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Appalachia is a horror

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may contain material not

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3:52

So listener discretion is

3:54

advised. Tensions

4:04

were high, as the chain-reptires

4:07

of the company truck carrying

4:09

the Brothers Barrow turned onto

4:11

the final mile of pitted

4:13

frozen asphalt that would eventually

4:15

lead them up a steep

4:17

incline into what was once

4:19

the town of Terniket. The

4:21

road, if it could still

4:24

be called such, was all

4:26

but indistinguishable from the rest

4:28

of the mountainside of the

4:30

blinding wine. The

4:32

cloud cover overhead was gray

4:34

and oppressive and felt as

4:37

if the whole world was

4:39

tucked under a heavy quilt.

4:41

Despite Benual's doubts, Mr. Trench

4:44

had proved an excellent chauffeur.

4:46

Navigating slick spots that would

4:48

have sent a lesser driver

4:51

spinning off the side of

4:53

the road. A dangerous prospect

4:55

no matter which side of

4:57

the frozen patchy asphalt the

5:00

car careened over. To the

5:02

ride. lay a steep ditch

5:04

full of drifted snow that

5:07

would mire down the vehicle

5:09

and perhaps its passengers until

5:11

springtime. To the left was

5:13

a long, long drop down

5:16

the side of the mountain.

5:18

Yet each time traction abandoned

5:20

the lumbering forward, the old

5:23

hollow man had definitely brought

5:25

the truck back under control,

5:27

well before its wheels could

5:29

spin over the edge of

5:32

the precipice. Steady as she

5:34

goes. Yes, Mr. Barrow, huh?

5:36

Thank you, sir. What won't

5:39

happen again? The truck crept

5:41

slowly forward once more. Trench

5:43

perched at the wheel like

5:45

some pirate king piloting his

5:48

vessel through the duldr. Venual,

5:50

Barrow. who had been all

5:52

four abandoning conventional transportation in

5:55

favor of his own supernatural

5:57

means of conveyance, looked nervously

5:59

out the window into the

6:01

relentless onslaught of snowflakes. worry

6:04

etched into his spectral face.

6:06

I'm glad you talked me

6:08

out of trying to pass

6:11

through this storm on my

6:13

own brother. There's something not

6:15

right out there. There is

6:17

death all about this great

6:20

turd of a mountain. But

6:22

there is something festering here,

6:24

making everything about this fetid

6:27

backwater worse somehow. Agreed.

6:29

I knew it would be a

6:31

wasteland of sorts, but something here

6:34

is off. There was sound reasoning

6:36

in our decision to abandon our

6:39

operations in these fallow fields. West

6:41

Virginia has always been challenging, to

6:43

say the least, but there's something

6:46

out there in that storm. It

6:48

could be Babylon. A thing like

6:50

that could cause all kinds of

6:53

havoc in its death throws, but

6:55

this feels different. There's an undercurrent

6:57

of... I don't even want to

7:00

say it. Don't be a chicken

7:02

shit, brother. There's something green out

7:05

there. Suddenly Mr. Trench gave a

7:07

guttural squawk and slammed on the

7:09

brakes. Something the size of a

7:12

hay wagon covered in dark fur

7:14

dashed across the road from the

7:16

cliff side thundering into the path

7:19

of the truck. With the speed

7:21

that defied its immense proportions, it

7:23

tore across the road and up

7:26

the side of the mountain vanishing

7:28

into the storm. The truck fish-tailed

7:30

and spun, and this time even

7:33

Trench was unable to recover. By

7:35

the dark favor of whatever failed

7:38

deities, watch over things such as

7:40

they, it slid to the right

7:42

and slammed into the ditch, rather

7:45

than taking the long haul off

7:47

the other side. The impact would

7:49

have thrown a mortal driver through

7:52

the windshield like a javelin, but

7:54

upon striking and shattering the glass,

7:56

Mr. Trench merely... dissolve. to

8:00

a cloud of foul-smelling sickly

8:02

yellow mist, passing through the

8:04

cracks to resume his normal

8:07

shape on the snowy shoulder.

8:09

Vineual appeared on the bank

8:11

opposite him in similar fashion,

8:14

allowing his body to slip

8:16

into its incorporeal state and

8:18

pass through the solid metal

8:20

of the truck without a

8:23

scratch. Conrad was left inside.

