4 Scary Travel Horror Stories | Wendigo, Ghost Ship, Airplane Horror & Serial Killer

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Summer is supposed to be the season of escape. We

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bord airplanes, follow highways, cross open water, and chase the

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promise that somewhere beyond the horizon, life might feel just

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a little freer. But tonight every road leads somewhere hungry.

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High above the mountains, a doomed flight is preparing to

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make its final descent. Beneath a winter storm, borne from

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forbidden appetites, something with antlers is searching for its next meal.

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Far out at sea, an abandoned ship is alive with

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thousands of tiny claws. And along a rain soaked highway,

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a roadside burgher may be the last warm meal anyone

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ever tastes. So fasten your seat belt, lock the truck

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stop bathroom door, and keep your hands away from anything

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moving inside the walls. These are some of the creepiest

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road stories from the weekly Spooky Vault. Make sure you're

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subscribed on your favorite podcast app because every Wednesday there's

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a brand new scary story waiting to keep Halloween alive

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all year long. Now, let's celebrate a little summer ween

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together as we head for our Last flight out. The

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Last Flight Out by Charles Campbell. Zone one is boarding.

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Everyone with a boarding pass and zone one are cleared

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to board flight seven fifty two from Hartsfield Jackson International

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to Seattle. Please present your boarding pass and be prepared

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to have carrions checked if they will not fit in

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the overhead compartment or under your seat. The pretty petite

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blonde wearing the Delta name tag smiled as passengers lined

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up to board the two hundred and eighty four passenger

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ready bowing seven fifty seven three hundred. Sheila popped out

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her earbuds the sounds of Maria Maria by Santana emitted

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from the tiny dangling speakers, and took another glance at

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her boarding pass, hoping it would magically change zones from

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four to one. She had two carry ons, and if

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her luck was per usual, she would end up checking

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the overhead bag because a few inconsiderate passengers would overstuff

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their allotments, leaving most of zones three and four in

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the baggage lurch. The airport was crowded with your typical

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mix of people, business types with iPads and laptops in hand,

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stressed out parents herding up their children, and more than

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a couple of people that Sheila prayed would not be

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seated beside her because they would overlap over a quarter

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of the way into her Economy class seat. Another ten

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minutes passed before Sheila heard the sweet sound of now

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boarding Zone four. Sheila made her way past the smiling

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blonde that scanned her boarding pass and was pleasantly surprised

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that she wasn't asked to check her carry ons as

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she cleared the entrance ramp and stepped into the jetliner.

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Okay twenty two see, Sheila mumbled as she held her

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laptop bag out in front of her, with the Duffel

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bag dangling behind as she navigated down the middle aisle

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finding her window seat. This really is my lucky day,

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Sheila thought to herself as she was one of the

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last passengers to board. In the compartment right above her seat,

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there was a hole just big enough to stuff her

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Duffel bag, leaving her laptop to be shoved under the

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seat in front of her. Sheila took her seat, strapped

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her belt, and was asleep before the flight attendant gave

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instructions on emergency exits and safety belts. Uh, this is

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the captain speaking. We have now achieved an altitude of

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ten thousand feet. You may now use approved electronic devices.

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Please keep your seat belts fastened. Thank you for flying

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Delta flight seven fifty two to Seattle. Hi. Dear, I

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hope I didn't wake you. A spindly old man reached

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across the middle seat and gently tapped on Sheila's arm.

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She turned to look upon the smiling elderly man, whose

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hand was still gently placed on her shoulder. His were

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the hands of a man who'd seen their share of

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hard labor, the hands of a man that had been

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on top of many a roof on many a hot

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summer's day. No, sir, you didn't wake me. My name's

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Sheila Baker, she said, as she patted the man's fingers

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on her right shoulder with her left hand. I'm Otis Thornton.

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The skinny seventy somethingter smiled at Shila with teeth that,

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to her surprise, appeared to be all his one hundred

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percent and not a spot of yellow on them. Pleased

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to meet you, mister Otis, interrupted, No, mister, just Otis.

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Sheila smiled and said, ok Otis, looks like we have

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a little breathing room. Huh. Sheila patted the empty seat

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that separated them, not that it would have made that

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much of a difference if he was sitting in the

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seat right next to her. Otis was a little over

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five six and couldn't have been any more than one

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hundred and twenty five pounds. Soaking wet, he was immediately

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engaging with light green eyes that shouted kindness. Sheila had

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to stop herself from reaching out and touching the full

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head of neatly combed snow white hair. Oh, the pleasure

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is all mine, Otis started. I don't get to sit

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beside beautiful women that much any more, well, not since

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I lost my dearest Ella. The kind eyes told a

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story that Sheila desperately wanted to hear. Otis, I must

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say that I am pleased that you will be my

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company on this flight. Sheila shuffled in her seat so

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she was facing ODIs directly and pushed a strand of

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her hanging brown hair back behind her left ear. Well,

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thank you, Sheila. I'm an old man that likes to talk.

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Just let me know if I start to talk your

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ears off, and I'll be quiet. Well, thank you, Otis.

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I'm a thirty two year old woman that likes to listen,

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So talk all you want. You might regret that invitation. Sheila,

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Otis's eyes lit up with the prospect of sharing his

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story with her. Try me, okay, here it goes, and

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Otis began. It was the summer of nineteen fifty eight

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when I first laid eyes on Ella Stanton. She was

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working at the Snow Cap as a roller waitress, and

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she was very good at it. I remember hearing the

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wheels of the skates whisked by on the asphalt as

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she left behind a sweet trail of lightly applied perfume

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while she rolled to and fro and back and forth.

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Her auburn hair was like a campfire at sunset, and

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her skin was fair and as soft as a butterfly's kiss,

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at least as soft as how I like to imagine

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a butterfly's kiss. I was a young man of twenty

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three when she first smiled and batted her brown eyes

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at me. You see, I helped my father back in

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those days. He was a self made, hard working man.

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Otis Thornton Sor moved to Augusta, Georgia with my mother, Genie,

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when I was a toddler, way back in the early forties.

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I take after my father in the way that I'm

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built spindley and all, but I have my mother's face

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and my hair used to be sandy blonde in another lifetime. Anyway,

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back to my angel, I remember my hands ached like

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the dickens from laying shingles on that hot July day

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when Ella rolled into my life. I remember that I

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ordered a double cheeseburd all the way and a coke float.

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When Ella said, you sure are skinny, you think you

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can handle the double? Did I mention my father was

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there with me? Well he was, and he answered for

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me because my mouth couldn't speak the words outside of

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the order that I had just blurted out. Yeah, I've

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seen him eat four thick pork chops with just as

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many mashed taters at home and still be hungry, young lady.

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My father gave her an Eastwood squint with a turned

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up grin and continued, I'll have the same thing, but

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I'll take the coke without the float. From that day on,

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I visited Ella at least three times a week, mostly

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without my father, although he would still come along once

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in a while when he got the craving for the

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goodness of that double burger. This went along for about

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two or three months before I got up the courage

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to court Ella. My father told mother about Ella about

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two weeks into me, missing too many home cooked meals.

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Then they were both on to me. My mother wanted grandchildren,

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as I was an only child. There was something about

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her lady parts that didn't quite work right after I

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was born. I remember that she doated over me enough

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for four children so much as a boy, all the

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way up to and through manhood. Ella's mother, Lucille, is

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where she got that auburn hair and fair skin. Her father,

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Thomas Stanton, worked at the True Value hardware store, selling hammers, wrenches,

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nails and what not. All Ella got from him was

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the brown eyes. I remember them staring through me the

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first time I came calling on his youngest daughter. Ella

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had two older sisters that at the time were already

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married off, Genie to some business man named Earle, and

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if I recall correctly, Francine, who married a butcher named

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Steve or Sam something that started with an S. Anyway,

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Ella was the last chickadee left, and Daddy Hawk certainly

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favored her over the two that had flown the coop.

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Lucille took to me right away. But Thomas Stanton took

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a lot of coaxing. He had to meet my father

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to gauge my stock in upbringing. I could tell from

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our first handshake that he favored the callous that had

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developed on my hand. He knew from that first shake

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that I didn't have the hands of a paper pusher

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or god forbid, an insurance salesman. Mister Stanton knew I

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came by an honest wage from the sweat of my brow.

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That was a wind for me right up front. Even

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with that, it still took coaxing. Sheila, I hope I'm

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not boring you so far. Otis not at all. It's

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the opposite. I don't want you to stop until you

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tell me everything. It's a long flight, and your story

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has me hooked. Sheila could feel the stress of her

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life melting away as she listened to the tail of

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Otis and Ella Okay, then and Otis continued. So Ella

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and I married almost a year after I met her

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father for the first time. About a year after that,

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we welcomed our baby girl, Marilyn, into the world. Marilyn

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turned out to be a pediatrician. All of my work

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on all those roofs with my father did that. That's

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something I'm very proud of. Ella's father never saw our

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second child, Otis. He died of a heart attack in

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his backyard weeding when Ella was pregnant with little Otis.

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We went back and forth on the name for a bit,

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but my father wanted to keep the Otis name going.

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And the truth of it was, Thomas Stanton wasn't around

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to object, and my lovely mother in law, Lucille, well,

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she just fell to pieces and her baby girl, My wife,

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my sweet Ella, wasn't far behind on the falling to

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piece's train. On top of it, she was pregnant with

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little Otis, with a toddler at her feet, and the

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stress of it all was almost more than she could bear.

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To tell the truth, looking back on it now, it was,

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and I know this may sound selfish, almost more than

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I should have been able to bear. But my father

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raised a pillar of strength. And that's not just me

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boasting my dear I truly was like a block of

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granite in those days. Thomas's funeral was on September twenty

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second in nineteen sixty two, and little Otis was born

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just two days later, on the twenty fourth. In those days.

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Folks hadn't heard of anything like postpartum depression. We just

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called it the baby blues, and Ella's father passing combined

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with it didn't give little Otis much of a chance.

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I just didn't know it back then. Ella's sisters came

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down for the funeral, but they sure didn't hang around

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to comfort Lucille, let alone the birth of their new nephew.

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I guess they were grieving in their own way, but

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they sure as hell got out of Dodge before the

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soil in their father's grave had even settled. I think

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the guy whose first name began with an S was

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behind Francine's early departure. I just don't think Genie was

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strong enough to hang around a minute longer than she

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felt was required. It was a few months after little

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Otis was born that Lucille started to come out of it,

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and it was all due to little Otis. The baby

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blues and grief still had its lock on my darling Ella.

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I had to keep food on the table, so I

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stayed on rooftops with my father. My mother kept little

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Otis about a quarter of the time, and Lucille kept

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him the rest of the time. My mother could see

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that Lucille needed that baby more than she did, and

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although I could see it hurt her to give up

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her time with little Otis, she knew if Lucille couldn't

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hang on to that baby, then she wouldn't be far

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behind mister Stanton taking up residence in Bellevue Memorial Gardens.

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A big thing that helped was mother did spend a

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lot of time with sweet Maryland. Sheila. Next, is the

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hard part. You still want to listen? Otis? I don't

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know what to say. Sheila was transfixed on the old

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man with the green eyes and calloused hands. Just then,

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flight attendant susie Q from who knows where interrupted them.

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Peanuts are cookies? Excuse me, Sheila asked, because absolutely nothing,

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Flight Attendant susie Q said registered in her brain. Otis

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smiled with all his real teeth on display and said,

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I like the salty peanuts please, and a coke if

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you've got one in that cart. I do, replied susie C.

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Miss anything for you. Sheila answered, salty peanuts and a coke.

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Otis tipped the red and white can in Sheila's direction

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as susie Q rattled by, and he asked, shall I continue, Yes,

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Sheila was too far in now she had to hear

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the rest of it, and Otis continued. Little Otis had

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the colic pretty bad, and I was up many a

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00:15:04.440 --> 00:15:08.840
night tending to him. Because of Ella's delicate state. My

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00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:12.480
days with Father always started early and with Little Otis.

242
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If I could get four straight hours of good sleep

243
00:15:15.399 --> 00:15:19.480
on any given night, that was a blessing. Most nights

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00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:23.519
it was closer to three hours, and sometimes two. It

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00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:26.440
was November eighteenth, and it started with a cold rain.

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Ella was clearing up the supper dishes, Marylyn was playing

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with her dolls on the living room floor, and Little

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00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:35.720
Otis was fast asleep on my belly. As I watched

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00:15:35.759 --> 00:15:37.960
Cronkite fill us in on the state of the world.

250
00:15:38.879 --> 00:15:41.399
I can still recall the smell of a fresh rain

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00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:44.720
cropping up, and then the steady pelting on the roof.

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00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:48.120
Before Cronkite signed off, I was in the firm grip

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00:15:48.159 --> 00:15:52.399
of the sandman. When I awoke. Little Otis was no

254
00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:56.200
longer taking breaths on my chest. At first I thought

255
00:15:56.200 --> 00:15:58.799
nothing of it. Ella had taken him to his crib

256
00:15:58.840 --> 00:16:01.679
and put him down for the night. A fresh faced

257
00:16:01.720 --> 00:16:04.159
carson was in the middle of cracking a joke when

258
00:16:04.200 --> 00:16:07.360
I turned the knob on the old Zenith. I walked

259
00:16:07.399 --> 00:16:10.080
up the stairs to our bedroom, and I was just

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00:16:10.159 --> 00:16:13.360
as careful and quiet as I could be with every step.

261
00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:16.320
I had just gotten a gift in the few hours

262
00:16:16.320 --> 00:16:18.559
of sleep I had received in front of the television,

263
00:16:19.000 --> 00:16:21.440
and if I was quiet, that night was going to

264
00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:25.399
be a six or seven hour snoozethon for me. I

265
00:16:25.480 --> 00:16:28.799
stopped just outside of Little Otis's door and pushed it open,

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00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:32.679
when a very real and sudden sense of dread filled

267
00:16:32.679 --> 00:16:37.919
my body. Sheila, this is where I could have made

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00:16:37.960 --> 00:16:43.000
a difference if I had only known. Ella was sitting

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00:16:43.000 --> 00:16:45.639
in the rocker facing the window in the far corner

270
00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:50.360
of Little Otis's room. The fire truck red painted walls

271
00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:54.080
made it very dark at night. I remember the sound

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00:16:54.120 --> 00:16:57.639
of the rocker as it moved front and back while

273
00:16:57.679 --> 00:17:02.159
Ella gently rocked Little ODIs. The window was cracked just

274
00:17:02.240 --> 00:17:05.759
a hair and a little chill filled the room, but

275
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Ella just kept rocking with Little Otis in her arms.

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I thought maybe she had finally gotten over the baby blues.

277
00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:18.000
I remember that I smiled, relieved that my sense of

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00:17:18.119 --> 00:17:23.279
dread was a false alarm and closed the door as

279
00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:26.279
quietly as I had opened it, and did a bed

280
00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:30.400
check on Marilyn. She was curled up with her raggedy

281
00:17:30.440 --> 00:17:35.240
andl thumb firmly placed in her mouth. So I went

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00:17:35.279 --> 00:17:40.759
to bed. Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking.

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00:17:41.559 --> 00:17:45.559
We are about to experience some severe turbulence. Please remain

284
00:17:45.640 --> 00:17:49.440
seated with your belts fastened until further notice. It's going

285
00:17:49.480 --> 00:17:53.039
to get pretty choppy, so make sure your belongings are secured.

286
00:17:53.640 --> 00:17:57.279
Thank you for flying Delta flight seven fifty two to Seattle.

287
00:17:58.119 --> 00:18:01.400
The flight attendants made a quick walk down the aisles,

288
00:18:01.880 --> 00:18:05.279
tugging on seat belts, flipping up tray tables, and checking

289
00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:08.039
in with the folk seated at the emergency exits to

290
00:18:08.119 --> 00:18:11.000
make sure that they were still willing and able to

291
00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:16.440
perform their assigned duties if needed. All of a sudden,

292
00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:20.519
as if on cue, the seven fifty seven shuddered violently,

293
00:18:21.319 --> 00:18:24.440
It sounded like it was getting nailed with a million paintballs,

294
00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:29.920
and took a sudden drop in elevation. Flight Attendant susie

295
00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:33.559
Q shrieked as she momentarily left her feet and if

296
00:18:33.599 --> 00:18:36.279
the drop had been just a couple more feet, her

297
00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:38.759
head would have been caved in by the plain ceiling.

298
00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:42.359
Another stroke of luck for susie Q was that she

299
00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:45.680
brushed up against the aisle seat that sure handed Otis

300
00:18:45.680 --> 00:18:49.400
occupied as wade and momentum took her up. Otis grabbed

301
00:18:49.400 --> 00:18:52.000
her by the waistband in her skirt with his steel

302
00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:56.000
grip and pulled her back down. Susie Q fell hard

303
00:18:56.039 --> 00:18:59.000
on both knees from the sudden descent, but it was

304
00:18:59.079 --> 00:19:03.880
preferable to smashing her skull. She crawled on hands and

305
00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:06.799
knees until she got to her seat. Her knees were

306
00:19:06.839 --> 00:19:10.599
all skinned up and blood was oozing from the stocking hose,

307
00:19:11.119 --> 00:19:13.240
but she made it to her seat and secured her

308
00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:17.599
safety belt. The creaking and cracking noises inside the flying

309
00:19:17.640 --> 00:19:22.319
capsule started to subside as the turbulence began to settle.

310
00:19:24.480 --> 00:19:26.759
This is the captain speaking. We aren't out of the

311
00:19:26.759 --> 00:19:29.680
woods yet. I anticipate we'll hit more chop before we

312
00:19:29.720 --> 00:19:34.680
settle back in. Remain seated with your seat belts fastened. Please, Otis,

313
00:19:34.759 --> 00:19:38.440
Are you okay? What you did there? Catching that girl?

314
00:19:38.559 --> 00:19:42.160
That was amazing. Sheila was falling in love with her

315
00:19:42.200 --> 00:19:47.200
elderly companion I'm fine, dear. I've been on many of

316
00:19:47.240 --> 00:19:51.119
these flights in my lifetime, and I've seen worse. We'll

317
00:19:51.200 --> 00:19:54.240
be fine. I was on a plane that almost crashed once,

318
00:19:54.319 --> 00:19:59.680
but that's another story. You you want me to keep going.

319
00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:03.799
There's more to tell about me and Ella. ODIs gazed

320
00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:06.519
at Sheila with you have to let me finish the

321
00:20:06.599 --> 00:20:12.000
story eyes. I would like to hear the rest. What

322
00:20:12.200 --> 00:20:16.839
happened to baby Otis? I rolled out of bed and

323
00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:19.920
remembered it felt like I stepped on a thousand sewing

324
00:20:19.960 --> 00:20:23.920
needles standing at attention on the hardwood floor. My hands

325
00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:27.000
might have seventy plus years of callous but my feet

326
00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:30.920
are still tender to this day. Ella was lying there,

327
00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:33.599
still lost in her dreams, as I shuffled across the

328
00:20:33.640 --> 00:20:37.279
floor to grab my bath robe. I generally slept in

329
00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:41.240
my undershorts and nothing else. It was colder than usual

330
00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:44.319
that morning, and the reason was apparent when I pulled

331
00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:47.680
the robe over my shoulders. The window on the left

332
00:20:47.680 --> 00:20:51.039
side of our bedroom was fully opened, and there was

333
00:20:51.079 --> 00:20:54.920
a little puddle on the floor directly underneath. So I

334
00:20:55.000 --> 00:20:58.319
closed the source of the morning's frosty rise and turned

335
00:20:58.359 --> 00:21:02.000
back to find a towel. I remember moving into the

336
00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:05.240
hallway looking just a moment to check in on Marylyn,

337
00:21:05.720 --> 00:21:08.920
and she was still nestled under her blankets. So I

338
00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:13.519
continued down the hallway toward the towel closet. Just before

339
00:21:13.559 --> 00:21:16.200
I got there, I noticed that the door to Little

340
00:21:16.240 --> 00:21:20.079
Otis's room was completely closed. We never left the door

341
00:21:20.160 --> 00:21:23.319
to his room completely closed, so this got my attention

342
00:21:23.480 --> 00:21:27.000
right quick. My breath got shorter the closer that I

343
00:21:27.079 --> 00:21:31.279
moved to Little Otis's door. The white knob seemed to

344
00:21:31.319 --> 00:21:36.200
look at me, daring me to turn it, but almost

345
00:21:36.240 --> 00:21:39.279
warning me not to. I hesitated as I expected it

346
00:21:39.319 --> 00:21:42.240
to grow a mouth and say, Otis, I wouldn't turn

347
00:21:42.319 --> 00:21:45.480
me if I were you. But I did turn it,

348
00:21:46.599 --> 00:21:50.559
and then I stepped in. Every window in the room

349
00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:55.000
was wide open, all four of them. The room was

350
00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:59.279
a literal ice box. Water was everywhere, much more than

351
00:21:59.319 --> 00:22:03.240
any single towel could pick up. Water splashed under my

352
00:22:03.319 --> 00:22:06.920
feet as I sprinted toward Little Otis's crib. I slipped

353
00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:09.240
in the water when I made a stubborn stop, and

354
00:22:09.319 --> 00:22:12.559
both my feet flung out from underneath me. I landed

355
00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:14.759
with my ass on the floor and my feet sticking

356
00:22:14.759 --> 00:22:17.680
out from under the crib. I grabbed the bottom of

357
00:22:17.720 --> 00:22:20.720
the crib rail and pulled myself up, shedding the soaked

358
00:22:20.759 --> 00:22:25.720
bathrobe as I did. His little green eyes were staring

359
00:22:25.799 --> 00:22:29.119
up at me, and his mouth was slightly open, as

360
00:22:29.160 --> 00:22:34.519
if he were still trying to suckle. I reached down

361
00:22:34.599 --> 00:22:38.240
to grab my son, and his blue body was cold

362
00:22:39.359 --> 00:22:44.000
and stiff. I'll never forget the sound it made when

363
00:22:44.039 --> 00:22:47.359
I pulled my blanket wrapped baby from the crib mattress.

