S1 Ep2: Providence And Consequence

[00:00:30] Speaker A: Hi, I'm Legacy, and I play Rosanna. [00:00:34] Speaker B: Hi, I'm Scott, and I play Arthur. [00:00:36] Speaker C: Hello there, I'm Gary, and I play Jesse. [00:00:40] Speaker D: Hi. [00:00:40] Speaker E: My name is Elijah, and I play Zephyr. [00:00:44] Speaker F: Hi, I'm Jade, and I play Julia. [00:00:46] Speaker G: Hello, I'm Zoe. [00:00:47] Speaker D: Trooper. [00:00:48] Speaker G: And I will be playing Victoria. [00:00:50] Speaker D: Area and I'm bloodied porcelain. I will be your storyteller for the evening. In the American southwest, the little green man is the new American fairy tale. Instead of tales of gnomes making shoes for aging cobblers, there are tales of Area 51 and alien abductions and cattle mutilations, bright lights and missing patches of memory. Tales of probes and experiments that come bubbling out under hypnotherapy. Throughout HeLa bend, there is homage to these tales. Gas stations sell flying saucer, lighters and little green men keychains. I got abducted in Gila bend, and all I got was this lousy t shirt. A space age lodge is nestled next to a best western. And the outer limits coffee shop has a mural of Gene Roddenberry's original enterprise painted over the backsplash. Miles of solar panels are the town's real industry anymore. If the town depended on tourism, it would have been blown away in a dust storm a long time ago. But there are times between the exaggerated tales of abductions, between the casual arguments over cryptozoology, and how to deal with a chupacabra problem that a real note of fear is hidden in someone's eyes. Stretches of the river still meticulously avoided by locals. Empty lengths of highway the local teenagers won't dare drive down after nightfall, not even on a double dare. On the most ancient seafaring maps, corners of it were marked with the warning here there be monsters. Sane men did not set sail for the corners of the maps. Only mad men set out to find the monsters. Tonight, let's tell a story about the mad men. Good evening. [00:02:45] Speaker B: Hello. [00:02:46] Speaker D: In our last session, we ended with a lot of you falling asleep at a rest stop in your RV. Having paid sweet homage to a dearly departed friend, rosanna experienced another unsettling vision of a tall, broad shouldered man who's too blurry around the edges to make out any specifics, reaching out to her as if trying to communicate a moment before she blinked and he was gone. It's morning now. You all spent most of your day yesterday on the road, running from the things that are chasing you. Fretting over talk of werewolves, even stopping in a pawn shop to purchase some silver for weapons. Though all you really walked away from, walked away with was a box of old silverware and a fountain pen. Can't forget the fountain pen. You are settling in, waking to the morning quiet. The only real noise is the occasional car that moves through the through the parking lot, pulls in people closing their doors to go inside. Who wakes first? [00:04:36] Speaker A: Probably me. [00:04:41] Speaker D: Rosanna, what is your morning like? [00:04:51] Speaker A: Well, moment I get up from wherever it is that I fell asleep. I will check my surroundings, kind of sneak out of the RV and do a once over, make sure that nobody's around, and if we are safe or it looks like there are just people who are going to kind of mind their own business while we're here. She's going to take out that fountain pen and her journal, and she's going to get a little bit of rotten in in the morning as she kind of waits for everybody else to wake up. She doesn't like touching the kitchen. She knows that that's somebody else's job to do the cooking in the cell. So she lets that person do whatever they need to do, and she just will wait her turn to do the dishes. [00:05:55] Speaker D: Excellent. So you hang out in the morning, quiet so far. Nothing seems too out of place. Cars, pickups, that sort of thing. People coming and going. Most of them look like they've either only just gotten out on the road or they are stopping because they've been on the road for a few hours already. While she is writing, who wakes up next? I. [00:06:44] Speaker E: When I hear her leave outside, I kind of immediately pop up. And the first thing I'm worried about is I'm thinking about when Arthur mentioned motorcycles following us. So I immediately just kind of also survey the area, see if I catch a glimpse of anybody hiding out with a motorcycle or anything, and then just kind of if I don't see anything, just pop back in. [00:07:24] Speaker D: Sure make me wits and awareness. Let's see. It. [00:07:40] Speaker E: Was sorry. Says I got a critical. [00:08:09] Speaker D: So you did four successes with a critical. Well, there are there are no motorcycles this morning, which you are perhaps relieved to recognize. There's a couple of pickups. There's one or two little family, like four door cars. At some point overnight, a couple of big rigs pulled in and are parked nearby. You don't see anybody in the cabs. You're guessing they're probably in that little sleeper space behind the seats. It's a semi quiet morning. Quiet as far as interstate rest stops go. Like, it's busy, but quiet for that sort of setting. You do, of course, immediately see Rosanna working on whatever it is that she's working on. You all seem to do an awful lot of writing. Okay, well, Victoria, that makes you the last person to wake up. Arthur is still asleep. I apologize. [00:09:28] Speaker G: I'm happy with Victoria getting up next, though. I like to imagine it's kind of a bunk bed situation. And for whatever reason, I'm on top, Arthur's on the bottom. So this foot just kind of comes down, steps on him a little bit. Then I eventually crawl out of my bunk. Now I'm wrapped in a blanket, and I've started to get things made up for breakfast. Right, because we all got to eat before we head out. I'm wrapped in a blanket because everyone complained because of the fact that I just don't put on clothes in the morning. So I got like my short boy cut underwear on and a bra and this blanket. And I'm just kind of like making the coffee, getting every other bit of food ready. I leave the searching, what they're doing outside up to them. I'm just going to get us the fuel to get started today. [00:10:23] Speaker D: Excellent, Arthur. You wake to the smell of coffee and something hearty and also sort of at the same time, a little bit sweet cooking nearby, very close, much closer than you were accustomed to at the safe house. You were down the hallway away from the kitchen there. Here the kitchen is like 2ft from your face. And as it stands, so is Victoria, but she's at least wrapped in a blanket and a T shirt. [00:11:01] Speaker B: It's an improvement. Well, Arthur wakes up. So I wake up and I look around. I notice the lack of the others, but I'm sure that there are windows in an RV that I can look out of from where I'm sleeping. So I'll see them. Breakfast is taken care of. I need a cigarette. But I decide instead to, before just going out and doing a cigarette, is sort of put away the stuff from Jillian that we had pulled out yesterday to sort through it and find things for something to put out for. So I assume that it's being kept in the back somewhere, which means I'll have to flip past Victoria gathering the carrying the things, I'm just going to put them away. And so that's what Arthur's doing. But in the process, he discovers an item and it's just this joke gift that probably Victoria bought for Jillian. We all remember the laugh that we had over this pair of brass knuckles, as if Jillian would punch a ghost. That was the joke. Maybe you can punch a ghost with this thing and just kind of looks at know, smiles, remembering this moment. But then as I go to put it down, I start to read it and realize that there's writing on it in Latin. So Arthur starts reading it because he speaks Latin, starts realizing that it's like pieces of some kind of prayer that he knows, a banishing ritual, and it just stands out. So he picks it up and looks at it. And sure enough, on the flip side, it seems to be dedicated to St. Petrolchus of Troyus, the patron state of demons. So as he's putting everything away, arthur decides to hang on to this for a little while, to think about Jillian and remember her. [00:13:03] Speaker G: As you're reading Latin, you hear kind of this snarky comment from the kitchen, like, you want to bless the breakfast, Father? [00:13:11] Speaker B: Yeah, certainly. Hold on. Give me a give me a second to get my thoughts together. Good God. Good food. Let's eat. There. It's blessed. [00:13:22] Speaker G: I think we're wearing you down. [00:13:25] Speaker B: Yeah, I'm getting that feeling too. But I'll get there. We'll figure it out. It's hard when you have something you believe in, and then you just lose it when you find out that maybe it's not real. Maybe it's all fake, but. [00:13:50] Speaker D: I don't. [00:13:50] Speaker G: Have any idea whether it's fake or not. But you're right. We all had something, and then we lost it. [00:13:59] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:14:00] Speaker G: I can't say it's faith, but it's wearing me down, too. [00:14:09] Speaker B: Well, last night you seemed to have it all together. You were the most aware out of all of us as to what we should do. [00:14:19] Speaker G: Not really. You know me, I fly by the seat of my pants, do what I have to to get to survive, right? [00:14:30] Speaker B: Yeah. But I think that at least yesterday, that's what we needed. I'm going to be honest. I think I probably would have just sat down and not done anything. So thank you for your strength, honestly. [00:14:50] Speaker G: No problem. Maybe that's maybe that's the thing. People with faith sit and wait and hope. People like me, who've got nothing but ourselves, we just charge forward. [00:15:13] Speaker B: That's so true. I think that maybe we all need to be a little bit of both, right? Have a little faith and hope, but still charge forward. I think that's that might be what it is to be a hunter, right? [00:15:28] Speaker G: Yeah, I don't disagree. I just need something. Need to find something to believe in. [00:15:35] Speaker B: Well, I believe in, so. [00:15:39] Speaker D: Are you. [00:15:40] Speaker G: Hitting on me, Arthur? [00:15:44] Speaker B: No. [00:15:45] Speaker G: Do you want coffee? [00:15:47] Speaker B: Yes, please. I would love some coffee right now. I think that's what I need more than anything else. [00:15:52] Speaker G: I'm going to pour him a cup of coffee, and I hand it to him and just say no. Get out of my face. You're weirding me out this morning. [00:15:58] Speaker B: Yeah, of course. Sure. Got to go do some action or something. [00:16:05] Speaker G: Breakfast will be ready in ten. Let them know if you see them out there. [00:16:10] Speaker B: I will. Heads out. Yeah. [00:16:18] Speaker D: When you say you've got to go do some action, what do you have in mind? [00:16:25] Speaker B: No, I was just actually joking with Victoria. Arthur's just going to go out and sip his coffee, have a cigarette, and then also think about where the restrooms are because it is morning. [00:16:38] Speaker D: Yeah, there's a big building nearby. It's pretty obvious where those are. As you step out into the Is, and you're looking over towards the building, that the people kind of coming and going from it, you notice that Rosanna is nearby writing. She's sitting in the shade out of the sunlight. And Zephyr, are you also hanging out nearby, or have you gone in to brush your teeth and everything? [00:17:19] Speaker E: Yeah, I went to the restrooms just to pop in real quick, and then I'm right back out and kind of lingering near Rosanna, but not, like, bothering her because I'm like, okay, she needs her space to. [00:17:40] Speaker D: Understood. Understood. Okay. [00:17:44] Speaker F: Well. [00:17:48] Speaker D: Is there anything anybody wants to do other than generally take care of morning getting ready stuff. [00:18:01] Speaker E: This is outside of in character, but I know I have the haunted flaw, and it says every should I go ahead and roll that since it's morning. [00:18:17] Speaker A: Or should I wait my nightmare? [00:18:21] Speaker D: No, we rolled your nightmare last night, Rosanna. You rolled fine. You didn't have any nightmares for the night. Yes, zephyr, go ahead and roll your haunted dice. Pool. [00:18:47] Speaker B: It. [00:18:51] Speaker D: And then remind me how the mechanics on that work. So. [00:19:02] Speaker E: For that one, if it's a high roll, I may not be affected at all, but if it's a low roll, then I can get affected by it throughout the day. [00:19:19] Speaker D: Right, understood. Okay. All right. I'll make a note. [00:19:29] Speaker E: No. [00:19:34] Speaker D: All right. [00:19:37] Speaker B: Asking the storyteller about their weaknesses. [00:19:40] Speaker D: No, that's a good thing. I'm very proud of you. All right, so you all take care of getting ready for the morning, and you reconvene over a freshly made breakfast. Victoria, what did you make for everybody? [00:20:01] Speaker G: Oh, I call it Smash. It is kind of what it sounds like. It's eggs, meat, and potatoes all mashed together in a patty. There's also probably some pancakes on the side. Not very big ones, but pancakes. You just get the mix, you mix it with water, and you cook them. [00:20:21] Speaker D: Basic biscuit. [00:20:22] Speaker G: Yeah, it's the smash that's the real winner of the show, because it's got, like, a bunch of fuel to get us started in the morning. [00:20:29] Speaker D: All right, well, it sounds pretty good. Quick and dirty, but good. All right, does anyone have anything that they would like to check in on, check for updates, anything like that, before you guys start to get on the road? [00:20:59] Speaker A: Go ahead, you can go. [00:21:01] Speaker G: I was going to say I kind of want to make use of the silence out here to try and tune my bells, which ties in very closely with my hunter powers. [00:21:10] Speaker F: Right. [00:21:11] Speaker G: So it'd be outside using my hearing to try and find a resonance that I think would work with werewolves. It's obviously not going to work right away, but I'd probably keep going back to the resonance I use for vampires specifically and just be like, that's not the right one. It's eerie, too, if the cars or trucks nearby kind of notice me doing this, it's a strange sound. It doesn't make anyone feel uncomfortable unless you're like a vampire, but it's different. [00:21:49] Speaker D: Can you roll me a single die, please? One whole die. [00:21:54] Speaker G: Let's see. [00:21:55] Speaker D: Tell me what the number says. [00:22:03] Speaker G: It the number says nine. [00:22:07] Speaker D: Oh, wow. Okay. So at first, you're working with your bells, and it's pretty normal. You manage to attune yourself pretty quickly and kind of block out the white noise from the highway and everything, and you feel like you're making pretty steady progress. You're getting to this tone that people it's a little OD because they can hear it, and everything seems cool and groovy, and you start to kind of think about what you know about werewolves, which admittedly isn't a you know, rosanna did tell you that they are pretty be steel and animalistic. And you start thinking about, okay, let's shift away from things that are more vampire oriented, which tend to be more along with what humans would respond to. And you start thinking about what animals would respond to. [00:23:04] Speaker G: I imagine it's tone that I can barely hear, but it would probably be quite painful to werewolves. [00:23:11] Speaker D: Yeah. So you haven't gotten to the point where you think it's going to be painful, but you know that you're definitely on the right track because you hit a very particular tone. And these three dogs that are in a minivan nearby go fucking ballistic. They are howling and barking and all over the place and the owner of the van looks totally weirded out. They don't seem to realize that you're the reason why this is happening. They just know that their dogs, who were perfectly behaved 2 seconds ago, have lost their minds. So you feel like you are most definitely on the right track when this happens. [00:23:51] Speaker G: There's this smug look of satisfaction and I put my bells away. [00:23:57] Speaker D: Excellent. [00:23:58] Speaker G: I feel bad for the pups because I probably hurt their ears, but progress. [00:24:07] Speaker D: Excellent. Rosanna, what did you want to do? [00:24:15] Speaker A: I'd like to check a couple of my account, my email specifically. [00:24:24] Speaker D: You would like to check your email? Is it the email? [00:24:30] Speaker A: It is the email. [00:24:32] Speaker D: Excellent. You log into your email and there's a couple of emails and messages, but there is one in particular that you have definitely been waiting on. [00:24:47] Speaker A: I'll open it. [00:24:49] Speaker D: Rosie, I'm sorry you're dealing with so much right now and about your friend. Truly, losses like that are the worst. Is there anything I can do to help? And what are your visions about? What about them is puzzling you? Please don't apologize for the emails. I quite enjoy them. There's a broad smile on my face every time I see your name in my inbox. I honestly wish I could be online more often so I could reply faster when you send them. I feel like I'm letting you down with all these delays. I've been assigned a new assistant by my boss for work, so I've spent a lot of my time lately training them, which is why I'm not around as much. But I'd love to make time to get some tea if you do make it out here. When are you thinking that'll happen? I assume sometime in the next few months. Right. I know travel is hard for you, but do you have someone you trust that you can travel with? Anyway, I have to get ready for bed. I work early tomorrow, but I'll try to check my email before I head off in the morning. It's a dreadfully early wake up. As usual. Yours, Peter. [00:26:00] Speaker A: And she's going to write a reply. Peter. Been a long night, but I think all of us are doing a little bit better. The group of friends that I've gotten acquainted with over the last couple of weeks have been helping me with the grieving process, but I don't think anybody's taken. It's like we lost part of ourselves. I'm going to miss her. Jay was somebody that I could rely on, somebody who protected me, and I knew if it came down to it, I could protect her. A, I think, might be taking it the hardest. I feel really bad for him, but I know that he's got the willpower and the strength to get over it eventually. I worry for v and for j o. But I know that eventually ham will allow us to heal. It's hard. I hate being out of my house. I hate being away from the security and the sanctuary that I've grown so used to and so comfortable with. But I know that one day it's going to be worth it. I'm hoping that I can get out there soon. You owe me that matcha. Yours, rosie. [00:27:55] Speaker D: She was very sweet. Anybody else have anything that they want to check in on? No. Okay. Anybody else had anything that they want to check in on? Anything that they would like to do? No. Okay. [00:28:32] Speaker B: Feel like you have an expectation about something and that we're not reaching. [00:28:36] Speaker D: Everybody has opportunities to do things. I am providing space. That said, as you all are climbing back into the RV, rosanna, you are climbing in just behind Arthur, who has a local paper tucked under his arm. It's the habit. [00:29:01] Speaker B: Sure is. [00:29:03] Speaker D: And there is a moment of astounding clarity where it's like you get tunnel vision and everything falls away but this paper and you see a headline car crash kills mother of four. And then, just like that, your perception is back to normal. And arthur is still climbing up into the RV, headed for the driver's seat. Getting ready to drive. [00:29:48] Speaker B: Yeah, I'll go ahead and take first drive. I think I've had enough. Uh, where's our destination? We want to keep heading to Florida, find somewhere we can take the silverware, turn into weapons. [00:30:02] Speaker A: Hey, Arthur, can I see that paper? [00:30:06] Speaker B: Yeah, sure. Yep. There you go. [00:30:09] Speaker A: And I'm going to start skimming through it. [00:30:14] Speaker D: It doesn't take you but a second to find what your perception keyed in on. Weirdly. The story that you saw in that moment of clarity was not actually on the outside of the paper. It's buried a couple of pages in. But there is a story about a car accident just south of a little town called Gila Bend, which a glance at the map since you were part of the drive in here last night, a glance at the map that you left out overnight shows is only about 1015 miles away. And there was a car accident that killed a mother of four yesterday. And they're talking rather specifically about this being the third accident on the same stretch of highway in the past week and a