The Hellhowler – Paranormal Detective vs. a Demon Dog ၏ စာသားမှတ်တမ်းအပြည့်အစုံ

00:05:49.920 so I sat back and let her tell her story 72 00:05:50.319 --> 00:05:56.560 as I enjoyed my post pastrami beer James, she said, 73 00:05:56.600 --> 00:06:00.720 and took a long pull from the bottle. Down at it, 74 00:06:01.639 --> 00:06:04.720 I could tell she wasn't used to slumming around with beer. 75 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:09.600 She was a fine, brandy kind of gal. She took 76 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:12.600 a moment to collect herself and looked up at me. 77 00:06:14.160 --> 00:06:19.519 I think I'm going to die. We are all going 78 00:06:19.600 --> 00:06:24.079 to die, I said, with the infamous Becker charm. That's 79 00:06:24.120 --> 00:06:27.759 how I get all the ladies. My compassion and the 80 00:06:27.839 --> 00:06:30.800 power to speak the wrong thing at the wrong time. 81 00:06:31.720 --> 00:06:37.759 Women love assholes and I am a fucking catch. I 82 00:06:37.839 --> 00:06:44.279 mean soon. I think I'm being hunted, she explained, and 83 00:06:44.399 --> 00:06:48.120 pushed a lock of her wavy brown hair back behind 84 00:06:48.279 --> 00:06:52.639 the cutest ear I've ever seen. I bet her shampoo 85 00:06:52.800 --> 00:06:58.920 smelled amazing. Hunted by what? I asked her? Taking a 86 00:06:59.000 --> 00:07:03.680 drink myself from the bottle, I didn't notice anything off 87 00:07:03.720 --> 00:07:08.079 with the flavor. People of refined taste have no taste. 88 00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:12.240 You know what I mean? I don't know. I don't 89 00:07:12.279 --> 00:07:16.759 know how to explain it. Last night at home, my 90 00:07:17.399 --> 00:07:22.399 husband and I, she started, Husband, I should throw her 91 00:07:22.439 --> 00:07:26.319 out of my office. I thought I couldn't be that cruel, 92 00:07:27.240 --> 00:07:30.959 could I? I mean, don't you go looking into my 93 00:07:31.160 --> 00:07:34.600 past for that answer? The answer I'm giving you now 94 00:07:34.759 --> 00:07:39.199 is a reluctant no. I guess I won't find my 95 00:07:39.399 --> 00:07:44.199 true love on this case either, maybe the next. What's 96 00:07:44.279 --> 00:07:49.920 the address address, she asked? Where do you live? I 97 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:55.720 inquired with a raised eyebrow. Oh, we're over in Heaven's Hills, 98 00:07:56.279 --> 00:08:01.680 the new development, she answered, Of course she was. That 99 00:08:01.959 --> 00:08:05.519 was big money. I didn't think the places were open yet. 100 00:08:06.279 --> 00:08:09.519 Only the developer lived up there. It was a town 101 00:08:09.639 --> 00:08:13.800 over in Union. I haven't been that way in a while. 102 00:08:14.879 --> 00:08:19.120 There really isn't much else out there. I'll come out tonight, 103 00:08:19.240 --> 00:08:23.600 missus Kraus, just before dark. I'm guessing you are safe 104 00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:28.920 until nightfalls, I asked, nine times out of ten. Whatever 105 00:08:29.120 --> 00:08:34.919 paranormal issue, these cases have only operates under cover of night. 106 00:08:35.080 --> 00:08:38.799 Some are stronger after dark, some die in the sunlight, 107 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:43.759 others just like the aesthetic. I won't know which I'm 108 00:08:43.799 --> 00:08:46.679 dealing with until I get out there and can snoop 109 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:51.000 around a bit. How did you know my name? Don't 110 00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:55.360 you want to hear the details? She asked, confusedly. Is 111 00:08:55.399 --> 00:08:58.279 anyone else living over there yet? Or is it just 112 00:08:58.440 --> 00:09:01.679 you and your husband? The develop I'll get all the 113 00:09:01.759 --> 00:09:05.519 details tonight when I get there. I'll interview you and 114 00:09:05.600 --> 00:09:09.120 your husband. Once I have both stories, I can figure 115 00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:12.840 out what we're dealing with here. I am terribly sorry, 116 00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:15.440 but I have a very important client. I have an 117 00:09:15.440 --> 00:09:20.919 appointment with I kind of lied, kind of of course. 118 00:09:21.559 --> 00:09:24.559 Forgive me for barging in like this. I should have 119 00:09:24.639 --> 00:09:28.799 called and made an appointment, Marlene said as she stood up. 120 00:09:29.639 --> 00:09:33.039 I tried not to get caught gawking at those legs 121 00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:35.480 of hers as she made her way to my office 122 00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:40.840 door seven o K, I called out after her. Perfect, 123 00:09:41.480 --> 00:09:44.480 she replied, and when I looked up at her face, 124 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:49.279 she was watching me. Damn it too slow on the 125 00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:53.440 eye withdrawal. It's been a while since I've been caught gawking. 126 00:09:54.519 --> 00:09:58.919 She was sharp. I admired that in my women. Thank you, 127 00:09:59.080 --> 00:10:04.720 mister Becker, I mean, James, I already feel better knowing 128 00:10:04.799 --> 00:10:08.120 you are on the case. I gave her an award 129 00:10:08.200 --> 00:10:12.519 winning smile until she closed the door. I finished off 130 00:10:12.519 --> 00:10:15.799 my bier, sat down and put my feet on my desk. 131 00:10:16.759 --> 00:10:20.919 Time for that appointment, I thought, and drifted off for 132 00:10:21.000 --> 00:10:25.879 a few hours. I needed my beauty sleep. I know 133 00:10:25.960 --> 00:10:30.159 what you're thinking, what an asshole, But let me explain. 134 00:10:31.120 --> 00:10:34.279 Since I was a kid, I could kind of feel 135 00:10:34.320 --> 00:10:38.440 the paranormal, catch glimpses of the things that lurk in 136 00:10:38.519 --> 00:10:42.519 your bedroom at night. Most people go their whole lives 137 00:10:42.559 --> 00:10:46.440 without seeing any of that shit. I've pretty much seen 138 00:10:46.519 --> 00:10:49.960 it all, and let me tell you it's fucking frightening. 139 00:10:50.679 --> 00:10:53.879 I don't get much sleep at night when those things 140 00:10:54.039 --> 00:10:57.399 like to do their business. I catnapped during

the day 141 00:10:58.360 --> 00:11:02.960 just to get by. Oh and once those things know 142 00:11:03.320 --> 00:11:08.519 you can see them, they don't leave you the fuck alone. 143 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:12.600 Even friendly ghosts get lonely and you are the only 144 00:11:12.759 --> 00:11:17.759 thing that can see them other than cats. Yeah, not 145 00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:21.440 a lot of downtime. Don't get me started on the 146 00:11:21.879 --> 00:11:23.279 darker beings. 147 00:11:24.759 --> 00:11:28.399 Don't go away weekly, spooky will be right back. 148 00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:35.159 After my nap, I hunted around for more info on 149 00:11:35.240 --> 00:11:39.919 the crouses. Sometimes good old detective work gets me all 150 00:11:39.960 --> 00:11:44.000 the information I need for a case, but in this 151 00:11:44.240 --> 00:11:49.799 instance they seemed squeaky clean. I don't like my rich 152 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:53.639 people to be good too. Makes the world not fair. 153 00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:57.759 No Fauscian deal with the devil or stepping on the 154 00:11:57.799 --> 00:12:02.039 backs of others to get there. Sometimes life just doesn't 155 00:12:02.039 --> 00:12:06.120 make sense. I grabbed my keys and a fresh bottle 156 00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:09.519 from the mini fridge, with a mental note to restock 157 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:13.600 that I know I won't remember until it was too late, 158 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:17.639 and headed out the door. It was still cold out, 159 00:12:18.159 --> 00:12:21.840 not the frozen tundra of a Northeast winter, but a 160 00:12:21.919 --> 00:12:27.440 transition towards spring. I regretted not grabbing my coat about 161 00:12:27.480 --> 00:12:31.279 four seconds after getting in the car, but I refused 162 00:12:31.279 --> 00:12:35.480 to go back on principle. I drove up the long, 163 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:40.480 steep dirt road leading to the development past the field 164 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:43.840 of stumps that used to be a forest, and up 165 00:12:44.279 --> 00:12:47.840 and up I went until I was nearly at the 166 00:12:47.879 --> 00:12:53.159 top of Heavens Hill's namesake hill. There stood the only 167 00:12:53.320 --> 00:12:57.279 house that had actually been built up there. It was 168 00:12:57.480 --> 00:13:01.320 large and white and had caught, so you knew it 169 00:13:01.399 --> 00:13:05.639 was from money. It had a circular driveway, a two 170 00:13:05.759 --> 00:13:09.879 car attached garage, and a fountain in front that wasn't 171 00:13:09.960 --> 00:13:14.679 working yet. A well maintained frontage greeted me as I 172 00:13:14.759 --> 00:13:20.120 exited my ship box nineteen seventy eight Dodge Omni. People 173 00:13:20.200 --> 00:13:24.360 ask me how it still runs after all these years. 174 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:30.279 It's part Dodge engineering, part owner love, part incantations, and 175 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:33.159 the blood sacrifice of the mice that tried to winter 176 00:13:33.279 --> 00:13:36.679 in it or steal the dropped fries from under the seat. 177 00:13:36.960 --> 00:13:40.799 I tell them that usually makes them go away and 178 00:13:40.919 --> 00:13:44.399 talk to someone else. To be honest, I have no 179 00:13:44.600 --> 00:13:49.559 idea why it works, and I'm not questioning it. It's 180 00:13:49.600 --> 00:13:52.600 been paid off for a long time and still starts 181 00:13:52.679 --> 00:13:57.120 when it needs to. The door opened as the last 182 00:13:57.240 --> 00:14:02.360 sputters of the mostly replaced Mopar engine died out. A 183 00:14:02.440 --> 00:14:06.600 man stood at the entrance wearing a tux. I suddenly 184 00:14:06.639 --> 00:14:10.799 felt underdressed in the same stained T shirt. I met 185 00:14:10.840 --> 00:14:15.879 Missus Krausen earlier. Could you tell missus and mister Crouch 186 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:20.679 that James Becker has arrived, I asked the butler. He 187 00:14:20.759 --> 00:14:25.720 gave me a particular look and motioned me inside. In 188 00:14:25.759 --> 00:14:30.639 the foyer, Marlene Krause waited, wearing a cocktail dress and 189 00:14:30.679 --> 00:14:34.799 holding a wineglass in her hand. Her brown, wavy hair 190 00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:39.519 surrounded her beautiful face and hung halfway down her torso 191 00:14:40.519 --> 00:14:43.000 It took me a moment to take my eyes off her. 192 00:14:43.679 --> 00:14:46.440 I could see the curve of her lips as a 193 00:14:46.519 --> 00:14:51.639 hint of a smile crossed it. She was amused by me. Dear, 194 00:14:52.279 --> 00:14:55.840 mister Becker is here, the man in the tuck said. 195 00:14:56.720 --> 00:15:01.279 I turned toward him. Oh you're mister Krause. I saw 196 00:15:01.320 --> 00:15:05.639 the tucks and thought I started to explain that I 197 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:11.399 was the butler. He asked, a little annoyed. Well, yes, 198 00:15:11.919 --> 00:15:16.960 I said, unabashedly. I am sorry. We have an engagement 199 00:15:17.039 --> 00:15:20.919 we must attend tonight. We can give you about an hour, 200 00:15:21.080 --> 00:15:25.240 mister Becker before we must leave, he said. I was 201 00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:28.639 going to tell him to call me James, but fuck him. 202 00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:33.399 I didn't like him from the start, Oh, James, come 203 00:15:33.480 --> 00:15:37.320 sit with us and hear missus Krause said, and entered 204 00:15:37.320 --> 00:15:41.480 a room off the hall. It held several comfy looking 205 00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:45.639 sofas and a table with a bottle of booze. Make 206 00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:49.600 yourself a drink, she finished. I walked over to the 207 00:15:49.679 --> 00:15:53.399 table and eyed my choices. Some of these I had 208 00:15:53.440 --> 00:15:56.759 never heard of, and the ones I had I had 209 00:15:56.799 --> 00:16:02.919 never drunk. I chose one at random, something called knob Creek. 210 00:16:03.799 --> 00:16:07.080 I poured half a glass and joined them on the

sofas. 211 00:16:07.720 --> 00:16:12.320 I had never sat on something so soft. I pulled 212 00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:15.679 a notepad from my pants pocket. I like the old 213 00:16:15.720 --> 00:16:20.600 school feel of writing down everything myself. I remember facts 214 00:16:20.679 --> 00:16:24.240 better that way. Cell phones are spotty at best out 215 00:16:24.279 --> 00:16:28.000 here anyway, I took a big gulp of the knob 216 00:16:28.120 --> 00:16:30.840 Creek and gave them a smile as they watched me. 217 00:16:31.840 --> 00:16:35.600 I'm pretty sure they didn't see my eye tear up. 218 00:16:36.320 --> 00:16:42.440 Let's start with names and occupations, I said, Marlen Kraus, housewife, 219 00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:50.200 John Kraus, land developer. They said, okay, John, Marlene, can 220 00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:54.399 you tell me what happened last night? Let's start with John. 221 00:16:54.879 --> 00:17:01.320 I asked, sure, John said, and straightened his tucks. We 222 00:17:01.320 --> 00:17:05.400 were walking on the nature trail after dinner to see 223 00:17:05.400 --> 00:17:10.240 the scenic beauty of Heaven's Hills. John began, you don't 224 00:17:10.279 --> 00:17:13.400 have to sell it to me, I said, Did your 225 00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:18.759 company make the trail? Not exactly. We found the trail 226 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:22.680 when we were surveying it and made it wider and 227 00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:28.759 more accessible so the residence of Heaven's Hills would enjoy it. Anyway, 228 00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:32.880 it was after dinner and not too far from sunset, 229 00:17:33.200 --> 00:17:35.519 and we were near the top of the ridge to 230 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:39.720 the south when a cold wind blew and we both 231 00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:45.480 felt like we were being watched. I stood up as 232 00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:49.359 I listened to John's story and walked over to the mantel. 233 00:17:50.319 --> 00:17:55.000 There was a small wolf figurine there, looking freshly carved. 234 00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:59.240 Had picked it up to examine it. Did you hear 235 00:17:59.279 --> 00:18:04.400 anything branches breaking or grunts? I asked, as I turned 236 00:18:04.400 --> 00:18:08.599 the figure over in my hand. Tell him about the roars, 237 00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:13.960 Marlene interrupted, not so much a roar as a howl, 238 00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:19.759 like a dog or a John explained wolf. I interrupted, 239 00:18:20.279 --> 00:18:24.960 showing them the figure. Yeah, it carried on the wind, 240 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:28.720 but it was faint. I had stepped off the trail 241 00:18:28.839 --> 00:18:32.519 to take a quick leak, and I heard it it's 242 00:18:32.599 --> 00:18:35.880 hard to say for sure which direction it came from. 243 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:40.440 John continued, There hasn't been a wolf around this area 244 00:18:40.599 --> 00:18:44.759 for a hundred years. I explained, and set the figure 245 00:18:44.920 --> 00:18:49.160