364
00:22:48.200 --> 00:22:51.000
It was almost like the sound of pulling apart velcrow.

365
00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:55.039
I was looking into little Odis's hungry eyes when I

366
00:22:55.079 --> 00:23:03.799
heard Ella mumble I'm sorry in the doorway. Sheila, this

367
00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:09.680
was all my fault, it really was. I knew better

368
00:23:09.720 --> 00:23:12.400
than to leave her alone with little Otis the night before.

369
00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:16.839
Lack of sleep overruled rational thinking. Not that I'm using

370
00:23:16.839 --> 00:23:19.640
that as an excuse, because I'd gotten a good chunk

371
00:23:19.680 --> 00:23:22.359
of sleep for me that night before I went to bed.

372
00:23:23.920 --> 00:23:26.960
I never turned to look at her. I recall saying

373
00:23:27.000 --> 00:23:29.400
that I would take care of it, and she needed

374
00:23:29.400 --> 00:23:33.000
to leave the room while she still could. She was

375
00:23:33.079 --> 00:23:37.599
wailing as she walked back down the hallway. Little Marilyn

376
00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:41.559
was still snuggled in her blankets. Oh my god, Otis,

377
00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:46.119
what did you do? Sheila's hands were trembling at this point,

378
00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:53.039
but she didn't notice. Otis had her all the way in. Well, Sheila,

379
00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:57.519
I loved my Ella more than anything. And this is

380
00:23:57.599 --> 00:24:01.079
awful to say out loud, but I loved Ella even

381
00:24:01.160 --> 00:24:04.319
more than little Otis or Marilyn, and I would give

382
00:24:04.400 --> 00:24:09.440
my life without question for any of them. The plane

383
00:24:09.519 --> 00:24:12.440
suddenly dropped again, and the lights in the flying pill

384
00:24:12.480 --> 00:24:17.039
box flickered. The sounds of nervous passengers rose, and there

385
00:24:17.079 --> 00:24:20.079
was the cry of a baby somewhere about ten rows up.

386
00:24:20.839 --> 00:24:24.680
The plane rattled like chattering teeth. The flight attendants were

387
00:24:24.720 --> 00:24:27.599
breezing through the aisles, holding the sides of the seats

388
00:24:27.599 --> 00:24:30.359
as they moved through, trying to make sure that all

389
00:24:30.400 --> 00:24:35.119
the passengers were secured. This is the captain speaking. The

390
00:24:35.200 --> 00:24:40.440
chop we're experiencing is severe. Everyone remain seated. Flight attendants

391
00:24:40.440 --> 00:24:43.960
included everyone in your seat and stay there. If you

392
00:24:44.039 --> 00:24:46.160
have to use the restroom, I would suggest you hold

393
00:24:46.160 --> 00:24:50.000
it if at all possible. This turbulence is unpredictable and

394
00:24:50.039 --> 00:24:52.759
we are not out of it yet. No, thank you

395
00:24:52.839 --> 00:24:56.759
for flying with Delta flight seven fifty two after this update.

396
00:24:57.359 --> 00:24:59.960
This update was to keep your ass in your seat

397
00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:06.000
and don't move, So says El Capitan Otis. Sheila reached

398
00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:08.119
out and grabbed him by the tips of his fingers

399
00:25:08.160 --> 00:25:14.319
with both of her hands. Please finish the story, are

400
00:25:14.359 --> 00:25:18.400
you sure, dear? I hear some fear in the captain's

401
00:25:18.440 --> 00:25:23.119
voice now, so he has my attention. ODIs pulled both

402
00:25:23.119 --> 00:25:26.960
of her hands into his, and Sheila nodded her head yes,

403
00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:33.640
and Otis continued. Lucille was at the funeral, and she

404
00:25:33.759 --> 00:25:37.240
said maybe two words to me. The entire time she

405
00:25:37.319 --> 00:25:41.839
was there. There was definitely blame in her eyes, and

406
00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:46.559
it was always directed at me. I suspect that she

407
00:25:46.640 --> 00:25:50.559
went to her grave thinking I killed that baby, and

408
00:25:50.680 --> 00:25:55.079
in a way she was kind of right. My father

409
00:25:55.160 --> 00:25:58.319
and mother were there. My father never left my side

410
00:25:58.359 --> 00:26:01.200
for a second. My mother was all over the place.

411
00:26:01.960 --> 00:26:04.960
She was babbling incoherently for most of the service and

412
00:26:05.359 --> 00:26:09.559
clung to my father's shoulders like a frightened kitten. My

413
00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:13.799
father stayed stoic and strong for me to show me

414
00:26:13.920 --> 00:26:17.200
how to be a man. I appreciated that more than

415
00:26:17.240 --> 00:26:21.039
he ever knew. Neither one of Ella's sisters showed up.

416
00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:24.880
I'm sure mister s had something to do with Francine's

417
00:26:24.920 --> 00:26:28.799
no show. Genie, I never knew why she didn't make it.

418
00:26:29.599 --> 00:26:33.039
Marilyn was still a toddler and she noticed her baby

419
00:26:33.079 --> 00:26:37.319
brother was gone, but she was still young enough to forget.

420
00:26:38.359 --> 00:26:41.640
There was a brief investigation, but the baby's death was

421
00:26:41.680 --> 00:26:46.519
determined to be accidental bordering on negligence, and charges were

422
00:26:46.559 --> 00:26:50.640
within an eyelash of being filed. There were questions on

423
00:26:50.720 --> 00:26:54.319
why the windows were cracked. They were all just cracked

424
00:26:54.359 --> 00:26:57.319
when the investigator showed up, and there wasn't a drop

425
00:26:57.359 --> 00:27:01.000
of water on the floor. The windows, even being cracked

426
00:27:01.039 --> 00:27:03.680
just a little in an enclosed space with no heat,

427
00:27:03.799 --> 00:27:06.519
was enough to kill an infant when temperatures dropped the

428
00:27:06.559 --> 00:27:10.039
way they had. The reason given for the cracked windows

429
00:27:10.240 --> 00:27:13.160
was the strong scent of pine, a scent that I

430
00:27:13.279 --> 00:27:17.839
made sure was there when they showed up. Remember, I

431
00:27:17.880 --> 00:27:21.039
loved Ella more than anything, and I was going to

432
00:27:21.079 --> 00:27:24.559
protect her at all costs, even if that meant going

433
00:27:24.640 --> 00:27:30.559
to prison. After the funeral, Lucille showed up on Christmas, Thanksgiving,

434
00:27:30.599 --> 00:27:34.160
and a couple of Maryland's birthdays, but every time she

435
00:27:34.240 --> 00:27:37.440
laid her eyes on me. I could feel the flames

436
00:27:37.440 --> 00:27:43.799
of her hate. Then all at once we lost contact

437
00:27:43.880 --> 00:27:46.880
with her. She moved away in the night one day,

438
00:27:47.000 --> 00:27:50.680
and we never heard from her again. To this day,

439
00:27:50.759 --> 00:27:54.440
I don't know where she ended up or where she's buried.

440
00:27:55.279 --> 00:27:57.799
I suppose in this day and age, I could find out,

441
00:27:57.839 --> 00:28:03.599
But why raise old ghosts. I had a long talk

442
00:28:03.640 --> 00:28:08.319
with Ella, and after that we only spoke about little Otis.

443
00:28:08.359 --> 00:28:13.599
Every September twenty fourth, we'd get a cake, candles and

444
00:28:13.759 --> 00:28:17.279
say a prayer for our lost child. We shared the

445
00:28:17.319 --> 00:28:20.599
celebration with Marilyn every year, but as far as she

446
00:28:20.759 --> 00:28:25.160
was concerned, her brother's death was a tragic accident. I

447
00:28:25.200 --> 00:28:28.480
saw Genie and Francine a couple more times before I

448
00:28:28.559 --> 00:28:33.799
lost Ella, and both times weren't planned. Genie was passing

449
00:28:33.799 --> 00:28:38.000
through Augusta with her businessman husband and popped in both times.

450
00:28:39.039 --> 00:28:42.079
Francine came to get away from mister s the butcher

451
00:28:42.599 --> 00:28:45.640
once and she came looking to borrow money one other time.

452
00:28:47.000 --> 00:28:56.960
Then about this time last year, I lost Ella. Oxygen

453
00:28:57.079 --> 00:28:59.920
masks dropped and people were screaming and crying. On the

454
00:29:00.079 --> 00:29:03.119
seven fifty seven, the plane was in a sharp descent,

455
00:29:03.240 --> 00:29:06.759
and for Otis and Sheila, everything seemed to be moving

456
00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:12.559
in slow motion. Sheila, do you hear the baby, ODIs

457
00:29:12.599 --> 00:29:16.279
screamed over the commotion. The oxygen masks were floating in

458
00:29:16.279 --> 00:29:21.119
front of his face. Otis, put on your mask, Sheila screamed,

459
00:29:21.200 --> 00:29:23.920
leaning over, discarding the rule to put your own mask

460
00:29:24.039 --> 00:29:28.920
on before helping others. ODIs swatted her hands away. Sheila,

461
00:29:29.079 --> 00:29:32.119
I have to get the baby, ODIs screamed as he

462
00:29:32.200 --> 00:29:35.839
unbuckled his safety belt. It sounded like a freight train

463
00:29:36.079 --> 00:29:38.880
was barreling down the track, positioned to take them out.

464
00:29:39.480 --> 00:29:42.839
Heads were tucked between knees. Flight attendants were screaming at

465
00:29:42.839 --> 00:29:45.640
people to remain seated. The plane was almost in a

466
00:29:45.680 --> 00:29:49.079
full dive. ODIs pulled himself from the floor with his

467
00:29:49.160 --> 00:29:53.839
strong hands and moved from seat to seat. The sounds

468
00:29:53.880 --> 00:29:57.079
of babies cries got closer with each seat he passed.

469
00:29:57.599 --> 00:30:01.039
Most people were praying, some had their phones out, texting

470
00:30:01.119 --> 00:30:03.799
or trying to call their loved ones. He could hear

471
00:30:03.839 --> 00:30:07.960
Sheila screaming behind him, begging him to come back, but

472
00:30:08.079 --> 00:30:12.200
ODIs pressed on. He was there. ODIs gripped the side

473
00:30:12.200 --> 00:30:15.519
of seat A and looked into the green eyes staring

474
00:30:15.599 --> 00:30:20.720
back at him. Little ODIs smiled at his father, and

475
00:30:20.799 --> 00:30:24.400
his father smiled back. Otis kept his grip on the

476
00:30:24.400 --> 00:30:26.960
front of the seat with his right hand and unbuckled

477
00:30:26.960 --> 00:30:30.359
the child with his left. He lifted his son close

478
00:30:30.400 --> 00:30:35.680
to him. All of the screams went away. He could

479
00:30:35.720 --> 00:30:40.759
only hear Sheila. ODIs turned and, holding his son in

480
00:30:40.799 --> 00:30:45.160
one hand, made his way back to seat twenty two A.

481
00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:50.400
The pilots were both unconscious. The cabin pressure alarm went

482
00:30:50.480 --> 00:30:53.559
unnoticed as they tried to get the plane back on course,

483
00:30:54.160 --> 00:30:56.759
and it was too late when they fell into La

484
00:30:56.880 --> 00:31:07.279
La land. Sheila, meet my son, little ODIs? What how

485
00:31:07.880 --> 00:31:12.319
Sheila started? There was a bright flash of light and

486
00:31:12.440 --> 00:31:15.880
all of the shadows burned away into the white. The

487
00:31:15.880 --> 00:31:19.880
plane exploded into the side of the Cascade Mountains just

488
00:31:19.960 --> 00:31:29.799
outside of Seattle. Then Sheila awoke and it began again. Hi, dear,

489
00:31:30.599 --> 00:31:34.119
I hope I didn't wake you. A spindly old hand

490
00:31:34.160 --> 00:31:38.480
reached across the middle seat and gently tapped on Sheila's arm.

491
00:31:38.720 --> 00:31:41.559
As she turned to look upon the smiling, elderly man

492
00:31:42.119 --> 00:31:45.400
still touching her. His hands were the hands of a

493
00:31:45.440 --> 00:31:48.599
man who had seen their fair share of hard labor,

494
00:31:49.359 --> 00:31:51.880
the hands of a man that had been on top

495
00:31:51.920 --> 00:31:55.039
of many a roof on many a hot summer's day.

496
00:32:00.000 --> 00:32:06.519
We'll view memorial gardens. Augusta, Georgia. Ella and Marilyn were

497
00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:11.519
at Otis and Little Otis's graveside. Marilyn was standing behind

498
00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:15.079
her mother's wheelchair with a hand on her frail mother's shoulder.

499
00:32:16.119 --> 00:32:18.839
It had been a little over a year since they

500
00:32:18.920 --> 00:32:22.640
lost Otis in that horrible plane crash, and Otis had

501
00:32:22.680 --> 00:32:28.799
lost Ella and Marilyn. Marilyn, I have something to tell you,

502
00:32:29.400 --> 00:32:36.400
Ella started, What is it? Mother asked Marilyn. Let's go

503
00:32:36.480 --> 00:32:40.559
to the snow cap and I'll share it all. Ella

504
00:32:40.640 --> 00:32:47.200
wiped a tear from her eye. Okay, Mother, goodbye, Daddy

505
00:32:47.240 --> 00:32:52.519
and baby brother. I love you. Marilyn pushed the wheelchair

506
00:32:52.599 --> 00:32:57.119
up the incline as they passed. A middle aged couple

507
00:32:57.240 --> 00:33:02.160
smiled as they walked by, holding hand. The tall man

508
00:33:02.200 --> 00:33:05.559
and his wife stopped two plots away from Otis and

509
00:33:05.640 --> 00:33:12.640
Little Otis. The marker read Sheila Alice Baker, A bright

510
00:33:12.759 --> 00:33:17.640
light that will never burn out. February twenty eighth, nineteen

511
00:33:17.720 --> 00:33:32.960
eighty to November eighteenth, twenty twelve, be Careful what You51200:33:33.039 --> 00:33:39.359



Eat by Rob Fields. Gibson Pryor was getting close to51300:33:39.440 --> 00:33:42.480



Garnet Miron's house on the west end of the Pendleton51400:33:42.599 --> 00:33:46.160



Village limits. He was on cloud nine when he was51500:33:46.200 --> 00:33:50.200



given the extra large pepperoni and extra cheese pizza to51600:33:50.279 --> 00:33:53.599



deliver to her and her four friends who started for51700:33:53.680 --> 00:33:58.480



Pendleton High's girls basketball team. Even though he admired all51800:33:58.559 --> 00:34:02.759



the girls, he most had his heart set on Garnet herself.51900:34:03.599 --> 00:34:07.640



Gibson's heart pounded with anticipation as he pulled into Garnet's52000:34:07.640 --> 00:34:11.719



long driveway. There were two other vehicles parked with her truck.52100:34:12.599 --> 00:34:14.960



He cut the motor and got out with the pizza52200:34:15.039 --> 00:34:18.719



warming bag in hand. He reached the front door and52300:34:18.880 --> 00:34:22.760



rang the bell. Seconds later, the door opened to reveal52400:34:22.840 --> 00:34:27.639



a majorly dressed down Garnet Miron. Gibson saw she was52500:34:27.679 --> 00:34:31.159



wearing just a sexy robe, but could easily see her52600:34:31.239 --> 00:34:35.800



ginger hair and tan skin in kind. She was checking52700:34:35.880 --> 00:34:39.880



him out as she smiled and let him enter. Gibson52800:34:39.920 --> 00:34:43.519



couldn't believe when he saw the other four girls also52900:34:43.639 --> 00:34:47.400



wearing sexy robes. Before he could tell Garnet what was53000:34:47.440 --> 00:34:51.800



owed for the pizza, the team captain herself began rubbing53100:34:51.880 --> 00:34:58.239



up against him. Mm he just smells so dreamy, she53200:34:58.400 --> 00:35:02.480



told her friends. The other girls soon joined their captain.53300:35:03.159 --> 00:35:08.159



They too, complimented Gibson on how wonderful he smelled. Gibson53400:35:08.199 --> 00:35:12.800



couldn't believe the Pendleton guardswomen starters were dripping all over him.53500:35:13.519 --> 00:35:17.079



He composed himself and again tried to tell them what53600:35:17.280 --> 00:35:23.199



was owed for the pizza. Garnet gave him an approving smile. MM,53700:35:23.440 --> 00:35:28.679



you got any other deliveries, baby, Yeah, stay with us,53800:35:29.280 --> 00:35:32.639



Caprice dance and added, He'll give you a tip you'll53900:35:32.719 --> 00:35:38.039



never forget. Lakota Diamond. Further added, then he saw the54000:35:38.079 --> 00:35:43.079



pearly smiles of Skeeter, Victors and Hanley Paulson and wondered54100:35:43.119 --> 00:35:47.280



if he was asleep and dreaming. The girls took his54200:35:47.400 --> 00:35:50.599



hands and guided him to the indoor swimming pool area.54300:35:51.480 --> 00:35:56.280



Soon all five girls turned and faced him. Gibson gasped54400:35:56.280 --> 00:35:59.719



and nearly dropped the pizza bag as the entire basketball54500:35:59.760 --> 00:36:03.559



team undid their robes and let them drop to the54600:36:03.599 --> 00:36:10.480



ground to reveal five incredibly hot naked bodies. Skeeter took54700:36:10.519 --> 00:36:13.440



Gibson's pizza bag and set it on a deck chair.54800:36:14.119 --> 00:36:17.440



Then she helped Hanley undress him. As the other three54900:36:17.519 --> 00:36:22.239



girls jumped into the pool, Gibson knew his coworkers at55000:36:22.320 --> 00:36:27.079



Chet's Pizza would never believe him. Soon he was just55100:36:27.119 --> 00:36:32.440



as naked as the girls join us, Skeeter purred gently55200:36:32.519 --> 00:36:36.880



raking his chest with her long fingernails. Gibson let Skeeter55300:36:37.000 --> 00:36:40.360



and Hanley take his hands, and together they jumped into55400:36:40.400 --> 00:36:44.400



the pool. When they came up, Garnet appeared in front55500:36:44.400 --> 00:36:49.280



of him and started caressing his ripped chest. Gibson felt55600:36:49.280 --> 00:36:53.199



his heart racing even faster when Skeeter came into him55700:36:53.440 --> 00:36:57.840



and began melding her lips with his. As they shared55800:36:57.880 --> 00:37:01.519



their tongues, he could feel the other girl's touching and55900:37:01.599 --> 00:37:05.920



caressing him. If this truly was a dream, he did56000:37:05.960 --> 00:37:11.800



not want to wake up. However, Gibson's dream turned into56100:37:11.880 --> 00:37:15.679



a living nightmare when he felt the sudden sharp pain56200:37:16.199 --> 00:37:20.159



on his shoulder blade. When he screamed into Skeeter's mouth,56300:37:20.480 --> 00:37:25.000



her teeth clamped down hard on his tongue. Gibson continued56400:37:25.039 --> 00:37:29.360



screaming in Skeeter's mouth as he felt more bites. Gibson56500:37:29.440 --> 00:37:33.599



finally managed to shove Skeeter away, but now his tongue56600:37:33.679 --> 00:37:37.320



was hanging out of her mouth. Blood was already staining56700:37:37.360 --> 00:37:41.320



the water from Gibson's injuries. He also saw the girls56800:37:41.400 --> 00:37:44.280



chewing on the pieces of flesh they had bitten off56900:37:44.320 --> 00:37:50.519



of him, blood trailing down their chins and breasts. When57000:37:50.519 --> 00:37:54.920



