0:00

Finally,

0:00

your vacation has arrived, and

0:02

it's completely fine that you didn't book a hotel

0:04

that accepts pets. Your beloved dog

0:06

will be fine staying home with a random dog

0:08

sitter. What's your dog ever done for you?

0:10

Let you be the big spoon? Doesn't say

0:12

anything about the shocking amount of selfies

0:15

you take at home. Oh oh, your favorite

0:17

pants.

0:17

the

0:18

Wow. He ate them whole. When a

0:20

vacation from your pets isn't an option,

0:22

it matters where you stay. At

0:24

Hilton, we offer pet friendly accommodations.

0:28

Hilton for the stay.

0:30

And

0:34

now, an urgent bulletin from the call

0:37

of illustry program. Hi,

0:39

folks. I'm Kat Blackard, the showrunner

0:41

of mystery program, and

0:43

we need your help. The

0:45

audio verse awards are going on right

0:47

now. They're an annual online award

0:49

celebrating the best in audio drama.

0:51

The latest series of mystery program is in

0:53

the running but we won't make it to the finals without

0:56

your help. Now through October

0:58

thirtieth is the first round of voting.

1:00

Join us. in ensuring that our cast

1:02

and crew are recognized for their amazing

1:04

work. This first round won't take

1:06

much of your time, but with so many awesome shows,

1:09

it can be overwhelming, so we've

1:11

created a how to page. Just head to

1:13

cthymmetry dot com slash audio

1:15

verse and vote for the Call of Cthulhu

1:17

Mystery Program. While

1:19

I've got your ear, don't forget

1:21

that we are also funding our next

1:23

season of the show via Indi Gogo. It's

1:25

our biggest adventure yet. Head

1:27

to cthy mystery dot com slash crowd

1:29

fund for more info and to help

1:31

us solve the case of the Penumbral

1:33

Gate.

1:34

And now back to

1:36

the show.

1:59

and that was CandyCreek by

2:02

missus Papebrush from the record Duke

2:04

two, a Halloween favorite

2:06

here at WIS ten one

2:09

filled with sound advice.

2:12

Trust no one on

2:14

all hallows Eve, especially

2:16

if they're a stranger. offering mysterious

2:18

unwrapped treats. Now,

2:21

as for unwrapped tricks, how

2:23

about the end of that last episode of the Call of

2:25

Cthulhu Mystery Program. Yeez.

2:28

I get the creepy crawlies. Just thinking about

2:30

it. The show will return next

2:32

week with the Penn Ultimate episode of Night at

2:34

How telling House a stockwing chapter

2:36

you won't want to miss entitled The

2:38

Curse. But tonight, all

2:40

unite I'll snatch up a woodland creature

2:43

too and swoop in close to your radios, it's

2:45

time for another installment of haunted

2:48

in the dock. Sensational stories,

2:50

too sufficient please start. And

2:53

while you're gathering up your rats and bowls

2:55

for the snacking, allow me to share with you

2:57

breaking mystery program news. Our

3:00

campaign for the next season is

3:02

underway. As of this broadcast,

3:04

we are twenty percent towards our initial

3:06

goal. This is an amazing

3:08

start. and we are so grateful

3:10

to all those who've supported us so

3:12

far, who've given to the production, become

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an official agent or inner circle member of

3:17

Systrom and joined us in

3:19

making stories and tabletop role

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playing books possible. We've still

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got a long ways to go and even farther

3:25

if we wanna to reach our stretch goals.

3:27

How will we get there? Well,

3:30

we need your help. If you

3:32

know folks who love audio drama, hora,

3:34

or historical fiction, let them know

3:36

about mystery program and the crowdfunding

3:38

campaign. If you know folks who love

3:40

the call of Kedunal role playing system or

3:43

in general, let them know

3:45

about the crowd funding campaign, share

3:48

our social media posts at the Hulu

3:50

mystery, and spread this URL,

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thaw and cthulhu dot

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com slash crowd fund.

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That's cthulhu mystery dot com

4:00

slash crowd fund to go

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directly to our Indigo campaign.

4:05

We hate to be a bother, but persistence

4:08

is key. We are small studio,

4:10

three to five people on a given day,

4:12

and it's a labor of love all

4:15

the way down. We ought

4:17

to seeing something for nothing. This is more

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of a treat for treat arrangement.

4:21

Wanna play the call of Cthulhu without Koopa

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Luke Stram? You can.

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Would you, like A List three Box,

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fill to the brim with RareBooks, pop

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culture memorabilia, one of a kind

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artwork, apparel, and who

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knows what else? Well, the

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folks at omniverse have a long history of

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archiving remarkable things, and

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we'll send you a box of treasures from

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our collection curated especially

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for you. And hey,

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do you remember this now classic

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advert for mystery program?

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say power. I'm sure leave. Why those things?

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My guts are all tangled up. Cut

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of hair. Not my type. It's

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my quester, mister. peace there,

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but it's not even our first date. Hey,

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now. I'm not feeling the least bit

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fresh, so don't you start. Mind

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if I cut in gentlemen? I should

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say so, this is a private conversation

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between two fellows. I'm miss Marvel,

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is in need of release. Unfortunately, yes,

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that's just the same. Dr.

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Moore's Marvell Rowan Spray, the

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health

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secret that keeps sporting men

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vital for internal cleanliness.

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dumb. Say, why don't you give this a whirl,

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that existed, and we happen to have

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one. immaculately preserved with

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original packaging and pamphlets used

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by our showrunner, Teflacker's own grandmother-in-law,

5:56

for contraceptive preferences in

5:58

time and memorial. This

6:00

very same device was caused for

6:02

scandal in the comic book industry when an

6:04

ad for it appeared in Allen Moore and

6:06

Kevin O'Neil's Leaguegiven ordinary

6:08

gentleman number five. Well,

6:10

the folks at Marvel Comics took issue

6:12

with this Marvel douche, thinking

6:14

it was a ticket them. So the publisher

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had the original print run destroyed.

6:20

You can own the strange and rare

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piece of pop culture history, a

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complete actual Marvel

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whirling spray kit, only when

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available at katunomistry dot

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com slash crowdfund. We'll

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send it to you, Christine. Or have

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our cast and crew to face it with our signatures.

6:37

You decide. And speaking

6:39

of adverts, If you love the adverts

6:41

that precede our program, we will write

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and record one for you.

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Just another of the many specialty add on

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perks available to all who contribute to

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our crowd funding campaign at qlumestry

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dot com slash crowdfund. In

6:55

other news, if you're looking for further

6:57

podcast to peruse, Our

6:59

own miss Blackard has been on a podcasting

7:01

tour, giving interviews and spreading

7:03

the gospel of mystery program on

7:05

Myriad programs. You can

7:07

hear her on Les Hangout

7:09

discussing the consciousness expansion

7:12

of Kriya Hora. Or

7:14

on right now with Sarah Werner,

7:17

Catherine Sarah discussed collaborative storytelling

7:19

and the complex process of

7:21

creating the call of ctholumistry program.

