04:23.239
closer to Father Roh with his arms outstretched. I mean it, Dad,87101:04:23.480 --> 01:04:26.440
you can't take all of them. Frank lowered his weapon.87201:04:27.239 --> 01:04:29.920
I thought your experiments were running a muck again. I87301:04:29.920 --> 01:04:32.039
should have known it was your gluttonous zeal for this87401:04:32.159 --> 01:04:37.639
blasphemous perversion. Dad Dexter tried to sit up, but the87501:04:37.639 --> 01:04:40.039
straps binding him to the table just turned it into87601:04:40.079 --> 01:04:45.719
an awkward twitch. Father, Oh what's he talking about? The87701:04:45.760 --> 01:04:49.239
pastor ignored him. The doctor pinched the embroidered pocket of87801:04:49.239 --> 01:04:51.599
his coat and wiggled it in the direction of Dexter.87901:04:52.519 --> 01:04:57.239
Doctor Werner Oppendecker. I'm sorry. I should have introduced myself sooner.88001:04:57.920 --> 01:05:01.199
Werner turned to his son. Does it make life easier?88101:05:01.519 --> 01:05:05.480
Francis going through it blindly accepting magic instead of reaching88201:05:05.480 --> 01:05:09.400
for obtainable knowledge in the realms of science. Save me88301:05:09.480 --> 01:05:13.679
the Thanksgiving disappointment debate? Dad cut them loose. He jerked88401:05:13.679 --> 01:05:16.880
a thumb toward the suspension tube. You can keep that one,88501:05:17.039 --> 01:05:19.559
but these three are going with me. Where are the88601:05:19.599 --> 01:05:23.760
other two dead? I'm afraid, and you're not taking my subjects.88701:05:24.000 --> 01:05:26.800
I'm too close this time, Francis. I've destroyed my cancers,88801:05:26.920 --> 01:05:30.079
though with unfortunate side effects. These hooligans that you brought88901:05:30.119 --> 01:05:32.199
me will take the procedure to a level that will89001:05:32.280 --> 01:05:37.639
end all human suffering. Human lance grunted. Humans don't grow89101:05:37.679 --> 01:05:40.239
lilies on their skin, you nut job. You're not human89201:05:41.239 --> 01:05:44.719
and our ancestors were not apes. Warner turned and the89301:05:44.719 --> 01:05:49.039
woody tendrils reached out to caress Lance's face. They were more,89401:05:49.280 --> 01:05:52.039
and so shall we be. I am no longer just89501:05:52.079 --> 01:05:56.920
a man. Warner twisted away, letting the appendages scratch Lance's cheeks.89601:05:57.000 --> 01:05:59.519
As he made his way to the tube, he slapped89701:05:59.519 --> 01:06:03.679
the glass. Evolution is an undeniable reality, and I have89801:06:03.840 --> 01:06:06.719
harnessed it. Human and plant will come together to create89901:06:06.719 --> 01:06:09.199
a human that never ages and is immune to all90001:06:09.239 --> 01:06:13.599
of our horrible diseases. Meetin veggies, all in one dish.90101:06:14.000 --> 01:06:17.800
Dexter said, sounds pretty crazy to me, don't you think so? Ted?90201:06:18.719 --> 01:06:23.039
Ted cried louder in response, I think he agrees. Lance said,90301:06:23.639 --> 01:06:26.800
I'm not screwing around dad. Father Roh raised the shotgun90401:06:26.840 --> 01:06:29.280
to his hip. I'm taking the boy's back with me.90501:06:30.119 --> 01:06:32.920
I knew you'd say that. Werner smiled as best he90601:06:32.960 --> 01:06:36.000
could with so few teeth remaining. You should have paid90701:06:36.039 --> 01:06:41.320
more attention in school's son plants communicate with pheromones. The90801:06:41.360 --> 01:06:43.800
floor collapsed under him, and the shotgun boomed as he90901:06:43.840 --> 01:06:46.440
fell through, the shrieks of the two baboons mingled with91001:06:46.519 --> 01:06:49.280
Father Roh's screams until they were the only sound remaining.91101:06:49.719 --> 01:06:52.719
Lance stared at the mad scientist clutching the tight cluster91201:06:52.800 --> 01:06:55.480
of buckshot holes in his abdomen. Before he toppled over.91301:06:55.840 --> 01:06:58.880
Werner's face splashed into the pool of water streaming from91401:06:58.920 --> 01:07:02.079
the holes in the bloodsp laddered suspension to the glass.91501:07:02.119 --> 01:07:05.320
Spiderwebbed around them. Fissures raced along the surface until the91601:07:05.320 --> 01:07:07.280
weight of the fluid tore the pieces away in a91701:07:07.280 --> 01:07:11.519
fantastic crash of falling glass and rushing water. He struggled91801:07:11.519 --> 01:07:13.119
to get a hand free of the straps while the91901:07:13.119 --> 01:07:17.920
mad scientists screamed at the disaster. Success. Lance quickly undid92001:07:17.960 --> 01:07:20.559
the buckles across his torso and proceeded to free Dexter.92101:07:21.079 --> 01:07:23.960
They worked in tandem to release Ted, who immediately curled92201:07:23.960 --> 01:07:28.199
into a fetal position. Want to wake up now, he cried.92301:07:28.480 --> 01:07:30.440
I'm sorry, I tried to look at the girls. I92401:07:30.559 --> 01:07:33.039
just want to wake up. We don't have time for this.92501:07:33.480 --> 01:07:36.159
Lance slapped Ted's cheek, with no result aside from a92601:07:36.239 --> 01:07:39.679
raised handprint. Come on, Ted, we have to run now,92701:07:40.360 --> 01:07:43.320
better idea. Dexter kicked the brakes on the gurney's wheels.92801:07:43.920 --> 01:07:46.400
That works, now, let's get out of here. They pushed92901:07:46.440 --> 01:07:49.039
Ted toward the doorway as fast as the rusted, squealing93001:07:49.039 --> 01:07:52.159
wheels would roll. One of the plant monkeys sprang through93101:07:52.159 --> 01:07:54.559
the hole in the floor and blocked their path. Its93201:07:54.639 --> 01:07:58.599
mossy covered lips peeled away from piercing fangs. Lance slid93301:07:58.639 --> 01:08:00.960
like he was stealing home, basing kicked it back into93401:08:00.960 --> 01:08:04.039
the hole. The creature's terrified shriek was replaced with Lance's93501:08:04.119 --> 01:08:07.119
own as gnarled, root like fangs dug into his leg.93601:08:07.800 --> 01:08:11.719
The second beast emerged from broken floorboards. Tiny buds bloomed93701:08:11.719 --> 01:08:15.119
among its stiff hairs, revealing snapping floral mouths full of93801:08:15.119 --> 01:08:18.960
adhesive fusia fingers. Even the plant based parts of the93901:08:19.000 --> 01:08:22.239
monstrosity hungered for flesh. It launched itself out of the94001:08:22.239 --> 01:08:25.039
hole and straddled him. The creature tried to pulp Lance's94101:08:25.079 --> 01:08:27.960
skull and narrowly missed. Dexter seized it by the thick94201:08:27.960 --> 01:08:29.840
coat of its back, only to be attacked by the94301:08:29.880 --> 01:08:32.840
miniature mouths hiding there. The plants tore into his hands94401:08:32.840 --> 01:08:35.560
and held him tight, while the baboon's jaws snapped inches94501:08:35.560 --> 01:08:40.159
from Lance's throat. A horrible chaotic orchestra of howls, shrieks,94601:08:40.159 --> 01:08:44.640
and unintelligible shouting played below their battle. I'm sorry, guys,94701:08:44.920 --> 01:08:47.319
Ted Vang rolled from his stretcher and darted for the window.94801:08:47.720 --> 01:08:51.239
I just wanted to see boobs. The towering green form94901:08:51.319 --> 01:08:54.960
lumbered across his path. Twisting vines of inching long thorns95001:08:55.000 --> 01:08:58.960
hung like living dreadlocks around its verdant face. Scales of95101:08:59.000 --> 01:09:02.119
barks sprouted along the angular jaw, and in the center95201:09:02.159 --> 01:09:06.439
of the thing's forehead was the raised lines of a pentagram.95301:09:06.760 --> 01:09:10.479
Ted held his arms up defensively. Spaz is that you,95401:09:11.079 --> 01:09:17.319
it's Ted. We're friends, right, Bud, right, Spaz hissed, before95501:09:17.359 --> 01:09:21.479
his new hair ensnared the portly camper. Spaz's chest opened95601:09:21.640 --> 01:09:24.199
with a sticky slurp, and he jerked Ted into the95701:09:24.279 --> 01:09:28.119
maw head first. Spaz snapped around to the remaining campers95801:09:28.119 --> 01:09:31.159
as they fought with the baboon. He stomped toward the fray.95901:09:32.119 --> 01:09:34.800
Things just got worse. Dexter slammed a knee into the96001:09:34.800 --> 01:09:37.840
monkey's tailbone and tore a hand free. Lance held the96101:09:37.880 --> 01:09:40.960
creature's jaws apart, with his face caught between them. Not96201:09:41.079 --> 01:09:44.640
from down here, they haven't kill this stupid thing. Spaz96301:09:44.680 --> 01:09:47.359
is foot connected with Dexter and sent him in the abomination,96401:09:47.479 --> 01:09:51.000
thudding into the wall. Shit. Lance stared up at Spaz.96501:09:51.560 --> 01:09:54.840
Things just got worse. Lance rolled away as the thorns96601:09:54.920 --> 01:09:57.239
scoured the floor in a vain effort to seize him.96701:09:57.479 --> 01:10:00.119
He pulled the gurney between him and Spas. Ted. His96801:10:00.199 --> 01:10:03.439
legs kicked soundlessly as his head and torso dissolved inside96901:10:03.479 --> 01:10:08.319
Spaz's new form. The man Plant's lips contorted in malevolent joy.97001:10:09.319 --> 01:10:14.000
I've always enjoyed the taste of human it growled. Yeah, well,97101:10:14.319 --> 01:10:17.760
I've always hated vegetables. Lance grabbed Ted's leg and jumped97201:10:17.760 --> 01:10:20.560
down the hole. Spaz caught himself on the broken boards,97301:10:20.560 --> 01:10:23.039
and Lance dangled from the leg of his slowly digesting97401:10:23.079 --> 01:10:26.199
fellow camper. The first flour was a demolition site. The97501:10:26.199 --> 01:10:30.039
busted cages lined the walls. Malformed freaks ran amook, tearing97601:10:30.119 --> 01:10:33.359
apart the home and each other. Father, oh what was97701:10:33.439 --> 01:10:35.920
left of him, limped through the madness, freeing more of97801:10:35.960 --> 01:10:38.960
the doctor's failed experiments. Lance dropped the rest of the97901:10:38.960 --> 01:10:41.920
distance and picked himself up with a groan. Something that98001:10:42.079 --> 01:10:44.319
might have been a raccoon snarled at him, and he98101:10:44.399 --> 01:10:47.479
booted it across the room. Its mossy body bounced next98201:10:47.520 --> 01:10:51.199
to Father Roh's shotgun. Spaz came crashing down beside him,98301:10:51.239 --> 01:10:54.000
with Dexter on his back. The teen winked at Lance98401:10:54.119 --> 01:10:56.880
and then jumped off the writhing beast. Let's get out98501:10:56.880 --> 01:10:59.119
of here, Dexter said, as he ran for the door98601:10:59.560 --> 01:11:03.119
