Starting with "A Midnight Poe-etic" by Christine Haggerty and read by Jillian Joy, a hellishly delicious poem about a dark Queen.
Fans of the Billy Blacksmith series will particularly enjoy "Aesop's First Halloween: A Blacksmith Legacy Story" by Ben Ireland, read by Liz Christensen. (4:22)
"The Ghost of Clipper Bullion Mine" by Loren Mitchell Lambert, read by Richard Wilson, is a classic western ghost story for over a campfire. (31:44)
"The Full Moon Festival" by Briana Bedore, read by Liam Neary, is a lovely fall-themed, sci-fi romance. (44:50)
"The Burgle" by Candace J. Thomas, read by Kerstin Hallows, provides an frighteningly imaginative answer to what is under your child's bed. (1:10:14)
"The Creature" by Luke Haueter, read by Liz Christensen, will keep you worried about what watches you from over your bed. (1:21:29)
Starting with "A Midnight Poe-etic" by Christine Haggerty and read by Jillian Joy, a hellishly delicious poem about a dark Queen.
Fans of the Billy Blacksmith series will particularly enjoy "Aesop's First Halloween: A Blacksmith Legacy Story" by Ben Ireland, read by Liz Christensen. (4:22)
"The Ghost of Clipper Bullion Mine" by Loren Mitchell Lambert, read by Richard Wilson, is a classic western ghost story for over a campfire. (31:44)
"The Full Moon Festival" by Briana Bedore, read by Liam Neary, is a lovely fall-themed, sci-fi romance. (44:50)
"The Burgle" by Candace J. Thomas, read by Kerstin Hallows, provides an frighteningly imaginative answer to what is under your child's bed. (1:10:14)
"The Creature" by Luke Haueter, read by Liz Christensen, will keep you worried about what watches you from over your bed. (1:21:29)
A midnight poetic by Christine Haggerty. Read by Jillian joy, my darkness, sores on Raven's wings, black and slick with dreaming while in a Quine. Rides on Hills fast tides and the demons follow, screaming, screaming. While I'm dreaming on the shores of hell's fast tides. The goblin King of shadowed things flies down on scales creeping here. My child, he says with a smile, his arms outstretched and reaching, reaching while I'm creeping from the goblin King's vein. Smile be my queen growls. The goblin King, red claws alive and gleaming. I'll gift you lies and boiling skies and a tower for your keeping a tower for my keeping beneath the goblin Kings. Dark skies. I meet his eyes with wounded pride. My father's soiled and seeping. No goblin bride, but queen ILB the jewel of hell's dark. Dreaming, soiled and dreaming. Feathers seeping still hell's dark. Queen ILB sharp teeth spread wide reflect, hell's tied and he grasps at beast sneering such a pretty thing with broken wings. I'll take you cold and fearing fears sharply. Sneering at my pretty broken wings hell's equine ride and his nightmare. Bride pound the edge of midnight's steaming. I spread my wings wings for the goblin King, each feather black and gleaming, steaming blackened wings spread before the goblin King. Sweet, foolish soul. My goblin King, I'll not cower from your sneering for dark and things with broken wings, strengthened fiercely in hell's keeping and the King sneering cowers before my darkened wings, I beat my wings against hell's sky and his nightmare bride flees. Screaming black shadows churn where Ravens fly and my demons rise from dreaming. Nightmares flees, screaming where my demon shadows fly for my wings are made of burning lies. Each vein cruel, black and gleaming deep hatred feeds each sharpened shaft loves deconstructions, sickly bleeding. Black veins gleaming while deconstruction bleeds the shaft. I soar through hell on Raven's wings, the queen of death, and dreaming my nightmare rides on blood fed tides and my demons follow screaming, screaming while I'm dreaming on Hells bloodied nightmare tides.
Speaker 2:Welcome to episode 17 in the tellings Halloween special with listeners submitted stories and poems to indulge in the spooky and beautiful aspects of the season. We started with a midnight poetic by Christine Haggerty and read by Gillian joy, a hellishly delicious poem. About a dark queen. Each story is its own chapter in the episode with chapter breaks listed by time in the show notes. Fans of the Billy blacksmiths series will particularly enjoy Aesop's first Halloween, a blacksmith legacy story by Ben Ireland. Read by Liz Christiansen, the ghost of clipper bullion mine by Lauren Mitchell Lambert. Read by Richard Wilson is a classic Western ghost story for over a campfire. The full moon festival by Brianna Brador. Read by Liam Neary is a lovely fall theme science fiction romance. The Burgle by Candace J Thomas read by Kirsten Hallows provides a frighteningly imaginative answer to what is under your child's bed while the creature by Luchow's litter read by Liz Christiansen. We'll keep you worried about what is watching you while you sleep. Thank you to everyone who submitted work for this special October episode. Happy Halloween, everyone.
Speaker 3:ESOPs first Halloween, a black Smith legacy story by Ben Ireland. Read by Liz Christiansen and they just hand you candy. ASAP. Asked. Billy nodded. Yep. Just like that. ASAPS eight eyes widened. Does he absorbed what Billy had told him? And that's the treat part. Billy nodded again. He was getting a kick out of how enthralled ASAP was with the concept of Halloween, especially trick or treating ASAP. Hadn't heard about Halloween before because he was a spider demon stranded on earth. After an army of demons tried to invade, the attack failed and the gateway between the human and demon realms was broken in the process. As a result, Esaf was stuck here ASAP, lived in a small apartment between Sugarhouse and bleak wood with a huge bat demon salon Theo AKA Seth, who also happened to be a good guy ASAP, wasn't actually part of the invading army. He just snuck through because living at his home in the demonic realm sucked. He was a runt at only three feet tall. He was the favorite punching bag of his several dozen brothers and sisters and the most humans would scream in horror at his appearance. ASAP was just happy to be somewhere he wasn't getting demon swirlies every night. Billy knew what it was like to be singled out because you look different than everyone else. He'd always been the fat kid, so he had a soft spot for ASAP. Despite his eight legs, Billy Ashlea and Grayson came over when they could to keep ESOP company. The small spider got pretty lonely without any other friends and because he could never leave the apartment. Candles burned and several holders in the room painting the scene and odd purple color. The place smelled dusty. The furniture, a couch and a matching arm chair looked really old but were still nice. The whole back wall of the apartment was a huge bookshelf. A genuine record player sat in the corner. Whatever Seth was listening to lasts, still rested on the turn table. The four of them had been sitting in a circle for 30 minutes now discussing the true meaning of Halloween. ASAP had asked about Halloween because he had noticed all the spider webs in human skeletons sprouting up around the apartment complex and it reminded the demon of home. Billy felt like he was explaining Halloween to someone who had been living on a different planet, which now Billy thought about it wasn't too far from reality. ASAP rubbed his mandibles together. Hunk really thinking about candy sets, parrot eyes, messenger. Wyvern listened from her perch by the bookshelf. She squawked and bogged her head in agreement. Her white scales shimmering and the purple candlelight. It was awesome. Grayson said adjusting his glasses while he took a sniff from his allergy. Spray a whole bag of candy. That's just yours. Nobody can tell you what to do with it. You never had to share. Ashley asked her black hair was streaked orange, purple and green in celebration of the season. It matched her black tee shirt and neon pleated skirts. Mom made my brothers and sisters pull all our candy and made sure everyone got the same amount as an only child. I'm not familiar with the concept of sharing. Grayson said smirking. Ashley a socked him on the arm. Is it normal to make everyone share though? I don't think so. Billy said I'd share with you ASAP. Had a dreamy look on his hairy face. I'd make sure you all got the best candy. The only things my brothers shared with me were bruises were a little old to go. Ashley has said it's been a few years since we last went. There's an age limit. A sup asked his face falling Ashley a padded ASAP on the head. I am afraid. So Grayson showed his teeth in a sympathetic expression. Well, it's not a precise rigid rule. ASAP picked at the rug under him with a claw. I'm about 85 years old. How many demon years does that make? Ashley asked ASAP. Shrugged his H shoulders, I don't know, but salon Theo called me a moody teenager once. Really? Grayson said, maybe you're not too old. You definitely look the park bill. He said, hell of a costume. Maybe we could sneak you out. Greyson offered for old time's sake. We are totally too old. Ashley a waved her finger between Grayson and herself and Billy straight up looks like an adult. A smile broke across Grayson's face. I know one kid who was trick or treating age and he'd be cool with a demon spider tagging along Ashley, a tub Don Grayson sleeve, and they lean to the