0:01

But. She. You have never

0:03

lived, never had to make

0:06

an impossible choice. Life is

0:08

full of them. But what

0:10

do you know of life?

0:13

There is such complexity in

0:15

this universe where good and

0:18

evil is a miasma that

0:20

cannot be traversed. There is

0:22

fire and that is stop

0:25

mass. There's cold and that

0:27

is heat. Their lie and

0:30

ice. Truth. These are opposites.

0:32

Black and White, we

0:34

know where the lines

0:37

are drawn. Your verdict

0:39

will be impartial. It

0:42

will be pure folly

0:44

of such interpretive interferences.

0:47

We are sometimes forced

0:49

to make decisions. We

0:52

will read, draft, You

0:54

know, Sometimes.

0:56

There is no right

0:58

choice. For.

1:00

You know, for a

1:03

man, Vincent.

1:35

Sat with his sharp elbows on

1:38

his sharp knees, hands crossed beneath

1:40

his chin, staring at the skull

1:42

on the stone table. That jagged

1:45

clef was etched into the bone

1:47

of it's forehead. Although he could

1:49

not yet received the song, it

1:52

commenced. You. Are good. Their

1:54

Vincent. Said. Voltaire.

1:56

The. Puppet sad jealously in one of

1:58

the side chairs. Having fallen over

2:01

a little so that his wouldn't head,

2:03

leaned on the chair arm. I'm

2:06

beginning to feel like I'm third

2:08

wheeling. Alas, poor yorick,

2:10

someone was this close. Voltaire

2:12

said Vincent's and raised his

2:15

hand to just a few

2:17

inches from the skull, poised

2:19

as if holding a pen.

2:23

This close to Abraham

2:25

Walker. They held

2:27

a cutting implements and. Here,

2:31

he dragged his hand through the

2:33

air and several slow strokes. With

2:36

a certain amount of practice

2:38

and strength enough to carve

2:41

bone scarred the man's head.

2:44

Voltaire. Did not blink. If

2:47

only we knew who it was

2:49

on the other side of that

2:51

Nice just days ago. As close

2:53

as I am now to these

2:56

remains like a ghost, I see

2:58

the after image and it is

3:00

just as spookily obscure. It's. View

3:04

Beginning to worry it was you. Said.

3:07

Voltaire. Vincent

3:09

sat up, brows furrowed, Well,

3:13

to be honest, it hadn't occurred

3:16

to me. Why would

3:18

it be me? It wouldn't

3:20

be me. Just

3:22

wondering said Voltaire, a wooden

3:24

shoes dangling off the edge

3:26

of the chair. No need

3:28

to get all defensive about

3:30

it and not being defensive,

3:32

you don't just wonder about

3:34

something so it seemed said

3:36

Vincent and he rolled from

3:38

his chair to meal next.

3:40

double tears eye to eye

3:43

with the painted wouldn't face

3:45

what's gotten into, you know

3:47

things. gotten it to me

3:49

said Voltaire, smiling back with

3:51

fixed white teeth. The

3:53

question is what? getting into

3:55

you medicines. Now see

3:57

here you insidious muppet. Into

4:00

the began and then realized that

4:02

the door was open and the

4:04

silent as the grave shows be.

4:06

Allen was standing with a bundle

4:08

of burlap under one arm and

4:10

know expression on her face. Vincent

4:12

bounce to his feet and dusted

4:14

off his jacket. Pardon

4:17

me Vincent said. I

4:20

was in the middle of

4:22

something. This. Is

4:24

why everyone thinks you're crazy.

4:26

Vincent said Voltaire. Shut up

4:29

Said Vincent. They do not.

4:32

I talk to cat. Can

4:34

be said, she still had

4:36

not moved from the door,

4:38

which he occupied squarely. Oh,

4:40

that said, Vincent, adjusting his

4:43

tie. We. Have a

4:45

cat. I talk to it sometimes

4:47

it doesn't understand because it's a

4:50

cat. But. I like

4:52

to pretend. I

4:54

said vincent and smiled weakly

4:57

and glanced to Voltaire. Yes,

5:00

I suppose we developed

5:03

our own illusions of

5:05

companionship. Was

5:07

there something I could assist you with?

