0:04

Ninth story studios, getting

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story a voice.

0:16

This is Addison peacock. And you're

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listening to the wicked library.

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At Kroger, we want our fresh produce

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to meet your expectations, which is why

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for everyone. The TWL workout

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It feels eighty's pop up jam great.

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But when they got to go that way more

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Halo View. Deal ends March fifteen.

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Twelve month commitment applies, see how clever details.

1:31

Warning. The Wicked Library is

1:33

a horror fiction podcast. Created

1:35

for mature audience. Our

1:38

stories contain graphic descriptions of

1:40

pain, murder, violence,

1:43

blood, betrayal, and inhumanity.

1:46

Monsters win, people die,

1:49

and hope is often shattered. There

1:51

is also beauty, heart, catharsis,

1:55

and raw emotion. Fear

1:57

may be deeply personal, but

1:59

we all share If at any

2:01

time a story takes you to a place too

2:04

dark, turn on the lights, press

2:06

pause, or press stop. And

2:10

always remember that unlike

2:12

in the real world, these nightmares

2:15

and your participation in them are

2:17

under your control.

2:33

Welcome back to the Wicked Library, and

2:35

welcome to season twelve. This

2:38

is episode number twelve o one.

2:41

I'm Daniel Fojtek, and I thank you for

2:43

listening. It's been a while since I've

2:45

shared a news story with you. Ninth

2:47

Street Studios has recently relocated to

2:49

the deep dark woods of Central

2:51

PA. So I apologize

2:54

for the delay in getting fresh wicked tales

2:56

out to you all, but Now

2:58

that I'm settled into the ancient mountains

3:00

of Appalachia, where the stars are

3:02

bright, the woods are dark, and

3:04

the voices of ancient things come on

3:06

the wind. You can expect more

3:08

regular content. I'm

3:11

thrilled to present two wicked tales as

3:13

we kick off season TWL. Going

3:15

forward, all stories will be heard first by

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Patreon supporters and then later

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shared with the full audience. A

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sincere thank you to those of you who are supporting

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the show. Without you, this show

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and everyone else involved in making the show

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thank you for your support of this show and

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of independent horror fiction. If

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that at patreon dot com forward slash

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A lot of hard work and money goes into making the

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and even more. You can support

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slash wicked library. today

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we present two dark tales told by Graham

4:18

TWL, custom scores written

4:20

by Nico Vitez of We Talk

4:22

of Dreams. Now, let's

4:25

get wicked. With today's first Dark

4:27

and Creepy one last

4:29

performance in Gibtown by

4:32

Lamont a Turner.

5:19

Whose idea was it to go to Gibsonton?

5:22

Nicole asked, has Brandon beat

5:24

his head against this steering wheel with exaggerated

5:27

angst. Let's go see the freaks.

5:29

You said. It'll be fun. You said.

5:32

It would have been fun. Hemoaned.

5:35

If you'd told me your dad's car had an oil

5:37

leak before we were already a hundred

5:39

miles

5:40

out, you should have

5:41

told me you didn't have a car before you asked

5:43

me out? She shot back,

5:46

sounding a lot harsher than she had intended.

5:49

Brandon waved his middle finger in her face,

5:52

grabbed a vinyl poncho from the back

5:54

seat and pulled it over his head

5:56

before pushing open the car door.

5:59

wind blew rain into his face

6:01

as he jumped out and went around to front

6:03

of the car to raise the hood. Nicole

6:06

saw plumes of smoke drift

6:08

back to envelop the car and

6:11

imagine the sound of raindrops sizzling

6:13

on the hot engine. Even

6:15

with the windows up, she could hear

6:17

Brandon cursing.

6:19

The hood went back down. And a

6:21

moment later, Brandon was back in the driver's

6:23

seat,

6:24

reaching around the seats to retrieve

6:26

towels. He rubbed his hands on the

6:28

towel, leaving black smudges on

6:30

the white terry cloth. There's

6:32

oil all over the place. He

6:34

said from beneath the green hood, I

6:37

don't think the engine is fried, but the alternator

6:39

belt got too slick and came off.

6:42

Can't you just put it back? She asked

6:45

trying not to sound too naive. It's

6:48

all chewed up, he said, dejectedly.

6:51

Besides the battery is already dead,

6:54

Maybe we could get a jump. She said

6:56

hopefully, you see any other

6:58

cars in the last hour? He

7:00

snapped. Routing the sticks

7:02

in the middle of the night during a thunderstorm, nobody's

7:05

stopping for us. Besides

7:08

jump would only get us a few miles before

7:10

she died again. We're

7:12

screwed. Nicole

7:15

started tapping on her phone while Brandon

7:17

let a cigarette. Where are

7:19

we? She asked, batting at

7:21

the smoke. Brandon jabbed at

7:23

the button on the door and quietly cursed

7:25

himself for forgetting the windows had

7:27

died. With the battery. Some

7:30

were on old US forty one. He

7:32

told her, opening the door just far

7:34

enough to toss his cigarette out.

7:37

Good luck getting anybody to come out in this

7:39

mess at this time of night though. Can

7:41

you be more precise? I

7:44

don't know. We're probably a few

7:46

miles from the main highway. Find

7:48

us on your GPS. She

7:50

was still trying to determine their exact location

7:53

when yellow flash lighting lights appeared

7:55

behind

7:55

them. A minute

7:57

later, knuckles appeared out of the darkness

7:59

to wrap on Brandon's window. Brandon

8:02

and Nicole both jumped. They'd

8:04

both been looking in their side mirrors and

8:06

had seen no one approach. Brandon

8:09

opened his door a crack and

8:11

saw a giant in great coverall

8:13

staring down at him broke

8:15

down, asked the giant,

8:18

seemingly unfazed by the raindrops

8:20

splattering on his bald head. Brandon,

8:23

spellbound by the man's thick

8:25

asymmetrical features could only

8:28

nod. With his jutting brow

8:30

and a chin that disappeared into a

8:32

thick bulllike neck. The man

8:34

would have looked at home and the prehistoric man

8:36

exhibit at the museum, but for

8:39

his lack of hair. Lacking

8:41

even eyebrows, he seemed somehow

8:43

unfinished like a Halloween mask

8:46

just out of the mold. You

8:48

picked a bad night that as a

8:50

tornado touched down just a few

8:52

miles north of here. Go

8:54

ahead and put her in neutral, then you

8:57

folks can go sit in my cab. He

8:59

said, jerking a thumb the size

9:01

of a cucumber at the flashing lights.