side. I don't want you getting his hopes up. There is no way Seth would be okay with this. Grayson was beaming at this point. We just don't need to tell him what's happening. Seth lives here. He's going to notice if we take his roommate. Ashley has said maybe Grayson bit his lip. He's not here now. Billy was becoming increasingly alarmed at what it sounded like. Grayson was saying, I don't know grey. We keep ASAP here for his safety. There's nothing good out there for a tiny demon spider except candy. Grayson said as he clapped his hands and pointed at ASAP, we're taking you ASAP. Sprung off the carpet. Ended up bouncing jig like dance while clicking his front claws together. Actually a glanced at Billy looking bewildered. Who is taking him? Billy said we're too big and old. Junior is grace and knelt in front of ESOP. Can you get to the blue in's house at seven tomorrow? Belfort again, ASAP. Call to the messenger. Wyvern could you help me get to the balloons tomorrow at seven as a messenger? Wyvern bell Fagan had the ability to open portals to travel vast distances instantaneously. She was one of the, especially talented ones that had the ability to not only carry actual messages through her portal, but she was strong enough to carry other living beings if she felt like it. Belkin friggin chuffed out an irritated breath. It didn't sound like a no thank you. ASAP said he turned to Grayson. What's seven mean? Oh grace and said seven hours after midday. Hmm. He's upset. I think I can do that. There's still the matter of his costume bill. He said he doesn't need one. Grayson replied disguise. Then Ashley a suggested Grayson pinched ASAPS cheeks. He's perfect. Look at him. ASAP. Smirked and Billy swore he could see the spider blushing under the dark gray fur on his cheeks. He looks like a demon. Billy said like an actual literal demon. Nobody's going to think that's a costume. I have a plan. Greyson tussled the fur on Aesop's head. Get ready to trick or treat ASAP. Wrapped his bony legs around Grayson's neck and gave him a big hug. Thank you. Billy felt in his gut that this was probably an awful idea, but Grayson had practically promised the poor little guy and he couldn't stand the thought of letting him down and he stopped. Never ever got to go out and do anything fun. He'd been living in the apartment for almost two whole years and had barely been through the door and Greyson wasn't an idiot. He probably had a really good plan, maybe. Hopefully Billy thought when they finally left the apartment, Billy took a deep breath of the chili October air. He loved it when the days got cooler. He was a big guy. I was never comfortable in the heat, but his neck prickled as he stepped out into the landing and he looked up at the moon hanging in the sky. This wasn't going to go well, but he couldn't let ESOP down and just an hour of trick or treating couldn't hurt. At six 50 Halloween night, Billy Ashlea and Grayson showed up at jr blue in's houses planned. They let themselves in and headed down the hallway to the sewing room. Even though he was just 12 junior had taken up sewing as a hobby and evidently planned to spend Halloween night making clothes instead of going out. They were probably doing him a favor, forcing him to trick or treat Ashley and knocked once on the door and opened it. Junior was leaning over the sewing machine, his thin fingers skillfully guiding the fabric under the needle. Juniors didn't look much like anyone in his family. His mom, dad, and sister were all tall and athletic. Junior was a bony little guy with his black hair cut close to the scalp. His big sister was into shooting cheerleading and demons laying when she had time. Junior would prefer to, so instead of going out and enjoying Halloween, the room is pretty big, but it felt muffled from all the bolts of cloth stacked up against the walls and open wardrobe stood by the window, revealing several dresses hanging on hangers and shelves covered with dozens of mismatched hats. Hey guys, jr said without looking up, I know I said I'd go, but this is going to take me all night, but you promised grace and replied and 12 jr said, I'm a little old for trick or treating. You'll regret that Grayson sat on the table next to jr. This is your last year before people start giving you crap. Trust me, I'm not going. Junior pulled the fabric off the machines, nipped the thread and tied it with a quick practice movement. I got this new dress pattern I'm working on. I was planning on staying here, artist. I got this new dress pattern I'm working on. I was planning to stay here and so you choose sewing over candy. Billy asked. Junior nodded. The thing is, Grayson said, is that we've promised our friend he can go tonight and we're too big to take him on our own. You don't have friends. Junior turned in his chair and folded his arms. Who is he anyway and why couldn't you tell me about it over the phone. If I know him, Grayson snapped his fingers. He'll be here any second. Let me find him, and he rushed out of the room. There was an awkward 20 seconds of silence as Billy jr and Ashley. You looked at each other, allow popping sound echoed from deeper in the house, which meant bell fuckin had arrived with ASAP. Grayson let out a squeal of surprise. Then said something that Billy couldn't understand is something footsteps echoed down the hall before grace and rushed back into the room and is handy. Held a remote control that looked like it came from an RC car. Grayson smiled broadly showing all his teeth. I'm controlling my robot now. He called ACE up, pushed the door open, moving with bouncy robot like movements. I am a robot spider. He announced in a jolting demon voice. I am not a scary demon. Junior jumped backwards onto the desk. Holy. He exclaimed, he's dare to ASAP for a second before recognition replaced the fear on his face. That's ESOP. I haven't met you yet. I'm not ASAP. ASAP. Said grinning madly. I am a robot. Junior gawked at the demon. This isn't going to work. Nobody's gonna think he's a remote control spider. Sure. Or they will. Grace and said, it's dark out and people are expecting crazy stuff. This is going to be great. This be the worst idea you've ever had. Ashley as shook her head slowly. Come on, robot. Spider Greyson said lead the way ASAP. Marched out of the room, moving with jolting movements. I don't have a costume. Junior said, guess you're the spider Tamer to Leah suggested guess so. Junior said he sorted through the wardrobe for a second before emerging with the Safari worthy hat. He slipped the hat on his head and followed Grayson out of the room. He must've wanted to go more than he let on. Billy said startled by Junior's apparent, sudden change of heart. We barely talked him into it. All 12 year olds want to go trick or treating. Ashlea followed ASAP. Grayson and jr into the hall, but they're not sure if they're too cool or not. So are we just going down the street ASAP? Asked as he scuttled towards the front door. No, Grayson said, I live next door. People will recognize me. Let's hit that neighborhood by the school. Sounds perfect. ASAP. Hopped in excitement though. Billy was pretty sure he didn't know why any place was better than any other. Thankfully the blue ones were all out for the night, so sneaking junior and Aesop out wasn't any trouble. It wasn't until they were halfway across the front lawn headed for the car that Billy realized they were walking right under the security cameras. Belth again, teleporting into the house wasn't very stealthy. If they just strolled ASAP out the front door, they were officially busted. It was only a matter of time, but as well enjoy it now, Billy thought, Hey, ESOP Ashley a called stop skipping robots around here. Don't know how to skip grace and opened his front door and the spider scampered into the back. Junior froze. I have to sit next to him. He said, uneasily. Yeah. Grayson said, Billy can only fit in the front. I'll sit by you ASAP. Ashley a crawled in next to the spider. Billy opened the front door and paused that prickling sensation ran up his neck again and he shuttered. He was probably just the cold night air, not the black feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. He looked back at the outline of houses against the dark sky. It almost felt like someone was watching him. He was ridiculous. He was probably still thinking about the security cameras. The drive to the school took less than 10 minutes. Billy began feeling more uneasy than ever. As soon as they climbed out, the street was narrow. Dozens of four home quadraplexes jammed in as tightly as possible with barely any grass between the front doors and the road. Billy had no idea where any of the people living there were supposed to park. The scene was lit by orange and purple Halloween lights on almost every front door and glowing spiders, skeletons and bats along every path. One house had a giant inflatable Santa in his sleigh out front. He either the owners had missed the memo or they wanted to get a jump on Christmas. There were a lot of kids walking up and down the street. The parents casually strolling along in the middle of the road chatting. There were too many eyes for this to possibly work. You're just nervous. He told himself, we'll just hit a few doors, go.