7:24

as well as She and Sarah's

7:26

upcoming roles in the next season

7:28

of the show. And as you may

7:30

know from previous broadcasts, cat was

7:32

on horror quiz, discussing the maritime

7:34

horror of Robert Eggers film,

7:36

The Lighthouse. But for those of you fond of

7:38

media discussions, it may also delight you

7:40

to know. that you can hear cat on album

7:42

re brews, a show that pairs

7:45

beer selections with music. You know, if

7:47

hypothetically we were allowed to drink beer,

7:49

at this point in time in American

7:51

history, hypothetically.

7:53

Anyway, in this show, cat and the

7:56

rebroke crew dive deep into one of

7:58

her favorite albums Kate Bush's

8:00

hounds of love where Cats shares

8:02

the real life tale of a life

8:04

changing dream that

8:05

the album provoked. and

8:08

that's

8:08

a lot of programming to keep track of.

8:10

So we've made a handy, dandy

8:12

list of catch interview appearances via

8:14

pod chaser. Just go to kalumeisterry

8:16

dot com slash cat interview or

8:19

check this episode's description for links

8:21

to where you can listen. That's

8:23

more than plenty preamble, so I trust that

8:25

you're sufficiently responsive side with our

8:27

invigorating infotainment and

8:29

now on to the main event.

8:32

In this week's, on to in the

8:34

dark. We are cracking open the

8:36

dachshund, a

8:37

chilling anthology podcast that

8:40

postulates the possibility of

8:42

a book. a

8:43

dark tomb, if you will, that

8:45

very, literally,

8:46

opens doorways to other

8:49

worlds. The dark

8:50

tomb highlights fantastic six stories by

8:52

contemporary office from across the globe

8:54

and brings them to life as audio

8:56

dramas. Tonight's

8:58

chapter from the dark Tom is called Keeper

9:00

of The Dead. And it's written by

9:03

Marguerite Croft, who you may know, as

9:05

a cocreator of another show of

9:07

strange stories, fellow broadcasters

9:09

of unseen truths.

9:10

Point mystic. Keefer

9:12

of the dead tells the story of a teenage

9:15

girl, coming of age in a

9:17

strange tradition. but traditions in

9:19

history can't be taken for granted.

9:21

Those of us living might

9:23

be surprised what we find

9:25

under

9:25

the surface. Dark tome

9:27

is created by Fred Greenhalja who

9:29

has a new show that started just this

9:31

month. It's called undertoe

9:34

blood forest, and it's a razors

9:36

edged horror story about a stranger

9:38

in a small town who

9:41

becomes inclined

9:42

with the town's gruesome cycle

9:44

of werewolf hunts. If

9:46

that sounds hair raising, stick

9:49

around to the end of the show for a trailer.

9:51

And now friends join

9:53

me as we travel to

9:55

rural Idaho, to

9:57

a forgotten town with an

9:59

unusual

9:59

attraction where a

10:01

young woman is about to become the

10:04

keeper

10:05

of the dead. Happy

10:08

Halloween.

10:11

Please be advised This story

10:13

contains racism, colonialism,

10:16

bullying, generational trauma,

10:18

and luxury tour domino. and

10:20

now on with the show. Keep

10:29

burger of the dead by Marguerite

10:31

Croft.

10:33

My

10:35

first clue should have been that mom's

10:37

eyes had changed. One

10:39

day they were brown, and the next

10:41

blue ring circled her irises.

10:44

I should have paid attention when she

10:46

to dropping her fork at dinner when

10:48

she started looking fuzzy around the

10:51

edges. But I didn't pay

10:53

attention because I'm too worried

10:55

about why my pants aren't fitting right and why I'm

10:57

nauseous all the time.

10:58

The first

10:59

clue that finally gets my attention

11:02

is when mom tells me she needs

11:04

me to cook dinner for the dead. I'd

11:07

offered to help for years because I

11:09

wanted to help, but also

11:11

I wanted

11:11

to see behind the certain. I

11:14

wanted to see what the dead looked like up close

11:16

and discover the secrets my

11:18

mother saw every night as keeper.

11:21

The second clue is when open

11:23

her closet door. I

11:25

hear the reverberating sound of wood

11:27

hitting wood and find her fumbling with the

11:29

handle.

11:29

Do you need help? She

11:32

looks at me. I

11:33

is glassy with tears and

11:36

shakes her head. She

11:38

struggles to grasp the handle.

11:40

Finally, she steps aside.

11:43

Solly, I owe in

11:45

the door and remove her navy

11:47

dress from its hanger. She's

11:50

able to pull the dress over her head, but

11:52

she needs me clip on earrings and clasp

11:54

her necklace. Looking at

11:56

mom up close, I realized

11:58

there's something strange about

11:59

her body. Like

12:01

she's not just fuzzy around

12:03

the edges. She's shimmering.

12:06

Do

12:07

you want to go see doctor Nielsen?

12:09

I've already my appointment this year. Help

12:12

me with my zipper. I

12:15

zip up her dress and then we struggle

12:17

to shimmy her pantyhose of her legs

12:19

I suggest skipping them. No one even

12:21

wears pantyhoes anymore. But

12:23

she reminds me that the dead insist on

12:26

pantyhoes

12:27

and that goes for me. My

12:29

stomach sinks.

12:31

What

12:31

if the pantyhose don't fit?

12:34

And this is when the final flew hits.

12:37

Mom asks me to drive.

12:39

No matter how much

12:41

I beg, mom only lets me drive

12:44

when she needs help with errands. Of

12:46

course, I

12:47

agree to everything she asks. Once

12:50

I'm dressed, mom

12:51

reminds me. Don't forget the

12:54

Tupperware. I

12:55

grabbed the beaten up orange and avocado

12:57

colored Tupperware mom refuses to

12:59

discard. I'm not

13:00

sure where the Tupperware originally came

13:03

from. Probably cast offs that

13:05

through store donated to us. But

13:07

I

13:07

do know my families use this Tupperware

13:09

for the dead's leftovers for decades.

13:11

I put the

13:13

Tupperware in the trunk of mom's rusty white

13:15

Chevy Classic, a gift from the

13:17

town council years ago. The

13:19

Tupperware is joined by a tie dyed

13:21

canvas bag with a typified Joshua

13:23

Bingham, the town's founder silk

13:25

screened on the side. Discover

13:27

Brigham Idaho with the dead is

13:30

written in Neon Green script over mister

13:32

Brigham's head. The bag

13:34

was from the nineties when the town thought

13:36

taking in advantage of Jerry Garcia's passing

13:38

was a surefire way to boost tourism.

13:41

Unfortunately, the marketing ploy didn't

13:43

work. So mom and I have a

13:45

lot of psychedelic paraffinalia around

13:47

the

13:47

house.

13:49

The

13:50

sun is lower in the sky than it

13:52

should be. so I check on my

13:54

mother. I find her

13:56

standing behind our front door because she

13:58

can't use the doorknob. She

14:00

won't look at me. Just walks

14:02

to the car. I lock

14:05

up and meet her at the passenger side

14:07

door, which I open like I'm a limo

14:09

driver. She eases into

14:11

her seat and I slide the seat belt

14:13

across her body.

14:14

I'm

14:15

tempted to ask if she's looked in the mirror,

14:18

like, really looked.

14:20

but she says, we're

14:21

late. So I

14:22

get into the driver's seat and start

14:25

the

14:25

car.