8:25

as the truck flipped on

8:27

its side that over onto

8:29

its roof with the screening

8:32

of crushed metal and breaking

8:34

glass. The hollow man and

8:36

the dead barrel brother stared

8:38

at each other across the

8:41

corpse of the fleet truck

8:43

for a long moment. There

8:45

was no sound from inside,

8:48

nor any movement they could

8:50

observe. Do you think he's

8:52

dead, trench? A

8:54

moment later, the

8:56

truck's rear door

8:58

exploded off its

9:01

hinges, passing through

9:03

Benuel's floating form

9:05

like a meteorite.

9:07

The younger Barrow

9:09

shot the vehicle

9:11

and offended look.

9:13

Rooed! Conrad Barrow

9:15

rose from the

9:17

wreckage. As cool

9:20

and unruffled as

9:22

if stepping from

9:24

his mouth. He

9:26

dusted off his

9:28

long overcoat and

9:30

placed his wolfedora

9:32

up on his

9:34

head. Then nodded

9:36

to his brother

9:38

and valid. I

9:41

suppose we continue

9:43

on foot from

9:45

here. Lead on

9:47

Mr. Trench. And

9:49

there ain't no

9:51

place that feels

9:53

like home. Turn

10:00

into strangers and you

10:03

cast your eyes through

10:05

the winding road. Keep

10:08

your foot on the

10:10

gas, your eyes straight

10:13

forward, clear your heart

10:15

in mind, and best

10:17

believe that goes behind.

10:20

When the heart goes

10:22

cold, home is nowhere,

10:25

and then you might

10:27

as well. The

10:30

darkness goes

10:33

around. Like

10:35

hell. Inside

11:04

the carcass of Babylon, Polly

11:06

Barrow peered into the darkness

11:08

around her. The moment the

11:10

door swung too and the

11:12

latch clicked into place behind

11:15

her, the shadows began to

11:17

recede. A soft glow flickered

11:19

to life from lamp situated

11:21

on either side of the

11:23

space in which she found

11:26

herself. It was

11:28

a small foyer of the sort

11:30

where one might present their credentials

11:32

to a doorman before gaining entry

11:34

to the club proper. To her

11:36

right was a small cloak room.

11:39

The wall to her left was

11:41

covered in once fine oak paneling

11:43

the buckled and peeled with the

11:45

damp. It appeared that at one

11:47

time it had been filled with

11:49

an assortment of framed photographs or

11:52

art. Most of these were long

11:54

gone. leaving only rectangles of darker

11:56

wood protected longer from fading and

11:58

rot by their presence. Two

12:01

absurdly ornate gilded frames hung

12:03

side by side in the

12:05

center of the display. One

12:08

was empty. The photo of

12:10

Jamison Locke, having long disintegrated

12:13

under the march of time

12:15

and the dampness of air,

12:17

the frame on the left,

12:20

however, still held the faded

12:22

yet clear visage of Elias

12:25

Pontius Barrow. Polly's

12:27

eyes locked onto the painted

12:29

black orbs of her father

12:32

and she raised her hand

12:34

to the glass. Daddy? Oh,

12:36

Daddy, you look just like

12:39

you do in my dreams.

12:41

I knew you wouldn't hide

12:43

your true face from me.

12:46

As Polly tugged on the

12:48

frame dislodging the ancient nail

12:51

upon which the portrait hung.

12:53

The room filled with a

12:55

blinding blue-tinged light, and the

12:58

world went white and silent

13:00

for E.P. Barrow's little girl.

13:03

She woke what felt like

13:05

hours later, but couldn't have

13:07

been more than moments. At

13:10

first, Polly had the impression

13:12

she was in a pit,

13:15

or that the floor had

13:17

given way and dropped her

13:19

into the basement. As

13:22

her eyes adjusted to the

13:24

relative gloom, however, she realized

13:27

she was looking up at

13:29

rows and rows of seats.

13:31

An amphitheater. Recognizing it from

13:34

the whispers and rumors, she

13:36

had breathlessly related to Mr.

13:39

Crane just hours ago. She

13:41

realized she was in the

13:43

well of remembrance. She stood.

13:46

stretching out joints that felt

13:48

oddly stiffed and gazed around

13:50

the small auditorium. There were

13:53

rows of cushioned seats and

13:55

private boxes, all with more

13:57

than enough space for whatever.

14:00

private entertainments the occupants might

14:02

get up to whilst observing

14:05

the spectacle of the mortal

14:07

cattle being tormented below.