down on the mantle. I'm just telling you what I heard, 246 00:18:49.799 --> 00:18:54.160 Marlene said, with a pout. Sorry, I didn't mean to 247 00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:58.920 indicate I thought you were lying, I apologized. She still 248 00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:05.079 sat there beaute poudy. John was a lucky man, continue, 249 00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:09.960 I said to John. Soon after that, we decided to 250 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:14.039 head back, but we both kept looking over our shoulders. 251 00:19:14.640 --> 00:19:19.079 We realized we were walking faster than normal. Both of 252 00:19:19.160 --> 00:19:24.240 us felt like we were being followed. It was most unsettling. 253 00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:30.039 John said, Still no grunts or rocks being thrown, trees 254 00:19:30.079 --> 00:19:33.799 being hit by other trees in the distance. I asked, 255 00:19:34.400 --> 00:19:38.160 thinking I had an idea of what it might have been. 256 00:19:39.799 --> 00:19:43.680 You're not safe yet, weekly spooky will be right back. 257 00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:52.799 What do you think it is becker? John asked, Well, 258 00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:58.240 sometimes there are things in nature that don't like man's encroachment, 259 00:19:59.000 --> 00:20:04.519 things that can be territorial. I've seen a dozen sasquatch 260 00:20:04.599 --> 00:20:09.680 cases that start like yours, but they usually have rocks 261 00:20:09.759 --> 00:20:15.319 being thrown or other aggressive behavior. So far, you haven't 262 00:20:15.400 --> 00:20:24.039 actually seen anything, correct, I asked, no, nothing. James Marlene said, ah, 263 00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:27.680 she remembered my name. I may have floated off the 264 00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:32.000 floor just a little bit. I'll tell you what, Why 265 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:34.440 don't you two head out to your event that you're 266 00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:37.799 so dressed up for, and I'll take a walk down 267 00:20:37.839 --> 00:20:41.359 this trail and see what I can find. We can 268 00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:46.240 reconvene in the morning. I told them be careful. James 269 00:20:46.759 --> 00:20:51.759 Marlene said, oh, if you fancy that figure, go ahead 270 00:20:51.759 --> 00:20:55.359 and take it. I don't want to think about wolves 271 00:20:55.480 --> 00:20:59.759 right now. I picked up the figurine again and told 272 00:20:59.799 --> 00:21:04.200 them thanks, and slipped it into my pocket. Where did 273 00:21:04.240 --> 00:21:07.920 you get it, if I might ask, from a shop 274 00:21:07.960 --> 00:21:12.240 in town. A woman carves them herself. When we were 275 00:21:12.359 --> 00:21:16.079 driving around looking for a land to develop, we stopped 276 00:21:16.079 --> 00:21:19.359 in and thought it was a charming little shop. We 277 00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:21.880 picked it up as a souvenir of our faith in 278 00:21:21.920 --> 00:21:27.799 our investment and future, John explained, and then excused himself. 279 00:21:28.839 --> 00:21:32.519

Marlene walked up to me so close I could smell 280 00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:36.839 her shampoo. This time it was apple scented. I was 281 00:21:36.920 --> 00:21:39.759 glad I was wearing glasses to keep my eyes from 282 00:21:39.839 --> 00:21:42.920 popping out of my head as I snuck a glance 283 00:21:42.960 --> 00:21:46.440 at the cleavage in front of me. Thank you, James. 284 00:21:47.000 --> 00:21:50.759 I feel better knowing you are on the case. Please, 285 00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:55.440 if there is anything I can do, don't hesitate to ask. 286 00:21:56.480 --> 00:22:00.440 It gained about one thousand degrees in that room. Swear 287 00:22:01.480 --> 00:22:05.000 I'll get this whole thing figured out. You have nothing 288 00:22:05.039 --> 00:22:09.319 to worry about. I'm a professional, I said, and down 289 00:22:09.440 --> 00:22:12.599 the rest of the knob creek and placed my glass 290 00:22:12.680 --> 00:22:16.720 on the table. I'll have the butler take care of it, 291 00:22:17.319 --> 00:22:22.920 Marlene said, with a sultry smile. My face reddened, which 292 00:22:23.160 --> 00:22:26.519 I didn't think was possible since all my blood was 293 00:22:27.079 --> 00:22:31.720 differently located at the time. I found my way back 294 00:22:31.759 --> 00:22:39.000 out to the car to get some supplies. I grabbed 295 00:22:39.079 --> 00:22:44.160 my on the go pack, which included such occupational necessities 296 00:22:44.200 --> 00:22:49.519 as holy water, silvered blades, dowsing rods not the kind 297 00:22:49.640 --> 00:22:55.519 used for water, and various other stoppered bottles of various concoctions, 298 00:22:56.119 --> 00:22:59.880 and more modern day toys like a drone and a kin. 299 00:23:00.839 --> 00:23:04.640 Why an e reader, you may ask, well, when you 300 00:23:04.799 --> 00:23:08.480 need that one ancient tome to save the world, and 301 00:23:08.519 --> 00:23:11.799 you have mere minutes left to do so, you do 302 00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:14.519 not want to have left it behind at home base, 303 00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:19.119 do you Besides, all these old books were heavy and 304 00:23:19.160 --> 00:23:22.839 not to mention a fire hazard. It sure is a 305 00:23:22.880 --> 00:23:25.920 pain in the ass to digitize some of those tomes, 306 00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:29.440 but it has saved my ass more than once when 307 00:23:29.519 --> 00:23:35.519 dealing with ancient pseudo deities and prophecy. I didn't expect 308 00:23:35.599 --> 00:23:38.400 to need it on the trail, but I tucked it 309 00:23:38.440 --> 00:23:41.839 into the front pocket anyway. I slung one of the 310 00:23:41.880 --> 00:23:46.359 straps over my shoulder, then the other, shifted the weight 311 00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:50.319 around until it was as comfortable as possible, and groaned. 312 00:23:50.359 --> 00:23:53.480 At the incline of the start of the trail, it 313 00:23:53.519 --> 00:23:58.400 looked like it crested the hill behind the Krouse house. Ah, 314 00:23:58.720 --> 00:24:00.720 it didn't take long for me to get to the 315 00:24:00.759 --> 00:24:04.240 wooded part of the trail. Most of the development was 316 00:24:04.319 --> 00:24:08.640 happening further down, with the Crouses building their mansion to 317 00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:13.119 lord over all below. I did notice that the path 318 00:24:13.279 --> 00:24:17.200 was wide and smooth, and saw skid steer tracks on 319 00:24:17.279 --> 00:24:21.519 the pack dirt. The occasional uprooted tree lay next to 320 00:24:21.599 --> 00:24:24.640 the path and gave me a great place to sit 321 00:24:24.799 --> 00:24:28.079 and catch my breath. Even if it was just a 322 00:24:28.119 --> 00:24:33.039 modest incline, I had vanquished it was quiet up here, 323 00:24:33.359 --> 00:24:36.759 and I could feel a slight breeze, even though it 324 00:24:36.880 --> 00:24:41.240 wasn't much above freezing. It was welcomed on my sweating skin. 325 00:24:42.319 --> 00:24:46.200 Occasional bird chirps and small sticks breaking I could make 326 00:24:46.240 --> 00:24:52.000 out through my own labored breathing typical woods noise. Nothing 327 00:24:52.039 --> 00:24:55.400 to be frightened about. I have spent many a night 328 00:24:55.480 --> 00:24:59.759 in the woods hunting the paranormal, and I don't spook easily. 329 00:25:01.079 --> 00:25:05.240 Once I could concentrate, I closed my eyes and focused 330 00:25:05.240 --> 00:25:09.920 in on my gift, looking for signs of anything out 331 00:25:09.920 --> 00:25:12.960 here in the woods that might be from another realm 332 00:25:13.160 --> 00:25:19.400 or a cryptozoologist's dream, but felt nothing. I decided I 333 00:25:19.440 --> 00:25:22.640 would go down a bit further, at least to where 334 00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:26.680 the Crouses had said they got the eerie feeling. Before 335 00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:30.000 I headed back to the car, I took a sip 336 00:25:30.079 --> 00:25:32.880 from the half empty water bottle I found on the 337 00:25:32.920 --> 00:25:37.000 floor of the dodge. It was mostly refreshing and not 338 00:25:37.240 --> 00:25:41.240 gross at all. I shouldered my pack and moved a 339 00:25:41.279 --> 00:25:45.480 little further along the path it had mostly flattened out. 340 00:25:45.920 --> 00:25:51.200 To my relief, I found the hike actually enjoyable, even 341 00:25:51.240 --> 00:25:54.279 if my body was wondering why I was putting it 342 00:25:54.319 --> 00:25:58.839 through the torture, I decided to ignore my lungs and 343 00:25:58.960 --> 00:26:04.079 beating heart and just enjoy the view. That's when I 344 00:26:04.200 --> 00:26:10.640 crossed it. What it exactly was, I didn't know a 345 00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:15.119 boundary of sorts. I could feel the creepiness fixating on 346 00:26:15.279 --> 00:26:18.440 me as I scanned the woods for any sign of 347 00:26:18.519 --> 00:26:24.640 life or even unlife. There are many boundaries in the world. 348 00:26:25.400 --> 00:26:29.559 Some are easily defined, like rivers

or the Great Wall 349 00:26:29.640 --> 00:26:35.599 of China. Others only certain people can perceive, like thresholds 350 00:26:35.720 --> 00:26:39.960 and lay lines. I gave myself a moment to try 351 00:26:39.960 --> 00:26:44.640 to identify the energy. Was it natural? Was it a 352 00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:49.079 cult related? It was slippery, really hard to get a 353 00:26:49.119 --> 00:26:53.960 bead on. Just then I heard feet crunching the sand 354 00:26:54.039 --> 00:26:58.759 on the trail. I saw an older woman coming towards me. 355 00:27:00.119 --> 00:27:03.240 He had one of those taco bell dogs on a leash. 356 00:27:03.720 --> 00:27:07.160 Its bug eyes looked up at me and it started 357 00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:11.960 to bark. d'Artagnan stop it, She called out to her pet, 358 00:27:12.240 --> 00:27:15.640 giving a gentle tug on his leash. It gave a 359 00:27:15.680 --> 00:27:20.519 little growl, making eye contact with me before sitting next 360 00:27:20.519 --> 00:27:24.960 to her leg. Could this be the howl the crouses 361 00:27:25.000 --> 00:27:25.440 had heard? 362 00:27:27.359 --> 00:27:29.839 Did you hear that. Better check the locks on your 363 00:27:29.920 --> 00:27:33.319 doors weekly. Spooky. We'll be right back. 364 00:27:35.920 --> 00:27:39.599 Hello there, Thanks for calling him off, I said, with 365 00:27:39.680 --> 00:27:44.240 a smile. My name is James Becker, I said, and 366 00:27:44.359 --> 00:27:48.319 held out my hand. The woman looked down at one 367 00:27:48.400 --> 00:27:52.240 hand holding the leash and the other an old, gnarled 368 00:27:52.319 --> 00:27:56.960 walking stick, then back to me. My hand retreated into 369 00:27:57.000 --> 00:28:03.799 my pocket in embarrassment. The woman responded, are you from 370 00:28:03.880 --> 00:28:10.400 the development Heaven's Hills? Heavens No, I joked. She didn't 371 00:28:10.440 --> 00:28:13.359 think I was funny. I wish I was back at 372 00:28:13.400 --> 00:28:18.119 my office with another pastrami sandwich and beer. They took 373 00:28:18.160 --> 00:28:21.640 the nature trail and widened it. I've been walking it 374 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:24.759 for years. It was always wide enough for me and 375 00:28:24.839 --> 00:28:29.079 d'Artagnan before. Don't see why they had to improve it, 376 00:28:29.880 --> 00:28:34.359 she said. I don't know either. You walk this trail often, 377 00:28:34.799 --> 00:28:40.839 I asked, for years, she replied, coldly, so, you said. 378 00:28:41.559 --> 00:28:44.559 I didn't feel anything coming off of either her or 379 00:28:44.640 --> 00:28:48.519 her dog, at least nothing that stood out more than 380 00:28:48.559 --> 00:28:52.559 the boundary, which was still making my senses go haywire. 381 00:28:53.680 --> 00:28:56.440 The trail used to lead to that lake down there, 382 00:28:56.759 --> 00:29:00.279 through the woods. I used to go and feed the dustucks, 383 00:29:01.119 --> 00:29:05.880 She explained. I thought bread was bad for them, I said, 384 00:29:06.240 --> 00:29:10.839 trying to engage her, I said, nothing about bread. If 385 00:29:10.839 --> 00:29:13.200 you're not from the development, then why are you on 386 00:29:13.279 --> 00:29:17.480 the trail? She asked? The crous has hired me to 387 00:29:17.559 --> 00:29:22.400 investigate a possible dangerous animal on the trail. They said 388 00:29:22.440 --> 00:29:24.880 they felt like they were being followed the other night. 389 00:29:25.519 --> 00:29:28.119 Do you think d'Artagnan here might have gotten off his 390 00:29:28.279 --> 00:29:30.839 leash and came after them with all the fury of 391 00:29:30.880 --> 00:29:36.079 a crunch wrap supreme, I asked, He never leaves my side, 392 00:29:36.920 --> 00:29:42.960 Terror responded, she was a real talker. Say how much 393 00:29:43.000 --> 00:29:46.960 further does this trail go before turning back toward Heaven's Hills? 394 00:29:47.480 --> 00:29:51.519 I asked about a mile. It dips down the other 395 00:29:51.599 --> 00:29:54.440 side of the ridge for a bit, then climbs back 396 00:29:54.519 --> 00:30:01.119 up behind where they built their house. She answered, more uphill. Great. 397 00:30:01.720 --> 00:30:05.279 I think I'll just turn back, I said, and slipped 398 00:30:05.279 --> 00:30:09.759 a crystal just off the trail. I didn't think she noticed. 399 00:30:10.640 --> 00:30:13.200 I'll come back for it tomorrow and see what kind 400 00:30:13.240 --> 00:30:16.559 of energy it absorbed. It might help me figure out 401 00:30:16.559 --> 00:30:20.680 what kind of boundary this is and what exactly I 402 00:30:20.720 --> 00:30:24.599 am dealing with. Have a good one, I said, and 403 00:30:24.720 --> 00:30:28.279 gave the woman a wave. I turned to go back 404 00:30:28.319 --> 00:30:32.519 to my car. I felt a hundred times better after 405 00:30:32.599 --> 00:30:37.519 crossing that boundary again. Just as I turned a curve 406 00:30:37.599 --> 00:30:41.039 in the path, I caught the woman in my peripheral. 407 00:30:42.039 --> 00:30:45.839 She had not moved from that spot and was watching me. 408 00:30:46.960 --> 00:30:50.920 What a weirdo, I thought. I gave her another wave 409 00:30:51.000 --> 00:30:54.519 and a smile before starting the descent down to the 410 00:30:54.599 --> 00:30:59.480 Krause house. She never waved back. She probably thought the 411 00:30:59.519 --> 00:31:04.440 same of me. Could she be the culprit? Maybe it 412 00:31:04.599 --> 00:31:07.839 wasn't a cryptid that chased them, Maybe it was some 413 00:31:08.119 --> 00:31:12.519 witch that marked a piece of land to chase off developers. 414 00:31:13.079 --> 00:31:17.440 She sure was crabby enough. Well, that's not fair. There 415 00:31:17.480 --> 00:31:20.359 are plenty of witches I know that are pleasant to 416 00:31:20.400 --> 00:31:23.640 be around. I got back to the car and through 417 00:31:23.680 --> 00:31:27.000 the pack in the hatchback of the Omni. I had 418 00:31:27.039 --> 00:31:32.240 some leads