14:26

We

14:27

drive down the dirt road that runs

14:29

from our house to where Joshua Bingham

14:31

used to live. Great,

14:33

great, great, great grandma Anna worked here as

14:35

the founder housekeeper until she died.

14:38

So then the Binghams gave great great great

14:40

great grandma Esther the job.

14:42

The house is weathered silver gray

14:44

and is surrounded by brand The wraparound

14:48

porch slumps, and the roof looks like it'll

14:50

cave in any day. Mom

14:52

told me the house used to be grand. gleaming

14:54

white with flowing lace curtains and pink

14:56

climbing roses. But the

14:58

town let the house go after mister Bingham died

15:00

in the train accident. mom

15:02

says it's not our business, what the town does with

15:05

its property. All that

15:07

matters is how we care for our house.

15:09

Our family has lived in the little gray

15:11

collaborative house that used to be the servants quarters

15:13

for over one hundred years, which

15:15

mom says is something to be proud of.

15:22

I turn onto the gravel road

15:24

and follow it to the paved road that leads

15:26

into town. I'm

15:27

also going to need your help serving.

15:30

Of

15:30

course, you know I've always wanted to help.

15:32

You

15:32

weren't ready. I still

15:34

don't think you're ready. I have to

15:36

learn some time. Didn't you help

15:38

grandma when you were younger than me? That was different.

15:41

It was my

15:41

time. I don't understand.

15:44

you're worrying too much. Focus

15:46

on tonight. Do you

15:48

remember the rules? Of course,

15:51

mom. I memorized them in preschool.

15:53

but you've never had to follow them.

15:56

Never look the dead in the eyes. Don't

15:58

speak unless spoken to. Always

16:00

end sentences with sir or

16:02

ma'am. always stand by the door or

16:04

in a corner out of the way, keep my hands

16:06

folded in front of me. I

16:09

glanced at my mother, waiting for her

16:11

to respond. Maybe say

16:13

the sorts of things I hear other moms say to

16:15

their daughters. Like, great

16:17

job or you're so smart. Maybe

16:20

even I'm proud of you, but

16:22

she only stares out her window.

16:31

We

16:31

arrive at the dead's grandest state on Maple

16:33

Street. Mom tells me to park on

16:35

the side of the building. Once

16:38

parked, mom waits by the estate's

16:40

side door while I grab the Tupperware and

16:42

Canvas back.

16:42

The keys in my pocket. I

16:44

find the brass key and open

16:47

the door The scent of fresh lemons

16:49

greets us. I inhale

16:51

deeply.

16:54

The Dead's

16:58

estate is a replica of the original

17:00

Bingham home. Only

17:01

it's larger to accommodate the theater.

17:04

It also has Greek columns rather

17:06

than a porch and ivory brocade drapes

17:08

rather than lace curtains.

17:11

Each of the dead has rooms

17:13

upstairs decorated for the tours.

17:15

Their real rooms are on the third floor.

17:17

I've only been allowed in side

17:19

once a year for the annual Christmas Eve dinner. I

17:22

want to

17:22

explore. To study the

17:25

cherry panelling and wallpaper covered with

17:27

metallic exotic animals, to

17:29

touch the plush eggplant colored couch I spy in

17:31

the formal entry way, but mom

17:34

herds me towards the kitchen.

17:37

Under

17:38

mom's direction, I prepare

17:40

herb roast chicken and roasted

17:42

root vegetables, which mom tells me

17:44

is one of grandma Anna's recipes.

17:46

All

17:47

the recipes are what Grandma Anna

17:50

prepared when she was the Bingham's

17:51

housekeeper. And

17:52

they're the same ceremonial recipes each

17:54

of the keepers has prepared since. While

17:57

dinner's

17:57

cooking, mom instructs

17:59

me on setting the table

17:59

and serving the dead. She

18:02

makes me

18:02

repeat her direct and I do

18:04

my best to memorize everything. I should

18:06

have started preparing

18:07

you sooner. I just didn't

18:09

expect this would all happen so

18:11

soon. I'm here

18:12

now, mom. It's going to

18:14

be fine. Set the

18:16

table. Hurry. We're

18:19

running behind. As I'm setting the

18:20

dining room table, I can't help

18:23

but stroke the underside of a bone China

18:25

plate. Hold a spoon in my

18:27

hand to feel its weight. run

18:29

my finger along the lip of a crystal

18:32

bobblet. The linen

18:33

napkins are thick and soft,

18:35

and the lace table cloth hand made.

18:37

I looked down at

18:38

the red velveteen movie theater seats

18:41

where the guests sit. And I

18:43

remember

18:43

how I used to stand in the back on

18:45

Christmas I'd imagine

18:47

I was with my mother up front

18:50

in the dead's dining room with the

18:52

oak table chairs and buffet

18:54

engraved with acorns and oak

18:56

leaves. I light tall ivory

18:58

candles in their crystal holders, and their

19:00

light warms the room. I've

19:02

seen all of this so many times,

19:04

but it was nothing like seeing it up

19:07

close. I'm

19:07

pouring the precise amount of

19:10

water into each gauntlet when mom

19:12

calls. Zoe, the oven

19:14

timer. I take

19:14

a final sniff of the p n e's in the

19:16

center of the table before I go.

19:19

Back

19:20

in the

19:21

kitchen, I checked the chicken.

19:23

I think it's done. The

19:25

skin's too Missus Swenson and mister

19:27

Frank hate dark skin. I

19:30

hear Jeff

19:30

who sells tickets. Welcome.

19:33

Welcome. the

19:35

guests are here. Their chatter wafts

19:37

into the kitchen. While they're seating

19:39

themselves in the theater seats, I

19:41

arranged the chicken and vegetables on the serving

19:44

platter. I'm adjusting

19:46

my two small pantyhose when Madeline

19:48

the hostess welcomes the guests and explains

19:50

the ground rules. No photos.

19:52

No talking. No getting out of your

19:54

seats until dinner is done.

19:56

Please applaud liberally. The applause

19:59

sign is up front. I pick up

20:00

the platter and follow my mother to the dining room

20:03

and wait just outside of the guest's

20:05

view. I don't want to

20:06

miss anything. but

20:08

I focus on the heavy platter to avoid

20:11

dropping it.

20:12

Madeleine reminds the guests about the discount if

20:14

they return tomorrow for the full tour, and don't forget

20:16

the gift shop will also be

20:19

open.

20:19

Then mom steps forward. I

20:22

am Beth, keeper

20:24

of the My family has cared for

20:27

Bingham's esteemed dead for over

20:29

a

20:29

century. I am

20:31

the fourth in a line of esteemed

20:34

mystical women who know the dead

20:36

secrets.

20:37

Tonight, you have

20:39

the rare chance to witness me

20:41

the keeper. sacred

20:43

opportunity to witness

20:45

our dead. She

20:47

extends her arms as if welcoming the guests

20:49

inside the dining room. Dinner

20:51

is served. My chest

20:54

swells. I can't help

20:57

but smile. The lights dim

20:58

and then were surrounded by

21:01

darkness. The audience gassed.

21:05

The lights come up and reveal

21:07

the dead seated at the table.

21:10

Mayor

21:10

Swanson

21:10

sits at the head. Missus

21:12

Swanson at the end, Mister Bingham

21:14

and mister Frank sit on the side facing

21:16

the audience,

21:17

and missus Krausses and miss Price's

21:19

backs are to the audience. The

21:21

applause

21:22

sign blinks and the guests clap.