5:09

Mrs. Allen. That's

5:11

the skull of Abraham Walker. Shelby

5:14

said Taking a step in, Vincent

5:16

realized the skull was still sitting

5:18

on the more table. Ah

5:20

yes, I was searching for any

5:22

marks lose said Vincent. Stepping back

5:25

around the other side, Shelvey came

5:27

to rest in front of it,

5:29

studying the carved symbol as if

5:31

looking for the following know to

5:34

unfold and her bundled them and

5:36

placed a large piece of bone

5:38

onto the table. Hey

5:41

look a human femur

5:43

said Voltaire. I. Know

5:45

what it is mother Vincent and then

5:48

spoke up a bit for the watching

5:50

Shelby. Whose is

5:52

this? What have you brought

5:55

me? It's all we have left of

5:57

a murder scene north of Big Mikey,

5:59

South. Be said that in

6:01

the head of a scout post

6:03

javelin which is with Sheriff Virgil.

6:06

Are these bite marks said

6:09

Vincent Big Mike? He was

6:11

using it as a toothpick.

6:13

apparently. Shelby said. His

6:16

big Mikey The murder suspect

6:18

said vincent. Sure,

6:21

Blame the big kid said

6:23

Voltaire. He. Found the

6:25

bodies later said shelby. I

6:29

saw who did this. My.

6:32

Parents were killed on the way

6:34

here to Scout City. So

6:37

was a job. So are these

6:39

people? Me:

6:42

your parents died and number of

6:44

years ago said vincent. You

6:47

think the killer is the say him? He's.

6:51

Huge Shelby said. Where's.

6:54

The head of a pig. Had.

6:56

An outfit like some kind of

6:58

circus man. When

7:00

I missing is how is connected

7:02

to the instrumentalist. Why?

7:05

He would do this. She.

7:07

Raised to calloused finger to the skull.

7:11

I've been doing some research

7:14

on the instrumentalist St. Vincent,

7:16

studying both bones to try

7:18

and unveil anything about our

7:20

resident murderer he believes, and

7:23

it seems to have been

7:25

verified well. although it was

7:27

before my time that human

7:29

spirits could be harnessed and

7:32

that the greater the pain

7:34

that the spirit endured prior

7:36

to it's passing, the stronger

7:39

it would be. These

7:41

creative mess heads of torture

7:43

or an art of the

7:46

crafts as much as a

7:48

punishment for sin, but there

7:50

was a process involving a

7:52

cabinet, a door. A

7:55

ritual to find the spirits

7:57

released to their instruments. What

8:00

when are we being punished for? I

8:03

wonder? Let's. Find

8:05

Out said Shelby. Can

8:07

you tell me who this is? You

8:11

expect me to identify someone based

8:13

on a single bound mangled a

8:15

by a giants Vincent said and

8:18

shudder does he began to open

8:20

his fungal i. Well.

8:24

Let's see if we can't at

8:26

least sort out some democratic. Probably.

8:42

Wasn't helping where her health was concerns,

8:45

but then again, going without sleep or

8:47

bothered her less than it seems to

8:49

bother Shelby who slept fourteen hours a

8:51

day. If she had the chance, it

8:54

was Just spending from the reserves was

8:56

all and right now the reserves were

8:58

the last thing on her mind. She

9:00

tossed and turned, four bit, recorded some

9:03

more of her thoughts on the little

9:05

yellow tape recorder she'd been given by

9:07

Lawrence, and then it was back to

9:09

the case. It began by putting the

9:12

thoughts on to. Paper crumpled shopper

9:14

seats, old scout checks, pages

9:16

from long dissolved books. anything

9:18

you could scrawl legibly. Auden

9:20

was at risk of becoming

9:22

part of the process. Instrumentalist

9:25

Solomon Read: Walter

9:27

Pensive Solomon's House

9:29

Abraham Walker Reform

9:32

The Going Big

9:34

Mikey Abrahams Cabin

9:36

Park The Car

9:39

Skull Murder Javelin

9:41

Murder Dog in

9:43

Bear Trap Murder.