to start, like what is that boundary? Will 419 00:31:32.279 --> 00:31:35.640 the town property records show me something there that might help? 420 00:31:36.279 --> 00:31:41.039 Do my spiritual friends know this terra? Did the figurine 421 00:31:41.079 --> 00:31:44.279 fit into the equation? Do I have any chance with 422 00:31:44.359 --> 00:31:48.400 missus Kraus? Sadly, I already knew the answer to the 423 00:31:48.480 --> 00:31:54.200 last one a resounding no. Maybe when I write my memoirs, though, 424 00:31:54.960 --> 00:32:04.400 maybe then I can pencil it in. I slept in 425 00:32:04.440 --> 00:32:07.640 the next morning, my head felt like it had been 426 00:32:07.920 --> 00:32:12.480 kicked in. I searched around for my glasses, which happened 427 00:32:12.480 --> 00:32:15.480 to be on the top of my head, not sure 428 00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:19.119 how they didn't get crushed last night. I made my 429 00:32:19.279 --> 00:32:23.240 way through the empty bottles and open ancient texts to 430 00:32:23.319 --> 00:32:26.799 the bathroom and took a piss in the dark. My 431 00:32:26.920 --> 00:32:30.839 eyes weren't ready for the daylight yet. I made my 432 00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:33.559 way to the fridge and found a gatorade in there. 433 00:32:34.400 --> 00:32:37.480 It looks like drunk me was thinking of the future. 434 00:32:38.440 --> 00:32:42.079 I thanked myself and drank it down, hoping it would 435 00:32:42.160 --> 00:32:46.039 curb the hangover a little bit. On my desk I 436 00:32:46.119 --> 00:32:50.880 found the drunken scribblings of a half crazy paranormal investigator. 437 00:32:51.640 --> 00:32:55.119 Good thing I could read my own handwriting. I picked 438 00:32:55.119 --> 00:32:59.400 it up and commanded my eyes to focus. It took 439 00:32:59.480 --> 00:33:04.920 a few more for them to listen find answers to case. 440 00:33:06.160 --> 00:33:10.279 Sometimes I really am proud of myself. I popped on 441 00:33:10.319 --> 00:33:13.519 the TV volume on mute as I waited for the 442 00:33:13.599 --> 00:33:17.960 hangover to subside. I woke up again about two in 443 00:33:18.000 --> 00:33:21.240 the afternoon and realized it had been a day or 444 00:33:21.240 --> 00:33:24.960 two since I had showered. I went into the bathroom 445 00:33:24.960 --> 00:33:30.119 and cleaned myself up, made myself human again, even took 446 00:33:30.160 --> 00:33:33.160 the time to shave. It had been at least a 447 00:33:33.200 --> 00:33:36.839 week since I'd done that. I read over my notes 448 00:33:36.960 --> 00:33:40.799 taken at the Crouse's and headed out the door. I 449 00:33:40.880 --> 00:33:44.200 had a few stops to hit this afternoon, and the 450 00:33:44.279 --> 00:33:47.519 day was getting away from me. Once I had gotten 451 00:33:47.519 --> 00:33:51.440 a fresh sandwich in beer from Herschel's Deli, I drove 452 00:33:51.519 --> 00:33:54.400 over to Union to check out the shop that sold 453 00:33:54.440 --> 00:33:58.559 the figurines. I didn't really

get a sense of anything 454 00:33:58.640 --> 00:34:01.640 from the wolf, but it was better to be safe 455 00:34:01.759 --> 00:34:06.160 than sorry. I sat in the omni finishing my sandwich 456 00:34:06.200 --> 00:34:11.159 and beer before heading over to the shop, Casey's Curios 457 00:34:11.360 --> 00:34:14.800 it was called. I opened the door and a little 458 00:34:14.800 --> 00:34:18.559 bell rang. Every step I took on The old wooden 459 00:34:18.599 --> 00:34:23.519 floor creaked ominously, and I wondered how far a fall 460 00:34:23.599 --> 00:34:28.239 into the basement actually was as I scanned the cluttered room. 461 00:34:29.440 --> 00:34:32.960 In most of these kinds of places, you will find 462 00:34:33.000 --> 00:34:37.719 some kind of artifact giving off energy. People who aren't 463 00:34:37.760 --> 00:34:41.800 perceptive to that kind of thing might still feel uneasy 464 00:34:41.840 --> 00:34:45.719 and decide to donate or sell an item without knowing 465 00:34:45.800 --> 00:34:50.760 the why. A few hit me right away, but nothing 466 00:34:50.840 --> 00:34:55.159 that seemed in any way related to the case. I 467 00:34:55.239 --> 00:34:59.679 found the display of carved figurines and gave them more scrutiny. 468 00:35:00.119 --> 00:35:03.920 As I heard the creaking coming from behind me. Find 469 00:35:04.039 --> 00:35:08.840 something you like? Came the voice from behind me. I 470 00:35:09.000 --> 00:35:13.960 turned and was surprised to see a familiar face. 471 00:35:15.760 --> 00:35:20.679 A sh it was only the wind, your safe, weekly spooky, 472 00:35:20.760 --> 00:35:24.719 We'll be right back, Tara. 473 00:35:24.760 --> 00:35:30.320 Was it, I asked? It was? And still is, she said, 474 00:35:30.360 --> 00:35:34.840 as she passed me and went behind the counter. Where 475 00:35:34.920 --> 00:35:39.519 is d'Artagnan not a great watchdog, eh, I joked, Or 476 00:35:40.119 --> 00:35:43.920 at least I thought I did. You couldn't tell from 477 00:35:43.960 --> 00:35:48.239 her reaction At the vet found a tick on him. 478 00:35:48.360 --> 00:35:52.400 Getting it checked out, Tara replied, with all the warmth 479 00:35:52.440 --> 00:35:57.559 of the Arctic circle. Well, I am sorry to hear that. Anyway, 480 00:35:58.039 --> 00:36:01.480 As I said yesterday, I was looking into some wild 481 00:36:01.559 --> 00:36:05.159 animals up in Heaven's Hills for the crouses, and I 482 00:36:05.239 --> 00:36:10.599 found this in their study, I said, producing the wolf figurine. 483 00:36:10.800 --> 00:36:14.880 And you think that was following them? They could probably 484 00:36:14.920 --> 00:36:21.199 outrun something so small. She asked me what a comedian well. 485 00:36:21.280 --> 00:36:24.480 I found it curious that they had a wolf figurine 486 00:36:24.480 --> 00:36:27.679 on their mantle and said they had heard howling on 487 00:36:27.760 --> 00:36:30.519 the wind. I thought I would check out where the 488 00:36:30.559 --> 00:36:34.679 figurine came from. I replied, let me know if any 489 00:36:34.719 --> 00:36:38.719 of these make a sound, I'll charge another five bucks. 490 00:36:39.199 --> 00:36:42.480 Tara said and opened a shipping box that had been 491 00:36:42.559 --> 00:36:46.320 on the counter. She pulled a locket out and set 492 00:36:46.360 --> 00:36:50.719 it down. I could feel the energy emitting from it. 493 00:36:51.559 --> 00:36:55.679 That's a nice locket, I said, focusing more on it. 494 00:36:56.400 --> 00:36:59.599 Sometimes it was hard when there were other things around, 495 00:37:00.280 --> 00:37:03.800 like the boundary. Last night, I put the other items 496 00:37:03.840 --> 00:37:06.880 out of mind using an exercise I learned when I 497 00:37:06.960 --> 00:37:10.679 was little, and focused my attention in front of me. 498 00:37:11.960 --> 00:37:17.199 I was surprised to find two distinct aurs. One was 499 00:37:17.239 --> 00:37:21.920 from the locket, and it screamed of divination magic. It 500 00:37:22.000 --> 00:37:26.039 was used recently to find someone. I caught glimpses of 501 00:37:26.079 --> 00:37:29.679 a woman's face, but it flashed by too fast for 502 00:37:29.800 --> 00:37:34.679 me to see. Wonder who sent that to Tara. Usually 503 00:37:35.000 --> 00:37:39.000 when someone with the talent finds an item, they don't 504 00:37:39.079 --> 00:37:43.199 let it go unless they were asking a huge favor 505 00:37:43.239 --> 00:37:47.440 of someone, and they traded a magical item for said favor. 506 00:37:48.679 --> 00:37:53.400 The other aura was coming from Tera herself. I tuned 507 00:37:53.440 --> 00:37:58.119 into that she was a dabbler. She wasn't very powerful, 508 00:37:58.159 --> 00:38:02.159 but she did indeed dabble in magic. There was some 509 00:38:02.239 --> 00:38:06.760 residual magic coming from her, now faint, it had been 510 00:38:06.800 --> 00:38:10.480 a few days since she had tried anything. It had 511 00:38:10.519 --> 00:38:15.440 the smell of summoning magic. With dabblers sometimes they get 512 00:38:15.480 --> 00:38:19.480 the idea but not the nuance of what they are doing. 513 00:38:20.559 --> 00:38:23.280 She could have been trying to summon a demon or 514 00:38:23.519 --> 00:38:26.719 a lost loved one in a seance, even though that 515 00:38:26.960 --> 00:38:30.159 isn't the proper way to do it. Did they give 516 00:38:30.199 --> 00:38:34.480 you that to return? Tara asked, No, they loaned it 517 00:38:34.519 --> 00:38:37.960 to me. I replied, do you remember when they were 518 00:38:38.000 --> 00:38:41.760 in here, mister? I get a lot of people coming 519 00:38:41.840 --> 00:38:46.079 and going weirdos. I remember, like people asking me if 520 00:38:46.079 --> 00:38:50.599 my figurines can howl. But a tourist couple a thousand 521 00:38:50.679 --> 00:38:57.239 of those walked through my shop every summer. Tara explained, ouch, Well, 522 00:38:57.800 --> 00:39:01.079 thank you for your time, I said, and headed for 523 00:39:01.159