Speaker 4:Billy reached back into the car and pulled out his backpack and his magical demons mashing baseball bat where he got that from his alumnae story. He learned the hard way to never go anywhere without it. Did you hear that sub asked as soon as he stepped out of the car here, what Billy asked, sliding his arms to the backpack straps. The spider tilted his head listening sounded like someone called my name. A kid strolling past wearing a wizard school outfit, pointed his wand at ASAP and shouted, wow, that's amazing. He said, dad, the dad didn't look up from his phone as he responded. Yeah, that's great. ASAP waved. I must spider robot. He announced the kid dropped his hand. His eyes widening his mouth gaping as they walked past. Probably shouldn't say anything. Grayson whispered kind of obvious. You're not a robot when you talk. Okay, sorry. ASAP giggled. I'm just so excited. I'm ready to trick or treat. He danced as he said, the words grace and popped the trunk of the car and pulled out two orange plastic pumpkin's with black eyes painted on them. He handed one to jr and one to ASAP. The spider held it up with both front claws admiring it. It's perfect, Grayson. Thank you. He gripped the pumpkin and a tight hug and seemed to explode into a jump of excitement. Let's go. Should we go to this one? The house was the first in a quadroplex orange lights wrapped around the pillar next to the door, about 30 real pumpkin sat on the porch spilling over onto a small patch of grass next to it. Ready. Junior asked ASAP. Not a vigorously Whoa boy am I actually at Billy. And Grayson stopped halfway up the path as ASAP and junior, the spider trainer March the rest of the way and knocked on the door. Grayson held up the remote, so it was obvious he was controlling the spider trick or treat. Jr announced holding up his plastic pumpkin and old lady opened the door smiling broadly with round cheeks as she admired jr in his hat, a little Indiana Jones. She said, I'm a spider trainer. Junior announced the lady looked down at ASAP and took a startled step backwards, a hand over her chest. Oh am I? He gave me a fright. She said laughing lightly, but Billy could see her expression. The street was dark enough to get away with a demon spider, but ASAP was pretty horrifying when you saw him up close in the light on a porch. It's my robot. My friend is controlling him. Jr pointed to Grayson who waved. That's incredibly realistic. She dropped a candy bar and junior and a ESOPs pumpkin's frighteningly, so she stepped into the house and slammed the door. Junior walked back a dubious look on his face ASAP. However, had a skip in his step. That was great. He said, I just held up the pumpkin and she put the candy into it. He pulled the bucket close and peered into it. Nobody has ever given me anything for nothing. This is the best night of my life. Where to next ESOP? Junior said, I don't think that lady was fooled. I'm not sure it's a good idea to try again. Oh, ASAP. Looked up at them all his eyes big and round. Really? Please don't make me go back to the apartment. Not yet. Bye. Said Grayson is totally cool. Nobody anticipates a genuine demon spider. They'll just think you're a sophisticated robot. I'm really not sure about that. Gray. Ashley is said. There it is. Again, a subset, I think. I think someone's calling me. I hope not. Grayson said that would be weird down there ASAP. Jumped up and snatch the remote from Grayson. I'm in control now. He laughed as he ran down the path between the buildings and he saw up Billy called not that way. You're losing control of your robot. Actually attached Grayson's arm with the back of her hand. Aesop Grayson yelled, following the small demon. They were gone for a whole minute. The worry in Billy's gut growing as the seconds past, they had to give a direction to the terrible sensation he was feeling. It was behind the building actually a folded her arms and started tapping her foot. What's taking him so long? She looked at her watch. Oh, she ran down the path into the shadows. That's when she screamed. Junior and Billy looked at each other. Then rushed after Ashlea. The space between the quadraplexes wasn't very big. A strip of grass, maybe 20 feet wide. Reaching from the back of one group of houses to the next. Any of you to the street from here was completely cut off. The space was dark and the orange and purple Halloween decorations lining the surrounding streets. Dimly illuminating the scene before them. A huge demonic spider, perhaps 13 feet tall, stood over Grayson's unconscious body in his thick, hairy for Lake. He held Ashlea against his thorax. His arm jammed between her mouth. She held his leg in both hands, supporting her weight as her feet kicked furiously in the air. She looked, ticked the source of the black sensation Billy had been feeling all night. Suddenly seemed so obvious there was something dark emanating from this spider, some kind of magic which soaks the air around him and turned Billy's stomach ASAP. Stood to the side, his four legs up over his head, the remote control and one of his trembling claws, the pumpkin and the other. You okay? Billy asked, drawing his weapon from his backpack. ASAP shook his head. This is my brother Volcker. He peeped. What are you doing here? Billy asked. Voco grinned, showing an alien mouth lined with fine knife like teeth. Same as my brother stranded. After the invasion though it seems we have different standards on the quality of company we keep. Why are you here now? Billions[inaudible] tonight is a rare gift. Volcker growled so many helpless meals wandering about, and I thought to feast when I noticed my pathetic little brother driving with some humans. Let our friends go. Billy said friend, Volkers doesn't red eyes narrowed ASAP? Why do you consort with humans? I ASAP swallowed. Are you planning to kill them? ASAP? Didn't answer. Are you going to lure them back to the demonic realm as a treat for our father? ASAP looked away. Are they your friends? Volcker asked his voice, mocking ASAP coward onto the grass. No Volcker asked. In that case, you won't mind if I kill every one of them in front of you. I plan to feast on human children, but this chubby adolescent will make a complete meal on his own that Billy knew things were about to hit the fan, but when they did, he had no idea how fast it would happen. Volcker kicked Grayson's unconscious body and it zipped Bonusly through the air. Billy ducked out of the way, but jr wasn't fast enough and crashed into him and they both spilled onto the ground in a tangle of limbs, badly straightened just as Ashley a slammed into him, hard tossed by Volcker, Philly's feet lifted off the grass. As Ashley, uh, connected with his face, she screamed in pain as something snapped and he walked onto his back. Ashley a rolled off of him whimpering. She never complained and Billy knew she must have been hurt. A fiery rage began boiling up inside of him. Nobody hurts my friends. Billy began to rise, but Volcker was suddenly above him. The five inch long claws on his front leg extending towards Billy's throat. There was something different about you. Volcker said sniffing his breath, hopped and stale. There is magic in your beloved. Billy felt around the grass for his magical bat, but it had been knocked out of his hand. His head spun from being whacked with his friend. He couldn't hear a Grayson or jr Ashley, a wheezed in pain, but she was struggling to stand in a no condition to help you smell. Delectable Volker licked his lips with a thin slime covered tongue. His mandibles re-asked together, brushing Billy's face. Billy pushed away, but his hand slipped on the damp grass, his neck throbbed from the whiplash. It was getting harder to think he had to stand up. He had to put up some fight. This is a stupid way to go. Hey ASAP. Shouted from behind. Volker Volcker turned. Billy could see the little spider standing on shaking legs. Tears in his eyes as he lifted his head. They aren't my friends ASAP, said they're my family. Vogler let out a loud mocking laugh, which cut off as ASAP. Rushed forward and bit his hind leg. Volcker howled and pain and began turning in circles, shaking his body to toss ASAP off ASAP. Gripped his big brothers limb with all of his digging, his claws in his Booker bucked like a Bronco. Billy scrambled off the ground. He glanced around trying to see where his magical bat had gone to, but he couldn't make it out in the dark light. Volcker stumbled over to the building and began throwing ASAP into the wall. He stopped squealed in pain, but held on. Volcker began slamming him harder, the whole building shaking. He's going to kill him. Ashley aghast. Volcker round ASAP into the wall. The windows of the houses shattering and the three foot tall spider dropped to the ground. His legs twitching. Even in the darkness. Billy could see the shine from his blood running through the hair on the back of his head as ASAP stumbled somehow still clutching the remote control and his pumpkin to his chest. Volcker stood over ASAP and snarled at him. Billy ran up to Volcker and punched him as hard as he could in the jaw. Volcker stumbled a step and blinked. He looked at Billy with confusion. Did you just punch me? I'll do it again. Billy shouted. Billy held up his fists. He'd been learning about fighting, but he wasn't really good at hand to hand combat or hand to claw. Vulgar, lifted his leg to strike, and Billy stepped in with an upper cut. The huge spider staggered back shaking his head from the blow. Your strong. Volcker said, killing you will be satisfying. You are a bully. A sub cried his voice quaking ASAP. Billy called get back. Volcker backhanded Billy with his thick leg. He slammed onto the grass pain shooting up his spine. Billy had fought a lot of demons, but this one was fast for a spider. The magic Billy smelled coming from. Volcker must must've given him some kind of supernatural speed. Billy huffed his chest throbbing. It was lucky they had stumbled onto Volker before he had a chance to feast on the trick or treaters, but that wasn't going to make much difference if he didn't get up off his ass. You're a bully. Volcker ASAP shouted up of his big brother. The spider towered over him stepping forward slowly. A terrifying shadow in the dark. You are a horrible demon. No Volcker said, I'm a great demon. You simply have a perverted idea of what a demon should be. Tricker treat. ASAP said what? Volcker tilted his head. Confused. Tricker treat ASAP repeated. You get to choose one. Oh, is this what those humans on the street are saying? In that case, I choose treat. He leaned in close to ASAP, his jaws opening wide. Then happy Halloween. ASAP shouted. He sprung forward the remote controller and pumpkin in his claws and with a quick one too, jammed them both into his big brother's mouth and deep down his throat. Volcker stumbled backwards. Blinking in surprise. He opened and closed his mouth. Soundlessly throwing his head up and an attempt to swallow. He began clawing at his neck as a hissing sound escaped from between his mandibles letting out several wet coughs. It looked like he was trying to swallow with his mouth opened. Volcker began to thrash. The cough became a gagging, choking sound. His neck convulsed an attempt to gasp. The couldn't. The desperation began to grow and Volkers eyes as he searched for something to dislodge the objects from his throat turning in circles. He slammed a foreleg leg into his chest. The sound echoing from the houses like a muffled drum. He began raking his claws down his chin and neck, parting his flesh as he tried to dig out the items lodged in his wind pipe, black demon blood sprouted from his skin, spraying the walls around him with an oily liquid. With the last moment of energy left, he turned to a stop and lunged. Billy clamber trying to gain his feet, but his legs and arms still weren't working. Something shot past his vision and he turned to see Greyson and Ashley. Yes, sprinting forward hitting Volker in the side with their relatively trivial weights. It was just enough. Volcker fell sideways. His claw cutting into the grass inches beside a ESOPs head while the little demon coward with both forearms covering his eyes. The giant demon spider led out of wet gurgling sound and went limp. Wow. Someone said, Billy spun around to see a gaggle of trick or treaters walking down the path between the houses. That's huge. A kid tugged on her friends leave and pointed to Bowker's dead body, black blood still leaking from the cuts in his neck, his glassy eyes staring in the direction of the children. Really realistic. She replied, it would look cooler if it moved. Another kid, his mouth full of candy said, I saw a better one last year. Apparent walking with the kids, shot a perfunctory smile at Billy and said, happy Halloween without actually making eye contact when the group had left grace and crawled over to ASAP, putting a hand on the spider's cheek. I'm sorry, Greyson said this wasn't a good idea. I had so much fun up until the last bit. The small smile flickered over his face. Thank you. But I don't think you're getting your remote back. What do you say? We get you back home. Ashley said cradling her arm. You okay? Billy asked just just located, she shrugged with one shoulder. I relocated it. Junior limped over to the group. He looked up at Volker than down at a ESOP. What did I miss? A stop gave a hideous but somehow endearing smile. His mandibles curling up beside his grotesque mouth, the worst Halloween treat ever.