detour first. Lance dashed for the weapon and joined him98701:11:03.119 --> 01:11:05.600
on the front porch. They watched some of the creatures98801:11:05.640 --> 01:11:09.159
swim away from the tiny island. Others simply disappeared beneath98901:11:09.159 --> 01:11:13.079
the placid surface of the swamp. Lance twisted and saw99001:11:13.119 --> 01:11:16.399
the oblong, rust covered tanks next to the house. He99101:11:16.560 --> 01:11:19.760
raised the shotgun and fired it until it clicked on99201:11:19.840 --> 01:11:23.399
the empty chamber. Gasoline spurted from the wounds, but the99301:11:23.439 --> 01:11:28.159
tanks didn't explode. Dexter raised an eyebrow and shrugged. It's99401:11:28.199 --> 01:11:31.640
the thought that counts. It always works in the movies.99501:11:31.920 --> 01:11:35.319
Lance pointed at the airboat. Let's go. The two teens99601:11:35.399 --> 01:11:38.039
untied from the mooring and turned on the motor, watching99701:11:38.039 --> 01:11:40.960
the oversized fan spin without any sort of guard. The99801:11:41.039 --> 01:11:43.199
doctor cared as much for safety as he did for99901:11:43.279 --> 01:11:46.479
medical ethics, it seemed. Dexter laughed and held up a100001:11:46.520 --> 01:11:51.479
plastic box with big block letters emergency signal kit. Lance100101:11:51.520 --> 01:11:54.159
took the case and opened it quickly, finding the flare100201:11:54.199 --> 01:11:57.000
gun inside. Drew an excited whoop from him. Bet it100301:11:57.039 --> 01:11:59.920
blows up now, Dexter said. He moved them away from100401:11:59.920 --> 01:12:02.439
the doc gently as he got the hang of the controls.100501:12:02.880 --> 01:12:05.159
The boat rocked hard and the boy spun to see100601:12:05.199 --> 01:12:08.279
Spaz climbing over the side to join them. Dexter jumped100701:12:08.279 --> 01:12:10.399
from the controls and body checked him before he could100801:12:10.399 --> 01:12:13.000
get his balance. The fan blades caught the vines and100901:12:13.079 --> 01:12:17.159
diced them. Lance and Dexter exchanged glances. Dexter ducked under101001:12:17.239 --> 01:12:20.039
Spaz's swinging fist and dropped to the deck behind him.101101:12:20.439 --> 01:12:24.159
Let's toss this salad, Dexter shouted. Lance jumped over the101201:12:24.159 --> 01:12:26.920
steering column and kicked Spas with both feet, sending him101301:12:26.960 --> 01:12:29.920
careening over the prone Dexter and into the fan. Spaz's101401:12:30.000 --> 01:12:33.319
mulch remains sprayed behind the boat as his body passed101501:12:33.359 --> 01:12:38.119
through the oversized food processor with ease, Let's toss this salad.101601:12:38.560 --> 01:12:41.239
That was the best you could come up with, Lance laughed.101701:12:41.600 --> 01:12:44.640
Dexter scooped the flare gun and slapped it against Lance's palm,101801:12:44.880 --> 01:12:48.800
shut up and burn the house down. Already gladly, Lance101901:12:48.840 --> 01:12:52.000
sat up and fired at the tanks. They watched the102001:12:52.039 --> 01:12:55.520
fire spread through the tall grass. It moved placidly until102101:12:55.560 --> 01:12:58.279
it met the dried, ancient timber of the house. The102201:12:58.319 --> 01:13:01.479
structure flared like a match had, spreading its light across102301:13:01.520 --> 01:13:04.640
the black water. Somewhere in the swamp, a baboon cried102401:13:04.680 --> 01:13:08.680
out as it watched its home burn. Think the girls102501:13:08.680 --> 01:13:14.399
have taken a shower yet, Lance asked, Probably. Dexter turned102601:13:14.439 --> 01:13:18.279
the steering wheel. Can't hurt to double check. The fuel102701:13:18.319 --> 01:13:21.960
tanks exploded behind them, but they didn't bother. Looking back,102801:13:22.560 --> 01:13:26.479
Dexter sped up, maneuvering through the bayou. The experiments were loose,102901:13:26.680 --> 01:13:29.840
but at least the doctor wouldn't be making anymore. They103001:13:29.840 --> 01:13:33.920
would tell the authorities what happened. Eventually, there were more103101:13:33.960 --> 01:13:37.279
pressing matters to attend to. First, they smiled through the103201:13:37.279 --> 01:13:40.520
blood and grime and aimed the boat toward the cypress.103301:13:40.560 --> 01:13:52.640
Maze I used to drive a delivery truck until the103401:13:52.760 --> 01:13:59.800
incident by Michael Kelso to Harry my oldest nephew on103501:13:59.840 --> 01:14:03.399
the cusp of adulthood and looking for his first job.103601:14:04.119 --> 01:14:06.520
I've been told you want to drive a truck and103701:14:06.600 --> 01:14:09.079
are looking for me to give you a good recommendation103801:14:09.800 --> 01:14:14.079
to my former employer. I'm sorry to say I will103901:14:14.079 --> 01:14:18.000
not do that now. Before you get angry or hurt,104001:14:18.720 --> 01:14:22.520
please listen to why and judge for yourself if you104101:14:22.680 --> 01:14:27.560
really want to pursue this avenue. I used to drive104201:14:27.600 --> 01:14:31.159
a delivery truck for a car parts company. It wasn't104301:14:31.159 --> 01:14:34.039
a bad job. I spent a lot of time alone104401:14:34.079 --> 01:14:39.000
with my thoughts while driving to various garages to deliver parts.104501:14:39.640 --> 01:14:42.079
I also listened to a lot of audio books as104601:14:42.079 --> 01:14:45.319
I drove. It was a wonderful way to pass the time.104701:14:45.920 --> 01:14:48.319
I could get totally immersed in a book as I104801:14:48.399 --> 01:14:53.239
was driving endlessly boring miles. I never considered myself to104901:14:53.239 --> 01:14:56.560
be much of a troublemaker. I would go along to105001:14:56.600 --> 01:15:00.479
get along, as they say. Working for just above minimum105101:15:00.479 --> 01:15:03.119
wage while driving on icy roads to the middle of105201:15:03.159 --> 01:15:06.960
nowhere garages was what I did all the time. I105301:15:07.000 --> 01:15:11.399
didn't complain about it much, at least not to the boss.105401:15:12.039 --> 01:15:14.000
But I did my job, and I thought I did105501:15:14.000 --> 01:15:19.920
it well. Apparently not everyone agreed. One day I came105601:15:19.960 --> 01:15:22.600
to work and was shown the new addition to my truck.105701:15:23.439 --> 01:15:25.960
There was a small box that hung down under the105801:15:26.000 --> 01:15:29.279
rearview mirror. I asked what it was, and they told105901:15:29.319 --> 01:15:33.239
me it was a camera. What they didn't tell me106001:15:33.439 --> 01:15:37.359
was it was actually two cameras, one facing out toward106101:15:37.399 --> 01:15:42.880
the road and one facing in toward the driver. They106201:15:42.920 --> 01:15:46.039
were being installed to make sure the drivers were doing106301:15:46.079 --> 01:15:49.520
their jobs. Now, I had worked for the company for106401:15:49.680 --> 01:15:53.239
years without a single ticket. I never had any complaints106501:15:53.279 --> 01:15:55.720
from any of my customers, and I never put a106601:15:55.760 --> 01:15:59.199
scratch on any of the trucks I drove, so naturally,106701:15:59.279 --> 01:16:03.039
I took this care situation as a personal incitement on106801:16:03.119 --> 01:16:08.359
my driving and on my moral character. I wasn't the106901:16:08.399 --> 01:16:12.239
only one who wasn't happy about it, but the company's107001:16:12.279 --> 01:16:16.760
stance was essentially get over it. This was back when107101:16:16.840 --> 01:16:19.239
jobs were harder to come by, and the company said107201:16:19.279 --> 01:16:22.520
if we didn't like it, we were welcome to get107301:16:22.520 --> 01:16:25.479
the hell out. Those of us who needed to pay107401:16:25.520 --> 01:16:28.920
bills and feed our families decided to keep working and107501:16:29.039 --> 01:16:32.840
earning a paycheck. After a few months, we mostly forgot107601:16:32.880 --> 01:16:35.279
the cameras were there and went back to doing what107701:16:35.319 --> 01:16:40.079
we do. Keep our mouths shut and deliver parts like107801:16:40.119 --> 01:16:43.279
we had a choice. The cameras weren't the end of107901:16:43.319 --> 01:16:46.880
the world that we thought. There were a few write ups,108001:16:46.920 --> 01:16:51.800
but they were stupid people doing stupid things. Me. I108101:16:51.920 --> 01:16:55.239
followed the rules and didn't have any problems. I did108201:16:55.239 --> 01:16:57.399
what I was supposed to and didn't do what I108301:16:57.560 --> 01:17:02.199
wasn't supposed to. I know that's ae concept in today's world.108401:17:03.079 --> 01:17:05.600
That changed the day the boss told me I was108501:17:05.640 --> 01:17:10.119
being written up for having a passenger with me. He108601:17:10.239 --> 01:17:13.520
recited the rule number in the handbook that clearly stated108701:17:13.840 --> 01:17:17.239
that no passengers are to be in company vehicles unless108801:17:17.279 --> 01:17:22.039
approved by a supervisor. I asked him what he was108901:17:22.119 --> 01:17:26.479
talking about and told him I didn't have any passengers.109001:17:27.159 --> 01:17:29.359
He told me that the main office had a video109101:17:29.439 --> 01:17:32.960
of me carrying a passenger along with me. He even109201:17:33.039 --> 01:17:37.000
quoted the date and time of the offense. I thought109301:17:37.079 --> 01:17:40.319
back and racked my brain trying to remember if I109401:17:40.319 --> 01:17:43.880
had stopped and picked someone up on that day, and109501:17:43.920 --> 01:17:49.279
then I remembered I've never stopped and picked anyone up109601:17:50.000 --> 01:17:54.399
because I know it's against the rules. I thought about109701:17:54.439 --> 01:17:57.359
getting angry and raising a fuss. I thought about telling109801:17:57.399 --> 01:18:00.319
them that this was precisely the kind of harassment I109901:18:00.399 --> 01:18:05.880
expected what happen when these damn cameras were installed. Then110001:18:06.560 --> 01:18:09.960
I remembered their stance of shut up and deal with it,110101:18:10.159 --> 01:18:14.479
or we'll find someone else who will. That thought made110201:18:14.520 --> 01:18:19.880
me calm down and let it slide. I chuckled. Someone110301:18:19.960 --> 01:18:22.720
must have gotten videos and names mixed up. I thought,110401:18:23.479 --> 01:18:27.039
no big deal, I know the truth. I shrugged it110501:18:27.079 --> 01:18:29.199
off and threw the write up away. When I got it,110601:18:29.760 --> 01:18:32.800