9:05

Brandon nodded again. He

9:07

turned the in the ignition and shifted the

9:09

car out of park before pulling another

9:11

poncho from the back seat and dropping

9:14

it into Kohl's left. A

9:16

few minutes later, they were both in the cab

9:18

of the giant's truck with Nicole

9:20

sitting on Brandon's lap in the bucket

9:22

seat. I thought you said no

9:24

one would stop to help? Nicole

9:26

chided. I'm not sure anyone

9:29

human did. Did you get a look

9:31

at that guy? Brandon asked,

9:34

pulling back her hood so he could see her face.

9:37

I could only see he was big. She

9:39

responded. He has to be at least

9:41

seven feet tall. I almost

9:43

tripped over his boot when I got out of the

9:45

car. Brandon said, I

9:48

could have got in it and sailed to China if

9:50

I put a sail on it. I

9:52

must have a hell of a time walking upstairs.

9:55

Despite the rain, it took the man surprisingly

9:57

little time to hook up the chains and

10:00

get the car onto the bed of the truck.

10:02

Before Brandon and Nicole could decide

10:04

if the monkey skull on the dashboard

10:07

was real or just a plastic

10:09

prop, the man was climbing into

10:11

the driver's seat. What's

10:13

wrong with her? He asked, wrapping

10:15

a big hand around the shifter She

10:18

talks too much in bites her nails. Brandon

10:21

quipped, changing his answer to

10:24

alternator after getting elbowed

10:26

in the ribs I know

10:28

a good mechanic over in Giptown. He

10:30

won't be open for a few hours, but there's

10:32

an all night diner right across the street.

10:36

giant responded ignoring the

10:38

joke. Giptown, is

10:40

that far? Nicole asked,

10:42

shifting her weight on Brandon's bony

10:45

lap. That's what the locals call Gibson,

10:48

Brandon told her. Looks like we'll be

10:50

making it there tonight after all. What

10:53

do you folks wanna go there for? Ask

10:55

the giant his deep voice expressing

10:58

genuine puzzlement as though they had just

11:00

told him they wanted to spend the night in a

11:02

public toilet. I

11:04

was wondering the same thing, Nicole

11:06

said, digging her heel into the side

11:09

of Brandon's chin. I

11:11

heard there's a bar where all the sideshow performers

11:13

hang out. Brandon said, giving

11:16

Nicole a jab in the thigh. I

11:18

thought I might try to interview them for an article

11:21

I'm planning. If you're looking

11:23

for freaks, I can take you someplace

11:25

where there's all kinds of them. Said

11:27

the giant It's just a few blocks

11:30

down from where we're taking your car. Brandon

11:33

expressed his enthusiasm for the idea.

11:36

And then the conversation died as the

11:38

driver turned his attention to the

11:40

road. The headlights barely

11:42

made it dent in the blackness, leaving

11:45

Brandon with only Nicole's weight on

11:47

his legs to distract him from the sound

11:49

of the rain pounding on the roof of

11:51

the cap. In a constant staccato,

11:54

like the tapping of a thousand skeletal

11:56

fingers. If he had been in

11:58

his own vehicle, he would have had the radio

12:00

at full volume and a cigarette

12:02

between his lips, but he was merely

12:05

a passenger and the giant didn't

12:07

seem to mind the noise. He

12:09

sat hunched over the wheel, squinting

12:12

at the darkness beyond the windshield, while

12:14

Nicole's attention was fixed on him.

12:17

She studied the man, mesmerized

12:19

by his ugliness. The

12:22

pattern on the roof subsided as they

12:24

drove out of the storm and passed sign

12:27

identifying the border of Gibson.

12:30

The giant took a detour off the highway

12:32

onto a narrow road. Strangled

12:35

by the overarching trees. Branches

12:38

came to life in the yellow light, strobing

12:40

atop the and clawed at them

12:42

as they passed. Weeds

12:45

reached up from cracks in the pavement

12:47

to rake the bottom of the truck as they

12:49

rolled over them. Brandon

12:51

wanted that cigarette now more than

12:53

ever. What's that up ahead?

12:56

Nicole asked, drawing Brandon's

12:58

attention from the swamps on either side

13:00

of them. They were coming upon

13:02

a fence stretched across the road.

13:04

As they grew closer, Brandon saw

13:06

the road widened and ended just

13:09

before an iron gate set in the middle

13:11

of a fence about eight feet in

13:13

height. Did you make a wrong

13:15

turn? Brandon asked the giant

13:18

as the truck slowed to a stop. Out,

13:21

ordered the man opening his door

13:23

and jumping out onto the road. Nicole

13:27

twisted around to search Brandon's face

13:29

for some clue as to how she

13:31

should react. Saw only confusion

13:33

reflected in his eyes. Brandon

13:36

opened his mouth to speak, but was

13:38

cut off by Nicole's scream as

13:40

the passenger door was thrown open

13:43

and she was yanked from the cab. Out

13:46

repeated the giant reaching back

13:49

in again to pull Brandon out.

13:51

He landed hard on his shoulder next

13:53

to Nicole who was already scampering

13:56

to get up and away from the big man.

13:59

What are you doing? Brandon

14:01

shouted clutching his arm. You

14:03

said you wanted to talk to the freaks

14:06

replied the giant. Well, here

14:08

they are. He stretched

14:10

out his long arm toward the gate,

14:13

guiding Brandon's gaze to the

14:15

rows of stones behind the

14:17

iron bars. Brandon

14:19

tried to rise, but a huge hand

14:22

shot out and wrapped around his throat.