9:46

A brief moment, a way to stop

9:48

said god from using it's three working

9:50

legs to reach the bread on the

9:53

countertop. The Log

9:55

fall The pig Man

9:57

shall be Allen Moulder.

9:59

Alan. Murder. The

10:02

Cleaver. Another stop.

10:04

Wrestling her good pipe out of the

10:06

Beagles mouth. the dog went to flop

10:08

down by the fireplace and sneezed at

10:10

her. She. Sneezed back, she

10:13

rubbed the tooth marks with her

10:15

thumb where the would had been

10:17

scraped the femur. She muttered and

10:19

added that to the growing pile

10:21

of notes and sat there for

10:23

a long moment contemplating the spread

10:26

of words until the beagle bounded

10:28

up to her, scattering them across

10:30

the office floor. You're a

10:32

bad as system Quinn said and let

10:35

it out of the apartment and as

10:37

it turned around on the landing, shut

10:39

the door and it's face. She returned

10:41

to sit on the office floor and

10:44

gathered her notes. Again, She. Found

10:46

that to have ended up under the

10:48

sofa together. Skull. Seamer,

10:50

She rearranged the notes again and

10:53

again alphabetically, bite size by chronological

10:55

relevance. When she had gotten as

10:57

much as he was going to,

10:59

it was time for the next

11:02

stage. Out came the scissors, the

11:04

yarn, the pins. Virgil had taught

11:06

her how to make these once

11:08

in a bygone time when she

11:11

was the spring to step into

11:13

his cowboy boots. They both been

11:15

different then. He'd. Been the

11:17

man the whole Scout post looked

11:20

to for security, and she'd been

11:22

bright eyed enough to believe that

11:24

anyone could carry that responsibility. Honestly,

11:26

Now he was the jaded old

11:28

the masthead them she was jaded

11:31

to and shorn of all those

11:33

precious badges in the process. The.

11:36

Unbroken threads represented links,

11:38

thematic, causal, lower. otherwise.

11:40

Walter Pensive. Connected to

11:43

Instrumentalists House by sight

11:45

of murder and by

11:47

murder to Instrumentalist. To.

11:49

Pin the question mark on one

11:52

thread in particular, the line between

11:54

pig Man and instrumentalist at least

11:56

three years between the death of

11:58

Solomon and of. Fighting of

12:01

the pig. There. Were likely more

12:03

that he had killed in the

12:05

interim that had just never reach

12:07

the scout post to tell about

12:09

it or had been attributed to

12:11

the wildlife. And yet fishers don't

12:13

inscribed their victims with music butcher's

12:16

don't make their meat and L

12:18

A T. Y now

12:20

she said facing the expanding

12:22

web of information tact to

12:24

the walls of her office.

12:28

Why? This. She

12:30

touched the illustration of the skull

12:33

and the market Hell and then

12:35

she tried to forget about it

12:37

for a while and picked up

12:39

her saxophone from by the window

12:42

and put some of her numbered

12:44

breaths into something glow and contemplated

12:46

and soulful. The music meandered with

12:48

her thoughts, at times frantic and

12:51

rising and ascendant climbs and others

12:53

a deep melancholy. Cleaver.

12:56

Skull femur. Murder

12:58

of Murder. Murder.

13:01

Of Shelby young and small

13:03

and terrified. blood droplets suspended

13:05

in the air alongside the

13:07

rain. A mask of a

13:10

pig. Go ahead of okay.

13:12

A man screaming at the

13:14

sharp edge illuminated his forehead

13:16

like sacred manuscript. Her fingers

13:19

flickered on the keys. Body.

13:21

After body vanishing into the

13:24

woods boots running that hair

13:26

have ruptured skyn while the

13:28

beagle in the trap watched

13:30

and her music came abruptly

13:32

to and and blood dropped

13:35

to have a floor ran

13:37

down the tarnished gold side

13:39

of her instrument. He

13:41

looks down to find that her pinky

13:44

was missing it's nail which lay on

13:46

the ground and blood weldon the nail

13:48

bed to stop the finger in her

13:51

mouth and cursed and center saxophone down

13:53

in a hurry to fetched her patternless

13:55

count and slid down the banister and

13:57

found the beetle napping down and. The

14:00

lobby report the front door. She

14:02

realized she had no lease, so

14:04

he picked it up beneath an arm

14:06

and set up grimly into the late

14:09

morning. This was

14:11

going to sell. Oil.