my boss told me it didn't really mean anything anyway.110701:18:33.359 --> 01:18:37.520
Only major infractions were going to be disciplined. I wondered110801:18:37.560 --> 01:18:39.960
why he'd even told me about it if it didn't110901:18:40.000 --> 01:18:43.840
mean anything. Driving in traffic and on snow covered roads111001:18:43.840 --> 01:18:47.239
in winter was stressful enough without worrying about the main111101:18:47.319 --> 01:18:52.319
office saying I did something I didn't do. The following week,111201:18:53.159 --> 01:18:57.479
I got another write up, once again, for having a passenger.111301:18:58.199 --> 01:19:01.239
I told the boss I hadn't had had any passengers.111401:19:01.720 --> 01:19:05.680
I told him I follow the rules and he knows it. Again,111501:19:06.119 --> 01:19:08.960
he told me the main office had a video of111601:19:09.000 --> 01:19:14.520
me driving with someone in the passenger seat. At this point,111701:19:14.560 --> 01:19:17.680
I was starting to get upset. Being accused of something111801:19:17.720 --> 01:19:20.079
I did was one thing, but being accused of what111901:19:20.159 --> 01:19:22.960
I've never done and getting ridden up for it was112001:19:23.079 --> 01:19:26.760
just too much. I asked the boss to see the video.112101:19:27.720 --> 01:19:30.680
He pulled it up on the computer. I watched as112201:19:30.720 --> 01:19:33.319
he worked through the controls, confident that I was going112301:19:33.359 --> 01:19:35.960
to find the mistake or the name of the person112401:19:36.000 --> 01:19:39.760
who actually had committed the infraction and clear my name.112501:19:41.359 --> 01:19:44.880
But that didn't happen. He pulled up the video, and112601:19:44.960 --> 01:19:48.720
sure enough, there I was driving along and in the112701:19:48.760 --> 01:19:53.239
passenger seat was a large, middle aged man just staring112801:19:53.279 --> 01:19:55.760
out the windshield like he was along for the ride.112901:19:57.199 --> 01:20:00.199
My mind was having trouble comprehending what I was seeing.113001:20:01.479 --> 01:20:04.399
When I pulled myself out of my shocked stupor, I113101:20:04.439 --> 01:20:07.760
asked the boss what the date was when this happened.113201:20:08.520 --> 01:20:11.359
He told me, and I racked my brain to come113301:20:11.439 --> 01:20:14.359
up with an answer to this. I peered closer at113401:20:14.359 --> 01:20:17.760
the screen to make sure I was the driver. There113501:20:17.880 --> 01:20:20.640
was little doubt it was me. I was wearing the113601:20:20.680 --> 01:20:23.520
gray sweatshirt I wear when I drive. I had one113701:20:23.560 --> 01:20:25.840
hand on the wheel and the other leaning out the window,113801:20:26.039 --> 01:20:29.279
just like I do when I'm bored. I was wearing113901:20:29.319 --> 01:20:32.359
my ball cap with the logo of my favorite baseball team.114001:20:32.640 --> 01:20:35.439
It was me. If only I could figure out who114101:20:35.479 --> 01:20:38.560
this other person was and what was happening to me?114201:20:39.439 --> 01:20:42.199
Was I forgetting things? Was I having blackouts and not114301:20:42.359 --> 01:20:45.119
knowing it? How could this person be in my truck114401:20:45.159 --> 01:20:48.800
without me knowing. It's not like he was some stowaway114501:20:48.920 --> 01:20:52.119
hiding amongst the parts in the back. He was sitting114601:20:52.199 --> 01:20:56.439
three feet away from me. That person wasn't there, I114701:20:56.520 --> 01:21:00.640
told the boss. The camera says he was. The boss said,114801:21:01.279 --> 01:21:02.760
I don't know what to tell you. I wish I114901:21:02.760 --> 01:21:05.319
could believe you. You've been one of my best drivers,115001:21:05.359 --> 01:21:08.439
but we're starting to get into repeat offenses. The company115101:21:08.479 --> 01:21:12.119
is going to take action soon, take action against what115201:21:12.800 --> 01:21:15.960
I said a little louder than I intended. There was115301:21:16.039 --> 01:21:18.880
no one there. I don't know who has it out115401:21:18.880 --> 01:21:22.119
for me, or who is playing this little photoshop trick115501:21:22.159 --> 01:21:24.239
to get me in trouble. But I swear on a115601:21:24.279 --> 01:21:29.039
stack of bibles that man was never in my truck.115701:21:30.079 --> 01:21:32.800
I don't know what to tell you, he said. A115801:21:32.840 --> 01:21:36.920
thought crossed my mind. Can you see where I pick115901:21:36.960 --> 01:21:41.800
him up? I said? The boss eyed me. You said116001:21:41.840 --> 01:21:44.000
I have him in my truck. I must have picked116101:21:44.079 --> 01:21:48.039
him up. Somewhere. Can you tell me where? He looked116201:21:48.039 --> 01:21:52.239
at the computer and began rewinding the video. The miles116301:21:52.319 --> 01:21:56.560
rolled backwards and the man just sat there watching the windshield.116401:21:57.680 --> 01:22:02.600
Then suddenly he disappeared. He stopped the video and ran116501:22:02.640 --> 01:22:05.760
it forward at normal speed. I came to a stop116601:22:05.840 --> 01:22:10.199
sign and the man jumped in pause it, I said,116701:22:10.640 --> 01:22:13.960
where is that? He looked at the GPS information that116801:22:14.039 --> 01:22:17.520
was embedded in the video, the corner of Hamilton and Wright.116901:22:18.640 --> 01:22:22.880
What's there? I said? He looked at the map. Nothing.117001:22:23.760 --> 01:22:26.520
I leaned over and saw the same thing. There was117101:22:26.600 --> 01:22:29.000
nothing around there for at least a half a mile.117201:22:30.119 --> 01:22:33.640
That's on my normal Thursday route, Isn't it looks like it?117301:22:34.359 --> 01:22:37.880
I sat back in thought. He shot me a grim look.117401:22:38.920 --> 01:22:41.840
You know this is out of my hands. I stared117501:22:41.840 --> 01:22:44.600
at him, shocked that this falsehood was going to end117601:22:44.680 --> 01:22:48.239
up costing me my job. You're my boss, I said,117701:22:48.600 --> 01:22:51.239
How can it be out of your hands? The main117801:22:51.319 --> 01:22:55.239
office wants to make an example out of me? He117901:22:55.279 --> 01:22:59.920
nodded slowly. Should I be updating my resume? I said,118001:23:01.199 --> 01:23:04.560
I would if I were you. I got up, hung118101:23:04.600 --> 01:23:10.079
my head and turned to walk away, then paused, would118201:23:10.119 --> 01:23:13.439
you do me a favor, I said. He looked at118301:23:13.439 --> 01:23:17.960
me skeptically. Depends on what it is. Could you call118401:23:18.039 --> 01:23:20.479
the main office and ask the person who monitors the118501:23:20.479 --> 01:23:24.319
trucks to call me if this ever happens again. The118601:23:24.399 --> 01:23:27.800
boss rubbed his chin as he thought, I guess that118701:23:27.880 --> 01:23:31.560
could be doable. I nodded and started toward my truck118801:23:31.640 --> 01:23:34.800
to load for my run. As I drove away from118901:23:34.800 --> 01:23:37.960
the terminal, my eyes kept darting towards the passenger's seat,119001:23:38.239 --> 01:23:41.239
as if I was somehow missing someone climbing into the119101:23:41.279 --> 01:23:44.680
truck and sitting beside me. That was the way my119201:23:44.920 --> 01:23:48.039
entire run went that day. I was so distracted I119301:23:48.079 --> 01:23:51.079
nearly rear ended a car at a stop sign. I119401:23:51.159 --> 01:23:54.239
looked over and the sign said I was at the119501:23:54.279 --> 01:23:57.720
corner of Hamilton and Wright. I looked to see what119601:23:57.880 --> 01:24:02.680
was there and didn't immediately see anything. I leaned forward119701:24:02.720 --> 01:24:08.159
to see what was beside me and paused. There was119801:24:08.199 --> 01:24:12.199
a small graveyard. It wasn't big enough to register on119901:24:12.239 --> 01:24:18.079
the map. There were maybe thirty gravestones all together. It120001:24:18.159 --> 01:24:22.159
didn't even have a fence around it. I was pulled120101:24:22.159 --> 01:24:25.039
from my thoughts by the car behind me honking their horn.120201:24:25.560 --> 01:24:28.479
I pulled out and started down the road, lost in120301:24:28.520 --> 01:24:31.960
the thoughts that were chasing each other around in my head.120401:24:32.560 --> 01:24:37.920
A graveyard, I thought, there's no one I can see.120501:24:38.239 --> 01:24:41.720
Could it be a I didn't want to finish the thought.120601:24:42.399 --> 01:24:44.479
I was never into that kind of thing and never120701:24:44.520 --> 01:24:47.720
really believed in it. When the phone rang, I nearly120801:24:47.800 --> 01:24:53.039
jumped out of my skin. Hello, I said, this is Carl.120901:24:53.119 --> 01:24:55.920
I monitor the cameras in the trucks. Look, I know121001:24:56.039 --> 01:24:58.880
I nearly hit that car, but I'm just a little121101:24:58.880 --> 01:25:03.680
distracted today. What. No, that's not why I'm calling. Okay,121201:25:04.039 --> 01:25:07.399
you just bored and need to talk to someone. No,121301:25:07.760 --> 01:25:09.760
your boss told me to call you when I saw121401:25:09.800 --> 01:25:14.479
you with a passenger. Yeah, so, I said, looking over121501:25:14.520 --> 01:25:18.159
at the empty space beside me, you have a passenger.121601:25:19.279 --> 01:25:24.039
My entire body turned to Ice. Say that again, I said,121701:25:24.760 --> 01:25:27.880
you have a passenger, he said. I stared at the121801:25:27.880 --> 01:25:32.439
empty seat where I said. He's sitting in the passenger121901:25:32.520 --> 01:25:37.760
seat right beside you, he said, sounding a little annoyed, Carl,122001:25:38.199 --> 01:25:42.600
I said that can't be right. There's no one besides me.122101:25:43.880 --> 01:25:47.079
That's not true, he said, his voice rising. I can122201:25:47.119 --> 01:25:49.319
see him plain as day. He's wearing a red ball122301:25:49.359 --> 01:25:53.159
cap overalls in a plaid shirt. I was staring at122401:25:53.159 --> 01:25:56.239
the seat. When I looked back at the road, there122501:25:56.279 --> 01:25:58.319
was a truck stopped right in front of me. I122601:25:58.359 --> 01:26:00.720
stood on the brakes, hearing them scream I'm in protest,122701:26:00.720 --> 01:26:03.319
but not slowing my truck enough. I knew I was122801:26:03.359 --> 01:26:05.359
going to hit him. I swung the wheel over as122901:26:05.399 --> 01:26:07.600
hard as I could, feeling the truck start to tip,123001:26:07.800 --> 01:26:10.600
then swung back. As I slid to a stop at123101:26:10.640 --> 01:26:13.880