21:25

I follow my mother into

21:27

the dining room. It's

21:30

surreal. like

21:30

encountering a movie you've seen a dozen times in

21:32

real life. The dead are

21:34

dressed formally.

21:35

The men in

21:37

suits and ties and the women wear

21:39

modest jewel toned formal dresses.

21:41

The rim smells like it's

21:43

been liberally sprayed with Lysol. But

21:46

underneath that, there's a sweet,

21:49

clawing scent. I want

21:51

to cover my nose, but I can't with the

21:53

serving platter. I try

21:55

not to

21:55

think about the smell and focus on

21:57

taking everything in. I

21:59

don't

21:59

want to miss a detail.

22:02

I finally made it.

22:04

I'm here. Above

22:06

the footlights. Seeing behind

22:07

the curtain, Good evening, steamed

22:10

dead. We've

22:11

prepared herb de provence

22:14

chicken,

22:14

roasted root veg and green beans

22:17

for dinner. May we

22:18

serve you? The dead

22:21

stare

22:21

at me. I can feel

22:23

their attention drill into me.

22:25

deep into my core. I

22:27

take a step back. Missus

22:30

Swenson raises one perfectly

22:32

penciled eyebrow.

22:33

You may There's

22:35

something odd about the way the dead

22:38

move, as if they're not

22:39

quite real. Their movements

22:42

are too fluid Their

22:45

faces too expressive. They're

22:47

too flawless.

22:48

Like they were

22:50

made instead of born. As

22:53

I approach the table, the

22:55

cloying

22:55

sweet scent intensifies. I

22:58

swallow

22:58

hard and breathe through my mouth.

23:01

I begin by serving missus Swenson.

23:04

As I'm placing portions of chicken and

23:06

vegetables on her plate, I

23:08

look down and realize her lush

23:10

auburn hair is a wig. Mayor

23:12

Swenson says Keep

23:13

her. I understand you

23:16

have this evening's news for

23:18

us. Yes,

23:18

sir. Mom steps

23:20

further into the dining room. She

23:23

positions herself

23:23

a couple of feet to mayor Swenson's

23:26

right. I hope you'll

23:28

forgive me.

23:29

I know how modest you all are,

23:31

but it's only right you know about

23:33

the new school curriculum. They're

23:35

adding a section on each of you to

23:37

the

23:37

state history classes. The

23:41

audience applauds. I

23:43

feel a draft

23:43

against my cheek. I

23:46

glance

23:46

up expecting an air vent,

23:49

but there's nothing but stage light

23:51

a chandelier, and the eggshell ceiling.

23:53

I walked to the head

23:55

of the table to serve Mayor

23:57

Swenson. He's resting his forearms

23:59

on the table. The sleeves of his suit

24:01

coat ride up, exposing gold

24:04

cufflinks. His

24:05

hands look so soft, almost

24:08

like wax. His

24:09

nails perfectly manicured. Oh,

24:12

goodness. Why would they ever teach

24:14

about me in a history class?

24:15

Missus Cross

24:18

says, I

24:18

try not to stare at her giant diamond

24:20

stud earrings as I attempt to place

24:22

vegetables on her China plane. I feel

24:25

another draft and wish I'd worn a

24:27

warmer dress, but I'm

24:29

suddenly grateful for the nylons. I don't

24:31

know that my many published levels

24:33

are all that important. However, since

24:35

they insist, how long will

24:38

the children study me and my

24:40

work? Miss Price asks, They

24:43

will study each of you for a week.

24:46

More cold air, almost like a

24:49

breeze. It's too much. I'm

24:51

sure the children have more important

24:53

things to study. Mister

24:55

Bingham says,

24:57

the crowd claps

24:58

louder. The breeze feels like it's circling

25:01

the table. So

25:03

important in this

25:04

town is a vital hub

25:06

for agriculture and trade.

25:08

I've never

25:09

heard her speak with such enthusiasm

25:12

before. I also

25:13

didn't know we were a hub for

25:16

anything. I served

25:18

mister Bingham. He's balding,

25:20

and I realized his scalp is

25:22

different from the rest of his skin. It's

25:25

white, almost

25:26

translucent. I look

25:29

closer. Most

25:31

of his skin covered with

25:33

carefully applied makeup. I

25:35

scan the table.

25:37

It's

25:37

the same for all of them. Someone

25:40

hum one

25:40

says something about mister Bingham's man made

25:43

lake. Something about flattery.

25:45

A plaza thunders through

25:47

the rim and the breeze whirls faster.

25:50

I serve mister

25:53

Frank, and I'm overwhelmed with

25:55

that awful smell mixed

25:57

with black

25:58

licorice. I gag

26:00

and quickly turn away, hoping no

26:02

one noticed. I stumbled at

26:04

the buffet and put the platter down.

26:07

A woman's voice says something about

26:09

setting a precedent in the crowd choose.

26:11

It's like a cold turn

26:13

of air moves through me.

26:16

I hold on to the

26:16

buffet, more applause,

26:19

and I feel like

26:20

something's pulling me towards the table.

26:23

mom talks about paintings

26:25

and auction. I want to

26:27

call

26:27

for my mother, but

26:29

she's saying, and you, mister Frank,

26:33

An article recently listed your

26:35

nineteen sixty nine Pukatella

26:37

performance in Carousel as

26:39

the gold standard for all performances. Her

26:42

voice is

26:42

hushed, like she's astounded by

26:45

his triumph, but

26:47

it's

26:47

not that. Her voice is

26:50

frail. I want to

26:52

reach

26:52

out to her, and then

26:54

it's like something is trying to suck

26:56

me in like a whirlpool. I

27:00

breathe

27:00

deeply and try to steady myself.

27:02

I finished

27:03

serving dinner. so I cautiously

27:05

pick up the platter and return it

27:07

to the kitchen. I dug into the

27:09

bathroom and wait by the toilet just

27:11

in case.

27:12

The room tilts. I lie

27:14

down on the cool tile floor and close

27:16

my eyes. This

27:19

isn't how I thought it

27:21

would be. This isn't even what it

27:23

was supposed to be like.

27:26

I

27:26

wash my face, smooth my

27:28

hair, and

27:29

returned to the kitchen to clean. The dead

27:31

are still fainting modesty's mom

27:33

lists their accomplishments. madeline

27:36

thanks the guests for joining the bed for dinner and

27:38

wishes them a good night. On their

27:41

way out, a

27:41

child yells. That was so

27:44

boring. Eventually,

27:46

mom joins me. Her

27:48

face is drawn. I sunken. Do

27:50

you wanna sit

27:51

down? I'll get

27:53

a chair. I can't. I'm

27:55

about to scrape one of the dead's leftovers

27:57

into the garbage when mom says, put it in

27:59

the

27:59

Tupperware. The

28:01

Tupperware? I

28:04

look at

28:04

the plate. It becomes

28:06

clear. The dead don't

28:08

eat their dinners. mom

28:10

brings it all home. Missus

28:14

Swenson walks into the kitchen.

28:16

Keeper,

28:16

I see you finally brought your daughter.

28:18

I spin

28:19

to face missus Swenson, drop my

28:22

head and fold my hands. Yes.