14:24

Slamming his head against the side

14:27

of the truck. Brandon

14:30

dreamed he was being stabbed in the face

14:33

by a thousand tiny daggers.

14:36

Waking, he opened his eyes and

14:38

immediately raised his left arm

14:40

over his face to block the rein.

14:43

He tried to push himself up off the ground

14:45

with his right, but couldn't get it to

14:47

move. So instead, he rolled over

14:49

on his side to face the road.

14:52

He was alone. The wind

14:55

whistled through the trees, mocking

14:57

him as he shouted Nicole's name.

15:00

He shouted it again and again,

15:02

but Nicole did not answer. Finally,

15:06

managing to get his knees under him, he

15:08

tried to stand but a sharp

15:10

pain in his head forced him back down.

15:14

He lay there, panting, unable

15:16

to fend off the rain that melted his

15:18

face, while waiting for the pain to

15:20

subside. As it faded

15:22

to a dull ache, he rolled over

15:25

and crawled to the gates of the cemetery.

15:28

Pulling himself up on the bar as he noticed

15:30

a light off in the distance. He

15:32

hung there, squinting at the yellow

15:35

square of light, floating in a sea

15:37

of black. It was coming from the

15:39

window of a fishing camp on the edge

15:41

of the swamp. He

15:43

knew he had to get to that house but

15:46

he would have to cross the cemetery. He

15:49

slowly left go of the gate and tested

15:51

his legs. They wobbled

15:53

a bit, but he could stand. And

15:55

as long as he didn't try to move too quickly,

15:58

the pain in his head was tolerable enough

16:00

for him to walk. He tugged

16:02

on the gate, and it had started to creek

16:04

open when he lost his footing and stumbled

16:07

back. As he

16:08

steadied himself, the wind howled

16:10

and blew the rain back into his face.

16:13

The gate flew open, clanging against

16:16

the fence. Brandon

16:18

took a deep breath to clear his head

16:20

and then staggered into the cemetery.

16:24

His feet sank in the soft

16:26

earth as he wandered between the stones

16:29

heading for the light. Under other

16:31

circumstances, he would have been eager to investigate

16:34

such McCabra surroundings searching

16:36

for material for one of his articles on

16:39

the arcane and Utre. But

16:41

now all he could think of was finding

16:43

help God only knew what

16:45

that monster was doing to Nicole. He

16:48

wondered how long he'd been unconscious and

16:50

how far the giant could have gotten. Maybe

16:53

it was already too late. The

16:56

rain slowed, coming in fits

16:58

now, but the wind was unrelenting

17:01

It pushed back against him, striking

17:04

out on behalf of those whose graves

17:06

he tried upon. His

17:08

head throbbed and the pain returned

17:11

in flashes that blurred his vision

17:13

and took away his breath. He

17:15

collapsed on the steps of a crypt, a

17:17

few feet from a stone obelisk

17:20

adorned with bar reliefs of

17:22

circus clowns. In

17:24

the dim light of the distant camp,

17:26

they seemed to move, coveting

17:28

around the monument as though performing

17:31

one last show for him. He

17:33

shook his head and looked away. But

17:35

when he looked back, expecting to

17:37

see a static sculpture, he

17:40

found none. The clowns

17:42

had vanished. He walked over

17:44

and ran his hand down the surface

17:46

of the smooth stone. There

17:48

were no markings other than an inscription

17:51

at the base reading in memory

17:53

of those who lost their lives in

17:55

the Midland fire of nineteen thirty

17:57

TWL, may they find the joy

18:00

in the next world that they brought to

18:02

others in this one. Midland

18:05

fire. He'd heard of it

18:07

somewhere. He stared at the

18:09

inscription trying to remember Yes.

18:13

He had read about it while researching an article

18:15

on circuses in the Depression era.

18:17

A circus tent had gone up in flames.

18:20

As the fire spread. Rather than

18:22

rushing to safety, the clowns had

18:24

continued their performance to calm the

18:26

children in the audience while they were let

18:29

out to safety. By the

18:31

time the last of the children were out,

18:33

it was too late. The tent

18:35

came down smothering them in

18:37

a blanket of flame. The

18:39

fire then spread to the stables and

18:41

the trailers inhabited by the sideshow

18:43

performers many of whom were not

18:46

able to escape due to their physical

18:48

limitations. Almost

18:50

fifty performers as well as two

18:52

Lion and several horses

18:55

died that night. He

18:57

traced to crack in the stone with a trembling

18:59

finger. The stones around him

19:02

leaned in the tall weeds. The

19:04

inscriptions worn away along

19:06

with the memory of the people lying beneath

19:08

them. Lives erased by

19:10

neglect. Nobody had

19:12

been here in a very long

19:14

time. Brandon

19:17

fell to his knees in began sobbing

19:20

like a drunk on his tenth shot

19:22

of bourbon. Nicole, the

19:24

pain in his head and numbness in

19:26

his arm, the wind and the rain.

19:29

It was all too much. He

19:31

couldn't go any further. He

19:34

was done. He curled up

19:36

in the mud at the base of the monument, the

19:38

numbness in his arm spreading throughout

19:41

his body. Then

19:44

somebody laughed. Brandon

19:47

looked up to see a clown standing

19:49

on the step of the crypt. A

19:51

gust of wind threw muddy water into

19:54

Brandon's face and slammed the cemetery

19:56

gate shut but the balloons in

19:58

the clown's hand did not wave her.

20:01

The clown's laughter grew louder,

20:04

more manic. Other voices

20:06

joined the chorus as shadowy figures

20:09

stepped out of the darkness. Some

20:11

were clowns. Others scurried

20:14

forward on their hands and loped

20:16

over the stones dangling extra

20:19

limbs. A thing with no limbs

20:21

at all flopped in the mud propelled

20:23

by the undulations of its torso.

20:26

Brandon screamed and the light in

20:29

the distance went out. Brandon

20:31

awoke with a light in his eyes.

20:34

Looking past it, He saw the tow

20:36

truck driver standing over him.