--> 00:39:05.960 the door, not going to buy anything. She called after me. 524 00:39:06.760 --> 00:39:09.119 I knew she was just trying to guilt me into 525 00:39:09.159 --> 00:39:13.320 buying something, and I am a sucker, so it worked. 526 00:39:14.199 --> 00:39:17.039 I remembered her story about the ducks in the lake 527 00:39:17.639 --> 00:39:21.239 and picked up a duck figurine. I slipped a crystal 528 00:39:21.360 --> 00:39:25.559 under the display, covering the move with my back to Tara. 529 00:39:26.159 --> 00:39:30.039 Fifteen bucks, she said, as I placed the figurine duck 530 00:39:30.119 --> 00:39:34.440 on the counter and put her hand out open palm. 531 00:39:34.880 --> 00:39:37.880 I reached into my wallet and slapped her at twenty. 532 00:39:38.800 --> 00:39:42.679 Keep the change in case it quacks, I said, and 533 00:39:42.800 --> 00:39:47.440 turned back towards the door. Nothing. The woman has no 534 00:39:47.760 --> 00:39:51.679 sense of humor. The day had really gotten away from me. 535 00:39:52.280 --> 00:39:55.599 The sun was going to go down soon, just enough 536 00:39:55.639 --> 00:39:58.440 time to go get my crystal on the trail and 537 00:39:58.519 --> 00:40:02.239 head over to Kraus's. I set the duck figurine on 538 00:40:02.320 --> 00:40:06.159 the seat next to me and headed up to Heaven's Hills. 539 00:40:07.079 --> 00:40:10.000 I got to the boundary just as the sun dipped 540 00:40:10.039 --> 00:40:13.320 behind the hills. It hit me like a ton of 541 00:40:13.320 --> 00:40:16.960 bricks again, and in the fading light, I had to 542 00:40:17.039 --> 00:40:21.079 use my cell phone's flashlight to find the crystal. It 543 00:40:21.199 --> 00:40:24.360 was clear when I dropped it in the leaves. It 544 00:40:24.440 --> 00:40:29.039 was now striped red and black. That's not a good 545 00:40:29.119 --> 00:40:32.920 sign red and black are the dominion of the abyss. 546 00:40:33.639 --> 00:40:36.519 All the levels of hell from any religion you can 547 00:40:36.559 --> 00:40:41.079 think of, belongs there. You add that to summoning magic 548 00:40:41.119 --> 00:40:45.039 aura from earlier, and you usually get yourself a demon. 549 00:40:46.159 --> 00:40:49.199 Why couldn't it have been a sasquatch? I had a 550 00:40:49.239 --> 00:40:51.960 bottle of pheromones on me to get a wild, horny 551 00:40:52.000 --> 00:40:56.239 teenage squatch to follow me farther from humanity and deeper 552 00:40:56.239 --> 00:41:00.000 into the woods primordial. That would have been an easy 553 00:41:00.960 --> 00:41:05.679 But nope, it has to be a goddamned demon. The 554 00:41:05.760 --> 00:41:10.639 thing about demons is they are tricky. Was the summoning 555 00:41:10.719 --> 00:41:14.719 magic around Tera because she was summoning a demon? Or 556 00:41:15.760 --> 00:41:19.480 was it because she was summoned? Did the aura being 557 00:41:19.559 --> 00:41:22.440 faint mean it was strong on an object in her 558 00:41:22.480 --> 00:41:28.400 shop and rubbed off? Either way, the boundary had hellish energy, 559 00:41:29.000 --> 00:41:31.119 and I needed to step out of it to think 560 00:41:31.199 --> 00:41:35.440 without its negative energy bombarding me. I made my way 561 00:41:35.559 --> 00:41:39.280 down the trail about seventy feet or so, far enough 562 00:41:39.280 --> 00:41:43.320 to think straight, but still within sight of the boundary's position. 563 00:41:44.440 --> 00:41:47.719 I twirled the crystal in my hands as if looking 564 00:41:47.760 --> 00:41:51.159 it over for answers, when truly there was no more 565 00:41:51.239 --> 00:41:55.719 information it could give me. I pocketed it and headed 566 00:41:55.760 --> 00:41:59.320 down the trail toward the crouses. I could see the 567 00:41:59.360 --> 00:42:02.000 porch light through the trees when I felt a twitch 568 00:42:02.079 --> 00:42:07.840 of magical energy, then heard a scream. I ran as 569 00:42:07.920 --> 00:42:10.800 fast as my out of shape bulk could move, and 570 00:42:10.840 --> 00:42:13.679 it was only thirty seconds or so before my foot 571 00:42:13.760 --> 00:42:17.440 hit the boards of the porch. Marlene was laying on 572 00:42:17.480 --> 00:42:21.840 the floor clutching her arm. I could see the crimson 573 00:42:21.960 --> 00:42:26.760 flow from between her fingers, just above her bracelet. John 574 00:42:26.920 --> 00:42:31.239 was in an Adirondack chair. He too was clutching himself 575 00:42:31.559 --> 00:42:37.519 as blood flowed. What happened, I asked, looking over the scene. 576 00:42:37.559 --> 00:42:41.480 It attacked us, John called out. I pulled his hand 577 00:42:41.519 --> 00:42:45.400 away from his left forearm. There were deep punctures there 578 00:42:45.760 --> 00:42:50.880 and scratches defensive wounds from an animal attack. I could 579 00:42:50.880 --> 00:42:54.239 feel the heat coming from the wound, and steam rose 580 00:42:54.320 --> 00:42:58.239 from the crimson ribbons of flesh. It didn't feel that 581 00:42:58.360 --> 00:43:02.239 cold out to cause steam from warm body. I grabbed 582 00:43:02.239 --> 00:43:06.639 my handkerchief and flask from my bag and wrapped his arm, 583 00:43:07.360 --> 00:43:11.880 then turned my attention to Marlene. What was it? I 584 00:43:11.960 --> 00:43:16.239 asked them. It was too dark to see, but it 585 00:43:16.360 --> 00:43:20.119 definitely was some kind of animal. We heard the howl 586 00:43:20.199 --> 00:43:24.599 again just before Marlene came out with the drinks, John said, 587 00:43:24.840 --> 00:43:30.639 pointing at the spilled tray and glasses on the porch floor. Interesting. 588 00:43:31.480 --> 00:43:33.840 I didn't hear anything, and I was just up the 589 00:43:33.880 --> 00:43:38.079 trail over there, I said, as sure as hell felt something, 590 00:43:38.159 --> 00:43:41.000 though it was too quick to get a fix on. 591 00:43:42.519 --> 00:43:46.800 More scares to come weekly, Spooky, We'll be right back. 592 00:43:49.800 --> 00:43:53.840

Those cuts would scar up severe. I treated her wound 593 00:43:53.880 --> 00:43:58.519 the same way and looked around for evidence. It hit 594 00:43:58.599 --> 00:44:01.920 me from behind and landed right on John. I got 595 00:44:01.960 --> 00:44:05.679 my arms up to protect my face, Marlene said. As 596 00:44:05.719 --> 00:44:09.599 I surveyed the scene. On the railing, I found a 597 00:44:09.639 --> 00:44:13.519 tuft of black hairs. I quickly grabbed a baggie from 598 00:44:13.559 --> 00:44:17.519 my pack and collected it with tweezers. I dropped the 599 00:44:17.559 --> 00:44:20.400 baggie on the porch and bent to pick it up. 600 00:44:21.480 --> 00:44:25.480 When I did, I noticed the prince on the wood. 601 00:44:26.039 --> 00:44:29.239 I took out my phone and snapped a few picks. 602 00:44:29.719 --> 00:44:34.760 What is it, Marlene asked, Prince of our suspect, I said, 603 00:44:35.199 --> 00:44:38.960 looking at the canine footprints burned into the wooden porch. 604 00:44:40.079 --> 00:44:43.559 How many in the universe could leave Prince like these. 605 00:44:43.639 --> 00:44:49.840 You ask, there is a very short list a hell hound. Well, 606 00:44:49.920 --> 00:44:53.800 now we know what was summoned. The question now is 607 00:44:54.679 --> 00:44:59.679 why what did TA have against John and Marlene Kraus? 608 00:45:00.559 --> 00:45:04.639 The development would be my first guess. Usually that's all 609 00:45:04.679 --> 00:45:08.199 the guests I need. I'm not being conceited here, I'm 610 00:45:08.719 --> 00:45:12.559 just good at my job. Summoning a hell hound takes 611 00:45:12.599 --> 00:45:17.920 a specialist, a long time practitioner, not just some curious 612 00:45:18.000 --> 00:45:21.599 teens like you see in a horror movie. This person 613 00:45:21.639 --> 00:45:25.840 would need years of training from knowledgeable people, a cult 614 00:45:26.000 --> 00:45:29.440 or sect hidden away, and I didn't know of any 615 00:45:29.480 --> 00:45:33.960 around here. That doesn't mean they don't exist, just that 616 00:45:34.119 --> 00:45:40.440 I was unaware. So is Tara my hell howler, the 617 00:45:40.519 --> 00:45:44.880 person that brought this beast here? Or is there another 618 00:45:45.000 --> 00:45:49.440 player I haven't met yet? I would say intriguing, But 619 00:45:50.000 --> 00:45:53.760 what I really would be thinking is, for fuck's sake, 620 00:45:54.079 --> 00:46:03.039 why can't these cases ever be easy? The next day 621 00:46:03.159 --> 00:46:07.719 I slept in sensing a pattern. This time, I wasn't 622 00:46:07.760 --> 00:46:11.800 just up all night drinking. In fact, last night I 623 00:46:11.880 --> 00:46:14.800 was up all night drinking and reading up on hell 624 00:46:14.840 --> 00:46:19.719 hounds and how to stop them. There was surprisingly limited 625 00:46:19.800 --> 00:46:23.519 documentation on them, even though myths of them have been 626 00:46:23.519 --> 00:46:29.800 around since antiquity. Before starting my binge a hem reading, 627 00:46:30.599 --> 00:46:33.440 I dropped in with an old friend to learn more 628 00:46:33.519 --> 00:46:37.440 about the Hell Howler. Madam Stacy made most of her 629 00:46:37.480 --> 00:46:42.599 money telling fortunes at Renaissance fairs, psychic fairs, and craft shows, 630 00:46:43.039 --> 00:46:46.599 as well as other events. But she was the real deal, 631 00:46:47.320 --> 00:46:50.920 unlike most of them on that circuit, since she had 632 00:46:50.960 --> 00:46:53.760 been around and seen a lot of things, and much 633 00:46:53.880 --> 00:46:57.400 like me, found steady work here with all the conduits 634 00:46:57.400 --> 00:47:01.199 of the paranormal that seemed to intersect in our little 635 00:47:01.239 --> 00:47:04.800 slice of America. I pulled out my phone and opened 636 00:47:04.800 --> 00:47:07.719 the picture I took of one of Madam Stacy's books. 637 00:47:08.559 --> 00:47:12.679 She wouldn't let me touch them, let alone borrow them, which, 638 00:47:12.960 --> 00:47:16.679 to be honest, is probably a good thing. That is 639 00:47:16.800 --> 00:47:19.840 the other reason for the kindle. I can't keep a 640 00:47:19.920 --> 00:47:23.199 book's binding intact for more than a week, no matter 641 00:47:23.239 --> 00:47:27.760 how careful I was with them, they just disintegrate under 642 00:47:27.760 --> 00:47:31.599 my care. I pinched the screen and zoomed in on 643 00:47:31.679 --> 00:47:36.519 the left column of the page. Hell Howler a specific 644 00:47:36.639 --> 00:47:41.199 spellcaster with a knack for summoning from the abyss. This 645 00:47:41.360 --> 00:47:45.960 person can imbue their emotions into their magic asking for 646 00:47:46.039 --> 00:47:51.039 help from the lower planes. Powerful hell howlers can summon 647 00:47:51.159 --> 00:47:55.079 up to class five demons. If they work in tandem, 648 00:47:55.320 --> 00:47:59.559 a coven of hell howlers could summon even more powerful entities. 649 00:48:00.679 --> 00:48:03.079 There is a rumor of a shadow mass that can 650 00:48:03.119 --> 00:48:06.719 be conducted with ninety nine hell howlers to draw a 651 00:48:06.800 --> 00:48:11.360 Prince of Hell to the summoning circle to answer three questions. 652 00:48:12.360 --> 00:48:17.440 As with any summoning ritual, if done incorrectly or without 653 00:48:17.480 --> 00:48:21.199 the right amount of power, control of the summoned entity 654 00:48:21.760 --> 00:48:25.920 will falter, and in most cases it will turn on 655 00:48:26.000 --> 00:48:31.079 the summoner. Found in several cultures, many use their powers 656 00:48:31.119 --> 00:48:36.639 for political assassinations or shows of power. Cultures with blood 657 00:48:36.760 --> 00:48:41.719 rituals and human sacrifices are commonplaces to find hell howlers. 658 00:48:42.599 --> 00:48:48.239 Known hell howlers have been found among the Aztecs, Canaanites, Celts, 659 00:48:48.280 --> 00:48:53.199 and Germanic peoples. For example, below was a picture