28:25

Missus Swenson, How kind of you to notice? I

28:27

assume

28:27

she'll soon turn sixteen and

28:30

begin her apprenticeship. She's

28:32

still only fifteen. missus

28:35

Swenson. I brought

28:35

her this evening so I can identify

28:38

her weaknesses. I

28:40

see. So

28:41

she's still in junior

28:43

high then. She's a bit big for

28:45

her age. Isn't she?

28:47

But it busty.

28:50

Yes. Missus Swanson.

28:51

My face burns. I

28:53

want to cover myself so missus

28:55

Swenson can't see me. I want

28:57

my mother to defend me. but I know

28:59

she

28:59

won't. That wouldn't be

29:02

polite. That would be

29:03

breaking the rules. I

29:06

stare at my dress shoes.

29:08

Another gift from the thrift store. Well,

29:10

if you didn't take so much of our

29:12

dinner home. Yes, ma'am. You're right,

29:14

of course. It doesn't hurt anyone to

29:17

throw a little food away. In

29:19

any event, earmason cleaning

29:21

keeper. Girl,

29:23

I look up as

29:24

missus Swenson leaves, her

29:26

head high like she's the lady of the

29:29

manor. mom slumps against the counter.

29:31

I've never seen her

29:33

so exhausted. Do we need to

29:36

say

29:36

good night?

29:37

No. Everyone

29:38

living is gone by now. I

29:41

help her with

29:41

her coat and back into the car.

29:45

It's

29:45

hard to tell in the dark, but under

29:47

the estates outside light,

29:49

the edges

29:50

of my mother that were shimmering are now

29:53

transparent.

29:53

Her scent

29:56

has changed too. That

29:59

glowing smell has mixed with her natural scent

30:01

that's always reminded inded me of brown

30:03

sugar. Now I

30:05

remember why that smell was familiar.

30:07

I've smelled it

30:08

on my mother. On

30:10

the nights, she's hosted. I

30:14

suspected the dead might have something to do with what

30:16

was happening to her. And

30:18

now I know. I

30:20

pull out

30:21

of the parking

30:23

lot. I'm

30:30

not

30:30

fifteen. I'm

30:33

seventeen. Yes. What

30:35

was that about an apprenticeship?

30:38

Technically, it should have started two

30:40

years ago. It's time

30:43

for you to learn how to be the

30:45

keeper. but

30:46

you're the keeper. I can't be keeper forever.

30:48

At some point, I'm going

30:50

to disappear, Zellie. I'm

30:54

afraid

30:54

it's going to happen sooner than I expected.

30:57

Disappear? You

31:00

mean die, I mean disappear.

31:02

That's what happens. We eventually fade

31:04

and disappear.

31:07

It's the sacrifice face for beingkeeper.

31:09

That's horrible.

31:10

You shouldn't be surprised. I

31:12

told you about this when you were little. You

31:14

told me we twinkle away

31:16

because we're

31:17

special. I thought it was make

31:20

believe. This is awful. It's not right.

31:22

Do you watch yourself silly? And it's

31:24

happening sooner? Like It's

31:26

happening now? Maybe because there

31:28

are more of them now. It

31:30

used

31:30

to be only mister Bingham. And

31:33

then the swenson's when you're great

31:35

great grandma Pearl was

31:37

keeper. Mister Frank joined at the end

31:39

of grandma Elise's service.

31:41

Miss price maybe seven years

31:44

ago? This is Krausz about

31:46

two. Why does the town keep

31:48

adding more dead? You know, the town

31:50

has gone slightly struggling. When

31:52

someone

31:52

remotely notable passes,

31:55

we get a new dead to boost the

31:57

economy. I don't know

31:59

what to do, It was

32:01

dishonest and ridiculous for me

32:03

to wait for your apprenticeship. Keep

32:05

her such an

32:06

important service, It's

32:08

an

32:08

honor. I still can't

32:10

believe our family gets to be the keepers.

32:13

We're

32:13

valued in a way we don't have

32:15

any right be. but I've

32:18

been

32:18

afraid for you to start.

32:21

I passed by the gravel road that leads

32:23

towards home. I don't

32:25

turn toward home. but

32:27

keep asking mom questions.

32:29

Afraid for me to bekeeper, I

32:31

knew I'd eventually train

32:33

you. I

32:34

believed I could hold off for a

32:37

little. Maybe

32:38

I'd live a little longer than usual

32:41

and you'd have a answer for a more normal

32:43

life. Maybe meet

32:44

someone special. Someone who

32:47

didn't grow up here and didn't know

32:49

our history. which

32:50

is that at

32:52

some point we disappear? No.

32:55

Where

32:55

grandma Anna came from. You

32:57

thought they'd

32:58

forget about the lava tubes?

33:00

They haven't

33:01

forgotten mom. I still hear

33:03

magma monster and tunnel crawler at

33:05

school. I'm sorry. I

33:08

went through too. But you can't blame

33:10

them. Your grandma Anna

33:11

crawled out of the tunnels

33:14

dirty barefoot.

33:15

not wearing appropriate

33:18

clothes. She spoke

33:19

that weird language. She sang

33:21

and danced all the time even in church.

33:23

Didn't keep her own personal

33:26

space. It's like she was raised by

33:28

wild animals. And

33:30

she

33:30

came from the lava tubes, and that's its

33:32

own thing. The Bingham

33:34

saved her, dressed her, taught her

33:36

proper

33:36

manners. It's a

33:38

reflection of who this town

33:41

is that they accept us at

33:43

all. I want to

33:45

push

33:45

back. Question why my mother

33:47

buys into the town's bigotry.

33:50

why she justifies it excuses them. But

33:52

this isn't the

33:53

time for fighting. But I don't

33:56

believe it has to be this way or that

33:58

it will always be this way. I

34:00

always believed

34:01

you'd be different, Sally. I

34:03

believed you could

34:03

be the one who would show the town

34:05

were not like that place where grandma Anna

34:07

came from. We're civilized

34:10

and

34:10

we're not dangerous like the tunnels.

34:14

They believe

34:14

because we came from there and

34:16

because of all the accidents that happened

34:19

there that we're dangerous

34:20

to. We're different, but

34:23

we're just like everybody else too.

34:26

Only

34:26

we're special because we're

34:29

the keepers. I don't

34:30

know what to say. I never know

34:32

what to say when mom says these things. It's

34:36

like isn't thinking

34:38

about how. Because grandma Anna

34:40

came from the tunnels, we

34:42

are from

34:43

there. I know all of

34:45

this is on come terrible

34:46

for you. I know you were hurt because

34:48

of how you were treated, but

34:51

you have potential in

34:52

a way none of us have had.

34:55

You have the potential

34:57

for a good

35:00

life, and I want

35:01

you to have that. I

35:03

want you to have the

35:05

best life.

35:06

My love for my

35:08

mother rises in my

35:10

chest. She's tried looking out

35:11

for me. She's wanted good things

35:14

for

35:14

me. Sally, what are you

35:16

doing?

35:18

Our turn was miles back.