Gibson tried to flee, Lakota suddenly sprang on him. Then57100:37:55.039 --> 00:37:58.760



her friends reached him again. Garnet and Handley pressed their57200:37:58.800 --> 00:38:04.119



fingers against his stomah until they easily penetrated it. Gibson57300:38:04.199 --> 00:38:07.400



gasped and barely got a final scream out when the57400:38:07.440 --> 00:38:12.679



two girls pulled his chest and stomach open. Blood really57500:38:12.760 --> 00:38:18.239



stained the water now. After Skeeter finished eating Gibson's tongue,57600:38:18.280 --> 00:38:21.280



she moved to the vacant left arm and began to57700:38:21.400 --> 00:38:25.719



dine on that. Between the five girls, they each claimed57800:38:25.719 --> 00:38:29.119



a section of Gibson's body. It had taken them nearly57900:38:29.159 --> 00:38:33.119



an hour to devour the hunky pizza guy, until only58000:38:33.199 --> 00:38:37.280



the skeleton itself remained. The girls looked at each other,58100:38:37.400 --> 00:38:42.840



now their bellies full and satisfied. Calling Chet's pizza and58200:38:42.880 --> 00:38:48.920



requesting this Adonis was a great call, Skeeter Lakota complimented, Hey,58300:38:49.559 --> 00:38:55.599



the meteor the tastier right. Skeeter returned, he was so yummy,58400:38:56.360 --> 00:39:00.599



Garnet smiled. You can still see after all this time,58500:39:01.119 --> 00:39:04.760



our hell Weaver promised us years ago when we made58600:39:04.800 --> 00:39:07.800



our pact with her, we just have to keep eating58700:39:07.840 --> 00:39:12.159



the flesh of only other mortals to get our heart's desires.58800:39:12.800 --> 00:39:16.280



And we started with becoming the girls basketball team to58900:39:16.360 --> 00:39:22.000



beat in the eerie Shore Conference. No, the state, Caprice59000:39:22.079 --> 00:39:25.960



corrected her. Yes, we've been winning the state championship since59100:39:26.000 --> 00:39:31.360



sophomore year, Hanley gushed, and we're still undefeated. We already59200:39:31.360 --> 00:39:35.760



clinched a playoff spot. Then there's the full ride scholarships59300:39:35.760 --> 00:39:40.960



to Shore City State, Lakota added, Where we'll continue our dominance,59400:39:41.400 --> 00:39:46.440



Garnet assured them. Then she chuckled. My bloodline in Strickfield59500:39:46.480 --> 00:39:49.639



banished me from the gated community when they learned I59600:39:49.679 --> 00:39:53.519



had a hell Weaver Bible. My family doesn't believe in her,59700:39:54.000 --> 00:39:58.119



only the family magics. The fools just don't understand that59800:39:58.239 --> 00:40:03.400



our hell Weaver super all of that. But why bring59900:40:03.559 --> 00:40:08.159



us into this wonderful thing? Caprice asked, You could have60000:40:08.199 --> 00:40:12.880



easily kept this all to yourself. Garnet smiled, because it60100:40:12.920 --> 00:40:18.679



would be very, very lonely. Also, you lovelies came into60200:40:18.679 --> 00:40:22.360



this pact with me of your own free wills. The60300:40:22.440 --> 00:40:26.440



others couldn't argue with Garnet on that. Then Lakota pointed60400:40:26.480 --> 00:40:28.960



to the deck chair with the black bag on it.60500:40:29.840 --> 00:40:36.239



What about that disgusting thing? Garnet smiled, Oh that. She60600:40:36.400 --> 00:40:38.440



swam to the side and got out of the pool.60700:40:38.960 --> 00:40:42.719



She opened the bag and pulled out the pizza. Oh Boys.60800:40:43.800 --> 00:40:47.920



Just then, two large rottweilers came trotting into the pool area.60900:40:48.519 --> 00:40:51.079



Garnet opened the pizza box and placed it down in61000:40:51.119 --> 00:40:54.760



front of them. The girls laughed as the dogs enjoyed61100:40:54.800 --> 00:40:58.679



their delicious treat. We'd better get this mess cleaned up,61200:40:59.159 --> 00:41:03.480



Caprice suggested. Garnet walked to a control panel and flipped61300:41:03.519 --> 00:41:07.679



a few switches to activate the powerful filtration system. After61400:41:07.719 --> 00:41:10.719



the girls removed the skeleton and disposed of it, they61500:41:10.760 --> 00:41:17.199



all went to take showers. The girls had done very61600:41:17.239 --> 00:41:20.760



well at basketball practice and were playing the first of61700:41:20.800 --> 00:41:24.239



their two games for the weekend. They had no problem61800:41:24.400 --> 00:41:29.079



dominating the Strickfield High Villagers on Friday night. When they61900:41:29.119 --> 00:41:33.519



were playing their Saturday night game, against the Strickfield Academy Sacraments. However,62000:41:34.199 --> 00:41:39.360



that was when they met Danica McMichaels. The Pendleton guardswomen62100:41:39.400 --> 00:41:43.920



had no problem besting McMichael's teammates, but the captain herself62200:41:44.280 --> 00:41:48.800



was easily getting around the guardswomen's entire starting lineup. The62300:41:48.840 --> 00:41:52.519



guards women heard McMichael's was good, but they didn't know62400:41:52.639 --> 00:41:56.559



she was that good. However, the guards women held off62500:41:56.599 --> 00:42:01.840



the Sacraments to the win by only one point. Danica62600:42:01.920 --> 00:42:05.400



McMichael's had clearly taken the guardswomen to the limit, but62700:42:05.519 --> 00:42:09.199



Garnet Mirn only smiled as she called her girls over62800:42:09.760 --> 00:42:19.039



and explained her plan. Danica had finished her shower and62900:42:19.199 --> 00:42:21.440



was ready to leave the locker room to join her63000:42:21.480 --> 00:42:25.199



teammates on the bus back to Strickfield. Soon, she had63100:42:25.239 --> 00:42:30.880



that awful feeling she was being watched. Her feeling proved63200:42:30.960 --> 00:42:35.480



right when Lakota Diamond blocked her way. Normally, Danica wasn't63300:42:35.480 --> 00:42:39.360



afraid to get in another girl's face, but Lakota's predatory63400:42:39.440 --> 00:42:43.760



stare made her feel scared. When Danica turned to flee,63500:42:43.880 --> 00:42:48.119



she saw Caprice dancing like Lakota, she also had a63600:42:48.159 --> 00:42:51.519



predatory stare on her face. Now, the rest of the63700:42:51.559 --> 00:42:57.320



Pendleton guardswomen had surrounded her. Okay, look, you guys won,63800:42:57.920 --> 00:43:04.199



Danica stammered, what what do you want you? Skeeter Vickers63900:43:04.239 --> 00:43:08.480



replied simply, you made us really work for our win.64000:43:09.039 --> 00:43:12.719



Henley Paulson said, playing that game sure made us work64100:43:12.800 --> 00:43:19.039



up an appetite. Garnet smiled a predatory smile. Now, okay, girls,64200:43:19.880 --> 00:43:24.760



let's eat. Danica attempted to flee past Lakota and Handley,64300:43:25.239 --> 00:43:29.000



but she turned and fled into the showers. Caprice turned64400:43:29.000 --> 00:43:32.880



the water on as her teammates began undressing. Soon, the64500:43:33.000 --> 00:43:37.719



naked guardswomen converged on Danica and began ripping her clothes off.64600:43:38.159 --> 00:43:41.519



She tried screaming and calling for help, but it was64700:43:41.559 --> 00:43:45.719



all in vain. The last scream Danica McMichael's would ever64800:43:45.760 --> 00:43:49.599



belt out would be when the Pendleton guardswomen bit into her.64900:43:50.480 --> 00:43:54.960



Danica's blood flowed all over the shower floor and down65000:43:55.000 --> 00:44:00.639



the drain. Then the guardswomen grabbed Danica's limbs, pulled with65100:44:00.679 --> 00:44:06.360



their supernaturally enhanced strength until she came apart in their hands.65200:44:07.159 --> 00:44:10.280



Each of the guardswomen now had their own section of65300:44:10.400 --> 00:44:14.599



Danica McMichael's all to themselves. They sat in the shower65400:44:14.920 --> 00:44:19.000



and enjoyed their shares fondly. As they ate, they felt65500:44:19.039 --> 00:44:23.000



the power again as they absorbed Danica's strength and attributes.65600:44:23.960 --> 00:44:26.960



Now that Danica had been assimilated among the many others65700:44:27.000 --> 00:44:30.280



these girls had consumed, they knew they would have no65800:44:30.440 --> 00:44:38.519



further problems winning the rest of their season. The following week,65900:44:38.719 --> 00:44:42.400



Skeeter was working out at the Pendleton Community Center. She66000:44:42.440 --> 00:44:45.480



couldn't help showing off as she bench pressed much of66100:44:45.519 --> 00:44:48.639



the same weight as what the more muscular guys were lifting.66200:44:49.559 --> 00:44:53.039



She still couldn't believe this incredible gift that Garnet Miran66300:44:53.159 --> 00:44:58.480



shared with the others. Herself included, wow, the more people66400:44:58.519 --> 00:45:02.760



we eat, the strong we become. When the girls had66500:45:02.760 --> 00:45:07.199



first turned to their cannibalistic lifestyle back in the seventh grade,66600:45:07.320 --> 00:45:10.840



Skeeter had actually been a diehard vegan. In fact, it66700:45:10.880 --> 00:45:13.840



had taken quite a bit of convincing from her friends66800:45:13.840 --> 00:45:17.039



to get her to finally embrace the pact between them66900:45:17.440 --> 00:45:20.840



and hell Weaver. Once she had taken her first bites67000:45:20.880 --> 00:45:25.159



of human flesh, she couldn't believe how amazingly delicious their67100:45:25.199 --> 00:45:30.280



own people truly were. Skeeter's hunger and cravings grew to67200:45:30.320 --> 00:45:33.800



where she consumed her own family one at a time.67300:45:34.360 --> 00:45:38.199



In fact, for this same reason, the others came to67400:45:38.239 --> 00:45:42.000



live with Garnet as well. With the exception of their captain,67500:45:42.480 --> 00:45:46.360



the other girls had eaten their families and assimilated their strength.67600:45:47.199 --> 00:45:51.679



As Skeeter continued pumping iron effortlessly, she loved the attention67700:45:51.840 --> 00:45:55.679



the guys were giving her. Either they admired her sexy body,67800:45:56.199 --> 00:45:59.159



the fact she could lift that kind of weight, or67900:45:59.360 --> 00:46:03.000



maybe both. But soon one of the regulars who came68000:46:03.039 --> 00:46:06.400



to the gym during the evening hours, a biker girl,68100:46:06.800 --> 00:46:11.119



didn't appreciate the attention Skeeter was getting. The girl threw68200:46:11.159 --> 00:46:14.679



her helmet at Skeeter to break her concentration and nearly68300:46:14.719 --> 00:46:18.960



make her drop the very heavy barbell on herself. It68400:46:19.000 --> 00:46:22.880



took Skeeter much willpower and determination to push the weight68500:46:22.960 --> 00:46:26.840



back up and on to the prongs. Skeeter quickly sprang68600:46:26.960 --> 00:46:30.519



up and moved to confront the biker just what the68700:46:30.599 --> 00:46:34.719



fuck is your problem? When the biker pushed Skeeter, she68800:46:34.840 --> 00:46:38.159



flew over her workout bench and landed hard on the floor.68900:46:38.800 --> 00:46:42.400



She couldn't believe the strength from this biker girl. When69000:46:42.440 --> 00:46:45.920



the biker removed her jacket and flexed her muscles, Skeeter69100:46:46.039 --> 00:46:52.159



became very hungry in imagining how delicious her flesh would taste.69200:46:52.199 --> 00:46:55.840



Skeeter continued her rigorous workout, keeping an eye on the69300:46:55.920 --> 00:46:59.400



biker check. At first, she considered cornering her in the69400:46:59.440 --> 00:47:03.760



jym shot, but there were too many people around. No,69500:47:04.599 --> 00:47:06.800



she would have to enjoy the biker in a more69600:47:07.639 --> 00:47:12.280



private setting. Skeeter followed the biker back to her trailer,69700:47:12.360 --> 00:47:17.639



about four miles outside of Pendleton. Skeeter hid her car69800:47:17.760 --> 00:47:21.400



and made her way to the trailer. She figured the69900:47:21.400 --> 00:47:24.440



biker must have been going to bed, since she never70000:47:24.519 --> 00:47:28.239



turned her lights on. Skeeter reached the door and was70100:47:28.280 --> 00:47:31.639



ready to pick the lock. Much to her surprise, the70200:47:31.679 --> 00:47:37.000



door was already unlocked. She smiled eagerly as she slipped70300:47:37.000 --> 00:47:41.280



inside the trailer. Skeeter moved around the small living room70400:47:41.320 --> 00:47:45.159



and quickly confirmed the biker wasn't there. Seeing nobody in70500:47:45.199 --> 00:47:49.719



the kitchenette, she turned and walked to the back. Carefully,70600:47:49.800 --> 00:47:53.719



she peeked inside the bathroom. At first, she wondered why70700:47:53.760 --> 00:47:57.760



the biker wasn't taking a shower, Then she determined she70800:47:57.840 --> 00:48:00.320



must have taken one at the gym after her work out.70900:48:01.159 --> 00:48:05.039



Before Skeeter could ponder anything else, she was suddenly attacked71000:48:05.039 --> 00:48:08.360



from behind and found herself flying backwards into the one71100:48:08.440 --> 00:48:12.920



room she hadn't checked yet. So glad you dropped by, babe,71200:48:13.559 --> 00:48:17.239



the biker purred in a deadly tone. He'll make a71300:48:17.320 --> 00:48:23.519



great protein shake. Suddenly, Skeeter felt scared. Did this biker71400:48:23.639 --> 00:48:26.480



also have a copy of the hell Weaver Bible? Did71500:48:26.559 --> 00:48:29.119



she also have a pact to where she was eating71600:48:29.119 --> 00:48:31.960



other mortals and gaining strength and power from them the71700:48:32.000 --> 00:48:37.199



way Skeeter and her fellow guardswomen were No. Skeeter yelled,71800:48:37.400 --> 00:48:42.440



determined not to be eaten herself. What is this? The71900:48:42.480 --> 00:48:45.639



biker cried in surprise, as Skeeter lifted her up and72000:48:45.800 --> 00:48:48.719



ran her into a nearby wall. The two of them72100:48:48.800 --> 00:48:51.599



hit the wall together and toppled over a wooden table.72200:48:52.480 --> 00:48:55.159



Skeeter was quickly back on her feet and ready to72300:48:55.199 --> 00:48:58.599



attack the biker again, but the biker was already on72400:48:58.719 --> 00:49:03.360



her shoulder, tackled and taken down to the floor. I72500:49:03.519 --> 00:49:08.000



will have you, the biker declared, moving to pin Skeeter down.72600:49:08.800 --> 00:49:13.000



Fuck you, Skeeter roared, reaching up and grabbing the biker's throat.72700:49:13.760 --> 00:49:17.280



The two girls continued to fight, wrecking many things in72800:49:17.320 --> 00:49:21.440



the biker's bedroom. After Skeeter felt several sharp scratches on72900:49:21.480 --> 00:49:25.199



her abdomen that felt like razor blades, she became scared73000:49:25.239 --> 00:49:28.599



and suddenly grabbed the biker by her throat again. Then73100:49:28.719 --> 00:49:33.079



Skeeter slammed her down hard onto her broken table. The73200:49:33.159 --> 00:49:37.360



biker shrieked loudly and wasn't getting up. Skeeter saw the73300:49:37.400 --> 00:49:40.519



biker was impaled on one of the wooden table legs.73400:49:41.079 --> 00:49:44.320



Seeing her chance, Skeeter moved to the prone biker and73500:49:44.360 --> 00:49:47.719



took hold of her arm. What the the fuck do73600:49:47.760 --> 00:49:51.320



you think you're doing, the biker demanded. When Skeeter bit73700:49:51.360 --> 00:49:55.239



a huge chunk of flesh from her arm, Skeeter's taste73800:49:55.280 --> 00:49:57.840



buds came to life like they had never came to73900:49:57.960 --> 00:50:02.719



life before. As Skeeter tasted the flesh, blood, and muscle74000:50:02.840 --> 00:50:06.079



she had taken from the biker, she knew she needed74100:50:06.079 --> 00:50:10.159



to have more. After swallowing her first bite, she bit74200:50:10.239 --> 00:50:15.760



off another chunk. However, the biker wasn't finished yet. She74300:50:15.920 --> 00:50:19.400



was still strong enough to fight back against Skeeter and74400:50:19.519 --> 00:50:23.400



pushed her away. Skeeter was too determined to let the74500:50:23.400 --> 00:50:27.400



best meal she had ever tasted get away. Remembering how74600:50:27.440 --> 00:50:30.199



strong she was from all of the mortals she had eaten,74700:50:30.639 --> 00:50:34.480



she used her strength to overpower the biker. This time.74800:50:34.800 --> 00:50:38.159



Skeeter sank her teeth deep into the biker's throat, so74900:50:38.360 --> 00:50:42.559



deep that she yanked hard back, taking a huge chunk75000:50:42.639 --> 00:50:47.480



of meat with her. Skeeter moaned seemingly in ecstasy. She75100:50:47.519 --> 00:50:51.280



had never tasted meat like this before now, not even75200:50:51.360 --> 00:50:54.440



from any of her past victims. If she had to75300:50:54.440 --> 00:50:57.400



give a comparison, the meat she had eaten from other75400:50:57.480 --> 00:51:02.920



mortals tasted like seasoned beef, But this biker, her meat75500:51:03.039 --> 00:51:05.360



lasted as though it had been soaked in the most75600:51:05.840 --> 00:51:11.159



delicious marinade. The biker groaned in agony as Skeeter continued75700:51:11.199 --> 00:51:14.880



to eat from her. Skeeter just couldn't stop. Even her75800:51:14.920 --> 00:51:17.960



stomach didn't seem to protest this all you can eat75900:51:18.000 --> 00:51:23.159



buffet for one. Skeeter kept eating and eating. Eventually she76000:51:23.239 --> 00:51:26.400



reached the biker's heart and saw that the wooden table76100:51:26.480 --> 00:51:32.000



leg had gone completely through it. Skeeter kept eating and76200:51:32.119 --> 00:51:34.840



eating until there was nothing left of the biker girl,76300:51:35.480 --> 00:51:39.559



but her skeletal bones, she moaned as she stood up,76400:51:39.800 --> 00:51:43.199



feeling how satisfied her stomach was at the best meal76500:51:43.320 --> 00:51:47.119



she had ever eaten. I can't believe I actually wanted76600:51:47.119 --> 00:51:50.320



to be vegan, she thought, as she went into the76700:51:50.360 --> 00:51:53.800



bathroom and turned the light on. She got her bloody76800:51:53.840 --> 00:51:58.079



clothes off and stepped into the shower. After taking a76900:51:58.079 --> 00:52:01.599



long while to clean herself well, she helped herself to77000:52:01.639 --> 00:52:12.400



the biker's clothes before going back to Garnet's house. When77100:52:12.440 --> 00:52:15.039



Skeeter walked in, the other girls were in the living77200:52:15.119 --> 00:52:19.159



room watching TV. Garnet was sitting in a recliner and77300:52:19.199 --> 00:52:23.920



looked her way hungry. We just shared a DoorDash driver77400:52:24.519 --> 00:52:28.440



saved you your share. Skeeter shook her head a little. No,77500:52:28.639 --> 00:52:35.360



I'm fine, maybe maybe later. Are you serious, Skeeter, Lakota77600:52:35.440 --> 00:52:42.440



asked with surprise. You're always hungry. Maybe later, Skeeter repeated,77700:52:42.480 --> 00:52:47.199



as she held herself. You okay, Garnet asked, you look77800:52:47.719 --> 00:52:52.159



really pale. Just then, Skeeter was confronted by Garnet's two77900:52:52.239 --> 00:52:57.039



large rotweilers. The dogs growled and then barked loudly at her.78000:52:57.519 --> 00:53:00.880



Hendrix Marley, what the hell's wrong? With you too, Garnet78100:53:00.920 --> 00:53:04.280



demanded getting up and going to them. No matter how78200:53:04.320 --> 00:53:07.400



many times Garnet ordered the dogs to behave they would78300:53:07.440 --> 00:53:11.880



not obey her and continued barking at Skeeter. Garnet gave78400:53:11.880 --> 00:53:14.559



her a look that said she needed to make herself scarce.78500:53:15.480 --> 00:53:19.079