14:09

Mirrors hung over flocked mass wallpaper

14:11

in every other booth to accommodate

14:14

those who liked to watch

14:16

themselves at play. Racks stood

14:18

conveniently nearby, supplied with

14:20

various devices of pain and

14:23

pleasure wrought in artistic designs

14:25

both sinister and beautiful. needles,

14:29

blades, and far worse implements

14:31

littered the arena. Polly would bet

14:34

a fair share of the rumored

14:36

erotic vivisection had happened

14:38

right here. She was

14:40

surprised at how well preserved the

14:43

space was compared to what

14:45

she'd seen of the rest

14:47

of the building. She was

14:49

even more surprised when a

14:51

voice issued soft and lovely,

14:53

from no readily discernible

14:55

location. To enter Babylon

14:58

and know her delights is

15:00

to leave the waking world.

15:02

To leave the world of

15:05

men altogether. Polly grinned as

15:07

you searched for the source

15:09

of the sound. Hello?

15:11

Hello? Who's there? You

15:13

have entered Babylon without

15:15

proper tribute. Are you an

15:18

interloper or are you an

15:20

offering? Well, aren't you a

15:22

presumptive little thing? Someone needs

15:24

to teach you how to

15:26

speak to your betters. The

15:28

lights flickered and dimmed. The

15:31

air thrummed with static

15:33

electricity that threatened to

15:35

flare into another blinding thunderbolt.

15:38

You stand upon the precipice

15:40

of the well of remembrance.

15:43

If you complete your journey across

15:45

the stage to the door and

15:47

find what is on the other

15:49

side, you may go. Only one of

15:51

us is leaving here tonight, my

15:53

darling. So come. Do your worst.

15:55

You stand upon the precipice

15:57

of the will of remembering.

15:59

you will proceed now. The

16:01

world bloomed into blinding color

16:04

around Polybarrow. The arena around

16:06

her vanishing in favor of

16:08

a summer evening. The sky

16:10

painted in the brilliant cues

16:12

of sunset. A finely manicured

16:14

lawn stretched before a sprawling

16:16

white house as far as

16:18

the eye could see. Fireflies

16:20

blinked in and out of

16:23

view as a sweet breeze

16:25

whispered across the ground. My,

16:27

my, my. You've taken me

16:29

to my father's summer house

16:31

in Woodbrier. Starting with my

16:33

childhood. Oh, how original. Polly

16:35

watched. As a little dark-haired

16:37

girl, no older than three

16:39

or four chased lightning bugs

16:42

across the grass. Her smile

16:44

bright and energy seemingly boundless

16:46

as her tinkling laughter filled

16:48

the early evening air. A

16:50

woman dressed in servant's livery

16:52

emerged from the house and

16:54

waited for the child to

16:56

join her. But the little

16:58

girl just shook her head

17:01

and kept running after them

17:03

lightning bugs. Oh, I remember

17:05

this. That's my nanny. Orla.

17:07

She's going to come over

17:09

and try to take me

17:11

by the hand and lead

17:13

me in. It was the

17:15

first time I fully manifested

17:17

my gauntlet. I crushed her

17:20

hand to pulp. If you're

17:22

trying to make me feel

17:24

guilty, I'm afraid you're going

17:26

to have to work harder.

17:28

Polly watched as the woman

17:30

caught up to the little

17:32

girl and took her hand

17:34

just as she had predicted.

17:36

However, there was no manifestation

17:39

of an armored glove plated

17:41

with bone. The child did

17:43

not crush the servant's fingers

17:45

to a bloody mash. The

17:47

little girl simply giggled and

17:49

snuggled into the woman's side

17:51

as she pulled her close.

17:53

There's my girl. Come now

17:55

Persephone, let's catch you inside.

17:58

Polybarrow flinched as though her

18:00

favorite record had suddenly skipped.

18:02

The music she expected becoming

18:04

a discordant scratch and wail.

18:06

That is not what happened.

18:08

You didn't even get my

18:10

name right. My name is

18:12

Polly. And it isn't short

18:14

for Persephonephone or anything else.

18:17

Polly wasn't sure why this

18:19

error upset her. Would it

18:21

all but assured her of

18:23

her coming victory? She had

18:25

come here prepared to battle

18:27

a monster and instead this

18:29

thing couldn't even get her

18:31

name right. That is not

18:33

my name. My name is...

18:36

No! No! It's not your

18:38

name. It's hers. The servant

18:40

indicated the child whose hand

18:42

she was holding. The woman

18:44

was not young, but far

18:46

from old. She had dark

18:48

hair, soft eyes, and a

18:50

nose Polly realized looked very

18:52

much like her own. Though

18:54

she was indeed her childhood

18:57

nanny. Polly remembered Orla clearly.