35:20

We're just going for

35:21

a drive. I can't afford

35:23

the gas. You know the gas

35:25

allowance only comes once

35:28

a month, I do

35:29

know. The gas allowance,

35:31

food allowance, utility

35:34

allowance, donated

35:36

clothes and other household

35:38

items, a tiny living

35:40

stipend. A shack in

35:42

the shadow of a dilapidated

35:44

house turned

35:46

around The desert

35:47

is so close. I step

35:49

on the gas.

35:50

It's okay, mom. I'm

35:52

going to take care of this.

35:54

We're both going to

35:56

have that

35:57

good life. We were approaching

35:59

the threshold

35:59

between the town and the

36:02

desert. There's a weird move and my peripheral

36:04

vision, but I focus on the

36:06

road, please.

36:07

You know we can't leave.

36:09

I glance

36:10

at my mother. She's flickering.

36:13

like a light bulb about to short, they're going

36:15

to know.

36:16

They'll feel it. Just

36:18

hold on.

36:20

We cross in

36:22

the desert. I gasped. A sharp

36:24

release of breath I hadn't

36:26

noticed I've been holding.

36:30

Oh, I pull over to the shoulder.

36:32

She's

36:32

hunched over. It hurts. It

36:34

hurts for me. This apart from them.

36:37

Her shoulders shake with

36:40

stops. Take

36:41

me back. I make a u-turn

36:42

in the middle of the

36:44

road. We don't talk. A

36:46

few miles further towards town. mom

36:49

stops flickering, and her breathing

36:52

quiet.

36:54

Soon,

36:56

she's asleep. I think

37:00

about what moms just told me,

37:02

what the dinner was like.

37:04

the

37:04

smell in the dining room, the air currents,

37:07

the cold that moved through me, feeling

37:10

of something

37:11

trying to suck me in. My

37:14

mother fed the dead,

37:16

but

37:16

not the meals she prepared.

37:20

The

37:20

dead fed on my mother.

37:29

When I

37:29

was little, sometimes mom

37:32

took me to the lake the town's founders

37:34

built. She'd pack a

37:36

treat

37:36

of peanut butter and grape jelly

37:38

sandwiches. and lemonade mixed from a packet. spread

37:40

a blanket on the grass, eat

37:42

and watch Dragonflies dance above

37:46

the water. I asked my mother, where did

37:48

we come from? And

37:50

my mother,

37:52

she'd say, Your

37:54

grandma Anna came from the

37:56

lava tubes,

37:57

from deep inside the

38:00

earth.

38:00

She lived with savage people, not

38:02

quite animals, not quite humans like us.

38:05

Where we always

38:06

keepers for the dead?

38:10

No. After

38:10

grandma Anna emerged from

38:12

the tubes, some

38:13

of the towns folk

38:15

found her wandering and

38:18

rescue her. The

38:18

Binghams kindly let her work as their housekeeper, and

38:21

she lived in

38:22

our little gray cottage.

38:26

When

38:26

she died, her daughter, grandma Elise,

38:28

became their housekeeper. That's

38:30

part of what makes us

38:31

special so we can be

38:34

the keepers. Our

38:35

family has been here so long. We've

38:37

known all the dead in life.

38:40

Where are our

38:42

grandmas now? Are

38:42

they buried in the cemetery by the river? No.

38:46

We

38:46

twinkle away somewhere

38:47

special in its time.

38:50

We

38:50

are the keepers and are

38:52

different from everyone else. The

38:54

rules are different

38:55

for us. then

38:57

my mother would tell me

38:58

I could go play if I didn't leave

39:00

the path that wound around the lake.

39:02

I'd run barefoot along the path

39:04

to the place where I could hear laughter

39:07

and singing. I'd follow the voices to the edge

39:09

of the path and the grass where the lava

39:11

fields began, where mom had

39:14

said the lava

39:16

tubes were. where

39:16

grandma Anna had come from. I'd

39:18

searched for

39:19

the voices, but never

39:21

found the source. But

39:24

then, one day,

39:26

when I was ten, I followed

39:28

the singing and laughing voices to the edge

39:30

of the path. across the grass to

39:33

the fence Joshua Bingham built to separate

39:35

the town from the lava fields. I

39:37

knew I wasn't supposed to

39:39

go over the fence. but I

39:41

hungered to know who was singing and laughing with happiness I'd never heard

39:44

before over

39:45

the fence and across the final

39:47

patch of grass and clover.

39:50

and then

39:51

I stood at the edge of the lava

39:53

fields, hardened black stretches of rippled rock,

39:55

like frozen

39:56

black waves, Here

39:59

and there were boulders,

40:02

and deep pits filled with dark rocks,

40:04

and deeper pits that seemed

40:06

to have no end. and

40:08

there, not so far away.

40:10

Young girls and women

40:12

in filmy dresses danced on

40:14

the waves of Black Rock, Their

40:17

hair

40:18

flowing down their backs.

40:20

They sang

40:21

the songs I'd heard on

40:23

the breathe, the songs that made me

40:25

feel warm inside, They saw me and ran

40:28

over, joined me on the grass and

40:30

gave me sweet

40:31

things to eat.

40:33

me into their circle and taught me their

40:36

dance. I took off my

40:38

shoes and socks so I was barefoot

40:40

like them. and I laughed as

40:42

we twirled and twirled

40:44

around. It was like there was only

40:46

this.

40:47

Me, surrounded by joy and

40:49

freedom and love,

40:51

We were dancing, and I

40:54

was trying to learn the words to their song

40:56

when I heard my mother

40:58

shouting. Zelle The women gathered the girls,

41:00

ran across the lava bed, and

41:02

then descended down into the

41:04

earth, into

41:06

the tubes. not looking back. My mother ran over

41:08

to me. What are

41:09

you doing here? I was dancing

41:12

with my friends.

41:14

My mother

41:16

around, then stared out at the lava fields. There's

41:19

no one

41:19

here. She grabbed my arm and pulled me back

41:21

to the are,

41:24

saying, I told you not to leave the

41:26

path. Promise me you'll

41:28

never go to the lava fields again. Do you hear

41:30

me? Nothing good happens

41:32

out there.

41:33

I promised, but it didn't

41:36

matter. We never went back to

41:37

the

41:40

lake. The

41:43

next night,

41:46

we returned to

41:48

the estate for another dinner. the

41:51

chill, the smell,

41:54

the sensation working into

41:56

me. It's more terrible

41:58

than the last time. Outside, I'm

41:59

putting the Tupperware filled

42:01

with leftovers back in the trunk

42:03

when my nose is a salted

42:05

with black licorice and that's

42:08

stench. I slammed the trunk lid

42:10

and cover my mouth and nose with my dress

42:12

sleeve. Good evening. It's mister

42:13

Frank. I dropped my

42:15

arm from my face and turned to face

42:18

him. Eyes down, hands

42:20

folded. Good

42:22

evening, sir. I didn't expect you to be outside.

42:24

It's my practice

42:25

time. I prefer singing

42:27

outdoors at night. He

42:29

walks closer. I hear

42:31

you're in junior high. I

42:33

step

42:33

back. Yes, sir. A

42:35

little young

42:36

man, aren't you? Sir?

42:38

I'm

42:38

sure you

42:39

haven't missed your going through

42:41

a change. Sir, I

42:43

don't understand. No.