half. [00:31:20] Speaker A: I think we need to go and investigate something. [00:31:31] Speaker B: What are you talking about? What do we have to investigate? Did someone give you a tip? [00:31:38] Speaker A: I just saw something in the paper. Bunch of accidents been happening on a stretch of highway about 15 miles from here. I'm just going to point out where on the map. [00:31:59] Speaker D: Be specific. It is Route 85, just south of HeLa Bend, which is not far from where you are, Arthur. [00:32:08] Speaker A: Last night, a mother for gone to a really bad car accident and died. I think that's a little bit too suspicious. I guess that there's three there have been three accidents that happened in just such a short amount of time all around this area. I don't know what it is, but I have a hunch we might need to go check it. [00:32:48] Speaker G: Arthur. [00:32:51] Speaker B: Arthur turns to look at the others to see what they think about this because whatever. We're on the move, so sure. [00:32:59] Speaker E: Yeah, go ahead. [00:33:01] Speaker G: Rosanna's never really steered us wrong on these sort of things, but I never really considered car crashes to be supernatural. [00:33:15] Speaker A: Maybe it's just my paranoia speaking, but it's three all within a very short time period of one another. That's at least a little bit weird, isn't it? [00:33:30] Speaker E: Well, I guess it's just the paper. Maybe it's like a haunted road or something like that. [00:33:41] Speaker B: It's not far. Shouldn't be a big deal. Maybe it's just something wrong with the road. Maybe there's something I guess we would rule out any mundane things if we drove through there. Doesn't change our plans at all because, honestly, I don't think we have any right now. [00:33:59] Speaker G: Yeah, I've got nowhere to. [00:34:26] Speaker A: What'S? Down in Florida? [00:34:28] Speaker D: Where? [00:34:29] Speaker A: Florida? [00:34:29] Speaker D: Men. Where? Florida. [00:34:31] Speaker A: Men. So just Florida men? If you think about it, florida men. I also hear that the matcha in Florida is very good. Not that that matters, but it might be worth it. [00:34:50] Speaker G: I dread going to Florida with every passing moment, but sure. Let's check out these car crashes. [00:34:57] Speaker E: Yeah. [00:34:58] Speaker B: All right. Fire up the RV and figure out where I have to go to get there on the map. Sure. Some exit somewhere will take me onto some stretch and then onto the actually. [00:35:13] Speaker D: Gila bed you can get to if you just stay on the interstate that you've been on. It passes directly through the town. It's going to take you about an hour and a half south of Phoenix. So it's a little bit further north than you were originally planning to go, but it's not much. And you get there pretty damn quickly. As you drive into town, you are greeted by the town's welcome sign, which is this large white welcome sign with big, bold red letters that says, welcome to Gila Bend, home of 1900 very friendly people and five old crabs. [00:36:02] Speaker B: I didn't realize that crabs existed in Arizona. I make a joke. [00:36:12] Speaker A: That was a good one, arthur. [00:36:19] Speaker D: You. [00:36:19] Speaker E: Could say the same thing about the friendly people. A little suspicious. [00:36:29] Speaker G: I have a lot of questions. [00:36:33] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean I'm sorry. [00:36:35] Speaker D: No, it's okay. Go ahead. [00:36:39] Speaker B: It is suspicious that every single one of them identifies as friendly because that means they're hiding something. Can't be friendly all the time. [00:36:52] Speaker A: I don't know what you're talking about. [00:36:58] Speaker D: It drive into town. You are struck immediately by how small a town of less than 2000 people actually is. There's basically one main highway and a couple of little side streets. It's so small that every business is on the same stretch of highway. And you can see most of the housing over just little like a little rampart and about 50 yards worth of just open like desert between the road and where a lot of the housing developments start. You see signs that indicate that there is a the Gila Bend reservation is nearby, basically pointing you north if you want to go there. There's another sign for the US Air Force Base which is slightly south. And of course the ever present signs that are pointing you towards Phoenix because the assumption is nobody stops here. So what would you like to do? [00:38:25] Speaker E: We could probably park as close as we safely can because I don't think it'd be a good idea to park like right next to where the incident happened and then just kind of ask around hopefully. [00:38:46] Speaker B: Yeah, I guess we don't know where the stretch was because unless the article was incredibly specific about where this location was, you're right, we're probably going to have to park and ask. [00:38:57] Speaker G: There's sometimes debris left behind. They don't clean up everything a wheel. [00:39:05] Speaker B: So we say, do we do a loop and then come back? [00:39:09] Speaker E: Yeah, I guess it'd be safe to kind of catch a vibe the first time and then come. [00:39:21] Speaker D: Okay. So you all have come into town, realized how very painfully small it is. Although you do catch sight of things like the Space age lodge which sticks out a little bit like a sore thumb among Carl's Jr. And few other places. Very chintzy, very obviously the middle of the desert in Arizona, but cute and kind of homey. And then you turn right and back south down Route 85 and follow it past the Air Force Base entrance along what turns out to be a pretty lonely and desolate stretch of highway. There's not much out here. It's desert as far as you can see once you pass the Air Force. [00:40:27] Speaker F: Base. [00:40:30] Speaker D: And it takes about 1015 minutes past the Air Force Base entrance before you are well and truly middle of nowhere. Unsure exactly where the accident happened, but you can guess it's probably somewhere around here based on the description of the paper. Are you guys looking for something specific? Are you attempting to do something to key yourself in on what's going on? [00:41:03] Speaker G: Specifically on my end skid marks, bits of bumper left behind, whatever. Looks like an accident occurred there. [00:41:14] Speaker B: Yeah. See if it was some crosses or teddy bears or something. [00:41:20] Speaker E: Yeah. [00:41:24] Speaker D: Go ahead. [00:41:25] Speaker E: I was going to say to see if it was if it was just the one car that was hit or to see if it was if it was impacted by another car, kind of anything like that. [00:41:38] Speaker D: Everybody is welcome to make me wits and awareness roll. Yeah. [00:42:24] Speaker G: Only one success on my end, so not great. [00:42:27] Speaker A: Same. [00:42:31] Speaker D: Weirdly. The person with the smallest dice pool rolled better than everybody else. Okay, it I will deal first and foremost with those of you who got one success, and then I will come back to you. Zephyr rosanna. You don't see a ton. There are some places know it looks like maybe one of the large stones that lines the edge of the highway might have gotten dinged, but it's impossible to know how long it's been like that or if that's even unnatural. That could very well just be from when they cut through the stones to create the highway. Victoria being sound, being incredibly sensitive to sound the way that you are, you pick up on how incredibly quiet it is here. Even with the rumble of the RV, it still seems it's eerie. You're on the side of a highway in the middle of the day in a desert, and somehow there is a small part of you that feels a little chill go up your spine because it's so empty and desolate here. [00:44:09] Speaker G: Very interesting. [00:44:12] Speaker D: Oh, we lost somebody. Arthur no, this seems to be one of those nights. Okay, let's take a couple of minutes while we wait for him to come back. I'm going to put us back on the splash screen. I apologize, everybody, for making you make it, making you guys deal with our technical problems. [00:44:38] Speaker B: I have no idea what just happened. And then all of a sudden I was gone. And then all of a sudden I was back. [00:44:46] Speaker D: Yeah, that seems to be going around. Okay. Arthur I'm afraid of no ghost. Arthur you notice a couple of skid marks on the road going in different directions, though you're not sure which one was the accident or if any of them was the accident. But this certainly seems like as good a place as any to start looking. Zephyr you notice it first. There is a the remnants of what you realize was police tape that just didn't get cleaned up properly after they were finished with the scene. Clinging to one of the rocks nearby, kind of half wedged underneath of it, like the wind has picked it up and it's just gotten stuck. You, of course, see the skid marks and the ding in the stone nearby. It's a pretty large, taller than a person kind of stone that was clearly like they sheared through this to lay the highway kind of thing. And there is a definite there. Was a heavy impact of a car that went off the road and stopped a good 510 yards off the side of the road. You're in the right spot. You may not be positive that this was where last night's accident happened, but one of the accidents that's happened in the last week happened here's. [00:47:03] Speaker E: Do I see anything weird, like, besides remnants of a car? [00:47:14] Speaker D: How are you looking for this? Are you just doing it from inside of the RV? Are you going to ask Arthur to stop and pull over oh, yes. So that you can get out? [00:47:23] Speaker E: Sorry, I thought we were outside. Yeah. Hey, can we I think this is where I think this is the right spot. [00:47:33] Speaker B: Okay. Yeah, I was getting that feeling too. So pull over. [00:47:40] Speaker D: Okay. If you are looking specifically, if you are searching for things, you can make me an intelligence and let me let me subset. You can make me an intelligence and awareness or investigation, whichever is higher for you. [00:48:10] Speaker E: Same number. So I got four successes. [00:48:25] Speaker D: Excellent, excellent, excellent. Before I move it on, you are rolling pretty good. Before I give you answers, do you want to spend willpower? It's totally up to you. I'm not pressuring just giving you the option, because once I start talking, you're not allowed to. [00:48:45] Speaker E: I will. Yeah, I will. [00:48:47] Speaker D: All right, take burn a willpower and roll those two failed dice and see what you get. It. [00:49:14] Speaker G: You. [00:49:17] Speaker D: Notice as you look around a few things. I can't really say that it's weird because, you know, you're at a crash site, and nothing is particularly weird if it's all kind of stuff that you would expect. But you find a lot of broken glass in the sand and dirt off the highway. You find a side view mirror that got ripped off the car. It takes a minute for you to kind of, like, adjust and kind of picture how everything went in your head and to follow the clues as they're laid out. But it's pretty clear that the car of the woman who passed away went quickly and violently off the road and may have very well ended up on its side or upside down when it came to a stop. Based on the markings in the dirt, you find paint marking some of the rocks that are embedded in the in the dirt, which is part of how you're sure that if it didn't end up on its side, it definitely ended up on its top. Or it rolled because the paint wouldn't have ended up on these low to the ground rocks any other way. They would have been naturally quite under the car's chassis. There's some older pieces of shredded rubber that look like they were probably once tires off to the side. You're not sure that they're from the same accident because it seems like they've been here for at least a little while. They're a little bit more exposed to the elements. Does anybody else want to do anything? [00:51:33] Speaker G: I'm kind of perturbed by the silence. I actually ask Arthur when he stops the vehicles, like, turn it off completely. And I'm going to go outside. I'm less focused on the crash at this point, and I'm just listening for something out on, like, if I can hone on anything other than our heartbeats, that'd be great. [00:51:59] Speaker D: Give me either wits or composure, whichever is higher. And, um, let's say let's say awareness, I think, is is the thing that makes the most sense for what you're doing. You're listening for subtle shifts in the sound profiles around you. Three successes. Do you want to use Willpower, or are you good with that? [00:52:34] Speaker G: I think I will. Turned it to four success. Four successes. [00:52:39] Speaker D: Excellent. Okay. So as you're standing there with really only the sound of your own breathing and Zephyr's occasional foot shuffle as he explores the surroundings, you realize that it's not so much that it's eerily quiet as everything sounds deadened to you. It's like you're listening to everything around you through thick cotton wool in your ears. [00:53:20] Speaker G: Interesting. I ever experienced anything like this before. [00:53:27] Speaker D: Let me, let me, let me let. [00:53:29] Speaker G: Me let me look at your sheet. [00:53:31] Speaker D: Let me look. You've dealt with weird sound patterns and OD sound profiles before. Maybe not specifically this, but you've definitely encountered odd situations where things just don't sound the way that they should. [00:54:02] Speaker G: Okay, in that case, I'm going to start scuffling my feet over to the others, kicking up rocks and stuff, making as much noise as I can with my feet to kind of accentuate what's happening. I say we're in a dead zone. Like an auditory dead zone. [00:54:23] Speaker D: Now that you have said that, the rest of you definitely it's not nearly as obvious to you, but you definitely start to pick up on that. Things don't sound. [00:54:42] Speaker B: Hmm. Well, that is strange. Well, Rosanna, looks like you are onto something. Auditory dead zone? That is strange. [00:55:08] Speaker E: Have you of I don't know. This is weird. Have either of you guys dealt with anything like this before or the first? [00:55:22] Speaker G: This is a first for me. I've experienced weird stuff before, but there's never been explanation for it. Or the explanation for it is something completely different. This is new. [00:55:39] Speaker B: Do we think there's a source? Like, is there someone or something that's causing it, or is it natural in a way? I assume not. I assume we're saying this is not natural. It is. A desert should just be like noise, right? [00:55:56] Speaker A: And then I'm going to kick my foot to see if it's, like, as quiet as the last bits of sound were. I mean, there should be something at least wind. I don't know, like windstorms looking down the highway. Are there any other cars coming or passing by us, or are we alone? [00:56:34] Speaker D: They're not. You are alone. And when you kicked that rock, it still sounds just as muffled and deadened as it did when Victoria first pointed it out to you. [00:56:43] Speaker A: How are we sounding to each other? [00:56:46] Speaker D: Still a little muffled and deadened. It's one of those things that it's very subtle and had it not been mentioned to you by someone with much higher acuity, you might not have noticed. [00:57:00] Speaker E: Victoria, could you walk with me a little bit down the road to see how far this dead zone reaches? [00:57:09] Speaker G: Yeah, I'll come walking with you. Should be easy to point out. [00:57:15] Speaker E: Yeah. And then while we're walking, I'm just kind of like trying to make noise or anything just to see if at a certain point it gets back to a normal level. [00:57:30] Speaker D: So you are walking down the road looking to see just how far the dead zone stretches? [00:57:36] Speaker E: Yes. [00:57:37] Speaker D: Okay, you two set out and it takes a while. You're a good hundred and 50 yards away from the RV before Victoria. It feels not so much with pressure, but it sounds the way your ears sound when they pop when you're on a plane where it's suddenly just it's almost like your ears can breathe. It's hard to describe, but you understand what I'm talking about. [00:58:22] Speaker G: Yeah. It's like coming up out of the pool or something like that. The moment this happens, I raise my finger up and I turn to Zephyr and I say, there it is. [00:58:33] Speaker E: Like looking down the it's it's a wave. [00:58:39] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:58:39] Speaker E: I'm like waving my arm at them. [00:58:41] Speaker B: Arthur's smoking a cigarette now. He waves. [00:58:47] Speaker E: Yeah. [00:58:47] Speaker A: That's. [00:58:51] Speaker D: While this little jaunt of theirs is happening. Arthur and Rosanna, do either of you want to do anything or talk about anything? [00:59:03] Speaker B: So you just saw something in the paper and it stood out? [00:59:08] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:59:10] Speaker B: Pretty good hunch. [00:59:12] Speaker A: Thanks. I think that what most caught my eye was the fact that there have been multiples just kind of in the same week, I guess. And what's bizarre is that I'm looking around. Do we see any signs of I know that when I drive my car on a highway where there's been a fatal accident, there's, like, somebody will put up, like, a cross or, like, some teddy bears or some little signs that say, like, a rest in peace, or. [00:59:57] Speaker B: That'S what I was looking for, but I didn't see anything. [01:00:01] Speaker D: Would you both like to make me investigation checks? I will allow either intelligence or wits, whichever is higher. [01:00:11] Speaker A: Perfect. Yeah. [01:00:17] Speaker D: And let me know which one you're using. [01:00:20] Speaker A: I'm going to use intelligent. [01:00:34] Speaker D: Either of you like to burn? [01:00:35] Speaker B: Willpower going to do that? [01:00:41] Speaker A: No. [01:00:46] Speaker G: Was this the southern path towards the army base? [01:00:52] Speaker D: The Route 85 runs south past an air force base from the town. You guys are even further south than that. [01:01:01] Speaker B: Okay, only two for me. [01:01:05] Speaker D: Okay. Rosanna, you don't see anything at first. You are so caught up in well, this is where it had to have happened. And so you are staying pretty close to the road and maybe part of that is just the fact that you're nervous. After everything that you've experienced last couple of days, you don't want to get far from Arthur. Arthur. You notice after a long moment of looking that there are that there is one of those crosses, but with flowers, like, from a florist. But it looks like it's been here for months. The flowers are dead and falling apart and bleached, almost white. [01:02:08] Speaker B: Does it have a card with it that indicates which forest it was from? [01:02:16] Speaker D: Yes. It's hard to read the full card because, again, it's been sitting out, and it's been exposed to the elements, so it's a little bit faded. But there is a Gila Bend Reservation florist located on the reservation. I apologize. Words are hard. Looks like it's probably some little mom and pop shop that runs off of the reservation. [01:02:58] Speaker B: So I'll lean down, and cigarette still in mouth while I squat down to look at it. Well, here's something, but it looks older. Maybe there's a history with this area. Maybe there's more going on than just the three in the last week. [01:03:20] Speaker A: You think it might be a string? [01:03:22] Speaker B: Could be. I guess whoever bought these flowers. I mean, they're probably trying to honor somebody who passed away, but these have been here a while, so maybe it is. Maybe there's more than maybe the newspaper doesn't know about. Yeah. [01:03:47] Speaker A: You think it might be worth to go check out this flower shop? If we can get the name of it? [01:03:54] Speaker B: Yeah, we might be able to find out if anyone else's, like, why it was purchased and then maybe get a name. But if it's been months, then they might not remember. But at least we could get an idea how many flowers they sell based on this kind of thing. [01:04:12] Speaker A: Yeah, we could start. It is the start. It's better than nothing. Quite literally, there's nothing out here. Ah, let me see if I can see maybe where the closest flower shop is, you know? [01:04:44] Speaker B: Sure. Yeah, this is this is the name on this one. That's all I got. I'm going to plug that reservation. [01:04:53] Speaker A: I'm going to plug in the name into my phone and see how close this shop in particular is. [01:05:07] Speaker D: The shop is not far outside of town. It's literally on the reservation just north of town. So it would take probably less than 20 to 30 minutes to get there. And it's probably just from doing a quick search online and looking at the local area. This is, like, the only forest within 50 plus miles. [01:05:37] Speaker A: Well, about 