the berm of the road, I looked at the truck123201:26:13.960 --> 01:26:17.840
sitting beside me, breathing hard, not only from the accident123301:26:17.880 --> 01:26:21.359
I just avoided, but also from the news Carl had123401:26:21.399 --> 01:26:25.960
given me. Okay, Carl, I said, in a lower voice,123501:26:26.000 --> 01:26:28.680
as if I didn't want my imaginary passenger to hear.123601:26:30.199 --> 01:26:35.159
What is my so called passenger doing. He's just staring123701:26:35.199 --> 01:26:40.720
straight ahead. I'm going to try something, I said, tell123801:26:40.720 --> 01:26:44.359
me what he does next. I hesitated for a moment,123901:26:45.199 --> 01:26:51.640
then reached my hand slowly across the passenger seat. I124001:26:51.760 --> 01:26:55.279
waved it back and forth in the empty air. As124101:26:55.319 --> 01:26:59.239
I did, my hand felt cold, as if I had124201:26:59.359 --> 01:27:04.079
just stuck it into a freezer. Oh my god, Carl said,124301:27:04.600 --> 01:27:10.880
what's happening your hands, It's passing right through him. It124401:27:10.920 --> 01:27:15.159
feels cold. Wait a minute, Carl said, he's doing something.124501:27:15.880 --> 01:27:20.359
What he's looking at your hand? I immediately pulled my124601:27:20.439 --> 01:27:25.239
hand back. What's he doing now, he's looking straight at you.124701:27:26.039 --> 01:27:30.199
I felt the blood drain out of my face. Holy shit,124801:27:30.720 --> 01:27:33.640
Carl screamed, Get out of there, Get out now. I124901:27:33.720 --> 01:27:36.439
fumbled with the door latch, somehow forgetting how to open125001:27:36.439 --> 01:27:39.199
a door. When it opened, I tumbled out of the truck.125101:27:39.439 --> 01:27:42.840
I looked back inside, still not seeing anything. Then I125201:27:42.880 --> 01:27:46.399
put the phone back up to my ear. Now was125301:27:46.439 --> 01:27:49.119
all I was able to get out before my world125401:27:50.199 --> 01:27:55.279
went dark. I woke to a white room, beeping machines125501:27:55.319 --> 01:27:58.600
and hoses stuck in my arm. I looked around the125601:27:58.680 --> 01:28:01.239
room and saw a bouquet of flowers that were starting125701:28:01.239 --> 01:28:04.119
to wilt. A nurse walked into the room with a125801:28:04.159 --> 01:28:09.319
syringe in her hand. Where am I, I rasped, causing125901:28:09.359 --> 01:28:15.600
her to jump. Oh my god, you scared me, She said, why,126001:28:16.239 --> 01:28:22.479
because you've been in a coma for three weeks. What happened?126101:28:23.439 --> 01:28:27.720
Don't you remember, she said? I slowly shook my head.126201:28:28.439 --> 01:28:30.199
You pulled over on the side of the road and126301:28:30.279 --> 01:28:33.720
jumped out of your truck right into traffic. She said,126401:28:34.439 --> 01:28:37.000
you got hit by a car and sustained several life126501:28:37.039 --> 01:28:42.560
threatening injuries. Am I okay, Now you really should talk126601:28:42.600 --> 01:28:47.760
to the doctor about that, She said, please, I rasped,126701:28:48.039 --> 01:28:52.319
grasping her hand. She looked around as if someone was listening,126801:28:52.840 --> 01:28:56.279
then leaned close to my ear. As far as I know,126901:28:57.119 --> 01:29:00.720
you should make a full recovery, she said, They just127001:29:00.760 --> 01:29:06.039
aren't sure about your mental state. Why I heard you127101:29:06.079 --> 01:29:09.199
were babbling on about seeing things when you first came in,127201:29:10.399 --> 01:29:14.479
Like what things like a goat? How's the patient, an127301:29:14.520 --> 01:29:18.640
authoritative voice said. The nurse straightened and backed away. He's127401:29:18.680 --> 01:29:21.920
awake and seems to be progressing, the nurse said, straightening127501:29:21.960 --> 01:29:26.439
her uniform. Good good. The doctor said, Let's see how127601:29:26.479 --> 01:29:28.520
you do in a day or so. Maybe we can127701:29:28.560 --> 01:29:30.520
have a little talk about when you first came in.127801:29:31.159 --> 01:29:34.760
I nodded and tried to fake a smile. The following day,127901:29:34.800 --> 01:29:38.159
I received an unexpected visitor. He was a small man,128001:29:38.359 --> 01:29:40.960
not too far out of his teens by his appearance.128101:29:41.560 --> 01:29:44.600
He knocked quietly at my door and started to turn128201:29:44.640 --> 01:29:49.960
around and leave when I said, can I help you? Yeah? Uh,128301:29:50.039 --> 01:29:54.520
maybe I don't know, he said. Okay, let's start with128401:29:54.840 --> 01:29:59.439
who are you? Oh? Sorry, he said, stumbling forward a128501:29:59.520 --> 01:30:02.039
nearly on top of me as he held out his hand.128601:30:02.720 --> 01:30:08.520
I'm Carl. I shook it slowly. Carl, I repeated, Like128701:30:09.039 --> 01:30:13.359
Carl from the company. He smiled, Like Carl who told128801:30:13.399 --> 01:30:16.039
me to jump out into traffic and nearly killed me,128901:30:16.760 --> 01:30:19.960
I said, tightening my grip. He winced and wormed his129001:30:20.039 --> 01:30:25.359
way out of my grip. Yeah, about that, he said. Sorry,129101:30:25.399 --> 01:30:30.039
by the way, but I wanted to explain, explain what129201:30:30.479 --> 01:30:32.960
I said, sitting up so I might get another chance129301:30:33.000 --> 01:30:38.560
at him. This, he said, holding up his phone. It's129401:30:38.600 --> 01:30:42.800
a phone, I said, sarcastically. I've seen them before once129501:30:42.920 --> 01:30:46.560
or twice, I'm sure, he said. But it's what's on129601:30:46.680 --> 01:30:50.279
the phone that you need to see. Okay, what's on it?129701:30:50.800 --> 01:30:53.079
He fiddled with the phone for a moment, almost dropping129801:30:53.159 --> 01:30:56.640
it twice, then turned it toward me. What am I129901:30:56.680 --> 01:31:00.239
looking at? I said, as the screen shook. Give it130001:31:00.279 --> 01:31:04.000
a minute. The screen settled down and I saw it130101:31:04.079 --> 01:31:07.479
was a recording of me in the truck. I was130201:31:07.560 --> 01:31:10.319
mesmerized at the sight of the person sitting next to me.130301:31:11.159 --> 01:31:14.199
I watched as I waved my hand back and forth130401:31:14.239 --> 01:31:17.840
through his torso, I saw him look at my hand,130501:31:19.000 --> 01:31:24.840
then look at me. His face suddenly changed. His smile130601:31:25.119 --> 01:31:32.000
turned malevolent as it grew impossibly large. The grin extended130701:31:32.039 --> 01:31:35.239
nearly to his ears, and his teeth grew three inches130801:31:35.279 --> 01:31:37.800
to where he looked like a shark about to attack130901:31:38.520 --> 01:31:42.079
his fingers. They grew into claws, and his eyes disappeared131001:31:42.079 --> 01:31:46.680
into his head, turning as black as the abyss. I131101:31:46.760 --> 01:31:48.960
saw him reach for me as I fumbled with the131201:31:49.039 --> 01:31:51.960
door latch, and he swiped his claws at me. As131301:31:51.960 --> 01:31:54.840
I fell out of the cab, he leered out the131401:31:54.880 --> 01:31:57.800
driver's side window at me, but stayed in the truck131501:31:58.600 --> 01:32:04.479
and slowly faded away. When Carl pulled the phone away,131601:32:05.000 --> 01:32:08.359
sweat was pouring off my forehead. I looked him in131701:32:08.399 --> 01:32:13.000
the eye and said I forgive you. He smiled and131801:32:13.039 --> 01:32:18.319
said you're welcome. We sat in silence for a long moment.131901:32:20.000 --> 01:32:22.600
What did the company have to say about that video?132001:32:23.119 --> 01:32:26.960
I said it was deleted off the server the following day.132101:32:27.520 --> 01:32:33.199
He said, so that's the only copy. Yep, he said,132201:32:33.239 --> 01:32:37.359
holding up his phone. Do me a favor, Sure, what132301:32:37.520 --> 01:32:42.359
is it? Delete it? Are you sure this is the132401:32:42.439 --> 01:32:47.279
proof that you weren't lying. I'm sure. I don't ever132501:32:47.520 --> 01:32:52.319
want to see that thing again. I quit driving a132601:32:52.359 --> 01:32:56.159
truck for a living after that. I never again drove132701:32:56.239 --> 01:32:59.720
past the corner of Hamilton and Wright. I'll go miles132801:32:59.760 --> 01:33:03.039
out of my way just to avoid it, and I132901:33:03.119 --> 01:33:16.399
suggest you do the same. Bella's Holiday by rob Fields.133001:33:17.720 --> 01:33:21.079
And here we are, AINI and I just crossed into133101:33:21.119 --> 01:33:25.560
the huge megalopolis known as Shore City. You know what,133201:33:26.600 --> 01:33:29.239
I don't even think I remember the last time I133301:33:29.359 --> 01:33:36.600
was here. Let's just say i'd never even heard of Strickfield. Yeah,133401:33:36.680 --> 01:33:40.680
it's been that long ago. As far as the distance133501:33:40.760 --> 01:33:45.439
between Strickfield and Shore City, it's at least five hundred miles.133601:33:46.199 --> 01:33:49.399
I've been driving our rental car since we left Strickfield.133701:33:49.960 --> 01:33:53.760
Aine's sitting next to me and giving me directions. After133801:33:53.880 --> 01:33:58.479
several long hours and some stops, we finally pull into133901:33:58.479 --> 01:34:02.319
the driveway of Grandma Donley's house. I get out of134001:34:02.319 --> 01:34:05.479
the car and look at my surroundings. I can see134101:34:05.520 --> 01:34:08.800
the beach as I look past Grandma Donnerley's. I can134201:34:08.880 --> 01:34:11.680
even hear the sounds of people having a good time.134301:34:12.479 --> 01:34:17.479
Ione comes up beside me, bells you okay, I sigh134401:34:17.600 --> 01:34:20.840
and look up at the sky. Why do I do it?134501:34:21.479 --> 01:34:23.720
Why do I let you talk me into doing shit?134601:34:24.800 --> 01:34:27.960
I turned to facr First, I let you talk me134701:34:28.000 --> 01:34:31.479
into staying in Strickfield. Next, you and I both end134801:34:31.560 --> 01:34:34.800
up on the cheerleading squad at Strickfield High. And now134901:34:34.840 --> 01:34:36.920
that school's out for the summer, I let you talk135001:34:36.960 --> 01:34:39.000
me into coming all the way to Shore City for135101:34:39.039 --> 01:34:43.159
a week of vacation. Of all things? What's wrong with135201:34:43.199 --> 01:34:47.520
taking a vacation? Ininie asks, I grab iiny and shake135301:34:47.560 --> 01:34:51.000
her a little, because neither of us can fucking drive135401:34:51.039 --> 01:34:55.000