Skeeter inched away from the dogs and ducked into the bathroom.78600:53:19.760 --> 00:53:23.000



After closing the door, she began to wonder why the78700:53:23.119 --> 00:53:27.000



dogs turned against her. She remembered how much they loved78800:53:27.039 --> 00:53:30.880



eating from her hands. She turned to the shower and78900:53:30.960 --> 00:53:33.360



reached out to put the hot water on full blast.79000:53:34.079 --> 00:53:36.840



Then she stopped herself when she heard the dogs barking79100:53:36.920 --> 00:53:41.280



louder and coming close to the door. Skeeter shivered as79200:53:41.320 --> 00:53:44.239



she moved to the window and opened it. To her surprise,79300:53:44.400 --> 00:53:47.440



she was no longer feeling so cold as the chilly,79400:53:47.519 --> 00:53:51.519



wintry winds washed over her. She quickly climbed out and79500:53:51.559 --> 00:53:54.599



got as far away from the house as she could.79600:53:55.400 --> 00:53:58.800



Then she felt her t shirt ripping in the back.79700:54:04.280 --> 00:54:08.599



The next afternoon, when basketball practice was over, Caprice was79800:54:08.639 --> 00:54:12.360



out searching for Skeeter. The other girls couldn't believe she79900:54:12.480 --> 00:54:16.400



never returned home. She hadn't even gone to school. At80000:54:16.480 --> 00:54:19.119



least the dogs had stopped barking up a storm. When80100:54:19.119 --> 00:54:22.920



Skeeter had left, Caprice kept calling out for Skeeter and80200:54:22.960 --> 00:54:27.159



getting no replies. Then she remembered Skeeter sometimes hid in80300:54:27.199 --> 00:54:31.719



the cave underneath the waterfall at Crystal River. Thanks to80400:54:31.760 --> 00:54:34.719



her enhanced speed and stamina, she made it to the80500:54:34.800 --> 00:54:38.000



river in just a matter of minutes. She moved along80600:54:38.039 --> 00:54:40.920



the side until she came to the falls. Then she80700:54:41.039 --> 00:54:45.400



dropped down and dashed through the water to enter the cave. Skeeter,80800:54:46.280 --> 00:54:50.119



you in here, Caprice called out. A moment later, Caprice80900:54:50.119 --> 00:54:55.000



saw someone approaching Skeeter. She shivered a little at how81000:54:55.039 --> 00:54:59.360



cold the blowing winds were. Caprice gasped when she saw81100:54:59.440 --> 00:55:03.920



two glowing red eyes staring back at her. She gulped81200:55:03.920 --> 00:55:08.079



when the naked female form emerged. She had long, ebony81300:55:08.119 --> 00:55:12.159



hair and chalk white skin, with huge antlers and a81400:55:12.199 --> 00:55:19.039



furry tail. Caprice immediately recognized her Skeeter. Oh God, what81500:55:19.960 --> 00:55:24.480



happened to you? Caprice choked out. Skeeter raised her sharp81600:55:24.519 --> 00:55:28.480



claws and sprang at her. Caprice turned to run, but81700:55:28.559 --> 00:55:32.840



couldn't get back through the waterfall in time Wendy go81800:55:35.039 --> 00:55:41.480



Skeeter hissed in a deadly whisper. Skeeter No, Caprice screamed.81900:55:41.840 --> 00:55:46.519



When this creature that was formerly Skeeter Vickers bit down82000:55:46.679 --> 00:55:51.960



hard into her shoulder, Caprice staggered a little and then fell.82100:55:52.800 --> 00:55:56.920



She remained motionless as Skeeter ate the large chunk of82200:55:56.960 --> 00:56:03.119



her flesh, muscle, and bone. When she finished, Skeeter leapt82300:56:03.119 --> 00:56:06.280



at the rest of her meal and proceeded to devour it,82400:56:07.280 --> 00:56:12.480



and just outside the waterfall, it began to snow hard.82500:56:15.920 --> 00:56:19.880



Hours later, Garnet, Lakota, and Hanley made it back to82600:56:19.920 --> 00:56:23.000



the house after having no luck in searching for Skeeter.82700:56:23.800 --> 00:56:28.280



Only now they quickly determined Caprice wasn't among them. After82800:56:28.360 --> 00:56:32.840



several unanswered texts from both Caprice and Skeeter, the girls82900:56:32.880 --> 00:56:36.800



became very worried. It was night and it had already83000:56:36.840 --> 00:56:40.719



snowed a good five inches. Of course, wintry weathers such83100:56:40.760 --> 00:56:45.440



as that was common in Feldner County. Garnet noticed that83200:56:45.480 --> 00:56:50.039



her two rottweilers were whimpering in fear. She knelt down83300:56:50.199 --> 00:56:54.039



next to her babies. Seriously, what is up with you two?83400:56:54.679 --> 00:56:57.480



Yesterday I couldn't shut you guys up for shit, and83500:56:57.559 --> 00:57:01.320



now you're acting like I'm going to whip your asses. Suddenly,83600:57:01.400 --> 00:57:05.119



the back door flew open, hard and fast. A huge83700:57:05.199 --> 00:57:09.000



gust of wintry winds and snow followed. As the girls83800:57:09.079 --> 00:57:12.000



moved to shut the door, they heard something off in83900:57:12.079 --> 00:57:18.960



the distance. Wendy go. The girls looked at each other, Well,84000:57:19.519 --> 00:57:23.400



what the fuck was that? Lakota stammered, Let's get this84100:57:23.480 --> 00:57:27.760



door closed. Garnet stammered back, not sure she really wanted84200:57:27.760 --> 00:57:31.199



to know. The girls reached the door and managed to84300:57:31.199 --> 00:57:35.119



push it shut again. Garnet locked it up tight. That84400:57:35.239 --> 00:57:38.760



didn't keep the sounds of the wind out or what84500:57:38.960 --> 00:57:45.880



was calling out to them. Wendy go. The girls were84600:57:45.960 --> 00:57:49.480



really scared now. They moved back into the living room.84700:57:50.280 --> 00:57:55.079



Then Hanley smelled something shit Hendrix just peed all over84800:57:55.119 --> 00:57:59.400



the floor. The dogs were really cowering with fear. As84900:57:59.440 --> 00:58:02.440



Garnet moved to try and comfort them, the back door85000:58:02.519 --> 00:58:08.119



flew open again. Wendy go. The sound was almost to85100:58:08.199 --> 00:58:11.079



the house now. The girls ran to the door to85200:58:11.159 --> 00:58:14.199



try and secure it again. As they nearly pushed it85300:58:14.280 --> 00:58:17.679



back into place, she saw the frame was broken out85400:58:17.719 --> 00:58:20.599



where the dead bolt was installed and knew the door85500:58:20.639 --> 00:58:25.440



wouldn't close and lock properly. Again. Seriously, what the fuck85600:58:25.559 --> 00:58:29.239



is going on out there? Hanley muttered, We've never had85700:58:29.239 --> 00:58:33.000



a winter storm like this before. It's not the storm85800:58:33.039 --> 00:58:38.559



that's worrying me. Wendy go now. The sound was right85900:58:38.639 --> 00:58:41.440



at the door. The girls screamed when they saw the86000:58:41.519 --> 00:58:45.840



blood stained face looking in right at them. Suddenly it86100:58:45.920 --> 00:58:49.559



ripped the door away. Then it grabbed Hanley with amazing speed.86200:58:50.239 --> 00:58:55.880



No no, were the last words Hanley Paulsen would ever say.86300:58:56.519 --> 00:59:01.920



As the creature pulled her outside, Garnet and Lakota turned86400:59:01.920 --> 00:59:05.719



and ran. They stopped and looked outside to see Skeeter86500:59:06.079 --> 00:59:09.440



had bitten a huge chunk of flesh and muscle out86600:59:09.440 --> 00:59:13.559



of Hanley's neck and shoulders. As blood slowly ran down86700:59:13.639 --> 00:59:19.159



Skeeter's snowy white skin, she smiled with sinister delight right86800:59:19.239 --> 00:59:26.559



at them. Whendy go. Like before, it came out like86900:59:26.639 --> 00:59:29.480



a whisper that somehow seemed to cut through the noise87000:59:29.880 --> 00:59:33.239



of the harsh winds. Garnet went to grab the hell87100:59:33.320 --> 00:59:37.519



Weaver Bible. Knowing she couldn't secure the tome before Skeeter87200:59:37.559 --> 00:59:40.280



would reach her, she made a quick decision to grab87300:59:40.320 --> 00:59:43.840



the parchment paper with the hell Weaver's packed as she87400:59:44.000 --> 00:59:47.360



and Lakota both fled and escaped out the front door.87500:59:48.239 --> 00:59:52.559



When they reached Garnet's truck, she insisted Lakota drive, it's87600:59:52.639 --> 00:59:56.239



your truck. Lakota protested, I can't drive it the way87700:59:56.280 --> 01:00:00.559



you can. I need to read through our pact. Garnet returned,87801:00:00.880 --> 01:00:03.239



there has to be a reason why Skeeter turned into87901:00:03.280 --> 01:00:07.360



that thing. Don't worry, the four wheel drive is locked in.88001:00:08.320 --> 01:00:12.280



Lakota reluctantly got into the driver's seat and started the truck.88101:00:12.880 --> 01:00:17.239



She shifted and floored the accelerator. What the fuck happened88201:00:17.280 --> 01:00:20.920



to Skeeter? Garnet turned on the compartment light and read88301:00:20.960 --> 01:00:23.079



through the pack that each of them had signed in88401:00:23.119 --> 01:00:26.519



their own blood. From the time Garnet had found her88501:00:26.559 --> 01:00:29.960



copy of the hell Weaver Bible, she could immediately read88601:00:30.000 --> 01:00:33.920



the language. Now she was reading over all the paragraphs88701:00:34.119 --> 01:00:38.360



regarding the girl's packed with hell Weaver. Finally, Garnet found88801:00:38.360 --> 01:00:43.800



a rather interesting clause. We're only supposed to eat other mortals,88901:00:44.199 --> 01:00:49.719



Garnet told Lakota, eating anything that's not mortal. You think89001:00:49.800 --> 01:00:54.880



Skeeter ate someone who wasn't mortal, Lakota guessed, remember how89101:00:54.920 --> 01:00:57.159



she didn't want her share of our door dash driver.89201:00:57.760 --> 01:01:06.440



She gulped, Well, Skeeter's sure hungry. Now, Wendy go. They89301:01:06.519 --> 01:01:10.440



heard Skeeter whisper in the woods. That has to be89401:01:10.519 --> 01:01:15.599



the explanation. Garnet stressed. We've eaten so many people and89501:01:15.639 --> 01:01:19.440



we all turned out fine. We were always careful, We've89601:01:19.480 --> 01:01:23.719



all played by our hell Weaver's rules. Skeeter must have89701:01:23.800 --> 01:01:28.480



been really hungry, Lakota guessed. Even though she's a skinny thing,89801:01:28.840 --> 01:01:31.480



she always had a bigger appetite compared to the rest89901:01:31.480 --> 01:01:35.599



of us. What could she have eaten? The girls had90001:01:35.599 --> 01:01:39.000



little time to speculate when they saw Skeeter standing in90101:01:39.039 --> 01:01:41.800



the road directly in front of them. Her red eyes90201:01:41.920 --> 01:01:45.760



glowed brightly, her rows of sharp teeth gleamed in the90301:01:45.800 --> 01:01:52.280



headlights as she stared at them. Wendy go. Skeeter whispered again.90401:01:53.280 --> 01:01:56.480



Lakota floored the gas and drove right at Skeeter, who90501:01:56.519 --> 01:02:00.760



didn't seem to care in the least shit. Koda shrieked90601:02:00.760 --> 01:02:03.599



when Skeeter ascended into the air to let the truck90701:02:03.679 --> 01:02:06.800



pass underneath her. She looked over her shoulder when she90801:02:06.960 --> 01:02:11.800



heard and felt Skeeter land in the back. Suddenly, Skeeter's90901:02:11.840 --> 01:02:15.760



clawed hand crashed through the back window and grabbed Lakota's neck.91001:02:16.599 --> 01:02:22.280



Garnet help, Lakota, screamed. Garnet dropped the hell Weaver packed91101:02:22.480 --> 01:02:25.760



and grabbed Lakota to try and help her. Even with91201:02:25.920 --> 01:02:28.719



their enhanced strength from all the mortals they had eaten,91301:02:29.199 --> 01:02:34.840



Skeeter's new strength made theirs look simply just mortal. The91401:02:34.960 --> 01:02:39.000



driver's side door was ripped open, then Skeeter released Lakota91501:02:39.079 --> 01:02:41.639



long enough to grab her with her other hand and91601:02:41.760 --> 01:02:48.559



yank her out. Lakota, Garnet screamed. Lakota Diamond only screamed briefly,91701:02:49.119 --> 01:02:51.800



as if it was cut off when Skeeter began to91801:02:51.880 --> 01:02:56.800



devour her. Garnet moved to get behind the wheel, but91901:02:56.920 --> 01:03:00.440



she was too late. Even a four wheel drive viavehicle's92001:03:00.440 --> 01:03:04.800



worst enemy, his ice. The truck began to turn until92101:03:04.800 --> 01:03:07.880



it spun around a few times before it went into92201:03:07.880 --> 01:03:12.000



a curve and forced the vehicle to overturn a few times.92301:03:12.519 --> 01:03:15.760



The truck came to a final stop on its top.92401:03:16.960 --> 01:03:20.440



Garnet secured the hell Weaver, packed and escaped from the truck.92501:03:20.840 --> 01:03:23.639



She groaned when she felt the pain on various parts92601:03:23.679 --> 01:03:26.159



of her body. As far as she knew, none of92701:03:26.159 --> 01:03:29.679



her bones were broken, but she was sure she was bruised.92801:03:30.840 --> 01:03:33.920



Garnet knew it wouldn't be long before Skeeter would be92901:03:34.000 --> 01:03:38.360



finished with Lakota. But where could she hide. She was93001:03:38.400 --> 01:03:40.920



out in the open with no houses in the distance.93101:03:41.639 --> 01:03:45.760



She wasn't even near the Pendleton village limits. She focused93201:03:45.800 --> 01:03:49.119



and ran with everything she had. It was a struggle93301:03:49.159 --> 01:03:52.480



as the heavy winds and snow made their impact known,93401:03:53.239 --> 01:03:57.199



especially since she wasn't properly dressed for the weather or93501:03:57.280 --> 01:04:00.920



even wearing a jacket. Garnet knew she didn't have any93601:04:00.960 --> 01:04:03.880



more time to study hell Weaver's Pact to see if93701:04:03.920 --> 01:04:07.639



there was a way to stop or help Skeeter. Finally,93801:04:07.719 --> 01:04:12.360



she released it into the storm. Garnet remembered she was93901:04:12.400 --> 01:04:15.199



a mirror. Even though she had been banished for her94001:04:15.239 --> 01:04:19.159



belief in hell Weaver, she was still a mirror. She94101:04:19.360 --> 01:04:22.679



still knew the mirror ways, and she wasn't going to94201:04:22.800 --> 01:04:26.239



die a coward's death. If she was dying this night,94301:04:26.920 --> 01:04:30.800



she was going down fighting. She knew she didn't stand94401:04:30.840 --> 01:04:34.320



a chance in hell against Skeeter, but she was going94501:04:34.440 --> 01:04:39.000



down like a true miran. She turned around and screamed94601:04:39.000 --> 01:04:42.840



into the winds Okay, Skeeter, come and get me. I'm94701:04:42.920 --> 01:04:49.880



right here, you bitch, Wendy go. Skeeter's cries still sent94801:04:49.960 --> 01:04:53.599



shivers down her back, and before Garnet could think about it,94901:04:54.039 --> 01:04:58.760



Skeeter was directly in front of her. Garnet screamed. When95001:04:58.800 --> 01:05:01.840



she saw all the blood on her mouth, hands, and95101:05:01.880 --> 01:05:05.079



down the front of her naked body. All of it95201:05:05.159 --> 01:05:09.559



belonged to her former friends, her family through their bond95301:05:09.639 --> 01:05:14.159



with hell Weaver. Skeeter smiled and showed her sharp teeth.95401:05:15.280 --> 01:05:20.599



Wendy Go. Garnet screamed and dove right at Skeeter. She95501:05:20.679 --> 01:05:24.000



took this creature into the snowy ground and threw everything95601:05:24.079 --> 01:05:29.639



she had into punching her face again and again. Die God,95701:05:29.719 --> 01:05:34.840



damn you, Garnet screamed, you are our family, Skeeter. Even95801:05:34.880 --> 01:05:39.599



though Skeeter could easily hear Garnet, she couldn't have cared less.95901:05:40.119 --> 01:05:44.119



She suddenly raised her clawed hand and snatched Garnet by96001:05:44.119 --> 01:05:48.760



her neck. She quickly got back to her feet and96101:05:48.880 --> 01:05:53.360



threw Garnet several yards until she landed hard on the96201:05:53.599 --> 01:05:57.639



icy road. Garnet cried out as she felt her shoulder96301:05:57.920 --> 01:06:02.119



shatter on Impact'd heal up after a time, but she96401:06:02.119 --> 01:06:05.039



would become weaker and need to consume more of her96501:06:05.079 --> 01:06:09.559



fellow mortals to regain her full strength. She could also96601:06:09.719 --> 01:06:13.000



feel herself bleeding out through the breaks in her flesh.96701:06:13.960 --> 01:06:17.159



Garnet knew she would bleed to death if Skeeter didn't96801:06:17.239 --> 01:06:21.559



kill her first. It was then when Garnet felt her96901:06:21.559 --> 01:06:27.639



survival instincts come alive. She knew she didn't want to die.97001:06:27.840 --> 01:06:30.639



The only way she could survive would be to attack97101:06:30.760 --> 01:06:33.920



Skeeter and try and eat her flesh. She would have97201:06:34.000 --> 01:06:37.880



to break the pact with hell Weaver and become this thing.97301:06:38.880 --> 01:06:44.719



This Wendy Go was that what Skeeter was known as now.97401:06:45.880 --> 01:06:49.440



When Skeeter walked towards her, her long tongue came out97501:06:49.480 --> 01:06:52.639



and licked at her mouth. When it went back in,97601:06:52.840 --> 01:07:00.920



Skeeter smiled a predatory smile. Wendy Go screamed at the97701:07:00.920 --> 01:07:04.800



top of her lungs and rushed at Skeeter. She tackled97801:07:04.800 --> 01:07:08.320



her to the ground and quickly bit right into her flesh.97901:07:09.159 --> 01:07:12.440



Garnet's body came to life as she tasted the most98001:07:13.079 --> 01:07:17.639



incredible meat that she had ever had. From there, the98101:07:17.679 --> 01:07:20.480



two former friends would fight each other in a long98201:07:20.599 --> 01:07:26.519



battle to the death. Naturally, only one could survive this conflict.98301:07:27.480 --> 01:07:32.239



When the fight was over, Garnet Miron was victorious. She98401:07:32.400 --> 01:07:36.039



continued to eat her former friend until nothing was left98501:07:36.079 --> 01:07:41.480



but Skeeter's horrific wendygos skeleton. Garnet rose to her feet98601:07:41.840 --> 01:07:46.079



and felt her shoulder nearly restored. The winds and cold98701:07:46.239 --> 01:07:49.800



no longer bothered her. She could see how white her98801:07:49.840 --> 01:07:53.400



skin was becoming, and knew she was mutating into the98901:07:53.519 --> 01:07:58.880



very creature Skeeter once was. Soon she would completely renounce99001:07:59.199 --> 01:08:04.119



whatever humankennity she had remaining and suffer hell Weaver's unforgiving99101:08:04.159 --> 01:08:09.599



punishment for breaking the pact. Garrett Miron would soon be99201:08:09.760 --> 01:08:14.599



no more. In her place, would be another abomination that99301:08:14.760 --> 01:08:20.600



Skeeter Vickers once was. Her transformation finished when she felt99401:08:20.640 --> 01:08:25.000



how sharp her teeth had become, her long tongue emerging,99501:08:25.680 --> 01:08:34.079



and her antlers fully grown. Wandy Go was Garnet's first99601:08:34.159 --> 01:08:39.560



word in her new form. From there, she ascended into99701:08:39.560 --> 01:08:42.880



the winter's storm's winds and let them carry her to99801:08:42.920 --> 01:08:47.760



the village of Pendleton to seek whatever victims were unfortunate99901:08:47.840 --> 01:08:52.159



enough to be outside in the hostile weather. And it100001:08:52.199 --> 01:08:56.079



would be on harsh wintry nights like that one that100101:08:56.199 --> 01:08:58.840



this creature that would come to be known as the100201:08:58.880 --> 01:09:03.199