42:46

It should be defensive. I can't

42:48

help but notice how you're

42:50

softening around the edges. Filling

42:53

out. You have that look in your eye. I'm

42:56

sorry, sir. After I graced

43:00

the music stage, I taught him directed

43:02

at a young woman. He

43:04

steps closer.

43:06

Trust me. I'm more

43:08

accurate than any dead

43:10

rabbit. I pull back

43:12

and bump into the classic. I

43:14

clench my fingers into wrists behind my back.

43:17

Thank

43:17

you, sir, but that's

43:19

impossible. Don't you know? It's how

43:21

it works for your

43:24

kind. I watched it happen three times now,

43:26

it happens spontaneously when the

43:28

keeper starts to fade. It's

43:30

fascinating, really, much

43:32

more interest stealing any

43:35

immaculate conception, it must be

43:37

part of your people's exotic

43:40

nature. He

43:41

reaches out his hand like he's going to touch

43:43

my cheek. Are you nervous? Is that

43:46

why you tried to leave town

43:48

because you're nervous?

43:50

We

43:50

did try to leave, sir. I got turned around in the dark.

43:53

I talked for a

43:54

long time. I can

43:57

smell a liar. As furious as I

43:59

am. I'm

43:59

overcome with the need to apologize, the

44:02

need to beg him for his forgiveness, to

44:04

swear I'll

44:06

never do it

44:06

again. The town council will be visiting your home,

44:09

you know, in the morning,

44:11

I believe. They must

44:14

address your situation, we know how old you really

44:16

are. We just thought we'd wait to

44:18

see how this might

44:20

turn out. Despite

44:22

my mother's training, I stare into

44:24

his eyes.

44:25

They're milky and

44:28

flat. Now he looks away. It's not true.

44:30

I'm fifteen. I

44:32

leaned forward away from the car.

44:34

My hands clenched at my sides.

44:38

He steps back, still not looking at me.

44:41

We despise flyers.

44:44

He turns, walking into

44:46

the night. He

44:48

disappears. And my unnatural desire to apologize and

44:51

beg for his forgiveness. He's

44:54

gone.

44:54

them

44:57

I tuck my mother

44:59

into bed, then rush to the bathroom

45:02

where I strip off my dress and throw

45:04

it away.

45:04

I heave and lurch for the

45:05

toilet, flush, rinse out my

45:07

mouth. I can still smell the dead in

45:10

my

45:10

hair.

45:12

I step

45:13

into the shower, run the water as hot as possible. I

45:16

try

45:16

to scrub them off of me.

45:19

and

45:19

then stand under the shower head so the water can

45:22

carry every last bit of them down the

45:24

drain. I

45:26

dress

45:26

in jeans and a sweatshirt.

45:28

That

45:29

smell like the lavender sachets mom tucks in my drawers. I put

45:31

on thick socks and tennis

45:33

shoes to wander the fields. I

45:37

used to believe being

45:37

keeper was the most essential

45:39

job in the world.

45:42

I was told everyone wanted to

45:43

be keeper. but

45:46

only we were

45:47

special enough for the job. I

45:50

believed our town was

45:52

special because we

45:54

had dead. who were also

45:56

alive.

45:57

Now I understand.

46:00

We're a

46:00

small town in the middle of a never

46:03

ending great basin desert with few resources and no

46:05

opportunities.

46:05

A tourist trap for

46:07

people going somewhere real. Like

46:10

Salt

46:10

Lake, Las Vegas, Portland,

46:13

Boise even.

46:16

We

46:16

sell overpriced tickets to tourists,

46:19

who believe gawking, at walking, talking dead

46:21

people is a good use of

46:23

their time. They

46:24

eat

46:25

in our cafes, shop at

46:27

our stores, by stupid mugs with the dead's faces,

46:29

books about the dead's

46:32

history.

46:33

I walk outside. into

46:36

the fields full of sagebrush and

46:38

scrub. I kick at

46:39

the clay. My shoe's spraying

46:41

clumps into

46:42

the sagebrush. Now I

46:44

understand why teachers make me sit in the back of

46:46

the classroom and ignore

46:47

me. Why no matter how

46:50

hard

46:50

I studied to make mom

46:52

proud?

46:53

She doesn't care about my

46:56

grades. I'd believed my

46:58

mother. When she'd said I had to go to

47:00

school because the keeper's daughter has to be

47:02

well educated. but it's just another

47:04

lie. She lied to

47:06

me like she lied to

47:08

the

47:08

dead. and maybe

47:10

even to herself. My

47:14

mother is disappearing. I

47:16

will be stuck here alone.

47:19

where my only purpose will be to feed the egos

47:21

of a bunch of corpses until I

47:23

disappear too, and it

47:26

will continue. as long as we provide new keepers for the

47:28

dead. How

47:29

did mister Frank

47:32

know? How did he

47:34

know what I can't even say to myself?

47:38

I

47:38

go back inside to wake my mother.

47:40

I turn on her light. She's

47:42

translucent. I thought I could

47:45

still save

47:45

her. But

47:48

now, mom, let's

47:49

get you dressed Sally. She

47:51

turns her face

47:52

away from the light. I'm

47:55

going to help

47:56

you. can't.

47:58

There's not anything you can

47:59

do. She looks at me

48:02

squinting and props herself up on

48:04

her elbow. Please,

48:06

let me try. What are

48:08

you up to? Mister Frank told me

48:10

the town council is coming in the morning. They know

48:12

I tried to

48:13

leave with you. They know

48:15

you lied about my age.

48:17

There's nothing you can do,

48:20

Zellie. We've got

48:21

to accept their consequences.

48:23

Mama, it's not only about

48:25

you and me anymore. I stop.

48:27

I don't have to tell her,

48:29

but I can't

48:30

keep it from her. I

48:33

sit

48:33

on the edge of her

48:36

bed. Please

48:36

don't be disappointed. I honestly

48:38

don't know how it happened.

48:39

What, Sally? I'm

48:42

going to have a baby.

48:44

Are

48:44

you sure? Now

48:46

she's sitting up. Her eyes wide.

48:49

I borrowed some tests from the

48:52

Walmart. She stares at

48:54

me. Her eyes

48:56

have changed. Now

48:57

they're like opaque

49:00

glass.

49:00

Borrowed. I'm

49:01

not even going to ask.

49:03

Of course, you're pregnant. I should have

49:05

known when I

49:05

started feeding, but you didn't say

49:08

anything. This is it

49:09

then. It's happening. I begin to fade.

49:11

You get pregnant, become a keeper.

49:13

Have a daughter. When

49:16

the cycle begins

49:17

again, tears fall from her eyes.

49:19

Who's going to teach you to

49:21

be keeper? How will you know what

49:23

to teach your daughter? I

49:26

barely begun. I'm going to get you out of of

49:28

here. I told you,

49:32

we can't.

49:33

were bound. I tried to stretch

49:35

it, but it was impossible you

49:37

need to accept. What part? It's

49:39

not impossible. I refuse to believe

49:41

that Please just try. Come with

49:44

me. No. She

49:46

shifts her

49:46

weight away from me. And

49:49

if you try to make me, I will

49:51

call them. Oh mama. I reach for

49:53

her hand, but

49:54

I can't feel it.

49:57

It's

49:57

simply not there.