18:59

She'd always been kind to

19:01

her, staying on with the

19:03

family even after the incident

19:05

with her hand. Now, however,

19:07

she looked back at her

19:09

with cold, cold eyes. And

19:11

this isn't Elias' summer house.

19:13

It was our house. Long

19:16

before you were born. Polly

19:18

gazed around in confusion, realizing

19:20

the woman was correct. The

19:22

grand mansion was gone. They

19:24

stood now in the backyard

19:26

of a simple one-story house

19:28

with a rickety wooden fence.

19:30

The mountains of Pennsylvania no

19:32

longer cradled them. The surrounding

19:35

landscape here was much flatter.

19:37

The earth stretching to meet

19:39

the horizon. I... I don't

19:41

understand. No. You don't. You

19:43

wouldn't. This child? This sweet

19:45

angel could never. Never be

19:47

something like you the woman

19:49

now smooth the little girl's

19:51

hair and pulled her close,

19:54

drop it a kiss on

19:56

her forehead. The two of

19:58

them turned as one to

20:00

gaze up at Polly. When

20:02

your brothers were barely grown,

20:04

he came out west to

20:06

find buyers for his coal.

20:08

We met at a hotel

20:10

where I was serving drinks.

20:13

Your daddy liked what he

20:15

saw and kept coming back

20:17

for the special. Before long,

20:19

I had a baby growing

20:21

in me. This little sugar

20:23

plum right here. The woman

20:25

tickled the little girl's tummy

20:27

and whispered in her ear.

20:29

The child beamed and asked,

20:32

Five more minutes, Mama? Orless

20:34

smiled and nodded, standing as

20:36

her daughter went chasing after

20:38

the rising and falling lie

20:40

to the fireflies. We named

20:42

her Persephone, Percy for short.

20:44

Elias promised to marry me

20:46

as his first wife had

20:48

died giving birth to his

20:51

second son. He promised to

20:53

provide for us, and he

20:55

did for a while. He

20:57

loved me. In his own

20:59

way, but he never loved

21:01

anything. or anyone the way

21:03

he loved that child. I

21:05

don't understand. What does this

21:07

have to do with me?

21:10

I waited for him to

21:12

send for me so that

21:14

we could be wed, but

21:16

his letters grew less and

21:18

less frequent. When the influenza

21:20

came, Percy got sick. I

21:22

wrote to him, and then

21:24

I sent telegrams. I begged

21:26

Elias for help. I

21:29

knew he could afford

21:31

the best doctors, but

21:33

by the time I

21:35

heard from him, it

21:37

was too late. My

21:39

baby girl was gone.

21:41

Elias was devastated. He

21:43

rushed to my side then,

21:45

begging for forgiveness. He'd

21:47

just been so busy, he

21:50

said, with one thing

21:52

in another. That's

21:59

his tears could bring

22:02

her back. That was

22:04

the end of our

22:06

romance. He went back

22:09

to Pennsylvania, though eventually

22:11

he did bring me

22:13

to his house as

22:15

he promised, but he

22:18

was different then. Distant,

22:20

strange, he looked right

22:22

through me, as if

22:24

he didn't know me.

22:27

Rather than marry me,

22:29

he put me to

22:31

work, scrubbing his marble

22:33

floors, laundering his fancy

22:36

suits, until the day

22:38

he brought that thing.

22:40

Oh, a beautiful little

22:43

girl with raven hair

22:45

and eyes like polished

22:47

amber. She looked just

22:49

like my Persephoneffony. But

22:52

that was not my

22:54

child. I knew

22:56

it in my heart. But,

22:58

well, how could I say

23:01

no? How could I turn

23:03

away? I told myself she

23:05

was still just a child.

23:07

A child in need of

23:09

love. Until the day she

23:11

did this to me. The

23:13

woman held up her right

23:15

hand, now a mangled, dripping

23:17

mass of shattered bone and

23:19

pulped muscle, the poured blood

23:22

down her arm. Soaking her

23:24

dress and seeping into the

23:26

grass at her feet. She

23:28

sneered at Polly with this

23:30

taste. You think your daddy

23:32

loves you? That you're the

23:34

apple of his eye? He

23:36

doesn't even see you. You're

23:38

nothing but a cheap imitation

23:41

of the child he loved

23:43

and lost. He made a

23:45

mannequin out of his grief

23:47

and dressed it up in

23:49

memories, but deep down? He

23:51

knows. You will never be

23:53

Persephone. You will never fill

23:55

that hole in his heart.