Speaker 5:The ghost of the clipper bullion mine by Lauren Mitchell. Lambert read to you by Richard Wilson long ago when the West was still wild and wicked when Gold's still glittered untouched upon its Hills and was washed in its streams when the life of a man was like a candle in the wind there spring up in such a place, the clipper bullion mind and a vibrant little boom town called Shoop Idaho, both cradled and a rugged, narrow Valley upon the banks of the South fork of the river of no return. Back then one stormy cold evening in a squalid bar, a group of mud caked miners sat around a small rickety table mechanically shuffling cards and spitting tobacco on the pine plank floors. With the ebb and flow of lady luck, they exchanged small leather pouches of gold dust and stacks of silver coins. One sagacious old miner hat almost covering his darting green eyes set placidly leaning in his chair against the wall. Suddenly like a striking rattlesnake. The green eyed minor seized a pair of dirty hands outstretched to collect the pot. He then spoke softly. You don't think we knows it does ya? Isaiah and I after last week, and you don't play like we do. Yeah. Card trick and scum. The accused of minor, a spry, ratty face man. Slowly drew his hands away and whined. Come on, y'all know them's honest pickings. I'm gonna tell a click silence. The room is the green-eyed minor pointed it's cocked six shooter at the sheet and demanded that he take his hat off every I watched the cheats slowly moved his hand toward his hat. Then in a flash of amazing Celerity and cutting, he reached behind his neck and hurled a dagger at the gunman's heart. In the same incident that gun roared, but too late. It's well, they're slumped forward. The sheet clutching the bloodied hole where his left ear had been drew his own revolver. Don't any fool fall army. He barked in pain as he bolted through the door and out into the night. Moments later, the ragged group left their dead companion and trampled out over the cheats gray hat and the[inaudible] black ACE of spades that had fallen from it. After scattering the horses that she tore up the muddy road, instead of continuing onto freedom, he turns to retrieve a treasure that he had carefully hoarded. He would again gamble with his life in pursuit of the riches that ate in his heart here he crossed the river on a small cart that wheel the long on a steel cable high above the cold waters hastily. He secured it on the opposite bank. Thunder and lightening betrayed his flight and death and his ears to the shouts when they spite him across the river. Obliviously he moved like a deer up the steep mountain shoulder driven by an insatiable greed and the fear of death and hopes of saving his wretched life and the means to dress up its depravity with the brightness of the world wheezing. He passed through the threshold of a small supply shack where he had worked as a miner. He stooped and clawed the dirt where his booty lay, seizing it. He darted out the door again. The molten bolts of the storm betrayed his position in frozen snapshots to the swarm of pursuers coming up after him frantically, he sidestepped to the East and bounded down into a hidden ravine as the wind with mounting fury howled and caused the tall, thorny bushes to dance madly and tear the cheats face in hands. Then hoping to escape. He slipped into the mouth of a mining shaft that connected to a backway thinking he had evaded the search, the yell. There he goes, boys, come on. He's in number six sounded in his ears, the voice cut like a knife at his final bit of hope, with the desperation of a cornered beast like she hastens to make the back way. But as the air grew lighter near the opening, he heard voices pausing, pressing his back against the hard wall. He panicked and golfed in the cold. Blackness of the mind, doom and death hung over him. He slunked back into the black interior groveling feeling his way to a newly excavated branch of the mind here. He would wait first of the sheet, reached for his gun to discover an empty holster trembling in a cold sweat. He groped upon the floor for something he could strike out with. The voices that she had heard were silent. Two miners that had been sent to block off the backway had heard the cheats retreat back into the mine and to now corrupt furtively forward while others blocked off the entrance. They had been present when the cheats gun had been found on the floor of the supply shack and therefore moved steadily forward for a fleeting moments. The two heard a rasp then saw the flicker of a small flame that leaped onto a hazy sizzling fuse. They both had backwards. There's a bundle of Dynamind was flung from the sheets holdout on its projectory out into the main time while the bundle struck a wooden strut then rebounded back towards the sheet. Boom. The escaping to received splinters in rocks in their backs and the resulting concussion knocked them to their faces. As an avalanche of rocks fell down behind them. The others attended the two injured miners. During their efforts from the other side of the rocket barricade came to the moan. You'll never take it from me. You'll never take it. Days later, the mine is began to clear the debris to remove the body and to mind the rich gold vein. The arterial shaft contained hardly commencing the mountain sent forth a new avalanche of rocks crushing one of the minors when the rocks had stabilized through removed the recent victim from the precarious area once again, but fainter they heard you'll never take it from me. Never. He still lives. They quaked screaming out of the mind, fearing to be near. When the chief finally died, they held the superstition that if the chief died when they were near, his spirit would haunt them on its way to hell. Several weeks later, the mining bus ordered the minus resume work in the shaft time. After time, the attempted to open the passage to the precious van of gold, risking their lives in the shafts. They now christened the death shaft to add to their dismay. Mysterious accidents arose, bites malfunctioned mine, carts rolled onto unware, minors and accidents to minors were frequent. Some even claimed feeling or seeing an apparition in the mind. It was even rumor did that on stormy nights, the ghost of the cheat haunted all the area he had traveled on the night of his death. Consequently, no miner would work the death shaft, no matter how much pay he was offered, or no matter how costly the threat. So the mine was abandoned not long thereafter, the area's silver and gold bearing or was spent. The town in his mind were deserted and left to rot in the hot summer winds and in the bitter winters. And so it remained when the only man who lived in Shoop with his wife told me this tale and claimed that on stormy nights he too had seen and felt the presence of an evil, discontented spirit. But the story does not end here eager for adventure. I asked the old man where the death shaft was located and disregarding the tale. I set out one evening with Kirk to follow the directions the old man had given me. We crossed the river on a kayaks varying toward the dilapidated cabins and building on the far bank, leaving our boats on the bank. We explored the older buildings, the most interesting building, how's the huge motor that had driven a thick steel cable upon which the or had been conveyed down the upper minds much the same manner that today's ski chairlifts operate. We started up the mountain and following the rusty cables, they let up a Rocky Ridge that was flanked by a dense forest of pine and Aspen trees and as credited with ferns and Berry bushes. We hiked for 30 minutes before diverging to the East to follow a wide terrace, which must have been a road from mine carts at its end a path let up Adele, where a small Shaq stood. I hurried to inspect it while Kirk explored elsewhere. The one room shack with cloudy but unbroken glass panes, cupboards, and a table all still intact. Stood as a lonely silent Sentinel. There was nothing immediately unusual about the old shack, but oddly no cobwebs, debris or dirt encumbered its interior as if someone lived there yet with the clean that felt cold and sterile. My first thought was that some old hermit was living in it and so feeling uncomfortable. I searched her foodstuffs are articles of clothing but found nothing in Truda. Leave this place, Kim, a soundless whisper to my mind. I left out the door. I faced the sky, the setting sun sent dying shafts of light through the pine boughs. Suddenly an uncontrollable shutter shook me. I felt someone watching from behind and thought the Kirkwood snuck up to give me a scare, so I pivoted about no one was there again facing the West. I saw Kirk starting up towards the shack. Come check this out. Kirk, I called to the Northeast of the shack was a path. There are no footprints marketing its surface, but no grass or weeds were encroaching upon it either. I struck out to follow it as Kirk passed by me into the shack. The path. Gradually ascended then dropped into a narrow box shaped ravine at its back was the entrance to a mineshaft revealed by the slag slope, pushed out over the base of the ravine. I tried it to the entrance and called for Kirk to join me as I sat inspecting the mind card upon metal rails just inside the mine. Kirk arrived. You shouldn't have yelled, whispered Kirk, some old hermits around. I just know it. I had the most awful feeling back there. Look at this current Coke. There's not a thing wrong with it and the shovel looks like it hasn't been disturbed since the last miner placed it there 80 years ago as though it's waiting to be picked up by the same hands. Come on, let's take a look inside. I said flashlight in hand. I stole into the dark interior. Kirk reluctantly followed through the search and glance over his shoulder before entering light footed. We came upon thick wooden support beams that were decaying in the moist interior. Our light revealed fat luminescent eyes coming at us from the dark spaces in the woods. I stepped back as a fat pack rat, scuttled over my left foot, cringing relieved to pass to the spot rails from the main shaft, ran into it, but stopped abruptly under a mound of rocks and splinted timbers which blocked a once deeper shaft. Upon further investigation, the flashlight I held Grudem than hot. I dropped it. Blackness surrounded us. Not funny, whispered Kirk. I assured him I was not joking at that moment. The sound of footsteps reverberated from all directions. They came loud and fast. We concertedly stumbled towards the distant light of the entrance. The air seemed to grow, haunts and nefarious choking us, pushing through the almost overpowering thickness. We jumped past the fat sentinels in the of beams, the echoing footsteps chasing us from behind at the entrance and unnerving shower of DARS and pebbles fell from somewhere above the mine. We hesitated in the half light of dusk, fearing what lay behind and not daring to discover what had disturbed the earth above the entrance of the mine. Let's get out of here. I urged Kirk stealthily, surveyed the area above us seeing nothing. We darted out and down the slag slope down the Rocky Ridge down through thorns that ripped our pants and our skin. We did not stop until we were across