a car. I let her go. You're goddamn lucky, I135501:34:55.079 --> 01:34:58.640
learned fast. We're really lucky. We never got pulled over,135601:34:59.000 --> 01:35:03.159
and fuck all those speed limits. I sigh. The point135701:35:03.279 --> 01:35:08.600
is I don't take vacations, Iini, I just don't. And135801:35:08.680 --> 01:35:12.119
here you are, she reminds me in her mousey voice.135901:35:13.239 --> 01:35:15.439
Why did I agree to drive us all the way136001:35:15.479 --> 01:35:19.239
to Shore City? Three days ago, Aine's grandma calls her136101:35:19.279 --> 01:35:21.960
out of the blue and wants to see her right away.136201:35:22.039 --> 01:35:24.239
She asks her grandma if she can bring me along.136301:35:25.159 --> 01:35:29.760
She agrees right away, and things fell into place from there.136401:35:30.680 --> 01:35:34.119
Almost turned out neither of us ever learned how to136501:35:34.199 --> 01:35:37.880
drive a car. AINI tried calling a taxi service, but136601:35:37.960 --> 01:35:42.000
the trip would be quite costly, so AINI talked me136701:35:42.039 --> 01:35:45.319
into driving a rental car. Let's just say I had136801:35:45.399 --> 01:35:49.520
a few close calls. Believe it or not. It's really136901:35:49.640 --> 01:35:52.640
quite easy when you get it down. It's just those137001:35:52.720 --> 01:35:56.399
fucking speed limits that pissed me off. So I said137101:35:56.520 --> 01:35:59.119
fuck it and got us here doing a full hundred.137201:36:00.239 --> 01:36:02.439
Ainy and I got our bags out of the car,137301:36:02.840 --> 01:36:07.000
and then the front door opens. Aileen, you finally made it.137401:36:07.600 --> 01:36:10.880
Aileen is Ainy's real name. I call her Ainy because137501:36:10.880 --> 01:36:13.760
her older brother Martin calls her Einstein on the count137601:36:13.800 --> 01:36:17.720
of her big brain. I just shortened Einstein by calling137701:36:17.720 --> 01:36:21.000
her Iini. She returns the favor by calling me Bell's137801:36:21.479 --> 01:36:25.279
Ainy and her grandma hug it's nice to see you again, Grandma.137901:36:26.039 --> 01:36:29.079
Grandma Donnerly is in her mid sixties and has a138001:36:29.079 --> 01:36:33.199
thin frame with silver hair, and you must be Bella.138101:36:33.359 --> 01:36:36.680
Aileen has told me so much about you. I was138201:36:36.800 --> 01:36:39.399
just gonna shake hands with her, but she pulls me138301:36:39.439 --> 01:36:42.600
in and hugs me when we finish. She just looks138401:36:42.640 --> 01:36:45.840
at me. You are so cold. Do you need some138501:36:46.000 --> 01:36:51.520
coffee or some hot chocolate? I smile a little. I'm fine, ma'am.138601:36:52.039 --> 01:36:55.840
Grandma Donnerly invites both of us inside. She's got the138701:36:55.880 --> 01:36:59.840
air conditioning running. She shows Iine to her room. As138801:37:00.039 --> 01:37:03.279
he's getting settled in, Grandma Donnerly brings me to the basement.138901:37:03.880 --> 01:37:06.640
I set you up down here. I hope you don't mind.139001:37:07.199 --> 01:37:11.039
I'm not choosy, I reply. Turns out she prepared a139101:37:11.079 --> 01:37:14.399
couch down here. It's nice and cool. There's even a139201:37:14.399 --> 01:37:18.279
small shower cabinet for me. It's perfect. I tell her139301:37:18.520 --> 01:37:22.520
and put my duffel down. She nods and heads back upstairs.139401:37:23.479 --> 01:37:26.119
After I unpack, I come back upstairs to see the139501:37:26.159 --> 01:37:29.399
donner leaves at the kitchen table. I'm entering the kitchen139601:37:29.439 --> 01:37:35.159
when Grandma Donnerly gasps. She points right at me. No, Grandma,139701:37:35.239 --> 01:37:38.840
what AINI asks? The old woman gets up, still pointing139801:37:38.840 --> 01:37:45.079
at me. You you don't have a reflection. And I139901:37:45.199 --> 01:37:49.239
had forgotten about checking for mirrors and avoiding them. This140001:37:49.439 --> 01:37:53.039
is part of the reason why I don't go on vacations. Now.140101:37:53.119 --> 01:37:58.720
Ininee's grandma knows I'm a vampire. You're a believer, I say,140201:38:00.039 --> 01:38:04.119
I've met your kind before. She replies, contempt in her voice,140301:38:04.680 --> 01:38:09.880
I revoke my invitation. Grandma stop Any tells her Bells140401:38:09.920 --> 01:38:14.439
isn't like other vampires. She's been my dearest friend for months,140501:38:15.039 --> 01:38:18.359
she considers. Iine. Then she looks at me and makes140601:38:18.399 --> 01:38:23.800
another realization. You walk in the daylight. I'm the only140701:38:23.800 --> 01:38:27.920
one who can, I reply. When I killed a master vampire,140801:38:28.000 --> 01:38:30.800
I was hurt too. His blood mixed with mine and140901:38:30.840 --> 01:38:33.840
made me what I am. I'm not malevolent, and I141001:38:33.880 --> 01:38:38.079
won't hurt you. And you're friends with my grandbaby, she141101:38:38.239 --> 01:38:43.479
asks in amazement. Ainy's my only friend. I admit. She141201:38:43.600 --> 01:38:46.520
talked me into coming here with her. If you don't141301:38:46.520 --> 01:38:49.159
want me here, I'll leave. I won't stay where I'm141401:38:49.159 --> 01:38:54.680
not welcome. Grandma Donnerly looks at her granddaughter. You said141501:38:54.760 --> 01:38:59.159
she was staying with you and Martin, Ainy adds. Grandma141601:38:59.279 --> 01:39:04.119
Donnerly shows contempt now as she looks at me. Aileen141701:39:04.239 --> 01:39:10.960
told me you're Martin's girlfriend. Well, I wouldn't entirely say that,141801:39:11.279 --> 01:39:14.880
I stammer. She raises her finger break up with him.141901:39:15.239 --> 01:39:17.279
That boy has been nothing but trouble since he was142001:39:17.319 --> 01:39:20.039
old enough to walk and talk. If you don't know now,142101:39:20.199 --> 01:39:25.399
you'll know soon enough. I look at her solemnly. Is142201:39:25.439 --> 01:39:28.720
there something you want to tell me? She takes my142301:39:28.800 --> 01:39:32.119
hand in hers. You don't know Martin as well as142401:39:32.159 --> 01:39:35.520
you think. He can never stay out of trouble. He142501:39:35.560 --> 01:39:39.119
looks for any excuse to cause trouble. Kids at school142601:39:39.159 --> 01:39:43.079
called him mean Martin, and with good reason. I won't142701:39:43.119 --> 01:39:47.119
let him come here. He's not welcome. He'll never be welcome.142801:39:47.840 --> 01:39:50.760
Break up with him. A leopard like him never changes142901:39:50.800 --> 01:39:55.279
his spots. I listen to her heartbeat and know she's143001:39:55.319 --> 01:39:58.880
telling the truth. I realize I'll have to watch Martin143101:39:58.960 --> 01:40:03.319
closely when I returned to Strickfield. I'll have to talk143201:40:03.359 --> 01:40:07.640
to Aine about this later. Grandma Donnerly lets go of143301:40:07.680 --> 01:40:12.039
my hand. You may stay. I don't know how i'll143401:40:12.039 --> 01:40:15.199
feed you though, I don't have any blood for you.143501:40:15.960 --> 01:40:19.960
I actually I don't drink blood, I tell her, But143601:40:20.239 --> 01:40:23.039
you can't feed me anyway. I'll eat you out of143701:40:23.039 --> 01:40:26.439
house and home. Aine said, there's plenty of good buffets143801:40:26.479 --> 01:40:30.079
I can eat at. I explain to Grandma Donnerly why143901:40:30.159 --> 01:40:32.319
I don't drink blood and how I have to eat144001:40:32.359 --> 01:40:35.079
lots of food to compensate for all the energy I144101:40:35.199 --> 01:40:39.119
use just the same. Grandma Donnerly insists on feeding me,144201:40:39.640 --> 01:40:41.880
even when I told her about how I devoured at144301:40:41.960 --> 01:40:45.199
least twenty roast chickens for my first meal as a vampire.144401:40:46.199 --> 01:40:50.079
I watched the Donnerlees talk some more. Grandma Donnerly tells144501:40:50.119 --> 01:40:53.159
Iine that she should just leave Strickfield and come move144601:40:53.199 --> 01:40:57.239
in with her, leave Martin behind. Or if you don't144701:40:57.279 --> 01:40:59.840
want to live with me, you know you have other family.144801:41:00.560 --> 01:41:02.920
You could even live with your three cousins. They have144901:41:02.960 --> 01:41:05.439
a house in this neighborhood. I'm sure they'd enjoy having145001:41:05.439 --> 01:41:08.000
you to live with them. The more I'm hearing the145101:41:08.079 --> 01:41:12.640
old woman talk negatively about Martin, the more I'm really145201:41:13.760 --> 01:41:22.279
wondering AINI and I are walking out onto the beach now.145301:41:22.800 --> 01:41:25.640
Grandma Donnerly had to run some errands and said she'd145401:41:25.640 --> 01:41:29.000
be back in a while. We're both wearing bikinis and145501:41:29.079 --> 01:41:32.039
walking on the sand. Where do you want to set145601:41:32.079 --> 01:41:39.119
up bells? Ani asks? I guess Anywhere's fine? I reply. Suddenly,145701:41:39.960 --> 01:41:42.840
my vampire senses make me raise my hand and snatch145801:41:42.920 --> 01:41:44.720
the volleyball that would have hit me in the back145901:41:44.720 --> 01:41:47.439
of the head. Then I turn around to see three146001:41:47.479 --> 01:41:52.760
girls heading our way. Yeah, that's our volleyball, bitch. The146101:41:52.840 --> 01:41:56.640
busty blonde snaps, you can give it back now, A146201:41:56.680 --> 01:42:01.680
busty brunette adds rudely. I raise an eyelid. Oh you146301:42:01.760 --> 01:42:05.319
want this back? Huh? A dark skinned girl gets in146401:42:05.399 --> 01:42:11.199
my face. You hard a hearing bitch. I smirk. You146501:42:11.279 --> 01:42:16.800
want this ball back, well, go get it. Then I146601:42:16.960 --> 01:42:19.600
toss the ball up and give it a nice little146701:42:19.640 --> 01:42:23.760
love tap to send it flying way down the beach.146801:42:25.000 --> 01:42:28.960
The bitches turn around and race after it, screaming obscenities146901:42:29.000 --> 01:42:31.880
at me. As they're leaving. You just know those girls147001:42:31.920 --> 01:42:36.119
are going to be back, Ainie tells me fuck them.147101:42:36.800 --> 01:42:39.159
We walk again and find our spot to set up147201:42:39.159 --> 01:42:42.880
our beach towels, and then it's not long before we147301:42:43.000 --> 01:42:50.560
have another surprise. You any shrieks, no way, you're here147401:42:50.600 --> 01:42:55.760
to a leen. The voice sounds familiar. I turned to147501:42:55.800 --> 01:42:59.800
see how did you end up here? I asked Eddie Rick.147601:43:00.600 --> 01:43:04.760