23:57

He will love his daughter

24:00

until the stars burn out

24:02

of the sky but he

24:04

will never love you. You

24:06

are an echo of pain

24:08

and misery and nothing more.

24:10

I can only imagine how

24:12

it torments him to have

24:14

to look at your face

24:16

day after day knowing that

24:18

you aren't her. At least

24:21

I got to go to

24:23

my grave knowing he would

24:25

never love the thing that

24:27

took my daughter's place. The

24:29

look on your face? That's

24:31

what we've been waiting for.

24:33

How does it feel? Pretty

24:35

Polly. How does it feel

24:37

to know you were born

24:40

out of a broken heart

24:42

of a morning father? The

24:44

only reason you exist is

24:46

because he couldn't remain in

24:48

this world without at least

24:50

seeing her. You have

24:53

been nothing but a blight

24:55

on this world since he

24:57

drew you up from that

24:59

pit, and it's about time

25:01

you went back where you

25:04

came from." Orla drew closer

25:06

as she spoke, her mangled

25:08

hand shifting and changing, until

25:10

it was a ragged scythe

25:13

bone. Polly Varo regarded the

25:15

woman, tears brimming in her

25:17

whiskey-colored eyes as she trembled,

25:19

for a moment incapable of

25:22

movement or speech. The shadow

25:24

of her old nanny swung

25:26

the hooked blade that her

25:28

mangled hand had become with

25:30

all her might, aiming for

25:33

her throat, and Polly caught

25:35

it in her left hand.

25:37

That will be quite enough.

25:39

As she had listened to

25:42

orless speech, the bones that

25:44

lay dormant beneath polybarrow's smooth,

25:46

unblemished exterior had sprung, unbidden,

25:48

and unnoticed from her flesh,

25:51

her skeleton shifting, growing, and

25:53

reconfiguring itself to cover her

25:55

arm in a plated gauntlet

25:57

of bone, tipped in razor

26:00

sharp claws. She tightened and

26:02

twisted her gauntleted fist and

26:04

felt bone. snapped and blash

26:06

tear and with one clean

26:08

jerk she ripped the woman's

26:11

arm off. Before her eyes

26:13

the similacrum of her old

26:15

servant disintegrated in a shower

26:17

of dust and once again

26:20

the world changed. Polly stared

26:22

around her at the faded

26:24

glamour of the amphitheater known

26:26

as the well of remembrance.

26:29

The lumpy threadbare cushions pocked

26:31

with holes gnawed by the

26:33

rats who had nested there.

26:35

The warped floors with their

26:37

cracked and peeling veneers, the

26:40

grimy scowls and mouth clamps

26:42

and chains eaten up with

26:44

rust, the swollen sagging wallpaper

26:46

infected with black mold. She

26:49

saw it now for what

26:51

it was, and felt a

26:53

raw half mad giggle rise

26:55

in her throat. You

26:59

are good. You know? You

27:01

know, you almost got me

27:03

there. You are a good

27:05

liar. This. And you? It

27:07

is all a lie. Close

27:09

enough to the truth of

27:11

all most people. But not

27:13

me. Holly strode over to

27:16

the nearest table, gripped it

27:18

in both her hands, and

27:20

hurled it into one of

27:22

the mirrors that hung on

27:24

the opposite wall. Both table

27:26

and mirror shattered in a

27:28

spray of glass and splitters.

27:31

She raked her claws through

27:33

moldering cushions, shredded the stained

27:35

wallpaper, reduced chairs to kindling.

27:37

She peeled back the fine

27:39

rugs and eyed the concrete

27:41

slab floor. Her cheeks wet

27:43

with tears she would never

27:45

acknowledge as she began to

27:48

rain blows down on the

27:50

poured stone foundation. Her gauntlet's

27:52

punching through the concrete like

27:54

jack hammers until she saw

27:56

soft black earth. Picking through

27:58

the pulverized cement. You pathetic

28:00

parasite! All these years spent

28:03

gorging yourself on the misery

28:05

of the cattle we threw

28:07

into your druilling maw. And

28:09

now, you rise up to

28:11

bite the hand that fed

28:13

you? Insolent, ungrateful thing. You

28:15

want to drink my suffering

28:17

and grow stronger from it?