the river. I looked up into the darkness, something I felt but could not see. It was watching the experience grew old with the evening in camp. We disbelieved ourselves as we shared a tale with others. We were able to rationally explain each phenomenon. A hermit had recently lived there. The flashlight at a malfunctioned, dripping water sounded like footsteps and a startled there had unsettled the slide at the Mayans entrance, whatever the cause it evoked. The spirit of adventure in all of the others in a return trip was scheduled for the following week. On that day, we again headed for the clipper bullion mine. This time we all loaded into the camp raft just up the river and floated it into a back. Eddy at the mine being true guides. Turk and I took the other four river guides and two girl cooks through the old buildings. We climbed the rage, making considerable racquet enough to drive any solitary, loving Herman deeper into the seclusion of the woods, making poor time. We finally came to the lonely Shaq and after combing the area, our curiosity was spent the shack in mineshaft or as we left them a week ago, nothing unusual happened. My friends all started back down the slope. Darkness again, flew gently down from the East standing in the mines entrance. I lingered pondering the past weekend. I turned to meticulously inspect the mine card that stood silent upon rusty rails. Both the carts and the shoveling side had remained untouched. Turning to leave, I noticed at my feet a small rectangular object. I stooped and plucked it from the ground. Hot stifling air blew up my back unconsciously drawn. I glanced back into the minds of black orifice from deep within its darkness. I could see an amorphous specter of twisting light. As it came rapidly looming towards me overcoming my spellbound stare. I stuffed the object into my shirt pocket and ran down the mountain. I almost flew down that Hill and after several falls I caught my boisterous companions. Then my face still pale. I drew from my pocket the object I have found uncontrollably shuttering. I looked down at a black ACE of spades stained with fresh blood, still transfixed. I watched as the car to faded, turned to Brown, then crumbled in my as a sultry gust. Blasted did that. It's integrating pieces from me. Then a voice from far away, yet as clear as the Pearl of the river sounded, you'll never take it from me. Never take it from me. Chill to the bone. I looked up into the darkling tree line and could feel something. Watching
Speaker 6:moon festival written by Brianna the door. Read by Liam Neary. October 31st, 2000 209 CE Luna, Tara near side Northern prefecture now arriving at orbit gate 64 B Aristotle station, the announcement hunt pleasantly over the shuttles Intercom. If this is your stop, please prepare to disembark. Finally, Jude stood and stretched, making a pretense to help the others get their bags down from the overhead compartments. They didn't make shuttles for people Jude's height, but complaining about it wasn't going to give them any extra leg room. Declan stood to peering past due to the other passenger as quickly clogging the walkway, I told them to see us closer to the exit. Declan huffed, what if we can't exit and we miss a little pickup to the station? I told them that I, Oh, hush. DECA. Eliza said blindly fanning herself with her hat. The moon doesn't revolve around you. I'm so glad you're along to remind me that I don't matter. Then you the for the support. Lysa, Declan shot back. Jude raise an eyebrow and drew his mouth into a line but didn't chime in. The two of them had been added the entire shuttle ride from Tyco and he had no interest in getting in the cross hairs of their bickering. Eliza and Declan had a pretty mess up breakup about a month back, but they'd been planning this trip for so long. It's not like they could just cancel their plans. The full moon festival was supposed to be the most spectacular events in the entire school system and Declan had free tickets so they stuck to their original plan. Declan Jude and his oldest friend, Eliza, his ex and Eliza's little sister Mia, just had to make it through a few days in close proximity. No big deal. They're all mature adults, right? Apparently not. They'd only just arrived in Aristotle's, and Jude wasn't looking forward to the festival anymore. He was just hoping Declan Eliza didn't kill each other before the end of the night. As he pulled another bag down, he caught me as eyes as she gathered her things together. She glanced towards deck and Liza then looked back at Jude with a lopsided grin. All as if to say, can you believe these two Jude blinked sort of grinning back at her and refocused on the luggage. Was he nervous? Why would he be nervous? He hadn't met me before this trip, but that was no reason to feel off kilter. After a healthy amount of jostling the squeezed out of the crowded shuttle car and into the greater chaos of the orbit. Gate shuttles rocketed in and out launching from their slope channels to swing into the dark atmosphere as the announcements crackled in a dozen different languages and travelers moved like tangled streams towards various platforms. Projections of dark clouds sailed along the walls everywhere Jude looked like a digitalized earth and sky. Occasionally a golden light would emerge from the clouds, a full harvest moon with the festivals logo on it. The clouds would push over the moon again and the logo would re-emerge on another wall. This way, Declan called out to the group over shoulder, keep up, jus juggled his unwieldy costume bag, his hatbox Deckland's hack box and a few other bags nearly smacking a bystander as he readjusted a strap slow down. Eliza bagged drowning under her ridiculously over-packed pile of costuming provisions. A long garment bag slid off her shoulder and slumped onto the ground. Jude doubled up his bags on one shoulder, reaching out to her. The AMEA swooped in just ahead of them silently picking up the drop bag and relieving her sister of a few others. They made their way clumsily to the exit, guided the whole way by Declan marching ahead like an anxious drum major where their limo driver on actual human, surprisingly not a self-driven chauffeur car picks them up. Declan wasted no time explaining to his captive strangers why he was so important. I programmed the light fixtures for this festival. He told the hapless driver every little holographic flame was my handiwork. Everything from the tiniest candle flames and the chandelier's. So the growing grins of each smirking jack-o-lantern atmosphere is everything and Eliza in leaning forward. Why don't you ask him why he couldn't just use actual candles. Instead of hiring this chucklehead, she said to the driver, Decklin wheeled back towards Eliza, an open flame and an oxidized Kratom. He shook his head. You'd have to be a moron or asking for catastrophe. One bad spark and the whole thing could go up in flames. Foolish. He snapped his fingers to continue his monologue, ignoring his ex-girlfriends veiled jab, the driver deposited them at their hotel with a weary sounding, enjoy your stay and Declan gave the orders to meet back at the lobby at 1700 dressed and ready for their night of magic. Jude opened up his pocket watch for the umpteenth time. 1713 his watch had to be incorrect. He shouldn't trust a gear based time piece. Even if he had said in wanted himself, he felt like a fool standing by himself in the lobby dressed up in his festival over Ghalia. Despite the fact that everyone else was dressed up to Navy, it was because the top hat made them look taller than he already was. He took it off and held it awkwardly in his gloved hands. Everyone looked like they had stepped out of an old earth painting. The men wore long, dark overcoats often made a thick velvet with impossible amounts of embellishment complete with the lace cuffs and collars. The women were bustled dresses in deep jewel tones or ruffled flounces with layers upon layers of gathered fabric. The festival outlined in aesthetic dress code, but the interpretation was left to the individual guests. As a result, there was a uniformity of decadence and intrigue, as if everyone had a wealth of secrets tucked up their set and gloves or tightly laced against their chest. Jude wondered if he was wearing his pocket watch correctly. Did it go with his waistcoat or tucking his hat under one arm? He took out the watch and checked it again for good measure. Jude Mia called out jogging to join him. Her ruffle skirt swirled around her knees and her lace veil fluttered away from her face as she moved. Sorry, lysis is late. I tried to make her hurry. She said, puffing a little Deckland's. The only one who would mind. Jude said, smiling down at her and he's just as late. Nia tilted his head to one side. He speaks. Andy has a nice voice too. She said playfully, you're quiet guy, aren't you? I don't mean to be. Jude clicked his pocket. Watch open and shut again. Smile fading. I'm in my head a lot. Work habit. What do you do? I work with Decklin theoretical machine learning. He's on the implementation side of things and I, he stuffed the time piece back into his overcoat pocket theorize. Mia shrugged. I think people talk too much in general. Take dear old Declan and my sister for example. Not everything needs to be said fair. Jude huffed out of quiet laugh. Shuffling his top hat from one hand to the other, but it's worth saying that your dress is lovely. She lit up smiling at him. Her red lips standing out behind the dark lace of her veil. Thanks. I like your hat. I, I don't know if it works for me. He gestured helplessly at himself. She held out her hands. May I Jude past the silk top hat without a word. She looked it over, seemed to choose the side, then reached up on her tip toes to place it a top his head there. She said, satisfied with the placement. Very dashing. He grinned back at her. He took a deep breath. Maybe this trip wasn't going to be such a wash after all, say small talk bubbling out of him unexpectedly. Do you know much about what hollows Eve was like on old earth? Not really. It used to be a holiday of understanding the past and looking forward to the future, communicating with the dead, reading fortunes, that kind of thing. He told her, huh? Mia fixed an Aron ruffle on her dress and I thought it was about dressing up as monsters and feeding your kids so much Kanzi that they got sick and stop asking for sugar all the time. She looked back at him with a wicked expression, but Jude couldn't return it. Eliza and Declan arrived. They got Jude whispered to Mia shoved time. She said back to him, smiles on everybody. The former couple arrived on different elevators almost simultaneously. Both of them dressed as though they were trying to outdo the other though somehow they only managed to look more like a couple than ever as if they were the only two survivors in the fallout of the golf pocalypse languishing under the weight of their unwanted roughs and their deformed growths of gaudy jewelry. They glanced at each other and both of their expressions darkened. Lizer. Mya called out to her sister. You look like a queen. Eliza stuck her nose in the air, partially chewed, suspected so that you could keep her gaze away from Declan. She took me as