of 660 00:48:53.239 --> 00:48:56.599 a woman in an open robe with her arms in 661 00:48:56.639 --> 00:48:59.679 the air, in the center of a magic circle. In 662 00:48:59.719 --> 00:49:03.840 front of her was a tornado of flames with sinister 663 00:49:04.079 --> 00:49:09.079 eyes looking back at her. Well, that didn't really tell 664 00:49:09.119 --> 00:49:12.280 me what to do to stop one I guess I'll 665 00:49:12.280 --> 00:49:15.360 have to throw the kitchen sink at it. When I confronted, 666 00:49:16.400 --> 00:49:19.519 the kitchen sink is what I call a concoction of 667 00:49:19.639 --> 00:49:26.039 all the usual monster killers. Holy water, wolf's bane, iron supplements, 668 00:49:26.079 --> 00:49:30.239 and minced garlic are the main ingredients. Smells like shit, 669 00:49:30.400 --> 00:49:34.320 but it gets the job done most of the time. 670 00:49:35.000 --> 00:49:38.360 I rifled through my books on ways to protect Marlene 671 00:49:38.400 --> 00:49:42.239 from the summoned beast, made a quick list, and headed 672 00:49:42.320 --> 00:49:46.400 back to Madame Stacy for the items I didn't have myself. 673 00:49:47.440 --> 00:49:51.400 Having hair from the beast provided us with some material 674 00:49:51.519 --> 00:49:54.480 to make a charm out of. In a perfect world, 675 00:49:54.559 --> 00:49:58.000 that should be enough, but since we don't know who 676 00:49:58.079 --> 00:50:02.599 summoned it, there really was no telling. Madam Stacy and 677 00:50:02.639 --> 00:50:05.400 I worked on the charm for most of the afternoon 678 00:50:05.920 --> 00:50:09.800 before I realized I had not eaten anything today. My 679 00:50:09.920 --> 00:50:14.400 stomach groaned its displeasure. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? 680 00:50:15.000 --> 00:50:18.400 I asked Madam Stacy as she looked up from the charm. 681 00:50:19.000 --> 00:50:23.639 My stomach had interrupted her spell. You go grab us 682 00:50:23.679 --> 00:50:26.280 a couple of sandwiches so I can finish this in peace, 683 00:50:26.920 --> 00:50:30.480 she said. I had only interrupted her a few times 684 00:50:30.480 --> 00:50:34.960 with questions, what do you want, I asked the mystic, 685 00:50:35.320 --> 00:50:38.199 as I watched a woman at the front window peeking in. 686 00:50:39.119 --> 00:50:42.239 Madame Stacy put a closed sign up so we could 687 00:50:42.280 --> 00:50:48.119 get this done before tonight. PASTRAMI hard roll mustard, she said, 688 00:50:48.559 --> 00:50:52.400 and went back to work. I should propose right now, 689 00:50:53.280 --> 00:50:56.800 if only she were a little younger. She was older 690 00:50:56.840 --> 00:51:00.119 than the omni. I slipped out of the side door, 691 00:51:00.199 --> 00:51:04.559 not only because that was where the aforementioned shitbox was parked, 692 00:51:05.119 --> 00:51:08.199 but this way I didn't have to confront the customer 693 00:51:08.320 --> 00:51:12.159 at the door. I'd much rather confront an angry ghoul 694 00:51:12.320 --> 00:51:17.079 feasting on corpses in the local cemetery than deal with living, 695 00:51:17.280 --> 00:51:21.320 breathing people. They're so much harder to get a handle on, 696 00:51:22.039 --> 00:51:24.360 what with their schemes and lies. 697 00:51:26.480 --> 00:51:30.360 You're not safe yet, weekly Spooky will be right back. 698 00:51:33.559 --> 00:51:36.519 I pulled out onto the street and headed the few 699 00:51:36.559 --> 00:51:40.360 blocks west to the deli. Yeah, I could have walked, 700 00:51:40.400 --> 00:51:44.559 but this was more efficient. I walked into the deli 701 00:51:44.639 --> 00:51:47.960 a hero. They thought something had happened to me because 702 00:51:47.960 --> 00:51:51.320 they haven't seen me yet today. That says a lot 703 00:51:51.360 --> 00:51:55.239 more about me than it does their friendliness. I think. 704 00:51:56.400 --> 00:51:59.440 When I told them I needed too, they all made 705 00:51:59.519 --> 00:52:04.320 mocking faces, which to me said, whoae, look at the 706 00:52:04.320 --> 00:52:09.559 big boy getting two sandwiches. They didn't believe me when 707 00:52:09.559 --> 00:52:12.400 I said one was for a friend, even when I 708 00:52:12.480 --> 00:52:16.599 got two drinks. Maybe I'll see if Madame Stacy can 709 00:52:16.599 --> 00:52:19.840 put a minor curse on them, maybe make all their 710 00:52:19.880 --> 00:52:24.320 wives grow mustaches or something. I grabbed the bag and 711 00:52:24.519 --> 00:52:28.119 was back at the shop. Within twenty minutes, Stacy had 712 00:52:28.159 --> 00:52:32.760 finished the charm for Marlene to wear a necklace. It 713 00:52:32.840 --> 00:52:37.360 also had the Celtic shield nott like Marlene's bracelet. We 714 00:52:37.480 --> 00:52:40.760 finished our late lunch as we went over the defenses 715 00:52:41.239 --> 00:52:43.519 I was going to put up in the Krause's home. 716 00:52:44.400 --> 00:52:47.559 I was running out of time. I wanted to stop 717 00:52:47.599 --> 00:52:50.760 over at Terra's shop again to get a better feel 718 00:52:50.840 --> 00:52:54.079 on her and what talent she might have with the 719 00:52:54.119 --> 00:52:59.119 magical arts. With a reluctant hug the only payment beyond 720 00:52:59.119 --> 00:53:02.639 the sandwich Madame Stacy wanted. I was on my way 721 00:53:02.719 --> 00:53:06.079 to Tara's shop. I should get there in time to 722 00:53:06.159 --> 00:53:09.840 ask her some questions. I got to start setting an 723 00:53:09.920 --> 00:53:14.239 alarm so I don't sleep the days away. I usually 724 00:53:14.280 --> 00:53:17.559 fight the evil at night, but the day is crucial 725 00:53:17.639 --> 00:53:22.400 prep time. Maybe I should just stock up on caffeine pills, 726 00:53:22.440 --> 00:53:25.679 since I'm not one for coffee. I had a few 727 00:53:25.719 --> 00:53:28.360 hours of daylight still when I parked in front of 728 00:53:28.480 --> 00:53:33.519 Tara's store, Casey's Curios in Union. Her sign said they 729 00:53:33.519 --> 00:53:37.079

were open to five, just enough time to get home 730 00:53:37.159 --> 00:53:41.239 around dark this time of year, you know, maybe to 731 00:53:41.320 --> 00:53:44.880 give directions to your pet hell hound who was somehow 732 00:53:44.920 --> 00:53:50.079 disguised as a Chihuahua named d'Artagnan. Although that would be 733 00:53:50.239 --> 00:53:55.239 a funny scenario, it was very unlikely. I didn't detect 734 00:53:55.320 --> 00:53:58.960 any camouflage magic on the dog when we first met, 735 00:53:59.519 --> 00:54:03.039 and if I I was dealing with a football sized Helmut, 736 00:54:03.199 --> 00:54:06.960 the scratches would have been on the Krouse's legs, not arms. 737 00:54:07.760 --> 00:54:12.199 How would it have reached trampoline or a puchapult. I 738 00:54:12.239 --> 00:54:15.280 opened the squeaking door of the Omni and made my 739 00:54:15.400 --> 00:54:20.320 way inside the building. Tara was behind the counter, polishing 740 00:54:20.360 --> 00:54:24.079 what looked like an antique tea set. If she could 741 00:54:24.079 --> 00:54:27.960 see the spirit attached to it, I couldn't tell. The 742 00:54:28.039 --> 00:54:31.519 apparition turned towards me with the kind of hatred only 743 00:54:31.599 --> 00:54:35.960 the eyes of the dead can show, and whispered curses 744 00:54:36.000 --> 00:54:41.119 at me. I wasn't impressed. I've dealt with tougher ghosts. 745 00:54:41.760 --> 00:54:44.239 I ignored her, and it made her angrier by the 746 00:54:44.280 --> 00:54:48.159 string of cursewords coming out of her mouth. My father 747 00:54:48.400 --> 00:54:51.719 was a trucker and my mom was a whore, and 748 00:54:51.800 --> 00:54:56.000 I think they both would have blushed. No refunds if 749 00:54:56.039 --> 00:55:00.719 it didn't quack, Tara said dryly before putting the teapot 750 00:55:00.800 --> 00:55:04.559 back in an old leather case. As soon as she did, 751 00:55:05.039 --> 00:55:11.440 the apparition disappeared. No, it quacks, just fine, a satisfied customer, 752 00:55:11.960 --> 00:55:16.039 I said back at her. She raised an eyebrow, then 753 00:55:16.159 --> 00:55:21.000 lowered it. You want a different animal, perhaps a whale song, 754 00:55:21.280 --> 00:55:25.559 to put you to sleep, she said sarcastically, while putting 755 00:55:25.599 --> 00:55:28.400 the case on a stack of other boxes behind her, 756 00:55:28.880 --> 00:55:33.480 under some wooden shelves with various products on them. I 757 00:55:33.559 --> 00:55:38.000 wanted to check up on d'Artagnan, I explained. She raised 758 00:55:38.000 --> 00:55:42.840 the other eyebrow. She was eyebrow dexterous. She nodded. Towards 759 00:55:42.880 --> 00:55:46.880 the back of the store. Sitting on an antique Bergerie 760 00:55:46.960 --> 00:55:52.519 chair was the canine in question, sleeping away. He was 761 00:55:52.599 --> 00:55:56.960 wearing a red and blue superhero costume complete with cape 762 00:55:58.159 --> 00:56:02.639 glad he's doing okay, said, Hey, I have a question 763 00:56:02.800 --> 00:56:08.199 for you. Oh yeah, she asked, opening another cardboard box 764 00:56:08.320 --> 00:56:12.679 that had arrived with today's packages. Yeah. Have I come 765 00:56:12.719 --> 00:56:16.760 to the right place for athame Her eyes narrowed as 766 00:56:16.760 --> 00:56:21.559 she scrutinized the sincerity of my inquiry. What do you 767 00:56:21.599 --> 00:56:25.840 need it for? She asked, for a blood ritual. I 768 00:56:26.000 --> 00:56:30.199 lied over by the cauldron's last table on the back wall, 769 00:56:30.719 --> 00:56:34.679 she explained, My wicked mom would kill me if I 770 00:56:34.719 --> 00:56:38.760 ever used Athamee to draw blood. Tara doesn't know shit 771 00:56:38.880 --> 00:56:42.239 about fuck when it comes to proper use. I think 772 00:56:42.280 --> 00:56:46.960 my original assessment was correct. She was a dabbler at best. 773 00:56:47.880 --> 00:56:52.199 Well shit, then, who is the hell howler? I glanced 774 00:56:52.280 --> 00:56:57.199 through her product. She did have some decent stuff, and 775 00:56:57.280 --> 00:57:01.239 wherever she's getting her shipments from they are top notch. 776 00:57:02.159 --> 00:57:04.599 Too bad, she doesn't know what to do with them. 777 00:57:05.559 --> 00:57:08.079 She could take over the county with the amount of 778 00:57:08.119 --> 00:57:13.199 spiritual firepower in this room alone. I wonder what she 779 00:57:13.360 --> 00:57:18.880 keeps in back the krouses. I started turning over a 780 00:57:18.920 --> 00:57:23.360 blade in my hand. It was too polished, too finished 781 00:57:23.400 --> 00:57:27.400 for me. I prefer the old world craftsmanship with my 782 00:57:27.599 --> 00:57:32.639 ritual implements. What do you know of them? Nothing? Really. 783 00:57:33.239 --> 00:57:35.920 They came in here boasting how they were going to 784 00:57:36.039 --> 00:57:39.119 change our town for the better and all the local 785 00:57:39.199 --> 00:57:41.960 shops were soon going to have lines out the door. 786 00:57:42.760 --> 00:57:45.400 They bought that figurine and told me they were about 787 00:57:45.400 --> 00:57:49.400 to make a deal to make my life better. Usual 788 00:57:49.480 --> 00:57:55.480 out of town snobs, Tara replied, who is Casey? I asked, 789 00:57:55.519 --> 00:57:58.079 as it just now occurred to me that this place 790 00:57:58.280 --> 00:58:03.039 wasn't named after her. My husband been in the ground 791 00:58:03.079 --> 00:58:07.679 ten years, she said. He used to handle antiques and 792 00:58:07.760 --> 00:58:11.119 the like here. He liked to fix up older stuff 793 00:58:11.199 --> 00:58:14.360 to make it shine again. He let me sell my 794 00:58:14.519 --> 00:58:20.079 stuff here too. He knew you practiced, I asked. I 795 00:58:20.199 --> 00:58:22.840 told him I did, and that was good enough for him. 796 00:58:23.800 --> 00:58:26.719 He didn't want to know any more. Gave me my 797 00:58:26.840 --> 00:58:31.079 space to do what I

wanted. Tara replied. I found 798 00:58:31.119 --> 00:58:36.079 an older looking bowline and grabbed some candles. Sometimes these 799 00:58:36.119 --> 00:58:39.480 things come in handy. I made my way back through 800 00:58:39.519 --> 00:58:43.039 the rows of items to the counter. I placed the 801 00:58:43.119 --> 00:58:47.679 crescent bladed object down, then set the candles next to them. 802 00:58:48.679 --> 00:58:52.320 Anything else, Tara asked, as she rang me out and 803 00:58:52.400 --> 00:58:55.840 put my items in a paper bag. Do you have 804 00:58:55.960 --> 00:59:02.679 anything for summoning spells, wands, stuff like that. Tara narrowed 805 00:59:02.719 --> 00:59:06.559 her eyes at me again. I could tell she really 806 00:59:06.559 --> 00:59:12.239 didn't like me poking into her business. Summoning magic is dangerous. 807 00:59:12.840 --> 00:59:17.280 I would leave that to the professionals, she answered, true, 808 00:59:17.400 --> 00:59:21.960 but if one was going to try, I hinted, I 809 00:59:22.000 --> 00:59:28.079 would suggest they don't, was her reply point taken. Thank 810 00:59:28.119 --> 00:59:32.519 you again, Tara, My condolence is for Casey, I said, 811 00:59:32.800 --> 00:59:36.239 and paid for the bowline. I now had all I 812 00:59:36.360 --> 00:59:39.960 needed for tonight. Some shop owners make it hard to 813 00:59:40.039 --> 00:59:43.840 want to support local business. Though. Tara was a downright 814 00:59:44.159 --> 00:59:49.400 miserable person. But I don't think she is the hell howler. 815 00:59:50.280 --> 00:59:53.800 Who else could the crouses have pissed off? I wondered, 816 00:59:54.239 --> 00:59:56.360 as I fired up the omni. 817 00:59:57.559 --> 01:00:01.199 Don't go away, weakly spooky, We'll be right back. 818 01:00:04.719 --> 01:00:09.679 I got to the client's house about two hours before sunset, 819 01:00:09.760 --> 01:00:14.440 just enough time to prepare for the impending attack. When 820 01:00:14.480 --> 01:00:17.639 I pulled in the driveway, John was out front, so 821 01:00:17.719 --> 01:00:20.960 I had him help me unload several of my musty 822 01:00:21.079 --> 01:00:25.639 Duffel bags from the hatchback. What do you have in here, 823 01:00:25.679 --> 01:00:30.079 Becker decade old Jim clothes, he said, as he got 824 01:00:30.079 --> 01:00:33.639 a whiff of the contents you got me. I was 825 01:00:33.679 --> 01:00:37.159 hoping to get some laundry done while we wait, I joked, 826 01:00:37.639 --> 01:00:42.079 but it went right over mister Soerpuss's face. I guess 827 01:00:42.159 --> 01:00:44.840 I would be serious too if there was an infernal 828 01:00:44.960 --> 01:00:48.960 beast hunting my wife in a few hours, I gave 829 01:00:49.039 --> 01:00:55.480 him a pass this time. Where's Marlene? I asked, missus 830 01:00:55.559 --> 01:00:58.760 Kraus will be home shortly. I advised her to get 831 01:00:58.760 --> 01:01:03.360 a hotel tonight, but she insisted on being here. I 832 01:01:03.440 --> 01:01:06.840 don't know why I would prefer she was out of danger. 833 01:01:07.440 --> 01:01:11.880 John said, don't worry, John, we won't let anything happen 834 01:01:11.960 --> 01:01:16.119 to her. I reassured I could tell by his face though, 835 01:01:16.800 --> 01:01:21.800 that I failed. I began rummaging through the stinky bags 836 01:01:21.840 --> 01:01:24.760 to get set up. I grabbed a baggie of red 837 01:01:24.800 --> 01:01:27.800 brick dust and began to scatter it in the doorway. 838 01:01:29.000 --> 01:01:35.440 Are you going to clean that up? Afterward? John asked, honestly, 839 01:01:36.119 --> 01:01:39.239 probably not, but I am sure you have a maid 840 01:01:39.360 --> 01:01:42.360 come in at least once a week, I said, and 841 01:01:42.480 --> 01:01:46.360 grabbed the baggie with a mix of garlic, sage and lavender. 842 01:01:47.239 --> 01:01:49.719 Why have the smells spread out through the house when 843 01:01:49.760 --> 01:01:53.599 I can combine them all together right here. Once I 844 01:01:53.719 --> 01:01:57.320 profoundly stunk up the joint, I started to use the 845 01:01:57.400 --> 01:02:01.400 bowline to carve some cymbals into the candles. I had 846 01:02:01.480 --> 01:02:07.599 just picked up standard protection stuff, nothing too crazy. I 847 01:02:07.719 --> 01:02:10.880 wanted a bastion of protection in case I needed to 848 01:02:10.960 --> 01:02:13.920 bide my time with the creature once I face it. 849 01:02:14.880 --> 01:02:18.400 Sometimes I'm not the fastest thinker on my feet, but 850 01:02:19.039 --> 01:02:22.360 give me a month to prepare, and I'm fucking batman. 851 01:02:23.519 --> 01:02:26.880 I placed a hamsa hand above the kitchen sink and 852 01:02:27.000 --> 01:02:30.519 sprinkled a little more of the brick dust. I didn't 853 01:02:30.559 --> 01:02:33.159 have enough dust to give the house a good redding, 854 01:02:33.760 --> 01:02:37.599 but I got most of the first door. John mostly 855 01:02:37.639 --> 01:02:42.119 followed me around, sighing at everything I was doing, until 856 01:02:42.119 --> 01:02:46.440 he heard Marlene come in through the garage. That reminded me. 857 01:02:47.239 --> 01:02:49.800 I ran over to the door to the garage and 858 01:02:49.920 --> 01:02:55.159 sprinkled my protection magic cocktail. Marlene watched me with both 859 01:02:55.360 --> 01:03:00.119 interest and amusement. It seemed or she was smiling at 860 01:02:59.920 --> 01:03:05.440 me for another reason. Nah, she wasn't interested in me. 861 01:03:06.239 --> 01:03:10.159 That was only in my dreams, no one else's. She 862 01:03:10.440 --> 01:03:13.280 was the client and I had to be professional. I 863 01:03:13.360 --> 01:03:20.400 told myself that was why we could never be together. Focus, Becker, Focus. 864 01:03:20.960 --> 01:03:23.800 I snapped out of it and continued to work around 865 01:03:23.800 --> 01:03:27.239 the house. An hour later, I was just about done 866 01:03:27.679 --> 01:03:30.480 when Marlene came