28:20

And then what? Escape this

28:22

place and swallow the whole

28:24

world? Oh no! Oh no,

28:26

little parasite. This world belongs

28:28

to my daddy. And those

28:30

who give us power. But

28:32

if it's pain you want...

28:35

I am happy to oblige.

28:37

Holly dug her armored claws

28:39

into the earth beneath the

28:41

foundation of the building called

28:43

Babylon and began to tear

28:45

up fistfuls of the ancient

28:47

soil, each handful coming away

28:49

bloody as if she ripped

28:52

flesh from the body of

28:54

some great beasts. Her hand

28:56

shimmered with the fell power

28:58

gifted her by those who

29:00

slept beneath the mountains. The

29:02

air around her split with

29:04

a cacophonous scream, a churning

29:07

gutt-a-roll. deathwale is something that

29:09

had once been part of

29:11

the feral green chain and

29:13

twisted into a new structure

29:15

to serve the inner dark

29:17

withered and bled the walls

29:19

around her began to shake

29:21

concrete and brick and plaster

29:24

crumbling great wooden beams overhead

29:26

cracked under the rain of

29:28

falling rubble shaking with rage

29:30

and spattered with the spectral

29:32

viscera Polly picked her way

29:34

through the chaos moving toward

29:36

the entrance of the venue

29:39

walls crumbled. Stones fell from

29:41

heights that shouldn't have been

29:43

possible in such a low-slung

29:45

building, pulverized what remained of

29:47

the floors with the sound

29:49

of thunder. She clambered over

29:51

upturned furniture and leftover sinkholes

29:53

that sprang up beneath her

29:56

feet as the thing that

29:58

had dwelt inside Babylon convulsive.

30:00

and died. Finally, she wrenched

30:02

a final door open and

30:04

found herself in the four

30:06

years she had first entered

30:08

as she headed for the

30:11

door. She glanced over her

30:13

shoulder and there leaned against

30:15

the wall where she'd left

30:17

it. Was her father's portrait.

30:19

P.P. Barrow's dark and scruitable

30:21

eyes peered up at her

30:23

from a face that seemed

30:26

carved from limestone. She

30:28

had seen him in her

30:30

dreams thousands of times. She

30:33

had never glimpsed so much

30:35

as a photograph or painting

30:37

of him in the real

30:40

world. And she found she

30:42

couldn't look away. It didn't

30:44

matter if she was built

30:47

from his memories of some

30:49

other daughter. That child had

30:52

left him. As she never

30:54

would. She. was undying, an

30:56

unbreakable. She was worthy of

30:59

the love and pain her

31:01

daddy carried for her. Polly

31:04

took one step toward the

31:06

portrait, prepared to race across

31:08

the room and retrieve it,

31:11

and then what remained of

31:13

the roof of Babylon collapsed

31:16

with all the force of

31:18

a decommissioned coal mine. Polly

31:20

Barrow might have been buried

31:23

beneath tons of ancient stone

31:25

in that moment. Might have

31:27

been irreparably broken or even

31:30

outright killed Instead she was

31:32

knocked off her feet and

31:35

carried out the door She

31:37

had turned away from tackled

31:39

by something huge and hairy

31:42

Something that smelled like all

31:44

of nature distilled into a

31:47

single scent She rolled with

31:49

the creature out onto the

31:51

snowy abandoned main street of

31:54

what had once been a

31:56

prosperous company town Driven by

31:58

instinct, Polly leapt to her

32:01

feet and assumed a fighting

32:03

posture, the bone armor covering

32:06

her entire figure now, and

32:08

she found her... self-to-eye with

32:10

the largest bear she had

32:13

ever seen. Behind them, the

32:15

structure once known as Babylon

32:18

gave one final wrenching grow

32:20

and collapsed into a heat

32:22

of crushed stone twisted metal

32:25

and billowing dust. Polly glanced

32:27

over her shoulder at the

32:29

wreckage. Then turned back to

32:32

the bear. She could feel

32:34

the power that radiated from

32:37

the beast. And yet was

32:39

more than that. It was

32:41

no mere possession that could

32:44

be stolen away. The bear

32:46

was the power. It was

32:49

a familiar feeling when she

32:51

had come into contact with

32:53

just earlier today. Understanding. Polybarrow

32:56

lowered her hands and nodded

32:58

slowly. It is done. Brother

33:00

Bartholomew, avatar of the green,

33:03

turned sad eyes on the

33:05

rubble of Babylon, snow had

33:08

begun to fall again, and

33:10

was rapidly concealing the ruins

33:12

beneath a glittering blanket. By

33:15

morning, it would be just

33:17

one more burial mound in

33:20

this graveyard of a town.