30 minutes drive. I think that this might be a good lead to get started on our little investigation here. [01:05:55] Speaker B: I'm going to whistle and sort of shadow the other two. Hey, they've got someone to check next and see if they can even hear me. [01:06:05] Speaker D: You guys hear him? But again, even with you standing outside of the zone, he sounds like you're listening to him through a bunch of padding, but you could tell that he's calling you. [01:06:19] Speaker G: Yeah. I assume we're heading back now. Ish and I looked at Zephyr, and I'm just like, you ever experience anything that can do this? Sort of mean? I don't think biters can do it, but definitely not puppies. They're a little more. [01:06:40] Speaker E: Yeah. Have have I experienced any of this when we were back at the cult? [01:06:51] Speaker D: Specifically like this? No, but if you would like to oh, no, never mind. Sorry. You don't have any dots in a cult, so I was going to have you roll, but sorry. That being said, I can probably ask. [01:07:11] Speaker E: Arthur when we get back, if that's possible. [01:07:15] Speaker D: You could definitely. [01:07:17] Speaker F: Sure, sure. [01:07:18] Speaker G: I just know you both had a weird experience, so both are pretty quiet about it for the most part. [01:07:30] Speaker E: Yeah, I've seen weird things, but nothing like this, so it's just very interesting. [01:07:44] Speaker G: Yeah. Part of my rational brain wants to just explain it away as, like, Earth magnetism, polarity, whatever, but this is weird. [01:07:57] Speaker D: Yeah. [01:07:58] Speaker E: It's a little silly, but the first thing I thought the aliens, because we're in Arizona. [01:08:06] Speaker G: Hey. [01:08:11] Speaker E: At this point, I would not be surprised if they existed too. [01:08:16] Speaker G: I feel that. Looks like they're onto something, though. So let's go see what they want. [01:08:23] Speaker E: Yeah. Can I can I ask you a question about your bells? [01:08:36] Speaker G: Sure. What do you want to know about them? And I kind of jingle them. It's like reflexively. They're always kind of hanging off of my waistband. [01:08:45] Speaker E: Yeah, I noticed earlier when we were parked, you were kind of just sitting outside, and I guess I don't know what the right word is for it, but you were fidgeting with them, so I'd never seen that before, so I was just intrigued by it. [01:09:05] Speaker G: Practicing. Back in my old place of work, I was taught how to use them to stop biters from affecting your mind. It's like they can't permeate the resonance I can throw out, which is really helpful. And it would have been really helpful if I could have used that on the puppy, and then maybe we wouldn't have freaked out, ran everywhere, and Jillian might still be with. [01:09:46] Speaker E: Know there's there's only so much any of us could have done, especially in that moment. Yeah. Try not to think about it too much. [01:10:01] Speaker G: I guess it was silly to hope that one sound could stop all supernatural. [01:10:10] Speaker E: Yeah, that would be pretty helpful, but you'd probably get hunted down by pretty much everything if you knew how to do that. [01:10:21] Speaker G: Yeah, but could they stop me? That's the question. [01:10:28] Speaker E: Yeah. We should see what they found, if they've found anything, and then just kind of figure this out, because this is super weird, but kind of cool. [01:10:43] Speaker G: Agreed. [01:10:50] Speaker D: You guys reach the RV? [01:10:56] Speaker B: Got a possible location where someone might have information? There were some flowers left here by someone a while back and we're starting to think that maybe there was more than three accidents, but we don't know. We just know that there's someone buying flowers and placing them out here. So we thought it's a lead. [01:11:19] Speaker E: Yeah, that's a pretty good lead, because if there have been multiple, then I'm sure there's, like, some weird urban legend or something going around that we could ask about. Yeah, but I guess in your travels and you're a little bit more experienced in this not this field specifically, but just dealing with the colds and just weird things in general. But have you run into anything like. [01:11:54] Speaker D: This before while traveling? [01:11:57] Speaker B: Well, I mean, certainly there are mystery spots and various things when you travel around places where they have pseudo supernatural phenomenon that are all weirdly natural or hoaxes. I don't know. [01:12:14] Speaker G: Magnets. [01:12:16] Speaker B: Magnets, indeed. Can I make a rule? [01:12:21] Speaker D: You are welcome to make an intelligence occult role. [01:12:25] Speaker A: Could I also make a role? [01:12:27] Speaker D: You could also make a role. With all of these details brought together. I will allow you two to start to speculate. [01:12:35] Speaker G: I would also ask to make this role, but I have an intelligence of one. [01:12:39] Speaker D: I mean, you're welcome to make the role. [01:12:41] Speaker G: No, I think it's funnier. [01:12:43] Speaker D: I don't. [01:12:49] Speaker B: I mean, I don't have that high of an intelligence, but I also have variant cult, but I have two. [01:12:56] Speaker A: Can I? [01:12:58] Speaker D: You can absolutely burn a willpower. [01:13:03] Speaker A: Cortical seven. [01:13:05] Speaker B: Whoa. [01:13:06] Speaker D: All right. [01:13:07] Speaker B: Dang it. [01:13:11] Speaker D: Arthur, you just don't have enough to go on. You've heard some weird stories. You've definitely encountered some people in your travels who were convinced that they needed, like, an exorcism because there was a demon living in their house, because there was, like, weird acoustics. But there's nothing here to contribute to weird acoustics. You're in the middle of an open space. [01:13:40] Speaker B: Aliens sorry, afrin. [01:13:44] Speaker D: Could very well be aliens as far as you're like. Rosanna you delve into the deepest parts of the deep web, into conspiracy and far flung lore and theories among scholars that have supposedly been debunked. But those who study them insist that they haven't been fully researched enough to really be written off yet and that they just know in their heart of hearts they're right. What you know for sure is that there are a number of creatures that can affect the world around them in ways that humans would pick up on. Some are more subtle than others. Like, the sound thing for you was incredibly subtle until it was pointed out to you by somebody who is much more in tune with the sound of the world around them. Some are much more on their face and will do things like make the entire area look like it is doused in a particular shade of light so that everything is red or everything is blue or whatever. There are a number of things that you've heard of that could do this. There's various cryptids, but what you think seems most likely with the story, with all of the deadly car crashes and things like that, is that this seems more most likely more ghost oriented, and it would certainly make sense with what you have experienced. [01:15:42] Speaker A: Some would say that ghosts might be my specialty. Specialty. MMM. It's funny, though, you know? Sure, there are a lot of hails of things being able to mess with your senses or mess with the world around you, but I don't know. There are stories about cryptids, and we know that the blanks can mess your mind a little bit, but this seems a bit on the nose. Now, I might sound crazy, and I know I sound crazy. This could be a ghost thing. I've done my research. I've delved deep into studies about ghosts. They're kind of my favorite. I guess if I had to pick a favorite thing to study, it's ghosts, because they're the things you can't see. But ghosts can do a lot of things, like mess with your senses and mess with the world around you did to provoke action, to provoke things to happen that wouldn't make much sense. Maybe that's what's going on. [01:17:35] Speaker B: Don't have to convince me about ghosts. I believe in spirits, angels in the spirit world. And people passing on used to believe that your soul would transfer to a different location when you transitioned, when you came up. So, yeah, can't really say the word tomorrow. I'm not sure I believe it, but yeah. So we've got werewolves and ghosts. [01:18:12] Speaker G: Can't say as though this isn't the first time that I've heard about a stretch of highway being haunted, so I'm not really that urban. [01:18:20] Speaker B: Lungism's all over about that. [01:18:25] Speaker A: It's almost like a textbook definition of haunting. Almost. Freak accidents happen in the middle of a dead end highway near a ghost town, basically. Well, you know what? They said? I witnessed a freak accident on the highway, and all I got was a shitty T shirt or whatever. [01:18:52] Speaker B: If they sell those in Gila Bend, then I'm going to be incredibly upset with the people that live there. Why couldn't they do something about the ghost? Now you got to make T shirts and capitalize off people's deaths, and Arthur will go to a rant about people capitalizing on people's deaths. [01:19:10] Speaker A: Arthur it's more so the fact of can't see ghosts. [01:19:25] Speaker B: Can't or won't? [01:19:30] Speaker A: Maybe a bit of both, maybe. Who knows? Maybe that's a special gift that some other supernatural or whatever has, you know, but the naked eye can't. [01:19:53] Speaker B: Oh, that's true. I understand that. [01:20:01] Speaker D: You all load back up into the RV with Arthur half ranting, half calming himself down from his rant about the idea of people capitalizing on random deaths along the side of the highway, and you head back towards town. Are you headed towards the florist, or is there somewhere else you want to stop first? [01:20:34] Speaker B: Arthur would drive toward the florist unless someone else suggests that somewhere else. [01:20:40] Speaker D: Okay. Florist it is, you drive directly through town and on further north until you turn off of the highway onto a older, less well kept road that leads towards the reservation. When you arrive, it is clear that the people who live here take great pride in where they live and do everything that they can to take care of it, but there are probably limited funds to do so. That isn't terribly uncommon. Most of the town kind of looks like we do the best we can, but we don't have much. It takes a couple of minutes more than that, really. It takes about 20 minutes of kind of driving in circles before you finally spot this house that has a very small sign in front of it says Glorious Florist. And you pull up in front of it, and it is a small house. It looks like it might have been whitewashed at one point, but the paint is kind of gray and peeling in a lot of places from all the sun wear and tear. But the garden outside is incredibly well kept for being in the middle of a desert. There are flowering plants and cacti. It's very, very well tended. Whoever lives here takes great pride in it, though they are of limited means. And there's a rather large sign in red on the front door that says, ring the bell. Don't knock. I won't hear you. [01:22:49] Speaker A: Want to ring the bell or should. [01:22:57] Speaker E: I knock on it anyway? [01:22:59] Speaker A: Oh, my God. You really aren't good at following directions, are you? [01:23:05] Speaker B: At this point? I don't think Zephyr's ever followed directions. [01:23:08] Speaker G: Hey, it gets weird when four people go into a place and mob an old lady for questions about the flowers she's made. I'm going to hang out outside. [01:23:22] Speaker E: Yeah, I'm not very good with old people. [01:23:28] Speaker D: It takes a couple of minutes, and you actually end up pressing the bell again because you're not entirely sure that it went off the first time before you hear this little creaky old voice. I'm coming, I'm coming. Hold your horses. And the door swings open, and it is this old, wisened, but somehow jovial looking woman. Her face is wrinkled and kind of leathery from sun exposure, and she has long, despite her age, perfectly pitch black braids hanging from her head, and they're thick and very well very well cared for. It's hard to put an exact age on her, but based on the voice and the way she's kind of hunched over and the fact that she's obviously hit that point of age where she's starting to lose height instead of gain it, she's probably getting on in years. And she's leaning on a cane, and when she opens her front door and the screen door is there Arthur, she's basically looking at, like, between your belly button and your chest because she's so short. And then her head slowly tilts up to look at you through kind of squinted eyes. I don't know you. [01:25:04] Speaker B: That's true, ma'am. Sorry, we were just in Heal. Ben here. [01:25:09] Speaker D: I don't know what you're selling, but I'm not buying any. And she goes to shut the door. [01:25:14] Speaker A: Excuse me, ma'am. We aren't looking to sell anything. We were actually coming in because, you see. [01:25:27] Speaker D: Are you looking to buy I have fresh flowers. We just cut them this morning. [01:25:32] Speaker A: Fresh flowers would be very lovely. My loving boyfriend here, and she's going to pat Arthur's back, was looking to get me something nice and pretty for my birthday. [01:25:46] Speaker B: Yep. Honey. And I awkwardly put my arm around it. Yep. For your birthday? [01:25:52] Speaker A: For my birthday. [01:25:54] Speaker B: We were just passing through Gila Ben, and we heard that you were the. [01:25:57] Speaker D: Best florist round just around the RV. [01:26:02] Speaker G: Victoria's listening to this, and just like. [01:26:09] Speaker D: The old woman kind of eyes you both like, she isn't sure that she buys it. Well, if you're here for flowers, you can come in. But, honey, I tell you what, you could do better. And then she, like, shuffles into the house. [01:26:32] Speaker B: I mean, ma'am, you are not wrong. She could. And that's why I'm getting her something special for her birthday, just so that I can at least try my best. [01:26:43] Speaker D: A wise man. [01:26:47] Speaker B: That's about all I've got going for me, ma'am. [01:26:49] Speaker G: Trying not to bust a gut around. [01:26:52] Speaker A: The RV and just to solidify it. Rosanna is just going to pinch Arthur's cheek. [01:27:03] Speaker D: Are you guys following her inside? Is it just the two of you or Zephyr? Are you going along as well? [01:27:09] Speaker E: No, I'm also outside. [01:27:13] Speaker D: I'm not doing it. [01:27:16] Speaker A: Zephyr doesn't want to be a part of the polycule. [01:27:24] Speaker D: You guys follow her into a home that based on the pictures on the walls and the artifacts, and there's even a blanket that is in a case up on the wall that you are 90% sure was hand woven, probably over 100 years ago, displayed with great love and admiration for whoever created it. The whole place smells like freshly baked cookies and fresh cut flowers at the same time. And everything gives you this overwhelming sense of peace and the kind of comforting love that you can only get in like a grandma's home, where you where you just know that if you were to come here and need a place to just chill, you'd be safe and well cared for. There would always be a hot meal, and there would always be bad Hallmark movies on the TV. But it's just home in a way that I don't know any of you have experienced in the last month or two, not really. And she shuffles through her little kitchen, which is very clean, but also has that kind of wear and tear from someone having lived here for so long that it's very clean, but it doesn't necessarily look as clean as it actually is kind of thing. And out into a room that looks like it might have at one point been a screened in porch, but has since been modified to be an extra room on the house. And it is filled with plants and filled with large refrigeration units that hold fresh cut flowers. [01:29:45] Speaker B: This is quite the setup you have here, ma'am. [01:29:48] Speaker D: My son built this for me after my after my shop went up in the fire. I didn't think I'd get to have a place like this again, but he made it happen. [01:30:03] Speaker B: Oh, you had a shop somewhere else? [01:30:08] Speaker D: In the heart of town, but it it burned down about 15 years ago. [01:30:14] Speaker B: I'm sorry to hear that, ma'am. At least you've got this going. And this looks like it's a pretty decent operation. [01:30:22] Speaker D: Okay. I quite enjoy it. To me, it's definitely better. [01:30:32] Speaker A: You have a very lovely home. [01:30:35] Speaker D: Thank you. Thank you very much. You are very sweet. So what can I get for you? [01:30:43] Speaker B: You know, I'm going to admit to you, ma'am, I should know what her favorite flowers are, but I don't. So I know she's gonna break up with me now that I've confessed to my worst thing. I don't know her favorite flowers, so I'm just going to have to trust in your abilities and hope she didn't hear me. But she's listening right now, isn't she? [01:31:10] Speaker D: Well, she's right there, so I would hope so. [01:31:14] Speaker B: I told you, ma'am, I didn't have much going on for me. Wise, but not smart. [01:31:19] Speaker D: Well, at least you're pretty. She'll just sort of reach out and pat your arm. [01:31:29] Speaker A: That's half the reason I'm with him. I'm joking. [01:31:38] Speaker D: What would you like? [01:31:42] Speaker A: Oh, you know, back where I grew up, I really like daisy, tulips, sunflowers. [01:31:57] Speaker D: Oh, sunny, sunny, sunny bouquets. I think I can do that. Not sure if I have sunflowers, but I've got daisies and tulips aplenty. And she starts shuffling around, making a custom bouquet, kind of on the fly based on what you've told her. And you see daisies of varying colors, tulips that are almost all white so that those daisies pop against them. And she's adding little things like baby's breath and little pretty ferns to really kind of bring it all together with some green. [01:32:46] Speaker B: How is business around here, ma'am? Do you get a lot of customers? [01:32:52] Speaker D: I have some regulars. Things have been a little bit busier than usual the past couple of weeks, but that's to be expected with everything going on. [01:33:04] Speaker B: I'm not sure what you mean. Is it like wedding season? I do a lot of weddings. You might guess. [01:33:12] Speaker D: Nothing so happy an occasion. Though I suspect you might have to deal with this particular type of occasion, too. [01:33:22] Speaker B: And funerals, ma'am? [01:33:26] Speaker D: Yes, sir. And she kind of pauses for a minute, like she's counting six in the past couple of weeks. [01:33:43] Speaker B: Whoa. That's a lot for a couple of weeks. Is there some reason for that? Is there sickness or something going around? [01:33:54] Speaker D: She sort of shakes her head. Bad stretch of luck for the town. Is all I can figure. Could be. I don't know. But it's been a lot. Those young ins dying over by the river, and then the people who crashed out on 85. It's just been heartbreaking. [01:34:24] Speaker B: That is not good to hear. [01:34:28] Speaker D: I'm doing what I can to help make it easier on people. I even donated a couple of fresh bouquets to that nice man and his children. [01:34:43] Speaker B: The nice man and his children? I'm not sure who we're talking about. [01:34:48] Speaker D: A young lady died last night, and her husband and children came by this morning to pick up flowers to take with them. [01:34:59] Speaker B: To the funeral or. [01:35:02] Speaker D: I don't know what they were going to do with them. I think that there may have been some discussion of maybe taking some of them out to where the crash site was and others were probably going to the funeral home. [01:35:15] Speaker B: Wow. Well, that's terrible. We lost a friend recently, so we can feel for the family. I couldn't imagine what I would do if my wife died. [01:35:34] Speaker A: She your what? [01:35:38] Speaker B: When I was married to her. [01:35:44] Speaker D: She. [01:35:44] Speaker B: Sort of back in the day. [01:35:48] Speaker D: She is paused halfway between the refrigeration unit and the thing she was working on and looks I don't want to say scandalized, but definitely suspicious. And. [01:36:11] Speaker B: Arthur will look easy. And look at Rosanna. We could talk about that previous marriage later. Her honey. [01:36:22] Speaker A: Yeah. Darlin'i. [01:36:32] Speaker D: Told you you could do better. [01:36:35] Speaker A: Yeah. Well, he's proving that more and more every day. [01:36:42] Speaker D: She moves to settle the rest of the flowers into this bouquet, and among them is one large sunflower that she kind of builds the rest of the men around. Last one got lucky, of course. Now I think you should make him pay for a dozen roses. [01:37:20] Speaker A: You know, that sounds like a great idea, but I think I'll be nice one. [01:37:31] Speaker B: It is a good arrangement there, ma'am. [01:37:36] Speaker D: I've been doing this for 50 years. I would hope it's a nice arrangement. [01:37:44] Speaker B: This may seem like a strange question, but would you mind if we wanted to pay our respects to the family and just tell them that we feel for their grieving? Would you mind making another one for them, and then we can bring it to them? I'll gladly pay double. [01:38:11] Speaker D: I think they'd probably like that. I don't know where to have it delivered, though. [01:38:19] Speaker A: If you can give us the name of the funeral home that they are. [01:38:25] Speaker B: We can take it. [01:38:27] Speaker A: We can bring them. [01:38:29] Speaker D: There's only one in town that's Morelands. [01:38:37] Speaker A: Yeah. Make up another bouquet. [01:38:42] Speaker D: She'll kind of nod, and you could tell that she's already got several that she kind of put together this morning in anticipation of people probably wanting to come by to have something to deliver and take by to maybe a neighbor or a friend to give them well wishes. And she grabs one of them, and she kind of eyes the two of you. You almost feel like she's sizing you up. She's trying to figure out what the best option is and then makes a decision. And she plucks a couple of the flowers out and adds something else and slightly changes the color dynamic. And you're not entirely sure how or why, but it feels like it fits you a little bit better when she puts it in front of you Morelands. Is probably only going to be open to the families for a couple of hours yet, but y'all want to stop for something to eat or whatever. The coffee shop in town's usually got some pretty good coffee. Might be a good place for you to sit and have a very important chat. And she sort of gestures with her cane and as she does it, she brings it sharply down on the tip of your toe. Arthur. [01:40:08] Speaker B: Yes, of course, ma'am. You're quite right. Quite right about that. [01:40:15] Speaker A: Yeah, talk. [01:40:20] Speaker B: And I will gladly. Arthur sort of opens his wallet and he does have some of that money that we talked about he squirreled away and he's going to give her more than she like if there was like, rounding it up right to the nearest. [01:40:34] Speaker D: She charges you about 80. [01:40:36] Speaker B: It's a good hundred he just gives her to help out with keeping all of this going. [01:40:46] Speaker D: He sort of nods a little bit. Thank you very much. At least you tip better than you treat your girlfriend. And she'll kind of shuffle towards the front door looking perpetually disapproving the whole way. [01:41:02] Speaker B: I don't know, honey. Do I treat you that badly. [01:41:12] Speaker A: That, you know, you don't treat me that bad, but we're going to have to it is on tape up. [01:41:32] Speaker D: Y opens the front door for the two of you kind of steps aside to let you pass. Oh, while you're there, my granddaughter works at the coffee shop. You make sure that you tip her good too. [01:41:55] Speaker B: Absolutely, ma'am. [01:41:58] Speaker A: Yes, ma'am. Thank you again for all your help her day. The flowers are very beautiful. [01:42:10] Speaker D: You're very welcome. And she'll kind of pat Rosanna's arm and then lean in and whisper as Arthur passes out the door, you really could do better. Get you a man who respects you as much as you deserve it. [01:42:35] Speaker A: I appreciate the kind words, but then she's going to look at Arthur and then look back at the back of the woman. I care about him a little bit too much. I'm going to leave aside anytime soon. [01:42:55] Speaker D: She'll nod a little bit. Well, it's your life. At least make sure that you punish him appropriately for not being honest with you. [01:43:07] Speaker A: Don't worry, he's going to get plenty of good punishment when we get back to our little humble abode. [01:43:18] Speaker D: Understood. And she steps back and opens the door and gestures for you two to head on through. And as soon as you guys are out the door, she kind of steps into the doorway and through the screen door, gives a little wave, a little old lady wave and then turns and shuffles back inside. The door shuts behind her. You all stopped in and met the local florist and bought two bouquets of flowers. Arthur convinced an old, elderly local woman that he is a no good, dirty, rotten cheater and probably got the tip of his toe bruised in the process. [01:44:25] Speaker B: Going to have difficulty making athletics rolls from here on in. [01:44:32] Speaker D: Minus one dice to all athletics rolls. I'm kidding. You all load back up into the RV. You have some leads. What would you like to do next? [01:44:48] Speaker A: Well, I think that woman said that we can't even go to the funeral home for a couple of hours. I mean be worth it to stop for some coffee. [01:45:02] Speaker B: Yeah get lunch. But what concerned me more about what she said was that they picked up flowers today. And I'm worried that the flowers we found were from today, but looked like they were ages upon ages old, maybe. [01:45:19] Speaker A: I mean, if you think about it, the noise suppression itself is more than enough evidence to suggest that there are other weird things that might be going on in that little area. Wouldn't be surprised if whatever entity it is could manipulate, even if it's just like inanimate objects or could be draining life, maybe. [01:45:52] Speaker G: Have there been other deaths on that stretch of highway? [01:45:58] Speaker B: Six deaths, but somewhere by the river and somewhere on the and if we. [01:46:06] Speaker A: Ever come back, I don't think Arthur should step foot into that shop. [01:46:12] Speaker B: I think she made it clear that this foot was not allowed. [01:46:17] Speaker E: What did you do? [01:46:19] Speaker A: Oh, let's just say that Arthur's a dirty little. [01:46:24] Speaker G: Know. That's perfect. Then next time Arthur comes back to that shop, it's going to be with me. [01:46:34] Speaker A: I think it should be with Josiah. [01:46:38] Speaker E: Absolutely not. [01:46:41] Speaker D: No. [01:46:41] Speaker A: Next time we go back to that shop, I'll step in with Josiah and tell her that I found a real gentleman. [01:46:51] Speaker B: I just slipped cover, that's all, and forgot that she was that Rosento is my girlfriend mentioned my wife is Beth. [01:47:05] Speaker D: Amateurs. [01:47:06] Speaker G: I swear. [01:47:07] Speaker A: Hey, I was doing just fine. [01:47:11] Speaker G: Listen, where on the river? Where was this murder? That might be something to check out too. [01:47:21] Speaker B: We didn't get that far because I messed up again. [01:47:26] Speaker G: Amateurs. [01:47:29] Speaker E: Are there like any places that locals kind of gather that we can maybe. [01:47:34] Speaker B: There'S a coffee shop. [01:47:36] Speaker A: There is a coffee shop. [01:47:41] Speaker E: We could probably ask around there. Hopefully we won't get run out of townhome. [01:47:53] Speaker B: As long as I don't mention my wife and girlfriend in the same conversation. Yeah, probably. [01:47:58] Speaker A: I would be very careful because you remember what that woman said. It's her granddaughter that works there. So for all we know, that Granny is calling up to that granddaughter and being like, you whippersnappers that, watch out for that slut cheating on his girlfriend with his wife or vice versa. [01:48:21] Speaker B: Maybe this TikTok generation will be more understanding of that kind of thing? I don't know. [01:48:27] Speaker D: I don't know. [01:48:28] Speaker A: Maybe. But Granny's not convinced. [01:48:32] Speaker B: Certainly not. [01:48:34] Speaker A: But I will say I will pay you back for those flowers. She's going to unclip her little bag from her side. How much do I owe you, Arthur? [01:48:52] Speaker B: I mean, I don't know. Whatever. 50? [01:49:00] Speaker A: Here's 40. [01:49:02] Speaker B: Okay, sure. I mean, I'll just use it to buy lunch. [01:49:07] Speaker A: There you go. [01:49:10] Speaker G: As I'm just kind of looking at the flowers, I go, you know, baby's breath isn't edible, and it's just kind of like out of the blue, just random statement, and I'm kind of poking at it. [01:49:25] Speaker E: You said it's edible. [01:49:27] Speaker G: It's not edible. It's actually quite poisonous. [01:49:31] Speaker E: Nice. [01:49:34] Speaker B: Note. Don't eat baby's breath. [01:49:37] Speaker E: I wasn't going to. [01:49:39] Speaker G: Daisies, however, and I actually pick one out of the bunch and just shove it in my mouth. [01:49:49] Speaker B: You know, maybe shouldn't have this kind of conversation standing out in front of an old lady's house on the reservation. Perhaps we should head into town and maybe get some lunch. [01:50:00] Speaker E: Yeah, lunch does sound good. [01:50:03] Speaker G: I do not stop eating the flour. [01:50:07] Speaker B: Obviously. Victoria's hungry. [01:50:10] Speaker D: Yeah. [01:50:10] Speaker A: I'm going to go put these in some water. Arthur, I can pull up the address right after if you just want GPS there. [01:50:20] Speaker B: Sure. [01:50:26] Speaker D: All right, well, with Arthur perhaps thinking about the fact that his slip up cost him an extra $10 off of the normal 50% that he was going for with splitting the cost, you all climb back into the RV and head into town. It's a short drive. It takes a couple of minutes at most to get outside of the reservation and another five to get to the space age lodge and coffee shop. This place was clearly built in the while they've done things like try to keep it painted and things like that, it hasn't seen much in the way of updates. It still looks like it was built in the decorated in the it's all that Area 51 aliens and space technology that this area of the country is so famous for capitalizing on as tourist traps. But when you step inside, the scent of freshly brewed and roasted coffee hits your nose, and it's maybe a little bit more city than you might have expected this far outside of an actual proper city. Like, you probably expected to walk in and have this be some crummy roadside diner with folgers, and that's the only thing available, but it smells like you just walked into a proper coffee shop. There are pre made sandwiches under glass, but there's also obviously a sandwich bar in the back where somebody will take care of you. At the moment, you don't see anybody actively working, but there are other patrons kind of settled around, and one of them is sitting at the bar in flannel, long dark hair, kind of a slightly scruffy beard, drinking coffee. And as you walk in, he looks directly at you. There are other people who kind of glance your way, but nobody who looks at you for very long. It's like there are locals who are vaguely curious, and then when they decide that you're not really worth staring at, they go back to their food. Or maybe they just don't want to be rude. This guy doesn't seem to have that concern. [01:53:28] Speaker G: Hey. Howdy can we help you? [01:53:38] Speaker C: No, just looking at the spectacle. I guess you're not the type of people you expect around here. [01:53:45] Speaker B: I guess we are priests. Is that what you're trying to say? [01:53:53] Speaker C: Yeah, sure. And I say speckle in a good way. Normally things are boring here, minus jubicabras. [01:54:03] Speaker G: Have you actually seen one? [01:54:07] Speaker C: I think I've seen one. [01:54:09] Speaker G: Follow up question. Have you seen Santa? [01:54:14] Speaker C: Not since I was afraid. But he's a busy guy. [01:54:19] Speaker E: What about the Tooth Fairy? [01:54:21] Speaker C: Never caught that one. [01:54:24] Speaker A: You ever see Bigfoot here? [01:54:29] Speaker C: No, but if you go up to Virginia, you might have a good shot of that. [01:54:33] Speaker D: I would like to point out, Jesse, you are keenly aware that there is actually Arizona has its own version of Bigfoot called the. [01:54:46] Speaker B: Different. [01:54:47] Speaker D: Very aware of. [01:54:48] Speaker C: Yeah. There's a different guy here. Mogulon monster cousins or something. [01:54:53] Speaker A: Interesting. [01:54:54] Speaker B: Real question. Seen a ghost? Are you going to sit down next to him? The bar? [01:55:00] Speaker C: Why do you ask? [01:55:04] Speaker B: We're asking about everything else. Want to ask about ghosts, goblins, vampires, you know? That kind of stuff. [01:55:15] Speaker C: Seen one? No, I don't think so. But plenty of ghost stories. [01:55:21] Speaker B: Sure. Everyone's got a ghost story, right? [01:55:24] Speaker C: A lot of aliens around here, too. [01:55:26] Speaker B: That's true. [01:55:29] Speaker C: Guys. Connoisseurs of that kind of thing type. Go into old abandoned buildings, scope it out, try to get EMF readings. [01:55:37] Speaker D: Oh, yeah. [01:55:38] Speaker G: We're big believers. [01:55:43] Speaker C: I'd like to. [01:55:47] Speaker B: Just yeah. [01:55:50] Speaker G: Excuse me, but what's your name? [01:55:54] Speaker C: Jesse. [01:55:55] Speaker G: You guys victoria. Nice to meet you, Jesse. And I kind of like, under my breath, I say to the people, obviously not Arthur, because Arthur's sitting beside him, and just go, can we keep him? [01:56:11] Speaker A: Yeah, sure. I'm Rosanna. It's a pleasure to meet you. And she reach out my hand, shake. [01:56:24] Speaker C: It back, both hands. In fact, just clasp it. Give a good shake. [01:56:27] Speaker D: Chessy. For what it's worth, you just shook hands with what you are pretty sure is the most beautiful woman you've ever seen. Like, in person. [01:56:35] Speaker C: Plain and cool. [01:56:38] Speaker G: You have to like if you crack, then it goes downhill. [01:56:43] Speaker A: Yeah. Pretty soon you're admitting that you have a wife or something. [01:56:50] Speaker B: She's run into that a lot. Guys who are flirting with her start dating her, and then turns out they've got a wife. Yeah. Typical kind of thing. [01:57:00] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:57:02] Speaker B: Assume you're from around here? You're not just traveling through like we are. No, I'm not. [01:57:07] Speaker C: Actually, I am traveling through, but I've stopped a few times. Gotcha do a lot of traveling these days. What about you guys? I'm assuming the Winnebago out front. Shores. [01:57:21] Speaker F: Yep. [01:57:23] Speaker C: Good ride? [01:57:25] Speaker A: It's a homie. [01:57:29] Speaker G: And she suits us well. [01:57:31] Speaker A: Yeah. What you driving out there? [01:57:34] Speaker C: I have a very old pickup truck that I am very fond of. Breaks in about three times a week, but she always starts back up again, so might as well keep her. [01:57:49] Speaker A: Hey, listen, she ain't completely broken until she ain't starting up no more. [01:57:54] Speaker C: Exactly. [01:57:55] Speaker A: That's my pie. [01:57:56] Speaker C: Say, wise man. [01:58:02] Speaker B: So what's the best thing to get here in this shop? [01:58:07] Speaker C: The best thing to get here? Well, what I have here is a black coffee, but if you ask real nice, they'll make it about 70% booze. 05:00 somewhere. [01:58:20] Speaker G: Bring it. [01:58:22] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:58:29] Speaker G: So, Jesse, broken truck as you have, or breaking down truck, I don't want to besmirch it. Have you heard to stay away from. [01:58:41] Speaker D: That stretch of highway down south? [01:58:44] Speaker C: Yeah, I have heard about what, three car wrecks there. It's also that whole deal with the river. Bunch of teens drowning. [01:58:52] Speaker B: Is that close? [01:58:55] Speaker C: It's somewhat close from I hear it's like wedged between this ranch and reservation. It's crazy, though. The river is not even that deep. About, I want to say, 2ft or so, probably maybe even a bit less. [01:59:10] Speaker B: That's more like a creek, just a wide. [01:59:16] Speaker C: They say people had drowned their drunk high, something of that nature. But again, probably the chupacabras. [01:59:29] Speaker B: Is that like a local urban legend? Don't go near the river when you're drunk or high? [01:59:34] Speaker C: I would say the Chupacabras are the local legend, but the river, I don't think they've had much reason to worry about it till now. But hey, Chupacabra's got to drink eventually. [01:59:48] Speaker B: I mean, I thought they suck the blood out of goats. That's why they called goats. Echoes, right? [01:59:53] Speaker C: Yes, they do that. But I imagine maybe they have normal water sometimes. Like how? Go off like a binge for a full week, drinking soda, booze, all that. But you're like, Man, I need normal hydration now. [02:00:07] Speaker A: Well, I mean, to be fair, it isn't the wisestore safest to be going by bodies of water. If you're drinking too much, you pass out, fall, you drown. [02:00:22] Speaker C: Yeah, and teens do stupid things. Maybe they're out having fun by the creek and fall in. Can't get back out. But I don't know. Anytime I've been pissed. Poor drunk. I've always managed to at least stumble to my feet eventually, let alone in 2ft of water. [02:00:42] Speaker A: I lean to Victoria in west for New York. Can we share? [02:00:49] Speaker G: Can if you're interested in that way. [02:00:53] Speaker D: Not that. [02:00:58] Speaker G: Weird. [02:00:59] Speaker C: Two of your names, right? Victoria. Rosanna. [02:01:02] Speaker B: Sorry. Arthur. [02:01:03] Speaker C: Arthur. And you back. [02:01:08] Speaker E: Someone. [02:01:10] Speaker C: Someone. [02:01:13] Speaker B: Yeah. [02:01:14] Speaker C: What do you say? Someone. [02:01:17] Speaker B: A little shy sometimes, our old friend. [02:01:21] Speaker C: I get it. So just passing through and manage to get caught up in all this? [02:01:29] Speaker B: Just passing through legitimately. Just stopped in for some coffee. Where's that waitress? [02:01:38] Speaker C: That's a great question because I need more coffee. Boobs. [02:01:44] Speaker D: There is a rustle coming from the kitchen nearby instead of a waitress coming through. It is an older gentleman who looks a little haggard. Like, he is probably trying to do more jobs than he is equipped to be able to do as one human being, but he's doing his. Sorry. I'm sorry. It's a waitress's day off, and I called her, but she's not here yet. She'll be here soon. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry for the delay. What could I hey, Jesse. [02:02:23] Speaker B: Hey. [02:02:24] Speaker D: More coffee? And he'll do, like, the quotie fingers. [02:02:27] Speaker C: Yeah, the special. [02:02:28] Speaker D: The special, right. Yeah, special brew. Got it. [02:02:32] Speaker B: What can I get Arthur's? Like, it's all good. Hey, listen. And he just puts 20 on the table, and he's like, hey, just can we get a couple of cups of. [02:02:41] Speaker D: That same special as Jesse? [02:02:46] Speaker B: I mean, he told us about it. Sounds like it's. [02:02:49] Speaker C: Think you can handle it? [02:02:53] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, why not? Okay, so three no alcohol for one straight? [02:02:59] Speaker E: Yeah, the biggest cup you have. Just straight coffee. [02:03:04] Speaker D: All right. And he'll kind of lean in and drop his voice a little bit and go and if we could keep the whole openly talking about this being leaded a little bit quiet, Jess. I'm not technically. [02:03:20] Speaker C: Course, of course. [02:03:21] Speaker G: Don't worry about it, sir. I'm also going to have it plain. [02:03:25] Speaker D: Got it. Unleaded two. Unleaded two leaded. [02:03:28] Speaker B: Just two then? Yeah. [02:03:31] Speaker D: And he will shuffle back to the coffee bar, and he kind of, like, positions himself in a not subtle way at all, where he is obviously using his body to block the view of what he's doing with a couple of coffee cups that he has grabbed. And then you watch him grab, like, an actual coffee pot, like well, after he did whatever it was that he was doing for this first couple of minutes, and then he pours coffee into the four mugs and then brings them back. And after a minute, he kind of looks between he's got two coffee mugs in each hand, and he looks like he may have forgotten which ones were leaded. And then he sort of sniffs at one and sniffs at the other and goes, Ah, right, okay. And left hand goes to Arthur and Roseanne, and the right hand goes to Zephyr and Victoria. And of course, he tops off. [02:04:29] Speaker C: Jesse, you're a gentleman and a scholar, my friend. [02:04:35] Speaker D: Don't know about a scholar, but try to be. Sandwiches. Anything you folks want? We got pastries. Came in fresh from the bakery this morning. [02:04:51] Speaker A: What kind of pastries you got? [02:04:54] Speaker D: I think we got some chocolate and some cherry and one of those cream cheese kind. We also got donuts. [02:05:09] Speaker E: Just the coffee is fine for me, thank you. [02:05:13] Speaker G: Yeah, I live off this coffee. [02:05:15] Speaker E: I tip him $5. [02:05:19] Speaker D: He will happily take that $5, but he'll lead into Rosanna and he'll go, you look like a strawberry gal. Think I got a strawberry frosted doughnut back there. All right, Jesse, you want anything? Roast beef sandwich. Maybe. [02:05:39] Speaker C: You know what? Sandwich sounds great. [02:05:42] Speaker D: Okay. He will disappear into the back. [02:05:46] Speaker B: See what I mean? She gets this kind of attention all the time. [02:05:50] Speaker C: No, I see what you mean. Just going to try my best to ignore it. So say you're passing through, stopping here, find out about all this business. Where's final destination? Then you're just passing. [02:06:11] Speaker G: Free spirits? We don't know yet. [02:06:13] Speaker B: Yeah, so I was going to say we're just kind of just on the road at this point. [02:06:18] Speaker C: Hey, I feel that there was a time when I would just drive and wherever I ended up, I found some work. [02:06:28] Speaker E: Have you ever encountered anything weird while you were doing long drives? [02:06:37] Speaker C: You could say that. You could certainly say I found some weird things every once in a while. [02:06:44] Speaker E: Like? [02:06:46] Speaker C: You name it. [02:06:51] Speaker E: I don't know. [02:06:52] Speaker D: Ghosts. [02:06:54] Speaker C: Ghosts? [02:06:55] Speaker E: Weird. I don't know. Zombie looking things. Just walking on zombie looking things. Just in general. Anything that's weird. [02:07:04] Speaker A: Chupacabras. [02:07:06] Speaker E: Chupacabra. [02:07:06] Speaker C: See, that's what I'm looking for right now. I'm seeing. Hopefully I can finally get my hands on one. [02:07:11] Speaker B: He mentioned that. He mentioned that earlier. Yeah. [02:07:13] Speaker E: You really like your huh? [02:07:15] Speaker C: Hey. When in Rome. [02:07:20] Speaker B: What about spots where it just seems like cold or quiet? Like mystery spots? [02:07:29] Speaker C: Yeah, maybe a few times every once in a while. I've never been super good about picking out that kind of thing, but I knew people in the past who could and my job came after that. Photography, that is. I took photos of what they thought they saw. [02:07:53] Speaker B: Are you a photographer? [02:07:56] Speaker C: I dabble. [02:08:00] Speaker B: Have you seen any of these mystery spots nearby? We're just kind of like cryptid tourists, as it were. [02:08:08] Speaker C: I mean, there's the route itself where all the accidents happen. Things are apparently strange there at the very least because three accidents happen in span of a few days, week, maybe two. Doesn't really happen. Especially with what the locals say about that route. They don't like using it. [02:08:30] Speaker B: What is it that they say? Basically? [02:08:32] Speaker C: Like don't use it at night. It's not the route you really want to take. If you can help it, take a detour. [02:08:42] Speaker E: Do they say why? [02:08:44] Speaker C: I haven't been around long enough to find out why, but I hope to. [02:08:47] Speaker A: How long you been here for? [02:08:51] Speaker C: A couple days. [02:08:55] Speaker A: Where are you coming from? [02:08:58] Speaker C: Coming from out west. California, where I used to live. [02:09:05] Speaker E: Yeah, when he mentions California, can I look outside to see if I see a motorcycle? [02:09:13] Speaker B: I was thinking the same thing. [02:09:17] Speaker D: You could both absolutely make me what's in perception checks? [02:09:22] Speaker E: This hipster fucker. [02:09:25] Speaker D: What's an awareness? I'm sorry. There is no perception. [02:09:29] Speaker A: Oh my God. [02:09:37] Speaker E: You said wits and. [02:09:43] Speaker D: Oh. Are we willpowering? Is that what's happening? Scott? [02:09:46] Speaker B: Yes, we are. [02:09:47] Speaker D: You have to tell me when you're. [02:09:48] Speaker B: Going to do oh, sorry. I am willpowering as. I got it's. Three. [02:09:57] Speaker D: Zephyr. Would you like to willpower? [02:10:04] Speaker E: Yes. [02:10:05] Speaker D: You can just click reroll failures and it'll just do the three. [02:10:09] Speaker B: Yeah, I keep trying that. Oh, maybe I am clicking. [02:10:12] Speaker E: I got one. [02:10:13] Speaker D: There we go. That's better than you both glance out the window and there's no motorcycles. There is an old beat up pickup. Oh, we lost Arthur. Oh, no. Again? [02:10:26] Speaker A: Rest in peace. [02:10:28] Speaker D: Jesse is the only person who has not moved for everybody. No, Zephyr hasn't moved either. We can still see was. [02:10:35] Speaker E: So I was just pointing at the camera. [02:10:40] Speaker D: Here we go. There he is. He's back. Everybody's back in their camera frame. Welcome back. [02:10:46] Speaker C: So we're back, right? [02:10:49] Speaker D: Right. So you guys look out the window, and there's no pickup. There is an old rusty pickup. There are no motorcycles. [02:11:00] Speaker C: Do I get, like, a general sense of unease from these two after I say this? Do I kind of notice that you. [02:11:07] Speaker D: Can make me an insight, and anybody who is trying to hide it can make subterfuge manipulation subterfuge tote's going to do that? What's an insight versus manipulation subterfuge from anybody who's trying to hide their feels? [02:11:28] Speaker A: I don't know. Rosanna's a little bit too excited about a strawberry frosted donut to be weary right now, too, for me. [02:11:38] Speaker B: Does bluffing play in? I don't think so. Right? [02:11:42] Speaker D: It absolutely does. Okay, if you're trying to fake it, you're absolutely bluffing. Holy crap. Okay, and did anybody else want to. [02:11:57] Speaker E: I don't I don't care if he notices. [02:12:00] Speaker D: Arthur seems totally at ease, cool as a cucumber. Zephyr obviously thinks there's something up with you. Rosanna seems very excited about a strawberry doughnut and interested in you. [02:12:19] Speaker B: She's tired of her cheating. [02:12:21] Speaker D: Is it a flirty interested, Rosanna? Rosanna, is it flirty interested, or is it just this is an interesting new person interested. [02:12:33] Speaker A: Trying to pass it off more as a new person. Little mix of a flirtiness in there. [02:12:45] Speaker D: Okay. Victoria. [02:12:47] Speaker G: Yeah, Victoria is more of the this is an interesting new person who immediately started talking to me about the chupacabra. So he's cool, and I want to hear what he has to say more. It's not flirty. [02:13:00] Speaker D: Okay? [02:13:01] Speaker B: Oh, it's absolute flirty for Martha. I'm just kidding. [02:13:06] Speaker C: Right back at you. [02:13:09] Speaker A: Listen, you can be wife number four honor. [02:13:17] Speaker E: I know you're married, but I'm like. [02:13:22] Speaker C: I should seeing who I know as someone look out the window and everything cool. [02:13:32] Speaker E: Yeah, I'm just checking on our. [02:13:37] Speaker C: Just I don't know. Something wrong with California. I know some people don't like it there. [02:13:46] Speaker E: I mean, besides the fires, there's a lot of other things wrong. But why did you leave? Just need to get out. [02:14:00] Speaker C: Yeah, I need to get out. Plus got some workout east. [02:14:08] Speaker B: Is that in Virginia? Mentioned it before. [02:14:14] Speaker C: Hard to tell. Might not. All depends. [02:14:21] Speaker A: You do a freelance work? [02:14:25] Speaker C: You could say that. [02:14:27] Speaker A: I know that you said that you're a photographer. I'd be very interested in seeing some of your photos. [02:14:36] Speaker C: You know what? I'd be happy to show you some of them. Sometime, but kind of take me to second. The camera is just as temperamental as that truck out there. Every single time I use it, I'm thinking to myself, it's a reckoning coming or what? [02:14:53] Speaker G: Starting to get vibes off the sky. I don't say that vocally, but I'm getting some vibes. Am I looking at another hunter? We're all being exceptionally cagey with each other. We're all poor. We're all interested in the mean. I think Roseanne is the only one with actually, like, a bank account that is in maybe the triple digits. [02:15:20] Speaker D: Would you like to make an insight, Jack? [02:15:24] Speaker B: I would definitely. [02:15:27] Speaker D: Jesse, you are free to, if you would like to hide, only have one dot insight. [02:15:36] Speaker C: I don't think I will. I think I said a very specific thing for a very specific reason. [02:15:43] Speaker B: Yes, that's what I was thinking. [02:15:44] Speaker D: Well, then folks can roll and we'll see what happens. [02:15:48] Speaker B: Is it with an insight? [02:15:50] Speaker D: Yes. [02:15:50] Speaker B: Okay. [02:15:54] Speaker E: A very sad pool for me. [02:15:57] Speaker A: I will also. [02:16:01] Speaker D: I would like to. [02:16:02] Speaker G: Willpower reroll this because it can use more. [02:16:10] Speaker D: Go for it. Anybody who wants to use willpower can use Willpower. Just make sure that you're tracking what you're spending. [02:16:17] Speaker E: I got just one. [02:16:20] Speaker B: Believe it. [02:16:21] Speaker E: Yeah, it's one. I just got one. [02:16:23] Speaker B: I got two. [02:16:25] Speaker F: Two, four. [02:16:27] Speaker D: Excellent. Yeah. So he wasn't exactly subtle about it. Those of you who rolled a one, you're a little unsure. You're like, well, that could have just been know saying, this is the south. People talk about a reckoning all the damn time. Victoria, you absolutely like, you were pretty sure you had him pegged before this, and then he dropped that line and you were like, AHA, right, okay, I know what we're dealing with now. [02:17:06] Speaker G: This is like, buddy, I've been in a secret society. I know this game. I will actually just kind of like, once you say the reckoning line, I just lean back in my chair, sip my coffee while side eyeing you, and it's like, would you like to go talk somewhere else more private. [02:17:28] Speaker C: Diner is pretty chill. Pretty people mind their own business here. But if you want to get a corner table, we could yeah, it sounds. [02:17:36] Speaker B: Like a good idea. All right. [02:17:39] Speaker C: I'll just kind of, like, signal to the old waiter gentlemen that we'll take our food in the corner and then. [02:17:44] Speaker D: Kind of head over there, literally just coming back out with plates on which there is a freshly warmed donut and a heaping roast beef sandwich. You've stopped here in this town before. He knows exactly what you like. [02:18:08] Speaker C: Smell it. [02:18:09] Speaker D: Perfect. Freshly sliced rye bread with heaps of roast beef on it and just a. [02:18:17] Speaker C: Little bit of salt. [02:18:18] Speaker D: Just a little bit. Just a tiny, tiny bit. And he hands it over. [02:18:25] Speaker C: Your doll. [02:18:28] Speaker D: Anything else I can do for you folks? All right, jesse, I am working on your room. Promise, soon as she gets here, it'll be ready for you. And you could check in. [02:18:45] Speaker C: Appreciate it. [02:18:46] Speaker D: And he'll disappear. [02:18:51] Speaker C: I'm going to go sit over in the corner. [02:18:54] Speaker B: This place has rentable rooms, not the coffee shop itself. [02:18:59] Speaker C: There's a lodge that I typically stay at every once in a while. [02:19:04] Speaker D: Yes, the Space Lodge. [02:19:06] Speaker C: Yeah, Space Lodge. I like the scenery there. Fun. [02:19:11] Speaker D: Same building owned by the same dude. [02:19:15] Speaker G: So now that we all know, we're in familiar company. Jesse, did you need a hand with anything while you're passing through? [02:19:27] Speaker C: That's the thing. The reason I'm passing through is because I'm following a job, as I put it. Don't really know what I'm handling yet. That's where I'm at right now. I'm trying to follow the signs, see what I'm dealing with, seeing what they're capable of, and then go from there. Once I do know more and I'm ready to engage, maybe I'll let you know if you're around. [02:19:54] Speaker D: Sure. [02:19:57] Speaker G: We're actually looking into something in this town as well. [02:20:03] Speaker C: Yeah. Guessing this to do with the Car River guys mentioned ghost earlier. Is that what you think you have? [02:20:13] Speaker A: Yeah. Well, I'm a bit studied in the occult and just the different signs and the way that the environment's been kind of up in the air. I mean, it could be ghosts, it could be cryptids, it it could be a number of things, but it just seems a bit too convenient to not at least think about it in a way that well, we had. Have you read the papers recently? [02:21:00] Speaker C: I've skinned them. [02:21:06] Speaker A: Don't you think it's a little bit weird that three all in one week? [02:21:16] Speaker C: Oh, absolutely. It's a tough deal for me, deviating my time from this and then my main job that I'm dealing with, because I'm not sure if they're related. They might be. Probably not, though. And I was never the big brains of the operation when it came to doing our job. I normally waited for my partner to figure that out and then shot where they told me to. [02:21:46] Speaker G: Oh, that's a mood. [02:21:49] Speaker C: Cheers to that. [02:21:54] Speaker B: So what is the job that you're on? [02:21:57] Speaker C: That's the thing I told you, I'm not sure yet. [02:21:59] Speaker B: I just know that it's something. [02:22:03] Speaker C: Multiple targets, potentially. They're dangerous, so I'm keeping my distance. [02:22:08] Speaker D: Got you. [02:22:11] Speaker B: And they're here or are they elsewhere? [02:22:13] Speaker C: I don't know if they're here, they could be. That's what I'm looking into right now. If they're here, then I imagine they're close. It's not exactly a big time big town, and pretty sure they're heading east. So probably not going to try to stop them here. I'm going to let them keep going where they're going. Maybe once I know enough, try to get them with dead zone people won't get hurt, that kind of thing. [02:22:47] Speaker G: I will scribble down a phone number for not my personal phone, but it's a way to reach our cell and I'll hand it over like I'll scooch it across the table towards you. [02:23:00] Speaker C: I'm going to take it and then pull out like an old school flip phone and then just start punching it in and then snap it close and then pocket it. [02:23:09] Speaker G: I can't speak for everyone here, but I'm willing to help if we're still in town and you get your orders. [02:23:15] Speaker B: Yeah. [02:23:18] Speaker C: Appreciate it. And like I said, I'm a point and shoot guy. So if you figure out what's going on with this ghost or cryptid or whatever, and then you need more firepower, you can find me at that lodge if I'm still around. [02:23:32] Speaker A: Be appreciated. [02:23:33] Speaker G: We were considering traumatizing the family. [02:23:38] Speaker D: Or. [02:23:39] Speaker G: Going to check out the river. [02:23:42] Speaker C: Traumatizing a family is not typically the best course of action, but, you know, it's a fun one. Well, I have some businesses I tend to at that lodge, but like I said, figure out what you're doing. Come find me if I'm around. [02:24:06] Speaker G: Sounds good. [02:24:07] Speaker C: Good luck. [02:24:08] Speaker G: Good luck to you, too. [02:24:10] Speaker C: Yeah, people like us could always use more numbers. [02:24:14] Speaker B: That's really the only thing we've got going for us, honestly. [02:24:17] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. Believe me, I know. And with that, I'm going to take my big sandwich, just kind of waggle it at him a little bit. Catch you later. Head out. [02:24:32] Speaker G: I knew I liked and for a reason. [02:24:37] Speaker D: It is around this time. As he is passing out, a young woman of obviously mixed heritage rushes in. She's in a haphazard attempt at a uniform. It's clear that she was probably not planning to come to work today and got a last minute call and just sort of threw on her apron and the closest polo that she had and stuck with the fact that she had to wear jeans and rushed to work as quickly as she possibly could. As she is walking in, she passes Jesse a key that is in the shape of a little UFO. The little pad on it is in the shape of a little UFO and hands it off to him, and he leaves as she hurries in and fishes out a waitress's pad and pen as she hurries over to your table. [02:25:43] Speaker F: Hey, can I help you all with anything? [02:25:46] Speaker B: I just saw a roast beef sandwich that looked amazing. Can I get one of those? [02:25:52] Speaker D: Yeah, absolutely. [02:25:53] Speaker F: I'll go ahead and write it down. Anything else? [02:25:59] Speaker G: I'm good with my cup of joe, actually. Top up in about five minutes. [02:26:06] Speaker F: Sounds good. [02:26:10] Speaker A: You already pop fine. [02:26:13] Speaker F: Yeah, absolutely. What do you want? [02:26:16] Speaker A: Surprise me. [02:26:20] Speaker F: All right. [02:26:21] Speaker B: Hey, does your grandma live up? Is she a florist up the way? [02:26:27] Speaker F: Yeah, she is. How did you know that? [02:26:30] Speaker B: Bought some flowers from her earlier, actually. [02:26:33] Speaker F: Oh, nice. [02:26:36] Speaker B: She said that her granddaughter worked in the shop, so it's like, could have been anyone, really. But you're the first waitress, so we just asked. [02:26:47] Speaker D: Yeah, sorry. [02:26:48] Speaker F: Good guess. [02:26:53] Speaker D: Julia as you turn to go surprise Rosanna with some sort of pop and to put in Arthur's order for a roast beef sandwich. The phone in your apron buzzes. And when you pull it out, there is actually a poorly typed text message from your grandmother who tells you that a no good cheater and his very pretty girlfriend came into the shop this morning today, for flowers. But that they were asking about all of the funerals, and something about the young woman struck her as more she's probably got a specialized term for it, but because I'm not familiar with the culture, I don't want to presume. She's basically hinting to you that there is something more to Rosanna than just a normal pretty woman. She knows and sees more than she probably should. And you've had pretty extensive conversations with your grandmother over the past week about everything that's going on. She's a pretty superstitious lady. She's who taught you what you know about this part of your culture. [02:28:38] Speaker F: Well, go ahead. [02:28:41] Speaker D: You're able to go and put in Arthur's order. It doesn't take long now that you're here and your boss is not trying to do six things at once. He's only trying to do five things at once. He's actually moving at a better pace. And in the time it takes you to get Rosanna's pop, which I will let you decide which one to give her, he pretty much has it put together because he already had everything that he needed out from when he made Gary's. [02:29:09] Speaker F: I think I'm going to give her root beer. She seems like a root beer girl. [02:29:13] Speaker D: That's probably a safe bet. [02:29:20] Speaker B: I struck her as a cherry seven up girl. [02:29:27] Speaker F: So I guess I take the things back out to them. So I just got a text from my grandma, actually. She said that you guys were asking about the funerals. Did you know the woman that died last night? [02:29:45] Speaker B: It we did not. It's just a sad situation. [02:29:51] Speaker F: It really is. [02:29:53] Speaker B: Pass away. And you kind of have to notice we lost someone recently, so we were. [02:29:58] Speaker F: Just feeling so sorry to hear that. There's been a lot of death going on around here lately. [02:30:11] Speaker B: Yeah, what's up with that? Is it just a fluke that people keep dying on the same stretch of road and stuff? [02:30:21] Speaker F: Well, I'm not as superstitious as my grandma, but there's this whole old story about, like, if you drive on that road at night, a ghost woman will try and get you to pull over, and she'll get in your car. And essentially, people just are not supposed to drive on that road at night. And if you do drive on that road, you're not supposed to stop. And although especially for hitchhikers. Yes, absolutely. [02:30:50] Speaker B: Just that's an urban legend, for sure. [02:30:56] Speaker F: Yeah. [02:30:57] Speaker E: Do you know how long this has been? Not how long, but do you know around when this started? [02:31:07] Speaker F: I mean, lately it's just been the last couple of weeks. There wasn't much before then, and then suddenly six deaths in two weeks. A lot to deal with. [02:31:24] Speaker B: Does the river in that stretch of highway ever cross? [02:31:30] Speaker D: I do not. [02:31:31] Speaker F: They do not. [02:31:35] Speaker B: Because I'm just wondering, is there any urban legends about the river or is it the same kind of thing? [02:31:44] Speaker F: I don't really know any about the river. I mean, there's the obvious, like La Llorona and that sort of thing, like just don't go into the desert. [02:31:54] Speaker D: But. [02:31:58] Speaker B: Did the teenagers that die, was that before the accidents? [02:32:03] Speaker F: Was that before the accidents? [02:32:05] Speaker D: It was after the first accident. [02:32:10] Speaker F: It was after