49:59

homer We

50:01

will not dishonor our

50:04

legacy or

50:06

the debt. We'll meet with the council

50:07

when they come. become keeper and raise that little

50:10

girl. You honor

50:12

our legacy. make

50:14

me proud, Zellie.

50:17

Promise.

50:17

com I'll

50:19

do my

50:20

best. I turn

50:22

out her light and leave my mother to sleep,

50:24

glancing back only once.

50:27

I curl myself

50:29

around my pillow. My bed is soft and warm,

50:32

and I want to lie here

50:34

forever. But if

50:36

I

50:36

do, I'll

50:37

stay on this path my family put me

50:40

on, and I won't be able to step

50:42

away. The

50:44

town council and the dead will control

50:46

me like they've controlled my family since grandma and I crawled out of the tubes.

50:49

But if I step

50:51

off, what will I do

50:53

about my mother?

50:56

When were we last happy, mom

50:59

and I? At

51:01

the lake, probably, lying on our

51:03

blanket cushioned by soft grass. warm

51:05

from the summer sun. Belly is full of peanut

51:08

butter and jelly sandwiches.

51:10

Mom telling me magical stories about our family.

51:14

Stories that made me believe I was

51:16

special. And

51:17

now it's

51:18

here,

51:19

the part where

51:21

mom twinkles away. I

51:24

shiver, my breath shaky.

51:26

What will it be like to do what

51:28

mom has done? It's like

51:30

I'm trapped in a box with no

51:33

lid. but I'm not in

51:35

a box. My little one

51:37

and I were on a

51:39

path and we can

51:41

still get off. I

51:43

remember what it was like dancing with

51:45

them, the sound of

51:47

their song.

51:48

They

51:49

were happy in a way we

51:52

never were. and they knew

51:54

how to be kind

51:55

and welcoming. And my family must

51:57

have known how to be

51:59

like that once. Maybe we could be like

52:01

that

52:01

again. I leave my

52:04

bed and stand

52:05

outside mom's

52:08

room. listening to her soft breathing.

52:10

I shrug

52:10

on extra clothes and a coat, tuck

52:12

her wear from the fridge,

52:16

and lavender from mom's garden, so my daughter and

52:18

I don't arrive empty handed.

52:20

All this and some

52:24

extra clothes go into a

52:26

tie dyed bag. I find the heavy silver flashlight,

52:29

another family airline.

52:30

really I

52:32

decide not to take the classic. If

52:34

they find it at the lake, they'll

52:36

know where we've gone. If

52:39

we go through the fields, we'll get to the lake

52:41

faster than if we use

52:42

the roads, and there's

52:45

less chance of being seen. Mister

52:47

Frank knew

52:48

I was pregnant.

52:49

I don't know what else

52:50

the dead can know, but I'm not leaving

52:54

any signs. I

52:55

walk through the fields that once grew potatoes and

52:57

sugar beets, but these fields have been fallows since

52:59

long before me. It's

53:02

freezing. I

53:04

huddle in my coat. exhaustion

53:07

hits

53:07

partway through. I wish we

53:09

could lie down and sleep. but

53:11

there's no time. We'll rest

53:13

later. I keep walking,

53:16

thinking about what it will be like to hold

53:18

their hands again. sing and dance

53:21

with them again. The moon is

53:23

setting when we arrive. My heart

53:25

pounds, my stomach turns.

53:27

I feel away of panic, a

53:30

rush of adrenaline. I am

53:32

afraid it's mom disappearing.

53:34

For

53:34

her sake, I hope

53:37

it's mom

53:38

disappearing. We climb over the wooden post fence that's been

53:40

here for generations and land

53:42

on the soft grass. I

53:44

want to tell my mother I love her.

53:47

that I'm sorry I never did what

53:49

she wanted, but looking back never did

53:51

anyone any good. We

53:54

walk east toward the

53:56

lava field toward the tunnels. I click the

53:58

flashlight switch to find where the grass

53:59

ends. I sling

54:02

the bag over my shoulder and

54:04

climb the fence that keeps the town from the

54:06

fields once more. We

54:08

walk across the grass and then step

54:10

onto the black ripples of rock.

54:12

then take another step,

54:15

and

54:15

another, then cautiously walk

54:18

across

54:18

the uneven rolls of lava.

54:21

I shine the

54:23

flashlight beam in front of us, move it from side to

54:25

side searching for the tubes, and

54:27

then I see an opening into

54:30

the earth. like the mouth of a

54:32

cave. Large enough to

54:34

squeeze

54:35

into. We walk slowly so we

54:37

don't trip and then

54:40

crouch down. I shine the

54:41

light inside the widening

54:43

tunnel. The walls sparkle.

54:46

The dark descends deep,

54:49

if deep down.

54:51

take a deep breath and we crawl

54:53

into the lava tube. Bags

54:55

sling over my

54:56

back, my light showing

55:00

our way.

55:24

Paper of the dead

55:24

was created and written by Marguerite

55:28

Croft performed by Maya

55:30

Clockey with Shannon Campbell,

55:32

Christine Marshall, Chris Price, Joe

55:36

Barrera, and

55:36

Casey Turner. It's produced by

55:38

Casey Turner with Carolyn Daegele directed

55:40

by Casey Turner, executive produced

55:43

by Fred Greenhalter, and

55:45

engineered edited and sound design by

55:47

Karen Daigle recorded at Mind's

55:49

eye production. Keep up

55:50

the dead in a dark

55:53

art media Find Dark Tom on your favorite

55:55

podcast player. And now, as

55:58

promised, A trailer for Frank Green

55:59

Haul's latest horror

56:02

audio drop. Undertoll, blood

56:04

forest.

56:09

You told me

56:11

your mom

56:13

called this

56:14

place the blood force.

56:16

for the way the sunlight bent through

56:18

the ruby Maple leaves in October.

56:20

But when you said

56:22

that, There

56:24

was

56:24

always something in your eye that made me think there was

56:26

more to it than that. There's

56:28

an issue over here

56:29

at Libby Farm. There's

56:32

blood in

56:32

guts everywhere. Frank,

56:36

I

56:36

need your help. How

56:39

can I help? I'm just

56:41

a retired soldier. Whatever monsters

56:43

are loose in Langley,

56:45

you're

56:46

gonna help me kill them.

56:48

I'm

56:48

trying to hold it together, you

56:49

know? But there are things

56:52

that come from you when the lights go out

56:54

that I

56:56

don't think or I haven't gone

56:58

away. I'm

57:00

far from

57:02

the battlefield, but so

57:05

a war with something. Not the enemy

57:07

out there, but the one

57:08

in here. It's

57:12

starting I in. The hunt.

57:16

The hunt. Realm

57:21

presents Blood Forest.

57:24

A new UnderCo story, starred in Jack Falahy

57:26

and Brie Klaucer. UnderCo

57:28

is your portal into the weird and the wicked.

57:31

Subscribe now wherever podcasts

57:34

are served.

57:36

The

57:36

fable and falling network where fiction producers

57:40

flourish.

57:42

Rachman

57:46

a

57:46

land where spirits roam and

57:49

witches rule.

57:52

Three women

57:52

are embroiled

57:54

in

57:54

a divine plot, and it

57:57

is

57:57

up to them

57:58

to uncover

58:00

why. Join

58:01

the adventures of the at the

58:03

BroadSorts dot com.