33:22

The great bear chuffed. lowered

33:24

his head briefly in acknowledgement,

33:27

and then turned away and

33:29

began walking toward the woods.

33:31

In a blink, he was

33:34

gone. Turning in the opposite

33:36

direction, back towards the place

33:39

where Mr. Churchman had parked

33:41

their truck earlier, Polly didn't

33:43

spare another glance for the

33:46

place where her brothers had

33:48

sent her to die. Again,

33:51

had they known what she

33:53

would learn here? or knowing

33:55

Babylon had slipped their control

33:58

had they simply believed it

34:00

would be sufficient to kill

34:02

her. She pondered whether to

34:05

dignify this latest attempt with

34:07

questions or to return home

34:10

and let her presence speak

34:12

for itself, ahead, through the

34:14

still billowing snow. She saw

34:17

the shapes of two figures

34:19

emerge from the storm as

34:22

Enrika's crane and Johan churchmen

34:24

raced towards her through the

34:26

blizzard. She was pleased, if

34:29

not surprised, to see her

34:31

men return to her, as

34:33

per her pact, with the

34:36

being that had named itself

34:38

Bartholomew. When they joined her,

34:41

she found her two most

34:43

loyal associates shaken, but unharmed.

34:45

Mum, we were right behind

34:48

you, and, well, I do

34:50

not know what happened or

34:53

where we were taken, but

34:55

that is not important. Johan!

34:57

Get the truck! Let us

35:00

get Miss Bower to safety!

35:02

Johan churchman inclined his head

35:04

to his partner and then

35:07

bowed more deeply to his

35:09

employer before jogging back down

35:12

the road to fetch the

35:14

forward Are you all right

35:16

ma'am? I am fine Mr.

35:19

Crane and and Babylon dealt

35:21

with My brother's failed to

35:24

get the job done once

35:26

again surprise The headlights of

35:28

the pickup flooded the rapidly

35:31

darkening street with light as

35:33

its engine rumbled to light,

35:36

leaving it running, churchmen jumped

35:38

from the cab and hissed

35:40

in that awful, not voice

35:43

of his, pointing back the

35:45

way he had come, and

35:47

Rikers Crane reached for the

35:50

rich well of shadows created

35:52

by the truck's headlights and

35:55

prepared for a fight. Hmm,

35:57

it would appear we have

35:59

company men. Before she could

36:02

argue, her stalwart protector pushed

36:04

Polybarrow behind him, and crane

36:07

and churchman stood shoulder to

36:09

shoulder, obscuring their mistress from

36:11

sight with their considerable mass.

36:14

Three figures emerged from the

36:16

swirling snow. Stand down, Mr.

36:18

Crane. Or don't, Henry. See

36:21

what happens? Mr. Conrad. Mr.

36:23

Pinuel. Marcus? What brings you

36:26

out on such a dreadful

36:28

evening? Just checking up on

36:30

our little sister, Inreal Boy.

36:33

Have y'all seen her? The

36:35

youngest Barrow Brother rubbed his

36:38

palms together with anticipatory glee.

36:40

She was sent on an

36:42

errand to retrieve an item

36:45

of great importance. However, it

36:47

looks as though Babylon has

36:49

fallen. Oh, dear me, has

36:52

some misfortune befallen our dear

36:54

sister? Might we finally be

36:57

rid of the little whore?

36:59

Conrad smirked and the two

37:01

brothers shared a rare laugh.

37:04

You should not speak so

37:06

of your systems to battle.

37:09

It is... Unbecoming of one

37:11

of your station. What did

37:13

you say to me? You

37:16

emptied out. Old husk! Shall

37:18

I get him, brother? No.

37:20

Oh no, no, no. I

37:23

imagine Old Henrycus will do

37:25

the honorable thing and offer

37:28

to fall on his sword.

37:30

I shan't allow it, of

37:32

course. In fact, I think

37:35

I'll outright forbid it. Better

37:37

he wallow in his misery

37:40

for the rest of his

37:42

long, long life without his

37:44

mistress to... Polybero chose that

37:47

moment to step from between

37:49

her most trusted retainers favoring

37:51

her brother with a quizzical

37:54

look. And why would Mr.

37:56

Crane be without his mistress?

37:59

I'm right here. Big Brother.

38:01

What the devil are you

38:03

doing here? You seem surprised

38:06

to see me. I... I...