the first one, but before the other two. [02:32:18] Speaker B: It's a lot of tragedy, for sure. For one small town. [02:32:26] Speaker F: We're not used to this sort of thing. It's been like, what, five years since the last bad accident around here? [02:32:33] Speaker B: Was that also on that stretch highway? [02:32:36] Speaker D: Yeah. [02:32:36] Speaker F: It was. [02:32:40] Speaker G: Weird that everything's kind of happening all at once. [02:32:45] Speaker D: For sure. [02:32:48] Speaker G: This legend, because I am so interested in local legends oh, she is. [02:32:55] Speaker B: Get her talking. [02:32:58] Speaker G: This lady who is the ghost on the highway, does she have a name? [02:33:04] Speaker F: Not that I can remember. I don't think anybody's ever told me one. [02:33:09] Speaker G: Any kind of like tragic backstory? [02:33:13] Speaker D: Julia, you are aware of a little bit of a backstory? It's fairly vague. It happened a long, long time ago, like well before you and most of the people who told you about it were born. So you for a while there just kind of wrote it off as local legend. Just like the aliens. Probably not real cobras. No, the Chupacabras are very real. The story that you remember was that in the 50s, there was a couple who had just gotten married, and they were on their way to their honeymoon and were in a they hit one of the stones that's normally on the side of the highway, for whatever reason, was in the highway, and they hit it and their car rolled and they both died. And that's kind of all, you know. You weren't ever given names? Your grandmother, being who she is, refuses to name them because in her eyes, giving them names gives them power and she is desperate to protect you at all costs. [02:34:38] Speaker F: I go ahead and relay all that information to them. [02:34:45] Speaker G: Well, thank you. That's interesting. And I will have to write that down. [02:34:54] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean it's tragedy begets tragedy, it sounds like. [02:35:00] Speaker F: Yeah. About what? Are you writing a book about local legends or something? [02:35:05] Speaker G: Oh, I keep a diary. [02:35:08] Speaker F: Oh, that's cute. [02:35:10] Speaker G: Yeah, I like to experience weird things and write it all down for my own keepsake. [02:35:20] Speaker F: Sounds good. Well, any other questions? I don't really want to be at work. [02:35:30] Speaker B: Yeah, have a seat. Just tell your boss that we had too many questions. You can just hang out with us. [02:35:38] Speaker A: We're a good bunch to talk to. [02:35:40] Speaker G: Yeah, you can keep ordering if you like. That might help cover you actually working. [02:35:48] Speaker F: Yeah, sure. What do you want? [02:35:53] Speaker G: We're probably going to need dinner tonight, so I'm going to actually pull out the menu and just start grabbing food for everyone. You won't have to worry about it, but yeah, I'm making a list of things to order. [02:36:10] Speaker F: All right. [02:36:14] Speaker B: Sorry. [02:36:15] Speaker F: Go ahead. [02:36:15] Speaker B: No, you go. You're the new guest at our table. You tell us. What do you want to know? [02:36:21] Speaker F: I just saw you guys talking to Jesse earlier. I was wondering if you know him at all. [02:36:26] Speaker B: Oh yeah, we just met. Seems like a nice guy. Sounds like we're in the same line of work as him, so we were just talking to him. [02:36:34] Speaker F: Oh, what line of work is that? [02:36:38] Speaker B: Freelancing. [02:36:42] Speaker F: He definitely has a bit of a weird vibe, but for some reason my grandma really trusts him, so he seems okay. [02:36:57] Speaker A: Your grandma know a lot about old superstitions and such? [02:37:09] Speaker F: Way too much. She is probably the most superstitious person I know. I will admit that I kind of taken after her a little bit and all that. [02:37:26] Speaker A: I would love to talk shop with your grandmother one day on. I'm also fairly superstitious myself. I studied a lot in college about the different types of occult lore and mythicisms and such. It was my second major. If your grandmother wouldn't mind sharing stories, I'd love to hear more about the local legend. [02:38:04] Speaker F: Yeah, I'm sure she'd be happy to. Although apparently she didn't seem to like one of the guys in your group very much. [02:38:12] Speaker B: It's me. I'm going to throw it out there. I messed up. I mentioned that I was married before and your grandma did not like that. [02:38:20] Speaker F: Yeah, she isn't a whole big fan of that. [02:38:24] Speaker B: Yeah. [02:38:27] Speaker D: Don'T worry. [02:38:28] Speaker A: My loving boyfriend here won't mess up like that ever again. [02:38:33] Speaker B: Not a second time anyway. No, that's for sure. [02:38:39] Speaker G: Splutter into my coffee. [02:38:45] Speaker B: Yeah, no, I mean, obviously I studied that biblical stuff in college, so I have an interest in too. Just, you know, it's like can you not read the Bible and then also have like a weird fascination with the occult? Like whether you love it or hate it. Right. It's like one of those kinds of things. Like it's of the devil or what's. Like it's all interesting. That's why we're all friends, including Zephyr over there is Quiet. [02:39:19] Speaker F: Nice to meet you, Zephyr. [02:39:22] Speaker C: Hello. [02:39:23] Speaker F: Well, if you guys are all interested in the cold, would you be interested in maybe checking out that stretch of highway with me? [02:39:31] Speaker B: Oh, you're going to go check that out? [02:39:33] Speaker F: I mean, I'd like to. I don't really have anyone to go with. My grandma would kill me if she found out I was going, but. [02:39:42] Speaker G: Yeah, I'm not really interested in getting hurt, so I'm probably not going to go there. [02:39:52] Speaker F: Fair enough. [02:39:58] Speaker A: When would you be looking to go? [02:40:02] Speaker F: I'd like to go soon. I mean, if we can figure out how to put a stop to these car crashes or something, that be very helpful. [02:40:15] Speaker D: As you all are sitting there. [02:40:20] Speaker G: You. [02:40:20] Speaker D: Hear a bell, a familiar bell tolling in the distance. Julia it's the local church is tolling on the hour as it typically does. What you don't typically hear in the middle of town is the raucous howling that follows. And you kind of inwardly cringe. And your eyes close just a little bit in dismay as you realize that at least one of the creatures from your father's rescue have managed to slip the fence again. Victoria yes. Something about that sound tugs at something deep inside you. Like there is this impulse where you're, like it almost calls to you. It's like this weird, primal connection to that kind of wild, almost celebratory sound. [02:41:32] Speaker G: Okay. Yeah. The moment that happens and I shoot up right out of my chair, kind of like my hands placed hard on this list I've been making of foods that we want to bring with us on the journey, and I'm just like, what is that? [02:41:51] Speaker F: My dad has a wolf dog rescue. Sounds like at least one of them got out. Probably more. [02:42:00] Speaker G: Is that dangerous? [02:42:04] Speaker F: Not really. They're just dogs. But we do need to get them back home. So I guess I need to go talk to the boss about that. [02:42:15] Speaker G: Can I come with you and see this rescue? [02:42:22] Speaker F: Sure. [02:42:24] Speaker D: Okay, cool. [02:42:31] Speaker A: Julia I'm going to take out a slip of paper and a pen, and when I jot down my personal number, hand it over. Feel free to pass that along to your grandmother. Like I said, I'd love to pick her mind. One of these knots and even yours. Any new information that I can get my hands on, be more than happy to share. Store. [02:43:04] Speaker F: All right, sure. I go ahead and put her number in my phone. [02:43:09] Speaker D: This phone is a proper smartphone. [02:43:14] Speaker G: As. [02:43:15] Speaker D: If on queue with you saying, we've got to go get them home. Your boss kind of pokes his head in from the back and kind of gives a heavy sigh. Says, your dad called. He's on his way. They're out back. I gave them scraps. If you could just stick your head out and check on them, I think they'll be fine until he gets here. [02:43:45] Speaker F: Sounds good. [02:43:49] Speaker G: The wolf dogs are out back? [02:43:52] Speaker D: Yeah. [02:43:55] Speaker G: At that point, I'll just kind of, like, pick up this piece of paper, slap it onto the counter where the boss is, and say, I need this stuff. I'm just going to slip out back. [02:44:08] Speaker D: All right. He takes the paper, looking a little worried, and then disappears. [02:44:19] Speaker G: Some of the things on there, like, I'm assuming this is the type of diner that gives, like, bowls of cereal. [02:44:25] Speaker D: Yes. [02:44:26] Speaker G: It's like box of rice or box of puff rice. [02:44:30] Speaker D: There we go. You're using the diner as an actual grocery store? [02:44:37] Speaker A: I am. [02:44:42] Speaker B: Is she just she acting weird. [02:44:47] Speaker G: Yeah. [02:44:50] Speaker B: I guess she's got a thing to see. Wolf dogs. I didn't know. I guess we just all learned something about Victoria today. [02:44:58] Speaker E: Was that safe? [02:45:00] Speaker B: I don't know. Is it because of our new thing know puppies or maybe I mean, we should probably somebody should probably go check on yeah. Yeah. And then Arthur just gets up. Guess it's. [02:45:27] Speaker D: The least trained. People are all going out to see the wolf dogs. I'm sure nothing could possibly go wrong. [02:45:34] Speaker E: If there's just a window that I can peek out, I'll just stay inside and look. But I'm not going to sip the. [02:45:41] Speaker B: Coffee or watching everything going up. [02:45:43] Speaker E: Who's going to lose their hand? [02:45:45] Speaker G: Time to watch my friends get mauled. [02:45:49] Speaker F: To go out just to try and keep the dogs calm while strangers approach them. [02:45:56] Speaker D: That's probably a good idea. Could you roll me a charisma and animal handling? Yes. Dice space hunter. Your pool will be your total dots between the two. All right. [02:46:20] Speaker B: Made the mistake of looking at chat just now. [02:46:24] Speaker D: Tell me how many successes you get. See. [02:46:32] Speaker F: Sorry. My I got eight successes. [02:46:37] Speaker D: Yeah. You're good. They've known you for as long as they've been on the rescue preserve. In fact, you come out of the door and they do something that most people would never expect an animal to do. They kind of immediately perk up and actually walk away from the food to come over to you for pets and give them all the attention. And one of them, in the middle of getting all of this attention, kind of pauses and looks toward Victoria. And Victoria. This is you can see the dog in it, but it definitely looks more wolf. And it is massive compared to even, like, to eat to even big dogs. And it is actually you know what? I'm going to let you describe what its coat and everything looks like. Just know that it's big. [02:47:48] Speaker G: Sure. So this dog, which I have this kind of bond with the fact that it howled or cried or bade with joy, and I immediately, being the auditory person that I am, just kind of associated with that immediately. It's like, basically when you find a rhythm in a song and you're like, this is my jam. This dog has basically sung my song. And as I'm looking at it, it's this mostly black, little bit of German shepherd in there. So it's got, like, the little brown eyebrows, but it looks fully wolf like. Wolf looked just a German shepherd colored coat, mostly black. [02:48:35] Speaker D: This animal kind of stands there and watches you, and you see it kind of tilt its head and its little ears perk up and towards you a little bit, and it gives this little, like, half wine, like it's questioning and waits to see what you do. [02:49:02] Speaker G: I do the thing where you get crouched down kind of like on your haunches, and I offer my hand. If it doesn't respond right away, I jingle one of my bells to see if it likes it not in the tone that hurts werewolves that I'm looking for, but just like a tone that I think it will enjoy. Hey there. [02:49:28] Speaker D: It can you make me a charisma? Animal handling animal ken. When you play too many games and you start to get all their terminology mixed up. [02:49:46] Speaker G: For funsies. Can I do another? [02:49:48] Speaker A: Absolutely. [02:49:52] Speaker D: Cow. That's seven successes and a critical so. [02:49:57] Speaker G: I think I went from three successes to seven with that willpower reroll. [02:50:01] Speaker D: You did the hand, it seemed almost a little wary of like it was hand shy. But then you touch one of the bells and it is the barest stroke of finger over metal. And the tone is so soft that even Julia, who is right next to you, would barely be able to hear it. But the dog's head kind of camps in the other direction, looks slightly more doggish for a moment, slightly less wolfish because it's definitely got those doggy mannerisms. And then it walks right over and gets like nose to nose with you for a second. And Julia, there is a moment where you are terrified that this thing is going to bite her in the face. And then he licks her from her chin to her hairline and sits down and proceeds to just drop his big fuzzy head, like on her knee. [02:51:04] Speaker F: He seems to like you. [02:51:07] Speaker G: Yeah. What do I got to pay to get him? [02:51:15] Speaker F: Well, once my dad gets here, you can talk to him. It's his rescue. Not. [02:51:21] Speaker G: Yeah, I'm not going to accept no for an answer. I'm not even going to accept for. [02:51:30] Speaker D: An answer from them. [02:51:31] Speaker G: And I point in the doorway where Arthur's probably standing. [02:51:36] Speaker B: You want to take on a dog? Is that the smartest to call, Victoria? Unless there's something, I don't know, like a canary in a coal mine or something, maybe. [02:51:47] Speaker G: You try and stop me, I will stab you. [02:51:50] Speaker B: Okay? I'm not trying to stop you. If you know something I don't know, that's great. You know what? You want to talk hey, that's your business. I'm not going to interfere with your business, Victoria. [02:52:02] Speaker G: It's like when something feels right. [02:52:06] Speaker B: Sure, I get that. I think I get that probably better than anyone else. [02:52:12] Speaker G: Okay, good. I'm glad we understand. I'm not going to have to stab you today. [02:52:18] Speaker B: Yeah. I mean, not today anyway. See how it goes tomorrow. So what's this guy's name? And I try to approach real easy. [02:52:32] Speaker F: Like doesn't have one yet. I mean, if you're going to take him, you can go ahead and give him one. [02:52:41] Speaker G: Thinking about it, is Marcus a dumb name for a dog? [02:52:47] Speaker B: I think Marcus is a good name. [02:52:52] Speaker G: Because it was either that or Gozer, and I don't think that's very good. [02:52:57] Speaker D: Goes to the gazerian Ghoz of the yeah. [02:53:04] Speaker B: Hmm. [02:53:05] Speaker G: That's a tough gonna I'm gonna park on that and come back to it. [02:53:12] Speaker A: Just hopefully I can get them goes. [02:53:15] Speaker B: Are the NSR trying to explain to Julia about Ghostbusters and a movie that came out many years ago, assuming she's too young to know what that is. [02:53:26] Speaker F: I mean, I saw Ghostbusters at some point. [02:53:29] Speaker B: You did? [02:53:29] Speaker A: Okay, arthur is mansplaining. Ghostbusters to somebody is what you're telling us. He's a cheater and a mansplainer. [02:53:40] Speaker D: Got it. Everything about this group. Okay, so while Victoria is threatening bodily harm to anyone who tries to tell her no about taking this puppy home and on the road with you, all this old, slightly beat up, but lovingly cared for panel van pulls up and this older man with darker, tan skin and the same jet black hair that Julia and her grandmother have gets out. His hair is long. It's tied back in a ponytail at the base of his skull. And he walks up and he goes, Jules, I'm so sorry. They were trying to repair the fence. Know, one of the new assistants wasn't paying attention when he went in to feed him, and they darted for it. Is he laying on her? [02:54:52] Speaker F: Ma'am, he took to her. [02:54:55] Speaker D: What? He doesn't like anybody. He just came in, like, two days ago and he wouldn't let anybody near him. [02:55:06] Speaker B: That sounds like a ghozerian to me. [02:55:11] Speaker G: Stretching him behind his ear. [02:55:14] Speaker B: So Ghostbusters is a movie that came out. I started explaining it to him. [02:55:19] Speaker D: No, we're not. I should get them home. Ma'am, I appreciate you keeping him calm. He's the biggest handful out of the bunch. [02:55:29] Speaker G: Listen, I've already threatened my friend with bodily harm. I don't want to step like he's a friend. He understands. But I'm not going to step that far with you. I want this dog. [02:55:43] Speaker D: He sort of pauses and looks between you and the dog and then back to you. Well, there certainly seems to be some natural chemistry there. Well, so normally there's a proper way that we do this, and it's usually a lengthy, involved process that takes weeks, sometimes a month or more, to go through the proper channels for an adoption. However comma, he has been, let's say, aggressive with some of the other rescues. And I've been a little worried that we're going to have to put him down because we couldn't seem to find a way to fix that. If you can hang around town for a day or two, come by tomorrow. I'll want to see you properly interact with him, with other animals, with other people around, see what kind of stressors we can put him through and how he handles that and how you handle him. If all goes well, maybe we can finesse the paperwork a little bit. [02:57:06] Speaker G: Okay, I'll take that. That sounds great. [02:57:12] Speaker D: Tomorrow. Because I've now got to go deal with the breakout. Right? Yeah. [02:57:18] Speaker G: Do you want me to help take him back? [02:57:23] Speaker D: If you can get him into the van, I'll even give you treats so that he associates you with good things. Even though I have to take him after that. [02:57:36] Speaker G: I'll try to just lead him into the van and kind of, like, pat it to get him. [02:57:41] Speaker D: With the number of successes that you got, this dog has the utmost trust and respect for you. Doesn't question much of anything. He looks a little sad when he realizes that you're not getting in with him, but when you hand over the treat and take a moment to kind of, like, scritch at his ears and just pay him that extra little bit of attention, it seems to soothe him quite a bit. And he relaxes. Like he understands that this isn't going to be the last time that he gets to see you. [02:58:17] Speaker G: This also kind of soothes my angry, angry heart, seeing him, and I'm just like, I'm going to come break you out soon. Don't worry. [02:58:25] Speaker D: You get another chin to Harris linelick, sir. [02:58:30] Speaker A: Just out of curiosity, how much is it going to cost to adopt him? [02:58:34] Speaker B: I was going to ask that. [02:58:37] Speaker D: He'Ll look at Victoria like this is a business arrangement with her, and he's not sure that he wants to discuss money without her permission. [02:58:51] Speaker G: Yeah, I am curious about the price. [02:58:59] Speaker D: We'll work something out, even if it means that you go on a payment plan and make regular donations. [02:59:06] Speaker A: How much? [02:59:08] Speaker B: Yeah, for this girl, we'll take her, no problem. [02:59:11] Speaker A: Well, yeah, him and I, we've got it. [02:59:17] Speaker D: His eyes go a little wide because he thought that you guys were trying to needle him down on the price, not offering to cover it, and he goes, Can I let you know in the morning once I have a chance to go look at all the paperwork and everything and see what all the fees are? This is all a little sudden. [02:59:38] Speaker A: Yes, sir. [02:59:42] Speaker D: Okay, cool. It was nice to meet you all. I'm not sure what you're in town for, but I'm glad you're here. And he sort of deflates a little bit. You can kind of tell that while he's very good with animals and he got that part of their culture, he's a lot less superstitious than Juliet and his mother are. [03:00:08] Speaker B: That was a joke. We're just tourists passing through. [03:00:12] Speaker D: Well, I'm glad you came to our little slice of heaven, Jules. Be good to that one. And he'll point at Victoria. [03:00:28] Speaker F: I will. [03:00:32] Speaker D: And I guess those two as well, since I'm gonna go. He, like, loads the other dogs into the van, looking slightly awkward and a little he almost looks a little unsettled by how well Victoria did with this. And you saw the dog briefly when it was first brought in, Jules, but he wouldn't let you anywhere near it. Like, it was so aggressive