arm in the two, stepped into the flow of the festivals, goers, and headed toward the hotel. Tram is my Chabot. All right. Declan asked, nudging Jude, your Watts. He gestured to the ruffle type thing at his neck, fastened in place by a huge Ruby broach. Jus made of show of fiddling with some of the lace, remembering how much he'd felt about his hat after me affixed it. You look great man. He said dashing, even Declan nodded. Gratefully, picked up his walking stick and stumped off to lead the pack again. The subterranean trans brought them right to the full moon festival. Insulated crater dumb rather than the usual bubble shape of Luna. Tara's settlements. The festivals dome was made to look like a big top circus crowd with pennant flags at the point of its draping frame. None of them said a word as they approached the entryway rather than doors. There were dozens of tall, bare brunch, artificial trees made out of pure light, and as they brushed past them into the festival, they entered a completely new world. Within the dome was an entire city crafted like a love letter to the old world story books, the kind of story books that frightened as much as they delighted. The architecture was angular and dark with tall towers and chimneys, wide windows and thick pains and cobblestone steps into deep doorways. The streets were lined with a rod iron streetlights, each hung with garlands of dark roses flickering with fo gas flames, jack-o-lanterns of all shapes and sizes lined the stoops or grimaced in windows and gargoyles patrolled the flying buttresses of the tallest, most intricate buildings. Jude was astounded by the craftsmanship and even the slightest detail. There was a damp chill in the air like the premise of rain on an earthing evening and just at the edges of his hearing, he could pick up a faint melody of a music box being played somewhere. Looking up from inside the tent was translucent enough to see the faint stars in the glittering rings of the orbital highway. It's magnetic particles arking along the dark skies like comet tails. The ground below their feet glowed with a faintly golden light as an earth child might imagine there would be standing on the surface of a full moon. Mia polar sister ahead and twirled her over the golden sands lies as long train kicked up, little particles throwing shining moats into the air, each little grain glow to have its own volition and they drifted back down to the ground like waltzing fireflies. Jude watched wondering how they achieved the effect. Was it a projection like Deckland's holographic designs? He crouched down to touch the sand. It was real. Maybe a phosphorescent compound. He looked up to ask Deckland who was staring at the splendor. Slack-jawed this is unbelievable. Declan said to himself, I spent ages coding the right interplay of yellow and orange with the subtle flushes of blue and white to get the exact nuance of flame. I wrote all of those algorithms that made them act independently fluttering. When someone walked by, his voice got louder as he went on. The colors compliment the atmosphere. Exactly, and they're glowing. Floor is upstaging my work. That wasn't the reaction Jude was expecting. He furrowed his brow and straightened Ken history, his four by Barron's Declan continued holographic design is the true core of lunar innovation. You do great work deck. Jude reassured him. It's not easy to get the hologram to throw organic light, let alone respond to its environment. They probably couldn't manage such a feat with the flooring lines of just never understood my work. You know, Declan side speaking. So only Jude could hear typical for her to be more enthralled by a Mooney floor. It's completely frivolous and unrealistic. Anyway, Eliza let go over spinning sister. My ringlets are a mess now. She said, pulling out a hand mirror to assess her damage. So what should we go see first? Mia asked the group at large gesturing to the ubiquitous attraction signs lining the thoroughfare. I don't care. Declan said, looking up into one of his holographic streetlamps, maybe whatever has the shortest wait time Jude offered. Go ahead and scout it out. Eliza said, still staring into her hand mirror. There were so many things to do around them, each with stylish names that didn't tell Jude much about what they actually had to offer. There was signs for autumn passage. Midnight only fortunes fire the mythical menagerie symphony of storms and the traders trust. Jude was entirely overwhelmed there. Mia said, pointing symphony of storms scenes, easy to get in. It was a little opera house. It's marquee lit up with the attraction title. A stream of people poured out as another crowd filtered in. Jude followed me up towards the entrance. Mia looked over her shoulder lies in Declan ARD following us. She said they hadn't noticed Juden Mia leave. They were both ignoring everything in an attempt to ignore each other. Mia turned all the way around, walking backwards and called out to them. Hey you guys, she wasn't watching where she was going, the exiting crowd and gulped her the chattering festival goers making a wedge between Jude Mia, pulling her away from him. Jude reached out and took her hand using his size to make the people move for him and brought her back in close. Careful. He said letting go of her hand. Mia left. I'm paying attention. She said mostly, I'm sure you are, Jude replied, it's everyone else I'm worried about. They found a place in line, Declan Eliza were able to cut in with them just as they reached the entrance and together they filed inside the auditorium was one open mezzanine, a huge balcony that circled a central sunken stage. Other audience members filtered in and out taking their seats or leaving as whatever they were watching below seem to go on and definitely Jude in the others reach the railing and peeked down at the stage. The show was a massive Thunderhead surging and shifting into abstract shapes and tableaus faces, creatures and spawning structures. Everything was lit by veins of lighting and the cage when would slip free and hit the audience with sprays of rain. At one end of the theater, Amanda and a tailcoat sat in a gigantic apparatus, almost like an old earth organ. Rows and rows of keys, levers, dials, and pedals all fed into this enormous array of pipes, clouds and winds poured out of these pipes as he worked the innumerable keys orchestrating the entire storm himself. The group shuffled into a row of open seats, but you'd managed to settle directly in front of the short, older gentlemen who would never been able to see. He leaned over to Deckland whispering, can you switch with me? Ah, right. They switched as a boom of thunder. Shook the auditoriums. The audience clapped appreciatively the sound polite and muffled with their gloved hands. Eliza shrunk back in her chair as a spray of waters swept up towards them, whimpering about her dress. Would you like to switch? Jude offered. I can block some of the water. She shook her head flipping open her fan to hide behind it. You're missing it. Mia HiSET her sitting at the edge of her seat just switch. They shuffled again. Eliza half hid behind Jude shoulder ducking down whenever a big swell approached meal watched with open face, wonder captivated with every crack of lightening and rumble of thunder as the clouds boiled over each other. Jude couldn't help but be caught up by her and couldn't say how long they'd stayed there and raptured by the unknown, ever-changing story of the storm. When it lasts. They teetered out of the opera house. Declan nudged him with an elbow. I bet the whole thing was holograms. He said with an air of pride, to be honest, Jude said, pulling out his handkerchief. I didn't even think about it. What about those sprays of water? He dabbed. A few droplets left on his face. Don't let all that smoke and mirrors fool you. Declan scoffed holograms and a few well-placed sprinklers. Declan might've been right, but you'd felt an inexplicably resistance to the idea that there was all programmed, lightened, pantomime. The storm, however, was achieved, was incredible. He shrugged it off and replace his handkerchief as the four of them embark to the next attraction. The festival caught them up in its whirlwind of wonder. They saw mythological creatures made an iridescent topiary that moved on mechanized armatures to wonder about the lunar garden. Each leaf, a shard of stained glass. There were even phoenixes soaring overhead and a solitary whale that swam under the surface of the glass garden floor. There was an interactive augmented reality murder mystery where every individual saw something that convinced them that they were the killer. All along. They wrote a Ferris wheel made to look like they were riding giant moths which made Eliza motion sick and wondered a dark maze lit only by the radiance of the full moon flooring deck and lies. I had stopped trying to antagonize each other more or less, but only because they'd come to lean too heavily on Jude and Mia. Effectively splitting their group down the middle. Jude frequently found himself looking over the schism of silence between them trying to catch me as reactions to each new wonder. He wanted to ask her what she thought the time and again found himself bogged down in conversations with Declan about the construction of each attraction. It had never bothered him before, but the deconstruction of the full moons festivals into a series of house seemed to deflate the whole experience. By the time they stopped to eat, Jude was feeling agitated, hungry for something that he was missing. In all this spectacle, there were countless stalls serving moon theme, delicacies and harvest delights potpies with Luna. Terra craters carved into the crust stacks of Crescent shaped honey cakes, golden curries with earth imported vegetables and balls of caramel popcorn study with chocolate covered Hazel nuts. Nothing really called out to Jude's appetite, but he'd liked popcorn as a kid with the others cued up at food stalls. Mia found an automaton vendor with a seemingly endless teapot claiming it would calculate your perfect cup of tea based on your favorite poem. Mia gave it a title from a 22nd century Neo romances and it poured her a cup of something pinkish. She lifted her veil, took a sip and burst out laughing. How is it Jude called out to her from his place in line? Terrible. She replied, sounding absurdly happy about it. Way too sweet, not the way I take my tea at all. She took another sip, made a face and went to bring it to Eliza. Try this SIS. It's absurd, but Eliza didn't seem to hear. She was entirely caught up in Deckland's conversation with a pretty young woman serving Apple dumplings. I designed the flame effects, you know, he said, making a vague, sweeping gesture after your shift. I could take you on a little chandelier tour. Eliza covered her mouth with both hands than dashed down one of the festivals, many alleyways. Lysa Declan called after her. Hey Lysa. He chase after her leaving his Apple dumpling and his wallet with the young lady without thinking. Jude took a few steps to follow them but me a caught his arm. Let them work it out. She said, if anybody needs to understand the past and reach into the future, it's those two. Jude watched his friend