20:39

I thought I killed you, said

20:41

the giant. Guess your head

20:43

is harder than I figured. He

20:46

clicked off the flashlight and stuffed it into

20:48

the pocket of his coverals. Then

20:51

he reached down and grabbed Brandon

20:53

by the shoulders, lifting him up

20:55

to stare into his face. What

20:57

the hell are you screaming about? You

21:00

might have gotten away if you'd kept your

21:02

trap shut. He said

21:04

giving Brandon a shake before casting

21:06

him back down. Where

21:08

did they go? Brandon muttered

21:11

looking about. The giant

21:13

looked around too and seeing

21:15

nothing, let out a long,

21:18

ruthless chuckle. Guess

21:20

I must have scrambled your brains. He

21:22

said, don't worry. You

21:25

won't have to deal with it much longer.

21:28

Brandon watched the giant kick over a

21:30

tombstone with his oversized boot.

21:33

He picked it up and raised it over

21:35

his head. Brandon covered

21:38

his face and waited for the stone

21:40

to come crashing down. Something

21:44

snarled and then roared. It

21:46

echoed through the cemetery, rattling

21:48

the gate. A brass eared

21:50

fell from a niche in the wall of the crypt,

21:53

and the weeds bent down and parted

21:55

as the roar grew louder. Brendan

21:58

lowered his arm to see the giant. The

22:01

stones still over his head

22:03

had turned to stare at something approaching

22:05

from the direction of the road. What

22:08

the hell? It ain't

22:10

possible. He shouted

22:12

before hurling the stone. It

22:15

obviously had no effect on whatever

22:17

was out there for the big man

22:19

turned to run. Brandon

22:21

left up and ran as well, going

22:23

as fast as his trembling legs would allow,

22:26

weaving around the gravestones The

22:29

giant had less luck. He

22:31

stumbled as his boots collided with

22:33

the stones hidden in the tall grass,

22:36

As Brandon overtook him, he saw

22:38

the man go down. The roar

22:40

was replaced by the sound of the man's

22:42

screams. As Brandon passed

22:45

the last graves and found himself

22:47

on a gravel path leading to

22:49

the camp. As he got closer,

22:51

he saw the bed of the tow truck jutting

22:54

out from behind the cabin and

22:56

knew he would find no help there.

22:58

He might, however, find

23:00

Nicole. Reaching

23:03

the cabin, he peered in the window, afraid

23:05

he might find the giant hat accomplices. But

23:08

the room was empty. A large

23:10

pot simmered over the fire in the hearth

23:13

before a long table. In

23:15

the light of the flames, he could see straps

23:18

hanging over the side dangling

23:20

above a large metal tub. Finding

23:23

the door unlocked. He crept in,

23:25

still wary of the possibility of someone

23:28

lurking in the next room. He

23:30

saw a set of knives of various sizes

23:32

arranged neatly on a tray beside

23:35

the table. The table itself

23:37

was metal, and had a groove along

23:39

the edge with a hole in the corner

23:41

over the tub. He

23:43

stared at the dark stains in the grooves

23:46

and the scratches on the surface. And

23:48

swallowed the bile forcing its way

23:50

up his throat. He

23:53

found the coal tied up on a bed

23:55

in the next room, unconscious but

23:58

alive. The cell phone still

24:00

in her pocket had just enough power

24:02

left to call the police. Brandon

24:08

watched the workman he had hired put the

24:10

new cemetery gate in place. Behind

24:13

him, another crew was replacing the

24:15

stones in the newly mowed yard,

24:18

straightening them after cleaning them up.

24:20

Scraping away years of mold to

24:22

give names back to those resting

24:25

below them. In some cases,

24:27

had been consulted and new stones

24:30

were erected. Brandon's

24:32

account of his escape from the man the press

24:34

had dubbed the cannibal killer had

24:36

become a best seller, resulting

24:39

in a fortune in book sales and a

24:41

lucrative series of lectures. The

24:43

people buried in the cemetery had

24:45

saved him. Putting on one last

24:48

performance in an effort to spur him

24:50

on and then saving him from the

24:52

certain death at the hands of the giant

24:54

after their efforts to revive him had

24:57

failed. Keeping their

24:59

memory alive was the least

25:01

he could do. As for

25:03

the giant, All that was ever found

25:05

of him was a foot, still

25:07

lodged in an oversized boot.

25:10

Nobody was able to identify certain

25:12

the animal that had gnawed that foot

25:14

off. But Brandon was certain

25:17

if the tooth marks had been properly examined

25:19

by someone with the proper experience It

25:22

would be revealed that the giant

25:24

had been killed by a lion.

25:36

America needs reliability, roads

25:38

to keep supplies moving. Energy

25:41

to power every moment, and

25:43

we need that reliability now.

25:46

Hundreds of new infrastructure projects

25:48

are awaiting government approval projects

25:50

that will supply thousands of jobs

25:52

and improve American lives. But

25:55

new red tape from the White House could create

25:57

years of backlog or worse,

26:00

project cancellations. Ohio

26:03

can't wait any longer to build back better.

26:05

We need progress now. For better

26:07

roads, more affordable energy,

26:10

and a reliable supply chain.

26:13

Help break the gridlock call center

26:15

brown 2022242315.

26:21

And tell our senator we need him

26:23

to cut the red tape and get

26:25

Ohio moving

26:26

again. 2022242315,

26:32

paid for by the coalition for American jobs.

26:36

America needs reliability, roads

26:38

to keep supplies moving, energy

26:41

to power every moment, and

26:43

we need that reliability now.

26:46

Hundreds of new infrastructure projects

26:48

are awaiting government approval, projects

26:50

that will supply thousands of jobs and

26:53

improve American lives. But

26:55

new red tape from the White House could create

26:57

years of backlog or worse

27:00

project cancellations. Ohio

27:03

can't wait any longer to build back better,

27:05

we need progress now for

27:07

better roads, more affordable energy,

27:10

and a reliable supply chain

27:13

Help break the gridlock, call center

27:15

brown 2022242315.