Wendigo would come to prowl in search of living beings,100301:09:03.880 --> 01:09:10.399



mortal or not, to satiate her never ending hunger and bloodlust.100401:09:11.560 --> 01:09:14.880



At least, that was how the legend would come to100501:09:14.920 --> 01:09:19.520



be recorded at Strickfield University's website under the Local Legends100601:09:19.600 --> 01:09:30.880



tab The Ship of the Cannibal Rats by David O'Hanlon.100701:09:33.279 --> 01:09:40.439



This fucking blows, Chance grumbled, could be worse, Lucas said, comfortingly.100801:09:41.520 --> 01:09:46.640



How could this be any worse? The shipping container rocked100901:09:47.119 --> 01:09:50.800



not so gently in the waves. A few others bobbed101001:09:50.840 --> 01:09:55.560



around them. Amongst the assorted equipment and the corpses of101101:09:55.600 --> 01:10:01.560



the ship's crew, Dorsal fins of migrating blueshirt darted between101201:10:01.640 --> 01:10:07.199



the bodies. Occasionally they'd drag one down or just chomp101301:10:07.319 --> 01:10:11.319



off a piece, sending the other sharks into a frenzy.101401:10:12.239 --> 01:10:16.119



A thick fog had persisted since two days prior, and101501:10:16.199 --> 01:10:21.239



the sharks fins looked like ghosts flitting around the floating buffet.101601:10:22.039 --> 01:10:25.800



The ship's captain, McHenry bobbed in the water with his101701:10:25.920 --> 01:10:30.640



eyes still open. For whatever reason, the sharks wouldn't eat him,101801:10:30.880 --> 01:10:35.000



and every so often he floated just right to cast101901:10:35.079 --> 01:10:39.319



his undead gaze on the stranded men, as if to102001:10:39.439 --> 01:10:44.920



ask when they'd be joining him. It could be raining again,102101:10:45.600 --> 01:10:50.399



Luca offered, you know you're right, chance, let his head102201:10:50.439 --> 01:10:54.680



fall back on the container with a thud. It would102301:10:54.760 --> 01:10:57.760



suck if drinkable water started to fall from the sky.102401:10:58.640 --> 01:11:01.640



It's only been thirty hours since we had a drink,102501:11:01.680 --> 01:11:07.279



after all, thirty two, and I'm working on that. Luca102601:11:07.439 --> 01:11:11.079



walked to the edge of the container. It wasn't uncommon102701:11:11.119 --> 01:11:15.239



for McHenry to lease space to smugglers. He'd seen the102801:11:15.319 --> 01:11:18.960



crates hastily loaded in the middle of the night. It102901:11:19.039 --> 01:11:22.920



didn't look like the drugs they normally picked up weapons.103001:11:22.960 --> 01:11:28.399



Maybe it didn't really matter. Whatever they'd been hauling had103101:11:28.439 --> 01:11:34.039



brought the ship down fast, too fast for anyone to react. Accordingly,103201:11:35.079 --> 01:11:38.279



two of the three lifeboats had gone down with the wreckage.103301:11:38.800 --> 01:11:43.479



The last one was currently adrift and unmanned. Water food103401:11:43.920 --> 01:11:49.159



and an emergency beacon bobbed tauntingly. Just one hundred meters away.103501:11:50.399 --> 01:11:55.600



Seven dead men floated like lily pads between Luca and salvation.103601:11:56.760 --> 01:12:01.680



A long fin sliced the surface and then dive down sharply.103701:12:02.880 --> 01:12:07.880



Make that six dead men get away from the edge,103801:12:07.880 --> 01:12:11.840



you dumb ass, Chance grumped. One of the sharks is103901:12:11.880 --> 01:12:14.960



going to jump up and bite your ass. That only104001:12:15.039 --> 01:12:20.880



happens in the movies. Sharks can't jump. Luca instinctively reached104101:12:20.880 --> 01:12:25.199



for a pack of cigarettes that wasn't there. Whales jump104201:12:25.239 --> 01:12:27.399



out of the water all the time to eat penguins.104301:12:27.960 --> 01:12:31.199



Chance told him, you can use the internet for more104401:12:31.239 --> 01:12:35.840



than porn. You know, whales are mammals. What the hell104501:12:35.880 --> 01:12:39.880



does that have to do with anything? Mammals can jump?104601:12:40.359 --> 01:12:46.520



Luca shrugged, fish swim fuck, I need a smoke. A104701:12:46.600 --> 01:12:50.640



shark breached the surface, throwing its body onto the container.104801:12:51.319 --> 01:12:55.000



It swept its open mouth across the edge, sending Luca104901:12:55.119 --> 01:12:58.920



into a backward stumble before sliding off into the water.105001:13:00.079 --> 01:13:03.159



Luca landed hard on his ass and slid on the105101:13:03.159 --> 01:13:09.279



wet metal. He laughed it off shakily. So maybe they105201:13:09.359 --> 01:13:14.880



can jump, he admitted, told you so. The waves slapped105301:13:14.920 --> 01:13:17.920



the back of Luca's head, and he sat up quickly105401:13:17.960 --> 01:13:21.640



as a dorsal streaked by. He ran his hand through105501:13:21.680 --> 01:13:27.439



the mop of hair, looking around suspiciously. Another shark swam by,105601:13:28.000 --> 01:13:32.439



and Luca felt his stomach not he could clearly see105701:13:32.479 --> 01:13:37.439



the bright blue coloration that gave them their name. Luca105801:13:37.560 --> 01:13:41.479



leaned over the edge a bit more hesitantly. He eyed105901:13:41.520 --> 01:13:45.600



the serial number printed vertically on the corner of the container.106001:13:46.960 --> 01:13:49.720



The sharks were getting more frantic for their share of106101:13:49.760 --> 01:13:54.319



the dwindling supply of dead bodies. If he was right,106201:13:55.039 --> 01:13:59.880



there'd be some fresh meat on the menu soon. Hey, chance,106301:14:00.680 --> 01:14:03.560



what do you think is in this container? He asked,106401:14:04.520 --> 01:14:08.560



knowing our luck, a speed boat in a case of beer? Why?106501:14:10.079 --> 01:14:15.960



Because I'm pretty sure we're sinking. Of course we fucking are.106601:14:16.960 --> 01:14:22.000



Don't worry, Luca said, I got a plan, of course,106701:14:22.079 --> 01:14:30.319



you fucking do. After a frustrating two hours, Luca's plan106801:14:30.439 --> 01:14:34.880



had come to morbid fruition. Using a makeshift rope of106901:14:34.960 --> 01:14:39.279



their belts and clothes, he lassoed McHenry and four and107001:14:39.319 --> 01:14:43.359



a half other dead crew members. He laid the bodies107101:14:43.399 --> 01:14:48.640



out on the container and began lashing them together. Chance107201:14:48.760 --> 01:14:53.720



be grudgingly helped tie it together. Luca instructed, we don't107301:14:53.760 --> 01:14:57.039



want one of those sharks poking its nose through. Chance107401:14:57.119 --> 01:15:01.600



lifted the stump. That's going to be an issue. Improvise.107501:15:02.960 --> 01:15:06.760



I can't believe we're doing this, Chance said, It's like107601:15:06.800 --> 01:15:09.840



a big ass meat aureo, only the glass of milk107701:15:10.279 --> 01:15:12.960



is full of sharks. What makes you think this will107801:15:13.000 --> 01:15:16.439



even work. A ship's only as good as its crew.107901:15:17.239 --> 01:15:21.439



Luca pulled the cordage tight, eliciting a spurt of congealed108001:15:21.479 --> 01:15:25.720



blood across his face. This was a really good crew.108101:15:27.119 --> 01:15:30.239



Why hasn't anyone come for us? Chance stood up and108201:15:30.319 --> 01:15:34.359



shielded his eyes from the sun. The emergency beacon should108301:15:34.359 --> 01:15:37.680



have signaled as soon as it was submerged. You heard108401:15:37.680 --> 01:15:42.479



that explosion, Luca checked the lashings. Whatever was on board108501:15:42.760 --> 01:15:46.119



was the kind of shit that gets you renditioned. I108601:15:46.159 --> 01:15:49.079



saw enough in the legion, and trust me, we're better108701:15:49.199 --> 01:15:53.239



off with the sharks. The captain knew that too. We've108801:15:53.239 --> 01:15:57.359



been running in ghost mode since Liberia. They slid the108901:15:57.439 --> 01:16:00.720



bodies off the container and back in to the ocean.109001:16:01.439 --> 01:16:04.640



It was a much shorter drop than either man expected.109101:16:05.399 --> 01:16:09.399



They were sinking faster, there wouldn't be time for a109201:16:09.439 --> 01:16:15.039



plan B. The raft stayed afloat, but only barely. Luca109301:16:15.199 --> 01:16:20.079



eased himself on board, and it dipped down. McHenry's head109401:16:20.119 --> 01:16:26.039



went under. Shit, Luca whispered, new plan. I'm going to109501:16:26.119 --> 01:16:30.159



have to go alone, and what about me? Would it109601:16:30.359 --> 01:16:35.399



kill you to trust me? It fucking might Here goes nothing.109701:16:36.159 --> 01:16:39.399



Luca pushed off the side of the shipping container and109801:16:39.479 --> 01:16:46.039



drifted toward the lifeboat. See it's working cool, Now hurry109901:16:46.119 --> 01:16:50.920



up before they eat your boat. They'd already started. One110001:16:50.960 --> 01:16:54.039



of the blues grabbed McHenry's arm and tore it off,110101:16:54.520 --> 01:16:59.880



sending the raft spinning. The vessel dipped and bobbed back up.110201:17:00.720 --> 01:17:04.600



A shark bumped it from below, bucking Luca into the air.110301:17:05.560 --> 01:17:09.399



His grip held firm, but the landing jostled the bodies110401:17:09.399 --> 01:17:14.279



beneath him. Another bump from below nearly capsized him. Luca110501:17:14.439 --> 01:17:19.439



realized he'd made a terrible mistake. The man made raft110601:17:19.840 --> 01:17:23.680



floated well enough, but now it looked like a big110701:17:23.840 --> 01:17:29.960



wounded fish to the simple minded predators stalking it. Luca110801:17:30.119 --> 01:17:32.720



hiked his leg up and waited for a fin to110901:17:32.840 --> 01:17:37.119



pass by. One got close enough, and he kicked into111001:17:37.119 --> 01:17:40.199



the water to push off the fish. It gave him111101:17:40.199 --> 01:17:43.640



a brief surge, but the lifeboat was still too far111201:17:43.760 --> 01:17:47.600



away to swim for it. Another speeding shark gave the111301:17:47.680 --> 01:17:51.960



raft a hard nudge that thankfully was in the right direction.111401:17:53.600 --> 01:17:58.600



Sixty meters to go, Luca stretched for a piece of debris,111501:17:59.239 --> 01:18:03.760



almost topping overboard in the process. A fin battered his111601:18:03.920 --> 01:18:08.039



arm as it cut between him and the flotsam. Luca111701:18:08.239 --> 01:18:11.319



tried again and jerked the scrap metal from the water,111801:18:11.960 --> 01:18:16.640



hugging to his chest. With a triumphant whoop, Luca frantically111901:18:16.720 --> 01:18:24.119



paddled the water fifty meters left, forty deep. Red suddenly112001:18:24.199 --> 01:18:29.680



spread around him, and the raft listed to starboard. He112101:18:29.880 --> 01:18:35.800



rode faster, glancing back over his shoulder at chance. Unspooling112201:18:36.000 --> 01:18:40.039



entrails floated in his wake. A shark broke the surface,112301:18:40.479 --> 01:18:44.000



scooping intestines into its wide open mouth like it were112401:18:44.079 --> 01:18:49.800



taking a fishing line. The raft lurched. The hollowed body112501:18:49.920 --> 01:18:53.439



was filling with sea water, and for the second time112601:18:53.560 --> 01:18:58.399



in two days, Luca was on a sinking ship. A112701:18:58.439 --> 01:19:03.399



pair of sharks attached theft from opposite sides the lashings112801:19:03.479 --> 01:19:07.680



began to stretch, and Luca's legs slipped through. A shark112901:19:07.800 --> 01:19:12.159



bumped against it, but didn't bite. He knew he wouldn't113001:19:12.199 --> 01:19:16.359



get lucky twice. He let himself slide between the bodies113101:19:16.479 --> 01:19:21.840



and sink above him. The sharks converged blood and unchewed113201:19:21.880 --> 01:19:27.319



bits clouded Luca's view. A finger floated past him, carried113301:19:27.359 --> 01:19:30.920



downward by the weight of the wedding band still encircling it.113401:19:31.840 --> 01:19:35.760



Chance crawled out onto the edge of the container, looking113501:19:35.920 --> 01:19:41.479



for any sign of his partner. Nothing. Sharks swam away,113601:19:41.560 --> 01:19:45.479



with parts of the raft still refusing to take McHenry.113701:19:46.439 --> 01:19:49.560



The captain swirled around until he was the only person113801:19:49.680 --> 01:19:55.319



left between Chance and the lifeboat. Water rolled onto the113901:19:55.399 --> 01:20:00.159



roof of the container, submerging Chance's forearms. A thud threw114001:20:00.239 --> 01:20:04.159



his attention to the other end. The shark chomped at114101:20:04.199 --> 01:20:09.159



the air before sliding back into the ocean. Chance sniffled,114201:20:09.840 --> 01:20:14.840



then let himself cry. No one was left to see114301:20:14.880 --> 01:20:19.079



him anyhow. If he was lucky, he'd drowned before the114401:20:19.119 --> 01:20:24.000



sharks started to eat him. Get away from the edge,114501:20:24.319 --> 01:20:33.640



Luca shouted, sharks can jump, you know the lifeboat's motor114601:20:33.720 --> 01:20:36.840



didn't have enough fuel to get them to land, but114701:20:36.920 --> 01:20:39.279



it was enough to get them away from the feeding114801:20:39.319 --> 01:20:43.520



frenzy and moving in the general direction of Europe. The114901:20:43.640 --> 01:20:47.840



strobe on the roof flashed constantly through the night, reminding115001:20:47.880 --> 01:20:51.119



the men of the vast nothing around them as they115101:20:51.119 --> 01:20:55.560



took turns on lookout. The night wind was frigid, and115201:20:55.640 --> 01:21:00.399



despite the supplies stowed aboard, a blanket was not inted.115301:21:01.479 --> 01:21:04.960



Not a real one anyhow, just a handful of foil115401:21:05.039 --> 01:21:09.199



ones that folded up into little squares. They didn't do115501:21:09.359 --> 01:21:14.479



much for the wet, mostly naked sailors. The emergency position115601:21:14.680 --> 01:21:18.720



indicator was lit, they assumed that meant it was working.115701:21:19.600 --> 01:21:23.720



Rescue shouldn't have taken too long. Satellites would pick up115801:21:23.720 --> 01:21:27.000



the signal and relay it to the nearest local user terminal.115901:21:27.600 --> 01:21:31.520



Then they'd notify the nearest agency capable of getting to116001:21:31.560 --> 01:21:35.239



the men. Neither of them knew how far they were116101:21:35.319 --> 01:21:39.199



from land. However, they sipped at the bottles of water116201:21:40.119 --> 01:21:44.520



just to be safe. They should pack extra clothes in lifeboats,116301:21:44.960 --> 01:21:48.840



Lucas said, at least some underwear. There's no way you116401:21:48.920 --> 01:21:52.560



don't need a fresh pair after your ship sinks. I116501:21:52.560 --> 01:21:54.520



don't know about you, but I don't ever plan on116601:21:54.640 --> 01:22:00.119



leaving land again, Chance said, rolling the bottle between his palms.116701:22:00.880 --> 01:22:06.600



He snickered. This fucking shit is crazy, man. Hey, you116801:22:06.680 --> 01:22:12.840



see that the light? It was wrong, Chance pointed stern.116901:22:13.560 --> 01:22:16.920



The strobe flashed again, and Lucas saw what his friend117001:22:17.000 --> 01:22:23.439



was talking about. Brighter like it had reflected off. Oh shit,117101:22:24.119 --> 01:22:27.359



Luca scrambled to his feet and out the cockpit, grab117201:22:27.399 --> 01:22:31.399



the torch. Chance let the flashlight lead as he joined117301:22:31.399 --> 01:22:36.520



his partner. What is it, Luca pointed up. The strobe117401:22:36.560 --> 01:22:40.079



bounced off the hull of the small cruise ship. Chance117501:22:40.199 --> 01:22:44.600



laughed and waved his hands in the air. Hey we're117601:22:44.640 --> 01:22:49.640



down here, he shouted. Don't bother, she's not running under power.117701:22:50.479 --> 01:22:54.039



Luca took the flashlight from him and scanned the side117801:22:54.039 --> 01:22:58.439



of the ship for markings. We are setting the world117901:22:58.520 --> 01:23:02.399



record for bad luck. We almost got ran over by118001:23:02.439 --> 01:23:08.399



a ghost ship derelict way out here. No one knows118101:23:08.439 --> 01:23:11.720



for sure, but best guess is there are thousands of118201:23:11.720 --> 01:23:15.880



them floating around. Luca told him. One got loose in118301:23:15.960 --> 01:23:19.520



Japan a couple years ago, Almost a year to the day,118401:23:19.560 --> 01:23:24.239



it drifted into Canada. There we go. He shined the118501:23:24.319 --> 01:23:28.479



light on the vessel's name, moving the beams slowly to118601:23:28.560 --> 01:23:32.520



make out the letters. A broken toe line clanked against118701:23:32.520 --> 01:23:39.319



the reinforced hull. Luke turned off the light. Yadmila Gerchenko,118801:23:40.119 --> 01:23:45.359



Chance said, must be Russian. Looks like a discount cruise ship.118901:23:46.199 --> 01:23:50.880



An ocean liner, Luca corrected him. They were made for transport,119001:23:50.960 --> 01:23:55.760



not comfort. That's why she's so small. Been retrofitted for119101:23:55.800 --> 01:24:01.079



the Arctic too. That hul's up armored for icebergs. Why119201:24:01.079 --> 01:24:05.000



do you sound so happy about that? Pack your shit, wheezy,119301:24:05.680 --> 01:24:17.520



Luca smiled, We're moving on up. I'm not really digging119401:24:17.600 --> 01:24:21.000



the idea of being on a creepy ass ghost ship.119501:24:21.479 --> 01:24:26.720



Chance said, got anywhere else to be? Luca scanned the119601:24:26.800 --> 01:24:31.279



deck for signs of life asleep in the lifeboat until daylight,119701:24:31.760 --> 01:24:35.880



when this won't suck as bad. They made their way119801:24:35.920 --> 01:24:39.359



to the bridge, shining their lights and windows as they went.119901:24:40.319 --> 01:24:44.720



No one moved inside. Luca led the way up the steps.120001:24:45.439 --> 01:24:49.479



The door moved noisily on its hinges. The salty air120101:24:49.600 --> 01:24:54.000



had rusted them badly, so it didn't swing back and forth,120201:24:54.079 --> 01:24:58.239



but just inched one way, and then the other in120301:24:58.319 --> 01:25:03.720



plaintive moans. Luca pushed through and swept the flashlight across120401:25:03.760 --> 01:25:09.279



the bridge. He screamed and stumbled backwards into Chance. Fuck120501:25:09.399 --> 01:25:14.399



me what Chance braced himself to run. What is it?120601:25:15.399 --> 01:25:19.479



Luca leaned back into the room, letting the light find120701:25:19.520 --> 01:25:23.800



the floating apparition. The gray black shape of a man120801:25:24.239 --> 01:25:29.079



at the helm was nothing more than a forgotten jacket.120901:25:29.840 --> 01:25:35.279



Luca breathed deeply to steady himself. He wriggled his toes,121001:25:35.399 --> 01:25:38.359



wondering if the puddle he stood in had been there121101:25:38.399 --> 01:25:43.319



before he opened the door. He hesitated to enter, letting121201:25:43.319 --> 01:25:47.560



his heart rate settle back down first. Once it had,121301:25:48.079 --> 01:25:51.439



he went straight to the jacket to look for clues,121401:25:52.279 --> 01:25:55.920



Check for any kind of records, he said over his shoulder.121501:25:56.840 --> 01:26:01.439



Sure thing, Boss, Chance chuckled. You screamed like a woman,121601:26:01.479 --> 01:26:04.680



by the way, and you were crying like one. On121701:26:04.720 --> 01:26:10.159



top of the shipping container. Luca picked up the jacket. JK.121801:26:10.479 --> 01:26:16.159