14:19

Not a cop. The can't Train

14:22

makes inferior the gotten sick to be them

14:24

with. The. World to sit and

14:26

the gun and if you're going to feed

14:28

it going to have to outsmart them. I

14:31

know that might not be your strength.

14:33

you think it was mine either. Sometimes.

14:35

All the cake for someone who cares enough

14:38

to left and you're good at that. Going

14:42

to have to get you and

14:44

name at some point, Clinton said

14:46

the beagle squirmed occasionally, but had

14:48

largely settled into being carried like

14:50

a child through the meandering crowds

14:52

of Scams City. Spots.

14:55

Beagley, Bugle.

15:00

The beagle with one good eye

15:02

and three functional pause did not

15:04

seem to like any of these

15:06

added snorted at her Sky with

15:09

and right here in the upper

15:11

stretches of Scout City high above

15:13

the Titanic tree line of the

15:15

forests remember she thought the is

15:17

bigger than you and your past

15:19

and your grudges. This is about

15:21

trying to save a life. This

15:23

is about trying to beat him

15:26

to the punch. Even so, she

15:28

thought about turning around and going

15:30

back. to the stumps facing danger

15:32

and bloodshed was one thing where

15:34

he was bound there were greater

15:36

terrorists to be found she persisted

15:39

all the way up to nightingale

15:41

district where some of the massive

15:43

branches were home to arrays of

15:45

small offices to found herself on

15:48

a long lane which terminated in

15:50

a balcony that overlooked the surrounding

15:52

woods for miles but the place

15:54

he was bound was a fancy

15:57

glass door set into the would

15:59

wind that let in no light.

16:02

She tucked the dog under her arm with

16:04

one hand, and with the other licked her

16:06

palm and pushed her hair back with it,

16:09

and then walked in. There

16:11

was a receptionist sitting in a

16:13

comfy waiting room, colorful furniture, and

16:16

warm lighting meant to evoke safety.

16:19

Everyone in the city had a

16:21

goddamn receptionist. I'm afraid sessions are

16:24

by appointment only, said the receptionist.

16:27

Sadie, said the name tag. Young,

16:29

sharp, butch, said the

16:31

aesthetic. You really have

16:34

a type, Clem thought. Tell

16:36

her it's Clem, she said. There

16:39

is a schedule, said the receptionist,

16:41

trying not to be too visibly

16:43

smug. You're

16:45

not honest, Clem. Listen,

16:49

Clem said, and went to lean on the

16:51

desk with one hand, put her limited amount

16:53

of physique to full bear. I

16:56

understand you've got your little book

16:58

of numbers and days and hours

17:00

and stuff, but you know

17:02

who I am. You probably

17:05

know who I am to her, and

17:08

you know that I would only step

17:10

foot in this fancy schmancy office if

17:12

someone's life was on the line. You

17:15

let me in so I can ask a

17:17

few questions of the utmost importance, or

17:20

so help me I will have to put

17:22

my dog down and bust your head on

17:24

this nice desk and let myself in. The

17:27

receptionist folded, a mumbled apology,

17:29

an inexplicable blush and an

17:32

open door. Clem shook

17:34

her head and hauled her beagle down the

17:36

hall. There were dark chambers

17:38

hidden by heavy curtains and an office

17:40

at the end which Clem burst into.