vanish down a street and suppressed a groan, stepping up to buy his caramel popcorn for all of Deckland's intelligence. He's pretty oblivious. Mia snorted lies it too. She's got a big heart, not that you'd ever know. Say she perked up struck by an idea. Why don't we ditch them? Go see a few attractions on her own. She hadn't let go of his arm and was now pulling on his sleeve. I don't know. Jude struggled to exchange the right coins with the cashier and accept as huge popcorn ball while Mia was talking on him. What if they need us? Then from somewhere high in the big top tent, the sound of bells radiated charming out the approach of midnight. The bustle of the food court dwindled to a Reverend hush listening to the minor tones of the bells, an ambient voice little did through the crowd as if carried by the breeze. Attention ghouls and ghosts. Autumn's passage is about to begin. Don't miss the one and only performance. Come on. Jude. Mia took his hand and began to pull her up. Mia took his hand and began to pull him after her. Her hand was so much smaller than his, and yet it seemed to fit so easily. He trailed along as they wanted their way through the crowd. Autumn's passage was nothing more than a huge open wall. On one side of the crater dome, a massive window out into the monochrome landscape of the Aristotle's crater. Looking more closely, Jude notice airlocks positioned at each end of the window. He could barely make out the shadows of what must be a performer. Preparing inside one of the translucent locks. He and Mia settled into an opening in the throng of people now that they weren't going to be separated in the crowd. She let go of his hand and reach up to take a cluster of the caramel popcorn. Can you see? All right. He asked. Yup. She said chewing the sticky stuff or have a nice window, right? Just then someone stepped right in front of her, blocking her view entirely. Jude reached out over me and nudge the man on one side. Hey pal, looking out for the lady, he said the man turned frowning but as hostile expression wilted. When he looked up at Jude, my apologies. He muttered shrinking into one side. Me as veil was pulled back and Jude could see her cheeks flushed. Thanks. She said softly linking with surprise. He just nodded. Then cleared his throat. The lights dimmed all around them. Deckland's precious holographic flames turned down to mere sparks. It was starting. He wondered, did me a feel the same unexpected connection that he did, which she, Jude stopped himself. Mid-thought. What was he doing? He didn't even know Mya, but he'd abandoned Declan to trapeze around the silly, fair and eat popcorn with a pretty girl. He was just spinning away in his own head, getting carried away by the theoreticals in nonsense. He handed over the popcorn to me and folded his arms. The performer emerged from the air lock cloak of mist. The vapor poured out around her draining away to spill across the ashy surface of Luna Tara first, the helmet was revealed an incandescent golden orb like the harvest moon in earth sky like a Byzantine halo. As she stepped forward through the billowing cloud, Jude could see that her dress was made of entirely of green leaves, layers and layers of them carefully arranged into an intricate ball ground that float around her. As each leaf was deprived of oxygen, it changed color and in seconds the dress blossomed into a sunset of Ruby gold and russet and once changed. Each leaf peeled itself often floated out into the low gravity layer by layer. They changed colors and flooded out behind her. As she walked, leaving a wake of gold that slowly turned to Ash. The final layer shifted, falling away to reveal underneath a perfectly skin tight suit of webbing. Black lines like the black shadows of barren branches, silhouetted against the starry sky. Jude's mind raced. How long had it taken to construct every single synthetic leaf to design the compounds, to make them change color, to compose the pattern so that they would peel off in the right order. All for what? 20 seconds of decay. He felt like he couldn't take it all in fast enough. It was crumbling before him. Even now, something made him look down at Mia. Curious to see her reaction. She stood completely transfixed by the passage of autumn one tier, sliding down her cheek. She was beautiful and funny and sweet and so alive. A peaceful, quiet, settled over Jude. This is what all that work had been for something so beautiful, so fragile, so fleeting. It forced them to be present, shy away, get distracted, overthink it, and he'd miss it. He'd miss her. Jude reached down and took me his hand. As the last few leads drifted down to Ash. She interlaced her fingers with his. The spirit of autumn reached the airlock on the other side, leaving nothing more than looming darkness over a trail of footprints and crumbled black leaves. There was nothing else to prove that had happened at all except that Mia squeezed Jude's hand and leaned against him and he felt her deep content. Sy,
Speaker 1:the Burgle by Candice J Thomas read by Kirsten Hallows. The creature cracked its bony knuckles one by one as it examined the dark space under the bed, a few stray socks, a missing Toyer. Two things the boy never played with. A small wheeze vibrated its pudgy nostrils, a musical fashion. The casual drips slipped down the leathery Hyde and the Burgle sucked in once more before the boy returned. The Burchell and no way liked the human sniveling biscuit of a boy, doughy and hard-boiled with no cleverness or cutting to save him. Even in these dark hours, the boy crisp, dumb multiples near his bed. The tiny bits fell to the ground. It sniffed them, but the saltines were no meal and not satisfying the craving. A sharp pain press deep inside it. The Burgle had no appetite for forgotten sweeties. The hunger pushed desperate for the treasure, the point of it's ears pricked, hearing the steps coming, it sniffed the dribbling fluid again. As the door crept open, I did ma'am. The menace of a boy exclaimed. I brushed him all, even the back ones, another voice as something the Burgle could not hear, but the boy responded, promise mum, not too late. Goodnight. The door closed and a soft light went on. The Burgo squinted out of habit, though the dark under the bed was plenty sufficient for its large pupils. A small shuffling happened when the plump boy made to shrug off his britches and sling on something looser as he had done previous nights, the boy hadn't to himself. Sometimes a word or two popped from his mouth. The burgers ears bent limited the noise concentrating on the prize that waited. Soon the bright disappeared and a dim light lit in a tiny box. The Burgo licked his lips. Little things would go into the boy's ears, and then not soon after the privileged boy would drift asleep. Its eyes grew wide. An anticipation. Wait, hit the bed with a thud, moving and creaking, settling into sunk increases and worn and wood slats. Little dust DS floated down from the boards. Particles from years of human mulching. The burgles huge eyes blinked away the filth and looked up at the sag where the head would be the itchy part of its throat. Gurgled the Burgle pulled its neck tight and go down. The growing drool, juicy, wet hunger started dribbling by its mouth. It found the boy three nights previous and tried to snatch, but the nasty human Wolk, the taste so sweet. The craving consumed it. It needed the nasty soul for its own. The sweet possibilities in this boy called to him a succulent delicious soul to feed on. It swelled with happiness and even some joy, pure joy. The Burgle rang his hands at the thought. He relished joy. The clever ones hit their feelings where the Burgle couldn't feast on them, but this one was ripe and knew no better. A stupid fool of a boy. Clumsy and selfless opening, sharing feelings with others. No guard, no security, even better, more juicy and sweet. A spider crept on. A small rappers, spongy fruit near the post ready to slip. The sticky goo. Spiders were fine for crunching, but he had no appetite for them. Now, not when the soul of a human boy was so close to its reach. Snotty excitement ran down from its open nostrils. Anticipation ate away. The creature wiped with both hands down the front of its chest, caking the skin with coats of white mucus, preparing for the gentle slaughter patients[inaudible] the Burgle despised patients. It hungered for instant satisfaction and for fat juicy boys to fall asleep quickly. Its hands began to fidget. Thinking of all the potential it would steal and saver and suck on for years or pure delicious love spreading like jam between its fingers. Its stomach clenched tight at every crunching so desperate it wiped the drool again. The light from the little box went black and tiny snores rattled the chest. The little creature snorted and quietly crawled from the side of the bed plaque with its Norell spindly clause of the old wood. It. Think in nails, making the scramble easy, delightful, until it grabbed the slippery cloth around the sponge cushion by the boy's head. The plum boy lay untucked from the bedding. Bushy unkept hair flopped on the side of the pillow. A soft spoiling rushed the Burgos head as it saw the plump pink cheeks. The mouth halfway open the slide greeds slipped its mouth. The mattress role does the fat human moved his body spilling one of the ear quiet hours to the side of the boy's head. The creature pushed against the pillow and kept quiet until the snores came back. Now with the boy on his side, it would be easier to steal the Burgle smacked its bulbous lips. Knowing that young coming sweet crunching, savory soul ready for snatching the Burkle Oh so quietly slipped behind the pillow to the other side where the nose and mouth made such a racket. The overgrown mop of hair swung over the boy's eyes helping hide the Burgos presence. A smug smile covered the creatures greedy little face. The Burgle rubbed the front of its chest gathering it's goo on its palms. The little creature licked each one to make it sticky. Enjoying the sweet Tang before it placed its grubby fingers around the boys nose and pinched it closed. The Burgos eyes grew wide in anticipation, searching in the air for what it needed. Wind blowing hard as the young man's mouth exhaled hard. The strings appeared immediately. It flew forward and it snatched at the light. It's a little finger wrap tied around one and polled a clever one. Smelled of hope. He loved stealing hope, delicious and swelling with expectations. He quickly reeled it in until the seed popped through the boy's mouth. He spun an expertly into spool and stuck it in his prepared chest. Greed consumed him. The Burgle went back with its pinching fingers and held the huge nostrils closed again. Another path and more strings flew out. It snatched two more. One smelt of creativity. The other a friendship. The creature conched hard with its sticky palms with glee. Too good to be true. Both were succulent and complicated. Both a treat and both started slipping through his fingers. The Burgle sneered and tugged harder to keep them, but creativity slipped back down the boy's throat. The Burkle took both of his spindly hands and reeled. Friendship was a rare one to appear. Greed flushed its face, its mouth. Slobbered