Deener salvage. Looks like old girl was being decommissioned. Thinks121901:26:16.159 --> 01:26:19.800



she broke away from port while being towed. Chance's light122001:26:19.960 --> 01:26:23.640



played across the instruments. Most of the cables had been122101:26:23.680 --> 01:26:28.319



stripped already if she was already docked, that means there's122201:26:28.319 --> 01:26:32.319



not going to be anything useful on board. Might still122301:26:32.359 --> 01:26:36.439



be beds. Luca slipped the jacket on. It was a122401:26:36.479 --> 01:26:41.199



lot warmer than the lifeboat's foil blanket. Maybe some clothes122501:26:41.239 --> 01:26:44.720



and can goods. Even if we don't find anything, it'll122601:26:44.760 --> 01:26:48.880



be a lot more comfortable and safer waiting for rescue.122701:26:48.920 --> 01:26:55.279



Here a familiar bulge rubbed Luca's bare chest. He reached122801:26:55.279 --> 01:26:59.279



into the inner pocket, finding a pack of cigarettes and122901:26:59.319 --> 01:27:03.840



a lighter. He said a silent prayer before opening the box.123001:27:04.600 --> 01:27:08.840



He thumbed the top back and sighed happily there were123101:27:08.880 --> 01:27:14.119



still three smokes left. Chance shook his head. He knelt123201:27:14.159 --> 01:27:16.960



for a bottle of pepsi on the floor and checked123301:27:16.960 --> 01:27:22.319



for an expiration date February twenty ten. He tossed the123401:27:22.319 --> 01:27:26.199



bottle to Luca. This shit heap's been floating for at123501:27:26.279 --> 01:27:30.319



least three years, or just been out of service that long,123601:27:30.880 --> 01:27:35.399



Lucas said, taking a pull off the cigarette. Things are123701:27:35.439 --> 01:27:38.800



definitely looking up. Let's see if we can find some123801:27:38.960 --> 01:27:47.640



damn clothes. They managed to scrounge up some coveralls in123901:27:47.720 --> 01:27:51.039



the abandoned crew lockers, as well as a few more124001:27:51.079 --> 01:27:55.560



stale smokes for Luca's pack. Growling stomachs told them to124101:27:55.600 --> 01:27:59.920



forego any further pillaging until they checked out the food store.124201:28:00.960 --> 01:28:05.000



They proceeded carefully through the corridors to find the galley124301:28:05.399 --> 01:28:09.960



falling apart, pots and pans lay strewn about, and the124401:28:10.079 --> 01:28:14.000



entire place had an odd stench to it. Chance shined124501:28:14.039 --> 01:28:19.479



the flashlight around the perimeter jackpot, he said, signaling to124601:28:19.520 --> 01:28:24.000



the series of shelves lined with canned goods. Luca nodded,124701:28:24.039 --> 01:28:28.079



but was more interested in the smell. He examined the124801:28:28.119 --> 01:28:32.680



prep surfaces, finding spots of what appeared to be dried124901:28:32.760 --> 01:28:38.039



blood from the crew's final meal and rodent droppings. He125001:28:38.079 --> 01:28:41.439



moved the light to the floor and grimaced. The entire125101:28:41.520 --> 01:28:45.279



surface was speckled with rat shit. He opened a drawer125201:28:45.319 --> 01:28:49.319



below the table, finding an assortment of butcher knives, dotted125301:28:49.359 --> 01:28:54.319



with rust and stored carelessly. Some primitive fear gnawing at125401:28:54.359 --> 01:28:58.199



his brain told him to take one. He ignored it125501:28:58.560 --> 01:29:02.079



and slammed the drawer shut before joining Chase at the125601:29:02.119 --> 01:29:07.960



shelves we got Chef boy r D. Chance said, never125701:29:08.000 --> 01:29:10.840



thought I'd be so happy to see that fat fock's face.125801:29:12.199 --> 01:29:16.600



He lifted the can and scrunched his nose curiously. He125901:29:16.680 --> 01:29:21.159



shook the can. What the fuck is this? He dropped126001:29:21.199 --> 01:29:25.239



it and grabbed another, shaking it and then tossing it126101:29:25.279 --> 01:29:30.840



over his shoulder, and then a third. They're empty. Luca126201:29:30.920 --> 01:29:34.039



knelt for the can of ravioli and rolled it over.126301:29:34.880 --> 01:29:39.039



A massive hole had been torn through the backside. Check it,126401:29:39.600 --> 01:29:44.399



he said. Chance glanced down, then turned one around on126501:29:44.439 --> 01:29:48.800



the shelf. One big hole in some smaller puncture marks126601:29:49.199 --> 01:29:53.640



locked the tin. Luca slowly panned his light up the shelves.126701:29:54.560 --> 01:29:58.600



Dried sauces and soups stained them, along with the occasional126801:29:59.000 --> 01:30:04.079



shriveled morsel of food. Cardboard boxes were little more than scraps.126901:30:04.760 --> 01:30:08.479



They both looked around hurriedly. Bags of salt, sugar, and127001:30:08.560 --> 01:30:12.399



flour had all been torn open, with their contents spilled127101:30:12.760 --> 01:30:18.640



and tracked away by tiny feet. Well, at least we127201:30:18.720 --> 01:30:23.560



still have the MREs from the lifeboat, Luca offered, I've127301:30:23.600 --> 01:30:29.279



never been so disappointed in my life, Chance sighed, even127401:30:29.319 --> 01:30:32.680



when our ship exploded and we almost got eaten by sharks.127501:30:33.479 --> 01:30:39.119



Luca shrugged. Weird priorities, bro, think they're dead The rats.127601:30:39.159 --> 01:30:43.159



I mean maybe from heart disease. After eating all that,127701:30:44.119 --> 01:30:48.079



Chance illuminated the shelves again. We need to get our127801:30:48.119 --> 01:30:52.680



strength back. We should find a place to sleep. Metal127901:30:52.800 --> 01:30:58.119



clanked somewhere down the narrow corridors. Luca and Chance turned128001:30:58.159 --> 01:31:03.000



in unison and shine their lights, then laughed at each128101:31:03.039 --> 01:31:08.560



other's paranoia. They wandered back to the cabins. Luca paid128201:31:08.560 --> 01:31:13.640



more attention to where they stepped, noting more droppings. They128301:31:13.680 --> 01:31:18.000



opened the first passenger cabin they came to. That same128401:31:18.159 --> 01:31:23.479



stench from the kitchen was much worse. Something clamored in128501:31:23.520 --> 01:31:29.079



the darkness. Chance stepped in first. The mattress looked like128601:31:29.159 --> 01:31:33.800



it had been used for target practice. Stuffing exploded out128701:31:33.840 --> 01:31:37.119



of dozens of holes and was dragged around the floor.128801:31:38.439 --> 01:31:40.960



A built in dresser had been chewed to the point128901:31:41.000 --> 01:31:45.520



it had collapsed on itself. A spider's web was intricately129001:31:45.560 --> 01:31:49.680



spun across the wrecked frame. Luca had his light on it.129101:31:50.479 --> 01:31:55.319



A big orb weaver occupied the middle. Something shimmered inside129201:31:55.359 --> 01:32:00.079



the ruined drawer, beneath the erachnid. This place needs a129301:32:00.079 --> 01:32:04.920



better housekeeper. Chance aimed his light to the bed. Did129401:32:04.960 --> 01:32:10.760



that just move? Luca asked, like waterbed moved or like129501:32:11.560 --> 01:32:17.880



exorcist moved. They watched the mattress suspiciously, but nothing happened.129601:32:19.119 --> 01:32:25.239



Chance shook his head bad lighting and waves. He chuckled, Fuck,129701:32:25.960 --> 01:32:28.520



we need to see if we can get the electricity on. Man,129801:32:29.199 --> 01:32:33.960



I can't stand this haunted house. Shit, that would mean129901:32:34.119 --> 01:32:40.000



going below deck. Luca reminded him, Actually, I'm really good130001:32:40.000 --> 01:32:45.000



with not having electricity. Luca looked for the spider once more,130101:32:45.800 --> 01:32:50.560



but found it was gone and the web just dangling strands.130201:32:51.239 --> 01:32:54.119



He didn't mention it as they left to inspect the130301:32:54.199 --> 01:32:58.640



next room. It was in the same condition as were130401:32:58.680 --> 01:33:02.800



the next two. Chance stopped at the fifth cabin and130501:33:02.920 --> 01:33:06.640



rested his hand on the latch. I don't give a130601:33:06.680 --> 01:33:11.640



fuck anymore, he said, trashed or not, this is my130701:33:11.800 --> 01:33:15.399



room for the night. I am beat. He opened the130801:33:15.479 --> 01:33:20.399



door slowly, with ignorantly high hopes, considering the state of130901:33:20.439 --> 01:33:25.880



the ship and their running luck. Everything was ransacked, as131001:33:25.920 --> 01:33:29.520



in the others. Chance threw his hands up in defeat131101:33:29.960 --> 01:33:33.359



and went to the bed, flopping back on to it.131201:33:34.119 --> 01:33:38.880



Lucas sat in a nearby chair. Chance was right, there131301:33:39.000 --> 01:33:42.800



wasn't any reason to check the other rooms. They needed131401:33:42.840 --> 01:33:46.800



to rest. It could be days before rescue came, and131501:33:46.880 --> 01:33:51.079



the flashlight batteries wouldn't last forever. They'd have to work131601:33:51.159 --> 01:33:54.039



during the day, paint a message on the deck for131701:33:54.119 --> 01:33:57.439



helicopters to see, try to clean up the bridge so131801:33:57.520 --> 01:34:00.479



they could keep watch and look for anything else that131901:34:00.600 --> 01:34:04.720



might be useful. He laid his head back and closed132001:34:04.760 --> 01:34:08.840



his eyes. There still wasn't any way in hell. He'd132101:34:08.880 --> 01:34:12.600



sleep on one of the beds. The chair would be132201:34:12.800 --> 01:34:19.920



just fine. Then it collapsed. Chance bolted upright in a panic,132301:34:20.399 --> 01:34:23.560



but then broke into laughter when he saw his friend132401:34:23.720 --> 01:34:27.560



sprawled out on the floor. Luca sat up against the wall.132501:34:28.319 --> 01:34:33.840



He smiled, wanting to laugh too, but couldn't. Something was132601:34:33.920 --> 01:34:37.840



squishing under his palm, and his smile started to melt132701:34:38.319 --> 01:34:42.000



as he moved to see what it was. The rat132801:34:42.079 --> 01:34:45.960



leg was still bloody and connected to its tail by132901:34:46.119 --> 01:34:50.880



minuscule strings of meat. Luca held it up by the133001:34:50.920 --> 01:34:54.520



tail for Chance to see, but the morsel fell to133101:34:54.640 --> 01:34:59.960



pieces in an instant guess the rats aren't dead, Luca133201:35:00.199 --> 01:35:06.000



said that one is. Chance chuckled. He's still wet. It133301:35:06.119 --> 01:35:09.439



was a fresh kill. Luca searched the room with the133401:35:09.520 --> 01:35:13.800



light think there might be a cat on board too. No,133501:35:14.920 --> 01:35:20.279



Chance's voice sounded off. Worried, he lowered his voice to133601:35:20.359 --> 01:35:27.960



a whisper, Dude, this bed is definitely moving. Chance pulled133701:35:27.960 --> 01:35:33.399



at a tattered blanket and shrieked. Dozens of tiny, hairless,133801:35:33.439 --> 01:35:37.399



red bodies wriggled over one another in the folds. He133901:35:37.520 --> 01:35:40.119



scrambled to the end of the bed and toppled into134001:35:40.119 --> 01:35:43.800



the floor. His flashlight rolled away in a wide arc,134101:35:44.359 --> 01:35:48.880



casting its glow wildly around the room. Luca watched the134201:35:48.960 --> 01:35:51.920



point he nose pushed through a hole in the mattress134301:35:52.279 --> 01:35:56.760



before the light changed direction. When it rolled back around,134401:35:56.840 --> 01:36:02.279



the rat was halfway out. It hissed and screeched. Pipes134501:36:02.399 --> 01:36:07.279



rattled overhead. Scratches came from inside the walls. Luca pressed134601:36:07.319 --> 01:36:11.800



himself to the wall and stood slowly. I think we134701:36:11.880 --> 01:36:16.359



need to go back to the lifeboat, he whispered. Something134801:36:16.479 --> 01:36:21.199



clattered in the lavatory. He peeked inside, but saw nothing134901:36:21.520 --> 01:36:25.840



in the darkness. He shined the light back to his friend,135001:36:26.640 --> 01:36:30.479



then to the rat in the bed. The mattress pulsed135101:36:30.479 --> 01:36:34.359



as others came out of the holes, sometimes wrestling over135201:36:34.399 --> 01:36:38.079



each other to get through the same exit. Luca shined135301:36:38.119 --> 01:36:40.479



the light in the bathroom in time to see a135401:36:40.560 --> 01:36:44.079



dozen of them spilling out of the toilet. One ran135501:36:44.199 --> 01:36:47.720



up his leg before he even saw it. He swatted135601:36:47.720 --> 01:36:51.800



it with the light. It hit the floor, stunned but135701:36:52.039 --> 01:36:56.640



still alive. Its brethren swarmed it. They tore off limbs135801:36:56.800 --> 01:37:00.960



and attacked one another over the piece. Luca bare toes135901:37:01.119 --> 01:37:05.359



blazed with sudden pain. He kicked and stomped at the rodents,136001:37:05.399 --> 01:37:09.600



gnawing them. God, damn it, We've got to go. Luca136101:37:09.680 --> 01:37:13.720



twisted around and gagged. The tail twitched wildly as the136201:37:13.800 --> 01:37:18.079



rat forced itself into Chance's mouth. Others had converged on136301:37:18.159 --> 01:37:21.520



him from the bed. His legs were invisible beneath the136401:37:21.560 --> 01:37:26.600



writhing mass of furry bodies. An opportunistic adult pounced on136501:37:26.680 --> 01:37:31.439



the unguarded babies, devouring them greedily. Luca ran for the136601:37:31.479 --> 01:37:34.760



door without looking. He hit the hallway, sliding on a136701:37:34.760 --> 01:37:39.359



squished carcass. The army of rodents pursued him. The corridor136801:37:39.479 --> 01:37:44.000



filled with the squeaks, hisses, and chirps, their numbers so136901:37:44.159 --> 01:37:47.359



great that he could hear the tiny claws scraping the137001:37:47.399 --> 01:37:50.920



flooring in their efforts to catch up. A pipe broke137101:37:51.159 --> 01:37:54.399



and swung down from the ceiling, spilling out more in137201:37:54.439 --> 01:37:58.920



front of him. There inaudible ultrasonic calls carried through the137301:37:58.920 --> 01:38:03.680



ghost ship like a dinner. Luca changed directions, pushing into137401:38:03.720 --> 01:38:06.720



a wreck room. Rats poked their heads out of the137501:38:06.760 --> 01:38:10.479



pockets of a fallen billiard's table. A fat one stopped137601:38:10.520 --> 01:38:13.920



chewing a forgotten paperback and stared at Luca with its137701:38:14.119 --> 01:38:19.039



beady eyes. Luca searched for an exit. A half dozen137801:38:19.119 --> 01:38:22.640



rats fell from a cupboard with their tails fused together137901:38:22.720 --> 01:38:26.439



from hiding in the tight space for too long. Luca138001:38:26.560 --> 01:38:29.399



screamed at the sight of the rat king scurrying toward138101:38:29.479 --> 01:38:32.760



him as one unit. He slammed the door behind him,138201:38:32.920 --> 01:38:36.760



bi secting one of the pursuers. Luca jumped into the138301:38:36.800 --> 01:38:40.079



air and came down on the rat king, crushing three138401:38:40.119 --> 01:38:45.239



components instantly. The other bit down on his feet. He138501:38:45.279 --> 01:38:47.920



shook them off, kicking them from the other side of138601:38:47.960 --> 01:38:52.079



the room, but they dragged their dead comrades along as138701:38:52.119 --> 01:38:55.920



they re entered the fray. Luca pulled a fire extinguisher138801:38:55.960 --> 01:38:58.960



from the wall and sprayed at the nearest rats first,138901:38:59.479 --> 01:39:03.000



then to the others. It drove them back, but they139001:39:03.039 --> 01:39:06.319



didn't flee. They hissed at him from a safe distance.139101:39:06.960 --> 01:39:09.640



The ones in the hall were grating their claws and139201:39:09.720 --> 01:39:14.199



teeth at the door frantically. They'd be through it in minutes.139301:39:15.319 --> 01:39:18.199



Luca used the fire extinguisher to clear a path to139401:39:18.279 --> 01:39:22.359



the window and smashed it with the canister. He climbed139501:39:22.399 --> 01:39:24.560



out of the frame, but was too fixated on the139601:39:24.680 --> 01:39:28.560



rats to pay attention to his exit. The glass sliced139701:39:28.600 --> 01:39:31.399



the back of his leg, causing him to fall through139801:39:32.600 --> 01:39:37.439



Out on the deck. There were no rats yet. He139901:39:37.520 --> 01:39:40.760



crawled until he could stand and limped quickly to the lifeboat.140001:39:41.199 --> 01:39:44.279



Rats were descending the rope. Some fell off in the140101:39:44.319 --> 01:39:49.079



strong breeze, but the others continued undaunted. He leaned over140201:39:49.119 --> 01:39:52.239



the guard rail. There was enough moonlight to see several140301:39:52.279 --> 01:39:54.920



of the critters fighting over one of the ration packs.140401:39:55.960 --> 01:39:59.880



More were chewing on the boat itself. Luca backed away140501:40:00.039 --> 01:40:03.560



from his last chance at salvation. He looked up at140601:40:03.560 --> 01:40:08.720



the ship's funnels. A hundred huge, dark bodies clamored out140701:40:08.760 --> 01:40:12.680



of the smokestacks. A wave of rats climbed through the140801:40:12.680 --> 01:40:16.840



wreck room window. Some sliced themselves on the shards of glass,140901:40:17.079 --> 01:40:21.319



but kept coming, so hungry for Luca that they ignored141001:40:21.359 --> 01:40:25.600



the gashed flesh and spilling organs. A massive two foot141101:40:25.720 --> 01:40:29.319



rat leapt down between Luca and the horde. More of141201:40:29.359 --> 01:40:33.000



the monsters lined the roof. They didn't make as much141301:40:33.039 --> 01:40:36.760



noise as the normal ones. Four of the big ones141401:40:36.840 --> 01:40:41.520



crawled down calmly. Luca looked up at the squadron of141501:40:41.560 --> 01:40:45.920



giants waiting like gargoyles. The monsters had come up from141601:40:45.920 --> 01:40:49.760



the engine room. It would have been warmest there and141701:40:49.880 --> 01:40:53.760



provided access to the entire ship. It was the perfect141801:40:53.800 --> 01:40:58.439



place to nest. The most dominant ones would have taken141901:40:58.479 --> 01:41:01.840



it for their own. There they grew into a thriving142001:41:01.880 --> 01:41:05.880



community of seafaring rodents, eating their way through the smaller142101:41:05.920 --> 01:41:09.039



ones upstairs and laying claim to the whole of the142201:41:09.119 --> 01:41:14.680



Valudmila Gurchenko. The small ones squeaked between themselves. Another wave142301:41:14.800 --> 01:41:18.439



gathered on the deck behind Luca. More giants came down,142401:41:18.560 --> 01:41:23.520



intimidating them with their presence. Little ones jumped onto the guardrails.142501:41:23.560 --> 01:41:27.159



Some dived into the ocean to escape. Others ran for142601:41:27.239 --> 01:41:31.960



the rope, climbing to the safety of the lifeboat. Luca snarled.142701:41:32.920 --> 01:41:36.279