to me in the kitchen by the 867 01:03:30.519 --> 01:03:35.440 garage door. How are things progressing, she asked, in that 868 01:03:35.960 --> 01:03:40.960 sultry voice. Almost done here? We got the house on lockdown. 869 01:03:41.519 --> 01:03:43.840 No way that creature is going to find its way 870 01:03:43.880 --> 01:03:47.519 in here, I said, not past all the protection I 871 01:03:47.599 --> 01:03:53.159 put up. I was rather proud of myself. Hungry, she asked, 872 01:03:53.199 --> 01:03:56.280 and went to the fridge. She pulled out a pound 873 01:03:56.320 --> 01:03:59.440 of pastrami and set it on the counter next to 874 01:03:59.519 --> 01:04:06.320 some hearts. She knew me I could eat, I understated, Here, 875 01:04:06.440 --> 01:04:09.760 have a seat. I'll make you a sandwich, she said, 876 01:04:10.159 --> 01:04:12.320 and pulled a knife out of the block to cut 877 01:04:12.320 --> 01:04:15.960 the rolls. I took a load off and realized I 878 01:04:16.000 --> 01:04:19.960 had been working right along pretty good. I mentally checked 879 01:04:19.960 --> 01:04:24.760 off items on my list and realized I was done. 880 01:04:24.960 --> 01:04:28.400 I looked at my watch. I had twenty two minutes 881 01:04:28.480 --> 01:04:32.920 until sunset and the chance of attack. With everything I 882 01:04:33.000 --> 01:04:37.119 read on these hounds, they are usually spotted over three days. 883 01:04:37.760 --> 01:04:42.199 The summoning only lasts that long. If they fail, they 884 01:04:42.199 --> 01:04:45.800 don't go back to Hell. They simply cease to exist. 885 01:04:46.559 --> 01:04:51.320 So there is the motivation for escalation of attacks. The 886 01:04:51.360 --> 01:04:55.039 final one should be tonight. I just had to make 887 01:04:55.079 --> 01:04:58.440 sure it wasn't a fatal one. I looked over at 888 01:04:58.480 --> 01:05:02.039 the other smelly duffel back in the hall, the one 889 01:05:02.119 --> 01:05:06.360 I haven't opened yet. It held the best line of defense, 890 01:05:07.360 --> 01:05:10.920 basically a holy rolled up newspaper to hit it on 891 01:05:11.000 --> 01:05:15.880 the snout with and say bad dog or bad hell hound. 892 01:05:16.760 --> 01:05:21.239 Well that sounds more appealing than what it actually was. 893 01:05:22.360 --> 01:05:26.400 Supernatural beings aren't always pretty, and neither are the tools 894 01:05:26.440 --> 01:05:31.039 and weapons used to fight or subdue those beings. I 895 01:05:31.159 --> 01:05:33.199 know what I had in the bag wasn't going to 896 01:05:33.239 --> 01:05:38.079 win any craftsmanship awards. It looked like total shit, but 897 01:05:38.239 --> 01:05:40.880 none of that matters as long as it gets the 898 01:05:41.000 --> 01:05:46.480 job done. Here you go. Marlene smiled warmly and sat 899 01:05:46.519 --> 01:05:49.559 down next to me at the table. I could smell 900 01:05:49.599 --> 01:05:54.159 her perfume. Thank you, I said, and looked down at 901 01:05:54.159 --> 01:05:57.679 the sandwich. She must have given me half of the 902 01:05:57.760 --> 01:06:01.199 meat I saw her take out of the fridge. Wow, 903 01:06:01.760 --> 01:06:05.239 now that is a sandwich, I said, and held it 904 01:06:05.280 --> 01:06:10.119 out at arm's length admirably. Don't drop it, she said. 905 01:06:10.559 --> 01:06:14.159 As it started to slip from my hands, she grabbed 906 01:06:14.199 --> 01:06:17.199 for it and ended up putting her hands around mine. 907 01:06:17.960 --> 01:06:24.760 Her skin was soft and warm, very warm. You feeling okay, 908 01:06:25.280 --> 01:06:31.280 I asked, under the circumstances, Yes, she replied, and gave 909 01:06:31.320 --> 01:06:35.239 me an award winning smile. I melted in my chair 910 01:06:35.679 --> 01:06:38.519 and puddled on the floor to bask in her glory. 911 01:06:39.400 --> 01:06:41.679 I snapped out of it when I realized I had 912 01:06:41.719 --> 01:06:48.519 spicy brown mustard on my shirt, humbling, Oh dear, she said, 913 01:06:48.880 --> 01:06:51.840 and grabbed a paper towel. She wet it in the 914 01:06:51.960 --> 01:06:56.079 sink and returned to me, rubbing the damp paper product 915 01:06:56.199 --> 01:07:00.199 on my shirt. She was so close I could smell 916 01:07:00.000 --> 01:07:04.920 her hair. What's that? I asked, and backed up. As 917 01:07:04.920 --> 01:07:08.480 her husband entered the room. He carried the rest of 918 01:07:08.519 --> 01:07:12.159 the candles I had carved protection rounes in and a 919 01:07:12.159 --> 01:07:15.719 box of matches. I could smell the sulfur of the 920 01:07:15.760 --> 01:07:19.480 matches wafted by my nose. If he cared I was 921 01:07:19.519 --> 01:07:23.679 that close to his wife, he didn't let on, Man, 922 01:07:24.079 --> 01:07:25.280 I would be furious. 923 01:07:27.159 --> 01:07:31.400 More scares to come weekly. Spooky will be right back. 924 01:07:34.920 --> 01:07:38.119 I finished, placing them on the second floor. I had 925 01:07:38.159 --> 01:07:42.239 these left over. Where do you want them, John asked. 926 01:07:42.840 --> 01:07:46.920 I pointed to the next room. Most likely the creature 927 01:07:46.960 --> 01:07:49.840 will come to one of the doors. I'd place them 928 01:07:49.880 --> 01:07:52.960 near the front entrance. The door is made of glass 929 01:07:53.000 --> 01:07:57.840 and vulnerable, I told him. He nodded and headed out 930 01:07:57.880 --> 01:08:02.239 to the foyer. If you will excuse me, Marlene said, 931 01:08:02.880 --> 01:08:07.639 I have to go powder my nose. Consider yourself excused, 932 01:08:08.119 --> 01:08:11.320 I said, and gave her a bow. As I stood up. 933 01:08:12.280 --> 01:08:15.880 I think I heard something crack in my back. I 934 01:08:15.920 --> 01:08:19.560 am getting too old to fight monsters. I realized I 935 01:08:19.560 --> 01:08:22.159 had forgotten to give her the charm we both worked 936 01:08:22.159 --> 01:08:25.800 so hard on earlier. I guess it can wait until 937 01:08:25.840 --> 01:08:29.359

she's out of the bathroom. I used to imagine rich 938 01:08:29.479 --> 01:08:33.000 clients like these would be so grateful that they would 939 01:08:33.039 --> 01:08:36.199 throw handfuls of cash on me, and if I just 940 01:08:36.319 --> 01:08:39.920 stuck with it, I could retire in a few years. 941 01:08:40.399 --> 01:08:45.399 But those few years have doubled and doubled again, and 942 01:08:45.560 --> 01:08:49.840 I'm still living one Pistrami sandwich at a time. If 943 01:08:49.840 --> 01:08:53.079 I can stop this hell howler from completing its goal 944 01:08:53.640 --> 01:08:57.880 and killing Marlene, then I know they would pay. That 945 01:08:58.159 --> 01:09:02.680 wasn't the question I just know from previous experience it's 946 01:09:03.520 --> 01:09:07.279 never enough. While Marlene was out of the room and 947 01:09:07.399 --> 01:09:11.079 no longer distracting me, I went over my list again 948 01:09:11.600 --> 01:09:15.079 to make sure I had all the bases covered. As 949 01:09:15.119 --> 01:09:17.880 I was mentally checking off the last of the list, 950 01:09:18.640 --> 01:09:22.159 I heard a commotion from the foyer and ran out there. 951 01:09:23.159 --> 01:09:27.760 John had dropped a candle and it had broken. What happened, 952 01:09:28.119 --> 01:09:32.159 I asked, I burnt myself. I should have waited to 953 01:09:32.239 --> 01:09:35.600 light it until I placed the damn thing. He showed 954 01:09:35.640 --> 01:09:39.199 me his finger. I tried to remember what compassion was 955 01:09:39.359 --> 01:09:46.000 like and did my best to show him. The sound 956 01:09:46.159 --> 01:09:50.399 came from everywhere at once. The howl rang through my head, 957 01:09:50.920 --> 01:09:54.800 sending flashing images of my own gruesome death At the 958 01:09:54.840 --> 01:09:59.159 claws of the beast being summoned. I caught glimpses of 959 01:09:59.199 --> 01:10:02.560 the animal's p of view as it closed in from 960 01:10:02.560 --> 01:10:06.319 the forest path. I heard the snort of its nostrils, 961 01:10:06.720 --> 01:10:11.800 trails of smoke rising from the nasal orifices. It covered 962 01:10:11.840 --> 01:10:17.560 ground fast and would be here in seconds. Where's Marlene, 963 01:10:18.039 --> 01:10:23.399 John asked, with a scared expression, powdering her nose. I responded, 964 01:10:24.399 --> 01:10:28.000 I'm right here, she said, entering the foyer with us. 965 01:10:28.560 --> 01:10:32.359 While looking over her shoulder, I glanced at the door 966 01:10:32.560 --> 01:10:35.840 to make sure we had enough protection coverage even with 967 01:10:36.079 --> 01:10:40.439 the broken candle. We were good. We should move to 968 01:10:40.520 --> 01:10:45.319 an interior room, if possible, barricade ourselves in until I 969 01:10:45.359 --> 01:10:50.760 can assess the situation. I explained this way through the kitchen. 970 01:10:51.319 --> 01:10:55.760 Marlene suggested, and we followed. I grabbed my bag on 971 01:10:55.800 --> 01:10:59.560 the way through. As we passed through the kitchen, another 972 01:10:59.720 --> 01:11:03.359 flatsh of the beast's point of view entered my mind. 973 01:11:04.239 --> 01:11:08.520 I could see Marlene's car sticking out of the garage. 974 01:11:08.560 --> 01:11:12.199 She had left the door open. It was a good thing. 975 01:11:12.319 --> 01:11:15.880 I reddened the kitchen door that led to the attached garage, 976 01:11:16.359 --> 01:11:20.800 I thought, as I double checked my work. Ah fuck, 977 01:11:21.399 --> 01:11:24.920 I said elegantly. There was a break in the dust, 978 01:11:24.960 --> 01:11:30.079 as if someone was dragged through it enough to break 979 01:11:30.119 --> 01:11:34.880 the protection. Just then, a bang struck the door. I 980 01:11:35.000 --> 01:11:38.840 watched it move from the impact get behind me. I 981 01:11:38.960 --> 01:11:42.359 called out and reached into my bag of tricks. I 982 01:11:42.439 --> 01:11:46.760 pulled out a shillelah infused with protection magic and faced 983 01:11:46.800 --> 01:11:50.279 the door as it began to splinter. I ran over 984 01:11:50.399 --> 01:11:53.520 my movements in my head and couldn't figure out how 985 01:11:53.600 --> 01:11:58.039 I scuffed the red brick dust rookie mistake, screwing up 986 01:11:58.039 --> 01:12:02.039 your own circles and lines. If I survived this, I 987 01:12:02.119 --> 01:12:05.720 told myself I wouldn't put that part in my report. 988 01:12:07.079 --> 01:12:10.399 A moment later, a large black and red furred paw 989 01:12:10.680 --> 01:12:14.439 pierced the wooden door. Its claws had to be four 990 01:12:14.479 --> 01:12:18.359 inches long. I whacked it with the Shalalah and heard 991 01:12:18.359 --> 01:12:21.600 a sizzle and a howl from the other side. It 992 01:12:21.760 --> 01:12:25.479 wasn't the same howl as earlier, which means the hell 993 01:12:25.560 --> 01:12:29.920 Howler had to be close. After all, I had heard 994 01:12:29.960 --> 01:12:34.239 its call. No time for window peeking to see who 995 01:12:34.359 --> 01:12:38.079 might be outside right now, though, I turned my eye 996 01:12:38.119 --> 01:12:41.359 from the door for just a second to see John 997 01:12:41.399 --> 01:12:45.720 and Marlene still standing there. Get in the room, I 998 01:12:45.840 --> 01:12:50.960 yelled out. That was all the distraction the unholy beast needed, 999 01:12:51.479 --> 01:12:55.079 as it launched its mass through the door and barreled 1000 01:12:55.119 --> 01:12:58.600 into me. I landed on my ass on the hard 1001 01:12:58.720 --> 01:13:03.920 tile floor, the beast's jaws inches from my throat. The 1002 01:13:03.920 --> 01:13:07.199 only thing that stopped it was the Shalelah held in 1003 01:13:07.279 --> 01:13:14.119 my hands across its slobbery jaws. Definitely not the damned Chihuahua, 1004 01:13:14.239 --> 01:13:18.920 I thought, did I see any stray Saint Bernards around. 1005 01:13:19.760 --> 01:13:24.199 In reality, it didn't resemble any dog