He's known as pee Wee in Strickfield athletics. Eddie gawks147701:43:05.479 --> 01:43:09.520
bella tabon you two. You know, Anie and I are147801:43:09.560 --> 01:43:13.039
joined at the hip I joke. Eddie laughs a little,147901:43:13.319 --> 01:43:16.479
then he points in a direction. My buddy's parents have148001:43:16.520 --> 01:43:19.159
a place here. They said he could use it whenever148101:43:19.199 --> 01:43:21.840
he wanted, So we came over here and hit the148201:43:21.840 --> 01:43:24.640
beach after school was out for the summer. Why'd you148301:43:24.680 --> 01:43:28.159
two come here? Any explains that her grandma invited her148401:43:28.199 --> 01:43:31.239
to come over, and she invited me to come with her.148501:43:31.880 --> 01:43:35.239
Just then Eddie's friends approach him. They're all at least148601:43:35.279 --> 01:43:38.520
a head taller than him. Guess he's nicknamed pee wee148701:43:38.680 --> 01:43:42.079
for a reason. For a mortal. He's impressed me with148801:43:42.159 --> 01:43:45.319
what a fast little fucker he is. The other boys148901:43:45.359 --> 01:43:48.600
recognize us from the Strickfield High cheerleading squad and invite149001:43:48.640 --> 01:43:52.000
us to play volleyball with them. So it's three jocks149101:43:52.039 --> 01:43:55.600
and one cheerleader to a team. We play volleyball for149201:43:55.680 --> 01:44:00.479
a while, then some storm clouds quickly gather. The winds149301:44:00.520 --> 01:44:03.800
pick up, and it starts raining. Some people run to149401:44:03.840 --> 01:44:07.159
take shelter, while others just stay on the beach, and149501:44:07.199 --> 01:44:11.960
then the screaming starts. I turn and run in the149601:44:12.000 --> 01:44:15.399
direction people are running away from the water. When I149701:44:15.439 --> 01:44:17.960
get there, I see a body's washed up onto the sand.149801:44:18.479 --> 01:44:21.399
I get on one knee and examine it. I'm already149901:44:21.439 --> 01:44:24.279
seeing things here that tell me I've got work to150001:44:24.319 --> 01:44:28.039
do here in Shore City. Through my vampire hearing, I150101:44:28.079 --> 01:44:30.760
can hear Aini's little feet as she's almost on me.150201:44:31.479 --> 01:44:36.479
Bell's what, oh, do you know what that is? This150301:44:36.640 --> 01:44:40.239
is easily a werewolf attack. I point to the bite marks,150401:44:40.920 --> 01:44:43.960
three of them for sure. And last night was the150501:44:43.960 --> 01:44:48.000
first night of the full moon. Two more nights. I150601:44:48.039 --> 01:44:53.239
need de deuces tonight and tomorrow night. Right. That means150701:44:53.239 --> 01:44:55.000
we don't have much time to get to the bottom150801:44:55.039 --> 01:44:59.439
of this. I point to the fangs. This person was150901:44:59.479 --> 01:45:04.560
a vampire. Human fangs aren't normally this long. Some police151001:45:04.600 --> 01:45:07.439
officers come along and rudely tell us to fuck off.151101:45:07.960 --> 01:45:10.079
I watch them look at the body and laugh to151201:45:10.119 --> 01:45:13.760
myself as they'll try and fail miserably to determine the151301:45:13.760 --> 01:45:17.159
cause of death. They won't find the vampire teeth since151401:45:17.199 --> 01:45:21.079
I snatched them up. Don't need mortals asking questions they151501:45:21.079 --> 01:45:26.479
shouldn't be asking. What's on your mind? Bells II asks,151601:45:27.319 --> 01:45:31.039
I'm thinking those werewolves will be back tonight, maybe a151701:45:31.119 --> 01:45:33.800
nice walk on the beaches in order. Then I raise151801:45:33.840 --> 01:45:36.920
my eyebrow to her a little. Did you happen to151901:45:36.920 --> 01:45:41.039
bring the toys? Iini gives me a wicked smirk. I152001:45:41.279 --> 01:45:44.920
always bring the toys, I Nei's been my partner in152101:45:45.000 --> 01:45:48.520
crime for a while. Now. We do our day stuff.152201:45:49.119 --> 01:45:52.880
At night, we go out looking for trouble. We often152301:45:52.960 --> 01:45:57.680
find trouble and stop it. Then we return home. Iin,152401:45:57.760 --> 01:46:04.039
he goes to bed. I fuck Martin, still remembering what152501:46:04.119 --> 01:46:08.199
Grandma Donnerly told me, I may have to rethink that152601:46:08.319 --> 01:46:13.760
last part, Iini, are there any problems between you and Martin?152701:46:14.279 --> 01:46:19.199
I ask? Ainie just gives me a sad look. Grandma152801:46:19.279 --> 01:46:23.640
talked to you, didn't she you were there. She told152901:46:23.640 --> 01:46:27.439
me Martin is trouble. She didn't say what. She also153001:46:27.479 --> 01:46:30.800
said Martin wasn't welcome at her house. She told me153101:46:30.920 --> 01:46:35.239
to stop seeing him. Iini gets defensive. You and Martin153201:46:35.399 --> 01:46:38.560
just have sex. You're not really in a relationship with him,153301:46:38.920 --> 01:46:42.239
I groan. I was hoping to get something out of Iini,153401:46:42.920 --> 01:46:45.399
but I can see she's not gonna tell me anything.153501:46:45.960 --> 01:46:49.840
Her heartbeat tells me she's very angry. I can't tell153601:46:49.880 --> 01:46:53.199
if I've upset her or if it's something she's keeping inside.153701:46:54.359 --> 01:46:57.159
I won't use glam on her. If she wants to153801:46:57.199 --> 01:47:05.039
tell me, then she'll tell me when she's ready. Night153901:47:05.159 --> 01:47:08.359
comes iny and I put our bikinis back on and154001:47:08.439 --> 01:47:11.319
head to the beach. It's so easy to get onto154101:47:11.319 --> 01:47:15.840
the sand from Grandma Donnerley's backyard, Speaking of whom I154201:47:15.880 --> 01:47:18.520
can't believe she prepared all that food just for me.154301:47:19.640 --> 01:47:22.439
I did tell her I could eat. The least I154401:47:22.479 --> 01:47:25.119
could do was help with the dishes, since she wouldn't154501:47:25.159 --> 01:47:29.079
accept payment. There were some kids out here, though not154601:47:29.239 --> 01:47:32.319
nearly as many as during the day. The full moon154701:47:32.439 --> 01:47:35.560
is nice and bright. There's a gentle breeze, and the154801:47:35.600 --> 01:47:38.680
water's a little wavy. As long as I see people154901:47:38.720 --> 01:47:41.199
I've come in contact with, then I scratch them off155001:47:41.239 --> 01:47:45.359
as suspects. Were Wolves can't change back and forth at will.155101:47:45.840 --> 01:47:48.640
When it's a full moon, they change whether they want155201:47:48.680 --> 01:47:53.399
to or not. The werewolves are already out and prowling.155301:47:54.199 --> 01:47:56.960
I managed to get faint scents off the body from155401:47:56.960 --> 01:48:01.439
this afternoon. Won't be much to go on, but it's155501:48:01.479 --> 01:48:06.479
better than nothing. You think we'll find anything, bells Heinie asks,155601:48:07.520 --> 01:48:13.279
I'm quite optimistic. I reply, Bella Eileen. Over here, a155701:48:13.359 --> 01:48:16.960
voice calls out. We look to see Eddie Richter sitting155801:48:16.960 --> 01:48:20.479
at a fire on the sand and walk over to him.155901:48:21.000 --> 01:48:24.359
Just you out here tonight, I ask him. My buddies156001:48:24.399 --> 01:48:28.159
went back to the house. Eddie replies, they forgot something.156101:48:28.439 --> 01:48:32.159
Didn't say what. Have a seat. We sit with Eddie156201:48:32.199 --> 01:48:35.279
and talk with him. You know, it's a shame you156301:48:35.319 --> 01:48:39.000
too graduated. Eddie tells us, I kind of liked watching156401:48:39.039 --> 01:48:43.159
you two on the squad. We'll be back. Heinie replies,156501:48:43.920 --> 01:48:46.720
I missed too many days with being sick this school year,156601:48:47.079 --> 01:48:50.880
and Bell's just didn't feel like coming to school. I156701:48:51.000 --> 01:48:54.119
pick up, so I got a repeat senior year with Heine.156801:48:54.800 --> 01:48:57.279
The truth is I had to care for her when156901:48:57.279 --> 01:49:00.960
she was sick and Martin had to work. Eddie smirks157001:49:01.279 --> 01:49:06.199
and shakes his head a little. The bad Schoolgirl a157101:49:06.279 --> 01:49:10.640
name that pretty much every student calls me. To be honest,157201:49:11.359 --> 01:49:14.560
I really like it bad as I want to be, honey,157301:49:15.039 --> 01:49:20.119
I reply. He fully smiles. Now, no wonder, Principal van157401:49:20.159 --> 01:49:24.680
Deste is always riding you. I fully smile back, only157501:49:24.760 --> 01:49:27.880
for me to keep throwing him off. You ain't taming157601:49:27.960 --> 01:49:31.680
this bitch. The three of us talk some more, and157701:49:31.720 --> 01:49:35.000
then I catch whiffs of those faint smells I got earlier.157801:49:35.880 --> 01:49:40.760
Now I'm hearing some screaming. I turn and see three157901:49:40.840 --> 01:49:44.159
werewolves have hit the beach. I ne he grabs Eddie.158001:49:44.319 --> 01:49:47.640
Come on, we gotta run. The two of them get away.158101:49:48.079 --> 01:49:50.920
Then I run towards the werewolves, vamping out as I do.158201:49:51.600 --> 01:49:57.760
I'm so looking forward to this. I fucking hate hate werewolves.158301:49:58.520 --> 01:50:00.960
The werewolves howl at the floor moon and then come158401:50:01.000 --> 01:50:03.640
at me. These beasts are gonna be strong, but I158501:50:03.680 --> 01:50:06.239
can match power with them. I can beat the living158601:50:06.319 --> 01:50:09.000
shit out of all of them. These fuckers keep trying158701:50:09.039 --> 01:50:11.920
to bite me, but I just keep knocking their asses back.158801:50:12.479 --> 01:50:16.640
I'm fucking loving this. Most importantly, I'm keeping their attention158901:50:16.720 --> 01:50:19.840
on me while other mortals are getting away. In their159001:50:19.920 --> 01:50:22.800
animal minds, all they want to do is tear me apart.159101:50:23.159 --> 01:50:26.640
Unless they're seriously hurt, they know they're dying, or they159201:50:26.680 --> 01:50:29.640
know sunrise is coming, They're gonna keep coming after me159301:50:29.960 --> 01:50:33.840
as prey. Well, they did come right for me. That159401:50:34.000 --> 01:50:36.960
means I met and pissed off somebody here in Shore City.159501:50:37.600 --> 01:50:40.640
I'm already compiling a list of suspects I've come across.159601:50:41.600 --> 01:50:44.159
Guess I'm gonna have some work to do tomorrow during159701:50:44.199 --> 01:50:48.079