First they tried to eat him. Now they were stealing142801:41:36.279 --> 01:41:40.760



his boat. Luca screamed with primal rage and ran at142901:41:40.800 --> 01:41:43.920



the nearest giant. He kicked it hard enough to collapse143001:41:43.960 --> 01:41:47.960



its torso it slid into the horde. They sniffed at143101:41:47.960 --> 01:41:52.720



it for seconds and chirped amongst themselves. The rooftop rats143201:41:52.920 --> 01:41:57.239



hissed a warning. The little ones didn't care. It was143301:41:57.359 --> 01:42:03.039



time for revenge, time for a meal. They tore the143401:42:03.079 --> 01:42:08.279



fallen monster apart, ending the stand off. Luca watched in143501:42:08.359 --> 01:42:12.119



amazement as the two factions went to war. They swarmed143601:42:12.119 --> 01:42:14.680



over the larger ones, trying to use their numbers to143701:42:14.720 --> 01:42:18.640



overpower them. The big ones fought back, taking quick bites143801:42:18.680 --> 01:42:23.520



that severed heads clean from twitching bodies. Luca charged forward,143901:42:23.800 --> 01:42:27.840



running into the fray. Rodent guts squished between his toes144001:42:27.880 --> 01:42:31.960



as he trampled over them. Opportunistic bites took chunks and144101:42:32.079 --> 01:42:36.960



strips from his legs. Some pounced, others climbed. He pulled144201:42:37.000 --> 01:42:40.000



and slapped at them, trying desperately to keep them away144301:42:40.000 --> 01:42:43.640



from arteries. One of the big ones sprang onto his back,144401:42:44.000 --> 01:42:47.920



knocking him face first to the deck. He rolled repeatedly144501:42:48.039 --> 01:42:51.680



trying to smash it, but it leapt clear. It lunged144601:42:51.720 --> 01:42:54.279



at him as he tried to stand, and they tumbled144701:42:54.279 --> 01:42:57.560



over the guard rail. Luca clung to the wet steel.144801:42:58.079 --> 01:43:01.560



The monster rat climbed up him, digging its claws into144901:43:01.560 --> 01:43:05.840



his face. Luca wasn't going to die alone. He bit145001:43:05.960 --> 01:43:09.680



into the giant's belly. It attacked his face in retaliation.145101:43:10.439 --> 01:43:13.960



Luca bit again, using his head to press the creature145201:43:14.000 --> 01:43:17.720



against a rail and chewed his way deep into its guts.145301:43:18.319 --> 01:43:21.960



The rat fell away, taking Luca's eye with it to145401:43:22.079 --> 01:43:26.640



the ocean below. Luca dangled from the railing one handed.145501:43:27.159 --> 01:43:30.119



He swung the other up and adjusted his grip. While145601:43:30.119 --> 01:43:34.279



he weighed his options, A rat crawled along the steel,145701:43:34.920 --> 01:43:39.560



sniffing at his fingers. Don't you fucking dare you little shit?145801:43:40.199 --> 01:43:45.199



He growled, It dared. The bucked teeth raked the skin145901:43:45.319 --> 01:43:48.560



from his knuckle. He reached over and grabbed it, squeezing146001:43:48.560 --> 01:43:51.840



it until it popped in his fist. He climbed over146101:43:51.880 --> 01:43:54.880



the railing and fell back onto the deck. He dragged146201:43:54.960 --> 01:43:58.039



himself to the bridge, chancing a glance over his shoulder.146301:43:58.800 --> 01:44:03.039



The battle seemed to be over. Victorious rodents stayed top146401:44:03.159 --> 01:44:06.560



side and stripped the dead to their bones, while the146501:44:06.600 --> 01:44:10.000



losers limped away to be eaten by their own kind.146601:44:10.479 --> 01:44:14.239



Back in the mattresses and the walls of the passenger cabins,146701:44:14.800 --> 01:44:18.600



Luca wondered if this was a regular occurrence. Did they146801:44:18.640 --> 01:44:21.760



have to cull their own numbers every so often, or146901:44:21.880 --> 01:44:26.600



did they just enjoy it. Luca watched the flashing beacon147001:44:26.640 --> 01:44:31.079



atop the lifeboat drift away from the liud Milla. The147101:44:31.199 --> 01:44:34.920



rats had chewed through the rope. Crazy as it sounded,147201:44:35.399 --> 01:44:38.600



he knew they did it on purpose. He limped up147301:44:38.600 --> 01:44:42.159



the stairs and left the door open. There were too147401:44:42.159 --> 01:44:45.439



many ways they could get inside to bother shutting it. Anyhow,147501:44:46.600 --> 01:44:49.920



He pulled a cigarette from the pack, slipped into the147601:44:49.960 --> 01:44:55.000



captain's seat, and watched the sun breaking the horizon. At147701:44:55.079 --> 01:44:57.640



least he was headed in the right direction, he thought.147801:44:58.000 --> 01:45:02.079



As he lit the bent cigarette, he took a long drag.147901:45:02.840 --> 01:45:06.720



A tiny rat scurried out of the instrument panel and148001:45:06.840 --> 01:45:11.159



cleaned its paws. Luca blew a smoke ring at him.148101:45:11.960 --> 01:45:15.319



The runt jumped into his lap, but didn't make a148201:45:15.439 --> 01:45:20.880



move to attack him. All right, then, Willie Lucas said softly,148301:45:21.960 --> 01:45:26.159



you can be my quartermaster. The rat settled into his lap.148401:45:26.960 --> 01:45:32.880



Luca watched it expectantly, but it still didn't bite. Blood148501:45:32.960 --> 01:45:36.880



dripped onto it from his still torn face. It twitched148601:45:37.199 --> 01:45:41.399



and tried to clean itself off. Luca sheltered the animal148701:45:41.439 --> 01:45:46.680



with his hand. Crimson drops rolled down his knuckles. He148801:45:46.760 --> 01:45:52.039



looked back up to the horizon and smiled. There was148901:45:52.079 --> 01:46:01.479



a new crew captain on the ship of the Cannibal Rats.149001:46:02.399 --> 01:46:09.359



Love Burgers and the open Road by David O'Hanlon. I'm149101:46:09.399 --> 01:46:12.760



taking you to your father's was all Uncle Curtis said.149201:46:13.680 --> 01:46:17.479



He never looked at me. His cold, sterling glare stayed149301:46:17.520 --> 01:46:21.279



locked to the jaundiced, bloodshot eyes of my mother. I149401:46:21.439 --> 01:46:25.520



packed quickly. I loved my mom, but I hadn't seen149501:46:25.560 --> 01:46:29.560



her in a long time. Morphine and cheap vodka took149601:46:29.560 --> 01:46:33.039



her away from me. Whatever Slee's ball she brought home149701:46:33.239 --> 01:46:36.079



normally left enough money on the dresser after she passed149801:46:36.119 --> 01:46:38.760



out that I could go get bread and some balgonney149901:46:38.840 --> 01:46:42.920



to survive on until the school provided lunch. A week150001:46:42.960 --> 01:46:45.600



into summer vacation and I was starting to miss those150101:46:46.239 --> 01:46:50.720



guaranteed meals. Dad split when I was five. Maybe the150201:46:50.800 --> 01:46:52.960



last eight years had taught him how to be a father.150301:46:53.800 --> 01:46:56.560



Maybe a summer without me would help Mom get her150401:46:56.600 --> 01:47:01.600



priorities in order, or maybe she'd party harder and od150501:47:02.119 --> 01:47:05.600



life is full of maybies. The zombieyond the couch picked150601:47:05.600 --> 01:47:09.000



at the bruised, scabbed needle marks on her arm and150701:47:09.079 --> 01:47:11.640



didn't bother telling me goodbye. As I went with her150801:47:11.640 --> 01:47:14.800



big brother, Uncle Curtis left the door open for her150901:47:14.840 --> 01:47:19.119



to have one more chance to say anything. He opened151001:47:19.119 --> 01:47:21.479



the cab of the truck and helped me into the151101:47:21.520 --> 01:47:26.159



passenger seat. I heard the front door slam. Probably for151201:47:26.199 --> 01:47:34.000



the best, Uncle Curtis said, without looking back. The Kenworth151301:47:34.199 --> 01:47:37.039



W nine hundred was the only thing my uncle owned.151401:47:37.640 --> 01:47:41.640



Pictures hung where they fit with double sided tape. Everything151501:47:41.680 --> 01:47:45.079



else was split up between his three ex wives. He151601:47:45.119 --> 01:47:49.079



made some small talk, asked how school was going, if151701:47:49.119 --> 01:47:53.000



I'd gotten my first whiskers yet, any girls caught my eye?151801:47:53.479 --> 01:47:58.039



The usual stuff. He didn't once mention Mom. I was151901:47:58.119 --> 01:48:01.199



okay with that. We picked up a trailer full of152001:48:01.319 --> 01:48:04.680



used tires on our way out of Houston. Curtis told152101:48:04.680 --> 01:48:07.159



me he took the small gigs to pay for the diesel.152201:48:07.239 --> 01:48:09.600



He needed to get the big jobs, like the one152301:48:09.640 --> 01:48:12.960



we were heading to next. I haven't heard from him,152401:48:13.560 --> 01:48:18.760



I said, softly. Who's that. He glanced over and sighed, Oh,152501:48:19.439 --> 01:48:23.920



he's living in Nashville. Does he know I'm coming? Uncle?152601:48:24.000 --> 01:48:28.640



Curtis nodded. We all make mistakes, Brad, leaving your family152701:48:28.760 --> 01:48:35.159



is only a mistake. It's complicated. Curtis sighed, the place152801:48:35.239 --> 01:48:38.279



me and your mama grew up, well, it was a152901:48:38.319 --> 01:48:42.039



bad place. I went to Vietnam to get away from it.153001:48:42.680 --> 01:48:47.439



War seemed easier, cleaner. She didn't have a war to153101:48:47.520 --> 01:48:50.720



run away to. All she could find was another young153201:48:50.880 --> 01:48:57.479



dipshit to distract her dad. Yeah, they were just having153301:48:57.560 --> 01:49:00.479



fun until they were too far down the rackbit hole.153401:49:01.439 --> 01:49:04.439



Your old man thought if he left, she'd get away153501:49:04.439 --> 01:49:08.720



from the things they were into and focus on you Instead,153601:49:09.800 --> 01:49:15.760



he got clean and she well, shit, maybe I should153701:49:15.760 --> 01:49:19.479



have never left her in that god forsaken place. It's153801:49:19.520 --> 01:49:23.560



not your fault. I looked out my window thoughtfully. At153901:49:23.600 --> 01:49:27.000



least you came to get me. It's a long drive154001:49:27.039 --> 01:49:31.119



to Nashville. He reached over to pat my shoulder. Guess154101:49:31.159 --> 01:49:33.359



I better make up lost time and teach you about154201:49:33.399 --> 01:49:41.319



the good things in life. The first lesson came at154301:49:41.319 --> 01:49:44.920



the heart of Dixie truck stop. Outside of Lufkin. The154401:49:45.000 --> 01:49:48.399



microwave dinged and Uncle Curtis opened the door with a wide,154501:49:49.000 --> 01:49:53.760



snaggletoothed smile beneath his toilet brush mustache. He slipped the154601:49:53.840 --> 01:49:58.920



nuke cheeseburger onto a styrofoam plate, bone apple teeth. He declared,154701:49:59.479 --> 01:50:01.760



go on and grab us a booth. You'll want to154801:50:01.840 --> 01:50:04.119



let it sit for a minute so the flavor really154901:50:04.159 --> 01:50:07.760



gets into the bun. I took the plate and found155001:50:07.760 --> 01:50:11.439



a seat. The bright yellow cheese melted neatly over the155101:50:11.560 --> 01:50:16.000



edges of the two all meat patties. The packaging hadn't155201:50:16.039 --> 01:50:21.319



specified what meats, and my rumbling stomach didn't particularly care.155301:50:22.159 --> 01:50:25.520



The bottom bun discolored as it soaked up seasoned grease.155401:50:26.239 --> 01:50:30.800



A sudden slap interrupted my investigation. A brown paper bag155501:50:30.920 --> 01:50:34.199



sat on the corner of the chip table. Uncle Curtis155601:50:34.239 --> 01:50:37.439



gave me a wink and slipped into the booth opposite me.155701:50:38.319 --> 01:50:42.560



Reading materials for the road. He gestured toward my plate,155801:50:43.039 --> 01:50:47.279



also very important. I picked up the burger. It was155901:50:47.319 --> 01:50:51.560



still hot, and I appreciated the burn. After subsiding primarily156001:50:51.640 --> 01:50:56.079



on cold sandwiches. It smelled far better than anything coming156101:50:56.079 --> 01:50:59.159



out of a microwave had any right to. I bit156201:50:59.279 --> 01:51:04.279



in and groaned with pleasure. The charbroiled paddies burst with156301:51:04.399 --> 01:51:07.720



complex flavors that shamed the big mac Mom got me156401:51:07.800 --> 01:51:12.079



every birthday. I greedily stuffed my mouth with two more bites.156501:51:13.000 --> 01:51:16.720



Uncle Curtis's laughter made me blush with sudden self awareness.156601:51:17.479 --> 01:51:20.960



He waved for me to continue. Never pass on the156701:51:21.000 --> 01:51:24.239



fine cuisine of your friendly Eat em up, he said.156801:51:24.520 --> 01:51:27.640



The distance between meals will make you appreciate them even more.156901:51:28.800 --> 01:51:33.920



It has, I told him in between bites. Thunder rumbled157001:51:33.960 --> 01:51:38.920



outside despite a still blue sky. Curtis checked his watch157101:51:38.960 --> 01:51:42.119



and leaned close to the window to look out. Damn157201:51:42.119 --> 01:51:45.399



the luck, he said, thirty miles to go before we157301:51:45.479 --> 01:51:48.479



drop this load. We'll hit the town same time as157401:51:48.479 --> 01:51:51.960



that storm. Sure as shit. Can we wait it out?157501:51:52.479 --> 01:51:55.640



I asked. Curtis shook his head without looking at me.157601:51:56.479 --> 01:52:05.640



Suppose to be a some bit of a storm. It157701:52:05.840 --> 01:52:10.039



was lesson two In Uncle Curtis's book of life was157801:52:10.439 --> 01:52:14.760



age appropriate literature. I read the latest issue of Soldier157901:52:14.800 --> 01:52:17.720



of Fortune magazine with the aid of a bungee cord158001:52:17.800 --> 01:52:21.319



mounted lantern in the sleeper cab. The rain came down158101:52:21.399 --> 01:52:25.760



in sheets, almost loud enough to muffle the thunder. Almost.158201:52:26.079 --> 01:52:29.319



I leaned around the driver's seat. There's an ad in158301:52:29.399 --> 01:52:32.760



here for a book on how to fight, I said, Oh,158401:52:33.039 --> 01:52:36.000



you'll see lots of those in sof He said, with158501:52:36.039 --> 01:52:39.520



his trademark chipper grumble. This one says I can learn158601:52:39.560 --> 01:52:42.760



how to kill a man with my thumb, I clarified.158701:52:43.479 --> 01:52:48.680



Sounds like malarkey, Oh ye of little faith. Curtis pointed158801:52:48.680 --> 01:52:52.079



to the glovebox. I actually have a copy of that one.158901:52:52.479 --> 01:52:55.840



It's a pretty good read. Check it out. I slipped159001:52:55.920 --> 01:52:58.760



back into my seat and found the hand to hand159101:52:58.880 --> 01:53:02.960



combat manual. I turned to the dog eared pages. First,159201:53:03.560 --> 01:53:08.800



a kneeling groin strike with complimentary castration, Various ways to159301:53:08.960 --> 01:53:12.720



punch the throat, the proper way to gouge out an eye.159401:53:13.319 --> 01:53:18.159



My uncle smiled at my naive shock. That's yours. Now,159501:53:18.640 --> 01:53:23.319



a boy has to know how to defend himself. Don't159601:53:23.359 --> 01:53:28.880



you need it? No, he said, softer than normal. I159701:53:28.960 --> 01:53:33.880



had those lessons already. It was a much roudier classroom.159801:53:35.039 --> 01:53:38.479



I watched him drive in silence before turning my attention159901:53:38.680 --> 01:53:42.439



back to the manual, I paid close attention to the160001:53:42.479 --> 01:53:46.119



pages he'd marked and mined the movements in the air,160101:53:46.640 --> 01:53:52.359



trying to visualize how they worked in real life. Curtis160201:53:52.359 --> 01:53:55.039



gave me pointers as he watched my practice from the160301:53:55.079 --> 01:53:59.000



corner of his eye. I made the adjustments as he suggested.160401:53:59.760 --> 01:54:04.520



The positive feedback was something new to me, and it160501:54:04.600 --> 01:54:08.000



made me want to try harder to impress him. He160601:54:08.079 --> 01:54:10.800



reached over and corrected my grip that the book said160701:54:10.920 --> 01:54:14.600



would tear a man's throat out. I attempted it again.160801:54:15.560 --> 01:54:21.119



My uncle beamed with pride. I'd never been happier or160901:54:21.159 --> 01:54:25.479



felt more loved than I did. Right then, I wasn't161001:54:25.520 --> 01:54:29.479



sure it mattered. After all, I'd probably never need to161101:54:29.600 --> 01:54:34.560



kill a man with my bare hands. Then again, it161201:54:34.680 --> 01:54:47.560



really was a long road to Nashville. I woke up161301:54:47.560 --> 01:54:51.920



to the squawking of the CB radio ten nine, my161401:54:52.039 --> 01:54:56.039



uncle said. I crawled into my seat and stretched away161501:54:56.079 --> 01:55:02.479



the few hours of sleep bears. Another voice said, looking161601:55:02.520 --> 01:55:06.840



for a runner from Pasqualito, some bitch, Ain't that just161701:55:06.880 --> 01:55:11.159



a kick in the pants. Curtis pressed the button ten four.161801:55:12.319 --> 01:55:17.000



What does all that mean? I asked, means we're riding161901:55:17.039 --> 01:55:20.960



double nickels until they finish their business. He pointed at162001:55:20.960 --> 01:55:25.640



swirling red and blue lights on the horizon. Sam, Pasqualito162101:55:25.800 --> 01:55:29.720



is a looney bin full of murderers, the bad kind162201:55:31.039 --> 01:55:34.600



as opposed to the good kind. I'm just saying, I162301:55:34.680 --> 01:55:39.239



understand a man shooting folks. Pasqual is for those less162401:55:39.239 --> 01:55:45.680



civilized sorts. Cannibals, satanists, serial killers, fellas that like to162501:55:45.720 --> 01:55:49.439



poke their peckers into dead things. Whoever they're looking for,162601:55:49.880 --> 01:55:52.640



it ain't someone we want to find. We're going to162701:55:52.680 --> 01:55:55.319



get up the road aways. There's a nice place called162801:55:55.399 --> 01:55:59.039



Moonlight Drive. We'll get some more burgers there. In a shower.162901:56:00.000 --> 01:56:04.279



I hadn't considered how Curtis handled basic things like showering.163001:56:05.000 --> 01:56:08.800



I started to ask, and he held up a knowing finger. Brad,163101:56:09.600 --> 01:56:13.159



let me tell you something, he smiled with fond reminiscence.163201:56:14.039 --> 01:56:17.600



Nothing feels better than washing all the kinks of the163301:56:17.680 --> 01:56:21.640



road out of your body with a nice hot shower.163401:56:22.439 --> 01:56:25.319



Just make sure you wear some flip flops. Don't want163501:56:25.319 --> 01:56:29.800



to get the clap between your toes. What's the clap,163601:56:30.119 --> 01:56:34.000



I asked, Which brings us to another important life lesson163701:56:35.079 --> 01:56:38.720



the girls at Moonlight Drive do not really think you're handsome,163801:56:38.880 --> 01:56:41.840



and that bargain rate comes with a different kind of price.163901:56:42.640 --> 01:56:46.520



My uncle laughed hard and shook his head. Just trust me.164001:56:47.600 --> 01:56:50.319



I had no idea what he was talking about, but164101:56:51.279 --> 01:56:54.119



I did trust him. He'd taught me more in a164201:56:54.159 --> 01:56:58.439



few hours than either of my parents. We passed a164301:56:58.479 --> 01:57:01.159



pair of park cop cars and I waved at the164401:57:01.159 --> 01:57:04.439



silhouette of the state trooper on my side. I was164501:57:04.479 --> 01:57:07.319



sure he couldn't see me through the storm, but it164601:57:07.399 --> 01:57:13.239



seemed like the right thing to do. My uncle gave164701:57:13.319 --> 01:57:16.880



me a towel that smelled strongly of bleach, a pair164801:57:16.920 --> 01:57:20.359



of brand new flip flops, and a thumbs up. I164901:57:20.399 --> 01:57:23.600



went to the shower and nervously undressed before stepping into165001:57:23.640 --> 01:57:28.359



the stall. By god, Uncle Curtis was right. I'd been165101:57:28.399 --> 01:57:31.319



a trucker for all of six hours, and the scolding165201:57:31.399 --> 01:57:35.159



hot water was the best damned feeling in my admittedly165301:57:35.239 --> 01:57:38.399



short life. I could only imagine how it must have165401:57:38.439 --> 01:57:41.239



felt to someone that lived in their truck all the time.165501:57:42.000 --> 01:57:45.439



I cleaned myself quickly and then leaned my forehead against165601:57:45.520 --> 01:57:49.399



the tile wall. I thought about what Mom was probably doing,165701:57:50.560 --> 01:57:53.720



what it would be like meeting Dad for basically the165801:57:53.760 --> 01:57:56.640



first time, and how Curtis had been more of a165901:57:56.760 --> 01:57:59.439



parent in a quarter of a day than they had166001:57:59.479 --> 01:58:03.720



been in thirteen years. Crying all of that out felt166101:58:03.760 --> 01:58:07.960



almost as good as the shower. When I finally stepped out,166201:58:08.359 --> 01:58:11.399