17:44

She was there, acting

17:46

as if she'd been expecting Clem, which

17:48

of course she hadn't. She

17:51

was puffing on a cigarette holder,

17:53

a bob of auburn hair and

17:55

dark lipstick and captivating eyes that

17:58

caught the glinting sun neon

18:00

lights. She had abandoned

18:03

her chair for the Rosen brace

18:05

today, and the supporting vines of

18:07

the bionic plant ran in spirals

18:09

across her legs and disappeared under

18:11

her dress. How am

18:14

I supposed to stop seeing you if

18:16

you keep barging into my office? Danielle

18:18

said and breathed out a pink mist

18:20

from whatever she was smoking. It

18:23

smelled like strawberry and made Clementine

18:25

a little drowsy. Do

18:27

I dare ask what you've

18:29

come to bother me about

18:31

today? Yeah, said Clem, and

18:34

held out the dog with both hands

18:36

and it whimpered. Do

18:38

dogs dream? A

18:51

tendency, said Virgil, glancing to his

18:53

board and list, looking to meet

18:56

the gaze of his deputies. Deputy

18:59

Colcane, lower trunk. Here,

19:02

said his son, arms crossed, maybe

19:05

a little too much attitude for the

19:07

gravity of the hour. Deputy

19:09

Oswin Scants, Virgil said.

19:12

Upper trunk. The overseer of

19:14

the upper trunk wore a shroud of

19:17

sheer white fabric that hung from the

19:19

brim of their hat like a beekeeper's

19:21

net for protection from the

19:23

sunlight, although it also made Virgil

19:25

less queasy to his stomach. Here,

19:28

said Oswin, gloved hands

19:30

clasped together solemnly. Deputy

19:33

Ignatius Thorpe stumps, said

19:36

Virgil. Ignatius had slick

19:38

dark hair that burst into

19:40

upturned flickers at the back of his

19:42

head and always had seemed too posh

19:45

to get his hands dirty. But then

19:47

again posh was everyone that had come

19:49

in after the Downing Hill fire. Present,

19:53

obviously, Said Ignatius,

19:55

with eyebrows that questioned the

19:57

waste of time. Heather McGowen,

20:00

In out woods said

20:02

virgil. The Mic go

20:04

and girls had hit an explosion

20:06

of wire. a red hair deep

20:08

in color as autumn leaves. Despite

20:10

her fair complexion, she was anything

20:12

but. He was almost as burley

20:14

as Cold and at least as

20:16

strong. Year she groaned. Virgil

20:18

thought momentarily about how the group

20:20

might have looked if Clementine had

20:23

grown to be a part of

20:25

it. But. The line in

20:27

the sand had been drawn and

20:29

deepened day after day into their

20:32

presence. Divide the camel sept to

20:34

word and flickered as the fungal

20:36

apparatus dreamed up and image of

20:38

the silver Javelin head sitting on

20:40

the desk Deputies We are entering

20:43

a period of high alert for

20:45

all districts of Scout City. He

20:47

began early this morning. A Scout

20:49

post javelin was recovered from the

20:52

scene of a of of a

20:54

many. Multiple.

20:57

Multiple homicide said Ignatius

20:59

that's the word for

21:01

it Said Virgil people

21:03

are then is the

21:05

point. This. Was a

21:07

group of a few folks exactly

21:09

how many died and who they

21:12

were is currently under investigation. We

21:15

should be the ones investigating it.

21:17

Said. Call arms crossed where

21:19

you well said Virgil waving

21:22

a hand. We are that

21:24

the subject of this meeting.

21:26

Clementine. Beat us to the

21:28

lead again. Did she hummed odds when.

21:32

It's becoming a habit

21:34

Cold granted we are

21:36

authorized, she's not. I.

21:38

Don't understand why she's even allowed

21:40

to interfere with these cases. Before.

21:43

Virgil could speak up the mic go And

21:45

girl did. So. What

21:47

did they find? Do. We know

21:49

who did this. the

21:51

bodies were reportedly dismembered which

21:54

sounds awful similar to what

21:56

happens to mister walker virgil

21:58

said and gulped And

22:02

the same way that Mr. and

22:04

Mrs. Allen were. Mr.

22:07

and Mrs. said Ignatius,

22:09

Shelby's parents, said Heather.

22:13

That's interesting, said Oswin.

22:16

It's stupid, said Cole. Cole,

22:19

said Virgil. Sorry.

22:22

It's unlikely, said Cole.