the daylight hours. Oh, I know what you're thinking. Why159801:50:48.119 --> 01:50:51.880
the hell didn't I just kill those motherfuckers. Yes, they'd159901:50:51.960 --> 01:50:55.600
turn back into their human forms immediately, but I wouldn't160001:50:55.600 --> 01:50:58.600
get the whole story. So it looks like I'm gonna160101:50:58.600 --> 01:51:01.119
have to do the next best thing. As my new160201:51:01.159 --> 01:51:04.039
playmates come at me again, I strike with a little160301:51:04.039 --> 01:51:08.079
more force and knock their asses out. Now comes the160401:51:09.159 --> 01:51:13.479
not so fun part the waiting game. I guess I160501:51:13.479 --> 01:51:15.640
can enjoy the view of the water and feel the160601:51:15.720 --> 01:51:19.239
gentle breezes while I'm waiting time to use some of160701:51:19.319 --> 01:51:22.920
Viny's toys. I pull out some special zip ties she160801:51:23.039 --> 01:51:25.680
made in her Mad Scientists lab back at her house160901:51:26.359 --> 01:51:30.359
in her basement. These particular zip ties are really high161001:51:30.399 --> 01:51:34.159
tensile strength. You can't get these at your local hardware store.161101:51:34.560 --> 01:51:37.119
They're strong enough to piss off these werewolves once I161201:51:37.159 --> 01:51:41.520
apply them. Iini keeps improving on the formula, so I161301:51:41.520 --> 01:51:44.760
imagine it's only gonna be a matter of time before161401:51:44.800 --> 01:51:48.920
these things can secure even me or other master vampires.161501:51:49.439 --> 01:51:52.800
As I'm about to secure the first werewolf, my senses161601:51:52.880 --> 01:51:55.359
go critical. I don't have time to react as a161701:51:55.359 --> 01:51:59.159
silver werewolf crashes into me and takes me down. Those161801:51:59.199 --> 01:52:02.000
other three were e to take on, but this one161901:52:02.520 --> 01:52:05.239
is an alpha. You don't see too many of these162001:52:05.279 --> 01:52:08.239
around due to the fact that they don't last as162101:52:08.279 --> 01:52:13.399
long as vampires. But here's one now pissed off as fuck.162201:52:14.079 --> 01:52:16.399
The two of us fight it out when the other162301:52:16.439 --> 01:52:19.399
werewolves come too. The distraction is enough for the alpha162401:52:19.439 --> 01:52:22.439
to hit me hard enough to daze me. I barely162501:52:22.479 --> 01:52:24.840
feel the alpha getting on top of me before I162601:52:24.920 --> 01:52:30.399
hear the gunshots. Oh yeah, I guess they understand gunshots also,162701:52:30.760 --> 01:52:37.920
especially with the whole silver bullets thing. I wake up162801:52:37.960 --> 01:52:42.119
and find myself down in Grandma Donnerly's basement. Aini's right162901:52:42.159 --> 01:52:48.479
there with me, bells, you're finally awake. Yeah, she's quite163001:52:48.479 --> 01:52:53.359
happy right now. Yeah, I got lucky. I reply, you163101:52:53.439 --> 01:52:56.439
missed it. I tell her about the alpha werewolf that163201:52:56.479 --> 01:53:00.800
showed up. So you're saying were wolves are like vampires.163301:53:01.399 --> 01:53:04.439
The older they get, the more powerful they become. She163401:53:04.560 --> 01:53:09.039
translates pretty much. Yeah, given the strength and speed of163501:53:09.079 --> 01:53:12.079
the alpha and the silver coat, this one's been around163601:53:12.119 --> 01:53:16.720
for a very long time. Then iiny's quick on something else.163701:53:17.319 --> 01:53:20.840
We only have one more night, Bells tonight. I know163801:53:21.399 --> 01:53:23.760
I may have my work cut out for me and163901:53:24.119 --> 01:53:29.960
maybe not. You have suspects, She asks, Perhaps we gotta164001:53:30.000 --> 01:53:32.920
be beach babes again today. Iine, you up for it.164101:53:33.560 --> 01:53:36.640
Iny glares at me. I am not a beach babe.164201:53:36.920 --> 01:53:40.880
Look at me, I'm a scrawny little thing. I smirk164301:53:40.960 --> 01:53:43.840
and look my friend in the face. I think Eddie164401:53:43.920 --> 01:53:49.760
Richter would disagree. He's definitely into you. Iinny gasps, Oh, no, Bells,164501:53:49.800 --> 01:53:53.079
don't you dare. We argue about it for a little bit.164601:53:53.840 --> 01:53:56.920
Then I compliment Iiny on her cute little face and164701:53:57.000 --> 01:54:00.640
tell her that having bigger tits isn't always better. I mean,164801:54:01.399 --> 01:54:05.000
I certainly don't have them myself. She finally lets her164901:54:05.000 --> 01:54:07.079
guard down and agrees to come on the beach with165001:54:07.159 --> 01:54:11.880
me one more time. After breakfast, we step onto the165101:54:11.920 --> 01:54:15.560
sand again in our bikinis. See Aine, there are plenty165201:54:15.600 --> 01:54:19.600
of guys checking you out. I say, no, they're checking165301:54:19.640 --> 01:54:23.119
you out. Bells. She disagrees. I'm not the one with165401:54:23.199 --> 01:54:27.640
the flowing, long blonde hair and sexy body. Watch and learn.165501:54:28.239 --> 01:54:31.640
Throughout the day, Aine realizes that I'm not the only one.165601:54:31.720 --> 01:54:34.399
People are checking out. When I ask her to get165701:54:34.479 --> 01:54:37.600
lemonade for us at a stand, She's quickly surprised that165801:54:38.159 --> 01:54:41.840
guys are hitting on her. Aine's got a thin frame,165901:54:41.920 --> 01:54:45.199
but she's not a skeleton. She's also got that cute166001:54:45.279 --> 01:54:49.479
face and great smile. And no, I definitely did not166101:54:50.000 --> 01:54:54.920
glam these guys. Aine returns with the lemonade. You were right,166201:54:55.000 --> 01:54:58.640
bells She sits down. But I just can't go out166301:54:58.640 --> 01:55:02.720
with anybody. I just can't. I don't have a long166401:55:02.840 --> 01:55:08.520
term future with anybody. I smile. Iini, you'll make someone166501:55:08.560 --> 01:55:13.439
a perfect wife. She gets upset fast. You don't understand.166601:55:13.680 --> 01:55:17.159
Maybe these other people can think long term. I can't.166701:55:17.720 --> 01:55:21.079
I'm about to ask her why. When my senses flare up,166801:55:21.680 --> 01:55:24.560
I easily lift my hand and snatch the volleyball that166901:55:24.600 --> 01:55:28.039
was intended to hit me again. I stand up and167001:55:28.119 --> 01:55:32.359
face those three bitches from yesterday. You know, you three167101:55:32.439 --> 01:55:35.479
seem to have a difficult time keeping your fucking ball167201:55:35.520 --> 01:55:40.479
to yourselves. Now I'm making calculations in my head. I'm167301:55:40.520 --> 01:55:45.880
also picking up some familiar sense. Just then we're joined167401:55:45.880 --> 01:55:49.199
by Eddie Richter and his friends. It doesn't take long167501:55:49.279 --> 01:55:51.720
for the beach bitches and the strickfield jocks to get167601:55:51.760 --> 01:55:54.399
into it, with Ainie and me caught in the middle,167701:55:55.199 --> 01:55:57.800
and then it happens we end up in a full167801:55:57.880 --> 01:56:02.520
scale volleyball Game's Eddie, his friends and me on one side.167901:56:02.840 --> 01:56:05.640
The bitches demand to have Aine on their side and168001:56:05.680 --> 01:56:08.840
get one more girl to come and join them. Believe168101:56:08.960 --> 01:56:11.319
me when I say we don't end up playing a168201:56:11.359 --> 01:56:15.399
friendly game of volleyball. The three bitches are clearly targeting168301:56:15.399 --> 01:56:18.560
me and Eddie. It surprises me how they're talking so168401:56:18.760 --> 01:56:21.760
nicely to Ainie like she's always been one of them.168501:56:22.319 --> 01:56:26.119
In fact, they even tell her their names. But Ainie168601:56:26.159 --> 01:56:28.319
and the other girl are the only ones who play168701:56:28.319 --> 01:56:32.119
fair on their side. The bitches get really pissed off168801:56:32.159 --> 01:56:34.239
when they try to put the ball over the net168901:56:34.439 --> 01:56:38.359
and I'm right there to slam it down to the sand. Yeah,169001:56:38.680 --> 01:56:43.119
I'm using my vampire strength, but fuck these bitches. I've169101:56:43.119 --> 01:56:47.600
been watching these big breasties closely. In fact, I think169201:56:47.640 --> 01:56:52.079
I've just broken this mystery wide open. I know what's169301:56:52.159 --> 01:56:55.239
going on. Now. We win the game and Eddie and169401:56:55.279 --> 01:56:58.760
his friends take off. The bitches quickly move and come169501:56:58.800 --> 01:57:03.119
at me. You don't belong here, You fucking leech. Lilah,169601:57:03.159 --> 01:57:06.479
the big breasted blonde, snaps in my face, this is169701:57:06.600 --> 01:57:11.279
our turf. Go home, I smirk. You three can suck169801:57:11.359 --> 01:57:14.920
my dick and I'll fucking piss where I please. I169901:57:15.039 --> 01:57:18.359
lean in and look Lilah right in the face. Or170001:57:18.399 --> 01:57:22.640
did you three already mark your territories? Ray Lean, the170101:57:22.680 --> 01:57:28.840
big breasted brunette, glares at me. Now tonight, vampire. The170201:57:28.960 --> 01:57:33.039
dark skinned girl Ember practically growls at me. Your dead170301:57:33.199 --> 01:57:40.239
bloodsucker challenge accepted, I reply, coming, Iiny. The bitches are170401:57:40.279 --> 01:57:43.199
reluctant to let Aini come with me, but she makes170501:57:43.239 --> 01:57:46.479
that choice herself and comes to me. The two of170601:57:46.560 --> 01:57:52.000
us leave bells. What's going on? Ainie asks when we're170701:57:52.039 --> 01:57:56.439
far enough away, ray Len called you a vampire. Oh,170801:57:56.600 --> 01:58:00.920
they know, and I know the problem is I know170901:58:01.039 --> 01:58:05.439
everything now. I look at her with sadness. You're not171001:58:05.479 --> 01:58:12.279
gonna like what I'm about to tell you. As soon171101:58:12.319 --> 01:58:14.800
as we get in the house, Iiny points right at171201:58:14.800 --> 01:58:18.359
Grandma Donnerly, What in the actual fuck have you been171301:58:18.439 --> 01:58:21.399
keeping from me? I know Iini well enough to know171401:58:21.520 --> 01:58:25.199
she's really pissed off when she starts dropping f bombs.171501:58:25.920 --> 01:58:29.520
Then Grandma Donnerly gives me an accusing Look, what did171601:58:29.560 --> 01:58:33.600
you tell her, vampire? I glare at her the truth171701:58:34.399 --> 01:58:39.600
Iny tightens her little fists. Grandma Donnerly, I really thought171801:58:39.640 --> 01:58:43.039
I could trust you. I really thought you cared. That's171901:58:43.119 --> 01:58:45.159