38:08

I... we... actually... did not

38:11

expect you to complete Father's

38:13

errand so quickly. The tasks

38:15

he set for us were,

38:18

they were challenging and required

38:20

much concentration and focus. We

38:22

decided to come out and

38:25

check on your progress. We

38:27

imagined it would take you

38:30

some time, given you have

38:32

less experience with such weighty

38:34

matters. I approached the task

38:37

with all due haste, brother

38:39

dear. After all, the solstice

38:42

is nearly upon us. And

38:44

you were sent to retrieve

38:46

a certain family heirloom. Where

38:49

is it? Yes, I do

38:51

seem to recall that father

38:53

asked you to fetch something.

38:56

Could it be that you

38:58

failed? Again? Well, that all

39:01

depends on how one defines

39:03

success. You were told to

39:05

recover the portrait. You don't

39:08

appear to have it in

39:10

hand. Just so. It's not

39:13

a matter of semantics, beloved,

39:15

sister. Either you retrieved the

39:17

item you were sent for,

39:20

or you did not. Oh,

39:22

but Connie, dear, you said

39:24

it yourself. Father ordered all

39:27

such likenesses destroyed upon his

39:29

ascension. Thus. It would appear

39:32

that I have merely carried

39:34

out daddy's wishes. You destroyed

39:36

it! Mm-hmm. And Babylon, too.

39:39

Poor old thing. You were

39:41

right, Conrad. The old girl

39:44

was practically coming apart at

39:46

the seams already. Best for

39:48

all concerned that I took

39:51

care of the problem before

39:53

the situation deteriorated any further.

39:56

Yes, I was planning to

39:58

send a team out there

40:00

to demolish it and you're

40:03

certain of this Babylon is

40:05

no more Nothing more than

40:07

a Heap of rubble. A

40:10

silent one. Now, if you'll

40:12

excuse me, it's been a

40:15

long day. I'll send you

40:17

my dry cleaning bill. Oh

40:19

my. You boys seem to

40:22

be without transportation. Do you

40:24

need a ride back into

40:27

town? I'm afraid it won't

40:29

be too comfy, but... Better

40:31

than walking, isn't it? It's

40:34

a long way home after

40:36

all. Johan, be a dear

40:38

and move some of those

40:41

old boxes out of the

40:43

way. They can ride in

40:46

the back. Hey there, family.

40:48

Looks like pretty, Polly Barrow

40:50

has come through the fire

40:53

and the flames once again,

40:55

but something tells me she

40:58

didn't quite make it unscathed.

41:00

Learning hard things about yourself

41:02

always leaves its mark. We

41:05

got one more chapter to

41:07

go in this four-part arc

41:09

we've spent with the children

41:12

of Barrow House. A bit

41:14

of an epilogue, if you

41:17

will, to wrap up a

41:19

few loose ends. Now that

41:21

sounds downright mysterious, I don't.

41:24

You know how we are

41:26

family. So until

41:28

then, this is

41:31

your pretty precipity,

41:33

just doesn't have

41:35

the same ring

41:37

to it, reminder

41:39

that old gods

41:41

of Appalachia is

41:43

a production of

41:45

deep nerd media

41:47

and is distributed

41:49

by Rusty Quill?

41:51

Our theme song

41:53

is by Brother

41:55

Land and Blood

41:57

and our outro

41:59

music is by

42:01

those poor bastards.

42:03

Today's story is

42:05

written by Steve

42:07

Shell and Cam

42:09

Collins. The voice

42:11

of Pretty Polly

42:13

Barrow is Tracy

42:15

Johnston Crumb. The

42:17

voice of Conrad

42:20

Barrow is Cecil

42:22

Baldwin. We'll talk

42:24

to you soon,

42:26

family. Talk to

42:28

you. real so.

42:30

dark heaven go

42:32

high through God

42:34

dark heaven. Go

42:37

high, through

42:39

God's dark

42:41

heaven. Go

42:44

high. The

42:51

hunt, it is

42:53

over. The

42:55

Lord He won't answer.

42:58

The walls run

43:00

with blood. Oh,

43:02

this house is

43:04

a cancer. and in this

43:07

abyss I've lost all

43:09

control. Is this

43:11

path to glory? It's

43:14

so hard

43:17

to tell. tell through

43:19

God's dark heaven go I

43:22

go I through God's

43:24

dark heaven. Go

43:27

high. Through

43:47

God's dark

43:50

heaven. Go

43:52

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