thinking about it. Hunger controlled it as it took a lick of the string before placing it on its chest. The spicy, citrusy Tang tasted better than anything, yet devoured its fingers. Nearly slipped with excitement, dancing as it wrapped something so valuable. A massive hand swung up to the boy's nose, nearly swiping the creature. The Burgle nearly forgot itself and the overwhelming excitement. It scampered behind the pillow again, waiting for the hand to go back, but it didn't. It rested near the nose. It had to delicious. But the greedy Burgle couldn't stop thinking about more luscious soul. This boy laid ripe with fresh wine. The Burgle moved quietly and evaluated. The sleeping human, the boy's hand was close to the nose, but not covering it one more. It just wanted one more so expertly and quietly. The Burgle moved back around the pillow and under the boys. Massive arm toward the nose. Slowly its fingers went and grasp the nostrils closed. One more time. One more yummy, delicious. The boys squirmed a little looking for breath. One more sticky sweetness of large exhale and the creature lbs toward the strings. The graspy fingers splayed wide, wanting anything, anything its pupils and gorged with desire more. The boy had so much more. The Burgle wanted all of it. Every string, every fiber of soul. Juicy, scrumptious soul. Its hands tightened. Three, it had caught. Three the Burgle pulled with all its strength down trying to fling the seeds away from the second intake. It couldn't tell what they were. It didn't care. The boy was right full of pleasures, emotions to taking, keep the creature wanted them all. It yanked the strings as hard as it could. It would take anything from this sugary treat. The boy moved quickly, sharply sending the Burgos, scrambling near the end of the bed. The strings flying wildly away from its grip. It's squeezed harder and breached losing footing on the mattress and began to tumble. The Burgle grabbed around its belly, protecting the already revealed catch. It was still in reach of a string. The greed consumed every action. One more. The Burgle swung around the seed still heavy in the boy's mouth. The ground came closer. Its skeletal wrist wrapped quickly around the floating strings to secure it. One pulled tight while the other slinked back inside. As the boy inhaled hard, nearly gasping. Crash. The greedy Burgle rolled in near the closet, hitting some unused balls and sticks, sending them tumbling to the floor. The boy opened his eyes and shot up in bed, breathing hard. The fat human look frightened and his eyes peered over at the random mess on his floor. He wiped his nose and mouth and expelled. Foul words of disgust before wiping the sticky residue on the bed cloth. The Burgle sniffed and scampered back into a dark corner, safe and unseen by the human's eyes as it reeled the last of the boy's kindness and added it to the beautiful collection. Delicious
Speaker 3:the creature by Lukow letter read by Liz Christiansen. I don't remember the first night I saw the creature. In fact, it's possible it had always been there standing at the foot of my bed and darkness. There was a time before it had taken a shape, a time where I thought I could feel a presence while I stared into the black of night, a presence that somehow crackled like the black and white static of a television with no success. No a crackle was allowed in the silence of my bedroom. Sanctuary creature could disappear without a trace leaving. Only the thought that it must have been my imagination running away with me, my mind being carried away in the stream of consciousness.
Speaker 7:Yes,
Speaker 3:the creature wasn't real. I must've invented it. I decided that it was fiction and that false creations couldn't hurt me. I was wrong. I was 14 when the creature began to take a corporeal form. The darkness began to stretch into a thin figure, nearly eight feet tall. The creature had to start hunching over to fit in my bedroom, leaning over my bed. Some nights my eyes would snap open from my sleep to see the dark figure almost hovering over my head. I would shut my eyes tight and tell myself that I was lost in imagination again. The creature was not real. It could not be real. I was 15 when I saw the creatures eyes for the first time. I woke from a nightmare startled and hoping to escape the horror of my dreams in reality, but instead there was the creature. It was leaning
Speaker 4:in closer than it had ever been and I could see the eyes begin to form and the darkness being willed into existence. As I watched, I saw the white of the sclera form in the night, almost hopeful in the bleak animal, but then the thin red veins began to shoot across covering the pail surface like a spiderweb. Then as if rolling forward out of its skull, the Iris rolled down the white killing, the hope with chilling menace. As they constricted focusing in on me, there was no color, just black. Then the pupils seem to emerge from the black Iris. Two pupils in each eye. They emerged as if someone punched a hole in a curtain and a light shone through. I could never kind of could never find comfort in the light of the creature's eyes. It wasn't warm. It was cold, harsh, distant. It seemed as if the glow itself meant to do me harm. The eyes moved closer to my face and for the first time my fear overcame my senses and I cried out. I heard my father quickly shuffled down the hallway. As the eyes descended on me, I saw a thin pale face begin to form around the eyes until the door to my room flew open and the light flashed on the creature vanished in the light as if consumed in the warm glow and vanquished by its intervention. My father asked me what was wrong and I opened my mouth to tell him about the creature, about the being that had studied me every night. For as long as I could remember, I felt the words forming in my throat, but then the smallest of doubts sprouted in my mind. I realized how foolish I would seem if I claimed a monster had been hovering over my bed. I could picture my father telling me what I had thought of every night. For years, you're letting your imagination get the better of you. I felt silly now for crying out, for losing control of my senses to a fantasy. I told my father that I cried out in my sleep because of a nightmare and that he could go back to bed. I would be fine. My room was dark once again. When my father left and I closed my eyes, I was now convinced that it had been a dream. The creature wasn't real and it couldn't hurt me. Sleep began to drift over me. My mind falling silent until the creatures spoke for the first time. You are silent. Tongue belongs to me. The voice was no more than a whisper. It felt thin, but it cuts through the air like a knife. The jacket whisper made my arms tingle with fright. Goosebumps shooting out of my skin. I knew that if I opened my eyes, I would have to face the creature. So I gave into my fear and closed my eyes tighter. Open your eyes. I clenched my eyes even more.
Speaker 3:Open your eye. The force of my eyelids was so great. My vision began to go white. From the effort. A Mirage of hope, will you not face me? I begged internally for my nightmare to stop speaking very well. Silence hung clearly in the air for a moment. You have blind eyes to me. In one single night the creature had claimed my eyes and tongue. It kept its promise and from then on I could only see what the creature wanted me to see. My meals would turn into rotting flesh before my eyes. My teachers became predators hunting me in a desert landscape and my parents would shackle me into a bed where the creature could spend countless nights observing me. I could no longer sleep unless the creature allowed me to close my eyes and I watched. As its body became clearer and more defined day by day I watched it's muted and pale face sculpt itself slowly the creature began to grin at me with jagged teeth, the color of the night sky. It began to caress my face with long pale and greasy fingers. Sometimes the ragged talons of the creature would latch into the skin of my face and carve a long gash into my flesh the next morning. If someone could see the wounds in my cheeks, they might ask what caused the injury and the creature would use my tongue to lie. I longed every day to beg somebody to rescue me, to see the horrifying monster that was now following me in broad daylight, but my tongue belonged to the creature and it would never let me speak of its deeds. I was 16 when my creature began to claw with purpose at my arms and legs, leaving scars that I would cover with my shirts and jeans that its instruction. My creature began to save her the pain that had inflicted and would spend its nights clawing at me.
Speaker 8:Okay.
Speaker 3:One night my creatures eyes suddenly darted up. One night my creatures eyes suddenly darted from my forearm up to my neck and I understood what my creature wanted now and calmly lifted its decrepit hand to my throat and position to claw to attack for the first time, my fear of the creature was silenced for just a moment and my right hand slipped out of a 10 cuff and grabbed the creature's wrist, pushing it away from my vulnerable throat. The creature was surprised at my attack and began to push it back with equal ferocity lashing out at its target with an animalistic snarl. My certainty began to waver in the face of this beast and the terror of the moment. Suddenly all I could see was a future with no end in sight and where every evening I would have to hold my creatures attack at Bay. I felt sick and overwhelmed by the promise of fighting battle every night for the rest of my earthly life. The only reasonable outcome being my eventual defeat, my hopelessness began to collapse in on itself and I slowly set out loud. I don't have the strength for this fight. My creatures attack suddenly ceased as I saw. It's horrible eyes narrow with uncertainty. It's had cocked in an unsettling and inquisitive way and I slowly let go of my creatures wrist and put my hand back into the shackle. Yeah, I don't belong to me. I'm now 18 years old. I have seen friends, family, and strangers be taken into the abyss by their creatures disappearing without a trace. I know in my heart that I will one day be taken to experience an eternity of darkness and unknown world. My creature has taken everything from me piece by piece and now only my heart remains. It seems to me that when my heart is claimed, I will fade. What's left of me will be dragged to the edge of that insatiable abyss and be cast inside. I have now 18 years old and I did not believe that I will ever be 19 all I have left is this hopeless confession. All I have is this story to give you. You will hear my tail. You will consume it as all I want to do. Just know that as you consume, I can feel your mind becoming distracted. I can feel you losing focus on the world around you. I can see how your mind is being numbed by this insidious narrative, how your mind has become idle in this story and now you're, I don't mind below
Speaker 2:looks to me. Thank you for listening to this in the telling Halloween special. You can find out more about in the telling at Lizzie Lizzie, liz.com in the telling is hosted and produced by me, Liz Christiansen sleep tight.
Speaker 9:[inaudible][inaudible].