and so snappy with people, and he insisted that it nearly took his arm or his hand off on multiple occasions. So he was not going to let you or really any of the employees anywhere near it if he could help it. So he seems a little unsettled that. This dog has become this sweet Docile baby the second it met Victoria. But he loads the dogs up, gets into the van and pulls away. [03:01:30] Speaker F: I guess I go back into the restaurant to keep doing my job. [03:01:35] Speaker D: Everybody piles back inside. [03:01:38] Speaker G: Rosanna arthur, thanks so much. [03:01:43] Speaker B: I mean yeah, you seemed really dedicated to that. I want to help. [03:01:51] Speaker D: Yeah. [03:01:52] Speaker A: And listen, we got to stick together and you and that dog had some really tight connection. We don't have a whole lot of room, but we'll make something work. [03:02:10] Speaker B: Yeah. [03:02:12] Speaker A: You're just going to have to use the dog as a blanket, I guess. I'm sorry. [03:02:16] Speaker G: That's fine. [03:02:17] Speaker B: Yeah. On that note, if you're going to get this dog, we should probably switch. I'll go to the top bunk just so you can easier on the dog. [03:02:27] Speaker G: That makes sense. [03:02:29] Speaker B: Yeah. [03:02:31] Speaker G: Also, I stepped on you this morning. [03:02:33] Speaker B: Yeah, I noticed. [03:02:39] Speaker G: It's fun when someone steps on you. Typically you say ow or thank you. [03:02:45] Speaker A: Depending on who you are. [03:02:50] Speaker D: Rosanna. [03:02:51] Speaker A: What? What? [03:02:54] Speaker G: You blindside me sometimes. Geez. [03:02:58] Speaker A: Oh, what? The paranoid one can't have a sense of humor every once in a while? Sorry. [03:03:04] Speaker G: Comes out of left field. [03:03:08] Speaker B: Yeah, but as far as the cost goes, I think I owe you for like 1000 breakfasts. [03:03:14] Speaker A: Yeah, you're fine. We got you. [03:03:20] Speaker G: That's fair. I'll consider it even then. [03:03:28] Speaker B: Cool, because I'm looking forward to a thousand more breakfasts. So we'll have to get a second know later. [03:03:35] Speaker A: Okay. Arthur but it's sleeping with you. [03:03:40] Speaker B: I mean, if he can get up. [03:03:42] Speaker E: Hmm. [03:03:44] Speaker A: Don't worry, we'll find you a nice little find you a nice little wiener dog or Chihuahua or something. [03:04:00] Speaker G: This feels weird. [03:04:01] Speaker D: We're standing in an alleyway back in the diner. You all get in, enjoy a nice meal, talk to Julia about some of the things that have been going on. What's the plan? [03:04:27] Speaker B: I think Arthur wants to wait till nightfall and then go check out the stretch of road and the hitchhiker that they may encounter. [03:04:35] Speaker E: Yeah, that's what I was thinking. [03:04:42] Speaker A: I'd like to see if Julia could put me in contact with a grandma while we wait. [03:04:53] Speaker D: Okay, Victoria, go ahead and sorry. Victoria? What's? What would you like to do? I've heard from everybody but you. [03:05:06] Speaker G: I imagine at this point she's just kind of thinking about the dog, thinking about her puppy. Yeah, it'd be really hard to focus on this whole ghost thing, but yeah, I guess going back to Grandma is a good idea. [03:05:26] Speaker D: Okay, so we've got half and half. Half of you want to go see Grandma. Half of you want to go out to the road, and Julia wants to go out to the road with those who go out there. Okay, split party. [03:05:40] Speaker G: I think the grandma part was like, we're going to see her again before going out to the road because she. [03:05:50] Speaker D: Okay. Julia, would you be willing to get your grandmother involved with these crazy people having seen what you have seen. [03:06:04] Speaker F: I think my grandma would like them, except for that one guy. [03:06:07] Speaker D: But, you know, it's fine that she already dislikes. Got it. Okay. While they're eating, I assume you would duck off to the side to make that phone call. Yeah. All right, so you call her cell phone, and as is typical, she doesn't answer. But that's why your father has not turned off the landline at her house, because it is an obnoxiously loud ringer on that phone, and she actually knows how to use it. And she answers the phone. Hello? [03:06:51] Speaker F: Hi, Grandma. You know people you were telling me about earlier? [03:06:59] Speaker D: The oh, two timer and the pretty one? [03:07:06] Speaker G: Yeah. [03:07:07] Speaker F: Well, I don't think he's actually a two timer. I think that's just a whole complicated thing. But would it be okay if I brought them and some of their friends over so that we could talk maybe about some of the local legends? [03:07:25] Speaker D: Sure, we could do that. Still think he's a two timer? [03:07:32] Speaker F: You can think what you want. [03:07:37] Speaker D: She kind of mutters under her breath, and she's speaking her native tongue, you know, enough to know that what she's saying is probably unpleasant. That's a good thing. Most people can't understand her. She is spicy and spunky. Well, all right. I just made some sweet tea, and it'll be waiting for you. Have you eaten today? Should I make something? [03:08:14] Speaker F: I ate at the diner. Thank you, though. [03:08:18] Speaker D: All right, well, I love you, and you drive safe on your way here. [03:08:23] Speaker F: All right. Love you, too. See you soon. [03:08:26] Speaker D: See you soon. And she'll hang up, and she has this way of hanging up this phone. That because it's an old landline and it's an old phone. It's one of those, like, crazy heavy, really sturdy ones that you know that if you ever got clocked by one of these, it would probably take a while to wake up where because her hands are a little shaky. When she goes to hang it up, it goes down pretty hard and forcefully in the cradle. So all you hear is clunk and then it goes silent. [03:09:01] Speaker F: So I go back to the other people. My grandma said that she's open to you guys coming over. She said that she made sweet tea, so if you want to come over there. [03:09:15] Speaker G: Yeah, sweet tea sounds pretty good. [03:09:24] Speaker D: It's about this time, Julia, that your boss comes out, and you notice that one of your coworkers, the one who called in late and is several hours late for their shift, is finally pulling up outside. And your boss comes out looking at this list of groceries. And he looks at Victoria, and he goes, ma'am, I want to be helpful, but I can't just give you my stores. What I can do is I can have my son run to the grocery store, and we can just bill you for what he buys off of your list. [03:10:15] Speaker G: That'll work just fine. No, we have the RV, but the other option is we come back and eat dinner and you'll have to deal with us again. [03:10:30] Speaker D: You know what? That's probably easier. Let's just do that. Okay. [03:10:34] Speaker G: That's fine. We'll be back together. [03:10:37] Speaker A: Sir? [03:10:38] Speaker D: Yes, ma'am? [03:10:41] Speaker A: Do you know if your local grocery store or corner store sells these little strawberry cream candies? I've been kind of looking for them for a little while. They're a little extra special treat that I like to get myself. Recently came back and I've been trying to find them everywhere. [03:11:08] Speaker D: I'll be honest with you, ma'am, I don't know. I'm not really big on candy, but I'm sure if they have it, you'll be able to find it. The store is not very big. I'm sorry, I don't oh, you're welcome. And he takes the payment, makes sure that Juliet gets her tip, ridiculously large tip. When he sees how big the tip you guys are leaving her now is, he actually holds on to that extra $5 tip he was given earlier because it looked like he was going to hand it over to her even though she wasn't here for that part of the service. Oh. I mean, to be fair, it was handed to him because he was the one working. I think he was trying to be nice to his employee and then realized how generous you guys were being. It was like, no, then I'm keeping it. And he kind of gives you all a little wave. And, Julia, you know that you're pretty safe to go on about your day. Jules, thank you for saving my bacon. I don't know, we'll figure out an extra holiday or something for you later this month. Thanks. Okay, you guys pile into your respective vehicles. I'm going to assume that Jules is going to drive herself. [03:12:59] Speaker B: Strangers. It's fine. [03:13:04] Speaker D: And you drive back to the reservation. And thankfully, because they have you to follow, they don't get lost trying to find your grandmother's house. This time you pull up in the driveway. Jules. You immediately notice that your grandmother's neighbors, at least three of them, are peeking through their windows at this weird vehicle that is back again. [03:13:29] Speaker F: I just wave. [03:13:34] Speaker D: The cranky old man across the street just narrows his eyes at you and then disappears behind the curtain. But your grandmother's neighbor, who is an absolute gossip, waves back. She looks very pleased to see you. She's one of those old biddies who doesn't get a whole lot of visitors, so she's thrilled whenever you're around. Ah. You know that you could just let yourself into your grandmother's house there so you don't need to knock. In fact, she'd probably look at you weird if you tried. Or ring the bell. You don't have to ring the bell either. [03:14:17] Speaker F: I guess once they all get out of the RV, I take them inside. [03:14:23] Speaker D: Your grandmother is in the kitchen and has poured several tall glasses of sweet iced tea. And is doing something that probably isn't well advised, in that she is trying to put all of these glasses on a tray to carry out with her with her old shaky hands. [03:14:48] Speaker F: I'll get that for you, grandma. [03:14:50] Speaker D: Oh, thank you. That's probably for the best. And she sort of turns and spots Arthur, and her eyes immediately narrow. [03:15:01] Speaker B: Hi, ma'am. Nice to see you again. [03:15:05] Speaker D: Hello. She figured out she can do better yet. [03:15:09] Speaker B: Yep. She broke up with me earlier today. [03:15:13] Speaker D: Good girl. She'll kind of walk over and pat Rosanna's arm. And now I heard you all wanted to talk to me. Why don't you all have a seat? And she settles into this big, like, high backed, old plaid, lazy boy. What can I do for you? [03:15:43] Speaker A: Well, ma'am, your wonderful granddaughter told us that you know a thing or two about the superstitions that happen around the area. I myself am an appreciator of all of the different types of stories that small towns like this have to offer. Call me superstitious. [03:16:29] Speaker D: How do you feel about them calling the things you know are true superstition? [03:16:39] Speaker B: I mean, I think it's ridiculous, ma'am, because those things are true. There's no reason to call it superstition. They're reality. [03:16:50] Speaker D: He hasn't taken her eyes off of Rosanna. [03:16:59] Speaker A: It almost makes you feel like you're seen as insane, even when you know that things that you see are as real as the day turns tonight and the night turns today. [03:17:38] Speaker D: Well, at least you're not in denial. She's looking at Rosanna. When I saw you earlier, I wasn't sure if you were sure yet. [03:17:50] Speaker A: Sure about what, ma'am? [03:17:55] Speaker D: That the things that you see are real. [03:18:07] Speaker A: Sometimes I got to convince myself. [03:18:11] Speaker D: That'S just because you're afraid, you shouldn't be. I know it seems unsettling, but it's going to be. Your greatest strength going forward was mine. I had hidden my head in a hole because of all the things that I saw, that one wouldn't be here. And she gestures to Julia. [03:18:49] Speaker A: Can you see him, too? [03:18:51] Speaker D: I can see a lot of things. My ancestors told me exactly who my son needed to meet to make sure that I had a grandbaby. [03:19:11] Speaker A: What do you call it? [03:19:15] Speaker D: There's a lot of names for it. Doesn't really matter what you call it. Call it whatever you feel comfortable with. The name I use isn't in the language. You would know. [03:19:32] Speaker A: I looked at Julia. Well, what do you call it? [03:19:44] Speaker F: I mean, it's just spirits is what I say. But she doesn't really approve that language. [03:19:54] Speaker D: Makes an audible tisking noise with her tongue. [03:20:08] Speaker G: What do you call it? [03:20:20] Speaker A: I used to call it delusion. Thought it was just PTSD or something else. But it's been happening a lot more recently. And it's not just small glimpses, actually. It's what led. Okay, bit of a confession time for the three of you to give you all a little bit more context. I can see small glimpses visions, things that aren't easy to perceive right in front of you. This morning when I asked you for that paper, I already knew what was in it. I just needed to confirm that it was there. Mother four dies in car crash. What do you I knew what to look for. And there are there's possibility that I can see more. Sorry I kept it from all of you for so long. It's I'm not some evil. I'm not I'm not. [03:22:52] Speaker D: Um ain't nothing wrong with you, baby. Nothing wrong with you at all. Evil and delusional and all of that those are words that ignorant men use for people like us. [03:23:13] Speaker G: Had my suspicions. Rosanna, you've got nothing to worry about from my end. [03:23:22] Speaker B: Here's the thing. Every one of us that touches the darkness, sees it, fights it. There's some part of it in everyone. It's how we can fight it. So good and evil are just what you do, not what you are. [03:23:42] Speaker D: You. [03:23:59] Speaker E: At the end of the day, we know who you are, and we know how much of a kind and loving person you are. So it doesn't matter if you have secrets or anything. At the end of the day, I so trust you. [03:24:22] Speaker A: There is something else. Um remember how I said earlier that that the naked eye spirit or ghost. [03:24:57] Speaker D: You you. [03:25:01] Speaker A: Okay. [03:25:06] Speaker B: Well, that's incredibly helpful, since my naked eye apparently wouldn't be able to see the ghost, so I'm going to have to rely on your as beautiful as they are eyes to see these ghosts. [03:25:27] Speaker A: Well, Arthur, as much as you flatter me, that's not going to, you know. [03:25:30] Speaker D: Nevermind also the first right thing he said all day. [03:25:39] Speaker G: You know, I really like grandma. She's great. Gloria, you are a fantastic individual. [03:25:46] Speaker D: I know, but I appreciate the sentiment. Now, missy and she looks over at Julia. Don't think I don't know what you're up to. Are you talking about are they going with you? [03:26:08] Speaker F: Where? [03:26:10] Speaker D: You know where you eye the paper. Every time there's a new accident, you've got the same light in your eye that your granddaddy did about wanting to protect this town. [03:26:24] Speaker F: Better than going alone, right? [03:26:26] Speaker B: It is much better than going alone. [03:26:30] Speaker D: You gonna keep her safe. And she looks directly at Arthur. [03:26:36] Speaker B: Yes, ma'am. [03:26:37] Speaker D: Oh, am I kidding? She's probably gonna end up keeping you safe. [03:26:43] Speaker B: That's a fair assessment I'm absolutely certain of. [03:26:49] Speaker D: And she'll look over juliet, I taught you everything you need to know. And since you're not alone and I know you've got a good set of eyes with you and she's looking over at Rosanna and someone with strong, protective urges as she looks over at Victoria. I'll let you go. And I won't tell your father. [03:27:19] Speaker F: Thank you, grandma. [03:27:23] Speaker D: Well, women in this family have to carry all the weight anyway. Did you find him, by the way? And she looks over at Victoria. [03:27:38] Speaker G: Find who? [03:27:40] Speaker D: Your companion. [03:27:45] Speaker G: Yeah, I guess. I did. [03:27:48] Speaker D: I didn't know when you were here earlier. I didn't see you outside, but I had a dream last night. Knew there was someone looking for there were a couple people who were coming through who were looking for each other. Glad you found him. Make sure you take him with you before he eats my son. [03:28:12] Speaker G: That a list of things that this dog wants to do. [03:28:19] Speaker D: I don't know that he wants to. I worry what he'll do if he gets bored. [03:28:25] Speaker F: Fair. [03:28:27] Speaker B: Yeah, it definitely sounds like a Gazarian to me. [03:28:32] Speaker E: Yeah. [03:28:36] Speaker D: She stands up slowly, kind of creaky like shuffles into the kitchen. Comes back after a few minutes and hands Rosanna a piece of paper. And in very shaky handwriting is a phone number. That's my landline. You need someone to talk to who understands you, give me a call. I'm not spry like I used to be, but I may still be good for a couple nuggets of wisdom. And if you ever need someone to come beat him up, I'll do that for free. She gestures at Arthur with her cade. You have the feeling that it's half playful? She may not entirely mean it. [03:29:33] Speaker A: And I did give Miss Julia my number. If I can never do anything for you, do not hesitate to call. [03:29:47] Speaker D: I appreciate that. And as she shuffles back towards her chair, she kind of stops next as effort and looks down at where he's sitting. You quiet as you are. Danced closer to darkness than anyone else here. [03:30:15] Speaker E: Yeah, that seems to be my thing. [03:30:22] Speaker D: Envy is poison. Keep that in check, it can be useful. Let it get out of hand and it'll kill you as fast as it'll kill anything you hunt. [03:30:43] Speaker E: Ah, yeah, we'll see. [03:30:48] Speaker D: She sort of gets back to her chair and has a seat. Now, I am an old woman, and it has been a long day and I'm tired. That means you can go. [03:31:03] Speaker B: Yes, ma'am. [03:31:04] Speaker D: Time for my nap. [03:31:07] Speaker B: No questions asked. [03:31:08] Speaker G: Great night. We'll take care of Julia for you. [03:31:11] Speaker D: You better. I'll know if you don't oh, hold on a second. And she'll pause for a minute and rummage in the table next to her chair and pull out a little trinket and hand it over to Julia. Keep that with you. Made that for your grandfather. Always kept him safe. [03:31:37] Speaker F: May I ask what it is? [03:31:40] Speaker D: I'll explain it later. Not for other ears. [03:31:48] Speaker F: All right. Thank you, grandma. [03:31:50] Speaker D: Of course. Love you, baby. No, get on out of my house so I can nap. [03:32:01] Speaker G: I will shuffle out. I'm not going to interfere with a nap, jeez. [03:32:11] Speaker B: I mean, I'm obviously going to leave because I'm already on the bad list for this lady. [03:32:19] Speaker A: You're on the naughty list. [03:32:23] Speaker D: For what it's worth, she seems a little less antagonistic now than she did earlier today. [03:32:30] Speaker B: Yeah, I mean, that's what happens when the smart girl breaks up with me. It's fine. [03:32:40] Speaker D: You all shuffle out the door as you are climbing into the RV. Julia, are you going in the RV with them to this spot or are you going to take your car and just risk it? [03:32:54] Speaker F: I think I'd like to go in the RV, but if they say no, I'm fine with driving on my own. [03:32:59] Speaker B: Come on in. We used to have fun. [03:33:05] Speaker E: With a. [03:33:05] Speaker D: Bunch. [03:33:09] Speaker A: Storyteller at this point. What time is it? [03:33:14] Speaker D: We'll say it's getting on in the day. It only took us a little while to role play that scene, but the reality is it's probably been quite a while. And you're coming up on Nightfall. [03:33:28] Speaker A: How long until eight? [03:33:33] Speaker D: That's a good question. Let me look. You've probably got a couple of hours before it's 08:00. It's a little after six. The sun's just starting to go down. Okay. [03:34:00] Speaker A: And just out of curiosity, what days? [03:34:04] Speaker D: You are killing me with the specifics. Sorry. [03:34:08] Speaker A: You have a character. Listen, I am playing I know. [03:34:15] Speaker D: It is the we'll say the 22 September. [03:34:27] Speaker A: Um, while they're driving, Rosanna is going to set a reminder on her phone for 06:00 the 23rd to make her weekly post on her second website. [03:34:52] Speaker D: Got it. Okay. You all pile into the RV, and while you're driving, Rosanna takes care of whatever it is that Rosanna is taking care of as you make your way onto the road and down towards this accident site. Rosanna? [03:35:28] Speaker A: Yes? [03:35:29] Speaker D: Make me perception awareness or wits awareness? Wits awareness. I'm sorry. Too many game systems in my head. [03:35:48] Speaker A: Do I get to add any? [03:35:52] Speaker D: Do you actually hold on, I could tell you because I have your sheet up. [03:36:01] Speaker G: No. [03:36:02] Speaker A: Okay. [03:36:03] Speaker D: No. What did you