22:25

If we're taking Shelby Allen's word

22:27

for it, she believes a pigman

22:29

killed her parents. Only

22:32

she ever claims to have seen it. Were

22:35

there any witnesses this time around? She

22:38

says she saw it, Virgil

22:40

said, deflated. No

22:43

one else, said Cole, although

22:45

it wasn't a question. No,

22:48

said Virgil, grimly. Supposedly

22:51

he got away into the

22:53

Northern Logfall before Clementine could

22:55

catch up. Great,

22:58

said Cole. So we're chasing ghosts.

23:00

The Northern Logfall is very scary,

23:03

said Puck from the police pen

23:05

in the bag. Quiet

23:07

back there, said Cole. I'm

23:10

not saying what I believe right

23:12

now. Trust that it's our job

23:14

to investigate this with the utmost

23:17

seriousness. Starting right now,

23:19

said Virgil. He realized he and

23:21

his son were bickering now while

23:23

Oswin and Ignatius and Heather looked

23:25

on. He took off

23:27

his hat, wiped his brow, and circled back

23:29

to his desk. Cole,

23:32

Heather, you were kids

23:34

when this began. Oswin,

23:37

Ignatius, this was before you

23:39

joined us. We've

23:41

seen this all before. It

23:44

was Walter Pentiv, our first

23:46

groundskeeper, who saw the warning

23:48

signs. People

23:51

going missing on the outskirts. People who the

23:53

instrumentalists thought wouldn't be missed. It

23:56

won't stay that way. Whoever

23:58

This is, they're going to cut it.

24:00

Closer and closer to us. See.

24:03

How much pain we can take. Now

24:06

I think the instrumentalist is

24:08

dead and buried, but some

24:10

who'll pigs face or otherwise

24:12

is hiding behind old masks.

24:15

The. Threat is real so we have

24:17

to keep our heads. Keep.

24:19

Scout City from exploding into a

24:21

panic because of people scatter. We

24:23

won't know who goes missing after

24:25

that. Out there is

24:28

a predator of waiting for the

24:30

next opening so we are going

24:32

on double patrols. Were going to

24:34

follow up the scene of every

24:36

murder and disappearance and we will

24:38

catch whoever this is before they

24:40

strike again. In the

24:42

instrumentalist days, said Heather,

24:45

Unusually thoughtful, there was

24:47

a lockdown. A

24:49

curfew and all that. Do.

24:51

You think that would be a good idea? Virgil.

24:54

Side. And

24:58

if it comes to add I'll ask

25:00

my of out he said. But the

25:02

day a public measure like that hits

25:05

the news to panic begins I'm confident

25:07

in our team to catch this guy

25:09

before it's too late. right?

25:12

Call. Said and adjusted his

25:14

belt, his jacket, Let's.

25:17

Go on. You

25:22

really bit shaky by they

25:24

haven't you? What did you

25:26

expect? The great amount of

25:29

my soul was murdered or

25:31

so he let me believe.

25:34

I didn't mean to hurt you with

25:36

this. Should

25:40

have no. One

25:43

did you have your mind? It's for

25:45

ah. Well,

25:47

much the same. We pick

25:49

up or less. To.

26:11

Learn at. Least.

26:30

You can find him on social media. Had as

26:32

Evan Michael. From

26:34

the Hello. It is written and produced by

26:37

William A Woman. Asked

26:39

me if you enjoyed this show. Please

26:41

don't forget to follow and answer when

26:43

a friend about a story that goes

26:45

with that episode is called file Fourteen

26:48

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26:50

the shows patron at picture on.com/follow

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it because we operate without ads

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or sponsors or supporters are a

26:56

whole day. Keeps the show going

26:59

Supporters weekly! Bonus to access your

27:01

weekly to in a livestream behind

27:03

the scenes. Excuse of my.

27:08

Transcripts: Are available as Hello

27:10

Hello, it's.com You can even find

27:12

us on social media add as

27:14

the Hallowed be used under license

27:16

so heartless dial. Until next time

27:19

Dreamers Please only use time travel

27:21

to go forward. And please make

27:23

sure your tempo meter is calibrated

27:25

for one minute per minute. Even

27:28

under the suggested settings, mileage may

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