why I kept in contact with you. That's why I172001:58:45.279 --> 01:58:49.239
kept coming to see you, because I love you, Helene,172101:58:49.800 --> 01:58:55.000
she replies, I just want you to leave that troublesome Martin. Seriously,172201:58:55.239 --> 01:58:57.319
I don't know why you stay with him. I know172301:58:57.359 --> 01:58:59.920
he's your brother and the last in your immediate family.172401:59:01.399 --> 01:59:06.199
He's also the reason you're werewolves. Any screams, you want172501:59:06.199 --> 01:59:09.600
to turn me into a werewolf? You want to turn172601:59:09.600 --> 01:59:14.000
me into a killer. She calms down a little. Oh,172701:59:14.039 --> 01:59:17.520
and I did meet Lilah, Raylen and Ember Bell's told172801:59:17.560 --> 01:59:22.960
me they're my cousins and they're werewolves too. Grandma Donnerly172901:59:23.039 --> 01:59:27.720
glares at me with hatred. Now I revoke my invitation, Bella,173001:59:28.079 --> 01:59:32.720
you are no longer welcome in my house. I hate173101:59:32.720 --> 01:59:35.840
to tell you, but all the vampire weaknesses you know173201:59:36.039 --> 01:59:39.800
about won't work on me. Or did you forget that173301:59:39.880 --> 01:59:42.960
I walk in the daylight and eat normal food. In173401:59:43.000 --> 01:59:45.520
other words, I don't need an invite to enter a173501:59:45.560 --> 01:59:51.359
person's house. Just then Lilah, Raylen, and Ember appear. Lilah173601:59:51.399 --> 01:59:54.560
points at me, You've caused nothing but trouble ever since173701:59:54.600 --> 01:59:58.119
you got here, vampire. It's no wonder that vampires and173801:59:58.159 --> 02:00:02.119
werewolves are natural enemies. I quickly pull Iini behind me.173902:00:03.640 --> 02:00:07.680
I'm not the one killing people here. In fact, I174002:00:07.800 --> 02:00:11.079
save lives. I may be a master vampire, but I'm174102:00:11.119 --> 02:00:14.359
still a tabon. It's still the family business to take174202:00:14.399 --> 02:00:18.199
down threats against mortals. You killed people here, and I174302:00:18.239 --> 02:00:23.279
can't let that slide. There are no good vampires. Ember174402:00:23.399 --> 02:00:26.720
counters it's because of you that our kind can't flourish.174502:00:28.039 --> 02:00:31.560
Then I realize it's dark. The full moon will be174602:00:31.640 --> 02:00:36.119
evident soon. Just give me my grandbaby, and your death174702:00:36.159 --> 02:00:40.960
will be swift. Grandma Donnerly tells me, no, I won't174802:00:41.000 --> 02:00:44.000
do this. Iiny tells her, I won't become a killer.174902:00:44.199 --> 02:00:50.720
I'll die first. Raylean gasps Aleen, you're our blood. You'd175002:00:50.840 --> 02:00:56.119
choose this vampire filth over your own family. Iine tightens175102:00:56.159 --> 02:01:01.479
her jaw bells is my family, and she doesn't kill175202:01:01.479 --> 02:01:06.680
innocent people. I had to admit I never saw that coming. Wow,175302:01:07.920 --> 02:01:11.279
I never knew any thoughts so highly of me. We've175402:01:11.279 --> 02:01:16.079
been friends for several months, and I can't get choked175502:01:16.119 --> 02:01:21.279
up right now. Grandma Donnerly tells her other granddaughters. I175602:01:21.359 --> 02:01:25.199
want this vampire destroyed. I do not want Aileen harmed.175702:01:25.720 --> 02:01:29.920
Maybe just a little scratch. Do you hear me? Yes,175802:01:29.960 --> 02:01:34.279
Grandma Donnerly. The bitches say in unison, the full moon175902:01:34.359 --> 02:01:37.199
is evident. When the four of them start changing into werewolves.176002:01:37.680 --> 02:01:40.520
I turn quickly, snatch up Iiny, and get us the176102:01:40.560 --> 02:01:43.079
fuck out of that house. I don't take us back176202:01:43.079 --> 02:01:45.600
to the beach, since I can hear mortals there. No.176302:01:46.439 --> 02:01:50.680
I need to keep this between me and them. Bells.176402:01:51.319 --> 02:01:55.439
Don't let them turn me. Ainy cries over my fucking176502:01:55.600 --> 02:01:59.279
dead body. I promise her. I can hear the werewolves176602:01:59.319 --> 02:02:02.600
pursuing us. They have our sense. I have to stay176702:02:02.640 --> 02:02:04.479
ahead of them until I can get us far away176802:02:04.520 --> 02:02:08.039
from other mortals. I can leap far distances, and I176902:02:08.079 --> 02:02:11.600
can even run very fast, faster than even Peewe Richter177002:02:11.720 --> 02:02:14.920
on his best day, but a werewolf would still ultimately177102:02:14.960 --> 02:02:18.439
catch up to me. Sucks to be me and not177202:02:18.560 --> 02:02:20.920
able to fly. I manage to make it to some177302:02:21.000 --> 02:02:23.920
open wilderness where we can fight. When I land, I177402:02:24.000 --> 02:02:26.920
let go of iiny and get ready. Both werewolves and177502:02:27.079 --> 02:02:30.319
vampires have night vision. I don't know how theirs works,177602:02:30.359 --> 02:02:34.520
but for me, the darkness is still daylight. The four177702:02:34.560 --> 02:02:38.479
werewolves are on me. Now. Grandma Donnerly herself's gotta face177802:02:38.560 --> 02:02:41.560
me head on instead of going cheap like last time.177902:02:41.920 --> 02:02:44.239
I can still knock her away, but she recovers a178002:02:44.319 --> 02:02:48.319
lot faster than her granddaughters. Aine throws me her backpack178102:02:48.680 --> 02:02:52.760
bells use the toys. I open it and pull out178202:02:52.800 --> 02:02:55.760
the launchers that she made for when we face other vampires.178302:02:56.319 --> 02:02:58.640
Ainye and I did make a little swamp in these178402:02:58.680 --> 02:03:02.199
this afternoon. I quickly secure them to my forearms as178502:03:02.239 --> 02:03:05.239
I'm running. When I have them on, I turn and178602:03:05.279 --> 02:03:08.600
face the werewolves. Aini comes up beside me with her178702:03:08.640 --> 02:03:11.800
own launchers. Like I said, this mousey girl is my178802:03:11.880 --> 02:03:15.399
partner in crime. Ainie also has her night vision glasses on.178902:03:15.920 --> 02:03:19.760
We both take aim and fire. Ember and Lilah both179002:03:19.800 --> 02:03:22.800
fall when we sink silver steaks right through their hearts.179102:03:23.359 --> 02:03:25.640
I turn and fire my other one at ray Lean179202:03:25.800 --> 02:03:30.720
to kill her. Now that just leaves Grandma Donnerly. I179302:03:30.800 --> 02:03:34.079
put AINI behind me and prepare to fighter, but Aini179402:03:34.199 --> 02:03:38.800
moves in front of me. This is my fight, Bells,179502:03:39.600 --> 02:03:42.600
I raise my hands in front of me and back off.179602:03:43.399 --> 02:03:48.600
Aine aims her last silver steak. This really hurts Grandma.179702:03:49.840 --> 02:03:52.960
I know you probably don't understand me right now. She179802:03:53.119 --> 02:03:56.920
shakes her head a little. I can't be like you.179902:03:58.000 --> 02:04:00.920
I know I'll die one day, but I'm not going180002:04:00.960 --> 02:04:06.880
to be a killer. Just to live. Be at peace, Grandma.180102:04:07.720 --> 02:04:11.680
I love you. As Grandma Donnerly turns to jump at me,180202:04:12.039 --> 02:04:14.600
Iine leaps in front of me and puts her down.180302:04:15.079 --> 02:04:19.279
The silver werewoll falls onto her side. After Iiny and180402:04:19.319 --> 02:04:22.239
I get up, we see the werewolves are becoming human again.180502:04:23.000 --> 02:04:26.640
Ainie and I work to make sure they never return180602:04:26.720 --> 02:04:31.479
to life ever again. Aine and I are on our180702:04:31.520 --> 02:04:36.000
way back to Strickfield. Iine's still very sad. Not that180802:04:36.079 --> 02:04:39.319
I blame her. There are things I really want to180902:04:39.399 --> 02:04:46.399
ask her. I'm sorry, Irony, I say about everything. Iini181002:04:46.520 --> 02:04:51.159
takes my hand. I still choose you, Bells. At least181102:04:51.199 --> 02:04:54.880
I always know where I stand with you. You're always honest181202:04:54.880 --> 02:05:01.279
with me. Grandma Donnerly kept horrible secrets from me. Then181302:05:01.319 --> 02:05:04.439
I have an opening. Honesty works both ways, you know.181402:05:05.479 --> 02:05:10.560
She sighs. I want to tell you everything. It still181502:05:10.640 --> 02:05:16.359
hurts me to think about it. Please not now, I181602:05:16.399 --> 02:05:22.720
will tell you, Just not now. I squeeze Inny's hand.181702:05:23.399 --> 02:05:27.960
You tell me when you're ready. Then iiny nods. I181802:05:28.039 --> 02:05:32.439
know from now on I'm gonna be watching Martin more closely.181902:05:33.560 --> 02:05:36.800
In the meantime, I'm driving one hundred miles per hour182002:05:37.239 --> 02:05:46.560
back to Strickfield. Well, my spookeys, that was one hell182102:05:46.760 --> 02:05:51.880
of a summer itinerary. A museum internship from hell, a182202:05:52.000 --> 02:05:57.000
swamp trip with absolutely no upside, a delivery route that182302:05:57.439 --> 02:06:01.399
should have come with hazard pay and to priest, and182402:06:01.479 --> 02:06:04.800
a holiday at the beach where the family secrets came182502:06:04.880 --> 02:06:10.880
with fur and silver. Honestly, after all that, staying home182602:06:10.920 --> 02:06:14.960
and hiding from the sun feels like the well the182702:06:15.039 --> 02:06:19.399
healthiest vacation plan on the board. That's what makes summer182802:06:19.520 --> 02:06:24.239
horror such a blast. Everything is supposed to feel open,182902:06:24.479 --> 02:06:29.840
alive and care free until the wrong trail, wrong road,183002:06:30.039 --> 02:06:37.000
wrong job, or wrong invitation turns all that freedom into183102:06:37.039 --> 02:06:40.359
a trap. So before you head off on your own183202:06:40.479 --> 02:06:48.199
little getaway, maybe think twice about isolated lakes, strange museums,183302:06:48.359 --> 02:06:53.520
overnight routes, and any cheerful grandmother who seems a bit183402:06:54.239 --> 02:06:59.520
too invested in your future. And keep yourself subscribed to183502:06:59.600 --> 02:07:04.159
this very podcast on your favorite app, because every Wednesday,183602:07:04.199 --> 02:07:07.920
for the last seven years, the Weekly Spooky Feed has183702:07:07.960 --> 02:07:13.680
another fresh nightmare waiting for you on Wednesday. Until next time,183802:07:14.399 --> 02:07:18.359
bring the sunscreen, but also a crucifix.
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