roll? [03:36:21] Speaker A: Three successes. [03:36:25] Speaker D: Okay. Almost the moment that you pass within that border of the dead zone that Victoria brought to y'all's attention, you are no longer in the RV. You are sitting in the passenger seat of an old car. You're not sure what the make and model is. You know it's old because it's clearly it's got all of the hallmarks of classics that you've seen at, like, classic car shows. And there is a handsome young man sitting next to you. He is wearing a tuxedo. And when you look down, you are in a very pretty white lace dress. Not over the top, simple, but beautiful. And there is a ring on your finger where you hold his hand and you see a ring on his as well. And there is music playing over the radio and you are blissfully happy. It's been a wonderful day. And you are driving to your honeymoon. And then you hit something and you were going pretty quick because you were on a wide open highway. You could see for miles in either direction. Nobody was coming. Your front wheel slams into something in the road that you didn't spot. And the car goes up and over and you feel it flip and then roll onto its side and roll and roll and roll until it stops in the sand and dirt and rocks on the side of the road. You are disoriented, terrified. You screamed. You know you screamed. You don't fully remember doing it, but you know you did. And you look over, and the man who was beside you, who was just smiling serenely at you just a moment before, is laying awkwardly on the inside of the car, on the ceiling. You are hanging from a seatbelt, but there's blood. Your dress isn't white anymore. And as your blurry vision stares around the car out into the empty night and the lights on the car start to go out as the engine fails, you see a car coming down the road, but they pass right by like they don't see you. And you realize that nobody is coming. And then you wake up and you are sitting next to Victoria and Julia. [03:40:09] Speaker F: You okay? [03:40:11] Speaker D: Arthur, make me decks and drive, please. [03:40:14] Speaker B: All righty. Not my best. [03:40:22] Speaker G: Xana. What's wrong? [03:40:36] Speaker D: You slam on the brakes as you are driving. You don't know when she got there or how you missed her, but there was a woman in the road, and you slam on the brakes and swerve hard to the right to try and avoid her. And the whole RV spins unsteadily. And it's really only by its sheer weight that you guys manage to not tip and roll. [03:41:04] Speaker B: I was expecting her, and I still did this. [03:41:12] Speaker D: But when you look back to the woman that you are terrified you hit, there's nobody there. [03:41:22] Speaker B: So my naked eyes could see it. It's not a good sign. [03:41:26] Speaker E: Jesus Christ. What happened? [03:41:30] Speaker B: Girl appeared in the road. Tried not to hit her, but I think that we just encountered our ghosts. Sorry, Rosanna. [03:41:38] Speaker A: I didn't mean to scare no, it wasn't you. It wasn't you. We're alive. We're alive? [03:41:48] Speaker D: I think so. [03:41:52] Speaker A: Is the car stop? [03:41:55] Speaker D: Yes. [03:41:55] Speaker A: Okay. [03:41:58] Speaker D: You are facing the wrong way, but you are stopped. Okay. [03:42:02] Speaker A: Rosanna does not give a flying fuck. She's going to run out of the car where we are standing. Is this what I saw? [03:42:18] Speaker D: Roughly, yeah. There are some differences, but for the most part, yeah. [03:42:24] Speaker A: I want to run to the area that the car landed and just kind of fall to my knees and. [03:42:43] Speaker D: I. [03:42:43] Speaker A: Don'T know if there's any dirt or anything or, like, rocks or whatever. [03:42:48] Speaker D: Dirt and rocks? Yeah, absolutely. [03:42:50] Speaker A: I'm going to just dig my fingers in and I'm going to dip my head, and I kind of want to start trying to connect with the world around me, and I want to see if I can get a feel for this woman. [03:43:21] Speaker D: Okay. Make me a wits occult. Or you could do a resolve occult. And while that's happening, I want to find out what everybody else is doing. [03:43:35] Speaker A: Can I add my specialty? [03:43:39] Speaker D: What's your specialty? Absolutely. What's everybody else doing? [03:43:51] Speaker G: The moment Rosanna is bolted out of the door. I'm like, Rosanna, god. And then I'm chasing after her, and I've got my bells, and I'm kind of trying to rattle them in a. [03:44:01] Speaker A: Way that I am going to willpower that okay. [03:44:05] Speaker G: Rattling them in a way that will stop. Like, I don't know what ghosts do. If they take over our minds, perhaps I can prevent it a little bit. Possession definitely a thing, so I'm using my bell to try and hopefully stem that. But I'm also kind of like I grab Julia because I know that as long as she's close to me, my bells will affect her as like I don't want her to get taken over. [03:44:34] Speaker F: Either, so I'm taking her. [03:44:36] Speaker D: Zephyr. Yes. [03:44:38] Speaker A: Seven. [03:44:39] Speaker D: Okay. Zephyr. [03:44:43] Speaker E: God. I'm kind of, like, panicking because I'm like, what can I do? Everybody else has their thing, and I'm like, there's literally not much I can do. So I'm just kind of like putting stuff that fell over in the van, if that's I'm just kind of like keeping a watch out the windows to see if the woman appears again so I can let somebody know. [03:45:08] Speaker D: Are you staying in the RV? [03:45:10] Speaker E: Yes. [03:45:11] Speaker D: Okay. Arthur. [03:45:13] Speaker B: Arthur concerned for the fact that Rosanna just ran out and then Victoria grabbed Julia and just took off. He's going to look at Zephyr and be like, come on, grab his book, check his pockets, make sure he's got everything, and then come running it. He's going to take the keys, too, because you don't just leave keys hanging on an RV when something's going on because slasher movie and everyone's going to get stuck anyway, but he's going to come out and come out, try to figure out what's going on. [03:45:52] Speaker D: Are you following or are you staying in the RV? [03:45:54] Speaker E: Yeah, I'm following. Only because he was like, get your. [03:45:57] Speaker D: Ass out of here. Okay. All right. So everybody chases after Rosanna. Rosanna, you are sending your intention. You're not entirely sure what you've doing. You've never done this before. In fact, you've always sort of run from your encounters and your visions. So this is unusual for you, and there's a flare of desperation and instinct behind it as you dig your fingers down into this dirt where you know, the car went off the road. I need just a straight unspent willpower roll from you, and I'm going to make a roll over here of my own. It three. Okay, excellent. I'll make a note. As you reach your awareness down into the earth, you can definitely feel a presence here, and it's been here for a while. You're not entirely sure how you know, but some part of you knows on an instinctive level that it's been here for a good 60, 70 years, but only recently became this intense and got this level of power where it's actually able to do things to affect people enough to cause problems. You can feel her pain and her utter despair, her desperation. You keep thinking somebody has to stop. Somebody has to stop. Somebody has to stop. They have to find us. He needs a hospital. He's going to die. I'm going to die if somebody doesn't stop, I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. And it's a screaming litany in your head. And when your eyes open for just a moment, you see a woman in a white lace dress standing directly behind Arthur, and she's staring at you, but pointing at the keys in his hand. Arthur, she sees you. [03:49:14] Speaker B: Good. That's good. How many fingers am I holding up? [03:49:18] Speaker E: Arthur, I think there might be something behind you. [03:49:27] Speaker A: It's okay. We're not going to hurt you. [03:49:32] Speaker D: I have to stop. [03:49:35] Speaker B: And in my pocket and on my book. [03:49:42] Speaker D: Have to stop or we're going to die. They have to stop, or we're going to die. Going to die. Going to die. [03:49:49] Speaker A: Going to where is he? [03:50:00] Speaker D: Can you make me a charisma? Empathy or insight? Victoria, are you using your bells right now? [03:50:24] Speaker G: Yes. I'm not sure if there'll be an actual detriment to what's happening, but I can make a roll for you. [03:50:30] Speaker D: Roll for me, please. Five. [03:50:36] Speaker A: Critical. [03:50:37] Speaker D: Damn. Okay. Critical. Jesus. You you people. Okay. You are ringing these bells as you watch Rosanna interact with someone that you can't see at first, but as you were standing there and you were using your bells, you've never tried to use these against a ghost before. You don't know if you're doing it right. You're winging it. And you're staying very close to Julia to try and make sure that she stays safe at the same time. And all of you who are facing the way Rosanna is. So I'm not sure if Arthur and Zephyr will turn. But the rest of you all watch as a woman flickers into view, like a TV being tuned to the right station. And she is wearing an old fashioned 1950s wedding gown with a huge bloodstain down the front. And she looks confused at first by Rosanna's question about where is he? And then her face screws up into. [03:52:29] Speaker A: This. [03:52:34] Speaker D: Sob, and it's gut wrenching. Absolutely gut wrenching. And then it increases to a scream. Arthur, you hear this coming from behind you whether you turn or not. And then something old passes through you. And the rest of you watch as this ghost darts through Arthur, just passes directly through his body and straight towards Rosanna at a dead run. [03:53:09] Speaker F: I know that this is probably stupid, but can I try and stop it? I'm afraid that the ghost is if. [03:53:16] Speaker A: They try to stop her, rosanna is just going to put her hand out to stop them. [03:53:22] Speaker D: Okay, I want to hear what everybody else is going to do, and if we have to, we'll make some opposed roles. [03:53:30] Speaker G: Well, I'm out here ringing these to stop possession from happening, so I. Will make sure that my Circumference around me is close enough to affect Rosanna as well. [03:53:42] Speaker F: I was wanting to get in front of Rosanna because I know that she's more sensitive to this sort of thing, so I think that it would do more damage to her than it would to me. [03:53:53] Speaker D: Hey, Zephyr. Yeah. [03:53:55] Speaker E: I think, like, instinctively tried to get in front of her as well, because I'm just like, I don't know what this ghost is about to do, and this is kind of scary. [03:54:05] Speaker D: Good to know. Arthur. [03:54:08] Speaker B: Arthur. Crack seven's booked is one marked page that he keeps in his journal, and he just starts saying the bits that he's written in where he just starts reciting the words exe spiritus, Imundi, ad hocs, and Kriture day, and just starts doing his thing. Because I want to hold her in place and stop her from moving. [03:54:30] Speaker D: Okay. [03:54:33] Speaker A: And that's when Rosanna would put her hand up to tell everybody to stop. [03:54:42] Speaker D: I'm going to give everybody the option on whether or not they're going to listen to that. I'm not going to make them. Arthur, there is a role associated with this ability. [03:54:54] Speaker B: Yes, there is. [03:54:55] Speaker D: If you are not going to stop, I need you to make that role. [03:55:04] Speaker B: Just checking my question. Does this then constitute some desperation dice? [03:55:20] Speaker D: What's the thing that you get to use your desperation dice for as faithful. [03:55:23] Speaker B: Direct, conflict, physical, social? [03:55:26] Speaker E: Absolutely. [03:55:27] Speaker D: Yeah. This 100% is up your alley. [03:55:32] Speaker B: And then is it just one right now? [03:55:34] Speaker D: Yes. [03:55:35] Speaker B: Okay, that's a success for creating the ward. [03:55:46] Speaker D: Okay, four successes. Very good, very good, very good. And can you also roll me just a dexterity? Roll just dexterity. And we'll say wits. I want to see how fast you move. Julia and Zephyr? Same thing. Wits and dexterity together. [03:56:23] Speaker B: Three. [03:56:29] Speaker E: Also. [03:56:30] Speaker D: Three, two. Okay, julia, would you like to spend willpower to try and reroll? Some of those would okay, so hit the reroll. All right, three, three, three across the boards. Who has the highest dexterity here? [03:56:45] Speaker F: I have a four right there. [03:56:49] Speaker E: Yeah, I only have two. [03:56:50] Speaker D: Okay, cool. So Julia manages to get in front of it before you can fully stop it. That doesn't mean that your ability doesn't work. It just means that she and the ghost make contact at the same time. You lock it in place. Zephyr, you manage to get close, and you just kind of fuck, because you see the moment that Julia and this ghost kind of lock in with each other. Julia, you are not locked into place, but you are in physical contact with this ghost. You feel cold. You can feel that coal seeping into your bones and getting at your marrow. It's incredibly unpleasant, and you are starting to get a very similar sense of panic that I described to Rosanna. What do you want to do? [03:58:08] Speaker F: Would like to try and kind of stumble back to where I was standing. [03:58:12] Speaker D: Before you just want to get away from it. Okay, yeah, that's easy. That you can do that doesn't require a role. The ghost is locked in place. Victoria, you're reasonably certain your bells are doing something. You're not entirely sure what. But you do know that Julia came in physical contact with the ghost and didn't get immediately taken over, so that's got to be something. [03:58:37] Speaker G: Excellent. Yeah. I'm going to keep it up, then if we talk to it, that's fine. I'm fine with that. The ghost possessing us. No, absolutely not. And that's why I'm continuing this. [03:58:54] Speaker D: Rosanna, what do you want to do? They haven't stopped you from interacting with the ghost. They just stopped it from charging you. [03:59:08] Speaker A: I'm going to slowly pull my fingers out of the dirt. I'm going to keep some of it in my hand, and I'm going to slowly approach it to where it and I are touching. I'm used to the paranoia at this, so anything that I feel is just a normal Tuesday for me. [03:59:40] Speaker D: You're going to touch the ghost? [03:59:42] Speaker A: Yeah. [03:59:45] Speaker D: Okay. What are you trying to do? [03:59:55] Speaker A: It I want to try to. [04:00:00] Speaker D: I. [04:00:00] Speaker A: Want to try to talk. [04:00:04] Speaker D: Talking to her. What do you want to say? [04:00:19] Speaker A: When did it happen? [04:00:28] Speaker D: Last night. [04:00:36] Speaker A: What year? [04:00:38] Speaker D: They have to stop. [04:00:41] Speaker A: Don't. We're here to help. What years? [04:00:54] Speaker D: 1953. To stop. Have to stop or we're gonna die. Have to stop or we're gonna die. They have to stop, or we're going to die. [04:02:04] Speaker A: Who has to stop? [04:02:07] Speaker D: They have to stop, or we're gonna die. Please, we need to go to the hospital. Please. I don't want to die. [04:02:23] Speaker G: See that irritation boiling up in Victoria? A little bit. Tell it we've stopped. It's gonna be fine. [04:02:36] Speaker A: Rosanna's gonna crest her cheek. We sob. We're here to help. [04:02:51] Speaker D: And as if that's what she was waiting to hear, she lets out a sob that almost sounds like relief, and she disappears for everybody. Not even Rosanna. Can see her anymore. Oh, thank goodness. [04:03:25] Speaker F: Is it done? [04:03:29] Speaker A: Yeah, think so. Can't see her. [04:03:41] Speaker B: Well, that's good, because I wasn't sure I could actually punch Casper in the face. [04:03:53] Speaker G: I give my bells a couple more jingles for good measure, but I feel relatively safe at this point. And just like everyone okay, got their wits about. [04:04:04] Speaker A: Yeah, that's you doing all right, Julia? [04:04:11] Speaker F: Yeah, that was strange. But, you know, I'm glad that we were able to help her. [04:04:17] Speaker A: Welcome to my life. [04:04:23] Speaker F: Also, note to self, don't try and intersect a ghost. That's charging someone. That's a bad idea. [04:04:29] Speaker B: Yeah, that was a terrible idea, and I don't know what would happen, but I think that because Victoria was doing her thing, and I was trying to stop. But I think you worked out okay here. But yeah, no, that was a terrible idea. [04:04:42] Speaker A: Don't do not I don't need your grandmother to not like Arthur any more than she probably already does. It's true. [04:04:53] Speaker B: I wasn't even sure if that would work. This is actually, honestly, the first time that we've encountered a ghost, and I am just glad it did. [04:05:03] Speaker A: It. The reason that I flew out the way that I did was I had a vision. I was her. I know exactly what happened. I knew exactly what she wanted, but I needed to get it out of her. Her husband died right next. Nobody stopped. Nobody helped. That woman was grieving. I didn't want her. Oddly enough, she was. Yeah. [04:06:03] Speaker G: What's my motto? Everyone life sucks and then you die. [04:06:14] Speaker E: And then you're dead. [04:06:16] Speaker A: Except she just went through what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. [04:06:25] Speaker B: Yeah, that's rough. A person who said many weddings, let me tell you, it would be terrible to make that the worst day of your life as well. The pain and sorrow would be indescribable. [04:06:52] Speaker D: Anita, you are sorry. [04:07:01] Speaker B: I know we broke up, but this is for you. [04:07:08] Speaker A: She'll tell sad. And then I'll kind of fall into a hug and I think that's when Rosanna would actually break out gears. [04:07:29] Speaker D: All right, on that note, are you all going to pile back into the RV and head back to town? Excellent. You all pile back into the RV, go. To return Julia to her grandmother, or at least to her car at her grandmother's house. You know that you have rooms waiting at the lodge or no, you had the offer of rooms waiting at the lodge and food waiting at the cafe. [04:08:07] Speaker G: Wait, does the lodge have showers? [04:08:10] Speaker B: That's what I wish. [04:08:10] Speaker D: It absolutely does. It's a little hotel. Oh, no. Maybe there's still rooms left. It's a small town. Not many let you check in. [04:08:22] Speaker B: We just need one room. We can share the shower. Like, we can all just take turns. Fine. [04:08:27] Speaker E: Group shower. [04:08:32] Speaker B: All the time. It's fine. [04:08:34] Speaker D: Save that. You all pile into the RV and head back to town. You drop off Julia, wish her a good night, tell her you'll see her in the morning. Victoria promises that she will be promises that she will be at the rescue first thing to prove that she can take care of her new companion. [04:09:08] Speaker F: See you there. [04:09:10] Speaker G: Yeah, I'll see you there. [04:09:14] Speaker D: Hey, Julia, I'm going to take you off the screen now. Thank you for joining us. Hopefully we'll see you again sooner as you all are going through the process of everybody taking their turn to shower, maybe debating who gets to sleep in a proper bed tonight. The owner was kind enough to provide you with a room with two doubles so a couple of you could sleep in a proper bed and the others would have to sleep in the RV. But while you're waiting, Arthur, you're out at the RV kind of cleaning up and putting things to rights. And you on a whim. Just check your phone. You did just go out on a hunt. You weren't super paying attention to it. And there's a voicemail waiting for you. And a missed call. [04:10:43] Speaker B: Look at it, know exactly what it is. And part of him is excited but part of him is afraid to listen. But he presses play anyway. [04:11:00] Speaker D: Hi, Arthur, it's me. I know I was told I should only call if it's an emergency but things have been really quiet here. We don't really get invited to anything unless it's for the whole church and they can't tell us. No. No one's really spoken to me much in weeks. But I'm holding our family together like you taught me to. Like God wants me to. There's several seconds of silence, and you can hear her breathing. And it's shaky and unsure, like she's desperately, desperately trying not to cry. The truth is, I think I'm calling because I'm lonely. It's silly, I know. You need your time to figure yourself out. Remember your faith, and you'll be back. And I'll wait as long as it takes even if the speaker never prays for me again. But I am. No, I have to go. Someone's coming. I'm I'm not even supposed to have a cell phone. I love you. [04:12:17] Speaker E: Bye. [04:12:18] Speaker D: And then the line goes dead. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is where we will end our story for the night. Thank you for joining us.