27:21

And tell our senator we need him

27:23

to cut the red tape and get

27:25

Ohio moving

27:26

again. 2022242315,

27:32

paid for by the coalition for American jobs.

27:43

Up next, we dig deep into

27:45

the darkness with the quiet ones,

27:48

intent on nurturing the most

27:50

delectable soil by TWL

27:52

Morgan.

28:02

I leaned back on the grass and watched them.

28:05

A few wear overalls. One

28:07

guy walks by wearing a bare skin

28:09

smock and nothing else. His

28:11

white hairy ass exposed when

28:13

he passes Some carry

28:16

pales of dark soil. Like

28:18

my dad, I bet none have

28:20

ever been near a farm. I feel

28:22

the urge to grab one and shake sense

28:25

into them, but they are bedazzled.

28:28

The mold has turned them into these strange

28:31

agrarians. It's obviously

28:33

a lot more complicated than that, but

28:35

the frustration is hard to stifle, or

28:38

it's not frustration at all, but

28:40

fear. Nearby,

28:43

a man and woman each clothed

28:45

in dirty jeans, t shirts,

28:47

and green kitchen aprons marked

28:49

with whole foods in white letters,

28:52

tidy a spot they've dug and filled

28:54

with potting soil. A wheelbarrow

28:57

rest to their side, a worn

28:59

shovel leaned against that.

29:01

The mound of darker soil bumps

29:03

up from the grass. They

29:05

rest their weight on their tibia's knees

29:08

bent and gaze in reverence

29:10

at their creation. I

29:12

see no seedling. Maybe

29:14

they have only begun to carry out their

29:16

plan. The

29:18

woman

29:18

is young, pretty. Dirty

29:20

blonde hair freckles. Hard

29:23

to say if she knew the guy before this

29:26

or if they became enamored of the same

29:28

spot, On the way back to

29:30

the office and I stop at a corner store

29:32

for some smokes, that I'll

29:34

watch out, the clerk says

29:36

in his thick New England accent, handing

29:39

me the pack. They say the

29:41

molds got into the tobacco crops.

29:44

Yeah. Thanks. I say,

29:48

thing is, I know the risks

29:51

just like everyone else, not that

29:53

it will matter much soon enough besides

29:57

cigarettes are making a comeback. Outside,

30:01

leaned against his Bodega wall, I

30:04

taste the sweet relief of the tobacco

30:06

leaves. Letting the smoke

30:08

swirl in my mouth before inhaling

30:10

all the way down. There's

30:12

something thrilling about that tarpness

30:15

even more so than the nicotine. A

30:18

man strolls past me with potting soil

30:20

caked to his face as if he'd

30:23

been eating it and nods as my

30:25

cloud of smoke drifts into him.

30:27

His hands are heavy with dirt TWL.

30:30

Dark half rings under the fingernail

30:33

tips while the nails themselves

30:35

are nearly black with the mold under

30:37

the surface. I

30:40

take my time walking home. The

30:43

weather is perfect. Such

30:45

a blue sky, lots of

30:47

sun, a touch of breeze,

30:50

the sidewalks are full, kids

30:53

ride their bikes and run play

30:55

ball. A grown man does

30:57

summer solts in the grass at Procter

30:59

Park. This is the first stage.

31:02

Some people have remained at with no further

31:04

symptoms, not yet anyway.

31:07

It includes a rejuvenation of what people

31:09

have been calling loving nature.

31:12

Akin to loving kindness. If

31:15

this were the only way it affected us,

31:17

we might call it a silver lining.

31:21

But it is not, and we

31:23

do not. But

31:25

my building, I find the three Taylor brothers.

31:28

There used to be four. Passing

31:30

a basketball to each other in front of the stoop.

31:33

Bounce pass, quick throw, too

31:36

high. Into the street. An

31:39

oncoming Tesla quickly slows and

31:41

stops, the driver asleep.

31:44

Seth the oldest boy, John's

31:46

after the ball, and the car drives

31:48

itself off when he's clear. Hey,

31:51

mister Dallas. They say,

31:53

nearly in unison. Boys,

31:57

how's your mom? Josie

31:59

Taylor has had sad eyes whenever

32:02

I've her the past week, irises

32:04

like black cups of coffee. She's

32:07

on the phone, says Reggie,

32:10

your dad again? It's

32:12

not the sort of assumptions I'd ever

32:14

say to their mom, but the boys don't

32:17

notice. Don't know. He

32:19

says, She's crying, so

32:21

probably, I

32:24

shrugged hiding the concern.

32:27

The boys go back to passing the ball.

32:29

And I slip up the steps. The

32:31

building foyer smells musty. Not

32:34

a good sign. I'd call the landlord

32:36

about it, but he never did anything even in the

32:38

best of times. At the third

32:41

floor hallway, I put mirror to the

32:43

tailor door. Complete

32:45

silence. The urge to knock

32:47

is so strong that I clench my fist.

32:50

My intentions are impure. I'm

32:52

thinking about taking her in my arms and

32:54

kissing her. I head

32:56

back up the next flight to my fourth floor

32:59

apartment. Cable

33:01

news is once again dominated by

33:03

angry talking heads. That

33:06

hasn't changed through this slow moving

33:08

apocalypse. For some

33:10

reason, the primary reaction I have

33:12

when people discuss it is shame. I

33:15

wanna hide from it. And wherever

33:17

I turn, it's there. So

33:19

I fill myself with the idea that

33:21

though everything is fucked up, can

33:24

make the world small as tiny

33:26

as the crevice in cup hands. Yes,

33:29

the threat is real. And

33:31

older blonde woman shouts. But

33:34

the crazed reaction of Democrats is

33:36

just another of their socialist attacks

33:38

on capitalism. Her

33:41

eyes bug out so weirdly that I think

33:43

she must be on acid. The

33:45

Liberals on the panel jerked back in

33:47

full horror This isn't

33:50

global warming, Lana. One

33:52

of them, a young Latina, says,

33:54

Drowley, not real lizing she's just

33:56

unintentionally shit on global warming.