breed or even wolf. 1006 01:13:25.039 --> 01:13:29.800 It was larger, smelled like brimstone and death, and had 1007 01:13:29.920 --> 01:13:34.039 tiger stripes of black on a body of short red fur. 1008 01:13:35.039 --> 01:13:37.920 It was at least the size of a mastiff, if 1009 01:13:37.960 --> 01:13:42.039 not bigger. It had three black eyes staring at me. 1010 01:13:42.159 --> 01:13:45.039 As I pushed up with all my might, trying to 1011 01:13:45.159 --> 01:13:49.119 keep that maw away from my face, I could hear 1012 01:13:49.199 --> 01:13:52.960 the protection magic sizzle its flesh, but the beast was 1013 01:13:53.000 --> 01:13:57.760 in such a state of rage it didn't seem to notice. 1014 01:13:57.920 --> 01:14:00.760 I spoke a word I learned a law long time ago, 1015 01:14:01.560 --> 01:14:04.600 a word of power. I was told not to use 1016 01:14:04.640 --> 01:14:07.800 it lightly. To use words of power like this strained 1017 01:14:07.920 --> 01:14:11.119 sum of your life. But I didn't see much more 1018 01:14:11.199 --> 01:14:13.920 life in me. If I didn't use what I had 1019 01:14:15.000 --> 01:14:18.640 for the safety of anyone reading this file, I won't 1020 01:14:18.640 --> 01:14:23.000 include the word here. Trust me, it's for your own good. 1021 01:14:23.680 --> 01:14:27.239 I spoke the word, and the magical force created within 1022 01:14:27.439 --> 01:14:31.279 rushed through my hand and lifted the hell hound into 1023 01:14:31.319 --> 01:14:34.560 the air, throwing him into the island in the middle 1024 01:14:34.600 --> 01:14:37.880 of the room. It bought me enough time to get 1025 01:14:37.920 --> 01:14:41.319 to my feet and see Marlene pull shut the sliding 1026 01:14:41.439 --> 01:14:46.079 door to the den. Good keep some distance while I 1027 01:14:46.159 --> 01:14:50.439 figure this out. The beast growled behind me and I 1028 01:14:50.560 --> 01:14:53.920 turned to face it, tapping the Shalelah in my left 1029 01:14:53.960 --> 01:14:57.880 palm as I made eye contact with it. The old 1030 01:14:57.960 --> 01:15:02.960 blood was pumping. Now, come on, Susie, let's dance, I 1031 01:15:03.079 --> 01:15:07.880 said bravely to an animal that couldn't possibly understand my words. 1032 01:15:08.680 --> 01:15:12.279 It launched at the wall. Its great muscles flexed as 1033 01:15:12.279 --> 01:15:16.119 it pushed off the sheet rock and passed overhead. I 1034 01:15:16.239 --> 01:15:19.640 gave a wild swing, but missed it completely as it 1035 01:15:19.720 --> 01:15:24.119 crashed into the den door, breaking through and passing into 1036 01:15:24.199 --> 01:15:28.479 the darkened room beyond. I heard a scream and raced 1037 01:15:28.520 --> 01:15:32.840 into the den behind it. Inside it was dark. I 1038 01:15:32.840 --> 01:15:36.319 could hear the beast snarling from the right, but my 1039 01:15:36.560 --> 01:15:39.319 out of shape ass was blocking most of the light 1040 01:15:39.760 --> 01:15:43.119 from the door. I patted the walls next to the 1041 01:15:43.199 --> 01:15:47.439 door until I found a light switch and flicked it on. 1042 01:15:49.479 --> 01:15:54.680 If you thought that was scary, just you wait, weekly spooky, 1043 01:15:54.840 --> 01:15:55.920 We'll be right back. 1044 01:15:57.920 --> 01:16:01.239 Marlene was backed into a corner by an old looking 1045 01:16:01.359 --> 01:16:05.520 record player. The beast was sizing her up for an attack. 1046 01:16:06.439 --> 01:16:09.960 John laid on the floor. Bloody ribbons of flesh hung 1047 01:16:10.039 --> 01:16:14.760 from his arms and torso he wasn't moving. He must 1048 01:16:14.800 --> 01:16:18.119 have gotten in the way of the beast's prey. I 1049 01:16:18.159 --> 01:16:22.039 hoped I would fare better. I charged the beast with 1050 01:16:22.079 --> 01:16:27.079 a primordial roar of my own shalela overhead. I launched 1051 01:16:27.079 --> 01:16:30.399 off the ottoman and saw myself in slow motion, like 1052 01:16:30.439 --> 01:16:33.680 they do in the movies when two warriors leap and 1053 01:16:33.840 --> 01:16:38.319 meet in mid air. I brought the hardened blackthorn down 1054 01:16:38.359 --> 01:16:42.279 on the beast's snout, using the word again as I 1055 01:16:42.359 --> 01:16:46.560 placed my other hand on its skull. The combination of 1056 01:16:46.600 --> 01:16:50.199 the protection spells in the shalela and the magic force 1057 01:16:50.359 --> 01:16:55.199 pushed the beast's head down to the luxurious carpet. I 1058 01:16:55.279 --> 01:16:58.279 hoped people that can afford that kind of carpet can 1059 01:16:58.319 --> 01:17:01.680 afford to get bloodstains out of it. I brought the 1060 01:17:01.680 --> 01:17:05.960 shaleala down again and again on the head of the beast, 1061 01:17:06.520 --> 01:17:09.920 each strike leaving marks on his body from the light 1062 01:17:10.079 --> 01:17:14.119 energy of the protections from evil. I tried not to 1063 01:17:14.159 --> 01:17:16.800 give it time to recover, and hoped I could just 1064 01:17:16.880 --> 01:17:21.199 beat it to death or submission. After the fifth blow, 1065 01:17:21.680 --> 01:17:24.600 I told Marlene to get out of the corner, and 1066 01:17:24.720 --> 01:17:28.520 she ran towards the kitchen. That proved to be a 1067 01:17:28.560 --> 01:17:32.960 bad move. As the beast's eyes tracked its prey, it 1068 01:17:33.039 --> 01:17:36.239 pushed past me and knocked her literally out of her 1069 01:17:36.279 --> 01:17:41.479 shoes to the carpet below. I stepped over the motionless 1070 01:17:41.520 --> 01:17:45.239 body of John, the sting of losing a client hitting 1071 01:17:45.279 --> 01:17:49.479 me harder than the beast had so far. I couldn't 1072 01:17:49.560 --> 01:17:53.600 lose another. I struck the beast on the back, but 1073 01:17:53.720 --> 01:17:57.279 other than the sizzle and welt it left. The beast 1074 01:17:57.399 --> 01:18:01.640 paid it no mind. Its own serve bible depended on 1075 01:18:01.760 --> 01:18:04.640 the kill. I had to

take it up a notch 1076 01:18:05.119 --> 01:18:09.680 to get its attention away from Marlene. She screamed as 1077 01:18:09.720 --> 01:18:13.159 it gripped her forearm with its jaws. I didn't have 1078 01:18:13.319 --> 01:18:16.720 much time to make an impact on the beast. If 1079 01:18:16.720 --> 01:18:20.239 I blasted it with magic, it just might rip her 1080 01:18:20.319 --> 01:18:24.039 arm off as it gets flung against the wall. I 1081 01:18:24.159 --> 01:18:29.920 needed a new strategy, something it wouldn't expect, and then 1082 01:18:30.079 --> 01:18:33.760 the idea hit me. My mind dismissed it almost as 1083 01:18:33.800 --> 01:18:36.680 fast as I thought it up. I heard a bone 1084 01:18:36.760 --> 01:18:41.760 break in Marlene's arm, followed by another scream. There was 1085 01:18:41.800 --> 01:18:46.159 no more time to debate. There are certain places, whether 1086 01:18:46.520 --> 01:18:50.039 you are a beast, a man, a cryptied demon or angel, 1087 01:18:50.560 --> 01:18:55.600 that are very sensitive to pain, one being the eyes. 1088 01:18:56.399 --> 01:18:59.840 But I wasn't on that side of the beast own. 1089 01:19:01.359 --> 01:19:05.600 I was on the other end. I looked down at 1090 01:19:05.600 --> 01:19:09.319 my Shalela with a tear in my eye. It was 1091 01:19:09.439 --> 01:19:13.760 like saying goodbye to an old friend. Because if this 1092 01:19:14.000 --> 01:19:19.520 worked and I survived, I knew I wouldn't want it back. 1093 01:19:20.720 --> 01:19:22.960 I spit on the end and gave it a shove 1094 01:19:23.079 --> 01:19:27.319 where the beast was least expecting an attack. When there 1095 01:19:27.359 --> 01:19:32.439 was resistance, I pushed harder and harder. Half the Shalela 1096 01:19:32.600 --> 01:19:37.680 disappeared before the beast even reacted. I don't know how 1097 01:19:37.720 --> 01:19:41.359 to describe the noise it made. It didn't belong to 1098 01:19:41.479 --> 01:19:46.239 beast or man. It was almost a surprised muling with 1099 01:19:46.359 --> 01:19:50.279 a hint of betrayal and a bit of how dare you? 1100 01:19:51.439 --> 01:19:55.159 Instantly it let go of Marlene, who scrambled on those 1101 01:19:55.239 --> 01:19:58.680 beautiful legs back against the wall. As I got the 1102 01:19:58.720 --> 01:20:02.960 whole beast's attention, it began to turn on me, and 1103 01:20:03.039 --> 01:20:06.880 I knew if it did, I was dead. I held 1104 01:20:06.960 --> 01:20:10.319 up the end of the magical Shalela suppository in my 1105 01:20:10.479 --> 01:20:15.199 hand and uttered the word one more time, letting the 1106 01:20:15.239 --> 01:20:19.720 magic flow through the wood and inside the digestive tract 1107 01:20:20.159 --> 01:20:24.479 of the unholy beast. As the magic reached the tip, 1108 01:20:25.000 --> 01:20:28.760 it reacted to the protection magic infused there, and the 1109 01:20:28.800 --> 01:20:32.680 force was pushed away from the shalala in all directions. 1110 01:20:33.920 --> 01:20:37.079 The wood