I had lost all sense of time. The other four166301:58:11.479 --> 01:58:15.039



stalls were seemingly occupied, and I set about drying myself166401:58:15.079 --> 01:58:18.439



as fast as I could. I'd never been naked around166501:58:18.439 --> 01:58:22.880



other people, or around naked people. I wasn't sure what166601:58:22.920 --> 01:58:25.960



the protocols were for that sort of thing. I pulled166701:58:25.960 --> 01:58:28.159



my jeans on and slipped my feet back into my166801:58:28.159 --> 01:58:33.239



flip flops. No longer focused on potential embarrassment or awkward166901:58:33.359 --> 01:58:37.399



nude conversations, I began to take in my surroundings and167001:58:37.560 --> 01:58:43.880



notice the stall doors were open. Is anyone there? I called?167101:58:45.119 --> 01:58:48.680



No one answered. It wasn't a lesson Curtis taught, but167201:58:49.119 --> 01:58:53.279



it should have been. Never ask if anyone's there. It's167301:58:53.319 --> 01:58:56.760



not like some fucking psycho was going to say, yeah, pal,167401:58:57.079 --> 01:59:00.000



I'm over here behind the curtain. Just keep your guy167501:59:00.439 --> 01:59:05.239



mouth shut like I didn't. Instead, I walked through the steam,167601:59:05.399 --> 01:59:09.039



trying to wave it away. The light shifted through the167701:59:09.039 --> 01:59:13.720



more relaxing environment of the shower room to the garish bathroom.167801:59:13.960 --> 01:59:18.000



It was in that weird merger of contrasting illumination that167901:59:18.079 --> 01:59:22.239



I saw the figure run by my hasty attempt at168001:59:22.279 --> 01:59:25.640



drying off lift my underwear wet. At least that's the168101:59:25.720 --> 01:59:29.920



lie I was telling myself in that moment. A crash168201:59:29.960 --> 01:59:34.479



came from the bathroom, followed by another. The lights inside168301:59:34.520 --> 01:59:38.640



flickered violently in their battered fixtures. I took a deep168401:59:38.760 --> 01:59:43.199



breath and tried to sound much older as I shouted168501:59:43.399 --> 01:59:47.159



for someone to answer me. They kept their mouth shut168601:59:47.239 --> 01:59:51.079



because they were smarter than I was. In the bathroom,168701:59:51.640 --> 01:59:55.439



all seemed calm. No one jumped out to kill me,168801:59:56.640 --> 01:59:59.880



no one was there at all. Keeping my back to168902:00:00.079 --> 02:00:02.640



the row of sinks and my eyes on the stalls,169002:00:02.880 --> 02:00:06.439



I inched through the space quickly. Most of the toilet169102:00:06.479 --> 02:00:10.560



doors were open, giving me some peace of mind. Under169202:00:10.600 --> 02:00:13.680



the last door, I saw a pair of cowboy boots169302:00:13.720 --> 02:00:18.520



with the required wranglers around their embroidered ankles. A strange169402:00:18.520 --> 02:00:22.159



puddle drew my eyes to the urinals. I tried to169502:00:22.199 --> 02:00:24.920



ignore it. I wanted to run through the moonlight drive169602:00:24.960 --> 02:00:29.119



and out to Uncle Curtis's truck. I didn't. The scent169702:00:29.159 --> 02:00:33.039



of ammonia and old pennies grew stronger with each step169802:00:33.119 --> 02:00:36.720



closer to the dark pool. Next to the half dissolved169902:00:36.840 --> 02:00:42.880



urinal puck was a severed dick. My flip flops thwack, thwack,170002:00:43.039 --> 02:00:47.520



thwacked frantically as I back pedaled. I'd caught mine with170102:00:47.600 --> 02:00:51.479



the zipper before. Maybe this was just an extreme case.170202:00:52.000 --> 02:00:55.119



Maybe the cowboy and the shitter was the owner. Maybe170302:00:55.159 --> 02:00:59.239



he was the penis pruner and mine would be next.170402:01:00.640 --> 02:01:04.479



Life is full of maybes, you know. I gave the170502:01:04.520 --> 02:01:07.279



door a quick shove and it came open with ease,170602:01:07.880 --> 02:01:12.319



banged off the partition, and shut again. The half second170702:01:12.359 --> 02:01:14.920



it was open was long enough to prove he was170802:01:14.960 --> 02:01:18.880



the owner of the disembodied dangle rod. I sprinted through170902:01:18.880 --> 02:01:22.279



the bathroom and into the narrow hall beyond, running full171002:01:22.359 --> 02:01:26.159



bore into the hideous orange wall. My footwear sounded more171102:01:26.199 --> 02:01:29.560



ridiculous than my pubescent screeching as I bolted to the171202:01:29.600 --> 02:01:33.720



main part of the truck stop. Then my thwacking became splatting,171302:01:34.640 --> 02:01:39.359



and next thing I knew, I was on my back.171402:01:40.479 --> 02:01:42.720



It took a moment to get my breath back into171502:01:42.720 --> 02:01:46.680



my lungs. My skin peeled from the gory linoleum with171602:01:46.720 --> 02:01:49.880



the same noise your legs make on vinyl car seats171702:01:49.880 --> 02:01:53.239



in the summer. It was a toss up which was wider,171802:01:53.680 --> 02:01:56.279



the shocked eyes on the trucker or the gash in171902:01:56.319 --> 02:01:59.000



his throat as he stared at me from his spot172002:01:59.039 --> 02:02:02.680



on the floor, bubbles popped and the pulled blood in172102:02:02.720 --> 02:02:08.720



his mouth. I managed to stay quiet to this fucking day.172202:02:08.760 --> 02:02:12.439



I don't know how I pressed myself up from the floor.172302:02:13.319 --> 02:02:16.359



Another body was slumped over a table, with his brains172402:02:16.439 --> 02:02:20.039



spilling from the back of his skull across the laminated tabletop.172502:02:20.840 --> 02:02:23.680



The woman across from him was blinking at me on172602:02:23.720 --> 02:02:27.560



either side of the hatchet by secting her face. Her172702:02:27.640 --> 02:02:30.920



sneakers squeaked softly in the puddle beneath her as her172802:02:30.920 --> 02:02:35.119



foot twitched in a post mortem attempt to flee. Better172902:02:35.199 --> 02:02:39.159



late than never. A fourth victim was mostly hidden by173002:02:39.159 --> 02:02:43.159



bags of Cheetos, where he crashed through a display. Two173102:02:43.239 --> 02:02:46.359



more laid on the path to the door. I stepped173202:02:46.399 --> 02:02:49.039



over another and went to the counter with the microwaves173302:02:50.079 --> 02:02:55.159



out of the corners of my eyes. I saw others, truckers,173402:02:55.720 --> 02:03:04.000



lot lizards, store employees, and so much fucking blood. Thirty173502:03:04.279 --> 02:03:09.720



nine years, a voice said wearily. The speaker gave an173602:03:09.760 --> 02:03:15.319



amused grunt. In eight months lots of lost time to173702:03:15.359 --> 02:03:19.359



make up for. I reached for the little refrigerator full173802:03:19.399 --> 02:03:24.399



of assordid microwaveable food choices and opened it, collecting two173902:03:24.479 --> 02:03:27.000



double cheeseburgers of the brand we'd had at the heart174002:03:27.039 --> 02:03:30.560



of Dixie. Never pass up the fine cuisine of your174102:03:30.720 --> 02:03:34.920



friendly eat em up, I said, before turning to face174202:03:34.960 --> 02:03:39.600



the killer. I am rather famished. The man wore a174302:03:39.680 --> 02:03:44.000



denim shirt and brown trousers, with a simple mask made174402:03:44.039 --> 02:03:48.199



of a stained pillowcase. His blue eyes stared at me174502:03:48.239 --> 02:03:52.439



through the mismatched holes he'd cut out to sea this work.174602:03:53.399 --> 02:03:55.800



It takes a lot out of you. I put a174702:03:55.800 --> 02:04:00.000



burger in the microwave and set the timer ninety seconds.174802:04:01.600 --> 02:04:05.279



You never really consider the possibility that the last moments174902:04:05.319 --> 02:04:09.279



of your life will be so precise. I watched the175002:04:09.479 --> 02:04:12.439



entree turn on the glass plate. The green digits on175102:04:12.479 --> 02:04:15.279



the tim are counted down my remaining time on earth.175202:04:15.960 --> 02:04:18.720



The killer came beside me and put his hands on175302:04:18.760 --> 02:04:22.960



the counter. That's a hell of a thing. He pointed175402:04:23.000 --> 02:04:26.439



his bloody finger at the appliance. I wonder what all175502:04:26.520 --> 02:04:30.920



changed while I was gone. I'm guessing it was probably175602:04:30.960 --> 02:04:35.520



a lot. I'm brad. Did your father name you that?175702:04:36.199 --> 02:04:39.960



He asked. I don't know. I'd never thought on how175802:04:40.000 --> 02:04:45.000



i'd gotten my name. Maybe I guess my father didn't175902:04:45.079 --> 02:04:49.359



name me, nor my mother. His voice was as devoid176002:04:49.439 --> 02:04:54.720



of emotion as his hooded face. The newspapers they gave176102:04:54.800 --> 02:04:57.520



me a name for the first time in my life.176202:04:57.600 --> 02:05:02.239



They called me the phantom Killer. Doesn't really roll off176302:05:02.279 --> 02:05:05.239



the tongue. I laughed a little and bit my lip,176402:05:05.560 --> 02:05:08.600



hoping he wouldn't cut my head off for the faux pas.176502:05:09.079 --> 02:05:13.239



Can I call you p K? Suppose that would be fine?176602:05:14.479 --> 02:05:17.640



Why did you do all this? P K? Why not?176702:05:19.199 --> 02:05:22.720



You shouldn't answer a question with a question. I told him.176802:05:23.319 --> 02:05:27.680



Why did they deserve to die? Why did they deserve176902:05:27.720 --> 02:05:31.119



to live? P K leaned on the counter and crossed177002:05:31.119 --> 02:05:34.880



his arms over his narrow chest. A man will love177102:05:34.920 --> 02:05:38.319



his wife and then beat her. A woman will love177202:05:38.319 --> 02:05:41.720



her husband and fuck his brother. People will go to177302:05:41.760 --> 02:05:45.439



a man's funeral, but not his birthday party. We throw177402:05:45.520 --> 02:05:49.159



the word love around, but it's only a superficial thing.177502:05:50.000 --> 02:05:54.000



Our value was realized by our demise. Until you're gone,177602:05:54.600 --> 02:05:58.479



it's only a word. It's through death that love becomes177702:05:58.479 --> 02:06:03.800



an actual, quantify emotion. Because of me, they will all177802:06:03.840 --> 02:06:09.520



be loved endlessly. The microwave dinged, derailing my train of thought,177902:06:09.560 --> 02:06:14.079



which was chugging uncomfortably towards understanding. I eased the burger178002:06:14.119 --> 02:06:17.680



onto a styrofoam plate and slid it to Piquet. He178102:06:17.840 --> 02:06:20.520



rolled the mask up over his nose and leaned down178202:06:20.600 --> 02:06:23.840



to smell it. He made a pleased sound and licked178302:06:23.880 --> 02:06:29.840



his lips. Silver scruff covered his gaunt, wrinkled face. He178402:06:29.880 --> 02:06:32.439



would kill me and take off the mask, and then178502:06:32.520 --> 02:06:36.000



he'd disappear. He was just some old man waiting for178602:06:36.079 --> 02:06:39.319



a crowd to get lost in. You should let the178702:06:39.319 --> 02:06:42.720



burger sit for a minute, I said it. Lets the178802:06:42.800 --> 02:06:46.479



flavor really get into the bun. Suppose that means we178902:06:46.520 --> 02:06:50.119



have time to finish this. He rolled the mask back179002:06:50.239 --> 02:06:53.439



down and shrugged. I'm sure there'll be a lot of179102:06:53.479 --> 02:06:56.520



folks at your funeral, Brad. I'll do it so it179202:06:56.560 --> 02:07:00.800



won't hurt much. I can't make the same promise, I said.179302:07:01.760 --> 02:07:04.800



He reached behind him and I dropped to a knee.179402:07:04.960 --> 02:07:08.000



I lashed out like Uncle Curtis's manual showed me. My179502:07:08.119 --> 02:07:11.600



palms struck his groin and p K buckled. His face179602:07:11.680 --> 02:07:14.119



came down, and my hands shot up to meet it.179702:07:14.520 --> 02:07:18.199



My thumbs slipped past the moist orbs and disappeared inside179802:07:18.279 --> 02:07:22.119



his eye sockets. I felt something cold bang against my ribs.179902:07:22.880 --> 02:07:25.800



The sudden warmth of blood cascading down my side made180002:07:25.840 --> 02:07:29.920



me jump away. P K screamed and spun around, slashing180102:07:30.000 --> 02:07:32.880



wildly at the air. I was too distracted by the180202:07:32.920 --> 02:07:36.079



gash across my side to notice the eyeball clutched in180302:07:36.159 --> 02:07:39.640



my fist. When I did, I flung it away with180402:07:39.720 --> 02:07:44.439



a less than intimidating squeal. The phantom killer sprang forward180502:07:44.520 --> 02:07:48.439



with a fruitless lunge. His follow up shot got much closer.180602:07:49.319 --> 02:07:52.079



More blood trickled from the tidy cut he left in180702:07:52.159 --> 02:07:56.600



my lip. The taste focussed my attention. The knife was180802:07:56.680 --> 02:08:01.479



drawing back. P K's weight sank. He'd spring one more180902:08:01.560 --> 02:08:04.880



time and put all seven inches of steel straight through181002:08:04.920 --> 02:08:09.960



my heart. I thought about Uncle Curtis, probably one of181102:08:09.960 --> 02:08:13.960



the bodies lining the aisles, and how happy he'd been181202:08:14.680 --> 02:08:16.960



when he showed me how to execute the movements in181302:08:17.000 --> 02:08:20.920



the martial arts booklet. I plunged in and did it181402:08:21.119 --> 02:08:24.840



just like he showed me. The knife clattered to the floor.181502:08:25.880 --> 02:08:28.880



P Kue stood up straight and stumbled away from me.181602:08:29.600 --> 02:08:33.439



The neck of the hood fluttered with a strange gurgling hiss.181702:08:34.079 --> 02:08:37.119



The viscera slipped between my fingers and I let it181802:08:37.239 --> 02:08:41.960



splat to the checkerboard linoleum. The killer collapsed to his knees,181902:08:42.279 --> 02:08:46.319



still watching me with his one eye. I picked up182002:08:46.359 --> 02:08:50.800



the burger. The burn felt good on my fingertips. I182102:08:50.840 --> 02:08:56.319



took a big, greedy bite. Will anyone love you? Pi182202:08:56.479 --> 02:08:59.680



k I asked through the flavor burst of the all182302:08:59.760 --> 02:09:03.880



meat patties. The phantom Killer raised his shirt enough to182402:09:03.920 --> 02:09:08.079



reveal a composition book in his waistband. He wrestled it182502:09:08.079 --> 02:09:13.039



out and fell on his face. Before he faded, he182602:09:13.159 --> 02:09:16.720



slid it to me. I picked it up and hopped182702:09:16.760 --> 02:09:20.399



onto the counter. Uncle Curtis taught me the importance of182802:09:20.439 --> 02:09:24.279



good reading materials. So I sat there and ate my182902:09:24.359 --> 02:09:29.399



burger and read the scribbled Manifesto of a Madman. A183002:09:29.439 --> 02:09:34.079



bell tinkled over the door. What the sam hell happened here?183102:09:34.720 --> 02:09:38.079



Curtis asked. I looked up at him with both relief183202:09:38.600 --> 02:09:41.880



and confusion. His hand was down the back of some183302:09:42.000 --> 02:09:45.359



woman's cut off shorts. The aquan at holding her perman183402:09:45.439 --> 02:09:48.239



place had been given the challenge of its life, and183502:09:48.319 --> 02:09:52.079



her Motley Crew T shirt was both backwards and inside out.183602:09:52.880 --> 02:09:56.119



While I'd been fighting for my life, my uncle had183702:09:56.159 --> 02:10:00.239



been banging a hooker. I swallowed the bite I was183802:10:00.319 --> 02:10:04.920



chewing and laughed. Still a long drive to Nashville, I said,183902:10:04.960 --> 02:10:08.800



sliding down the counter, Is she coming with us? No?184002:10:09.520 --> 02:10:14.640



Curtis looked around. I ain't fucking staying here, she wailed, Well, shit,184102:10:15.239 --> 02:10:19.039



all her clients are dead, so yes, she might as well.184202:10:19.920 --> 02:10:23.960



What happened Psycho from the looney Bend? I slipped the184302:10:24.000 --> 02:10:27.000



notebook into the back of my jeans. I'll go grab184402:10:27.039 --> 02:10:32.560



my stuff. Hell, I guess, so, me and Marla will184502:10:33.239 --> 02:10:39.640



go get the truck in order. Uncle Curtis married Marla184602:10:39.760 --> 02:10:43.640



six weeks later and divorced her four months after that.184702:10:44.880 --> 02:10:48.600



Go figure Mom got into rehab while I was gone184802:10:48.680 --> 02:10:52.199



and died of an overdose three days after she got out.184902:10:53.159 --> 02:10:57.359



Relatives I never met came to her funeral. It seems185002:10:57.439 --> 02:11:00.680



p K was right. I went to with my dad185102:11:00.720 --> 02:11:03.720



full time and spent my summers with Uncle Curtis on185202:11:03.760 --> 02:11:07.399



the rig. Now I have my own and all the185302:11:07.479 --> 02:11:10.680



lessons he gave me, one of them being that life185402:11:10.760 --> 02:11:13.720



can't be about what you have. It has to be185502:11:13.840 --> 02:11:17.159



about what you do. And that's where another set of185602:11:17.239 --> 02:11:22.600



lessons comes in. The composition book is battered in falling apart.185702:11:22.680 --> 02:11:25.960



Now pages have been lost or damaged to the point185802:11:25.960 --> 02:11:29.319



where they can't be read any longer. It's more for185902:11:29.479 --> 02:11:34.800



sentimental value. Nowadays, I've started writing my own, expanding on186002:11:34.880 --> 02:11:39.000



PK's teachings and philosophy. There's a lot of road out186102:11:39.039 --> 02:11:42.520



there and a lot of people that need to be loved.186202:11:43.159 --> 02:11:47.560



That's what I do. So when you're out there on186302:11:47.680 --> 02:11:52.520



the highway and you feel like no one cares, just186402:11:52.640 --> 02:11:57.319



flash your lights at the first semi you see. Maybe186502:11:57.560 --> 02:12:02.880



it'll be me, maybe, oh them, all of you. After all,186602:12:03.920 --> 02:12:13.760



life is full of maybes, And there it is my186702:12:14.000 --> 02:12:19.840



spookies for terrifying reminders that sometimes the safest part of186802:12:19.880 --> 02:12:24.279



a summer vacation is when you stay at home and186902:12:24.359 --> 02:12:28.640



miss your flight. Tonight, we learned that airline snacks are187002:12:28.800 --> 02:12:36.159



rarely worth dying for. Supernatural contracts should always include dietary restrictions.187102:12:36.640 --> 02:12:40.039



Abandoned ships are never as empty as they may appear,187202:12:40.439 --> 02:12:45.439



and no roadside Hamburger is good enough to justify ignoring187302:12:45.560 --> 02:12:50.800



the blood on the floor. That is what Summer ween187402:12:51.000 --> 02:12:54.399



is all about. The days may still be long, the187502:12:54.479 --> 02:12:59.119



pavement may still be hot, and Halloween decorations may not187602:12:59.279 --> 02:13:05.039



have reached every restore yet, but darkness never checks the calendar,187702:13:05.840 --> 02:13:09.800



So thank you for traveling with us tonight. Make sure187802:13:09.840 --> 02:13:13.159



you follow or subscribe to Weekly Spooky on your favorite187902:13:13.159 --> 02:13:16.760



podcast app, and join us every Wednesday for a brand188002:13:16.840 --> 02:13:21.439



new scary story and lots of special frights in October.188102:13:21.479 --> 02:13:25.680



And don't forget we publish something spooky, creepy and fun188202:13:26.199 --> 02:13:29.800



every single day of the week, So hit that subscribe188302:13:29.800 --> 02:13:34.680



button right about now and stay safe, spookies, See us soon.