34:00

An older man is wearing a straw hat

34:02

and overalls on otherwise bare

34:04

shoulders Maybe they needed a

34:06

token moldy, but he looks ridiculous.

34:09

A short length of hay even juts from

34:11

the corner of his mouth I

34:14

changed the channel before more shouting

34:16

erupts. Discovery

34:18

has a show about the media and the

34:20

scientists who first investigated it.

34:23

Or bastards. After

34:25

a commercial break, they display projections

34:28

for the fate of humanity. The

34:30

curved graph bends sharply

34:32

upward. Its peak coinciding with

34:35

a date within the next two months. I

34:38

turn off the TV. Two

34:40

snowbirds tweet in the tree next to

34:42

my kitchen window. The little

34:44

kitchenette table for two pushes against

34:47

the low frame, a rusted fire escape

34:49

just beyond. I watched

34:51

the white rusted songlings hop from

34:54

branch to branch. And wonder if

34:56

birds have empathy and

34:58

decide this is doubtful. My

35:01

cell vibrates. Mom,

35:04

I let her go to voice mail. Last

35:07

talked to dad at taking the sleeping on his dirt

35:10

pile. I quickly stream

35:12

some music. It shuffles to my

35:14

classical channel and starts right

35:16

off with Debo sees prelude

35:18

to the afternoon of a fawn. It

35:21

transports me far and deep

35:23

until I imagine I'm looking through the eyes

35:26

of one of the birds. The

35:28

ground glows red with squiggly

35:30

lines. Which I realize are the

35:32

heat signatures of worms burrowing

35:34

through the topsoil. Wind

35:36

currents rattle the leaves, the

35:39

sent of Poland is overpowering. The

35:42

peace ends so softly that I

35:44

linger in my meditative state. My

35:47

tea kettle's whistle alerts me back.

35:50

I'd forgotten I'd turned on the burner.

35:53

Camma mile tea made I grasped

35:55

the cup with both hands to feel the

35:57

warmth. The brown splotches

36:00

under my thumbnails are right in my

36:02

face. Sip.

36:05

Turn to look outside. I

36:08

need a lemon wedge for this tea.

36:10

More music and meditation. Another

36:13

cup of tea after. My

36:15

heart beats so fast. I can't help

36:17

but focus on its intense pulse.

36:20

The birds, I think, and the

36:22

wind, the pollen and the

36:24

bees, seeds, and

36:26

those curling sprouts I

36:29

put my TWL cup in the sink and dropped the

36:31

lemon wedge into the coffee can on the

36:33

counter, a peek inside.

36:37

The growing heat will be a good start

36:39

to my compost. Mom

36:42

coughs rather than cries. It's

36:45

an involuntary reaction she's

36:47

always had. Through the phone

36:49

though, it's hard to tell the difference. James,

36:52

why can't you come home? I

36:55

gulp down whatever my first thought

36:57

is. No planes are flying

36:59

mom. I can't drive across the country.

37:02

TWL would take me weeks. Gas stations

37:04

are closing. It's not like it used

37:06

to be. What about a bus

37:09

Sarah Watkins' daughter took a bus home

37:11

from Chicago. Do you need money?

37:14

I can wire some to you. Wire

37:17

some money. I wonder if

37:19

banks still do that. On

37:21

the street below, the Taylor boys are

37:23

screaming. Not in a fighting

37:25

way, but in a pubescent boy

37:27

ADHD way. Their

37:30

easy rowdiness makes me smile. Though

37:32

I'm trying to be distracted. No

37:34

money, mom. Look, I'm in Boston.

37:37

The bus would take weeks too. Any

37:39

driving would be risky. I wish

37:42

I could come. I know you need my

37:44

help with dad. Her

37:46

sigh nearly breaks me. It

37:48

points an accusing finger at me.

37:52

I understand. To

37:54

be honest, it won't last another week anyway.

37:58

The silence carries a heavy weight.

38:01

I wanna talk to dad. No.

38:04

What I want is to hold his hand

38:06

look in his eyes and shake him. Mom

38:09

slouches at her kitchen table. Without

38:11

her even speaking, I can picture it.

38:15

Mom, I love you.

38:18

I'll try to figure something out. She

38:21

pauses These long silences

38:23

from her are unusual. Her overeager

38:26

nervousness always has her mouth moving,

38:28

filling every empty space.

38:31

I taste dirt, James. As

38:34

soon as I wake up in the morning, like

38:36

during the night someone has scribbled it into

38:38

my mouth, she

38:40

starts to cry quietly. My

38:44

own tongue has tasted like it's slimmed

38:46

with mud for the last few days. It's

38:49

made eating a chore rather than a pleasure.

38:52

Have you tried planting your teeth? What?

38:56

She says incredulously. Prushing.

39:00

I'm quick to snap back realizing

39:02

my slip. Brushing your

39:04

teeth. That should help. Another

39:08

excruciating pause. I wonder

39:10

if she's blanking out as well. The

39:13

two of us grasping in the dark

39:15

for each other, three thousand miles

39:17

apart and our words carried on

39:19

digital currents. Such

39:22

a long break in conversation, an

39:24

emptiness akin to listening to

39:26

the

39:26

wind. Mom,

39:30

I

39:30

love you too. Go

39:32

on

39:32

now. I've taken up too much of your

39:34

time. Before I can

39:36

answer, she calls out

39:39

Bruce? No. No.

39:41

Don't lay in it. Please

39:43

dear come.

39:45

The line cuts off. It's

39:47

like reaching from a boat edge to a drowning

39:50

person, only to watch them disappear

39:52

into the waves. Calling back

39:54

would do no good. Mom has

39:56

carried the curse of empathy her whole life,

39:59

and she's decided to let me be,

40:01

to let each of us be. Around

40:05

ten o'clock and knock rattles my door.

40:08

Not loud, not belligerent, but

40:11

timid, like tree limbs brushing

40:13

against the side of a house. In

40:16

the peephole, Josie Taylor

40:18

bites her lip and tries not to

40:20

stare directly ahead. And

40:22

take several deep breaths and open the door.