was wrenched from my hand as the beast 1111 01:20:37.159 --> 01:20:40.920 twisted and made eye contact just a second before the 1112 01:20:40.960 --> 01:20:46.720 force was released. Starting with the intestines expanding, the beast 1113 01:20:46.800 --> 01:20:51.119 began to bloat with the magical force pushing through its body. 1114 01:20:52.159 --> 01:20:55.800 Its sides expanded out until it was shaped more like 1115 01:20:55.880 --> 01:20:59.680 a hell hippo than a hell hound. I saw the 1116 01:20:59.720 --> 01:21:04.039 anguish in its face a moment before the hell pinata burst, 1117 01:21:04.880 --> 01:21:09.960 raining hellhound flesh down on a shocked Marlene. It hit 1118 01:21:10.000 --> 01:21:14.079 me too, but I wasn't as shocked. This was the 1119 01:21:14.159 --> 01:21:17.640 outcome I had hoped for. I looked down at the 1120 01:21:17.680 --> 01:21:24.800 blood and unmentionable material covering my schalela and sighed, well, 1121 01:21:25.319 --> 01:21:27.399 I guess if I wanted to go out in a 1122 01:21:27.439 --> 01:21:31.960 blaze of glory, there wasn't too many ways more rewarding 1123 01:21:32.479 --> 01:21:36.960 than an exploding holy suppository in a hell beast. It 1124 01:21:37.039 --> 01:21:41.199 should be proud for its contribution. I popped down on 1125 01:21:41.239 --> 01:21:44.399 my knees and took a few breaths. I was still 1126 01:21:44.439 --> 01:21:47.960 in fighter flight mode and had to let myself calm down. 1127 01:21:48.960 --> 01:21:54.119 Marlene sat on the floor, crying, holding her arms. She 1128 01:21:54.239 --> 01:21:57.199 didn't look that bad off once you clean the hell 1129 01:21:57.239 --> 01:22:00.640 hound's insides off of her. I try to get to 1130 01:22:00.680 --> 01:22:04.119 my feet and placed my hand on something. It was 1131 01:22:04.199 --> 01:22:09.199 Marlene's shoe. I rose and walked to her. She was 1132 01:22:09.199 --> 01:22:13.960 getting up as well. I handed her the shoe. Thanks, 1133 01:22:14.199 --> 01:22:19.039 they are really expensive, she said, pushing her hair from 1134 01:22:19.079 --> 01:22:25.159 her face. Funny, I thought you had green eyes, I said, 1135 01:22:25.239 --> 01:22:28.319 looking at her face. She looked back at me with 1136 01:22:28.439 --> 01:22:34.800 eyes the darkest brown, almost like black pools. You must 1137 01:22:34.800 --> 01:22:38.359 have been mistaken, she said. I looked down at my 1138 01:22:38.479 --> 01:22:42.680 hand and saw red dust on my fingers. How did 1139 01:22:42.720 --> 01:22:46.760 that get there? I checked on John, but like I feared, 1140 01:22:47.439 --> 01:22:50.920 he was dead. There was nothing I could do for him. 1141 01:22:51.800 --> 01:22:54.560 I called an ambulance and tried to figure out how 1142 01:22:54.640 --> 01:22:59.119 I was going to explain what happened. Marlene sat quietly 1143 01:22:59.159 --> 01:23:02.560 in the kitchen while I did so. I grabbed all 1144 01:23:02.600 --> 01:23:06.119 my mystical objects and threw them in my car before 1145 01:23:06.159 --> 01:23:10.199 the authorities arrived. They tend to ask a lot of 1146 01:23:10.319 --> 01:23:14.119 questions from the kook on the scene, and I just 1147 01:23:14.239 --> 01:23:17.520 didn't want to put Marlene through a media frenzy and 1148 01:23:17.760 --> 01:23:21.800 shit show. She had just lost her husband, for Christ's sake. 1149 01:23:22.600 --> 01:23:25.880 I made it down the driveway just as the sirens 1150 01:23:25.960 --> 01:23:30.640 reached my ears. I drove the other way. I had 1151 01:23:30.720 --> 01:23:33.520 left her with what to say. Tell them it was 1152 01:23:33.560 --> 01:23:36.319 an animal attack. Tell them a bear came in the 1153 01:23:36.359 --> 01:23:39.479 house and killed your husband. Tell them the chunks are 1154 01:23:39.479 --> 01:23:43.000 from blasting it with the shotgun. While distressed about John, 1155 01:23:43.960 --> 01:23:48.640 they owned a shotgun seemed feasible. If she gave them 1156 01:23:48.680 --> 01:23:54.399 no reason to doubt her story, then she should be fine. 1157 01:23:55.319 --> 01:23:59.520 I like it Spooky weekly. Spooky will be right back. 1158 01:24:02.840 --> 01:24:05.920 A few days later, I came to the wake. I 1159 01:24:06.000 --> 01:24:10.039 was surprised to see Tara there. She stood outside the 1160 01:24:10.119 --> 01:24:13.640 church as people came and went to pay their respects 1161 01:24:13.680 --> 01:24:18.039 to John. I hesitated to go in and walked up 1162 01:24:18.079 --> 01:24:23.319 to the woman. Have you been inside, I asked, not yet, 1163 01:24:23.960 --> 01:24:28.319 she replied. Watching a couple exit the funeral home, you 1164 01:24:28.439 --> 01:24:32.840 know them, I asked, nope, But I'm guessing they were 1165 01:24:32.880 --> 01:24:36.800 some of John's investors. They drove up in that BMW, 1166 01:24:37.600 --> 01:24:41.880 she replied, pointing down the street. In fact, I haven't 1167 01:24:41.920 --> 01:24:45.479 recognized a single person coming or going since I got here. 1168 01:24:46.560 --> 01:24:50.880 I don't think he had any friends in town. He didn't, 1169 01:24:51.199 --> 01:24:54.920 came Marlene's voice. She had come out the side door 1170 01:24:54.960 --> 01:24:59.119 to sneak a cigarette. She wore a skin tight black dress, 1171 01:24:59.520 --> 01:25:04.359 barely containing all the lovely curves. Her brown hair spilled 1172 01:25:04.359 --> 01:25:08.520 over her bare shoulders under a black hat. She was 1173 01:25:08.600 --> 01:25:12.159 wearing the same black shoes she had been wearing that night. 1174 01:25:13.560 --> 01:25:17.479 How are you, Marlene, I asked. Did the cops give 1175 01:25:17.520 --> 01:25:22.920 you any trouble at first? But I'll manage, she replied. 1176 01:25:24.119 --> 01:25:27.479 I saw a construction crew headed up your way, Tara 1177 01:25:27.640 --> 01:25:32.039 said to the widow, going to finish your husband's work. No, 1178 01:25:33.000 --> 01:25:37.039 I couldn't stand the

sight of that house after what happened, 1179 01:25:37.720 --> 01:25:41.359 I'm having it torn down. Besides, with the news of 1180 01:25:41.439 --> 01:25:46.239 my husband's gruesome death, the investors are all pulling out. 1181 01:25:47.279 --> 01:25:50.479 There won't be a development at Heaven Hills after all, 1182 01:25:51.159 --> 01:25:55.960 Marlene explained. I'm sure it's for the best, Tara said, 1183 01:25:56.359 --> 01:26:00.000 and turned away. She began to walk down the street 1184 01:26:00.239 --> 01:26:05.039 back towards her shop. I'm sorry about John, I said 1185 01:26:05.039 --> 01:26:09.000 to her, Thank you. It means a lot. I was 1186 01:26:09.039 --> 01:26:12.880 hoping you would be here, she said, and handed me 1187 01:26:12.920 --> 01:26:18.319 an envelope. Inside was a ton of bills. I rifled 1188 01:26:18.359 --> 01:26:23.000 through it quickly, all hundreds. I never gave you my fee, 1189 01:26:23.439 --> 01:26:28.000 I said, I did my research before hiring you. Mister Becker, 1190 01:26:28.520 --> 01:26:32.119 she explained, you will see there is three times your 1191 01:26:32.159 --> 01:26:37.880 normal fee in cash. Why the tip your husband died, 1192 01:26:38.600 --> 01:26:43.359 I asked, nodding at the church. For the next part, 1193 01:26:43.960 --> 01:26:49.640 she said, a chill ran down my spine. Hush money, 1194 01:26:50.239 --> 01:26:55.319 I asked, how did you figure it out? Well, most 1195 01:26:55.439 --> 01:26:59.359 novice summoners get in over their heads. I wasn't sure 1196 01:26:59.560 --> 01:27:02.600 until it attacked us, but I know you are the 1197 01:27:02.680 --> 01:27:06.359 hell Hower. You summoned it to kill your husband, and 1198 01:27:06.439 --> 01:27:09.560 you lost control of it and feared for your own life. 1199 01:27:10.399 --> 01:27:13.199 I'm guessing you had no desire to live here in 1200 01:27:13.239 --> 01:27:19.279 our podunk town and be away from high society. A 1201 01:27:19.359 --> 01:27:22.720 girl has grown accustomed to such things, even if her 1202 01:27:22.840 --> 01:27:28.800 husband yearned for a simpler life, she explained, And instead 1203 01:27:28.840 --> 01:27:31.880 of taking half his money in a divorce, you could 1204 01:27:31.920 --> 01:27:36.319 summon a demon dog and have it all did Tara 1205 01:27:36.560 --> 01:27:40.479 know what was happening. No, she gave me a name 1206 01:27:40.560 --> 01:27:44.239 of someone I could talk to about summoning magic, and 1207 01:27:44.359 --> 01:27:48.800 that man gave me your name, she said. I still 1208 01:27:48.920 --> 01:27:51.960 wasn't sure it was you until I heard the howl 1209 01:27:52.159 --> 01:27:56.319 while you were powdering your nose. But I didn't want 1210 01:27:56.359 --> 01:27:59.319 to believe it. But when I found the red brick 1211 01:27:59.439 --> 01:28:02.560 dust on your shoe so you could let your pet 1212 01:28:02.640 --> 01:28:08.159 demon in, I knew. And your eyes they were green 1213 01:28:08.439 --> 01:28:12.880 when we met, my favorite color. What are you going 1214 01:28:12.960 --> 01:28:16.119 to do now, mister Becker? Tell the police that I 1215 01:28:16.600 --> 01:28:21.239 summoned a demon to kill my husband or take my money. 1216 01:28:22.239 --> 01:28:26.039 I've learned from my mistakes, but not in a repentance way. 1217 01:28:26.760 --> 01:28:29.359 I would do it a bit more carefully if I 1218 01:28:29.479 --> 01:28:33.720 had to do it again. Don't worry, my lips are sealed. 1219 01:28:34.439 --> 01:28:37.960 It's a shame about old John. He seemed all right 1220 01:28:38.079 --> 01:28:41.680 to me. Towards the end. I doubt our paths will 1221 01:28:41.720 --> 01:28:46.199 cross again. Just know if they do, I won't be 1222 01:28:46.279 --> 01:28:51.239 able to look away again, I said. I felt like 1223 01:28:51.319 --> 01:28:54.399 an asshole letting her go, but there was no way 1224 01:28:54.439 --> 01:28:58.439 the police would believe my story anyway. I get enough 1225 01:28:58.520 --> 01:29:02.800 strange looks around town I had to trust that karma, 1226 01:29:03.079 --> 01:29:06.840 in one form or another, was coming for her and 1227 01:29:06.960 --> 01:29:10.560 let it do its work. I've seen worse people get 1228 01:29:10.600 --> 01:29:15.319 away with more. She only murdered once, as far as 1229 01:29:15.359 --> 01:29:20.159 I know. Oh uh, I got you something too, I said, 1230 01:29:20.800 --> 01:29:23.479 and handed her the charm I had made for her. 1231 01:29:24.399 --> 01:29:27.680 It's a little late now, though. She took it in 1232 01:29:27.760 --> 01:29:31.039 her hand and looked it over before looking at me 1233 01:29:31.920 --> 01:29:37.560 with the same green eyes. I remembered. Good day, mister Becker, 1234 01:29:38.319 --> 01:29:43.680 Marlene said, finishing her cigarette. She turned back towards the 1235 01:29:43.760 --> 01:29:50.079 funeral home. Call me, James, I replied. She didn't hear me. 1236 01:29:51.319 --> 01:29:55.520 The air grew warmer, the sun a little brighter. After 1237 01:29:55.680 --> 01:29:59.920 she left, I decided it was time for a person. 1238 01:30:00.079 --> 01:30:10.199 Draw me sandwich, hard roll mustard. Well, my Spookyes, I 1239 01:30:10.239 --> 01:30:14.159 hope you enjoyed that bigger bite of a story this week. 1240 01:30:14.239 --> 01:30:19.199 Something to tempt your appetite as we head into October, 1241 01:30:19.279 --> 01:30:22.920 when we'll be having a lot more novella length episodes 1242 01:30:22.960 --> 01:30:26.560 for you all to enjoy. So make sure you're subscribed 1243 01:30:26.560 --> 01:30:29.319 if you're not already, because October is going to be 1244 01:30:29.399 --> 01:30:33.560 a wild time with thirty one shows in thirty one days. 1245 01:30:34.279 --> 01:30:37.920 We'll have lots of short stories, novellas, movie reviews, and 1246 01:30:38.039 --> 01:30:42.279 so much more, something spooky for every single day of 1247 01:30:42.319 --> 01:30:46.199 the spookiest month of the entire year. And I hope 1248 01:30:46.199 --> 01:30:48.800 you'll join us. And speaking of, if you love what 1249 01:30:48.800 --> 01:30:50.680 we're doing here and you want to support us and 1250 01:30:50.720 --> 01:30:53.359 help us keep it going day in and day out, 1251 01:30:53.399 --> 01:30:56.319 well I guess night in and night out, you can 1252 01:30:56.359 --> 01:30:59.840 head to Weeklyspooky dot Com slash Join for as little 1253 01:30:59.840 --> 01:31:02.439 as this one dollar a month. You get two bonus 1254 01:31:02.520 --> 01:31:06.239 shows every single month, as well as exclusive audio books 1255 01:31:06.560 --> 01:31:11.720 and five years of creepy pasta readings, among others spooky perks. 1256 01:31:11.840 --> 01:31:15.800 And that's at Weeklyspooky dot Com slash Join. And speaking of, 1257 01:31:15.880 --> 01:31:17.920 I want to say an extra special thank you to 1258 01:31:18.000 --> 01:31:22.039 our Patreon podcast boosters, folks who go to Weeklyspooky dot 1259 01:31:22.079 --> 01:31:25.199 Com slash Join and contribute a little bit more to 1260 01:31:25.279 --> 01:31:28.960 hear their names on the show. And they are Johnny Nix, 1261 01:31:29.119 --> 01:31:32.720 Kate and Lulu, Jessica Fuller, Mike h Shcuey, Jenny Green, 1262 01:31:33.000 --> 01:31:36.720 Amber Hansford, Karen we Met, Jack Kerr and Craig Cohen. 1263 01:31:36.760 --> 01:31:38.239 Thank you all so much, And if you want to 1264 01:31:38.279 --> 01:31:40.720 hear your name at the end of every episode of 1265 01:31:40.760 --> 01:31:43.000 Weekly Spooky. All you have to do is head to 1266 01:31:43.039 --> 01:31:47.159 Weeklyspooky dot com slash join and select the fifteen dollar 1267 01:31:47.239 --> 01:31:50.520 a month or higher tier. We really do appreciate it, 1268 01:31:50.560 --> 01:31:55.039 and I love saying your names in my silky spooky voice. 1269 01:31:55.359 --> 01:31:56.920 But now it's time for me to get back to 1270 01:31:56.960 --> 01:32:00.479 work because there's going to be something very special dropping 1271 01:32:00.479 --> 01:32:04.079 this Friday to help keep you in the spooky seasoned 1272 01:32:04.119 --> 01:32:07.079 spirit as we head out of summer and into the 1273 01:32:07.079 --> 01:32:10.479 fall month. So for myself, for my executive producers Rob 1274 01:32:10.520 --> 01:32:14.000 Fields and babbletopia dot Com, my producer Dan Wilder, and 1275 01:32:14.039 --> 01:32:16.880 my composer Ray Mattis, I'll talk at you next time. 1276 01:32:17.359 --> 01:32:18.479 Thank you for listening. 1277 01:32:18.520 --> 01:32:22.439 To make sure to find your way back next week week. 1278 01:32:23.199 --> 01:32:28.479 But for now you are safe, trust me,