40:25

She wears a white sleeveless blouse

40:27

with a rounded black collar. Tight

40:30

jeans grip her legs all the way to

40:32

the ankles. Her head

40:34

bends down so that her black hair

40:36

hides her face. My

40:38

gut tightens and then releases fast

40:41

in spasms. James,

40:45

I swallow hard. Joseph?

40:49

Do you want to come in? She

40:51

hesitates though with obvious agitated

40:53

energy bustling through her. Yes.

40:57

I let her go first down the short hallway

41:00

to the living room. My apartment

41:02

isn't much. Kitchen opposite

41:04

the front door. Short haul,

41:07

tiny bathroom, living room,

41:09

bedroom. My furniture is an

41:11

accumulation of things inherited and

41:13

purchased items made of thin

41:15

fabric over cheap wood. She

41:18

takes the same spot on the couch she did the last

41:20

time she was here, and I plop beside

41:22

her. As I did before. Listen.

41:26

She says, glancing up with those

41:28

fabulous eyes. I've

41:31

missed you. I'm sorry I haven't

41:33

responded. I understand. She

41:36

shakes her head. No, you

41:38

don't. Especially with everything

41:40

going on, it was cruel of me. I

41:42

said things in the heat of the moment that I know

41:44

gave you a different impression. It's

41:46

just you don't need to explain.

41:50

I take her hand. Her

41:52

fingernails show brown streaks underneath

41:54

them. I know for a fact they weren't

41:56

there the week before when my lips

41:59

kissed or fingertips. It occurs

42:01

to me that one of us might have infected the

42:03

other, but that doesn't bother

42:05

me. The mold is in everything

42:07

now. One way or another,

42:10

it'll get all of us. I

42:12

came to ask you something though, your

42:15

opinion. Sure.

42:17

Anything, I say, then

42:23

she immediately begins to cry. I

42:26

squeeze her hand. So soft,

42:28

like a bundle of moss. I

42:31

still have them in the apartment, I

42:33

wanted to know if I should take him somewhere else

42:36

outside, I guess. What

42:38

does Jimmy think? It

42:41

still feels awkward to say her husband's name

42:43

out loud. Jimmy

42:45

can't face it. He won't travel

42:47

back here. He says it's too difficult

42:50

that the interstates are in bad shape.

42:52

I said, but these are your sons.

42:55

I think maybe he doesn't have long himself. I

42:59

nod and don't reveal my own shame

43:02

at using the same excuses. That's

43:05

hard then. Could

43:07

I see Ben? Would you

43:09

allow that? A

43:11

shiver runs down her arm and transfers

43:14

to me. It's a kinetic shock,

43:16

like when someone has shuffled across carpet

43:18

and pushed out their finger, except

43:21

this is more a slow wave. Sensual,

43:24

almost communication of a kind.

43:27

We both sense the connection. Both

43:29

see the brown splotches under our nails

43:32

shift and swirl. What's

43:35

going to happen in my boys? What,

43:38

James? I've no one to give

43:40

them to Do you understand?

43:43

I was going to ask you, we

43:46

embrace. I would

43:48

say I let her solve on my shoulder. But

43:51

I'm doing plenty myself. Her

43:53

neck bends so gracefully, lilting,

43:57

soft. The scent of lavender

43:59

wafts from her hair. Her body

44:01

heat flames against my cheek. We'll

44:04

figure something out. Let's

44:07

see what we can do about Ben. I

44:10

stand and lead. Her retentent

44:12

weight fights me, but only slightly.

44:15

It is less hesitation than weariness.

44:18

Out my door down the stairs,

44:20

the landing's bulb of phasing with a

44:22

tense strobe, a mouse skittering

44:25

in its magical way down what must

44:27

be giant steps. Thank

44:30

you. She says when we are at

44:32

her door, it is not so

44:34

much a thank you as a sigh of relief.

44:37

What are the boys doing? In

44:40

bed, despite appearances,

44:42

I managed to be a good mom. I

44:46

kiss

44:46

her.

44:48

There's little passion in it, more

44:50

come passion. It

44:53

soothes both of us, like something

44:55

needing to be done and put out of the

44:57

way. She slides in her

44:59

key, a gentle click.

45:02

We're inside. Her

45:04

layout mimics mine, but her

45:06

furnishings are one economic class

45:09

higher FO leather tables

45:11

that don't wobble, bookshelves that

45:13

hold actual books rather than junk.

45:17

She's right. She has been a good

45:19

mom despite everything. Her

45:21

apartment is tidy and even

45:23

inviting. The brothers think

45:25

the youngest Ben went with their dad

45:27

to visit his family. Her world

45:30

is a shambles. It's them

45:32

she's still the best mom. In

45:35

here, she says, the

45:38

one difference in her apartment compared to

45:40

mine is a second bedroom to

45:42

the left of the living room. The

45:44

boys must share a bedroom. I've

45:46

never seen her bedroom and being

45:48

led in this way is comfortably intimate.

45:52

Once inside that sanctuary, I'm

45:54

happy to find it's packed with personality.

45:57

A thin bed cover shows a woman

45:59

in meditation Each of her

46:02

chakra points glowing a different color.

46:05

Beads hang on the wall as a substitute

46:07

to a headboard for the bed. Three

46:10

lava lamps bubble, and cycle

46:12

through different colors. Book shelves

46:14

otherwise fill every wall, crammed

46:17

with books incentives burners,

46:19

wooden and bronze sculptures, smiling

46:22

cement butters as bookends. The

46:25

smell is nog chompa and sage.

46:28

On the open windows ledge, a foot

46:30

tall plant grows from a pot,

46:33

plain looking with several tendrils

46:35

of thin green leaves It

46:37

is not any kind of house plant.

46:40

That's him. She points

46:42

at the plant. I suspect

46:45

Ben gets a lot of sunlight in this east

46:47

facing window and that he will outgrow

46:49

that pot quickly. Tears

46:52

fill the edges of my eyes. I

46:55

hope the transition wasn't painful. The

46:58

news keeps saying it's not, but

47:00

how would the doctors know? The stages

47:02

from flesh and blubber to cellulose and

47:05

chloroplasts don't allow the victim any

47:07

detailed narration. At

47:09

that point, gelatinist cocoon

47:12

has wrapped them. I release

47:14

her hand and walk to the window sill,

47:16

putting out finger to stroke one of Ben's

47:18

leaves Oh, no.

47:21

She moves quickly to grab my wrist. He's

47:24

poisoned Sumak. The

47:27

image of her peeling away the layers of

47:29

the shriveled cocoon to find the sapling

47:31

inside and then fill the pot

47:33

with soil and gently mounded

47:35

over his roots. It's

47:37

too much. To think that

47:39

she's been looking at him as she falls asleep

47:42

and then wakes again each day, We

47:45

embrace like a couple beside their

47:47

infant's crib tomorrow.

47:51

It's all I can manage to say. Do

47:54

you wanna sleep here? Away

47:57

the shame again. It's

47:59

made me impotent. And

48:02

heard about that one in other reports. She

48:05

grasps my hands.

48:07

Again, that current between us

48:10

Just sleep. Let me

48:12

curl into you.

48:15

I'm gone before the boys wake for school.

48:18

How and why school still goes

48:21

on as a mystery to me? Though

48:23

I still go to work? Well,

48:25

did go to work. Starting

48:28

today, there isn't much sense

48:30

in it anymore. Josie

48:33

arrives at my door with Ben once they're

48:35

gone. I make coffee.

48:38

Ben sits between us atop my little

48:40

kitchenette. I can see

48:42

why she smiles rather than cries

48:44

in his presence It's like a

48:46

wave of energy emanates as

48:48

if he's still there somehow. I

48:51

pull up the text message my mom sent early

48:53

this morning and show it to Josie She

48:56

gasps. Is that your dad?

48:59

I work up a half smile. Yes.

49:03

Not sure where mom got that glass case.

49:06

It reminds me of the one from beauty and the beast.

49:10

Josie actually laughs at that. Right?

49:13

The cursed rose. She

49:16

hands me back the phone. I take

49:18

another look at the picture. A

49:20

stiff danyline head thick

49:22

with puffed seeds. I

49:25

can make out my mother's reflection in the curved

49:27

glass. Phone pushed close.

49:30

He must have woken in the night and half buried

49:33

himself in his mind in the yard. He

49:36

did her a favor. She says,

49:39

such innocence in her face. I

49:42

again picture her pulling apart Ben's

49:44

cocoon to plant his seedling. Are

49:47

you okay? Funny.

49:51

Since I saw the text, I'm relieved,

49:54

just that mom's alone now. I

49:57

feel like I should be upset about that. She

50:00

knows how to take care of herself. Her

50:03

tone implies more hope than certainty.

50:07

We take our time with the coffee. No

50:10

rush. Another sunny

50:12

day blew as an ocean above

50:14

us. The songlings dance

50:16

in the tree again. Once we

50:18

decide to leave, I carry Ben.

50:21

And once we reach the store, we switch.

50:23

That I can carry the shovel and bag of

50:25

potting soil we've purchased. Her

50:28

choice is Delaney Park. Even

50:31

though it's a half hour walk, it passes

50:33

by in an instant. Suddenly

50:35

we're crossing within the line of trees.

50:38

Taking careful steps through the undergrowth

50:40

and making our way to a little clearing

50:42

with ample sun. Do

50:45

you mind digging? I

50:47

take the shovel. Soon

50:49

we're bed over, Ben's spot, each

50:51

patting at the mound. It's

50:54

so soothing. That feel of

50:56

cool soil. The important

50:59

part is to craft the perfect shape.

51:01

When my hands are thick with wet, black

51:04

dirt I wiped them on my t shirt.

51:07

Josie chooses her pants. We

51:09

only used a third of the bag. We

51:11

should make another mound. She says

51:13

excitedly. I

51:15

can only smile because she's right.

51:18

I dig another round hole She

51:21

pours the soil in carefully. That

51:23

sun is perfect, directly

51:26

overhead now, as warm as the womb.

51:29

When she starts patting down the dome of

51:31

soil, I kneel and help. Our

51:34

shadows shift around us even

51:36

though no time seems to pass. Each

51:39

time I touch the dirt, I

51:41

stop to admire the work, then

51:44

must touch it again. A

51:46

worm wriggles through the grass near

51:48

my leg as delicately as

51:51

possible with my fingers barely

51:53

grazing its flesh. I pinch

51:55

it up. Scoop a cubby into

51:57

the soil, place it inside,

52:00

and smooth over the top. That

52:02

is so beautiful, James. Yes,

52:06

I think. It really

52:08

is.

52:35

Thank you for listening to episode number twelve

52:37

o one. Today's authors were Lemont

52:39

a Turner with his TWL, one

52:41

last performance in Gibtown and

52:44

TWL. M. Morgan with his TWL, the quiet

52:46

ones intent on nurturing the

52:48

most delectable soil. Today's

52:51

stories were told by Graham Rowett, I'm

52:54

Daniel FoyTec, and I've been your host

52:56

today. If you'd like to find out more about

52:58

my work, you can check out ninth story dot com

53:00

Victoria's Lyft dot com or follow

53:03

me on Twitter at d FoyTek. Our

53:05

resident composer and executive producer

53:07

is Nico Viteze of We Talk of Dreams.

53:10

TWL for today's episode was created by Greg

53:12

Shaffer. Our producers are Meg Williams

53:15

and Daniel FoyTek. To find out

53:17

more about the Wicked Library in our other shows,

53:19

visit the wicked library dot com and

53:21

ninthStory dot com. If you'd like to

53:23

help us continue to bring you our collection of

53:25

dark details, please consider supporting

53:27

us on Patreon at patreon dot

53:29

com forward slash wicked library.

53:32

You can also help us by leaving a five star

53:34

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53:37

These ratings and reviews help other listeners

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53:44

to our show works for free.

53:46

The Liquid Library is created by Ninth Story Studios

53:48

LLC. All rights reserved.

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